Hotel Review- Grand Hyatt Mumbai

After seeing the pictures of the Hotel above (all taken courtesy of the Grand Hyatt Mumbai website) you may already have made up your mind that the hotel looks amazing, and you'd be right- It does. The Grand Hyatt in Mumbai is sleek and modern, with all the promise of bringing the New World charm and decor to Old world Santa Cruz, Mumbai. Unfortunately, that is where the buck stops- at the promise of it being something great. I have stayed at the Grand Hyatt before a few years back, and had absolutely no issues with the hotel or the service, but my most recent trip to Mumbai was a completely different experience.
As I mentioned in my post a few days back I'd gone to Goa for a wedding and returned to Mumbai to spend 3 nights  attending another wedding there. As I checked into the hotel, tired and sleep deprived, I decided to force myself to stay awake till the night's festivities began. I met two of my friends at the coffee shop downstairs and had to wait painfully long to be served. Apparently the evening before they had waited close to half an hour before leaving as nobody even came to take their order, so we were lucky somebody decided to show up at all. After that the evening went into night and I returned exhausted, having only slept 3 hours the night before, at around 3 AM to my room. The hotel was very well aware that I was in town for a wedding and I had chatted with them and told them how tired I was while checking in. Imagine my surprise then when I was woken up the next morning at 8 AM with the sound of drilling and construction taking place in the room above me. I called them and complained and had to repack my stuff so that they could move me after I stepped out of the hotel.
I left to run errands and returned late in the evening so I could get ready for the main pheras for the wedding. I entered my new room only to find it extremely small and cramped, in fact MUCH smaller than the room I was previously in. I called them and they insisted the room was the same size (it was not) and I asked them to move me anyway. The third room I was in (during which time I completely missed the wedding ceremony with the time they took to move me) was larger and I got dressed and ran down quickly. I entered my room late that night, feeling like I was entering an ice box. I increased the temperature of the room and changed and got ready for bed, assuming that the room would get warmer in time. I woke up in the middle of the night with my teeth chattering and went over to the AC- the temperature was 16 degrees! I tried to cover myself up and went back to bed and woke up and called housekeeping early next morning and asked them how to turn off the AC for a while as I couldn't figure it out- they said they'd send someone as it couldn't be done via the regular dial. Next thing I know I have 3 men entering my room with a large ladder coming in to turn the AC off! I called downstairs, by this time completely having lost my temper, and asked them to just have the AC fixed while I was away, as I didn't want to spend the few hours I was there in my room dealing with workers fixing things. I also told them that the digital clock by my bed was showing the wrong time so both things should be fixed while I was gone. I informed them of my leaving the room when I did, so they could take care of things, only to return to an ice box with the clock by my bed still showing the wrong time. I called and yelled some more and they sent one person up to change the temperature in the room. I told him the temperature should be around 20-21 degrees, and he fixed it (while I had to wait around for him) and then I changed and left. That night I slept fitfully as the temperature in my room climbed to 25 degrees and was way too hot for me to bear.
Now in all of this I had spoken to the duty manager who had INSISTED things would be taken care of and all my problems would be sorted while I was away from the room. NOTHING happened. In that conversation I'd even told her that other friends had been complaining about the hotel and we had established that their thought process was, "people are going to come stay with us anyway so who cares about customer service?!"- an idea she vehemently denied. At the end of the 3 nights, nothing had been done to make me more comfortable, no action had been taken, and I was so glad to be leaving the hotel, vowing never to return!
If you're looking to stay in a hotel in the suburbs of Mumbai, choose the elegant J W Marriot or one of the other hotels in that area. The Grand Hyatt has got to be one of the worst experiences I've had in a hotel EVER.. and considering I travel a lot, that's saying quite a lot. There was no consistency in the rooms either, as my first room had an ipod docking station, ironing board and iron in the room, whereas by the end of it, the room just had the bare bones basics. They obviously do not care about their guests at all, and given the efficiency and fabulous service you get at hotels like the Taj and Oberoi hotels in Town, this type of attitude is not at all the norm of other hotels in India. Why Grand Hyatt feels it can get away with it is beyond me. I just know one thing- I won't be returning there anytime soon!
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Chanel clothing on sale!

As I mentioned yesterday, I was recently at a wedding in Goa. While passing by the dinner counters, I overheard two people involved in a conversation about sales and whether Chanel ever had them. I pulled out my Blackberry as proof to show them the email I'd just received about all the fabulous Chanel items going on sale at Bergdorfs. Yes guys, I've had this information for a while and I do sincerely apologize for posting about it so late, but if you read my post from yesterday  you'll completely be able to understand why I was in no frame of mind to post.
Without further ado, here are my favourite picks for all the fabulous Chanel clothing going on sale! If you're going to skip this post because you think they will all be ridiculously priced and waaaay beyond your budget, DON'T. Yes, they are very very expensive, but if you are the type that wears designer clothes but just never made it to a Chanel, this is the perfect opportunity to splurge on that ONE statement Chanel item that will stay in your closet forever. May I suggest one of the Blizzard dresses?
Anyhow... here are my top picks and their sale prices-

                                     Chanel Classic jacket- USD 3832, and Skirt USD 800

Classic Jacket- USD 2715 and Skirt USD 960

 Blizzard Coat- USD 5965

                                      Blizzard Classic Jacket- USD 2350 and Skirt- USD 1020

                                                                      Wool and Leather coat- USD 3155

                                                                                    Sweater- USD 1920

                                                                 Sheer Bow and Tweed Dress- USD 2695

                                                             Tweed Dress with Fur Trimming- USD 1385

                                               Ivory and Multi-Coloured Dress- USD 2665

                                         Blizzard Dress (and my fave piece!) - USD 2260


Please contact Linda David from Bergdorf Goodman's at lindamdpreston@yahoo.com for prices, information or to purchase any of the items listed above

Carine Roitfeld leaving French Vogue!!

 

Carine Roitfeld announced yesterday that she will be stepping down from one of the most powerful positions in Fashion- the Editor of French Vogue. She has been with French Vogue for 10 years now, and her departure will be effective in several weeks, which means her special Roitfeld Touch will be seen through the magazine up until the March or April issues. There is no word yet on who will take over from her. Carine has been instrumental in putting the French Vogue on the publication map, as it became known for its bold and edgy fashion sense, mirrored largely by her own style. Although in French (duh!) the magazine has become one of my favourites to buy and flip through, as it always has some great pictures and fabulous fashion. A few months back the fashion bible also celebrated it's 90th Anniversary with a fab party and Lara Stone-d cover which was much talked about at publicized the world over. It is then curious, but sort of fitting, that Roitfeld would bow out gracefully doing it right- from the Top.

Where I've been!!

Hi Guys, If you've been checking back to Kiran's Corner over the past week, you've obviously noticed something had changed- NO NEW POSTS! I'm terribly sorry I've been MIA... I was off in India for a wedding, iPad and Laptop in tow, with full intentions of blogging religiously (as I always do) and leaving you guys with daily updates. It was a family friend's wedding I was attending in Goa, and so I flew to Bombay on the 8th and spent a night there, trying to catch the sights and sounds of the Mumbai Nightlife! I went to Aer at the new 4 Seasons for drinks and dinner and then onto a club called Aurus after. I really have new appreciation for the Dubai party scene after that, and I must say I was quite disappointed.
The next day I flew to Goa to kick start the fun at the wedding. Since the groom's sister is a dear friend of mine, I accompanied her one day earlier to get settled and relax before the madness began. There was little chance of that happening! Both families of the couple were ready to celebrate and we pretty much took over the bar at the property and converted it into a private party. The Hotel the wedding was held at was the Zuri White Sands Hotel and Casino, which provided the perfect relaxed backdrop for all the madness that was about to take place. Here is a picture of the hotel I took off the net-

A few days before I was leaving for Goa I realized that the resort actually belonged to a friend of mine, and I messaged him to say hi and let him know I'd be visiting his property for a wedding. I wasn't quite expecting anything, much less to be treated like a VIP guest, including having a bottle of Dom Perignon Champagne chilling in my room upon arrival! Was very unexpected and extremely sweet gesture! The Groom's younger sister, who had been the main person coordinating with the hotel for the organization, had already been raving about the stuff and how helpful and courteous they were, so those thinking of planning a wedding in Goa, I'd highly recommend you taking a look at the resort, as well as their sister concern, The Retreat, which at this particular wedding had all the guests of the Bride staying there.
The Wedding was absolutely INSANE, with all of us functioning on very few hours of sleep and going to bed at 7 AM each morning, with us breaking the record and heading to bed at 9 on the last day. I had to actually wake up at Noon after that, pack and jump on a plane back to Bombay to attend another Friend's wedding there. How I managed that, is still a mystery to me.
Luckily the second wedding I was attending was a lot more tame but I was still very sleep deprived thanks to the hotel I stayed in- The Grand Hyatt. More on that later! I did get to run a few errands and see old friends and also spend some time with my best friend who had flown down for the wedding from New York.
I got in last night and thought I must explain myself, especially after being left a worried message from one of my readers on my Facebook page :) Yes I am fine... alive and well... was just caught up in having too much fun, and any attempt to post anything in that state would sound like utter gibberish.
Hope you guys are having as great a time as me, gearing up for the holiday season!
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Vera Wang Cosmetics at Kohl's

Vera Wang, the dream designer for any bride having a white wedding, has been selling her "Simple Vera" collection in Kohl's department stores in America for years now. To add to her success in clothes, Wang has now announced the launch of her new make up line in the same store. "As part of my incredible partnership with Kohl's, I will now be able to offer women all over America my own personal regimen of skin care and make up," was her official statement about the launch. While I'm sure Vera's palette of colours will be soft and wearable hues of creams and lilacs, I don't really know how "personal" the collection would be. I was watching the Ellen show last night that had Nicole Ritchie on, and Ellen was marveling at how she was so talented and even had time to write a book given her busy schedule of being a mother and a clothes designer, etc. I'm trying to figure out which idiot actually believes that people like Lauren Conrad and Nicole Ritchie write their own books, much less have Vera Wang design her own make up line. Having said that, the chances of a designer of her caliber giving her name to a shabby product is quite slim, and I'm hoping the quality will be good. So for Wang fans, the next time you're in the US and can manage to find a Kohl's, stock up on the make up and tell me what you think of it!
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The making of the Pirelli calender-

Remember the pictures from the Pirelli calender  that I posted last week? Well, a video has been released that shows the making of the calender. Despite the video being 24 minutes long, it is quite intriguing and worth a watch for anybody interested in Karl Lagerfeld, fashion, styling and photography. Also, the shoot is held in the Kaizer's Paris studio that is lined with an insane amount of books! And I thought MY few hundred collection was expansive! Anyhow, watch the video... it will be 24 minutes well spent!

Sneak peak at an exclusive jewelry event-

Looking for some sparkle to add some glamour to the holidays? My friend Gayathrie Zaveri is organizing a jewelry exhibition  on the 11th December at the Labei Ballroom at the Ritz Carlton from 3-8 PM. The collection is stylish with pieces that have been acquired from all over the world including jadao jewelry from India, exotic pieces from Belgium and New York and select items from Italy. 

I've known Gayathrie and her husband for a few years now, and despite the fact that I personally don't wear any jewelry, I can't help but gasp at some of her own pieces that she wears out on the town. Her husband Indrajit Zaveri is from the illustrious Zaveri family from India, who are THE name in all things jewelry! His background and knowledge and her passion and flair translates into some stunning pieces that you have to see to believe. Even if you do make it to only ogle at Gayathrie's own rocks, this is an exhibition you will not want to miss. Alas, I'm not in town then, so asked her to send over a few pictures of the stuff she'd have for sale... here are some of them for you to feast your eyes on- 

Julia Roberts' $1.5Million moneymaker...

Julia Roberts was paid 1.5 Million USD for the following coffee ad.. that too in Italian. No, the cash didn't quite go into lessons for her to master her Italian, as she doesn't even say a word. She just stands there and flashes that absolutely stunning smile of hers (that remains pearly white despite the coffee apparently). Wow.. I wish someone paid me that kind of money to just stand and smile!

Fashionable travel luggage

I recently got an email informing me about an event taking place at Bergdorf's in New York, where one of my favourite handbag designers, Nancy Gonzales, was going to be doing a luggage event. The designer is known for her use of luxurious exotic skins for her handbags that come in a mix of classic and trendy, and that are always wearable and very stylish. Hence I was quite intrigued to see what her travel luggage would look like and I must say I wasn't disappointed. I, like countless others, have my LV carry on trolley bag for flights, but these days it just seems so... blah. It isn't exclusive anymore, and along with the thousands of seemingly fakes I see each time I'm at the airport, I feel like my poor bag is seemingly getting the look from others as well, who are trying to figure out it's authenticity. Anyhow, I'm in the market for some new carry on luggage so I decided to do a post on it for others who are also looking for some stylish luggage, or maybe looking for Christmas gift ideas to give the fashionable traveler.
Here are pics of the Nancy Gonzales trolley bags-

SO stylish! Yet I'm not too sure about having what is probably a ridiculously expensive croc trolley to throw my last-minute crap into. For those interested (who live in NYC), the event is on the 9th and 10th of December.

For trolley bag and Hermes lovers (like me!) I would think the brand would have an ultra luxurious leather trolley that would be crazy expensive, impractical, and to die for, all at once. I was quite surprised when I saw their bag though, as it was quite hideous. They wouldn't let me take a picture of it, but luckily I found it on the net (as one does most things) and here it is-

 

Maybe somebody else might see something in this bag, but I really just don't. However Hermes DOES have some nice overnighters that are large travel bags, but probably only meant for those with private jets-

Not only are the travel Birkins ridiculously expensive, they are also ridiculously heavy even without anything in it, so I really can't imagine people walking around in airports comfortably with them. I also love this Hermes canvas and leather travel bag, but again, it's canvas and will get dirty extremely quickly at airports and security screenings, so will give this one a miss too.

I think I absolutely HATED this Chanel trolley bag when I first saw it, but I must say it has grown on me. In all honesty though, the only reason why people would buy this is because it's Chanel.. I can't really see anything else going on with this bag or the rest of the "cocoon" collection in fact. Also, I like it when the trolley bags are also like mini suitcases so you can pack them properly and open them up to find things, rather than everything in the bag being a mess and tumbled over, which is probably what would happen in this one.

I also still absolutely LOVE the large Balenciaga bags and think they are just so gorgeous to travel in. Giselle Bundchen is carrying the larger Weekender bag in black in this picture, and even after all these years, it still looks so fun to carry one. Also given that these bags actually look better after a lot of use, they will just look better with age. I need to get myself one!

Unfortunately the Goyard trolley is also too heavy and isn't roomy enough inside for me to want. So looks like I'll be sticking to what I have, but hopefully you guys might have found something you like for yourselves!

Peek into 2011 Pirelli Calender

The Pirelli Calenders are legendary for producing some of the best shots of the best models, taken by the best photographers in the world. No mean feat, for a tyre brand! This year the calender was shot by Karl Lagerfeld and included some of the most famous faces on the catwalk, including Lara Stone and Lakshmi Menon, with a surprise appearance from actress Julianne Moore. The theme for the calender was Greek Mythology, with Lagerfeld setting out to create in photographs, what Homer created on Page... with the Illiad that is, not Bart! Julianne Moore plays Hera, Brad Kroenig is Zeus, and Lara Stone pouts her way to being Aphrodite. Here are some of the images for your viewing pleasure, appropriately blacked out so Etisalat doesn't black me out to internet oblivion.

Mariah Carey debuts her jewelry and shoe collection

The Pop Diva known for her bling and outrageous dressing has gone launched her own line of shoes and Jewelry for the Home Shopping Network. It's actually quite interesting because the collection is quite nice and just in time for the Holiday season. Here is a sample of the jewelry she has-

 And here are some of the shoes she will be selling. I quite like the faux fur bootie on the top left hand corner, and I'm sure the shoes will do quite well.

Hair Fashions by Dauphines of New York

I absolutely love head bands or other cute clips and things for the hair. I have very thick and unruly hair and anything that can make me look not-so-messy is definitely my friend, and hair bands in particular do the trick. In Dubai I haven't really found too many places that have really nice quality stuff for the hair, so I always go stock up when I'm in New York and come back with some really nicely decorated ones. I woke up this morning with one such brand having sent me an email with pictures of their collection- Dauphines of New York. I am so in love! Check out the pieces below... Can't you SO imagine Blaire donning one of these while plotting her latest scheme?

The collection is currently available at Trunk Shows at Henri Bendels and Bergdorf Goodman's. They will also be launching their own website in December, so do keep checking back for that one, as they will be shipping internationally. Can't wait!

Daphne Guinness in Zoo Magazine

Remember Daphne Guinness? The funky-haired Style Diva that I admire so much? She has been featured in the latest edition of Zoo Magazine and I think she looks absolutely Divine. Like I said in my earlier post about her, she is the original Lady Gaga. At least Gaga's outfits are clearly designed for creative effect and act as props for her music, Daphne Guinness just dresses this way coz she likes to. And yes, Gaga does have hotshots like Armani designing dresses for her... Guinness has one of the largest couture collections in the world. I SO love her! 

Hottest perfume commercials

Recently two perfume commercials have just been launched by two very interesting women- Anna Dello Russo and Beyonce.
ADR's shows her prancing around in the same dress she wore for the French Vogue Party.. I know she has a closet to die for and all, but every time I see her, I can't help but think, what an unfortunate face! I'm sure the scent will be as unique as her though!

I LOVE the tune playing in the background... Don't know where it is originally from, but I love it from Kanye's song where he goes, "Let's have a toast for the d*ucheb&gs.. lets have a toast for the @ssholes..." You can hear him perform it live here.

Ok the second ad is for the perfume "Heat" by Beyonce.. the ad has actually been banned in Europe where they are not allowed to show it before 7 in the evening. Don't worry, it really isn't quite risque at all, but I'd avoid opening this video at work-



Did I tell you guys already she lives in the same building as me in New York?? Unfortunately, I haven't seen her yet, although a friend of mine saw her at our neighborhood Duane Reede (Pharmacy) one morning though. Doubt she looked anything like this.
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A poem of mine entitled "Fate"

Aah.. astrologers. I absolutely LOVE them! Whether they are in the avatar of palmists or tarrot card readers, leaf readers, face readers, Fortune tellers, Gypsies, Psychics or anything that can remotely tell me about what my future will hold, I want to go see them. Now a lot of people know of my mini obsession and ask me whether I REALLY believe in them. For me, that's not even the point. I will never visit an astrologer of any sort who is known to be the bearer of bad news, no matter how accurate he/she is. I want them to tell me my life will be great, blissful and problem-free! Most of the time, I use my faith in astrologers to quite an interesting end- I believe that if they DO have the powers to predict my destiny, then I have the powers to change that destiny if I'm not happy with it. Yes, I do believe in Destiny and do think some things are fixed events, but I also believe that we have the ability to change a lot of stuff around those 2 or 3 major events, and choose our own way and our own path to get us there. Makes sense?
A few years back I was torn between the idea of a fixed destiny and the idea of a person paving their own way in this world. My Father, who is popular for having his own "rags to riches" story (a phrase he hated incidentally, as he insisted he was never in rags) was a strong believer in Destiny too, but always said "There is no substitute for hard work." Yet, I was confused about what that meant, and wondered that if a person was meant to achieve greatness or wealth or whatever else is "written" for them, then why can't they sit in bed all day and wait for it to come to them? I asked the question to renowned Reiki Master and Writer, Paula Horan many, many years back on a visit of her's to Dubai and she explained it to me- "Life is like a Play... for it to go well, you need to Participate!" I've never forgotten those words.
Ok so back to the topic of astrologers... no wait... this post is about my Poem. I wrote this a few years back and just like most of my poems, I don't really know why I wrote it or what the inspiration was (they sort of just come to me). I'm sharing it with you now, as I'm quite excited to meet a Tarot reader sometime over the next few days who has been the only woman in my life who, a few years back, was able to predict most accurately, what would happen in my life from then on. I only met her once, and despite me trying to see her a WHOLE bunch of times, it hasn't happened till now. I'll elaborate more when it happens, but till then enjoy this funny piece I wrote that I call, "Fate." Of course no part of this poem may be used or copied or anything, blah blah... Hope you enjoy it.

"So how is it I can help you dear?"
This was the fourth one of the year
Palms had been peered at, leaves had been read
Crystals looked into, now cards would be spread.
"Talk," she continued, "and have no fear."

"We're obviously here to see what the future is holding!"
interjected my mother, almost scolding,
Nervously glancing round the barely lit room
Trying not to breathe in the cheap perfume
I see her gape at the moulding.

"What it is you want to know?
You think the question and I will show"
She shuffles and deals with an easy grip
Not often seen off the Vegas strip
"Aah," her eyes widen, "Here we go!"

"Money! Lots of money! It is your fate!
You make it big! You will be great!"
"Yes yes," said my mother, "That is all fine!
But my daughter, you see, is almost twenty nine
Please tell me, will she loose some weight?"

"The wait is over! You will see!"
"You sure?" asked my mother, looking over at me
"A boy will come! Handsome! Kind!
Oh yes... A very good boy she will find!
Millionaire too! In USD!"

"I promise" She continued, "I not lie!
Three months, I promise, you will have guy!
Few weeks I challenge, and he will come
If not, money back! I give whole sum!"
Across the room, a rat scurried by.

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Kuwait bans dSLR cameras!

The Kuwait Times is reporting that the use of dSLR's is now banned in the country. The Ministry of Social affairs, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Information have recently come to the conclusion that photography should be used for journalism purposes only, and have therefore enforced stringent laws on the use of larger cameras unless used for the purposes of journalism. So, if you have a blog or just like taking pretty pictures and you live in Kuwait, you're kinda out of luck as you won't be able to use your dSLR in public, in shopping malls or on the streets.
The article goes on to talk about how people faced loads of problems when taking up photography as a hobby, because other people thought they were using it "for the wrong reasons."
Way to go Kuwait. It's not like the Middle East looked crazy to the rest of the world like at all!!!

PS: And in a shameless pitch of self promotion, the camera pictured above is the Sony SLT-A55 that I've reviewed here... Available very soon at Jumbo Electronics outlets all over the UAE- where photography is alive and oh-so-kicking!

Suzy Menkes and Karl Lagerfeld

Suzy Menkes is one of the most powerful and popular names in Fashion journalism today, and of course Karl Lagerfeld needs no introduction. Here the two come together on stage for the IHT luxury conference, for quite an interesting chat. I absolutely love the Kaizer's frankness and openness and unlike a Tom Ford think it's so cool that he would put his talent most to use in luxury brands that he heads rather than focusing on an eponymous label. Whereas on reading Ford's interview in Vogue which showed off his first ever women's collection, I read with interest his comments on Gucci and couldn't help but feel it was a case of 'biting the hand that feeds you.'
Also you can tell from the interview that Karl Lagerfeld possesses a strong sense of business, which also comes across very strongly in another uberfamous designer, Marc Jacobs. Watching either of their interviews always makes me realize that to be a designer today, not only do you have to have oodles of talent, and bags full of Marketing prowess, you should also be very conscious of the business side of things and always keep your eye on the ball.
Either way, watch the interview above if only to just marvel at the Kaizer!
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Lanvin for H&M out tomorrow!

In case you've been living under a rock and haven't heard, the Lanvin for H&M collection will be launched in H&M stores in Dubai tomorrow, the 23rd of November. The collection starts selling at 8 AM with the Dubai Mall having the collection, while the Mall of the Emirates store has still not confirmed whether they will be receiving the same. I tried calling them to check, but of course no one answered.
I am so lusting after the t-shirts and am hoping I make it in time to snag the one with the high heels in it. For those interested, some of their dresses are SO beautiful and extremely Lanvin-esque- in fact some look like actual reproductions of past dresses done by them. For the entire product and price list in AED, go here.
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My nomination in Ahlan Masala

Sooo.. a friend of mine called me last night while I was out at dinner and goes, "Congratulations!" "About what exactly?" was my response. "Your Ahlan Masala nomination of course!" said she. Oh crap... here we go again, I thought.
For frequent readers of Ahlan Masala you might have read that I have been nominated under the category that is something along the lines of successful young female in business for the second year in a row. Last year, my Mother and I had both been nominated (I guess hers being the same category minus the "young" part) and we both had heard about our nominations the same way I did yesterday- through a random call from someone who probably thought to congratulate us. Both of us independently asked for our nominations to be withdrawn, and conveyed our surprise and irritation that the magazine didn't even think to ASK or INFORM us of it in the first place. So you will understand my surprise at being nominated yet again for the same award, the second year in a row.
First of all, let me start of by saying I have nothing against Masala and love flipping through its pages while I'm bored and getting my hair and nails done. I also recently posed for a feature that the magazine did on Bloggers... so really, have NOTHING against them. I do wish they'd stop nominating people without asking them if they have any issues with said nomination or without even informing them about it, but that's a different story. What I do have a problem with, is the way the winners of the awards are decided upon.
For most of these magazine awards that are conducted, the decision of the winner is made by either one of two ways- either by Voting  by the general public or by a panel of judges. In a small country like the UAE, or specifically a tiny city like Dubai, I really can't think of too many people who would log in to vote on awards such as these, unless they know or work for the person being nominated. Thus in the end it boils down to a popularity contest, and I've heard stories of people who insist their entire company and their friends' entire company vote for them and make them win. When the winners are chosen through a panel of judges, it all depends on WHO you know and how much schmoozing you do to make sure you walk away from the awards ceremony with a little memento in your hand. Thank you, but neither scenario are for me.
I remember being on the panel of another prestigious award called the "Superbrands" which nominates the most popular brands through the country and publishes a book that includes the names of all the other, well, "Superbrands" around. The year I was on the panel was also the year Jumbo won the "Superbrand of the year"... without me allowing to vote for my own brand by the way, so it's not like I tipped the scales in our favour. While the voting process was very fair with an esteemed panel of judges on there, etc, I found something extremely curious- that despite being nominated and widely recognized as a Superbrand, your name would only be allowed in the book (and hence, have any acknowledgment of your super status) if you agreed to pay quite a hefty sum to appear in the book. You know what I call that? ADVERTISING! Yet, you'll see a whole host of companies (including us!) who wear their Superbrand status with pride, where the consumer doesn't quite realize it doesn't mean a lot at all.
Back to the Awards- yes, I'm very flattered that someone out there thinks highly enough of me to nominate me, and I'd like to thank that person or persons a lot for that! Having said that, I don't really think too much of awards in general and would like to think that Jumbo is an institution that is larger than a person or a family, and would be overjoyed if it were to win any sort of awards (fairly) that it deserved. In the meantime, I've asked for my nomination to be withdrawn from the Ahlan Masala awards and wish my fellow nominees good luck for the same! May the best (wo)man win.
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A trip inside an Hermes Kelly bag!

Ever wonder what it would be like to take a trip inside an Hermes Kelly bag? Well obviously someone did because a store called Brown Thomas in Dublin has recreated a 12 foot Kelly bag, made to the exact size as specifications (and using the exact materials too) as a regular one. The bag, called the "Kellydoscope" allows people to walk in and watch a series of 3 short videos, taken from the point of view of the bags interior.
This I guess is what modern day Alice would choose to crawl into... I mean after all, rabbit holes are so last season!

 

Bulgari's new Serpenti watches

I made a visit to the Bulgari store at the Mall of the Emirates today as I'd been called in a few days back to see the new line of Serpenti watches. I had seen the Julianne Moore ad almost a year back, and had been waiting to try on these gorgeous watches for a while. Here are some pics I snapped up in the store today-

 

I quite like the steel one and would be very tempted to pick one up had I not just bought the older version of this watch (which I still prefer) back in April for my birthday (yes, I buy myself birthday gifts every year!) Also, as my sister rightly pointed out, I wear my watch on my right hand and it just didn't look good on my wrist. For those looking for the Rose Gold version, this is what it looks like-

As you can tell, the Rose Gold one comes in two versions- one that wraps around once, and another that wraps around the wrist twice (pictured above). I think it is just SUCH an elegant watch!

Another watch that I fell in love with in the store is their special-edition carbon fiber watch-

 

Every time I said "limited edition" in the store, they corrected me going "no no.. Special edition!" which I guess just means that the watches aren't limited to a specific number, but also that it won't be around forever. I think it is such a fun unisex watch for every day use and I'd have gotten it immediately had it not been for the titanium chrono Bulgari I have with a rubber strap that is very similar (I don't wear much jewelry by the way.. am a watch fan!) Have asked them to put it on hold for me though till I have a think... at 6000 Dhs it's really such a steal and a great watch to wear daily.

Tavi Gevinson starts a new magazine

For those who don't know who Tavi Gevinson is, she is the 14  year old blogger of the amazing fashion blog, The Style Rookie. Now how much can a 14 year old POSSIBLY know about fashion, you might wonder? Well, while her blog does have an interesting view on fashion and what is fashionable, what I find most amazing is this young girl's "voice" and her desire to be different. I remember reading a post once where Tavi was lamenting on her image in school where because of her celebrity status, people suddenly looked up to her quirky dress sense without questioning it or understanding it. Suddenly, she posted, she was being looked upon as being cool rather than being the weird outcast, and she actually had a problem with it.. the fact that nobody questioned her anymore made her nervous and upset. I recently had seen a video of hers where she talked about a magazine that existed between the years of 1988 and 1996 called "Sassy," that was mainly targeted towards teenage girls and was written from the point of view of a teenage girl who didn't really want to conform to the norms of society and was sort of encouraging other girls not to do the same. She talks about the magazines take on boys, which was- "Boys are cute and we like them (unless we hate them) but they're more dressing on the salad of life. We find it much more sensible to hang out with people- male or female- whose company we groove on, not to go hunting in search of a mate." Amen, Sassy! Watch the video and I'm sure you guys will love Tavi and find her thought process extremely intriguing!-

After having seen this video and Tavi's obsession with back copies of the magazine, it really then comes as no surprise to me or Tavi's other fans that the original Editor-in-chief of Sassy, Jane Pratt, contacted Tavi to revive the magazine. While Tavi will continue to write her blog, she will also work on publishing (in hard copy) 3 issues a year of Sassy, targeted at "wallflowery teenage girls" much like herself.
She opens the floor for admissions and ideas and encourages readers get in touch with her, and people of all ages can subscribe and take part. Teenage-Me would have SO been all over this!
Read more about her idea here.
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Latest European Designer Collections!

Direct from the Bergdorf's shop floor, here are the latest from the European designers with their Fall and Cruise collections!

CHANEL-

Cruise 2010 yellow gold and sequined tulle coat- USD 3100, Yellow tweed sleeveless dress- USD 3245 and pearls- USD 1260.
Fall 2010 Ivory and black fringed dress- USD 4965.

 Cruise 2010 Navy and black tweed short sleeved dress with black embroidered tulle waist and open back- USD 3455.










FENDI-

Fendi light weight belted coat with fur trimmed hood- USD 2580
Fendi taupe collared trench- USD 15,450 and Brunello Cucinelle taupe skinny pant- USD 2245

DIOR-

 

Dior brown leather double breasted coat with belt- USD 5900 and Lilac and brown pencil skirt, USD 1050. 

Dior beige leather coat- USD 5600, Taupe tweed pencil skirt- USD 1250, Brunello Cucinelle Taupe skinny leather pant- USD 2245 and J Mendel Sable Fur hat- USD 1595.

Dior Brown Leather Belted Coat with Scalloped edges- USD 11,500

GUCCI-

Gucci black beaded cocktail dress with open back- USD 5600

 

Gucci beige ostrich coat- USD 11,000 and brown skinny pant- USD 595

For information, prices or to purchase any of the products listed above, please contact Linda David from Bergdorf Goodman's at lindamdpreston@yahoo.com