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This might have not been a musical do but since it was Pandit Satish Vyas's son Vikram Vyas's wedding with Sonia Garware, there were bound to be so many musicians present. While the reception area was jam packed with guests, proud uncle Shashi Vyas was seen meeting and greeting and sharing a light-hearted conversation with Pandit Jasraj, Hariharan and Ustad Rashid Khan. Bhupinder and Mitali Singh, Sudesh Bhosle, Talat and Bina Aziz, Ajay Pohankar, Taufique Qureshi and wife Geetika, Prafulla Dahanukar, Ashwini Bhide Deshpande and Abhijeet Pohankar made their presence felt at the do.

So, your kids want a dog but you're not sure they're ready for the responsibility of, oh, feeding, walking and cleaning up after it? We checked out Perfect Petzzz at Toy Fair 2011 and found that you can get all the cute and cuddly benefits (they even "breathe!") of a dog minus the upkeep with a puppy or kitten. Perfect Petzzz also has wild animal versions for when you come back from the zoo and your kid insists that an arctic fox or gorilla would make an amazing addition to your family. Want to get the latest ParentDish news and advice? Sign up for our newsletter ! Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Gadgets What kid wouldn't want to wear an ice pack? Credit: Cool Gel n' Caps Have you ever noticed that owies seem to heal much faster when you hand your kid a cool ice pack -- not just some cubes shoved in a Ziploc bag? We have a feeling our children will be faking injury for a chance to use these super cute, hands-free, plush Cool Gel n' Caps . These ice packs are hats that come in a fun puppy dog shape. Each cap includes two 4-inch gel packs, an instant ice pack and a coloring book. No worrying about Junior trying to hold an ice pack to his head. Just don't be surprised if he keeps the cap on long after his booboo is better. "Toby" Cool Gel n' Caps, $23.95, at coolgelncap.net . Permalink | Email this | Comments

Your granny was right after all in insisting that being attentive and studying hard at school and college helped you live longer, besides fending off risks of cardiovascular disease. Education is now also being correlated with lower blood pressure (BP), decrease in alcohol consumption, smoking and weight gain, according to latest research. Researchers followed 3,890 people for 30 years from the Framingham Offspring Study, regarding their education levels, status of heart disease, the journal BMC Public Health reports. Eric Loucks from Brown University department of community health, who led the study said: "Even when adjusted for socio-economic variables, education is inversely correlated with high blood pressure..." Educated men (with more than 17 years of education) had a lower body mass index (BMI), a height to weight ratio, smoked less and drank less than men with less education, according to a Brown University statement. Similarly, educated women also smoked ...

Filed under: Try This Deciding when to start giving your kids allowance is a tricky thing. How much should you give? What chores warrant a monetary reward, if any? These are all questions parents struggle with when opening their wallets to share with the kids. A few moms gave some insight on the topic, but they didn't all agree. Some view money as a good way to reward kids for hard work, while others think it is unnecessary. Amy McCready, founder of Positive Parenting Solutions Inc ., encourages giving kids an allowance for doing work that is above and beyond their expected chores. "The jobs should deliver a significant contribution to the family and be outside his normal responsibilities," McCready says. "The opportunity to earn additional money by doing more is because he demonstrates that he is more capable, more sufficient and more skilled." Permalink | Email this | Comments

Medical chiefs in Britain say pregnant women should be told that having an abortion is safer than having the baby. The draft guidance from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is for all doctors, nurses and counselors advising women contemplating terminations, reports the Telegraph . Its first recommendation on "what women need to know" instructs health professionals: "Women should be advised that abortion is generally safer than continuing a pregnancy to term." The guidance also says that women who are deciding whether to have an abortion must be told that most do not suffer any psychological harm. Until now, their advice has been that while rates of psychiatric illness and self-harm in women are higher among those who had an abortion, there was no evidence that termination itself was likely to trigger psychological problems. While few dispute that terminations carry fewer physical risks to a woman than those of pregnancy, the impact of ...

A new study has suggested that drinking tea not only improves brain power, but also reduces tiredness and increases alertness, thereby improving the performance. For the study, Dutch researchers looked at the effect of key chemicals found in tea on the mental performance of 44 young volunteers, reports the Daily Mail . The effects of these ingredients, an amino acid called L-theanine which is also found in green tea and caffeine at levels typically found in a cup of tea, were compared with a dummy treatment. The active ingredients significantly improved accuracy across a number of switching tasks for those who drank the tea after 20 and 70 minutes, compared with the placebo. The tea drinkers' alertness was also heightened, the study found. Tea was also found to reduced tiredness among the volunteers, who were aged under 40, according to the researchers. The study has been reported in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience . Follow us on Twitter for more stories

This could truly be called sailing in style! The opening day of the Mumbai International Boat Show saw Gitanjali Lifestyle hosting a spectacular fashion show that was attended by the who's who of the city. Designer James Ferreira showcased an amazing collection of classic yet trendy garments with perfect cuts and a range of colours and styles which was complemented by dazzling diamond studded jewellery from Giantti. Surveen Chawla dazelled everyone with exquisite Giantti jewellery and statement-making watches from Morellato, Chronotec and others. Gitanjali representative Gilles Moutounet, Vice President International Business, Gitanjali Group, was also present. The event was presented by Bezel, the watch store from GLL, and Maya by Gitanjali Lifestyle, a multi-brand lifestyle department store focusing on luxury and premium retailing segment.

February 26, 2011 Women must undergo a health check before supplying their breast milk. newstuff.blogspot.com picLONDON, Feb 26 An ice cream parlour in London is scooping up headlines for pumping out their latest invention, breast milk ice cream.Owners of The Icecreamists in Covent Garden, are selling the dessert for GBP14 (RM69) and have called it the Baby Gaga.The first 50 servings were supplied by Victoria Hiley, who received GBP15 for every 10 ounces of breast milk. She pumped onsite after going through a health check.The ice cream, flavoured with Madagascar vanilla and lemon zest, is presented in a martini glass, a baby bottle containing a breast milk cocktail on the side, liquid nitrogen and a syringe. The cocktail is added to the ice cream and solidifies with the liquid nitrogen to create a theatrical dessert.Touted as a natural, organic ice cream, the ice creamery has drawn more volunteer moms willing to donate their breast milk.The ice cream, which debuted this week, has rec...

Women are more cunning and competitive than men when the going gets tough, according to a new research. Psychologist Joyce Benenson, of Harvard University, found that instead of physical violence women rely more on subtle forms of aggression, such as excluding someone from a group if they think they are a threat. As part of the study, Benenson asked volunteers to play a game against two hypothetical partners. Volunteers had the option of playing alone or joining forces with an opponent. The results revealed that when volunteers played the game with no threat of social exclusion there was no difference between men and women. However, when the exclusion factor was used, women chose to join forces with an opponent and exclude the third player more often than the male volunteers. "The social worlds of men and women differ in that females have to worry about alienating others, whereas males worry about getting beaten up. As their primary competitive strategy, females may attem...

Add to My Stories Cherishing the lie-ins: Emma Crosby was replaced on ITVs morning show but now fronts Channel 5 newsMost people would be nervous about replacing Natasha Kaplinsky as the glamorous face of Channel 5s nightly news bulletin. But not Emma Crosby. Its good but it could be better, she says. My challenge is to get the ratings up; to bring in more interviews.Kaplinsky, who left in December, was fabulously remunerated for doing a job thats hardly quantum physics. Her 1 million deal made her the highest-paid newsreader in Britain, but she chose not to renew her contract after having her second baby.Emma, who took over on Valentines Day, is adamant her salary isnt nearly as high.Those big money days are over now, she says. But I wont say how much I earn.When we meet, Emma looks glossy and self-assured. But the 33-year-old hasnt always displayed the innate sense of style on show today. Two years ago, when she joined Andrew Castle, Kate Garraway and Ben Shephard on the GMTV sofa, t...

Filed under: Fashion Come on, now, we've all experienced one of those evenings where we're all dressed up for a rare night out, but, before the baby-sitter arrives, we must first make sure the kids scarf down their spaghetti with their hands OK, so maybe kids only eat messy pasta with their fingers in infomercials, but, still, there's a new adult-size smock in town. One part grown-up bib, one part Snuggie , the unisex Koobli promises to have your back -- well, it doesn't really have a back -- but it's got your front, anyway. Made from oh-so-stylish "100 percent micro polyester woven suede," the Koobli is water and stain resistant, machine washable and -- we're not making this up -- flame retardant. In a press release, the company suggests wearing it during arts and crafts projects and while eating in the car, feeding your pets and watering your plants. So chic! You'll be the talk of the neighborhood is this mommy bib, but maybe for all the wrong r...

Filed under: Toys When it's a little too cold for water guns (or you just really don't want your kids to get wet), we found a sweet alternative at Toy Fair 2011 : Marshmallow guns! The Marshmallow Fun Company has an assortment of shooters, blasters and crossbows, and they all take mini or regular-size marshmallows as soft, safe "ammo." Time for some target practice and s'mores! Want to get the latest ParentDish news and advice? Sign up for our newsletter ! Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Toys As much as we love our Wi-Fi-enabled, remote-controlled toys, sometimes we all just need to unplug (and stop the beeping noises). Luckily, Toy Fair 2011 had lots of cuddly, creative and just plain cool toys that were decidedly low-tech, but still tons of fun. http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=986008&pid=986007&uts=1298655689 http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf Toy Fair 2011 - Top 10 Low-Tech Toys Dandelion Dolls Eco-friendly products are good for the environment, but it's also nice when they make your life easier. The new Dandelion Organic Toddler Doll does both. Because the filling is made with corn fiber, you can put these dolls in the washing machine AND the dryer. And don't let the "toddler" title fool you; according to the company, children of all ages are already enjoying these cute lit...

Filed under: Riddles One morning a man is leaving on a business trip and finds he left some paperwork at his office. He runs into his office to get it and the night watchman stops him and says, "Sir, don't get on the plane. I had a dream last night that the plane would crash and everyone would die!" The man takes his word and cancels his trip. Sure enough the plane crashes and everyone dies. The next morning the man gives the watchman a $1,000 reward for saving his life and then fires him. Why did he fire the watchman that saved his life? Click on this link for the answer. Permalink | Email this | Comments

An Italian study has suggested that living in a cooler home and getting a decent night's sleep could help rein in the obesity epidemic. A research team, led by Simona Bo at the University of Turin in Italy, found the odds of a person becoming obese declined by 30 per cent for each hour of sleep they managed, reports the Daily Mail. Meanwhile, those who liked living in a toasty hot house were twice as likely to become obese as those who kept their homes no warmer than 20C. These findings held true even when factors such as physical activity level and TV watching were taken into account. The study followed more than a thousand middle-aged adults over six years. Dr Bo and her colleagues, said: "Relatively unexplored contributors to the obesity and diabetes epidemics may include sleep restriction, increased house temperature, television watching, consumption of restaurant meals, use of air-conditioning and use of anti-depressant drugs." David Allison at the Universit...

Jillian Michaels has just released a new book that is dedicated to fitness and weight loss. Called Unlimited: How to Build an Exceptional Life , is a new self-help book with a difference.Jillians book provides both the motivation to get you working towards a better body as well as a lot of excellent advice on precisely what to do.This book teaches you how to; Cultivate your passion and embrace your uniqueness to create a purpose-filled life on your own terms. Transform your suffering into peace, wisdom, and strength . Work through fear, worry, shame, and negative self-talk to blast through obstacles and create self-confidence , self-esteem , and a healthy self-image . Take powerful, informed, deliberate actions to make your dreams a reality . This is not a book that teaches you how to survive, but a book that teaches you how to thrive !Every person has the potential to achieve health, wealth and happiness. This book aims to teach you how to spot the opportunities and achieve your goa...

Filed under: In The News , Opinions First there was the "hot sauce mom" who, screaming and berating her son for lying, forced him into a cold shower and shoved the burning liquid down his throat. Then there was the mom who, upset with her son's poor grades, stuck the 15-year-old on a street corner with a chest-to-trunk poster board of his GPA dangling from his neck. Now there's the mom who splashed a photo of her sobbing kids holding a plastic bag of their favorite spinning top toys across eBay as punishment for the tops chipping her bathtub. To quote Kenan Thompson on "Saturday Night Live," "What up with that?" Extreme discipline? Severe punishment? Maybe. But I think these public displays of parental power underscore a more serious phenomenon that is rearing its ugly face: The rise of narcissistic, bullying parents. Here's what the mom says on eBay, according to MSNBC.com : "We are selling 8 Beyblades, 2 of them light up. As you can t...

Filed under: Media , Expert Advice: Tweens , Expert Advice: Teens As the overall rates of new smokers are declining, cigarette manufacturers have resorted to product placement and print ads to get a new generation hooked on tobacco. Credit: Corbis 4,000 teens taking up smoking every day may sound like a lot. But not to Big Tobacco. Smoking sales are down, so tobacco companies are driving advertisers to create new ways to influence our kids to smoke. Luckily, science (and the law) is on our side. The health dangers are well advertised and real, but so is our opportunity to teach kids about who is trying to influence them and why. What is smoking in the media? As the overall rates of new smokers are declining, cigarette manufacturers have resorted to product placement and print ads to get a new generation hooked on tobacco. Advertising cigarettes on TV is against the law, but you'll see smoking in a majority of movies aimed at kids. Celebrities are routinely photographed with a cigar...

Filed under: Media , Expert Advice: Tweens , Expert Advice: Teens There's no denying that our media and culture are obsessed with women's looks. Credit: Getty Images Read any fashion magazine or watch any music video and you'll know that media are not kind to girls. The expectations for appearance are wildly unrealistic, and many girls quickly decide they're not thin, pretty, or sexy enough. Most adults know that these seemingly perfect movie and rock stars have a team of people to cook their food, march them through workouts, dress them, do their hair and makeup, make sure their lighting is just right, and airbrush or Photoshop any imperfections. But do our daughters know this too? Why body image matters for girls There's no denying that our media and culture are obsessed with women's looks. Magazines have weekly features with names like "body watch" that criticize female celebrities for being too heavy or too thin. Television and movie stars showcase...

Filed under: In The News , Research Reveals: Big Kids , Research Reveals: Tweens , Health Farm living could be ideal for kids with asthma and allergies, a new study shows. Credit: Getty " Green Acres is the place to be" may become the theme song for parents intent on keeping their kids asthma and allergy free. Turns out farm living, with its haystacks and pigsties (different from the ones found in suburban teen bedrooms) helps fight off allergy-related illnesses, according to a new study that says youngsters who grow up on traditional farms are 30 to 50 percent less likely than their city peers to develop asthma. "Good germs," found in farm household dust and the barnyard, have the greatest variety of bacteria and fungi, which protects kids from asthma and allergies, the study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, reveals. "The study could help doctors better understand why childhood asthma rates have doubled in the past 30 years," James Ger...

Filed under: In The News , Funny Stuff When we saw the video of this 5-year-old with a solid life plan, we just had to share. If a man doesn't want to wait for her, she says, "FINE! I'll find a different man!" We love this empowered little girl, and we're hoping she can knock some of her girl-power attitude into the 3-year-old who cried because she loves Justin Bieber . Want to get the latest ParentDish news and advice? Sign up for our newsletter ! Permalink | Email this | Comments

Add to My Stories Samantha Cameron's stony-faced reaction to super-skinny models at London Fashion Week was not the only sign that Britain is sick of the craze for being as thin as possible.Purchasing trends are also signalling a change in the perception of what the ideal woman looks like - demand for clothes that give an hourglass silhouette at Debenhams increased by 225 per cent last year.Part of the credit for this shift in fashion trends must be attributed to curvy Mad Men actress Christina Hendricks who has been topping best-dressed lists at awards ceremonies since last year's Emmys. Trend setters: Curvy Christina Hendricks (left) is being credited for an increase in sales of clothes that give a Fifties-style sihouette like Marilyn Monroe's Her popularity marks a return to old school preferences when curvy was in and hourglass actresses like Marilyn Monroe had the ideal figures.Nigella Lawson, Scarlet Johansson and Selma Hayek are also spearheading the trend that wil...

Filed under: Divorce & Custody , Gay Parenting , In The News Visitation isn't a given for the non-biological parent in a same-sex partnership. Credit: David McNew, Getty Images A visitation battle can be a nasty affair when a heterosexual couple splits up, but in same-sex couples , visitation and custody rights are not legally assured in many U.S. states. However, a legal victory for one lesbian co-mom may be proof of shifting attitudes. In Arkansas -- a state that prohibits adoption by co-habitating gay and lesbian couples -- the state Supreme Court has granted visitation rights to the former partner of a lesbian mother whose child she helped planned for and was the primary caregiver for when she was an infant, Gay City News reports. Partners Alicia Bethany and Emily Jones lived together in Arkansas from 2000 to 2008. In 2004, the couple enlisted one of Jones' friends to donate sperm so they could conceive a child, which they agreed Bethany would carry. After their daught...

Filed under: Kids' Games , Activities: Toddlers & Preschoolers , Activities: Big Kids , Activities: Tweens , Activities: Family Time Where are my shoes? Credit: Getty Images What you need: You need blindfolds and shoes. How to play: Each player takes off his shoes and puts on a blindfold. All of the shoes will be thrown in a pile in the middle of the room. The rules : At the starting signal, players make their way to the shoe pile in the middle of the room and try to find their shoes by touch only. How to win: The first player to find her shoes is the winner. What else you need to know : Players can also use their sense of smell to find their shoes. Related: More Kids' Games Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Riddles Clara Clatter was born on December 27, on a hot summers day. How is that possible? Click on this link for the answer. Permalink | Email this | Comments

February 24, 2011 Among patients who had been treated with chemotherapy, THC-takers reported increased liking for food and better quality of sleep and relaxation. AFP picPARIS, Feb 24 The ingredient that gives cannabis its high and famously whets the appetite can help cancer patients recover lost pleasure in food, according to a study published today.Researchers in Canada enrolled 21 patients who had been treated with chemotherapy for advanced cancer, and gave them either capsules containing THC delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive chemical in cannabis or dummy lookalike pills.The volunteers took the tablets for 18 days, and were asked to fill in questionnaires.Seventy-three per cent of those who took the THC reported an increased liking for food and 55 per cent said the medication made food taste better. In the placebo group, these figures were only 30 per cent and 10 per cent.Both groups consumed roughly the same total of calories, but the THC patients said they ate mor...

Cycling has always been touted as being good for health, but now a study has found that it is actually one of the biggest triggers of heart attacks. The study, which analysed 36 pieces of research on everyday risks, proves that the "final straw" in bringing on a heart attack is spending time in traffic as a driver, cyclist or commuter. But of the three, cyclists are in greatest danger because they are more heavily exposed to pollution and are subjecting themselves to another major heart attack trigger, exercise. Traffic exposure was blamed for 7.4 per cent of heart attacks, followed by physical exertion with 6.2 per cent, while air pollution triggered between 5 per cent and 7 per cent of heart attacks, and drinking alcohol or coffee accounted for 5 per cent. Other risk factors included negative emotions (3.9 per cent), anger (3.1 per cent), eating a heavy meal (2.7 per cent), positive emotions (2.4 per cent) and sexual activity (2.2 per cent). Cocaine was to blame for...

An eminent U.S. anthropologist claims to have found why some relationships are a smooth sail while others are a little trickier. Dr Helen Fisher, who has studied romantic love for 30 years, believes that that attraction is closely linked to the chemistry of your personality type and how it matches or clashes with that of your chosen partner. Fisher's research indicates we can be divided into four very different personality types explorers, builders, directors and negotiators based on the way our body produces and reacts to the brain chemicals dopamine and serotonin, and the hormones testosterone and oestrogen. If dopamine tends to dominate your personality, you belong to a group termed explorers and people in this group have a tendency to seek novelty. If it is erotonin that dominates, the guiding personality traits tend to be calmness, loyalty, a fondness of rules and facts, and order. Because this group tend to be skilled at building social networks, she calls this gro...

Don't ignore these tell tale signs. Your body is indicating that all is not well There is more hair in your shower drain than on your head. Your new favourite jeans refuse to button up and your headaches last for days. Desperate to find out what's wrong, you look up the Internet for a quick-fix solution and end up more confused than earlier. With the help of health experts, we demystify a few bothersome symptoms how you ought to deal with them. Rebound headaches You experience a headache, pop painkillers, and then end up with another one soon. The main culprit here is the pill. "Overuse of medication makes the body resistant to its effects. When they stop working, people take to stronger doses. This continues to desensitize the body, triggering yet another rebound headache," says Dr Hemant Thacker, Jaslok Hospital. Doc's tip Ride out the rebound headache by avoiding all pain medicines. To ensure it doesn't happen again, never take any painkiller for ...

Add to My Stories Look at this picture. Sweet isnt it? All those wholesome children, brothers and sisters, Mummy and Daddy, affluent, well-fed, well-dressed, happy. Aah, bless em all, the long and the short and the tall. Then look at the little boy on the sofa in the middle, and the demonic expression on his face. His name is Andrew and he was plotting even then but more of him later. That was 1960. Fast forward to 2011 and dear old Dad is dead. He was a devilishly handsome chap, you can see that, and a war hero. I miss him a lot and I think he might just be doing the lambada in his grave at the way his family has turned out. Not that were losers or drug addicts or anything awful. We are all perfectly respectable, but its just there is a lot of unseemly bickering over Mothers will, and the shocker is that Mother is still alive. How awful is that? Sibling rivalry: Mary Gold, top right, with Andrew and Michael (from left, standing) and Deidrie and Mary's parentsWere not Downton Abb...

Add to My Stories The pot belly thats what first did it for me. Oh, and those skinny, pasty arms. Here was a man who was not gay, nor a preening, self-obsessed idiot, and who would be so grateful to get a girlfriend he would be generous and imaginative in the bedroom. What Hollywood doesnt understand, but what women do, is that we will more often than not find the physically-challenged guy more appealing than the dream boat.So, when Rhys Ifans appeared at that famous Notting Hill front door wearing a saggy, dingy pair of Y-fronts, in a body that meant he would worship you rather than himself, he sealed his destiny not only as a big star, but also as catnip for women fed up with men who spend more time in the bathroom than we do. Magic moment: Rhys Ifans in Notting HillWhy, oh why, did Julia Roberts fall instead for Hugh Grant in the dreadful movie Notting Hill when she could have had his best friend, Rhys? The Welsh accent should have been enough, reminiscent of Richard Burton and To...

Add to My Stories Difficult decision: Tabitha Saker was tied up by her mother and ex-boyfriend when they tried to stop her buying drugs This is lunacy. Tabitha wrote a six-page letter to the judge pleading for her mother not to be jailed - but she ignored it The Saker familys sprawling Victorian home sits in the chalky downlands overlooking Dover. Despite its proximity to the town, it feels hidden away.It is within these walls that Tim Saker, his wife Julia, and their twins Tabitha and Christopher (known as Kit) enjoyed a peaceful existence before heroins pernicious influence tore apart their lives.Tabithas addiction to heroin, then crack cocaine, has had consequences which go well beyond blighting the life of a bright and beautiful girl whose future once looked so promising. Today, her 50-year-old mother is one month into a 12-month jail sentence for false imprisonment after tying up her daughters legs with parcel tape to stop her leaving the house to meet an addict friend.Mr Saker ha...