On days that I find myself feeling a little blue, I make myself a hot cuppa, pull out the old family albums (after all, I did choose them over gold and crystal that my grandmothers were bequeathing to us grandchildren), and wallow in misty-eyed nostalgia.

So imagine my utter joy at the chance to catch never-before-seen ’snapshots’ from the recently- discovered archives of Kulwant Roy (1914-1984), who documented the turbulent run-up to Independence and the heroes of that era — the 1930s and 1940s. Roy, who set up Associated Press Photos in Mori Gate in the 1940s, continued to shoot well into the 1960s. He left thousands and thousands of neatly labelled photographs and negatives in cardboard boxes that were bequeathed to another, much younger photographer, Aditya Arya (who co-curates the exhibition with Sabeena Gadihoke) almost 24 years after Roy’s death.

History in the Making just whets the appetite for more. On display is the kind of absolute, easy access, unimaginable in our security-driven times, that the modern paparazzi would kill for. The usually mild Mahatma Gandhi in what seems like a heated argument with Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira and Rajiv, in an intimate family moment, all three pensive. In a change of mood, a beaming Nehru with the stunning Jackie Kennedy, layers of pearls adorning her neck. Photographs of Congress and Muslim League leaders meeting with Lord Mountbatten, in the dying days of the Raj.

Over 90 black-and-white beauties, including a clutch of original silver bromides, are part of round one: the curators are already at work on the rest of the boxes. Who knows what treasures lie within.

This time, I’ll be there for the opening.

History in the Making: The Visual Archives of Kulwant Roy, curated by Aditya Arya and Sabeena Gadihoke; Exhibition Hall, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, Entry from Man Singh Road ; On till Oct 21, between 10 am and 6 pm.

Goosebumps. That’s what some voices do to me. And that’s exactly what happened when I first heard ‘Mitwa’: remember SRK and Rani, roaming the streets of New York, sharing a vibe which gets deeper with each glance? That song from ‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna’ is still high on my playlist, and it’s the one I turn to when I’m all love-lorn and mushy!

Shafqat Amanat Ali sang that one, and a couple of other Bollywood faves (’Yeh Hausla’ from ‘Dor’, ‘More Saiyaan’ and ‘Tere Bina’ from ‘Hyderabad Blues 2′). Till then, he was better known as the former lead vocalist of Fuzon, the popular Pakistani band which combined classical, rock, jazz and sufi elements in a completely sub-continental, completely fresh sound.

His just-out debut solo album ‘Tabeer’ is outstanding: the music is all self-composed, and has been playing in a continuous loop, in my home, and in my car! Of the nine tracks, the one I liked best is the haunting ‘Khairheyan De Naal’, which talks of lost love and parting. The soft, romantic ‘Naina’ puts me in the mood for love; so does ‘Rang Le’, the use of the accordion giving it an almost Parisian feel — you know, the guys-on-the-accordions who strum softly as you dig into your coffee-and-croissants in a Paris street-side cafe.

The real test of a singer is when he can carry off a tune without too much accompaniment: ‘Bulle Shah’ has just the flute backing the song. Fabulous. You can also see Ali trying his hand at old classics: his ‘Dum Ali’ is yet another version of the classic ‘Mast Qalandar’ composition, all energy and motion. And ‘Kartar’ — Raag Darbari with electronic beats — is a fine example of marrying the classic with the modern. No wonder he’s called the Rockster Ustad!

‘Tabeer’ means fulfillment. And that’s indeed what I feel — from head to tingly toe — every time I finish a round of listening.

Tabeer, by Shafqat Amanat Ali, Music Today, CDs Rs 199. Out in music stores.

Bang in the middle of the festive season — and still days away from Deepavali — I’m suddenly wishing days could be stretched to fit in all the deadlines on the workfront and at home. Come 7 pm and I’m torn between the desperate need for a strong brew and some must-have attention for those super-tired muscles.

It seems like my fairy godmother was listening because the latest fad to hit town gives me both! Yes — 2/3 Cafe Spa is a concept cafe that not only lets you choose between some very innovative teas and coffees and the occasional hookah, but also lets you indulge in these pleasures while getting a massage!

In their massage room, we gazed longingly at the comfy lazyboys and the leather-and-chrome foot massagers and ended up giving both a try. The chairs worked their magic while I skipped over the usual fare of espressos, lattes and south Indian filter coffee, and sipped on a cappuccino flavored with white chocolate (they also have hazelnut, Irish cream and butterscotch).

My buddy went for a Cocomint Espresso — a concoction of coconut and milk with espresso, topped with ice cream — and 30 minutes of toe magic thanks to their top-of-the-line foot-and-leg massager.

The liquid menu also offered chillers and frappes along with some unique litchi and strawberry-flavored tea shakes. The Honey Iced Coffee and the Chocolate Orange Blossom (cold chocolate flavored with orange) are also must-haves. For the health-conscious, there’s a range of herbal drinks, including gooseberry, herbal roots and Jamoon.

You can team all this up with a range of salads, sandwiches and pastries or step down to the 2/3 Cream Cafe for some yummy ice-cream

Now why doesn’t the festival season come more often?

2/3 Cafe Spa. No 87, I4th Main, 17th cross, HSR Layout, IV Sector, opp. HSR BDA complex. Tel: 25722021. Massages cost between Rs 50-140 for 30 mins. Drinks cost between Rs 26-70, snacks between Rs 20-45, ice creams between Rs 30-120.

It’s not just your eyes that are reeling from the excessive October heat. Your very soul cries out for something to refresh your every pore.

Luckily, Mudd Salon and Spa’s owner Aleena Jetha, a Trendylicious babe like you or me, knows just what we’re going to love. Like the simply stunning outdoorsy section with curling plants, cozy seats and cool stone foot spas. Or the retro-kitsch pink-wallpapered styling area that seems straight out of Caramel, that fabulous chick flick set in a Beirut salon. And best of all is the spa menu, filled to bursting with goodies that make me wish they had a frequent tryer card!

Mudd facials that focus on cleansing, hydrating, brightening, nourishing, desensitising and even slowing skin’s ageing. Aroma facials according to skin type. Mudd Magics, which de-tan, minimise scars, improve facial contours, etc. And a host of special Shahnaz Hussain treatments, plus advanced therapies for hair, hands and feet.

I first picked the Oriental Spa Manicure-Pedicure, a luxurious deep moisturising treatment for hands and feet. They also threw in an acupressure de-stress head-to-toe massage and a skin rejuvenating face mask, so I came away feeling superbly pampered. On my second visit, I opted for the Mudd Back Luxury massage, where the therapist expertly kneaded my head, neck, spine and the back of my legs, ending with a cool menthol foot wrap.

They even offer a lunch express service, so you can grab a rejuvenating treatment and a healthy bite.

And now I’ve found a relaxing place where I can get everything from a hair-cut and a Brazilian wax to a French manicure and an Aroma wrap, I just don’t feel like making other plans.

Mudd Salon & Day Spa: Sea Bird, Bandstand, Bandra (W), Mumbai; Tel: 26428756/26453309; Beauty treatments start from Rs 275 for a French manicure to Rs 10,700 for hair rebonding. Aroma facials range from Rs 385 to Rs 1495. Mudd facials Rs 695 to Rs 3250. Shahnaz treatments Rs 375 and up. Mudd hair services Rs 330 and up.

‘Me’ time cravings — have you ever had those? When you’re not in the mood for malling. Or partying. Or coffee and conversations. Just a long afternoon spent alone, at a tiny cafe — feet up on the couch, a great book to soak into, hot mug of tea on the side.

Well, last weekend I rediscovered Cafe Zaffiro. It used to be my favourite cafe in a prime corner spot of Khan Market until it disappeared, almost with a sudden poof. Imagine my joy when I lucked into it, now in a new avatar in Meher Chand Market! A lovely sunny cheer to the place: done up in sunflower yellow, textured blue and leaf green, it has charming mosaic tiles and lamps, and gorgeous photographs of Ladakh on the walls. It’s pretty cosy too: a couple of deep sofas in one corner, and four tables, with super-comfy bucket chairs that I can just snuggle in for hours (three hours — tried and tested!).

I settled in with my tome of a book (though they have their own tiny collection too), and ordered myself some munchies from their Mediterranean menu that also has breakfast platters, pastas, and in-house desserts. The iced tea was rare stuff — made with freshly brewed tea! The hummus was perfectly nutty-garlicky-lemony, but make sure to ask them to not grill the pita bread much. And the Greek Salad is still the Cafe Zaffiro classic: the crunchiest greens and the creamiest homemade feta cheese (although a surprise dollop of mayonnaise wasn’t an addition I was expecting!).

The best part is that they are happy to comply with requests — they didn’t have hot lemon tea on the menu, so they got me a Darjeeling with a lemon wedge on the side. It’s the one thing that keeps me going back there: the service is really personalized and full of smiles — they never forget a face!

It’s my new Sunday ritual. See you there.

Cafe Zaffiro, 24, Meher Chand Market, Lodhi Colony, Ph:9811134085, 9811050712 . Meal for two: Rs. 500.

Some years ago on a brief hilly holiday in Himachal, I came across a tomato chutney, whose taste lingered long after: ripe red, tart and sweet, incredibly fresh.

I ran into that chutney again, in my nearby mall, and soon after, met up with the people at Earthy Goods who made the journey — from an inaccessible village to the city — possible. Farmers in Bhuira grow these fruits, and a team of 60 women get together to infuse them with age-old recipes to create those wonderful jams and marmalades and chutneys.

Earthy Goods, an ICICI-backed organization, which works with remote farmers and underprivileged women in all parts of the country, is behind getting that gorgeous Bhuira chutney on to your supermarket shelves. And a whole bunch of other things: preserves, jams, crushes, herbal teas, handmade soaps, scrubs and oils, body butters and lip balms, fragrant beeswax candles.

I have fallen for their finely-ground apricot scrub: unlike the others I have used, this one leaves the skin silky soft. Ditto for a couple of the soaps — Cedar Rose, and Sandal Turmeric (that’s the one in my soap dish right now!). I’ve added a Wild Mint lip balm to the ones in my bag, and find myself reaching for the most because it leaves a lovely tingly cool feeling on the lips. I got a sneak peek into the Lavender Bloom body butter when it was still being developed (on the counters in November), and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.

They’ve got great gift hampers, too, just in time for the festive season: choose from their selection of pure, organic nuts, preserves, honeyed teas, and skincare range, all packed in hand-woven natural baskets.

Just right for a Trendy Green Queen.

Earthy Goods, C-120, Lajpat Nagar I, New Delhi. Ph : 46089562/63. Available from Earthy Goods counter at Spencers, Saket, New Delhi; Contact Samik +91 9818115698. Purple Wrap Store in Mumbai ; Contact Ritu Soni +91 9821151818 (For minimum order Rs. 500 ); Something Else, Koramangalam, Bangalore; Contact Deepak +91 9844027585 (For minimum order Rs. 500). Prices Rs 45 on. Website: www.earthygoods.co.in. Email: giftforgood@earthygoods.co.in.

Got them ol’ mid-week blues? A stress-buster that always works for me is to gather up my pals, and head to a place where I can create a fun evening, at my own pace.

My newest sweet spot is the Flea Nite at Select, where for the past couple of Wednesdays I have been diving into stalls spilling over with super cool accessories, shoes, bags, clothes, stopping off in between all that hard work to get some yummy bites. Under the open sky as dusk turns to night, next to the twinkling fountains in the central plaza — bliss!

The weekly bazaar has all the fun elements of the old-fashioned ‘haat’– everything jostling everything — jewellery, home linen, children’s toys, antiques, books, fresh fruits, flowers and vegetables, garden equipment including pots and plants, beauty and wellness enhancers, furniture, pet foods and accessories, fresh deli products.

This is what I picked up the last time I went: A chunky bracelet in sterling silver, studded with precious and semi-precious stones. An ultra-smart Indo-western outfit, in solid block colours, embellished with zari. Lovely bed linen in cotton and silk. Aroma beauty products based on, what do you know, my zodiac sign. And, oh joy, fragrant, hand-poured candles that are smokeless, drip-less, with long-lasting wicks. The moment I felt I was flagging, I stopped over at Bo Bar for some refreshing bubble tea (full of anti-oxidants), and a grilled corn and cheese sandwich, and I was all revved up again!

If you, like me, haven’t done it yet, this is the perfect place to score your Diwali loot. The week before, the flea market will be on three back-to-back nights, without a break.

Don’t bother looking for me those nights, because I will have fled to Flea!

Flea by Nite, The Plaza, Select Citywalk, Saket. Every Wednesday, 4pm to 11pm. Diwali special flea nites from Oct 14th-17th.

It’s that time of the year. When the air smells crisp and clean post-monsoon and the sky appears brighter. But why should it be only my wardrobe that gets a makeover this festive season? Just as I was thinking of turning my interiors around, I chanced on this brand new lifestyle store called Area.

Stacked with home textiles, decorative cushions, European glassware, fine bone china tableware, ready-to-hang curtains, furnishing fabrics, floor coverings, leather stationary, spa range and objets d’art from across the globe, Area is so thoughtful it has colour-coded everything.

So, no more hopping from one end of the store to find crockery that matches with the tablemats — there are blocks here of all the colours in vogue, from brick red, taupe, lime, turquoise and fuchsia to royal blue, lilac, green, white and black. Luxurious cushion covers, duvets and bedspreads in the widest variety of sizes, materials and ornamentations. Cushion covers in plains and textures, prints and jacquards, embroidery and sequins and beadworked, handwoven and quilted. 350-count bedspreads in pure cotton with eco-friendly dyes. Contemporary styles in carpets and rugs. Floor cushions and futons.

I loved the fine glass collection — handcrafted in Poland and the Czech Republic — and including champagne flutes and wine goblets, vases in a variety of sizes and designs, carafes and decanters, candleholders and various objets d’art.

On the way out, I picked up a face scrub and a body oil from The Bath and Spa Collection. After all, I have to match up to my backdrop.

Area. 514, CMH Road, Indiranagar, (opp. Fabindia) Bangalore. Tel: 41636400/500. Prices: Cushion covers Rs 100-500, dinnerware Rs 80-300, table linen Rs 230 onwards, leather products Rs 275-700, candles Rs 120-650, photo frames Rs 300, spa range Rs 135-370.

I’m done with gold. Chunky faux-80s chains and piled-on bracelets are oh-so-overdone. After detoxing in Goa, I’m back to my Zen state of being and my classic silver accessories.

I find my silver streak vindicated at Silver Streak, a store filled to bursting with glittering earrings, necklaces, pendants, bracelets and bangles. All in silver. All finely wrought and beautifully finished.

From ethnic to high-end contemporary, this store has something to suit every age-group, budget and taste. They have delicate day wear, heavy party wear and chunky jewelry for the funky look.

Stylish chokers and elegant silver chains. Rings and pendants embellished with pearls, zircons and other semi-precious stones. A scintillating range of silver anklets, bangles, kundan earrings, which are available in both contemporary as well as antique traditional designs and feature an intricate use of coloured beads.

My favourite from this range was an antique silver estate necklace, accentuated by a green square-cut stone pendant, with delicate strings of pearls dangling from it. I also loved the finely engraved rings studded with marquisette diamonds. Perfect for when my hands do most of the talking.

These days they’re emphasising just how wonderful silver looks against my back-from-Baga-beach tan.

Silver Streak, Trilok Building, 321, CD Marg, Behind Citibank, Khar (W), Mumbai; and Shop No 6, Link Palace, Opp Kamat Club, Lokhandwala Complex, Andheri (W) Mumbai; Tel: 26484503; Prices: Between Rs 200 and Rs 10,000.

This year, I’ve decided that I’m going to be the Organised One. The one who makes a list of all the gifts and goodies she has to buy, makes time to go shopping early, checking off her buys one by one and then serenely wafts through the festive season.

And I’ve just found something that’s making this audacious daydream of mine turn to reality! Stylkist.com — a website that has everything I need to make gift-giving and nest-lining a complete breeze. Truly kissed by style, it’s a one-stop shop for contemporary decor: vases, cushion covers, and unique conversation pieces. And Stylkist.com is offering Trendy readers a special 10% discount until Nov 30!

As I clicked through, I was especially delighted by their Pick Your Mood section that’s divided into subheads like I Seek Inner Peace, I’m in Love, I’m the Entertainer, I’m Curious — Tempt Me and I’m 16 Again! Their decor pieces are a step apart from the usual crystal and crockery that do the rounds during Dassehra and Diwali.

But it was the lighting section that really put the stars in my eyes. Stunning candle holders and votives in innovative material combinations like wood and glass or frosted glass and coated ceramic. I ordered myself a few of the beautiful sculpted candles in motifs from ancient Indian and Buddhist culture. I’m already in love with my new jade green Bayon and the cheery yellow rice bowl candles.

And with so many natural aroma candles, some with double and triple wicks, to choose from, I’m going to have a tough time deciding which ones to part with as gifts. But for now, I can spend my time browsing through the lovely style blog.

Ah well, just in case I can’t bear to part with all the fab stuff I get delivered home, I can always pop into the shops at the last minute for some generic gifts!

www.Stylkist.com. Email: info@stylkist.com; Tel: +91-9867996218. Stylkist design studio, Crystal Plaza Mall #218, 2nd Floor, (Below Magnet), 33rd Road, Bandra, Mumbai.

Trendy readers get a special 10% discount until Nov 30! Use the coupon code ‘TRENDY’ at checkout on www.stylkist.com or over the phone.

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