Show stoppers
The annual dog show in the city saw
some of the handsomest, costliest and
rarest in the region
“Get the hair spray, I walk is not right, look your best baby!” The last moment touch ups and an entire lot running behind for the perfect act. It’s not a day’s action in the LFW or some behind the scene action from a film, but a day at the annual dog show organised by the Chandigarh Kennel Club. The biggest and most exclusive gathering of dog lovers across the region, it was the nothing short of mela, one stop place for the elitist, classiest and rarest of the breeds. And all form Chihuahuas to Rottweilers to huge but humble Saint Bernard’s, every dog looked dressed up for a red carpet entry.

Set for stage
Pop star Justin Timberlake, who has tried to woo the audiences with his role in flicks like The Love Guru and The Open Road, has now set his sights on theatre. Although the 4 Minute hitmaker is keen to do theatre, he is worried that he might not be taken seriously due to his celebrity status.“I think pop culture has done a number on creativity, because for me to make that statement (about wanting to work on theatre), I get the reaction: ‘Really?’ It’s like, ‘Yeah, why wouldn’t I?” he said. “The opportunity is there. It’s sort of like, I have a day job, and this becomes a hobby (that) I can plunge into with full creative eagerness,” he added. — ANI

Hair is a problem
Former Friends star Jennifer Aniston has revealed that when she discovered a grey hair on her head she broke down and cried. Aniston, who turns 40 on February 11, revealed that she was kind of thrown aback by the grey hair.“I found a really long grey hair, and it kind of flipped me out,” “It was like, ‘How many others are there?’ It actually brought me to tears, slightly,” she added. — ANI

Men’s Row
Celebrity twins Ashley Olsen and Mary Kate Olsen have decided to expand their  women’s fashion line ‘The Row’ to men’s wear. After ‘The Row’ became a hit with women, with Katie Holmes, Heidi Klum and Gwyneth Paltrow sporting the twin sisters’ collection, the duo has come up with a lucrative idea to design for men too.The men’s collection will have 35 pieces, including cashmere overcoats and jackets to chunky knits and soft T-shirts.The collection will range in price from $ 250 for a T-shirt to $ 3,200 for an overcoat, reports People magazine.However the store’s availability is still to be determined. — ANI

Blonde with brain
Drew Barrymore has ditched her redhead look for a big and blonde hair-do to reinvent her appearance and find a man. The Charlie’s Angels actress has apparently been turning heads with her makeover, with some citing the alleged hope of finding a new man as the reason behind the effort. But Drew insisted it was for amusement. “I’m going big. It’s all about hair-do,” she said. “I love being a redhead too, but I love being blonde a bit more at the moment. It’s so much fun.” “I hadn’t reinvented my look in so long and I love to reinvent,” she added. — ANI

Puff and tough
Actress Gwyneth Paltrow has claimed that she has a wild side beyond her goody two shoes image that is visible to the public eye. The actress said that there is more to her than a North London mummy doing yoga and cooking up macrobiotic meals for her children.The Iron Man star is married to Coldplay front man Chris Martin and is mother to Apple(four) and Moses (two). And the 36-year-old American actress has revealed her plans to take up smoking again as soon as she turns 70. Paltrow had given up on the burning stick when she became pregnant with Apple.“I’ve decided that when I’m about 70 I’m going to start smoking again. Why not? I can’t wait!”, she said. And the squeaky clean actress claimed that when it comes to being wild, she’s not unlike hedonistic rocker pal Courtney Love. “I don’t think she’s on class A narcotics any more. Maybe just class C! That’s not a big deal — aren’t we all, ha ha ha!” she said. — ANI

Out of tune
Singer Jessica Simpson has apologised to fans for her recent goof up after she forgot the lyrics during a show in Michigan on February 5. The star’s fans were stunned when they saw her stumbling through her performance at the Van Andel Arena in Great Rapids.The singer was mumbling her lyrics, forgetting words and fighting back tears during a 38-minute set, supporting country trio Rascal Flatts. A local concert reviewer said that at one point, Simpson stopped the show and asked her band to start a song again. Although, she did say ‘sorry’ to fans right then, but on February 6 her publicist blamed it all on ‘an off night’. “She’s a perfectionist and wanted to start some songs over,” she was quoted. The concert comes as Simpson’s apparent weight gain makes headlines in the U.S. tabloids, after the singer was photographed looking rather ‘curvy’ at a recent show. — ANI

Collage of creativity
Snehalaya organises a collage and mask making workshop for slum kids
Move over multi-million auction houses, paintings’ price running into seven digits or even Christie’s and Sotheby’s. There might be elitists working to keep it elusive and exclusive. Art is about life! Reason enough to broaden its reach and spread the horizons. Perhaps, taking a cue, Snehalaya an NGO from Maloya, organised a workshop for slum kids at Government Museum and Art Gallery-10.

Romantica 2009
British Library is organising some very interesting competitions on the occasion of the festival of love — Valentines Day from February 12 to February 14th. These competitions are centered around the theme of love. The inaugural ceremony will take place at 12 noon at the British Library-9 on Thursday, 12 February.

Artistic invasion
The father-son duo set to explore majestic castles in the country
Forts are akin to a mirror that reflects, perhaps more clearly than any sheet of glass the attainments of a people – technological as well as artistic – and bear eloquent witness to their struggles, sorrows and joys. Be it in Europe, Asia or Africa or in the South American continent, wherever there exist a heritage of millennia old civilization there exists forts that bear this out.                                    G. S. Channi with Gyandev

Poetic justice
Tera insaan qatil hai merre kadar masooma da, Zabr te zulm pal de ne teri rabbi raza ban ke ” The couplet which brings the hypocrisy and perfidy underlying the veneer of spirituality and religious extremism into sharp focus also reflects the anguished self of poet Kulbir Kaur, a noted academician, poet and short story writer. Sharing her perceptive view of poetry she maintains: “It is an articulation of our inner impulses and complex thoughts and its sculpting is influenced by writer’s deep roots in life, language, traditions and the milieu.” 

Taylor Swift arrives at the Recording Academy's Clive Davis pre-Grammy party in Beverly Hills, California on Saturday. Photo: Reuters

Up in smoke
Researchers from University of Iowa have found a link between smoking and premature aging. They identified a key protein that is lost in Werner’s syndrome (premature aging) decreased in smokers with emphysema i.e. chronic lung disease. This decrease harms lung cells that normally heal wounds. “Smoking can accelerate the aging process and shorten the lifespan by an average of more than 10 years,” said Toru Nyunoya, MD, assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and a pulmonologist with University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

BODY wise
Support system
Finally, it’s all paying off. You’re edging toward your weight loss goals, are looking pretty terrific and not to mention fit and healthy. You are happy and want to celebrate the new you. But what might come as a surprise is the unexpected resistance and a surprising lack of enthusiasm from some of your family and friends — maybe even your partner — about your new look. It’s ironic that some of the most discouraging words may come from those closest to you. 

Jungle Lore

Mrignayani, an exhibition of bamboo craft from Madhya Pradesh, offers an interesting array of furniture and animal form at Lajpat Rai Bhavan in Sector 15. Lifestyle photo: Pradeep Tewari