National Institute of Design (NID) Couple Turns their Dream into Reality

This NID couple is one of my best pals and am truly happy with all my heart, for they have fought all odds to establish their footprint on the world of home-furnishings.

Neelima Bhatt and Bhaskar Bhatt - One of the loveliest couple i have ever seen, is possessed with all the resolve and fathomless love & happiness for each other in life. I had to fight back tears when i saw them get married and i truly salute them for standing-up in togetherness when it mattered. They have now started their design firm: http://www.designmandala.com/ where they make exclusive home-furnishings etched with exquisite designs on the house. Do visit this website and the next time, you plan to buy home-furnishings, i request you to look into this and then decide. They have an all-embracing line of home-furnishings ranging from: (Am attaching specific links for easy navigation)

• Tastefully designed cushion covers using the material of Polydupion http://www.designmandala.com/furnishings.html
• Inviting bed spreads - These are just plush and so rich in look! http://www.designmandala.com/bed_sets.html
• Accessories using the materials: Satin and Velvet http://www.designmandala.com/accessories.html
• Table Linens - http://www.designmandala.com/roots.html
• Ceramic accessories - http://www.designmandala.com/ceramics.html

Do check out the golf ball styled coffee cups!! Sure thing..you guys are really distinct in deploying your design-brains to bring these beauties to reality. Kudos Neelima & Bhaskar ::)

Grrrr...Guru... Please change your pic :P

Geometric Infinite Number of Adaptations (GINA) - Breathing Emotions through Design

As a child, i have always been a car fanatic - right from collecting miniature injection moulded ferrari's to wooden DIY kits of the spell-bounding Rolls-Royce. The passion persisted and took me to places of Irungattukottai, Chennai's race track, where i was initially nervous to set my foot on but once my legs floored the accelarator, it was adrenalin pumping through all my veins. The love for cars has never waned an iota and i guess its mutual as well :) It took me 25 years to buy my first car and had to battle it out with my folks at home, for cars are meant to be in black..courtesy Holly movies where massive 'Humvees' & 'Dodge' clothed in slick black arrive in suave style. I seriously don't know, but i go weak on my knees when i see a car that sweeps me off my feet!

So.. here goes my first post on cars in my blog

I was searching for specific technological advancements for one of my clients when this one caught my eye. Lo! Behold! when i saw the YouTube video, my eyes turned moist. Such was the brilliance in design and outstanding technology contribution. Although, i am off-set in posting this by 6 months or so, WTH.. my blog truly deserves such a post from the consistent innovatior - Bavarian Motor Works (BMW).

When i first saw this video, it was love at first sight. Not with the car though, but with the intellectual talent of BMW. The brains which go behind in offering such best-in-class products must truly be saluted. Kudos to the design team of BMW. The cars from the stable of BMW have always fascinated me, as i like style coupledwith performance. Among most of the peers, the German firm has a perfect formulation, where functionailty meets style without compromise. The boldness in each curve of any BMW car is out of the world. No wonder, they are clocking more sales numbers than conutry-peer Mercedes Benz in India and giving them, a run for their money. Here goes the YouTube clip of the BMW's technologically advanced model: GINA - Geometric and Functions in N (Infinite) Adaptations.

Chris Bangle, Director of Design, BMW Group starts of challenging the fundamental concepts of design: "What do we need a skin of a car for anyway?" This reflects the out-of-the-box thinking of the group, where the sheer existence is questioned, challenged and overcome with style. The GINA light visionary model is designed on the skeleton framework of Z4 roadster with a flexible taut fabric sewed over it. My perception is the car would steal everyones stare in night, where the jaw-dropping curves would be reflected and i would be surprised, if the model is productionised, keeping in mind the excessive cost involved in mass production. The electro-hydraulic devices in the skeleton is the 'behind-the-scenes' work-force that moves to change the shape of the dynamically. Whoa! i am floored by the versatility of the concept car which tingles the sensual buds present in every car lover. A few pictures hived from http://www.bmw.com/

Theo Jansen, one of the leading designers quoted "The walls between Art and Engineering" exists only in Our Minds".

Highway on my Plate (HOMP!)

Finally i managed to pull the socks of the Hathway guy to install the CAS box at my place. I am able to flick through channels without cringing my eye on lack of clarity. As i was shifting channels, NDTV Good Times caught my eye, where there was a serial on which i have always been an ardent, passionate lover :O "FOOD" !! It was titled "Highway on my Plate (HOMP!), where two anchors (Rocky and Mayur) travel the length and breadth of India (I have seen mostly places in South India) and eat at famous places. Apart from the content, what i really loved about this flick is the sooper-coolness of the anchors. Both wear dhoti's (maybe to loosen it according to the proportion that goes in). Mayur (aka Audrey) is a veggie, resembles a lot like my best pal..is my personal favorite. Rocky with his pony-tail and no-mincing words surely has a magnanimous screen presence. From knowing the subtle differences between masala dosa and Mysore masala dosa to why a hotel is called military hotel to the quirky 'food quotes' its rolling fun all the way.

Must watch on Tuesdays at 10:00 P.M (IST)

Image Source: ndtvgoodtimes.com

Emotions Vs Logic : A Jumble of Words

"Ultimately, the most important determinant of happiness is the extent to which people have free choice in how to live their lives," Inglehart said.

Too many wrongs

Forceful eviction - a mournful song

The protective ME in all bays

Hurting U in every way

Wish i had a rewind button

to excercise control over past

Forlorn and suppressed...

Sheer bliss at times...

Alas...lifes a bitch

Only that, the past finds a way to haunt and hunt you down

In need and indeed..

Switching tracks and choices..

After all.. Life always ain't a bitch..

Tame it and be GAME for the puppet show.

February made me shiver while June makes me a Hummer

It’s been a year and a month since homecoming from the land of desserts. As I take a break from the mind-sapping work chores, I am thinking of the top three things that happened in this fluid whip of time:

A sea of change
No broken bones but heart-burns for sure
‘Life can be a bitch at times’ J

The solitude I enjoyed and repented at times was progressively transformed when I came down to home-sweet-home. My first car, loads of friends, sport, active lifestyle, good food and what more do you need! Typical of a guy, I always sensed something was missing in my life and the hunt is still on to scoop the missing piece of the puzzle. Can it be my long-term aspiration of doing my PG in a far-off place from home? Can’t deny the fact though, as it’s more of a pragmatic belief than an idealistic one.

The passion in revelry that many possess hit me full blow when I saw life unfold its folds of thrill before my own eyes and I felt what it was to be at a place sans enjoyment, depleting my three years of youthful life. As the past is not present, the future is non-existent; I focused on living for the moment. The flavors of Chennai wistfully bound me to fall in love with this city and I continued to chug along in life with full steam, having no worries in life. Dependable friends which turned sour down the way and so many untold lessons learnt in a short span of time made me introspect deep within me and realize the true potential of the ‘sole-me’. Never have I given a distress call, while a storm was brewing in me although I relied on true friends for life for the much needed support.

So naïve in life and multiple shark bites has led me to be a changed person, courtesy my long standing friend. I cannot deny the fact that, I got a taste of my own medicine; believe me it tasted so pathetic, and that I ran out to overcome this small uphill in full chivalry. Let me not make this post sound too depressing while I always laugh out my worries creasing my forehead.

I ran a ‘spend-analyzer’ on my income generated after coming to Chennai, of which I really don’t want to share the results hereJ. I want to make a point to all those reading the post, that identify areas of high spending and try to cut that by 5.0 percent on a monthly basis, unless its direly necessary. This is a simple application of ‘kaizen’ on your day to day life. At the end, it’s more of a healthy bank balance and a prevailing sense of security.

All said in a positive note, I promised myself to delve into work and keep watching this space, for I am planning to write more on my trips and people who caused a change in me for sure!

A Blogger who strikes a chord with a class

I accidentally jumped on a blog of Sonia Faleiro, who has a brilliant style of writing which makes the reader re-live the moments of truth. Thats what most of the bloggers/authors/novelists crave for and makes them the best-seelers. No wonder, she recieves so many clicks a day. ok.. i do understand that originality is the essence to a blog, but i just could not resist myself in dissipating the pleasure of reading i had to a larger group of audience :) Happy reading to all.

And a slight humorous twist !

The office of the highest power - A slight dash of humour on the run up to it

Kho gaya taara mil gaya!! - Chitrangada Singh is back with a bang!!

Chitrangada Singh..i would say she's India's answer to Lois Lane. Recall "Hazaaron Khwaishen Aisi" and "Kal", spell bounding performances in both, especially in HKA. A stunner in visual appeal, but has more element to show in her acting skills.

I am not going to write on her reason for disappearance from the silver screen suddenly, when everyone thought she would reign the floor one day. Its entirely a personal choice and would like to tactically delve away from it. The bottom line, however is that, shes returning back to sizzle the screens. Yup!! what with years of eye sores, on seeing plastic actresses amidst a few best-in-class ones like Rani Mukherjee.

Oh! if you all excuse me, shes married to pro-golfer Jyothi Randhawa and loves to watch the sport polo. No wonder...:P. Shes now signed up for Onir's "Sorry Bhai" which has a star stud cast of Shabana Azmi, Boman Irani, Sanjay Suri (Jhankar Beats) after a gap of nearly three years!! Its quite a challenge, in fact, to leave an aplomb career at the peak, only to return to it later with full steam and confidence.

My all time favorite amidst many and she's definitely a watch out for on the screens!! Let the Indian cinema screen sizzle with the fiery attitude of Chitra...Not many people bring that display of attitude on screen, but in HKA, Chitrangada had shown her forte in acting...showing a strong sense of attitude, which is a level above many. Hats off to you and we are all awaiting to watch you scorch the screens!!