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The Hindu :

Want to sport a new hairstyle, without cutting your hair? There are so many interesting options

Photo: A. Roy ChouwdhuryWear it new Be innovative

Enough has been said about hacking your long tresses for a chic pixie cut and turning your boring bob into an asymmetrical one. For those who don’t have a heart to say goodbye to their long, luscious locks and are simultaneously tired of wearing their hair the same way each day, read on to know what you can do with your hair just the way it is and probably with a few hair accessories that are easily available around you.

Forget leaving your hair open on a daily basis. Especially since the winter hasn’t shown signs of retreat, it is safer to tie your hair. A ponytail is the perfect answer. Wear it high and let it look voluminous and your curls bouncy. You could also wear it low. Don’t use your regular scrunchies for a change. Simply take a portion of your hair and wrap it around the rest of your hair into a knot at the nape of your neck.

Braids are back and this time around, you could be more innovative. The French plait is an eternal favourite but if you want to do something different, you could wear two instead of just one. You could even braid only a small portion of your hair, stretch it across the front of your head and use it as a headband of sorts. Sausage plaits are also fun to experiment with. A two or three coloured hippie braid goes down well with the younger crowd.

And who says pigtails are meant only for school girls? If you can’t care less about looking like one or can’t be bothered about what people think of your style, then wear two pigtails. You could part your hair from the side instead of at…More

The Hindu : y>

WRAP IT UP Sweet nothings

Maison Des Gourmet has come up with gift hampers for Valentine’s Day. Customers can choose a gift basket, that they themselves can put together by choosing from the store’s range. There are chocolates, cookies and nougats, “all sourced from around the world”. The cookies come in the flavours of dark choc, milk choc, fig and pecan, lemon macadamia nut, date and ginger and chocolate coated cantuccini. The nougats also come in flavours like the cappuccino crunch, apricot soft and green tea crunchy for the health conscious.

The cookies and chocolates are priced between Rs. 110 for a piece to Rs. 750 for a box. A jar of chocolate spread comes at Rs. 950. There are heart shaped pastas, especially for Valentine’s Day, pestos and sauces, cold cuts and cheese among others. Maison Des Gourmet, on Lavelle Road, can be contacted on 41134284.

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The Hindu :

Four theatre artistes from the UK speak of scientific impact and the magic of drama

UK-based directors Jeff Teare and Rebecca Gould were called to look into the different schemes in international public engagement, while freelancing at Wellcome Trust and later, at the Bill and Melinda Gates HIV AIDS foundation.

Then, they collaborated with Arundhati and Jagdish Raja’s Artistes’ Repertory Theatre to form TheatreScience, a science and theatre collaboration. Their third collaboration this year comprises six Indian theatre practitioners and four British — Shereen Martineau from Ireland and Richard Pepper from England, including the directors. The project began as a residency at the National Centre of Biological Sciences (NCBS), guided by Professor Mukund Thattai and discussions with scientists Dr. Suhel Quader, Dr. Sumantra Chattarji and Dr. S. Jain.

The four theatre artistes from the UK talk about the deconstruction of scientific impacts and the magic of drama.

TheatreScience has dealt AIDS, human cloning, cleaning of the Ganga, drug-testing in Africa, exploitation of persons with special needs, an autistic musician. The coupling of science and drama cannot be more imperative?

We started at Henry Wellcome’s Wellcome Trust which researched into the history of medicine and the human genome, with an emphasis on the political, social, ethical and environmental aspects of science on the developing world. Our aim is not to teach science, but deliver good theatre.

Can you describe your interest in India then?

It was about the nature of exchange of ideas. It is important for the Western audience to get an Indian perspective on bio-medicines, which will be different and similar at the same time. From Indian homeopathy and Ayurveda, traditional Western medicine to allopathic drug-based medicines and non-drug treatments, we also have looked into behavioural therapy and invented diseases like post-traumatic stress disorder, which is basically a money-making exercise for lawyers. We wanted to make connections with the human story.

How does drama facilitate the…More

The Hindu :

Mayonnaise is great for livening up salads and sandwiches

Mayonnaise: One of the sauces which serve the French in place of a state religion.

Ambrose Bierce, Devil’s Dictionary (1911)

Mayonnaise is a recent addition to the world of condiments — around 250 years old, but food historians still disagree about where the name comes from.

The most colourful explanation is that after Gen. Louis-Francois-Armand du Plessy attacked the British via the port of Mahon and captured the island of Minorca in June 1756, his personal chef whipped up an emulsion of egg yolks, olive oil, and vinegar in celebration. Hence, the name mayonnaise (“Mahon-naise”).

The more prosaic explanation is that the word derives from “moyeau,” French for egg yolk.

Indians commonly encounter mayonnaise in sandwiches, burgers and continental salads.

In the West, mayonnaise figures in salads that call for a white, sour dressing (especially potato salads), burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, and as a side dish for fried meats.

As with mustard, the sour, buttery taste with an eggy flavour is something you either love or hate. Regular (whole) mayonnaise, made from traditional recipes, is wicked, heart-stopping stuff.

On an average, one tablespoon of regular (whole) mayonnaise contains 100 calories, the same as one tablespoon of butter. Most of these calories are from saturated fat and cholesterol.

“Light” mayonnaise contains half as many calories and grams of saturated fat without losing much in taste.

It is a healthful substitute for many bread spreads, cheese and butter.

Once opened, a jar of mayonnaise needs to be refrigerated. Since mayonnaise contains raw egg yolks, there are persistent safety concerns about spoilage at room temperature. Commercial mayonnaise contains pasteurised eggs and is acidic enough to inhibit growth of harmful bacteria.

Any weird odour or growth in a mayonnaise dish left at room temperature for a few hours is unlikely to be from harmful organisms.

Even if food poisoning occurs, it is probably the result of handling by…More

The Hindu : y>Senthil makes selling laptops, mobiles, clothes, shoes and hairdos look glamorous with his photography, finds BHUMIKA K.

Photos (Cover and centrespread):V. Sreenivasa MurthyIMAGE IMPACT Senthil: ‘If you are able to make people understand what you are saying in one look or glance, that’s your success’

He’s in Ooty one day, Prague on another, sometimes in Bangkok, on the beaches in Goa or in our friendly backyard of Hesarghatta. Sometimes he’s with Deepika Padukone, sometimes with Mahendra Singh Dhoni or Mahesh Bhupati, Sachin or Bhaichung Bhutia. But wherever he is, and whoever he is with, Senthil enjoys doing what he does best. Clicking away.

This quiet and unassuming photographer recently bagged the Best Photographer of the Year Award for 2008, an industry award given by the niche magazine Asian Photography. This year, other photographers in the reckoning in the magazine’s list of top 10 included Raghu Rai, Daboo Ratnani, and Atul Kasbekar. He likes to see himself as a fashion and people photographer, says the unassuming Senthil. A student of applied arts, Senthil took to photography because it did in an instant what painting took long to do! “Lighting in photography is like the paintbrush while painting. Art and photography is the same. Lighting makes your work, makes it stand out,” says Senthil, known for using as little artificial light as possible.

The quiet 40-year-old Bangalore-based photographer has worked on numerous ad campaigns for international brands in the last 12 years, including 300 ads for IBM alone, worldwide. His portfolio reads like a who’s who of brands that include Nike, Adidas, Lenovo, Scullers, Indigo Nation, Kurl-On, Hutch, Microsoft, Intel, WorldSpace Radio, Lifestyle, Himalaya, Prestige Builders, Ranga Shankara Theatre Festival, Bengalooru Habba, The Hindu and many others. Originally from a town near Coimbatore, he studied applied art at the College of Arts and Crafts in Chennai.

“In advertising photography, the best part is that you create everything.We can’t…More

The Hindu : y>

K.V. Subbanna Apta Samooha is organising a film appreciation workshop on February 8, Sunday.

This year’s series begins with the screening of the award-winning film, “Gulabi Talkies”. There will be two shows, at 3.30 p.m. and 6.45 p.m.

The film starring Umashri, K.G. Krishnamurthy, M.D. Pallavi and others has been directed by Girish Kasaravalli. Cinematography is by S. Ramachandra and is produced by Basant Kumar Patil.

The screening will be attended by the director and actors. Some of the technicians will also be present. Between 5.45 p.m. and 6.30 p.m. there will be a discussion.

The venue is K.V. Subbanna Apta Samooha, 151, 7th Cross, Teacher’s Colony Phase I, J.P. Nagar Post, near Dayanada Sagar College, Bangalore 560078. Phone: 92425-23523.

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Madrigals, Etc. is a choral and instrumental music ensemble that was formed in 1999 with the “aim of performing music from the era of the Renaissance”.

Directed by Neecia Majolly, a musician, the ensemble will go on a national tour this month presenting “An Evening of Renaissance Music”. The tour will travel to Kolkata, Delhi and Chennai besides Bangalore. The ensemble performs this evening at Ashirvad, St. mark’s Road, 7 p.m. Donor passes, priced at Rs. 150, are available at supermarkets and at the venue.

Call 9844628219.

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The Hindu :

You are flooded with a choice of dishes and views of the city at J.P Balimos

WELCOMING OFFERS Choose from north Indian, mughalai, south Indian, Chinese and continental fare

The cool breeze on the open terrace of the J.P. Balimos restaurant in Malleswaram relaxes you instantly. The lighting is soft and not jarring to the eyes. It is a weekday evening and the crowds are building up slowly.

Watching the spectacular view of the Bangalore night sky, we start the meal. We begin with a coconut water soup, where coconut water is mixed with spinach and an assortment of veggies and spiced with a dash of pepper. The soup warms you up and provides a soothing melange of flavours.The restaurant serves north Indian, mughalai, south Indian, Chinese and continental fare.

The starters menu is fairly exhaustive and we decide to munch on raan-e-mastaan, mutton leg piece rubbed with masalas and topped with minced lamb. The dish takes nearly 24 hours to make and leaves one impressed with the tenderness of the meat and the manner in which the spices, vegetables and the minced lamb manage to complement each other very well. The bharwan tangdi, a similar preparation with chicken also scores high on flavouring. Vegetarians would find the palak pakodi chaat and the kumbh khazana, comprising mushrooms doused in a mixture of spices and cooked in the tandoor, fulfilling. The aloo tuk is also a good try, with a sweet-tangy combination and manages to enthuse the taste buds a great deal.

The main course starts with a generous helping of the famous Goan fish curry, with a hint of a coconut flavour that lives up to expectation. The flavouring and taste is decent, while the freshness of the fish ensures that the dish becomes near perfect. The chicken tikka makkhan-palak, chicken with spinach and tomato gravy was a bit heavy, but faced no complaints…More

The Hindu :

Shammi Kapoor looks back at a film that prevented him from leaving the industry for good

Luck by chance Shammi Kapoor

Shammi Kapoor’s role in “Tumsa Nahin Dekha” established him as a star. It was in its colour scenes that his sparkling blue eyes first made their mark.

The star is candid and modest about this turning point in his career.

On bagging the role

It is true the film was designed for Dev as he had already done two films with Filmistan, namely “Munimji” and “Paying Guest” (both written by Nasir Husain).

Even the title song “Tumsa Nehin Dekha” was recorded with him as the hero and it was written by Sahir Ludhianvi.

For whatever reasons, Dev turned down the movie. Sahir left it too, and the rest of the songs were penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri.

If Dev had starred in that film – what of Shammi Kapoor?

Perhaps I would have landed the job of the manager of some tea estate in Assam, riding a horse with a whip in hand and a flask of scotch in my hip pocket.

That is what I had promised Geeta (wife Geeta Bali) if I did not make it as an actor. Remarkable, she had said yes.

Another Dev Anand reject

I must thank Dev, for this was not the only film that he turned down that became a sort of milestone in my career.

Another such had been “Teesri Manzil” which too he had left after the first schedule.

I never tried to find out why.

S.K.

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The Hindu : y>French Loaf offers a sumptuous and healthy menu

BAKED GOODIES Bread for thought

Oriental Cuisines Pvt. Ltd., which already has specialty restaurants like Zara and Tapas Bar to its credit, now opens French Loaf.

The outlet, on Ulsoor Road, is an express counter spread over 600 sq. ft. and offers eats like chicken strudel, texmex chicken pie, stuffed ciabatta and focaccia to name a few. You can also treat yourself to a wide range of European breads baked with rye, foccacia mushroom or walnut rye bread.

The health conscious can pick up low-diet loaf, muesli rusk, rye and multi rusk etc.

This place also has an assortment of confectionary to choose from — vanilla sponge, chocolate sponge, tart dough or choux pastry. For desserts there is chocolate opera, fudge brownie or an array of mousse to choose from.

The eatables are priced at Rs. 20 and above. French Loaf is open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and can be contacted on 42066999.

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The Hindu :

Shammi Kapoor, Pran, Ameeta

Our Elvis! Tumsa Nahin Dekha changed Shammi Kapoor’s image forever

“One man’s food is another man’s poison,” so goes the adage. But it is the reverse that is true in Hindi cinema. One hero’s reject makes another hero’s career. Perhaps Shammi Kapoor wouldn’t have become the rage that he eventually became, and the rebel star label, coined by publicist Bunny Reuben, would never have fitted him, if the original hero, Dev Anand had not walked out of“Tumsa Nahin Dekha”. It is, however, a different matter that Anand’s suave movements wouldn’t have made the film the rage that Kapoor’s loose-limbed, hip-swinging acrobatic style (a cross between Elvis Presley and James Dean) went on to make it, thanks to producer Shashdhar Mukherjee who suggested the changes to the actor to suit the character.

And when the actor complained of asmall paycheque to the producer, Mukherjee reportedly not only slapped him (it is now the other way round) but ordered: “Forget the money, and do the role. It is meant for you.” And the actor meekly retreated.

The pencil moustache gave way to a clean shaven face, and the new haircut gave the until-then-a-flop hero a brand new look. That done,Kapoor and director Nasir Husain — for whom it was a debut film as a director — spent several months working on the look and presentation.

Formal shirts and coats were replaced with leather jackets and T-shirts. The portions shot in colour not only enhanced the appeal but also emphasised Kapoor’s deep blue eyes that contributed to his subsequent success.

The theme is aptly summed up in the ever-fresh title song, “Yun to hum ne lakh haseen dekhe hai, tumsa nahin dekha” — one of the biggest hits of Mohammed Rafi’scareer. After writing successful films like “Paying Guest” and “Munimji”,Nasir Husaincame out with his own lost-and-found formula. A story that he went on to invent…More