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Some Classics That Will Always Be "Trending"

With the influx of fashion and makeup trends and even gadget trends every three months or so, it gets super difficult for me to actually to follow any trend. I mean once something starts trending, I take about a couple of weeks to decide if it would suit me, then goes another couple of weeks for me to buy/make/procure the particluar trending object and finally when I do own it, what is left is about only a month for me to enjoy it after which the whole rigmarole starts all over again :P

So what do I do? What I do and also recommend others to do is to invest in a number classic trends that generally never go out of style and well look good in all seasons :) I know you have heard of such "ideas" before and no I am not going to lecturing ranting about getting yourself an LBD or a classic white shirt and all that. I am going to be telling you about the day to day stuff that I like doing or sporting and that generally never go out of style :)

In this list, my first and foremost are Avaitor Sunglasses... I have these brown Ray Ban Avaitor glasses that I simply adore and that has always ensured that people turn and give me a second look :) They are super hot and make the wearer look super cool (of course the pun was intended).

The second trend that I really like are cute and feminine hair accessories... I love floral hair ties, hair ties with bows, clutch clips with charts and all thw works. There is nothing more endearing that a messy bun or a scrunched up pony with a pretty and feminine hair accessory. Listen to me and make this a staple ladies  :)

I know braids are trending like crazy this summer and though I love braids but they are sometimes totally inappropriate like in a formal do... So the alternative that I have for it is the side bun. Make it messy to give the boho, casual vibe to it and make it sleek and well defined for an elegant formal do. And with the right accessory I guarantee you that you will be the focus of the evening :)

Avaitors, Side Bun and Floral Hair Tie

Next I present to you ladies and gentlemen. the pencil skirt. Invest in a good and yes a branded pencil skirt. Nothing makes you look curvy (from the righ places) as does a knee length pencil skirt. Doubts? Remember Scarlett Johannson? And why do I say "branded" well that cause nothing is as unflattering as a wrongly fitted pencil skirt. Why take a chance? Invest in a branded one and be worry-free for at least 3 years :)

My Mango Skirt :)

 Next comes in line is a top with a patterened neck. You could opt for an embellished top or even a crochetted neck top. These serve Summers as is and Winters with an open jacket, blazer or Cardigan :) It represents the epitome of feminity :)

And then  of course you need one glittery eye shadow (paint pot in my case)... Wear it as is it to look flirty and fun and pair with a black shadow for a mysterious smokey look when out in the evening...


MAC Paint Pot in Genuine Treasure

 Lastly and the most important "accessory" that never ever goes out of style is a "best Girlfriend" :) Nope! a best guy friend does not count sorry, I am talking about a best "girl" friend who knows you in and out, with whom you share everything and when I say everything I mean everything with any EGO! She doesn't judge you and you dont judge her. She may forget your birthday but she'll never forget to keep your secrets...

Kindly forgive the cleavage on display :P

For the love of cinnamon...

One of my favorite spices from the "masala" dabbas that adorn every Indian kitchen is "daal-chini" or Cinnamon. I have loved it since my childhood days when my mom would very generously add cinnamon to so many of her dishes. The aroma, the flavor and the warm tinge of fragrance, all brings back sweet memories from some very distant past maybe from my previous birth. Of course because of my love for Cinnamon, I have always been drawn towards Cinnamon flavored aroma therapy oils and cinnamon scented candles. I still remember buying a huge pack of Cinnamon flavored Wrigley's chewing gum, which I haven't found anywhere after that... It was simply delicious!

Just lately, I was reading a Mills & Boons Novel, in which the leading lady who is a scriptwriter seems to be hooked on Cinnamon flavored Altoids. For those who are at a loss here, let me explain that Altoids are these supposedly very strong mints and are available in these cute but originally classic tin containers. They call themselves Curiously Strong Mints and well to be fair they sure are on the stronger side especially if your experience with mints in restricted to Polos, Mintos and Center Fresh :P But curiously strong? No I don't think so... How do I know about it? Cause I am a sucker for mints... simple :)

So imagine my joy when I read about Cinnamon flavored Altoids! Mints that too Cinnamon flavored! Wow! :) If only I could get my hands on a tin of Altoids, I would be in #flavourheaven... So I decide the next time my friends plan on coming from the US, I would ask them to get me a couple of tins of this promising concoction of flavours... But God had planned something else :)

Last weekend, I went grocery shopping to my favorite super market, when next to the billing counter, where they generally stock on chocolates to tempt people to buy them impulsively, I saw two innocent little tins of Cinnamon flavored Altoids! Can you even imagine my excitement! hahaha... Then I ask how much they cost and the billing guy tells me Rs.180/-... 180 bucks for mints! WTF... Hahhhahaha.. but then of course I bought it ;) I am impulsive I tell you and ok maybe a bit reckless too ;) #storyofmylife

They are DELICIOUS! :D

Have you tried these Cinnamon Altoids?

My Punto's Maiden Drive on the Mumbai Pune Expressway...

You know the feeling when your baby first starts school, or is selected monitor in class or represents his/her house in the Annual sports? That feeling of exhilaration, the moment of pride? Well thats exactly how I felt when the "pati" and I decided to drive down to Lonavla/Khandala at night from Pune. The subject here is my Fiat Punto, which is my baby in every sense of the word :) When I bought it two years back, it was a huge purchase off my salary (though my parents chipped in a bit :P) and well purchasing my car marked the beginning of my adulthood :)

Can you even imagine how must I have felt? :) Well after two years the feeling came back last Sunday when we had to go to meet a relative in Lonavla and we decided to drive down :) It was my little baby's maiden drive on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway! :D Of course the Punto had delivered itself well on various National and State highways but people this is the expressway I am talking about! Now for those who don't belong to this part of the country might not understand the implication of driving on the Expressway... Let me explain... The Mumbai-Pune Expressway was an ambitious project taken up by the government of Maharashtra that on completion has reduced the 5 hours drive (without a traffic jam) and 8 hours drive (with a traffic jam) between Mumbai and Pune to 2 hours flat! #JaiHoTechnology.

The recommended speed for cars on the Expressway is 90km/hr, though everyone averages around 100-110 km/hr. Thus if you are not on the right lane or are not driving at the average speed then you are destined to doom with a huge boom! The Expressway is like this sacred way to your destination and is looked on with pride by both Mumbai-kars and Pune-ites alike, with of course the residents of Lonavla and Khandala pitching in as well :) Thus the maiden drive on this highway was special for my baby girl :)

My makeup for the journey ;)

We finished the 50 kms drive in about 40 mins without any halts. We started from Pune at around 8:00 pm, reaching Lonavla at about 8:42pm... Met up with relatives, bought Lonavla special "Maganlal" Chikki and choco fudge, started for Pune at about 12:30 am and reached home by 1:15 am.

It was a wow experience and my Punto fared really well :) Proud of you baby girl :)

Late lunches on Sunday Afternoons...

Everyone of us have a special specific routine of spending a Sunday afternoon. Ok even if you dont have a routine, but you do routinely not have a routine on a Sunday right? Do I even make any sense here? :P The "pati" and I have a specific routine for every Sunday we spend together, I say that cause I am in Mumbai on many a Sundays ;) Coming back to the routine, its mostly waking up really late mid-morning and then "grazing" on some fruits and maybe a glass of cold coffee... And by the time hunger really kicks in its almost 3:00 pm... So what do we do? We end up going to one of our numerous fav eating joints that are generally around our place #storyofmylife

This Sunday though was a bit different... We both ended up craving for some veg food, South Indian especially and well decided to head to Fergusson College Road to a very popular Udipi restaurant called Vaishali. Now Vaishali is a very famous joint in Pune and has been on the scene since eternity. Literally! Stop anyone on the road and they'll tell you they went to Vaishali when they were in college and yes I mean stop an uncle and he'll tell you that, stop a retired aunty and she'll tell you the same. Vaishali is full at 7:00 am, it is full at 1:00 pm, it is full at 4:30 pm and it is full at 10:00 pm... So basically going to Vaishali is like trying your luck for a table :) Pune-ites reading this do corroborate :)





So anyways, we leave home for Vaishali and this time I ask the "pati" to drive cause I wanted to soak in the afternoon sun, feel the 10kms short journey and just enjoy the city deep in its afternoon siesta :) Yes you can sure feel my love for Pune can't you? :) Haha feel my love reminds me of that Telugu movie Arya, which has this super melodious song called feel my love :) Totally #loveit...














While "feeling" the city, I took some pics of it and I am sharing them with you here :)

So anyways once we are about to reach Vaishali, I turn to the "pati" and tell him "KFC Vaishali ke peechhe hi hai, KFC chale" (KFC is just behind Vaishali, should we go to KFC?) and he looks at me with this expression that says "Babe I chose right when I married you" #1pointforthepati and well needless to say we spent the Sunday afternoon munching on some crunchy Fried Chicken ;)

Vaishali? you ask... Maybe next time ;)

Cosmopolitan, Grazia, Harper's Bazaar....

I totally love my magazines! Don't get me wrong... I love my books as well but I adore my time spent with fashion and beauty magazines... The fetish started with my mom's Femina and Savvy but as I grew up I knew they weren't for me. I was left wishing for something with a bit more spunk and enter my first Cosmopolitan :) Then I tried Elle, which I didn't like cause it was all photos and brands that I didn't recognize. Now I feel I have grown up and enjoy Harper's Bazaar more than a Cosmo. Of course Cosmo holds a special place in my heart still but I guess with the change in the magazine format with the change in the editor, I am now not craving it as much as I craved it before :) Harper's Bazaar is doing it for me nowadays ;)

Cosmo comes second and Grazia a close 3rd. Surprisingly, I am now finding the new Femina very akin to the older Cosmo and well though Femina now has become an interesting read while waiting in the beauty salons, it being half the price of Cosmo, it is seeing a way onto my bed stand as well ;)

Just last night before going to bed the "pati" was leafing through my March editions of Grazia and HBazaar while waiting for me to finish with my cleansing, exfoliating and moisturising routine when he exclaims "oye same girl in same clothes in both the magazines"... LOL.. I calmly make him understand that both the magazines are covering the same fashion shows... so then he asks "SO why do you have to buy both the magazines when both are covering the same events"... I still more patiently explain it to him that both mags give different points of view of the same collection and the same trends... He again asks "but isn't your opinion about what trends you want to follow more important than anyone else's"... Well I have to say I was stumped at that #1pointforthepati :D

I got bitten by the Masaba Bug...

I have always thought of myself to have a regal, docile-feminine and almost a vintagey sense of style #selfobsessedthatIam but I recently surprised myself when I felt that I was drawing towards the quirky and fun creations by Masaba. For those who don't know Masaba, she is Neena Gupta's daughter (yes we have all heard about it) and well she is this super talented budding designer. With her exotic looks that is a mixture of her Indian and West Indian genes, she stands out because she not only looks different but also cause her designs are spunky and funky (and I thought I would never use these two words side by side) :P

I always thought that I was more of a AbuJani-SandeepKhosla kind of a girl with a pinch of Sabyasachi and well may be a hint of Ranna Gill but I was pleasantly surprised when I realised that I was tending more towards SatyaPaul and his abstract prints and Masaba with her tinge of craziness and the fun that her creations have with colors :) Its quite a #icouldbeagemini moment for me :P

My latest favorites from Masaba's creations would be these...

Fun Facts: Masaba is a Bantu language spoken by about 1,500,000 people in eastern Uganda