Aamchi Pune, to Our Pune-Happy Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day: a time of the year reserved only for our better halves, the special loved one, soul mates and family. More often than never, we leave this day aside to make all those lengthy preparations to come through, trying our best to make our special someone feel the love. But when do we stop, think and spend time with something that we’ve been with all these years? The place will be permanent, even though the people may change. The city that has made us what we are, and has been the center of all the opportunities that we seized without a second thought. The city with a deep rooted culture, yet cosmopolitan. Amchi Pune, the city with Ravivar Peth and Shaniwad wada,  M.G Road and Koregaon Park... a place where you can celebrate Ganpati in Dagdusheth, and the Pune Wine Fest at Rohi Villa.

So why not celebrate the most romantic day of the year with your city? That’s precisely what I came across this year, at Phoenix MarketCity, and absolutely loved the initiative! A refreshing take on Valentine's day, it did changed my perspective this time around. 

 It only came to my notice after I saw #ILovePune on Twitter, which not only got me to look up the details of the contest, but also observe and participate.  Each reply brought a smile on my face, lighting up my mood with every tweet. It was lovely to see so many people I don’t know, connect with me on our hometown (Social Media Junkie Alert, yeah!) I have spent a large chunk of my life travelling, but since the last 12 years, Pune has been my home. It has given me the people I value the most, and the education and profession I’ve always longed for..opportunities and life lessons, it's been a wonderful journey here in Pune. This is precisely why every tweet got me a little nostalgic about old times and growing up in this place. I’ve seen it change from a small town with the only shopping ‘mall’ being West Side in M.G Road, and the only multiplex being Inox  back in 2001, to a city with multiple malls (Phoenix Marketcity being one of the biggest) and a gazillion multiplexes. I doubt  the younger generation will be able to see such a magical and drastic change over a reasonably short period of time.  I’ve watched this change, been a part of it, grown with it.

I decided to pamper myself this Valentines, and headed over to Phoenix for some shopping. On reaching, I saw a small crowd collected near this enormous flex board where people would come and write why they loved Pune. They were also sticking something that looked like coins ( on inquiring, I found out that they WERE coins) I loved the vada pav cartoons that some of them were making, and the bun-maska chai...there was a really cute cartoon of a dog holding up an umbrella for a cat... looking at the pictures got me nostalgic. And it doesn't stop here! The money collected after selling the coins is being donated (Yes, I was curious, cos it struck me as odd. Why would you collect money on Valentine's, right?) to an NGO- Ekansh (for physically disabled people) What a BRILLIANT initiative!

 They even let people get pictures clicked where they’d get the polaroids within no time. Since I was alone, I couldn't really get myself to draw or take pictures (where are your friends when you need them? :P ) Jokes apart, I was pretty impressed by the innovation of this particular idea. 

I would never have stopped to think about the love I have for my city on Valentine’s Day. I absolutely loved how beautifully Phoenix brought out this new way of looking at this precious romantic day, yet bringing out the essence of it. We never forget to dedicate time to make our loved ones feel better, but how often do we spare a few minutes to thank the city that has made us who we are? 

Being from an Army background, I should be used to traveling every 2 years. But Pune does this to people...no one wants to leave Pune,we all get back here.One way or another.

Being Featured On Thought Catalog

Yes, you read that right. I am still trying to get over the fact that this happened with me. Of course, it's no big deal, but then you don't really come across such exposure everyday, you know.

Honestly, Thought Catalog is like my guilty pleasure. So yes, it was a little embarrassing to find out that an article was actually published! I was in shock for 5 minutes...and then it struck me. Of course I was happy, of course I was squealing! But within seconds I realized this would mean a whloe lot of negative feedback from ALL OVER THE WORLD! (That's the worst part about the arts..it's so subjective, you are bound to get haters) But it's been 36 hours since the article was published, and I've not got bad reviews *touchwood* (Though there were two who went off on another tangent- something about how I made feminist sound like a bad thing. Lulz, cos I go on to say something on the lines of "to each his own" Oh well, the word I should have used was"humanist" So yeah, my bad too. Someone was kind enough to point that out to me. Anyway, I sincerely hope they got my point)

Also, phew!

*Note- It's been 5 days, I'm guessing the negative comments have started pouring in. I am not surprised. It does hurt to see yourself being misunderstood, and even though you don't want to know it, you end up clicking on the link and reading all that people have to say.....*sigh* Some people,very simply, told me this- you have written something which has been published on an international portal, you are bound to get feedback. Not everyone will agree. You just got to be strong. Don't bother what something someone sitting in a chair in some remote corner of the world has to say about this. This is what you felt, and you wrote it.
And yes, there are those who agree, and I am glad they liked reading it (I get around 20-30 mails everyday from people thanking me for the article) and then there are those who absolutely hated my guts the moment they read the article. To some I might be oblivious, naive, or maybe a plain and simple fool. But I have nothing to prove to anybody. I know where I come from, and that's enough to keep me from changing my stance on the whole thing.

In case you haven't checked Thought Catalog (and don't wish to in the future) here's what I wrote-

20 Generalizations Indian Girls Are Fed Up With

Sometimes life isn’t fair, and though people are opening up to the idea of the “modern woman”, there are a few who judge us incorrectly, especially here in India. I won’t go into a lengthy explanation; once again, I am just trying to prove my point here. It is definitely going to sound feminist, but I assure you, I believe in equality of the sexes. I am just expressing my opinion here.  Not everyone might agree, but you might want to read it.

1. Not every girl wants to get married by 23. So before you ASSUME she’s of marriageable age, ask her what her views on marriage are. One hint, might save you the drama- just because she does not want to get married now does not mean she never will. She has other plans for herself right now, let her live a little.

2. Just because a girl wishes to do her PhD after Masters does not mean she doesn’t want to settle down in life. Give her a break, and respect the fact that she has the confidence to take that up, cos yeah, PhD is no joke. There will come a point when she would happily devote herself to her family, and balance it out with her work life. Her degrees, or lack of them, won’t make any difference.  Let her study while she wants to, okay?

3. Just because she is 27 and unmarried does not mean she’s been rejected by many men. Maybe, being single is a choice she has made.

4. Having a boyfriend does not make her characterless.

5. Just because she has recently gone through a break up doesn’t mean she is vulnerable and available.

6. Just because most of her friends are boys, does not mean she is “having a good time” with all of them.

7. Just because she has a drink in her hand does not mean she is an alcoholic.

8. Just because she wore a short skirt to one party does not mean she dresses up that way every day.

9. Just because she is ambitious doesn’t mean she isn’t a family person.

10. Just because she doesn’t discuss her plans doesn’t mean she’s clueless about life. Give her a chance, alright?

11. Just because she is outspoken doesn’t mean she is a rebel.

12. Just because she comes home late from work does not mean she is sleeping around with her colleagues.

13. After a hectic week, give her some time to relax over the weekend. Don’t make that one weekend party make her look like a she’s a frivolous party-girl without a job.

14. Just because she is out shopping alone does not mean she is depressed or lonely. It’s how she relaxes, respect that.

15. Just because she is on a holiday alone does not mean she doesn’t have company.  Maybe it’s a break to get back her lost confidence, or maybe that’s how she is. Admire her spirit instead of giving her advice, okay?

16. Just because she is a woman doesn’t mean she can’t kick ass in military school.

17. Just because she has a tattoo doesn’t mean she is attention seeking. Maybe that’s her way of expression.

18. Just because she doesn’t know how to cook doesn’t mean she won’t make a good wife. Remember when you were just married and cooked chicken curry which was um, a disaster?

19. Just because she likes everything pink and shiny and fluffy doesn’t mean she lives in her own world. She can handle some situations much better  than her male counterparts.

20. Just because she is pretty does not mean she is a whore. And just because she is friendly does not mean she is flirting with you.

Yes, we cry, we are emotional; we take things personally, and sometimes over-react to situations. But this does not give any one the right to judge us in the wrong way. Times are changing; don’t confine her within those boundaries, no matter how orthodox you are. There are some who might be fighting this losing battle, yet compromising on their decisions and plans, just to please society. Respect that.




In case you do want to check it out, here's the article-

http://thoughtcatalog.com/pea-tea/2014/02/20-generalizations-indian-girls-are-fed-up-with/#iHVTlX2fop5gfvpH.01

Keeping Calm..and drinking Coke. Picture Credits to ze boyfriend. 

<In case there are more of you who decide to get super aggressive about "feminism", do go through the comments, or well, let me clarify-

1. Too angry
2. Too distracted
3. Operating from the space of knowing only those who abuse the power of being feminists.
4. MY BAD. Geddit? MY BAD.


In case you feel some points are applicable to boys as well, I am sure you have a reason for saying so. And I respect that.

In case you feel I am degrading women, well I clearly didn't mean to. This is something that most of my friends have faced, and I am writing out of experience. Coming from an Army background, I have been all over India. And have faced many such issues personally, no matter how progressive the families have been.THAT'S the space I am operating from. In case you don't agree, you are more than welcome to share feedback, but let's not make this a debate. Some experience it, some don't. Let's leave it at that.

Thank you>


Cheers!

Djuma Soundsystem at Vivanta by Taj Blue Diamond, Pune.

It’s not every day that you waltz into the suite of an international DJ to take his interview. What was supposed to be a formal interview ended up being a friendly chit-chat over pizza and <healthy> drinks.  We entered the suite and found him lounging around in shorts and a t-shirt, talking to his entourage about lack of sleep and wondering how much time would the interview take. I assured him I won’t take more than 10 minutes (and well, I did not), and quickly proceeded with my questions.

I tend to do a whole lot of background study before I take something up.  So I had already read a couple of interviews of Dj Mikkas, and had found out that he lived in Denmark, and had no musical background. His favorite places to perform are Berlin, and in India he loves the scenes at Goa, Gurgaon,Pune and Bangalore. He finds India a very tough country to please; he enjoys his music and feels as long as his enthusiasm is alive, he does not need to think about competition. And there is no particular type of music he plays, it depends on what the crowd likes, the mood, the atmosphere, everything.

Knowing all the important stuff, I thought I’d get a little casual. It did surprise him a little bit. “Oh, casual…like, what’s my favorite color?”

“You read my mind..that’s exactly what I was going to ask you! So, what is your favorite color? J”

Mikkas <laughs>- Ah well….Black. Black is my favorite color.

This was how the “interaction” started, and by the end of it, we were happily instagramming pictures with each other. Sweet and humble beginnings. 

Me- Where are you from?

Mikkas- I live in Copenhagen, but I am originally from Norway.

Me- How was your childhood like?

Mikkas- Cold. I remember, when we were further north for the first 7 years, the sun wouldn’t set at night.(Midnight Sunset) And it was COLD.

Me- Oh yeah, I know about this. My folks were there for quite some time. Fascinating. 

So, how were you like, as a boy?

Mikkas- oohh *thinking* Um, pretty regular, you know. Just the average school boy I guess. Not much of a loner, no, but I remember I would go for walks alone, thinking about different beats in my head. There was music in my head, lots of it. I started deejaying when I was 14. Yeah, that young.

Me- Why music?

Mikkas- There was so much music in my head, I had to do something about it! I saw it (still do) as a form of expression. I was a movie maker, had my own TV production, but music was what I was meant to be doing.

Me- If not music, what would you be doing?

Mikkas- Ah well, I think I would have been a movie director.

Me- So…why India?

Mikkas- Why not? J It’s difficult to please the audience here, and I love the challenge.  It’s a pain, trying to plan and co-ordinate things here, but once you LAND here, this place opens up a whole lot of opportunities for you! Things magically fall into place once you get here J

Me- How’s it been so far?

Mikkas- Warm. So warm. Back where I come from, it’s freezing cold. This feels nice.

Me- How’s it different, coming here as a tourist, and coming here on business?

Mikkas- I still feel like a tourist. I came to India 20 years ago, as a tourist. I don’t think anything has changed about it.

Me- So, where do you plan to go next, after Pune?

Mikkas- Bangalore.

Me- How was Delhi?

Mikkas- Honestly speaking, I didn’t think it was successful. The crowd comprised of mostly the hotel guests, and the average age was what..60? :/ But hey! I made them dance!!! There was a 60 year old couple going nuts on the dance floor!

We performed at another club, where yes, they had a younger crowd, almost 200-300 of them, but people were rowdy!

Me- So, what should we expect tonight?

Mikkas- ah well, let’s see. I play what the crowd wants. I start with my slow tracks, but I have noticed Indians prefer the loud, pumped up beats. So I will gradually move on to that later. I don’t force my music, I want people to feel comfortable.

Me- Last one! What’s your favorite food here? J

Mikkas- Oh, food! Um, I like the fish curry in Goa, and the breakfasts. I like Dosas!!

And on that hungry note, we concluded the interview, and headed down to the pool side for some coffee and snacks.

At the table, we ended up discussing random things, like party hopping in Goa, Goa trance parties, hitchhiking, the brilliant hospitality at the hotels, the view from the room,the works. Mikkas is a humble guy, who smiles at everyone, orders his beet root and carrot juice, sips on it quietly while instagramming pictures, and is a very very good listener. He is an international music artiste, but on a personal level, he is just one of us. And his entourage had so many interesting stories to tell us (we discussed mobile phones, telephones back in the 90s,vegetable shopping, and typical Indian bringing up at lengths) that we didn’t realize it had been 2 hours already.  I even forgot to complain about my Oreo Shake being too milky (I had expected chocolate!)

We were back at Vivanta at 7:15pm, where the opening DJ had just started spinning out his tunes. The energy was kicking in, and it felt positive. We found a table at the back, and started gossiping like little girls having met after so long (Girls. There’s so much to discuss) The place filled up by 8:30pm, Mikkas had just started his act, and was playing soothing beats. After a certain while, we couldn’t help but join the guys in the front- the music was energetic, the pulse was loud, the lights and beats were perfectly synchronized, the atmosphere was trippy, and the crowd was getting into the flow of things. Mikkas himself was energetically jumping around, moving along to the beats- one would never think the man up there had got only 4 hours of sleep the previous night. The passion was seen, right there.

And the night was GOOD. This is the kind of music that gets you high and moving, without any alcohol. Yeah, that good. Never saw a dull moment or a drop in the energy levels till the end. By the end of it, a little girl (she was 4) was dancing along to Mikkas’ music. Brilliant energy, a whole lot of passion, and it was all reflected in the music. A brilliant night, after ages! Haven’t seen this scene around in Pune, no I haven’t.

Honestly, I would love it if he came here again. The only down side to the event was the food. There were 2 options available in both veg and non veg, and a little too over-priced. But I doubt that mattered to anyone, almost EVERYONE was on the floor, dancing.

So yeah, I made new friends, experienced new music, and once again gained new insights into a completely new industry. It was a good exposure, and I know for sure, there will be more to come.

#100Happy Days- The Happiness Challenge

This is a wonderful concept, I personally believe. Haven't found many who'd agree with me, but I ain't doing this for them. 

Before I go ahead with this, I'd like you to take out 5 minutes to check out the website:

100happydays.com

Hopefully this means that people will now KNOW the concept, and probably understand the reason why some of us might want to follow it.

It's very easy to be sad in life, extremely easy. Things like not getting your morning coffee can spoil your day. Have you ever stopped to think about how many of these little things have we taken for granted? This challenge is taking me there, one day at a time. Days when I feel nothing has made me happy, I realize we take the word "happy" for granted. We only acknowledge "ecstasy". So yes, my pedicured feet and cup of nesquik have made me happy, and I shall instagram them!

I usually instagram pictures at the end of the day. If in case I do not have any pictures., I do make sure I tweet. End of the day works for me since it gives me time to reflect on all that has happened that day. It sounds cliched, but it does make me realize the importance of the little things that I've taken for granted in life. 

Anyway, here's my journey so far...follow me, and try doing it too. It takes a little time to get used to, but you see the effects soon. 

(The Challenge was accepted on 2 Jan 2014)

Day 1- Nesquik and emails. Comfort zone ^_^

Day 2- An impromptu plan to eat out, and BOY was it good! Tandoori Chicken is very very very under-rated. 

 Waking up to check my phone, only to see that smile. *sigh*
Butterflies in tummy is how each day starts, this can't be restricted to 100 only.  

Day 3- Dad's birthday :)

After a tiring 4 hours at the mall (NEVER shop during sale season, spending 2k extra is WORTH it)
and picking up one lipstick (must control urge to pick up pretty colored expensive lipsticks) and listening to
the younger sister complain about life, in general.  Sister's day out- Day 4.

Day 5 - Another random plan to fulfill butter chicken and appam cravings.

Day 6- Finally remembered his birthday this year. What started off as a quiet dinner turned into a chaotic (yet fun) night. Also, this is the first time I landed up at a house party absolutely un-invited, only to have the whole world I usually try avoiding present there. Highlight of the night- me being the only sober one around (I don't drink), it was fun seeing people surprised by my ability to have fun with people I openly hate, especially when I hadn't even had a sip of alcohol to drink.
High five to me. 

Rambling on about life's little problems, only to see her doze off. She's forgiven, cos she's cute.
Day 7 with le sister.

Day8 - After downloading the NBA 2K14 twice, visiting the post office once, burning the game onto DVDs twice, buying a completely new game, testing it, and finally sending it to le boyfriend. What started off as an annoying task ended up making me feel very um...awww. Cos I'd not do it for anyone, duh. 

Day 9- found a lot of stuff while cleaning my room. This is an airport ticket from 5 June 2013.
Nothing can make me forget the hug and the tears that flowed during that extremely painful goodbye. I choke up looking at it. But yes, it makes me happy. 

Day 10- Successfully managed to pick up things I didn't need. 

Day 11- Nesquik, Pulp Fiction, and Sundays. 

Day 12- Gossiping with le sister. And a little bit of nostalgia. 

Day 13- Food review! Didn't know it at this time, but it's helped me become a biggie in the food bloggers circle in Pune! 

 Day 14- I decided to explore a little more. And I'm happy to say that I'm now learning how to interpret artwork. It's very very interesting. Changes perspective, you know.

Day 15- won them on Twitter. No one can possibly be unhappy around chocolates. 

Day 16- Met these boys after 2 weeks, and it felt like forever. There are a few people you meet who end up being a part of you. These are a few of my peeps. 

Day 17- A day that starts at 3:00pm, followed by coffee and carrot cake, and ends with biryani from Blue Nile. 

Day 17. 

Day 18- Yes, I'm still too excited to put this into words. Review of the Fat Cat's Cafe. And people LOVED it. I'm glad I could share this experience with them ^_^

Day 19- dinner with my peeps! A "Pulp-Fiction" mood followed by complete madness. Also ended up reviewing the place (Mad House Grill) 

Day 19. 

Day 20 - Brain storming session with le sister. My skills had left me impressed. 

 Day 21- my blog post went viral. The post was regarding the defamation of the Indian Army done by the music artiste Delhi Sultanate. I received messages from all over the country, thanking me for standing up for them and not being intimidated by the "bullies" I hadn't expected the post to get that big, but it was overwhelming, nonetheless.

Day 22- friend from the US came down for a visit. What started with dinner and drinks (also got a few free flaming shots from the manager *tee hee*) ended at 2:00am after an eventful night of dancing. Also ended up bumping into people from Mumbai who seemed to recognize me from Twitter, and were in Pune for a few shows. Ah well, felt good :)

Day 23- Was invited for a food review to Taj. Made a whole lot of contacts, and yes, the review was loved by many.
Once again, I was overwhelmed. 

Day 24- Networking. It's important.

Day 25- Kick-started the day with the Republic Day parade on TV. So PROUD of the country and it's defense forces ^_^

Day 26- It finally struck me that maybe it was time I made a few long term decisions. A whole lot of contemplation, lots of mood swings later- I know I am ready. And a little more determined than what I ever was. A new me. Feels good.

 Day 27- 19 hours of non-stop shooting (YES, I BAGGED A *tiny* ROLE IN A MOVIE!!!) Made a whole lot of new and extremely interesting friends. Cant' wait to get my hands on the photographs that were clicked that day.
And suddenly I don't see movies the same way anymore. What we see is MAGIC. What goes behind all the magic is um..organized chaos. 5 takes for one angle, you kidding me? But the difference is seen on screen. Daniel (who has a special nick-name for everyone and calls me sassy) very casually said "we don't know what we are doing, all that we know is we need to do our best. It's automatically transferred on to the screen"


 Oh also, I am apparently not camera conscious! So much happiness!!! Plus the director is a humble and friendly human being, and I know I've made a nice friend ^_^

Day 28- Pedicures make me happy. 

Day 29- Won these on Zomato. Awesome, I know right?

Day 30-

Resisted the temptation to eat something at Fat Cat's Cafe while I sat there for 30 min. I am SO PROUD of my will power right now, I am going to reward myself with an entire cake tomorrow. 

Yeah.

Day 31-

People are selfish, sadistic, and at times extremely ruthless. No one is going to save you, you are in this all alone. If you want to fight, be prepared- NO ONE is going to support you though your struggle.

I don't get angry easily. Yes, it is very easy to tick me off, but anger is something I'd experience once in 6 months. But when I am angry, God save you. No, I will not throw things at you, I will not yell at you, I won't even FIGHT sometimes.Oh, you won't even know I am angry!Anyway point is, when furious, I tend to go mad internally.

So I'm sorry, my patience has been tested. I'm livid, so livid that I can't get myself to EAT. Or SLEEP. I'm going to try and remove the frustration on the treadmill and in the pool. No one can make me feel so UNWANTED and get away with it. Just because I don't want to fight doesn't mean I don't understand what's happening. Why am I making others sound like evil villains? Because they haven't given me a reason to feel otherwise.


What's happy about this day? Well, there's hope. And that some day, the goodness will be returned to me.
What goes around comes around- Karma.


Also, the emotion of hate can only be reserved for someone you love very dearly. When I love, I love.




Day 32- Got a mention in DNA-Pune for going ahead with this challenge. Aww well, I feel famous ^_^

Day 33- Dad's classmate from down to meet him from Australia. Seeing his excitement on meeting a friend after 30 years was more than enough to get us happy high on life. A night full of reminiscing, wine, and oooh, gifts from Australia!! Hello CHOCOLATES!

Day 34- Writing. Writing makes me happy. Wrote a review for Chung Fa, Pune. Well, I write about food only because I want people to share my good experiences with people, and not cos I am getting free food, you know. And the food at Chung Fa is really good! It's sad that so many haven't eaten here. Hence, the review.

Day 35- Got my first real break as a lifestyle blogger. A couple of newspapers have now given me projects, and yes, I have been working on them. It's great news, and yes, I am overjoyed.


Day 36- Another review. Another story. Another mood. Read- nostalgia.

Day 37- Picked up BEAUTIFUL earrings (must stop myself from buying things on pure impulse) Anyway, I also got a free red velvet pastry at my FAVORITE coffee place in Pune, The Fat Cat's Cafe. Oh God bless them, that's all that I can manage to say. #droolmax

Day 38-  An interview of an International DJ. An event to write about. Another surprise invitation to a launch party. Free dark chocolate. Oh this day was EXCELLENT! (Even though friends did cancel out on plans without bothering to inform me beforehand, or coordinating with me to begin with, especially when I had worked out my schedule according to them. *sigh* Shit happens.)

Day 39- It started off on a bad note. Depressing even. Ok I have my days when I absolutely MISS my boyfriend, a little too much for my own good. There is so much to talk about, and all I'd want is to spend some time with him. Ah well, karma. My patience and love shall one day pay off I guess. Anyway, what started off on a depressing note slowly spiraled downwards into self pity and rage. And then I just decided to take my mum and sister out for a chill scene lunch. There's a diner in town- The Brooklyn Shuffle. Not my kinda food, but the mood was such. They had a great time, I personally didn't enjoy much, but well, the evening ended on a good note.
Family. Friends. Love. We take too much for granted.

Day 40- A Monday morning that started at 5:00am (I had a movie shoot at 7, and it was 10 degrees here in the morning, and I FROZE) The shoot went off well, I got back home, caught up on some sleep, and spent the whole evening eating street food cos well, it's  project I have taken up. So right now, I am running a temperature, eating maggi, getting work done, and LOVING it. Writing gives me a high. Working hard, so that I don't have time to think about other depressing stuff (like how I miss him and REALLY need to meet him soon and God to give us SOME SUPPORT cos otherwise He is being super sucky) feels liberating. You know what I mean? :)

Day 41- WRITING. Most of the days, wriitng has made me happy. That's ONE thing I've learnt through this exercise. So yeah, not bad eh? This time I wrote a review for Brooklyn Shuffle (again)

Day 42- #TastyThirty is a brilliant initiative taken by a couple of students who are just passing out from SIMC PG. They wish to promote the top 30 street food joints in Pune. They asked me to help them out with a few places, and I was more than happy to accept the invitation. We visited street food jionts all over MG Road, and I can't wait to go ahead with the second phase of this project. I also wrote about this on the blog. Here's the link-

http://everyshadeofrandom.blogspot.in/2014/02/street-food-pune.html

Day 43- Magnum chocolates has launched in the Indian market, and Pune was one of the few cities that was selected for a launch event. I've covered it in the link given below, do have a look-

http://everyshadeofrandom.blogspot.in/2014/02/mother-of-god-chocolate.html

Day 44- Valentine's Day. Ignoring past hang ups, I decided to be in love today. And there's nothing happier than the feeling of being in love, and fighting for it.

Day 45- This day was about me, myself and I. Cos no one is on their way to save you. Sounds depressing, but once you learn to accept this fact, it's a confidence booster. So yes, for me, this was a day about being my aggressive self. It felt nice, after very very long.
Oh yes, I also wrote :)



Day 46- Brunch. Whites and pinks and the girls and mocktails. I love brunches!! ^_^

Day 47- FINALLY managed to watch Hasee Toh Phasee. If you haven't seen it yet, I suggest you go ahead and do so now. It's the cutest and most refreshing thing you will come across in recent Hindi cinema.


Day 48- An article that I had written in the vaguest of moods(with absolutely no intent of having it published anywhere) gets published on THOUGHT CATALOG. Yes, guilty pleasure, I was caught, and well, excited as well as paranoid. Excited cos it's not everyday that your article gets global recognition. And paranoid because I had NO CLUE what I had written (I am moody that way) plus was sure I could have done a much better job.
As I found out hours after it being published, I had made a goof up in the opening line, which did turn off quite a few people. Well, I do accept my mistake, plus I hadn't even edited the draft I sent to TC, and yes, I must have been high on God alone knows what to have sent it in the first place.
Anyway, peace out women. Peace out.

Also, gossiping with the girls over coffee and cake can't ever be disappointing ^-^









Day 49- I need 50 hours in a day to get through stuff like this. Gym. Work. Brainstorming sessions. Gossiping with the girls. CAKE.Writing. Reviewing. The day started at 6:30am, ended at 1:00am (only to be repeated the next day) But hey guess what, this is FUN. There is so much to do, there is so much to leanr..it's EXCITING.

Day 50- I am halfway through!! This makes me happy to a certain extent, yes it does. Plus a long long day (it's 11:45pm, and I can't see myself going to bed before 1:00am) filled with a whole lot of KICKASS work, meetings, coffee, conversations, and writing. Plus the boyfriend got internet signal for a while, so yes, chatting with him has got me a little high on life again :)