The Making Of.... Heaven's 8: A look at how eight of the fittest people in Hong Kong maintain their hot bods.

Sexy Summer Bodies, how they got them and how they keep them.

Hong Kong's fittest and healthiest bodies reveal how they get in swimsuit-ready shape after a calorific winter. From kick-boxing to dance, professional sports to pilates, they prove that in pursuit of the flattest abdominals, you can't do nominal work.

Photography: Olaf Mueller
Art direction and styling: P.Ramakrishnan
All men's watches and underwear by Calvin Klein. 

Other wardrobe, models' own.




The Making of...

Photographer Olaf Mueller is featured in the shots - his original work is published in Style magazine. 

Some of the eight men and women from the list, including Nicolas (who literally went head over heels for this shoot), Kate, Icy Lee (who made the incredible body shapes at her Yogasala studio), Jonny (rugby player and... fitness machine!).

I took these snaps on my canon - thankfully, the pro shots are much, muuuuuuuuuch better. Francesca's missing from the pics as during the shoot, I was the person she was throwing the netball at. Kindly note I don't mention catching the ball. Anyhoo, bodies and babes in HK below!

Begged, Borrowed and Stolen: Indian Television's Superstar Abhinav Shukla's snaps goes viral

Wow. Pics I took of model turned TV actor Abhinav Shukla years ago seem to pop up in other sites and blogs. My exhaustingly mediocre photography inspiring digital theft! Go figure...

Shots of Shukla in his swimmers and the suit shots I've seen on multiple forums as I go Bollywood googleing.

My photography is so "special" - if I take 90 shots, four will come out ok, the rest WILL be blurs - that of all the people I know, I can't believe its my pictorial that's been pilfered. Maybe it has less to do with my pics, and more to do with the pecs. Ha. Padum pumm tsszzz... 

Well, more out-takes from the shoot. Photographer Ayesha Broacha shooting actor/model Abhinav Shukla at the Four Seasons, Mumbai. Trunks by Cavalli. 

The actual shoot was published in Kee magazine. 

On the Scent of Perfume

From ancient Greeks to A-list celebrities, P.Ramakrishnan looks at the role fragrances have played throughout history.


In 1953, Marilyn Monroe said the only thing she wore to bed was Chanel no:5, igniting sales public-relation machines can only dream of. Since then, perfume sales have taken many a welcome boost from well-paid celebrities – there’s nothing like a whiff of stardust to mingle with concoctions of essential oils and chemical compounds.

It wasn’t always this way. Reports are mixed on when and where perfumes – from the Latin per fumus, “through smoke” – originated but popular theories lead to findings made about 4000 years ago, when incense, made from resins and woods used in religious ceremonies are described by Mesopotamians (modern-day Iraq). Bodies were rubbed down with water and oil that were soaked in fragrant woods as they embalmed the dead with these perfumes.

Egyptian tombs holding embalmed bodies, clearly display hieroglyphics of incenses which were prolifically used from 3000 BC. Botanical gardens, herbs and incense trees were seen as valuable commodities then as incense and perfumed oils were used in rituals from birth till death – and in the after-life. The tombs of Egyptian pharaohs were enriched with gold artifacts and aromatics, through the scents had evaporated with time, the vessels that held them have been left behind as evidence to their significance.



It’s hard to strip away the myths that have built up around Egyptian ruler - Cleopatra courtesy of Elizabeth Taylor – whose own White Diamonds remains one of the most successful perfumes yet - and a multitude of books and films, legend has it that Cleopatra, well versed in the power of scent, was lavish in her use of perfume. When she greeted Mark Antony, she arrived on a ship with perfumed sails, the Roman politician fell under her spell before she even came into view.

David Pybus, a chemist who works with perfumers and specializes in recreating scents of ancient times, proposes that Cleopatra might have bathed in Nenufar, a blue lotus extract with hallucinogenic properties – which may explain her many conquests. By the first century AD, Rome was burning it’s way through 2,800 tonnes of frankincense and 550 tonnes of myrrh a year and Nero, the Roman emperor in 54 AD, is believed to have spent the equivalent of a modern-day US$100,000 to scent just one party.

In the eastern hemisphere the first Mughal ruler of India, Babur introduced Persian-style fragrant gardens to the region, as the variety of climates in India provided a wealth of aromatic plants for perfumery and pharmacy. From Brahmins, Buddhists to Jains that lived from north to Southern India, bathing and ritual washings all included scented oils, powders and pastes applied after cleansing. Hindu rites using sandalwood date as far back as records permit and rituals with jasmine and rose water have trickled down over centuries and are used even today.

Through various trade routes, the scented Indian and Arabian goods travelled by land and sea into China as well, which exported flowering trees; apricot, citrus, camphor, and peach. As delectable as the smells were, they originally played greater parts in medicine. China's contributions to the scented world included fine porcelain with non-porous, glass-like glazes that increased the lifespan of fast-evaporating perfumes. The distillation process, of cooling aromatic condensers with cold water inspired the perfection of the distillation process by Europeans during the Renaissance.

During the T'ang dynasties (618-907) the Chinese upper classes made lavish use of fragrance. Nothing was spared - from bodies and baths, to clothing, homes and temples. The mentions of perfumes can also be found in the Bible. In the New Testament, the three wise men carried gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the infant Jesus. It also depicts how God commanded Moses to take sweet spices and make it a perfume. Frankincense, an aromatic resin obtained from trees of the genus Boswellia, is used primarily in making incense and perfumes that are burnt even now in customs in Catholic and High Episcopal churches.

Albeit for less ethereal reasons, today Christmas is a "make or break" time for perfumiers as brands of all shapes and size pray for (no pun intended) record sales on and around the winter solstice.

Oddly enough, a great scent isn't enough to ensure sales. Ignited with the glamour quotient provided by actresses, singers, rap stars and sportsmen, women and men's perfume sales see an ebb and flow according to their spokesperson's popularity each year. In 2007, at the tail end of the success of Sex and the City, Sarah Jessica Parker's Lovely saw record sales (over US$25 million). Meanwhile, Jennifer Lopez is still raking it in courtesy of sales of Glow, and her famous ex, Sean Jean (aka Puff Daddy) holds the men's record as his cologne Unforgivable saw a sale of more than US$48 million.

But not every celeb-utante has translated their moment in the spotlight into six-figure sales. Paris Hilton's Can Can, Britney Spears' Curious and reality TV star Kim Kardashian's eponymous perfume saw middling results on the cash counter. Even the popular Jennifer Aniston's eponymous perfume broke a surprisingly unfriendly record; as the lowest seller. Which goes to show that it takes more than A-list status and a good-girl rep to summon the sweet scent of perfume sales.





Note: In Style magazine, published by South China Morning Post. Out yesterday! woop woop

Hyde

Top Host: Padma Lakshmi: Interview with Top Chef host, supermodel and actress Padma Lakshmi for food magazine Crave

The host of the Emmy-award winning reality show Top Chef, Padma Lakshmi has been a household name. Crave learns her preferences, her extraordinary palate and her adventurous approach to food.

Text by P.Ramakrishnan

It's hard to see past Padma Lakshmi's tabloid fame. She's a former fashion model who still looks stunning at 40, even with a one-year-old in tow. Her other accomplishments include part-time film and television actress, TV host, documentary filmmaker, author and producer.



Notes:

Pick up CRAVE Feb issue NOW!! Woo hoo. 

Interviewing one of 'the world's most beautiful people' was amaaaaaaaaazing. Its ridonculous how good she looks - and eats as much as she does and keeps that bod! Dayum! Fellow Keralite! =0) 

-- February 2011

A De in Hong Kong

Purveyors of the light fantastic that is Bollywood would have seen a very familiar face in Central yesterday as Shobhaa De, 63, India’s most famous columnist and author was seen around town after a very bumpy flight from Mumbai.

“There’s something in the air in Hong Kong, it’s electrifying,” says De. “We love coming here. My husband Dilip wanted to be here for the Christie’s watch auction and asked me to join him for a quick sojourn. Hong Kong has been very lucky for him, and right in time for Chinese New Year, it’s been great.”

While shipping tycoon and industrialist Dilip De was at Christie’s making his winning bid on a coveted watch, his famous missus hit the town as Armani Exchange, Shanghai Tang and the teeming lanes in Central filled with bargain deals all saw and felt De’s presence.

“We’ve been coming to Hong Kong on and off for decades as we have friends old – and young – in town. Strangely, I feel at home here, many of the lanes seem familiar, the faces and people, the buzz, it is a city driven by ambition, you can see it in the way people walk on the streets, they are on the move constantly, no dilly-dallying around.”


Writing three weekly columns, scripting an Indian soap opera, having had her own talk-show, churning out a book a year (with 15 to her credit) on average and being a mother of six, it’s a miracle the woman has time to breath, let alone get a hair-cut. So off she trotted down to the basement of Princes Building for a quick cut too.

Between snips, she says, “Food, fashion, finance. I see all three here in spades. You know what the big difference is between ladies here and in Mumbai is? The comfort and ease with which they wear Western and Eastern clothes. The body language is there, the confidence is there. As India gets more modernized and the stars and starlets wear their Chanels and LVs, they don’t know what to do with their arms and legs. So it never looks right in pictures. Here, they know how to strut – and they have the figures for it!”

A woman who does nothing in half-measure, between shopping and a coif, she had breakfast at the Island Shangri-La, high-tea at 4 seasons, drinks at Sevva with husband Dilip and a very late dinner at, er, Tsui Wah, in Central.

“I loved it! Great food and a flavour of the city,” said De. “Hong Kong is a gourmet destination and perhaps only second to Bangkok – by a slim margin – when it comes to five-star service. A hotel chain-restaurant is the same in any city of the world, like cookie-cutter deluxe hotels are, and my favourite meal so far has been at Tsui Wah. We looked at what others were ordering and went with it. Mr De and I thoroughly enjoyed the noodles, prawns and the milk bread.”

Notorious for her critical eye in her prolific career as a social commentator and critic, this past year, she had to face the wrath of many-a-misbegotten actor. Most of Bollywood was all a’twitter as Indian celebrities text’d their ire rather vituperatively on De as her columns came out. “Indian stars can be such big babies,” she laughs. “I am entitled to my opinion and I express it.”

And how!

Text and images by P.Ramakrishnan






Notes:
Oh my - I get a plug in Shobhaa De's blog! wowsa.

Vintage Returns

The right wines can mature into a ripe investment, writes P.Ramakrishnan.

Wine is no longer merely a palatable refreshment. Now it’s also a collectible, seen as a potentially lucrative investment. These days, a sip of win could mean a dip into your portfolio, and names like Lafite, Latour, Margaux and Mouton-Rothschild should be sprinkled into conversation not just over dinner, but when mulling over your private collection with your financial advisers.

If you do have “grape expectations” and are hoping for vintage returns, there are some simple steps to consider when starting your own collection. “Decide if you are doing this for profit, investment or pleasure – to accumulate some special wines to share with friends and family in years to come. This will have a large influence on your actions,” says Greg De ‘Eb of Crown Wine Cellars, who has seen some of the finest collections in Asia.

Imagine you’ve joined Epicureans Anonymous and think of it as a step-by-step programme. “Focus on Bordeaux and Burgundy wines with a smattering of Californian greats. Concentrate on the good, recognised vintages - ’82, ’86, ’90, ’96, 2000, 2003, 2005 – in order to see the highest returns,” says De ‘Eb.

Like researching a stock tip, read up on the subject; for example the ratings guides like the ones published by Robert Parker – his 100-point wines are revered and coveted.

While you’re hitting the books, get a map. Think global gumption, and expand your horizons to lesser known areas but still acknowledged estates, such as Vega Sicilia, Spain; South Africa’s Vergelegen, Meerlust and Kanonkop; Moss Wood, Australia; wines from Douro in Portugal; Alba in Italy and California’s Napa greats.

“Keep them for as long as possible or buy them old and keep them longer,’ says De ‘Eb. “It is great fun to bring out wines with age at dinners and gatherings – especially if they have a story behind them. It shows that you have made an effort and love your wines.”

Viviane Weller, marketing and sales manager at Howards Folly, a private collection of wines available in Hong Kong, adds. “If you keep an eye on other people’s collections the world over – as there are wines that have been saved for years and should be ready to drink or invest in - you must check what is available to buy or exchange with what’ve got.”

When tough economic times loom, many collectors try to unload their stock;, liquidating (literally) their assets. “People start selling their wines to get money quickly and auctions are keenly observed,” says Weller. “Andrew Lloyd Webber’s collection will hit the docks in Hong Kong, and that has sparked a lot of interest among connoisseurs.”

At the Sotheby’s wine auction, on January 22 (2010), Webber plans to sell off 748 lots of fine wine. “There’s a lot of buzz among collectors for this auction as it includes cases of the first growths on the 2005 vintage, Petrus 2000, Cheval Blanck 1982. Domaine de la Romanee Conti La Tache, and Domaine Leflaive,” says Weller. “The stage producer and director’s fine taste in some rare and excellent vintages will be up on the ballot.”

And speaking of directors, finding your “direction wines” is a key step for all aspiring connoisseurs. It tells what styles of wine, varietals and countries of origin you enjoy most.

“Try individual bottles of different ages to find out how they will hold up to ageing, and then align your purchases accordingly,’ advises De ‘Eb. “Only then go out and buy cases.”

New collectors can also make sophomoric mistakes. “Do not drink the wines too young; this is equal to eating unripe fruit,” say De ‘Eb. “Never buy wines that have been stored incorrectly; wine is a living product and will die if not properly kept. This is like having fresh eggs in the boot of your car for two weeks – they will still look okay but you do not really want to open them and see what’s inside.”

Although there seems to be an overwhelming crop of wines being sold in online auctions, websites and forums, never buy wine “blind”. There are many questions to ask vendors, from requesting photos and descriptions of the wine’s condition to inquiring about its history – where it comes form and how it was kept. It only takes one rotten grape to end up with vinegar.

“Do no simply accept the ‘It comes from a great cellar in Europe that is kept at 13 degrees’ line” says De ‘Eb. “This is usually nonsense.”

Once you’ve secured your taste, then comes the question of storage.

“Being a boring traditionalist, I have a good two-bottle cooler bag for my whites and a sturdy leather clad hard two–bottle case for my reds,” says De’Eb. “This serves my dinner transport needs. As for home wine-bottle holders – definitely a no-no, stylistically and functionally. A cold, dark place, and keeping your wines in a cardboard box is much better.”

But for serious collectors, dramatic measures are often taken. A property magnate in Hong Kong’s South Bay, for example apparently decked his basement with a state-of-the art temperature control room, designer bottle caverns; complete with colour-coordinated library efficiency, a password–protected door and a nanny cam recording ins and outs.

It’s a multimillion dollar effort, and yet believe it or not, this still read dilettante on the oenophile table. “Only store your great, collectible, high-value wines in professional facilities with exceptional security, 100 per cent insurance, HKQAA Fine Wine ratings and substantial financial backing” says De ‘Eb.

Although Webber’s older wines were cellared at Sydmonton Court, his 16th-century home in Berkshire, his newer wines (worth almost US$8 million) were kept in professional storage. “If you do not do this, you will discover with a shock at the time of selling that your precious wine is worth only a fraction of what you thought it would be,” says De’Eb. “Overall, the correct conditions are critical to the long term enjoyment of your wine.”



NOTE:
Out today! With the daily edition of South China Morning Post, in Style magazine.