Hotel Review: Emerald Palms Resort, Goa

In the beginning of the year I took a short holiday to Goa.

Every time, we visit Goa, we try to pick a different hotel, because hotels in Goa are as interesting as the State itself.

This time, we picked the Emerald Palms Resort in Varca.

The Emerald Palms Resort is a sprawling Portuguese Villa set up in a beautiful and picturesque backdrop. Though it does not have a private beach access, it is around 2.5 kms away from Varca Beach.

We loved it for 3 main reasons:

>Artistic Decor
>Good Maintenance
>Proximity to local shops/shacks
The decor of this resort has Portuguese influences which is very well maintained with modern touches to it.

The rooms were spacious and comfortable with all the modern amenities.

Living area with a sofa cum bed

Bedroom

A pool, gymnasium and a play area for kids completed the picture.

There is an activity centre in the resort which conducts various workshops every day like morning yoga, zumba, candle making, etc which makes sure that along with relaxation, you get to learn new things.

This being a Club Mahindra Property, every evening there are cultural programs conducted for guests and we witnessed some of the best performances here.

Cultural Program

If I have to mention a flip side it would be, no Wi-Fi access inside the rooms. For Wi-Fi access, you will have to come in the lobby area which again is huge and beautiful, where you are served complimentary water and juices at regular intervals.

Lobby

Varca Beach

This resort has small grocery stores and local shops in its close vicinity that sell sarongs, swimsuits, jewelry and other random stuff, in case you want to buy local stuff.
Varca beach is about 15 minutes walk from the resort, so you can walk or rent bikes to explore the place.

What I liked about the location of this place is that there are many local restaurants and shacks that serve local food. So, we were not confined to eating at the restaurant inside the resort, which was slightly over priced but decent enough.

Before we visited this place, we had read many negative reviews about this place, which were 3 years old. Our experience here was a pleasant one and I am glad the authorities have mended their ways, because we wouldn't mind coming back again.
I sign off with two of my favourite pics shot at Emerald Palms. Hope you like them.

Fall Wardrobe Simplified with Zaful

Fall is officially my favourite time of the year, because it not only brings in the holiday season, but also because I love the cold nip in the air. The summers are gone and the chilled winters are yet to arrive. This also happens to be my favourite season to travel.

Happy seasons like this, deserve a happy wardrobe.
But whenever I shop for my fall wardrobe, I make sure I do not burn a hole in my pocket.
While it is difficult to find sites that sell good quality stuff at affordable prices, it is not impossible.
Case in Point...Zaful.com
Zaful is a brand that has been favoured by bloggers worldwide, because they deliver the latest trends in good quality and affordable prices.
When I was approached by Zaful to collaborate with them, believe me ,it was very tough for me to pick a few pieces as I wanted everything from their site.
From tops, dresses, bottoms, active wear, footwear, bags and more...they have everything covered.

While browsing through their site, I was inspired to put a Fall wardrobe together. S here you go. Below are my favourite pieces to flaunt this season.
The Off-Shoulder trend is here to stay and so my first 3 picks are off-shoulder.
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The first one combines one more popular trend of pom poms. It is fun, flirty and sexy all the same time.


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The second one is sweater dress, which will keep you warm on chilly evenings, and the Off-shoulder gives it the much needed oomph factor.
 

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And the third one is a checkered, Balloon sleeves off shoulder dress. I think this dress is perfect for your day outings and when combined with sneakers and a hat, make it comfy and stylish.


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Wrap around dress is a must for every Fall wardrobe and my reason behind it is that it is very easy to put on a few pounds during the festive season and the wrap around dress being free size, will give you some space to breathe, in addition to highlighting your curves at the right places.


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The formal Dress...This is a season where formal parties and nights are hosted in abundance, and this little black formal dress will make sure you make the right impact at any event you go.

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The naked dress trend is huge and what better time, then now to flaunt it.
This red cut out dress, with a nude lining is something that will surely make heads turn at any dinner date that you attend. Plus the color red makes it apt for the festive season.

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And last but not the least, a suede coat is a must to protect you from the chilly winds while you flaunt your trendy Fall wardrobe.

Do check out Zaful.com, if you haven't already.
You can thank me later.

Festive Picks For Diwali From Brijraj Fashion

My favourite time of the year has arrived and I really can't contain my excitement.
I have been on a shopping spree since the last month, and I have bought everything from clothes, home decor, grooming products, etc that make me feel festive and happy.

Amongst all this crazy shopping I came across a number of sites that are not only have abundant options but are also offering good quality stuff at reasonable prices.
One such site is Brijraj Fashion.

Based in Delhi, this brand is promoted by manufacturers who have four generations of experience in selling ethnic wear. When I checked out their site, I was pleasantly surprised to see the choicest of collection as far as salwar suits, sarees and Indianised gowns were concerned.

Brijraj Fashion has very strict quality norms, and they make sure that every product that is shipped out is checked thoroughly for any damage or defect.
Having ordered from them, I can vouch that their delivery is super quick and I was very happy with my shopping experience with Brijraj.

Below, I have compiled a few of my favourite picks from Brijraj Fashion, that are perfect for the festive season. Each of this pieces are bang-on trend and will make your festive wardrobe, prettier and steal worthy.
Scroll down and let me know, which one do you like?

The Chevron Saree

This is a faux Dupion Weaving Work Saree with Resham Thread Sequence Embroidered Border in Green

The Paithani Pallu Saree

This is a blue and green faux dupion weaving work saree with resham sequence embroidered border

The Elegant White Saree

This one is an off white faux chiffon with resham thread stone embroidered saree.

 

The Gown with a Dupatta

This is a cream net with resham thread stone embroidered wedding gown with georgette dupatta

Royal Blue GownThis is a Navy Blue net with resham stone embroidered gown with georgette dupatta.

                                                                             The Anarkali Suit
This is a black net and faux georgette resham moti patch work anarkali suit with chiffon dupatta

Outfit Post: A Green Story via Sareez.com

Let's all get this straight for once.

The Grass is not greener on the other side.
The Grass is greener where you water it.

So instead of fretting over what others have and don't, let's just focus on ourselves and make the best of what we have.

This green chanderi silk suit from Sareez is my latest possession.
I absolutely loved the fabric and the print and the fact that it is in my favourite colour, makes it even better.

All I had to do was, team it with my favourite pearl earrings and hand harness from Confusion Fashion Accessories and I was good to go for an evening out of Navratri pandal hopping.

What I like about this dress is that it can very easily be transitioned as workwear by swapping the accessories to something simple and work appropriate.

What do you think?

Outfit Details:
Salwar Suit (unstitched): Sareez
Earrings, Hand Harness: Confusion Fashion Accessories
Wedges: Burlington

Diwali Gifting Options with Baaya Design

In an era, where the world is coming closer thanks to technology, we are going farther away from our traditions and culture.
But even in today's world if there is a brand that brings to you the best of both worlds, it undoubtedly has to be Baaya Design.

A venture by Shibani Jain, Baaya was set up with the objective of bringing traditional and tribal Indian art with a contemporary twist into our homes and work spaces. Baaya works with various art groups across India, at the grass root levels and bring their work to us by innovating design and infusing modern day materials.

If you are a So-Saree reader you would know that we are a huge fan of Baaya and its merchandise, and it is for the simple reason that it combines traditional art forms in our everyday lives.

For this festive season, Baaya has come up with various gifting options.
Whether you are looking for Karwa Chauth gifts for the ladies in the family or Diwali gifts for friends, relatives or even your employees. Baaya is offering a festive range of products that are not only artistic and unique but reasonably priced.
But before we move on to check their collection, let's see the reasons why buying from Baaya is a good decision:
1) Make In India: By buying Baaya merchandise you will be contributing to the Make in India campaign and every purchase that you make will bring happiness and joy in some remote village in India.
2) Promote Indian Art: Since Baaya combines traditional art forms in their merchandise, you will be helping to promote the traditional art forms of India which would be lost eventually due to lack of patronage.
3) Eco Friendly: Since majority of Baaya products are made from natural materials, you are adopting a green way of life.

And, now without further ado, lets check out the amazing gifting options that Baaya has come up with for Diwali and other special occasions.

Buddha Candle Lantern: (Price Range: Rs. 300-500)


Buddha lanterns can illuminate any space and create a serene environment. They have intricate cut outs and a unique finish and will make a beautiful gift for your loved ones.

Netra Candle Lanterns:(Price Range: Rs. 350-1000)
This lantern range is inspired by the third eye of Lord Shiva. Just like the divine eye, these lanterns ooze positivity when lit up.
DIY Coasters: (Price Range: Rs. 700-1000)
The Designer coasters are not only useful, but they are so much fun too. You can stack them as they are in their boxes or create patterns as you like.
These coasters are perfect gifts because they combine utility with creativity.

Gond Art Coasters:(Price Range: Rs. 500-800)
These Gond Art coasters are unique because they come in a jigsaw puzzle form, so that you can have some fun while trying to put the puzzle together. Plus the beauty of Gond Art make it even more attractive.

Glass Painted Coasters and Trays:(Price Range: Rs. 1500-2000)


These hand painted Glass Art in the form of coasters and trays are my favourite and I already own a few pieces from their collection. These hand painted Warli art mainly use a very basic graphic vocabulary: a circle, a triangle and a square. The central motif in these ritual paintings is surrounded by scenes portraying hunting, fishing and farming, festivals and dances, trees and animals.
These will be a centre of attention at any home, you gift it to.






















Other than these, Baaya also stocks some unique hand made/hand painted photo frames, dokra art T-lite holders, Moroccan style hanging lanterns and much more to make your festive season even more colourful.

Baaya accepts bulk orders with the minimum order quantity being 12.
For more inquiries, comment below or email at anupriya@baayadesign.com or kunal@baayadesign.com.

#14DayChallenge with New Pantene

Come monsoons, and if there's anything else other than my mood that goes for a toss is my mane. Not only do they become frizzy and lifeless but they suffer maximum hairfall during this period. My mane is my pride and when something/someone messes with my hair, they are hurting my pride.
So every monsoon, I make an unsuccessful but perseverant effort to save my locks from hairfall.
So a few weeks ago, when I came across this collaboration, on Blogadda where bloggers were invited to take the #14Daychallenge with New Pantene to fight hairfall, I jumped on the opportunity.

Within a few days I received a package with the New Pantene Shampoo and conditioner along with two bottles of ordinary shampoo and conditioner.


























The catch was.. to try the ordinary shampoo on one half of my head and the New Pantene on the other. Though a Herculean task, I managed it somehow. While washing my hair, I did see some hairfall, but come-on it was my first wash.
After towel drying my hair, I again partitioned my hair and ran my fingers through my hair.
First the Non Pantene Side...I had around 10-12 strands of hair in between my fingers.
And the Pantene side, 2-3 that too after I ran my fingers in my hair atleast a couple of times.
I was kind of surprised, but I decided not to jump to conclusions, and kept using the New Pantene for the next 14 days.

Here's my observation:After 7 days:

During the first seven days, I had washed my hair with the New Pantene and conditioner thrice.
At the end of 7 days, in spite of the rainy weather, my hair looked tamed and non-frizzy. And fewer hair strands on my comb, only made my smile a little more broader.

After 11 Days:

I loved the bounce in my hair. My hairfall was almost negligible, and my hair felt smoother and fuller.

After 14 Days:

 
 
















I am glad I took the #14Daychallenge with New Pantene, because never in my life have I been able to control hair fall, especially during the rainy season.
So what are you thinking about?
Take the #14DayChallenge with New Pantene for stronger and beautiful hair.


P.S. I took up the #14DayChallenge as a part of  product review activity at BlogAdda in association with Pantene”

A Friend in Need..!

Growing up we all heard the story of two friends, who set out on a long journey together.
On their way they encountered a bear and one friend climbed up the tree to save his life while the other one played dead..!
Long story short...you have always heard, believed and repeatedly said that a Friend in Need is a Friend in Deed.

I believed so for the longest time. But as time passed by, I realized that this wasn't the right criteria to judge friendship.
I truly and completely believe that a True Friend is one who feels happy for you when you succeed and going through the best phase of your life.

You will have many people who will try to give you a shoulder to cry on when you are down and going through worse. But once you start progressing, the same crying shoulder becomes a jealous and bitching  soul.

 

















My friend Sonali, is one friend who feels happy over my success and sad over my failures.
And that is why I call her my best friend, My Yaar!

It's strange how people from completely different backgrounds, temperaments and interests come together due to destiny and weave a beautiful and memorable relation that only gets better with time and age.
Sonali and I were introduced through common friends, but other than these common friends we didn't have anything in common. We were just acquaintances until we happened to join the same organization post our graduation.

It was here that our friendship took real shape and meaning.
From taking coffee breaks together, to going shopping during weekends, we did everything together.
On one of my birthday's, Sonali made me a personalized desk calendar with my pics and I was touched by the gesture. So on her birthday I wanted to do something even special.
The TV show Sarabhai vs Sarabhai was too popular at that time and hence inspired by Rosesh Sarabhai, I penned down a poem for her.
It was the most ridiculous poem ever written and I am shamelessly sharing it here on my blog for the first time. Try not to kill me later.

Meri Saheli...
Sundar si hain meri saheli
Pyaari pyaari badi nirali

Ghane mulayam kesh hain uske
Mukh pe haseen sada hi muske

Daya ki hain wo aisi murat
Sochu main too lage hain murakh

Sabhi pasand karte hain usko
Par wo pasand karti hain mujhko

Dekho yeh hain meri Saheli
Naam jiska hain Sonali!

But believe it or not, instead of cutting ties with me, Sonali got so emotional that she hugged me. She carried this poem with her, everywhere she went. (yeah..I know she can get silly sometimes. But that's why she's the best.)

 

Even on my 25th Birthday, she came home at midnight to surprise me and made sure I had the best birthday ever.


We even took a holiday together to Hong Kong and had the best time of our life.
On the day of my wedding, she was on my side all the time.
But as time passed by, we moved on with our lives. I got married and quit my job, while Sonali went to UK to pursue further studies. But this distance did not affect our friendship even a bit.
Sonali made sure she called me from UK and every time we spoke for more than an hour. (don't forget the international call rates)

 

Her wedding was one of the happiest day of my life as I knew she was marrying someone who is as crazy about her as I am.

Few people in your life give you peace, stability, confidence and unadulterated love. Sonali has give me all this and much more.

Being In Love, doesn't mean You have to be Lovers!
Sometimes You just have to be Friends! :)

Zee TV for the first time in the history of Indian Television is bringing to you a show that celebrates celebrity friendships through a chat show which features fun tasks and challenges.
It is aptly named Yaaron Ki Baraat.
I am really excited about this show and I am going to invite my friend Sonali over for dinner tomorrow so that we can enjoy this show together.
Don't forget to tune in to Zee TV on 8th October at 8 pm.