Monsoon Style with W for Woman!

Monsoons are here and for me it means ditching my denims to save them from the mucky weather and myself from wet clothes that take hours to dry. With so many options easy breezy options now available in place of the denim, I love experimenting with other outfits in this season. W for Women has always been one such brand where I head to shop for my airy kurtis, palazzo pants, culottes, trousers for women and other Indian wear as they are functional, colourful and versatile. I have zeroed down on some of my favourites from their monsoon collection to share with you guys!

Pink Printed Skirt

Dettol wins children's hearts with giant bubbles!

One of the most difficult tasks for parents is to make their kids wash their hands. Small kids firstly do not understand the reason to wash their hands so many times, plus they find it very boring. Now kids are most prone to infections when they step out. Melas/Indian fairs are where they really enjoy, be it the rides, games and food, the fun is never-ending. But it is also the place where they pick up a lot of germs since in most cases they play and then rush to eat without washing their hands. To combat this problem, Dettol organized an activity in fairs across India to make the process of hand washing an enjoyable experience for children.

Scuba Diving in the Andamans at Havelock Island - Dream Come True!

Scuba Diving at Havelock Island, Andaman was one of the most surreal experiences of my life! Quite proud of myself to have beaten my fear of the deep sea and done this for myself! My partner in crime was my younger brother, who motivates me to try out all these challenges along with him, and I am so thankful for that. The sounds you hear in the sea are just like what you can hear in the video below and I felt like I was in a dream!

Going Balayage with Schwarzkopf!

Valentine's Day this year was extra special, as Schwarzkopf Professional India planned a Valentine's Day special date with my hair to shower it with some TLC, and you guys can guess after having known me for so long, that I would have opted for pampering my hair with some fresh hair colour, cause there is nothing more that I and my hair love, than some fresh colour and a new look!

My favourite moments from Valentine's Day!

Love is not about that one day in the year and one person only, it is about daily acts of caring, sharing and warmth with people that matter to you. Hence I do not believe in the commercial concept of Valentine’s Day, but the actual concept that it is the day of love. So while PS and I don't need that one day in a year to display our affection for each other for everyone to see, it is a day that we try to spend quality time together as a family and with people that we love. Aryaa has become a part of our lives for the last couple of years and in our own ways we are trying to get her to understand what love's all about!

Capturing the spirit of Republic Day!

I remember my school days when I would be part of the march past squad for Republic day and Independence day. On those two days, we would have the flag hoisting session, where we would wear the Indian flag instead of our badges and salute the flag by singing the national anthem. History books were always there to tell us about the freedom struggle that India as a nation faced to acquire the Independence from the British, and how Republic Day is a tribute to the date on which the Constitution of India came into effect as the governing document of India. It was always a proud moment to salute the Indian flag and be a part of the parade at school and those memories are priceless. The euphoria of these days seem to have reduced somehow and it is difficult to spot as many celebrations and similar enthusiasm as I used to see as a kid. One really has to look out for any parades or flag hoisting or even find stalls or sellers with flags and other trinkets. With Aryaa now growing up, I want to pass on the stories and learning to her, and I want to make sure that she does her bit for the nation even though it may be on a smaller scale. Now that she is communicating clearer and understanding most of the things we tell her, PS and I decided to step out on Republic Day and put in efforts to locate whatever that we could, so that she could start to experience the magic of what we did as kids.

#HealthyKids Means Healthy Futures!

Blogging has given me some of the most amazing experiences, and time and again I am glad that I made career choice that gives me a sense of fulfillment that no other job gave me. Giving back to society is something that I truly believe in, and time and again through the blog you have seen me join forces with brands for some amazing social causes that they associate with. I got to be a part of the Nestlé Healthy Kids initiative a few days ago and it was one of the most humbling experiences of my life.

Hitting the Beach Shacks!

A woman is not really dressed unless she is wearing a hat. - Victoria Graham

An Extraordinary Weekend at Goa - The Axis Regatta CEO CUP by #AxisReserve

55 CEOs + The first ever Axis Regatta CEO CUP for Sailing powered by Aquasail + The amazing Grand Hyatt Goa + Sailing in the blue sea = An Extraordinary Weekend!

#FestiveStyle : Diwali with BIBA!

Diwali is the time to sparkle and dazzle and the ideal time to indulge in Indian wear. I believe that nothing spells out 'Festive' louder and clearer than beautiful ethnic wear. BIBA, the leading Indian ethnic wear brand and one of my go to brands when it comes to Indian wear, has introduced its Festive-Winter collection themed ‘You make it more beautiful’ for the Diwali season. Their aim is to glorify the inner beauty, elegance, inner strength and confidence of the Indian woman today, while redefining how the vibrant nature and beauty of Indian women compliments every BIBA outfit. I styled three of their exquisite outfits, that have intricate embroidery and distinctive patterns beautifully weaved into every single piece, and I loved how the gold highlights make them all the more perfect for the festive season.

Handmade Lovin'

There is something really special about handmade items. For me the value of something that is handmade is priceless, it's not about what I pay but about what I perceive. Having handcrafted items in my wardrobe gives me immense happiness as they are bespoke pieces that stand out, be it clothes, shoes, or jewellery. Even for my house, I invest in handmade paintings and decor items as much as possible. There is uniqueness and there is love, labour, craftsmanship and time invested into each piece, and those are the main reasons why I support the idea of Handmade Lovin' :) 

Poetry by Love and Cheesecake

All those of you who have a sweet tooth and live in Mumbai, surely must have visited the Love and Cheesecake outlets in the city to gorge on their premium range of desserts! If you haven't then you have missed out on heavenly stuff, out of which the Nutella Cold Cheesecake is my absolute favourite. And on that note you have more reason to rejoice, because on 15th July they opened doors of their newest venture, Poetry by Love and Cheesecake where they launched a brand new desserts menu, and a curated food and beverage experience which we would recommend to you as well. Located at Shop no 6, Pali Darshan, Junction of 16th & 33rd Road, Bandra (W), Poetry by Love and Cheesecake is a delicate, romantic cafe that offers desserts, garden-fresh salads, sandwiches, entrées and beverages with the finest ingredients that will satiate your wholesome food cravings. 

What are you gifting your Mother this #MothersDay? #ContestAlert

Mother’s Day is just 2 days away and I am sure that all of you have plans to make your mother feel special! To add to all the excitement, I too have something special for you. 

The ideal way of giving! #ShramDaanDay

Bill Gates, Azim Premji, Mark Zuckerberg - what do they all have in common? Other than being industry leaders and very successful entrepreneurs, they all have committed to provide funds for causes that will make our world a better place. But then these are uber rich men and the practice of the rich and powerful providing support or ‘DAAN’ to the poor/needy has been a common practice in India since ages. However the feeling of doing something for the community is not just felt by the rich and powerful, it is also shared by millions of others who have all the good intentions but don't have the means to do so. When we speak about the millions, we have the lower strata from whom we don't expect much but the contributions that they have been making have taken me by total surprise. It's not been about money but they have done their bit by providing services and thus comes around the concept of Shram(services) Daan. It's surprising though that despite having the intent, I haven't seen or heard much of the in between strata that is the not so rich but earning well strata which I belong to, doing a collective effort like what I am going to tell you about :)

Happy Diwali & a Prosperous New Year!

Happy Diwali everyone!! Hope you had a fabulous, bright, sparkly and glittering one but without the crackers! It's time we did away with them for a lot of reasons :)

Hosting the perfect #WorldCup2015 party at home

India is a cricket crazy country and World Cup 2015 is here! Indians reading this I know I don't need to tell you that, but you need to go on reading this post cause most of you do not know what it takes to throw a good World Cup party at home. Trust me, I am talking out of experience. There ae very few parties that I have attended that have been nicely planned. Very basic things get messed up is what I have seen, so here are some really simple and thoughtful tips that will help you throw some really good parties this World Cup!

1. Timing is everything
Since the World Cup this time is happening in Australia, the match start timings are ranging anywhere from IST 3:30 in the morning to 12 in the afternoon. The most ideal here would be a lunch party as it would be simplest to manage. Also weekends would be easier. So check the schedule and plan a party on such a day that everything falls together and so does a match between 2 countries that everyone will enjoy!

2. Location within the house
Knowing which area you are going throw the party will make a lot of planning very easy. So decide whether its going to be in front of the TV or the garden or the patio. This will help you understand the number of people you can invite, decorations, what kind of food arrangements, seating arrangements and a lot more.

3. Budget
Once you have decided the timing and area, you will know what scale you can have the party on and then will need to take a call on the budget so that accordingly you can start to factor in on the costs. A little alteration here and there is ok but there should always be a general idea in your mind of your spending. You can also work the other way around and plan the budget first and then the location and accordingly other things. It depends on the kind of party you have in mind. Some people do not have any budget in mind and are game to spend whatever it takes.

4. Send out the invites
There are various ways these days to invite people for a party. You can call, you can email, you can whatsapp and you can also create an event on facebook! Make sure to send out directions to your house too incase a lot of people don't know your place. You do not want everybody calling you on the day of the party while you are busy with preparations.

5. Decorations and Gifts
Thankfully when it comes to cricket, everyone will be mostly supporting India, and so you can decorate with balloons and decorations in the country flag colour or the team jersey colour. Get jerseys for everyone if you want. You could also customize the jerseys with everyone's names and favourite number or birth date. You can keep whistles that everyone might wanna blow, pom poms or posters that everyone might wanna wave on a 4 or a 6.

6. Seating
If indoors and a small group, make sure there is enough place for everyone as you don't want to be falling over each other or dropping things on one another or looking to find yourself a seat. Get the extra chairs inside, cushions, carpets, mattresses and tables to seat people and keep all your drinks and food handy. If outside then you can spread the seating over a larger area or even make it a theatre kind of seating.

7. Drinks and Food
You can make it a BYOB(Bring-Your-Own-Booze) party if you have a lower budget or stock your bar after checking with your friends on what they would like to drink. Stock up on the sodas well. If the party is in the open you can have a barbecue. If the party is inside the house, buy some snacks like chips and nachos and circulate the packets, but for the main course, food is best ordered from outside. Keep it simple like Pizzas or Chinese take away. Even children enjoy these. I am in fact going to be ordering from foodpanda as they have a special scheme going on for 45 days through the World Cup, where you can get great savings from all the restaurants in your area right in one place, from the comfort of your house. Check it out here - https://www.foodpanda.in/contents/cricbites.html

8. Take care
Make sure you don't keep things around that people can trip on. Keep the washrooms clean and keep checking on them so that no one is at inconvenience as most people will be rushing in and out not wanting to miss anything. Make arrangements for people to stay back in case they have a little too much to drink and the excitement gets to them. If there are children who may not want to watch the game, make sure to set up a play area for them or they will be interrupting your fun. Keep your dressing simple as well as request your guests to keep their dressing simple and comfortable which will allow you/them to sit up on the couch or down on the floor without thinking twice.

While parties can be made really extravagant, all these easy to follow tips will help you have a nice and perfectly great time while hosting a great World Cup party in the spirit of the game! Keep the support coming! Jeetega bhai Jeetega - India Jeetega! :)

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Post Natal Care Routine - The Indian Way

Giving birth has got be the most painful experience in the world for a woman especially if you have had a vaginal delivery. No doubt it is for a reason that's worth it and motherhood is such a divine feeling that words can't express, but one has to take good post-natal care of oneself. You cannot be selfless even though the focus is all on the baby, as your wellness determines wellness of the baby. The first 2-3 months after delivering are the key months to future recovery and getting back to a normal state of body and mind.

I am going to take you through a few things that I practiced/am still practicing in my post natal care routine along with the products that I'm using:

Body Massage

In India, a full body massage with oil is given to a new mother in order to stimulate blood circulation, soothe muscles, eradicate toxins and help the body cells and tissues recover faster. The body is massaged for about 20 to 30 minutes with medium to strong pressure. Special strokes are applied on the stomach to push the uterus back and help it contract. A head massage every few days also helps in relaxing the mind. In case one has had a C-Section, then the abdominal massage is avoided for the first month. The massage helps in effective weight loss and toning of the body. I used the following oils for my massage:

• Figaro Olive Oil

Figaro Olive Oil is a mild and non- irritant olive oil that suits all skin types. It is rich in antioxidants and has got no chemicals added to it. I noticed a lovely glow to my skin on using this oil. Since I have dry skin, regular massage with this oil reduced the dryness of my skin to a large extent.

• Jovees Winter Green Anti Cellulite Body Massage Oil

As I am pear shaped, most of my pregnancy weight gain happened on my lower body. Also as I had been advised rest due to which I couldn't exercise much, I developed a decent amount of cellulite on my lower body. To get rid of the cellulite, I bought this oil which is based on an Ayurvedic recipe. I got the winter version as it was the monsoons when I delivered and the temperature in Mumbai was low. The oil is a mix of essential oils such as Olive Oil, Sesame Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Wheat Germ Oil, Cord Liver Oil and Sunflower Oil and which help in strengthening nerve fibres. I saw results in a week of using this oil - there was a reduction of cellulite to a large extent along with visible toning of muscles and also reduction of excessive fats.

Hot Bath

A hot bath relaxes the body and muscles after a massage and also lets the pores open up so that the oils can work their way into the body to have a better effect. Very hot water is poured on the lower abdomen and the pelvic area to help in the reduction of the enlarged abdominal section, as it helps to hasten the contraction of the uterus and the pelvic passage. You can also mix some water boiled with Carom seeds(Ajwain) into your bath water to avoid catching a common cold as your body is weak initially and easily prone to catching cold and other infections. For my post natal bath routine I decided to stick to Ayurvedic products too.

• Vedic Line Orange Cleansing Syrup

The best part about this body cleanser other than being Ayurvedic is that it's anti-bacterial. It is gentle on the skin but strong enough to wash the excess oils off my body post the massage. The main ingredient - Orange, acts as a natural bleaching agent and reduces skin pigmentation, blemishes and darkening of the skin. The cleanser removes all odour and leaves the skin feeling fresh. I love the citrus fragrance that lingers for a while post my bath.

Both the oils and the cleanser are available on the following platforms:

www.flipkart.com

www.healthkart.com

www.purplle.com

www.jabong.com

Other than my massage and bath routine, here are a few more things I take care of:

• I tied a postpartum belt on my lower abdomen to help the uterus contract and help my stomach go in

• I follow a good diet leaving out all kinds of junk food and include dry fruits and milk. Lentils for protein and sago for better milk production are also key.

• I eat on time

• I try to get as much sleep as I can. The tip is - Sleep when the baby sleeps :-)

• I take my calcium and iron supplementation without fail

This routine has been quite effective for me making me feel more relaxed and stronger physically and emotionally which also helps me in taking better care of my little one. I will recommend such care for every new mother! :-)

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Happy Diwali!

Happy Diwali people!! Hope you had a fabulous, bright, sparkly and glittering one! :)

For those who don't know what Diwali is, Diwali is the 'Festival of lights' in India and involves the lighting of diyas i.e small clay lamps filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil in every Hindu household. PS and me lit oil lamps all over our house which looked sooooo pretty.

I stayed away from the fire crackers this year. The fire incident at Sivakasi(where there is a fire-cracker production factory) took away whatever little interest I had in burning the few I did over the last few years.

Deciding to wear a saree this year, I chose a pink one :) The sparkly effect was added by the silver blouse and pink shimmer slip I paired it with.

Pink Saree - Gift from Aunt (bought in Kolkatta)
Silver Blouse - Ri(t)ch Styles
Pink Shimmer Slip (worn under the saree) - Taken from another saree :)
Diamond Earrings - Myra

So how did you guys celebrate your Diwali? And what did you wear? I'm sure each one of you looked really pretty and handsome :)

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