#steam cabins for home use in India

[wovengoldindia]

Steam Cabin for Home in India: A Luxurious Wellness Addition

In recent years, the demand for steam cabins in Indian homes has surged as more people seek to create a spa-like wellness experience in the comfort of their own spaces. With growing awareness about health, relaxation, and personal care, homeowners are increasingly investing in premium amenities such as steam cabins. These compact yet highly effective units offer a range of benefits that contribute to overall well-being, making them an ideal choice for anyone looking to enhance their home wellness routine.

Benefits of a Steam Cabin at Home

Installing a steam cabin for home in India comes with a multitude of benefits, both for health and lifestyle. Here are some of the key advantages:

DetoxificationA steam cabin helps to naturally detoxify the body by encouraging intense sweating. The heat opens up the pores, allowing the body to release toxins through sweat, leaving your skin refreshed and rejuvenated.

Relaxation and Stress ReliefOne of the primary reasons people opt for steam cabins is the sheer relaxation they provide. The warm, moist environment is incredibly calming, helping to reduce stress, alleviate tension, and promote mental clarity. After a long day, spending a few minutes in a steam cabin can have a profound effect on both the mind and body.

Improved Skin HealthRegular exposure to steam improves skin tone and texture. The moisture from the steam hydrates the skin, reduces dryness, and unclogs pores. It also promotes blood circulation to the skin, giving it a healthy and radiant appearance.

Respiratory BenefitsSteam therapy is highly beneficial for individuals suffering from respiratory issues such as asthma, allergies, or sinus problems. The warm, humid air can help in opening airways, clearing out congestion, and easing breathing difficulties.

Muscle Recovery and Pain ReliefFor individuals with active lifestyles or those who experience muscle pain, steam cabins offer soothing relief. The heat helps relax muscles, alleviate stiffness, and reduce inflammation, making it perfect for post-workout recovery or dealing with chronic joint pain.

Features of Steam Cabins for Indian Homes

With the rise in demand for wellness solutions, modern steam cabins now come equipped with advanced features designed for convenience, efficiency, and comfort.

Compact and Space-Efficient DesignSteam cabins are designed to fit seamlessly into various home environments, making them ideal even for homes with limited space. These cabins are available in various sizes, allowing them to be installed in bathrooms, balconies, or even dedicated spa rooms.

Digital ControlsMost modern steam cabins come with digital control panels that allow users to easily adjust the temperature, steam intensity, and duration of the session. This ensures a customized experience tailored to individual preferences.

Durable and Waterproof MaterialsSteam cabins are made from high-quality materials such as tempered glass and waterproof panels, ensuring durability and resistance to moisture damage. These materials are also easy to clean and maintain, making the cabin a hassle-free addition to any home.

Aromatherapy and LED Lighting OptionsMany steam cabins come with built-in aromatherapy options, where essential oils can be added to the steam to enhance relaxation and offer additional health benefits. Some models also feature LED lighting that can be customized to create a soothing ambiance during the steam session.

Quick InstallationSteam cabins for home use are relatively easy to install and do not require extensive renovations. Most units come as pre-assembled modular components, making the installation process quick and straightforward. Professional installation is recommended to ensure the plumbing and electrical connections are handled properly.

Why Invest in a Steam Cabin for Your Home in India?

With an increasing emphasis on health and wellness, investing in a steam cabin can be a life-changing decision. It allows you to enjoy a private, rejuvenating spa experience at your convenience without needing to visit commercial spas or wellness centers. Given the rising levels of stress, pollution, and fast-paced urban living in India, a steam cabin offers an oasis of relaxation, promoting physical and mental well-being.

Moreover, adding a steam cabin can also enhance the value of your property. Many modern homeowners in India see wellness features like steam cabins, saunas, and home gyms as a luxury that not only benefits their lifestyle but also serves as an attractive feature for future resale.In conclusion, steam cabins for home use in India are a perfect investment for those who prioritize health, relaxation, and convenience. With their numerous health benefits and advanced features, these cabins provide a spa-like experience, right in the comfort of your own home.

[misslisterkeepsajournal]

1831 Monday 10 October

7 55/.. 11 55/..

Up at 7 and lay down (went to bed again) - fine morning - Fahrenheit 64°. now at 8 35/.. - breakfast at 8 50/.. - got a man as guide took Cameron and George and out at 9 40/.. - walked to the Dockyard in 10 mins. [minutes] - waited there 10 mins. [minutes] and then, a party of 7 or 8 besides myself being assembled, an intelligent sort of person took us in charge, and we began the round at 10 and it took us till 11 50/.. - I was beginning to make pencil notes as usual but the man said it was not allowed - I was not expecting to find this the case in England - however it was no great matter -

Went 1st. to the mast-rooms - masts of all sizes - the old ones took larger timber - those now made consist of from 30 to 52 pieces - apparently squares about 6 inches square and about 20 feet long? - saw the main mast of the victory (100 guns) - 52 pieces and would weigh about 12 tons - of american pine as were a great many of the masts - then passed the store (lying out) of anchors, an amazing quantity - 5 anchors for each vessel - saw those for the Nelson § [Margin - vide next page] (120 guns - will in reality mount 134 or 136) weighing above 97 cwt [hundredweight] - all of wrought iron welded together - would take 17 men a fortnight to weld one anchor - each anchor for the Nelson would cost ten or eleven hundred pounds - then to the ropery - rope cables 22 inches in circumference the thickest 27 inches circumference, but chain cables most used now -

Then to the anchor forge - the anchors moved to and from the fires by cranes - they used to have enormous bellows 6 or 8 yards long and 4 men to blow them by treading on them very hard work - now (for these about 10 years) have a constant current of air kept up and stronger than ever before produced by 2 barrels (about 4 1/2 foot diameter) something like a churn half filled with water turned backwards and forwards by 2 men - 2 valves - one in each half of each end - so that when the water falling to one side shuts the valve and presses the air out into the tube communicating with the fire the valve of the other half the barrel opens and lets in air which is the next turn pressed out by the falling back of the water as before - there being a tube from each of the barrels meeting in one tube near the fire, there is by this means a constant current - one of the gents. [gentlemen] present observed that at Mr. Guest's iron works at Merthyr Twydvil in South wales, the bellows the largest in existence was a steam engine which pumped up air thro' a large cylinder - I must see these far-famed works -

Then went to the copper furnaces and rollers these are merely for the old copper - all the new copper is bought by contract in sheets ready done - the copper when taken liquid from the furnace in ladles is put into moulds forming plates of perhaps 1 1/2 feet by 1 foot and perhaps 1/4 inch thick - these are eventually rolled out (at twice) into four thin oblongs perhaps 3 1/2 by 1 foot - when rolled out to the last size, they are rubbed over with some acid, put into the furnace till red hot, then suddenly thrown into water on which the outside blackish coating immediately peels off and the copper appears that bright red copper colour we peculiarly call and know by the name of copper colour - inquired but could not learn what was the acid the sheets were mopped over with - they said it was an acid - a particular composition - the sheets were lastly put upon a roller that marked them thickly over with anchors in such sort that it is easy to know government copper -

The man too in passing an old rope pulled out one single green thread from one of the twists or threads of the rope - but mentioning the forges and furnaces I should have said that from the store of anchors we went to the block machinery (very curious) all turned by one centre wheel turned by a steam engine which was partitioned off from us so that we did not see the engine itself (of 50 horse power) - saw a block made from the square piece of Elm (because Elm does not fly off in splinters) to the last finish of the copper-eyed lignum vitæ (because very hard wood) pulley (what did the man call it?) and iron pin which fastens it within the block for the rope to run on - the man who worked the machinery that polished the iron pin was not there that we merely saw the principle of his machinery and how it worked - these 3 men (the Elm man, lignum vitæ man, and iron pin man) during the war made 12,000 blocks a month and supplied the whole navy - they are not in full employ now - tho' they still make for the whole navy - the man shewed us a large new building (enormous almost square span of roof) for making boilers for the government steamers - none yet in hand there - only a few iron tanks to mend -

From the copper furnaces, went on board the Indus 80 gun ship building these 4 or 5 years and still only (I think) the hull done - built on a new principle - diagonal timbers all along her inside in squares diamondwise so that if she strikes, she cannot spring a plank and directly fill with water and go down - 16 or 17 inches thick of timber covering of these diagonal timbers - what an immense machine! what strength! how mighty is man! how mightier far the wave that snaps his work in pieces like a bit of glass! the Indus built partly of English partly of African oak - then pass the Nelson § [Margin - § vide last page] built in India? of teak - has undergone a thorough repair - where laid up smear them all over with a yellowish composition to keep them from dry rot and roof them over to keep the weather from the deck -

The HMS Indus, finally launched from Portsmouth in 1839 [Image Source]

Left the Dock yard at 11 50/.. (no difficulty - had merely rung the bell, and asked to see it) - took boat at 11 55/.. and rowed off to the royal George (of which Lord .. Fitzclarence is Captain) the royal yatch that the late King went to Ireland and Scotland in - has 70 men - 310 tons (I think) - but what ever she is Lord Yarborough's yatch the Falcon lying near, and looking like a man of war, is tentons ten tons more - this last mounts 14 six pounders, and can take care of herself when the guns not mounted the gun carriages fit up as wash-stands! 50 men? the royal yatch a magnificently fitted up vessel - great deal of gilding without - great deal of comfort and luxury within - the rooms or cabins hung with a glazed calico (up these 15 years) that does and looks admirably well - shut-up chairs, the most excellent travelling concerns I ever saw - by Edward Bailey upholsterer etc. to his majesty mount street Grosvenor Square - an admirable wash-stand that holds a bed - capital for any dressing room - these too of Bailey -

From the yatch rowed across to the new victualling offices close to Gosport - we should have had an order to see them? but did not take any pains to get admitted - an enormous brick pile, - a large square projecting part of it towards the water standing on columns - then rowed forward and landed in Cold harbour Gosport - walked along the works, and came in at the far end of High street very good street very soon passed (left) the neat small house of Mr. Titcher and then near it same side the large 3 or 4 story (brick - all the town brick) best house in the town? of Mrs. Page (has been for some time confined to her bed), Mrs. Henry Priestley's uncle and mother -

Went into the handsome market house and reembarked close to there and in about 20 mins. [minutes] rowed off to the Victory the ship on board which Nelson was killed at Trafalgar - saw the spot where he fell - near (close to) the prow skylight - then went down to the 2nd deck (or mid-deck?) where a court martial was sitting admiral Sir John Gore president - Captain Lord ... Fitzclarence sitting, and 4 or 5 more officers at the table - Backhouse (1st. mate?) versus Captain Belcher of the Ætna bomb - Captain B- [Belcher] brought Backhouse to court martial, and then Backhouse brings the captain to ditto for lastly cruelty and unofficer like conduct and and several other charges that went before - 25 mins. [minutes] there - Backhouse seemed giving rather uncertain evidence - within musket shot and clear day yet could not tell whether signals were up or not - hurried off at last because when Backhouse was called on as to the last charge he said he could not repeat the word Captain Belcher used because there were ladies in the court myself and Cameron and a lady or famale [sic] person what shocking nonsense! I waited for no more but hurried off vexed that there should be such humbug should -

The HMS Victory, Lord Nelson’s flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar, can still be seen at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard [Image Source]

High water now abouts (at 2 1/4 on leaving the Victory) - rowed down to near the entrance to the harbour (about 1/4 mile across) and landed near the round fort that defends it at 2 40/.. - sent home Cameron and George to get all ready for being off, and myself took the guide, and walked round the ramparts - soon came to what they call the King's steps where the King lands, a sort of small squary windowed ornament tower - but a battery? there - and several batteries all along - very strong place - double moated and ramparted - from just beyond the Kings stairs magnificent views of Spithead, Isle of Wight, see Ryde quite plain - Fort Monckton and its barracks, and Haslar hospital and Gosport, Stoke just beyond it, and Anglesea Crescent the Duke of Norfolk began about 2 years ago (2 miles from Gosport - near Stoke) for a watering place, but the work is not going on just now - 'Tis Portsmouth only within the fortifications - beyond these is Southsea (quite a town and Southsea castle a low thick round fort about a mile from the rampart where I stood) - then Portsea where the docks are, then on the other side the harbour Gosport - at high water a mile across - finest harbour in the world - the largest ship ride in safety - but if they should get aground it is only in mud, and the next tide gets them off unhurt - the new custom house a large pile of building, and immense government store houses close by - High street and 1 or 2 more good streets and 2 or 3 pretty good churches in Portsmouth -

Went into bookseller's shop near the George, and bought Portsmouth guide - no plan of the town in it - no plan of it allowed to be published - the George hotel (Guy) High street - very good hotel, and not dear considering - my expenses were more than usual, but I had dinner 4/6 and 2 bottles soda water 1/6 and servants dined I suppose when I sent them back for their expenses were 11/. - my wax lights and good sitting room were 2/6 and beds 5/6 and all that and the rest as usual - back at 3 25/.. -

Settled all and Off from Portsmouth at 3 42/.. - soon passed under the 2 covered ways (arches) and over the 2 wooden bridges - part of the last a drop bridge - still town, Portsea, or Southsea, or something, for a considerable distance the whole backed by the chalk range of Portsdown - at I suppose about 4 miles from Portsmouth (at 4 10/..) pass port's bridge, 2 wooden bridges over 2 canals or fosses and a military station like a french porticoed barrière close (left) by the road - then at 4 1/4 a short distance Portsbridge turnpike and then at 4 1/4 the neat enough little town or good village of Cosham - my once for a moment idea of staying there and taking horses thence to Portsmouth, would not have answered - the George Inn the best apparently is quite like a common Inn, and one at which one would not think of stopping, save on a pinch - at 4 17/.. turn (right) at the end of Cosham down to Havant, a village-like little town - neat enough little place posting Inn, the blackbear - a continued street for some distance - neat little liveable cottages (left) along the road - sea and shipping now and then right - Range of down (good sheep pasture) all along at a little distance (left) - 5 1/2 p.m. late enough for seeing anything now -

Enter Chichester at 5 55/.. - pass the cathedral close (right) - a lengthy, fine enough looking church - then beautiful gothic pinnacled rotunda, or market cross, or what, in the middle of the street and then immediately wide good street and alight at 6 at the Swan hotel - very good small sitting room opening on to balcony towards the street - good bedroom another flight on 2de. [secunde] and very comfortable - tea at 6 1/2 - sat over it till 7 3/4 - musing, as I had been all the way this afternoon and as I have done perpetually since seeing yesterday morning the gothic windows at Cowes -

On the plan for altering Shibden hall so as to make it liveable - put such gothic windows as at Cowes into both gables - take the drawing room end groundfloor and above for bedrooms and dressing rooms - take away my uncles room and butteries leaving only room enough for light stairs - Gothicize the passage like that to the courthouses at Norwich - pull away the kitchen part and parlour and all that instead of which add to the breakfast gable a part to correspond with the present hall and beyond and joined to that another gable extending backwards length enough to allow that is wanted - then taking a light gothic passage off the upper kitchen and likewise off the new hall-corresponding-part and all thro' the new gable everything would be comeatalbe [sic], and there the whole suite of rooms to the south opening into one another - new gable, or drawing room? new hall-corresponding-part, or dining room? present breakfast room enlarged by all the present upper kitchen but enough for gothic passage - present passage gothicized and perhaps heightened and lightened by the present library, present hall thrown up to the roof, and present drawing room fitted up as a French dress bedroom - the present passage would have 4 gothic doors - 2 on each side, at each end - 2 opening into the hall (with billiard table?) and 2 opening the one into the new passage along the upper kitchen etc. the other into the present breakfast room - the ground falls so rapidly to the East, that I think laundries and cellars etc. might all be under the new gable -

Very rain-threatening day but fair - raining heavily now at 10 35/. p.m. and has been for some time - great deal of rain fell during last night, too - Fahrenheit 64°. now at 10 35/.. p.m. at which hour had just done all the above of today - came upstairs at 10 50/.. -  

Reference: SH:7/ML/E/14/0132 - SH:7/ML/E/14/0133

[awesomehimalayanhigh-blog]

Best Jungle Safari In India - Madhya Pradesh

I have recently come back from four-month solo spending travel in Europe and still inside seven days, the post-travel gloom kicks in. What's more, to aggravate it, my morning sniffles incited by a brown haze covered Delhi turns into a daily schedule. I am desiring to return to nature at the smallest probability. I begin searching for choices – the slopes of Himachal, a forsaken place where there is Ladakh the perfect shorelines of Kerala or the sand ridges of Rajasthan. Subsequent to considering for a couple of days, the choice is made. I am going to visit the woods that roused Rudyard Kipling's Mowgli. Toward the part of the arrangement, set off from Delhi to investigate natural life the travel industry in India. While there are numerous choices to pick the best wilderness safari in India, I settle for a five days Tiger Trail in Madhya Pradesh.

The best Jungle Safari in India begins at Pench

At 5:30 am on a hazy morning in November, I leave for the Pench National Park in an open-jeep alongside my Naturalist, Alwyn from Jamtara Wilderness Camps. Before beginning our Jungle experiences, we are blessed to receive a hot cuppa espresso and tea alongside home-heated treats. Our naturalist reminds us to abandon all electronic gear at the hotel excepting our cameras and binoculars. The crisp breeze stings my cheeks and makes my eyes water however I am solid and steady with a few layers of winter garments, woolen top, suppressor and a high temp water jug tucked under my cover.

As we enter the recreation center, I see langurs hopping from tree to tree, feathered creatures tweeting as one, chital and sambar crowds cautiously munching in the prairie. We move along the wilderness and I smell the sweet fragrance of the moist earth at sunrise. I see the morning dew dribbling from the trees onto the rich undergrowth. Before I could catch any of those, the jeep moves and the scents and sights vanish. The quietness of the wilderness is every so often broken by Alwyn and the neighborhood park control, who exhaustiveness and enthusiastically educates us concerning the widely varied vegetation of the wilderness. They share stories of the backwoods that are a charming blend of logical certainties gathered from their preparation and the books they have perusing, and neighborhood legend from the region.

All of a sudden Alwyn hears an alert call of a langur pursued by the snorting of a deer. It is a sign that a tiger is on a lurk. A feeling of readiness holds the gathering as we drive towards the pain call. When our jeep stops, we pack onto one side of the Jeep to look outside.

Following 10 minutes, our understanding is reasonably compensated when the great feline uncovers itself to us from the thick foliage. My heart is everlastingly held by the glossy orange coat with dark stripes. Only a couple of feet away… the Royal Bengal Tiger crosses the earth street… gives us a hateful look… and evaporates again in the thick timberland. My day is made!

We at that point proceed onward to investigate the recreation center's huge assorted variety of untamed life, including Leopard, Tiger, Jungle Cat, Dhole (Wild Dog), Sloth Bear, Wild Boar, Mongoose, Gaur, Cheetal (Spotted Deer) and Sambar. When our long for Tiger satisfies, cravings for food kick in. At around 9:30 am an excursion breakfast is served in the wilderness with some hot tea or espresso. We at that point remain in the recreation center until 11 am before coming back to our base camp at Jamtara.

At night, we had an alternative to either go for the evening Safari from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm or drench ourselves in the ancestral existences of the Jamtara town. We stroll through the town market selling a wide range of knickknacks – from silver gems to crisp vegetables. Peddlers genuinely call us as we go through the mud way with our eyes stuck on the cobs of corn, which develop richly in the region, dry in patios. Jug gourd vines climb wooden fences and tiled rooftops. We are welcomed for some steaming tea in a nearby house made up of wood and mud. As the sun sets, we come back to our camp seeing the residential dairy cattle returning home with their herders.

This was my first day of a five-day Tiger Trail in Madhya Pradesh, where Rudyard Kipling got enlivened to compose the Jungle Book. While visiting the two key national parks, Pench and Satpura, I saw an assortment of creatures and flying creatures including tigers, panthers, wild pooches, wolves, sloth bears, buffaloes, wild pigs to give some examples. Alwyn and Aly Rashid (naturalist and the proprietor of Reni Pani) continued sharing the top to bottom learning about the undulating geology and untamed life.

About the National Parks – Pench and Satpura

There are more than 1,200 types of plants in Pench and 1300 in Satpura including a few uncommon and imperiled ones. We went through a variety of vegetation extending from clammy, shielded valleys to open, dry deciduous timberland. Satpura is dissimilar to Pench, however they are only a couple of hours drive from one another. The previous is lusher and has trees greener and taller than Pench. In Pench, there are higher odds of Tiger locating, while Satpura has a lot of panthers, sloth bears, monster Malabar squirrels, and transitory winged animals. Pench is best investigated on jeep safaris, Satpura can be investigated by walking, pontoon, jeep or elephant.

Past the untamed life

Each night, we shared our accounts of creature sightings as the tidbits and beverages made the rounds around the blaze. Furthermore, every night a fortunate individual got an opportunity to rest under the stars in the Star Bed – a glitzy machan in fields at Jamtara Camps. The Star Bed experience is a wellspring of salary for neighborhood ranchers, and 80 percent of the staff are procured from encompassing towns.

Truth be told, it was here I became more acquainted with how profound established organization's history is in protection. Proprietor Amit Sankhala's granddad – Kailash Sankhala – was the person who begun Project Tiger, a preservation program in India in 1973. Furthermore, the heritage has developed as far back as then with his child Pradeep Sankhala assuming control over the charge of the Tiger Trust after his dad's passing and setting up eco-accommodating Jungle lodges. Also, presently Amit is holding the post effectively.

Nourishment is either developed nearby or sourced locally from the encompassing farmlands. Goods are produced using reused wood, every characteristic item are utilized where conceivable, and visitors are given a tempered steel bottle for sifted water.

In any case, it wasn't only the national stops and camps that intrigued me. I was astonished by the real protection and network advancement works of Jamtara Wilderness Camps and Reni Pani Jungle Lodge. In addition to the fact that they provide an extraordinary Jungle safari experience interface you with the neighborhood networks that call these remote zones home and assume a crucial job in protecting the national woods. Both Jamtara and Reni Pani resorts supply school work areas and different things to the network and assume a functioning job in Tiger preservation.

I had gone to focal India to dispose of my movement blues yet I wound up observing so much common excellence and good omens in untamed life the travel industry – on account of edified law-production, a couple of submitted people, and some genuinely great cabins.

Things being what they are, when are you heading on a Tiger Trail in Madhya Pradesh?

Travel Essentials

Where to Stay in Pench

While there is a wide range of settlement alternatives accessible in the Pench National park territory, I profoundly prescribe remaining at eco-accommodating hotel Jamtara Wilderness Camps arranged in the Village of Jamtara, close Pench National Park. There are 10 extravagance safari tents with en-suite restrooms and private verandah, open air and indoor parlors, library, valet stopping, pool and clothing. Rooms are outfitted with free sifted water, tea-and espresso making offices, boiling water bottles, cooling and Soultree shower items. There are no TVs and no WiFi or versatile sign all through this remote, eco-accommodating camp.

Where to remain in Satpura Tiger Reserve

As of late, the Satpura National Park has seen the blooming of a few boutique wilderness lodges. Among these, the Reni Pani Jungle Lodge is best in class. Situated in an immaculate backwoods common of the Satpuras, it gets its name from the neighboring innate town. Reni Pani highlights twelve extravagance bungalows enveloping three particular structural plans.

The nallah units, the backwoods units and the slope units are altogether assembled utilizing nearby/indigenous material and are portrayed by survey decks, huge relaxing narrows windows and extravagance restrooms. The 'GolGhar' or the gathering place, has an interesting and one of a kind plan and highlights an eating territory, a bar, a library and a parlor set in its different corners. Its actual woodland condition combined with neighboring patches of rural land make Reni Pani and its encompassing territories a hotbed for creatures and flying creatures.

The most effective method to arrive

The Pench National Park is all around associated via air, street and railroads

By Flight: Arrival to Nagpur, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport (130 km away) or Jabalpur Airport (213 km away) from any significant Indian city.

By Rail: The closest railhead to Pench is Seoni Railway Station, which is around 30 km from the Pench National Park and has ordinary trains interfacing the spot to Mumbai and different spots.

By Road: Pench lies on the Nagpur-Jabalpur parkway and is effectively open by transports and cabs. Take a transport or a taxi from Seoni transport remain to the Pench National. Seoni is connected to all spots in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra by a decent system of Roadways. In the event that you intend to take the transport from Nagpur, you should get down at Suktara or Khwasa.

The Satpura National Park is a 3.5hr/130km drive from Bhopal. Bhopal is all around associated via air, rail and street to real Indian urban communities.

[thefeministherald]

Your Ultimate Women-Write-The-Best-of-Everything 2019 Reading List

The Voyeurs (Graphic Novel)

"The Voyeurs is the work of a mature writer, if not one of the most sincere voices of her literary generation. It's a fun, honest read that spans continents, relationships and life decisions. I loved it."—Chris Ware, Acme Novelty Library

"As she watches other people living life, and watches herself watching them, Bell's pen becomes a kind of laser, first illuminating the surface distractions of the world, then scorching them away to reveal a deeper reality that is almost too painful and too beautiful to bear."— Alison Bechdel, Fun Home

"A master of the exquisite detail, Bell provides a welcome peephole into our lives."—Françoise Mouly, The New Yorker

The Voyeurs, was named one of the best books of the year by Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and the Atlantic.

Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity

In this brilliant, breathtaking book by Pulitzer Prize winner Katherine Boo, a bewildering age of global change and inequality is made human through the dramatic story of families striving toward a better life in Annawadi, a makeshift settlement in the shadow of luxury hotels near the Mumbai airport. As India starts to prosper, the residents of Annawadi are electric with hope. Abdul, an enterprising teenager, sees “a fortune beyond counting” in the recyclable garbage that richer people throw away. Meanwhile Asha, a woman of formidable ambition, has identified a shadier route to the middle class. With a little luck, her beautiful daughter, Annawadi’s “most-everything girl,” might become its first female college graduate.

Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me: A Graphic Memoir

Cartoonist Ellen Forney explores the relationship between “crazy” and “creative” in this graphic memoir of her bipolar disorder, woven with stories of famous bipolar artists and writers.

Shortly before her thirtieth birthday, Forney was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Flagrantly manic and terrified that medications would cause her to lose creativity, she began a years-long struggle to find mental stability while retaining her passions and creativity.

Searching to make sense of the popular concept of the crazy artist, she finds inspiration from the lives and work of other artists and writers who suffered from mood disorders, including Vincent van Gogh, Georgia O’Keeffe, William Styron, and Sylvia Plath. She also researches the clinical aspects of bipolar disorder, including the strengths and limitations of various treatments and medications, and what studies tell us about the conundrum of attempting to “cure” an otherwise brilliant mind.

Darkly funny and intensely personal, Forney’s memoir provides a visceral glimpse into the effects of a mood disorder on an artist’s work, as she shares her own story through bold black-and-white images and evocative prose.

The Woman in Cabin 10

From New York Times bestselling author of the “twisty-mystery” (Vulture) novel In a Dark, Dark Wood, comes The Woman in Cabin 10, an equally suspenseful and haunting novel from Ruth Ware—this time, set at sea. In this tightly wound, enthralling story reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s works, Lo Blacklock, a journalist who writes for a travel magazine, has just been given the assignment of a lifetime: a week on a luxury cruise with only a handful of cabins. The sky is clear, the waters calm, and the veneered, select guests jovial as the exclusive cruise ship, the Aurora, begins her voyage in the picturesque North Sea. At first, Lo’s stay is nothing but pleasant: the cabins are plush, the dinner parties are sparkling, and the guests are elegant. But as the week wears on, frigid winds whip the deck, gray skies fall, and Lo witnesses what she can only describe as a dark and terrifying nightmare: a woman being thrown overboard. The problem? All passengers remain accounted for—and so, the ship sails on as if nothing has happened, despite Lo’s desperate attempts to convey that something (or someone) has gone terribly, terribly wrong…

1222

Nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Novel, from Norway’s #1 bestselling female crime writer—a “beguiling” (The Washington Post) “good old-fashioned murder mystery” (The New York Times Book Review) set in an isolated hotel where guests stranded during a monumental snowstorm begin turning up dead. A train on its way to the northern reaches of Norway derails during a massive blizzard, 1,222 meters above sea level. The passengers head for a nearby hotel, centuries old and practically empty. With plenty of food and shelter from the storm, the evacuees think they are safe, until one of them turns up dead. With no sign of rescue and the storm raging, retired police inspector Hanne Wilhelmsen is asked to investigate. Paralyzed by a bullet lodged in her spine, Hanne has no desire to get involved. But when another body turns up, panic takes over. Complicating things is the presence of a mysterious guest, a passenger who traveled in a private rail car and now stays secluded on the top floor of the hotel. No one knows who the guest is, or why armed guards are needed. Hanne has her suspicions. Trapped in her wheelchair, trapped by the storm, and now trapped with a killer, Hanne knows she must act before the killer strikes again.

Robot Dreams

A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year A PW Best Book of the Year An ALSC Notable Children’s Book A YALSA Great Graphic Novel

This moving, charming graphic novel about a dog and a robot shows us in poignant detail how powerful and fragile relationships are.

Borderlands / La Frontera: The New Mestiza

Rooted in Gloria Anzaldúa's experience as a Chicana, a lesbian, an activist, and a writer, the essays and poems in this volume profoundly challenged, and continue to challenge, how we think about identity. Borderlands / La Frontera remaps our understanding of what a "border" is, presenting it not as a simple divide between here and there, us and them, but as a psychic, social, and cultural terrain that we inhabit, and that inhabits all of us.

Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened

Every time Allie Brosh posts something new on her hugely popular blog Hyperbole and a Half the internet rejoices. This full-color, beautifully illustrated edition features more than fifty percent new content, with ten never-before-seen essays and one wholly revised and expanded piece as well as classics from the website like, “The God of Cake,” “Dogs Don’t Understand Basic Concepts Like Moving,” and her astonishing, “Adventures in Depression,” and “Depression Part Two,” which have been hailed as some of the most insightful meditations on the disease ever written.

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking

Now a Netflix series! New York Times Bestseller and Winner of the 2018 James Beard Award for Best General Cookbook and multiple ICAP Cookbook Awards Named one of the Best Books of 2017 by: NPR, BuzzFeed, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Rachel Ray Every Day, San Francisco Chronicle, Vice Munchies, Elle.com, Glamour, Eater, Newsday, Minneapolis Star Tribune, The Seattle Times, Tampa Bay Times, Tasting Table, Modern Farmer, Publishers Weekly, and more. A visionary new master class in cooking that distills decades of professional experience into just four simple elements, from the woman declared “America’s next great cooking teacher” by Alice Waters.

Monstress Volume 1: Awakening

Set in an alternate matriarchal 1900's Asia, in a richly imagined world of art deco-inflected steam punk, MONSTRESS tells the story of a teenage girl who is struggling to survive the trauma of war, and who shares a mysterious psychic link with a monster of tremendous power, a connection that will transform them both and make them the target of both human and otherworldly powers. About the Creators: New York Times bestselling and award-winning writer Marjorie Liu is best known for her fiction and comic books. She teaches comic book writing at MIT, and leads a class on Popular Fiction at the Voices of Our Nation (VONA) workshop.

Persepolis

Marjane Satrapi's best-selling, internationally acclaimed graphic memoir. Persepolis is the story of Satrapi's unforgettable childhood and coming of age within a large and loving family in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution; of the contradictions between private life and public life in a country plagued by political upheaval.

Nobody Nowhere: The Remarkable Autobiography of an Autistic Girl

Donna Williams was a child with more labels than a jam-jar: deaf, wild disturbed, stupid insane... She lived within herself, her own world her foreground, ours a background she only visited. Isolated from her self and from the outside world, Donna was, in her words, a Nobody Nowhere. She swung violently between these two worlds, battling to join our world and, simultaneously, to keep it out. Abandoned from all connection to the self within her, she lived as a ghost with a body, a patchwork of the images which bombarded her. Intact but detached from the seemingly incomprehensible world around her, she lived in what she called 'a world under glass`.

After twenty-five years of being misunderstood, and unable to understand herself, Donna stumbled upon the word 'autism': a label, but one which held up a mirror and made sense of her life and struggles, and gave her a chance to finally forgive both herself and those around her.

The Ice Princess

The psychological thriller debut of No.1 bestselling Swedish crime sensation Camilla Lackberg.

A small town can hide many secrets

Returning to her hometown after the funeral of her parents, writer Erica Falck finds a community on the brink of tragedy. The death of her childhood friend, Alex, is just the beginning. Her wrists slashed, her body frozen in an ice-cold bath, it seems like she’s taken her own life.

Meanwhile, local detective Patrik Hedström is following his own suspicions about the case. It’s only when they start working together that the truth begins to emerge about a small town with a deeply disturbing past…

The Vampire Chronicles: Interview with a Vampire, The Vampire Lestat, and The Queen of the Damned

In 1976, nearly 80 years after Bram Stoker published Dracula, Anne Rice's bestselling first novel, Interview with the Vampire, breathed new life into the vampire myth. Now, in one chilling volume, here are the first three classic novels of The Vampire Chronicles; Interview with the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat, and Queen of the Damned.

Adulthood is a Myth: A Sarah's Scribbles Collection

Do you love networking to advance your career? Is adulthood an exciting new challenge for which you feel fully prepared? Ugh. Please go away. 2016 GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD WINNER FOR GRAPHIC NOVELS AND COMICS! These casually drawn, perfectly on-point comics by the hugely popular young Brooklyn-based artist Sarah Andersen are for the rest of us. They document the wasting of entire beautiful weekends on the internet, the unbearable agony of holding hands on the street with a gorgeous guy, and dreaming all day of getting home and back into pajamas. In other words, the horrors and awkwardnesses of young modern life. Oh and they are totally not autobiographical. At all.

Nimona

Indies Choice Book of the Year * National Book Award Finalist * New York Times Bestseller * New York Times Notable Book * Kirkus Best Book * School Library Journal Best Book * Publishers Weekly Best Book * NPR Best Book * New York Public Library Best Book * Chicago Public Library Best Book

The New York Times bestselling graphic novel sensation from Noelle Stevenson, based on her beloved and critically acclaimed web comic. Kirkus says, “If you’re going to read one graphic novel this year, make it this one.”

Nemeses! Dragons! Science! Symbolism! All these and more await in this brilliantly subversive, sharply irreverent epic from Noelle Stevenson. Featuring an exclusive epilogue not seen in the web comic, along with bonus conceptual sketches and revised pages throughout, this gorgeous full-color graphic novel has been hailed by critics and fans alike as the arrival of a “superstar” talent (NPR.org).

Cultural Anthropology  Barbara Miller

Cultural Anthropology presents a balanced introduction to the world’s cultures, focusing on how they interact and change. Author Barbara Miller provides many points where readers can interact with the material, and encourages students to think critically about other cultures as well as their own. Featuring the latest research and statistics throughout, the eighth edition has been updated with contemporary examples of anthropology in action, addressing recent newsworthy events such as the Ebola epidemic.

Captain Marvel Volume 1: Higher, Further, Faster, More

Kelly Sue Deconnick

Hero! Pilot! Avenger! Captain Marvel, Earth's Mightiest Hero with an attitude to match, is back and launching headfirst into an all-new ongoing adventure! As Captain Marvel, a.k.a. Carol Danvers, comes to a crossroads with a new life and new romance, she makes a dramatic decision that will alter the course of her life - and the entire Marvel Universe - in the months to come. But as Carol takes on a mission to return an alien girl to her homeworld, she lands in the middle of an uprising against the Galactic Alliance! Investigating the forced resettlement of Rocket Girl's people, Carol discovers that she has a history with the man behind the plot. But when the bad guy tries to blackmail Carol and turn the Avengers against her, it's payback time! Guest-starring the Guardians of the Galaxy!

[bellajoseph8]

Give Your Home a New Option with Mica Sheets Design

If you are looking for new home décor solutions then Mica or laminate sheets can serve you the best way.

Mica is basically made from a mixture of plastic resins and translucent papers. It is used to cover wall panels and different surfaces like furniture, flooring, kitchen counters, tabletops, cabins, cabinets, wardrobes, ceilings and other parts of the furniture. Mica sheets have gained popularity because of their important features like durability, robustness, unique designs and more.

Merino is the leading mica producer, distributor, dealer and exporter. We offer a wide range of mica sheets colors, and let you choose from a vast collection of mica designs at very reasonable & affordable prices not only in pan India but all over the world.

Advantages of Using Mica aka Laminate Sheets

● Provides one-stop solution to all your needs

● Can be used for modular kitchen, office cabinets, ceiling, furniture, flooring and even doors

● Easy to resize and reshape and can be customized according to your needs

● Comes in a wide range of colors and textures including high gloss mica, metallic mica, wood finish mica, matte finish mica, and solid colors

● Has antibacterial properties and is resistant to heat, moisture, water, steam, termites and corrosion

● A budget-friendly and cost-effective solution

● Allows easy installation and fixation

● Promises longevity and is extra durable in nature

● Can be kept as new for long with very low maintenance

Where Can I Use Mica Sheets

Mica sheets are used extensively in home interiors to spread stylish vibes. It can be used to add new modern aesthetics to your home décor.

For Furniture & Cabinetry: You can use mica or laminate sheets to add a special touch of décor to all kinds of furniture including sofa, chair, shelf, dining table, coffee table and cabinetry to elevate the overall look of your home or workplace.

For Modular Kitchen: Mica can be used to enhance the aesthetics of your modular kitchen. Available in multiple designs & colors, mica sheets can be used for kitchen cabinets and countertops to beautify your kitchen in a different manner.

For Wardrobes: To give an elegant look to your wardrobes, use mica sheets in contemporary wardrobes as they provide protection from termites and corrosion. You can choose from a vast variety of wood patterns, attractive designs, unicore solids, and digital colors of merino mica sheets to add to your home decoration.

To Highlight the Wall Panels: You can use Merino mica sheets to highlight the wall panels of your dining room, bedroom or living space area, and can make your abode attractive and colorful like never before.

On Ceilings: To resurface the ceilings of your living room or dining room area you can install mica sheets. You can use textured ceilings to add a touch of class and style to your space.

To Cove the Pillars: You can choose unique designs and patterns to cover the pillars of your home. The beautiful mica sheets with different textures will instantly add a subtle design to your living space.

The Merino mica sheets brighten up our homes and help us make a style statement featuring durability, easy maintenance. These sheets are scratch-proof, resistant to any temperature and are so cost-effective that they can fit to anyone’s budget easily.

We aim to offer the best shopping experience to our valuable customers with excellent decorating products to accentuate their home interiors.

[naturehomes-blog]

How To Become Better with Wooden Houses India.

Nature Homes is Wooden Homes specialist beginning around 2013 and utilized all our ability and have effectively executed a few activities in India.

It was begun by the three architects having 9 years of involvement with Designing, Selling, Erecting and dispatching of Capital Equipment’s, Industrial Boilers, Steam Piping’s and different designing undertakings

In our undertakings to offer quality assistance and items to our significant client we have acquired experienced and specialists who will give best qualities to our current and Future clients. We are pleased to say that we are the First Manufacturers who have our industry to construct the Wooden Homes in India, in contrast to different Players on the lookout. we have executed number of tasks which has acquired our organization the Good Will of our important clients which is our solid resource which we have work over in the previous decade. In the entirety of our future undertakings, we guarantee our clients that the help and item that we give will be the top tier and executed with State of Art methods.

 wooden  houses India.

Indeed, even presently a days, Wood house in India is an extravagance idea. Other than places of interest like Goa, Pondicherry, Waynad, Munnar, Yercaud, Ooty, Yelagiri, Bangalore, Wood houses in India is implicit an alternate style which gives a castle sort of feeling with various kinds of rooftop, Kerala style wood engineering is quite possibly the most unique and remarkable sort in Indium contrasted and other Indian States. Each Indian state has interesting wooden house ideas. Wooden houses in India is mix of various ideas got from nations like Canada, Siberia, China, Australia, Bali, Tibet, Japan, Nepal, and so on,

Advantage of. Eco Wooden house.

Eco wood house assumes a significant part in Eco amicable home stay Concepts like wooden hotel, Eco lumber houses, and so forth, these sort of wood houses are more eco agreeable since the minerals and synthetic substances isn't utilized in any structure for building wooden houses. Wood takes us back to the Roots of our old legacy building idea. Eco wooden homes are not difficult to collect with tongue and furrowed method. Extremely quick collecting idea. An eco-wood place of 600 sq ft can be collected in full, under 7 days. Eco wood houses can be made with wooden stage likewise and it follows the lumber wood home idea, i.e., no polite deck is required thus it tends to be more valuable at ocean side houses, ocean side hotels or any CRZ regions.

Pre-assembled wooden houses by Nature Homes.

 House creators use wood to make wooden bungalows in different sizes, cabin when made in wooden boards gives a long life, wooden cabins are more energy proficient and wood bungalow is more averse to implode under the pressure of an earth shudder. Wood cabins has more prominent primary adaptability permitting to assimilate the ground quakes. It is shock to take note of that quake waves can break more weak materials like cement and block.

The Canadian tidy wood of oven dried, heat treated boards are tongue and notched in our manufacturing plant and pre-assembled in full at our production line itself, implying that these wooden house is planned and underlying a controlled way with condition of craftsmanship innovation, and afterward the wooden houses are moved in thumped down condition to the different structure destinations. Nature homes offer various degrees of complete wooden home development, this versatlity can be great and incredible for purchasers who needs just fundamental outlining erection done by us .we can likewise offer pre-assembled wooden houses as Turnkey premise.

•             Wooden House Construction Consulting to Customers

•             Cabin Construction

•             Resorts Construction

•             Autonomous House Construction

•       ��     Rooftop Top House Construction

•             Lavish Hotels

 We are producers and exporters of premium quality Wooden Homes, Wooden house, and Wooden home plans that are rumored and demonstrated for their quality and finish. Nature Homes offers the customers perhaps the greatest choice of Wood homes and wooden plans in the business. our wooden houses have as of now demonstrated reasonable in Indian climatic. conditions over 8 years.

[chantalkrcmar]

Moving Over To The Dark Side

A new experience for me: participating in India’s shadow economy.

We Mumbaikers have been in severe lockdown for almost nine weeks now, and this morning we were greeted with the headline: “Mumbai Headed Toward Another Lockdown.” It’s pretty hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel when the tunnel keeps getting extended under your feet. Mumbai is a complete mess. Some western news outlets have reported that India is relaxing lockdown restrictions, but that is not true in Mumbai (and some other cities). India is a big country, so any reporting on India as a monolith is typically inaccurate. (Oh, and because friends in the US have been asking: No, there are still no international flights yet.)

For those of you in the US, this might paint the picture of COVID-19 in Mumbai a bit more clearly... Mumbai is India’s Ground Zero, NYC on steroids. Like NYC, we have a gigantic bulk of India’s COVID-19 cases -- and growing. Like NYC, we have a beleaguered healthcare system, only way more so. India is a developing country, after all, and this pandemic lays that extremely bare. Our extreme population density, and horrendous state of healthcare, makes Mumbai the mess that it is. Our friends who live in Manhattan told us that even at the height of the COVID crisis in NYC, they could still go out for long walks. We don’t even have that option — partly because we are the world’s most densely populated city (honestly, sections of Mumbai make Times Square look deserted), so letting people out of their homes makes social distancing very hard, and partly because politicians here just have a serious lack of imagination and can’t think of ways to manage letting us out of our buildings (like certain addresses at certain times of the day, for instance). Perhaps they just don’t know if they could control us once we’re out.

So about that shadow economy… Still only essential shops (groceries and medicines) are supposed to be open. And still only adults are allowed out of their buildings — and only to buy essentials. No frivolous walks — even if your mental health depends on it…Yet I got a message from a friend of mine about some shop selling some toys and art supplies. Just send a WhatsApp message, and you’ll be told what to do…Without thinking much about the possible illegality of our actions, Rahul and I messaged, and put in an order for pick-up. Rahul then walked to the designated location, cash in hand, and picked up the parcel before scurrying home.

We finally got new paint for Anamika, a desperately-needed item! We also got a kids cricket set (which may be more for Rahul and me than for her). We have been playing cricket in our cramped  living room — much to the chagrin of my father-in-law who is terrified we are going to shear off one of the heads of one of the gods immortalized in statues all over our apartment with one of our wicked fast balls! I love my father-in-law but the thrill of wondering if today may be the day that one of my fast balls beheads Ganesha (who was already beheaded once by his own father, no less) keeps me at it.

Anamika’s been obsessed with making magic potions lately. And one she’s been very keen on actually using is a potion to make all the statues of the gods and goddesses in our apartment  disappear. I have had to stop her from smearing mixtures of water, sugar, small ground up erasers, glitter, and other disgusting items, on Shiva. My in-laws are extremely patient with Anamika, but I am afraid that kind of desecration might be the limit. I don’t want us to be thrown out on the street.

[Apparently, googly eyes are especially effective in magic potions. Ah, the things I learn from my daughter...]

So after our illicit purchase, we pretended it was Christmas. Anything to break up the monotony! And anything to forget that Rahul had just participated in what felt like a drug deal. Lockdown is getting to my head so ethical standards may be slipping.

[One of the benefits to having a plastic christmas tree: It’s ready whenever we need it in a lockdown pinch!]

[Anamika even decorated her bedroom door for Christmas in May.]

As if finally getting Anamika some paint was not excitement enough, Amazon has now started delivering some things other than random and occasional food items. This is a huge relief for one reason: underwear. Right after lockdown happened, Anamika went through a huge growth spurt. And of course we could not accommodate her new sized body with new sized clothing. So the poor child has been soldiering through these long locked-in days while picking wedgies all the time. Dealing with this COVID-19 crisis is a lot to expect of any child — even without the constant wedgies. New undies are way better than any cricket set!

An update on our access to the Great Outdoors (otherwise known as Poop Parking Lot):

Yes, it is filled with more and more poop. And, yes, Anamika becomes more and more adept at avoiding it on her scooter.

(Sorry if that is distasteful to read, but this is our reality, and this is my blog. So there. :-) )

But our parking lot is also experiencing an uptick of wildlife — mostly fat rats lumbering about as if they own the place. Well, since humans aren’t around, why would they not feel like they own the place?!

But we have seen a snail…

And we have seen wild parakeets through Anamika’s bedroom window. Now that was an amazing moment! (Sorry about the poor quality of the pics, but I have an old phone with a terrible camera.)

A less fun fact about the wildlife in Poop Parking Lot is that Anamika has had to scooter around a few pigeons and crows that were smooshed by vehicles. A couple remarkable things about this: 1) Anamika seems completely unfazed by these dead birds; honestly, she’s seen it all in India so her take-it-all-in-stride attitude should not surprise me, I guess; and 2) there are so few cars and motorcycles moving in our parking lot since folks are barely going out, so how the birds got run over baffles me. I can only guess that the pigeons and crows have become so dazed by lockdown (like us humans) that they have lost the reflex to move when the rare vehicle does come their way.

On other wildlife notes: Swarms of locusts are hitting parts of India. This is actually no laughing matter since locusts can totally destroy crops. Farmers are reportedly staying awake all night to keep locusts away from their fields. Honestly, if I believed in such things, I would say that the end of time is nigh. In India alone we are facing a pandemic, swarms of locusts in some states, floods in other states, and cyclones in others. It’s of biblical proportions.

And yet another note about wildlife…Monkeys are reported to have run off with some COVID-19 test samples in Uttar Pradesh. As Rahul said, “Only in India…”

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.timesnownews.com/amp/mirror-now/in-focus/article/meerut-monkeys-run-away-with-covid-19-test-samples-locals-fear-spread-of-infection/598669

And one final note about wildlife: this time, human children. You faithful blog readers might be wondering these past couple months if there are no other children that live in our apartment complex since I never mention Anamika interacting with any other kids — even from a distance. Indeed, there are many other children. However, kids under 10 years of age, and adults over 65 years of age, are not supposed to leave their apartments. Ever. And all other parents in our compound are actually abiding by it. Truly, they are keeping their kids locked in CONSTANTLY. They must be much better rule-followers than Rahul and me — which is amazing to me given that Indians in general tend to be born rules-breakers.

Knowing that absolutely no time outside the walls of our apartment would spell our demise, we said to hell with that ridiculous lockdown law early on. There is no one in our parking lot or on our roof, so why can’t Anamika at least get some time to run around and be a kid? We never dare venture outside of our building gates. We all have acute cabin fever even with her at least getting out for 30-40 minutes every morning (longer than that and we are asking for dehydration trouble). By the way, Rahul and I are dreading the coming monsoon. There will be days when we just cannot go down to Poop Parking Lot for even a few minutes. The rains can be very heavy, and can last for days at a stretch. The bright side is that, of course, the parking lot will be cleaner.

At this point, I have to give a big shout-out to Rahul. He is one of the most persistent people I have ever met, and that quality is standing us in good stead right now. He really is the reason that Anamika continues to agree to go out every morning. Given the heat, the condition of the parking lot, and the fact that no other kids are ever there to even wave at, she is reluctant. But Rahul will not give up, and Anamika is better off for her daily forays (as am I since that is when I can do some yoga or run the stairs in our building…doing this lockdown is hard; doing this lockdown without me getting any exercise to blow steam would be untenable).

Besides being persistent, my guy is also darn clever. He found Anamika’s soft spot: music from Frozen 1 and 2. And he’s using that to his advantage. She mostly goes outside now because of the promise of hearing her favorite music. Like the Pied Piper, Rahul runs ahead of Anamika while blasting the music on his phone; she chases him (and the music) around the parking lot. All the while both of them get an excellent cardio workout from running, scootering, and singing at the top of their lungs as they do so. Anamika sings “loud and proud” (as some of her teachers used to say), and now knows almost every word to every song in both Frozen 1 and 2.

True confessions: Anamika is not the only one in our family who is captivated by Frozen 1 and 2 music. Rahul and I, too, are really into it. One of our favorite pastimes now is to ask each other at random moments: “Which Frozen song is stuck in your head right now?” or “Which Frozen song was in your head when you woke up this morning?” Never one for pretensions, I have even fewer now. I’ll admit that I like a healthy dose of Brain Candy (especially during a crisis) and music from Frozen 1 and 2 certainly are that. I proudly own the fact that I know almost all the words to “Wanna Build a Snowman” now.

A completely random point:

Anamika just announced to me this morning: “I am not returning to ASB [her school].” When I asked her why, fully expecting her to tell me something about all the uncertainties around school and COVID-19, she answered: “Because I am going to life-guarding school. So I can become a lifeguard at Tej Uncle’s beach [the one in Goa where we went on our winter break].” Last week, she was planning on going to rocket-flying school. Thank god for her sense of humor — which is not humor to her. She is damn serious about going to life-guarding school. Regardless, her pluck and wackiness go a long way in this awful, and awfully long, lockdown.

[wovengoldindia]

Steam cabin for home in India

Steam cabins for homes in India are becoming increasingly popular due to their numerous health benefits. These compact cabins offer a relaxing and rejuvenating steam bath experience right in the comfort of your own home. The warm, moist steam helps to improve blood circulation, detoxify the body, and promote overall well-being. In a country like India where stress levels are high and pollution is a common issue, steam cabins provide a much-needed escape and sanctuary for relaxation and self-care.

Not only do steam cabins offer physical health benefits, but they also have mental and emotional benefits as well. Stepping into a steam cabin for home in India can help to reduce stress and anxiety, improve mood, and promote mental clarity. The soothing steam can help to calm the mind and provide a moment of peace and tranquility in the midst of a busy day. In a country as bustling and fast-paced as India, having a steam cabin at home can be a valuable tool for managing and coping with the daily stresses of life.

Additionally, steam cabins are also a great way to promote skin health and beauty. The steam helps to open up pores and cleanse the skin, removing impurities and promoting a healthy, glowing complexion. Regular use of a steam cabin can help to improve the overall appearance and health of the skin, leaving it looking fresh and rejuvenated. With all these benefits, it's no wonder that steam cabins for homes are becoming increasingly popular in India as people prioritize their health and wellness in today's fast-paced world.

[alwaysuseful-blog1]

percy was working on sodor in the early 1930s. it was a different time, with no diesel engines at all. he always loved doing his jobs and also really loved pulling the mail train. during that time he would regularly converse with a boy named greggory, who was around 10-12. they would often chat about how everything was going, that school was getting boring, and that greggory wanted to work with the engines when he got older. he did live on Sodor, after all, and had grown up surrounded by steam engines.

Greggory was often teased, mostly because he spent so much time watching the engines working and rarely played with boys around his age. Percy was often teased, too, so he and Greggory really connected on that level. Greggory matured and Percy stayed the same, but their friendship was still close. When Percy was resting on a siding, Greggory had a tendency to walk over and they would talk. They sometimes would laugh about how Greggory might even become a conductor! They’d make an excellent team.

Even when he was still very young, Greggory would be invited into Percy’s cabin. He’d get to drive a bit, too -- if his parents weren’t watching! As he became older, Greggory got a part-time job working with the mail train and would see Percy at night. they were very close, and Greggory always looked forward to working. Percy came to love the mail train even more because he would see his good friend! Not to mention, Greggory’s relatives would send exotic gifts from places like India. And Percy was always so proud to deliver things that brought happiness, even if for a little while.

The 1940s rolled around, and with that, there came war. Sodor was industrial and all the engines worked very hard to deliver goods for the war effort. Raw materials and other goods were incredibly important, and it was vital to get it over to the mainland. one morning, Percy arrived at the station closest to the mainland to see an engine ahead of him, with many coaches connected. Young men that Percy had known on Sodor were boarding and waving goodbye.

As the last of the men boarded, one of them came running over. Greggory was a young man, early twenties or so, and ready for adventure. He was overjoyed to see Percy before the passenger train was departing. He told Percy he was going over to the mainland to assist with the war effort. men were needed as well, and Greggory had taken up the call. They chatted but soon the conductor on the coach train became impatient. Greggory waved goodbye, but not before handing one of the drivers a small item. It was a simple pocketwatch, but on the opposite lid there was a picture of Greggory all dressed up in uniform, giving a wide grin.

Percy would expect that almost every passenger train for the next few months would have Greggory, ready to return home to Sodor. Pulling the mail train was always a little dull when he had no one to talk to. But he kept working and working, always happy to help with the great effort. Occasionally he would ask men who were returning if they had seen Greggory, but to no avail. Sometimes, when Percy would deliver goods like steel or iron, he would think that those items were going to be used by Greggory. After all, this was for the same cause.

One night, delivering the mail to a station very close to the mainland, Percy was stopped and taken by surprise. There was some extra mail from men writing back home to their families. He waited patient as ever, sometimes glancing in the direction of England, hoping another passenger train would arrive. He was very surprised when he heard one of his drivers swear, followed by the thud of a heavy wooden box. The small engine could hear and feel as the heavy object was loaded into one of the mail cars.

“Should we tell him?”

“Let the poor engine be.”

They continued on, with Percy curious about the box. It wasn’t until later that Percy found out what had happened, when a ceremony was being held at Norramby (the town that Greggory grew up in) and the small engine found out that his good friend had perished somewhere many, many miles away, and had returned to Sodor for burial. Percy remembered the box, the heavy box that had been loaded into the mail train. He understood, then.

Greggory had been killed.

Percy mourned the loss of his good friend. Engines probably mourn in a different way than humans. At times (and without warning) Percy would come to a halt while delivering the mail train. He wouldn’t say anything, but he did tremble. A minute or so later and the small engine would start up again. One night, he refused to leave the sheds. His fireman hurried into the back and then returned, holding onto a pocketwatch. It clicked open and Percy could see, plain as day, the photo of Greggory. The friend he had watched grow up. The friend he had unwittingly taken home, many long nights ago.

Percy came to accept the fact that Greggory would never ride in the cabin again, wait at the sidings, or hang on to the side of a mail car as they moved along the tracks. But the mail train was still very important to Percy, and on long nights as he delivered mail all across Sodor, Percy had precious time to remember his friend. All around him he saw a young boy racing along the tracks, a teenage boy who saw himself as a conductor or engineer, and a young man who had been a very, very good friend. At night, in the silence as he delivered the mail, Percy still felt the close friendship he had shared, and that alone warmed his firebox.

In the back of Tidmouth sheds, even now, there sits a small box. Inside is a slightly tarnished pocketwatch that still works, and a small photo of a young man named Greggory.

[bigyack-com]

Minor Hotels to Operate Clinique La Prairie's First Aesthetics and Medical Spa Outside of Europe

Minor Hotels has partnered with Clinique La Prairie to operate the Swiss health clinic's very first aesthetics and medical spa outside of Europe. Due to launch later this year, the Clinique La Prairie Aesthetics & Medical Spa will operate at The St. Regis Bangkok under MSpa International, the corporate division of spa and wellness within Minor Hotels. The St. Regis Bangkok is owned by Minor Hotels. The state-of-the-art medical spa will offer forever young treatments and healing therapies in line with Clinique La Prairie’s commitment to helping and inspiring people to live a healthier, longer and better life.

Simone Gibertoni, CEO of Clinique La Prairie, said, “Since 1931, Clinique La Prairie is a unique destination where the level of care enwraps the guests in cutting edge health care and wellness. After nearly 90 years of heritage in Switzerland, the clinic's ambition is to offer its expertise and its holistic approach to well-being - based on the four pillars of medical care, wellness, nutrition and exercise – abroad.” Slated to open in 2020, Bangkok’s Clinique La Prairie Aesthetics & Medical Spa will be located on the 15th floor of The St. Regis Bangkok. The facility will feature dedicated male and female relaxation areas, each spread over two floors with a relaxation lounge and floating pods, locker facilities, showers and restrooms on the mezzanine level, while the lower wet area of each showcase steam rooms, jacuzzis, cold plunge pools, and experience showers inviting personalized selection of water pressure, lighting and music. Zoe Wall, Group Director of MSpa International, said, “Clinique La Prairie is a global leader when it comes to longevity-based programs. The Clinique La Prairie Aesthetics & Medical Spa will bring a host of exclusive firsts to Bangkok. A team of medical spa professionals and aesthetics medicine specialists will combine expert knowledge with contemporary science and state-of-the-art technology to ensure bespoke experiences with a results-driven focus. Individual consultations to address longevity, beauty and nutrition will be available to guests in which they will receive a tailor-made program to enhance their lifestyle.” See latest Travel News, Interviews, Podcasts and other news regarding: Minor, Spa, Wellness. Headlines: Marriott Opens First Aloft Hotel in Bali, Indonesia  Thai Airways Cancels International Flights in Asia and Europe  Bangkok Airways Makes Major Changes to Domestic and Int. Flight Schedules  Air Astana Makes Changes to Int. 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[danielwallis789]

Make Your Washroom Tranquil and Welcoming With a Contemporary Steam Shower

At some point in living, everybody has a massive job of moving into our first residence. Once we have performed this the important challenge of making that property a home starts. It is essential that we imprint our individualities into every aspect of our decor, in doing so the house will become comfortable and also inviting to all who pay a visit but more importantly that you feel at home and at ease.

Among the most challenging rooms to make cozy and comforting was the bathroom, not anymore. Distributors have a big variety of fashionable as well as traditional sanitary ware and furniture to aid us in our challenge of bathroom design. In addition to the bedroom, the restroom is a room where many of us get away to at the end of a hard day to unwind and relax or a room where all of us go to be revived at the start of the day. For these reasons alone our washrooms should appear the best, they are able to.

If you are looking for the Best Bathroom Fittings In India then check out the website of Aquant India. They provide the best bathroom fittings at the most affordable prices. They also provide a variety of Sanitary Ware, Faucets, Wash Basins, etc. at the most affordable prices. You can check out their website for more details.

If you want to improve your bathrooms from the normal look to something even more magnificent, then take a look at the newest restroom items available on today's market. Manufacturers are selecting contemporary along with technical products that are sure to create the wow factor to your bathrooms. Steam baths that are full of modern-day characteristics have taken the bathroom business by storm and are making their way into residential properties all around the country. Previously if a person planned to feel the sensuous soothing feeling of a steam room it would have meant a visit to the local spa or five-star hotels, this no longer needs to be the case. Not only are these kinds of amazing inventions readily as well as easily available, but they are also manageable on every budget too, which could only make them more inviting.

Steam showers are also very simple enclosures that don't need a whole new build to assemble in addition to mount. They are actually quite simply a regular shower that requires a cold and warm feed and could be run from the majority of water systems. The vaporized steam is portrayed from a smaller compact 3KW steam generator that fits nicely at the back of the cabin; the steam enters the shower through a tiny steam outlet that is discreetly located on one of the inner panels. If preferred aromatherapy oils may be added to the steam outlet and subsequently vaporized through the steam, building an amazing environment to whisk away the problems of the day.

Aquant India provides the best Bathroom Fittings Online at the most affordable prices. They provide Washbasins, Sanitary Ware, Faucets and Shower Panels at pocket prices. You can check out their website for more information.

The many features within the steam enclosure are operated on the LCD touch screen control panel which is situated on the center panel. These features consist of spotlights, radio, telephone connection, ozone sterilization, and the internal extractor fan. The water features, such as the monsoon shower and handheld shower function from the thermostatic diverter valve. The shower consists of three showering options; these are actually the hand shower which is on a regular riser rail that could be adjusted to suit, the overhead rainfall or monsoon shower that is built into the roof of the cabin and the ever-popular massaging body jets that are fitted to the main column. After you have considered whether your bathroom can support one of these state-of-the-art enclosures it is simply a matter of choosing one which fits your individual requirements in addition to those of your family members.

[carpostnet]

Caterpillar 777E Truck review and feature – Feature

3rd Nov 2019 11:40 am

It has a gross weight of over 160 tonnes, a locomotive-like 4,757Nm of torque, and because it’s an off-freeway car, it’s a loopy 6.2m vast. We climb up and get behind the wheel, legs shaking, knees knocking.

It’s a scene straight out of hell. The floor under hisses menacingly, jets of steam shoot 20 ft into the air and each time the wind modifications course, there’s the tar-like scent of coal burning. As we wind our manner down the open mine, we see subterranean flames simmering contained in the retaining partitions. “Don’t worry, this is normal,” says our minder for the day, wanting on the horror in our eyes, “These fires are perpetual.”

The ‘picture postcard’ scene is accomplished by the presence of darkish, low-hanging clouds and a relentless drizzle. Then it occurs… KAABOOM… stones, bits of coal and filth are flung tons of of metres up, and a part of the hill we’re driving down disappears in a cloud of dynamite and mud. Phew!

Then, as we go deeper into the open mine, we hear the machines – excavators, breakers and crushers, all pounding away with loud metallic clangs. And then comes the sound of tortured diesel engines, some straining to haul their hundreds up the ghat roads that ring the mine.

Shock and awe

The truck I’ve come to drive, Caterpillar’s assembled-in-India 777E, is a monster that may carry 100 tonnes. Visible within the distance, this “100-tonner” appears massive. And I have to say I like these monster-truck proportions. The wheels are merely large when seen facet on, the triangular tipper sitting on prime of the wheels is neatly positioned and then there’s the minimalist cab. Simple, neat and useful, it really appears cool.

Heavy lifting is what the Caterpillar does finest

One of the loaded vans begins to make its manner up the mine. The 90-100 tonnes of ‘over burden’, or prime layer, nevertheless, isn’t weighing it down within the least. There’s no sag or slop from the suspension, it doesn’t bob or pitch an excessive amount of and whereas the engine sounds loud, it doesn’t appear unduly pressured.

On the tight corners, the large inside rear wheels spin briefly earlier than discovering traction and the 777E shoots ahead. As it comes across the hairpin, we see the huge frontage for the primary time. One factor’s for positive, Caterpillar doesn’t make use of any aerodynamicists. This residence-block-on-wheels simply must be the one-most un-aerodynamic form in historical past. And then we get hit by the dimensions. Now clearly it is a massive truck, however what makes my eyes go wider and wider is the truth that it appears to continue to grow and rising and GROWING in measurement because it approaches us. This is loopy – it’s already twice the dimensions of a daily truck, and it’s nonetheless getting greater and greater. Soon, it actually fills my visual view. I see nothing earlier than me however truck.

Traction management is non-obligatory, so that you do get some wheel spin.

Finally, because it crosses us, I realise, to my appreciable shock, that even the tyres tower above me. Imagine having to vary a flat; you’ll want an industrial crane to get it performed, no joke.

As the 777E passes us, we hear the huge 32.1-litre engine. A mix of the howl from the huge turbocharger, growl from the exhaust and whine from the surprisingly clean 12-cylinder diesel, it’s a singular mix of NASCAR-meets-plane turbine. It sounds nice. And what provides significantly to the soundtrack is the crunch-crunch of the stones and small rocks on the trail under. 

Massive V12 diesel displaces 32.1 litres.

How in hell am I going to handle to drive this monster? Will I be capable of deal with the huge 6.2m width, particularly with the steering on the mistaken facet? What if I brake too onerous and get it to tip ahead? This is terrifying. Clearly I’ve bitten off greater than I can chew.

Throttle, brake and wheel

When the 777E I’m to drive lastly arrives, the bodily act of getting behind the wheel is severely disorienting. You must climb a step ladder to get into the cab. And it isn’t simply a few rungs up, it’s a correct climb. After you attain the highest, someplace between the primary and second flooring, you need to stroll round to the motive force’s pod.

Cabin is a small pod sat on the left.

To make issues worse, the cab is located on the intense left of the truck, and so I’ve to drive it on the left of the highway. As I calm down on the spring-loaded seat, I see what clearly are India-sourced parts – the instrument panel, the information display with its many management buttons, the automated gear selector. The truck is constructed and assembled on the outskirts of Chennai.

Assembled-in-India truck has some India-supplied bits as effectively.

Luckily, the 777E isn’t sophisticated to drive; removed from it. There are two foot brakes, the second the place the clutch usually sits. You all the time want to concentrate on which gear it’s in, however aside from that, the method of driving is fairly simple.

Dealing with the titanic forces, and I don’t say this with even an iota of exaggeration, is one other matter utterly. Step primary, as I strive and transfer off, is to maneuver into ‘D’. The gearbox has seven ahead gears, and initially I let the automated do all of the shifting. Getting off the brake and onto the accelerator, nevertheless, is a terrifying second. My leg shakes and I really feel sick in my abdomen as I gingerly raise my proper foot off the brake. The 777E vibrates a bit and lurches ahead, like a one-flooring residence block being shaken by an earthquake. And then it strikes ahead by itself accord, like a home being carried away by a large mudslide. Only factor, there’s no slope right here; it’s straight and degree.

I ought to ideally faucet the accelerator a bit, however I’ve no thought what impact hitting the throttle too onerous can have. My minder, sitting proper subsequent to me, then chimes in, “axel-retter, axle-retter” a number of instances, and I lastly succumb, eyes half-closed. On cue, the 777E takes off. The massive diesel is a number of instances extra responsive than I imagined. For the document, this V12 displaces 32,100cc, with every cylinder displacing 2,675cc.

You want to stay it in 2nd on downhills.

After a bit, we get to an uphill part. But the gearbox retains shifting as much as the next gear, this regardless of the engine solely spinning at 900rpm. To make issues much more complicated, the 777E is flying up the hill. This is counterintuitive and confuses the hell out of me. What’s mistaken? Has some type of loony-bin auto pilot kicked in? Then I bear in mind, this factor places out 1,004hp and, wait, 4,757Nm of torque. Forget towing half-a-dozen on a regular basis vans, I’m positive a few 777Es might drag the Gateway of India off its moorings and deposit it midway throughout city. And the most effective bit is that each time I pad the accelerator, I can really feel that Himalayan torque come into play, and merely vapourise the load of the truck… PHOOSH.

Peak energy of 1,004hp is at 1,750rpm.

My teacher gesticulates closely that I decelerate, and so, taking one other leap of religion, I softly relaxation my foot on the brake. The 777E slows down like I’ve hit the brakes with a sledgehammer; the wheels do a little bit of a skid earlier than it involves a cease. It doesn’t assist that the truck is close to empty. It positive will take a little bit of getting used to.

After some runs up and down, my teacher factors to the vast and meandering tremendous-freeway contained in the mine. Gulp, I’ll should navigate precise corners. This factor is in regards to the width of a median highway and I’ve to watch out we don’t inadvertently take out among the electrical poles that line our path. I get a stern warning about this earlier than we begin. The row of poles does appear like a picket fence from up right here; actually, relatively inconsequential.

Driving on this freeway just isn’t for the faint-hearted.

As the primary nook comes up, I actually crawl round. I come to a whole cease when one other 777 has to go me on the opposite facet. This goes on for a bit. Soon, nevertheless, I study to modulate the throttle and brake, and after a lap or two of the mine, I even become familiar with steering this beast round corners, the within rear wheels momentarily spinning up at instances. And then I start to get pleasure from pulling the huge V12 onerous on the uphill sections, listening to the combo of the rumble and the jet-like scream. Maximum energy is made at only one,750rpm, like an outdated aero-piston engine, and for essentially the most half, I keep at 1,500rpm. But the noise it makes is epic. Best-sounding diesel engine ever, that’s for positive!

As you’ll be able to think about, it isn’t all enjoyable and video games. When it’s empty, you need to watch out to descend by way of slushy sections in the appropriate gear. And at instances, the brakes, due to the oil-cooled rear discs, are troublesome to modulate at velocity. Still, after a little bit of wheel-time, the 777E is nowhere close to as intimidating because it initially appeared, and for that it’s all the extra spectacular. Partly made in India and yours for Rs 3.5-Four crore, do you have to occur to need one. 0-100kph time, you ask? Top velocity is barely 65kph, however in case you assume that’s gradual, think about your residence block doing that velocity. Aah, see what I imply? What an excessive machine.

  Specifications Price Rs 3.5-Four crore (relying on choices) Engine 12-cyl, 32,100cc, twin-turbo diesel Power 1004hp at 1750rpm Torque 4757Nm at 1300rpm Bore/stroke 145.0/162.0mm Gearbox 7-velocity automated Suspension (f/r) Hydro-pneumatic suspension Top velocity 65.9kph Dimensions Overall size 10,004mm Wheelbase 4570mm Ground clearance 896mm Front cover top (loaded) 5177mm Overall width 6200mm Tyres 27.00R49 (E4) Overall entrance tyre width 4961mm Overall rear tyre width 5262mm Fuel tank capability 1140 litres Maximum payload (110% of goal) 119.1 tonnes/1,08,022kg Maximum gross machine weight 1,63,360kg SERVICE REFILL CAPACITIES Differentials 222 litres Steering system 60 litres Transmission system 125 litres

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[biofunmy]

T’s Beauty Guide to Paris

Parisians have long been viewed as paragons of natural beauty, so much so that the English term “effortless” has been co-opted into their cultural lexicon. Today, though, most locals know that the “I just rolled out of bed” look is often a ruse — one that takes plenty of time and money to perfect. Mussed-up hair is best achieved with the help of France’s top hairstylists, and barefaced, natural beauty is enhanced by stimulating facial massage and a long steam session in one of the city’s many hammams. Here, we’ve compiled a list of the city’s most sought-after beauty experts, brands and salons. Just make sure you book well in advance.

[Sign up here for the T List newsletter, a weekly roundup of what T Magazine editors are noticing and coveting now.]

Face

Biologique Recherche’s Ambassade de la Beauté

The flagship of the cult French beauty brand Biologique Recherche, this lush spa just off the Champs-Élysées offers treatments that pamper and preen from head to toe. Loyal clients, however, return month after month for the clinical facials, prescribed after an in-depth diagnosis (which evaluates moisture levels, pigmentation, elasticity) in their Skin Instant Lab. Crowd favorites include the Remodeling Face treatment, which features a cocktail of serums derived from botanical active ingredients and stimulation with electric currents and high radio-frequency waves, and the Seconde Peau (second skin) treatment, an electro spun mask supercharged with 80-percent hyaluronic acid, which will leave you looking as fresh-faced and dewy as a supermodel. 32 Avenue des Champs-Élysées, 75008, ambassadedelabeaute.fr.

Maison Sisley

This newish spa is worth a visit, not just for its cleverly tailored treatments — like the anti-stress facial — but for its committed approach to utter serenity. Far from clinical, the waiting lounge feels like a private salon, complete with a Dimore Studio light fixture and India Mahdavi sofa, and the treatments are carried out with the greatest consideration: You can curate everything from the fragrance of the candle burning in your cabin to the soundtrack playing on the speakers. 5 Avenue de Friedland, 75008, sisley-paris.com.

Sophie Carbonari

The London-based French facialist Sophie Carbonari commutes to Paris during fashion week as well as every other month to service her regular clients — including some of the biggest names and most flawless faces working in fashion. She sets up shop in the suites of boutique hotels or the private salons of the new Galeries Lafayette on the Champs-Élysées and offers bespoke facials that combine her own homemade oils and lotions with those of cult brands such as Augustinus Bader and In Fiore. Carbonari’s signature approach is centered on a lymphatic facial massage — what she calls a micro gland tissue stimulation — which she delivers with a masterful touch. In France, face pummeling is seen as the au naturel alternative to face-plumping fillers. For other renowned practitioners, look up Elaine Huntzinger and Joëlle Ciocco. skinbysophiecarbonari.com.

Body

Martine de Richeville

Parisians are no longer as exercise shy as they have been in the past, but they still have a few sweat-free tricks up their sleeves. Lymphatic drainage via massage is a popular shortcut to staying trim, and the name to look up is Martine de Richeville, whose signature “remodelage” has garnered her devotees the world over. Just don’t expect the experience to be pleasant: The manual technique involves a sort of roll-and-release motion — akin to a deep tissue burn — that is purported to detoxify, reshape and obliterate even the most stubborn of cellulite. Of course, it works best if you book multiple sessions in the way that most things with a high price tag often do. 13 Boulevard Malesherbes, 75008 and 20 Avenue Bosquet, 75007, martinedericheville.com.

Spa Valmont

If you’re after a more relaxing experience, Paris’s hotel spa game is strong, and the Spa Valmont at Le Meurice is a favorite among visiting fashion editors. The Swiss skin-care brand specializes in anti-aging treatments, but this is also a tranquil space in which to enjoy a stimulating post-flight leg massage, body scrub or full-body mask derived from plant essences, volcanic earth or hibiscus flowers. 228 Rue de Rivoli, 75001, dorchestercollection.com.

Hammams

Pampering in Paris need not break the bank, and one of the most democratic, if not authentic experiences, is a trip to the hammam. Set aside a few hours to sweat and steam out toxins and sign up for a rigorous full-body scrub, which will buff your tired skin anew. In Paris, there are options at both ends of the spectrum — from the more traditional Grand Mosquée (39 Rue Geoffroy-Saint-Hilaire, 75005) with its multigenerational bathers catching up on gossip as they sprawl across the ornate tiles, to the chic steam room in the Charme d’Orient (18 Boulevard du Temple, 75011), on the edge of the Marais, which can be privatized for the more prudish among us.

Hair

David Mallett

The Australian import David Mallett has all but conquered the Paris scene — and he opened his first salon in New York at the Webster last year. His salon, located in a 17th-century hôtel particulier of Place des Victoire, is more like an elegant, private home outfitted with herringbone floors and antiques that Mallett found himself while trawling the city’s flea markets. If you’re already happy with your hairstyle and just want a reboot, try the caviar or the Tokio Inkarami conditioning treatment and finish with a “brushing” — the French term for a blow dry. 14 Rue Notre Dame des Victoires, 75002, david-mallett.com.

Christophe Robin

The master colorist Christophe Robin is the man behind the career-defining hair colors of the ’90s supermodels — Stephanie Seymour’s chestnut brown, Claudia Schiffer’s icy blonde and Linda Evangelista’s numerous color changes, to name a few. His kitschy, boudoir-style salon — replete with red velvet curtains and bubble-gum-pink backwash chairs — in the buzzy neighborhood of Montorgueil, attracts a wide range of clientele, from buttoned-up bourgeois sexagenarians to fashion students. Robin and his team have a knack for creating natural-looking color and highlights that compliment a client’s skin tone and eye color; if you’re after a haircut, ask for Jean-Marc. 16 Rue Bachaumont, 75002, christopherobin.fr.

Delphine Courteille

Unkempt hair that falls perfectly just so requires an exceptional cut. Enter Delphine Courteille, who has tended to the tresses of almost every iconic Frenchwoman, from Inès de la Fressange to Vanessa Paradis. Fit for the A-list, this spacious salon has an elegant retro feel with terrazzo floors, powder-pink walls, brass mirrors and green Pierre Paulin armchairs and poufs. If Delphine’s fees make you gulp, ask for her trusted second-in-command, Yoshi. 28 Rue du Mont-Thabor 75001, delphinecourteille.com.

Nose

Nose is stocked with an overwhelming selection of fragrances — over 700 at last count — but they also have the expertise and technology to guide you in making your choice. The custom Olfactory test is a software program developed with AI experts and perfumers that asks a series of questions to match you to your ideal scent, be that something from the French favorite Frédéric Malle or more under-the-radar discoveries from the Stockholm-based perfumer Stora Skuggan or the sacred-smelling scent Lavs by Filippo Sorcinelli, the Italian tailor favored by the Pope. 20 Rue Bachaumont, 75002, noseparis.com.

Ex Nihilo

This boutique fragrance brand arrived in 2013, with a flagship store on Rue Saint Honoré decked out in International Klein Blue, with Carrera-marble bench tops and walnut shelving. Inspired by the innovative spirit of the French avant-garde — be that Art Deco motifs or the modern aesthetic of designers like Pierre Paulin — the three founders have created nine signature fragrances with the help of star noses from the Swiss tastemaker Givaudan. The best seller is a heady floral scent fittingly called Fleur Narcotique, and in the Paris store, such pillar fragrances can be personalized using the brand’s unique Osmalogue technology, which boosts or enhances certain existing ingredients to each client’s liking. A limited selection of perfume oils for the skin and hair mists, with added keratin, are also available in new scents. 352 Rue Saint-Honoré, 75001, ex-nihilo-paris.com.

Also of note, another fragrance emporium rolls into town on Oct. 2: Dover Street Fragrance Market, the first of its kind, will open on 11 Bis Rue Elzévir, 75003, doverstreetparfumsmarket.com.

Kure Bazaar

Nail salons are not as omnipresent in Paris as they are in the States, which means booking in advance is a must. A welcome exception to that rule is the eco-friendly Kure Bazaar nail bar in the historic Left Bank department store Le Bon Marché. Kure Bazaar’s nail polish and products are environmentally friendly and made up of 90 percent natural ingredients. If there is a wait, you have time to shop or have lunch at the Rose Bakery Tea Room on the second floor. Le Bon Marché, 24 Rue de Sèvres, 75007, kurebazaar.com.

Makeup

Oh My Cream

With multiple stores across Paris, Oh My Cream is the go-to boutique for the best natural beauty brands. Their roll call includes local names with a cultlike following such as Joëlle Ciocco and Hervé Herau, as well the makeup pioneer Kjaer Weis and longtime favorite Jane Iredale. Staff members are all trained beauty therapists, and in almost all of the Paris locations there is a “beauty cabin,” which offers manicures, pedicures, facials and makeup application. You can achieve the “Naturel” look in just 20 minutes, addressing any complexion concerns with cover-up and foundation, and a light touch to either eyes or lips. Multiple locations, ohmycream.com.

La Bouche Rouge

Thanks to iconic image-makers like Guy Bourdin, red lips have been part of a Parisian beauty routine since as far back as the mid-1950s. Even today, a lush red pout is the sole exception to the no-makeup look, and newcomer La Bouche Rouge, founded by a former L’Oréal marketing executive, Nicolas Gerlier, and Self Service magazine’s Ezra Petronio, brings a very contemporary spin to this iconic staple. With over 28 shades of red, in matte or satin finish, the brand has a vegan formula available, and all lipsticks are made without endocrine disrupters, allergens, paraffins or perfumes. Plus, they come in a stylish, entirely plastic-free and refillable case. For now they can be found in their own corner stand in Le Bon Marché. 24 Rue de Sèvres, 75007, laboucherougeparis.com.

Skin

Officine Universelle Buly

Modeled after an old-school apothecary, Officine Universelle Buly sits apart from the competition thanks to its reverence for ancestral beauty traditions in the form of balms, powders and oils. In addition to their exquisitely packaged line of candles, fragrances, skin-care and body-care products, the stylish shelves in this store are stocked with out-of-the-ordinary supplies such as plum kernel oil, sourced from plums in southwest France, which is purported to be high in antioxidants and revitalizing for mature skins, and babassu oil, an extract from an Amazonian plant with remarkable reviving properties. Left Bank: 6 Rue Bonaparte, 75006; Right Bank: 45 Rue de Saintonge, 75003, buly1803.com.

Citypharma

If you only have time for one shopping outing, this is truly the one-stop shop for cult French pharmacy products. Think Bioderma Crealine H2O, Caudalie facial mist, Embryolisse rich face cream and Klorane dry hair shampoo, to name just a few. Happily, the staff are all incredibly knowledgeable. Grab a basket and stock up. 26 Rue du Four, 75006, pharmacie-citypharma.fr.

Galeries Lafayette, Champs-Élysées

An exciting addition to the Parisian retail scene, the new Galeries Lafayette seems to be filling the hole that Colette left behind when it closed in 2017. In addition to its stellar fashion offerings, a jam-packed events program and two Jacquemus-designed restaurants, there is an impressive beauty space, Beauty 3.0, on the ground floor. Refreshingly, the merchandising here is not divided into men’s and women’s: Instead all fragrance, makeup products, creams and high-tech beauty tools are bundled together. The store stands out for its emphasis on a new generation of digital-first or direct-to-consumer brands, like the French supplements brand Aime, with its best-selling potion French Glow, and the honey-based hair-care line Gisou. 60 Avenue des Champs-Élysées, 75008, galerieslafayettechampselysees.com.

Sahred From Source link Travel

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[danhaynam-blog]

Vietnam

It’s been over a week since we left Vietnam, and I’ve needed the time to process everything packed into our four stops in ten days in a country that might best be described as dizzying. I feel like I’ve experienced many faces of this inspiring country and come away with a deep appreciation for the friendliness and seemingly limitless energy of it’s people.

Driving into Hanoi on our first day, the smog hung heavy and oppressive; we wouldn’t really see the sun again for the next week. The air quality in Hanoi has been ranked as high as 10th worst in the world depending on the day (though it’s typically not even in the top 100 worst cities, even as bad as it is). At any rate, Hanoi was the worst air quality I’ve spent time in so far. It’s one thing to have an intellectual understanding of climate change and how much risk our earth is in; it’s something else to live in that air. This happened in India while we were in Vietnam, which drove home for me the seriousness and pervasiveness of what we’re facing.

Vietnam’s energy can be found in the ceaseless drone of scooters, in the cries of vendors hawking their food from sidewalk stalls in every direction, in the coffee that is thick and sweet, in the smell of fish sauce everywhere… and in the food, where each salad has a minimum of 10 ingredients, and each dish is flavored with a cocktail of sauces and spices that makes the western sensibility for spice seem prudish.

The thing to do when in Hanoi is get out into the streets of the old quarter, which we did on foot right after checking into our AirBnB. If you’re daring (which we weren’t) you might try renting a scooter. If not, you’ll still have plenty of opportunities to lose a limb while crossing a street or even walking down the sidewalk. Scooters have the right of way on roads… and sidewalks.

Every street you turn down in Hanoi is filled with people making, selling, and eating food. At night, some of the streets are shut down, and plastic stools fill every inch of asphalt for an all-city, all-night celebration. With an overwhelming number of available food options, we found TripAdvisor (and the everywhere-present wifi that enabled it) to be an indispensable guide.

The various aspects of culture shock aside, I enjoyed  my three days in Hanoi. The food was consistently delicious and affordable, the new businesses being set up by the young and energetic locals were inspiring, and the friendliness was infections. But Hanoi was also very tiring. As we rode in our transfer van out to Halong Bay on day four, I tried to put my complex feelings on paper:

“Vietnam puts me in a bit of a frenetic state. It’s not been the sort of place I’ve found it easy to collect my thoughts. Crossing the road is a life-or-death experience, dodging the thousands of scooters coming from every direction. There are rarely traffic signals; when there are, they are optional. The sound of honking is incessant, the smog thick, and at times the heat and sun are strong enough to induce a full-body sweat in under a minute. Plus, the smells are intense and the food unusual — more meat and less veggies than my spoiled California diet. All told, I’m a bit under the weather and ready for a break.”

Halong Bay was a good break. As promised in the ever-present marketing materials, it’s quite picturesque. Brynn, Josh, and I posed for the obligatory photograph at the recommended spot on our 24-hr cruise. Beautiful and relaxing, but scheduled and touristy — this photo sums it up pretty well :)

We spent the majority of our time relaxing in our spacious cabin watching the rock formations go by, or eating one of the four delicious meals served throughout the cruise. In the afternoon our expedition guide, who was a somewhat comically stern and wiry guy, took us out to kayak on the bay. “Stay close, if you wander you might end up in China and then there’s nothing I can do.” he said. I still have no idea if he was joking.

Along with the expedition guide, our cruise manager was also quite a character (he told us to call him “Harry Potter” and performed card tricks). At dinner, he noticed my brother’s Stan Smith shoes. He then pointed to his own shoes, saying “Hey, me too, and I ordered mine on Amazon so they aren’t even fake. We saw fake products everywhere in northern Vietnam, even full fake stores (Nike, Addidas, even Makeup Forever), and it was interesting to hear a local take on those fake goods.

After Halong Bay, we transferred to Ninh Binh for a few nights. Ninh Binh is a rural area of Vietnam, and we were able to bicycle through dirt embankments along rice paddies where farmers were growing and harvesting rice in much the same way I imagine they’ve done for hundreds of years. We saw fields picked by hand, shepherds moving flocks of  goats and water buffalo through the rice, and harvested rice being dried by hand on sidewalks and in the road. Vietnam is one of the top five rice producing countries in the world; it’s crazy to realize that much of the rice I eat from my local Trader Joe’s likely is still produced in this way.

We rounded out our trip in Ho Chi Minh City, which feels worlds away from Ninh Binh and from everything else we experienced in Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh is a global city, complete with financial institutions and their skyscrapers, craft beer and cocktails, good cheap food from every corner of the globe, and a burgeoning fusion cuisine scene — all for about half the cost of San Francisco or New York. I was particularly pumped to find a rockin’ poke bowl joint around the corner from where we stayed, a refreshing supplement to the Bahn Mi diet.

I’m really glad we included Ho Chi Minh City in our tour of Vietnam (we weren’t planning to originally), because I think my picture of the country would be so incomplete without it. Yes, Vietnam is in many ways a “developing country” as we’d say in the US, but it also has a developed and rapidly growing influence on the global stage. Coincidentally, that influence was highlighted as we were leaving the country by Vietnam hosting world leaders in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation conference.

While in Ho Chi Minh City, we took an amazing cooking class. It was set up extremely well, with detailed explanations of how to choose the right fish sauce and how to source key ingredients back home, as well as a “shopping” experience where we selected fresh produce from a mock market set up within the class. We’ll be looking forward to trying to recreate steamed fish with lemongrass paste, papaya salad, and if we’re adventurous perhaps even the deep fried flower-leaf appetizer when we get back home.

On our last day in Ho Chi Minh City, we worked up the emotional fortitude to go down to the War Remnants museum, Vietnam’s museum commemorating the Vietnam War (or the American War of Aggression from their point of view). I’d watched about 10 hours worth of the recently-released Ken Burns documentary on the war before leaving on our trip, and I honestly expected the war to feel more present in Vietnam than it did. Our entire trip, I didn’t once hear or see mention of the war until we sought out the museum.

When we did get to the museum, I felt like it was a fairly accurate and even-handed portrayal of the war, at least as far as I know. In other words, even though I’d read reviews that the museum is Vietnamese propaganda, the story seemed to line up pretty well with the US-made Ken Burns documentary (with the notable exception of leaving out mention of the communism vs democracy conflict that fueled America’s involvement). In any event, it’s eerie knowing that 50 years ago your country bombed and sprayed chemicals all over a country whose people are still feeling the repercussions (i.e. birth defects, lost limbs) but now treat Americans with friendliness and even respect and admiration. It’s an act of forgiveness and humanity that floors me, and one I hope my country can repay with continued friendship and partnership with our neighbors in Vietnam.

Outtake: We tried riding a scooter... and quickly bailed on the idea.

Bonus: Given my great love of dark chocolate and how colorful these grown-in-Vietnam, made-in-Vietnam chocolate bars are, I had to grab a pic.

[nereiduk]

Paimpol Chants de Marin day 2

Sat 12 August 17

Clambering up the steps into grey and drizzle I trudged in pyjamas the long route to the showers.  A Frenchman with a dog in one hand and a baguette under his other armpit gave me a sympathetic smile and muttered “Le temps!”

After breakfast and the ten am cacophony of horns, I explored the large ships while the queues were tiny.  Phoenix, just two away from Pegasus, was originally a missionary ship, and has been remodelled several times for movies, including 1492 and The Heart of The Sea, as well as Dr Who!  Next up was Le Nao Victoria, a replica of Magellan’s 15th century ship for the first circumnavigation, all black wood and gloomy cabins.  Most amazing was the stick that was used to steer the ship before wheels came in.  The replica has also completed a circumnavigation in 2004.

As the drizzle intensified I joined a queue for a talk on Cape Horners on Marite. The room was packed and it was all in French, so I couldn’t catch it all, but it was fascinating to see the different trade routes, the vast ships with three, four and even five masts.  Crews took dogs, cats, pigs and chickens with them for the voyage, and caught fish and even albatross en route.  

It took three weeks to get round Cape Horn east to west, and there was a terrifying shot of a deck covered with snow and a wheel frosted with ice. Coal was unloaded in Chile and the ship was reloaded with nitrate or copper.  Not all the sailors made it home, and there was a poignant reading of a diary entry about a burial at sea.  This talk had particular resonance for me as my great grandfather skippered a copper barque from Swansea to Valparaiso on this very route.

On the short walk back to Pegasus for lunch I encountered the steam organ and trumpet boat again, a group singing sea shanties and a brassy marching (or dancing) band.  

James had invited some of his mates on board Pegasus – they had stayed up all night and were at the festival on holiday rather than working.  There’s clearly a bit of a community of people who work as crew on traditional boats.

After lunch I ventured out of the festival zone, and followed a GR path along the edge of the estuary.  The retreating sea had left a vast expanse of sand and mud, with channel buoys perched askew on the brown squelch.  A short way out of town, a cluster of tents perched on a grassy bank above the beach clearly belonged to festival goers.

Back in the crazy Paimpol bubble I watched a band playing folky music with a hurdy gurdy, an amazingly versatile instrument.  Their singer had such a haunting voice, quite middle eastern, that I just had to buy their album.  Next I chanced upon a Japanese woman in full kimono playing an accordion and singing in French.  Following a crowd, I encountered the wild Irish once more, and just had to stay and dance for a couple of tunes before heading back to the boat for dinner.

The crowds had swelled, so I walked along the pontoon to find my way to the far side of the site, where an all female group were singing sea shanties. Over in the Guinness Bar a Polish quartet were singing Jamaican and Irish songs and getting the audience joining in.

Back across the lock gate, which was now operating a one-way system due to the crowds, and I squeezed my way into the Cabaret Tent, which was already full of people, smoke and bright light.  Nirmaan, from India, were just about to start their set, an intensely heavy and trippy rock with soaring vocals, intoxicating the crowd into frenzied dancing.

Ears buzzing and fortified with orange juice from a stall, I sat down to calm myself, and then listened to a folk band with a strong gypsy, middle eastern feel.  It was now after midnight and the quays were still heaving with people, but I decided to head back to my bunk, while the music continued all around me.

[wovengoldindia]

Different Methods of Steam Bathing

There are many different types of bathing that use steam instead of water. There are several types of steam bathing systems, including steam baths, steam showers, Russian banya, and Turkish hammam. Steam baths are very similar to saunas, but they differ in the fact that steam baths depend on steam as well as heat, while saunas mostly rely on the heat in order to induce sweating.

Steam baths and steam showers both use steam, but they are slightly different. Steam baths are very communal. Steam showers are a smaller version of that with the similar commodities to an ordinary bathroom shower.

In order to prevent the steam from escaping and wrecking the drywall, paint, or wallpaper, steam showers are taken in enclosed stalls. These enclosures can be made out of tile, acrylic, fiberglass, stone, or wood.

A banya is a traditional Russian steam bath. Banya buildings vary in size. Some of them are very large with multiple rooms, while others are more similar to wooden cabins. Banyas usually have an entrance room, a washing room, and a steam room. Bathers first go through the entrance room, where they can hang their clothes on pegs and rest on benches.

They then proceed to the washing room, where they can clean themselves. The tap water is heated using the stove from the steam room. There is also usually a separate tap or basin filled with cold water so the bathers can mix the water for their ideal temperature.

It is believed that sweating before entering the steam room protects the skin from the steam; so many bathers use the hot water to instigate sweat in the washing room. Unlike the public bath houses of other cultures, there are usually no traditional hot tubs in a banya building.

A Hammam Bathtubs, is a Middle Eastern version of the steam bath. Hammam play an important role as areas of social gathering and ritual cleansing. The bathers first go through the warm room, an area that is heated with warm, dry, air. They sit there and perspire before moving on to the hot room, which is even more heated than the warm room.

They then splash themselves with cold water before washing themselves and getting massages. After that, they rest in the cooling room. However, since more homes are acquiring private showers and bathtubs, hammams are receiving fewer customers during modern times.

Steam baths were very popular among ancient Greeks and Romans. A Greek or Roman steam bath is called a Laconia. These baths were kept in a circular room with a large domed roof. Some Laconia lit fires underneath the floor in order to heat the room. Others used the fire to heat rocks.

The hot rocks would be placed (using a pitchfork) into a dish in the middle of the room. In order to create steam, the bath attendants would pour cold water onto the burning hot rocks. Sometimes the leaves, oils, or essences would be added to the steam for therapeutic purposes.

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