Boredom of Sanity

And just like that, the first month of 2014 is gone. I have had a more or less normal month. I have full attendance in college, I haven't missed gym or morning newspaper on a single day, I have cooked myself quite a few edible meals and of course, I have successfully submitted my project. I have also started writing quite a bit in Bengali and there's something very, very comforting about expressing oneself in their mother tongue. It not only liberates the closeted soul but also makes one see themselves more clearly. I'd always be indebted to  the one who got me into it. I was scared at first, I'd admit but owning up to the fear has been worth it. Apart from that, this absolute stillness in my life drives me crazy at times. There is no ripple, no chaos, no purpose. For someone as eccentric as yours truly, it's not the best way to let her creative juices flowing. In my profession, public image goes a long way and I have realised it the hard way. I'm still not puritan enough to untag myself from pictures that have me posing with a drink in my hand but I have definitely started editing my public persona. It's not an exercise I have been entirely fond of but it has worked for me. It hasn't given me peace of mind but it has definitely helped me fake it. There are still moments when I wake up with a few droplet of tears or I want to scream at the silence of the cold night or I want to run away to the horizon where the sun meets the ground and never come back but mostly, I'm older and wiser.
                                                                                                                                            I haven't had a very good feeling about 2014 and it hasn't disappointed me. Things haven't really gone well on the personal front and they show no signs of improving. The brighter part is, the halogen lights still fill me up with unfathomable pain and unbearable hope at the same time. I still dream every night. I still have a few beliefs to hold on to and no matter how difficult life gets, I don't see them dying very soon. I don't flinch my eyes at flickering bulbs. And I can still walk an extra mile for the sake of my dreams.
                                                                                                                 I had promised you the Adrenalize outfit post long back. The chill had put me in hibernating mode but now that the chill looks all set to leave with Saraswati Pujo coming up, it's time to get those pictures out of the archive and put them up on ze blog!

Maxi dress-Emami,blazer-tailor-made,ring-New Market,pearl earring and bracelet,pink and orange bracelet-gifted,sling-B.K.Market,gladiator-Metro Plaza

Because of lack of planning, Kolkata Literary Meet couldn't happen but I should be able to visit Book Fair if things don't go horribly wrong. So, will be back with the musings of the bookworm. Till then, take care and keep it stylish.
                    Love,
                    Soumi

Technologically Handicapped!

Do you have days when you wish the nasty T word didn't exist at all? Well, that would be describing my, EVERY OTHER DAY! I'm a believer in good ol' charming things. I like letters, books, sunsets, horse-drawn carriages, long walks, home-cooked food, bonfires, pianos, holding hands and everything old school. I want to wake up to the smell of my loved one instead of a phone call from him. I want to meet my friends for Sunday Brunch and talk about my life instead of whatsapping about the same. I want to  make it a point to read the newspaper or a book instead of fiddling with my phone while waiting for someone. And I always prefer coming back to a meal of rice,dal and chorchori(a dry preparation of mixed vegetables) instead of finishing another can of fizzy drinks with a cheesy wrap while working.
                                                                                                       My hatred and discomfort with everything even remotely related to Technology might have something to do with the fact that I, despite having a B.Tech in Computer Science, have always been technologically handicapped. Even during my graduation, I had no idea how to fix minor issues with my dektop while I was perfectly comfortable doing Linux or Unix coding, Artificial Intelligence simulations and what not for my exams. Management provided a temporary relief. Use of Technology in here was no less than my earlier course and even though I managed fine, I never fell in love with making presentations or reports or snippets. Why I preferred Management was because it still retained the human side of me since at the end of the day, a Manager sells their words and nothing else, relies on their basic instincts, observing skills and emotional maturity, sensitivity and competency to solve all the problems. The tools merely help them justify their decisions.
                                                                                                              But then, for every Management student, the Summer Internship Report is something of a life changing thingy. So, everyone puts in their best efforts to make it THE Report of their life- with all the cutting edge technologies, creative ideas, vast literature and tireless research. I was expected to do the same and I did, to some extent. But all hell broke loose when I started putting my thoughts into something more tangible- like a document. Some alignment won't work, some diagram won't get projected the way I wanted it, some Statistical Tool or the other would fail and long story short, I would be in complete mess. And after preparing the report, converting it to pdf was another task I dreaded. My friends back in the Engineering days came to my rescue but because of the long distance relationship, even they couldn't save my sinking ship entirely. With a lot of help from them and the much-needed support from the two most important people in my life, I finally managed to finish it. Decently. And decided that it was time to reward myself with complete detachment from Technology for a day. Tomorrow is the day when I won't be available over phone, whatsapp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and every other social media. Tomorrow is the day I won't be using immersion heater, gas oven, microwave or any other electronic home appliances. I won't be watching TV or listening to music. I won't be going to gym either. I wish I could reach college without using auto or metro too but then, trade-offs are everywhere. That's a compromise I'd gladly make. So, before I'm about to have a taste of the life I've always craved, I thought of saying 'hi' to you all with an outfit post after a long time. The pictures are from our alumni meet back in November. They have been rotting in my folder for a while, thanks to my lazy ass. This dress is a #favourite, given my monochrome mood and since nothing gets hotter than an orange pop, here I am.
P.S.Excuse my dhaai kilo ka haath. :-P
Allowing you a close look at my ring and earring was the intention, as you must have bee sweet/smart enough to understand.

Dress,feather earring,ring,spiked loafers- B.K.Market
Picture Courtesy-Anu

I will be back with the Tolly Club outfit I had promised in my last post. Till then, take care and like I always say, keep it fashionable.
                                  Love,
                                  Soumi

Adrenalize 2014-an evening of all things pretty!

If you have been following this space for a while, you'd know that Adrenalize is an event I personally look forward to. Not only because it chooses one of Kolkata's oldest and most sophisticated clubs as the venue but also because it tries to give the guests an one stop solution for all things fun. And an event like this in the Winter is just what the doctor ordered for the party animals.
                                                                                        This time, because of unavoidable circumstances, the only ones who made it to the party were Deepa and yours truly. We reached a little late but just in time to be a part of the super fun grape stomping session(which was a favourite with both of us last year too). With a bottle of Four Seasons Sauvignon Blanc at our disposal, we joined in the merry making. And then DJ Happy brought all the guests to their feet with his peppy numbers. Deepa and I danced our heart out. Even in that chilly weather, I needed to put my blazer away. Dinner was served after a while. I must say the food was better than last time. They decided to skip Indian altogether and the Bar-B-Q in this weather just perfectly complemented the lovely wines. We even went back to the dance floor for the last song of the night. Post a lot of eating,drinking and dancing, the icing on the cake was making a Girls' Night out of it. So, both of us went back to my place, chatted for hours about everything under the sun and then fell asleep without even knowing. The brownie point? Since the party got over early, my mom was happy to see me back in time too. She was like, "why can't you only go to parties like these?" *Rolling Eyes*
                                                                                                                           So, even though we missed the treasure hunt because of getting late, we DID have a very good time indeed, all thanks to Four Seasons!

All decked up

Eat, drink and make merry...

Dancing the night away!

We ended up wearing the same colour without even planning!

Spirits soaring, for obvious reasons!

Owning'em up!

The pros at grape stomping

Trying my hand, er, legs at it

And finally, the poser in me!
Picture Credits- Deepa

I'll be back with the details of what I wore to the event. Till then, make the best out of this festive season and pray so that the chill stays here for a while. Signing off,
                                                                               Soumi

Black Dog Evenings Presents Night Fever-A Tribute to the Bee Gees...

There can rarely be something more exciting for an IDM and Techno fan than an evening with the Bee Gees. The tribute to the Bee Gees at CC&FC is just something the doctor ordered with this nip in the air. Good music,good food and drinks and good ambiance- what else could one want for in a chilly evening?
                                                                           Live counters dishing out delicacies of every kind- lip-smacking finger foods to elaborate meals,the bar offering one's favourite poison within seconds and a good crowd always set the mood for a nice evening.
                                                                            Night Fever-a tribute band to the Bee Gees,all the way from Canada took the stage around 8 p.m. and soon found themselves in the midst of a cheering crowd after starting out with a few not-so-popular numbers.Stayin' Alive,How Deep Is Your Love...one classic after another put the dance floor on fire. And,finally they wrapped up the evening with Tragedy,leaving the crowd asking for more.

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.

Jingle bells early this year!

There's a saying that once God decides to be generous,He gives you ALL. Things have changed a lot since you heard me last time. Semester is over and thankfully,so is my search for a job. Yes,by God's grace,I've been recruited by Ruchi Soya Industries as a Management Trainee,HR. So,the next time you meet me,don't forget to ask for your free packet of Nutrella!
                                                                  Life is all about unexpected turns. All this while,I was busy eyeing TCS,thanks to my grand internship experience and fate was planning something else for me. It's too early to realise whether it's been a blessing in disguise or not but I believe in moving on. Regrets don't exist in my dictionary. So,it's high time I acknowledge the good time I had in TCS,the people I met,the friend(s) I discovered who'd always be a part of my life and move on.
                                                                                       Meanwhile,not having to study for placement means
i)I'm out of my self-imposed shopping ban(In other words,I can shop if I have money)
ii)I'm free to meet all those friends who had been cursing me and my inability to get a job in the first two companies.
iii)Christmas shouldn't be about eating a lot of cake while crying within the confines of my room(yes,I had started to get that depressed)
iv)B'day should be semi-fun too.

Kick-starting my December fun with a grand pre-Christmas bonfire was my favourite host(ess) in town-the beautiful restaurateur Johanne. With my girls Debi and Anu for company,I survived quite a few things I never thought I would and managed to have a lot of fun at the same time. A lot of booze,mouthwatering food and a great ambiance,what else is required to have a great party? The courteous hostess even dropped us back home.

Jumpsuit(worn as pants),shoes-Simpark Mall,tunic-Metro Plaza,jacket,scarf,rings-New Market,bag-Emami

With the hostess and Debi

The bonfire

With Sayantani coming back tomorrow,I don't see the good times slowing down anytime soon. So,keep an eye on this space for more updates.
P.S.My favourite fashion designer,despite very much being there(with her headache)is nowhere in the picture because she,for a change,decided to play my favourite phaatugrapher.
A merry Christmas to all you lovelies in advance! <3

Layering love!

So,my favourite season is here! Time for hot chocolate,staying inside the blanket for hours,walks down Park Street,layering up with blazers,cardigans and what not,watching the sun set behind Maidan, horse rides around Victoria Memorial(even though they are too expensive for broke students like me these days),picnics,view of Red Road from cabs,romancing the afternoon sun(yeah,I mentioned them earlier but I'm obsessed with the very idea in case it's not evident),piping hot momos and tea near Exide crossing,Santa,New Year...this season spells out awesomeness for me in every possible way. The scene is a little less bright this year. I still don't have a job. My semester didn't go well. And I'm too stressed out to meet my girls(despite their grand plans)! So,don't know if there's a gloomy winter lying ahead for me or the jingle bells would ring,sooner or later. I've also taken a resolution of not shopping until I have a job. So,outfit posts in here should be infrequent,if not absent altogether.
                                                                                    Meanwhile,take a look at my layering attempt almost a month back.

Blazer,neckpiece,ring-New Market,tank top-Elle,denims,shoes-Simpark Mall,bag-Emami