december 18, 2016
Dearest Weekenders!
CONTENTS 06. Around Town... One party at a time!
76. W’s Roving Eye
This week’s hottest looks! Who made the
58. Woodstock Vibes
style A- list?
Relive the swinging 60’s with Cynosure’s
84. Weekend’s Watch List
vibrant and graphic Maison collection. 64. The Beauty Edit Minahil Sherazi gives a complete makeup guide for the Shaadi Season. 68. The Reading Room Asmara Ahmed of The Dr. Reads makes a comparison of John Green’s two most popular books.
Binge-watch these movies on a wintery Christmas Eve. 92. 21 Questions An insight into Hamza Tarar’s likes, dislikes and everything in between. 94. Love Struck Weekend’s editors’ picks!
72. Hot Date Up close and personal with chef Zarah Reza of Chef for the Weekend.
Chairperson/Publishing Editor: Rameeza Majid Nizami Editor The Nation: Salim Bokhari Editor-at-Large: Amal Khan Managing Editor: Maryam Mahmood Creative Editor: Nur Zehra Qadri Contributing Editor: Minahil Batool Sherazi Sub Editor: Rana Faizan Hussain Editorial Assistant: Khizra Waqar Karachi Correspondent: Farah Vayani Social Correspondent: Fatima Ameer Creative Head: Faiz-ur-Rehman Creative Team: Talat Mahfooz, Faisal Fazal, Zeeshan Arif, Shoaib Qadir Photographer: M. Basharat Irshad GM Marketing: Bilal Mahmood For Advertising: Kherzan Zaidi - 0321 8976730, Ata-ur-Rehman - 0332 2427473, Khalid Sheikh - 0345 5130728
After a lovely long weekend braving the (beautiful) cold up in Nathia Gali, we’ve come back to the office refreshed and ready to bring you fashion, fun and everything in between. Kicking off this issue with the answer to your shaadi season makeup queries, we bring you our tried and tested (and utterly foolproof) wedding guest looks. A battle of the books commences in the reading room - so check out our feature to see which John Green novel reigns supreme! In case the dropping temperatures have you yearning for cosy evenings in, check out Team Weekend’s festive feels movie picks! All this and a great deal more in your favourite Sunday read - until next time, happy Weekending! Team Weekend.
weekend | around town
#ChandniBegum Asim Reza & Ayla Reza
Hadia & Haadia
Komal Malik, Ayesha Jaffar with a friend
Shameen, Mohsin, Shamail & Isfandyar
Alizay & Rasikh Ismail
december 18, 2016 | 06
Shahbano & Zara
The Pink Tree Company launched its wedding wear collection ‘Chandni Begum’ amidst the movers and shakers of fashion at Koel Cafe in Karachi. The PR of the event was handled by Moiz Kazmi.
Sameera & Neha
weekend | around town
Zain, Umar Sayeed, Asim Reza & Ayla Reza
Shezray, Mohsin & Shehrnaz
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Sharique, Hadia & Kiran Qureishi
Neha & Amneh
Sanam Chaudhri & Komal Malik
Rehana Saigol & Maliha Rehman
weekend | around town
Fundraising Dinner! Anila Puri, Rukhsana, Moniba & Fozia
Ambreen Zafar & Ali Zafar
Aden & Rehan
Anila Puri & Farooq Puri
Ammar Khan & Shazia Ammar
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Adeel Hashmi
DIL (Developments in Literacy) Lahore chapter held its annual Gala fundraiser with Meesha Shafi live in concert. Mr. & Mrs. Nooruddin Feerasta hosted a dinner at their Villa.
Shameen
Akbar & Nina
weekend | around town
Didra & Khalid
Aslam & Zahra
Sumaia Feerasta
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Farah Feerasta & Shehzad Feerasta
Aslam Zafar, Saima Zafar, Parveen Khan & Sasi Zafar
Jojo & Mehak Ahmed
Kiran & Aamir
Mona
weekend | around town
Fozia, Asma & Saman
Ramshay, Mishal & Mehak
Shoaib & Annie
Shirin & Amina
Sana & QYT
Shanzay Sheikh & Amjad Bhatti
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Bushra Aftab
Iram
weekend | around town
Bag It Up! One store opened its doors at MM Alam Road in Lahore. The PR of the event was managed by Lotus PR.
Ayesha, Zahra, Seyham & Yasmin
Yousaf Shahbaz & Khadijah Shah
Sanam Taseer & Mehr Savul
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Aden Rehan & Rehan Babar
Waleed Khalid & Natty
Naz Mansha
Amber Liaqat
Khizra Waqar
Iqra Mansha
weekend | around town
Hiba, Aleena, Selina & Hiba
Myda Malik & Faiq
Sundas Omar
Hira Ali
Deena Rahman
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Nayab
Iman & Momin Ali Munshi
Noshi & Farah
Minahil Qasim
weekend | around town
Amna Niazi & Feroze Khan
Sadaf
Naila Rizwan & Deena Rahman
Rabia & Tania
Sadia Butt
Aisam ul Haq
december 16, 2016 | 20
Fatima Kasuri
Tania & Mahreen
Amna & Kiran
Saneen & Maheen
weekend | around town
Another Milestone! Outfitters organised a success party for meeting their yearly goals.
Bazraka, Aneeza & Sana
Sana & Sara
Anum & Mehak
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Omar Saud
Hammad, Nehaj & Hamra
Hira Hammad
Maria
Sana Momal
Giti Ara
weekend | around town
Usman Khurshid & Abdul Malik with Outfitters team
Shaghula, Salman, Abdullah & friend
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Sidra, Nain Tara, Hira & Arsal
Hamra & Mamoon
Amna
Abdul Basit & Bilal Butt
weekend | around town
Udaari Movement Continues! Kashf Foundation organised an event of meet and greet of TV/film actor Ahsan Khan at Pearl Continental Hotel in Lahore. The PR of the event was handled by Latitude PR.
Sasi Zafar, Parveen Khan & Yasmin
Arzoo Guhar & Zainab Saeed
Tahira Syed & Ahsan Khan
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Shehzad Zafar & Faiza Zafar
Shayan & Farhan
Sana Talat Lagahri
Roshaneh Zafar
Justice (R) Nasira Javed Iqbal
Dr Tasneem Mehreen Syed
weekend | around town
Tahira, Humaira & Gulnaz
Shoha Naveed
Ayesha
Samreen Vance
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Ayesha Subhani
Ambreen Fatima & Kanwal Shehzadi
Shehzad Iqbal
Shaista Aziz & Ammara
Maryam & Farhan
weekend | around town
Sharjeel Baig
Raising the Bar! Edenrobe launched its new outlet at Emporium Mall in Lahore. The event was managed by Troika Events and PR.
Team Edenrobe
Annie & Khadija
Haseeb & Zeeshan
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Iman Ali
Alyzeh Gabol
Cybil Chaudhry
Kiran Butt
Mehreen Syed
ShahzadSyed Noor Mehreen
weekend | around town
Waqar Ahmad Butt
Momal Khan
Mareena Khanzada
Mikaal Zulfiqar
Farwa Ali Zaidi
Samreen Vance
Waqas Niazi
Momina Zainab
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Waleed Khalid
Kiran Khan
Alishah Khan
Aimal Khan
weekend | around town
Sonia & Babras
Lights, Camera, Action! Pakistan’s very first online movie ‘Oye Kuch Kar Guzar’ premiered in Karachi. The film is a tornado of comedy, romance, suspense and adventure.
YQB & Ushna Shah
Ayesha Omar
Ali Gul Pir
Nida Yasir
Bisma
Saqib Malik
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Jami
Hira & Ali
Asad
Nimra Khan
weekend | around town
Food Galore! Basit, Hamza, Nida, Abida, Rezz & Urooj
Nida & Arsalan
Samina, Shahab & Javeria
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Samar, Anam & Pashmina
Habenaro opened its doors for brunch at F7 in Islamabad. The PR of the event was managed by Verve PR.
Zahir, Attiya, Chris & Phillipe
Urooj
Abida
weekend | around town
Bisma Ahmed
Modern Bling! Zohra Rahman showcased a preview of her Memo collection at Generation in Gulberg, Lahore.
Mira Sethi & Zohra Rahman
Mehar & Mehar
Rehan Bashir
Chanda Waseem
Madiha & Rabia
DECEMBER 18, 2016 | 38
Saleena Khan
Huma Mobin & Arslan Butt
Zohra Latif
Mehreen Syed Khizra Waqar
weekend | around town
Izza Sami Sheikh
Shafaq
Samina
Shehzad, Sara & Zainab
Tania Sohail
Meher Tareen
Gohar Bano
Komail Ijaz ud Din
Sehrish Khan
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Zainab
weekend | around town
Maryam Pagganwala & Maria Pagganwala
Blingtastic! Khazana UAE hosted Amrapali Jaipur’s first exhibition at Ensemble in Karachi. The PR of the event was handled by Amjad Bhatti.
Mahvash Sheikh & Samina Maleeh
Sadaf Malaterre & Nida Tapal
Alizeh Pasha & Fatima Ahmed
DECEMBER 18, 2016 | 42
Sadia Nawabi & Sharmila Farooqi
Amin Khan & Moin Rana
Kiran Imran
Mehreen Amin
Sara Gheewala
Farah Vayani Mehreen Syed
weekend | around town
Silver Screen! The Pakistan Film Festival was held at UN Headquarters (Asia Society) in New York. The PR of the event was managed by Catalyst PR.
Maleeha Lodhi & Saba Qamar
Serish Khan
Tooba Siddiqui
Sanam Saeed
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Mahira Khan
Wajahat Rauf , Frieha Altaf, Saba Qamar & Yasir Hussain
Uzma Sarfraz Khan
Serish Khan
Sheheryar Munawar
Nabeel Mehreen Syed
weekend | around town
Spreading Smiles! Children First - The Society’ and NICH joined hands to present “A love letter to Karachi,” a contemporary art performance at NAPA Karachi in support for the patients of the Guillian - Barre - Syndrome and other diseases treated at the ICU ward. The event was organized by Privee Events & PR.
Mr & Mrs. Arif Alvi with Arshia & Ahmed
Farida Roqaidia with daughter
Amrah Haseeb & Afshan Soorty
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Sabrina Tariq & Komal Mirza
Maryam Pagganwala
Sana Zehra
Nageeb & Asma Hassan
Arsalan Bilgrami & Omayr Saiyid
weekend | around town
Yasmeen & Beena
Nighat & Majeeda
Mujtaba Javaid
Arshia Khan
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Mr. & Mrs. Tariq Kirmani
Ayesha & Sonia
Uzma Khan & Taha
Mohammad Rajpar, Yasmin & Ali
Tooba Siddiqi
weekend | around town
Lahore in Focus! Ali Sethi
Bilal Sami, Zeshan Khalid, Nour Nazifa Aslam, Omer Sheikh & Hanan Ashfaq
Unum Babar & Matt Kushan
Adnan Madani
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Mohsin Hamid
Goethe-Institute Pakistan, the Lahore Biennale Foundation, Beaconhouse National University and the Centre for Culture and Development and City in Context hosted a 4-day symposium at the Alhamra Arts Council, Lahore & Annemarie-Schimmel-Haus, Alliance Francaise De Lahore.
Samiya Mumtaz
Rafay Alam
Honi Ryan
Mehreen Kai Vรถckler Syed
weekend | around town
Sara-Duana Meyer
Hanan Ashfaq, Rizwan Hussain & Omer Sheikh
Risham Syed
Zoya Hasan
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Zeshan Khalid & SaraDuana Meyer
Imrana Tiwana
Mustafa
Miro Craemer
weekend | around town
Spirit of Giving! The annual Fitness Fiesta fundraiser was held at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Lahore. The PR of the event was handled by Amjad Bhatti.
Amaani & Nabeel Nawaz
Tania Khan
Dr Asif & Rafia
december 18, 2016 | 54
Fatima Muqeet & Azka Bokhari
Omer Sheikh, Taimour Sheikh, Arslan Sheikh & Mona Omar
Umer Hafeez, Waleed Malik & Mahnoor Sajid
Sophiya Anjam
Rizwan Naeem
weekend | around town
Tony Davis & Ahmed Khan
Saniya
Foha Raza
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Natasha Shahab, Myra Shahab & Shahab Ashraf
Naila Khan, Sophiya Anjam & Atiqa Batool
Team Forty Two Day Challenge
Asif Nazeer
weekend | around town
Zahra Merchant
Prêt Magic! Farida Hasan exhibited her winter prêt collection in Lahore.
Aysha, Farida & Khuban
Farida & Shahima
Saman & Tanya
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Khadija & Sehyr
Sehr Aniqa & Aleen
Sundus
Gauhar
Noor Monnoo
Ruby
Photography: Muzi Sufi
Brand Cynosure cynosure.official,brand cynosure.pk
Models:
Imaan Madani Meera Ansari
Styling
Samiya Ansari @swearuponcoco
Makeup
Bina Khan
Set Designer Zoha Shakir
weekend | lifestyle
The Beauty Edit
Your Shaadi Season Makeup Guide! by Minahil Sherazi It’s December and while we may not have snow to look forward to, we definitely have a wedding (or seven) to get out our glad rags for. It’s equally important to have your wedding guest looks down pat as it is for the bride to have hers. There are three major events to attend for every Pakistani wedding (not including all the pre-wedding and in between events) so that means three different outfits and three different makeup looks. Lucky for you, researching the latest in the beauty world and playing around with makeup is our day-job so we got you covered!
MEHNDI
december 18, 2016 | 74
Base
This is the night where things get loud, colourful and may we say, sweaty too (all that dancing) so you want to make sure that firstly your makeup is sweat-proof and secondly that you avoid flashback (SPF foundations for flash-photography are a big no-no). Wearing a foundation that is long-wearing is key so you want to opt for one that provides fullcoverage and is preferably matte (a sheer base that provides a glow combined with sweat will only make you look like the disco ball on the dance floor). Prime your face with a primer so whatever you put on top of it, does not budge all night. We’re not huge fans of siliconebased primers because things tend to get slippery but one that contains glycerine will adhere nicely to your base products. The Nivea After-Shave balm works amazingly as a primer and you’ll always find a bottle of the stuff in our stash. But if you don’t particularly want to share beauty products with your husband and
would go down the silicone route then the Smashbox Iconic Photo Finish Foundation Primer is an excellent primer that holds the foundation and works well on oily skins. If you don’t want to apply layers of a full-coverage foundation but still want the coverage then apply a light layer with a damp beauty blender which will still provide the coverage but look more natural. We’ve said it before but we’ll say it again that we adore the Urban Decay All Nighter Liquid Foundation which provides a build-able coverage with a matte finish that does not feel heavy or cakey on the face. Its flawless finish has us reaching for it time and time again. Another contender is the Kat Von D Lock-It Foundation which is a high-pigment, fullcoverage one with a matte finish and 24-hour wear so you know it’s not going anywhere. A light layer of the creamy formula will stop shine, hide blemishes and stay fade-proof and transfer-resistant too so if there’s a lot of hugging and kissing you can rest assured your foundation is not moving. To make it fully sweat-proof we recommend setting with a translucent setting powder like the RCMA Makeup No Colour Powder—a very fine powder that sets your makeup without adding colour or coverage.
Eyes
The Mehndi is also the only event you can get away with experimenting with your makeup so if you want to wear green eyeshadow then go for it (within reason). If you are going to go for colour on the eyes
then pair it with a nude lip because a bright colour on the eyes plus a bright lip only belongs on the stage (the theatrical kind). Our go-to eyeshadow palette lately has been the Huda Beauty Rose Gold Textured Shadow Palette—it contains all the glittery pressed pigments, shimmer and matte shades to complete any look. If you want a more subtle colour on the eyes but still keep it playful, we recommend using coloured eyeliner or the Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner which provides hardcore sparkle that is perfect for a fun Mehndi night.
weekend | lifestyle
THE
WERDECDEPTIINONG When it comes to the wedding reception, the beauty options are endless. There’s generally only one rule of thumb we like to go by and that’s to avoid the bright eye makeup on the day of the reception. As the event is slightly more formal, you want to leave the fun and experimental makeup for the Mehndi. You want your makeup to last but since there usually isn’t any dancing involved (just plenty of posing for pictures) you don’t have to go for a super matte look (unless you want to). There are two foundations we reach for when we want a flawless complexion—the Georgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation and the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Stick Foundation and both are long-wearing, build able in terms of coverage and leave a lovely satin finish on the skin. A radiant complexion is the starting point of all good makeup looks so we like to prep the skin with a hydrating primer and our current favourite is the Too Faced Hangover Primer which hydrates, smoothes and brightens the skin for a dewy, healthy looking finish.
Lips:
If you want to focus on your lips then there’s nothing quite like a bright lip for an easy, one-step way to pull off the perfect wedding guest look. Bright reds with blue undertones will add vibrancy to fair skin and the blue tones also make teeth appear whiter (bonus for the wedding pictures). Our favourite is Charlotte Tilbury’s Matte Revolution lipstick in Red Carpet Red that bestows Scarlett Johansson-like glam factor. Orange-based brick reds tend to flatter olive complexions with warm undertones because they help cancel out any sallowness so choose a fiery orange-red like the MAC So Chaud lipstick. If you want to steer clear from the classic reds and prefer a pink pout then opt for L’Oreal’s Infallible Pro-Matte Gloss in Rouge Envy and Forbidden Kiss which are two beautiful pink colours that will suit every skin tone and get pulses racing. However the problem with doing a bold lip is that it is high maintenance since weddings are long affairs with plenty of eating, drinking, talking, kissing (cheeks). So re-application becomes a necessity but if that isn’t your thing then definitely go for softer pinks or lip stains that won’t wear off easily.
Eyes:
If it’s the eyes you want to play up then you cannot go wrong with a gold eye look which when paired with the red lip is a winner in our books. How you go about doing the gold eye look is up to you but here’s a suggestion: a gold loose pigment such as the MAC Loose Pigment in Gold or Rose Gold applied wet (spray MAC Fix + spray) on the lid with a black feline flick will draw attention to your eyes. The gold compliments all eye colours and shapes and nothing says celebration quite like gold glitter! Alternatively, use glitter eyeliner for a subtle approach to the golden eye look—drawing a second feline flick over the black one. We love a brown/bronze colour on the lids too which is a softer approach to an intense and dark smokey eye. Again, the brown end of the colour spectrum compliments all eye colours, especially making hazel and green eyes pop. When it comes to lashes we like them to be dramatic but we don’t want to compete with the bride herself so we like the Zhoosh #2 Bambi lashes that add length and volume without going over the top. We like to cut the ends so the strip lashes fit our eyes or you can cut them in half and wear them at the ends of your eyes for an exaggerated flick.
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Base
weekend | lifestyle
VALIMA Eyes
december 18, 2016 | 74
The Valima reception is the event where we like to wear an intense black smokey eye with accents of silver or any other metallic sheen you want to throw in. The difference between a good smokey eye and looking like you’ve been in the ring with Amir Khan is, blending. You certainly don’t have to spend hours blending your crease with a MAC 224 blending brush (any blending brush will do) but definitely factor in blending time to your overall getting ready time. Even with a black smokey eye you will need to blend with a matte shade of light brown in the crease to create a gradient effect. Before starting, prime your eyes with a primer and set the primed lid with a setting powder and start your smokey eye. With a dark eye look, we like to do our face make up after we’ve completed the eyes so any fall out from eyeshadows can be easily wiped away. If you want a razor sharp edge to your smokey eye then you can always use Post-It notes to stick at the sides that will create that sharp edge you see a lot of professional make up artists create (look silly at your own risk). The Inglot Cosmetics black matte eye shadow from the Freedom System is one of the most pigmented black eye shadows we have used. It packs pigment, is crease resistant and has an intense black colour—perfect for that smoke. If you want to make your eyes more dramatic then you can always add a slight shimmer like a pressed or loose pigment on top.
Lips
It goes without saying that with a black smokey eye, a shimmery glossy lip is the perfect pairing and we have found that perfect gloss in the Marc Jacobs Enamoured Hi-Shine Gloss Lip Lacquer in Sugar Sugar. It gives the lips a lush look with an unbelievable shine (like 30 coats of lacquer) and the champagne-gold shimmer of the colour Sugar Sugar makes the lips look fuller and plump. Alternatively, MAC’s Lipglass in Oyster Girl works well with a smokey too.
weekend | books
The Reading Room
Battle of the Books Looking For Alaska vs The Fault In Our Stars by: John Green
DECEMBER 18, 2016 | 68
Review By Asmara Ahmed Qaisrani @TheDoctorReads
1. Collecting famous last words isn’t a bad hobby: In the world’s insane rush to produce plastic pretenders’, don’t stifle your inner nerd-- hang on to your eccentricities, be open with them. You’ll keep open to the possibility of strangers walking in who will become permanent residents of your heart. Which is always better than suffering in silence the fake friendships so often thrust upon us. 2. Your illness can consume you: While TFIOS was about young people battling cancer, Alaska was about succumbing to another more sinister disease-- depression. Alaska is not the photogenically perfect Hazel, sunnily suffering from cancer while finding solace in the loving arms of Augutus. Alaska is alone, pushing away lovers and friends until she finds herself confronted with the abyss of oblivion, an endless labyrinth in her own mind. Alaska’s guilt, her final confrontation with her disease, all paint a terrifyingly vivid picture of an intelligent and otherwise healthy mind falling in on itself like a black hole in the core of a brilliant galaxy, a worm consuming the heart of a rose. 3. Life is a labyrinth: But it is darker without friends-- case in point, the Colonel and his obsessive investigation, Miles and his fatalistic love for Alaska, unrealized and ultimately, as brief as a moth’s sojourn with a candle-flame-- reading about them makes you wonder how long Alaska’s grief was held at bay just because of her friends. If they had bonded longer could they perhaps have reworked their narrative? You can only wonder. But the glorious high points in their friendship only throw into darker contrast their failings as Alaska’s friends-- in failing to share her grief, they became part of it.
john green
TFIOS was like the preppy all-star younger sister to it’s darker, brooding older sibling ‘Looking for Alaska’. Where ‘Alaska’ was a searing, often unforgiving look at the furious nihilism of being a teenager, you never once found yourself pitying the characters-- they were drawn too close to reality to need your pity. In their eyes, you could almost see yourself reflected back.
4. Death is not a metaphor: Not for anything. Perhaps the one thing that sets this book apart the most is it’s stubborn refusal to fall into the use of metaphors or allegories. Things simply are as they are. Is that too harsh a way to view the world? Perhaps. But it is closest to the truth, unblinkered by sentimentality and useless what ifs. Life and Death don’t operate on an either/or basis. Things are. Then they are not. It is really that simple. And that difficult. “We are all going, I thought, and it applies to turtles and turtlenecks, Alaska the girl and Alaska the place, because nothing can last, not even the earth itself. The Buddha said that suffering was caused by desire, we’d learned, and that the cessation of desire meant the cessation of suffering. When you stopped wishing things wouldn’t fall apart, you’d stop suffering when they did.” - John Green, Looking For Alaska To be honest, I am not Mr Green’s target audience.
DECEMBER 18, 2016 | 69
Deep breaths. Deep breaths. Okay? Okay! AAARGH! From it’s shallow and trivial sentimentality, to it’s postcard-flat and two dimensional characters, TFIOS was like the preppy all-star younger sister to it’s darker, brooding older sibling ‘Looking for Alaska’. Where ‘Alaska’ was a searing, often unforgiving look at the furious nihilism of being a teenager, you never once found yourself pitying the characters-- they were drawn too close to reality to need your pity. In their eyes, you could almost see yourself reflected back. Unlike TFIOS where you were definitely aware that not only were you reading a young-adult novel, you were being smothered in the sheer cheese of it. Alaska, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways:
weekend | books
The more I read John Green’s work, the more I begin to wonder why his least challenging book is his most revered one-- everyone has read or seen the tepid film version of ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ but ask about ‘Looking For Alaska’ and you’re more likely to draw a blank stare or an outright, ‘Uffff, THAT book-- it was so not like TFIOS!’ My GOD, it’s not supposed to be!
weekend | books DECEMBER 18, 2016 | 70
I am not a teenager, and even when I was one, I hardly think Mr Green’s flights of fancy would have moved my Goth self to the depths of despair as so many young readers were in the aftermath of ‘The Fault in Our Stars’-- it would’ve made me roll my eyes and turn up another Iron Maiden track, more likely. My problem with the book was initially with it’s unrealistic depiction of the terrible ordeal suffered by cancer patients. But I think that’s a given whenever you pick up a Young Adult book-- a lot of things are unrealistically depicted. Most teens don’t have access to Oncology wards and chemotherapy treatment rooms. Pain and pathos are glossed over, reduced to quotable truisms uttered by gorgeously photogenic dying teenagers sunnily saying things like, ‘I’m in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable’. Right. Okay. Clear desk space. Bang head. Repeatedly. Okay? This is the constraint of the genre itself. An average reader doesn’t WANT to be told in detail of the devastation of a cancer diagnosis or the havoc chemotherapy wrecks on your body. If they did they wouldn’t turn to Mr Green to enlighten them. YES, this is an unfair comparison but cancer is an unfair topic -- Mr Green’s book is a brief stroll, it offers no insight, nothing beyond the postcard sentimentality of its two dimensional characters and their pseudo-philosophical motivations. One could say that if Mr Green was staying true to his characters he would offer more than the usual placebos of a navel-gazing teen romance, he would ask more difficult questions rather than just pandering as a Kleenex to the tear-jerking situation presented before his audience (candle-light dinners in a European city, y’all! Postchemotherapy nausea and vomiting ain’t real, y’all!). With the advent of TFIOS, misery teen fiction as a genre has also mushroomed,
Mr Green’s book is a brief stroll, it offers no insight, nothing beyond the postcard sentimentality of its two dimensional characters and their pseudophilosophical motivations. One could say that if Mr Green was staying true to his characters he would offer more than the usual placebos of a navel-gazing teen romance
with everything from depression, suicide, immunocompromised romance being fair game for authors to use as fodder for young reader to, er, enjoy. Disease is an easy villain in a YA novel-- you never need to write any dialogue or motivation for it, it’s just evil-- best villain ever! Also disease conveniently kills the love interest when things get too boring but hey, no one’s complaining. Specially not the publishers or the writers. But having said that, I think Mr Green’s novel did a good job of tackling a difficult topic in a sympathetic manner. We know as soon as we are introduced to the main characters that this isn’t going to have a happy ending. It’s his power as a writer that compels us to stick around for the whole narrative. While some parts did make me gag (SO. MUCH. CHEESE.), others made me want to pull my hair out but as much as I wanted to hate this book, I couldn’t. It IS well written-- regardless of it’s shallow ambition, I liked the book-- it’s a Happy Meal of watered-down, easy-to-digest philosophy for our generation that finds soul-searching conversations on Whatsapp. It comes down to what you want to take away from the story-- keep the light-hearted humor and leave the sorrow, remember the laughs and cherish the tears, no matter how artificial, contrived or unearned they seem. This book was funny, sad, quirky-- a little guilty pleasure for a growing audience that pulls you in and breaks your heart as much as it gives you hope. Is it the definitive cancer story for our time? No. Will it still be as relevant in another decade or so? Well, who’s to say? ‘Looking For Alaska’ is still in print some ten odd years after it’s publication. Mr Green is just getting started. I tip my metaphorical hat to you, Mr Green even as I literally want to smack you. Okay? Okay :)
weekend | conversation
In conversation with
Zarah Reza
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of Chef for the Weekend Zarah Reza is a self-taught food connoisseur, who successfully runs her catering company, Chef for the Weekend in Lahore. This week, we speak to this young entrepreneur on her passion for cooking and the challenges of running her own business. When and how did you develop a passion for cooking? I believe passion exists within you,
you don’t artificially cultivate it. In my case I identified it by helping my mother cook in the kitchen when I was quiet young. I cooked and realised that this is something I could do happily all my life and build a career around it. What is the philosophy behind Chef for the Weekend? The philosophy is really simple our thought and goal is to
The philosophy is really simple our thought and goal is to eliminate the stress that is associated with planning your special event by combining creativity, passion and professionalism in everything we do.
weekend | conversation
eliminate the stress that is associated with planning your special event by combining creativity, passion and professionalism in everything we do. What are your day-to-day responsibilities running a catering business? The day to day responsibilities vary greatly but the most important include managing the food and beverages provision for events, planning menus, budgeting and most importantly monitoring the quality of the product ensuring health and safety regulations.
Who or what influences you as a food connoisseur? The process by which all the ingredients are created. The more you know about the process by which it came to you, the more delight you can take in consuming it. The act of consuming, itself seems like a minor miracle to me. What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your journey so far? The biggest challenge I faced might not seem big for a lot of professional bakers but
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The process by which all the ingredients are created. The more you know about the process by which it came to you, the more delight you can take in consuming it. The act of consuming, itself seems like a minor miracle to me.
weekend | conversation
Oh my god, there are so many but the most memorable was our kids cooking weekend and the first kid’s birthday event in which almost my entire family united to help me set up. It was crazy yet amazing. Any particular client story you would like to share? All my clients have been very kind and considerate so there are not any specific stories to mention. They all are genuinely really special to me.
What is something you will never compromise on? Honesty and quality.Even with the rising cost of raw products, we never compromise on quality to gain profits. mine was making a vegan cake for a client for her anniversary dinner when I had no experience of baking cakes at all which miraculously turned out amazing and we were flooded with orders for cakes. Alhumdulilah.
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What is the most memorable thing you have experienced in your journey so far?
All my clients have been very kind and considerate so there are not any specific stories to mention. They all are genuinely really special to me.
What is your secret to keeping the clientele alive? Be present and in easy reach of the client, consider and cater to their needs. Moreover making a niche for yourself by specializing in rare/new upcoming food trends and recipes. What advice would you give to people interested in starting a catering business? An advice that helped me don’t try to be everything to everybody- customers will respect you more when you let them know there might be someone better for them to use if it is out of your specialty area. And as they say “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life”.
weekend | Fashion
W’s ROVIN ell, what’s the use of W a pair of good eyes that never rove? Weekend’s been going through our fashion files for the week
Bisma Tareen
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Bisma is bang on trend in these uber flared bottoms and chunky grey knit. The cross body statement bag adds punchy colour to these monochrome tones, and those gold hoops (by Zohra Rahman) are firmly on our covet list.
Meher Tareen
All white everything and a slick of pillarbox red lippy is just what the doctor ordered. The flared culottes and cropped jacket look sleek and effortless.
Mahira Khan
Mahira combines western and eastern elements effortlessly in this Elan dress and Studio S coat. Statement earrings, a deep red pout and sparkly pumps complete this glamorous look.
weekend | Fashion
ING eye and these are the people who caught our fancy for either their style, their courage or their star power. Well played!
Zohra is the epitome of effortless in this laid back luxe ensemble. Simple separates, socks and sandals (fashion rules are made to be broken!) and a barely there choker from her new collection – Zohra rarely makes a fashion misstep.
Sanam Saeed
Sanam looks lovely in this ethereal net sari and nude pumps. Her hair and makeup look in particular is serving us major #beautygoals.
Mira Sethi
Mira gives us a masterclass on executing “boho-chic� perfectly for the winter. The fringing on her knitted dress, the croc textured detail on her cross body bag and the fire engine red lipstick all tie together a look which is both classic and interesting. december 18, 2016 | 77
Zohra Rahman
weekend | lifestyle
Weekend’s Holiday Watch List
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Movies to binge-stream on Christmas Eve!
Christmas is one of the most celebrated holiday seasons in the world; one that greatly influences and contributes to pop-culture, especially in terms of film. This week we bring you our list of favourite movies to binge-watch on a wintery Christmas Eve, sitting by the fireplace in fuzzy red pajamas, melting marshmallows on skewers and sipping a cup full of delicious hot chocolate!
1
The Holiday (2006)
Perhaps the ultimate feel-good holiday movie to come out of Hollywood in years, The Holiday is the story of two women with troubled love lives who swap homes across countries and find love in the days leading up to Christmas. We can literally watch this movie a hundred times and get the same feel good vibes over and over again.
2
Home Alone 1 and 2 (1990, 1992)
This 90’s classic, that shot McCaulay Culkin to fame is one of the biggest box office successes of all time and is also hailed as one of the best Christmas movies ever! The plot for both movies may be ridiculously unbelievable but you don’t mind taking it all in with a pinch of salt and hysterical laughter, mostly because of Culkin’s prodigious acting skills and endearing charm.
LOVE Actually (2003)
weekend | lifestyle
3
One of the most famed multi-starrers (it stars Alan Rickman aka Professor Snape!), Love Actually relays the loosely interconnected, complex love lives of people across London in the four weeks leading up to Christmas. The eight storylines are both realistic and fantastical and the movie delivers immensely well, pairing great acting with an amazing script that is lighthearted and full of smooshy love.
4
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
This old Hollywood holiday flick is a stimulating story of a senile man claiming to be Santa Claus who is institutionalized as insane. A young lawyer decides to defend him by arguing in court that he is in fact the real thing. This again is a lovely lighthearted movie and makes you want to believe that Santa really does exist!
5 It’s a Wonderful Life
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(1946)
The Christmas movie of all Christmas movies, even if you haven’t seen it you feel like you have, simply because of how much it gets referenced in films and TV. The plot is a moralizing tale of a compassionate but discouraged businessman who is shown by an angel what life would have been like if he never existed. It’s a film that makes you think and rethink life and celebrate the absolute ‘wonderfulness’ of it all.
weekend | Fashion lifestyle
6 The Family Stone (2005)
Another great Christmas movie, okay maybe not that great, but it’s one that’s hard to escape because of its standard reruns on TV. Sarah Jessica Parker plays an uptight businesswoman who accompanies her boyfriend to visit his loud and eccentric family for Christmas celebrations. This one’s a funny family oriented entertainer with a predictable storyline that’s easy to enjoy. Diane Keaton stars as the boyfriend’s mother (additional info in case if like us you’re also a huge fan!)
7
The Santa Clause (1994)
This is a Tim Allen starrer so you know you’re in for a good laugh. A man named Scott Calvin inadvertently kills Santa while he is trying get down the Chimney on Christmas Eve to deliver a present for his son. Scott soon finds himself magically enlisted to take Santa’s place and an exciting journey ensues that’s entertaining for kids and grownups alike.
8 Jingle All the Way
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(1946)
Two words, Arnold Schwarzenegger! Terminator turned governor of California plays a father desperately in search of a sold-out Christmas gift, a Turbo Man action figure, for his son. The movie could be seen as a commentary on the crazy commercialism of Christmas, so there is a bit of a message behind the general madness in the movie that gets you rooting for a toy!
weekend | fashion
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