Yangon Post
Kalinko's Christmas Playlist
This went down a treat last year, so we haven't messed with it too much. There's no Wham! on here. It's a classical mix. Because you'll feel very grown-up and suave listening to it. And we've got a challenge for you while you listen... The Kalinko Christmas Challenge The playlist lasts 1 hr 29 minutes. We reckon it's possible to do ALL of your Christmas shopping in that time if you set your mind to it. Efficiency is the key. We'll help get you started below. Ready. Steady. PRESS PLAY.
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Give a Gift from Warmer Climes
None of us have been able to travel very far this year, and everyone's desperate for a little bit of sun. Well, we've got a nice compromise for you. Give something that has come from a place where the afternoon shadows are dappled and warm...
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Something handmade feels right this Christmas
It's been a strange year. Give them something textural, beautiful, and made by somebody who really cares. Something solid, sturdy and natural. These things have been made very slowly, from natural materials, and should last a lifetime. A gift that will help them feel grounded, whilst letting them travel in their minds to warmer climes. Happy Shopping!
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Top Tips for New Homes
Moving House? Dreading moving day? Well FEAR NOT. We're pros at this. Here are our top tips to get you settled and feeling in control in no time. On the day 1 - Make your Bed. Do this first. Sheets, pillows, everything. Because the absolute worst thing is getting to the end of a 45 hour day of shunting and deboxing, and not being able to fall into bed. 2 - Box of Essentials. Take this with you in the car so you know where it is as soon as you get there. It should have a loo roll, the kettle, tea, coffee, milk, mugs and glasses. 3 - Meal Plan. Decide before you leave what you're going to eat throughout the day. It's the perfect excuse for a banging takeaway. Plan ahead, decide where you're ordering from and what you're getting. And make sure you know where the plates and cutlery are, otherwise you'll be eating thai curry out of the foil trays with a wooden spoon (accurate description of my latest move) In the first few days 1 - Key bowl. Put a little bowl for your keys somewhere sensible (console, kitchen sideboard, hall table) and start using it from day one. If not you'll lose your keys 1000 times in the first few days. Personally I like a Nepalese Singing Bowl... makes a lovely tinngg when you drop your keys in. 2 - Swap the doorknobs. If your house comes with boring or ugly doorknobs, swap them for something snazzy (have a look at Holloways of Ludlow). It's a tiny, easy change which will make you happy every day, and one which you'll never bother with if you don't do it early on. 3 - Put your pictures up pronto. This is the best way to start feeling at home. Hanging pictures makes the room feel loved and lived in. And a bit like the doorknobs, if you don't do it early on it won't happen for weeks. See this recent post if you need some things to hang! 4 - Disguise what you can't replace. If you're renting, or on a budget, and can't change things you don't like, hide them early on so they don't annoy you. Cover up ugly carpets with rugs, get loose covers or throws for sofas and chairs, and change the handles on cupboards and drawers (...after photographing the originals so you know what to put back where at the end). Once you're unpacked 1 - Sort out your bins. New house, new you - it's time to upgrade any ugly bins. It's a tiny change which will make a huge difference. 2 - Door Stops. Stop any slamming doors early on. Again, it's something which will get neglected if you leave it, and a shoe never really works. 3 - Cage your bathroom clutter. An easy fix which will make you feel calm! 4 - Laundry bins. Treat yourself to a smart one to fit with your new bedroom or bathroom. Square fits neatly into the corner, and round is very elegant. 5 - Tissue boxes. Another neat little win which will make your new home look smart instantly. 6 - Luggage Racks. One for your room, one for the spare room. 7 - A little stool. For reaching up into the highest cupboards. No more heaving around a chair. Every kitchen needs one of these kicking around. MORE TIPS
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Book Recommendations for the Longer Evenings Ahead
Some books we've enjoyed curling up with recently One of the odd things about living in Burma is missing the seasons changing at home. There are three distinct seasons in Burma: warm and breezy (now), hot and sticky (next), super wet (after that). But there's nothing quite like the transition between seasons at home in the UK. And there's something magical about the clocks changing in October. The extra long Sunday morning, the first dark, cosy tea-time on Sunday afternoon. The fact that it just happens. That we can play time. That we all just do it, and nobody decides to live for the next six months on the old time. Or maybe they do?! Anyway, here are some book recommendations for the longer evenings ahead. Most of these have been out for ages, and you probably read them yonks ago, but if there is something new in here for you then huzzah!
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Why we should all have lots of plants
I’m a terrible plant-mother. Really the very worst. I just can’t keep them alive. But there’s one plant from our very first shoot which despite my persistent neglect, will not die. It’s been my trusty side-kick for 4 years now, and continues to flourish and delight me at my desk. It’s a true miracle. It’s a Zamioculcas zamiifolia, also known as a ZZ plant, a Zanzibar gem or a Fern arum. Get one. It will make you feel like a green-fingered god...
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How to spot fake Mother of Pearl
What is Mother of Pearl? What’s all the fuss about? How do I know if it’s real? And how should I look after it? You know how we agonise over what colour to paint our walls? Spend days looking at tester patches of almost identical colours, agonising over the nuances between more or less chalky? Well molluscs have a much better plan. They go for pearly white, every time. No namby-pambying around. And they make it themselves at home. Genius. You see molluscs (pearl oysters, freshwater mussels, abalone, etc) paint their walls with mother of pearl. I’m absolutely sure it’s primarily aesthetic, but it also acts as protection against parasites and unwanted visitors. Paint with an integral-burglar alarm system (…Dragon’s Den WATCH OUT).
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Burmese Salads to Shake Up Your Summer
This is Amy and Emily Chung, and they are the Rangoon Sisters. They call themselves "two greedy sisters cooking traditional Burmese food"... our kind of people! Born and bred in England but with Burmese heritage, their incredibly popular supper club has been giving London an introduction to Burmese food since 2013. Now we can all gorge on their phenomenal nosh from home thanks to their brand new eponymous cookbook.
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Sometimes Simple is Best
White home accessories can be exactly what you need Anyone who has followed Kalinko for more than five seconds knows that we're very into colour. We love brightness and joy and pockets of punch for our homes. But sometimes...just sometimes, a simple white something does the trick.
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