When the Road Gets Dark and You Can No Longer See... Have a Little Faith in Me

I am here to make no promises. I am here to tempt no hearts. There is no illusion that anyone might even be listening anymore. But, hey! Here I am. Calling out into space.

FYI - Still very exhausted, but raring to go one more time.

Dress - Janpath street market, New Delhi

Bag - Lino Perros

Long Cardigan - some online shop

90s style scrunchie on the wrist - It came from where it will go, oblivion

 Background - Amber Fort, Jaipur

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Of Last Impressions and Cold Shoulders

There is a saying that goes "the first impression lasts forever". But, the truth is first impressions are rarely ever right. The memories of last impressions are mostly what we're left behind with. So, make them count. Last impressions.

Location - Taj Mahal, Agra

Cold Shoulder Top - Westside

The Concept Of Hierarchies

pretending to be a Lollywood Hippie

Or as I call it - the battle of the old vs new media platforms.

I am aware of hierarchies. I know they exist in the mind. I also believe they are stupid.

Context - I went for an interview with one of the most hated media houses in Calcutta to please my mother. I was told to let them know, if after the life lesson disguised as an interview, I wanted a different role than the one I had applied for. It astounded me somewhat the arrogance with which he declared this being pretty much the only competent media house in Calcutta, something he rectified soon even though grudgingly. Take your guesses.

We all know about the privilege enjoyed by the old, white, male ones in our society. It is not simply about the colour of ones skin or gender. The old male is generally considered wise. His advice, his decisions are of prime importance. Some people who tend to be working in certain print (news) publishings tend to believe theirs is the most worthy, the only one which matters. To this individual, who is quick to dismiss the "Buzzfeed generation", even blogging seems like a joke. (If it were so, then bloggers would not be getting murdered around the world right now. Just a pointer.). Only certain things - positions, types of work, life choices, etc. are meaningful to them. The attitude is - "I would not have done that."

So, when you encounter such an individual, who is bored out of his wits at an interview session, what should you do?

Well as for me, I listened, albeit skeptically as he gave me life advice to get over my "existential dilemma". He told me if I wanted a career I couldn't expect a cushy life. I have to struggle. I have to make sacrifices. He defended himself by saying he was a good son who visited his old, ailing parents every weekend; the very ones who were supportive of his career ambitions to be chased in a different city. Even a slightly touchy (petty?) comment at the end, "I had my doubts before coming in for this interview," fell on an ear that wasn't really listening. That generation loved telling the young ones how to do things, they never were experts on really listening.

For a while it seemed like pearls of wisdom scattered towards a young newbie in the media industry. And I felt a sense of gratitude towards him at the end of this session. But, as the days rolled past, I couldn't get over the fact that I wasn't really told anything I didn't already know, that I wasn't already mulling over in my head for days. Maybe hearing it from another helped fortify my resolve to stick to Delhi, even though it keeps kicking me in the balls every so often. But, had it been me giving that same advice to someone else, would it still have the same value that it did coming from him? Would he have shared such a private story about his early days, his parents in the very first meeting with a total stranger if he were a she? Would I have been less skeptical about getting lectured if he were a she?

I do not know.

As someone who has been bullshitted by older, 'wiser' men all my life (do I need to add #notallmen here so as to not hurt any egos?), I have a natural tendency to have more faith in the old, 'wise' woman's words. She after all understands the will to fight the traditional, the patriarchal, she understands responsibility in a way a man does not (even now in Indian society). I believe she will wink at me and tell me how to do it like a woman. 'How to conquer the world like a woman' - naani edition. He looked at me like I was a directionless child. But, I am 25; I am a grown woman. Would he have looked down on me the same way if he were a she? And would he have added at the end of his long and elaborate lecture that, "after all women have different pressures from society which I wont (don't) understand," would he...if he were a she?

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Begin Again

Gurgaon Autowala

No. Enough is enough. I will just shut up and start writing again! I have been feeling miserable about not being able to write about things that matter to me. I have been (what seems to me) shouting hoarse about loving writing opinion pieces about fashion and gender politics. But, what have I done the past few weeks? Just cribbed and moaned that "I don't get a good WiFi connection", "I need to do more fashion posts or no one will be interested", " I don't have any good images." I am just shutting up and letting things happen. Because the value of having a platform to speak out is immense. And I have that platform. I have poured 5 years of my life and opinions into this blog and how dare I let it go to waste! Enough is enough. I will stop making excuses. I will write about everything I have thought I should write about and then didn't these past few weeks. Forgive me, my words, for letting you get trapped like this.

Let's begin again.

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Mosaic Art by Vandeepp Kalra

A couple of posts ago I said I will feature a couple of female artists on this blog as March celebrated as Women's History Month. I am sure you loved learning about designer and entrepreneur Shivani Patel and I am happy to let you know her crowd-funding venture is going well. If you haven't contributed yet then go to my previous post *here* to read up about her eco-friendly range of fabulous designer bags.

I would like to introduce you to the work of mosaic artist Vandeepp Kalra. She delved into the world of mosaic art as a hobby which soon turned into an obsession and then into a full fledged career. Each piece is a beautiful work of art that you have to see with your own eyes. It takes hard work, immense patience and a great amount of passion to create the kind of work that she does. If you think it's too late to find your true calling in life then know that you are not the only one and it isn't too late to start. Vandeepp did her B.A. in Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition, while her P.G. degree was in Business Administration. Her education has helped her in developing a sensibility of handling her business with grace and creativity. She is a self taught artist to top all of that.
She sources her materials from United Kingdom, Netherlands and Italy as well as India. Life inspires her mosaic artwork. The way she captures light and movement in her work is commendable. Each work takes one or two months to complete, the process is so labour intensive. She specialises in hand crafting mosaic portraits that flawlessly capture all kinds of silhouettes. Her studio offers product customisations to cater to client's specific needs.
Vandeepp Kalra is poised to shape a mosaic industry in India, which is still not fully exposed to the medium, through her innovative products and excellence in quality. As the only mosaic studio from India, it aims to educate and create awareness about mosaic as an art form and would like to be synonymous with similar artists that are present around the world.

And here is my favourite mosaic art from Vandeepp Kalra's exhibition that I personally got to gawk at the previous day. This Predator poster can become a collector's item for a movie buff.




image c/o Anupriya DG

You can drop in at her studio, located at Wood Street any time and bring home some of her finest pieces or order something one-of-a-kind that can be customised especially for you.

FlySongbird

Magnum Ice Creams-Royal Experience

this pic and food styling c/o Anupriya DGs

Belgium chocolate covered Magnum ice creams are a favourite of millions across the globe. 1st March onwards Magnum is officially hitting the stores of Calcutta! This will be a really grand summer for Calcuttans. These ice creams are made with at least 35% cocoa, making them rich in flavour. The Truffle flavour is for the dark chocolate lovers. But, you can pick any of their flavours for a rich royal experience. There is a delicious crackle in every bite, there is no fear of it melting all over your hand as the chocolate coating is ever so generous and there is never a risk of sweetness overload since the inner creamy filling is almost like a palate cleanser.

 I was at the launch event where chef Kunal Kapoor hosted a master class. Soha Ali Khan, a self professed Magnum lover since she was a child was there for the launch as well. Many stories were shared about their memories of chocolates and Calcutta. And hence Kunal Kapoor decided to make a dessert with Magnum inspired by Calcutta. He made a Patishapta, which is essentially a crepe that is traditionally filled with kheer, jaggery and coconut. He filled the Magnum Patishapta with crushed chunks of Magnum Classic, berries, nuts and topped it with some sprinkling of khoya kheer, almonds and pistachio. If you follow me on instagram(click to follow if you don't already), you must have seen the delicious dessert in a jar that I was gifted at the event. It was made with Magnum ice cream and once they are officially available at the stores I will try to grab one and recreate the recipe to share it with you guys on the blog.

The 3 flavours of Magnum you can get in stores - Classic, Almond and Chocolate Truffle

Soha Ali Khan and Kunal Kapoor at the photo op

Soha trying her best to help out the chef

The delicious Magnum filled Patishapta

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FlySongbird

How To Survive: Valentine's Day

This Valentine's day you must be wondering where you can go out to have a lovely lunch or dinner without blowing a giant hole in your pocket. I have a couple of very delicious suggestions for both the romantic and the anti-mush brigade. And both these restaurants are located in the New Market area of Kolkata beside each other. Scoop will be decked up to welcome all the V-day celebrators. They even have a special menu for the lovers which includes items like 100% LOB(a crunchy juicy prawn wrap) and Phata Phati Love(mango juice topped with ice cream and pineapple slices). You can even pick up a goodie basket to surprise your other half with. You get choco chip cookies, strawberry cupcakes, heart shaped candle and a rose in the basket for only INR200. Isn't that a sweet deal?

Now for the anti-mush brigade, I suggest you walk a couple of doors down from Scoop and enter into Spice. It is a new restaurant with the edgiest décor ever. It looks like the insides of a factory that was turned into the hippest eat out zone in town. It is the perfect place to hide from coochie cooing lovers all over the city tomorrow. You can go down with a bunch of buddies as well to enjoy some of the most delicious Thai food with a few giant mugs of beer. You must try their chicken satay that comes with a peanut butter sauce that would leave you craving for more.

Nearest landmark - New Empire

Show some love on V-day. Hit the like button.

FlySongbird

The Ultimate Make-Up Tip For The Non-Enthusiasts

A lot of people have a lot of opinions about make-up. I personally believe it is up to a particular girl or guy if they want to put on minimal or tonnes of make-up on their faces at any given time of any particular day. Yes, I said guys. Teach yourself about gender roles and patriarchy before you think there is something inherently wrong or funny about guys wearing make-up. Your favourite macho hero from that blockbuster film does it all the time, and no he doesn't do it only for the screen. Human beings have been known to paint their faces to express certain emotions for centuries, so it is not a modern social construct. Anyway I digress, email me for a lengthier chat about such issues if you wish and we shall talk.

So, the ultimate tip from me might seem like something a non-enthusiast would never imagine doing. But, hear me out. Own a few make-up brushes. Not more than, but could be less than 5. This is definitely not for those who hate make-up and do not ever wear it ever. This is for those who like to wear it, maybe occasionally or everyday, but do not consider themselves a pro or a junkie. When you do put on make-up you would like not to look like Joker. But, who am I kidding? Even for that you would need a brush. Knowing how to swipe a make-up brush across your face would change the way you do make-up forever. I do not believe in owning a lot of products unless you are a make-up artist who needs to work on different kind of skin tones and such. I love using each product in more than 1 way so that I can keep my kit fuss free and as downsized as possible.

1. Concealer Brush - This is the one investment you will never regret. You will get hours worthy flawless coverage if you use a brush to apply your concealer rather than using your fingers. I do the tapping with the fingers thing to apply my concealer on most days. But, when you use your fingers the skin secretes natural oils and make the concealer thinner in consistency and you do not get a long lasting coverage. 
2. Stippling Brush - These type of brushes are made with bristles that consist 2 types of fibres. They are excellent for applying liquid foundations. You will get a perfect airbrushed look if you use this instead of using a make-up sponge. You just need to take a tiny bit of the product and then apply using this brush in tiny circular motions till everything is blended in perfectly.
3. Flat/Fluffy Eye Shadow Brush -  If you want the perfectly blended eye shadow look then you have to use a brush. You cannot rely on those things that are included in the eye shadow packages, at the most you can use those for applying highlighting shadow underneath the brows and at the inner eye corners.
4. Smudge Brush - Answer honestly-how many times have you dabbed eye shadow on and said, "Oops, too much,"? After you have blended the eye shadow with a fluffy brush you can remove excess shadow with the smudge brush. These are perfect for creating a smokey eye effect as well. I even used mine the other day to apply a deeply pigmented blush to create a blended and soft eye shadow look the other day because I had no pink eye shadows. I have 2 types of black shadow though. Does that surprise anyone?
5. Blush Brush - These are smaller than the bigger brushes used to apply loose powder. I use mine for both the purposes of applying blush and loose powder. I do have a big ass powder applicator brush but it feels just too big for my face. This one is just the right size to apply loose powder and lock in the make-up after I am done with everything.

Let me know if you have any opinions or queries in the comments below. I am no pro. But, I believe in the power of expression through make-up.

FlySongbird

A Hint Of A Shimmer

This simple outfit needed a bit of shimmer. I got this jacket from Vero Moda a couple of years back. It was on sale and it was the very last piece. So, I grabbed it even though it was a size too big for me. Some days I hate how it makes my shoulders all droopy and hangs in such a bulky way. But, most days I am just glad for the tiny bit of sparkle that it adds to my most basic outfits.

 Black Shimmery Cardigan - Vero Moda
Floral Cuff - flea market
Skull & Spikes Necklace - Kazo

FlySongbird

Happy New Year!

And 2015 arrives!

FlySongbird

Leather, Lace & Roses

No, we didn't have Santa hats on,
No, we didn't have bottles of whiskey or mulled wine,
We had our cakes in our separate homes,
We only had our fingers and smiles warming us through the night,

Underneath a blanket of blue.

We will probably say hello again in the New Year.

Usher in 2015 with a bang

See you on the other side

FlySongbird

Flash

Christmas is almost here. Then the year will end in the blink of an eye! 2015 I ain't ready for you yet!

Chiffon Floral Dress - (click to buy) Romwe

FlySongbird

How Are You Detoxing?

Okay, the festivities are finally over! We have almost 2 months till the Christmas/New Year binge has to begin again. But, for us Indians the period between Durga Puja till Bhai Dooj is the time when we gorge like monsters. Almost on a daily basis there is an array of ghee laden, sugar syrup injected sweet dishes lying around, lunch and dinner includes fish fries, dal, special sabjis, spicy mutton/chicken and pulavs and biryanis! Phew! I am sure half of you are already on a cleanse. I tried after Durga Puja was over with no success. Here are a few ways you can detox for 1-2 days before easing back to your normal daily dose of calorific intake:

This is the divine honey-lemon-ginger-tea I had while I was in Gangtok at Baker's Cafe

1. Start the day with green tea. I usually have green tea at least twice a day, sometimes when I feel sleepy after dinner and have to stay up to work I will knock down another cup. I try to veer away from milk and sugar in tea, and also I have stayed away from coffee for almost a year now.
2. Go on a 2 day juice/smoothie cleanse. Smoothies are much more filling because they still have the fibre from the fruits in it. I do not like chunky smoothies, I like them well blended. I make a whole batch for a day and keep sipping one glass at a time.If I get hungry towards the evening I usually make a salad with blanched spinach, mushrooms and any other light vegetables I have in the fridge at that point. My favourite smoothie making fruits-bananas, apples, any kind of citrus, grapes, mango. I also add a pinch of cinnamon powder, honey and a squirt of lime juice for flavour.
3. Have roti and sabji twice a day. I cut out on rice, potato, bread and butter on such days and avoid too much oil in my food. I am a meat lover so I need some protein(otherwise I get midnight bacon cravings). I stick with a small piece or two of chicken. Also there is a bowl of yogurt on my plate. If I get hungry between meals I will usually scramble an egg. This keeps me full and is what you need if you need to work and run around. No one does running around on juice, right? Except crazies.

 So, this is what I do. Some people just swear by lemon juice and honey in warm water every morning. What are your ways of detoxing?

 FlySongbird

 

5 Useful Travel Tips for the Budget Conscious

I have a love-hate relationship with my city, Calcutta. No, I do not like calling it Kolkata even though it has been officially changed thanks to the whimsies of the ruling political party leaders. I don't know if that is neocolonialism deeply embedded in my psyche that makes me think this way or just my preference with the more familiar, but it is the way it is. When I was growing up, I couldn't wait till I left this city forever to settle somewhere abroad. When I started weighing the pros and cons (aka when I was old enough to understand how much money matters) I realised the dream to live in some fancy destination is not really a true dream of mine, it is the dream of travelling the world then returning home that is truly mine. This city is known as the City of Joy. But, to me it does not represent this single emotion. How can it? I have lived in this city my whole life and every lane I have been to represents something different to me. More than anything else, it feels familiar. Not safe and secure, but even the presumed dangers here are familiar to me.

North Sikkim

I am not a seasoned traveller. But, I would love to travel the world on my own someday, one destination at a time, strictly on a budget. This year I took 3 short trips within India with my friends. The first one was a college trip to Lava and Lolegaon, the 2nd to Shantiniketan and the 3rd to Gangtok. These are a few things I think everyone needs to know about travelling alone, especially if you are on a budget. Do keep in mind there are a lot of other things you need to carry along, like medicines, lots of clean underwear and all your chargers(for your cameras, phones and other gadgets).

• Carry a small tube of toothpaste that can be stowed away in a small pocket in your handbag and can be accessed easily every morning. Do not throw away old containers of these small tubes. Just refill them from a bigger tube you keep at home before every trip. Hold the mouths of the tubes firmly together and squeeze it out of the bigger tube into the smaller one. You can always share a tube with your friends.
• Do not carry huge shampoo and conditioner bottles that you use at home. They will take up a lot of space and might come out of the bottle under pressure and ruin your clothes and other things. You do not want to spend on laundry which is usually expensive at any hotel. Carry sachets instead. They are easier to carry, cheaper and are disposable after use. Every hotel may not give shampoo bottles. 
• Carry disposable paper soaps to save space and for easy access. Every hotel usually provides a small soap, or you can buy them at your destination. But, while you are travelling on a train or a bus these will come in handy. I forgot them this time and had to make do with hand sanitizer, which is also a pretty useful thing to carry around while travelling.
• Trolley bags, if not rucksacks are the way to go if you want to run around between hotels, trains and buses. The 1st 2 trips I ignored the need because I travelled light. This time, between missed trains and running around the railway station for about 5 hours I realised how badly I needed to buy a trolley bag pronto. A rucksack might be too big for short trips. I had helpful travel-mates who shared the burden halfway through every time, but you may not always be so lucky. You don't want to hire a porter on a budget trip. And my bag felt heavier after each hour which made me desperately want to hire one this time.
• If you have bought e-tickets from the online website of IRCTC and are wait listed then do yourself a favour and either buy the tickets on tatkal or buy them from the ticket counter in person. This is a valuable lesson we learnt this time. Many of you may know that wait listed e-tickets get dropped on final charting. Of course I am writing this for the non-smartasses who do not  know this information. At least IRCTC will refund the money because we were on wait list. If you missed the train you would end up losing the money entirely. So, reach the station on time if you have reservation. We came back in an AC sleeper bus (which cost us a little more than the train would have) which was full of families who had met with a similar misfortune like us. The bus journey wasn't as bad as we had expected and would have in fact been a better experience if the bus reached Calcutta a little earlier. Do use the washrooms at every bus stop and try charging your phone at every stop if it is feasible.

Misty Mountains Cold-(yes I just referenced LOTR. I had thought of it while taking the photo only.)

Over all I have loved all my trips so far. India isn't safe enough for solo vacations for girls yet(although someday I would love to take a solo trip, but it might get lonely). It is always better to have someone watch your back. I learnt from my travel-mate, Anu how to be in zen mode when situations are completely out of control. I learnt I am a semi-good mimic and provide good enough entertainment even in such out-of-control situations. Here's hoping I get to travel more, to more beautiful places and to learn something new everywhere I go. Don't get discouraged by what others have to say. You don't need a lot of money for travelling, you don't need to have lived on your own to be independent enough to know your mind and you don't need to travel with a guy every time to watch over you for safety. Truth be told, I did not feel unsafe anywhere I went with these girls. We did get quizzical looks and some assumed we must be related.
Make your own memories and be unafraid to experience new things (unless it's something gag-worthy enough to make you super sick. After all, you do not want to spend your vacation in the bathroom or the local hospital).

With Anupriya DG and Soumi Paul in Gangtok

FlySongbird

Don't Worry, Be Happy

Remember this ♫Bobby McFerrin♫song?

I don't remember ever not worrying. The worries go away temporarily (especially when I am in the company of someone or when I am listening to weirdly upbeat songs) but, they bounce right back. Has this ever happened with you that you saw someone smiling and looking happy in a picture and wondered how they do it? They make it look so easy. They make moving on and living life happily look reasonably easy. I swear to you, the more someone is capable of detachment, it is more easy for them to be without constant worry.

FlySongbird

Durga Puja 2014 - Trends Spotted

I saw a good deal of Normcore fashion this year while pandal hopping. But, I am not really sure how many of them consciously dressed up that way. Normcore fashion is where people dress up in a normal way to look same rather than stand out. Read this *article* to get an idea of what is Normcore as documented by artist Hans Eijkelboom.

But I did not capture the denim on denim and other Normcore craziness during Durga Puja for you! Here are 3 of the biggest trends I spotted this year. All my fashionable friends wore gorgeous sarees every day. Well, of course I didn't. I did wear an ethnic kurta with a beautiful printed vest on Ashtami. And I gorged on a sumptuous Italian fare at Spaghetti Kitchen that day. Also watched Haider on the first day of release and loved every bit of it.I wrapped up that awesome day by promptly falling down wearing flat shoes and tearing my beautiful red leggings on the way back.

Printed leggings were everywhere, they were mostly paired with bum covering long tops and flats

the Anarkali salwar kameez was everywhere! It was a bit weird how many of these I spotted this time.

No one wore the saree better or more fashionably than city bloggers Soumi and Anupriya DG. Soumi draped her saree over leggings! It doesn't get more trendsetting than that. Love Anu's necklace and clutch. Learn how to put a twist on your traditionals from these 2 ladies.

People really do forget all about calories during these 5 days

And with this I wish you a Subho Bijaya and Happy Dussehra!

In association with Lifestyle International I will be highlighting the food, fashion and atmosphere of Durga Puja here on the blog.

FlySongbird

Durga Puja 2014

I have noticed my favourite photos tend to be the ones that echo solitude.

Here are a few of my favourite shots from Sashthi and Saptami.

Sribhumi

Sribhumi Durga

Rajdanga Durga

Bosepukur Pandal

Dhaaki

Outside Badamtala Durga Puja

Before the ride starts again for customers she gets a free ride

Chandipath on Saptami at Babubagan Durga Puja

Sasthi Blues - style spotted

In association with Lifestyle International I will be highlighting the food, fashion and atmosphere of Durga Puja here on the blog.

FlySongbird