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The Hindu : y>

The Kenilworth Beach Resort and Spa, Goa, offers a monsoon package of 3 nights and 4 days.

A luxury room comes for Rs. 18,000 per couple and Rs. 3,300 for a third person. Children will be charged (below 12 years for meals only) Rs. 2,700, and two children below 10 years can stay free in the parents room (charges for extra bed would be 1,500).

This special monsoon package is valid till July 31.

The package includes buffet meals (breakfasts, lunches and dinners). You can use the Agua Spa at a 20 per cent discount.

The package also includes 15 per cent discount on laundry services and ice cream coupons for the family once during stay.

Visitwww.kenilworthhotels.com or mailkenilworthgoa@kenilworthhotels.com for details.

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The Hindu : y>

MTV, in association with Facebook, has launched an application to promote its brand new twin based game show — MTV Connected called “Celebrity Connect”. This is an online application where MTV consumers will be able to choose their celebrity look-alike from a range of sportsmen, politicians and Bollywood celebrities and this will be published as an update on their Facebook profile. To participate, log on towww.mtvindia.com/connected, use your Facebook access details and chose your closest match. The celebrity with the maximum claims on look-alikes and the closest match with a celebrity will be featured on MTV.

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The Hindu : SUBHA J RAO

This is the best time of your life. But, it does not mean you stay cooped up at home. Read on to know how you can be happily pregnant and still travel

Mode of travel

If taking a flight, check with the airline about rules regarding pregnant women on board.

Some airlines don’t allow women to travel after 28 weeks. But, a few others permit you to travel even at 35 or 36 weeks (conditions apply).

Also, if you must fly, do so in the second trimester, when there is reduced risk of miscarriage or early labour.

If you have morning sickness, flying can leave you feeling worse.

There’s also a risk of catching infections in a closed space.

If you have a complicated pregnancy, it is ideal to stay in one place and not travel at all.

Those with a risk for premature labour or miscarriage must avoid flying too.

Dos and dont’s

Its all right to take in the cool mountain air and sights from the comfort of your resort, or a gentle walk, but avoid hiking and water sports, which can be quite strenuous.

Drink plenty of water, particularly on long flights.

You are at more risk of developing blood clots in leg veins; keep moving around to ensure blood circulation.

If you have travel sickness, consult your doctor about a safe drug to take.

Choose an aisle seat; it is most comfortable. And, if possible pick a seat in the front of the plane. It provides the smoothest ride.

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The Hindu :

You will find footwear for women and children in all ranges at Perfect Footwear

Photo: K. Murali KumarStylish and affordable The shop offers a six-month guarantee

On the busy of Shivajinagar Road that leads to Meenakshi Koil Street, you will see loads of tiny shops selling bags, shoes, and saris. Amidst all this hustle and bustle isPerfect Footwear, a corner shop that captures your attention because of itsdisplay and the number of people.

This 14 by 20 sq. ft shop offers foot wear only for women and children thatsuits all kinds of pockets. Started by M. Yunus Sait in 1961, the place is now run by his son Elias Yunus.

“We’ve been here since the time this road was called ‘Bread ’n’ Butter Street’. My father started the shop.When we were children, we used toassist him after school hours. Now, we run the business, ” says Elias.

The place offers footwear starting at Rs.195. For this price you can pick up plainbut sturdy footwear. If it is style and fashion you are looking for and are willing to splurgethen the same place offers some classy designs in flats and heels from Rs. 395 onwards. The range is wide and takes you a while to see everything in this tiny space. There are pretty ones, kitschy ones, flat ones and pencil heeled ones and those with wedges.

Some come with stone work, American diamonds,zardosi andheavy beads. “We sourcefrom Mumbai and Delhi. We give a six month guarantee and if there is any repair work within six months it is done free,” explains the soft spoken Elias.

The shop also offers footwear for brides and for party wear. “We also haveshoes made with material that looks and feels like leather,” explains Elias. This range starts at Rs. 495. There aresome smart boots for women too. The children’s section starts at Rs. 295. Perfect Footwear is open from 10…More

The Hindu :

At Samboja, every attempt has been made to give back the orangutans their lost habitat

Photos: BY AUTHORSafe zone For orangutans

Lina settles herself into her bed for the night, a cloth draped over her head. But, just for a moment, I am so reminded of the women swaying along the village paths in Rajasthan, odhnis draped over their heads.

Lina’s been busy. An orangutan has much to do before falling asleep; like building a fresh nest every night to lie in. That’s why the trees nearby are virtually shred of every leaf, our guide points out.

It is said that long ago, the indigenous people would not kill it because they felt the orangutan was simply a person hiding in the trees, trying to avoid going to work or becoming a slave. The Orang Hutan or people of the forest were safe. No such luck in modern times — they are now down to about 25,000.

We are at Samboja — the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOS) in Kalimantan, Indonesia. Once found all over South-East Asia, orangutans now survive in only two areas in Indonesia — Kalimantan and Sumatra. The reason, of course, is the usual — development. Samboja is a recognition of the fact that to save the orangutan, you have to save their habitat. As we holiday at the Samboja Lodge, the story of how the forest was recreated all over again unfolds.Scenic vistas

Our rooms are 25 feet high, built of huge pillars of timber, giving you a king’s view of the greenery that stretches out for miles. But if you are unable to take the trek up to the king suites, there are rooms below as well, where guests and volunteers at the reserve stay.

A rambling verandah at the top of the lodge allows you to watch the orangutans swinging through the branches or chomping moodily on a piece of…More

The Hindu : y>While online communities help us keep in touch with friends across the globe, it comes at the cost of interaction with family in the real world, writes NEETI SARKAR

Photo: Sushil Kumar VermaJust hanging out Have fun with friends offline

Facebook is the new TV. According to a recent report by The University of Southern California’s Annenberg Center for the Digital Future, it has been found that social networking is eating into family time. The study has shown that the percentage of people, who say they spend less time with household members since they spend their time at home online, has nearly tripled from 11 percent in 2006 to 28 percent in 2008.

MySpace, Orkut, Twitter, Facebook, Hi5 and the rest of the social networking sites have taken the world by storm. Earlier, we would curse the idiot box because that’s what we thought robbed us of family time. It was a big deal when parents ate a quiet dinner at the dining table while the son gobbled his food watching his third thriller for the day.

Then, we got smarter and realized that the TV could serve as a magnet of sorts and TV dinners were born. This resulted in the family spending time together, at least physically if not mentally or emotionally. This as most would agree, is still better than spending no time at all with family members, as the case is now, thanks to the addictive social networking sites!Not the only culprit

Sailesh G, a Business Administration student says, “One cannot exactly blame the websites for their addictive nature because that’s what networking sites are about. It is we who don’t realize how much time we spend on the computer. I often sign in promising myself that I’ll stay online for not more than ten minutes and it is only after a good two hours of looking at photos of friends…More

The Hindu :

Raghav Sachar talks about his new album Charming Lutera

Photo: S. GopakumarOpen-minded Raghav Sachar says if we strictly go by the rule book, music will lose its global appeal

Raghav Sachar hits the high notes with with his album “Charming Lutera”.

Released under the label of Raghav Sachar Music, it promises high energy beats and shows Raghavdonning the cap of a dancer.He says: “It is basically designed in the context of World Music. It is an interesting mix of hip-hop, classy, etc.”

Though Raghav has criss-crossed different genres inhis music albums,he admits, “Pop completely switches me on”, but quickly adds,“Unfortunately, pop culture is slowly vanishing.”

Creative freedom

After having composed music for a few Bollywood films (“Kabul Express”, “One Two Three”) andworking with the best in the business like Yash Raj Music and Big Entertainment, Raghav says he doesn’t find it difficult to compose for mainstream Bollywood.

Among his favourites, he counts A.R. Rahman.“I admire his workimmensely. We are planning a concert together, details of which will be worked out later.” He also has a word of appreciation for singers like Sunidhi Chauhan and Kunal Ganjawala. “They are my personal favourites,” he says.Though many look at contemporary music asonly glamour and no content, he gives his take on it.“Music is something which undergoes change constantly. No one can deny that. I personally feel that the quality of music has improved a lot over the passage of years. Musicians today believe in experimentation, without killing the essence of music. There is more of arrangement-driven music coming in today. We don’t follow a set pattern while making music which is cool. If we strictly go by the rule book, music will lose its global appeal. This is why we say music has no language.”

Well, point taken Raghav.

SURYA S. PILLAI

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The Hindu : y>

Calling gourmets From god’s own country

Kerala Sadya festival begins at Dhakshini Restaurant, Sree Nandhana Palace.

The festival brings authenticvegetarian and non-vegetarian delights of Kerala. You can choose from the sumptuous avial, thoran, chemmeen perattiyathu, karimeen porichathu, chemmeen manga curry, kozhi roast, and ada pradhaman.The festival is on till July 19 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Call: 25353344/ 98453-59983.

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The Hindu :

Combine peas and barley to make a nutritious soup

PHOTO: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKARVERSATILE GRAIN Barley is packed with nutrition

Barley is a versatile cereal grain with a rich, nutlike flavour and an appealing chewy, pasta-like consistency. Barley can be obtained in various forms — hulled barley, pearl barley, pot/scotch barley, barley flakes and barley grits.

Barley played an important role in ancient Greek culture as a staple bread-making grain as well as an important food for athletes. Sprouted barley is naturally high in maltose. When fermented, barley is used as an ingredient in beer and other alcoholic beverages.

Barley has a robust flavour and nutritionally is a good source of selenium, phosphorus, copper and manganese.

The high fibre is known to lower cholesterol and provide intestinal protection and regularity as well as control the blood sugar level. The other minerals in barley are known to provide cardiovascular benefits.

Now, for a recipe.Pea and Barley Soup

Ingredients

Green peas: 400 gm

Chicken stock: 1 litre

Chopped onions: 70gm

Garlic: 20 gm

Lemon juice: 20 ml

Salt: 10 gm

Pepper: 5 gm

Parsley: 10 gm

Thyme: 10 gm

Barley: 100 gm

Carrot: 80 gm

Celery: 2 stalks

Method: Sauté chopped onion and carrot with thyme and parsley until the onions become translucent. Add green peas and sauté for a while.

To the above mixture add chicken broth, seasonings, lemon juice and sugar. Boil for a minute, then reduce heat and simmer until peas are tender. Meanwhile, in another pot sauté chopped celery and add barley to it. Add six cups of water to the pot. Boil it for a minute, then reduce heat and simmer until most of the water gets absorbed. When the mixture thickens, puree the peas in a blender into a smooth paste.

Alternatively, the barley mixture may also be drained using a colander or cheesecloth and added to the green peas.

Remove from heat, cover, and allow it to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

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The Hindu : y>

With the advent of the monsoons, cases of water and vector-borne diseases such as Chickungunya, Malaria etc. are on the rise across the city. MetroPlus asks city residents on whether the city is prepared for such a contingency and what steps must be taken to avert an epidemic.

Most people felt that the government should start closing drains, use sprayers to eliminate and prevent the breeding of mosquitoes, fix broken pipelines and make the necessary drugs available across the city.

Some felt that special wards must be earmarked in hospitals to ensure that the affected people do not face any hassles in getting the best treatment possible.

Some also felt that though the city has not faced a major outbreak, complete precautions must be taken at all hospitals and clinics.

There were those of the opinion that closing drains would not only prevent the spread of diseases, but would also prevent tragedies, like the death of a young boy recently, after falling into an open drain.

Some residents also felt that it was imperative for the people themselves to be aware about the issues.

They must take simple precautionary methods to hamper the spread of such diseases. We sample some responses

It is the collective responsibility of the government and the people to ensure that diseases do not spread easily. While the government must fix broken drains, conduct fumigation drives to prevent mosquito breeding; the people keep their surroundings clean and prevent collection of stagnant water.

Suresh

Engineer

The government must set up wards, stock up medicine and take similar measures to ensure that these diseases do not spread. People should also keep their surroundings clean and help the government in this venture

Kumar

Government official

Though there is no need for panic, precaution must be taken as the rainy season spawns many diseases. The government must equip the hospitals and clinics with adequate drugs and must not be caught on the wrong…More