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Shop
Special
Beat
the chill
If
you've been following the news lately, you'll be aware that meteorologists
have predicted that a cold wave will sweep across Bangladesh in this
month. Now if you feel that meteorologists are as trustworthy as politicians,
then you will probably take this information with a pinch of salt! On
the other hand, if you have faith in our country's meteorologists you
will prepare to face the cold weather.
Here at Lifestyle,
we believe it's better to be safe than sorry, and so we suggest that
you brace yourselves for the cold wave by purchasing a few quilts and
blankets. By doing so, you'll be able to ensure that no matter how 'unkind'
God gets with the temperature, you'll be nice and warm! Even if it turns
out that the prediction of a cold wave is false, your investment in
quilts and blankets won't be a complete waste, as you'll be able to
use them to stay warm in the present mild winter. Also, you'll be able
to use them in the years ahead when the temperature might get as cold
as it presently is in Canada!
Okay, we've suggested
that you buy quilts and blankets, but do you know from where you can
buy them? In case you don't know, don't worry, as we'll solve this 'riddle'
for you!
 The
best place to buy a quilt is Nilkhet, as no other place in Dhaka will
be able to offer such competitive prices. There are many shops in Nilkhet
that sell quilts, and "Noor Bedding Store" is one of them.
At this shop a readymade single-sized quilt is sold for about Tk 260,
while a readymade double-sized quilt is sold for Tk 400. Besides selling
readymade quilts, this shop also accepts orders to make quilts. According
to the shopkeeper, these quilts are better than readymade ones as they
are made using a better quality of cotton. For this reason, they are
also more expensive. If you place an order, a single-sized quilt will
cost Tk 400, while a double-sized quilt will cost Tk 650. It is worth
mentioning that they will take only an hour to deliver an order. One
final word about this shop is that you shouldn't hesitate to bargain
here. If you're good at bargaining, you might even be able to go home
with a quilt for half of the price that we have quoted!
Unfortunately, blankets
are not sold in Nilkhet, and so you'll have to go to someplace else
to purchase them. At the shops of Baitul Mukarrum you'll be able to
find some competitively priced blankets, but going there can be a real
hassle. If you can't be bothered to go all the way to Baitul Mukarrum,
then you can go to Elephant Road's "Lopa Department Store."
At this shop a single-sized blanket is sold in the range of Tk 2,000
to Tk 2,200, while a double-sized blanket is sold in the range of Tk
2,200 to Tk 5,000. New Market is another place where you can purchase
blankets. Near the mosque of New Market you'll be able to find many
shops that sell blankets. At these shops the prices will be slightly
lower than the prices of Elephant Road's "Lopa Department Store."
Just like we advised you to bargain at Nilkhet, we suggest that you
do the same at Elephant Road and New Market too.
So, there you have
it. Now you have an idea about where to buy quilts and blankets from.
Go there quickly and make your purchase. After all, you must beat the
chill!
By
Sayeed Mahmud Nizam
Shop
talk
Liquid
Shoe Polish
The night of 31 December isn't too far away, and many of you will probably
be hitting the dance floors in order to have a blast. Before leaving
your house on 31 December, we suggest that you take some time to polish
the shoes that you intend to wear. Shoes tell a lot about a person,
and we can tell you that polished shoes score maximum points, especially
with women! Liquid shoe polish is very easy to use, and is available
at all the branches of Bata. Kiwi is a decent brand and is sold for
Tk 70.
Socks
Do you wear the same socks day after day? If you do, please stop doing
that. By wearing the same socks day after day, you develop foot odour,
and we can assure you that it smells even worse than shutki (dried fish)!
If you intend to get lucky with a member of the opposite sex, you must
ensure that you don't have foot odour. By simply changing your socks
on a regular basis, you can avoid getting foot odour. Socks aren't very
expensive and so this can be done very easily. At the branches of Bata,
socks are being sold in the range of Tk 30 to Tk 150.
Also this footwear
will save you from worse situations in this chilly weather. If you want
cheaper ones, go to hawkers at New Market. We simply can't get away
from this shopping zone. These hawkers sit outside the shoe stores.
A pair of girls' socks would cost around tk30 and men's would cost tk40
to tk45.
Bulb
Does your reading room have sufficient lighting? If it doesn't, then
you should take steps to ensure that it does, or else you'll harm your
eyesight. Surely you don't want to mar your radiant looks by wearing
spectacles, right? Therefore, use a bulb to lighten up your room. Bulbs
are available at supermarkets and electrical stores, and they are reasonably
priced. Philips is a renowned bulb brand and it is sold for Tk 20.
Mustard
oil
A drop of mustard oil in your favourite bhorta will always do the trick.
in If you are one of those people who has deep faith in mustard oil,
visit Shoshyo Prabartana at 2/8, Sir Syed Road, Mohammadpur. A 400ml
bottle will cost tk50 and 800ml tk100.
Soya
Bean Oil
It is no secret that we Bangladeshis live to eat. Kachi Biryani, Polau,
Parata are all items that we absolutely love. Do you know which oil
is used to prepare these items? Well, in most cases it is soya bean
oil. Soya bean oil is available at all bazaars and supermarkets. Although
there are many brands of this oil, Teer and Rupchanda are the most popular.
A 5-litre can of Teer is sold for about Tk 255, while a 5-litre can
of Rupchanda is sold for about Tk 260.
Coconut
Oil
Would you like to have wonderful hair? If so, besides using shampoo,
you must oil your hair on a regular basis with coconut oil. If you manage
to do so, you'll eventually get hair that even Jennifer Aniston will
envy! Many brands of coconut oil are available at bazaars and supermarkets.
'Lalbagher hashmarka' and 'Jui' are two renowned brands of coconut oil.
A 400ml container of both these brands can be bought for about Tk80.
Another popular brand is Parachute..
By
Sayeed Mahmud Nizam
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Essentials
Fix
those foul mouths!
With hip-hop fever at an all-time high, artists like Eminem, who liberally
pepper their songs with crude language, making millions in album sales,
and B-grade movies available practically everywhere, it's no wonder
that the kids are picking up profanity faster than they learn their
ABC's. How do you, as a parent, curb their tendency to cuss? Here
are a few pointers that should help:
Keep
your cool, but stand your ground
Losing your temper and yelling at the offender will only exacerbate
the problem. We ourselves are prone to using colorful language in
heated moments, so it works better to stay calm. That doesn't mean
that you let your child get away with using foul language. State your
point quietly, but firmly, and avoid personal attacks like "How
dare you use that language!" Instead, opt for a more neutral
statement like "Swear words will not be tolerated in this household."
Penalty
pointers
If your child gets a weekly/monthly allowance from you, deduct a 'swearing
tax' from it if you find him/her using foul language. At the same
time, add a small 'clean language' bonus, say a small increment, or
some treat at the end of the month, if the little one has been behaving
in terms of language. When children see clean language as being profitable,
the incentive for swearing will go away.
Set
an example
When it comes to disciplining the kids, whether it's language you're
dealing with, or chores, or manners, you have to remember that you
are a role model for your children. Set an example for them by refraining
from using foul words in their presence. When you hear someone using
foul language on television, for example, point out to the kids, how
'crude' or 'unsmart' the offender looks. Your children will gradually
adopt your attitude towards profanity.
The
key to solving the swear problem lies in effective communication with
your children. Keep the channels open and your message clear, and
you're on your way to fixing your child's fixation for foul words.
By
Sabrina F Ahmad
On
the cover
No
tale about a deshi village is complete without the mention of a Banyan
tree. Whether as an open-air arena for a political debate, or a cool
resting place for the wearied traveller, or even the subject of colourful
village lore, the Banyan is a timeless symbol of the simple idyll
of village life. |
