Author: menyok

The Mystic Union of the Artist and Local Tradition Displayed

Posted by menyok on in Travel

The Folk Art Centre, located in Battaramulla, is the place to visit for those who love Sri Lankan handicrafts. Coconut-shell sculptures, silver jewelry, batik garments, hand-painted items, pottery and brassware are available to be purchased at quite reasonable prices. The craftsmen too are friendly and willing to talk of the crafts they love and the serenity of the shaded pathways is ideal for relaxing.

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Tucked away between the shrieking colorful cities peacefully lies a safe haven of charm. As the noise of the busy everyday life fades in to the blurry distance, and the only sound you hear is the mystic whispering of the sheltering trees, the magic of olden days take shape, in green, green grass and pretty old huts, severely innocent of the dazzle and color of the abode of the present day, and you find yourself pleasantly lost in the Folk Art Complex, popularly known as the Janakala Kendraya. Here, sunny smiles will greet you every step of the way, resurrected age-old Sri Lankan handicrafts will gleam in the stalls, and emerald shade will beckon you to sit a while or rest awhile or maybe have a fine read.

The Folk Art Complex features souvenirs galore! Everything from sculptures of coconut shells, jewelry made of shining silver, colorful garments of batik make, pretty little pieces of pottery and beautiful brassware with bullion sheen will be available to take home at quite reasonable prices.

This sublime location is an ideal place to visit with children too, as the friendly craftsmen are ever willing to chat with the inquisitive souls seeking glimpses into their craft. One may also choose to silently observe the deft fingers of the silversmiths as they bring life to their creativity as intricate pieces of silver.

A visitor to the Folk Art Centre will see the many colorful facets of Sri Lankan handicrafts displayed for the common man to see. Hiding in the city of Battaramulla, this unique place is a must-visit to those who like to have a concentrated Sri Lankan experience, while grabbing a souvenir with a whiff of the wholesome life style of this country.

Reaching the Folk Art Centre is quite easy, as it is located in close proximity to Colombo, the commercial Capital of Sri Lanka travel guides will most willingly accompany tourists to the location as well. Since Sri Lanka tours often cover the city of Colombo, one cannot miss an opportunity for an arranged trip to this unique place. Upon request, the local tour companies too will arrange visits to Folk Art Centre. Out of the many established tour companies in Sri Lanka, Jetwing Travels is in the lead, with their strong credentials in the hospitality industry in Sri Lanka, and provide many options to their customers with tours covering all the fascinating facets of the Pearl of the Indian Ocean.

Sarah Jessica Parker’s shoe line for Nordstrom to launch tomorrow

Posted by menyok on in Fashion

If you ever wanted to go shoe shopping with Carrie Bradshaw, your dream is about to come true – Sarah Jesscia Parker’s shoe line for Nordstrom hits the stores tomorrow!

When SJP’s character in famed TV series Sex and the city exclaims “..men I may not know, but shoes, SHOES I KNOW!”, we couldn’t agree more. Now, Sarah Jessica Parker brings her passion and style to her collection and fashionistas across country are waiting with baited breath. The previews of the shoes (and trench coats) look very promising and we sense a ‘sold-out’ situation pretty quickly! All the shoes are crafted in Italy and Spain and the collection boats of feminine, classic silhouettes with vibrant colors and timeless appeal. In March issue of O magazine SJP admitted she wants to give women excellent quality for their money. “I didn’t want to do anything that says , ‘Oh, these shoes are 2014.’ I want my shoes to be a part of your world for a long time to come.”
You can see some of the shoes from SJP’s collection for Nordstrom in the slideshow to confirm her opinion!

The shoes are priced between $200-$500 and will be available in-store and at Nordstrom.com at February 28. There is also a special pop-up store in New York City (372 Broadway) open from February 28 to March 2.

Skyactiv 2 Technology in Mazda Vehicles

Posted by menyok on in Autos, Cars

The idea behind Mazda Skyactiv 2 technology is to increase the vehicle’s output, while also improving its fuel efficiency and offering drivers the best of both worlds. While it might have seemed like a sales gimmick at first, Skyactiv technology has been a very serious investment by Mazda in creating quality vehicles that more drivers will want to get their hands on. In several way this investment has really paid off, making Mazda a more highly regarded manufacturer by customers and by the automotive industry as a whole.

Specific Skyactiv Technologies

Skyactiv technologies are located in several parts of Mazda vehicles. The main place that much of the attention is focused is on a Mazda’s engine, where it creates a highly compressed reaction in order to create more power with less required fuel input. The idea is simple, even if the technology is complex. The internal combustion engine is driven by explosions that force movement. If there is more pressure created, but less fuel is required, then there is more force to drive the engine even though there’s less fuel consumed. That is, in essence, the first step Mazda used to create a car that gives drivers more while taking in less.

In addition to an engine that offers driver’s a great deal more, these vehicles also have highly efficient transmissions combined with the proper frame and platform. In any vehicle the transmission is a primary source of wasted power, since shifting gears inefficiently can cause all kinds of problems. The Skyactiv 2 transmission is extremely efficient, making sure there’s as little waste as possible when it comes time to shift from one gear to the next. In addition to the transmission, these Mazda vehicles are built with a chassis that is lightweight, strong, and exceeds all safety regulations. When combined with the previous two parts of the Skyactiv 2 technology platform, the chassis results in extra efficiency, as there’s less power required to drive a car that weighs less and is aerodynamically designed.

Skyactiv 2 Vehicles Leap Ahead

All of this energy efficiency has been noticed by drivers. Once Skyactiv technology was introduced into Mazda vehicles their sales shot up to the highest levels since 2008. While some models do sell more quickly than others, such as the all new Mazda6 which was released in 2014, all models that use Skyactiv technology have made impressive numbers of sales in North America.

On the one hand, Mazda’s success means that it is still considered to be one of the major car companies in America. On the other hand, it’s entirely possible that Mazda will claim a higher spot than it has in the past due to the success and acceptance of its Skyactiv 2 technology and all of the advantages it brings to its customers. Their future is uncertain, but based on the current data Skyactiv 2 technology is definitely here to stay.