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My outfit and makeup for my cousin's engagement

Its been a hectic weekend with less sleep & more travel.. Had my cousin's engagement in Bangalore & had to go for another party in Nellore. And finally office today :( Thought I ll come up with a simple post today with not much of writing & more of pics... 


There was a ring exchange ceremony followed by partying & dancing.. I thought I ll wear my Sangeet Lehenga since I did not get any occasion after that to wear it again... I wore a kundan set, did my own makeup & went to a salon called Fushions in Kammanahalli, Bangalore. 


Sangeet-Outfit-Indian
My Outfit
                             Indian-Sangeet-MakeupIndian-Jewellery-Bridal                                                        

Pink-Purple-Eyemakeup

                        


I shall do an eyemakeup tutorial soon.

Lehenga : Kalanikethan, Express Avenue Mall,Chennai

Kundan Set: Mumbai

I had some time for shopping in the morning & ventured into a shop called Samyakk & bought 2 salwar materials and a beaded necklace from a roadside shop... find the pic below..


Indian-Outfit-Shopping
Salwars Purchased...



Trip to Macau and Hongkong- Day 8, Part 2 Ladies Market, Mongkok & Bidding Adieu to Hongkong

                                   Hongkong Macau Travel Blog


Compare hotel prices and find the best deal - HotelsCombined.com

The ladies market is located on the Tung Choi Street in Mongkok which is part of Old Hongkong. This whole place is so lively, colorful at all times and is one of the most densely populated areas in Hongkong.



The ladies market is famous especially for leather goods, apparels, souvenirs and good street food all at very affordable prices.. The market is flooded with small shops all selling almost similar items but at different prices, hence one needs to be careful that we do not overpay for any item.  There is also a flower market & gold fish market close by to ladies market, but we did not have time to check them out.






Mongkok Market, Hongkong- How to get there?

The ladies market is about 5 mins walk from Mongkok , Mongkok East & Yau Ma Tei stations. Depending on the line you take you can get down at any of the 3 stations & follow the exit signs leading to Ladies Market.










Mongkok Ladies Market
Crowded Street outside Bonjour


Mongkok Market Hongkong-What I bought from Ladies Market ?
  1.  A clutch
  2.  A pair of bead studded slippers for HKD 100 (refer to my post here) (wondering y I stopped with one as they are extremely comfortable)
  3.  4 Hongkong T shirts for Women for HKD 100
  4.  5 Hongkong T shirts for Men for HKD 100
  5.  Some souvenirs
Ladies Market Shopping
My Clutch



Hongkong T shirts
T Shirts

Hongkong Ladies Market Slippers
Footwear
Above 2 Photos Courtesy : Internet

General Shopping Tips in Hongkong :

  1. Branded perfumes are a much cheaper there than India especially brands  such as Estee Lauder & Dior.
  2. You need to start  bargaining from at least half the price of what is quoted in the local street markets which will allow you to get a good deal. 
  3. Bonjour & Sasa have sample branded perfumes for sale.. Those who want to try out many brands can buy them.
  4. Face masks are a must buy from Bonjour.
  5. Skincare products are better than cosmetics in Hongkong.


Post a lot of walking and shopping we were really tired and thirsty and what better way to quench your thirst than a delightfully fresh juice. Litchi is our favorite fruit and the litchi juice we had from one of the shops tasted heavenly. Really could not stop with one :) … 

Crossing the Victoria Harbour  by Ferry:

This is one among the most recommended things to do while in Hongkong and we were unable to do the same during our first day due to foggy / smoggy weather. Thankfully we finally got the opportunity to cross the Harbour while heading back to the hotel. We took the ferry from the Hongkong side to Kowloon and thanks to the clear conditions we enjoyed some breathtaking views of the Hongkong skyline during the 10 minute ride. Really something not to miss and if I had more time would have done it again and again!!!
Hongkong Ferry terminal
Maritime Museum
Hongkong Skyline Hongkong
Skyline view from ferry

We went back to the Hotel, collected our luggage from the concierge & took the shuttle to the Kowloon station to take the Airport Express train to the Airport…
I felt terrible to leave this lovely country and to get back to work the next day after such a beautiful vacation.


Hongkong Airport Express Train:

The Hongkong International airport is located on Lantau Island and it might take more than an hour to reach by taxi or bus. So we decided to take the Airport Express train from Kowloon which would reach the Airport in half an hour. Like in Delhi  we can check in our baggage at any of the stations where Airport Express Train stops ( Hongkong, Kowloon and Tsing Yi ). We checked in our luggage at the Cathay Pacific counter in the Kowloon MTR and proceeded to the Airport Express Train & reached the Airport pretty early.

Hongkong Airprot express train stops
Hongkong Airport Express Train

Photo Courtesy : Internet

Hongkong International Airport (also known as Chek Lap Kok Airport ) is one of the busiest airports in the world with 66 boarding gates and a lot of branded shops to shop from. We spent our rest of the time walking around the Airport & I had tears in my eyes with  the trip finally came to an end at 10 : 35 pm when the flight took off...

Coming up next in Travel section : My Trip To Maldives

Trip to Macau & Hongkong - Day 8, Part1 - Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Gardens Hongkong

Trip to Macau & Hongkong Day 8 – Part 1, Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Gardens



Hongkong Macau Travel Blog

Our last day in Hongkong dawned bright and sunny and what a week it has been. This small little country has really captured my imagination and I have enjoyed every minute of my stay here. On our last day we had loads planned as our flight was only departing at 10 :30 in the night.
So after a relaxing early morning swim and some light snacks (we were saving up for the big lunch) we checked out and bid farewell to Eaton Hongkong. Eaton Hongkong is probably not the most luxurious we have stayed at, but we did enjoy our 5 day stay.



Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden Hongkong :

A serene 33000 sq ft lush garden built in 1934 with a Nunnery, Buddhist Temple and vegetarian restaurant located among the hustle & bustle of the Kowloon city. The entire Nunnery and Nan Lian garden Hongkong was built based on Tang Dynasty Architecture where no iron nails were used & the complete structure was made using wood.




Chi Lin nunnery and Nan Lian Gardens
An oasis at the center of the city- All lush and green


Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Gardens Hongkong- How to get there?

The best way to get there is via the MTR. From any destination take the MTR to Diamond Hill station which is on Kwun Tong Line.  Entrance to garden is about 5 minutes walk from exit C2 (Plaza Hollywood) at 60 Fung Tak Road (under flyover). There are tourist direction signs from the station exit. 

Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Gardens-Our Experience: (Spiritual though)

The minute we stepped into the Chi Lin Nunnery, the sounds of the road faded away & we heard mild traditional Chinese instrumental music which was so pleasant and the whole thing seemed like a dream. There were lily ponds, bonsai trees & some rocks placed with artificial geyser. What more do we need for the finale :)

Chi Lin Nunnery- Nan Lian Gardens
Hubby in front of geyser

Buddhism in Hongkong- Chi Lin Nunnery
Inside Nan Lian Gardens

Buddha - Hongkong - Hall of Celestial Kings
Hall of Celestial Kings

We took some pics around the Nan Lian Gardens with the sky scrapping buildings as background and the Hall of Celestial kings where statues of Sakyamuni Buddha are located. We prayed in the temple & roamed around the Lotus Pond & took beautiful pictures. We had an excellent lunch at the vegetarian restaurant inside the Nunnery which served Authentic Chinese Veg food. The backdrop of the restaurant was an artificially created small waterfall. It looked as though we were sitting a midst mountains.


Diamong Hill Hongkong- Nan Lian Gardens
Amazing views of surrounding landscape

Chinese Authentic Veg Food-Hongkong
Veg Restaurant is behind the Waterfall



We left the place after spending sometime there & headed to Mongkok for some shopping in the Ladies Market….


Stay Tuned Ladies  :)


New Eyeshadow Palettes from Colorbar USA

Girls, Colorbar USA has launched new eyeshadow palettes. 4 color palettes at INR 750 & 18 color palettes at INR 1500 (which is an excellent deal). The colors are pretty lovely, but couldn't take pics or try out the swatches since I went at closing time... Do check out the nearest Colorbar counters :)

My Love for Silk Saris...... & the continuing Lust

I am asking this question to myself : "Can I ever say No/Enough to Clothes or Jewelry or Cosmetics?"
No I cannot, even if I do,The Man knows that I am trying not to burn a hole in his pocket.


Well that is how a woman is wired I suppose..Being a South Indian Tamil girl , the thought of Kanchipuram Pattu(Silk)Sari or Paavadai(Skirt) revolves around you the moment you are born. It starts with pattu paavadai for your Birthdays, Half Sari when you are in your teens, & Sari when you are getting married. When you set out for bridal sari shopping to Kanchipuram,you are accompanied by your entire family, its kind of a picnic for the men & a day full of excitement for the women. 






The mother suggesting different colors,the sister taking pictures of you to see how well it suits you, the father sitting in a corner & admiring his grown up daughter trying out saris & giving a nod for everything..Aunties & other cousins choosing for themselves.. Yes its the occasion for them as well. So this is my post about my love for Silk Saris & some colorful pics of most of my saris...



1 : Engagement Sari No1


Kancheepuram Engagement Silk Saree-Wedding Silk sarees collection-wedding sarees for Indian brides

Indian Engagement Outfit-Engagement silk saree-silk sarees India-silk sarees collection


2 : Engagement Sari No 2 

I do not have the Sari with me... But the pic where I am wearing it. Both the engagement saris were bought from Kanchipuram , the first one from Prakash Silk Sarees & second one from Babu Sah.

Engagement Silk Saree-Wedding Silk saree- Silk sarees for indian weddings-South indian Silk saree

3 : Wedding Sari No 1


Wedding Silk Saree-Bridal Kancheepuram Silk sarees- Kanchipuram silk sarees collections-best silk saree shop kancheepuram


4: Wedding Sari No 2 (Grahapravesham) When the bride goes to the Husband's house.

silk saree designs-Indian Silk varieties-silk sarees India-wedding sarees india-Bridal SIlk sarees Tamilnadu




Silk saree collection Kancheepuram-Wedding silk sarees-Bridal Silk sarees
Thats me wearing it....
5 : Thala Diwali Sari (the first Diwali after your wedding):



silk saree collection-bridal Silks India-Kanchipuram Silk sarees collections


Kancheepuram silk saree-Bridal silk sarees Tamilnadu-Bridal Silk sarees kancheepuram

6 : Some saris that were gifted:


Kanchivaram Silk Saree-The Chennai Silks-Prakash Silk Sarees

Silk Saree-Kumaran Silks Chennai-Kumaran Silks Chennai-bridal silk sarees Kumaran silks


Babusah Silk saree Kancheepuram- Blue Silk Saree-Prakash Silk sarees Kanchipuram-Best Silk sarees shop kanchipuram

South Indian Bridal Outfit- Silk Saree-South indian silk sarees-Pure silk sarees india


There are 2 more for which I do not have pics & they are not with me..... Am sure am not gonna stop my Silk Sari hunt with this & it would continue..

Kryolan TV Paint Stick Foundation- FS 42 Review

I recently bought Kryolan TV Paint Stick Foundation in the shade FS 42. I really loved this foundation & you can read its review here.




Models Prefer Fashionista 52 Color Palette - First Impression

Too much of travel (only in my posts), so kind of tired..So thought I would write something for makeup too.. That is what my blog says right, All about Makeup, Travel & Shopping..


My best friend was coming back from Australia after about a year and she had asked what I had wanted from there. I wanted her to get me some cosmetics  from Australia and not the usual ones we find here or online. She knows I have this weakness for eye shadows and she bought this Models Prefer 52 Color Palette.

  
Australian-Brand-Cosmetics-Eyeshadow-Palette



Eyeshadow-Palette-Review


Packaging : 

It comes in a very sleek black plastic case which is very compact & attractive. It has 40 powder eye shadows, 8 creme to powder eye shadows, 2 blushes, 1 highlighter and 1 bronzer. It also has an eye shadow applicator, a blush applicator and a small mirror on the inside.The shadows are only about the size of the US 20 cent coin.

Makeup-Kit-Palette


Makeup-Cosmetics-Review-Eyeshadow-ModelsPrefer
Under Natural Light

Price : AUD 15 for 43.5 gms net weight

Shades & Texture: 

Powder Eye shadows : The palette has different variations of pink, gold, brown, blue, green, grey and purple.Predominantly the shades are pearl finish,soft textured, and not very vibrant (suitable for office wear). There is one matte highlighter shade and 2 glittery eye shadows. 

Creme to Powder Eye shadow: One color each from the list of shades mentioned above which can be used as a standalone shadow or used as a base for better color payoff. The colors are very vibrant and have a smooth texture.


Makeup-Kit-Palette-Blush-Bronzer-Review-ModelsPrefer



Blush: One pink & one coral color blush of which the pink one has very fine glitter particles(suitable for night time) and the coral color is a matte blush(suitable for daytime). 

Highlighter & Bronzer: The highlighter is a Golden-Bronzy Highlighter shade & the bronzer is a reddish brown matte bronzer.




ModelsPrefer-Cosmetics-Review-Palette

Trip to Macau & Hongkong- Day 7, Part 2-Tsim Sha Tsui , Central & Times Square

Hongkong Macau Travel Blog

Well day 7 was fully about shopping and where better to get some cosmetics than at Tsim sha Tsui, Central and Causeway Bay in Hongkong.  After a really good lunch at Stanley Market Hongkong we were a little tired and after some rest headed straight off to continue our shopping spree
Finding the right hotel just got a whole lot easier - HotelsCombined.com

Tsim Sha Tsui Hongkong :

Shopping at Tsim Sha Tsui was initially not a part of our plans, but we had seen some great Bonjour and Sasa showrooms very close to Tsim Sha Tsui MTR station exit and decided to give it a go. This turned out to be a very good choice as we later found out that shops in Central and Causeway Bay were more expensive.

Hongkong is such a bustling place and there is no better place that truly captures its spirit than Tsim Sha Tsui either in the day or night. If you do not like crowds and colourful signs this may not be the place, but for us it was such a great experience as we loved the vibrant atmosphere.

Tsim Sha Tsui Shopping
Tsim Sha Tsui- Outside i-Square Mall


To take a look at my Hongkong Cosmetic Haul please click here.


Hongkong Central :

The name says it all.Central is really the centre of Hongkong where all the fun and excitement is. We took the MTR from Tsim Sha Tsui to Central and as soon as you exit the MTR station the first thing you notice is the remarkable change in the architecture of the buildings as compared to the Kowloon side, as beautiful skyscrapers dot the skyline to rival any city in the world. 

Central Hongkong Skyline

Central Hongkong shopping
Beautiful Skyline


Obviously the 2 standout buildings are the IFC 1 and IFC 2 ( International Financial Center ) towers with IFC 2 having a huge mall and the famous Apple store.

International Financial Centre 2
IFC 2




Apple store IFC2
Apple Store
We did some window shopping and my husband spent time at the Apple store but we noticed that most of the goods were quite costly. But we did find time to take some beautiful snaps of Central.

Causeway Bay and Times Square Hongkong :

The next stop after Central was Causeway Bay and Times Square and we took a bus from outside the Central MTR station & headed towards Causeway Bay. You can also reach Causeway Bay by taking the MTR from Central. If you want to experience the Hongkong Tramways, trams travelling to/from Western Market, Kennedy Town, Shau Kei Wan, North Point and Causeway Bay stop on Yee Wo Street about 5 minutes walk from the Times Square.


Causeway Bay shopping
Me outside Hysan Place Caueway Bay


We first got down at Sogo Departmental Store Hongkong, which was considered as one of the better shopping centres in that locality that offers good deals. Unfortunately we really did not find many good deals when we visited, but however it was a great experience visiting the place.

Sogo Hongkong Shopping
In front of Sogo
The famous Times Square mall Hongkong is just walking distance away from Sogo Departmental Store and the whole region is modeled around Times Square Newyork. .Though it may not be as glitzy as the original version, the whole area is really abuzz and colorful with large number of shops along the sidewalk. There are also a variety of street food and juice shops that you probably would feel tempted to try. We visited the Times Square mall Hongkong where we had our dinner at the food court post which we did some cosmetic and dress shopping at the mall.

Causeway bay shopping
Times Square

Times square hongkong


And finally after a really long day we took the MTR back to our usual Jordan MTR station,  headed back to the hotel drop dead tired and feeling really sad that we would be leaving this beautiful country the next day.