Sundays, you know, are special. Late mornings, bright tees, casual ponytails, a slick of gloss — and you’re ready for the goss session with the girls.

At a time like this, all you want is a chill-out zone. Where the clock stops, not the coffee. Where spare chairs are aplenty and no one frowns because you want to put your feet up. Where you can laugh aloud and everyone joins in — because they’re having a good time too.

Sundays are for the soft, squidgy side of you. Sundays are for Café Terra, the spot that epitomises the neighbourhood hangout so well it’s a guarded secret in Koramangala. As is the ace in its sleeve: waffles, perfectly browned, served with a dash of powdered sugar and dollops of maple syrup.

Feel like pumping up the indulgence meter? Ask for accompaniments of fresh fruit and ice-cream. Add a steaming mug of coffee and catch up on the gossip. When conversation flags, leaf through the café’s enviable collection of Tintin comics.

Lazy Sundays get even better: Café Terra also serves croquettes, Kip Sla Op Toast (chicken salad on toast) and super entrees from a changing menu.

Sit back. And let Sunday take over.

Café Terra, 1020, V3 Trinity, 80 ft Road, Ist Block, Koramangala, Bangalore. Telephone: 41313553. Waffles: Rs. 50, ice-cream Rs. 5 extra. From 8 am to 9.30 pm.

The word wholesome doesn’t just refer to your personality. It describes your lifestyle and diet, too. No wonder your buddies call you Earth Mother! But finding the best sources for wholesome goodness hasn’t been easy. Until now.

Our Trendy Tree-hugger scoured the city for the best sources for natural, unadulterated grains, cereals, pulses, herbs, spices, oils, dried fruits and vegetables, beverages and even chemical-free processed foods:

Eaternal Health & Organic Foods: Healthy and natural options free of wheat, gluten, dairy, sugar, corn, yeast and sulphate. Has had Skal (Netherlands) certification for four years.

Aarogyam — Farmers’ Initiative for Organic Foods: Organic food delivery as well as catering. Indulge your sweet tooth with their beverages, cookies, candy, honey, jaggery and even sugar.

Amit Green Acre: Vegetarian, vegan and raw foods. Also, grow organic cotton and medicinal herbs.

Conscious Food: Kavita Mukhi’s brand, which a whole lot of basics plus cold-pressed oils and other eco-friendly exotics. Home delivery for orders over Rs. 300.

Fabindia Organics: Several types of cereals, grains, pulses, spices, sugar, tea, coffee, honey, fruit preserves and herbs, packaged beautifully in designs created by NID students.

You’ll never have to settle for that ‘happy’ meal again.

Eaternal: B/2 Rustom Baug, SS Marg, Byculla; Tel: 56200541/23748557/9867245082; URL: www.eaternal.com.
Aarogyam: 301, Pallavi CHS, Tata Colony, Navghar Road, Mulund (E); Tel: 20590513/9969022192; Email: aarogyamorganics@gmail.com.
Amit Green Acre: 5th floor, Lotus House, New Marine Lines; Tel: 56315801/56315823; URL: www.amitgroup.com.
Conscious Food: All Food Bazaars and several outlets across the city; Check locations on www.consciousfood.com.
Fabindia Organics: Pali Hill, Bandra (W); Tel: 26465286/9; Nirmal Lifestyles, Mulund; Tel: 25919301; Junction of Khar Danda Rd and 14 th Road, Khar (W); Tel: 26057780; MG Rd, Kala Ghoda; Tel: 22626539; Inorbit Mall, Malad (W); Tel: 56419989; URL: www.fabindia.com.

You, darling girl, revel in contradictions.

You worry about your global carbon imprint as much as about connecting with Indian traditions. You revel in crowds, yet you are equally happy being on your own. And your wardrobe is an eclectic mix of street and designer wear.

Now place on that list a label that celebrates your self. White Space, the latest addition to Square One Mall, by Vidhi Aneja, has just put out its breezy summer collection.

The range straddles the cutting-edge casual and the oh-so-stylish, in both day and evening wear. Tees which can be teamed with jeans as well as dressy party-time attire. Wrap skirts, whisper soft chiffon dresses, waterfall tiered skirts in fine cotton, halfway-there Bermudas.

Our Trendy Fashionista loved the knee-length ruffled green chiffon bias cut dress with decorative tonal sequins, for an evening out in town. The seemingly incongruous combination of floral chiffon appliqués with a scooped round neck ribbed tee is a perfect match with skinny jeans.

Being contrary can be such a delight, no?

White Space, 411, level 4, Square One Mall, C-2, Saket, New Delhi. Telephone: 29561699, 65286025. Prices start at Rs. 1200 (Rs. 1500 for ribbed tee and Rs. 3500 for green dress).

Nothing’s close to good enough when it’s your big day. Even the zardozi lehenga and the Jimmy Choo heels seem to fall devastatingly short. Admit it, what you need is pure gold.

Talented designer Deepika Govind’s limited edition set of bridal saris give you just that. Each sari contains 740 grams of gold lace and weighs in at above one kilo. Reviving the timeless and rich heritage of Mysore’s famous silk saris is this one-of-its-kind combination of gold jacquard woven into a fine flowy crepe silk.

The saris have been designed around four main traditional motifs — the lotus flower, the lily, the palmette and leaf scrolls. Each one takes over 20 hours to weave and is as exquisite and extraordinary as a piece of art. Adding to the brilliance is the ornate yet delicate crystal work that makes these saris sparkle with sophistication.

And as if that weren’t enough to get you interested, this season’s palette sure will. Coral, tangerine, chartreuse, antique moss, sea green and emerald are the unusual hues you get to choose from.

Because you’re not just any bride. You’re The Bride.

Deepika Govind’s Thread of Gold range.
Prices: Range from Rs. 1-1.5 lakh.
Website: www.deepikagovind.com.
In Bangalore: Deepika Govind, 21/22 Craig Park Layout, M.G. Road; and Karnataka Silk Industries Coproration, Jubilee Show room, 44/45 Leo Complex, Residency Road Cross, (Tel) 25582118.
In Delhi: Deepika Govind, Shop # 26, 1st Floor, Khan Market, (Tel) 41757181.
In Mumbai: Aza, #21 Altamount Road, (Tel) 23869139; and Melange, # 33 Rajmahal, Altamount Road (Tel) 23854492.

You’ve run your fingers through the silky swathes at L’Affaire. Picked up an oh-so-hot metallic pair of stilettos from Fashion Flash. Upped your bling quotient with a Madame silver stud bag. Time for some nice nosh, and overdue goss, with your fashion sistah.

Saltz, a neat pan-Asian street food café from the people who run Ploof and Chilli Season, welcomes you with white interiors and cool blue place mats which double as menus. Start with a virgin mojito, doused with the zingy freshness of mint. Skip the pastas and sandwiches to order a Malay salad, which comes with bean sprouts, tofu, potatoes tossed in a delish peanut dressing. Have that with Pho, a Vietnamese flat noodle soup.

Move on to the Thai Chicken Basil Leaf Bunny Chao (red curry in a bun). Sample the Malaysian seafood Laksa, full of flavourful shrimp, and the Vietnamese grilled chicken, served with sticky rice. And dig into the Cantonese-style succulent braised roast pork with black mushrooms on a bed of rice, sautéed with green chilli.

Just make sure you keep some space for their house special — cheesecake, served with brownies. And the latest on that gorgeous guy who hangs out in your block.

Saltz, M-69, 1st Floor, M-block GK-I Market, New Delhi. Telephone: 46536233, 46536281. Home delivery available in GK. Meal for two: Rs. 1,000.

Frenzied faxes, con calls, mindless meetings, deadlines, bottomlines, boss brawl, hanging comps, missed lunch, power brunch, client cocktail. Phew. Your day is packed as ever, girl. And that’s why you sigh and go ommmm when you finally go back to that lush, soul space you call the cat pad.

To preen it up further, check out Yamini’s new Summer Collection. In keeping with the style of the mo, the all-flair-no-flash brand has gone retro with their sofa fillers in metallic browns with stripes and moss greens with shiny polkas.

Hues this season sail towards bright seas, sparkly suns and sprinkled sequins. In thick linens, wispy cottons, rustling silks and to-die-for weaves. These sit pretty with beaded curtains in similar colours. The must-haves are the napkin holders, ethereal beads and wires twisted like a fairy princess’ crown.

Other home-bling include dreams and reams of curtain material, table linen, runners and napkins in new colour palettes.

For walls and accessories OD’d on brights, break the kaleidoscope with the stark black and white range.

Stop by one summer’s evening. And live cool till the end of the season.

Yamini, in Bangalore: 11/2 Haudin Road (on Ulsoor Lake), Bangalore 560042. Telephone: 41134781.
In Mumbai: President House, Colaba, Mumbai 400005. Telephone: 22184143; 380 Shanti Nivas, 14th Road, Khar (West), Mumbai 4000052. Telephone: 26463645.
Prices start at Rs. 300 for pillows, Rs. 600 for napkin holders, Rs. 300 for curtain material, Rs. 175 for table linen.

You are a high-octane junkie. You can’t get enough of the super tough guys and gals who jet into hot-spots, pulp the baddies, and save the world. Get set to relive the rollicking adventures of Modesty Blaise, who is better than the best. Bond, who?

Much before Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise, yummy), Lara Croft (Angelina Jolie, kickbutt), and Jason Bourne (Matt Damon, edgy), there was Peter O’Donnell’s iconic creation with jet black hair, lovely legs, and an unparalleled will to win.

Climb aboard as the uber cool Modesty and her sidekick Willie Garvin battle the vilest villains and come up trumps.

Like his stunning mentor, Garvin is a character: rough-hewn, but with a wicked way with the ladies.

Equally delightful is the ancillary cast: stiff-upper-lip spymeister Sir Gerald Tarrant, mild-mannered academic Stephen Collier, blind, beautiful Dinah, and a whole bunch of memorable others, in some of the most exciting take-you-out-of-yourself stories you will ever come across.

All thirteen in gorgeous covers; the last for the first time in paperback.

The Modesty Blaise series, by Peter O’Donnell, Penguin. Price: Rs. 250 per book. Out in bookstores the week of June 5.

Trendy is taking a three-day summer break starting tomorrow. See you back Monday May 28!

Mocktails are so last decade. And the Cosmo’s just as dated as Sex & The City reruns. What’s a girl to do when the throat’s parched and the tastebuds crave something smoother than Sangria?

Try sol kadhi. The coconut milk-and-kokum drink (click here for perfect recipe) usually accompanies coastal food but is now popular as a non-alcoholic aperitif. Our Trendy Taster checked out a few crowd faves to see who really makes the sol kadhi cut:

Goa Portuguesa: Probably the best, almost as good as the one prepared in Gaud Saraswat Brahmin homes. Great consistency, perfect colour, the right quantity of chilli and garlic and a very fresh taste. Rating: 8/10; Price: Rs. 29.

Casa Soul Fry: This delightful new restaurant serves the sol kadhi in traditional metal tumblers. Good consistency, perfect colour but a tad too much garlic. And there’s a slightly ‘off’ odour to the coconut milk that speaks of several hours in the fridge. Rating: 5/10; Price: Rs. 40.

Anant Ashram: Served free with the meal and gulped down with gusto by regulars, the sol kadhi is rather disappointing. Pale and watered down, without the astringent kokum taste. Rating: 3/10; Price: Rs. 3 if ordered separately.

Goa Portuguesa: Mili Bldg, Opp Mahim HPO, Kataria Road , Mahim, Mumbai; Tel: 24440202/0707.
Casa Soul Fry: Currimjee Building, opposite Mumbai University , MG Road, Fort, Mumbai; Tel: 22671421.
Anant Ashram: Khotachi Wadi, Opposite Majestic Cinema Bldg, Girgaum, Mumbai; No telephone.

Trendy is taking a three-day summer break starting tomorrow. See you back Monday May 28!

The driving license was the first step. Closing the deal on that sweet studio apartment announces you’ve really come of age.

Break out the bubbly and start dreaming. Walk-in closet. A plush leather recliner. Limed wood floors.

Get the headache out of doing up your home. Make a beeline for Great India Place, to over 1,50,000 square feet of covetable interiors.

Two of India’s retail giants have opened shop in the basement of what is being touted as India’s biggest mall yet. Sprawling Home Town has 170 room-by-room displays. Point, and they’ll have it packed, moved and set up — free. There’s hardware at unbelievable discounts, and the convenience of in-house financiers, architects, plumbers, and painters.

At half that size, Home Centre doesn’t have a service brigade or as many rooms, but the selection is more eclectic. Green Spanish recycled glassware. Baskets begging for picnics. Framed canvases for every room — just add nails.

Rome may not have been built in a day. Your home can be.

Home Town, Tel: 0120-4028100. Home Centre, Tel: 0120-4010100. At Great India Place, Sector 38-A, NOIDA.
Prices: From Rs. 5 for a dozen nails to Rs. 2 lakh-plus for an Italian modular kitchen.

Trendy is taking a three-day summer break starting tomorrow. But before we go, here’s the last part of our summer getaway series. See you back Monday May 28!

Adrenaline is your alias, speed your second-name. You feed off the energy of the city and thrive in urban chaos.

Yet sometimes, just sometimes, you feel like pulling out. At times like this, hit the highway to Mysore. Not to exchange one set of bright lights for another, but to recharge at the newly opened Windflower Spa and Resort.

Located amid 10 acres of greenery at the foot of the Chamundi Hills, close to a forest reserve, its surroundings exude calm. The Balinese influence on the cottage architecture may be suspect, but not the palpable principles of Zen or the power of lush foliage, cascading waterbodies, and absolute quiet.

Chill in the wooden sit-out overlooking a waterbody. Or shower under the blue sky in a greenery-enclosed extension of your room. Be spoilt for choice in the multi-cuisine Olive Garden restaurant. Or ask the Ayurvedic chef for spa delicacies.

Better still, sign up at Emerge, which offers Balinese and hot stone massages, as well as Ayurvedic detoxification and rejuvenation programmes.

Soon, you’ll hear the city calling to you again.

Windflower Spa and Resorts, Maharanapratap Road, Nazarbad, Mysore. Telephone: 9845138461. Rooms start at Rs. 4200, spa therapies from Rs. 900.