Yearly Archives: 2014

Prabal Gurung around the world

Posted on April 8, 2014 | 2 comments

My favourite designer celebrated his birthday his birthday on 31 March so I would like to start this post wishing him a very happy birthday. I am sure he had a great day  🙂

Happy Birthday Prabal Gurung

While I was busying enjoying my holiday, Prabal Gurung ‘s creation was appearing everywhere around the globe. Every time I am able to read about him or see someone wearing one of his creation, I feels so good. So here is the sample of footprints Prabal Gurung is leaving around the world . Love him so much.

Marie Olympia of Greece wears sky technical tweed bomber and pencil skirt from the Spring 2014 collection for the March issue of Tatler.

Julianne Moore wearing the ivory silk cloque hand draped dress with navy, silver and grey paint-stained printed lurex jacquard asymmetric skirt from Prabal Gurung Fall 2014 collection in Los Angeles.

Nicole Kidman wears the white silk crepe off the shoulder dress hand-embroidered with swarovski crystals, silk grosgrain and organza ribbons and graphic black mako stripes from the Spring 2014 collection and Casadei for Prabal Gurung shoes for the March Issue of InStyle.

The pearlescent pink technical bonded satin shirtdress with white sable yoke insert, open back and mesh paneling from Prabal Gurung Spring 2014 collection in the March Issue of Vogue China.

The pearlescent pink, white and abstract rose printed hand-draped silk/cotton duchesse strapless dress layered over double bonded cotton bustier from Prabal Gurung Spring 2014 collection in the March Issue of ELLE Magazine.

Camilla Belle wearing the white windowpane organza 3/4 sleeve off the shoulder shawl sheath dress from Prabal Gurung Pre-Fall 2014 collection tonight in West Hollywood.

Magdalena Frackowiak wearing the wearing the lavender, mint and black abstract rose printed napa leather sweatshirt and pencil skirt from the Spring 2014 collection for the March Issue of Vogue Japan.

Maja Salamon wears Prabal Gurung kelly graphic rose screen printed translucent PVC raincoat from the Spring 2014 collection for the April Issue of Vogue Russia.

The pearlescent pink technical bonded satin shirtdress with white sable yoke insert from Prabal Gurung Spring 2014 collection with V Magazine.

Prabal Gurung vermillion graphic rose digital printed rayon muscle tee and vermillion technical tweed pencil skirt with disintegrated rose motif from the Spring 2014 Collection with this weekend’s The Telegraph.

Cobie Smulders wears the sky translucent glitter printed laminated tulle pencil skirt from Prabal Gurung Spring 2014 collection for the April Issue of InStyle Russia.

The lavender, mint and black abstract rose printed napa leather sweatshirt and the lilac rose sable pant with tonal satin inserts and white mesh overlay from the Spring 2014 collection for the April Issue of Elle Vietnam.

Prabal Gurung Pre-Fall 2014 ivory polarized rose printed silk duchesse a-line pleated colorblock dress and Pre-Fall 2013 bright pink and turquoise graphic lily printed silk / cotton tee for the April Issue of Elle Vietnam.

Kareena Kapoor Khan wears the kelly classic rose printed silk crepe de chine draped back blouse with contrast yolk and sleeve inserts from Prabal Gurung Spring 2014 collection for the March cover story of Vogue India.

Sonam Kapoor wearing the lavender rose sable deep-v dress with hand-draped bodice, dolman sleeve and white mesh raceback detail from Prabal Gurung Spring 2014 collection.

Martha Hunt wearing the translucent nylon pointelle sweater with hand-embroidered vermillion and black ribbon rose embroidery and vermillion graphic rose printed technical duchesse pencil skirt from Prabal Gurung Spring 2014 collection for the April Issue of ELLE Magazine (US).

Sarah Gadon wears the lavender rose bonded technical satin hand-draped dress with cascading back ruffle and exposed double bonded cotton poplin corset from Prabal Gurung Spring 2014 collection for the April Issue of InStyle.

Elettra Wiedemann wearing Prabal Gurung Pre-Fall 2014 ensemble for the screening of ‘Dom Hemingway’ last night in New York.

Prabal Gurung black and white fil couple silk and cotton pant with graphic black and mesh inserts from the Spring 2014 collection for the May Issue of GLAMOUR UK.

Elettra Wiedemann and Isabel Lucas wears Prabal Gurung.

Rita Ora wears the pearlescent pink, black and white abstract rose printed napa leather pencil skirt from Prabal Gurung Spring 2014 collection for the May Issue of Elle UK.

Kate Upton’s Prabal Gurung gown from the February Issue of Vogue.

Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt in Prabal Gurung Resort 2014 .

Bollywood actress Kajol in Prabal Gurung.

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Posted in Fashion, Nepal

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Empty mind

Posted on April 7, 2014 | 2 comments

Do you have days when you want to write but don’t know where to start? Today is one of those days for me; I have no idea where to start. I can’t blame it on jetlag anymore as its been over a week now since I returned. It’s been wet and rainy for the past few days so I could blame my condition on wet weather.

I am sure all of you know by now that I am a summer person and I love beach and barbeque so the autumn weather is not agreeing with me. It is ruining my plans.

Like on Friday, I decided to go for a run during lunchtime but it rained which meant I didn’t run thus no exercise for the day. On weekend , me and AS planned a little outing for ourselves to go to the city and have some fun but the stupid rain ruined it again and today I am hoping to go for run during the lunch time but the weather hasn’t been very promising. It’s been raining since morning and hope it will stop soon.

I wish last weekend had been bit longer as it was really nice to wake up late in the morning and not have to rush to anything. AS was great and made me breakfast yesterday while I did breakfast on Saturday. They were simple ones but I welcomed the change. All we did during the weekend was unpack, clean the house and rest. Not very productive as would have liked but I’m glad we had some time off.

I was Skyping with my mum yesterday and was missing her a lot. It feels so sad to leave my parents in Nepal and living here so far away in their old age. I am sure she didn’t expect that when she had us, one day we would not be around. This feeling always makes me feel so guilty and I feel sad that I can’t do anything about it anytime soon.

mum

It has been over four years since I and AS got engaged and it is nice to feel and see how our relationship has evolved. I am so glad that we have gone through ups and downs to get us where we are. We have been tested multiple times and still managed to pass each phase and come out stronger. I am so glad he has been a strong support when I am in my crazy moods. May be this is why you need a partner to keep you sane and grounded.

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Talking about family, as predicated everyone in Nepal highly recommended that we should have a baby soon. Their words were less subtle than I liked but the message was, “Have a baby now before it is too late.” AS and I had talk about baby a lot and we have our plans. Constantly hearing about it is not going to change our minds and we are determined that we will stick to our plan and make up our own minds.

Hope everyone is having a better Monday morning than I am. Have a good day.

M from nepaliaustralian

XOXO

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Posted in General

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Interview with Mike Crawshaw, author of “To Make a Killing” and treasurer of the charity “Hands Together”

Posted on April 7, 2014 | 3 comments

By Veronica Di Grigoli

Years ago, when I first started working in a bank in London, Mike Crawshaw was my boss. Although he was the head of a huge department of people, he was so down-to-earth that he made friends with everyone.

Mike Crawshaw in Nepal 2

Since then, he has co-founded an Australian-British charity that fosters education in Nepal, and also written a thriller called To Make a Killing.

For my guest post on NepaliAustralian, I interviewed him about the charity and his novel.

How did you first hear about the charity Hands Together?

My friend Anne Rose -The Chair of Trustees – approached me to be treasurer because she knew I had a financial background. In fact the charity was not yet established, and so I had to set it up with the Charity Commission.

http://www.handstogether.org.uk/

Children at one of the schools in Nepal

What does Hands Together do?

Alleviates poverty and helps with education in Nepal, with a particular focus on Tiplyang which is the home village of Tul bahdur Pun. He was a Gurkha soldier who won the Victoria Cross, fighting alongside the father of the actress Joanna Lumley, the uncle of Anne Rose and Elizabeth Allmand. The three families have kept ties ever since, and Joanna Lumley is patron of the charity.

How did the charity get started, and what is your involvement with it?

Just before Tul bahadur Pun died, he asked that the school in the village of Tiplyang be rebuilt. This was done with private money from the Allmand, Lumley and Rose families, and with the help of the Gurkha Welfare Services.

Mike Crawshaw with NGO team who help with the charity
The charity was then started to help run the school, and help give education and relieve poverty in surrounding areas. The original founder of Hands Together Tiplyang Project was Elizabeth Allmand who lives in Australia. She started the charity in Australia and then asked her sister, Anne Rose, to start a UK arm of the charity. For charity commission purposes the two arms have to be separate, but in fact we work as one and make all decisions together.

What are the things you like most about Nepal?

The peaceful loving nature of the rural population, their spirituality throughout every day life, and the natural beauty of the mountains.

Mike Crawshaw in Nepal with garlands

How often do you visit Nepal?

Twice in the last three years.

I know you like the outdoors and that you’ve enjoyed camping for years. What is your favourite thing to do when you visit Nepal?

Take in the views of the Himalayas from a quiet mountain spot.

You have decided to donate all the proceeds from your novel to the Hands Together charity. What is your book about? (No spoilers!)

It’s a banker-bashing murder mystery.

Michael Crawshaw with book

The book is very witty, and the main character is a real joker. How much of it is based on real people and real events?

All of it and none of it! In the acknowledgements, I have written: “This is a work of fiction.” But clearly a little part of many people has inevitably, sometimes subconsciously, been absorbed into characters and settings. You know who you are!

Although your book is a crime story, it is deeper than the average thriller. What message does your book aim to give people?

It’s partly a modern day morality tale, with the old message that money doesn’t buy you happiness.

What kind of people would enjoy reading To Make a Killing?

To Make a Killing by Michael Crawshaw

I have found so many different types have enjoyed it: pensioners, teenagers, priests, footballers, mothers, daughters. It is an easy read, with simple humour and a highly topical story line, so I think it has pretty broad appeal.

To Make a Killing is available from Amazon.com or to order direct from the publishers www.tomakeakilling.com. All proceeds from the book are donated to the charity Hands Together.

If you wish to make a direct donation to the charity, you can do so via their website.

http://www.handstogether.org.uk/

 

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Posted in Guest posts, Nepal

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Midi Magic

Posted on April 5, 2014 | Leave a comment

This article was published in +977 (a Nepalese Lifestyle Magazine in Australia) in March 2014 issue.

midi magic

Have you seen your mum’s or grandma’s old picture and noticed that the fashion they used to wear then are repeating and the midi is the must-have piece for 2014. It is feminine, flattering, and when styled in the right way, it is a beautiful modern take on a ’50s silhouette. Midi skirts, with a hemline which falls below the knee has been ignored for some time but women are rediscovering it and it can be worn to work, out at night, and on the weekends too .

Mid-calf hemline can be tricky to master, wear one that’s too short and you look squat, wear one that’s too long and you look like a bag lady. But it’s not impossible, and here are a few things to remember while buying midi and how to wear them.

Height

Height makes a big difference on which midi to buy. If you are short, stick to a skirt that hits just below the knee. If you are tall, any length will do so long as it doesn’t go below your ankles.

Length

 Length is everything. You can totally ruin the midi look if your skirt is just 2 inches too long or too short. Ideally, you want a midi to hit mid shin, where your leg begins to thin out. If a skirt hits at the thicker part of your leg, it will make you look stalky. If required, get it hemmed to an appropriate length.

 Perfect pairings

  • If you wear a bold colour midi, temper it with a neutral blouse.
  • For pleated or fuller options, keep the top simple.
  • Pair midi skirts with a feminine fitted tee or a pretty blouse in the same tone.
  • Pair your midi skirt with a polo tee for casual look.
  • Keep everything basic if you are wearing a statement skirt.
  • If you have a thin waist, add a lovely wide belt to your skirt.
  • Since every midi has a rather full skirt, keep it streamlined above the waist with a cropped jacket or a slim blouse.

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Posted in Fashion, Published

Back and alive

Posted on April 3, 2014 | 14 comments

You must be wondering where I have been for so long but I have had one hell of a busy time in Nepal that I went MIA. Now I am back in Sydney so here is the update.

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The wedding of my BIL went well but for the first 3 weeks I was there, I was so busy that I didn’t get to do much but just concentrated on the wedding. I was glad that AS was with me the whole time. I was sleep deprived most of the time for one reason or another.

After the wedding AS came back to Sydney and for the next 2 weeks I was just being lazy and missing him a lot. I know I might sound like a broken record to all of you but I miss him very much whenever we are apart. Skyping and Vibering definitely helped but still it was not like holding him or getting a kiss from him. I am just glad to be sleeping next to him again and seeing him when I wake up in the morning.

Lots of things were fun in Nepal expect being sick multiple times. I was sick a couple of times before the wedding and I was scared I wouldn’t be able to enjoy it. I was really careful the whole time drinking only bottled water outside and going to selective restaurants for food but I still got sick.

The day before the wedding, I was vomiting the whole night. We had gone to this fancy (supposedly good) restaurant at Darbar Marg in Kathmandu and we had had momo and pakoda. Looks like that made me vomit the whole night and the diarrhoea started the next morning.

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Imagine my state of mind and body when everyone was coming to our home. Thankfully, I took some medication and I was mostly OK for the wedding.

nepal update 10

As I mentioned before, my SIL is from a different caste from us so there was a slight confusion regarding tradition during the wedding but apart from that it was a great experience. The reception was equally fun, me meeting lots of relatives and friends. The wedding went really well and we have a new family member in our house who calls me sister :).

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I was glad once everything was over because I was planning to rest for a few days. It turned out to be just a dream because when the wedding was over, AS had just a week before he would leave for Sydney which meant we have to finish his shopping and on top of that, meet and eat with all the relatives who had invited us.

The week went really quickly and suddenly it was the day AS was to leave. I made a decision at the airport that I would never travel separately again. I know I was going to see him in 2 weeks but still my heart was crying for him not to go. Stupid me, but it was really hard.

The following day, finally I got to go and live with my parents and it was a good feeling. Even though, my new home (AS’s home) is good in every way, I had a different feeling when I got to sleep in my old bed and to be with my parents. I think the history I have with the house, my dog and seeing my old stuff is simply priceless and definitely, it will be my home forever.

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My parents spoiled me rotten for the next 2 weeks, breakfast in bed was really nice. My mum made sure she cooked whatever I would feel like eating. It was heaven just to wake up late and relax. I was so busy for the first 3 weeks that I just wanted to be lazy and relax the next two.

I did go for day trips to a few places with my parents but apart from that I spent lots of time at home just talking with them and relaxing.

I did went and visit my grand ma, who is 86 now. She is always so happy to see us and give her blessing. I can see a pain in her eyes sometime but still she smiles and tells me to be happy. The time I went to visit her before I came to Sydney, she almost made me cry. She told me , “I may not see you again so be well and make sure you look after your parents.” I am sure I am going to see her again and hope she will be strong and well for a long time to come.

ma

This time I managed to meet Kathy, from Himalayan Happenings with her lovely husband. It was such a nice moment and it was great to know you guys. I will be in touch and thanks for the momo. I loved it so much 🙂

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Thanks to one of my friends from school, I got to attend the gathering of my friend from primary school. I hadn’t seen most of them for 15 years now and it was so good to catch up. I couldn’t believe how much we have changed but at the same time we have the same level of comfort with each other. It’s like we had never been apart, conversation flew so easily. It was one of the most memorable moments of my visit to Nepal this time.

The other one has to be taking a family portrait with my grandparents in law. As I mentioned before granddad is 95 and grand mum is 90. We got a photographer to their place and had a great time taking photos. Here is one of the many photos we took. Having so many people, it was really hard to make sure everyone was OK in the same photos but finally we did get a few good shots.

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The highlight of my trip was definitely the wedding of my BIL but I am also glad to let you know that I managed to bring heaps of Nepali things for our new home.

We managed to bring two big carpets (Nepali carpets are quite famous and good), many showpieces like the idols of Buddha and Tara as well as the painting we were after.

Over all a great trip back home but now back to real word. I am still jet-lagged and tired from the trip. I might take me at least few days to be OK and normal.

I almost forgot to mention, I managed to be in Nepal for 5 weeks without any exercise. I took my yoga stuffs with me to exercise but it never saw the light of day. This afternoon after 5 weeks, I managed to go and swim during lunch. It was refreshing and relaxing. 🙂

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Of course, you will hear a lot about things from Nepal but for now, I need to stop typing. My hands need a rest.

Until my next post take care everyone and come back to blog. I am back now  🙂

M from nepaliaustralian

XOXO

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Posted in Kathmandu, Nepal, Nepal 2014, Travel, Wedding

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