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Silent retreat
The serene mountains, dusky evenings brightened with distant call of the birds is indeed the first choice. We suggest places where you can make a new beginning on the calendar, and literally too! Spring is here
Says Prem Lal Raina, who runs this place with his wife Angela, "A package for Rs 15,555 provides luxury rooms with river view, complimentary ayurvedic massage, breakfast, barbeque, candle light buffet, bonfire." Live Himachali music with a background track produced by waves and rapids in river Satluj would want you stop in the moment. With hotels and restaurants brimming with tourists, Hotel Hot Spring Therme & Spa is located in the quietness of the village. "Well, you could increase the decibel of entertainment as per your choice. I think a bonfire with some nice music should do the needful," adds Prem Raina with a broad smile. "Yet another way of looking at a New Year by getting rid of all tiny ailments that you've carried with. A dip in the steaming sulphur spring in the private pools at the hotel could be indulging and rejuvenating also." Beyond the rush
Tastefully done up rooms with all basic facilities, electric kettle, cable TV (old habits die hard) along with an ayurvedic massage, excursion, a nice walk in the dense trees is something that the hotel would provide as and when you want. Deluxe rooms priced between Rs 4,500-9,500, how often do you pamper and treat yourself. Fair & square
Hotel Fair Mount Shimla is a destination for those who want to be one with nature, at the same time get back to the hullabaloo of life whenever they want. A 16-room hotel, located just below Jakhoo temple, is a place where you can celebrate either a Christmas eve or New Year eve, for it isn't too far from the city. Surrounded by pine and deodar trees, guests are literally treated as gods! Offers Rajeev Sahotra, manager marketing, "We have customised packages, which are structured according to the needs of the visitors. Starting from Rs 7,999 for deluxe to super deluxe for Rs 8,999, a new setting can make a better beginning." jasmine@tribunemail.com |
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Track record
He could be playing the 70s era track (if you've requested it!), but he senses how developed the music taste of the crowd is, how pulsated the jiving audience is, how receptive everyone is. While at it, it happens perhaps as quickly as the beats per minute that control the party. The celebrated man behind the console essentially has the last word on most soirees. What better than on-off visiting DJs give an honest take on the party scene in the city?
"I started with Jailhouse Rock way back, when they used to play Punjabi and Hindi songs," DJ Tantrick, of Black Magic, after having played in Delhi for a year, recalls the Chandigarh party scene and adds, "Though the tastes are gradually growing. Maybe with more and more IT companies coming up, with mobility of crowds from other metros, who knows it could be the next party destination." As of now, gaps galore. "But yes, there's a lot of difference between the grouping of crowd if you compare the city to other established cities and even the Capital. For example, the way they treat you. Here in North India, you are like just a DJ, ok! Elsewhere, you are treated like demi God," he laughs. Almost everyone choruses, nowhere else does a disc jockey gets a request to play a particular track. Then there are things that a resident DJ has perhaps got acclimatised to, things he'd never make a note of. "It's the same people from Chandigarh itself who will go and party in Goa or Mumbai. But there, they are a completely different bundle of attitude, an altogether different bunch of people," shrugs DJ Chinx, resident DJ Tao. He adds, "I played for a year each in Mumbai, Goa and Hyderabad." Of all the places, Mumbai is where he liked playing the most. As for the tricity and other places, "You can't compare." He opines, "Even when you have announced before hand what you're going to play, you aren't sure whether it's going to be received nicely or not. People want you to play what they want to hear." ! Maybe it's the elsewhere-here comparison. Perhaps, it's part of a vicious circle. Circle of clubbing, crowd and the culture. Like DJ Angel, freelance disc jockey Mumbai, remarked, "I often keep playing in Chandigarh. There's a lot of difference. It could be starting from the training institutes for disc jockeys, there aren't any in Chandigarh." Does the popular ahem…proud North Indian temper play a part. Chips in DJ Sweet, "Here in Chandigarh even a minor shoulder rub is enough to make the groups come to blows." Let alone the accidental spilling of drink! Clichéd as it might sound, could be true too. That's how we are. There's anyways always, 'It's growing gradually' observation. Till then. manpriya@tribunemail.com
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Laughter challenge
Bollywood actor Shreyas Talpade, who is all set to tickle the funny bone with three rom-com releasing next year, says his transition from serious to comedy roles is deliberate. "The directors used to feel that I am good at doing serious roles so it was a kind of deliberate attempt to change the gear. Also, instead of getting typecast it was better to try a different genre. I wanted to prove I can do anything," Shreyas said. The actor feels through Golmaal he proved that he could efficiently perform comedy roles as well because prior to this movie he acted only in serious movies like Iqbaal and Dor. "I am an actor. I am here to perform. It is important for me to act in every genre. I love comedy, sometimes action and sometimes serious too," he said. The 'laughathons' he has lined up include debutant director Sai Kabir's Chemistry, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Teen Thay Bhai and Sagar Bellary's Hum Tum Aur Shabana. "'Chemistry is a romantic-comedy with Soha Ali Khan and Tanisha Mukerjee. It shows the chemistry between a boy-next-door and a girl with high ambitions. Then I have Teen Thay Bhai, a comedy film with Om Puri and Deepak Dobriyal. It is about three brothers who hate each other and what happens when they share a night together," Shreyas said. "Hum Tum Aur Shabana is again a rom-com revolving around three characters Tusshar Kapoor, Minissha Lamba and me. Tusshar and I indulge in a competition of sorts to get Shabana (Minissha)," he added. "Attempting comedies is not everyone's cup of tea. It is very tough to carry it off," he added. — PTI
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Hollywood actor Hilary Swank loves to play underdogs who face difficulties in ther lives. The 36-year-old actress who won Academy Awards for her role as a transgendered teenager in Boys Don't Cry and a troubled female boxer in Million Dollar Baby is attracted to characters experiencing hardship who have an unusual story. "They are people who have the odds against them in so many ways. I love the underdogs," she said. In her new film Conviction, Swank plays an unemployed high school drop-out who fights a legal battle on behalf of her brother after he is imprisoned for a murder he didn't commit. — IANS
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Achint, who has also essayed cameos in Bollywood films, has been cast as the sharp and aggressive Rani of Orchha in Jhansi Ki Rani, and she is upbeat about playing a historical figure and performing stunts. "I'm waiting to sink my teeth into this role. The Rani of Orchha is a woman on a mission. She's a firebrand, even egoistic. I am going to have to wield the sword and perform a lot of stunts," Achint said. "This is the first time I'll be doing an epic historical drama and I love the sheer detailing that has gone into bringing alive the magic of that period. I love the sets, the clothes, the jewellery and the work… It's like getting into a time-machine and going all the way back to a bygone era that one had only read about in history books," she added. — IANS
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Action replay
Bollywood's original 'khiladi' Akshay Kumar's next will be a "big action movie" directed by Prabhu Deva. The 43-year-old actor is in London to promote his much awaited comic caper Tees Maar Khan, where he stars alongside Katrina Kaif. "My next film will be a big action movie, produced by Prabhu Deva, the South Indian actor-choreographer and filmmaker," Akshay said. In Tees Maar Khan, Akshay Kumar plays a shameless con man, Tabrez Mirza Khan aka Tees Maar Khan, aka TMK, in a role inspired by English folklore hero Robin Hood. "He steals and cheats with alarming audacity with his gang comprising of Dollar, Soda and Burger," said the film's director Farah Khan, whose previous two films Main Hoon Na and Om Shanti Om have been blockbusters. Akshay's partner in crime is Katrina who plays Anya, a wannabe actor, who sizzles on screen with Sheila Ki Jawaani, which has already become a chartbuster. TMK is aided by an unwitting accomplice, actor Atish Kapoor played by Akshaye Khanna and joined by fellow Bollywood showmen, Salman Khan and Anil Kapoor, in special cameos. The film which be will released globally with 2,500 prints on Wednesday, was filmed in 58 days, Farah said. She said directing the climax of the film where Akshay robs antiques worth 500 crore rupees from a heavily guarded, moving train, was the most challenging job. "We created the whole train and a 2 km track and it was the most difficult task," she said. — PTI
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Bollywood superstar Katrina Kaif has revealed that she was once turned away from a UK modeling contract for being too fat. "They said I didn't fit their size requirement. I knew I was never going to get any thinner. I'm not skinny, I am healthy and toned," the Sun quoted the stunning size-ten star as saying. "I've been training hard for the dance scenes in my latest film and I'm in good shape but I have curves too. "If you're naturally thin, that's great. But I think it's so unfair on those girls for whom it doesn't come naturally. "It's much better to focus on being fit and healthy. Not everyone is made to be that thin. "I'm fed up with seeing tiny models in magazines talking about how they are so curvy. I think, 'No you're not. I'll show you curves!'" she said. Katrina was born in Hong Kong and lived in France, Japan and China before moving to Finchley, in north London, with English mum Suzanne and Indian dad Mohammed when she was 14. Three years later she moved to Mumbai to pursue her modelling career and nowadays visits the UK to see her sisters who live here. She recalls her move to India as a teenager. "I went there to model. I didn't have the goal of becoming a Bollywood star. But after modelling I was offered some film roles," the star said. —ANI
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Hollywood heartthrob Johnny Depp was apprehensive about meeting actor Angelina Jolie but was pleasantly surprised to find her a "normal" human being. The 47-year-old actor has rubbished rumours that Jolie, who raises six children with partner Brad Pitt, is dark and brooding, saying that she has a great sense of humour. "What I was most impressed with Angelina was her normality. I was immediately impressed by her. Well, not that I read much in the press about myself or even anyone, but you can't help but know that she and Brad are globally hounded and tracked down. Also, she's a great mommy," said Depp. The Pirates of the Caribbean star said though he didn't know much about the Oscar-winning actor before they started working together for The Tourist, he expected some great performances after studying few of her previous movies. "The only thing that sticks out in my mind is The Changeling. Her performance was magnificent. So, I knew I'd be stepping into the ring with someone who was going to be deeply committed. But at the same time she understands the need for humour, the ability to travel outside of the script sometimes. She was a real sport in that sense," he added. — PTI
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Animal magnetism
The Great Appollo Circus is back after 25 long years in the city. A 150-people strong troupe has four elephants along with some 'talented' horses, parrots and dogs are all set to entertain the viewers with their antics. The highlight is an elephant, who pulls a rickshaw. Another high point of this circus is hunter-acrobats from Kenya. This six-men team is enjoying their first tour of India. And, they are already in love with India. As they voice their opinion, "We know India because in our home country (Kenya), there are quite a few Indian shops and restaurants. But things are very expensive here." One thing they did not like about the country is the difficulty one faces when it comes to mingle with girls. "You come to our country and it's a free world. Guys and girls can mix up freely. But we think it's not very welcome here," shares one of them, who joined this tour dreaming to find an 'Indian wife'. The main attractions of the circus are daring motorcycle and jeep jumps, death well and clowns. Ravi and Mohan, who play clowns, though short in height, are tall in humour. There are three shows a day scheduled at 1pm, 4 pm and 7 pm. A two and a half hour show tickets are priced at Rs 40, 80 and 150. On till January 24 near Housing Board Chowk, Mani Majra.
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Right string note
The Indian classical and other genres of music had been reigning supreme since ages, and musicians world over prefer to hold fusion recordings and concerts to imbibe the best of its nuances. Back home we are shying away from the Ustaad Shagird tradition, which had resulted in the depraving sanctity and standard of musical excellence established by our ancient masters. "However, the music continues to be a an ibaadat for us, nursing our souls and minds ever since Ustad Mamman Singh pioneered music as our family legacy of which, we are the seventh generation," opined the Jaipur gharana ghazal duo Ustad Ahmed Hussain and Ustad Mohammad Hussian Khan inPanchkula to perform on the concluding day of the Fifth ongoing Pinjore Heritage festival. They shared their views on the music scene contextual to ghazal and qawwali. " Ghazal mein bandisho alfaaz hi nahin kaafi, Zigar ka khoon bhi chahiye asar ke liye." Quoting poet, Koser Ustad Ahmed Hussain (60) defines the ghazal genre of music as the ultimate in lyrical expression. Our ghazals like Mein hawa hoon kahan vatan mera , dasht mera naa chaman mera recorded three decades back is still fresh in the minds of people unlike most of the film songs which have a very short life, adds Ustad Mohammad Hussain (58) younger of the duo. They being in sync with musical performances with spontaneity of doling out relevant couplets of melancholy, sufi and romantic spark have made them a cut above the rest. Riding on the fame of their popular qawwali Aaya tere da pe deevana tera in Hindi blockbuster film, Veer Zara, they have successfully launched their seventy first album Khwab Basera released by Sa Re Ga Ma recording company. Noted author and singer Dr Hari Om IAS ( UP cadre) has penned the lyrics of the album. The next double album from their live concert in Mumbai is in the offing. Commenting on contemporary music scene they maintain that there is more awakening and inborn talent but the teacher and the taught both woefully lack the devotion, failing to appreciate the sanctity of music. Mohammad formulates the elements of making one perfect artist as ‘ shagird ka aamil hona, Ustad ka kaamil hona aur kudrat ka shamil hona…’ The TV reality show culture, the unilateral attitude of music companies holding back promotion of ghazal, qawwali or classical albums and media encouraging the half baked fake but influential artists all contribute for the downfall of good sublime music. They see the future of their legacy in their disciples like Mohammad Waqil ( Sa Re Ga Ma winner) Zaved Hussain, Moazzar Hussain, Imran, Manju Narayan and also Shweta who came for the performance.
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International Institute of Fashion Technology ( IIFT), Mohali wishes New Year greetings with "Xmas Jingle all the way" fashion show at industrial area Phase VII , Mohali. The young designers showcased their designer collection on this function. The fashion show had four rounds on dazzling jingle, pepe jingle, shimmery jingle and last romantic jingle as grand finale with gorgeous style to welcome New Year. Priyanka entertained with her dance performance. Kawaljeet Singh, director of the institute said that the idea of the party was to give students a platform that could give them confidence in themselves and their creative work.
— TNS
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Spice up
For party eye make-up, go for a bold and dramatic look, with liquid eyeliner, eye pencil or kajal lining both upper and lower eyelids, close to the lashes. In fact, the eye lined look is very much the current trend. Outline the eyes with dark eye pencil or eyeliner. Extend the eye lining a bit at the outer corners. The smoky eyed look is very much in, so try to get a smudged effect, rather than a harsh line of eyeliner or pencil. Coloured eye liner can also be used. Or, for the upper lid, you may want to try gold, silver or bronze shadow to line the eyes over your eyeliner on the upper lid. Mascara is a must, if you want to be in with the trends for party make-up. Since dramatic eyes are in, false eyelashes, eyelash extensions or individual lashes can be used. They add glamour and also make the lashes look longer and thicker. Frosted sheen, gloss and shimmer stay popular for the lips. Lip liners should match the lipstick - the obviously lip-lined look is out of fashion. Red and shades of red have made a comeback for the night. Or, you can go for the neutral look, with light pink or beige, with a hint of pearl. In fact, shades of red, like cherry, rose, and red itself are right for the night, while lilac, mauve and pink find favour for the day. For hair, the more natural look is 'in', with plenty of movement, more flowing, with a look of ease. Long hair is in. Long hair, with the layered look is very much in vogue. Or, you can have long hair with cascading waves. The softer look is in, with big natural waves, especially in the lower half of the hair. Simplicity is the keyword, with straight partings for long hair. Fringes are also in fashion. You can have a long and light one, or a side-swept fringe for a glamorous look. You can also put your hair up for a formal look, with the use of glamorous hair accessories. For short hair, the slightly tousled look is in fashion. Not, harsh or obviously structured, but rather a careless and casual look. For hair colour, subtle and more natural highlights are in vogue. Dark brown and reddish shades are in. Party preparation
Looking your best means that you have not overlooked the details. While clothes and make-up may transform you into Cinderella, do not forget that good grooming is a total effect and the smallest details count. Believe me, chipped nail varnish or untidy hair can mar the total effect. A few 'pick me up' and tips can help to make you look good. Give yourself a manicure and pedicure the day before the big night. In fact, after soaking the hands and feet in warm water, massage with a rich cream, so that the skin is smooth and soft. A good pick-me-up treatment for the hands is to rub them with sugar and lemon juice. Pay attention to details like waxing and threading too, at least a day in advance. If your hair is looking dull, give it a quick conditioning treatment before your shampoo. Mix one teaspoon each of vinegar and pure glycerine with one egg. Beat them well together. Massage lightly into the hair. Then wrap the hair in a hot towel for twenty minutes, before washing. Your hair will have more body and look shiny and manageable. A 'pick-me-up' face mask can leave your skin clean and glowing. Mix honey with egg white and apply it on the face. Wash off with water after 20 minutes. For those with very dry skin, make a mask by mixing cream of milk with honey. Leave it on for half an hour and rinse off with water. It leaves the skin very soft and glowing. If you have no time to mix ingredients or have run out of them, a peel-off mask can add that touch of brightness to the skin. Remember to cleanse your skin before applying the facemask. After applying the facemask, soak two cotton wool pads in rose water and use them as eye pads. Lie down and relax, while you have the mask and eye pads on. This is extremely relaxing and refreshing and a great restorer of both body and mind. It will also help to remove fatigue and brighten the eyes. Once you rinse off the facemask, your skin will be ready for make-up. |
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Stone age
Urologists suggest application of common sense to understand the logic. Any liquid taken in large quantities will help cleanse the kidneys irrespective of the fact one is doing it with beer, water, juice or aerated drinks. "I fail to understand what makes people think that consumption of beer will remove stones from kidneys. Rather the simplest and easiest way to do it is drinking 10-12 glasses of water daily," says Dr Hemant Hardiker, consultant urologist, Sai Clinic, Sector-15. Similarly, there are foods like banana, lemon, carrots, barley that help avoid stone formation and then there are eatables that are harmful to kidney. Dr Bawa adds that chances of North Indians suffering from renal stones are more than South Indians. "Chandigarh falls in the what we term as the 'stone belt'. Here people consume more milk and milk products, which are of course rich in calcium, mineral that leaves its deposits in the kidneys." Animal protein rich diet is also responsible for the stone formation. "Mutton, chicken, fish, egg have a high purine content that produces uric acid and causes stones in kidneys." Other added factors for prevalence of stones in North Indians are their unhealthy lifestyle. "Lack of exercise, inclination towards fast food and obesity are the most common causes of stone formation." Food products that are usually recommended by dieticians as healthy also have some harmful effects. Dr Hardiker suggests a balanced diet, "Green leafy vegetables are recommended for they are rich in proteins but at the same time they contain purine." Tomato, pumpkin, grapes, cashew nuts, mushrooms should be taken in limit for they have more oxalate or purine content. It's recommended that those who suffer from urine infection should regularly go in for stone screening in kidneys. " Also, include certain food in your diet to prevent the renal stone formation. Coconut water is rich in magnesium and potassium, the minerals prevent stones," adds Dr. Hardiker. Likewise, bananas, lemons, pineapple juice, barley and oats are beneficial for the renal health.
ashima@tribunemail.com
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Taking tea may prevent weight gain caused by junk food, according to a new study. Researchers found regular consumption of tea also suppressed damaging changes in the blood linked to fatty foods that can lead to type-2 diabetes. They said the research on mice could signal another set of health benefits from tea if they are confirmed in trials on humans. In the study some mice were given a high fat diet and others a normal diet. Each of these two groups were then split into smaller groups and given water, black tea or green tea for 14 weeks. Both types of tea suppressed body weight gain and the build-up of belly fat linked to a fatty diet. But black tea, which is used in most ordinary cuppas, also counteracted the harmful effects on the blood normally associated with a high-fat diet. These included increases in cholesterol, high blood glucose and insulin resistance - a precursor to type-2 diabetes where the body does not efficiently use the insulin it produces. Rising obesity levels in Western countries have resulted in many more people having insulin resistance. Taking tea has already been linked to lowering the risk of heart disease, cancer and Parkinson's disease. Other research shows drinking tea on a regular basis for ten or more years may improve bone density. — IANS
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Hale & hearty
When there is a will, there is a way... seems so true for 93 year old retired army personnel from Hoshiarpur, Nand Singh, who has created a record of sorts by becoming the oldest person in the region to undergo an angioplasty at this age. While most people at his age would leave the hope to live longer and opt for invasive surgeries that are considerably riskier in advance ages, this determined 'soldier' decided to go to the operating table. "I was discouraged by several doctors from going in for an angioplasty and was only administered medicines to suppress the pain" he told adding that at times he had to pop in five pain killers in a day. He said that a few days back the pain became a "bit too much" to bear so he approached Dr. HK Bali at Fortis hospital, Mohali. "I told him that I need to get rid of this pain and live a normal", he said. Ninety per cent blockages were found in all the three arteries after an angiography. He underwent additional tests to determine the condition of his kidneys, the sodium potassium balance and the calcium deposit in his arteries. Admitting that it's never easy for him to take a decision for angioplasty on aged people, Dr Bali said, "When one goes for angioplasty at such an advanced age, certain additional risks are certainly involved. The calcium deposit in the arteries increases as one gets older. If the balloon bursts during the procedure, it can result in death of the patient," he said adding that prior to this he had conducted angioplasty on a 92-year-old panchkula resident. "Due to the risks involved, no doctor wants to perform angioplasty on a nonagenarian. In this case, the patient was willing and we were confident that he could endure the procedure," said Dr Bali adding that a number of studies have shown that angioplasty provides better quality of life and safety then medication alone. anujaj@tribunemail.com
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It may do no favours for your breath, but enjoying a diet rich in garlic, onions and leeks could reduce your risk of developing the most common form of arthritis. Researchers at King's College, London and the University of East Anglia investigated possible links between diet and the painful joint disease. They found that women who ate a lot of allium vegetables (in the garlic family) had lower levels of hip osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis in adults, affecting around 8 million people in Britain, with women more likely to develop it than men. It causes pain and disability by affecting the hip, knees and spine in the middle-aged and elderly population. Currently there is no effective treatment other than pain relief and, ultimately, joint replacement. The study, funded by Arthritis Research Britain, the Wellcome trust and Dunhill Medical trust, looked at over 1,000 healthy female twins, many of whom had no symptoms of arthritis. The team carried out a detailed assessment of the diet patterns of the twins. They found that in those who consumed a healthy diet with a high intake of fruit and vegetables, particularly alliums such as garlic, there was less evidence of early osteoarthritis in the hip joint. — IANS
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BODY wise
Myth 1: Abdominal muscle is different from regular muscle Your abdominal muscles are just like every other muscle in your body. The abdominal muscles are different only in location and unlike biceps or quads they don't rest on a bony surface. So, you should train them the same way you would train biceps or chest. The basic laws of physiology apply to all of your muscles, including your abs. This means that you have to do exercises in the correct plane of movement to effectively work the muscle. The rules of weight training state that you should give your muscles at least a day of rest to recover and this applies to your abs as well. Instead of working your abs everyday, do them every other day or even just three times a week. They need a break just like the rest of your body. The trick is to train them hard. The key is to choose exercises that really fatigue your ab muscles, so that they actually need recovery time. Myth 3: Doing ab exercises gets rid of abdominal fat. There is no such thing as spot reduction. It is assumed that if there are fat deposits the abdomen, exercising the muscles underlying the fat will make it go away. But it's a wrong assumption. You can't get rid of the fat by repeatedly exercising that body part. Doing crunches in the best possible form won't decrease your waistline or belly by itself. You may develop abs of steel, but the fat will still cover them. The only way to burn fat from your tummy is through prolonged exercise and a healthy, low-calorie diet. That means doing regular cardio exercise, strength training and flexibility training. Myth 4: High repetitions are required to make gains. As you've read earlier that abs are just like every other muscle in your body which means, you should train your abs the same way as the rest of your muscle groups. So, overload your muscles. If you find that you have to do 50 to 100 crunches before fatiguing, slow down and work on perfecting your technique. Tips for the perfect crunch
Myth 5 - Anyone can have a flat stomach.
For many people it's not physiologically possible to achieve a flat-stomach. The abdominal muscles are designed to be somewhat round and not flat. Age, genetics, gender...all these factors decide the size, shape and appearance of your belly. For example women tend to store fat around the lower while men tend to store fat around the middle.To get six-pack abs, you may have to drop your body fat to a level that downright unhealthy. So set reachable goals for yourself and learn to respect your body. And try working on your posture. Poor posture can give you that potbelly appearance, while good posture can promote a taller and leaner look Myth 6: If you have a bad back, training the abs will worsen it. Training your abs will strengthen your back. The opposing muscles in our body always assist each other. So if you have weak ab muscles, the load of the work falls on the back. So strengthen the abs and your back will become stronger as well. Train intelligently in accordance with scientifically based training techniques.
kalrasachin@hotmail.com |
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Unexpectedly there seems to be an unexplained fondness for the calendar. Pretty unconsciously, the gaze rests on the month, date and day, inadvertently leaving a curious smile on the face, and a feeling of warmth in the heart. Yes, this is the last page on the calendar, some last days of the month winding up with a promise of many more happy years and days to come. As you open the drawer, take out a marker and bloc the dates of the calendar, we quickly jot down possibilities of where you can head on those 'cross-marked' days.
A relaxed village, approximately 55 km from Shimla offering you the best of both luxury and adventure, Hotel Hot Spring Therme & Spa at Tattapani could make for an ideal New Year destination. As the name suggests, a number of hot sulphur springs popping along river Sutlej is the USP of the place. Nevertheless, one can discover a new USP. Hotel Hot Springs is a resort and spa that offers sulphur-pool bath, spa and host of other activities like river rafting, mountain biking, site seeing too. However, if luxury is something that is on the priority list, Hot Springs has an arrangement for it as well. 
Brushing shoulders with the glitterati of the city at a dark, garishly done-up disc or discotheque, hearing the constant tinkling sound of wine as it falls into a glass, tapping the dance floor with full vigour…if you've had celebrated New Year like this before, how about giving yourself a serene treat then? Baikunth Mangolia, Manali nestled in greenery, is an option that will fall in your budget and luxury adventure quotient. But for those of us, who are used to listening to all sorts of noises, quietness can come as a surprise. As Karan Jolly, CEO of Baikunth Mangolia, puts it, "The only sound that you get to hear at this place is that of wind brushing across the trees or chirping sound of a bird at a distance. Trust me, if you believe in watching the sunrise on the first day of the year, here you can see what a sight it is too see the sun coming up."
Popular actor Achint Kaur, seen in shows like Banegi Apni Baat, Swabhimaan and Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, will now be seen as a feisty queen in Zee TV's Jhansi Ki Rani.
Go Natural' is the key to hair and make-up trends. Make-up continues to move towards the natural look, especially for the skin. The dewy look is in for the younger lot. Light tinted moisturisers find favour with them, both for day and night, with less shine for party night. The aim is to project a sheer skin texture. For foundations, go for translucent ones and a matte finish.
Go easy on blusher. Just a hint of blusher is in vogue, providing a natural glow. Choose neutral tones of powder blusher. 
What a perfect excuse to enjoy a few mugs of beer daily! That beer helps flush stones from kidney is however, a misnomer.
Not all liquids help remove stone. Those rich in oxalate, a substance responsible for 75 per cent of stone formation are harmful. And beer surprisingly is one such liquid. Informs Dr AS Bawa, director, urology, Fortis, "Beer is diuretic, which means it causes more urine production. That, in turn, flushes stones. But in case of those who are addicted to the alcoholic drink or take it regularly are in fact at a higher risk because beer is rich in oxalate." Chocolate drinks, tea and coffee fall in this category as well. 
Banana: Rich in vitamin B6. It breaks down oxalic acid in the body.
People still cling to outdated ideas to work on their abs and to get the much-desired six-pack. Let's bust the myths about the torso area once and for all.
Myth 2: Train your abs everyday.