The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - The Tribune Lifestyle

	Digitally diligent Mona Last fourteen years and fifteen books, Ankit Fadia sure is on a roll. On Friday, when he was about to launch his latest book in Chandigarh, he got an unexpected call, from…Barack Obama! Oh well, this fake call was one example on how one can use technology to one's advantage…caught in a sticky situation, get yourself a call with a pre-recorded message and you are a free bird. For once in life, Ankit has written a book not on hacking but on how to maximise what the digital world today has on offer. Faster: 100 Ways to Improve Your Digital Life is a book for starters in the world of technology and on what all they can derive from here. Divided into four sections — Functionality, Look and Feel, Security and Fun Stuff — it has a hundred tips, right from on how to bar annoying callers, fight spam in your Gmail account, download videos from YouTube, search visually, block inappropriate sites and content from kids, wirelessly transfer files from phone to phone and stop wasting time online! "There are plenty of free apps available that help you in day-to-day life. Instead of calling a kid every five minutes while he or she is returning from a late night party, use this app that sends you minute-by-minute account of the location," says Ankit. Busy as ever, he is enjoying doing trainings, writing and shooting for his latest show Geek on the Lose on YouTube. In fact, he is keen on further exploring the immense potential that YouTube offers. Ankit is already writing his next book and it's a fiction this time, a love story set in the backdrop of technology. Addicted to technology he is and using it 24X7 just like everybody else, checking his Facebook and WhatsApp in between sleeping. Ankit answers all questions thrown at him; ask him on the controversial Wikipedia page in his name and he says, "It is a public forum. It carries whosoever updated last. Earlier, I would try to counter all the criticism aimed at me, now I concentrate on my work." He is all cool admitting that his site's been hacked many times, "So have been FBI's and Microsoft's and LinkedIn's; nothing is 100 per cent safe". He is also not against the 'anonymous'. "When one raises social issues by going anonymous it's all ok, but threatening companies with hacking is not what I am for." He is humble, feet on the ground person; reaches on time, keeps the presentation short and to all his critics he has just one answer, "I am neither the first hacker nor the last but those before me never wrote a book, started courses or came out in the open. This also fetches me my share of criticism and challenges, but all I know is that for every criticism there is loads more of those who love you." mona@tribunemail.com
	Astro turf P Khurrana ARIES: Turn your attention to money and budget. If there are problems, discuss them with partners or close associates. Forgive and forget is best. Do not gamble at all and be patient. Tarot message: Stay focused towards your goals. Lucky colour: Yellow Magic number: 49 TAURUS: Good luck is on your side and good things will come your way. Try to resolve legal matters today. Be prepared to plod along slowly. Cash crisis will resolve after 3 pm. Tarot message: Think carefully before taking action. Lucky colour: Baize Magic number: 64 GEMINI: Listen to your heart, regardless of what your head keeps telling you. Today you will find people who will generally be hard to pin down. An early night sleep will do you much good. Tarot message: Use your instincts. Lucky colour: Burgundy Magic number: 30 CANCER: Enduring relationships will be formed with people who live at a distance. Stick to your regular job, as it is the best way to boost your reserves. Tarot message: Resist making mistakes that you made in the past. Lucky colour: Silver Magic number: 52 LEO: Don’t try to dodge your commitments. Get done with the work on your favourite creative project. Children may need attention, so take them with you. Tarot message: Be articulate to prevent people from making their own conclusions. Lucky colour: Purple Magic number: 60 VIRGO: A training or practice program will pay off today. Enter a competition that will stretch your abilities. Hold ups and misunderstandings will start to move forward and clear away. Tarot message: Dare to accomplish time-consuming tasks. Lucky colour: Golden Magic number: 42 LIBRA: Hold a joint meeting to review a situation and plan future strategies. Financial gains will accrue through relatives and well-wishers. There is no need to worry about your health today. Tarot message: Avoid multi-tasking and focus on your goals. Lucky colour: Orange Magic number: 55 SCORPIO: The eligible will decide to get married and will obtain the approval and blessing of their family. Do not spoil your chance by being rash and untactful. A good day for romance. Tarot message: Listen carefully to words of wisdom. Lucky colour: Blue Magic number: 65 SAGITTARIUS: Lovers: you are surely going to enjoy today’s meeting. Women will experience a period of depression. A financial problem will be resolved today. Tarot message: You will receive a profitable tip at the stock exchange. Lucky colour: Red Magic number: 28 CAPRICORN: Students: you are unlikely to face financial problems today. Work prospects improve. Do not argue with elders. Follow the pearls of wisdom—if you love someone, set them free. Tarot message: Stay positive and discover your spiritual strengths. Lucky colour: Green Magic number: 58 AQUARIUS: Health could interfere with your plans. You may have an opportunity to exercise and benefit from your natural talent. The best outlet for pressure is passion and romance. Tarot message: Remember never to fall for rash promises. Lucky colour: Grey Magic number: 29 PISCES: Let your imagination go and enjoy the creative ideas that manifest. You are likely to be oversensitive to others, but this will help your communication. Today is a good day for romance. Tarot message: Try a new offbeat style of handling things. Lucky colour: Pink Magic number: 44
	Chatter box ‘There’s no time to date’ Sidharth Shukla has two television projects in his hands. With the successful drama series, Balika Vadhu on one side, Sidharth is giving his best to the dance reality show, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa too. Read on for further details. How is the Jhalak journey going so far? It has been a great experience and I have been getting better with every passing day. It’s a lot of fun because I have never danced at this level ever before. Now that you have a tough competition from the wild card entrants too, how do you plan to hold the stage? Everyone is a good dancer here. We have those contestants, who have been the part of the show right from the start and now that the wild card entries are here, I think it going to be a lot more fun and I just intend to enjoy myself to the fullest. We hear that Balika Vadhu has some interesting tracks lined up, especially that Ashima’s entering the show to create a love triangle. Is it true? Yes, there are some interesting things planned in the show. They are planning to have Jagdish’s opposite Shiv and Anandi in the middle of it because of Sanchi. Almost every television actor is trying his luck in films. Are you planning to do so too? Not yet. I have been busy with my shooting and TV commitments so haven’t really had the time. For now, I am happy with my career. Are you dating anyone? No. There’s no time to date. With Jhalak and Balika there’s hardly any time to sleep. Lost and found Get ready for Hollywood’s hottest talents, including Matthew Fox Jorge Garcia, Evangeline Lilly, and Naveen Andrews as Zee Café brings all seasons of Lost back to back. The gripping show has consistently been ranked as one of the top ten series of all times and has been described by various critics as one of the greatest television series of all times. The New York Times read, “Lost is the show with perhaps the most compelling continuing story line in television history”. The series has also been nominated for 54 Primetime Emmy Awards (out of which it won 11), 33 Teen Choice Awards, 7 Golden Global Awards (in which it bagged one), 2 Screen Actors Guild Awards (one win) and a BAFTA award. Business head of Zee, Niche channel says, “With Lost we bring one of the finest international shows to our Indian audience. Our viewers are in for a treat as the series will have an instant connect not only with the youth, but will also appeal to other age groups too. We will telecast all six seasons of the show.” The channel is also launching the ‘Lost’ Microsite, which will be created to host a contest for the viewers of Lost. The theme of the contest is a mysterious Island that has magical powers while the channel further makes the experience worth it by making the grand prize an all expenses paid trip for two to an exotic island location! The show begins on July 23 only on Zee Café on primetime. Tripping on sound again After bagging 25 million views on-air, 1 million Youtube hits and selling over thousand copies a month, MTV Sound Trippin broke all conventional barriers to be known as the most unique music show on television ever. This July, the avant-garde music director, Sneha Khanwalkar, is back to weave her magic with MTV Sound Trippin’ Season 2 as she continues with her pursuit of authentic sounds. MTV Sound Trippin’ is an original format home grown, conceptualised, and owned by MTV. In Season 2, Sneha wil go to different places in search of one kind of sound. These unique sounds will embody nine universal themes-Healing, Comedy, Toys, Strength, Women, History, Movement, Food, etc. Sneha Khanwalkar, the contemporary music director and host, says, “This season is different from the first one but it keeps the essence of the show intact. With Season 2 we go to multiple locations, discover multiple sounds to match one particular theme. I am super kicked about this season’s concept. Creating music out of the usual sounds one hears every single minute is a challenge as well as a learning for me.” Embark on a journey of sound across India with Sneha Khanwalkar only on MTV. The show will begin on June 14 at 8pm and will be telecast every Saturday. Wedding bells Muskan Mehani, who was earlier seen in the show, Dill Mil Gaye, will soon marry Tushal Sobhani, a businessperson. Apparently, the couple met each other through friends last year and Tushal proposed her after a few days of meeting her. They were engaged on May 14. Romantic pursuit: Muskan Mehani Cameo call Buzz is that Eijaz Khan will now be essaying a cameo role in the quiz competition in Star Plus’ show, Diya Aur Baati Hum. Eijaz was participating in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, but he could not win the competition due to a shoulder injury, which needed to be operated. Show time: Eijaz Khan Way too filmy Reportedly, Jennifer had auditioned for a role in Farah Khan’s next venture, Happy New Year. However, Farah clarified that she had not auditioned for the film and now after this news is out, she may try her luck. Jennifer Winget is currently seen in the show, Saraswatichandra. Double trouble Devoleena Bhattacharjee aka Gopi Bahu, who injured herself a while ago on the sets of Saath Nibhana Saathiya, will be playing a double role in the show. Still recovering from the injury, the actor wonders how she will be able to pull a double role!
	Stress buster Positive change ahead Renee Singh Hey, are you actually creating stress in your life? Well, you are not the only one. We all need to realise that one way or the other, most of us could be doing just that. And once we have realised this we need to find ways to stop it. We are responsible for the state we are in and we need to change this. Of course we must accept that many of the stresses we face in life are beyond our control, but then we must also realise that it is our responses to these things that have a heavy impact on our stress levels. These responses are definitely under our control. Moreover many of our thoughts and the actions we take when we are under stress are contributing towards raising our stress levels even more by creating new problems or intensifying our already negative feelings. We need to stop doing things that perpetuate our stress levels and focus on what we can do to help ourselves feel less stressed. Here is how to stop Stop ruminating Whenever we are stressed it is natural to think about our stressors to get the better of them and change our lives. But sometimes we tend to get overly negative bordering on obsessive. This is called rumination. We need to stop falling pray to rumination as we will only intensify our stress this way. Stop overloading your schedule When we are very busy even if our schedule is loaded with exciting things we remain stressed, this is simply due to lack of time. We have to learn to say no to some things by assessing our own priorities. Stop your cognitive distortions Thinking patterns are habitual. This is great for you if you are a positive thinker. But if you are a negative thinker you can get stressed. Stress responses are usually triggered by a perceived threat. A negative attitude can lead us to feel more threatened by our own monsters and subsequently we are more stressed. Do not loose your sleep Sleep deprivation contributes highly to our increased stress levels. We are then more reactive to stress and our cognitive functioning is not as sharp which could lead to more mistakes and more stress. This could turn into a vicious cycle, avoid this. Stop eating junk food Wrong diet contributes greatly to stress. It impacts your reactivity to stress more. Stress influences what you crave for and leads to emotional eating. Don’t lean on relationships Relationships are sometimes supportive and sometimes unpredictably conflict ridden. They can be particularly difficult because of an underlying sense of uncertainty and tension. Some are toxic relationships; you must try and keep the healthy ones. Do not avoid exercise This builds your resilience in the long run, so allow an exercise routine to take over in your life. Do not say I can’t I can do it’ ‘should be your slogan. Learn not to lose focus and control. Do not miss opportunities Stress makes us tired and depressed and we really don’t feel like taking charge of a situation. Develop a happier attitude. Optimism can help you see opportunities you would otherwise overlook. Do not ignore your stress Most people get reactive instead of proactive. Stress management is an ongoing process and needs overall planning constantly. Use short term and long term stress relievers and enjoy a life free from stress. (Singh is a Chandigarh based psychotherapist)
	Foodies Light on pocket, great on taste… Jasmine Singh A to and fro journey on road sounds wee incomplete if you don’t have a pit stop at a dhaba. The rickety chairs, the wooden planks working as tables, the clink noise of the steel cutlery and a lot of fresh dust! How nice it would be if someone shifts the entire dhaba feel (without the rickety chairs and wooden planks) to a neater, fresh and clean ambience. Deluxe Dhaba in sector 28 opened almost two years back is a hi-end dhaba promising the signature value for money. There are things that you would like about the place and many that you probably wouldn’t, but for this you need to grab a bite at this place. The ambience Yes for sure Deluxe scores on space with almost 90 people enjoying a meal at one time. You wouldn’t find comfy chairs or bean bags, but then who said they are found in a dhaba. The fully air conditioned place has is spacious and clean. In fact, you will be surprised to see the number of corporate employees enjoying food at a given time. The décor has been made creative my putting different traditional utensils on the walls aesthetically. Your order is ready sir The thing about eating out is you want everything to be served on your plate the minute you place the order. At Deluxe dhaba you are served food within 8-10 minutes of the order. This we say is pretty fast! Knick, knack and a snack We doubt if dhaba culture and snacks go down very well. If you can wait for the main meal, you can order a paneer malai tikka (Rs 160), chicken seekh kabab (Rs 180) or a murg tandoori (Rs 160), mushroom chilly (Rs 140), we still suggest, hold on for the main course. Lime n lemony The non-veg side of the menu is flooded with options- dahi chicken (Rs 240 half), saag chicken (Rs 240), butter chicken (Rs 160), rice chicken (boneless- Rs 240), lemon meat (Rs 250), magaj (Rs 220), keema kaleji, butter meat….but you just can’t ignore lemon chicken. A thick gravy, which is leaves a tangy taste on your lips even after you have cleaned every bit of it from the plate. Lemon chicken half (Rs 260) and full Rs 480, worth a try. Gimme greens Vegetarians have a universal problem of less choice. You might face it here as well. Chana masala (Rs 100), malai kofta (Rs 160), mushroom mutter (Rs 140), cheese tomato (Rs 150)…. Zero in on anything different! If you are a foodie, not ready compromise on ‘something different’ paneer butter masala for Rs 180 will give you some solace. Kuch meetha ho jaye If you can’t help with the sweet tooth, then you have the famous Ishar Kulfi for Rs 25 and gulab jamun Rs 30. The sweet story ends here. Price wise The vegetarian dishes cost Rs 70-180, sounds like a best bargain. The non veg side weighs Rs 100-440. Not a bad deal either. Four friends can enjoy a hearty meal for Rs 500. Rating: ***
	The ‘in’ side Point of conversation Sukhmani A conversation pit is an architectural feature that incorporates built-in seating into a depressed section of flooring within a larger room. This area often has a table in the center as well. The seats typically face each other in a centrally focused fashion, bringing the occupants closer together than free-standing tables and chairs normally would. Depending on the depth some pits may feature stairs that allow easy access to the seats. In residential design this proximity facilitates comfortable human conversation, dinner parties, and table top games. A conversation pit or sunken sitting area can be part of your interior or outside living spaces. Admittedly these areas require a larger scale of room to gain full effect. Conversation pits were originally created by modernist architects and designers looking to maximise space horizontality in their interiors. Sunken living rooms might not always be practical for your home; you can still draw inspirations and work towards creating a meditative or cozy space to gather your thoughts. Pair a sunken space with tons of pillows, a fire place and a pair of classic lamps to liven up the living room. When you start making sunken living room plans you should know the advantages and disadvantages of this kind of space. It is a good thing because you could define the space and place the sofas, televisions and the fireplace at another level but if these aren’t well planed it could became your worst nightmare when guests in your house find if difficult trying to move around. Conversation pit design requires a large space and can’t be built anywhere. This amazing design takes your lounge area a step beneath ground level – literally! These conversation pits are offered in many different designs, masculine, feminine, modern as well as in traditional décor – catering to both outdoor and indoor spaces. New construction would, of course, be the easiest route in planning for the sunken room, but in an existing setting there would need to be an ample amount of clear space below to build out the necessary structural supports to handle the job. You can also build a conversation pit outdoors as part of your deck or terrace or as a lounge space near a swimming pool. In the outdoors conversation pits are often enhanced with fire pits.
	It’s rocking The luck shines Did you get lucky yet? Well if not, then perhaps it’s time you listened to it to get lucky, a song by the French house music duo, Daft Punk, co-written by and featuring Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers. It is the lead single from Daft Punk’s fourth studio album Random Access Memories and it has secured the second position on the Billboard top 100. Before its release as a single, Get Lucky was featured in television advertisements broadcast during the Saturday Night Live, after which Rodgers and Pharrell announced their involvement in the track. Small excerpts also appear throughout the promotional video series The Collaborators. Let us see how the city folks are taking to this song. Musically, Get Lucky is a disco and funk song while lyrically, according to Pharrell Williams, the song is about the fortune of finding chemistry with someone and not just about sexual chemistry. Old-school disco jam If you listen to the song, you will feel like you are stranded on an exotic location and the music only fills more beauty in the scene. I love the song and ever since I have heard it, it plays in my car all the time. More than that, I think it plays in my head all the time (laughs). Diwakar Suraj, student Pharelltastic With the Thrift Shop, which was topping the billboard charts a couple of months ago, I was almost flabbergasted at Pharell’s success. We all know that Daft Punk is one of a kind when it comes to creating techno house music, but this collaboration has brought this music to a different level altogether. I can’t get my ears off earphones for this song! Aman Suraj, city-based musician Electrifying beats The beats of this song are amazing. This is the sound of the future disco and every time I listen to this song, I feel like dancing. I love it and I am certain that anyone who fancies good music will love it too. Saurabh Duggal, student — As told to Amarjot Kaur
	Master Chef Veggie delight Manju Dewan We Indians cannot do without our ubiquitous chapatti which is integral part of our food on the table. And we look for it so whenever we go abroad. When we try dishes like cannelloni we get taste of both the worlds and with veggies it becomes a wholesome dish. CANNELLONI Ingredients For dough 1½ cup maida 2 tsp oil ½ tsp salt Water For filling 1 cup macaroni (boiled) ½ cup cabbages (shredded) ½ cup carrot (chopped) ½ cup capsicum (chopped) ½ cup cheese 1 tsp white vinegar Salt, to taste Black pepper, to taste Cheese, to garnish Tomato ketchup, to garnish Fresh coriander leaves Method Mix maida, oil and salt in a bowl. Add water and make firm dough. Keep aside. Sauté cabbage, carrot and capsicum. Add macaroni, white vinegar, salt and black pepper. Keep aside. Roll small chapattis from the dough and cook them in boiling water. Keep aside to cool. On each chapatti keep a little filling mixture and fold it. Seal with a toothpick. Grate some cheese on it and bake in a pre heated oven till golden brown. Sprinkle tomato ketchup and fresh coriander leaves and serve hot. (Manju Dewan is a Ludhiana based culinary chef) — As told to Poonam Bindra
	Jewel lure Tanishq, India’s largest and preferred jewellery brand introduces Inara, the new age diamond jewellery collection that celebrates the promise of eternal love, strength and purity. Derived from the Arabic word, the name Inara symbolises the shine or illumination which seamlessly marries aesthetics and intelligent engineering which is perfect for an ultimate diamond jewellery collection. Inara brings the cosmic swirls, meteor showers and star bursts to life in every piece which will take your breath away with its sheer bling appeal and spread. This collection has been crafted very tastefully which not only reflect the contours of every woman’s heart but fits her wallet well too. Displaying an exquisite ensemble of more than 120 designs, Inara comprises of diamond jewellery pieces across necklace, bangles, earrings and rings. Priced between Rs two lakhs and Rs 6 lakhs this collection will you spoilt for choice. — TNS
	In sickness and health Katrina Kaif has understood the consequence of shooting with the perfectionist of Bollywood, Aamir Khan. Despite ill health, Katrina had to report on the sets of Yash Raj Films' Dhoom 3 and all this is because of Aamir Khan. Aamir has given his dates for the shoot and hence Katrina has to abide. A source says, "Katrina's been down with viral fever. Last seen at Arjun Kapoor's birthday party, she has been resting at home. But thanks to Aamir, the actress is now back at the YRF studios for the shoot schedule. Aamir had already allotted his dates. "We heard from those close to her that her hectic schedule is to be blamed for her health woes. "However, Katrina didn't want Aamir's dates to be wasted," adds the source. Dhoom 3 is a high octane action thriller. The film will see both Aamir and Katrina doing some dare devil stunts. Aamir Khan has undergone rigorous training to get into the role. The movie promises triple dose of action, emotions, romance and thrill. Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra will reprise the role of Jay and Ali.