CHANDIGARH INDEX


Feeling spa-cial
Tricity guys are rapidly partaking of the pleasures of spa therapy
Talk of a spa treatment and it's women who come to mind, but wait, that's not the story any more. Men have swiftly joined the spa movement and are rapidly soaking in the sheer pleasures of spa therapy. Well, going by the responses, more than 35 per cent of spa goers are now men and believe us, they are soaking in all the fun. 

Comic trips
For satirist Jagbir Rathee, folk art is a medium that unites people
Jagbir Rathee So many roads of influence meet in the persona of Jagbir Rathee that it is indeed arduous to designate him with a single sobriquet. An academician, anchor, theatre and film actor, director, poet, playwright and above all, a crusader against social evils, Rathee is devoted to the Haryanvi regional culture and folk arts. Born and raised at Jind, Rathee holds a master’s degree in English literature and also in mass communication and is now pursuing a doctorate in folk art. He is on the panel of advisers of the All-India Universities Council for Cultural Affairs.

Pun filled
Haryanvi dialect is known for its grace, twang and rustic vigour and is laced with lively humour and vitality that sends the audience into splits. Poets from Haryana dominated at the Hasya Kavi Sammelan organised by the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi at the Government Museum and Art Gallery-10 on Sunday.

Dressing up John
Hollywood stylist Suzie Harman designs for John's next film
John Abraham is set to get even more stylish. The actor's costumes for director Abbas Tyrewala's film 1:800 Love are being chosen by Hollywood stylist Suzie Harman in London. The posh Suzie Harman, who dressed up Gerard Butler in Guy Ritchie's 2008 blockbuster Rock n Rolla, will not only be doing the clothes for John but for the entire cast of the film that will be shot in London.

Hair fall
Low-maintenance hairstyles in times of recession and falling fortunes
If you've paid fewer visits to your hair stylist this season, you aren't the only one. According to one of the top stylists in the capital, the global slowdown has hit the hair styling industry, and women especially in metros are opting now for low-maintenance hair styles. "Indian women now want styles that last longer, does not require maintenance and are relatively less expensive," Bina Punjani, the creative head of one of Delhi's oldest unisex hair styling salon, Looks, said.

Clutching the costly
Not quite playing a recessionista in Russia, Michelle Obama flashes $5,950 alligator envelope clutch
US First Lady Michelle Obama appeared to throw recession out of the window by flashing 5,950 black envelope clutch during a stroll in a wooded landscape outside of Moscow. She sported the expensive shiny manila alligator clutch made by Italian luxury goods company VBH.

All in the game
Online games based on reality shows have clicked with many a youngster
Heard, pretty often at beauty peagents, ‘If I were granted one wish, I would want to become invisible for a day. Steal chocolate, see what my friends are talking about me,”…….endless probabilities. Twentyfive-year-old Nitin Sharma, student of textile designing, when asked the same question doesn’t think too hard about it. ‘I want to meet Rakhi Sawant and shower her with gifts.’ The very next minute he comes face-to-face with reality. 

Geek SPEAK
Lap it up!
For all those who have decided to buy a laptop because of the convenience of its portability, keep in mind that there are many laptops in the market, and you will need to go through their specification carefully in order to know if it will suit your particular needs. For instance, there are laptops that fit into the category of desktop replacements, which usually contain everything that a normal desktop PC has and more. However, because of their weight, it would not be a practical choice for travellers. Following are a few quick tips to consider when shopping for your laptop.


FOOTNOTE

Heel-ing touch
Heel-ing touch
The legs of women are seen as they wait for the start of a 100-metre stiletto sprint competition in Berlin. Some 100 women competed in the promotional event organised by a fashion magazine recently. The prize is a shopping voucher worth 10,000 Euros ($13,900).

Haute pick
Weather proof
This is something, which I’d love to have— an electronic weather station. This comes with a remote sensor to monitor the area outside your campsite, your home, the garden, greenhouse or the garage. India is a country, which faces harsh weather conditions. From rain, to snow to fog, to ice, we have wind, hail, sunshine and the scorching heat. And for a person to explore this beautiful country we need to know what is going above and gear-up accordingly.

GizmOH!
Touchy issue
Will you mind if a colleague or friend attends a call on your cell phone when you’re not around?
Close call

I will rather be grateful. I don’t think I would fret or fume. I know that none will touch my mobile except for a close colleague or a friend, so it wouldn’t be an issue. However, I wouldn’t like if someone tries to peep into my cell or fiddle with it without my permission. I can’t keep my cell close to my heart all the time, I have to work as well. If a colleague takes my call when I am not around, it’s no big deal. At least, it is better than the disturbance it will create if it is unattended.


Chic Chandini 

Bollywood personality Sridevi with the new fashion designs by Tarana Masand in Mumbai.
Bollywood personality Sridevi with the new fashion designs by Tarana Masand in Mumbai. AFP photo

Right track
Students of Thapar University, Patiala, are on the road to success. Their TUFF 02, a racing car, is all set to compete at UK’s Silverstone Race Track
Thapar University, one of India’s top technical universities, has unveiled ‘TUFF 02 Car’ – a vehicle conceptualised, fabricated, designed and built by a team of students at the University. Fateh Team is all geared up to win this year’s ‘Formula Student 2009’ at the Silverstone Race Track, London. The single seat-racing car ‘TUFF 02’ is off the production line and ready to be shipped to London to participate in this prestigious competition beginning from July 16, 2009.

Spade work
Clouds & canopies
Whenever and wherever I talk about landscaping, my first insistence is proper planning for planting trees. This is the only element in landscape planning that is rigid for placement. You can change all the other features if found unsuitable at a later stage, but not the trees. An attempt to do so always causes a setback to the tree, as normal growth is tremendously affected.

Scent of an actor
Angelina Jolie Hollywood actor Angelina Jolie has signed with Emporio Armani to become the face of their new perfume.The Tomb Raider star is said to be fronting the advertising campaign for the as-yet-unknown fragrance."For this fragrance, they needed a true A-lister, and Angelina is the biggest, most dynamic female star," said a source. "Other models are Soccer star David Beckham and his wife Victoria. — IANS