Springing out...

Spring is here in my city. Or should I say summer? Subtlety is not the strongest suit
of Kolkata weather these days. Gone are the evening breezes and the surprise drizzles.
The cuckoo doesn't sing near my maama-baari windowsill any more either. The agression
in my love and the subsequent pain aren't entirely gone but I've learnt to hide it
carefully. The sheer romance of sucking on to a soggy ice cream cone while taking long
walks are gone too. Gone are so many of my other childhood dreams!Love is very much
there and it's the only thing that makes me believe in life. I still feel like a trapped
princess just as I used to twenty three summers back. No knight in shining armour came
to rescue me back then and no one would come now. But meanwhile, I've learnt to
tone down my fairy tales to suit my mundane life.
                                               Talking of what is NOT mundane,Jhaal Farezi
is becoming THE place I tend to hang out with my girls at.The quirky decor, the fun food
at VERY reasonable price, the option to just sit there and chill out for HOURS make it a
favourite with all of us. And trust me, it's totally worth travelling for an hour-changing
four autos!And, hold your breath, fellow health freaks,they serve vada pav without butter!
And, they have enough brains not to bring you sugar satchets if you ask for green tea. #Win

Also, every time I go to Jhaal Farezi,for some reason or the other, I end up wearing maxis.
This time was no exception. Even though my separates look more like a maxi dress, they
are very much the thrifted tunic tucked into the maxi skirt I thought I'd never wear.

Anywhoo,a slow internet connection and a hectic schedule are making sure I don't get to blog more
than once every month but I got some very good news coming up for you lovelies. Our group
venture 'Sisterhood of the Travelling Pajamas' would be here soon and it's something
that the blog-o-sphere(at least as far as my knowledge goes)has never seen before! I can't
spill any more beans. You just have to guess and wait. I also have my very first guest post
coming up on the blog.The topic is a little different from the usual mood of this space.
So, I'm having a hard time fitting it in. But all would be resolved in no time hopefully.
Till then, all ya lovelies think peach and sip coconut water. *Kisses*

Tunic(thrifted), maxi skirt, spiked loafers- B.K.Market, ring- New Market

With my sunflower Nikita, who made it all possible

Looking back at 2013...

So,another year is about to end and I can already hear the b'day bells ringing! But more on that later. First and foremost, as a responsible and self-righteous blogger(and I say it with a straight face), my duty is to produce an ode to 2013 cum a New Year resolution post before it's, well, too late.
                                                                                                                           2013 has been a year of extremes, both good and bad. I gained my first exposure as far as the Corporate life is concerned and if my time in TCS is anything to go by, well, I can't wait to start working(of course you know I have a job now,don't you?)! I fell in love, after years and was fortunate enough to be loved back. I had my heart broken and learnt to live with it, happily. I rediscovered myself, met the person who holds the missing pieces of the puzzle of my life. We have known each other for long but never chose to explore just how much we have in common. But guess life had it planned after all. We met because we had to. He found out his insanity in me, like he says and I found my stability. Since then, he has been there like an angel- blessing me all the time and I've never been lost again. And this miracle led me to believe in a superior power, if not God. I lost a lot of close friends this year, grew distant with the rest but also gained such profound meanings of every relationship that I was hardly in a position to complain. Life has been difficult,full of challenges but seldom have I come out of a crisis so strong! Self-loathing used to be the emotion that defined me. I guess pride is slowly finding its way in.
                                  And now, with the New Year already knocking on my door, I have got to make myself a few promises. I don't believe in any New Year resolutions as such but one needs to be focused while ushering into the New Year. So,this year, I promise to try and fulfill the following-

• After a long time, I have started believing in love, magic and everything else that the Fairy Tales had taught us. Being a cynic might make one feel intellectually superior but optimism takes one farther. So, I choose to believe in all the stupid good things that we thought never really existed and give life a try.
• I haven't been the best daughter all my life. Even though I loved my parents in my own way, I have been an out-and-out rebel. Since I'm getting older now(yes,turning 24 DOES make me feel aged, in a good way), I have started to appreciate everything that my parents have done for me ever since I was born and even though I don't know how long it'd take(given my salary and other constraints),I'd try to make my parents happy in whatever way possible-maybe a small meal or a meaningful conversation...the choices are aplenty.
• I've spent a considerable number of years hating people, feeling miserable and thinking about getting even. But the joy of forgiving is not a cliche. It really makes the sun shine brighter and the birds sing sweeter. I have already forgiven most of the people I had held any grudge against but I'm going to forgive more and let go of all my pain in the process. Everyone is worth loving. Everyone deserves forgiveness.

And now, the usual ones that you'd be able to see coming if you know me a little-

• Read more.
• Shop wisely.
• Wait for love.
• Eat carefully.
• Value the real friends.
• Write less frequently but with more heart.
• Don't miss gym.
• Drink responsibly.
• Discover the small pleasures of life- a Sunday walk, a book finished in Starmark, piping hot momos, ginger tea, curling up inside the blanket, an early morning or late night phone call from the one who matters.
• Learn to avoid regrets.
• Save enough money to enroll for a proper French course.
• And of course, MOST IMPORTANTLY,dance more.

And now, the pictures from the street food adda with my sunshine girls! If you live in Kolkata and haven't been to Jhaal Farezi, let me tell you that it's an absolutely must visit- for the reasonable price, the ambiance, the decor, the courteous staff, the live music and what not! It's absolutely worth the journey to Park Circus and the fact that one can just hang around for hours with a cup of green tea definitely earns brownie points from me. Also, I think I'm going to dedicate an entire post to maxis and how they have made life a lot more fun and lot less stressful for the mankind.

Maxi dress-Sudder Street,heart print shirt,ring-B.K.Market,shoes-Simpark Mall,clutch-borrowed

If there's one thing that I'm good at, that is having a cup of green tea and posing with everyone else's drinks! *Wink*

With my girls Anu and Sayantani

Well, bidding 2013 adieu would undoubtedly be sad but then again, the old has to make way for the new. In other words, how else would my b'day come? *Happy Dance*
So,while I'm busy cutting my cake, all of you have a good New Years' Eve and like I always say, never give up on Fashion. Much love,
                                       Soumi.