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The Hindu : y>… at home and how If your excuse for not working out is either lack of time or the fact that your spandex is now a tad too tight and too embarrassing to be worn in front of nine pairs of peering eyes, then a home gym is surely an investment worth making. That too a full-fledged gym right in your own garage. Did we hear,

Reebok Swissball

Merely sitting on it upright

can start building your

core muscles (that’s your

back and abs).

Rs 1,500,

reebokfitness.com

Samsung LA37A550

If the choice is between your BlackBerry screen and an eye-soothing

display, this is what we choose. Nothing’s more stimulating than watching Shakira gyrating to Hips Don’t Lie and sweating.

Rs 63,000,

SAMSUNG.COM/IN

Reebok Stepper

The run-of-the-mill step

puts the spring back in

your step, literally!

Rs 2,000,

reebokfitness.com

Life Fitness Treadmill

A must-have for both the wannabe losers and the wannabe Usain Bolts, this one comes with pre-customised workouts, heart monitors and

topography options. Rs 2,50,000,

lifefitness.com

PS900-Elliptical

Essentially a wonder machine that can work

out four different muscles at the same time: biceps, triceps, hamstring and calf muscle. John Abraham, you have competition.

Rs 1,25,000,

acmefitness.com

Nike Air Zoom Victory

Festooned with the Nike Flywire technology, this pair is perhaps the lightest yet the safest and fastest option to start your workout

round. Rs 6,500,

nike.com/in

The Adidas Mats

It can take on loads of weight and pressure

whilst protecting your limbs from sudden jerks and injury. A must-have for free-hand

exercisers

Rs 1,900,

adidas.com

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The Hindu : y>Apple Salsa makes a great accompaniment to chicken, pork, turkey or fish

PHOTO: NISSAR AHMEDFIBRE AND FLAVOUR Apples

A pples are a crisp, white-fleshed fruit with a red, yellow or green skin. Apples have a moderately sweet, refreshing flavour and a tartness that is present to greater or lesser degree depending on the variety. For example, Golden and Red Delicious apples are mild and sweet, while Pippins and Granny Smith apples are notably brisk and tart. Tart apples, which best retain their texture during cooking, are often preferred for cooked desserts like apple pie, while Delicious apples and other sweeter varieties like Fuji apples are usually eaten raw.

Look for firm fruits with rich colouring. Yellow and green apples with a slight blush are best. Your preference for a sweeter or more tart fruit and whether you plan to enjoy your apples raw or cooked will guide your choice of variety. When selecting apple juice, chose cloudy rather than clear juices.

Apples are a good source of dietary fibre and vitamin C. Most of the apple’s fibre is contained in its skin. It contains a full array of nutrients, including carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fibre, sodium, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and in conventionally grown apples, the apple skin is also the part most likely to contain pesticide residues. Since peeling results in the loss of its valuable fibre, choose organically grown apples whenever possible. Rinse apples under clear running water like you would any fruit. If organic, don’t peel unless the recipe you have chosen requires peeled apples.

To prevent browning when slicing apples for a recipe, simply put the slices in a bowl of cold water to which a spoonful of lemon juice has been added. Sliced apples freeze well in plastic bags or containers.

Now, for a recipe.

Apple Salsa

Ingredients

Red apples: 2

Lime juice: 2 tbsp

Chopped orange segments: half a

cup

Onion, finely chopped: half a…More

The Hindu : y>National Geographic Channel will take a fresh look at the Mumbai terror attacks of 26/11

Watch terror as it unfolded that fateful night in Mumbai on November 26, 2008. National Geographic Channel will telecast “26/11 — the Untold Story” on November 22 at 10 p.m. with repeat shows through the week. The show also features exclusive interviews with Home Minister P. Chidambaram and Joint Commissioner of Police, Mumbai, Rakesh Maria, who reveal unknown facets of the investigation. The terror attacks lasted for 60 hours across 10 prominent locations in Mumbai, leaving 173 dead and almost 308 wounded.

National Geographic Channel, along with Miditech, brings a one-hour special on the unknown facts behind this gruesome attack on India. The episode is interspersed with first-person narratives of those who were witness to the gore and mayhem. There is the fisherman who first saw the terrorists come ashore, an American couple who witnessed the shooting at two venues, a mother whose daughter was shot next to her, the police officer who first fired at the terrorist, security men who counter-attacked the terrorists. The film also provides a chilling insight into the mindset of the masterminds and the diabolical plot and intent of the attacks.

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The Hindu : y>People are always on the lookout for supplements that increase brain power

Photo: P.V. SivakumarEat healthy Certain foods help you stay alert and think better

Wooster: “For your information, Catsmeat, Jeeves take a size 14 hat, eats tons of fish and moves in mysterious ways his wonders to perform.”

P.G.Wodehouse.

One of the holy grails of nutrition is a food/dietary supplement that will improve brain function. This is not a new quest dreamt up by those cramming for entrance examinations. Dietary advice to enhance alertness, concentration and memory are chock-a-block in the ancient texts of Egypt, Greece, Rome, China and India. Hindu sages relied on ‘sattvic’ food — milk, fruits, light vegetarian fare and some ghee, prepared by spiritually pure persons- to fortify themselves for the rigours of meditation.

In modern times, research into nutrition led to the discovery of the role some nutrients play in brain function. However, the discovery of a nutrient that will halt the organic deterioration of the brain with aging still eludes us.

People of all ages need a balanced supply of macro and micronutrients for optimum brain function. This means an adequate supply of calories to fuel brain metabolism, protein to replenish neurotransmitters and repair wear and tear, fat to maintain the turnover and health of neurological tissue, antioxidants to mop up free radicals that degrade healthy tissue, and minerals and micronutrients to keep the cellular machinery humming. Deficiency of any nutrient will throw the whole system out of whack. For example, iron deficiency affects memory, and fat restriction causes depression. This is one reason why dieters feel dull and depressed. DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) is an omega-3 fatty acid and is the most abundant unsaturated fatty acid found in the brain. It is vital for the development of the brain and retina. Growing children, especially neonates and infants, need a regular supply to support a rapidly developing brain. DHA is found…More

The Hindu : y>Johnny Lever speaks of his return to films after an eight-year hiatus, his debut as producer and the launch of his son, Jesse, as a comic hero

“It is said that a person who makes other people laugh has a lot of pain in his heart. On the contrary, I have thoroughly enjoyed being a comedian and don’t nurse such thoughts,” said John Prakasa Rao Janumala famously known as Johny Lever. The ace comedian of Hindi movies was in the city to launch his film academy that he started in partnership with Ryan Group of Institutions. He said he was coming out of “self-imposed exile”, and termed his re-entry as “second innings” in Bollywood.

Before he settled down for a tete-a-tete, Johny Lever, the actor with an excellent comic timing enthralled the children mimicking his co-stars and choreographers. He made them laugh in his own inimitable style. “About eight years ago, I realised that I was not concentrating on my family. I always used to be out shooting while my wife took care of the children. She is a wonderful person and took good care of the children but I felt something was missing… probably it was father’s love. The ‘seize within’ was unbearable and hence, I quit acting… and not because I did not have offers,” explained the comedian with a rare candour.

After a hiatus of eight years, he has returned to the big screen and he said he had a huge challenge before him to make the new generation laugh. “I wonder whether they like my style or not. I have to come up with new ideas to make them laugh… I am on the job. I am reading books and watching movies in various languages including to bring in refinement in my acting,” he said.

The comedian in him was always at work. “I agree to an extent that the Bollywood movies are…More

The Hindu : y>

A popular dish in American Chinese cuisine, it’s strips of beef stir-fried with onions and other vegetables in a dark brown sauce. The dish is typically made with beef strips from a flank steak, scallots and other vegetables tossed in a Hoisin sauce. Often, it is served over thin cellophane noodles or steamed rice. This spicy dish gets its flavour from the Hoisin sauce and dark sesame oil. Hoisin sauce is a versatile, sweet-and-spicy condiment that is used in Chinese cooking and dining much the same way Westerners use ketchup. The dark sesame oil imparts a distinctive nutty taste and aroma to the dish. The meat is tender and it just melts in the mouth. Despite the Mongolian moniker, this dish has nothing to do with the Central Asian state.

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The Hindu : y>For a meal of many courses, you have to make a stop at The Graze

SCRUMPTIOUS A lovely spread

The Graze restaurant at the Taj Residency is lit up with faint lighting and overlooks a small garden area. We are ushered in by the bearer and are led to our seats. We start the meal with a virgin Mary mocktail, with a hint of salt that provides a nice sweet-sour sensation.

We decide to opt for the five-course tasting menu and start with a warm lobster salad, with organic green lettuce and a helping of buerre blanc, a hot butter sauce.

The lobster is soft, tender and cooked well and tastes awesome, with the bueree blanc and lettuce combination adding taste and flavour. We also sample the Baccalao, comprising salted cod, potato gnocchi and celery root. The potatoes are fresh and captures the varied flavours well.

For the third course, it is Foie Gras, comprising pan seared foie gras, dragon fruit and a hint of vanilla essence. The beauty of this preparation lies in the fact that even the otherwise colourful but drab dragon fruit gels well with the ingredients and adds a unique flavour to the preparation.

The foie gras is brilliantly soft, making this item a definite must try.

Moving on, we taste the monkfish, comprising seared monkfish, garlic foam and parsnips puree. The monkfish goes well with the garlic foam combination that helps provide a hint of garlic flavouring to the dish.

We also try the soft tenderloin, which tastes heavenly with ceraliac puree and osso bucco combination. The homemade spaghetti, with vegetables and tomato scores marks on presentation and taste.

Service was fairly quick and rather efficient. Some dishes did take some time, but that could be attributed to the time that some of these dishes required in preparation.

The waiters were fairly well informed about the menu choices and were pleasant enough to suggest the popular…More

The Hindu : y>

The Concerned for Working Children and Maraa present a Kannada film “Makkala Grama Swaraj”, on experiences of children’s councils and their impact on rejuvenating democracy, establishing citizenship of children. It will be screened today at Jaaga, opposite National Hockey Stadium, Shantinagar. Call 25234611 or 98802-61737.

***Food for Thought at Global Tree Café presents “The Flyingwallahs” by Suman Sridhar and Jeet Thayil, whose Opera noir is a lyrical confrontation between a soprano and a ghost about God, murder and showbiz.

The performance, with a global dinner menu, is on today at the café, F&B, St.Marks Road, 9 p.m. The performance is open to those 18 years and above only. Call 98453-02028.

*** YSL Beaute presents “Backstage”, where makeup artist Charmaine will give customers a one-on-one makeup consultation and a make-over, at Lifestyle, Oasis Centre. The ongoing event is on till November 22, 12.30 p.m. onwards. Call 96633-14060.

***Oxford Bookstore, in association with Pebbles is organising the screening of “Panchatantra Tales” in English on November 21, 5 p.m. It will be followed by a painting competition based on the characters of the tales. The bookstore is in Leela Galleria, Leela Palace, Airport Road. For registration call 98868-92581.

***Indian School of Business (ISB) is organising an admission information session on November 22. It will be on from 12.30 p.m. to 2 p.m., and 3.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. (two sessions) at Hotel ISTA, Ulsoor, 1/1 Swami Vivekananda Road. For spot registrations call 25558888.

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The Hindu : y>

SMELL THE BEANS At The Serai

THE SERAI

CHIKMAGALUR

Nestled in the foothills of the Bababudangiri range, with the massive Mullayangiri peak towering over it is the town of Chikmagalur, famous for its coffee estates and scenic beauty. On the misty Mullayangiri peak, all one can hear is the sound of the wind, beautiful, scary and awe-inspiring at the same time. Coffee estates and forests dot the landscape; there is also a small temple located on the peak, with a small passage way tempting us to climb all the way to the top.

The Serai resort is around six km from Chikmagalur town, amidst acres of coffee plantation and is a great place to laze around in, far from the stress and hustle-bustle of city life.

As you make your way from the lobby to the villas, there is a large swimming pool, complete with chairs and the usual paraphernalia. The rooms / villas are located some distance away from the hotel; there is an electric buggy if you need it. The rooms are fairly large, and equipped with a small garden, a sofa set and chairs. The cottages are enclosed by massive walls to enhance privacy.

The rooms have wooden flooring, and are equipped with a mini bar, with biscuits for a midnight snack or if you are too lazy to walk up to the restaurant. There’s a massive LCD TV screen on the wall. You can also choose from a list of DVDs of movies from the hotel reception. If you are into books, check out the small library situated near the restaurant, featuring a fine selection of books. A bubble bath in the massive bath tub is refreshing. You can also have a cold water shower, in the open.

The restaurant offers a six-course meal. Choose from pastas filled with the best cheese to the superb rogan gosht, a potent combination with thick rotis and parathas….More

The Hindu : y>Fans of Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series cannot wait to check out the big screen version

LOOKING FOR ANSWERS A very different love story

It is a time-tested fact. Very rarely does a movie turn out as good as the book it’s based on and more often than not the hype around the release of such movies and the expectations of fans far surpass the actual returns.

However, the excitement in the air right now is justified. Indian fans of Stephanie Meyer’s “Twilight” series don’t have to wait any longer to watch their favourite love story come to life on the big screen as “Twilight” opened yesterday.

Fashion designer and die-hard fan of “Twilight”, Ameetha Mathew thinks: “It is the Rob Pattinson factor in the movie that gives me enough reason to want to watch the movie. The book was excellent and though there have been other vampire movies, what stands out about ‘Twilight’ is that it is an out of the ordinary love story.”

While many Indian fans have already watched the first movie either on the internet or have downloaded it, it is the sequel, “New Moon” (which opens on December 4 in the city) that fans are looking forward to.

Anjana Menon, a student at Kingston University who has also worked with the publishers and distributors of the “Twilight” series in India is all set to watch “New Moon” this week in London. She says: “The sequel will be good. I hope it won’t be a disappointment. The first one didn’t disappoint me, but I know it did for a lot of people. But it is quite hard as the book is inside Bella’s head which is a little hard to show on screen!”

Partha Biswal, a senior consultant at 24/7 Customer Care says: “The expectations from ‘New Moon’ are led by what audiences got from ‘Twilight’. ‘Twilight’ was was that rare movie that did justice…More