Weekend magzine 28february2016
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Entertainment, Showbiz, Fashion, Horoscope, Food, Traveling, Pakistan, Magzine, Feature
Transcript of Weekend magzine 28february2016
06. Around Town...
One party at a time.
42. Auj Lawn2016
A stunning lawn collection perfect for the summer, staring Sadaf Kanwal and
photographed by the unmatchable Guddu Shani.
48. In conversation with Sahr Latif
Sahr Latif talks about her undying love for art.
54. 7 Days with QYT
Qasim Yar Tiwana’s unstoppable social calendar.
58. The Makeup Edit
Minahil Sherazi on how to use facial oil to get the perfect skin.
62. In Conversation with Saira Shakira
Saira and Shakira take us on a trip down memory lane.
66. W’s Roving Eye
This week’s hottest looks.
68. Don’t Ask Me What I Do
Sana Shah returns with her sage wisdom.
72. LLF – Of a Pluralistic Lahore
Our favourite 3 sessions at the Lahore Literary Festival
74. Travel & Cake
Muneeze Khalid and her culinary adventures in London.
78. Love Struck
Chairperson/Publishing Editor: Rameeza Majid Nizami Editor The Nation: Salim Bokhari Editor-at-Large: Amal Khan
Managing Editor: Shazay Salahuddin Features Editor: Foha Raza Sub Editor: Rana Faizan Hussain
Fashion Correspondent: Fatima Ameer Creative Head: Faiz-ur-Rehman
Creative Team: Talat Mahfooz, Shoaib Qadir, Faisal Fazal, Zeeshan ArifPhotographer: M. Basharat Irshad
GM Marketing: Bilal MahmoodFor Advertising: Kherzan Zaidi - 0321 8976730,
Ata-ur-Rehman - 0332 2427473, Khalid Sheikh - 0345 5130728
CONTENTS
fEbruary 28, 2016
Hey Weekenders!as the month of february comes to an end, so does the short lived winter. Though to be honest, we can’t complain; four months of wearing layers upon layers to keep warm can exhaust almost anyone. This week, we kept the momentum going with our favorite campaign #WeekendLoves tagging more stores around town. Meanwhile, we met up with the talented designer duo, Saira faisal and Shakira usman of their brand Saira Shakira and Sahr Latif of the Paint bucket Gallery. Like every week, we go party hoping from one place to another, QyT makes a weekly comeback with his unstoppable social calendar and Minahil Sherazi gives us advice on getting perfect skin. There’s a special report on the LLf and celebrity chef Muneeze Khalid talks to us about her culinary adventures in London for our Travel&Cake feature! Nothing like fashion, art and food to keep you company over the weekend, right? Hopefully you’re all heading to Lahore Eat just as we are. See you in the sunshine!
Sincerely,
Team Weekend.
Amin Ellahi Shaikh, Anam Khan & Mohammad Muggo
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Anam & Asim
The Wedding PartyMohammad and Waleed Muggo hosted a pre-wedding party for Asim Khan and Anam Khan at Kashmir Gardens.
Aanya Niaz & Naveen Ellahi Shaikh
Ahsan Mahmood & Hasham Omar
Bilal & Areeba
Naveen
Momina Sibtain
Aimen & Meera
Madiha Qaiser, Ali Shah & Amna Baber
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Anam Sethi, Sara Omar & Mehek Zafar Waleed Muggo, Asmar Sheikh & Hussain MirzaCarney
Haroon & Emily Sardar Taimour & Hamza Chaudry Purniya Awan & Natasha Kamal
Anam Sethi, Sara Omar & Mehek Zafar Fahad Idrees & AsimHira Hashmi & Ali Sheikh
Rana Noman, Umar Syed, Mehdi with friend
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Cybil, Shehzad, Shoaib Shaffi & Faraz
Birthday Bash!Shoaib Shaffi turned one year wiser with a bang, celebrating his birthday with friends in Lahore!
Amna Babar, Ali Shah & Areeba Magsi
Sundus & Mahvish
Rehman & Sana
Cybil & Waleed Rida, Sana & Maira
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Iffat & Faisal Yousaf Shahbaz
Momina & NaelMehreen & Shahzad
Amina & Shehrbano
Shehryar, Shahmeel, Zoya with friendAmna Hassan TahirAhmer Farooq & Imtisal Zafar
QYT
Fatima Ameer & Foha Raza
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Iram Kamal, Zanib Malik & Momina Sibtain
Sneak Peek! So Kamal hosted a lawn preview and it was an exciting affair in anticipation of wonderful spring!
Amna Niazi & Rabia Mughees
Shanzeh Sheikh
Batool
Amir MazharAmjad Bhatti & Anbar
Sadaf & Amna
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Asma, Sobia & Sana
Lawn and Luncheon!Mrs. Naz Mansha hosted an elegant luncheon to kick off the lawn season with Nishat!
Amir Mazhar & Reema
Mehak
Hira
Salman
Shehba & Samra Shoaib & Annie
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Anam & FohaWaseem & Yousaf
Ambar with friend Naz Mansha & Saira Agha
Maida
Mehak Naqvi
Maryam Aruna & Reham Amber Liaqat
Maryam, Mahvish & Amna
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Zehra & Shella
Trunk Show!Ayesha Somayya held a successful exhibition in Lahore and it was shopper’s heaven with clothes flying off the racks!
Amna & Aamra
Mahvish Elahi
Samia & Zainab
Sara Adnan
Zainab & SidraAyesha Raheem
Nida & Saira
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Alina Shah, Tamkinat, Saira with friend
Oh, the Literati!The fourth edition of the Lahore Literary Festival (LLF) was held at the Avari Hotel, Lahore amongst intellectuals, writers, artists and inspiring literati from around the world!
Ahmed Butt & Fatima Butt
Sherry Rehman
Mishal & Rubina
Noureen, Naheen & GhazalaSahar Saigol
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Ali Zafar & Nayer Ali Dada Amna Taseer Madhur Jaffery
Junaid KhanRubinaSalman Shah
Amna Niazi with friend Anissa Helou Rubab
Amna
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Alma, Noor, Munisa, Muneera, Aamir Lakhani, Haider & Zeeshan
Dilli sai LahoreShaan-e-Pakistan is celebrating the craft and cultural legacy of India and Pakistan, which will be hosted in Lahore.
Noman Jamaldini & Alveena Jamaldini
Anoushey Ashraf
Saher Agha & Saad Yousaf
Mikail with guestImran Kureishi
Alishay Adnan
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Alveena with friend Fahd Nassr & Huma Nassr
Ramsha Nassr
Michelle Saima Azhar
Aden Rehan
Mariyam
Ali Iqbal, Sana Ansari & Sarang Dawani
Zehra Shah & Samina Shah
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Zahida, Scherezad & Naila
Media meet!Kayseria organised an exclusive meet and greet event for its SS collection 2016, Volume 1.
Amna & Abdullah
Fatima Waleed
Fatima & Amina
Aqsa & MaidaSehar & Saima
Maida
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Saima & Suniya Waleed Zaman
Zahid & Ifra
Khizar Hayat
Roma
Minahil & Xenab Aqsa
Mubashir & Meera
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Samiya, Saba & Manahyl
A day of beautyKérastase Pakistan shared all the love with their gorgeous salon divas and beauty editors at the La Saint Valentin brunch.
Tehmina
Iman Ali
Fouzia, Tabesh & Sana
Ruby & MehrMehreen Syed & Frieha Altaf
Maria Wasti
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Saba, Sabeen & RubyAreeba Habib Palwasha Yousaf Mahin
Fia Khan & Ayesha BilalAnusheh Khalid & Natasia Khalid
Sana Bucha
Salima, Samra, Mehreen, Alizeh & Meera
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In classic Persian and Urdu literature, AUJ is the place where the mountains meet the stars. It is a place of mystical beauty and se-renity. Removed from the confines of time or convention, this halfway point between the heavens and the earth is a testament to human endearment and will.The highest point.
Staying true to our name, we’ve crafted this collection with our rich heritage in mind. Diving deep into antiquity and culture, we’ve showcased multiple design disciplines from all around the Subcontinent and fused them with European Bauhaus geometry.
Uniquely Eastern design movements blend with royal Mandarin, Victorian and Persian motifs to give rise to a design movement that is unique and different – Just like you.
Lawn 2016
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ion Photography: Shani @ GudduShani Model: Sadaf Kanwal
Tell us a little about yourself.I am a lawyer by education, lived all my life in Islamabad. I moved to La-hore after my marriage and fell in love with the city. Now I have two daughters that my entire world re-volves around.
When did you develop an interest in art?I think I always had a little incli-nation towards art but was never really exposed to it. I was first ex-posed to art when a cousin of mine went to the National College of Arts.
It opened a whole new world of art for me and all the beauty it holds.When and how did you start your art collection?Right after I shifted into my new house, I had to get some artwork to fill up the bare walls, this triggered my love for art and I have been col-lecting ever since.How would you describe your collec-tion?My collection is a reflection of me, of all my moods, my ups and my downs. I think my collection aptly describes who I am from the inside.
in conversation with sahr Latif
Photo credits : A Small Shutter
By Sana Zulfiqar & Heraa Khan
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It was a house with lots of green and even more art. Sahr Latif- an art collector and the owner of the Paint Bucket gallery- laughed, giggled and spoke vivaciously as
she showed us around the house and her art collection
It’s my medium of expression.Do you still have the first piece you bought? What was it?Yes I do! It was a Mashkoor Raza.Which is your most favorite painting and why?Asking me to pick a favorite paint-ing for my collection is asking a mother to pick a favorite among her children. I think all of them are special to me in one way or anoth-er. It would be nearly impossible to pick a favorite.Which is the most expensive piece of art that you have bought?I don’t think I can value art like that. I have never bought a painting looking at its price tag or the art-ist’s name. If I have instantly fallen in love with a piece, the price be-comes irrelevant.
Have you ever bought from an Inter-national artist? Who?Yes, two prints of an Australian art-ist named Amy Howard, one of my best buys to date.Do you buy art as an investment?Maybe when I started off I saw my collection as an asset but over the years my love for art has grown be-yond mere investment. It is by far the most beautiful medium of ex-
pression.Who is your favorite artist? Do you consider yourself a patron of any?I consider myself a patron of all the artists that we display here at The Paint Bucket Gallery. We believe in supporting artists that are strug-gling to find a platform to promote their talent. Again picking favorites is really hard but recently I had the honor of visiting Zahra David’s stu-dio and her pieces had me in awe of her.An artwork that you want to ac-quire?I saw this Iranian artist once named Haivka Hraman. I have been want-ing to acquire one of her pieces.We noticed you have mostly col-lected paintings over sculptures or installations. Any particular reason?Honestly the only reason is the re-striction of space. I am a huge fan of installation art as well as sculptures
We believe in promoting all
kinds of artists especially the
ones Who have a hard time finding a
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and would love to include them in the collection.How and when did you decide to start the Paint Bucket Gallery?One day my father saw all the art-work that I had collected and put up on my walls and mentioned how my house looked like a gal-lery. This literally lit up a light bulb in my head and I decided to put my love for art to good use.How do you price artworks for exhi-bitions?The artists set the price and the value of their own pieces. Who are some of your favorite artists who have shown with the gallery so
far?Again picking favorites is really hard but there are a few worth mentioning.We really enjoyed displaying Fari-ha Taj’s work. She is an artist from Karachi that paints these beautiful modern Karachi landscapes.Then we have Husnain Awais a printmaker with outstanding skills. His Collograph’s were a big hit at our recent show “Tall tales to tell”.Lastly I think Sharmeen Arshad, a recent NCA graduate is also doing excellent work in oil.Tell us about the last show PBG had?
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The latest show we had was called When Worlds Collide and took place on the 23rd of January 2016.What was different was that we displayed photographs and digital art alongside miniatures. Two of the three artists that we displayed had not had formal training in the arts. We believe in promoting all kinds of artists especially the ones who have a hard time finding a platform.What is the process of getting a show at the paint bucket gallery?
There is no long procedure, you ba-sically have to email us your details and images of your work to [email protected] and we take it from there.What is the process of buying art from the gallery?Visit our website: ThePaintBucket.gallery and our Facebook page The Paint Bucket.What makes PBG unique in compari-son to other art galleries in Pak?The Pakistani art scene is growing rapidly, and now its presence in the international arena is turning heads. More and more galleries, collectors and platforms are keen to acquire contemporary art from
Pakistan. Keeping this in mind and seeing as there is hardly any oppor-tunity for many young Pakistani artists to promote themselves on a virtual platform that is accessible to local as well as international au-diences; The Paint Bucket Gallery feels that they can help by bridging this gap in a big way. We also pride ourselves for making affordable art accessible to all.Upcoming artists that we should watch out for?To mention a few of our favorites Amra Khan, Marium Hanif, Fatima Batool, Husnain Mahmood, Zahrah Ehsan and last but not least Minaa Mohsin.
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one day my father saW all the
artWork that i had collected and put up on my Walls and
mentioned hoW my house looked
like a gallery. this literally lit up a light bulb in my
head.
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7 days with Qyt!
“Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life. Be positive, have courage and be kind. See you all next week!”
Monday: This week started with nostalgia. A few years ago, I did a power shoot with all the big names in the industry. They are all my dear friends and my clients, and the idea behind the shoot was an insight into their experiences. It was absolutely fabulous and so very glamorous, curated alongside Ather and Shahzad. Just wanted to share the shots from what was a true power shoot with powerhouse personalities!
– By Qasim yar Tiwana –
Tuesday: Flew to Karachi to see my sister, and met up with my best friend, the evergreen beauty Mahnoor Baloch. She told me the most interesting thing! She’s on a world tour with her husband and is in awe of the beauty of the world, from Rome to New York, Athens to Cambodia. Mahnoor is, in my opinion, the classiest actor in Pakistan and she started her career at a very young age. She was only 16 when she got married, and only started acting afterwards, going on to become a brand in herself, even working in Hollywood! Obviously, we lost track of time and the drive to the airport was completely chaotic (but not devoid of laughs!)
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Sunday:Sundays in polo season mean only
one thing! Lahore polo club. It’s more of a family reunion and I
get to meet my cousins and relatives once a week, as well as run into old friends like Vaneeza Ahmed! Later that evening, I went to the Lahore Literary Festival with my group of NCA friends. Really enjoyed the
play “Love Letters” by Re-
hana Saigol and Imran Aslam. Ran
into my most elegant and intellectual aunt, Zakia Shahnawaz. I’ve always
admired her, ever since I was a child. She would always wear such beautiful dresses and saris at our family functions. May you live long, Zakia aunty, and with the best of health.
Friday:The weekend began with full force! My dear friend Meherbano Sethi had a party called Scandalous Spring where I went to with all my friends. Lovely music, fantastic decor and of course, when your whole gang is with you it’s a never ending party!
Saturday:The famous hairstylist Muneeba
had a house warming lunch at her newly built house in DHA
Lahore and the house was like a museum. Each piece of fur-
niture was a delight to look at. Waseem Khan did the interior decor and the house warming lunch turned into a delightful
musical evening by the Ragha Boys. I did notice one thing
though… everyone was formal-ly dressed, but then there were a few people dressed like they were off to their own brother’s
wedding. Too much makeup, too much jewellery.
Thursday: I love day time weddings and would rec-
ommend them to everybody looking to get hitched in the winter time. My super talented friend Nina’s (of Nickie Nina fame) daughter’s wedding was com-pletely my kind of event at a beautiful
farmhouse in Bedian. The bride looked absolutely beautiful and the bride’s mom and khala were all dolled up and looking incredible in their own designs. Met Feeha Jamshed
too who looked breath-taking in her own creation. It was an
absolutely beautiful day and everyone had
such a great time that afternoon. Congratulations to the couple and
to their parents!
Back in Lahore, and it was Shoaib Shaffi’s birthday. It was just such a blast, and I was happy to see Umar Sayeed, Batool Rizvi, Syra Shehroze and of course, Shehrbano Taseer who is a rare and beautiful sighting at social events. Superstar Shan Shahid was there too, and I absolutely had to go congratulate him on the completion of Arth 2! A big thank you to Faraz Manan and Shoaib Shaffi for a night to remember!
Wednesday:
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Slathering oil nowadays is a lot different from those oil massages you’re used to getting (from when we were babies, you guys). Face oils have
gained major traction and revolutionised skincare because of their moisture-boosting, anti-ageing and inflammation-reducing properties.
So if you find your face wash and moisturisers are too harsh for your skin and are just not cutting it, then try face oils for an effective cleanse and to rehydrate the skin. Stop avoiding products with oil in them; oil-free does not necessarily guarantee your skin won’t break out or produce excessive oil. In fact, experts say using oil-free products causes the skin to be stripped of the oil it needs and dehydrates it, which in turn causes the skin to produce more oil to compensate.
Consider face oils the juice for your skin and incorporate them into your skincare regime by either using an oil-based cleanser or a face oil before/after you moisturise your skin. Oils will seal in the moisture and keep your skin looking plump, hydrated and radiant.
Bid adieu to lacklustre skin and read on about the products that will soon become your favourites.
CLEANSINGThe Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil
This silky oil cleanser will effectively remove makeup from the whole face, leaving the skin clean, refreshed and
soft. Apply dry on your face and wash off with warm water. Effective at removing pesky waterproof makeup too, this is a cheap and cheerful buy!
FACE OILSWhat is all the fuss about?
by Minahil Batool Sherazi
The Makeup
Edit
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THE NIGHT GUARDKiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate
Kiehl’s cult product has made its way into many a beauty enthusiast’s skincare routine which comes as no shock. This holy grail product that’s termed a ‘luxe elixir’ fuses essential oils with evening primrose oil, omega-6-
fatty acids and squalane. You don’t need to know what those ingredients are, just know that this magical potion will leave skin looking radiant. It has a soothing lavender scent which is a welcome addition to my nighttime routine. The concentrate uses 99% natural ingredients so even sensitive skins can reap the benefits and wake up with replenished and radiant looking skin. Apply two to three drops to clean skin or with a moisturiser.
I use this in conjunction with a moisture boosting serum and have noticed visibly plumper and hydrated skin.
ANTI- AGEING L’oreal Paris Age Perfect Extraordinary Facial Oil
This golden-bottled beauty is one to try even if you suffer from oily skin or add it in your anti-ageing arsenal. It is lightweight and non-greasy in texture
and uses eight essential oils that will quench and nourish your skin. Apply day or night for a youthful glow to your skin. And with this being a drugstore purchase, it won’t break the bank. I reserve this for days when I wake up paranoid about fine lines and wrinkles.
OILY/ ACNE- PRONE SKIN Dr Hauschka Normalising Day Oil
It may sound counter-intuitive to apply oil to treat oily skin but a face oil can be the saviour your skin needs, trust me. If you suffer from congested skin do not use harsh products that will
strip your skin of all its essential oils which in turn, would cause the skin to only produce more.
The Normalising Day Oil is light, non-greasy that is quickly absorbed into the skin and rebalances the skin’s oil production so you don’t have an overproduction of oil throughout the day (the shiny T-zone; that’s a beacon of light for ships lost at sea — you know what I’m talking about ladies).
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OILY/ ACNE- PRONE SKIN Jojoba/Ylang ylang essential oils
Experts swear by jojoba oil for oily skin because its molecular structure is so similar to our own natural sebum. It stops the skin from overproducing its own
oil and when combined with ylang ylang essential oil it will retain moisture and calm any blemishes. Ylang ylang does however have a strong, heady scent that might not be up everyone’s alley. Essential oils are readily available at stores that sell herbal/natural remedies.
DEHYDRATED SKIN Clarins Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil
If I forget to use this product even for one night, I will notice a visible difference to my face the next day. When applied on clean skin, it provides
a healthy, dewy glow to the skin (which is what I noticed) and works to minimise the appearance of fine lines (something my mum noticed on her skin). If your skin is parched, turbo-charge your skincare routine by including this oil in the lineup and give your skin that much-needed boost of hydration.
Rodin Olio Lusso Luxury Face Oil
This oil is a complete luxury buy and I won’t say it is essential to your skincare regime but let it be known, that creator Linda Rodin spent over a year coming up with this beauty
elixir and it is the most coveted face oils out there. Olio Lusso literally means luxury oil in Italian so that says it all, really. Think of this as the pioneer of face oils and industry insiders love it so you know it’s that good.
So there, I’m enabling you, go blow all your savings and splurge on this phenomenal oily elixir of the gods. Oh by the way, it hydrates and nourishes the skin like no other, in case you were wondering.
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Foha Raza (FR): So, how did you guys come together to launch Saira Shakira? Saira Shakira (SS): We became friends in fashion school. And a few years ago, we started on our brand. At the start, we worked on a very small scale, de-signing clothes for friends and family mostly. People were appreciating our work and our aesthetic and so our hus-bands saw that and they sort of pushed us into going for it in a big way!FR: Tell us a little bit about your child-hood. What was it like?
Shakira: I am actually not from Pakistan. I was born and for the most part, raised in the Middle East. My early schooling was from there as well. Overall, I had an aver-age childhood.Saira: She was a tomboy! She isn’t telling you that!Shakira: Yeah, she is right. I was a tom-boy. Saira: I was a very typical girly-girl with long hair who loved Barbies. I was born in France but grew up here in Pakistan. When I was in school, my parents moved
“I absolutely love reptIles, lIke snakes and scorpIons. I have
even had them as pets!”
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Weekend met up with the incredibly talented designer duo Saira Shakira at their studio this week. Saira Faisal and Shakira Usman are two friends, one an ex-tomboy and one a typical girly girl, who came together three years ago to build a fashion brand called “Saira Shakira” that is making waves
around the country. They have separate lines for luxury pret, pret and bespoke bridals.
With two successful showcases at PFDC fashion weeks, the duo is now gearing up for their third one alongside their first store launch.
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to America but I couldn’t move there because my credits weren’t being trans-ferred. So I stayed here. But eventually I got married and remained in Lahore.
FR: Tell us a little bit about your family.Shakira: My family and family values are like any other typical Pakistani family’s. Family is our centre of everything and everything revolves around it. I have 3 younger brothers and I am the only girl. Hence, I was a tomboy! Saira: Family is really important to me. We are two sisters and a younger brother.
FR: What about your educational back-ground?Shakira: I moved here back in 1995. I went to LACAS, then to Kinnaird College for a little bit and then to fashion school. Saira: I went to Esena Foundation, then to Kinnaird College and from there I went to fashion school.
FR: So you both met in Kinnaird College?Saira: No! We were in Kinnaird at the
same time but we didn’t know each other then. We met in fashion school.
FR: Who in a nutshell, are you?Shakira: I am a very simple, quiet and introverted person. I am not social at all. Saira: I am also the same. Although, I am not as much of an introvert as Shakira is.
FR: Three things no one knows about you.Shakira: I don’t know if anyone knows anything about me. (Laughs). Three things would be: I absolutely love reptiles, like snakes and scorpions. I have even had them as pets!I would love to get a pixie cut. But I feel like it wouldn’t suit me. I am very scared of heights.Saira: Everyone knows everything about me! But here we go:I hate rainI love summerI have a fear of drowning
FR: What is the craziest thing you have ever done?Shakira: I had a pet scorpion once that
I would love to
get a pixie cut. but I feel like it wouldn’t suit me.
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got lost in the house and all my friends had to look for it. It was quite the fiasco.Saira: I am the kind of person who doesn’t experiment a lot. I was always the “mummy-daddy” kind of kid. I didn’t take risks at all. So there are no crazy stories!
FR: So I take it that neither of you has been bungee jumping yet?Shakira and Saira: (Collectively) No!
FR: What are some of your favourite memories from childhood?Shakira: There was this one time we went to a trip to an island near Abu Dhabi and we were stranded in a dhow. The tide went really low and we could see the fish swimming right in front of us. It was beautiful. Saira: I remember when I was really young that we got stuck in a lift for sometime because the power went out. Me, my sister and two other friends were stuck for half an hour. We were screaming and no one could hear us!
FR: That must give you a real paranoia of lifts then?Saira: Yes! It did for a while. But I’m okay now.
FR: One person you love beyond words.Shakira: My naniSaira: My son
FR: Three things on your bucket listShakira: Backpacking through Europe all by myself. Attend a course at Parsons. Go scuba diving.Can I have a fourth? I want to meet Brad-ley CooperSairaShowcase at New York Fashion Week.Have stores on Fifth Avenue. Have dinner with Anna Wintour.
FR: What is your spirit animal?Shakira: A cat. I love cats.Saira: A tiger because I am headstrong.
FR: What are your strengths and weakness?Shakira: My weakness is that I am not very social. My strength? I’m very calm.Saira: Weakness is that I freak out a lot about work. But I am a strong person and I am very steady at the same time.
Rapid FireShakira:
Car: AudiMusic: Summer of ‘69
Food: DesiWon’t compromise on: Kids
Books: I don’t read a lotMovie: Boys Don’t Cry
Restaurant: AylantoTV Series: Game of Thrones
or Criminal MindsCity: Lahore
Rapid Fire Saira:
Car: PorscheMusic: Not a big fan
Food: Chinese or desiWon’t compromise on: Kids
Books: Don’t read a lot either!Movie: The Revenant
Restaurant: NoboTV Series: Friends
City: New York
I had a pet
scorpion once that got lost in the house
and all my friends had to
look for it.
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Well, what’s the use of a pair of good
eyes that never rove? Weekend’s been going through our fashion files for the week and
AlishAy AdnAn hAsnAin
lehri
W’s rOVinG eye
Talk about keeping it cool and super chic at the same time. We love the
accents of cerulean in Alishay’s look. Also, that centre parting? Love it.
Talk about keeping it cool and super chic at the same time. We love the
accents of cerulean in Alishay’s look. Also, that centre parting? Love it.
We love all the items separately and we might not have paired
some of the accessories together, but this look deserves honourable mention because of just how self confident the man
is. Wild Applause.
We love all the items separately and we might not have paired
some of the accessories together, but this look deserves honourable mention because of just how self confident the man
is. Wild Applause.
MAirA PAGGAnWAlA
Off-shoulder is the hottest trend of the season and Maira, you are rocking it in this Shehla Chatoor
number. We’re especially appreciating the solid gold
jewellery.
Off-shoulder is the hottest trend of the season and Maira, you are rocking it in this Shehla Chatoor
number. We’re especially appreciating the solid gold
jewellery.
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these are the people who caught our fancy for either their style, their courage or their star power. Well played!
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shehrbAnO TAseer
sAdAf zArrAr Mehek
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W’s rOVinG eye
Do Sadaf and Hasnain have the same optician? Either way, we LOVE the
spectacles! Sadaf looks oh so cool without trying too
hard.
Do Sadaf and Hasnain have the same optician? Either way, we LOVE the
spectacles! Sadaf looks oh so cool without trying too
hard.
The no makeup look, the natural hair, those colours and
especially the flared pants. A simple, timeless look that is possibly our favourite this
week.
The no makeup look, the natural hair, those colours and
especially the flared pants. A simple, timeless look that is possibly our favourite this
week.
This woman always carries herself with elegance and
we are swooning over these matching separates. You look
hot, Shehrbano!
There she goes again, breaking hearts and making sartorial
statements in these Maheen Karim matching separates. Girls,
pay attention.
There she goes again, breaking hearts and making sartorial
statements in these Maheen Karim matching separates. Girls,
pay attention.
Don’t Ask Me WhAt I Do
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by Sana Shahsunshineandco.co
“A woman in harmony with her spirit is like a river flowing. She goes where she will without pretense and arrives at her destination prepared to be herself... and only herself.”— Maya Angelou
this past Sunday for the first time since I got married, I spent a full day working away from home. I was so nervous
the night before that I couldn’t sleep all night. I kept juggling all this information in my head, willing myself to commit it to memory, so that I could avoid making a fool of myself the next day. The work was simple enough but the fact that I hadn’t done it in a few years meant that I had more than a little self-doubt to grapple with. As the first rays of sunlight peeped in through my bedroom window, I found I was already awake and waiting, and for the first time in a while, managed to get out of bed before both Baby N and Mr. M woke up. I took a nice long shower to calm my nerves, took my time getting ready, shoved a few spoonfuls of oatmeal in my face, kissed my loves goodbye, and left for the day. I will not bore you with the details of my day—being out of work for a while and hearing other people talk about their work incessantly, I know now that what excites you about your job, simply put is just not as riveting a story for others,
so I will just say that my day could not have gone better, and will leave it at that. I feel like we build this moment up so much in our heads and in the process end up “freaking ourselves out” a bit (really there is no other phrase to describe it), but having been through it now and lived the moment, I can assure you that it all comes back, all your skill, all your knowledge, as rusty as it may be, eventually begins to flow back and before you know it, it feels as though you never left in the first place.
Later that evening, I couldn’t help reminisce about the years that brought me to this moment—all that grief, guilt and anxiety. Like most other
“millenials” I had done a fair bit of job-hopping after graduation and before getting married. From Corporate Banking, to working at a Business School, to helping run my sister’s atelier as her COO (a title I confess I gave myself, but in my opinion I was totally worthy of)—it was my attempt to “find my true calling”, something I was “truly passionate” about. When I was single, this worked out just fine for me, because my choices, my decisions, only had consequences for me, however, once I got married, for the first time it didn’t seem that simple anymore. I felt pressured to just find something, just one thing,
and stick to it, or else risk looking like a flake in front of my husband, his family and his friends, who I was still getting to know, and them me—and you know in those early years you kind of want to make a good impression. Suddenly my past three years of job-hopping, which up till then I had felt added variety and color to my life, became a total liability for me. I couldn’t work in the fashion industry because I didn’t have a related degree (Political Science and South Asian Studies wasn’t about to cut it), and let’s face it I was the COO in my last fashion related job and so a bit overqualified for the available positions. At the same time, I had only worked
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The author, affectionately referred to as Sunshine by her loved ones, recently moved to London from New York. She is enjoying settling in while discovering
the city with her 8-month-old daughter in tow. Watch this space for her mus-ings on London, sweet treats (that she shouldn’t be consuming now that the
baby is no longer an excuse!), parenting, decorating, and anything really that
tickles her fancy!
in fashion because I regarded it as a family business and I wanted to help my sister out, but now without that as an impetus, working in New York’s very cutthroat fashion industry was not very appealing to me. I was completely lost and in a rut.
Everywhere I went I dreaded being asked: “So, what do you do?” or “Where are you working?” or even worse, “What do you do all day?” Nobody asks a person who works what he or she does all day, but if you’re not working you’re suddenly obliged to share your day’s routine with strangers your meeting for the first time. “Well, I wake up and make my husband a green smoothie before he heads to work (and Mr. M will probably protest and claim I never did this, but I SWEAR I did… sometimes), I make myself tea and breakfast, I make my bed, I shower, I clean my apartment, I do a load of laundry, I fixate
on the menu for the nights dinner, I do groceries to buy ingredients for dinner, I spend an hour or so Keeping Up With the Kardashians, I meet a fellow unemployed friend for coffee and watch people go about their more productive days” I mean does that sound like something I’d want to share with others? I started forcing myself to go to museums just so the next time somebody asked what I did all day I could come off sounding slightly more
erudite. And let’s be honest, how many of you “working people” go to museums on your day off? At the risk of sounding uncultured and totally “provincial”, let me just say that one only goes to a museum when one has people visiting from out of town, or if one has children. These are the legitimate reasons. And then there are some people who go to museums so they can maintain their intellectual image and persona—I
suppose I could be grouped in this category in those days. It was important to me to at least LOOK smart if not feel it. I also felt that the general consensus was that people who did not work or chose to stay at home (given that they were financially able to do so) were not smart. That they were somehow leeches, living off somebody else’s hard work. There seemed to be two “perceived” categories of women who
didn’t work: 1.) The fashionable, well heeled wife, who spent most of the day hopping from one lunch or “kitty” party to another and spent the rest of her time browsing through Bergdorf’s shoe department and 2.) The overly domesticated wife, slaving away at home, her only redeeming feature being her phenomenal cooking skills. I was determined to avoid being boxed into either category. My job search was in full swing at the time and I was attending one agonizing networking session after the other, and lining up informational interviews even though I still had very little idea of what I really wanted to do. I started volunteering at a non-profit, I interned with an interior designer at some point (I think a job every newly married woman thinks is right up her alley), I took courses on the Persian Gulf (of all regions) at Columbia, and I even looked in to going back to school. My father would call me everyday inquiring if I had gone and seen the new Islamic wing at the Met, and if I had found a job? He would then proceed to suggest five or six additional career options that I had not considered before and of course, left me feeling even more confused and under
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EvErywhErE I wEnt I drEadEd bEIng askEd: “so, what do
you do?” or “whErE arE you workIng?” or EvEn worsE, “what do you do all day?”
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pressure. I would fight with Mr. M and blame my “situation” on him. After all if I hadn’t married him, I wouldn’t have had to leave my last job and move to New York. At the same, I felt I had to justify my unemployment by at least being “the perfect wife” with an “impeccably run” home. I was miserable. Now don’t get me wrong. I don’t mean to sound like an ungrateful wretch. I wasliving in New York City with all this free time on my hands and so of course I had a lot of fun too. But there were innumerable nights, when I would lie awake, guilt and pressure weighing down on me, trying
to figure out what my next move should be, hoping for some epiphany that would suddenly make everything I had to do clear to me.
Before I knew it two years had gone by like this, and suddenly I was expecting Baby N and also moving to London. While I am not suggesting that having a baby is the answer, for me it did end up relieving some of the pressure I had been feeling. I was pregnant and nobody was going to hire a pregnant woman only to send her off on mat leave a few months in to the job. I was also moving continents so applying to school in New York was out of the question. And suddenly the questions people hounded me with also changed from “What do you do all day?” to “When are you
due?” or “When is the move?” and I felt like I could breathe again. Interestingly enough, with the pressure off, I started doing things I actually enjoyed. For one thing I began to write again and that is where the impetus for this blog came from. Being a mother also gave me a sense of purpose and renewed my self-confidence. I started posting my pieces on my blog website, and it was almost immediately picked up to be published weekly in The Weekend magazine. Buoyed by the success of the blog, I found myself slowly venturing in to other projects, until I realized that
I finally had somewhat of an idea of what I wanted to do with my life and how I wanted to do it. For once in my life I also did not care as much about how people would judge me, or their questions. I was less afraid of failure as well because I felt more secure and complete as a person. What I did (or didn’t do) did not define me anymore, or make me any less smart or capable than others.
I know many women have gone through similar experiences as
me and I think what makes these experiences even harder is all the “judgment” that surrounds them. The labels like “soccer moms”, or “ladies who lunch” (doesn’t everybody lunch—I for one do not believe in skipping meals), “HOUSE wife”, “career woman”, “social butterflies”, “kitty brigade”, “domestic”, “unambitious”—all of these serve to attach a stigma to choices and decisions that are yours and yours alone to make, that should not be up for other people’s judgment and opinion, and that are perfectly acceptable. Today, I know that I prefer a career that allows me the flexibility to work from home and be close to my daughter. That is not to say I judge women who have to leave their kids to go to work—no, that is there choice (and I also acknowledge some don’t have a choice) and that works for them. I know what works for me now. It may make me a little “uncool”,
a little less “glamorous”, maybe slightly “dull”, but picture me make a big, fat, W, on my forehead, Alicia Silverstone style. This is becoming too long a post, and in my head I feel like the music that always comes on at the Oscars when people can’t wrap up their acceptance speeches started like an hour ago! So to wrap up succinctly (but perhaps not as eloquently as I would have liked), let me just say: chin up ladies, it’s going to be alright!
“What I dId (or dIdn’t do) dId not defIne me anymore, or make me any less smart or
capable than others”.
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‘Festivity oF soul: the tradition oF Qav’valiThis session related to music focused on the history and the tradition of qav’vali. Veteran poet Zehra Nigah, Dr Arifa Syeda Zehra and writer Dr Hasan
Aziz were the speakers and the session was moderated by Qasim Jafri. Tracing the history of qav’vali in the subconti-nent, Dr Arifa said that it came here in the eleventh century from Iran. “Qav’vali saved our tradition, which
our rulers couldn’t do,” she said. Tak-ing Dr Arifa’s stance one step further, Dr Aziz explained that the tradition of qav’vali is 2000 years old but the pres-ent form that we listen to today was introduced by Amir Khusro. He men-
LLF – oF a pLuraListic Lahore
– By Faizan hussain –
This year, the fourth edition of the Lahore Literary Festival (LLF) was held at the Avari Hotel instead of the Alhamra Arts Council. It was a wonderful event where people got the chance to listen to and meet their favourite intellectuals, writers, artists and
inspiring literati from around the world. These stars of different fields shared their ideas, knowledge and experiences and enlightened the minds of the audience. Events like these serve the purpose of cultural diplomacy which help people understand others’ points of view; something we could use a lot more of in our part of the world. They also help to explore different horizons in the fields of literature, the arts, culture, politics and economics. Here’s a short roundup of three of the finest sessions I was fortunate enough to attend.
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tioned that the modern generation was aware of qav’vali because of Nus-rat Fateh Ali Khan and Coke Studio. “Qav’vali is now considered fusion,” he added. Dr Arifa, in a tongue-in-cheek manner commented on the provincial government’s change in venue and said, “When the qav’vali started, there was neither any NOC nor any pass-port or the delegate badge required.” She also quipped that Urdu was a stranger`s language, while the mother tongue was English. Zehra Niagh fur-ther elaborated on the significance of language. “In Sufism, language had no barriers. Hindus have written for Mus-lim saints and Sufis, while the Muslims have written about Sikhs,” she said. “The differences people observe these days are created in recent times.” The panellists declared this ancient musi-cal form as a direct connection to faith and spirituality.
‘liFe with my Father, GeorGe orwell’.
This was a conversation with Rich-ard Blair, an adopted son of Orwell, and the acclaimed novelist and journalist Mohammad Hanif. They discussed the legacy of Orwell and how he was still relevant in the pres-ent era. Blair was only four years old when his father passed away in 1950. He reminisced about the time he spent with his father and shared
his memories from the trip they took to Burma for fishing. Speaking about his work, he mentioned the difficul-ties his father had to face to get his work published; particularly Ani-mal Farm- an allegorical and dysto-pian novel against Stalin. Orwell was against totalitarianism and loathed authoritarian social practices.
‘makinG museums: PreservinG national heritaGe in stressed
societies’.
Related to history and preservation, this session included the Director of the Afghanistan Centre at Kabul University in Afghanistan, Nancy Dupree, who shared her memories and experiences in Afghanistan with the audience. She came there in 1962 when Afghanistan was a different place. She recollected her memories of war time spanning over decades and described her efforts at preserving her cultural heritage and the restoration of the
several historical and archaeological sites including the restoration of the Bamiyan Bhudda. Noor Agha Noori and Abdul Hafiz Latify too shared their thoughts about the impacts of war on society: “We are all helpless and even the UN is doing nothing ex-cept giving statements.” Hafiz Latify spoke of his sorrow on strained ties between neighbouring countries af-fecting cultural preservation. “Had neighbouring countries extended a hand of cooperation, many antiqui-ties could have been saved,” he said. At the end of the session it was em-phasised that decaying archaeologi-cal sites in Pakistan and Afghanistan must be saved. Nancy Dupree who is also nicknamed the “grandmother of Afghanistan” was given a Lifetime Achievement Award in this session.
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TRAVEL & CAKE
Hi I’m Muneeze and I’m a chef! This summer I went on a girls’ trip to London with my best friend and it was the time of our lives! I made sure to partake in some culinary adventures and all that London’s diversity had
to offer.
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travels of a chef!Ah, London! Where shall I begin? With dessert, ofcourse! I took a short Macaron course at Le Cordon Bleu and 8 one-day classes at L’aterlier Des Chef where I ex-perienced creating all kinds of foods ranging from Lebanese, Japanese, Mexican, Thai and French cuisines.
Apart from taking these fabulous classes, I made sure that I ate something de-licious every day! This is an inviolable rule. From Franco Manca’s delicious pizza to the amazing burgers at Bar Boulud to the scrumptious Peking duck at Royal China, my friends, I ate like there was no tomorrow. I also made sure not to miss out on old favorites like Le Relais de Venise L’Entrecôte, yummy tea and scones at Selfridges, the Shack Stack at Shake Shack, Busaba, Fish and Chips at Harrods, Rib Eye Steak from Gaucho, delicious Kebabs from Patogh, Baby Chicken from Colbeh and the list goes on and on! As you can tell, I’m a complete foodie and most of my holidays revolve around exploring great food.
Once I returned to Lahore, shaadi season was in full swing. This has always been a busy time for me because of all the wedding cakes and dessert tables but it’s a great feeling to make someone’s special day a little more wonderful.
I love teaching, but more than that, I love to learn. Once all the shaadi madness was over, I began conducting my regular cooking and baking classes. Using ev-erything I learned in London, I created many cuisine-specific courses and a very special two day Macaron course as well.So next you’re on holiday, don’t forget that it’s a great time to pick up a couple of productive skills! Look up food courses in different cities around the world (and eat your heart out!).
Muneeze Khalid
PKR 500
AmAirA And Asim’s Kitchen
Amaira and Asim are a catering service that have
an extensive range of premium salads, starters,
entrees, and desserts on the menu. Who doesn’t
like sesame chicken strips, wasabi prawns and
seasonal pavlovas?
LoveStruck
Editors’ picks
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sibghA beAuty ProductsGO ORGANIC! The experts are saying, if you’re in your twenties, it’s already time to reach for the anti-ageing products. Sibgha Beauty has a superb range of organic products that we’ve personally tried and they’ve worked wonders for our skin. Find them on Facebook, and they stock at Ferozesons and Amina Raja, Lahore.
the drAwing roomFor all you party lovers and home decor enthusiasts, the Drawing Room studio will soon be your favourite go-to. They are a creative bunch that have party supplies and home decor items. Would you look at how pretty these plates are? Who wouldn’t want to eat some cake off of that?
PKR 1500 For a set
AyeshA somAyA
Ayesha Somaya just held an exhibition in Lahore
and their latest collection flew off the racks! There’s
something for everybody with the summer just ahead!
FestivAl oF liFe Shaukat Khanum Cancer and Research Hospital has impressed us with their continuous efforts to raise awareness for their cause. We love their annual event, Festival of Life and this event is not one to miss, for more reasons than one. Check it out on March 8th!
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girl meets PeArlEveryone is raving about Benefit’s Watt’s Up, but there’s
another product on the block that you can use as a
replacement: Benefit’s Girl Meets Pearl. This is an excellent
product that gives you that fresh morning glow every girl
aspires for. You won’t regret this buy, we guarantee it.
the Flour girl.lAhoreThe blues can hit anyone, anytime. For us the
remedy is indulging ourselves in a little bit of sugar. And there is nothing like The Flour Girl’s baked
goodies, especially their choclate chunk cookies, to set the mood right.
PKR 800 a dozen
