Tag: Life Top

  • DOCK 27 has a secret saviour

    DOCK 27 has a secret saviour

    Most restaurants in Pakistan, especially Lahore, operate on one theory: the more you have on the menu, the better it will be.

    Dock 27 sounds like a seafood joint and looks like one too… or does it? Nevermind, it’s complicated.

    The base of any chef, any restaurant or any food, is the basics. Books for professional chefs, bibles of food pairings, all emphasise the utmost importance of the basic commandments, which when perfected, are what the finer, complex ideas should stand on.

    Dock 27 is as confused as the “About Us” section they have posted on their Facebook page.

    The words, that jump at you from their Facebook page, don’t mean anything when put together. “Deepwater expeditions,” “Drifts and Jolts under the dark eclipse,” “journeys with dancing dolphins” and ultimately a “nautical hub” bistro. What did it all mean? I couldn’t tell.

    Dimly lit, the clashing interior of Dock 27

    Dock 27, a “worldly” restaurant in Lahore Defence, simply put, focuses on seafood, but also on cuisine from around the world. From Thai green curries to NY Strips, Italian pasta to Chinese stir-fried beef, it’s as if the owner and chef sat down and decided to make everything: because excess is always good, isn’t it?

    Not spoilt for choice, but feeling overwhelmed, my dinner partner and I asked the courteous waiter for his recommendations. In the dim lighting, I could barely see his face but appreciated the impeccable service. We ordered two mains on his recommendations.

    Tampa Chicken with mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables

    It is incredible how something as basic as BBQ sauce can save a restaurant’s review.

    What a BBQ sauce. The Tampa Chicken is grilled chicken slathered in shiny BBQ sauce, a bone dry potato mash (that I sent back) and decently grilled vegetables. The flavour was spot on, with the perfect balance of ketchup, Worchestershire and the tartness of what tasted like imli. Another bowl of the sauce was requested and dumped on everything else. Including the second main, the penne pasta with chicken and mushrooms in a creamy sauce. It elevated everything that touched it.

    Penne pasta with mushrooms and grilled chicken

    The al dente penne pasta had a solid flavour with and the right basics — decent white sauce, perfectly seasoned…but that was it. After a few luxurious bites, it became a little one-note — until I took a journey under the dark eclipse and mixed it with some BBQ sauce, licking the bowl clean.

    Singing praises of the sauce, I left thinking that I will not return again. The dim interior, the confused setting, and the loud music left me feeling disoriented. But I would definitely send someone to pick up anything with extra BBQ sauce.

  • 19th century abandoned Sikh temple to be reopened

    19th century abandoned Sikh temple to be reopened

    Following the Kartarpur Corridor initiative, the Pakistani government is playing an active role to restore abandoned religious sites in the country. Only recently, a Hindu Mandir was reopened in Sialkot after 72 years.

    Recent reports have revealed that The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) is planning to restore and reopen the historical 19th century abandoned Gurdwara Chowa Sahib in Jhelum and has also unveiled a plan for it.

    The gurdwara, which is one of the most sacred Sikh temples, is situated at the northern edge of the majestic Rohtas Fort’s Talaqi gate near Punjab’s Jhelum city and dates back to 1834. Gurdwara Chowa Sahib means “Gurudwara of the exalted spring”, and it commemorates the site where Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh religion, was popularly believed to have created a water spring.

    According to a Sikh legend, Guru Nanak and Bhai Mardana were travelling in the region and had arrived at the site during hot summer in 1521. When Bhai Mardana told Guru Nanak that water was scarce in the area, Guru Nanak is said to have then struck the earth with his cane and moved a stone thereby revealing a natural spring. The water of the spring was considered to be so holy that Ranjit Singh would reportedly have it specially transported to him in Lahore. Singh had also commissioned the present-day structure of the Gurdwara in 1834.

    ETPB Secretary Shrines Imran Gondal said that the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee and Sikh leaders would perform the inauguration of the multi-million restoration project. However, did not specify a date.

  • Selfie gone wrong: Pakistani teenager kills himself while taking a selfie

    Selfie gone wrong: Pakistani teenager kills himself while taking a selfie

    The selfie craze is real. Youngsters like to take unique selfies of themselves and then post them on their social media accounts for likes and comments. But some people go too far while taking a selfie. According to recent reports, selfie attempts have killed five times more people than shark attacks.

    A 14-year teenager from Muzaffargarh killed himself while taking a selfie. He was taking a selfie with a loaded pistol that was pointed at him. That pistol accidentally went off killing him on spot. Police said that the boy’s family does not want to take any legal action.

    The trend of taking selfies with guns should end now considering how dangerous it is. One might think that they look cool posing with a pistol, but the risk attached to it is too high to disregard.

  • Fawad Chaudhry says Pakistan will go to space in 2022

    Fawad Chaudhry says Pakistan will go to space in 2022

    Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhary has announced to send the first Pakistani to space in 2022.

    Fawad made the official announcement on his Twitter. He explained that fifty people will first be shortlisted. The list will then come down to 25 from which one person will be selected to go to space in 2022.

    Though the minister did not share any details of the space program, he said this will be the biggest space event in Pakistan’s history.

  • Who exactly designed PM Khan’s outfit for his White House meeting?

    Who exactly designed PM Khan’s outfit for his White House meeting?

    As Prime Minister Imran Khan returns from his maiden trip to the United States, everyone can’t help but gush over him, his speeches, media interviews and interactions with President Donald Trump.

    Pakistanis were also appreciative of his choice of attire for his White House visit. Undoubtedly, the premiere was looking graceful in a dark blue shalwar kameez and waistcoat.

    Sharing a picture of PM Khan with Trump, Pakistani brand Mohtaram had claimed that the premiere was dressed in an outfit designed by them. The brand, which has dressed a plethora of A-list celebrities, has previously designed several outfits for PM Khan.

    The founder of the brand, Fahad Saif, made multiple appearances on media channels and discussed how he designed the outfit for the prime minister.

    However, late Wednesday night, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Syed Zulfi Bukhari took to Twitter to clarify that the cloth of PM Imran’s outfit was bought by the First Lady and stitched by a local tailor and “whichever designer is trying to claim credit for it is not only a liar but a cheat.”

    Following Zulfi’s tweet, Mohtaram issued a clarification on their social media.

    Mohtaram refused to comment further on the matter when we reached out to them.

  • Zartaj Gul is planning to take action against manufacturers of fairness creams

    Zartaj Gul is planning to take action against manufacturers of fairness creams

    Minister for Climate Change Zartaj Gul has announced that the federal government will soon be taking action against manufacturers of substandard fairness creams.

    Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Zartaj said that cosmetic companies had been adding “excessive” amounts of mercury into their products, especially these creams, which made them extremely dangerous.

    Calling out these cosmetic companies, Gul said these manufacturers were bent upon “peeling our skin off to whiten it.” She added, “Humain apnay kaalay aur sanwalay honay per bohat fakhar hai. Humain complex ka shikar na banayen zabardasti chita kar kar kay.”

    “You play with our skins through these creams you sell for 10 rupees,” the minister continued, adding that both boys and girls fall prey to these creams.

    Video of Zartaj Gul’s press conference

    Gul said the government had assessed around 57 local and international products and only three of them were found to have met the standards.

    Gul stated that the legislation regarding this will hopefully be drafted by December 31.

    Fairness creams have often been the subject of debate in Pakistan. In recent year, people have begun to call a ban on them due to their harmful contents. Sajal Aly and Mawra Hocane, who have endorsed these products, have also received a lot of backlash for promoting them.

  • Busting 5 popular health myths

    Busting 5 popular health myths

    Health myths. We hear them all day every day – from your colleague to your driver, everyone has a totka to give. But just because all these myths are popular doesn’t mean that they work as well. Here are 5 popular health myths busted.

    1. Fat is not good for you

    Fat is necessary for a healthy, balanced diet. The macronutrient is as important as carbohydrates and proteins. Doctors recommend adding ‘good fats’ such as Omega 3 and 6 found in foods like avocado, salmon, eggs, olive oil, flax seeds, walnuts, etc to your diet.

    2. Drink milk for stronger bones

    Milk
    is recommended for strong bones as dairy is the easiest available source of
    calcium that is required for bone health. 
    But if a person does not like milk he still can have healthy and strong
    bones by getting the required amount of calcium from nuts, sesame seeds, oily
    fish and dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, green collard, broccoli,
    etc. Physical fitness experts say other ways to increase bone density is to
    exercise regularly.

     3. Fruit juices are healthy

    Most fruit juices are as high in calories as a sugary soft drink. A glass of orange juice, for example, contains the extract of six oranges. When you have fruit you usually eat one or two and have it with all the fiber, vitamins and minerals. Juicing destroys the minerals and nutrients and takes out the fibre leaving you with just a sugar overdose.

    4. Gluten is bad for you

    Gluten
    is a group of proteins found in whole grains such as wheat, rye, and barley,
    etc. Like other proteins, it has an important source of macro-nutrition. It is
    bad for those who have the problem of indigestion, gas and poor bowel movement.

    5. Brushing teeth after every meal is best for oral hygiene

     Dentists recommend brushing teeth only twice a day – once when you wake and once before going to sleep. Over-brushing teeth wears down the enamel, making your teeth weak. Moreso, toothpaste usually contain sugar and fluorides which means that consumption of toothpaste four to five times a day will do more harm than good. It is better to rinse and floss after a meal to clean your teeth instead of brushing them.

  • Till death do us part: Lahore woman kills boyfriend for marrying someone else

    Till death do us part: Lahore woman kills boyfriend for marrying someone else

    A young woman allegedly shot dead her boyfriend for marrying someone else in Lahore’s Raiwind area.

    As per details, the women, identified as Fiza, killed the deceased Muddasar in the street after chasing him on a motorcycle through the market area.

    The police, who have arrested the suspect, said that initial investigation revealed that Mudassar had promised to marry Fiza. Fiza, a divorcee, had convinced her parents for her second marriage. Meanwhile, Mudassar cheated on Fiza and married someone else which irked Fiza who then hatched a plan to kill him with the help of two other friends.

    On Tuesday, when Mudassar was going to market with his brother on a motorbike, an armed Fiza started chasing them with her accomplices. As Mudassar and his brother approached their home, Fiza opened fire on them. A bullet hit Mudasar in the chest killing him on the spot.

    The police have lodged a murder case against Fiza, who surrendered herself to the police along with the murder weapon.

  • Who won at the White House: Modi or Imran? FLOTUS’ Instagram account reveals all

    Who won at the White House: Modi or Imran? FLOTUS’ Instagram account reveals all

    Melania Trump’s official account as First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS) is pretty interesting. This account has 3.2 million followers but only follows one account — that of her husband President Donald Trump.

    The account has 453 posts in total. The latest post says “Delighted to host PM and Mrs. Morrison of Australia for a State Visit at the White House”.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B0PAoZ_A2KD/

    Yesterday, she posted three pictures with Prime Minister Imran Khan at the White House.

    “Great to have Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan at the White House today!”

    The post has 65,700 likes so far and 1,369 comments.

    In June 2017, she had posted a picture with Prime Minister Modi. It said: “Welcome to the White House Prime Minister Modi!”

    Flotus’ post with Modi has 43,281 likes and 639 comments.

    Three pictures with PM Khan vs one with PM Modi? PM Khan’s pictures got more likes and comments too! We think the Trumps (and the people) like PM Khan more. What do you think?

  • CNIC must for shopping over Rs50,000

    CNIC must for shopping over Rs50,000

    The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has made it mandatory for citizens to show their Computerised National Identity Cards (CNIC) for purchases over Rs50,000.

    According to reports, the said purchases shall be made from a registered sales tax vendor, while in case of a female buyer, the CNIC of her husband or father would also be acceptable.

    The development comes as the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) tightens the noose around undocumented individuals making purchases without paying taxes.

    According to Dawn, all such measures are primarily aimed at bringing small, medium and even some large retailers into the sales tax net. FBR further states that transactions under ‘good faith’ will not be penalised.

    “No action will be undertaken without the approval of the chief commissioner of the jurisdiction.”

    Furthermore, where the incidence exceeds Rs5 million, the action will require further approval of member operation or director general (export-oriented sector). No action will be taken unless it has been undertaken against the person who has used a fake CNIC, reports said.

    This condition will help avoid unverifiable and fictitious business buyers which results in huge sales tax losses.