High Profile Magazine by Fahad Rana

CONTENTS

COVER STORY

PEOPLES PAGES

Find out the latest happenings on the social scene

INTERNATIONAL

Style Spotting by Ammar Belal Ramp | 30 Fashionlogy | 32

LOCAL

MEHDI | 36 PFDC Pakistan Fashion Design Council | 37

SPOTTED

EDITORIAL SHOOT

Alice in

Wonderland FEATURE

La Muse

High Profile & Samsung Corby present .... BIO NATURAL BLACK SHINE

Carnival de Couture | 73 WAKE UP

KEEPING UP WITH THE

PAKISTAN KARDASHIANS

IDEOLOGIES MAKE NATIONS!

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CEO SYED REZA HASSAN ZAIDI | MANAGING / CREATIVE DIRECTOR FAHAD RANA | EDITOR ANUSHEH ASAD | MANAGING EDITOR ZAINAB REZA | FASHION EDITOR SIDRA RANA | ASSISTANT EDITOR IQRA IMRAN | ART DIRECTOR AZEEM SALEEM | GRAPHIC DESIGNER SUNDAS NAWAZ | PHOTOGRAPHER RAZA ALI | BUSINESS MANAGER SHEHZAD ALI ZAIDI | MANAGER ACCOUNTS SHEIKH FAHAD | MANAGER CIRCULATION ASAD SAEED | MANAGER DISTRIBUTION MUHAMMAD RASHEED | PRINTER ASPIRE PUBLISHERS 0300-8424460 | POST PRODUCTION PARTNER AZHAR A. MALIK AT CRESSET TECHNOLOGIES, 7-SHAMI ROAD CANTT LAHORE. WWW.CRESSETTECH.COM | PUBLISHERS TELUS CORPORATION - 212-Y, 2ND FLOOR, DHA COMMERCIAL AREA, LAHORE, PAKISTAN. TEL: 042-35692589-90 FAX: 042-35892449, MOBILE:: 0323-4351896 E-MAIL:: info@hpfmagazine.com WEBSITE: www.hpfmagazine.com FACEBOOK: HIGH PROFILE MAGAZINE | DISTRIBUTION OFFICE: CANADA: 4936 SEBASTIAN DRIVE, MISSISSAGA, ONTARIO, L5M 7N8, CANADA. +416-728-5782 | UK: 3 ST. AUBYNS COURT, 59 RAYMOND RD, WIMBLEDON SW 194 AQ LONDON. +44-208-944-0784 | DUBAI: SUITE NO. 305 LATIFA BLDG, DEIRA, P.O.BOX 172346 DUBAI - UAE +971 50 916 1133, +971 4273 9175

80 101

HOME DECOR 2010 International Trends By Saad Qureshi Shop Review: Wing Chair | 82 Interview with Omer Nabi | 84

87 ART

Review:

The Key To See

HEALTH

108

ELECTRONX Beamz Interactive Music System Milii Phone Power Packs BeoVision 4-103 Zippo Hand Warmer Power Mat iPhone Universal Remote Case

SPORTS Latest News From Around The World

The Hottest Sports Celebrity Couple Around:

POSH & BECKS | 105

116 131

Time For A

REALITY CHECK

102 110

103

Lexus

LFA

SUBLIMELY

INSPIRED

124

ENTERTAINMENT

Ahmed Ali Butt In Conversatin With Farhad Humayun Album Reviews | 118 Movie Reviews | 120 Book Review: The Lost Symbol | 122

TRAVEL

Rhodes Greece

CELEBRITY DESTINATION:

HSY | 128

136

But That’s Not Art

ENVIRONMENT

Think Globally Act Locally

FOOD

A Spring Celebration Zarmina’s Favourite Receipe | 133 COVO: The Italian Kitchen | 134

138

ASTROLOGY

HOROSCOPE 2010

DISCLAIMER : ALL THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE CONTRIBUTORS ARE NOT NECESSARILY SHARED BY THE EDITORS.

140

EDITOR’S PICKS

LOVE AT FIRST CLICK

Dear

Readers

Dear

Readers

I welcome you to our 6th issue. With this issue, i would also like to welcome on board our very talented new editor, Anusheh Asad. She has taken the definition of multi tasking to a whole new level – from a stylist to brand ambassador of none other than the prestigious brand; Loreal, to a television personality and now the editor of HPF. She joined us early this year and its women like her who set new standards for progression and commitment. With her on board, we have made changes to the style of content we carry in the magazine. Like you all know, with the 5th issue, we at HPF achieved yet another milestone – taking the distribution to international borders; England and Canada. The response from the readers was beyond our expectations and the magazine got rave reviews. Keeping up with this precedent, with this issue we have established a network in Dubai and HPF shall go full on for widespread distribution. Look out people, here we come!!!!!! The true ethos of HPF is LIFSTYLE. We showed HPF’s real strength at the launch of our 5th issue, when we put together one of the finest shows of all times – La Musee. The event was an amalgation of experts from different spheres of life, showcasing their best work. It saw Pakistan's top ten fashion designers get together with the top interior designers, make-up artists, photographers and models under the platform of HPF. Lifestyle personified is what it was and lifestyle personified is what we promise to deliver! Read on and enjoy the magazine!

Recently I stumbled upon a piece in a magazine, defining Dubai’s plastic beaches, the stubborn materialistic aroma in the malls, tacky UN hookers, and desis licking the dust, subject to a jaundiced eye between the desis and the goras at the immigration at Dubai International Airport. Furthermore, the writer went on to call Dubai a “heartless, mini-vegas nation, adopting the worst western culture”. Surprisingly, I’ve been to Dubai for over a dozen times now, and never experienced any of the above mentioned cases. Recently, I was given the privilege of organizing a polo match between Bin-Qutab Pakistan and AlHabtoor Dubai. My stay for seven days in Dubai was indeed a learning experience. The Pakistani polo team was given a grand welcome at the airport itself, and the players were treated with utmost respect and dignity. Our stay was made very comfortable and we were treated like esteemed guests. The match was a prestigious event, including multi-cultural people, families and friends, from all spans, castes and statuses around the globe and the list of events that followed, included dinners, clubhopping, beaches, and eventually I made many Arab friends. You wouldn’t even believe me if I told you that 60% of the local Arabs there understand Urdu, and are great fans of Shahrukh Khan. Yes, I do agree, there are many beaches that they’ve artificially constructed, and they’re filthy rich, so the men like to show off their new rides and the women want to show off their labels. But isn’t that the same case everywhere in the world? I would like to give vent to all the people who interpret Dubai as a plastic, desperate city that has tried to gain popularity by constructing structures like Burj Khalifa, please, have an optimistic approach, try to see beyond the flashy cars and the malls- this Islamic country has developed enormously in a span of just 40 years, take pride in that fact, and give it some credit. Most importantly before criticizing a nation, do your research work and analysis properly and try to compare it with yourself. The next time you visit, try a different approach - smile at the immigration, I bet you, they’re wonderful!

Syed Reza Hassan Zaidi Editor-in-Chief / CEO reza@hpfmagazine.com

Fahad Rana Managing/Creative Director fahad@hpfmagazine.com

Alice In Wonderland The editorial shoot for this issue conceptualized by Anusheh and Fahad Rana, photographed by Mr. Qayyaum, one of the pioneers of fashion photography and make-up by KR Crew. We used new faces for the shoot to have a fresh look for a very interesting concept.

Dear

Readers It is with great pleasure that I introduce myself as the

truly fulfilling. I look forward to a beautiful, long jour-

new editor of High Profile magazine. To familiarize

ney with this new endeavor, and hope to take this pub-

myself with you, here’s a brief prologue to Anusheh

lication in the progressive direction that I have set for

Asad. I am a makeup artist/stylist and own a makeup

it.

studio by the name of STUDIO51. I am the brand

I have made a humble attempt at reorganizing and

spokesperson for L’Oreal Paris, the world’s leading

restructuring quiet a few things at High Profile in

international beauty brand of all time. I endorsed a

hopes of giving the magazine consistency. I'm guessing

multinational telecom brand and recently did their ad

we'll find our grounding in the next couple of issues.

campaign. I was writing the popular article, ‘The

Feedback means the world to me, so please drop in a

Beauty Box’, for The Sunday Times for over a year. I

line or two, letting me know what you think of the

am frequently invited on various television channels

magazine; ideas, criticism, comments, whatever!

as an expert and have hosted various shows and seg-

Speak your heart out, if that’s all you want. I will

ments for different channels. And now, I am also the

always read and reply, that’s a promise.

editor for this fantastic ‘high profile’ fashion and

Anusheh Asad Editor editor@hpfmagazine.com

lifestyle quarterly! Yes I am rather ambitious… Managing all these positions has been a pleasure and 12

PEOPLES PAGES

For a good cause

KARACHI: Naya Jeevan, a California based NGO, launched their Friends Chapter in Karachi, at Faraar Gallery at T2F. This Non-Profit social enterprise is dedicated to nurturing and rejuvenating the lives of low income families throughout the emerging world with a specific focus on South Asia. This event was attended by many prominent professionals, decision makers and academic personalities, making it a success.

The Naya Jeevan team

Mr & Mrs Rabel Akhund, Irum Musharraf, Kamal Mir

Asher Hasan, Erum Ghaznavi, Nida Tapal, Aziz Khan

Chris Kralik, Asma

Dr Asher Hasan, Captain Zaidi

Uzra Dawood, Mehr Ali

Mr & Mrs Rabel Akhund, Omer 14

Jamal Mir, Shahzad Dada, Dr Ishrat Hussain

Mrs & Mrs Nauman Ahmed, Seema Rabbani, Ishrat Hussain, QAS

HSY, Zahir Rahimtoola

Labels Lahore

Multi brand boutique LABELS launched with a bang

LAHORE: Following the success of LABELS in Karachi, chief executive Zahir Rahimtoola brought LABELS to Lahore as an exciting franchise with businesswoman Sowaba Shehzad. The opening of LABELS also coincided with the launch of exclusive home accessories brand SOUVENIR, on the first floor of the outlet. LABELS Lahore is now open for retail at 194 Y Block, DHA.

Natasha, Sarah, Sam

Maria Wasti

Kamiar Rokni, Irum Alam

Sabina Pasha, Anusheh Asad

Bushra Aitzaz, Sowaba Shehzad

Uma, Faisal Farooqui

Sara Shahid

Maheen, Zahir, Saad

Zarmina Masud

Asifa, Nabeel

Maria B 15

Renamed and re-launched!

LAHORE: With the same location, staff and ownership, Depilex (Defence franchise branch) was re-launched as Amina.Z by Amina Zahur. The extravagant evening was organized by QYT events. Top models were made up by Amina Zahur and her makeup staff to lounge grandly around the lavish sitting arrangement.

Ayesha Khan, Amina Zahur & Fatma

Mehreen Syed, Tooba, Natty,Nooray, Ayan, Nadia Ali

Mehreen Syed, Tooba, Natty,Nooray, Ayan, Nadia Ali Anusheh Asad Amina.Z, Naveed Shezad, Ajji

Nazish Zahur

Anila Shah 16

Tony

Qasim

Mr & Mrs Babar Habib

Naaz Mansha

Khadija Shah

Raza Zahur

Tooba, Hasan Sheryar Yasin

Shah Sharabeel with a guest

Mehdi

GOiNG SOLO

LAHORE: Bio Amla presented Mehdiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s solo show at Royal Palm Golf and Country Club. With extensive media coverage and top models strutting down the runway, Shezad Raza did the hair and makeup for the show and Danyal covered the event management and PR.

Shazia Deen, Shezad Raza

Sundas Manan

Maheen Kardar, Saad

QYT, Ayesha Sana

Hasan Sheryar Yasin, Maria B

Mariam Shafat, Amna Shafat, Athar Zahur

Rida, Sumyra

Asad Muzaffar, Anusheh Asad

Hafsa Farooq 17

Diamonds are a girlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best friend

LAHORE: Swedish cosmetics company, Oriflame, launched its most luxurious skin care product, Diamond Cellular anti ageing cream. Held at The Pearl Continental, the event was organized by Catwalk Productions, and the PR was done by Catalyst. The product was unveiled during a performance by Fia, choreographed by Sonu Dangerous.

Freiha Altaf, Anum, Imtisal Zafar

Fia

Monica, Pernilla 18

Nabeel, Asifa

Guests

Alex

Noor

Fredrik Widell, Amna

BLEATiNG SHEEP!

KARACHI: RTW clothing outlet “SHEEP”, catering to the modern day woman, was launched at Zamzama. The Spring 2010 collection was visually presented. The fashion show included Nadia Hussain, Iraj, Maha, Amna Ilyas and Zoe Viccaji, adorning 25 exclusive SHEEP outfits. The PR and event management was done by Catalyst.

Zoe Viccaji, Amna Ilyas, Nadia Hussain, Aaliy, Iraj, Maha

Ali Saleem

Sarah M, Zeba Bakhtiar

Frieha Altaf Ayesha Omer, Nadia Hussain

Mohsin Sayeed

Humayun

Ardeshir Cowasjee

Rabiya Chaudhry 19

PFDC and Sunsilk present their debut Fashion Week

LAHORE: Four days of back to back high fashion, showcasing 32 designers, international buyers and celebs in attendance rocked Lahore at The Royal Palm. The high energy was unmatchable along with the success of the event. This event was organized by Catwalk Productions and PR was handled by Lotus.

Shaan Ather Zahur

Tariq Ameen

Uzma Ramzan, Hina Adnan, Sonia Humayun

Mohsin Saeed, Nuci

Natalia, Shezad

Niki & Nina

Asifa & Nabeel 20

Eman of Body Focus

Mehreen Syed

Maria B

Qasim Yar, Shezad Raza

Andaleeb Rana, Aminah Haq, Sadaf Malaterre Tariq Ameen, Yousuf Bashir, Sanam Saeed

Iffat Omer

Ali Pervaiz, Nadia Jamil

Saad Kureshi, Ifran Chaudry

Ayesha Alam

Nini, Zurain Imam

Hamza

Kamiar Rokni

Anoushay Ashraf, Maria B, Maliha Naipaul 21

Ammar Belal, Sadaf Malattere, Hadiqa Kiyani, Deepak Perwani

Sana

Aaminah Taseer

Juggun Kazim, Rehanna Saigol, Deepak Pervani

Tara Mehmood

Shezad, Natalia, Fahad, Zainab, Reza

Ali Zafar, Ayesha Fazli & Aamna Haider Isani

Shiza, Hassan Ahmed 22

Asad, Anusheh

Fareshteh Aslam

Sara Salman with a aguest

Maria B with her daughter

Hasan Sheryar, Ayesha Sana, Tariq Ameen

Nadia Hussain

Rizwanulhaq

Babra Sharif, Shezad Raza

Tony, Tapu Javeri

Sabeena Pasha

Ayesha Sana

Emad Irfani 23

A group of organisers

Jamal Hammadi, Umaima

Guests

Sara Shahid, Urooj 24

Guests

Saleem Shiekh

Muhammad

Tapu Javeri

Annie

Yahsir Waheed

Mr & Mrs Moamar Rana with Hajra Hayat

Saqib

Nina, Shezad, Iffat Omer, Ather, Maheen, Sundas

Uma, Faisal Farooqui, Anum

Alizay 25

BIN QUTAB: Nachi, Timmy, Ahmed Tiwana, Usman Rana

The Al-Habtoor Polo Challege Cup

DUBAI: The Al-Habtoor Polo Challege Cup was held at Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club between Bin Qutab Pakistan and Al Habtoor UAE. In attendance were the crĂ¨me de la creme of Dubai including Sheikh Rashid Al Habtoor, Javed Malik Ambassador of Pakistan, Lt. General (R) Abdul Qayyum (Chairman Bin Qutab Foundation) and the Dubai business elite. The event was organized by Fahad Rana.

Kate, Jade, Zara

Kelly 26

AL - HABTOOR : Pipi, Muhammad Rashid, Habtoor, Rashid Al-Habtoor

Fayyz Rahim, Lt Gen (R) Abdul Qayyum (CEO), Bashir Malik founder Bin-Qutab

Rehan with guests

Muhammad Ali Jinahi

Fahad Rana, Fayyz Rahim

Sabrine & Anna

Mr.& Mrs. Macow Haden with Macow Junior Amina, Sidra, Myza

Jawad Malik, Lt (R) General Qayyum, Bashir Malik

Imran, Reza Hassan

Naiza, Meher

Lt Gen Abdul Qayyum giving trophy to Usman Rana

Mohammad Al Habtoor & Rashid Al Habtoor

INTERNATIONAL

THE FRENCH REVOLUTION After a long time, the Paris runways have reclaimed the throne of urban street prêt. The last time one saw such edgy fashion from the couture capital were the days when the late great Yves Saint Laurent started his rive gauge diffusion line. The three names redefining prêt-a-porter are Christopher Decarnin of Balmain, Nicholas Ghesquiere of Balenciago, and Riccardo Tisci of Givenchy. The irony of it all is that these cutting edge designers have successfully managed to revolutionize a very classic image associated with these design houses into something extremely avant garde. Each one of them has contributed a new silhouette into our wardrobes today and sparked the high street retailers to manufacture a gazillion copies.

GIVENCHY

BALMAIN

BALENCIAGA

Riccardo Tisci has been pairing his exquisite tailoring and draping techniques to bring a ‘french finesse’ to the rock chic look. Givenchy is finally back in full force after decades of being just another ‘old couture’ house under the reigns of prestigious designers such as Alexander McQueen and John Galliano. This spring he introduces a sharp silhouette through his nautical jackets paired with luxurious draping and tribal digital prints. This is proof that a summer collection can still be lively in a monochromatic color story but only if the cut is as signature as Givenchy.

Balmain was renowned in the fashion industry for the elegance and glamour associated with its timeless gowns. That all changed when Christophe Decarmin took charge as creative director in 2005 and gave the label a completely new identity. Reinventing a classic label like Balmain was probably the most daring move a young designer could make but in the past 4 years, this decision has proved to be the best one that the house made since trying the likes of Oscar de la Renta as creative director. Decarnin is solely responsible for bringing the exadurated shoulder back in fashion and Balmain into the realm of the 21st century. His rock star detailing along with the military androgyny silhouette has had every celebrity and their stylists drooling over his collections.

Nicolas Ghesquiere was only 26 when he was appointed the creative director of Balenciaga in 1997. In the past decade he has transformed it into one of the most progressive labels in the fashion industry today. His ability to mix the most contemporary design philosophy with new age silhouettes has crowned him as the king of ‘street couture’. The new collection focuses on futuristic panels and detailing incorporated into everyday basis. The unconventional pairing of various fabrics makes each piece the epitome of urban youth culture today.

GIVENCHY

BALMAIN

BALENCIAGA 29

ALBERTA FERETTI

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

ALEXANDER WANG

AMANDA WAKELEY

BALENCIAGA

LANVIN

RODARTE

VERSACE

The shades this summer include turquoise, blues and natural skin tones. Use clear transparent tones to encapsulate a sense of purity and goodness - hopeful colours of possibilities during this recession. Let the turquoise define your outlook towards the vast skies, the freshness, energy and essentiality of water- creating a sense of space and hope. Incorporate a few blue elements in your accessories, or even nail polish, ties or shoes. Blue was also seen invading the red carpet at the Oscars this year. This season try to be friends with lemon sorbets and sunny canary hues as well, they could diversify your fresh, clean nude looks. As far as the fabric is concerned, go for the traditional light, breezy fabrics for the spring/summer season. Movement and flow are a big part of Issey Miyaki the charm. Donna Karan

Zac Posen

Welcome back, readers!!! Eager to update your closets for the summer? Lets get ready to hit the malls, empty our wallets and take pride in flaunting our curves, this spring arrives with an entirely new look...

s d n e r t r o l o C

Matthew Williamson

Denim is going fast and furious this season, so get inside those trunks and take out your good old denim frocks.

s t r o h S

This summer will be Bootylicious!!! A summer staple, the shorts have returned to the catwalk with a bang this season. In all shapes and sizes, hotpants at HermĂ¨s, silky tailored numbers at Valentino and high-waisted turn-ups at Matthew Williamson. Make sure the legginess stays light, with draped, embellished tops, sporty jacket and a substantial summer ankle boot or sandal.

Herms

Vyes Saint Laurent

Prada

Emporio Armani

Clunky and Grungy

Preened and polished is out- go grab that holey t-shirt. Pack that look with a utility jacket, or a tribal looking pair of pants. DO resurrect the military trend. Look to the MaxMara catwalks and think utility chic, with extra pockets, brass buttons and lots of khaki

Matthew Williamson

Dolce & Gabbana

Stella Mccartney

Oscar de la Renta

Must have metallic look Alexander Mcqueen Chanel

Fendi

Like a virgin...

Narcisso Rodriguez

Vera Wang

Jean Paul Gaultier

Michael Kors

Megan fox in a cute pink corset Dolce & Gabbana

ree Show off your sleek, strong feminine side this summer. DON’T hide your underwear! Go inside out like models at Marc Jacobs, Jean Paul Gaultier and Christian Dior in bra tops, lace-paneled corsets, suspender details and paneled panties – if you dare. Exercise your wardrobe in lingerie dressing with layered ruffles and lace and bounce back to party in Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” days. The most irreverent and irresistible lingerie-inspired looks were the ruffled petticoat minis and bustier tops at D&G. Be ready to show off lingerie so pretty, you know it deserves to peek out from under a spectacular structured jacket and thigh-split skirt. Corsets are the unsung hero of many people’s closets, pulling them in and approaching them out in all the right places. They improve the smallest cleavage and give shape to the scrawniest bodies. And they look enhanced on curvy cuties. We do remember how Rihanna wowed us wearing a sexy studded View Overbust Corset and skin-tight leather trousers at the WMAs.

Nina Ricci

Marc Jacobs.

Ge This time around, don’t forget your duties towards your planet! Save some trees, and buy a pair of Terra Plana recycled wooden heels. Not only do they look gorgeous on your feet, they make you feel good too about going green. The Hollywood Green Carpet is all about eco-friendly clothing, and many celebrities have joined the green belt, including Leonardo Di Caprio, Cameron Diaz, Angelina Jolie and George Clooney to name a few.

Mathew Williamson Phillip Lim

Nicole Miller

Mathew Williamson

Michael Kors

Todd Lyn

Karl Lagerfeld

Vivienne Westwood

Stella Mccartney

Nail art

If you believe you already know the whole thing regarding the so-called nail art, you are greatly wrong. After seeing sculptures, paintings, sequins, beads and diamonds, or the most handmade fimo creations, here’s the last originated nail art.

Dolce & Gabbanax

Christian Dior

Micheal Kors

Prada

Luella Bartley

Zac Posen

Polka dots, bows and floral

And remember this summer; DON’T ditch polkas and fabulous florals – like these gorgeous Dolce & Gabbana prints. Fall in love with the patent bows, the large polka dot prints and your maxi dress again, because after a season of higher-thanlegal minis, they’re back for summer. Sweep the floor with your hemline in sunny-day styles, from florals to Diane Von Furstenberg-style tribal prints. This spring’s all about prettiness, so choose textured, ruffled and floaty pieces, like this skirt seen at Preen, for a girly edge.

LOCAL

MEHDI

DESIGNER: AFID

PAKISTAN FASHION DESIGN COUNCIL

DESIGNER: ALI XEEZHAN

DESIGNER: REHANASAIGOL

DESIGNER: PIFD

DESIGNER: KAMIARROKNI

DESIGNER: MARIAB

DESIGNER: HSY

DESIGNER: MUNIBNAWAZ

DESIGNER: KARMA

DESIGNER: KHAADI

DESIGNER: MUSE

DESIGNER: NAYNA

DESIGNER: NICKIENINA

DESIGNER: NIDAAZWER

DESIGNER: NOMIANSARI

DESIGNER: SADAFMALATERRE

DESIGNER: SUBLIME

DESIGNER: TEEJAYS

DESIGNER: AMMARBELAL

DESIGNER: BODYFOCUS

SPOTTED

HAPPENINGS LATEST FROM AROUND THE WORLD

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relationship dilema

Fash Showcasing at Paris

After the success at PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week, the house of Kamiar Rokni will be showcasing its ‘East, West, North, South’ collection at the Paris Fashion Week this Spring. Rokni will be sharing the ramp with Ja.Su.Ma, Lot 78, Mauvette Philips, Nonoo Lyons, Payal Jain, By Walid, Mechante of London, SOA, Susan Snell and Susannah Hunter. We applaud you Kami for representing Pakistan on the international front. Bravo!

Lindsay Lohan says Samantha Ronson is the only woman for her — and if she doesn't reunite with the celebrity deejay, the young actress would date men. Lohan, 23, says she still ‘loves’ Ronson — from whom she split in April 2009 — and, because they live in the same Los Angeles apartment building, they see each other regularly. But the relationship with Ronson, 32, developed out of the blue. ‘I never really thought about women before, it kind of just happened with Samantha. It surprised me.’

BRITANY MURPHY’S tragic and untimely death

This news had the fashion and film industry shocked world over. The 32 year old actress died of a sudden unexplained cardiac arrest. At the age of 18, Murphy got her first break from the film ‘Clueless’. ‘Murphy was planning on seeing a doctor, but she unfortunately passed away before she did. This was a case of a person with pneumonia who was anemic (having a low blood count) who was taking medication when she should've been getting medical treatment’, an Assistant Chief ED claimed. In an interview with PEOPLE, Brittany's husband Simon Monjack said, ‘I took very good care of my wife ... She was on an antibiotic and she was taking cough medicine and doing all the right things.’

CELEBRI T Y RED CARPET INTERNATIONAL HITs

HITs

Elie Saab has done wonders for Anna Kendrick with this breathtaking couture piece.

Cameron Diaz sparkling in her Oscar de la Renta number.

HITs

OOPs

Yawn

Oops

Nothing to tickle our fancy here.

Question- what the hell are these dangly things on the dress? Such an atrocity by Prada!

This strapless pale yellow Channel number is just off. Whateverâ&#x20AC;Ś

Shock, gasp, horror. This piece is unforgivable for being a Dior gown.

Yawn

OOPs

3 1

7 15

20 22 21

30 29

32 31

33 36 35 34

1. Missoni 2. Miu Miu 3. Gucci 4. Burberry 5. Chole 6. Zac Posen 7. Nina Ricci 8. Derek Iam 9. Juicy Couture 10. Alexender McQueen 11. Salvatore Ferragamo 12. Phillip Lim 13. Jonathan Saunders 14. Pauric Sweeney 15. Alexander McQueen 16. Gucci 17. Celestina 18. Jessica Simpson 19. Renaud Pellegnino 20. Coach 21. Kate Spade 22. Jimmy Choo 23. Mami 24. Lanvin 25. Tory Burch 26. Louis Vuitton 27. Stella McCartney 28. Francesco Biasia 29. Hermes 30. Diane Von Furstenberg 31. Valentino 32. Oscar De La Renta 33. Fendi 34. Dolce & Gabbana 35. Versace 36. Prada 37. Marc Jacobs 38. Proenza Schouler

12 10

8 9

22 19 20 21 24

23 25

31 29

37 35

38 34

1. Bottega Veneta 2. Givenchy 3. Burberry 4. Miu Miu 5. Oscar De La Renta 6. Narcisso Rodriguez 7. Mami 8. Derel Iam 9. Lanvin 10. Proenza Schouler 11. Prada 12. Comme Des Garcons 13. Fendi 14. Louis Vuitton 15. Yves Saint Laurent 16. Valentino 17. Roberto Cavalli 18. Rag and Bone 19. Jimmy Choo 20. Jonathan Saunders 21. Versace 22. Karl Lagerfeld 23. Deis Van Noten 24. Hermes 25. Fendi 26. Vera Wang 27. Mami 28. Richard Nicoll 29. Zac Posen 30. Lanvin 31. Jean Paul Gaultier 32. Ralph Lauren 33. Burberry 34. Bottega Veneta 35. Jean Paul Gaultier 36. Dolce & Gabbana 37. Alexander McQueen 51 38. Manolo Blahnik 39. Oscar de la Renta

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al face. rks for the lucky ov Almost any style wo apwr Try . e latest looks s with Experiment with th me fra ed ap sh re . Squa also arounds or shields s ple tem ges and higher gently rounded ed look great.

SQUARE

AVOID:

at add Full puffy styles th e. lum more width or vo

CHOOSE:

rk well. Layered styles wo me of so try ld ou sh u Yo les that the new trendy sty tousled side. or y ss me e th on are

SUNGLASSES:

at on you. shapes will look gre Round or square vertical g lon d t horizontal an Frames with shor or cone tiv ra co de th wi mes lines also work. Fra ed ed ne ll also add the trasting temples wi width.

ROUND FACE SHAPE

AVOID:

Rounded cuts such as bobs. These will on ly make your face ap pear even more round ed.

CHOOSE:

Cuts styled highe r at the top and front. Volum e added to the crown area with tap ered back and sid es.

SUNGLASSES:

Soft, angular frame s. Double brow sty les. Frames with highe r temples will cre ate a longer profile. Sunglasse s with brow bars also pull the eye upward, makin g the face appear longer.

OBLONG OR RECTANGULA R FACE

AVOID:

Angular cuts at th e hairline that expo se that region.

CHOOSE:

Layered styles wo rk well. You should try so me of the new trendy sty les that are on th e messy or tousled side.

SUNGLASSES:

Round or square shapes will look gre at on you. Frames with shor t horizontal and lon g vertical lines also work. Fra mes with decorativ e or contrasting temples wi ll also add the ne eded width.

CELEBRITY POLLS MAHEEN KHAN

SANAM SAEED

If you were to win a free trip to anywhere in the world, what destination would you choose?

Would you kiss or diss the frog who promises to turn into a prince?

A resort in Malaysia.

I’d kiss the frog... Always hope for the best. It’s called the law of attraction.

SABEENA PASHA

FAISAL FAROOQI

If you won and received Rs.10 million cash, what would be the first thing you would do?

If you were a cartoon character, who would you be? Popeye the Sailor Man

I would give it to my mom and she would do the rest!

TAPU JAVERI

MEHREEN SYED

What’s your one hidden talent?

If you could be on any reality show, which one would it be?

I have expressed all my talents through my work but cooking would be one that people are not aware of

Reality shows are not for me because there is actually no “reality” in them, but if I was really to be on one it would be ”THE BIG BOSS”

HASAN SHEHRYAR YASIN

AAMINAH HAQ

What international award ceremony action is Pakistan missing out on big time?

If you were absolutely dying for a drastic physical change, what would you get done?

Well I would have to say THE OSCARS

Absolutely NOTHING!

SARA SHAHID

MEKAAL HASSAN

The most unforgivable fashion faux pas?

Your most sinful indulgence? Definitely FOOD!

Too much ANIMAL PRINT

TALK TO ME MESSAGES TO CELEBRITIES

AHMED HASSAN TO LADY GAGA IF THIS IS HOW YOU DRESS UP EVERY DAY, WHAT DO YOU DO FOR HALLOWEEN? LAHORE: BANKER

USA: SINGER

ALEXANDER H. GROSSKORD TO HERBERT GROEMPEMEYER When are you coming to Pakistan for a concert? LAHORE: BUSINESSMAN

GERMANY: SINGER

FIA TO MUNIB NAWAZ WHEN ARE YOU HELPING MEERA TO OPEN HER OWN FRENCH FRIES? LAHORE: MODEL/HOST

LAHORE: DESIGNER

RAFAEL RASHID TO SHAAN Chiknay! This may come as a shock to you but in Madrid you have one of the biggest fabulous following ever. SPAIN: BANKER

LAHORE: ACTOR

RAHAN TO RAHAT FATEH ALI KHAN You sing very well. I am a very big fan of yours. LAHORE: PEON

LAHORE: SINGER 55

CRIB SHEET

AMNA KHATIB PARACHA Orient Mccan KARACHI

Hate the sound of raw carrots being munched on!!!

MUNIB NAWAZ DESIGNER LAHORE

Got nothing to crib about.... erghhhhh!!! So annoying!!!

NATASHA QIZALBASH MODEL/HOST LAHORE

What I hate the most the sight of creepy crawly insects... especially when people have to eat them on AXN shows for a million dollars! CRINGE!!!

VASAY CHAUDRY ACTOR/WRITER LAHORE

I wanna crib about large sums of money being wasted on wedding ceremonies!

TARIQ AMEEN HAIR STYLIST ISLAMABAD

Body odour and bad breath really irks me!

ZARA SAJID NCA STUDENT ISLAMABAD

I would like to protest against the pointless protests on Mall Road.

ADNAN SARWAR PAKISTAN FORMULA RACING DRIVER/DIRECTOR OPERTAIONS, RACING PAKISTAN LAHORE

My work revolves around visions and ideas and my biggest complaint right now is that corporates have the money but no long term vision. 95% of marketers here are idiots!

ZURAIN IMAM PAKISTANI PRINT AND BROADCAST FASHION JOURNALIST KARACHI

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an OD of fashion week and its so hard for us journalists to keep up!

If you are interested to be featured in this article, please email us your crib, name and what you do, along with your high resolution picture at editor@hpfmagazine.com

EDITORIAL SHOOT

Combining fantasy with high fashion is a vicinity where few dare to tread. Those few are the ones who really understand the essence of true high fashion. Those few are the ones who understand that high fashion, in itself, is a form of art - and art can be expressed in many different ways, using many different mediums! I took the inspiration for this shoot from the 1865 novel ‘Alice’s adventures in Wonderland’, written by English author, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. The peculiarity of the tale is what caught my fancy, and I ventured into exploring that territory, interpreting and moulding the fairy tale into my concept. Wanting to work with a fresh canvas, we found the perfect innocence of Alice in our female model, Alizey, who carried off Saadia Mirza’s beautiful couture pieces flawlessly. Our three male models, although amateurs, gave perfect expressions – not just facial expressions, but also fitting body language - adorning Ammar Belal’s latest collection of shirts and jackets. The lack of creative ‘Concept Shoots’ will really make this one stand out to all our readers. So come with us to experience the surreal odyssey of our Alice - in her wonderland.

DESIGNERS: Saadia Mirza & Ammar Belal PHOTOGRAPHY: Abdul Qayyum HAIR AND MAKEUP: KR Crew STYLING: Anusheh Asad @ HPF MODELS: Alizey, Felix Hofmann, Behram Babar & Shezad Rasheed GRAPHICS: Azhar A Malik @ Cressent Technology CREATIVE CONCEPT: Anusheh Asad & Fahad Rana @ HPF Magazine COORDINATION: High Profile Team

COVER STORY PERVEZMUSHARRAF: A

SHAHMAHMOODQURESHI: Someaffairsaremeanttobe foreign; Suitsarenoexception.

SALMANTASEER: Politically& Stylistically,Taseerhasbeenmaking waves.Takenotes,junior.

“blunttalkingsoldier”whomadeit totheTimesfor100mostinfluential peoplethatshapedourlives.From khakistothewardiandpoloshirts tothesherwani,heprovesthatthe attitudemakestheoutfit.

WHEN STYLE AND POLITICS COLLIDE ashion is an interesting way of nonverbal communication. Never before has fashion been so prominent in the power game. Donatella Versace’s Spring Summer 2009 Milan Fashion Week collection was dedicated to US Presidential candidate Barack Obama. She said her collection was for “a relaxed man who doesn’t need to flex muscles to show he has power”. Need we say more? Many designers are using fashion to make a

political statement. But the people who change the face of our economy, decide wars and make peace, how do they visually communicate? Whether it’s Yulia Tymoshenko, a style icon and trendsetter, or Angela Merkel, who doesn’t really have much to offer, we do care what they wear. Look no further than Benazir Bhutto who has been noticed and admired for her “politically correct” attire by Washington Post’s fashion editor. Politicians are being

observed for what they wear. Females have more options to stand out because they do not have to follow the expected black jacket, white shirt, red tie combo. Male politicians, on the other hand, flaunt looks that are easier to emulate, yet classic. Obviously the styles of male politicians aren’t as over the top as mainstream fashionistas but they do get noticed and inspire millions. If you are a politician, your political message and appearance has

FAISAL KARIM KUNDI : His styleisjustasdown-to-earthashe is.N'est-cepas?

to be in sync. It’s a tricky balance that can make what a person says more or less believable. Style is a positive and powerful part of one’s image and when we talk about politics, we shouldn’t overlook the fashionable men of Pakistani politics. Those who shine on the political horizon deserve mention for their extra efforts or effortless style. Ever wondered, people who shape our politics, what is it that shapes their lives? The following men are ones we believe deserve mention for one thing or another. We interviewed these political figures and probed into what tickles their fancy.

HUMAYUNAKHTARKHAN: Themanwhosurvivedthepast twodecadeswithoutasinglefashionfauxpas.Youcouldlearna thingortwofromhim.

IMRANKHAN: Youmaynever achievehislegendrychampionstatus, butyoucancertainlydresslikehim.A journeyofstylefromblanccrickettogs towhitestarchedshalwarkamiz

BY AmmArA HikmAt 69

SHAH MAHMOOD QURESHI

ation is Not a whole lot of explan hmood Ma ah Sh y wh say to needed ding a fin Try Qureshi is on the list. other ng thi any in him photograph of t; it simply than a sharp tailored sui the way does not exist. He looks r 21st cenou like many of us would art and sm k; loo to s ian tury politic speech, ess ntl dau his th Wi y. trend cci suits and debonair appearance, Gu hard to is it , ent tm upbeat compor man the ut ho wit list s thi imagine t as ine cab who fittingly sits in the ite qu be y ma He . ter Foreign Minis kes Mr. ma at wh tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tha t bu n outspoke ferences so Qureshi and his press con ring ste bli the popular. With all himself in ry car to ds ten he speeches, does, he ver a confident way. Whate e lin scu ma a h he seems to do wit tincdis l cia spe rits me o grace. He als and ce gra tion for going grey with en he dignity (until recently wh k). dar decided to go

LOV ES BEIN G SME LLED OF LAN VIN FOO TPR INT: UK 8 1/2 BUT NOT COL D STY LE ELE MEN T: BOL D

HUMAYUN AKHTAR KHAN

of men around. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one of the manliest business world, An eccentric figure in the proof that a ng Humayun Akhtar is a livi s dapper Hi . age h man gets better wit , brown eyes, yle rst hai k slic ts, Givenchy sui elo y sid cks should charming smile and gre n. He is stylish, me be enough to woo wo indescribable ses ses pos mega-rich and ministries as royal jelly. He has held and Commerce. nt important as Investme a political of er pow Who knows the ? Certain colours him n tha ter bet wardrobe his wardrobe, convey certain moods and d subtle offun aro es which mainly revolv cks, projects elewhites, charcoals and bla iness. It is indeed gance, mystery and cleanl hionable mind fas a of the careful selection prints conand s ipe str id that opts to avo cis of pre ion and veying a definite sense come from upscale t optimism. He may no that he has what ved pro lineage but he has otic trade indusit takes to navigate a cha raise a Pepsi toast try. How could we not to Mr. Humayun?

LOV ES BEIN G SME LLED OF HER MES FOO TPR INT: UK 10 AND CLA SSIC STY LE ELE MEN T: CLEA N

SALMAN TASEER

man Is there a power to Sal yes. big A Taseer’s wardrobe? and r ffie spi s sse How? He dre sinu -m ket jac the rts often spo ire att ’s eer tie look. Salman Tas and speaks of his liveliness comfy lly efu aw ks loo style. He He in whatever skin he’s in. but y eas is proves that black at’s Th . ier eas n eve is navy blue pires ins he son rea ly on the not us. He has a number of ious accomplishments in var foot bal glo has He s. tie capaci es, vic print in financial ser icatechnology, telecommun ent pm elo dev ty per tions, pro all in es ess sin bu dia me d an one one lifetime, making him to ges na ma o als He cool dude. e sam the at ive act y iall be soc many time. When you have so can you , cap r you feathers in tro con ial triv h wit ay get aw versies.

We generally aren’t intimidated by the guys who leave barracks and rule for a decade but straight shooting general Musharaf is an exception. He made it to the Times’ list of 100 most influential people in the world and glided through a decade’s tenure. This military man pulls it off well, whether its the khaki wardi or smart casual, the sherwani or sportswear. His wardrobe is diverse and oozes class. If you are impressed by that suit you saw on Donald Trump or in the Bond movie, then you may envy our style icon too. After all Brioni suits aren’t for the faint hearted. A tough man to be hit with words and unreservedly straightforward, Musharraf proves that openness of expression is the new thing. It’s not just the personality that’s candid, even his wardrobe boasts candid colours. He has impressive golf skills and plays pretty much every game under the sun, all while maintaining a 90 minutes daily exercise regimen. He is seriously dedicated to fitness and will take every 3rd or 4th day off to relax.

LOVES BEING SMELLED OF ARMANI BLACK CODE FOOTPRINT: UK 8 ½ STYLE ELEMENT: EXCLUSIVENESS AND PRECISION

LOV ES BEIN G SME LLED OF HER MES FOO TPR INT: UK 10 SS, LIVE LY & REL AXE D STY LE ELE MEN T: FEA RLE

IMRAN KHAN

FAISAL KARIM KUNDI

A cricket legend, tabloid sensation, writer, a humanitarian hero and now a politician, Imran Khan is the full scale model of a oh-so-perfect man. From a teen heartthrob to a well respected political leader, the bicontinental Imran Khan has always enjoyed a celebrity status. This good looking Khan may not be the most successful politician on the horizon but we love him because he is logical and talks sense. He may sound unreasonable to other politicians at times but kill your doubts because George Bernard Shaw said, “The unreasonable man adapts surrounding conditions to himself... all progress depends on the unreasonable man”. And yes, he gave up his two passions for politics, trekking and shooting. We also love him because he shows that athletic adroitness and a penchant for dressing one’s best are not mutually exclusive, although he claims that he has never been a designer slave. Life for him has been easier after he turned to shalwar kamiz. Dress is a means of visual communication and it’s a language that he speaks really well. He combines cultural authenticity with western progressiveness. He dresses very smartly, and Mr. Khan and his ex wife deserve extra applause for making our traditional ensemble a cosmopolitan attire.

LOVES BEING SMELLED OF ARMANI BLACK CODE FOOTPRINT: UK 8 ½ STYLE ELEMENT: EXCLUSIVENESS AND PRECISION

FASHION POLICY: When you wear Gucci and hold an exceptional office, no one is going to bring the fact that your hair is grey.

PERVEZ MUSHARRAF

with pretty For a young politician rim Kundi Ka sal Fai , ers good mann ate to be crithas a lot of people desper e them a giv ’t ical of him. He doesn . After all, ng thi r the ano chance, that’s to hold their telling important people . He is one job y tongues is not an eas P and PP on s ard of the young gu uty dep r eve est ng you the became ice off i’s nd speaker in 2008. Mr.Ku as ng bei to se clo handling is pretty two of or ade dec a er aft s get good as it chap of the experience. The tallest es that style iev bel national assembly is truly and lf ese on arises out of nsibly to be po res s sse dre He . sic intrin nochromo ds fin taken seriously and en Wh le. tib sis irre ts matic dark sui s to sse dre he , ent liam par outside und him. This blend in with those aro a finely tuned h wit n refined gentlema liament of 342 fashion sense runs a par mikes of the members and turns off at 33? ing do you re Ex PMs. What we

, BOSS COM PAN Y LOV ES BEIN G SME LLED OF CARTIER FOO TPR INT: UK 10 N IS EASY AND NEV ER LETS YOU DOW STY LE ELE MEN T: BLA CK

FEATURE

La Musèe High Profile magazine began operations in July 2008 and has published five successful issues to date. HPF has carved its identity as a true fashion and lifestyle magazine. From the latest fashion trends, environmental issues to technology, we cover music, beauty, art, health, sports and the latest happenings. HPF is, without doubt, comparable to any international lifestyle magazine. Now, with the 5th issue of HPF, we have started distribution in Canada and the U.K. High Profile Magazine celebrated the launch of its 5th issue at Royal Palm Golf and Country Club in collaboration with Samsung Corby. The message sent out by the 5th issue was about the celebration of Pakistan. The purpose was a better projection of the brighter and lighter side of a country that has unfortunately been victimized by exaggerated and falsified iniquity. The launch event, by the name of La Musee, was a collaboration between the leading fashion designers, interior designers, make-up artists, photographers, models, artists and musicians. This was the first time ever in Pakistan that such a diverse group of people had come together under one umbrella to represent true lifestyle, the essence of High Profile magazine. TOP 10 FASHION DESIGNERS CAME TOGETHER TO SHOW CASE THEIR BEST OUTFITS • HSY • Nikkie Nina • Sarah Shahid • Deepak Perwani • Khadi Khaas • Sadia Mirza • Kamiar Rokhni • Muneeb Nawaz • Ammar Belal • Sadaf Malaterre TOP MODELS, ACTORS AND MUSICIANS ADORNED THE OUTIFTS • ZQ • Mehreen Syed • Meesha Rehman • Mehmud Rehman • Rabia Butt • Abdullah • Sophia Khan • Muhammad • Juggun Kazim • Nooray • Umair • Fia • Ayyan 5 TOP MAKE-UP ARTISTS ON THE PANEL • Anusheh Asad of STUDIO51 • Khawar Riaz • Ather Shezad • Sunuba • Maram Aabroo 6 INTERIOR DESIGNER FOR THE SPACES • Omer nabi at Studio O • Casa Hamza • Reema Bokhari • Saira ahsan • Fehmina Khan TOP PHOTOGRAPHERS • Tapu Javeri • Ather Shahzad • Shamyl Khuro • Rizwan-ul-Haq • Khawar Riaz • Guddu Shanni • Maram aabroo • Deeves• Amean J The museum was conceptualized by Ammar Belal and the event was organized by J&S3. After the extravagant red carpet, guests entered into a corridor leading to 10 rooms. Each room measured 15 by 15 feet, showcasing unique mix of one fashion designer with his muse and an interior designer. An assortment of 10 diverse collages was presented by the interior designers, each one with a completely different theme. Between the 10 rooms the corridor opened into a hall surrounded by 10 photographers showcasing images from Pakistan’s premier photographers.

Rather than using the usual medium of a catwalk based show, LaMusee epitomized interactive fashion presented in a dynamic way. Gaining immense praise and acknowledgement, LaMusee turned out to be a milestone on high profile magazine’s route to association with high end, high quality and high fashion.

VERDA ADIL SHAH She is a freelance writer based in Lahore. Interested in discourse of any kind, this self proclaimed couch potato aspires to one day change the system and live in a land free from constraints.

The three participating desig ners showcased what they believe their label’s streng th is. M alini Ram ani showed her resort line, one she said is “colourful, sexy and a lot of fun”. Tarun Tahiliani showed his latest collection, an am alg am ation of western silhouettes and eastern draping , paying “hom ag e to the plum goth, violets and gold of fall colours.” Um ar Sayeed showed his collection inspired by our very roots and heritag e.

fter Lahore's Sunsilk Fashion Week, the next big fashion gala to hit the town is “Bio Natural Black Shine Carnival De Couture” organized by J&S. This charity fashion gala showcased the work of three renowned Indo-Pak designers, Tarun Tahiliani, Malini Ramani and Umar Sayeed. An exciting initiative by J&S and the Teachers Resource Centre (TRC), the show was a first of it’s kind in this historic city. Carnival de Couture was styled, choreographed and produced by the creative team of Tariq Amin, the House of HSY and Ms. Lubna Adam from Mumbai; who has worked in the Bollywood industry as a choreographer alongside the maestro herself, Ms Farah Khan, respectively. The top models of Pakistan were joined on the ramp with the top models of Bollywood circuit. All and all, this was one killer line up with designs that were bound to be a hit. Although Tarun Tahiliani started his professional career with a degree in Business

Tarun Tahiliani 73

Mrs. Jafferi from TRC Management, it was refreshing to see where it led him. He opened his first boutique, 'Ensemble' in 1987 and now he's all set to revolutionize the way people perceive fashion. It was refreshing to meet designers who actually care about reconnecting with their roots and integrating cultural heritage into their designs. When asked about their take on fashion, all the designers essentially had the same thing to say; the youth today blindly follows whatever is being fed to them through the media. According to Tarun Tahiliani, fashion at a basic level is a way of projecting ones personality. And if you really care about what you're projecting onto the world, then fashion is the luxury of having something tailored to your body. Something that is flattering to your shape and looks appealing over all. Tarun and Umar Sayeed both think that we're still 'colonized' in our minds; we have grown up thinking that Western is better. Which is why they think it is their duty as designers to bring about a change in the current fashion trend.

Malini Ramani Umar Sayeeds collection was inspired by Qurat-ul-ain Haider's second last novel 'Gardesh-e-Rang-e-Chaman'. His collection commemorated designs from different eras and when it was still undergoing the design process, he realized how important it was to look back at history and know where the designs originated initially; how far back do these ideas trace back? ‘Without history, you are rootless.’ The challenges these designers face basically stem from the same root, everyone is in one way or another westernized. It is easier for the youth of today to purchase a pair of jeans and casual tee-shirts as opposed to buying 'kapra' and getting it stitched from the nearest 'darzi' according to the latest fashion trends. Truth of the matter is that the only time we ever go to designers is when we have to get wedding attire made. ‘Eastern wear is associated to more embellished work,’ and Tarun went on to say, ‘we need to have clothes which are non-embel-

Umar Sayeed lished, floating, feasible and easy to wear for the young.’ Such events are important in order to create a more positive image of Pakistan in India; not only that but they are vital to cross-border friendship. The three participating designers showcased what they believe their label’s strength is. Malini Ramani showed her resort line, one she said is ‘colourful, sexy and a lot of fun’. Tarun Tahiliani showed his latest collection, an amalgamation of western silhouettes and eastern draping, paying ‘homage to the plum goth, violets and gold of fall colours.’ This socialites event of the year had everything going for it, from Indo-Pak designers to top models sashaying on the ramps after being coached by one of the best choreographers, all brought together by the hard work and team effort put in by TRC, J&S, Tariq Amin and the House of HSY. And hey, it was all for charity at the end of the day! This was truly an event not to be missed.

Ms. Lubna Adam

PAKISTAN I

IDEOLOGIES MAKE NATIONS! MARIA. B Based in Lahore, Maria. B is a very successful, internationally recognized fashion designer, smart business woman, devoted mother and a hard core patriot.

I had everything going for me; the world of glamour, fashion, a good life, rewarding business and career. But something inside me was really hurt, angry, sad and helpless. I felt weak watching Pakistan going through crisis after crisis and not being able to do anything about it.

have been running Maria.B, as a successful enterprise, for over 10 years now. Mashallah, the company has grown from strength to strength, and I've been blessed with everything I desire by Allah. He has given me a charmed life, and being one of the few women entrepreneurs and business women / designers in Pakistan, is a gift very few understand. Working in this country is a privilege and an honor; the respect, guidance and love I have gained for taking the business initiatives I have taken, has been truly humbling. I have Allah to thank for all the wonderful people I have met along the way and all the growth my business has had, as I am just an ordinary person who has been truly blessed. Despite what people assume about me, I have always been religious, with a huge leaning towards sufiism and Zikr e illahi. As my father served in the armed forces, I was always very patriotic. I saw the commitment and passion of a 'jawan', and the love and drive of their commanding officers. I was lucky enough to be exposed to the ‘behind the scenes’ aspect of military life, and not just the civilian understanding of what the 'military' represents. For the past few years, I had been getting restless. I, along with millions of Pakistanis, saw our country's law and order situation deteriorate, saw hundreds of our fellow Pakistanis perish in attacks by various forces; women, children, the elderly, no one was spared. These are painful and trying times for the whole country. I had everything going for me; the world of glamour, fashion, a good life, rewarding business and career. But something inside me was really hurt, angry, sad and helpless. I felt weak watching Pakistan going through crisis after crisis and not being able to do anything about it. What particularly bothered me was the state of the youth. I met teenagers, college going kids and young professionals on a daily basis for work, one way or another, and I saw their sadness and hopelessness. Everyone wanted to leave Pakistan and make a future for themselves abroad. I kept hearing the young say, ‘we don't know whether Pakistan will survive or not’, ‘what has Pakistan ever done for us?’, the worst being, ‘Pakistan was a mistake. It

should never have been formed!’ This was the last straw for me. I started questioning why our history books never tell us about the dream of Iqbal? The passion of Quaid-e-Azam?? And the state of the Muslims before partition??? Do our kids really know what our identity is? Why we became a separate country?? I saw no hope and wondered how they will ever know. Then one day, I happened to hear a man called Zaid Hamid. For the first time in years, I saw hope. I saw a man who was reviving patriotism amongst the young and old. A man who had a deep understanding of religion, politics and history. A person who was not afraid to speak the truth. His program, "Iqbal ka Pakistan" with Ali Azmat inspired me and touched my heart. This was exactly what the young generation needed; to revive the ideology of Iqbal. For the first time, I felt like I saw a selfless leader who was capable of energizing the dejected youth of Pakistan. I decided to help his cause as that's exactly what I felt was so desperately needed!!! So one day, sitting on my dining table, with a couple of university students, came the idea of ‘Wake Up Pakistan’. One lecture with Zaid Hamid in Lahore, called ‘Wake Up Lahore’, turned into a nation wide movement called ‘Wake Up Pakistan’. A small team of passionate people like me got together and started planning the project. We decided to go to every city that we could target within Pakistan; Karachi, Islamabad, 75

Quetta, Peshawar, Lahore, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Abbotabad and Muzafarabad. Our teams started contacting university students across the country. Today, we are working with representatives from over 200 universities across Pakistan. Seeing the success of Wake Up Lahore, ARY News stepped in and became media partners for Wake Up Pakistan, which goes on air every Friday, at 11:00 pm. Now the dream of waking Pakistan is being viewed across the world on ARY! The idea of this movement is not to involve ourselves in politics, but to get all patriotic people together and to mobilize the youth of Pakistan. To make them realize what Pakistan really is. What 5 million Muslims died for in 1947. To inspire them to read Iqbal, read history. To OWN Pakistan again! To speed up the process of reaching more and more people, we realized the importance of involving a few role models and celebrities in the movement so the youth sees us trying to save the country too. The youth thinks that celebrities and icons don't really care, that they just make money and leave the country. Thus came in Ali Azmat, the core person at ‘Iqbal ka Pakistan’, Shehzad Roy, Feeha Jamshed, Faiza Ansari. These individuals have become like family to me. Were it not for their support, I would be quite alone in this movement. The youth saw these icons and saw a new face of Pakistan. At 'Wake up Pakistan', we are of the opinion 76

I started questioning why our history books never tell us about the dream of Iqbal? The passion of Quaid-e-Azam?? And the state of the Muslims before partition??? Do our kids really know what our identity is? Why we became a separate country?? that there comes a time in a nation's history when dampened spirits need to be awakened, souls need to shaken, unity is of essence and to achieve all that, leaders need to be created. For that, boys and girls need to feel empowered and become men and women. At project 'Wake up Pakistan', we are such patriots who dare to dream. We dream of awakening this pure land of ours. It is of importance to note here that we are a non

political organization. Our guide is Allama Iqbal and our mentor, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah. Our objective: revive the revolutionary ideology of Iqbal in an effort to breathe life, once again, into the dejected youth of Pakistan. With this spirit we started making teams across Pakistan and the kind of passion I have seen in the youth of the country has revived me - given me immense hope that all is not lost!!! In fact, I now believe that this is just the beginning of an ideological revolution in Pakistan, where a glorious destiny awaits us. I cried the tears with kids across Pakistan. I witnessed the patriotism and love for our country. And most of all, I saw the unity that grips our youth from Peshawar to Karachi.We achieved the first part of Iqbal’s dream on August 14th, 1947, by establishing Pakistan. However, the full realization of this dream has now become our necessity. It’s the need of the hour, because now it is time to bring the change this nation has been craving, and work towards the ‘completion’ of Pakistan - as Iqbal and Jinnah had envisioned it. Our mission is to join hands in reviving and implementing the original resolutions and nation building guidelines of Quaid-e-Azam, Allama Iqbal and other founding fathers. We need to revive the zeal and enthusiasm that was on display on the historic day of March 23rd, 1940. We CAN do it again and Inshallah WE WILL!

KOURTNEY

KEEPING UP WITH THE

KARDASHIANS Many people in this part of the world may not be familiar with the celebrity status attached to the name ‘Kardashian’, but if you’re a fan of ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’, you are probably aware of how much power that surname commands. The show follows the lives of three sisters Kourtney, Kim and Khloé, as they maneuver through their high profile socialite-cum-entrepreneurial lives. The sisters and their brother Rob Jr. were born to Robert Kardashian and Kris Jenner, and have gained notorious popularity in the United States and around the world as celebrated icons in fashion, TV, and the general media through their show, which is (executive) produced by American Idol host Ryan Seacrest. Contrary to the Hilton line of socialites, the Kardashians have been considerably calculated in their bid to eventually reign over all media. From boutiques, to a TV show, to modeling, acting, selling perfumes, you name it, they have it all covered! Under the patronage of their mother, who also serves as their business manager, the girls have built the Kardashian empire into an iconic set up that demands media attention. Even in their private lives, the sisters are constantly hounded by the paparazzi to catch a glimpse of their glamorous lifestyles. Media buzz especially peaked in 2009, with Khloé’s marriage to LA Laker Lamar Odom, and Kourtney’s pregnancy followed, by the birth of her son, Mason. At the rate that these women are gaining popularity, you might have to get the program and start keeping up with the Kardashians.

The eldest sibling of the clan, Kourtney, is often seen as the reserved one. She co-owns and runs a fashion boutique called D-A-S-H with her sisters. She gave birth to a baby boy, Mason, on December 14, 2009, whose father is Kourtney’s boyfriend, Scott Disick. As the eldest of the bunch, she has been more mature in her pursuits, which also shows in her fashion choices. With her new role as a mother, she is likely to exhibit more change in her image, especially on the spin-off show, ‘Kourtney and Khloé Take Miami’, in which she and her sister Khloé open and operate a new outlet of D-

KIM

A-S-H in Miami. Middle child Kim is probably the most well known out of the Kardashian bunch. She gained popularity for her infamous nude Playboy spread from 2007. Over the years, she has carved herself as a media icon and has been more active on the red carpet than her sisters. Appearing on the cover of various magazines, and even television shows, including ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and ‘America’s Next Top Model’, she has become a bona fide commodity in the fashion world. In 2010, she also walked the runway for the annual ‘Heart Truth Red Dress Fashion Show’ at the Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. Kim takes every role very seriously, delving into acting, appearing on TV’s ‘How I Met Your Mother’ and ‘CSI: NY’. Kim is renowned for her curvaceous body, which has landed her various modeling stints and defines her personal style as a whole.

KHLOÉ Although the tallest, Khloé is the youngest of the Kardashian sisters. She keeps a rather balanced profile on the professional front with television appearances (such as her stint on ‘The Celebrtiy Apprentice’) and working with her sisters on their D-A-S-H boutiques. In 2008, Khloé posed nude for PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) in their anti-fur ads. Khloé garnered major media scrutiny for her DUI arrest in 2007, and then again for her relationship with LA Lakers’ Lamar Odom, whom she married in a lavish ceremony in September 2009. The wedding ceremony was part of an episode of ‘Keeping Up’. As the baby sister, Khloé is bold and youthful in her appearance. 79

HOME DECOR

SAAD QURESHI MANAGING PARTNER

ARCHITECTS INC www.architectsinc.org

INTERNATION 2

010 will continue being the age of purple with a bunch of other diverse combinations. The colour gray will start its movement and replace beige completely. Various rich colour palettes will be back with a prominent combination of grays. The age of the socalled earthy tones is history for now. Wallpapers are back with a bang. Floral prints, geometric patterns and plane textured varieties are very hot and very in. Avoid imagebased wallpaper though. Something about that is just not right. Beside the feature wall, the ceiling will be used as a focal point. Using wallpaper on the ceiling is a fabulous idea. Very hot. Bedrooms, living areas, designer outlets and studios should definitely incorporate this

design philosophy. Antique furniture with modern colour patterns is totally 2010. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s better to opt for a single colour on these pieces rather than wooden polish. That can be termed completely old mentality. This new idea is hip and will breathe in new air to your area. The next step is key; mix it up! Use contemporary features to complete the look and give it just the right touch. Forget about two or three tones of wooden polish in your area. Bury these ideas somewhere deep in the grave. Become uniform with the wood. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the 2010 philosophy. Wood will always be your escort. This time around wood needs allies to enhance its beauty. Use lots of metal and solid painted wooden sur-

NAL TRENDS faces with the wooden polish combination. Use yellows, reds, purples, grays and pinks. These will look fantastic especially in your kitchen area and outlets/studios. Graphical images are the key elements. Pop art is the new thing, which also brings in rich palettes in the surroundings. But please memorize this phrase ‘LESS IS MORE’. Modernists want to see natural materials and the hand of the craftsman brought into their homes. Good idea! Rugs in single colours and geometric patterns are still in. Their importance is not to be neglected, as they bring substantial comfort and warmth to our living along with class and style.

‘In the last year, people were looking to be calmed and comforted by interiors,’ said Melanie Coddington, who was recently named one of House Beautiful's 20 interior designers to watch. ‘I hope the burgeoning sense of optimism will translate into sparkle, glamour and lots of risk-taking in design. In with color!’ Risk taking in design, loud colours with historical modified features, surreal designed objects with the combination of plane lines, rich and unexpected combinations is totally 2010. Look out for Purple, gold in combination with black, shades of gray with teal or magenta and tangerine. Make these combinations your friends.

SHOP REVIEW

WING CHAIR

DESIGNS THAT EXUDE LUXURY AND CRAFTSMANSHIP

ing Chair is originally a Spanish brand that started in Spain in 1985. The head office and the main manufacturing facility are in Valencia, Spain. In 2003, it was formally launched in Pakistan, opening its first outlet in Y-Block, DHA. At that time, Wing Chair Pakistan was just importing high-end luxury furniture from Spain and retailing it locally. It’s been 5 years since the main manufacturing facility has shifted from Valencia to Lahore. The manufacturing setup in Lahore is now catering to not just local clients but to clients all over the world. 20% manufacturing still happens in Spain and 80% in Lahore, Pakistan. Wing Chair Pakistan used to import Spanish technicians on a regular basis who used to come and teach their local counterparts. As a result, the local technicians in a short span of time have achieved the quality standards, the finishing and the design specifications Of international standard. When you are looking to change the way your interior looks by updating your furniture, there are many furniture store options. Wing Chair carries a wide selection of contemporary and classic designs. Their services include

Turn Key Projects with an In House Design Team catering to the interior needs of the clients. Products include furniture, luxury European fabrics, wall papers, rugs etc. The furniture at Wing Chair appealed to us because of the use of high quality materials and superior craftsmanship. We loved the two-seater sofa in black bull leather with black and white floral Spanish fabric, the White Deco console and the coffee table with hand painted design emulating the fabric on the sofa. The matching wing chairs in technical leather are also impressionable. The design team at Wing Chair attributes the white and black balance as a concept of modern house and condo interior; ideas dominated by white hues balanced delicately with furniture in solid dark colors, stylized with cushion accents is a suggestion they want to share with our readers. ‘Your home decorating designs can focus on modernistic accessories and furniture with plain, yet interesting shapes and sizes for inserting flavor into the room.’ They suggest reviving your living space based on the ancient Zen principles, which can also infuse your home with life and give you a peaceful and relaxed mindset.

CLASSIC ELEGANCE IN MODERN SETTING

WING CHAIR SPAIN Camino de la Rembleta S/N 46950 CHIRIVELLA VALENCA PAKISTAN 133-Y, Commercial Area, Defence Lahore Tel: 92-42-35741446 www.wingchair.com.pk

Omer Nabi INTERVIEW WITH

We visited the sassy Studio O for a tet-a-tet with the brilliant furniture maker/interior designer, Omer Nabi. Omer, tell us how it all started? Well I was always a bright kid, who would invariably be part of the top three students of the class. After my A levels from Aitchison, I went to the states, Tufts University, to do a double major in economics and international relations, as expected. But something interesting happened there. I took some design courses and absolutely loved it! Was that the cue to your true calling? You can say that. I came back to Pakistan, joined a bank and got fed up. So, I decided to take a vacation in hopes of making clear my direction in life and my career. You know I would buy hangers and sculpt them into jewel encrusted candle stands using material that embellishes women’s clothes. Eventually, I started selling these pieces. I remember one of my friends bought a piece from me as a gift for someone’s wedding. And what happened to the bank job? Oh I quit! I started saving money and doing exhibitions at the house. December 1996 was 84

my first exhibition, which was a sold out hit. As my pieces gained popularity, I needed proper work space. Hence, the transition began from working under the cheekoo tree in the yard to moving to my garage and then finally renting out a small workshop to move out of the house. Which means your success came to you at a slow and steady pace? Exactly. It didn’t happen overnight. I’ve worked hard and long to achieve all that I have today. Quiet honestly, this slow growth turned out to be quiet the blessing in disguise. It taught me so much and I got the chance to get lots of hands on practical experience. I also learnt how to deal with different kinds of people, from clients to karighars. Omer you seem to have a very defined style and are often recognized by your pieces. What is your style statement and your design philosophy? Modern. Clean cut. Minimalistic. My design philosophy is to do a minimum clutter contem-

porary space and then add on by accessorizing. Along with that, I like to incorporate people’s personalities in their spaces. Interesting! How do you incorporate people’s personalities into pieces/spaces? Well, I note down requirements while observing my client vigilantly. This is done over a span of two or three meetings, called the requirement meetings. I ask them a bunch of questions like how they live, how they entertain, what their routines and lifestyles are like, etc. It’s all about connecting with the client. Who does all the designing at Studio O? I used to do all the designing myself. We’re so busy with orders now that I have a team of designers. I do the basics and once a design has been drafted, I look into it for additions/subtractions. Let’s talk about some of your past projects? My first ever project was a store by the name of Basics. It unfortunately shut down then, only to be re-launched many years later as Stoneage! Then there was Depilex, Defence branch, Bareeze flag ship store Y block, Sadia Mirza outlet, Boots, Connoisseur and Cosmetica, to mention a few. I’ve done a lot of shops for the Bareeze group all over the country. Guard is one name that I’ve worked with a lot. I recently did their Guard AutoZone, which is their oil changing zone at CNG stations. I also did four high end model houses for Lake City. Wow this shows you’re a very diverse and versatile designer. What do you enjoy the most though? I do offices, studio spaces, outlets and resi-

dential projects and I enjoy them all. Is their one name who you’d really like to work with? I would really love to work with Philippe Starck. I just love how he so comfortably and effectively mixes modern with classic. Modern can become quiet cold. The beauty of his work incorporates effortless warmth. We don’t see you advertising at all, yet you’re so busy and booked with so many orders perpetually. How does that work? Word of mouth! I’ve been very lucky in that department. Like I did this house in Sialkot for a client and thanks to him, I kept getting orders for interiors there. Now I’m all over Sialkot! Fantastic! So what are some of your future projects that you’re really excited about? I’m designing an office building for the Guard Group in Raiwind. I’ll be designing the look of the structure. Very excited about that. People in Pakistan have really started spending money on interiors for their offices, homes and shops, haven’t they? Yes they really have. It’s been a bit of a new development. I think it’s because people want things around them to make them feel good. They are willing to spend more. There is so much more exposure with the dish culture and the cable culture. People who have studied abroad come back with wanting a similar lifestyle. The home is, once again, becoming the center of lifestyle and everybody wants it to be modern, crisp and clean. I agree. Tell us, what are the latest trends according to you? I say, too much carving, enough already! Our spaces are becoming smaller. Please make them feel breathable. Minimize clutter and maximize comfort. I’m in the mood for splashes of acid green with subtle grays and browns. Purples and plums with grays are also big this season. Your pieces have set some trends in the market and that leads to massive replication. What do you feel when you see your designs blatantly being copied left right and center? I just take it in my stride you know,

I take it as a compliment. I often stop at this one shop in main market to ask the sales guy ‘dikhao mera kaunsa piece naya copy kar kay rakha hai?’ (laughs). That’s rather big of you. I guess there’s not much one can do to prevent such things. It was a pleasure having this conversation with you. Would you like to leave the readers with some funny account that may have happened recently? As a matter of fact a funny incident did take place recently. I did a project in Dubai for a South African guy. This was his house. As a result, a Sheikh who was this guy’s friend flew me in to Dubai to do the interior for his palatial abode. As the two of us sat down in his cakey gold mansion, while inserting a design cd into the computer, this Sheikh in his dense Arab accent says to me, “I hope you don’t do modern!” it turned out, he hadn’t bothered seeing the South African guy’s house!

ART

It is a known fact that Miniaturists have to constantly face the tag of ‘ copyists’. Some of them take comfort in it because they believe in reviving the legacy while others constantly try to break free from it.

THEKEY TO SEE ‘Braille Key’ by HASNAT MeHMOOD incorporates digital works, rawings and engraving on several surfaces comprising vasli, board and paper. 87

n the 21st century, doctors and engineers are not the only professionals under pressure. To find the right cure to a disease and inventing an important machine may be pressures of humongous importance but that doesn’t mean that pressures of smaller nature can be denied as 'pressures' altogether. In a slightly non-medicinal, anti-physics domain called the ‘Art world’, species called 'Artists' are perpetually under pressures of measuring up right at the instrument of expectation of the meticulous viewer and passing swiftly through the funnel of the Art critic. Such concerns form the basis of most of the new works under the name of ‘Braille Key’ by Hasnat Mehmood displayed at the Rohtas Gallery, Lahore. Braille is a system of writing/printing devised for the blind comprising combinations of tangible dots that represent letters etc which are read by touch. The artist has been working with this idea for a while now and continues to do so in this exhibit as well. Mediums engaged in, vary from digital works, drawings, engraving on several surfaces comprising vasli, board and paper which, in all exemplify the artist’s keenness to deviate from confinement and singleness. The nature of the work and it’s display demonstrates a coordinated sense of 'educating' the audience in a way that the Artist has adopted for them himself. Therefore, disabling how the viewer may want to comprehend the works as - as he believes that sometimes you need to make the audience read the work, as opposed to merely showing the work. One of the pieces at display, ‘Andy Warhol's quotation in Braille’ sarcastically comments on Art critics and their act of 'labeling' Artists. The citation ‘Don't pay any attention to what they write about you, just measure it in inches’ is revealed in dots made out of newspaper cuttings of reviews on Artists in the paper. It is a known fact that Miniaturists have to constantly face the tag of ‘copyists’. Some of them take comfort in it because they believe in reviving

the legacy while others constantly try to break free from it. Mehmood, however, believes that inheritance is sewn in the technique that miniaturists learn in their education of the art, not in transferring the image from century to century. Apart from this accusation, another one is calling them 'commercial artists' because they are allied with the most wanted art in the art circle - miniature painting, which then results in good ‘money making’. Dealing with this state is a notable piece by the artist called ‘Revival of miniature’. It has text in Braille on the right which, gives the definition of 'miniature' that denies it as having to do with size or scale - but instead being adopted from the Latin word ‘minum’, which is a red pigment used in paint. Juxtaposing the text is a big scale digital printed image of the Money Plant therefore highlighting the ‘money making’ aspect of miniature as a pun. Alongside this slightly light hearted mockery, Mehmood also fights sturdy concerns the birth and troubles thereafter of our homeland. The pieces ‘Original may vary’ (I-VI), ‘Opium trade’ and the self suggestive ‘going back to basics’ are a few to mention that thematically revolve around the troubles of a country that came into existence 63 years ago and instead of growing up seems to be tumbling back to infancy lying in the reckless hands of many ‘un-biological parents’ that claim their right over it. These concerns of our today formulate three pieces in graphite; a grayish-black ‘square, triangle and circle’ on white backgrounds. The artist talks of a Pakistan that stood independently at its feet about six decades earlier but is now ‘going back to the basics’ lack of food, clothing, shelter, electricity, gas and water - the very basic necessities of human survival that we’re fighting for everyday. Similarly, felt tip drawings of men clad in black coats illustrates very intense use of scribbled lines which develops the whole imagery. This character and intensity of the line forming the image of the Lawyers becomes a relative

Sometimes you need to make the audience read the work, as opposed to merely showing the work.

statement on the unwavering intense movement that the Lawyers carried out against the government. The supporting text however is what makes the intention highlighted. It rightly reads ‘but for what?’ and ‘what the ****?’ which sadly become harsh but the only questions to ask after being eventually subjected to the present circumstance - the present leadership. It is indeed very pleasing that conventions are being broken, voices are being raised, standpoints are being rectified and existences are being questioned altogether on one continent – Art. And these daring and incredibly dominant new works by Hasanat Mehmud are nothing but a definite confirmation to validate this truth.

SARAH ZAHID With a major in Printmaking, Sarah Zahid graduated as a Fine Artist form NCA. Since then she has been working as a printmaking professional alongside teaching History of Art at PIFD. Writing, she prefers to take for food.

his rather commonly said and heard phrase happens to be flying about in air ever since Marcel Duchamp in 1917 referred to a urinal as art and demanded its display in an art gallery. At that time it wasn’t displayed but various debates lead to the debate of ‘is or is not’. Today, its replica sits at Centre Pompidou and several other renowned Art Galleries all over. In our part of the world however, over almost a century later, art practitioners and students are still having a hard time battling with the ‘what is’ or ‘is not’ ‘ART’. I do believe that art since then or maybe a little after or for some, before that, has transcended the boundaries of pretty looking things stuck behind gaudy frames. It has gone from miniature painters galloping out of Mughal gardens into possibly gardens of a newer era and from paintings of nude women to nude canvases altogether. However, art itself has also gone from what it was believed to be to what it can be and could be. From where I see it, our art world today has been marked by boundaries, beliefs and practices that segregate it into divisions. Divisions beginning from those who follow conventional patterns of process, skill and technique - all

“Commercial!!!” “Conceptual!!!” Like cuss words, they refer to each other. “Conceptual”, standing shoulder to shoulder with “Commercial”. The irony is in fact, that they do stand side by side.

being monumental for them, to people comprising those that often embark on these beliefs as well but they ‘experiment’ with subject, display etc. They like keeping a visible balance between conventional and unconventional. And finally the most controversial of all, the people who believe anything could possibly be art as long as it has a reason, a meaning, a theory, a belief, an experience, originality, a case to justify it as that. Reasoning, expression and feeling is their art excluding what might necessarily pass the eligibility test of art conventions and set ‘rules’ as precedent in the art world. In their own regards, they all might be right, and they all might be wrong. But they are ‘something’. No matter how right and wrong they might be, it is necessary however, to be able to respect the space and ideologies of all these respective people and their ART - within them and outside them. Traditionally, though we have an innate quality of not being able to do that. ‘Bad artist’ ‘bad work’ ‘very commercial’ ‘bad’ ‘bad’ ‘bad’. ‘Commercial’. When I say commercial, I don’t mean commissioned works and people who replicate paintings of established artists for a certain commercial sect that makes them do so. That’s entirely separate and if I may say so with due apologies and due

But Thats

blatancy, that according to me, for one, SURELY doesn’t qualify as art. The commercial that I speak of here is one which is practiced generally in our art world, a process that involves a certain kind of work, a certain kind of audience, very certain caterers and certainly certain money. These people are frequently accused of ‘using’ art for making money. I here, would debate, so what if they do? A lot of people who are labelled as ‘commercial artists’ yes, make money through their art, but had they been swimming in pools of money, they would not have needed to do this. It’s necessary to acknowledge that many artists come from underprivileged backgrounds. With not knowing and practicing anything else in the world, their talent, and their much indicted ‘skill’ is really what can earn them a living. In my understanding, if they are doing that with honesty to themselves and their art, no one has the right to single them out. There surely might be those who are doing it just for the money, but then of this ‘commercial’ lot there are those who do it for their quench. Their ‘skill’, their ‘conventional techniques’, their ‘processes’ really are important to them and are what they believe in. Thus to dub them all as ‘commercial’ with of course the negative tinge is unfair. ‘Conceptual!!’ ‘Whatever!’ The word ‘conceptual’, has taken a very popular place in our art scene today. It is commonly believed that conceptual artists can do absolutely anything - or for that matter do noth-

And finally the most controversial of all, the people who believe anything could possibly be art as long as it has a reason, a meaning, a theory, a belief, an experience, originality, a case to justify it as that. ing and advocate it as art. Sometimes their potent strokes would be discouraged, at others their blank canvases will be debated over; occasionally their talking visuals and hanging equipments are looked down upon or not looked at, at all. Their art may take up lesser time in process sometimes, but to say their work is not art is rather harsh. Loosely, ‘they’ are referred to as a category not so appreciated, by the other category, which in return is not appreciated by this unappreciated category. ‘Commercial!!!’ ‘Conceptual!!!’ Like cuss words, they refer to each other. ‘Conceptual’, standing shoulder to shoulder with ‘Commercial’- Former being hated by the disciples of the latter and vice versa.The irony is in fact, that they do stand side by side. For intelligent understanding this really should be indication enough. But it’s sad how we are willing to prove each other wrong. In a world full of inexplicably uncountable variants, why can’t we relate to art with the same kind of openness? Why can’t all sorts of art, no matter which kind, process, technique it may fall under, be appreciated as an existence? Why can’t it simply be open to acceptability with response to individuality and opinion? Why does only one kind of

Not

art specify as ‘art’ while the other is annulled? Why cant conventions be appreciated for what they are and their practitioners be appreciated by a more modern approached art world? And why can’t the so called conceptual artists be accepted for what they believe in by a much older, more established art cluster? The question really is not ‘what is’ and ‘is not’; The question is ‘why’ and ‘why not’, could it all be ‘ART’?

Art

REDAH MISBAH h. All questions have been answered by RedahxMisba . office head Depile at stylist ve Creati Head and or Direct etolcosm and hair in es degre sional She attained profes as ogy from renowned and respected institutes such l. Schoo y Beaut ane Cochr Ray and on Sasso Vidal

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22-Z COMMERCIAL AREA, PHASE 3. DHA LAHORE 0 4 2 - 3 5 6 9 2 874 —7 5

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HEALTH

BY SoHAilA BABAr

The writer is a healing consultant from Lahore. She has been actively involved in positivity, mind power and healing meditation programs for over a decade. She is also a reiki healer.

ho doesn’t like success in their lives? When your path to success seems to get hindered by small stumbling blocks, you wonder what’s wrong. Have you ever felt that your investment in terms of time, energy or hard work is just not bearing fruit? This could be the case with anything; career, relationships, health, fitness or even general day to day life. Things just aren’t working out. WHY? Of course there is a big why! Nothing happens without a reason. The answer to your why is one word. Most of us never realize the magnitude of self defeat that negativity encloses and encompasses. You can actually spoil, temporarily stop or totally block something beautiful coming your way just by being negative. So how do we inoculate ourselves against such a harmful disease? Good news. In today’s world, there is so much awareness and help is available to get rid of all your negative thoughts, actions and patterns. You can actually achieve your desired targets and goals, make your dreams come true and get things working your way. And guess what, you only have to work at yourself and bring positivity into yourself. It’s just that simple. You have to do it yourself. You don’t need to depend on anyone or anything. If you are willing to do that, then I’m going to equip you with some preliminary tools to get on the road to refurbish yourself into one terrific person. Start, first of all, by convincing yourself that you are perpetually happy. One very effective way is to completely rid yourself of complaining. Complaining is the negation of happiness. It is impossible to complain and be happy at the same time. To nip this bad habit in the bud, become aware of your complaining and the minute you catch yourself doing it, immediately look for something positive to say. Initially, make it a matter of replacing a bad habit with a good one. Always evaluate and work on your strengths. Don’t think about your weaknesses. Appreciate and be grateful for all that you have as opposed to sulking about things you lack. Deprivation inculcates in you a feeling of bitterness. This adds up in your subconscious mind as garbage. And you know what garbage does? It blocks positive channels and stops anything positive coming your way. Positivity is such a

Negativity.

You can actually achieve your desired targets and goals, make your dreams come true and get things working your way. And guess what, for this, you only have to work at yourself and bring positivity into yourself. wonderful thing that in a matter of no time your strengths will have overtaken your weaknesses. So focus on the things you can do. Always think good. Say good things to others. Use positive words for yourself as well as for others. This makes your aura very positive and you become a very likeable, desirable person. Ever wonder why you’re not really popular around people when you really do want to be? Be generous in appreciating others’ good. Give compliments. Feel genuine happiness in another’s gains, achievements and good fortune. You will see that it starts making you feel really good and happy. In turn, you will start attracting good fortune to your own self. Another way to be positive and attract smoothness, happiness and fulfillment into your life is to get rid of all fears. Take fear out of your lives. When you are afraid, it stops inflow of happiness into your life. Fear gives emotional and mental stress that block off your positive energy channels. So whether it is fear of loss, fear of breaking up, fear of crime, failure, death, love or just living life in today’s world in general, just shun it all off. When you

fear something, you are actually setting yourself up for collapse. Tell yourself all will be well and believe in this only. Right next to fear is jealousy. You will always find yourself happy if you get rid of this tumultuous sentiment. Similarly, get rid of all grudges, criticism, anger and blame. The easiest way to achieve this is to be large hearted. Learn to forgive. Let this be one of those things that are second nature to you. Now I’m not saying forgiving is easy, but when you honestly steer your heart clear of these emotions, you will think to yourself, “What was all the fuss about?” Start practicing from today. Commit yourself to being a positive person from today. Go step by step. De-clutter your life. I must warn you, in the beginning you might find it difficult simply because for years now, most of us have been conditioned to different patterns. Different negative patterns. And it can be slightly difficult to break out of these negative patterns all of a sudden. But if you are honest with yourself, you will start discovering a new you and the real power of positivity.

For personalized sessions, contact Sohaila Babar at +92-300-4004221 94

T H E

B I R T H

O F

tarted off as a novel about a punk-rock house set in Buffalo, New York, written by Michael Muhammad Knight. Little did he know that his novel would unite all the muslim punks around the world. The term coined by Knight comes from the amalgamation of the word 'taqwa', God conciousness, with 'core' from hardcore. What started off as a novel has now snowballed into a movement. The characters in Knights novel may have been fictional but the movement it inspired is very, very real! Under the flag of Taqwacore, bands like The Kominas, Vote Hezbollah, Secret Trial Five, Sarmust and Al-Thawra united. Omar Majeed, director of 'Taqwacore: The Birth of Punk Islam' followed Knight and these bands on their journey across the U.S. and Pakistan. 'Taqwacore: The Birth of Punk Islam' was screened at the National College of Arts, Lahore on the 26th

P U N K

I S L A M

of April. Despite all controversy, Ammar Aziz managed to pull of the screening and the documentary recieved rave reviews by the audience. I was a bit apprehensive about the audiences reaction as the film has content that could be considered blasphemous by some, but suprise suprise, everyone loved it. ‘Taqwacore makes you think about Islam in a different light. Islam is not about praying 5 times a day, going to mosques; it's about incorporating religion into your daily life. ‘Taqwacore is different Far more different than the music and ideologies we have been subjected to’ says Fizza Sohail, a student at Beaconhouse National University. I'm sure Knight and his army of punks will be ecstatic at finding out that the youth here understands the concept instead of shunning the idea of 'Punk Islam.' Up the Taqx!! For more information about the documentary and the bands go to: http://www.taqwacore.com/ 95

Healthy eating is not about strict nutrition philosophies, staying unrealistically thin or depriving yourself of the foods you love.

e often underestimate the importance of eating wisely. Intelligent eating can not only prevent health conditions, diseases and illnesses, it can also cure them. This universe has countless bounties stored for us in various kinds of fruits, vegetables, meats, grains etc. Here, we give you some tips for choosing foods that improve your health and for avoiding those that raise your risk for illness.

EAT SMART

RANGE EXPAND YOoUraRting

Incorp groups different food ods. Consume Try different fo eat. don’t normally items that you nt re ffe cludes di This specially in es bl ta fruits, vege s ns. These food and whole grai yoh rb ca plex are high in com amins and drates, fiber, vit fat, and free minerals, low in terol. es ol of ch

Consuming s enough calorie mended m co re e ag er The av ries. e is 2,000 calo daily allowanc e, ag ur nd on yo This does depe al ic ys ph d an , ight sex, height, we y. gl in rd ries acco activity and va lance between ba a n ai nt Mai . d expenditure an caloric intake od fo e or m t to ea You don’t need uses. than your body

DRINK UP

POLICE ING THE FOOD

How much will it pay off? tely no need to ab There’s solu . You and miserable feel deprived ts ee sw e favorit can enjoy your as n, io at er od m s in and fried food al on si e an occa long as they ar . all healthy diet er ov ur yo of part sea pl t source of Food is a grea the re is good for su ea pl d ure an e os th if en ev hear t – en’t! french fries ar

Water is your best friend about 75% Our bodies are r surprise that ou water so it’s no , al ter for norm body needs wa s ng. Water help ni tio nc fu healthy ly the al ci pe es s, flush our system e adder, of wast kidneys and bl ur yo ep Ke s. xin to products and . body hydrated

quinox in DHA Lahore is a gym offering multiple health activities and personalized fitness consulting under one premises, such as kickboxing, pilates, yoga, strength and weight training, aerobics, and the latest cardiovascular exercises tailored to every member's individual fitness levels and goals. If you need help with your diet, Equinox’s personal fitness trainers will provide guidance for improving your diet so you can get the most out of exercise routines.

We here at HPF made a trip to Equinox and learnt a couple of exercises that we would love to share with our readers.

OVERHEAD DUMBBELL EXTENSION –TRICEP

1. Standing, grasp a dumbbell in an underhand grip with both hands, raise the arms overhead, and allow the elbows to bend so that the dumbbell is resting behind the neck. 2. Keeping the torso erect and the elbows close to the head, extend the arms straight overhead. Inhale. 3. Squeeze the triceps, pause for 1 second, and slowly lower to the starting position. Exhale!

SHOULDER DUMBBELL PRESS – SHOULDERS

1. Standing, grab a dumbbell in each hand. With your palms facing forward, lift both dumbbells into the air so that each dumbbell is about level with your chin. 2. Using your shoulders, press each dumbbell straight up overhead simultaneously until they almost touch each other and your elbows are almost locked. Inhale. 3. Lower each dumbbell back to the starting position (about level with your chin). Exhale!

HOW MUCH WEIGHT AND HOW MANY REPS?

Strength level is subjective. Weight that feels heavy for one person might feel light for another, especially considering different fitness levels. Also as you exercise and get stronger, of course, weight that was once challenging might become easy. So the easiest way to determine how much weight to lift is by breaking it down into five levels. • Beginners (both men and women): two sets, 15 to 20 reps each. Moderately Light weight. • A few weeks after you begin (both men and women): two sets, 15 to 20 reps each. Moderate weight. • Women who want to tone: two sets, 10 to 15 reps each. Moderately Heavy weight. • Women trying to gain muscle and strength: three sets, 6 to 10 reps each. Heavy weight (to failure). • Men who want moderate muscle mass: three sets, 8 to 12 reps each. Moderately Heavy weight. • Men who want a lot of muscle mass or have a hard time developing: three to four sets, 6 to 10 reps each. Heavy weight (to failure).

So there you have it. Now you can walk into any gym (or work out at home) knowing for sure the right-for-you intensity and number of reps/sets. Stick with it, and you will achieve the results you desire.

THIS one really is a simple but an excellent calorie burner, since you are engaging more of your body than you are on, say, a stationary bicycle. Since walking and running are just natural for most people, they can workout longer or at a higher intensity on a treadmill before tiring out than they might on some of the other machines. A good treadmill should have the ability to raise the incline to offer more challenge. It also should have some sort of shock absorption system to lower the impact stress when you're jogging or running. Most machines made over the past few years have all this, plus the capability to measure your heart rate. You may belong to a gym that has older equipment. If you do, be cautious about using the treadmill at higher speeds if it lacks shock absorption. Overall, though, treadmills are great when it comes to weight-bearing exercise, which you need to keep your bones strong.

Break the

boredom Listen to up beat music.

Read a book or magazine.

Chat with a friend on the treadmill next to you. Watch yourself in the mirror to work on your posture and walking technique.

Watch your favorite talk show or sitcom.

This 7-day treadmill workout plan will burn 2,000 calories and help you stay in shape!!

TREADMILL

BURN 2,000 CALO RIES O N THE TREAD MILL

MAKE IT WORK THE

Monday poWeR Walk:

30 minutes

stRength-tRain:

20 minutes total:

50 minutes

tuesday

WaRM up:

Walk easily, then briskly: 3 minutes poWeR Walk:

2 minutes

Run fast (don't spRint):

2 minutes

Repeat steps 1 & 2:

10 times

Cool doWn:

Walk easily: 2 minutes total: 45 minutes

Wednesday

WaRM up:

Walk easily: 5 minutes

do youR favoRite stRength-tRaining Move:

12 reps

poWeR Walk at 4% to 6% inCline:

3 minutes

Repeat steps 1 & 2:

6 times

Cool doWn:

Walk easily, then briskly: 5 minutes total:

40 minutes

thuRsday

WaRM up:

Walk easily, then briskly: 3 minutes poWeR Walk:

2 minutes

Run fast (don't spRint):

2 minutes

Repeat steps 1 & 2:

6 times

Cool doWn:

Walk easily: 3 minutes total:

30 minutes

fRiday Repeat Monday's Routine

satuRday

WaRM up:

Walk easily, then briskly: 5 minutes poWeR Walk:

2 minutes

Run fast (don't spRint):

4 minutes Repeat steps 1 & 2: 6 times Cool doWn:

Walk easily: 4 minutes total:

45 minutes

sunday

off 98

Q&A

WITH DR. SCARLETT ALL THE WAY FROM LONDON, ENGLAND, HIGH PROFILE MAGAZINE BRINGS TO YOU A SPECIALIST, NOT ONLY OF THE BODY, BUT ALSO OF THE MIND AND SOUL. Dear doctor, I have a sleep disorder and I often I feel that I am addicted to alcohol. What get night mares. Please relieve me of my misshould I do? ery! Alcohol in moderation may help some to unwind but Dear reader, insomnia occurs due to the fact that when you say you are addicted, are you implying that your mind is disturbed, preoccupied and restless. It you are actually alcoholic? Well you got the first step seems you do not have a proper sleep pattern. These right, which is to admit that the drinking has become symptoms could a problem. be treated with What I want you medication. to consider is, Combining medcould this simication with relaxply be an ation through escape? Do you mental exercises suffer from is the correct loneliness, approach. Your depression and subconscious find alcohol as mind needs to be an escape programmed. This route? can be achieved Whatever the with therapy. cause, all Please don’t take addictions are any medication treatable. without proper Please seek prescription professional though, because help and you some medicines will be able to can actually cause get over this adverse effects on dependence. some patients. I have stress at workand i We live in a world today where we pay I often suffer from depresdon’t know how to cope a high price at the expense of our sion in the evening. Why with it. could that be? Stress at work! Don’t we all mental and emotional reserves. This Depression has a very wide have that problem?! In your invariably leads to various health spectrum of causes. We have to case we do need to establish issues. For this purpose, we have look into the cause that trigthe cause of stress. Is it that brought on our panel, a medical docgered this condition. It could be you do not get along with your tor, who is not only a healer of mind an event in your childhood that colleagues? Are you generally and spirit, but also an astrologer and you don’t even remember. An a positive person? We could a consultant in many disciplines of unpleasant incident in your help you change your aura and childhood could have taken be positive so that people get advanced healing techniques. Send place at sunset, which is why attracted to you and find it Dr. Homa questions regarding emoyou get depression at or after easy to have you around them. tional, mental or physical illness, varisunset. Again this has to be Try mentally shutting off situaous general issues, fears and phocured through healing that spetions or people at work that bias, relationship issues and even cific memory. It could be stress you out and focus on questions. Please note that for astrolachieved through hypnosis along the things you really like at ogy related quetions, you need to with other therapeutic practices. work.

send date and time of birth. Please email your questions at

highprofilemagazine@gmail.com 99

ELECTRON

Power Packs

Beamz interactive

music system The Beamz is an interactive music system using lasers. You play the Beamz by interrupting the laser beams by passing your hands through the beams. Each laser beam represents a different musical instrument. The Beamz Interactive Music Systems costs $199.95 and can be purchased at thebeamz.com. There is also a professional version that lets you create your own interactive music compositions. It costs $299.95.

BeoVision4-103

Skinput

Zippo Hand Warmer

Z  ippo’s are synonymous with wind-proof lighters, and here is one Zippo product that pays homage to its heat generating capability – the Zippo Hand Warmer. After all, during the chilly autumn and winter months, one’s hands can lose heat extremely easily without a nice, solid pair of gloves, hence making the Zippo Hand Warmer all the more important to tote around. It relies on a platinum catalyzed glass fibre burner that makes it capable of releasing up to 10 times more heat compared to other hand warmers. Capable of lasting up to 12 hours on a solitary 12ml filling of lighter fuel. It costs $29.95.

ELECTRONX

MiliiPhone

The MiLi is a rechargeable (via USB) external battery concealed inside a svelte protective hard-shell case and it offers twice, yes twice, the battery life of the iPhone alone – up to 390 hours standby time. Talking of gravy, you’d have to be a right pud not to appreciate the value of this gorgeously designed accessory as it’s also capable of charging other USB-friendly devices. Simply plug your gadgets into the MiLi’s ‘out’ socket and let its polymer battery do the rest. Flash Harry Bigbuttons can even charge two iPhones at the same time. The MiLi continues to cut the edge in other areas: an integrated LED displays charge status, while smart jiggery-pokery instructs the iPhone to always drain the MiLi’s battery first, so if you do remove your iPhone its battery won’t be sapped. The BeoVision 4 103-inch plasma TV incorporates state-of-the-art performance within audio, video, magical moving mechanics and intelligent home integration; all completely controlled with the Beo5 remote control. Not only is BeoVision 4 103-inch one of the biggest TVs in the market, it is also the only giant TV to come with a stand that can lift the TV at the touch of a button and also turn and tilt it to the optimal viewing position. The future of touchscreen interfaces is: you? Skinput is a Bluetooth-enabled device that allows you to use your own skin as a peripheral input device for devices like cell phones, MP3 players or gaming consoles.The device works via an armband, which contains a small projector that beams whatever relevant interface you need onto your hand or forearm. You simply press the appropriate part of your skin just like you were tapping the screen of an iPhone. If you’ve just dialed a phone number, it sends the info to your phone and dials the call.

PowerMat

It is an exciting new wireless charging technology. It is a small device that uses wireless charging to charge your most important gadgets like cellphones (including the iPhone and Blackberry), video games (including the Nintendo DS), and iPod without you having to connect them to a charger or plug them into the wall. The PowerMat itself is, of course, plugged into the wall and connected to mains electricity by a wire, but from then on everything is wireless. You drop your device onto the PowerMat and it gets charged wirelessly, without you having to do anything. It costs $99.99.

iPhone

Compiled by Ahmer Aslam

Universal Remote Case

Power A has just launched a new iPhone universal remote case, which is designed to let you use your iPhone as a universal remote to control your TV and other home entertainment equipment.The Power A iPhone Universal Remote Case comes with a free iPhone application that can be downloaded from iTunes, and the device can control virtually anything that works with an IR remote.The Power A iPhone Universal Remote Case is compatible with the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GSm. It is available for $59.99

101

The production Lexus LFA features a new V10 engine and a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) body. The LFA is scheduled to go into production in late 2010, with a projected run of 500 vehicles at an estimated base price of USD350,000-375,000. Production will begin in December 2010 as a 2011 model. Only 500 total LFA models will be made worldwide, with only 20 produced each month. Each car will be custom ordered to the customer's specifications, and will cost an estimated USD 350,000 - USD 375,000, depending on options and customization.

OFFICIAL PRELIMINARY SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE LEXUS LFA ARE AS FOLLOWS: ENGINE TYPE REDLINE CURB WEIGHT

1LR-GUE 72° V10

TRANSMISSION

9000 RPM (REV LIMITER 9500 RPM) 1,480 KG (3,263 LB)

6-SPEED ASG

VALVETRAIN DOHC 4-VALVES/CYLINDER, DUAL VVT-I

DISPLACEMENT

4,805 CC (293.2 CU IN)

BORE X STROKE 88 MM × 79 MM (3.5 IN × 3.1 IN)

0-100 KM/H (62 MPH)

COMPRESSION RATIO

12.0:1

0-60 MPH (97 KM/H)

3.6 SEC. (W/O LAUNCH CONTROL)

3.7 SEC

POWER-TO-WEIGHT 5.9 LB/HP

POWER 560 PS (411.9 KW; 552.3 HP) @ 8700 RPM

INTERIOR

The LFA interior incorporates carbon fiber, leather, alcantara, and metallic surfaces. There are two bucket seats, and Lexus' Remote Touch controller interface. The instrument display is a digital speedometer with color-changing background, size-changing numbers, and side-appearing submenus

EXTERIOR

102

The LFA body features sharp edges and cutoffs for improved aerodynamic performance, made possible by the carbon fiber body. The body was designed with an emphasis on downforce. The LFA body is offered with a choice of 28 standard exterior colors, along with 3 wheel colors and a matte black option. Additional "special colors" are available to order. The front and rear fenders, doors, roof rails, and rocker panels are made out of blast fiber reinforced sheet panels, while the tail lamps are comprised of light-emitting diode (LED) lights.

SPORTS

Sports LATEST NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

NASEEM HAMEED to promote athletics in Pakistan The fastest woman in South Asia is out on a mission: to promote athletics and individual sports in the country. After setting a record of 11.81 seconds in the 100-metre sprint at the South Asian Federation (SAF) Games in Dhaka, Hameed hopes that more people, especially girls will explore the world of athletic sports. Talking to Dawn, she noted, ‘It is a great moment for me to have brought glory to the country in my event since our athletics standards have been poor of late.’ And given the context of the faltering conditions of our state hockey and cricket teams, individual sporting events may be the way forward for Pakistani sports enthusiasts. Hameed has her eye on the Commonwealth Games, due later this year, and the 2012 Olympics and we hope she does her country proud!

PAKISTAN – UAE polo face off in Dubai A polo match was held in Dubai on March 26th between the Habtoors, who were representing the UAE and the Bin Qutabs, who were representing Pakistan at the Dubai Polo and Equestrian Club. On the Habtoors team were Sheikh Rashid al Habtoor, Mohammad Habtoor, Habtoor al Habtoor, and Pipi. On the Pakistani Bin Qutabs were Ahmad Nawaz Tiwana, Ahmad Ali Tiwana, Taimur Nadeem, and polo player Usman Rana. The who’s who of Dubai was in attendance to watch the exciting game of polo.

Mixed expectations from Pakistan at the

T20 WORLD CUP With the Twenty20 World Cup right around the corner, the nation is abuzz with speculation and expectations regarding the Pakistani team’s performance. Being the current world T20 champions, the Pakistani squad has a lot to live up to. Joining them in Group A will be Australia and Bangladesh, and if Pakistan’s counter with Australia earlier this year is anything to go by, they might be in a bit of trouble. On top of all this, the absence of two of the team’s most experienced playes, M Yousuf and Younis Khan due to an international life-ban by the PCB, hopes of a decisive win are dwindling. However, with the new talent getting a chance to perform at an international platform, cricket enthusiasts may be in for quite a surprise; and quite frankly, there’s no knowing for sure with Pakistani cricket. 103

SHOAIB AND SANIA

tying the knot Two of the subcontinent’s biggest sports stars, Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik and Indian tennis star, Sania Mirza revealed to the media on March 29th that they were engaged to be married. The April wedding had the national media on both sides of the border abuzz with the news of this superstar matrimony. The couple has been cheekily dubbed ‘Shoania’ and all has not been smooth for it. In just a span of a week, Malik’s previous marriage to a woman name Ayesha Siddiqui has put him under a strong media spotlight. Television channels have gone as far as to air footage taken from a hidden camera that was planted outside Mirza’s family home in Hyderabad. The couple addressed a press conference on April 5th to dispel rumors and reiterate that they were indeed going to get married and were aware of each others’ pasts. The Times of India reports that betting games have been initiated regarding whether the two will actually get married. Alas! They have.

BECKHAM, ROONEY out of FIFA World Cup

AFGHANISTAN WINS T20 QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT Afghanistan has emerged as the winner of the Qualifying Tournament for the Twenty20 World Cup to be held in West Indies. It will join Group C, whereas runner-up Ireland will join Group D in the main event. In the qualifying matches that were held in the UAE in February, Afghanistan managed to pull a near-perfect win, losing only one match to the Netherlands during the semi-finals. The Afghan team returned home to a joyous welcome, something that is seldom seen in the war-struck country. Although this team will definitely be the Cinderella story at the main event come April 30th, it will definitely have to pull up its socks to make any impact against champions Pakistan and strong squads such as Sri Lanka and Australia.

Tiger Woods is set to make a comeback at the 2010 Masters Cup in April at Augusta, Georgia. This will be the first time Woods will compete in a professional game of golf after his extra-marital affairs were publicly disclosed and his stint to rehab for sex addiction. Golf fans are not exactly ecstatic about his return. One group argues that he has disgraced the game of golf and he should not be met with applause on his arrival on the course. Others contest that he has been through enough turmoil and public humiliation to be treated that way; he should be treated with respect like any other player. It has been speculated in the media that Woods’ slightly premature return to golf may be part of therapy for depression.

After David Beckham was ruled out of the FIFA World Cup when he injured his Achilles’ Tendon in March. England has had to deal with yet another blow with Wayne Rooney having to deal with an injured ankle that will keep him out of tournament set to begin June 11th. Rooney will also be missing out on the second leg of the quarter finals for the UEFA Champions League where he was to represent Manchester United. Football fans from England and around the world were excited to see both stars playing on the same team, but will have to make do with other star footballers Chelsea’s John Terry and Frank Lampard. Reigning world champions Italy are slated to face stiff competition from Brazil and England at the World Cup.

TIGER WOODS

returns to the course

104

The

hottest SPORTS CELEBRITY COUPLE AROUND

he Cole’s and the Agassi’s come and go but there’s one surname in sports that has maintained its prowess no matter what. David and Victoria Beckham, equally as well known by their media pseudonym ‘Posh & Becks,’ are without question the most consistently interesting couple in sports. Their influence reaches far beyond sports; they are known figures in the entertainment industry and bona fide fashion icons. While most people are aware of David’s mastery on the soccer field, whether he’s playing for AC Milan, Manchester United, or LA Galaxy, many aren’t aware of the pop culture icon this man is. With squealing fans as far as Japan, he has been the most recognized sports celebrity in recent history. So much so that his persona has been immortalized in film with Bend It Like Beckham and he was the third most searched person in Britain in the last decade. If that wasn’t enough, he also serves as the face of Pepsi and Emporio Armani internationally. Victoria Beckham is probably most well known for being part of possibly the greatest girl group of all time, Spice Girls. Her impact has been nothing but iconic! She’s a successful fashion designer, author and businesswoman, who manages her own fashion line. Victoria is not unfamiliar with the fashion world, she is an active supporter of Roberto Cavalli, served as the face of Marc Jacobs’ Spring 2008 collection, has had her designs worn by numerous Hollywood stars, and has appeared with her husband in the notoriously popular Emporio Armani Underwear advertisements. Recently, she’s making the transition to TV, appearing on Ugly Betty, Project Runway and American Idol. The biggest secret to David and Victoria’s charm is probably their dedication to their family. They have three sons; Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz, and plan to have more children someday, especially a girl. They are icons in their own rights, but little things like these make them incredibly human and undoubtedly the hottest sports couple around.

Posh & Becks 105

LAHORE: Treet Group of

Companies is growing and

developing competitive edge around the globe. Its busi-

ness activities are diversified

into industrialized operations

of Blades, Disposable Razors, Soaps, Corrugation, Paper & Board Mill and Recruitment

Consultancy. Now they have launched their 70 cc

Motorbike in the market named Treet TR 70.

Syed Shahid Ali

Chief Executive Officer

Syed Sheharyar Ali Executive Director

(Left to right)

Shahid Zubair, Saadat Khera, Syed Sheharyar Ali, Shahrukh Ehsan, Azam Tarig Ghory

(Left to right)

Ali Ahmed, Shahid Zia, Saadat Khera, Shahrukh Ehsan, Shahzid Zubair, Wazir Anwar

(Left to right)

Shahrukh Ehsan, Syed Shahid Ali

Syed Shahid Ali And Syed Sheharyar Ali at Wazir Anwar with Syed Shahid Ali the launching ceremony of Treet TR 70

Syed Sheharyar Ali, Shahrukh Ehsan, Wazir Anwar & Shahid Zubair With Treet Tr 70 team

Shahrukh Ehsan with Syed Shehayar Ali

Models at Launching ceremony

BEHRAM BABAR Currently studying at Lancaster University in England, Behram Babar is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Finance. Amongst his many passions is the one for writing.

How can we blame external influences, like international media and the hand of various ‘agencies’ to have ruined our country and our image, when in reality we have done it ourselves? The cherry on the icing, though, is that we continue to do so in our everyday lives. 108

was born and brought up in Lahore. I have always sensed that we as a nation have no pride in ourselves. Everything Pakistani is automatically considered to be sub-standard and bad. We, somehow, feel ashamed of being called Pakistani. We have been let down time and again by the people who rule us and I blame them for this sentiment. But at 63 years of age, we are still in our infancy, as a nation. I have noticed a trend in the past 5-ish years. Instead of building our own identity, we have happily taken on that of our neighbors. We watch their movies, go to their country to shop and support their economy more than we support ours. I don't understand why this sudden ‘Indianization’ is taking place. Everyone who is anyone hops across the border for their ‘wedding shopping’. Do people not realize that the money

they spend there, a part of it (no matter how small or big) does find its way into the Indian defense budget? Why do we give away our money only so that it is used against our own country? On the other hand, the Indian sentiments have been made crystal clear with the recent IPL auction. NO ONE even started the bid for a single Pakistani player. We have our issues as a team but let us not get into that. Our players are rather good at the game. The way I see it, the government had told the people involved in the bidding not to bid for the Pakistani players by saying that they couldn’t guarantee the visas for the players. The other day, while channel switching, I came across an Indian dish tv advertisement. In it, a Sikh family is having this new dish installed. The installation man is trying to tune it when suddenly a channel appears

Everyone who is anyone hops across the border for their ‘wedding shopping’. Do people not realize that the money they spend there, a part of it (no matter how small or big) does find its way into the Indian defense budget? Why do we give away our money only so that it is used against our own country? on the TV screen and the Sikh man says ‘oh no jee this is a Pakistani channel! We don't want it. Change it’. Yet, most Pakistanis LOVE to watch Indian soap operas, which teach nothing but hatred for one another and back stabbing, how to constantly plot against each other and never let the other succeed. I have always been in favor of banning these channels from the Pakistani airwaves as it is destroying our values, morals and culture. I have actually seen little children asking their parents at weddings, ‘phayray kab honay hain?’, ‘shaadi ka mandap kahan hai?’. Now slowly we have even started speaking like them. Instead of saying ‘ab hum daikhnay lagay hain’ I hear people on TV saying ‘ab hum daikhnay ja rahay hain’. And it’s not just TV anchors but ordinary people too. A lot of Hindi expressions have found their way into our way of speaking. What was the point of having our own separate country if at the end of it, we had to be so in awe of them? Lose everything that we considered Pakistani? Is that what we want? Going back in time about ten years, when I attended my first party, I remember people dancing the night away into the wee hours to the latest western music. Now, when you go to a party in Lahore all you hear is the latest Bollywood music. I think that Bollywood music should only be left for the weddings, though I even disagree with how we celebrate our weddings because that has also been increasingly

I have actually seen little children asking their parents at weddings, ‘phayray kab honay hain?’, ‘shaadi ka mandap kahan hai?’. Now slowly we have even started speaking like them.

influenced by our neighbor’s culture and traditions. Why is it that we are hell bent on supporting them and becoming like them whereas they have managed to carve out an identity for themselves and want nothing to do with us? I would probably not be so opposed to the whole situation if it were a two way street. Our general image internationally is ridiculously notorious, for so many reasons. Studying abroad, I constantly have to face surprise at how civilized and educated I am! I always try to promote the best possible image of my country, where as I see my own fellow countrymen (boys actually) sit and bitch and crib about Pakistan. I don’t quite understand what happened to their self respect! I’d just like to clarify that I have nothing against our neighbors. I would love to see an EU like situation, where there is a high level of cooperation amongst member nations. Unrestricted movement of goods, people, money etc will be very beneficial to all member nations. As mentioned earlier, I am studying abroad and have made a lot of friends who are Indian. But all this cannot come at the cost of losing our own identity. The whole point of writing this article is to make you, the reader, understand that being Pakistani is not a curse! Since we are the ones fortunate enough to be in the upper social strata, we should actively help promote the image of Pakistan. Until and unless we don’t take pride in being who we are, this country is bound to be a doomed nation. A failure. Funnily enough, that is precisely what some people want and would love to see happen. I request you to stop indulging in anything that is Indian. Listen to Atif Aslam, Noori, Zeb and Haniya. Dance your nights away to the latest by Dj Tiesto, Sander Kleinenberg, Chris Brown, Rihanna. Instead of having your wedding outfit made from across the border, go and get one made from HSY, Karma, Meeras. Shop for your diamonds and other jewellery here. Basically, say no to anything that is Indian and take pride in being Pakistani and buying Pakistani! Until and unless we as a nation don’t take pride in ourselves, no one will take us seriously. PAKISTAN ZINDABAAD! 109

BY Eissa saEEd

How long have you been married for? It’s been 12 years, last December. So this is our 13th year. How did you meet your husband? His sister was a very good friend of mine. When I was studying in London, he was studying there too, so we’ve known each other for a very long time. I was 21 when I got engaged and 23 when I was married. It was very amicable between the two families and it all came together, thankfully. Is married life any different from what you expected it to be? Like everything in life, it evolves and comes to another level. I had my children and then my work… there’s so much that you go through, and it’s a lifetime on its own. I think we’ve both grown as people, and there are some ups and downs, but you change. The person I am today is completely different from the person I was 12 years ago.

There’s more that meets the eye when it comes to Sara Shahid, the genius behind the success of Sublime by Sara Shahid. Having spent most of her childhood in Geneva, where her father worked for the UN, she has a very diverse vision, a determined work ethic, and some very strong family ties. And if that didn’t make her stand out enough, she speaks fluent French too! She lives in Lahore with her husband, Shahid, and her two endearing children, Nayum, 9, and Shayaan, 3. Wearing a perfect spring outfit - a breezy floral chiffon top and slightly tanned trousers, she invited us into her warmly lit living room to talk about her life as a wife, a mother and a businesswoman.

Did you perceive marriage as this perfect union? I think everyone thinks that marriage is the endall and be-all, and unfortunately in our country, girls are brought up with that concept. But for Shahid and I, it was easier because we were friends before we got married and we understood each other. At what point were you professionally, when you got married? After I graduated in 1996, I came back and became partners in Subculture. I had been at that for a year before I got married and then I continued with it until I started Sublime in 2003. I think my marriage has grown with my work. I had my children while I was working. I opened the first Sublime outlet on my son’s first birthday, which was a huge milestone for me. So everything progressed and become steady. Many women say motherhood changed their lives. Did it change yours? I think if you can take in your stride, especially 110

when you are a working person, it becomes a part of your life. Not that it doesn’t take a toll because there are days when I’m absolutely drained, but I try to work around that now. I’ve had to realize I’m not super-woman, nobody is, and I have to find a balance. You see, by the time I had my second child I felt like I didn’t have to stop life, but I have to be there as a mother in the best way I can. Honestly, there’s

no one out there to hand out medals, it’s about how you feel within about yourself. My sanity is my first priority, because I need it to be a good mother, a good wife, a good businesswoman. How do you balance work and family? As women, we have to multi-task and pan out the logistics for the day. I manage appointments so that they don’t conflict with my chil-

dren’s schedules. Picking up my son from school is a priority; I’ll schedule meetings after 1, or go to the factory before 1. At times, I find myself questioning social commitments; weighing if a show or opening is worth missing time with the children. Then I think, should I just put my feet up and watch television? I also involve my children into the process, like with the recent PFDC Lahore Fashion Week, I told

my children that I’m going to be busy, in and out of the house, but Mama will be back and that she loves you, and they see the hard work and are proud of the end product. What do you want your children to take away from your experiences? I cannot emphasize it enough that I want them to know that we are all one; Sublime is not just

mine, it’s theirs. A clear, strong work ethic is the most important thing and that everything has to be done with a good heart and complete determination. I want them to be aware of the hard work that I put in; I tell my daughter that “Mama didn’t just get to where she is,” I take her to my factory and show her the process. I emphasize the fact that I studied my profession, and I just didn’t get into fashion 111

and get coverage in the press or on TV. I want them to learn complete fairness in the trade, by which I mean how I am with the people I work with, whether they are clients or workers. I want them to be proud of their mother and how she conducted herself in the society. What is your idea of quality time with your children? Go out somewhere and have a nice meal, where we can talk. My daughter is a bit older now, so she has a lot to say. But the nicest part is our vacations together. Since I grew up in Geneva, taking my children back to where I grew up, the apartments, parks, candy shops, and my school in particular, was very emotional for me. Sometimes even small bath times can be so much fun. They also like listening to my iPod and dance to the music. Do you cook? [Laughs] No, I don’t cook and when I do my children are like, “Mama, what are you trying to do?” It’s not something I love to do, but once in a while when I do, it’s a big occasion and they appreciate it. Are you a strict mother when it comes to discipline? I’m not a strict mother but when it involves the amount of work I have to do, I’m a bit…regimented, organized, and meticulous. When you have to draw the line with bath time, play time, study time and sleep time, you become the stricter parent. For me eight o’clock is bed time no matter what, so that I can have my time to myself - even if it is just to have a simple dinner.

taught me not to take anything for granted.

Do your children ever drive you up the wall? My daughter is exceptional; she’s really not a difficult child to begin with, I don’t need to ask her to do something more than once, maximum twice, and she will do it. But my boy was born five years after her, and character-wise he is very different. Shayaan is a stronger child, it’s not easy to mould him into what I want for him, but he’s extremely expressive and loving. Quite simply, boys will be boys.

Your designs represent certain qualities of strength, feminism and versatility. Is that something you build on in your life as a wife and mother? I’m glad you pointed that out, because being a mother is a massive responsibility in addition to all the other roles a woman has to play. It’s something that you need to be proud of. My clothes are an extension of myself and that’s why I stand behind it a hundred percent. I haven’t wavered and I have done it my way.

How is your relationship with your parents? My parents are unbelievable people. They are what makes me who I am. I couldn’t have done anything without their immense support. They’re honestly people with massive hearts and as I’ve grown up, I’ve realized how rare that is to find, the fairness, the truth, the warmth, the love and care.

You’re a mother, so you are aware of how a woman’s body changes during and after pregnancy. Would you consider making a maternity line? I did my own maternity wear when I was pregnant and people loved it, and I’d love to do it but unfortunately there isn’t much of a market for that. Women aren’t willing to spend that much money on maternity clothes. A number of women let themselves go, and go into hibernation during the nine months, whereas they can be as active as they want. It’s not a stop to life, it’s a part of it. That’s something I tell my clients too that, ‘you will spend fifty to sixty thousand rupees on one dress that you’ll wear for one night, but you won’t spend that little extra to look good every day.’ And that is what I try to do with my clothing to make it functional and versatile.

Have they had a significant influence on your parenting? Absolutely, more than anything else, they have had the biggest impact on the person that I am. No matter what obstacles they’ve had to face, like my mother being diagnosed with and eventually beating breast cancer two years ago, they have come out stronger and with a love for life. They’re both great philanthropists and have 112

SHAYAAN: When asked if he’s proud of Mama’s work, he adorably nodded in agreement.

NAYUM: I love the colors that Mama uses in her clothes. She is the best Mama for me!

With summer fast approaching, everyone’s going to want to get out tshirts. If you’re fashion / aesthetically conscious, then we have just the suggestion for you. HPF viewed & reviewed Skunk Clothing Co.’s latest offerings and boy, do they pack a punch or what! Considered by some, as the original mastermind of graphic t-shirts in Pakistan, Skunk came out of hiatus to release their GTR (“Graphic Tee Revolucion”) line, much to the pleasure of an aesthetically hungered market. Wrapped up in graphic goodness and witty retort, Skunk’s GTR line embodies modern-day multicultural Pakistan in its truly enlightened glory. Commenting on Skunk’s philosophy, the CEO, Tajdar Chaudry said, “Skunk is a cultural rendezvous between our historical past and our present-day evolved identity. We’re proud to be a Pakistani brand that tells it like is, sans sugar coating and political correctness. Our designs infuse wit, awareness and oomph together to produce one hellova tshirt! Proud to be made in Pakistan, we feel a responsibility falls on us to promote the non-terrorist, “normal” Pakistani image both locally and abroad… What better way to do it than with tshirts, no?”

We tried on a couple of tees, and not only do they look great, they are very comfortable and give a good feel. A big thumbs up! Trust us you’re gonna want to grab yours now and the way to do that is to check out http://www.skunkhq.com. If you’re feeling lucky, check out their Facebook page and you might just win a shirt for yourself!

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ENTERTAINMENT

AHMED ALI BUTT A true Lahori, Ahmed Ali Butt is a jack of all trades; a musician, writer, director, actor, producer, singer/rapper and a male model (not GQ!) - It seems like this super ambitious grandson of our legendary Noor Jehan has left pretty much no stone unturned.

First of all, I wanna know why you re-did the song “cursed” because a lot of people said you took a risk by doing so and putting up vocals in an instrumental number. We re-did the song for India actually. We signed with Universal Records, nothing really came about of that deal. The Bombay blasts happened and our scene in India became a little dodgy. But anyway, we were asked to re-do that song, since India is such a fast paced market, they wanted our vocalist to register to listeners in the first video. It’s primarily still an instrumental track, we just added one verse and one chorus. There are literally about eight lines that Meesha sings on that track. And the video is also very nice… The video is super low budget! We shot it in black and white with lots of graphics work. Who shot it? I decided to do it. We had absolutely no funds. I want to do videos in the future, so I thought why not take the opportunity and do something which I’m already familiar with.

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Are you actually thinking of becoming a director? Yes I am. With the help of a d.o.b of course. I don’t really know how to use the camera and how to check things using the light meter completely on my own. But, yes, I am a visual artist and I want to use that. The transformation from mind lords, an underground band, having a very AC/DC, White Snakes influence, to NCA where you did fine arts, then Overload… plus you’re teaching at BNU….. No I’m not. Acha? Someone told me you’re actually teaching over there Nai nai nai my mother is the dean there! I don’t teach, I just sometimes maybe go and pick her up, that’s why people think maybe I’ve started teaching there! But I used to teach O’Level and A’Level art at LGS, when I was playing with Noori. My question is, a vast canvas that you work up, and now you’re thinking of taking on direction, what actually defines you? I think a bit of everything! I agree

that at this point in time if you look at my career, there are a lot of things in it. I’d say my career actually began when I started playing with Noori. Underground bands, you, I and a whole bunch of others were doing, but I don’t think we were really professionally competent at that point. It had been 2-3 years since I’d been playing the drums, and even then we used to think ham master log hain! But we weren’t! Overload’s foundation was laid because of NCA. A friend of mine, Sheryar, and I got together and started doing some percussion jams. It was a percussion base… Yes initially. Because I remember you came up with another project called rumble fish. Yea we used to do percussion jams in that too. I wanted to get together with a vast array of percussionists; dhol players, pakhawaj players, tabla players. I didn’t have formal drum training and there are no drum teachers here so I thought I could get together with ethnic players, learn from them and play along with them by translating there beats on

my drum set. I think the result has been very contemporary. The west also relates to it because it’s played on the drum set. Exactly! At the same time, the eastern interpretation is very interesting… playing eastern rhythms on the drum set… So more or less you’re more comfortable with the drums rather than painting? I am. I think as an artist, everybody has a medium that he can convey his thoughts through… I do want to paint; at some point I might put up an exhibition. We keep hearing rumors that Fahdi Pakistan chor kay ja raha hai. Are you actually planning to shift? I cant leave; my family is here, my property is here, I’ve lived here all my life, my friends are here… but to be honest there is not much happening in Pakistan which gives an artist, or any person in any field for that matter, an incentive to continue working here. I get together with musicians online. I’ve played with bands in Spain, Norway, London. In the last 5-6 years, I’ve managed to develop a

FARHAD HUMAYUN

small circle in the studio and festival circuit. I don’t want to move permanently but travel can go up to 4-5 months at a stretch. I used to do event management also, I still do that. Riot Productions? Yes. You know I was selling some equipment, that’s probably what ignited this rumor! I was planning to study further, for which I was going to Spain, but that has been delayed by a year. You have your own studio now and you’ve hired two upcoming musicians. How’s that been? Over here every musician eventually manages to put up there own studio….. Yea. So your purpose of putting up the studio is for your own self ? It used to be, but now I am working as a producer also. It’s available to hire. We’ve got great equipment. It’s been great so far because I’ve worked with some of the top musicians of Pakistan - classi-

cal and contemporary. Atif Aslam’s two albums have been worked on here, Overload, Shafqat Amanat Ali, etc. Speaking of Shafqat, why did you leave Fusion? I actually made most of my contacts through Fusion. The trouble was, Immu, Shahlum and Shafqat didn’t used to get along with each other. I was not even being informed keh ho kya raha hai! I like to be involved in what I’m playing. We never had a single rehearsal together. The first show I did with them, I was told to listen to the track, fly in straight, and play with them. So I wouldn’t say that it turned out to be very aesthetically or musically enhancing for me. I think I’ll give the same example jo Mekal nay Junoon kay sath kiya Maybe Made his contacts there… it was a very good opportunity to learn the market! I actually wanted to play with the band because I love Shafqat bhai’s singng. But when I started understanding

the politics, I wasn’t very happy. You know I’ve noticed creative people are not good at marketing at all. That’s why a lot of them don’t really surface. Overlaod has been successful with marketing. We didn’t have to do much any way. In 2003, the music circuit was so saturated. All bands were the same. Mixing the dhol and drums really worked out. Visually on stage do sayien they jangli kisam kay aur teen sophisticated boys… that was a weird mix, but it got marketed by itself and clicked with people! On the lighter side, people say whoever hangs out around you starts talking like you. Everyone calls Mehmud ‘Chota Fahdi’! What’s up with that? I guess one’s company rubs off on oneself. What are your future plans now? Concerts, locally and internationally, and maybe, by the end of the year, I can showcase some of my art work.

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Album

Reviews SADE —

Solider of Love

Soldier of Love’ (Epic) is SADE’s first studio release since the 3 million-selling ‘Lovers Rock’ in 2000. ‘Soldier of Love’ is built on the languid supper club soul of her longtime collaborators, Stuart Matthewman, Paul Denman and Andrew Hale. Saxophones swoon, keyboards trickle or hover, bass lines lurk in the subterranean mist. That sound and Sade’s career have informed both the Brit-soul revival of the ‘80s and the neo-soul movement in North America in the ‘90s. The opening tracks are unusually aggressive in calling for the listener’s attention: a guitar hook curls around the longing of ‘The Moon and the Sky’ and a thumping martial beat underpins the title song. In the latter, the narrator straps on her helmet, a lonely sentinel waiting ‘for love to come and turn it all around’. One senses this won’t end well, and hope turns to mourning on the lovely ‘Morning Bird’. The music glides in its own unhurried space and time, occasionally tweaking other styles: a vague country vibe on ‘Be That Easy,’ a spritz of reggae on ‘Babyfather’, a rolling trip-hop groove on ‘Bring Me Home’, slow-burn soul in ‘In Another Time’. Sade remains alluring and subtly rewarding, while still keeping the listener at a safe distance, as if she had even deeper secrets to guard.

PAOLO NUTINI—

Sunny Side Up S

KE$HA —

unny Side Up is a considerably less wellgroomed affair than Nutini's massively successful debut These Streets. There's no polish or politesse here. Instead, Nutini plays the raggedly soulful Paisley boy on his homecoming, dispensing warm words of wisdom and heartfelt hippie sentiment to his nearest and dearest. Several of the songs seem embryonic, lacking direction and resolution, while Nutini's voice, as gruff as Blunt's, can be a deal breaker on certain songs. It's truly stunning on the clicking Stax groove of Coming Up Easy, but insufferably grating on Pencil Full of Lead. Even these endearingly rough edges can't obscure the warmth of the music and the abundance of cracking tunes (Tricks of the Trade, Growing Up Beside You).

Animal

e$ha makes an impressive debut as a pop star, with her first single ‘TiK ToK’ landing on the top of Billboard's single charts for the first two weeks of 2010. ‘TiK ToK’ has shades of Lady Gaga, but Ke$ha describes her music as ‘trash-glam-pop-electro’. Listen to ‘Animal’ and you'll know exactly what the 22-year-old pop singer-rapper means. The album is filled with perky dance tracks with lyrics that will appeal to a youthful audience. She talks about creepy older men hitting on girls in ‘Dinosaur’, stalking her crush in ‘Your Love is My Drug’, and partying hard in ‘Party at a Rich Dude's House’. The slick sound is courtesy of top producers Dr. Luke and Max Martin. Whether you like Ke$ha's songs or not, there's no doubt that the infectious beats will stick in your head. 118

OCEAN EYES —

Owl City The stars lean down to kiss you/And I lie awake and miss you’, murmurs Minnesota MySpace sensation Adam Young on ‘Vanilla Twilight’, a typically dreamy track from his major-label debut. Throughout Ocean Eyes, Young sets his breathy croon over gentle laptop beats and goes on about romance, the joy of spying fireflies and how he gets nervous going to the dentist. Often, Young sounds like a cuter version of the Postal Service. Love songs like ‘On the Wing’ — a ballad with a plush, twinkling electro beat where the singer lies awake dreaming of his beloved — are serious mush, like an amorous e-mail you'll regret in the morning.

LaDy aNTEbELLum DELIvErs aN EmoTIoNaL puNch

LADY ANTEBUELLUM —

TAYLOR SWIFT —

Need You Now

Fearless

ountry music always has been about the collision between contemporary life and the old ways. Lady Antebellum updates the genre's formulas in the usual manner, spicing them up with rock riffs and unapologetic lustiness. What's most interesting about ‘Need You Now’, which already has spawned a huge hit with its title track, is the album's focus on one timeworn theme; regret. This young band is making some old- soul music, dressed up in the latest fashions. Beyond the title track, ‘Need You Now’ keeps exploring the subtleties of the sadder but maybe-wiser life. ‘American Honey’ wallows in nostalgia. ‘Love This Pain’ is a romantic masochist's lament. ‘Hello World’ presents a full-on midlife crisis; Kelley hams it up, though he misses the chance to do a Porter Wagoner-style recited verse.

wift aims to extend her dominion beyond the country-music-loving red states. Songs like ‘Fearless’ and ‘The Way I Loved You’ are packed with loud, lean guitars and rousing choruses. The only overtly country-ish things about Fearless are Swift's light drawl, the occasional reference to a "one-horse town’ and a bit of fiddle and banjo tucked into the mix. Her music mixes an almost impersonal professionalism — it's so rigorously crafted it sounds like it has been scientifically engineered in a hit factory — with confessions that are squirmingly intimate and true.

THE BLACK EYED PEAS —

The Energy Never Dies

owards the end of this sprawling, cluttered album, a male voice intones: ‘There is no longer a physical record store’. The Black Eyed Peas anticipate a future in which albums are fluid, download-only constructions that will be regularly supplemented by new mixes of every track. Yet new mixes of The E-N-D are the last thing we need - there is too much to absorb here already. Many of these electro-pop-rap tracks sound as though they were recorded with DJs in mind, rather than fans. Songs stop and start; Fergie's voice, as bombastic as Mariah Carey's, fades in and out; the male Peas drop raps apparently at random. As on their recent no. 1 single, Boom Boom Pow, electronic clicks and buzzes are used lavishly, and the mood is as positive as ever. Just don't expect to love it immediately.

— 1. RIHANNA Rude Boy FEAT. BRUNO MARS — 2. B.O.B Nothin’ On You — 3. TRAIN Hey, Soul Sister CRUZ FEAT. LUDACRIS — 4. TAIO Break Your Heart DERULO — 5. JASON In My Head ANTEBELLUM — 6. LADY Need You Now GAGA FEAT. BEYONCE — 7. LADY Telephone BLACK EYED PEAS — 8. THE Imma Be BIEBER FEAT . LUDACRIS — 9. JUSTIN Baby FEAT. WILL.I.AM — 10. USHER OMG SONGZ FEAT. FABOLOUS — 11. TREY SAY AAH Feat. Justin Timberlake 12. Timbaland Carry Out SCRIPT — 13. THE Breakeven MONEY FEAT. LLOYD — 14. YOUNG BedRock HA — 15. KE$ Tik Tok FEAT . MICKI MINAJ — 16. LUDACRIS My Chick Bar + MR . HUDSON — 17. JAY–Z Young Forever REPUBLIC — 18. ONE All The Right Moves HA — 19. KE$ Your Love Is My Drug JOHNSON — 20. JACK You And Your Heart 119

MOVIE REVIEWS SHUTTER ISL AND 3.5 OUT OF 4 STARRING: Leonardo DiCaprio, Michelle Williams, MarkRuffalo DIRECTED BY: Martin Scorsese

artin Scorsese makes movies as if his life depends on it, never skimping on ferocity and feeling. His latest, Shutter Island, sizzles with so much nerve-frying suspense that it’s hot to the touch. The time is 1954. The place is Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, located off Boston Harbor on a remote island that’s locked as tight as Alcatraz. A Category 5 hurricane is brewing as U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his partner, Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), ferry in to capture Rachel Solando, a killer of her own children who’s escaped from her cell. The Gothic terror kicks in when the storm literally breaks down walls and the patients run amok, along with their darkest secrets. See it twice and double your fun. Just don’t expect your head to stop spinning.

IT'S COMPLICATED

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

2.5 OUT OF 4 STARRING: Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, and Steve Martin DIRECTED BY: Nancy Meyers

3.5 STARS OF OUT 4 STARRING: Johnny Depp, Mia Wasikowska, Helena Bonham Carter DIRECTED BY: Tim Burton

eople over 50 talking about sex and having it! Yikes! Welcome to It's Complicated, a romcom that qualifies as a waking nightmare for teens and infantile men whose definition of "hot" hovers around jailbait. In this unapologetic chick flick, Meryl Streep plays a divorced mother of three grown children who winds up slutting around with the rat bastard (Alec Baldwin) who divorced her for a younger model (Lake Bell). Streep even has an amiable architect (Steve Martin) sniffing after her. Meyers panders to another popular fem fantasy: conspicuous consumption. Streep is asked to giggle often, often for no good reason. But the actors are consistently expert. Martin makes his pot-smoking caper with Streep memorably hilarious. And Baldwin, goes comic deviltry one better by adding a touching human dimension. Just don't expect nourishment.

BOOK OF ELI 2.5 OUT OF 4 STARRING: Gary Oldman, Denzel Washington DIRECTED BY: Albert Hughes

im Burton has done an excellent job in creating the 3D phenomenon ‘Alice & Wonderland’, with a twist on the original story. Alice is 19, and one day she returns to the magical world she had once visited as a young girl. She reunites with her childhood friends: Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Dormouse, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat, and the Mad Hatter (played by Johnny Depp). With these friends of hers, she embarks on a journey to find her destiny and to try and end the reign of the Red Queen. Watching the movie in 3D is an exhilarating experience.

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The Book of Eli" is what happens when a good actor is what it takes to remain a box office draw. Depressing as it may be to watch two-time Academy Award-winning Denzel Washington stab, stab, stab and shoot, shoot, shoot his way through a comic book-inspired sci-fi/western, he does elevate the jejune material with enough elan to blur the pandering aspect of being an upgrade of some second-tier star like Vin Diesel. Everyday Eli writes the book, and Washington's attitude suggests an intellect that's up to the task. "The Book of Eli" imagines a world with no religion after religion brought about the old world's annihilation. The moviegoer sees the inherent paradox of the John Lennon lyric (from "Imagine"), in which a person such as Solara (Mila Kunis) would indeed reap emotional benefits from having a spiritual side, while at the same time, a man like Carnegie (Gary Oldman) acts as the go-between for god and his worshippers, and reduces god's word for the enabling of mass anaesthetization.

UP COMING ROBIN HOOD

SHREK FOREVER AFTER

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE

PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SAND OF TIME

STARRING: Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, Mark Strongor RELEASE DATE: MARCH 14

scar winner Russell Crowe brings the legend of Robin Hood to life in this film. Popular for his bravery, Robin shows the people of his village that there is no room for dishonesty. Along with his group of raiders, he tackles the problem of corruption by rebelling against the crown. He becomes an inspiration for the community and also a symbol of freedom.

STARRING: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner RELEASE DATE: JUNE 24

clipse is the third movie in the Twilight Saga series to be adapted for the big screen, coming just eight months after the release of New Moon. The movie follows a string of mysterious killings which is gripping Seattle. Bella (Kristen), whose high school graduation is fast approaching, is forced to choose between her love for vampire Edward and her friendship with werewolf Jacob.

IRON MAN 2

STARRING: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth, Mickey, Scarlett RELEASE DATE: MAY 7

s if the promise of RDJ reprising his career-rejuvenating role as wisecracking billionaire playboyturned-superhero Tony Stark weren't enough, this goaround adds Rourke as formidable Russian foe Whiplash and Johansson as sexy double agent (we think?) the Black Widow. This puppy is bulletproof.

STARRING: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy RELEASE DATE: MAY 21

hough 'The Third' was a disappointment, 'Shrek' remains one of the best animated franchises around, and really the only â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;toon that can rival Pixar in side-splitting humor that's friendly to both kids and adults. As per tradition, this final installment packs some exciting new voice talent, including John Hamm and Craig Robinson.

STARRING: Jake Gyllenhaal, GemmaArterton, Ben Kingsley RELEASE DATE: MAY 28

ost of the buzz around this epic adventure has surrounded Gyllenhaal 2.0's buffed-up physique, but Disney's adaptation of the popular videogame should be able to lure those rabid swashbuckling 'Pirates' fans as they anxiously await Captain Jack's fourth go-round.

SEX AND THE CITY 2

STARRING: Sarah Jessica, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon RELEASE DATE: MAY 28

he girls are back! Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte will "Carrie on" in this sequel to 'Sex and the City,' which assures fans they "haven't seen anything yet." Based on the trailer, this means a possible wedding (Samantha?), a Moroccan getaway, and Carrie in a "J'adore Dior" t-shirt

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THE LOST SYMBOL

There is one mystery that remains unsolved after three books. Will Langdon ever get to rest? AUTHOR:

DAN BROWN CATEGORY: FICTION - THRILLER FORMAT: HARD COVER, 528 PAGES PRICE: Rs. 1,095 hat can be said about Dan Brown’s follow up to the worldwide hit, The Da Vinci Code? Unfortunately, fairly little. It’s no secret that Brown is a fairly poor writer in literary terms. At the heart of his novels is a bulk of historical information that is interesting - like a national geographic documentary - and presented in the form of a thrilling story. It is usually the story that tends to fall apart, while the information remains fairly interesting. In the case of The Lost Symbol, Brown takes his key character, symbologist Robert Langdon, on a journey to one of the most secret-filled, conspiracy-laden cities in the world, Washington D.C. This time, the story focuses on Freemasons, and Langdon’s attempt to rescue an old and influential friend (who is a freemason) from the murderous grips of a calculating man whose agenda is a mystery that unfolds slowly throughout the story. Langdon is tricked in to coming to D.C. to serve a purpose - deciphering a pyramid that has been held by Freemasons for generations and supposedly points the direction to a location in the city that is said to hold, well, whatever. Is it even important in a Brown novel? The story is as formulaic as one can imagine. There is always a strange villain with strange habits (in this case, a guy who really likes tattoos), and there’s always a female character by Langdon’s side who has absolutely no romantic connection to him, and of course, both of them can be found running from one location to another deciphering clues in the architecture of buildings all of which are in plain site. Rinse and repeat. Brown’s narrative is simply contrived. The Lost Symbol was written during a time when

Hollywood was busy adapting his two earlier novels, The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons in to blockbusters, and so his latest work reads undoubtedly like a screenplay. Every character encountered throughout the story is a character that Brown has to describe. Short paragraphs or even chapters that depict unnecessary perspectives and “emotions” of characters as insignificant as a security guard. Who cares what the security guard, whose shelf life in the story is a total of 4 minutes is thinking or feeling? Meanwhile, interesting elements like freemasonry, hidden secrets and historical references of Washington D.C. and even noetic sciences, are shoved in massive volumes in to the story. And while it’s great to “learn” new things, like the history of the word “sincerely”, the characters are often giving this information in bland encyclopedic rants. Traditionally we only had to deal with this sort of thing when the story had one smart character, Langdon, but in this novel he’s joined by three other brilliant characters, all of whom have their specialty and insist on telling the reader about it. That kind of delivery also runs the risk of providing that contrived sort of dialogue The Lost Symbol is filled with. Characters can often be found suddenly “realizing” things, which of course leads to the overused “suddenly everything made sense”. Of course, in those moments, nothing makes sense to the reader but as long as the character has figured out what’s going on, then we’re good to go. This is not to say that The Lost Symbol is not a page-turner, to a large extent it is. But it’s quite much like junk food. It tastes great, but you will hate yourself for having consumed it no sooner after having done so.

The Lost symbol was written during a time when hollywood was busy adapting his two earlier novels, The Da vinci code and angels & Demons in to blockbusters, and so his latest work reads undoubtedly like a screenplay.

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TRAVEL

Rhodes Greece Rhodes is famous as the island of sun, sea and sand - the ideal place for a vacation. It is the third largest Greek island and officially, the sunniest place in Europe. The island draws hot summer rays like a magnet, so it's no wonder that it is called the island of the sun. There are beaches with white sand, beaches for windsurfing, serene and calm beaches in the South, or if you like, bustling party beaches in Faliraki and Rhodes Town. The old town of Rhodes is a living settlement of some 150 acres (including the walls and the moat) with a population of approximately 6000 who live and work in the same buildings that were used by the Knights of St. John 500 years ago.

WHERE TO STAY:

HO W TO E : G E T uTarHrivEe inR

Once yo e several Athens, there ar ere th daily flights from rip dt un Ro . es od to Rh stan to airfare from Paki ts ar st e ec Athens, Gre per /00 ,8 71 R from PK person.

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ATRIUM PALACE: On the long beach of crystalclear Kalathos Bay, this luxurious resort hotel features an eclectic architectural design with a neo-Greek, Roman, Crusader, and Italian pastel extravaganza. The rooms are colorful and comfortable. The inner atrium is an exotic, tropical garden of pools and waterfalls. The beautifully landscaped outdoor pool complex is a nice alternative to the nearby beach, and the indoor pool, sauna, and fitness club will keep you busy. To fully entertain the whole family, there are game rooms, a miniclub for young children, and an arcade of shops. Despite the hotel's five-star sta-

tus, the atmosphere here is relaxed, unpretentious, and friendly, all perhaps due to the Atrium Palace's excellent staff. RODOS PARK: This superb New Town luxury hotel, with gleaming marble and polished wood interiors, enjoys a uniquely convenient yet secluded location. Guests are within a short stroll of the city's attractions: only a few minutes from the Old Town and Mandraki Harbor, yet conveniently close to the New Town and dining areas. Some might regard the rooms as over-decorated in terms of colors and textiles, but they are comfortable and have all the amenities you'd expect

Kallithea the old spa and natural spring area

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World Heritage Site.

to find in a first-class hotel. This is not a beach resort. It's a fine city hotel open year-round. If you want a Jacuzzi in your room, opt for a suite, preferably one with a superb view of the Old Town walls. If you want to work off surplus calories from the 24-hour room service or the inhouse gourmet restaurant, head down to the fitness center to pamper yourself with a Swedish massage, sauna or steam bath. A dip in the outdoor pool will offer the perfect finish to your regime. S. NIKOLIS HOTEL AND APARTMENTS: If you are determined to stay within the walls of the Old Town, which you really should if you've come for the experience, this is the place. Many of the furnishings are true antiques. Some rooms have sleeping lofts, some suites and studios have Jacuzzis, some studios have basic kitchenettes. A special business suite comes with two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a small office area with fax and computer.

WHERE TO EAT AND PARTY:

KIOUPIA:This unique place offers an exqui-

1.site gourmet experience. Many of the foods

are prepared in clay potsusing the best local ingredients and village recipes, in a traditional wood-burning oven, the source of the faint woody scent permeating the restaurant. The grand fixed-price meal, like the Orthodox liturgy, 126

Streets of Greece.

requires fasting, devotion and time (roughly 3 hours). HARAKI BAY: Consider stopping here for a swim and lunch on a day trip to Lindos. You will appreciate the freshness of the food, as well as a creative variation on a Greek salad that added mint, dandelion leaves and other fresh herbs, served with whole-wheat bread. The lightly battered fried calamari is tasty and a welcome relief from the standard over-battered fare. The mussels, baked with fresh tomatoes and feta cheese, are also right on. IANNIS TAVERNA: For a budget Greek meal, visit chef Iannis's small place in a quiet back lane. The Moussaka, stuffed vegetables and meat dishes are flavorful and well prepared by a man who spent 14 years as a chef in the Greek diners of New York. His Greek plate is one of the best to be found in Rhodes,

Kallithea Rhodes, Greece

with an unbelievably large variety of tasty foods. Portions are hearty and cheap, and the friendly service is a welcome relief from the service at nearby establishments. The breakfast omelets are a great deal. COLORADO ENTERTAINMENT CENTER: The COLORADO is the most famous and the best club in Rhodes. It is a unique club where you can enjoy three different types of music. The Colorado has the better sound and light equipment. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s found at the most popular street of night life of Rhodes on Orfanidou Street.

THINGS TO DO IN RHODES:

Hydrobiological Station: Located on Cos

1.Street, the aquarium and museum are

housed in a magnificent building combining local, Art Deco and Naval architectural elements. The aquarium exhibits interesting flora and fauna endemic to the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean seas as well as immigrant Red Sea species.Admission: 5 Euros. Lindos: The village of Lindos is the most popular tourist destination on the Island of Rhodes because of its lovely sandy beaches, great nightlife and traditional architecture. Famous attractions in Lindos include the Acropolis with the Castle of the Knights, the graveyard at the entrance to the village where the church of Phaneromeni is, the ancient the-

Old City, Rhodes

atre situated below the Temple of Athena and the Tomb of Kleoboulo. Acropolis of Rhodes: Built on the highest part of the city of Rhodes, the Acropolis was built in a Hellenistic style and includes various public buildings, Sanctuaries and large Temples. The Temple of Athena Polias and Zeus Polieus is situated on the northern side of the acropolis and an indication of its original size are the four oversized column drums that can still be seen today. Bay of Faliraki: It is one of the most popular tourist spots on the island because of the vibrant nightlife, water sports activities and kilometers of exquisite sandy beaches. Other attractions include the Acropolis of Erimokastro from the Mycenean period, three small monasteries featuring interesting architecture and lovely Orthodox icons and picturesque streets you can

wonder about in. The Palace of the Grand Master: Overlooking the town on the top of a hill stands this very ornate fort. It survived a long siege by the Ottoman army in 1522, but was destroyed in an accident in 1856 involving lightning and gunpowder (a wicked combination). Restoration started about 1900 and now boasts 300 rooms and many towers. Take a walk along the old city walls while you are here. Zygos: It is one of the best-known art gallery shops in Greece. They have gathered an array of ceramic objects crafted using varying techniques. Ceramic making is an integral part of Greek cultural heritage and Zygos gives the visitor the opportunity to see the ceramics being created. Visitors can also purchase the finished product to take home as a souvenir and the friendly staff will advise you

on techniques used to creating the ceramics. Mandraki: The most popular part of the town of Rhodes is the ancient harbor called Mandraki. As you enter the harbor you will see a statue of The Deer and Fawn. The Mole that protects the harbor has three old windmills in its centre, and on the northern side of the harbor lays the fortress of St.Nicholas with the lighthouse- this is also where boats depart for cruises to Lindos, Symi, Kalymnos and Patmos. Beautiful buildings in the area include the National Theatre, Law Courts and Town Hall.

VISA REQUIREMENTS:

Covering letter on companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s letter head 3 recent passport size photographs with white background on mat finishing paper Last 6 months personal attested bank statement Original NTN CNIC Copy Health insurance with the coverage of EURO 30,000.00 Copy of credit cards Confirmed hotel reservation Original ticket Original passport. Passport must be valid for 6 months after intended period ofstay VISA FEE: PKR 7190.00 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:OASIS TRAVELS (PVT.) LTD. 1st Floor 71 Asad Centre, Main Boulevard Gulberg II Lahore 54000 Pakistan U:+92 42 111 287 287 Ext. 003 D: +92 42 35714197 www.oasis.com.pk

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128

HSY

CELEBRITY DESTINATION

here are many places I enjoy around the world. For a vacation, I love to escape to Mykonos, Greece and Prague, Czech Republic. Dubai is my quick-fix destination; a place where I get away to relax, refresh and regenerate myself. My ultimate favorite is my home away from home NYC. Best time to travel to NYC is the spring time. By going in spring, one can enjoy the Tribeca Film Festival along with many other street fairs and festivals that take place around this time of the year. When I travel to New York City, I love staying at The Standard Hotel. It’s a glorious glassy high-rise edifice lording over the Meatpacking District, with witty minimalist interiors, sexy exhibitionist bathrooms, and gob-smacking views. The city is a restaurant paradise! One must eat all meals out and not order any room service. Even with all the attractions and events, nothing beats a day of shopping at the fine shops in New York City. I do checkout the designer stores during my visit but I shop mostly at Jeffrey as it is a onestop shop carrying the most exciting pieces that fashion has to offer. Jeans from Scoop are great and Bergdorf Goodman also provides an exceptional shopping experience with a delightful variety of premier designer wear. Try to buy things that you can’t find anywhere else in the world but in NYC!

MUSTS

Extra Virgin in West Village for a guaranteed great meal Live music on the weekend in Central Park Afternoon tea at Tea and Symphony Cupcakes from Magnolia Coffee from Café Grumpy Drinks at the Rose Bar Party at the Boom Boom Room Chill out by the pool at Solo House Take a stroll through the New Highline Park Helicopter tour of the city Visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Museum of Modern Art Pizzas from the trendy Meatpacking District

AVOID

Tourist traps like Time Square and Empire State Building One of NYC's most famous icon of shopping: Macy’s

“THE KEY IS TO EXPLORE” 129

FOOD

ZEEBA OMAR A connoisseur of food brings to you recipes that not only have an emphasis on taste but also on simplicity and ease. Many recipes have been customized to save time and energy so even the busiest of cooks can pose as champions!

ASprinG Celebration a TImE To cELEbraTE NEW bEgINNINgs aND frEsh fooD.

With memories of winter fading, tender shoots, young sprouts and fresh greens begin pushing their way through the warming soil. Green peas and ruby colored strawberries are at their peak and plump red cherries, luscious figs and fragrant peaches sweeten the market shelves. The widening array of spring time produce is a harbinger of the larger produce to come.

BLUE CHEESE MUSHROOMS

A melt in the mouth entrée, ideal to serve between the first and the main course. The mushrooms can be replaced with baby potatoes.

MEDITERRANEAN TOMATO SOUP

Children will love this soup-especially if you use fancy shapes of pasta such as bows or tricolor spirals. INGREDIENTS Serves 4 • 675 gms of ripe plum tomatoes • 1 medium onion,quatered • 1 celery stick • 1 garlic clove • 15 ml olive oil • 450 ml chicken stock • 15 ml tomato puree • 50 gms small pasta shapes

• Salt and pepper to taste • Fresh parsley METHOD • Place the tomatoes, onions, celery and garlic in a pan with oil. • Cover and cook over low heat for 40-45 mins,shaking the pan occasionally. • Spoon the vegetables into a food processor and process until smooth. • Press through a sieve then return to the pan. • Stir in the stock and tomato puree and bring to boil. • Add the pasta and simmer gently for about 8 mins or until the pasta is tender. • Add salt and pepper to taste,then sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve hot.

INGREDIENTS • 1 pound medium fresh mushrooms • ¼ cup sliced green onions • 1 tbsp butter • 1 triangle or 4 oz of blue cheese • 3 oz cream cheese, softened METHOD • Place a pot of boiling water and gently steam the mushrooms for 15 mins (if using potatoes steam for 20 minutes.) • Gently sauté the green onions using butter in a small skillet on medium heat until tender. • Add blue cheese and cream cheese; mix well. • Spoon evenly into mushrooms or potatoes. • Place under a grill for 2 or 3 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm. 131

TUSCAN

CHICKEN

A traditional Tuscan casserole with the rustic flavours of tuscani. Include this as your main course dish in the menu.

INGREDIENTS Serves 4 •8 chicken thighs, skinned •5 ml olive oil •1 medium onion, thinly sliced •2 red peppers, seeded and sliced •1 garlic clove, crushed •450 mls of chicken stock •1 tsp of oregano •14 oz of cannellini beans drained •3 tbsp of fresh bread crumbs •Salt and freshly ground black pepper METHOD • Fry the chicken in the oil, in a heavy pan till golden brown. • Add the onions and peppers to the pan and gently sauté until softened, but not brown. Stir in the garlic.

• Add the chicken, chicken stock and oregano. Season well with salt and pepper. • Bring to boil and cover the pan tightly. • Lower the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally for 30-35 mins or until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear, not pink, when pierced with the point of a knife. • Stir in the cannellini beans and simmer for 5 minutes until heated through. • Sprinkle with bread crumbs and cook under a hot grill until golden brown. • Serve piping hot with crusty bread and enjoy!

CREAMY MANGO

CHEESECAKE Cheesecakes are always a favourite but sadly they are often high in fat. This one is an exception! INGREDIENTS Serves 4 • 115 gms rolled oats • 40 gms margarine • 30ml honey • 1 large ripe mango • 300 gms low fat cream cheese • 150 gms low fat natural yogurt • Finely grated rind of 1 lemon • 45 ml apple juice • 4 tsp gelatin powder • Slices of mango to decorate METHOD • Preheat the oven to 200 C or gas mark 4. • Mix together the oats,margarine and honey. • Press the mixture into the base of an 8” loose bottomed cake tin. • Bake for 12-15 minutes, until lightly browned.cool. • Peel, stone and roughly chop the mango. • Place the chopped mango, cheese yogurt and lemon rind in a food processor and process until smooth. • Heat the apple juice until boiling. Sprinkle the gelatin over it. Stir to dissolve. Then stir into the cheese mixture . • Pour the cheese mixture into the tin and chill until set. • Decorate the top with lemon and mango slices and serve.

SPRING VEGETABLE STIR FRY

A colourful, dazzling medley of fresh and delicious sweet young vegetables. INGREDIENTS SERVES 4 • 15 ml olive oil • 1 garlic clove,sliced • 1” piece of root ginger finely chopped • 115 gms carrots • 115 gms red and green pepper • 115 gms mushrooms • 115 gms green beans • 115 gms baby corn • 115 gms broccoli • 8 spring onions • 115 gms cherry tomatoes

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DRESSING • Juice of two limes • 15 ml clear honey • 15 ml soya sauce • 1 tsp sesame oil METHOD • Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan. Add the garlic and ginger and stir fry for 1 min. • Add carrots, mushrooms, baby corn and beans. Stir fry for 3-4 mins. • Add broccoli, peppers, spring onions and cherry tomatoes and stir fry for another 1-2 mins.

• For the dressing, mix all the ingredients together and add to the pan. • Stir well then cover the pan. • Cook for 3-4 mins. The vegetables should still be crisp. • Serve as an accompaniment with any main course.

ZARMINA’S

favourite recipe

he recipe is one of my favourites because my grand mother who was one of the greatest cooks in the world (for our family and friends), used to make it for us at least 3-4 times a week. Now this recipe is cooked at my house by my mom, my sisters and sometimes me. This Afghani specialty is perfect for people who are weight conscious because it is high in fiber and protein. And it tastes great!!!! The word Aash had passed from Persian into the Central Asian Turkish languages and that is also used in Anatolian cookery. Varieties of Aash (Thick Soup) include:

Kahskh Aash (Dried Whey Thick Soup) Turshulu Aash (Sour Thick Soup) Yogurtlu Aash (Yogurt Thick Soup) IsfanajAashi (Spinach Thick Soup) Aash Mast (Yogurt-soup) HOW I MAKE IT:

INGREDIENTS: 1) Half pack spaghetti noodles 2) Yogurt ½ kg 3) 1 quarter pound minced meat (beef or mutton) 4) Red beans 4 ounces (boiled) 5) Spinach 4 ounces (chopped) 6) Spring Onion 2 ounces (only chopped green parts) 7) Dried mint leaves 1 ounce 8) Red Chili powder 1 teaspoon 9) Salt 10) Cooking Oil 5 tablespoons 11) 1 medium sized onion 12) 1 ounce coriander

13) Pounded garlic and ginger (1 teaspoon each) 14) Two chopped tomatoes METHOD: Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a cooking pot. Add one medium sized pounded onion and cook till it turns light brown. Add 1 teaspoon of pounded garlic and ginger to it. Mix, add minced meat and stir it a few times and put the lid on for a few minutes. Keep on stirring at regular intervals and then add 1 teaspoon of salt, coriander, red chili powder and two chopped tomatoes. Mix it well and then put the lid on. Let the meat cook till the oil surfaces and the water in the meat dries. Add the boiled red beans and the spring onions to the meat and mix well. Boil 1 ½ liter of water in a medium sized pot and add the noodles when it starts boiling. Also add 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 teaspoon of salt to it. Add the chopped spinach once the noodles become soft. Mix yogurt with pounded garlic in a large bowl. Drain ¼ of the water from the noodles after they are boiled and mix it with the yogurt. Now sprinkle all the cooked red meat on to the noodles and yogurt mix. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of chili powder and dried, crushed mint leaves on the meat. Finish with a tarka of one tablespoon of hot oil. The hot & yummy, absolutely delicious Aash is ready! Enjoy!

133

COVO KITCHEN THE ITALIAN

RE STAURANT RE VIEW T

ental Hotel, he Pearl Contin ure anaged to conj Lahore, has m its in able addition another delect e of nts by the nam ra au list of rest tery ea n lia Ita l ti leve Covo. This mul st fir people. The seats about 72 e on entering th es tic thing one no feel l ui nq tra sy e clas restaurant is th htlig d with soft, moo of the space, ing. ls , mirrored pane Textured walls to up d ad l al ry te ls and fine upho experiperfect dining providing the ere one wh t, ou night ence; that one little little lavish, a wants to feel a posh. ing asts of prepar This eatery bo and se ee ch e Th l. oi all food in olive th Bo d. e all importe herbs used ar ed. us e ar ts ea rted m local and impo ed us Angus beef is Imported USDA . uous steaks for their sumpt are very polite, rs ite wa Covo’s ed. and well inform well mannered an en trained by Its chef has be wn o had been flo wh , ef Italian ch The s. th on m 3 r fo into the country d operative an staff is very co g. in at accommod 134

DISHES TRIED Mild and uncomplicated flavour. For those who are a fan of non-spicy.

SOUP- ZUPPA CIOPPINO

Perfectly tender calamari, coated with the ideal crisp, light batter, complimented by just the right tangy tomato sauce and Italian salsa. Balsamic vinegar sauce, fresh basil leaves and sun dried tomatoes on neatly folded pieces of thinly cut succulent beef. An absolute must try for those who like to try out new tastes.

Quiet unpalatable. For a fine dinning restaurant, this faux pas is unfortunately unforgivable. The pizzas at Gourmet bakery look and taste better. Much attention should be given to the pizzas, specially because it is one of the things Covo wants to promote.

PIZZA- ANGELLO CON L’UOVO

APPETIZERS- CALAMARI FRITTERS & BEEF BRESAOLA

While this dish can include all types of seafood, Covo chose to make it with shrimp only. Prominently bland, the recipe had room for much taste enhancement.

If you’re watching your weight, don’t bother going through the desserts. Not only do they look great, they taste great!

DESSERT- RICOTTA AND MASCARPONE CHEESECAKE

PASTA- FETTUCCINE FRUTTIDIMARE

A cool and refreshing concoction of seasonal fruits. Made specially for us on our request. We’re sure they’ll do the same for you!

DRINKS- FRESH FRUIT COCKTAIL

ENVIRONMENT

THINK GLOBALLY ACT LOCALLY

Now, more than ever, we are in need of making minor changes in our lives to make sure our actions do not have unfavorable effects on the environment. here are some low-cost, easy to apply ways that you can use at home, work or school to be more environmentally efficient.

TEN WAYS TO RECYCLE PAPER 1. REUSE AS PRINTING PAPER:

Use the other side of printed paper to print unofficial documents, drafts and other information that you know you’re going to discard anyway.

2. STICKY NOTES:

Cut up used paper into small squares and staple them together to use as memos, writing messages or random notes.

3. ROUGH WORK:

Use to scribble and doodle in your free time; do any extra math or brainstorm on 136

scrap paper.

4. PADDING FOR PACKAGES:

Instead of buying bubble mailers that use plastic, shred paper and use to stuff packages carrying brittle objects.

5. ALTERNATIVE TO MATCHSTICKS:

When burning multiple stoves, use strips of old paper to burn other stoves instead of matchsticks and save some trees in the process.

6. CAT LITTER:

Use paper for kitty litter boxes instead of buying

sacks of sand.

7. GIFT WRAPPING:

To personalize a gift, use different old newspapers to wrap it and give it a retrochic look with a bow on top.

8. E-MAIL IT:

When writing drafts or submitting paperwork that doesn’t need to be filed in hard copies, choose to email it (especially homework or assignments).

9. ARTS AND CRAFTS:

Get creative! Convert used paper into origami paper by cutting out 10cm squares

and use it to indulge in the ancient Japanese art of paper folding.

10. RECYCLE:

If you’re out of ideas and there’s nothing more that you can do, give it out to your local raddi wala.

WAYS TO CONSERVE WATER

WAYS TO SAVE THE OZONE

1. CHECK FOR LEAKS:

Check for plumbing defects regularly. Not only does that save you water, it also saves you a bundle on water bills if there is a significant leak.

2. TAKE SHORTER SHOWERS:

The ideal time for a shower should be no more than 5-10 minutes. If you go beyond this limit, know that you’re wasting gallons of water.

3. DON’T LET WATER RUN:

While brushing, shaving, doing dishes or washing vegetables do not leave the water running. Use a container full of water to rinse out your utensils.

4. WASH IN BATCHES:

Do not wash dishes or clothes until you have a full batch to wash. Especially when using appliances, make sure it is at its full capacity before washing.

5. TOILETS AREN’T TRASH CANS:

You know you do it. Do not use toilets as garbage disposals, throw cigarette butts and used tissues into the trashcan; do not waste 4 gallons of water to flush them.

1. LESSER AIR-CONDITIONING:

Make sure your air-conditioner has a working thermostat and automatically regulates room temperature. That way, it emits lesser CFCs and saves electricity.

2. NO AEROSOL SPRAYS:

Don’t use aerosol sprays (deodorants, air fresheners) at high volumes. Only use as much as needed.

3. DON’T BURN PLASTICS:

Educate people about why not to burn plastics. When plastics are burnt, they release chlorofluorocarbons into the atmosphere that damage the ozone.

4. BUY CFC-FREE APPLIANCES:

When buying a new refrigerator, airconditioner etc, ask the store owner for a CFC-free appliance. Most appliances from major companies are now CFC-free.

5. ENCOURAGE FORESTATION:

Get together in your community to plant trees in your vicinity. Remember, trees produce oxygen, which ultimately forms the ozone layer.

TEN WAYS TO RECYCLE PLASTICS 1. LINE TRASH CANS:

Use plastic bags in trash cans for an easy way to collect the trash and dispose it off appropriately.

2. WATER PLANTS:

Use old plastic bottles as make-shift plantations. Fill them up with water and plant Money-plants and other crawling plants in it. 3. REUSE FOR SHOPPING: When shopping, carry your own plastic bag that you reuse. Refuse to accept your groceries in another plastic bag.

4. USE TO CARRY LAUNDRY:

Collect bundles of laundry or wet swimwear until you have full batches to wash.

5. DONATE TO SHOPKEEPERS:

Be proactive and give all of your extra plastic bags to a nearby shopkeeper, saving them extra costs.

6. DO SOMETHING CHARITABLE:

Fill a plastic bag with food items and give to a needy family or an orphanage. This is by far the most fulfilling thing to do.

7. USE FOR STORING:

Use plastic bags to store

anything and everything, from clothes to decoration pieces, to freezing vegetables.

8. KEEP A COLLECTION:

Take one huge plastic bag and fill it up with any extra plastic bags you have lying around. That way you won’t bring in new ones and will always know where to find one.

tions. Make your own contemporary art!

10. DROP OFF AT A STATION:

Drop extra plastics that you don’t know what to do with at your local recycling station and they’ll take it from there.

9. MAKE PLASTIC ARTWORK:

Many artists take old plastic bottles and arrange them in funky shapes or paint them, and use them as decora137

ASTROLOGY

2010 ARIES —

MARCH 20 - APRIL 18

There is likely to be travel, or opportunities for travel in year 2010. There will be emotional issues concerning an authority figure. These will direct your attention more towards your home life. This is also the best time to reach for your desires and your dreams. A soul mate helps you to make a decision that may be life altering. Be careful of getting into battles with women. The middle of the year 2010 gives an opportunity to move forward with your goals. Finances should be improving. An old relationship (partner/friend) resurfaces. You are emotionally intense during this year and have a need for physical action. •ADVENTUROUS •PIONEERING •COURAGEOUS •ENTHUSIASTIC •CONFIDENT •DYNAMIC

TAURUS — APRIL 19 - MAY 19 This year be aware, if you run from responsibilties you will have a year of struggle. Focus on your home life and your love relationships. Money should be improving in 2010. This year is excellent for social activities with friends or lovers. It may be your time to shine. It would be filled with lots of opportunities for short trips. Try to find time alone, it's important now. Take some time for yourself at home and don't sacrifice your independence. Do something creative for your self. The end of the year is a good time to travel or move your residence or expand your social activities at home. Work is very changeable. Don't make any changes until things settle down and you can see where they are going. •PATIENT • RELIABLE • WARMHEARTED • LOVING • DETERMINED • PLACID

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GEMINI — MAY 20 - JUNE 20 If you are single you may meet and marry your soul mate. You are undergoing many personal transformations during this year. Home, career, relationships, love life, education all seem to be going well and moving along at a fast pace. In year 2010, you may do some traveling. You may also make a decision relative to a relationship, but it will be hard to keep your relationships consistent. Finances need to be re-looked at. Take your career seriously, responsibilities can mount up. Apply your nervous energy to work. It's a good time to get your career going strong. Around the end of the year your finances are looking up, and you are feeling more positive and idealistic. Friendships are changing and new friends can bring new opportunities for travel and social experiences. •ADAPTABLE • COMMUNICATIVE • WITTY • ELOQUENT • YOUTHFUL • LIVELY

CANCER — JUNE 21 - JULY 21 It is a good year for pursuing some artistic endeavors at home, or for making room for some special people, or a special someone, in your home. This may introduce you to some new fields of opportunity. Time spent at home is particularly enjoyable. You also may very well find yourself studying or teaching something. If you do, you will enjoy it. You will have a tendency to get into confrontational verbal battles with women, particularly at work. Someone at home may be able to help you to deal with this. Your mate or partner may do some traveling, or plan some special event. The year 2010 is also growth time for you. It is

a good year for renovation or construction work to begin. •EMOTIONAL • INTUITIVE • IMAGINATIVE • SHREWD • PROTECTIVE • SYMPATHETIC

LEO — JULY 22 - AUGUST 21 Leos are going to have a challenging year ahead. There will be many new job opportunities coming your way. You are advised to wait and think before switching your job to avoid disappointment later. On the family front, Leos are going to erase many misunderstandings with some relatives. You might feel stressed dealing with a family issue. Some celebration at home will keep you busy during the middle of 2010. You are advised to take matters easily to avoid stress at home. Professionally, Leos might feel pressurized to complete an assignment. There will be a dynamic progress in your professional lives. There will be an improvement in your living standard due to an appraisal. Romance will blossom. Marriage is on the cards for some people in the last quarter of 2010. Traveling for a business purpose in the second half of the year is also possible. • GENEROUS • CREATIVE • BROAD-MINDED • EXPANSIVE • FAITHFUL • LOVING

VIRGO — AUGUST 22 - SEPTEMBER 21 You may have an opportunity to make some money while traveling. The year 2010 is also a great year for socializing, but be watchful. You shall gain ground this year in your career. Work will be intense all through the year. There are some major new changes at home. Perhaps even some surprises. The end of the first quarter is a good month to disappear into your own projects and

hobbies. If you are single, you may very well be pursuing that special someone. Things at work are beginning to take off in a big way and you may feel like you are a bit over your head. At home, children shall require a lot of your attention. The work situation is emotional and stressful. Don't run away or neglect it. This year can be pivotal. •MODEST • SHY • METICULOUS • DILIGENT • INTELLIGENT • ANALYTICAL

LIBRA — SEPTEMBER 22 - OCTOBER 22 Financial issues can depend upon your creative handling of them. There may be some opportunities coming to you through friends. Don't spend money on frivolous things or you will regret it later in the year. The second quarter would be a time of major changes for you. Either you or someone close to you will probably be making a change of residence, or perhaps buying property. Avoid arguments about money. They will be particularly volatile this year. Career opportunities abound if you control that tendency. Creativity, artistic pursuits, photography & media all work well for you.

involve freedom or control issues. If you handle it properly you can turn it into something beneficial and growth oriented. •DETERMINED • EMOTIONAL • INTUITIVE • POWERFUL • PASSIONATE • MAGNETIC

SAGITTARIUS — NOVEMBER 21 - DECEMBER 20 It’s a good time to exercise your creativity. Money this year should be good. Pay attention to details. This is also the year for arguments, especially with friends and relatives, so try to redirect these volatile communications into some sort of action you are comfortable taking. In a few months your finances may fluctuate, so watch that budget. It’s a good time for traveling with a friend, partner, or loved one. This year will be good for career advancement. At work you are definitely appreciated. Be particularly careful whom you tell your plans to. You need to pay particular attention to open discussions with your mate or partner. Put your energy into some joint projects together. It is a good time to share your dreams and to make plans together for the future. Anything can happen, and you are lucky during this period. Good Luck!

• DIPLOMATIC • ROMANTIC • CHARMING • EASY GOING • SOCIABLE • IDEALISTIC •OPTIMISTIC • FREEDOM-LOVING • JOVIAL • HONEST • STRAIGHTFORWARD • PHILOSOPHICAL

SCORPIO — OCTOBER 23 - NOVEMBER 20 The year 2010 is to make your move, if you've been planning one. Things at home may be volatile. Your social life with a particular somebody should pick up. Do pay attention to work; there will be a lot of political undercurrents. The second quarter is a time of action for you and high emotion. Put your energy into your favourite pastime, as you will certainly have lots of energy. Plan on spending some time with friends or siblings. Emotions run high at work. Around the end of the year, expect some old and unfinished business to come back to you. You may have some relationship difficulties erupting, so be ready for them. The crisis is likely to

GEM TO TRY

RED CORAL

CAPRICORN — DECEMBER 21 - JANUARY 19 Expect travel and lots of social activity with your significant other or partner in the year 2010. It should be good for both you and your partner financially. It is likely to contain some physically active or emotionally volatile times. Direct your energy carefully. Don't overdue it, or you could become sick. Family and career are putting enormous stresses on you. It’s a great time for education, career and for using your communication skills to get ahead. In the second quarter you may encounter manipulation and control issues either from in-laws or persons long distance from you. Pay close attention to travel

details. May is a time to tighten the belt and to spend more time with home and family. Let your partner/spouse share his love with you. Money comes from unexpected places. Your career path takes some unexpected turns this year. • PRACTICAL • PRUDENT • AMBITIOUS • DISCIPLINED • PATIENT • RESERVED

AQUARIUS —

JANUARY 20 - FEBRUARY 18

The year begins with a real bang for on an emotional and physical high. There may also be a need to barter or work with someone to balance finances. It is in your best interests to do so. You will need to communicate some of the plans you've made to your social or official circle. You will have the opportunity to connect with a soul mate or a situation which elevates and energizes you. During the middle of the year there is the possibility of a big travel plan. JulyAugust 2010 is the time to get your financial house in order. You should take a good vacation this year. • FRIENDLY • HONEST • LOYAL • ORIGINAL • INDEPENDENT • INTELLECTUAL

PISCES — FEBRUARY 19 - MARCH 19 There will be multiple opportunities for growth presenting themselves during the start of the year. You may get into financial disputes with a partner so start acting smart by yourself. Wills, legal matters, corporate finance, all need your attention.The second quarter of the year is a time of reaching special heights in your relationship. You might achieve especially good results in meditation or charity during this period. Don't be surprised if you find some things out about your loved ones that are a bit shocking. Events cause you to focus more attention on your mate, or on looking for one. Later on, spend your attention either on a relationship or an acquisition. •IMAGINATIVE • COMPASSIONATE • KIND • SELFLESS • UNWORLDLY • INTUITIVE

Those who wear red coral become brave and are able to defeat their enemies. Red coral helps overcome mental depression. It protects women from widowhood. It protects the wearer from evil spirits and curses and stops nightmares. The red coral aids meditation and brings happiness. Red coral can help in avoiding violence. It turns inactive persons into active ones, helps build finances, increases determination, courage, physical strength, vitality and leadership qualities, and helps one to finish the tasks he has begun. It can also help increase sexual desire, especially in men. It protects against witchcraft, accidents and lightning. AUSPICIOUS QUALITIES OF CORAL: Even red color, beautiful appearance, free from cracks and holes, perfectly round or oval shape, smooth surface, a nice sheen and a regular shape.

CORAL ARTIFACTS HAVE BEEN FOUND FROM AS LONG AGO AS 10,000 B.C. MANY SPECIAL PROPERTIES ARE ATTRIBUTED TO IT: • Coral is one of the seven treasures listed in Buddhist scriptures• Coral was thought to be able to calm the sea• Coral was believed to protect from lightning and hurricanes • Coral was worn as a talisman to stop bleeding • If the wearer of coral became seriously ill, it was believed the coral would lose its color • Ancient Romans would put coral around the necks of their children to protect them from harm • In Medieval times, coral was used to ward off the evil eye and to cure sterility• Italian men once presented coral as an engagement gift.139

editor’s

EDITOR’S PICKS

picks:

OF THE QUARTER

BRING THE GEEK ON Being a geek has never been so cool. Michael Kors, Sonia Rykiel, Balenciaga and Chanel have all made nerdiness burning hot by introducing big, bold, heavy rimmed reading glasses in their latest collections. From the runway to the social scene, these 1950’s style wayfarers are the latest must have this season. The shape can be square or round, whichever suits you better, as long as they are outrageously oversized! Black is unquestionably the done deal with this style but feel free to experiment with reds, whites or purple’s. Pair them up with jeans, a stiff white shirt/white tee and a sleek high pony for instant sass. So whether you have 20/20 vision or not, its time to get geeky!

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Plain white tops and neon candy bottoms are hot hot hot this summer. Team up crisp white flowy tunics with apple green, acid yellow, tart orange and outrageous fuschia coloured tights. Beware; accessorize sparingly! This season, beat the heat by candying it up a notch!

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EYE CANDY

We have some awesome news for all the movie buffs out there. We’ve discovered an online movie portal which gives you the experience of walking into a DVD store from the comfort of your own home. You can order movies, to be delivered to your doorstep, with just one 'CLICK'!!! Browse movies, create wish lists, send gifts, comment on and rate movies, watch trailers, earn reward points, win free I Pods with loads of other exciting prizes every month, trade in movies and much more.

LOVE AT FIRST CLICK!

FACIAL RETREAT The spring time officially summons our long, ghastly summer heat and it’s time, all over again, to start worrying about taking extra care of our skins. Well this time, you need not fret because Amina.Z Salon in Defence, Lahore is here for you, offering a wide array of refreshing and rejuvenating facials! Try their Double Effect, Vitamin C, Lifting or Oxygen facial and give your skin a breath of fresh air. 140