Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Happy Father's Day DIY



When you are a younger daughter to your father – even a small stupid, inconsequential drawing of your father, mother and you with a little rainbow and a bright shinning sun on the left hand corner is sufficient for a father’s day present. Then you grow a little old – and you start buying a tie, his favourite perfume, a watch, a phone, depending upon how much money you were able to sqeeze from your mother, or your grand-mother. But it’s when you turn marriageable – nothing materialistic helps make father’s day a complete happy win-win day.

My old man of all but 51 years of age is a HITLER on most days. It doesn’t help that he is my boss and I am a very stubborn, persuasive, assertive, aggressive – depending on how you measure your degrees kind of a business development manager. To please my old man was very difficult up until 2 years ago. Each Sunday morning when I wake up late into the living room and throw myself on he couch – just wanting to read the paper and sip of some coffee – he has this strange idea that I should be cooking. It starts with “Beta, you should learn everything in life. Business is not everything.” And ends with “why don’t you prepare a whole meal today !”

So for my old man – I made up some easy to cook, difficult looking light snack and a drink for Father’s day.
Mango Magic
1/2 ripe mango, peeled and cut into chunks
1 cup orange juice
1 cup ice cubes, about 5 regular sized cubes
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons vanilla yogurt


Pattie
8-10 potatoes boiled, peeled and mashed
2 tsps garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
3 green chillies
1/2 tsp tumeric powder
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
6-7 curry leaves
Salt to taste
Mash all the potatoes and add all the above ingredients in the bowl. Make small balls of it. Take a slice of bread, and carve out a round using a small bowl. Smash the potato balls in top of this round bread slice. and make decorations with slits of capcicums / carrot on top.
Take a shallow pan, and put some oil and shallow fry each of these pattie’s till they are golden brown. Serve while still hot.
Well, i served this to my daddie ... he was a happy soul. He didn’t know that the balls are actually vada –pav’s vada stuffing flattened on top of the bread slice ; ). They were left-overs from the previous day’s kitty party that mum threw for her building friends. Worked for me. A very happy daddie is the end result to this PROJECT !

Monday, June 21, 2010

The flower project

We get such awesome flowers this season... why dont you try one of these pretty DIY projects. They are sure to light up your house and make it look designer !








got these cool ideas from http://www.stephmodo.com

Paris... by Shelle Sheerree

PARIS ... It's a dreamy city. It's a city full of love for love, coffee, patisserie, chocolat, flowers, its design, architecture. Shell Sheerree captured the essence of PARIS beautiful in these pictures below.






Saturday, June 19, 2010

The ring with a compromise !

Guys this is your cheap dream come true ; )

Girls... Which ring would you say yes to ??

But who will really make the compromise ?? This is a question that the world is waiting to find out.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

The SketchBook Project

Are you an Artist in your own right ? Do you want to be a part of the The Brooklyn Art Library. then here is what you should do. For $25 thou shall get a book. Every artist who completes their sketchbook and returns will have their book included in the tour. Your book will visit galleries and museums across the USA, putting your art in front of thousands of people. (Psst - this is a great way to add some new lines to your résumé.)

Your sketchbook will be given a barcode with a unique number - this allows you to keep track of your book and record who views it at every tour date and while it's in The Brooklyn Art Library. And after they catalog it, artists will be able to log-on and view realtime statistics about their book for years to come.
So if this is for you, log on to http://arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject/features






Photographs by Kari Herbert

Here are some images which have a soothing effect on me .. By Kari Herbet


JIYO ... Unscramble I & JOY


Someone asked me why are you always happy ? Here is a list of 100 Things to do before I can say you Pulled a DISHA ! By the time you get to the end of this page, tick marking it all – you would have lived a fun, loving, worth remembering life. So read on..
1. Have a voice – my blog - my form of expression
2. Post graduated in top 10 from a leading business school – Being successful in student life
3. Been the President of Rotaract Club of Bombay West
4. Came first all over the world in Trinity College of London Examinations
5. Met the King of Belgium
6. Gone BALD for Tirupati
7. Hitch-hiked from the middle of no-where
8. Thrown out of train somewhere in India and finding my way back home to Mumbai when I was 13 – ALL ALONE
9. Gone on a student exchange program to Belgium and lived there for a year
10. Travelled in less than 50,000 rupees in Europe for a month
11. Met the legendary Tooth Thiemann
12. Having lived in 3 different continents for a period more than 1 year
13. Touched a 100 Kilo’s +
14. Lost more than 20 kilo’s
15. Starting my own business at the age of 22.
16. Done bungy jumping
17. Having survived 3 rounds of chicken pox
18. Done scuba diving in Australia, Thailand, America
19. Done sky diving
20. Sat in a room with a Brazilian, Ecuadorian, American, German, Belgian, Italian, Canadian, Mexcian, South African, Australian, Ghanaian, Bostwanian, Bolivian, Columbian, Peruvian, Argentinean and British and make them listen to Folk Tales from India
21. Speak 3 international languages
22. Can swear in 25 different languages
23. Been to more than 50 manufacturing companies. Esp Toyota Japan
24. Assisted a Discovery Channel Photo shoot in Masai Mara, Kenya
25. Given medical help with the U.N. to children in Zambia
26. Been to Gangtok – frozen my fingers and had Maggie
27. Watched Les Miserables on Broadway
28. Partied at 5 different night club’s in New York
29. Wine Tasted from Nashik to Napa
30. Got drunk at Oktober Fest – Germany
31. Consumed 3000 calories in less than 3 hours at Cheese Cake Factory San Francisco
32. Attended Ski Camp in Switzerland
33. Lived in a palace of Rajasthan
34. Been published in a magazine
35. Stared in a Bollywood Film
36. Been on a reality show
37. Was stalked by people mistaking me for Chotti of Hum Panch
38. Caught a wanted thief
39. Having 30 pairs of shoes
40. Having my own Kofta receipe for Reliance industries
41. Made a complete fool of myself singing on stage
42. Been a star former at a Karaoke Bar
43. Collecting over 10,000 pictures of arts
44. Team member for a sport
45. Can play at least 3 musical instruments
46. Been on a cruise to the Bahamas
47. Danced at a strip club
48. Lost USD 1000 at Las Vegas
49. Write a Blog about spiritual guru www.letterstoppgurudev.blogspot.com
50. Shouted from the sun roof of a stretch Limo
51. Been in a army Helicopter
52. Been on a Defence Ship
53. Having more than 500 friends on Facebook – Do you want to Franship friends not allowed !
54. Been on the front page of a news paper
55. Won more than 50 prizes at drawing competitions
56. Started a gossip/ rumour
57. Dated 3 different nationalities
58. Ran Barefoot on the street
59. Know 5 different adult websites
60. Bought kinky lingerie
61. Being a teacher’s PET and she gifted you Tuesday’s with Morrie
62. Wore a wig
63. Walked around the mall shopping for kids stuff having stuffed t-shirt with cloth looking pregnant
64. Have a coffee named after you
65. Having a perfume exclusively for you
66. Completed all levels on Cake mania 4 !
67. Passed of for a mother when you are 15
68. Sang loudly from a rickshaw till you attracted enough attention
69. Been a part of a street play
70. Ran an NGO for street kids
71. Read tarot message every morning even though I don’t believe in it
72. Been to at least 10 amusement parks/ water parks
73. Proved someone known as the winner – WRONG
74. Posted a video on You-Tube
75. Been on a banana ride
76. Played Taboo when you are drunk
77. Kept a secret for more than 10 years
78. Passed off for a professional masseuse
79. Brought a waiters attention at missing items on the bill
80. Paid 10% of the bill and left
81. Paid for 1 movie and went inside the multiplex and watched another
82. Dressed as a punk for an entire day
83. Been admitted to the hospital for an illness
84. Never have a fracture
85. Having planted more than 100 trees to save the PLANET initiative
86. Scolded a 100 plus rickshaw drivers for spitting on the road
87. Caught a pick-pocketer red handed
88. Know what capoeira is – and tried this martial arts form
89. Been on the google search page no 1, item 1
90. Taught an English class for 1 year
91. Taught a French class for 1 year
92. Been a translator
93. Been the most sort after tourist guide
94. A Personal shopper – as a job !
95. Being a best friend to 3 people
96. Being a perfect daughter and grand daughter
97. Being excellent at my job
98. Being a cool sister and an aunt
99. Being an excellent topper student
100. Being a GOOD HUMAN BEING !

Rebranding BP... A Green Peace Initiative


BP claim that they are 'beyond petroleum'. But this is a company that is up to its neck in the dirtiest oil going - poised to invest in the Canadian tar sands, and causing environmental catastrophe through deepwater drilling.

Their nice green logo doesn't really seem to fit them too well, so Green Peace Org is running a competition to find a logo that we can use to rebrand BP.

Enter and get more information at www.greenpeace.org.uk/logo

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

What's on my mind this Grey Morning !


There are 2 kinds of people in Mumbai - Those who love the rains, and those you dont ! Monsoon's are the LOVE of my life. If there is something I wait for with a passion - it's this beautiful season. Where all the dirt is washed away. Everything looks fresh.

I woke up this morning with a smile. Grey cover in the sky means - It's going to rain heavily. Yiipppieeeee. All I wanted to do was to curl back in my blanket, have a hot cuppa coffee, eat freshly baked warm cookies and read books : ) BLISS

To do Capoeria or not to do is the question !


“Take the lane opposite Fab india on khar danda road and go till the end. You will see S S Sahney School. And then follow the loud Brazilian beats.” I hung up the phone. It was Saunna giving me directors to the Capoeria Class. Trust me for being inquisitive enough to actually go and see a class just because I heard it was cool. But “Cool” is an understatement.

When she said Loud – I didn’t think she meant "really Loud". I was walking upto the 4th floor. And the nearer I got to the class, the louder the drum beats became. It sounded like some voodoo tribal ritual dance. I finally landed on the 4th floor – I was breathing heavily ! This is lack of physical excercise I said to myself.
I entered the class. If there is a Brazilian community living outside of Brazil – it is here. People of all shapes and sizes – mostly thin and very acrobatic – were warming up for the class dressed in shades of green and yellow - the Brazilian colours. Legs and hands were flying here and there. It didn’t take a minute for someone to get on their hands with their feet in the air. WOW ! That man then started walking on his hands... Something I will never be able to pull off – I said to myself.

Capoeira (Portuguese pronunciation: [kapuˈejɾɐ]) is an Afro-Brazilian art form that combines elements of martial arts, music, and dance. It was created in Brazil by slaves from Africa, especially from Angola, Mozambique and Congo sometime after the sixteenth century. Participants form a roda, or circle, and take turns either playing musical instruments (such as the Berimbau), singing, or ritually sparring in pairs in the center of the circle. The sparring is marked by fluid acrobatic play, feints, takedowns, and with extensive use of leg sweeps, kicks, and headbutts.

After a quick round of some fun warm-up participants started with the ginga – It is basically rocking back and forth; to swing seemed like the fundamental movement in Capoeira. And later, they started doing more complex versions – i couldn’t really capture the names. It ended with the class forming the circle – And in pairs they fought/danced/martial arts displayed and above everything enjoyed the class.

The drum beats got louder, people started hooting and cheering, dancing, singing, jumping up and down – and smiled from cheek to cheek ... laughed. I am in awe of this energy that was flowing in that room.

I left the class thinking – WOW ! This could be a challenge. But is it for me ? i would never be able to do this. A quick call to the teacher – who calls himself Monitor BABA for some reason... he convinced me Capoeira is tough, but it is really for people with a tough mind. So here I am, feeling like a complete looser for having written off Capoeira as not for me ! But I know someday I want to be able to do a cartwheel and walk on my hands. It’s a physical challenge which involved prepping the mind up first.

So while I decide to prep my mind – if you think Capoeira is for you – I say, go for it.

Monitor Baba - 98690 55371

Monday, June 14, 2010

Book Ends

I came across some pretty cool bookends over the internet. Here are some idea's to make storing books easior as well as funky.






Sex and The City ... 2 !


A very excited me puts on My Zara Dress, Pulls up leggings from Lacoste, stuffed my Louis Vuitton with my Mac Eye shadow, L’oreal Mascara, Cristian Dior Lipstick, Bobby Brown Rouge, Body shop creams, Wore my best Mont Blanc watch, slipped into my Aldo Balerinas’, put on some Gucci perfume and called up my GIRL FRIENDS to go catch the movie that taught girls what BRANDS are, what FASHION is, What LIFESTYLE is, Why SEX is a prerogative of both Men and WOMEN ! SEX AND THE CITY is not just another show turned into a movie. It is like making BIBLE of LIFE into a fun learning module – about Fashion, Life, Love and SEX !

The movie starts amazingly well. Carrie’s new adult home is one to die for. You want to purchase the house in an as is condition and live in it. And it works well for me if she was to throw in BIG as a Freebie. I would give her a million bucks for that. The fashion forward home with the big closet, a place for her shoes and bags... I almost said to myself its perfect ! Until... Oh yes, There starts a disappointment. Which multiplies into 2. When You see Miranda playing the same plot all over again. The Mommie who cannot make it to anything. And when she finally does, she makes us city girl loose hope that there can ever be a balance. What happened to the fighter in her ? Why wasn’t there a scene where she stands up in that boardroom and fight with the MCP ! DISAPPOINTMENT.

Charlotte is the only character who has shown progression. From the girl who ran a small art-gallery to the woman who has finally grown into a mother. The now real mommies, who have grown watching Sex and the City as a series can identify with this character. She is the constant throughout the film. Even in the end she is searching for the GIFT for her daughters, which Miranda – the other mommie conveniently forgets.

Samantha – forgive me for not saying that she is playing the same character throughout. A little over the top with the Yam’s and the 44 hormone/ vitamin tablets ! This is one character that makes you laugh. One could never associate with her – one never will. One can only dream about living the Samantha way, and she maintains this Sex Goddess like vision of hers.

Aiden – What can I say... Conveniently turns up in the bazaars of Abu Dhabi. And from being the good guy, turns into the horny guy all of a sudden. This is actually the reality of 2010. LOYALTY has gone to the dogs and it’s almost going to turn into a Biblical word.

But the series is also about THE CITY. The city of BIG dreams – NEW YORK. The city where there is bustling life, shopping, cafe’s, night clubs, bar tenders, dancing, singing, brunches, lunches, dinner dates – everything about NEW YORK and its PACE... And Abu Dhabi will never be New York. The pace of New York can never be replicated in a larger than life city. And it will never be. When in Abu Dhabi- The girls turned into Aladdin’s Jasmine.. with long flowy outfits, outrageous colours – what happened to being suckers for Haute Couture, The funny looking turbans and headgears almost makes you want to PUKE. I miss the Hats... and the perfect hair.


But if there is something which is absolutely attractive about the film- is that charming Mr Big. BIG from being a womaniser has turned into a domesticated man. Carrie tamed the poor Lion – only to find that she fell in love with the King of the Jungle and not the normal married guy of the kingdom. He has grown up into a MAN that every woman wants. He is the MAN of my dreams. Calm, composed, successful, intelligent, a charmer and a LOVER. The last scene would move one to tears – but alas one is still recovering from the bunch of irked Arab men of Abu Dhabi. Samantha looks psycho. The movie has no depth in emotions and is lost somewhere in translation.

So Sex and the City 3 – if you are ever going to be, please do not travel to some other place – maybe in the jungles of the Amazon – and then turn my pretty New York ladies into Jane of the Jungle.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

London, The City of my Dreams

London... For 10 years of my life I was convinced LONDON has to be my home. I even pretended to take the 7 hour flight on a regular basis.. and start preparing myself for jet-lags etc. Each time I would go there, I fell more and more in love with that city.

Being an Indian tourist we predominatly went to London in the summer. I loved that crisp summery breeze, the sun playing hide and seek. I called it the personality dis-order.. Sunshine, Cloudy, Rains, Wind ...all packed in One day. The wide streets of London - Oxford Street, Baker Street, filled with people shopping pulled me towards them. Ducking in and out depending on weather, the people always prepared for everything and yet look so stunning beautiful. Running and making it under the store canopy just in time to not get wet. Enjoying the warm controlled air - sip on a latte on the go from Starbucks. These are my favorite sites and sounds of LONDON. The city of my dreams.

Summers for Londoners also means that they bring out that book that they always wanted to read... And walk through Hyde Park, find their spot and they sit and read for hours together. Children on Play dates, Lovers strolling hand in hand, an old couple enjoying an evening out. Bombay can never have that... This is what I miss about being in London. Having a park and strolling in it leasurily.

Its also a place where the old, the new, the contemporary, the bohemian chic, the punk, the urban, the vintage... everything co-exisits. It is truly a melting pot of genres ! I Love London... And I love the man who showed me his city... I fell in Love with him when I was all but 13... And I cant really tell whether I still love him or not, but I definately Love his CITY... !

I came across this cute little book shop somewhere near BOND Street. It was a rainy day.. Everything was grey and dull, but the brightness of this little bookshop attracted me towards it.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Crayons... Now Edible


When I was a little girl I spent the better half of my day Drawing and Colouring. On most days even today I miss it. But a course in Business Management and then busy being a bad girl and now even though I am back to being half way good, the business doesn’t allow any form of creative expression. I cannot get myself to opening my colours – And I have a lot of them.. !! The most I do now is look at creative arts and crafts and blog about them while sitting in a very plain and dull office block.
It reminds me of my time when my grand-father and I ruled this world. No one else mattered. I started looking at my parents when my grand-father stopped looking at me – when he passed away when I was is 4th standard.

But up until I was that age – three times a year he would get me a big box of crayons. The other kids in the house who stare ! Because I was the only one who got that beautiful big box. I know it feels kind a stupid to say this – “But I was the most loved !” I miss my old man on most days... When I want something Boxed, something gifted.


I also miss him on days when I need a pat on my back. When others critiqued at the dull-ness of the picture, he encouraged me to do more. No picture was a bad composition. Every picture was appreciated. He would even take the picture with him to show to his friends.
Anyway – This flash back came as I came across these cool crayons by Luxirare – They are made completely out of dried fruits, veggies, seeds, nuts. Healthy crayons!

The Trustworthiness of a Beard

Will you Marry me ?


This week I am going to be attending 2 different parties... One is Akshay and Payal’s engagement Ceremony and the other is Vikram and Juhi’s Pre-Wedding Bash...! I can’t help but wonder how my view about marriage has changed over the years. When I was about 10 years old I was convinced I wanted to get married the very next day. I would literally dream about getting married to this pretty witty, intelligent, funny smart boy... ! I would run around wearing a Saree, end up spending half my free play time dressing up in front of the mirror. Re-hearsing what I am going to say, how I am going to do things differently. I would also put on heaps of make up, accessorise, and wear shoes too big for my feet. I also wanted to marry in a big family, where there would be tons of people – just like my home.

Then 15 happened ... I became a REBEL. I lived for a year in Belgium – which changed my view about Life in general... I wanted a party boy, who lived each day as it comes, didn’t expect too much out of me, simply put – i wanted someone who would come with me to my parties, wake up late with a hang-over, not call me for the entire day, have no emotional bonding with me, and probably join me straight at my next party ! Of course he has to be the heart of every party – I was pretty loud then, so someone who would scream with me from Bar-Tops !

Then 20 happened..where I became a REBEL SQUARE... I was then living in Dubai. I became NAUGHTY... and my views on having a BAD MAN intensified. Only this time I wanted a BAD MAN, so that I could TAME him. Let me put it this way. There is nothing called TAMING A MAN !! MEN, JUST LIKE WOMEN change only when they want to. So I became a BAD ASS GIRL, only to find out this time, no one wants a bad-ass girl.
Then I came to live with my parents. I turned 21 ! I became OLD. And each passing day wore off my funny ideas about my man ! Everything goes down-hill after 21. At least back then I knew what I wanted. At least the genre of my man was set. But from 21 , up until the present I have been confused.... SMART v/s GEEKY... GOOD LOOKING v/s GOOD HEART... LOADED v/s HARD WORKING... BIG CITY LIFE v/s SIMPLE TOWN... LENSES v/s SPECS... TALL v/s Just about MY HEIGHT... DARK v/s FAIR... PRETTY EYES v/s one who calls me PRETTY EYES... !!! URGH ... !!! The list goes on...

But These people have found THEIR ONE ! HOW ? How did you decide ? When did you know ? What was it that changed your mind ? Are they anything like your EX ? What are your expectations ? When you have wanted so many things, does your “THE ONE” check into 90 % of your list ? These are questions I ask myself each time !
But I know you guys are made for each other ... I see the twinkle in Payal’s eyes when Akshay winks at her from the stage or I see Juhi gloat in pride when without asking Vikram gets her “HER FAVOURITE” drink... When I see my parents who have been together for 27 years now, I cannot help but wonder... Do they ever get tired of loving each other ?

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