Calico Asters

Nutritional Benefits of Chia Seeds

2012-03-24T10:39:00.001+05:30

Chia seeds are small seeds that have their origin in Mexico and belong to the mint family. Chia seeds contain quite high amount of omega-3 fatty acids and are extremely enriched with anti-oxidants. When consumed, chia seeds form a gel with the stomach liquids. This gel formed by chia seeds can help in soothing heartburn and also in keeping your stomach cool. According to certain experts, chia seeds loosen up the absorption process of carbohydrate in your system, and hence make you feel full for longer duration.

One of the most amazing things that differentiate Chia seeds from other sources for omega-3, is that Chia seeds contains quite less sodium content, hence consumption of chia seeds is definitely beneficial for people suffering from high blood pressure problems.

The nutritional benefits of chia seeds can be compared to the major cereals consumed across the world. Chia seeds provide fiber, protein, energy and lipid contents that are much higher than other cereals. Chia seeds are also amazingly enriched with minerals like iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, copper and zinc.

Apart from above nutritional benefits, Chia seeds are excellent sources of antioxidants. The most significant antioxidants present in chia seeds are caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid. Apart from these the other important antioxidants present in chia seeds are myricetin, kaempferol and quercetin flavonols. Because of the presence of these anti-oxidants, chia seeds provide quite powerful antioxidant properties as compared to the other similar sources.

The flavor of Chia seeds is nutty. You can consume chia seeds by sprinkling them on your veggies, salads and cereals. You can also add them in your baked cakes, breads and muffins.

Chia seeds may not be easily available at your local grocery stores but now there are online websites where you can buy chiaseeds of high quality and bring this wonder food on your plate.

World’s No. 1 DJ David Guetta headlines Eristoff Invasion in March 2012

2012-02-05T18:05:00.001+05:30

Eristoff Invasion travels to New Delhi on 9th March, Pune on 10th March and Bangalore on 11th March

Grammy Award-winning artist/producer/DJ David Guetta will perform in India for the first time at the second edition of Eristoff Invasion this March. With chart-topping hits like ‘When Love Takes Over’ ‘Gettin Over You’ and ‘Sexy Bitch’, the world’s No. 1 DJ and one the world's foremost music makers, David Guetta will headline Eristoff Invasion March 2012, performing in New Delhi at Huda Grounds on 9th March, in Pune at Amanora Park Town on 10th March and in Bangalore at Palace Grounds on 11th March.

Guetta is a multi-platinum selling artist in Europe and America, with five chart-topping albums to his name - Just a Little More Love (2002), Guetta Blaster (2004) Pop Life (2007), One Love (2009) and Nothing But The Beat (2011).

Guetta's latest album, Nothing But The Beat features 17 guest artists - from hip-hop royalty like Snopp Dogg, Ludacris, Timbaland and Will.I.Am, game-changing rappers like Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne to R&B superstars like Usher, Chris Brown and Akon. The album includes the smash hits singles 'Where Them Girls At', 'Little Bad Girl', 'Without You', 'Titanium' and the hot new 'Turn Me On' (feat. Nicki Minaj) plus killer club tracks with Afrojack and Avicii. David Guetta has headlined some of the biggest music festivals in the world including Creamfields and Tomorrowlands and just played to over 2 million fans at one of the world's biggest New Year parties in Brazil on Copacabana Beach.

On his first ever tour in India, David Geutta says, "I'm excited to finally get to play in India. I know my music has been heard and supported for many years, but until now it’s been impossible to get there. This will be a very special tour, I’m sure."

Since its launch, Eristoff, from the house of Bacardi, has been striving to deliver unique experiences to its patrons, such as the Ersitoff Invasion and the Wolf Night parties. In line with the brand's personality of being edgy and bold, Eristoff Invasion is a music festival that brings the best international, contemporary, high-energy acts to India - acts brimming with attitude and personality. The first edition of Eristoff Invasion in January 2011 saw British electro-dance giants The Prodigy headline the festival, which travelled to Bangalore and New Delhi. In its second year, Eristoff Invasion adds Pune to its travel map.

According to Arvind Krishnan, Director Marketing, Bacardi India P.Ltd, "Eristoff has always been a highly evolved and edgy brand globally, and encouraged people to live life more instinctively. Eristoff Invasion provides the ideal environment for them to do just that, especially with David Guetta on stage. After introducing The Prodigy here last year, we are very excited to now bring in David to India for the first time ever, and can promise the audiences across the three cities the most thrilling and memorable experience of their lives."

Says Vijay Nair, CEO of Only Much Louder,"Eristoff Invasion is about exhilarating live music experiences. We look for acts that aren't just cutting-edge and contemporary, but also great performers. David Guetta is one of the most incredible artists in the world to not just listen to, but also experience live. I'm personally incredibly excited to watch him live, and also to bring the Eristoff Invasion experience to Pune for the first time."

Zak Biddu, CEO of UKNY Music adds, " David Guetta is the No.1 DJ and one of the most played and celebrated artists in the world. To bring him to India at this time is fantastic for Eristoff Invasion. His festival performances are groundbreaking and I cannot wait for these shows! "

The festival is organised by Only Much Louder in partnership with UKNY Music, a leading UK-based music and events company.

Eristoff Invasion March 2012:

Tickets now on sale

Ticket prices:
Delhi: Rs 2,000
Pune: Rs 2,000
Bangalore: Rs. 1,950

Log on to: www.eristoffinvasion.in

Show Timings:

9th March: New Delhi
Huda Grounds

10th March: Pune
Amanora Park Town

11th March: Bangalore
Palace Grounds

Change is Constant

2012-01-31T10:35:00.001+05:30

One thing that I've noticed that never changes all through our lives is - Change. There is always something or the other around us that just keeps on moving back and forth. Isn't it rightly said that we are vibrational beings? We keep on changing in form, shape, location and so happen with the things around us as well. The only change that we notice the most is - Time!

My life is also no exception to this rule. It has been a roller-coaster ride already till now, with its own share of twists and turns, and ups and downs. However, these changes have only made me better as they came and transformed to another change. I somehow feel that "Change" is also a form of energy - it can neither be created, nor be destroyed, but only transformed from one form to another!"

Anyways, I am just thankful for whatever I am today and all that I've got so far. It has been one amazing adventurous ride and I look forward to a great time ahead as well. I remember reading a quote long time back, which goes like this -

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, champagne in one hand - strawberries in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOOHOO - What a Ride!"

- Attributed to an octogenarian named Mavis Leyrer, of Seattle

Life is too precious to be wasted in compromising on things we don't really want. I believe in going where your passion takes you. I've always lived that way and that is what I am going to do now too.

After a long and tiring journey of corporate life and its politics, I am saying it a quit and going forward to another phase of my life. I am going to take my passion as my profession now and test myself where my true abilities lie.

I can't promise anything to myself as of now, except for the fact that I'd try to give it my best shot; rest only time will tell. I remember someone asked me once - "What should I do? Should I do something I am good at or something I really love to do?" and my answer to her was -

"Do what you love to do, because your passion will drive you in that and you will eventually become good in doing that. Excellence comes from passion and a vision that makes you push your limits so that you can build your road to success. There is no freeway for it."

So, here I am leaving my freeway journey and going to explore a different way for myself. All I can say now is I hope I do well! :)

Wish you a Happy New Year - 2012

2012-01-03T10:18:00.001+05:30

Here, let me first wish you a very Happy, Prosperous and Successful 2012 ahead. I had a beautiful New Year celebration this time, as my lovely younger sister came to visit me 5 days back and we had a great fun time together - shopping, eating out, roaming, watching movies, dancing and gossiping. My New Year eve was spent at home with her, as we danced crazily on all weird songs. The first day of the year too was gone in shopping and eating out.

I remember I published a post here stating my resolutions for year 2011, around same time a year back. I am quite surprised and amazed to have such a fruitful 2011 and I managed to live up to most of my resolutions too. Let us check them back, before I move on to the new list of resolutions for year 2012. :)

2011:

- Get a hair makeover (my hair has become too dull and boring)

Done!

- Get fit and healthy (This has to be done by anyways, ok! no stress!..relax)

Done to some level, still a lot needs to be done.

- Get into a house, I can call "My home". I am tired of living in what you can call a hotel room since past 1.5 years now.

Done and now moving to a new home too!! :)

- Get married - This has been extended since past 2 years now.

Done

- Spend some more time in quality reading and writing.

Done: All thanks to flipkart.com, I got my hands on some really amazing books to read and include in my collection.

Now, coming to what I need to do in year 2012:

- Get fit and healthy (This is getting carried forward from 2011. Though I got some level of success in this task, I still need to work a bit more on it.)

- Leave my current job and work towards my passion and be successful in it (More details will follow as the time proceeds, I've already left my current job and currently in a transition phase to move towards working on my own, on what I love to do.)

- Get my dream car (Of course I am not talking about Bugatti Veyron or Mercedes Benz or BMW, but something I know I'd definitely be able to own and would love to be in it. Will update you as soon as I get one!! :) )

- Start with my sketching and paintings. (It has been ages, since I made one. My colors have dried up too now, so need to get some new and start with them.

- Learn to cook some real nice recipes like cooking some kebabs and other non veg recipes (for hubby's choice of taste!) and baking chocolate cakes, cheese cakes, cookies etc. :)

As of now, these are the only resolutions in mind. More might come as the time and life goes ahead. The only thing that I'd aim to keep consistent is to keep life simple and happy!

Once again wish you an awesome year ahead! :)

Many Blessings

xoxo

Calicoaster

Trust: How Simple yet complicated is it?

2011-12-11T08:40:00.000+05:30

“I trust you and I have full faith in your actions and your decisions. I am with you, so just go ahead!”

Though as simple and magical as these words sound, just as complicated are the possibilities of them coming from someone, right from the core of their hearts. It gets even tougher when people are close to you especially your parents, relatives and spouse.

I’ve always been told right from my childhood, that you must strive to prove your worth to yourself only and no one else. I lived my life following this principle. I’ve a very healthy respect for who I am and what I think and I am nowhere blinded by pride or false self esteem. I am really thankful for my being.

But, does the world see you the same way? May be yes! But, what about the people you love and who love you? I agree they have the rights on your life but does that mean you have to prove yourself in front of them at every simple second of your life?

From my experiences, I sometimes really doubt if the people who love me so much really do trust me at all! Whosoever I’ve ever disclosed my heart and my decisions to, have ALWAYS and ONLY doubted them, even though I’ve again and again proved my decisions to be right. Because deep down in my heart I knew that I was right and they also agree to that, but still I fail to understand the worry and doubt they continue to have all the while again and again. If you too have been experiencing the similar doubts and worries at every step you take then there are two things you can do:

Option 1: Think this to be a vicious circle where you want everyone to be happy and continue doing that while keeping your own thoughts and happiness at bay, and at the end of this life’s journey you feel empty from within with nothing but pain, sorrows and miseries in your heart.

Option 2: You can strive to be yourself and do what you truly believe is right in all the senses; prove yourself again and again to those who doubt you. Though it is a tough step and requires a lot of strong will from within to face all the taunts, bad words and humiliation from those you love, and who love you too but don’t trust you. However, no matter how much you face, you stay true to your heart and respect yourself and your being. At the end you’ll be satisfied with your attempts and with your life and what you’ve achieved.

As far as people are concerned, those who truly love you will stay with you till the end no matter how much they contradict you on your every step. Just be hopeful that someday they’d understand you, trust your actions, believe in you and agree to you too!

I am a strong follower of the second option. Life is too short to regret or be disappointed about anything. Assure that you are not deceiving yourself or anyone else. You must have faith in yourself and trust your instincts and decisiveness. Be confident about your actions which you know are right in all the senses, and happiness and glory will follow your way.

Love - Do we choose it or is it the other way round?

2011-11-21T14:22:00.000+05:30

Love - what comes in your mind when you read this word? I remember when I was a kid, I could associate "Love" with my parents and my sister. I never believed in love stories and our Bollywood movies made everything look even more unrealistic for me to believe in them. Till my teenage years, I used to think that love stories were a part of novels, stories and movies only. They could never take place in real life, and I was the last person ever to fall in love with anyone on a "romantic" level.

Then came to my life a poem written by Kahlil Gibran on Love which I am listing below:

When love beckons to you, follow him,

Though his ways are hard and steep.

And when his wings enfold you yield to him,

Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.

And when he speaks to you believe in him,

Though his voice may shatter your dreams

as the north wind lays waste the garden.

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.

Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,

So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.

Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.

He threshes you to make you naked.

He sifts you to free you from your husks.

He grinds you to whiteness.

He kneads you until you are pliant;

And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast.

All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.

But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,

Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,

Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.

Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.

Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;

For love is sufficient unto love.

When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God."

And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.

Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.

But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:

To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.

To know the pain of too much tenderness.

To be wounded by your own understanding of love;

And to bleed willingly and joyfully.

To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;

To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;

To return home at eventide with gratitude;

And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

Though the words were too deep for my understanding, I somehow felt quite attached to them. I'd read the poem daily, for some unknown reason. The words that hit me the most at that time were the following:

When you love, you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather,

"I am in the heart of God."

And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy,

directs your course.

I always used to wonder about these words - Does Love really choose you? And for the first time in my life I prayed - "Let love choose me". It was a very weird situation for me when I first did the prayer. Let me take you through the phases of life “Love” chose for me when I asked for it, and I am so glad today that it chose me.

Life is nothing without Love, and if you are the chosen one – consider yourself Blessed!

It was year 2009. I'd come back from New York, back to home after spending a long and tiring journey of hectic work, studies and loneliness. I'd resigned from my job for no particular reason and came back home. My parents had been hunting for a groom for me in succession of 3 years now, without any success. I remember seeing a thick bundle of profile printouts my dad had kept on the table to shortlist the candidates. My being "Manglik" was a big concern for them and it was too "high and complicated" according to some pandits. I had to be married to a guy who was "manglik" only and my "Kundli" had to match his "Kundli" too. Somehow, both of these factors, my educational qualification and "most eligible bachelors being already committed" fact, made it almost next to impossible to get a decent groom for me. After 3 years of continuous search, my parents gave up on the "Manglik" factor and fixed my marriage with a guy whose "Kundali" matched mine, but he wasn't manglik. I'd not met the guy. Our parents had also never met each other and our marriage date was fixed. There was no time for engagement and it was like entering a dark tunnel without having a torch in your hand.

I was clueless of anything and I desperately wanted mom and dad to stop worrying and get done with all this, so that they could heave a sigh of relief. But, deep down I was scared! Though I agreed for marriage keeping my eyes closed, I could see my fear coming up in nightmares where I would see myself running in dark tunnels, searching for a way out and I could feel the tunnel crunching in itself, suffocating me. It was like getting inside a black hole; no matter how much I tried to come out of it, it pulled me in. I could see a faint light, but couldn't locate its source and then I'd wake up with a start. It was that time when I came across the Gibran's poem on love and I read it daily as if it was some sort of prayer. I prayed that let me be the Love's "Chosen one" and let me get rid of all these nasty feelings and nightmares.

Little did I know that Love would not only choose me, but change the entire path of my life upside down! As is rightly said, you should always be careful about what you ask for, coz you never know when is it going to be manifested into your life, and the ways in which it comes, might shock you beyond your beliefs!

Just 2 months before my wedding date, I was as usual seeing my nightmares getting weirder and darker, and one day I woke up screaming loudly that I didn’t want to get married and some other stuffs which I don’t remember now. To my disbelief, my dad was there in my room for some unknown reason and he heard me screaming and crying badly. He was shocked and angry at me. He scolded me fiercely because he was thinking that I was willing to be married. I said sorry to him and asked him to forget what I said in sleep. He didn't listen to me and called the would-be groom's dad to call off the wedding. There was a big tension in the house and no one talked to me whole day. I didn't eat anything and remained seated in my room having no thoughts in my mind. I had began to wonder, what was all this about? Did I pray for this? I remember it was 25th April, 2009.

My next few days were passed in mindless wanderings in the woods while I'd listen to some usual songs. I used to meditate a lot as that way I would remain aloof of the current problems. People around my parents had begun to scare my mom dad about problems that they might face by delaying my wedding. My dad had resumed his search for a groom for me. I had no interest left in anyone or anything now. All I wanted was to sleep and listen to music.

It was on May 1st, 2009, when I received a message on orkut from some guy whose name I'd never heard before. I read the message and came to know that it was from a guy I'd known from childhood but only through his nickname. Strangely we'd never met ever in our lives before. We just knew each other by names. He had come home for his summer internship a month back, the same time when I came home. His mom told him about me and that I play good piano and sing songs. He being a great music lover invited me to the club for a jamming session the next day at 4 PM, through his message. At first, I was about to deny but my mom insisted me to go so that I can have a change of mood (I might be looking too dreadful!).

Next day, I forgot all about the meeting, took an afternoon nap and got up at 4:15 PM. I was quite sleepy and groggy and didn't want to go for the meeting. My mom insisted again to go, and when I denied she asked me to at least call the guy and apologize for my absence. I called his home and his mom picked up the phone. She told me that he had already left for the club an hour back and might be waiting for me.

I had no other choice left but to get ready and go to club. I wore the most boring outfit I had, washed my face, combed my hair and left for the club. I had nothing in my mind when I reached there. He was sitting there watching me reach club through the glass windows of the magazine room. Seeing me he went inside the music room and asked the club boy to take out the keyboards. The moment I entered the music room, I was astounded by the sudden rush of so many emotions. I tell you; such incidences can literally knock you off when you've spent a long long time sitting without any feelings, thoughts and emotions.

The first emotion was of panic - I'd never played piano in front of any audience till date. I didn't want him to make fun of me. The second emotion was of fear, because the club's keyboard was a lot different from my keyboard. I didn't know the controls and I was scared that I was gonna make a complete fool of myself. Third emotion was of consciousness - I was suddenly too conscious about my appearance and that I was meeting a complete stranger for the first time, didn't know what impact I'd make. The fourth emotion was of nostalgia and apprehension. I remember he was a spoilt brat and used to fight with everyone as a kid. I was always scared of him and never bothered to talk to him. I remember I used to run away seeing him anywhere around me, just coz I didn't want to be hurt by some ill mannered, bad mouthed kid. I was wondering if he was the same now, and would insult me anytime. I looked up at him and saw him smiling at me that looked pretty harmless but I still had doubts while I stepped forward.

And the fifth and most dominating emotion was of Awe. I was surprised when I saw him as he didn't look anywhere near to what he used to look like in childhood. I could only see his green eyes resembling to that of the kid I'd seen in my childhood - rest everything was changed. He looked more like one of the models from the Airbrushed magazines. He was wearing a black Adidas T-shirt and rugged blue jeans while holding his black guitar, looking at me, smiling and inviting me to sit.

I remember I'd begun to hyperventilate. I was literally sweating of fear, cold, consciousness and all other emotions that attacked me there. I couldn't speak and only passed a weak smile when he began chitchatting with me merrily. It was safe to simply listen to him and smile.

As you might have guessed, I couldn't play anything on keyboard and just kept seated there like a fool. He didn't force me much, but kept playing his guitar and singing songs, while talking to me in between, telling me incidents about his life, college and friends. I had been waiting for him to insult me coz of my failure in doing anything worthwhile, but he was completely cool all the time.

After 2 hours of sitting there, I had began to feel comfortable and started talking normally with him, without being intimidated for once. I'd really had a great time after so long that it looked like a dream to me. I was really happy for that day, thanked to God for it and came back home. He was supposed to leave for Shimla the next day and I wished him good luck for that. He in turn wished me good luck for my groom searching possibility and coming marriage. We had no plans to meet each other and nothing in our minds.

For next 2 days I was in a good mood. I did all household chores and wasn’t that grumpy. My parents also seemed to have come out of the anger they had for me coz of my marriage breaking act. Everything was going fine and cool, when I got another message from him thanking me for the good time we had. I thanked him back and asked about his Shimla’s stay etc. etc. To my surprise he told that his trip had been postponed and if I was interested we can meet again for jamming. I could sense something different this time, but that time I thought may be my mind was playing tricks. We met again and then kept meeting. I had all the hints that could make any “foolish girl” too realize that the guy is in love with you, yet I kept on discarding them. It was next to impossible that a person like him could fall in love with a girl like me. We were completely different in all the matters one can think of. As my mom has been saying all the time – “There was no match”.

I was this “behnji” types fatso, short and silent girl. He was proper Punjabi jatt – extremely fair, green eyes, huge muscles, unbelievable strength in arms, charming with Greek God Looks, outgoing and crazily attractive. There was really no match. I could not even think of anything. I admired him for his decency, his amazing sense of humor, good looks (of course) and most importantly for his devotion to music and the way he’d play his guitar. I still don’t know what he admires me for, except me being bubbly and chubby and somewhat intelligent and someone who knows to do a lot of things with her free time.

I could listen to him forever, and every girl he’d met had told him the same, so I didn’t bother to waste my words. But still, I could never think of any relationship, not even in my wildest dreams. However, as is said – No one can beat the destiny, and there we were – totally unmatchable people falling for each other for reasons unknown to anyone. Love had chosen us, and I feel that the plan was right from the beginning – the reason why we never met each other till then, despite knowing each other since childhood, living in same place and studying in same school. We’d have never fallen in love, had we met before. Somehow, such incidents make me believe that nothing is coincidence and everything that happens in this world and in our lives is pre-planned.

It was a surprise and shock for me when he confessed his feelings for me. I didn’t know if I had any feelings, but he somehow made me dig within my heart and let it out. It was just 10 days since we met, and we were more than committed to each other. Despite all the impossibilities that we had ahead of us, not even once it came in my mind or his that we’d like to retreat back and “think over” it again. There was no choice as we were not given any. Love had chosen us and it had to sustain us, and it did!

The next two years were the most painful and toughest years of our lives. We had problems being poured on us from everywhere – from our families, to career, to mutual misunderstandings, insecurities and what not. One thing that kept us fighting for each other and move together was love, and the second thing was utter faith. Life slapped its toughest challenges on our faces and we had to endure them. We continued to endure them, while keeping the faith. –

“Love had chosen us, love will keep us together”. – These were the only words that’d come to my mind whenever we were faced with problems. We fought, we fell, we got up, we walked and today we are together chosen by love… sustained by it and growing by it. My prayers still remain the same, and would continue that way in all the years to come.

Love always finds its course either here or in the other world. If you are the “chosen one” in this world itself, consider yourself to be lucky to be blessed enough and remember:

“When you love, you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God."

And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course. “

First Look: Les Petits- India’s first multi brand luxury store for children's apparel and furniture

2011-11-10T13:05:00.002+05:30

(Press Release)

"Les Petits launches India first luxury multi-brand luxury store for Children in Emporio, New Delhi."

Les Petits, India’s first multi brand luxury store for kids’ apparel and furniture unveils its flagship store at DLF Emporio, New Delhi.

'I Pinco Pallino', 'Fendi' Kids, 'Miss Blumarine' and Baby 'Dior' are some of the eminent brands offered that cater to children in the age group of 0-8 years. The globally celebrated furniture brand, 'Theophile and Patchou' is also retailed at Les Petits store exclusively.

The store has been designed by famous Italian architects, Lino Losanno and Lorenzo Perini. They have ensured that the store detailing is apt for young children encouraging them to spend time in the store along with their mothers deciding what they want.

Bathed in warm inviting light, the 1500 square feet store is beautifully done up in shades of white and lilac with touches of gold in the form of little dazzling golden butterflies hanging from the ceiling that instantly transport you to a mystical fairyland.

'FENDI' KIDS and 'Theophile & Patachou' exclusively available at Les Petits.

Les Petits, India’s first luxury multi brand store for kids’ apparel and furniture brings to you exclusively luxury clothing and furniture from Fend Kids and Theophile & Patachou.

Please find below a selection of products :

FENDI KIDS - Brown Logo Print Ballerina Shoes priced at Rs 15, 600/-

FENDI KIDS - Off White Soft Wool Overcoat priced at Rs 25,500/-

Theophile & Patachou - Prestige Baby Bed priced at Rs 93,500/-

Theophile & Patachou - Baby Pink lamp shade along with lamp stand priced at Rs 6,000/-

Baby Dior, Miss Blumarine, Simonetta and I Pinco Pallino are some of the eminent brands exclusively offered at the Les Petits store that cater to children between the age group of 0-8 years. Each brand has a dedicated corner that has been specially designed keeping in mind the brand’s design aesthetics and to simplify the joys of shopping for your little one.

Store Details:

Store Address : Store No. 214 DLF Emporio,

Nelson Mandela Marg Vasant Kunj,

New Delhi-110070

Contact Number : 01141022111

Store Timings : 11:00 am – 9:00 pm

Some more pics of the store below:

Credit Card Tips for College Goers

2011-11-07T09:22:00.001+05:30

If you are studying in a college you might have probably owned a credit card already; and if you don’t have one and are planning for the same soon, then there are certain things you should keep in mind before getting into this whole business of managing and using credit cards.

Even though you as a college student might feel a bit confused about your state of being somewhere between teenage and adulthood; if you have a credit card, that means you are grown up enough to start taking charge of your finances and manage them in an appropriate manner. The sooner you learn to do that, the better you’d find proper ways of spending, saving and managing money. With correct decisions you’d gain confidence, satisfaction that will guarantee peaceful and trouble-free future years ahead.

Image Source

Let us look into some aspects of what getting a credit card, holds for you:

Good Things:

1) With so many credit cards schemes these days, it is quite easy and effortless for a college student to get a credit card.

2) Getting credit card at this early stage gives you an opportunity to build a good credit history.

3) While using credit cards for shopping online and booking tickets etc., you can save a lot of money and get reward points as well.

Bad Things:

1) With so many credit card schemes, a college student can own more than one credit card, which requires a bit more of management and caution in spending.

2) Early stages of credit card ownership might give an illusion to students of owning lots of money and they may end up over-indulging.

3) In case students fail to manage credit cards properly, they will build bad credit history and debts, which can trouble them for years to come.

Ugly Things

1) There is no magic behind the concept of credit cards, if you are in credit card debt, you might end up with major financial consequences in forthcoming years

2) Loads of students underestimate the importance of interest payments on their credit cards. Minimum payments usually mean the things you buy might cost you 2-3 times what you paid for them. You might end up being in debt for years, paying for the money you paid today for your tacos till the time your children graduate from their college.

Some important recommendations for making the most of your credit card in college, without getting into any trouble:

1) Get yourself enrolled in a personal finance course, as soon as possible - either through your course schedule or as an elective. You'd never regret this decision, as you learn some important life and finance management skills, which will help you take better decisions now and for many years to come.

2) Try to find some trusted person you can talk openly with about your financial issues. If you are not able to deal with a particular money matter, try to get it clarified through an open line of communication. You only can solve the problem by taking appropriate action and no one else. Hiding and ignoring things you don't understand, can not solve a financial problem.

3) A tip to control over-indulging in "credit card shopping" is to get yourself involved in activities like sports, music etc. Use your card responsibly and remember that what you do now with your credit card will craft your future years as well. Make it a privilege and an asset for you and not a liability.

4) If you are unsure whether you'd be able to control your credit card usage or not, use it only when you have emergencies. Slowly, as learn your finances better, you can plan the use of your credit card accordingly.

5) You can always check online blogs and websites for credit card options, latest updates and exclusive suggestions. Many websites can help you decide the best credit card for your spending habits e.g. credit card city

I hope my suggestions and tips mentioned above help you in taking wise decisions. If you have any tip or advice in addition to these, please feel free to drop it in the comments below.

Fendi And Maserati Launch The Maserati Grancabrio Fendi At The Frankfurt Motor Show 2011

2011-09-23T16:04:00.002+05:30

The Frankfurt Motor show is being held from the 13th to 25th September 2011. It will witness the coming together of two of Italy’s Iconic luxury houses -Fendi and Maserati. The collaboration of the two brands is based on common values of craftsmanship and traditions, Maserati and Fendi are proud to showcase their first joint creation Maserati GranCabrio Fendi.

Maserati GranCabrio is crafted at the historical Maserati headquarters at Modena, using materials and colors produced for this project designed by Silvia Fendi. A masterpiece in technology and craftsmanship, the car has a three-layered dark grey body color named Grigio Fiamma Fendi, developed specially for the Maserati GranCabrio and is combined with a gold finish on the surface.

Fendi’s famous Selleria leather has been used for the gear lever and the profiles of the floor mats. A silver oval plaque with engraving of the Maserati trident, the Fendi logo and the 5 digit series number (five being an iconic number for Fendi) is located on the dashboard, in front of the passenger seat and on both sides of the black cloth folding roof.

Powered by 4.7L V8 engine with automatic transmission and 20 inch Trident design alloy, the Maserati GranCabrio Fendi represents a prefect blend between the art of a handmade craftsmanship and the cutting edge technology.

The Maserati GranCabrio Fendi is a benchmark in the world of limited edition design. A car with historical significance and story to tell will be a great attraction at the Motor Show.

About Maserati GranCabrio Fendi

The Maserati GranCabrio Fendi designed by Silvia Venturini Fendi is born from the union of two iconic brands of the made in Italy sharing common values as craftsmanship and tradition. Masterpiece of technology and craftsmanship, the Maserati GranCabrio Fendi will be introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2011.
The Maserati GranCabrio Fendi crafted in the historical Maserati headquarters in Modena, with exclusive materials uniquely created in various colours for this project. The three-layered body colour named Fiamma Fendi, a special drak grey with an iridescent golden finish on the surface. The radica wood trim Pergamena Fendi runs across the width of the dashboard, on the doors and on the top of the gear lever, all in the iconic FENDI yellow, like the brake callipers and the embroidered yellow trident on the head rests. Adding a stronger yet elegant character to the GranCabrio are the F logo double stitched on the seat, also appearing in the centre of the 19-inch alloy wheels, and the FENDI logo along the rocker panel.

The Cuoio Romano, Fendi’s precious leather of its Selleria line, has been used in such details as the instrument cluster cover, on the gear level and on the floor mats, signing also the Special Limited Edition Travel Set of luggage and accessories. The GranCabrio Fendi Maserati is a marriage between the art of Fatto a Mano and extreme technology and research of its 4.7-litre V8-powered engine, that gives life to the unique roar, registered trademark, music to the ears of experts.
Silvia Venturini Fendi specially crafted logo has been seals this collaboration.

A silver oval plaque with the engraving of the Maserati trident, Fendi logo and the series numbered 00000, five zeros, five being an iconic number for Fendi, placed on the passenger side of the dashboard and on the side of the black cloth folding roof. A special black car cover with double F ton-sur-ton dresses the GranCabrio, hiding the secret from prying eyes until the very last moment.

The Skoda Prize 2011 Announces The Top Twenty

2011-09-22T15:28:00.000+05:30

New Delhi, 21st September 2011: The Škoda Prize for Indian Contemporary Art announced the list of the Top Twenty Best Solo Exhibitions to be held in the country in the last one year. Out of 128 entries received from all across the country, the jury declared the top twenty finalists after much deliberation. The Longlist comprises of 20 contemporary Indian artists at various points of success in their career as well as working in a wide variety of media. It comprises of artists from all across the country; and ranges from artists who have been exhibiting for more than a decade to those who have only just had their debut solo exhibitions. The Škoda Prize Top Twenty 2011 catalogue will showcase the best of Indian contemporary art in the year 2010-2011 and will act as a leveler wherein artists who are yet to be famous will share space with India’s most celebrated artists.

With solo shows in London, Berlin, Chicago in 2010 Jitish Kallat, one of India’s most successful artists finds his way into The Škoda Prize 2011 Longlist with his solo show “Fieldnotes: Tomorrow was here yesterday” that is currently showing at Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum in Mumbai. At the same time 27 year old Prashant Pandey’s debut solo show “Shelf-Life” at Gallery Maskara has found a spot in India’s best twenty. Pandey works with eclectic media: expired chocolate, urine, sweat, sugar, discarded cigarette buds. Navin Thomas who showed at Gallery SKE in Bangalore mixes science and art and 25 year old Dhruv Malhotra who had his debut solo at PhotoInk in New Delhi experiments with photography by shooting at night with long exposure to arrive at surreal landscapes of Noida. Ashish Avikunthak is the only artist on the list to work solely with film and video, although a number of others use video as part of a cross-media practice. Other celebrated names include L. N. Tallur, Reena Saini Kallat, Arunkumar H. G., RAQS Media Collective, Manjunath Kamath, Vishal Dar, Sujith S. N, and Sumedh Rajendran. Pooja Iranna who was included in the longlist last year is back this year as well, with another solo show in New Delhi. Manish Nai, a young artist who in particularly interested in textures makes his way into the longlist with “Extramural” at Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke in Mumbai. Aditi Singh and Paula Sengupta who has solo shows at Chemould Prescott Road in Mumbai are a part of India’s best twenty shows too. Making up the rest of the list are shows by Anjali Srinivasan and Srikanth Kolari and a collaborative photo project by Madhuban Mitra and Manas Bhattacharya.

The jury panel for the award is chaired by one of India’s most prominent philanthropist and art curator Kiran Nadar. Other Jury members include Pooja Sood, Director of KHOJ International Artists’ Association, Vivan Sundaran a renowned India contemporary artist. In addition to the eminent Indian jury members, renowned curator and director of the Migros Museum in Zurich.
Heike Munder from Switzerland will be a part of the final judging process.

Apart from the Jury Panel, there is also an advisory committee headed by renowned art critic, Girish Shahane. An Independent Writer based out of Mumbai, his articles on art, film and cultural politics have been published in leading newspapers and journals in India and abroad. He writes a fortnightly column for Yahoo! India.

Top 20 shortlisted artists will be featured in the Škoda Prize Catalogue and the artworks of the final three artists will be exhibited. The Škoda Prize patron Pro Helvetia – Swiss Arts Council will offer a four-week residency each in Switzerland to the two runners-up of the The Škoda Prize 2011.

The final winner will be announced in January 2012 and shall be awarded Rs.10,00,000/- apart from earning the prestigious title of The Škoda Prize winner for the year 2011-2012.

Below are the Top Twenty Best of all:

1) Ashish Avikunthak
Ashish Avikunthak returns periodically to his personal footage archive and frequently uses the same images in different films. He treats his footage with the reverence an archaeologist might have for an excavated site.

He is preoccupied with Indian religious, philosophical and pictorial traditions, and treats these in a unique fashion which is neither reverential nor satirical.
Ashish Avikunthak’s “Vakratunda Swaha” was shown at Chatterjee & Lal in Mumbai, in May and June 2010.

2) Vishal Dar
The work in BROWNation draws on official government photographs and posters, virtual architectural images, and Bollywood and arthouse cinema. The project encompasses digital, manual, material, and monumental worlds; it merges visual spectacle with socio-political concerns.

Vishal Dar’s “BROWNation” was shown at Gallery Espace in New Delhi in October 2010.

3) Arunkumar H. G.
The recent works of Arunkumar H. G. explore the concept of land and all that it entails and elaborates upon: metaphors for the human and social bodies; questions of ownership and usage; the migration of rural populations to urban centers; environmental consciousness and abuse; the production and distribution of food and the resulting consequences of health, markets, real estate and waste management. His solo exhibition consisted of sculptures in varied materials: sugar, silicon, wood, polythene and steel.
Arunkumar H.G.’s “Tract” was show at Nature Morte in New Delhi, in September and October 2010.

4) Pooja Iranna
Pooja Iranna’s images capture her impressions of the city she calls home, as it changes into a world she barely recognizes. She painstakingly constructs sculptures, made from staple pins, which echo grand modernist architectural forms. Her paintings endow the harsh surfaces of modern buildings with delicacy, humanising them in the process. She is equally at ease working with painting, sculpture, digital prints and video.

Pooja Iranna’s “In the Waves and Underneath” was shown at Palette Art Gallery in New Delhi, in September and October 2010.

5) Jitish Kallat
Jitish Kallat has made several interventions within the space of the Bhau Daji Lad Museum: intricately carved bamboos that resemble scaffolding, a Tristan Tzara poem on the walls, neon-lit Roman numerals along with several seminal art works spanning his career. Kallat’s latest solo show is conceived as an open laboratory where, during its five month run, Kallat will continue to engage in an extended conversation with the collection of the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum, its architecture and its library. One of the areas of focus has been the pre-history of the museum. In the library and in the Maharastra State Archives, Kallat been trying to trace a violent episode in the life of the museum at the moment of the Great Indian Mutiny that threatened its near extinction, before it was moved from the Town Barracks to its current location in Byculla.
Jitish Kallat’s ‘Fieldnotes: tomorrow was here yesterday’ is being shown at Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum in Mumbai and will continue to be on show till October 10th, 2011.

6) Manjunath Kamath
Known for his witty and satirical takes on the secular, mythological and historical, Kamath revels in his humorous interpretations of the common tales, while always underlining the deeper sense of poetry and philosophy of life. The current body of work, is the aggregate of Kamath’s distinctive imagery rich with the narratives of everyday life, interwoven with mythologies and intimate stories. His specially stylised backgrounds are overlaid with earthy slabs, making them reminiscent of decaying walls and rusted surfaces. They create a camouflage on the canvas to suggest the lies humans tell as a matter of habit.
Manjunath Kamath’s “Collective Nouns” was shown at Sakshi Gallery in Mumbai in April 2011.

7) Srikanth Kolari
Settings in Kolari’s black-and-white photographs vary – coalfires that continue to spew poisonous fumes, a valley of enchanting beauty now forever scarred by strife, a coastline that lies ravaged by a monstrous wave – but in each instance he brings to light the human face of the tragedy. Kolari consciously shoots using subdued light, human suffering being the underlying motif of his body of work. Given Kolari’s anxiety to don the role of a chronicler, the adoption of a picture-narrative format is unsurprising. Each photograph is accompanied by text that is carefully researched and puts the life and times of the subject into perspective.
Srikanth Kolari’s “thereafter… Journeys in Jharia, Kashmir and the Tsunami Coast (Tamil Nadu)” was shown at Institute of Indian Contemporary Art in Mumbai in July 2010 followed by other venues in Bangalore, Kolkata and Delhi.

8) L N Tallur
Known for his kinetic sculptures which often comment on society and politics, the works of L.N. Tallur combine a sharp wit along with a prodigious use of materials. Using classical sculpture of India as their starting point, these are then manipulated to confound the established categorizations with which we usually interpret art: figuration and abstraction, traditional and contemporary, decorative and functional, creative and destructive, religious and secular. It is as if each work is both and neither at the same time. Tallur’s works may appear quintessentially “Indian” at first, but they certainly participate in the most advanced dialogues surrounding sculpture today and reveal themselves to be both cosmopolitan and historically astute.
L. N. Tallur’s “Chromatophobia: The Fear of Money” was shown at Nature Morte in New Delhi, in April 2011.

9) Dhruv Malhotra
Dhruv Malhotra has a strange predilection for nightfall ¬¬¬¬–¬ for it is the night that also compels him to pick up the camera. He prowls the city of Noida with a medium format camera, courting danger in its gardens, dark alleys and under bridges where silence and sodium vapour lamps keep him company. The experience of the night is not obscured or made mysterious. Instead, the photographs made with long exposures, appear like almost-day and thus surreal. It is in this visible darkness, the attention shifts to the anatomy of an aspiring metropolis. The focus is not the obvious signs that seek to define Noida but the less seen, in-between spaces that await being transformed and occupied.
Dhruv Malhotra’s “Noida Soliloquy” was shown at PhotoInk in New Delhi, from April to June 2010.

10) Madhuban Mitra and Manas Bhattacharya
Madhuban Mitra and Manas Bhattacharya’s collaborative photographic project explores the ruins of India’s first and only still camera factory, National Instruments Ltd. in Jadavpur, Kolkata. From the late 1980s, the company dissolved its workforce, was declared a sick industry. At the time it was shut down, the factory had been developing the National Reflex 2000, which would have become India’s first SLR camera. Today, the place where the camera was born is a silent, eerie and dusty repository of broken camera shells, spare parts and debris. In the absence of the workers, the factory bristles with objects of personal significance scattered on worktables and in the workers cupboards. Rather than invoking a nostalgia for that which is disappearing, the project attempts to excavate a certain history of labour and of technology and their slow but inevitable passage.
“Through a Lens, Darkly” was shown at PhotoInk in New Delhi, from December 2010 to February 2011.

11) Manish Nai
Nai’s preoccupation with unusual textures began in the year 2000, when his father owned a small wholesale business selling jute cloth. Nai evolved a method of incorporating the actual jute into his paintings by drawing on paper; scanning and digitally manipulating the drawn images; projecting and tracing these onto jute stretched over canvas; and replicating the drawings as patterns on jute through a painstaking removal of threads. Pushing his practice further, Nai utilized the jute threads left over from these ‘paintings’ to create his very first sculptures. Taking forward his preoccupation with textures, Nai transferred one of his most intricate drawings onto the wall of his studio, making the wall look like it had been scratched by a sharp object. He controlled the light and dark areas aided by Photoshop, and the process led to his actually painting the fragile illusion onto a wall of the gallery for his solo exhibition.
Manish Nai’s “Extramural” was shown at Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke in Mumbai, in August and September 2010.

12) Prashant Pandey
Prashant Pandey reawakens perception of everyday life by destroying conventional logic when it comes to ways of seeing discarded objects. Through his use of recycled, reclaimed and found material like abandoned industrial containers, cigarette butts, cane trash, urine and blood - Pandey uses by-products of human activity and discarded material in new ways, interrupting the utilitarian cycle of everyday life. The distortion of form slows down the act of perception between the audience and the object. In this manner, his work serves the poetic function of promoting seeing as opposed to recognizing something that is already familiar and known. As you experience Pandey’s work, keep in mind the words of John Baldessari who once famously said, “Look at the subject as if you have never seen it before. Examine it from every side. Draw its outline with your hands and saturate yourself with it.”
Prashant Pandey’s “Shelf-Life” was shown at Gallery Maskara in Mumbai, in August and September 2010.

13) Sumedh Rajendran
Sumedh Rajendran’s latest exhibition offers a series of stimulating works that deal with demarcations in domestic life. They are a reflection of Rajendran’s belief that, while we often see, we still fail to gauge the consequences that our fears and anxieties can have on our lives. The works make references to these changes, which propelled by fear, contribute to redrawing of existing socio-political vulnerabilities and even faiths. With this body of work, Rajendran attempts to explore these shifts in perceptions, beliefs, human behaviors and value systems that guide our life patterns.
Sumedh Rajendran’s “Dual Liquid” was shown at Vadehra Art Gallery in New Delhi, in September and October 2010.

14) RAQS Media Collective
RAQS Media Collective’s most important art work in the current show is a two-screen video installation that writes an oblique narrative of the relationship between metropolises and the world in counterpoint to Rosa Luxemburg's 'The Accumulation of Capital', her critique of the global political economy,. RAQS trawls through a haunting, dream-like landscape straddling Warsaw, Berlin and Bombay/Mumbai to produce a diptych for video which is part-natural history, part-detective journal, part-forensic analysis, part-cosmopolitan urban investigation and part-philosophical dialogue so as to offer a considered and personal reflection on possibilities for radical renewal in our times. Also in the show were a series of photographs, sculptures from found objects and a light installation.

RAQS Media Collective’s “Capital of Accumulation” was shown at Project 88 in Mumbai, in October and November 2010.

15) Sujith S. N.
Urban panoramas and their haphazard growth and deterioration are the references that drive the impulses of Sujith S.N.’s works. Through his works he aspires to explore architectural forms that create the ominous skylines of modern Indian cities. His paintings map the changing rhythms of urban landscapes in the modern times. By appropriating visually arresting images of contemporary urban life, Sujith attempts to explain the moments where architecture becomes political. In doing so, he specifically tries to address questions about the disciplinary powers and regulatory mechanisms of modern cities.
Sujith S. N.’s “Map is not the Territory” was shown at Latitude 28 in New Delhi, from September to November 2010.

16) Reena Saini Kallat
Reena Kallat’s practice spans painting, photography, video, sculpture and installation, often incorporating multiple mediums into a single work. She frequently works with officially recorded or registered names of people, objects, and monuments that are lost or have disappeared without a trace, only to get listed as forgotten statistics. One of the recurrent motifs in her work is the rubber stamp, used both as an object and an imprint, signifying the bureaucratic apparatus which both confirms and obscures identities. In keeping with this, her show consisted of sculptures, works on paper constructed from the names of people who have been denied visas on the basis of class, nationality or religion; a set of ten large-scale photographs tracing the fluctuating Line Of Control between India and Pakistan from October 1947 to December 1948 and two video works.
Reena Saini Kallat’s “Labyrinth of Absences” was shown at Nature Morte in New Delhi, in March 2011.

17) Paula Sengupta
Paula Sengupta’s current body of work represents an eclectic mix of media; from serigraphy to woodblock printing, from nakshi kantha to appliqué, from table linen to almirahs. Memory and discovery merge in this show, bringing to the forefront questions about collective identity, history and about documentation. Paula Sengupta visited her ancestral home in Bangladesh and returned with an eerie sense of belonging, and an equally odd sense of alienation. The exhibition is an autobiographical exploration of a past never lived, yet one that is in need of recollection; a personal search for roots, a celebration of identity and the making of a public memoir. Merging the personal with the political, Sengupta’s body of work insightfully explores the role of public memory and re-discovers events that produced history more than half a decade ago.

Paula Sengupta’s “Rivers of Blood” was shown at Chemould Prescott Road in Mumbai, in August and September 2010.

18) Aditi Singh
In Aditi Singh’s latest solo exhibition, the charcoal rubbings and inky stains are darker, less ethereal, some almost violent in their outpouring. Singh has mastered the art of abstracting the recognisable image—most of her imagery comes from flowers, from nature—and she goes between holding onto something that can be recognised, and the abstraction of it. Some works are soaked through with black ink, others erased and then rubbed over. Even when restrained—in a few, the pencil has barely nicked the paper—there is an edge of violence to the discipline.
Aditi Singh’s “Let it be a Heaven of Blackred Roses” was shown at Chemould Prescott Road in Mumbai, from December 2010 to January 2011.

19) Anjali Srinivasan
Srinivasan’s works, often humble artifacts, exhibit unusual behavior by challenging thresholds of human perception or activating an environment unexpectedly. She makes responsive entities: toys, tools, devices and installations, which are incomplete without human participation. They are evidences of ephemeral activities and entities. They remain unfulfilled without human presence. To this end, her studio practice discovers, assesses and restructures information held in a material or a situation – glass, spices, emergent technology and human gesture.
Anjali Srinivasan’s “Of Shifting Natures” was shown at Sridharani Gallery in New Delhi, in January 2011.

20) Navin Thomas
In his latest solo show, Navin Thomas explores his continuing interest in the afterlife of salvaged electronic junk with a possible audio capacity, creating work that incorporates found objects as varied as old PCO telephones, former army loud-speakers, a customized hatbox, a PA horn from a mosque, and a toy that gleefully sings in Iranian which was found in the Chinese toy market in Chandni Chowk. Thomas’s work also examines how animals and birds react to household electronic appliances and the effects of living in close proximity with seemingly domestic magnetic fields.
Navin Thomas’s “From Towns End…” was shown at Gallery SKE in Bangalore, from August to October 2010.

About The Škoda Prize
The ŠKODA Prize is the largest and most prestigious award on the Indian visual arts scene. It recognises cutting-edge work demonstrating vision, innovation, and a mature understanding of material and form. The Prize brings to public notice exciting trends in contemporary art, highlighting the output of established mid-career artists as well as new voices. It is backed by jurors of impeccable credentials, renowned patron institutions, a dedicated group of advisors, and a management team of proven capability. The ŠKODA Prize is Seventy EMG's Arts Initiative.

Note: Press release

Review: Yana Sizzlers Restaurant at Koramangala 5th Block

2011-08-29T19:40:00.000+05:30

Last weekend, I and my husband decided to check out this newly opened Yana Sizzlers Restaurant located at Koramangala 5th block, Bangalore. The thing that attracted us the most was the ambience and moreover we were bored of the regular meals and stuffs we used to have at our usual eat outs. The restaurant is a small cozy place with lovely and comfortable interiors and lighting. It is stretched over 2 floors only and might accommodate around 25-30 people at each floor.

About Yana Sizzlers Restaurant:

'Yana' the word is a very nice catch phrase which means please come or come again. The menu consists of tongue tickling recipes specially created with your choice spate your appetite. Every dish is meticulously prepared and visually appealing which will make your experience a memorable one.

My experience at Yana Sizzlers Restaurant

The moment I sat down at a table, I was intrigued by seeing the pencils in a pen stand there. As I began to wonder, what purpose these pencils had on a dinner table, I took a look at the table mats. The table mats were normal brown disposable sheets with lots of games on it like criss-cross, crossword puzzle, guess the word, dots and boxes etc. I and my husband spent a good time playing those games and guessing stuffs while we waited for the food to arrive. I was so much engrossed in solving the puzzles of both mine and my husband's table mat (both were different), that I forgot to take the pic of the mat.

We had ordered Barbeque chicken sizzler with Schezwan Sauce and Lamb Chilly Sizzler with Garlic pepper sauce. Our food arrived within 10-15 minutes of our order and it was literally smoking hot. The smoke was wafting off it and along with the hot sauces it literally made me cough. However, the smoke subsided after some time and all we got to have were some real delicious sizzlers. I've had sizzlers only twice before this and I must say that this was the best amongst all. The vegetables especially the spinach, peas and corns were the best of the lot. Very well cooked and fresh! The chicken was tender and along with the sauce tasted heavenly. We had a real good time there and the food was definitely quite amazing.

Check out some pics below:

BBQ Chicken Sizzler with Schezwan sauce

Lamb chilly sizzler with garlic pepper sauce- Can you see the glimpse of table mats with games? :D

Prices:

Barbeque Chicken Sizzler: INR 360/-

Lamb Chilly Sizzler: INR 470/-

Below is the rate card on the scale of 5:

Taste: 4.5/5

Ambience: 4/5

Price: 3.5/5

Service: 4/5

Location (as per internet browsing):

Yana Sizzlers

Rating: 2.5/5 Stars

Phone number for Yana Sizzlers, Bangalore 080 25505538, 080 25505542

Have you been to Yana Sizzlers Restaurant? Share your experience with me in your comments below

Puts your patience on test – The Horrendous experience with Airtel Customer Care service, INDIA

2011-08-22T10:24:00.001+05:30

After having a bad service from Reliance webworld, it was my mistake to praise Airtel for their "nice" service. I don’t know if I have some jinx attached to me regarding internet and web services but past few days have been a little too much to test my patience.

I'd been an Airtel customer since 8 years now and I was always quite happy with them regarding the mobile connection and internet broadband service too till last week. Little did I know that my happy bubble built in past 8 years would break so shatteringly in past 8 days. Here, I tell you how:

I was about to shift to my new home on August 14th, 2011 and hence I raised a transfer request of my airtel internet broadband connection and telephone landline service on August 8th. At the time of request they told me that it would take "MAX" 10 days for the transfer to be done (i.e. by August 18th, it should be done) and you'll be charged additional 300 bucks for that. I was ok with it, but just to know the status I called these guys on August 12th and asked them if they could come and do the transfer on Saturday (August 13th) itself as I was shifting in the same locality and also my new home already had an airtel connection that just needed activation. The customer care guy in his sweet honey coated voice agreed and said that it will be done on the weekend. I waited and waited for whole weekend - no one came.

I again called them on Tuesday - August 16th for the connection - they said the same thing, "It will be done by end of the day". I told them clearly that I need the internet connection as I’ve taken “work from home” option and I can’t work till they get me the connection. They “Updated” it in their “Database” and said that they’ve put it on “High priority” and “Urgent” and everything will be done “ASAP”. Nothing happened and so another day passed and nothing happened.

The most annoying thing of calling customer care center is that there is no direct way to talk to the customer care representative. Here is the whole process which I feel you note it down in case you really want to talk to the person for "HELP". It might save your time, energy, money and some frustration.

Press 1 for English

Press 1 for airtel broadband connection subscriber

Press 1 to enter the telephone number

Press the number

Press 1 to confirm

Press 5 for other queries

Press 9 for talking to customer care executive.

The days passed and passed and I kept on calling them daily twice and thrice, following the above mentioned idiotic process. Every day the customer care people would tell me the same thing - "We have updated the status, we have put it as high priority and it will be done by end of the day". Till now I've not seen their end of the day, and it is already August 22nd today.

Another annoying thing I experienced while talking to customer care people is that, I got my mobile number changed in their database some months ago but I seriously don't know what kind of temporary databases they are following that they still refer to my old number. Heights of frustration happened to me when despite calling them everyday thrice from my number and getting it updated daily, I'd end up listening to the same old number from them, the very next day.

I am really pissed off with such poor services that had happened with Airtel in past 8 days. If this is the way they solve their “High Priority” issues and complains then I don’t even want to know what they do to other complains and requests.

I don't want to spend even a single penny on them and want to get my internet connection changed as fast as I can. I swear to bang their instrument and modem on their face if they come anywhere near to me now. I'd request you to please suggest me some good internet broadband connection available in Bangalore.

Update (August 24th, 2011) : After annoying me for so long, they have finally said that they can't transfer the connection because of "technical issues" and hence asking me to cancel it.

Someone tell me how is that possible? The place where I've moved to already has an airtel connection there, which just needs activation. How much "Technical expertise" is needed in doing that, can someone please answer me?

If you've had any similar experience then please share it with me in your comments below

For T-shirt Hoarders and Coffee Cup Lovers

2011-08-05T09:43:00.000+05:30

Have you ever wondered why people go so crazy about hoarding the T-shirts more than any other casual dress? Do you have a fetish for T-shirts as well? Apart from the comfort factor, I've seen that many of my friends (including my husband) are more focused on what a T-shirt has to say from its slogan, instead of its color or texture. As a matter of fact, that is the thing that attracts us all to a particular T-shirt at first glance. It is true that T-shirts definitely have to power to project your personality to the outside world. What you think and feel can be put into an analogy on what your T-shirt slogan sports.

Here let me share with you an instance of the impact a T-shirt slogan can create. I read it in some magazine sometime back:

On a trip back from the Middle East, Iraqi blogger and activist Raed Jarrar was not allowed to board a flight at JFK Airport in New York because he was wearing a T-shirt that said 'We will not be silent' in both English and Arabic. Airport security forced him to change his T-shirt saying that it was like "going into a bank with a T-shirt reading “I am a bank robber".

So, you see! T-shirts are definitely powerful and no one takes them lightly at all. They have the power to strike fear into people's minds, make them consciously or subconsciously think about an emotion, a brand, a cause or a person. These soft and comfy items of clothing that just about everybody wears as a mark of streetwise cool or fashion item or even an undergarment, can be the real sources of mass enlightenment or the real weapons of mass destruction.

As a matter of fact, this modest cotton garment has actually gone through a lot of front-line action over the years, right from the First World War to the barricades outside meetings of the World Trade Organization today. The power statement they make by their slogans has made them number one choice amongst all the cause events and activities that need to be appealed to the masses. And it has also become the most famous marketing tools for business enterprises.

Today we have plethora of options available in these T-shirts where slogans belong to various zones of fun, entertainment, sports, music, mathematics and science. While browsing for some cool slogans, I came across these amazing big bang theory t shirts, which might remind you of your science lessons; just that these are a lot cooler. Check out some pictures below:

Image sources

The way my husband collects T-shirts, I collect coffee cups. I am a huge fan of cool and funky coffee cup designs, and I feel that they really spice up my boring computer job that I do almost whole day. There is so much innovation and creativity going on in coffee cup designs and it is really fun to check them out. Below are some of the pictures I found while browsing Cafepress website:

Punch Coffee Mug

Dunk Mug

Camera Zoom lens Mug

This is my fav of all - Melting iceberg cup

Stacked cup

So, which of the Big-bang theory you sport, and which of these mugs did you like the most? Share your choice with me in your comments below.

A very Annoying Experience with Reliance Webworld, Forum Mall, Koramangala, Bangalore

2011-07-26T12:28:00.001+05:30

Last weekend, I and my husband went to Reliance Webworld located at Forum Mall, Koramangala, to book a video conference for official purpose. When we went there and talked to a lady regarding that, she said we had to buy a 225 Rupees package for 9 hours Video Chat. I felt something weird in this and clarified her that we needed a Video Conference room for official communication and not any video chatting thing, to which she said that during morning hours, usually all these computers are free and you won't get any disturbance from anyone, etc.etc.

Even after repeatedly telling her that we need a "Video Conference" for the "Official reasons" she kept on talking the same thing. I even pointed her to Video Conference rooms and asked her about that, to which she didn't reply anything and was head on in forcing us to get tat Rs.225 package. We thought, may be this is procedure for that and agreed.

After paying for the package, she asked us what software would we use for Video chat – skype, gtalk etc. ? I was really annoyed and told her that there is no software as we were not going for any "VIDEO CHAT" for God's sake, and this time she realized her mistake. Her face went blank and she went back to her manager to ask about this. She came back beaming that we need to get a Video Conference room booked for that and it charges INR 3000/- for half an hour which the company would pay. I asked her, why did you let us have this stupid package then, as I already have a webcam at my home and probably better internet connection for a video chat? She was at loss of words and when we asked her to cancel the package and give the money back; she said it can't be done.

This was more than enough to piss me off. It was really amazing how shamelessly these people fool customers to get their quota filled. There was no way we could cancel that package and there was no way we could transfer it to any other Reliance Service.

This was really pathetic and even the manager had his own attitude and kept on insisting that we had some miscommunication with his employees, which we knew was not the case at all. The lady whom we talked to simply vanished from the vicinity and despite telling them that we didn't want this package, but were forced to take it - the employees and managers there had no decent or satisfactory answer to the whole problem.

I am highly disappointed with this kind of service and dealings with Reliance webworld. At least they should tell all the options to the customers in the beginning and let them decide what they would want. The way the lady misguided us was very disgraceful about the brand and there was no way we could cancel the package and get the money back.

The contact numbers given on the web to contact them are never picked by anyone, so there is no way you can call these “webworld and netconnect” people for any change of bookings or other problems etc.

I warn every one of you reading this experience of mine, to please be aware of how Reliance networks and services work. They have hell lot of ad-hoc things which might make you pay unnecessarily. There services suck big time and I have no intention to get anywhere near to anything that says "Reliance" anymore now.

The Webworld I am talking here is:

Reliance Webworld,

Ground Floor, Forum Mall, Koramangala

Bangalore, Karnataka

INDIA

Phone numbers according to internet (which no one picks ever or comes busy the other times):

080-32939129

080-32939123

If you have any such similar bad experiences then please share with me in your comments below.

Pics of the day - Photographs by National Geographic

2011-07-25T10:18:00.000+05:30

I received these amazing photopgraphs in a forwarded mail this morning and they were so refreshing and breath taking to look at that I couldn't stop myself from sharing them here with you guys. Just check them out yourself and enjoy:

Greece - Oia Santorini

Brazil - Piraputanga fish in Sucuri river

Egypt - The Pyramids

Yemen - Al-Saleh Masque

Praying Mantis

USA - Thunderstorm in Montana

Hong Kong - A lightning bolt strikes the antenna of The Center building in Central

Alone

China - River Bank in Zhenyuan, Guizhou Province

Mountain fog

Herring Gull with Guillemot Chick

Little fly on a small white flower

Great Blue Heron with fish

Indonesia - Suradita Village, West Java - children playing with their roosters

Mount Everest climber

Warminster, England

China - Feeding Koi fish at Windows of the World, Shenzhen

Bee - purple flower

Himalayas - Buddhist Monastery of Ki

Which one of these did you like the most?

The Mansory Vincero (One of One) - The World's Only tuned Bugatti Veyron

2011-07-21T10:25:00.000+05:30

This is World’s first tuned Bugatti Veyron - The Mansory Vincero. Below are some of the specifications that I found on the internet:

1109bhp,
New wheels
New exhaust
New Panels,
Restyled Front end and interiors

The whole customization process costed around additional €700000 on the whooping cost of the car. Check out some more photographs and a video below that I got in a forwarded email:

Here is the video:

Today's Gyan from Grandpa

2011-07-21T09:58:00.000+05:30

A woman in a supermarket is following a grandfather and his badly behaved 3-year-old grandson. It's obvious to her that he has his hands full with the child screaming for sweets in the candy aisle, for biscuits in the bread aisle; and for fruit, cereal and pop in the other aisles. Meanwhile, Granddad is working his way around, saying in a controlled voice, "Easy, William, we won't be long . . . easy, boy."
Another outburst, and she hears the granddad calmly say, "It's okay, William, just a couple more minutes, and we'll be out of here. Hang in there, boy." At the checkout, the little terror is throwing items out of the cart, and Granddad says again in a controlled voice, "William, William, relax buddy, don't get upset. We'll be home in five minutes. Stay cool, William."
Very impressed, the woman goes outside where the grandfather is loading his groceries and the boy into the car. She said to the elderly gentleman, "It's none of my business, but you were amazing in there. I don't know how you did it. That whole time, you kept your composure, and no matter how loud and disruptive he got, you just calmly kept saying things would be okay.
William is very lucky to have you as his grandpa." "Thanks," said the grandfather, "but I'm William ...the little shit's name is Kevin."

Instrumental - Aapki Nazron ne Samjha song

2011-07-03T12:49:00.000+05:30

My attempt with Aapki Nazron ne Samjha

Instrumental - Dil Ibaadat on my piano

2011-06-25T15:42:00.005+05:30

My take on Dil Ibaadat song from movie "Tum Miley". I played the music on my Yamaha PSR E143 and recorded Panasonic SDR - H85.

The quality may not be that apt:

&lt;p&gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; &lt;/p&gt;

Do let me know your opinion.

My Canvasses of Colors

2011-06-21T15:12:00.010+05:30

Creation is always a thrill, and it is natural. Whenever we create something, it holds a special place in our hearts. My mom tells me that the first artwork that I ever made was with her "bindi packets" and I stuck them on walls making various patterns. Since then, my life has been filled with canvases of various colored and black & white paintings, scattered in my memories. A few of them I don't mind leaving the way they've been, but there are certain black and white paintings, I definitely would love to see in colors; see in life!

My Parents' Wedding Photos

My childhood memories have been captured in colors and I cherish looking at them all the time. In my album, apart from those captures there are some wedding pics of my parents too that are all black and white. My mom had always been the most beautiful woman, I've ever seen and her bridal pictures and youth, captured in black and white certainly make me more curious to sit in a Time machine, go back to her time and see her in real, see her in actual colors - the way mother nature painted her.
Every time I look at her pictures, I could see the hint of that subtle blush on her face and the slight fear of a bride, which just leaves me wanting to see more.

My Black and White Sketches

Colors always meant life to me. I've always loved to sketch and paint, and the interest started since the time I began to move my limbs.

As I grew up, I began doing some serious drawings and paintings too; all learning on my own. Though colors always fascinated me a lot, I usually ended up doing sketching and pencil shading for the fear that I always thought colors would rather spoil the art and beauty of my sketch.

Black and white ruled my life for quite sometime and I remained stuck to that world. However, as I began to grow confidence in my sketching and painting skills, colors started coming back to my art work. I could half imagine this world in black and white already from what I see at my office and it certainly doesn't feel too warm to me. I tried making a painting of my office, and it just felt too cold and bland to me.
Coming to imagining some other things in black and white, I wonder how could I showcase the blushing of a young girl, the warmth in her eyes, and the tiredness of a farmer in black and white sketches?
Colors were definitely needed and I had to bring them into my paintings. Although, all my new artwork had colors in them now, I still miss having colors in my previous sketches.
Yes! though black, white and grey had their own charm to these sketches of mine, I still want to see them in colors; see them in life!

Some of my black and white sketches that I'd love to see in colors:

I made this sketch after seeing a photograph of a model at a metro station in New York. The sparkle in her eyes and the mischievous smile is something I'd love to see in colors.

This is one of my first few sketches. The apprehension and hesitation in the girl's eyes are something colors would definitely make look more live.

I made this sketch around 2 years back, and I never expected it to come this way. The mix of sensuality in the whole posture of the model along with a subtle touch of innocence on her face is something that definitely leaves you wanting for more.

A Blind's world

This could be too hypothetical, but my personal experience with a little blind girl shook me from within. I simply couldn't forget interacting with her. She was congenitally blind and had no idea about colors, though she loved playing holi at her school and her dream was to actually get to see those Holi colors. Below is my experience with her, that I wrote in a poem sometime back:

A regular day with regular needs,

I went to buy some groceries,

Holi, the festival of colors was around,

And I had to make some delicacies

The place I lived, had in its behind,

A school of people, who were all blind,

As I crossed the road to reach the shop,

I saw a familiar little girl,

And I came to a stop,

She was all alone,

Waiting to go to the other side,

I asked her, if I could help,

She didn't take a step,

And she kept quiet

I asked again and touched her face,

She didn't flinch, but nodded a yes,

I held her hand and crossed the road,

I asked her - "Where do you want to go?",

She said - "I have to wait here for my Miss",

I couldn't leave her there unaccompanied

We took a bench and sat their for a while,

I asked her name and talked about her school and life,

She was happy to answer and she smiled,

She asked me about my rife,

I said I had to buy some sweets,

And had to get some clothes and tweeds,

At that moment she fell quiet

And then she asked - "Its Holi isn't it?"

I said - "Yes",

She paused and said "We play holi every year at our school",

I went dumb,

She said - "I like the festival; I wonder how colors look like",

And I went numb...

Something inside me was piling,

I looked at her; she was still smiling,

“My miss says, what I see is the color called - Black,

And when lots of light is there outside,

The black lightens a bit, and she calls it White"

I knew she was sad, but she was smiling,

And I couldn't see anything, as I was crying

She heard me, but refrained to say,

Her Miss came and took her away

And I kept seated, glued to my seat,

Wishing from my heart, if I could do the feat,

Of coloring her world and coloring her life,

Wishing if blindness could have more than just black and white

Though nature took her gleams,

To see the colors, when she was born,

It certainly couldn't snatch her dreams,

As they were her own

I wonder what dreams she sees, and how they fair,

And I wonder what she painted them there...

PS: I know congenitally blind people can't see colors and images in their dreams (at least that's what I've known from the entire internet search I did). Their dreams are usually filled with emotions, sounds and their experiences.

Her words still keep on ringing in my ears - "I wonder how colors look like". The experience made me register my eyes for donation so that it could lit up some blind's world. I really wish and pray that she gets to see the colors soon.

Being a painter, I usually love to paint with bright and bold colors. I don't know what attribute of my character it showcases, but definitely gives me the same satisfaction God might have felt after creating this beautiful colorful world. This sense of satisfaction also made me keep this blog template blue. Our dear planet earth is the most amazing creation of God and Nature that we know till now, and the fact that this amazing creation is a "Blue Planet", made me give the same color to my blog too.

"The Blessings of Nature are shown in its Colors; capture them as much as you can"

P.S. All the artwork, paintings and sketches described in this post are made by me.

I wonder How Colors Look Like!

2011-06-19T07:00:00.007+05:30

A regular day with regular needs,

I went to buy some groceries,

Holi, the festival of colors was around,

And I had to make some delicacies

The place I lived, had in its behind,

A school of people, who were all blind,

As I crossed the road to reach the shop,

I saw a familiar little girl,

And I came to a stop,

She was all alone,

Waiting to go to the other side,

I asked her, if I could help,

She didn't take a step,
And she kept quiet

I asked again and touched her face,

She didn't flinch, but nodded a yes,

I held her hand and crossed the road,

I asked her - "Where do you want to go?",

She said - "I have to wait here for my Miss",

I couldn't leave her there unaccompanied

We took a bench and sat their for a while,

I asked her name and talked about her school and life,

She was happy to answer and she smiled,

She asked me about my rife,

I said I had to buy some sweets,

And had to get some clothes and tweeds,

At that moment she fell quiet

And then she asked - "Its Holi isn't it?"

I said - "Yes",

She paused and said "We play holi every year at our school",

I went dumb,

She said - "I like the festival; I wonder how colors look like",

And I went numb...

Something inside me was piling,

I looked at her; she was still smiling,

“My miss says, what I see is the color called - Black,

And when lots of light is there outside,

The black lightens a bit, and she calls it White"

I knew she was sad, but she was smiling,

And I couldn't see anything, as I was crying

She heard me, but refrained to say,

Her Miss came and took her away

And I kept seated, glued to my seat,

Wishing from my heart, if I could do the feat,

Of coloring her world and coloring her life,

Wishing if blindness could have more than just black and white

Though nature took her gleams,

To see the colors, when she was born,

It certainly couldn't snatch her dreams,

As they were her own

I wonder what dreams she sees, and how they fair,

And I wonder what she painted them there...

I know congenitally blind people can't see colors and images in their dreams (at least that's what I've known from all the internet search I did). Their dreams are usually filled with emotions, sounds and their experiences.

The life around us is represented by colors in all the forms and our eyes are a great gift from God to see and enjoy these colors around. However, imagination and dreams have no limitations, and that was what went into the poem I wrote above.

Note: I wrote this entry as a contest entry for Indiblogger. The contest is held by HP Laser jet and you can check more about the site at (http://www.hp.com/in/laserjet)

A composition - Mitti ki Khushbu instrumental

2011-06-18T15:12:00.013+05:30

A composition I made for a song I heard in my dreams. Yeah I know sounds weird. But thats how it is. Here just recorded the instrumental part on my Yamaha PSR E413. I recorded using the Panasonic SDR H85 handycam, but didn't get very nice quality.

Anywho..here is the composition. Do listen and let me know your opinion!! :) It might take some time for the player to start the song.

Till now I've not added the lyrics to the song, but will do that soon!! :)

Weirdness of the day: Island of the dolls

2011-06-15T11:11:00.000+05:30

What would you feel if you land on an island that has no living creature except for weird dolls? I've seen such scary living dolls in haunted movies, but seeing this in real was something quite unnerving to me.

Check the details below:

Isn't it spooky? What do you think about it???

Note: The above information is classified in "Ripley's Believe or not" archives.

Weirdness of the day: Roof Attack

2011-06-14T19:10:00.000+05:30

I have abandoned this blog since quite sometime now so I thought of starting something new and fresh here. Will be sharing certain weird and interesting photos and information with you guys now on. Here is one to start with:

So, what do you have to say about it? :D

Note: The information is classified in Ripley's believe it or not archive

From the Secret Scrolls

2011-05-17T07:02:00.000+05:30

Whatever you want to bring into your life, you must GIVE it. Do you want love? Then give it. Do you want appreciation? Then give it. Do you want understanding? Then give it. Do you want joy and happiness? Then give it to others.

You have the ability to give so much love, appreciation, understanding, and happiness to so many people every single day!

May the joy be with you,