MK Livin & Lovin

Moving Forward....

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 08:27:00 +0000

2015 was a crazy year work wise that made a lot of thing take a back seat. It was also a year that made me realize how lucky I am to have the friends and family that I have...

I am hoping for a more balanced and positive 2016!

Resolutions that I do no hope to break - being grateful and being present.

Resolutions I most likely will- weight loss and being organized...baby steps!!!

And yes to blog a bit more often.!!

Wishing you all a very very happy and positive New Year!!!

Eatin: Easiest Nachos Ever!

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Sat, 20 Jun 2015 07:41:00 +0000

I love movies....and I would like to pride myself to be a Cinephile...but my list of movies to watch remains endless and no where near complete. Now going to watch a movie usually means three things- movie (of course), trailers (the most important part) and snacks!! Who does not love the buttery, cheesy pop corn or the gooey nachos with a side of candy floss and soda!

Well, coming home famished one evening, I recalled a quick and easy snack a flat mate of mine used to make. These are the easiest and probably ( a bit more healthy) than the nachos you get the cinema. I would highly recommend making these when you have people over for a movie night and they are to die for.

Its quite simple....get a pack a Doritos Tortilla Chips in Nacho Cheese Flavor or even plain Tortilla chips will do.

Create a "pico de gallo" by chopping up an tomato, red onion, black beans and jalapenos (fresh or the ones from jar). Add in salt to taste and some lime juice ( I would skip this step if I were using the jarred jalapenos.

Top the tortilla chips with the pico de gallo. You can top this with spoons of salsa. After that top this off with a mix of mozzarella and sharp cheddar cheese. Go ahead be quite generous with this step.

Pop this into microwave/ oven and bake till the cheese melts.

Eatin: My Favorite Smoothie Recipe Ever - AB&J

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 04:50:00 +0000

You know you have had a good break/vacation when you are back rested and filled with good memories, positive energy and looking forward to making positive tweaks possible. Bliss!

During the trip, the hotel I was staying in had a juice bar and like clock work for the four days I stayed there, I would order this smoothie. Let me tell you by far the most refreshing and yummy smoothie ever!

I loved it so much that the day after I landed in Dubai, I went and got all the ingredients to make the smoothie. Now my version tastes yum but I cant seem to be able to recreate the taste like the Juice Farm at the Palazzo in Las Vegas. I think this has to do with the fresh almond butter they used in the smoothie.

If you want try to make the smoothie, here is the recipe

1 banana

1 cup strawberries

1/2 cup fresh frozen grapes

Meat of 1/2 coconut ( this is the yummy interior of a fresh coconut)

Coconut water

2-3tbsp of fresh almond butter ( best of luck finding this in Dubai. I used atore bought instead)

Blend all of these ingredients till it is nice and smooth! And enjoy!

Note: its a good meal replacement, mostly breakfast or lunch. Do not have this for dinner!

Coconut meat, in some parts of Dubai cafeterias sell fresh tender coconuts. Ask them to separate the water and meat and give it to you.

Eatin: Tresind - Very India

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 05:53:00 +0000

Have any of you ever seen the movie "100 foot journey" or perhaps read the book? An amazing food journey (sorry The Chef did not make my cut). In the movie the protagonist- an Indian cook curious of French cuisine and flavors takes on his "journey" to learn how to cook French cuisine from the lady who runs the Michelin Star restaurant across the street from his family run restaurant. Eventually, he become a skilled chef where he uses various techniques such as "molecular gastronomy" to create fusion "Indo-French" meals. (I highly recommend checking out the movie- Helen Mirren is brilliant.) While watching the movie, I kept thinking is there anything such as Indian molecular gastronomy ?!?

Fast forward few months later, the name "Tresind" starts popping up on my Twitter and Instagram feeds with the words such as unique,different and molecular gastronomy being used to describe not just the food but the overall "experience".

Curiosity piqued, I made my way this week to try the restaurant. This was one meal that was truly an experience. I would have never thought that you could marry flavors such as truffles into Indian cuisine - can you just imagine how heavenly that would taste! I ordered the "vegetarian" tasting menu which was six course meal starting from chaat to soup to salad to kebabs to mains and finally dessert. A bit ambitious but as the sous chef later advised me you need to be a "bit smart" with tasting menus- basically pace yourself.

Let me share the highlights of the meal

The "deconstructed" pani puri- a spoonful of pani gel sprinkled with boondi that you have to throw back like a shot.

Zaatar buns with pindi channa hummus

A minestrone pav bhaji soup

The modernist chaat trolley - this is something you should order even while going a la carte - the way they make it is sheer amusement.

Guloti kebabs with morel mushrooms - truffle infused heaven

For the mains there were three gravies, a dal, a bread basket and kulchas. One of them a papad canoli with kadhi and kachori. The dal is amazing with a smoky aftertaste. The stuffed kulchas with mushrooms that have a hint of truffle.

Now the dessert- my favorite was the "Daulat ki Chaat" - a creamy milk foam with soan papdi and 24K gold. Breaking the notion that Indian desserts need to be heavy and overwhelming.

And the after meal digestive- mukwaas (mouth refresher)? saunf (fennel seeds)? Nope! Bring in the "Paan" flavored candy floss!

The sous chef Angad stated that they regularly come out with new dishes for patrons to try and if the feedback on the flavors are positive they introduce it in the menu. So, every visit can be different. I really look forward to going back and trying few of the other dishes on the menu.

I would really recommend this restaurant if you are up for trying something different and unique (there I said it twice over) ;)

I leave you with this picture of a brilliant execution of flavor and texture? Can anyone guess the flavor? ;) (Hint: Not a fruit)

Eatin: Basil Macadamia Pesto

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 04:00:00 +0000

There is nothing more satisfying than a simple sauce stirred into a pasta with a drizzle of truffle oil or silvers of almonds or chill flakes (some heat!).

Pesto is one of my most favorite sauces ever! I can have pesto dotted on a pizza, added to a salad dressing or spread on a sandwich. The nutty flavor from the pine nuts and aroma of freshly chopped basil just makes it divine all rounded with olive oil.

The last time I made pesto, I decided to add a some macadamia nuts to the pesto which gives the pesto more body and a bit of a chewy after taste. It was yummy!!

Recipe

2 big bunches of fresh basil

3 cloves of garlic

1/4 cup of pine nuts

3/4 cup of parmesan cheese; grated (fresher the better)

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Handful of macadamia nuts

Salt and Black Pepper to taste

- Coarsely chop all the ingredients in a food processor other than the oil, salt and pepper.

-Slowly add the olive oil to chopped ingredients and mix till well blended (the oil should not separate but emulsify)

-Add salt and pepper to taste.

Tip 1: You can freeze left over pesto into cubes. Freeze them in ice trays then keep them in Ziploc bags in the freezer. The olive oil acts as a preservative. Yes, it will not taste as good as the fresh kind but better than having store bought fare.

Tip 2: When you want to use the pesto just leave two or three cubes to thaw at room temperature. Under no circumstances microwave the pesto or heat it. Pesto is usually best added to the sauce right at the end so as to not destroy the flavor.

Livin: The Year That Was & 2015

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Fri, 02 Jan 2015 06:47:00 +0000

Another 365 days gone and what a year it has been. Not the worst of time but certainly a challenging one in certain aspects.

2014 was a year to realise that support and friendship are rare and when you find them- cherish it!

2014 was the year to realise that what a selfish world we live in and despite it all you might be lucky enough to find people who care.

2014 was the year to realise life will always remain full of surprises. Morality and kindness can be of convenience and utterly subjective.

2014 was the year to accept in all of the chaos; "just keep swimming" is not all that bad and sometimes all we ever need.

2015, I hope will be a year to be a bit crazier, happier, healthier and maybe along the way end up wiser!

I am horrid at resolutions but for me 2015 will be about gratitude, relationships and experiences :)

Happy New Year!!

Eatin : Yummiest Guacamole Ever!

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Fri, 13 Jun 2014 13:26:00 +0000

I have posted this a recipe for guacamole previously, but this has a little twist. My favorite place to have chips and guacamole is at Loca in Dubai Marine Beach Resort & Spa. This recipe comes pretty close to tasting as yummy as the one they make at Loca.

In addition to using a nice avocado, bell pepper, roasted corn, onion, a green chili, one lime, you will need a 1 tsp of cumin powder, 1/2 tsp of garlic powder or even 1 tsp if you like and salt to taste.

All chopped and diced!

Add the roasted corn. You can roast the corn on a grill on even on a lightly oil pan, which makes it more toasted I guess.

Add the spices and chopped up avocado and mix it up.

Serve up with some plain or lime flavored tortilla chips. Makes a good dinner as well ;)

Lovin : ideer, Camera Accessories Galore

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 10:08:00 +0000

There is nothing more exciting than someone pursing their passion. ideer, is exactly that a passion for photography and style personified. My friend Navin Khianey, who is an avid photographer himself, realized that there was a market in ever so fashionable UAE for vintage camera accessories. Originally from Hong Kong, ideer is now available in the Middle East.

ideer is a range of vintage camera accessories and cases, I especially love the canvas bag. The bags are ideal for the avid photographers and bloggers alike.

The best part of ideer is you can buy their collection online so do check out their site and like their page on Facebook .

Lustin: Paspaley Pearls

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Sun, 16 Mar 2014 10:18:00 +0000

These are just gorgeous and super pretty. Classy and perfect!

Lovin: My Favorite Finds at ARTE!

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Sun, 09 Mar 2014 07:56:00 +0000

My house is straight out of an IKEA catalogue, the couch, the shelves, the shoe rack and lets not forget those coffee mugs! So, in a bid to add some color and some much needed personality of its own, I decided to hit to up Arte one Friday afternoon in Time Square, Sheikh Zayed Road. ARTE is basically a platform where artists from the UAE get a chance to display and sell their products or master pieces. Yours truly participated once with her baking!! Shout out to all my friends who were awesome enough to make it!

Note: ARTE happens on the first Friday of every month at Dubai Festival City and the second Friday of every month at Time Square.

While there are such a massive array of talent just brewing here in Dubai, here is a look at my five favorite finds from my recent trip to ARTE!

1.Decoupaged Camels by Darcy Harris

I am sure we all have at some point in time either bought a camel or gifted a camel as house decor. Rather than the typical brown finish, I decided to get one of these super pretty decoupaged camels that are made by Darcy Harris. Unfortunately she does not have a Facebook page but you can email her at empressdarcy@hotmail.com Some of her creations are so funky and pretty and they make amazing gifts as well.

I picked up this super colorful guy and to be honest I am really tempted to get a horse the next time!

2. Dawn Kyra Blessing Ceramics

Dawn's collection of glazed pottery. All these pretty pieces are made in Dubai and she ships them as well around the world and does a gorgeous array of colors. I wish I got a better pic but you can check out her Facebook page.

3. Coastal Chic

I love the whole Keep Calm phrases and the interestingly all the boards are made of driftwood.

I decided to pun it up by getting this sign.....punny and profound at the same time! Order one for yourself here!

4.Ragmatazz

These guys are one of my favorite. Home-grown pretty bespoke clutches and jewelry...I am a proud owner of two of their creations. Currently loving their Masaba-ish scarves!!

5. Well Preserved

Finally, how can I forget food! My favorite stop would be Well Preserved. A variety of homemade preserves in some really fun combinations such as strawberry and chilli, sweet chilli jelly and the intense Vampire Relish. It is run by two friends who work full time and I should commend them on their dedication.

If you have a free Friday morning during the beginning of the month, be sure to drop by to ARTE and support local artisans!!!

Lovin: 2014 Academy Awards Gowns

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 09:32:00 +0000

Another Oscars come to a close and can I say selfies and this awesome photobomb or should I say cumberbomb probably trumped the fashion this year.

While there were a lot of nudes and blings on the red carpet, I think these were my favs of the night..


Sandra Bullock in Alexander McQueen

Love everything about this look from color, to the makeup to the jewelry!

Cate Blanchatt in Armani Prive

Jennifer Garner in Oscar De Le Renta

Lupita in Prada

Images: All from Google, none of the pictures are mine.

Eatin : Angelina at Dubai Mall

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 07:58:00 +0000

To say my New Years started off on a sweet note would be an understatement. After a night of partying and ringing in 2014 and staring at the DXB skyline followed by spending majority of the day curled up in bed; I decided the first day of a new year cannot be uneventful. So, off I went to Angelina in Dubai Mall.

This French establishment is known for this thick decadent hot chocolate and desserts. The most popular dessert being the MontBlanc, which is a meringue filled with cream and top with chestnut cream noodles.

New Years Day and there was line up and so we decided lets wait, best point in time to highlight that one of the waiters let the people behind is get a table despite two of us and four other people waiting. The head waitress on the other hand was far professional and ensured we got seated. Sadly, they were out of MontBlanc; since it is flown in from Paris. Damn it!!

We settled for their Signature hot chocolate and an éclair. Let me just say, I do not have a strong sweet tooth and love coffees more than hot chocolate. The signature hot chocolate is the most divine thing I have had with deep dark chocolate flavor that is mellowed only by the whipped cream that is served on the side. Most importantly, the hot chocolate is really HOT!, a blessing for a cold December evening that is even more cold thanks to the air conditioning in the malls of Dubai.

If you love chocolate, this is a must try for sure. Now the MontBlanc on the other hand took another two trips before I finally tried it! The meringue is delicious, one of the best I have and its a different taste with the whipped cream and chestnut cream. However, this is a dessert for person who has an insane sweet tooth.

If you do have to try something from this famous Parisian tearoom that has opened its doors in Dubai Mall, have that Hot Chocolate!!

Lovin ♥ Chanel Rose Moire

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 05:14:00 +0000

This is by far the prettiest and most office safe nail color I have ever come across. The best part is tht it is not mattee or entirely nude, the Chanel Rose Moire (593) gives my nails a light rosy taupe pearl finish. Its is perfect for work or play and goes with everything. I love Chanel nail colors for their longevity, its been over a week and my color is yet to chip. The downside, the Rose Moire is a limited edition!

Source: Chanel

Livin: So, how did my 13 for 2013 end?

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 07:02:00 +0000

In Jan 2013, I decided to do a 13 for 2013 list. While I got at it with great enthusiasm, I really did not get to check mark everything on the list. But I did manage to a few things on my list :)

Wear more dresses

While in the last two years, I did wear dresses on one or two occasions after a lot of coaxing from friends; I have managed to get a bit more comfortable wearing them more often. I am gaining confidence in being able to carry them off. so yay!

Make one health goal each month

FAIL!

Read more books

This was a good one and I loved that I did so, managed to read around 14 books last year. Heavy on fiction and a believe it or not a JK Rowling but still no Harry Potter. I need to get back to this, since I feel like I have slipped a bit again. But then again; I am giving myself a break this January to figure out things.

Cook one new dish each week

This did not happen once every week, but I did manage to make a few great pasta dishes and not to forget risotto.

Run a 5K

NEVER MIND!

Participate in 3 baking exhibitions

I participated in one baking and three jewelry exhibits. I slipped off a bit on baking because I started doing jewelry. I will admit it was I bit off more than I can chew over here and should have been more balanced about this; which I aim to do this year.

Learn to blow dry my own hair

I live in Dubai :) Enough said.

Blog more often

Please read this post, to tell you where I stand with this.

Pray

Doing ok, I guess.

Organize

Still on a learning curve with this one.

Travel

I missed out on traveling with my friends. But I did do a trip to London and it was amazing!!! :)

Wear more heels!!

After MCL injury, it will be sometime before I eliminate wedges

Sunrise and Sunsets

Best Sunrise: London, UK

Best Sunset: Dubai, UAE

I am not making a 14 for 2014 lists, but I think I should come up with a few things I would like to achieve for 2014. I am not doing that in Jan but in Feb where I use this month entirely for planning purposes.

Livin : 100 Happy Days

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 10:18:00 +0000

By now you may come across a few photos either on your facebook, twitter or instagram feed with the hashtag 100 happy days.. (#100happydays).

Source:100happydays.com

Well it is basically a simple mission on the website 100Happydays.

All you have to do is take a picture everyday for a 100 days, of something that made you happy that day. You share the picture on the social media platform of your choice with the #100happydays.

The site claims that people who have been consistent in doing so have:-

- Started noticing what makes them happy every day;

- Are in a better mood every day;

- Started receiving more compliments from other people;

- Realized how lucky they are to have the life they have;

- Have become more optimistic;

If you want to give it a try, go to the site, register and start the challenge.

I am doing it at the moment on Instagram. I will touchbase with you all in 100 days ;)

Bollywood RoundTable 2013!!!

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 11:26:00 +0000

After the success of our last roundtable (which you can read over here), we decided to make this an annual affair. We as in, four friends - Abhijit Sovani (AS), Megha Kumar (MK), Mubin Mohammed (B, you can read his reviews at BeenOpinion) and Rohith D’Souza(RD) - who have a common love for movies. This is our version of the very popular “roundtable” series hosted by Rajeev Masand.

The year 2013, almost like last year, has seen some good movies come out of Bollywood including Bhaag Milkha, Lootera, Special 26, The LunchBox, Shahid, Kai Po Che and Madras Cafe on the quality front and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani and Chennai Express on the entertainment front. Our roundtable looks at what stood out for us in 2013, what we did not like and what we are looking forward to 2014 in Bollywood.

What was your favorite movie in 2013?

MK: 2013 for me, overall was a complete contrast to 2012, a lot of the movies left me waning. To think an industry that manages a movie release every week, very few other than the ones listed come to mind. I think my favorite movie for 2013 has to be Lootera. While it lacks the stellar acting of people like Irfan Khan and Nawazuddin and the dedication of a Farhan Aktar; Lootera for me was a simple story that was told to perfection.

B: I think I would like to split my answer for this question and highlight not just best movie but also best directed since I feel both are significant. No doubt this year, almost like last year had some good movies however, the two movies that stood out for me were Kai Po Che and Madras Café. Kai Po Che has to be the BEST movie since it had some beautiful moments and scenes that were executed and captured to perfection. The movie had great acting, mature writing and amazing direction. The music was equally awesome; an album comprising of only three songs, sufficed for a brilliant musical experience. Madras Café had brilliant execution and it takes the best direction trophy from me. It could have turned out to be a typical police chase story had it not been for Shoojit Sircar who took this movie to a level that has not yet been witnessed by Bollywood.

AS: I am yet to see The Lunchbox or Shahid so this may seem a bit premature. In 2013, I think the movie that I enjoyed the most was Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. I went into the movie with sky-high expectations given that I had read up on Milkha Singh and his inspiring journey and the fact that Farhan Akhtar subjected himself to such arduous training to prepare for the role. The movie delivered big time. As the story unfolded I could feel the emotion and sense the struggle of the highs and lows of Milkha's life. The direction, the supporting actors and the music were exceptional and the fact that the story was narrated during the courses of a train ride that journey between the past to present. However, in terms of the overall criteria for judging a movie nothing was better in 2013 than Kai Po Che. The plot, the screenplay, the depth of characters, the music, the direction and most of all the acting; this one has it all. Kai Po Che mesmerized me when I least expected it to. BMB is a close second but the movie could have done with better editing.

RD: ‘The Lunchbox’ was a clear winner for me. This old school love story between two strangers who haven’t even met each other was superbly directed and written by the debutant Ritesh Batra. The Lunchbox only beat Madras Café & Kai Po Che by a whisker in overall experience. A better actor or a better performance with some emotions by John Abraham would have made Madras Cafe the best movie this year. Nevertheless, if this Roundtable had a question about Best Director, Shoojit Sircar would have taken it hands down.

Who was your favorite actor/ actress of 2013?

MK: Acting wise I would say the winners for me would have to be the cast of The Lunchbox. The performances in The Lunchbox are so sincere that you feel for each and every one of them. While these are actors (esp Irfan Khan and Nawazuddin) who always do a commendable job even in a cameo, I would be taking such fine actors for granted for not acknowledging them this year at the very least.

B: This is a though one. I think the best part about this year is that it’s not the usual big stars and actors that are causing the confusion but rather the ones who do not often make it to this list. For instance, Raj Kumar Yadav …be it in Shahid or his mature performance in Kai Po Che. Another example is Sushant Singh. In any case, for me the winner has to be Farhan Akhtar. No actor could look more his role or more expressive while just running on a race track than Farhan...a salute to his effort. This year definitely has been a sad year for actresses. Other than Sonakshi in Lootera, there wasn’t much scope for most of them. Note: I still have not watched Ram Leela to comment on Deepika

AS: As with every year there were some great performances but Farhan Akhtar as Milkha Singh towered above all. What helped his case was that the movie was a well made movie which only made the impression he left that much stronger. He simply nailed it. You could sense the eagerness and curiosity in Milkha's voice as he sees the jacket with the flag of India emblazoned on it. You could sense his innocence and exasperation when he is attacked for just wearing the jacket. You could feel his pain when he has nightmares of that one day when he lost his parents. Farhan brings everything to the role and more. The scene in the climax when Milka goes back to his village in Pakistan after all these years and just breaks down has to be the best scene in the movie.

RD: One of the year’s best performances has to be from the debutant Sushant Singh Rajput in Kai Po Che. It is really hard to take your eyes off him every time he appears on screen. The actor has a great screen presence and the confidence with which he delivers his performance tells you that he will be one of Bollywood’s greatest actor. Sorry Farhan, the Flying Rajput beat the Flying Sikh by the minutest of distance in the race of performance. The best performing female actor for me this year is clearly Sonakshi Sinha. More about her in the next question.

Which movie/ actor surprised you the most?

MK: I think this should go to Sonakshi and Ranveer. I watched Lootera because Mubin thought it would be worthwhile to watch given its director. Movies like Lootera make you understand the power of a director in bringing out the best in their actors. The performances by Sonakshi and Ranveer were just amazing and I could not believe that these two could do such a brilliant job.

B: I think the movie that surprised me the most was Ashiqui 2. While the movie did have a decent director, I had very low expectations and even considered giving it a complete miss. But the brilliance of the music warranted a watch and to my surprise, I actually liked it for many more reasons than just the music. Another movie that surprised me as much was Lootera. While I expected the direction to be great, but Ranveer and Sonakshi??? I did not expect such amazing performances from both of them. Also, I should highlight, that another actor who really took me by surprise this year was Sushant Singh. After having watched him in some sad TV shows, little did I realize this guy would have such tremendous potential. Welcome to Bollywood Sushant!

AS: Sushant Singh Rajput has arrived with a bang. His performance in Kai Po Che should easily be considered one of the best acting jobs this year. As the passionate but hot headed Ishaan he was simply fantastic. While Shudha Desi Romance was nothing special his performance there was pretty good as well. From actresses there was a news flash for me. Sonakshi Sinha can act. Absolutely loved her acting in Lootera. Would love to see her in more such projects.

RD: Sonaskshi Sinha’s performance in Lootera blew me away. For an actress who has done only hit masala movies, Lootera was a breath of fresh air. It was pleasantly surprising to see her performance in Lootera. Hope to see a lot more of that performance from her in the future.

Which movie /actor disappointed you the most and why?

MK: I want to say Dhoom 3 but no I will give this to Ranbir Kapoor. Ranbir Kapoor's choice of doing Besharam was a big disappointment. I am surprised that an actor with his track record to experiment thought such foolishness would be worth a try.

B: I think there were a few movies that shattered my expectations like David, Ek Thi Dayan, John Day, Besharam, Bullet Raja, but to choose the top pick …I think that has to be Dhoom 3. Even though I am not a fan of the Dhoom franchise, I still went in with great expectations (cause of Aamir’s involvement with this sequel), only to come out of it thinking “Thank God, AK was there, else I would have walked out of the theatre”. The actor who disappointed me was probably Ranbir Kapoor. With a track record like his, who would have known he would end up working in a movie like Besharam. From a great start in the form of Yeh Jawaani to ending with Besharam….why would he do that to his fans and to his own reputation?

AS:Although I loved AK in Dhoom 3 and thought his performance was simply fantastic and the only thing remotely worth watching in D3, I was still disappointed in him doing a movie in which robbing a bank seems easier than counting Uday Chopra's facial expressions. I mean seriously. Sure his part and the suspense and all were great but money flying off the terrace?? I'm sure half the viewers at that point felt it is their money that is flying on the screen. AK could have made a bank heist movie of his own with a proper sensible plot. But this I will leave to the fact that he wanted an assured commercial hit and was willing it look past the gaping potholes in the script. You are way better than this AK.

RD: Ranbir Kapoor in Besharam was the disappointment of the year. The only movie in 2013 I walked out of at the interval was Besharam. I did not expect someone who won the best actor award for two years in a row to do a movie like Besharam. Besharmi ki bhi koi hadh hai Yaar.

What would you want to see in Bollywood in 2014?

MK: Quality Cinema. In an industry that has the likes of SRK, Amitabh, Anurag Kashyap, Farhan Akhtar, how can quality cinema be so hard. I wish production houses gave more weight to the story than an item girl’s navel or the actor’s six pack. A commercial movie does not always have to have special effects, items numbers or cars being blown up for no reason. DDLJ did not have any of the above and is still one of the best movies till date.

B: I definitely know I DO NOT want to see any more masala and south remake coming out of Bollywood. I think Bollywood needs to focus on scripts and editing. We have such great writers and directors, but we do not know where to draw the line and say this is where the story needs to end. Take Phata Poster Nikla Hero or D Day, both good examples of good stories and great dialogues that get us to the intermission after which the movies are stretched to cross the 2.5 hour mark. Why?!?!? I also think we need to experiment with special effects and really work on improving its execution. We have the money but still come short on the skills to utilize special FX properly.

AS: Man I always regret the fact that we have such talent out there that is going to waste in meaningless cinema. Sure do a masala movie every now and then but when that becomes a norm that's a problem for me. In 2014, I would like to see Salman Khan in a meaningful well directed movie. Despite, what people have to say, Salman Khan can act given the opportunity but for reasons best known to him he has not done so. Add to this list Akshay Kumar (not including Special 26) and Anil Kapoor. Akshay Kumar, should do movies with better and stronger storylines. And our evergreen man Anil Kapoor should reprise roles of the stature of what he has done in the amazing 24 series that came as a breath of fresh air on Indian television.

RD: I am looking forward to the most anticipated movies of 2014 such as Rajkumar Hirani’s PK with Aamir Khan in the lead, Nagesh Kukunoor’s Lakshmi, Anurag Kashyap’s Bombay Velvet with Ranbir Kapoor, Imtiaz Ali directed Highway with AR Rahman’s music & Shaadi Ke Side Effects with Farhan & Vidya Balan. With these promising movies I am sure Bollywood will give us those 5 to 6 movies that will be far superior in quality and content than the majority of the movies. I only hope that I am wrong about the number 5 or 6 and hoping Bollywood will produce at least 15 to 20 top notch movies. 2014 is too early to hope for a massive reduction in Masala movies. They are here to stay and understandably so with the revenue they generate.

Is there a point to the 200 crores club in Bollywood?

MK: I don’t think so. Do 200 crores really mean that it is good cinema or a good quality entertainer? I really do not get the hype. Yes, it is shocking when a movie brings in that much money in domestic sales alone (I will not discuss ticket prices) but it does not ALWAYS guarantee you quality.

B: I think these are important indicators of audience expectations, of star power and growing inflation. What they are not, are indicators of a movie’s success. I think the true test of what the audience like starts from the Monday after the release weekend. If a movie shows a steady trend or better yet, an upward trend, which means the movie has connected with the audience.

AS: Yes, there is. The 200 crore club to me is an indicator of where we are as a collective audience today. If this club at the moment consists only of our typical masala over the top entertainment movies, then this tells me we have an audience have a long way to go. When movies such as Lunchbox or Paan Singh Tomar start to make the list more often, it will indicate a turning point in the Indian audience. I dream of a day when Indian movies will sell themselves based on their content alone rather than launch themselves into a full frenzied marketing campaign to ensure initial box office collections.

RD:Amongst the four movies that have made it to the 200Cr club, 3 Idiots is the only critically acclaimed movie. The quality that 3 Idiots has is far superior to others in the club and I am thankful to the Indian movie goers for giving the movie the attention it deserved back in 2010. At the same time, majority of the Indian movie watchers prefer masala over good content. Madras Café making a mere 45Cr at the box office proves this point. I do not see movies with good content making it to the 200Cr club (3 Idiots being an exception) becoming a trend anytime soon. Masala in Bollywood is here to stay. As more masala movies make it to the 200 cr club, the less significant this club will be. While it is not an indication of quality the 200 cr mark does however indicate what people still prefer to watch. I have nothing against masala movies and I have enjoyed a few of them myself, but hope the same people who watch masala movies also watch quality movies which is much harder to make.

Music wise, what was the best song/album/singer who stood out in 2013?

MK: The best song has to be Tum Hi Ho; such a beautiful song that it took me quite some time before I had to take it off auto-repeat. I think I would also have to give it to Lungi Dance for being one of the most fun and entertaining songs of the year.

B:Best Album has to be Ashiqui 2 in which Mithoon needs a special mention for creating the magical song Tum Hi Ho and so does Ankit Tiwari for Sun Raha Hai. A singer that needs standing ovation for his phenomenal and consistent display of talent is Arijit Singh…amazing voice and superb singing…I tend to like songs only because he has sung them…something that previously was the case with Sukhwinder. Another aspect of music that is significantly improving and at an amazing pace is background score. Bollywood is learning the importance of it and even bringing in international composers especially for this. This year… Shantanu Moitra takes the trophy home for best background score in Madras Café.

AS:This is a tough one, since I usually catch up on the music on the FM or while watching the movie. I like AASHIQUI 2 songs but don't love them which might be due to the fact that I have not seen the movie to connect with them as much. I loved the tracks of Kai Po Che and BMB. Shubharam and Manja literally transport you to Gujarat and bring its surroundings and people to life. The title track of BMB is fresh, vibrant, upbeat and indeed very inspiring and if you are a runner looking for a push in the final lap look no further than here

RD: There are songs that are good and then there are those songs that make the movie more meaningful and enjoyable to watch. Aashiqui 2 songs were an integral part of the movie which gave me goosebumps every time a song was played. The best song(s) of 2013 for me should go to Tum Hi Ho, Sun Raha Hai & Bhula Dena (You choose the order ) and the best singer for an incredible job to Arijit Singh for the song Tum Hi Ho. Songs from Lootera & Kai Po Che are worth mentioning as brilliant compositions of 2013 which integrated very well into the movie.

Livin : 13 days into the New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 10:02:00 +0000

Source: here

Happy New Year!! Could it get more belated than this?

This year the resolution I have made is not to make new resolutions(Pretty easy to break!). Trust me the mini-resolution of eating healthy was broken 12 hours into Jan 2014 by indulging in some divine hot chocolate.

I think we all beat ourselves up too much for not being at a certain point or place in our life. I do it quite a bit. For some it may be money, for some it maybe weight, for some it maybe to learn a new thing or hobby, but we all want to be somewhere or at somepoint that promises to magically transform our lives.

Guess what? It does not. Losing 35 kgs will not fix any major problems one may have in terms of their self worth or relationships, having a six digit bank account does not assure you have a more fulfilling life or owing a particular car/ bag will not make your life more enjoyable. Now do not get me wrong here, it is cool to be able to fit into clothes, to have money to spend or to drive a Ferrari, but is there a point in beating yourself up because you have not reached that point because the person next to you managed to do it in 25 odd years and not 50.

I think in 2014, we should all aim to better ourselves than be better than someone else. No one will ever know the true story behind a person's life, their pain, their happiness , their joy or their sorrows.

I also think we need to stop beating ourselves up, is there a point?

I think in 2014 we should all take those small steps that will get us closer to being our very own perfect person! :)

Livin: 19 Reasons You're Doing Better than You Think

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 07:35:00 +0000

There are times, when all one needs is a bit of perspective and more than anything a realization that life is not as bad or horrid as it seems. I came across this list on marcandangel.com which I think is so true for myself and many of my friends.

You are alive.

You are able to see the sunrise and the sunset.

You are able to hear birds sing and waves crash.

You can walk outside and feel the breeze through your hair and the sun’s warmth on your skin.

You have tasted the sweetness of chocolate cake.

You didn’t go to sleep hungry last night.

You awoke this morning with a roof over your head.

You had a choice of what clothes to wear.

You haven’t feared for your life today.

You have overcome some considerable obstacles, and you have learned and survived.

You often worry about what you’re going to do with your life – your career, your family, the next step, etc. – which means you have ambition, passion, drive, and the freedom to make your own decisions.

You live in a country that protects your basic human rights and civil liberties.
You are reasonably strong and healthy – if you got sick today, you could recover.

You have a friend or relative who misses you and looks forward to your next visit.

You have someone with whom to reminisce about the good old days.

You have access to clean drinking water.

You have access to medical care.

You have access to the Internet.

You can read.

Most importantly at this moment we need to be grateful to be as blessed as we are. :)

Source of photo

2nd blogoversary a day late and the silence

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Sun, 03 Nov 2013 21:43:00 +0000

Ok I have not been blogging for nearly two months now, the blog has been neglected quite a bit...till the point that I forgot to celebrate its second birthday on Nov 2nd!!

To be honest it is not that I do not enjoy blogging, I get several ideas but I procrastinate a lot when it comes to its upkeep.

I feel I have too many things at hand and I am slowly realizing that I need to prioritize and create a balance.

My dad will retire in a few months time and this has been bothering me for quite a few months now and add to that with my mom constantly being upset.

Change is hard and it may take sometime to get a footing. I have no control on certain situations in my life as much as ppl would like to think otherwise.

Fingers crossed and praying hard...its Diwali and all I can hope and wish for is things will get better and will be better!!!

Happy Birthday to my blog.....

:)

Lovin: Amrapali

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Sun, 25 Aug 2013 06:44:00 +0000

To say I love jewelry would be an understatement. I LOOOOVVVVEEEE JEWELRY!

So you can imagine, how excited I was to find out that Amrapali, one of the best jewelry makers in India finally opened an e-store for their silver jewelry collection. They are known for both their fine and silver jewelry range and extremely popular amongst both the Bollywood and Hollywood celebrities alike.

Here are few of the things I like from the Tribe by Amrapali store.

Filigree Earrings

Maharani Ring

Silver Dholki Necklace

The earrings and ring are silver with 18K gold plating.

Their customer service is really good and efficient. The best part is they ship worldwide. Check out the site here.

My 100th post!!! Yay!!

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 06:21:00 +0000

OK so its the last day of July and I finally got around to writing the 100th post on my blog. To think all my previous attempts at blogging failed at post number 4! But this is a delight none the less.

As hard as it is to believe, its already the end of July 2013 and there are four more months left for 2013 to come to a close and so much to achieve. I thought why not take a status quo on my 13 for 2013 list, so here we go..

Wear more dresses

I have been doing ok with this one, the fact that I have more dresses than usual in my wardrobe at the moment and I even wore a skirt. For a person who hasn't worn a skirt in like 10 years, its an achievement.

Make one health goal each month

Initially I said that this would most likely be broken within 24 hours of 2013 and you know what it lasted a week before I crashed

Lovin: Quirky and Fun Time at Sauce Gifts

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Sat, 29 Jun 2013 07:31:00 +0000

If you have been on the Dubai Twittersphere or even Instagram, you will see everyones talking about Sauce having opened up Sauce Gifts!

Now while I saw few pictures, I figured many of them were just gifts given for the opening event, its not until I stepped into the store located in Wasl Square (Love this place) that I realised it was a gift-filled haven.

(Warning: Image Intensive Post)

You can find gifts for anyone here, fun loving gifts for a friend or your better half, quirky decor pieces for your house and bright vibrant accessories to add to your wardrobe!

I have put up few of my favorite things from the store in this post.

A croquembouche candle that looks like the real sugar binge delight

These dainty coasters that would make a lovely house warming gift.

A book of anecdotes for a bridal shower

These KNOCK KNOCK pads, the one above would make a good valentine's day gift

I should get one these Note to Self notepads.

I look forward to present these panic books to a good friend for a good laugh.

Interesting pastry stand that can be used to display jewelry

Ok, this has got to make you laugh.....see the French cringe at this.

LOL!! one of the cutest ideas to gift someone on their birthday.

I probably should get one of these to survive a crazy day at work.

Quirky furniture in crazy colors and they even have these wall installations insipired by fashion logos of Fendi, Hermes and YSL (they forgot its only Saint Laurent now)

These are such cute teapots, though might look like you are drinking out of the girl's head. Cute addition to a tea party.

My favorite was these pencils with their ode to most of my favorite brands.... who doesnt trust LV?!?!

Style Inspiration Post 3- Who Said Work Had to Be Boring??

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 04:50:00 +0000

All work wear or looks do not have to be boring. It can be fun and funky and still mean business.

A combination of dark washed skinny/ flare jeans with a white t-shirt and a nice black blazer topped of with a gorgeous red statement necklace.

Ok this might not something you could wear if you work at a bank, but maybe a good combination for Thursdays perhaps or a business dinner.

If you like the necklace, do go to this link

Livin: Busy or Lazy or Crazy Weekend?

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 10:10:00 +0000

It really depends on which day of this part weekend to highlight whether it was busy or lazy or crazy one at that.

Two very close couple friends are leaving Dubai for good and relocating off to the UK. Yes, there was only so much heat they could manage. So, Thursday night was a full on party with my friends inviting everyone under one roof to bid adieu. I will till they are at the airport for that.

My contribution to the party was cupcakes- a batch of Boston Cream cupcakes and White Chocolate Ganache and Strawberry cupcakes!!! I baked after nearly a month and man as much as I love baking, washing dishes will forever remain a meh! But it was a great evening that started early and ended late. I am really going to miss them since they are by far one of the nicest couples I have ever met!!

Come Friday, it was off to visit my folks!! They stay in Al- Ain and I make it a point to visit twice a month. Thanks to a massive project at work, my past few weekends having hardly been relaxing. I was so looking forward to Friday being a day where I do nothing other than spend time with my folks and sleep. Other than a nice dinner, we also went out for a family movie night which means Bollywood for sure. Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani was a lovely movie and I think the director Ayan Mukerji is India's answer to Nora Ephron when it comes to making feel good movies.

Saturday was catching up with a good friend of mine over dinner. She is one of those people that I love hanging out with for the simple reason that we both love FOOD!!! Cream Centre in Oud Metha is super yummy and not GUILT free. Other than the guilt laden food trip, I put in a few hours on the new venture I have started (Azula has been mentioned in all my other posts) and mind you I never realised how exhausting it would be but its a major learning experience.

My aim for next weekend is to laze , chill with my friends and indulge in retail therapy :)

Tech Files: No more Google Reader!

noreply@blogger.com (mk) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 09:12:00 +0000

Unless you are live under a rock or you are not into technology, blogs or are not a Google is the savior to Microsoft fiend, you by now know that Google Reader will no longer be available post July 1 2013. In a bid for people to use more Google+. If I were them I would do away with Google plus!

I woke to this bad news a month back and despite petitions to save the feature, I think it was about time I started to look into alternatives.

There are quite a few out there, some paid, some free, some that can integrate into your browser and some with apps for all your smart devices.

These are my picks on what I will be trying as alternatives lest Google retract their decision

Feedly: The company has already announced that they will be a major alternative to Google Reader. Interestingly enough they use Google Reader as their back-end. It can be access on phones, tablets and has an extension for Firefox and Google Play. I use IE so I might somewhat have a challenge with this one or in the name of convenience I might just download Firefox.

The Old Reader: A very archaic looking version of Google Reader, but behaves like the interface I am used to using, so not bad at all. It looks boring! boo!

Pulse: It works with IE has a good interface but it has some serious sync issues that put me off from continuing to wanting to set it up.

Newsblur: Has a good interface but I will be honest, I need to try it out.

Flipboard: My fav app when it comes to my iPad. Feel like reading a magazine and I need to update it to add more feeds.

Finally, there is Bloglovin, as well as a way to keep a track of all that I like to read. I do have a few concerns with them despite the fact I use to them for my blog as well.

I am leaning towards Old Reader and Feedly at the moment, lets see how this goes.

There are lots of alternatives, these are a few I am leaning towards.