For the love of hot halwa
The greeting ’What’s up, doc?’ immediately conjures up an image of Bugs Bunny in my head, nonchalantly chewing on a carrot, trying to evade (or shall I say, torment?) his eternal archenemies Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam. I am a big Looney Tunes fan and I know for a fact that many people ate carrots as kids only because Bugs Bunny ate them, just like Popeye fans couldn’t get enough of spinach (yuck!). All the toon-talk aside, carrots are one of the most loved of all vegetables (some even argue it’s a ...
Read Full Post
Cruel winters
Large swathes of the country are currently in the grip of a cold snap. The federal capital is said to have received snowfall over the weekend, with the Margalla Hills getting the most snow in two decades, according to the meteorological department. As expected, this has made many of the area’s residents quite excited because it’s not often that they get to see snow in their midst. Further north, in Murree, the Galiyat region and northwest into Swat and beyond, there has been snowfall for the past few days and much of the region has been blanketed with several inches ...
Read Full Post
8 things I love about Christmas
Christmas is a time of giving and sharing; it is by far my most favourite time of the year. Since I have been I child, I anxiously await December 25 because there is so much that I love about this holiday. This Christmas, I have decided to share a list of things that I enjoy the most of this merry season. Listening to Christmas carols. The joy of listening to Christmas carols with a cup a cocoa is one that is matched by very few other things in life. Snuggling in a blanket with family and friends, and humming these tunes can cheer ...
Read Full Post
Typing with frozen hands in Gilgit-Baltistan
To be a journalist in Gilgit-Baltistan, one requires extraordinary patience not because of the many security threats in the region, but also because of the unfavorable working conditions, especially in winter. Access to information is not a challenge in Gilgit. It can be gathered under all circumstances be it times of peace or turbulence provided one has sufficient sources willing to cooperate. In fact, the G-B Supreme Court had recently ruled that access to official information is the right of a journalist, making it easier for journalists. As far as the threats are concerned, a journalist working for an ...
Read Full Post
Dots & Dashes: All hands on deck
This winter too shall pass and spring come, manifest in its verdure and blossom, but without the cheer for the human heart. Poverty’s ugly grin spreads wider every day on the nation’s face and does not sit well with the warm smile the season of renewal brings. In another month and a half when the yellow jasmine start blooming in Islamabad and herald the onset of spring, prices of essentials would have gone up another 10 to 15 per cent and gas and electricity supplies further depleted forcing the closures of small industrial units, expanding the area of national enclosure ...
Read Full Post
How bad was your first day after winter break?
There’s pandemonium in the car as you put on your socks in last-minute uniform rituals that should have been performed at home. You try not to strangle yourself with your ID card as you are spat out from the car and propelled across the courtyard and through the chilly corridors. Your sweater was made for mild Karachi winters, not this 6 am Murree-like cold. “I made it,” you gasp as you hit the homeroom threshold. The class collapses in laughter. The teacher is comforting: “Beta, aur late aao, koi baat nahin.” It’s the first day after winter break. There are ...
Read Full PostA hot samosa on a cold winter night
It’s that time of the year again – the elusive Karachi winter is finally here so enjoy it while it lasts. Dig into your storage and dust out the oh-so-soft blankets, heaters, leather jackets, cozy mufflers and some downright crazy head-gear. This season brings with it the joys of eating piping hot food that would otherwise make you perspire. You seem to notice a sudden increase in the roadside samosay-wala’s clientele waiting in line (a polite way of referring to the mob that surrounds his stand), for this mouth-watering – albeit a bit unhygienic- delicacy you so love, becomes a ...
Read Full Post
Hungry in the mountains: the trials of GB’s flood survivors
In the summer months, Pakistan’s remote Gilgit Baltistan is busy with mountaineers climbing the world’s highest mountains. Some head to K2, the second highest on earth, while others are off tackling Nanga Parbat or the Killer Mountain, a much-feared peak. Other travelers explore legendary glaciers, meadows of rare flowers and old forts in a spectacular region that is home to the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush, the Pamir and the Karakoram ranges. On the way to K2, mountaineers will drive through the little village of Youno. Draped by snow-speckled mountains, life is bucolic with bleating sheep meandering under tall green and gold ...
Read Full Post
Winter style palette: bright, bold and chic
Summer is sadly over and it’s taking with it the coral lips, acid nails and glowy skin we enjoyed so much for the past three months. Winter, in comparison, can seem a little dreary and bleak – and who enjoys static-filled hair days, chapped lips and dehydrated skin? But I always love winter beauty trends. Chic and sophisticated are words that instantly come to mind when you think of winter beauty – flawless skin, dark lips and smoldering eyes. Here is a round up of the hottest looks from the runways to show you what to do with makeup this ...
Read Full Post
Prepare your garden for winter blooms
Once you have decided which crops and flowers you want in your garden this fall, get ready to plant some seeds for your winter garden. When to sow seeds? For a winter harvest, sow your seeds as soon as fall begins. For people living in Karachi and Lahore the last week of September and beginning of October is ideal. Read your seed packs to find out more about the temperatures required for the germination of seeds. Most vegetables will be ready to be harvested in 60-80 days. Where to sow seeds? You have three options here. Select according to your skill level and plant ...
Read Full Post1-10 of 10
