DESTINATIONS - Issue 6 - Pakistan's Premier Travel and Lifestyle Magazine

ISSUE #06

LUXE IN THE CITY

Sanam and Hareem

stun in hot-off-the-ramp

HSY, Elan and Shehla Chatoor

Dobara Phir Se... the star-studded cast

tours Pakistan with

DAEWOO CAB

contents.

ISSUE #06

On the cover

A Tale

p.32

ofTwo

Cities Mah-Za in

NEAR & AFAR

p.88

26

Destinations Desires

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Dream Destinations

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Airport Diaries

A TALE OF TWO CITIES 148 The Soul of Two Cities 148 Dobara Phir Se...

In Conversation with Sanam and Hareem 148 Calling the Shots - Mehreen Jabbar 148 Kharadar, the Heart of Karachi 148 Uncovering Karachi 74 Mah-Za in Manhattan

p.54

Uncovering Karachi

the

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p.74

LA DOLCE VITA OFF THE BEATEN TRACK 32

La Dolce Vita with Khawar Riaz

A LIFE WORTH LIVING 32

Sky High Yoga

DESTINATIONS DIARY

Inspiring CHANGE

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On the Crescent Trail Through Europe

THE FASHION FIX

p.142

88

p.129

If You Like It, Put Your Name On It

VISIONARY 119 Modernizing the Minaret

119 PAKISTAN through the

LENS

Inspiring Change - TEDx

ART SPEAKS 129 Pakistan Through the Lens Mobeen Ansari

TRAVELISTA 142 How to Travel Like a Fashionista Frieha Altaf and Rukaiya Adamjee

REFLECTIONS 148 Windows on Lahore

PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ASMA CHISHTY MANAGING EDITOR : MARIAM MUSHTAQ FEATURES & COMMISSIONING EDITOR : ZAHRA HIDAYATULLAH DESIGN & LAYOUT : USMAN MUNIR ZOHAIB AKHTAR EDITORIAL ASSISTANT : PALVASHAY SHEHRYAR OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER : UBAID-UR-REHMAN CIRCULATION : ALI TARIQ MEDIA SALES : NAEEM ULLAH PUBLISHED BY : DAEWOO PAKISTAN EXPRESS BUS SERVICE LTD. 231, FEROZEPUR ROAD, KALMA CHOWK, LAHORE, PAKISTAN +92.42.111.007.006 , +92.42.3583.5132 LEGAL ADVISOR : BASIT WAHEED WATTOO GM MARKETING & SALES (DAEWOO) : SHERIAR HASSAN CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER (DAEWOO) : USMAN HAYAT CONTACT (SALES) : +92 334 423 4681 (NAEEM ULLAH) NAEEM.ULLAH@DAEWOO.COM.PK +92 333 488 8203 (KHAWAJA AMMAR) CONTACT (EDITORIAL) : KHAWAJA.AMMAR@DAEWOO.COM.PK DISTRIBUTORS: +92 335 455 5764 (ALI TARIQ) PRINTER : NATIONAL NEWS AGENCY

destinationspk

destinations.com.pk www.destinations.com.pk

destinationspk

A

editors note from the

s pleasant fall days give way to the blustery cold of the approaching winter, we gear up to celebrate the season in typical Pakistani style – with a flurry of activities marking the social calendar, be it weddings, social events, launches and premieres.

Our cover story, titled A Tale of Two Cities, celebrates the release of Dobara Phir Se, award-winning director Mehreen Jabbar’s eagerly-anticipated romantic drama set in Karachi and New York. Separated by thousands of miles, both share a vibe that is distinctly similar and through a series of personal reflections, interviews and travel stories, we juxtapose the two coastal cities to uncover their unique characters.

Renowned filmmaker Hasan Zaidi writes a deeply personal account of why he considers Karachi and New York to be soul sisters. Journalist Yusra Askari takes us on a tour of Kharadar, the heart of Karachi and a true reflection of the city’s multicultural fabric. In the similarly diverse area of Manhattan, banker-turned-baker Umber Ahmed shows us around her popular bakery Mah-Ze-Dahr where the recipes are the perfect blend of the east and west.

ASMA CHISHTY

PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Leading ladies Sanam Saeed and Hareem Farooq star in our fashion editorial showcasing the latest trends for the upcoming festive season by some of the country’s top designers. Karachi’s stunning architectural wonders and vibrant streets form the backdrop, from the Sindh High Court to the Merewether Clock Tower. For those wanting a better view of these iconic monuments, a ride on the Super Savari Express is in order. Lifestyle journalist Salima Feerasta interviews Atif Ahmed, the brains behind Karachi’s super-fun bus ride, to discover his passion for travel and his love for his hometown.

Stories of travel and discovery from other parts of the world also find their way into the magazine. Travel enthusiast Zehra Wamiq journeys across parts of Europe that have either been influenced or associated with the Islamic civilization in one way or another; while architect Shahed Saleem sheds light on how immigrant populations are using architecture to find their place in Britain. Fifi Haroon attends the Lahore Literary Festival in London and falls in love with the Punjab capital as she gathers insights about the city from an eclectic array of commentators.

For all this and much more, let DESTINATIONS take you on a journey across Pakistan and around the globe.

ZAHRA HIDAYATULLAH

FEATURES & COMMISSIONING EDITOR

MARIAM MUSHTAQ MANAGING EDITOR

NEAR & AFAR Our guide to what we’re currently loving.

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Westworld

Looking for a new show to binge watch on the weekends? A good pick would be HBO’s latest sci-fi thriller Westworld. A reboot of the 1973 Michael Crichton film of the same name, the TV show is a dark, suspenseful look into a dystopian future. The action takes place in a theme park, Westworld, that allows its visitors to live out their fantasies, no matter how outlandish, through artificial consciousness. With an exceptional cast that includes the likes of Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris, Thandie Newton, James Marsden and Evan Rachel Wood, superb production and a gripping narrative, this one-of-a-kind show will have you hooked.

It doesn’t get any better than this – Louis Vuitton has converted its most sought-after bag into an entirely new fashion accessory. At the finale of last month’s Paris Fashion Week, the brand’s iconic Petit Malle trunk bag, a favourite of fashionistas worldwide, was debuted as an iPhone case.

From its popular brown monogram version to a gold metallic and even a blue leather one, there are plenty of variations to select from.

This is one tech accessory that is definitely worth investing in!

A Life in Parts by Bryan Cranston

Walter White may have exited our TV screens but fans of Breaking Bad can relive the groundbreaking TV show through the recently released memoir of its lead star, Bryan Cranston. Titled A Life In Parts, the book is a fascinating tell-all by an actor who faced more than his fair share of trials and hardships before rising to the top.

Cranston details not only his personal life but also his professional ascent, including his first encounter with the script of Breaking Bad and the conflicts that ruled the set. Poignant, funny and inspiring, the memoir is an intimate look at one of the icons of modern-day television.

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Louis Vuitton’s iPhone Case

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Sony Playstation VR

The latest gadget on our tech radar is the Playstation VR, Sony’s nod to a new era of gaming where virtual reality is key. If you’re looking for the perfect present for that techie in your life, the Playstation VR is the answer to your prayers.

Its sleek design and outstanding quality aside, the best thing about it is its surprisingly economical price tag.

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Velvet Boots

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that the latest trend to hit the style circuit this season is velvet in all its plush glory. Velvet pants and blazers have had their moment; A-listers are now turning their attention to statement-making footwear in this luxurious fabric. Time to relegate your leather boots to the side-lines and grab a pair of these velvet babies.

Whether its Gianvito Rossi’s delicate pink style or the budget-friendly options from River Island and Topshop, there’s plenty to choose from.

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NEAR & AFAR

Whether you’re craving a domestic getaway or eyeing a more exotic trip abroad, we pick out the best places to help you plan your travels.

E G N A R R A H T KIR The Kirthar range, located in the provinces of Balochistan and Sindh, provides for a fascinating travel experience given its unique landscape, abundant wildlife and historical monuments. Although temperatures here shift dramatically, November to February is the best time to visit.

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How to get there

The Kirthar National Park

ional Park The Kirthar Nat via the M9 can be accessed between route that runs rachi. A Ka d Hyderabad an is e iv 4-wheel dr der to or in recommended ss of ne ed sustain the rugg ildlife W e Th the park range.

Karachi also Department of al cars and nt arranges for re . tourists services

Where to stay

151 km Karachi

What to do

l Park is a Kirthar Nationa t for a wide natural habita and bird range of animal as home to species as well nikot Fort. the majestic Ra ns are a Other attractio tifully au number of be ic or al tombs constructed hist e Hub Dam, at Taung and th ’s largest one of Pakistan place to od dams and a go water of enjoy a variety terrain n ai nt sports. The mou d an ng ki is ideal for hi e ar e er th camping and g. in nt hu r fo game reserves

l Park, the Kirthar Nationa reserve in largest wildlife lodging Sindh, provides rs to . There are facilities for visi life two main Wild ed in at tu Guesthouses si about ith w ar Karchat and Kh ttages in each. five to seven co

Hong Kong

37km

Lantau Island

HONG KONG line, With a glittering sky unning delicious food and st islands, this teeming best of metropolis offers the one the east and west in beguiling package.

How to get there

The Sublime Four Seasons hotel

What to do

alls to chic From glitzy m local boutiques and g Kong bazaars, Hon zzling array of provides a da e shopaholic. options for th n as the It’s also know l of the world culinary capita the foodie in and will leave with the you awe-struck ns so a Se ur Fo of cuisines on The sublime rt sheer variety a he e th in d oking for hotel, locate offer. Those lo t, ic tr is D l a tr ure can ride of the Cen tdoor advent rt. ou fo m co nd a The Peak for exudes luxury the tram up to of s ew vi r la cu view of Hong With specta a 360 degree the of e on r, ou e longest Victoria Harb Kong, take th ar st otw a , a si in the world best spas in A cable car ride nt a ur a st re ch nd to see the Michelin Fren on Lantau Isla p to of ro l ifu ut sit Lamma and a bea Big Buddha, vi is ns so a Se ur ditional junk pool, the Fo Island in a tra u yo l te ho of seafood, or the kind boat for fresh . ve a le to nt a n watching. wouldn’t w go pink dolphi

operates flight Thai Airways from all to Hong Kong Pakistan. major cities in

Where to stay

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AIRPORT These style stars from home & abroad show us how to nail airport chic.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

Deepak Perwani and Tapu Javeri

Mehreen Syed

Ozzy Shah Amal Clooney

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Gigi Hadid

Foha Raza

Amna Niazi

Anber Javed Sana Omar

Ryan Reynolds

THE FASHION FIX

If You Like It, PUT YOUR NAME ON IT

For decades we have carried around high-end fashion products named after the people who designed them. But lately, a welcome new trend has hit the style circuit, one that favours individual self-expression. This season is all about being one’s own inspiration and customizing your wardrobe. From monogrammed jackets to personalized clutches, we bring you the lowdown on two brands that will allow you to customize your accessories to suit your taste.

International Butler

Founder: Samsara Hussain

“I come from a fashion background here in the UK and started International Butler quite by chance whilst still in university. The initial concept was a fast and reliable personal shopper and delivery service; however, I wanted to branch out into something a little different. One of my best friends asked me to customize a bomber jacket for her with Urdu writing on the back. The concept really took off for International Butler and we became the first company to do such products, a fact that I’m really proud of. This is just the beginning for us and I can’t wait to expand further. For your customised bomber jackets please visit our website www.internationalbutler.co.uk and we'll be in touch.”

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Quirky & Co

Founder: Sehyr Anis

“Quirky & Co is a fun product line that offers customized statement clutches. Our line of bespoke clutches has been the rage with people who follow international trends closely and understand the pulse of fashion. The bespoke range offers a variety of mediums and styles, such as the luxe mother-ofpearl finish and the leather totes. All the styles can be customised with names or initials.

It’s an online venture and we provide a cash on delivery facility.

The full range can be viewed at facebook.com/quirkyandco.”

A TALE OF TWO CITIES

Karachi and New York City may not be as worlds apart as one might think at first glance. Filmmaker Hasan Zaidi shares a personal perspective...

THE

OF

By Hasan Zaidi

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A

A TALE OF TWO CITIES

sk any random person to name a city around the world similar to New York City and they will most likely struggle.

London perhaps? Both are thriving financial centres, offer a lot in terms of cultural enrichment opportunities and are tremendously cosmopolitan.

Both are part of the Western world and English is the lingua franca. But some things will not fully gel.

New York is too unique, they’d admit; almost the entire world is represented in the city (and not just because it is home to the United Nations); it is far more modern; it has a vibe unlike any other city; it is more welcoming of outsiders etcetera etcetera etcetera…

So, yes, finding a city to liken to the Big Apple would be difficult for anyone. What I can pretty much guarantee, however, is that the city they will not reference is Karachi.

And yet...

In 1991, I saw After Hours, one of director Martin Scorsese’s most underrated films. The film actually came out in 1985 and did not do particularly well at the box office. It was considered a deviation from the heights he’d reached with films such as 1973’s Mean Streets, 1976’s Taxi Driver and 1980’s Raging Bull.

The film noir takes place in one night in New York, during which a young professional data operator has a series of surreal misadventures on the streets when he ventures out for a date in Soho and is left without any money. The film is often unfairly tagged with the yuppie-in-peril genre that includes films such as 1990’s terrible Tom Hanks vehicle Bonfire of the Vanities; Scorsese’s film owes its influences far more to Kafka.

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The film was of course very much about New York City of the 1980s. But all I could think of as I watched it was how much it reminded me of Karachi.

I was fascinated with the idea of a protagonist suddenly finding a familiar city become unfamiliar and how that perception feeds into a sense of threat. It recalled to me Karachi’s unbridled growth and subsequent geographical polarization, summarized usually by the (only vaguely accurate) characterization ‘Bridge ke iss paar rehte ho ya uss paar?’ (Do you live on ‘this’ side of the Clifton Bridge or the ‘other’ side?).

The assumption in that characterization – that people living on either side of the bridge are different from each other, in terms of class, language and values and ‘never the twain shall meet’ – is mirrored to this day by some people in New York City. Manhattan residents, for instance, rarely venture out to Queens. Some of them look down upon even the increasingly gentrified and hip Brooklyn.

I was fascinated too by how people can exist in a city and be unaware of it beyond their own little bubble. As a journalist back in Karachi in the 1990s, I was increasingly aware of this disconnect: most of the elite had never ventured into even the oldest and most central parts of the city such as Lyari.

Unlike New York, Karachi is not divided into distinct boroughs such as Manhattan or Brooklyn or Queens. Yet it is increasingly many different cities in one. People living in Orangi in the northwest, for instance, can sometimes go years without interacting (or needing to interact) with the denizens of Clifton and Defence in the south. And vice versa.

And of course, the idea of a city that never sleeps is intrinsic to both New York and Karachi. Karachi was given the title of the ‘City of Lights’ in the 1960s, which it has striven to maintain despite the worst spells of power breakdowns (or ‘loadshedding’ in common parlance). In contrast to small-town America or most other cities in Pakistan, a subterranean life exists in these two cities even in the dead of night.

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A TALE OF TWO CITIES

As a filmmaker I was also taken with the idea of exposing the lived reality of the city on film – cities had more or less disappeared from the national cinematic oeuvre in the 1980s and 1990s.

I became obsessed with trying to adapt the central idea of After Hours into a film about Karachi. As a filmmaker I was also taken with the idea of exposing the lived reality of the city on film – cities had more or less disappeared from the national cinematic oeuvre in the 1980s and 1990s.

Eventually, with the help of my friend (and later celebrated novelist) Mohammad Hanif – who wrote the screenplay – I managed to make that film in 2000.

Titled Raat Chali Hai Jhoom Ke, after a song made famous in a 1967 Waheed Murad film, the film told the story of a well-off software entrepreneur who lives in Clifton and has been carrying on a phone affair with a woman whose old-world charm and coyness attract him in spite of himself (keep in mind this was before the advent of mobile phones and even caller line identification). When she finally invites him to her house, he discovers she lives in Malir, an area he has little to no knowledge about. But overcome by desire he sets out to see her, only to discover upon meeting her that she 1) is married 2) has just poisoned her husband and 3) wants his help in disposing off the body.

His attempt to escape from this psychotic situation sets in motion a whole series of events over the course of the night in which he discovers a side of his city that he has never experienced before. The film was essentially a celebration of the underbelly of the city and what was remarkable was how easily the very different city of New York could be adapted to Karachi.

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Karachi is not New York. Despite having a population more than double of NYC, it is nowhere as developed as a city. Most of it looks like a slum.

As a tourist, looking only at the surface, it would seem laughable to even compare the two. One is vertical, the other still largely horizontal. But cities are strange creatures. You have to look within their souls to appreciate them fully.

As far as Pakistan is concerned, Karachi is its New York. It is the centre of business and the media. It is the city people flock to from all parts of the country because it welcomes all. It is a city of migrants. It may not have the representation of different worldwide cultures that New York City can boast of, but it’s pretty remarkable for a South Asian city. Aside from strong representation of all the cultures of Pakistan, it is also home to significant numbers of migrants from Afghanistan, Iran, Sri Lanka, China, Burma, India and Bangladesh. More than 30 languages are spoken in Karachi. It is far more liberal on social and gender rights than the rest of Pakistan. It can be rude and it has a coded slang only those who live here can appreciate. It has better beaches. If New Yorkers can fight over where to get the best pastrami sandwiches, Karachiites can fight similarly over the best . (And if you can find aloo chaat in New York, you can find ‘New York style pizza’ in Karachi.) And yes, it has its own unique Gotham vibe.

Incidentally, the first time I visited New York City, in 1988, it was in the era before the city was ‘cleaned up’. I had grown up hearing numerous stories about violent crime in the city. As we were driving into the city at night, my friend asked me to lock the car doors – just in case someone tried to mug us at a traffic light. Visiting the elite Columbia University I noticed that the dorms had armed guards for security, which shocked me, coming as I was from the more sedate upcountry areas. On the walls at one reception were posters offering a reward for identifying the killers of a police officer who had been shot dead earlier. On a later visit in 1991, when I once took the subway alone at night, my friends were incredulous that I had actually survived without incident.

I recall these stories only to offer some perspective to those who might bring up the issue of Karachi’s violence. In 1991 it was safer to be in Karachi.

It’s also a reminder that cities can change. But it is their souls that define them.

And New York City and Karachi, to me, are soul sisters.

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A TALE OF TWO CITIES

Dobara Phir Se‌

By Omair Alavi

Karachi and New York might be separated by thousands of miles but share a vibe that is distinctly similar. As melting pots of culture and ethnicities and centers for arts and entertainment, the two coastal cities share a reputation for being vibrant, cosmopolitan and quite frankly, addictive.

Dobara Phir Se, ARY’s eagerly-anticipated romantic drama by award-winning director Mehreen Jabbar set in both Karachi and New York, shines the spotlight on the similarities, differences and unique characters that infuse the two.

In conversation with

Sanam and Hareem

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A TALE OF TWO CITIES Not many Pakistani films have been shot in the United States; how did it feel to be ambassadors of Pakistan in America?

Sanam Saeed: It was great to represent Pakistan abroad and exciting to see a different kind of reaction from the locals. While we were shooting in New York, people used to visit the set and ask us which foreign film was being shot there and our answer ‘Pakistan’ sometimes startled, sometimes amazed and sometimes confused them. They couldn’t believe that such films are also made in Pakistan because I think we haven’t penetrated their market as yet.

Hareem Farooq: I was shooting for Dobara Phir Se when I was on a break from my production Janaan. Believe me, I was most impressed with the locals who didn’t come to us for selfies or disrupted the shooting with unnecessary interruptions.

That’s what happens to us here in Pakistan; here we are stars because our TV dramas are huge. We still haven’t been able to make a mark internationally but hopefully, Dobara Phir Se will change that and take Pakistan to the next level.

How was the New York experience?

Sanam & Hareem: We cherished every moment of our stay in New York; in fact we went to the city 2 weeks before shooting began just to acclimatize ourselves to the environment. By the time the shooting started, we had become Pakistanis living in the States as we knew where to hang out, how to carry ourselves and above all, what the feelings were of those Pakistanis who missed their homeland. We girls lived in our own apartment in NYC and that’s why we bonded well during the stay.

It was sort of a fun house with like-minded girls who helped each other, worked together and got everyone ready on time.

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Sanam: I would like to add that you feel a little different when you move out of your comfort zone, which in an actor’s case is their city and country. I can’t express how much joy we had making this film.

Seems as if the cast was selected to match the beauty of New York City; don’t you agree?

Hareem: (Laughs) I wouldn’t say that but yes, when you are in another country, you try to be like them and maybe that’s why we look like Americans in the film.

Sanam: All the members of the cast are talented actors and I have worked with most of them before. Hareem and I shared the screen in Dayar-e-Dil while Adeel and I have been part of some projects as well. Tooba (Siddiqui) and I have done modelling together a lot but never interacted like we did in the film and believe me, this might be her first film but she is awesome. As for Ali Kazmi, well I haven’t worked with him but when you meet him it’s like you have always known him!

Dobara Phir Se features some of the most iconic places in NYC and seeing them on the big screen in Pakistan is sure to be a new high for local audiences…

Hareem: I am so happy to be a part of this film because not only did we get to shoot at Times Square but we also explored a lot of places we hadn’t seen before. Mehreen is a wonderful director and I felt honoured to have worked with her.

Trust me, this film will go on to become one of the biggest hits of the year as people would be treated to American culture in our own desi way.

Sanam: Shooting abroad has its own benefits as not only do you get to see new places but the stunning backdrops are exciting for the audience also. When NYC is shown in the backdrop, it sort of upgrades their taste. I don’t think that many Pakistani films have shown the biggest city in America like that and our audience will be interested in the portrayal of Pakistanis living abroad.

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OFF A TALE THE OF BEATEN TWO CITIES TRACK

Will such an international flavour appeal to the local audience, especially those who enjoy movies of the song-and-dance variety?

Sanam: People might think that Dobara Phir Se is an English film or a Hollywood type movie since it has mostly been shot in America. Trust me, it’s all about Pakistan and how Pakistanis live in the United States. The whole film is in Urdu so people will have no trouble relating to it. The backdrop of the movie is fun, the styling is innovative, and the activities are fresh with the stamp of Mehreen Jabbar.

Hareem: Well, there are both songs and dance in the films but that sequence was shot in Pakistan. I believe that the audience is intelligent enough to appreciate good work and they can distinguish between a good film and a bad one.

Crazy things happen when one is in an alien country – shares some stories from your time in America.

Sanam: There was a dangerous incident involving Ali Kazmi and a horse that I will not forget; luckily he came out unscathed. It so happened that we were taking riding lessons for a scene and our instructor was a horse whisperer. She raised abandoned horses on her farm and taught riding to her clients by making them compatible with the horse. She believed that horses are emotionally linked to the rider and they pick up on what the rider is feeling. Ali got to ride one of the biggest and most beautiful horses but one gesture from the instructor triggered something in the horse and it started galloping badly and an unprepared Ali fell.

Thankfully, Ali showed presence of mind and let go of the reins at the right time and escaped being trampled but his back was all scratched up.

Hareem: I don’t know whether it qualifies but two days before we were to shoot the wedding song in Pakistan, Adeel Husain had a bike accident but thankfully he recovered in time. Those were scary moments but we didn’t let them hinder our progress.

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The crew stationed in NYC consisted of both Americans and Pakistanis; how was the experience of working with them?

Sanam: It was a fantastic experience because we had the majestic Mehreen leading the team (laughs).

Working with her was flawless and although we don't realize the importance of efficiency when things happen on time, it means a lot to actors. You don’t have to worry about anything else on the set except focus on your acting. On Mehreen’s set, no problem is our problem and that's always a treat.

Hareem: Working with the American technicians was rewarding as it taught us a lot of things such as being punctual, being ready all the time, appreciating each other’s work etc. They know how to use their time properly which is something that we lack. If we want to move ahead, we have to follow their approach to filmmaking. Mehreen's style of working is similar to that of Western filmmakers and we need more directors like her to take the industry forward.

Did you stay in NYC or move around as well?

Sanam: We got to see Connecticut as we drove there.

We got to see NYC the way we wouldn’t have seen it as tourists. I am confident that the audience will love the film when it comes out later this month.

Shooting abroad has its own benefits as not only do you get to see new places but the stunning backdrops are exciting for the audience also.

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OFF A TALE THE OF BEATEN TWO CITIES TRACK

CALLING THE SHOTS

By Omair Alavi

Award-winning director Mehreen Jabbar on the two cities she calls home – Karachi and New York – and working in both.

It is not the first time that Mehreen Jabbar has called the shots in the west. The veteran director is used to foreign locations where she has shot many a TV series, such as Niyat, Mataye Jaan and more recently, Jackson Heights. The multi award-winning filmmaker has been living in America for the past 13 years and regards New York City as her second home, which is why she chose Karachi and New York as the two destinations of her upcoming film Dobara Phir Se. Releasing on November 25th under the banner of ARY Films, the flick has a star cast as well as excellent locations in both these cities – Mehreen’s cities. DESTINATIONS caught up with the brilliant director on her recent visit back to her ‘first home’ and spoke to her regarding her work. Excerpts: 48

Everybody remembers Jackson Heights, your successful serial that aired on TV last year which was set in Queens, New York. How was the experience of shooting Dobara Phir Se different from that?

Jackson Heights was a wonderful experience and so is Dobara Phir Se, although it is very different to the TV production. DPS was a proper film shoot with a pretty decent sized crew and everything was done in a professional way. From call sheets to timings to individual responsibilities of crew etc., we managed all to the best of our abilities and that’s one of the reasons why we were able to enjoy our work.

Whenever a shoot takes place in Karachi, people make sure to stop by and register their presence one way or the other. Is it the same in New York?

(Laughs) We all know how difficult it is to shoot an outdoor scene in Karachi. But this was New York City where shooting a film is not something unusual. Usually a film set has production assistants assigned for crowd control so where we don't have our own background talent, they are responsible for directing the general public.

What makes New York special to you?

Well, I have been living in New York for the past 13 years so like Karachi, it holds a very special place in my heart. It’s easier for me to work here as I know the place plus its gives a different backdrop to the audience in Pakistan who get to travel NYC from the comfort of their home.

Heard the cast had a great time shooting there; your actresses have told us of the special treatment they got ahead of the shoot.

Oh yes, it was my idea to send the cast to America two weeks in advance so that they look the part of Pakistani settled in the United States. I am glad that by the time we started to shoot, everyone had become an expert about New York. We had a great time working on the film because the crew and cast gelled together very well. We made solid friendships and it was like family throughout the spells.

Was it difficult to shoot song sequences in New York?

Actually, we shot just one song in America and for that we had a whole car rig. Another song that has been lip-synced was shot in Karachi and for me, that was the real challenge. I am not used to directing wedding songs! Our choreographer Nigah Hussain was very helpful in this regard. That’s the story of our two songs that have been shot in filmi style. The rest of the numbers from the soundtrack are in the background as part of the narrative – that is one technique that I am comfortable with (smiles).

How was the experience of working with a crew that included a two-time Emmy-winning cinematographer from the US as well as Pakistanis?

The combo of US and Pakistani crew members was effortless and I am glad that award-winning DoP Andreas Burgess was able to visit Pakistan to shoot the film in both Karachi and New York. I think both Pakistanis and Americans learnt from the other and that’s why I believe that Dobara Phir Se will mark the era of a new beginning for our film industry.

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A TALE OF TWO CITIES

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in the City

Karachi, the city of lights. Beneath its bustling façade, it hides a treasure trove of cultural gems and architectural marvels that speak of its rich heritage and multi-cultural character. In an ode to the city by the sea, Sanam Saeed and Hareem Farooq, stars of Dobara Phir Se, take us on an enchanting odyssey of its most iconic sights. The leading ladies weave an exquisite trail in the urban jungle dressed in collections straight off the runway from fashion’s leading couturiers – Elan’s Palais Indochine, HSY’s Onyx and Shehla Chatoor’s Trésor.

Photography : Hair and Make-up : Jewellery : Shoes : Styling : Transportation :

Rizwan-ul -Haq N-Pro Zarq Jewelry Almas & Stylist’s own Zainab Malik DAEWOO CAB

A TALE OF TWO CITIES

Wardrobe & Jewellery : Shehla Chatoor

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A TALE OF TWO CITIES

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Wardrobe Hareem’s : HSY Sanam’s : Elan

A TALE OF TWO CITIES

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Wardrobe : Élan

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Wardrobe : Élan

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Wardrobe Hareem’s : Élan Sanam’s : HSY

A TALE OF TWO CITIES

Uncovering Karachi

By Salima Malik Feerasta

Karachi – sprawling, cosmopolitan and forward-looking. The messy, bustling city’s modern high-rises and crowded by-ways mask a rich heritage. Atif Ahmed’s Super Savari Express brings Karachi’s powerful history centre-stage, showcasing hidden cultural gems within its depths. Destinations caught up with the 28-year-old entrepreneur to discover how he started the iconic city tour atop a traditional painted bus; the deep affection he holds for the city by the sea and where to find its best nihari.

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H in Karachi?

What do you love about Karachi?

ave you always lived

Although I was born in Karachi, I was raised in Toronto and only moved back to Karachi 6 years ago. I did spend my holidays here so I have great childhood memories of Karachi but I only really started living here once I graduated.

Which community does your family belong to?

Well, we’re Hyderabadis from India but what I would really say is that I’m a Pakistani at the end of the day. One of the biggest problems in our country is that we are so fragmented, identifying ourselves as Sindhi or Punjabi, Karachi-ite or Lahori. We need to overcome that tendency towards fragmentation as come together as one nation. So what am I? I’m a Pakistani.

I think Karachi is one of the few places to offer such an incredible historical mosaic of religions and cultures. Within the space of 5 streets in the centre of town you will find the Parsi Fire Temple, Hindu mandirs, a Sikh gurdwara, both Catholic and Protestant churches and the mosques of several Muslim sects. We hear so much about sectarian violence but this is the true essence of Karachi – diverse communities that have lived side by side peaceably for generations, doing business together and respecting each other’s traditions.

What parts of Karachi do you think everyone should see?

The old downtown, basically what is now the

How did the Super Savari Express come about?

Like many other young Pakistanis when they graduate, I joined the family business. In my case, this means Gulliver’s Travels, a one-window travel agency that’s been in the family for 4 decades. So travel and tourism is in my blood but the Super Savari Express really came about by accident.

While working on ideas to add value to the family business, I got together with six friends to explore Karachi. So many of us know so little about the city we were born and raised in – our interactions are confined to commercial landmarks, shopping centres and restaurants. The idea was to explore Karachi as a tourist and the entire experience was a revelation; we found so many hidden gems and truly special places. Once we started posting our pictures on social media, people starting asking us to take them to see the same places. We found ourselves taking small groups on personalized tours and the whole thing just snowballed from there.

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Saddar area. It has the most amazing colonial architecture and a richness of diversity, with temples and mosques and bustling markets. The best time to see it is early in the morning; the air is cooler and there’s less pollution and congestion. You can really absorb the cultural splendour of the area.

Worth checking out nearby is Kabootar Chowk, across from Sindh High Court, which is like our very own Trafalgar Square. Another iconic site is Merewether Tower, built as a memorial to James Merewether, Chief Commissioner of Sindh.

Recently restored with yellow gizri stone, it’s located at one end of Chundrigar Road and marks the beginning of the business district.

What parts of Karachi would you restore and what would you do there?

There are so many striking areas of Karachi that need restoration but I would start with the Empress Market area and encompass Elhpinstone Street (Zaibunissa Street). Empress Market is the largest covered market in the country and a spectacular example of colonial architecture. I would make the entire area a pedestrian zone and restore the fantastic old buildings along that stretch. It would be a good idea to follow the model of the restoration of Dinshaw Road near KPT, involving corporations and getting them to commit to restore and maintain some part of the project as part of their CSR activities.

Once cleaned up, the area would be a draw not only for foreign visitors but also for people from all over Karachi and Pakistan. It could be a focus for carnivals or parades, a place for families to enjoy.

Why do you feel that there aren’t more leisure spaces in Karachi?

There are actually some marvellous open spaces in Karachi that are very under-utilized. I think there has been a psychological barrier for the last two decades in terms of safety and security. We’re afraid to venture out of the few areas that we deem safe but we’re restricting ourselves. There are some wonderful green spaces in the city, for example the Burns Garden behind the National Museum. It used to be a women-only ground and is really worth seeing. I do think there is room for more leisure spaces but that is something that will require vision and long-term thinking from the powers that be.

“The idea was to explore Karachi as a tourist and the entire experience was a revelation; we found so many hidden gems and truly special places.”

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A TALE OF TWO CITIES Describe one of your most memorable moments on the Super Savari Express.

There are have been so many wonderful experiences while running the tour but I particularly remember one group of 4 ladies. They must each have been over 75 years old and they came all prepared for adventure, wearing sneakers, with their dupattas tied at their waists. They were so full of energy and excitement, climbing up to the top deck and hanging out of the bus. They told us to show them the city they grew up in; Bandar Road where they would go for kulfi and the roads they would take on their way to school. They became very nostalgic remembering the safe and forwardthinking city they grew up in and it was incredibly special to be allowed to share their memories.

What makes Karachi unique?

The people – they are some of the warmest and most hospitable people in the world, full of energy and life. It’s such a cosmopolitan city that you really meet all types here.

What’s the best thing about Karachi?

The food! There are so many fantastic tastes to be had like the fried kebab at Wahid Kebab House, Malik’s nihari, Suleman Baba’s mal pura or Karachi Broast. Even Hoagies has a distinct flavour here in Karachi.

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Also the sea – there’s something about being on a local beach with the waves washing ashore…. but go to one of the less commercial sites.

What’s the worst thing about Karachi?

The lack of ownership, which results in people polluting the city and not caring about it. That’s the reason that so much of Karachi is in poor repair or marred by litter. It’s a beautiful city but the lack of ownership by ordinary residents means it is getting gradually grubbier every day.

Why is Karachi better than Islamabad or Lahore?

Who says that it is? This is the sort of talk that fragments our nation. Each city has its unique identity, it’s own pros and cons. The important thing is that no matter where else in the world you go, Pakistan is the only place you’ll ever be a first class citizen.

Pakistan Zindabad.

A TALE OF TWO CITIES

Karachi Port Trust

KHARADAR

KARACHI

By Yusra Askari

Journalist Yusra Askari takes us on a soulful tour of Kharadar, an area that functions as the heart of Karachi. Home to some of the city’s finest architecture housing a multitude of worship places that stand testament to its multicultural fabric, a trip through this neighbourhood is a quintessential Karachi experience.

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haradar is to Karachi what the Gothic Quarters are to Barcelona and Plaka is to Athens – the heart of the city. If only the neighbourhood was half as cared for.

One of the two gates to the old city of Karachi built in 1729, Kharadar clearly has a life of its own – anyone who has ever visited will bear testament.

And as they say, don’t judge a book by its cover; first timers be forewarned, don’t gauge the vicinity by its appearance. It is anything but brackish as its name suggests. The abysmal state of basic infrastructure in the area by no means defines what a treasure trove Kharadar has continued to remain over the decades. An intricately woven web of narrow streets that goes on for miles tells the tale of a Karachi bygone.

Kharadar and its periphery have been home to two of country’s greats. In one its many bylanes stands tall the ancestral home of none other than the father of the nation, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. And just a few yards away in Mithadar, adjacent to Kharadar’s northern edge, is the abode of the legendry Abdul Sattar Edhi – the very same premises from where even after his passing, his unmatched legacy still flourishes.

I reached the ground floor of the building to find the usually buzzing office space transformed. There were no desks with staff tending to those in need.

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The sofa by the front entrance where the grand old gent once sat greeting visitors every evening was now empty. The air was stiff with the fragrance of incense and fresh rose petals wilting in the heat.

Preparations were underway to bid a final farewell to the man whose passing, many say, has orphaned Pakistan. And just past noon, amid the sounds of wails and clicking cameras, the bolted door finally swung wide open. As I watched the casket carrying the mortal remains of Mr. Edhi being draped in the national flag and taken out of his home on the shoulders of his loved ones, I knew that Pakistan as a nation was poorer without him.

The labyrinth that is Kharadar has many such stories to tell. A symbol of the city’s pre-colonial history, it is this very neighbourhood that every year in Muharram, becomes the centre of congregation. Home to city’s oldest and most revered imambargahs, it here that those marking the martyrdom of the family of Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H), gravitate. And on Ashura, it is these very streets where mourners gather together to commence a multitude of processions that eventually combine to form a mammoth sea of people.

It is not only the Shias that Kharadar and its surroundings hold religious significance for but also the Ismaili, Bohra, Hindu and Christian communities.

Sprawling jamaat khanas, temples and churches in the purlieus of the neighbourhood stand witness to the old city area’s multi-cultural fabric that brings together a cross-section of communities and ethnicities. Contrary to what its name suggests, Kharadar is evidently no gated community – never has been.

What is now a fad in the rest of Karachi, Kharadar mastered decades ago. The currently very popular roadside tea houses that dot the length and breadth of DHA are a derivative of a Kharadar classic – the legendry Baakra Hotel. Named after the rustic wooden benches that flank its entrance, this café is acclaimed across the city for its classic tea and some of the finest sweet and savoury treats.

An Ismaili jamaat khana in Kharadar

Wazir Mansion, the ancestral home of Jinnah

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A TALE OF TWO CITIES However, one of the most famous exports from Kharadar is the age-old Nusserwanjee Building, moved brick-by-brick from this very neighbourhood to the Clifton area, along the shores of the Arabian Sea. This heritage block now houses one of Karachi’s premier universities, the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture. It was here that I attended school and travelled from to Kharadar almost weekly via rickshaw (three-wheeler) to buy the finest weaving threads for class projects and later my thesis; a pleasant irony.

I recently drove through Kharadar on a threewheeler after years. This time around, I wasn’t shopping for yarn though. As my rickety ride swerved through pot-hole upon pot-hole and braked abruptly in nightmarish traffic, I soaked in my surroundings in sheer and utter amazement. No one corner was the same, no one lane like the other. From the most intricately detailed metal-cast balconies to stacks upon stacks of wholesale garments, from a myriad of toys to undoubtedly the finest and most decadent malpura you’ve ever tasted – every bend was an adventure waiting to happen. Only one constant Kharadar burgeons en masse.

And for those of you haven’t yet had the experience of visiting, no better time to plan for than the month Ramzan, when every nook and cranny of Kharadar and its environs embodies the spirit of giving and sharing. From dusk to dawn, the neighbourhood thrives as a representation of the city’s generosity.

Seeing is believing.

From the most intricately detailed metal-cast balconies to stacks upon stacks of wholesale garments, from a myriad of toys to undoubtedly the finest and most decadent malpura you’ve ever tasted – every bend was an adventure waiting to happen

The Nusserwanjee Building of the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture

A TALE OF TWO CITIES

Mah Za in

By Sehr Sajjad

Former investment banker Umbar Ahmad’s high-end bakery Mah-Ze-Dahr is giving New Yorkers a sugar rush like never before.

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“Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.”

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his quote by Rumi perfectly sums up banker-turned-baker Umber Ahmad’s passion for food, business, travel and luxury that are manifested in her brand called Mah-Ze-Dahr.

On the 22nd of September this year, Umber opened the doors of Mah-Ze-Dahr at 7am to allow West Village, New York into her café.

It was a day that had been long-awaited, for while the brick-and-mortar café was new, the bakery had established somewhat of a cult following amongst New Yorkers for its exquisite desserts since it began online operations two years ago.

Mah-Ze-Dahr is the latest addition to a string of trendy eateries cropping up on Greenwich Avenue, fast becoming known as New York’s newest “Restaurant Row.” Located in an area as quintessentially New York as can be, it is emblematic of the city’s diverse and vibrant character that the woman behind the beautiful, mouth-watering delicacies is of Pakistani origin.

Easygoing and dynamic, Umber grew up in Michigan, learning to master the recipes loved by her family, who are originally from Pakistan. A degree in genetics from MIT and an MBA from Wharton initially saw her excelling as an investment banker, working for powerhouses like Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley.

Eventually, she was able to combine her expertise on Wall Street and her love for food into setting up her own investment advisory firm known as Specialized Capital Management, which helps high-end luxury brands, including restaurants, to expand their businesses overseas. As fate would have it, one of her clients was celebrity chef and Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio, who heard of Umbar’s baking prowess through common friends.

Once he convinced her to bake him some brownies, it didn’t take Colicchio long to decide that he wanted to back Umbar’s baking business and Mah-Ze-Dahr was launched as the first brand on the “Colicchio Discoveries” platform – a collection of food brands that he hand-picks and mentors.

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“ We use the word (Mah-Ze-Dahr) to describe the magic or essence of something that gives it its life.

It brings you back, again and again

�

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Mah-Ze-Dahr spells quality and luxury, indulgence and comfort, all through food. “The gift of being able to create food for another human being is the most intimate thing you can do for someone,” says Umbar when asked what it is that first attracted her to the food business. “It’s very special, almost soulful.”

As for the name, it is as much a reference to Umbar’s Pakistani heritage as it is to that inexplicable quality that makes good food an experience worth remembering. “We use the word to describe the magic or essence of something that gives it its life. It brings you back, again and again,” says Umbar.

So what is the Mah-Ze-Dahr experience for the customer who walks into the café in Manhattan? It is one that defines a certain lifestyle and speaks a global language that has no boundaries. The café is not just about enjoying coffee and cake; it is about appreciating the universal appeal of good food.

Umber has built this appeal by offering interesting combinations in her sweets and savories, through the use of ‘exotic’ ingredients such as rose water, pistachio and zattar. Being of Pakistani origin, her country is never far from her. From her language to her recipes, she is as much a desi as she is a New Yorker. Her zeera (cumin) biscuits remind one of the biscuits found on Pakistani supermarket shelves. The evergreen gajar ka halwa lined with gold leaf (soon to be introduced) also speaks volumes of Umber’s rich heritage and her connection with Pakistan, despite not having grown up there. The menu offers an interesting and diverse mix of pastries, cakes, cookies, tarts and breads. The Brioche Doughnut is a favourite with customers and has won over numerous food critics, the New York Times declaring it “as chic as a non-French pastry can be.”

As head chef and founder, Umber is personally involved in the entire baking process from the oven to the table. A new concept introduced by the bakery is the ‘Cookie of the Month Subscription’ where the customer receives an order of a different cookie flavour every month. There are also various gift options with exotic names like ‘Heaven in a Box’, ‘Hostess Gift’, and ‘For the Love of Chocolate.’ An idea as delicious as it sounds!

Manhattan is one of the most diverse places in the world, in terms of language, ethnicity, religion and race, and Mah-Ze-Dahr’s philosophy of timeless and luxurious global appeal resonates well with the tourist as well as the local. Its ambience is contemporary and chic, playing on muted tones of the palette, lending an air of calm and ease.

Midnight blue walls accentuated by funky lighting contrast well with the neutral tones and help make the café the experience it is.

I am very curious about how Umber fares as a woman in the high-end food industry. Is there prejudice against a Pakistani woman running a café in Manhattan? The answer, fortunately, is a decisive ‘no.’ The ethnic mix of downtown New York makes it easy for her to operate her business, and the sheer deliciousness of what she has to offer ensures that loyal customers keep streaming in day in and day out. Umbar, in fact, has plans to expand to Qatar, London and Hong Kong soon.

Mah-Ze-Dahr offers the discerning customer an opportunity to treat himself well. To honour himself and realize his self-worth. To indulge and pick a lifestyle that suits his choices and his needs. In the adrenaline-high, fast-paced life of New York City, Umber offers a retreat that is a blend of the east and west yet has an all-encompassing global image.

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Photography: Ubaid-ur-Rehman

On the Crescent Trail through

EUROPE

By Zehra Wamiq

Photographer, tour company founder of Palanquin, Inc., and travel enthusiast Zehra Wamiq finds herself journeying across parts of Europe that have either been influenced or associated with the Islamic civilization in one way or another.

Through fascinating facts and historical perspective, she relates stories that link art, architecture and other elements from these Euro destinations to their Ottoman past and allow a glimpse into a time long forgotten.

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hen people travel, they become informed, engaged and responsible citizens of the world. They overcome the limits of their own bubble and connect with people who look and speak differently. Travelling reveals the humanity in ourselves by forcing us to confront the humanity in others.

After travelling for years, I realized I had to share my knowledge and experience with others. That’s why I established Palanquin, a tour company for thoughtful and intelligent travellers. I wanted tourists to understand and appreciate the heritage, culture, and people of the countries they visited, and for them to finish their journeys with a better understanding of the world than before. I was especially interested in exploring areas that had been influenced by Islamic civilization in some way. The name Palanquin represents a mode of travelling, designed to make difficult journeys.

This year, Palanquin led a group of travellers to Prague, Vienna, Bratislava, and Budapest –capitals of four countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Each of these cities has its own distinct history, language, and culture, but they all share a common past. The rule of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, resistance against the Ottoman conquests, and the legacy of communism characterize these cities and map their landscape.

We started with Prague, the city of golden spires.

Prague tells the story of politically-charged eras and the end of empires, whether it’s the Habsburgs or the Iron Curtain. The careful preservation of its architecture laid bare the bones of the city. It felt as if we were transported back to the thirteenth century, when Charles IV transformed this peripheral city into the capital of the Holy Roman Empire.

In later centuries, the Ottomans conquered parts of Hungary. Vienna was fighting the advancing Turkish armies so Habsburg ruled from Prague and made it the second centre of culture and art. Artists, writers, music composers were brought in the city and a layer of Baroque architecture and arts were added.

Although Prague was not directly affected by the relentless Ottoman attacks on Vienna, their influence can be seen in art, architecture and sculptures.

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Old Town Square, Prague We met our guide, Teresa, a young Czech woman who was more excited to meet us than we were to see her. She talked about her memories of growing up in communist Prague where teachers would ask children to spy on their parents. Discouraged to follow any faith, she grew up without any religion until she studied religion a few years ago and decided to have herself baptized.

Prague, a city of a thousand spires

We followed her to the Old Town Square, the heart of Prague. It was picture-perfect and boasted of many architectural styles, from gothic cathedrals to baroque churches and rococo palaces.

Awning-covered cafĂŠs offered classic Czech cuisine, pizzas and gelato.

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A close-up view of the astronomical clock in Old Town Square.

Tourists flocked around the iconic astronomical clock tower to see the twelve apostles come out to strike a new hour. The clock, built during the fourteenth century, is beautiful, complex and symbolizes the politically-charged anxieties of that era.

The top dial is flanked by four figures symbolizing four vices: A man looking in a mirror represents vanity, a Jewish man holding a moneybag represents greed, and a Turk holding a mandolin represents the hedonism of a foreign invader. Finally, a skeleton holding an hourglass reminds us of the inevitability of death.

A close-up view of the astronomical clock in Old Town Square

Ironically, right under the out-dated and politically incorrect statues of the fourteenth century, I noticed a small crowd gathered around a few young men holding signs that read “Free Hugs.� My curiosity was piqued. Upon asking, David, who is originally from Georgia, USA and was travelling on this quest of love with friends from Granada, Spain, told me the Free Hugs movement was started by Juan Mann in 2004 as a means to offer random acts of kindness.

I was struck by the simple beauty and power of this.

Small gestures of kindness by ordinary people challenged hate with love.

The clock, built during the fourteenth century, is beautiful, complex and symbolizes the politically-charged anxieties of that era.

Two girls from our travel group posing with the young men offering free hugs to anyone accepting them

The largest sculpture on Charles Bridge “Statuary Of The Trinitarian” or “The Turk”

A couple posing for their exquisite wedding photos on Charles Bridge early in the morning in order to avoid crowds

Charles Bridge, Prague The next day, on a cool and drizzly morning to avoid hoards of tourists, we walked to one of the most iconic bridges in Europe – Charles Bridge.

Commissioned by Charles IV, the bridge showcases a series of thirty mostly baroque sculptures that adorn its balustrade.

After spending three busy days exploring Prague Castle, strolling in the Jewish Quarters, watching quirky Black Light Theatre and just wandering the romantic streets of Prague, we had to say our goodbyes before moving on to our next destination, the regal Vienna.

While strolling I couldn't help but notice the animosity between the Ottomans and the Austro-Hungarians which was clearly evident in one of the largest sculptures called “Statuary of the Trinitarians” or “The Turk.” The statue was created to honour two saints who bought and freed many slaves from Muslim invaders. The figure on the left portrays a Turk guarding the imprisoned slaves with his dog. I was looking at history with a different perspective – where the Turks were the colonizers and the Europeans were the colonized.

One of the best ways to experience Europe is to ride its trains. Trains are convenient, affordable, and comfortable. After settling down, I watched the train pass vast green fields dotted with charming villages, sunflower fields, emerald lakes and shallow ponds.

One of the best views of Prague Castle and the city is from Petrin Hill Tower

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Vienna For centuries, Vienna, the easternmost city of Western Europe, was the bastion against the Ottomans. After they defeated the Ottoman Empire in 1683, the Habsburgs made it the seat of their empire. Since then, it has bloomed into one of the finest cities in Europe.

Gabriella, our Viennese guide, loved introducing her city to travellers from all over the world. She led us through the old city, Hofburg Imperial Palace, the courtyards of the Augustinian Church, the National Library and the Spanish Riding School for horses.

She told us about Vienna’s famous residents, Beethoven, Mozart and Freud amongst others, who shaped its artistic and intellectual legacy.

Next, Gabrielle took us to the magnificent Schoenbrunn Palace, the summer residence of the Habsburg monarchs. We listened to stories of the powerful monarch Queen Maria Theresa, raising her family of 16 children while building a strong dynasty by forging alliances with other rulers; young Mozart playing music for the first time for the royal audience; and Emperor Franz Josef I navigating ruling the empire and keeping his self-absorbed wife Sisi happy.

Marble fountain in front of Opera House in Vienna, decorated with a Statue of Lorelei, a siren who sings alluring songs of longing and grief

The gardens of Schonbrunn are a magnificent destination for capturing the perfect photo, or selfie

Gloriette Monument on top of the hill of Schoenbrunn Palace

Ottoman And Viennese Cafés

A young local prepares the popular snack, tredlnik, wrapping strings of dough on a wood stick and cooking on hot coals.

The freshly baked pastry is rolled in sugar and ground nuts

Tredlnik is a rustic, yet delectable snack, complementing any cup of tea perfectly

Vienna is famous for its coffee and café culture.

Interestingly, the history of coffee in the region is closely linked to the failed Turkish siege of Vienna.

Legend has it that a Viennese citizen Georg Franz Kolschitzky worked as a spy for the Habsburg armies. He was familiar with the Turkish language and culture and tasted their favourite ‘drug’ called coffee. After the failed siege of Vienna, the Ottoman armies left behind thousands of sacks full of coffee beans among other rich treasures.

Nobody wanted those strange beans – nobody except Kolschitzky. Consequently, he founded the first Viennese coffeehouse called “Zur Blauen Flasche” (“The Blue Bottle”).

With coffee come scrumptious pastries and cakes. I found out the cute little crescent-shaped pastry Kipfrel was created by the bakers of Vienna to celebrate the defeat of Turkish armies in 1683.

“Kipfrel” is crescent in German; the symbol on the flags of the enemies. Later it was brought to France

by Marie Antoinette, one of the sixteen children of Queen Maria Teresa, and found fame as the croissant (crescent in French).

Pakistani Restaurant In Vienna Asad sits on the step in front Der Wiener Deewan, satisfied by the hearty Pakistani meal

After many days of ghoulash and shawarmas we craved simple daal and roti. Our quest for halal desi food led us to an interesting place called Der Weiner Deewan, a restaurant run by Pakistani immigrant Afzal Deewan and his Austrian wife.

Located near Vienna University, most of its customers are students, backpackers and travellers.

The restaurant serves a buffet of authentic Pakistani dishes such as palak gosht, channa daal, beans, and sooji halwa for dessert. Tasting the food, I felt like I was in my mother’s kitchen back in Karachi.

When asked about the price of the meal, we were told they carry a ‘pay as much as you like’ policy.

“How does that work?” I asked. “Successfully!” I was pleasantly surprised to learn. Sometimes people pay five euros, some ten and others even pay as much as fifty. Rarely, do people pay nothing.

Started as an experiment by Afzal, a Pakistani asylum-seeker, it turned into a successful business, serving the local community and travellers from all over the world. A group of professors from Brown University were seated at the table next to us, eating sooji ka halwa. They had learnt about this restaurant on a travel blog. Many locals bring their guests here to have an authentic experience in Vienna, imagine that! People came and sat for hours, chatting, and children drew on the graffiti wall. Messages of solidarity with refugees were written on the wall, giving a socially progressive vibe.

Their motto: Good food, good mood.

One of the best ways to experience Europe is to ride its trains.

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The charming streets of Bratislava with Michael’s Gate standing tall at the back

Asad, 9, poses with a popular statue of a man exiting a sewer in Bratislava

Budapest’s Ottoman Past Our final stop was the luminous city of Budapest.

With its tumultuous past, Budapest has many stories to tell. Looking at present-day Budapest, it’s hard to imagine that once it was part of the Ottoman Empire. During their reign, the Ottomans built hundreds of mosques, bathhouses, schools and coffeehouses. The famous St. Matthias Cathedral was used as a mosque for a hundred and fifty years.

A few years after the failed siege of Vienna, Habsburg defeated Turkish rulers and captured Budapest, compelling the Muslim citizens of Hungary to migrate to other parts of the Balkans.

Gradually, traces of the Turkish Empire were erased from the face of Budapest except for some remaining bathhouses and the mausoleum of a Turkish saint, Gul Baba.

Gul Baba was a poet, a Sufi and a soldier from Turkey who came to Budapest during the times of the Ottoman rule. His tomb was built between 1543 and 1548 and later survived as a Catholic chapel after Habsburg armies captured the area. After the fall of the Communist government it was restored to its original state. The shape of the dome resembles typical Turkish architecture prevalent in Istanbul. A visit to the mausoleum would have given us a glimpse into an era long forgotten; however, unfortunately for us, it was closed for renovation during our visit.

One of the many gates of the mighty Buda Castle

Our group posing on Chain Bridge, the famous bridge connecting Buda and Pest.

Buda Castle can be seen in the background

A remarkable view of St. Stephan’s Cathedral

A Tale Of Two Cities The Hungarian capital has two parts – Buda and Pest separated by the mighty Danube River. The Buda part is hilly and largely residential, while Pest is more dynamic, offering vibrant cafés, bars, shopping and monuments.

You know the saying, “All good things must come to an end.” We spent the last evening of our trip on a dinner cruise sailing on Danube River, as the illustrious skyline of Budapest glowed in the light of the setting sun. But the real magic happened as soon as the skies darkened. All the bridges, castles and monuments were lit up and sparkled like jewels.

It was impossible to capture the beauty with any camera. The aesthetics of past civilizations never fail to amaze me, and I wondered if the architecture of this century would be able to live up to the monuments of earlier times.

The majestic Buda Castle, sitting on a hill, overlooks the great Danube River. We walked from our hotel in Pest to cross the famous Chain Bridge, the first permanent bridge to connect Buda to Pest. Flanked Budapest was my by lions, the Chain favourite amongst all the Bridge was an cities. I admired the engineering marvel at resilience of its people A surreal view from our cruise on the Danube of the time of its who were subjected to Budapest’s magnificent Parliament building completion in 1849. brutal wars, foreign Small boats, occupations and passenger ferries and cruise ships sailed under our communism. They rebuilt their courage and the city feet. Budapest, with its magnificent architecture lining over and over again. The glorious city on the banks the banks of Danube, is a favourite destination for of Danube is a testimony of that. cruise ships.

I came back home with new dreams in my eyes and Buda Hill offers gorgeous vistas of the glittering city. a deep sense of nostalgia for the past. Travelling We avoided hiking up the hill and rode a funicular to always brings me this amazing realization of how Buda Castle to be rewarded by enchanting views. important it is to engage with the world at large Bridges and monuments sparkled after sunset, and to celebrate the unknown. For only when we making Budapest a photographers’ paradise. travel, we create memories and live out our lives.

The glittering Parliament building appears to be floating on Danube

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WANDERER

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La Dolce Vita

By Mariam Mushtaq

Always in search of unique destinations, ace fashion photographer Khawar Riaz discovers the charming island of Procida tucked away along the Bay of Naples in Italy.

Photography: Khawar Riaz Wardrobe: Amir Adnan Model: Salman Riaz

WANDERER

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he setting is magical: Pretty, pastel-coloured houses line the bay; the heady smell of citrus, courtesy of the lemon groves that are found in every corner, fills the air; and a stroll along the narrow, sun-bleached alleyways uncovers architectural and cultural gems from an era bygone. This is Procida, a tiny island in the Bay of Naples, Italy, that remains one of its best-kept secrets.

While the bigger neighbouring island of Capri receives large amounts of visitors, Procida has remained off the beaten track for the average traveller, lending the island an authentic, almost rural, Italian feel that is missing from its better known counterparts. Filmmakers discovered the charm of the island long ago, with classics such as Il Postino (1994) and The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) having been filmed on its beaches and in its congested streets.

This summer, ace fashion photographer Khawar Riaz left his hometown Lahore in search of unusual locations to use in his upcoming work. “I’m always looking for destinations that are undiscovered; where no one from our part of the world has gone before. There’s nothing like travel to unleash one’s creativity,” says Riaz.

Discovering Procida almost by accident during a 12-day trip to Italy, Riaz found its stunning coastline, sun-dappled waters and colourful houses to be the perfect setting for Amir Adnan’s line of breezy linen trousers and cotton shirts.

Read on as he shares his experience of shooting in this charming Italian setting: 95

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Procida doesn’t usually feature on tourist travel itineraries. How did you discover this tiny island?

There’s an interesting story behind the discovery actually. I’ve always been fascinated by Italian and Spanish culture and architecture; in fact, after I remodelled my house in Lahore people used to tell me it had a Tuscan vibe. Having never been to that region, I decided to visit Tuscany this summer and see it for myself. During the trip, I chanced upon a stunning shot of Procida and it just spoke to my soul. I knew I had to go there.

What’s the best way to reach the island?

It’s very close to Naples. You just need to get on a boat and it’s about an hour away.

I had a car because I had been driving through Italy with a friend who was based there. We drove from Tuscany to Naples and then took a ferry to Procida, shipping the car along with us.

Where did you stay?

Tell us about the photoshoot.

I had been told that the colours of the painted houses come alive at 10.30am because of way the sunlight falls on them. So we rented a boat early in the morning and went out to the bay to make sure I captured the perfect shot. It was just me and the model Salman– I was the stylist, makeup artist and photographer. Italians love fashion; so when the locals saw a fashion shoot happening they were very excited. At first, they thought that the model was Italian but when they discovered we were from Pakistan, they were intrigued! They hadn’t met any tourists from our part of the world before and they were eager to ask questions.

We’re used to living in cities that are concrete jungles; visiting a place like Procida shows you a simpler, more beautiful, way of living.

Since Procida is not a very touristy area, there are not that many hotels. I rented a small apartment, which was a lovely little place. I did not feel like a guest there, it was like living in my own home.

What were the people of the area like?

Italians are really friendly. In many ways they are like us Pakistanis – they like vibrant things, good food and they respect traditions. I always saw families hanging out together in large numbers; Italians believe in a joint family structure like us.

Also, even in a small town like Procida, locals were very fashionable. I felt that I had been transported to the 50s, when women wore proper dresses and tied their hair in elegant buns.

How was the food on the island?

It’s a coastal area so seafood is widely available and its just spectacular. I had the best seafood of my life in Procida. There are many beachfront cafés where one can enjoy a good meal and some great views. Food was probably the most expensive thing on the island; but it’s still cheaper than it is in Italy’s more popular destinations.

What are some of the attractions that a visitor to Procida should look out for?

I just loved getting lost in the narrow streets that crisscrossed the cluster of villages on the island. The most beautiful village is called Marina Corricella; it is built into the side of a cliff jutting into the sea and the houses are linked by stairway streets knows as ‘scalatinelli’. The Terra Murata is the highest point on the island.

It has fortified walls that were built in the 16th century to protect against invaders. The island has numerous churches that speak of a rich cultural and architectural past, such as the Abbazia di San Michele. Then of course, there are the beaches that are perfect for lazing around on.

What memories have you brought back from your time in Procida?

I feel like I’ve left a part of me behind; it is such a magical place and I can’t wait to go back. We’re used to living in cities that are concrete jungles; visiting a place like Procida shows you a simpler, more beautiful, way of living. I feel honoured that I’m the first Pakistani to have done a fashion shoot there. The locals told me that the only other photo-shoot they remembered seeing was a Dolce & Gabbana campaign. That’s a very special thing for me.

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Fashionista

a

The two powerhouses from the world of fashion and style recently took a vacation to the enchanting Caribbean island of Cuba and came back with beautiful memories.

THE FASHION FIX TRAVELISTA

Discovering

CUBA From its unique landscape and beautiful white sand beaches to its rich history and culture, the island has enough on offer to draw just about anyone in.

Havana, the capital of Cuba, is a fascinating mix of the past and the present. The city’s historic Spanish architecture from the 16th century provides a backdrop for an eclectic art and music scene. Beats of rumba and salsa are the soundtrack as one strolls across its painted alleys. Tourist itineraries include walks down El Malecón, the walkway bordering the ocean; visits to Old Havana and the Catedral de San Cristóbal; and following Ernest Hemingway’s trail, retracing the footsteps of the literary giant who made Havana his home in the 1930s.

From museums to theatre, historic squares to shaded sidewalks, delicious food to beautiful beaches, there is no shortage of attractions in this alluring Caribbean island.

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Light lunches while listening to street musicians such as banjo players made the trip perfect.

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The best way to island-hop is onboard a catamaran which takes one around all of Cuba’s stunning white-sand beaches.

No trip to Havana is complete without a ride in one of its famous vintage cars, a remnant of the Castro era.

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SKY HIGH

YOGA

By Azmat Abbas Alibhai

Sitting still on a long-haul journey can numb the body as well as the mind, leading to stress while travelling. Fitness and yoga instructor Azmat Abbas Alibhai demonstrates a simple yoga routine that you can do mid-air to help you relax.

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've settled into my flight to Paris, a book on my lap and thoughts of strolling along the banks of the Seine in my mind, planning my weekend. I dream of Montmartre and the Sacré Coeur; imagining myself wandering through the narrow streets filled with artists around the 19th century basilica.

As my thoughts now drift to the Latin Quarter and its quaint cafés, restaurants, antique shops and boutiques, a smile flashes across my face. All in all, my flight's taking off nicely. Until I feel the consistent rhythm of the toddler behind me kicking my chair. Mom and Dad have already raised their hands in surrender. Is there anything I can do to find my happy place again?

Before I blow a gasket and inform the parents of their poor parenting skills, I take a deep breath and practice the “4-7-8” breathing.

This method was developed by a wellness practitioner, the Harvard-educated Dr. Andrew Weil, who studies meditation, breathing, and how it can be used to counteract stress. It is easy to do. You breathe in through your nose for four seconds, hold it for seven seconds, and exhale through your mouth for eight seconds.

This is good for more than just falling asleep though. When we are stressed, our endocrine system releases adrenaline through our adrenal glands. This elevates your heart rate and can make you feel jittery and unwell. Often, your breathing also becomes rapid and shallow.

By using this breathing method, you counteract the natural effects of adrenaline and your body is forced to slow down your heart rate. It simply doesn’t have a choice! When you begin, you may feel a tad uncomfortable.

I drift off to my happy place and when I wake up, fortunately the kid is soundly asleep and I am well rested. I look at my watch; there are still a couple of hours before landing so I decide to do a mini yoga practice. I look around and feel shy but psyche myself up by reminding myself of the benefits of yoga – in-flight yoga!

Sometimes sitting on a long-haul flight can lead to cramps and swollen ankles or cause a blood clot known as a deep vein thrombosis. Yoga helps you massage your internal organs, improve circulation and relieve the anxiety you may experience before and during your flight.

Releases muscle tension Benefits Increases blood circulation of In-flight Relaxes your mind Yoga Soothes the nervous system Decreases anxiety Can combat fatigue, correct balance, and release endorphins Freshens the mind to take on the activities after you land!

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A LIFE WORTH LIVING

MY MINI

IN-FLIGHT YOGA Practice (Courtesy of my travel yoga manual by Charlotte Dodson)

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Pose

Lengthen spine: Chair pose (Utkatasana) Getting into the pose: On the edge of your seat, press your feet firmly onto the ground aligned with hips. Keep your spine upright.

Inhale to raise your arms, and exhale to fold your body halfway forward out in front of you. Keep your breath slow, feet pressing down, shoulders relaxed and chin tucked.

Benefit: This pose turns you inward to a calm and quiet place. It strengthens your back muscles and lengthens your spine.

Shoulder releasing: Eagle arms (Garudasana)

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Getting into the pose: Stretch your arms straightforward, parallel to the floor, and spread your shoulder blades wide across your back.

Cross your right arm above your left, bending your elbows. Now snug the right elbow into the crook of the left, and raise your forearm.

The backs of your hands should face each other, until you press the right hand to the right and the left hand to the left, so they cross and the palms face each other.

The thumb of the right hand should pass in front of the little finger of the left. Now press the palms together and – as much as is possible for you –lift your elbows up and stretch the fingers toward the ceiling. Stay for 15-30 seconds, unwind, and then repeat with the arms reversed.

Benefit: This opens shoulder joints, increases circulation to all joints and improves digestion.

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Energise and revitalise: Thigh stretch

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Getting into the pose: Lift your right foot off the floor and bend your knee so your lower leg is behind your body. Carefully grasp your right ankle with your right hand and pull straight up until your heel is by your butt. Hold for 5-10 breaths before switching sides.

Pose

Benefit: Stretching your quadriceps.

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Shoulder opening: Interlocked hands Getting into the pose: Stand at the exit or aisle with your feet aligned to your hips.

Roll your shoulders back as you slowly interlock your hands behind your back.

Keep your chin tucked and back straight.

With your feet pressing firmly into the floor, press your fists down and away from your body. Breathe deeply and hold for 5-10 breaths before releasing.

Benefit: Creates openness into your shoulders, strengthens arms and keeps your upper body mobile.

Rejuvenate and calm: Wind relieving or wind removing pose (Modified Pawanmuktasana)

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Pose

Getting into the pose: Sit up tall. Bring your feet to your sit bones. Wrap your arms around your knees and hug your knees into your chest. Inhale and exhale through your nostrils and hold the pose for one to three minutes.

Benefits: Regulates hydrochloric acid levels in the stomach. Improves and may cure conditions of constipation, flatulence and hyperacidity by massaging the internal organs. Relieves lower back pain. Improves flexibility of the hip joints. Firms and tones muscles of the abdominal wall, thighs and hips.

Feeling energized, I order a cup hot water infused with lemon.

I could use the hydration and the Vitamin C as I cruise through memory lane with my perfect date, Paris! Cocktails at Hotel Costes, entrecĂ´te at Cafe de Paris, crepes at any roadside creperie and I instantly feel a smile flash on my face.

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By Mirna Pedalo

As an architect, teacher and researcher, Shahed Saleem explores how post-colonial diasporas are using architecture to find their place in Europe. Designer and curator Mirna Pedalo spends an afternoon with Saleem in his studio in East London discussing architecture, history and identity and how these topics continuously circulate through his work.

VISIONARY

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hahed Saleem has much to be reflective about these days. He is completing a major book on the history of the mosque in Britain.

This will be the first comprehensive review of Muslim architecture in the UK, and as it will be published by Historic England, the state heritage body, it will bring British Islamic architecture to national significance. Alongside this, he teaches architecture at the University of Westminster and runs an architectural studio in one of east London’s creative hotspots, Bethnal Green.

“I am interested in how traditions are translated across time, geography and culture,” Saleem tells me as we talk about his designs. “I don’t think you can replicate ideas from another period in a literal way; it just doesn't work, there is no relation to place or culture, so you end up disconnected.”

For Saleem, this is the problem with much of the current mosque architecture in Britain and indeed northern Europe, where diasporic Muslim communities try to replicate architectural styles from previous periods of Islamic history.

Saleem grew up in South London. His parents, having migrated from South Asia in the late 1950s, were the first generation of post-war migrants from the newly independent Commonwealth nations.

Growing up in the 1970s and 1980s, a formative time for race relations in Britain, inevitably had an impact on his outlook and interests. Changes caused by the influx of migrants required a rethinking of the entrenched concepts of what culture, race and identity were and what they meant. Cultural and racial diversity were new phenomena and the country was finding ways to deal with dynamic new minorities that were settling down. London was fast becoming a place of super-diversity, and in 2011 it was declared the first minority-majority city in Europe.

“Re-establishing tradition in a new place involves a process of invention. When you try to connect to a previous, sometimes lost, culture, you end up making a new language, a new identity,” says Saleem. It is this idea that drives his architectural explorations in mosque design.

This is the period that has served Saleem as a frame of reference, and which his work relates to and explores. A study of mosques that Saleem has designed across the country shows that the architect aims to engage with and reflect on the complexities of working in very diverse and often contested environments. While it would be all too easy to just slip back into literal cultural references without trying to create a new architectural language to tackle the intricacies of his surroundings, he works on fusing cultural references in an abstract way to experiment with the idea of what a mosque can be. Put simply, the traditional structure of mosques made up of domes and minarets is being reimagined in Saleem’s work as a more contemporary space, one that fits seamlessly into its surroundings to reflect an identity that is as much British as it is Muslim.

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Hackney Road Mosque in London, which was nominated for the Aga Khan Award 2016

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VISIONARY An example of this inventive new language in architecture is provided by the mosque Saleem has designed close to his studio, on Hackney Road, and for which he was nominated for the Aga Khan Award 2016.

A bold abstraction of traditional Ottoman tiles fused with a mashrabiya screen, it is an elegant design that respects the building’s 18th century Georgian architecture, creating a contemporary juxtaposition of traditional Islamic motifs and quintessential British architectural style.

His mosque in Aberdeen, Masjid Alhikmah, is soon to be completed. It features a patterned cast concrete façade with hand-made ceramic stars by London artist Lubna Chowdhary. Granite blocks have been added to reflect a local tradition in the city and to give the building a modernist feel. Saleem has further mosques in the design stage and some waiting for funding before they can be built. The architect is developing his research alongside his actual design work, and being part of a dynamic university provides a stimulating place through which to do this. With his designs and publications gradually moving towards completion, the discussion around migrant and post-migrant culture and identity in Britain, of which he is an integral part, is set to take centre-stage. Watch this space.

“I don’t think you can replicate ideas from another period in a literal way; it just doesn't work, there is no relation to place or culture, so you end up disconnected.”

Masjid Alhikmah in Aberdeen, Scotland

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my SQUARE

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Architect Shahed Saleem on London’s East End, its history as a centre for migrating communities and its diverse and vibrant character.

“I have worked in the heart of the East End for over a decade – the areas of Bethnal Green, Shoreditch and Spitalfields.

It has always been a place of migration, cultural flux and rapid change, and has always felt like a very natural place to be.”

1 Shoreditch Shoreditch has smartened up in the last few years as shops and galleries opened up, followed by a few established eateries. It’s lost some of its edge as tourists and out-of-towners come here for day trips, but overall I think it still retains a mix of energy and enough genuine creativity to make it real – just about.

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From Shoreditch we head down towards Brick Lane and through the streets of town houses built by the French Huguenots, who were refugees from France fleeing persecution in the 18th century. They established the silk weaving industry in the East End, and the houses had weaving studios on the top floors. They gradually moved out and were followed

by Jews fleeing pogroms in Eastern Europe who settled across the area and established a dense Jewish community, the legacy of which still remains.

From the 1960s and 70s onwards, Bengalis started settling in the area, and the Jewish community gradually dispersed to other parts of London, to be replaced by more Bangladeshis until this area had their largest population in the country. This migration brought new types of shops for food, clothes, and it also brought mosques.

Brick Lane

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Now another change is underway, as land prices rise and local people find they cannot afford to live in the area, while developers move in to create high-priced apartments for a new type of urban dweller. The success of the East End will now be whether it enables diversity and opportunity to flourish as it has always done, and so created a multi-layered and complex place.

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Church Bell Foundry An entry in the Guinness Book of Records lists the Whitechapel Bell Foundry as Britain's oldest manufacturing company, having been established in 1570 and being in continuous business since that date.

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Window s on

By Fifi Haroon

In the hallowed halls of the British Museum in London, Lahore set the stage. It is here that leading journalist and bonafide Karachiite, Fifi Haroon finds her heart finally beating in sync with the Punjab capital. She holds the Lahore Literary Festival responsible for this new romance and in a bid to indulge herself, delves into rarefied insights about the city from an eclectic array of commentators.

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And in the rarefied, architecturally splendid interiors of the British Museum in London, Lahore came to life..

Earlier this year, when the Lahore Literary Festival (LLF) was held in its hometown, the British newspaper The Guardian hailed it as a safe place for dangerous ideas. These “dangerous ideas” – more really the basis for discussion, debate, dissent and celebration – were brought to the British capital in a sold-out event by the indefatigable efforts of CEO Razi Ahmed and Director Nuscie Jamil this autumn.

As a Karachiite my history with Lahore has sometimes been contentious. I cannot pretend to have always understood its hankering for gossip or its obsession with over-the -top glamour. And yet, at this late stage of my relationship with the Punjab’s capital, I seem to have found my heart beating in synch with its heart. I blame LLF squarely for this new romance.

Through presenting on diverse topics at LLF such as a Pakistani take on David Bowie in Lahore and cultures of resistance in the London session, I have re-discovered Lahore as a city of intellect, humour, wit and warmth. Forgive the cliché but I have found a second ideological home in Lahore via this forum of like-minded individuals.

And that coming from a cussed Karachi girl, even one living in London, my friends, is a surprise – even to me.

Now that I have opened my window on Lahore to you, I thought it fitting to invite a few more friends to share their bird’s eye view of the city. These extracts are culled from our meandering conversations or have been penned by the more industrious.

Some of our commentators belong to Lahore, some chanced upon it through LLF. In either case, like myself, they have all been changed by their encounter with this beating heart of a city...

Photography: Khawar Riaz

Wardrobe: Amir Adnan 129 Model: Salman Riaz

REFLECTIONS

W

hen I think of the Lahore of my past, a particular image comes to mind: I have returned from school and am in my parents' garden on a crisp winter afternoon. I am snacking on roasted peanuts while immersed in a book. The sky is a clear untroubled blue.

The sun is warm, though the air is cool.

As soon as the sun sets, the temperature plunges. The low wooden gate to my parents’ house stands wide open, as always. I have a clear view of the road down which occasionally a car goes or a man cycles past.

Moni Mohsin, Writer

Lives in London, UK From Lahore, Pakistan Appeared in LLF in Lahore

Today the old gate has been replaced by a high metal one which is kept locked and guarded by a security man. The afternoon sky is a murky smog-laden grey. I don’t know if kids still spend the afternoon reading outdoors. I suspect they are at tuition, or else in front of a screen.

When I visit, I am most at home in my family's compound. I grew up there and all my earliest memories of Lahore are centred around it: sleeping outside on the terrace in my grandmother's house on hot summer nights; playing pithoo at my aunts’ place with my cousins; driving to school on misty (it was real mist back then, not smog) winter mornings in a car full of cousins; Eid lunch at my uncle’s; the vat of Kashmiri chai that was always kept simmering in my grandmother's kitchen throughout the winter months...

Going to the walled city to visit my grandmother’s family in Bhaatti Gate has lived on in my memory. Living as I did in the suburbs, the walled city to me was a mysterious, exciting but slightly risky place of tight crowded alleys down which my grandmother’s car nosed at a snail’s pace; pungent smells and dark, narrow shops selling paper kites, pakoras in greasy newspaper, glass bangles, freshly butchered meat (with the obligatory clouds of flies) and rose garlands.

Just two lanes down was another bazaar with beautiful young girls with painted faces sitting at windows or leaning against open doorways. This was Heera Mandi. But my grandmother's sedate Zephyr never took us there!

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hen I peer into Lahore’s window I delight in the fabled charm of its traditional hotels, quaint bookshops, and stunning architecture along The Mall where I’ve spent many treasured moments starting in the 1980s.

Lyse Doucet, BBC’s Chief International Correspondent,

Lives in London, UK, but intrepid traveller reporting Like many, I savour the canals with their natural from the four corners of the world canopies, the manicured public parks which From Bathurst, Canada provide respite for all, and exquisite private Appeared in LLF in Lahore and London gardens. I remember too, over the decades, Lahore’s pride of place in the nation’s politics and the rousing rival rallies of political parties which often started or ended in this capital of capitals.

In recent years, Lahore has been a place of personal pilgrimage to join dear friends at the Lahore Literary Festival – a celebration of the richness of Pakistan – or to share in joyous wedding ceremonies. But Lahore brings sorrow too because it’s also a place of sectarian attacks, assaults on the poorest and least powerful, and the very fabric of a nation’s vibrant mosaic of which Lahore can claim so many of the strongest, most colourful threads.

Lahore is a place to revel in the breath-taking heritage of the past, but also to dream of a future which draws on all the greatness of Pakistan to tackle its darker forces.

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REFLECTIONS

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or me Lahore is a city of the imagination. My friends in Karachi are surprised when I tell them I’ve been there only in my dreams. Every time I have tried to visit it’s been one step forward and three steps back. I was supposed to attend the Lahore Literary Festival earlier this year but a last-minute security alert meant I never took that flight.

But I have seen Lahore through other’s eyes and hunger for more. My first glimpse of the city was via a video made by my ex-husband of Yousuf Salahuddin’s haveli in the old city. And there was a room where reportedly Nusrat Fateh Ali khan used to do his riyaz. I so want to see it!

I think in my mind Lahore is a place where people relish nostalgia, a place where somehow it seems like time has stopped. I visualise kites flying in the Lahore sky. And delicious food – lots and lots of it.

Apparently no one is shy at a Lahore table.

My father Mahesh Bhatt tells me of the time some chaheeta of Yousuf’s from the local mohalla sang “Galli main aaj chand nikla” from our film Zakhm at a mehfil at the haveli. He didn’t quite know what to say!

“You should have been the one here Pooja,” he said to me. I should have.

I have a special affinity for Karachi because it is my first home in Pakistan. I keep returning there and am working on co-producing the film Bloody Nasreen. But Lahore would mean a new journey. I am told that Lahoris are infinitely generous and the most hospitable people in the world. But by far the most urgent need to visit Lahore is to spend time with my good friend Ali Azmat, his wife Fariha and the kids. That’s the real pull of Lahore for me.

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Pooja Bhatt Director/Actor

Lives in Mumbai, India From: Mumbai Scheduled to appear in LLF Lahore and London

I

was just in Lahore a few days ago.

On the way from the airport to the hotel, I was in a van full of Karachiites and they all had the same reactions – “Why isn’t Karachi like this?” “Why is it that Lahore is so clean and Karachi isn’t?” On the way back a few days later I was in a van full of Lahoris. And they were saying: “Why is Lahore so dirty?” I could only chuckle.

Tapu Javeri, Photographer

Lives in Karachi, Pakistan From Karachi, Pakistan Appears in LLF in Lahore regularly

As a photographer, I feel at home wherever I can photograph. For me, the old shehr is my real window to Lahore. After my book of photographs of Karachi, I am now working on a picture book of Lahore. It was always my intention to do a book on the city. Someone has to archive all this history, to bear witness to it. I am also the official photographer of LLF so I am there every year for the event.

There is a hotbed of culture inside the walls of andrun-e-sheher (inner city) – and that makes my picture. That geography of tight streets overrun by people and a tangle of electric wires. As a photographer it is, strangely, the first thing I noticed while photographing the walled city; they keep adding electric wires and not taking any down. It’s almost a thatch of wires above you blocking out the sky. It forms spirals of spaghetti in every frame. I tried to take images avoiding the wires but then I gave up.

It’s part of the Lahore cityscape that can’t be erased.

My first experience of Lahore wasn't quite as pleasant. As a child my younger cousin and I were left alone in an old Gulberg house which belonged to my mother’s friend and we ventured out into the streets. I was about 8 years old and he was 5. We got lost and for hours, we just wandered around trying to find our way back. At one point we saw a wedding taking place and walked in and made our way straight to the bride and bridegroom. Somewhere in my young mind I had figured out that this was the way out of the mess. The couple had our hosts’ names announced on the speaker and someone who knew them took us home. No one had discovered we were missing!

That was my first Lahori adventure. Now as a photographer I look forward to getting lost in Lahore. It means I will find new pictures.

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y most memorable experience in Lahore was around an afternoon that I was able to spend in and around the walled city of Lahore. The magnificent Badshahi Mosque, where women entered without hesitation, and many couples sitting just outside, enjoying the sunset, with a Sikh temple standing right next to it‌ I hadn’t imagined any part of Pakistan to be like this today.

That afternoon encapsulated, for me, our subcontinental traditions of love, compassion and tolerance, and it filled me with unexpected joy.

I wrote a poem about my first and so far only visit to Lahore. I read it at LLF in both Lahore and London...

Ahsan Akbar, Poet

Lives in London, UK From Dhaka, Bangladesh Appeared in LLF in Lahore

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A SONG FOR LAHORE

After “You Hated Spain”, by Ted Hughes Lahore frightened you. Lahore Where I feel at home. The raw daylight, The sun-beaten faces, the sharp, Edginess to everything, frightened you.

Your schooling had somehow neglected Pakistan.

You could not appreciate Punjab, Your soul was empty Of the rustic Sufis, the qawwali singers, and the ancient caves Made your heart shrivel. Manto could not invoke A blood rush, awake the rebel in you. Chugtai Held out a paintbrush with lean hands and you took it Bluntly, indifferent to human feeling.

You did not criticise but you pitied The endless beggars tapping your window, You sniffed the history books like a condescending foreigner Hoping to recognise your roots but somehow recoiled As your love for the West asphyxiated you, And your panic clawed back towards your American ways.

You came visiting every summer and the odd winter Assumed yourself a tourist, armed with mineral water, Mosquito repellent, beach shorts and funky flip-flops, Watching with bewildered eyes and behaving awkwardly At the butchered traditions, that somehow still held.

With the occasional stab to impress your pink tongue Fortified by digestive tablets, you tried your luck With Gawalmandi street savouries: chargah, kebabs, haleem, And I saw you vomit with food poisoning.

Lahore, the city of beautiful mosques: Badshahi, Wazir Khan, Begum Shahi Had offered you more than the customary rituals But you did not hesitate to puncture the mystic, Seeing only religious bigotry and fanaticism And the sound of azaan Was what annoyed you more than five times a day.

Lahore was what you tried to wake up from And could not. You have been sleeping Ever since; you can somehow afford The luxury of distancing yourself from you, Preferring to break out of your lineage And have your real self yet to be found.

Wouldn’t it be nice, though, to reclaim Your Lahore Once, and just for once, To find your way home?

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Inspiring

CHANGE From humorous to emotional, painful to uplifting, the stories shared at the TEDxLahoreWomen platform were a celebration of Pakistani women and their accomplishments across a diverse range of professions.

Photography: Ubaid-ur-Rehman

T VISIONARY

EDx – What it is

TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design), a renowned annual conference which was launched and founded in 1984 in the US, stands as one of the most celebrated conferences in the world today.

While TED’s policy prohibits the replication of their conference, along with the usage of their name, it does however allow anyone, based anywhere in the world, to host a TEDx event once a license is formally obtained from TED. Over the years, Pakistan has seen a number of successful TEDx events being put up by young Pakistanis in a bid to showcase incredible talent and awe-inspiring personal stories from across the country. From TEDxKarachi, TEDxLahore, TEDxIslamabad, TEDxPeshawar, and many others hosted by some of Pakistan’s well-known educational institutions, it seems as if the youth has begun to find a release in local TEDx conferences where they can not only network with likeminded citizens, but also gain a sense of motivation, belonging and identity via these very conferences.

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And thankfully so. In the years since the global ‘war on terror,’ Pakistan has consistently been affected by the repercussions of a war that has largely only been profitable for the powers that be, hence, its prolongation. Concerts and gigs stopped being held in public places primarily due to security threats, leaving very few outlets for creative expression open to the general public.

But through the loss of the local music scene and other large-scale events, local literary festivals and localized TEDx conferences have breathed new life into Pakistani society and culture.

Just last month, on the 29th of October, a small team of young TED enthusiasts got together to host Pakistan’s first-ever TEDx event for women in the city of Lahore. Under the banner of TEDxLahoreWomen, the event included eight inspirational individuals from the fields of education, architecture, social activism, science, music and entertainment.

Tracing their personal journeys of hardship and tribulations to big ideas which eventually shaped the course of their lives, the speakers at TEDxLahoreWomen were exceptionally diverse. And their talks? Utterly stimulating.

TEDxLahoreWomen Held at TNS Beaconhouse’s Phase 5 branch in Lahore, to a packed hall of over 300 registered attendees, TEDxLahoreWomen brought Mahira Khan, Faiza Saleem, Sarah Zaman, Hala Bashir Malik, Sophia Kasuri, Dr. Shagufta Feroz, Salman Sufi and Zainab Chughtai on one platform to speak on topics such as fat-shaming, bullying, the role of teachers in raising confident children, the emancipation of women in public spaces in Pakistan, and more.

“Having organized TEDx events in Pakistan for the past few years, I noticed there was very little participation of women, particularly in terms of the speakers and the audience at large,” stated Irteza Ubaid, the curator of both TEDxLahore and TEDxLahoreWomen. “Therefore to make our event more inclusive of both genders, I knew it was important to hold an event exclusively for women.

The theme of the global event, TEDWomen, this year was ‘It’s About Time’, this was something we were greatly inspired by. The theme resonated with us because it really is about time that we start recognizing and celebrating the immense role of women in Pakistani society.”

Irteza Ubaid

Arfa Chaudhary

Jannat Sohail

Graced by educationists, journalists, students, entrepreneurs, socialites and even social activist Muhammad Jibran Nasir (who was in the audience to support his dear friend, Faiza Saleem), the event kicked off with a beautiful instrumental rendition of the national anthem by two musicians, Arfa Chaudhary and Jannat Sohail (who performed on the fourth season of Nescafe Basement, this year).

With just a sitar and a ukulele, the musicians left the audience moved and misty-eyed by the end of their soulful performance.

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VISIONARY Speaking about her painful experiences of being bullied in school, Zainab Chughtai, the founder of the local anti-bullying campaign, BullyProof and the viral anti-body-shaming movement (which was covered by the likes of the BBC, Al Jazeera, BuzzFeed and other international media outlets), talked about the importance of women reclaiming their bodies and the repercussions of bullying. Truly poignant, the theme of Chughtai’s speech was also, interestingly, touched upon by the Karachi-based stand-up comedian Faiza Saleem and actress Mahira Khan.

Faiza Saleem was an absolute riot on stage; her performance was replete with self-deprecating jokes and personal experiences; yet, like Chughtai’s talk, it highlighted the pain of being body-shamed, especially in terms of the whole rishta/love department in Pakistan and the societal pressure Pakistani women undergo vis-à-vis getting hitched.

And even while the audience laughed along with Saleem, her performance really hit a nerve.

Mahira Khan, too, eloquently spoke at length about being bullied and harassed by trolls online and the impact it had on her. During her talk, the audience was spellbound. Why? Here was a beautiful, successful and incredibly famous star who was openly talking about how she too was, and is, a victim of aggressive online attacks and vitriol.

audience to a serene, almost spiritual state of mind.

Quite captivating. In the audience, it was also rather touching to spot Zaman’s husband and sons rooting for her during her talk and performance.

Hala Bashir Malik, an architect who has worked with the Aga Khan Cultural Service Programme on Lahore’s Walled City Project, and who currently teaches design and history at Beaconhouse National University (BNU), spoke passionately about the need for the citizens of Lahore to maintain its beauty and heritage.

“Know your city, know it well, know it for its weaknesses, know it for its strengths, know it for its worth in creating your identity, know it for the ways in which you can use your particular skill-set or knowledge framework to create a better place, know it for it is such a beautiful thing, this idea of a city, but know that it can also be a very unjust entity if left to its own devices, and that it is the citizens of the city that should be the writers of its narrative since they are the main characters within it too,” Bashir said towards the end of her talk. Little wonder, the standing ovation she was met with as she left the stage.

Here was a beautiful, successful and incredibly famous star (Mahira Khan) who was openly talking about how she too was, and is, a victim of aggressive online attacks and vitriol.

A recent experience, Khan said, left her grappling with a severe “panic attack.” Emotive, eye-opening and powerful, Khan gave the audience food for thought: there’s more than meets the eye regarding success, celebrity-hood and fame.

With a detailed talk on healthy eating and the importance of nutrition in leading a disease-free lifestyle, the well-known correct eating activist Dr. Shagufta Feroz laid down her rules for eating well to combat illnesses of both the body and the mind.

On the other hand, Early Childhood Education expert and the CE of Gymboree Play & Music Sophia Kasuri spoke about the imperative role of a teacher in the life of a child. Drawing from an experience years ago in school where a teacher made a callous remark, Kasuri’s talk emphasized how educationists and teachers can both shape and change the destiny of a child. “Confidence comes from comfort,” she stressed.

“We need to make children feel comfortable to embed confidence in them.”

The distinguished classical musician Sarah Zaman fused her talk on music with a gorgeous performance (accompanied by musicians Sajjad Hussain and Zohaib Hassan) on a poem by Baba Bulleh Shah.

Watching Zaman sing was such a treat – she truly embodied the lyrics she delivered, transporting the 140

Interestingly, a senior member of the Punjab Chief Minister’s Special Monitoring Unit, Salman Sufi, was the only male part of TEDxLahoreWomen, primarily due to his laudable work for Pakistani women. Sufi helped launched Pakistan’s first ever Women-on- Wheels (WoW) campaign which aims to increase the independence and mobility of women by providing them with free motorcycle lessons. The story started in 1989, Sufi told the audience, when a young boy travelled with his pregnant mother on a public bus. “The boy was in agony witnessing the mother’s ordeal in the bus, restricted to a small area with 7 to 8 other women crammed together, stared at by their male counterparts.”

That boy was Salman Sufi himself and that ride on the bus proved to be the impetus behind WoW’s successful motorbike rally earlier this year in Lahore.

Sufi has also spearheaded the drafting and passage of the historic legislation, the Punjab Protection of Women Against Violence Act 2016, which is the most comprehensive legislation passed in the history of Pakistan to ensure that the incidences of violence against women are reduced. Sufi’s talk was positive and encouraging, leaving the audience with a real sense of hope for women in Pakistan.

As the evening came to an end, one could not help but feel the dire need for more events such as TEDxLahoreWomen to incite positive change in Pakistan. With a populace that comprises of over 60% of youth under the age of 30, it is especially important that the achievements of role models are highlighted.

Sarah Zaman

Dr. Shagufta Feroz

Salman Sufi

Mahira Khan

Hala Bashir Malik

Faiza Saleem

Sophia Kasuri

Zainab Chughtai

E X H I B I T I N G AT T H E PFC FURNITURE EXPO I N T E R N AT I O N A L E X P O C E N T E R L A H O R E 25TH , 26TH & 27TH NOVE MB E R 2016 0336- 6233342 FAC E B O O K .CO M / N E E M . P K INFO@NEEM.PK NEEM.PK

TALK OF THE TOWN

Austenistan in Washington DC

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Author, journalist and founder of the literary group Jane Austen Society of Pakistan, Laaleen Sukhera-Khan was recently in Washington DC as the guest of the prestigious Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA).

Here, she shares glimpses from her trip, which included speaking on an international panel and representing Pakistan in front of an audience of 850; discussing her first anthology titled “Austenistan� which is inspired

by Austen and set in Pakistani society; as well as taking in the sights and sounds around the city.

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1. At a mural depicting the historic suffragette movement, wearing Sublime by Sara Shahid. 2. A beautiful display at Bingley’s Teas. 3. Will & Jane, an exhibit on the lives of Austen and Shakespeare at the Folger Shakespeare Library 4. Discussing Jane Austen in Pakistan at the Muse District, a creative space dedicated to promoting South Asian arts, moderated by Huffington Post's Akbar Shahid Ahmed (Photo by Muse District, Mubeen ul Islam & Nausheen Ilahi). 5. Joan Ray, Nausheen Ilahi, Laaleen Khan, Farahnaz Ispahani, Sheherbano Burki and Adriana Sales (Photo by Muse District, Mubeen ul Islam & Nausheen Ilahi). 6. Kate Hamill’s adaptation of “Sense & Sensibility” at the Folger (Photo by Tina Fineberg, New York Times).

7. “Emma is presented in Washington DC” programme.

8. Election memorabilia. 9. With Nausheen Ilahi, Fatima Chaudhry, Sheherbano Burki, Shamiela Mir and Aleea Khan. 10. JASNA brunch centerpiece. 11. The first course at the JASNA banquet. 12. At the Regency Ball.

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TALK OF THE TOWN

Celebrating a Decade of ÉLAN

In a setting reminiscent of a fairy-tale garden, coveted luxury brand Elan hosted a spectacular night of fashion, music and magic to celebrate its tenth anniversary. Guests were treated to a live performance by the internationally acclaimed Sachal Jazz Orchestra before models sashayed down the runway in the brand’s latest collection “Palais Indochine”, with jewellery by Sherezad Rahimtoola. Exuding grandeur and romanticism, the solo show certainly proved to be a night to remember.

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Izza Sami Rema Taseer

Mr and Mrs Khurshid Kasuri

Nasreen Shaikh

ddin

Yousuf Salahu

Iqraa and sha Hasan Man

Faraz Manan

Tom and HSY

Attiya Noon

Dr Salman Shah an

d Aneela Shah

QYT and Sana

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Haiya Bokhari

Naz Mansha

Noor Monnoo

Yasmin and Farri

Moeed and Faryal

Izzat Majeed

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ureshi

ehrbano Q

an and M elina R Kh

Ayesha, Gauher, Saleeha and Aleema

Fatima and Umair Fazli

Deena Rehman

Fahad Hussayn and Shahzreh Khalid

Ali Xeeshan

Hissam Hyder and Alyzeh

Rahim

Nauman and Mehr Bano

TALK OF THE TOWN

Zahir Rahimtoola and Sherezad Rahimtoola

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Jarrar Shah and Nida Ba

Mahnum Kabir Umair Mirza

Hassan, Natasha, Shireen and Shahrukh

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Meher Tareen

Yousaf Shahbaz Shershah Khan

Faiza and Kamila

Shahbaz Taseer and Leena Ghani

Nina

Zahra Khan

Mahgul Rashid

Nael and Momina

Nuria and Naila

Anber and Marya

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TALK OF THE TOWN

Fashion Pakistan Week Winter Festive 2016 Fashion Pakistan Council brought together 20 of the country’s top and emerging couturiers at the three-day Fashion Pakistan Week held in Karachi to present collections for the upcoming festive season. From socialites to fashionistas, journalists to diplomats, the red carpet buzzed with star power and style.

Hareem Farooq Hassan Sheheryar Yasin

Maheen Khan

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Amir Adnan and Huma

Tapu Javeri

Shehla Chatoor

dchen Rainer Schmie queel and Aamna A Ali Sethi and Ayesha Omer Sania Maskatiya and Umair Tabani

Frieha Altaf

Nina Kashif

Mohib Mirza and Gohar Rasheed

Nomi Ansari

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Mohsin Abbas Haider and Mukhtaran Mai Amin Gulgee

Saira Rizwan and Neelum Muneer

Anusheh Shahid

Anoushey Ashraf

Deepak Perwani

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Maliha Aziz

Maheen Karim

Nida Azwer Umair Mirza Shazah Ayub

Samira Dada

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TALK OF THE TOWN

Binary by Adeel Uz Zafar

Artist Adeel uz Zafar exhibited his new body of work “Binary”, curated by Zarmeene Shah, at the Canvas Gallery.

“Binary” employs the formal and theoretical basis of the double in constructing dialogues that address the politics of the visible and the invisible, truth and power, of gender and identity, and of the historical and the contemporary.

Amin Gulgee, Adeel Uz Zafar and

Zarmeene Shah

Rainer Schmiedchen Ghazi Salahuddin, Farrukh Shahab and

Asma Chishty

Artwork on display

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Adeel Uz Zafar

lzar, Zoya Nadeem, Feroza Gu Ayesha Naveed Sherwani, Solomon nna zin Rubin and Zoila Bre Zeeshan Muhammad, Ra

a and H.M. Naqvi

Mohsin Sayeed, Sameera Raj

Amir Butt

Qasim Ali

Noreen Ali Parpia

Sheema Khan

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PARTING SHOT Karachi-based blogger Umair Mirza turns into a camera-happy tourist for one day as he visits Lahore’s historic monuments and bazaars.

Here he poses inside the majestic Badshahi Mosque.

Photography: Areesh Zubair Want to be featured on this page ? Send us your pictures exploring the beauty of Pakistan through Instagram(@destinationspk) or Facebook(destinations.com.pk).

ISSUE #06

LUXE IN THE CITY

Sanam and Hareem

stun in hot-off-the-ramp

HSY, Elan and Shehla Chatoor

Dobara Phir Se... the star-studded cast

tours Pakistan with

DAEWOO CAB