MANIERA Vol1 Issue 8

Vol. 1 Issue 8

1Illustration

Fashion

... and the winner is...

from pre-history to pop culture Robert Bruno

GEMing it with Sana Hashmat

APRIL 2013

Creative Focus

Editor Letter

Thelma Lay

Recently, I reconnected with an old friend that I haven’t seen in over 25 years on Facebook.

As we were catching up on family, friends, asking the typical questions such as ‘“Have you heard from or have you heard about ..”

She eventually asked me how I ended up running a magazine.

Twenty-five years ago, my life was very different from what is is today. To be honest, five years ago my life was very different from where it is today. I do not have a background in journalism, but I have always had an interest in anything that inspires creativity. But during the time she knew me, I was, I suppose, a bit flakey.

Hey, nothing wrong in being flakey. Really, it was a time in my life where I really didn’t want any responsibility.

So, to answer her question I had to think back two to five years when my life took a major change. I was personally at a turning point in my life. Newly divorced..

I am so blessed to have a great relationship with my ex-husband and still today believe he is my biggest fan... loss of employment due to the recession and an underlying at that time undetected health issue.

I found myself falling into a depression, a deep one where I felt I could not talk to anyone about it.

I found myself drawn to video and virtual games out of curiosity. I was drawn by the amazing artistry in a 3-D world. I found an outlet for my imagination and creativity and learned so much about myself. I started meeting people with the same interest and passion. From something that was just a hobby, I found it evolved into a profession. A life-changing profession.

So, after I thought about my friend’s question, I just gave a simple reply: “Just sorta happened.” And sometimes in life we make events, decisions, choices - the future is just more complicated than it should be. We don’t see what the endless possibilities in life are and sometimes the best and easiest decision is the decision to just let things just sorta happen.

Thelma Lay 4 | Maniera | mymaniera.com

APRIL 2013

Read past issue of our digital publication at mymaniera.com archive

editorial

editor-in-chief Thelma Lay

writers Cyntia Aranday, Gabriel Berger, Juliette Lord, Sara Lovelace, Vicky Quemard art director Sara Lovelace

business

publisher/owner Thelma Lay chief operations officer / promotions Juliette Lord

about us

MANIERA Magazine is a art, fashion and technology lifestyle publication owned, operated and published by MANIERA LLC. Any views, opinions or interpretations expressed in columns are solely those of the author and do not represent those of Maniera LLC and its subsidiaries. Maniera LLC will not accept any responsibility for any views, opinions or interpretations expressed in the pages of Maniera Magazine, MyManiera.com or other communications.

editorial inquiries

All editorial inquiries including submissions and feature ideas are to be sent to editorial@mymaniera.com.

business and advertising inquiries

All business inquires are to be sent to our chief operations officer at juliette.lord@mymaniera.com All advertising inquires are to be sent to advertising@mymaniera.com.

visit us online

www.mymaniera.com

Contents

April 2013 | Vol. 1 Issue 8

Regulars

Publisher’s Note Creative Focus Health & Beauty Mani Style Man Style Int. Travel

24

FEATURES And the Cover winner is...

Talking Heads Token Passwords

56

Sana Hashmat Couture Sony Photography awards 2013

Cover

Arai Sara

46 APRIL 2013

Sweet but Deadly |Fashion Illustration

by Morgan Beem

Robert Bruno

4 18 50 52 54 62

12 14 22 24 30 32 46 56

mymaniera.com | Maniera | 9

!

P Important changes

O T

S

on the horizon!

Eight months ago, MANIERA Magazine launched straightout the gate with tons of support. Thank you.

But now the time has come to decide where we’re going, and if we want to continue bringing you amazing content.

We do.

So, from May 2013, MANIERA will be available only on subscription-based platform instead of free via Issuu. com. We made this decision so we could continue improving our content and giving our readership the best magazine any where, any time, any place.

‘Cause quite frankly, it’s a lot of fun. But time consuming, too.

You will be able to subscribe to the magazine from our website MyManiera.com beginning May 10, 2013.

However

For our loyal readers (That’s you!) we are offering a massive 60% discount on all annual subscriptions, which gives you a full year of MANIERA for just $5.99 USD.

Normal rates of subscription will be: 10 | Maniera | mymaniera.com

Annual: $14.99 USD Quarterly: $7.99 USD Monthly: $2.99 USD APRIL 2013

MONTHLY DISCOUNTS FOR SUBSCRIBERS

There will be exclusive discount offers on goods and services for everyone taking out a subscription, whether it be annual, quarterly or monthly. These offers will change month by month but will always offer great value savings for our readership. Subscribers will receive the discount codes in their welcome email.

20% 20% off

all items purchased from Poppy Porter jewellery until midnight, June 30 (GMT) (Offer limited to ONE order per subscriber, but can be more than one item per order)

off

all items from the Nut Factory until midnight 30 June (GMT)

WIN THESE!

Click here for full terms & conditions

And if that wasn’t enough, anyone taking out an annual subscription before midnight (EST) July 1 will automatically be entered into our MANIERA prize drawing, with a chance to win one of five fantastic prizes from — CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT —

artist Dan “DANK” Kitchener ($115 USD), jewellery designer Poppy Porter ($120 USD), artist Robert Bruno ($50 USD), A Swiss Trail Mix 5 lb bag ($24.59 USD) and a Mixed Roasted Salted Nuts 2lb pack ($17.49 USD) from The Nut Factory.

So don’t miss out on these offers, take out a subscription to MANIERA.

By GOFA and MANIERA combined...

A big congratulations goes out to artist Morgan Beem for the winning entry in our April cover contest which was run in conjunction with our friends at The Gallery of Fashion Art. The artists were given instructions to design a cover for the April issue of MANIERA Magazine using the MANIERA colours of black, white, lavender and gold with a focus on the word “style.”

We loved the quirkiness of this picture which captures the spirit of MANIERA and really stood out as a cover image. A close runner-up was Brenda Montalvan with her beautiful portrait image and in joint third place are Rebecca Elliston and Andrea Hrnjak.

Thank you to all the ladies who took part in the contest, and thank you to the Gallery of Fashion Art for its support and cooperation in this project. See more fantastic fashion illustrations on its website galleryoffashionart.com.

Visit Morgan’s GOFA profile and website.

runner-up Brenda Montalvan GOFA Profile Website

joint third place Andrea Hrnjak Rebecca Elliston

GOFA Profile Website APRIL 2013

GOFA Profile Website mymaniera.com | Maniera | 13

Talking

HEADS computer vision group.

“Currently there is no plan to commercialise this technology,” Toshiba Research Europe Computer Vision Group Leader Bjorn Stenger said. “It is purely a research project where we are trying to push the boundaries of what is currently possible in terms of realistic, expressive

BY JULIETTE LORD text-to-speech animation.”

Science fiction has been talking The talking head in question, about it for decades: a virtual assisnamed Zoe, is that of actress Zoe tant controlled by the human voice. Lister who will be known to UK Mobile phone companies have readers as Zoe Carpenter in the taken up the idea with technology Channel Four soap opera “Hollyosuch as the Apple personal assistant aks.”

Siri and Android equivalents such as “We were looking for both facial Vlingo, Jeanne and Eva. expressiveness as well as articulaNow scientists at Cambridge tion,” Stenger explains the choice of University, in collaboration with using Lister. “She was excellent in Toshiba, have gone a step further both areas, mainly due to her backand created a virtual “talking head” ground as actress as well as voice which not only answers questions over artist. Zoe’s work was pretty but also expresses a full range of demanding, as she spent two weeks human emotions. Currently at the in the recording studio and had research stage and with no definite to speak about 7,000 sentences in plans to commercialise it, the project different emotions in a consistent combines technology for expresmanner.” sive speech synthesis developed at Creating the virtual Zoe was Toshiba with facial modelling, done time-consuming because the team

by Robert Anderson, a graduate had to “teach” the system to understudent at the University of Camstand not only language but also bridge in Professor Roberto Cipolla’s facial expression. Now Zoe can

British actress transformed into virtual face

14 | Maniera | mymaniera.com

APRIL 2013

Zoe expresses a range of emotions.

display a whole range of emotions from happiness to anger, exasperation to fear. Gone are the robotic stilted phrases we have become accustomed to, replaced instead with animated, expressive speech, delivered by a disembodied avatar head.

The module used to run Zoe is only 10s of megabytes in size, meaning it can be incorporated into very small devices, including tablets and smartphones, thus there are a large number of potential applications for this technology. It could simply be used as a digital personal assistant or replace texting with “face messaging.” The system could be used to read out messages or even whole audio-books.

It could also be used to help autistic children “read” facial expressions.

In the future one can imagine interfaces that are much more natural and friendly, allowing us to communicate with information systems in very different ways than we currently do.

Stenger emphasises there is more work to be done, but that the potential is enormous.

“A lot more research is needed to improve the realism of the voice and the facial expressions, but one could envisage characters that are almost indistinguishable from real people,” Stenger said. “These could appear in games or movies, provide help as virtual assistants or tutors, or could simply be a conversation partner or even a ‘virtual friend’.”

Creative Focus

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, 1995 C Yash Raj Films. | National Media Museum UK

of

100 Years Bollywood

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the most prolific film industry on the planet, and it is not Hollywood. This film industry is based some 9,000 miles east of California in the Indian city of Mumbai and has come to be known as Bollywood.

To celebrate this historical milestone the National Media Museum in Bradford, England plays host to a unique exhibition of movie posters. Entitled Bollywood Icons: 100 Years of Indian Cinema it charts the history, not only of the Indian film industry, but also the cultural climate of the subcontinent over the last century.

Back in the pioneering days of cinema in 1896, the Lumiere brothers screened six short films in Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay), which proved to be the start of a long love affair between India and the movies. Just three years later photographer Harischandra Sakharam Bhatavdekar made the first Indian home produced film entitled “The Wrestlers,” a short film documenting a local wrestling match.

But it was the release 100 years ago, of the first Indian full length feature film “Raja Harishchandra” (1913), directed by Dadasaheb Phalke that launched the Bollywood phenomena. When it was staged at Mumbai’s Coronation Cinema it was publicised solely in the influential newspaper Times of India; the vibrant hand painted posters which have become synonymous with Bollywood came a little later. The earliest surviving Indian movie poster is believed to be for a 1924 film called Kalyan Khajina but they soon came to be an integral part of the whole Bollywood phenomena and works of art in their own right.

The posters were shaped by the cultural realities of India, a vast country with linguistic, religious and regional differences.

“Bollywood is a significant unifying thread,” exhibition curator Irna Qureshi said. “The film poster acted as a tool to cut across cultural barriers to make the film appeal to a mass market. Text was kept to a minimum to accommodate the low levels of literacy when trying to appeal to a mass audience.”

Up until the 1970s Bollywood ran a studio system similar to that

ABOVE: Toofani Tirandaz, 1947 C Wadia Movietone, Roy Wadia, Courtesy of Irna Qureshi_High. BELOW: Bambaiwali, 1941, C Wadia Movietone, Roy Wadia, Courtesy of Irna Qureshi_MED1 |National Media Museum UK

of Hollywood and artists were contracted to work on the publicity posters. Each studio had an individual style and it was down to the poster artists to capture it. The posters were made with the intent of capturing the widest possible audience and this shaped the unique “look” and feel of the artwork.

“The movie had to appeal to as many different segments of society as possible by offering comedy, romance, action as well as melodrama, all on the one poster, as a promise of the different ingredients the film contained,” Qureshi explained. “This inevitably made the posters seem cluttered, as did showing the main character in different guises. Yet, the lure of variety - comedy, romance, melodrama, action --- all in one film - was deemed to make it appeal to many different markets simultaneously.”

She also explained that originally these posters were designed to be used outdoors.

“The posters complemented the oversized cinema hoardings at major road junctions,” Qureshi said. “In a nation renowned for its vibrancy of colour, outdoor advertising by nature needed to be louder, more animated, eccentric and mesmerising to stand out from the crowd.”

The Bollywood poster has inevitably moved with the times, and modern versions are slick with photography replacing the traditional hand drawings. Television marketing has taken centre stage, moving the poster to the side lines.

But the vintage posters are hugely collectable and many of the posters

20 | Maniera | mymaniera.com

on show at the exhibition belong to Qureshi herself.

For anyone interested in an introduction to Bollywood Qureshi recommends Sholay (1975), directed

by Ramesh Sippy. The plot is accessible to everyone and tells the story of ex-criminals Veeru and Jai who are hired by a retired police officer to capture the notorious bandit Gabbar Singh. It features all the components of a great Bollywood film, and has been known to reduce grown men to tears. As is often the case in Bollywood films the boundaries between the real lives of the stars and their on-screen personas are blurred, with two real life couples playing out their relationships as part of the plot.

Bollywood Icons: 100 Years of Indian Cinema can be seen at National Media Museum, Bradford, England.

Gallery Two March 8 – June 16, 2013 In other events at the National Media Museum, the 19th Bradford International Film Festival in partnership with Virgin Media (April 11-21), features a selection of Indian films under the banner “Happy Birthday, Indian Cinema!” The Festival will screen some of the most celebrated titles in the country’s history For full details, go to nationalmediamuseum.org.uk.

APRIL 2013

Token Password Google seeks to put an end to ‘Fluffy’

BY Sara Lovelace

actual password is, but is verified by responding to a mathematical chalWhat if you never had to relenge asked of the ring. member another outrageous passUpadhyay did confirm Google word ever again? Would your dog had a prototype ring that could take be offended if its name was no the place of the password token at longer the key to accessing your email? With all the Lord of the Ring the conference, but did not reveal how it worked only that he knew jokes floating around the Internet this month, Google might just have “Some people are not comfortable with a [USB] token.” found a way for One Ring To Rule So it is still pretty early in Them All. Google’s research. There has been It was too hard to resist.

But seriously, in a research paper discussion of a wireless chip for mobile device login as well with just published in IEEE Security & Pria tap of the ring. vacy’s January/February edition But Google does already offer earlier this year, Google’s Eric Grosse and Mayank Upadhyay talked about a more advanced security system, which although leagues ahead of the development of a decoder-like ring that would contain every single many password security systems, it ridiculous, cute or sentimental pass- is only a short-term solution — not a long-term one, said the search word you ever came up with.

So how would it work? Well, that and ad company giant. According to Technologyreview.com, “The system is a matter of discussion right now.

Upadhyay spoke publicly for the has been increasingly promoted by first time about The Ring at the RSA Google, and adopted by millions of people, and requires that after enterSecurity Conference in February. ing their password a person must Upadhyay likened the system to an ATM experience and that instead of provide a temporary code from a entering a pin (“the password”), the text message or smartphone app to ring would be its own password that login.”

But, notes technologyreview. is simply accessed by the computer com, those messages can be interusing thin USB ports, the row of cepted. The new rings would not rectangular slots you plug devices allow a message to be intercepted such as mice, webcams and other that could then be used to break into items into on a regular basis. The information transmitted by the ring the account because there would be no message to trace back --- no ring, (“the token”) would then be verino account. Simple as that. Security fied by a third party service when connected to a computer. However, could become as simple as being plugged in or tapping. this token never reveals what the

G E M raceful

legant

odest

Ground-breaking fashion designer leads the way to social change night and day

By Vicky Quemard

to low self-esteem, eating disorders and fatal health. So innovatively Mainstream fashion has a long standing and controversial relation- channelling my blend of groundbreaking fashion sensibility, business ship with the unrealistic standards that are set which impact the physi- expertise and creative philanthropic concepts to redefine fashion whilst cal and mental well-being of young empowering and enlightening women. Sana Hashmat Couture is re-defining couture fashion, making humanity, led me to establish Sana it something globally appealing and Hashmat Couture.”

Sana Hashmat is young enwearable by all women. trepreneur from New York City.

“I have always wanted to reHer concern with the influence of define fashion and my passion for contemporary fashion on women this intensified as I studied women coupled with her enthusiasm for studies and marketing,” Hashmat said. “I quickly realized the perils of designing motivated her to explore mainstream fashion and the unreal- the world of couture. She is a selfistic materialistic social standards it taught fashion couturier, stylist and enforces through objectification, sex photographer who has been designing and styling since the age of five. appeal, makeup, and other unnatural and deceptive embellishments. It Her interest in fashion and business adversely impacted women leading has allowed her to gain recognition 24 | Maniera | mymaniera.com

APRIL 2013

Fashion designer Sana Hashmat at Brooklyn Fashion Week 2013

and make statements in the boardrooms of Wall Street on an intellectual and fashionable level.

Graceful. Elegant. Modest. (GEM) from A.M. to P.M. is the slogan which forms the basis of Sana Hashmat Couture’s brand. Using a combination of luxurious fabrics with elegantly practical, interesting shapes, her remarkable collection of avant garde couture sincerely accommodates both young and young at heart alike. Hashmat incorporates modesty into each design assuring that the looks are not sold based on the exposure of flesh or outline of the female form. She instead focuses on the garment’s ability to draw out a woman’s natural beauty through a combination of the splendour of its carefully selected fabrics and the unique craftsmanship of the finished product.

Her incredible attention to detail means that it can sometimes take months to construct a garment from start to finish.

“It’s a very long, comprehensive and labor intensive process especially since I personally make sure everything is crafted with exceptional workmanship, impeccable quality and elegant beauty,” She said. “It can take quite some time to find all the raw materials needed to complete my envisioned designs. Designing the fabric and having it weaved can take a few months alone.”

Each garment created by Hashmat is designed with women of all backgrounds, colours, shapes and sizes in mind. Each piece is incredibly versatile and robust enough to be worn casually, chic enough to be worn in the board room and elegant enough to be adorned as evening wear.

Hashmat will continue to expand her collection in the coming year. While Sana Hashmat Couture currently offers some unisex products, one of her aims is to create an exclusive menswear collection.

“It is such a euphoric feeling to see the happiness my products bring to my clients,” Hashmat said. “My clients tell me how beautiful they feel in them and I always tell them that it makes me feel beautiful to know that they feel content with themselves.”

26 | Maniera | mymaniera.com

APRIL 2013

Flip the page to see more of

Sana Hashmat Couture

at BROOKLYN FASHION WEEK 2013 >>>

|MAX ZOTO

From A.M. to P.M. Sana Hashmat

Couture

The winners of the 2013 Sony World Photography Awards (SWPA) in the Open, Youth, 3-D and National award categories were announced at the end of March. Widely recognized as the leading global photographic awards program, the SWPA included talented p h o t o g r a p h e r s from across the globe.

The Youth category is open to photographers aged 19 and under and seeks to uncover the next generation of photography talent.

The winners are:

• Culture Alecsandra Dragoi, Romania • Environment Xu Wei Shou, Taiwan • Portraits Berta Vicente, Spain

The 3-D category

Judged on a single image taken by an amateur photographer, the winning Open category photographers were selected from nearly 55,000 entries.

The winners are:

• Architecture Martina Biccheri, Italy • Arts and Culture Gilbert Yu, Hong Kong • Enhanced Hoang Hiep Nguyen, Vietnam • Low Light Elmar Akhmetov, Kazakhstan • Nature & Wildlife Krasimir Matarov, Bulgaria • Panoramic Yeow Kwang Yeo, Singapore • People Hisatomi Tadahiko, Japan • Smile Ming Hui Guan (Mac Kwan), China • Split Second Matías Gálvez, Chile • Travel Manny Fajutag, Philippines

Slovenian photographer Matjaž Tančič.

The winners of the professional category and the coveted L’Iris D’Or/ Sony World Photography Awards will be announced April 25 as will the Open Photographer of the Year and Overall Youth Photographer of the Year.

The award winning and shortlisted photographs can be seen at the 2013 Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition at Somerset House, London from April 26-May 12. Tickets can be purchased from worldphoto.org.

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APRIL 2013

Hisatomi Tadahiko, Japan, Winner of People Category, Open Competition 2013

Krasimir Matarov, Bulgaria, Winner of NatureWildlife Category, Open Competition 2013

Nguyen Hoang Hiep, Vietnam, Winner of Enhanced Category Open Competition 2013 APRIL 2013

Ming Hui Guan/ Mac Kwan, China, Winner of Smile Category,Open Competition 2013

Xu Wei Shou, Taiwan, Winner of Environment Category Youth Competition 2013

Manny Fajutag, Philippines, Winner of Travel Category Open Competition 2013 mymaniera.com | Maniera | 31

Arai Sara Held at the end of March, Tokyo Fashion Week 2013 saw the launch of the Autumn and Winter 2013 Ready to Wear collection by talented Beijing-born designer Arai Sara.

Sara graduated from the Fashion College in Sakuragaoka, Japan and, following her debut in China, she moved to Tokyo to set up her own label. In 2005, she opened her flagship shop in Mejiro, Tokyo and began selling her couture products. Sara started her pret-a-porter line araisara in 2008, which aims to express the connection between traditional oriental culture and fashion.

Her araisara range is known for both comfort and style, and this collection was no exception.

It was a collection of two parts. With modern and edgy pieces on the one hand and kimono inspired florals on the other, she occasionally combines the two influences in one outfit. The smart-belted coats with an updated 60s feel are juxtaposed with the softer flowing lines of the gowns. Sara mixes fabrics, and in this collection she plays with sheer fabrics, which add a sensuality and femininity to the designs.

This is a range that would carry you through from the office to a formal dinner with a cocktail party in between. The clean minimalist lines make it easy to wear and combine sexy with stylish in a unique way.

More about the araisara collections: atelier-mei. com.

The collections can be purchased from: Atelier MEI. 101 Terri Ann 3-17-29 Mejiro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo Mejiro Gers • 171-0031 Kikuoka Building 6-6-20 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo • 107-0062

APRIL 2013

mymaniera.com | Maniera | 33

on sale now at klipart.biz or on Amazon.com

SWEET ... but deadly?

Food no longer substance, but commodity in first world nations thanks to sugar

46 | Maniera | mymaniera.com

APRIL 2013

By Juliette Lord

be labelled “high sugar.” The CalorieKing website gives a nutritional Obesity is the epidemic of the developed world. A report published breakdown of various foods, both fresh and processed. For example, it in 2012 by the Centers for Disease shows that a 200-gram tub of natuControl and Prevention (CDC) ral yoghurt contains about 8.4 grams revealed that 35.7 percent of adults of fat and 9.6 grams of sugar,whereas and 16.9 percent of children ages 2-19 in the United States of America a low-fat variety of the same size tub are obese, with those numbers set to contains about 0.6 grams of fat but 12 grams of sugar. rise.

And now there is another susThe report also points out that pect in the frame. obesity-related conditions include As far back as the 1970s, British heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes nutritionist John Yudkin published and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of preventable two books “Sweet And Dangerous” (1972) and “Pure, White And Deaddeath. ly.” (1988) Yudkin was convinced For some time now fats have that sugar was death in a teaspoon been cast as the bad guy in the and emphasised its role in increason-going battle against obesity. In ing blood levels of triglycerides, a the 1980s, people were told that fat fat storage device for calories which equates to body fat, and that it was is converted to energy for use bebad. Subsequently the message was refined to reprieve unsaturated fats, tween meals. High levels of this lipid can put someone at risk for heart which are now considered “good fats” that can help unclog blood ves- disease. This occurs when someone sels blocked by cholesterol. Unsatu- frequently consumes more calories than they burn, especially high fat rated fats include the monounsatuand carbohydrate-based calories. rates found in olive oil, canola and But now another witness for the avocado, and two types of polyunsaturated fats - omega-6 (including prosecution has been called.

Robert H. Lustig, M.D. professafflower and sunflower oils) and omega-3 (found in fish, some plants sor of pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology at University of such as spinach, nuts and seeds).

California, San Francisco, and direcThese are fats that have more than one double bonded carbon and they tor of the weight assessment for teen and child health (WATCH) program remain liquid at room temperature at UCSF called for sugar to be conand when chilled. trolled like alcohol and tobacco to However when governments protect public health. decided that fat should be reduced Lustig, currently on a media tour in people’s diet, the food industry responded by increasing sugar content for his new book “Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Proto make things taste good. Many foods labelled “low fat” should really cessed Food, Obesity, and Disease”,

APRIL 2013

mymaniera.com | Maniera | 47

has 16 years of experience studying the effects of sugar on the central nervous system, metabolism and disease. Back in 2012, in an issue of the “Nature” journal, along with colleagues Laura Schmidt, PhD, MSW, MPH, and Claire Brindis, DPH, he argued that sugar changes metabolism, raises blood pressure, critically alters the signalling of hormones and causes significant damage to the liver.

“There are good calories and bad calories, just as there are good fats and bad fats, good amino acids and bad amino acids, good carbohydrates and bad carbohydrates, but sugar is toxic beyond its calories,” Lustig stated in the journal.

Lustig has already distributed his message via his lecture which can be seen on YouTube. The video “Sugar: The Bitter Truth” is an unlikely YouTube hit with over has over 3 million views. Lustig argues that the current obesity epidemic can be blamed on a marked increase in the consumption of a type of fructose over the last 30 years. Fructose is a component of the two most popular sugars: sucrose or table sugar, and high-fructose corn syrup, which has become ubiquitous in soft drinks and many processed foods. This fructose, Lustig claims, becomes toxic when taken in large quantities because it is metabolized in the liver in the same way as alcohol, which drives fat storage and makes the brain think it is hungry. Sugar, he says, is the real cause of the pandemic of metabolic syndrome, which results in condi-

48 | Maniera | mymaniera.com

tions like obesity, diabetes and heart disease. He also states sugar is as addictive as controlled drugs such as heroin and cocaine, and the main culprits are soft drinks, not just sugar high sodas but also fruit juices, which give the fructose but without the fibre found in the whole fruits.

Fatty food however is still bad.

Any food which raises insulin levels in the body too high are a problem. Insulin is a hormone that is important for metabolism and utilization of energy from food, especially glucose. It also causes energy to be stored in fat cells. It is this which causes obesity.

Lustig does not suggest that humans eradicate sugar entirely from their diets but rather that the levels they currently consume need to be drastically reduced. He argues that the food industry, which has powerful lobbies in government not only in the USA but worldwide, need to take sugar out of foods which do not need it. For example, savoury sauces and bread. Some of his recommendations for individuals include replacing fruit juice with whole fruit, drinking water or milk (especially for children) and cutting down on processed foods which contain high levels of hidden sugar. Also reducing alcohol consumption is recommended as it increases the body’s insulin levels in a similar way.

“Food is beyond a necessity; it’s also a commodity, and it has been reformulated to be an addictive substance,” Lustig said.

APRIL 2013

Sucralose is an artificial sweetener used in products such as candy, breakfast bars and soft drinks. Above is the three-dimensional representation of its molecular structure.

APRIL 2013

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Health & Beauty

|SARA LOVELACE

By SARA LOVELACE

Inflammation is the key to identifying sensitive skin. It can be infuriating and damage self esteem. It usually comes in waves called “flare-ups,” and many products made for skin can make you more susceptible to flare-ups.

Flare-ups comes in many forms: rashes, small red bumps called hives, acne and infection to name a few. That said, the best way to deal with sensitive skin is to be preventative. Treat your skin nicely, and there will be less of them. Waiting until a flare-up happens often means the damage is done, resulting in making skin more susceptible to further flare-ups, but it is a cycle where you can take control.

Moisturize your skin

The body is made up of mostly water, and the skin can dry out from chemicals in skin care products and cosmetics; being outside in the sunlight or coming into contact with allergens, such as pollen. This dehydration can cause cracks which let in bacteria, clog pores and allow irritants access to your skin.

So, keeping it moisturized is a good way to keep skin protected. Two such products are Oil of Olay’s moisturizing face cream with SPF and Pond’s moisturizing face cream with SPF. Use once to twice daily, depending on your skin. The moisturizers will keep your skin soft, giving it a protective layer against allergies and irritants/allergies while the SPF will protect your skin from sunlight.

Check the chemicals

Several types of acids in acne products aim to reduce oils in skin by drying it out. For sensitive skin, this can be damaging. The products can dry out your skin, cause rashes or even chemically burn you. It can even give you more acne.

So how do you know it will work for you? Test it. Take a Q-Tip, tap it in the product and lightly dab it on the inside of your arm. Wait 24-48 hours and keep an eye on the spot. If it turns red or begins to burn or sting, wash the area with warm water. Nothing used on your face should ever burn or sting your skin and can signal a chemical burn. That being said, an allergy can develop after long term use of a product so always look your skin over. Flareups can occur up to days after coming into contact with an irritant.

Test the fragrances

Fragrances might smell nice, but are one of the top irritants to sensitive skin.

Your body knows what it likes best so trust it. Smell the product before you buy it.

If it stings your sense of smell, makes your eyes water or gives you a headache, put it back. If it passes this test, run the chemical test on your skin with the product. Common fragrance allergy reactions can be hives, bright red discoloration of your skin and burning/stinging.

Check the MANIERA blog for more tips on sensitive skin maintenance, foundation and sunlight.

APRIL 2013

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Mani Style

Kalpana Shah Mumbai-based Kalpana Shah has 30 years experience in the beauty business and become famous for her sari draping skills, dressing brides, super models and movie stars.

Basic

Retro

Dressing the Sari

|Klipart Kreations P. Ltd, Mumbai, India

Corporate

Bengali

One of the most elegant garments in the world, the sari, is deceptively simple.

Originating in the Indus Valley civilization (2800-1800 BC) in the Sind and Punjab regions, it is basically a long length of unstitched cloth draped around a woman’s body. Usually the cloth is tucked with a series of hand formed pleats into a basic petticoat, which is worn under the sari and then the remaining cloth is draped over the shoulder. It is usually worn over a short blouse, known as a choli, which exposes the midriff. The loose end of the sari, which is usually highly decorated and worn over the shoulder, is known as the pallu.

It is the very simplicity of the garment which makes it so versatile.

It can be made to resemble shorts, trousers, a flowing evening gown or a casual day dress.

Saris are available in a multitude of fabrics including cotton, crepe, georgette, chiffon and silk. You can find a sari shop in most major cities worldwide or you can shop online.

Indiansky.com has some stunning designer saris available, and gives a useful update on current fashion trends.

Sareeworld.com has an enormous range of saris from the traditional Kanchipurm saris made from heavy silk to replicas of the latest Bollywood fashions.

There are strong regional differences regarding how exactly to drape a sari. For example, in the Maharashtra and North Karnataka region, women traditionally wore a nine-yard sari as opposed to the more common six yards, and did not wear a petticoat underneath.

However most women do wear MARCH 2013

a floor length petticoat and choli as the basis of their sari. Here is a step by step guide of how to drape a sari in one of the most popular styles, commonly used in the Indian State of Andhra Pradesh.

Making sure the sari is touching the floor, tuck the plain end of the sari into the waistband of the petticoat for one complete turn, from right to left.

Beginning at the tucked in end of the sari, and holding the cloth at arms length, make between 8 and 10 regular pleats in the material (approximately 4-5 inches for each pleat). Hold up the pleated section and make sure the pleats are neat, even and straight.

Tuck the pleats into the waistband slightly left of centre, making sure the pleats are facing left.

1) 2)

3) 4) 5)

Repeat Stage 1.

Drape the pallu over the left shoulder from front to back. You can secure with a small pin to the shoulder of the choli.

And there you have it, but be warned the secret of a great looking sari is in the skill of draping it and obtaining the perfect look takes some practice. A badly draped sari can be a disaster. For those women who need a little help, or for those requiring a really special look, then a professional sari draper may be the answer.

Draping a sari was made an into an art form by Mumbai-based Kalpana Shah. Shah wants to show modern women that the sari is just as comfortable and practical as western dress and her aim is to promote sari wearing to a new generation of women.

Shah recently produced a book, “The Whole 9 Yards� which illustrates just how many different looks can be created from a sari and how to achieve them. The book reveals how the sari can be transformed from traditional elegance to ultra modern chic by a combination of skilled draping and clever fabric choice. It can be purchased at klipart.biz or on Amazon.

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Man Style

The only cream you will ever need

By Juliette Lord

these creams have been targeted at Gone are the days when a quick women, but in South Korea there splash of water and a bar of soap are are many brands that are targeted at all that a man about town needed to the male market.

To choose a BB cream that is complete his skin care routine.

They are increasingly using skin right for you, you need to treat it like you would a skincare product and care products. find the one which is right for your When it comes to the use of skin type. Is your skin dry or oily? male make-up however, men tend Do you have aging concerns? Try to generally be more resistant. But out a tester for a day or two before perhaps the BB cream, a cross between skincare and foundation, may making purchase to make sure it works well for you. change that.

After that, get male BB creams BB creams are short for beauty balms or blemish balms. They were online for low-maintenance shopping. Mensmake-up.co.uk has a first developed in Germany by a range of different products available dermatologist who wanted a single specifically targeted at men while cream that would protect skin and buybbcream.com is a website deprovide coverage after laser treatvoted to BB creams for everyone. ments. The BB cream is a multiThe specific products aimed at function cream that provides just men tend to have lower pigment that.

As well as containing deep mois- content, but the unisex versions will still blend easily into your skin. turisers, many include anti-aging components including peptides and There also tend to be a wider range of skin tones, especially for men antioxidants such as vitamins A, with dark skin since the majority of E and C as well as light-reflecting BB creams seemed to be aimed at mica to give a luminous finish. The Caucasian skin tones. Indeed some creams also contain silicone-based of the original BB creams used in the ingredients which help to make the Asian market included skin lightskin surface smoother and some ening properties but this is not the contain sun protection. case for those marketed in Europe BB creams have been used in and the USA. Iman Cosmetics does Asia cosmetically for decades, taking off in Korea before spreading to a range of BB creams in dark tones, Japan, China and southeast Asia, but and although these are principally only started hitting the store shelves aimed at women, there is no reason why men could not use them, too. of Europe and America in the spring of 2011. For the most part,

APRIL 2013

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All of Bruno's illustrations start with a pencil drawing, such as this tribute piece to Baltimore Ravens all-star middle linebacker, Ray Lewis.

The Tale of a Man

or sharks or dinosaurs — maybe a superhero

By Juliette Lord

Robert Bruno

Character, emotion and life ooze from the digital artwork of artist Robert Bruno.

Whether his subjects come from the world of film, comic books or sport, Bruno captures the essence of the individual and the passion of the moment. He has drawn for as long as he can remember, starting with early pencil drawings of sharks and dinosaurs.

This talent was encouraged by his high school art teacher.

“I was fortunate in high school to have Mr. Mike Cartolano (referred to us as Mr. C), an incredible teacher and mentor,” Bruno said.

“Mr. C guided me through the years and encouraged me to pursue a pro-

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fession in art.”

Bruno was accepted into the Pratt Institute and focused on illustration, but it was when Bruno started to experiment with digital art he really discovered his niche.

“I realized I could incorporate much more character and life into my subjects by adding textures and creating my own customized brushes in Photoshop,” he said. “During my senior year, I really honed down and incorporated my specific passions and interests into my art.

Film, sports and music were the major sources of inspiration. What better way to stay motivated and driven than to illustrate what I enjoy!”

He graduated in May 2012 with a bachelor of fine arts in communication design, and now works as a freelance artist.

All Bruno’s work starts out with a pencil drawing. Using a single mechanical pencil to create the basic APRIL 2013

lines, he gradually builds up the tone and shadow by slowly applying more pressure. Once the drawing is finished, he scans that image into his computer and works with Adobe Photoshop. The process is quite complex and involves several different stages which take approximately 15 hours to complete.

His inspiration comes from the emotional connection he has with the subject matter.

“The competitive nature of sports, the motivational messages in so many films and the incredibly inspiring lyrics in much of the music I APRIL 2013

listen to is more than enough inspiration to last me a lifetime,” Bruno said. “I find that the more passionate you are about a subject or project, the more it will show in your work.”

This passion is evident when Bruno discusses his art work. The Michael Jordan piece reflects on a very specific game Jordan played: game 5 of the 1997 NBA finals against the Utah Jazz.

“In an incredible display of perseverance and fortitude, Michael played the entire game despite his suffering from the flu!” Bruno explained. “Barely able to sit up, he

This piece, featuring the band Green Day, was originally created for a design competition.

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A Bruno piece dedicated to tennis players: The Big Four, Federer, Djokovic, Nadal and Murray.

found the inner strength to lead the Bulls to a Game 5 victory and then win the series in Game 6. This, in my opinion, was the greatest display of determination and grit; I wanted to capture the moment in an illustration. . I wanted to capture that ‘never back down spirit’ and thought I could illustrate this idea by creating a sort of ‘ghost’ around the actual painting of Michael.”

Bruno also likes to create montage pieces which are incredibly time-consuming to produce because each person has to be sketched and digitally painted separately before they are placed into the montage.

His tennis montage “The Big Four” which include Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Raphael Nadal captures each of the player’s signature “looks” and emotion.

“Novak has some of the most energetic and vivacious reactions after winning a point, while Federer remains calm and collected, rarely showing any emotion,” Bruno elaborated.

Bruno also cites the movies as a

major source of his inspiration.

“Nothing provides me with more motivation then the characters and stories I see in film. I also love classic and modern movie posters. One of my favorite artists is Drew Struzan, who has created some of the most memorable film posters.”

For most of his pieces Bruno prefers to use a street art inspired background by using watercolour stains and splatter effects. He also uses customized brushes in Photoshop that provide a texture or stroke appropriate to the specific subject. In the “Greenday Trifecta” piece, for example, he created a harsh, rough-edged brush which captures the grungy punk style of the band.

Barely a year out of school Bruno is proving himself to be an exceptional talent.

“Quite honestly, I love what I do, I continue to grow every day and look forward to a bright future,” Bruno said.

SEE: Creative Site with Works in progress/detail shots

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APRIL 2013

CLOCKWISE, from top - This piece reflects on a very specific game - Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz; This piece features several of the characters from the Sherlock Holmes film; David Wright has become one of the most prominent players in the game of baseball.

APRIL 2013

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Nisha Katona is a British-born Indian and full-time barrister who, at heart, is a dedicated curry evangelist. She is the author of soon to be released “Curry in a Hurry,” a television food chef, Indian cookery teacher and demonstrator. She has spent many years teaching Indian cookery to all age groups. Her lessons trace the evolution of Indian cuisine through the culture and history of India. She teaches according to ancient Ayurvedic principles which focus on transforming cheap often meagre, seasonal, conscientiously grown ingredients into divine curries simply and quickly. If you would like more delicious recipes check out nishakatona.com and follow her on Twitter @nishakatona.

Get a third recipe online at mymaniera.com!

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SPICE UP SPRING

by Nisha Katona

There is little that delights an Indian chef ’s heart more than the raw ingredients of a British springtime. The dark, robust, flavourful greens and early potatoes offering us the sweetness of the first spring sunshine and the delicate richness of spring lamb bringing unctuous warmth to the chill spring evenings.

These strong ingredients and their vibrant flavours work tremendously well with the most inventive of treatments in the Indian kitchen.

They hold their structure and flavour with ambitious spicing. They work generously with heady dressings such as mustard, garlic and garamasala, a northern Indian ground spice.

As summer approaches and with it the more tender ingredients, Indian chefs show their art in their restraint. Spring, and her strong, overwintered fayre, is the time of year when the alchemy of Indian kitchen can burn at its brightest.

APRIL 2013

LEMON AND CORIANDER JERSEY ROYAL SALAD

Spring Cabbage with Mustard Seed and Garlic

The sweet nutty Jersey Royal potato heralds the end of winter and the beginning of the more delicate, tender vegetables.

These potatoes need so little to make them the most satisfying accompaniment. This recipe forces them to center stage!

Spring cabbage cabbage is packed full of deep, hidden flavours that are released and enhanced with this combination of ingredients. Having battled through the winter elements, these spring greens produce the most robust and full flavours making the final dish dramatic and tantalising.

SERVES 4 PREP TIME 5 MINUTES COOKING TIME 20 MINS

450g (1lb) of Jersey Royal potatoes (or other new potatoes) 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil juice of half a lemon 2 tablespoon of chopped spring onions 3 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaf Coarse salt and ground pepper Halve the potatoes lengthways creating more surface area for the absorption of the dressing. Place the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water, season with salt and bring to a boil. Cook the potatoes until tender, around 10-15 minutes; drain. Mix the olive oil with the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the coriander and chopped onion over the warm potatoes and toss them in with the dressing. Adjust seasoning to taste. This dish can be served warm or cold.

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Serves 4

2 spring cabbage (or other leafy greens) washed and sliced finely 2 tablespoons of oil 3 teaspoons mustard seeds 1 clove garlic 2 teaspoons turmeric 1 teaspoon chili powder 2 dessert spoons of English Mustard paste (diluted in water to make half a cup) 2 teaspoons sugar salt to taste Fry the mustard seeds in oil until they pop.

Then add the chopped garlic. Now throw in the cabbage, turmeric and chili. Cook on low heat until the cabbage is soft. When done,add the salt, sugar and mustard paste.

A squeeze of lemon works a treat.

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Bet you’ve never been here...

UNUSUAL HOTELS

By Juliette Lord

Are you bored with staying in generic hotels that all look the same no matter what city you are staying in? Do you want to stay somewhere unique and quirky? This month MANIERA has put together a selection of weird and wonderful hotels which will really give you something to write home about.

Spitbank

Spitbank Fort stands in the Solent, off the coast of Portsmouth on the South Coast of England. It was opened as a hotel in July 2012 but the granite fortification dates back to 1878 when it was constructed amid fears of an invasion by the French. What was once an austere garrison for the British army is now a luxurious getaway with eight luxury bedrooms, three private dining rooms, rooftop champagne bar, wine cellar, library, rooftop hot pool, sauna and sun decks. Only accessible by boat Spitbank Fort provides privacy and seclusion, with special packages for both corporate and personal use.

Fort

Bird’s Eye view of Spitbank Fort

Based in the Huilo Huilo nature reserve in southern Chile, the Montaña Mágica Lodge (Magic Mountain Lodge) looks like something from a fairy tale. Huilo Huilo is located 860 kilometers (532 miles) south of Santiago in the “Region de los Rios” in the middle of the Patagonian Andes, and is one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet. A third of the birds and mammals and over half the fresh water fish are unique to the area. The organic architecture of the building blends seamlessly into the environment and changes with the seasons. A truly magical location.

Montaña Mágica Lodge

Fairy Tale Fantasy Montaña Mágica Lodge

Palacio

At first glance the Palacio de Sal does not look too unusual - until you realise that the entire building is made from salt. Set in the vast salt desert of Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia’s southwestern regions of Oruno and Potosi close to the peak of the Andes at an altitude of 3,650 meters (almost 12,000 miles), this is a place like no other. The unique beauty of this remote location is difficult to overstate. The 16 bedrooms in the hotel are constructed like igloos but using salt instead of ice, blending in perfectly with the salt desert landscape.

de Sal

Palacio de Salis is built entirely from salt.

V House, Verana |Jae Feinberg

Dog Bark Park Inn Idaho. |Dog Bark Park

Dog Bark Park Inn

The Dog Bark Park Inn is one for dog lovers everywhere and guaranteed to raise a smile. In the heart of the Camas Prairie, Cottonwood, Idaho, USA, this bed and breakfast resides inside Sweet Willy, the world’s largest beagle. His smaller companion, Toby, is a 12-foot tall beagle statue built by Dog Bark Park artists Dennis Sullivan and Frances Conklin, who also run the hotel and have a gift shop packed full of their unique chainsaw art. Their website boasts that “At Dog Bark Park Inn sleeping in the doghouse is a good thing!”

Verana Luxury Spa

To Mexico next, where the Verana Luxury Spa is hidden in a hillside jungle above the Bay of Banderas surrounded by the mountains of the Valle de la Sierra Oriental. This place is not easy to reach. The nearest airport is Puerto Vallarta, from which people take a short drive to Boca de Tomatlan then take the boat for a 30-minute trip along the coastline to Yelapa.

The final part of the journey has to be undertaken by mule but the scenery is well worth the effort. The V houses, which form part of the resort and are so called because of the shape of the structure, are built 16 feet above the ground and open on all sides to offer panoramic views of the tropical surroundings. The open walls give the rooms a sense of space and make the outdoors and indoors merge together. To add to the sense of tranquility, Verana offers luxury spa treatments and yoga and meditation workshops.

Contact us

MANIERA LLC P.O. Box 15379 Washington D.C., 20003 (202) 294-4147 e-mail