Spoils from our Berlin Trip!

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

My two cents...

I look at some old pictures and cringe at a mistake I made; could be my hair or the wrong clothes or the wrong color or bad choice of make up and often wish someone had given me tips on what suits me. Anyway, over a period of time, I have learnt some quick-fix thingies or tricks that may help other women like me and I would like to share my 'fashion wisdom' and be that 'someone'!

I am a classic dresser and don't really update my wardrobe with every change in fashion or season.I am not a manic follower but believe in looking smart & presentable or cheerful & fun, depending on the occasion! You are blessed with features that you have no control over but I think anyone can look good if they wear the right clothes/accessories that best suits them! If it does not suit me, no matter how trendy it is, I do not buy or wear it.
1. If you have a broad structure or broad shoulders like I do, refrain from horizontal stripes! They end up making you look broader than you actually are...So stick to buying horizontal stripes for the MEN in your life!

2. Avoid kajal if you have small eyes. They make your eyes appear smaller. A thin line with an eyeliner helps define your eyes. Or you can draw a line from the corner of the eye to the middle of the eye as seen in the picture! It makes your eyes look bigger...
I remember staring at my mom apply Gala eyeliner as if she was dipping a brush into a magic potion and insisting on applying it on my eyes. My mom would humour me on some days and I would keep my eyes closed for a long time lest it gets smudged! Amma and her younger sister would treasure the rare Gala eyeliners they would need to get from abroad, in those days!

Now, I don't think I prefer Gala coz its shiny and does not have a natural matte texture to it!

3. If you are short or have short legs or simply someone who wants to look taller, wearing long garments make you look taller. The length of the garment adds length to you as well. ( By God's grace, I am blessed with good height, yet I wear clothes in such a way that it highlights my height...cheap thrills!!)

4. Adding a waist coat to a plain top adds a lot of sophisticated fun element to a garment. Don't wear chunky jewellery along with it. We want to highlight only one element in the entire ensemble! A waistcoat camouflages any flaws in the midriff area...( My signature style to work on Mondays!)

5. Chunky jewellery looks great on most people and needs to be combined with plain dark clothes. You just need to experiment and be bold and try some new things. After all, normal can be boring some times! The jewellery makes a 'statement' with plain garments. If you are wearing prints, stick to a thin chain or no jewellery at all. ( I have an interesting collection of chunky, colorful jewellery and thin dainty stuff too...in a big box! I hope to pass it on to someone later on who will value it as much as I do when I am pushing daisies someday! ) Its my biggest treasure, sort of a hobby and means a lot to me!

6. Low-waisted jeans make you look slimmer. They apparently split the midriff and create an illusion of a waist! I guess it works coz the explanation sounds kind of logical, eh?

7. Experiment with colors. Wearing dark and bright colors not only brightens your day but also highlights your vibrant personality. Of course, as we all know, black is a slimming color and I tend to look at only black when I go shopping like a horse with blinders! I am banned from buying any more black-colored clothes at home! I am trying to wear pastels and summery colors that is considered feminine ;-). I experiment quite a bit, to the extent that I have saffron colored cargo pants!! :)

8. You can add a touch of color to an otherwise bland outfit by wearing an interesting belt, chunky bracelets or interesting beads. Often, I have seen really old women wear garish makeup or over-the-top accessories that looks downright cheap. Its vital that you dress age-appropriately. Too much bling or studded belts only look good on college girls or very young girls. Definitely not MY style :)

Most importantly, I think its very important to feel comfortable with who you are and your body type. It is definitely important to stay fit and be healthy but sometimes it becomes an obsession. You often feel disappointed with yourself mostly on account of unreasonable expectations from yourself more than anything else. There are certain things that look good ONLY on petite women and vice versa! Learn to accept and enjoy who you are....If you have the confidence to carry a particular outfit/accessory or style...then just go ahead and wear it. Don't think too much about what others may say or comment...it does'nt matter!

Enjoy all the attention and your confident stride as you take on the world!! :)

Cuff Sandals!

Considering the fact that I have large feet, I have very limited options when it comes to footwear, of course, unless I am ready to bear the agony of wearing heels ( which I rarely do!)....so I scouted all over Paris looking for something interesting...and found these 'cuff sandals'....in BATA!!

I was secretly happy that Bata, an Indian brand housed some interesting option for women with large-feet like me.... to my utter dismay, I discovered that its a Czech company! :-) They really know how to cater to the locals coz lots of people assume they are an Indian company atleast in India, coz you can find a Bata around every corner and at affordable prices!

Anyway, I own a pair of interesting pair of cuff sandals that are reasonably comfortable and makes people notice! ;-) What do you think? Like it?

My forecast today!!

I loved it...it had so much meaning in it...I am putting it up here for me to read and motivate myself when I am feeling low and for others if it will help!

Every day is a fresh new life, a fresh new start, and a fresh new chance. Don't get upset or angry by past events, and try not to dwell on things that you cannot change. Your whole life can turn around in a day, so feel free to start every morning with a positive outlook. As you wash your face in the morning, think of it as a baptism. Clean off the debris from yesterday, while welcoming the freshness of today.

Bastille Day Fireworks - View from our living room!

We sat in the balcony, having dinner and thoroughly enjoying this spectacle! It felt like all of France gathered in the Eiffel Tower, to celebrate Diwali ! Sharing the joy of light with you here...

Part I (Click on the colored text)

Part II (Click on the colored text)

Part III (Click on the colored text)

Part IV (Click on the colored text)

You can hear us talking in the background...sorry, we just didn't remember the conversation and the clink of cutlery could get recorded as well!!! :D

Fondly remember...

As I finished reading 'The White Tiger' ( I didn't like it so much, it is a dark story and I felt a lot of negativity. Call me naive, but I like to read positive stories with happy endings!), I wistfully, looked at the light seeping in through the curtains...and the curtains caught my attention. They have moved with me everywhere for the past 6 years, and holds a lot of importance to me. It was the first expensive ( It cost me 5000 bucks which was maybe, half my salary when we bought it)....I had just got married and these silk curtains adorned my new home...my life with S....I have carefully maintained it and guarded it with my life, when we moved....from one place to another! I never trusted the packers with it! I still have it in my home in Paris now, in the living room and it looks as new as it was when we first bought it. Our first home, had brick walls for pillars on the sides...it was a nice cozy home...I have good memories of that place! :-)


I remember, having a doll....as a kid...my mom's friend or someone, i don't remember, got it for me from abroad....she was a pretty doll with long eyelashes and beautiful eyes wearing a pinaform? I had that doll with me for a long time, even in my teen years, I had her! Then, on Holi, all of us were playing in the neighbourhood with colors, and my neighbour V had been splashed with color by yours truly(me)! He came chasing after me and I ran inside our home. He looked for me everywhere and he couldn't find me. In a fit of rage, he took the doll and scribbled on her face with a sketch pen saying 'Happy Holi'. Only kids can be that cruel. I was sooo angry first, and was really very upset later. Maa tried consoling me that we can remove the stains...with a remover or whatever! But sketch pen marks do not go easily....I lost her! I can never forgive him for doing that, to this day! ( I don't have a picture of the doll, am sure my parents threw it away later...she was totally spoilt with the clear big marks on her face, anyway!)

I must have been in III standard, my dad went on a tour to Mumbai and when he got back, he got me a beautiful frock. It was an off-white one with a chocolate brown waist coat. At that time, I had never seen something like it, and I was absolutely thrilled to bits....

On my 15th birthday, as is the ritual in our home, both Maa, Appa and my dear brother woke me up singing a cheery 'Happy Birthday to you...' and voila! I see a big pink teddy bear with a big 'I love you' badge on it. I can't explain my happiness in words. I was elated, jumping with joy...Maa got me expensive pearls... I didn't even glance at it! I still have that bear with me...comes with me wherever I go! My brother was in college then, and he was not earning or anything. So the teddy bear meant a lot to me.Even now, wherever my brother goes, he always gets something really nice for me! :-)

Is any post complete without mentioning my dear S? :-) He bought me a lovely Gili Diamond pendant as our engagement gift. I loved it and wore it for a long time with a thin golden chain my two closest friends, S and K got me for my wedding. It became loose one day and I didn't want to lose the chain/pendant somewhere. So I carefully put it inside my purse so that I can wear it after I tighten the hook. You would think I am smart? No! I lost the purse!!! I can never forgive myself for losing it. S has bought me numerous things from all over the world, everytime he travels...but that pendant was his first gift to me....and I lost it!

I am glad I have so many people in my life, who love me deeply and the gifts are an added bonus. After all, it is the thought that counts! I associate every single gift and gesture with happiness and good memories. Isn't that what life is about, good memories? I choose to ignore the bad ones!

Preparing for the trip...

Preparations are in full swing for our Italy Trip...we have started processing the visa formalities and also been discussing what can be covered in Rome, Venice, San Gimignano, Capri and Naples...like the 'must-see' places...any suggestions are welcome, please hit the comment space!

Got an awesome bag yesterday while we bought a big trekking bag for the trip. I am going to inaugurate it only on the trip...which is exactly a month away, and if you know me personally, you would know how much self-control it required for me to not use something new! But i will wait...after all, patience is a virtue!

I finally found a cordurouy coat in Camp ( in Pune) and it looks pretty awesome! I love it, was not as expensive as I expected it to be...

S and I will need to take a day off for the Visa, as we need to go to Mumbai for the interview. I have heard so much about the 'Deccan Queen' from my friends that I wanted to go there by 'Deccan Queen'. S is not too keen, he prefers a taxi, but I convinced to go atleast one way, maybe when we get back here...So the plan is after the Visa interview, we will go shopping in Mumbai, I know of "Linkin Road", can localites or Mumbai-experts give me some suggestions for shopping? We might as well make use of the day off, and I have heard so much about the variety-price advantage in Mumbai, I have to see it to believe it. I am only going to window-shop, I promised S! Between you and me...yeah, right!! ( Again, please hit the comment space, if you have suggestions)

Edited to add: My Mumbai trip is cancelled and my shopping plans have gone kaput! Coz the visas got stamped without an interview as S has travelled to Europe earlier and I have also been to UK a couple of years back. So much for my plans! Hmmppph.....S is very happy about all the money we have saved!

This weekend was good fun, watched movies back-to-back on Zee Studio, HBO, Star Movies and Cable that I have lost count of how many movies we saw! Also, I am mighty thrilled about my culinary expertise. We go to a restaurant called 'East Street Cafe' and another Italian Cuisine Restaurant, I forget the name, they serve some amazing pasta with the most fantastic sauce. I figured out how to make that sauce at home by trial and error and I was able to figure out the ingredients as well. It was super awesome!! Now, we don't have to spend so much money eating outside, I can make it right here at home and that too that tastes exactly like the one served in the fancy restaurants. My love for pasta is an acquired taste, thanks to S! I am so glad I can make it myself now, I wrote it down in my recipe book lest i forget...any takers?

Where do i stand?

The car driving is going on well and I have successfully driven to work for the past one week, though it requires deep concentration and I am soo much on edge that I am all stressed out and sweating! :-) But I am not giving up and continue to drive even when it was raining today and I was not too confident...

With S being away, I didnt really look forward to the weekend. Surprisingly, time flies when you are with friends...I went for a movie on Saturday with Vibs and her husband Bajrang, the movie was nothing to write home about...but was good fun meeting up with them. They came all the way to my place to pick me up and got dropped back as well as it was quite late in the night... On Sunday again, I met up with my friend A and over lunch, we decided on going for a movie yet again! Off we went to her place, informed her husband and went for the movie 'Aamir'. The movie is quite short by Bollywood standards, but an awesome movie. Everyone should see this 'must-see' flawless script! I simply loved the movie.No song-dance routine or any item number rubbish that draws your attention away from the main plot. So it was a well-spent weekend, but at the end of the day, I still missed not having S around me...

On the work front, a senior manager has kindly accepted to be my mentor. I was suprised that he judged me so well in just a matter of few minutes. I am working on being positive, calm and to overcome my emotions which will definitely help develop my professional demeanour and personally as well. Now that I have identified where I could improve myself, I am going to start working on it seriously...

Its a thin line...

Despite our claims to remain united and pluming patriotism, there is most definitely a clear divide between North-South India! There....I have said it!!

I am sick and tired of rude comments, ridicule in the name of humour and disgusted with a certain section of people who belong to both regions, that I have come across in life so far....I hate this crap! I am very proud of being a Tamilian, and yes, I am an iyer who speaks tamil with a typical dialect common to Bramhins..that's the way I speak...take it or leave it!!

When I moved to Bangalore and now in Pune, I hear some extremely tactless comments, mostly and sadly only from North Indians....
" My god! Are you a tamilian? You are not dark?"
"You are from madras, but you are so well-dressed(??) and modern??"
" You dont look like a tamilian at all, you look like a punjabi or gujju or nothing remotely south indian??"

What makes you think, all tamilians are dark...and if at all, some of them are dark, its coz we all scorch in the sun and the weather is extremely hot and all our skins are tanned. Just coz, I am not rude and for one, have consideration for other's feelings, unlike you...doesnt mean you can get away with anything ( No, I am not overreacting, I have got this too many times....I am not amused!) Do I ask you how do you look so ugly?? ( what the hell...)

As for being well-dressed, in which world are you? Have you been to chennai recently? There are a huge number of well-dressed people and as modern as it can get! Anyways, every individual dresses according to his/her comfort, personality and convenience. It has nothing to do with where you live!!! Yes, to a large extent, our surroundings and upbringing do determine the way we dress up. And by the way, " Modern" dressing does'nt necessarily mean well-dressed.

Yes, where we come from and the surroundings we grow up in does determine our attitudes, personality and knowledge. In today's day and age, with no boundaries in terms of geography, the advent of internet and numerous sources of information, everybody in every nook and corner of India is well versed with the worldy affairs as well as the latest fashions...Inspite of YOUR ignorance, people down south have a nice blend between modern as well as traditional attire...and we are proud of it. We strike a balance!!

NO! This is not a post about how great south Indians are...This is to vent my anger and frustration against Indians ( Yes, Indians) who think they can get away with whatever they say, in the name of humour!!! The best example is LOLA KUTTY on MTV, or heroines in madisaar ( 9-yard saree worn by bramhins) and the sad jokes on malayali accent and any kind of ridicule on certain sections of the country. Down south, the movies portray gujaratis as fat women cooking and eating all the time or sidey-looking money lenders which is equally unacceptable and in bad taste.

Repeat jokes or comments ridiculing people can be taken easily the first time, after a point, it gets to the point of being hurtful, immature and downright silly. GROW UP!!!!

P.S - I have nothing against north indians...this is a personal account of my experiences and anguish...being a south indian, I know one side of the story....no offence meant!! )