10 REASONS WHY I LOVE MUMBAI!!!!

I am back and I have FINALLY settled down into my new home and new routine. Within a week of me reaching Mumbai Mr.Hubby & I had to leave Mumbai and go to vizag for 2 weeks. When I came back there was just so much work to do.

I have always wanted to visit Mumbai and honestly I am really happy that I am "living" here and NOT here as a tourist. Ofcourse Kerala is my base and I will definitely go back but for the time being BAM-BAI (the old hindi slang) is my home :)

Image courtesy HERE

Lets jump into it :)

1. I live in the posh area of Colaba(now that is something to grin about :D)

2. I love the authentic sev puri & sugar cane juice. The two things have become a staple in my life!

3. You can wear whatever you want & people could care less ( I come from Kerala, so this aspect of      mumbai is just awesome)

4. I love the sea and marine drive is my favourite  place to just "chill". The huge kulfi like rocks are too cute.

5.  Shopping!!!! MAN! how can I describe? Are you on a budget or do you have all the money in the world to spend???? then, you have come to the right place.

6. Good food. I love the small Iranian places in colaba and love the north indian sweets.

7. I am a huge "Amol Palekar" fan and in most of his movies they have featured the "OLD" Mumbai especially colaba (you can check out Golmal, Choti si baat & Baato baato mein), so I have always wanted to see Mumbai and to see the colaba now and the old colaba in those movies is something else.

8. Do you love night life???? Do I need to say more?????? Mumbai IS the place to be!!!PERIOD!

9. I love the fact that Mumbai is a melting pot for so many Indians. People from every single state is living here. Because of that Mumbaikars are more accepting & forthcoming compared to other north indian states about different cultures & people.

10. Last but not the least I am here with Mr.Hubby!!!!! YAAAAYYYYY!!! That is the biggest reason for me as Mumbai would always be remembered as the place we stayed when we had been "Just Married".

So let me sign off with a super cool song of Amol Palekar from the movie Choti Si Baat and it is sung by K.J.Yesudas. So for me as I said best of both worlds :)

                      


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Learning to live...........

My life has been going through some major ups and downs this past one year and I managed to stay positive through all that. Ofcourse, there were times when I felt like letting go and I was depressed beyond any consoling. I have this strange personality where I am  not very comfortable with telling people my inner most fears and feelings....I am not comfortable doing that even with my husband who is my best friend. Maybe it is because I don't want him to get anxious or sad. All these times I somewhat managed to remain positive.....no...."afloat" would be the correct word.

I was going through some emotional & physical problems and even my family was going through some emotional problems. I always tried and still try to give everyone hope and I am all about strength and saying positive things. I have heard that the biggest sorrow comes when you see your loved one suffering and whoever said that is quite right. I can withstand all my pains but feel helpless when my hands are tied down beyond a certain limit to help my loved one. I am not one to show too much affection or call someone up all the time to let them know that I love & care about them and in a way I used to think maybe I am much too hard hearted. Now I understand and accept that this is the way I am. But, I am always there for the people I love when they need me the most. I am more than happy to give my love, time and money for them. So, to see such a loved one getting so dejected with life because of all the emotional upheaval going on made me wonder......What can I do? Whatever I am doing, is it enough? How can I control my tortured mind?

I have not prayed in a long time. I have never prayed that much even when I was undergoing & I still am undergoing physical ailments.

I am not thinking about god now because I want something out of him or because I want him to perform some miracle just for me and my family. I know that the almighty has showered so many blessings on us even without asking. I cried my heart out couple of days back as it wrenched my heart and I felt an emptiness when I thought that my loved one may not be there with me to share my happiness & sadness all through different phases of my life. For the first time I cried and prayed my heart out to give me some hope, so that I can get out of this despair.

Previous year I thought of even closing down my beauty blog, as I came to a point where I started thinking....what is the point of all this?????? There is more to life than makeup or things that money can buy. Money can definitely buy happiness....but it lasts only for a short while. I started to think more spiritually. Lets face it, I am a modern woman of the 21st century and I am only in my late twenties and for me to start thinking spiritually so early in my life....it honestly sounds too much even to me. God has never told anyone to let go of anything that gives you happiness & pleasure as long as its not doing anything harmful to you or anyone around you. The lesson that I learned was I do love beauty and my blog but its just not the epitome of my life or my existence and the moment I realised that I understood that there is no need for me to shut down something I actually love. I just have to put a fence of reality around it thats all.

I have now turned to god because I need a friend, I know I can't see him but that doesn't mean he is not there. Seeing is believing but FEELING is also believing. I feel so much calm when I spend that extra time  for myself and my healing. It gives me so much peace.

I have seen people stop believing just because things are not going the way they planned. I have had things go my way when I was not praying and I am sure it will definitely continue its due course in my life as happiness and sadness are two sides of the same coin. But I never needed a friend when I was happy, I was content with myself. Now at this hour of need I just want him to console me, listen to my rantings just like a best friend would do. I am not trying to be religious as God is also with an atheist, the fact is sadly some people never realise the friend that they have by their side.

samo 'ham sarva-bhutesu
na me dvesyo 'sti na priyah
ye bhajanti tu mam bhaktya
mayi te tesu capy aham

(Bhagavad gita 9.29)

Translation:-

 I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him.

In a psychological point of view people turn to God when their life is in chaos and YES my life is in chaos but I am content because he has given me such a beautiful & loving family and an unbreakable bond with my husband. Yes I am greedy and would love to ask for more but I want to elevate to a level where the supreme power, the almighty doesn't feel obliged to always do something good for me to think of him both in my happiness and sadness. What I need is a healing touch to my scarred mind and I am not going to let go till I get it.What I need is companionship for my clouded mind to set my perspectives straight.

I want to be like the young sage markandeya who wouldn't let go of the shiva linga not because I am fearful of more sorrows that might come my way but because I need someone to hold on to who will keep me steady both during my happiness and sadness and maybe with time he will help me to understand and teach me to balance both the good and bad that might come my way. As Lord krishna said

 man-mana bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yaji mam namaskuru
mam evaishyasi satyam te
pratijane priyo ’si me 

 (Bhagavad Gita 18.65)

 Translation:-

 Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.

COFFEE WITH ME :)

I am not a coffee person & I am a die hard tea fan. But I still remember the time my sis introduced me to some amazing coffee. At that time Cafe Coffee Day was only popular in the metro cities and my sis studied in one of the metro cities. So, when she asked me to check it out I was hesitant but I am glad I did. My fav amongst their coffee is Mochachillo. Its a cold drink with Coffe, Chocolate and loads of ice....yummmmmmm......Great for summer :). Mochachillo is my staple whenever I go to Cafe Coffe Day. I started to have this insane craving for coffee now that the summer has started in Kerala. I went out and got my fix :)

My dear "rein-dee" with my Coffee. Isn't he cuteeeee???????

So do you have any favs for coffee??? especially from Cafe Coffee Day????

A LOT OF FAITH AND A LIL SUPERSTITION

I am not overly religious but I am spiritual. Right now, I am going through some rough times regarding my physical health which in turn is affecting me emotionally too. I know its just a phase and that it will pass. Yesterday one of my best friends got me a sacred thread which she brought from a church and tied on my forearm. It was so sweet of her to do that.

Now whenever I look at it I feel a sense of peace on a subconscious level to actually have a part of God with me. I am not superstitious but I do know that there are certain things that science cannot explain. Faith is such a powerful thing and when you believe wholeheartedly in something miracles do happen.

I still remember when I was a child me & my sis used to have these horrible nightmares and we would get up in the middle of the night and go to our parents room. It became such a common thing every night that my Papa came up with a plan. He asked us to bring two fake crystals and before we went to sleep every night he would say some mantra holding the crystals in his hand and then would ask us to keep it underneath our pillow. Surprise Surprise we never had nightmares anymore. Why??? 'coz he was reinforcing the faith in us by asking us to keep the crystals that "Nothing is going to happen". It was  this undying belief of ours that helped us from seeing  those silly nightmares. It took us a while to realise that the whole thing was bogus (read when I was 13 or so) and by that time I had basically outgrown the "nightmares".

Maybe the sacred thread does the same thing but whatever it is...... I can really use some faith, belief & some miracles.

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REDESIGNING MY HOUSE

My parents house is 17 years old and now we are thinking of giving it a facelift :D. We are also planning to completely redecorate a larger part of our house. I was going through some interior decorating magazines and also through youtube  to get some inspiration and I stumbled across this wonderful designer called Rebecca Robeson who has a channel called robesondesign on youtube. She is really funny, smart and moreover she gives FREE practical advice and also shows us how she did it!!!! Isn't that cool???? If you are interested in watching interior designing videos head over to her channel RIGHT NOW!!! Below I am linking  videos of hers thats simply amazing!



     


     



      


I also came across some websites in India that sells some amazing home decor stuff

 Zansaar 

Shopo 

Also check out HeavenandHome                                                                       

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MY CURRENT FAVOURITE TV SHOWS

So, I watch a lot of serials......sue me lol. These are my current favourite shows.....but I do watch a lot more than this. I just watch all shows at one go on a particular day and thats my way of unwinding and having some alone time. I am sure that some serious serial junkie can identify with me. I get high on serials. Ok....so lets just begin

In 1963 the most notorious prison Alcatraz was shut down and the prisoners were shifted.....Only that was not what happened...... Sounds interesting huh? This sitcom is by the same people who gave us "LOST" and I am a huuuuuugeeeee fan of lost. Lost is not everyone's favourite but I used to looooooveeee it.So, when I found out that the same people are bringing out a new sitcom I had to check it out! The alcatraz prison was closed in 1963 and the prisoners were shifted, that is what everyone thinks but something happened in the prison and all the inmates just disappeared into thin air. To cover it up the govt told everyone that they were shifted due to unhygienic prison conditions.  They are now back!!!! All the notorious criminals are back and walking with us!!! They haven't aged and none of them know how & why they are back. But the most strangest fact is that the govt has been expecting this and has a task force ready which is run by hauser and to help him a police detective and a professor also joins in. What happens next is what this drama is all about. I finished watching 4 episodes and am glued to it. They have completed 10 episodes and I can't wait to watch 'em.

I like zoey deschanel and thats how I started seeing this series. At first I was not impressed. The plot goes like this. Zoey deschanel "Jess" who is trying to get over her heart break after her boy friend cheats on her finds a new place to live. Only the apartment already has 3 men in there. Nick is a bartender, Schmidt a white collar job holder & Winston a former basket ball player. The plot is a bit tried and tested...but after seeing the first few episodes the serial is actually growing on me and I kinda like it. If you like Zooey then do check it out!

Me & my sis both are huge fans of this show and we are up to date with the seasons of Criminal Minds. Its definitely NOT for the faint hearted. All the main characters work at BAU(Behaviour Analysis Unit) that studies the behaviour of criminals to nab them. When the show first started it was well known for the gory scenes and twisted plots but now I personally feel that the story line has cooled down a bit. But its not boring like bones anyway. I used to love the show Bones and now I hate it. If you love crime dramas then check this out! You won't be disappointed.

If you love criminal minds then you are sure to love Dexter!!! Its the story of a psychopath who is moulded into a "near" normal human being by his adopted father and taught him to channel his energy into more productive things.....like killing  evil people. Its not something that he does to save the society but to save himself too as he has this burning need to kill someone. He works as a blood spatter analyst at the FBI , oh well, his day job and during the night time he kills bad men :D. Its a great show & Michael C Hall has done an amazing job! Do check Dexter out.

Now comes Ringer. Its the sitcom starring Sarah Michelle Gellar. If you loved her in buffy and miss her then do check this out. Sarah plays the role of twin sisters. One is evil and the other is good. The evil sis leads a wealthy life and the other one is a drug addict who is trying to get her act clean. But the evil sis does a number on her when she fools her twin sister into believing that she committed suicide but she hasn't. The druggie sis now steps into her other sister's shoes as she is wanted by the police and tries to live her evil sister's life. What all goes wrong is what the plot is all about. I must admit that the show did get a lil bit boring in the middle and I kind of lost interest but now its picking up again. Lets see as to how that goes!

Ok.......Now its time for some "leave your brains at home" kind of fun time :D. I love the kardashian show. People can say that its stupid and all that jazz but I like to see stupid stuff at times and when it has three gorgeous ladies well........why not???? I can atleast take some pointers on makeup & fashion!!! The Kardashian Show has some major spin offs and Khloe & Lamar show is one among them. It shows the day to day life of Khloe Kardashian & her hubby Lamar Odom. I love Khloe, so I find the show entertaining. Only watch this if you like reality tv.....otherwise steer clear!!!!


Ok........so those are my "current" fav shows. If anyone of you see any other show that is interesting then do share that with me. I would love to know :)


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MY BOOKS HAUL

I am an avid reader and I can finish  books very easily. I read really fast and I always enjoy new books. I love reading all sorts of books except young adult and historical fantasy books. Flipkart has now become my sanctuary where I can purchase books at the comfort of my home. I really love their service as they use blue dart as their courier carrier.

This is my latest haul.Let me tell you about each book in general.

Who doesn't know Anupam Kher in India? He is an amazing character actor and when he came out with a book I had to purchase it! I expected an autobiography kind of book but this is more like a "coffee table biography" style book. Well, I am yet to go through it and will give a review as soon as I finish it.

 He is well known as the editor who changed the face of  "Debonair" magazine. This is a book filled with gossip, real life stories and most of all sensationalism. Well, who doesn't like that and this is on my next book list to read as soon as I finish "The secret of the Nagas" by Amish.

I have seen this book before but always avoided it.....Don't know why???? Anyway one of my dear friends told me to give this book a shot as she is really enjoying reading the book & I thought why not??? My dear friend you know who you are and thanks for the recommendation.



I am not a huge fan of self help books but we all need some guidance at times right? So, I ended up purchasing 2 self help books.

I am neither an introvert nor an extrovert. I am stuck somewhere in between. I honestly don't need help to strike up a conversation with anyone but this book has amazing reviews from others and I thought there is no harm in trying rt? I went through a couple of chapters and I do like the book as it gives practical solutions in a very easy manner. This is a great book for people holding jobs at corporate sectors. Do check this out if you like these sort of books.

I hated his first book "the monk who sold his ferrari".....yup you heard me right.........I hated it!!!! Then why did I buy this book........well, I do love the motivational speeches of Robin Sharma. If you are into those sort of things as in like leadership enhancing talks then do check out his youtube channel in HERE its amazing!
So,  I decided to give his books another shot and I searched a lot and found this book to have a lot of positive reviews. So I went ahead and bought it. I haven't even opened the book yet, so I don't know what is there in store for me. I hope its something goooooooodddddddd.

Anyway this was my book haul. I hope you guys enjoyed my small haul. I am in good reads, so if you guys are in good reads then plz do add me as your friend

GOODREADS (click on the link)

I have a goal to complete 40 books this year and lets see as to how that goes.....


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