Mr. G & I purchased our first home in 2014 in the🏡 garden city (not anymore): Bangalore. That year, Mr. G was stationed in Cochin whereas I was working in Bangalore; we were sure about eventually moving to Bangalore, settling down and raising a family there. Though we started off in different lanes about making a huge investment, I convinced Mr. G to commit to this one thing I yearned for, and he obliged. Six years and three tenants later; we are still far away (346 KM to be precise) from Bangalore and have no intention of settling down there anytime in the future. In the past few years, I have moved rented houses and cities twice.

The idea of home is always a warm comforting feeling for me, a place I can call my own. Having stayed in Government quarters throughout the growing-up years, there was no sense of belonging or privacy. I and the little brother shared a room, and I could never call up my friends for sleepovers, or stick the poster of my favorite band (Westside) on my walls. The walls were plain white for as long as I remember. I finally got my own room in the second year of Engineering, when we moved into our own property. The first thing I did was to paint my room Yellow. I decorated my room and found a space where I could let my creativity flow.

A glimpse of my old room, circa 2007

My husband, however, had his own room from a very young age, and he always felt like the white walls and light curtains of his room weighed him down. During one of our conversation, an interesting one about our life after retirement, he brought up this idea of traveling like gypsies, without a constant base, to pack one's belongings and leave when the familiarity becomes boring. During the entire conversation, I just kept nodding my head in disagreement.

For me, home is where the heart is and probably, I am not ready to demyth that idea yet. Post-retirement, I would love to garden or pick up some new hobby like interior decoration. I have this thought/dream of sitting in my verandah, sipping hot-pipping tea, all the while, listening to the wind chimes, and watching the white curtains slowly dance against the breeze. Too cliche? Well, we all yearn for things we never had. I would love to own a forever home someday,  a space where I can decorate and poke nails through the wall without having to think twice.

What is your thought about forever homes?

Three Indie Jewelry Brands You Need To Check Out

Photo by Avantgarde Concept on Unsplash

I am a big jewelry junkie; I love collecting earrings and have been doing so for over a decade. I still own pieces from my school days as I treat and care for my earrings with love. As much as I love mass-produced jewelry from HnM and Forever21, statement pieces have my 💓. 

Nowadays, I source a lot of my jewelry from Instagram vendors; I discover Indie vendors either organically or through amazing style divas like Kri, Sharmita, Sushmita. Buying from Instagram based Indie vendors ensure that you own one of a kind head-turner piece of art. Though slightly on the pricey side, the quality and craftsmanship are incomparable.

Bhavya Ramesh Jewelry

Indian-inspired, finely crafted silver jewelry with angular, and unusual shapes, that's how I would define this brand. I discovered this brand through Naina Ruhail when she wore one of the brand's pieces for Lakme Fashion Week. The earring I own is called "Honey Bee 🐝". The earring is set in silver and gold tone, and the finer detail on the bee, be it the double wings or the antennae, is very intricate.

Price Range: $$

Buy From: https://bhavyaramesh.com/

Acov

'Geometric shapes, light-weight, affordable', my choice of adjectives for this brand. Started by Blogger, Vishwa Bhavsar, the pieces are youthful, and fresh. I discovered this brand through Propshop24 and later started following them on Insta. I am a huge fan of geometric jewelry, and Acov's pieces are a gorgeous statement by themselves.


Price Range: $

Buy From: DM in Instagram

Aham Jewelry

Heavily influenced by southern temple jewelry, this brand provides a ton of pieces to choose from. The jewelry is majorly set in silver. They have an extensive online website and you can definitely find a piece that fits your budget. Some pieces are heavy, while some are dainty, suitable for office or brunch. The main USP is that the pieces are unique and limited in number.


Price Range: $$

Buy From: https://ahamjewellery.com/

I will share my favorite Insta brands in a monthly series. Check out these amazing vendors and do let me know how you liked them.

Netflix Shows Worth Checking Out

It IS 2019, and Netflix and Chill (Ignore the literal meaning) is a phrase by itself. Netflix India offers a wide variety of shows that fit anyone's bill and you, your chacha and your mausi are sure to find something you all like. I share my Netflix account with the Husband. When it comes to TV shows, we are like US-North Korea, sorta like 'Love-Hate' relation. While Mr. G's account is filled with Politics (House of Cards) and Law dramas (Suits), mine is more here, there and everywhere. I am a mixed bag, I alternate between silly teenage drama (sigh! young carefree days) to sci-fi to documentaries. Here are some lesser than famous shows that I recommend.

I will share my favorite Netflix documentaries as a separate post.

Sense8

Image: Google

The series follows the lives of 8 individuals from different parts of the world connected to each other mentally and emotionally. The 8 individuals are birthed by a woman called Angelica, who later kills herself in an attempt to escape from the villainous, Whispers. The eight eventually discover they now form a cluster of "sensates": human beings who can sense and communicate with each other, and can share their knowledge, language, and skills. What interests me, is the treatment of each subject, their individual journey. The show touches on LGBTQ rights, interracial relationships, and has some very raunchy moments. The show takes you through the beautiful landscapes of Iceland, to the streets of Bombay, to the poverty and war-ravaged land of Africa to the underbelly of the German crime syndicate. The show was axed after the 1st season, but Netflix decided to bring in a 2-hour long special finale based on demand.

Little Things

Image: Imdb

The great Indian Urban Love Story through the eyes of the two protagonists, Dhruv and Kavu as they navigate through their everyday lives and love on a common basis of attraction: Food. The series is split into two seasons, while the first season focuses on "The Little Things That Make Me Fall In Love With You", the second season is a reality check on the Mills and Boons love. The characters are very relatable, fresh and so real.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Image: Netflix

A dark take on the very popular 80's show, 'Sabrina, The Teenage Witch'. The story follows the main character, Sabrina (Half-witch and half-mortal) and her family and friends as she is on the path of darkness. The story is filled with S*thanic rituals, occult practices, and dark action. The story of Sabrina as a teenager, trying to follow what her heart wants all the while trying to respect her roots is quite interesting. Also, threatening her little bubble of peace is external forces trying to create havoc in the mortal world.

You

Image: Netflix

The physiologic thriller with your upper east end's favorite dude, as a creepy bookstore manager falling in love with one of his customer, an aspiring writer, Beck. The story is narrated from the character, Joe's point of view. The point of view, however, is so twisted, every situation is narrated to suit his fantasy. Removing every obstacle between him and his object of obsession, the thriller is more disturbing than fascinating.

Black Mirror

Image: Netflix

Played out, in the Black Mirror ecosystem, where technology and science rule your every move. Spread over 4 seasons, each episode is a story by its own. Each story is a grim look at the reality of how technology is taking over our lives. The latest in the series is Bandersnatch, an interactive, 2-hour episode that is sure to blow your mind. Some of my favorite episodes are White Bear, Arkangel, Shut Up and Dance, Be Right Back, and The Entire History of You.

Umbrella Academy

Image: Wiki

The new age superheroes fighting their own vices.  Five superheroes reunite after learning about their adoptive father's death. This series is based on a comic book of the same. Out of 43 children born on October 1, 1989, by women who at the beginning of the day had no clue they were pregnant, seven of the children are adopted by eccentric billionaire Sir Reginald Hargreeves and turned into a superhero team. Growing up in a dysfunctional family, each superhero, named, Luther (Moonboy), Diego (Kraken), Klaus (Seance), Allison (Rumor), No. 5, and Vanya (White Violin) has to form an unlikely ally to save the world from an apocalypse.

Do you have any Netflix recommendations for me? Leave it down as a comment!