Sheila Kumar - Comfortably Numb

Comfortably Numb

Sheila Kumar's Storehouse

Travel: Fish Reflexology Spa, Singapore

A piscine pedicure The Fish Reflexology Spa at Sentosa is a whole new experience There’s a little Chinese girl in pigtails standing by my shoulder, staring fascinated at my feet. Every few minutes, she lets out a squeal in which apprehension is mixed with delight. When I look down at my feet,…

Travel: Bath, England

The cursing stones The ancient curse tablets of Bath continue to cast a potent spell on the modern tourist. It’s a day of weak sunshine in September and I’m at the Roman Baths in Bath. I am hypnotised. The water is a celadon green, the steam that rises from the hot springs, a wispy, ethereal white….

Travel: Nilgiris Nostalgia

Return of the native SHEILA KUMAR sings a paean to the enduring beauty of the Nilgiris, which was once her home This article should in all fairness, carry a disclaimer. I’m no wide-eyed tourist or first-time visitor to the Blue Mountains. I used to live there, some years ago, and in a life marked…

Feature: It`s Party Time!

It’s party time, from now till New Year! A woman can drown in all the information on grooming, beauty aids, on looking good. Here’s to looking great in the festive season and what’s more, looking good for a long, long time after that, too. A good skin care routine. Invest in expensive creams, moisturisers. Check out…

Travel: Singapore Spas

JETWINGS INTERNATIONAL Pure Hedonism Kick off those shopping shoes and slip into something more comfortable as we take you spa-hopping through the island city of Singapore, home to some of the best spas in the world. For a country that is forever re-defining its tourist attractions, Singapore does one great job. It’s been…

Feature: The Enduring Saga of Atlas Shrugged

Ayn Rand: The enduring saga of Atlas Shrugged October was a special month for fans of Ayn Rand. It was the 50th anniversary of the publication of her grand polemic, Atlas Shrugged. And of course, there were celebrations, in the US as well as in India, the latter lot organized by the Delhi- based Liberty…

Travel: Bali, Indonesia

POSTCARD FROM ULUWATU Another day in paradise A villa by the sea in Bali affords one an entirely new perspective on the island. You’d think a small island, an oasis surrounded by the deep blue waters of the Indian Ocean, an island that was discovered by the adventurer/lotus-eater/surfer tourist way back in 1930, has…

Feature: Go Back to Nature!

If you have become too reliant on beauty products, it’s time to stop. First, take a simple test. Are you unable to step out without washing, conditioning and rinsing out your hair, smoothing some shine serum after blow-drying it, and finally, spritzing two stiff shots of hair spray? Does your make-up routine include a…

Book review: I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron

The upside of ageing A wry look at what most women don’t want to look at. For all the big name Hollywood hits that she has stacked up after her name, like “Sleepless in Seattle”, “When Harry Met Sally” and “You’ve Got Mail” (not quite in that order), the late Nora Ephron was no mere…

Feature: Chennai`s Home Soirees

Very much at home Chennai’s music lovers are increasingly hosting and attending katcheris at home. It’s a parlour in a spaciously appointed Chennai home but the conventional sofas and chairs have given way to gaddas, bolsters and moodas for those unable to lower themselves onto the white-sheeted mattresses. The sea-facing windows are open and the…