Uniting The World With Yoga – An Exclusive Interview With Queen Yogini Kristin McGee, Part – 2

We’re back with the last and final part of our exclusive interview with the amazing Kristin Mcgee. If you’re new to yoga and are looking for a place to start then look no further cause with Kristin McGee’s invigorating yoga techniques you’ll find yourself on the road to fitness much earlier than you imagined. You can catch our previous coverage on Kristin and her yoga programs at the following links:

1. Uniting The World With Yoga : An Interview With Kristin McGee, Part -1
2. Introducing Kristin McGee – The Queen Yogini Of The West

And now for the remaining part of our interview.

DelhiPlanet(DP): Kristin, you are an incredibly fit person, do you diet or avoid any particular kind of foods. Also do you suggest any diet to your students so that they can achieve the true benefits of your program. We recently talked to our readers regarding the Paul McKenna theory of “eat whatever you want, whenever you are hungry but in the right amounts“. Do you also believe in this.

Kristin: I really believe in the “everything in moderation” approach. I try not to label foods as bad and good but as how do I feel when I eat this. Sometimes my body craves a good steak. Most often I really love fruits, veggies, yogurts, fish, chicken, whole grains and tofu, oh yeah and a glass of wine and dark chocolate! I think Paul McKenna is right when he says listen to your body and try and go off of internal cues when you are hungry eat and stop when you are full and listen to your body if it tells you it wants something let it have it but also know how much is right for you.

DP: “Everything you could possibly ever want, have or need is right here inside of you“, happens to be one of your favorite quotes which was actually created by you. In today’s world there is so much greed, want and desire and every person is just chasing material benefits. How do you think one can overcome this and actually get to feel the way your quote describes. How does yoga help in achieving Mind Control

Kristin: I think the benefits of yoga are very subtle and it’s not so much about controlling the mind but getting to a mind state where you start to realize that truly all we really need is to take care of our health and our self, be with the people we love, do something we really enjoy in order to have food and shelter and certain treats and other than that there isn’t much more to life. I’ve been realizing after 14 years in NY that I really don’t need all that much. I love teaching yoga, I like staying healthy, I love my boyfriend, my family and my friends and I just keep trying to remind myself every day how lucky I am to be alive and breathing. When you are more conscious of your breath in yoga practice, you become more conscious of each awesome breath you take each day and you don’t feel you need much more to make you happy.

DP: Please Describe what a normal Kristin McGee Working Day is like.

Kristin: I wake up very early and sometimes do stomach churning. Then I have a nice healthy breakfast—my favorite meal of the day—then I’m off to teach. I walk everywhere or take the subway to and from client’s homes and the gyms and studios where I work. I always carry snacks for mid morning and mid afternoon and I usually have a healthy sandwich of tofu or hummus for lunch. I do my own practice sometime during the day and when I get home at night I check my emails and write for Veria where I have a blog. I make a healthy dinner and read some of my yoga magazines or do a crossword puzzle. I’ve been trying to make more space for mediation and if my honey is in town we share a glass of wine and take a walk along the river on the West Side highway. I’m in bed around 10 or 11 most nights.

DP: Yes folks, we forgot to mention that Kristin is a great writer too and has her own blog here. Kristin, please tell us something about your retreat workshops. We know that you recently held a retreat course at Morgan’s rock in Nicaragua and prior to that in Marrakesh, Morrocco. What kind of retreats would you like to do in future ?

Kristin:I met a woman named Erica who leads retreats to exotic locations through her company called Escape To Shape and she hires me as their premier yoga instructor. I loved the trip I did in Sicily and Morocco was very interesting. I’m teaching at Kripalu in September and next June was asked to lead a retreat in Nicaragua. It is such a great way to see a new part of the world and wake up and do yoga every morning and meet wonderful people from all over the world. I would love to do a yoga/wine retreat or a yoga/chocolate retreat. I will look in to organizing that and I’d also love to do something like that out in Sun Valley, Idaho where I’m from and maybe combine it with sking in the winter or hiking in the summer.

DP: That’s sounds great, you surely are Uniting the world with Yoga. Tell us, do you believe that in order to be true yogi it is necessary to shed all materialistic desires and lead a very simple life devoid of any body pleasures. This happens to be a kind of impressions a lot of people have about yogis.

Kristin: Not at all. I think yoga fits in to any lifestyle. It is human nature to want nice things and we should give ourselves the things we like—body pleasures especially. People crave touch. Babies love to be hugged and nurtured. Adults love to connect on a physical level with each other and I think that is the most beautiful forms of union of them all.

DP: How affordable are the yoga classes that you take. Are the meant for only upscale New Yorkers or for the average man as well ?

Kristin: No. Classes range from as little as $15 up to $150 for privates. And many studios offer work exchange programs. I have a sliding scale for my private clients and try to accommodate everyone I can. Privates are definitely expensive but group classes and dvds and home practices are very inexpensive or free!

DP: Please share with us your experience of training the Winter Olympics particpants at Salt Lake City, Utah in 2002. Were any of the participants fitter than you .

Kristin: Oh yes! All the Olympic athletes are in incredible shape. I loved working with them and showing them ways to actually not push so hard but to feel good when they practice. The Olympics are all about competing, in yoga there is no competition so it was wonderful for them to drop that armor and just do something good for their bodies and minds.

DP: Do you believe in the concepts of Karma, Past Life and Re-Incarnation. Also would you like to be born again and if so as what and where ?

Kristin: Ooh that is a very tough question and one that I may not be able to answer until I’m in my 80’s! I think karma is real—what you give is what you get. I’m not 100% about the reincarnation. I kind of believe that we regenerate through nature and when my body decomposes it becomes part of the earth which makes beautiful flowers which bring sunshine and happiness to the next generations.

DP: You come from a family that loves music and we know that your father is a great piano player. Please name some of your favorite present day music artists. Do you also listen to Indian music.

Kristin: I love Indian music and often play a lot of Ram Das and Krishna Das in my classes. I know those are more chanting and I’d like to hear other types of Indian music when I come to visit India. I’ve always loved James Taylor and I like John Mayer and Coldplay and anything my boyfriend, Tim, plays. He is the real DJ in our relationship and he introduces me to great music all the time I just don’t remember the names of the bands half the time!

DP: Please tell us something about your hobbies. What else do you like to do in your spare time ?

Kristin: I love to ski and play tennis. I like to be in nature and hike and camp and fish and I’m rafting the Colorado River with my dad in the Grand Canyon for 19 days in July. I love to do crossword puzzles. I like seeing my friends and going to movies. I love going out to dinner and to the theater. I love to dance and I love to sing. I love when I’m home in Idaho with my whole family and we make homemade tacos and play board games. I like to read and I like to learn more about wines and cooking and I love to travel.

DP: Finally, What is the Dream or Mission of Your Life and How would you like to be remembered as ?

Kristin: My dream mission in life is to continually grow in to being a better person. I would hate to stop learning or discovering all that this world has to offer. I want to keep discovering my inner world, as wel, and share the most authentic me that I possibly can. I want to inspire people of all ages to do the same and to be happy and feel connected to their truest self. I want to build my Bendigirl brand and help build young girls and boys self esteem one breath at a time. I want to get married to my boyfriend Tim O’Shea and make little O’Shea babies so I can nurture them and bring them in to this incredible world. I want to be even half as incredible and amazing as my parents have been to me. I want to share what they’ve given me with my children and grandchildren. I want to give back to my parents as much as I can. That goes for my brothers and their wives as well anyone who has helped me continue on my path. I never ever want to take any of these people, Tim, mom, dad, Kraig, Kara, KT, KC, Kristopher, Julia, Daniel for granted.

I’d like to be remembered as a really good person, one who always tried her best and learned from her mistakes and who was truly wonderful and giving from the depths of her heart.

DP: Thank you so much Kristin for sparing some time for us, I am sure lots of people will benefit from your knowledge and you are really doing some wonderful work. I hope that you had a nice time talking to us.

Kristin: I want to thank you so much. The fact that we have already connected makes me feel like I’m on the right path and doing something good in my life. You inspire me to continue on this path. I want to visit you in India and I want to learn. Together you can teach me more and more about your culture and I can show you what I’ve learned so far in my Yogini life in NYC.

Namaste

Oh yeah and “Always always remember that everything you could possibly ever want, have or need is right here inside of you”.

Note: This is a DelhiPlanet Exclusive Presentation. Reproduction of this article in any form in full or in part without prior permission is prohibited. If you wish to spread the word, kindly link to the post.

Uniting The World With Yoga – An Exclusive Interview With Queen Yogini Kristin McGee, Part – 1

It is an ancient science that was crafted by the gods with the purpose of keeping all human beings fit and healthy. This science makes a person “aware” of oneself by uniting the body, mind and soul. It is known around the world as “Yoga“.

In today’s fast paced world, each one of us has so many desires and wishes and the only way one can work towards fulfilling them is to stay away from all kinds of health problems. One of the ways to stay fit, healthy and content is to become aware or as people would like to say become “yogic“. The word yoga has many mis-conceptions associated with it and many people think that “being yogic” means to shed all desires and lead a plain and simple life. Well, it’s time to clear those mis-conceptions and give you an insight into how you can become a Yogi In The 21^st century.

As promised earlier we are delighted to bring to you an exclusive two part interview with the world-renowned American Yogini Kristin McGee (read all about her in our introduction article here). We asked Kristin a range of questions about what she thinks about yoga, what it means in today’s world, her role in spreading the knowledge of yoga and her interest in coming to India. Ofcourse, we also peppered it up with some personal questions about herself and her life in one of the most happening cities of the world, NYC.

DelhiPlanet(DP): Namaste Kristin Ji, A very warm welcome to you from the entire team at DelhiPlanet and all the people of India. How do you feel about talking to us and connecting to the people in India ?

Kristin: I am super excited!

DP: Have you or anyone from your family ever visited India ?

Kristin: Unfortunately, no!

DP: So then, what places would you like to visit in India and how well do you understand Hindi ?

Kristin: I would love to visit Mysore since it is the home of Astanga and Patabi Jois. I’d also love to go to Pune where BKS Iyenger has his home. I would love a full tour of the country actually and am open to experience every part of the wonderful history and culture that you have. What are your recommendations for me?

I believe Hindi is the language still spoken by many Indians and it is a direct descent of the Sanskrit language which I use when I teach yoga asanas.

DP: Well, I am sure you would like to go the Taj Mahal in Agra. You should also visit Rajasthan, Kashmir, Kerala and ofcourse our city Delhi . Tell us something about your initial interest in acting. How were you drawn to it and what kind of roles did you enjoy doing the most.

Kristin: I wanted to be an actress from the day I was 4. I used to sing Shirley Temple songs like “on the good ship lollipop” to my dolls and perform in my bedroom. I’ve always loved live theater and musical theater and I think I would adore the glamour and beauty and drama of the Bollywood films produced in India. I like taking on any role that challenges me to open up more and find something new about myself. I think acting and yoga are very similar in that respect.

DP: Have You Seen Any Bollywood Movies. If so, please tell us which ones have you seen and which one is your favorite ?

Kristin: One of my all time favorite movies is Monsoon Wedding–I’m not sure if it is considered a Bollywood film or not. I love Mira Nair as a director. I love the colors and the sights and the beauty and the humor. I love how happy the Indian culture is and how they love to make things larger than life. They don’t settle for dull or mediocre. Please introduce me to some more Bollywood films that you recommend.

Recently, I just ordered 4 dvds from Hemalaaya all on Bollywood Dance. I can’t wait to try them!

DP: While still studying Acting at NYU you decided that you also wanted to master Yoga. What caused this sudden transformation ? Was it a desire to stay slim and fit or something else ?

Kristin: We were doing yoga in the morning to open us up and help us connect to our breathing which is very important for actors. I actually realized that staying slim and fit was just an added bonus to the focus and flexibility I was getting from the practice.

DP: Today if I were to take you back in time by 10-12 years and offer you a choice of being “Kristin McGee – The Great Actress” or “Kristin McGee – The Great Yoga Guru”, then which one would you choose.

Kristin: Most definitely Kristin McGee the Great Yoga Guru but I feel unworthy of such a title and feel like I don’t quite deserver the title of Guru how about Kristin McGee the Great Yogini !

DP: The past few years have seen the development and introduction of new yoga techniques in India where more time is devoted to intense breathing exercises than doing asanas. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of the Art Of Living Foundation has made Bhastrika and Ujayi breathing a part of his yoga workouts while Swami Ramdev teaches Kapalbhatti breathing. Do you constantly update and innovate with your Yoga workouts to include such elements or do they stay the same for long periods of time

Kristin: I completely agree with both Swami Ramdev and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar that the breath is the foundation of the practice and it’s important to incorporate pranayama such as kapalabhati and bhastrika in the asana practice. I’ve recently been doing an hour long pranayama class every Wednesday before a two hour asana practice and it is incredible. I love alternate nostril breathing.

DP: Yoga was like Love at First Sight for you. You were able to do the most difficult asanas after only a few classes. For the average person who is slightly above the recommended weight how long would it take to see the benefits of yoga, provided regular practice 3-5 times a week.

Kristin: Yes yoga was love at first sight for me but I definitely couldn’t do the most difficult asanas after just a few classes! I actually was good at the headstands and arm balances but it’s taken me years to get more open in my hamstrings and to develop strength in my core and lower back. I think the beautiful thing about the yoga practice is it is a life long endeavor and there is no end result we need to achieve. If you start doing yoga, you’ll feel so good you’ll want to do it as often as possible. Any time you do any asanas, even if it’s just 5 minutes a day, your body will feel and see the results. 3 to 5 times a week is great as well. Listen to your body and you’ll know when and how often you like to practice.

DP: The Girls and Women of today, around the world are highly influenced by Media and Television and choose unhealthy eating habits inorder to appear like the models and actressses that they see. What message do you have for such girls and women. Can one achieve the perfect model figure by healthy eating and yoga.

Kristin: I think there really is no such thing as “perfect” by other people’s standards. I try and tell everyone to just realize they are already perfect just as they are. The yoga practice helps us get more connected to our self and eventually we do what makes us happy as opposed to trying to fit some unreal image that they plaster in Hollywood magazines. I really hate to see what it does to people and I myself have struggled with eating disorders in the past and when I discovered yoga, I found that I need to love my body from the inside out first and foremost. The rest will start to take care of itself—I promise !

DP: You yourself are an extremely attractive and fit person, so do you ever worry about putting on weight or ageing ?

Kristin: I am a woman so of course I worry about all those things! But I look at the yoginis in their 50’s, 60’s and even 70’s and they’ve aged so gracefully and beautifully. I think laugh lines are gorgeous and I think even a little tummy filled with love is attractive. I’m trying to embrace more of myself everyday and do what feels good as opposed to worrying about the external fears and pressures.

DP: Many people in India and around the world believe that in order to enjoy the true benefits of yoga or anything spiritual one must completely abstain from all forms of non-vegetarian food and alcohol. Please share with us your thoughts on this.

Kristin: I try not to be too dogmatic in my approach and believe spirituality and diet and lifestyle are all very personal things. I don’t like to preach to my students and I think ultimately it’s best to do what makes you feel good. If you prefer to abstain from alcohol and red meat I think that is fine and if you like to eat hamburgers and drink a beer I think that is fine too!

Well, that’s all for Part – 1 of this series. Stay Tuned for Part – 2 and find answers to the kind of diet you should take while doing yoga, the effect of yoga on calming the mind, Kristin’s yoga retreats and much more (Catch Kristin in yoga action with young kids in the picture below ).

Note: This is a DelhiPlanet Exclusive Presentation. Reproduction of this article in any form in full or in part without prior permission is prohibited. If you wish to spread the word, kindly link to the post.

Get Outta My Dreams, Get Onto My Cycle

Get outta my dreams, Get in to my car

So goes the chorus from the famous Billy Ocean Song, of the same name. Well, the recent surge of oil prices all across the world is sure to deter the romantic hearts from using this phrase for sometime and they would surely have to come up with newer and cheaper ways of serenading their love interests (probably it’s time to follow the amsterdam way of life where you can see couples going around on cycles).

Oil prices in the past few weeks have surged to unprecedented levels and things have now started to take a turn for the worst. Reuters reports here that, U.S. motorists are risking rampant drug violence in Mexico to drive over the border and fill their tanks with cheap Mexican fuel, some even coming to blows over gas shortages and long queues. Mexico’s subsidized gasoline — around $1.40 cheaper per gallon than in the United States — is a huge draw as average U.S. pump prices hit an unprecedented $4 a gallon ($1.06 a liter). Oil Prices in India have also surged up with a litre of petrol costing Rs 47 ($1.1), Rs 51 ($1.21) and Rs 49 ( $1.16) in the cities of Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata respectively.

So the big question is that, “why is the price of oil so high” today. One of the factors that everyone agrees on is that energy consumption is surging in high-growth countries, and oil supplies are not growing fast enough to keep up. But what confounds many experts is that the price of oil seems to be changing much faster than the world is changing. For example, it took five years, from 2002 to 2007, for oil to go up by $60 a barrel. In just the last year, it galloped another $60 higher. For the first time since oil drilling began in the 1850s, the price has climbed for seven consecutive years. Another factor that is being evaluated by experts is the effect of a new breed of financial investors, including pension funds and hedge funds, who view oil and other commodities as just another way to make money, like stocks, bonds and real estate.

The evidence of their impact is mixed, but consumers and lawmakers nevertheless are furious, saying these new financial traders are driving up prices. The impact of speculation on oil prices will be at the top of the agenda at the Jeddah summit, and pressure is mounting for domestic regulators to act (Source).

Our view is that experts and world leaders should work towards controlling the rising costs of fuel while also focussing a lot of their attention in developing technology that would reduce the dependence on oil. Tata owned Jaguar-Land Rover (JLR) recently announced a major drive to recruit 600 engineers and technical staff to work on its 700-million-pounds projects to develop a new generation of cleaner and more eco-friendly vehicles (Read here). More such intiatives need to be taken by the US, Australia, India, China and others.

It’s high time we started respecting our environment and it would be great if could adopt the European way of life, just like in the video below.

Tags: oil, petrol, costs, money, cycles, ocean, india, us, europe, china, jeddah

Realize Your Power: Reach Out And Make A Difference

True Happiness Comes From Giving, is a mantra that we at DelhiPlanet truly believe in. Every person on this planet has the power and ability to bring about change given the opportunity and the right medium.

A few months back we too began looking for the right medium. We started to search for a professional and trustworthy charitable organization that would effectively use our donation to make a change in someone’s life. Our search ended at GiveIndia and we’re happy to have found it and made use of it (you can read all about GiveIndia in our article here).

A week back we received a report on how our contribution (sponsoring child’s rehabilitation and education for 1 month) of a few thousand rupees to the Ananya Trust was utilized. We felt really touched when we discovered that our contribution had been used to bring back some color in the life of 7 year old Rajesh from Banaswadi, Bangalore. How, read on to find out.

Rajesh’s mother is a housemaid and earns up to Rs.3000 per month and father has abandoned the family. His elder sister and brother both study in Ananya. As the mother found it difficult to take care of Rajesh who was very young, she admitted him in a boy’s hostel at Nandi Hills. She was not allowed to visit or bring him home. She approached Ananya. At first we felt he was too young to stay away from his mother. We realized that it would be better for him to stay with his elder siblings at Ananya, so that he could visit his mother over the weekends. We admitted him in Ananya in October 2006.

Being independent of nature, we decided that Rajesh’s learning should arise from the exploration of his environment. He was allowed to wander about in the campus and all his various findings were taken very seriously. Since he enjoys drawing he was encouraged to draw the creepy crawlies he found. Books were used to enhance his understanding of the subject under investigation. The freedom allowed him to ask questions and try out new things. Slowly he became interested in what the other children were doing and voluntarily sat with them in the group activity.

Now, Rajesh proudly shows his drawings of his version of millipedes and centipedes and birds that he has seen. He has learnt the names of quite a few trees and flowers that grow around the campus. After lunch we see him sitting and playing in the sand pit and when asked what he is making he tells us it’s an Igloo! Rajesh is especially good at arithmetic. He also enjoys cutting out and sorting pictures starting with a particular alphabet. He enjoys school; his mother says he looks forward to Mondays when he comes back to school after the weekend at home.

Now doesn’t that warm your heart and give you a sense of being powerful, it surely does. So what are you waiting for, “Reach Out And Make A Difference to someone’s life today“.

Tags: giveindia, charity, change, power, donation, rajesh, medium, opportunity

DelhiPlanet Weekends : Some Cool Facts About Tequila

Do you remember anything about your last all-night party. Well, if you do then chances are that you didn’t really have a good time and if you don’t then you most likely had your fill of Tequila that night.

As evident from the poster above, Tequila is an extremely potent drink considered to be Champagne’s Wild Brother(as both of them are mostly consumed during big celebrations, tequila being famous with the young people). Just a couple of shots of this drink is all that’s required to get high. Unknown to most people, Tequila is actually a town in the western Mexican state of Jalisco, 65 km northwest of Guadalajara and in the highlands of Jalisco. More than 80% of the city’s 35,000 strong population lives off the income generated from tequila production as the city produces an astonishing 230,000 litres of tequila every day (Know More). Tequila is made from the blue agave plant (Agave tequilana azul), which is native to Mexico. Tequila is most often made at a 38–40% alcohol content, but there are also several varieties of tequila produced with 43–46% alcohol content.

Most of the tequila enjoyed around the world is made near the town of Tequila. Infact it is illegal to produce tequila anywhere else in the world without having to pay some kind of royalty to mexico. Recently there have been concerns over the production of “Chinese Tequila” and many Mexican politicians have been demanding action to protect the native tequila industry (Source) . The Mexican tequila industry has expanded rapidly since the early 1990s and marketing experts have tried to change its reputation from a cheap peasant drink to a sophisticated international spirit like whisky.In 2005 alone, Mexico produced a record 210m litres of tequila – almost half of which was exported. Sales to the US alone were worth more than $400m.

The US is such a big consumer of mexican tequila that it created and signed the 2006 Tequila Trade Agreement on January 17, 2006 allowing the continued bulk import of tequila into the United States. Without this agreement all tequila would have had to be bottled in Mexico. If you ever happen to visit this town then this what you’ll see from a distance.

Well, now that you’re quite knowledgable about tequila you can definetly use it at the next party you visit and show off your intellect. If you’re wondering that there is something else that’s really famous about tequila, then you’re probably thinking of the famous Tequila Song by the Champs, a brief snippet of which you can listen to below.

Tags: tequila, drinks, mexico, usa, party, champagne, champs, agreement, export, agave

Introducing Kristin McGee: The Queen Yogini Of The West

Desiring to teach yoga to the world, he is said to have fallen from heaven into the open palms of a woman.

So goes the famous phrase describing Lord Patanjali, the founder of Yoga. Yoga is one of the most ancient sciences of the world which possibly dates back to 3300 B.C. It was designed for the purpose of cultivating a steady mind and a healthy body. It is believed that during the Golden Ages (a period known as Satya Yuga in Hinduism) every individual had the knowledge of yoga and people used to live for centuries together. All the great sages and warriors of the Indian epics were master yogis who had perfect control over their mind and body.

That is hardly the case in the 21^st century. The world today is dogged by poverty, disease, addictions and poor health. People today find it difficult to spare some time for themselves, let alone sparing time for their loved ones.

Things are however changing for the better as more and more people realise the importance of being healthy, because “good health is the one thing that money can’t buy“. The lost art of yoga is slowly making a comeback thanks to some great people who have been blessed with complete knowledge of this science. In India, yoga has been revived due to the efforts of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (and his Art Of living Foundation) and Swami Ramdev whose free yoga sessions on Television have managed to create a cult following of millions around the country.

In the west however it is rare to find any sort of “cult following“. Yoga is alive and kicking in the United States Of America, Europe, Mexico, Latin America and many other countries today, thanks to the efforts of a number of people, who have devoted their lives to spread the knowledge of yoga among the people of their country. One such great person is the master yogini, Kristen McGee.

Kristin grew up in Pocatello, Idaho and moved to New York City in 1994 to pursue a career in acting. Today however she is a fitness celebrity. “Oops“, did we say celebrity. Well, she is a celebrity but she gives that term a whole new meaning as she has none of the negative qualities that one associates with famous people. Kristin discovered yoga, while attending New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Kristin claims that she was hooked to Yoga after her very first session and could do a headstand in her very second class. After a long stint at studying yoga with some of the America’s finest instructors, Kristin created her own style that was an instant hit for its upbeat, refreshingly hip approach.

Kristin’s yoga workouts known as Power Yoga are highly intensive, power packed workouts that would make your gym sessions feel like a piece of cake (Power Yoga is said to be the secret behind SRK’s six packs and Kareena Kapoor’s zero size figure). Kristin is well-known for her MTV Power Yoga DVD and more recently her own Power Yoga DVD. While most yoga gurus devote their attention towards training the adults, Kristin teaches yoga to both kids and adults. She is very famous for her yoga workouts with young boys and girls and has even hosted programs for pregnant women. Her yoga workouts are a lot of fun and are highly recommended for the young people.

A yoga and pilates instructor since 1996, Kristin has also provided special yoga classes for athletes who participated in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Park City, Utah. She has made numerous appearances in books, videos, commercials, TV shows and news spots, including Sex and the City, the CBS Morning show and CNN Headline News. Kristin has also been featured in national print and television campaigns for MTV and Lady Foot Locker Yoga, has served as consultant to the Nike Goddess web site and currently is a contributing editor to Fit Yoga Magazine. If you haven’t seen Kristin in action before then checkout a brief preview of her Power Yoga DVD below.

We would soon be publishing an exclusive interview with Kristin McGee right here on DelhiPlanet, so stay tuned. If you wish to know more about Kristin or you wish to buy any of her videos then visit www.kristinmcgee.com.

10 Ka Dum – Sallu Bhai Joins The Gang

DP Travel : Madrid, The Capital That Rocks

The Madrid City Travelogue, Brought To You By DelhiPlanet Travel

Country: Capital Of Spain as well as the capital of the autonomous community of the same name (Comunidad de Madrid). It is Spain’s largest city, with a population (city) of 3.228 million (July 2005) and 5.843 million (metropolitan area).

National Carrier: Iberia. Other Spanish Airlines are SpanAir and Vueling.

Local Language: Spanish is the official language of Madrid and the whole of Spain. Spanish is the second most spoken language by native speakers however there are mild differences in the spanish spoken in Spain and other Latin American countries.

Time Zone: Spain is in the Central European Time Zone. Central European Standard Time (CET) is 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+1). Like most countries in Europe, Summer (Daylight-Saving) Time is observed in Spain, where the time is shifted forward by 1 hour; 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+2).

Best Time To Visit: The best time to visit Madrid is from March to June, that is spring time. Summers in Spain are hot and sultry while winters are very cold. Another good time to visit Madrid is between September through early November when the weather is nice and cool.

Best Place To Stay For Youths:

Los Amigos Backpackers Hostel, is the main hostel in Madrid dedicated exclusively to the backpack travellers and 100% oriented towards their specific needs. It is quite centrally located and offers most of the facilities needed by backpackers. If you’re travelling during backpacking season, i.e between May to August then do book in advance.

Cat’s Hostel has an old palace like setting and the entrance to the hostel is situated in a road that runs parallel to the most important and best known street in terms of the Madrid night scene. The hostel has a Cave Bar and is quite lively in the nights.

Description:

Madrid can be described as a city that is always bustling with energy. The culture of Madrid is dominated by its religious and royal history. Enormous, monolithic cathedrals and churches are plentiful in Madrid, as well as medieval architecture, although nowadays Madrid is just as much a cosmopolitan city as Berlin or London, and it’s bustling nightlife is proof of this fact.

There exists a famous adage known as “There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch”. Well, in the city of Madrid it is possible to spend the night hopping from one club to another, and end up drunk with a bunch of people while partying on the street. All this without spending a single penny. Many clubs in Madrid invite club goers in for a free drink after which one has the option of staying on or leaving. So if you’re low on cash then just keep hopping from one club to another while enjoying all the free drinks. Madrid has a very active nightlife and possibly it also has the largest number of bars per capita of any European city.

Must See: Madrid has some amazing places which are definetly worth checking out, the most popular amongst these are:

• Palacio Real: The Royal Palace of Madrid (Spanish: Palacio Real de Madrid) is the official residence of the King of Spain. King Juan Carlos and the royal family do not actually reside in this palace, instead choosing the smaller Palacio de la Zarzuela, on the outskirts of Madrid. However, the Palacio Real de Madrid is still used for state occasions. The palace is owned by the Spanish state and administered by the Patrimonio Nacional agency. The palace also has the distinction of being the largest royal palace in Western Europe in size, with over a combined area of over 135,000 m² and more than 2,800 rooms. The Palace is a major tourist attraction although most of the areas of the palace are cordoned off and there is always a lot of security here ( Catch a glimpse of the palace in our video below).
• The Real Madrid Football Stadium: If you are a football fan then Madrid is the place to be in. It is well-known for it’s famous club Real Madrid and the football stadium of the club is definetly worth a visit. In the off-season the stadium is like a museum and visitors can check out the history of the club, the stadium, the trophies, player potraits and even buy some authentic stuff at the store. The tour costs around 10 euros and includes the chance to walk around the field, visit the player dugouts, dorms and press rooms (Catch a glimpse of this ground in our video below ).
• Gran Via: Gran Vía (literally “Great Way”) is an ornate and upscale shopping street located in central Madrid. Literally, “Broadway“, Gran Via is one of the busiest avenues in Madrid, and is what you could call “Downtown” or the heart of the city. It is in a way very similar to Times Square in New York City and is definetly worth a visit at any time of the day.

Must Do: Well, now that you’ve seen the cool places it’s time to get involved and enjoy the spirit of the city. When in Madrid make sure to do the following:

• Watch Flamenco: Flamenco is a Spanish dance form, which involves a lot of body movement, extreme foot tapping as well as intricate hand and footwork. There are many clubs in Madrid, where you can get a chance to watch some Flamenco. At most places an entry fee is charged which covers one complimentary drink and around 30-45 minutes of dance. Although you might get a chance to see some flamenco action in Mexico and other Latin American countries it won’t be anything like it would be in Madrid, as the dance form originates from Spain (Watch some flamenco action in our video below ).
• Go Club Hopping: As described earlier, Madrid has an amazing night life and unless you’re coming to Madrid from Ibiza or Barcelona you wouldn’t want to miss the action. One must visit the Palacio Gaviria which is a club that was earlier a palace (Checkout some hot club action in our video below ).
• Get Your Potrait Done: Have your portrait drawn in the Plaza Mayor. Generally very good quality and the prices are very reasonable.

Madrid in Pictures: Catch our exclusive video of this amazing city.

Sachin, Aamir, Predictions And The IPL

The Indian Summer might not have been really hot this time in terms of the weather but it was surely a scorcher in terms of the cricket action. The Inaugral season of the IPL was certainly a huge success with millions of people around the country following the tournament from the very beginning. Snap polls suggest that over 24 million watched the nail-biting final played between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, though industry experts say that this is a conservative estimate and the numbers could be much higher (Source).

The IPL from the very beginning had all the ingredients of a blockbuster. Big Money, Bollywood Stars, Hot Shot Industrialists and the fast paced cricket action, surely a receipe that spelt commercial success. Speaking of cricket and bollywood, Aamir Khan writes about all the fun he had while watching the IPL final, specially because he saw it with none other than the Great Sachin Tendulkar (Read about it here in his post titled Sachin The Great). If you have ever wondered as to what makes Sachin such a brillant batsman, then you’ll be suprised to know that its not only great skill which is his gift, but also his ability to predict.

Aamir writes in his post “The match last night was certainly exciting but what made it a unique experience for me was that I had Sachin next to me. You will find this hard to believe but Sachin was able to predict every ball before it was bowled.“He is going to bowl a bouncer next”, “This one is going to be a slower one”, “Full tilt outside the off stump”, “Next one will be a yorker”, “Short of length”. It was uncanny. HE GOT IT RIGHT EACH TIME!!! No wonder its so difficult to bowl to him. He has an amazing instinct”. Well, it is surely an experience of a lifetime to watch a cricket match with someone like Sachin, and Aamir seems to have made the most of it.

In a recent interview to CNN-IBN, Sachin also talked about his thoughts on the IPL and stated that he felt fortunate that he was a part of the opening season of the tournament. Catch this video below

Well, the little master certainly has a few more years to go and we hope to see him in action soon, this time playing for India and hopefully breaking all the remaining batting records.

Tags: sachin, tendulkar, aamir, khan, cricket, IPL, india, bollywood, ambani, money

(Note: Checkout the other DelhiPlanet features on the IPL in our posts titled IPL – Too Much Of A Good Thing and Big Bucks, Stars, Action And A Pledge – Cricket Just Got Bigger ).