Fun to be One!

Pink Diaries turned ONE this week and though I had planning for a special post and a giveway, I really couldn’t do all that I intended to owing to my harrowing work schedule offlate which threw me in an unprecedented writer’s block as well. Nevermind ! Its never too late to raise a toast to this milestone.

The feeling is great and as a nurturer, reaching that first birthday is a high point,isn’t it?  I’ll like to take a moment to acknowledge each of my readers and followers for being a part of this journey and sharing the love . It had be a pleasure to bring that smile, to anticipate that sigh , to share the passion and talk of fashion (wow, it rhymes!) J

Thank you so much for being part of my blog community, sharing these posts and commenting !!! Wish the connect we share with each other sees us through many such celebrations...

P.S. I’ll be announcing a giveaway shortly...Stay close!

Continue reading...

Vanity Size does matter!

We are confused species. Humans in general and women in particular. Especially when it comes to sizes.We want our laptop screens smaller and phone screens bigger knowing the purpose each serve, our torso bigger and derrerie smaller, our rings larger and chains finer..the list is endless. An online shopping order gone wrong has made me rethink how confused exactly I am about sizes.

I am not exactly an avid online shopper and my latest online order hasn’t done much to bolster my trust in online shopping (no points for guessing which site I ordered from!) The item is question was a ‘free’ size Kaftan dress with attractive prints and a chic belt to team it up with but what was delivered to me was a XXL size dress sans the belt and much more sheerer than it actually appeared online. I can accept no-belt thing assuming I missed to read the fine print but a XXL size in which two of my size can easily fit and still leave space for more is certainly NOT done! Free Size does mean ‘One Size Fits All’ but pushing a XXL size as free size hoping that it will fit all isn’t right! Or is it?

I was grappling for a term to describe this experience and Vanity Sizing came close but ‘Inverse Vanity Sizing’ is what it would be best described as. Vanity Sizing or size inflation means the garment is actually bigger and more accommodating than the label suggests. That means clothes sizes are labeled a size or two smaller than actual by shops and designers to flatter the customers. In a nutshell, vanity sizing, as its name suggests, is designed to satisfy buyers' wishes to appear thin and feel better about themselves.

That made me think Vanity Sizing isn’t a bad thing after all. Well who doesn’t want to feel slim and fit and if a label can massage your ego, no one’s complaining. A wardrobe full of XS, S and M sizes is such a joy but the moment the letter start reading L, XL, 2L and what not, you strike the panic button.

Knowingly or unknowingly, all of us at some point of time must have had picked a wrong size and still feel good about it. I have done it many times…like the waist 24” hot pants I bought ages ago – forget about the pants fitting me , the button and the hole are more than 4” apart today ! Similarly, like the time I went shopping with my ‘apparently large’ friend where we both picked a size M – she unsure if she’ll wear it but afraid to admit she is large and me amused at her suicide attempt by asphyxiation! :D

So I’ll let this particular oversized buy pass as a compensation for the undersized ones and I think I should probably gift it to a pregnant friend!!!

P.S. What has been your vanity sizing experience?

Continue reading...

A LILY and her Fireballs

I couldn’t have been happier for my friend Anita for her feature in Bangalore Times for her innovative home décor ideas and that qualifies her to be my Limelight Lady (LILY) this month. I owed her this feature on my blog and it’s been looong overdue but her Fireballs left enough spark to wake me up from the slumber. In case you are wondering what on earth is this LILY, read here. And those who aren’t wondering, lets shift the spotlight. So Anita, my LILY, bask in the glory of your Fireballs!

Anita has launched her own line of handcrafted home lighting and markets them under the trade name – Fireball. She is an IT professional with a penchant for crafting that inspired her to create this unique hand-made piece of art which draws its inspiration from ‘The Sun’ and it reflects in all her designs.

Fireball translates to the shades of light that the Sun brings to us. At the first glance, it is tough to comprehend how this beautiful yet intriguing piece of light is made. I’m given to understand that it is made out of PVC sheets that are cut to shape like Star, Round, Oval and brought to life in the backyard. The use of Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) within the lamp ensures the product is eco-friendly. Fireball is modern, classy yet affordable lighting that perfectly blends into any décor.


Depending on the design, making a piece of Fireball can take anything between 3-6 days. These are available at Mother Earth outlets in Bangalore at affordable prices ranging from 450 to 2500 bucks. And if the Fireballs have caught the fancy of others residing at different coordinates, just drop in a line at diya.anitha@gmail.com and get it shipped home in no time!

Collection @ MOTHER EARTH, Domlur Store - Oval , Round & Pentagon

Featured in The Times of India, Bangalore edition

Check out her facebook page for more...

www.facebook.com/pages/Bangalore-India/Fireball/145053492208810

Continue reading...

Spa-licious Sojourns

I couldn’t have found a better way to utilize my Me-time this weekend. (Read about my Me-time theory here) The opening of a new swanky spa close to my home gave me the perfect excuse to go OTT with pampering and grooming. Living in an upmarket neighborhood does help, after all!

My recent spa experience was a complete treat for the senses. The moment I set my foot in, I succumbed to that addictive world of fleeting pleasure. Trust me; I had the faintest idea of what a terrific experience was awaiting me and now I can’t help grinning away like a Cheshire cat. That’s what a day of spa indulgence does to you and two days in a row just ensure that the grin only gets bigger!! :)

Image Source: Sereno website

Sereno Spa was a welcome change from the run-of-the-mill spas and salons in every nook and cranny of the city. The resemblance of the name to that of one of the hottest spas in the country (Sereno at Park Hyatt, Goa) was nothing but a chance. The menu, however, boasted of internationally acclaimed therapies and treatments one would find in luxury wellness centers and I was tempted to try on something fancier that the usual Aromatherapy massage. My pick was Balinese Massage and Champagne and Rose Hydrating Facial. Champagne and rose – how cool is that!

Doesnt their spa room look inviting ?!!

Balinese Massage, I learnt that day, is a full –body, deep-tissue holistic treatment that combines acupressure, reflexology, stretching and aromatherapy to stimulate flow of blood, oxygen and "qi" (energy) around your body, and bring deep relaxation and wellness. Over an hour of gentle stretching and acupressure and soaking in the choicest of aroma oils followed by sauna and a shower catapulted me into seventh heaven. BLISS, I swear!

From seventh heaven, I took a flight to cloud nine when the champagne and roses started working their spell on me. Champagne and Roses Hydrating Facial is a restorative and de-stressing treatment with pure organic aromatherapy that leaves the skin feeling soft, hydrated and youthful. Champagne has complexion-toning properties and roses replenish skin’s moisture and deeply hydrate the skin. A variety of Thai-make products like powdered pearls scrub for exfoliation, champagne grapeseed moisturizer, honey mask, champagne and rose butter cream were used in this treatment. A 60 minute session left me completely relaxed, recharged and rejuvenated. If I were to dedicate a song to myself, it would have been “(Tipsy) Kiss from a Rose”! :D

I wrapped up my weekend smelling luxurious, smiling uncontrollably and looking shiny. May be it was the spa effect or was it a halo on my head?!!! O:-)

Which is your favorite spa therapy? Talk to me...

Continue reading...

The Gift of Time

The announcement of a blogging contest at Indus Ladies has got my creative juices flowing. Its been a long time since I wrote a commissioned post and this seems like the perfect opportunity. The contest is a prelude to the International Women’s Day celebration and therefore, centers on women. The topic is ‘A perspective on roles of Indian Women’ and this post is my entry for the contest. I tag Tanvi, Chandni and Ritu to participate in the contest.

Indusladies 2nd Annual International Women's Day Blog Contest

I love Saturdays. Well, who doesn’t! But my reasons for loving Saturdays might differ from yours. I love them for a very simple reason that my husband is at work on Saturdays and I get the ME time I so look forward to the whole week. Don’t get me wrong here – I looove spending time with him and family too (whenever they are around) but there’s a greater person that itches for a fair amount of undivided attention – That’s Me!

 

I won’t call it self-love (though I admit I’m quite vain! :P) but I love spending time with myself for a simple reason that ‘Me-Time’ is liberating, exhilarating and peaceful all at one. Spending quality time with myself has always been therapeutic for me. Making activity almost irrelevant does that trick. I could spend that time doing anything from curling up in bed with a book or flipping through my favorite channels or facebooking endlessly to pampering myself in a spa or indulging in retail therapy without having to care much of the responsibilities that awaits me when the Me-time ends.Over time, it has become my quick fix for an instant rejuvenation.

And its heartening to know that it isn’t just me. I find more and more women appealed by this idea of Me-time. Women today, Indian Women to be particular, do realize (and definitely should!) that there is something beyond the labels that the world has metaphorically pinned upon their torso - homemaker, nurturer, mother, daughter-in-law and wife. Each responsibility, of course, constantly entails being a constant physical presence in the lives of others. Not many of us can look beyond these responsibilities even for a fraction of time without feeling guilty or selfish. 

My two cents to all the women reading this and on the brink of getting convinced of Me-time – your spending time with yourself is not being self-centred, it's self care! Irrespective of what role you play in life, care for yourself first so that you care for others better. There’s something magical, fun and empowering about spending time with oneself. You will always return with a renewed sense of gratitude for what awaits you. Discover yourself. Let your hair down. Turn up the volume. Croon louder. Laugh harder. Nobody will sue you for that!!! :)

Happy Women’s Day and a toast to your new-found freedom!

Continue reading...

Fresh Lilies

Lilies are on my mind lately. No, I’m not getting hint-y about my gifts of choice this Valentine. Flowers aren’t figuring high on my wish-list this time around. I mean they are always nice-to-have and place the right accents on the right occasions, but don’t we have remaining 364 days to celebrate love through flowers. I’d say, “Bring on a solitaire, honey!” :D

Oh, I totally digressed from the point! Let’s get back to the lilies. Starting this month, I am going to introduce a new section on Pink Diaries where, to begin with, I will feature ladies (fellow bloggers included!) whom I know from close quarters for their out-of-the-ordinary work and notable achievements. Lady, I pronounce thee Limelight Lady – LILY for short.

Kickstarting this LILY series is my dearest friend Shweta alias Mili whom I have mentioned on my blog a couple of times already. She was an obvious choice for me choosing to place her in the spotlight owing to our looong association and a common bond of love for photography. She has been my inspiration for going behind the lens and continues to inspire me every single day.

Shweta is a budding photographer who shun her cushy IT job to pursue her passion. She can create magic with her camera and her forte is lifestyle photography. She runs her own photography business under the name ‘The Creative Lens’. Quite a stunner herself, this yummy mummy can send the temperature soaring when she puts her best foot forward fashionably and how!

Here are some of her drool-worthy shots:

N.B. All the images are copyrighted and I have obtained permission for publishing them.

She is currently based out of Switzerland and will be in India this summer. So in case her work has caught your fancy, check out her website (http://www.tclphotography.com/) and drop in a line. U can mention my name for a blogger friend discount ;)

Wish this LILY a blooming future and freshness forever !

P.S. Let me know what do u think of my new section.

Continue reading...

KISS : Keep it Short & Simple!

Although I'm truly madly deeply in Valentines mood, I don't intend to freak you out with overtones of PDA. The title is solely meant for my recent Goa trip (about which u read here).Packing for a beach vacation is always eeeasyy. Just throw in ur skimpiest outfits and a pair of flip-flops and you are sorted. And just in case u want to add panache to those formal dinners which are quite likely to come your way, pack in a LBD and a set of killer heels. Disclaimer: This is usually my idea of packing for beach vacays and are subjected to change as and when the situation demands :P

Traveling light is more of a misnomer for this trip. Though I adhered to my packing guidelines, it wasn’t light by any means. Driving down in your own car gives you all the room in the world to carry your household. Well, sorta! I didn’t plan in advance what all I intended to wear but I tucked in outfits with special attention to the hemlines and coverage and ensured that I don’t run out of choices.

After all, Goa is one place where every one dares to bare unapologetically. Even with a spaghetti top and a capri , I felt like the most clothed in female in the whole of Goa. Fine, I’m exaggerating it a wee bit more here but my feelings were somewhere close to that. So I jumped at this opportunity to show off my freshly waxed arms and legs. The excess baggage that I carried along came handy in my modest skin show.

Here are a few of my favorite looks from the trip:

Attitude?? SO !!!
Top- Marks & Spensers ; Shorts- MTV Accesories ; Bag - No Dimensions(bought online) ;
Accesories - Bandra ; Ballet Flats - Bata

Dress- AND ; Accesories - Peora ; Sunglasses-Fastrack

Top - Jealous ; Hot Pants - Globus; Bag - Bangles(store in a B'lore mall); Flip-flops - Hypercity;
Accesories -AVON ; Stole- Bombay Stores

 

Jumpsuit - Bargain buy from Goa flea market; Spaghetti - Thrift ; Accesories - Forgotten !!! :D
I just cudn't resist the temptation of wearing it !


So how did u find these? Which one did u like best ?If at all :D

Continue reading...

Eat.Shop.Love.

These three words quite sum up my current state of mind that is still reeling under Goan trance. A mid week break was the perfect excuse to sneak out from the city for an idyllic getaway and what could be better than Goa at this time of the year. It turned out to be such a crackerjack holiday that even a week-long break left me salivating for more!

Goa has become a second home of sorts for us and we rarely go through a year without holidaying in Goa…at least once and sometimes even twice. This was our fifth time there so sightseeing wasn’t figuring on my wish list at all. I’d rather planned to laze around the beaches and soak up the heady mix of sun, sand and surf. In midst of doing lot of nothing-at-all, I indulged in making the most of Eating, Shopping & Loving! The eating and shopping bit will get a room on this post and I’ll reserve the details of the loving bit :D

The gastronomic journey that I experienced had some stellar pit-stops which deserve a respectable mention. Had the best brick-oven pizza ever, gorged on cheesecakes and banoffee pies and savoured a delectable array of seafood. Here are a few of the images I clicked to keep the awesomeness alive in memory…

Seafood Pizza at Magic Italy (Palolem -South Goa)

Cheesecake at a German Bakery (Baga -North Goa)

Apart from being immensely hip & happening, Goa never fails to surprise me with the effortless style in clothing. A nip here, a tuck there and ta-da u have a beautiful gown made from a traditional sari or few seams conjoined to make a wraparound out of almost anything. Barring a few items that cater to the ‘Butter Chicken & Dal Makhni’ crowd like block-print kurtas, cotton dresses, straw hats and souvenir t-shirts to name a few, the flea market can churn out highly interesting stuff if you have the eye for it.

The flea market is also the pulse of latest trends and this time around I found few things dotting the market

• Scarf Dresses

• Harem pants in all dimensions (short/medium/long) and different fabrics (cotton/ tie-dye/silk)

• Jump Suits

• Hot Pants

• Shimmer Bags

• Ruffle Lamps

Flea Market at Palolem

The colorful ruffle lamps in the flea market

I grabbed a whole lot of stuff from the flea market which gave me a head rush and made me feel good. And at those prices, it’ll make me feel less guilty even if I don’t use them more than once.

I will post some pictures of outfits I wore and those of my flea market buys in subsequent posts…after I figure out how to manage 2.5 GB of pictures spilling out of the folder on my already saturated hard disk and each one vying for my attention. Damn these digital cameras!!!

Continue reading...

Nourish Bath & Body: Product Review

My Nourish Bath & Body order from 99Labels came just in time for stocking my vanity bag for the harsh winter ahead of my vacation. It was delightful to receive an order just the way it was seen on the internet and saving some bucks on a planned TBS body butter buy added to the delight! I grabbed only the body lotion from the combo box for my trip and made a note to post a review once I’m back for the interest of the fellow makeup & beauty bloggers who’ve stuck around…

Now that I’ve used all the products atleast a couple of times, I would like to share my experience. The Nourish Bath & Body Care Combo included two handcrafted soap bars, a body lotion, a body scrub and a complimentary soap dish in beechwood.

Café Latte Body Bar – This body bar has a creamy texture and comprises of milk, cocoa and a dash of nutmeg and scents of vanilla , honey & ofcourse coffee , hence the name. A coffee icon on the bar does more that just refresh with the heady blend.

Ingredients: Soap Base, Glycerine, Vitamin E Oil. 

After 8 AM Body Bar – This body bar is made up of a mix of natural oils, has a creamy texture, smells of after dinner mints and has embedded jelly chunks of chocolate flavor. Quite tempting, isn’t it?

Ingredients: Saponified oils of Olive, Coconut ,Castor & Palm, Vitamin E Oil & Fragrance.

Sweet Almond Oil Body Lotion – It’s a nourishing moisturizing lotion with pure Sweet Almond Oil as its base and a host of other oils with good moisturizing properties. It has a distinct Almond Oil fragrance, protects the surface of the skin and keeps it soft & supple.

Ingredients: Almond Oil, Jojoba Oil, Aloe Vera, Vitamin E Oil, Glycerine , Fragrance & Preservatives

Madras Coffee Madness Body Scrub - I absolutely loved this particular product! It contains a sugar scrub with coffee beans, cocoa butter and nourishing oils and it shows great results on skin on application. It melts on the skin leaving it satin smooth and is believed to be effective in busting cellulite. A good substitute for my cuppa morning coffee – just the smell is enough! :)

Ingredients: Coffee Beans , Cocoa Butter, Almond Oil, Jojoba Oil, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Castor Oil, Vitamin E Oil, Fragrance & Preservatives

Pros: Products are totally organic and handmade; Offbeat products with complex blends and interesting packaging; Good on skin and easy on pocket: p

Cons: The fragrances are bit too strong (as a personal preference I don’t mind smelling of coffee but surely don’t dig smelling of almond oil all day long!)

Price : INR 1300 for the combo (individual prices not available)

The product is manufactured in NCR that explains its limited availabilities in cities other than Delhi and online. Hope it hits the shelves in your neighborhood mall soon. If you do come across Nourish, go ahead & take your pick for a sensual experience…

Which one did you like best?

Continue reading...

Holiday Tales and a Tote

First things first. A very happy new year to all you lovelies. I was MIA on the blogging front for over a fortnight as I was vacationing in Dilli ki Sardi but I’ve been missing blogging terribly. I was hoping that I’ll have exciting holiday tales to dish out but I’m afraid those are bordering on disappointing :(

My wintry excitement went for a toss the moment our flight got cancelled due to heavy fog. Train tickets that I’d booked as a backup plan came handy but I was in for a rude shock when the overnight journey was completed in double the time due to abnormal weather conditions. Landing in 2 degree celsius at 2 in the night on wasn’t really my idea of winters!

Anyhow, with our itinerary gone awfully haywire there was little we could do except eat, drink and be merry! I needed minimum 3 levels of layering to withstand the extreme cold and my winter fashion was lost somewhere between those layers. Now that I’m back to my warm snug zone and the teeth chattering and mind-numbing cold is behind me, I’ve got lot to catch up on and a series of posts to make.

Between the traveling, the dinners, and the in-laws, the holidays turned out be a stresser but the saving grace was quality time with family and a gifted Liz Claiborne Tote (about which you read here).

It’s a nice BIG carry-all tote in which I can practically carry my household, apt for a GOG (girl-on-the-go) like me and since the big, big bag is in fashion, I’m delighted to have it. The tag details read that it is from the Liz Claiborne Paige Signature Collection and comes with a 10 year warranty! The fabric is signature jacquard in a cotton/poly bend with LC initials dotting the exterior and hardware detailing is quite distinct.

It has a separate padded section for laptop which was my preference. Though a 14” laptop compartment was what I was looking for, this one can carry a 17” one which is also fine.

Apart from this, the most vital feature that I noticed in few days of usage is that it manages to fit it anything and everything from a laptop to a bulky camera to a spare set of dress and a pair of shoes and still carry it comfortly. Ok, I haven’t tried the shoe bit yet but I did fit it my fluffy jacket inside so full marks for dat! Overall, I think I like it and its just perfect for my ‘heavily loaded’ workdays.

Let me hear from you what do you think about it…

P.S. Hauling myself to the shopping malls seemed to be a difficult task in the chill but I managed it somehow. Where there’s a will, there’s a way! More posts on that coming up…Stay connected :)

Continue reading...