Stress busters – Luxurious wellness retreats

Lifestyle trends and choices available in India

This week, the mantra is ‘rejuvenation’, ‘returning to the roots’ and so within this we try and bring you lifestyle options that help you achieve this. This week the beat spans out over mountainous expanses, to cold, vegetation - bereft deserts (where each day could arouse struggles to those used to creature comforts); right up to swanky resorts cradled in the very lap of nature, providing the much necessary get - away from the busy humdrum of life. And while one builds up bonds with nature, there are other bonds that beckon. Let go - of insecurities, of emotions, of vulnerability…live out the feeling of oneness, it could be more beneficial than you could have ever imagined Rejuvenate with your coffee, find out swankier ways of making it. Change looks, whether in terms of personal style or in your interiors…this is really the time for it all.

-Chillibreeze Business Research Team

Wallflowers

Dressing up your house has acquired a new meaning and this time it’s literal. Paints and wall papers are passé and the new age way of doing things up in your home are inlaying the walls with semi precious stones, metal or even water.

Lapis from Afghanistan, Jasper from Australia, Tiger Eye from South Africa are some of the materials used to inlay walls. There are tiles from Somany Ceramics which has launched an environment-friendly tile line called Rustic with a going price of Rs 40-50 per tile. H&R Johnson (India) has also introduced a range of tiles beginning at Rs 190 per piece. Wall adhesives with digital markings, wall screens with a mirrored finish, and the latest…water features which add an element of drama and sophistication to the interiors by way of a water curtain or other such cool concepts.

May 31, 2008
Source: Mint

Hot Seat

Accelerate your style quotient of your home and make your bar zone the eye ball grabbing zone in your home. Friuli has launched the Tonon collection of bar stools and lounge chairs. With a starting price of Rs 45,000 and upwards per chair, this set enters the high end luxury segment and is contemporary, stylish and unusual. Available at The Bombay Store here in India.

May, 31, 2008
Source: Mint

Canine Capers

For all those who have pets and think deserve every bit of care and pampering, there is finally something to look forward to in terms of cars. Honda Motors has come up with the W.O.W concept car for your pets complete with detachable easy to clean seats, wooden floors, netted and a built in pup-crate in the dashboard. The idea belongs to Teruhiro Murai, an internet marketer who works with the company and who needed a car that would fulfil his own needs as an owner of two dogs. The car is carefully designed and has the lowest floor yet among Honda’s minivans, at just 39 cm (15.35 inches) from the ground to the rear section, while the cargo space is just 48 cm off the ground. Ideal for people who have the pets, the attitude and of course the money to give their pets a taste of high life.

May 30, 2008
Source: Economic Times

Tweaking the Trouser

Change the look of your lowers. Fashion trends have worked around the staid plaid trouser and metamorphosed it into a garment that is both stylish and dramatic, all the while keeping the comfort levels intact. Some of the new shapes that promise the wearer a second look would be the dhoti pants that are a rip off the traditional garment in India, the hammer pants, the Jodhpur pants, the churi pants, drain pipes, cigarette pants and the aligarhi pyjamas. Globally there has been a huge shift in the way trousers are worn and the big fashion houses like Ralph Lauren, Armani, Gucci, D&G, Hermes, Balenciaga to name a few are reinventing the trouser, in terms of styling, length and giving fashion runways some high drama.

May 26, 2008
Source: Hindustan Times

Mountain Trail

This summer, take the path less trodden…go to Rinchenpong, in Sikkim. The mountains as seen from the roof of the world are breath taking, fascinating. The majestic Kanchenjunga offers a view that is as beautiful as the one you get from places like Darjeeling and Gangtok, especially when the rays of the rising sun fall on the icy slopes bathing them in the colours of the rainbow. There are other great views on offer: a series of winding paths up the mountains that lead past local Lapcha houses, old forest bungalows from the British era, monastries, rare artefacts, virginal forests interspersed with the Himalayas. The airs cool, crisp and fills your lungs with a burst of energy. There is also the local bazaar which is filled with a lot of handicrafts and miniature artefacts that you can take back home.

May, 25, 2008
Source: The Statesman

Cold Climes

Go upwards to the cold slopes of Himachal Pradesh and experience the cold desert of the Spiti Valley in the Lahoul-Spiti region. Good for those who want to experience bio-diversity and cultural heritage in one breath.

Go past Shimla along the river Sutlej and travel to Recong Peo which is the geteway to Spiti Valley. Barren hills, sparse vegetation, few apple orchards, exotic birds, cool nippy weather, lakes…art on the canvas of rocks and mountains. There are also monasteries to look out for as well as a national Park (Pin Valley national Park).

May, 25,2008
Source: The Statesman

Beating Retreat

Need a break that gives you alternate stress busting options, organic food and other lifestyle treats without compromising on luxury? Then yoga retreats are ideal refreshers which combine, nature, scenic beauty, fitness and luxury in a way that redefines rejuvenation.

Cleanse your senses at The Oberoi’s Wildflower Hall resort in Shimla, Udaivillas in Udaipur, Ananda in the Himalayas, Satwik resort in Bhimtal, the Shreyas Retreat in Bangalore, Ayurveda Yoga Retreat Coonoor, beach getaways like Goa’s Ashiyana Yoga Retreat centre…the list is huge. Wellness routines as combined with adventurous sports, cooking up expert meals that are made of eco-friendly stuff sourced from the local climes and indulging in de stressing activities. Beauty regimes are also fitted in. The above comes at a price, Rs 85000-2, 01,600 per couple for a double room. However there are budget wise options too like Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh which comes at Rs 335 for single occupancy and 840 for double occupancy. Ditto with Dhanwantri Retreat in Trivandurum.

May, 25 2008
Source: Telegraph

Café Conversations

Fix up your morning cup of coffee without lifting a finger. The new high tech coffee making machines are just what you will need. The state of the art machines boast of looks that match the stylish décor of the modern day kitchen and give a cuppa that’s close to the deals in any of the major café outlets. Utilitarian and stylish to boot, the brands to check out are Phillips, Kona, Bodum, Reidel, Saeco, Ariston,Chombard, Good Earth, Morphy richards…the options are endless. The top of the heap price is at Rs 7,020 and the rear comes in at Rs.2000. Time to wake up and smell the coffee.

May, 25 2008
Source: Telegraph

Show and Tell

Your hesitation to go all out sans clothes in bed could cost you more than mere good sex or intimacy. Showing your body to your spouse may be a sure fire way of knowing first hand about the onset of skin cancer. Melanoma the most deadly form of skin cancer can appear in more than one spot and your spouse who knows your body most intimately could warn you first hand of any ungainly marks or spots in your body. So go ahead, show your body, and don’t be shy.

May 25, 2008
The Times of India