Fun-tastic – Beat the heat weekend party!!!

These days, a finger food appetizers meal isn't enough to please guests in the parties- to really impress one has to tickle their comforts as well as their taste buds.

I made it a point to pamper all of their senses and make it a memorable summer party for all. To start with I decided to have a fun terrace party. My husband instantly pointed... But its Delhi summer honey.. !!! I had my own plans and followed them confidently....

Blowed up our summer special inflatable large swimming pool and got it ready on the terrace with cool water, aromas, petals and tea light candles around. Decorated my terrace wall with lights and charming paper lanterns. To keep it all even more cool I rented a few water fans and placed all around my DIY venue.

For seating I chose to go low floor in coloured fabrics and cushions. Had placed my wooden dining table in the corner to serve as a buffet table and decorated it with florals  and beautiful cultlery. For entertainment, we got the best of soothing music 1(spell ghazals) and simple ice breaking games. Was I  set??.... not really. My order in restaurant goofed up and refused last moment. With no other eatery ready to take such a big order and perfectionist me didn’t want to settle for anything lower than what my guests would love dining on.

5 hours left in my hand, my last resort was to land in a grocery store and pick the best easy to cook items to help myself. My heart echoed try Kitchen of India (since they took a generous space on the shelf and looked absolutely tempting). I picked up a Chicken biryani mix, a veg biryani mix, a mutton kolhapuri mix and few ready to eat packs of paneer durbari and said WOW to myself, I was quite impressed with my assortment which was very much Indian (as loved by the guests) and yet easy to cook and eat. To compliment it all I got packs of pita bread that can be toasted lightly on the spot on a electric barbeque and few light appetizers.

Got the best of juices and fresh fruits for mocktails to quench everybody’s thirst.  With generous amount of help from my husband, I was done with our home dinner menu in less than the expected time and it all tasted divine. With all the preparations completed, I felt proud of myself, the venue, food, decor everything looked spectacular. Now we waited for the guests to arrive... and here they were at dot 7:30 PM and sun set added to the whole lighting effect and earned me many compliments for my decor.

Dressed in casual summer attires, we had super fun in the pool, under the sky, with a chilled glass of mocktail in each hand and soothing ghazals playing in the background. With food ready to serve, we were happy hosts and helped our guests grab the most of the menu no matter their stomachs allow or not. They also didn’t mind as the food was incredible... thanks to Kitchens of India gourmet range!

Earned ourselves 10 on 10 from every friend who joined us that evening... they left with happy memories and cool smiles. Our effort paid off!

What an evening it was!!!... I said, glancing through that day’s photographs on my laptop.

[Post done for Indiblogger & Kitchens of India Gourmet Range ]

Turning fantasy into reality.... We Chit Chat!!

“Whoever you meet on the path called life helps you explore yourself a little better.”

These words are of one of my friend who loves to go philosophical. But this time she was right, even though for me there are many more people whom I have not met or talked to but have helped me see my life in a different way.

Latest technology trends have opened many grounds for us, from  blogs and books to social media and television, even if it is pure entertainment that we indulge in, it still makes us realise the importance of having a laugh or switching off our minds for a while. Usually I hate talking on phone, (wonder how people stick to it for hours), and prefer chatting, some how it gives me more freedom of thoughts. Coming back to the list of people I would like to chat with, on the newly launched WeChat group, actually there are many but I am hereby giving the top 10 of my list.......

My Mom

Soon after I entered my teenage, God took her away from me. The days when other girls dream about their prince charming, I have grown up seeing her in my dreams. But I am happy and feel lucky to have met her atleast that way. A chance to chat with her no matter how would be divine for me. Even if I get short of words then, still the feeling of her being there to listen to me would be eternal.

Sophie Kinsella

Any girl in her 20’s who likes to read would love reading her books, she is one of the reigning stars in the chick lit genre. Though Shopaholic series are her most popular ones, but my favourites are-The Domestic Goddess, Remember Me? and Can you keep the secret? I still re-read them every few months. I identify with the lead characters and have fun with them. Chatting with Sophie would mean talking to all of my, those, fav characters in a go.

Aamir Khan

Like many other Indians, I liked Amir Khan and his acting skills. Loved many of his movies like Andaz Apna Apna and 3 Idiots, though disliked many as well, one of them being Gajini. But it was only when he did Satyamev Jayate, I started admiring him and his work. He worked towards betterment of this nation like a true citizen (afterall how many of the celebrities do we see doing such work, no matter how much he earned through it, is small in comparision to the awareness the show generated), then he took his mom for the sacred ‘Hajj’ fulfilling his duty of being a true son, he turned down ad endorsement offers worth a few crores saying it lacked social relevance. WoW! A personality to salute in todays day and age, when we see people going gaga over money and fame. Surely it would be an honour to talk to him once in my lifetime even if it means a small ‘Hello’.

Sexy- The little girl in the movie Cheeni  Kum

Do you remember her? Yes she is that tiny 9 year old girl, who was dying of leukaemia in the cool humourous movie Cheeni Kum also featuring strong actors like Amitabh Bachchan and Tabu. She was the cherry on the cake in this movie. Confidante Swini Khare gave life to the whole storyline with her small role. With a few days life left to live, she had it clear how to have fun in those days and live life to the fullest. Inspiring and adorable to watch. Would like to chat with this life inspiring small girl ‘Sexy’ to have some fun together and may be talk about those adult movies she was craving to watch... lol.

Oprah Winfrey

Guess, everyone who knows her, would like to meet her once in their life.  An inspirational lady of substance. You would be amazed to know she was fired from her first job because she was called ‘unfit for TV’, and today she is topping the list of 10 most inspiring personalities. There is so much to talk to her about from her success story to her life of being Oprah.

Chetan Bhagat

Chetan Bhagat is an Indian literary icon, yes I too love all his books. But more than his books I loved his sense of acceptance towards the changing Indian society. He left his high profile banking job in Hong kong because his wife had got a better paying job in India, only to become a house husband or a stay-at-home dad for his baby. He utilized that spare time to write his books,  which turned him into a bestselling author of the nation. His started a revolution, and till now I don’t know of any other male who has taken such a step. Moreover, his articles and blogs oozes not only fantastic style of writing but also opinions that matter to every women out there. A today’s man who understands that he shares this society with females of similar calibre and respects feminism. Being a feminist writer myself, I have enough to chat about with him.

Mark Zukerberg

We all know him! His name is a book that tells the story of social media. My introduction to social media was through his baby that’s ‘FACEBOOK’. I am not a media junkie but I adore his intelligence which produced this idea. Afterall I found my husband among many other friends through it. Let’s Chat Mr. Zukerberg, now we have WeChat!

Walt Disney

Every girl on this planet, grows up reading fairytales, dreams of entering a princess castle in real and meet her favourite damsel turned princess characters. It was he who turned this dream into reality for us with his Disney parks. His name is synonymous to the cartoon series we have seen in our childhood, which still adds smile on our faces. Yay!! I can talk fairies with him.

Andrea Sachs

You guessed it right! She is the same size 12, casual chic who doesn’t hesitate before eating that burger with extra cheese and still makes it to one of the biggest fashion magazine as assistant to the editor Miranda Priestley, a job for which millions of girls would die for! What next? She dumps this high profile job but still get positive feedbacks from her boss and makes it to her dream job. She was the one who motivated me to take up Mass communication and my career got a direction. What a luck, if I get to chat with her!

Vidya Balan

I never realised she was one who appeared in that slimy role in the popular TV series ‘Hum Paanch’.  Look at her today, she has created a niche for herself not only in Bollywood and also amongst the Indian women. She looks glam and carries the national attire Sari with grace and elegance. Atleast I can get tips on wearing sari perfectly (my brother’s wedding is coming up), apart from talking about her journey toward being the best in bollywood. What a boon for a movie buff like me!

Tanya Chaitanya

Wondering who she is? “All the women, You are FEMINA!”  She is the editor of my most read magazine ‘Femina’.  Every time when I get my hands on an issue of Femina, first thing I read is the editor’s note, and each time I utter the word ‘Awesome’! I would like to know how she gathers her stories, and frames it to such engaging content that every time I pass a bookstore I can’t resist picking the new issue of this magazine.

That’s my list of top 10 people whom I would like to chat with on WeChat Group. Hope it turns into reality and does not remain a fantasy!

[Created for Indiblogger & WeChat contest - http://www.indiblogger.in/topic.php?topic=81

Also check out the amazing WeChat - Chat with anyone, anywhere commercial on you tube here}

I love being a mother to my adorable daughter

My daughter is the most precious gift I have.

When ever I want a miracle to happen

I look at her and realise I have already created one!

With every passing day I love her more

It's now, I realise why I love my mother so much.

I feel special, 

I feel proud that my daughter will feel the same for me, what I felt for my mom.

Each day I plan for something new for her

What clothes, what headbands, what bed, what decor...

I have everything already planned in my mind. Now its for her to choose.

I loved shopping for myself, 

but now my eyes lay only on those cute lil clothes I want her to wear.

No one else will ever know the strength of my love for her, 

after all she is the only one who knows what my heart sounds like from inside.

Truly I feel blessed being a mom to my darling daughter 'Myrah'.

A simple breezy thought !!!

Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose.~ from The Wonder Years

I believe there is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where the air is softer,  the colours are brighter and the mornings more fragrant than ever.

My garden brings these rolling thoughts....
My dad playing and running after us in the lawn while enacting the story of little red riding hood.
Me and my cousin getting up early in the morning and cross the park fences before it opens so that we can get on the tamarind tree and get our handfuls for the day. 
Me and my brother fighting over the bicycle to ride in the park. 
Picnic to the dam and mountains around with mom and dad when I used to try and pose for each picture clicked and borrow the villagers chulha to cook some delicious baatis. 
Mom watching from the balcony and cheering us up, when we used to show off our cricket skills with our neighbor friends. 
Going to farms at grandmom’s place to get bag fulls of mangoes and green grams, later hiding our share from everyone else. 
Everyone sitting with bucket full of mangoes competing to see who eats the most. 
Sketching the view from the balcony during my summer vacations. 
Climbing on dad’s shoulders to peak in the ventilator space to see if those pigeon eggs hatched in the nest on our ventilator space. 
That friendly goat who used to knock our doors every morning to get some chapatis or veggies. Those surprise rainy day leaves when our cycle speeds used to increase while coming back home, to play football  in the ground. 
Those Sunday’s when mom washes our clothes and we were buzy making bubbles using soap water………..

I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what you are going through now or whatever is happening in your life today, there is always something that you can be thankful for... no matter how simple it is. For me it’s my childhood spent with brother, mom dad and cousins….What’s your pick??

Television can also judge you !!!!

Television is a part of my everyday life.. reach home, grab a glass of water, some snackiee or fruit, switch on the TV, and push FAV button. That’s what I do when I reach home. I like to watch soulfull  lively characters and funny series with some meaningful factors here and there. Something in which I don’t have to apply too much of my mind to. After all after day long work, another heavy watch is not what u would want ? I have a special place in my heart for bollywood movies and simple hilarious characters of daily soaps- Suhana (Sasural Genda phool) or Khushi (Is pyar ko kya naam du). I love watching them in free time when am too tired to even think. I know sometimes they are silly but make me laugh surely. When it gives me pleasure at one time, the other time it can be equally irritating, like it was while watching a few reality shows.

All these simple pleasures of life, feels so wonderful when you look back through them but it depends on you how you would want these, especially television, is it a real box of entertainment or a box of information or box of irritation. It can give you numerous memories from silly remote fights with brother or spouse to the news coverage of disasters happening in another corner of the world that you witness live sitting on your couch. It surely is one discovery that has evolved not only urban but also the rural India.

But what if you are to be judged based on what you watch on television….

Then I guess I am one confused soul … lollzz

I WATCH

• Master Chef
• Nigella Feasts
• Highway on my plate
• Chakh Le India
• Etc etc

Going by that, I'm sometimes a glutton, a gourmet, a closet-chef, a connoisseur. But I won’t call myself any of that, yes I love to eat anything that pampers my taste buds, but actually think twice before trying my hands on it…

I ALSO WATCH:

• Roadies
• Bigg Boss
• Khatron Ke Khiladi
• Splitsvilla
• Band Bajaa Bride
• And sundry reality shows

Does that make me a drama queen? A vain observer?

AND I ALSO WATCH:

• Hindi soaps like Sasural Genda Phool, Is pyar ko kya naam dun and a few more

Does that make me a couch potato? A soap junkie?

AND I ALSO WATCH:

• Travel shows like
• Confessions of a travel Bag
• Free Fall
• Life’s a Beach
• No big deal
• And News, debates or coffee shows

Does that make me an intellectual, a thinking viewer, a half-geek?

so based on this, what kind of a person are you, if we judge you by what you watch on TV?

Photography of Life

Passing through an amazing moment, I wish I could capture them to relive them when I feel low. That’s what photographs does sometimes to us, the older the better…  I am not a good photographer, coz that’s a talent that not every body owns, but the one’s who have it, are the ones who can capture moments of not only their lives but others too. How lucky…!!!!!

Birth and Birthdays, Lunches and dinners, marriages and anniversarys, fortunates and less fortunates; animals and beaches, laughter and romance…. Its photographs that becomes a mirror to your life… A picture of you smiling at the camera is a postcard gift from the present you to the future you and it says. “ You were having a good time”.

The first dish you prepared, the first time you met your soulmate, the first child, the first birthday…. It’s a the deepest emotions that come out through the lenses.. Lenses know it all…

Everyday may not be good, but there is surely good in everyday… hunt for that good, be it through the lenses or your thoughts. You will surely find a reason to smile and that’s what means clicking everyday in your life…

Click Click, smile please !!!

**smiles… I have got my moment**

PS: **Blog Inspiration came while watching a photo video by Afghen’s photography**

Click Click...Let's ... Go... Shopping !!

Following the World, India too has gone digital now, not only in the sense that we are addicted to gadgets like mobile phones, laptops, tablets etc, but now we are much beyond it. I am talking about the alluring world of ‘Shopping’(guess it tempts me more than biryani or momos..**smiles**)

There is a good old saying “ When the going gets tough, the tough gets going”, I would like to tweak it a little bit “When the going gets tough, the tough goes SHOPPING”. What say girls?

Shopping is something that everybody does, some show it as a passion and others do it coz they really need those things. Few years back, there was only one way to shop and that was to get a shopping buddy, stroll around the streets, walk in every shop, try and feel clothes or others and pick the one that suits you best or something that you eyed on. Now the shopping world has exploded into many new options by going digital.

Picture this scene…. your boss has just blasted you for an avoidable mistake and you don’t feel pepped up enough to use your mind on the presentation you have to deliver in next 2 hours... Weird Corporate World!!! Then you get an email and a click directs you to the world of online sales. Your eyes are seeing something hard to believe….. Yes, it’s the same dress you saw few weeks back at that store, showing here at 50% OFF, no second thought and you buy that dress. You actually bought it, can’t believe, now you really own that dress at a stealing price… and suddenly your mood swings and you realize you are over with what happened just a few minutes back with your boss. No awards for guessing that your presentation went off brilliantly.

Sounds so cool noh!! That’s the impact online shopping does to many… the housewives who used to wait for their husbands to take them out for shopping, don’t wait anymore…the pregnant friend who wants to buy the best for her baby but can’t afford walking and stressing herself, can do all that and more sitting on her bed… the small towners who don’t have access to big brands now flaunt their possessions without even visiting metros. 

Haven’t tried it yet??… Lemme warn you... DON’T … coz it’s damn convenient and far too tempting.

So want to be my shopping buddy???.. Here we go shopping !!! Click ... Click... Add to Cart .. !!!

The Big B word

A balanced life- work life, eating a balanced diet, balancing steps as we walk and above all balancing relationships to live with love, commitment, cooperation, peace and harmony.

Isn’t life all about balance?

This ‘B’ word really seems to be preceding all other alphabets and is taking over to become the first letter of the alphabets of today’s life.  As we grow, we keep evolving and advancing  to new roads and phases, at every step there is something new waiting for us. And then one day we reach the phase that marks a substantial era in our lives. Our single identity suddenly merges with multiple others by saying Kubul hai or over the chants, around the fire, the holy book or the I do! Suddenly you hear your heart beating in your throat and bells ringing within the soul and everywhere outside. Suddenly all those glossy clothing and accessories come to life, and you feel interested in anything that is related with this event of lifetime. Yes! This peal of wedding bells prevails forever in our hearts and The ‘BIG B’ word rules our lives forever from this moment onwards.

Live in this happy moment, the vigor, color and festivities so you remember the charisma through out your life and feel the need of balancing the pros and cons it comes with. Every day is a new challenge and its sport to accept it and live on happily. Am sure, not everyone has the courage to ignore the cons but the B word does helps you sort it out. Relationship and wedding was just my explaination for this Big B. But its not limites to relations… life comprises of many many more factors. So no worries… be a good gymnast….just Balance it! What say people??

It's great being a Girl!

Spices and Sugar with everything nice and lovely, that’s what pretty woman are made of.  And there are a million reasons to be happy you ended up with two X chromosomes – shoe or bag shopping, girls parties, high heels, makeup and cheaper insurance, just to name a few!

The best thing about being a woman is the variety. As women, we experience so many changes in our bodies and minds over the course of our lives. We get to experience life in a whole different way than men do, and I love that.

I love having lots of dressing options and looking pretty. It would be terrible to be a man and have to choose between the blue suit or the blue suit.

I can get away with splashing a drink over a man with just a smile and sorry, or get those last few movie tickets by requesting the first man in the queue, or get a space to sit comfortably in a metro.

The "superpower" of being able to grow another life inside you, and produce the food to feed it too.

Moreover, I also love the sisterhood that women have with each other.

Women have so many choices. They can work or stay home. Be a corporate woman, a teacher or a soldier. Despite the fact that we think men have it good, ask a man who has chosen a career viewed as predominantly for women, like a secretary or a nurse, or one who has chosen to stay home and raise the kids while Mom works. They get a lot of flack and are looked on as less of a man.

A woman can do all the things that women naturally do and she can do most things a man can do also. A woman can keep a house looking like something out of a magazine, a woman can make a delicious meal from leftovers, a woman can create life. A woman can get up early, cook, work whole day, sleep children, take a bath, and be ready for a night on the town. Men can't even put a dish in the sink.

Love being a woman? Let's hear you roar.

Uncovering…. Small Joys!

Those small  moments, that make us smile instantly. You would agree when I say they are the most precious in life. Those little joys that make our life complete. Simple joys that motivate us,  lift us  and reflect in our passion for life.

Mostly in our life we overlook them and run after big joys, which look like dreams and might or might not happen in future… .. like owning that car, a gorgeous well furnished house, an envious holiday in your fav destination....buying that exhorbitantly priced Guccis, Vittons or Fendis...etc. There are endless things we can eye for or dream about, which may give us immense pleasure when they would happen, but do you have time to wait till then, you never know tomorrow. But today and every passing day, there are so many small things that happen with us, and they do leave a smile, not only on our face but in our hearts too.

Like……

 Your mom making your favourite thing to eat when she feels you need to cheer up. Feel blessed, your mom is there for you.

Exploring facebook and you come across an old childhood friend, you had been searching for, since so many years.

A wonderful breezy weather when you walk hand in hand with your loved one and have golgappas, bhelpuri and momos. Or at home with family, bajiyas and few cups of chai.

That cute and hot dress you eyed for, every time you passed that store but couldn't buy because of the guilt price, suddenly slashed to 50%. Instant purchase and the feeling of "God knows what you want"

The moment your boyfriend proposes you in front of the world. 

On your birthday, when your mom dad & bro come down on a surprise trip to wish you, just when you were missing them the most! Precious.

Missed calls and a message from someone who's call you were waiting for since morning

Combing and not finding a single broken strand of hair! ultimate small joy. And ofcourse a good hair day!

In a meeting, when your boss gives you an sudden appreciation. Least expected but a proud moment.

Stuck in some confusion and surprisingly your brother, who always used to fight with you, understands you and says ‘Don’t worry sis, I am there’. Priceless.

Street shopping and snacking. Underrated. Uncomparable to the designer malls window shopping. Street shopping is an instant mood lifter… and street food?? YUMMMM. Moreover when you come back home with numerous of bags and open them to find something that you forgot you even bought! What say girliieess?

A Wake up Sid movie moment. Getting the parcel from home full of your precious books and collectibles or the brithday celebration with do cup chai & bread jam cake ;-p

You know you had chat yesterday, but morning your weighing scale says you lost a few 0.XX kilos :-)

Sharing the dinner plate with your husband while watching a beautiful movie, and he suddenly whispers ‘I love you’. <3 Unconditional.

Chicken Biryani or Momos ( this tops my list at the moment) .. no matter how upset i am, a faint smile comes when I see a plate of momos coming my way that my office colleague (JB or granny - nicknames) has ordered specially for me.

There are endless more to list here. Realising this I feel, human tendency is such an ass sometimes, we go behind stars ignoring the Moon.

Pin down some of your small joys, they will surely make you smile.

Smile now silly... xoxo .