[Event]: Azadi Weekend!

I am not much a public celebration person. I tend to avoid going outdoors on festival days for several reasons:

1. It's hot
2. August is sticky and everyone is smelly
3. There's no lights to look at.

Yup, Karachi does not light up for Eid or 14th August the way it should. I suppose I am spoilt with celebrations having spent time in Malaysia (mostly in malls) where every festival is celebrated with such zest, fervour, decorations, promotions and sales! Luckily for me, Dolmen Mall exists.

It was lovely to see the atrium decked up in green and white, stalls selling patriotic T-shirts and badges, photobooths and just the general festive air that the space that to offer. Call me materialistic and missing the point of 'independence' but sales count!

So I put on my super duper patriotic Sonya Battla kurta and hit the mall not once but twice over the azadi weekend. It was also great for my Instagram following and I got to attend an InstaMeet! It was almost like a scavenger hunt and while I am a bit late to the InstaMeet party, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

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Who knew a trip to the mall would bring out the patriot in me? Dolmen Mall completes me. Those who know me well, know this well.

Here's to freedom! Freedom to live life to the fullest and spend our money any which way we like! Pakistan Zindabad!

Education for Kids: Parental and School Teaching

In the early year of a child’s up-bringing, education plays a great role. This means the contribution both at school from teachers and at home from parents. While both forms are important for the kids, maintaining balance between them is something that shouldn’t be ignored at any cost.

Kids these days end up spending a lot of time at schools which makes their teachers, friends and other students the primary source of learning. This plays a great role in shaping their personalities. While education at school is inclined towards academic and social up-bringing, the education at home solely focuses on the moral and ethical up-bringing of a child. Both parents and teachers play a vital role in shaping a child’s career, personality, decision making skills and abilities to function and adjust in the society.

Keeping that in mind, it is essential that a child gets, if not, perfect than a balanced mix of both in his or her growing years. Parents and teachers should always be aligned with the changes in the child’s behavior, the addition and subtractions to his or her daily requirements and how they are responsive to changes.
To ensure a balance, both parents and teachers should actively make an effort to engage the child in discussions, earning trusts and maintaining an overall environment. Kids these days learn so much from media and their surroundings, it’s the parents and teachers who have to build that sense of understanding for the kids to comprehend what they see, experience and learn.

[Tech]: The Infinix Hot S

Patience is a virtue they say. And I really wish I had waited for the launch of the Infinix Hot S before buying a new phone. Fortunately for you, I was there and am happy to report that the Infinix Hot S could be your next phone upgrade.

The phone has a 8 MP front camera and can take a 120 degree selfie - basically you and your phupo's family can fit into that valima selfie.  The phone has a 5.2 inch HD display and a ginormous 3000mAH battery for all those afflicted by Pokemon Go, Cooking Fever or load shedding. It's a pretty sleek looking phone with a metallic body. It retails for about Rs 18,000.

But honestly, the most exciting part of the launch for me was winning the brand new noise cancelling ear phones by Infinix. They are bloody brilliant! And I have used ALOT of ear phones in my life - from Seinheisers to Beats to Bose to Pioneer ( I work in radio). And for Rs 3000, these Infinix babies are a steal. They work with Android and iPhones. The sound is crisp and clear. And the noise cancelling feature is fantastic. They come with a carry case so you don't ruin them by throwing them in your bag (the easiest way to destroy your ear phones).

The phone seems to be a good choice for those who live online. The ear phones are for the hardcore music fan. Load your phone with music. Plug in and let's go!

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How To Choose School Bundle In Best Prices

It is the Back-to-School time and the level of excitement and stress is pretty much the same for both the parents and the students. 

 
Shopping for books and uniforms can be really stressful and costly at times. It takes time to master the art of creating the best bundle of all your essentials that also fits your budget. 

 
But you know what? Your lucky stars worked and Yayvo.com came up with the first ever Education E-store that lets you shop online from the comfort of your home for your kids’ new year of school.
How can you use this to your advantage? Here are some tricks you can use:
- Buy a combo instead of buying separate items. You can find of that fits your requirement at yayvo.com
- Recycle and recreate!
- List down all the things you need and make a checklist by allocating a certain budget for each item.
- Compare prices and value for your money!

All of this can turn out to be really helpful if you just organize yourself a little! Make a list, get your laptop and shop online with Yayvo! Stress free back-to-school shopping is a thing now! 

*This is a sponsored post.

[Food] Iftar At Lals

There is something lovely about Lals. Is it the soft green French windows? Or the enchanting rustic interiors? The minute I step into a Lals outlet, I want to stay and buy. Buying chocolates and desserts are easy decisions to make but choosing Lals as an Iftar destination is not always the first choice that comes to one's mind. By my own choice, or by family and friends' choice, I have been having Iftar at Lals for the last three years. Since last year, they have a introduced a more Middle Eastern-Mediterranean menu. It's light and easy but filling. A little bit of this, a little of that keeps your taste buds buzzing.

The menus at their Shahbaz and Dolmen Mall outlets are different. The DMC one being cheaper than Shahbaz.  My blogger buddy Umair Mirza and I tried the Iftar at Shahbaz. The deal includes an Iftar Platter to share, two main courses, a scoop of gelato and free flowing mint lemonade.

The Iftar Platter includes: Zaatir Croissant, Pita Bread, Spinach Fatayer with Chilli Oil, Falafel with Tahini, Margerita Pizza, Chana Chaat, Fruit Salad and Hummus. The winner in this platter is the pizza. The falafel left me unimpressed.

The main course choices include: Chicken Skewers on Greens, Spicy Mediterranean Chicken and Rice Bowl, Lasagna, Fish and Chips and seven sandwiches to choose from! I picked the Lasagna. When it arrived, I thought woah, this is tiny. But I guess I was just being greedy as I had to take it home. The Lasagna is made with ricotta cheese (as it should be) and a really rich ragu sauce. I did feel it was a bit dry though.

The absolute best thing on the menu was the mango gelato. It is absolutely stellar. I want to buy a tub!

The damage for all of the above is (with two main courses) is Rs 2300 plus tax. I would give the Lals Iftar experience a 4 out of 5 for the thoughtfulness that has gone into planning the menu. It is carefully curated to cater to the local palette while retaining the international flavors that we recognize Lals for.

Go to Lals for a cool, calm and delicious Iftar.

[Beauty] Wake Up For Make Up

One of the easiest ways to kill time in Ramzan (for me) is window shopping - books, clothes, make up, accessories - you name it and I have never been more interested before. Make up is a recent 'interest' of mine and no doubt, being a blogger has fed the beast. Beauty related events are now my favorite events to attend - makeovers, make up to play, girly fun and so much more!

Recently, myself and a few other more experienced (read extraordinary) beauty bloggers visited the Make Up City outlet in Dolmen City Mall. We were treated to make up goods from Sweet Touch and given a brief understanding of the business of make up.

Here's what I got from the Sweet Touch range:

 A set of three nail colors for the price of two. Pretty sweet deal. Love the summer colors.

This lip shine in peanut butter looks delicious but doesn't work for me. I prefer bright lip but I reckon it would work on top of a nice pink for that extra shine.

 I am really digging the middle swatch. That's 731 Matte. The Maroon lip liner also does well. 

However, what you need to remember are the on going promotions. My advice is to stock up on the make up the offer is still on.

SMS 'Make Up City' to 8833 and avail :
- 10% off across the entire range at the store
 - a staggering 50% off on all makeovers
- a loyalty card

Make Up City is expanding across the country - from big cities to small towns. Find them on Facebook to find a store near you.


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[Food] Ole Express

The new kid on the delivery block, Ole is out to impress! Ole Express is an incarnate of the restaurant of the same name that was once located on Zamzama. Being mom-less this Ramzan, I have resorted to ordering in rather frequently and I have to admit, this was one of the most seamless and effortless processes ever.

The food was delivered hot and fresh.  And no leaks! Packaging is so crucial to a food delivery business but not enough businesses pay attention to it. The pasta was double wrapped in cling film to avoid any leaks. Call me weird, but that impressed me! But, taste is king of course. Here's what I tasted and loved (or not).

These Chicken Strips turned out to be my favorite thing on the order. The chicken meat was flavorsome (I am guessing it was buttermilk marinated), the coating crisp and the dipping sauce was not over powering. And real French fries. A starter with a side dish - now that's generous!

My sisters picked the Peppery Fried Shrimps as the other starter. I do not eat sea food but they reported that these were possibly the best fried shrimps they had tried. My only issue is the quantity. Priced almost the same as the Chicken Strips and enough for only one person, as opposed to the chicken that could be shared by up to three people.

Pakistan's favorite pasta - Creamy Chicken Pasta - or some such thing. This rendition of the classic dish was rich but dry. I would have preferred a lighter but saucier sauce. Once again, the quantity is good for two.

The Stuffed Chicken with Tarragon Sauce proved to be the main event. Crispy exterior, moist interior and a sensational sauce to go with it. This was a 10 dish on all counts. Priced at Rs 610, this is a steal! Served with a generous side of fries (or mashed potatoes) and vegetables, this is also good for two.

Ole is a delivery service with class. Their menu is standard restaurant fare and can be served with the same finesse on your dining table. Whether you want to treat yourself or want to host a fancy dinner at home, get in touch with Ole. It would be interesting to see Ole venture into the catering side of things as well.

Will I be ordering from Ole again? Most definitely!