taxi - the lifestyle magazine

1TAXI I AUGUST 2011 I www.thetaximag.com

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1, AUGUST 2011

FASHIONWEEKFEVER

OODLES OF NOODLES

TALKINGMOVIES

Make the commitment

Make the commitment

The Lifestyle Magazine

CHENNAI I BENGALURU I HYDERABAD

A joURNEY tHRoUGH tHE HIstoRY of tHE HUmBLE NooDLE

tAkING IN tHE sIGHts of BANGALoRE fAsHIoN WEEk

ANUpAmA CHopRA oN BoLLYWooD AND HER LAtEst Book

2 TAXI I AUGUST 2011 I www.thetaximag.com


2010-0427 SS10 HS Taxi print adv 210x297.indd 1 28/04/2010 3:31 PM



VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1, AUGUST 2011

FASHIONWEEKFEVER

OODLES OF NOODLES

TALKINGMOVIES

Make the commitment

Make the commitment

The Lifestyle Magazine

CHENNAI I BENGALURU I HYDERABAD

A JOURNEY THROUGH THE HISTORY OF THE HUMBLE NOODLE

TAKING IN THE SIGHTS OF BANGALORE FASHION WEEK

ANUPAMA CHOPRA ON BOLLYWOOD AND HER LATEST BOOK

August 2011

ContentsCOVER SPREAD

23A Tricoloured Odetaxi gets patriotic as the national flag takes a fashionable turn

Cov

er L

ook

model SUZANNE ROQUEphotograped by KUNAL DASWANIstyled by PRAJANYA ANANDHair & make up PAGE3

06 Editor’s Note

08 A game called SPAS Reeta juneja launches her brand of spa products nationally

12 The Definitive Last Meal family Brunch at the park pod

14 Make the CommitmentGetting started on a fitness routine

16 Edge of Designtalking deisgn, spaces and interiors

18 Oodles of Noodles A journey through the history of the humble noodle

20 Fashion Week Fever An exclusive peek into Bangalore fashion Week

30 talking movies32 tAXI special Event34 tAXI Events 36 A sip of my Cosmo38 the passion they Wear 40 tAXI for men by Basics Life 45 tAXI Calendar52 tarot54 Viral fever

48Ladakh— off your bucket list


Editor’s Note

What can we say except “It feels so good to be back” – with the requisite drama and drum rolls.

Since March, the team at Taxi has been on a different mission – change and growth – and we mean that quite literally. There’s a new team on board infusing a new lease of life to Taxi. It was an intentional sabbatical – taken to re-group and re-energise an entity that has come to stand for a lot in Chennai. As of this month, we hope to extend that to two other cities – Bangalore and Hyderabad – and to say that we’re excited is putting it mildly.

This is a time for new challenges and that spirit of newness combined with the spirit of Independence Day has set the tone for an all-new avatar of Taxi. We’ve got columnists dishing out expert advice on everything from cereals to cosmopolitans, from noodles to interior design, from exercise to travel. We’ve brought together a team of young, engaging and vibrant writers to bring you an exciting lifestyle experience.

There is a lot to read. And a lot to be excited over. Find a cuppa, or a Cosmo, if that’s your style, and allow us to give you a peek into the good life.

SHruTHI PADMAnABHAnEditor-in-ChiefWrite to me at [email protected]

This is a time for new challenges

and that spirit of newness

combined with the month of

August has set the tone for an all-new

avatar of Taxi

Taxi Special Event. A night to remember as

Barakah launches in Chennai.

Foodie Says. From USA to Chennai, with a bowl of noodles.

Taxi Library. Anupama Chopra talks

Bollywood and cinema

WHATS NEW IN THIS ISSUE

MANAGING EDITOR Lenin paul

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFshruthi padmanabhan

CREATIVE HEADHariharan m

MARKETING HEAD siddharth padmanabhan

ADMINISTRATION jerald W

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS kunal Daswani, Abhay kumar,V. Rajesh, p. Ravi kumar, fathima shiren, Afifa shakeel, Vamsi

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSkiran Rajani, Arwa Lehry, saritha Rao Rayachoti, Anupama Gopal, Nikhil moturi, Bhargavii mani, karun Raman, Yuvraj Gurung, shuchi kapoor, Elizabeth s, Nazia khan

OFFICE#7A, skylark Apartments, 5th street, Rutland Gate,Nungambakkam,Chennai - 600006P 044-43084447/8

PRINTERsrikals Graphics pvt Ltd, Chennai

PRODUCTIONIron Quill publishing services, Chennai

TO ADVERTISE IN THIS MAGAZINEEMAIL [email protected]

www.thetaximag.com

Viral Fever. An internet column for th

e

true web junkie!


Interview

spasA gAme cAlled

they are known to take us out of the nitty-gritties of everyday living and into a world of peace and tranquility. the proliferation of them is testament to their necessity in today’s world of stress. Shruthi Padmanabhan in conversation with Reeta juneja an

aromatherapist, wellness expert and spa specialist…


Fate is often accused of being complicitous with many things

in life, and in the case of Reeta Juneja, an Aromatherapist and Wellness expert, fate played a big part in shaping who she is today. Helming her own brand of products and designing customised solutions for some of the top spa brands in the industry, Reeta Juneja is finally helming a line of specialised products and is giving India an experience of aromatherapy that is backed by scientific study. In conversation…

HoW DID YoUR tRYst WItH ARomAtHERApY BEGIN?As a child, I was always conscious of how I looked. It was important for me to always look my best. I held the belief that if I did not look good and did not feel good on the inside; I just wouldn’t be able to do anything with all my heart. As I grew up, I began to understand that this required you to be in a state of wellness, not just physically, but more importantly, emotionally and spiritually. When I was older, I did use cosmetics, but I somehow never did quite like it enough, unless the occasion demanded it. I was looking for something, but didn’t quite know what it was. It was while I was at the Royal Academy of Ballet in London that I first met Ms.John Thorny Craft who told me I would make a perfect phys-essentialist and urged me to meet her and the college Principal, Dr.W.E. Arnold Tailor. This was the beginning of my lifelong journey with aromatherapy.

WHAt HAs tHE joURNEY BEEN LIkE? It has been incredible! I know that’s something many people say. For me, personally, what I initiated from my love for learning different and extraordinary things has come a long way in defining who I have become so saying that it was anything less than incredible would not quite describe it.

WHEN YoU CHosE to EXpLoRE AN ALtERNAtIVE LIfEstYLE fIELD, LIkE ARomAtHERApY, DID YoU EVER ImAGINE tHAt It WoULD CAtCH oN IN sUCH A BIG WAY?I cannot say that I knew wellness would become a trillion dollar industry, but I certainly did see signs of possible high growth or I dare say, explosive growth, emerging years ago. When broadband started emerging about four years ago, I was the first in the industry to launch a comprehensive state-of-the-art website using the most advanced flash and other web visual technologies. Recently, we

have undergone a comprehensive rebranding exercise with new

corporate colours, a logo has been established

and one of the cornerstones of this is our new website. This is probably one of the first in the

industry running on HTML 5 and other

new web technologies, it is certainly the most

advanced, and we are launching our mobile site by

the end of this month allowing people with smart phones to

quickly navigate key areas of our websites on their phones. Our main

site is already optimised for viewing on ipads and other tablet devices. We are also beginning a major social media

“I was at the Royal Academy of Ballet in London that I first met Ms.John Thorny Craft who told me I would make a perfect phys-essentialist”


offensive to position our product line and our brand as the premium quality manufacturer of spa products.

DID YoU EVER ImAGINE tHAt YoU WoULD ENGAGE IN tHIs INDUstRY? HoW Do YoU fEEL ABoUt WHo YoU ARE toDAY?I think my meeting Ms.Jones was no coincidence, and I definitely cannot see myself as having been a lawyer, doctor or other professional. Wellness is my being, and I have always felt rewarded at being able to touch people’s lives in such a positive and constructive way. Relieving pain, unhappiness, depression, skin problems and other afflictions has a profound and very real impact on people’s lives and making this possible makes me feel fulfilled.

WHAt Do YoU tHINk sEts ARomAtHERApY ApARt fRom otHER foRms of WELLNEss tREAtmENts?I respect and believe that all forms of alternative healing have something wonderful to offer, each person has their own preference as to what they like more or have a greater affinity towards. In aromatherapy, healing is focussed on using professionally sourced and blended oils and applying these in various massages, water therapies, wraps and other treatments and combining these with psychologically induced relaxation and counselling to alleviate pain, conditions and ailments. This is a beautiful way to bring about one’s recovery or restoration of health.

YoU’VE BEEN IN tHE INDUstRY foR oVER 30 YEARs AND YoU ARE LAUNCHING oNLY NoW? WHY sUCH A LoNG GAp?Many people rush into things or simply produce products for commercial considerations; there is little, if any, passion behind it. When I came into the industry it was far from being a lucrative business or career worthwhile pursuing. Spas were not even present in the best hotels or resorts. I opened the first luxury day spas in Kuala Lumpur,

Malaysia, and later in New Delhi, India. I sold these after sometime to pursue my love of consulting especially for enhancing my professional capabilities in product formulation. All the time my focus has been on learning, exploring and improving and doing this process over again.

A few years ago, I started thinking about a professional product line and consumer product line. The key to developing something the market could not possibly compete with formulation and quality-wise was experience, knowhow and a focus on product philosophy rather than profit.

oUR CoUNtRY HAs A RICH HERItAGE of NoN-ALLopAtHIC tREAtmENts, AND moRE pEo-pLE ARE EXpERImENtING WItH tHE sAmE, Do YoU tHINk oUR HERItAGE HAs A BEARING oN tHE EXpoNENtIAL GRoWtH IN tHE spA/WELLNEss INDUstRY?

Many forms of alternative healing originated in the East; I certainly believe our culture and practices place a certain belief in alternative healing. Unlike much of the West, where this is still being discovered and considered with caution, in Asia we almost expect alternative treatments to play some part or compliment our recovery in some shape or form. That certainly helps, but the spa industry has grown in a large part due to the region’s rising affluence and shifting focus to luxuries from necessities. Tourism, increasingly affordable international travel and a growing expatriate community, I think, have played a huge role too.

tELL Us ABoUt YoUR pRoD-UCts – WHAt sEts tHEm ApARt? WHAt kIND of EffoRt GoEs INto CREAtING tHEm? I’m not sure where to start so let’s get the surprises out of the way first. Unlike many spa products in the market, mine are non-cosmetic — this means you do not get instant results that do not last. The idea is to ensure a notable difference in a realistic timeframe and that these results should be sustained and naturally induced without the introduction of unnatural or harmful elements.

Our range is 100% natural. This means we have a lower shelf life, about six months for some products and up to one year, at the most, for select others, this is quite simply because anything natural cannot stay in its natural state for two

That certainly helps but the spa industry has grown in a large part due to the region’s rising affluence and shifting focus to luxuries from necessities.

It is of course necessary to ensure one does not fall victim to tall claims and the best safe guard against this is to do a fair bit


11TAXI I AUGUST 2011 I www.thetaximag.comReeta’s products are available for purchase via email ([email protected]). www.reetajuneja.com.

or three years. That’s just unnatural. The highlight of my collection is that I do not use substitute or re-constituent essential oils, all oils used are pure oils, I believe that that is something that even the world’s leading brands will not commit to. Pure essential oils are extremely expensive and costs change frequently, as such costing and pricing are both impacted making profitability and financial results are hard to predict with any accuracy. As I have said, my objectives are very different from most companies, profit is important but it is not the guiding factor in the decision-making process.

Many of our base oils also come from Europe from boutique distillers and producers with a solid reputation and proven track record, as usual commercial success is not a key criterion. Commitment to quality, a solid product philosophy and dedication is the key.

Do YoU tHINk kEEpING AN opEN mIND Is HELpfUL IN tREAtING oNEsELf foR ANY kIND of AILmENt? HoW DoEs BEING opEN-mINDED ABoUt ARomAtHERApY HELp A pA-tIENt?I think one should not consider an alternative treatment as something that will cure them; it should support and enhance the recovery efforts of qualified medical professionals. Even then an open mind is necessary. What is the point otherwise? If a patient comes in with a negative attitude, is not committed and

is not co-operative regardless of where they go, there is little that can be done for them because they are not willing to make the effort. Everyone is skeptical the first time, that’s natural and one should ask away until their concerns have been satisfactorily addressed. It is of course necessary to ensure that one does not fall victim to tall claims and the best safeguard against this is to do a fair bit of research online as well as through friends. A qualified professional should display their credentials on their stationary and place this in view if they are practising at home or in their own set-up. Spas and other establishments are responsible for the quality of their team and are accountable for the delivery of their experts.

WHAt DoEs tHE LAUNCH of YoUR BRAND mEAN foR tHE spA INDUstRY At LARGE?It will allow luxury day spas, hotels and resorts to carry a premium professional product range that they know is

safe, reliable and backed by strong commitment and product philosophy. As such, we will be placing a lot of emphasis on the quality of the training and on ensuring the client has an excellent experience with our product. Our range provides for products to be used throughout the entire process of a therapy, treatment or massage. The quality is consistently high, the results are consistently stellar and the customer feels confident in going to a spa that uses a highly professional line. I think this will create demand from the consumers instead of the traditional practice of meeting the demand of the spa owners or managers. This I think will bring about a new market dynamic.

“the highlight of my collection is that I do not use substitute or re-constituent essential oils, all oils used are pure oils”


Food Review

The

DefinitiveLastMeal

taking from the Italian tradition of elaborate family brunches and mandatory siestas, Italia at the park pod, offers a brunch that will make your taste buds dance and prepare you for the afterlife. Kiran Rajani pigs out…

“The Salami station is another treat with an excellent choice of meats cut to your specifications; the smoked salmon and

Prociutto di Parma are must haves”

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Sometimes all you need in life are simple pleasures to make your day, and then there are times that demand complexity and intoxication

of the senses. While I normally favour all things simple, I was recently pleasantly surprised by what a little of everything can do. The Family Brunch at Italia at The Park Pod on Khader Nawaz Khan Road is where you can immerse yourself in the complexities of the culinary world while enjoying flavours that are natural and real.

This brunch is not for the faint hearted or for those on a diet or if you are someone who isn’t turned on by what you eat. From a delectable antipasti spread to a salami station and eggs, Caesar salad, pasta and your main course made to order, this brunch is all about personalisation and ensuring that the delicacies on the menu simply tantalise you.

We chose to start the meal on a high with some yummy Peach Bellinis and we struck gold at the very beginning with the antipasti spread, the traditional first course of an Italian meal, which surprisingly turned out to be a vegetarian’s delight! With cheeses to compliment, the spread included zucchini carpaccio, divinely grilled asparagus and Artichokes drizzled with citrusy zing. It will be hard to resist seconds but try your best to let them serve their purpose as mere appetizers.

The salami station is another treat with an excellent choice of meats cut to your specifications; the smoked salmon and prociutto di parma are must haves. While cured and cold cut meats are very palate-sensitive, the ones on offer here are simple and easy to enjoy. Do not hesitate to sample them. The Caesar salad was by far the best I have eaten in a while, textured with a mix of fresh green and croutons, chicken and crispy bacon that added that extra bit of oomph only that delecatable meat can.

For the main course you get to choose from a set menu and have your dish prepared to perfection. We loved this because everything we ordered came out fresh and altered to our preferences. We

ADDRESS the park pod, 23/13, khader Nawaz khan Road, Nugambakkam, Chennai – 600 006P +91 44 4295 5555 COST `1000 without beverages`1350 with beverageskids get a 50% discount. TIMINGS 12:00 to 3:30 pm.

the family Brunchat Italia

sampled the orange and parsley-crusted fish served with marinated haricot bean salad, the parchment-baked lamb shanks with herb butter, root vegetables and mashed potatoes, the strudel of mixed mushrooms, parmesan and porcini sauce and potato gnocchi with spinach, parmesan with sage butter sauce.

The fish was flavoured with a little bit of citrusy zing making it pop on the tongue, the lamb on the other hand, simply melted at the very touch of the knife, yes, thats how soft it was. The vegetarian choices did not dissapoint either, the simple flavours of the gnocchi and the richness of the strudel displayed the vitality of vegetarian food and no matter what you choose, it will play with and excite your senses. Alternatively, as Chef Rajesh, the Director of Food Production for The Park points out, “you do not need to limit yourself, choose more than one main course and the chefs at the Pod will delightfully oblige”.

And of course there are made-to-order pizzas and pastas and a special menu for kids that left me wishing I could travel back in time. Bite-sized and designed to be non-messy, the kids menu ranges from pizzettes topped with pesto, cherry tomatoes and bocconcini to a superbly prepared fish and chips. Do not hesitate to dig in with the little ones!

At this stage of your brunch, the hope is that you have not stuffed yourself too much. The good people at Italia do some good work in the dessert corner. Choose from a Hazelnut and ricotta torte, a tipsy Grandmanier gateaux or the Vanilla bean panacotta. However, the star of them all is the Tiramisu. Light, layered and the delicateness of sweet cream with bitter coffee, it made for the ideal dessert at the end of a long, elaborate and painfully enjoyable meal.

The charm of brunch at Italia is its size. It is intimate and luxurious in a way that ensures personal attention from everyone at hand including the chefs and when you choose to laze your way through a Sunday here, you will not be disappointed. If you, by some miracle, happen to feel that there’s something lacking, just fill out their ‘Wishlist’ card and it will appear on the menu soon enough! I, however, left knowing that I could indeed die at that very moment and transcend to be a very happy and satisfied soul.


Fitness

With so much to do and so little time to do it all in, how does one make time for exercise? fitness expert,

Anupama Gopal, tells you how to make the most of your 24 hours

Board meetings, family holi-days, outings with friends, shopping, PTA meetings, kids’ sports day, deadlines, parties, hospital duties,

carpools, errant maids – the list of ac-tivities and responsibilities is endless whether you are a student, corporate executive, parent, entrepreneur, single woman, working mother. While you enjoy the exhilaration of success and take pride in your achievements, do you realise what is missing in your daily rou-tine? A regular fitness schedule!

I can almost hear you say, “all of us have only 24-hour days, how much can we squeeze into it?” I understand and agree. But what I do not understand is this – when we have the time for everything else, why is that we hardly have the time for exercise? Why do we take our bodies for granted and show such scant regard for it, and abuse it so much? I am certain that many of us find fitness routines unnecessary since it is synonymous to weight-loss and we believe we have the ‘right’ height-weight ratio, we do not have health issues, a doctor did not ‘recommend’ it, we can eat any amount or kind of food and be lucky enough not to put on weight, etc.

A scientifically designed fitness routine is much more than just losing weight. It gives our bodies and minds the ability to do all the things we choose to do in life exceedingly well, while also handling the stresses and strains that come with it.

make the commitment

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A regular fitness routine has immense physiological, biomechanical, psycho-logical, hormonal benefits that go be-yond mere weight loss.

BENEfIts of REGULAR EXERCIsE Improves quality of life Encourages a sense of happiness and

well being Improves lean muscle mass and

bone strength Relieves stress Changes body composition and

metabolic rate Keeps you looking younger Makes you look lean and toned Keeps health issues at bay Although genetic predispositions

cannot be ignored, it can be managed well with a systematic fitness routine Mental and physical faculties work at

optimal levels and help you to bounce back from illness, stress, setbacks etc very quickly.

Well, this is not exhaustive but it details some significant reasons why we may want to take to exercise. None of these benefits will be significant if you take to exercise for temporary gains – beach body ready while on holiday, getting married, office party, etc. You need to make it a lifestyle pattern. If you have never exercised, making a change is not going to be easy, but I will promise that it is possible and enjoyable too. Once you set your mind to it and work towards it, it will be an integral part of your lifestyle that you will find hard to do without. None of the information I am sharing here is new – everything is what we know and understand. However, what we need is to shake the inertia and effect the change.

Let us begin by making a commitment to include fitness in small but meaningful ways into our lifestyle – and eventually reap the benefits of great health, fitness, well-being and happiness!

Try These sTeps ouT To TransiTion from knowing To doing

Choose an exercise form that you enjoy. this is critical for adherence. try various exercise options

before you identify what you enjoy best set realistic goals Exercise with a buddy – a

friend, spouse, partner Celebrate small successes.

this will help you stay motivated If you cannot spend 60 mins

at a stretch – break it down to two sessions of 30 mins each Understand that your fitness

regimen will have progres sions and regressions. We are normal people with normal lives – learn to accept this. set a time pattern for exercise

– and stick to it as far as is possible Do not look for excuses to

miss a session – most hotels have fitness centres – so you cannot use travel as an excuse! Understand that there is no

‘one size fits all’ – your exercise requirements, body adaptations are different from your buddy.


Interiors

edge OF

Designspaces are an integral part of urban living. from homes to restaurants to hospitals, every place associated with urban living is a space to be traversed. starting this month, Bhargavii Mani brings to you an insider’s perspective on design…

Welcome to the edge of design. This is my first magazine column and what makes me most

happy is that, I am going to be talking about a subject very close to my heart-Interior Design. I’m a designer, lecturer, photographer and I’m here to share my thoughts on spaces, concepts and mar-ket trends.

The field of design is an ocean. There is so much to talk about and I was break-ing my head about where to start. That’s when I recalled an interesting conversa-tion with a gentleman who said, “Inte-rior designers are these rich and fancy aunties who buy beautiful vases and place them around arbitrarily, select ex-pensive art work and choose fabrics and charge you a bomb!” His perception sur-prised me, but it left an impression.

After almost a decade outside India, the first thing I did when I came back was to scope the industry for opinions and trends to try and figure out my options.


“Pity you are not an architect,” was a common refrain I kept encountering and the disparity surprised me. The bar-gaining tool for poor compensation was that. With due respect to the architec-ture professionals, getting an architect to work on an interior space is the equiv-alent to going to a GP and requesting for a Caesarian!

Interior Design is a specialisation, which needs to be better understood in the In-dian context. While the level of aware-ness has significantly risen, we still have miles to go. In an international set-up, every architectural practice has dedi-cated design department and a furni-ture, fittings and equipment depart-ment where professionals are on par with architects on-the-job in their field of specialisation. Architecture and in-terior design are interdependent, going hand-in-hand. Typically, an architect’s approach to design tends to be “outside in” and an interior designer’s approach is just the opposite – “inside out”!

Designing the interiors of a space is all about creating an experience. The fa-mous 3F principle of design kick starts any project – Form Follows Function! The first step in design is to understand a client’s requirement. Then comes space planning for the sake of function-ality, and later, surface treatment. Un-like interior decoration, interior design actually covers aspects of environmental psychology, architecture and product

who are extremely important to the job – interior decorators, interior designers and interior architects.

Interior decorators typically focus on the surface look of a space. These profes-sionals work with their clients to select the design elements of an interior, such as paint, wallpaper, lights, furniture and flooring. The nature of their job is such that these professionals are usually hired to work on an existing space that needs to be redecorated or refurbished. Typi-cally, they step in once the space plan-ning is in order. We need to bear in mind that their area of focus is aesthetics, and not necessarily functionality.

Interior designers have more responsi-bilities. Enhancing the look is just one aspect; they are also responsible for increasing functionality in an interior space. Sometimes, this travels to the ex-teriors too, and these professionals are referred to as interior architects. De-signers often work closely with a team of architects and contractors to realise the client’s requirement, while also adher-ing to safety standards, building codes, etc. An Interior designer not only has to pay special attention to space planning, ergonomics and comfort, they also have to play the role of decorators and styl-ists. Designers are often involved with planning from the very beginning but may also be brought in at any stage of the design and construction process.

Architects and contractors also play an important role in the interiors business. The former creates the framework and the latter executes the vision of a design-er. While these professionals can take on the role of a designer, the approach needs to be that of a designer, which tends to be lacking many a time.

The situation in today’s market is that most clients prefer convenience and hire companies that provide turnkey services. This has its pros and cons. The pros are convenience, a one-stop-shop service. The cons are that you might not really get the best solution, quality or the best price for your product. However, this is purely a personal decision left to the discretion of the customer.

So those are job descriptions, as simply as I can give them. From the next month onwards, I will be reviewing existing living spaces and discussing design ele-ments. The motivation here is to educate and create awareness and I’m hoping you will enjoy the process with me.

design in addition to decoration.

This month’s column is dedicated to ed-ucating readers on the role of an interior designer and the general yardsticks that make a design.

Considering the confusion about what a designer does, or typically should be do-ing, let me address that.

Qualification has little to do with one’s creativity or capacity to put together a fantastic space. There are international-ly renowned architects like Tadao Ando, who does not even hold a degree in Ar-chitecture, but has created buildings that are admired the world over. Among the internationally celebrated designers are product designer Phillippe Stark and fashion designer Karim Rashid, who have created some amazing, trendset-ting interiors. Proper qualification and training in design just gives you a bet-ter starting point and a better idea about how to approach a project. The beauty about being a design student is, once the bug has bitten you, you can start han-dling different areas of design as well, since the principles are pretty much the same.

A better understanding of roles played by professionals might help one under-stand and appreciate a service offered and assist in picking the right profes-sional for the job. In the interior design business, there are three professionals

the beauty about being a design student is, once the bug has bitten you, you can start handling different areas of design as well, since the principles are pretty much the same.

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TAXI Foodie Says

ofNoodlesOOdles

there are some of us who live to eat. this corner is dedicated to everyone who lives food, who loves

food and for whom food is more than just a necessity. Nikhil Moturi takes you on a journey that traverses

noodles, life and everything in between…

California, Newport Beach, spring break sometime in 1999, I found myself sit-ting on the porch of a beach house overlooking the Pa-

cific Ocean and slurping down my room-mate’s mom’s cooking. She served me noodle soup which was laden with Chi-nese spices and seafood to start off with, followed with dim sums, stir-fry pork, spare ribs in a honey glaze sauce and ending it with another huge serving of fried noodles in a cold broth. Needless to say, I now had a new appreciation for

Chinese food and developed a relation-ship with my new “Chinese family” who were kind enough to invite me home on Chinese New Year and explain to me why we started the meal with a noodle dish and ended the meal with variant type of noodles.

Within China, tradition dictates that noodle strands should be prepared in a continuous manner without breakage at the ends as it signifies good health, fortune and luck. The Chinese believe that on any occasion such as a birthday

or starting something new, a bowl of noodles has to be eaten. The belief is that by eating the long strands of noodles, good fortune will continue for years to come. Perhaps it was the tradition or the warm feeling I felt from the hot bowl of noodles in my tummy or the fact I was given so much love from a family I just met, I knew I was hooked and to this day I celebrate my occasions with a bowl of noodles.

Historically, it has been documented that noodles have been around for more than


2,000 years through Italian and Chinese cultures. The debate on the origin of the noodle history came into context in 2005 when scientists at an archaeological dig site in Northwestern China discovered a bowl of noodles hidden inside layers of sediment. Carbon dating of the bowl puts it at 4,000 years old. This came as revelation to the culinary world as it implied the noodle’s origin is from China and not Italy, as it’s popularly believed.

One of my early memories of eating a noodle dish was the spaghetti and meatballs dish. I don’t remember why I loved it so much, but I distinctly remember ordering that dish every time my family took me out for dinner. I remember eating the long strands with a fork twirling down the middle to capture the noodles, just like how I saw it on The Tom and Jerry cartoons shows or perhaps it was the “Lady and Tramp” movie (now who was it that said that cartoons were non-educational).

Taking things to the present context, Italian food has mesmerised Europe and then the world with its fine pasta making skills. One popular theory is that the Arabs first introduced the spaghetti / noodles to the Italians when they went in search of new trade routes and found their way to China. What we do know for a fact is that Italian food had its culinary roots from Roman, Jewish and Arab cultures.

Taking culinary world cultures into a hue, a variant noodle dish has emerged in every popular cuisine worth mentioning. In Asia, soft comforting noodles are typically prepared in fragrant broths with meat and fish balls and are tossed into countless stir-fries to make satisfying meals. Jewish Kreplachs - noodle pastries filled with beef, chicken and spices. The Vietnamese have the ever popular noodle soup or “pho” as its called, which is a simple broth of soup with noodles, basil and lime followed with your choice of meats, the Singaporeans have the spicy noodle soup “Laksa”, the Thai have the “Pad Thai” a flat noodle, stir-fried with shrimp and vegetables, the Malaysian have the “Mee Goreng” which is a spicy fried noodle, and us Indians have the vermicelli upma, the south Indian favuorite “Idiyappam” which is a rice string type of noodles.

What I learnt through my travels is that noodles seemed to become a comfort food, readily available and it could be eaten hot, or cold, steamed or deep friend, stir fried or in a soup. There are no hard and fast rules about what

type of noodles to use for any recipe. The dominant noodle dish in Chinese food is the “Chow mein” and the “Lo mein” styles of cooking noodles. When preparing a chow mein dish, the recipe calls for the vegetables and the meat to be stir fried and then placed on top of the cooked noodles. Where as in the lo mein style of cooking, the noodles are tossed into the wok where it gets cooked with the ingredients. Within America, the Chinese usually use crisp noodles when preparing chow mein, while in China chow mein is made with soft noodles. Meanwhile, Italian pastas such as fettuccine or spaghetti work quite well in lo mein recipes. However,

theoretically you could use the same noodles to prepare either one.

Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 2011. After a decade of being abroad and being exposed to many transient sub culinary dishes, I learnt a few things about food. What I am not is a culinary expert nor am I trained or certified in any manner for cooking, all I have is passion and hence my reason to explore this passion in a written form. I chose to write about the humble noodle as my first article for one sole reason: Taxi has re-launched and what better way for me to celebrate it other than eating a bowl of oodles and oodles of noodles.

“I chose to write about the humble noodle as my first article for one sole reason: Taxi has re-launched and what better way for me to celebrate it other than eating a bowl of oodles and oodles of noodles”


Fashion WeeK Fever

taxi gets an exclusive peak at one of Bangalore’s most anticipated fashion events, the Bangalore fashion Week.

Read on for more…


It may be the peak of the monsoons with rains slashing, pounding and cooling off Bangalore, but that didn’t stop the city from sizzling in July. The month rounded off in style with three days of fashion

fixation starting on July 28 and wrapping up to a dazzling finale on July 31 with the much-feted Bangalore Fashion Week (BFW). Camera clicks, zealous hoots, runway nights, beautiful people and a whole lot of glitzy, glamourorus clothes and jewellery were at the centre of Bangalore’s indulgent preoccupation. The BFW, a semi-annual event held in the months of January and July, has created a clique of events around fashion that’ll keep the brand-conscious hyperactive, greedy and very engaged. “Bangalore,” says Abdul Rehman, one of the organisers of the event, “has the repuation of being a very favourable locale for fashion and luxury events in the country.” He also points out that, “The city is perhaps the most cosmopolitan one in the country and plays host to a large section of expatrirates; it is also emerging as a hotspot for fashion product consumption in India.”

While the runway was on fire with a display of avant garde designs with the theme this time around was Season of Winter – an early preview that has prepared the fashion-forward about the trends that have yet to set in.

A tad bit predictable, yet very necessary, was the presence of celebrities from Bollywood and sports at the event. Top models and fashion designers also made their presence felt at the event, while emerging new talent was given the space to showcase their work. The event had an estimated 6,000 guests, Rehman informs us.

Some of the veteran designers who have made an appearance at the past BFWs include Rocky S, JJ Vallya, Shantanu & Nikhil, Neeta Lulla, Monapali, Satya Paul, Manoviraj Khosla, Jattinn Kochhar, Sanchita Ajjampur, Samanth Chauhan, Swapnil Shinde and Archana Kochhar to name a handful.

BLING fACtoRA few of the showstopper stars at the event were Zeenat Aman for Riyaz Ganji, Rahul Bose for Shantanu and Nikhil, Robin Utappa for Sanjay and Shammy Choraria, Shruthi Hassan for Neeta Lulla, Yana Gupta for Neerus, Mugdha Godse and Mona Singh for Swapnil Shinde, Jeev Milkha Singh for Rocky S, Kalki Koechlin for Gautam Gupta and Chitrangda Singh for Archana Kochhar.


a huge career leap as she has just launched her label, prajanyaa. Her styling for taxi’s August spread is a wearable and an interesting way to pay tribute to our national flag…

Our nod to Independence Day comes from the simple act of dressing up. Since it’s a long weekend, take the time to either chill at home in bed all day, head out with friends for a lazy brunch or party it up…

A TRICOLOURED

ODE

Creating a cover spread themed around the tricolor was not an easy task. The need to sometimes slip into a clichéd mode and hang

sUZANNE RoQUEthe star of the shoot and the girl staring intently out of our cover page, suzanne Roque is a Bangalore girl, who, in her three-year career, has logged many accomplishments. she was the face of Bangalore fashion Week 2009, has been on the cover of a national women’s magazine, and so much more. the pretty belly dancer is of south American and Indian ancestry and is someone who thinks that “fashion is everywhere”. she has worked with some of the industry’s celebrated photographers including Haider khan, Harmit singh, Anson Anthony, Wassem khan to name a few. As for the spread itself she says, “the shoot wit taxi was amazing. I loved working with the team. they were wonderful and it was a great expirence.”

kUNAL DAsWANIkunal Daswani and taxi have a long-standing relationship. our first cover was done by him and he is back on board after a long break. In that time, kunal and his company kunal Daswani photography have built an impressive client roster that reads like a who’s who of the lifestyle scene. for this month’s shoot, kunal has given Independence Day fashion a cool new look.

pRAjANYA ANANDBeing dyslexic meant that prajanya was inclined to being expressive by other means. In her case, it was form and colour rather than words. With styling this shoot comes another way of expression for her as she says – “It’s different for different people and there are so many ways of expression.” she’s on the brink of

A great photographer, a fun make-up artist, a young, enthusiastic stylist, a gorgeous model, a superb location. From creating the look, to translating it as a great image, August’s cover spread features a team that worked in sync to get it just right…

the flag in the background to make the connotations obvious was very tempting. This is not about clichés, however, and the next three pages have three simple looks for a lazy weekend.

The Team

The artists from Page3 work on Suzanne to

get the perfect look

Cover Spread


Red Blaze Dazzle the night in red silk, or tangerine if you can carry it off. paired with green accessories, smoky eyes and red hot lips, the night is yours.

ClothesRed Dress - Button Green; Green accessories - stylists own; cream scarf - stylist’s own; green shoes - Button Green

loCation Aqua, the park


Be a goddess the traditional south Indian staple, the veshti, gets a re-work as a Greek goddess steps out in the sun for a brunch

Clothes Veshti - bought locally and draped by prajanya Anandorange and Green beads - stylist’s own



Bed Ridden stay in on a lazy sunday with this tricoloured ensemble. Green shorts, a white t-shirt and a whole lot of comfort complete this look

Clothes shorts - model’s ownt-shirt - Button GreenAccessories - stylist’s own



Library

Her smiling countenance is the most memorable aspect of her TV anchor personality and her reviews of films are as

honest as they come. The fact that she’s married to a Bollywood powerhouse, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, doesn’t deter her objectivity when it comes to talking cin-ema. Talking to Taxi, Anupama Chopra speaks of her newest book, First Day First Show, a collection of essays that take us through her journey in the mys-tique and magic that is Bollywood.

What was the inspiration for the book?There wasn’t any inspiration really. The idea was to create a collection of articles, which serve as a snapshot of the history of modern Bollywood. I’ve had a ring-side view on the evolution of Bollywood in the last 20 years. This book illustrates that. It’s also a testament to my endur-ing love affair with Hindi movies and the Hindi film industry.

Being connected to the industry for as long as you have been, what impact do

you think the book will have on the people of the industry?I hope that people within the industry will find it a useful and engaging record of their business. In places, it is also amusing, for example, the monies being discussed as huge ̀ 3 crore, ̀ 5 crore bud-gets, are considered loose change today. I hope it helps readers appreciate how far the Hindi film industry has come.

How do you think people will respond to the book?I have no idea, but I can only hope that it’s positive.

How different was your view about the film industry before you got involved with it too?I think the biggest change for me has been greater insight into the process of creating movies. My mother has written two scripts - Prem Rog for Raj Kapoor and Chandni for Yash Chopra - so I had been to film sets way before I even be-came a journalist. But it’s very different when you watch someone you are close to create a movie - the passion, the ex-citement, the evolution from a single-

line idea to a three-hour film, the head rush when it works and the heart-ache when it doesn’t. I have far greater re-spect for the process and the hard work that goes into making movies.

Do you think the film industry is yet to undergo a further change? Will it be for the bet-ter or worse?Change is the only constant and of course the film industry will also undergo many changes — some, I’m sure, will be for the better and some for the worse. My hope is that we start to pay more attention to scripts and script development.

What according to you is the most shocking or appalling thing about the film industry?More than shocking or appalling, I think it’s sad that the industry doesn’t pay more attention to writers and develop-ing scripts. We’ve made great advances in every sphere — technology, craft, dis-tribution, finances — but our stories and scripts are still not up to mark. My hope and wish is that this changes. That we start to invest in writers and script de-velopment and writers become stars.

TalkingMoviesIn terms of film reviews and film-related content on tV, hers is one name that pops up regularly. Arwa Lehry speaks to Anupama Chopra about her latest book first Day first show


A Look At fIRst DAY fIRst sHoW

Saritha Rao Rayachoti

First Day first show is a celebration of Anupama Chopra’s career as a film critic. Her reviews and ratings for movies as varied as kabhi Haan kabhi Naa, teesri Aankh and oye Lucky, Lucky oye are insightful and sometimes, justifiably impatient. Her research on trends is presented simply and interestingly, on themes such as film wannabes, item numbers, independent film makers and the Bollywood-Underworld nexus.

Chopra’s prowess, however, lies in her keen observation of some hitherto unknown aspects of an actor’s life, be it Aamir khan’s use of ‘proper’ language, Rekha’s close friendship with Neetu singh, Ajay Devgn and kajol’s equation as a star couple or Govinda’s tardiness.

But the best parts of the book, holding everything together, are excerpts from Chopra’s other books on Sholay, Shah Rukh Khan and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, where she delves into the making, the mindsets, the moments and the sheer magic of Bollywood.

Why did you choose shah Rukh khan to write the fore-word for your book? I asked Shah Rukh to write the foreword because he, along with Aamir and Sal-man, has been at the forefront of the changes of the last two decades. I have followed his career closely and also wrote a book on him four years ago. I thought he would be the perfect person to sum up what has changed and what has remained the same.

one aspect of the film in-dustry you never want to change?The relationships. I think that the uniqueness and strength of the film in-dustry is that it is relationship-based. Several generations of filmmakers and actors have worked together and you can still create projects on the phone with-out a dozen agents and lawyers involved (as they are in Hollywood). There is also a certain chaos and madness that I hope we never lose.

What has been your most memorable moment in/ with the industry?In a nearly-two decade career, there have been too many to count but among the highlights have been: Serving on the jury of Un Certain Re-

gard at the Cannes Film Festival Having my Shah Rukh Khan book

make the editors’ Choice list in the New York Times Book Review Winning the National Award for my

first book Sholay: The Making of a Classic

Being the wife of such a big director-producer what im-pact has the industry had on you and your life?It’s impossible to sum up the impact be-cause movies and the film industry is, in a sense, our life. It’s not removed from us. And yet, we keep a distance from it - our friends aren’t from showbiz and we don’t socialise much with film people. But movies are what we do, what we think about and what we discuss.

“I think that the uniqueness and strength of the film industry is that it is relationship-based”

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TAXI Special Events

Arif Abdul Latif & Adil Arif

K. S. Ravikumar

Prasanna

Sneha & Sangeetha

Priyanka MalhotharaSneha & Aarthi

Anand Amritraj

VJ Paloma

Who ever said men have boring clothes to wear needs to eat

their words! With the launch of Barakah in Chennai, the men’s wear scene got a little more interesting. A glittering evening at The Hyatt on July 16, saw the who’s who from the cinema, business and fashuion industries rub shoulders to preview Barakah, a men’s wear label from the Arif & Sons Group. Adil Arif, Director Arif & Sons Group was seen playing perfect host while SS Music VJ Paloma made sure that the audience stayed riveted to the proceedings on stage. Add to that mix a funky showcase and some gorgeous faces on the ramp, and you have the perfect fashion night. The Barakah launch party certainly stood out as a Taxi Special event.


Barakah’s Chennai Launch

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Chennai has style and glamour. We all know that. the time has come to finally acknowl-edge it as NDtV-Hindu, the city’s favourite English lifestyle channel has announced its first-ever Lifestyle Awards. the launch at 10 Downing street saw the most exciting people in the city cheering for their fa-vourite nominees. the event then travelled across nominee venues – like Zara tapas Bar, tuscana-Chamiers, sathyam Cinemas, toni&Guy (Express Avenue) concluding in a gala night on july 31.

TAXI Events

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Chennai’s favourite baker and café has a new outlet in kilpauk. the outlet was launched amidst much fanfare on july 14 and was an instant hit amongst students and residents alike.

the latest in mobile phone technol-ogy, techberry, was launched in Chennai on july 21. the phone can be worn as a watch and has all the features of a cell phone. Called the tB 007, the new innovation in con-nectivity is all set to take the market by storm.

Andrew t. simkin has been the Consul General of the United states for southern India since 2008. In these three years he has shown himself to be the thoughtful Quaker upbringing that he was raised in, inclusive and respectful of all. India Immersion Center, an initiative of Global Adjustments held a very unusual farewell on july 21 for Andrew and his wife Bess simkin. the event started with a wedding ceremony recreated for the simkins asking for blessings from the five elements of water, air, fire, wind and ether in their journey home as they leave Chennai, end of this month. five consuls from Australia, Germany, singapore, japan and Us participated in the event. Leaders from L&t, pavers England, HCC, michelin, Nissan Renault and many others repeated in chorus “padinarum petru peruvazhuthu Vazhunga”. the significant bond the two countries shared was showcased by the singing of national anthems of both countries projected on a screen so everyone could follow.

stYLE tECHNoLoGY

fAREWELL for a friend

fabulousness is a state of being for the young urbanite. Karun Raman is that and a whole lot more. for taxi’s readers, he brings us a window to a world that is a whole ton of fabulous

I would like to welcome all of you to my world of Cosmopolitans and culture. I hope you have as much fun reading this as I did writing this for you.

Chennai as a city is so diverse with so many cultures, food, fashion, gossip, the works. Knowing how to balance it all is a huge task by itself. Amidst all the humdrum in our city, I came across someone who is unique and was a complete breath of fresh air –none other than the very successful Jade Cole. Jade is an international super model and was also a finalist in the modeling reality show America’s Next Top Model. A Gemini girl with very strong values, genuine and absolutely down to earth, she’s my definition of fab. I particularly love her sense of humour. Jade lives in Hollywood and this is her second visit to Chennai.

Jade is a huge fan of Indian culture and relishes our South Indian delicacies, sambar and chicken curry being some of her favourites. She is also a dancer and loves moving to Tamil film tunes. Jade

shared many anecdotes of her work with Tyra Banks. She says “What you see on television is not what exactly happens. It’s more planned than real, it’s like most reality shows, but this one is more intense. When you realise that the whole world is watching your every move, it can get to you.”

Following her success on the show, Jade has worked with some high-end fashion labels

like Versace, Moschino and Calvin Klein. She has also been in hip-hop and RnB music videos – Change Clothes (Jay-Z and Pharell Williams) that also starred Naomi Campbell; Go On Girl (Ne-Yo) and Digital Girl (Jamie Foxx ft The Dream and Drake). “Working in music videos with the best in the music industry is an honour,” she says.

But Jade is no ordinary beauty. She also has her heart in the right place. She has been involved with two non-profit, charity organisations and is the spokesmodel for the Dream, Believe, Know it Foundation (DBK), a charity organisation located in (Pennsylvania) that helps “provide journeys to develop abilities, potential and purpose in life. At DBK we believe that education, talent, and positive thinking are necessary keys to success. We believe that it only takes one individual to make a positive difference in another individual’s life to help make a dream come true,” she says. Her resume keeps getting more impressive. She is also a writer and has already published one book and is in the process of finishing the next. God! This girl is multi-talented!

While Jade was in Chennai, the one thing I noticed was that the men couldn’t take their eyes off her. She made heads turn whenever she walked into a room (looks like I have competition now!). One of the observations Jade made while she was here, and this is something I agree with, is the passion some people have for fashion. A great example of that is a young doctor I met who is intent on making it as a model. It’s nice to encounter people like him in Chennai

A SIP OFMy Cosmo

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who are so passionate about their interests.

Chennai’s favourite night club, Dublin at the Sheraton Park Hotel and Towers, celebrated its ninth anniversary last month, and I was thrilled to be doing the event for them. We had on board some of the best models showcasing some fantastic brands — RMX Joss, Pavers england and Anam’s Man. It was indeed a stylish affair. Spotted were Mr.Virender Razdan (General Manager Sheraton Park Hotel and Towers) who was looking ver dapper in an all-black ensemble, the doll-like VJ Paloma looking gorgeous as usual; the rapper Sid, a fashion-forward and talented musician who is so much fun to talk to and dresses so well.

Although it was a great night, I was a little stressed out because of some problems and decided to head out of Chennai for a bit. I had Bombay on my mind and I just packed my bags and left. The city has an amazing never-die spirit and should be an inspiration for Indians. Despite the tragic blasts, the city was still hustling and bustling about with its crazy routines and its fantastic nightlife. Hats off to Bombay! Sometimes, I wish I lived there, but I love Chennai too much!

I went on a partying spree and met more fabulous people who were stylish in just about everything that they did. But not everything was perfect. I met this one character, a big shot designer no less, who was being a little snooty with me because I am from Chennai – apparently all Chennaiites are ghatis (villagers).

Needless to say, I gave him a piece of my mind. Chennai is a great city and we certainly are not ghatis. We’re stylish and we’re fab and he most definitely would not fit in our culture because we don’t tolerate fools!

Feels good to share my experiences with my new friends, my readers. I’m off to find me a cool cosmopolitan… Until next month, stay fun, stay fab… XOXO

“Chennai’s favourite night club, Dublin at the Sheraton Park Hotel and Towers, celebrated its ninth anniversary last month, and I was thrilled to be doing the event for them”

CHENNAI’s fAVoURItE

NIGHt CLUB, Dublin at the

sheraton park Hotel and towers,

celebrated its ninth anniversary

last month


ThePassionTheyWear

Vr o o m , V r o o m , V r o o m ! T h a t ’ s

how we go zip zap zoom! When we ride the buzz of clappers all the wide. We are the fast and the furious. We make the crowd curious. We roar, we are wild, we are the universal heartthrobs. We are the bikes!

In the royal city of Hyderabad, we are the nawabs among riders. We believe in following traffic rules, wearing helmets and riding within speed limits. But we are adventurous, filled with passion and fun. We are the bikers!

Almost everyone in Hyderabad rides to work, whether it is the simple Honda Activa or the Indian classic Royal enfield or the Bajaj Pulsar. The youth in the city also have a craze for biking, after hours. Among the college and techie crowd, biking is taking on a new dimension as bikers and and biker gangs are taking over the roads.

These gangs are made up of students, IT professionals, and come labelled fancily – Wanderers, Torque Hub – to name a couple. These riders traverse the roads of Jubilee Hills,

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Necklace Road, Banjara Hills and Gachibowli. Come midnight, and these bikes make their way across the city, exploring the more mystical side to Hyderabad.

“I ride because it feels right. I am the happiest when I ride my bike. It feels like I belong on that machine with endless stretches of tarmac ahead of me,” says die hard biker, Nikhil Paul Johnson, a trainee pilot who also owns a Dazzler. “I ride to bury all the nonsense and free myself from all liabilities and responsibilities in life. I ride to be free,” says another biker, Mihir Chadha, a first-year degree student and a Harley Davidson owner.

CRAftED WItH pAssIoNIn the spirit of riding, also grew a movement, to customise and create a unique set of wheels for each biker. To fill in this niche, Hussain Abbas started Metal Craft Custom Choppers, a Hyderabad-based customisation company. Abbas is an all-rounder in the company, and in 2009, he brought his friends (Antara Pal and Arman G) together with an aim to create the best machines one could ever dream of.

The Deccan Chargers chopper which represents power, agression, passion, confidence and fearlessness, was custom-built by Metal Craft Customs and it was made after the Chargers

won IPL-2. “Designing the Deccan Chargers chopper was the biggest break in our careers,” says Abbas, who also says that he was “born to make bikes”.

For Antara, it is a classic case of love determining her life’s choices. As a woman, her passion for bikes is considered unusual and her response is simple and evocative, “I have this craze for bikes. I love to ride. That’s why my philosophy is — work to ride and ride to work!”

In Hyderabad, Metal Craft has been a big player in ensuring that this exciting sport is getting the mileage it deserves. Their bikes look spectacular and also ride like a dream. Metal Craft Custom Choppers is the one-stop place for bikers who want to customise their rides.

Passion is free. All you need to take along a journey of endless roads and clear blue skies is a beautiful machine that obeys your every command. Just remember to ride safe.

Bike tALk Wheelie - when a biker

gets the front wheel of his motorcycle up in the air while in motion Stoppie - When the rear

wheel goes up in the air Double stoppie - If two

persons ride a bike during a stoppie 12 o clock - A 90-degree

wheelie The 360-degree spin Christ - Doing a ‘Christ’

means the biker leaves his hands in the air while he stands on the seat of his motorcycle.

I ride to bury all the nonsense and free myself from all liabilities and responsibilities in life. I ride to be free

“It feels like I belong on that machine with endless stretches of tarmac ahead of me”


BY

Because monsoons are no reason to look any less dapper. Bring on the geek mode with a relaxed cotton shirt in English checks, teamed up with matching trousers, a sharp tie and canvas shoes that don’t mind a run in the rains. A timely twist arrives in the form of a brightly coloured belt that matches the umbrella. slip on a stately overcoat for the finish and rest assured, you’re covered for the day.


take the conventions of fashion for a long ride, with a wicked combination of apparel genres. If the shiny navy blue waistcoat over the lively green casual shirt and tie doesn’t sound quirky enough, add nothing but stark blue shorts to the ensemble. Don a pair of sprightly canvas shoes and smart shades, and you’re game for any adventure; if that attire wasn’t one by itself.


Give the wanderer guise a denim boost. teamed with classy accessories this will assure many offers for rides on your way. the combination of a white t-shirt over a pair of washed blue jeans never fails to excite, while the denim jacket and purple scarf take it to the next level of suave. Add a cowboy belt, the comic-art rucksack, retro sneakers and chic wayfarers, and you won’t be left stranded for long.


Here’s one for the days when the mood is just right for something out of the box. slip into a striking blue v-neck tee, worn under an equally vivid casual shirt, making for hard-to-miss sight in the summer sun. And to underline the statement, jump into trousers in lively shades, preferably orange, and sandals that are no less flashy. Yes, the chickens of fashion are duly warned.


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With a wide range of options to suit every requirement, and offering both temporary and permanent solutions to cater to the needs of women of all ages, Page3 offers hair extensions in different colours, textures, lengths and volumes taking anywhere between five minutes to a maximum of three hours to give you the transformation that’s just right for you.

By conducting an in-depth analysis of the needs and requirements, and by analysing scalp condition and quality of hair, experienced stylists design dedicated services for every client. To match the length and volume requirements, clients are offered 5-clip, 10-clip and individual clip-ons. And for those looking for a solution in a jiffy to go out and hit the party floors in style, there are the Clip-n-Go and Wacky Colored Clips.

For those looking for a more permanent solution in terms of color, length and volume, as well as for those suffering from hair loss, reduced hair growth and other related problems, Klassik Keratin Hair Extensions are suggested. Under this clients can opt for flat and shoe lace types as well as go in for regular and premium services.

So if its hair extensions that will float your boat, come over to Page3. Whatever your requirement, there’s an extension for you!

Page 3 Luxury Salon and Makeover StudioNo.19, 3rd Cross Street, Wallace Garden Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai-600006. Ph: 28333111/28333888


TAXI Calendar

HANDCRAFTEDAugust 13 and 14Gallery Sri Parvati, Eldams Road, Alwarpet, Chennaiph 9176567018

CAPTURE IT!August 15 (last date for submissions)www.abilityifoundation.org

SISTERHOODAugust 13Amethyst, next to Corporation Bank, Whites Road, Royapettah, Chennaiph 044 – 45991630 /31 /32

COUTURE HAVENAugust 5th onwardsEvoluzione, 3 Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai ph 044-28333627

VISITOR BITESAugust 06Courtyard by Marriot, Teynampet, Chennaiph 044-66764499priCe Between `225 and `1,400

If you love hand-crafted things – be they home linens or jewellery, then head to the monthly exhibition organized by By Hand, From the Heart a designer collective that has slowly but steadily made a mark in chennai’s handicrafts scene. The collective comprises hanicrafts enthusiasts who seek to spread the word and hope that more people will buy handmade.

Ability Fest is here again. And this year, to commemorate the event, Abilify Foundation has announced the India Internaitonal Disability Film Festival 2011. The competition titled 60 Seconds to Fame is centred around the theme “Breaking Barriers Together”. There are prizes worth `2.25 lakhs to be won.

It is Raksha Bandhan and the one time in the year that brothers and sisters get the opportunity to show their love for each other. To mark the festival, Amethyst, a café boutique, presents an equisite range of jewellery from Amrapalli that is “beautiful as it is valuable”. Top this off with a meal at Amethyst café and you have the perfect rakhi gift.

With summer fading into a distant memory, it is time to bring a different season into your wardrobe. evoluzione presents the Autumn/Winter 2011 collection of the designers Rasa, Risa, Divyam Mehta, Malini Ramani, Nmarata Joshipura, Gauri & Nainika, Gaurav Gupta and Monisha Jaising.

Courtyard by Marriot brings to Chennai culinary srtist Chef Christian Huber “weaving his magic in the kitchens of Rhapsody”. He is in the city to “share his expertise and knowledge bank on Italian cuisine and wine”. He has also re-engineered the menu at Rhapsody to give diners a whole new experience of Italian. Rhapsody is open on all days from 7pm onwards.

eXhiBiTions

fiLm reTaiL

fashion f&B


MUNDANE MUSES11am to 6pm, On till August 15Veda Art Gallery, Next to BDA on Windsor Manor Bridge, Kumara Parkph: 9845172881

DOODLE DAYSStarts August 14Around Bengaluruph: 9886394 195

STREET FIGHTSAugust 7 and 14Club Cocoon, 14th Cross, South-End Circle, 2nd Block, Jayanagarph: 9620190373

Telugu artist Laxman Aeley is well known for his pop art expressions of village life. Monochrome pencil drawings that are pushed to the fore by the colour-infused backgrounds they stand in will be part of the group show, Slice of Life, at Veda Art Gallery. Part of the series inspired by everyday scenes will be Bangalore-based JMS Mani’s famous Badami set that focusses on the simple rustic people of the Deccan Plateau. Whether it’s a simple flower seller or a man at a stall, Mani makes sure his subjects are picked from the crowd and could be just about anyone. Works by artists Kishan Kappari (Hyderabad) and Murugesan (Chennai) will also be part of the exhibition.

It’s easy to be complacent about your own city venturing only into its coffee and beer pubs. Discover Bengaluru Through Art helps you do just that – discover the city through art. You’ll find yourself in the city’s nooks and and crannies exploring it and documenting your findings through sketching, watercolour painting or photography. Some popular stopovers will include Lal Bagh, Cubbon Park, Tipu’s Palace and Gandhi Bazaar. In the six- to ten-week programmes, you’ll be joined by others who want to get around town as artistically as you and experienced masters will lend you a hand at all times. The classes will be on Sundays.

Freestyle dancer Devender Jain is organising India’s first ever street dance competition. Now what exactly does this mean? Jain explains the origin of street or vernacular dance, “It simply refers to styles that have evolved outside of dance studios, in any available open space such as streets, dance parties, block parties, parks, school yards, nightclubs, etc.” The street style of dancing is improvisational and has enough space for contact with spectators. You can catch the action up close and live till August 14 when the winner will be announced.

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TAXI Calendar


MONSOON MARTINIS12noon to 11pm, Till August 14Mandrain Trail, Mantri Square, No.T-38, 3rd Floor, Malleswaramph: 080-22667351

BITE THISOngoing, 11am to 11.30pmTake 5, 2nd floor MSK Plaza 54 100Ft Rd, Indira Nagarph: 080-25211080

H.L. Mencken called the martini “the only American invention as perfect as the sonnet”and E.B. White called it “the elixir of quietude”. Mr.007 couldn’t get by without his preferred “shaken, not stirred” vodka martini. This monsoon, join the club of martini maniacs, mellow down with a glass in your grasp, that perfect cocktail concocted with gin and vermouth, and garnished with an olive or a lemon twist. At Mandrain Trail, you can enjoy your drink in a blend of seasonal fresh fruits like peach, green apple or greygoose berry. The drink will be served straight up in a chilled cocktail glass, just the way it should be.

Take 5’s a great place to find an escape from life’s troubles through food. This time around you can dig into The Special Menu. The introduction of new offerings like burgers, pizzas and hot dogs will be enough to be tempted with. If that won’t do, you can test your limits with momos, spinach and cheese croquettes, baked chicken Bavarian, roast chicken, lamb chops gardenia and BBQ spare ribs. But what might cause you to stumble into abject gluttony will probably be the inclusion of great Goan fare that will include kung pao prawn, chicken cafreal and prawn balchao.

f&B

GRILL GAGAAll of AugustCity Bar, UB City, Vittal Mallya Road, Central Bengaluru,ph: 080-41614123price `1,200 plus taxes per person

An ideal Sunday is made up of good company and good food. So gather your favourite friends and family, while the City Bar takes care of the food. every Sunday Grill at The City Bar will bring you unlimited delicious grills which delectable starters and scrumptious desserts. You can even pick refreshing drinks to go along with the main course available for only as much as `1,200 plus taxes. Choose from the yasai tempura or cajun chicken dippers and fill up with grilled lamb chops or grilled bechamel moussaka. And complete it all with the sinful desiree chocolat or rather wicked apple tart tatin.

f&B

f&B



Travel

- off your bucketlist!ladakh

With the summer allowing passage to some rough terrain, it’s time to trek up the mountains to explore a new version of

paradise. Shuchi Kapoor takes you to Ladakh

And the wild horse said – “Come summers, come the herds.”

And now who might that be? At a closer look, the horse was looking straight at us. Ladakh, its breathtaking barrenness and its local population have ensured a ‘must-see’ tag for tourists in India. “Ahem! Ladakh…tourist destination? Whatever happened to the exotic, the unseen?” you may ask. “Well, it is unseen by you.

Anyway, hope you’ve had a pleasant drive and we’re sure your tour operator must’ve fixed your hotels and camps. Hey wait, why don’t you come right next to me and pose for a Facebook profile picture. Oh come on, I don’t bite and we look cute together” said the horse.

No offence meant to ‘the tourist’, everyone doesn’t have to be the wandering traveller. The most important thing, as they say, is to go. To simply enjoy the


Clichés aside, Ladakh, known for its magnificent views and once-upon-a-time difficult terrain, is not so difficult and remote anymore

“Connectivity in the time of need is the last priority on Ladakh’s mind”

mapped places in the safety of a guided tour and come back refreshed with many GB’s of pictures. No matter how you do it, if you really want to enjoy the trip, make sure the journey is as interesting as the destination. And choose a like-minded group to go with, unless you are the daring solo backpacking traveller.

Clichés aside, Ladakh, known for its magnificent views and once-upon-a-time difficult terrain, is not so difficult and remote anymore. For first-timers, it would be a good idea to save your adrenalin and adventure quotient for a little later or for another trip. But who is going to do the same place again? That’s the thing about places like Ladakh

– you cannot claim to have seen and experienced it all in one go.

Hitch yourself to a group that has prior experience of conducting trips in this terrain. Connectivity in the time of need is the last priority on Ladakh’s mind. It offers wilderness in all honesty. Weather and road conditions, travel duration, Plan B must not be part of the surprise package.

Undoubtedly the best way to experience such natural terrains is by road. Tell me if the local cab driver wasn’t just a great storyteller and guide, and if you didn’t give him a second look and didn’t raise your brow when he plugged in to Green


tHE UsUAL Houseboat Stay

(if travelling via Srinagar) Kargil Memorial River Rafting in

Zanskar Valley Khardungla Top at 18000ft Chang La Top at 14000 ft Magnetic Hill Thiksey and

Lamayuru Monasteries Pangong Tso Shanti Stupa Shopping in Leh Market A visit to the King’s Palace

tHE UNUsUALWinter Treks – Ladakh is a completely different terrain then, but it needs a lot of grit to bear with the temperatures and pressure Angling Mountain Biking Homestays Volunteering

• www.signposts.co.in – Vinod sreedhar • www.connectwithhimalaya.com – Gaurav punj Connect with Himalayas• www.getoffurass.com GEt offURAss• kunzum.com kunzum - Ajay jain• www.travelanotherindia.com - tRAVEL ANotHER INDIA – Gouthami• www.escapedelhi.com EsCApE DELHI – Nathan steele• www.darter.in DARtER– Arun Bhatt• [email protected] sANjAY NANDA’s photo tours with INDIpIX ImAGEs

Some recommended Groups

Day, Linkin Park or The Beatles. They anyway had me at “hello”. Rather at “julley”!

What can one say about the beauty of a silent and magnanimous Ladakh? Long flowery adjectives won’t do. The residents are pleasant and helpful at most; just don’t expect to be attended to in front of a fair-skinned counterpart – especially in the market area.

To be in awe of such natural grandeur and solitude is just the usual. While on one hand great infrastructure enables easy accessibility, on the other it is these same roads that bring in hordes of loud groups, littering the natural splendor with noise and plastic. The “Om Mani Padme Hum” chant is sure to put such disgust to rest. The ancient monasteries present a world of simple living and a lot of thinking. I’m trying to figure out the answer to a question that still pokes me – why would someone want to give up worldly pleasures and be a monk? Ah yes, they do have the heart to sell their Ferraris before that. Are we that brave or are we just plain fed up of the world, its wars, its emotions and its uncertainties? I’ll save that one for another trip. I also wish I’d be fit enough to do some long treks in this landscape which is the best way to get acquainted. Kudos to the mountain bikers; when one pants for breath at those altitudes, they manage to take on these challenges without a fret. You could too.

GEttING tHEREYou can either fly into Srinagar, halt for a couple of days in a houseboat and then hit the road to Leh or fly in directly to Leh. Another adventurous option is to drive up the Manali-Kaza Route to Leh. Acclimatisation is of utmost importance here. Split the journey into overnight halts. This also gives you a chance to understand the region, soak in the vast landscapes, shake hands with the increasing altitude and the chill in the air, meet the locals and definitely enjoy the Kahwa and kababs. And see a lot more in the process.

Tips for The (mounTain)Tops Say “julley” meaning “hello” in Ladakhi — a sure way to

instantly break the ice and making some great friends there. Carry an ID card wherever you go There is mainly one ATM in Leh Market –carrying cash is a

good idea, especially if you want to shop Drink plenty of water and juices to keep yourself hydrated

and energetic to combat the low oxygen levels. Avoid travelling on a full stomach to save yourself and others

the embarrassment and hassle of a vomit As tempting as it may be, avoid lighting that cigarette Keep a tissue roll and sanitizer with you at all times – public

toilets are not very accessible and clean…big rocks in the open are your best option. Some of the best Saffron is available here… also makes for a

useful gift Get a Singing Bowl and a Prayer Wheel for your home If you’re a winter traveller, get yourself an interesting woolen

cap and jacket Mind-boggling variety of Silver jewelry and T-shirts – do not

forget to bargain While most Cafés and attitudes are suited to an international

palette, do allow yourself the pleasure of chilling out with a hookah at some of the uber cool café’s in Leh Market A personal recommendation is the “Om Mani Padme Hum”

chant CDs Last but not the least – do carry a good camera and a

Memory card reader/laptop/external hard disk to transfer your pictures everyday – since you may or may not make the effort of visiting again!

BEst tImE to GoSummer – everyone’s favourite for visiting Ladakh, but if you can, do attend the Hemis Festival in July. Book your tickets now!! And if you have the grit, you can experience a completely different ecosystem in this one region during winters. It’s unlike what you would’ve seen. I’ve no grit and I’ve also only seen it in some great pictures of a photographer called Sankar Sridhar to know what I’m talking about.


Tarot AUGUST 2011by The High Priestess

the full moon in your sign mid-month may just inspire something, Aquarius! What are you feeling passionate about? take a more dynamic approach, because you’re leading the pack at the moment, and your charisma is very high. If there are kids in your life, what kind of role model are you?

You’re on the cusp of something important, and poised to make a decision. It’s a time of discovery and expanding horizons, pisces, so even if you’ve been feeling like a fish out of water lately, get ready to dive back in. You’ve literally got the world in your hands.

AQUARIUSKing of Wands

PISCESTWo of Wands

Whatever’s on your mind this month, Aries, it really is all in your

mind. Your imagination and dreamscape may be soaring,

but illusions, delusions, fears and secrecy may just as easily be

influencing things. take a closer look. Delirium can be exciting – if

you’re ready to go deep.

time out, taurus! Don’t put the “bull” in “bully” this month. If

someone else – or a group of people – wants to lock horns,

avoid it if you can. Competition isn’t always fun. Besides, I’m sure

you have better things to do with that all that friction and tension.

ARIES The Moon

TAURUSfive of Wands

I really want to give you a break. You’re still reeling from those intense eclipses back in june, including one in Gemini. But all there is to say for now is: patience, patience, patience. find the middle ground between extremes. Good things come to those who don’t agitate.

summer’s nearly over and if you’re still as blue as a kingfisher, set your sights on new horizons. travel may be upcoming – whether a geographic journey or a psychic one. What must you move on from? Be brave and plunge in, Cancer. And one last thing: don’t look back.

GEMINITeMperance

CANCERsix of sWords


In the mood to shake-shake-shake? shake up your life that is. this is a powerful card, Leo,

so take a deep breath and get ready for a deeeeep cleanse.

strap on your seatbelt and get ready to accelerate – a good

omen for the start of your solar new year, birthday kitty!

super-organized Virgo and the Lord of Chaos together make me think

of the naughty secretary archetype! Unleash your deepest darkest desires, but be careful about

obsessions. It seems you have many on your mind. the new moon in your

sign at month’s end will let you set some powerful intentions.

LEOThe ToWer

VIRGOThe devil

How are those pet projects of yours coming along? many Libras have wisely thrown themselves into work this year, since saturn the taskmaster is touring your sign and shaking up relationships. It’s time to take stock and show off. that includes sharing your works in progress.

All that glitters is not bling-bling, scorpio, so put that famous intuition to the test. You’ll be presented with various nicely-packaged choices, but not all of them will deliver what they’ve been promised to. most won’t. Dream smart, judge wisely, and show the counterfeit items the door.

LIBRAThree of penTacles

SCORPIOseven of cups

Independence can be a scary thing, especially if you cut loose

some ties recently (eclipse drama had most sagittarians on their

knees this summer – and not in the fun way). You have a little further to

go on your journey before you’re ready to face the world again. But

you’re nearly there!

You’ve come through fire, but you’re ready to tell the tale – and

in the most creative way possible. You’ve got salamanders on your tunic, Capricorn (a fine totem of

regeneration), but what have you got up your sleeve? something to

do with writing, broadcast, the arts or even advertising will suit well.

SAGITTARIUSeighT of sWords

CAPRICORNpage of Wands


feverVirAl the internet is home to many things – some interesting, some not so. starting this month, Yuvraj Gurung breaks down some internet virals just for you

VIDEo MANIAAPE WITH AK-47“monkey see, monkey do”, that’s how the saying goes. Now arm an ape wit an Ak-47 and see what happens. www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhxqIITtTtU

E-TRADE SUPERBOWL COMMERCIALA throwback to the 80s movie “Look Who’s talking”. A baby that talks like a real dude who knows what he’s doing. Real cute.www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4GZfvXx9Js

eHARMONY VIDEO BIOmeet Debbie. she loves cats. she really loves cats. she really, really loves cats. she REALLY, REALLY loves cats!www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTTwcCVajAc

JUSTIN BIEBER GOOGLE CHROMEjustine Bieber in a Google commercial. popular musician in an ad for a popular internet brand. sure shot hit don’t you think?www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN68sT2Xt1M

TROLLING SARUMANthe evil saruman from the “Lord of the Rings” attempts to escape from orthanc - not the way you would have remembered. www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaqC5FnvAEc

tEN ON tENWhat is the world listening to? Which songs should be on your playlist?

The Top 10 downLoads This monTh 1. Party Rock Anthem (feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock)lMfaoAre you even surprised? since its release, this song has been on the top of the charts and refuses to let go of its top slot…

2. Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)KaTy perrykaty perry’s chart topping, foot tapping single is one of the most downloaded songs in the summer of 2011. the music video is cute too.

3. How to Lovelil Wayne

4. Tonight TonightHot Chelle Rae – one of the catchiest pop-rock anthems of 2011. the Hot Chelle Rae song peaked at # 9 in the U.s.

5. Give Me Everything (feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer)piTbull

6. Rolling In the Deepadele

7. Good LifeoneRepublic – the song that featured in the trailers of the movies “Eat pray Love” and “one Day”.

Good Life is one Republic’s biggest hit since “Apologize”.

8. SkyscraperdeMi lovaTo

9. Dirt Road AnthemJason aldean

10. I Wanna GobriTney spears

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