Lofty Spectrums | Fashion & Lifestyle Blogger

New menu launch of ITC Cubbon Pavilion-Responsible Luxury

January 7, 2017

It was a cheerful, sunny afternoon, just around Christmas and I was there at ITC gardenia, Bangalore, to review the new menu launch at ITC Cubbon Pavilion. As told by the very warm Gomathi, this was happening today across all pavilions at ITC throughout the pan India. We had a lavish bloggers’ table set for us to dine together. The lazy noon, coupled with the welcome drinks (let me tell you there were more than one) and starters and the great company of Simonti and Gomathi made it wonderful. There were sounds of giggles and laughter, warm food in abundance being served with care and the foodies who are usually very relaxed by nature who endlessly discussed food and places and food culture across India. The sunny cubbon pavilion with its luxurious and friendly interiors, the ITC’s head chef who made sure we knew the detailed nuances of the artistically curated menu, and warmly prepared food made it an exclusive day and experience.

The new menu for the blogger’s table

Festive fervour

The balancing act
Kane rawa fry (mangalorean delicacy)

Fish n chips (it’s intl counterpart)

Nasi Goreng

When it comes to ITC nobody can beat its luxury coupled with warmth and also lip smacking desserts, courtesy the fabelle lounge. ( do read my Fabelle chocolates launch experience here.)

ITC Cubbon pavilion derives its name from the famed Cubbon park of our beautiful garden city, Bangalore. Any Bangalorean would surely take pride and would associate with their own culture which is totally the focal point of Cubbon pavilion, whether it is interiors or food. The Cubbon interiors shows all of the Bangalore’s inspiring architectural focal points, the buildings, in all their glory as they are showcased beautifully in black and white pictures. Thus the menu also makes it sure that there is a local flavour and local cuisine, typical to our bangalore food culture apart from the international taste and delicacies too. This caters to our all the taste buds involved and this norm is followed in all the Pavilions of ITC across pan India. And this, my dear food lovers, is the unique quotient at ITC Gardenia, the delectable, warm and artisitic preparation and presentation of food coupled with local flavour along with the international taste too, adherence to culture and to the responsible luxury. The greens climbing up the walls at the Cubbon Pavilion make sure that any guest or traveller would know and realise that they are in the garden city, Bangalore.

ITC hotels are all eco embedded and they believe in the sustenance and nurturing of our nature, and this is the cornerstone of the ITC ethos – the Responsible Luxury. Hence ITC makes sure that neither earth nor luxury is compromised. Please see my earlier blog on ITC Sattvik food here where I have noticed and written more on this responsible luxury, thereby making ITC’ s initiative unique in itself. It is the first and greenest luxury hotel chains and hence has redefined the fine art of hospitality.

Before I write about the new menu which we tasted that sets off a new start for the year, I want to mention a few things which can’t escape notice if you know what ITC group is all about. This is one of the case studies I have used here to throw more light on the same.

We started with a welcome drink which was served to us as soon as the bloggers kept arriving. We had coconut water with dates mashed n thrown into it. This drink came along with freshly baked breads with sun dried tomatoes and glazed with olive oil.

Buttermilk chicken crisps with mint chutney was served to begin with. The buttermilk lent the little tangy taste to the otherwise usually blande chicken crisps that we eat at other places. The vegetarian counterpart to this was the Molten Brie, and I totally love Brie for its soft texture and flavour. This was served with apple and pear chutney which just tasted as if it was just out of grandma’s kitchen. I need to mention here that I love the chutneys from Itc kitchens for they seem like homemade with personal touch and love.

Chicken crisps with date mocktail n bread

And then the Singaporean laksa was served to us. This had bits of chicken, tofu, eggs with flat noodles and I poured the broth over it and enjoyed the sumptuous Asian flavours. The broth was made out of coconut milk with lovely Asian aromas to it. The vegetarian counterpart of the same was butternut squash and carrot purée.

Singaporean laksa

Then came the chicken burger wherein the bun was again freshly baked and was brown in colour since it was made of whole wheat with rye and sunflower seeds. The burger, was very healthy and the preparation was totally with a twist. It had greens, mushrooms, oats, spinach. This came with salads and potato wedges on the side.

Burger

Now was the time, for the local flavour and hence came the bento tiffin. It had the yummy Maddur Vadas, Mangalore Goli Bhaji, karampodi idlis. This came with the peanut chutney. The non veg counterpart was the Prawn kuli Paniyaram with totamto chutney. I love the local food of mangalore for having travelled and stayed all across Karnataka makes me a lover for local food. And this was the authentic taste.

Tiffin bento

Prawn kuli paniyaram

Then we relished the Pumpkin Ricotta Gnocchi, which had the chopped dates and ‘chironji’ nuts stuffed in giving nutty and cheesy and little sweet flavour here and there and this came with totamto purée was on the plate to add colour and taste to this yummy preparation.

Ricotta gnocchi

Finally we had the most amazing Milk Chocolate Parfait as dessert. It had Darjeeling tea infusions for fresh flavour. It comes with raspberry sorbet so the little sour taste makes up and balances the sweet chocolate syrup which is poured over on top of it. This is served on a bed of sea salt. The mint acted as the palette cleanser.

Dessert

The ITC crew is always very warm and it just feels like home. The food bloggers were welcomed by the very sweet Gomathi with a Kanchivaram shawl. We all were almost five and it was a fun afternoon, as we all sat down and the great hospitality kept us engaged in tirelessly tasting and gorging on the delicious spread of food which was served along with the information regarding what all had been thrown into it, thereby giving each delicacy the distinct flavour it had. It always is the best experience at ITC Gardenia and this added to another of my many cherished experiences at ITC Gardenia. This is my first post of this year and incidentally the launch of Fabelle Chocolates was my first ever blog as I had just started my journey as a blogger then. Hence ITC Gardenia holds a very special place in my blogging life. Here’s to ‘set off a new start’, cheers !!!

=ITC Gardenia=

Date of launch- 23 Dec 2016
Hospitality partner- ITC Gardenia
Written and experienced by – Anuja Pandey

The best Friend’s toast- with TITAN #weddingtales

December 30, 2016

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Beautiful times always go hand in hand with raising a toast. It is the remembrance of the moments shared, memories created and words in salutation of the sentiment involved in the situation, especially when it is your best friend who is getting into the wedlock.

My handsome friend, Ashish, was getting married. He is been my companion in hours of happiness as well as my sorrow, the childhood friend who knows it all, he can read my every expression, hear my unsaid words, and see the uncried tears of my eyes. He can recognise the twinkle of my eye when it is a naughty thought that crosses my mind. Earlier on, when he reached any milestone I would ask what did you get for me, he would only reply back in a very filmy, typically Shahrukh khan style, “main accha samay Le kar aaya hoon…”

And, I got to know that this best friend of mine got fixed with the girl of his dreams. This called for celebrations, in anticipation of the happy times which will follow, time for good wishes and salutations.

So when I raised the toast to my Best Friend’s wedding, he surprised me and finally he got it for me, the “Accha Samay”, the good times with the timeless Titan watch set he gifted to us as a reminder of all the great, priceless moments spent.

Weddings are heavenly affair and every wedding has a story to it which involves many a characters apart from the bride and groom. Undoubtedly, the couple occupies the centrestage, yet, as my mom would say

every relationship is a microcosm, it is unique in itself and it is opaque to the outer world.

Thus, the best friends are always the best of friends and, in this case, the best friend’s wedding meant a lot of responsibility too. He is my lover, my bestie, my soulmate, I hate him as much as I love him, I travel and ride this wave of highs and lows with him, I share a lifetime of childhood memories with him, our pains are mutual, our love and happiness, the zest and excitement is exclusively extraordinary, yet inclusive of others, respectful of space and time…I rejoice with him today for his happiness, this best friend of mine happens to be my brother.

Toasting to this beautiful, pure love, the worst of fights, the heavenly bonding, three cheers to the good times ahead, with the exclusive collection of the gorgeously timeless yet ahead of times, the Titan watches. Raising a toast to the extraordinary with the extraordinary and elevated Titan, the delicious cocktail of the classic with a twist of style, fizz of glamour. As he gifts this wondrous watches to us, he also keeps another one for his lovely life partner. The impressively upped in style quotient, the extraordinaire titan watches, tell that the time ticks, life goes on but love stays, relationships last, moments get counted but with a promise of countless treasured memories and lovelier ones to follow, with a zest to live this very moment fully that life has to offer.

I, Anuja, raise a toast to my best friend, to you Lucky, with all my good wishes and love, to you the mascot of good times, exalt, hail and cheers… May love always prevail in our times and may you be the titan of amazing times…Mazel Tov!!!

[Outfit Details]

We are wearing– Titanwatchesindia
In collaboration with TITAN

Venue partner Shangri-la
MUA- Shaggy khuman

Photography – Vasanthan Kumaraswamy
Styled by – Ashish Dubey and Anuja Pandey

in Wellness & Beauty

Dr. Jamuna Pai- the celebrity skin specialist

December 27, 2016

Skin is a tattletale. It usually tells people things you don’t always want them to know…. no one gossips more than your skin. – Dr. Jamuna Pai.

Who doesn’t know Dr. Jamuna Pai? She has spent last twenty years being the one that A – list Bollywood stars, top industrialists and Miss Indias have turned to for their skin problems. She has been my childhood favourite columnist when I would ensure to take a sneak peek into Femina when my mom would read her columns. She is the pioneer of the skin care movement in this country , being the first to introduce many techniques including Botox , Medicated Facials, aesthetic peels including Spanish brightening peel.

The other day I had the privilege of writing a review as I was invited to her posh skin lab on the high end Lavelle Road, Bengaluru. The owner of the franchisee was very warm as she introduced me to Dr. Abhishek who took more than half an hour to analyse my skin and recommend the brightening medi facial to take care of my acne and tan at the same time. Further more , I was taken to the lavish treatment room where the therapist took me through the products that she was instructed to use on my skin. The treatment started as a general rule with cleansing which was followed by sugarcane peel for natural brightening and then a mild exfoliating cream. The massage was brief and gel based. Since I have sensitive skin, therefore gel had hyaluronic acid and alpha hydoxy acid for brightening. Thereafter oxygen was infused into my skin using a pressurised stream of oxygen. This process helps in absorption of hyaluronic acid.The high level of oxygen is naturally antibacterial, cooling and calms skin conditions such as acne. Finally a mask goes to complete the process. All the products used are from Dr. Jamuna Pai . The treatment left my skin glowing , refreshed and alive. This was my experience in my words.

Ashish’s experience of meeting the stunningly gorgeous Dr. Pai in his own words.

The next day Dr. Pai was herself visiting the clinic. When I met Dr. Jamuna Pai it was a treat in itself and the plethora of knowledge she has about just not only skin but overall health was something very commendable.

Today in the era of this looks conscious world when you’ll meet the doctor you’ll know healthy skin means overall health care and when people need shortcuts because of the requirements (marriage or an event) there are umpteen number of solutions too which can take care of the situation in the offing.

All in all we bloggers had a blast meeting this beautiful lady and fetching some very important information about a healthy and beautiful looking skin.

Cherry on the cake was getting a signed copy of her famous book ” No one has to know“.

Thus “Make a wish. Beautiful, glowing skin. Hair that shines with health. No age spots or dark circles. The very process of ageing slowed down to a gentle crawl… you now have the power.” No one has to know…

Both me and Ashish had a wonderful experience jointly blogging on Dr. Jamuna Pai. Ashish ‘s review on young guy’s skin care would follow soon.

Venue: Dr. Jamuna Pai Skin Labs, Bengaluru
Happy skin courtesy : Dr. Jamuna Pai

Black is the new black – 2 – holiday fashion

December 25, 2016

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Rompers are the most stylishly comfortable outfit, specially when you are holidaying in a resort. I love rompers for the fact that they look cute and you can team it up with any statement booties or shoes. This holiday season if you are travelling down South to Goa, Bangalore, Mysore etc. then you can carry any summer clothes for the daytime. You will surely need to layer it in the mornings or late evenings.
I chose to wear these rompers for my Sunday lazying around near the pool after I had a fun afternoon swim, with my book ” The almond eyes and lotus feet”

I have this particular affinity towards rompers and jumpsuits as-

They are perfect for a sports activity filled day and a comfy leisure wear.
They are cute and sexy at the same time.
They can be carried with perfect ease and don’t need much accessorising.
I wore them with an ankle high bootie to add some glitz to the otherwise plain black rompers.
I used a solid belt to add to the look with no other piece of accessories to keep it bold yet making an impact.
Too much of anything kills the look so the idea is to keep it simple and trendy so let’s stick to one statement accessory at a time and I think the booties here did the trick.

So let your hair free when holidaying, minimal is the key to have a great time holidaying while looking cool. Cheers to the festive season, eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we may diet! Live, love and laugh and be lofty while you enjoy the various colourful spectrums…

Always remember black and grey are the shades that you will face invariably despite the rainbow.. the sun will eventually shine on you but you need to travel the dark tunnel too.

Merry Christmas to all of you beautiful people.

[Outfit Details]

Rompers – GAP
Booties – Street shopping

Location – Taj Bangalore

Photography – Vasanthan Kumaraswamy
Styled & Written by – Anuja Pandey

Colour fete- when style blends with pride: Blenders Pride Fashion Tour 2016

December 21, 2016

Explosions of color, expression of art, blending of aesthetics and fashion and cutting-edge designs were the hallmarks of the recent blenders pride fashion tour 2016 in Bangalore, Leela Palace. The 12th edition of blenders pride fashion tour was definitely the visual expression of ‘taste life in style’, with its impressive array of collection showcased by the designer, Masaba and the duo designers, Shane and Falguni Peacock. The evening opened with the red carpet entry for the guests where a lot of interesting conversation happened and this was followed by the cocktails and snacks. The show opened with an eccentric and artistic performance by BLOT, the very talented Kavya Trehan who perfected the ambience for the night. The demeanour of stylish models in stunning collections of the designers with the powerful voice of this artist coupled with an eclectic mix of edgy electronica beats, gave the evening a fizz and taste that was not just impressive but impactful too.

The observations made by me which could not have escaped the notice are-

Masaba told that her collection was inspired by a burst of colours and chiefly monochromes. What we noticed in her designs was that layering is going to be in and chokers were almost an integral part of her models. The off shoulders ruled the scene and gold prints and motifs were the ‘it’ factor. The mononchromes ruled the ramp and started off with lighter hues and went on to culminate with the black. On her collection, designer Masaba said, “My collection for Blenders Pride Fashion Tour 2016 presents a diverse story in classic monochrome with burst of colours and caricatures used as motifs and prints. Blenders Pride Fashion Tour which is all about ‘taste life in style’ is a fitting platform to showcase this edgy and stylish collection”.
Falguni and Shane Peacock showcased fashion on completely different line, it was all about sheers and embellishments. Since, as the designers told, the designs which were showcased on the models were inspired by the prism theme, so we could clearly realise that it was all about transparency and lights and colours playing the game. The sheers were in various hues from gold, to wine red, to night blues and finally blacks with hugging body suits inside. The dense embellishments at the right places added glory and also drama to this dazzling collection. The models were wearing heavy ear rings and danglers and there was fusion for the jewellery was so Indian and it complimented the beautiful gowns which had trails which swept brilliantly behind the models as they regally walked the ramp. Designer duo Falguni & Shane Peacock said, “Our collection – ‘PRISM’ artistically blends international weaves with a futuristic take on embellishments. Casting modernity, we have crafted an international yet exquisite collection for a woman who likes to embrace a masterpiece. This collection fits in beautifully with the theme of ‘multiple reflections of style’ of Blenders Pride Fashion Tour 2016.”
The eccentrically electrifying performance of Kavya Trehan made it all the more stylish, chic and free of any humbuggery, and imparted an energy to the whole affair which matched the hotsy- totsy looks of the show stopper Kriti Sanon who posed with elan and many a hearts must have skipped a beat. The simonised sleek hair of the models gave a uniformity to the whole affair.
Arjun Kapoor, although wearing Satan and no.13 was as sweet as an angel, totally winning the hearts of the crowd who broke into applause as he modelled for Falguni and Shane Peacock. He looked glam in his blacks and did the justice to this glitzy evening.

Blenders Pride Fashion Tour 2016 commenced its journey in Hyderabad and travelled to Kolkata, Gurgaon Mumbai culminating in Bengaluru. Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Raja Banerji, Assistant Vice President, Pernod Ricard India, said,

“Being multi-faceted, dynamic and constantly surprising the world is the essence of ‘taste life in style’ for our consumers. Blenders Pride Fashion Tour, the most definitive expressions of style and good taste, brings the same alive through multiple reflections of style, with an eclectic mix of the most stylish in fashion, music and Bollywood. Blenders Pride Fashion Tour continues to deliver a never seen before and exciting experience to the consumers.”

Written by: Anuja Pandey in partnership with blenders pride.

Venue partner- Leela palace

Photo credits : Sandeep mv

All that. Wedding Tamasha-Part1

December 10, 2016

2 Comments

Call it sangeet, call it cocktail but all you can expect here is a lot of madness filled with fun with family and friends. All you need to know here is how to have fun….

Dressing is smart and glamorous, although not so easy to plan n execute the idea of some particular dressing that you have in mind for the event but can be easily carried by almost all you smart young guys.

First what do you think you feel comfortable in, as that’s what I ask myself the first. If I’m not comfortable I can’t make it stand out with my “attitude ka tadka”

Now let me tell you a bit in detail what I’ve worn and how I’ve carried it with a why…

Wear a jacket (tweak it with some different collar, floral in this case), it is a blood-red velvet. Velvet is the season’s answer to texture and has been featured heavily on the Hollywood red carpet by many designers like Dolce & Gabanna and Tom Ford
A black colored shirt is the safest bet anytime and more so, when you wear a bright jacket
A bow-tie is a must for adding panache…a red or a black
My pants are just not another black if you see minutely you will see a self pattern in it which is again floral(it’s in)
A cherry red leather shoe added to the glitz to the whole outfit
When you think it’s time to do away with the bow-tie…here comes the scarf to throw in the poise look. Printed silk scarves go well with velvet; for the velvet deserves its share of limelight for its plush looks, the flat sheen of the silk complements its glossy look

Add a belt and gold chain to make up for the metal-less jacket. For the rocker and dandy amongst us, we can add hues to the jacket like navy blue or the deep purple and a white shirt would compliment this look the best, as my dear friend in the pictures is wearing.

Bottom line is, pick a jacket color that goes with your personality. Velvet is a trend in itself and a great style canon. The rules for velvet are very few and simple: it should be slim, trim and taut so that the sharp silhouette acts as the best supporting act.

Eat rich, drink rich and dance like everyone is with you and let NO LUXURY BE SPARED… cheerio!!

[Outfit Details]
Seven- Greater Kailash, New Delhi

Styled and rocked by: Ashish Dubey

Mix print with print- for style never goes out of fashion

December 4, 2016

2 Comments

Last weekend when I was enjoying the staycation with my family at the Taj, bangalore, wherein I was invited as a special guest to blog about the beautiful, five star luxury hotel at the airport, I was a little confused about what to pack. For a girl who wants to wear good clothes and clothes which make you feel comfortable and classy is really necessary. The holiday fun, playing the mommy could also not be compromised so I chose this beautiful yellow dress for the first day. This colour is one of my favs and it brings so much of sunshine and happiness at the same time, and of course, it definitely enhances the style quotient as this colour is ruling this season totally.

I love the soft, flowing fabric and the black prints in leaves and flowers running all over it. I combined it with a printed scarf which my mom wears all the time ( I love to pick up her things, it makes me so cozy).

I chose the strappy block heels in beige colour. The Universally Flattering silhouette with the dark prints, midi length dress, makes it a complete day wear which doesn’t come in high price tag too. Style need not be expensive always. The defined waistline makes one look neat and not shabby. I chose to wear sparkly danglers from Swarovski and I think I can say, I love this comfortable and peppy combination. So mix prints with prints and give a twist to your look for style is your own though fashion might change.

[Outfit Details]
Location- Taj, bangalore
Suzy shier
Blocks- all about Spring
Earrings- Swarovski
Photography- Vasanthan Kumaraswamy
Styled & Written by – Anuja Pandey

Soi and Sake- the aromas of delectable Chinese and Japanese kitchen

December 1, 2016

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Soi and Sake, which is the Chinese and Japanese restaurant by Taj, Bangalore serves the most sumptuous, authentic, fresh and delicious food I have had in a long time. So recently, when I was at Taj bangalore for my luxurious staycation (I surely would have easily gained 2 kgs of weight with the delightful treat I had, I’m scared to stand and check on my weighing scale now ), I had some deliciously tossed noodles, the tepenyaki and some lovely food. The name Soi and Sake is a mix of Japanese and Chinese, thereby denoting the kind of cuisine you can expect as you dine there. Sake means the alcoholic drink made from fermented rice.

Japanese, unlike westerns, serve the food in small plate or bowls so that the flavours don’t mix and the original taste of each dish is significantly noticed and enjoyed. So the food is not served on the table but is served in typical Japanese etiquette in a full course Japanese meal in seperate bowls one after the other. Either the plates have the division or even the leaves and such are used at the base of each dish to retain the flavour of every dish singularly. Rice is the staple food and it usually is served with many side dishes and main dishes in Japan and China. The experience at taj was an excellent one and I can swear by the food we had here at Soi and Sake and the hot green teas we guzzled.

The first course was the chilled choi sum wrap This was so refreshing that it made my taste buds alive.

Pakchoy and water chestnut dimsum

Pan fried chicken kothe

Then the second and the third course were the Sushis and dim-sums (best of both the world).

The definite condiment for the Sushis, we all know, are the pickled Gari which acts like a palette cleanser and wasabi which has the piquant taste peculiar to it and has anti-microbial properties to save from food poisoning, in case be it. Also soya sauce and shoyu are other condiments which were served. We were served the spicy tuna sushi which includes raw tuna mixed with hot sauce infused mayonnaise. The other one was the Hawaiian roll that contains fresh Japanese Maguro Tuna, tamago, kanpyo, Kamaboko, and the distinctive red and green hana ebi (shrimp powder).

Seasoning is very important part of any cooking and specially Japanese. Japan is an island and most of the meals comprise of seafood. A modest number of herbs and spices may be used during cooking as a hint or accent, or as a means of neutralizing fishy or gamy odors present. Examples of such spices include ginger, soy sauce, vinegar and miso soups flavour the food and make it a magnificent treat to have. Japanese food is either grilled or braised and also served raw like in Sushis or as sashimi, or, the tempura which are deep fried and batter coated.

Chef preparing sushi

Hawaiian roll sushi

Spicy tuna sushi

The next course were the exotic dimsums which were unparalleled and served in minimalistic style.

Exotic vegetable dumplings- dimsums

This was followed by the fourth course, that was, the chilli chicken which my kids thoroughly enjoyed while my hubby gorged on the delicious, succulent prawns seasoned with pepper and salt. Everything retained the fresh and original taste typical to it. I also particularly savoured the stir fried bak choi, which is a type of Chinese cabbage with a garnish of sesame seeds. This course’s most delectable dish was fresh water chestnut and lotus stem stir fry. Since the Japanese food is a lot about seasonal and fresh vegetables and seaweeds, we were served Fresh, crunchy, greens which smelt so crispy and great and made the best of the accompaniments with a green onion dip in oil, the chilli soy and the miso soup . I loved the water chestnut and lotus stems stir fried in honey chilli and it is a Chinese dish (I remember eating this as apart of daily ritual in the evenings in a desi stir fry at home when we were kids, time to adopt our food habits which we are leaving behind).

Crispy seaweed and spinach with toasted almonds

Prawn pepper salt

Dry red chilli chicken

Water chestnut and lotus stem stir fry

The fifth course was from the teppenyaki grill and we had some grilled vegetables braised in garlic butter and my kids tried their hands on the teriyaki chicken ( the chef was definitely patient man and also very witty trying to keep all of us in happy spirits). He not only threw in the sauces in the chicken but also his jokes in between and we had a hearty, happy meal, full of laughter and fun. The sticky Japanese rice (I love it so much), and the flat noodles were served according to the preferences ponzu napped prawn was served it was an ecstacy.

Teriyaki Chicken

Ponzu napped Prawn

Teriyaki Chicken

Flat noodles

The sixth course of mains was the edamame beans flavoured chicken which was a stir fry which my hubby loved. Edamame beans were imported from Japan and were fresh, usually they are eaten blanched with some salt and they lose their freshness and flavour within a day, and these beans are a nutritional punch. I had the haricot beans in Shanghai style. (I was oh so full by now).

Stir fried chicken with edamame beans

Prawns in hot garlic sauce

The last course was dessert which was amazing and we had it after some half an hour in our luxury suite. It was sesame Ferrero rocher, ginger nutty dumplings and fresh lychee ice cream. The food at SOI AND SAKE was perfectly balanced and each dish was flavoured and seasoned in the authentic Chinese and Japanese way. I realise my love for food and food tasting was catered wonderfully by the warm service, perfect flavours which were rightly balanced and great ambience, lovely people, and awesome chefs of Taj , bangalore. Thanks to the team Taj for the wonderful staycation.

Dessert

=Location- Taj, bangalore=

Restaurant- Soi and Sake

Written and experienced by – Anuja Pandey

Tête-à-tête with Gopal Pillai, the director, seller services, Amazon

November 29, 2016

Amazon India is the country’s largest online store, with more than 80 million products and 120,000 sellers. Amazon is also come up with a programme promoting female entrepreneurs by starting women owned delivery service wherein they promote weavers of India and artisans in textiles. People or cooperatives are trained to sell and promote their products online so that their reach becomes big and the sellers have a bigger audience for the make in India products and weaves, thereby reaching to global consumer.

Amazon has left behind its competitors including Snapdeal and Flipcart and fuelled e-commerce in India. According to the reports by Morgan Stanley, the online transactions are expected to reach $137 billions within 5 years. This has been achieved by Amazon despite the stringent rules imposed by the Govt. of India. Govt imposed strict FDI policy to protect the interest of domestic suppliers and industries, thus restricting foreign retailers from selling directly to Indian consumers. And then Amazon created a new business model and established its e-commerce in India and directly reached to local sellers. Then it recruited local suppliers and initiated into local market by establishing, for example, the award winning Amazon chai market. Here they started a fleet of three wheeler chai carts across 31 cities and navigated many miles serving over 37,000 cups of tea and signing up more than 10k sellers along the way. This unique way of establishing ubiquitous e-commerce all over the country and subsequently promoting the local sellers has brought Amazon a very long way. As Govindarajan wrote in the Harvard Business Review, “From product to delivery, Amazon has reinvented its ecosystem to address the challenges it has faced conducting an e-commerce enterprise in India.”

In conversation with Gopal Pillai, the Director and GM, Seller services, Amazon India. Gopal Pillai was here at ThinkBig 2016, organised by WeConnect international which was Asia’s biggest women entrepreneurs gathering. ThinkBig saw the women rise up and come like roaring waves for the summit. Women entrepreneurs came from all parts of the world and even from the tier 2 and tier three cities of India to be a part of this summit which served as an excellent platform for promoting women owned businesses.

Black is the new black

November 29, 2016

Hello sunshine, the season of boots and jackets is back again. In bangalore the chill in the air is just enough to give you the feel of slight winters in the evenings and late nights. So if you are stepping out for any Christmas parties or just a retail therapy, you can go ahead with knee high boots or the thigh highs.They go with practically anything, be it a short dress or skirt or skinny jeans. You can even pair them with black skinnies. The jacket with the studs is again another piece which you could carry with any outfit. This season is all about embellished jackets and capes. So whether it’s a bomber or a short one or a long coat or even a cape in velvets or silk over a dress, boots can be equally complementing for all the looks.

[Outfit Details]

Black leather skirt- diesel
Black jacket – Elle

Photography- Vasanthan Kumaraswamy
Make up- Shaggy Khuman

Neelam Chhibber- the co founder of Mother Earth

November 26, 2016

Every time you shop at Mother Earth, you spend towards artisans. You participate in preserving our heritage of centuries old art and craft; sustaining it for the future and nurturing the livelihood of the artisans. The artistic, philanthropist and dynamic Neelam Chibber is the co- founder of Mother Earth and has been awarded the WomenChangeMaker, a fellowship by Womanity Foundation, which is a Geneva based non-profit organization.

She was the winner of the 2011 India Social Entrepreneur of the Year award. Neelam Chhiber is the co-founder of Industree, a social enterprise that connects rural producers to urban markets. She is an Industrial Designer from National Institute of Design and alumunus of Social impact International, as well as Global Social Benefit Incubator , Santa Clara University, USA. Here’s a tête-à-tête with her when she was at the ThinkBig summit 2016, organised by Weconnect.

So when You go to Mother Earth and buy a Kalamkari or a Dabu collection, you are also helping an artisan when at the same time upping your style quotient.This unique concept by Neelam Chibber of mixing design which is universally appealing with the rural age old traditional art and craft, makes it all the more a huge success.

You can find Neelam Chhibber on Facebook | Twitter | linkedin | industree | Mother Earth

Anuja Pandey

Elizabeth Vazquez – a tête-à-tête with the CEO of Weconnect international in ThinkBig 2016 summit- bangalore

November 25, 2016

WEConnect International’s fourth annual ThinkBig Summit is Asia’s largest women entrepreneurship and economic empowerment platform. The main goal of ThinkBig 2016 was to connect women-owned businesses with public and private sector opportunities that could dramatically impact the growth of their businesses. The Summit enabled almost 4,000 dynamic participants to engage in two days of inspiring and interactive sessions. Bangalore saw the women entrepreneurs come together like the roaring waves of the ocean at the thinkbig summit 2016. This path breaking initiative was organised by WeConnect International.

Here is a quick conversation with the President and CEO of WEConnect International Elizabeth Vazquez who took time during ThinkBig 2016, in bangalore recently.

As Elizabeth says that Weconnect international is a valuable resource to women owned companies who want to grow their businesses, who want to connect, who want to create jobs, who want access to market, who want to sell their products. Weconnect international’s women owned businesses represent over a 100 countries and hence is a very powerful platform for connecting with new market and building new business. Elizabeth said that women suppliers are needed since they are half of the population and they are the decision makers when it comes to making consumer purchasing decisions. Hence supplier diversity and inclusion is important for corporations too for the fact that if they want to give profit to their shareholders then they need to engage all their end users and women constitute half of the population.

A weekend sojourn with the Taj – staycation

November 24, 2016

This weekend I had the opportunity to go for a staycation at the recently launched Taj, bangalore and what a thoroughly pampering stay it was, I must say! I reached there on Saturday afternoon and was greeted in Indian parampara with the Tilak and Aarti and some flowers. Soon after this we were escorted to our lavish Suite, the decor of which was elegant, soothing and luxurious. The room comes along with the dining space and living room and here we were greeted by a welcome message from the general manager of the hotel and some delicious chocolates and macaroons and parfait, which made it an affair to remember, not only for the kids but also equally for us. The rooms are again very well lit naturally due to the French doors which allow ample of light through the sheers. The living room had a copper vessel for soaking the feet in, and it came with the bath salts and the rose petals. It almost makes you feel like a royalty, owing to the great and warm ambience and extremely courteous hospitality by the staff.

The Taj Bangalore property is very well situated at the airport, making it ideal for anyone travelling to stay overnight, if need be. The lush greenery and the architecture of the hotel make it very well lit, thus not really needing chandeliers or too much of artificial lightning. The rooms are surrounded by pools of water and as the curtain rolls up, you see through the windows the unending stretch of sky and greens. The serene water induces a calm and rejuvenating effect. It definitely imparts a relaxed feeling since it is away from the hustle bustle of the city life.

As soon as we freshened up, my children were treated to some Bianco pizza which they helped the chef to prepare. Trying their hands at cooking was a happy and almost adventurous moment for them. The chef kept them happily and constructively busy as I was served the Paniyaram or guliyappa with cilantro n edamame beans chutney and tomato chutney n coconut chutney. The paniyaram is a Tamil preparation which was stuffed with few veggies and is light accompaniment for tea.

Soon after this I headed for a very soothing massage, the Vishram massage which suited the time of the day (it was almost 7’o clock) and it induces great sleep due to the lovely aromas and herbs which the oil is infused with. Jiva, the spa, is a place where good energy and positive vibes are in abundance. The aroma envelopes your senses as you enter into the luxury space which specialises in a range of treatments, including wraps, body polish, scrubs and massage along with the inexhaustible range of face and hair treatments too. The hotel has a salon exclusive for the various salon treatments. The adjoining health club and fitness centre equipped with the steam, sauna and other facilities makes it an elegantly designed space. There are exclusive couple rooms with jacuzzi and shower cubicles. The swimming pool on the same floor makes for a great recluse when you probably could spend maximum time of your day. Once you step out of this space you surely feel as though you are the lotus feet and almond eyed beauty ready to conquer the world.

You are spoilt for choice when it comes to food at The Taj. The cafe77East Offers all sort of cuisines, from Italian to South Indian, North Indian to chats to bhelpuri, the list goes on. Another restaurant is The Tamarind, which is a fine dining restaurant which specialises in authentic Awadhi, Nawabi cuisine along with authentic punjabi cuisine too. The lassis are flavoured with saffron and pistachio nuts and the menu is endless and a gastronomical extravaganza. The authentic curries, exotic spices, the customary Awadhi kebabs which melt in the mouth make it an exclusive culinary journey for food lovers. We had our dinner here and I would separately blog on the food soon. Another fine dining restaurant which serves Japanese and Chinese cuisine is one of the best Japanese I have had. I enjoyed this sumptuous meal for lunch, the next day.

The Sunday was all about pool as this provides a perfect spot for the family to get together and play and have fun. We had a perfectly relaxed weekend, lazying around, a day full of joy, revelry and fun. The taj gave me an opportunity to spend some beautiful moments with my kids and spouse which many a times go amiss amidst the everyday monotony and chaos of home and work. It’s a perfect weekend getaway for a family and thoroughly sumptuous treat with luxury in abundance. We spent a perfect weekend cooking, playing, swimming, soaking in oil and immersing in reading. Thanks to the team Taj for this lovely staycation!

=Venue- Taj Bangalore =

Photoshoot- Vedansh Pandey

Ms. Lalitha Kumaramangalam at – ThinkBig summit 2016 Chairperson of NCW

November 22, 2016