Boers…never bored in Sri Lanka

About fifteen years ago a group of us were passing the Diyatalawa Railway Station south of Badulla .Inquisitive experiences in Sri Lanka have always led me to stop the car at old churches, many graveyards, and lots of old railway stations. There  are so many hidden gems in Sri Lanka.So, we pile in to the small station and are met by the station master in his white uniform. Being British I love to see a man in uniform. I hated my school uniform ba

“Sri Lankan food can rival Michelin starred cuisine”

Sri Lankan chef Charith Mallawa, who gained prominence following his impressive performance on MasterChef: The Professionals, where he reached the semi finals, is set to tantalize taste buds with a spectacular Sri Lankan feast at a fine dining supper club hosted at The Bingham Riverside Hotel in Richmond, London. He has joined forces with his friend Andrew Logathasan who is not only a foodie but also on a mission to elevate Sri Lankan cuisine. M

Turning the pages with Roma Wells

Hailing from London, UK, Roma Wells is not your average author. With a background in International Relations from Cambridge University, she brings a unique perspective to her writing and endeavours. But Roma’s talents extend far beyond the realm of academia. She’s a true adventurer at heart, exploring the world and sharing her passion with audiences worldwide. Roma is also the CEO of Curious Fox, a sustainable travel company that gives back to wi

Shanika Talwatte Crafts of Ceylon

Shanika Talwatte, driven by her passion for crafts and creativity, is carving her niche in the world of jewellery design with her brand, Crafts of Ceylon. Inspired by the intricate beauty of jewellery craftsmanship, Shanika embarked on her journey two years ago, blending traditional charm with modern elegance. Despite lacking formal training, Shanika’s self-taught approach infuses her designs with authenticity and innovation. She draws inspiratio

Narthalea Yahampath Appointed co-creative director at Lovi

Fashion Designer Narthalea Yahampath has been appointed as the co-creative director of Lovi. With an impressive portfolio including showcases at Krakow Fashion Week and Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Sri Lanka, Narthalea brings her expertise and vision to this venture. Embracing the opportunity, she eagerly anticipates the challenges ahead, poised to contribute her creativity and talent to the brand’s success. Natharlea has firmly established herself

A Good Deed Amadeus Petnehazi

Amadeus Petnehazi, is a young teenage boy, who used his resources for a greater good. Supporting an entire football team, this young gentleman changed lives. We asked him a few questions about his good deed.

Nayantara aka Taru unveils Nyne Hotels

Nayantara Fonseka, affectionately known as Taru, has unveiled Nyne Hotels, heralding a new era in the realm of hospitality. Far beyond a mere rebranding, this launch signifies a bold commitment to delivering exceptional experiences that resonate with all nine senses: vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch, balance, temperature, proprioception (body awareness), and even pain. This transition marks a pivotal moment in the industry, as Nyne Hotels set

Turning the pages with Marguerite Richards

In the realm of storytelling, where words weave tapestries of human experience, Marguerite Richards stands as an architect of the written word. A writer and independent book editor, her journey spans continents and cultures, shaping her into a steward of memoir and diverse voices. From California, where she honed her craft amidst the pages of literature and the nuances of translation, to  New York City, where the excitement of magazine publishing

Āhuti 2024 Melding dance cultures together

The Chitrasena  Dance Company and  the Nrityagram Dance Ensemble from India will once again join forces to mesmerize Sri Lankan audiences with an exhilarating evening of dance named Āhuti. The show is billed as the coming together of  the sensuousness of Nrityagram’s Odissi and the masculine dynamism of Chitrasena’s  Kandyan dance to exquisite rhythms from Sri Lanka and India. Amidst their hectic schedule former principal dancer of the Chitrasena

Unveiling the potential of horse racing in Sri Lanka

The Royal Turf Club, the custodian of the Nuwara Eliya Race Track and official conductor of the horse races in Sri Lanka has the services of Mr. R Manjunath as Chief Stipendiary Steward and Senior Handicapper. A widely respected personality in the sphere of horse racing in India, Mr Manjunath has been with the RTC for the last eight years ensuring the RTC Nuwara Eliya races are conducted according to the internationally accepted rule book. With t

(UN)THREAD MeshGround Weaves an Intense Performance

From that very first moment, when the darkened hall was filled with a crescendo of trills, ululations, growls, and yips, the performers had the audience completely captivated. Conceived and choreographed by Umeshi Rajeendra, (UN)THREAD premiered on the 16th and 17th of March in the Lotus Room of the BMICH. Artistic Director of MeshGround - Umeshi is well known for creating inspired, original, provocative performances that address social, cultura

Gourmet Galle Peter Kuruvita

A household name both in Sri Lanka and abroad, Peter Kuruvita’s culinary journey began in the traditional kitchen of his ancestral home in Colombo, Sri Lanka. With over 4 decades of experience, he has flourished as an award-winning chef, restaurateur, TV presenter, author and industry speaker and has put Sri Lankan cuisine on the culinary maps of the world. He successfully established Sydney’s iconic Flyish Fish Restaurant

Turning the pages with Ashok Ferrey

Today we welcome you to a new column which will profile authors from around the world. We start with prolific author Ashok Ferry who grew up in Somalia in the 1960s. He says he was very nearly sent to boarding school in Eldoret, in the Kenyan Highlands, where African runners go to train. If he had gone there, he is fairly sure he would have ended up a runner, not a writer. He has a Degree in Pure Mathematics from Christ Church, Oxford Unive

ESHAN PIERIS wins at 12 Hours of Sepang in Malaysia

Sri Lankan racing sensation Eshan Pieris won at 12 Hours of Sepang in Malaysia last weekend, with the Absolute Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R together with Andrew Haryanto and Dorian Boccolacci, finishing first in class and second overall. He is geared up for a remarkable 2024 racing season with the GT World Challenge Asia 2024 set for April.

HERA Project X Showcasing Sri Lankan female talent from around the world

Q What is the HERA Project X about? HERA Project X has been set up to showcase the enormous talent in Sri Lanka, and within the Diaspora, among female creatives in business. From freelancers and solo-preneurs to company execs and everything in between, there is a layer of female creative talent that is being put to good use, innovating products and services that are ground breaking in terms of adding value to preserving heritage, giving back to c

Fashion is his best form of Expression Lithira Daluwatte

Style is the way to say who you are without having to speak,” said Rachel Zoe, the well – known fashion designer. This is perhaps an apt definition of what fashion means to Lithira Daluwatte a Fashion Designer who says that fashion is his best form of expression. We had a chat with him about his work in the fashion industry.

Culinary Adventures at Brown Sugar & Isle Amore

A place has a lot of value when it has meaning. When it carries meaning it means it carries a lot of sentiments. Sentiments mean stories. Brown Sugar together with Isle Amore is one such place with a lot of stories. Nestled cosily in Col. T. G. Jayawardena Mawatha, Colombo 03 are the 2 brands of food and stories- Brown Sugar by day (8am-5pm) and Isle Amore by night (6pm-12pm). After a hot long working day, visiting Brown Sug

Creating New Opportunities and Solidifying her role as a Leader

For Nishani Fernando Founder/Managing Director of Manisha Exports (Pvt) Ltd who was successful in winning big at the recently concluded WCIC PRATHIBHABHISHEKA – WOMEN ENTRPEPRENEUR AWARDS 2023, effective time management and delegating tasks are important when it comes to maintaining a balance with one’s professional and personal life. A highly successful businesswoman, she shares this honour with her team. We had a chat with her on what it ta

De Lanerolle Brothers A Musical Saga

In an awe-inspiring soiree of music, showmanship and event entertainment, the De Lanerolle Brothers commemorated their 15th anniversary at the place that started it all – The Waters Edge Hotel. A celebration of musical mastery reminiscing through their history, surrounded by the people who made this journey a possibility. The night was graced by celebrities, pioneers of various industries, enthusiastic fans, sponsors, media personnel and most imp

Exhibition on ‘Portraits of the Wild’

An enchanting art exhibition “Portraits of the Wild” by the passionate wildlife artist, Roney Vyse will be held at the Lionel Wendt Art Centre gallery on 15, 16 and 17 March 2024, from 9am to 7pm. Hailing from the picturesque tea plantations of the Uva Province and an alumnus of Uva College, Badulla, Roney Vyse has a deeply ingrained love for nature and wildlife. His innate talent for art, particularly in pen and pencil sketches, manifests beau

Insights into Feline Ecology: Unmasking Sri Lanka’s Small Wild Cats

In the March 2024 NTB WNPS monthly lecture, PhD Candidate Anya Ratnayaka, from the University of Queensland, is set to unveil the secrets of Sri Lanka’s small wild cats and shed light on their secretive lives as well as the critical conservation efforts needed to safeguard these iconic species and their habitats. Anya’s research focuses on the ecology and behaviour of Sri Lanka’s urban population of fishing cats, one of the two small wild cat spe

Gourmet Galle Mandy Yin

Mandy Yin is Malaysian-born Chinese of Peranakan Nyonya heritage. She moved from Kuala Lumpur to London as a child and later became a corporate lawyer before embarking on her career in food. Having started off small with a street food stall in 2013 before pursuing her laksa bar as a pop up concept, she opened her award winning flagship restaurant Sambal Shiok Laksa Bar in 2018. She is also the author of Sambal Shiok: The Malaysian Cookbook and is

Sammani Pathiranagama

Today on the Buzz I speak to the young lady who added the extra flair to men’s fashion in Sri Lanka. It’s been 10 years for her brand Olive Couture and there is a show to celebrate it.  Today on the Buzz I speak to her about her 10 year journey. 

International Designers AT CFW

Spanning just over two decades, Colombo Fashion Week has earned a reputation as one of the leading fashion weeks in Asia. Due to this, during each season there is a clutch of international designers who showcase their collections at CFW adding an international dimension to the show.  This year six designers will be at CFW, namely Abraham & Thakore, Afsana Ferdousi, Manoviraj Khosla, Payal Pratap, Charlotte Allen/Klements, and Samant Chauhan.

Collaborative efforts underway to preserve Sri Lanka’s Critically Endangered Endemic Species

Apart from charismatic species such as the leopard, elephant and blue whale, Sri Lanka is home to many other endemic species. But in recent years, the environment has been at the receiving end of haphazard decisions which are rapidly impacting the country’s natural balance of life. As a result, around 400 Critically Endangered Endemic Species in Sri Lanka are on the fast-track to extinction. An imbalance of global biomass With the arrival of hu

Habitat destruction Main factor driving species towards extinction

At a time when more flora and fauna are vulnerable to extinction, policymakers from around the world are already weighing in the pros and cons of biodiversity loss. Global figures indicate that around a quarter of the world’s animal and plant p

Beauty with a Purpose

The Queen of the World Pageant was introduced to the world in 2022 as a pageant not merely focusing on beauty but also seeking ladies with exceptional talent and charisma. Therefore four ladies who have won the prestigious titles will represent their respective country for the ultimate crown under four prestigious divisions at the global competition which will be held in New York, USA from the 18th to 25th of April 2024. We had a chat with the f

Megan Dhakshini Shatrughan

Today on the Buzz I speak to Megan who loves the creative and art side of life. Her love for poetry has built her quite a following. Megan is a creative mix bag of many talents, who experiments with writing, voice acting, singing, yoga and her background in advertising  Today she speaks to me about her new book ‘Softly We Fall’. The book is available at Sarasavi bookshops islandwide. 

Rashmi Uday Singh unveils Hospitality Hope - A Portal For Job Seekers

Renowned food writer and critic Rashmi Uday Singh graced our shores recently at the special invitation of chef Darshan Munidasa to attend a private event. During her whistle-stop visit to Colombo I had the privilege of meeting this dynamic lady who is a World Gourmand Cookbook Award winning author of 40 food books and a TV host. Rashmi Uday Singh is also the author of India’s first city-restaurant guide, and the world’s first vegetarian guide to

A chat with Mark Hix

Lauded as one of Britain’s most eminent restaurateurs, renowned for his unparalleled expertise in sourcing ingredients with distinct provenance, Mark Hix is an award winning author and food writer with 12 cookbooks to his name. His latest book ‘Hooked’ weaves captivating stories of fishing from his childhood years to the present. As a chef, Hix opened the successful Hix Oyster and the Chop House in 2007 and continued to operate a number of restau