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Taste of success
Variety, they say, is the spice of life. So even if you are used to your regular dal, roti and sabzi, a dash of creativity can make a world of difference to your life. With the world full of cookery shows, celebrity chefs and super-markets that sell anything and everything from across the globe, getting innovative now has become easy. And people who know the art of cooking, are definitely the winners these days as almost each one of us aspire to be either Anthony Bourdain or Gordan Ramsay or closer home Sanjeev Kapoor.
The best thing about this profession is that you can stay at home and make more or equivalent to someone who’s burning out his strength and grey cells in an office cubicle. So, let’s acquaint you with the people who have found their way to success from their home kitchens.
Limited calorie, unlimited choice
If you are one of those who has not had a piece of cake for a long time just because of your conscious diet regime, well raise a toast as now you can afford to splurge and eat to your heart’s content. Aarti Verma from Sector 17, Panchkula will bake you an egg-less, whole wheat and jaggery-based cake. An unusual combination that’s too good to be true Aarti says, “Cooking has been my passion from college days and I owe it to my mom who enrolled me into a new cooking class every vacation. Though I can bake all kind of cakes but my forte remains egg-less and whole-wheat cakes that have shakar instead of sugar. Rich in iron, ‘shakar’ is a great alternative to sugar and whole-wheat flour is definitely better than maida. Other than this I also bake glutten and sugar-free cakes as many people have wheat allergy these days.” An innovation in itself, Aarti’s cakes are no doubt enticing because of limited calories and varied flavours.
Out of the box
Whosoever said men need to move out of homes to earn a living should meet Raj Rawat who holds his microwave, bake and grill cooking classes in Sector 43. On Sundays he teaches people how to make the most of microwave and roasting techniques. “In this corporate style of living where you have less hours in hand for cooking, I give classes where I teach microwave cooking and roasting and baking techniques. Basically I teach whatever can be done with a microwave without the use of gas,” he says. A great way to avoid the gas stove, this style of cooking requires less oil.
Exotic offering
Home is where heart is. And making the most of her four walls, Rohini Walia’s creative cooking has given her a name. She teaches multi-cuisine. “Exotic and different cuisine is what I teach my students. It’s not the regular dal roti but Italian, Chinese and many more dishes that are exotic to look at and amazing to taste.”
A splash of oil, ladle full of batter with a host of multiple ingredients, baking dishes and an awesome range of end product to choose from; Sonia’s cooking classes in Sector 9, Panchkula have all that and much more. “I started my cooking classes as a hobby but now it has become a full-fledged profession that gives wings to my creativity. The growing knowledge about food and the desire to create something exotic have made cooking classes popular. Though I started from home but now I have an institute where I run my cooking courses. I teach baking, confectionery, low-calorie dishes, sizzlers, continental and North Indian food. And just by the word of mouth my work has gained momentum,” says Sonia.
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Give & gain
Kiran Seth inspires everyone who comes in howsoever brief contact with him. When he addressed a SPICMACAY (Society for Promotion of Indian Classical Music And Culture Amongst Youth) session, full of dignitaries on Sunday morning at Panjab University, each one present at the large hall got inspired to do their own bit for our rich, classical heritage.
Someone calls him a diamond soon after the session, but this humble soul brushes the compliment aside bringing the focus on to the classical diamonds we are losing each day. He can’t get over losing Asad Ali Khan. “With him is gone the art of Rudra veena,” he rues. But this crusader doesn’t sit back and lament. He is happy that SPICMACAY is presently conducting a five-day meet at Narendra Puri, in remote Bihar, where there is no electricity. “Children there are as bright as anywhere else in the country and have every right to be exposed to our rich culture,” he says emphatically. Reaching out to every school, every college is his mission and, what good can any classical form do, he is a living embodiment of it. His job, that of an IIT professor and being the founder of SPICMACAY keeps him busy. He travels on weekends and holidays. But nothing stops him from doing his daily riyaaz every morning at four. “I do that not to become a singer but it helps me in other walks of life. Better concentration is one of the innumerable benefits,” he who barely talks about himself, divulges incidentally. Happy teaching mathematics-oriented application at IIT, “that way I am able to positively influence lot many students”, he says. Riyaaz everyday is non-negotiable. The path to restoring our rich wealth is strewn with troubles, so what keeps him going? “I just love it. When one is in love with a person there could be repercussions, but, when it is with a concept there is no stopping,” he offers. He is pained at children today, who have got all material possessions on a platter, but lack the basic understanding. Parents are too busy to give them time. “Everything seems superficial today. Unless one develops depth, there is little we can do or expect from life,” he opines. And yes, he is not bothered about results. “The effect of what we are doing will be seen generations later,” he says citing an example how this woman approached him in one of the recent trips to Bangalore and expressed gratitude on connecting her to classical arts. The Sunday session celebrated the spirit of volunteerism, and it’s on this basis only he sees SPICMACAY’s further journey. “We have forgotten the joy of giving. If one gives little time, both the giver and the cause gain,” he leaves us to ponder, joining the horde of his admirers addressing each one with a correct name, lauding their efforts and motivating them to move ahead! mona@tribunemail.com
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Call it quits
Aadeshh Chaudhry aka Aditya of Life OK’s Main Lakshmi Tere Aangan Ki (Shashi Sumeet Mittal Productions Pvt Ltd) has planned to quit the show. The actor is apparently not happy with his character in the show. As per a reliable source, the actor has been unhappy with his track from day one. In fact, when he was taken on board he had asked for a brief on his character but that did not happen. Instead he was asked to shoot for the promos. But, even after that when he further asked the creatives to throw light on his role, they just kept on beating around the bush. The act raised Aadeshh’s discontentment. The creatives mentioned that his character will shape up for better but that never really happened. Hence, the actor decided to move on. |
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Food notes
Fox Traveller brings a fresh new season of the popular show from last year- Twist of Taste with Vineet Bhatia- Season II. Last year, the show featured host Michelin Star Chef Vineet Bhatia travelling to some of the most exciting Indian cities giving his twist to some of the most exciting Indian dishes.
The host has one, and only one aim – to mix the characteristic local dish with the International dishes to create one of his own. The show is a journey through India to transform the Indian flavour to more exciting proportions. This year, there will be new cuisines, newer locations, with the same celebrated concept of ‘Food Makeover’. Vineet will amaze the viewers yet again by showcasing how a quintessential Indian dish is transformed into an exotic dish with both Indian and International flavours!
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Figment of imagination
Actress Kristen Stewart is scared that her fame might lead to someone killing her one day. She fears someone will log on to a social networking site to find out her location, then travel to where she is and murder her, reports a website. In an extract from new e-book Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner -- In Their Own Words by Talia Soghomonian, Stewart told interviewer Sian Edwards: "Nowadays, it's harder because everyone is on Facebook and everyone knows where you are all the time, and everyone's twittering." "Like I'm going to die because somebody is going to say where I am and somebody is going to kill me. Someone's going to twitter my location and then it's going to be like, boom." However, she admits the communication possibilities on the social networking sites are "really great". "I actually think too much of anything that can be scary, but at the same time it's also an opportunity. I mean mass communication is a good thing. It's actually a really great thing, it's just scary," said the actress. —IANS |
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Pre-wedding bash for Saifeena
The pre-wedding bash for Bollywood couple Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor saw celebrities from B-town coming to wish them.
The party was held on the terrace of Kareena's residence in suburban Bandra on Sunday night. Several close family members and celebrities including Babita, Neetu Singh, Soha Ali Khan, Kunal Khemu, Sanjay Kapoor, Tusshar Kapoor, fashion designer Manish Malhotra, Malaika Arora Khan and Kareena's good friend Amrita Arora attended the party. "It was just a fun party with close family and friends. It was meant to be only for 50 to 60 people. It was not a 'sangeet' ceremony," Manish Malhotra said. Kareena was dressed in an orange lehenga, teamed up with a heavy necklace, green bangles and flowers in hair, while Saif was seen in a white outfit. On the occasion Tusshar Kapoor said, "I wish them all the happiness and a successful married life." The couple will have a registered marriage tomorrow which will be a quiet affair. It will be followed by a reception in New Delhi on October 18. — PTI
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Aashiqui 2 goes on floor
…
Actress Shraddha Kapoor, who is playing the female lead in Aashiqui 2, is looking forward to the shooting of the film.
"Aashiqui 2 schedule starts (Monday), I can feel the endorphins building up again," Shradha tweeted. Filmmaker Mohit Suri has paired Shraddha with Aditya Roy Kapoor in the film. Suri has earlier clarified that the musical is not a sequel to the 1990-hit romantic saga Aashiqui, which starred Rahul Roy and model Anu Agarwal. Aashiqui 2 is likely to be released on Valentine's Day in February next year.
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The rest is history
The failure of his last three albums had almost made singer Robbie Williams quit music, but he didn't.
He admits that he had grown tired of his career after the moderate success of Reality Killed the Video Star, Rudebox and Intensive Care, but felt "liberated" by the fact that he was no longer concerned with success, reports a website. "I feel like my navigation system was broken back then and I wandered around aimlessly. It was liberating anyway. However, I didn't really care about my career in 2006. I just felt incredibly lethargic and I couldn't live up to the requirements of being a pop star," said Williams. Asked if he wanted to quit, he said: "Quite definitely. Mentally, I had already waved my career good bye." Williams' secondary career option was to become an artist, but he found his skills in that discipline quite limited. "I had started to paint and wanted to become a serious artist. Unfortunately, I'm an awful painter. And I'm not very good at making radical decisions. Otherwise I would have called it a day," he added. —IANS
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Bundle of nerves
VJ-turned-actor Ayushmann Khurrana, who made his dream entry in Bollywood with super hit movie Vicky Donor, is nervous about his second film.
The 28-year-old's next is Rohan Sippy's Nautanki Saala. The movie is being co-produced by Ramesh Sippy and the cast also includes Kunal Roy Kapoor and newcomer Pooja Salvi.
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Of broken promises
Dancer Francine Cornell, who had a year-long affair with Irish singer Ronan Keating, claims that the latter promised to marry her.
The two met during Keating's tour with his band Boyzone in 2009 and went on to have a relationship even though he was married to model Yvonne Connolly. A website reports that Keating told Cornell: "In 20 years, we will be married." The affair led to the end of Keating's 14-year-old marriage. Eventually he dumped Cornell too. However, the dancer says the singer's promises sounded convincing. “It was nice. I think it was what he believed at the time," she said. —IANS
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Three cheers!
Celebrity photographer Daboo Ratnani and his wife Manisha have been blessed with a baby boy.
"Manisha D Ratnani and me have been blessed with a beautiful baby boy! Both mum and baby are going great," Ratnani, who already has two daughters - Myrah and Kiara, tweeted. "Proud daddy of three beautiful babies. What an adorable sight to watch Myrah and Kiara with their baby brother! They are absolutely besotted with him," he further tweeted. —IANS
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Akshay pleasantly surprised
Actor-producer Akshay Kumar says the success of his film Oh My God, which has grossed more than 50 crores at the box office, has come as a pleasant surprise to him.
The film, which released to positive reviews about three weeks back, has impressed audiences despite not being a typical Bollywood film, what with Paresh Rawal playing the central role and no lead actress. "We knew from the very beginning that it's a word of mouth film. We had great confidence in the concept and the script. The pattern which the film has followed, what with weekdays doing even better than the higher priced weekend, is a pleasant surprise for us too," Akshay said in an interview. While the film has received critical acclaim and Akshay's belief in the subject has paid off, some detractors had levied charges of blasphemy against it. "Our message in the film is that of God in humanity. —PTI
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Out in the open
Pop star Rihanna and her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown are reportedly planning to go public with their relationship next month.
The couple, who has been spotted kissing in public in recent weeks, will apparently confirm their rekindled romance after Rihanna releases her new album Unapologetic on November 19, reports a website. They split in 2009 after Brown assaulted her. He was later convicted of the crime and sentenced to community service. "As soon as she finishes up with the album, they will be out. She has got to focus and get that album together and stay paid," said a source. Brown confirmed earlier that he had split from girlfriend Karrueche Tran because of his "renewed friendship" |
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Victoria loves being thin
Singer Cheryl Cole says during her brief friendship with fashion designer Victoria Beckham, the latter revealed she was happy staying thin.
Cole and Beckham became friends during 2006 Football World Cup. While Victoria is married to soccer star David Beckham, Cheryl was going around with her ex-husband Ashley Cole at that time. Cole, 29, has written about Victoria's confidence in her upcoming autobiography Cheryl: My Story. According to the book, Victoria said: "When they say, I’m too thin, I just think, 'You know what? I’m happy to be thin. I’m into fashion and I like being able to wear whatever I like'. It’s my business, and if other people don’t like it, that’s their business." |
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Rangeeley shoot over, Neha gets emotional
Actress Neha Dhupia became emotional after the shooting of her first Punjabi film Rangeeley got over. She says that the “character still stays with me.”
“Team Rangeeley take a bow! Get ready Punjabis and movie buffs of the world. We are coming to entertain you,” Neha tweeted. “That sinking feeling when you say goodbye to your cast and crew! The past 45 days have been the most fantastic days at work! Rangeeley,” she further tweeted. In the film, Neha's character is loud and boisterous. Jimmy Shergill will be seen in the male lead. “As an actor it's easy to give life to a character, what's harder is to put an end to it. Simi in Rangeeley still stays with me,” she tweeted. The 32-year-old was last seen in Maximum, and also did a cameo in Vivek Oberoi-starrer Kismet Love Paisa Dilli. —IANS
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The year ahead
If your birthday is October 16...
Your birthday falls this year on the first day of auspicious Navratras (starting from October 16 to 23]. If you are bouncing around full of energy, find as many outlets as possible. You won't be happy if you are cooped up in one place for too long and you might even get irritable. Daredevil activities seem attractive right now but don't be reckless, especially where cars or heights are involved. You must accept your limitations otherwise you will be in trouble. You will be able to show off your strengths. Avoid making pointless promises. In the coming year you will be getting mixed results. On the positive side, you will have sudden gain of wealth through inheritance or by winning a lottery. But whatever be the source of your income, you will not be able to save money. You will develop wasteful habits and fritter away a lot of money on fruitless ventures. There will be monetary losses in business. Be careful while driving. Mood: A bit overloaded at times but 'good' overall Compatible signs: Libra, Scorpio Lucky colours: Indigo, Lavender Lucky Days: Friday and Saturday. Lucky Numbers: 5, 9, 14, 49, 50
You are very lucky to share birthday with Hema Malini (October 16 ,1948 Ammankudi, Tiruchirappalli], who starred in Sapno Ka Saudagar (1968), and appeared in over 150 films. During this period, she established herself as one of Hindi cinema's leading actresses, noted for both her comic and dramatic roles, for her beauty, and her accomplished classical dancing. She was honoured with the Padma Shri, She also served as the Chairperson of the National Film Development Corporation. Hema Malini spends most of her time on charitable and social ventures.
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Astro turf
ARIES: Self-employed persons will have to put in a few extra hours at work. Conditions at home will be pleasant enough. Do not speculate. It’s important to strike a balance in life. Tarot message: You need to act for yourself and for no one else.
Lucky colour: Peach. Magic number: 28 TAURUS: If there is some work to be done and you feel like doing it, go right ahead. House work and chores can be handled efficiently. Consider helping a relative. You will be in an up-and-about mood. Tarot message: Focus on your goals. Lucky colour: Violet Magic number: 36 GEMINI: Today is the day for pleasure. Do all in your power to get agreements settled with your co-workers. A close rapport may be developing between you and a colleague. Tarot message: Don’t be dismissive of advice from young people. Lucky colour: Orange Magic number: 62 CANCER: Many of you have been working on an ambitious career path. Older people may drum up certain problems for you. Club and social activities are favoured. Tarot message: You will be happier if you retain the fruit of your hard work. Lucky colour: White Magic number: 56 LEO: The sense of fulfillment that comes from achieving your goals will arrive soon. Stay focused on your vision as you take the last steps to reach a destination. Tarot message: Infuse your efforts into decisive action and professional achievements. Lucky colour: Bottle green Magic number: 59 VIRGO: Like a game of snakes and ladders, you should step back and retrace your steps all over again. Pedestrians in particular should watch out for careless drivers. Tarot message: It is no longer necessary to take risks. Lucky colour: Rust Magic number: 44
LIBRA: The Page of Swords makes it a good time to tie all loose ends. You are in for a mixed day. As the day progresses you will feel more comfortable at home. Tarot message: Avoid situations that may turn nasty. Lucky colour: Blue Magic number: 49 SCORPIO: You will be able to make the right connection effortlessly. All in all an interesting and stimulating day. Someone you care about will see you in a new light. Tarot message: Trust your heart and intuition rather than confusing yourself. Lucky colour: Red. Magic number: 61 SAGITTARIUS:
Profound knowledge and insight may open through a wise acquaintance. Little would be achieved by a show of force at this stage. You will find the right approach today. Tarot message: Do not let anyone take advantage of you. Lucky colour: Brown. Magic number: 31 CAPRICORN: This is a day that starts calmly and uneventfully, lulling you into a false sense of security. Trusting people who have just appeared on the scene is a foolish move. Tarot message: Balance in all aspects is recommended. Lucky colour: Grey Magic number: 27 AQUARIUS: Minding your business is a good idea. And live and let live is a good motto currently. Business persons will sign important deals in the evening. Tarot message: Strive for perfection at work. Lucky colour: Yellow Magic number: 38 PISCES: Life seems full of contention at the moment and it is hard to get along with others. The postponement of a certain deal could cause you anxiety. A good day for buying jewellery. Tarot message: Don’t be certain about obtaining a clearance. Lucky colour: Purple. Magic number: 40
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