Supposed to be on vacation

Kartik and I were supposed to be on vacation starting today, but the darn snow ruined it all. Instead were at work. How divine? :) So, refusing the vacation buzz to leave me, I forced Kartik to take me out to dinner. We ended up at a rather warm and cozy Mexican restaurant in Hoboken, and, I ate and ate and ate. Every crumbly leftover of tortilla chips was licked out by me as if I had been starving for months. I am sure I ticked off my fellow diners, but who cares, I was on vacation - err, I felt I was on vacation!

Although I am not there, I would still like to share with you the location where I would have been lazing around in a swimsuit and SPF 70 instead of 40 layers of wool and tons of cold cream!



Oh, Cheers!

Yeay - fabulous Feb!

I love February - its a short sweet month with sooo much to offer - oh, and not to forget that it brings us one step closer to spring!!
Because its a new month, I am all inspired to check off my huge To-Do List, and what makes it easier and doable is when I write it down (remember, I spoke to you about the power of the written word). Well, well, let's get to a version 1.1 of my list (trust me, it goes through six-seven versions before I feel good about it). So, here we go:

• Finish off the six books I ordered (The White Tiger, Love is a Killer App, People of the Book, Eat Pray Love, Lion Among Men, Ignore Everybody)
• Re-write Banno Raani's business plan
• Contact potential student photographers to develop Banno Raani's look book - why a student photographer? Well, hello, budget!!
• Research options on alternate working environment and strategies - will most definitely share them with you
• Continue to be mindful of my spending habits (on unnecessary stuff, that is) and  increase my savings rate by researching few investment vehicles (stocks, index funds,..how long  CD should I buy??)
• Make Choux pastry (I mentioned this few blogs ago, but honestly haven't had a chance to do anything about it)
• Take the first step towards meditating
• Start getting up at 6am - everyday even on weekends (yes, yes,)
• Clean up my closet and find a book shelf to put all those books lying in my closet (oh, I am soo lazy sometimes)

Hmm..a few things may come on or off from this list...but, this is pretty decent, don't you think?

And, in the spirit of Feb bringing us closer to spring, I came across these pics and everything about them made me smile and scream "perfect" - I mean look at them!!

And, before I leave, here's to a wonderful productive month ahead! If you haven't already, just grab a scrap of paper or tissue (if thats all you can find) and make your list (even one item list is a list, people!) and enjoy the feeling of crossing it off. Trust me, its addictive!

Hugs!

{image courtesy: sarahkaye.com}

Try something new

Sometimes we are so comfortable with the way things are, we are afraid to try something new. And then, the only thing holding us back from that success, that satisfaction that we sooo deserve is how comfortable we are with the "new" stuff. Interesting, na?
I am setting up Banno Raani's holiday bazaar at my new apartment, and I am a little scared and have all these questions-  is it a good plan? is it the right set up? is it the right platform? Well, I wouldn't know all this unless I try it, correct? So, I am opening my mind and the doors to my apartment to try this new strategy and see if this flies with the  new set of client group, and, if it works with Banno Raani's overall business plan . I'll be honest, I'd rather be comfortable doing what I have done before, but then I wouldn't know what I am missing out on. So, I am going ahead, being bold, and trying something new! Wish me luck! :)

Hugs!

Looking new!

As you can probably tell, the blog has a new template! Well, I hope you like it. I have to admit, it took me a while to pick the template. And then once I settled on this old world charm-ish look, I played around with different colors for the post title - should be red or brown or something that pops! For now, I chose this subtle blue that kinda' pops but not that much. Oh, and then sidebar colors were a work in themselves. If you have any suggestions, please pass them on! Would love to see what combinations you think would work!

So, where are we with Banno Raani - you probably would also like to know. Shikha and I have been throwing quite a few ideas at each other, and will definitely let you know what we settle on. Its kinda hard sometimes because the craziness at work takes away our attention from Banno Raani - what would have been a 1000% dedication, gets reduced to 100%. But, not to worry. We are dedicated to our mission of making Banno Raani the numero uno choice in wedding boutique! We will continue to give our 100% effort at every chance we get and after 10 rounds, guess what - it will add up to 1000%!! :)

Oh, and since quite a few of you emailed us on setting up a website - yup, we heard you and are working on that as well. So, watch out for that announcement as well.

Its Sunday evening now, and the week will start to emerge on the horizon in a few hours, so I leave you with the following thought as you get ready to hop on a new day:

As soon as it begins, take control of your day. Decide in detail what you intend to do and commit to making it happen.

If you sit around and wait for events and circumstances to pull you along, you'll end up getting nothing accomplished. If you have no firm and resolute plans, you'll waste all your time on meaningless distractions and interruptions.

Certainly unexpected situations will come up that require your response. Yet you can choose to respond from a position of power and control, rather than from a position of weakness and ineffectiveness.

Decide what you will do with this day, and get busy doing it. Make a difference, establish a positive momentum, and get your goals accomplished.

Time is here, right now, for you to use. Transform the passing time into lasting value by making effective use of it.

This day is filled with great possibilities. Choose certain, specific ones, and make the effort that will make them happen.

-- Ralph Marston

Have a super duper week ahead!

Hugs!

Boy, did we rock or what?

I know I know I have been late in giving you updates on Diwali Mela - so here I am all ready to dish out the details.

The night before, Shikha and I had packed all our inventory, packing materials, banner and display trays just so we would not panic and pant at the nth error...but, ofcourse the frenzy of a first ever expo kept running constantly through our minds. "Could it really be," I kept second guessing myself!

Morning came and I literally jumped out of bed. I had to get ready, count and organize my stuff before Shikha and Dhruv arrived to pick us up. I kept screaming my list out loud, and Kartik kept checking it off with a scream back to me. Phew! What would I do without him!?! Just as I assembled the last package in front of the door, I heard the horn and it was time to go.

Kartik and Dhruv loaded the stuff in the SUV, and as I was getting in, I noticed two additional figures sitting - blinking I realized they were Dhruv's parents!! Aunty and Uncle had gotten up early and to not only support us but also help us -- awww thank you soo much Aunty & Uncle for joining us - it was truly a delight having you both around!

The traffic was light at 8:00 am on Saturday - so the ride was smooth. Yet, the heart was beating with these intense trepidations. We finally reached the mela area after taking some wrong turns and not so obvious streets, and although a lot of vendors were already there setting up their booth/stall - it was insanely quiet - almost zen like. I felt a little calm, and I looked at Shikha and could tell she felt the same way too. Kartik, Uncle and I got off the car to ask around where our booth would be and so we kept going in every direction to track down the organizer. Finally, we found her and then our booth location, and one word Jackpot! It was in a perfect location - right between the main performance stage and the eating area. Dhruv got the car in the loading area, and we finally unloaded our stuff and took it to our booth.

Oooh, can't even begin to explain to you my excitement --- we will now be booth owners, yeay...that's what I kept singing to myself in my head. I think if someone saw me smiling to myself and bobbing my head side to side, they would have figured out what that meant. So, we were done setting up everything in like 1 1/2 hour - and then were all set to rock and roll!

Boy, did we rock or what?? At first it started slow, and then it picked up insanely. We got such a good response (ahem ahem) and people just loved our collection. They bought our stuff and then went back and brought their friends/family to buy as well. Thank you Ganeshji for such a great time and feedback at the mela. It was a blast!! Ofcourse, we had our share of nay-sayers and customers who came, looked and walked away - but, hey, that's totally OK! We know the type of clients we want to attract - and we got that share just fine!

That's it for now sweets -- enjoy the pics...

Uncle and Me - receiving future clients :P

It got really busy -- you see Shikha's bump?Cutest ever!!

Yup - thats us - rock n' rolling!!

Hugs!

A different ballgame

As we get ready to take another step in our business, it seems as if we are doing everything for the first time all over again - same nervousness, craziness and that queasy feeling in the stomach. There is so much to be done, but then done in the most fabulous of way because there's no compromise there...because that's what Banno Raani stands for... and because that's how we would like to see our clients - utterly butterly fabulous!

Thus, we work harder and get introduced to a series of new challenges as if it were some blind date.

Honestly, when we started talking about the idea of Banno Raani, we thought we will be able to get our merchandise on time, our vendors would be super cooperative and will be able to add new items speedily to our collection. Little did we know, the world of business spins on its own unique axis, and one needs to learn to be steady and patient while the whole world is in a tizzy.

So, we learnt.

Our first collection was very well received and our clients already wanted to see what was coming up next. We were eager too, to introduce our next uber collection but found that it takes time. There was a lot of back and forth between Shikha and I, and then between the vendor and us. Uufff, the number of hours we spent making them understand what we wanted!!! Eventually, they got it (thank God) and finally shipped us their samples.

We are now waiting for the samples to arrive so we can scope out what we like, and what we really really like and get ready to launch our next collection. {Side note: I was hoping we would have picked our trousseau vendor by now because that will be the next biggest addition to our boutique, but we got so tied up with the second order, that we couldn't focus on it. However, it is definitely on our list, and we push ourselves to dive into the realm of sensuous silk, intricate zardozi and those vibrant blinding colors soon :) } Dear, lovely clients, please bear with us!!

I think that's it for now - I just felt that it was important for you to know how devoted and committed we are to Banno Raani. Yes, business is a whole different ballgame and that's precisely what we are learning.

And, we love it!!

Have a wonderful night..

Hugs!

Marseille and Cassis

This time around, the train wasn't until 11 am, so we took it easy. After a hectic day touring Paris, we had a nice sleep, got up warmly (still relatively early), ate filling breakfast and braced ourselves for our next destination. Again, didn't know what to expect, but excited nonetheless. Marseilles was beautiful, it was what I call a tasty place - and as you guessed - it along with Cassis served up as my sense of taste.

So, where do I even begin? The minute we popped ourselves out from the metro station like 2 nicely toasted loaves of bread, the saline air sprinkled like crystals on my tongue and I could tell I was by a port. But, what a port! The most amazing confluence of ships, humans and buildings that one could ever imagine. Our excitement had found a solid footing. I looked over at Kartik and I could see how happy he was to be on this wonderful tip of France.

We checked in (again got lucky with out hotel location), freshened up a bit, had some tea and snacks and set ourselves on the mission of getting to know the place a bit more. Our first attraction to see was Notre Dame church, which was located on the highest peak of the mountain that overlooks the entire city...what a breathtaking view! After we came back, we went on a foot tour of exploring the older part of the town: Cathedrale de la Major, Palais de Longchamp, Porte d'Aix..we walked and walked until we could walk no more. But, the energy was still alive, and it saw us through our way back. I could almost taste the rawness of the port, and what it meant to be in a place so old and so historic. I would just like to quote Wikipedia on this "Humans have inhabited Marseille and its environs for almost 30,000 years: palaeolithic cave paintings in the underwater Cosquer cave near the calanqueof Morgiou date back to between 27,000 and 19,000 BC; and very recent excavations near the railway station have unearthed neolithic brick habitations from around 6,000 BC " I guess its pretty clear.

The next day we prepped ourselves to see the Calanques of Cassis (45 minutes away from Marseille by train), and boy was that some adventure. When we reached the station, there was no shuttle or bus or taxi to the city. But one lady who spoke a little English heard our plight, and was so nice that she helped us out and even dropped us at the Calanques trekking site inspite of the fact that she was getting late for an appointment.(Benedicte, if you ever read this, this is a special shout out to you -- thank you for saving our day and for being so generous with your time. We truly, and I mean truly, appreciate it. If ever in New York, you know who your tour guides will be :o) )

We started the uphill climb, and as we turned the corner, my heart skipped a beat, like literally! The vision before me was dream like and I couldn't believe I was in the midst of this grandeur. The blue-green water spread out in front of us like a fancy silk bedcover and the calanques (limestone valley with steep sides) bordered the water like a grand marble wall. I kept thanking Ganeshji for bringing me to such a beautiful corner of the world with the man I loved most in my life...it was just perfect!!

While trekking back to the city, we came across a small beach, and I just had to take a dip...as if this blue green liquid was holy water that would rid me of my sins :) I swimmed with my eyes open under the water and just reveled in the joy...yes, even the salt in the water tasted sweeter : ) Again, we could not find a taxi or bus or shuttle and had to walk back 4 km to the train station...oh, we were so burnt and tired and lost, but somehow made it and screamed with insane relief when we saw the station. Oh, and we ate an orange at the station to celebrate our sweet success of making it back!

To sum it all up...both Marseille and Cassis were visually breathtaking, but its the taste of their history, of their seafood and of our adventure that I took with me.

Happy Friday!!!

Hugs!

ps. Due to some technical issues, can't upload the pics now. Will definitely do so tomorrow....

***UPDATE: Marseille and Cassis pictures for you to enjoy:

Marseille's Notre Dame Church that overlooks the city

Kartik by one of the oldest Church by Vieux Port

Marseille - Vieux Port (just lovely)

Calanques at Cassis

The tranquil waters and jagged edges - perfect harmony

For you, our lovely clients

For all faithful Banno Raani clients, please take a seat, drink some hot tea/coffee/orange juice/or whatever makes you feel relaxed and read the following -- we are working really hard on putting together our next collection - for you. So, prep your eyes for some more good stuff coming your way soon!! And, hope you also know that we are so happy, and blessed to have such darling clients like you...go ahead, pop that collar : )

Shikha and I are also working with the few things in terms of marketing, spreading the word on our blog, defining our next collection, etc. Yup - we have quite a work cut out for us. But, in the meantime, if you have a suggestion or opinion (ahem, honest one please) for us, then we have all the time for you. We will cancel that mani-pedi appointment and give you all the attention, because you are the one who makes all our hard work worthwhile. So, just holla or leave us an email/comment and we will surely get back to you.

Much love and hugs!!

I can't believe its all done!! Well, almost :)

Alright, the cleaning pyjamas have served their purpose, and I am done with all the sweeping, swiffering, swooshing through the house. Actually, right after I blogged, I ran to the broom as a kid towards candy, and furtively went on with the cleaning actions. Hey, I am proud of myself - for I was done by 11. Cool, right?

And, becuase I was so quick and efficient (ahem, ahem), I sneaked in a trip to the temple, to get blessings from my dear Gods, to calm me and to allow Shikha and me to do a fabulous job tomorrow. I really needed that comfort, and I got just that and more as soon as I walked through the temple doors. The silence penetrated my mind like a lotion on my skin - and everything was just brilliant after that. Thank you Ganeshji and Sherawali Maa and Shivji and everyone.... I know I sound like a dorky kid who is just about to give her 12th board exams (umm for the uninitiated, class 12 exams are the toughest to clear in order to graduate from High School in India), but you know what, that's fine... works just perfectly for me.

Oh, and I also sneaked in time to complete (sorta') my defense driving course -- remember the "NO EXTRA CHARGE" saga and resetting of my registration!! Well Well, I am at module # 3 right now and I have one more module to go after that. And, then I will be done. Yummy!!

So, now you probably want to ask me, "what about the organizing step and your creative explosions?" Darlings, that will be tackled in the second half of the day, which for me, starts in half an hour. Ahem, yes, and this is when the magic fairy dust will be sprinkled around and the 'Works' will begin to happen. Oh, and you do know that there is a nervous thread running undearneath my calm demeanor? I may sound relaxed and hunky-dory, but deep down, its like an old rickety train running on an old rickety track...nerves baby, the nerves!

Shikha and Dhruv should be here any minute now, and I want to wrap this up quickly before it gets busy. Also, wanted to thank you for being true partners in this frenzy.

Its going to be awesome tomorrow, deep down I know, and we will rock it (internal soundtrack-old rickety train)...yeay!!

Hugs!!

Morningness and the art of getting things done

Good morning everyone! Aah, its a nice warm morning, and I am all ready to leave my laziness curled up in bed, and embrace the crisp clean whiff of morningness : )

Ok, I have work cut out for the entire day, and if I tell you its a LOT, I actually mean its a TON of work. Tomorrow is the D-Day, ie, the launch of Banno Raani's first product showcase, the Jhumke Collection, at my place and I haven't started on any arrangements, etc. Lazy? umm...no. Procastinator? umm...ya, a lil bit. Super excited and don't know where to start? oh, absolutely!

Shikha and Dhruv will come by later this evening to help, but before that, I have cleaning to do, and there's quite of bit of scrubbing and sweeping to do - so, I won't spend too much time describing it, because, well, you get the point : )

This is how I have grouped the list, so the tasks seem manageable and attainable. And, yes, these will be dealt in the order listed below -- makes sense, right?

1. Cleaning

• Sweep main living room
• Vacuum carpet
• Scrub bathroom (although, I don't think this is for clients)
• Sweep kitchen area (because my kitchen extends into living room...oh, actually, its the other way round)
• Dust tables and chairs

2. Organizing

• Arrange furniture to allow flow of people
• Put up display tables
• Put up lights
• Decide on arrangement of food, snacks, etc.

3. Creative Explosions (my fav category, and a totally made up one : ))

• How to display earrings (which ones in the front, which ones on the right, etc.)
• Decor of display area...candles?potpourri?
• Logo and banner placement
• "What's next" aisle arrangement
• Pleacement of guest book
• Flower arrangement on the main table

Phew!

Ok, I am heading now for those cleaning pyjamas (yikes) and the broom -- and we'll chit-chat later. Sounds good?

Have a fantastic Friday -- wherever you are -- life is good, life is super...so enjoy the heck' out of it!!

Hugs!