Scattered Pieces!

"Relationships are like glass. Sometimes it's better to leave them broken than try to hurt yourself putting it back together."

Have you been through an instance where a loved one said certain heart piercing statements? Something so bad that it literally broke your heart and you could never quite put the pieces back? In today's time, where relationship break at the blink of an eye, it comes as no surprise to me that 99% of people that I've met have borne the brunt of broken relationships. Be it with their boyfriends or girlfriends or even with their friends or loved ones, we all are living with the painful baggage of our past. 


So what do we do about it? Why is it that long after the relationship is over we still seem to be carrying the memories around? When people say I'm over the past, do they really mean it? Do we really forget the past and move ahead? People say time is the best healer. Is it really? I don't think so. The truth is we can never forget the painful instances in life. As time passes we just learn to live life with them and eventually these events become such inseparable parts of our life that they do not hurt as much as they used to before.  Unfortunately our subconscious doesn't let go of it and we are time and again reminded of the past for the pain it put us through or the important lessons it taught us. It's up to us how we would want to remember them.


When bad things happen we all say that it happens for a reason and for the best. I'm sure it happens for a reason but not quite sure whether it happens for the best. Broken relationship can have damaging effects on one's mind. When you love someone unconditionally and the same person hurts you, how then do you handle it? People sometimes try to sort out the issues and continue with the relationship. Each time you patch up after a fight a part of the relationship is lost till the time there is nothing left of it. Millions of people still carry on with such relationships because they don't seem to be able to part with their loved ones. The best advice here would be to end it and move on. But its easier said than done. 


Why is it that relationship break? One reason could be lack of compatibility, but is it the only? I don't think so. I feel people are becoming really self centered of late. It's always 'me' and not 'we' No wonder the break up rate is high. If there is no 'we' or 'us' how is the relationship going to grow? One needs to devote time and nurture the relationship for it to grow.  Will an ignored seed ever flourish into a full grown beautiful tree full of flowers and fruits? The beautiful trees are now taken over by thorns.


You know,there is a lot that can be done to save those special relationship. Proper and timely communications is one of them. No one is a mind reader here. Speak out and convey your thoughts, feels, views, like and dislikes to the people around.All this while keeping in mind the feelings of the people around. Have a clear and transparent conversation. Respect others opinions. If you've had an argument and have sorted it out, do not keep bringing it up time after time as it'll only add to the bitterness. If sometime bothers you, speak about it. Bottling up anger is the biggest enemy of any relationship as when it busts all you have are 'scattered pieces', something that you can never put together again.


Sometimes we do not realize how lucky we are to have certain people in our life. When we have them around we do not value them. It's only when we lose them do we realize what we've lost. A lot of times we tend to love only those people who hurt us and hurt those people who love us. It's ok to have people who do not love or care about you because you can never lose something that you never had, and you never had these people in your life in the first place so why cry over the loss and shun the existing lovely people from our lives? 


So pull up your socks. Embrace the special people in your life. Think before you take drastic steps. Do not cry over people who do not matter. It's time you have some clear glasses in your life so that the "scattered pieces"  from the past don't prick too much!

Straight From My Heart ♥

Ingredients......Check!

Apron..........Check!

Cookbook.......Check!

With my hair tied up in a sleek ponytail. I'm all set to create magic!

I love cooking. Always have. It gives me immense pleasure to see my creation and hear the appreciation that follows.

Cooking for me is therapeutic. In recent times its has also been proved so by psychiatrists.

Further they also state that cooking is in fact destressing as it serves as a creative outlet. The aroma, the taste, the sight as also the sizzling helps in calming the nerves.

Although cooking is a stress relieving tool, my love for it comes from the fact that I'm a hardcore foodie. Whether its the meat, the veggies, the desserts or the drinks - I love it all! I love experimenting with different cuisines thus adding them to the 'Tried & Taste' list that I've been carrying around.

To be honest I do cook when I'm stressed but I also cook when I'm happy and wish to treat myself and the ones around to some mouth watering delicacies. I'm always on a look out for new recipes and keep trying them whenever I have the time. It gives me immense pride to confess that I'm an experimental cook. I usually just take up the ingredients from the recipe but end up putting it all together the way I want to. In the process added or deleting some of the mentioned ingredient. Thus, the outcome is a prefect blend of efforts, creativity and the sole thought of creating magic.

There are time when I walk into the kitchen and without any recipe in hand or mind, I just pick up the first few ingredient that I set my hands on. You know, sometimes it amazes me because I feel like I'm driven by some external force and I really have no control over the actions. Its like my hands and the ingredients that I absentmindedly select have their own way of communicating. I start my adding the ingredients one after the other. Voila! There it is my very own creation!

I believe the credit goes to the fact that I take special interest in the kind of food I eat. I always try to figure out the ingredients used and the combination of the flavor, the meats and the veggies. Certain aspects of cooking are totally etched in my mind, therefore I feel that at times my subconscious mind teams up with my hand. Maybe that's the force that guides me to pick up and prepare the those appetizing treats. 


TING! Oh well, that's the oven. I guess my chocolate chip cookies are ready now. 


Cooking for me is something that comes straight from my heart and that's why there is a lot of passion and dedication in everything that I dish out. What is it that comes straight from your heart? I'm sure there is that one special thing that sets you apart form the rest. 
As Mr. Ping says in the Movie - Kung Fu Panda, "There is no secret ingredient" Its always you. To make something special you have to believe that its special. So till you figure that out, I think I'll dig into those large sumptuous cookies! 


Won't you wish me Bon Appetit?

The Bookish Romance!

It all started when I first set my eyes on a pile of colorful story book. They were the 'Noddy' series. What drew me to these books initially were not the stories but the colorful pictures in it. It felt as if the colors were speak to me, trying to tell me something. I could hear them say, 'Come to me and I'll promise to take you to a different world.' I think it was some magnetic force that pulled me towards them and before I knew it I was flipping through their colorful pages. Was it just me or the world around me was actually changing? Suddenly I couldn't hear anything around and I was drowning deeper and deeper into the world of Noddy. That's when I heard a faint voice. Were the books speaking to me? No! How could that be? I also felt a tap on my shoulders. I spun around and here was my mother calling me as we had to leave. I clutched the book in my hand, drew it closer to my chest and walked out with my mother.

The library I went to was aptly called 'The Reader's Den'. It really was a den in true sense. I could hide in there for hours surrounded by all kinds of books which would take me to another world - thats 'My World', where I could just drown in the stories and imagine by life the way I wanted it to be. It's just so enigmatic!

Everyday I would look forward for the evening when Mumma would take me to the library and I could borrow yet another 'Noddy' book.

As time passed I came across a number of books and soon the colorful books were left far behind. Their place was taken by others but this time they didn't have colorful pictures but a huge collection of enchanting stories.

Books have been my companion for the past ten years. Irrespective of the mood I'm in, they seem to make it alright. If I'm happy they just add to the happiness. The days when I'm lonely or low, I just get hold of one of these companions and drown into their stories. Some of the books I read are sometimes representation of my current state of life. It's like they make me choose the books I should read at that particular moment. Surprisingly they also have the solutions to those problems.

What I love most about these books is the fragrance of the pages. It is so familiar, like that of an old friend or a loved one. That's why each book that I take in my hand is never new to me.  There is always a sense of recognition.

During nights when I can't sleep because of some lingering thought, I immediately turn to one of the books next to my night stand. I get so engrossed in the stories that before I know I'm in deep slumber.

Books have this extraordinary power to encourage one's imagination, calm one's mind, stimulates one's thought process and also helps us spend our free time in the most productive manner. Unfortunately due to the advancement in technology, people are increasingly turning towards different gadgets and whiling away their time.

Albeit the new discoveries in the world of gizmos, I will always find solace in books. Unlike the present day romance that end at the blink of an eye, my bookish romance is here to stay........forever!

Brews & Bites!

Every wondered what is it with coffee and conversations? How everything you wanted to say or do materializes over a cuppa coffee? Sometimes it feels as if its like drinking a magic potion which suddenly results is people talking about everything like troubles, apprehensions, aspirations and also their dreams.  

Coffee conversations are also know to heal broken hearts or to talk about that one special person you've recently set your eyes on.


The truth is I'm not far behind. I too believe the best of conversations are the ones had over a cup of hot latte(which is my favourite) with that yummy chocolate chip cupcake that I normally opt for.

People have all sorts of friends, short term friends, long term friends, BBFs, party friends and so on. All reserved for certain occasions. Well, I have a 'coffee-muffin friend' who I sometimes fondly call the 'cupcake babe!' She is one of my closest friends and we've been friends for so long that I can't even remember. Our weekends are incomplete without a cup of coffee and our favourite cupcake. They are our conversation buddies. Once we have them in place and we are settle at one of our favourite tables, what follows hence are a series of discussions on varied topics ranging from careers, relationships, changing trends with respect to the living, fashions and so on. Irrespective of the topic we discuss whether good or bad, when its time to leave I'm left with a sense of accomplishment. The confusion which is normally present, suddenly disappears. Likewise if there is something I've been meaning to pursue, I'm encouraged to do so.

In recent times a lot of love stories have flourished over a cup coffee with people preferring to meet their partners at their favourite coffee shop as against meeting them at home with their respective parents.


I believe Cafe Coffee Day has it rightly put up, "A lot can happen over a cup of coffee." Believe me a lot does happen over a cup of coffee!


I'm now off to grab my latte, what are you guys waiting for?

The Day I Found My Twin!

Last weekend I had been for my friend Nafisa's two year old's birthday party. It all started with me hunting for the perfect gift for the naughty little kiddo. Believe me when I say this, 'It's easier to buy gifts for grown ups' Finally with a lot of looking around I settled on a pink Barbie cushion and a Winnie the Pooh stuff toy. By the way tear bear is my favourite stuff toy. 

As soon I entered the party house I was stunned for a moment. I had never been to a house filled up with so many shrieking kids. All of them running from one corner to another.  The reaction was also the result of being the youngest in the family therefore I've never been around younger siblings.

I finally spotted my friend with the birthday girl Aaisha and made my way towards them while dodging through the kids. After the initial birthday wishes and handing over the gifts, I made my way through the house looking for a familiar face. That's when I entered the gift wrapping room which was later converted into the "Stay-away-from-the-shrieking-kids-room"  There I bumped into another friend, Heena who was busy wrapping the return gifts. I thought I'd help her as I did not have much to do and also because the kids were busy playing games. As the cake cutting was going to take sometime, I thought I'd make myself useful. I was introduced to  Heena's friend Ruchika and we became the gift wrapping team.

As the conversation picked up we were so engrossed that we never realized it was time to cut the cake.The minute the kids heard about it, they rushed to the table the way the Wildebeest rush to cross the river during Migration. 

The foodie that I am, I was really happy that soon the dinner would be served! I made my way to the food counter with Ruchika.  We filled our plates and settle at one of the neatly decorated tables. We spoke of everything from work to food to hobbies. You name it and we had spoken about it. It felt as if we had been friends forever.


It is amazing how we meet people for a really short time and feel that we've known each other for ever. What is this bond that we share? Is there a past life connect like some put it or is it just of two people with common interests and common expectations in life who have come together?


I've had my series of ups and downs in life but the past few years have seen more of downs that ups. In these times of distress its quite rare to find someone who knows exactly what one is going throughI've had times when I have desperately tried to convey certain things to people and how much ever I try, I've never been able to get my ideas across. The connection is sometimes just not there. While talking about aspirations, I spoke about certain things that I've been meaning to take up and haven't. At that point, Ruchika knew exactly what I was talking about. Sometimes we feel a connection with certain people, where the other person knows what we are talking about even before the words are spoken. That's exactly how I felt when we spoke to her. Suddenly she said," Oh wow I've found my twin!" All this when I had opened my mouth to utter the exact same words.


Soon it was time for me to go home. After the good-byes and all I made my way to my car. While driving back home I couldn't stop myself by replaying the events of the evening.  What started as an anxious evening finally with me finding my "Twin." This would be one of the finest evenings I've had in a really long time. So I guess He is really watching us from up there in.


I'm impelled to believe now that God has too many surprised in store for us and discloses them only when he feels we would really appreciate them. Looking forward to many more surprises!

PUNE – Pensioner’s Paradise or an Upcoming Party Hot Spot?

For years Pune has been called the Oxford of the east. People from different parts of India as well as the neighbouring countries have looked at Pune as a good educational hub. But since the past few years people have started seeing Pune in new light.  It’s not just an educational hub but also an upcoming party hot spot.

Night spots in Pune not only comprise of pubs, bars and lounges but also a lot of fine dining restaurants and cafes as well.  Each of these hangouts contribute to the night life here.  Some are known for its ambience and food while others for its live entertainment of specific days.

In Pune it’s not always about partying on weekends anymore. There are times during the week when you just want to let you hair down, unbutton your collar and go out there and have a great time!  Or on other days one would want to just catch up with a friend over a chilled beer. Some of these places even cater to the female party goers and have ladies nights mostly on Wednesdays where the drinks are on the house.  Thus encouraging people to get out and have a good time even on weekdays. The lights, the music and high spirits around makes one instantly forget that days worries.

      

Places like Sheesha Cafe and Mocha especially cater to the hookah fans. While the former is situated at ABC Farms, Koregaon Park serves alcohol along with hookah the latter is a chain of coffee shop with two branches in Pune. Live entertainment plays a major role here with more and more hangout opting for it. Be it live performances by different bands or awesome, pulsating music churned out by DJs.  They have loads of fans crowding over and partying to their hearts content.

Even though the nightlife in Pune has changed over time, the biggest disadvantage is the closing time which is 11:30pm. This is a major turn off for these party goers especially the non localities. I’ve had a lot of friends coming over from Mumbai. They love the different night spots in Pune but heading back home at 11:30pm doesn't fit into their party plan.

Another thing that Pune lacks is nightspots for the slightly older crowd like the late 20s and above. If we check out most of the nightspots we see a lot of the young crowd mostly the college ones or some just out of college. This isn’t bad but there at times when it can be annoying for the older crowd.

The recently opened MI-A-MI at Pune Marriott and Convention Centre has given a new direction to Pune nightlife. People are exposed to a totally new style of partying with the best from the music world, a huge array of cocktails and the perfect place to unwind, all under one roof.  In the words of most of the party goers in Pune its one club Pune had been waiting for.

Thus we could say in the last few years Pune had transformed from “Pensioner’s paradise” to an “Upcoming party hot spot.”

While this is just the beginning and we have a long way to go, I believe in no time Pune will be one of the sought after night spots in the country.  I can actually here it say Just Wait and Watch!