Changing face of Buddhist art
Call it a serendipitous finding, but there is no better way to describe a random visit to an art museum in Kansas City in the US Midwestern state of Missouri only to discover a fascinating collection of objects related to Buddhism including statues of the Buddha, some dating back 2000 years. At the Nelson-Atkins Museum [...]
Senel and Rakitha among young leaders from the Commonwealth
Two young Sri Lankans, Senel Wanniarachchi (right) and Rakitha Malewana (left) received medals from Britain’s Queen Elizabeth at a ceremony held in Buckingham Palace and were recognized as Queen’s Young Leaders along with 60 other young people from across the Commonwealth. The Queen’s Young Leaders Awards honour exceptional young people aged 18 to 29 in [...]
Now showing: Nihalsingha’s Welikathara in digital format
The first Sinhala film in cinemascope directed by D.B. Nihalsingha- ‘Welikathara’ –which created a sensation when it was screened 46 years ago, in 1971, is now being shown in cinemas for a limited period. ‘Welikathara’ was selected as one of the best Sinhala films from among over 843 films screened during the first 50 years [...]
Building to blend
Nestled on the slope of a valley, the terraced building that houses the spa at the Santani resort, seems to almost disappear into the terrain. One can be forgiven for missing the structure surrounded by lush greenery, for that was in fact Architect Thisara Thanapathy’s intention. “We wanted a non building situation. The challenge was [...]
Servicing your car in style
A car service centre, commonly referred to as a garage, is unlikely to invoke anything more than an image of an open air shed, grease slicked floors and the commotion of mechanical activity. So perhaps it’s surprising that an automotive service centre is one of the shortlisted designs for one of the most prestigious awards [...]
A call to paint the wild
Lying on the table are many paintings – a magnificent serpent eagle surveying its surroundings, a striking sketch of palmyrah and date palms and spectacular ‘images’ of a fort as far-placed as Kalpitiya and the lighthouse at Galle. Unwittingly, the mind races ahead giving the impression that just a stretch of the hand would allow [...]
From reading to writing to publishing
Paul Fournel won’t tell you how he became successful or promote himself overtly. Instead, this French writer will comment on things in a matter of fact way. “I got into writing by reading I suppose. I loved reading as a child and was an intense reader, and when you read, you ask yourself questions about [...]
An earthy splash: Swim Week Colombo
Dazzling the ramp “Swim Week Colombo” launched the first eco-ethical fashion week to be held in the Asian region, on Friday, June 30 with their ‘Green Conscious, Earth Sensitive’ theme. First on the runway was the creative team of “Arugam Bay” presenting a vibrant collection – a fusion of nature prints and Aztec designs. The [...]
A degustation not to be missed
A degustation is an opportunity for chefs to display their many skills in cooking, plating and pairing ingredients because it is as much a spectacle as it is a meal. Degustations usually serve up multiple courses of haute cuisine in small portions so that every aspect of each dish can be appreciated. This particular degustation [...]
Challenging an ideal
Kos Cos is in KLIQ Art-space, a spacious warehouse gallery tucked away in Fortress Hill, Hong Kong. For the past three weeks, his larger-than-life portraits of women have breathed life into the gallery’s bare white walls. The show ended on July 5. Entitled Incomplete Totality, his new body of work is thought-provoking, with compelling faces [...]
A foodie journey to the Far East
Taking diners on a culinary journey to the Far East this month, the Graze kitchen of Hilton Colombo is serving up authentic Vietnamese cuisine till July 15. Curated and prepared by two guest chefs from the Hilton Hanoi Opera, in Vietnam, the buffet features a variety of authentic dishes, from the classic Vietnamese ‘Pho’, to [...]
Layered flavours topped with elegance: It’s French cuisine at Kingsbury
From pop-up supper clubs to food markets, food plays a sizeable role in Colombo’s social setting. Kingsbury Hotel’s French food promotion at the Grill, is a recent addition to the city’s food scene and brings in the layered flavours and elegance of French cuisine to Colombo. For Chef Eric Beriggaud, who helms the food promotion [...]
Female iconic century of excellence
A few weeks ago, I had the honour and privilege of being invited to be the keynote speaker at the Centenary Banquet of Visakha Vidyalaya, one of Sri Lanka’s undisputed leaders in education for girls and currently celebrating its 100th year as an institution for education par excellence. As an alumni entirely educated at this [...]
Remembering those good old days
I joined Richmond College in 1933 and studied there up to 1940. Richmond is now 204 years old, and was started by a British missionary. I was born in Galle Fort on August 17, 1926. My two brothers Razik and Dr. Zain Cader and my cousins Lafat Hassen, Dr. Ansari Hassan, and M.C.T Cassim travelled [...]
Letters to the Editor
Finance companies allowed to drift away with our hard earned savings Under the regulatory and supervisory dictatorship of the Central Bank, there were 32 Finance Companies, as per the regulations prescribed under the Finance Companies Act No.78 of 1988, during 2008. The Central Bank quite proudly campaigned through the print media for the public to [...]
Appreciations
A good man who would always help others Rama Velupillai Several years ago I asked a friend for advice about getting our antique chairs repaired. He told me, “I will introduce you to Rama Velupillai. He knows all about furniture. He is a good man and he will help you”. This is how I met [...]