Spic well
After a rewarding interaction with Dr Kiran Seth, as is a ritual with us, we asked him his phone number. Expecting a quick flow of ten digits, since he was getting late for a lecture at the Government College of Art, we in fact had already written a 9 (the usual beginning digit of cell phone numbers in India) to save that microsecond!

Young gun
For Mandeep Singh, the youngest player of the Kolkata Knight Riders team, life is cricket, cricket and more cricket
He is no different from any other 18-year-old. Highflying ambitions, passionate approach coupled with spiky hair (symbol of cool dudes), sprightly gait and a totally 'bindaas' attitude. But once we get chatting to the guy from Jalandhar, we realise what makes him different. Cricket, but of course!

Mandeep Singh

Moment lost
Patience is the key to success. It is time to put the fact to test. Sure, we tried hard to apply it sincerely while waiting for Daada, Sourav Ganguly, at the lobby of hotel Mountview. Every time we were approached (rather ordered) by the security staff to vacate the hotel, we reminded ourselves that Sourav is bigger than all these hiccups. We shall overcome.

Stage managed
On World Theatre Day today, Neha Walia digs into how the city has moved from nukkad nataks to swankier productions
Arc lights are for the stars; actors only need the spark of their creative impulse. And when talking theatre, actor is supreme. Although a collaborative endeavour, theatre never needed to survive on superficial embellishments, but then who minds a dash of meaningful glamour?

A scene from Little Elyoff

Meet the Boss
Punjabi Singer Sukhjeet Raja's new album titled The Boss was released by popular Punjabi singer Satwinder Bugga. Producer of the Shagreen Music, Harvinder Singh, project co-ordinator Avtar Tak and other personalities were also present on this occasion.

Class act
Stiff resistance from the family could not deter Krishna Nand from taking Indian classical music as his true calling. Today Krishna Nand needs no introduction. With a mellifluous and soothing voice, Nand sought after all over the country. Nand is all set to weave his magic in the city on March 27.

Launch PAD
Face off
Vaseline, a brand synonymous with Skincare, has roped in Bollywood heartthrob Shahid Kapoor as their brand ambassador. The Bollywood hunk has come onboard to endorse Vaseline's new, especially designed, range for men - 'Vaseline Men Antispot Whitening Face Cream'.

So natural!
Surya Brasil, the manufacturers of premium organic hair care and skin care products for men and women, has expanded their operations by venturing into the Chandigarh market. With a great response from customers in New Delhi and Mumbai, Surya Brasil products will now be available in the city.

Bon Appetit
Murabba, marhaba!
At a very young age, my dad pushed Urdu down my ungrateful throat. I’ve wisened up ever since, and haven’t stopped thanking him for having done so. The word ‘marhaba’, meaning ‘once again’, intrigued me during ‘mushairas’ where daddy dearest dragged me along! The poet or shaayar would recite from his collection and the audience requested a repetition of any greatly liked couplet with enthusiastic shouts of ‘Marhaba! Marhaba!” Miyan Ghalib will surely kick up a tango in his grave but ‘Murabba, marhaba’ rhymed so well, I absolutely had to use it! After all, we are doing murabba once again, aren’t we? In the process, I probably have impressed you too, with my Urdu prowess! The common, run of the mill, murabbas done by most of us are carrot and aamla.

Drink to it!
Traditional summer drinks like aam panna, lassi and thandai are laden with vitamins
March 21, Delhi recorded its hottest day in six years and April promises to be no less on mercury rising. Come May-June, and we know what the words baking mean when out in the sun. Well, just the mention of the heatwave got us feeling thirsty, but the rescue comes from your kitchen. No matter how much you like to spend on fancy names and fizzy, calorie-laden drinks in the name of thanda, some of the best drinks for summer come from your grandma’s recipes and childhood memories of shikanjavi, thandai, sharbats, aam panna…And while you indulge in cool healthy summer chillers, leave the calories on the counter.

Pill, not to pile
Can’t resist cravings for those fries and cake? Well, a herbal supplement has been found that can reduce appetite by a fifth and even stop the longing for treats, according to researchers. A study of 58 healthy to slightly overweight young women found that Zotrim - a formulation of the plant extracts Yerba Mate, Guarana and Damiana can cut calorie intake by an average 17.6 per cent over a mealtime. Researchers at the University of Liverpool invited participants to eat as much as they wanted at a buffet lunch, either after taking the formulation or a placebo before breakfast and again before lunch. It was found that Zotrim could reduce calorie consumption by an average of 132 calories at lunchtime. In addition, the researchers observed a decrease by over a quarter in the selection of high fat, sweet items when taking Zotrim.

Go healthy
Women should eat less, cut down on booze and exercise more to prevent breast cancer, says an expert. According to Carlo La Vecchia, head of epidemiologist at the University of Milan, females should eat more fruit and vegetables and less fat and red meat, drink less alcohol and do more exercise, reports The Daily Express. The expert told a cancer conference, “What can be achieved with breast cancer screening has been achieved. “It’s time to move on to other things. It’s hard to lose weight, but it’s not impossible. The benefit is worth it.” Ian Manley, a spokesman for Breast Cancer Care, said: “We would never want women to feel responsible for their breast cancer. It’s a complex disease.” — ANI

On the fast lane
Fast food is not only bad for health, it can trigger impatience and hasty behaviour in people, a new study has found. The original idea behind fast food is to increase efficiency, allowing people to quickly finish a meal so they can move on to other matters.

Mouth-Full!
Yet another food festival…for those who neither like nor love but live to eat; the more the lesser! Anyways, this one rakes in all the flavours from Hyderabad. The Hyderabadi Food Festival at Moti Mahal Delux-17 promises to bring in the original cuisine and comprehensive Hyderabadi menu for ten days. Shares CS Sagar, general manager, “This is for the first time that we are bringing in Hyderabadi food festival, rather this is for the first time it’s being held in Chandigarh. Whenever we talk of Hyderabadi food, it’s biryani that’s the specialty. And people are fond of it, so we thought of bringing it.”

Mum’s the word
Jolie, Vivienne enjoy Venice together
Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie took a break from busy shooting schedule to show her 20-month-old daughter the sights of Venice from balcony. The 34-year-old star enjoyed a spot of bonding with her daughter Vivienne Wednesday during a break from filming her new movie The Tourist.

Angelina Jolie

Paparazzi trouble
Hollywood starlet Lindsay Lohan tumbled into a prickly plant bush after over-enthusiastic paparazzi got in her way as she tried to enter a house party. The 23-year-old actress was heading to party in Hollywood after a drinking session at a nightclub on Sunset Boulevard on Tuesday night when she fell into a 'sharp' plant, '.

Cowboy Cruise?
Hollywood star Tom Cruise and actress Reese Witherspoon are in talks to play leading roles in the cowboy film Paper Wings. The romantic tale would see Cruise as a rodeo champion who falls in love with a new country singer, to be played by Witherspoon.

Newest entry to Tussaud’s
Twilight star Robert Pattinson has become Hollywood's latest heartthrob to be immortalised in wax. The British actor's wax lookalike was unveiled in front of excited fans at the Madame Tussaud's museum in London. "The figure looks really great! Just like him - his hair is spot on. It's amazing, almost like meeting the real thing! I'm sure people are going to love it; he is just gorgeous," said a female fan.

Robert Pattinson