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Wrapping ideas for your gifts
Write
to Renee
Cheating pays, honesty doesn’t
Are crates good for your puppy?
Fish in a Dish
Rhyme and rhythm
Film & Fashion
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Eat you cake & gift it too Even though Christmas is still a few days away, desserts loaded with Yuletide spirit are selling like hot cakes, says
Saurabh Malik after taking a round of the bakery shops in the city
Yes, guys, Christmas cakes with Santas, stars and so many other decorations, are already here. Dazzling under the synthetic daylight on sparkling glass shelves in bakeries all over the city, they are coaxing you to push open the impressive doors to taste the Yuletide spirit. The whiff is unmistakable. As your eager feet carry you inside the shops, fumes exhaled by rum sozzled raisins greet you. The trail mingles with the aroma of freshly-baked cakes to give you the essence of Christmas, merrily. Wow! Isn’t it? Inhaling the fruitiness of the baked wonder, you realise buying them is not a cake walk. For, almost all the shops in the city are offering you something “unique” for that special Christmas evening. “In fact, there is so much to choose from. Guessing which cake to buy becomes a task in itself,” says Rajni Nehra, a housewife staying in Sector 48.
Or else, you can go in for cream cakes with decorations moulded out of chocolates. Placing them on the counter, Jagman of Sweet Nothings in Sector 8 says, “Some of the cakes are full of raisins soaked in rum two to three months in advance.” Go to Monica’s in the same sector and find the shop full of chocolate walnut and so many other Christmas cakes all wrapped in sparkling packs.
Giving way to temptation is not easy. Tarunum Shergill tried to resist, but found it hard to control the urge of taking home the cake. Pulling out crisp currency notes from her wallet on Sunday evening, the young IT professional working in a call center ordered three cakes full of liquor, currents and nuts. All to be delivered at a later date. Putting up in a palatial house in a posh northern sector, she plans to throw a gala bash on the Christmas eve. “The Santa cake is going to a major attraction,” she asserts with a broad smile playing on her happy lips. Her school teacher friend Nethra Roa, and so many other residents, have also placed orders for plum cakes loaded with raisins and festive spirit. No wonder, Christmas desserts are selling like hot cakes. “Christmas is over 10 days away, but we have already started received orders for the cakes,” says Seth. So, guys, what are you waiting for. Order you cake, now.
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Let Laado bloom The scenes come in bits and pieces. A group of children singing happy songs to welcome a baby boy, another group using martial art dance form blocking the route of a female foetus and yet another group giving shape to women in different form with paints and brush. By the time one finishes a complete round of Ryan International School in Sector 49, the picture is loud and clear – yet another fight against female foeticide. The script has evolved after the amalgamation of a series of workshops in different art forms – like the martial art form Kalaripayattu from Kerala, Mayurbanj Chhau from Orissa, Puppetry, street theatre and of course painting. And knowing the school’s penchant for doing things to its perfection, we believe that they have roped in the best in the fields – Narender Kumar as choreographer, Sandeep Jayaraj as Kalaripayattu expert, Vaibhav Patil as commercial artist, Sudip Gupta and Shreeparna Gupta as expert puppeteer, Sandeep Salaria as choreographer, Vivek Raj as theatre artiste and city-based artiste Rosy Varinder Kaur. But the major contribution comes from the 200 students who are taking part in it. “We talked for days and urged the students to come up with the script, the dialogues and music,” says Utkarsh Marwah, cultural and Creative Director, Ryan Foundation, Delhi. “They have been preparing for only 13 days, but the children have come up with such outstanding ideas and expression that have amazed us all,” says Poonam Sharma, Principal of the school. As a result, the production titled ‘Laado, my girl child’ has become more than a festival of creative expressions. In fact it has become a mission. Ask Saisha Sethi, a class V student, who has portrayed her image of a girl in her painting as one who can reach the moon. For Aishwarya, a woman is a Devi who can triumph over demons. Boys too are not lagging behind. Akash Deep in his painting tries to capture the pain of a woman. Others have gone through extensive research to come up with facts about female foeticide. The story begins with a Punjabi family awaiting the birth of male child with pomp and show, which suddenly turns sour as the doctor announces the ultrasound report. Obviously the foetus is of a girl child. What follows next is a drama full of emotions. The woman is forced to abort the child, and the dead foetus asking her questions. Dialogues are kept simple yet effective. Then we move to the room where a group of students are working on the same theme – this time on the pattern of a street theatre. Dialogues are again rib tickling and thought provoking. Lying in front of the school building are a few larger than life puppets, all made by the students, giving us an idea what to expect at the grand finale tomorrow at Tagore Theatre. This festival, we are told, is to mobilise the society by making them aware of the needs and aspirations of every girl child. Looking at the ever-declining male-female ratio here, what better gift can there be from this bunch of dedicated children to the grown ups?
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Wrapping ideas for your gifts
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Improve yourself from within
I am a 21-year-old guy. I am of medium-built and rather smart looking. But despite all this, I have many problems. I do not feel I have much of a life going specially regarding the opposite sex. My previous girlfriend left me because of another guy and now I am in great tension. I feel I really love her a lot and although I have told her my feelings many times. She really does not show much interest in me. I am suffering a lot. Please tell me what I should do. — Raghav, Sector 21-C, Chandigarh The world is full of stressed out people. Now why the heck do you want to join the gang? You possibly cannot allow yourself to have great tension at your age over an issue like this. The world is full of greater things that need to be handled. You might be a very smart looking guy but remember that is not all that a woman is looking for. Looks are a very small part of your personality. It is a complete package that girls are looking for these days. It seems you don’t have much to offer on the love front. She is probably looking for some emotional bonding or understanding which this other guy may have offered. Examine yourself within and find out what is it that you are not offering that she needs to look elsewhere for. Show her some understanding and ask her point of view. Maybe you will find the answer there. In the meantime work on yourself — improve yourself from within. As you approach life, favour a new and meaningful perspective. You will definitely find a meaningful relationship — if not with this one then with whomsoever who is meant for you. Trust yourself and she will trust you. I am a girl born in Kerala married to a boy who is born and brought up in Chandigarh. We seem to have too many quarrels. All this is happening because of a lady who works in his office in Thailand. He has told me that she is a partner and nothing more but whenever I answer her phone call, she gets annoyed with me and curses my husband. If I ask him about her, he tells me not to talk to her. I don’t think I can trust him inspite of everything. I know he loves me more than anything else in the world. The lady told me that my husband has told her that I am his employee in the Chandigarh office. What will happen next is what I want to know. Will this process continue all my life? — Seema, Chandigarh Dear girl, you sound thoroughly confused about whatever is going on in your life. You have to first really put your own act together and then confront the situation. It is very obvious that your husband is not telling you the truth. In case, he is clear from his side about his intentions regarding the woman in his Thailand office and has only an employee-employer relationship with her, then he definitely has no reason to quarrel with you and even to ask you not to talk to her. You need to sit together and have a heart-to-heart talk with him. Tell him that you feel insecure and need complete clarity. Ask him to speak the truth and then go with your instinct. Trust yourself that you will make the right decision. Do not worry about what people say. After all, it is your life.
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Art of the Artless The spirit of Balvinder’s recent works is folksy and frisky as he makes a splash with tempera on paper, says
Nirupama Dutt
Artless Art is the artistic process within the artist: it’s meaning is art of the soul. This is belief of the TAO of Jeet Kune Do and it well describes the art of Balvinder, a painter the city has nurtured over long years. After long one is face-to-face with the paintings of Balvinder as he shows after many years his recent works done in the past year and more. In fact, the work has been done after he retired as principal of the local Government College for Boys, Chandigarh. Artists who live by a calling other than pure art, and that is the case with most in this region of ours where the art mart is nearly non-existent, retiring from a job is happy news for there is time at last to paint one’s heart out. So Balvinder is trying to make up for lost time. “The two years that I was principal, there was no time for any art but for a painting that I had made for my office. Now that I am free, I am back to doing the two things that I enjoy the most—writing and painting. Bright and beautiful colours of the earth, brown, ochre, orange and red, and set off by colours of the sea that are blue green and aquamarine. His familiar feminine figure is back looking on at the world, brooding or growing wings and becoming a guardian angel of sorts. The works have other creatures too like majestic tigers and nestling birds. What mark Balvinder’s works is a folksy quality and a spontaneity that goes with it. One knows well that journalism is history written in hurry but he is a painter who believes in painting in hurry. This may be a constraint at times but it is also his strength. Talking about this quality of his, he laughs and recounts an anecdote, “Some years ago I had gone with my friend Malkit Singh to Delhi. There we learnt that it was the last day for submitting works or photographs of the works to the Purchasing Committee of the National gallery. Malkit had photographs but I had nothing so I thought of a way out.” The way out was to check out the nearest market and at Lajpat Nagar he went to and purchased a sketch book, some ink, glue, a brush and mount board.” Sitting out in the sun he hastily made three drawings. He mounted them and submitted then and there before the clock struck five. “The surprise was that all the three drawings were purchased,” he tells with glee. Such is the creative process that varies from painter to painter and it is coloured by a personality. Balvinder’s artlessness lies in his spontaneity and quickness. He retains an earthy quality that he brought with him from Dhuri in Punjab when he came to join the College of Art here. He recalls without any pretence on how he got into the college. “I was always interested in drawing and painting and attracted to the carpenters’ children in our small town who could sketch well. I learnt to draw too. It was much later that I learnt that there was an institution that actually taught art.” The city that schooled him in art became his home and for decades he has been active on the art scene, painting and also writing on art. He is perhaps the only lecturer of fine arts who rose to become a principal of a college offering course other than art. The works of this spontaneous artist will be on display and the Panjab University Fine Arts Museum till Saturday, December 17.
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Cheating pays, honesty doesn’t
Ready for a good laugh? Jaggi Faraar, Sharanjit Singh’s latest venture, an hour-long comedy tele-film is all set for release. The shooting for this rib-tickling comedy ended a few days back. Lined up for editing, the film would be available on CDs early next year and if a deal with the Punjabi setellit channels comes through, you can watch it on TV. The story of the film revolves around Bali (played by Ashok Bali) and Jaggi (played by Jagtar Jaggi). The two are playing the role of unemployed youth cheating people in kabootarbazi, sale purchase of property and befooling landlords. The police catches up with them in the end but not before they manage to send a strong message across that the system gives ample opportunities to cheaters but there are no opportunities to earn honest living for the young educated youth. The telefilm has been shot mostly in Chandigarh, Mohali and Kharar and the audience from the area would be able to able to recognise many of the spots where the shooting has taken place. The film has been produced by Badal Ghawaddi under the banner of Ghawaddi Art Movies. The film has a host of other popular artists including B.N. Sharma, Shavinder Mahal, Vijay Tandon, Akshita, Baljit, Amtripal Chottu, Dilawar Sidhu and Badal Ghawaddi.
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Are crates good for your puppy?
In a wolf den, cubs learn from their moms that the den is a place to keep clean as well as a place of safety and comfort. This is what is inbuilt in their blue print. Dogs descended from wolves. And, like wolves, they need a den. Beds and dining tables make great dens, but furniture doesn’t have sides for confinement. Rooms are too big for a puppy den; there’s enough room in these enclosures for the pup to defecate or urinate in one area and still have room to play or sleep without stepping in the mess. A sturdy wire mesh dog crate can be the best friend you and your dog will ever have. The dog regards his crate as a handy indoor dog house — a security blanket to which he can retreat to rest, to escape confusion or to adjust to strange surroundings. A modern den can be a crate that can be kept in any room in the house. A dog “crate” is the general term referring to a rectangular enclosure consisting of a top, a floor, 3 sides, and a door. Crates can be constructed of wire, wood, metal, molded plastic or a combination of these materials. The purpose of a crate is to provide a secure short-term confinement area for safety or general control. Vets, dog show exhibitors, breeders, groomers and anyone who regularly handles dogs have accepted, trusted, and routinely used dog crates since their inception. It serves as a playpen for puppies when you’re not home and it serves as a sanctuary for the over-excited pup. Correctly and humanely used, a dog crate can have many advantages for both you and your pet. When, in doubt, just think that to you it is a “cage” while to him it is
"home".
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Fish in a Dish
If it’s the sea that fascinates your taste buds, you have a place to go pamper them. Especially if you’ve had enough of the roadside Amritsari fish and the ubiquitous fish pakoras. Hotel Sunbeam, Sector 22, is back with its Seafood Festival. Encouraged by the good response to their marine delicacies in the past four years, they have once again put on the menu special dishes to make a Seafood Festival. And if shrimps and prawns have you drooling, Sunbeam’s Ambassador restaurant is the direction that you should be heading to till December 20, the last day of the festival. However, it will set you back by a couple of hundred bucks per person for, as seafood aficionados will agree, the aquatic fare does come for a price. The carte du jour boasts of a range of items set to please a variety of palates. Though compared to last year, this time their number is less, the select dishes come in an array of Indian, Chinese, Continental and tandoori styles of cooking. Whetting your appetite are a couple of soups. Somewhat akin to the cream of chicken is the cream of crab soup. Or, if you prefer some veggies in your appetizer, go for the Seafood Medley that’s a colourful mix of florets of green broccoli and dices of orange carrots, green beans and fleshy fish floating in a warm chicken stock. Restaurant Manager Vivek Pathania informs us that the fish, shrimps and prawns are washed in lemon juice to remove any smell that may unnerve your olfactory nerves. The hot spoonfuls down your throat prepare you for the starters and main course. The shrimp balls are dumplings of minced meat combined with thick sweet and sour sauce. The other option is prawns on toast.
The prawns are tossed in onion-tomato pulp, spread on slices of bread and cooked in salamander before they reach your table, complete with the seasoning. The other prawn dish is the golden fried one, fashioned in the Chinese style of chili chicken. For those rooting for the tandoori fare, there are roasted pomfrets and kasoori jhinga, an Indian preparation dipped in kasoori methi-curd paste. While your main course arrives, you can enjoy the melodious old Hindi film numbers belted out Madan accompanied by his partner on the guitar, even as the giant screen in the bar flashes huge images from MTV and Channel V. The effect is a curious mix of the sound of Yeh raat, yeh chandni phir kahaan, sunja dil ki dastaan… and Abhishek Bachchan and Zayed Khan gyrating to the remix video Dus bahane kar ke le gayi dil… The main course dishes are coupled mostly with steamed rice with the exception of a plate Continental Sole fish fried to a golden hue that is accompanied with a couple of garlic bread pieces garnished with steamed beans and carrots and ringed by tomato slices in addition to a little bowl of white sauce for that extra flavour. Since it’s a dry preparation, team it with the fish tomato to which tomato gravy and condiments lend zest and piquancy. The shrimp tomato basil pasta is the meat with spaghetti with a dressing of tomato sauce. To relish the Indian fare, opt for the popular Goan fish curry that’s a concoction of coconut milk and assortment of roasted and ground spices. Or, the tried and tested seafood biryani with raita. A word of caution: while you may have to consult the manager for dry and curried dishes before placing an order, the chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream laced with hot chocolate sauce is a winner all the way.
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Rhyme and rhythm
Ask her about her favourite pastime and she smiles, “Singing, of course.” T. Prem Lekha, a well-known singer of children’s rhyme songs, seems to have singing flowing in her veins. Born in Kerala and brought up in Chandigarh, she says that her entry into music was not planned. Then how did her singing career happen, one wonders. Recalls Lekha, “It was a small incident that turned me towards music. When I was in college, a few of my friends who heard my voice in a group song, encouraged me to participate in the college folk song competition. My voice was also greatly appreciated by some blind friends in college who approached me to participate in a function organised by the blind in the Tagore Theatre. Another organisation Royal Crest held a singing contest in Tagore Theatre where she was ranked second out of 700 participants from all over Punjab. “Another milestone in my life was when Dr Tripat Singh, director of Golden Bells Music Company, signed me for his company to sing children’s rhymes,” she adds. And guess what, this lady is about to share the stage with Hans Raj Hans in Ludhiana and Jalandhar soon. Talking about her interest in music from her childhood, she says, “ I was only a bathroom singer but my parents were very good at singing. They never tried to establish themselves in a professional way, but they had excellent singing skills which had a positive influence on me.” Besides having the offer from Haryana Culture Department to sing folk songs at Kullu Dusshera and in Jaipur, she now has three new contracts for story-telling with the same company. Her latest album with a well-known Punjabi singer will be released in a couple of months. “I love to sing ad Jingles,” says the talented lady who’s sung more then 250 rhymes.
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Film & Fashion
Jolie’s ex-lover still feels for her
Jackson had plans to co-star with Brando Pop superstar Michael Jackson thought of the late movie legend Marlon Brando as god and had even planned a TV show with him.
According to New York Post, Jackson and Brando had plans for a two-part TV special showcasing each other’s careers. Part one was to be set at the singer’s Neverland home with Brando talking with Jackson about his music.
Part two was to be shot at Brando’s private Polynesian island with Jackson asking the star questions.
Jackson thought very highly of Brando. In a voice message, he left for his former aide, Jackson said, “Marlon Brando is pushing, and he’s a wonderful man. He’s a god. We have to get this done. He wants to get it done before Christmas. He wants a lot of money, and we would own it together. He really wants it, I mean I think that he feels he won’t be living too much longer.” Brando died on July 1, even before the project could be initiated.
— IANS Kim, Alec divorce battle gets nasty
Alcoholism made Hopper suicidal Former Hollywood controversial actor Dennis Hopper revealed that he considered suicide during the worst stages of his alcoholism.
According to contactmusic.com, Hopper hit rock bottom to a point he felt he could not live any more and believed it was only a matter of time till he would be locked up as a result of his rampant drinking.
He says, “I was going to kill myself. I was so bad that I couldn’t make a gesture, I couldn’t speak. It was a terrible time. It was either incarceration, death or get
sober.” — IANS
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Social visits to hospital: Don’t make hospitals a place to socialise. It is seen that wards are full of friends and relatives coughing and sneezing near the patient’s bed. Avoid taking kids along as they may come back with a serious infection. — Dr Rashmi Garg is senior consultant, Fortis, Mohali
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Little Santa is back. All sugar and cream, he is reposing on a reindeer stuck deep in a frosty field covered with snow clad Christmas trees. If you haven’t seen him in his traditional red cloak with a box full of goodies, it is not too late. Just drive down to any bakery in the city and watch him beam on a Christmas cake. 
Don’t be so confused. You can take cakes cut in shapes of Santas and Christmas trees.
Kandy’s Pastry Parlour in Sector 32 is offering the stuff, along with other cakes baked with care and affection. “For some of the cakes rich in fermented dry fruits, you will have to pull out something like Rs 300. But it’s worth it,” says owner Jagdish Seth. 
Be original:
Try and personalise your gift wraps.
There is a dilemma in the hearts of all pet owners about whether to confine there pets or let them demolish their home.
People often draw back at the thought of putting their beloved dog in a box or cage. They think confinement is unkind. After all, people don’t want to be enclosed in a space they can barely turn around in. But puppies aren’t people. 
Sir Paul McCartney says that the Disney characters Bambi and Dumbo made him want to fight for animal rights.
According to contactmusic.com, McCartney is a strict vegetarian and a supporter of the group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
He realised that the violence inflicted on animals was wrong when he saw the way humans behaved in these movies.
He says, “Think of Bambi—it’s mum gets killed by a hunter and I think that made me grow up thinking hunting isn’t cool. You look through a lot of these great stories, Dumbo — his mum is quite badly treated. Kids, as I once was, have grown up feeling it’s a bad idea to be cruel to animals.”
— IANS
Oscar winning actress Angelina Jolie’s ex-lover Jenny Shimizu says she still has feelings for her even though Jolie is now dating Brad Pitt.
According to contactmusic.com, the two got close when they co-starred in the 1993 movie “Foxfire”. Shimizu says that they developed a deep emotional and sexual relationship over the following decade.
She says: “There has never been an ending to her and I. I think there never will be. I think we will continue to have a deep relationship. It really does go beyond just the sex.
“Whenever she calls me up I go and visit her. It’s not always the case that we get together and have sex. Sometimes we go to her property in Cambodia and explore the jungle.
It’s definitely more of a deeper friendship. She’s the person that I’ll always care about and always help and always be there for.”
— IANS
The ongoing divorce battle between actress Kim Basinger and her former husband Alec Baldwin is getting nastier.
According to Pagesix.com, Baldwin is now accusing Basinger of influencing his daughter Ireland with specially made chocolate bars that carry manipulative messages on their wrappers.
One reads, “To my daughter Ireland, who gave me the strength, courage and tenacity to stand up for myself— Mom.” Baldwin says, “The false message she continues to send our daughter is that she needs protection from her father.”
— IANS
ARIES: Hard work will yield matching rewards. Your personal charm and attractiveness has a positive effect on your career. People see you as a lovable person. Lucky number: 9. Lucky colour: Royal blue.
LIBRA: Your sixth sense or psychic abilities are energised today. A close bond deepens between you and an older person in your family. Lucky Number: 10. Lucky colour: Crimson.
TAURUS: People will be bowled over by the grace with which you are committed to your duties. Your name and reputation are spreading and your abilities are impressive. Lucky Number: 1. Lucky colour: Burgundy.
SCORPIO:
"The Lovers" inspire you with love and creativity today. Your ideas and thoughts may not meet with the support that you feel they need.
Lucky Number: 1. Lucky colour: Yellow.
GEMINI: Your intention today, as usual, is to get things accomplished. You can produce impressive writing results. Legal matters seem to have some role to play. Lucky Number: 18. Lucky colour: Silver grey.
SAGITTARIUS: Duties and obligations seem burdensome. You are not in a sociable and gregarious mood. A wonderful day for making changes.
Lucky Number: 3. Lucky colour: Black.
CANCER: "The Ace of Pentacles" leads to actualisation of personal and professional plans. Make the necessary improvements before any weather changes create havoc. Lucky Number: 10. Lucky colour: Yellow.
CAPRICORN: "Two of wands" spins in speculation and luck. You are apt to feel at odds with it as you can't quite get into a comfortable rhythm or flow with others. Lucky Number: 6. Lucky colour: White.
LEO:
You are at your best now when it comes to dealing with others. You know just what to do and can act without haste and emotion. Make use of your natural abilities. Lucky Number: 5. Lucky colour: Cherry.
AQUARIUS:
Do not sacrifice pleasure and love for the sake of achievements or to meet responsibilities. Loneliness and feelings of desolation may arise.
Lucky Number: 9. Lucky colour: Green.
VIRGO:
Traveling? do double check documents and tickets before setting out. If you are shopping this afternoon, you may have to be guarded in your spending habits. Lucky Number: 6. Lucky colour: Blue.
PISCES:
The difficulties that arise now, offer you the best opportunities to grow wiser; listen and learn. You are able to distinguish between reality and illusion.
Lucky Number: 12. Lucky colour: Golden yellow.