I’m at a loss at what to say about this super sweet ride … except that I got to go for a drive in it last night !  And now I want a ride again !!

Yes folks – I had the pleasure of being driven around in a Maserati !!! The drive was awesome although I feared more for the car than anything else .. Bombay has way too many holes in the roads due to the monsoons (wait heck who am I kidding – the holes are there year long) and I was just worried about the car getting damaged !

And the driver was not too shabby either – pretty cute actually … and I’ve invited for another drive =) All in all – not a bad night !

Have a great Wednesday everyone ! and don’t forget to play !

I absolutely love this track !!! It’s almost magical :)

Sure maybe when you actually pay attention to the lyrics – then perhaps it might be a bit sad … but somehow the artist has managed to turn that sadness into some sort of logic for themselves … I suppose it makes for a peppy sad song LOL … I don’t even know WHY I got onto that tangent …

But regardless of what anyone wants to make of the track … I just think its got an awesome beat; and makes for a fab tune to dance on ! My mate HRH and I can rock the dance floor on this !

Have a great week ahead ! don’t forget to share your favourite tune below !

I’ve been meaning to put this up since last week in honour of Friendship Day … but due to work constraints it hasn’t really happened.

So firstly – do we really need a specific day to celebrate ‘friendship’ ?? I’d like to believe that my friends know who they are and how much they mean to me without me having to dedicate a day to them to let them know that … Isn’t that technically what birthdays are for ?

Last weekend was quite an adventurous one … My mate AM (his sister is also AM – so we’ll just have to call her Adi instead) has been going on about how amazing his sister Adi’s cookies are and after much persuading – he got off his ass and asked his sister to make us (i.e him and me and whoever else wanted any) some cookies …

I can’t begin to tell you just how much NB and I have been looking forward to these cookies .. so much so that AM has gone off to his mates house; left the cookies behind at his; his sis is out with her friends and has called me to tell me about the cookies – and AB has told NB to coordinate with me in terms of HOW we were gonna get the cookies … Yes I realize I sound like the cookie monster .. but I am a cookie monster … I love my desserts and fresh baked cookies tops the list !

NB and I have driven off in the dwindling rains of Mumbai to AM’s house and hung out with his mom whilst trying not to gobble the cookies down …. then since we had time to kill – we went off for a drive and ended up getting goodies worth Rs 1600 for Rs 1000 because we didn’t have enough cash on us and no ATM in sight.  Not bad eh ? We’ve then driven back to Colaba and called AB up to figure out if he’s done with his mates so we can enjoy the cookies with him (caring is sharing right ?)

So now we’re off to pick the Cookie Man up and head off for another drive …. NB and I just kept laughing at the fact we were doing a 360 drive of the same route already travelled …. finally we stop at Worli Sea Face and decide its time to devour the cookies …. must have been there for an hour or so and then it was time to go back home … alas work calls all of us in the morning ….

…. and that’s when the damn car wouldn’t start !!! Really – it just wouldn’t start ! No matter what I did – my poor baby refused to start ! Now what’s a girl going to do in this situation …. ‘hello my hunky male friend – can you please figure out how to start my car’ ….

And that’s how we ended up getting out of the car; started with a push and then a shove and then we ran my car down Worli Sea Face and not a single soul driving past even slowed down to CONSIDER helping us !!! Finally I flagged down a taxi who told us we were doing this all wrong …

Here’s a note people :  if you’re car isn’t starting – you DON’T push start the car in Neutral or First gear and hit the accelerator … You have to push start in Neutral; shift straight to 2nd gear and keep hitting the clutch !!!

I’m just glad that I have friends like AM and NB who are willing to push, shove, run and start my car whilst we’re stranded out on the roads =)  It’s just a damn shame I didn’t get a picture of that !!!

… and NB don’t go all emotional on me … kills my style =P  AM – I expect some more cookies now hahah

This lady is HOT ! At least I think so ! I noticed her on the TV show Boston Legal; and she definitely makes for a very sexy lawyer !  Personally I think its her British accent that just appeals to me :)

Rhona Mitra is a British actress, singer and model.  The name ‘Mitra’ caught my attention and got me wondering if there was a hint of Indian in her … and I was right .. Her father is of English and Indian descent, whilst her mother is Irish. 

Side Note : I’ve always believed that children of mix race parents tend to be the best looking ones !

 She is probably best known as the live action model - Lara Croft – in the Tomb Raider video game series.  However she can also be seen in movies such as Hollow Man; Get Carter; Stuck on You; Sweet Home Alabama and Chronicles of Riddick. 

She was also ranked #46 on the Maxim Hot 100 Women of 2001.

I can’t say much more about her as I really don’t know anything else … but I love her accent and attitude in Boston Legal – it’s no wonder – the Brit in me can completely relate to this lady !

Hope you all have a very Sexy Saturday !!!

This tune is such a classic !!! Brings back memories from back in the early 90’s for me :) I used to listen to this track on a cassette !!! Yup – I’d just gotten my own stereo and raided my mom’s music collection and discovered this track on a cassette and fell in love with it !

Back in school – I used to sing – solos and in the choir – and for our music class – we all had to pick a solo track to perform … I chose this tune and got a fantastic ovation for it too !! I just sang right now to see if I remembered it – and I can !!! Now I just need to find the nerve to sing in front of an audience again (hmmm not quite sure when I got worried about singing in public !! but it has happened over the last decade or so)

The lyrics are haunting – I just love it ! Growing up, I always wondered about the meanings behind the song and never really quite got my finger on it.  Whilst browsing online for the song – I came across a few interpretations that I’d never really given a thought to.

What do you think about the track ? When was the first time you heard it ? Any memories that come to mind when you hear it ?

I’m not a big fan of adverts on Indian television however this particular advert really hit a nerve ! 

It could be due to the fact that I’m an animal lover and can empathize with the commercial. I’ve had the pleasure of growing up with German Shepherds and a Doberman – so I can see how the wolves have a nurturing instinct – after all dogs are a descendent of wolves !

This ad campaign along with the print campaign for the Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts was directed by Bruno Aveillan for Ogilvy Asia Pacific.  I didn’t know much about the director so I went on to look him up on Wikipedia.

Bruno Aveillan was born in Toulouse, France and is one of the most distinguished and internationally sought after commercials director across the globe … And this commercial is a clear indication of WHY he is sought after by brands such as Louis Vuitton, Audi, Chanel, Nike and Nintendo.

I have seen this commercial over a dozen or so times – and it never fails in giving me goose bumps and somehow awakens my tear ducts too ! It’s heart warming and conveys a very powerful message that instantly instills the brand into the viewers’ mind.

The commercial takes the viewer through breathtaking snow covered locations to communicate that …

‘There’s no greater act of hospitality than to embrace a stranger as one’s own …

… The ethos of the Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts … no doubt that’s why they are at the top of their game in the hospitality industry !

Monsieur Aveillan most definitely deserves a big round of applause for he has managed to create such a beautiful and heart warming commercial.  It is raw in nature and that’s what makes it stand out !

What do you think about the commercial ? Have you seen it before ? What comes to mind whilst watching the commercial ? I’d love to hear your thoughts :)

p.s enjoy the print ad below !

Ryan Reynolds – possibly best known for his role as ‘Van Wilder’ – gets my Sexy Saturday vote !  He’s absolutely divine ! and has a natural next door hunk sorta look to him !  Why can’t I have neighbours like that ??

I loved his role as ‘Berg’ in Two Guys, A Girl & A Pizza Place ! I watched that show on-and-off whilst living in London.  He’s best known for his roles in Romantic / Comedy films however he has also ventured to the dark side in The Amityville Horror.  The guy can carry off the romcom and the macho looks pretty damn well !

Reynolds was named one of People Magazine's Sexiest Men Alive in 2008 and 2009 … He’s got my vote for 2010 as well :)  I reckon he might be able to get that too … In February 2010, he was named the new face of Hugo Boss fragrances.

Now if he was proposing to me (yup he was in The Proposal with Sandra Bullock) – I wouldn’t say no ! Alas this hunk is married to the very sexy & sultry Scarlett Johansson !!! Oh well – I can always keep looking at him !

So who gets your Sexy Saturday vote ? Any Ryan Reynolds fans out there ?

I normally do not rant.  It takes a lot to provoke me.  But I came across a status message on an associates’ Facebook page and was quite taken aback.

Gals : Somebody SAVE ME from their Kiddish, Irresponsible, Insensitive, Selfish and Apathetic behaviour. GOSSSHHHH

Goooooooooood Morning everyone !!! I’ve had an awesome start to my Monday and whilst most of my mates are cribbing that the weekend is over .. I’m unusually positive about the outcomes of this coming week ! (although that could just be the happy hormones as a result from a yoga class at 9 a.m)

I’ve had a really busy few weeks and hence the semi MIA status on my blog .. I’ve been feeling super guilty about it too !!! However that’s not an excuse and I’m gonna try to make sure that doesn’t happen again.  But as the saying goes – hard work pays off … and I reckon this week it will !

So here’s my Music Monday track by RIO – Shine On …. it’s such a fab track !! It oozes positivity and it’s like a ‘happy tune’ !  And it’s also one of my favourite clubbing tunes !

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do ! I can only hope you have a smile on your face after listening to this track ! Would love to know what you think about the tune !

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the actual post link here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice. PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Just look at this crocodile smile !!! He has such an evil glint in his eyes; despite the fact that he’s got bulging eyes – the beady pupil makes me a bit nervous !

I met this little fellow in Pattaya a few months ago and at some point he kinda grew on me ! I have a picture of moi kissing this crazy fiend AND one of me sitting on his dad !!! OMG I was freaking out !!! But I loved every second of it !

As most of you know – I’m a camera-holic – and this picture proves my point that almost everybody - even animals -  smiles for the camera ! Have a great Wednesday everyone !

And if it’s not gone already – it’s gonna go very soon ! I’m referring to my Blackberry .. and ever since I have gotten that phone – it’s caused me nothing but trouble !

Note :

I’ve always been partial to Nokia – I’ve used various Nokia models over the past 15 years (except for one year where I tried the Sony T69 and dumped it after the contract was up) and despite the convenience of the BB Email service – the phone itself is just not for me. 

The Nokia literally can withstand anything – including falling in a bucket of water (and Stephanie from Steph In The City inspired me on this rant after I read her post ‘My Cell Phone Took A Plunge’ !

Seriously – how the hell is the Blackberry supposed to be a good business phone ?? One doesn’t even have the option to ‘select all’ messages (SMS or Email) to delete them !!! Nokia has that feature ! Someone said to me “but why do you need to delete the emails” … hmmm because I don’t want it using up memory on the damn phone !! Besides I have a copy on my actual email account !

My entire weekend got messed up when my phone decided to belly up and just go weird on me … My cuz NM and I were chilling at my place the other night watching the Argentina vs Germany match – when my phone rebooted itself.  Since I was engrossed in the game – I didn’t pay too much attention .. that was until half time and I had to check something ..

Next thing I know is that I can’t find A SINGLE CONTACT in my phone address book … I have over 3000 numbers on my phone (yes I know its an insane amount but I’m a networker and in events – so I need these numbers) … between having a mini panic attack and an almost epileptic fit – NM somehow ‘found’ my contacts … Only one problem (well make that a few now) … a lot of the contacts were replicated; a lot of them were missing and it appeared that the phone had developed a mind of its own.

I spent the entire next day putting in all the potentially lost contacts – only to have the phone ‘hang’ on me a handful of times .. and guess what .. every time it rebooted – the new contacts got deleted !  Talk about a bloody piss-off and a half !

Then I thought ‘ooh I can use the backup database’ … erm ya no good … still rebooted .. now what ??? I thought ‘call the BB repair guy’ (he’d actually sorted my data transfer from Nokia to BB) and when I went to look for his number on the phone … it wasn’t there !!! neither was my bank manager, my bank, my latest client, some of my vendors and even my mate NB (even though she’d just given me her number again the day before) ! Now that’s just ANNOYING !!!

So tomorrow – it looks like I’m going to have to send the phone for repairs – get the software examined / updated and put in my contacts again.  I’m just sooooo glad that I didn’t delete the contacts from my Nokia E71 (but now my mother won’t give it back to me) 

I recently read an article by BoyGeniusReport on Nokia E71 vs Blackberry Bold (mine’s a curve) and I still feel that other than the Email service from BB – the Nokia is just a MUCH BETTER phone – whether its the battery life; ease of use; key pad (fine I just hate the track ball on the BB) and functions (e.g. on the Nokia I could set up clocks for various time zones – can’t do that on the damn BB – have to do it manually every time I want to check the time in another country!)

What do you reckon ? Are you a big Blackberry fan ? Or are you a die-hard Nokia supporter ? (I feel like a traitor for even using the BB but NC might kick my ass if I rack up her phone bill with all the internal work calls made) … If you are a BB user – are you having any problems with it ? Any suggestions for me that might help me bond with the phone ? 

p.s yes I have contemplated going back to a newer Nokia – however in India – the phones are purchased offline and without plans – and the new models are over $450 which in Rupees is a hefty chunk of cash to fork out in one shot for just the phone !

This song just brings back some amazing memories .. and whilst deciding on today’s Music Monday track I thought about my cousin NC … She’s been traveling between London and New York the past 1 month and I’ve missed her terribly (obviously I don’t admit so much to her but since she reads this blog – she’ll know about it) .. and I wanted to dedicate today’s post to her as she got back into town today !

Do any of you know this track ?  The first time I heard it was about 8 years ago in Montreal … I was involved in a group called CASA (Commerce & Administrative Student Association) and we were organizing and putting together an entire fashion show.  One of my mates MP got this track to my attention and I’m so glad we used it !

Here’s wishing you all a very Happy Monday – I hope this track acts as a reminder that each and every one of us is beautiful in our own way; and somebody out there thinks you are beautiful.

This is the perfect ‘pick-me up and get me in the mood’ track and it’s just what the doctor ordered for a Monday morning !

Here’s a bit of background on the artist – Tocadisco – who is based in Cologne, Germany and started Djing around the age of 16; and turned professional in the year 2000.  Surprisingly though – he had no musical education and taught himself how to play several instruments and got into producing.

It’s just so peppy and up-beat with a fab build up to it ! I love listening to this track at almost deafening levels in the car – especially on a night out when the roads are clear ! The thrill of speeding down an open road to some great music – it’s really quite exhilarating !

Even if you aren’t a house / dance music lover – I’m pretty sure you would enjoy this track – especially if you are in the right mind frame.   Would love to know whether you’ve heard this song before and what you think about it ? How does it make you feel RIGHT NOW when you’re hearing it ?

That’s right – you read that correctly !

My brother KC and his two business partners have launched a new company called APPSPARK a few days ago.  They have released their first application – MoviesNow and MoviesNow2 HD  which has received great feedback so far !

To celebrate the success of their launch – Appspark is giving away a FREE iPad and iPhone 4 to some lucky winners !

The rules are simple and participating is super easy !

1. Follow MoviesNow on Twitter  (www.twitter.com/moviesnow)
2. Tweet the following message :

I just entered to win an iPad or an iPhone 4 to celebrate the launch of Movies Now 2 & HD for iOS 4! http://bit.ly/91tJsB #moviesnow

And voila – that’s it – you’ve earned yourself a chance to win a Free iPad or iPhone 4 !

To know more about the application and to read reviews, please check out the following articles

1. Official Press Release on FORBES.com : Movies Now on iPad and iPhone -- The Ultimate Moviegoer's App
2. AppAdvice.com : Movies Now HD Helps Simplify The Movie-Going Experience For iPhone And iPad Users
3. Know Your Mobile : Movies Now 2/HD now available on iPhone and iPad

I got BLING baby !!! I haven’t been my usual Diva self the past few weeks and it’s about time I share the Bling !

My BBBFF The Fab Bitch over at Splintered Town had awarded my dazed reflections with a very pink diamond bling … because every blog needs a little bling ! The world would be a horrid place if we couldn’t bling our blogs ! 

I’ve been meaning to thank my Fab Bitch friend for a while now but with all that has happened this  past month – I just haven’t gotten to really putting myself or my very dazed thoughts into words … I know I should have – because really you guys – my neighbours are the very best – and I could have done with some TLC .. but I’m a Diva that way .. I don’t like to let on about my emotions *sigh* … so my BBBFF I’m down on my knees hoping you will forgive me for not acknowledging the bling earlier … pretty please ?

The only rule for this award is that if you accept it; please don't keep it to yourself. Please pass this along to others and share the bling!

Without further adieu I’d like to pass this on to some awesome blogger friends :

1. Cole over at Pre Middle Age … just ‘cos she’s a kick ass event planner who seems to be even busier than me – and anyone who can handle that many events definitely deserves BLING !
2. Kimmy over at KimmyStyle .. this woman is all about class ! and every classy lady wears some bling on her !
3. The Single Lady over at The Single Filez … if you haven’t already visited this sassy young lady then you’re missing out ! what are you waiting for – go over and tell her I sent you there !
4. Manisha B who writes her chronicles by The Mango Tree … there’s something about her writing that’s gonna strike a chord with all of you; I can’t put my finger on it but anyone who gets me thinking that way deserves some bling !

If you fancy checking out some more uber funky bloggers – do check out the

• Swank Bloggers who Give Good Blog;
• The Awesome Girl Bloggers
• Beautiful Bloggers
• The Bitch Fab Bloggers and
• the WOW Bloggers too !

Hope you enjoy these awesome Bloggers as much as I do =) Happy Reading and don’t forget to show some comment lurve whilst dropping by their blogs !

Note : This post was meant to go up on 20th June 2010

My family isn’t big on non-traditional holidays or celebrations .. the Indian celebrations are more than enough to keep one busy for the year …

It’s Fathers’ Day today and I’ve barely seen my Dad all day .. and when I did see him .. he was on the phone … I’ve contemplated wishing him today .. but I haven’t as yet .. I don’t know if I will either .. not because I don’t want to but more so because he’s not going to react to much to it.

Last year or the year before – I wished him – and he just looked at me in a weird sort of way .. something along the lines of the ‘oh really’ sort of look.  I don’t particularly want to feel awkward especially when I know he’s not big on these random occasions.

Note : I made a second attempt to go and at least have a chat with him .. but he’s still on the phone ..

I don’t have the ‘best’ relationship with my father – in fact we have almost no relationship beyond the cursory hello / good morning / do you need anything sort of conversation.  We both tried – and it did get better when I started investing in the stock market – but I gave up investing in the markets in the first half of last year – so even that relationship more or less discontinued.

There are times I wish my relationship with my father was better than what it is right now .. although I feel that ever since we were kids – he was never really one of those ‘hands-on’ type of dads.  Although I do remember playing with him a lot as a child (badminton, scrabble, boggle) but that changed as I got older and more involved in school.

He didn’t quite make it to any of the parent-teacher meetings; nor to any of my athletic or swimming competitions – he did however attend the session for when I was entering my senior year in high school and suggested that Business & Economics would be a good subject choice for me.  He was there for my high school graduation (and all the guys in my class were literally sh*tting themselves ‘cos they were so scared of him)

He wasn’t keen on me leaving home and going away to university (I am after all the first born and a girl – and none of the girls from my mom or dads’ side of the family had gone over seas to study back then) .. and yet – he let me go to university in Montreal and even rented me an apartment for the whole time I was there.  For a man who didn’t like his kids having sleepovers – I was shocked that he let me go that far away from home (Dubai at the time).

When I graduated – I went back to London and never really got on to another flight to see my parents (they had moved from Dubai to Bombay).  My mom would visit in London so I always saw her – but I didn’t see my Dad for about 4 years.  We didn’t have much of a phone relationship either.  I always thought my father would be the one to tell me to move back to the parental nest – but he didn’t.

I set up my business after leaving my banking job (much to the dismay of my father) and about 2 years into it – when I needed funding – my dad helped me out (and of course never lets me forget that till date).  Before moving to India – I had to settle of quite a few things in London including some financials related to closing my business – for which my father did help me out. 

We’ve now been living together for almost 3 years after NOT having lived together for 9 years … We have good days and we have bad days (so please don’t take this as a rant about my dad) … Both of us have hot tempers – and are pretty stubborn in our point of views .. I guess fathers will never stop treating their kids like kids – no matter how old they are .. I know our relationship will never be one of those ‘out of a movie’ perfect style father-daughter relationship … but doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like it to be that way … even if it is just once in a while.

For better or worse – at the end of the day – he’s my father – and I want to wish him a very Happy Father’s Day ! I may not be able to tell him myself – but at least I’ve put it out there to the world – and those energies will reach him =)

p.s I did go into the living room for the 3rd time thinking I would wish him myself – but I kinda chickened out .. he didn’t look like he was in the mood for any potential soppy sounding wishes !

I’m not big a Brandy fan (the singer or the drink) but I ‘felt’ this track from the moment I heard it.  Over the years I’ve even managed to learn the lyrics and can sing this perfectly on karaoke.

I’ve never been one for lyrics as I’ve mentioned in my previous posts – but this track .. it hits the spot … Haven’t we all had one of those kinda nights ??

Ladies – haven’t you ever walked into a club just knowing that you’re going to make an impression no matter what happens ? It’s like an electric jolt through your body when your eyes meet with that one man (or woman) across the room who can hold your gaze without looking away !

Guys – have you ever had a woman eye you all night like you were her next prey ? I doubt any of you would have had complaints if a woman were to make the first move on you.  Is that a something that attracts you more to a woman ?

This is by far one of my favourite seduction songs hahah ! No seriously – I’ve got some great memories to this song – the best being with some of the dancers at one of the clubs I managed.  The girls had worked out a routine to this track – and on one of the nights; pulled me up on stage with them … damn we had an appreciative audience that night !

Have a great Monday and enjoy the music ! Don’t forget to share your own tunes with me :)

Last night I was watching Swordfish with my cousin NM .. turns out we both think Halle Berry is one of the hottest women in Hollywood !   

Halle Berry is one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood, earning $10 million per film.  Daaaaaaaaamnnn !! I think I know what line of work I’d want my kids to go into (Hollywood – not Bollywood mind you – although with the increase in NRI B-town actors / actresses – I reckon my kids would definitely hit the top spot – but I’m digressing now)

In 2004 Berry was voted fourth of Empire magazine's 100 sexiest film stars of all time poll.  She was named #1 in FHM's 100 Sexiest Women in the World poll in 2006.  She also topped In Touch magazine's list of the world's most fabulous 40-something celebrities in July 2007.

Halle Berry only got awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in front of the Kodak Theatre at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard for her contributions to the film industry in April 2007.

She was given a Razzie Award for Worst Actress in Catwoman (which she graciously accepted as well !) What do you think about her as an actress ? I quite liked her as Storm in X-Men; and in Gothika and Perfect Stranger as well.

I thought she was perfect for this Sexy Saturday meme =) What do you think ? Does she get your vote ?

If tears could build a stairway,
And memories a lane,
I'd walk right up to Heaven
And bring you home again.

~Author Unknown

As you might know by now that I lost my grandfather last week … I was looking for a way to describe how I was feeling and this quote seemed to sum up it all up.  I found this picture and thought it seemed appropriate for the quote.

I have been wanting to write about how I’ve been feeling the past few weeks; ever since the night my grandfather had a stroke and was admitted to the ICU.  That was about 2.5 weeks ago.  The night he had the stroke, it’s almost as if I felt like something was wrong as I had been having trouble getting to sleep and felt like I kept hearing things.  Apparently I wasn’t imagining it – my father had gotten out of bed and left for the hospital around 3 a.m. 

My nana was in ICU for 12 days – and every day - the hospital waiting room syndrome seemed to just get worse for me.  After about a week; the doctors stated that he was getting more stable – and suddenly last week - things weren’t going so well. 

When I got the news – it was one of those late night / early morning phone calls .. and just like the last time I got one of these calls – I’d had a miserable night trying to get some sleep.

Today marks one week since my grandfather – my ‘nana-ji’ - passed away.  I haven’t quite been myself since and I suppose it affected me more than I cared to admit. 

There’s a lot of emotion that I’m feeling but unable to completely process it – perhaps its a conscious decision not to because I know just how vulnerable it will leave me.  Mere thoughts and memories leave me teary eyed; there’s so much that I hadn’t said or done and now I won’t even be able to. 

The past week has been a blur; I can barely remember waking up or falling asleep; and sleeping just meant very uncomfortable dreams (they weren’t night mares but they weren’t pleasant dreams either) which resulted in practically no sleep and just waking up absolutely exhausted.

Some of you have known about this and I would like to thank you once again for all your support and kind words over the past few weeks.  I really do appreciate it.  It would mean a lot to me – if instead of leaving condolence messages – you would keep my nana in your prayers so that his soul may rest in peace.

I always thought this track was called ‘Sadness’ until I found out that ‘Sadeness’ was the original name for the German release of this track; ‘Sadness’ was used for the UK and Japan release. 

The reason behind picking this song is because it just seems to fit in with my mood.  I can’t quite describe how I am feeling except that I’m questioning everything that crosses my mind. 

Whenever I have felt upset, down-in-the-dumps, or frustrated – this song just seems to ‘relate’ to that particular feeling.  It allows my mind to visualize.  And right now there’s a huge gulf of emptiness inside of me – and I’m not quite sure how best to handle it.

I’ve always wondered about the lyrics of this song, but never really went out of my way to find out anything about it … until today.  The song is actually made up of  Latin & French lyrics; the Latin text includes a quotation from Psalm 24:7-8.  Whilst browsing YouTube, I came across this video which has the Latin & French lyrics (along with Polish I think) as well as the English translation. 

What do you think of this song ? The music is haunting – it echoes in your  mind.  Have you got any associations with this song ? Did you know about the lyrics ? What’s your Music Monday tune ?

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the actual post link here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice. PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Oye ! Oye ! Ohhye Oh Oh Aaa !

Who doesn’t remember that line ? Not only did Gloria Estefan make that line one of the dance anthems of the late 80’s but it was also sampled in the 1989 Bollywood film, Tridev – in its hit title track ‘Oye Oye’ ! 

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the actual post link here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

This weeks’ Sexy Saturday is going out to the absolutely stunning green eyed beauty – Olivia Wilde !

I got thinking that not very many of the male neighbours in Blogosphere have participated in the last few Sexy Saturday posts; and I wonder if that will change since I’m voting a woman in for this weeks’ meme … hmmm ….

I noticed her for the first time in the TV series ‘House’ and her eyes have me mesmerized ! It’s no surprise that this curvy cat-eyed stunner has been ranked #1 on Maxims’ “Hot 100” of 2009 list ! That’s quite the jump from her #97 rank in the Maxim 2008 list !  Although it’s no surprise that she was noticed by FHM as #95 on the “100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006”

The Gods of Google did find me more information about Olivia Wilde but nothing really jumps out at me.  What do you think about her ? Have any of you watched her performance in House as Dr ‘13’ Hadley ? If there are any OC fans, then you might have seen her on that show (I’ve never really been a fan of The OC and didn’t even know she was in it !)

So this one is for you guys – have a very Sexy Saturday !!! Don’t forget to share your favourite Sexy Saturday vote with us – it could be male or female – after all – it’s about being sexy !! Make sure you share your Sexy Saturday link via the Linky below; or leave your link as a comment for everyone to check out :)

Seriously – this is NOT a work of Photoshop !

I was catching up on some international news via Metro.co.uk (one of my favourite papers of all times!) and came across these ‘Smoking Crows’ and couldn’t get over how these guys managed to hold cigarettes in their beaks !

The nicotine-loving birds were photographed in the Maldives by British tourists Tony and Judie Ellis (who happen to come from a town called Crowborough in Sussex, England – seriously no joke here !).  Basically the couple saw the crows land on the thatched roof of a water villa next to theirs; when one of the crows coolly began taking the cigarettes out of the packet and laying it on to the roof – only for other crows to come along and pick the cigarettes up in their beaks.

Now obviously the crows weren’t ‘actually’ smoking .. but daaaaaamn if they were – it would be a sight to see !!! I still can’t get over the fact that these crows are smoking ! One of the comments on the pictures I saw around the web – stated that these were not crows but really Jackdaws (I’m not much of a bird person so wouldn’t even be able to tell the difference!)

Read More :

1. Crows on Cigarette Break Stun Tourists
2. Smoking Crows
3. Smokey The Crow Lives

I’ve had people ask me – so how much does a good wedding cost ? And to be honest – there is no correct answer for that ! What is considered a good wedding budget ? In India – for the crème-de-la-crème of society, the more money spent on the wedding determines how good it is.  The more talked about a wedding is – lets people know ‘wow now that was a good wedding’

But when it comes down to reality – not everyone is a multi-millionaire – and therefore when planning a wedding – budgets are essential.  It’s easy to get carried away and spend beyond our means because its such a special occasion.  Over the years I have found that whilst dealing with wedding couples and their families – that they would have considered the main cost headers but tend to forget the smaller details which in fact add up to a huge sum of money.

With this post – I’m going to outline the main cost headers (in no particular order) and will create subsequent posts with more details on each topic.  There’s a lot more to look in to than most of us care to think about. 

Venue.  Depending on the number of functions one has for the wedding, the number of venues will differ.  Typically for an Indian wedding there are 3 functions : Cocktail Party, Mehendi & Sangeet; and the Wedding Ceremony followed by Reception.  For American / European weddings there tend to be at least 2 functions – Ceremony and Reception – usually at different venues.  Most venues will quote an X rate for a minimum guarantee of guests and this will include the use of the venue space; the cutlery, crockery & linens; the waiting staff; basic table decor; and 3-4 courses for the menu. 

Food & Beverage.  Most venues will not include soft beverages and alcohol in their menu rate.  However it never hurts to ask to include soft beverages as part of the rate.  Alcohol will always be charged separately.  In India there is a separate tax structure for alcoholic beverages which ranges from 22% to a whopping 33% !  A 5* hotel alcohol bottle rates will be almost 3-5 times the price of the market rate so be prepared for that.  Some hotels and venues will allow the wedding group to bring in their own alcohol but will charge a corkage on that. 

Decor & Floral Arrangements.  A wedding wouldn’t really be a wedding without the decor and floral arrangements – and with themed weddings being the most popular – a large chunk of the budget goes towards getting the decor and flowers to match the theme.  It could be an elaborate theme wherein a ‘set’ is created with a complete stage, backdrop and entryways.  Flowers aren’t exactly cheap – and the more exotic the range of flowers are – the more expensive it is.  I’ve had to fly out flowers from Thailand as they weren’t available in India and that significantly increased my clients’ budget – but they got what they wanted.  At the end of the day – if the bride wants Orchids or Casablanca Lilies or Lisianthus – then that’s what the bride is going to get.

Photography.  Everyone wants their wedding day to be captured perfectly; and that means hiring a good wedding photographer and videographer – which don’t come cheap – especially during peak wedding season.  Before selecting your photographer and videographer – you should have an idea of what kind of look and feel you want for your wedding pictures.  Candid photography is very popular with the new age couples as it is more natural and guests don’t look like they are forced to smile !  The cost of a package varies depending on how many photos are taken; how many prints selected; style of wedding album; if you are taking a digital album or a coffee table style album.  Videography.  The same concept applies to wedding videos – nowadays couples prefer video documentary / journalistic or even the ‘MTV’ style videos.  The cost fluctuates depending on the packages and the quality of the video; how many videos are used; the length of each DVD; if you are having same-day edits to use as giveaways each day to guests etc.

Bridal Attire, Hair & Make-Up.  Let’s get one thing clear here – it’s your big day and you want to feel like a princess or a fairytale bride – and that is not going to come cheap ! The bridal outfits can cost an arm and a leg; not to mention all the jewelry and accessories such as sandals and bags to match the outfits.  I know of a few brides who’ve tried to skimp on their hair and make-up and that is NOT a good idea ! The wedding photos and videos will highlight this and its not a pretty sight ! Hair and Make-up services in India start from Rs 10,000 ($200) to Rs 50,000 ($1100) depending on who the stylist is.  It may sound like a lot of money to spend but it’s worth every penny of it !

Entertainment, Sound & Light.  Every wedding has some sort of entertainment factor whether it be in the form of a traditional jazz band, a DJ, a cultural folk dance.  With entertainment comes the need for proper sound and light and depending on the size of the venue and kind of space being used (i.e Indoor or Outdoor) – the costs will vary.  A lot of the Indian weddings I have organized over the years have involved international artistes performing at them – and those come with tech riders that cost almost as much as the artiste themselves; not to mention the additional travel and accommodation that has to be paid for them to be there. 

Invitations, Gifts & Wedding Favours.  Let’s face it – there are certain costs that can’t be avoided and one of those is that of the wedding invitation.  Depending on   the style of your wedding invite the price can range from Rs 80 ($1.50) to Rs 5000 ($111) per invite (depending on the style, texture, paper quality, and add-ons).  That’s just for the invitation and doesn’t include the cost of postage or  courier services.  Then there are invitations that come with gift boxes and dry fruits which adds to the total price of the invitation.  Of course there are the younger couples who are nowadays sending Save The Date notices via Emails or sites such as Evite.com which saves the families a fair amount of money.  RSVP cards are more of an American and European trend; however the Indian families are grasping on to that now and also sending RSVP cards for guests who are invited from overseas.  I strongly advise families to use Email and Telephone options for RSVPs instead of sending an additional card (because with that you’d have to include the postage etc)

There’s just one more point you should keep in mind - whether or not you are using  a Wedding Planner to help you with the wedding.  The charges of a wedding planner tend to be a percentage of the overall spend on aspects of the wedding that they are rresponsible for coordinating.  To make things simple – if you are spending $20,000 on the wedding – the wedding planner fees will be e.g. 15% of $20,000 and this will include all coordination, follow-ups, negotiations, budgeting, check lists, correspondence & communication with the various vendors and yourself. 

The purpose of using a wedding planner is to avoid the stress and hassle that the bride and family have to go through in the weeks / months prior to the wedding.   Wedding planners get up to 40% discounted rates than what is quoted to the bride / groom for venues with catering; and as they tend to have tie-ups with various decorators and florists – the rates that they offer the bride & groom tend to be lower than what the couple can get on their own.

There you have it – the core essentials that make up the wedding budget for any style of wedding.  Obviously each header has multiple sub-points that must be looked into – and I shall go into more detail on those points over the next few posts.

I would appreciate your feedback and thoughts on this post; please feel free to leave any additional points and comments.

Can you believe that it’s already 1st June of 2010 ?? I know I can’t … I mean I can but I can’t !  I decided to reminisce a little bit and think about what I wrote this time last year … ‘Half A Year Gone By .. and some things have definitely changed since then.

I’ve been in India almost 3 years now .. that’s huge for me ! Considering I never really wanted to be here – I’ve managed not to drive myself completely insane (although those who know me very well would completely disagree and reckon I need therapy for what I go through just by driving on the streets out here !) 

The monsoons still haven’t started in India as yet – and for the first time – I’m actually looking forward to the rains .. the weather has been disgustingly hot and its not helping my mood swings or migraines !

p.s. The rains started as soon as hit publish on this post – so recalled it to put this point in ! Woohoo ! The rain Gods have heard me !

I thought I’d share a few random facts with you about 1st June … call it a way of enlightenment if you wish :P (all courtesy of Wikipedia of course!)

• 1st June is the 152nd day of the year (153rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 213 days remaining until the end of the year.
• 1974 – The Heimlich maneuver for rescuing choking victims is published in the journal Emergency Medicine.
• 1980 – Cable News Network (CNN) begins broadcasting
• 2009 – General Motors files for chapter 11 bankruptcy. It is the fourth largest United States bankruptcy in history.
• 1926 – Marilyn Monroe, American actress was born (d. 1962)
• 1973 – Heidi Klum, German supermodel was born
• 2008 – Yves Saint Laurent, French fashion designer died (b. 1936)
• International Children's’ Day
• In Canada 1st June is National Day Against Homophobia
• In Cambodia 1st June is National Tree Planting Day

I still haven’t found all the answers that I have been looking for but I am a step closer for some; whilst there are some answers that just can’t be found right here – right now – I need to be elsewhere for that.

I spent most of my day struggling to cope with a severe migraine – the heat is really getting to me ! What about you ? I hope you had a better day than I did ! Wishing you all a very Happy 1st June !

Yeah you read that right .. it’s time to de-lurkify yourself my friends ! Yes you … I know you’re reading this; I know you want to comment but you just haven’t gotten a strong enough hit of your coffee to want to comment just yet .. but I know deep down you really want to do it !

Are you just pretending that you don’t know what I’m talking about ?? A lurker is someone (just like you) who enjoys stopping by blogs (or sometimes lands there by accident), reading various blogs and enjoys the comments but doesn’t leave a single trace of his/her presence on your blog =( 

It’s a big bad world out there – and even though its great that you’re here visiting my blog; I feel kinda sad that I’m never going to know who you are and where I can ever find you again !!! It’s just not fair – that you come and visit my blog and that I never get to discover who you are and what you do and what kind of blog you have or what kind of tweets you send out !!

It seemed apt to suggest that it’s the time to de-lurk as I happened to come across a similar sentiment whilst blog hopping today.  Adam Singer suggested that one of the ways to generate a buzz on a blog was to ask readers to de-lurk and Ari Herzog of Ariwriter wrote ‘Why I’d Like You To De-Lurk’; and I discovered that 14th January is National Delurking Day !

I remember losing my lurking streak to Kathy at the Junk Drawer way back in March 2009; I was so nervous that by the time I decided to de-lurkify myself – I was commenter number 118 !!!  Wow ! 118 comments on a single blog post ! That’s impressive !  I remember being scared about sounding silly but eventually I just took a deep breath and wrote down whatever came to mind.  Here’s a bit of what I wrote to Kathy …

So why was I lurking .. still grasping the concept of blogging; trying to find time to pen down my thoughts; sometimes I feel that what I have to say has already been said – so I just go off with a smile on my face

So what have you got to lose by de-lurking ? Absolutely nothing.  You would only be sharing your blogger voice with us all (and you’d be making my day by letting me know that you stopped by !)

And just to show you how easy it is .. here’s what you have to do to De-Lurkify yourself :  

1. Click on the Comment link
2. Leave your name (real name or blogger name) and website address so I can drop by and visit you
3. Leave your twitter name (if you tweet)

Now that’s the easy part … if you’re feeling brave you can also

1. type in whatever you want i.e. how long you’ve been lurking for; if its your first time here; do you like / love or hate my blog; why do you lurk;  seriously you can write anything you want in here !

My aim is to try to discover at least 20 lurkers on my blog (my stats show that I have all these visitors but since there are never comments from them – it kinda leaves me feeling a bit low) – so if you’re a lurker – you’ll really be doing me a favour by de-lurking !

Go on – it’s time to de-lurk NOW !

I recently dished out some Travel Tips for Thailand, and so I thought about extending that into a more city specific post.  I had been down to Pattaya during the Songkran Festival (and no one had told me just HOW much fun that could be !)  

Here are some of my general travel tips for Pattaya:

Why Are You Going To Pattaya?  That’s the first question you must answer – and if the reason is the beach or to party – then you’re in a for a BIG surprise.  Pattaya does have 3 main beaches but they are quite ‘nasty’ and very commercialized.  The beaches aren’t very clean and neither is the water – for a good beach you have to head out to the islands for a day trip or just head over to Phuket / Krabi / Koh Samui instead.  The city is full of curb-side bars which is great if you are beer drinking or fancy drinking vodka in the middle of the afternoon – however there are very few clubs that play English music at night !  Also be warned – Pattaya is notorious for its Lady-Boys and prostitutes.  I don’t recommend single girls going to Pattaya at all.  The general view is lots of older men with very young Thai women all over the place !

Getting There.  Once you arrive into Bangkok airport, its quite easy to get to Pattaya which is 2 hours away by road.  There are metered taxis from the airport to Pattaya which ‘officially’ cost 1,050 THB, plus 60 THB for expressway charges.  There are AC buses as well which are about THB 106 and can be taken from the Transport Center at the airport.

Traveling Around Pattaya.  The most common form of transport in Pattaya is a  ‘Songthaew’ which is a dark blue pick-up truck with two benches in the back and a cover on top.  Tourists pay 10 THB per ride within the city (regardless of the distance).  They are all over the city and one can easily jump on and off the trucks.

Things To Do In Pattaya:

Alcazar Cabaret.  Definitely worth watching.  Get ready to be dazzled by the famous Thai Lady-Boys ! The show is approximately 2 hours long and is a fully choreographed musical performance.  The light effects and backdrops for each sequence is truly mind blowing; and done all so quickly !! The Alcazar Cabaret is situated on Pattaya 2nd Road, with 3 daily shows at 6:30 p.m, 8 p.m and 9:30 p.m (and complimentary soft drinks through out the show)  At the end of the show if you decide to take a picture with one of the performers – they will ask for a tip – so consider yourself warned.

Foam Party at Hard Rock Cafe.  This event happens every Saturday and it is super fun !!  There’s a 300 THB entrance which includes one drink.  The party starts at 8 p.m till 1:30 a.m.  There’s a separate section for the foam party and the HRC pool is adjacent to it.  Don’t forget to take your bikinis / swimming trunks !

There are lockers and towels available for a rate of about THB 200 which is refundable on return of the keys and towels. 

Sanctuary of Truth.  Is considered to be a work of art in progress.  It’s a typical Thai structure but made out of wood, and about 105 meters in height ! It is located at 206/2 Moo5 Naklua 12 Naklua Rd. Banglamung Chonburi 20150 Thailand

Fish Spa.  If you haven’t done this – then you MUST do it ! The price ranges from 80 THB  to 200 THB and is broken into sessions of 15 mins, 30 mins and more.  Nat and I got very lucky as we got a deal for THB 150 for an unlimited time period.  Check out my experience at a fish spa. 

Sriracha Tiger Zoo.  One of the highlights of my trip with Nat was heading over to the Tiger Zoo – which is approximately 30 minutes outside of Pattaya.  Here’s your chance to get a picture taken feeding a tiger cub; being carried by an elephant and if you are daring enough – you can even sit on a crocodile ! (yup I did that!) Make sure you carry enough cash as each photograph costs between 100 THB to 300 THB.  Also make sure you that you watch all the animal shows that go on.  The best way to get there would be to take a car or hire a taxi.

There you have it … that’s the general travel advice and tips I can give you for Pattaya. I hope this comes in handy for when you plan your next holiday.  Don’t forget to check out my travel tips for Thailand.

If you have any other travel advice for Pattaya – please leave a comment and share it with all the neighbours on Blogosphere.