The Fault in Our Stars - the movie

Among the list of books that have been successfully made into movies, the toppers for previous year were:  Twilight Saga, Hunger Games and Life of Pi. This year movie-book fans are looking forward to the movie version of the much acclaimed 2012 young adult novel "The Fault in Our Stars" by Printz award winner and famous vlogger, John Green. The book has gained immense popularity and a cult following within young readers all over the world, with exclusively designed merchandise and clothing by the fans.

Those who have read the book will agree that it is a brilliant piece of literature combining life's tragedies along with everyday humour.The title of the book comes from a famous line of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: "the fault dear Brutus is not in our stars, but in ourselves that we are underling". The story is narrated by a 16 year old terminally ill girl, Hazel who falls in love with an amputated 17 year old cancer patient Augustus whom she met at a support group for cancer patients. Since both of them are facing the same disease it sort of makes the chemistry between them work wonders. With witty intelligent lines like "I am a grenade and at some point I'm going to blow up and I would like to minimise the causalities". The book is far from being just a teenage romance or a cancer book. The story dwells upon friendships, emotions, and family ties. Not only for teenagers but also for adults, the book provides a deep perspective into the lives of young cancer patients, their hopes, their fears and most importantly their drive to maintain sanity with doses of humour. For me the best part of the book was simplicity of the plot, characterisation of the main protagonists and how the author has woven the story around the biggest tragedy of life with humour.

The book had generally received positive reviews from The New York Times; the Time magazine declared it number one on their list of best fiction books of 2012.  Now the movie with Shirline Woodley as Hazel and Willem Dafoe as Peter Van Houten,  in pipeline is intended to be released sometime next year. Young fans from all over the world are excited for its release and hoping it would turn out to be equally fantastic as the book itself.

Yeh Hai Karachi Meri Jaan!

Came across this brilliant video by my friends at The Say Cheese Studio reviving memories of our beloved city of lights Karachi, its landmarks and its lovely people. Karachi is one city that never backs down no matter how precarious the circumstances are. What amazes me the most are the truly awesome people who get up after every set back and start going about their businesses with full zeal and passion!

Please click the below link:

Yeh Hai Karachi Meri Jaan!

Contact

For queries email me at: ticktickchic@gmail.com 

Princess Diana - the movie

The most anticipated film for Diana fans is finally set to release in mid September. The official trailers have been up and are shared endlessly on the internet. The biopic by German film director Oliver Hirschbiegel is about the last 2 years of Princess Diana's life and her relationship with Dr. Hasnat Khan and Dodi Fayed.

Dr. Hasnat & Princess Diana

Naomi Watts, playing the late princess looks convincing while Naveen Andrews (Lost fame) playing Dr. Hasnat Khan the Pakistani heart surgeon is a bit dubious. Although it is too soon to draw conclusions, the movie is surely going to cause controversy and a lot of questions will be raised on credibility of the plot. It was widely believed by Diana's close friends that Dr. Hasnat was her only true love and she wanted to get married and settle down with him in Pakistan. The doctor's family did not approve of his relationship with the Princess and as a result he walked out of it. Dodi Fayed came into Diana's life as a friend with whom she began a relationship to make Dr. Hasnat jealous and so the story continues.

Naomi Watts as Diana

Dr. Hasnat has already expressed his disapproval and says that he will not watch it since it is based on lies. The film is based on the 2001 book Diana: Her Last Love by Kate Snell. While the author and filmmakers have been struggling to get Dr. Hasnat's approval, he has proved to be what Diana always believed him to be. During the summer of 1997 before she died she told a friend, "everybody sells me out but Hasnat is the one person who will never sell me out."

Princess Diana is undoubtedly the most admired royal celebrities around the globe. The part of her life which has largely been a secret is now being made into a movie and the Pakistani connection in the story is surely going to make it a sizzler in our part of the world. No matter how controversial it turns out to be, we are in deep anticipation!

Taj Mahal - another side!

Red Fort

Just got back from an action packed trip to India all coupled with a wedding, family reunion and tourism. Now I don’t want to get into details of the dreaded visa process and thereafter our woes on reporting entry/exit at every single city we visited, since this is what both the countries have agreed to put their citizens through. And trust me it is the same story when Indians visit us.

Turkman gate near Delhi Stock Exchange

Once we landed in Delhi, the similarities struck us and it seemed as if we were in Lahore! The people, the roads, the buildings, the architecture and the food all remind you of things back home. The city is a twin version of Lahore. We were a bit skeptic about diclosing our nationality but every single person we met after getting to know that we were Pakistanis, looked at us in fascination and almost everyone had a story to tell. Some had their relatives there, some had shifted after partition and some were simply thrilled to know about Pakistan. Our driver being a Sikh had special feelings for Lahore and Hassan Abdal. He swored that it was only the politicians of both sides who wanted to create differences and kept on chanting “yeh sab neta log ke wajah se hai, ham log tu aik hain”. 

The highlight of our trip was the visit to Taj Mahal. After going through numerous accounts on how magnificent and mesmerizing the monument is, we just couldn’t wait for the encounter. A brief stay in Delhi with tours of the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Humayun's tomb, Chandni Chowk and India Gate left us more desperate to see the wonder.

Yamuna Expressway

For our visit to the Taj we booked a car and took the new Yamuna Expressway from Delhi. The state of art 165 kms, 6 lane Expressway is built to reduce travel time between Delhi and Agra and it takes about 2 hours to reach Agra. It is one of the best and busiest highways in India. But once the Expressway finished and we entered Agra city we were in for a shock. The road narrowed down to a messy and chaotic traffic jam leading through areas littered with heaps of garbage and undisposed waste.

The slums of Agra represent a different world all together with urban poverty at its worst.  The inhuman living conditions in these areas are result of lack sanitation facilities, waste management and disposal. Most of the slum dwellers live in dire conditions without individual toilets. Though public toilets are provided but the lack of maintanance and regular cleaning have rendered them unusable. This totally unglamorous side of one of the most sought after tourist destinations in the world left us baffled and confused. 

Agra slums

A discussion with our driver cum guide lead us to the fact that they are no different than us! He was of the view that government was corrupt and the officials were filling their own pockets with all the revenue coming in. There are approx 50,000 tourists visiting the monumnet on daily basis with entry charges of about £10 per head and it seemed that none of the revenue was spent on developing infrastrucure and uplifting the slums.

By the time we finally reached it was already 6 pm so we decided to call it a day and headed to the hotel instead.  Next day we got up before sunrise and headed out straight to the Taj. There are no cars or buses allowed within the radius of 500 meters near the monument to curtail pollution levels which have become alarmingly high due to smoke emmission, discharges from factories and clogged drains around the building. It has directly affected the color of the monument which has taken a yellowish tinge. While walking past the handicraft stalls set up on both sides of the road we met the artisans who claim to be decedents of the laborers involved in construction of the Taj. They have been settled near the monumnet for generations and earn their living by crafting soviniers and other gift items. 

There was a long queue of tourists already outside the entrance with security checks. Once we entered the gates it was as if we were transported into a different era. The air was majestic with lush green gardens and the magnificent Moghul architecture. We hurridly made our way through the east gate, lo and behold the Taj was there with all its mystery and splendour. 

It is a breath taking sight and the building looks divine with its gleaming white marble against the clear blue sky. The beauty of the scenery left us speechless for few seconds and each one of us was engulfed in our own thoughts. As our eyes got accustomed to the constant white marvel in the background we began the ritual of clicking photographs. As we moved forward there was another queue; people were lined up to get their photos taken on the famous Princess Di bench. While it is next to impossible to have your picture taken without anyone else in the background, it was fun to try. Even at 6 am the place was flourishing with tourists from different countries and all sort of languages could be heard from Japanese to French to German and of course Punjabi!

Adjucent to Taj Mahal is the Mosque which is open only for Friday prayers. The mosque is made of red sand stone and has a similar design as the Jama Masjid in Delhi. Another building replicating the mosque was contructed on the east side to balance the overall symmetry. It is a guest house and is called the ‘jawab’ or response as its purpose is to harmonize the scenery.


As per Rudyard Kipling who called Taj Mahal ‘the embodiment of all things pure’ it would have been difficult to digest the impurity we saw on the other side only had we not seen it with our own eyes. The glowing monument, manicured gardens and clear water ponds were a direct contrast to the slums of Agra. The Taj which is considered to be the pride of India and a masterpiece of Moghul architecture deserves to be well taken care of and that can only happen if the people living near it are well cared for.  

  

All in all India is an amazing place to visit; secular to the core with masjid, mandir, churches, gurdwaras all in a row welcoming all. Azaan and bells ringing simultaneously! From metros to malls, to high street fashion and fast cars; poverty at its worst, beggars and homeless kids but the best part: felt just like home!

15 Aug celebrations at The Imperial, New Delhi

Published in Express Tribune on October, 12, 2013 
http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/18680/my-visit-to-the-taj-mahal/

Empowering Women in Flood Affected Areas

The devastating floods of 2011 and 2013 in Pakistan particularly in the Sind region has affected about 5.3 million people and 1.2 million homes (approx) in 12 districts of the province. These internally displaced people have lost their homes, land, livestock and belongings and are settled in various relief camps set up by government and international organizations. However what they are actually looking for is the  rebuilding and rehabilitation of their lives. 

Working as a UN volunteer I had my first hand experience of visiting the flood affected areas earlier this year. We visited few villages in District Badin & Thatta and spoke to the common people to get an account of the relief work being carried out in their villages. Most of the people settled in these areas have lost all their belongings, their cattle (usually their only means of livelihood). There is an acute shortage of drinking water and people have to walk miles to fetch water for their families. Due to scarcity of water, agricultural activities are also not feasible in these areas which is leading to food shortages and obstruction in their means of livelihood.

Living in such dire conditions, women and children are the worst affected with no facilities or access to any kind of health care. Maternal death ratios are very high in these areas along with child mortality due to outbreak of diseases; most recently being the measles outbreak. Ironically it is usually the women who are capable of earning any kind of livelihood for the family after losing their land and livestock in floods. They are involved in stitching, embroidery and handicrafts.  They sell their work to buyers in cities through middlemen who usually do not compensate their work to its true worth.



The Provincial Disaster Management Authority, Sind (PDMA) is already working in close connection with International Organisations for rehabilitation work. However some issues need to be higlighted; instead of focusing on providing relief goods and rations, measures should be taken to ensure pre disaster preparation and recovery plans. If proper skills development and capacity building trainings are held, these women are capable of bringing considerable change in their lives. Regular trainings on DRR (Disaster Risk Recovery) and Gender Mainstreaming conducted in all affected areas will ensure that women are not marginalized. Adult litracy programs focused towards health and hygiene can built awareness on issues such as reproductive health, spacing births and choosing family size. Skill development and grant support programs running in parallel can revive small businesses and cottage industries in these areas. There is low investment and infrastructure cost involved in setting up handicrafts/garment and small production units since most of the women have adequate skills and are equipped with basic tools. Other cottage industries like weaving, pottery, ceramics and textiles should be introduced on a mass level which can become a fruitful means of earning for themselves and their families.

I am no Superman but…

I wonder why we can’t have a real life super hero of our own. Like a Batman or a Superman?

A vigilant figure that would come out in the night, disguised and fights the bad guys. Someone who would be present on the signals where most snatchings are taking place; would love to see someone break arms of the thugs while they hold a gun to an innocent man behind the wheels. I still remember the day I got snatched at one of the busy signals. I could see this guy coming to our car, holding a gun. He asked for our phones; we acted as robots and automatically handed over our belongings to him. While he walked away I felt this instant urge to do something about it, something that would break the guy’s confident retreat to his accomplice.  

When we talk about the history of such vigilant forces they are not a fantasy and have always existed in places where governments failed to ensure security and justice. Robin Hood was one of the first characters formed on the basis of injustices in the society due to failure of governance. In today's modern times the Davao Death Squad who claim to be a vigilante outfit has been directly involved in making Philippines' Davao City "the most peaceful city in Southeast Asia" as per tourism organisations. Similarly another case reported in England in 2006 involves slashing tires of more than twenty cars, leaving a note made from cut-out newsprint with the words: you have been seen driving while using your mobile phone.

But then we just have to be our own super hero sometimes. So how many of us are capable of taking care of ourselves on our own? Unfortunately not many of us are comfortable with the idea of self defence let alone equipping ourselves with self defence products such as stun guns, pepper spray, mace etc. It is advisable in these times that one should at least carry a pepper spray while going out.

Our best bet is to try and avoid dangerous situations by being alert and watchful.  In case we encounter any such situation where we feel compromised and cannot avoid it then at least we should be equipped so much so not to be at the mercy of the assailant. Rather aiming for an upfront collision, the aim should be to break away from the situation as quickly as possible. This is when self defence comes in handy. A pepper can used in time would distract the invader and would buy out enough time to make a escape, but it can also backfire in case one is not fully aware of how to use it properly. Similarly stun guns or Tasers are also effective in case you are being mugged in your house or kidnapped in your own car. A personally tried and tested approach is never to stop your car at a signal. For instance if you can see the red light from way ahead its better to slow down but keep on moving instead of speeding up and then waiting behind another car. A robber would think twice about approaching a moving vehicle even if it is slow. 

The overall security situation is worsening everyday. However if you are not comfortable with the idea of carrying a self defence device or weapon don’t hype yourself.  It can backfire if you are not confident and you can end up in a much worse situation. But to become true masters of our fate we need to take control of various factors. Try being extra observant, avoid particular places famous for mugging (signals etc), keep your senses calm under all situations and take calculated measures.  

No Cheese Cheesecake

Ladies and Gentlemen I present to you the No Cheese Cheesecake!

This cake has all the attributes of being the perfect cheesecake yet it is not made of deadly cream cheese :) Its main ingredient is the much hyped Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is a healthy high-protein, low-carb alternative to the regular yogurt. You can have it for breakfast with fresh fruits and cereal or use it in a variety of dips and salad dressings (will be doing a post on more recipes of Greek yogurt soon!)

A healthy version of the New york Cheesecake with just the right tinge and texture. I stumbled upon this recipe during my search for healthy dessert recipes and after 2-3 attempts this recipe was finalised. Its very easy, requires minimum effort and gives impressive results. If you are looking for an easy dessert recipe do give it a try.

Ingredients: 
2 kgs plain yogurt
1-1/4 cup sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 lemons
1tbsp cornstarch

For crust:
8 to10 digestive biscuits
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp brown sugar

Garnish:
Fresh fruits, cream or jam



To make Greek yogurt, lay a piece of cheese cloth or muslin in a bowl. Add yogurt and either let it drain as is by either keeping in a large sieve or by gathering up the edges of the cloth and knotting them over an upper cabinet handle so that hangs over the bowl to drain. Drain the yogurt for about 2 hours. 





While the yogurt is draining you can make the crust.  Crush the digestive biscuits and add butter and brown sugar to it. Put the mixture in a 9-inch spring foam pan and blend it well with your fingers. Press it on all sides of the pan to form the crust base. Now keep it in the preheated oven (180C) for 8 minutes. Once its nice and brown take it out and keep it the fridge to cool. 

To make the filling  combine the eggs, sugar, yogurt (strained for 2 hours)  and vanilla and blend with a beater or a  food processor. Add cornstarch, lemon juice (2tbsp) and pinch of salt and blend again. Now pour the mixture into the prepared crust and bake (180C) in the oven for 35-40 minutes.

After 35 minutes check the cake for firmness. It is done when its set from the edges and still a bit shaky from the center. Take it out from the oven and let it cool in the fridge for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight. 

Once its completely cooled release the springform and take it out in the serving dish. Pour over some slightly heated blueberry/strawberry jam or decorate with fresh fruits before serving.  

Pulished in Express Tribune on 28, June, 2013
http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/17674/no-cheese-cheesecake-the-weight-watchers-dream-dessert/

Levi's Chukka Boots

Chukka boots are an essential item in a modern urbanised wardrobe. The design takes inspiration from the British Army boots and the term "chukka" refers to a period of play in the game of polo. The boots can be worn casually or can also be dressed up with a jacket or a dress shirt. 



If you've been on the look out for the perfect pair of boots to go with your favorite jeans then you must check out the Levi's Chukka Boots; a fun and trendy way to explore the city life.


The boots are super comfortable with gum rubber sole and can be worn with any pair of jeans or chinos. The upper part is suede and the lower portion is classic leather finish.

These boots are available in all Levi's outlets across Pakistan for the price of Rs. 15,000.

Pantene Bridal Couture Week - Day 2

Ana Ali of Lajwanti with models 

Bridal Couture weeks are becoming a regular feature in Pakistan's highly evolving fashion scene. With the ever increasing number of new designers such platforms are vital in showcasing their work to a wider audience. I was invited to the Pantene Bridal Couture Week's second day show at the Expo. The show started at 8pm with Lajwanti's classic bridal collection. The colours were beige, maroon, gold turquoise and emerald. Immaculately worked shirts with long flowing palazzos set the tone right for the upcoming wedding season.

Nadia Hussain in Lajwanti 

The second designer for the day was Madiha Noman with her bridal wear for 2013. Madiha is a new entrant in bridal wear but her work reflected experience in terms of colour and cuts. Knee length shirts with dhaka pants and shararas in a wide palate of colours gained applaud from the audience.

A Madiha Noman bridal dress

Ayan and Nadia wearing Maliha's jewelry 

Maliha Shaikh, the talented jewelry designed displayed her collection which was breathtakingly beautiful and very fresh. Her pieces were traditional with a modern twist to them; reminiscent of the rich South Asian traditional jewelry. She works in silver and 18 carat gold with semi precious stones. The models looked beautiful with Saniya Maskatiya's jumpsuit collection adorned with single pieces of Maliha's jewelry.

Maliha Shaikh

Row row row your boat!

"...had I known how to save a life" that's just what Rowtisserie knew, how to save my life! The song kept playing between the meal and made us believe that we were actually saved by a roast chicken ;)

Had a busy day and by the time it was evening, was hungry as hell with nothing in the fridge. So like a true Karachiite headed out hunting for prey and landed at Rowtisserie.

The place is nicely done and despite being small it looks clean and happy. We ordered the Mezze Platter and the Row Meal. The sidelines were New Potatoes and Mash & Gravy. Mezze Platter arrived early with all the exquisite dips (mutabbal, tzatziki, hummus, feta and olives) pickled veggies and chicken bits. Everything tasted very fresh with balanced flavors. The accompanying pita was fresh and hot.

Mezze Platter

The Row Meal followed with the 2 sidelines. The chicken was crisp from outside and equally moist and well done from the inside. Everyone loved it and devoured it with the amazing Row Sauce in minutes. My only take on the chicken was that it was a bit bland for my taste but coming from a die hard desi style spicy tikkas, bihari botis and bbq fan nobody paid any heed to it :p

Mash & Gravy was dreamy, the melt in your mouth kind and new potatoes had crispy skins with hints of dill on them.

Row Meal 

Overall a good addition to the Karachi food scene, lacking on the Lebanese/Mediterranean taste buds.

Mash & Gravy and New Potatoes

Butterfly effect!

So how many of you are Farmville freaks here? If you are or have been one you would surely love the new app Flutter. For those who are new to simulation games it is one of the most visually appealing apps for ipad/iphone plus it has an educational aspect to it as well.

As the name suggests it is about butterflies, attracting eggs, hatching into caterpillars, hanging as chrysalis and finally turning into a beautiful butterfly. Children would love it specially because of the appealing colours and aesthetics of the game. They will learn about new species of butterflies and would also be introduced to the concept of keeping pets. So much so that my 4 year old asked me to get her a caterpillar as a pet! (I eventually found one at the sabzi wala merrily chewing a cauliflower leaf, brought it home and kept it in a box for 2 days but on the third day it escaped and was never found :( )

This application is available free of cost at the App Store so download it and start growing your very own butterfly sanctuary.

A glasswing caterpillar