Asthetika is a place where you can go shopping and look for that special gift which is just perfect for your partner. Choose from a variety of products with a mix of flowers, chocolates, soft-toys and even personalised messages/photos to go along with your gift.

I am sure you’ll find something suitable for your partner at Asthetika. So if you struggling to do your Valentine shopping just go across to the Asthetika’s Facebook Group, see the full collection and get your customized gifts in no time. Gifts can be delivered in India via courier/speed post. But for Mumbaikars, they are giving free delivery within Mumbai limits.

For details contact:

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SOTC in an interesting tie-up with Yashraj Films presents what they call the Enchanted Journey. Travel Packages which explore Europe and promise to give you an experience just like SRK-Kajol had in the mountains of Switerzland or Abhishek-Rani in the streets of Paris. I tried checking the website for an idea as to what’s the “enchanted” element but very little innovation in describing the packages for these holidays. I wonder if it’s like the typical stuff – “this is the place where Raj proposed to Simran” or this is the place where “hum tum” was shot.

Continuing the trend, Makemytrip.com has tied up with SRK’s latest – My Name is Khan to offer the Indian vacationer an opportunity to explore the USA, just like SRK does in the film. [View TVC] Sadly, on makemytrip.com I could not find any package on offer which has been co-branded with “My Name is Khan”. Actually there is NO mention of the film tie-up on the website.

So this summer holiday I hope you enjoy your trips just like in the movies.

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Mumbai, hold your breath
Private swimming pools with DB homes

Spotted this hoarding at one of the busy traffic junction of South Mumbai. Seriously, can our city really afford to have private swimming pools? Isn’t the recent spate of water cuts a wake up call to all of us and that too a RUDE one. considering south mumbai has so far been the least affected by water cuts. Yet, our building suffered an uplanned/unannounced water cut for more than 48 hours.

At a time when most hotels, gymkhanas and clubs are being asked to reduce water usage in their pools and gymnasiums I don’t know how and where are we going to bring in those million litres of water to fill up these “private swimming pools”.

God can bless us and solve our problems, but I think this one needs to be solved by us. Let’s do our bit to conserve and use this natural resource responsibly.

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Logged into your MSN or Google Chat, seen a friend who you never chat with. Why? because he never says hi or never sends an email. Give it a second thought. When was the last time you initiated conversation with a long lost friend. Or posted something on the facebook wall of a friend who’s been lost – probably caught up in his busy life. Not that you are ‘vella’ but hey you are on facebook anyways, so drop him/her a line and make them smile.

Go ahead  – BE THE FIRST ONE. MAKE A MOVE.

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Read more. [My Shelfari book shelf]

Listen to a new genre of music. Move on from the Hindi film soundtracks and my current list of trance. I don’t know – maybe jazz, piano recitals.

Experience more audio books. I am currently listening to Timothy Ferris – The 4-hour Workweek

Watch/appreciate cinema beyond the block-busters. Also catch up on my pending list of photography related talk-shows and documentaries.

Travel more. See, soak and enjoy new environments.

Exercise the brain – probably start solving Sodoku, play poker.

Re-enter the kitchen - haven’t done this in a while but I know it’s fun and I love it.

Rise and shine earlier in the day. A continuous effort.

Get better at money management. Identify right channels and invest wisely & regularly.

If you enjoyed reading this blog, do check out Robin Sharma’s – 62 WAYS TO MAKE 2010 YOUR BEST YEAR YET.

And of course do share your thoughts in the comments area on how you plan to make 2010 a great year.

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What if the appliance brand or store gave consumers an opportunity to take the product home and experience it? Let’s say for a nominal fee they would deliver the microwave to your house and you could use it for a week to see if it does help your family cook the regular ‘ghar ka khana’ rather than the fancy items most often advertised by the brand. The consumer gets a good amount of time to experience the product, understand the usage and probably even see the difference it can make.

Of course there would have to be some terms & conditions – like the security deposit, a damage clause and other legalities to safe-guard the interest of both the parties. But I am sure things could be worked out and consumers given a chance to experience the product.

So, would you be interested in taking an appliance and trying it out for a few days? What would it be?

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And suddenly I felt stranded with nothing much to do, which sucks because I thought there has to be a lot more to do and so I thought of a couple of things which can help keep boredom away when the internet is down.

1. Open up a notepad and put down the things you need to attend to, once you are online. Memories are short, and you don’t want to miss out on sending that important email.
2. Clean up your PC. Sort files/folders, get them organised so that you can find data easily and faster.
3. Backup your data. It’s important. Imagine having a virus attack or hard disk failure and losing all those photos you love and that music collection you made after several overnight downloads. Burn DVDs, move data to an external hard disk.
4. Read. Yes, something which is printed on paper. Is there  a stock of magazines which remain unread on your side-table? Or a book which you haven’t read more than 20 pages? Go get it.
5. Write. Pen & paper is writing you know. So chuck that document editor and see if you can pen down some thoughts & ideas or better still send a hand-written note to a loved one [trust me he/she will cherish it].
6. Take a walk. If it’s the right time of the day/night, take your music player and get out for a walk. You’ll see something interesting, meet an old friend and come back fresh.
7. Watch TV. Are you spending too much time watching only DVDRips/ YouTube vids on your computer. Switch on the TV [although most of it is crap] you might just see feel entertained for watching something different from your regular stuff.

And of course, if you are one of those addicts – then you seriously need to get out of your room and try spending more time offline in the real world. Cheers!

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If there is something which makes my mom happy for sure is my twice a week trip to the temple. Of this the one made on the weekend involves a little wait thanks to the queue at times. While standing there it’s rather interesting to see the impatience people experience and at times even express so strongly.

One one such relaxed evening I was at complete ease in the temple. I watched as devotees walked in – some joined the queue and the impatient ones did their “distant darshan” and went away. And then there were the smart-ass types who thought they could did a little chiggy-wiggy to skip the line and reach the lord first. Why? I asked myself.

Humans. We don’t wait our turn to meet lord in the most honest way – so how are we expected to be honest and wait for our turns to get lord’s gift. Let’s be fair to him – let’s give him the time to thank him for what he gives us today and what he plans for our future. Let’s try and be with him when we pray rather than worry if the car is going to be towed away or am I going to miss that call while I am in the temple.

Wishing you all a very happy diwali – one which can get you closer to the lord. Cheers!

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In November 2000, when I freelanced with Teens Today – an India Today publication I had the opportunity to interview Stephen Gately on his India tour to launch his solo album. If you’re interested I reproduce the same below.

 
Click on image to enlarge.

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The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

It’s nice to have some fiction in your collection – makes for a refreshing read while traveling.

Richard Branson – Business Stripped Bare
Didn’t manage to read the first two books by this flamboyant business man. But this one looked very tempting to miss out.

It’s not about the bike by Lance Armstrong
My ex-boss Sangram was a big fan of Lance and while working at Think WhyNot I read a few pages from his copy of this book. Had been on my wish-list for a while now. Finally on the shelf.

My current reads: Superstar India by Shobhaa De – Interesting take on the changing India. Kind of gets glamorous and superficial at certain points but yet been an entertaining read.

Also kept at my office desk is Whatever you think think the opposite by Paul Arden – inspiring & a complete mind-opener for those dull moments at work.

Read other Book-Shelf Update #1, Update #2, Update #3, Update #4, Update #5.

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