Mount Lavinia Hotel’s CSR project on International Women’s Day

Mount Lavinia Hotel keeps a close watch on its neighboring establishment, the adjoining Mount Lavinia Railway station. With scenic routes, railways have become an increasingly popular mode of travel for tourists and general public alike. The 7th station along the islands coastal belt, the Mount Lavinia station has served her purpose for commuters both local and foreign. A close bond shared between the two establishments and a key stakeholder, MLH has always considered it a moral obligation in being socially responsible for the railway station. The International Women’s day CSR project overlooked the installation of a new CCTV camera system at the railway station. Surveillance of the station’s perimeter will help in identifying any public misconduct, vandalism and property damage. Present at the launch on 8th March were staff members of the hotel, students and teachers of neighboring schools as well as foreign hotel guests.

Serviced Office Spaces by GrandSpace – A Flexible and Timely Solution for an Increasing Demand

The latest entrant on the scene of professional workspaces, GrandSpace One (Pvt) Ltd, celebrated the opening of their very first set of serviced offices recently.

GrandSpace offers set ups complete with office spaces, virtual space, meeting rooms, day office facilities and co-working spaces of the highest quality standards for the most affordable prices.

The standard office spaces can accommodate 1 to 6 people at a time, and are fully furnished with direct phone lines and Wi-Fi. The two meeting rooms provide facilities for 4 and 9 persons respectively; the latter offers a professional boardroom ambiance. The virtual spaces are means for clients to have an actual office address for mailing purposes and a dedicated telephone line, whereas the co-working space is ideal for freelancers and young entrepreneurs who seek a a casual workspace space to network with other like-minded professionals.

With the evolution of start-ups in Sri Lanka, a primary obstacle faced by entrepreneurs is the lack of affordable office space in prime locations. Organizations like GrandSpace exist to provide such professionals with the perfect environment and all the facilities needed to be creative and innovative as well as impress prospective clients.

Complete office furniture, a dedicated phone line, 24/7 electricity, A/C, reception services, call operator services, tea and coffee services, housekeeping, Wi-Fi, CCTV surveillance, parking, a lunch room inclusive of a fridge, microwave, coffee machine and snacks, a rest area, a spacious lobby, and free tea service for guests are just a few of the extra services provided by GrandSpace to their clients.

“The entrepreneurial mindset of a start-up holds a tremendous amount of value when it comes to ensuring the successful growth of a business, which in turn offers large economic benefits for our country. In spite of this, many entrepreneurs find it very difficult to find office space in prime locations due to monetary and many other limitations. Our primary objective is to offer affordable, spacious and top of the line office space to all our clients” said Director, Samila Maddumage. “We are opening our doors to people who are looking for flexible workspaces and meeting facilities, young professionals and freelancers as well as anyone who is in search of affordable, high quality office space”, he added.

GrandSpace is conveniently located in Kohuwela, providing easy access to the commercial hub as well as the residential areas of Colombo and its suburbs.

She’s Mercedes: DIMO hosts an evening of indulgence exclusively for ladies

The brilliant canvas behind the idea that the power of inspired minds can effect excellence, She’s Mercedes, is a platform dedicated to inspiring, connecting, and empowering women globally to unleash their full potential. To introduce this unique platform to the empowered ladies of Sri Lanka, the first ever Sri Lankan She’s Mercedes event, organized by DIMO, was held on 20 January at DIMO 800 – Mercedes-Benz Centre of Excellence.

An intimate evening of stimulating conversation, indulgence, and cocktails was held exclusively for the ladies. Concluding with an enjoyable dinner, the networking event provided an ideal opportunity for guests to reflect upon the hard-hitting and impactful nature of the She’s Mercedes movement.

Shattering gender stereotypes across the world, She’s Mercedes is an inspiration circle and a hub where empowered women of varying interests meet to exchange ideas, share experiences, and spark conversation.

 

Indeed, the history of Mercedes-Benz demonstrates that it is no stranger to the powerful influence of inspiring women. In 1888, Bertha Benz, a German automotive pioneer, business partner and wife of automobile inventor Karl Benz, undertook the first long-distance journey in the early days of the car. Channeling her spirit, She’s Mercedes is devoted to inspiring and emphasizing the modern idea that the female clientele of Mercedes-Benz has unlimited choices, free of the constraints of gender-stereotyping.

“Nothing about a car categorizes it as a man’s or a woman’s. It is an individual choice. I think Mercedes understands this better than any other, considering the inspiration that the company has drawn from women over the years. This event is not intended to launch an exclusive car for ladies, but to celebrate women and invite them to view our entire range of cars,” Dilrukshi Kurukulasuriya, Chief Human Resources Officer at DIMO PLC, noted in an impactful statement.

She’s Mercedes tackles gender-stereotypes in a brilliantly unique and exceptional manner, employing a mix of several formats, such as intimate portraits, home stories, and interviews. Strong and successful women from various fields and industries provide personal insights by delving into topics related to both business and private life, and impart fresh new perspectives on life. To date, the series has featured remarkable personalities and dynamic individuals such as the model, actress, and activist, Amber Valletta, the founder of Blogilates, Cassey Ho, and inspiring mathematician, Anne-Marie Imafidon. These pioneers are dedicated to pushing the boundaries.

 

The elegant evening hosted exclusively to inspire, connect and empower women and successfully introduce the She’s Mercedes platform will undoubtedly aid in shattering the cycle of gender-typecasting in Sri Lanka. This enriching experience was merely a stepping stone for more engaging activities to follow. Indeed, the idea of a successful woman in a Mercedes car will certainly remain familiar.

Colombo Coffee Company Opens Sri Lanka’s First Dedicated Coffee Store

The flag carrier for Lavazza Coffee and the only total coffee solutions provider in Sri Lanka, Colombo Coffee Company (CCC) recently opened doors to Sri Lanka’s first dedicated coffee store. The one-of-a-kind store located at Ward Place was declared open by Chairman of CCC Ajith Dias. Directors Lalin Dias and Hiran Embuldeniya were also present.

 

Speaking at the opening General Manager Lien Keerthisinghe noted, “For more than a decade the Colombo Coffee Company has become synonymous with all things coffee in Sri Lanka. We are the go-to solutions provider for international and local hotel chains, restaurant chains, homes and offices. As a complete solutions provider we do not only supply the world’s best coffee but also distribute latest technology coffee machines and accessories, and provide our coffee expertise to the industry. This store is a culmination of everything we do where clients can visit us and experience coffee first-hand”.

The latest store will stock coffee and coffee-based products from the world renowned coffee brands like Lavazza, Bonomi, and the latest addition of Toscana Ceylon grown, ground and brewed coffee. La-Cimbali, Nuova Simonelli, Gaggia, WMF, Fetco and Bunn coffee machines can also be ordered from the outlet. Furthermore, a range of barista accessories and café cleaning products will also be on sale at the outlet.

 

Further commenting Keerthisinghe added, “This outlet will also serve as a place where people can learn about coffee. Sri Lanka has a rich coffee history as much as one with tea and we hope to revive that especially by uplifting the local coffee farmer and giving them a platform to market their products. In a way this outlet will also serve as a sustainability platform for CCC to further enhance the coffee industry in Sri Lanka”.

The outlet will be open from Monday-Friday from 9am – 5:30pm and on Saturday from 10am – 1pm. For more information, please call 0703 606067

Executive Lunch Deals at Barista

The largest international café chain in Sri Lanka, BARISTA has come up with another yet most awaited meal deal for the on the go busy executives in town. Speaking on this initiative, the CEO of Barista Coffee Lanka,   Athula Yapa mentioned “With the information and technological advances which are rapidly taking over Colombo, we have seen an increasing trend of new customers patronizing our Baristas for one to one business meetings as well as a temporary remote office space while sipping our Lavazza coffees. This is especially true with the rise of start-up communities. Identifying their round the clock busy schedules that limit the time to go out for a meal, mostly resulting to end up skipping lunch altogether, team BARISTA geared up to launch executive lunch set menus which are coming with a selection of our all-time favourites in the form of combo deals. We are confident the options given for customers to select from our executive lunch will surely make this another great deal not to be missed with BARISTA’s value for money as always.”

The executive lunch deals come in the form 2 set deals catering the rice lovers as well as non-rice eaters who would still prefer to add a spicy twist or a meaty flavor to their lunch palette. For those who prefer to have rice, BARISTA offers a selection of either Lemongrass Chicken Rice or Teriyaki Meatball Rice with a beverage option to be chosen from a wide range of selection of coffee/tea/iced tea or mojito at an all-inclusive price of Rs.600. For a non-rice  lunch mood BARISTA offers the option of Spicy Chicken Pasta or Chicken Lasagna with a chosen drink from the list of beverage selection at Rs.700/=.

What’s more? BARISTA lunch deals are served weekdays from 12 noon to cater those who prefer to have lunch on-time. The deals are served extending the lunch hours till 3.00pm also keeping in mind those who look for options for late lunch.

The executive lunch deals are now available at all BARISTA outlets in Colombo located at the World Trade Centre, Laksala-Thummulla, National Museum premises, Bambalapitya (opposite MC), as well as at Barista Rajagiriya. For more information please Call or WhatsApp the BARISTA hotline on 0719999922 or simply log on https://www.facebook.com/BaristaSL/. BARISTA is open daily from 7am till 11pm from Sunday-Thursday and till Midnight on Fridays & Saturdays.