My Journey to Pakistan: Experiencing the hotter side of life in Karachi

Every now and then the local electrical company (KESC) is making sure that I experience the true life of Karachi and shuts down the electricity for so many various, hilarious reasons which seem extracted from some dark humor screenplay. As I am writing this post the electricity was shut down because of rain and storm. Now my definition of rain and storm must be much different from theirs as rain has fallen for merely 2 blessed minutes and by now the ground is already dry. The announced storm moved some leaves from the trees more like a cool breeze than like a real wind. And yet we have no electricity.

All those Karachites who have experience similar situations probably wonder why our UPS is not working. Well I can’t tell you because I don’t know. There are many things here which are uncommon for me and I did not take the stress of finding out how everything works. My bad. (later edit: my husband fixed that! Yeeeey!)

Thanks to the same aforementioned company, few nights back I had the opportunity of admiring the starry sky from the terrace for few good hours as the electricity was cut off and the air in our room was becoming unbreathable at 30+ degrees.

Earth hour does not come only once a year in Karachi, it comes every other day and it lasts for good time. I wish it was the company’s way of encouraging a greener planet, but it is just irresponsible behavior. To top all that, last week KESC had shut down electricity in the middle of the day for maintenance. That is pure bad management!

Apart from electricity shortage, we also had water shortage in Clifton, Karachi. For some reasons the water supplier opens the pipes only for 1-2 hours in the middle of the night and that’s it! Houses have water tanks of thousands liters of water. But what happens when the water is finished? That can’t be a pretty scene in 40+ degrees. So you call a private water supplier. Yes, thank God there are such companies. Only that time is not important for these companies. For them it seems as if time has special dimensions and if they say they will send the water tank in 1 hour, don’t be foolish and expect them that quick…2-3 hours later call the company and remind them.

So no electricity, no water…welcome to Karachi’s hot and humid summers :)

My Journey to Pakistan: Enjoying Local Food

A culinary travel in Pakistan is a delight for those who appreciate exotic spices, powerful flavors and spicy food.

For me Pakistan is a country of contrasts: very rich people and very poor people, five stars hotels and people who sleep under the stars, golf courses and slums, luxury restaurants and small food stalls with 20 rupees (around 70 bani or 0.17 euro) tea and pratha.

Although I ate in 5 stars hotels and in restaurants of private clubs, I have found the best local food in tiny and (sort of) insanitary dhabas (street restaurant in Urdu) where I would never stepped in, had I not been taken there by people who knew the place. I was surprised to find there people from different social and economic backgrounds all of them attracted by the quality of the food and so I learnt that there are few restaurants – small family businesses – who have maintained their clientele generation after generation.

Pakistani food has few basic ingredients: lentils, chick peas, rice, wheat, meat (chicken, beef, mutton, goat) and, obviously, spices: ginger, turmeric, cumin, chili, coriander, cinnamon, clover, cardamom and many other.

The traditional breakfast – halwa puri – is conceived so that it offers a boom of calories and energy and it is made from a slightly crispy – soft fried dough and a paste made out of semolina, sugar, spices (cardamom, clover and others) topped with pistachio or almonds. This halwa puri is usually served with some hot gravy from potatoes (aloo salan) or chick peas (chana salan). Local restaurants serve this kind of food from 7 to 11 AM. The alternative for a traditional breakfast can be a black tea with milk (Pakistanis are huge fans of tea, signs of the former British colonialism) and pratha (a sort of a crispy pancake fried in local ghee).

For lunch the most common dishes are biryani (a tasty spicy rice with meat), samosa (deep fried snack stuffed with vegetables or meat) and different gravies (salan) made out of vegetables (with or without meat) served with roti (a whole wheat round shape thin bread baked on traditional tandoor).

During the day I have found very few local restaurants opened and those which were opened were offering a limited number of dishes, saving their energy for dinner, when people start to come in.

After 7 PM the temperature becomes bearable, the city starts to look alive and the streets become very crowded. In Karachi there are many streets filled with restaurants and local dhabas. 

On these so called food streets the smell of kabab, tika, sish tok is instantly making your senses rejoice. The waiters are in the middle of the street, trying to convince you to stop at their restaurants, they chase after cars, throw the menu through your car’s open window and, although they try to attract the same customers, I’ve not seen the competition generating conflicts.

So for dinner the variety of dishes is overwhelming: from grilled meat (kabab, boti, tika, bihari boti etc. ) which instantly melts in your mouth, served with extremely hot sauces of turmeric, garlic or other spices, to vegetables cooked in huge pots of cast iron or in clay pots, all served with naan, pratha, roti, puri (varieties of wheat products).

After having their dinner, Pakistanis enjoy a good milk yellow tea (black tea with milk). I have had a fantastic Kashmir tea (originating from the Kashmiri region) which has a subtle taste of cardamom, pistachio, almonds and which is usually served in colder days, because of its thermic effect.

The options for desert are very wide: puddings rich in milk (kheer, rabri, firni), local ice cream called faluda, kulfi and the enchanting carrots delight made out of carrots, milk, sugar and spices.

Of course all these are just few dishes from the Pakistani cuisine which is very rich due to the high availably of vegetables, fruits and, most of all, spices (below is a part of what I plan to take with me back home).

One thing is certain though: no matter what you choose to eat, you always have to be prepared with a glass of water just in case you ran out of breath from the extremely hot and spicy food.

My Journey to Pakistan: Red Bull X-Fighters Jams blew away Pakistan with their thrilling Performance!

The world’s best Freestyle motocross riders took off to the air in front of huge crowd at Moin Khan Stadium Karachi on April 7, 2012 as part of the Red Bull X-Fighters six-stop 2012 world tour.

The event started at 5 PM local time with a brilliantly choreographed cultural show in which true colors of Pakistani culture were presented with flavors of cultural dances, drums and fire acts and to top it all, the riders joined the performers on their bikes and started showing off their skills to get the crowd pumped up. After the cultural show the real action begun as the riders kicked off their bikes in the loud cheers of the crowd.

Sadly I could not reach the event, as my schedule was full for that day, but my friend Muntazir from Lets Build On was kind enough to share this video with us:

The event was broadcast live on GEO SUPER (the largest sport channel in Pakistan) and a large number of local media was also present to witness Pakistan's first ever FREESTYLE MOTOCROSS. The production and management was handled by the team of Red Bull and PR by Catalyst PR and Marketing.

Photo credits: Catalyst PR and Marketing

My Journey to Pakistan: Fashion Pakistan Week 3 - Day 4

Fashion Pakistan Week venue was jammed one hour before the starting of the show. Parking your car was a true art because the hotel's valet services were overloaded. As the last day of the FPW3 was in a workday, many people rushed from their offices in order to arrive on time. However things moved slowly and the actual fashion show started around 20:30 (19:00 was the scheduled hour). Twitter was burning with questions like what's the traffic like or did it start yet, I am running late.

After the fabulous day 3 of the event, people were burning to see what the last day has to offer.

 

Sana Safinaz opened the evening with their latest designs which were as sophisticated and dashing. The two fabulous designers did not let the audience down with their audacious and classy designs. Even some new models made an entrance on the stage, which was like a breath of fresh air after three days of seeing the same faces.

The one and only Tapu Javeri presented his Tapulicious state of the art handbags which are so much more than that: real chef d’oeuvre that every woman deserves and must have, a fashion statement for the modern, dynamic, independent women all over the world. The handbags come in lovable colors and prints and are just a pure delight.

 

 Abdul Samad's inspiration for his latest collection is non-other than the founder of Pakistan, Mr. Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah known for his sophisticated style and regarded as a trend setter of his time. The collection showed both Eastern and Western designs but did not come close to the perfect cuts that we have seen in Bham’s collection in day 3.

 Body Focus Museum, the label of designer Iman Ahmed, came with a reinterpretation of the modern woman seen as a reborn goddess. The designs were very posh, creating the image of a fragile, yet unbreakable woman. Vanilla white dresses in unstructured gorgeous drapes, white lace kimonos with gold embroidery, black leather maxi belts complementing the waist line, multiple layer black and white designs all perfectly accessorized.

The legendary Deepak Perwani's collection called Before Sunrise came in colors inspired by water and earth: lots of sea greens, sky blues and earthly - sandy beiges. Lace, crystals and rich embroidery embellished the dresses and the sarees. Models were floating on the stage in the vaporous Perwani creations and the star of the show was legendary model Nadia Hussain proudly showcasing her baby bump on the ramp.

Feeha Jamshed showed a collection dedicated to her late sister. After a very sentimental and touchy introduction, the models came on the ramp walking in trance, leaving rose petals behind. Most of the designs from the collection reminded me of the feminine mythical creatures from our (Romanian) mythology called iele (fairies with magic skills appearing in night).

The night and the fashion week ended with Honey Waqar’s bridal collection filled with glitter, sparkles, gold, burgundy red and many more other colors and prints, all in massive constructions.

By the end of the evening the models looked very tired and sometimes forgot to smile, showing that 4 days of on and off catwalk carrying heavy dresses is not an easy job.

The surprise that the event was closing with this collection was readable on everyone’s faces. Mr. Perwani admitted to few that the honor of closing the third Fashion Pakistan Week was given to the bridal designer Waqar as she was the former CEO of the Fashion Pakistan Council.

The choice of closing designer(s) left the audience confused and, although the 4 days have showcase more than a handful of to die for pieces and truly gifted designers, many left the venue remembering and talking about the last few collections which were not as breathtaking as most expected.

I guess in fashion, just like in so many other areas depending on personal taste, one man's honey is another man's poison.

Photo credits: Tapu Javeri

My Journey to Pakistan: Fashion Pakistan Week 3 - Day 3

In the busy city of Karachi people hurried up to reach the third day of the Fashion Week on time. Traffic was a nightmare and once we reached Pearl Continental (the hotel where the show is) we saw a huge line of cars waiting to go in. Parking was "at owner's risk" and we lost some time going up and down the stairs from the parking lot without being able to find the exit. The out of order elevator did not help either. Anyway, we finally found our way out and reached the place where glamour was at its best.

Shamaeel was the first one to take the ramp and the day could not have started any better. The designer brought a fresh collection for the modern goddess with beautiful prints, ingenious layers and dynamic colors. Accessories, hair and makeup complemented the looks and showed that a finished look can make the difference. No detail was left out of sight and the romantic, bohemian yet modern collection was a treat for the eye.

It must be hard to come on the ramp after Shamaeel, especially as a newcomer, but the two sisters behind Baani D did a great job. The collection was energetic and had something for everyone, from young and daring downtown girls to more conformist ladies. Lot of white, greens,  browns, mixed prints in this ready to wear collection.

Ahmed Bham brought some fun to the ramp and showed that men can also walk on sunshine. Lots of floral prints, pastels, stripes, beads, necklaces for the modern man who is full of fun, life and very secure on his masculinity. Impeccable cuts for Bham's "it's good to be me" collection.

Monsoon / Accessorize had a youthful and colorful ready to wear lineup. Jumpsuits, maxi dresses  trench coat dresses came in ethnic & animal prints, tribal motives, exotic tones and block colors. 

Gulabo came with a blast: to die for high-end street wear inspired by trunk art and the streets of Pakistan. Trendy jumpsuits, floral and painted shalwars, vaporous shirts, newspaper print t-shirts they all brought fresh air and energy in a frenzy of colors.

Wardha Saleem made a big entrance for the show and went beyond the expectations. The colors were electrifying in her Indus Valley collection and she proved that truck art is very much alive and kicking. Daring cuts, inspiring layering, flawless finishing, colorful textile shoes with jingles all in one collection that proved that Wardha Saleem is a complex artist. From music, to makeup, hairstyle, accessories, and choreography everything was perfectly in sync and carefully chosen to enhance the beauty of the collection.

Rizwanullah - who was supposed to present in day 2, but postponed for day 3 - followed with a collection which showed that fashion is fun by throwing in some casual dresses with a touch of fantasy, clown trousers, asymmetrical cuts, mixed prints and checkered shirts. 

The night ended in cheers and applauses for Nomi Ansari whose collection was inspired by and specially made for some of the most beloved Pakistani celebrities who actually joined the designer on the ramp and modeled for him. Nomi payed his tribute to the stars and showed that he is able to take one step forward and go from catwalk fashion to pure entertainment. The collection was pure fun and enjoyment.

In conclusion day 3 was the best I've seen so far and, unlike in the previous day, I did not want the evening to end. Now the bar is set very high for the final day of the Fashion Pakistan Week and I am so curious to see what the organizers and the designers have in store for tonight.

Photo credits: 18% Grey and Etihad (via http://pakteahouse.net)

My Journey to Pakistan: Fashion Pakistan Week 3 - Day 2

In the hot summerish Sunday, fashion industry stopped for a minute at the beginning of day two in order to pay the respects for the lives lost in the tragic accident from Siachen.

After that the show started rolling with Shehla Chatoor’s latest designs. The collection had a composite and posh look with colors like white, metals and pastels dominating the ramp. The pieces of the collection go beyond the Pakistani borders and address to the modern and emancipated women from all over the world. There was a tiny touch of Eastern in the prints, but the kind that would make you stand out from the crowd and look unique and stylish. I appreciate the most the attention paid to the accessories, as this helped the line have a complete look.

 

Kuki Concepts came up with a time travel story of love, passion and luxury. The collection (inspired from Rajasthan) took us to the far lands of Raja, Maharaja and Mughals and proved that tradition and luxury have a new name: Kuki Concepts. The colors choice was impeccable from white, to gold, burgundy, emerald green, turquoise, and purple. The collection went beyond the cuts and designs by using exquisite fabrics like velvet and brocade. The designer proved that vintage is timeless by using fabrics 50 to 100 years old.

In their collection Ayesha Somaya played with the shades of pink: rose, salmon, blush and fuchsia. Some of the pieces from the collection reminded me a little of the cocktail dresses from the ‘20s through the flapper fringes and the beads, but had modern touch as well. The designs were embellished with lace and crystals. It is a collection targeting not only modern Pakistani fashionistas, but also international ones.

Next was Next with a street fashion – prêt-à-porter collection for summer 2012. The label came with casual looks for the modern youngsters. The range of colors was from ice pastels to electric beats, daring the young professionals to follow the trend. All cheered and applauded when the ramp was taken by children presenting few outfit choices.

Tayyab Bombal presented a modern collection for casual meet-ups or for casual Fridays (in international corporations). It was a westernized collection that emphasized the importance of small details like a cool beads bracelet, a minimalist wallet / purse or funky accessories such as neon color sunglasses.

Evening was closed by Umar Sayeed who presented pieces from several collections. The designs went from sleeveless and backless dresses, to mixed prints black and white jumpsuits and reached the height of priceless Pakistani haute couture. We witnessed the colors grow from white to beige, mustard, purple, turquoise, pink. Apart from the modern and global designs, Umar Sayeed presented some bridal designs that had the clear influence of Pakistan embroiled into them. They were outstanding jewel-like art pieces that made many young ladies reconsider their must have list for their upcoming weddings. 

There were some beautiful designs today and luxurious fabrics, but I wish to see more wow factor on the ramp tomorrow.

Things to work on:

Although things went smooth in day 1, in day 2 there were some technical issues with the sound at the beginning of the show.

Seeing the same 20 models in every single designer’s presentation is starting to be boring. I bet Pakistan has more than 20 good models out there! Plus this is also making things difficult for hair stylists and makeup artists and their work looked sloppy here and there (visible extensions, almost same hairstyle for every collection) and did not match the designs.

I did not dig the Jesus Christ look of that male model (sorry I don’t know the name).

 Photo credits: 18% grey (via http://pakteahouse.net)