Raising a toast to high-end whisky A cocktail of reduced liquor prices and surety of purity since the introduction of license system by the Chandigarh Administration is encouraging connoisseurs across the city to go for premium brands of whisky after saying “glass-down” to the standard stuff, says Saurabh Malik Cheers! High-end liquor is flowing in Chandigarh like never before. It may hit you like a strong drink, but more and more connoisseurs across the city are nowadays saying glass-down to standard whisky. Right, they are raising spirits by picking up tainted bottles full of untainted “expensive” pleasure from so many liquor stores, steadily. PATIALA PEG: Fun time ahead for city residents. — Photo by Vinay Malik

Spring has sprung
What is the vision of the top fashion designers for spring and summer, 2007? All eyes are thus on the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week that is springing many a surprise in the Capital. Here is what some of our famous designers are up to: Manish Arora’s Spring/Summer 2007 look is a journey through forests and a paradise of animals, birds, fish, flowers, rivers, waterfalls, ocean, pear and trees.

What’s cooking?
Gayatri Rajwade
Simple, solemn and eager, Kishan has come up the hard way but none of life’s cynicisms seemed to have seeped into him. Orphaned at an early age, his formative years were spent in struggle and today through the sheer dint of his hard work he is the proud proprietor of a catering service that is fast gaining a reputation for variety and palatability in the city.

S for Spinach 
Akanksha Bansal
“It is palak paneer for dinner.” Say this to your kids and they will start making faces. And then starts running after them and luring them to eat this highly beneficial vegetable. Its taste is the reason behind its non- popularity. But, this green marvel with smooth, broad leaves is a storehouse of nutrients, especially when fresh, steamed or boiled.

Herbal touch
Simran Dhatt
The enthusiasm amongst us city dwellers to experiment with continental cuisine apart from Indian and Chinese has considerably grown .To match our enthusiasm the local super market are well stocked with herbs. Rohini Walia, who takes cooking classes, says: “What garam masalas are to Indian cooking, herbs are to continental cooking.”

Bon Appetit
The Apple of One’s Eye
While driving through Kullu last week, we were wowed by the apple orchards along the road. Trees laden with gleaming red orbs, with the conifers hovering over them, were truly a delight to behold. Every now and then, we’d pass a couple of Himachali kids holding forth a sack of apples, imploring one to make a purchase. With their pink, chubby cheeks, they looked quite like the apples themselves! 

Music: Alive and free Gayatri Rajwade Is there musicality in animals? Yes there is, if bohemian French composer Eric Satie is to be believed. And interpreting his piece Intelligence and musicality in animals (amongst other things) are French artists—pianist and composer Christine Chareyron and director Brigitte Foray—weaving the music and literary texts of the composer in a concert that promises to be unique. It all happened when Christine wanted to do something with Satie’s work and approached Brigitte to string it together with her. Not too difficult since both of them love Satie’s music and his sense of humour. AWESOME TWOSOME: Brigitte Foray and Christine Chareyron. — Photo by Manoj Mahajan

Kaftans, kurtis and more
This sale promises to be different! Different because the brains behind this venture are two young ladies, who are offering the best bargain to the ladies of the tri-city. There are suits, sarees, kaftans and kurtis galore at Phulkari in Hotel Aroma, Sector 22.

What Kathy likes about Punjabis
Anuradha Shukla
To be or not to be- women have experience universally. This according to 29-year-old Kathryn Lum of Irish and Chinese parentage means choosing her own path or following a path of the culture that she has been bred in.

Animated Ganesha Tarantella Pictures Pvt Ltd, one of Asia’s biggest software producers, ventures into animation with the globe’s first 3D film on Lord Ganesha. The film on the life of the elephant-headed God with universal appeal will be the first of its kind in the world on Ganesha. “The story traces the life of Ganesha with interesting known and unknown facets of the elephant-headed God, and brings with it over three years of research,” says director Sharad Sharan who admits that Ganesha is every animator’s dream come true. “Ganesha as an animated figure is a very interesting with unique artistic forms. I have never seen such a beautiful mythological form.

Sun shines on Suraj
The city has seen a complete makeover as far as shopping and eating outlets go. The latest is a store completely dedicated to fashion jewellery in Sector 37. This is a one-stop fashion store with jewellery and accessories including pendants, earrings, rings, bangles, clips, belts and whatnot. Not just that the store has sets and earrings in genuine Swarovski, Polki and Austrian stones.

Gardens: Dahlias on display Joyshri Lobo Dahlias are the easiest bulbs to grow and the most flamboyant to look at. Soft soil, adequate water, manures and plenty of sunshine is the recipe for perfect dahlias. Their variety is mind-boggling. You can choose from miniature buttonhole varieties to huge, giant, 10” blooms. There are two-toned petals as well as solid colors, all facing you with their perfect petal whorls. Wild dahlias were discovered in Mexico around 1570. Their seeds were brought to England and then some one realized that propagation could take place through bulbs too. Eureka! Settlers carried the flowers to America. I am sure the “Mayflower” had many baskets carrying tubers!

COOL STUFF
High tea with Magppie
Adding a touch of sophistication to the art of drinking tea, Magppie brings you an excusive collection of tea accessories in its fusion range. Combing the delicate looks of bon china with the strength of stainless steel, Magppie lends an inimitable element of delight to an everyday experience.

FILM & FASHION
Charlize’s manipulation
In a rather honest confession, Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron has revealed that she got Hollywood director James Gray drunk to secure her popular role in The Yards. Theron claims that she plied the director with alcohol in order to win the role of Erica Stoltz opposite Mark Wahlberg and Joaquin Phoenix in the 2000 flick. “I got him drunk - that’s when my manipulation works well”, Contactmusic quoted her, as saying.

• Health tip of the day