SOME PRICELESS GIFTS...LAST FOREVER!

Christmas is nigh, the season of love, good cheer, gratitude and Yuletide! 

It's that time of the year when children eagerly look forward to meeting Father Santa and ask him for gifts which he happily obliges provided they have been good and Santa has no complaints about them in the long list of homes he's got to visit! Isn't it not surprising that Santa gifts you exactly what you wished for? Like a doll house, remote-controlled car or a Lego set? 

Of course, we have all been through that phase of childhood when our parents who are our beloved Santa Claus in disguise give into all our indulgences on special occasions while discounting the many wonderful gifts they keep showering on us by way of their unconditional love, instilling good values and habits,healthy food, fine education,beautiful clothes, summer vacations and holidays, those lavish parties they have on our birthdays and so much more!

Sometimes there's more they do for us on the quiet in terms of insurance and policies which we are unable to comprehend as a child but as we grow up, we gradually come to realize it's importance and the fact dawns upon as that we are a sum total of our parent's dreams, hopes and aspirations which they see in us as our life unfolds.

A 'STUBBLE'-FREE DATE!

At the cafe, as I sipped a Cappuccino I recounted a bad day at work when my boss threw my annual report into the bin. After all the effort I’d put into it, I just felt like crying. For a moment, I began to hallucinate when I saw a scary montage of my boss juxtaposed with my headmaster, both of them yelling at me as they fidgeted with their un-groomed stubble smelling of perspiration!

And today I wanted no more of ‘stubbled’ men around me. But the irony was that right from the door attendant and waiter to the young couple on the table to my left and an old couple to the table on my right...all the men were sporting a stubble!  How I wish I could yell my lungs out and tell them to SHAVEEEEEEEE!!!

A 'GILLETTING' LOVE STORY!

I tried it with flowers, cards, cakes and chocolate...it just wouldn't work! I loved her and she knew it, yet she just kept avoiding me! 

She is Jenny, my childhood sweet-heart and the most gorgeous girl of our college! 

When we were kids,she liked me too! I remember once during our costume dress competition, I came dressed as Superman and she was so impressed that she told me when we'd grow up I'd be her date to the Prom. I was flattered. Boy, she was in love with me and I with her! 

VOTE FOR INDIA: TECHNOLOGY USHERS A NEW ERA

Once upon a time...we needed pigeons to relay information!

Once upon a time, we also needed the precious sacrifice of Pheidippides who ran 42 km as a human courier from Marathon to Athens to herald victory!

Not too long ago we had the telegram to convey vital texts of information which too phased away. 

Today with the penetration of technology by way of mobile phones in smaller towns and villages...the postal system is on it's last leg!

Oh boy...we have indeed come a long way! With giant strides in science and technology, we have ushered into the "Digital Age" where information travels faster than the speed of light!

RESTAURANT REVIEW: BUFFET HUT, SECTOR-9 (CHANDIGARH, INDIA)

Are you a Chandigarhite? And do you occasionally enjoy some fine dining?Sometimes indulging your taste buds can burn a hole in your pocket especially when you are unaware of the best dining options that's available in your city.

Now, ponder for a moment when I ask you - How'd it be if you were offered a variety of unlimited Indian and Chinese cuisines at a reasonable price? In fact, how'd you react if I said that a meal for two would cost you around just Rs. 700-800? And what would you say if I told you that a lunch or dinner at the restaurant offered you food that's 'unlimited'? And now if I elaborated a bit and told you that an unlimited meal comprised of soft-drinks, starters, six types of salads, around twelve to fifteen dishes in the main course with vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisines, six yummy desserts and four different flavored ice-cream? Now, would you be surprised or still have second thoughts about it? 

So, here's where this review comes in!

10 RULES FROM MY HANDBOOK - BE SAFE THAN SORRY!

I remember when as a child my parents took me to watch Home Alone which was playing at one of the theaters near our home and more vividly, I recall on how I couldn't stop gushing over and over again at the cuteness of the boy, Kevin ‎(played by Macaulay Culkin) with the creative and heroic antics he put up against some crooks who had come to steal his home and even harm him. When my parents got down to asking me what I learnt, I realized what a wonderful lesson it had for all ages! We all could enjoy watching it because we could relate to the dilemma of the young boy and would have done just that (if not exactly) if we were in his shoes!

Over the years, I have evolved some of my own methods to deal with life's challenging situations that was presented before me while there were some of those that I learnt and observed from other people's experiences. These are those tips that are easy to implement and quick to your rescue...but above all it is your alertness and presence of mind that can really save the day!

So...here we go!

DELHI:A CITIZEN's CHARTER TO GOOD GOVERNANCE

Image Courtesy - www.ibnlive.in.com

Once again in December this year,Delhi will be remembered not for some marked achievement but for the shame and national outburst on the horrific brutality that took place last year when a girl innocently believing her city was safe was torn and ravaged by her own. 

The nation cried with her, but it was all forgotten and atrocities on women carried on unabated.

TAKE A CUE, AYURVEDA TO THE RESCUE!

Children are our future, they are our legacy to posterity! It is the example which we set today that generations to come would follow and emulate in their daily living as precedents set by their ancestors. While we continue with our relentless tirade against global warming, corruption and discuss the latest fads in the fashion and entertainment world, it is time we did a reality check on our lifestyle too which is taking a backseat, especially on our food, health and nutrition which has undergone a sea-change right from the moment we stepped into this world as a child till date. It is because 'Health is Wealth' and there can be no greater treasure than the wellness of the body, mind and soul! 

GODREJ INTERIO - TRANSFORMING HOMES, TRANSFORMING LIVES!

A Birthday wish granted...

I recall it was last year, the date November 30th - was the last day for the submission of Godrej Interio's - Upload & Transform contest and the coincidence was that it was also my birthday. 

Countdown to the date, I remember how I looked at my room and visualized how beautiful it'd be if it were transformed and refurbished with the lovely furniture's that I had seen on Godrej Interio's website.Perhaps, it was a birthday wish granted when this year my entry was chosen by Godrej Interio among the five homes to be transformed from the hundreds of entries they received pan-India in the Upload & Transform contest.

I-ASSESS REVIEWS - AURAVEDIC VANILLA ALMOND INDULGENT BATH KIT

Do you love to soak yourself in luxury and pamper yourself once a while? How 'bout indulging your senses everyday (without spending those expensive bucks at salons and spas)? And all within the comfort zone of your own home? 

In this post I will be reviewing Auravedic's Vanilla Almond Indulgent Bath kit which iDiva had gifted me during one of their promotional activities on social networks. 

The products were so lovely that I couldn't help but write in to share my views on them so that many of you who do enjoy relaxation therapies (or are fond of experimenting with newer products) could might as well try them out right away! I certainly loved them and I am confident that so would you! :)

OF ISSUES, IDEAS, INNOVATIONS & INVENTIONS: BUILDING A NEW TOMORROW WITH FRANKLIN TEMPLETON!

I believe that an idea is like a trigger which when pulled can change the destiny of nations and ring in a positive change of growth, development and equality!

Hence, I'd like to laud Franklin Templeton's initiative as a part of their CSR efforts through the TEDxGateway Mumbai held in December last year to organize a platform where people from different walks of life who have made a difference in the lives of others were invited to share experiences, ideas, issues and the wonderful works they are doing for the society. 

I was intently going through some of the videos and was impressed with the choice of speakers and the quality of research work a few good men and women have been doing in their field. They have raised some very important issues, brought out the lacuna, failures and shortcomings of our system in the public domain while at the same time provided solutions through their innovations and inventions which has given millions of us a reason to hope, dream and cheer for a better tomorrow! Here's an opportunity for us to get inspired and give back something to our society, by way of our time, effort or money towards building a better India; it's because in this circle of life what goes round comes around!

PAPA KEHTE HAI...10 LIFE LESSONS I'VE LEARNT FROM MY FATHER!

Father's Day, Mother's Day or even otherwise, it's good to oft reflect on the wonderful things your parents have taught you that are gems which you're going to treasure for the rest of your life and pass them on to your children and posterity. 

While from a mother you'd essentially imbibe the qualities of nurture,honesty, discipline, grace and compassion but from a father you'd learn some invaluable lessons that could possibly be chapters from his life which would help you deal with the real world. 

At the end of it, what you'd learn from both your parents would give you a fine balance of life and go on to define the very essence of your being. In fact, I find that many things taught by a father are those I've learnt from a mother as well; so it's this convergence of the principles, morals and qualities that solidifies this very root of my existence.

A RENDEZVOUS CHAT TO REMEMBER!

Films are my fodder for love and romance! Of heart-aches to falling in love and from dalliances to alliances...a 90 minute film offers it all! And when a film becomes my favorite, be sure that I'm reading all about it - whether it's news, gossip or the buzz surrounding the air! And it so happens to be that I belong to the old school of romance... so not surprising are my choices of novels and films!

Now that WeChat has given me an opportunity to group-chat with as many as I can, I'm not going to let it go! So, through a poem I composed, I thought of quizzing some popular actors, an actress, a director and renowned literary authors from the films, novels and adaptations that I've loved from their body of works with the likes of Jane Austen, Colin Firth, Margaret Mitchell, Clark Gable, Audrey Hepburn, Nicholas Sparks and James Cameron! 

HEY SMARTY...LET'S PARTY!!

Yo, Yo, Yo!

It's time to party baby! 

Weekend is nigh, 

And we're on a high.

It's time to groove,

And show you our moves.

So, let's jam it tonight,

And party with all our might!

Cheers! Let the party begin!!!

After a hectic week at work, everyone likes to unwind. While everyone's idea of fun and leisure differ...but every plan comes to a standstill when it comes to the word "PARTY''! 

Who'd like to watch a film or go shopping over the weekend...if there's a party happening next door! Your host  may not be a Jay Gatsby and his party may not be a grand and opulent affair...but hey, a party is a party!!! 

COLGATE - YOUR GATE-WAY TO COMPLETE PROTECTION!

Post Description: Miss Betsy's moral lesson on oral hygiene gives her first-grader students a good reason to think about taking steps on protecting their 'smiles' forever through a story about three characters - TEETH, GUM & TONGUE, their ordeals and their final triumph! 

What was their story? 
What was the lesson? 
Was she successful in imparting it to the young minds? 
If you're curious to find out yourself...then read on!

GET WILD WITH WILDCRAFT!

Wildcraft: The new age light-weight travel gear

This summer are you going hiking and trekking in the hills? Or perhaps you are planning a travel sometime soon? Then of course it goes without saying that you must be readying to pack your bags or you're perhaps already done with it and ready to jet-set go! 

But the most important question here is - Have you invested in a right travel gear for yourself? In the good old days if you carried huge metallic trunks and suitcases it was another thing, you didn't have an option then! But today, there's no excuse... after all where on earth are you going to keep tugging along with your heavy luggage if you're hiking/ trekking or even going visiting a city over the weekend?!

Well, if you're looking for answers then your search ends right here! 

MY F(H)AIR LADY!

If the man you love, truly loves you, then nothing can come in the way of it...not even a 'hair' can spoil a beautiful relationship when two hearts unite in love...here's a little poem for all those men who just adore and love their women! Enjoy!

O, FOR THE LOVE OF WOMEN!

Here's a little poem to persuade men to shave! Perhaps, the few laughs they'd have when reading this poem might just get them into the act!

I-ASSESS REVIEWS - SOUFLOWER EMPEROR SPICE & LAVENDER SOAP BAR

Today,I shall do a single post combined review of two products from Soulflower namely-Lavender Soap and Emperor Spice Soap which I had used during the last two month. I loved the two products and thus decided to write about them.

Firstly let's describe the two "Souls" (my nickname for Soulflower!) which I received and later I shall describe my experience on using these products for the first time.

About the products -

1) They are 100% Vegetarian
2) Products are manufactured in Thailand (Pssst...Thai spas are very popular...now enjoy a similar aromatic experience at home!) 

3) 100 gram bar (Emperor Spice and Lavender) is priced at Rs.200