New York Fashion Week kicks off in new digs

 NEW YORK: New York's Spring-Summer 2011 Fashion Week kicked off Wednesday in new digs at the prestigious Lincoln Center.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg opened the event and temporarily renamed the city's number one subway route the "Fashion Line" in honor of the week running until September 16th.

Starting Thursday, designers from around the world will show their creations in tents set up in Damrosch Park within the Lincoln Center complex hosting the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Ballet and New York Symphony Orchestra.

The New York event is the first of the four principal twice-a-year fashion weeks, followed by London, Milan and Paris.

"Starting tomorrow, one of the world?s most eye-catching events comes to one of the world?s greatest cultural institutions, as we kick off Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center," Bloomberg said.

"For years, the famed fashion tents have drawn people from all over the world to New York City, and the buzz is even greater this year with it debuting at its new home at Lincoln Center."

Fashion Week in New York is attended by some 230,000 people and brings an estimated 770 million dollars in economic activity to a city where 175,000 people are employed in the fashion industry, the mayor's office says.

Until this year Fashion Week always took place in more cramped conditions at Bryant Park, near Times Square.

"Lincoln Center is an ideal location for the semi-annual events, with more outdoor space than was available at Bryant Park and terrific transit access, including the Number One subway line, or as it will be called this week: The Fashion Line," Bloomberg said.

Bloomberg was accompanied at the opening ceremony by designer and Council of Fashion Designers of America president Diane von Furstenberg, whose collection will be shown Sunday.

Friday will feature "Fashion Night Out" when city stores stay open late and fashionistas are encouraged to shop and party into the wee hours.

New York Fashion Week kicks off in new digs

 NEW YORK: New York's Spring-Summer 2011 Fashion Week kicked off Wednesday in new digs at the prestigious Lincoln Center.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg opened the event and temporarily renamed the city's number one subway route the "Fashion Line" in honor of the week running until September 16th.

Starting Thursday, designers from around the world will show their creations in tents set up in Damrosch Park within the Lincoln Center complex hosting the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Ballet and New York Symphony Orchestra.

The New York event is the first of the four principal twice-a-year fashion weeks, followed by London, Milan and Paris.

"Starting tomorrow, one of the world?s most eye-catching events comes to one of the world?s greatest cultural institutions, as we kick off Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center," Bloomberg said.

"For years, the famed fashion tents have drawn people from all over the world to New York City, and the buzz is even greater this year with it debuting at its new home at Lincoln Center."

Fashion Week in New York is attended by some 230,000 people and brings an estimated 770 million dollars in economic activity to a city where 175,000 people are employed in the fashion industry, the mayor's office says.

Until this year Fashion Week always took place in more cramped conditions at Bryant Park, near Times Square.

"Lincoln Center is an ideal location for the semi-annual events, with more outdoor space than was available at Bryant Park and terrific transit access, including the Number One subway line, or as it will be called this week: The Fashion Line," Bloomberg said.

Bloomberg was accompanied at the opening ceremony by designer and Council of Fashion Designers of America president Diane von Furstenberg, whose collection will be shown Sunday.

Friday will feature "Fashion Night Out" when city stores stay open late and fashionistas are encouraged to shop and party into the wee hours.

Akshay Kumar to host, judge culinary show

 MUMBAI: Actor Akshay Kumar is set to return to television with a culinary show called Amul MasterChef India.

Akshay's love for cooking is well-known and now the actor is all set to host and judge Amul MasterChef India that will be aired on Star Plus starting Oct 16.

"I am very happy to be returning to my roots after so many years. My two favourites - cooking and camera/entertainment are coming together and I am excited to be a part of it.

"I have been following the international version of MasterChef regularly and I am glad that now this interesting challenge will be open to the Indian audience," the actor told reporters here.

The show that will have 12 contestants, will give a chance to passionate cooks to showcase their skills and will also groom them to become the ultimate professionals of the art. Chefs Kunal Kapoor and Ajay Chopra will judge the contestants along with Akshay.

When asked, what is it that he likes to cook, the actor revealed: "I don't cook very often now. It's only when I want to relax and rejuvenate myself, that I cook. I like cooking different types of paranthas."

Akshay used to work as a chef in Thailand before he got into Bollywood.

"I had gone to Thailand to train myself in martial arts. That time cooking was the only job available so I did that. Then I started enjoying it. I used to find it quite easy and interesting," he said.

In the past, Akshay hosted the reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi.

Akshay Kumar to host, judge culinary show

 MUMBAI: Actor Akshay Kumar is set to return to television with a culinary show called Amul MasterChef India.

Akshay's love for cooking is well-known and now the actor is all set to host and judge Amul MasterChef India that will be aired on Star Plus starting Oct 16.

"I am very happy to be returning to my roots after so many years. My two favourites - cooking and camera/entertainment are coming together and I am excited to be a part of it.

"I have been following the international version of MasterChef regularly and I am glad that now this interesting challenge will be open to the Indian audience," the actor told reporters here.

The show that will have 12 contestants, will give a chance to passionate cooks to showcase their skills and will also groom them to become the ultimate professionals of the art. Chefs Kunal Kapoor and Ajay Chopra will judge the contestants along with Akshay.

When asked, what is it that he likes to cook, the actor revealed: "I don't cook very often now. It's only when I want to relax and rejuvenate myself, that I cook. I like cooking different types of paranthas."

Akshay used to work as a chef in Thailand before he got into Bollywood.

"I had gone to Thailand to train myself in martial arts. That time cooking was the only job available so I did that. Then I started enjoying it. I used to find it quite easy and interesting," he said.

In the past, Akshay hosted the reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi.

Saif, Shahid refuse to do Bharadwaj’s Dreams

 MUMBAI: Bollywood handsome hunks Shahid Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan who fell in love with a same girl, Kareena once again show a same view regarding a project. Both the actors have refused to work in filmmaker Vishal Bharadwaj’s remake of Hollywood blockbuster ‘Inception’.

Now the matter to think about is that when Vishal is an ace director then why the leading duo has said a Big NO to this offer?

Well, Shahid was Vishal’s first choice for the role who declined the offer with a reason that he wished to work with the filmmaker in ‘Kaminey 2’. Then came a turn to approach Saif who said no to the director after he refused to make the requested changes in the script.

The source reveals, “Bhardwaj is a director who sticks to his script and vision. Often, many actors are apprehensive and nervous before signing up for a character in Bhardwaj’s films.

Both Saif and Shahid took a long time to say ‘yes’ to Bhardwaj for ‘Omkara’ as well as ‘Kaminey’. This time too, the role is very challenging but fruitful.”

Talking about the film, it added, ‘Dreams’ is a story, which is narrated in a dream. Though the plot resembles a bit with the recent Hollywood blockbuster Inception, Bhardwaj was ready with the script of Dreams much before Inception released.”

Saif, Shahid refuse to do Bharadwaj’s Dreams

 MUMBAI: Bollywood handsome hunks Shahid Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan who fell in love with a same girl, Kareena once again show a same view regarding a project. Both the actors have refused to work in filmmaker Vishal Bharadwaj’s remake of Hollywood blockbuster ‘Inception’.

Now the matter to think about is that when Vishal is an ace director then why the leading duo has said a Big NO to this offer?

Well, Shahid was Vishal’s first choice for the role who declined the offer with a reason that he wished to work with the filmmaker in ‘Kaminey 2’. Then came a turn to approach Saif who said no to the director after he refused to make the requested changes in the script.

The source reveals, “Bhardwaj is a director who sticks to his script and vision. Often, many actors are apprehensive and nervous before signing up for a character in Bhardwaj’s films.

Both Saif and Shahid took a long time to say ‘yes’ to Bhardwaj for ‘Omkara’ as well as ‘Kaminey’. This time too, the role is very challenging but fruitful.”

Talking about the film, it added, ‘Dreams’ is a story, which is narrated in a dream. Though the plot resembles a bit with the recent Hollywood blockbuster Inception, Bhardwaj was ready with the script of Dreams much before Inception released.”

Swinging sixties British film director dies

 LONDON: Clive Donner, the British film director whose movies helped set the tone for the swinging sixties, died Tuesday at the age of 84, his family said.

He had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease and died in London.

Donner's career began at Pinewood Studios outside London when he was 15, his cousin Gavin Asher said.

"One of the things he was most proud of was what he did for the careers of quite a lot of British actors including Alan Bates, David Hemmings and Ian McKellen," he said.

"A lot of them went on to eclipse his fame and success but he was very giving in that sense."

Donner directed "Nothing But The Best", a 1964 comedy featuring Bates and Denholm Elliott.

He directed 1965 comedy "What's New Pussycat?", starring Peter Sellers, Peter O'Toole, Woody Allen, and Ursula Andress, and "Luv" (1967), featuring Jack Lemmon and Peter Falk.

Coming of age film "Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush" (1968) captured the spirit of the times.

"He was a man of the sixties and those films were the very essence of swinging London," Asher said.

Donner later moved to Los Angeles to work in television.

He and his late wife had no children.