Privacy settings need not restrict themselves to your Facebook account. They can extend to something a little more intimate and a lot more interesting. Like the comfort of enjoying a meal with friends and family in a popular restaurant, but away from the prying eyes of the world. For a long time, a private dining space in a restaurant meant ...

Breaking bread will probably never be the same again, not at the Baluchi in any case. The recently re-invented Baluchi, at the Lalit, has introduced a rather interesting pairing of wine and bread in an essentially pan Indian context.At their all new Bread Bar you can combine freshly made Indian breads with the restaurant's extensive wine list. It's an interesting ...

ITC's new hand rolled cigarsWhen tobacco from the best growing regions of the world is wrapped in delicate wrapper leaf from the Cuban seed tobaccos, the result is pure ecstasy. Armenteros hand rolled cigars are a blend of strong and rich tobaccos peaking its aroma and texture. It's packaged in perceptively designed wooden boxes in harmony with the woody and ...

"How many are there?" Captain Kirk asks his treacherous crewmember Kim Cattrall in the nailbiting climax of Star Trek VI. The Captain is referring to a new Klingon weapon, a stealthy 'bird of prey' starship which can fire while 'cloaked'. "Just the prototype," Cattrall replies, straight-faced.Cut to Linkoping, a town in Southern Sweden, the breathtakingly beautiful cradle of its aviation ...

How to bridle a horseThis one's straight from the horse's mouth. Tips and tricks that will help you rein over the ranch.For the uninitiated, a bridle is a piece of equipment used to direct a horse. Needless to say, its importance during a horse ride cannot be overstated. Bridling is the final step in tacking up a horse before the ...

Float SoloAre you dreaming of going on a cruise, but uncertain about floating solo? Most ships organise 'singles' cruises and get-togethers thus providing a great opportunity to make new friends and visit a new place everyday. Cruise lines like the Royal Caribbean and Regent Seven Seas sometimes subsidise rates on certain cruises making it easy for solo travellers to afford ...

Jean-Frederic Dufour, CEO, Zenith HOME ESSENTIALSWhere do I live: Geneva. Car: Vintage 1956 Alfa Romeo. Water: Perrier or Walser. Curtains: None, I like to see nature from my house. Stereo: iPod. Tablestand Book: ZENITH from Manfred Rossler.Pets: My dogs.GROOMINGShaving cream: Gilette.Shampoo: Fresh. Moisturiser: None.Aftershave: Dior. Toothpaste: Elmex.Soap: No preferences.Hairdresser: Hometown barber.FOOD AND DRINKBeverage: Italian Espresso.Spirit: Red Wine. Beer: Rugenbrau.Restaurant: Le ...

If you have ever ridden a Harley-Davidson, you'd know there's something special about them. They aren't devastatingly fast. Nor are they engineered with the finesse that Japanese and Italian superbikes enjoy, to ensure heartstopping performance. But then, they don't have to, because a Harley isn't about speed or personal riding achievements; it's about simplicity and the journey. And a journey ...

VUELTA A ESPANAA tough callThe Tour de France isn't the only major cycling tournament this year, with the Tour de Suisse going on, and the Vuelta a Espana due to begin on August 28 in Sevilla. Interestingly, the controversial German cyclist Stefan Schumacher is trying to make it for the Vuelta under some unique circumstances. He was suspended for two ...

In less than an hour of being on the road, the paved streets of Belfast make way for country roads that wind through the famous glens of counties Antrim and Down. Antrim's verdant glens sweep downhill from the marshes of a volcanic plateau to the sea and you find yourself in the middle of rolling pastoral fields which seem like ...

Is sunshine really enough for your Vitamin D fix, or should you pop a pill?Sunshine, long considered a powerful source of Vitamin D, is under scrutiny as researchers compare its benefits with medication.Instead of hitting the beach and getting a tan, experts have spent the entire summer debating whether morning sunshine or medication is the best source of Vitamin D. ...

30 YEARS OF GROUSEFamous Grouse celebrates its 30th anniversary with a limited edition gift box of the final 1980 bottles of its award winning 30 Year Old blended malt. The malt was first released in 2004 and is the jewel in the crown of Grouse's blended malt range-a project undertaken by The Edrington Group's former master blender, John Ramsay.A collector's ...

A castle need not be a des-res only for the stars anymore. Not when you're rich even if not famous; there's little that money can't buy these days. And what better way to be one up on the Joneses than by chilling in an Irish castle restored by an actor from a complete ruin into a wonderful fivebedroom vacation home?Welcome ...

The surest ways to wipe the smile off your face is to wake up to a scratch on the beamer. Before wailing, diagnose the extent of the scratch: run your fingernail across it and determine if the surface is gouged or simply stuck on top of the surface. If the defect protrudes, it can be easily removed with a solvent ...

A luxury product is supposed to be a guarantor of exclusivity and membership of a very, very select club. But what do you do when the millionaire's club keeps getting bigger? When every other person has a Birkin bag and Vuitton luggage? When plain vanilla luxe products, be they shoes or clothes or stationery or spirits, just don't cut it ...

Brietling's Superocean watchBrietling created history in 1957 with the launch of its Superocean maritime watch, especially crafted for professional and military divers. The latest version of the Superocean is an equally worthy sequel to the watch's five-decade-old history-youthful, modern and dynamic, with a stunning makeover. The bezel is rubber molded, enlivened by sloping numerals and a fluted pattern.The strikingly distinctive ...

The French are coming, bearing gifts of spa secrets hitherto unknown to Indian men and women. For not many know that there's more to the French than just couture, cosmetics and fragrances. Ask any skin specialist and he will tell you that the French have also mastered the art of getting under your skin-quite literally. French skincare treatments, say the ...

Rolex SubmarinerThe quintessential diver's watch, the Submariner has been updated since it was created in 1953. Today, the all new Oyster Perpetual Submariner Date is available in a 40-mm case that is robust, waterproof (up to 300m) and corrosion-resistant. This watch offers exceptional legibility thanks to the hour markers and hands being coated with luminescent chromalight. Its mechanical movement is ...

For looks that kill, going under the knife is mandatory masochism. Notwithstanding an economy more comatose than a long weekend hangover, 1.1 million men in the US looked into their mirrors in 2008 and decided to face going under the ether for cosmetic procedures, according to The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).Botox and chemical peels for the face topped ...

La Carrera Panamericana was Mexico's answer to Italy's Mille Miglia, a road race that ran between 1950 and 1955 to celebrate the opening of the Panamericana highway linking Mexico with the rest of America. At the time, the Mexicans thought a race on the new road would put them on the world map and attract exciting business opportunities.La Carrera achieved ...

When you're idling bang in the middle of India's longest lake, you may drift off to sleep in the middle of a conversation. As a gentle breeze plays over the placid watery expanse, your eyes droop, your words slur, and before you know it, you're snoring gently. At over 250 sq km, Vembanad Kayal is a massive freshwater lake on ...

It's almost five months since Mamagoto opened, but the crowds just refuse to go away. It's 1 pm on a hot, sweaty Thursday, and tables are still hard to come by at the Asian eatery that's become the new go-to place in Khan Market. Young couples looking for fun dining options, dapper lunchers, families with grandmas in tow, bohochic mamas, ...

As great as our fair country is for top-notch summer getaways, if you look beyond the border, you'll find a plethora of exciting places to visit. Every year throws up its favourites, like South Africa this year, which is hosting the Football World Cup; and Cyprus. Then, there are perennial favourites like Switzerland. So, in consultation with Cox & Kings, ...

Keeping Bangalore's notoriously fickle diners interested in your restaurant or lounge bar is tough business. But it's not anything new for chef Abhijit Saha, who started Park's i-t.ALIA Italian restaurants nationwide and, more recently, collaborated with greenhorn restauranter Shruti Shibulal to launch Caperberry, a Spanish-actually Tapas-Bar and Lounge. Their second venture is called Fava and claims to be perhaps the ...

Like all A.D. Singh ventures, the Lap Garden, too, is easy on the eyes. The dimly-lit al fresco dining space, spread across 10,000 square feet, is all sunken chairs and cosy clusters. Laid back and inviting, it is in stark contrast to Lap, the uber-luxe, membersonly nightclub ensconced inside. But the choice of location that's Hotel Samrat, is a dampener.Renovation ...