I can spot a Tahiliani drape a mile away. Rohit Bal jodhpurs leap out at me with the same certainty with which my teen coz identifies a Rihanna vocal. So when Samsaara opened its doors in Bangalore, I knew this was fated to be my new haunt.

The multi-brand designer outlet, which already has a presence in Mumbai and Delhi, stocks Bal and Tahiliani, of course. But there are 60 other top-line labels on show here, including JJ Valaya, Raghavendra Rathore, Shobha De for Satya Paul, Suneet Verma and the Bollywoody trio of Neeta Lulla, Rocky S and Seema Khan (yes, Malaika’s sister-in-law and the designer of most of those floor-sweeping gowns she favours).

But what really caught my eye were the collections of the lesser-known designers. I loved Bangalore-based Ravage’s funky line of fusionwear inspired by city artist K K Raghava, and drooled over Mumbai sisters Mana and Esha’s sequined kurtis in prints and linen. For the evening, the duo’s line of dressy silken jackets, tunics and collared kurtas in bandhini accentuated with brocade and zardozi in deep hues of blacks and maroons left me spoilt for choice.

And oooh, how could I pass up Asmita Marwa’s fabulous array of Anarkali kurtas? The rage of the moment — every celeb has been photographed in one of these, from down-to-earth Konkona in her sleeveless edition to Urmila’s OTT version — is updated with exquisite kalamkari and surface texturing on natural fabrics in earthy tones of greens and browns.

Spread across 2400 sq ft, Samsaara saw me scurrying from one corner to the other, chasing ‘it’ fashions and funky accessories, including Malini Agarwalla’s embellished bags.

Now I have only myself to blame if I have nothing to wear.

Samsaara. J-777, 100 ft. Road, Indiranagar, Bangalore. Tel: 42050024. Prices start at Rs 1500 for accessories and Rs 2500 for garments.

Whenever I feel glum watching the sheets of rain hammer repeatedly against my windows or the sun becomes too strong for my sensitive skin, I walk into Pinakin. The signature store of architect and home accessories designer, Pinakin Patel, it unravels across 6,000 sq ft, bringing in sections bursting at the seams with home fashion themes and innovative concepts for living rooms, bedrooms and dining spaces.

His collection changes every season and this time around, I’m floored instantly by the lavish beds swathed in suede pillows, fine satin sheets and velvet duvets in chocolate brown and headboards chequered with glazed fabrics. I take in the seaweed stained side tables that are cleverly arranged near it. I cast my eye over his flamboyant serpentine-laced cushions on mammoth sloping chairs, the tub seats in a charcoal teak look, alligator-finish leather-encased bolsters and dull orange chairs inspired by minarets.

But the main theme of tables, tables and more tables, is what turns me on. Here’s a space that transforms tables into conversation pieces, handcrafted and available in the choicest of woods as well as the most luxe of finishes (think lapis lazuli, tiger’s eye and mother-of-pearl!). International in execution, Indian in essence.

I covet them all: the luxe lion-motif banquettes, the lacquered chests in melonish hues masquerading as centre tables and the striking pagoda tables in three sizes that remind me of flat, coffee-table books arranged atop each other. A nest of trellis-legged graphic veneer tables are sure to liven up an economy-sized living room. And the duo of limpid, turquoise drop-shaped tables that lock into each other with smooth ease? Made for each other. Just like me and Pinakin. The store, I mean!

Pinakin, Raghuvanshi Mill Compound, Lower Parel, Mumbai; Tel: 66002500/600; Website: www.pinakin.in; Prices: Start at Rs 15,000.

It all started with my pal — let’s call her PeeCee — getting grumpy of a Monday morning. Nope, them weren’t manic Monday moods, them be breakfast-eaters’ blues — viz, the ones that attack people who eat breakfast at crack of dawn when they’ve skipped it till eleven.

We searched high and low for a year, from Paharganj to Patparganj. Finally, a fortnight ago, found our perfect plate — er, place. At a lime and orange bench-and-table overlooking a disorientingly deserted Khan Market parking lot (it’s just gone 8.30am, and they’re open till 11pm, still serving breakfast as well as soups, sandwiches and pasta to lazy daisies like our other pals). We’ve so far tucked into a berry bowl with yoghurt — with real-live berries — and pounced on poached eggs with salmon and asparagus! The TV journalist in tow, back from his late shift, placidly poured a Daily Planet down his throat — and suddenly brightened up, searching the bottom of his glass for more berries (it’s fun to suck/pick them up with the straw when you’ve slurped down the soyamilk/yoghurt/banana/honey/orange/oat uber-energizer).

Now we’re sipping real-good coffee — with complementary hazelnut crisps (the peeps from Mrs Kaur’s are behind this place too) — and waiting for our friends. Across the room, the open kitchen is bustling with orders for crepes — du Puys aloo-filled, Belgian feathered with three colours of chocolate, apple-and-butterscotch Anglaise. While TV Guy dismembers his everything-on-a-plate combo of sausage, bacon, eggs and more, we hope our politeness holds out until our pals are here. But it’s hard — the aroma and sizzle is weak-making!

Crepes and More, 66 Khan Market (first floor, entry from middle lane), New Delhi; ph: 43528300. Meal for two Rs 850.

I like my walls pristine white with sunlight bouncing off. I like my room flooded with moonlight on dreamy nights. I like books and bags strewn around the living space. BUT. I don’t like art I don’t understand.

So when I bumped into a little birdie painted by Kavita Arvind, I spoke to it. And it introduced me to its friends. And hey! We all get along just fine now.

Kavita Arvind specialises in children’s book illustrations. But of late, she’s been doing work that’s covered my pristine white walls with bright splashes of colour. Chidiya Udd is what she calls all these happy things. Her style takes me back to the days when I used to sit and stare at the pictures in a storybook and get lost in them. For hours (and with absolutely no help from alcohol or any other substance).

A mix of old school paintings and modern day scribbles filled with a lot of rich colours. I absolutely fell for it. She has a beautiful series on birds, and then another one on trees. Then the people series and then the cat one. By then I was purring. I was torn between the bird and the tree. I finally settled for both.

So if you’re looking for affordable art your kid sister can talk about and you can wake up to every morning, you know which li’l birdie you need to call.

Kavita Arvind. A-406, Fourth Floor, Purva Sunshine, Main Sarjapur Road, Bangalore 560008. Email: chidiyaudd@gmail.com. URL: www.chidiyaudd.in. Phone: (91) (80) 98860 53176. Prices range from Rs 7000 to Rs 22000. Contact the artist to have her courier her work to other cities.

On my trips to the U.S., I fell in love with Papa John’s pizzas. Every bite reinforced their claim of using the best quality ingredients and fresh doughs kneaded with mineral water. Back home, I tried to replicate the experience in everything from door-delivered pizzas to gourmet offerings at Mediterranean restaurants. But nothing matched up.

Till now. When I heard Papa John’s has finally arrived in my city, I scurried over to check it out. The interiors of the 1774 sq ft restaurant are bright and cheery, I noted distractedly as I studied the menu.

For non-vegetarians, there was Mexican Ole, Chicken BBQ, Hawaiian Volcano, Indian Splendour, Pepperoni Pizzazz and Chicken Florentine, but I was bowled over by the vegetarian options: Sweet Heat with jalapenos, red onions and pineapple, Rainbow Veggie with fresh red and green peppers and golden corn, Spring Fling, Veggie BBQ and several more. My fave was the Green Garden Delight, with mushrooms, black olives, red onions, green peppers, tomatoes and a spinach alfredo sauce. There are also starters, salads and pastas.

Biting into the toothsome pizzas, I learnt that they use only fresh-packed tomato sauce made from vine-ripened tomatoes and only mozzarella cheese. And the little things made a big difference: Two free pepperoncinis (a sweet green chilli pepper from Greece) to freshen the palate and a special garlic sauce to dip the crust in. The Very Berry Pie made for a super ending.

And you know what my fave song is nowadays? “I’m going for a pizza.” It’s better than Ibiza!

Papa John’s Pizza, Phoenix Idiom, Plot no. 35, Airport Road, Murugeshpalya (next to old Kemp Fort), Bangalore 72. Tel: 41507272. www.papajohnsindia.com. Pizzas range from Rs 75 to Rs 475.

Perhaps it’s being buffeted by relentless rain that’s doing it to me. Suddenly, all my promises to pick at my food daintily like a good Gone with the Wind lass seem to have been washed away. What’s left is a hungry rumble in my tummy that could even eclipse the rolling thunder.

Which is why the eataholic in me hit the lavish seasonal buffet at The Glasshouse. The informal, yet chic and all-modern dining space also has a breathtaking view of the pool and rain swept sky.

Apart from my regular faves — fish and chips with tartare sauce and the excellent kathi kebabs — the buffet tables are groaning with local and international flavours. The dinner spread is the one I’d recommend if you’re as food mad as I am. Pig out at the live stations. Pick from a range of meats and veggies in various sauces at the sauté counter; or go healthy at the stir-fry or salad stations. The two most popular stations are the fresh baked pizza stop and the dessert counter. The menu changes often and most of it is custom-made, so you’re assured of the best and freshest ingredients and a meal that’s definitely memorable. And can you believe it? Their Sunday buffet, called ‘Windows of the World’ or WOW for short, has an even more extensive range of dishes!

So, what can you expect from the menu? Extreme non-veg ops like pork salad, pepper salami, shammi kabab and curries prepared in an interactive ’show kitchen’. And the superb veg Glasshouse salad in a unique tomato wasabi dressing and some of the best veg pizzas in town.

Still not satisfied? I’d say go all out and have their signature dish — the flourless chocolate cake. This delish dessert is one of my favourites — with the crustiest top and the moistest interior — don’t miss it for anything.

Not even if it’s raining men.

The Glasshouse: The Hyatt Regency, Sahar Airport Road, Andheri (E), Mumbai; Tel: 66961234; Prices per head, exclusive of taxes: Daily lunch buffet: Rs 1095; dinner buffet: Rs 1,175 and WOW buffet on Sunday: Rs 1,250.

Come and flag off andpersand Magazine’s Divide and Clean Drive with Anusha Dandekar, Prahlad Kakkar, Apnavi Thacker, Matan Schabracq and Yogesh Lakhani on 7th August, 12 noon at Papa Pancho, Pali Naka, Bandra (W).

In this weather, I feel waterlogged from my damp mood down to my limp love-curls. But an epic works wonders for the disposition. And powdered wigs and court intrigues are just my brand of historical make-believe, so I jumped when my girl-friends started chattering about “this new mythological play”. With illustrious creators like writer Farrukh Dhondy, and director Rudradeep Chakraborty (City of Djinns), I had to trade in my movie DVDs for tickets to Karna; Warrior of the Sun. What’s it about dashing demi-Gods, glittering costumes and a larger-than-life plot that makes a girl’s day?

It’s a “spectacle in four acts”, to borrow words from the brochure. The 90-minute play tells the tale of Karna, the unknown eldest son of the Pandavs, who was born of divinity but raised as the son of a lowly chariot rider. At every step, fate deals Karna a rotten hand, but also entices him to seek his destiny, his rightful place as the Warrior of the Sun. This show has all the pathos and grandeur of a classic opera. PS: a box of tissues may be a good idea.

Actor Nissar Khan plays a stout and tragic Karna, with silky flowing tresses that made me green. Arjun, brought alive by Azam Mohd. Khan, has the distinctive elegance of a deity (and the hair too). My favourites from the whole shebang, you ask? A scene from Lord Indra’s heavenly court: apsaras straight in from the Miss World pageant, a gauzy aquamarine costume and glittering jewellery donned by the Lord. The breathtaking backdrops are created digitally, a first for Indian stage. The soundtrack’s resonant and the dancing flawless.

Now, if only I could take some of the baubles home!

Karna; Warrior of the Sun, Daily 7.30 pm till August 3, at Siri Fourt Auditorium, Khel Gaon Marg; Ticket prices: Rs 250, 500, 750, 1000; Contact Deepak Gupta: 9818180422.

I can’t claim my carbon footprint’s been wiped clean. Indeed, as a sometimes jet-setting journalist, it might even be yeti-sized. And I don’t answer to the epithet of eco-nut, no matter how ‘lovingly/teasingly’ uttered. But I do rather fancy myself a bit of a Trendy Tree-hugger.

Trouble is, it still takes a shake and sometimes a jolt for most of us to wake up and smell the ozone, most days of the week. Yes, I buy my fruit and veg organic, resolutely; I read e-papers to save the trees; I walk, carpool and Metro every chance I get (secret blush: I never learnt to bike). And yet, my closet is stuffed with cotton — yep, that natural fibre we all love, the same one redolent with pesticides in every locally grown crop! If I won’t eat chemicals, why should I wear them? And in bright, sunny India, what business have I even considering a washing machine without a cold wash option, never mind a dryer! (Especially since cool water’s kinder to my vegetable dyed handlooms too.)

It’s such win-win, lose-lose, who’s-the-lesser-evil questions that Tamsin Blanchard’s new edition of Green is the New Black addresses. Drawing on her own industry experience (Blanchard’s a fashion editor for The Telegraph Magazine), she tells you not only why green is cool, but how to stay green without being uncool.

Every earth-child should put this on her reading list (if you buy it, recycle it after reading like the cover exhorts). There are websites to explore, labels to hunt down, guides to vintage buying, letters to print and send to your favourite store, insider info from big names in the industry (the foreword’s by a model!), debates and DIY stuffed full in a stylish little paperback that looks as good as it reads. Bet you didn’t know mighty M&S is one of your greenest ‘cheap chic’ options!

Go paint the town — and especially your wardrobe and favourite shops — green!

Green is the New Black: How to change the world with style, by Tamsin Blanchard, Hodder, Rs 700, available in bookshops countrywide.

I was entranced by my grandmum’s nose stud when I was a baby. It glittered when she was angry, glimmered when she laughed. It could be haughty when she was teaching me table-manners, and radiate beauty when she was throwing me up in the air. It’d be years before I knew it was called a diamond. But that didn’t matter: I’d already fallen in love with it.

So when my fiance suggested a trip to C Krishnaiah Chetty & Sons’ exclusive diamond lounge, it was my grandmum who flew into my thoughts. She was with us as the valet took charge of our car and a hostess led us into the 14,000 sq ft store. I felt her quiver a bit at the array of sparklers all around: Solitaires, coloured diamonds, designer diamonds in rings, pendants, sets and more. At the Tolkowsky section, I thought she listened attentively as the attendant talked us through the old European house’s history and the science of cutting diamonds.

We were looking for a simple engagement ring. At CKC’s though, there’s no discrimination between big-ticket and small: The attendant who served us was knowledgable and well-spoken and guided us gently into making a choice. There’s also the reassurance of the ‘Ultimate Diamond Certificate’, which can be verified by any authority in the world.

As we tried to make a choice between a square stone and a round one, I felt my grandmum’s presence again. “You’ve already chosen wisely,” I thought she said. And then I heard her laugh, just as when she threw me up in the air and I whooped for joy.

CKC’s Flagship Diamond Jewellery Specialist Store. The Touchstone, 2-1 Main Guard Cross Road, next to Safina Plaza, Bangalore 1. Tel: 40001869. Prices start at Rs 3000.

What’s better than Belgian chocolates? How about dark and luscious confections from Belgique that are made from the freshest of butter and cream, liberally sprinkled with Turkish hazelnuts, Italian almonds, walnuts from Grenoble and Morello cherries from the Perigord, then coated with 100 per cent pure cocoa butter? Sounds too exotic to be true, you say. Exotic, yes. But also true. The world-famous Leonidas chocolaterie from Belgium now has its first Indian store in one of Mumbai’s toniest areas.

I was transfixed by their display at Kemp’s Corner. Shelf upon shelf of the most desirable chocs. Founded in 1910, the brand comprises more than 1,400 outlets in 40 countries, over five continents. Still they are extremely careful about maintaining the quality. A fresh batch of chocolates reaches the Leonidas store in Mumbai every week, just as it does in Paris, Rome, London, Sydney, Tokyo and New York.

The traditional company also believes in being trendy, so you and I get the best of both worlds: watching our chocolates being packed into colourful giftboxes or bright gold ballotins in a fresh, modern environment. As I eyeballed the deftness with which the sales team dressed my selections, I had a divine little taste of all that was on offer. I just had to start with the molten Ganache (its dark, chocolate smoothness made zesty with a hint of orange). I checked out the liqueur chocs, finding it hard to pick between the eight different flavours. The Fruit Massepain (marzipan in different fruit shapes, oranges, green apples, pears, carrots, peaches, etc), with its rich almond flavour, is something I can see myself going back for again and again. And my friends and younger relatives are already enquiring tenderly about when I’ll be getting them more of those adorable teddy bear and animal-shaped lollies in delish chocolate.

Their slogan says it all: Just think of someone. To be sure, I’m going to be thinking of three people: me, me and ME!

Leonidas: #1 Cornelian Bldg, 104 August Kranti Marg, Kemps Corner, Mumbai; Tel: 23883432; Prices: Start at Rs 450 for 100 gms.