August 2016

MIYUKI JAPANESE RESTAURANT – PUNE

August 30, 2016

This post is dedicated to the ‘Poonawalahs’ or the travellers who often travel or are soon travelling to Pune. If oriental cuisine mesmerises you and sushi makes you feel weak in the knee then a trip to DoubleTree by Hilton Pune Chinchwad should be on your check-list right away! A city which is famous for Shrewsbury cookies and Vada Pav, finding authentic Japanese flavours might be quite a challenging. But you’ll be surprised to know that DoubleTree by Hilton Pune Chinchwad actually has dedicated ample square feet to give space to ‘MIYUKI JAPANESE RESTAURANT’; their authentic Japanese restaurant. Now if you are wondering why Pune has an authentic Japanese restaurant, then I must remind you that the city is abode to many automobile companies from across the globe, of which, a major portion goes to the Asian partners visiting the city quite often. To give them the flavours of their hometown, DoubleTree by Hilton Pune Chinchwad proudly promotes MIYUKI as their standalone Japanese restaurant in Pune city. It’s not just in the food, but the decor of the place, a private dining space with authentic Japanese cutlery being imported from the mainland and a dedicated Chef storming up some authentic Japanese flavours on the Teppan grill that makes the entire experience quite unique. If you are well aware of the Japanese cuisine and dining culture, then you’ll definitely find the setup quite authentic. But if you have never tried Japanese cuisine but would love to gain knowledge about the cuisine culture, then MIYUKI warmly welcomes guests with a detailed step-by-step guide on how to get started with the dining experience. Chef Amarjeet and his fantastic staff doesn’t hesitate from providing their knowledge about the cutlery, the food that they have prepared to the ways of eating it with a detailed description. I will …

Continue reading

LYF FLAME 8 MOBILE PHONE REVIEW

August 24, 2016

With technology in communications growing in leaps and bounds, we are now spoilt for choice when it comes to gadgets. I remember the days when owning a mobile phone was an extravagant affair- with low quality user interface and exorbitant costs. Times have changed and today, we expect sophisticated technology, at pocket friendly prices. Reliance Communications has been at the helm of this mobile revolution in India, so when they announced the Lyf Smartphone+ phone, I decided to try them out for myself. The brand offers VOLTE 4G smartphone that they have categorised as per the 4 elements of life –Earth, Water, Wind & Flame. Each category consists of many handsets designed keeping in mind the colour palette and the look of the phone with reference to these elements. I picked the category that suits my aura best – FLAME. FLAME 8 being the latest addition to the ‘Flame’ family, that’s what we are talking about in this article. The mobile phone is light weight, edgy in appearance with a smooth finish around the corners and is quite sturdy. The glossy black back and a glass coating in the front makes it look stylish and sophisticated. The phone has an 8MP rear and 5MP front cameras. You can even play around with ISO levels, in-built filters, Face Detection feature, and custom settings to take vibrant shots on the go. This is great for someone like me, as I move around frequently, and we’re constantly chasing good lighting. For a phone priced under the 10k range, FLAME 8 definitely stands out as a winner. This gadget has a comfortable grip, and comes with a bright 11.43 screen with vibrant colour display, offering great video viewing and gaming experience on the move. The FLAME 8 comes with in-built JIO APPS that take …

Continue reading

Aayna Clinic Delhi

August 22, 2016

Comparitively a newer concept in India, but a fast growing trend in the beauty industry of the country is these professional ventures that profile world class services on Cosmetology and Dermatology to the consumers. Their is no questioning on the fact that the secret behind a celebrity’s flawless looks is much more than just eating healthy and exercising right. While staying fit and marking what you eat goes a long way in assuring a healthier lifestyle, their are certain skin and hair issues that develop with factors ranging between age and genetics; that need professional rituals and services. Thanks to the ‘Vampire Facial’ promoted by Kim Kardashian, the idea of getting anything ‘Dermatology’ became a big no-no or much of a too-much-pain-for-gain myth that people assumed it to be damage worthy of your skin; scarring you for life! When in reality, Dermatology is all about beautifying you, correcting the natural flaws that you have, with minimal to no side-effects; whatsoever. Now, if you’ve been taking up ‘Cosmetology Facials’ or those special ‘Chemical Peels’ from your regular salon, that’s the type of procedure which are dangerous! No, the chemical peels are not dangerous in self, but applying the right formula post analysing the condition of the skin and judging the timeline of application and rest is a crucial affair. While I will be writing a separate post on this issue, what I’d really like to address is that the science has to be right for a successful Cosmetology procedure. Dr. Simal Soin is one of India’s leading and internationally respected name in the field of Aesthetic and Cosmetic Dermatology. She holds experience of over 15 years, dealing with clients both nationally and internationally. It is her passion for promoting Dermatology and providing her skillful services to the customers that has brought forward a compilation of …

Continue reading

Tribute to India Independence Day

August 15, 2016

Call it an occasional adrenaline rush, but Indians feel the patriotic vibes real strong on four occassions – 1.Cricket Matches, 2. Amitabh Bachchan/Rajnikanth Movie Releases, 3. Republic Day & 4. Independence Day of India.   Just like any other country in the world, Independence Day brings with it a lot of emotions, historical memories and a feeling of pride, a feeling of independence. No matter what the controversies say about the theories that lurk around ‘India’s Independence Day’, it never dulls the feeling of being an individual with rights to keep your wings rise high to eternity. Everyone expresses their happiness in their own terms. Some get up early in the morning to listen to what our Prime Minister has to say about the growth of India as a country, some gather around to hoist the national flag in their areas followed by cultural programs and treats, some prep up their manjaas and colourful kites to let their kites fly high and a micro-mini population like me take up some inspiration from the Indian flag and two leading freedom fighters of our nation to create a lookbook of #Fashion!   Inspiration(s) 1. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi The father of our nation needs no introduction. He’s the one who moved an entire country with its Satyagrah Movement and always believed in unity over everything. Although, I couldn’t find a khadi kurti (in 48 hours), I did take up the Windsor style eyeglasses of Mr. Gandhi as an inspiration. This style was first introduced in 1880 England and was witnessed as a great trend all the way till the early 1920s 2. Jawaharlal Nehru He was the first prime minister of India, he was the one who introduced ‘Nehru Jacket’s with mandarin collars in India. Although he preferred the traditional Achkan-Sherwani combination on a …

Continue reading

Four Seasons Wines – VINTNER’S RESERVE

August 8, 2016

As a blogger, I get to attend a lot of launch events. Most of them are about attending a soiree, meeting people, the brand speakers share their insight on the launch, the launch officially takes place amidst paparazzi and we bloggers spread the word across. This norm is a general protocol that’s quite a regular experience for us. And then their are brands who believe in perfection, who believe in the power of getting their brand value right in front of the people who matter. So when FOUR SEASONS WINES LTD. invited me to travel all the way to Baramati (Roti) for their Limited Edition launch, I couldn’t anticipate anything less of an extravaganza; and boy was I right! Baramati is a small city and a district of Pune, which is approximately 2.5 hours away from the main city. Many parts of Maharashtra are blessed with the soil and climatic conditions apt for vineyard farming which is where Four Seasons Wines Limited cultivates, produces and preserves some of the finest wines of India. The richness of the wines produced by Four Seasons can very well be derived from the vast knowledge that Mr. Abhay Kewadkar, the Director and Chief Winemake of Four Seasons Wines specialises in. His expertise in everything to do with wine was something that stayed with us media personals, throughout our experiential at Four Seasons Baramati (Roti) Pune. The extravaganza was a 2 day affair with some of the bloggers, leading wine experts of India and journalists being flown down to Pune on 15th July, 2016. As I boarded my Delhi – Pune flight, all I could think of was the beautiful mansion that I’d seen in pictures overlooking the vineywards, the beautiful countryside of Pune and of course, the fragrance of freshly produced wine in the air. The moment we …

Continue reading

Rimple And Harpreet Couture 2016

August 2, 2016

If we have to describe this collection in a sentence, then that’d be ‘Obsession with Animatic Embroidery’. Because we were head over heels as the models walked the runway for Rimple and Harpreet Couture 2016 collection that they showcased at the FDCI India Couture Week 2016. Their was something about the embroidery designs that spoke volumes about various regions that were incorporated into the theme of this collection. True to its name –Hiraeth by Rimple & Harpreet Narula, puts the audience in a nostalgic trance at the India Couture Week today. Bespoke remnants, drawn out of fond memories, are brought to life on the runway against a warm backdrop created by the lush drapes of antique textiles. The mood slips into somber melancholy with Punjabi poetry of Amrita Pritam fused with music. The travelogue comes to life with a riot of motifs inspired by the visual delights from the flea markets of the world. The audience’s mystical journey moves through quaint locations from Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Samarkand, Bagnoregio, Palampore, Baluchistan with ancient relics of birds, beasts, paisleys, trellises and cartouches expressed through the embroidered motifs. Each ensemble had a story of its own to tell. Uniquely designed in luxurious drape of vintage textile in ethereal hues ranging from ivory, gold, marsala, midnight blue come together to make magic on the runway. Adding grandeur to the outfits, regal cloaks, dramatic jackets and sheer robes enhanced the classic silhouettes. Hiraeth, a collection that spelled couture royalty, found its crowning glory in the Minar lehenga worn by the talented Yami Gautam. The Minar lehenga features stunning hand embroidered motifs derived from a Mughal monument lit up under a star-spangled midnight sky. Inspired by a Mughal monument that Harpreet stumbled upon during his recent visit to Benares, the showstopper lehenga boasts of tall, strong embroidery …

Continue reading

Nazar by Indu Abbot | PUNE OOTD

August 1, 2016

Their is something about the Indian silhouettes that brings out the beautiful-best in every woman. The grace by which each fabric is sewn to create an ensemble so enchanting, that you expect nothing but a sophisticated royal rendezvous with your inner self. With that, if you amalgamate the decades worth of experience of an artist, the results are no less than a fairytale in itself! So when I got the tickets booked for a week long experiential to Pune, I had to pack something royal for a lookbook shoot on the ruins of once extravagant ‘Shanirwar Wada’. Truth be told, I got intrigued by the whole story of ‘Bajirao Mastani’ and my inner Deepika Padukone screamed for a feature, while I was busy hopping properties and testing wine at Four Seasons Baramati (features coming up). And this is when I was introduced to the world of ‘Nazar’ a fashion label by veteran designer Ms. Indu Abbot; who started her journey in the year 1990. The experience of a designer is well proven by the fact that they know their customer’s requirement and what will compliment them right from the first look itself. So much so, that Ms. Indu was able to hand-pick this beautiful Anarkali from her latest collection, even when I wasn’t able to visit her studio at Patel Nagar (Delhi) since I was having a time crunch and had to take a flight in no more than 12 hours time. The golden gota-patti work, breath-easy fabric, voluminous yet settling silhouette and the oh-so-beautiful Sharara definitely stole my heart away. Not going to deny the fact that quite a few people complimented my look while I was trying to find a spot on a busy Sunday (that place is crowded all week long) to get clicked. What I really liked about this …

Continue reading