Check It Out

Mother's Day gifts from Aarong

Mother's Day gives us another wonderful day in the calendar to make our mothers feel extra special…so this year, while you are wondering about fun and exciting ways to celebrate the day, drop by at Aarong outlets and check out the newest range of their Mother's Day collection. Once you are at Aarong, you will find a beautiful array of selected gifts tied in pink tassels, which were handpicked by Aarong for your shopping convenience. The cutest of all the gifts are the 3 stone earrings. These silver earrings come in circles, triangles and squares and each have three different interchangeable colour stones.

Another more practical addition to the Mother's Day collection is the sari bag- perfect for moms to keep their expensive saris covered in a nice block printed fabric cover. Candles are a part of this exclusive range as well. And for tradition lovers, a kantha-stitch handerkerchief set is the ideal choice. And lastly, mugs in fun colours and designs including some that say “I love you Mom” are forever favourites for mothers of all ages. So hurry and choose a special gift to make your mom feel truly loved!

Sonargaon thanks Mothers

Pan Pacific Sonargaon will celebrate International Mothers Day on May 13 in a befitting manner and has drawn up a number of programmes to mark this very special day. Mothers going to any restaurant outlet of the hotel Café Bazar, Jharna, Ciao - on May 13 in groups of three will be able to dine for free, both at lunch and dinner.

Pan Pacific Sonargaon will also host a reception on the occasion of Mother's Day to pay tribute to successful mothers and their successful children. So if you're a mother, don't let this wonderful opportunity pass by- visit Pan Pacific Sonargaon on May 13 and treat yourself to some great TLC!

Mother’s Day at Persona

If you want to pamper your mother on Mother’s Day, take her to Persona. She’ll be surprised by all the treats that they have to offer. For further info e-mail info@mypersona.org

Shadakalo’s relocation

Another mammoth name has been added to the already buzzing street of Banani Road 11. As of the first of May, Shadakalo has changed their Banani premises and relocated to Road Number 11 for shoppers' convenience. This outlet will house their usuals of saris, panjabis, fatuas, salwas kameez sets, t-shirts and accessories. Next time you are on Road Number 11, make it a point to stop by Shadakalo at House Number 26.

NCCB awards

The National Crafts Council of Bangladesh - NCCB (Bangladesh Jatiyo Karushilpa Parishad) has been acknowledging and honouring the finest artisans of the country through its Master Crafts Persons Award programme since its inception in 1985. The awards are named in memory of outstanding personalities and are sponsored by member organisations of NCCB. The 2007 Mastercraftspersons Awards have been won by the following:

1. Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin Award (Satranji)- Sahera Khatun
2. Patua Quamrul Hasan Award (Handmade Paper and Products)- Haridas Chandra Shaha
3. Rashid Chowdhury Award (Mirpur Banarasi)- Md. Rafique

The Prof. Tofail Ahmed Award was given to Ruby Ghuznavi for her seminal work in reviving natural dyes in Bangladesh. The awards for 2007 were presented on 23rd April 2007 by Raja Fuziah Binti Raja Tun Uda of Malaysia and Mr. Mohammed Sirajuddin, both Honourary Members of the World Crafts Council and the event was chaired by Tourem Robin, Vice President, NCCB.

-LS Desk

Chronicles Of Sam Q



Dear Diary,
As Mother's Day looms closer, I am not feeling as vulnerable as I should have felt, only because the apple of my eye is returning home victoriously after completing his first year in university. As far as I can tell, there is not much to be said about the empty nest syndrome. It has happened and one has to realise that our very own little people move on too. His arrival was as tumultuous as his leaving. Well, I got used to that, so I suppose I will get used to this too. But somehow the above statement rings false even in my ears. I am never going to adjust to the empty nest. Since my son left, I have tried to distract myself by travelling, going back to school, socialising with more gusto, but the moment I come back home, a heavy yearning wraps around me. I see everything is as I left it. No dirty shoes in the entrance for me to trip over, no half eaten food in the fridge, no wet towels to pick up.

The above scenario sounds terribly sad. It is. I am. Not depressing, but sad. I could rhapsodise about having more time to waste, but I have never had trouble wasting time. Nothing can beat the experience that I had a few months ago. I had crept into his room at two in the afternoon just to see whether he was breathing or not as he had shown no sign of waking up. I watched his chest rise and fall, heard him breathe, just as I had when he was a tiny infant in his crib and I was the anxious mother of his life. Children leave and a chapter closes. No, not a mere chapter, a volume thuds to a weighty close. But, we go on. I understand in a flash, that the tables have now turned. I need my child more than he needs me. We could still argue about this, my son still needs me of course, in the way that people who love one another need one another. But, there is a shift in the balance. A few months ago I had the life keys. I gave permission, I bought the bread, I woke him up and said when enough was enough. I made a home for him. Now he has a home elsewhere. Filthy one, judging by the recent visit to his dorm. I have no idea what he is doing from one moment to the next. He isn't looking for permission to do anything. He isn't waiting for me to call. I am waiting for him. He does not need to hear my voice before he drifts off to sleep. But I need to, long to hear his voice.

While writing this column, I was thinking about how quiet and peaceful it is at home these days. I enjoy the peace and the solitude. I just don't enjoy not having a choice about it.

So diary, to all the melancholic moms out there…Happy Mothers Day, the Sam Q. way.

Hello Dolly Cookies
100g butter
100g (1 cup) digestive biscuits
100g (1 cup) chopped chocolate
100g (1 cup) chopped walnuts
1 can of condensed milk

Method
Melt the butter and stir in the biscuit crumbs. Press the mixture into the base of a greased (11 into 7 inch) cake pan. Layer with the chopped chocolate and walnuts. Pour the condensed milk on top and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees, gas mark 4 for 25 minutes. Cut into bars and leave to cool completely.

Tips

Do away with damp

Tapur tupur brishti porey…
Yes, the onslaught of feelings brought on by the thought of Boishakh might make one concoct such romantically inclined phrases. After all mother nature is shining in her luscious green colors; the city's fiery krishnachura and golden shornalu trees are blooming in all their glory; the mango trees will surely bend if any more mangoes start growing on them. But unfortunately nature is also thriving in your cupboards! As the humidity level rises, your carpets, upholstery, walls, bed linen and wardrobes retain the moisture and dampness too. So, here are a few tips to do away with that damp!

Care for cupboards and clothes
· Try placing any of the following in your closet to fight dampness: a saucer with cloves, a jar full of salt or a box with quicklime. A block of camphor (karpoor) is good too and besides it will also bring a tangy aroma to the closet.

· Fight musty odors by placing perfumed bath salts in the bottom of the cupboard.

· Neem leaves are very effective against rainy season bugs.

Air Your Abode
· Damp walls can be due to condensation or some leakage through the walls or ceiling. To fight this nuisance place a silver foil over the damp area inside the room. If the side touching the wall is wet then the dampness is from outside. Call for professional help. Identify the location of the leakage and waterproof accordingly.

· Improve ventilation to stop condensation inside the room. And to do so try using something such as an extractor fan on the windows and that should do the trick.

·Say no to damp beds by lacing a piece of camphor in the room. It will evaporate, leaving the room dry.

So you see? All it takes are some simple steps and in no time you will rid yourself of all those damp disasters!

By Simin Saifuddin