Bless You, Mr. Choo!

Well, it sure is a cause for celebration. Good shoes always are. They were expensive with a capital E. Not the stuff a broke writer goes for. But indulgence is the spice of life. Besides, I fell in love with them the moment I saw them. And what I love more is the fact that an identical pair of shoes, in green, is featured in this month's Vogue. I am just looking for the perfect occasion to wear these. I tried them at the shop and they were superbly comfortable. I think the trip to Goa will be it. These would be perfect with a dress I covet. More on that later. For now, I have to keep these away from Mr. Scrabble, or as hubby puts it, they will be known as "Scrabble Chewed". The very thought gives me shudders.



In retrospective, it's only fair that my biggest indulgence so far has been a pair of shoes. Having been born and brought up in Agra, there were shoes aplenty while I was growing up. Dad would get me these lovely ankle-length boots and leather pumps. There was a brief, forgettable affair with uggs, though Marie Janes remained good friends. The only problem was color. You could have any shoe as long as it was black. You can see how that posed a problem. Suede too was not my scene, as I wasn't particularly careful with my shoes. But that was then, and this is now. What a lovely red!



Oh, and did you know that Jimmy Choo made his first shoe when he was barely 11 years old! Now there is a guy who knows his heels. So many women love him. Bless you, Mr. Choo!

Tagged by Absolutely Fabulous

What are the last three things you purchased?
A pair of red Jimmy Choos, an eye pencil, a pair of English rose colored pants



What are the last three songs you downloaded?
Increase the dosage, by Revolution Void

Where were the last three places you visited?
Lonavala, Mahabaleshwar, Devlali

What are your three favorite movies?
The Legend of 1900, Girl on the Bridge, Khamoshi

What are your three favorite possessions?
My new shoes, my Topshop Maxie dress, my engagement ring

What three things can you not live without?
Scrabble (my dog), laptop, My best friend (also responds to name "husband")


What would be your three wishes?
See more of the world, a house by the beach, a new designer wardrobe

What are three things you have not done yet?
Learn an entirely new cuisine, deep sea diving, fishing

What are your three favorite dishes?
Lasagna (Hail Garfield!), Baked potatoes with skin, Crackling Spinach

What three celebrities would you want to hang out with the most?
George Clooney, Susie Menkes, Priyanka Gandhi

Name three things that freak you out.
BO, lack of etiquette, reptiles

If you could describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
Eccentric, imaginative, intuitive

Name three unusual things you are good at.
Closet reorganizing, recipe improvisation, making dog treats

What are three things you are currently coveting?
Losing 10 pounds, a new SUV, a long trip to Europe

What three bloggers would you like to tag?
Hmmm... SATC, Mercedes, Freelancer

The after-effects of Aftershock

Oh, and I just had to share this really cute find from Aftershock. They had a 50% Annual Sale and I would have been a fool to not lift this clutch. Apart from the striking color, it is really comfortable to hold and goes with several formals that I use quite often. Aftershock is fast becoming my favorite shopping destination. It has more than a small share of little surprises tucked away that make great fashion buys. In the past, I have often picked up handbags, accessories, and handbags from Aftershock. And now, this little clutch is asking for company!

Aftershock is one of the UK’s leading designers, retailers and manufacturers of ladies wear and accessories. I love their use of exuberant colour schemes and beautiful design work. Their collections invariably feature some intricately beaded ladies wear, casual wear and some stunning accessories. The brand has its own popular daywear range entitled Little Buddha. But the best feature of the collection is affordable glamour. Their press feature claims that their celebrity followers include Madonna, Helen Mirren, Charlotte Church and Katherine Jenkins.

My past purchases from the store include a lovely floral print dress, and a jaw-dropping glamorous kurta in white, with silver sequins. I know that I can always turn to this store for a quick retail therapy session. But don’t expect the quick thrills to come cheap. For though the designs are affordable, they are not really budget buys. Unless on sale, that is. But it makes good fashion sense to try this store at least once. You never know what you might find. And I can vouch for one fact; the after-effects of Aftershock are almost always really pleasant, not to forget addictive.

All The COLORS Of Human Emotions!

I am so excited! The channel, Colors, launched yesterday, at 7.00 pm IST. And we, the team of Colors, celebrated in style at Kino’s Cottage in Versova Mumbai. This sprawling party place is one of the most coveted destinations in Mumbai, and you will know why when you see the pictures. Overlooking the Versova beach, the venue was perfect for a buzzing launch party. Snacks included Murg Achari, Prawns Koliwada, Paneer Tikka, Seekh Kebabs, Veg-Cheese Tarts, Bruchettas, and more! There was lots to drink, though I stayed with juice and tequila shots.



Large screens all over the venue were for viewing the shows that started at 7.00pm and went on till 11.00 pm. The team partied till about 3.00 am, though I left early. It was really exciting seeing the result of all the months of hard work.

The Very Lovely Laurel Stovall

At 5’11”, she literally has the world at her feet. Shotcouture profiles, blogdom’s sweetie, the very fabulous Laurel Stovall… A lovely girl from Nevada, Laurel is stylish, witty, fun, and very, very deserving of the top spot in the online V Magazine Supreme Management Model Search for 2008. Her personal style inspires many, and her zany comments on other blogs can light up your day. But don’t take out word for it. Get to know the girl better. Here is a brief glimpse into the life of the brilliant young lady.

• Tell me about yourself.
I'm Laurel Stovall, I was born June 29, 1986 in a small rural town in Nevada called Lovelock. I'm an only child with two very loving and amazing parents, who are my number one influences in my day-to-day. I am currently attending the University of Nevada, Reno and in my 4th year, graduating with a degree in Journalism, minor in English Literature. I love music, cooking, running, photography, design and Ernest Hemingway - and I'm a HUGE lover of giraffes. I'll crack you up and talk you up about current events anytime.

• What are your greatest strengths as a model?
I guess it's hard to really answer that question since I haven't been directly involved with the industry but as I've grown as a student, daughter and friend, I discover the real drive and potential I have to do things I set my mind to - my strong-willed nature and levelheaded nature will definitely serve me and my future endeavors in modeling, career, family, etc.

• Biggest fashion influence?
My best friend, Ashley - she (along with her art) helped me to discover the side of myself that I feel so compelled to share with the world.

• Favorite designer?
Yves Saint-Laurent

• Favorite model(s)?
Freja Beha Erichsen and Anja Rubik

• Favorite fashion magazine?
WWD collections issues

• If you had a choice of all designers in the world, who would you prefer to work for? Why?
Nicolas Ghesquiere, he is definitely designing with something so different in mind - I would like to be there as his designing technique gets stronger and stronger.

• What do you see in the stores that you think is really great (shoes/accessories/clothes)?
Shoes are a current art-form for me, and I've become extremely picky about them - I see them as the conclusion to most daily outfits and if it isn't right, your whole outfit isn't worth wearing.

• Clothes you wouldn't be caught dead in?
Anything mesh and UGG boots.

• Foolproof style tip that you'd love to share?
Eucerin Aquaphor ointment - BEST LIP TREATMENT, EVER. A little bit of that mixed with a tiny amount of concealer on lips creates flawless lips.

• What do you do in your free time?
Spend time with my parents, friends, shop (incessantly) and work on my blog.

• Forbidden foods you'd love to dig into?
I'm a total nerd, but I love fig cookies - LOVE. They remind me of being a little girl hanging out with my aunt and grandma in the summertime. I'm attempting a recipe for them very soon!

• Favorite outfits from your closet?
I'm loving a few pieces I picked up at Zara, especially this super tailored, cream colored vest - very Margiela. Also, I am incorporating a lot more color into my closet which always seems to do my fair skin/dark hair much more justice.

• Movies you could see over and over again?
Pretty Woman, of course!

• Books you would read a million times?
Garden of Eden by Hemingway. It is rare for me to want to read a book more than once, a second time through sometimes ruins it for me.

Dieter’s Nightmare

Sorry for not having posted in such a long time. Well, it all started with an innocent decision and has now spiraled into a mess. My laptop had definitely slowed down, and needed formatting. That was just the beginning of the trouble. Won’t go into the details. Let’s just say the dirty word – Virus. Now my OS DNA is affected and I am left alone and unequipped in the digital world. Restoring and saving my laptop will take some time now, so I am posting less frequently.

Pity, because I had some really nice new pictures to share. I guess that would just have to wait. Meanwhile, things are heating up at work, what with an approaching launch on 21st July. See who wore what to the Press Meet Here.

Meanwhile, I will leave you with a picture of Dhanya and Me at the Rainmakers. Please ignore Danny's middle finger; I think she was a little stoned. And that other picture is of my famous Dream Chicken. It’s an old recipe of grilled chicken stuffed with pepper cheese, and topped with mushroom and cream sauce. It’s served with stir-fried vegetables and garlic and herbs bread. It has like a million divine, brain-exploding, feel good calories. So sinful, I will be denied an entry into slimming heaven for the next seven lives. Now I am hungry.