The Gender Technology Gap - A talk by Intel

Intel organized an interesting panel discussion on how women can benefit from technology and use the internet to become more independent and resourceful. It was hosted by their PR & Marketing Manager Asma Aziz.

The panel had notable women from different areas of expertise,i.e. beauty industry, content marketing/advertising, PR and the social sector. The women shared their views on how they have successfully incorporated technology into their respective business models. While almost all of them are commendable in their efforts, the story which particularly fascinated me was how technology can be used in the social sector, since this is an issue which is very close to my heart. 

It was very refreshing to hear Shazia Mirza from Manzil Foundation discussing how she managed to find a way to use technology to revamp her classrooms and connect them with the outside world. The school which she is running is in one of the slums of Karachi and mostly has students from the underprivileged class.

The dilemma of our education system is that the public schools have lowered their standards to such an extent that their students can in no way compete with students from private schools. As a result the inequality and societal gap is increasing alarmingly. To top it off, girls are specially ignored when it comes to good education and vocational training programs. 

Shazia realized this gap in the first year of running her school. after a lot of thought and research she decided to use the internet to connect her classrooms with learned teachers from all parts of the world. Screens were installed in classrooms and teachers were connected to their classes via Skype. This rather small investment made a huge difference in children. They were more knowledgeable, and confident with a lot of clarity in their thoughts. This small experiment is a proof that we can actually incorporate technology to uplift our education system without investing a fortune.

A mix of good talent and information technology can be the driving force in changing the education system and increasing literacy rate in Pakistan. A spirit of volunteering should be encouraged among professionals. This can be achieved either through a forum where professionals from various backgrounds can come together and work on small projects or they can enroll themselves for individual programs related to teaching, training or streamlining the education process in public schools.

Intel has already introduced programs targeted towards developing digital literacy skills in young girls with their “She Will Connect” program, along with the Diversity in Technology initiative to increase women representation at Intel. The program details can be viewed at their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/IntelPakistan

Pantene Pro V - Damage Blockers

Pantene Pro-V, Damage Blocker Range 

Recently I attended the launch of Pantene's latest range of shampoos and conditioners called the Pantene Pro-V with Damage Blockers, held at Cafe 44. Now I've been seeing the ads for quite some time and wondered what water damage is all about. Most of us have felt a noticeable change in our skin and hair while we are travelling specially upcountry. Also you must've heard people saying "mujhay yahan ka pani suit nahi karta" and also getting compliments on your hair/skin once you come back from vacations. 

Nina Lotia & Aamina Sheikh

The quality of water is actually an important part of our daily beauty regime. Most of us wash our hair on daily basis or every other day. Our hair is stripped off their natural oil whenever we wash them and if we are using hard water it goes through more damage. The water in our region i,e, Middle East and South Asia is mostly hard water with high content of minerals such as copper and limestone which makes the hair dry, brittle and more prone to hair fall. 

Pantene is known for solutions to all kind of hair damage: be it colour treatment, sun damage, split ends, dryness etc. It has come up with a new range of shampoos and conditioners preventing hair damage caused due to water. A detailed presentation given by renowned hair stylist Nina Lotia explained a lot about what our hair goes through during daily washes. She shared her experience of visiting the Pantene lab in Singapore and described how the product actually works through washes to reduce damage and recover hair. The new Pantene Pro-V range is gentle enough to be used everyday. The beautiful actress Aamina Sheikh (Pantene's beauty ambassador) was also present at the event. She answered various questions from the girls and shared her haircare tips with the audience. 

Nina Lotia & Aamina Sheikh

The new range includes the Pantene Pro V shampoo, conditioner and oil replacement. Although I have only used it twice so far, I can feel my hair becoming  smooth and manageable (just like how your hair feel after protein treatment!)  The oil replacement balm left my hair a bit limp in the first use but I reccomend using it sparingly  and not on the roots. A little quantity (dime size) is more than enough for shoulder length hair. 

Overall another good quality shampoo with the promise of softer, manageable hair from Pantene. 

The Pantene team 

Daniel Wellington in Karachi!

Its mid of January and Karachi has finally shed some centigrades. Pleasantly chilly and windy evenings are the best part of winters in Karachi. For the winters my go to outfit for evenings is a comfy pair of jeans with sweater & shawl or a simple leather jacket.

This time I am doing a casual evening look with a sweater and my newly acquired Daniel Wellington watch in Classy Winchester. I am carrying a classic Hub leather bag good for both office and evening wear. 

I had been an avid follower of Daniel Wellington watches on Instagram. There is no exaggeration in admitting that I fell in love with their watches the moment I laid my eyes on them. They are simple yet modern, no fuss, highly eye catching time pieces. They have an element of sophistication due to their classic dial; but then you can choose a strap available in vibrant colours to give the watch a totally high fashion, off the ramp look. The "NATO " straps are obviously inspired by nato troupes and have been the latest trend in watches. The straps are available in various colour combinations and are fun, functional and easily interchangeable. I ordered my watch through www.aliexpress.com and it arrived in 5 days. 


I am wearing a knitted beige pull over from Zara with my boot cut Levi's for a casual weekend dinner. The watch is accessorised with a lapis and jade bracelet. 



Bag: HUB 
Sweater: Zara
Jeans:  Levis
Shoes:  Charles & Keith
Watch: Daniel Wellington 

Firehouse - A review

Last week we were invited to the launch of Firehouse a recently opened grill and steakhouse located in Badar Commercial. It was a fun event all set with a photo booth, colourful backdrop along with funny props for both kids and adults. The idea of an exclusive steakhouse is very tempting for a Karachiite since there are no speciality steakhouses in the city. The place is quite spacious and bright with striking yellow and black interiors.

Peri Bites at Firehouse

For starters we ordered the peri bites. They were huge with an abundant filling of cheese served with the perfect mayo sauce. They reminded me of Nandos when I used to go there once every week just for the peri bites. Firehouse is my go to place for them now!

For main course we ordered the Medallion steak in beef and the Chicken Tarragon steak. The Medallion steak was served medium rare with char grilled exterior and a rare done interior; just the right amount of flavour and heat with a nice pepper corn sauce. For sidelines we ordered grilled vegetables and potato gratin. The serving size is quite big and filling. The steak was as good as the ones served in Arizona and Roasters,  in fact a little on the finer side. The vegetables were slightly overdone as I prefer mine a bit crunchy. Potato gratin a personal favourite was delicious with a creamy cheesy sauce between thin layers of potato. 

Chicken Tarragon Steak at Firehouse

Beef Medallion Steak at Firehouse 

Chicken Tarragon steak was served with the classic white sauce. For sidelines there was spinach purée and baked potato. The chicken was nicely grilled, well done and the sauce was creamy and hot. The sidelines need improvement with fresher veggies and more tasteful options to choose from. 

The staff was very courteous and the host was personally going from table to table to attend to the guests. Overall a nice place specially for families with good food and reasonable prices. Since its quite spacious it can be a good place for parties and birthdays with a very appropriate menu.  However more options should be included to cater to those looking for fine dining and variety.  

Michael Kors, Burberry, Armani at Daraz.pk now!

Recently Pakistan's biggest online fashion retailer Daraz.pk announced their partnership with world renowned brands Michael Kors, Burberry and Armani. I have been ordering from Daraz.pk but mostly clothing & footwear. They give very good service with cash on delivery option and also free delivery on orders above Rs.1500. My personal experience has been satisfying in terms of their customer service as they are very helpful in case there is some issue like size or color etc.   

So for a watch freak like me this is big news! I am in love with Michael Kors watches and have been looking for an outlet which can provide a wide range to choose from but sadly there aren’t many shops who stock them. But now with Daraz.pk's offering them online I can’t wait to check out these highly fashionable watches! I hope they also plan to bring the awesome Micheal Kors bags and footwear collection for online customers since they are the latest fad among all the girls these days :)

Other brands available are Burberry and Armani. Daraz.pk also plans to bring other luxury brands such as Rado, Raymond Weil, DKNY, Diesel, Fossil and Marc Jacobs soon for online shopping. This altogether a great venture for young fashion savvy Pakistanis who are well connected and well aware of global trends. Do check out their website wwww.daraz.pk to get a high fashion online store experience offering top brands.  

A brief background of Daraz.pk:

Incorporated in 2012, Daraz.pk is an online shopping portal featuring apparel, accessories, shoes and beauty products for men and women, as well as a wide variety of electronics and general merchandise. Daraz.pk currently offers hosts 1.7 million visitors on its website, every month. Headquartered in Karachi, it has delivered both internationally, as well as to over 200 cities in Pakistan. Daraz.pk is part of the Asia Pacific Internet Group (APIG) which supports some of the leading internet companies in the region. Founded by Rocket Internet in 2014, the APIG’s mission is to promote innovation and entrepreneurship throughout Asia and the Pacific and to support the development of a vibrant online culture. APIG’s network currently consists of 10 companies, which are operating in 15 countries.

GC on a Cafe Racer!

Just got my new watch from Guess Watches. It’s from the GC Femme Chronograph Collection - a classic timepiece with highly detailed mother of pearl dial. The watch is a brilliant stainless steel silver with knobs which gives it a very sturdy look.Like all GC Femme watches it features a scratch resistant sapphire crystal. 

The watch is perfect for daily use and can be paired with any outfit. However the look I am doing today is a different one. Since it’s a bike shoot so the watch is paired with black leather jacket, blue skinny jeans and brown leather boots.

The bike in pictures is a beautiful Honda CB 400 converted into a cafe racer. Those familiar with bikes would know that café racers typically have an elongated fuel tank with dents to allow the rider's knees to grip the tank, low slung racing handlebars and a single person seat. They are built for speed rather than comfort.  

Jacket: Mango 
Jeans: Levis
Boots: Ecco 

Break-the-fast at NY Coffee - Cafe

A lazy Saturday morning was well spent at New York Coffee. I had been planning to go there ever since it opened up at Zamzama and always caught my eye during the morning commute. The interior is quite spacious and cozy with good amount of sunlight coming in through the large windows.  

  

I always feel my breakfast is incomplete without eggs :) so I convinced everyone to order omelets. We ordered NYC Club omelet and Cheese & Pepperoni Omelet. Both were perfectly done but my favorite was the cheese and pepperoni one. NYC club was also good but I felt that the fillings (roasted beef, grilled chicken, mixed peppers, cheese) were a bit overpowering. The cheese and pepperoni omelet was just perfect with toasted bread and hash browns. 

The latte had fantastic aroma and body but could be better if served with a dash of cinnamon and whipped cream (just a personal choice) 

After the breakfast we ordered the New York Cheese Cake. Now I am very particular about the way a cheesecake should be specially the plain one. It should be creamy with the perfect amount of sweetness along with tanginess to balance the flavors and most importantly it should not feel heavy. So glad to taste the cheesecake at NYC it was all of the above! Highly recommended to all cheesecake fans!