In Defense of a Slower Life

I read a lot of books and blogs and websites and articles and research papers. I love learning new things. I don't always apply/implement those things in my life. Isn't knowledge enough, sometimes? The world is getting faster every day. It's about doing and moving and hustling. I don't want to hustle. I want to live my life.

I want to do the things I enjoy, not things that people say you're supposed to do. Yes, I want success. I want financial independence. But more than anything I want to be happy; to give myself permission to be happy.


I don't see why the world is about doing more and running, running, running, just running. Slow down. Breathe. Love yourself a little. Give yourself some credit. Give yourself some time to just be.

There's no set path in life. I think we 20-somethings are at the stage in our life where we're kinda starting to figure that out now. Everything is uncertain and unstable. And we're young, let's give ourselves a break. Let's understand that we don't have to know everything right now. We're allowed to make mistakes. We're allowed to take time off if we have to. We're allowed to have off days. We're allowed whatever we want to do.

If you want to hustle, sure go ahead. But you don't have to just because everyone around you supposedly is. It's not a competition. It's your life and your path and your time.

Take your time.  I don't think we should feel guilty for wanting to spend an evening curled up in bed with some hot chocolate, just reading a book. We don't have to work on our side hustle all the time. If you do want to stay in and work on your side gig, you don't have to feel guilty about not going out to hang out with your friends.

It's about what we want - at the end of the day, what's going to make us feel content. It's not about what I say or your friends say or what anyone else says.

It's about what your heart says. If that's doing 20 things off your to-do list, good. If it's doing absolutely nothing all day, good. It should be good according to what your heart says is good, not what you think you're supposed to feel.

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Four Ways to Make Your Summer Better

It's getting​ hotter by the day, and God knows we start worrying about our skin, amongst other things, even more during these times. Here are some tips to make sure your skin is glowing and you are comfortable even through the hot, dehydrating summer days!

Aloe Vera Gel

A very versatile product, you can leave it on for a few hours after a grueling day in the heat, or even overnight. It acts as a cooling agent and it also moisturizes skin very well. It plumps up your skin, and helps regain the softer and smoother skin you love.

Drinking more water

Water keeps you hydrated and fresh. It is much more important in summer because there's a higher chance of dehydration, so you gotta be much more careful. Always carry a water bottle so you can keep track of your water intake. Oh and fruit water works wonders too! You could also carry a small spray bottle to mist your face once in a while to refresh yourself or simply carry a pack of wet wipes!

SPF Sunscreen

This is actually a prerequisite for all seasons but it's always good to pay extra attention in summer. Always look for an SPF sunscreen with a factor of at least 15, irrespective of skin type and ethnicity. Damaging UV rays can penetrate all types of skin. However, the lower the melanin content of your skin, the higher the SPF you require, because melanin is like a natural UV filter of sorts.This Kaya sunscreen is my personal favorite and I absolutely recommend it! Find it here.

Loose clothes

Loose clothes allows your skin to breathe easily and light colors does not trap heat as much as dark ones. Think soft colors, flowy fabric, and airy silhouettes. An extra tee shirt in the backpack will always come in handy.
An added bonus: These clothes are super comfy!

Would you like to see me talk more about specific skincare products? Let me know on Instagram/Twitter!

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Picture Credits:

express.co.uk

ayurtimes.com

pinterest,com

nykaa.com

pinterest.co.uk 

Review: Izu Brasserie and Bakery, City Walk

Food: 5/5
VFM: 4/5
Ambience: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Veg Friendly: 4/5

An extremely delightful restaurant that I was glad to have experienced. Everything here was so delicious, I can't wait to tell you about it!

Mocha Coffee - It was so cute, with teddy bear latte art. It tasted pretty good too - strong and not too sweet, just the way I like it. Great to laze over, sitting in the shade, on slow afternoons.

Raspberry Iced Tea - With bits of fresh raspberry, this was uniquely refreshing. I love trying out different kinds of iced tea and trust me this was one of the better ones. Writing this is making me think about it again.

Burrata with Peppers and Pesto Sauce - This was served with a generous drizzle of olive oil over the whole dish, and freshly baked bread on the side. The fresh greens made it better, as did the pesto sauce. And the burrata. So creamy and delish. I think I will always fall in love with burrata a little more, everytime I try it.

French Toast - with fresh berries, berry compote and chocolate cream. Hands down the most delicious French toast I've had the pleasure of trying. On some days, it still comes back to me in my dreams.This was delightfully soft, enchantingly chocolatey, and all round delicious.

Eggs Benedict with Spinach - Beautiful runny yolk, which we mopped up with aforementioned fresh bread. The presentation was delightful as well, and I love that they added spinach so generously. Adding greens and herbs to any dish will always do the trick for me.

Izu Burger -An amazing, meaty burger that was delicious and filling and the only thing on the table I refrained from, being a vegetarian. But I am told it was absolutely amazing with great sauces, too.

Rigatoni with Cream Sauce and Truffle Paste - Rigatoni isn't my favorite type of pasta (hello, Tagliatelle!) but it worked here because it had so much space for sauce - and the sauce was kickass. The sauce was super creamy, and the truffle was just right.

Tiramisu - Soft, creamy, melt-in-your-mouth tiramisu! They made this fresh too! The ladyfingers were soaked in very strong coffee, and the combination was just beautiful.

VFM: The ingredients were so good and fresh that I believe it was absolutely worth the price.

Ambience: A beautiful place with great decor and cozy, homely elements. We didn't even realize how we spent so much time there!

Service: Attentive staff, and very helpful with suggestions and recommendations.

Veg Friendly: More than enough vegetarian and vegan options, I did not find it lacking in the slightest.

In this world of processed food and fake ingredients, Izu stands out by their commitment to real food, made fresh.

*This review was on invite, and the meal on the house. However, all views are unbiased.*

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I moved to Dubai!

Hi guys,

Once again I start with an apology for my lack of posts! I have a reason though. A very legitimate reason. I moved to Dubai!

I moved here around a week and a half ago and I'm excited and scared in equal measure!

This is a new chapter in the journey of my life and I am looking forward to it. Moving here was a leap of faith. I am not someone who takes risks easily so for me this was a big deal. I am looking forward to a new life here and hoping that destiny has good things in store.

This is a little something I wrote about it.

I believe that every little change is meaningful, but something this big is definitely going to have major effects. Looking forward to unraveling them in the future!

This blog will continue and I have promised myself I will be more regular here. However, location specific posts will probably be at a minimum, unless its something I really love and want to show to the world at large. My readership and audience is global and I think it's time to start giving them something that is relevant and useful, too.

I'm still going to be writing about food, but it'll take on a different aspect that I am excited to share with you in the coming days!

Because who doesn't love Cinnabon!

Apart from this, I am finally finally starting to focus on the skincare and wellness posts that I speak about writing but never get around to.

I have a list of topics and I want to get around to covering them asap. I big part of this decision has been the realization that I love my blog and somewhere along the way I kind of lost ownership. I started to post what I thought people wanted to read. But you know what? My best and most read posts are the ones I wrote because they were posts that I wanted to read. Turns out that's exactly what resonated with you guys too.

So I'm going to continue doing that and this time I'm going to create the best content I ever have!

Cheers to many more posts and I hope this blog becomes better and better every day.

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Passion Isn't Everything

It definitely isn't. Passion is just a part of it. I almost did believe that passion is everything, and in the process I almost let my passion handicap me.

It is about passion, yes. But it is more about consistency.
You may have that one thing you are passionate about. Music, books, movies, art, writing, painting, photography, dance, programming, creating websites, training animals - I don't know what you like most. But whatever the case may be, just passion doesn't cut it.

The secret to success in any field, creative or otherwise, is consistency. You just gotta show up.
And you gotta show up every single day.

Add something to your treasure trove every single day. Even if it's just a small dust particle of shimmer. It's still shimmer. And all those little particles of shimmer will add together one day into a huge dazzling stone, and that stone will just keep getting bigger and better and shinier.

It is then, when your shine gets bigger and better than most, is when people start noticing. Hey that's one shiny rock!, they'll say. Wonder how they got that!

But you don't get gems like these. You make them.

You make them with showing up everyday and adding a bit of glimmer everyday.

Passion helps you discover the glimmer. It makes you want to find the shine. But consistency is the one that makes you find it. Consistency is what pushes you to get that damn glitter particle every single day.

If passion is what keeps you up at night dreaming, consistency is what will not let you sleep till that dream has become tangible.

There are no overnight successes, but consistency ensures that there will definitely be success some day, irrespective of how long it takes.

And time taken is okay, because there is belief and faith. Because when you show up every day, there is no chance of not winning.

You are winning. A little every day.

And major wins, whatever those wins are to you, will also be a part of it. They'll come before you know it, and make you even more excited for the next milestone.

And that's why passion isn't everything. Passion is what ignites everything that comes after. What comes after is what determines your success.

Photo Credit: pinterest

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Create Good Habits

It is often easier to continue doing the same things you've been doing for a while. But is that really the best thing to do for yourself? Doing the same things everyday puts you in a sort of comfort zone, a sort of rut that it is just easy to stay in, because it is what you know. It is a habit, a series of habits, in fact.

I'll give you a task to do that'll make things so much clearer for you. The first step might take a few days, or a maximum of a week since it would be good for you to do it on weekends also.
You can thank me later.

Firstly, you must observe.

When you start to observe things around you, you realise how many things you do, what those things are, how much time you spend on each, and whether they contribute to your growth or not.
This requires noting down what you do. Every time you start a new task, make a note of what time you started it. When it ends, make a note of what you did in that time span, and how much time it took you to do so.

Regular readers of this blog know that I have not been able to write here regularly. I intend to post once a week, and I haven't even able to do that.

Writing one blog post in seven days is really not a big ask, and I'm the first person to accept it.
It's only after I tried this myself, am I able to write. I have now set aside scheduled time to write blogposts, and I actually have next week's post scheduled too. It gives me an immense amount of satisfaction that I am now starting to create quality work every single week. This is just the start but I know that I am doing it and that is the difference it makes when you start observing what you do with your time.

So now you have the observation bit down. You've​ made your notes. Now is the time for you to understand what to do with it. Now is the time that you make a plan of what you want to accomplish.

One by one, start making time for your goals.

The first thing on my list is writing a weekly blogpost that adds value to my readers and provides valuable information. The tabs on top are the topics I cover in this blog and I want to add something valuable to each tab. My goal is to make this blog a repository of valuable information across all those topics.
Working towards that necessiates writing regularly. Once writing a blogpost becomes a habit, once I automatically start creating, I will go on to the next habit on my list.

The beauty of this is that it counts on natural human nature to form habits, and one habit at a time is not a big change from your schedule.
But, and this is the magic, those habits slowly add up, and those multiple new habits that you have created just change up your day and suddenly you are more creative and productive that you ever knew.

It's a slow process, and sometimes it'll be hard, but nothing that was worth it ever came easy.
Easy come, easy go. We don't want that.

Photo Credit: pinterest

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Review - Mad Over Donuts, Churchgate

Food: 3.5/5

VFM: 3/5

Ambience: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Veg friendly: 4/5

Mad over Donuts, popularly called MOD, was one of the first donut entrants on the scene. As someone who grew up with donuts as a weekend treat, I was wildly happy to see it come to India. 

As you guys may know, I'm a total fan of Dunkin Donuts, but the new range at MOD makes me feel like it's going back to the awesome standards it set coming into the country. 

We had the brownie crumble, which is a cocoa donut with dark chocolate and crumbled brownie bits. Filled with a dark chocolate ganache, which could have been more generous. However, it was heavenly. 

Next, we had the chocolate decadence, which I think is a best seller at MOD, and with good reason! Simple and delicious, it checks all the right boxes. 

This was accompanied by a coffee latte. Nothing spectacular though, but as an accompaniment it was just about acceptable. They might want to work on making their beverages better. They're slayin it with the donuts though! They're definitely delicious. 

VFM: Not exactly affordable, but donuts do fall in a certain price range and there's no two ways about it. 

Ambience: Nice and spacious, the faux wood tables were a nice touch, as was the playful decor on the walls. Can surely spend time here hanging out with friends. 

Service: Impeccable. No other words required. 

Veg friendly: Yes! Everything here is vegetarian, though I'm not sure if the cookies have egg or not. Do check once in case you don't eat egg.

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Why Go Green?

Nowadays we are seeing a lot of interest in ‘living green’ or ‘going green’. Apart from it being the latest fad, what do we really know about it? It isn’t just about getting into the latest trend or following the latest fashion. It is fashionable right now, yes. However, I do not advocate this as a trend, or something to do once and move on to the next thing. Do it if you believe this is a way of life, not a new hashtagged trend. What does it mean to go green?

It means living a sustainable lifestyle

Knowing that what you’re using is not going to harm the environment, is a really good feeling. Also, it will be good for your skin and health and your mind, too. Many of these sustainable products also help the farmers and growers who painstakingly ensure that the products are truly green and environment-friendly. That also adds to a sense of satisfaction. It gives a certain peace of mind, knowing that your actions help our planet and the generations to come. Knowing where the ingredients of your products come from or the fabric of your clothes, or the vegetables in your food; makes you more connected with the world, giving you a keen awareness of how our actions affect everyone else.

It means awareness and caring

Being aware to this extent – it stands to reason that you do care about the effect of every decision that is made. It means living in harmony with your surroundings. It means being aware of the effect of every purchase you make. It means living a more responsible life. Being in harmony with the world around you goes beyond healthcare or sustainable fashion. It touches you in ways you won’t imagine or understand till you try it. It is a good lifestyle, one we truly advocate. And I can’t stress this enough – do not treat this as a trend. A green lifestyle is above and beyond such fads. It is something that requires dedication and a will to really make a difference.

It means commitment

Going green is a gradual lifelong process for most of us. We really don’t just wake up one day and decide to make radical lifestyle changes – it requires a commitment and dedication that would be difficult but totally worth it in the long run. The fact that you are here, reading this, shows that you’re wondering about whether to make that commitment. Honestly, go for it.

I'm not saying it will be easy; it is a lot to take in at once. Go about it slowly, make small changes, and you’ll see that it is easier to do so when you do it little by little. 

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Picture credits:

heartsandmindbooks.com
lovetoknow.com
pinterest.com
theecologist.org

Alternatives to Heat Styling - 1

In a previous post, I wrote about how heat styling is not good for your hair. I'm sure you guys are thinking, 'well, yeah, but what else can we even do?'

My favorite go-to style tip for when I want some natural wave in my hair is to braid it. I do not use product at all. No mousse, no gel, no hairspray. Nothing that would suffocate my hair. And it works!

This would require washing your hair the night before.
Okay, let's go -

Brush out the tangles using either a wooden comb or a boar bristle brush. I personally prefer a wooden comb.

Make sure you remove all tangles.

Wash you hair as per usual - shampoo, condition, deep condition.  Whatever you normally do. There is no extra step to be taken here.

Don't brush it or comb it. This is why we did that step before washing.

Let it air dry slightly, till it is semi-damp. 

The reason we do not braid it immediately after washing is because the hair is very porous when wet. This increased porosity leads to the hair being very stretchy, which in turn leads to hair being more prone to breakage and formation of gaps in the cuticle. Braiding it or styling it when wet can irrevocably damage your strands.

Tie your hair into a loose braid. Or two, like Heidi. Or more. To get the effect in the picture above, I had tied 4 braids. Go crazy!

The more the braids, the tighter your waves will be. Mine actually had a crimped effect.

Sleep on it. 

Since your hair is still a little damp, it'll take the shape of the braid as it dries.

Wake up, shake your hair out of the braids.

Revel in your awesome effortless wavy hair. 

Note : After a few hours, when I had been messing with my hair and running my fingers through it a lot, it still looked like that; just the waves had loosened up a bit, and it gave a little more effortless air to it.

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram, and do comment below if you would like to know about more alternatives to style your hair with no product and lots of love :) 

Little Stories - 1 - Coconut Monkey

So, I was on my way back from dinner, walking along the road, when I come across this little shop, selling all sorts of stuff - snacks, water, bags of air with a few chips inside, cigarettes - you get the gist? Those tiny convenience stores (for lack of a better word), that we have on street corners all over the city.

At this shop, there was this little carved monkey sitting on top of the jars, with a cigarette in it's mouth! It even had hair. It was really cute, and I was intrigued. 

I spoke to the shopkeeper there.

Me - Where did you get it from?

Her - Oh, this. My brother carves these things out of dried coconut husks.

Me - Really? Does he sell these?

Her - No, he does this just as a hobby.

Me - Why doesn't he? I'm sure people would buy it!

Her - I know, and I've told him so, but he doesn't want to.

Me - Does he live in Bombay too?

Her - No, at Goa. Near the beach.

Me - Are you kidding? People would totally buy this at the night markets or flea markets!

Her - I know, but he doesn't want to sell it. We are simple people. We are content.

Food for thought, y'all. Learn to be happy with what you have! People like these who live such simple lives and yet are so satisfied and content. They aren't greedy for more. We could learn a lot from them. Have a good week :)

Find me on Twitter and Instagram. Comment below if you have any such small stories that resonate so beautifully :)

I'm lovin Bloglovin'!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

I recently discovered Bloglovin', and I'm so glad that this exists! It's such a convenient way to follow all your favorite blogs, and stay updated with all their new posts. As a blogger just starting out, it is great to have that kind of inspiration that takes you forward everyday. For that, I am grateful.

Also, I have a tendency to bookmarks posts that I am unable to read just then, which then proceed to get lost in the multitude of bookmarks I have in the first place. Here, you can just mark them as favorites, so it can hold all my favorite inspiring posts as well as stuff I can keep for later!

I wish I had discovered this sooner! Bloglovin' really simplifies things for all bloggers and readers out there. And that's what The Pretty Simple Life is all about. Keep reading! And follow me on Bloglovin' :)

What is Beauty All About?

All the world over, everyone strives for beauty in some form or the other. 

Inner beauty, 'outer' beauty; whatever it may be. And that's a good thing. Making yourself the best version of you is an admirable goal. It's a process; a journey. And both aspects are equally fulfilling.

Making yourself a good, warm, amazing person is one of the most selfless acts you can do. You are making yourself a better person, and spreading happiness all around. If you come in even passing contact with such a person, they would just brighten up your day. They're so full of positivity that it adds a touch of sunshine to your day.

Making yourself more attractive - physically - is also a good endeavor. Of course you want to look good. Everyone does. So why not be pretty in each sense of the word and make yourself happy, while spreading joy all around?

When it all ties together and gives you a sense of satisfaction; that is when you know that you have truly unlocked another level of peace, and this is what we all strive for, knowingly or unknowingly.

Photo Credits:
indulgy.com