Pop up at mine-an evening of mystery cocktails,Nepalese food and awesome fun!

What's your initial reaction when THE COOLEST(not to mention the prettiest) party host invites you for a mystery party at a mystery location for your first brush with Nepalese cuisine? You thank your stars first of course that you're lucky enough to have her in your life and then you start counting days...
                                                                                                                                      That's exactly what I did once the sassiest woman entrepreneur in town-Johanne, the owner of Scoop, gave me a call one fine evening and invited me for what turned out to be one of the best parties in my entire life! Finding out the mystery location was mysteriously easy given her reputation for hosting the most amazing parties! I believe a stranger pointed the location to a friend of mine with a reassuring smile and the words,"yes,yes,go there. This is where THE party is happening."
                                                Once we were inside,it'd be an understatement if I say we were blown away by the decor inside. To see the amount of thought she put into every little detail was truly inspiring. Well,she has an obscenely sexy lawn to execute all those ideas,I'll admit but the sheer creativity used everywhere was unbelievable. The coke bottles were filled up with sand and gyp and put up beside the candles. The paper lamps gave an illusion of 'to be or not to be' and I already knew I was about to have one of my best evenings ever! The drizzle early in the evening(that had freaked her out) had already subsided and contributed to the nice weather. The host,looking downright hot in a pink number escorted us straight to the bar. I settled for a mango martini after a few phuchka shots and jell-o shots. The guests had already started arriving-each starrier than the previous. We met  Rana da -the flamboyant faatugraphaar, Bridgette Jones -the make up diva I've grown up reading every Sunday in The Telegraph and of course,three martinis,two cosmos and a few of Jo's newest discovery ganna shots later,THE Raima Sen arrived! My girls tell me I had scared her off at first with my lesbian handshake but they were obviously wrong because she was back in a while. Meanwhile,we were introduced to Jo's Nepali brigade-the people who had been cooking since the morning so that we can have the evening of our lives. And boy,were they from varying backgrounds! From army girls to sixteen-year old cute buoys...we met them all. The crowd was so diverse that we talked about everything from fashion,management,fashion management(no,that's not a typo),gamchha,eco-friendly fashion,serial-dating,writing,photography,beauty products,boxers and what not! As the music started getting peppier and the chatting got more drunken, the host announced that the food was ready. This was the first time I was having Nepalese food and according to my very non-posh friends,it was supposed to be all about radish. So,to be honest,I was a little scared. But I was pleasantly surprised. There was rice tempered with aromatic spices,dal,dum aloo,aloo-gobi,saag,mutton curry,chicken salad,vegetable salad,sprouts salad,various types of pickles,malpua with kheer and a lot more. The food was so light yet tasty! So me! I even went for second helpings. And then she gave us the cutest little keepsake to take home. We had to leave soon since I'm not rich enough to afford a car yet and cabs get pricier too at night with every passing hour but this was an evening that'd stay with me for a long time. Until her next party,that is. *Wink*

Shirt-Miss Chase,white denims,loafers-Simpark mall,sling-B.K.Market,bow tie-Howrah Bridge,rings-New Market

With Bridgette Jones

And THE Raima Sen

Photo credits-Debi and Pooja

Pow ow...

A Sunday morning fashion fiesta over cupcakes,coffee and cheese toast is something a girl can never say 'no' to. To top it off,I had my girls accompanying me on this guilt trip. Nothing spells high street better than 'Elle' and there we were,turning up in our chic-est avatar,flaunting all the accessories we got,all geared up to let the Miranda Kerr in ourselves loose. Debi and yours truly,always being the early birds reached the Forum Elle store before the event was about to start and was just in time to wish host Anu luck  for the fashion extravaganza that was about to take place. The yummy cupcakes and other sinful delicacies kept us staring at our watch from time to time(I wasn't wearing any,so,I kept looking at others' watches, :-P ).
                                                                                                                                         An animal print jumpsuit was my choice of attire for the event. Sweetening it up were my brand new pink pumps(which I ruined that day,thanks to my shoe-bites) and the pink tote. The pictures say it all. :-D

Jumpsuit,bag-Simpark mall,shoes,ring-New Market,shades-Park Street

White shirt love

So,the dreaded exams are over and while I can't really claim that I 'aced' the papers,I'm just glad that it's over. Two more semesters and I'm done with this wretched education system of ours for once and for all. That itself calls for a celebration! But unfortunately,due to the exams ending on exactly the day I was invited to a brew party at Tantra,I missed out on once in a lifetime exotic brews like 'beer infused with coriander leaves'. From the feedback,I'm not complaining! But I'm a little sad that I missed out on free beer AND free mouth-freshener,like I told a friend. :-P

                                                         So,missing one party called for something else as a compensation gift. Decided to meet up a few friends over coffee(I had tea though and that too,on someone else) yesterday. And what better than a white shirt to beat this heat? A neckpiece to add a little layering and golden kolhapuris so that I can walk for miles and I was good to go!

White shirt,ring-New Market,red denims,golden kolhapuri-Shreeram Arcade,bag-B.K.Market,neckpiece-Lindsay Street

New Globus Chennai Store Launch Review

If you know your fashion,Globus is a name that you just cannot miss. Classy,flirty,quirky,whatever be your style,Globus has something for you in store. And unlike many of the other high street brands,Globus has been able to reach out to the small town shoppers as vigorously as their big city counterparts. The launch of its recent store at Phoenix Market City,Chennai saw the unveiling of a collection with the right balance of fun and understated elegance. The collection was inspired by at least thirty different styles-Copacabana, Nautical inspired look, Chroma Light, Psychobilly Rebels, Marrakech Souk, White Sensation & Summer of Love to name a few. The ethnic wear collection saw a vast range of inspirations ranging from classic Banithani paintings, Kashmiri Embroidery to the traditional mode of entertainment –Kathputli- A puppet show. The ethnic wear collection didn't limit itself within the diverse cultural influences of India only but chartered into other territories like Fairy Tales, Future Trousseau, Floral Bliss, Glam Girl, Summer Blossom, Summer in Venice, Summer of Love and Urban Nomad etc. The womens' wear collection mostly used flirty florals and summery whites while the mens' wear collection had a lot of exciting checks, stripes and colored denims.
                                                                                                                So,the next time you're in Chennai,don't forget to drop by their store at Phoenix Market City,142,Velacheri Main Road,Chennai-600042 because no visit is complete without a shopping extravaganza like the one Globus has in store for you. I'll leave you with the pictures. Have fun and like I always say,keep it stylish. Love.

The sneak-peek is bound to take you upstairs

Like I said,

And when you arrive,

Like these eager shoppers,

You'll find an array of options to choose from

Girlie prints,dreamy pastels or bold colors

Summers are here!

So,the piece of news is that summers are here since our city isn't blessed with a season called spring. I'll be honest,I'm not the biggest fan of this season. I hate the perspiration,I hate the almost non-existent opportunities of layering,I hate the clumsy feel...Actually,apart from the seasonal fruits and the afternoon nap(which is a luxury I can't afford any more),I hate almost everything about summers. But,since I can still cheat and coax myself into believing that it's not summer-summer yet,thanks to the evening breeze,I leave no stones unturned to take a long walk down my favourite parts of the city in the afternoon(read after 5). There's one thing I love about the hot yet not so summery afternoons these days-I get to show my legs without getting an uneven(and therefore bad) tan! So,decided to meet up my girlies for an evening of cupcakes and everything fun(don't worry,the health freak in me is very much alive. So,I let them gain all the weight and had only green tea and coleslaw sandwich). There's this little place called Mrs Magpie near Vivekananda Park. We thought Anu's new DSLR deserved a cute setting like this one for its first outing. The results are here for you-

Skirt,ring,jooti-New Market,cuff-Park Street,top-gifted,sling-B.K.Market

Strangers are alike

One night of blur is all it takes to rediscover yourself. The ones you're fond of but kept pushing away, the torn paper you had used for scribbling and then tucked away somewhere else,the feelings you thought you were done with,the fears you thought you didn't fear any more. One of my most favourite poets had once told me,"I know you never forgot the fear." As the first rays of the morning sun melts my insomniac dreams,I see his chest rising and dropping and I wonder what he had meant. The tricky thing about alcohol is that it makes you delusional. You tend to get a little unsure of yourself. At least that's what happens to me. I look around,tracing his touch along my fingers and then deep down. I don't know what it means. I don't know why I have that throbbing pain rising near my vertebra. All I know is that I'm supposed to go home,take a shower and forget all about it. All I know is that I won't. I've done this way too many times to doubt my stupidity now. I somehow want to run away.
                                                                He drags me closer and locks his lips between those of mine. Last night was a night of dreams and nightmares. I didn't sleep well. But at the same time,waking up to his embrace was comforting,to say the least. I know the other one will call sooner or lesser. I know he'll be happy for me. I know I'd keep wondering whether I'm in love with any or both of them.
                                                                                                                                 As the silent tears stream down my cheeks,I give in to the friend I had avoided for so long! My words. My words are all I'll ever have. Like I faintly remember telling him...the words that followed like open-ended arguments,the dreams I never weaved and never will...I walk the path all alone to see my happiness etherized like a dead beauty-cold,untouched,distant.

Doll-ed up for an evening of all things pretty

Hola readers,how have you been? If you're there in my Facebook friend list or you happen to follow me on Twitter,you must know about the IIM-C cultural fest I had been talking about. Well,we participated in a lot of events-treasure hunt,junk art,fashion times,splash painting,sports quiz,Calcutta quiz,fashion show,group dance,solo dance and what not. Unfortunately,we couldn't win any of the flagship events. We didn't even qualify to the finals in the fashion show. I qualified for the finals in the solo dance but everything went wrong on stage. I slipped,I couldn't reach center stage with my drag(yes,the stage was a hundred times bigger than what I'm used to and we didn't get a stage slot earlier),my music started off beat and a jump didn't happen. Our group dance was better but we didn't win. We only managed to win in minor events like treasure hunt,junk art etc.
                        Anyway,so,the invitation to attend a make up workshop and cupcake party "Doll up" at Scoop couldn't have come at a better time! Nothing beats frustration like pretty,yummy cupcakes! Scoop,a baby of the sassy girl Johanne Mantosh (and one of THE hottest women entrepreneurs too,if I may add)had been open for a while . She started at the age of twenty and now it is ready to take on the big bad world. The baby is ready to rock you. Her parents started this in the early 90s,the name back then was given by the ice cream company kwality. Business was good. So,they kept the name. The decor inside,as she puts it, is pure "eye candy". It's a heaven for those like me who have been brought up on a staple diet of chick flicks. And what's in there for the guys? The bird-watching? Well,she boasts that it's "hot enough". Even though she claims to be a gypsy queen and apparently the restaurant looks like the ideal place for lovebirds or girls' day outs,she says a sizeable portion of the crowd happens to be family. The child,attracted by the weird decor,drags the family in and they keep coming back. Actually,to look at it again,it DOES look more like a family place than I thought. There's something in every corner that talks about the important people in her life. Something that reminds her of her brother,something else for her mom,something for her dog and finally,a LOT of things for her boyfriend. Being a woman entrepreneur in a city where women aren't known to have their best times mustn't have been easy,I wonder. Even the jovial smile fades a little as she remembers the years of  struggle. The family support might have made it easier but nevertheless,convincing everyone that this PYT with spidery long legs can be their boss and "kick their ass" has been difficult. "I grew up in this area and men haven't been the best",she admits. So,according to her,coming to a restaurant like this and having women serve them itself is an empowering experience for the women customers. Does she see herself  leaning more towards lifestyle than hardcore F&B,I ask. Well,you know what,she doesn't care. Because,for her,"every moment is like a shot". Any further plans? She'd like to open a restaurant in Delhi someday,she says. But Calcutta crowd is more loyal,she adds, In Delhi,people have more money than they can manage and therefore,they are like,"what's next?". And with that,I finished my tenth piece of cupcake. Johanne,being the amazing host she is,forced us to gain at least five kilos with the yummiest cupcakes and marshmallows. We were presented with a gift pack of candies as soon as we entered. Then arrived the prettiest bunch of calories I've ever set my eyes on with fresh lime sodas and chocolate milkshakes for company. Before we were done with the sinfully sweet cupcakes,in came the sandwiches,quick bites,pizzas,burgers,paneer and chicken tikkas and what not. The idea of marrying these two ideas came to her when she was visiting Delhi.

                        After a mouthful of the finger foods,we decided to talk makeup with the co-host of the event,Mou. Her make up studio at Hazra called Studio 84 was born three years ago,thanks to a personal setback she had had. She was down,she did a little makeup one night and she realised that she "was good". She "was good to go". Finding a name for her place was equally random. She decided to go with numbers because "numbers are always lucky". And 84 happens to be her birthyear. So,what better than 'Studio 84'? The X factor of her place is that it's dedicated to ONLY makeup. No facial,nothing else other than makeup. And her makeup is "not regular makeup". She has certified thirty women in Kolkata and more than hundred in the villages,thanks to her connection with an NGO. She gave them one month sessions and seeing ALL of them working now inflates her with pride. She has switched to more workshops now since she has a little time to spare and she has seen many people don't have the time to go through a dedicated course. "I don't have makeup secrets",she says with a cheeky smile. She teaches whatever she knows and keeps nothing to herself. And that's probably why she has such a personal relationship with her clients that she has women calling her up when they are pregnant after getting their bridal makeup done by her. She says she has learnt seventy percent from academics and she is thirty percent self-taught. She is always on Youtube and uses a lot of international brands in her makeup. However,while teaching,she promotes people to use any kind of makeup because,as the Bengali saying goes,"naach na jaanley uThhaan bNyaka(if you don't know how to dance,you'll find the stage faulty)",she believes "if you know the naach,you can do it with anything". She has always been an "emo gothic person" interested in fashion,makeup,photography but she never knew it'd be her career. Even Johanne is one of her loyal clients and that's how they came up with the idea of a tea party cum makeup workshop. Since I'm not a very makeup person,I ask her three makeup tips for someone who knows absolutely nothing about makeup(without telling her who the person concerned was of course). Prompt comes the reply,
i)The foundation has to be exactly the same shade of your complexion. If it's one shade lighter,it's wrong. If it's one shade darker,it's wrong.
ii)You cannot wear eyeliner or kohl that is not smudge-proof.
iii)Young girls shouldn't wear dark colors. They make you look older. And none of us want to look old,right?
However,Studio 84 is anything but your regular beauty parlor. You don't go to her just because you want a makeup artist. It's only by appointment and you go there because you want to share a piece of your life with her. You have to see her work and be comfortable with her style before you get your makeup done by her because,well,she's "very scared of criticism". Where does she see her baby after ten years,I ask her. "It will be THE place when you think of makeup",she replies.

 

After the hearty chats over heartier food with these two ladies,it was time for the workshop. The live makeovers,a lot of handy makeup tips and some more mouth-watering delicacies later,I left for home since I was in a hurry. But the gracious host didn't forget the discount coupon I was 'entitled to' for my participation. Well,I had a blast in there(the pictures say it better than I do).

Blazer-Simpark Mall,maxi dress,yellow sling,blue ring-B.K.Market,silver cuff,silver rings-Old New Market,gladiators-Metro Plaza

 
 
 
 
And the next time you're shopping anywhere near Esplanade,you know where to go for a girly gossip session or a quick bite. And when it's time to flaunt what you've bought after hours of rummaging through clothes,you know who'd add just the right touch of perfection to your look.
                                 If things go my way,I'll be back with some very interesting details about the party I'm supposed to go to on 14th(no,I still don't have a boyfriend,people,in case that's what you thought). Till then,take care and keep it stylish.