Remembering 2014 ... Welcoming 2015!

With the end of the year and the beginning of a new one, this year has proved to have its own turmoil for me. From love to life, from work to fun it has given me good times and bad times, fun times and sad times all in a basket of emotions that if not have matured me, have definitely given me lessons to from.

I have laughed, fought, cried, smiled, dreamt, feared, and above all have learnt to honor life for what it’s worth. The year began with domestic trips and a new place of employment that I came to love (with its ups and downs and lack of sparks in me! :D). It bought on new friends and some renewed owns too!  It also bought along a line of friends that became acquaintances followed by becoming strangers in my life. 

To my friends who have stuck on with me, I love you all, you’re the best people in my life cause you have clearly understood me and have decided to be in my life no matter what! Be it a simple cup of tea, ice cream rounds, food street rounds, running around all of Lahore or road trips, you guys are the glue I need to keep me sticky and happy!

This year I loved again and loved with all my heart, and will love till the very end of time for sure. From a simple poke to a bond stronger than friends, you’re a pillar that I can always lean on for support no matter what. With fights and forgiveness, understanding and care, at times the hurt and despair you have become life and one that means the world to me and for the next year and years to come. You are life for me a part of my soul that I can’t afford to lose.

I lost loved ones, towards the end of the year, words cannot express how I feel and how much I miss you. The secret trips to the café at the corner, our round up trips to itwar bazaar, the late night bitching sessions, the fights and the advice. I can’t believe your gone.

To my mother who has been there for me through thick and thin, I hope you remain so for the rest of my life, silently watching over me and guiding me. You bear my tantrums better than anyone else and wipe my tears when it feels like the world has ended for me.

To my sisters, close and far, and their little ones, the movies together, the gossip sessions, the advice shared and the fact that for you guys I’m still the baby. I love you all!

The last day, that is today, and new found respect for my dad. The support he shared with me today made me feel stronger than ever before. Our relation has its own little space where we fight more that talk, but you have and always will be someone I love and adore.

Now for the year 2015. I welcome you with open arms. I hope you turn out to be even better than the last with new lessons (good ones) and news that is full of happiness, joy and lots and lots of love! I want to see prosperity, happiness and eagerness for each new day as it rolls from tomorrow onwards. I want it to be my year! I’m no mother Teresa but I want happiness for all and prosperity for the one I love and care about with a pray that only the very best is given.

Welcome 2015.

Verde ... the new exclusive..!

A nice exclusive cafe that can be found in the very heart of Clifton (Near SZABIST) is a definite place to add on the "to visit" list if you haven't been  there already. Upon entering the small green gate you get a lovely refreshing view of the garden (where I believe they grow most of their vegetables), fountain and lights that present a cool at the same time creative ambiance for the place. Sheesha is also served these with a variety of flavours (we had mint and watermelon), but that is served on the deck area that has been made not inside (a small hall surrounded by glass to see the view outside).

The service (when we went) was excellent with the food coming in on time without us having to wait or worry about the time. We had ordered Pizza (Beef Pepperoni) that had a thin crust and an amazing layer of cheese with beef pepperoni. We polished on the slices, savoring the taste of melted cheese and beef and the deliciously crispy yet somehow soft crust. The dessert was a bit of a disappointment though. We had mainly ordered two desserts - Chocolate Lave and Crème Brulee. The first to be served was the Chocolate Lava, and though it looked highly appealing (I am a chocolate lover so anything that has chocolate has my vote), the serving size was incredibly small and the lava of chocolate didn't ooze out like many that I have tried in other restaurants/cafes. On the whole the sweetness was just right as along with the ice cream that complimented it well.

The Crème Brulee on the other hand was a complete disappointment. Served in a small bowl, it too could fall under the minute portions list (if ever any would be made), and the taste too was not as well considering the fact that the sugar was burnt from the sides more that it should have been and the middle was too soft. Over all on a scale of 1 - 5 I'd give it a 4; that too because of its outlook, ambiance, soft lighting and overall look that it projected.  

“Where have all the cowboys gone?” An exploration on the changing self-identity of urban Pakistani men.

Time changes everything. As time goes on not only do trends change, but so does fashion, etc. so with time the tall, dark and sexy man whose ruggedly handsome and suave

A man how doesn’t worry about his looks . All this seems to describe a man soon to be outdated and obsolete thanks to the changes that are taking place in this ever evolving society.  

Television is seen to be the greatest development of the 20th century (Ige, 2004). Many arguments exist in favor of the influence of television on people as well as the personality factors that are seen as being common to television viewers. Television viewers are seen to want to know about the ongoing culture of society through the television and are less active than non-television viewers both in house chores as well as outside home activities such as going to museums and movies. They are able to achieve satisfaction with doing lesser number of activities than non-television viewers (Jackson-Beeck & Robinson, 1981).

Television, along with peers of consumers, appears to be an important agent in adolescent consumer socialization and increases interaction of adolescents with parents for consumption related queries (Churchill Jr. & Moschis, 1979), meaning that it could aid in increasing the influence of family in socialization. It also is seen to help in the construction of a mental picture of the real world (O’Guinn & Shrum, 1997). We might therefore come to believe how others live and behave without ever actually meeting them and because of the presence of more affluence in television programs, television viewers would believe that more affluence existed in the real world as well, and feel disadvantaged. Thus they might want to buy more fashion clothes as a result of watching television channels.

Television usage could also increase the awareness of the incidence of crime for television viewers (Wyer Jr., Shrum, & O’Guinn, 1998). Consumers might not think about the source of any information with regards to television and would in fact treat it as being true even though it might be false, unless they are made aware of a possible bias.

Television advertisements are also seen to have an impact on consumer role perceptions as well as sex-role perceptions (Moschis & Moore, 1982). Over a period of time, increased advertising exposure causes a person’s behavior to be less socially desirable (Moschis et al.). It might make them buy products such as cigarettes which are of no social value. One thing to remember is that ads have to be placed in likeable programs to get more positive product impressions (Murry Jr., Lastovicka, & Singh, 1992).

Therefore a good ad might be useless unless it is placed in the proper television timeslot of programming.

The influence of advertisements is shown through the use of premium offers along with the product itself (such as reusable containers or gifts), which is seen to influence consumers to like or desire the product (Shimp, Dyer, & Divita, 1976).

What Females think: 

Historically, consumer and market researchers have viewed women in the traditional roles of wife, mother, homemaker, and hostess, or single girl preparatory to these roles (Venkatesh, 1980). A Pakistani woman’s place in society can be seen in light of this study on the changing roles of women, which although very old, would help shed light on adolescents views. In our view, the traditional Pakistani woman’s role is reflective of the traditional American housewife of the 1960’s and 1970’s. Among the three categories listed by Venkatesh, the study on feminists is of particular interest since they are closest to our sample characteristics. They were found to be younger, better educated, and revealed a greater sense of independence in terms of how they perceived themselves within the household, more self-confident, and less prone to television viewing (Venkatesh et al.). Other studies have shown that females have a stronger orientation toward their peers than do males (Churchill Jr. & Moschis, 1979).

In a study on male and female processing strategies (Meyers-Levy, & Maheswaran, 1991), it was found that a female processing often entails substantial, detailed elaboration of message content, sometimes resulting in female’s heightened sensitivity to the particulars of message claims (Meyers-Levy et al.).

Deliciously Despicable!~

Secrets are dirty, devious and notorious gossips that may not be told to anyone, yet presently be shared and told to everyone with the famous line perfected with age, "don't tell anyone!". We all have our set of skeletons some we can share and some we can't. We worry, ponder, stress, with a million other emotions for whom names may not be known. Some secrets are too deep those that cannot be shared at any cost. It may be a lie or a simple truth that may destroy the person or could be such that the person may rise pure and honest, no longer the cunning and devious character he or she was assumed to be!
It seems as though our secrets are now what make or break us, providing most often a malicious of heart that can only be attributed in kind to the hate that may arise for the person; later turning into a form of pity (not sympathy) that makes you wonder why you ever met with the person in the first place.
Lies are the key. They help you make a life for yourself that you may not have been living before, but in your mind and your own surrounding you now live to perfection. No matter the number of relations you develop, no matter the amount of friendships you harm, ultimately it is YOU who end up scorching your soul branded for life with the lies that consume you and provide you with a darkness that feeds on the very perils of your dreams and hopes.
Assumptions are the locks to the keys that are so readily developed. An assumption that the person may not share, an assumption that the person may not be offended, an assumption that truth will never reveal itself. No matter, but when the truth does creep up and stories are exchanged, the malicious behavior and inept desire to ruin relations is foreseen. It clearly presents the mind's devious 'cleverness' that formulates the lies catering to the life that is developed in a deliciously despicable manner folding and unfolding a series of events, however misfortune, to friends and family clearly dissolving the mask of innocence and revealing the bitter, shriveled and gruesome face inside. 

Inaam Ghaar ... the new Ghaar for 2014!

The year 2014 began with a new outlook to hosting shows provided by GEO TV with their now famous, well publicized and spoken off show - Inaam Ghar. Officially aired on the 18th of January, 2014, the show with its illustrious and famed host, Aamir Liaquat Hussain, began with a bang in Karachi with its first group of participants winning uncountable prizes that ranged from mobiles, clothes etc. to bikes as well.

The show opened to a set that was well lit with an array of lights, colors and "gaming" corners and a stage center that had a game board (that of snakes and ladders) present). The show had something for everyone from children to adults alike from cooking, health habits and games alike in different segments such as "Mufta" and "Khel kay Jeeto" etc that also kept the audience enthralled and captivated throughout. 

Aamir Liaquat is a personality well liked and genuinely appreciated by the audience with a general audience appeal that he has managed to develop over time with this religious and infotainment shows. He is well known by the masses and liked by all because of his enthusiasm, charisma and knowledge along with the quick wit that he shows during the show itself. 

This show is being aired every Thursday and Saturday at 7:30 pm and is a definite view for those who like shows that are light and humorous 

The crown of all - a meeting with a King!

After many a lost chances to savor the ever heard off and constantly showed off taste of Burger King, I finally ate the King Whopper and well, I can't seem to understand what all the hullabaloo was about. Seriously.

To say the least from the night of its opening, opposite the ever famous and well remembered Mr. Burger, till date all chances of actually going there to eat were nipped in the bud because of something or the other, so finally yesterday my family and I went to Dolmen mall to stuff up on the burgers.

So we reached the food court and settled the parents on a table before standing in line (a long but fast moving one for sure), when my turn came we already had decided what we wanted (well there were only two options of which the whopper looked filling). Other than that everything that seemed appealing (onion rings for one) was on the coming soon list of goods.

Other than that we had a minor setback well managed by the lady at the counter, their cash counter stopped working but she efficiently managed the issue and gave us not only the change but also our food.  The burgers are ordinarily priced (same as or close to McDonalds and KFC even Hardees to some extent) so nothing missing there!

Now the fries were good and different, they were thicker than the usual "on a diet" McDonalds and KFC fries, and the Heinz supported tomato sauce was good and complimenting the fries, the burger on the other hand, had a lot missing. The cheese for one was completely non-existent (since all whoppers ordered where to be with cheese), and the patti was somewhat fry, lacking the juiciness that sort of makes you want to gobble the burger whole.

Well conclusively I guess I won't be rushing off to any outlet of Burger King for a while yet till all the "coming soon" have finally come!

The "Kolachi" Experience

When getting together with friends after a long time, a place where one can "catch up" for old times' sake (well not that old) , enjoying the ambiance and of course the food is of importance as well. So, yesterday we did just that when after a long drive we ended up at a restaurant at the "Du Dariya" area.

Let me give a briefer first, I hadn't met my friend Krum* for a while now and so it was decided that Kay*, him and I would meet for dinner. Now Kay, my very particular foodie friend, had told us that food at "Kolachi" was apparently really good and worth the experience (compared to the one we had at Sajjad's). So she was kind enough to get the reservations and that's where we ended up last night.

Now Kolachi in itself is very well managed. The ambiance, the soft music that would  have sudden bursts of loudness, the nice cool air, the soft hum of the sea all added up to make it a pleasant experience for anyone. When we reached there, at the entrance we were asked if we had a reservation and as we did,  were within guided over a small mini bridge, to the main reception area where white comfortable sofas were kept,  for our table. Guided to the 2nd floor we reached our table and settled down, taking in our surroundings overlooking the sea to one side with its green and blue hues of color, and the main reception to the other, but more so the presentation of our table. My friend and I were glad to notice that a proper hand sanitizer was provided ("Dettol" a brand that is well known and reputable in the market), along with cloth napkins and cutlery.

The waiter came immediately to take our orders and upon mutual decision we ordered Lahori Fried Fish as the appetizer, Seekh Kabab and Paneer Reshmi Kabab in a handi for the main course along with garlic and regular Nan.  Krum ordered a chilled Pepsi and low and behold within 10 minutes of being seated we were served with the fish and his chilled Pepsi. Personally I am not a big fan of fish unless its fried, and well, this one was really good, the fish was nice and crunchy on the outside (thanks to the batter) and soft and melts in your mouth on the inside. It didn't take us long to eat all the pieces of the plate along with the fries that they were served with.

Once done with the Fish, the waiter bought in the main course with the nans all the while removing our soiled plates and bringing in new and clean ones. Now THIS Paneer was a different story all together. Unlike the pasta sauce I had earlier, this has the zing of cheese, nice smooth sauce and a light amount masalas (so to speak) that gave a burst of taste in your mouth. The chicken pieces were well cooked not over nor under making them juicy when you bit into them with Garlic Nan. The Seekh Kababs were nicely wrapped in a foil so as keep them fresh and that they wouldn't lose their moisture (apologies not a seekh kabab fan so didn't have them).

The waiter kept coming and going, asking if we needed anything, to the point when even one of the floor managers came by to ask if we were enjoying our food and whether all had been up to the mark or not. For a change, yes for us it was. When we were done with our dinner the waiter even asked us if we wanted dessert or "sheesha" (Hookah), which we politely refused.

The thing about this place is that it allows you to relax and enjoy yourself. To the point that even the chairs are comfortable, allowing you to sit for more than a while to actually like the company your with and the surroundings you are in. We were done within an hour with our dinner, but the atmosphere along with our own jovial moods allowed us to sit on (even though we had paid the bill) order tea and have that as well.

Now the tea wasn't that that great, agreed, but the serving manner, their cups and the unique style of providing the sugar in separate bowls was a different, did make me appreciate the service if not the taste of the tea.

For us (Kay and I that is) we found it worth the wait to actually get a reservation and go in to eat at a place where yes the clients are treated specially, with delicious food and a relaxing atmosphere!

*Names have been changed.