By Rohma Sadaqat
Oh, you are from Lahore! I could tell by your accent the moment you said, ‘hello.’
I have heard this countless times, and it never fails to bring a smile to my face. Almost always, the observation is voiced by an enthusiastic taxi driver, when I am headed somewhere for an assignment. I don’t mind at all; in fact, I welcome the opportunity to talk to a fellow Pakistani about the latest news. Continue reading You have to visit these places in Pakistan, to start with
By Sushmita Bose
In a recent New York Times’ column titled ‘Where is all the color in the September issues?’, journalist Matthew Schneier writes, “In a survey of the last 10 years of September issues of 10 of the top international fashion magazines, people of colour appeared on… covers 26 per cent of the time”. But this year, he notes, the upcoming September issues have 50 per cent of covers devoted to “women of colour” (the reference to the month is about how, historically and traditionally, September is one of the most significant watersheds in the annual fashion calendar). Continue reading Can putting ‘women of colour’ on fashion mags tackle racism?
By Sunil K. Vaidya
Did Anushka carry drinks for Virat Kohli during a Test match in England? Did she so much as attempt to pad up and join her cricketer husband on the 22-yards between the stumps? Did she banish Indian vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane to third man so she could stand in slip cordon with Kohli? Obviously, that’s an emphatic no. Then what’s all this ruckus about a photograph that was tweeted this past fortnight? Continue reading Are trolls nastier when cricket and Bollywood meet?
By Keith Pereña
Recently, my friend posed a question on Instagram: “How do you say daybreak in Filipino?” Knowing the answer, I replied, “Easy. It’s bukang liwayway.” Wrong. There’s supposed to be a dash separating the two words, my friend said. The dash in Filipino, she said, is called gitling. This was an interesting to learn. As it happens, August in the Philippines is Buwan ng Wika or the National Language Month. Continue reading How many Filipino phrases do you know, anyway?
By Sushmita Bose
I used to have a slight problem with Hollywood musicals. Unlike Bollywood, where song-and-dance routines are set-pieces (specially designed and, most times, inserted as a side show with no real thread, unless they are playing in the background), American films which claim to be musicals have actors suddenly breaking into a song, impromptu, in an otherwise perfectly “regular” sequence. Continue reading Great music can go a long way in elevating even a silly film
By Sorell Grow
At first glance, the small boutique looks like many others that line Newbury Street in Boston: Sleek glass shelves and chrome racks are filled with luxury purses, coats, and other accessories arranged by color, designer, or occasion. Despite appearances, all these items in Luxury Garage Sale’s pop-up store share a unique trait – each one has been previously owned. Continue reading Millennials are now driving a boom in re-sale clothing
By Janice Rodrigues
Omar Nour’s life story reads like something out of a movie. He was born in Egypt, grew up in Switzerland and did his higher education in the US. While he was 29, working as an entrepreneur, he signed up for a triathlon. Today, he is a professional triathlete and one of the first Arabs to row 5000kms across the Atlantic Ocean — what is widely considered the world’s toughest row. It should come as no surprise that there is a documentary based on his ocean adventures. Continue reading How a once-obese guy rowed across the Atlantic Ocean
