Michael Kors is pleased to announce that Olivia Munn wore a cobalt crop top and skirt both from the Transeason 2015.
Michael Kors Collection for an appearance on Conan during Comic-Con International 2015 on Saturday, July 11, 2015 in San Diego, California.
Usually associated with military and utilitarian looks, this season the colour is elegant and chic.
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The earthy hues of khaki, camel, sand and green take on a classic metropolitan influence for the modern woman. Looking great on the Indian olive skin tone, it’s a perfect transition colour from summer to monsoon.
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Kindred Nations, a photo exhibit, tells the story of a long and rich U.S.-India relationship across two centuries through historical images of remarkable people and experiences.
M.S. Viswanathan, whose film compositions transcended various genres of music and his music refused to be pinned down to musical traditions passed away leaving a void in the music industry .
Neerarum Kadaloduth was an composition will ever be part of the Tamil movie industry. In the Kollywood music industry , there was no other composer who could compose tracks as diverse as MSV. He had composed music for over 1,700 films in Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada and worked with four Chief Ministers — N.T. Rama Rao, M.G. Ramachandran, M. Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa.
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Chennai Fashion Week was this weekend and it was a style filled weekend. Along with big designers like Ritu Kumar there were alot of new designers being discovered and they were living up to the standard. People like Studio 9696 held their début show in style with an extremely trendy combined with traditional bridal wear. Here are some pictures from the Ritu Kumar show.
Graduate Fashion Showcase Design By Students Of ICAT Design & Media College at Express Avenue Mall.
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The event was choreographed by Sunil menon.
Ox and Tomato is a little restaurant in Alwarpet. This little cafe has a variety of pizzas, pasta, sandwiches and mouth watering desserts to chose from. We tried the Pineapple Pizza which was delicious and thin crust , the pesto pasta was think and creamy. The Desserts are supplied from Sandy’s , so we obviously have nothing bad to say about them. On the whole we enjoyed the food and would love to come back .
Venkataram Reddy, who owns Basava Ambara in Bengaluru, has been a keen collector of antiques for more than 20 years. His name is well known among those who deal in antiques and his love for all things old and precious reflects in the astonishing number of treasures that decorate his beautiful apartment located on the outskirts of the city. We delve deeper into this treasure trove of antiques – Bengaluru
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Beginning at the ornate main door and moving inside, every single wall and surface of Venkataram Reddy’s home is covered in unique and priceless antiques. What catches our attention as we walk through the heavy doors of teak wood are huge wooden statues of Garuda, Hanuman, a tiger and a massive peacock. “They’re vahanas that were used to carry deities in a procession during the olden days,” explains the antique dealer who is like a walking, talking encyclopedia on all things old and ornate. “They’re from Tamil Nadu, easily at least a hundred years old. The Peacock Vahana would have been used to carry a deity of Lord Murugan, while Hanuman would have serviced the deity of Lord Rama. Today it is a pity that temples have resorted to using tractors to ferry their deities instead of these beauties,” he continues.
The living room could easily pass off as a museum for period pieces. Gauging by the different styles and countries from where Reddy has procured these collector’s items, it is obvious his love is for all things old, and not necessarily Indian or ethnic antiques alone. “Take for example the dining table – it is an old English table, but the chairs are not from the original set. Then there is this entire wall in the dining room dedicated to white and blue Chinese porcelain. And this massive round centre table in the living room that is a legacy of the Portugese and Dutch settlers who inhabited Goa. Every piece that’s seen here is precious to me, irrespective of where it is come from,” he says.
A massive Pichwai occupies place of pride on one of the living room walls. The word Pichwai derives from the Sanskrit words ‘pich’ meaning back and ‘wais’ meaning hanging. These are cloth paintings hung behind the image of the Hindu god Shrinathji. Usually Pichwai art depicts images of Lord Krishna alone, though this specific is pretty rare considering it is a painting of Lord Vishnu in his cosmic form. There are also several pillars and arches, all made of teak wood and sourced from Mysore, that Reddy has used to enhance the look of his living room.
Resplendent with lamps, Tanjore paintings, masks and brass and copper utensils that have artistically been used as centrepieces and arranged around the furniture, the living room showcases antiques from several different countries. There are two magnificent mirrors in Gothic design that adorn one wall. “These could easily be more than 150 years old…. there’s a stamp saying Made In Germany behind the mirrors so it is obvious they’re from that region,” says Reddy. A collection of lithographs, all of birds, is clustered around these two beautiful mirrors. “They’re from a book dating back to 1836 and are hand coloured with vegetable dyes,” he says.
A statue of a standing Buddha from Burma, which Reddy happened in to find in Los Angeles, is one of the most outstanding pieces in his collection. “Burma, now Myanmar, showcases different postures of Buddha in its pagodas. And he’s usually protected from the sun by an umbrella shading him. Hence I’ve added a very unique umbrella – it is gilded in 24K gold and made from wood and bamboo – and positioned it behind the statue. Around the Buddha’s neck is a silver Hasli from Afghanistan. It’s one of their traditional ornaments,” he explains.
From having used the base of palanquins and converting them to tables, to the ancient collection of Ganga Jamuna pots made of brass and copper inlay that were used for ceremonies in the olden days, lotus lamps from Kerala, and probably an early Lazyboy type of chair in Chippendale design, Reddy’s home can be explored for days and still remain a mystery to the untrained eye.
His store in Basavanagudi is his haven when he’s not spending time in his home. Considered as one of the best places in the city to buy authentic antique furniture and artefacts, it is always a pleasure to walk in there, even if you’re not in the mood to purchase something, and partake of some priceless information and stories from this antique lover.
Basava Ambara
51, K.R. Road, Basavanagudi, Bengaluru
Phone: +91 80 26561940
Every house has a story. However, this particular one has a lesson in history. The home of Paigahs has been around for about 120 years and was built by Sir Vikar ul Umra for his beloved wife Jahadar Uniza Begum. Obaid Ur Rehman, the grandson of the eldest sister of the 6th Nizam, takes us on a walkthrough and lets us in on the tales of the palace – Hyderabad
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For anyone who loves history and has a good imagination, walking down the halls and through the courtyards of a palace would definitely be full of fascination and delight. This particular house happens to be a palace designed by Sir Vikar Ul Umra, who was also the architect of the spectacular Falaknuma Palace. Apparently, when he built Falaknuma, he had a desire to build one architectural splendour for his wife. That’s how the Paigah Palace, a special gift to his beloved wife, came into being.
The interiors of the palace consist of high ceilings, intricate floral designs around the doors and tiled wooden screens that divide rooms. “This palace was built for the ladies of the Paigah family as they followed the zanana-mardana (separate sections for men and women) system during those days,” says Obaid. The Chiran Fort was built for the men of the family. “If you notice, the balconies are all built inside the palace and not outside like how it is in other homes”, he adds.
Obaid lives here with his two daughters on the first floor of the palace while the ground floor and the courtyards are given out for functions and weddings. The staircase that lead up to their living space is just as old as the house. Restorations that the palace underwent have left most of the structure intact while some sections are being rebuilt, like the lift tower and a few designs on the barren walls.
There are two living rooms, both of which have portraits of the Paigah family and shelves filled with antique artefacts. The private living room has portraits of Obaid and his parents, as well as his siblings, on the wall. Below them lies silverware, neatly stacked on shelves, as well as a huge range of cutlery and glasses. “I was about 22 or 23 when that portrait of mine was made. The one opposite me is my father; he was a doctor. I have two siblings, one sister and one brother,” says Obaid who took over the palace after his mother passed away.
The private living room has two doors, one leading to a study and a bedroom, and another to the old stairway that isn’t used anymore. The study has a huge antique ceramic clock. “The clock is so delicate even though it’s huge. The intricate detailing on it is beautiful. It’s of German make and there’s only one more piece in the world that is similar to this,” shares the proud owner.
The other living room is a much larger one and is decorated with a ruby coloured chandelier that hangs from the middle of the room. A matching lamp sits below it on the centre table and surrounding the room are more portraits of the entire Paigah family and the Nizams. There are different shelves that showcase various artefacts. If one shelf has an old collection of dolls, another has stacks of silver cutlery, yet another shelf showcases miniature monuments and one more has toys that Obaid played with while growing up. “There’s a silver rattle, a soap dish, a hand mirror, hair brush with a silver handle, perfume bottles and other things that I used as a kid and I’ve preserved,” he describes.
The living room leads to a guest dining area which has an emerald chandelier hanging from the ceiling and matching lights around the room. The dining area is filled with cutlery from around the world that his mother had collected and remain intact even today. “We only use these when we have many guests, otherwise some of the things that my mother had are used as show pieces like the tea cup and saucer clock or the tray with pink floral design,” says Obaid.
There are about three courtyards in the palace, two which are rented out for functions and one private one which they have created by removing one of the kitchens. “Back in the day we had the maiz-khana which is the kitchen, it was huge, but recently we developed that into a courtyard for ourselves,” he explains.
Most of the furniture and décor items were brought in specially from France or Germany. “The thing is, when Sir Vikar Ul Umra wanted to make this another spectacular palace, there were people against it. They were stopped, and he gifted it to his wife anyway!” Obaid informs. On taking a look around the palace and meeting with his nephew Habib, we get more insights about the Paigahs and their story, but that’s for another time. Until then, this is the Paigah Palace for you.
Homeboy, Aaamer Javed seems to be making quiet an impact with his work as the NSUI National Secretary. The president of the INC invited the young politico to the Iftar party she hosted in the capital last night.
Aamer posted a picture of the invitations on social media as well as a selfie with Rahul Gandhi. He posted this message, along with the picture. “Thank you Madam Gandhi for the invitation to the lovely dawat e iftar today at the Ashok Hotel,New Delhi. Its very encouraging for youngsters like me to be recognised by the top leadership and motivates us to work harder untiringly and relentlessly as we have been and will do so in the future as well.”
Pushparaj Mutturaj of the Army wins the trials at the Yacht Club of Hyderabad while crew Narendra Singh Rajput jumps into the Hussain Sagar in celebration.
The restaurant is decorated in chic and contemporary style, paired with earth-toned upholstery and gorgeous flooring. Twilight transforms Prego into an elegant dinner venue with upbeat music and candle light, to make the evening unobtrusive and relaxed. We check out Chennai’s most popular Italian restaurant at Taj Coromandel.
A burst of authentic flavours, the menu at Prego is a fine mix of traditional Italian food and Chef Luca’s innovations. Simple plating is key at the restaurant, where the very best of the Italian culinary mosaic is showcased using the freshest of ingredients, including local fresh catch from the Bay of Bengal. Extending the experience of home-style dining, guests are invited to Casa D’Amora, Chef Luca’s home, where he serves up an off-the-menu Italian family style dining experience.
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Guests can experience the wine room – Enoteca – for an interactive experience of food and wine pairing. Introducing the concept of wines by the ‘half glass’, the menu offers an unmatched selection of Italian favourites, besides heady cocktails, liquors, the popular Spritzers and homemade lemoncellos.
Savour appealing appetizers like Parma ham, fresh mozzarella and confit tomato; potato “beignets”, goat cheese cream, tomato coulis and caramelized cherry tomato; or seared scallops, truffle and parmesan cream. Chef Luca stays true to tradition with favourites such as house made pappardelle, lamb ragout and Pecorino sauce, field mushroom and mascarpone risotto and the traditional Margherita; “Ortolana” and feta cheese; and truffle, Rucola and Pecorino cheese. A must-have for all Italian food lovers is the Braised lamb shank.
The plates of the deep sea and coastal plains give you a gourmet selection of a seafood appetizer or soup, a pizza, a pasta or risotto with seafood, fresh catch of the day for a grand seafood indulgence followed by the delightful dessert. The plates from farms bring you a bouquet of handpicked items from the farms on to your plate, including an appetizer or soup, a pizza, a pasta or risotto, vegetarian entrée for a grand herbaceous meal followed by dessert. Or guests can opt for Chef Luca’s interpretations, the ultimate gastronomic experience with a myriad selection of seafood, meat and garden fresh vegetables.
While the tiramisu and cassata are the most favourite Italian desserts, Chef Luca’s deconstruction of these classics gives them his signature touch. The list of must-haves includes Luca’s tiramisu; dark chocolate fondant with sea salt and caramel gelato and the de-constructed Sicilian cassata.
Taj Coromandel, Nungambakkam,
Phone: +91 44 30925988
A renewed interpretation of Ralph & Russo’s romantic sensibility is unleashed for Autumn Winter 2015/2016, manifesting in sensual femininity and sexy sophistication. The collection is a spectacle of love-laden wonders; a tour de force of elaborate design and labour-intensive artistry. Take a look at these two beautiful garments we absolutely fell in love with.
(pics: Ralph & Russo website)
Located in Gachibowli is Holiday Inn Express and Suites that houses Jonathan’s Kitchen, the restaurant owned by Vydika Khosle. With its textured walls and island chandelier lights that hang from the ceiling on one side, the restaurant’s agenda in terms of design is minimalist and elegant.
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In terms of the food, the agenda is simple. Cook to impress with a vast menu ranging from Indian to continental and a special Japanese menu as well. We give our order according to Chef Rajesh’s recommendations. Up first, two types of Sushi – Volcano and Crispy Shrimp Tempura. The Volcano Sushi, made with crab stick, avocado, lettuce and spicy mayo, was delicious, but the Crispy Shrimp Tempura was our favourite with its mix of crab meat and lettuce. The crunch and lightly fried batter coating made this an interesting starter. As Chef Rajesh guessed it was the first fried sushi we had tasted.
Out comes the Chicken Satay accompanied by a unique salad – Green Apple Carpaccio. The chicken satay is served with traditional Thai peanut sauce that is a sudden hit on the palate after the mellow flavours of the sushi – but a welcoming one if you love spice. The Green Apple Carpaccio – a favourite at the restaurant – is a refreshing salad, both in terms of flavour and in terms of variety. Those who are bored with the salads should give this one a shot. Sliced and diced pieces of green apple, lettuce with feta cheese doused with lemon mustard dressing… it was perfect.
On to the main course and we dig into the Quarto Formaggio as we are suckers for four cheese pizzas. One of the best thin crust pizzas we’ve had in the city that despite the mozzarella, gorgonzola, ricotta and parmesan cheese was light on the stomach. The Tomato and Spinach Ravioli was delicious as was the Involitini di pollo, a grilled chicken breast that lay on a bed of caramelized onions, cannellini beans, veggies and jus – the chicken was perfectly cooked and succulent thanks to the caramelized onions and jus.
For dessert, we went with the Philadelphia Cheese Cake and the Chocolate Fondant Cake. The cheese cake’s Oreo cookie base with its creamy layer, and the Chocolate Fondant Cake served hot with a dollop of ice cream over it was satiating. Both these desserts were our final step to reaching a food coma and if it is considered a sin to indulge in such a scrumptious meal, we join our hands and say, “Forgive us father for we have sinned.”
But we are sure to go back and sin again!
IT Park Gachibowli, Hyderabad
Phone: +91 40 4541 6699
Tuhin Mehta was here last weekend and he was bringing the house down . With a career spanning over 20 years, Tuhin Mehta’s tunes vary from deep minimal tech to electro, to rumbling progressive bass lines, to tribal, techno and trance. He played at Distil and the club was packed with people and everyone was on the dance floor. It was a crazy night and we cant wait to have him back in the city!
This Coldstone ice cream parlour recently opened in Chennai so we decided to go see what it was like. We tried the “Bite Full Of Jamun“.
This was delicious and very interesting because it had fresh jamuns on top of jamun ice cream. We also tried the strawberry ice cream with magic pops as a topping. That was an experience to eat because with every bite there is an explosion of magic pop cracking on your tongue. On the whole it is a great place to hang out with some friends over innovative ice creams.
