Khagendra Lamichhane pushes the boundaries

a Fresh outlook

Swapnil Acharya explores art in tech

Chef Kumar Chalise talks fusion food

FANTASTIC FUSION

Friday, January 8, 2016A SPECIAL FRIDAY SUPPLEMENT

ImAgINATION UNFeTTered

2SM& focus 8 JANUAry, 2016, FrIdAy

ed Talk

M&S Team

Editor-In-Chief: Akhilesh Upadhyay Sub-editors: Astha Chand, Binit Raj Bana,

Tsering Ngodup Lama Feature Writer: Shreya Sharma

Contributors: Gaurav Pote Design & Layout: MP Marasini Photographer: Nirnit Tandukar

On Cover: Khagendra Lamichhane, MUA: Bidisha Shakya, Cover Photography: Sanjog Rai

The fear factorChange: this one word alone is enough to

strike fear into the hearts of many, many people. and rightly so. When you’re in

a position of comfort, the slightest chance of change can ruffle you up. Change can mean going against everything you’ve known. It’s something that you’ve never delved into, and worst of all, you don’t know whether the outcome is going to be in your favour or not. But that is a risk that some brave souls still take. those are the people that can fight the norms to get to where they want. they don’t care about the outcome; all they know is that they want their life to change. and that theme is a thread that runs through some of our stories this week. We hope the stories inspire you as much as they have inspired us.

the comfort zone is a comfortable place, but there is the larger world outside of it. try to chal-lenge yourself, try to venture into the unknown, and most importantly, embrace the change.

If you believe, you will achieve. We’ll see you next week!

team M&sFacebook: /moversandshakerstwitter: @mnsnepalInstagram: @mnsnepal

In defiance of his dad’s wishes, kha-gendra lamichhane made his way to kathmandu to pursue writing. Despite stumbling and falling, he never gave up and kept persevering — which is why he is known as a trailblazing artist today. Find out more about him in our top story. – Page 2

swapnil acharya’s parents, too, had something in mind for him, but he wanted to follow his passion for graphic designing. he decided to plunge right into the world of not only creating but standing by his creations: he started a design company. and today, he’s become one of Nepal’s most sought-after designers. read the full interview of this week’s M&s Inspire. – Page 4

Our picks from the pack

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khagendra lamichhane speaks about the changes in the Nepali film industry.

TOp STOry

A village boy makes his way to the capital. Still griev-ing the demise of his par-ents, he comes to the city of dreams, Kathmandu, with a dream of his own—

of paying off his parents’ debt, so that they can rest in peace. Such is the story of the motion picture ‘Pashupati Prasad’. Khagendra Lamichhane, the script-writer and the actor for the film, has a life-story that is not largely different from the titular character he plays in the movie. Lamichhane came to Kathmandu a decade or so ago with the dream of becoming a writer and making money to pay off his father’s loans. “The story may seem autobiographical in some ways,” says Lamichhane, “but that was not a conscious decision.”

‘Pashupati Prasad’ has a special place in Lamichhane’s heart. “It stirs something in me”, he says. “Especially the last bit in the trail-er where he yells at god to open the doors to heavens for his parents.” He believes that movies are special when they are inspired by people and the circumstances that sur-round them, by the complexity of their experiences. Films, he says, should be more than just “enter-tainment, entertainment, enter-tainment.” With his impeccable writing and performance in movies like ‘Talakjung vs Tulke’ and now ‘Pashupati Prasad’ holding up the mirror to social realities, he not

only talks the talk but also walks the walk.

Lamichhane believes that offbeat cinema embodies social realities better than mainstream films. It is that belief in the indie genre’s ability to capture the intri-cacies of people’s conditions that has guided him away from com-mercial formula and towards off-beat cinema. His inclination for alternative productions has been evident from his earliest works. He started his artistic journey with unconventional plays like ‘Peeda Geet’ , ‘Katro’ , ‘Paniphoto’ , ‘Talakjung vs Tulke’, among oth-ers. He was drawn to the medium

because of the immediate interac-tion with the audience that it afforded. And he ended up working as a theatre actor, director and script writer. He wants to keep pushing the boundaries, no matter how arduous the journey.

Lamichhane is no stranger to struggles. He left home in defiance of his father’s wish to see him become a professor. He was deter-mined to become a writer, and with that determination, he moved to

Kathmandu. His father’s parting words to him

were, “Find happi-ness in whatever

you do.” Unsure a b o u t w h a t curveball life would throw at

h i m , h e d i d stumble and fall

initially. Today, however, some years

and a few movies later, his dreams are finally coming true.

The trials and tribulations in his life have taught him the most valuable lessons. The most impor-tant one is that of friendship. Lamichhane used to be quick to judge people, but a friend of his helped him perceive the multitudes in people, to not judge them, but to be receptive of every lesson they had to offer. That realisation is perhaps what helped shape the character of Bhasme, the villain in ‘Pashupati Prasad’. As the story

progresses, Bhasme rolls with the punches and grows into a better person. Lamichhane believes that even though experimental films may not be sure-fire money earners, every new venture in such genres helps him grow as an artist. True, he says, the films have to at least break even, but if he can learn from his latest production, then there’s no limit to how much he can push the envelope.

There’s much in his personality that shows the success he has had has not gone to his head. He comes across as amiable, approachable, and most importantly, humble. Any artist who turns smug on account of his achievements, he believes, will stagnate. Lamichhane is grounded enough to believe that he is still learning.

Where that learning will take him even he can’t tell. But just like the protagonist in ‘Pashupati Prasad’, he imbibes life-lessons from the challenges that he has to overcome. This storehouse of knowledge, believes Lamichhane, is rich enough to draw from to keep him treading uncharted territory.

His father, after initial misgiv-ings, had told him that the pursuit of happiness should override all other concer ns. As long as Lamichhane stays the course he has set himself on, the happiness will surely be there for the taking.

Pashupati Prasad releases on January 29.

Through a differenT lens Khagendra Lamichhane brings a fresh perspective to the stories of our lives. By Shreya Sharma

“The story may

seem autobio-graphical, but that was not a conscious

decision.”

8 JANUAry, 2016, FrIdAy SM&3 focusVOx pOp

There are many people who have dedicated their lives to perfecting one skill. But among those, there are a few who are not satisfied with being boxed into one category and those who strive to see the larger picture. We spoke to a few individuals from the Nepali film industry and see what drives them to take on multiple jobs.

OF MANy avatarsWhy do people in the film industry feel the need to wear many hats? By Binit Bana

Nischal Basnet Director, Actor, Writer, Singer

My interest took me to dif-ferent aspects of cinema. I primarily see myself as

a director and then a writer. I started acting because I wanted to know what it felt like to act and I knew that it would help my char-acter development in writing. But I don’t like to call myself an actor I’ve done a few roles but I still don’t feel very comfortable acting. honestly, I’m not satisfied with my acting; it is easier to instruct from the background than to execute it on screen. I try different things but I don’t engage if I think I’m not up to the task or if it doesn’t add anything to the story being told. I’m a very self-conscious person in that way—I need to be sure I can do justice to anything that I put my hands on. however, everything I do is a challenge but still part of the over-arching film-making process. It just forces me to think on my own and helps me see the bigger picture. at the end of the day, my goal is to tell good stories.

Nisha adhikari Actor, Music Video Director

It’s always been my passion to work behind the scenes. During my time at kantipur television, I had to juggle

producing as well as hosting shows. ever since then, I was inspired by the idea of directing and become a part of the creative circle in kathmandu. I also took a crash course in directing in New York. Now I believe working as an actor is not as challenging as directing. as a director, you are the captain of the ship, everyone depends on you and also requires a level of maturity. so I just waited for the right moment to jump into it—I’m starting out with music videos, four of them, in Janu-ary. however, my experiences as an actor has helped me understand the technicali-ties of filmmaking but has also helped me empathise with my actors so that I can get the best out of my team. For now, I’m enjoying the challenge and the thrill.

anup Baral Director, Actor, Writer

Growing up, I was attracted more to the vibrant Jatras in

Pokhara than to schoolwork. I also enjoyed films portray-ing angry-young-men and slowly gravitated towards everything shunned by the society. all of this led me to the theatre and eventually to my specialization in the field of acting. then after a long chain of directing plays, acting in films and working as a casting director, I finally took on the role of a film director. Because of all the things that I partake in, I am involved in a lot of multidisciplinary fields but all of them, interrelated. I still haven’t reached a point where I can say that I am this or that. I just move with the flow and enjoy the moment. however, after the initial moment passes, I always feel like I can do better. I always struggle with my work but the appreciation it garners pushes me to do more. But the big-gest hurdle is time management. You have to focus on one thing at a time because if you work on different things simultaneously you lose focus and you get mediocre results in all the things you do. It is about honing your talent and not letting yourself turn into a jack of all trades.

ram Babu Gurung Director, Writer

As a director, you need to be aware of the technical sides of production which includes the screenplay and

this pushed me into writing. But more im-portantly it was because one of the major problems in the Nepali film industry is that we rarely produce strong, well-written scripts. When I’m writing I have the time, space and characters in mind beforehand and this helps me portray my vision as a director and do justice to the story. Who better to understand my limitations and strengths than myself? however, when I write, I don’t write as a director. I don’t let my direction dictate the flow of my writing. Yet I am a director first and I don’t want to get into professional writing. Writing is difficult and I want to work on my own projects. that is why, before starting anything you need to know what your strengths are—you need to know yourself.

PEoPLE 4SM& 8 JANUAry, 2016, FrIdAy

Swapnil Acharya was fasci-nated with movie posters as a kid—he drew posters and pasted them on his walls. Today, he is the designer for blockbusters

like Kabaddi Kabaddi and Resham Filili among others. But his love for designing has driven him to co-found Expresiv Studios, which creates everything from film posters to web-sites, with a vision of breaking the status quo of Nepali design and changing it for the better. We sit with him for a brief chat on his success and his love for design. Your fascination with movie posters has materialised into your profession. What was your big break?

My first project was Loot, which started as a humble project but later turned into a blockbuster. I was not prepared for the attention Loot’s poster drew. It gave me recognition but more than anything, it made me want to work harder. I did a series of film posters later—Highway, Visa Girl and Sungava. The best thing about working on film posters is that you can see your work everywhere, on the streets, on TV and people also share your work online. Of late, I have been very selective of the post-ers I make. I like to be associated with projects that have the potential to succeed and that is why I worked on Resham Filili and Kabaddi Kabaddi.Did you always want to get into the design industry?

Honestly, I was never sure of what I wanted to do in life. During my A-levels, I discovered my passion for design. Initially, my parents wanted me to be a doctor, which, for some reason, changed to a Chartered Accountant. After A-levels, I joined a CA class. But one day, after about five months of rigorous studies, in the middle of my statistics class, I had an epiphany. I couldn’t believe I was in a statistics class and wasn’t following my passion of graphic design. In that moment, I knew that I couldn’t go through with it any-more. I dropped out and decided to pursue design full-time because that was what I wanted to do and was good at.How did Expresiv happen?

I worked for Karobar for a while before my step into the industry. It helped me gain speed in my work but the speed was also counter-pro-ductive. The work got mechanical and didn’t allow me to exploit my creativity. It was a good learning experience but I decided to quit.

I was designing movie posters but that got tedious as well because I was only working on B-grade movies. I wanted to start a com-pany and was l o o k i n g f o r someone who would work on this crazy thing w i t h m e . Luckily, Ankur was just out of

university and he wanted to start something on his own. He and I decided to work together and that was how Expresiv happened— pri-marily because we wanted to break the norm of Nepali design.So, you never got academic web design knowledge?

I guess I learnt mostly by doing. Whenever I was stuck, I looked things up on the internet and fol-lowed theoretical designers like Steve Krug and a website-curated gallery called Favourite Website Awards, which was a showcase of innovative websites. My knowledge comes from experience, not aca-demia. Would an academic foundation helped?

It definitely would have helped me learn faster. It took me three years to learn what can otherwise be grasped in three months. A design institute helps you get acquainted with the technicalities but creativ-ity is still something that comes from within.Starting your own company, how difficult was it?

People were sceptical at first because there wasn’t much of a mar-ket for design. Get projects during the initial year was tough but we were confident. Today, as we have constantly been delivering good work, our bandwidth has increased. We have grown from two to ten peo-ple in two years and that is signifi-cant growth.

We are not going to stop here, we have bigger plans for the company. In five years, we expect Expresiv to turn into a bigger company with a global outreach. How is the design industry changing?

Ten years ago, it was relatively difficult for people to get internships and professional assignments. Today, however, the number of design com-panies has increased and the demand for designers has grown with it. Companies, now, provide internship opportunities for new designers. If aspiring designers explore these avenues, it will be easier for them to land up in professional design work. It’s also possible to make a sustain-able living with designing because it pays well job outside and the pay-scale is improving in Nepal as well. What’s your motto?

I have a hunger for knowledge; what I have learned today will be irrelevant tomorrow. The design industry is changing very rapidly and it’s essential to be aware of the evolving technology. A word of advice for upcoming-designers and entrepreneurs.

The younger generation needs to be willing to experiment and push the envelope in web design and soft-ware development. The design indus-try can flourish and be a viable career choice. Find your core passion and build upon it. Don't let other opportunities distract you from your passion. Follow your path and if you are committed, you will surely excel.

Swapnil Acharya has found a way to follow his passion for art within the technical field of graphic design by diving deep into the artistic side of technology. By Shreya Sharma

1986: BOrNHe was born in Birgunj, but soon after his birth his family moved to Kathmandu.

2003: aN ePiPhaNyIn the middle of his stat class, he had an epiphany that his passion lied in design and he dropped out of college to pursue his dream.

2006: BiG BreakHe got his first website design assignment from Himal Technologies for Rs 2,700. And that was just the beginning of his long journey in the creative field.

2008: striviNG fOr mOreAfter working at Karobar daily for two years he decided to quit as the work started getting too mechanical.

2009: a fresh startThe big blockbuster Loot was his first poster-design assignment. It started as a small project, but its success brought him a lot of recognition.

2014: a dream cOme trueWith the desire to explore new

avenues and challenge the status-quo in Nepali design industry, he and his friend Ankur founded Expresiv studios.

2015: the GrOwthThe company has seen significant growth in the past two years and was recently relocated to Putalisadak from Baneshwor.

Swapnil acharya TIMELINE

new fronTiers in imaginaTion

8 JANUAry, 2016, FrIdAy SM&5 PEoPLE

My day actually starts now. I don’t

have chores to do so I catch up on my reading,

newspapers and books, with a

cup of tea.

7aM

I’m a vegetarian,

so I make it a point to carry my own lunch to

office, which usually consists of roti tarkari. It’s a healthy

option and it keeps me full and powered up

for the day.

1:30 PM

I do not have a fancy bedtime routine

that I follow; but I do try to clear up up my mind with some meditation

before I sleep. It helps cleanse my

mind.

10PM

the first thing I

do when I get to office is tend to my mails for the

day. after that, I get a feel of the day’s work of

marketing and advertising to help me prep for

the upcoming day.

9:30aM

She loves listening to the radio, reading literature and having chiya-guffs around Basantapur.

If I don’t have after-work meetings

scheduled, I go out with my friends. our best nights are just spent talking and

drinking tea around Basantapur.

7 PM

I usually wake up around this time, but it

may depend on what I’ve done the night before.

I make it a point to kick-start my day with

half an hour of meditation.

6aM

I’m usually in meetings at this time.

It’s when we all get together at the office and discuss sales, inventory

and after-sale activities.

3PM

with sital dahal, Media Coordinator,

nepal General MarketinG Hero

my dAILy BreAd

SOCIAL SwAg

5 ThINgS

you’re hiredHere are five tips to get your CV-game strong. By Astha Chand

For a lot of people, finding a new job tops the list of their New Year resolu-

tions. Piyush Paudyal, Officer – Human Resources Department, Sunaulo Parivar Nepal (Marie Stopes International), gave us tips on how to get your CV standing out from the rest.

perfect presentationYour CV represents you

at the new job you’re hop-ing to acquire. So, the lay-out of CVs should always be clean and well struc-tured. As well as that, the CVs should be printed on a clean, crisp A4 sheet of white paper.

Up to date & get the basics right

Have you done any vol-unteering? Have you helped out your friend in anything? List out every-thing. Your CV should always be up to date. A CV lists every skill, all the jobs and positions held, your educational degrees and any professional affili-ations that you have acquired, and in chrono-logical order.

Understand the job description

Read the vacancy adver-

tisement from start to fin-ish, maybe even two to three times. There, you can find clues about what to incorporate and make sure you highlight those points. In no way should you lie on your CV. Trust me, people know when you’re lying.

Modify it Whenever you apply for

a job, make sure you modi-fy your CV. A lot of roles may seem similar but a lot of times the requirements can vary depending from company to company. Also, modify your CV in regards to how you match each requirement—create your CV specifically for that role.

include referencesReferences must be

from someone who was your supervisor and some-one who knows about your skills and experience. If it’s your first job, you can mention an educational mentor who knows about your academic accom-plishments.

Piyush Paudyal is the Officer – Human Resources

Department at Sunaulo Parivar Nepal (Marie Stopes

International).

here’s tO 2016! Two major themes were around for K-towners this New year’s: NyE parties and Bipul Chettri in concert. We’ve gathered some moments from last weekend.

I like to have dinner at home, while

I listen to the radio; I’m not a tV person. I like reading and I’m also a

regular blogger for setopati.

8PM

n our photographer, Nirnit tandukar welcomed 2016 at Bipul Chettri’s concert.

n shristi shrestha also made her way to see the maestro.

n Paramita rana was all set to party!

n Prabal Gurung celebrated NYe with his loved and beloved.

n the fan girls, subeksha khadka, Nagma shrestha, smriti Bajracharya at Bipul Chettri’s concert.

6SM& framEd 8 JANUAry, 2016, FrIdAy

eND WIth a BaNG Nepalis can celebrate like no other. As the streets were filled with merrymakers,

the M&S cameras went inside the party centrals within the city.

new year’S eve 2015 reviSitedDJ Raju was in the booth at Baber Mahal

Revisited as the floors at Bawarchi Bistro and Mulchowk courtyards made a single party.

awakening 2016The halls of Hotel yak & yeti were turned into

a massive dance floor as DJ Rabbit, DJ Finzok and DJ Neptek dropped their mixes.

photo coUrteSy: we Fear Silence

new year’S eve extravaganzaThe Dallas crowd got into the New year feel as Nepali and friends gather to bid adieu to 2015.

photo coUrteSy: anleSh dangol

#squad2016 another selfie?

soul sisters Wooo! Wooo!

Wait a minute, let’s pose!

all mine!

Blushing babes

Dancing all night

Glitter girlsGirls just wanna have fun

this guy is on fire!

Watch me!

Pouting queen

the stage is set

nye at FaceSThamel was packed inside out last Friday

as people welcomed 2016 and Faces Lounge was no exception.

photo coUrteSy: oM lal akayla

hair goals

SM&7 framEd8 JANUAry, 2016, FrIdAy

eND WIth a BaNG Nepalis can celebrate like no other. As the streets were filled with merrymakers,

the M&S cameras went inside the party centrals within the city.

ka prodUct laUnchThailand-based Paveemol launched its KA brand of beauty products in Nepal with a

special fashion show.

nye at ShiSha The terrace café and bar was in a special celebration

mood with good music and sumptuous food. photo coUrteSy: prabin Manandhar

bipUlchettri at the pUrple hazeThe Darjeeling singer/songwriter was in the capital with his Travelling Band making for a

sold out event at the loudest bar in town. photo coUrteSy: SaMir ShreStha

ramp doll east meets east the devil has landed

all ears!elegantlyevergreen

the Xing gang

Groovy! she the one!

and the crowd goes wild!

the man of the hour Camera attack!

JOUrNey ON

wandEr 8SM& 8 JANUAry, 2016, FrIdAy

I don’t remember exactly when my friend Anirudh and I decided that it would be a good idea to cycle from Kathmandu to the Nepal-Tibet border at Kodari and

back again. I suspect it was a few weeks before the downhill from Nagarkot to Bhaktapur, just after burning calf muscles from the previous day’s 20 kilo-metre uphill. I am also not sure why the Sino-Nepal Friendship Bridge at the border town of Kodari was our must-see des-tination; but it was and it would involve a 230 kilometre round-trip along the Araniko Highway.

After delaying for two week-ends, f irst to celebrate Thanksgiving with Susan, our lovely friend and connoisseur of delicious home-cooked food a n d a f t e r t h e i n i t i a l Thanksgiving celebration and an unfortunate incident with a stray cat that lead to me getting rabies shots, we were on our way.

We left our office after lunch on a Friday and had the after-noon to complete the first stretch— 65 kilometres from Kathmandu to Sukute. This involved a gentle ascent out of the valley to Dhulikhel, where we took a break to drink chiya and admire cloudy views of the elusive Himalayan range fol-lowed by a rapid downhill to Dolalghat. The exhilaration of the downhill ride was only slightly marred by the knowl-edge that we would have to cycle back up the following Sunday. With the sun setting on our backs we meandered upstream alongside the Sun Kosi River, reaching Sukute just before night-time.

On Saturday, we were ready to leave at the crack of dawn

ensuring we could make it to Kodari and back to Sukute, 100 kilometres in total, during day-light. The day was to be Anriudh’s longest cycle ride ever and my longest since being in Nepal. It was arduous, climb-ing from 700 metres above sea level at Sukute to the 2,150 metre Kodari, but it was also incredibly rewarding, with beautiful views and exciting descents. At Kodari, access to the Sino-Nepal bridge was restricted. However, it seems that a smile pretty much gets you everywhere, and we were able to slip through a gap in the gate and make our way to the bridge, where we were given enough time to take a quick photo.

The closed border combined

with the current fuel embargo meant that many hotels and eateries in Kodari were closed. The generosity of Nepali peo-ple, even in times of great hard-ship, was always present and after observing our fatigued state, the owners of a local tea-shop took pity on us and made us steaming bowls of Maggi noodles paired with eggs and vegetables. Re-energised and with our pedal-power regained, we sped back to Sukute. The next day, we retraced our tracks back up to Dhulikhel (around 30 kilometres of uphill switch-backs) before cruising down into Kathmandu just in time for lunch.

When I look back and reflect upon the trip I realise that it was not the distance or uphill

that was most challenging but rather the destruction of the 2015 earthquakes left in the area through which we cycled. I am not, as my friends so articulately put it, ‘earthquake ok’. The table shaking or the ground vibrating still sends me leaping for cover and my whis-tle and go-bag are never too far from reach. The Araniko Highway winds its way through t h e s t e e p v a l l e y s o f Sindhupalchok where the geol-ogy and steep topography mean that landslide risks are incred-ibly high. The April 25th and May 12th earthquakes and their countless aftershocks triggered landslides and desta-bilised valley edges, thereby increasing the risk of future landslides. I was petrified.

‘Don’t dawdle’ was the travel advice we received from an office colleague but dawdling was inevitable when the high-way had been turned into a boulder field. You are trying to process the extent of the dam-age and you are overwhelmed by the jutting edges looming over you, a constant reminder of impending landslides.

But far more than the con-cerns for personal safety it is the real life human remnants of this devastation that are still so apparent and ever present. Villages were sparsely popu-lated and many buildings had been crushed by falling debris or razed to the ground. Lives had, and continue to be, devas-tated than the geography in which they were located.

Sometimes in Kathmandu it is possible to forget that the earth-quakes ever happened. My life is (save the current fuel crisis) as comfortable as life in Kathmandu can get and during my day-to-day activities visual signs of the fifty seconds earth-quake on April 25th are limited. When I venture into Patan Durbar Square, I find the destruction incredibly sad but I also think, ‘thank goodness it was temples and not homes’. Along the Araniko highway, things aren’t as easy to forget as most of the devastation of the earthquake extends to homes that, no doubt, have uprooted countless families.

The author is a Gender and Water Researcher

On a trail of devastation from the capital to Kodari, a look back at the changing scenarios after the earthquake. By Harrie Larrington-Spencer

tO the BOrder aNd Back By Bicycle

Places to staythere is currently not much choice in terms of places to stay along the araniko highway. We stayed at sukute Beach re-sort for both nights. the rooms were basic but there was plenty of hot water and their showers were the best I have had since living in Nepal. the cost was rs 750 per person per night and they are cheaper (I think) if you are a Nepali national. another option is ‘the last resort’ which is closer to kodari and more luxurious, although also more expensive. this would be a good option if you want to either condense or extend the trip.

tipsour first tip is to wear padded shorts. always. and our second tip is to pack lots of high-energy snacks or chocolate bars (although this is not the healthiest option). We also had glucose powder on the last day to help with the uphill to Dhulikhel!

equipmentFor the trip, both myself and an-irudh rode our mountain bikes. his is a Giant and mine is a trek. until sukute, the road condition was beautifully smooth and I longed to be on my road bike but closer to the border, the road condition deteriorated and I was glad of the chunkier tyres and suspension my mountain bike offered.

8 JANUAry, 2016, FrIdAy SM&9 gizmoFAB App

Making your FB life easier

These two dedicated apps from Facebook will allow you to do everything that the

actual Facebook app does but with ease. By Gaurav Pote

Since its initialre-lease in June 2008, the Facebook app has been the most

downloaded smartphone app in the world. But even this massively used app has its drawbacks, name-lyinformation and feature overload.

Keeping that in mind, Facebook has now released a few separate apps, like its popular Messenger app, to allow its users to explicitly mange their pages and groups without having to log into the complicated Facebook app.

Facebook groupsPlatform: iOs and android

Regardless of how many groups you’re on Facebook, here’s a stand-

alone app for you to directly mingle with all your groups. Access new posts, share

videos and photos and organize events in any of your Facebook groups from the convenience of this app. Although designed for Facebook power-users who are activelyinvolved with-multiple groups, there is no reason why everyone can’t take advantage of this convenient app.

what we liken Distinct, circular icons that represent each group.n options to search existing groups and create new ones on top panel.n Groups dashboard, notifica-tions bar, discoverand settings

panels at the bottom.n options to toggle push notifications for each group or the whole app.n Write posts, share photos and videos and create mutual events with ease.n Get recommendations on new interest groups with the app’s discover feature.

Facebook pagesPlatform: iOs and android

While Facebook Groups app lets users keep other

members informed and engaged, Pages on Facebook helps peo-

ple market and sometimes even sell their products and services. So to allow users to update and manage their pages more effectively, Facebook has come up with a dedi-cated app that lets you sort out thenitty-gritty details of the pages you manage.

what we liken the interface closely resembles the actual Facebook app.n the dashboard and options for creating pages on the top left and tools to add posts, share photos and videos and create page events on top right.n the bottom panel consists of shortcuts to active pages, page insight, message inbox, notification icons and more slide-in options to manage, draft and schedule posts, view page assets and access page settings.n You can also edit the visibility of your page, see activity logs, invite your friends and delete whatever pages you do not want.

Here’s everything you need to know about SD memory cards before you buy one. By Gaurav Pote

Everyone thinks it’s easy to buy mem-ory cards, particularly SD cards. The only stead fastrule when it comes to buying an SD card is to go for the

maximum storage at the lowest possible price. Instinctively, many end up ignoring some few basic factors that go into choosing the right memory cards.

Following these tips will not only help you choose the right memory cards but will also go a longway in helping you save your precious memories and data.

tips to help you choose the right Sd cardmatch the sd cards with your hardware: Follow this basic rule in choosing the right memory card. Always usecards that are compatible with your gear. Certain phones and cameras, even DSLRs, only support SD level cards up to 2GB. Check whether your gear has dual slots or can only fit microSD cards before you hit the nearest store.

always go for the right type: “Right type” involves a few things: capacity, class, price and even brand. Following the first tip, ponder how much extra memory you need and read a little bit about the speed and class of SDcards.

invest in popular brands: You’re better off going broke once than buying cheaper memory cards over and over again. Trust renowned names like SanDisk, Lexar, Kingston and Samsung and beware of the knockoffs. Visit authorised dealers if you can because branded memory cards are both reliable and durable.

Just one is never enough: Besides the fact that at some point you’re going to run out of space in your card, you might lose it, break it or it might evenage out, which they do after a certain thousand cycles. The rule of thumb is: get two 4GB cards if you wereoriginally going for one singu-lar 8GB card.

and some safety tips: Don’t take their name for granted. SD cards are a secure media type to store all kinds of digital files, unless you decide to test its limits. Follow these simple tips:n Handle them with care. Insert and eject softly.n Don’t expose them to electrostatic sources.n Avoid liquid and fire damage, and what whatever you do, don’t freeze them.n Format in the device, and periodically.n Try not to share cards with your mates.

ax emory

what is an Sd card?an sD card is the most commonly used type of memory card. although there area few other varieties of memory cards, sD cards are the most widely supported type today. even laptops ship with integrated sD card readers.the reason for their general acceptance is the awesome data security, compact size and often-affordable price; hence, the name, secure Digital (sD) memory cards. Moreover, they’re plug-and-play, offer good value for money and comewith generous gigabytes. But, as they also come in too manytypes, brands and sizes, picking one or two might just be trickier-than you think.

other non-Sd family typescompact flash cardsused by professional photographers, these miniature hard-drives are compatible with only a few select high-end Dslrs. It trumps sDs in terms of massive data transfer speed (they come with a controller chip inside them) and storage capacity, but also comes with a hefty price tag. there are type I and II.Xd Picture cardsIn 2002, Fuji and olympus decided they’d design their own version ofcompact memory cards. they reached as far as 512MB before decidingtheir products were better off with a compatible sD type memory slot.memory stick Pro duooriginally introduced by sony for its Cybershot cameras, this memorycard is still in use and production. the only hassle, it doesn’t go more

than 1GB.

types of Sd cardsordinarily, you’d walk up to the store and ask for an sD card but if you’re going for anything beyond 2GB, think about what to get.

based on capacity:sd card: one of the first generation of its kind, it is still in production since 1999. It measures 32x24x2.1mm, weighs not more than 2grams, and fits into every device that says has “sD” marked on them.

sdhc card: short for secure Digital high Capacity and high Capacity, this is for those who want more memory in their memory cards. two lousy gigabytes weren’t enough, so, they had to come out with a memory card that packed more storage. though it’s physi-cally identical to an sD card, many devices that came out before the release of the sDhC cards may not support these cards.

sdXc card: For professionals who are into some serious photography or hD film mak-ing, these cards cram a massive 2tB into the size of an sD card. serious storage means serious dough. oh, and that XC stands for eXtended Capacity.

microsd card: Despite their incredibly small size, sD cards had to shrink further to fit into smartphones and compact digital cameras. the result was 15x11x1mm big microsD card that stored up to 2GB of data. later, micro sDhC memory cards also came out. Nothing changed with the micro-memo-ries, they just required an sD-sized adapter to be used like regular sD cards.

based on Speed class: sD cards come in variable speed classes, something that many people might not know. the speed class of an sD card refers to the minimum sustained data transfer speed of the memory card, measured in megabytes per second for recording hD videos. this is important because unlike photos, videos get directly recorded to the card in cameras. and also unlike the performance rating on the outside of the card, which is the measurement of the maximum reading/writ-ing speed of the card for photography, speed class is the rating used to specify which sD cards work with hD or 4k video recording in Dslrs and video cameras.there are again two types of speed class ratings — normal speed Class and ultra high speed (uhs) Class.

TeCh ThAT

induLgE 10SM& 8 JANUAry, 2016, FrIdAy

FASh FOrwArd

While most trends you adapt to are retro renditions of something old made con-t e m p o r a r i l y

appropriate, here’s a “totally in the moment way” of dress-ing up that may look compli-cated at first, but it’s “Yeezy Breezy” once you get the hook of it. Pioneered and popular-ised by Kanye West himself, the new sure-fire way to getting layered this 2016 is “short over long”— elongated, drapier forms of inner layers first and shorter pieces on top; and that’s it. It’s a relaxed and innovative look that’s all about stretching and shrinking and layering up until you look like Yeezy him-self, even if you’re not a Kanye fan at all. So, here’s your guide on the ins and outs of the new layering proportions. Once you get the hang of it, it’s actually fun dressing up oversized and exaggerated, both at work and at play.

apply it to your suitWhen applied to your work

suit, the short over long approach to layering gives your look a creased, chilled-out effect. Just remember, the sharper the suit, the better the apposition.

Start by leaving your shirt untucked (even if it’s a dress shirt) and layer a cardigan or crewneck over it. The sweater will help lock in your shirt ends and make them look less sloppy.

If you really want to blow minds and aren’t a faint of heart, you can take some inspiration from the maestro of “couture meets street”, Riccardo Tisci from Givenchy, and finish the look off with a pair of thick wool socks (it’s cold, after all) and some Birkenstocks inspired footwear. Just remem-ber, it’s a serious move at your end that might result in some unexpect-ed sanctions headed your way from your boss. And in any case, if you’re feeling unsure, lace-ups or wingtips work just fine.

apply it on the streets

W h i l e w e ’ r e happy to leave most streetwear trends to

the kids camping out for the BAPES and the Jordans, we’re finding ourselves latching on to this one because everyone can pull it off and by that, we mean, everyone.

The key rule is to keep it simple. Buy a longer, drapey T-shirt or stretch out a black or grey jersey tee you already own. In the case of fall and winter, just get yourself an elongated, oversized knit sweater and top it off with a luxe jacket (think bomber, military, denim or leather) that hits you right at your waist. And (drumroll), you’re done. See, it’s not complicated at all.

And in case, you’re feeling a tad bit experimental, you can hit two trends with one stone by keeping it all black, giving you the monochrome look we absolute love and adore. Just remember, it’s all up to you.

THE PLAyERlayerHere’s your style move for 2016. By Dorian D

The New Year has started and if you find yourself wondering how to get back on track regarding your health goals, how about start-ing with a Detox? Rest, clean and nourish your body from the inside

out with these tips!

what? The main idea of a detox plan is to cut down on foods that act as toxins for our bodies. That means during this plan, do without:n Highly processed foodn Added sugars n Red meatn Alcohol and Caffeinen Cigarettesn Stress! Learn to take some time out every day to meditate and relax.

Instead, supplement your body with:n Lots of fiber and greensn Lots of liquids such as water, fresh fruit juices, black or herbal tea, home made clear soups (not packaged ones)n Focus on colors! Indulge in colorful foods and veggies such as spinach, beet root, carrots, pomegranate etc.n Load up on natural herbs. I am talking about natural healers like ginger, garlic, onions and homegrown herbs.

I will be featuring an easy 1-day detox plan which is mostly liquid based. You can choose to check out various pro-grams online that range from threedays to a week.

how?n Drink a large glass of hot

water with freshly squeezed lemon juice upon waking upn Breakfast: Another glass of hot water with lemon juice, a glass of mixed fruit juice and a mug of tea (of your choice) n Lunch: A large glass of tomato juice with carrot or garlic and green onions, a mug of tea.n Dinner: A large glass of mixed veggie-fruit juice/ green juice. (Tomato and car-rot/ Carrot and Beet/ Spinach-Strawberry-Mint)n Before tucking yourself into bed, have another cup of tea.n In-between meals: Need to nibble? Snack on some snacks/ a light green salad with no dressing/ tea or indulge on a glass of power smoothie

Note: Detox is not for everyone. If you find your energy level dropping and feel faint while in the middle of the detox plan, please stop immediately. If you are working with a personal trainer/nutritionist, please con-sult them before starting this plan. A liquid based detox is not recommended for more than a day.

detoxify your body

sujita Gurung is an Internationally Certified FISAF Fit-ness Instructor and a Licensed Certified Zumba Fitness Instructor

a Detox plan is more than just helping you lose weight. It is also recommended if you want to;n eliminate skin irritationsn reduce constant bloatingn reduce menstrual problemsn reduce eye bagsn reduce digestive problems

FIT IN

SM&11 8 JANUAry, 2016, FrIdAy wEEkEndB

ITe

rIg

hT

For over two years now, M&S has sampled a multitude of delightful dishes from big and small commercial kitchens. Most often we’re limited to what’s on the menu and only

on rare occasions do we get to truly appreciate these unique professionals, their passion for cooking and the ide-als that drive them to actually do what they do every day.

We arranged a meeting with one of the first corporate chefs in Nepal, Chef Kumar Chalise for €a quick chat over a five-course scrumptious meal.

about the chefChalise took up cooking as a voca-

tion in 1995. He was a business grad-uate interested in food but with no formal culinary training. Today, he is the first corporate chef and consultant in Nepal. He’s authored Nepali and foreign papers, along with two culi-nary books: A Step of Culinary Arts and 1000 Recipes Guide.

With his brief training from the prestigious Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality, coupled with his expe-rience, he has paved his way towards the position of a Senior Chef.

Currently, he is engaged fulltime at GATE College as a Chef of Cuisine Arts, spearheading the kitchen and voca-tional department.

what we hadamuse-bouche — Salmon capers

Chef: “Tasting menus usually involves five or more

meals that are served separately and eaten slowly. They, however, aren’t so popular in Nepal. We hardly have time to frequently treat ourselves to such dining arrangements.”

Served on artsy bent spoons, the chef keeps presentation stunningly opulent. An incredible mix of diced olives, gherkins, cooked salmon, fresh lettuce and pickled capers, are all neatly packaged into bite-size single

serves. He manages to use different tastes, without merging any of them, to create a single dish.

pumpkin puree with oven toasted bread

Chef: “Nepali restaurants should start following à la minute cooking instead of precooking. This takes up some service time but the end result is fresher and toothsome.”

Seasoned with nothing but salt, black pepper and nutmeg, and later spiked with lemon juice, this heart-warming and homely soup is sim-mered from the purée of seasonal veggies: cauliflower, beans, carrots and parsley. On the side, oven-toasted white bread with shredded yak cheese becomes a crunchy, juicy biscuit exud-ing a cheesy aroma.

ground apple SaladChef: “Salads are prepped in two

ways: simple and mixed. Simple salads have one ingredient with dressing, and mixed ones have at least four different ingredients: base, body, dressing and garnish.”

Every slice of the freshly picked apples from the kitchen garden

at GATE College are as crunchy as they are juicy,

lending the salad a sweet fruity texture.

Using a base of fresh, crisp let-

tuce, the chef adds a splash of vinaigrette dressing for the acidity

punch. The garnish is diced tomatoes and olives, mixed lentil sprouts.

grilled MuttonChef: “Fusion food combines the best

in culinary options, bridging the gap between many regional cuisines; it’s profitable for the restaurants too. Through fusion food, Nepali chefs can also experiment and promote Nepali culinary art internationally.”

With perfectly cylindrical, sautéed potatoes, carrots and thinly sliced cucumber, this fare has a massive chunk of secondary cut mutton grilled in a Nepali style to add a local essence to it. Nepali herbs lightly season the meat, which takes a lot of effort to slice but is surprisingly tender. There is also a demi-glace of brown stock of roasted bone— crushed, boiled, sea-soned — added to brown sauce, boiled again and reduced to half.

chocolate cream puffChef: “Western commercial kitchens

have sophisticated machines that do amazing things with food but in our part of the world, we avoid new technol-ogy and expect manual labour instead.”

An elegant way to go about eating this fancy dessert is to break it into smaller portions with a dessertspoon. But the best way, however, is to toss the spoon aside, quickly pop the two cherries into your mouth, smear a little cherry syrup around the choco-late-stuffed puffs and eat them whole. The puffs are warm and tender, and coated with chocolate and topped with a slab of white chocolate and a helix of caramelised sugar.

faNtastic fusiONChef Kumar Chalise takes us through a delicious non-menu meal. By Gaurav Pote

n Chef kumar Chalise

hit list airs the top ten songs of the week gone by

1 oee Jhuma, Pramod Kharel, Last Week: 1

2 Maya, Nitin Thapa, Last Week: 33 camerama hoina, Nalina

Chitrakar, Ran Magar, Last Week: 44 tyo hawa, April Rush,

Last Week: 85 prayas, Samriddhi Rai, Rohit

John Chettri, Last Week: 56 Saath deu, Sanoop Poudel,

Last Week: 27 timi Jaha khusi, Deepesh

Kishor Bhattrai, Last Week: 78 Mauna bratha, The Shadows,

Last Week: 99 Sochirahechu, Axata, New Entry10 aajhai yaad chha, Rajan Ishan,

New Entry

pOp ChArTS

reeL deAL

Genre: actiondirector: sunny kerala

cast: rajesh hamal, shiva shrestha, keki adhikari

length: 2 hrsClassed as one of the biggest Nepali films ever made, rajesh hamal is back to dazzle the screens alongside shiva shrestha and keki adhikari. With south Indian technicians playing a part in this movie, much has not been said about the plot, the only thing we know is that this is the story of two fathers.

bagMati

Genre: actiondirector: Bejoy Nambiarcast: amitabh Bachchan, Farhan akhtar, aditi rao

hydari, John abraham, Neil Nitin Mukeshlength: 2 hrs

Wazir revolves around an unusual friendship between a wheelchair-bound chess grandmaster and an ats officer. Brought together by a twist of fate, and a hint of conspiracy, the two unlikely friends come together to fight one of the biggest games of their lives.

wazir

chef chalise’s

mosaic 12SM& 8 JANUAry, 2016, FrIdAy

Things to watch out for

Here are 16 reasons 2016 is going to be an awesome year.

kalo pothiIt’s 2016 and that means that we are a little closer to the release of the much awaited kalo Pothi. the Best Film award winner in the International Critics’ Week at the Venice Film Festival will release in March and man are we excited!

pashupati prasad“You can understand the entire storyline from the trailer itself— a young boy comes to the capital with a dream of paying off his parents’ loan—but there is a twist,” says writer and actor khagendra lamichhane. We can’t wait to find out, 21 days to go!

the global arenaWe are certain to see the emer-gence of youth in 2016 but earlier heavyweights in global sports are exactly that for a reason. on the tennis court, keep your eyes out on the current world number ones: Novak Djokovic and serena Williams; on the football field, there are the usual suspects: lionel Messi, Neymar, luis suárez and robert lewandowski; and on the cricket pitch, there’s the meteoric rise of Virat kholi. Plus, how can we forget the speedster usain Bolt.

project JacquardGoogle teams up with levis in Project Jacquard to produce an interactive fabric that can es-sentially change the ball game for trending smart wearables in 2016.

the scope and functionalities are unlimited and we’re still to see just what Google can achieve in the coming year.

bent Forklocated at uttar Dhoka, Bent Fork is one of the new eateries to join the small list of refined joints where it’s the owner who prepares your meal. It certainly scores big on our list of places to dine out in the city. Visit for bespoke burgers and exotic non-alcoholic beverages.

rise of young football starsNational football with a surge of young blood should see the team bringing fans plenty of joy-talks (fingers crossed). Watch out for Bimal Gharti Magar (striker), ananta tamang (defender) and anjan Bista (midfielder). this year we are in the same squad of u-19 aFC championship where Nepal beat India during the finals in the 2015 edition.

Mahindra Mojoafter years in the making, Mahindra finally launched its much awaited motorcy-cle, Mojo, in the Indian market recently. and the 300cc beast of a machine is expected to launch in Nepal in March 2016. Get set to drool.

doctor Strangeeven though sherlock is not com-ing to us for another year, Benedict Cumberbatch won’t be far from the screens. the Brit will be joining the Marvel cinematic universe as the sorcerer supreme. and he’s also

visiting our fair country Nepal.

batman vs SupermanFor the first time in the history of cinema, or live-action for that matter, two of the most iconic superheroes will be sharing the same screen. From the trailer, it looks like it’s going to be a gritty, brooding epic. March cannot come soon enough.

himlayan Front hotel, Sarangkotslated to open in January 2016, himalayan Front hotel will redefine luxury stay in the serene hills of sarangkot, Pokhara. If the view of the lake city and the mountains don’t excite you, then there’s an infinity pool that has the gorgeous annapurna range as its backdrop.

labiMa new mall is set to open in Pul-chowk in 2016. With the number of malls snowballing in the valley why should this one be a big deal? Because it will have the very first QFX Cinema in lalitpur. People can now get a respite from having to commute far to enjoy a good movie.

awaiting new tunesWith the soothing voices of rohit John Chettri and Prajwal Mukhiya, 1974 aD is set to launch a new album tentatively around Nepali New Year. there is a certain mys-tery surrounding the unnamed set but with their talents and their will

to experiment, expectations are certainly high.

the rio olympics It’s uniting the world through sports and the spirit of sports-manship. also, the olympics only happens once every four years, so our advice is to watch as many olympian sports as possible.

2016 hyundai tucson hyundai tucson is a looker and the 2016 iteration of the tucson suVs is no different. But it’s not just its good looks, the suV boasts exciting features and is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2016 in the Nepali market.

U19 cricket world cupNepal will join the u19 teams of the ten test-playing nations in 2016. this is Nepal’s seventh appearance in u19 Cricket World Cup. Mean-while, in the senior side, Prithu Baskota is back from injury and is expected to make a comeback into the starting 11.

reconstruction of boudhanathhopefully in 2016 the reconstruc-tion of Boudhanath and other heri-tage sites destroyed by the Great earthquake will speed up. and amongst all the other problems, the completion of these projects will surely be a sigh of relief to all Nepalis.

You’ve probably seen and won-dered why there’s a pack of clear beads in your new pair of shoes or handbag with a big warning:

do not eat, throw away. But wait; don’t throw it away just yet. Silica gel beads dry out and soak up moisture—a nor-mal pack of silica gel beads can soak up to 4gms of water. Here’s a list of things that will give you a reason to not throw the packets out. Start col-lecting!

Note: Keep silica gel beads, open or unopened, away from children and pets. If you ingest some by mistake, seek medical attention immediately.

dry out flowersFlowers are a special gesture and

come packed with petals of senti-ments. Do you throw them away? Of course not! Dry them up intead! You could place them under books but a more effective (and quicker) way is to

use silica beads—and lots of them. Fill half a bowl with silica beads and carefully place the flowers that you want to dry out (petals tend to dry out quicker). Then, cover the rest with

more silica beads until you can’t see the flowers anymore. The drying time depends on the size of the flowers that you use so make sure that you check every day.

preserve old photos A photo can speak a thousand

words, it can also capture a thousand memories and that is why we’re so attached to our old photos. A lot of the times, though, our old photo prints can fall victim to humidity and mois-ture, resulting in theprints gettingru-ined. To keep your memories fresh, store your old photos in a box and place a sachet or two of silica gel beads in the box; this should suck up the moisture and keep your photos in good

condition. Remember to replace the sachets every other year or so.

drying out your phoneEither we’ve all been there or we’ve

seen someone who has suffered from the ultimate phone suicide: dropping it in water. With our phones being our lifelines, it’s essential that we know how to protect or fix it from any unfor-tunate situations.

If your phone decides to take a plunge, immediately remove the sim card, memory cards if any, and the battery if it lets you. Leave it over night in a bowl ofsilica gel beads, mak-ing sure that your phone is complete-ly covered (rice is also said to be a good alternative).

The Magic Beads Planning on throwing out your packet of silica gel beads? Think again. By Astha Chand

FUN dUh