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Gifting Pleasure The market is flooded with gifts of all hue this Christmas. Just step out & take your pick! It's time for you to play Santa again. So step into his cloak and pick up some nice little gifts that aren't too big, or expensive, for the stockings. And, that also without losing your characteristic Santa laughter! Want something exceptional and shining? Go in for a five-foot electric star that actually twinkles. All you have to do is to screw in a bulb and it's ready to make a star out of you this Christmas! Forget all about singing and foot-tapping Santa you presented her the previous year. Go in for a blue-cloaked one. That's the latest. Blue? Isn't that astounding? Isn't Santa believed to be clad in the fervent colour of celebration — red? Well, he may not tempt you, but that's exactly what makes this Santa so very special. Oh yes, you even have paratrooper Santa complete with a parachute. It will land right in your lap with loads of good wishes. The flying Santa of your dreams is not very expensive either. "The prices this year have come down," says Yogender Kumar of Jewels-11. "You can pick up one by pulling out anywhere between Rs 150 and Rs 3,000 from your wallet.” Before leaving the showroom, remember to put on your thinking cap. Aren't you forgetting something? Ah, yes! The Santa cap! Go in for cheerful caps with twinkling lights that enhance the glitter of festivities and leave the onlookers bedazzled. The caps are available in gift shops all over the city and are not very expensive. You can have them for just Rs 45. You can also pick them up from the roadside, actually. For, all those street urchins, after a little bargain, are selling the stuff for as less as Rs 30. Candles continue to burn people with desire. "Gift aromatic candles, or the ones moulded into chuckling flowers," says Ankur Jindal of Friends Gifts Gallery-15. "Tie them in bundles with a nice ribbon; or stack them in a festive box. Include an appropriate candleholder". Jindal says you can go in for branded candles as well. For, this time Archies too have come up with special candles for the occasion. Well, you can also pick up stars from the gallery. This is not all. "You can also take home Christ on the cross, besides decoration pieces depicting the Yuletide spirit," says Capt Rajneesh Talwar of Station-14. For coffee lovers, fill a cup with packets of different flavours or even coco, along with chocolate-covered spoons. Select a cookbook for homemakers. Place it with dry ingredients in a decorative basket. Café Coffee Day-11 has a nice collection of gift items. Photo frames are clicking too. Go in for twin photo frames with heart motifs. You can pick them up from any card and gift shop for just over Rs 150. You can get them cheaper from the Sector-22 rehri market. For wine connoisseurs, you have sets of wine-stoppers. Even wine bottles, gift wrapped especially for the occasion, are raising up the spirits. The Spirit-9 has a nice collection. Wristwatches in cheerful shades can also be gifted. Albums of carols, especially compiled for the occasion, are also in. If your friend has a CD player, buy him a disc. Otherwise, cassettes are there for you. Music World-17 has a swinging collection. Glittering mistletoe with glowing tips are also dazzling the onlookers like never before in Chandigarh and surrounding cities. Brought all the way from China via Mumbai and Delhi, the electric replica of magical, mysterious and sacred plants of European folklore are, in fact, promising to add a sparkle to the shimmering Christmas celebrations. "Mistletoes were there earlier as well, but they were never so popular or dazzling," says wholesale gift dealer Deepak Kapoor. "These ornamental decorations are not very expensive either. You can take home powerful mistletoe by shelling out anywhere between Rs 250 to Rs 1,200. If you run a commercial establishment like a fast food joint or a school, you can avail of a special discount on the marked price from most shops,” he adds Even cards are not out, folks. People, especially young couples, still believe in wishing each other Merry X'Mas with cards. Although the prices have gone up over the years, they have not lost their charm. Having doubts? Listen to Krishna Sahoonja of Dewsun-11. "Greeting cards are still the best way to reach out to your friends. And, unlike electronic cards, they are not relegated to the trash can. They stay in your memories.” So fellows, pick up the good stuff now and Merry Christmas! saurabh@tribunemail.com
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Cake walk Our demand for a Christmas cake from a colleague led us to an interesting conversation — how did the concept of Christmas cake originate? “It is an import from the West, but I am sure there were no cakes during the time of Christ,” his answer was flippant, but his intention was not. For, the very next day we received a three-page report on how and when the Christmas cake came into our lives. And to cut the long report short — originally people used to eat porridge on Christmas Eve. It was a dish to line the stomach after a day’s fasting, which people used to observe for Christmas Eve, or the ‘Vigil’ as it was called long ago. Gradually they began to put spices, dried fruits, honey etc in the porridge to make it a special dish for Christmas. Much later it was turned into a pudding because it became so stiff with all the fruits that they would tie it in a cloth and dunk it into a large cauldron of boiling water for many hours. This turned into Christmas pudding. Only around the 16th century, it became popular to add butter, replace the oatmeal with wheat flour, add eggs to hold it together, turning it into a boiled plum cake. That was the origin. Since then, it has undergone many changes and improvisations to assume the present status. In due course, it also became a tradition for the common man rather than being confined to only castles and big homes who could afford to have ovens. And although an oven is not an unaffordable commodity anymore, long serpentine queues in front of Golden Bakery-37 or Laxmi Bakery-16 indicate that the tradition of baking a cake has taken a slight twist. Now, most of the Christian families here do believe in cake mixing ceremony, when each family puts dry fruits like cashew and raisins in rum at least a fortnight before Christmas, but the actual baking takes place at one of the numerous bakeries of the city. “We have to bake at least 30 to 40 cakes to distribute among family and friends. In that case it is easier to take the batter to a bakery and get it done,” says Elizabeth Noel, who teaches at YMCA. Noel admits of going to a bakery for the past two years. And the reasons she sites for this are growth in number — shrinking time and fluctuating electricity. Same is the case with Annie Charles, vice-principal of Mount Carmel School-47 and Arun Massey, a businessman from Sector 38. “With the number of friends adding to the list every year and holidays starting around December 21 or 22, it is a difficult job to bake 40-50 cakes at home. If you know where to go and fix up an appointment before hand, it takes only about two to three hours to accomplish the job,” says Annie. Harjit Singh of Golden Bakery confirms, “Around this time we get about 10 to 12 persons coming to us to bake their plum cakes.” For a minimal charge like Rs six per 400 gms and also ready supply of ingredients by these bakeries, life has definitely becomes easier. And trust us, these cakes taste nothing less than the home-baked ones, because each grain comes soaked in the true Christmas spirit! |
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Jingle all the way Put on your dancing shoes: Dance floors in the city discs will be throbbing on Christmas eve So fellows, if you still haven't decided upon the hotspot for sharing those intimate moments, along with some rich scrumptious cuisine, on December 25, it's not too late. Just make reservations and get ready for slipping into your stilettos and letting your hair down for boogieing the day away, after savoring all those delicacies. Get ready to cut footloose to thumping beats of reverberating music at Blue Ice-17 on Christmas Eve. At Rendezvous-26, the day will see you burning up the dance floor. Well, guys, whatever is your party style, you will not be disappointed. Partying would be incomplete without an evening out at Voodoo-26, at least this is what some of the party buffs say. The party gains momentum at 1 pm and continues till the night You have parties on the Christmas Eve too. With DJ Bally and DJ AJ spinning tr acks at X-over-26 on the big day's eve, it's going to be an evening full of tearing excitement, undoubtedly. The psychedelic lights will start blinking at 8 pm sharp and continue to illuminate the dance floor till your enthusiasm lasts. Voodoo- 26 is organising bashes on the Eve as well. The parties commence at 1pm and again at 9. You have music that will coax you to spend the evening dancing away to the notes of cool numbers at Score– 8. Get ready to drive down the road meandering its way through commotion all the way to Fun City. Non-stop DJ behind the console is not the only one ready to give you a rocking time. For the out-to-chill crowd, the management is all set to offer ice games complete with sledging and snow fights. So folks, get out and get going. Have a nice time! |
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Party Healthy!
Dress up right, especially children and elderly. Be wary of allergies while attending an outdoor party. Wear loose-fitting clothing in several layers, the outer layer tightly woven to reduce body-heat loss.
(Information courtesy: Dr Vikas Bhutani, MD, Consultant – Internal Medicine, Fortis— Mohali)
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First Day First Show Taare Zameen Par: Must watch Out there, flows a river which has the turbulence of a child’s agony and ecstasy. The landscape of his mind has colours which are bright and dark. If his cognitive processes propel him to make paintings, play with dogs and fantasise about fish and kites, they fail him when he starts reading and writing. His world is torn between manifestations of brilliance and mediocrity. He rides the emotional roller-coaster when his parents pack him off to a boarding school for ‘disciplining’ him. They don’t realise that their ‘recalcitrant’ kid has a reservoir of talent waiting to be exploited. Sharing his little joys and sorrows, we almost return to innocence. Taare Zameen Par is a small film that springs from nowhere and leaves you riveted to your seat with its simplicity. Though at times it seems to be loaded with too much pathos and seriousness, it does not leave us sad or misty. It also exposes the frivolity of the modern world whose competitive nature forces the parents of the dyslexic boy to think of devising ways to ‘reform’ instead of understand him. If only they had tried to reach out to him like his art teacher. Eight-year-old Darsheel Safary is the real hero of the film. His heart-warming portrayal of a special child, Ishaan, who is otherwise extremely perceptive, leaves you stunned with its range. If his pranks are full of mirth, his trauma is laced with pathos. Any kid watching the movie will be able to immediately identify with his character. His encounters with his teachers and fellow students are lively. Aamir Khan’s directorial debut could not have been better. Along with the scriptwriter, he weaves a moving tale which, however, does not fall into the trap of a tearjerker. The only time he seems to be faltering is when he hurriedly rushes through the sequences showing Ishaan’s coming to terms with himself. But as the art teacher, who brings out the best in the troubled boy, he gives a restrained performance. Tisca Chopra and Vipin Sharma as Darsheel’s parents do full justice to their roles. Showing at: Piccadily, Fun Republic, Suraj Matchmaking gangsters Welcome: Watchable
Little do the dons and the doctor know that Sanjana and Rajiv are already in love and using every trick in the trade to make their respective families agree to their union. What happens when gangsters turn matchmakers? Outrageously funny situations develop that tickle your funny bone. Even though the theme is trite and the script is banal, pelvic gyrations of Nana Patekar and buffoonery of Anil Kapoor amuse you. Nana’s penchant for comedy is revealed in many scenes. The sequence in which he keeps on falling from a horse while playing the role of a hero is quite hilarious. In fact, Nana and Anil easily steal a march over Akshay and Katrina. Coming together after nearly 15 years, they try to explore every comical possibility. Akshay has neither the looks nor the natural flair for comedy. It is a mystery how several films featuring him as a comic hero have turned to be huge hits. Similarly, we have no Hurricane Katrina here either. Our Kaif may be a ravishing beauty but she is certainly not a hurricane of talent. Clownish antics of Feroze Khan, Mallika Sherawat and Paresh Rawal hardly deserve any mention. In fact, time has come for baldy Feroze Khan, who looks haggard, to retire gracefully. Showing at: Batra, Fun Republic, KC
(Pkl)
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I am a 36-year-old guy who finally decided to get married. However, I just discovered that the girl I am planning to marry has been lying to me. She told me that she was a receptionist in a multi-national corporation in Mumbai, whereas I just found out that she was actually a front desk girl in a parlour. She has been lying about her family background as well. Now, I feel totally confused and all at sea. Should I go ahead with the marriage or give up on it. Ramit Dhanda,
Chandigarh This is a difficult situation. You can’t be neglecting the whole truth about her past profession, she might have been scared of your reaction to her past profession and twisted the truth. She was perhaps trying hard to impress you. Try talking to her about it. I am sure if you handle it gently, the truth will come out. Just stay calm. *
* * I am a 21-year-old, just out of college and have joined a professional course. I am now sharing a room with quite a pleasant and friendly girl from the same institute. However, the other day I discovered that she had been trying to date my boyfriend behind my back. The strange thing is she didn’t even mention that to me. My boyfriend told me the other day that she was acting quite strange and even invited him out for a date. What should I do? Should I confront her with this or just change my room? Sagun Rehal, Chandigarh Yours is not a very unusual predicament. If you are sure of yourself and your boyfriend then it should not bother you very much. Do ask this girl about the incident and make it clear that you do not appreciate her trying to stab you behind the back. Also let her know that you and your boyfriend share the same opinion on the issue. And, if you are unhappy about sharing a room with her then find yourself another place. *
* * I am a 27-year-old and have been in a relationship for the past three years with a guy who is 10 years older than me. He works in a multi-national corporation and has a good income and a steady job. However, now that he wants to marry me I am getting a bit nervous. My friends and family think that he is too old for me, while for me age is not important. How do I convince my family that age is not an issue at all? We even share the same interests. Do you think age is more important in a relationship than compatibility between the two people? Selina Boparai,
Ambala I have always believed that age is just a number. You could be with someone of the same age and yet have nothing in common or someone much older who resonates all your qualities. Be sure of what you want. If you feel you’ve found someone you are totally comfortable with, then go ahead and rest shall fall into place anyway. Write at lifestyletribune@gmail.com or C/o Lifestyle, The Tribune, Sector 29-C, Chandigarh
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Freedom at last! A place where kids are treated as grown ups
Cribbing lately that your job and your child’s homework have left you with little time to be together? Or, has it become a problem to synchronise your free time with your child’s because of all the hobby classes he has joined? Here is a solution! Kids’ Own’s newly constructed floor gives all that opportunities for your children to explore their creative side. And the best part is that you too can be part of that self-realisation exercise. About seven months back when Tarun Sibal introduced this new concept of ‘play create think learn’ to the city, though we were impressed with the artistic decor, we took it for just another chill-out zone for children in the heart of Sector 17. But he has proved us wrong by adding this creative zone, which will be place for out of school activities for both children and parents. “This is a space for children and adults to explore their creative skill and the environment has been designed as such that it challenges them to think out of the box,” says Tarun, owner of Kids’ Own. And he is going to achieve that by encouraging them to express their ideas freely in words or colour and interaction with their peers. Pottery, ceramic painting, glass painting, chess, yoga, non-fire cooking and workshops are a few outlets to vent one’s creative talent. The floor will be formally inaugurated on December 25 with a
Christmas bash. — P. R. |
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Guru Gyaan Deepika Padukone aka Shanti’s impressive debut in OSO is courtesy acting guru Vinod Tharani
Now, what made Tharani, who has been grooming budding models and actors for past six years, enrol Deepika as his student? Says the 31-year-old, "I like to invest time and effort in a student who has the potential. I was impressed by Deepika’s grasping power." It all began with diction classes where Tharani made the debutante read classical Hindi short stories and Urdu works. Few weeks later, Tharani, an actor himself, helped her practice. How? "I would play SRK and imitate his voice, dialogue delivery and acting skills, to help her get comfy," he says. Tharani, with an 11-year experience of holding acting workshops and working with theatre veterans like Habib Tanwar, Bansi Kaul, Alok Chatterjee, was even a part of a flick titled Kya Yehi Pyaar Hai. So, do we see him acting again, we ask Tharani, who has also acted in a couple of tele-serials such as Kohinoor on Sahara, Pancham on Zee TV and presently on air Jee Behenjee for Sony SAB. "If something substantial comes my way, I would," he says. And, as for substance, he means a role similar to Naseeruddin Shah’s in Sparsh. Working as an acting guru at a modelling agency in Mumbai, keeping him busy at present is grooming of Jacqline Fernandes, who will be seen with Big B in Alladin. And, well his job is not easy. "There is a`A0lot to be taught, command over the language, need to be observant, conviction on emotional portrayal and an ability to give the right expressions," he says. Tharani has also groomed Miss India Earth Pooja Chitgopekar, Femina runner-up Tanya Vakil, among others. But, as of now, we get back to Deepika. What’s the best that he likes about Deepika? "She’s a director’s actor," he signs off.
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For one and all Carol singing has been given a new dimension by this group which sings in open parks for all to hear!
For the carol group of St.
Anne’s Church-32 has come up with this novel way of spreading the
message of joy — rather than going door-to-door carol singing, which is
restricted to the homes of Christian families only, they are "We are introducing
this concept in our Church because Christmas is not meant for Christians
alone. So what better way to reach out to people than singing carols at a Of course, following what the Bible says, "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son to the world," the church’s endeavour to involve all people in this happy occasion is natural. After all, Santa Claus and Christmas tree have become part of almost all households, irrespective of religion or community, these days. "True, so far people have mostly known the commercial angle of Christmas. Now they will learn more about the true spirit of the festival, the pain and struggle of Jesus and Mother Mary," says Michelangelo Francis, a choir member, who is also the brain behind this innovative step. The idea to sing in the open is a good one, according to Charles Samuel, principal of Mount Carmel School and a member of Church of God-41. "When we sing indoors, we reach out only to the family but by singing out in the open we can reach the masses," says Charles. And going by the way people are welcoming the group, this concept is here to stay. "We are going to do it in a better way next time. We will have a bigger float and make a narrative play on Christmas, which will be punctuated with carols," informs Francis. Amen!
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Matka Chowk
We as a city often fail to do the right thing – we jump queues, double park our cars blatantly, gate crash into the ATM even before the last person has had the chance to take his money out, walk away from scenes of accident without offering help, bully the parking attendants who can furnish feeble resistance and think its modern to renege on promises. An ancient man sits on the pavement of the local bazaar in our area. He looks almost hundred. His face is wizened and his glasses are held around his head with a threadbare rope. He sells small household items like cleaning rags, clothes clips and scrubbers. I have often bought things from him since he is always there. Sometimes, even when I did not need to buy any of these things, my daughter insisted on buying aluminum foil and safety pins from him. The other day I truly needed something. I walked up to him and asked him for a cleaning cloth – he mumbled a price. When I expressed ire for that did not seem the right price – he said – “Beta, yeh to dono ka rate hai.” When I finished my purchase, I handed him the money and walked away. He called after us in his faint voice – when my daughter went back to him, he said – “Aapne mujhe zyada paise diye hein.” True – I had given him an extra ten rupee note. When I hesitated to take it back from him – trying to determine if my offering that extra ten would offend him or help him – he said in a steady voice –“Galat kaam kyon karna! Galat kaam nahi karna chahiye – kisibhi halaat me. Apna paisa wapas le lo beta. Main agar galat kaam karoo, to tum dubara mere pass kyon ayoge?” I took the money and walked away – so touched by his simple truth. He looked like he needed that extra ten rupees more than anybody else. I could not help him, but he helped me to remember things my father would say to me – things that seem to horribly archaic and useless in today’s world. I have been cheated in Chandigarh on occasions – when I have bought technology items from expensive stores or subscribed to internet connection from well-known companies. Warranty or customer satisfaction seemed irrelevant to these established folks – who sell and promptly forget. If they only had the vision of this old man – they could run the potential of becoming the next Infosys. After all, doing the right thing has not hurt
Mr Murthy! |
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Is it possible for replicas to look exactly like originals or at least give a semblance of them? One needs to visit this place to find out These include wooden furniture like beds, dinette sets and sofas, cast iron decorations such as letter boxes, screens and bird-baths, antique brass, copper and aluminum gift items from the Victorian and oriental era, to the designs of royal Indian era. Keeping the growing flat culture in mind, the replicas are light and contrary to the common belief occupy less space in your house.
And if someone thinks that picking up an antique or even its replica will be a costly affair, then prices at the mart come as a pleasant surprise to the extent that you would want to come back to the shop again and again! In the wooden furniture, the most expensive is the five-seater sofa with crème upholstery and comfortable cushions that are priced at Rs 60,000. You could even pick the lighter furniture that adds an oriental feel to the house such as granite top side tables, meenakari carved consoles, CD stands cum watch. Prices start at an affordable Rs 3,000 and go up to a very reasonable Rs 7,000. You could even add the retro touch to your garden, with the splendid and brightly polished garden furniture made of wrought iron and dark cane. There are cane sofas, chairs, tables, couch and even screens. The big dome shaped cane laundry basket will provide an interesting look to the house and will be a great help as well.
The wide range of compasses and clocks looks inviting and very interesting. Some must picks include a single time trophy clock with a 10’ dial (Rs 4,000), the world clock that shows time of seven different countries (Rs 5,000), the grandfather clock (Rs 6,000) and even the platform clock. And the range of compasses is even more. Starting with pocket compass to the standing compass, it starts from Rs 550 to Rs 850. There is an entire rack devoted to the collection. Lamp shades in pastel colours, temple stands embellished with sea stones, a titanic bell, a Chinese chest, a wheel, telescope with a range of two kilometers and a cute brass horn are some of the items that one just cannot miss. By now all must be interested in the person behind the effort. Capt. Satinder Sharma, who began working on his passion in 1999, started this unique shop. With a manufacturing unit in Dera Bassi, from where the items are even exported to Malaysia and USA, the replicas are designed by Sharma himself with some help from the Internet and from customer reactions. “Antique is very sought after these days. The replicas are priced low so that everyone can afford them,” he says. Going by the stuff and the prices, the effort sure is good and caters to all from the middle class to the higher-ups!
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In High Spirits! A corporate Christmas dinner or a family gathering, here is how to sip, hold and drink wine right
Chilly winters, warm festivities, stirring merriment, delectable cookies, tempting plum cakes.... It’s Christmas time folks! And, the celebrations stand incomplete without a sip into the lovely, exotic and tasty wines. Indian or imported, we, as a city, have begun to take pleasure in wines. And, so we’ve got for our wine fraternity, the what, which, how and more on wine. Read on. First, there are many ways to make your wine look striking and it begins with choosing the right glass — the shape, size and colour, it all matters, although a crystal stemware looks the best. Lets talk shape first, for it’s the shape that concentrates the taste and aroma of the wine you savour. Keeping it simple, the glasses are divided into red wine and white wine glasses. Red wine glasses are rounder wider bowls. That’s because the red wine is to be consumed at room temperature and the wider bowl allows the wine to cool quickly. Here you can choose from the Bordeaux glass — tall with a wide bowl, it’s perfect for wines like Cabernet and Merlot. The burgundy glass is a larger bowl than the former and is for delicate red wines like Pinot Noir. As for sipping in white wine go in for narrow glasses with straight or tulip-shaped sides. Interestingly, the right shape directs the wine to the best area of the mouth. And if you buy in new glasses then use the old ones to make up a nice tabletop décor. Arrange them all in a row with a single flower stem floating in coloured water in each. Next, it’s equally important to pair the right wine with the delicious gourmet. Says city Kandla Nijhowne, a cook by profession, “Red wine goes best with red meat and white wine with white meat — chicken and fish. The concept of enjoying wine with food is now catching up in the city. It has been a pre-dinner drink in majority of the homes.” Kandla has made her own apricot and cherry wine this year. If you’re lucky and get to bite into turkey this Christmas, then relish it with the really strong flavoured wines. Lamb dishes are best complemented with raspberry, cherry or plum flavours. Match up salad, pork and seafood with white wine. Creamy cheesy dishes taste awesome with strong flavoured plum and berry. Now, for all butter chicken lovers, bite into the murga with Chardonnay or Pinot Gris. And last, the real feast — a Christmas pudding tastes best with a wine that is not too sweet, but characterised with a firm acidity. And, if all this is leaving you confused then head to Purple Rice-35, for as a part of their ongoing Sea Food festival they’ve put together the best combinations. Lobsters with red wine —a Grover’s La Reserve or Cabernet Shiraz. Or sip into a Chardomnay with Indonesian prawns satay. Want more? Then book yourself a place at Wine Boutique-Mehfil-17. Launched Saturday evening on offer at the boutique is over 100 varieties of Indian and imported wine — Tarapaca, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chantilli, Zinfandel, Cabernet Shiraz and more. Says general manager Sanjeev Thakur,“The boutique will be a haven for wine lovers. Also, it’s for those who want to quit drinking, they can begun by switching over to wine.” Now, that calls for cheers! purva@tribunemail.com A few basics of wine
Ordering: The trick to know a wine lies in the grapes. Beginners remember for Reds: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. For whites: Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. (Don’t get into their pronunciation, till you know it right) Serving:
Pour a tiny quantity of wine in the glass. Rotate your wrist, hold the stem of the glass and bring it up to your nose and take a whiff and a sip. If it appeals, then fill the glass till halfway mark and relish. Hold it right:
Holding the glass between your fingers may make you look like a flamboyant celeb, but that’s the wrong way to hold it. Hold the stem of the glass together with your thumb, index and middle finger. This ensures a steady temperature of your wine. Not just grape!
Bored of grape wines? Want to try something different? Go in for Waterfall by Sutter House. (Can be picked up from any HPMC or Sutter House store when you drive uphill or from any liquor store in town) These come in a tempting and exotic range of fruit flavours — kiwi, apricot, peach, pear, apple, plum, pineapple, orange, strawberry and rhododendron.
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An exhibition of paintings and tableaus makes comprehension of Biblical stories and parables easier
If you are still finding it difficult to comprehend stories of Bible by listening to the carol groups alone, here is a visual treat to make things easy for you. An exhibition of tableaus and paintings at the basement of the Christ the King Cathedral-19, which will be inaugurated on Saturday, takes one through the creation of the world, the Ten Commandments to various parables. Amidst the frenetic activities to bring up the exhibits to their final shape to meet the deadline, ones gets to see the teachings of Christ coming alive even among the chaos. For instance, you can see a huge flex print of The Good Samaritan put up by Our Lady of Fatima Convent from Patiala, which urges the onlooker to help others but only those who are actually in need. Most of the stories like The Lost Sheep, The Tax Collector, The Hidden Treasure come in tableau form with three dimensional paper cut figures and branches of trees and flowers to create the right ambience. There are others who have brought alive these parables through paintings. Like the five frames by Michelangelo Francis, a teacher from St. John’s, which have portrayed the teachings that says it is only when a seed is sown in the fertile ground that it attains its full bloom. Another huge painting comes from St Peter’s Academy, Patiala, on the theme of The Wise and Foolish Virgins which interprets as ‘God comes when one is ready for Him’. If you want to absorb the Yuletide spirit in the truest sense, the exhibition is a must visit.
— P. R. On till January1 |
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BON APPETIT Think Christmas and you will visualise a plump, pink- cheeked Santa, his reindeers and YESS! Christmas gifts, never mind who bought them or the related pretence-drama! Now here is some news that will well and truly shock you —John Oakes, playing Father Christmas at a store in Cairns, Australia, was sacked for saying “Ho-ho-ho”, Santa’s famous laugh! The management wanted him to say “Ha-ha-ha” since “Ho” sounds like a derogatory slang for a loose woman! Elsewhere in New Zealand, 40 drunk Santas went on a violent rampage, punching security guards, stealing from shops and breaking bottles. The cops were in a soup because no one could identify the sozzled offenders…they were all in Santa costumes! But don’t let this dampen the Christmas spirit! Surprise your family and friends with a Christmas feast, fit for a king! Spanish Chicken Casserole 900 gm diced, boneless chicken ¼ cup olive oil 2 medium onions, sliced 4 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tbsp ground cumin 1 ½ tbsp grated ginger 200 gm each, carrots and beans, chopped into chunks 2 cups, diced red and yellow peppers Salt and pepper to taste 2-3 tbsp dry white wine (optional) 2-½ tbsp cornflour Method Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Using half the oil; fry the chicken in one or two batches till sealed but not fully cooked. Drain and transfer to an ovenproof casserole. Add more oil to the pan and sauté the onion and garlic until softened. Add ginger and stir for a few minutes, followed by the carrots and beans. After tossing briefly, add the peppers and fry for a further 2 minutes. Remove the vegetables and place over the chicken pieces in the casserole. Pour 2 cups of water and the wine (if using), into the pan. Season lightly and thicken with cornflour, already blended with a little water. Pour this gravy into the casserole, stir the contents lightly and cook in the oven for 30-45 minutes till the chicken is tender. Garnish with parsley and serve with warm dinner rolls. Sangria 1 bottle red wine 1 cup orange juice/a lemony fizzy drink 1 cup rum 2 lemons, sliced 1 orange, sliced 2 peaches, sliced (optional) 1 stick cinnamon (2 inch) Method Place the sliced fruit and cinnamon in a glass pitcher. Add sugar, crush the fruit lightly with a wooden spoon, pour in the rum and refrigerate for 2 hours to infuse the flavours. Just before serving, stir in the wine and orange juice. Taste and adjust sweetness if necessary. Tip of the Week Make a quick batch of boozy ice cream — Crumble up any leftover fruitcake and muddle it through softened vanilla ice cream. Stir in some brandy, transfer to a tin and freeze. Serve with lashings of a liqueur or jam. Rich-Fruit Cake 450 gm currants 175 gm each, raisins & sultanas 50 gm each, glace-cherries & mixed peel ¾ cup brandy 225 gm maida ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp grated nutmeg ½ tsp mixed spice 225 gm butter 225 gm sugar 1 tsp vanilla 4 eggs, beaten 50 gm chopped almonds 1 ½ -2 tbsp milk Grated rind of 1 lemon & 1 orange Method Chop all the dried fruits and peel and soak in brandy for at least 12 hours. (A longer soak will not hurt). Remove onto a paper towel. Grease and line an 8-inch round cake tin with brown paper. Tie a band of brown paper round the outside of the cake-tin to protect the peripheral area of cake from getting scorched. Sift together the flour, salt, nutmeg, vanilla and spices. Sprinkle a little of the flour into the drained and dried fruit and toss together till evenly coated. Beat the butter and sugar together till light and fluffy and add the eggs, a little at a time with the beater still on. Gently fold in the flour and spices. Stir in the dried fruit, peel and the grated rind, swirling in the milk, only to achieve a dropping consistency. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, spreading out evenly so that there are no air pockets. Bake in the lower shelf of a pre-heated oven at 140? C / 275?F for 2-2 ½ hours. At the end of this period, check the cake with a skewer. If the centre seems uncooked, return to the oven for a little more time. |
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Simply put, strong cheese should be paired with similar wines and delicate cheese with lighter wines. And though there are no hard and fast rules, it’s said red wines go with hard cheese and white wines with soft cheese.
— TNS |
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James Bond star Daniel Craig was once left red-faced after a fan snapped him using a urinal. The actor revealed that he was taken aback when a fan in a pub toilet approached him. He also confessed that the incident has made him reluctant to pose for camera phones. “People tend to use their mobile phones on me a lot, they carefully bring them round and take a quick picture,” he said. “You know, if I’m up for it, fine. You have to smile at these things. — ANI
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Training errors can also predispose one to injuries. Avoid progressing too much too soon. Increase in volume and intensity of workout should be gradual — Dr Ravinder Chadha
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Jazz up guys and dolls! Santa brings loads of invites for dance parties for making your Christmas merrier this time. Oh yes! Discs, hotels and fast food joints are decking up for the New Year's Eve as well, but its Christmas parties that are setting the pace for the grooving season. 
Like Hollywood, Bollywood too is married to the mob. In Welcome, we have not one or two but three mobsters who do not greet you with a volley of gunfire but amidst a hail of gags. One of them, Uday Shetty (Nana Patekar), is desperately looking for a suitable boy for his petite sister, Sanjana (Katrina Kaif), another called Majnu Bhai (Anil Kapoor) is helping him in his ‘crusade’, while the third, RDX (Feroze Khan), is keeping an eye on both of them. Caught among them is Dr Ghunghroo (Paresh Rawal) who is searching for a bride for his nephew, Rajiv (Akshay Kumar). 
You can’t stop going gaga over
graceful, sensuous and gorgeous Deepika Padukone. She almost got full
marks in all spheres for her debut performance — looks, dialogues and
acting — Om Shanti Om(OSO). Wondering who taught it all to her?
Meet Vinod Tharani, who was approached by Farah Khan two-months prior to OSO
for polishing Deepika’s skills.
It’s time of the year to dig out that
old Christmas carol CD and listen to Silent Night and Joy to the
World. But this year we have a better option. We can actually be part
of the carol singing groups and hum along with them — Paida hua hai
balak Yesu.
An antique table and a chair, plus a simple silver candle-stand attract you to the shop. As soon as you enter Uma Gift Mart in Sector 9, Panchkula, you feel transported to the old era. Working compasses and time clocks, well polished statues, stone-studded chests, carved settees, beds and consoles, and the ethnic jhoola that reminds you of the maharaja and maharani of Mewar. An old gramophone playing at the main counter is reminiscent of your grandfather. Makes you wonder how well these antiques have been preserved. A little enquiry, however, tells us that these are not antiques but replicas!
If metal and not cane is your fetish, then you have brass stands for four candles (Rs 3,000), magazine holders (Rs 1,500) polished with silver and gold. Candle-stand in oxidised brass, which has a big centre and four stands around is priced at Rs 9,500. 
Only a connoisseur knows the magic wine & cheese create. Here’s how to get started: Wine and cheese are the perfect twosome. They have a lot in common. One, they are products of fermentation. Two, they may be consumed in simple form — fresh and young, or in complex form — mature and aged. Three, a cheese of a particular region is best enjoyed with the wine of the same region. Hmm ... perhaps that’s what makes their pairing delicious and interesting.