The Garnier Man's Playbook

TheGarnierMan.com is the one place for daily health and fitness tips, personal grooming tips, skincare tips for men & everything else a man needs to know! I am a sponge for culture, a sucker for style, and a stickler for grooming. I am the Garnier Man.

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A team-by-team guide to the Indian Super League

(Image courtesy: hottrends.co.in)

The Indian Super League finally kicks off amidst excitement and expectation. The country of over a billion awaits as superstars from all over the world gather for this new sporting phenomenon.

The league will consist of eight teams from eight prominent cities of India. Each of the cities have signed a marquee player of international fame.

  The matches will be played in a league format with each team playing the other home and away. The top 4 teams in the league will qualify for a semi final like play off.

  The eight teams participating in the inaugural season of the Indian Super League are:

  Atletico de Kolkata (Read more about them HERE)

  Chennayin FC (Read more about them HERE)

  Delhi Dynamos FC (Read more about them HERE)

  FC Goa (Read more about them HERE)

  Kerala Blasters FC (Read more about them HERE)

  Mumbai City FC (Read more about them HERE)

  NorthEast United FC (Read more about them HERE)

  FC Pune City (Read more about them HERE)

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Spanish fiesta in the City of Joy! Can Dada and Luis Garcia weave magic?

  (Image courtesy: sportskeeda.com)

The Club

  Atlético de Kolkata is probably the most high profile franchise out of the eight taking part in the inaugral season of the Hero Indian Super League. Based out of Kolkata, the city of joy that houses India’s most passionate football fans, Atleti won’t have to worry about the support in the stands for sure. What most fans don’t know is that Atlético de Kolkata is the first ISL franchise to be formed. EVER.

Owners

  The team is owned by a consortium by the name of Kolkata Games and Sports Pvt Ltd. The consortium is led by ex Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, businessmen Harsh Neotia, Sanjiv Goenka and Utsav Parekh. Also, as the name suggests, the club is partly owned by Spanish La Liga giants, Atlético Madrid.

  Stadium

  The team will play their home games in the famous Salt Lake Stadium, India’s largest stadium with a capacity of 120,000.

  Marquee Player

  The marquee player for Atlético de Kolkata is former Barcelona, Atlético Madrid and Liverpool attacker Luis García. The prolific winger is sure to bring a lot of stardom and even more goals to one of the strongest sides of this seasons ISL.

  Squad

  Goalkeepers: Apoula Edel (Armenia), Subhasish Roy Chowdhury, Basilio Sancho Agudo (Spain)

  Defenders: Sylvain Monsoreau (France), Arnab Mondal, Biswajit Saha, Denzil Franco, Kingshuk Debnath, Nallappan Mohanraj, Josemi (Spain)

  Midfielders: Luis García (Spain), Mamunul Islam (Bangladesh), Ofentse Nato (Botswana), Jakub Podaný (Czech Republic), Prohlad Roy, Abhinash Ruidas, Cavin Lobo, Climax Lawrence, Lester Fernandez, Rakesh Masih, Sanju Pradhan, Borja Fernández (Spain), Jofre Mateu (Spain)

  Forwards: Fikru Teferra (Ethiopia), Baljit Sahni, Mohammed Rafi, Mohammed Rafique, Arnal Lilbert (Spain)

  Manager & Technical Staff

  Manager: Antonio López Habas (Spain)

  Asst Manager: Jose Ramirez Baretto (Brazil)

  Expectation

  Atleti have snapped up some of the best Indian players. They have the support of one Europe’s biggies. They certainly have the most passionate fans. Expect them to do well.

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Can Materazzi headbutt the competition with a balanced Chennaiyin FC?

(Image courtesy: www.sportskeeda.com)

The Club

  Chennaiyin FC is infact the latest team to be added to the Hero ISL roster after the owners of the Bengaluru franchise backed out from the tournament. Based in Chennai, they were one of the original 9 cities in the list of franchises up for auction.

Owners

  Bollywood superstar Abhishek Bachchan and Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni were announced as co-owners of Team Chennai.

  Stadium

  Chennaiyin FC will play their home games at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai. The stadium will hold a sea of around 40,000 Yellow Devils on a packed matchday.

  Marquee Player

  The man who faced the wrath of Zinedine Zidane, the World Cup winner with Italy, the Inter Milan legend, Marco Materazzi will turn out for Chennaiyin FC as their player-manager.

  However, ex Manchester City and Brazilian star Elano, was announced as the marquee player for the south Indian side.

  Squad

  Goalkeepers: Gennaro Bracigliano, Shilton Paul, Abhijit Mondal

  Defenders: Dhanachandra Singh, Gouramangi Singh, Khelemba Singh, Abhishek Das, Bernard Mendy, Mikael Silvestre, Marco Materazzi, Jairo Suarez

  Midfielders: Harmanjot Khabra, Denson Devadas, Anthony Barbosa, Pappachen Pradeep, Jaison Vales, Sukhwinder Singh, Cristian Hidalgo, Bojan Djordjic, Pierre Tillman, Bruno Pelissari, Elano

  Forwards: Jeje Lalpekhlua, Jayesh Rane, Balwant Singh, Eduardo Silva Lerma, John Stiven Mendoza

  Manager & Technical Staff

  Manager: Marco Materazzi

  Asst Manager: Vivek Nagul

  Expectation

  It’s the first season of the club and the league as well. They have signed some big international names, but who are well past their prime. It remains to see how Materazzi can lead his troops in the inaugural season of the Hero ISL.

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Can Del Piero's Delhi make a difference?

(Image courtesy: sports.ndtv.com)

The Club

  Delhi Dynamos Football Club will represent the capital of the country in the inaugural season of the Hero Indian Super League.

Owners

  The Delhi based franchise is fully owned and operated by DEN Networks who also are based in the capital. Delhi Dynamos are also affiliated with Dutch football club Feyenoord Rotterdam.

  Stadium

  The Delhi Dynamos will play all their home games in the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi which boasts of a maximum capacity of 60,000 people.

  Marquee Player

  The marquee player for the Delhi Dynamos is considered as one of the greatest strikers to have ever played the beautiful game – Alessandro Del Piero. The Juventus legend, who played in Australia with Sydney FC for a short period of time, will spearhead the attack for the Delhi Dynamos in the Hero ISL.

  Squad

  Goalkeepers: Kristof van Hout (Belgium), Marek Cech (Czech Republic), Jagroop Singh

  Defenders: Robert Lalthlamuana, Naoba Singh, Shouvik Ghosh, Munmun Lagun, Anwar Ali, Govin Singh, Wim Raymaekers (Belgium), Stijn Houben (Netherlands)

  Midfielders: Shylo Malsawmtluanga, Francis Fernandes, Manish Bhargav, Adil Khan, Steven Dias, Souvik Chakraborty, Bruno Herrero Arias (Spain), Hans Mulder (Netherlands), Henrique Dinis (Portugal), Gustavo Marmentini (Brazil), Pavel Elias (Czech Republic)

  Forwards: Manandeep Singh, Morten Skoubo (Denmark), Mads Junker (Denmark), Alessandro del Piero (Italy)

  Manager & Technical Staff

  Manager: Harm van Veldhoven (Belgium)

  Asst Manager: Shakti Chauhan

  Expectation

  Delhi can boast of having some really good players, both domestic and international. They also have Del Piero. What is to be seen is if they can make the impact on the pitch, the way their fans are expecting them to. In simple words, the Dynamos will need to live up to their motto – Thok Denge!

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Legends galore as Pires and Zico take charge in India's favorite football city!

(Image courtesy: indianexpress.com)

The Club

  India’s football crazy state of Goa boast of an ISL franchise of their own. No points for guessing, they are named FC Goa and will play in front of thousands of Goan football maniacs.

Owners

  The FC Goa team is owned by Venugopal Dhoot, head of Videocon, cricketer Virat Kohli and businessmen Dattaraj Salgaocar and Shrinivas Dempo.

  Stadium

  FC Goa is probably the only club in the country which will boast of two separate stadiums. One of the stadiums, the Tilak Maidan Stadium is exclusively meant for training and practice sessions of the FC Goa squad. A training stadium that can house 12,000 fans.

  However, the team will play its home games at the more famous Fatorda Stadium or as most people know it, the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium located in Margao, Goa. FC Goa can expect around 24,500 fans cheering them on when they step out in the inaugural season of the Hero ISL.

  Marquee Player

  A true great of the game, Robert Pires, signed for FC Goa as their marquee signing. The attacking midfielder who played for Arsenal in his best days is widely considered as a legend of the beautiful game. He will lead the Goans as the skipper.

  Squad

  Goalkeepers: Jan Seda (Czech Republic), Laxmikant Kattimani, Gurpreet Chabal

  Defenders: Debabrata Roy, Narayan Das, Prabir Das, Rowilson Rodriguez, Andre Santos (Brazil), Youness Bengelloun (France), Gregory Arnolin (France), Bruno Pinheiro (Portugal), Zohib Islam Amiri (Afghanistan)

  Midfielders: Gabriel Fernandes, Clifford Miranda, Bikramjit Singh, Jewel Raja, Alwyn George, Mandar Rao Desai, Romeo Fernandes, Peter Carvalho, Robert Pires (France), Edgar Marcelino (Portugal)

  Forwards: Holicharan Narzary, Miroslav Slepicka (Czech Republic), Miguel Herlein (Portugal), Ranti Martins (Nigeria), Tolgay Ozbey (Australia)

  Manager & Technical Staff

  Manager: Zico (Brazil)

  Asst Manager: Arthur Papas (Australia)

  Expectation

  It’s Goa. People in Goa take their football seriously. Very seriously. The expectation is there. The talent is there too. And they will certainly mount a serious challenge.

The Club

  India’s football crazy state of Goa boast of an ISL franchise of their own. No points for guessing, they are named FC Goa and will play in front of thousands of Goan football maniacs.

  Owners

  The FC Goa team is owned by Venugopal Dhoot, head of Videocon, cricketer Virat Kohli and businessmen Dattaraj Salgaocar and Shrinivas Dempo.

  Stadium

  FC Goa is probably the only club in the country which will boast of two separate stadiums. One of the stadiums, the Tilak Maidan Stadium is exclusively meant for training and practice sessions of the FC Goa squad. A training stadium that can house 12,000 fans.

  However, the team will play its home games at the more famous Fatorda Stadium or as most people know it, the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium located in Margao, Goa. FC Goa can expect around 24,500 fans cheering them on when they step out in the inaugural season of the Hero ISL.

  Marquee Player

  A true great of the game, Robert Pires, signed for FC Goa as their marquee signing. The attacking midfielder who played for Arsenal in his best days is widely considered as a legend of the beautiful game. He will lead the Goans as the skipper.

  Squad

  Goalkeepers: Jan Seda (Czech Republic), Laxmikant Kattimani, Gurpreet Chabal

  Defenders: Debabrata Roy, Narayan Das, Prabir Das, Rowilson Rodriguez, Andre Santos (Brazil), Youness Bengelloun (France), Gregory Arnolin (France), Bruno Pinheiro (Portugal), Zohib Islam Amiri (Afghanistan)

  Midfielders: Gabriel Fernandes, Clifford Miranda, Bikramjit Singh, Jewel Raja, Alwyn George, Mandar Rao Desai, Romeo Fernandes, Peter Carvalho, Robert Pires (France), Edgar Marcelino (Portugal)

  Forwards: Holicharan Narzary, Miroslav Slepicka (Czech Republic), Miguel Herlein (Portugal), Ranti Martins (Nigeria), Tolgay Ozbey (Australia)

  Manager & Technical Staff

  Manager: Zico (Brazil)

  Asst Manager: Arthur Papas (Australia)

  Expectation

  It’s Goa. People in Goa take their football seriously. Very seriously. The expectation is there. The talent is there too. And they will certainly mount a serious challenge.

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God's own country has a team now owned by the God of cricket!

(Image courtesy: ibnlive.in.com)

The Club

  Kerala Blasters FC is one of the two teams from the south of India taking part in the inaugural ISL season.

Owners

  Cricketing legend  Sachin Tendulkar and businessman Prasad V Potluri are co owners of Kerala Blasters FC.

  Stadium

  The team will play their home games in the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi. The stadium on a packed day will hold 65,000-75,000 fans.

  Marquee Player

  One of the finest goalkeepers of his time who kept goal for a number of Premier League clubs like Liverpool, Aston Villa, West Ham United, Manchester City and Portsmouth. Not to mention, he is one of the best shot stoppers to have played for England as well. David James is the player-manager for the Kerala Blasters.

  Another star player signed by the Blasters is one that most Indian fans will rave about. Michael Chopra, the ex Sunderland, Newcastle United and Cardiff City forward will look to fire the Blasters to a title.

  Squad

  Goalkeepers: David James (England), Sandip Nandy, Luis Barreto

  Defenders: Saumik Dey, Sandesh Jhingan, Gurwinder Singh, Nirmal Chhetri, Avinabo Bag, Ramandeep Singh, Cedric Hengbart (France), Raphael Romey (France), Erwin Spitzner (Brazil), Jamie McAllister (Scotland), Colin Falvey (Ireland)

  Midfielders: Renedy Singh, Sushanth Mathew, Godwin Franco, Mehtab Hossain, Duleep Menon, Victor Herrero Forcada (Spain), Penn Orji (Nigeria)

  Forwards: Ishfaq Ahmed, Milagres Gonsalves, CS Sabeeth, Pedro Gusmao (Brazil), Michael Chopra (England), Iain Hume (Canada), Andrew Barisic (Australia)

  Manager & Technical Staff

  Manager: David James (England)

  Asst Manager: Trevor Morgan (England), Jamie McAllister (Scotland)

  Expectation

The Kerala Blasters are sure to get a huge fan following from all across the country. After all, it’s Sachin Tendulkar’s team. The club are definitely looking at the trophy, and will also fight for the bragging rights in South India.

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Can Aamchi Mumbai outscore the others with Anelka and Ljungberg?

(Image courtesy: indiatoday.intoday.in)

The Club

  Mumbai City FC are one of the strongest teams on paper will represent the commercial capital of the country.

Owners

  Bollywood actor and ardent football fan Ranbir Kapoor holds majority stake in Mumbai City. Chartered Accountant Bimal Parekh is the co-owner.

  Stadium

  The Mumbai City team will line up at the Dr D Y Patil Stadium in Nerul for their home games, with a full capacity of 55,000 fans on a packed day.

  Marquee Player

  Mumbai City have a star studded dazzling squad on paper with multiple huge international stars. However, on paper, the marquee player for Mumbai City is the legendary Arsenal and Sweden midfielder Fredrik Ljingberg.

  Joining Ljungberg is another huge name in the world of football. He’s played for the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Juventus and a host of other clubs worldwide. Striker Nicolas Anelka will want to make sure his goals get Mumbai on top of the pile.

  A relatively lesser known name to Indian fans, but nevertheless a great player, Manuel Friedrich will be at the heart of the stone wall Mumbai City defense. Having played for Werder Bremen, Borussia Dortmund and over a 100 times for Bayer Leverkusn, he will certainly bring a lot of quality to the back line.

  Squad

  Goalkeepers: Andre Matos Dias Pereira (Portugal), Subrata Pal, Ishan Debnath

  Defenders: Deepak Mondal, Ilias Pollalis (Greece), Johan Letzelter (France), Manuel Friedrich (Germany), Pavel Cmovs (Czech Republic), Peter Costa, Raju Gaikwad, Syed Rahim Nabi

  Midfielders: Fredrik Ljungberg (Sweden), Asif Kottayil, Francisco Javier Fernandez Luque (Spain), Jan Stohanzl (Czech Republic), Lalrin Fela, Lalrindka Ralte, Ram Malik, Tiago Ribeiro (Switzerland)

  Forwards: Abhishek Yadav, Diego Nadaya (Argentina), Nadong Bhutia, Rohit Mirza, Nicolas Anelka (France)

  Manager & Technical Staff

            Manager: Peter Reid (England)

  Asst Manager: Steve Darby (England)

  Expectation

  Mumbai City clearly are the best squad in the entire league. The expectations are really high and the stars will look to please Mumbaikars.

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North East India - Beautiful lands, beautiful music, beautiful football?

(Image courtesy: www.indiansuperleague.com)

The Club

  NorthEast United FC is one of the two clubs hailing from North India. The club represents the 8 states of the North East of India and is based out of Guwahati.

Owners

  Bollywood superstar and an avid football fan John Abraham is the co owner of NorthEast United FC. He is supported by co owner Larsing Ming, the owner of Shillong Lajong FC.

  Stadium

  NorthEast United will play their home games in the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium which can hold a capacity of 35,000.

  Marquee Player

  A world cup and European championship winner with Spain, Joan Capdevila has signed on for North East United FC as their marquee player. The former Villarreal and Atletico Madrid man will be a real presence in the defense and in the squad as a whole.

  Squad

  Goalkeepers: Alexandros Tzorvas (Greece), Kunzang Bhutia, Rehenesh TP

  Defenders: Joan Capdevila (Spain), Aiborlang Khongjee, Jibon Singh, Massamba Lo Sambou (Senegal), Miguel Angelo Moita Garcia (Portugal), Pritam Kumar Singh, Robing Gurung, Tomas Josl (Czech Republic), Alen Deory

  Midfielders: Boithang Haokip, David Ngaihte, Do Dong-Hyun (South Korea), Guilherme Felipe de Castrol (Brazil), Isaac Chansa (Zambia), Kondwani Mtonga (Zambia), Milan Singh, Zodingliana

  Forwards: Cornell Glen (Trinidad&Tobago), Durga Boro, James Keene (England), Luis Alfredo Yanes Padilla (Colombia), Redeem Tiang, Seiminlen Doungel, Sergio Contreras Pardo (Spain)

  Manager & Technical Staff

            Manager: Ricki Herbert (New Zealand)

  Asst Manager: Thangboi Singto

  Expectation

  The north east of India loves its football. More than expectations, the fans will look to enjoy the football. A victory is just an added bonus.

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Can underdogs FC Pune thrive under World Cup winner Trezeguet?

(Image courtesy: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

The Club

  FC Pune City is one of the two clubs from Maharashtra in the inaugural season of the Hero ISL. They will contest the Maharashtra Derby with Mumbai City FC.

Owners

  The Pune based club is owned by Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan and the Wadhawan Group. Italian Serie A club ACF Fiorentina also owns the club’s 15% stake.

  Stadium

  FC Pune City will play their home games at the Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex or more commonly known as the Balewadi Stadium. Situated on the outskirts of the city, the stadium was previously used for Commonwealth Youth Games, World Series Boxing, Asian Athletics Championships and the Pro Kabaddi League.

  Marquee Player

  Legendary striker from France David Trezeguet is the star attraction for the Pune based ISL team. The former Juventus forward is sure to bring a lot of goals and lot more entertainment to the team and to the league.

  Squad

  Goalkeepers: Arindam Bhattacharya, Emanuele Belardi (Italy), Lalit Thapa

  Defenders: Andres Felipe Gonzalez Ramirez (Colombia), Anupam Sarkar, Bruno Cirillo (Italy), Daniel Magliocchetti (Italy), Deepak Devrani, Dharamraj Ravanan, Park Kwang-Il (South Korea), Pritam Kotal, Saidou Mady (Burkina Faso)

  Midfielders: Ashutosh Mehta, Davide Colomba (Italy), Israil Gurung, Konstantinos Katsouranis (Greece), Lenny Rodrigues, Manish Maithani, Mehrajuddin Wadoo, Omar Andres Rodriguez Martinez (Colombia), Pratik Shinde, Tapan Maity

  Forwards: David Trezeguet (France), Ivan Bolado Palacios (Equatorial Guinea), Joaquim Abranches, MacPherlin Dudu Omagbemi (Nigeria)

  Manager & Technical Staff

  Manager: Franco Colomba (Italy)

  Asst Manager: Giovanni Mei (Italy)

  Expectation

  Apart from competing just for the league title, Pune will look to gain the bragging rights over Mumbai City FC in one of the two hotly contested derbies in the ISL this season.

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5 things we all loved at Axwell Λ Ingrosso!

(Image courtesy: www.actfaqs.com)

In the better part of the last decade, India has truly emerged as a new found hub of Electronic Dance Music or simply put, EDM. From what started with the first ever Sunburn festival in Goa way back in 2007, EDM has become one of India’s favorite musical genres. Very few people anticipated that EDM would grow in India and at such an alarming speed. And it has only helped in making India a real favorite for major artists.

My last point will have complete backing when you see the number of artists who have toured Indian cities in the past few years. Ranging all the way from the likes of Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Cosmic Gate, to the biggies like Armin van Buuren, Hardwell, Tiesto etc, India has seen it all. From massive open ground gigs to absolutely rocking club performances, EDM has become the new big thing.

  From all the artists that have toured India, very few leave an impact. And a huge one at that. In 2013, the world famous trio, Swedish House Mafia, performed in across 3 cities in India, leaving the Indian EDM fanatics wanting more. That’s not it. India were the only country SHM came back for after their first planned gig got canceled and made sure Indians had a taste of their beats in their farewell #OneLastTour. The trio split later that year, leaving millions of fans in India and in the world heartbroken. But not for long.

  Two-thirds of the Mafia did return and told the world that ‘this time we can’t go home’. Axwell and Sebastian Ingrosso, with their new project named Departures, announced a world tour to the delight of their fans worldwide. Not surprised, Mumbai and Bangalore were in their list of cities they will tour.

  On the 25th and 26th of September, the duo took India by storm as they played one of the best EDM sets this country had ever witnessed. With Indian artists Anish Sood and Shaan to start off the proceedings, Axwell Λ Ingrosso got thousands of Indians jumping to their super hit tunes. It is safe to say that they ‘killed it!’

  “If we want money we’ll go to Las Vegas, if we want an after party we’ll go to Miami but if we want to play for love, we still come to India!”

– Axwell (September 26, Mumbai)

  Many world class artists have set foot in this country and it’s clubs, but very few are as loved and as revered as these Swedes. Let’s have a look at the 5 most epic moments from the staggering set played by the duo in their recent performance!

  1)   This time we can’t go home!

  The message was clear. They’re here to stay. The duo opened the show with their iconic production, with their silhouettes visible, making their famous logo with their arms in the beaming lights and visuals!

  2)   The lasers and pyrotechnics

  Not particularly a moment, but the outstanding graphic visuals and the amazing pyrotechnics were the heroes of the show. A visual set up of such levels is seldom seen in India.

  3)   The percussion delight

  Indians love beats. Especially percussions. It certainly didn’t take long for the duo to know that. Federico Scavo’s Balada (Nicola Fasano & Miami Rockets Rmx) was definitely one of the highlights of the show, as they got thousands of Indians jumping high up in the air with some outstanding beats, albeit in an EDM style.

  4)   The crowd becomes a part of the gig!

  Wondering how that happened? Axwell and Ingrosso know. We got to witness something not many artists would attempt doing – a live production. The crowd cheered into Axwell’s mic as he recorded it and merged it with Axwell Λ Ingrosso’s Can’t Hold Us Down. The crowd and their cheers were a part of the track. Something unique, right?

  5)   We all (still) love Swedish House Mafia

  We know that, they know that. And Axwell Λ Ingrosso made sure the crowd went home happy. The famous Greyhound made it’s way into their set list and did the crowd love that! To add to that, they played their famous Save The World and got the capacity crowd yelling out the vocals. Their magnificent show would not have been complete if they didn’t sign off the way they did last time around. They dropped SHM’s greatest ever single hit Don’t You Worry Child as they bid adieu to the wonderful crowd.

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Five Things Women Want From Men

(Image courtesy- heraldscotland.com)

1. All Groomed Up How many men pay attention to grooming? The answer is very few! Women ask us for way too much, but sometimes we can try to impress them too. Men should try and keep themselves well groomed as we do expect the same from women. Take a little extra time picking out a new hair style and you may just get your lucky break!

2. Attitude A man’s attitude determines the first impression; a naive airhead will get no further than that! Women like a man with an ambitious and confident yet humble attitude. A confident attitude doesn’t excuse any rude or inappropriate behaviour. It means you are comfortable in your own skin, but you respect your lady too!

3. Impressive Attire You can’t deny that most men are lazy when it comes to suiting up! The least we can do is make an effort to stay in shape and wear clothes that make you look smart. Most men feel more comfortable sticking to their favourite styles or brands and not making much of a change. You might be one of them, but sometimes a new look can work wonders! 

4. Mind your Manners A man with a basic sense of manners can wow his way right into a girl’s arms. For most women it’s about being appreciated and pampered by the greatest guy in the room! So if you’re trying to impress a particular lady, turn on your charm and tone down your masculinity only by a notch.

5. Hearty Humour Women love a good sense of humour! It’s a quality that women almost always mention when listing off the things they look for in a man. This doesn’t mean you need to be the clown of the party! Women don’t run toward buffoons, you need to be witty and intelligent when it comes to your sense of humour. If you can put a smile on her face without making yourself look like a fool, you’ve won.

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Volkswagen Polo GT – TSI

(Image courtesy- zigwheels.com)

The New Pocket Rocket

Ever since its launch in India a few years ago, the VW Polo has been seen as a hatch back for the speed hungry.

Recently, VW launched its new generation Polo. Yes, there are new touches here and there but none shout as loud as the coveted GT badge.

VW has ridden on the success of this GT options for years now and finally India gets its own bit of GT madness.  So will this new Polo do justice to the GT badge?

I recently had the chance to get behind the wheel of the new Polo GT- TSI, the much awaited petrol GT offering by VW and my word did it impress!

At first sight the new Polo sports added chrome bits and pieces on the front bumper and grill. Its sporty stance gives away the fact that you’ll get that added punch from this new engine. But the most noticeable difference is the splash of GT branding on the exterior of the car.

It also gets all black side mirrors and roof spoiler and sporty alloys.  

On the inside the new Polo gets an upgraded all black dash that makes you feel that you’re in a serious driving machine.

The audio unit comes with Bluetooth and parking sensors and the interior now gets a two toned finish to add to the sporty feel of the interior. Another interesting touch is the GT badging on the foot rails.

But, at the end of the day, it’s all about what happens when you plant your foot down on the pedal. I can safely tell you, you wont be disappointed. The new 1.2L direct injection turbo patrol engine produces 103 BHP, which may not sound peppy, but it surly is.

The driving experience is good but VW could have and I feel, should have tightened the springs up a tad bit to reduce the feeling of body roll. When you throw it into a tight corner you definitely experience a bit of under steer.

Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to get behind the wheel of the GT-TDI but a source says, its even better and has a punchy mid range that the patrol version lacks.

All in all, for a pinch over 7 lakhs the new Polo GT TSI is a bundle of fun and if the driving experience ranks high on your list of requirements from your car, you shouldn’t look much further than India’s latest pocket rocket the VW Polo GT-TSI.

[garniermenindia]

Facebook's takeover of WhatsApp in 6 Points

(Image courtesy- ibtimes.co.uk)

1. Whatsapp claims more than 600 million users as of August 2014.

2. The deal between Facebook and Whatsapp shut at about $22 Billion.

3. Jan Koum and Brian Acton are the founders of Whatsapp who bagged $6.8 billion and $3.5 billion in the deal respectively, according to Forbes.

4. Jan Koum is now a Facebook board member.

5. Whatsapp is Facebook's largest acquisition ever. In the past they have acquired Instagram.

6. Facebook denied Whatsapp co-founder a job in 2009.

Have something to add to this?

Comment and let me know.

[garniermenindia]

Fashion Friendly Bags For Men

(Image courtesy- lifestylemiror.com)

1. Backpack bags

(Image courtesy- thefashiontag.files.wordpress.com)

These bags were a saviour during school days; I remember I could stuff the entire library in my bag. Anyways, these bags are spacious and the only justice you can do with them is by using it to its max. You can take it along with you for a camping trip; on a morning trek or even while you head out cycling. These bags make great companions. You may also invest in one which has room for a laptop and take the same to work. You can carry your food, laptop and maybe even an extra pair of clothes for the after work parties. These bikes are great for those who enjoy taking their bikes to work, I sure as hell do!

2. Messenger/Shoulder bags

(Image courtesy- missionworkshop.com)

These bags may remind you of your first year in college. I remember when I entered college; I was like a boy out of a mall. I was wearing everything new, including my bag. Well this bag is nice to take to college. It is convenient and fashionable. If I were to see a grown up with such a bag the only thought that would come to my head would be Shahrukh Khan from the movie Main Hoon Na. This type of bag also makes for a great formal accessory. Find yourself a nice black/brown leather bag which can accommodate your laptop and you’re ready to walk into your meeting. If you aren’t fond of leather, you can go for a cloth bag too. They may look less formal but come on, you aren’t there to impress, are you? Let your work do the talking!

3. Briefcase

(Image courtesy- chanchanbag.com)

I’ve grown up seeing my beloved father and his father using these. They don’t look so appealing to be honest. I mean a black/brown bag, sounds dull to me. We aren’t dealing in the casino briefcases are we. Leave this for the slightly old fashioned men, you don’t need to adapt to that style. Do you think young men should carry a briefcase?

Here’s all the advice I could share on pairing your bag with you. Want more help? Simply tweet your query to me and I’d be happy to help. It’s always a delight to help men who are willing to make a difference, for good.

Look sharp and take care.

[garniermenindia]

Twitter erupts with #ModiAtMadison!

(Image courtesy: ibtimes.com)

You know it’s going to be worldwide news if 20,000 Indians are packed in one room with Narendra Modi at its epicentre. The Indian PM’s speech at Madison Square Garden was indeed one of the biggest moments in the history of Indo-American relationship and certainly one for a billion Indians to remember.

Social platforms were buzzing. Everybody was talking about it. The hashtag #ModiAtMadison and went viral and while some people had some serious opinions to share, some brought out the humorous side of it. Here’s Narendra Modi’s speech summed up in the 13 funniest tweets off the internet.

  This #ModiAtMadison is the best speech I've heard an Indian make at a famous arena since #BrahmaAtBudokan!

— God (@TheTweetOfGod)

  Modi could read the yellow pages and the crowd at MSG would applaud like crazy. #ModiConcert

— Overrated Outcast (@over_rated)

  This is a revolutionary speech. After all the podium is rotating

— Nandagopal Rajan (@nandu79) 

  Dunia me koi aisi jagah nahi hai jahan Indian naa mile aur Bharat me koi aisi jagah nahi jahan Bihari naa mile.

— Ye Teja Teja Kya Hai (@Teja_main_hun)

  Modi: agshushagwgjaiayrqcansyx Crowd: yaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy! Modi: jduagfagsjizgavsjkx Crowd: yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!! Modi: Crowd: yeaaaayyy!!!

— Ms Bambastic (@MsBambastic)

  India to Mars at the rate ₹7/ km Auto Rickshaw in Ahmedabad charges ₹10/km I'VE GOT IT WE SHOULD USE THE SPACESHIP IN AHMEDABAD !

— José Covaco (@HoeZaay) 

  Oh shit, someone's translating it into english and sounding worse than that chinese lady at the Apple event!

— oculus (@daddy_san)

  With 44 seats, Congress can organize a similar event in Dilshad Garden.

— SAMBHA  (@sambha_bhilane) 

  With 20k NRIs in Madison Square Garden today, all it will take for a stampede is an announcement that free samosas are outside Exit 3.

— Amreekan Desi (@amreekandesi) 

  "We invented Zero" Any moment from now

— GabbbarSingh (@GabbbarSingh) 

  PIOs will soon be chanting "We came, Visa, We conquered"

— Diogeneb (@diogeneb) 

  The only other time we Gujjus get *this* excited to see one of us onstage, is at a Falguni gig in Navratri

— Priyal  (@priyal) 

  The last time Indians felt this patriotic was when Sunny Deol uprooted that hand-pump.

— Aniruddha Guha (@AniGuha) 

[garniermenindia]

Raina's century takes CSK to CLT20 crown!

(Image courtesy: www.cricketcountry.com)

They say the perfect game of cricket should be one that is fought till the last ball. I say not. And certainly, M S Dhoni and his Chennai Super Kings side believe the same too. The biggest cricketing spectacle of the calendar year was brought to a smashing end on Saturday with the Super Kings beating the Kolkata Knight Riders in great style.

Captain cool MS Dhoni won the toss and sent out his opposition, the Knight Riders out to bat first. Kolkata, led by captain Gautam Gambhir, started off brilliantly with openers Robin Uthappa and the skipper Gambhir putting up a strong 91 run partnership for the first wicket. Uthappa gave the KKR innings a solid start with his quickfire 39 runs from 32 balls.

  He was however dismissed in the 11th over after he misjudged spinner Pawan Negi’s flighted ball and was stumped by MS Dhoni. Gambhir however carried on the batting as wickets fell on the other end at regular intervals, with Negi bagging 5 wickets for just 22 runs. Gambhir scored a superb 80 from 52 balls as handy knocks from Manish Pandey (32) and Yusuf Pathan (20) helped the Knight Riders to reach a respectable total of 180 for the loss of 6 wickets.

  The Chennai Super Kings had a shaky start to their innings. They lost opener Dwayne Smith in the first over which meant Suresh Raina had to come in early on in the innings. Raina, along with Brendon McCullum made mince meat of the KKR bowling attack who were sorely missing the bowling prowess of Sunil Narine. They put up a 116 run partnership with Raina dominating the proceedings. After McCullum was dismissed in the 14th over, Dhoni joined in the party and along with Raina made sure CSK made it home with 9 balls to spare. Raina struck a magnificent 109 off just 62 balls in the process; his third T20 century.

  The Chennai Super Kings added the CLT20 title for the second time in their trophy cabinet and asserted their dominance once again in the format.

  Man of the Match: Pawan Negi, for his bowling figures of 5 for 22. Man of the Series: Suresh Raina (CSK) Most Runs: Suresh Raina (CSK) Most Wickets: Sunil Narine (KKR) Fair Play Award: Cape Cobras (SA)

[garniermenindia]

Free Fitness Apps For Android

(Image courtesy- healthup.me)

Here are some applications you must have on your phone-

1. Moves

The name suggests what the application does, the application keeps a tab on your movement all day as long as the phone is kept in your hands/pockets. The application isn’t so much about how many calories you burned in the entire day, it is more about where all you have been in the day and how much distance have you covered. The application runs 24 hours at the back of your phone and doesn’t create any battery draining moves for you to regret its installation. The user interface is simple and straightforward. Click on the circular button to see details such as – steps/duration/kms.

2. Strava

I swear by this application when it comes to clocking my runs or my cycling expeditions. The application allows you to see your journey on the map post workout and shares stats such as distance covered, time taken, calories burned and elevation gained. The application is all encompassing. In addition to this, it helps you follow and be followed by other fitness enthusiasts. You can also participate in monthly challenges which is open to all internationally. This motivates you to get out of bed and kick those glutes into action!

3. MyFitnessPal

This application was made for fitness junkies. It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to gain weight or lose it. This application helps you stay on track and urges you to clock your daily meals. It shares nutritional value and calories consumed. This application makes you aware of your eating habits and also helps switch to healthier food. One of the best features of this application is that it also allows you to add your own recipe, just in case you think you have something that the whole world would not have tried already. (You will be surprised how many Indian dishes are already registered on this, damn eating that vada pav sure makes me feel guilty.)

4. Nike Training Club

This application is an add on, I don’t use it daily, but this is a video library of exercises. It has video tutorials from famous women, wait, did I mention famous fit women? It helps you with a variation every now and then you are in a mood to experiment.

5. Heart Rate

I’ve always wondered how, and still do. This application helps you calculate your heart rate simply by placing your index finger on your mobile camera. Statutory warning- it doesn’t sting or poke. I certainly would recommend this application to anyone who finds it unnecessary to invest in a heart rate monitor but still wishes to have one.

6. MyFitnessCalculator

This application asks you to input some basic details such as your age, sex and weight. In exchange, it gives you some really helpful stats. It helps you understand your calorie consumption based on your goals, it gives you your BMI and more.

These applications help me stay my best i.e. fit. A personal suggestion to all my friends who are on the road to fitness. These won't make it any simpler but will definitely help you see results that may be overlooked by others including yourself.