Play The Life Game With Baggit Spring/Summer 2016 Collection #PlayTheLifeGame

   Baggit, counted amongst India's premier bag and accessories manufacturers, which co-incidentally is also one of my very first owned, tried and tested brand, organized an exuberant event for a select few bloggers on afternoon of 28th May, 2016 at The Daily Bar & Kitchen, Mumbai to showcase their Spring/Summer 2016 Collection #PlayTheLifeGame and I was one of the lucky ladies who got the chance to be a part of the same.

   The event started with registration of the bloggers and a warm welcome with an awesome goodie bag for us to take back home consisting of an ornate jewelry box containing a thank you note, booklet for the Baggit Spring/Summer Collection, a tiny Baggit money pouch, a pen drive and a box of macaroons from Le 15 patisserie. I then proceeded to meet my blogger buddies, many of whom I hadn't received a chance to interact with since a long time and also got introduced to a few more ladies who were only an online acquaintance for me till now. What made this event a memorable one for me was the fact that I got a chance and time to interact with quite a few new faces, leading to new friendships, adding to the entire experience. Like they say, the more, the merrier!

   A group of us then decided to explore the Baggit Spring/Summer 2016 Collection #PlayTheLifeGame for ourselves. We moved from our very comfortable bar chairs to the outer seating area of The Daily, where bags from the new collection were displayed (Heaven for the very purse obsessed girl in me!!) and started admiring them. The #PlayTheLifeGame collection consists of 5 different styles of purses, each of which is available in 2 different colors. Each of these bags is made from completely recyclable materials which are sourced from India and are cruelty free. The bags are well crafted and are smooth to touch. The bags range from small satchels which can be used to carry just mere essentials to large totes which are more than capable to carry enough stuff to last an overnight pajama party.The color palette used is very versatile with blues, browns and whites perfect to compliment formal wear and peppy and bright colors like pink and orange for more casual or outgoing attires. Shapewise, the collection covers totes, basic sling bags and two multiway designs - one which can be used as a sling as well as a satchel and the other which can be used a sling as well as a clutch.

   Soon after having a look at the entire collection, we decided on our favorites and started getting our pictures taken with them (Girls will be girls and always continue to have fun!!) The bag which caught my attention the most was a small sized, bright orange, peppy and striking number by the name of - L Finnie Gland Orange (Orange) S. It is a sling type bag having a drawstring closure which is given a more 'in the face' look with orange beads on it. The bag is a perfect size for one to carry all day, everyday and would easily fit in essentials like a cellphone, money, debit cards, earphones, house keys and still leave enough space to accommodate a tiny stash of cosmetics as well! Its feminine shape would definitely add charm to any attire and would prove itself to be the perfect number to break the monotony of a formal outfit! Also, the color is such that it would cheer one up even on moodiest, dullest and laziest of days.
   We were then greeted cheerfully by our emcee for the day, and shown a tiny video starring Nina Lekhi, the Founder of Baggit who introduced the Spring/Summer 2016 Collection #PlayTheLifeGame to us. She spoke about the contemporary independent women of today who are not afraid to live their lives on their on terms and are making choices that reflect their view of the world today. Also, how the new Baggit collection captures the many moods of such women, upgrades their style and help them play the game of Life! We then viewed a brief video depicting the making of the new collection, including glamorous cameos from the Baggit photoshoot.

   We then moved back to the outdoor seating area, and were introduced to the entire team of Baggit who made this event possible and then participated in an interactive session where many of us described our various moods through the week and chose Baggit bags to complement them. The one who did it in the least amount of time got a chance to select her favorite piece from the collection as a prize. We played a game testing our bag knowledge and an entry drawn randomly from all the right answers was chosen as the winner. Also the person who tweeted the most number of twitter updates was felicitated with their choice of Baggit bag. The interaction ended with Mr. Vicky Ahuja, the Sales and Marketing Director of Baggit thanking all those present for their continued support to Baggit and encouraged all of us to make the most of the event by keeping the merriment going! This entire fun part of the event was streamed live via Facebook.

 
   We ended the event on a high note with getting a lot of pictures taken, dancing to the grooves of the hottest songs on the billboard while sipping our martinis, cosmopolitans, sangrias to name a few, thoroughly satiated with french fries, pita bread with hummus, two different bite sized mushroom delights, vegetarian pizza and much more before making our way back home.

Celebrating Craftsmanship With The Use Of Technology With U & Us Design Studio #UandUsDesignDay

   The afternoon of 21st May, 2016 saw the opening of a novel furniture designing concept store by Godrej Interio, the U & Us Design Studio at R City Mall, conveniently located in the heart of the Central Suburbs of Mumbai. An event was organized to celebrate its launch and I along with a few more bloggers got a chance to attend the same.

   The event started with a panel discussion amongst Krsnaa Mehta, founder of India Circus; Ronitaa Italia Dhanu, editor of the GoodHomes Magazine; renowned architect Rooshad Shroff and Esha Gupta, founder of Design Pataki. The topic of discussion was 'Celebrating Craftsmanship with the use of Technology' with the questions revolving around the increasing utility of technology in architecture and home designing, which is something which forms the core of the U & Us Design Studio. The panelists then answered questions from the audience seated. To mark the end of the discussion, each of the panelists were then felicitated with a basket of goodies.

 

   We were then taken on a tour of the U & Us Design Studio where we were given a firsthand demonstration of how they make home designing consumer friendly, simper, easier and more time effective with use of advanced technology. The three main pillars of U & Us Design Studio consists of: The discussion area, the color visualizer and the material library. Customers can add the layout of their rooms to a large touchscreen monitor and customize the placement of various furnishing items within seconds as per their liking. The next step of the process included choosing of the color palette for each of the components by simply picking up colored blocks and inserting them into a electronic console which reflects the color change on the various components on the screen. The last part consists of deciding upon the materials to be used to create the furnishings from a large range of laminates, handles, wood moldings and much more.

   Next was a small demonstrative workshop by founder of Design Pataki, Esha Gupta, who highlighted a few key points for decorating one's personal spaces as follows:

- Lighting an incense/scented candle or spraying an air freshener to make the room smell nice.

- Multiple cushions and pillows in solid colors to brighten up the room.

- Using crockery in simple and bold whites and other light shades to up the style quotient.

- Adding a touch of nature in the room in form of easy to maintain plants or decorative flowers.

- Personalizing the space with pictures of self, loved ones or things that you adore.

 

   We then went on to explore the studio's pre-furnished model areas, which had small rooms or corners designed to look like the various rooms in a home: A living room, an adult bedroom, a kitchen, a room for kids and a small corner space conveniently accommodating a small bar. The studio also features a few India Circus pieces elegantly displayed in a shelf.

   We then satiated our hunger and quenched our thirst with food boxes distributed amongst us consisting of delicacies like veg puffs, cheese and chutney sandwiches, a pack of Paper Boat Chilli Guava drink and a lip smacking red velvet cupcake with vanilla frosting to end the event on a sweet and merry note! We were each given a cute little goodie bag containing an India Circus diary and a card holder as we made our way out, having been introduced to just the right people to contact in case we need a quick refurbishing in our homes, the guys from the U & Us Design Studio!

   To know more about U & Us Design Studio, visit http://uandusdesignstudio.com/
 

Keeping Fun Always On With Vodafone 'U' Prepaid Packs #FunWithU

   I have had a very loyal relationship with Vodafone since more than a decade, from the very time I first owned a cell phone. It has been my primary and for most of the years the only service provider connecting me with my family, friends, colleagues and others. So when I heard that Vodafone is launching special prepaid recharge packs under the name Vodafone 'U', I knew it would be something that would interest me and also its launch would certainly be a grand affair.

   The launch of Vodafone 'U' was organized at the Hard Rock Cafe, Worli on evening of 6th May, 2016. By the time I reached the venue, it was buzzing with energy. I registered myself at the main desk and proceeded to meet my friends and quickly grabbed a seat with them.

   Soon the event started with our emcee of the day, renowned VJ Gaelyn Mendonca welcoming us all and giving us a brief introduction of our hosts - Vodafone India. She then proceeded to invite Mr. Sandeep Kataria, commercial director of Vodafone India. He spoke about the youth of today and its need of being connected to each other at all times. This need made the think tanks at Vodafone come up with Vodafone 'U', a dynamic proposition offering digital benefits to keep the socially active, rapidly growing and increasingly demanding Gen Next always connected with friends, fun and the internet.

   Mr. Sandeep Kataria then proceeded to officially launch Vodafone 'U' prepaid plans followed by speaking about its key features via the aid of a small visual presentation. To summarize:

- Vodafone 'U' will be offered in two packs - One for first time pack users and the other as recharge packs - Both available in large and small variants to suit different needs.

- It provides with a separate night data allowance so that the youth can keep surfing leisurely day and night and does not miss out on a single moment of fun.

- 3 closest friends can be called at a special rate of 20 p/ min so as to share the fun details of every story amongst themselves.

- Loan 60 MB of 3G/ 4G data for 2 days, when you need it the most and avoid cutting corners when running short of it.

- 2 months of unlimited free music downloads via the MyVodafone App to uplift your mood or tend to a broken heart.

   For more details about these plans, visit Vodafone 'U'.

   This was followed by airing of a collaborative video by Raftaar, TVF and Kanan Gill especially made for Vodafone 'U' after which these youth icons took on the stage to entertain the crowd. While Kanan had the audience in splits with his humor, Raftaar had us swaying and clapping to the tunes of his songs 'Swag mera desi' and 'Tamanche pe disco' much later on in the evening.

   Throughout the event, the waitstaff from Hard Rock Cafe kept us satiated with delicious finger foods like cheese balls, potato wedges, garlic bread with cheese toppings and more. Drinks flowed aplenty with an open bar keeping us well hydrated and the merriment going. The staff then performed their signature 'YMCA' dance which was a big hit along and a few more numbers like 'Lean on', 'Macarena', 'Watch me nae nae' making the audience loose their inhibitions and join in the fun setting the dance floor on fire with their moves.

   Soon we left the venue as the event approached its end, feeling happy to have attended such a happening launch and also the after party. The event stayed true to its agenda of #FunWithU by being an evening filled with laughter and music to keep the Fun, always on!!

#MonthEndBroke?? CASHe #CashGivingApp to the rescue

   The Aeries group launched an innovative mobile app - CASHe at the ITC Grand Central Hotel, Mumbai on afternoon of 31st March, 2016 and I was one of the lucky few who got to attend the same. CASHe is an application which provides instantaneous short term personal loans to young professionals upto 40 % of their salary with minimum documentation through their smartphones. Yes.. You heard it right! No more tiresome visits to banks and financing companies, standing in lines for hours at end, having to search for bazillion documents to file for the loan application or having to explain the reason for need of the said loan! Instead with CASHe now people can apply for a loan from the convenience of their own homes, while traveling or while enjoying life - All you need is an Android smartphone, internet connectivity and scans of a few basic document and you're good to go!

   The event started with our emcee of the day giving all of us a warm welcome and providing a quick introduction of the people behind the making of the CASHe mobile app. This was followed by an entertaining dance performance with the main lead playing the role of a young professional tired of how all the expenses in his life leave him with no money towards the end of the month before his next salary is crediting into his account and how now with CASHe he can get almost instantaneous loans to make ends meet and live a more stress free life and enjoy it to the fullest. This short song and dance performance had us engrossed and was a brilliant way of kick starting the event!
 

   Next, the CASHe dignitaries were called on the stage, which included - The Chairman and Chief Evangelist - Mr. V. Raman Kumar, Board Advisers - Dr. Rakesh Mohan - The former Deputy Governor of RBI and Director of IMF; Mr. Yezdi Lashkari  - Tech Entrepreneur and Digital Thought Leader and Mr. Suhel Seth - Accomplished Media Personality and Brand Guru. They were joined on the stage by the Bollywood heartthrob Arjun Kapoor, who along with the aforementioned esteemed expert panel proceeded to officially launch CASHe  - The Cash Giving App.
   We next got to see a few lighthearted pictures and audiovisuals which perfectly captured the various scenarios where quick short term loan of money comes in handy.
- When your boss is a jerk and doesn't pay you on time! Holds true and has surely happened to all of us! Myself included!
- Cash for maa ki dawaai, behan ki vidaai, chotu ki padhai. Reminded me of Raju Rastogi from 3 Idiots and had the entire crowd in splits!
- Asking money from friends, though easy and non-cumbersome often comes with strings attached which often comes back to bite us on our derriere!
- Requesting dad to lend some money, that too in front of his friends, is sure to make him and his friends chuckle at your expense!
 

   We were then taken on a journey of a step by step demo of the CASHe app as follows:
   CASHe can be downloaded through the Google Playstore on any Android smartphone and requires to be logged in through either Facebook or a LinkedIn account. After agreeing to the terms and conditions, one can set up their profile by providing their name, cell no., email ID, adding a selfie, a picture of their PAN card, address proof and latest salary slip. The payment received on the latest salary slip decides the maximum load which can be allotted to a person - 40 % of the salary (Till a maximum of Rs. 50,000/-). A bit more information - Permanent address, landline number, date of birth, educational qualification, type of accommodation, purpose of CASHe, employer details like - Name, their landline number, office email ID and their month and year of joining, Bank details like name of bank, account no., IFSC code and latest bank statement bring you to final page where you can enter the amount of cash needed. Here details like interest and one time processing fee which are deducted can be seen to give the final in hand amount that the person will receive. Proceeding further the application of the loan can be finalized and submitted by entering a numerical code which takes us to the screen which gives the time by which the loan will be approved. If all the details entered by the person are found to be accurate, the loan gets approved and transferred to the account!
   The session ended with answering of the audience questions which was followed by posing for pictures by the dignitaries and chief guests and later the entire team involved in making CASHe a reality. After having a scrumptious lunch boasting of wide range salads, curd recipes, various vegetarian as well as non vegetarian curries, rice, assortment of Indian breads and desserts we made our way back with our CASHe press kits, knowing right what to do when we are #MonthEndBroke - Just download the CASHe #CashGivingApp and be good to go!

Kama Ayurveda 'Bridal Beauty Box' Preview and Unveiling of Valentine's Gifting Range at the new Juhu Store

   Kama Ayurveda opened doors to their 13th store in India earlier this month at Juhu Tara Road, Mumbai. A day event was organized for a select few bloggers to visit the same, to introduce them to the new services and products introduced by the brand.
 

   The first thing I noticed in the new store was the pleasantly scented environment where the various products by Kama Ayurveda were displayed in neat shelves. The decor in the store was heavily influenced by India and its indigenous herbs. The products give an excellent first impression even with just a single glance due to their beautiful packaging.

   I was pleasantly greeted by the PR reps of the brand and offered a glass of coconut water to quench my thirst. Bruschetta, spinach and cheese canape cups and small servings of chocolate brownies made sure that my hunger pangs stayed at bay. Ladies from Kama Ayurveda then quickly briefed me and my fellow blogger buddies about their new one-of-its-kind Bridal Beauty Box services and the special prepacked gift boxes for Valentine's for women and men. 
 

   The Bridal Beauty Box consists of comprehensive services including worth Rs. 8000/- of Kama Ayurveda products, the exact products included to be determined on basis of personal need of the to be bride in terms of skincare and haircare, neatly packed in a bridal trousseau box. A consultation with an ayurvedic doctor is also included in this package, whose expertise can be availed of to understand and treat conditions of skin, hair, diet and general well being with prior appointment. To be brides can opt for this service until the end of March, 2016 for an all round grooming experience.

   Kama Ayurveda has also introduced Valentine's Gifting Boxes, in one variant each for women and men. Both the gift boxes contains 5 items each - A soap, a face cleanser, a toner, a face cream and a lip balm - The perfect mix of products to pamper the one you love!

 
   Next we were taken on a tour of the store by a sales rep from the outlet who quickly introduced us to each and every product in the store. She told us about the benefits of each product with expert fluency and answered our queries regarding the products. We even got to test a few of the products on ourselves and smell their divine scent. 
 

   Taking a holistic approach, Kama Ayurveda provided us with a one to one consultation with a practicing Ayurvedic doctor who gave solutions for ailments that many of us were suffering from. He told me about the medical conditions that I am most likely to suffer from in the future based on the "doshas" and also about the ways to prevent them. I was then suggested a few Kama Ayurveda products the use of which would benefit me by him. 

   The event ended with us bidding the team from Kama Ayurveda, our hosts for the day and blogger buddies a goodbye. Each one of us bloggers received a goodie bag containing the two products recommended during the doctor's consultation and a pouch containing a few sample sized products by the brand. 
 

 
   My goodie bag had 100 ml bottles of Brigandi Intensive Hair Treatment Oil and Nalpamaradi Thailam Skin Brightening Treatment. The various samples received include - 2 vials of Bringadi Intensive Hair Treatment Oil, a tube each of Rejuvenating And Brightening Ayurvedic Night Cream, the Kumkumadi scrub and their Hand Cream, and a small container tub with Mridul Cleanser and Nimrah Anti Acne Face Pack.

#OwnThose5Days Whisper Out Loud Blogger Hangout

   Whisper organized an out loud blogger hangout for a few female bloggers at St. Regis, Lower Parel on 19th December, 2015 to break the misconceptions and taboos associated with menstruation, create awareness regarding the same and launch their newer, improved version of the Whisper Ultra Clean sanitary pads. The invitation for the event was sent to the chosen bloggers along with a pack of the Whisper Ultra wrapped attractively in green cloth and presented in a cane basket along with tiny flags printed with popular Whisper slogans like "Touch The Pickle", "Be Unstoppable", "You Go Girl", "Take That Step" and more.

   The event started with bloggers registering themselves at the main desk where a green numbered band was put on our wrists. After having refreshment drinks/tea/coffee as per our taste, all us ladies dressed in green and white (The dress code for the event) settled in our seats and were welcomed by the stand-up comedian, actress and writer - Aditi Mittal, our emcee for the day, who in her own comic way took a stand against various customs associated with periods which are still prevalent in our society - Not entering the kitchen, not touching the pickle, sleeping in a different room, staying apart from loved ones, not exercising, not wearing white colored garments, not washing hair, not leaving the house and so on. 

   She then called upon versatile actress, Kalki Koechlin, who has on many occasions previously voiced her opinion regarding the need to educate women about hygiene, to share her own experiences relating to menstruation. Later, Dr. Nandita Palshetkar, a noted gynecologist joined the stage and shared with us tips to make "That time of the month" a more pleasant experience - Consumption of a healthy diet, daily exercise and salt and caffeine restriction being a few of the major pointers. Last to join the panel of experts was Whisper R&D expert Chetan Kotyalkar, the lone male in a crowd of beautiful women, who took us through the design and making of the new and improved Whisper Ultra via a quick power point presentation.

   The new Whisper Ultra has the following layers:
- Top Sheet - This layer is made up of over 1000 funnel shaped suction holes responsible for unidirectional flow of fluids across the sheet, which quickly absorbs upto 100% of the wetness. It is extremely comfortable which prevents itchiness and period rashes.
- Secondary Top Sheet - It is responsible for uniform distribution of the fluid on the sanitary pad.
- Absorbing Gel Material - These contain the "Magic Gel Crystals" which convert fluids into a gel like material.
- Back Sheet - It prevents fluid from seeping out and causing irritation to the skin.
The new Whisper Ultra is longer and has an odour lock which prevents the sanitary pad from emitting a foul odour. The wings provided help the pad stay in place and are also capable of absorbing fluid.

   In short, the new Whisper Ultra provides:
- More absorption for long hours.
- Better dryness for clean feeling.
- Faster absorption for sudden heavy flows.
- Better comfort with soft top sheet.
- Better odour lock.

   The Whisper R&D expert Chetan Kotyalkar then proceeded to show us a live demo of the better absorbing power of the new Whisper Ultra. First he added a spoonful of "Magic gel crystals" to a glass filled with colored water and right in front of our eyes we saw the mixture turn into a gel like substance that too in a matter of seconds. Then to demonstrate the 5x absorption power of the new Whisper Ultra he poured five times the colored liquid on a sample of Whiper Ultra compared to what he poured on ordinary pads and to our surprise no leakage could be seen through Whisper Ultra while other ordinary pads showed obvious signs of leakage with just 1/5th the amount of liquid.

   What followed next was the official launch of the new and improved Whisper Ultra by the panel of experts in front of us. Aditi Mittal and Kalki Koechlin then proceeded to the Whisper Wall of Fame - A huge wall shaped like the Whisper sanitary pad where they pledged in writing to #OwnThose5Days of the month by being unstoppable and were later joined by the bloggers to do the same.

   All us bloggers then took part in the #OwnThose5Days challenge in teams comprising of 4 people each. The challenge was to accumulate the most points by being fastest at four physical activities, with each team member accomplishing a task each - Paddling an indoor cycling trainer, twirling a hula hoop around the waist, doing repetitions of dumbell lifts and steps exercises. Aditi Mittal and Kalki Koechlin too tried their hand at passing these physical hurdles. Though my team didn't end up winning this challenge, we sure did have a lot of fun participating!

   The event ended with all us bloggers enjoying a lip smacking lunch comprising of corn nuggets, vegetable patties,a variety of sandwiches with a various kinds of sauces and so much more. The out of the world tasting walnut brownie dipped in chocolate sauce and ice creams ended the event on a sweet note with us collecting our take away hampers consisting of a pack of the new Whisper Ultra, a sanitary pad pouch bag and a sipper and making our way out to #OwnThose5Days!

   Visit Reward Me - Whisper to apply for a free sample to #OwnThose5Days and be unstoppable!