Foods

The Commons – Your cozy Hang out- Celebrates 7 successful years

The Commons – Coffee House celebrates 7 successful years serving you and as a special offer, a whopping 25% discount on the whole menu from May 2-4th is presented for all to enjoy the great selection of food and beverages that Commons is popular for.

Food dictionary: falafel

Falafel: [feh-LAH-fehl] A Middle Eastern specialty consisting of small, deep-fried croquettes or balls made of highly spiced, ground chick peas.

Colombo Courtyard

 

Tucked away in a not-so-quiet corner of Alfred House Avenue, this new boutique hotel has the city talking. With its lush, modern interiors and wide-open spaces, Sunela Jayawardena, renowned environmental architect, designed the hotel.

Smoothies & Milkshakes to cool off at The Commons

With the current hot weather continuing it is very timely to enjoy a choice of refreshing and cool Smoothies & Milkshakes for April which is featured at The Commons – your cozy hang out.

The Commons launches New Outdoor Catering menus

The Commons, now in its 7th year of operation has continuously introduced new products and services along with its super restaurant menu. The Commons experienced F&B team, under Chef Manoj now introduces a more diverse choice of Outdoor catering menus for all to enjoy.

How to collect fountain pens

Firstly, decide what type of pens you want to collect or if you prefer to collect a variety of pens.Next, read up and do your research on the pens. It helps to learn a bit of history on them. This makes your hobby a whole lot easier.  When you are done reading up on the fountain pens, go hunting for them!

Casa Colombo presents seafood Italian cuisine…

Juicy seafood and smooth pasta blanketed in rich flavorsome Italian sauces…. Is your mouth watering yet? The Chefs at Casa Colombo are on a mission to concoct a spectacular spread of Italian Fare with fresh seafood using authentic cooking techniques and impeccable presentation skills at very affordable rates.

Steal this look

Have you ever thought of replacing your traditional railing with a rope railing instead? Take a look at how this heavy rope, used as a railing attracts the eye

Sweet scented blooms from The Bloom Room

 

Now, that we’ve ventured into the subject of flowers and easy table decorations using fresh flowers, on Home Hints this week we feature The Bloom Room and its breathtaking variety of flowers, that caught my eye.

Origami Paper Lanterns


With the Vesak season upon us, our streets and houses are soon to be festooned with lovely lanterns in colours of every hue. My children take great delight in creating these masterpieces that they so proudly hang up in every crook and cranny of our house. Here is a twist on the traditional paper lantern, origami style. Get creative!

How to make a quill pen

 

Get a couple of quill feathers, preferably duck. You might be lucky if you have a couple of them running around.

Nursery Fish Pie

Well with the rain pelting down on us in the evenings, who isn’t in the mood for a comforting, creamy and cheesy fish pie.

Steal this look

Want to create some pizzazz in your patio, why not use cushions that come various shapes and sizes. Pick warm, bright colours for an instant pick me up feel.

Dog training 101

 

Dr. Nalinika Obeyseraka, a Veterinary Surgeon at PetVet was approached by Life Online to discuss a pet owner’s responsibilities towards the pet and the society they live in. 

Choose your breakfast personality



Different morning routines and different activity levels affect individual breakfast needs. According to top dieticians these are the best breakfast foods for each lifestyle …

Serenade Your Mind, Body and Soul


30km away from the hustle and bustle of Colombo, there exists a carefully located resort in the Moronthuduwa area, within the well-preserved and tropical atmosphere. The 1-Star Eco Hotel, known as “Owinka Lake Resort” blends in with the customary village life, with the blessings of river Bolgoda as its backdrop.

Best beach destinations in sunny Sri Lanka

 

Sri Lanka is endowed with a two season’s monsoonal climate which means a beach holiday can be enjoyed year round. Here you will find sun and sand all along the western and southern coastal areas best during the months of October to April, tempting you to get away from the cold wintery cli

Celebrate the Spirit of Easter at the Hilton Colombo

 

Easter is a springtime festival, when Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ. The biggest Easter brunch is happening at Spices on 8 April from 11.30am to 3.00pm. Indulge in a scrumptious brunch with your family. Kids can take part in the Easter egg hunt too. The buffet includes a complimentary glass of choice beverage and a chocolate Easter e

Common toxic house plants

Puppies chew on anything and everything. This includes plants and flowers as well. The idea of digging
up a plant I believe gives them a surge of excitement unlike anything else!

I found to my amazement, that most plants found in Sri Lankan gardens, are toxic to dogs and cats, and
depending on the variety and quantity ingested, can be deadly to them. Like me, if you have dogs and
cats that love chewi

Parvo – What to look out for

Canine Parvovirus – known to us as Parvo – is a virus that comes in two forms, Cardiac and Intestinal. First discovered in the 1970s, it spread worldwide in a matter of about 2 years. It is believed to be a mutation of the feline version but it does not spread between species. The parvo virus does not infect humans.

The p

Ask the Vet : 'Stop that itching!'

 

Our 6 year old dog is constantly scratching or licking herself trying to rid her annoyance with a skin condition she is frequently faced with. We usually don’t attempt to tie her or cage her and she runs and plays freely which could be worsening the situation? Kindly let us know what causes this and what we can do to avoid this from repeati

Ask the Vet : Neutering

 

We’re hoping to neuter our 3 year old male Daschund. We’re a bit concerned since our previous dog, a female Daschund that has not mated suffered a womb infection and ran in to various complications including her back legs being paralyzed beyond repair.  Hence, could neutering be the most viable, safe opt

Toxic foods for pets

Many of us – as pet owners – do not realize that certain foods, though perfectly harmless to us, can be toxic to our 4-legged family members. It is understandable that something like this can go unnoticed, because, honestly, who would ever imagine that sharing our food with our pets could very well put them in harm’s way? I certainly did not think so until a few years back; and to my horror, I

Ask the Vet: Bathing my dog

 

How often does a dog actually require to be bathed? I have recently adopted a 3 month old street pup who has been newly vaccinated and has been through fairly rough conditions. What complications may arise by bathing them ‘too often’? 

Ask the Vet: Tick Fever SOS

My one year old Cocker-spaniel is frequently suffering from mild forms of tick fever and suffers from loss of appetite, discolouring around the eyes and becomes very subdued for such an active dog. I’ve heard that this is quite common for dogs of this particular breed but what are

Ask the Vet: Overfeeding your lab!

 

FAQ - Between long working hours and being a mother, sometimes my life tends to get a little crazy especially after adding my two energetic Labradors to the picture! Since they are both male dogs with a heightening sense of energy, they crave me

Your Pet & ‘Toileting’

Recently one of my dogs developed a bad stomach and it made me realize how often times, it has been the animal’s toilet habits that have alerted us to something wrong in the animal. Even vets routinely check stools for signs of whatever is making your pet sick. Routinely this happens when your vet checks your pet for fever. The deposit on