The Express Tribune hi five - February 9

Ms FEBRUARY 9, 2014

ISSUE NO. 86

Fashion Formals

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Big Brands, Big Savings

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inside unwind —

What’s hot and happening

domestic goddess —

Little bites of Heaven

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Section In-Charge: Batool Zehra Sub-Editor: Amna Hashmi

The Architect of Dreams

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Ms

the buzz

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, FEBRUARY 9, 2014

Big brands, big savings. That’s how it works at Karachi’s Sunday Bazaar by Tehmina Khan For most women living in Pakistan, Sunday is a day to unwind and relax, perhaps with a family outing to a hip new restaurant or taking the children for a visit to their grandparents. For others, Sunday signifies a day for a brand haul for new items to be added to their ever-rotating fleet of designer bags and shoes. They wake up every Sunday, put on their shopping shoes and hit 5th Avenue for their weekly appointments at top brand outlets there. Sorry, did I say 5th Avenue? I meant Sunday Bazaar, one of the largest thrift markets in Karachi.

If you are anything like me, you must be as confused as I was when I first heard of women purchasing designer bags from Sunday Bazaar, which essentially, is a flea market known for its cheap fruit and vegetable stalls. Little did we know that there is a section here — commonly known as lunda — that is home to some of the most fascinatingly convincing new, used and defected designer items from across the world. And by designer, I mean Louis Vuitton, Prada, Coach, Gucci, Micheal Kors and the likes!

Indeed, there was a time when this particular market catered to the workingclasses who were unable to afford good quality clothes and other household items. Now, Sunday Bazaar has become the go-to place for ladies looking for some epic bargains. I say epic because the price reductions are enough to drag these ladies out of their cozy beds and into the scorching Karachi heat, only to be pushed and shoved on their way to their trusty ‘Khan.’ But those who come here know how to navigate the market and make their way towards the bounWhy would I spend thousands of ty like moths to a flame. After all, we may hail from different backgrounds dollars abroad when I can find and races but one thing unites us all: the next best thing for practically our passion for fashion. “My husband nothing, just two lanes away from should be grateful that I save so much my house? money on bags and shoes by shopping from Sunday Bazaar!” says Shiza*, a youngster possessing an assortment of both original and not-so-original designer bags. “I can use that money later, on other things. After all, a girl’s got to have everything!” she adds.

The bags section at Sunday Bazaar is broadly divided into four main sections: new and used bags, new and used shoes, cheat perfumes and cosmetics and lastly, everything else one could think of, including hair appliances, Christmas

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THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, FEBRUARY 9, 2014

decorations, cutlery and even X-Box controllers. However, the designer bags section takes the cake! One must forget that most of the items of interest here are used or defected or of questionable origins. One must also never question the hygiene factor as even if the ‘Khans’ do clean their merchandise before putting it on display, the methods of cleaning are unlikely to be sufficient. We shall overlook these factors because they evidently bear no significance to the hundreds to ladies who purchase the goods, even if it means risking a fungal disease or two. “The bags may be shady at times but the bargain is worth it. I found an original Louis Vuitton Pallas handbag here,” said Samina*, a customer

Sunday Bazaar is home to some of the most fascinatingly convincing new, used and defected designer items from across the world. And by designer, I mean Louis Vuitton, Prada, Coach, Gucci, Micheal Kors and the likes! at the bazaar. “The retail price for that particular LV bag is between $1,200 to $4,000. But here, the Khan said it was for Rs2,500 and settled for Rs1,200 at the end. That bag is my best Sunday Bazaar purchase ever!”

Unfortunately, the number and variety of the luxury brands one might find at Sunday Bazaar is limited and therefore, sold on a first-come-first serve basis.

Some thrifty customers have found a way around that as well. “These bags are amazing and sell like hot cakes,” explains Rida, an arm-candy enthusiast and regular at Sunday Bazaar’s bags section. “Women who come here know their full worth, as do the Khans. That is why I have my favourite Khan’s number saved on my speed dial. I call him early Sunday and tell him to keep all Louis Vuittons, Coaches and Guccis aside and promise to purchase them at whatever price he asks for. It is a win-win situation for us both. He gets his money and I get to flaunt brands that most can only dream about,” she says.

A short distance from the used designer bags stalls leads us to some brand new ones, with their handles wrapped in white paper and tags intact. Scan these goodies in the daylight and you will see them piled high and clean with gleaming metal plates bearing names of brands otherwise seen on Hollywood red carpets. “These bags are from China!” say the Khans on this stall. While they lack the ‘original’ factor, one can see the extent to which the makers have gone to make the bag appear authentic: some inner pockets even carry the brand envelopes and cards found only in the originals. They are new, germ-free exact replicas and unless one is a branded bag connoisseur, no one would be able to differentiate between a fake and originals. “The LV bag I bought from Sunday Bazaar has not only lasted me over two years, it has also travelled with me to France and New York,” says Maleeha*, another regular at the Khan’s stalls. “My friends and family know I travel frequently and assume I must have purchased my bags from abroad. No one can tell the difference!” And what about the perks of having a classy original? “Why would I spend thousands of dollars abroad when I can find the next best thing for practically nothing, just two lanes away from my house?” she says.

Although most of the vendors at Sunday Bazaar are not too keen on answering questions regarding their merchandise, a polite purchase or two can coax them into divulging some interesting information. “We get all these bags from containers that come into our port from America and China and France,” shares one seller in a hushed voice. “Of course, some private dealers do the initial sorting and take the best of the lot before we are allowed to even look at

it,” he adds angrily. Another Khan shed light on the cleaning process in that “We purchase the bags by weight. Most of them are used so we clean and mend them before putting them on sale. I have a mochi friend who does it for me.” These Khans are fully aware of the worth of each brand, which logo symbolises which designer and their pronunciations of even the most difficult of brand names is completely accurate. They know the niche market they hold well and trying to haggle for the price will result in a rather rude and disgruntled Khan shooing you away and accusing you of being a newbie to luxury brands.

Considering the efforts that go into making these bags look as good as the original and the clientele they beget, you have all the reasons to raise an eyebrow the next time a friend speaks about the gorgeous Prada bag her husband bought her on their “trip to New York.” Regardless of whether one is a fashionistas on the lookout for great bargains or simply marvelling at the wonders of the black market, it is hard not to smile when you inquire the price of a random bag on display and a Khan proudly responds “Baaji, dhaai hazaar rupiya. Yeh Louis Vuitton ka original hai!”

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Ms

en vogue

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, FEBRUARY 9, 2014

Just A Formality

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THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, FEBRUARY 9, 2014

Ashraf Vaillani’s latest formals are a collection of bright colours and bold embellishments, perfect for a formal night out

Coordination: Umer Mushtaq Hair & Makeup: Saba Ansari @ Sab’s Salon Designer: Ashraf Vaillani Photography & Styling: Fayyaz Ahmed Model: Fouzia Aman

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Ms

unwind

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, FEBRUARY 9, 2014

February for the Bollywood fanatic

Ms.T ’s recommendations for everything that is doing the rounds across the world. Make sure you give each a shot to stay in the loop!

First Love James Patterson’s latest offering — First Love — is a breath of fresh air in the saturated market of romantic fiction. It is described as an extraordinary tale of true love and promises to melt the hearts of anyone with a first love of their own, even if it remained unrequited.

The story revolves around good girl Axi Moore who breaks the rules for the first time in her short life and takes a spontaneous road trip with her best friend Robinson — a reflection of the author’s very own experience of first love. What follows is a life-altering journey of romance and self discovery which lends credence to the power of first love and the courage it brings with itself. If you are a fan of chick-lit then First Love is an absolute must for you, especially on cold, lonely nights spent curled up in bed. A brief warning though: keep a pack of tissues handy because this book is likely to send you on one hell of an emotional rollercoaster ride.

So far, 2014 has remained a tad bit dull in Bollywood with just a handful of movies coming out and even fewer of them being worth a watch.

Salman Khan’s Jai Ho failed to leave much of an impact despite his exponential star power and Dhoom 3, although a financial success, had most of us wishing for an end to the franchise. But there is good news on the horizon: February is going to be an action-packed month for all you Bollywood fanatics! Get ready for the biggest movie extravaganza of the year as some of the most anticipated movies of the past year release this month. The line-up includes the hunk-a-licious Gunday starring the delightful duo Arjun Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, Parineeti Chopra’s upcoming rom-com Hasee Toh Phasee with the gorgeous Siddhart Malhotra, Bollywood cutie Alia Bhatt’s next project Highway and Farhan Akhtar and Vidya Balan’s parody of a modern marriage in Shaadi Ke Side Effects.

With such blockbusters on deck and some excellent performances by our favourite stars, multiplexes across Pakistan are expected to be packed real quickly. Therefore, book your tickets in advance and immerse yourself in three hours of action, comedy, romance and masala movie magic that we all love Bollywood for.

Why My Kid Is Crying Kids really do say the darndest things. From cryptic comments about invisible people to parent-hate speeches, there is never a dull moment with a toddler around — one just can’t be sure of what they’ll say. Tantrums are really the only thing you can always count on them for. The loud, unnerving and often pointless tantrums that kids throw for completely illogical reasons can really make one want to rip our hair out. Oddly, Greg Pembroke from upstate New York decided to use his son’s raging into entertainment. He created a Tumblr page titled Reasons My Son Is Crying and since

then, there has been no looking back. In fact, now — just six months after publishing the page — Greg has become an author of his very own book Reasons My Kid Is Crying; which contains pictures of children in the midst of epic meltdowns, sent by parents from across the world. It may be a while before the book reaches Paksitan but don’t worry, we have you covered! Catch a glimpse of some of these photos at http:// themetapicture.com/why-my-kid-is-crying/ and marvel at how even the worst of toddler tantrums can crack us up. It is baby humour at its best.

domestic goddess 7

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, FEBRUARY 9, 2014

Recipe

Cinnamon Cheesecake Bars Do you love the tingly goodness of cinnamon in your deserts? Does your mouth water every time you lay eyes on a cheesecake? How would you like to combine cinnamon and cheesecake into one deliciously divine desert that will leave you dying for more? Revel in the sweet and savoury flavours of my hassle-free cinnamon cheesecake bites, the perfect desert for any time of the day. I promise you will love it!

Method • • • • •

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Preheat oven to 200 C. Line a cake tin with foil and cover the insides with oil.

In a food processor, crush the biscuits completely.

Add the cinnamon, melted butter and pulse until the ingredients form a crumbly mixture.

Set the biscuit mixture in the foiled cake tin evenly, pressing it down to cover the base completely. Bake the mixture for about 5 minutes at 175 C and then set it aside to cool. (Note: the base will not turn hard after baking) Prepare the cinnamon topping by mixing butter, brown sugar and cinnamon powder in a saucepan. Stir the ingredients over medium heat until they mix.

Add flour and vanilla essence to the mixture, stir and take it off heat.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and sugar until it becomes a foamy liquid.

Add the cream cheese and vanilla essence and mix until smooth.

Pour the mixture on top of the biscuit base in the baking tin, spreading evenly.

Construct the third layer by pouring the cinnamon topping over the dish, in any pattern desired.

Bake the dish for about 20 to 30 minutes, until the cheesecake sets properly. (Note: slight crack on the cheesecake layer may occur) Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to cool at room temperature.

Once cooled, leave the dish in the refrigerator for one hour or until it has cooled completely.

Cut the cake in 1x1 inch squares. Your desert is now ready!

Note: • This desert can be stored in air tight containers for up to four days.

• This recipe makes approximately 20 sqaure bites.

Seemi Aamir is a part-time teacher and mother of three who spends much of her free time trying out new recipes and creating her own

For the base:

Wheat biscuits 8

For the cheesecake filling:

Unsalted butter, melted 55 g

Cinnamon powder 1 tsp

Cream cheese 200 g

Egg (beaten at room temperature)

For the cinnamon topping:

Unsalted butter 1 Cinnamon powder 0z (28 g) 3/4 tsp

Brown sugar 1/4 cup

Vanilla essence drops

Flour 1/2 tbsp

Sugar 2 tbsp

Vanilla essence 1 tsp

hottie of the week 8

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, FEBRUARY 9, 2014

Status Born

Married to Sarah Najmi Bilgrami and father of two adorable angels, Leyla and Eliyah Karachi, Pakistan

Birthday

23rd May

Face

90%

Zayd Bilgrami

Body

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Who is he?

Tall, dark and handsome are just some of the words that can be used to discribe the sophisticated and intellectual Zayd Bilgrami, Director of the Najmi-Bilgrami Collaborative, one of the leading architecture firms in Pakistan. He is a graduate of the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and has always been inclined toward arts. He finds a unique pleasure in conceptualising places and homes for people to inhabit and contribute to the shaping of the urban framework of Karachi. His artistic streak has won him many accolades, including Best Interior Design for the Standard Chartered Building, awarded by the Institute of Architects Paksitan last year. Zayd maintains a diversified approach to his work and remains a very hands-on worker, often retreating into his projects for hours on end and plays light jazz music to keep his spirits alive. And as if his architectural genius wasn’t enough, Zayd is one of the most handsome young men in the Karachi social scene! All we can say is that his wife is one lucky girl…

Talent

85%

Why we love him Architecture is in Zayd’s blood. He draws inspiration from things around him, perhaps a song or a photograph he might come across and transforms it into a design. He is an avid fan of international architects like Calatrava, Tadao Ando and Diller Scofidio and hopes to live up to their standards someday. As for now, Zayd is a self-confessed workaholic and strives to give people their dream homes every day.

But being a workaholic has never stopped Zayd from leading a fun-filled life. As he himself says, he may be ambitious, systematic and a dry-wit but the time after 10 pm is strictly reserved for partying. He is a toughie but melts before the carefree laughter of his two daughters. An all around family man, Zayd is fond of water sports and hopes to take his family on a white water rafting trip to the untouched coastlines of Pakistan someday.

What you didn’t know about him Zayd gained a whopping 10 lbs of weight during a summer internship in Tokyo a few years ago, just because he loves eating sushi!

He loves to have his things in order and coordinates his wardrobe according to colour.

For Zayd an ideal woman is someone who is beautiful and elegant with a punch of personality. She has to be strong and driven as innate confidence and ambition to achieve her goals is what he find most attractive. Lucky for him, he already found the woman of his dreams and married her!

Total Package

87%