Concept stores have, in the recent years, been quite popular among Kathmandu residents. These stores are where an array of different brands is displayed together, allowing you to compare and contrast items before making a purchase. It thus makes for a good place to stroll or scroll and shop. But Mijala Shakya feels that a lot of people think it’s just a ‘quirky’ space that sells ‘Made in Nepal’ items when it’s something so much more than that.

Sabita Panta says she makes it a point to buy new clothes during Dashain because that’s what her parents always did. And that’s what they have conditioned her to do as well. Thus she was recently at Civil Mall in Sundhara, Kathmandu, shopping for clothes with her husband and two sons.

Almost every restaurant menu has chicken wings on it. And every restaurant has one version of this popular dish. Some serve their dish spicy while some do a basic fried rendition of it with a tangy dip on the side. House of Wings at Jhochhen, Thamel, that opened its doors about five months ago, does things a little differently. This eatery focuses on serving a variety of chicken wings, catering to all kinds of taste buds.

A big part of the Nepali fashion industry is focused on occasion- and event-wear. They make and promote clothing items like lehengas, saris, kurtas and gowns which are not only expensive but are actually things that we will eventually end up wearing two to three times at the most. For casual clothing, we mostly look for branded items manufactured abroad as not many of us are aware that casual clothing of good quality is also made in Nepal too. This is why friends Bilap Rai, Alina Rai and Sandipa Dangol opened Siyo Nepal, a company that primarily produces casual clothing for every body size and shape.

It has been more than a decade that PsyD. Brinda Thapa has been working as a mental health professional but she confesses that she too has to make it point to keep her own mental health in check. Having to listen to so many people and counselling them regarding their problems every day can be a little taxing for her mental wellbeing.

You would think a restaurant located in the heart of the city would be noisy because of all the disturbances from the road. But Ghaney restaurant located at Maharajgunj in Kathmandu is an oasis of calm. Although Maharajgunj is one of the busiest parts of Kathmandu, somehow that doesn’t seem to have any effect on this restaurant. What’s more, the interior and décor of the place further emphasize the peaceful and tranquil vibe making Ghaney an ideal place to relax and rejuvenate.

Everyone experiences indigestion every now and then. But suffering from an upset stomach frequently can actually have something to do with bigger and more dangerous diseases.

The food business sector isn’t just limited to restaurant and cafes these days. There are a number of brands and companies that don’t actually prepare food themselves but are slowly establishing themselves as a huge part of the food industry. However, Twinkle Goyal doesn’t think there’s a comprehensive platform in Nepal that covers most – if not all – aspects of the food industry. And this is exactly why she, alongside her co-founder Nikita Chitlangia, launched FoodPal, a restaurant discovery platform that also has event listings and blog posts related to food. This is where you can expect to find answers to all your food related queries.

Jerome Imstepf and Anne Chassaing are the couple behind the recently launched business venture Of Silk and Salt. The couple had visited Nepal for the first time in 2006 while they were working on a project conducted by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and in May last year (2018) they decided to launch three businesses – a multi cuisine restaurant, a garment and lifestyle shop, and a guest house – all under the branding Of Silk and Salt.

LN’s Atelier is a team of four fashion designers – Elen Rai, Anil Pradhan, Parikshya Baniya, and Arzoo Pradhan – who are working together to push forward the creative and artistic side of fashion in Nepal. Rai, founder of LN’s Atelier, emphasizes the fact that the group isn’t an official organization or a company yet.

Maha Bhoj, a new play that will be showcased at Mandala Theater in Anamnagar, Kathmandu, from Saturday, August 31, was written more than four decades ago by Indian author Mannu Bhandari. Anup Baral, director of the play, says that although the play is quite dated, its context and plot can still draw parallels with the political scene of Nepal and a lot of other South Asian nations in general.

If you pass by the backstreet where Sushi Hokkaido Nepal is located in Boudha, you can’t help but admire how beautiful the restaurant looks from the outside. Decorated with numerous plants, a cherry blossom tree, a purple velvet sofa, coffee tables and seating space made from tree stumps, and messily (but prettily) hung sheer white curtains, the foyer in front of the main restaurant sets a pleasant tone even before you enter the eatery.

21-year-old Januka Shrestha confesses of being quite excited about the ‘dar’ that’s being organized at the institute she’s enrolled in for a diploma in fashion design. According to Shrestha, Teej is what she considers to be the ‘biggest festival for Nepali women’ and she feels the buzz leading up to the festival is an important aspect of it.

“We spend a lot of time in our homes. So it’s important to keep it well maintained and decorate it appropriately,” says Pradeep Bohra founder of the online home decor company Bora Home Store. Bohra who developed an interest in this field during his teenage years launched the company in 2014 as Maya Bedding and Décor. It was, he claims, the first online-based interior design store in Nepal.

It hasn’t even been two years that Yellow Pomelo has been running but the restaurant has already solidified its position as one of the best eateries in Kathmandu valley. Located in Jawalakhel, Yellow Pomelo stands out even amidst the throng of similar eateries that surrounds it because the building it’s located in has a massive outdoor seating space and (the dining space) occupies multiple floors. This gives it quite an appeal.

Formal occasions call for dressing up but in Nepal formal wears are limited to elaborate saris and lehengas. Dressing formally for work or western formal attire isn’t generally taken into account. It was to tackle this that Sunita Acharya and Shrija Shrestha launched Lady Boss early this year.

Most K-pop fans can perhaps relate to people calling them obsessive and labeling them as hormonal teenagers who just like (K-pop) idols because they are good to look at. Often times, the media also ends up labeling K-pop enthusiasts as crazy followers.

For many of us, the fashion industry seems like a glamorous and rewarding place. In the recent times, the number of design hubs and boutiques that have come up vouch for its exponential growth. However, professionals such as models, stylists, and photographers say that there’s seldom any room for creativity and that money is often an issue. They say these are pressing problems that need to be addressed if the fashion sector is to prosper in the long run.

Why stick to the same old boring jewelry items when you have so many options? These handmade jewelry businesses can revamp the way you choose to accessorize your outfit. Here we bring to you their stories so that you can make a conscious and ethical choice while picking out pieces to go with your style.

It can be heartbreaking to wear a pair of new shoes in Kathmandu – especially in the current context where the roads are bad and the weather couldn’t be any less agreeable. You can’t take two steps without getting mud and dirt all over your clean shoes and you really can’t be bothered with cleaning your shoes every time it gets dirty.