Luxury Life & Style April 2018|Rs100
Sole to Soul What can a pair of shoes tell you about history?
Maison du Luxe World's most expensive residences
Taapsee Pannu The future is hers
A N A N YA F I N E J E W E L L E R Y
N O . 3 0 , K H A D E R N AWA Z K H A N R O A D , N U N G A M B A K K A M
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April 2018
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EDITOR'S
NOTE
I'
m writing this note to you on a day called the ‘World Water Day’. It got me thinking as to why we need to dedicate a special day in the year for us to respect, understand and try to preserve water. It’s
the elixir of life. Our entire race cannot exist without water, yet we are careless in our use of this precious commodity. The theme for World Water Day adopted this year is ‘Nature for Water’: What are the natural ways by which we can sustain water bodies the world over? Coming from a family whose core business is construction and real estate, I’m proud of my Radiance family that is ensuring sustainability for water at all our construction sites. Another sad incident that happened recently is the death of the last male white Rhino in the world, ‘Sudan’, as a result of poaching. This could probably result in the extinction of an entire species. Maybe the time has come for us to think about our environment and be considerate about the products we use and the decisions we make. We shouldn't need to have a World Water Day. Nature and the environment should be something we respect and protect every single day.
Rohini Manian Editor-in-Chief rohini@globaladjustments.com
INBOX
Dear LIVING team,
Congratulations. Your March edition was a great read. Keep up the good work.
is online: www.culturamaliving.com www.issuu.com www.magzter.com To subscribe to this magazine, e-mail culturamaliving@globaladjustments.com For advertisement Call : 98416 28335
Arshleen Aneja, Chennai Hello team, I came across your latest edition recently. Kudos to the good work you all are doing. I loved it so much that I would like to contribute stories for your future editions. Arunima Das, Mumbai Dear LIVING team, I have been a huge fan of Vidya Balan for years. I loved her interview in your March edition. Keep it up. Jaya Kotikla, San Francisco Dear Editor, I understand it must have been difficult to publish a tribute to the late star Sridevi, especially as it happened at the end of last month. The tribute was heartfelt and it really was a nice read. Good job. Sashi Sutari, British Columbia Rohini Manian
Editor-in-Chief
DEEPA KALUKURI managing Editor Anupama arvinD vice president – business strategy Paneer selvam business head Prem Kumar Creative Head V Ramkumar vice president – Finance P DEVARAJ CIRCULATION Ishani vellodi reddy | Antara kothari | Dr marshall goldsmith yamini vasudevan | DEVANSHI MODy
Cover Photography: Avinash Gowariker
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April 2018
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INSIDE
this issue
12
Tantalising & Talented Taapsee Pannu sets the record straight
20 26 30
Under the shade A solution for the scorching heat
The detox diary
44 Role-baby-role Antara Kothari emphasises on the importance of role pay with children.
52 Nailing it right Complete nail care 101
Ishani Vellodi Reddy tells you how to detox!
Sole to soul A look at the history of footwear
36 Maison du Luxe We pick world's most expensive homes 10
April 2018
62
The Alaskan Lens Matthew Crockett gives a glimpse of the untouched Alaskan landscape.
April 2018
11
Small Talk
She’s witty, smart, trendy and talented – Taapsee Pannu has proved time and again that she’s one of the best actors of our times. With a heart-warming performance in Baby and a powerful portrayal of a feisty woman in Pink, Taapsee continues to win hearts. As she gears up for five releases this year, she talks to Team LIVING about her movies, harassment towards women in India, online trolling and more. 12
April 2018
Small Talk
Photography: Avinash Gowariker
April 2018
13
F
rom a software engineer to ruling the silver screen, Taapsee Pannu has chosen a unique path. Having acted in different genres, she’s anything but mundane. Her recently released movie Dil Junglee has a young and fun flavour to
it. She tells us how different she is from her onscreen portrayal.
Tell us about Koroli Nair, your character in the movie. The only thing similar between Koroli and me is the fact that we both come from Delhi. It was a challenge to portray that because I had to pull off the role of a 21- or 22-yearold girl who has no reality check whatsoever in life. She just lives in her own bubble. She is pampered. She lives in a world that she has created for herself. And she dreams of a love story where a knight in shining armour will come and take her away. She is an extremely impractical person. The movie is about what happens when reality kicks in and that bubble bursts. The first half is about the 22-year-old living in her La La Land, and the second half is about how 7 years later she gets to control her life and then how she changes.
Apart from Dil Junglee, are there any other movies that you are working on at the moment, which you can talk about? I intentionally don’t talk about the movies in detail. But the other films that I am working on are five releases, again this year, and they are all going to be of different genres. One is a fiction thriller that will come out after Dil Junglee. All are varied roles, and I will talk about these in detail when the time comes.
I know you have been asked this a zillion times. Is there any secret that you would like to share with people in terms of getting a fit life? I do not believe in any diet whatsoever. I do not prefer that at all. I have never tried them. People feel that I have reduced a lot of weight, but actually I have not. On the scale I have not lost more than 2 to 3 kg. But what has really changed is my fitness level, and how my body looks. It is a slow and steady fitness regime that I have followed. I do not believe in just working out crazily for a few months and then just dropping it. That does not do any good to the body. I have had a very believable, slow-and-steady, and practical transformation from my diet and workout. My advice always is to pick up the kind of workout that you are really going to enjoy, because unless and until you enjoy your workout, your body will not show the desired results. I made small changes in my lifestyle. I play squash and go to the gym only so I can have stronger wrists to play the sport. Firstly, I do not eat after 8 p.m. Secondly I avoid gluten. I have substitutes, however, for my parathas and rotis. And, thirdly, I do not drink milk or eat curd. I avoid lactose. These are the only three things that I have changed in my diet.
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April 2018
Photography: Munna S
Small Talk The rest is the same. I have my cheat days every now and then!
It has been 18 months since Pink released. Has it changed you as a person or the way you look at society? It has not changed me, but it has changed people’s perception of me. I am still the same girl who believes in the same thing. People have given me an ear. They want to see what I say or do. I think that probably it didn’t change me as a person, but as a professional it did. After Pink, I have become more confident of my choices.
What was your parents’ reaction to Pink? How different was their reaction from that to your other movies? My parents are the most non-filmy people ever. However, they do come and see my films only because they are my films; otherwise they do not watch films. I do not think that they have a referral point to say if it is a good film or a bad film. In the past few decades, they have only seen my films, in the theatres. My dad, however, tries to come and give me a critical opinion of how the acting was good or not, action was good or not, and so on. He would never say that this is better than that or anything of that sort.
Do you think that in the recent times the way women are treated has changed? Of course it has changed. Now the women have started speaking up. They have realised that even they have the right to speak up, demand justice. Although we still have a long way to go, we are moving ahead in the right direction.
There was an interview long back where you mentioned that you were uncomfortable in a scene in a Telugu movie. Was this interview authentic enough, and did you really said that? The funny part is on one side you like and enjoy actors having opinions and, on the other, we have a certain section of the media that is very irresponsible. They have no time to do their job properly and do not quote things the way they are said or meant. They want to just make it sound more
Photography: Munna S
April 2018
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Small Talk
Photography: Munna S 16
April 2018
Small Talk
Rapid Fire New Year resolutions
–
None
Mr. Bachchan
–
Living legend
Aadukalam
– Beginning
Cinema
–
Biggest weakness in life –
Entertainment My family
controversial and get more hits. That’s where all these controversies start. And all this started from the small comic stint (East India Comedy) and it was a 20- or 25-minute sketch. My intention was to laugh at my own work or experiences and not to ridicule anyone else. I did not intend to say it that way, and I was laughing at myself and so was everyone at that table. And yet some people love to create controversy out of nothing and later I had to clarify and apologise.
Are you still part of the wedding planning company that Shagun, Farah and you started? Are you still actively involved? Yes I am. It is doing fabulously well and Shagun and Farah are still the people handling it at ground. I barely have time to be active in the groundwork. They both are doing a brilliant job and I’m proud of them. And the fact that they are doing it without playing my name card is the beauty of it. I am so happy that I have ventured into this and we have a partnership in this particular business that has no recession!
What advice do you have to give to girls like Shagun or the younger ones venturing into business or into the industry? I would like to tell them that it is nice to pursue your passion and you should. However, have a practical approach towards it. Despite the plunge into
Photography: Avinash Gowariker your stomach, because that does not happen all the time. You cannot afford to go wrong that many times.
Tell us three style tips that you would like to give to live a life of style. First: You need to be happy in whatever work
your passion, you must be realistic. Do not try to go
you are doing. Second: Make sure you make time for
overboard and feel that your passion is going to feed
yourself. Third: Be your own hero.
April 2018
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Techiela
How to Prevent Budget Meltdowns Gone are the days when you would stock up your wallets with cash! Come 2018, carrying debit cards are also a thing of the past. Your money is smartly handled by your smartphone. Sruthi Ravinder lists five must-have money management apps to help you handle your cash in a click this fiscal year!
H
aving money in your pocket doesn’t necessarily mean you can spend lavishly. Splurging on petty things can add up to the pressure of making ends meet, especially at the end of the month. Instead of wondering where your money went,
download one of these budget-tracking apps on your phone that will tell you where your money should go.
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April 2018
Techiela
Mint Mint is an all-in-one financing app that has all your monetary tracking covered, from creating a budget to tracking your expenses. It also reminds you of bills to be paid. It connects to all your bank and credit card accounts. It helps you track your monthly bills and keeps them all in one place. The app can
www.mint.com
also send you payment reminders so you can avoid late fees. The Mint is designed to discover your spending habits, and it suggests you ways to save up and gain a better control over your spending.
Home Budget with Sync Home Budget with Sync is the perfect budgeting app for your family. It manages expenses with a ‘Family Sharing’ feature. The app allows users to sync the budget with multiple devices. Your finance is segregated into income and expenses, and the spending habits are displayed in the form of charts, information graphs or
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itemised lists of purchases. What sets this app apart is the sync that allows you to share and coordinate bills and expenses with friends and family members.
April 2018
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Techiela
Walnut Money Manager Unlike other apps, Walnut Money Manager doesn’t stop with a superficial view of your budget, but features all kinds of intricate detailing. The highly customisable app lets you categorise your monthly expenses into clothing, food, groceries, entertainment, and so on. It tells you
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what, how and where you have spent your money. Keep an eye on credit card dues, transfer money to your friends for free and find ATMs near you. The app also works offline! To say it in short, Walnut’s got it all in a nutshell.
PocketGuard PocketGuard is the best app you can use to keep a track on all your bank accounts. The app connects to your bank through an encrypted, readonly connection to tell you how much you have in your account and also how much you can afford to spend. It classifies your spending into purchases, subscriptions, and bill payments, thus making your finance management a tad bit easier. All your payment transitions come in as quick notifications, keeping you well aware of your
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You Need a Budget: YNAB Want to stay away from budget meltdowns? Well, we suggest you download the YNAB. The app will become your accountable partner that’s constantly reminding you not to overspend. It helps create budgets within your income; and even if you get off track, it finds ways to alter your spending to bring back the balance. With this app on your phone, you will no longer have to live pay cheque to pay cheque. 24
April 2018
banking transactions.
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April 2018
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Health Wise
Everyone loves the idea of a “detox” – a magical way to get rid of toxins and optimise body function. You can find all kinds of detox products these days; and if you’re really serious, then you can always check yourself into a wellness centre for the whole experience. Ishani Vellodi Reddy shares her experience and tells us how to detox the right way!
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April 2018
The Detox Diary A
fter years of wanting to try one of these retreats, I got the chance to finally do it last week. We spent five days on a strict detox diet, undergoing different
treatments in an environment designed to help you leave feeling a little healthier and lighter. Over the course of our retreat, I didn’t lose any significant weight (I swore off weighing scales a couple years ago and my clothes didn’t fit any differently), but I did leave feeling much healthier. The really exciting thing was that despite the menu of amazing treatments that were at our disposal, the principles that made the detox so successful are so amazingly easy for anyone to implement anytime.
Take care of your gut – that’s where it all starts What you consume, and how your body feels
about it, literally affects every single physical
The first day of taking things more slowly (after
process. Even for those of us who think we’re eating
those box jumps that almost made me pass out!), I
healthy most of the time, it’s good to take the time
was convinced I felt stiffer and wanted nothing more
to re-evaluate our gut health at regular intervals…
than to eat some carbs so I could actually go sweat
after all, that’s where all the toxins gets filtered when
at the gym. By the second day, I didn’t feel so stiff,
we eat anything.
and by the third day I woke up feeling so incredible
While my daily diet focuses on getting the right balance of macrobiotics to support what I need my body to do for me, my temporary detox diet was only about the gut. I was still getting about 1,500 calories a day, but, for example, when I tried doing box jumps in the gym, I thought I was going to pass out, and I was getting just a fraction of the protein I usually do! For me, that was a bit of a deal breaker and made the whole process harder, but the centrepiece of the diet is so easily incorporated into anyone’s daily routine: probiotics. Yogurt, miso, pickled vegetables, kimchi, and dark chocolate are all rich in probiotics; so when you feel like your digestive system is in a bit of a rut, amp up the probiotics a little in your usual diet for an immediate detoxifying effect.
Know when to go slow so you can move fast when it counts I assumed that, as someone who exercises very consistently and eats an extremely balanced diet, I had trained my body to be able to withstand all kinds of stress and strain and bounce right back. As it happens, that wasn’t the case at all.
April 2018
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Health Wise that it dawned on me that I actually might have been
optimally, then all your energy goes into just basic
stiff before and my body was gradually returning to
function, leaving little left over for higher functions
its natural state.
that help you look and feel
What I believed to be my disciplined and consistent training, in the absence of time and
your best. I, for one, almost never get more than six hours
energy put towards fully returning to a recovered and
of sleep in a night, and even those six hours tend to
relaxed state, had actually led to a loss of mobility.
be somewhat restless. Within an hour of reaching the
Since the process had happened a little at a time,
retreat I was told very clearly that my sleep patterns
day by day, I was completely unaware of how bad
were far from normal, and we started to address
things had gotten until I was forced to take a time
potential medical and non-medical causes for my
out until my body was able to go back to the way it
sleep issues, from poor circulation to stress. In just a
was meant to be.
few days, the restlessness decreased, and I woke up
Lesson learned: if you want to make progress, or see improvements, put in the time and work, and then allow time for the progress to occur to avoid backpedaling. This one isn’t just about working out either – it pretty much applies to
feeling a little better each day. It’s definitely safe to say that bad sleep is something I won’t be ignoring again! All things considered, I did find the detox experience challenging, and I think it was especially
everything!
challenging for me given the rigidity of my
Keep dreaming
existing lifestyle practices. These three big
Sleep is a pretty great indicator of overall health, so make sure you’re honest with yourself about how well you’re actually sleeping. If you aren’t getting a solid seven (or more) hours of sleep a night, your body isn’t getting time to repair itself, and is slowly breaking down a little at a time. If your body isn’t functioning
takeaways were so worth it, however. At the end of the day, “detoxing” isn’t about drinking some gimmicky tea, or juicing for a week, but rather it’s a mentality and an attitude towards being aware of and caring for your body. Sometimes it’s nice to do a little reset for a few days here and there, but from here on out, I personally just might prefer doing a little bit of detoxing for myself every day.
Originally from New York, Ishani now lives in Chennai with her husband and son. Although she previously had a career in Finance, she is now a wellness coach who loves helping people achieve balance so they can live their fullest lives possible. In her spare time, Ishani loves spending time with her son (a.k.a. her best friend), working out, eating and travelling. 28
April 2018
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Couture
Sole to Soul What can a shoe tell you about a person? A country? A lot, apparently. Yamini Vasudevan takes a walk
I
n what is a twist to a beloved fairy tale, I see Cinderella taking the glass shoe, marrying the prince and having a separate wing in their castle filled with thousands of pairs of shoes.
My imagination came to life at the Bata Shoe
Museum (BSM) in Toronto, Canada. The biggest
inside the Bata Shoe Museum
footwear museum in the world, the BSM houses over
and gains precious insights
across five floors. This is a unique view of history,
into history, culture and fashion.
a thousand pairs of shoes and related artefacts culture and fashion from around the world. Here is a photograph of the first ever footprint made 3,700,000 years ago in Laetoli, Tanzania – discovered by anthropologist Mary Leakey in 1976. There we see Moravian dance boots that have accordion-style pleats; the pleats indicate a
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April 2018
highly skilled craftsman’s First ever footprint
mastery over leather.
Chestnut-crushing clogs from 19th century France come with a series of menacing spikes under the base – an essential tool more than a fashion statement. Jade beads, brass bells and gold thread adorn a pair of shoes made for a temple dancer in Rajasthan in 1840; the bells were sown onto the ankle strap so that they would tinkle in time with the dancer’s steps.
on tales similar to that of Cinderella – from France,
There are Murano glass mules, tiny ceramic shoes complete with floral
Holland and Korea. The BSM was the brainchild of Sonja Bata,
print and buckles, shoe-shaped
wife of Thomas Bata, who was popularly known
drinking flasks, and a tile depicting
as ‘shoemaker to the world’. Sonja, who was born
St. Crispin (the patron saint of
in Switzerland, dreamt of being an architect but
shoemakers) crafting a pair in his
changed her mind – and career – after she married
workshop. There are tiny shoes
Thomas in 1946. The couple migrated to Canada
that remind me of the tale in which
after Thomas’ family business was nationalised
elves help a poor shoemaker; they
under the communist regime in home country
serve as inspiration for footwear to
Czechoslovakia. As she worked alongside her
keep dogs’ paws warm. And, yes, there are shoes modelled Moravian dance boots
husband to build the company, Sonja began to study the historic, social and cultural significance of April 2018
31
Couture elongated toes in 15th century England. That shoes with elongated toes were all the rage not too long ago is a reminder that the fashion industry does not reinvent the wheel but merely waits for it to come full circle. A pair of Burmese royal footwear from the Konbaung Dynasty (19th century) draws my eye. Shaped like a swan (known as hintha in Burmese), footwear. A shoe, she said, “is a Burmese Royal Shoes
piece of material culture…
it tells you more about the individual than anything else does.” I realise the truth of her words at every step. The liberal use of gold, fashioned into large ornaments that were sewn onto sandals,
and featuring traditional shwe-chi-doe embroidery (which involves the use of real gold thread and beads), the footwear was part of a young boy’s attire for a novitiation ceremony. It is not merely the beauty of the
carried symbolic meaning for the
workmanship
Asanthene rulers who controlled
that stuns
the Gold Coast in Africa in the
but the fact
early 18th century. Given
that the
the belief that a
shoes were
ruler’s feet must Chinese Silk Shoes
never touch the
ground, the casing made for his soles must be fitting of his status. I pause at a pair of red silk slippers from Zheijiang Province in China, dating to the early 20th century. While I was aware that the Chinese consider red an auspicious colour, the fact that the embroidery of a hen and its five chicks stood for having five sons ready to take their
Ceramic Shoes - 17th Century, Holland
designed to be disposable. There are shoes I am smitten by; footwear I wish could walk in, if only for a precious few minutes. An embellished pair of chopines or platform footwear from 16th century Italy tugs at my heartstrings. The wooden base is covered by gold-coloured velvet and silver lace. Lace and silk come together in elegant ruffles on top. Unlike the original wearers – under whose voluptuous skirts these beauties were hidden away – I would flaunt them appropriately. A pair of red and gold thigh-high boots made from gilded leather, with gold patterns and a row of gold buttons down the side, has me sighing with longing. My heart stops when I see a pair of ankle boots
government examinations is Akan Sandals
intriguing. There is more to capture my attention.
Like the fact that King Edward IV proclaimed an edict to limit the length of shoes’ toes according to the wearer’s wealth and social standing. He was probably forced to do so, given the fascination with 32
April 2018
by Giuseppe Zanotti. Studded all over with crystals, with gold and silver spikes to boot, they are all about – as the description points out – ‘the world of fetish’. I turn around and find myself face to face with a pair of gold mojaris that belonged to the Nizam of Hyderabad in the early 1800s. Heavily worked with gold thread, with the ‘throats’ near the ankles studded with rubies, diamonds and emeralds,
Couture
Taking a Walk In 2006, a pair of sandals that was embroidered with gold thread and encrusted with diamonds and rubies was stolen from the Bata Shoe Museum. Once worn by the erstwhile ruler of Hyderabad, the pair was precious, said Sonja Bata, “because they gave a glimpse into the richness of that old culture, and also the glorious and superb taste of the people of Hyderabad.” A reward of $25,000 was offered. A month later, a photo shop recognised the stolen slippers in pictures it had printed for a customer, and the culprit was
Mojari of the Nizam of Hyderabad
caught. “I did a stupid thing,” the thief admitted in court. He was given an 18-month conditional sentence. these are a pair to covet. I take a second look at the winged gold sneakers (an ode to Hermes, the Greek messenger god), by Jeremy Scott x Adidas, but decide they are, well, too flashy. The last mentioned shoes are part of a special exhibit, titled ‘The Gold Standard: Glittering Footwear from Around the Globe’. Featuring some of BSM’s most precious pieces, the exhibition showcases how the yellow metal has been used in footwear ornamentation as an expression of status and
Sonja Bata
fashion. It is also testimony to the techniques of creating amalgams of leather, gold, precious stones and fabrics – from mummy casings that feature
There was also the case of arsenic poisoning from green pigments used to make fabric blossoms – lending a new meaning to the term ‘femme
elaborate art (3rd century; Egypt) to men’s sandals
fatale’. Not to mention the pain,
embellished with gold leaf (1800s; Italy). appropriately in the last floor – is an exhibition titled ‘Fashion Victims: The Pleasures & Perils of Dress in the 19th Century’. Here, I see gowns made from muslin and silk, worn with dainty shoes, in line with the trend of resembling Murano Glass Mules
Greek goddesses.
corns and bunions that resulted Egyptian Mummy Case
In what is a sobering moment – placed quite
from narrow, constricting footwear – a state of affairs that caused British poet and printer John Bedford Leno to remark caustically, “Shoemakers as a rule, it must be confessed, know little of the foot’s anatomy.” I wonder what Sonja Bata would say to that.
The resultant exposed arms and bosoms not only caused several eyebrows to shoot up in horror but also resulted in many young fashionistas catching ‘muslin fever’ – a severe cold – due to being
All BSM photos are courtesy the Bata Shoe Museum – © 2018, Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto, Canada
underdressed. Unfortunately, it ended in death for those who had fragile constitutions.
Yamini Vasudevan is the former Managing Editor of LIVING. Her previous stints were with Culturama, The Hindu Business Line and Harper's BAZAAR (Singapore). April 2018
33
Brand Me
Steps to Super Charge Your Career! Of many career advises that we receive, very few are put into practice. Dr. Marshall Goldsmith’s advice on charging our careers is not only practical but also has long-term positive effects. Here are 8 steps suggested by the celebrity coach for a successful career.
34
April 2018
W
hat does coaching look like? This
in our change process – they may never notice or
depends on the type of coach
appreciate what we are doing.
you hire. If you hire a behavioural change coach like me, I won’t
help you change strategy or business practices. I will help you achieve a positive, long-term, measurable change in your behaviour. I’ll help you see that the behaviours and habits that have taken your to your current level of success might not be the behaviours and habits that will take you to the next level of success. I train people to improve their behaviour in the workplace – by enrolling them in a simple, yet challenging regimen. Here are the steps. First, I solicit 360° feedback from my client’s colleagues – as many as can provide valid information – from up, down and sideways in the chain of command, often including family members – for a comprehensive assessment of their strengths and challenges. I then let my clients know (in a way that protects the confidentiality of the interviewees) what everybody really thinks about them. Assuming that they accept this information, agree that they have something to improve and commit to changing behaviour – I go to work and try to help them get better – at what they have chosen – and as judged by whom they have chosen. My clients learn to apologise to people concerning any mistakes from the past (because this is a great way to erase negative baggage associated with prior actions) and to ask their co-workers for help in getting better. My clients then advertise their efforts to change. As opposed to keeping their change efforts a ‘dark secret’, they tell everyone around them what they are trying to improve. If we don’t let people know
My clients follow up with all of the people around them to get ongoing suggestions. We have research on follow-up that involves over 86,000 respondents in eight major corporations. The findings from this research are crystal clear, leaders that follow up in a disciplined way get better, those that don’t follow up are not seen as changing any more than random chance. As an integral part of the follow-up process, I teach people to listen without prejudice to what their colleagues, family members and friends are saying – that is, to listen without interrupting or arguing. I teach people to express gratitude to everyone around them for what they are learning. Learning how to simply say “thank you” without qualifiers or embellishments can make a big difference. Finally, I teach people the value of feedforward, which is my “special sauce” methodology for eliciting advice from colleagues on how they can improve in the future. It can sometimes be difficult for super-achievers to get over the hump and admit that they can benefit from changing behaviour. If behavioural change can help them become more effective in their role, and if they are willing to stick with the steps in our coaching process and if they are given a fair chance – they will almost always get better – not only in their own minds but, more importantly, in the opinions of everyone they impact. And, that is the spirit underlying all of my coaching. It is aimed at anyone who wants to get better – at work, at home, or any other venue. It will help anyone who wants to supercharge his or her career!
that we are trying to change – and recruit them
Dr. Marshall Goldsmith is the million-selling author of the New York Times bestsellers MOJO and What Got You Here Won’t Get You There – the Harold Longman Award winner for Business Book of the Year. Article courtesy: http://www.marshallgoldsmith.com April 2018
35
The Big Picture
36
April 2018
“I restore myself when I’m alone,” said Marilyn Monroe. To think of it, we’re sure she meant she had a tiny little private space at home where she would disconnect from the glitzy world of Hollywood. Privacy is a luxury, and there are many homes around the world that define luxury in a literal sense. Team LIVING picks some of the most luxurious private homes that are tucked away in the lap of style and opulence.
April 2018
37
The Big Picture
R
oyal families across the world have left the future generations with stunning examples of luxurious
abodes. From intricate designs to hand-crafted furniture, these homes are a true beacon of grandeur. In modern times, the royal palaces have been swiftly replaced by those built by successful entrepreneurs, artists and stars. We pick six of the most striking luxury homes in the world that have left us in awe!
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April 2018
Hearst Castle, USA Undisclosed price Formerly owned by newspaper magnate, the late William Randolph Hearst, this Californian mansion was named National Historic Landmark by the government. It was inhabited by Hearst until his death in 1951, post which it is being handled by the California State Park. It has been open for visitors since 1958, and the beautiful mansion attracts millions of visitors each year. Designed by Julia Morgan, the castle features 61 bathrooms, 56 bedrooms, a Neptune pool, a Roman pool, 19 sitting rooms and much more over an area of 60,645 square feet. From Spanish to Mediterranean architecture, this castle is a modern-day marvel!
The Big Picture
Antilla, Mumbai $1 Billion* This house has successfully secured its place amongst the world’s most luxurious private homes. Owned by billionaire businessman Mukesh Ambani, Antilla is reportedly worth a whopping billion dollars. Standing tall on the shores of the Arabian Sea, Antilla has 27 floors, 6 parking blocks and 3 helipads. Located in South Mumbai, the house is said to cover an area of 4,00,000 square feet. A house that enormous requires 600 people on its payroll. A 50-seat home theatre, twostoreyed health centre, swimming pool, hanging gardens and many other facilities make this home the most coveted in the world. Although Buckingham Palace, London, is said to be the most expensive home in the world, Antilla is considered private and luxurious in comparison to the Queen’s abode.
Fairfield Pond, USA $250 Million* A luxurious villa in the Hamptons and your summer can’t get any better. Owned by American businessman Ira Rennert, this estate caused quite a controversy among its neighbours. A local newspaper had to apologise for incorrectly stating that this massive estate was built by Rennert as a religious retreat and not as a private home. Rennert denied the reports after an agitation by the locals. However, he went ahead and proudly named it Fairfield Pond after the adjoining river. Built on an area of 110,000 square feet, Fairfield Pond boasts of 39 bathrooms and 29 bedrooms. Mediterranean-style tiles and Italian designs on its facade have impressed its visitors. The house is considered the most luxurious and the most expensive in the United States.
April 2018
39
The Big Picture
Maison de L'Amitie, Florida $8.8 Billion* The President of the United States, Donald Trump surely knows how to live like a king. This beach front mansion was sold by him to Dmitry Rybolovlev in 2008. With beautiful sea views, this coveted home is spread across 60,000 square foot. It includes diamond and gold fixtures just how the Trumps like it. The house has 18 bedrooms, 22 bathrooms and a garage space for 50 cars.
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April 2018
Villa Leopolda, French Riviera $1 Billion* Built by King Leopold II of Belgium in 1929, this massive space of luxury and royalty was designed by renowned architect Ogden Codman Jr. Although the villa has been topping the headlines in the past few decades for its legal problems, it was said to have been sold to Bill Gates by its previous owner, Russian tycoon Mikhail Prokhorov. However, many reports suggest that its former owner Lily Safra had fought the case to cancel the sale of the house to Mikhail Prokhorov. The mystery surrounding this villa has made it a matter of curiosity for many around the world. Said to be the most expensive villa in Europe, Villa Leopolda is spread across 80,000 square feet with 14 bathrooms and 11 bedrooms. It was also featured in many popular movies like Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief and the 1948 film The Red Shoes among others.
Franchuk Villa, London $161 Million* Looks like Ukrainian businesswoman Elena Franchuk loves a bit of Victorian elegance. She purchased and remodelled this villa in 2006. It was previously run by an academic institution. This five-storeyed villa is estimated to be worth $161 million. Although its exteriors are similar to other luxury homes in Kensington Gardens, the interiors are no less than a royal dream. Victorian-styled interiors make this modern villa a luxurious escape for the lover of history. This villa also has 10 bedrooms and an indoor swimming pool with a fitness centre.
April 2018
41
Global Fest
Dubai Food Festival By Zainab Khan
42
April 2018
A food fest like no other and a celebration of all
the best of saffron that is collected and dried and
things delicious – Dubai Global Village food festival
ready for use. Majorly used as a colouring agent and
is one of its kind in Asia. What started off as a group
seasoning for food, rest assured of the quality and
of small kiosks on the shores of Dubai Creek, Global
do not forget to bargain on the quantity!
Village attracts as many as 6 million visitors each year. Dubai Land, as the centre is called, is located on Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Road and is an entertainment complex that houses the festival from November to April every year. Spread over 17,200 square feet, the Global Village is the world’s largest, one-of-a-kind, integrated entertainment and shopping project that showcases cultural extravaganza at its best. The 22nd season was a foodie's paradise with 23
Tea from Morocco: A tea-lover’s hub, the Moroccan Pavilion has a wide range of tea to offer right from the pure traditional tea, to green tea to flavoured tea that includes Moroccan herbs, thyme, saffron, mint, chamomile and jasmine. Enjoy a cuppa in the winter chill and also pack some for back home. Zaatar from Lebanon: Walking by the Lebanon Pavilion and being greeted by a pleasant aroma? Stop and buy! It’s Zaatar. Zaatar is the name of a wild thyme that grows all over the hills and mountains
cafes and restaurants with new menus from Cuba,
of Lebanon and also the name of a mix. The mix
the Middle East, Turkey, China and Mexico. With more
consists of dried hyssop leaves, dried sumac, mixed
than 120 food stalls that served scrumptious street
with sesame, salt and other local spices. Sprinkle this
food from all across the globe, visitors are sure to be
mix with olive oil on a flatbread and treat your taste
spoilt for choice! While each pavilion is showcasing
buds to the food tradition of Lebanon!
its rich culture and heritage, here are the top six
Global Village 2017–2018
must-try dishes from around the world! Baklava from Turkey: Oozing honey, made with layers of filo and huge quantities of chopped nuts, this rich Turkish delight is not going to let you stop with just one piece! A must-try for someone with a sweet tooth! Coffee Beans from Ethiopia: Tired of the long walk and exhaustive shopping? Head to the African Pavilion
• Global Village Season 22 – November 1 2017, to April 7, 2018 • Entry Ticket: AED 15 • Timings: Saturday to Monday – 4:00 p.m. to midnight. Thursday, Friday and public holidays – 4:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. Mondays are for families and ladies only.
and watch your coffee being made from scratch! A
• Two new pavilions – the Bosnia & Balkans Pavilion
bunch of coffee beans are pulled out of a rucksack,
and the South Asia Pavilion. They represent the
roasted to perfection, brewed and served to
Nepal, Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi cultures.
match your taste buds. Dark or with milk, sweet or unsweetened, strong or light, you decide!
• Latest addition: Carnival – Designed to look and give the feel of a carnival from across the globe,
Honey from Yemen: Infused with ginger, dry fruits,
with each ride and game being named after major
cardamom, cinnamon, herb, sesame seed or saffron,
world cities, the Carnival consists of fun rides,
white honey or virgin honey, in short – the Yemen
skill-based games and arcade games.
Pavilion is a honey heaven! Do not forget to take a few bottles back home!
• Over 12,000 cultural and entertainment shows which include 23 international superstar
Saffron from Iran: The ‘red gold’ of Iran or zaffran, as it
concerts, Monster Stunt Show and over 20 street
is otherwise known, is a spice derived from a flower
entertainers.
called the saffron crocus. The Iran Pavilion houses April 2018
43
Parenting
Role-Baby-Role Navigating emotions and keeping feelings in check are two things adults struggle with every day. Some people are easier to read than others. Expressing emotions and identifying what someone is feeling are challenging enough. To even think of how daunting it must be for children is unimaginable. Antara Kothari Pandit tells us why it’s important to read your children’s emotions and help them express their feelings!
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April 2018
C
rying and screaming are a few of the
to confide in me about, concerning me, but does not
limited ways young children use to convey
want to directly approach the topic.
that something is bothering them; but it sometimes goes deeper than that. It has
always been a #1 priority for me as a mother to come up with various new ways of being a sounding board for my children. Direct questions and answers have never been an option with my elder son. I am not sure whether this is a norm with most 3-year-olds going on 30, but it seems to be the case with mine! I have come to realise that with young children, indirect methods like creative games are the best way to gain an insight into their day. Asking them about their best moment of the day and what made them happy or sad in school and who they were sitting next to can magically spill out the answers. Role-play is a technique that young children
I have conditioned myself to (1) never refuse role-play time, (2) put down whatever I am doing at that moment so he has my complete attention and (3) hear him out. Till today, there has never been an instance where I have not learned something useful about my behaviour as a mother, resulting from role-play with my son. People who know me well know that I am an advocate of keeping up with the present times in anything I do and that includes motherhood. As a big bonus, I am also able to gain a good sense of my son’s progress in school through role-play, when he pretends to be his teacher and me a student in his class. His understanding of concepts is demonstrated very clearly while playing the role of his teacher. It is also an easy way for me as a parent to grasp the
automatically embrace at some point in their
tone, language and overall body language that is
preschool years. It is an activity that is critical
displayed by his influencers in school.
for a child’s development as it builds confidence, creativity and, most importantly, communication. It gives children the opportunity to be someone else for some time, enabling them to learn more. I see so many other benefits as well. Children are filled with imagination and wonder, left untainted by the constantly evolving and complicated world. This wonder that they possess is fuelled by the people who surround them every day; and aside from their parents, their teachers are their biggest influencers. They watch their teachers who become like family, help them learn day in and day out and they begin to imagine what it would be like to be them. There have been multiple occasions where I have asked my son if he likes his new teacher and I have been greeted with silence or “I don’t know”. When my son comes to me voluntarily and says “Mama, I am you, you are Dev”, I immediately
Trying to understand what young children are attempting to tell you can be very frustrating. I am certain that each one of us has exhibited a lack of patience waiting for our children to finish crying about something; it’s only human. However, we need to remind ourselves time and time again that these are young children trying to grasp a sense of who they are and what they are feeling in relation to others around them. We cannot expect them to communicate their feelings and emotions to us in a way we want them to. Children are comfortable in their own skin and they are also aware of the kind of environment that they are most comfortable in, at a surprisingly young age. Some children express themselves the most during play, as does my elder son. So, it is up to us to nurture their love for roleplay activities as it can reveal many details that you would never have known otherwise.
understand that there is something that he wants
Antara is a mother of two and is the founder of a parenting blog, The Bubbly Blogcast. She writes about everyday challenges moms face and uses her blog as a platform for global discussion on parenting. April 2018
45
Tripster
The Sultanate & The Spa 46
April 2018
Oman is a colossus of natural beauty, diverse and dramatic. Majestic ancient mountains, sheets of desert and stunning beaches all add to its attraction. Devanshi Mody heads out to this melange of luxury and style and gives us all the reasons why we must visit Oman!
the-breath-away and the beauty partly lies in the resort being so snug in its surrounds, no carbuncle on nature. With tall ceilings, vast spaces and floor-to-ceiling glass that ushers in the outdoors, this lofty perch in stone, wood and indigenous materials is rustic, but, being Alila, eminently chic. Black roses creep up a grill; recall that these inclines blush with Damask roses come March. The spa is filigreed with murals of juniper, 3000-year-old trees inhabiting Jabal Akhdar whose terraced plateaus are profuse seasonally with roses, pomegranate, apricots, olives and walnuts that perpetual gnarled hoary trees watch over. The resort’s infinity pool seemingly drops into a precipitous gorge; and forget Jebel Shams, Oman’s highest peak, nothing staggers like the views from the giddy terrace of your glass-facaded cliff-edge ethno-elegant villa plump with mattresses warmed by hot-water bottles (temperatures can plummet). Alila is an experience. The “To Do” menu is so hefty it could serve as weights. Endeavour exciting treks that notch your wellness credentials. Ask for
A
Mahmood Al-Amri. “You need to book me a year mongst the world’s most exclusive and expensive destinations, a well-guarded secret, a prerogative of the discerning few, Oman boasts some of the grandest
names in spas. It has gained renown as an adventure destination. But it has a culture, an old one, and needn’t man-ufacture it like other Gulf states. “Beauty has an address – Oman.” That’s Oman Tourism’s new tagline. But they likelier mean “Beauty has an address – Omar.” I refer to Omar Al-Jabri from Oman Tourism. He’s young, sharp, useful and disturbingly handsome!
Alila Jabal Akhdar “Can you spot our resort?” asks my hostess Angel as we swirl up the sheer and shorn jagged-edged Jabal Akhdar Mountain. I can’t. Angel is delighted. In a nation outlawing high-rises (“this isn’t New York or Dubai,” someone says), nothing obtrudes the heavens. You see sky and it isn’t punctured by shooting concrete. Feels good. Better, Alila is take-
in advance,” winks the much-sought-after guide. But if you’ve a crisis, he’ll drop everything (except his guests on Via-Ferrata) and move mountains to solve it. Rather than move mountains, better he takes you across them on the “Lost Village” trek. Descend 200-million-year-old rocks (they look fresh for their age – sans spa therapy) past an effusion of date plantations below, through an abandoned old village into a dry riverbed narrow be-tween vaulting mountains ending in a deep saturnine pool. Julian Ayers, Alila’s engaging and innovative GM, is curious and cultured. Besides the usual tours to the historic Nizwa Souk, labyrinthine UNESCO-ed Bahlah Fort and pretty Jabreen Castle, he adventurously recommends an epic voyage into nowhere to the Bat Tombs, 3000-year-old UNESCO-listed humped stones on individual mounds resembling nippled hillocks. Oman has the world’s best roads, award-winning too, and I discover 150 kmph is slow as someone shoots past at 180 kmph. But distances are immense; and to get around, call April 2018
47
Tripster Arun Raj (young, very sharp, not unhandsome and
smuggles past the vigi-lant Security Post on Jabal
mostly useful) from Zahara Tours
Akhdar and prison hasn’t been known to enhance
(www.zaharatours.com).
well-being.
You’re ravenous on return and Alila considerately offers Juniper that BBC declared “Oman’s Best
The Chedi Muscat I hazarded Oman to stay at The Chedi. If the
Restaurant” where Kiwi Chef Alex Ensor, honed at
legendary hotel hadn’t had accommodation, I
Australia’s finest gastronomic res-taurants, delivers
shouldn’t have ventured. The citrus welcome elixir
fresh food capturing the vitality and vigour of these
spurringly gingered, relished in the dusky lobby
parts. Fitri’s gorgeous pampering over meals makes
embowered in crimson and lemon lanterns hanging
you want to check-in forever. Moroccan stewardess
like fruit from a tree immediately betokens that this
Sarah insists you must. I would, just to breakfast
place is about quality. The drink is divine, you must
on terraces laid on that thralling view as you gorge
have refills. MUST. Staff, brisk, intuitive, obliging,
on homemade granola gleaming with emerald
mostly South Indian, have already anticipated your
pistachio shards and ruby-studs of cranberries. And,
need. The sea-front hotel with tufts of deliciously
essentially because kidnapping super-cool Guest
untamed beach-embracing heather is a maze of
Services Supervisor Rina Ibrahim of whom I make my
slick, geometric water gardens where parrots and
PA defies my best attempts at cunning as nothing
mynahs play.
Alila Jabal Akhdar 48
April 2018
Tripster Book Villa 1008 where tripartite accommodation
3 kg in Oman, 2.99 of them at The Chedi). Fruit, cut
surrounds a sea-facing terrace. Aqua di Parma
fresh at a live station, plethoric and beckoningly
smartens bathrooms, the living-room is
arrayed, is virile. No pocked, limp fruit as at almost
inviting with complimentary decanters
every 5-Star nowadays. Viennoiserie and foul
of whisky, vodka, gin. Generous jars
mesdams are the sole edible in Oman. Breads
enclose almonds and pistachios
can match those in France, and the lavish churned
crisp like crickets and apricots
butter is from France. Crème de la crème, literally.
orange as the setting sun,
Naturally, when they feed those who look like they
plump as a sultan’s
own yachts in Monte-Carlo, if not private jets. The
cushion.
Qataris whose cavalcade of shark-blue Mercedes Benzes crescent the hotel entrance probably do.
Drink up but not so
And I thought The Chedi’s Mercedes limo sent for
much that you miss
me at the airport was the fanciest car in Oman
breakfast. Al fresco
(besides, of course, the Porsches for which Omanis
or under jewel-like
display a penchant). Test your fitness levels by how
chandeliers it’s
fast you race back to stay at The Chedi. Ready
amongst Earth’s
Chedi Go!
best (I acquired
Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar A comprehensive resort in concrete alleviated by gardens with enormous accommodation the sort Arab royals patronise – there’s all the room for the harem. They like the imperious Presidential Villa. I prefer mine, Villa 7, with private pool, bedheads in contemporised Omani latticework and serene views. The villa showcases luxury Omani toiletries by Amouage (whose artisanal perfumes are pricier than their Parisian rivals), Damman Frère tea from Paris, crayons and an easel to draw for it’s held Prince Charles liked to when he visited (and there was nothing here then). Books lie around too for, apparently, the late Princess Diana liked to read. The books elude me, but I see the Diana Point where Diana stood wistful over the valley. I’m more charmed by Italian restaurant Bella Vista whose lures
Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar April 2018
The Chedi Muscat
49
Tripster include gorgeous pizzas and thunderously good Love of Thunder berry mocktails. At the Anantara Spa including immaculate white marble hammam, ask Maria to do you the Rose Ritual with rose oil and sumptuous products exclusively created for this spa, which over a massage and facial brings you all the fragrant splendour of rose-ravished Jabal Akhdar.
Rotana Salalah A sprawling resort with green-bathed walls bringing in the cool, floating feel of a calm sea at dawn has a stunner infinity pool that greats you on arrival in the front porch and the best cardamominfused Omani coffee. Stone bridges swoon over jade-watered canals and there’s a sexy new Marina with a shopping arcade. The new beach-kissed Club Rotana is for exclusivity. Grab a glass of awardwinning Lebanese Pinot Noir and watch the sun expand like it will consume the universe – it’s so big, so close and so red before it dips like a biscuit melting into milk, sizzles a moment like a fried egg on the horizon and then is extinguished leaving a
Rotana Salalah
crimson glow on bird-streaked clouds. Discover East and West Salalah with Desert Cruise Travel (http://www.desertcruisetravel.com). Drive past the old port featured in Tom Hanks–starrer Captain Phillips to splendid beaches including Al Mughsail where birds skim pristine blue waters that caves contour. Visit Job’s Tomb (the prophet, not Steve) and Wadi Dawkah, a UNESCO-marked natural park of frankincense trees (in ancient times, Salah furnished the finest frankincense to the court of the Queen of Sheba and as far as Rome). UNESCO World Heritage Rhor Khori with ruins of a fortified city perhaps dating from 2nd century BC overlooks wadis where pink flamingos pose and sheep drink. Finish your day bird-watching at the lovely Wadi Darbat. There’s much to see and I want to race to get from East to West Salalah in a day. But Yusuf, owner of Desert Cruise Travel, warns that kill a camel before sundown and you’re fined OR 5500 (about USD 15,000). Post-tour get yourself that Rotana black been burger in wholemeal bread. At fine-dining Silk Route, traverse food on the Silk Route from Japan to 50
April 2018
Oman. Sushi is the lean option. Eat light as you’ll be frequenting the spa frenziedly. Rotana’s spa is no design sensation, but it has the best masseuses I’ve had in aeons. You’ll need it if heading on to Yemen. Resort EAM, Simon Azizi asks alarmed, “You going alone? I’d better escort.” “Where’s your AK47?” I ask. “In his office,” quips his colleague Rhoda. And it might get cold or I might need to smuggle out concealed. So at Muscat’s new Rotana Sundus, Mohammed Al Tamami comes with an embroidered Omani pashmina, “This is the good quality stuff,” he says. Great
Desert Nights Camp
destinations are about charming men. I’m at Rotana
relaxation room you’ve a dune top, masala chai and
Sundus’s Teatro restaurant and have knocked down
splendid sunset. I dine robed in a white table-cloth
a few award-winning Tiffin Punch cocktails (vodka,
looking like a Roman emperor. Perhaps why I receive
prosecco, grapefruit, lemon, lychee), but I say this
service fit for an emperor – even the throw-them-to-
with authority.
the-lions sort. The camp is Sri Lankan–owned. Fancy
Desert Nights Camp
takes me that I must have Lankan food. Although
Given the contacts of the camp’s CEO I deliberate there’s only one Srinith and it must be the ex-GM of Heritage Madurai who hosted me precisely 7 years ago (bizarre coincidence). The Omanis believe in
beset with tourists, the sold-out camp GM Anureen says, “All is possible” and Lankan chefs unleash a Lankan feast as Bedouin musi-cians serenade. It’s no mirage. Maybe magic.
magic and genies. What transpires inclines one to.
Desert Nights designs journeys via the lazy
Supping with Srinith in Muscat, I say I wish to visit
maritime town of Sur with lunch at sister hotel Sur
his Desert Nights Camp. He rings the camp. “Sir, no
Plaza to the dainty Wadi Tiwi and Wadi Shab, the
rooms available,” I overhear the telephonic dialogue.
most monumental experience in Oman. An hour’s
“Create a room,” Srinith says with characteristic
hiking across and reeling on edgy dizzying rocks that
composure. As if by magic, doors open. Forget spas
some U.S. marines must clutch me by the waist and
– when a CEO works his magic to accommodate
swing me across in a sort of wild ballroom dance
you, it massages the ego. Body massage comes as
finally lands me in a rock-enclosed pool brilliant with
Dune Bashing, a roller-coaster rollick over white, red
myriad shades of blue like the fanned feathers of a
and yellow dunes in the Wahiba Sands De-sert. For
dancing peacock. Ah….
After reading Physics, French and Philosophy at Oxford, Devanshi Mody gallivanted about the globe and stumbled into travel writing fortuitously. Vagabond urges notwithstanding, she's ever lured back to Chennai for masala dosas! April 2018
51
Skin Deep
The promise of acrylic nails seems so comforting – more permanent than a regular polish, easy to maintain and a way to lengthen those short nails. But the side effects can be more critical than you expect! To break down the potential hazards of acrylic nails, Seoyoung Park speaks to celebrity cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Chytra V Anand.
N
ail grooming is a growing industry, but how can you protect your nail health while having nail treatments and using artificial nails? Beauty can be deceiving
and the side effects can be long lasting. These are the must-know facts for nail safety if you have decided to get acrylic nails. • Stop using if rashes or redness occurs. Contact your doctor for advice. • Follow acrylic nail removal procedure correctly. Get it done by a professional. Never force the removal of acrylic nails from natural nails. • Do not use acrylic nail products if you suffer from skin diseases/disorders. • Work in a well-ventilated area, and protect the skin around your nails from the chemicals used during the application process. • Consider removing your acrylic nails and letting your natural nails breathe every two to three months. If you suspect a nail infection, consult a dermatologist for an evaluation.
52
April 2018
Skin Deep
Don't Break the Rules If you don’t follow these rules, you may notice nail deterioration. The dangers associated with acrylic nails are wide and varied, from infection to fungus and possible nail loss. Take a close look at your fingernails. Are they strong and healthy looking? Or do you see ridges, dents or areas of unusual colour or shape? Many less than desirable nail conditions can be avoided through proper fingernail care. Remember, nails can be a mirror of other, more serious health problems. Any abnormal changes to your nails should be medically investigated. Some of the more common conditions people approach Dr. Chytra with post-acrylic nail art include the following: • Discolouration • Ridged nails • Splitting nails • Bacterial infection • Fungal infection • Lifted nail plate With a condition known as onycholysis, the fingernails become loose and can separate from the nail bed. Sometimes detached nails are associated with injury or infection. In other cases, nail separation is a reaction to a particular drug or consumer product, such as nail hardeners or adhesives used in nail art. If this is the condition, you should limit the
Tender Loving Care You can reduce the risk of nail problems in a variety of ways: • Practise good personal hygiene. • Wear protective gloves for wet jobs such as washing the dishes. • Avoid harsh chemicals such as strong soaps and detergents. • Avoid using acetone nail polish removers; choose the conditioning variety, instead. • Don’t clean under your nails too frequently or too aggressively. • Resist the urge to bite or tear off hangnails — use nail clippers. • Don’t cut the nails very close to the nail bed. This can cause bleeding and stunt nail growth. • Remove artificial nails carefully and according to the manufacturer’s instructions. • Moisturise the hands frequently, particularly after washing them. • Remember to rub the moisturiser over your nails and cuticles too. • Treat any sign of eczema on your hands promptly. • To protect yourself from fungal infections, don’t share towels; always dry yourself thoroughly after bathing (particularly between the toes).
amount of chemical interaction with the nail bed for a while. You are at risk of further damage by adding thickness and weight to an already fragile nail structure. Let your nails heal before applying any product, even polish! It will take about six months or so for the nail cells that are back at the cuticle to grow all the way out to the tips. A few months of pain, healing nails will be a small price to pay compared to losing a nail plate completely for the rest of your life.
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C
arnivals are known for beautiful vistas, great night spots and luxurious resorts, but you can’t say you know what these celebrations are all about until you have actually been there for the most riotous and exuberant
experience. Those who participate in Tenerife’s Carnival take it very seriously; some businesses cut back hours or even close while the festival is going on. Here are five of the most famous carnivals in the world that you might want to book flight tickets for. Remember flights and hotels fill up quickly, so start planning your favourite carnival for 2019 in advance.
Around the world in Mardi Gras - New Orleans, USA Mardi Gras Carnival 2018, also known as Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday, is an annual celebration in the United States and in many countries around the world — mainly those with
Tenerife Carnival - Spain Tenerife Carnival is celebrated all across the world, but Spain’s has its own version and unique touch. Closely linked to the religious observance of privations before the start of Easter, Tenerife Carnival, with all its debauchery and excesses, usually takes place in the capital city Santa Cruz. It’s hosted during February and attracts people from all over the world. Santa Cruz’s main square is strewn with decoration and swells with stalls, music and a vibrant party atmosphere. The “coso” is the main event of the Carnival and takes place on Shrove Tuesday. It is a huge parade and the official closing event of the Carnival attracts thousands each year!
Date: March 3, 2019 | Where: Canary Island, Spain 54
April 2018
large Roman Catholic populations. This magnificent, costumed, beaded and feathered party is laced with tradition and is all about having a good time! The highlight is the Mardi Gras 2018 parade in New Orleans, Louisiana, which typically consists of people wearing masks and dancing in the streets. Other traditions include throwing beads and other trinkets, decorating floats and eating the King Cake.
Date: 5 March, 2019 | Where: New Orleans, USA
Rio de Janeiro Carnival - Brazil The Rio de Janeiro carnival is one of the best-known parties in the world. It’s also the largest carnival celebration in the world. It’s filled with music, parades, drinking and people having fun without a care. Held every year during the week leading up to the Lent, the Rio Carnival attracts visitors from all corners of the globe; it is also the best time to experience the best of Brazilian culture. The highlight of the carnival is the Samba Parade, which is not to be missed! Parades are held at the Sambodromo, with bleachers, tables for six and privately covered boxes for 12 all along the parade route.
Date: March 1 to 9, 2019 | Where: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Venice Carnival - Italy The entire city of Venice transforms into an even more magical place during the mid-winter carnival celebrations. Although the carnival is officially only for a day, it’s celebrated for weeks across Italy. There's a lot of public entertainment and masquerade rallies. People wear elaborate costumes, and this is one fancy dress parade which will stay in your memory forever. For the best experience, wear a costume or at least a mask. You can easily find an inexpensive mask once you're in Venice, or splurge on an ornate, hand-painted version.
Date: February 26 to March 3, 2019 | Where: Venice, Italy
Binche Carnival - Belgium The Carnival of Binche is all about celebrating exceptional heritage. It has been recognised as a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity” by UNESCO in 2003. This folkloric event, coming from an ancient tradition, is a real rite that gives the participants the feeling of being uniquely Belge! The streets are filled with colourful costumes. It is impossible to escape the flurry of confetti amidst the fun, laughter and frivolous joy!
Date: Changes each year | Where: Binche, Belgium
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Inside Out
Before
Interior design buffs know how important the first impression of a room can be. There are some spaces that, at first glance, make your heart skip a beat because their elements are so visually striking, yet still fit together. With an abundance of unique design styles, it can be daunting to decipher which style will work best for you. Suraksha Acharya takes you through two apartments designed by Midori Architects, inspired by two popular design styles: Coastal and Art Deco! 56
April 2018
N
owadays there is a growing realisation about the importance of having a space taken care of by specialists, with a presentation that is comfortable
and pleasant for all. Interior design is a process that provides customers with a set of aesthetically pleasing and, at the same time, efficient solutions for better use of the space in question. The aim is to improve user experience by better managing the space available in the intervened environment. Apart from customising homes to suit a homeowner’s lifestyle and needs, decorating a home can help conceal pre-existing design flaws. A great starting point for an interior design project is to learn a bit about each of the styles and how they differ from one another. As an architect and interior designer, I realised that modern and contemporary are terms frequently used interchangeably when referring to the styles. Contemporary is different from modern because it describes design based on the here and now, whereas modern is a strict interpretation of design that started in the 20th century. Using these examples, we aim to demonstrate how spaces can utilise decor styles that can cater to your sensibilities and speak to your soul in a contemporary manner.
Before
Art Deco Style Art Deco style, short for Arts Décoratifs, is characterised by rich colours, bold geometry and decadent detail work. Having reached the height of its popularity in the 1920s, 1930s and the 1940s, this signature aesthetic still evokes glamour, luxury and order with symmetrical designs in exuberant shapes. This renovated apartment takes inspiration from the old school glamour of the Jazz Age, which comes alive in the art deco–incorporated wall coverings and fixtures. This style is all about making a big statement and here we have selected strong, streamlined shapes with no frills to elevate the space. Let’s talk neutrals. Often grounding and stabilising, neutral hues such as cream and grey can veer into dreary territory if they’re not accented with other cheerful colours. Similarly, this modern living room (left) is given a rich feel with the help of wallpaper and velvet upholstery in varying shades of grey. True to the hallmark art deco glam, lustrous lacquered pieces are combined with a generous use of glass, velvet and antique gold/bronze finish. The living room boasts a chesterfield sage green sofa that complements the richness of the exotic elements such as mirrored pieces and artwork
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Flat A Emerald Tower, Olympia Opaline Sequel
inspired by leaves, branches and feathers that bring in the sparkle. Perhaps the signature element of the art deco style is its emphasis on geometric shapes. Bold geometric patterns with hard angles (chevrons and zigzags, sunbursts, jagged, pointed edges inspired by skyscrapers) and a clear preference for symmetry make an appearance in the wall covering and artwork. The bedrooms are decorated to be warm and inviting, with the sophisticated elegance of the forward-thinking mindset of the roaring twenties. The master bedroom is decorated in the iconic art deco palette, that is, black and white; to add texture, a black velvet-cushioned accent chair completes this classic, timeless look.
Coastal Style Coastal is one of the fastest growing decorating styles, and its decor reaches far inland. Almost everyone loves coastal style decoration, because it reminds one of the fun and relaxing times at the beach. Coastal style–decorated rooms are open and airy, with touches of blue that suggest the love of ocean hues and sun-bleached white, an incorporation of natural materials and fabrics, soft 58
April 2018
Inside Out
Image courtesy: Midori Architects furnishings and a celebration of natural light. To ensure the connection from the outdoors to the indoors is virtually seamless, a largely white colour scheme has been adopted with cosy furniture to relax in. Balcony chairs are of metal, in keeping with the casual beach house flair. The upholstery of the dining chairs carries horizontal stripes that are reminiscent of the beach horizon where sand meets water. There’s a reason why blue is such a popular colour for interiors. It calms and soothes, ushering in a sense of tranquility. Blue evokes the colour of the sea and the sky, and darker shades such as navy can create a relaxing nautical vibe. Nautical motifs, such as anchors and shells, maps on art work, cushions and throws add instant character. Below is an elegant bedroom decked out in shades of blue with wallpaper reminiscent of distressed shipping palettes. To achieve this beach house nostalgia, the wall coverings are curated to mimic weathered organic patterns borrowed from the colour palette that the beach has to offer. The false ceiling is designed with April 2018
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Inside Out
Client Name
: Olympia Group
Location
: Navalur, Chennai
Size
: 946.75 sq.ft
Project Budget : 10 Lakhs
Flat C Emerald Tower, Olympia Opaline Sequel wide interspaced grooves that appear like horizontal planks to evoke a sense of casual simplicity, which is what beach house style is all about.
Style Guide for your home Choosing the right interior style can be exciting, and you will love the process of adding personal style and character to your home. Before you decide, assess your existing decor and furniture, choose a design style that inspires you and go from there. Here are some tips on how you can bring a design style you love to your home with panache. Happy decorating! 1.
Keep it simple with white walls and a light floor.
2.
Choose geometric patterns and bold wallpapers to make a statement.
3.
Use neutral backdrops and saturated colours
5.
of your space.
as accents. 4.
Celebrate the outdoors by bringing in natural light.
Use artificial lighting that defines the character
6.
Choose sculptural dĂŠcor, curated art and collectibles to add a personal touch.
Suraksha Acharya is the Founding Principal of Midori Architects, a multi award-winning firm based in Chennai, offering architecture, interior, landscape & master-planning services. She is a cognitive member of the sustainable architecture field in India, championing the need to build better and more environment friendly structures. www.midoriarchitects.com 60
April 2018
Individual Excellence. ŽůůĞĐƟǀĞ WƌŽŐƌĞƐƐ͘
Experience IB - The Stonehill Way ^ƚŽŶĞŚŝůů͕ ŽŶĞ ŽĨ /ŶĚŝĂ͛Ɛ ƉƌĞŵŝĞƌ ĞĚƵĐĂƟŽŶĂů ŝŶƐƟƚƵƟŽŶƐ͕ ŽīĞƌƐ /ŶƚĞƌŶĂƟŽŶĂů ĂĐĐĂůĂƵƌĞĂƚĞ ;/ Ϳ ĐŽŶƟŶƵƵŵ ƚŽ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ from preschool to pre-university. Striving to turn learning into a lifelong journey, our curriculum ensures that every student ƌĞĐĞŝǀĞƐ ƋƵĂůŝƚLJ ĞĚƵĐĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ ĂŶ ĂƚŵŽƐƉŚĞƌĞ ƚŚĂƚ ŝƐ nourishing and nurturing.
ŽĂƌĚŝŶŐ͗ Two boarding houses with twin and quad sharing rooms
/ŶĨƌĂƐƚƌƵĐƚƵƌĞ͗
The Complete IB Life
ƚ ^ƚŽŶĞŚŝůů͕ ǁĞ ďĞůŝĞǀĞ ƚŚĂƚ children need both discipline and ĨƌĞĞĚŽŵ͖ ĚŝƌĞĐƟŽŶ ĂŶĚ ĐĂƌĞ͘ ŶĚ ƚŚĂƚ͛Ɛ ǁŚLJ͕ ŽƵƌ ďŽĂƌĚŝŶŐ ŚŽƵƐĞƐ ĂƌĞ ĚĞƐŝŐŶĞĚ ƚŽ ŐŝǀĞ ĞǀĞƌLJ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚ ƚŚĞ ŚŽůŝƐƟĐ / ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ͘
ƚ ^ƚŽŶĞŚŝůů͕ LJŽƵƌ ĐŚŝůĚ ŝƐ ŽīĞƌĞĚ ǁŽƌůĚͲĐůĂƐƐ ĨĂĐŝůŝƟĞƐ ƚŚĂƚ ĞŶƐƵƌĞ ƚŚĞ best of both worlds!
AC bedrooms ǁŝƚŚ ĂƩĂĐŚĞĚ bathrooms
24-hour medical center
ZĞĐƌĞĂƟŽŶĂů ĂŶĚ common rooms
Spacious gym
DƵůƟͲĐƵŝƐŝŶĞ cafeteria
tŝͲĮ ĞŶĂďůĞĚ campus
Structured boarding ƌŽƵƟŶĞ
Student support ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ
Caring house parents
>ŽĐĂƟŽŶ͗ Situated in the lush ĐŽƵŶƚƌLJƐŝĚĞ͕ ŶŽƌƚŚ ŽĨ ĂŶŐĂůŽƌĞ
WƌŽdžŝŵŝƚLJ͗ Located approx. 15 kms from the airport for speedy transit
ŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ͗ Boarding in small ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƟĞƐ ƚŚĂƚ ďĞĐŽŵĞ ĨĂŵŝůLJ
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Open to students from P7 to DP (Grade 4 to 12) with full and weekly boarding programmes.
Admissions open for PYP, MYP & DP Programmes. &Žƌ ŵŽƌĞ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ͕ ǁƌŝƚĞ ƚŽ admissions@stonehill.in or call us at 70266 66911
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dĂƌĂŚƵŶŝƐĞ WŽƐƚ͕ :ĂůĂ ,Žďůŝ͕ ĞŶŐĂůƵƌƵ EŽƌƚŚ ͵ 562157 Tel: 080-4341 8300 | www.stonehill.in
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The Last Word
The Alaskan Lens 62
April 2018
Covered amidst a snowy blanket and warm sunset, lies this mysterious part of Northern America, the state of Alaska. Tucked away in the lap of the Western Hemisphere with a whopping distance of over 10,000 km from India, lies a pocket of heaven that’s untouched, unspoilt and untainted! Matthew Crockett is a renowned American photographer who captures the serene and myriad colours of this paradise. In a longdistance, yet warm chat with Deepa Kalukuri, Matthew unravels the secrets of the Alaskan adventure.
F
or over two decades, Matthew has made
years ago, but I began taking landscape photos and
Anchorage his home. When life threw its
more when I first moved to Alaska 22 years ago
challenges at him, he chose to capture
from the Midwestern state of Michigan. My beginning
every moment and turned it into a story
in the world of professional photography was a
with his camera. He shares the candid story of how
wedding in the very small town of Hope, Alaska.
he built his life’s album.
The wedding was of a friend and former college
Tell us about the first picture you shot as a professional. For years, I had friends telling me that I could sell my photographs and that I could do more with them. I started shooting professionally about 10
classmate Shannan and her fiancé Brad. I fell easily into each moment and realised that I needed to catch every important moment that I could. Wedding photography is a very demanding job, but to witness another couple’s love for each other is amazing. It’s a April 2018
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The Last Word
Matthew's first professional picture true joy for me to be a part of someone’s
for alpine environments and glaciers. I have learnt
wedding story.
though that you can find beauty and photos that
What inspired you to take up photography? I lost my younger sister to cancer when I was 17 years old. She was diagnosed with a brain tumour when she was just 14. She had surgeries and chemotherapy, but she lost her battle just two months short of her 16th birthday. That was the moment in my life that made me realise that I needed to do what I wanted in life and make the most of each day that I’m here. I also recognised that through photography I could hold on to cherished memories.
create interest in others just about anywhere if you open up and share yourself with others and are open to new experiences. When you travel, it’s impossible to know where all of the most ideal settings are unless you open up and meet the people who live there. Do you have an academic background in photography or did you learn the skills yourself? I am completely self-trained and taught. I hold a
Photography has largely been very personal to me
Bachelor’s Degree in Outdoor Studies and a Master’s
and a record of my pursuits and life. Throughout the
Degree in Teaching. I have read a few Photoshop
years, I really got better at my hobby and passion to
magazines, but I have learnt so much through just
record moments in my life, and it became quite easy
jumping off the diving board.
to share my experience with my camera and eye for spatial relationship with others. I see that you love shooting nature in its different forms. What’s your ideal setting? I’m a mountain guy, I think. I have a passion 64
April 2018
What should one need to keep in mind when deciding to take up photography? In my experience, it’s great to note locations of interest for photo shoots and the time of the day that the light is the best. I make mental notes, but I
The Last Word
Matthew Crockett know many photographers who record it by writing it
The tyre suffered an 8-cm hole along its sidewall.
down or making notes in their phones or GPS units.
I had forgotten the only spare tyre at a previous
Put yourself out there in the environment and be
campsite about 482 km behind us. It was very cold
prepared with backup batteries and equipment to get
and, to make things worse, it was raining. Both of
the job done. Spend time outdoors. Get to know your
us started yelling at each other and had no idea
subjects. Don’t be afraid to make an investment in a
what to do. After about 10 minutes of desperation
great camera, lenses and gear. If you are decent at
and frustration, I suggested that we set up our tent
recognising good light and interesting photographs,
and crawl into our sleeping bags to get warm and
your photos will start to pay for your equipment.
think more about our problem. It turned out to be
Always keep a camera handy and leave the camera
an excellent idea. As we warmed up, we looked
lens cap off!
over at our roll of duct tape in the corner of the
Having never visited India, what picture do you have in your mind about this country? What’s the one frame that comes to your mind about India? Women from India are among the most beautiful women in the world! I’d love to see the Taj Mahal, but I know that India has so much more to offer. The Himalayan Mountains are and always will be a draw for me. Someday I will make it there, and I’d love to travel by train throughout the countryside of India to approach the Himalayan Mountains. A very dear friend of mine in India built a motorcycle by himself and travelled around the country on it. Do you have a story to share about one of your most memorable shots? In 1998, I bicycled across the state of Alaska with about 100 rolls of 36 exposure slide film. I pedalled in total about 1,110 miles or 1,786 km. About 1,500 km into the trip, my bicycling partner had a tyre blow out.
tent. Ah-ha! We wrapped the tyre up in duct tape on the outside and inside and patched up the tube. It worked!!! We didn’t expect it to last for more than 40 km more, but it held for the rest of the ride all the way to the Arctic Ocean or about 280 km more. The photograph that I remember from that experience was of my partner Nathan putting his tyre back on his bike. The rain had subsided and we were just north of the Brooks Range. When the rain subsides, the mosquitos come out! I took a photo of him with about 200 mosquitos covering his back looking for their next meal. If you were to choose a muse from history, who would you love to photograph? Ella Fitzgerald!!! She was wonderful. What makes you different from the others when it comes to photography? I’m honestly not sure I’m different from others.
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The Last Word
too! For the most part, I have met many wonderful people and gotten to travel to some amazing places due in part to my skill in capturing images. I feel blessed and am thankful for my ability to share Picture Courtesy: Matthew Crockett I know how to use a camera like many, many other photographers. I suppose I am familiar with ways of travelling in alpine environments and glaciers, unlike many other photographers. I’ve seen and experienced some sadness in my life, and I think that I do have
the beauty that I see with others. I love very much creating joy within others when they see what I’m able to produce for them. Tell us about capturing Alaska and what are the challenges you faced. What do you love about its landscape? Alaska is often a very cold place for about
the ability to recognise true joy because of it. I have
7 months of the year and the weather can be
a deep respect for nature and the natural world.
unpredictable. Stay away from plastic levers and
Which one place in the world would you love to travel to for a picture album? I would love to travel to Iceland and take my crazy slack lining nephew with me to shoot some photographs of him lining across a waterfall.
equipment. Plastic levers and gear will break in cold temperatures. Because the weather changes quickly, the skies in Alaska can become amazing splashes of colour and light. Due to the northern latitude, the sun never truly passes directly overhead. Sunlight hitting the landscape is often at an angle from the
Do you think photographers get their due
horizon. There are 20 hours of daylight here in June
credit?
and just 6 hours of daylight in December. I grew up
That’s a difficult question. I feel that often photographers are misused, especially photographers who are relatively new to the business. But I think there are many photographers out there who claim to be something they are not. So, buyers beware
with a lake the size of an ocean in my backyard. Being close to the Pacific Ocean is wonderful. I love the mountains, the snow and hiking up in the Chugach Mountains in the moonlight in the middle of the winter.
Deepa Kalukuri is the Managing Editor of LIVING and an alumna of the Asian College of Journalism. She's a Mumbaikar and a Hyderabadi who loves the Nizami charm, Irani chai and a spicy Vada Pav at the Marine Drive. 66
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