Chiconomical

It's crazy how a single line and a single image can make you feel the strongest pangs of wanderlust. I personally haven't been much of a traveller until recently. Somehow, the wanderbug has bit me hard over the last year so much so that I have a whole section on my phone dedicated to "wishlist" places. Indeed, when I'm not working you'll find me looking up trip stories and dreaming up a million pictures I could be taking right then in some heavenly hideaway instead of sitting in a room without windows working on some code. One of the top searches I always end up with seem to be Himachal. There is just something rather attractive about this little piece of heaven that draws me there. I was dreaming of endless valleys with rivers long before Kasol with its now infamous Parvati Valley became a fad. Yes, when the world is dreaming of holidays in the Alps, I'd much rather dream about holidaying in Himachal.

A few months ago, a friend took a short trip to Kasol to recharge her batteries. She posted the mandatory holiday pictures on Facebook and these just made me yearn that much more for a holiday in the hills. The beauty of visiting a new place isn't just about taking a flight and getting there. Its's about walking a trail that's seldom taken, its about finding joy in the simple things, its about discovering lost secrets of a place that were lost in the ripples of time. Indeed, this is the journey that brings true joy.

A random find during a friend's recent trip, truly there are stories all around us, waiting to be discovered..

So let's say I somehow get magically transported to the Himachal, what then? I think what I want the most is to wake up with the sounds of nature, the beauty of finding yourself in a place that's new but still feels like home. I always end up booking myself into places with the best views when I travel because I think its rather important to experience the best when you're in a new place. I remember I traveled with my family to Goa for the first time and I did the posh version of Goa. Since we were a mixed age group, we ended up staying (incidentally) at a Club Mahindra resort in South Goa and ended up having a beach holiday without the cliche Goa sights. We woke up to the sounds of the Goan beaches, we wandered on beaches that weren't yet populated with crazy tourists, we walked tiny bylanes that led to tinier yet enchanting houses of the people there and we lunched with the locals. Truly, I think the resort with it's gorgeous location was one of the key factors that helped us discover all this. This trip set the idea of what a holiday should be like for me. I'd wander in the wild unknown as long as I had a chance to sleep in luxury. I want to dine with the locals but still have an option to try local delicacies in luxury. Maybe it's just me, but that's how I imagine all my trips. Honestly, Himachal has been a wish upon every star I've spotted this year, take me to the valley!
I dream of waking up in an unknown land, I dream of walking a new road, I dream of finding joy in nature, I dream of a Trail less taken....I dream! I think my friend is right, we all want to travel, fall in love and be happy. And sometimes, you can do this all at once, without even looking for another person! Travel, fall in love with a place, find yourself and your happiness in the wandering. And yes, after writing this, I'm packed and halfway out the door, and you??

Monsoon hitting the city mean a endless cycle of grey skies, petrichor and lots of wetness. Mumbai rains especially have a way of playing hide and seek with its residents with its completely unpredictable weather. One minute its pouring and the next it seems to be sunnier than a holiday at a beach. This means you have to be extra careful when you dress for such weather. Today's outfit is my interpretation of fun monsoon dressing.




The best thing about monsoons is the chance to flaunt your cool umbrellas. I love bright funky umbrellas that have a bit of an attitude. Punk girl? Frills Girl? Pink Girl? Rainbow Girl? No problem, there's an umbrella out there for every mood! Secondly, gum boots. Can we just take a moment and appreciate how lovely gum boots are during the rains? I personally like them a lot because they manage to keep my feet (most importantly my toe nails) dry and clean. Also, its much easier to avoid back splashes thanks to the length. And of course, the quirk factor that goes with wearing gum boots is superbly high! A must have in your closet during the monsoon.




Finally, the dress. I think my mom has a heart attack every time I decide to wear white in the monsoons. Honestly, the splash stains are impossible to remove child; is what she always tells me. But I think white is a rather fun color to wear especially when the sun could come out any moment. The trick is to keep it shorter than usual so that you don't end up adding dirt patterns to your whites. Ooh, and bonus points if you manage to work in a on season trend (read cold shoulder dresses).

All in all, this is my kinda weekend outfit when its pouring. I know the skies may be grey, but you outfit doesn't need to be.

The monsoons are here! And right in time with them the Sugarbox #TheMonsoonCrushEdition is here too. Can I just say, this is by far one of my favorite boxes since I started to subscribe to Sugarbox. I honestly like everything in there this time, which is a first for me. So without further delay, lets dive right in!


1. Bar Cake

Sweet things first! I love that the sugarbox has a little sweet treat in every box. I love the idea of a chocolate bar that's also a cake. This was definitely a rather nice thing in the box and has already been devoured with glee.

2. Patterned Box

Girls love pretty pink things. And when the box tell you "Hey Beautiful", its a definite plus. This little box has a cute lid with a butterfly on it. While I quite like the lid, I would much rather use this box as a pen storage since I quite like the idea of being able to see the bottom that makes me smile!

3. Kallos Fruit Facial Kit
Facials...hmmm. I know a number of girls who do this at home and I'm the anti-girl when it comes to anything that requires me to follow several steps. Yes, I've never in my life got a facial, ever. However, now that there's fruit involved, the promise of coming away from it smelling like strawberries and peaches maybe will swing me towards my ever home facial. I shall review it if I do try it out!

4. Floral Earrings

Now these earring already made an appearance on almost all my social media. I think they're totally quirky and rather unique. I still haven't worn them but I think I may just wear them to office this week to add a bit of interest to any ol' boring office outfit.

5. Happy Girls are the Prettiest Pouch

How true is this quote? While I didn't really like the quality of this pouch I absolutely loved the quote. I can't agree enough and think that every person could do with a little happiness in their life. Be kind people, it don't cost a thing!

6. Boho Jacket

Okay. So I think the gods of Boho do not wish me to stop wearing quirky things. I have been trying to find an interesting boho jacket and thanks to them brilliant gods, I've got one in this month's Sugarbox. Floral, check. Fringe, check. Mad love, double check! I'm pretty sure you'll see this in a post this month very very soon!

7. Quirky Printed Umbrella
And finally, pretty much the most loved and useful item from the June Sugarbox. This absolutely gorgeous umbrella. The print, the bright colors and the ultra indianess. I don't think there's anything about it that you can hate. A definite must for those gloomy rainy days that we will most certainly have this month.


And that's the crazy list folks. Honestly, that's a lot of goodies packed into this month's Sugarbox. I think I have loved every single thing here and unlike a few previous months, everything can be used immediately. Awesome job team Sugarbox. You've certainly nailed it this month! Loved the June, 2016 Sugarbox.

Summers have given way to monsoons in Mumbai. As much as I love the pitter patter of rains, I've realised I like summers more purely because of the wide array of outfits I can wear thanks to the good weather. At the same time, summers also bring with them a sort of lethargy where all I want to to is sip my iced tea and sit in an airconditioned room. This outfit is for all those people who like to look put together without putting in too much effort. Ohh, fun fact, this complete outfit is thrifted, online! How cool is that?



So this top which has a rather sporty look to it has been on my list for a long time now. I've wanted one that was simple yet had those sporty stripes (yes, its me. I must have all the variants of a stripe in my life). Anyway, long story short, I saw a co-ord set on Spoyl with it, and I bought it! These Asos ripped jeans were sold out for quite some time and never came back in stock although I liked the idea of patches alongwith the rips. (makes them that much more mom approved you know) so when I spied a pair in my size (hallelujah!) I grabbed them without a second thought. Add a pair of simple pumps and a statement neckpiece, you're ready for pretty much any weekend plan there is!



This look can be converted to fit any occasion by simply changing the accessories. You can't go wrong with a simple white tshirt and blue denims. Seriously, if you don't have both in your closet, go get them now! There are some great bargains available online too thanks to the sale season. Trust me, this is a look you won't regret, no matter what you size or age!

A couple of months ago, I got an email asking me if I would be interested in reviewing Book 3 in Shubha Vilas' epic rendition of the Ramayana. Now, seeing as I had already read book 2, I agreed willingly. If you've read my previous review you know I was less than impressed with the last book. Somehow, I felt it was a little too preachy and didn't really add any value to the original. So was I happy with the third? Read on to know...



First off, this book starts exactly where the last book left off and that's something I felt happy about. However, for some reason, it didn't feel like an abrupt or a disjoint start and the story flowed. This book deals with Rama and company travelling through the Dandakaranya forest. The story about how this place found its name grips you right from the start. The trio meet some interesting people and frankly for a person who's primary source of the Ramayana story was the classic television show (my aunt is a huge fan and followed it religiously) this book offers some very interesting insight into the intricacies of the story.

We meet many important characters as we progress through the story and the author does a good job of fleshing out the characters and makes you like most of them. Thankfully, this book has fewer footnotes and it seems that they are a lot more relevant this time round. I remember almost completely skipping over them when I read the last book but this time they seemed to be a lot more relatable. This book also contains the infamous abduction scene and I love how the author has protrayed it. Especially the bit where Jatayu tries to save Sita was by far my favorite part of the book. It is brave, heartbreaking and a evocative story of martyrdom. Even when you feel for Sita and worry about the horrors that lay ahead, you are captured by the love and devotion that someone who met them but a few times shows. This is what true leaders are, after all, and somehow this part was relevant even now.

The book ends with the heroes, now bereft of the company of their guiding light Sita, searching for a way to bring her back and advancing towards the Vanar kingdom. Yes, I'm certainly excited to see how the author deals with this particular part of the story. Honestly, for me, Rama and Sita have never been a couple to emulate. They seem too flawed and bound by traditions when they could have changed things for the better because of their position, atleast in my personal opinion anway. However, this book brings forth the good characters instead of these two. While they may not be my person favourites (and yes, i'm being rather controversial here) there are so many characters in the story I never took the time to think about before. Yes, there is Jatayu as I already mentioned who is someone I truly admire after reading the book. At the same time, there are numerous others, who seek to inspire and guide you and I think I finally realise that these are the reason why Ramayana is such an epic.

In my opinion, this is a book you should definitely get. As long as you know the overall story, you wouldn't even need to buy the other books although that's recommended if you like to maintain continuity.