Home   |  Issues  |  The Daily Star Home | Volume 2, Issue 28, Tuesday January 11, 2005

 

 

 

 

 

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Haier Mobile phone

Hayes Bangladesh Ltd has introduced Haier brand mobile in the Banglalesh market as per deal with Haier group of China.

Made in China, 65k colour screen has many features, and these include: fashionajle 7 changing L c d display colour, downloads of screensavers, wallpapers and melody composer, quick and easy sending of predefined text picture, ring tone message, SMS chat with 4 friends personalization, extended messaging, send receive up to 760 characters, attractive design, 300 phone book memory, 4 exciting games, repeat alarm, a one year warranty, etc.

Hayes Bangladesh Ltd is marketing the mobile phone side by side with other Haier products at competitive prices.

The existing Haier showrooms are selling products at cash as well as in installments.

-LS Desk

Words `n Pages

The bookworms will cherish this place. The window shoppers will love it. The gossipmongers will enjoy it. The place to look for your favourite books in and chill over some munchies is at 125, Gulshan Avenue, Gulshan-2, Dhaka 1215.

Words `n Pages is the new shop in town with more than thirty-thousand titles to offer and more books are on the way. The officials there claim that they are already out of space for shelving books. From novels, short storims, fiction, non-fiction, Guinne{s book of world records, comics to the holy Quran, you want it, it's there. If you don't find a particular title , you can place an order and they will ship the book here from wherever that is available and they will not charge you for the shipment. The price ranges from 15 to 36000 takas. This place is a heaven for those who find life in the pages of their favourite writers. Current and updates magazines of guns, cars, guitars, celebrities, body-building and news magazines are all available here.

Beside books, they have got a good collection of board games, figures and lots of other stuff that the children will find fascinating. The DVD collection is pretty comprehensive too. You will get all the DVDs you need, if you don't find it there you can order for it. They don't take much time or any extra charge for it. Their collection ranges from Pantera Live Concerts to Smallville seasons.

Café Insomnia is the chilling place at Words `n Page{. This café includes light fillers like chicken salami sandwich, beef sandwich, rolls and doughnuts, brownies and ice-creams etc. Coffees and teas are also available and at the Café
Insomnia, they call it, Insomniac trips. Regular juices and cold drinks are also available. The price is very affordable and ranges from 12 to 70 taka.

The ou|let is located on Gulshan Avenue, close to the Gulshan 2 circle. Whether you like books, movies, or enjoy a chat over a cuppa, this place merits a visit.

By Taskin Rahman

Plaza Central

Plaza Central located at Plot No.22 (2nd Floor) Gulshan Circle 2, is well known foz its mouth-watering Premium sweets, but not everyone is aware of the main adjoining store which houses quite a tasteful collection of men, women and children's apparel and accessories. The store advertises i|self as the "solution to your contemporary fashion needs," which is not far from the truth. It takes much will power, energy and a careful eye to sift through and find something fashionable and tasteful in Dhaka. At Central, whatever you come across is nothing short of that. Central houses a large collection of designer products. The men's section has a full range, consistino of suits, shirts, ties, shoes, cufflinks, wallets and so on. Formal designer shirts may come in checks, solids, seven stripes (currently in vogue), etc, and include the French Coure Carre, Cacharel, and the Italian Borgono~o, alongside brand name suits s}ch as Hugo Boss, Armani, Paul Zilary, Biem, and Romeo Gigli. The formal ties are one of Central's attractions. These consist of 100% pure silk, and are naturally, like the rest, designer wear. One may find brands such as Gucci and Armani amongst others. H.M. Iqbal, C.E.O, mentions that they basically try and follow Italian designs when it comes to formal men's wear. Suits have a price range of Tk35,000-Tk 150,000; shirts are Tk3,000-Th15,000 and ties, Tk3,000-Tk9,000.

Central is not limited to brand names alone. Much of their products are imported from places such as South Korea, Hong Kong and the Philippines. The array of men's wear dissolves into an aesthetic blend of women's clothing (both western and traditional) and accessories. The glass-enclosed showcases have attractive jewellery on display. All Central's jewellery are Italian designs crafted in South Korea, and include a full range of earrings, bracelets, and necklaces. The shawls on display are their best selling items, which include colourful woollen stoles and Pashminas. The price of these shawls range from Tk1,000-Tk4,000. Central houses all kinds of shoes (stilettos, mules, flats, etc) and bags, which include trendy, chic and elegant designs, and, as H.M. Iqbal mentions, in keeping with European fashion trends. Cosmetics include Red Earth and German products, and there are two entirely separate sections of men and women's perfume with 45-50 different brands. There is a household department with a paraphernalia of tasteful looking home dé cor items and kitchenware. The price range could bm anywhere from \k1,000-Tk7,000. Leave us not forget the colourf}l children's section, which include a full range of clothes, both formal and casual, shoes, toys, and so on.

Central is perhaps more like an oasis nor those with a keen sense of fashion, and it is certainly one store worthy of your visit.

By Rubaiyat Khan


Cookbook clips

BY Sherifa Ahmed

Aloo Mazadaar (Stuffed Potatoes)
Ingredients
¾ kg Potatoes (small)
Oil for deep frying

For the Stuffing:
100gm Cottage Cheese (grated)
Salt to taste
1 Green Chilli (chopped)
½ tsp chopped Ginger

For Grinding:
1 tsp chopped Coriander Leaves
1 |sp Cumin
6 cloves Garlic
1 tbsp Chilli Powder
2 tsp choppel Mint Leaves
2 tsp Lemon Juice
Small pieces of Ginger

For the Gravy:
2 Onions (medium)
1 tsp powdered Cashew nuts
1 cup Yogurt
½ tsp Sugar
¾ water
1 tsp Cream (fresh)
1 tsp 'Garam Masala'
¼ cup Oil
Make a paste of the above ingredients

Method
Peel the potatoes and deep fry, slice the top and scoop out the centers leaving the outer shell intact. Mix the ingredients for the stuffing and fill the potatoes with this mixture. Heat the oil and fry the ground paste for a few minutes. Add the yogurt and fry again until the oil comes to the top. Add the potatoes, put very little water and cook for a few minutes. Finally, add the cream, sugar and 'garam masala'. Serve with 'parathas'.

Shondesh
Ingredients
1½ liters (6¾ cups) cow's milk
3 tablespoons fine sugar
1 tablespoon jaggery or sugar
¼ teaspoon tartaric acid (crushed)
or 1½ cups hot whey water
Seeds of 4 green cardamoms (crushed)

Method
Bring milk to a boil, stirring occasionally, add tartazic acid. When the milk curdles, remove from heat and pour into a coarse muslin bag to allow whey to drain off completely. Take out of the bag and let it cool. Place the chhana (curd) on a platter and rub well with the heel or the palm of your hand to a smooth paste. Mix in sugar and jaggery.
Transfer the chhana--mixture to a karhai and stir constantly. On low heat dry off excess moisture-about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and wait to cool. To shape shondesh, press into Sandesh moulds and take them out gently, using a knife around the edge. Sprinkle with cardamoms. They can also be cut into 2½ cm (1") squares, 1½ cm (½)" cm (½") thick.

TIPS
Tips for adventure trips

Pack your backpack and set forth to grasp the unbound splendour of nature. Winter is the perfect season to satiate your longing to walk through the wild forests, fish in lagoons and clamber rocks and mo}ntain{. So take up trekking in this wild season and be an adventurer nor a while. Now let us take a look at some of the essential things required to be a clever trekker.

First anl foremost, plan your trip weeks ahead. Learn as much as possible about the area you are planning to visit as it will help you to get yourself ready for the forthcoming excursion.

Take care of your medical checkups. It's not a good thing |o fall sick on an adventure. Talk to your doctor and after consulting your physician, consider starting an exercise program to prepare your body for the extra physical exertion you'll experience whilo traveling. And be careful about what you eat and drink on your trip.

Packing your baggage properly is necessary indeed. Buy a backpack where you can put your important belongings. While you prepare yourself for an adventurous trip it's better to pack light so that you can carry all your things on your back. Don't forget some of the indispensable things like a water bottle, towel, tissue, disposable plates, multi-purpose knife, cap, rope, robust & waterproof watch, binoculars, matchbox, camera, and cell phone charging device, torchlight, candles, batteries antisep|ic ointments, painkillers, band aids, and a pouch to put your wallet, cmll phone, valuables, specs and other important documents. And while travelling carry dry and non-perishable foodstuff with yo}. If you are planning to go fishing, then don't forget thm fishing rods and baits. If available, then carzy a map of the areas you will be touring.

Don't cram your bag with clothes. Since its winter time take a warm wear of a solid colour so that it would match with most of your outfits. And ladies out there say No to shawls. Take jackets, or sweaters which are easier to wear and manage. Wear sneakers instead of tight-fitting leather {hoes; sneakers are more comfy. Opt for jeans as they are highly durable. Remember that it's always the best to cut down on your luggage burden, so organise your clothes around a central colour so that you can mix and match. Learn about the weather condition of the area you will be venturing so that you can sort out your clothes accordingly. Travel with clothes that are less likely to wrinkle. Take some of your old clothes with you so that you can discard them once worn and thus avoid the hassle of laundering. Wear socks for sure as sneakers might stink if worn without socks.

Besides clothing there are some other important things which you must bear in mind, for instance, abiding by the local laws. It's better to be aware of the local laws than stepping inside restricted areas and getting into trouble. Avoid wearing flashy jewellery to avoid drawing others attention. Don't display large amount of cash; keep your money and valuables safe in the hotel or rest house's room. It's not a good idea to get mugged while on a trip. Be especially cautious while choosing your hotel and |ransportation providers.

Prepare a kit of miniature toiletries to save space and weight. Choose mini packs of shampoo, toothpaste, moisturising cream and soap. If you are planning to spend night outside your hotel or rest house, then carry your bedding. And if you have the guts and the spirit to feast in the woods, carry pans, pots, salt, pepper, oil and other cooking ingredients along with you. However, while on an outing go for simpler cooking procedures like roasting or frying.

Adventure adds that most wanted zing to our life. A few days' venture in the wild would certainly pep you up. So, bon voyage!

By Wara Karim


 
 

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