Trendy’s taking off next week for Diwali. Wishing all our readers a wonderful holiday!

Wedding season is here! And Trendy’s new sister site, ConnectedWeddings.com has published a fab wedding planning guidebook called Wedding Belles: How to make your dream wedding come true!

So here’s another excerpt with great tips from Wedding Belles. Check it out, and then join us to discuss in the ConnectedWeddings.com community forum online.

Today’s topic: Honeymoon Destinations — The honeymoon can be even more fun than getting married! So start planning at least a month before the wedding, or even earlier to comparison shop for airfare and hotel rates.

Home stays: Like staying at your relative’s house, with all the cleanliness and wholesome meals, but without the fuss. And, enough privacy to make those special memories.
Best for: Couples who want a quiet holiday surrounded by nature, and are game to try home comforts over five-star standards.

Resorts: From accommodation to meals, to entertainment and workouts, to activities and sight-seeing, everything is centred around your needs. Beach, forest, lake or hill resorts or even mountain chalets and log huts are all super options.
Best for: Couples who love large buffets and fun activities, especially if they’re organised and bacteria-free.

Cruises: Like resorts, but on water. From Norwegian fjords to the Mediterranean seas, you can spend quality time with each other, have a ball with onboard dining, entertainment and activities, and see some fabulous places each time the ship drops anchor.
Best for: Couples who find being on the water romantic and want to see the world without early morning short-stop flights and unreliable hotel rooms.

Back-packing trips: If your wedding budget didn’t quite extend to the honeymoon, never mind. A backpacking trip through interesting new places is just as likely to make sparks fly between the two of you. Of course, you may not quite enjoy the privacy of a room at The Dorchester in the youth hostel dormitory.
Best for: Couples on a budget or adventurous, hardy types who turn up their noses at package tours and luxe hotels.

Drive throughs: A new trend — package holidays that include a week’s trailer vacation in New Zealand or a luxury vehicle to drive yourself through Europe. You get a feel for the countryside and stay in authentic and quaint local inns.
Best for: Couples who like the freedom and flexibility to go where they like and stop according to their own schedule.

Now join us for the discussion — come to the ConnectedWeddings.com Community to swap stories about honeymoon destinations and experiences. All you have to do is login with your Facebook ID.

Wedding Belles: How to make your dream wedding come true; from the creators of ConnectedWeddings.com; Random House India; Rs: 595. In bookstores across India or shop online.

I totally dig Diwali, but this time I want difference. No same-old same-old rounds of cards and dinners in town. I’m packing my bags and heading off someplace special. No boring 5-stars, please. I’m a heritage hotel junkie. So, eenie, meenie, mynie, mo, where should I go?

Pataudi Palace, Gurgaon
This gem’s just right if, like me, you don’t want to drive too much. Barely 1.5 hours from Delhi, this little palace is a cocktail of cricket, Bollywood and colonial architecture. The lobby has sepia-toned pictures of Tiger Pataudi and Sharmila, and Saif in his younger days! I can play billiards or swim, but I might just end up lazing in the palatial verandah that overlooks green lawns and marble fountains. And follow that up with a long, lovely soak in my antique tub!
Tariff: Rs 3,500- Rs 6,500; Distance from Delhi: 60 km
Pataudi Palace, Village Pataudi, District Gurgaon, Haryana, 0124-2672244, www.neemranahotels.com

Fort Nalagarh, Solan
If I’m hankering after the hills, Fort Nalagarh may be it. Located at the foothills of the Himalayas, the fort was built in 1421 and has a charm all its own. There’s a swimming pool, spa, badminton and tennis courts, croquet, treks, picnics and barbecues on demand. But I’m not going to miss the ayurvedic nature cure centre, and the wonderful 60-minute body massage.
Tariff: Rs 2,700-Rs 6,500; Distance from Delhi: 300 km
The Fort Resort, Nalagarh, Himachal Pradesh, 01795-223179, 223009, 223667, 9816038433, www.nalagarh.in

Alsisar Haveli, Jaipur
Or maybe I could head to another favourite — the Pink City. Where to stay? At Alsisar, a 47-room haveli owned by a branch of the Kachawa clan of Rajputs. There’s lots to do — explore the haveli, with its beautiful antique furniture, and attend the puppet shows and folk dances. Or just sit by the poolside, and watch the day turn into dusk. My Diwali diyas will look lovely under starlight.
Tariff: Rs 2,750-Rs 4,100; Distance from Delhi: 300 km
Alsisar Haveli, Sansar Chandra Road, Jaipur; Ph: 0141-2368290, 2364685, 5107157, www.alsisar.com

Striped leggings. Gothic tops. Laced-up boots. So not October. So not me.

What with the current heat and the upcoming festivities, I just want one great place where I can pick up ethno-trendy wear with minimum fuss. And I think I’ve found someone who understands my needs like no European designer can. I scoped out the range of colourful kurtis, skirts and other ethnic ensembles at Nutan Sarawagi’s little store called Kurtiz. Beautifully co-ordinated and block-printed rather than mass-produced like the chain store offerings, these are just right for the season.

But my extra-special discovery was the mojris she stocks. Not to be confused with the crassly crafted creaky leather creations that we get at Colaba Causeway, these are the real thing from Jodhpur. And perhaps even better.

They’re superbly shaped and stitched by a master cobbler, but also have Nutan’s contemporary stylistic sensibilities sewn into the pliant-as-papaya uppers. Colours, designs, embellishments, they’re all orchestrated by her in close consultation with the master cobbler’s wife. This woman, who’s been doing ari-work embroidery from her childhood, now creates breathtakingly beautiful designs on jootis. I was floored by the swirl of peacocks, flowers, and other traditional-turned-trendy motifs that she brings to life in perfect symmetry on every pair. And besides loving the careful selection of colours to suit my city palette, what I simply adored were the matching pendants that adorned each foot. Some with ghungroos, some inlaid with precious stones, each one adding another dimension to the footwear.

How perfect, I thought, to wear with my raw silk skirt, corset and stole! Or, on a day when I’m not feeling up to my peep-toe stilettos with denims, how fabulously easy to slip into these cushioned flats for a relaxed chic look. No wonder I’m feeling festive already.

Kurtiz: 30B Kiran Villa, Peddar Road, Opposite Citibank, Mumbai; Tel: 22954328, 98212-11092; e-mail: sankavva@yahoo.com; Prices: Clothes start from Rs 400, jootis Rs 850 per pair.

It’s the time for indulgences. But instead of going overboard at the mall, I’m saving up my spoiling for the top-of-the-line food festivals in town.

Eatalian Odyssey: The best of seven years of i.t-ALIA is on offer at ‘Celebration Week’. I loved the pear, walnut and rocket salad with parmesan and tagliolini with porcini sauce and truffle oil, followed by angel hair pasta with crabmeat, lemon and dill and a truffle-scented parmigiana. And, of course, the signature dessert of baked fresh figs with mascarpone cheese.
Italian food festival. Till October 24, lunch and dinner. At i.t-ALIA, The Park, 14/7 MG Road, Bangalore 42. Tel: 25594666. Meal for two: Around Rs 3000.

All at Sea: Everything’s fishy about this one at the Lido, and the cuisines came from nearby Kerala to faraway Singapore. I tried the shrimp-and-baby octopus salad and the crab-and-spring onion wontons, but my fave were the fried calamari rings. The Malabar prawn curry and kari meen were perfection, so was the Singapore chilli-and-garlic crab and the pomfret fillet with lemongrass. I’m going back for the seafood brunch on Sunday, featuring exotic salads, entrees and grills.
Seafood festival. Till October 26, only dinner. Hotel Ista, 1/1 Swami Vivekananda Road, Ulsoor, Bangalore 8. Tel: 25558888. Buffet: Rs1000 per head.

Bang for the Buck: Bengali food isn’t all that uncommon, but Bangladeshi? Dawat-e-Dhaka offers surprising twists on the familiar, with the Dil-khush Kobab (chicken and cheese kebab), Padma mach tikka (fish tikka) and beguni (aubergine pakoda). I loved the maachher morich tenga (red Barisali-style fried fish in a sour tomato masala) with kishmish pulao (rice with raisins). For dessert, of course, there was sandesh and rosogolla.
Bangladeshi food festival. Till October 26, only for dinner. Royal Orchid Hotel, 471/ Manipal Centre, Dickenson Road, Bangalore 42. Tel: 2558 4242. Buffet: Rs 1000 per head.

My angular, minimalist sofa nearly killed my knee last week. Today (minutes before we speak) my stark, simplistic table bruised my elbow. Whatever happened to good, rounded, solid furniture? The ones that stayed put even after you rammed your car into it? The type that looked better with age? The kind your grand-mum (and your beau) would smile and sit on?

Antique furniture collector Preetha Chandrasekaran says it’s right here. At Dhakshini Antiques. This beautiful old Bangalore bungalow has everything old and trust-worthy. Methinks even one piece from here will add a world of charm to a living room. Preetha collects the best from old south and brings them together in this charming space that you’ll definitely not want to leave empty-handed. My favourite piece is the typical South Indian swing, it’s called the unjal. But I call it heaven. Heavy and intricate, it promises to last well into the tips of your family tree.

And now, to add to my Diwali pleasure, she’s having an exhibition and sale of her latest finds. Yes, prices are marked down and there are many more items to choose from than in regular days. But you’ll need to hurry. Carved pillars, doors, mirror frames, wooden light fittings, four-poster beds, old-wood baby furniture, carved panels, cabinets and other antique South Indian furniture won’t last forever at this event.

So if you’re looking for that touch of temple, that pinch of old south and that good ole earthy-honest feeling, head dhakshin. To Dhakshini Antiques.

Dhakshini, 236 (Near Domlur Club), 2nd Main, Domlur, 2nd Stage, Bangalore 5600071. Tel: 65600550, 98450 58772. Email:dhakshini@hotmail.com. Exhibition and sale ends on Saturday, October 25, 2008 at 6 pm. Prices range from Rs 500 to Rs 250000. Special discounts for Indiranagar Club and Bangalore Club members.

Don’t you just hate it when your Delhi friends swagger around talking about how Mumbai couldn’t compete in the food department even if the Dilli chefs had their hands tied behind their backs? Well, I’d had it up to here with my capital pal’s trash talk and decided that I needed to shut him up once and for all. To finish this Delhi versus Mumbai saga for good, I took him to the Grand Hyatt where a brand-new preset kebab-and-parantha menu was being unleashed at Soma.

Currently just a Saturday and Sunday afternoon luxury, this special menu is a treat on steel thalis which sets it apart from your regular five-star ‘firang’ised fare. Chef Neeraj Rawoot, chef de cuisine of Soma, handpicks a selection of veg and non-veg kebabs and paranthas himself. Served with salad, soup, daal and dessert, along with unlimited Indian beer, it’s a superbly satisfying meal.

We started with tomato shorba (soup) served in an earthen pot kullad and salad. Then came the wide range of kebabs that we had to choose from. The mutton galouti kebabs were so melt-in-your-mouth that I had a tough time stopping at two to leave space for the rest of the meal! I also binged on the pudina paneer tikka, murg tikka kalimiri and kheema parantha. I didn’t think I could have another morsel, but the fresh and hot gulab jamuns and the delectable rasmalai that followed, ensured that I managed somehow!

Suffice it to say that my Delhi buddy could barely move in his sated state, let alone extol the virtues of the wide roads and the Chandni Chowk chaat! Mumbai wins. KO!

Soma, Grand Hyatt, Off Western Express Highway, Santacruz (E), Mumbai; Tel: 6676 1149; Kebab-e-khaas priced at: Rs 1,000 per person, plus taxes.

The Diwali makeover bug has bit me. Revamp is what I wanna do, to everything at home — new wall colour, new lights, a new me!

Word’s out that Studio Klove has a new furniture line. Prateek Jain and Gautam Seth are only three years old in the business but are already a hit on the Indian and international art and design circuit. Their chic and futuristic light designs (think brightly coloured glass blown into exquisite shapes), had been the rage last year, so I decided to check if their new foray into furniture — “a natural progression”, they claim — was as bold and innovative.

When I walked into their gorgeous revamped studio — designed like a lived-in space, a home-cum-store of sorts — I was blown away. Everything was stunning. The Retro Sofa, with stripes alternating in orange, cloudy grey and charcoal. The large, creamy Sand Dune Chairs, with a ripple effect texture and shiny black lacquer armrests. The Rainforest Sofa that has fabric quilted to appear like wood patterns. The ruby red Rossette Bench that unfurls with profusely 3D roses, so very French boudoir. And my favourite — the Zardozi Bench that has alternating stripes of delish colours like fuchsia and yellow with zardozi and sequin embroidery!

The best thing about these pieces is the ergonomics — they’re large enough to hug you from all sides, but the armrest is never too far; they’re soft enough to sink into, but never too deep to swallow you! And the display couples the furniture with their funky new range of light designs (especially loved the floor light fashioned like a telescope, shedding pools of light at both ends) and great rugs and floor cushions.

I’m warming my house next week, and you are invited!

Studio Klove, J2, Green Park Main, New Delhi. Timings: 11 am to 7 pm. Call 46028624 or 9873781035 (Bharat Atwal) for further details. Prices from Rs 10,000 to 4,00,000.

Wedding season is here! Just in time, Trendy’s new sister site, ConnectedWeddings.com has published a fab wedding planning guidebook called Wedding Belles: How to make your dream wedding come true!

So this week we’re beginning a series where we bring you some of the great tips from Wedding Belles, and then invite you to join us to discuss them in the ConnectedWeddings.com community forum online.

Today’s topic: the Hen Party — the bride’s last round of single fun with her gang of girls.

When: It’s best to schedule a hen party at least two weeks before the wedding. (You don’t want to be hung over for the mehendi lunch.)

Who attends: The bride’s closest gal pals, sisters and female cousins.

The Look: Costumes for the bride or the whole gaggle of girls are a sure-fire way to get things started — giggles guaranteed. Try harem pants and veils, Playboy bunny ears, naughty badges or matching T-shirts.

Themes: Bollywood item number girls (give Rakhee and Katrina a run for their money in skimpy bling outfits and wriggle your stuff to the song of the moment); Teenage pop stars (play Britney and Shakira by being BAD girls, in tiny skirts, big hair and pink lipstick or goth eyes); or Miss Universe and her retinue (buy tiaras from a costume jewellery store, make sashes with strips of satin, and walk through the party blowing kisses and promising world peace).

Games: Play Confessions — Get each hen to write a question, the more embarrassing the better. If the bride answers a question truthfully, she’s let off — but if someone calls her bluff, she has to have a shot. Or The Soon-to-Be-Wed Game — Ahead of time, ask the groom a list of questions about the bride. Then have the bride try to guess what the groom’s answers were and see how many of her answers match his (plus how embarrassed she gets!).

Unusual Hen Party Ideas: If the bride isn’t the bar-hopping type, try a spa weekend at The Vedic Village Spa outside Calcutta, or Shreyas near Bangalore; adventure sports like bungee jumping and rock climbing; or a picnic or excursion at the nearest sanctuary or wildlife park.

Now join us for the discussion — come to the ConnectedWeddings.com Community to swap stories about your hen party experiences. All you have to do is login with your Facebook ID.

Wedding Belles: How to make your dream wedding come true; from the creators of ConnectedWeddings.com; Random House India; Rs: 595. In bookstores across India or shop online.

See our Italian Forum Matrimonio and Spanish Foro Bodas, too.

I’m taking a shine to subtlety. Bling’s not my thing, but I think a bit of understated glamour would go down pretty well this festive season. So I was thrilled to discover that Pragatti Mathur Toshniwal, weaving artist and textile designer, is showing a new collection of sarees and stoles to gently light up Diwali. This designer’s quiet style re-interprets the ubiquitous saree in pure Indian colours like red, pink and yellow, shot through with metallics that strengthen the textile and add festive cheer.

The designs are driven by strong concepts. Brocade, gota, zardozi and other embellishments are woven into the fabric of the saree itself, instead of being add-ons by way of embroidery, patchwork or quilting. Zari in dull sheens adds richness without in-your-face opulence. Tiny Japanese motifs are delicately scattered through beautiful swathes of natural fabric mixes like silk and cotton, and silk and crepe. Apart from my Diwali party wardrobe, the sarees would be perfect for small, intimate weddings.

And for the days I want to get all flowy without giving up my jeans, Pragatti has the softest stoles made from silk and angora — light as air and in subtle hues. A great alternative to my overused pashminas. All Pragatti’s creations are limited editions and completely handcrafted, so you can acquire your own unique glow.

Pragatti Mathur Toshniwal. Only on October 19, 10am-7pm, at Raintree, 4 Sankey Road, High Grounds, Bangalore. Tel: 32723251. Email: prags.m@hotmail.com. Sarees: Rs 9000-18000, stoles between Rs 5000-6000.

I still have letters from ex-lovers, faded like pressed flowers. I re-imagine their sweetness every time I open that ribbon-tied stack. Photos of my schoolmates, college mates and ex-colleagues plaster a darling photo-wall I had made, way before it was in vogue.

I found a kindred spirit in Diana Linda. An Italian who travelled the world doing her bit for victims of war or calamities during her stint with Medecins Sans Frontiers. Six years of living and working in Mumbai made an indelible impression on her and after she resigned from MSF, she began expressing her creative bent through fashion and home decor products.

Using embellishment techniques like decoupage and collage, she breathes life into things that would normally have been discarded — from old trunks, to booze bottles, milk jars and picture frames. I couldn’t take my eyes off the sexy transmogrification of a good ol’ Dalda ka dabba into a unique mood lamp. Its rectangular leather shade is set off the circular base, with little vignettes of Bollywood peeking out from coin-sized discs punched in the leather for a heightened effect when the lamp is switched on.

Her pieces spell fun and nostalgia that can best be described as ‘flower power meets Hindi cinema legends’. She even crafts zany papier-mache jewellery, incense holders and to-die-for, one-of-a-kind handbags. My favourite bag is all indigo velvet, with yesteryear sirens smiling coquettishly at me from the front pocket and little micro bells and beads that catch the light or give my restless hands something to tinker with.

Titled Spreco, ‘waste’ in Italian, her exhibition of spray-painted articles convey the message of recycling ably. Spread out over the welcoming aangan of this quaint cottage-store, is definitely anything but a waste of time!

The Spreco exhibition is on till October 31 at Tribal Route — A Handcrafted Store-Y: Cottage Numbers 18, 22 & 29, Aram Nagar 2, JP Road, Versova, Andheri (W), Mumbai; Tel: 9967058847/48; Prices range from Rs 60 for a coaster to Rs 10,222 for an aluminum trunk.