My Unfinished Life

Kanyakumari: one day at the tip of IndiA

2012-02-11T00:22:00.000-08:00

This is the second destination of my south India Travel, to read about previous destination ,click here.

Kanyakumari is the geographic end of the Indian mainland and one of the most famous religious/spiritual destinations in south India.

There are number of myths and legends associated with this town and the town itself takes its name from 'Kumari Amman' Kanyakumari Temple, located on the shore, is a Shakti Peetha dedicated to a manifestation of Parvati, the virgin goddess who did penance to obtain Lord Shiva's hand in marriage.

The most famous landmarks here are the two rocky islets just off the shore, southeast of the Kumari Amman temple, called the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, built in 1970 (Swami Vivekananda is said to have meditated on this rock for three days. ) and the gigantic 133 feet (41 m) tall statue of Tamil saint-poet Thiruvalluvar.

One of the spectacular things to watch here is the sunrise and sunset, while sunrise can be seen all times of the year, its only between January to March that one can watch sunset.

We opted to watch the sunset (as we couldn't get up early in the morning) and it was a beautiful experience by the seashore!!!

Overall, a lovely day at Kanyakumari, though I did not feel much 'spiritual' visiting Vivekananda rocks, but it was a soul enriching experience watching the sunset!!

And it was time for the next destination!!!

A day in Thiruvanathapuram: the abode of Lord Anantha

2012-02-03T23:36:00.000-08:00

In the month of January, our family took a long spiritual odyssey through South India and we visited some amazing destinations of religious/spiritual importance.

It was a momentous trip for me and helped me make some important decisions on my present & future(more on that later though!!)

We started our journey in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala state.
The city of Thiruvananthpuram is the capital of Kerala state; the city’s history back to 1000 BCE. The city gets its name from the word, Thiru-anantha-puram, meaning the "Abode of Lord Ananta".The name derives from the deity of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple at the centre of the city. It is the most famous landmark and also the centre of the city around which the whole city has been planned.

We had one full day to spend in this city and here’s how we utilized our 24 hours: -

1. Shree Padmanabhaswamy temple Darshan – Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple gave its name this city also and based on the temple’s name, the city is also known as Anandapuram (City of Bliss) and Syananduram (Where Bliss is not far off). This temple of Vishnu reclining on Anantha remains the iconic landmark of the city. It is estimated that the value of the monumental items and assets of the temple partially revealed are close to 100,000 crore (US$22 billion), making it the richest temple in the world.It was a long queue even in early morning at the temple, and took us almost 1 hour to see the deity. However, it was all worth the wait. The statue of the lord looked resplendent and we felt a divine grace upon us in the lord’s presence.

2. Breakfast at Indian Coffee House – Indian Coffee House is an iconic restaurant chain in India and in this city, it’s got a quirky building too!!

After our morning darshan , it was time for some food and we headed straight to the ICF housed in red spiral building. It is an experience eating out here, for one thing, the tables are numbered and wind up as one walks up the spiral walkway. The waiters in their colonial uniforms complete with turbans are sight to watch.

3.Padmanabhapuram Palace and Kuthiramalika Palace Museum – Both the Palace and museum are located adjacent to each other, which are in turn located adjacent to Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple.

4. Napier Museum - The Napier Museum built during the colonial India by the Travancore Kings is housing rare bronze and ivory artifacts. The Sree Chitra Art Gallery, Museum of natural History and Trivandrum Zoo are located in the premises of the Napier Museum. So, one can spend a lot of time at this museum.

5. Kovalam Beach – It is one of the most famous beaches in kerala and truly so. One feels a sense of calm watching the waves and feeling wind on the skin.

Walking by the beach and watching the sun set, we felt that there could not have a better end to the day!!!

And so ended (rather started )the spiritual journey in the abode of Lord Anatha!!

A vision in White.....Sari Love [#4]

2012-02-01T06:56:00.000-08:00

Out of all the sarees owned by me...this pristine white traditional sari cotton sari with golden border (called kerala saree) is the one i have not worn for the longest time.

I have had this beautiful saree since last 4 years, very lovingly bought by the husband during our honeymoon( in Kerala and kept in wraps.

Since, we live in north India where colorful sarees are more the norm at festive occasions/parties, I never got around to wearing this.

But on a recent holiday to the south (India), I wore this on a morning visit to the temple.

Do I look like a vision in white???

Kerala Sarees are called so because they are the traditional sarees made exclusively in the state of Kerala and are worn during all festive/religious/social occasions here.

Their back ground is always white with gold border, however, the borders themselves come in a lot of styles and widths.

For more info on Kerala sarees, click here

A Day in the life of....me!! : Tag

2012-01-27T02:26:00.000-08:00

I got tagged by AmitL, one of my most regular reader and blogger friend to do a post narrating how 1 regular day in my life is like.

Since, I have the discretion to pick any day, I have chosen a regular weekday (between Monday to Friday).

5:30 a.m. Wake up to the Musical Gurbani Alarm

Freshen up and get on with my Yoga session lasting 40 minutes.

6:55 a.m. Decide and sort out my work wear for the day, pack my lunch (and husband’s too) and then go for a bath

7:20 a.m. Have breakfast and then move out for office.

7.20 a.m to 8.2.5. a.m. Commute to office by metro/car depending on mood & weather. If by metro, then this is also a time I read novels in the train or listen to my fav tracks.

8:30 a.m. Im in office (yeah, my office opens that early!!)

8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. office work, in between tea breaks & fruit breaks (I majorly snack on fruits and keep having them while at desk!!)

1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch Break. This is the time I check my personal mails, have my lunch, write down some articles if am in mood, read a novel. And no, I don’t gossip with co-workers, coz I really don’t relate to anyone on a personal level at present in my office. But when nivi of the blog being a mom, was working with me, we used to really have a fun time chatting during our lunch break (oh!! Those were such fun days at office!!)

2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Back to office work, tea breaks (and oh!! its only green tea for me).

5:30 p.m. Office is done. Usually I manage to finish off the day’s work on time (which is thanks to my team and especially my line manager), so it’s time to head back home.

5:30 p.m to 6:2.5. p.m. Commute to back home by metro. Again, I read novels in the train or listen to my fav tracks.

6: 50 p.m. Im back home and after freshening up. It’s time for my jog!! This is the best part of the day for me as I love to jog/walk. So, I am off to my jog in the nearby park which usually lasts one hour.

8 p.m. Dinner time plus watching a bit of TV, checking out internet (you know the usual FB, Blog, mails etc etc). I prefer being on net , on the various blogs as I feel as they are more entertaining & informative(be it any area of interest i.e. fashion, food, current happenings, photography, travel, etc )….rather than dumb reality shows. So end the day by going around my favourite blogs and blogger friends.

9:30 or 10: p.m. Am off to sleep!!!!!

Very boring na!!!.....Well,..thats my life in general..and I love it….but there are days when I don’t feel like jogging/exercising or there are some nice cultural happenings in my city we attend or we decide to hang out at our fav places!!..

So, that’s all about a Day in my Life!!!!!!!...I would like to know how's your day like??? (anyone who's interested to share are welcome to tag this to your good selves!!)

the look which got me most compliments!!...Today's Look [#22]

2012-01-12T07:21:00.000-08:00

sometimes, one get most compliments when least expected. It makes for a most pleasant experience!!

Like this outfit:

It was a last minute buy while going for my brother's birthday bash, I mean really last minute!!..I was on my way to the party (in another outfit) with two of our common friends and both of them had to buy a jacket, and picked up this dress from the rack on their recommendation...and decided to change into this for the party.

Dress: Globus

Watch: Titan

Bag: Benetton

Sandals(not visible in the pic): Tresmode

we had an absolute blast at the party and I happily forgot about this outfit(or look) and posted the above pic on my Facebook profile dp about a year afterwards(for the lack of any other recent pic at the time)...and to my pleasant surprise, this got the maximum number of likes and compliments!!

About the party, it was one of the best bashes we had ever!!.....like minded fun loving people dancing the night away..and we did pose for a group pic too...but we were too sloshed to remember till much much later!!

My lovely new Wayfarers!!

2012-01-07T09:17:00.000-08:00

Shades are my favourite accessories and among all the shapes available, I simply love Wayfarers!!

Recently, I chanced upon turquoise shell wayfarers pair and lusted to have one. However, since I have already spent a bomb on the previous pairs (If anyone cares, I already got 4 pairs of shades, not much…but as per the husband not less too!!), I searched for cheaper options online and came upon this unique online shop gkboptical.com selling a wide range of sunglasses and other optical stuff.

After browsing the site, I ordered a turquoise shell wayfarer Sundrive model M-001

photograph courtesy:gkbopticals.com

What I really loved about this online store is that apart from the wide variety of products available, it also has a lot of customer friendly features such as virtual try on (wherein one can upload an image of self and try on the pair of glasses/shades) and positional zoom of the products. There are also a number of discounts and offers on the site (such as buy 1 get 1 free) which makes buying shades/glasses from this site a value for money.

When the pairs arrived, they totally matched the image and size as shown on the website, I really like that!!

As a online shopper, my biggest fear is that the size and look of any product I order varies from what I see on the site with what I finally get.

Also, they deliver within 7 days, which is fast considering most of the India online stores promise to deliver within 15 days.

I really liked this site and might buy a lot from here in the future!! And if you are a shades person like me, I would definitely recommend that you check out this website!!!

Note: The views offered here are my own, and totally 100% based on personal experience.

my daily essentials: winter edition!!

2012-01-04T00:41:00.000-08:00

Some time back(well, the summer of 2010), I did a post on my daily essentials body care (click here to read), which was received with lot of enthusiastic feedback(mostly surprise by the male fraternity and varied reactions from the ladies!!).

Since, its the winters now and our bodies need a totally different kind of pampering in this season, I thought to do a follow up on my daily essentials list in the winters!!....hope you guys enjoy and find my list useful too!!

To start with, my skin type & hair type is normal to dry, which means in winters it gets on the drier side...so all the products I use in the winter season have to be heavy on nourishment.

1. Teeth - Start my day with Glister toothpaste from Amway, it's a very good toothpaste providing all round care against plaques, bad breath and also whitens teeth removing stains. I'm very happy with it. I use it with colgate toothbrush (colgate's always reliable in case of toothbrushes!!)

2. Body Wash/Shower creme - Ever since I bought home a Loccitance body wash last summer, I have fallen in love with this brand as far as body washes/cremes go. They are ultimately luxurious and provide for a refreshing bathing experience!!

currently, for the winters I'm using : Shea butter body creme(very very creamy and leaves my skin totally supple) & 4 Roses shower gel(lathers up luxuriously!!)

3. Face cleansing - I am using The Body Shop's vitamin E cleanser and toner for some time now and find them very good for normal to dry skin in all seasons, especially winters.

I totally avoid using face wash in winters, but when I do, it's always these face washes from vichy. I have been using vichy face washes(and face creams) for many years now and can really vouch for their goodness.

4. Body lotion/butter/cremes - I prefer to use either cocoa butter or shea butter based body lotions/butters in winters. So currently using cocoa body lotions from The Body Shop, its quite creamy and good!!

I also tried the body shop's new body butter duo range in grape flavor, I liked it overall but my only grouse is that the thicker variation lasts more as its used only in some areas...so in the end , the normal butter finishes up and we have to use the thicker butter for all over just to finish the thing up..wish they put more of normal butter portion and less of thicker butter portion , rather than 50-50 in the container.

5. Face cream - the chilly and dry winters of my city require heavy moisturizer on the face, so I'm using Garnier cold cream and The Body Shop's Shiso Night Cream(as I have uneven skin tone which also crops up in the winters)

6. Hair Care - My hair, like my skin needs lots of nourishment in all seasons, especially winters as its normal to dry. Recently, I got a gift hamper from Dove of their latest 'nourishing oil care' range. I have been using it and find it totally satisfactory, the shampoo, conditioner, hair mask and serum are all very good and leave my hair soft and silky...I might continue with this.

Before this, I was using the body shop's shine shampoo, which left my hair shiny but a bit dry(so was looking for change anyways!!) and Loreal's total repair 5 conditioner, which I was very satisfied with.

I also use Almond oil (mixed with 1 tsp mustard oil & 1tsp olive oil) once a week and do a hot oil head massage.

7. Face scrubs & Masks - Have been using Biotique's walnut face scrub and Oriflame's mild papaya face scrub for many years now. totally satisfied!! even in winters they make my skin soft and supple!!

I am using The Body shop's warming mineral mask, it warms up on application, increases blood circulation and leaves the face warm and nourished.

8. Body Scrub - I'm totally in love with Loccitane's Olive body scrub, it works perfect for me in all weather conditions and leaves my skin soft!!

I also use hand scrub by oriflame sometimes, it's satisfactory.

9. Foot Care - Winters are notorious for turning our feet into hardened lumps at the toes and heels!! More so for working women who have to travel for work each day!!

Oriflame's feet up range foot cream and foot scrub are too good and I ave been using them for many years now.

In addition to pedicure and manicure at the salon, I go in for a home pedicure by mixing Oriflame's relaxing lavender foot oil and Avon's foot soak in warm tub of water and filing with scholl foot file(its very good and cut above other brands)

10. jars of comfort!! - I call them jars of comfort, coz in addition to all of the above, these jellys/ gels/lotions can be carried everywhere and applied anytime in any specific problem area. providing instant relief.

I dote on my Oriflame tender care pots, they are a jelly made of honey wax and can easily fit in a clutch too..carry them everywhere and use on any area I feel needs a little nourishment!!

I also love Vaseline, its comfort and convenience!!

Also love this hand cream from The Body shop, its spiced vanilla flavor and comes in a small handy pack ,so can be carried in the handbag.

SO, what's on your essentials list this winter???

Looking ahead and taking stock....

2012-01-01T08:16:00.000-08:00

If I could describe in one word the last 365 days gone by, it's 'Turbulent'.

But here's looking forward to the next 365 with positivity, happiness and lots of love....

Wish all the lovely fellow bloggers the same!!

Dressing up for an unofficial office party~~ ...Today's Look[#21]

2011-12-25T09:12:00.000-08:00

Okay's this is not what I wore today..but since it's that party time of the year, so putting up outfit of the 1st party I attended this season.

I kickstarted the party season with an office party of my husband's , which for me was totally unofficial!!(hence the post title!!)....

Top: Globus

Jeggings: Pepe Jeans

Brown Pumps: Balujas

Clutch: Hidesign

Bracelet: Accessorize

Watch: Espirit

Took the above two shots while coming back from the party, mainly to catch a night glimpse of my neighborhood, which I am totally in love with!!!

In the night with the street lights on, the wide road leading to our block with hardly any people around, it's totally cool to walk about!!...and to take outfit pics!!!

Two Fates, The story of my Divorce: Book Review

2011-12-22T08:13:00.000-08:00

Once again, I was offered the opportunity to review a book by the fabulous blogadda team. So here’s my review of ‘Two Fates – The Story of my Divorce’ by Judy Balan

Review

The story takes off from where Chetan Bhagat’s ‘Two States – The story of my marriage’ ends. As Mr. C.B. is really not my favourite author, I was a bit apprehensive to start off the novel when I read the author acknowledge CB’s Two States novel as the starting point of her story….but anyways, the prologue starts off at a shrink’s office where a guy wants divorce and then the shrink starts telling him a story; a story about her own divorce.

The story then starts with the couple in middle of bickering quarrels in different situations (at a family wedding, in the car etc.), which leads them to the ultimate solution, which is divorce. However, it seems from their respective families that getting a divorce seems harder than getting married for them (which is an inter-caste Punjabi –tamil marriage, just like the one in CB’s novel)….as their families by now are completely in love with each other. This is depicted by various situations, some of which seem a bit over the top for me (totally melodramatic!!). Not only that, the families now wants them to make babies!! (which I found to be a perfectly normal and acceptable situation as every DINK couple in today’s times is pressured by their families to do just that!!) The story then follows a lots of twists and turns (which involve a forced honeymoon planned by families, a second love affair & impending marriage between the families, lots of obnoxious relatives’ and visits to gynaecologist), all the while couple are planning their divorce, which they manage to get clandestinely without any one of the families knowing. Now, while I found some of the twists and turns interesting, the dialogues between various characters’ and some characters themselves seemed to be a bit too clichéd for my liking. However, just when they get divorced, they realise two very important things, they are mainly unhappy coz of their professional choices and non-communication with each other. And the fact, that they really are only compatible with each other and no one else. This realisation seems to change both of them instantly and then they begin to work on their relationship (not marriage mind you!!) and decide to get married to each other again. In my opinion, the author scores the biggest point in bringing out beautifully what ails all young couples’ today – the lack of communication in a marriage, which is the biggest spoiler in the relationship. Also, the author subtly brings out through the inner thoughts of the protagonists’ (and their conversations) the fact that a relationship truly starts after marriage (whether arranged or love!!), when the rose colored glasses come off and one spends 24/7 with the other person. In the end, everything ends seemingly happily ever after, with both of the protagonists’ quitting their jobs and successfully pursuing their true calling, getting married for the second time, lots of kids born into the family, the much awaited second wedding between the families and the guy at shrink’s (who’s is actually the woman protagonist) office affirming need for a divorce as far as he is concerned.

My final take on the novel – If you love Mr. Chetan Bhagat, you’ll love this one too!!

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

Wearing Phulkari @ Sikh Wedding...Today's Look [#20]

2011-12-16T03:11:00.000-08:00

It's the wedding season here in India and for the first time, I was invited to a punjabi sikh wedding. So, keeping with the mood of punjabi heritage, I chose a simple white tunic with pretty red roses mitifed all over with red gathered pants(churidar)..but the Pièce de résistance of the outfit is the colorful phulkari dupatta (or wrap) which has the overwhelming presence!!!

Kurti/Tunic: FabIndia

Churidar: FabIndia

Phulkari Dupatta: 1469

Gold Tone Sandals: Khadim's

Watch: Citizen

Double Pearl Necklace: Wedding Gift

Bag: FabIndia

Earrings:Don't remember!!

shades: Miami blues

Please excuse me for not so good quality pics as we were inside a Sikh religious temple(gurdwara) and we couldn't not be too bothered with poses and angles in the sunlight!!

I kept my accessories minimal with a double pearl necklace, a classic watch and simple drop earrings. The shades in the pic were incidental as we were clicking in the sunlight!!

Phulkari is a traditional embroidery technique of Punjab region and literally means floral working. sometime ago, my dear friend and fellow blogger 'nivi' (blog - New Beginnings) wrote a beautiful post about Phulkari heritage in Punjabi culture, please do go over her post to read more on this beautiful embroidery and how to fashion it in today's times!!(click here)

Photograph courtesy: anupama of the blog ' volatile spirits'

btw, how do you guys like my new blog look!!

When am @ (site)work...Today' Look #19

2011-12-12T00:04:00.000-08:00

When I post travel pics of my work trips (click here, here and here)...A lot of fellow bloggers' expressed awe and envy on the fact that I get to travel so much due to work and wished that they had my job!!

Well, I would like to tell them , don't wish for my job.....coz most of the times, when on site work, Im dressed like this:

And going about construction sites like these(for those who are not able to make out what the below pic is...its all hydro power tunnel in construction!!)

My point of this post, there's no dream job in the world, certainly not mine!!!

Mug-o-mania!! : the object of my affections [part deux]

2011-12-03T09:46:00.000-08:00

Some while ago, i wrote how I am madly deeply in love with shoes(click here to read).

Now, if there is thing that rivals(or equals) that love, it's got to be Mugs.

I love mugs, it's one piece of crockery I am deeply , madly in love....I prefer to use them instead of cups, glasses or even bow....ls ..my love for mugs has reached gargantuan proportionsso much so that the husband calls me the 'mug-o-maniac' (hence also the name of this post!!).

Here are some (yes some!!) of my lovely mugs :

1. Marilyn Monroe Mug - This was love at first sight!! When I saw it a gift shop, I just could not help falling in love and picking this up...it was my office workstation mug for a long time...now it's used at home.

2. Che Guvera Mug - I went back to that guft shop some days later to find this one...a perfect pairing mug for the husband, I thought and picked it.(on the aside though, just think of Marilyn Monroe and Che Guvera being a couple!!!!)

3. The Boss Mug - Sadly, my maid broke it while washing..but memories remain!! Loved this mug too much and used it in office for a long time.....with obvious amused glances from co-workers!!

4. Twin Color Mug(Dilli Haat) - Love the twin color of this mug, it's actually a set of 6 mugs

5. Kargil War Victory Mug - A patriotic mug, picked it on a army fair to commemorate the Kargil War Victory.

6.Glass Mug - This was a gift and I dont like it much...but featured here coz it's the husband's favorite(of all mugs!!!). He prefers having his tea in this one of all the cool mugs we got!!!

7. The Wife Mug - The husband gifted this to me after a domestic tiff..he thought it best way to appease me ( knowing my love for mugs!) But i really appreciate his picking out this one.

It's got some real good meaningful lines written on the inside.

8. Say Cheese Mug - I love this cheesy ' Say Cheese' Mug. it's quite big in size, holds much more liquid than even a standard size glass..and therefore perfect for my energy drinks.

9. Earthy Mug - Loved this earthy mug on display at a Sri Lankan stall in Dilli Haat. Love the rugged texture of this mug.

10. Gurmukhi Chai Mug - This is a beauty, the pic doesn't do justice to it!! The wording you see on the front says 'Tea' (or Chai ) in Gurmukhi Script. Bought this from punjabi heritage shop called '1469'.

11. Autowallah Mug - This is my current office use mug, called autowallah Mug..coz it's got a funny depiction of a typical indian autowallah(or what is popularly known as tuk tuk). This Mug is bought from Chumbak, which makes some really quirky stuff. btw, what does my workstation tell you about me(love travelling..yes yes and yes!!)

SO, here's my Mug-o-mania laid out for you guys....while I love all my mugs(one can't have a favorite among babies!!), You can have a favorite and vote for your most loved one.

A perfect winter weekend breakfast: Creamy yummy Scrambled Eggs!!!

2011-11-29T08:37:00.000-08:00

Creamy yummy Scrambled eggs made classic style..with 3 eggs, lots of butter, fresh cream and garnished with chives!! purrrrrfect for a winter weekend morning!!!

Made this at a friend's place after a girls's night out to cure our hangovers..and my friend simply loved it!!

Though I make it often in winters and posted here before also; this time it was special as specially made for a dear friend and for 1st time, got my hands on perfect chives for the garnishing!!!

I learned this recipe from non other than the celebrated chef Gordon Ramsey ..and you can too, just see this video of this here:

If you try, do tell me how yours turned out!!

Plus, read my first hand experience of Delhi Half Marathon here

Benarasi Grandeur in green..Sari Love[#3]

2011-11-26T00:42:00.000-08:00

I love traditional ethnic hand loom saris and feel they have a certain charm and grandeur of their own. Inspite of the profusion of designer saris in the Indian market nowadays, traditional handloom saris have held their own stature.

For family & close friends' weddings/parties , I always prefer to wear traditional ethnic saris, like this wonderful green Benarasi sari with gold work.

I was gifted this Sari as part of my bridal trousseau from my in-laws side and this color was personally chosen by my grand mother in law(my mother in law's mum) who hadn't even seen me (or my photo) when buying this, so I really compliment her for her taste as it suits me so well. At first look , I fell in love with it!!!...the shade of green is just perfect for me, the gold work has a touch of grandeur and on the whole, its totally tradition & elegance defined!!

I wear this sari very less, as its very heavy and also it is much too grand to wear at any occasion, so have worn this only 3 times(this is the third time me wearing it and clicking pics!!) in the 4 years that I have it.

It's definitely part of my family heirloom!!!

To know about Benarasi Saris, click here.

To view my previous Sari looks, click here and here.

Blogger's Gift: yummy vermicelli noodles with festive season leftovers!!

2011-11-19T07:51:00.000-08:00

We all prepare lavish food during our festive season, most so during Diwali and usually buy ingredients in bulk so as not to dash out for anything at last minute....So like every other person, I had a lot of left over ingredients in my kitchen after the festive season(Durga Puja+Diwali).

Though, i used up most of them by and by, vermicelli noodles were staring at me from the freezer every day...i was at loss what to do with them, since I did not want to make kheer( a kind of Indian pudding), which is the most common thing to make with vermicelli here in India, neither I had the time to make anything very fancy!!

Then, a most welcome coincidence happened, aipi of US Masala Blog posted a recipe of vermicelli stir fried noodles..and it was just perfect for me!!!

So, i promptly made it one weekend for breakfast and here it is!!

All the ingredients, except curry leaves were already in my kitchen(which I did not add in the dish) and the noodles turned out tasty.

They were very light in texture, much more crisp than regular noodles, yet had a distinct Indian flavor.

I loved this recipe so much that I made this once more already( after the maiden attempt that is), this time adding the curry leaves.

Thanks a ton Aipi for the yummy recipe!!... it not only saved my vermicelli from going to the bin and also gave me a quick easy dish to make when in dire need of both cooking ideas and time!!

For all of you interested in the recipe, please check out this post of US Masala Blog.

Burst of pink this festive season...Sari Love [#2]

2011-11-11T23:14:00.000-08:00

I started on a series about saris, but then after my first post..hardly came up with any.

So this post is a reiteration of love for saris!!

Festive Seasons are one of best occasions to wear saris and this Diwali , I chose this bright pink Chanderi Sari. I just fell in love with in at first look in a stall while at a handloom fair and decided it was going to be my wear for the diwali evening!!!

The Chanderi Fabric is known for the centuries for its transparency, Buttis and sheer texture.Chanderi weaves today are produced using three raw materials: cotton, silk thread, and zari, or gold thread.

I had a blast on the Diwali evening wearing this Sari, it's super light and comfy!!!

That's be below having fun with sparklers wearing the sari!!

Hope you like my sari as much as I did wearing it!!

To know more about Chanderi Sari & Fabric, go here, here and here

p.s. If the pics are not so good, it's coz we were more focused on having fun than clicking pics!!

Unwinding among deodhars at Dhanaulti!!

2011-11-05T10:39:00.000-07:00

Dhanaulti is a small village located in the hilly state of Uttarakhand( in India), around 20 kms from the more famous(and crowded!!) Mussoorie; it makes for a great weekend getaway with towering deodhar trees and fresh winds to make one forget all the city troubles!!!

This post diwali, we decided to leave all the madness of F1 being held in our city(delhi) and head to the hills. We chose Dhanaulti for its quietness and natural beauty.

We drove from Delhi to Dhanaulti by ourselves , with one day break at Haridwar(where we have a second home) and it was such a lovely drive!! but with a lot of sharp curves, like this hair pin bend in the below image!!

The views at Dhanaulti are lovely and air is fresh , with a characteristic sweet smell of the deodhar trees which are everywhere towering above the place.

We enjoyed walking the nature trail among the mildly steep hills and enjoying the views, sun and slightly chilly breeze. In the evening, it was fun cosying up near the bonfire and enjoying the starry night and icy cool weather!!

We chose to eat out roadside Dhabas( or shacks) and found this one amazing place( totally by coincidence) called ' Rana Tea Stall' which makes amazing tea, coffee, maggi and crisp paranthas (fried breads). We had most of our meals ( including dinner and breakfast ) there!!

The drive down was filled with equally lovely views!!

And we also managed to catch a glimpse of the snow capped himalayas at one point in our drive!!

I would recommend Dhanaulti over the more popular Mussoorie anytime, after all it's not everyday, one rewinds among deodhars!!

P.S. I also wrote a detailed account of my stay at Dhanaulti for The Other Home Blog, click here to read.

Same dhotis in a different way....Today's Look#19

2011-10-21T08:18:00.000-07:00

I got maximum compliments when I wore my dhotis below this way.

And i simply love these dhotis, so wore them with a different top for a family outing on a lazy saturday, which involved lots of festive shopping, buying gifts, eating out , etc etc..you know some fun family time, which we as a family rarely get to do nowadays as all of us; me, my brother and mum keep very busy.

Top: Levis'

Japanese Dhoti Pants: Anokhi

Bag: Etsy(Uzura)

Watch: Titan

Silver Earrings: Thrifted(Dilli Haat)

Wayfarer Shades: Ray Ban

Slippers: North Star

Btw, this top is around 8 years old, can you believe it...out of which, it was lying in back of my closet forgotten for 5 years!!!

A small change and a BIG Shift!!

2011-10-16T09:32:00.000-07:00

View from the terrace of my new home..

Sometime back, I had shared my thoughts on change and how the lack of it sometimes brings negativity(click here to read).

Since then, I am happy to say, a small change has taken place in my life...a change I had been looking forward to, for a long time...We have shifted to a new house in a new location in the city; though calling it new location would not exactly be entirely true as I have lived in this neighbourhood most of my life up until marriage.This small change has brought a big shift in my mental set up...nowadays I am much more calmer, happier and chilled out..and this is noticed by everyone; friends, colleagues, family and most importantly, the person who has to spend the maximum time with me - the husband!!

And on a more emotional note, I feel connected to my Dad here; going to the same shops & markets reminds me of the innumerable times I went alongside him, talking a walk in the park reminds me of the times we used to go for a walk together..there are so many small incidences and memories which i come across in my neighbourhood ......it's as if I'm living my happy memories in real time....and that Dad is so much with me and not gone!!Thanks to all of you who empathised and supported me during the un-changing times!!!

Durga Puja Looks 2011....whaddya Think??!!!

2011-10-09T10:23:00.000-07:00

Generally, Im not a person who asks for opinions, If people compliment me for something ..that's nice, but otherwise I always go by my gut feeling..especially when it comes to dressing.

However, for this festive season of Durga Puja & Dusshera, I put up all my new outfit pics back to back...so thought why not see which one my lovely fellow bloggers love the most!!

So here are the outfits I wore this festive season....whaddya think?? which is your favourite??

To check out what i wore last year festive season, click here

And to see details of each outfit and festivity images, just scroll below...they are in previous posts!!

Durga Puja Day 5....Today's Look#18

2011-10-06T03:05:00.000-07:00

It's Day 5 and the last day of the festivites..tomorrow , we bid adieu to our beloved goddess Durga Maa as she leaves for heavenly abode.

On day 5, I have two outfits to wear(yeah saved the best for the last!!).

In the morning, I had to go to work again..so chose this kurti and Dupatta set for the day..it's very soft mulmul which i picked up some time ago and saved it for wearing in the festive season.

Kurti/Tunic: Soma

Dupatta: Soma

Leggings: Globus

Sandals: Thrifted

Watch: Titan

Bangles: Thrifted

Shades: Miami Blues

Silver Earrings: Thrifted

For the evening, I wore this:

Top: Benetton

Skirt: FabIndia

Bag:FabIndia

Flats: Thrifted

Bangles: Thrifted

Watch: Titan

Ring:Accessorize

Tomorrow is Dusshera, the day we celebrate victory of good over evil and also bid adieu to our beloved goddess Durga....

wishing all the readers Happy Dusshera and Shubho Bijoya!!

Durga Puja Day 4....Today's Look#17

2011-10-05T11:05:00.000-07:00

Its Day 4 and its the most important day of the festivities , this day is also called maha ashtami.

Took the day off from work and slept like a log in the morning(festive season and work certainly do not go together!!)

In the evening, we went out and totally immersed ourselves in the festive spirit!!!..lots of pandal hopping, eating, clicking pics....we went the whole hog!!

Wore this Tunic/Kurti and Patialas combo, which was formal yet very comfortable.

Tunic/Kurti: W

Patialas/Gathered Pants: FabIndia

Bag: Hidesign

Earrings: Anokhi

Bangles: Thrifted

Ring:Accessorize

Sandals: Thrifted

Watch: Titan

A word about the earrings, bought them from Anokhi on a work trip to Jaipur, fell in love with them the moment I spotted them!!

Sharing some festivity images of Day 4:

If you wanna view outfits and festivities of previous days, they are in below posts...so just scroll down below!!

Durga Puja Day 3....Today's Look#16

2011-10-03T23:04:00.000-07:00

It's Day 3 of Durga Puja and it's a monday, which means I have to go to work, inspite of the festive season!!

So, I wore this outfit, a simple yet colorful white and red tunic with patialas (gathered pants patiala style).

If you find my expression strange, it's coz = monday+early morning+festive mood+not in mood to work+have to rush of to work!!

Tunic/Kurti - W

Patiala Churidar(Gathered Pants) - FabIndia

Bangles: Thrifted

Bag: Hidesign

Earrings: From a Rural Fair

Ring:Accessorize

Flats: Bata

Watch: Titan

Shades:Miami Blues

After a real hectic work day, me and the husband hit it out on the roads in the evening, visiting various Durga Puja Pandals, eating out and clicking pics...it was fun!!

Sharing some images of Day 3 festivities:

Durga Puja Day 2.....Today's Look#15

2011-10-03T10:51:00.000-07:00

Day 2 of Durga Puja,called Shashti is the day the Durga Maa idol is worshipped for the first time. It is a very pious moment for all the devotees.

Still channeling the bohemian babe in me and wore this:

Spaghetti Top: fabindia

Harem Pants: Anokhi

Bag: Etsy(Uzura)

Loved the top when i spotted it and bought it without a blink; finding matching harem pants with these was a task though and after many searches found it in anokhi.

A special mention about the earrings, bought these from Pankhuri Singh, who makes some amazing limited edition earrings, you can check out her FB page here

Sharing some images of the festival on Day 2:

My article on my experiences and memories of celebrating Durga Puja in my city was published on a travel blog, click here to read it.

Durga Puja Day 1.....Today's Look#14

2011-10-02T09:25:00.000-07:00

Durga Puja is one of our biggest festivals(click here to know more) and it's a grand 5 day affair. The best part of the festival - we wear new clothes, jwellery and other stuff and show off real good!!!

For this Durga Puja, I was in total bohemian mood so shopped all different pieces and as you will see in back to back outfit posts which will be up every day for next 5 days...Im totally the bohemian chic ( with a bit of tradition thrown in!!)

Day 1 - It's the first day and we usher in divine mother Durga on this day by installing her idol which we will be worshiping for next 5 days.

In the evenings, ladies organize a 'Anandmela', literally meaning Happiness Fair..ladies of the neighborhood prepare different delicacies and sell them at stalls; the neighborhood people have a nice time catching up on conversations and eating out from the various stalls; its basically sets the festive mood for the days to come.

I wore a simple handblock print dress with bow on Day 1.

Dress: Fabindia

Bangle: Globus

Flats: Carlton London

Bag: ASOS(pieces)

Stay tuned, for next 4 days , one outfit(or maybe 2) each day shall be posted showing off my Durga Puja outfits!!

p.s. To check out what I wore last durga Puja , click here

On no nonsense thursdays!!!...Today's Look#13

2011-09-30T10:13:00.000-07:00

Thursdays are most hectic for me work wise...I usually have lots of writing stuff to do and spend most of the day at my desk. So, I don't bother to wear anything fancy and stick to basics.

Yesterday was one of my most hectic Thursday of the month, so wore this very no nonsense outfit - Basic white shirt, solid color pants, ballerina flats and very basic accessories.

Shirt: Globus

Pencil Trousers: Benetton

Ballerina Flats: Lee Cooper

Watch: Titan

Earring: Thrifted??

Hows your thursdays' like?? hectic or easy?

A big thank you to the husband who took the time out to click this shot before rushing out to his work...his thursdays are crazier than mine as those are his OT (operation theater) days..(for those who don't know already, he's a surgeon)

Adrift - A junket Junkie in Europe: A Book Review

2011-09-29T07:52:00.000-07:00

This is my third book review and this time too, it’s courtesy BlogAdda. It’s so nice of them to offer me books for review again and again. A Big Thank You note to BlogAdda team!!!

On opening the book, I found a short note by the BlogAdda Team and personal autograph by the author herself. Totally sweet!!

Review:

“Adrift – A Junket Junkie in Europe” by Puneetinder Kaur Sidhu is a delightful travel account through Europe narrated as a first person description by the author. The book is divided into 10 chapters and spreads precisely over 106 pages.

The travel story is based on the desire for wanderlust on a shoestring budget(including free air tickets) and large heartedness of family members/friends living all across Europe (a clever combination in my opinion!!). The narrative starts with the author contemplating travel to Europe and then takes us through the entire journey starting from London. Through the narrative, we are able to see the journey through the author’s perspective, as it unfolds and along with her, we also go through various emotions as she travels from country to country(rather from cities to villages to cities to old towns and so on!!). The narration is fluid yet concise, at the same time providing useful information on budget travel in Europe. The author writes about many off the beaten track destinations (small villages, old towns, ride through beautiful country side, etc) which are note worthy and can be noted down for future reference by any traveler to explore while in Europe.

The only objection I have is that the photographs provided in the middle of the book (on 3 pages, with 3 images per page) should have been spread across respective individual chapters, which would have given an easier pictorial reference to the narrative. Nevertheless, I found the photographs quite nice

and eye catching!!

This is a handy book for all those looking for tips to travel across Europe on budget. So, I would suggest all you guys (and gals) bitten by the travel bug to grab a copy…you will find this book totally engrossing and worth the money spent!!

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

~~A heritage walk in my favorite garden~

2011-09-24T11:51:00.000-07:00

I love Lodhi Garden, if there is something called Love!!

Those readers who have been coming here for a long time have read my love posts on this Garden from time to time(click here, here, here and here to read my previous posts on Lodhi Garden).

I go there on a regular basis for walk/jog and do my yoga..and it sure beats doing the same things in the gym!!

Recently, I took part in Heritage Walk to know more about the historical significance of the various archaeological structures located all over the Garden and landscaped beautifully by renowned architect J.A. Stein.

Really enjoyed the whole experience and looking at one of my favorite place in a new perspective.

Sharing some images of the Heritage Walk here:

In the below pic, the lady in purple top is our walk guide, a pretty girl doing her Ph.D in history and she conducts walks as a hobby.

I also wrote a post about my Lodhi Garden Heritage Walk for a travel blog, you can read and see more pics of it here.

chillin out at Rishikesh!!

2011-09-17T03:47:00.000-07:00

Rishikesh is known as the spiritual retreat and yoga capital of the world. People come here from world over to find peace.

For me, Rishikesh & Haridwar are my second home post marriage, as we have a second home in Haridwar(which is only 1 hour drive from Rishikesh) and whenever we come down here, a visit to Rishikesh is inevitable(click here to read my last article on the same)!!

There are umpteen things to do while in Rishikesh; river rafting, yoga & meditation camps, Spa & traditional massages, bungee jumping.....but the best thing me and the husband find doing while here is to just sit back at the German Cafe adjacent to Laxman Jhula and watch the world & life go by.....

We went to Rishikesh for a day trip, while on a visit to our home in Haridwar last monthand it was lovely time spent at the Laxman Jhula again; me and the husband vowed to make it our regular thing to do from now on (i.e.whenever we visit our second home)!!

Some images of our last chilling out session at Rishikesh:

That's me enjoying my leisure time out..

So, if you have been to Rishikesh.....what's your favorite thing to do there??

P.S. If you are planning to do the golden triangle tour in India, check out my article on the same published on The Other Home Blog(click here to read).

Prelude to an outfit.....Today's Look#12

2011-09-11T10:39:00.000-07:00

On a late night coffee date with the husband@our neighborhood CCD coffee shop.

I bought this top on SALE shopping; when I saw this top on rack at benetton, I immediately visualised it in a outfit with white jeans & wedges....but since we are having heavy rains since last 2 months, I did not get the chance to try out the outfit( a wee bit too scared to get permanent stains on my pristine white jeans is the main reason).......

But last night , I so much wanted to wear the top and it was perfect for the pleasant breezy weather....so wore it with a royal blue pair of jeans, it does not look real cool with the jeans(u got to take my word for it!!!) but it felt super comfy.......so I thought to just post a maiden show of my fab top from benetton and a prelude to an actual outfit that will be coming soon( I hope!!!!)

Feelin Earthy!!....Today's Look#11

2011-09-08T09:13:00.000-07:00

There are some outfits which make me feel earthy...like this kurti(tunic) and churidar(gathered pants) set.

Whenever i wear this, i feel close to the elements, very earthy and close to nature, i dunno why but i do(sounds crazy??!!!!).....

Wore this on a work day with some earth toned & gold accessories..and my new bag from Hidesign(a gift from husband).

Kurti/Tunic: Fabindia

Churidar/Gathered Pants: Fabindia

Bag: Hidesign
Shades: Miami Blues
Watch: Titan

Earrings: Amrapali

Bangles: Fabindi

Flats: Bata

A detail look at my accessories, love these earrings from Amrapali, infact I love everything in Amrapali whenever I visit it..and if I could afford ..I would but almost the whole store in one go!!!!

A closer look at the bag, its vegetable dye tanned and super soft...love it!!!!

Road Trippin in the Himalayas!!!

2011-09-03T11:27:00.000-07:00

Road Trip in the monsoons in the hills, that too in the Himalayas is not a clever thing to do..anyone call tell.....

On the other hand, it's a unique experience!!!!!....And I simply loved it when i when I went one in the last month!!

It so happened, that in the middle of monsoons this August, I got the chance to visit a remote place called Sorang in Kinnaur district in Himachal Pradesh(also called as 'Dev bhumi' or land of gods!!) on a work trip at a Hydro Power Project.

And the place being really remotely located, we spent more time on the road via rain, clouds, fog and some pleasant sunshine among lovely green mountains on our project site (culminating in a lovely misty evening spent in Shimla)!!!

I share some images of the trip with you guys here

In case you are not much of a mountain person, check out my article series on Andaman & Nicobar published on 'The Other Home' blog.

While out SALE Shopping...Today's Look #10

2011-08-09T06:36:00.000-07:00

Dressed up for a day of heavy duty SALE shopping!!

SALE shopping is fun and it's also very tiring; getting in and out of different pieces of clothing, shoes and accessories...so I dressed totally non fussy, in pieces which were easy to take off and put on during trials, such as the button down check shirt, jeggings (easy to try on skirts & dresses over it, no need to take it off!!) flats and cross body bag(easy to carry around!!).

Coincidentally, the cross body bag has been bought on SALE!!

Checked shirt: Denizen by Levi's

Jeggings: Pepe Jeans

Cross Body Bag: ASOS

PVC Flats: Bata

Watch: Titan

Spectacles: TIMEX Eyewear

I think it's one of the few times, I got myself clicked wearing specs, thoug I love wearing them in real life....don't I look swell in my specs!!...I think so I definitely do!!!!!

I have also worn the shirt like this and this previously.

Chanakya's Chant: A Book Review

2011-08-07T09:08:00.000-07:00

It was so nice of Blogadda to offer me another book to review (click here to read my previous book review).

This time, the book is "Chanakya's Chant" by Ashwin Sanghvi

Plot: The year is 340 BC. A hunted, haunted Brahmin youth vows revenge for the gruesome murder of his beloved father.

Cold, calculating, cruel and armed with a complete absence of accepted morals, he becomes the most powerful ruthless political strategist in Bharat and succeeds in uniting a ragged country against the invasion of the army of that demigod, Alexnder the Great.

Pitting the weak edges of both forces against each other, he pulls off a wicked and astonishing victory and succeeds in installing chandragupta on the throne of the mighty Mauryan empire.

History knows him as the brilliant strategist Chanakya.

Satisfied - and a little bored - by his success as a kingmaker through the simply summoning of his gifted mind, he recedes into the shadows to write his Arthashastra, the 'science of wealth'.

But history, which exults in repeating itself, revives Chanakya two and half milliennia later, in the avatar of Gangasagar Mishra, a Brahmin teacher in smalltown India who becomes puppeteer to a host of ambitious individuals - including a certain slumchild who grows into a beautiful and powerful woman.

Modern India happens to be just as riven as ancient Bharat by class hatred, corruption and divisive politics - and this landscape is Gangasagar's feasting ground. Can this wily pandit - who preys on greed, venality and sexual deviance - bring about another miracle of untied India?

Will Chanakya's chant work again?

A very well researched book, it draws parallels between today's modern India and ancient Bharat. Through the plot of the story, the author portrays that the human emotions have not changed through the ages and the good and bad will always be intertwined with each other.

If there is good, there will always be evil.
The author weaves the tale by alternating between the ancient Bharat's Chankya progress to unite India and modern India's Gangasagar's attempts to acquire political power through various people...both of them use humans and human emotions for their gain, as none of them have wealth or power to start with..but they have a very important tool, a brilliant and ruthless mind.
Personally, some of the dialogues and conversations narrated in the story seem a bit repetitive to me sometimes, but that's my personal view(and im entitled to it!!!), nevertheless the narration has a good flow in spite of alternating between the two ages chapter wise.

I took this book with me while travelling last week on work and it provided me an engaging read during the long hours of train & car journeys that I had to undertake!!!

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com

Dats the way I wear my dhotis!!..Today Look #9

2011-08-01T08:49:00.000-07:00

Wearing Japanese Style Dhoti Pants with simple top on a weekend get together with an old college friend.

I am quite a fussy dresser when it comes to fits and silhouettes. Case in point is dhoti pants...I have been looking for the right kinda dhoti pants for around 2 years now...but none came even close to my liking and I had really looked everywhere -FabIndia, Soma, The People Tree, Anokhi, Thrift shops...the list has been endless...

But finally, I found these beauties when i least expected them...at Anokhi on a shopping haunt to buy harem pants!!!

Top: Anokhi

Japanese Dhoti Pants: Anokhi

Bag: Etsy(Uzura)

PVC Flats: Bata

Watch: Titan

Bangles: Thrifted

Earrings: Etsy(Blonde Chic)
Shades: Rayban wayfarers

I am completely in love with these super comfy yet stylish dhoti pants!!!

And it was fun get together with my college friend reminiscing old times. Btw, If I look a bit run down in the pics, that's coz it's been terribly humid lately...with cloudy skies but no rains and on the particular day these pics were taken weekend, it was totally muggy weather!!!

Anyways, that's the way i wear my dhotis and im lovin it!!!!

P.S. I got another wonderful oppurtunity to write for The Other Home Blog, this time on monsoon travel in Rajasthan, check out the series here.

rediscovering my city on a heritage walk

2011-07-27T08:36:00.000-07:00

I have lived in Delhi all my life, though many times I have been close to changing cities(due to studies, job and marriage)...destiny probably wills that I live in this city and I have grown to love it!!!

I have my own favorite spots in the city to hang out, many places which i have been chronicling in this blog through "My favourite Places in Delhi" series. (click here and here to read)

And then there are places, which I keep rediscovering, which have very vague memories for me, having visited during childhood, which I nevertheless like...

One such place is Hauz Khas, which is a fine example of delhi's rich heritage. The Hauz Khas Complex houses a water tank, an Islamic seminary, a mosque, a tomb and pavilions built around an urbanized village with medieval history traced to the 13th century of Delhi Sultanate reign. I have been there only once before, in my childhood, I guess when I was 11 or 12 years old on a picnic organized by our school and though I have passed by it many times, never got around to visit it since!!!

One lovely cloudy sunday evening, I decided to join a group of walkers on a heritage walk through Hauz Khas. It was a lovely time spent amongst an eclectic bunch of people experiencing the beautiful hauz khas and listening to its interesting history from the walk guide, who was also a PG history student.

I am sharing some pics of the lovely place and evening with you here.

I also wrote an article on my heritage Walk in Hauz Khas on The Other Home's Travel Blog(click here to read)

mint chutney and the perils of cooking!!!

2011-07-16T12:40:00.000-07:00

Mint is Mother Nature’s way of refreshing us in the summers!! It can be used in a variety of ways such as drinks, sorbets and chutneys. Personally, I love Mint in the form of chutney. My cook makes a tangy version of the chutney with raw mango and also taught me how to make it if she’s not around!!!

The recipe is pretty easy and most of the ingredients are very commonly available in the summer season.

Here's the Recipe for Mint Chutney

Ingredients

Mint - Around ½ Kgs., washed and leaves separated

One Medium/Small Tomato cut in quarters

One Medium/Large Raw Mango (If raw mango is not available, add 1 teaspoon raw mango powder .i.e. Aamchoor) peeled and cut in large pieces

Garlic - 2 large cloves peeled

One Medium/Large Onion peeled and cut in quarters

Two Green Chilies

Salt to taste

Preparation

Put all the ingredients together in the blender and give it a good run (around 30 seconds). Add around half a cup of water and give it another run (another 30 seconds). Check the consistency and add water as per your liking. Personally I like my chutney to be neither too thick nor too runny.

And now coming to the perils of cooking!!....I was a lazy cook, rather used to shirk from cooking, having avoided successfully before and after marriage. I just did not have the patience or skills for it, so it seemed to me as I always ended up with a dish which was always either way too spicy, overcooked, undercooked or sometimes plain burnt!!!! For me, a decent cook was god’s gift to me after marriage and I loved all that she prepared (and so did the husband after sampling my not so tasty food!!). We praised her like anything for the dishes she made and were very happy with food that we ate.

Then, the cooking bug bit me!!.....Somehow, it occurred to me one fine day that the brains which got me an engineering degree are good enough to teach me cooking too and there’s no reason that I should not give one serious try before giving up totally!!

So I started earnestly, having chanced upon two very good food blogs and a dozen recipes over the net. I followed the bloggers’ recipe to the T and my dishes started turning well!! Encouraged by the success, I now totally immersed myself in cooking, searching on the net, reading books on it and experimenting. Which was all good as I tasted(literally!!) greater success by the day.

But……the peril of cooking was the fastidious nature I developed as per tastes were concerned, now lot of good restaurants did not taste so good after all, the dishes they prepared were not on par with the same one I prepared at home (and it was not just me, the husband too commented that I cooked better Pasta than so and so Eatery!!). And our cook, poor thing!! She suddenly started receiving criticism from both of us about every particular dish not up to our standards!!!....

So, the peril of cooking for me (and the husband) is that we have raised our expectations for ourselves way too much and now we have become very fussy on our food!!!!......

Now, What I would like to know - Is it a peril for all serious foodies who cook themselves???

cottons on a hot summer weekend drive...Today' Look#8

2011-07-07T08:53:00.000-07:00

Officially, it's monsoons in my city..but in real, it's still very hot & humid...partial rains mean a sticky weather in which no outfit feels comfortable except cottons!!!

And that's exactly what I wore when we(me and the husband) drove out of city on a weekend visit to my in-laws to Haridwar.

Top: Anokhi

Skirt: FabIndia

Flats: Khadim's

Shades: Aviators(Ray Ban)

Bag: Oriflame

It was comfort over everything else which made me choose a simple cotton top and skirt; it was the right decision and I had a comfortable ride with my outfit all the way!!

P.S. My best gal pal nirveen wrote a very interesting post on the phulkari embroidery and featured me in it(so nice of her!!), click here to read. She's a newbie blogger and needs all your support!!

cHaNgE!!!

2011-07-04T08:21:00.000-07:00

above image of a day i wouldn't like to change a bit!!

“Change is the only thing constant in Life” ....is very well known phrase.

Sometimes, change occurs when we least expect it and sometimes change happens when we anticipate it. But what if we desperately want to change to happen and it does not!! When life keeps on moving at the steady pace for a ling time and we want certain big changes in our life to occur (like a career switch, house shift, relationship status) and does not…..When life is too steady for our comfort. Despite the fact that we are trying our best to make the change, life continues to move with the same stability and evenness.

Personally for me, it is very frustrating!!..... Sometimes, I almost seem to lose my mind as to why my attempts at change are not yielding the desired results.

I am a person who loves change and variety, be it the small everyday changes or big changes. Therefore, for me, it’s more so frustrating when changes do not occur when I really want them to….

Anyways, I guess the way forward is to look at the brighter things in life and be positive, though sometimes it’s very hard to!!!

Love on the Rocks: A book Review

2011-07-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

First things first, I was super excited to be offered to do a book review by Blogadda (the largest online community of bloggers) as I am a voracious reader and literally gobble up all kinds of good literature!!!

The book is Love on the Rocks by Ismita Tandon Dhanker , published by Penguin as part of their 'metro reads' Novel series.

It was an excited me who received the courier sent by the blogadda team and tore it open to promptly start reading!!!

Opening the book, I found a sweet note from the blogadda team and the first page personally signed by the authorn with the lovely quote - "The heart knows love across space and time"

Before i go on to review the book, let me make it clear that I am no expert of English literature, this review is just my personal opinion after reading the book!!

The Review starts!!!!

Plot: Newly Wed Sancha is excited about sailing with her husband, an officer in the merchant navy, on board the Sea Hyena. But Chief Officer Aaron Andrews is keeping a secret from his wife - a month before she arrived, the chief cook was found dead in the meat locker, his death ruled an accident. First Engineer Harsh Castillo is enamoured of his best friend’s Aaron’s bride, but that’s the lleast of his problems. The demons he’s battling have a stronger pull on him.

When money is stolen from the captain’s safe, the inquisitive Sancha makes a game of finding the thief. What she finds, instead, is a murder. With the evidence implicating her husband, Sancha is at a cross roads – should she tell Raghav Shridhar, the investigating officer, about the money or should she give her secretive husband benefit of the doubt?

The story starts with a prologue, relating the childhood of the main protagonist Aaron Andrews giving an indication of a dark childhood which may lead to a suspicious and scarred personality. The story is carried forward through narration by different characters of the story, Sancha the wife, First Engineer Harsh Castillo, Raghav Shridhar the investigating officer, Aaron himself and some other key characters. It makes the story interesting and also very intriguing to read as the reader gets to see perspectives of each character. The twists and turns of the story come at a gradual pace and the whodunit at the end is a surprise, though its also a bit confusing when its being narrated. However, there is happily ever after, though not the sugary fairytale one but a very believable one.

My conclusion: Its a good novel to curl up on a lazy weekend and get drowned in. The language used by the author is easy and the flow of the story is fluid to keep one engrossed till the end!!!

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com

When it's instant inspiration!!..Today's Look #7

2011-06-17T09:41:00.000-07:00

It was instant inspiration for me when I saw this look of Lara Dutta's on May Issue of Grazia India.

(Photocourtesy: highheelconfidential.com)

So, one fine day window shopping I found a shirt similar to the one above and lapped it up!!
And one Friday morning when there was sudden burst of rain and the weather turned pleasant, I decided to dress like this!!

Shirt: Denizen by Levi's

White Jeans: Levi's

Shades: Wayfarers, Rayban

Ballerina Flats: Bata

Watch: Titan

Belt: Thrifted

Okay, so I could not have possibly tied up the shirt at midriff as I was going to office and I ditched the heels for comfy flats, but I liked the look on myself nonethless!!

And incidently, It was also the first time I wore my new Wayfarers from RayBan bought very recently(actually gift from the husband).

If anyone's interested in knowing, these are current shades I got.

Soaping up this summer!!

2011-06-10T08:46:00.000-07:00

Last Year, i wrote about rediscovering my love for soaps finding joy in the fabulous soaps of Future Primitive(Click here to read).

I found soaps and scrubs by Future Primitive luxurious and totally divine for my skin and have ordered lots of stuff from them since. This summer i wanted to explore some more and found this cute little shop on Etsy called Tallulah;s soaps, ordered two very summer soaps from it - French Lavender and Blueberry.

They arrived in a very sturdy box couple of weeks back and that's how they looked on arrival!!

I totally fell in love with their cute packaging and the lovely looks of the soaps themselves. And , also impressed by the fact that they sent me two free samples along with my order!!

Right now am using the French Lavender Soap and its totally smells divine and lathers up luxuriously!! also tried the basil & lime soap as a hand wash and liked it too!!!

If you are interested in summer soaps, I can recommend both Future Primitive and Tallulahs Soaps on Etsy.

Am totally loving soaping up this summer!!

Go nautical with shorts (when its scorching hot!!!!)...Today's Look#6

2011-06-02T07:56:00.000-07:00

My city(Delhi) is going through a scorching hot summer coupled with humidity, as there have been sporadic days of light rains in between, which btw leave us in a worse state!!!

For weekends out, we have made it policy only to venture out in the evenings and me particularly have been dressing down, like really keeping things light!!!!!

I wore this very summery yellow nautical top and linen shorts on a weekend out at India Habitat Center (yeah i really love to hangout here!!) to watch a Spanish Dance Drama.

Top: Benetton

Linen Shorts: Fabindia

Bag: Uzura(etsy)

Just hope the monsoons are here on time or we will get baked in our own sweat!!!

P.S. I wrote a travelogue on Darjeeling which got published in a travel blog, if interested, click here to read

Quick fix iced tea anyone??!!!!

2011-05-27T23:15:00.000-07:00

There's nothing more refreshing that iced tea after a long hard day of work... and I just love having iced tea; it's such a refresher in the scorching Delhi summers!!

However, making it at home takes a lot of time and I was not to keen to spend so much time making it..until the husband found a quick way to make it.

Now, we enjoy iced tea at home every day , relax with after coming back from office or from a gruelling gym session.

Here's the recipe for quick fix iced tea at home, it's damn easy to make!!!

Take any cup/ glass and measure it half with water, it doesnt matter which glass or cup you choose for iced tea, only make sure to have the water measure to half its size.
Heat the water in a pan and let it boil, add sugar/honey.
Meanwhile, fill the cup/glass chosen with ice to its brim.
When the water has boiled, take off flame and add tea and cover for 2-3 minutes
Uncover and pour into glass filled with ice, add lemon(optional) and garnish with mint( optional)
Enjoy the iced tea!!!!

the whole process takes around 10 minutes and you are ready to roll!!!

So cheers to my (actually my hubby's) quick fix iced tea!!!

P.S. To know about my all time favorite summer drinks click here.

When there was a sudden downpour!!!....Today's Look #5

2011-05-21T06:16:00.001-07:00

The sun had been unrelenting the whole week and it was scorching hot from sunrise till sunset and not to mention heat wave during night!! I was determined to stay put at home during this weekend, enjoying the cool comforts of my home AC!!

But today morning, the rain gods decided to flash a sudden smile on us and as i watched from my terrace in the morning, a very quick outbreak of clouds, storm and heavy downpour in a matter of 5 minutes!!!!

The weather turned very pleasant and romantic!! And we thought it was perfect for going out on an impromptu date in the afternoon at one of our favorite hangouts - Connaught Place !!!

Here' wat i wore for our outing/date!!

See that's my hair going a bit crazy due to the breeze in the below pic!! i think its time for a haircut!!!

Top: AND

Jeans: Levi's

Bag:Benetton

Slippers: Local

Since the weather was pleasant and windy, i opted for a floral top which would let me feel the breeze!!!! Combined with jeans(perfect for not getting water/mud splashed on my legs!!) and comfy slippers, i was perfectly turned out (as it seemed to me!!) for our date.

We had a wonderful time hanging out in the CP , enjoying the lovely breeze, having street food, window shopping and some actual shopping!!!

One thing about my new slippers, which i bought on a weekend trip to Haridwar, they are super comfy and look stylish!! totally so perfect for summers and the occasional rains!!!

You guys too have a wonderful weekend!!!!

P.S. I wrote a 4 part series of articles on Kerala Travel for a travel blog, if interested to read, click here.

For the love of fedora..Today's Look #4

2011-05-14T11:25:00.000-07:00

Summers are here and it's scorching in Delhi!!!!.....and there are few pieces of clothing in which one feels comfy going around in the sun or even lounging at home!!!
Shorts top my list of the Comfy Wear in summers, i can wear it everywhere, even to work (that' s if am permitted!!)
And I love donning hats in the summer, they are so much convenient than carrying parasols around!!!

Last weekend, our weekend outing was watching an English play at the open air theater at India Habitat Center ; being hot & humid in the open air, it was perfect opportunity for me to combine my love for shorts, newly acquired Fedora Hat and this season's hot pick - checked shirt.

Spaghetti top: Benetton,

Linen shorts: Fabindia,

Fedora Hat: Local

Checked shirt: Levi's,

Organic Hemp Bag: Uzura(Etsy),

Ballerina flats: Bata

I felt super comfy in the linen shorts even in the humid weather and the fedora hat not only protected me from the sun but also got me lot of eyeballs!!!

On a lighter note, the husband has started putting a bit more effort in clicking my outfit shots, which is the reason you guys can see three pics in this outfit post of mine!!..lets keep my fingers crossed that he improves a lot more!!!

P.S. I was invited to do guest post at a travel blog, check out my latest post at their blog here.

Blogger's gift: Garlic Hummus

2011-05-07T10:36:00.000-07:00

This is Garlic Hummus, spread on toasted multi grain bread and topped off with a drizzle of Extra virgin olive oil, cayenne pepper and parsley...doesn't it look delicious!!

Well, it tastes delicious too(well you have to take my word for it!!).

I love hummus and had always wanted to make it at home but due to some of the exotic ingredients needed to prepare it, i was never so confident...then i came across Preeoccupied post on Garlic Hummus, a recipe her mum in law had given her and she was generous to share with all of us.....It was a very easy recipe and I followed it to the T..
Result, divine hummus which the husband fell in love with and makes me prepare again & again..he just can't have enough of it!!!

Thank you Pree!!....It has been a delicious gift to me and the husband!!!

For those of you interested in Pree's Recipe click here

A terracotta dream....Bishnupur

2011-05-01T01:48:00.000-07:00

In the east part of India, lies a state called West Bengal (quite ironic isn’t it!!) and in the northern part of the state lies a quaint town called Bishnupur, which is regarded as the nurturing ground of terracotta artwork. It is world famous for its terracotta temples and the balucheri sarees.

For almost a thousand years it was the capital of the Malla kings of Mallabhum, of which Bankura was a part. The patronage of Malla king Veer Hambir and his successors made Bishnupur one of the principal centres of culture in Bengal. Most of the exquisite terracotta temples for which town is justly famous were built during this period.

Today, Bishnupur is a charming town with well preserved archaeological monuments, a thriving terracotta art work & handicrafts scene and most of all, friendly locals. The whole town is an amalgamation of new and old, with the heritage structures standing beautifully alongside the modern constructions. going through the town one feels like being in an open air exhibition of terracotta architecture and culture.

Though it is not much known among Indians, lot of foreign research scholars and tourists frequent this town for the beautifully preserved terracotta heritage and unique arts & crafts.

For me, Bishnupur is more than a tourist destination, I have been to this place many a times since childhood and always more than a traveler, as it’s my grandfather’s (my mum’s uncle’s) native place. Each time, I have marveled at the beautiful terracotta monuments and also discovered some new monument each time!!.....It is an un-ending treasure-box of terracotta architecture for me!!

Also, the shopaholic in me just loves to shop for terracotta art work and also Bishnupuri saris, which are made in this town and are a unique brand in themselves.

The Bishupuri saris are renowned in Bengalis for their handicraft; the scenes of epics Ramayana and Mahabharata are crafted in the saris in the terracotta art form and are a quite a visual treat to the eyes!!

And thanks to my many visits there, I have quite a collection of them ( I guess in every primary color except red!!)

If anyone ever visits West Bengal for a longer duration, a trip to this place is recommended by me....you will find this to be a terracotta dream come true!!!

Note: For more info on Bishnupur and Balucheri Saris click here & here

When am a rock chick\m/....Today's Look#3

2011-04-21T08:09:00.000-07:00

Well, technically, it's not exactly how i dressed today...but that shouldn't be an issue , right!!

Now, when i started my outfit posts, i gave an intro into my dressing(read here) and

I had told you people at that time that, Im rock chick/bohemian gal at heart.....and that's how i dress when im not at work/in office...

So, here's one of the looks when i went out one lazy weekend for some sibling bonding with my younger brother and some crazy shopping.

Me and brother are the best buddies and we also happen to be crazy shopaholics(hard to find in a guy and mum says that's my influence on him!!).
We had a whale of a time window shopping, real shopping and then hitting a good lounge bar for some grubs & drinks!!....

So, wat do you guys think of the rock chick me!!!...\m/

p.s. I have done another guest post afew days back, on a travel blog this time, click here to read more.

The Versatile Blogger Award!!..

2011-04-17T07:44:00.000-07:00

Well, i got an award...it's not my first one but it surely feels nice to be awarded in blogworld!!!
And that to for being versatile!!!
Kuheli of the Blog Shadows and Sequins gave me "The Versatile Blogger" Award...thank you so much dear!!!!

Following the directions of the award, I have to do the following:-

1) Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.(already done!!)

2) Tell us 7 things about yourself. (coming up)

3)Award 15 recently discovered new bloggers (lets see about that!!)

4) Contact these bloggers and let them know they've received the award. (will do!!)

So, 7 things about myself:

1) I love travelling, if fact, its my passion!!

2) Im an avid reader, love to real novels, short stories and also biographies.

3) I love to do yoga listening to rock /heavy metal music in the background.

4) I have a major obsession for shoes!! ...can't resist collecting them, even if i dont wear them ever!!......my family is quite hassled by this trait of mine!!

5) I am a vegetarian(well technically egg-itarian!), which is rarity in bengalis!!..i have never touched , leave alone eaten meat or fish my whole life, simple coz i can't stand the smell of both!!!

6) I have very small feet(size 4/36) which makes it very difficult to find my size of shoes most of the times!!!

7) I have a major major weakness for chocolate(only the dark chocolate kind!!)

I think most of the new bloggers that I am reading have got this award, so it's very difficult for me to choose!!.....so tweaking the "new" part...I am awarding this to the following bloggers:-

1) Anupama of the blog Volatile Spirits
2) Amit of the blog Some sizzling scintillating speculations
3) Steffy of the blog Steffy's Pro's and Con's
4) Margaret cloud of the blog Old Digger
5) Upasna of the blog Someplace else

that's all from my side for now....thanks again kuheli!!!!

for an interview@my favorite place..Today Look #2

2011-04-06T09:51:00.000-07:00

Hi all....thanks so much my fellow fashion bloggers for encouraging my efforts on outfit postings!!..your lovely comments just make my day!!

so moving on...today i went for an interview call after a long time and here's what I wore...

Kurti: FabIndia

Patiala Salwar: FabIndia

Dupatta: FabIndia

Bag: Hidesign

Gold Flats: Bata

Watch: Titan
Sungalsses: Miami Blues

More than the interview & job profile of the company itself, i was excited about where its office was located, which was at India Habitat Center(IHC for short), one of my favorite places to hang out in delhi and i spent more time hanging out there that at the actual interview!!....

Here's me having fun at IHC making the husband click pics!!

P.S. To read my post on IHC click here .

bEaCh bAbE..that's me!!

2011-04-01T02:15:00.000-07:00

I love the laid back feel of beach holidays, more so after marriage as it gives both of us time to sit back & relax.

Had a wonderful beach holiday in December 2010/January 2011 at Andaman & Nicobar Islands and I totally lived it up!!!

And on a beach holiday, i dress totally beach appropriate!!...here's my various looks of the Andamans trip!!

hope you guys like them too!!

Asymmetrical top: Benetton

Linen Shorts: FabIndia

Hat: Local beachside shop at Bali

Ruffle Top: Arrow

White Jeans: Levi's

I wore the above on the day of city tour(Port Blair)

Sleeve less Top: Anokhi

Skirt: FabIndia

Loose Top: Benetton

Pedalpushers: Levi's

Top: Benetton

Pedalpushers: Levi's

Spaghetti top: Benetton

Pedalpushers: Levi's

And most importantly, a beach holiday cannot be one without swimwear, right!!

I wore a single piece swimsuit from Reebok...i don't have the confidence to wear a two piece!!!

Last but not the least, the most essential accessories on a beach holiday...flip flops and a beach bag..

here are mine!!!!

I wore peace sign flip flops bought from Westside and Huge Nimbu Mirchi Tote from Jhola Co.(btw you guys should check out this brand, real gud totes!!)

P.S. You can also have look at what i wore on my beach holiday in Bali here.

a culinary triumph!!!!!

2011-03-30T10:59:00.000-07:00

Yess!!!...a personal culinary triumph for me!!!...

As rest of India(and Pakistan) was watching the World Cup Cricker Semi final match.....i patiently toiled away in the kitchen and baked the perfect Chocolate Walnut Brownie!!!...

Here's my triumph showcased...

My most difficult critic at home, the husband, was bowled over this time...he just had one word - awesome!!..

And wanting to cross check his verdict, i also gave some away to my closest neighbors, their verdict - its not good, its bloody awesomely good!!.....

So, my day (& night) is made today...
Now, i am totally confident to cook & bake and whip up some real complex stuff!!!

violet dreams...Today's look #1

2011-03-28T09:28:00.000-07:00

Inspired and encouraged by my fellow fashion blogger friends, i have finally decided to post personal outfit pics once in a while.

a little info on my personal dressing to start with - I am rock chick/bohemian gal at heart working as a mid level professional in infrastructure consultancy. It is quite a conservative industry in terms of fashion and office wear , but, i try to be out of the box in terms of fashion in my workplace, whilst keeping within the decorum of my work culture(u get the hang people , dont you!!). However, on weekends, my soul totally breaks free and i dress madly as i want to!!..... So you guys will see a lot of variations of my looks depending on which day of the week it is and where i am(e.g. office, holiday, field work, shopping,socialising)!!....

So without much ado, here's my Today's look(#1).....

Outfit and Accessory Details

Tunic: W,

Leggings: Globus

Roman Flat Sandals: Bata

Bag: Benetton

Shade: Ray Ban Aviators

Watch: Timex

Today, i was busy running around doing personal errands and all of them involved being in some public (read government of India) office, so dressed in my work clothes for doing personal work!! baaad aint it!!??

But i love this dreamy violet tunic bought from 'W' and paired it with some fun accessories.

Shady Affairs....

2011-03-25T08:01:00.000-07:00

And which one would you Prefer???....

Sunglasses/Shades are my favorite accessories besides shoes and these are some I have or have had in the past...

Ray Ban Aviators, this year's valentine's gift from the husband

Double shaded half aviators

Gun Metal Big Aviators - Miami Blues; lost them some time back :(

Vintage Jackie O Shades - Miami Blues

Rimless Double shaded Sporty Shades - Polaroid; it literally broke into two halves just like that one day :(

Brown Big Aviators - Miami Blues; lost them at a restaurant due to my absentmindedness :(

And my precious!!....the first shades i bought with my scholarship money during my Masters Studies, i still have them , gave it away to mum, she loves using them!!

And i do plan on having some more shady affairs this summer , well, at least a wayfarer fling maybe??

P.S. I did my first guest post on wiseshe.com, a product review for L'occtaine Body wash, those interested may click here to view.

Coming back to Life...

2011-03-21T02:20:00.001-07:00

with happy memories of the past, loving words of family and friends, long talks with mum, husband and brother, house cleaning and lots of cooking......

I guess Dad will always be there in our memories and we as a family have to find peace with that.......and move on with our lives together...

Thanks all for your kind words, im feeling much better nowadays....

Loss.

2011-03-08T00:56:00.000-08:00

My Dad passed away on 3rd March, 2011.

It was very sudden, though he was having hyper tension for a long time , but we did not expect him to leave us so soon..

He lived a full life and his sole goal in life was to provide his family happiness.

As a daughter, i hope i have done justice to all the hard work he did for us.

I pray that his soul rest in peace.

My Unfinished Life

Kanyakumari: one day at the tip of IndiA

A day in Thiruvanathapuram: the abode of Lord Anantha

A vision in White.....Sari Love [#4]

A Day in the life of....me!! : Tag

the look which got me most compliments!!...Today's Look [#22]

My lovely new Wayfarers!!

my daily essentials: winter edition!!

Looking ahead and taking stock....

Dressing up for an unofficial office party~~ ...Today's Look[#21]

Two Fates, The story of my Divorce: Book Review

Wearing Phulkari @ Sikh Wedding...Today's Look [#20]

When am @ (site)work...Today' Look #19

Mug-o-mania!! : the object of my affections [part deux]

A perfect winter weekend breakfast: Creamy yummy Scrambled Eggs!!!

Benarasi Grandeur in green..Sari Love[#3]

Blogger's Gift: yummy vermicelli noodles with festive season leftovers!!

Burst of pink this festive season...Sari Love [#2]

Unwinding among deodhars at Dhanaulti!!

Same dhotis in a different way....Today's Look#19

A small change and a BIG Shift!!

Durga Puja Looks 2011....whaddya Think??!!!

Durga Puja Day 5....Today's Look#18

Durga Puja Day 4....Today's Look#17

Durga Puja Day 3....Today's Look#16

Durga Puja Day 2.....Today's Look#15

Durga Puja Day 1.....Today's Look#14

On no nonsense thursdays!!!...Today's Look#13

Adrift - A junket Junkie in Europe: A Book Review

~~~~A heritage walk in my favorite garden~~~

chillin out at Rishikesh!!

Prelude to an outfit.....Today's Look#12

Feelin Earthy!!....Today's Look#11

Road Trippin in the Himalayas!!!

While out SALE Shopping...Today's Look #10

Chanakya's Chant: A Book Review

Dats the way I wear my dhotis!!..Today Look #9

rediscovering my city on a heritage walk

mint chutney and the perils of cooking!!!

cottons on a hot summer weekend drive...Today' Look#8

cHaNgE!!!

Love on the Rocks: A book Review

When it's instant inspiration!!..Today's Look #7

Soaping up this summer!!

Go nautical with shorts (when its scorching hot!!!!)...Today's Look#6

Quick fix iced tea anyone??!!!!

When there was a sudden downpour!!!....Today's Look #5

For the love of fedora..Today's Look #4

Blogger's gift: Garlic Hummus

A terracotta dream....Bishnupur

When am a rock chick\m/....Today's Look#3

The Versatile Blogger Award!!..

for an interview@my favorite place..Today Look #2

bEaCh bAbE..that's me!!

a culinary triumph!!!!!

violet dreams...Today's look #1

Shady Affairs....

Coming back to Life...

Loss.

~~A heritage walk in my favorite garden~