My Home Needs a Makeover

I spend most of my waking hours in my office. Or if I can take some leaves, I whisk myself off to some beautiful far off location for a quick vacay. On those weekends that I am not travelling, I find it utterly boring to stay in. So, I step out for lunches and dinners and shopping trips with friends.

I have been wondering why I don't like to stay at home, and I think I have finally struck gold! I don't find my house appealing anymore. It has been almost six years since I last painted my house. And the colours have started to feel dull and monotonous now.I don't find the same excitement I used to when it was freshly painted. Oh, how I loved inviting people over on the pretext of coffee or dinner. The real reason was to show off the lovely interiors! I guess it is time again to get my home a nice makeover.

Dull, brown walls are cutting no ice with me anymore

Just the thought of a house-makeover was giving me the creeps. I recalled how the paint swatches would soil the floors and clothes and we would still not be able to decide on a colour we all liked at home. But I am lucky this time. Bed Bath & More lets one select paint shades through their interactive app. You can actually pick out the rooms and fill their walls with the colours you choose. Once you are done deciding, you can straightaway buy the paints online! How convenient!

My bedroom

I started with my bedroom. I use my bedroom only to sleep. I am not in school anymore, so I don't need orange or yellow paints for concentration and creativity. I need something that soothes my nerves and helps me sleep well. Blue seems to be the perfect colour for this. The shade I have picked out has an element of the sea. I can imagine how I will fall asleep thinking of the waves crashing against the rocks or washing up across the shore.

My bathroom

My bathroom will also have to be a relaxing place. That is where I take long baths and sit while my face-pack dries. I like the concept of aromatherapy, and love the notes of lavender that are used to calm one's nerves. This is why I have selected a shade of lavender for my bathroom.

My kitchen

Finally, I decided to keep yellow for the kitchen. Yellow is a bright colour that helps you feel energetic. Kitchen is where all the energy-giving food is prepared. For tasty and exotic dishes, the cook must feel creative. And what better colour than yellow to stimulate your creative juices!

I have all my colours saved and slotted. Now, all I have to do is actually get the walls painted! :-)

I am participating in the #PaintFinder activity in Association with BlogAdda & Bed Bath & More.

AskMe about Salt Water Cafe

Have you ever had that sudden craving for food? And that too from a particular restaurant? Being a foodie, I get that craving quite frequently! A few days back, my tastebuds were itching to taste some Italian. So, I caught a friend, grabbed my phone and started for Bandra. Now, Bandra is a huge place dotted with hundreds of little eateries that serve multiple cuisines. My friend particularly wanted to go to Salt Water Cafe. Not wasting any time, I fired up the AskMe app on my Android phone.

It automatically picked my city - Mumbai, and let me search for what I wanted. As soon as I keyed in the name of the restaurant, the app showed me two entries, only one of which was in Bandra.

The app is quite neat and shows related deals along with the outlet list. I tapped the restaurant we were eyeing, and the next page had a crisp summary of the place - the address, menu and description.

The copy of the menu was quite helpful as we were really hungry that night. We almost shortlisted our orders before we reached Salt Water Cafe.

There is also a cute phone icon on the app that lets you call the outlet directly. How convenient!

Finally, when we reached the restaurant, we were please to see that there was ample space to sit. It being  a weeknight, we did not find the crazy rush that this place otherwise witnesses. The place is quite spacious and has a soothing decor. The interiors are mostly of veneered wood. After we placed the orders, the bread course was brought to our table first.

The breadsticks and pieces of bread arrived in a jute sack - a very interesting presentation style! The soft cotton lining inside the jute bag kept the breads free of moisture. The butter was not flavoured though. I would have liked some kind of herb infused butter, which a lot of eateries provide now a days.

The soups arrived right then. Mushrooms are my favourite and I always end up ordering dishes that have mushrooms in them. The soup naturally had to be mushroom based - and really delicious! They used shiitake and champignon de Paris in our broth.

The main course was a creamy and very appetizing risotto. The quantity was so good that we couldn't finish it together between the two of us. I noticed that this place uses real arborio rice and not just any similar looking Indian variety. The dish was garnished with thinly sliced toasted bread. I really loved the big pieces of button mushrooms and cherry tomatoes in the risotto!

Finally, we ordered a couple of mocktails to spend some more time in Bandra over our conversations. My drink was a light ginger and lemon mix - very refreshing after all that cheesy food! My friend ordered a blackcurrant smoothie which was served in a cute jar. Restaurants these days are making good use of jars to serve their guests, I have eaten desserts and pickles and even a salad in a jar so far!

All in all, it was a day well spent, and special thanks to Askme.com! This newly launched app is a really nifty tool!

I’m participating in the #RnMOnAskMe activity at BlogAdda.

... Because Home is Where the Heart is

I have been living in my humble room since time immemorial. The walls in my room have seen a lot of wear and tear.

If I have the opportunity to have my room transformed, I would make it more like me. I am a travel enthusiast and also a writer. I love looking up at the sky and getting inspired by nature. I admire how the sun comes up everyday without fail. It never succumbs to excuses. Taking a cue from the sun, I face my day enthusiastically without using the crutches of  excuses. When I look up at the roof of my room, I do not wish to stare at a bland off white ceiling. Instead, I wish to get a glimpse of the clear, blue sky. My dream home will either have a glass roof with a real view of the sky or the ceiling will be painted to reflect a beautiful sunny day, with light clouds floating in a light blue background.

At night, however, I would like to look at some stars, constellations and galaxies. I am a big fan of the night sky, and stargazing is my favourite pastime on my trips to lazy villages which don't have any light pollution. I would love to have a ceiling which changes colours at night to glow with stars and turn pitch black when I sleep. A dark room is always good for a perfect sleep.

When I look at the walls of my room, I only see random colours and patterns which have been advertized on paint ads on TV. But what I really wish to see are trees and blossoms and animals running in the wild. I am an adventurous, outdoorsy kind of a person. I always love to get out and do something active rather than sit at home and do nothing. My dream home will have walls full of canopies of large leaves in different shades of green. Green is very soothing for the eyes and mind as well! I could also have some animals in my little forest. :-)

Home is where greenery is!

I feel the floors are most neglected in a room. We only think of some sort of tiles to fill up the space. It is either marble or granite or marbonite or mosaic. What I really wish to have on the floor is lush meadows - perhaps, grass-patterned tiles? Apart from being a traveller, I am also a long distance runner. My feet never tire even after clocking twenty one kilometers! A true runner loves her roads just as much as she does grass and mud. My dream room will be my world! It will not just be a designer brick and mortar cube with paint all over it.

I am participating in the Upload and Transform #HomeCanvas activity in association with Godrej Interio and BlogAdda. If you are not blogging, you can still be a part of this activity. Here’s how.

A Fair & Lovely Day

Last weekend, I was invited to an exclusive bloggers' meet at the Novotel Hotel in Juhu. We were intrigued by the secrecy that surrounded this event sponsored by Fair & Lovely. We were ten pretty bloggers, mostly beauty and fashion bloggers.

When we entered the banquet hall, we were greeted by our beautiful host, Freishia, a VJ and video blogger. She broke the ice by pairing us and getting us to introduce our partners. We had to find out three interesting things about our teammates, one of them related to beauty.

Glasses of sangrias were brought to our tables to get us to loosen up. We played a round of "passing the tiara", a refreshing version of "passing the parcel". Freishia read out verses describing certain characteristics, and the lady who was best described by those lines would get the tiara. At the end of the round, the lady who wore the tiara would get to keep it and also win a Shoppers' Stop voucher.

We played another game in which a set of cosmetic items and accessories were kept in a basket which was shown to us for ten seconds, after which we had to recall from memory as many things as we could.

While we played more fun games in the hall, each of us was pulled out one after another for the Fair & Lovely BB Cream experience and interaction session. I was whisked away to a suite on another floor and seated on a couch facing the Marketing Managers of the latest BB cream in town. They introduced  me to their latest offering, and I was pleased to know that the focus of this cosmetic item was not on skin-lightening. I personally love the colour of my skin and rarely wear any sort of makeup.

The BB cream is a combination of sunscreen lotion, concealer and foundation. Fair & Lovely's blemish balm or beauty benefit cream has a smooth consistency and is very light on the skin. After the makeup artist applied it on my face, I could see visible difference in the coverage. My face looked more even and bright. The cream also has a nice sweet fragrance to it. After my interview on my beauty habits and how I feel about this product, I was taken to the prop room and asked to dress up for any occasion of my choice. I dressed for a brunch with my friends and picked up a dark jacket, large glares, a statement neckpiece and a metallic clutch. I was being filmed throughout the interaction session. Finally, I was given a "look challenge". At the end of this post, you will read about how to dress for an office party or offsite. Watch out for that!

I re entered the banquet hall to a word search game. We were split into groups of four and we had to find certain beauty related words from the alphabet-maze. We did not win that round, but the food at Novotel sure won us over!

We had a breakfast of brown and white sandwiches and chamomile tea. Lunch was an elaborate spread of mushroom soup, an array of Thai and Italian starters, rice, pasta and a vegetable dish for mains and delectable pastries, ice cream and carrot halwa for dessert. In the evening we broke for some coffee with assorted cookies and spring rolls.

The next game was called "What's in your purse?"  We were given a checklist of unusual and obvious things and we had to calculate the total points as per the number of the listed items we had. We almost thought we would lose again when our lucky teammate brought out her pack of forty safety pins and made us the clear winner. Our loot was a box of chocolates wrapped in a glittery pink butterfly-topped package.

We played an improvised version of name-place-animal-thing post that. The categories were shoes-makeup-bags-perfume, and we had to write down brand names in the columns. This one almost got us into some catfights! ;-)

For the next round, we had to nominate one person from each team to go to the stage and deliver an extempore speech for a minute on topics selected by Freishia. I spoke on preparing one's skin for the summer, and eventually won the prize! I took home a mini French manicure kit.

After that, we played a couple of memory games. In the first one, we had to remember fashion and beauty items which we hypothetically bought from the market and repeat each of those in alphabetical order. We had a tie eventually. The next game was to create and finish a story by repeating the previous lines and appending a new one.

The final round was perhaps the most happening one! We were given songs and were made to choreograph a piece and dance as a team. My team danced on "Bang Bang" from the eponymous  Bollywood movie.

The launch of the Fair & Lovely BB Cream concluded with each of us being crowned a tiara for a special characteristic we have. I was crowned the "Most Talented". :-)

I had a wonderful day with other lovely bloggers and made some new friends as well! The spoils I took home in the paperbag were several pictures which we clicked at the photobooth, a manicure kit, a box of chocolates, a tiara, a jewellery box with a pearly white string necklace, a pendrive and of course, a pack of the BB cream!

We have finally arrived at the end of this post, which means you will see my response to the "look challenge".

I chose the theme of office offsite and dressed accordingly. In this hot and humid weather, a light, cotton sundress was my best bet. I picked a pink floral pattern in a white base to reflect maximum light and keep me cool. I picked up a pair of breezy gladiator-sandals in orange, brown and yellow to match the bright and chirpy mood of my attire. I wore a brown leather strapped wrist watch to go with the brown strap on the shoes. I donned a pink stone necklace to match my dress and added a white shell bracelet to the look. I carried a multicoloured striped sling bag with a long knitted orange shoulder strap and leather trimmings at the lock. I also used the Fair & Lovely BB cream on my face to protect me from the harsh sun. I left my hair open with only a clip to secure the smaller strands.

Overall, I focused on balancing all the colours and elements of my outfit. The look is professional enough for work and casual enough for a day out. This is why it is perfect for an office offsite. Do you think I passed my look challenge?

Catching up with Kangana Ranaut

Guess where I was last Thursday! Yes, "catching up with Kangana", as the title of this post suggests. I was one of eleven bloggers chosen to attend this invite-only event. Sponsored by AskmeBazaar, the meet-and-greet event with Kangana Ranaut was hosted at Bungalow 9 in Bandra.

The lioness arrives at Bungalow 9 (and has the lions drooling :-P )

I had to attend this event straight from work, so I carried my evening dress and accessories with me. While I waited for Kangana, I spoke to a few photographers and media teams from certain magazines. A lady from Society magazine took my byte on my thoughts on Kangana's fashion sense. I honestly think the actor's bold attitude goes in her favour. More than your style, your ability to carry off your style matters. Kangana never looks uncomfortable in any of her outfits.

The place is all set to welcome Kangana!

A little about the venue now... I had last been to Bungalow 9 for a Christmas ball, and remembered completely loving the place for its ambience and food. The decor on Thursday was different as AskmeBazaar had put up life-size standees of Kangana, their brand ambassador. This two-storey restaurant and lounge is a renovated bungalow and has a large hall to host dances and events like these. It also has alfresco dining outside the edifice. On the second floor, there is more room for those who wish to dine inside.

Kangana looks stunning in her designer gown.

After making us wait for several minutes, the star of the evening descended into the hall looking like a princess. She wore an elegant, flowing full-length gown made of a light silk-like fabric in a creamy golden colour. Her dress had a peter pan collar (just like the collar of my dress... go on, scroll up ;-) ) and a belt which she loosely tied in the front. Her ensemble was very simple, accentuated only by her giant diamond-studded finger-ring. Kangana volumized her hair with curls and sported a dark shade of brown which went well with her ballgown. Her skin looked brilliant and the nude makeup only enhanced the ethereal look she meant to create. I couldn't get a glimpse of her shoes as the paparazzi made a beeline for her.

The crowd overwhelms her, but she stays calm.

The emcee for the evening asked Kangana for her thoughts on online shopping and her style mantra. Kangana revealed that she does not have a personal stylist. When she is not styled by a professional for her shoots or events, she picks her own clothes and does her own makeup and hair.

Kangana was also asked about her views on women empowerment. To that, she replied that her role in Queen (for which she recently won the National Award) taught her that women can be quite sensitive, but they are powerful too. And the world needs to work together to let women enjoy equal rights everywhere. After the Q and A session with the star, the media teams from various channels rushed to her and bombarded her with even more questions.

Because who doesn't love selfies?

I was a little disappointed as I did not get a chance to interact with Kangana one-on-one. I was planning an exclusive interview with her for all you readers. But my fellow blogger-pals asked me to cheer up and take selfies instead. :-) (We are girly that way!) And through this event, I met some beauty, fashion and lifestyle bloggers.

Amardeep too is excited to meet Kangana!

Amardeep Bajpai, the Chief Marketing Officer at AskmeBazaar, told us how they have grown tremendously in the past six months. In February, they held loads of contests on Facebook and elsewhere, and asked guys to propose to Kangana in creative ways. The winners of all of those contests were flown in from various cities and rewarded that evening.

Daniel - caught in the act!

After a brief break when I went out with my newfound friends for a round of drinks and selfies at the specially designed selfie booths, we were back at the hall for a standup act by Daniel. This dude with killer looks almost made us fall off our sofas - with his sense of humour. He cracked a series of dirty jokes that made some squirm and others, laugh their lungs out. Here's a sample: "In Goa, people can only count till 68... because at 69, they think they have to turn over and start again." (Laugh if you get this.)

The goodies that came out of the goodie bag! :-)

The night ended with some great food. I had Vietnamese khao suey, penne, noodles, spinach and corn fritters and paneer steak. And for dessert, there was tiramisu with liqueur, chocolate cake and dry-fruit ice cream with Bailey's liqueur. Bungalow 9 always gets its food right!

AskmeBazaar bid us farewell with goodie bags and our pictures with props captured in customized frames. I unboxed the goody bag at home and here's what I found - a mug, a diary and a powerbank. It was an evening well spent before the long weekend.

The Luxe Café - A Site for the Elite

India is seeing a rare wave of consciousness course through the veins of its haut monde and upper middle class - that of luxury consciousness. And to give wings to this luxe awareness, Manisha Mayur Shekhar has launched The Luxe Café - a website dedicated to the pursuit of the high life.

The site has a fine collection of curated editorial pieces straight from the horse's mouth. The Luxe Café features advice from luxury experts such as Rosita Missoni and JJ Valaya. In fact, this e-platform is a JJ Valaya initiative. The hard work and experience of design specialists, writers and artists has given birth to this business-to-consumer podium. The site aims to reach not only the top tier metropolitan cities, but also tier-2 and 3 cities such as Nashik and Udaipur where fine living is on the rise.

Source: http://www.theluxecafe.com/

"Luxury must be comfortable. Otherwise, it is not luxury."

- Coco Chanel

The Luxe Café brings you vital information about the ultimate comforts that your money can buy you, and shows you how to live la dolce vita, which not even money can show you. Take for example the guide to buying your first yacht or a glimpse into a superyacht. The site has an exclusive corner for aviation and boating. Opinions and tips are sourced from industry experts only. (Check this guide to owning a business jet.) For lovers of the fast lane, there is a section for luxe cars. The Luxe Café currently has handpicked articles on the Rolls Royce, Audi and Ferrari. 

Source: http://www.theluxecafe.com/

Once you know how to get to a place (yacht, private jet or car), you must decide where you wish to go. To help you solve your dilemma, The Luxe Café has a tab committed to cater to your travel needs. It features destinations in both India and abroad. You may also access useful reviews of high end hotels for your vacation. From boutique hotels to luxury camping and living in houseboats - this site has something for every type of traveller.

Source: http://www.theluxecafe.com/

One cannot visit a place without being appropriately dressed for it. This is why The Luxe Café has fashion advice to suit your elegant taste. You will learn about the latest trends in haute couture. There are suggestions to dress you from feet up. Articles on jootis and wedding trousseau to watches and jewellery grace the pages of this electronic guide.

Source: http://www.theluxecafe.com/

A true purveyor of luxury never ignores her food. It must speak of her royal choices. The Luxe Café brings you wine pairing tips from sommeliers and shows you how to enjoy your bubbly. Tea, cupcakes or sushi - your taste buds will come alive at the vibrant pictures and descriptions of fine dining spreads.

Source: http://www.theluxecafe.com/

Luxury is not a summation of discrete elements. It is a holistic experience and a permanent way of life. This young online magazine guides you on home decor and real estate, and brings you stories of celebrated personalities who have been living the sweet life. This entrepreneurial venture will catch the interest of both young and mature readers who appreciate the finer things in life.

Overall, the site has a neat layout and is easily navigable.The simplistic design of its pages reflects the thought that elegance lies in economy. For readers without the luxury of time, the editor's picks make for a quick read on the right hand panel. The Luxe Café has arrived at an opportune moment. India is embracing wealth and the style that comes with such splendour. Don't forget to visit the site - http://www.theluxecafe.com/

The Magic of a Touch

It was 10 pm and the sky, a magical shade of dark. Sunaina smoothed her fuchsia evening dress and entered the grand ballroom of the Lalit hotel. Today was the first big office part she was attending. She did not have a date, and nobody to dance with. The doorman ushered her into the dark room with psychedelic lights zigzagging all around the place. She scanned the entire hall and noticed the several circles that seemed impenetrable.

Towards the door were a dozen tables, each thronged by half a dozen colleagues Sunaina sort of recognized from office. Whoever told her of the formal dress code was out of her mind! Every girl wore the skimpiest dress in her wardrobe. Some even paired their outfits with fishnet stockings. Isn't fishnet a strict no-no at work? Sunaina was flummoxed. She saw the DJ taking requests and playing all chartbusters one after another. Near the DJ's box revolved circles of the most outspoken people in office. They danced like no one was watching.

Sunaina glanced to her left where the 20 metre long bar table was installed. She wondered if she should have a drink to avoid interacting with the crowd she could not seem to manoeuvre. That is when Tanveer tapped her on the shoulder and asked her to join him for a drink. Sunaina gladly accepted the offer. She would now at least have someone to talk to, even if the noise level disallowed any sort of talking.

"White rum", Tanveer hollered across the bar to the bartender. "Small or large?" asked the barman shaking a drink for someone else's order. Tanveer looked at Sunaina, who mouthed "small". "Two large" ordered Tanveer and winked at Sunaina. Sunaina furrowed her forehead, admonishing Tanveer, but he drew closer and said, "it's only a drink!" The bartender plonked two large shots of a strange looking liquid on the table. "Bottoms up", Tanveer said to Sunaina. "Um.. ok.." Sunaina was unsure, but thought she'd take a chance anyway. She took half a sip and felt the  alcohol burning her throat. Tanveer glared at her mockingly, "C'mon! Bottoms up! That's not fair". "I'm trying!" Sunaina gulped the rest of her drink and held on to the bar table for support. The rum was smooth, but way too strong for her. She was built for milder stuff - vodka with cranberry, late harvest wines, and craft beers.

Tanveer held her hand and swiftly pulled her across to the center of the ballroom. Sunaina smiled, slightly intoxicated by the sudden rush of alcohol. She placed her left hand on his dark brown blazer and held his left hand with her right. She giggled as Tanveer gripped her palm sensuously and twirled her after every three steps. His hands snaked up the curve of her waist and rested firmly on her back. He was skillfully closing the gap between them. This was an office party. They could not kiss. But he drew his face closer to hers. Her heart skipped a beat. Tanveer brought his lips to her ear and whispered, "Nice dress!" Sunaina blushed. She was finally having a nice time at her first office party.

This short story has been written to highlight the magic of  touch. #BringBackTheTouch

My Porcelanosa-Perfect Dream Home

I recently heard about the launch of 24K Province in Pune. This luxurious residential complex is the latest offering of Kolte Patil developers. The residence will get a taste of the high life in Spain as the living spaces boast of fine fittings and furnishings from Porcelanosa. While I cannot afford la dolce vita on my current wages, I can certainly day-dream about my future home! I write this post today to give you a glimpse into my aspirations.

STON-KER Floor tiles CASCAIS NATURAL C-3 44x66 cm Grout - COLORSTUK CEMENTO (Source)

The traveler in me wants to have breakfast by the natural lake of some exotic South American town. This will be possible if I install Porcelanosa's Ston-Ker floor tiles that resemble natural stones from the cool caves behind pristine lakes. This patio will be where I will throw my brunch parties for my girl friends and plot our next escape into the wild!

Kitchen furniture: G936 CRISTAL VERDE OLIVA, G625 ROBLE NIEBLA, G575 MOKA BRILLO; Sink mixer - ACRO – CROMO Single lever sink mixer; STON-KER Ecologic Floor tiles; TRAFIC CEMENTO CALIZA; Grout -COLORSTUK GRIS (Source)

The food will be served outside, but the cooking has to happen indoors. For the ultimate gastronomic experience, I will prepare my signature dishes from a world-class kitchen. My counter-top will be an olive coloured installation with a platform so smooth it will double as my chopping board! I shall have two sinks that share a common rotating faucet. Once sink for washing veggies and utensils, and the other for drying the dishes. I am eco friendly by nature, and my floor tiles will reflect my choice. I will have a couple of matching bar stools to share a drink with my partner while we share the stories of the day with each other.

Basin mixer: URBAN C – CROMO Single lever basin mixer with integrated led light (Source)

The water that will flow from our faucets will have a character of its own. Blue LEDs will light up the path of the water that flows into my sink and my bathtub. I will be transported to a magical land as illuminated water graces my skin.

PAR-KER Floor tiles: AMSTERDAM GRIS 14,3x90 / 22x90 cm; Grout - COLORSTUK CEMENTO; Bathroom furniture: MOOD (KRION® NAVY BLUE) 75 cm countertop Pack; Basin mixer - MOOD – BLANCO Single lever basin mixer; Bath - MINIMAL OVAL Bath mixer; MOOD – BLANCO Floor mounted bath shower mixer (Source)

I will have to take to my bathtub after a long day at work. An oval white floor mounted bath will greet my tired body as I set up the aromatic oil dispenser and turn on some soothing music to relax my soul. The floor will be wooden to keep me in touch with nature. The windows to my bathroom will open out to a beautiful, quiet neighbourhood. My place will never be too cold as every room will have a heater. My bathroom shall have some fine paintings collected from my trips to little French towns. I will stare at the artwork and remember the stories of struggling artists on the narrow alleyways of France. I shall not forget to keep a magazine rack in the bathroom for readers like me to while the time away.

Wardrobe: NATURA BLANCO BRILLO / LINO CANCÚN TEXTIL (Source)

After the long relaxing bath, I shall enter my walk-in closet to be spoilt for choice as I scan through my clothes and wonder what to wear to the meeting next day. My wardrobe will reflect the open person I am. It will be white with transparent sliding doors. I will have plenty of hangers to keep my dresses on display. There will also be drawers and shelves to stock my shoes and jewellery. I will finally dig into my fluffy bed, satisfied with my choice.

Syncing with Univercell

It was on a sunny afternoon (a rarity in these monsoons) yesterday that Univercell Sync beckoned to me. This squeaky clean gadget-store recently opened at Colaba Causeway and welcomed bloggers like a restaurant would its diners.

What first struck me about this spacious, but crowded (hello, fellow bloggers :-) ) shop was the immaculate walls that clearly listed the different hats donned by phones - camera, music-player, work-buddy, etcetera. I later figured out that these "walls" were "zones" for buyers to explore phones based on their features, and there was a special one for "new and noteworthy". You can never get lost in this gadget-wonderland because the blue-tee clad shopping-assistants will help you navigate through the well-stocked collections of smart-phones, tablets and a host of gadget-accessories. Being the music-freak that I am, I automatically drifted to the Music section to "play it, live it and (maybe someday) own it".

Once in the Music-zone, I checked out some wireless headphones and earphones. I really need one of these for running with music. My wired earphones always come off when I increase my pace or my swinging hands yank them out of my ears. This reminds of the cute little Philips SoundShooter SBA 3010 that I was looking for but couldn't quite locate. I hope the wireless variety is available too. (My phone is not too fond of wires.) 

Some "zones" of this cool store have amazing art on the walls. I especially liked the technology-tree that branches out to a tweeting blue bird, a DNA strand, a cube, a clock, and various symbols from the digital world (think attachment, document, email, cut, WWW, etc.). The simplicity of this store and how it arranges its products is what attracts me the most.

Have you been to Univercell Sync yet? Which is your favourite-gadget store? Are you planning to buy a new phone? Share your thoughts with me. :-)

My Home - A Reflection of Me

An old friend of mine asked me this morning why I always talk of leaving my home to stay on my own. I told him that the walls, the furniture and the showpieces in my house make me feel like a stranger in my own home. I cannot truly feel one with my environment unless it reflects who I am. He then asked me a question that stopped me in my tracks and made me think.

"What is stopping you from redoing your home? Why don't you redecorate it to exhibit the the person you are?"

Thanks to that question, I have now handpicked 3 unique items from makemyhome.com that I can relate to! It's Friday today, and I have my Latin ballroom dance class in the evening. Before I leave for my class, I like to practise my moves in front of the mirror and get in the mood for some good dancing! And nothing can help me do this better than the Deknudt Mirror which is framed by the silhouettes of young people partying the night away! :-)

Deknudt Mirror

My second pick is a pair of stick-on pillars that will sit tight on a wall in my room and give it another dimension. The rooms we have in Mumbai are not large enough to fit in thick, real pillars. These black-and-white painted-pieces are minimalistic and elegant! This projects one essential characteristic of my personality - minimalism. I am not a person who believes in decking up for all occasions. I thrive on simplicity and grace.

Wonder Arts Pillar Wall Sticker

My final selection is a handmade woollen Caribbean Carpet which is fire and dust-proof. Its luxurious fabric reflects my ambitious persona. I yearn to succeed and strive for a richer quality of life. This carpet is also warm and cosy, just like the warmth my heart radiates to the universe and dreams of world-peace.

Caribbean Carpet

My style is essentially an embodiment of "less is more". My home would resonate the theme of contemporary minimalism with a monochrome colour palette. I believe understated elegance is what pleases the eye and endears visitors to keep coming back to your home. If I could redo my house in this fashion, I would never want to leave it!

This post is a part of Makemyhome activity at BlogAdda.com.