I got married to the man I love. Formalities aside, in our hearts, we’ve been man and wife forever.
I semi- shifted to the city I detest. The only reason I am able to tolerate this change is because of the constant love and support of my significant other as well as really affectionate relatives and cousins.
I don’t live with my mom anymore. I miss her like crazy and cry about it daily in private (and otherwise). Although right now I am very happy because I am back with her for a short while. :D
So if you ask me, how do you feel? I’ll give you one of my famous smiles and say, ‘Like a cloud. Cozy, playful and content.’
:-)
- How are you?:
bouncy - Jukebox:The Cedar Room-Doves
A spring of roses showed up on her cheeks even as clouds gathered to catch her in their fluffy arms.
It felt 'surreal but nice.'
- How are you?:
loved - Jukebox:Ordinary world-Duran Duran
It’s impossible for me to fathom why people play the games that they do. What pleasure do they get? Never understood the dynamics or science behind it. Don’t have the time or inclination either.
Sometimes, I end up getting hurt, even betrayed during unkind occasions. Eventually, however, I snap out of it and regain my raw outlook towards life and its oddball subscribers.
It doesn’t hurt to be nice. And it certainly pays to be yourself.
Bottom-line, I am ready. To hurt. To heal. To love. To grow. To make a difference. To you. And me.
- How are you?:
calm
- How are you?:
optimistic - Jukebox:Here comes the sun-Beatles
- How are you?:
sad - Jukebox:Waiting for that day-George Michael
...name their favorite doll after you.
...want you to be their best friend's badminton date.
...sing songs with gooey lyrics like 'Am falling in love' to you.
...draw a portrait of you while making it a point to underline your name in bold (just in case you mistook it for a rope).
...won't go to sleep till their mommy tells them the story of your childhood as if it was no less than a fairy tale.
...say they love you one hundred million thousand while stamping squirrel kisses on your pleasantly surprised cheeks.
- How are you?:
loved - Jukebox:And I love her-The Beatles
- How are you?:
cold - Jukebox:Bad reputation-Shrek OST
Watching the sun go down, rather reluctantly, at Sunset Point:

For a moment it takes shelter behind the complacent clouds:

But make no mistake, this baby has drowned:

I didn't have much of an appetite left to enjoy the meal at Duke's Retreat but the view was rather fetching:

Now this is just the kind of sleek road car-enthusiasts dream of:

We huffed and puffed and somehow made it to the seemingly unreachable Karla Caves. The temperature recorded more than 40 degree celsius.

The adventure sure had its share of gratifying moments.Such as this:

Dating back to the 3rd century, the carvings inside are surprisingly in decent shape:

I watched a seedy horror film in the night, which obviously means that I didn't get any sleep. Early in the morning, I stepped out of our cottage to grab some camera-friendly moments. And look what Goldilocks discovered:

Also, no flower goes unnoticed:

Entwined in eternal togetherness...sisters or lovers,God knows..but inspiring nevertheless.

Exorbitant camel rides for gullible tourists. Any takers? Boy, they must be glad.

From a distance I spot two of my favourite things: bougainvillea flowers and a ice gola stall.

The idea is to watch them sail. But I like them at rest too.

- How are you?:
bored - Jukebox:Flowers in December-Mazzy Star
* I want to see more of Deadpool.
* I am five minutes away from having a post-midnight Choco bar.
* And, there's no place like home.
- How are you?:
awake
But I'll fight it off. I know I will. I am tough. I just don't know it.
- How are you?:
sore - Jukebox:Sound of Mumbai Indians
Thanks A! :)
- How are you?:
happy
DDLJ makes me smile. Always, always.
Innumerable fond memories.
Magical connections are made of this.

- How are you?:
nostalgic - Jukebox:Mehendi laga ke-DDLJ OST
- How are you?:
hungry - Jukebox:Lovesong-The Cure
Lately, I am enjoying manual focus more than ever.
I am also learning how my thought process really works behind picture-taking far better now. It helps me understand myself on a lot of levels. I think I am more of a let-me-be type of photographer. I like to err. I like to fall. I like to learn from my mistakes. I like to play. I like to dream through my pictures. I like to live this secondary life through them. Besides giving me tremendous joy, it's also treating my concentration issues.
Hmmm...
I should invest in a tripod though.









- How are you?:
creative - Jukebox:Payaliya-Dev-D OST
Leading a life I don't know anything about.
Leading a life shrouded in plays of mystery.
Leading a life worth leaving behind.
Contradictions, constant, appealing.
- How are you?:
mellow - Jukebox:Zindagi-Yuvvraj OST
- How are you?:
weird - Jukebox:Violet hill-Coldplay
Cold drink: Pepsi (Coz it’s not too soapy or strong), Dukes Mangola (Fresh and juicy, sorry Frooti), Fruitshoot (I had one for the first time in Isle of Wight, and I was hooked. Later I discovered you get these back at home too. Black Currant & Apple rocks!), Pineapple-flavored Energee (It’s a local flavoured milk drink but lately I don’t see it anywhere. Boo hoo!)
Clothes: I keep picking things from here and there but for casuals --United Colours of Benetton (Right from college days, this store remains a regular haunt, in fact there was time when I was addressed as UCB instead of my real name.) and Fab India (It’s impossible I go there and not get anything. I even picked a sari, beat that!)
Restaurants: I don’t really like going to the same restaurant again and again. But Out of The Blue, Mezzo Mezzo, Moshes and Aunty’s Vada Pav never disappoint.
Gadgets: I used to swear by Sony once upon a time. But my luck with electronics is pretty lousy. Perhaps it’s got something to do with me living in a coastal city. I don’t have any favorites anymore. Having said that when it comes to cameras, Canon is tried, tested and kick ass.
Cosmetics: I am not very smart when it comes to this subject. I buy all kinds of shit and use nothing. Chanel is good. YSL is funky. L'Oréal is great. Bourjois is cool. I am gonna try and be more make-up friendly now. :D
Bags: I have this really adorable Kipling bag. Raspberry shade with the trademark monkey and all -- unabashed cuteness. And for hard luggage, Samsonite rules!
Shoes: I don’t have shoe fetish, the girly kind. I mean they are certainly gorgeous to look at. And I do have my share of those (they lie in the drawers redundantly). But give me my sneakers any day. I love my Nike and Reebok, they’re rock stars! As for my old, faithful Adidas, may its worn out soul rest in peace.
Watches: Okay, now we are talking! I have more than two dozen and I love them all for different reasons. Tissot, Fossil and DKNY are especially lovely.
Snacks: Maggi noodles, Kissan ketchup, Bourbon biscuits, Haldiram’s bhujiya sev, Ruffles Lays always succeed in making me a very happy girl.
Perfumes: Givenchy (everything by them is just so wow and heavenly...and wow), Chanel (your olfactory system has to be really challenged to NOT like their range), Calvin Klein (fresh yet radical, smooth yet sexy – most of their collection is stuff dream guys are made of). There’s one more. Actually this one’s a childhood favourite when mom thought I was too lowly to touch any of her perfumes...so she got me a bottle of Tata’s Eau de cologne to fiddle with. Only I love it to bits till this date.
Chocolates: Cadburys (coz Tiffins, Nutties and Doubles D eckers are just so yum and addictive) and Lindt (You haven’t lived if you aren’t a lifelong subscriber to Lindors yet).
- How are you?:
chipper - Jukebox:Neon lights-Kraftwerk
In my room, in my room
In this world I lock out all my worries and my fears
In my room, in my room
Do my dreaming and my scheming
Lie awake and pray
Do my crying and my sighing
Laugh at yesterday
Now it's dark and I'm alone
But I wont be afraid
In my room, in my room
In my room, in my room
In my room, in my room
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRrHw5Kn
- How are you?:
lonely - Jukebox:In my room-Beach Boys
A few missing.
My life.
One book or many.
- How are you?:
pensive - Jukebox:Tu bole..main boloon-Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na OST

Another view of the same. I am very fond of this place. I had a good time when I came in for lunch. I enjoyed the dinner too. They also have live music nights, along with Al fresco dining, on its roof top space, namely Il Terrazzo.

Three tapenade platter, the A to Z of scrumptious.

Cocktails, anyone?

When Watermelon and vodka collide. Something gorgeous and yummy is born.

Official website of delITalia
- How are you?:
groggy - Jukebox:Secret vows-Yanni
They drove about and around in a swish Honda City (with alloy wheels, no less) on filled roads and empty. They gorged and gulped yummy food (Marinated veggies, Tomato Bocconcini ciabatta, Cottage cheese steak with ratatouille and pine nut oil) and cool cocktails (Green Apple Martini, Watermelon Caipiroska, Cosmopolitan) at Salt Water Cafe. They ignored the cocky attendant and smiled at his snooty will.
They laughed. They joked. They talked. And choked. A party of carefree smiles, unedited stories and precious silliness...Much fun was had, more fun will be.
I walked back home with these gifts – a bouquet of pristine whites and the blessing of unconditional friendship.

- How are you?:
chipper - Jukebox:All star-Smashmouth
- How are you?:
weird - Jukebox:Heroes and Villains-Beach Boys

Yours?
- Jukebox:Amsterdam-Coldplay
I have a thing for glass bangles. In all their vivid hues and fragile glory -- the slender touch, the tinkling sounds. Whether from the bustling bazaars of Charminar or the brimming crowds of Sarojini Nagar, their call is hard to resist.

- How are you?:
lazy - Jukebox:Fairytale-Enya
- How are you?:
cranky
Now am back home and still shopping. This time it was just me happily picking a mouse for the laptop, mini duster to clean its keyboard and a port mini hub for all the numerous devices I keep digging inside the poor system.
Two of my photos were picked by the editor of Schmap to feature in the 2009 editions of their London and Glasgow travel guides respectively. Considering the kind of response Schmap has got from Time and Washington Post, being a tiny part of it makes me feel really good.
Also, I cooked after ages today. Nothing special. Just Maggi noodles spiced up with veggies and all.
Now I am off to splurge the Amazon gift certificate I received on my birthday some months ago...better use it up before it expires. :D
- Jukebox:Sandy-Grease OST
- How are you?:
restless - Jukebox:Cemetries of London-Coldplay

- How are you?:
blown away
I was at my old home, all alone. Being there always envelops me with a sense of belonging. All I had to do was put on my favourite songs from 70s and 80s, stuff that brought back memories of my prized possession – a red Philips transistor. Needless to say, nostalgia was the keyword. But instead of getting misty-eyed, I did what I used to do as a kid – lip sync.
Rolled up in a rotating chair, head thrown backwards, I gazed at the open, golden sky against the network of leafy, lush trees allowing the sun permeate through me every now and then. And I smiled with a song on my lips. No one got to see. No one needs to.
This is my idea of alone time. It’s also my definition of paradise.
- How are you?:
grateful - Jukebox:O saya-Slumdog Millionaire OST
I loved Oxford, its palpable rush, like The White Rabbit who is always on the run. Indeed the latter was born in the imagination of writer Lewis Carroll in these very bustling lanes and burrows. At the same time, I captured a sense of stillness in its hidden bends and crooks. Every corner had a story to tell. Alas, I was pressed for time.

Have you ever been a part of real-time enchantment? If not, you must make a trip to The World Of Beatrix Potter, a tribute to Lake District’s most celebrated resident and one of the most awe-inspiring highlights of this region.


One memory never fails to overwhelm me time and again. While I was scouting for the statue of Peter Pan at the Kensington Gardens, I walked to a spot near the bridge, wherein a man was playing the most beautiful tunes on his flute. As it is, the scene was enveloped in freshness and colours. The melody only added to the overall impact. I loved every bit of this un-orchestrated simplicity.

Much beauty surrounds the ins and outs of William Shakespeare’s birth place in Stratford Upon Avon. Even the fence reiterates my observation.

Outside a quiet looking mansion in Sligo, I spotted this hanging basket bearing a family of yummy-looking strawberries. To think I don’t even care for the fruit. Interestingly, I had a pretty warm experience with a lady selling strawberries outside Stonehenge. She was so pleased with my camera’s instant performance (after I showed the picture I’d taken of her) and wished me a great career in this stream. Nice woman!

I didn’t get to see much of the British Museum. By the time we got there, it was on the verge of closing down. Out of what I saw, I really liked these Bolivian masks on display.

- How are you?:
working - Jukebox:Wax reels-The Porridge Men
2. I don’t work hard with any aim or ideals. I just do. It’s who I am. To not be able to do that daunts me.
3. Often I am hard on myself, but sometimes I think I am alright. I’d like to believe I never give up on the possibility of good over the inevitability of bad.
4. Change makes me uncomfortable. I know it’s not exclusive. But then, I am talking about me. I am not willing, yet, to take the risk, to discover if I can deal with it or not. As of now, it’s a no-budge from me.
5. I can survive a tumour as long as I am told it’s not a big deal. I need to be mollycoddled through historical treaties and ilk.
- How are you?:
God-like - Jukebox:Violet Hill-Coldplay
- How are you?:
Godlike
Good ol’ Anya Kong has been suitably rewarded with cuteness unlimited. My sis-in-law handed me a huge box. And this is what it contained. :D
It's P-O-O-H time, folks!.
The whole thing is so much more adorable and bigger than what it looks on the website.
I am a huge fan of A A Milne’s books as well as the Disney cartoons and simply adore Eeyore to death. Although, now I think I have enough of this character’s merchandise on me for this lifetime.
Anyone who knows me will know I have a thing for snow globes. From my first white Santa snow globe from a colleague to this, it’s been a flurry of fun-filled surprises.
- How are you?:
happy - Jukebox:Jaane tu ya jaane na-A R Rahman
I am kinda bummed with myself lately. So here goes, the not-so-nice things about moi:
I am way too egoistic.
I am unreasonable, almost a bully.
I am laidback. Lazy.
I want things in a jiffy. I want to live an entire lifetime in 13 hours.
I am not very sympathetic and make light of everything.
I harbour regrets.
I tickle people even when they resist.
I am hyper critical.
I am unmanageably moody.
I am an emotional volcano, bursting every now and then.
I am incapable of contentment.
I have a morbid sense of humour.
I am short-tempered.
I am hyper sensitive.
I am not very healthy.
I don’t forget.
I think too much multiplied by infinity.
I snap easily.
I am a pain.
Hah! :P
- How are you?:
arrrghh

- How are you?:
loved - Jukebox:Strawberry swing-Coldplay
Do the things you wont believe
Drive with me
Past the city and down to sea
Crushin' Dreams
Leave me be, I cannot sleep
Drown with me
Past the city, down to sea
Rush of dream
Leave in peace, let me be
Oh, it's the pain
It's ingrained in me
Oh, I soothe my pain
It's ingrained in me
Drive with me
Drive with me...
- How are you?:
moody - Jukebox:Catch the sun-Doves
Is it the 2004 diary I just read?
Is it Dario Marianelli?
Is it my wet hair?
Is it my dry eyes?
Is it my heart-in-hiding?
I am so cold.
- How are you?:
contrived - Jukebox:Briony-Atonement OST
Where I can go,
When I feel low,
When I feel blue.
And it's my mind,
And there's no time when I'm alone.
I think of you,
And things you do,
Go 'round my head,
The things you said,
Like "I love only you."
In my mind there's no sorrow,
Don't you know that it's so.
There'll be no sad tomorrow,
Don't you know that it's so.
There is a place,
Where I can go,
When I feel low,
When I feel blue.
And it's my mind,
And there's no time when I'm alone.
There's a place...
- How are you?:
complacent - Jukebox:There's a place-Beatles
Current shampoo: A really nice hand-made shampoo bar from Lush.
Current thoughts: My mind is occupied with work-related ideas and general thoughts about my future. No biggie.
Current hate: I don’t think I am really capable of that emotion. Short-term irritations, yeah but not hard-core hatred.
Current favourites in:-
Movies: I really enjoyed this independent, small-budget film, November starring Courtney Cox. It’s like The Sixth Sense without the scares or spooks. Then there’s Disturbia, which I absolutely loved. It was both thrilling and entertaining (and a neat tribute to Rear Window). Not to forget Shia LaBeouf’s cool confidence in this star-making appearance.
Food: Mom-made naan with mom-made chole.
Lipstick: Fantastic plum.
Music: I’ve rediscovered Rod Stewart and the joy of swinging to his lilting melodies.
Rapid five:
The only person I've been a loyal fan of: Tom Cruise. Through scientology or worse, I like the gummy grinner for good.
The one thing you'd do for money: Work hard. Work honest.
The thing you hate about life: That it has to end. That you have to watch others go.
Books or pencils? Give me pencils. Books will follow.
Last time you laughed loudest? I was watching Arizona Dream the other day. There's a particularly hilarious suicide sequence in it, involving Johnny Depp, Lili Taylor and Faye Dunaway. It had me in splits for the longest time.
- How are you?:
okay - Jukebox:Ashitaka and San-Princess Mononoke OST
I hate sports.
I love oiling my hair.
I hate shampooing an oily head.
I love trying out new shower gels.
I hate soaps.
I love pickle/gherkins.
I hate sushi. I hate mushrooms.
I love to hear people talk.
I hate being nagged.
I love cartoons.
I hate them dubbed.
I love collecting decorative items.
I hate not having my own room.
I love fairy tales.
I hate not being in one.
I love me.
I hate when others too.
:-P
- How are you?:
bouncy - Jukebox:Cursum Perficio-Enya
Versatile and vivacious, London has a vibrant beat to it.
It’s got amazing character and tremendous pace. A mix of this and that and then some more, in London, there’s always lots to see and tons to do.
There’s so much going on, even as you find a quiet corner and enjoy a hot cup of sinful chocolate. I can see why it’s so popular and beloved with so many of us.
Would I like to go there again? Hell, yeah!
Six memories and observations from my trip:
I saw this regal doll (I am not sure if she’s a reproduction of Catherine of Aragon or Anne Boleyn) at the window display of Westminster Abbey’s souvenir shop. It cost a little more than 100 pounds. But obviously since I was on the last leg of my UK trip, I was completely broke. And though I couldn’t afford to buy it, I am glad I took a picture. She’s such a beauty:

( Click here to read more... )
- How are you?:
calm - Jukebox:You only live once-Yanni
Now, cute is an understatement and ‘wow’ is an inevitability.
With my camera in tow, I decided to take an up close and personal look at some of my favorite people at Disney:





- How are you?:
lethargic - Jukebox:To Ursula's cabin-Kiki's Delivery Service OST
I don't even know what to say. I've felt the pain and agony of victims I am not related to. I've cried in their sorrow. I've prayed for their relief.
It's been more than 55 hours and it's still not over. I am finding hard to sleep. To eat. They've shattered a heritage, a dream...Taj.
For reasons I've never really understood, I've always been fascinated by Taj Mahal Palace & Tower Hotel. It’s been like the ultimate destination.
I must have been about five years old when I first attended a wedding at the iconic hotel. I still have a blurred memory of glitzy chandeliers and polite attendants carrying trays of colorful drinks. And before I knew it, I lost my red crochet jacket and heart to Taj.
As a star struck kid, I'd often ask Ma why we can’t spend a couple of days at the hotel instead of spending an entire summer holiday at our extended family in Delhi.
There are so many memories...I've pretty much been inside most of the hotel --banquet halls, conference rooms, book shop, shopping arcade, restaurants, coffee shops either for press conferences, celebrity events, wedding functions, chat sessions, quiet dinners or lunch treats. Souk, Shamiana, Sea Lounge, I've had some of the best times in these fine restaurants. I remember blowing my first salary at Oberoi's Frangi Pani. Another iconic haven for tourists now severely scarred by these violent attacks.
People visit these luxury hotels to feel good about their lives. Not to lose it.
Just a few days ago, I was at Gateway and all of South Mumbai showing Mumbai to a friend who was down from America. I am relieved he's left before this but more than disturbed at the thought of 'what ifs...'
As I type this, I can hear intermittent firing inside Taj on the television set.
You can't explain or understand the ideology that goes behind these sadistic killings. Because there is none.All I can do is helplessly watch, fervently pray and mentally kill these terrorists in a manner so brutal as they rightly deserve.

A picture I took of Taj about a week before the tragic events took place.
- How are you?:
numb
iPod Nano, 4th Generation, 16GB. One, out of the many gifts I got from my folks, this October, on my birthday.



- How are you?:
happy - Jukebox:Yeah-Usher
Inspiration, hit me. Hit me hard!
Okay, maybe this will work.
- How are you?:
lazy - Jukebox:Too lost in you-Sugababes

These past few weeks were truly priceless.
And now, welcome back to the grind. *Groan*
- How are you?:
bouncy - Jukebox:Knights at night-Birth OST
>1. What time did you get up this morning? Some time around 8am. And I slept around 2.30...
> 2. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds.
> 3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Hello.
> 4. What is your favorite TV show? Nigella Bites.
> 5 What do you usually have for breakfast? A glass of milk.
> 6. What is your middle name? I am not telling.
> 7. What food do you dislike? Sushi.
> 8. What is your favorite CD at the moment? The Porridge Men, I picked it up at a local shop in Edinburgh.
> 9. What kind of car do you drive? I don’t drive, but we have a Santro and Palio.
> 10. What is your favorite sandwich? Anything with an overdose of mustard, coleslaw and pickle.
( Read more... )
- How are you?:
blank - Jukebox:Twilight and shadow-The Return of The King OST

- How are you?:
busy - Jukebox:Bibo No Aozora / 04 - Ryuichi Sakamoto, Jaques Morelenbaum & Yuichiro Gotoh
Plus for me, it’s more of a cozy family thingie than anything else. This year, I wasn’t sure if I would have as much fun as I do every time. Coz X couldn’t get leave. Y was in Cape Town. And Z was flying on the same evening to Singapore.
But they all planned my day in such a way that I didn’t really feel they weren’t around.

There were lots and lots of gifts. From iPod Nano (4th generation) and jewelry to perfumes and lipstick to night suit and key chains to cute knick knacks and figurines, I pretty much received everything conceivable. But I am really touched by my eldest Mausi’s gesture. She gifted me a goodie bag containing a gorgeous champagne-colored shimmering woolen hat (knit by her), along with a body lotion and an embroidered velvet pouch. :)

( Read more... )
- How are you?:
cheerful - Jukebox:All this time-Sting
