No-shave November

Last week with Diwali approaching I decided to go to the saloon for getting myself groomed. I went to a saloon near my house. I was thinking of only getting my eyebrows and upper lips done, but I had had a long day; hence decided to get a facial done as well. There is this woman at the saloon - she is really hefty and so are her hands. She makes me shiver with pain each time she pulls out a hair from my eye brows. Surprisingly, a guy who also works at the same saloon tweaks the eyebrows quite smoothly. Hence, I asked the woman to step back and requested this guy to make my eyebrows and upper lips.

They charge INR 40/- for each part of your face- so I was supposed to pay INR 80/-. The saloon guy asks me, “There is just one hair on your chin, should I remove it?” I replied, “No, I shall go home and pluck it myself with a plucker as I would be charged INR 40/- more for that.” He laughed and said, “No madam, that’s fine. Who said you will be charged extra for just one hair?”  I looked sideways and he understood who.

Now, it was time for my facial. That is of course done by the woman. Just as I entered the small room with her right behind me, I realized my mistake. I could see her flaring up with anger, as her nostrils were a little wider than before. Not only had I asked her to step back and not make my eyebrows, but I had also taunted her in front of her colleague. There are usually six steps in a facial. (writing this for all those curious men out there) They are a little different from what I experienced, howsoever; we began the facial.  (I think you will easily understand how a good facial is different from what I got done, so just sharing my experience)

1. Cleanse: She tied a headband to hold back my hair from my face. The headband was tight and rested firmly on my left ear which had folded over. I loosen the headband and slide it behind my ear. I took a deep breath as this wasn’t going to be easy. Then she started cleaning my skin in the most painful manner as she rubbed her hefty hands on my face. My face turned scarlet – not a rosy blush but like a red monkey’s face.
2.  Moisturise: My skin was burning due to the deep cleansing, when she put a moisturiser on my face and rubbed it as austerely as before.
3.  Steam: She placed the steamer on high really close to my face. I asked her to place it a little farther, but she said she won’t be able to exfoliate my skin if the steam isn’t adequate. In ten seconds I couldn’t breathe and started gasping for breath and coughing, when she put off the steam.
4.  Exfoliate: She applied a strong exfoliating facial scrub on my face and took two small stainless steel shafts to remove dirt and blackheads. She squeezed and pierced my skin with a fervour to make me hurt as much as she could.
5. Mask: She applied a mask with bleaching agents which creeped deep down in my skin making it burn intensely. My eyes welled up and I told her to remove it. She said it won’t make my skin glow if I don’t keep the mask on for another ten minutes. I pleaded asking her to remove it and told her that anyway my face was going to be a little reddish for 2-3 days now.
6. Hydrate: She applied a water base light moisturiser on my face and neck which she (I am sure purposefully) accidently put in my eyes. I screamed and ran out of the room into the washroom and splashed water on my eyes.

I looked at myself in the mirror and felt like I had flushed my INR 800/- down the toilet. My eyes were swollen and red and my face look tortured and wobbly. I looked like a red monkey just fallen off a tree. All men should know that they are lucky when it comes to grooming (sad movies like Pyaar ka Punchnama shouldn’t deter you from living). Women go through much worse. But we still want to look beautiful. I am sure while men would feel we are crazy after reading this, women would be lured to book their next appointment to the saloon. 

Whoever has been lured to go to a saloon, can head up to ‘Darshan- The Complete Beauty Saloon’. Mr Saleell, who followed his mother’s footsteps and trained at the ‘Tokyo Academy’, has mastered the beautifying business. Be it skin or hair, he is an expert who provides the best treatments for both men and women. I have seen his work while we worked together, hence I can assure you a great result. (Of course I would never recommend the Mumbai saloon to anyone)

Check out his website: http://saleellsdarshan.com/Web%20New%20Templates%2001.htm

With so much about grooming and all, let’s celebrate the ‘No-shave November’. The goal of this amazing month is to grow awareness by embracing our hair, which many cancer patients lose, and letting it grow wild and free. You donate the money you typically spend on shaving and grooming to educate about cancer prevention, save lives, and aid those fighting the battle. I am amazed to see a lot of us are celebrating the No-shave November in India. No I didn’t, I plucked off that one strand of hair from my chin, as I am a woman and all and I just can’t be anything but perfect even if I go through pain you see :P

Let’s celebrate manhood with a blog quiz on No-shave November, a great way to win vouchers to shave off that long beard as November ends.

All of you can send me your pictures with long beards and tell me why you are growing it. Women can share their husbands or friends pictures too (don’t ask him, just share)

The best picture with the best reason behind the beard gets INR 1000/- off on any service from ‘Darshan -The Complete Beauty Saloon’ in Ahmedabad. Send in your answers with the pictures on tvara129@gmail.com 

Winner for the NYC.PIE Pizza blog quiz:  Madhuri Bhatoa  “I am 'chicken tikka masala' because i am tasty but unusual to find! ;)"

PIZZA

I don’t know why this simple five letter word rings a five thousand bells in my heart, brains and stomach – not necessarily in that order, as when you say five thousand, you can’t keep a track. Pizza is my most favourite food. No really, it is; not just because I am writing a blog post on it. Be it Dominoes, Pizza Hut, some other American Pizza chain or the local Indian thin crust pizza, like Jasu ben pizza in Ahmedabad, I just love them all. Last week was the National Food Day and October is the National Pizza Month, so let’s come together and munch on our favourite pizzas.
                                                                                                                                       

I came across this amazing Boutique Pizzeria, NYC.PIE based in Delhi and Gurgaon. I went through their website and loved the concept of pie pizzas termed by the old school pizza restaurateurs who migrated to America from various regions of Italy in the 1920s. These are authentic New York Pizzas, which are surely going to satiate your taste buds. One should eat noodles like the Chinese, burger like Americans and pizza like Italians. Grab these delectable pizzas which would remind you of the old school Americans who popularized the Italian pizza staying true to its flavour and style.

A glimpse in their menu:

Mr Raj Rao, the creator of this brand has lived in the USA for 30 years. He was shortlisted as #8 out of an original pool of 275 to be the Director of F&B for the White House under the Clinton administration :) He came back to India and headed the F&B division at ‘The Oberois’, New Delhi, where he was instrumental in creating the benchmark restaurant ‘Threesixty Degrees’. He has been a General Manager at ‘Ananda Spa’ in The Himalayas, and has opened two restaurants – ‘Republic of Noodles’ in Goa and ‘Fat Lulu’s’ in Gurgaon. He has also handled F&B structure for Fortis hospital in Gurgaon where he has successfully redefined hospital cuisine.

A little tete-e-tete with the man behind this amazing Boutique Pizzeria:

Why pizza? Pizza is one dish that is loved by people all over the world. Whichever country you go to, they will have their own version of pizza. People from every age group love pizza. What is the USP of NYC.PIE pizzas? Our pizza is made from special dough with our own blend that we prepare exclusively in our kitchen. We have a proprietary sauce that we add to the toppings. The meats like ham and pepperoni for the toppings are imported. The vegetarian pizzas are also made using the finest ingredients. How will you conserve the authenticity of these pizzas? We are never going to introduce Indian version of the pizzas like 'Panner Tikka Masala' and the like. We leave that for the other brands.

Quiz on this one:

If you could be a pizza topping, what topping would you like to be and why?

He… he…  I never ask straight questions as I don’t want straight answers :P So make it tangy, sweet or spicy (not bland please); just like your favourite pizza.

The best answer gets INR 1000/- off from NYC.PIE in Delhi or Gurgaon. Check out the website: http://www.nycpie.in/

This quiz is only for Delhiites, but if you are planning to visit Delhi anytime soon, you can go ahead and participate.

Also, people who want to answer in spite of not being in Delhi can go ahead and participate. If your answer is really interesting, I might post it on the blog though you cannot avail the voucher. 

Send your answers in the comments section below or email me at tvara129@gmail.com

This quiz will close on 28th of October,2015. Please send in your answers before that. 

Meri chunar ud ud jaaye... haay dil mera ghabharay...

Loved this one by Falguni Pathak and still get feeling-excited-jitters whenever I listen to it. This year as I am in Mumbai, I made plans to go see her live as she performs here during Navratri. As I approached the party plot in Ghatkopar, I could hear Ms Pathak crooning to ‘Indhna vinva gai ti more sainya’ - another of my favourites.  I felt so excited, as I just love all her songs. And that voice… I got goose bumps as I approached the party plot with her voice growing louder as I hurried towards the Garba ground. 

         

My hero Falguni Pathak

                                                             

Navratri is without doubt my favourite festival. Growing up in Ahmedabad in the heart of Gujarat, the ‘Malla mata ni aarti’(children make small hills with mud and bricks in their buildings/societies and a goddess called Malla mata and the entire society offers prayers for the nine days of Navratri),  the lights, the colourful chaniya-cholis & kediya, the music, the bands, the songs, the beats, friends and more than anything Garba- my folk dance, make me not only nostalgic, but also emotional; with so many childhood memories associated with this festival, I can’t help but feel overwhelmed. 

When I see Daya going crazy on Garba in ‘Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah’, I can relate to it as I know that’s how Gujarati people feel about Garba, more or less. I mean we do Garba even in New Year parties after we are done dancing on Angrezi beats. I miss my friends with whom I have enjoyed the most memorable Navratris – Shaiva, Hemangi, Prachi, Devika, Juhi, Kruti, Suhani, Harsh, Munjal, Vishv, Heet, Vaidik, Manthan and many more.  I MISS YOU ALL AND THOSE NIGHTS SO MUCH. We were a crazy group and all were amazing dancers.

My friends and me

Harsh was our leader and whenever we needed to change the step, he would blow a whistle – a shrill and loud whistle that was loud enough to be heard in spite of the loud music. We all had to look at the master and follow him. Yes, we take our Garba that seriously. We would dance the night away and then would go to Honest for Pav Bhaji or Danny’s for its special cold coffee. Ahmedabad also sees celebs promoting their movies during Navratri due to the festive tempo. I remember seeing Ranbir Kapoor when he had come to promote Rockstar. This year I have heard Salman Khan is going there to promote his upcoming movie. 

Navratri in Mumbai

This year in Mumbai, I was disappointed with the Garba festivities. I could go just one day, and I wasn’t even allowed to dance. Yes, you read it right. We went from group to group asking if we could join but they simply refused. One of them said I could join in but as soon as I did, another group member showed me out of their circle. I asked another uncle wearing a ‘white dhoti and jhabho’ and black thick rimmed glasses if I could join his group. He seemed to be the leader as he was trying hard to make everyone do his step. I thought he would let me in as he really needed some attention which I had to give due to my circumstances. But he said, “Do minute ke baad”(You may join after two minutes) After two minutes I found myself doing a really-bad-uncle-step- which-wasn’t-even-garba, (no wonder he was struggling with his group members to follow him) that I simply decided to go home. In fact, Mumbaikars had tied duppatas(long stoles) around their circles so that no one could enter their Garba circle. These people have changed the shape of Garba altogether – they have made it square with ropes instead of a free circle it is supposed to be. A free circle as you say ‘haalo haalo’ and let everyone join in. Whatever happened to that spirit? Is it just a show off now? Festivals are supposed to be about coming together and celebrating. 

The duppata tied by the people to stop others from entering their Garba circle

I remember when Gujarat and Maharashtra were one state – Mahagujarat, till May 1st 1960. Do these people even know that? Garba is my folk dance, and I felt really bad I wasn’t allowed to dance on that.