Table for one, please?

In front of me sits my laptop. To my left is my phone with photos of the last restaurant I went to with my friend for a meal this week. I went home after it while my friend for a quick drink ‘alone’.

Personally, I love the idea of solitude but what I also love is to talk, spending time in a company rather than sitting eating alone in a restaurant of going for a movie alone. While there are all kinds of people in a restaurant – a couple who is busy taking selfies or chatting away to glory, a group of friends laughing – probably having met after a long time, family with kids enjoying their food, colleagues enjoying their time post-work and then some who simply are eating alone. While I can do all of it – this concept of eating alone is not me. Most of the time it bothers me. 

There was one incident when that same friend had to leave the theatre while a movie was going on and I was left there watching the rest of it, alone. Though I completely enjoyed that Salman Dulquer’s movie with subtitles – the thought of people looking at me and judging me for watching a movie alone – made me feel weird. A friend resonates with my thought.



Yesterday, I shared this thought of – dining out/going for a movie alone on Facebook and so many of you / my friends shared views! 90% of them made sure to tell me how amazing of an experience it is to sit with a book in a café all by yourself and how going for a movie alone has its own pros.

So, while the comments section is still receiving several opinions, in this blog, I have clubbed a few of them to share with you.

Tips/Pros/Views of Eating alone/going for a movie on your own:

1. To eat alone is the ultimate indulgence, a chance to be away from everything.




2. You can cry or laugh or feel what you want to feel like! Nobody knows you in that theater (probably!) 

3. You don’t have to worry about the genre another one likes. 



4. You don’t have to share your snacks (I loved this one!) 




5. It’s how you can treat yourself once in a while. 



6. No talks or questions during the movie

7. Some time to yourself 



8. Book is the ultimate company





9. Watch the world go by!

While, 90% of you made sure to tell me how great it is to be on your own sometimes; few did agree with me on how it is boring or simply weird to eat/go for a movie alone.




Nevertheless, while I might just end up visiting a café or two on my own (doubt though!) ... you don't forget to share your views in the comments section and also, do tell me which which category do YOU fall under?

Until the next blog,
Table for one, please?

Monsoon Special - Take care of that feet!

Every season has its advantages and disadvantages. While the rains cool down the humidity during monsoon, it also brings home, infections. The water logged streets, moist atmosphere, the dampness may bring skin problems to your feet. With all the mud and dirt around during this season, it is all the more important to take care of your feet. It rains like crazy in my city - Mumbai and commuting in local train makes my feet prone to all kinds of dust, dirt, pollution, mud, etc. 

Here are a few tips which I follow and you can too to make sure your feet smiles back at you, every day:

1 - Keep it dry and clean
If you have got your feet wet in the rain, wash them with clean water after getting home or reaching home and dry with a towel. Avoid wearing socks and shoes this season, if you cannot avoid, make sure you keep a pair of socks to change into in case the one you are wearing get wet.

2 - Soak it!
Not in the rain water but lukewarm water at home, at least once a week! Add some bath salt or mild shampoo to it - soak your feet for about 15-20 minutes for an ultra relaxing time at home. It helps to kill bacteria and softens the skin.

3 - Scrub it!
Now that your skin is softened, it is easy to scrub out dead skin off it. Use a pumice stone or scrubber and you are good to go! Dead skin over a period of time can lead to cracks and make your skin hard. And you don't want that!

4 - Use a good moisturiser
I have recently got myself a foot cream from Oriflame which is abundant with Avocado and Aloe Vera. I apply it overnight every day after washing my feet before sleeping. 

Available for 375 INR (75ml)
Photo courtesy: www.meandmysuitcase.com

It's got a nice fragrance, not overwhelming, and the tube is so easy to carry on your travels (win-win!). The best part? It's not tested on animals.

While most of us tend to neglect our feet, we forget that it takes us around all the time and sure need a little pampering every now and then! Wear open foot wear as much as possible, especially when outdoors and don't forget to clean your sandals/shoes with hot water regularly.

I hope these simple tips help you, they are easy to do and bring results over a period of time if you regularly follow.

Until I bring to you another blog,
@WanderlustGirl_

Review - Roop Mantra Neem Face Wash

It's been a while I blogged here. There's so much to share with you all but just couldn't put words together. Firstly, I cannot believe it's near to September now. In no time it will be 2019! DAYYUM.

Secondly, the work never ends. To add to it, the Mumbai commuting, traveling and pollution takes a toll on the body. Weather is polluted excessively and no matter how much you cover it up - your skin tends to get affected. If there's one thing which has continued to trouble me this year as well, it is breakouts! There's a new acne on my face almost every week and the blemishes have made home on my cheeks.

I have used several products to get rid off the problems and the recent addition to my regime are these two products sent over by the brand - Roop Mantra. Am very particular about using products on my face and hence was with them since it claims to be Ayurvedic.

The team had sent over an entire range of products which includes: 4 different types of Facewash and 2 creams. Take a look below!

I have been using a couple of products out of these since almost a month and here's a quick sneak peek to how they fared for me.

Roop Mantra Neem Facewash:

Especially formulated for removing pimple problem, Roop Mantra Neem Facewash is a blend of Neem, Tulsi and Turmeric with antibacterial features. The product usage has considerably delayed the occurrence of new pimples and blemishes have faded a little.

Got something my skin agrees to. Been using for about 3-4 weeks now, @roopmantra #Neem medicinal facewash is what's coming up on the #blog soonish! 🙌 Been a while the blog got updated. 🤦 #skincare #personalcare #shotononeplus #acne #oilcontrol #skincareroutine #facewash #skincareregime #instablogger #instafeed #skininsta #mobileshot

A post shared by Megha (@meghashrimali) on Aug 14, 2018 at 10:51pm PDT

• You can apply it twice a day, I use it once before leaving from home and once after coming back from work.
• Take only a small pea sized amount on your palm, add a little water and form a lather.
• Apply on the face in circular motion.
• Make sure the face is cleaned with fresh water before applying the facewash. 

The facewash also comes in variants of cucumber, Mix fruit, Aloe Vera and Lime & Mint. It leaves a soothing and cooling sensation behind on the skin and you are bound to feel fresh.

The packaging is handy and comes in size & price range of 

20ml at Rs 18 | 50ml at Rs 48 | 115ml at Rs 83. The varied range makes it easy to carry on your travels too!

I moisturise after it using the Ayurvedic medicinal cream by Roop Mantra - stay tuned for its review along with that of Roop Mantra Pimple Gel in my next blog. Definitely writing the next one sooner :)

Have you used Roop Mantra products? Do share your views with me in the comments section below. You can shop for their products here from Divisa Store.

Keeping up with Kaneda: Book Review

The title of this book transported me to the times when a friend of mine would jokingly call Canada - Kaneda during college days, with a stress on 'e'. That's how actually a lot of us Indians amusingly refer to it as. 

'Keeping up with Kaneda' written by Gaurav Kumar takes us through the first-person view of being in a foreign country for the first time with a score of desis around you who somehow still haven't gotten over their ability to judge you for doing things like back home (we Indians are almost everywhere). 

The story is funny and relatable at so many levels. Right from hilarious encounters in the foreign land to the mindset showcased. Relatable because I have heard about them from friends and ex-colleagues who live there and somehow experienced it within the initial days of shifting to Canada. The story is an easy read and if you have a habit of sitting with the book with an aim to read it continuously, a day is enough. 

The story begins with journeying through the moments one lives while shifting to another country. You not only have to get accustomed to the place and people but also the language, food and the culture. 

While the book starts on a hilarious note and him landing in Canada to doing odd jobs, completing his college while it ends on a philosophical note which somehow doesn't go with the entire flow. 

Nevertheless, it makes for a fun read. 

It is priced at Rs.175 and on a discounted rate of Rs. 88 on Amazon, you can buy it here: Keeping up with Kaneda

Baaya Reimagined!

Home is where the heart is and we all dream to make an exclusive space in our home which we can go back to for solace and infusing creativity every day! Baaya Reimagined aims to do that by unleashing a whole new area of imagination in your life.

An evening with people admiring artworks from Baaya Reimagined. The event was inaugurated by none other than architects Sanjay and Nina Puri along with founders Shibani and Vipul Jain. There was an outstanding performance by acclaimed fusion singer Isheeta Ganguly who specially curated a fusion track for Baaya to make it more personlised. 

Baaya Ver 4.0 - a new avatar- one that is sure to inspire amazement and appreciation about our artisan skills and the tantalising possibilities that emerge with the help of contemporary design. 

To grace the occasion they had the beautiful Mamta Raja, hair stylist Colleen Khan who came along with husband, Derek Affonso, Ashwini Kakkar and Dennis Metzger. 

The new and improved store is designed to re-imagine your interiors, providing well thought-out mock-ups for visualisation of various living spaces like a living room, home office and dining area. The renovated store offers more space, new product categories and a lot more choice! 

You can expect a mix of new, innovative art, artefacts, zany furniture, mirrors and rugs apart from the classic range available at Baaya. The range has been curated from the corners of India to add the quintessential ‘Baaya appeal’ to your home. The perfect eclectic blend, the place where tradition meets design.

The store will also feature Baaya Design Studio, where we help design and execute customised solutions for interiors - be it a residence, office or a hotel. Customisation enables possibilities that are only limited by your imagination. The Design Studio will have a full-time design consultant available to suggest exciting concepts for your spaces.

Prepare to have your imagination unleashed!

The subtle art of Serendipity

I can hear the waves splashing onto the shore. There are birds chirping in the vicinity. It is probably an early morning. I can also hear cricket in symphony. I can imagine the smell of leaves, freshly covered with morning dew. The grass feels just about right under my feet. 

It's this very moment when I realize I have conveniently managed to forego the reality of this hot and sweaty Mumbai evening and embraced the sounds and feel of this unknown place through my earphones.

I often resort to doing nothing on one day of the week and find myself listening to the sounds of nature, the rain, the forest. It is my way of meditating and cutting myself from the stress. There are umpteen options to choose from online and I haven't found a better therapy in recent times. (apart from an occasional Spa and coloring)

Stress. Exhaustion. Anxiety. Trying to achieve too many things. Trying your best to keep everyone happy. Trying to tick off tasks on your list. It's more than important to find a time out of this. 

Doing overtime ain't an achievement. Neither is being miserable running behind more money for that lavish life. What's an achievement is to find time for yourself, for your family and friends. From the times which are surrounded with the number of likes and shares on your timeline.

Coming from a job which expects me to be on social media almost the entire day has been exhaustive. This subtle art of doing nothing, absolutely nothing promises to be a bliss. Fighting the tendency of tweeting, checking out trending videos, catching up with several amount of posts scrolling through your timeline. 

So when people ask me the next time, what did I do this weekend; I want to say, "absolutely nothing. And yet, it was everything."

Reading a book. Taking a nap. Finding time to talk to your best friend. Finding time to help your mother in the kitchen. Making sure your Dad knows what you are upto. Taking out some time to sketch or simply clean your wardrobe. Asking your brother or sister out on a dinner. Spending time with your love on a slow date. 

Take some time out so you look forward to Monday.

Take some time out so you feel fresher.

Take some time out so you don't feel drained out.

Take some time out so you don't look back and say, "why didn't I?" 

Take some time out and do absolutely nothing to say 

YES to serendipity.

*Itching to sit by a beach in Goa*