A Dash of 'Bombay' in Bangalore

The flagship 'Bombay Store' has spread its legacy from the maximum city to the silicon valley of the country. Situated in the heart of Bangalore city, at 1 MG Road Mall, the lifestyle store has continued its heritage of bringing swadeshi artifacts and home decor to the patrons. I was one of the lucky bloggers to get a chance of touring the newly opened outlet along with four other bloggers.

The Founder- Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Ethnic Lampshades

Being a Mumbaikar, now based in Bangalore, I had already picked some stuff from the Fort outlet in Mumbai a couple of time. But this store and the products on display totally left me enchanted.

To begin with, the items in home decor section of the store is sure to figure in every home maker's wishlist.
Unlike the other retails outlets which caters only to the contemporary taste, The Bombay Store blends well the traditional and modern approach thereby giving the consumers a wide array
of choices.  


The archiac lamp shades caught my eye the moment I entered the store. They were beautifully done and came in different colours. 


Another intriguing home decor item were t he round shaped woollen  balls which anyone would mistakenly take for being kids play item but
it was actually a fancy piece which is quite a 'in-thing' now.

Fancy Round balls 

Fancy balls as home decor pieces

Up next it was time to explore the 'Elephant Company' products. Inspired by the pachyderm this collection brings out a rare appeal to all the products under its belt. From mouse pads to fancy umbrella, fancy tissue holders to trays these range of items were quite a hit amongst the buyers.

Tissue holders

The trays on display wore a pretty picture and were inspired by the 'India' theme. Interestingly they had each city on display. Talk about serving your city!

Trays in the 'India' theme

Another  highlight of the store were the Mughal motifs and artifacts which I'm sure are a Bombay Store exclusive. These pretty things serve as perfect gifting options. They not only add to the decor but also bring out the essence of a rich cultural background that the Mughals have brought to India. 

Mughal Motifs

Bookmarks

Traditional clocks to adorn you wall

The monsoon fever was also well caught up in the store with umbrellas in vibrant colours, newspaper prints and animals prints hanging across the walls.

Newspaper print umbrella

India themed Umbrella

The tour ended with on a funny note when I came across a set of T-shirt that associated the major cities of the country. And it goes without saying that the city which amused me the most was Mumbai. Take a look and let me know if it truly depicts the attitude of us Mumbaikars :)

Mumbai-inspired T shirt

The Bombay Store: A Perfect Blend of Traditional and Contemporary Style

The Bombay Store, first thing that pops up on my mind hearing these words is rich heritage and culture. The Bombay store is truly a perfect blend of traditional and contemporary style. Started in December 1906 by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, The Bombay Store is still classy as ever.

More than 100 years of tradition is what sets 'The Bombay Store' apart from other retail outlets. From Home Decor, Wellness, Fashion accessories to Artefacts, it has a variety of products that appeal to different tastes and sensibilities.  

On one hand they have their range of traditional 'Mughal Motifs' trays, coasters, candle holders and on the other hand they have a popular range of 'Ishstyle' apparel which is quite a hit amongst the youth.

My favourite section of 'The Bombay Store' has to be Artefacts and Home Decor. They have a wide variety of equisite artefacts in metal, leather, wood and clay to perk up the ambience of your home and make it more beautiful. Be it the 'Om' hanging bells or the cute Ganesha idols, these artefacts are bound to mesmerize you. 

If you haven't experienced the shopping at 'The Bombay Store', you for sure are missing on something.

Celebrating Dravid

With over fifty tributes bookmarked, hundreds of tweets favourited and another hundred statuses liked, March 9th, 2012, has brought in enough 'Dravid fodder and scoop' for all Dravid fanatics like me. The only remorse being, its not just another ton or a milestone of his, that all of them are celebrating; its his swan song that the fans and fellow team mates are writing about.

For me, a cricket loather, it all started with a heated discussion between my uncle and dad,that I was privy to. It was Rahul Dravid's ODI debut. While my uncle felt he was just another youngster making his foray into the international circuit, my dad, having followed Dravid's domestic career, knew he would go a long way. The discussion boiled down to a bet, where one felt his career won't last for more than five years and the other was certain that his presence in the team wouldn't be questioned for the next ten years. Thus began my fanfare towards the game and the man.

There were times when I would  feel a void if I didn't see the Indian team in action, Dravid to be precise. His milestones brought more mirth than the team victory. Eventually I realised, with those lofty cover drives and orthodox forward defenses, keeping with the gloves and fielding at the slips or forward short leg; I had begun to romance the game. Over the years like any star struck teenager and an ardent fan, I collected numerous SportsStar issues, newspaper articles featuring him and his heroics, woke up at wee hours (during tours abroad) midst exams, not to study, but to watch him play. Not to forget the failed attempts to meet him and let him know about my fanfare.

And fourteen years later,as luck would have it, I was being interviewed for my first ever job, by the man himself, Rahul Dravid. Now how many of them can brag about being chosen by their idol for a job they always wanted to a part of? Well, I proudly can. I knew Dravid was a dedicated craftsman, but what I didn't know was that he does carry his dedication towards his work, off the field too. During the 20 minute interview, where he gauged my cricketing know-how and team fanaticism, he did get constant phone calls. While anyone in his place would have attended the calls, Dravid simply chose to concentrate on the task in hand and choose an able candidate for the job.

My first job appointment

After being chosen by him, to tour with the team for the Champions League in South Africa, I got a chance to know him from close quarters for the next one month. Apart from getting to know him professionally, Dravid, the person, continued to entice me. One of the first in the team to hit the nets and gym, and the last one to leave; unwavering concentration and grit  in place. With age was catching up, he worked doubly hard and didn't even miss the optional practice sessions. I am yet to come across a person more dedicated to his craft. The well read person that he is, a dash of humour and sarcasm always accompanied his talks, albeit in a healthy way. I remember him ruing about how the WiFi in the hotel we were staying at, had gotten slow overnight and he asked Robin Uthappa whether everyone in the team was logged onto Skype, chatting with families and friends, for the WiFi to have gone bust.

At a Team Dinner outing.

But one incident that distinctly stands out in my memory, is the parting shot that Dravid gave me. As a mark of souvenir, he gave away the jersey, he wore during the match he had just played that evening. Quite an unexpected gesture, since I hadn't asked for it. Being an ardent fan of his, he knew how much it meant to me.

Most valued possession- Dravid jersey.

All this just seems so recent, I now find it tough to accept that an illustrious career has come to an end. Team India's go-to man, won't come out to bat at no.3 now, nor will he field at the slips. After sixteen glorious years of serving the game, Dravid has left too big a void to fill.
And my dad, having won the above bet, is optimistic about a Dravid comeback, when he sees the Indian middle order in doldrums. As a fan of the game, I can only wish the team does well, with or without Dravid.

Cricket connects in the Rainbow Nation

Thanks to the amazing hospitality provided by the Rainbow Nation and its people, I just couldn't sum it all up in my  previous blog. Here's an account of my interaction with two..well, I won't reveal it all out here. Read on to know who these two gentlemen are.

Venue: Hotel Sandton Sun lobby, Sandton city, Jo'burg.

Early morning buffet breakfasts at the Sandton was something that I always looked forward to. Apart from the yummy breakfast , I got to meet interesting people there. Seated across me were two men, in their late fifties and what started off as a  casual cricket chat went on to become a full fledged tete-e-tete.

 The two gentlemen Arrie de Beer, a South African and Ronald Hope from England, told me that they had been to India on work. Curiosity creeping, I wanted to know if the Indian Premier League (IPL) had got them all the way to India. And surprisingly it had.

Being the Chief blogger for one of the IPL teams, Royal Challengers Bangalore, participating in the tournament; I was more keen to know, which team they were rooting for this season. And faced some disappointment when I received a unanimous "Our lips are sealed. We can't take sides." Still prodding a bit further I let them in on my fanfare for the Royal Challengers, hopeful that they would spill some beans or their take on RCB. And bingo..it worked!

Ronald Hope and Arrie de Beer(r)

Arrie, just couldn't stop raving about our coach, Ray Jennings (yes, I did mention him in my first blog). Being a cricket enthusiast and having travelled around the world with teams, he knew most of the players from close quarters. And Ray, he said, was one of the finest individuals and mentors a team could ever ask for. (No..his Protean connect has got nothing to do with the volley of praises for the coach)

Ronald Hope, from Manchester, was more of a football fan and was surprised about how we Indians follow cricket so ardently. "Isn't Hockey your national game?" he asked. I sheepishly admitted that it was but we Indians followed cricket as a religion and hockey as a result took a backseat.

Now, it was my turn to fill them in about the various fan club activities that team RCB undertook and how we were doing our bit for the environment, apart from being a cricket franchisee. The two were mighty impressed by the 'Go Green' initiatives.

As the rendezvous was cut short by Indian team skipper, M S Dhoni's entry, I wanted to know their profession, as they seemed huge cricket buffs like me. I was in for a surprise when I got to know who the 'fans in disguise' really were.

P.S  Sir Arrie and Sir Ronald Hope, were the two ICC officials monitoring the tournament (CLT20). And finally Sir Arrie did give in to my persuasion and admitted that 'HE IS ROOTING FOR THE ROYAL CHALLENGERS' All thanks to this chance encounter at the breakfast, I found a new RCB fan.

This post is my entry to Around the World with Expedia contest at Indiblogger.

Escapades are fun when you go all out and enjoy, not having to worry about the hole it burns in your pockets. Expedia, now in India, gets you the best travel deals while you make the most of your holiday.

From the Rainbow Nation with love.

While the world was still reeling under the withdrawal symptoms of the FIFA World Cup in 2010, I had a chance to visit South Africa, after being chosen as the chief blogger of a cricket team. Three weeks in the rainbow nation with a fun filled tournament to be a part of, it was tough to bid adieu to the wonderful country and its people.

Touchdown Jo'burg
Fourteen hours, two flights and a few airline meals later we arrived in Jo'burg. My first glimpse of the city and I absolutely fell in love with it. Our first stop in South Africa was the High Performance Centre in Pretoria. Huge green lawns, lush outfields coupled world class infrastructure, the HPC was every sports persons dream come true.
Here, I was in for some world class cricket, rugby and football action. And yes! I did get my hands (legs rather) on the Jabulani balls which were quite a hit after the FIFA World Cup.

The local team with Jabulani balls

Bon Appetit
 One meal in SA is like a buffet in India. The portions are just humongous. The 'rainbow' not only applies to the country and its people, but also to the cuisine that South Africa has to offer. The cultural melting pot that this country is, I was in for some lip smacking delicacies throughout my stay. While the Butchers Shop and Grill at the Mandela Square, served every kind of meat available on earth, I tried kudu and snail (albeit its awful taste) to get a hang of the local cuisine. Also a wild spinach dish, Morogo, which is an ancient local preparation, might win your taste buds over.  But its Nandos and its hot peri peri and Creme Soda that I really crave for.

Squid pasta.. look at freaking quantity!

Morogo 

Surfs up...it was time to discover Durban

Amazing beach fronts, sand installations, seafood and a whole lot of Indian population, thats Durban for you. Renting a bike and cycling along the entire beachfront promenade,was the perfect way to unwind. The huge oceanic waves lashing past and the early morning chill hitting my face..ah bliss!

Durban beach front

Up next, was a trip to Ushaka marine world, where it was time to let go off all my inhibitions and soak in (here, I mean literally) the world of marine amusement.  

Numerous passage ways of huge underground aquariums from turtles to sharks, pythons octopus and beautiful bright fish this place had it all and more. Ocean walking and shark diving just added to the mirth and daredevilry of the outing. Holed up in huge glass cage with those scary looking monsters all around you, phew, whoever said shark diving was fun!

My blog would be incomplete without a mention about the warm people I met during my stay in South Africa. From cricket coaches to Cage fighters, Physiotherapists to the Hooters girls, I was in for some amazing South African hospitality throughout my stay.

Ray Jennings

 A hard taskmaster at work, Coach Jennings makes sure everyone in the team is performing to his abilities.He planned and organised a visit to the Soccer city stadium. 

Ray Jennings at Soccer City Stadium

Based on the design of a calabash, an African pot, this ninety five thousand capacity stadium is an engineering marvel and shows what a beautiful sporting culture the South Africans have. Thanks to Ray's efforst I had the privilege to enter restricted areas in the stadium, even walking on the pitch, something very few people are allowed to do. Driving back we passed Soweto, the biggest black township in SA, also the Hector Pieterson Memorial, a wonderful monument built to commemorate the black uprising 

The Mandela house in Soweto

Another highlight was stopping by Nelson Mandela's small brown brick house in Soweto, the place where the Nobel Laureate was born. Throughout the tour, Jennings kept us supplied with information about South Africa's history. I wish my teachers in school were so interesting, I would have scored a lot better in History. Conversations with him ranged from cricket and rugby to history,from diets to his newborn granddaughter.

Evan Speechly

'Ever happy' Evan Speechly and  me

If there was an award for staying happy always, Mr. Speechly would win it hands down. Being assoicated with various cricket and rugby teams as a physiotherapist, Evan can sense a niggle with a mere touch. An avid reader and an excellent mimic, we bonded big time over books and humour. I did take few Hebrew lessons,from the Jewish born physio,considering the penchant that I have for learning new languages.

Theo Padayachee

 Like most African nations, South Africa too earns the dubious distinction of being rated high on crime chart. But with security officers like Theo on board, I didnt have to worry about being harmed in any way. 

Theo Padayachee- the enforcer

The intimidating figure that Theo is, I was in for a surprise when he told me that his ancestors had moved from Tamil Nadu in India to Cape Town, before independence. He could actually speak fluent Tamil as well. What really amused me was, Theo's intriguing past. He used to be a cage fighter, who had even served a term in the prison , before he mend his ways and got into providing security solutions to those who sought her services. But our interaction was more to do with discussing the latest gadgets and social media, than the protection business. Yes! we are still connected via Facebook.

The Hooters girl

HOot Hoot Hooters: Danelle

Not just a pretty 'Hooters' face, Danelle, ended up befriending and showing us around Jo'burg. From  shopping at the flea markets in Rose Bowl to the hopping to most happenings places in town, we simply had a ball. While Danelle is a football fanatic,cricket buffs, my friend Shireen and I, provided ample cricket gyaan and even ended up giving Danelle tickets to one of the matches. Glad she was and how!






The Kiddie brigade

Andrew (extreme right) with his friends.

You can call it a case of saving the best for the last, this bunch of cute little kids at the grass banks of Centurion, were the most endearing of the lot. Being the chief blogger of the team, I was on the lookout to meet interesting fans across the stadium where I came across Andrew and his friends, who were cheering their lungs out. Andrew's dad who had accompanied the kids, told that the six year old, was a huge fan of Protean side and Jacques Kallis was his favourite player. As we got talking, Andrew said he harboured cricketing aspirations like his idol. While I chose him as the 'Fan of the Day', his dad was elated knowing his son would be on the internet.

With the tournament done, it was time to get back to India, back to the grind, the normalcy et al. But I'll never forget the adventure, the food, the sights and sounds, the people I met and the mirth that ensued in the Rainbow nation.

P.S: Escapades are fun when you go all out and enjoy, not having to worry about the hole it burns in your pockets. Expedia, now in India, gets you the best travel deals while you make the most of your holiday.

This post is my entry to Around the World with Expedia contest at Indiblogger.

Mallya Junior+awareness drive+ Inside RCB dope, The Mumbai Meetup had it all.

Whoa…The best fan meetup so far. I’m elated. Sidhartha Mallya obliged us fans with his presence for over two hours (albeit a last minute surprise element)

Little did I know that a random tweet update by me calling all RCB fans in Mumbai for a meetup at Leopold, would get the Director of RCB to join us fans and and share the inside dope on players, venues, matches and surprisingly his school days. The Fan Meetup & awareness drive turned out to be a huge success with Mallya Junior playing a great host and fans turning up in large numbers.

Toying with a social cause since the fan Summit, the meetup was planned so as to cater to atleast a small social cause from RCB fans to the city of Mumbai. And glad we did…we held a jersey rally along Marine Drive with the help of CORNER STONE, a Mumbai based NGO. We conducted an awareness drive along the roads from Colaba to Marine Drive with social and cleanliness messages pasted on our jersey, holding placards and asking people not to litter. A brief start to what we intend to take a long way.

But the real action unfolded at Cafe Leopold, where Sid Mallya turned up (before time..mind you, as Nidhi said UK timings ) with two of his friends and had a ‘Good Time’ with all the fans. Here’s how it all began:

Tweete-e-Tweete :
My tweet update for RCB:
Calling all RCB fans in Mumbai for a meetup (4pm @Leopold, Colaba) & Jersey/T-shirt rally thereafter. So are you Mumbaikars, GAME FOR MORE?

Sidhartha Mallya replies:
@RCBTweets I will for sure come along…Leo’s is my fav place!

I hope I’m seeing as many RCB fans as possible today at 4pm at Leopolds, Colaba. Will be good to have a catch up and a few beers… 2:03 PM Aug 8th via UberTwitter


As fans dropped by donning RCB jerseys he was at a loss of words and quite humbled by the number of those who had turned up for the meet. Sharing inside goss about IPL 3 auctions, his favourite picks for RCB and player retention policies for CLT20 and IPL4, Sidhartha patiently answered all our queries. Few off the record dope and indulging in a banter with his staunch KXIP follower friend, his days at the boarding school and as a hockey captain…Mallya junior had a whale of a time with us. He also promised to give away Red & Gold RCB bagdes (he was wearing one too) for fans turning for coming meetups.
News is ‘RCB jersey for CLT20 is gonna change’ The new one will be sans a collar..it’ll be a round neck fitted Jersey..specially keeping in mind players like PK who wears a jersey 3 times his size We also came up with a suggestion to start our own ‘Cafe RCB & Force India’ on the lines of “ManUtd cafes’. Chatting for over two hours it was time to bid adieu to the ‘Prince of Good Times’

Happiness Index: The happiness quotient of the meetup fans and Mallya Junior alike was really high. Turning up for all the fans, an impromtu & warm gesture, on Sidhartha’s part was highly appreciated. Also this meetup would be featured in the Times of India. (will update that bit soon)

Party Meter: Most of them who’d turned for the meetup were teetotallers and Sid was amazed as to how RCB fans could leave the venue without having USL products. But then he played aperfect host and offered juices instead








He tweets post the meetup:

"Just met our fans at Leopolds.am completely humbled and in awe of the experience. Amazing feeling to know we have rcb fans all over india "

P.S. The ‘off the record’ player/matches info that Mallya Junior shared with us will be posted in my next blog soon.

Vignettes revamped..

A lull before an array of blogs. Starting afresh after the hectic IPL season and a host of parties that I’ve been to, the revamped page of my blog will have exciting new deals for Mumbaikars by Mydala.com
Also the new look and feel of my blog (I love it more than anyone else..: P) will make it easier for you’ll to browse through the archives and pictures. A big shout out to my fellow bloggers Dhaval and Kunal for their blogging and SEO tips. Thanks a lot guys.

So on the eve of Indian Independence, I pledge that I'll blog regularly. (not that it'll add to the nation's significance ;-) )

'CALL' it quits

I suffer from a chronic yet quirky problem of hating to talk on the phone. So much so that I start getting uneasy if the conversation extends the 15-20 min mark. Quite unlike other girls my age, who spend hours yapping on the phone, I tend to end conversations abruptly. Did try a lot to get over the habit but somehow couldnt. This weird habit of mine is now getting on to the nerves of those who try to contact me, my family, friends,acquaintances. So much so that they've even contemplated getting to know what this 'phobia' is termed as???

The mobile phone will celebrate its 15th birthday in India this year but I, much to other's dismay,  yearn for the days when they were only for the strong and the wealthy. Ironically, being a gadegt freak myself, I've got to admit I'm impressed by technology and services it has to offer with the advent of 3G.
But whats with the compulsion that makes the mobile owners use the damn thing day and night?
They are fast replacing clouds of cigarette smoke as public nuisance No. 1.  My hour long train commute to college and back home was the only 'alone time' I had to myself during the day, maybe hooked to a nice book or some soulful lyrics on my MP3. But now its impossible to enjoy those thoughtful moments without having to listen to a dozen one sided phone conversations of complete strangers. None is an urgent warning  to a loved one or a call that sheds invaluable insights on life. Sadly they are boring, devoid of any intrigue, usually packed with trivia everyone within  earshot must endure.
I do concede that mobile phones have saved ship wrecked sailors or hikers lost  in mountains or even ideal for finding a wandering partner. But they also blight lives. Tiger Woods and Terry would be at a better position as to how these very handy devices have wrecked their lives.What irks me the most about this device is the very essence of its invention (read make/receive calls on the go). Just hope i get over this syndrome someday. if not for myself atleast for those who call me up.

P.S. Texting ( note how the mobile changed the word 'text' from noun to verb)  the other feature which a phone offers is my addiction. I can go to any lengths texting a conversation than having one. Just realised I text faster than i talk

Signature Party den

Mumbai Indians & Kings XI Punjab, IPL after party at Trident, Nariman Point, Mumbai

The mantra of the evening certainly was  ‘Eat..drink..and make merry’. Even as the Kings XI Punjab faced defeat yet another time, they were looking forward to an unwinding session at the Signature IPL night here in Mumbai.  Glad to see a few from the Mumbai Indians finally at the partying scene. Bravo, Pollard, Duminy, Abhishek Nayar, Dhaval Kulkarni and Jonty Rhodes filled in for the Mumbai brigade, and were seen having a gala time celebrating their victory.

KXIP skipper Sangakkara

The ‘Ramp’age- Monisha Jaising popularly known as ‘the princess of Bohemian luxe’ showcased her collection which was dominated by block prints, Indian handicrafts, flowy summer collection. Walking the ramp for her were the supermodels Alicia Raut, Sucheta Sharma, Candice Pinto among others. Spotted enjoying Fashion show were fashioniastas Nandita Mahatani, Ex Miss World Diana Hayden,International supermodel Diandra Sores.

As soon as the fashion show ended , DJ Whosane took over spinning some of the best international tracks that got the guests grooving on the dance floor. Kieron Pollard just couldn’t stop raving about the music.  The bollywood brigade comprising of Arjun Rampal with wife Mehr Jessia, Dino Morea, Muzamil Ibrahim, Shaad Randhawa, Rahul Bose, Rock On director Abhishek Kapoor. And guess who’s Back in town and was seen enjoying the party? Mandira Bedi is back from her London sojourn and was among the first celebs to be interviewed by Bani J.  Quite her chirpy self!

And Mandy is back!

Umpire Robin Jackman, Andy Bichel, KXIP coach Tom Moody, IPL vice Chairman Niranjan Shah were seen enjoying their drinks amidst some serious cricket talks. The highlight of the party certainly was Bret Lee, who took to the dance floor along with fellow team mates Ravi Bopara, Bisla and Kumara Sangakarra.  Surprisingly Yuvraj Singh, Irfan Pathan, Piyush Chawla & Sreesanth gave the party a miss. Too miffed by the defeat I guess.

Rahul Bose

'Mighty' Tom Moody, KXIP coach

Bret Lee and Bisla entering the party

And just as the party was getting to a full house, the Regal Room was agog with screams of  “Ness..Ness” as in walked Ness Wadia sans co-onwers Priety Zinta and Rohit Burman.  A pretty picture himself, obliged everyone as he posed before heading to bar.

Wassup dude? Dwayne Bravo with Ravi Bopara

Ness Wadia

The Regal Room-a packed house

Whoa…one of the best IPL parties in Mumbai so far. The energy and party quotient of the crowd reached the hilt as they danced till the wee hours, living every bit to the epithet of  ‘The City never sleeps’

Play hard..Party harder

As victory beckoned the Mumbai Indians at the D.Y Patil Stadium, the Chargers weren’t left far behind. They partied and how! The Trident, BKC, was all decked up as the Chargers arrived, starting with the owners Gayatri Reddy and her dad in a majestic looking Bentley.  Happy to be posing with the guests, they headed straight to the party which was held at Golconda Ballroom.

BCCI Secretary Niranjan Shah and a few ICC officials were the next to join the Reddys.  The ballroom started filling up soon after the Chargers made a beeline for the party. Also seen enjoying the night were  former Miss India and actress Nikita Anand, the MTV crew comprising Bani J, model Noyonika Chaterjee .

IPL Vice President Niranjan Shah

Nikita Anand

The Mumbai Indians skipped this one as their owners had thrown in a private party celebrating the team’s victory. Chargers had a gala time at the party though. First up to face Bani’s volley of fun queries was the mighty Symonds, who was quite enjoying the party and the fashion show. RP Singh looked a bit jaded and was seen engaging in a friendly banter with fellow Charger Jaskaran Singh and Pragyan Ojha.  Captain Adam Gilchrist was too happy to pose and that too in his typical ‘Kangaroo’ style. Cant get more candid than this one!

Gilly and his signature 'Kangaroo'

The Fashion show started soon after and Mandira Wirk’s ensembles certainly belied her age. Some awesome cuts, negligees, floral patterns adorned her collection. And hold your breath guys, the show stopper of the night was the ravishing..Mugdha Godse.

Mandira Wirk with her show stopper Mugdha GOdse

The Dj took over as soon as the fashion show ended and set the dance floor blazing. While the players were enjoying their food and drinks, the guests just couldn’t get their dancing shoes off.  And as the party continued till the wee hours..it just got the better out of them. Yet another Signature IPL night  hit if I may say!

PRIDE- worth playing for indeed!

A few grins after the loss.

When victory beckons the rivals..

All in all a lukewarm response to the much awaited game, which otherwise would have been a semis berth sealing one.  With KXIP having nothing to lose they did spoil Mumbai’s party plans big time.  The crowds dispersed with talks of desperately seeking victory in the next encounter against the Royals.

Signature IPL Nights

The Mumbai Indians are in no mood to let the others party. After sealing a semi final berth against the Rajasthan Royals, they defeated the Delhi Daredevils here in Mumbai with whopping 37 run margin.  The after party was a hit, both the teams partied and how! Read on..

Shantanu-Nikhil’s embellished collection, the city’s elite grooving to DJ Aqeel’s tunes, the MTV VJ’s, the players ‘wining and dining’ made for yet another IPL after party a huge hit.

The Designer duo of Shantanu- Nikhil, who have been in the news recently for designing celebrity couple Sania- Shoaib’s wedding attire, were the designers for the evening.  Embellished cuts, flowy gowns, models draped in hues of Red, Black and white were the highlights of the show. Seen enjoying the ramp walk from the front rows were Bollywood actor Arjun Rampal, IPL vice chairman Niranjan Shah,Daredevils Paul Collingwood,  AB de Villers, Ashish Nehra, among others.

Shiny disco balls

Dj Aqeel had the guests asking for more, when his tracks set the dance floor blazing. A good mix of Bollywood and Punjabi numbers amidst the ‘Signature IPL Trumpet’ had everyone shaking a leg. Having two left feet with such music being played is a thing of the past and a silly excuse, if I may say. Javagal Srinath made a rare and quick appearance, and was seen in some serious discussion with a few Delhi players and umpires. Talk of bringing work to party!

Javagal Srinath

But Umpire Daryl Harper certainly takes the prize for being the most cordial guest. Obliging fans and guests with pictures and autographs, sharing umpiring and his career tit bits with them and also learning a bit of hindi, he was having a good time indeed.  Surprisingly he remarked ‘Shabaash’ after having a brief tete-e-tete with me, for being an ardent cricket fan.

Daryl Harper with a guest.

Ashish Nehra

Saurabh Tiwary, Dwayne Bravo,  Star of the match Kieron Pollard,  Dhaval Kulkarni, JP Duminy made up for the Mumbai brigade and were seen enjoying the food and drinks. This party also had a houseful of MTV VJ’s who were having a great time interviewing the players , DJ Aqeel and Arjun Rampal.

Couple Capers- Arjun Rampal with Mehr