Ramblings of a pretty woman!

I feel sLOVEnia!

2012-01-12T22:39:00.002+05:30

...this is the slogan for you guessed it right, Slovenia! ....and what a beauty she is! :) S and I, didn't really plan our holiday too well and on a whim decided to head eastwards! While all our friends were very surprised about our choice, we can't imagine why the country is not a popular travel destination! People are very friendly, the country is gorgeous and blessed with tons of natural beauty!

As always, I brought along something to remember the lovely times in Slovenia! I have been eyeing this ceramic drawers on various sites and wondering how to get one, for myself! When I saw this...in a store and fell in love instantly! Its a unique piece, just like I am! :P

Each drawer is very colorful and is BEA-U-TI-FUL! S gets his share too, maybe one draw? :)

I love the ornate wood carvings on top and it holds all my little , pretty bottles of heaven - which by the way - are ALL gifts! I have never bought myself a perfume in a long time! :)

I love chimes and the soft clink-clank of it as the wind blows! Its very pleasant and calming. Though, here the weather here does not permit us to open the windows right now - back home in Pune, the balcony with the swing was filled with chimes of all kinds - all around and we were referred to as the house with all kinds of bells! :) I remember S taking a conference call from home once, and everyone asked him where the lovely sounds came from?

...This is my first post this new year, and I am all excited and filled with wonder and hope, that it is filled with loads of love, happiness, good health, peace and everything warm, bright and motivating as these lovely tea-light candles! :)

The year that was...2011!

2011-12-30T16:54:00.001+05:30

It's nice to go back in time and reminisce how the year passed by...and the first thing that comes to my mind is that it whizzed by....whoooosshhhh!!

Though the year began with uncertainties about where we would be living, work and all other important things that affect our lives, by God's grace, things settled down favorably and S and I, both happily settled in our respective jobs. God has been kind to us, just that it takes time to understand and acknowledge his blessings. Human, that I am! :)

We did a lot of traveling this year too and visited some gorgeous countries - birthday in London, wedding anniversary in Berlin (Germany), a reasonably long trip back home for a big milestone - brother's wedding, weekend getaways to Bruges, Ghent, the French Ardennes, and a lovely year-end holiday in gorgeous Slovenia ( this country needs a lot of marketing for its gorgeousness, which calls for a new dedicated post altogether). I must say, we are super blessed to visit and experience the beauty of gorgeous places, nature and the lovely people and culture everywhere...we are indeed thankful.

I was so excited about my brother's wedding throughout the year that when it actually did happen, it was all over in the blink of an eye and we were back home too! :) I am so excited and happy that he is a married man now. The highlight of this year, for sure! After several years, we managed to see my SIL and her family and the adorable kids - and it was an awesome reunion of laughter, love and good memories for S and I, short and sweet! :)

We have found a lovely friendship in C and P, and they bring a lot of happiness and love into our lives and we are very grateful to have met them! They are such a lovely couple, bless them...In fact, last year, C was here spending time with many others, and it was good fun! Good times...

Wishing you and I, a very beautiful beginning in the new year - of new memories, new friendships, abundance of love and happiness, excellent health and may all our dreams come true! Looking forward to some wonderful new beginnings in 2012! Godspeed!

For the blog, I am going to start 2012 afresh - with a new template! :)

Girly girl!

2011-12-06T14:39:00.001+05:30

Until a couple of years ago, I had no clue about make up or eyeshadows or any of the paraphernalia that is available in the market, and most definitely would not know what an eyelash curler is....reminds me of the girls making fun of Anne Hathaway in The Devil wears Prada! Of course, I did use the occasional foundation/eyeliner/lipstick on occasions...nothing more than that!

Anyway, after we moved to Paris, I couldn't help but notice all the beautiful colors around me and especially, when you see all the lovely cosmetics laid out beautifully in every store - the girl in me has to stop and look, evince interest and finally BUY! ;).

So many women wear the right makeup here and it enhances their gorgeous faces and I changed my mind. I am slowly building up my collection from MAC (gasp!) and I must admit, I just love getting ready for work and can't wait to put on all the colors in the palette!!!!! :D

Though many people tend to pooh-pooh make up, I truly believe its an art! Its akin to a painting, except its your face or personality. You can wear a different persona every other day! I just have fun with it, the key is not to take it too seriously.

Of course, I am definitely not one of those people who refuses to go out sans make up. I do believe, I am naturally beautiful, both outside and from within...but then life would be boring, if it was all plain and vanilla?...make up adds that colour and makes your features 'pop'!

I tried a smoky eye and after much deliberation decided to put it up here, just for kicks! :) It needs a lot of practice to get a finished look, I know... I will get there....soon!

Edited to add:

Stylish and Chic! ( In my personal opinion and stuff I have learnt over the years...)

Do not pluck your eyebrows into a thin line, it makes you look worn out and older - You do NOT want that, I am sure!
Refrain from wearing clothes with rhinestones and stay away from plastic earrings or any other accessory - they are really tacky!
Puff sleeves and jackets or blazers with paddings are a big no-no, unless you are really tiny and petite! They are not flattering in any sense, even if the fashion magazines make it out to be a major trend!
Waist coats are a very classy way to brighten up a dull top or sweater - my personal favorite and style (if you have noticed!). They are very fashionable and practical too!
I fill up an empty spraying bottle with rose water to clean my face - it is a great cleansing medium, keeps you feeling fresh and moisturizes as well!
The Holy grail - Moisturize, Moisturize and MOISTURIZE!

DIY Memorabilia

2011-12-05T15:26:00.000+05:30

On our holiday to Austria back in 2009, we visited Vienna. We bought this lovely (The Kiss) painting by Gustav Klimt, in the form of a ceramic tile as a memorabilia! We have a huge collection of fridge magnets from all our travels and it is our most prized collection! (that requires another post!)

Anyway, It has been lying around for a long time and I wanted to make sure it is not lost over the years, in some insignificant corner or lost in transit when we move homes! Its a small piece and to get it framed was such a pain AND when we did find someone, it cost 10 times more than the tile itself! So I set out doing it myself!

I bought a standard picture frame and removed the glass.
I also bought a plain textured wrapping paper ( I wanted something that looked grand, enhance the painting, not be a distraction!)
I wrapped the cardboard in the matte-gold textured wrapping paper.
The ceramic tile had a velvet patch on the back and it was convenient to stick it on to the wrapped cardboard.
Finally, I put it all into the frame, and voila!...

P.S - I have not been very successful in sourcing glass slabs, so I can use the one that came with the picture frame, to work on a glass painting! :D Two birds with a single stone!!!

Accessorizing intelligence!

2011-11-30T13:40:00.001+05:30

I love wearing different accessories and I feel it adds zing to your personality. Now that winter is here to stay, I wear dark colours and full sleeved sweaters and tops, and long chains, necklaces and pendants add some colour to a plain garment! Remember that the focus is on the chain or necklace that makes a "statement", which means you have to tone down on everything else! :)

I have noticed these cute "owl pendants" a lot on many fashionable women....but they all looked the same, and I didn't want to be added to the common crowd!

But one afternoon, before work, I planned to meet a friend for quick catch-up and some coffee. I arrived early at our meeting point, so I browsed around and found these lovely statement necklaces AND they were on sale ( only the one with the pearls was a bargain)!

The owl pendant in a crystal is something I have never seen, and it was really unique, pretty and MINE! Bien sûr, it has to be! Right?

I wore it to work and my colleague made a comment that its a symbolic representation of intelligence and knowledge in Greek mythology! :) I was intrigued and googled it to find that its absolutely true...how cool is that?

It reads that in Greek mythology, the owl, and specifically the Little Owl, was often associated with the Greek goddess Athena, a bird goddess who often assumed the form of an owl. Athena was also the goddess of wisdom, the Arts, and skills, and as a result, owls also became symbols of teaching and of institutions of learning, being included in the crest of arms of many universities. In the Western world, owls continue to be traditionally associated with wisdom. They are the unofficial mascot of the high-IQ...

I have a big stand that holds a variety of these statement necklaces now, and they do make any dull garment interesting and make me all charged up as well...who needs diamonds and rubies? :)

Itching to be creative...

2011-11-27T14:50:00.001+05:30

I miss working on glass painting that I used to freely work on - one after the other, back in India! In Paris, I am not sure where I can get slabs of glass from...Anyway, this weekend, S and I were busy rearranging the furniture, cleaning and clearing all the clutter from the busy weeks we had....when I found a pile of pebbles I collected from NICE, in the south of France!

I coloured each pebble in a vibrant colour and put them together in this clay Uruli, Amma gifted me when she came to Pune! :)

Its difficult to grow plants as its winter, but I don't give up! Actually, the coriander-hoarder in me does not give up....so I built a space on the balcony around the colourful pebbles. I have loads of little coloured pebbles and small knick-knacks that I have collected over the years...and never really get rid of!

...Slowly, I added the Rajasthani men too....along with the christmas pinecones!

....and now I have something to cheer me up....as I look along outside, with a gorgeous view of the Eiffel Tower and sip coffee, read a book or talk to S!

Wrought Iron Accents!

2011-11-24T14:29:00.001+05:30

I love anything in Wrought Iron...I feel it adds a unique charm to any space and has a nice contemporary feel to it too. Some time back, when I scoured through every home store in Paris for a dressing table for a "budget", I came back with this...though it was slightly expensive! :) I never disappoint the shop owner....:P

It gives a nice earthly feel to that corner of my home, and I think it can look nice, wherever we move too! :) I am sort of confined, in terms of space here in Paris as compared to our own spacious home, back "home"! Not that it stops me from working on improvisations!

I saw some lovely wall sculptures and wall hooks, and some amazing ideas - just need another room! :D To give you an example, I am loving this...very unique and "inspirational", yet modern!

(Picture courtesy: www.ironaccents.com)
If you live in the U.S, you should definitely look it up, I was browsing online and found them! They have an amazing collection of everything under the sun in iron! :)...no, I am not being paid to plug this in...I genuinely feel its a great site with some interesting products to offer...

P.S - The wall clock is a lovely gift for S from his team in India, when we came to Paris and the twin tower hanging is ....from Prague, duh! :) Our memorabilia from that lovely mystical place that did not disappoint one bit! We are very blessed to see so much beauty in our lives! Truly!

Obsessive Compulsive Organizing - OCO!

2011-11-11T15:47:00.001+05:30

Being married to S, has brought a big change in me...and that is, from being someone not too organized, I have become obsessed with organizing and keeping everything in order! Be it my clothes, accessories or maquillage! ;)

For a long time now, I have been looking for a proper dressing table coz all my costume jewellery, skin care stuff, my precious make up and everything else is scattered in the bathroom, bedroom and in every nook and corner possible! I wanted it all in one place, and where I can actually find things when I want to wear something!

I searched for a dressing table everywhere and it was either too expensive, too big or not something I was looking for! Finally, S came up with this brilliant idea to combine this that I already have, buy a similar storage unit, and simply combine it - it totally worked! Everything fits into it. And the bonus is that, it looks colourful, feminine and really MY style! :) As I blog about it, I realize it has gone through many improvisations! It worked out financially too well...coz it was really inexpensive and hence we are in consumer surplus status! :D

The quirky stool was something I bought on a whim, but it fits really well with the entire setup now. Isn't it cute?

I have looked heaven and earth to find a suitable stand for all my earrings! Finally, I found this on www.buyincoins.com and the cosmetic-jewellery-junkie in me, is finally at peace! :D They take at least 3 weeks to deliver, but I was sold out on the free shipping policy and the fact that the prices are bloody cheap.

The rate at which I am buying Buddha figurines, our home will soon be called "The Buddha Home", coz including this one we have 3 already!

On our weekend trip to Bruges of all places, we found this epitome of calm and tranquility in Belgium! The texture of the stone is unique and the facial expression is of utmost importance to me. S loved it too and I promised that I would lug it around wherever we go, but I WANT it! :)

I am loving the fact that peace and calm reigns in every corner of our home now, literally and figuratively! Can you feel it too? :)

Mixing and Matching Fashionably!

2011-11-02T20:59:00.001+05:30

You can never have enough of clothes or shoes, right? Right! But sometimes, I have too many things unused and some of my favorite pieces get lost in all the excess! So I decided to mix it up and wear things differently.
Anyway, here's what I do, so that I can "maximize the potential and value" of my clothes and persona! ;)

I bought these really inexpensive singlets in the U.K in fiery red and a mellow biege, which I pair with this sort of translucent top with sleeves, and it gives it a nice retro vibe and spices the top!
I also picked up these skirts in cotton and knits to use them in summer and winters respecitvely, that look great when paired with flip flops or boots, depending on the season!

Cargo skirts are apparently in vogue, I didn't even realize I had picked one until I saw one in Vogue later ;) The "cargo" tag comes from the fact that the skirt has large pockets on either side of the skirt. (not clearly seen in the picture!)

With stockings or leggings, they make a style statement in winters! I am very fond of waist coats and tend to pair them with a plain simple top. It not only adds pizzazz to an otherwise boring sweater, but also adds warmth in the cold! By combining different garments to make different outfits, you can also save space during travel.

Cowl neck tops double up as a top and as a scarf during winter! I bought this top with the same idea, however it turned out to be a short one!

So I wore it with a sweater and again, here's an interesting way to mix n match and "maxi" mize! So you can give the scarf or stole a miss, and in this case, black and white is monochromatic and goes well with almost all dark colors! I paired it with a pencil skirt and dialled down on the "formal" tone.

Third Consecutive Diwali in Paris!

2011-10-27T02:49:00.001+05:30

I celebrate Diwali every year, here and here in Paris...I realized its high time I stopped moping that I miss home ( read India!) and start celebrating Diwali in its true spirit this year too! So this year I prepared in advance and decided to make the most of it, though its a regular working day here in Paris.

I must admit, in all these years of being married, this Diwali was the first one, I actually made sweets at home and it turned really well, and it was done in less than 10 minutes! I hope to share the doodh pedhas with some of my friends here.

Nowadays, we buy clothes ALL the time and don't really wait for a festival to shop nowadays. So its our own little diwali tradition to buy something new for our home, every year now!

For better posture, we swapped the low-lying couch for the flexible bed-cum-couch for frequent use.The advantage with this one, is that I can change the "upholstery" as much as I can change the numerous curtains in our home and it is a welcome change, for sure! This time, I bought a beautiful set of satin duvet and pillowcase covers as our "upholstery" for our living room furniture.

The deal breaker was the red pintucks and the lovely purple detailing on the duvet! :)

We went grocery shopping over the weekend to the Indian area in Paris. S had brought along some watches to replace the batteries in them. There is a jewellery shop who also does this for us. So I was just looking at some earrings there - but of course! I loved this cute little ring and have been wanting some thing permanent that I can wear all the time for my second piercing! We got this for me, and well its something new for Diwali too! :)

There is an interesting background to my second piercings. I wanted to do three things after I got married and I told S that its something I have always wanted to do...When he heard it, he smiled and said "of course" , coz I guess he thought they were simple wishes or he just wanted to indulge the child in me?

I wanted to colour my hair, have another piercing in my ear and wear coloured lenses. I never really did the last one, even i felt they were silly! Amma would not allow any piercings coz she thinks it looks like a kurathi ( gypsy?). I find it really feminine and very cute!

I got it done in Bangalore earlier as soon as I got married, but it hit some nerve badly and I had terrible headaches - so I let it close. I got it pierced again in Paris sometime last year and it was much better - it was with a surgical needle and there was hardly any pain. I often think if I want another one? ;-)

I came back from work to quickly light up the diyas and candles at home, and then later, was going to meet my lovely friends for dinner at Saravana Bhavan ( our only source for some comfort food, when we crave authentic south indian food, and i don't want to cook!)...

Wishing all of you a very happy and prosperous Diwali! May the sparkling lights drive away all the darkness from your lives, and light up your mind, body and soul with positivity, happiness and lovely thoughts!

I have cheerful company, as I cook!

2011-10-10T20:45:00.002+05:30

After "this" ( click on the text "this"), I have pretty much changed it up quite a bit, going along! ...and my kitchen window is very pretty with knick-knacks, cheerful flowers, spice and everything nice! ...even if i say so myself! :)

Winter has come upon us, and for someone who loves sunshine, its quite a dampener! I am not someone who stays gloomy too long ( noone should, actually!)...so I bought these winter flowers in the market below and Voila, they sit pretty and cheer me up, sunshine or NOT!

....the "hotness" quotient of my window has increased exponentially, with some fresh and green entrants! :)

On a whim, I decided to try my luck by just planting a few coriander seeds or kothamalli verai, as we say in Tamizh...and wow! I do have a very green thumb! ;) I was so excited to see sprigs of coriander!

I must say I have a strong fetish for coriander, it has such a lovely aroma that I tend to put coriander in almost everything! Divine rasam is virtually impossible without coriander leaves! If my cooking tastes good, the secret ingredient is coriander!

...It's my dream to live near the sea or have a beach house someday! ...while we wait for that to happen, we can still have sea shells, right? Right! I have this really cute hanging full of chozhi ( Patti used to play pallankuzhi with this!)or sea shells and I find it really cute...at the end hangs a bell !

I might have mentioned earlier that I collect random coloured glass containers in different shapes and arrange them like this....or paint them and make it into a pretty vase....Like?

Attempt at fiction - 2!

2011-09-27T15:46:00.004+05:30

After this, here's my second one...let me know what you think?

Thoughts go on a Relay Race!

Bhairavi, is fierce and strong as her name suggests - her personality had an air of regality and her confidence was always mistaken for arrogance by strangers! She made heads turn wherever she went and everyone felt she had it all, to the point of envy...

Today, she was feeling depressed and low and really needed a push, she thought to herself! She smiled to herself, as she drove to work. She was recalling her dream earlier this morning...in her dream, she was having a splendid view of the sea from the top of a hill when two giant birds came along, and swooped down to carry her along with them...and just as she was enjoying the ride, she saw lovely colors everywhere as she looked down...the lush greens, the deep blues and among all the landscape little white dots of buildings everywhere...she saw a distinct red dot of a bindi. The fierce red light brought her back to reality and she screeched just in time to stop at the signal!

The red dot or bindi was such a hot topic or conversation starters with her Non-Indian colleagues. On her trips abroad or when the westerners visited India, they would often ask a lot of questions about India and Indian customs. The ever-popular question was about the significance of bindi. At first, Bhairavi explained that its a sign of being married but later did a bit of research, and googled, isn’t that what everyone does these days? She found that there was much more to it than just being a symbol of her relationship status, it had a much deeper meaning like many other Hindu customs!

It is believed that the area between the eyebrows, where the bindi is placed, is said to be the 'departure' area for kundalini energy and the bindi helps to retain energy and increase concentration. Her mother explained that it is also a way of warding off bad luck. With her new-found wisdom, Bhairavi felt that it actually made sense to wear a bindi with pride!

Talking of pride, hasn't it gained undue importance recently, especially in a totally misguided sense? Most people she knew seemed to revel in their material accomplishments which was good as long as they didn't gloat and compare with friends and peers. Bhairavi was beyond such pettiness but a victim herself - in a different sense. She did not share her misgivings or disappointments even with people who were close to her. Pride stopped her. She liked to pretend she lived a perfect life!

Perfection! Alas, can it be defined? To seek and attain perfection in anything and everything is like an act of finality. Bhairavi strongly believed that being perfect or perfection is a relative term and it was an illusion, yet akin to hope at the end of the tunnel! Maya…

Maya was her best friend who brought out the best in Bhairavi. She was everything Bhairavi strived to be; compassionate, spontaneous, free-spirited and most importantly, non-judgemental! Bhairavi felt free in the company of her friend, who loved her unconditionally without making any demands of her; Maya made Bhairavi feel pure and sort of ethereal like babies…

Have you ever smelt baby skin? It is reminiscent of purity, innocence and absolute joy; everything that you want to believe exists in this wonderful life…Bhairavi felt invigorated in the presence of babies. It gave her a feeling of utopia as she raced ahead in the car, zooming ahead towards a new world after meandering through her thoughts, what a journey!

Don’t we all know that the journey is more important than the destination? Bhairavi realized it today…

I am the queen of my household!

2011-09-15T15:50:00.003+05:30

...and I take my role very seriously! ;) I like to keep changing it up, the decor, rearranging the layout...or updating a part of our home!

You all know my obsession with cushion covers and a sort-of-fixation on Buddha figurines! So when I saw this one, I *HAD* to buy it! But I love the serene face of Buddha here, and my idea is to get it framed instead of using it decoratively! So he sits there like a King and S or I try not to sit on that seat! ...until I can find a place here that frames cushion covers! But I must admit he does lend a sense of calm to the entire living room...

Plain white walls remind me of a hospital, and who wants to be reminded of one? Considering I spend some time, especially on weekends having a nice bubble bath, I wanted a pleasant ambience...

So i bought these wall stickers and voila! isn't it much better?

Mirrors add an illusion of space to any room and can add beauty without really making an effort! My cousin and his family visited me here in Paris and gifted this cute mirror - the sun and the moon look so cheerful, don't they?

I like to see the "cheerful mirror" when I wake up, so the best place is our bedroom! If you look closely, you can see a bunch of "cherries" hanging on the curtain rod! They add a subtle pop of color and liven up the space too! :)

Indian Fashion, this time!

2011-09-07T14:56:00.003+05:30

I have been away for quite some time, for good reason! I was in India celebrating my brother's wedding. I did most of my shopping and research for the clothes, jewellery and such like online so that we could focus on my brother's shopping when we got to India! While most of my friends and my folks were not very confident of my choices online, I totally was! I am often very clear about what I like and never have regrets or doubts.

Though I could actually see the actual product only when I got home to my folks in India, thankfully, all of them turned out really great and I loved it. This is not a plug for any of the websites, but the idea is to help others find things easily if they are away from home, or prefer doing things online, like me to save time and effort.

Sarees:
I picked up two contemporary Georgette sarees from www.cbazaar.com . They have a huge variety of sarees and you need a lot of patience to browse through their collections. I had about 4 months to decide since my brother's engagement to the wedding. I found that they drape really well and most importantly, are unique and one-of-a-kind! :) Here are the sarees I picked!
( P.S - The women in the pictures are not ME! ;))

For the rest of the various events in the wedding, I wore my own wedding sarees, for the second time since the wedding! I love wearing sarees and feel it really suits me. However, as I live away from home, there aren't too many opportunities. I wore the traditional 9-yards for the muhurtham ( the important ceremony where the groom ties the mangalsutra on the bride!) which made so many of my folks really happy! :)

Blouses:
I don't like ornate decorations or elaborate embroidery on my blouses. But I love stuff that looks different from the usual styles and very well-fitting blouses. Most people wear the same-border blouses that come with the saree. Though I had the same ones, I decided to buy brocade-like materials for my wedding sarees. It turned out to be really expensive or too blingy for my liking! Finally, I bought materials used to stitch salwar kameez in Kumaran Silks in T.Nagar, who had exactly what I wanted, and at a reasonable price.

The salesman looked at me strangely when I said I am stitching blouses from these materials. Common sense tells me it can work, coz a blouse is just one-fourth of a kameez and it can work! It did!! I gave Amma a lot of grief over the tailor, but he really did a good job of all the blouses. Amma heaved a sigh of relief! :)

It was silk-cotton and let me breathe in the sweltering heat!! As for my hair, its a different story altogether, the humidity made it a disaster and looked like cotton-candy!

Jewellery:

I loved this style of the necklace (as seen above), its a gift from my brother for Rakshabandhan. Its my choice, but he paid for it! :)

I have a wide variety of jhimkis, thanks to Amma, my wedding and I can open a shop! Yet, I added another one to my collection - these are the kashmiri style jhimkis! :) Actually, it is a set of 3 - another longer jhimki hangs to this! I wore only two, as I thought all three together would look over-the-top! :)

If you like the jewellery I am wearing, I bought them from Chaahat Hyderabad - look for them on Facebook. I have bought quite a lot of stuff from them and the jewellery is really pretty, prompt delivery and their customer service is pretty good too. They ship worldwide.

I also bought these bangles from www.99labels.com

I won the second prize for this entry and I used that credit to buy a saree and these bangles. They also gave me a gift voucher for my birthday! ;)

Mehendi:

I love mehendi or as they say in Tamizh, marudaani! :) Apart from the fact that it looks beautiful on your hands, it cools down your body temperature. and boy! I am HOT! ;)
I got this done on the streets of T.Nagar, and I must say they did a great job. There are a group of boys and men from the North, who sit there on the road with umbrellas and you can sit there and get it done! :) They also come home and do it for a group of people. There weren't too many girls at home, people were directly coming to the wedding venue mostly. So I decided to get it done there - quick and easy.

Pretty, isn't it?

P.S - I am not being paid to write to this post by any of these vendors or websites. It is just my way of helping people looking for information or as a point of reference.

My Kitchen Garden, very spicy now!

2011-09-04T16:34:00.002+05:30

Happy birthday Madhu Paiya!

2011-08-05T00:00:00.003+05:30

That is how my mother calls him lovingly ( sometimes!)...and it has stuck on! It's my darling brother's birthday today...this year is really special coz he is also getting married this year...and I am just counting the days to go to India and enjoy the celebrations, food, fun, laughter and cherish all the good memories I am going to savour for the rest of my life...I have looked forward to his getting married for a long time now...and I think I am more excited than he is! :D

We are very close to each other, and when he got engaged, I decided to go surprise him in India (though the decision to go was really last-minute)! S insisted that I go and I am really glad I did...I want to be there for him for all the important events in his life, just like he has always been there for me...

I remember when we were in school, and as both parents were working, they trusted him to bring me home safely ( though he was a lil kid himself!) ...and gave him specific instructions and to never let go of my hand...ever! :) He took it upon himself to literally never let go of my hand and even if I wanted to itch, I wasn't allowed to! :)

We were in the same school and I would run to him for EVERYTHING! If I forgot the vegetables for lunch, my skirt came off, my ponytail came off....god! I was such a pain in the ass...and when I think about it now, he was a teenager stuck with a little girl and it embarrassed him too...there are so many such incidents that come to mind....and I must admit I thought he was very bossy sometimes and hated him(sometimes!) while growing up...but he was always wonderful, very protective of me....and I always turn to him for everything next to my parents! ...or we plot together to escape my parent's wrath! We look out for each other... In fact, S often tells me that I spoke ONLY about Madhu when we first met! ...I am glad they get along very well now and they gang up on me and tease me about things....I am very happy that they are good friends now and it is very important to me.

We don't talk to each other every single day but often find ways to communicate every other way - be it offline messages, the photoblog, facebook, skype calls on weekends....and I am updated about everything and everyone all the time! I feel like I am never away from him....in that sense! :) He has a great sense of humour and keeps me updated about all the wonderful things I miss about India, Chennai - movies, music, good eat outs, gossip, fun stuff - I catch up with everything as and when I can!

So dear Madhu Paiya, here's wishing you a wonderful year ahead filled with loads of love, happiness, success and good health. You are the most wonderful brother I could have ever had...and I am so glad I have a sibling like you! :)

Change is all things sweet...

2011-07-18T13:16:00.007+05:30

It struck me, a couple of days back that this is the longest we have stayed in a home, since we have been married. I like to change it up every now and then, and by now, most people know that I change the curtains and cushions obsessively and periodically.

Though, it seems like an insignificant aspect to most people, it is the single most factor that is not just practical but also shows a radical change in the decor!

Our couch or the sofa has been used up a lot since we moved to Paris, that we refer to it as the "basement"! Anyway, most guests seemed to have a problem getting up and as we both developed backaches, we moved it to the other end of the living room, that we don't really use! But who says, it can't look pretty anyway? :)

I love the Vincent Van Gogh painting in my home, which was put up by my sweet landlady there...I picked up a copy of the same and another lovely piece by Van Gogh and have stashed it safely, to be framed and to be decorated!

...Have finally moved on from the psychedelic black rug to a more summery lime green....I love the colors and vibrance when I get back home...or lounge at home...

To be selfless...

2011-07-01T18:16:00.006+05:30

I happened to watch this video on youtube and I was in tears! What a selfless man!! I am truly inspired and humbled...there are numerous occasions when we all want to help, the intention is there...but we never do anything about it. I am also one of them.

I googled about him and found out how I can help...in some little way I can, and found their website.

http://www.akshayatrust.org

http://akshayausa.org/index.html

I really wanted to blog about it, write it down - to help people find information about him and his cause and to remind self to be more giving and generous and care for others.

The way, he cares for people he has no connection to, feeds them, cares for them, hugs them and shows genuine affection....it is a god-like quality. What a beautiful heart!

They are now building a rehabilitation home for the mentally destitute, helpless and old people who are homeless and live in the streets, I hope we can all do our bit and help this great man in his initiative.

Little things do matter...

2011-06-26T23:39:00.001+05:30

I have always wanted to wear heels, but I am pretty tall already and I am not very comfortable in them, so I don't wear them often! ...BUT I still went ahead and bought these incredibly gorgeous, comfortable and feminine lace heels that are specially designed for big,wide feet like mine, online! ...

When I got the shoes, I jumped up with excitement and joy, like a 10-year old! I was relating to S about something that happened when I was about the same age...and I decided to relate it here as well...

When I was a little girl, and am a girl's girl, I couldn't wait to wear duppattas, have long nails, wear heels, lipstick....I was in awe of my cousin U, a very pretty cousin, maybe at least a decade older than me....and she would have these lovely long nails with pretty nail polishes and would wear these really glamorous big heels. I remember eagerly waiting to get my nails painted, when I visited her and never folding my hands, thinking the color would fade away! :P. I would bug Amma for a dash of lipstick when we would go for weddings and simply refuse to eat, fearing it would wear off....my poor mother!!

Once, she had got rid of her heels - white stilettos, and I brought it along home, just for the heck of it. It was at least 5 times bigger than my feet...but I would walk around in them, dreaming of owning my own pair someday! :) I also had a suitcase full of shells collected over a period of time from all our beach trips...and this was all my "treasure" I would never part with, (so don't mess with me or I'll make you go crazy with my whining and crying kinda treasure!)

We moved houses, actually a major milestone for us coz we were moving from our rented apartment to a lovely apartment in Besant nagar, near the beach...and it was going to be our own home! I remember I was so thrilled looking at the new chandelier(...I thought they were real diamonds and we were super rich now!) at our new home and I also remember asking Amma "Inga daily thanni varumaa? (Will we get water here everyday?)"....coz we used to live in an area where there was a lot of water scarcity and Appa and Amma had to work hard to collect water. Anyway, I digress.

My parents had shifted to our new home and left us kids with our cousins while they unpacked and settled down. Of course, the minute I landed, I looked for my "treasure" box and to my utter horror, my dad threw away all my "trash", including my cousin's stilettos that I had safely stashed away. I was completely heartbroken and I had a mental image running in my head, of pouncing on my Dad for doing this to me! Oh, but I simply did what I did best - cried, cried and cried like there was no tomorrow...I was very very upset with him for throwing away my most treasured possessions.

Today, and I say this with utmost honesty, I feel good, very good - to know my "treasure" is safe and its beautiful and its not borrowed, its my own! ...safe in my home! It may be a little thing, but it goes deeper...:)

...they look super hot, don't they? :D

P.S - This definitely does not mean that my parents were inconsiderate, I have the most wonderful folks, but it is just a recollection of my state of mind THEN! ....:)

Spoils from our Berlin Trip!

2011-06-18T02:55:00.006+05:30

S's funky watch and my chunky flower ring - a match made in Heaven! ;)

Déjà huit, trop vite...Eight already, so fast?

2011-06-11T00:05:00.003+05:30

S* makes a "special appearance" on this blog, and describes our relationship in his unique style and with all honesty? ;) ....

i'm not a "romantic" in the traditional parlance of the word and my darling wife would vouch for that. however:

…i do remember the day i met her (some 3000+ days back) as if it were this morning…
…i do remember the quick smile as we were introduced (from across the room)…
…i do remember the ambling walk to the beach and the wide-ranging chatter (mostly on her part, as would be obvious to our common friends)…
…i do remember THE DECISION itself (not quite a movie-style climactic crescendo, i like to believe that by the time we came to that point, all that was left was the “formal” question and answer – that we had each individually already decided)…
…i do remember that we’ve lived in 5 different houses (only some of them count as “homes”) in 3 different cities in 2 different countries…
…i do remember that we’ve visited 11 countries (not counting the two we’ve lived in)…
…i do remember that today is our 8^th anniversary (i can almost hear the cliché shattering)…
…i do remember we’ve spent each of our anniversaries in a different place (by choice, its one of our customary annual vacations)…

that’s a whole lot of numbers that would not really mean much if not for what we’ve learnt from each other:

…how to let another person totally, completely and uninhibitedly into your life…
…how to recognize each other’s alter-egos and not to think you’re dealing with a different person…
…how to argue, debate, fight, nag, hassle, pester and badger each other without getting annoyed or irritated…
…how to stand up for each other without realizing it or acknowledge that you’re doing it…
…how to understand each other without speaking a word…
…how to completely misunderstand each other and laugh about it later…
…how to feel totally at ease doing things that you would otherwise never do…
…how to spend a majority of your waking hours with another person and never feel bored…

none of this would be possible without the things we have in common:

…love of travel, seeing new places and people (see above!)…
…the conviction to take things as they come (trust in God but lock your door at night)…
…sloth (our common favourite pastime is to curl up on a comfy sofa with a book)…
…F.R.I.E.N.D.S. (we have the entire series on DVD and have watched it a zillion times)…

to name only a few.

…or the ways in which we are totally different:

…she can’t stand my Formula 1 obsession and i loathe her fashion/ shopping fetish…
…she jabbers incessantly and i enjoy the sounds of silence…
…she loves the sea and i can’t get enough of mountains…
…she has tons of friends and i’m a “closet introvert”…

again, to name only a few.

what does this all mean? 8 fruitful years and a truckload of good times for starters…and 8 more years for you to wait for my next post…

see you same place, same time in 2019!

* S refers to the wonderful man I am married to! ( if you didn't already know!)

My historical trip to Berlin!

2011-06-07T10:35:00.016+05:30

Keeping with our tradition of celebrating every anniversary in a new city, we decided to celebrate in Berlin this time! On our to-do list for a long time, we thought it was high time we planned this trip...with this, we have almost covered all of Europe! Whoop!

We stayed in this lovely apartment (http://www.all-berlin-apartments.com/en/berlin-apartments/ref_1519/)...and we made our own breakfast and the odd dinners too...felt right at home, fighting over who would wash the dishes ;)...it was on the 4th floor with no elevator, so we got some free exercise too after the long walks around the city everyday! But we always prefer an apartment or a B&B to a hotel, it is economical, homely and very convenient! If you are planning a holiday in Berlin, I would highly recommend staying here...

It was unbearably hot, as much as it would be at "home" aka India...though I expected it to be sunny and kind of summery, it was scathingly hot! I have to put this down here, we found this amazing bubble tea promoted by a company called BoBoq ( http://boboq.de)...the "bubbles" are tapioca pearls and I could not stop dreaming about the drink all day! S would very thoughtfully plan our day to include a visit to Boboq and left to me, I could have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Try it, its amazing! It was the highlight of my holiday, indeed! :D
I love watching people and when you travel, it is so much more fun - you see a wide variety of people, clothes, behavior, trends, smiles, food, life, culture....the list goes on! Here's my personal observations in Berlin!

Every single person in Berlin has a tattoo - the most popular places being the nape of the neck, ankles, chest and shoulders! If there was someone who didn't have one, it must have been a tourist or "outsider"! S felt at home coz he has one too! I want to remain untouched...

Women are very tall and well built, no petite women there....mostly!
People are pretty friendly and try to be helpful, even if they could not speak English, sometimes!
I don't understand a word of German except for the usual "Guten Tag" or "Danke", but I felt as if I understood the language. Weird, right?

The city is very very clean and people are very disciplined. S and I were pleasantly surprised to see that every single person makes it a point to buy tickets on the metro. There is no check or a checkpoint to stop people from simply taking a free ride. Pretty impressive ethical conduct!
Brimming with history, there are so many historical monuments and things to do...we were spoilt for choice! The "story of berlin" was very informative and very very interesting...would have been great if the commentary was in English too!

We managed to go see the "Berlin Wall" and I got a mini-history lesson from S! What? I learnt Social Studies in Hindi...so am kinda weak in History and Geography and add topography to that, while we are on that topic! ;)

In the midst of a super-hot day, as we roamed around the city, we found this lovely fountain and I literally jumped into it with all fervor....like someone ravaged in a desert who found the oasis...
Of course, we did a little bit of shopping...found some interesting stuff in a market filled with lovely artsy pictures, knick-knacks and other pretty things for your home! I did bring something back for our home, will post pictures later on a different post, maybe?

S ( I know, he is the BEST!) got me a DSLR for my birthday and I am like a little kid with the best new toy, full of glee...I can't stop clicking! :) Will be posting lots of pictures on the photoblog!

Life as I knew it...

2011-06-01T21:55:00.007+05:30

We all have a love-hate relationship with the rest of the world, don't we? When I was much younger, single and basically " a frog in the well", life was pretty simple! :) I just needed to get certain things done, and I thought that's about it - I am "there"!

As I began to explore, my circle of friends got bigger and I "broadened my horizons", so to speak, that feeling of achievement or contentment seems like a mirage! Now, I yearn for those simple days when it all seemed so much easier! :) Believe you me, I am not a cynic in any sense, but I just feel that "innocence" abandoned me somewhere along the way!

Most people who know me, may not believe this - but I am kind of skeptical about everything now - people, things, places, hell - even a friendly smile! But the thing is, by god's grace, except for a few not-so-good (at all!) events and fewer people - I am blessed and I am totally aware of it and openly acknowledge it! A good friend of mine was upset about something and when I tried to console her, she said " Oh, its easy for you to say - coz everything is perfect for you". I didn't say anything. The fact of the matter is nobody's life is perfect though it appears so! :) My life's good, but definitely not perfect - ask S or my amma - they will scream loudly that its NOT! coz they get to hear all my crap and console ME! How lucky are they? :P

I used to care a lot about other's opinions and have this innate need for everyone to like me. I am on edge if someone dislikes me. Over time, I guess I have changed...I don't bother anymore! Its just me, once I make up my mind - that's it! I have always been a confident person since childhood and I do know that there is a thin line between confidence and arrogance! The way I look at it now, it all depends on you ....how you want to see me - my confident self or my arrogant self? If you still feel its arrogance - too bad! If you want to be negative about everything, including me - well, what can I say? You are entitled to your opinion and so am I! I have decided to live a life true to myself, not what is expected of me. capishe?

I cannot say this enough - always be positive, things change and for good! As a matter of fact, some not-so-good things happened in my life, that led to some great things! :) That should mean SOMETHING, right? Keep the faith! PERIOD.

Innovative hands...literally!

2011-05-26T19:49:00.001+05:30

...as a result of reading too many fashion magazines...LOL! :)

Novel Concept - The Glossybox!

2011-05-25T13:59:00.007+05:30

I happened to read on another blog about the Glossybox concept and I went here to find out what its all about! I think its a fantastic idea and I just can't get over how cool it is!

Briefly ( if you are lazy to go check the link!), its a free mail order service, where they send you 5 luxury high-end cosmetics and beauty products in a miniature size to test and check if it works for you. You have to pay a 10£ subscription every month and can even unsubscribe if you are not interested after some time or for a particular month.

Honestly, I think its a fantastic deal coz I saw some videos on youtube and the sizes were not miniature at all. I don't know about others, but I sure think it works for me...hell, you could win me over with the packaging alone! :) Even someone gives me gifts, I am more interested in the wrapping than the gift itself! I know, how child-like am I?

The glossybox concept is being introduced in Europe ( launched in UK already)...and coming to France ( yaaayyyyy!!! I can't wait!)...its a similar version of the Birchbox in the U.S. ( read about it here).

It feels great that the customers are valued and their opinions matter. It also makes sense to try something out before you actually buy the full-size product, especially when it is something expensive. How many of us really use an entire product?

We all know, MAC cosmetics are comparatively pricey as compared to its contemporaries. However, I save up to buy their stuff coz they are just fantastic, quality make up and last for a long time. It is indeed, a good investment in the long run! I can't wait for the glossybox to be launched in France now! Others living in U.K, go on and try it out!

Here is a lovely little video explaining the scheme :)
http://www.glossybox.co.uk/how-it-works