The Express Tribune hi five - July 28

Ms JULY 28, 2013

ISSUE NO. 58

Silk and purple These regal clothes will make you feel like a maharani

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An Eid makeover for your home

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inside fashion smashion—

Getting white right

domestic goddess —

A seafood sensation

8 Section In-Charge: Batool Zehra Send your feedback to women@tribune.com.pk

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Our very own Ryan Gosling

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Ms

the buzz

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, JULY 28, 2013

When Home Calls: Give your humble abode a makeover this Eid! by Amna Hashmi Before you get caught up in those last-minute alterations to your Eid ka jora, we would like to remind you that the festive nature of Eid ought to be depicted not just in your clothes but in your homes as well. With about two more weeks to go before the celebration begins, why not give your home an Eid makeover? These innovative project ideas can help you rejuvenate a stale interior and impress all those guests.

Make an entrance: Re-doing the lighting on the exterior of your home is a great way of endowing your front porch a new personality. A well-lit exterior makes the interior appear warm and welcoming so swap your white lights for warm, yellow bulbs and make your home a golden-coated wonderland. “Try to enhance the nicer areas of your home with warm lighting — general lighting is no good,” suggests renowned interior designer Sam Abbas. “Focus the glare on one attraction, say a particular tree or a large pot of flowers. Anything that will highlight the plus points of your outdoors.”

Sarah Bilgrami, Creative Director at Najmi Bilgrami Collaborative, a Karachi-based architecture and interiors firm says “Make sure there are ample plants to go with

Primp the powder room The poor powder room is often a cramped room under the staircase, but who knew that could be a plus point?

“The best thing about the powder room is that it is small and there is no shower there, meaning no steam issues, so there is plenty that one can do to spruce it up,” explains Sam. A contrasting wall-paper on one side of the powder room can brighten it up instantly and make it appear new.

There is also a great variety of decorative towels, scented candles and even flavoured hand washes and lotions to add colour and personalisation to the powder room. “Since we are having a summer Eid, it is best to go with whites or pastel colours. Change your towels and floor mats to peaches, creams and other light summery hues and create a contrast by adding soaps, candles and bottles of a darker colour, like purple,” Sam advises.

More tips: “Make sure the bathroom fittings are shiny or all your efforts will prove futile,” adds Sarah. Clean and polish all bathroom fittings at least two days prior to Eid so as to grant ample time for the smell of bleach and polish mixtures to air.

the lights! The two combined will make a great first impression on your guests.” For added measure, you can install a few lowvoltage garden lights to help you and your guests carry the conversation into the night whilst enjoying the monsoon breeze outside. “Solar lights and garden lanterns look beautiful at night, especially with a long driveway,” adds Sarah. Word of warning though: avoid too much wiring as it can prove quite problematic outdoors.

Focus the glare on one attraction, say a particular tree or a large pot of flowers. Anything that will highlight the plus points of your outdoors

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THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, JULY 28, 2013

Doctor the drawing room Accent walls can inject life into a dull drawing room by becoming the focal point. To create one, select the largest or most prominent wall and adorn it with wallpaper, paintings, carpets, calligraphy and other forms of artwork. If your drawing room is small, adding a large mirror to the accent wall will make it appear much larger, especially if it is flanked by a pair of big chairs or planters. You can also paint the accent wall a darker, contrasting colour to draw the guests’ attention. But remember, “placement is everything” as Sam warns. Once you have selected a theme and colour scheme for the accent wall, the rest of your decor should fall in line.

“Add matching knick-knacks like cushions, candles and flowers to accessorise the room,” says Sam.

A dramatic accent wall by Najmi Bilgrami

More tips: According to Lahore-based interiors specialist, Attiya Noon, “people tend to have linear and dull drawing rooms which over time become very boring.” Oftentimes, conversation is lost across the open space or people get divided. “A great way to avoid this is by adding a pair of chairs or a tiny settee and making the drawing room more open to allow for easy traffic,” suggests Attiya. Creating angular seating in the room also encourages free-flow of conversation.

Serve in Style There are plenty of tray trends out there that can come in useful when you are serving your Eid guests. “Personalisation goes a long way when it comes to trays,” explains Sarah.

“Don’t just place the platter in your guest’s face but add a touch of creativity by mixing and matching plates and bowls, arranging the cutlery in an artistic manner or including flowers on the trolley tops,” she advises. Tiny candles lit around food dishes make for great presentation. Sam goes a step further by stressing upon the importance of placement once again, saying that “how things are arranged, be it furniture or food, can change everything.” Try to stage the trolley such that not only are all items visible clearly but also look appealing aesthetically and the colours and patterns become evident.

Invest in new equipment or polish old one to give a treat to both your guests’ tummies and eyes!

An accent wall by Sam Abbas

Divine Dining

Match your plates, crockery or tablerunner with the flowers and you will have a table fit for a royal feast!

When your guests flock to the Eid table, give them more to look at than just the siwaiyaan and cholay.

Every dining room needs a beautiful talking-point and a dining table centrepiece can leave your guests dazzled. Create a large, flowery centre-piece by investing in a high-quality crystal vase and getting a fancy bouquet made. Think carefully about the colours on your table and match the centrepiece with your dinnerware. According to Attiya, “Tall vases make the most impact” and bright-coloured flowers boost it further. “Personally, I would avoid plastic flowers as they accumulate too much dust,” advises Sam. “Real flowers add much more colour and charm. Match your plates, crockery or table-runner with the flowers and you will have a table fit for a royal feast!”

A flowery centrepiece

by Sam Abbas

Aromatherapy

More tips: If flowers are not your thing, you can still make a beautiful table centrepiece using Moroccan candle-lanterns, candelabras or even a glass vase filled with seashells and painted pebbles, as shown in the picture. “The idea is to catch the guests’ eyes so anything big and conspicuous should do,” concludes Sarah.

The first thing we notice upon entering a room is how it smells and with all those guests coming over to your home, that too in this scorching weather, it is crucial that your drawing room and dining areas maintain a pleasant aroma throughout! In fact, according to Sam, “A pleasant smelling home should not just be reserved for Eid and other occasions. It ought to be an everyday pleasure.” Local markets are full of room fresheners, scented candles, incense sticks and potpourri making it easy to create a great ambience for your guests. The scent you choose should convey not just your mood but the festive spirit of Eid!

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en vogue

Silk

Cordination: Umer Mushtaq Hair & Makeup: Huma Tahir @ Huma and Zara Salon Designer: Zainab Chottani Photography & Styling: Shahbaz Shazi Model: Sadaf Kanwal

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THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, JULY 28, 2013

Pu

Zainab Chottani’s new collection is a concoction of sophisticated cuts fused with intricate detail on purple, the colour of royalty

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, JULY 28, 2013

urple

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fashion smashion

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, JULY 28, 2013

Fifty shades of white

By Mahrukh Abbasi

You got it right, tis the season to wear white! Nothing spells summer like this light reflecting hue which absorbs less heat than other colours, making it a favourite during the sticky, sweltering hot season.

But while it is the perfect choice for the sultry weather, be warned that not everyone can look fabulous in white. Unlike dark colours that enhance your figure, whites can make your flaws stand out if worn the wrong way. Here, Ms. T recommends some trendy ways to wear white and look good.

To look really chic in white this summer, it’s important to know which shade suits your skin tone e

Shirts

50 shades of white

It’s important to find out the shade that flatters your face and enhances your complexion. While you may dream of resembling Marilyn Monroe in an ivory cocktail dress with a halter bodice, the truth is, it might just be the wrong white (and the wrong cut!) for you.

White has many shades, from bright white to warm white (beige).

For light skin tones, opt for beige white rather than the stark, crisp white. For darker complexions, choose to wear milky-white, which doesn’t make your skin look dull.

After picking out your white shirt, look for a fruity fun shade hade to complete your outfit. Traditionally, it’s always safe to r, we wear a white shirt with blue jeans, but for the fun-factor, eps it recommend printed or colourful palazzos. The white keeps k. simple and summery and the colour brightens your look.

For an evening out, wear earth toned pants or neutral h colours with a silk or chiffon white top. Accessorise with silver or stone jewelry and nude, beige or brown heels. For a ant day out with friends, wear a cotton white shirt atop vibrant coloured trousers or leggings. Try out bright floral pantss if you want to bring some variation to your look.

Eastern wear No matter how old you are, when you wear a crisp d white cotton kurta or an ivory chiffon outfit, you send off good vibes. White is always in fashion as far as desi clothes are concerned: from an all-white outfit to those essential white shalwars and dupattas, dressing up would be that much harder without our white eastern essentials. The one rule to remember when wearing all white is that your undergarments should be your skin colour, which will save you from embarrassment.

Try wearing chunri duppattas with a white shalwar and kameez or combine any shade of white with Sindh’s susi lined cloth. On a hot day out, wear chicken-kari kurta with cotton capris or cotton white kurta with white embroidery on it. A pair of fancy khussas is a fashion forward way of adding colour to your white ensemble. For formal wear, go dani.i.i. for white chiffons and silks embellished with sequins orr kamdani.

Pants Before we go any further, make sure your white pants are not transparent. Whether you like skinnies, straight or cropped, the fitting of the pants should flatter your body shape. There’s nothing worse than wearing white pants that are seethrough, oversized or poorly stitched.

Pair your white pants with any colour you like: from nudes and pastels to bright and dark.

The lighter coloured tops give a fresh and calm vibe, while the more radiant shirts make you look sexy and bold. For a night out, go for a darker coloured tunic, which gives a formal look, but still keeps the summer feel with the white pants. If you’re stepping out during the day, try wearing pastel shades.

Go all white If you’re going for white head-to-toe, bring in some contrast with bright accessories. You can grab any colour scarf and match it with shoes, belt, purse and jewelry.

If you’ve been indecisive about wearing white this year, it’s time to kick those fears good-bye and give white a chance. After all, it’s a must-wear colour of the season.

So weather it’s a BBQ party, a baby shower or a formal dinner, it’s time to dig out those whites and beat the heat in style.

domestic goddess 7

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, JULY 28, 2013

Recipe

There are two tricks to getting the best tempuras: one is to prepare a very light batter and the second is to fry at the proper temperature. Creating a temperature difference between the batter and the oil is what makes a really good, crispy tempura, which is not too greasy.

Curly Prawn Tempura with Sweet Chilli Dip

Method

Madiha Hamid is a digital media professional.

She runs a food blog for Pakistani and regional cuisines called cheflingtales.com.

Follow her on Twitter @cheflingtales

Batter Preparation • Sift flour and soda in a bowl.

• Add egg and mix lightly with flour.

• Slowly add iced water and mix. Don’t make the batter into a smooth paste. Add more water if the batter is thick; it should be runny.

• You can also add ice cubes to the batter to lower the temperature or place the batter over a bowl of ice to ensure that the temperature doesn’t rise.

Frying Tempuras • Add oil in a pan and heat it to a medium-high temperature.

• Lightly sprinkle some flour over all the prawns.

• Take one prawn by its tail and dip it into the batter.

Coat it well.

• Now place the batter coated prawns in the hot oil.

• Fry till both sides turn golden brown.

• Spoon them out on a paper towel.

Sweet Chilli Dip I used to buy bottles of sweet chili sauce to serve with different snacks but this easy recipe makes a great dip.

• Add the ingredients except cornflour in a pan.

• Place the pan on medium heat and let it boil till the liquid reduces to almost half.

• Beware of an extremely pungent smell of vinegar and chilies.

• Once the liquid is reduced, add corn flour while mixing and thicken it to a dip consistency.

• Let it cool in the refrigerator and serve it with prawn tempura.

For the batter:

Prawns 10 with just the tail intact

½ tsp salt and black pepper as seasoning

¼ tsp baking soda

For the dip:

1 cup oil for frying

1 egg (lightly beaten)

½ cup vinegar

¼ cup flour to sprinkle on prawns

1 cup iced water

2 cloves garlic (mashed)

½ cup sugar

½ tbsp crushed chillies

1 tbsp cornflour, dissolved in water

¼ cup water

3 tbsp fish sauce

hottie of the week 8

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, JULY 28, 2013

Status Born

Single Karachi, Pakistan

Birthday

7 June, 1984

Face

75%

Azfar Rahman

Body

80%

Who is he?

Ladies, buckle up because we are taking you on a ride with Pakistan’s very own resident heartbreaker, Azfar Rahman and it will be one hell of a ride! This beauty with brains first hijacked our hearts as a model for some of the biggest names in Pakistani fashion and soon thereafter, had us drooling at our TV screens with his debut in the Hum TV serial Phir Chaand Pe Dastak. Now, with 18 other serials to his credit, as actor, director, model and even host, Azfar has successfully carved himself a niche within the showbiz industry as well as our hearts. Known for his sardonic humour and barbed wit — not to mention that cheeky, mischievous grin which pains our hearts every time we see it — Azfar is the ideal combination of fun and sophistication we seldom get to see.

So feast your eyes, ladies!

Talent

80%

Why we love him With his naughty, boy-next-door appeal and smouldering eyes, what’s not to love? While Azfar plays the part of the devil-may-care, lazy young man perfectly, he also happens to be exceptionally charismatic and tends to excel in anything he does, be it on or off the screen. We are quite in awe of this uber cool heartthrob because he just seems too good to be true!

What is striking about Azfar is how comfortable he is in his own skin, especially considering the many roles he adopts daily as an actor. Watch a couple — ie if you can resist watching more — of Azfar’s interviews and you will realise the confident and enthralling personality underneath his chilled-out persona and fall in love with him instantly!

What you didn’t know about him His real name is Mohammed Azfar.

He is famous for many things but his memory tops the list, making us wonder if he will remember us if we ever ‘accidentally’ bumped into him.

Total Package

74%