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 Seven hours of Intensive Workshop by Natalie & Navi. In this bootcamp, they will focus on dances like Kizomba, Tarraxinha, Ladies Styling, Man Styling, Partner Work, Connection and Flow.

 To celebrate 70 years of French-Nepal diplomatic relations, AFK is organizing a painting exhibition that brings together Nepali and French artists like Kiran Manandhar, Sagar Manandhar, Vincent Greby, B.K. Nar Bahadur and Sushma Rajbhandari.

 photo.circle invites you to the public screening of the final outcomes of five Nepali photographers during the International Storytelling Workshop 2019: China and the International Photography Program 2018: Kathmandu & Dhaka.

close relations can be easily strained. The cordial people-to-people and government-level ties and the open border between Nepal and India connect the two countries in a way few other neighbors are bound together. Yet the sheer disparity in their sizes and populations also means they can never have a truly reciprocal relation. One marker of this disparity is what crosses (or does not cross) the open border on a daily basis.

In 2015-16, nothing did, as India seemed determined to teach the Nepali leaders a lesson for not honoring its wishes about the new constitution. Today, even though Indian pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables have been found to be harming the health of Nepalis, they are entering Nepal unhindered. Initially, following a recommendation of the Ministry of Commerce, the government had stopped their import. But after pressure from the Indian Embassy, which accused Nepal of imposing ‘non-tariff barriers’ on its goods, the trucks carrying the greens have been allowed back in. (It remains to be seen whether the latest Supreme Court ruling on resuming mandatory testing is enforced.)

India’s business-like approach to this humanitarian concern is deplorable. In the name of protecting its businesses, it is literally playing with the health of millions of Nepalis. Highhanded gestures like these do grievous harm to Nepal-India ties. To be fair, it was always going to be tough on any Nepali government, however strong, to resist the Indian pressure. Even so, the easy cave-in of the Oli government on this life and death issue was disappointing.

There seems to have been no prior consultations with India on the matter. The new provision mandates that all imported foodstuffs be tested for their pesticide levels. Yet there are few functional laboratories on the Nepal-India border areas to do so. The foodstuffs imported from India had started rotting on the stranded trucks. Ideally, Nepal should have first fully equipped these labs before stopping the edibles from India. But there was also no time to think things through as the health of millions of Nepalis was on the line. Now, rather than pointing fingers at each other, the two sides should sit down and find an amicable solution—and soon. After only just coming back on an even keel, Nepal-India relations cannot afford another rupture. Nor is it right to force people to keep consuming poison

 Poet-turned-novelist Devi S Las­kar’s debut book about racism in Trump’s America is heartbreaking. But it’s also a devastating story that sheds light on important issues that just can’t be ignored—like bul­lying and terrorism. The book is inspired by a true event in Laskar’s life—the Georgia Bureau of Inves­tigation raided her home and held her at gunpoint, on a legal matter that was later dismissed. This event gave Laskar the idea to write about a woman who goes from being polite and submissive to one who holds her ground.

The story opens with a South Asian woman as she lies bleeding on her driveway. She has been shot. Her life flashes before her in fragments and she struggles to understand the question she has been asked all her life: Where are you really from? The protagonist of Laskar’s novel—Mother or Real Thing as she’s referred to—has what might seem like the perfect life. There’s a lov­ing husband and three beautiful daughters in the picture and she has a solid career as a journalist and aspires to be a novelist. But the color of her skin—the Mother is born in America to Bengali immigrants—doesn’t let her enjoy all these good things in life in peace. Her daughters too have inherited her skin tone and that results in a lot of bullying at school.

The narrative jumps between the past and the present as an Ameri­can ‘nightmare’ unfolds right before your eyes. But the fragments are tied together by several themes and timelines which make it easy to get a sense of who Mother is even when the story moves backwards and forwards in time. Though surviv­ing racism in America is the main theme of the book, you also get a glimpse of the lengths many wom­en often go to, to maintain peaceat home.

Mother and daughter’s refusal to tell “the man of the hour”—as Mother refers to her husband in the book—about the racism they are facing so as not to upset him is an example of that. Laskar has also tried to show how women, more so women of color, have to juggle motherhood, marriage, and ambition, and fight for respect and sometimes even just mere acknowledgement.

Although the topic the book deals with is ugly, the writing is beautiful, almost lyrical. It temporarily relieves you of all the horror that’s going on. Laskar, by her own account, is a poet first and so the book’s structure was inspired by one of her favor­ite forms of poetry—a pantoum, a Malay verse form consisting of three stanzas. ‘The Atlas of the Reds and Blues’ is unlike anything you have ever read and Laskar’s “experiment” (writing prose in poetic form) works to keep a complex narrative crisp and engaging.

If you want a quick getaway but are not up for a long drive from Kathmandu, the beautiful and serene Grand Norling Hotel’s Resort might just be for you! It’s located at Dakshin Dhoka, Mulpani, Sankhu Road, with the Tribhuvan International Airport 6.5 km and Boudhha 3.5 km away. Despite being so close to the city, you feel like you are far from city noises when you enter.

You get a panoramic view of the Gauri Shankar mountain range from garden and rooftop. Some rooms here even offer a fantastic view of the Gokarna golf course. While you are enjoying dinner outside in the garden, you will most likely catch sight of reindeers, stags and some amazing birds. This resort is also surrounded by World Heritage Sites if you are interested in visiting the ones nearby. Bajrayogini temple, Boudhanath Stupa and Pashupati Temple are easily accessible.

Seventeen years into its establishment, the resort has always aimed to provide excellent hospitality at an affordable cost. Among its many features are air-conditioned rooms, a business center, and banquet facilities. If you suddenly want to hire a car to go somewhere, you can do that too. There is an on-site convenience store along with a restaurant that fulfills your cravings. A barbeque night with your loved ones is recommended.
The modern yet traditional décor of the hall, rooms and banquet gives it an opulent look. Rishi Kumar Singh, the operations manager at the resort says, “On the whole, the theme is Tibetan. But we have also given some rooms typical Nepali looks.” Pointing at the many beautiful and intricate art pieces on the walls, he says art is given due space at Norling.

He adds that although the resort was established in 2002, it has only recently become popular thanks to its energetic marketing team. “Now you do not even have to go as far as Nagarkot or Dhulikhel to find a place to be one with nature,” he says.

What about room prices? Singh says the resort wants to make them affordable. According to him, the resort focuses on providing top ser-vice, a neat place, a relaxing ambi-ence, and good food. The hotel currently has four categories of rooms: deluxe, cottage, standard and suite. A cottage room costs Rs 5,500 inclusive of breakfast and taxes. Even for comparably small-er cottage rooms, the resort pro-vides all the facilities required for a great stay. “Once you enter a cot-tage room, you feel like you have time-traveled 50-60 years back,” says Singh. This room gives off a homely vibe.

Similarly, standard and deluxe rooms cost Rs 6,500 per night. There are twin beds available in standard rooms, which are spacious. Singh says guests at Norling usually come with family and wish to share a room and have fun together. Suites are largest available rooms. Their paintings and décor give off a royal vibe. The bathroom and balcony in suite rooms are as big as standard hotel rooms. The resort even has a swimming pool, which is open to the public. For those who just want to come for a swim, the cost is Rs 650 a day. (Periodic memberships are also available.) For those who take a room, you can go for a dip for free. Be it a business meeting, a quick retreat, or a scenic getaway, Norling does not disappoint.

1. What is the most important skill for you as an actor?

 Acting

2. Do you prefer theater or film?

I like film more because I have studied movie acting and I started my career in films as well.

3. Who would be your dream crew?

I really wanted to work with two people, Saugat Malla and Daya Hang Rai, and I am fortunate to have been able to work with them. In the future, I would love to work with Namrata Shrestha.

4. What has been your best/worst date? 

If I like someone, I don’t think place or activity matters much. But the perfect date for me would be in Paris with a view of the Eiffel Tower.

5. How would someone get your special attention? 

I do not like people who stalk me or give me too much attention. If someone gives me too much space though then I would be more curious and interested in that person.

6. What role do you like to play in movies?

For now, I would love to do a negative role.

7. How does it feel when you put a mask on your actual personality?

I was born to do this. I learnt acting to do this. This is where my passion lies.

8. Your most prized possession?

My Nissan car that I bought!

9. If you could have coffee with one celebrity, who would you have it with?

With Namrata Shrestha. I have met her multiple times and she is my friend. I find her very beautiful.

First suggestion: Don’t wait for this movie to appear on Torrent or some shady website. Watch it in the theater. Second: Don’t watch it in anything other than 3D. Or you’ll miss out on the whole adventure.

Hollywood goes to Europe in this latest Marvel creation called “Spiderman: Far From Home” and despite the carnage it wreaks in some of Europe’s best-known cities, the world is saved at the end. No spoiler, this: Isn’t this how things eventually turn out in every superhero flick? And we’re safe thanks to the teamwork of Spidey (Tom Holland) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson).

Fury, the former director of S.H.I.E.L.D, can mobilize the Avengers to save the world at his will, and he does so in this installment too. Holland almost effortlessly continues in his Peter Parker role that he started in “Captain America: Civil War” (2016). Sharing the screen for the first time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is Jake Gyllenhaal playing Quentin Beck/Mysterio.

The film starts with an homage to Tony Stark/Iron Man and the Fallen Avengers as well as the “blip” that occurred in the past two movie editions of Avengers. (We are sure you have watched the biggest blockbuster, ever.)

In the new film, Parker, a high-school student, is out on an educational trip of Europe with his schoolmates, including his crush Michelle/MJ (Zendaya). Like most teenagers with a high-school crush, he has planned an eventful trip and the perfect sequence to declare his love to MJ.

But then, even on vacation, the poor chap is faced with a dubious choice: to woo his crush into falling in love with him, or answering Fury’s calling to save the world. We know what our hero chooses already.

So what’s new in this Spidey movie, you ask? Well, to start with, this is partly a coming of age story of ‘the friendly, neighborhood hero saves the world’ narrative. We see a meek and scared Parker who is ‘not yet 21’ take up the gigantic responsibility. Holland’s Spidey character has always been part of a bigger group of Avengers, with him being cast as a teenager with recently-acquired super-powers who is being groomed by the veteran Tony Stark. In Far From Home, the little, unsure boy has grown up into a responsible man, making important decisions on his own.

Although Spidey gets the whole film to himself on this one, we do at times miss the cocky Stark. Spiderman-Ironman relationship was unmatched to relations between any other Avengers, and it was always fun to watch them together. We also miss the Marvel creator Stan Lee’s (1922-2018) classic cameo. (May his departed soul find peace.) You expect him to appear on screen, at any time. Unfortunately, he does not.

The 3D recommendation is not flippant either. If you want to feel the water churn under your ‘gondola’ in Venice, watch it in 3D. If you want to hover above London Bridge like a bird, correction, a drone, watch it in 3D. If you want to experience the best of modern-day VFX, do so again. 

Who should watch it?:

Men, women and children of all ages. Period. It’s a ‘Marvelous’ PG movie with high-end graphics and a whole load of family-friendly humor. 

Rating: 4 stars

Actors:Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Zendaya, Jake Gyllenhaal

Director: Jon Watts

Run time: 129 minutes