#TheOrchard

(Image Source: http://www.quaveda.com/)

on a moonless night

orchard bathes in blue and black

no, it's white and gold

(and I decided to have some haiku fun inspired by #TheDress)


This Haiku is shared with Carpe Diem - The Orchard.

Driving With Quikr NXT

I love cars. Different brands, different colours. - red, blue, black, white, and a whole flurry of shades that appeal to my senses. It doesn’t matter if they are brand new or whether they have been used before by others. What I do care about is driving them, on busy roads, open country side, amidst vast expanses of greenery, or on smooth textured highways. I want my car to be strong, beautiful and sustainable.

I have this whim of changing my four wheelers and buying something new after every three or four years. However, I also need options that are affordable, and thus Quikr NXT provides me the best platform as per my needs. One can browse it on desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile, as it is compatible with almost every device. Thus, you are always in touch with the latest sales and offerings, and can zero in on the one that attracts your attention.

I have a Maruti Alto that’s running since five years now. I decide to replace it with some other models to get a completely different feel. I log on to the Quikr NXT site, and select my City. After that, I click on the Cars and Bikes option. It immediately gives me a list of the Popular brands that are currently in trend, and also provides me the option to minimize my search by being specific with my needs. I want to try out a diesel car, and thus I click on ‘Fuel Type – Diesel’ option.

The options are galore. There are buyers looking for sellers, and vice versa. I make a few selections and then contact the respective sellers via chat. Quikr NXT gives me the comfort of not sharing my mobile number and yet interacting with the sellers, which I feel is a great initiative. I am impressed by a model of Figo Titanium and decide to go with it. I also need to sell my current four wheeler. Thus, I click pictures of it and post the same with details on the site. In a short time, I am contacted by interested buyers.

In just a few clicks I am able to replace my existing car with another model. It’s thrilling because I get to experience a whole new drive in an affordable budget. Plus, I can interact with the sellers and the buyers and clarify all my doubts. It’s the flexibility that Quickr NXT offers that makes it one of the best choices in the current scenario to replace and exchange your stuffs.

Quickr NXT is a revolution that brings a complete 360 degree shift to the way things are being sold and bought from others. It’s compatible features, along with the wide range of options that are exhibited, makes it the go – to destination for all your regular replacing and exchanging needs.

This is my official entry to Get a better Car with Quikr NXT! Happy Hours organized by Indiblogger in association with Quikr.

Check out the official page below:

http://www.quikr.com

I agree to ensure (to the best of my abilities and circumstances) that this blog post will remain accessible in an un-altered state for a minimum of one year.

Find Your Fit With Van Heusen's My Fit

They say finding true selfless love is tough. I say finding a perfectly fitted shirt is tougher. Haven’t we all gone in and out of the trial rooms to find the shirt that complements our body as if it was manufactured for us, but alas, truth is bitter my friend. While some shirts betray us in length, others provide unnecessary width. Some shirts are too loose, others very tight. The same story is repeated in case of trousers, with the waist and height being the major parameters of concern. We eventually have to choose the least unsatisfactory piece, and be content with it. What should we do then? Can there ever be a time when shirts and trousers will complement our body structure?

The wait is finally over. Van Heusen’s latest introduction My Fit provides hordes of customizable options to alter the dimensions of your shirt and trouser as per your body type. Whether you are short or tall, fat or thin, you do not need to lose your sleep over finding the best fit for you. My Fit does it all.

And it’s easy too.

I decided to try out this feature and see if it really works as expected. I walked into a Van Heusen store and requested them to provide me with the My Fit measures as per my body size. Once I had them with me, I ordered a shirt and a pair of trousers from http://www.trendin.com/content/myfit-home-18 with those details.

The items were delivered to my doorstep within a few days, and trust me when I say this, I have never been more satisfied with the fittings of my garments than on that eventful day when I wore the shirt and trouser that had arrived. Both of them complimented my body type so well that it felt they were tailor – made for me. Of course, they were. The height was perfect, the length and width, the size and style, everything catered to my taste. Whatever I had ordered online, I now had the exact same objects with me, in the desired manner. The material used for clothing was smooth and comfortable. What else would you need?

The My Fit initiative by Van Heusen provides everyone with choices to design their clothes the way they want. Though My Fit is not a customization or a made-to-measure solution, despite it having a few customizable features, it is a solution which helps you find the perfectly fitted shirt and trouser. What you get from My Fit is that warm feeling of wearing something that is so much in sync with your own body. I didn't find anything to complain about. The final product left me pleased and happy, and I decided to go the My Fit way whenever I plan to buy shirts and trousers for me or for anyone. Everytime.

My Fit can be dubbed as a revolution in the clothing industry. This is a concept that we have often wished for, and now that it is finally here, we should make the best use of it. After all, Van Heusen as a brand is known to always take the right steps. This time too, it does the same, rewarding the trust of people and fulfilling their expectations.

ABOUT THE BRAND – VAN HEUSEN

Van Heusen is India's No. 1 premium lifestyle brand for professionals. With a rich heritage of 128 years in United States of America, the brand entered India in 1990. Over a period of its 25 years of history in India, Van Heusen has emerged as a fashion authority for the ever evolving Indian professionals becoming the go-to source for the latest in fashion trends as well as for expert advice on what to wear, when to wear it and how to wear it. Today, Van Heusen is not only the most preferred workwear brand, but also effortlessly straddles entire spectrum of occasions like casuals, ceremonial and partywear.

The brand embodies the positioning, ‘POWER DRESSING’. Van Heusen customers are the corporate leaders for whom elegance and style are not just fads, but a philosophy. Thus the Van Heusen range is modern, minimalistic and timeless in design and is distinguished by high quality. Van Heusen with its distinctive and fashionable range of products helps the corporate leaders create their best impact, as much for his style as for his substance.

Van Heusen has always been at the forefront in the apparel industry by enabling its customers look stylish - be it through its exclusive and trendy designs or through the various product innovations over the years. This brand has always believed in constantly doing something new. Today the brand is on the cusp of unveiling yet another innovation - MYFIT - which addresses a deep rooted consumer need - the need to find the most perfect fitting garment irrespective of how one's bodytype is.

ABOUT THE IDEA – MYFIT

How often has it been that you have walked into an apparel store just to return empty handed because what you liked didn’t exactly fit you or wasn’t available in your size? How many times have you wished that you could alter just a bit of the design elements so that the garment truly reflects your own style?

Each one of us is unique - with different body types. Someone may have a paunch, someone may be shorter or someone may have a longer than usual arm length. For a long time, brands have treated consumers as a set of fixed fits and sizes. As a result, people who don't fall within these specified sets of sizes and fits have to live with the compromise of not finding their perfect fitting garment. Even people with regular body type have to live with the compromises of things not fitting to their taste.

Van Heusen MYFIT changes all that. It's an innovative solution that helps consumer break all these compromises and gives the power in their hands to find a garment that truly fits them - fits to their unique body or to their unique taste.

Check out the official page below:

http://vanheusenindia.com/my-fit

The Mask

(Image Source: http://magpietales.blogspot.in/2015/02/mag-259.html)

one day

when the sun shines a distant gray

and the birds forget to sing

we shall all be swallowed by the mask

drugged by its poisonous sting

the truth will hide

in dusty lies

and tears shall dwell

in hollowed bones

one day

when the moon is no longer bright

and the waves succumb to sorrow

we will hear the clatter of masks

amidst hopes so hurriedly hushed

and fleeting smiles that are borrowed

This Poem is shared with Magpie Tales.

HiFi In Bollywood - Review

Rayhan Arora’s long cherished dream is to be a filmmaker in the Hindi Film Industry but his formidable father has other plans… a successful financial career in Corporate America, and a marriage of convenience with Vanita, a medical student in the US. In a final act of desperation, Rayhan abandons his promising life in California and secretly returns to Mumbai to work as an Assistant Director in Bollywood. The characters he encounters along the way become part of his journey of self-discovery - a self-proclaimed local goon with a penchant for acting; a powerful local politician who wants to marry Rayhan's part-time domestic help, who in turn covets stardom; an angst-ridden, homosexual film director; ego-ridden film stars with twisted agendas; and the mysterious Viola who captures his heart. HiFi in Bollywood takes the reader from the streets of Berkeley to the film studios of Mumbai; from red-light areas to police stations, and from reality to dreams and back to reality again!

About the Author

Rishi Vohra relocated back to Mumbai after completing a Green MBA from San Francisco State University and a Masters Diploma in Environmental Law, prior to which he had an extensive career in the Indian Entertainment Industry. 

His debut novel Once Upon the Tracks of Mumbai was a bestseller and awarded a special mention at the Hollywood Book Festival. His short story, The Mysterious Couple, was selected by Sudha Murty for her anthology Something Happened on the Way to Heaven, published by Penguin Books. HiFi in Bollywood is his second novel. 

He writes for delWine and is a Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW).

It’s heartening to see new authors in the block, who produce works of quality that you feel good reading. Rishi Vohra sure would find a place in this list owing to his gripping narrative style that engages the readers and draws them completely into the story. I had read his debut novel ‘Once Upon the Tracks of Mumbai’, and liked it. I am glad Rishi continued the good work with his next venture ‘HiFi In Bollywood.’

HiFi stands for Hindi Film Industry, and the term Bollywood is synonymously used for it. Thus, one can easily guess the backdrop of the story. Rayhan, the protagonist, dreams of being a Bollywood director. However, his strict Dad had him pursue a financial degree from the United States and expects him to settle down there in a prosperous corporate job with a girl of his choice, Vanita. Obvously, Rayhan doesn’t want to be tied down by his father’s high aspirations of him, and secretly comes to Mumbai to try his hands in film making.

Though the story has a simple plot, what makes it attractive is the seamless flow. Right from the first chapter, the readers can relate with the protagonist, Rayhan. He is just a normal guy, with dreams in his heart, and yet being forced to pursue a career that he doesn’t want but is expected to follow. Now, isn’t that something that we have all have felt sometimes in our lives? There are factors that often influence our decisions, and the book highlights it perfectly.

The narration is easy going, and thus the story turns out to be a quick read. What goes inside a film studio, and how a movie is made, has been described very vividly through the view of Rayhan. The author hasn’t strayed into unnecessary details that could have bogged down the pace of the story, but instead paints the images in a crisp and smooth manner.

There are various characters in the book, each bringing a new flavour to the plot. We feel sad for Vanita when Rayhan completely ignores her without having even met her, but the latter has his reasons for the same. Then there is the mystery lady Viola, who steals Rayhan’s heart and mind. The crews in the movie set, the director and the production team, also provide able support to the flow of the story. However, it is Rayhan’s father, whose realistic characterization steals the show. He is strict, and wants his son to follow whatever he says. However, within him is also a caring parent who wishes to see his son happy forever, and thus tries to guide him based on his life’s experiences. Unfortunately, that guidance often comes across as rude commands, which create a cold relationship between the father and the son.

‘HiFi In Bollywood’ is a pleasing read that can be tried at least once. The editing is top notch, and you will hardly find any error, which again is a big satisfaction to avid readers. There are some twists in the plot, but then you could predict a few of them. Watch out for the special appearance by a leading Bollywood star though. It certainly adds to the fun quotient.

So, if you love Hindi movies, ‘Hifi in Bollywood’ deserves a shot. Grab this one for sure for your next leisurely weekend or a quick journey-time read.

Title: HiFi In Bollywood

Author: Rishi Vohra

Publisher: Jaico

Publication Year: 2015

Language: English

Binding: Paperback

Genre: Fiction, Urban Life

No. of Pages: 264

Price: Rs 299

My Rating: 4/5

The White Sun

(Image Source: http://www.clipartpanda.com)

amidst the blue sky

the white sun seeking its glow

vacant horizon

vacant horizon

child lost his yellow crayon

a new sun rises

This Haiku is shared with Carpe Diem Time Machine #4 -Yellow.

Jeeves And The Wedding Bells - Review

To read the full review, click HERE.


Title: Jeeves and the Wedding Bells
Author: Sebastian Faulks
Publisher: Random House
Publication Year: 2014
Language: English
Binding: Paperback
Genre: Fiction, Humour
No. of Pages: 272
Price: Rs 299
My Rating: 3/5

Pampering With Pampers

I had no clue about babysitting. I loved playing with babies, but when they started crying, I gave up. My attempts to console them went in vain, and I searched for resignation. I didn’t know how to console them and stop them from crying, but then as they say, time is a very good master. It teaches you all. And it taught me on one December day when I received a phone call from my aunt.

“Hi Amrit. You Uncle and I have to go out of town tonight on a business assignment. We will be back tomorrow morning. Can you please take care of your brother until we are back?”

I said yes, and then doubts crowded my mind. The baby was just a year old, and as such, would be throwing tantrums at whim. I had no definite plan to calm him when such situations arise. I said my prayers multiple times and went to my Uncle’s place at seven in the evening.

“Lock the door securely, and do not open it for anyone. We will be back by nine in the morning,” said Uncle and took his car out from the garage. Aunt kissed the baby and went and sat besides uncle in the car. Through the open window, they waved at me, and I closed the door once they were out of sight.

Little Abir was a playful child. I took out his toys from the cupboard and arranged them on the bed, watching him play. After a few minutes, he started scratching his head which I interpreted as a sign of boredom. Aunt had already fed him his dinner so I didn’t have to worry about it. However, I had to make sure his mind was kept engaged until he slept.

Until he slept! When would he sleep?

The baby came and sat in my lap, tugging at my specs. I handed him a teddy bear and he got busy with it. And then I felt a certain warmth on my trousers. Oh no. He wasn’t wearing a diaper.

The baby started crying. I kept him on the bed and ran all over the room, trying to find a diaper for him. Finally, in one of the open drawers, I noticed a pack of Pampers Baby Dry Pants. I quickly took one diaper out of it and made the baby wear it. He started smiling and giggling.

Ah, what a relief!

I arranged his little pillows and made him lie on the bed. I massaged his hands and feet and started singing songs that I know, lullabies that I have heard. Babies are sweet, they don’t judge you. They just want your love and company. After a few minutes, Abir slept. I too lied down beside him, but I knew my ordeal wasn’t yet over. When his diaper would get wet in the middle of the night, I had to get up and change it. This was going to be a long night, I thought.

I was wrong. I didn’t remember when I had fallen asleep. I woke up with the bright sun rays pouring into the room through one of the open windows. The wall clock said it was seven o’ clock. I looked beside me and found the baby sleeping peacefully. I was amazed. Didn’t the diaper get wet in the middle of the night? Why didn’t the baby cry?

It was then that I realized that Pampers Baby Dry Pants is no ordinary diaper. It keeps the baby dry, relaxed and comfortable. As such, the baby is always in a happy mood, making you and everyone around happy. I am glad to have used Pampers Baby Dry Pants on the baby, and it made baby sitting an enjoyable experience.

My uncle and aunt arrived at nine, and thanked me for staying over.

“Don’t thank me. It’s Pampers Baby Dry Pants I should be grateful to,” I replied, and they smiled.

This is my official entry to Bedtime Rituals Happy Hours organized by Indiblogger in association with Pampers.

Check out the link below to know more:

https://www.rewardme.in/tag/Pampers

I agree to ensure (to the best of my abilities and circumstances) that this blog post will remain accessible in an un-altered state for a minimum of one year.

The Mulberry Tree

(Image Source: Vincent Van Gogh)

This Poem is shared with Mindlovemisery's Menagerie - Photo Challenge #48.

Hushed Fiction

(Image Source: http://magpietales.blogspot.in/2015/02/mag-258.html)

when words were drenched in winter rain

and silence made me go insane

I drew a chapter new

flaming red, me and you

you smelt of honey

in winter dusk

amidst pages

cologne and

musk

but was this fake

you were my take

brimming with passion

my penned creation

the hours grew still

and I heard your voice

calling out my name

well, I had no choice

'cause I was burnt in this obsession

smouldering you, my hushed fiction

This Poem is shared with

• Magpie Tales,
• The Tuesday Platform.

The Perfect Valentine - Asus Zenfone

Let me tell you my story in flashback. You can name it my Valentine’s Day adventures, or rather the lack of them. It all started when I stepped into the shoes of adolescence, with my heart pumping love instead of blood. I so desired to have a partner, to share ice creams and chocolates, but then how can one fight against destiny? So while my dreams of ice creams and chocolates were being turned into reality by other couples, I slowly started avoiding the dreaded 14^th February.

But then friends turned evil, and often asked me my plans for the V-Day. During my initial years, I knew not what to say, so I used to mumble a vague response and run away. However, as I grew older, I developed the art of lying, and my response to their smirks used to be in the form of cooked up love tales with imaginary girls. They believed me, or I felt so.

Good things happen if you wait, they say. I don’t know who these ‘they’ are, but they couldn’t have been more correct. When all of a sudden, out of the blue, love held my hands, or rather I held love, tightly, passionately. 14^th February of 2015 was not about cooked up stories. It was about my real love affair with my perfect Valentine, my Asus Zenfone.

There are several reasons why she is so perfect, but the first and foremost feature that caught my attention was its primary camera. The five element optical formula lens added an all new dimension to the pictures I captured. The images were crisp and clear, and perfectly focussed. In fact, I abandoned my digital camera once I had Asus Zenfone with me.

This is the age of selfies, and my Valentine scored a perfect ten in that department as well. The front secondary camera is good, with a more than decent resolution, and let me click innumerable selfies, which I can upload to my Facebook profile, with the tagline – “Picture Courtesy: Asus Zendfone, my Valentine.” Jealous, ha!

Asus Zenfone is one of the prettiest partners one could have. Trust me, ‘cause I mean it. With a sleek body, and the option of changing the covers at my whim, I have the luxury to dress it in whatever way I want. The cases come in numerous colours, bright and gorgeous, and I could make it sport a new colour every day.

My Valentine scores brownie points in its incredible performance. The Intel Atom 2520 processors run most applications, without any lag or delay. In fact, even the high end apps and games ran with tremendous ease and smoothness. Now, who wouldn’t like to have a love like that?

Last but not the least, Asus Zenfone has a longer battery life, compared to several other phones in the market. That means I can perform my necessary tasks without worrying about the charger point. Isn’t that the best thing that a cell phone can offer you in the modern world?

Asus Zenfone is not just any other phone. It’s love, the perfect Valentine.

This is my official entry to #UnconditionalLove with the Zenfone Happy Hours organized by Indiblogger in association with Asus Zenfone.

Check out the link below to know more:

http://www.flipkart.com/asus

I agree to ensure (to the best of my abilities and circumstances) that this blog post will remain accessible in an un-altered state for a minimum of one year.

Nemesis

(Image Source: http://ewallpaperhub.com)

you can't trace a frown

'cause I have learnt to hide

I'm tired of being good

baby, I will take you for a ride

I will cheat, I will treat

serve lies you think are true

I shall laugh, I shall mock

and leave you without a clue

I am good in being bad

and framing plots so devious

ah, if you trust me anymore

you will find me venomous

run, run, run

before it's too late

the escape is your key

of not cursing your fate

but wherever you go, you will find me there

I shall be your nemesis, forever, everywhere

This poem is shared with

• Three Word Wednesday - Devious, Frown, Venomous,
• Hyde Park Poetry.

Our Love Anew

This Poem is shared with

• Poetry Jam - Silence,
• Poets United - Midweek Motif ~ LOVE is not a Greeting Card,
• Imaginary Garden - The Tuesday Platform.

Poppies On The Way

(Image Source: Landscape with Poppies - Claude Monet, 1873)

poppies on the way

to Sunday morning market

the kid learns to count

This Haiku is shared with Carpe Diem - Poppies.

Personal - Review

To read the full review, click HERE.


Title: Personal (Jack Reacher #19)
Author: Lee Child
Publisher: Transworld
Publication Year: 2014
Language: English
Binding: Paperback
Genre: Fiction, Suspense & Thriller
No. of Pages: 432
Price: Rs 399
My Rating: 3/5

Quikr NXT - The Next Best Thing For Buyers And Sellers

Do you have a product you do not need and wish to sell? On the other hand, would you like to buy something that would be useful to you from a person who currently owns it?  In case of most of us, the answer to both the questions will be a big ‘Yes’, isn't it? However, how shall we find out who is in need of what I want to sell, or who is willing to give away what I would like to have?

Gone are the days of classified ads in newspapers and magazines, where people had to wait for days to get a satisfactory response. With the advent of Quikr, things certainly have become a lot better, and smoother.

Quikr is a completely hassle free platform that allows the buyer and the seller to communicate with each others, gauge their needs and have a healthy transaction. It is a site that helps you get quick responses to your search, and fulfills your demands within the blink of an eyelid. Quikr as a tool is definitely a need of the modern times, with more and more people opting to this service.

With the introduction of Quikr Nxt, the online deals and transactions on Quikr is slated to turn smoother. It provides users the ability to chat with the seller, and proceed with the transactions even without a single phone call. Isn't it cool? I always felt that a proper chat mechanism should always be in place for sites like this, as chats are often preferred over phone calls. My reasons, here they are:

Privacy

Though we live in a social world, we all like to maintain a certain degree of privacy in our lives. We all demand a personal space for ourselves, without unwanted disturbances. When we exchange our phone numbers for product transactions, there is always a risk of our contact information being compromised and shared with others. Also, we wouldn't prefer unwanted calls at any time. A chat eliminates these risks, guaranteeing us a privacy we all have a right to.

Clarity

It’s difficult to trace everything that’s discussed in a telephonic conversation. Sure, we can install a call recorder that would store the conversations, but honestly, how often do we use this functionality. In a service like Quikr, where the minutest details of selling and buying are so important, a written record is the best option to have. Thus, if you are looking for a product, and a seller offers it to you, you can easily converse with him over chat (the chat conversations get stored and can be retrieved anytime) and get all doubts clarified. Both the parties will then be on the same page, and there will be zero confusion.

Time

A chat saves our time. It’s direct and to the point, and often leads to a quicker result than a phone call. What more, you can work on multiple things while chatting, thus utilizing your time in the best possible manner. Chatting doesn't need as much attention that’e required for a phone conversation, and hence is more relaxing and has an easy approach. Chat can happen anywhere, anytime, and in convenience of both the parties concerned.

Is Quickr Nxt the next best thing for buyers and sellers? Well, it certainly seems so.

This is my official entry to Get Quikr NXT! Happy Hours organized by Indiblogger in association with Quikr.

Check out the official page below:

http://www.quikr.com

I agree to ensure (to the best of my abilities and circumstances) that this blog post will remain accessible in an un-altered state for a minimum of one year.