Mix, mash, blend!

As a child I was always a very fussy eater and would take hours to finish a meal - much to my mother's dismay. I still recall I would every morning I would struggle to finish a glass of milk and one marie biscuit (somedays I would carry that biscuit to school and bring it back home - only half eaten). When I think of those days now, I feel what a pain I must have been to my mother. However, mom being mom, never gave up and continued to devise different ways in which she could make me take in the nutrients.
After numerous permutations combinations she realised that all-in-one-type of meals worked the best for me. Mix, paste or blend everything together and give it to me - no fuss, no drama. So for breakfast I would have a glass of milkshake blended with cocoa, banana and a handful of nuts, lunch would be a mash of chicken/mutton/fish, veggies and rice, evening snacks would be perhaps a sandwhich with a homemade chicken paste, and dinner a soup with a veggies and lentils. Basically i guess i didn't like chewing, so these foods that could be just gulped down worked for me.
Of course I have changed much since those days, but I still do like these mashes. They are like my comfort food and over the years inspired by my mom I have developed a few unique recipes. Here are some of my favourites:

Morning Milkshake: Blend a glass of chilled milk with lots of ice, cocoa,a few slices of apple, and some crushed almonds.

Mixed Rice: Stir fry cooked rice with lots of diced mushrooms, carrots, bell peppers, beans, pineapple, green chillies and some chicken slices. I like to keep it a little moist some sometimes I add in a liitle broth.

Potato-chicken mash: This is basically mashed potato with chicken boiled and mashed. I like to season it with some black pepper and parsley.

Try some and let me know.

Perfumes and more

Are you one of those who will open a book and first smell it's pages? Do you feel an unexplained joy in sensing the smell of wet earth after the first shower of rain? Do you associate childhood memories with certain scents? If you do all of that, then like me you are a fragrance lover.

Fragrances are an important part of my life. I like everything around me to smell a certain way. It helps me create a bond with all things around. For instance, if you walk into my house you will be greeted with a waft of lemongrass or orange scents (in summers I like to use lime or lemongrass oil in my diffuser and in winter i like using orange oil with a stick of cinnamon thrown in). These scents make me feel comfortable and helps me unwind when i get back home in the evening.

In my shower you will find soaps, shower gels, scrubs and body oils with coffee or chocolate aromas. These scents lifts my spirits and invigorates me at the bath. Also these sweet and delicious aromas feel indulgent and makes me feel pampered and special.

Aromas I believe can do a lot for you and also say a lot about you. The key is to become sensitive to them and see what they mean for you. Perfumes that we wear for instance help create an image of who we are. And this is established not by just which perfume we wear but how we wear it. For instance, is your fragrance so strong that it reaches the room before you arrive? Or is it so subtle that only when one is standing next to you, can one smell it? Or is your scent so unique that it lingers in the room even after you have left it? These are very sutble nuances and you will only gather them through expreience and what appeals to you.

There are several ways of choosing and wearing scents. You can either stick to one particular perfume all your life and make that your identity or you can have a few favourites, or you can develop the art of perfuming wearing and wear it like a style statement.

Diesel Loverdose

I love fragrances and i dont like sticking to just one perfume. But I like scents of a particular type. I prefer musk, spicy, and floral notes; but there are days when I love wearing something sugary and chocolaty. Therefore I generally wear fragrances according to the occassion, weather and of course my mood. On regular summer days I like something slightly citrusy with a hint of jasmine and black tea and my favourites in this category are Dior's Pondicherry and Issey Miyake's A Scent. However, on cooler days i like something sweeter and a little more delicious like Marc Jacob's Daisy or perhaps something a little more floral but light like Coco Mademoiselle. And for special evenings I like something richer, muskier and spicy like Dior's Poison and my latest darling Coco Noir. For those days that i have a sweet craving I opt for Diesel's Loverdose or the Chocolate Praline Scent from Sephora.

Coco Mademoiselle

Yes I do obsess a little about scents, but when you fall in love with them, the intrigue and attraction is such that you can't help but get further drawn to them.

Escale de Pondicherry

Coco Noir

Spritz!



Serums, by now we all know are must-haves for gorgeous skin. And while that continues to remain one of the most talked about skincare category, another product that's slowly but surely making it's way into the grooming regimen is the face mist. They are essentially hydrating sprays that are enriched with nutrients, vitamins and minerals, and work as quick perk ups for your complexion. They are not replacements for serums rather they should be used along with serums to make them work more effectively. Face mists have now found a permanent place in my grooming routine. I use it in place of a toner before applying the serum. I also keep a small bottle in my handbag to hydrate my face through the day. In fact, moistening the skin with water topically is the best way to hydrate skin. And that's because in the metabolic process the skin in the last organ to receive nutrients and hydration. So to perk up tired and dry skin, just spray on some nourishing water. (Of course, do keep drinking the much advised 8-glasses-per-day quota). Caution: Don't go overboard with misting your face. The trick is to spray wait for a minute and then dab the excess with a tissue gently. My favourite face mists include Forest Essentials Face Toner Panch Pushp, Avene Thermal Spring Water and Clinique Moisture Surge Face Spray. Forest Essentials Panch Pushp is a fragrant blend of distilled flower water and saffron. Use it in combination with the brand's Soundarya Serum to get golden glowing skin (the saffron in the products gives it that glow). I prefer to use it at night as Soundarya is a heavy concentrate and works well while you sleep. Avene Thermal Spring Water is my travel companion and my best friend when it comes to soothing irritated skin. In long haul flights I carry a small bottle to spritz on every two hours, and I keep a large bottle in my bathroom to soothe skin after using a razor or tweezer. Clinique Moisture Surge Face Spray works best for summers. With aloe vera, it hydrates and holds moisture for a longer time. I like to use it during the day before applying Clinique Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturiser with SPF 15. Try these and let me know your feedback.

Forest Essential Panch Pushp

Clinique Moisture Surge Face Spray



Avene Thermal Spring Water Spray



Miracle Massager

I have been speaking about this machine for a while now and though many may think I am exaggerating, the truth is I am not. I am talking about Tiens Blood Circulatory Massager. Unlike other gimicky exercising machines, this one is actually very effective. I have been using it for over four years and I absolutely swear by it.
Frankly I am lazy when it comes to working out at the gym, and a regular yoga class is too boring for me, so swimming is what works for me mostly or walking. However, using this massager has also helped me a lot. Basically you need to stand on this massager while it massages the soles of your feet. The pressure points of the feet being massaged helps in blood circulation, which in turn helps in improving the metabolic rate of the body and also helps in detoxification. This again in turn energises you and also helps you lose weight. Honestly I use this massager for 15 minutes every day and follow up with a session of Tibetan Rites exercises. This routine I have followed for a while now and have benefited a lot from it.
One must always drink a glass of water before and after using the machine to get maximum benefits.
To know more about the product visit their website http://www.tianshiindia.co.in/Health-care.htm

Skin miracle

Having waded through hundreds and thousands of makeup products, I strongly believe that nothing works like fabulous skin. And trust me getting the skin that you will love isn't a very tough deal. All it needs is a little commitment and some smart products. And again we all can give that little bit to get that gorgeous complexion.
First thing first, you have to follow the regular CTM routine. That's the sure shot way to good skin. In fact, if you follow this routine from your teens, you won't need much to de-age your skin later. Using a good gentle cleanser to wash your face every morning. Try the ones from Pond's, Olay, Clinique, or L'Oreal Paris. Follow it up with a toner and then a moisturiser or cream with SPF. I try to use a face scrub once a week (I love The Nature's Co. Coffee Face Scrub) and I use a serum before applying the cream.
For a serum I often use a serum cocktail that I stir up for myself, however I would recommend that you use either Estee Lauder's Andvanced Night Repair Serum or Keraskin Dermamorphose Serum. Just a drop is all you need to ensure great skin.
I will let you on to a secret cream that I have been introduced to by my mother. It is a topical ointment called Ega that's easily available at the chemist. At night before going to bed, apply the serum and follow up with Ega and you will see a differnce in just 10 days. I bet you, friends will notice and comment. It's that good.
From last month I have also started using a face pack. The delicious Madhulika Nourishing Honey Lep by Forest Essentials. (To read more about the pack check out the brand's website www.forestessentialsindia.com and my column in September issue of Harper's Bazaar).


Forest Essential Madhulika Nourishing Honey Lep



Keraskin Derma-Morphose



Ega Cream





The Nature's Co. Coffee Face Scrub



Calcutta Club

Calcutta Club lawns

There is something about that place. It is the old world charm that the club has held on to with such care that it is an obvious preferred haunt for an incurable romantic like me. Walk through the gates of the club and you enter a world that's slow, graceful, whimsical, poetic and a tad bit proud. It is a place full of idiosyncracies and that's exactly why I love it so much.
The club is not very welcoming to children. I remember a time when I had to enter the premises through the backgate to go to the swimming pool because children aren't allowed in the main hall on 'regular' days. I vividly recall occassions when senior members would look at me with suspicion as if I were about to launch an attack on the dignified space. However, such behaviour never irritated me rather it almost always amused me and helped me draw up an image of the club.
Having said that the club otherwise is a world that I love much. One of my favourite haunts in the club is its library. Spread over two levels and packed with books this a place where I have spent several afternoons lost in the world of literature. Hours I have spent browsing through shelves, pouring over pages, discovering old titles that have long been forgotten. In college while my friends frantically made copious notes of critiques in the college and university libraries, I spent my time reading fiction tucked away in a corner of Calcutta Club's library.
The other section of the club that I love a lot is the fab swimming pool. This was my chill out zone in high school. During the long summer breaks I have spent a lot of time with my friends hanging out at the pool singing songs, playing pranks and occassionally swimming. After the "swimming session" we'd gorge on the delicious chicken rolls and cold coffee... those were the days when one didn't have to worry about calories (sigh!).
The dining room that's another place that I like. While the continental food served there is always good, what some may not know is that if you place an order 24 hours before, they will serve you the most heavenelicious Lobster Thermidore and Beef Steak. Now when I visit Calcutta, my father places this order a day in advance at the club.
Recently, the much-hated Chinese room has become quite nice. The food here earlier was pretty bad. However, over the last two years it has improved remarkably. My recommendations are: Spring Chicken and Prawn Gold Coin; Mixed Fried Rice; Honey Chilly Chicken; and Hakka Noodles.
Apart from that of course the club calls out to me in December and January with the Bakery Carnival, Christmas Lunch, New Year Eve's Dinner, and International Food Festival.

Love you lots CC! 

Chanel Nail Paints

Nail paints are my weakness. At times i have as many as 4 to 6 paints in my handbag! While I love and am spoilt for choice by the gorgeous shades from O.P.I and Inglot; I prefer the unique shades from Chanel. The colours from Chanel capture a mood and tell a story. Take of example the shade called Diwali, it's a shimmery gold. It's bling but it's not loud. It makes a statement without a shout. There is something sensuous about it, it is truly inspired by India. I also love their Peridot. The greenish gold paint looks sexy and smouldering. My other favourites include the beautiful Lotus Rouge, the vivacious Holiday, and the sexy Frenzy.
My tip: keep your nails short and round to show off these shades.


To see more about Chanel nail paints log on http://www.chanel.com/en_US/fragrance-beauty/Makeup-Nails-89313