Shopping in Islamabad/R-Pindi area

Lifestyle Wedding, Fashion & Beauty
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We have booked for March / April. Going after 2 years, so need your input.

I am looking forward to do cloths shopping for me and my daughter (3).

Where shall we go for the good quality stuff, which darzi’s are good, the last time, the darzi destroyed some of my cloths and I dont really want to go back to him. I want to have stuff you see from Lahore/Karachi, I want to custom make them but want to buy the good quality material, now here is the dilemma, which fabric is good and will look good!

Any known designers in that area?

Secondly I want to return some gold jewelery and get new sets made, as we are having a short transit stay at dubai Airport, heard there are some shops there, are the prices the same as in Dubai or are the shops in the airport rip off, so that I should rather get some gold sets from Pakistan.

Let me know any helpful new shopping/eating out/ outing information you have of our twin cities. Thanks

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Re: Shopping in Islamabad/R-Pindi area

Saadia as you know we are talking about Dubai airport so the prices are bound to be more than what you can get outside in the main city. Also in the main city, there is more variety and you can negotiate also with some of the shopkeepers. The gold shops in airport are nice but they only have the expensive 22kt and 18kt gold stuff and for me atleast 18kt is not even gold. In Pakistan you can ask the people to manufacture sets to your liking and there is far more variety and it is cheaper. I suggest do not waste money at Dubai airport and do all the gold shopping in Pakistan. It would have been completely different, if you were coming in to Dubai for gold shopping as Dubai is the Gold Shopping City! City of Gold, Dubai is called.

You can get really good jewellery from Lahore. Funny thing is, ARY is cheaper in Pakistan than Dubai. I am telling you this because i know. Lahore, do go to one of our restaurants. It is called Freddy's and it is on MM Alam road and the food is really good. Do try an ice cream cake from Kitchen Kuisine and it is also on MM Alam road or you can find it just on the border of Defense, right after the bridge leading into defense.

Also do try pizza from Kings & Queens and then go to The Village restaurant. Do have kebabs and tikka with puris from Bundoo Khan fortress stadium.

Another thing, if you want to buy some nice suits for yourself. Go to Miss Soni in fortress stadium, lahore. They have awesome clothes. And dont forget to visit, cantt, liberty and gulberg for all the boutiques etc. And while you are in liberty do have the falooda that sells there. It is quite yummilicious!

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Re: Shopping in Islamabad/R-Pindi area

Ah! I wish I was going to Lahore, much more fun there sigh Maybe we can include a short visit here.

thanks Aisha you helped me a lot, I will look around at the airport to kill time and get some design ideas but will buy from Pakistan.

Any reliable and recommened jewelery shops in isloo/pindi area? I dont want to go to our family jeweler, he has got boring stuff and all my family is wearning the same designs.

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Re: Shopping in Islamabad/R-Pindi area

Oh you are not. After reading your post, for some reason i had thought you were going to Lahore. Anyways no problem. Miss Soni has a branch in Islamabad too. For how long is your stay at the airport? I will think of some jewellers in Islamabad as my mom went there for some wedding and she did use a jeweller but i forgot the name. I will look it up and tell you.

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Re: Shopping in Islamabad/R-Pindi area

Oh great, do ask ur mom, she looks like she might have experience at it.

What is Miss Soni ?

How long stay at the airport? not more than 3 hours. We're flying Emirates.

Which are some good palours in isl/pindi for facial / manicures ect...

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Re: Shopping in Islamabad/R-Pindi area

Saadia i found out the name. Islamabad Jewellers are very good.

here is their address.

Shop No.3, Block-4, Civic Centre, Behind Holiday Inn Hotel Islamabad
Ph. # (92-51) 843830-2278414

and so are

Rehman Jewellers
4-A, Sufi Plaza, F-10 Markaz, Islamabad
Ph. # (92-51) 2281761-2282406

My mom has used both of these countless times.
Hope this helps you.

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Re: Shopping in Islamabad/R-Pindi area

Is that Miss Soni shop ?

Timepass -September 2012
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I guess you might have seen my mom. Yeah she has. Miss Soni is a clothes boutique, i gather you were looking to buy good clothes too from Pakistan?

Oh 3 hours is very less to come into the city, shop and go back to the airport. If you were staying longer it would have been cool.

One of the best saloons (pakistani) has branches in Islamad. I am talking about Depilex. You can go there.

House# 9-B, Street# 32, F-8/1, Islamabad +92-51-2851647

5-A, Street 56, F-7/4, Islamabad, Pakistan +92-51-2824091

Then there is a good saloon called Diva's. You can go there too.

House# 20-B, Street# 10, F-8/2, Islamabad +92-51-2510337

and lastly the last good saloon i know is Natasha's

House# 153, Street# 34, F-6/1, Islamabad +92-51-2822110

Timepass -September 2012
Timepass -September 2012
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no no i gave you addresses etc of the good jewellers in islamabad

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Re: Shopping in Islamabad/R-Pindi area

Aisha, thanx, we had the option of staying at Dubai over night and all expenses paid by Emirates, but couldn't convience hubby, he would rather go straight to Pakistan (plus he doesnt want to go into the hassle of applying for the visa) ... maybe next time.

Thanx for the information, will check these jewellery shops out.

How about car rental for few days .. any good service ?

btw where is the miss soni boutique?

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Re: Shopping in Islamabad/R-Pindi area

Modern air-conditioned radio cab service has been started in Islamabad. 1300 CC cab will charges Rs. 13 / km, 1000 CC cab charges Rs. 10 / km and 800 CC cab charges Rs. 8 / km. Around 300 radio cabs ( by six different companies) operate strictly within the limits of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. But they are allowed to drop their passengers to cities in Punjab and NWFP provinces as well as Azad Kashmir. The digital fare meter is installed inside each cab and prescribed fare structure is displayed prominently.
You can also call them to pick you up for which they charge Rs. 50 ( USD 1 appox) extra. They are very expensive as far as yellow cabs are concerned. But the plus points are that they are comfortable, air conditioned and use fixed meter system meaning that foreign tourists would not be ripped off.
Where will be u staying rwp or isb? both cities hv changed alott n hv sum wonderful places to eat, shop, hang out etc.
Dont miss Rahat Bakers pizza in sadar rwp.

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Miss Soni is in F-7 Markaz/ Jinnah Super. There are many other boutiques around it. The clothes there are for casual/semi-formal wear. BTW, sobia nazir's outlet is right next to Miss Soni. You have to make an appointment with her to see her at another location for formal wear.

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Re: Shopping in Islamabad/R-Pindi area

Hello
I am staying in Islamabad but its the area near R-pindi and baharia town, so will be shopping in pindi more but will check out the markaz in islamabad also.

good to hear of this radio cab service.

My greatest problem is that all I know are the crap darzis, I dont like the ones to which my families go to, so last time i went to kamran market and just gave it someone on my own, he screwed it ... so now i have lost all trust in the darzis .. i want to get some cloths made, want to buy the best fabrik but am afraid in the end the darzi will just destroy it, i mean, they dont even do the pipping on the cloths and the fitting is so crappy. anyone has experience with a good i mean a good darzi, i will pay any price for it. ?

Pakistan v India - ICC WT20 2012 Super 8 Match
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hey thankx!

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Saadia, so u wont be going to Lahore? I do know a few good tailors there :) Regarding the gold shops in Dubai, u won't be able to exchange anything there.. and nor are the designs really nice. It's usually 22k bracelets and chains.. and a few rings. I've never liked anything.. If u're flying Emirates can't u get a 48hour visa.. that way u can roam the gold souks and purchase something?

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Re: Shopping in Islamabad/R-Pindi area

Gina, Well I can get a visa at the airport as I am european (EU) national but my husband is pakistani, does he have to submit it in the embassy ?

Gina, no I am not going to Lahore .. maybe for a short visit but nothing longer to do damag kaphai with the darzis .. anyway I had good experience at Liberaty Market some years ago, but in pindi/isl its a whole different story, paindu designs mostly :-/ maybe i dont know the right places

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I think he's have to :) but it's worth it.. u can take time out and look around.. I personally like jewellery in Pakistan. The designs here are too "templish" (Hindu) or 22k stuff here.. depends if u want stone or plain gold. If u want buy a gold bar here and get whatever u want made in pakistan

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Re: Shopping in Islamabad/R-Pindi area

^i very much agree with that.

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The tickets are already booked :) Maybe next time we can have a short stay at Dubai, or if they have a problem and there is a forced stay - it happened to my parents.

We get real nice 24k gold bars here but I am not taking it with me. I like some stones in my jewellery, plain is not really my thing, so lets see if I actually like something, I am giving away 12 tola of gold and getting a new set with some stones (but cannot really decide which kind, want it to match as many suits as possible ) and 2 small kharain - I don't wear bangles)

Agar aap daktar hote
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Then Pakistan wud be the best.. Jinnah Super in Isb has so many jewellery shops.. and they're fantastic! I myself don't like plain gold sets or karra's.. I like them with stones/kundan.. Dubai is alright for pure gold, nothing great in sets with stones.