If you stumble upon artist Ashim Shakya’s recent works, we wouldn’t blame you if you thought it was a film poster for a dark dystopian movie, perhaps the prequel to Apocalypse Now. Shakya specializes in graphic illustrations he categorizes as surreal but based on reality. And what’s more, Shakya is also a musician.

What good are weekends if you don’t watch a movie, or two? The weekend is the perfect time to curl up on the couch, with some tea, and watch fun films. Here are 10 of our top picks.

Going vegan is actually a piece of cake, say the vegans we spoke to but, according to experts, a vegan lifestyle can be challenging, especially health wise. One has to find alternate food sources to compensate for the required nutrients such as proteins, minerals, and vitamins that are mainly found in meat and dairy products.

Husband and wife duo Chuck Han and Siwon Choi started Salon De Kathmandu, a cafe and bistro in July 2016. According to Han, he accidentally stumbled upon the property that now houses Salon de Kathmandu and a bed and breakfast called Maison de Kathmandu and was immediately taken by the large garden. “I could see it being a place where people could come in and enjoy some peace and quiet,” he says.

Instagram has become a haven for budding photographers to showcase their photography skills as well as learn from other professional photographers. One such photo enthusiast is Prajwal Bhattarai who has been capturing moments and people of Kathmandu on his Instagram account @nepzie. If you were to go check out his page on Instagram, you will see a feed entirely in black and white with an occasional splash of color here and there. All these images reflect life in Kathmandu as well as places around Nepal.

If anyone had told Prachin Siddhi Bajracharya, as a child, that his interest in reading comics would lead him to a career in graphic designing and illustration, he would have had a hard time believing it. Now, his life circles around creating art in digital form for events, t-shirts, posters etc. and all this has created a pathway for Bajracharya to channel his inner emotions and ideas.

Often times, in a conversation, a generalization or a stereotype becomes a way of comic relief. For instance, whenever you are eating out with friends you might find yourself laughing at your friend being called a “lobhi bhahun” or your Newar friend being forced to pay the bill because all Newari people do is “bhoj”. While many might criticize my ability to “take a joke”, I can’t help but think of how stereotypes, as well as generalizations, have affected not just the average Nepali but the world as a whole.

Thanks to Macklemore’s 2012 hit ‘Thrift Shop’, in the global setting thrift shopping is now a part of the mainstream pop-culture. It emphasizes on the fact that it’s okay, even cool to buy clothes or things that are hand-me-downs from complete strangers. And so places all over Europe and also America have embraced thrift shops where people are more than willing to donate and buy clothes and other materials.

Literature has always been part of Nepali culture. Nepali authors and poets are revered, awarded and hold a respectable position in the society. From Bal Krishna Sama to Parijat, Nepali writers have used literature as a medium to portray as well as critique the behavior of our society and the humanity in general. Works of writers, both past and present, can act as a window to the workings of the society as well. But with our school and college curriculum giving priority to English, it’s debatable whether or not the younger generation is reading as well as showing an interest in Nepali literature.

In the recent years in Nepal, sports and fitness have slowly become a part of the daily life of the urban population. And with the growing numbers of the fitness inclined, active population comes the need for proper sports or athleisure wear, i.e. clothes that make such activities easier.

Life of an artist seems surreal and enviable, right from the recognition s/he gets to all that freedom for creativity and opinion and, of course, their knack for turning anything into a wonderful play of colors and putting something beautiful and meaningful out into the world.

Customized t-shirts have been a rage among teenagers and adults for a while now. After all, what’s there not to like about a unique t-shirt that reflects your interests, views, and preferences? Recognizing the need and want for such clothing items, there are some companies that cater specifically to that demand.

The internet is a scary place, addictive yes, but scary nonetheless. And much is talked about ‘political correctness’ but at the same time issues such as homophobia, bullying, revenge porn, racism are just as widespread. Now, I, by no means, would consider myself an expert on sociology, psychology or politics but I do have in myself a reasoning capability granted by biology and so I have my doubts when it comes to being politically correct.

Menuka Gurung, after completing her Bachelor’s course, found herself stuck in the vicious cycle of corporate jobs. This, she realized, wasn’t all that she wanted in life. She wanted to do something out of her comfort zone, something that would help get rid of all the stress that she had bottled up inside her. And so, she submitted an application for Nepali Travelers’ ‘Solo Woman Travel Challenge’. It didn’t feel right but it was what she wanted.

Entrepreneurs Kitan S Pradhananga and Niraj Pradhan wanted to get into the restaurant business but they didn’t want to open just ‘another’ restaurant. They wanted their eatery to reflect their values regarding excellence and attention to details and Nini’s Station, located in Manbhawan, Lalitpur, does that and more. The duo has paid especial attention to the interior and the restaurant looks chic and cozy at the same time, making you want to spend some time there and relax.

When the 2015 earthquake hit Nepal, Julia Bajracharya Dahal was just minutes away from climbing the Dharahara. “I was walking behind the Dharahara with my friend when it fell,” she says. The scare was such that she had an asthma attack and had to be taken to Bir Hospital and there she witnessed the real horror of what had actually happened. She was traumatized by this experience and found it hard to cope. That’s when doodling came into her life as a savior.

Nepali adhunik geet has always had a devoted audience across the country, albeit a smaller one than popular music. While one can hear and see the songs and videos on radio or TV, there is an entirely different feel to it when you sit amidst other adhunik geet enthusiasts and listen to these tunes of the past, and that too when musicians trained in classical music are lending their voices to it.

As a child, Rochelle Tuladhar, now 23 years old, dreamt of becoming a nurse. However, when she received a big box of color pencils as a birthday gift, her plans took another turn. From making colorful scribbles as a child to coming up with fun and quirky illustrations as a graphic designer and illustrator, Tuladhar has certainly come a long way.

Every evening at the Pashupatinath temple one can see hundreds of people sitting on the stone steps facing the banks of the river Bagmati waiting for the aarati to start. The light from the oil lamps makes the entire riverside shine with a coppery red glow. A ritual that started 12 years ago, the Pashupatinath Bagmati aarati draws in people of all ages who come to take in the grandeur well ahead of the scheduled time.

Baaja will soon be releasing an album and they have already started recording for it. Until then, you can hear them on SoundCloud under ‘Baaja.music’ and ‘Chattra Bahadur Chahari’ or find them on social media like Facebook and Instagram.