Unapolegtically you!!

It’s that time of the year when exams are finally over and summer is here!!! Summer is beautiful, isn’t it? People usually say that Spring is the season of hope but Summer is the season that tells people that affirms people that their hope didn’t go in vain. It culminates into something beautiful, allowing people to dream of something good.

It was that kind of a day when I decided to go for a walk on the Banks of the Lee Walkway in Cork City. Me saying it was beautiful would be a dire understatement. It was something ethereal. There is something about walking in nature and greenery, is it not? It makes you feel closer to the universe and rejuvenates you. All the burdens that had stacked up itself over time finally left me and made me feel light.

All this combined with the blue skies and clear water just made even more sense. And what’s not to love with the little dogs running around and enjoying their day as well?

So yeah, coming back to the point. After my walk, I decided to watch a movie because why not? No idea why, but I felt like watching some old classic. I was listening to the song ‘Don’t you forget about me’ by Simple Minds and my mind immediately went to the movie ‘The Breakfast Club’. I have always loved this movie and will continue loving it. It is such a short movie but the depth it conveys is beyond its running time.

The movie showcases five students from different cliques in high school who have to spend eight hours of detention together on a Saturday morning. The conversations that they have conveys so much that make you rethink your perspective on life. I guess the walks on the banks just made me think more. A few things that it conveys are to not give a damn about what other people think and to be unapologetically yourself.

And that is exactly what every one of us needs to do. To be unapologetically yourself!! If you love someone, tell them. If you want to ask someone out, ask them!! If you feel like there is an issue or a gap between your friends, address it!! If you think you did something wrong, apologise!! I mean, it’s not so hard, is it?

Life is short and relationships are profound. Every relationship whether it may be between siblings, friends or a couple is unique and each one requires its own efforts. It takes courage to stand up for each of them and put in all your heart and soul. Yes, it takes courage to let down all your walls and show your vulnerable self to others and for that, you always have to be proud and never ashamed no matter where things would end. Because you were true to yourself and that’s all that matters.

Just remember, you never have to be sorry or feel embarrassed just because you were unapologetically you!!

One day at a time…

Trust me when I tell you that adulting isn’t easy. You have to deal with stuff that you never thought you would have to one day and you got to do it all on your own. And to add to that, being in a foreign land is definitely not easy with the addition of losing the sense of familiarity.

I was having a pretty bad week with the loss of my grandfather. This was really bad as I am staying away from my family now and I couldn’t be there for them and for the last rites of my grandfather. To top that, I had an exam on the very day I got the news from my home. Trust the universe and its timing right!!!

Given that I had my exams (currently doing my Masters), I just locked up my grief and was all over the place because of that. Once I had my exam done and dusted, I thought that it was time to grieve him. After I completed my part-time job today at the university and was heading home, I decided to take an impromptu trip to Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral. As I was walking with River Lee by my side, I knew that I was right in taking the detour.

The moment I laid eyes on the majestic cathedral, I felt all my worries wash away. It was mesmerizing and cathartic. As I slowly walked in taking in the majesticness, I entered the church. At the very moment, I was inside the cathedral, I felt at peace. I took a slow tour and soaked in the tranquillity. I also spoke to the tour guide about the history of the church and learnt quite a bit about it.

As time passed by, the tour guide and I ended up talking and he was one of the sweetest people I have come across. We spoke about our life journeys and I ended up sharing the fact about my loss. He asked me if I would like to light a candle in memory of my grandfather and I did end up doing it. I felt at peace and felt my burden lightening a bit. He also went on to tell me that I had an aura of peace in me and that compliment really made my day. He then went on to give me a goodie from the gift shop. We ended up sharing our contacts and promised to stay in touch.

The candle I lit in memory of my grandfather

As I was walking back home all happy, I ended up meeting this cute little munchkin Simba who again made my day with his love.

Sometimes all you need during a bad time is love and kindness. A complete stranger came out of nowhere and actually made my day by just being kind. A dog made me happy just by showing love without judgements. It does not hurt to be kind and it costs nothing. This is a reminder to be kind, spread love and take it one day at a time. I guess you got to trust the universe and its timing after all.

Book review: And then there were none

I realize that it’s been quite a while since I posted something. I was bombarded with a myriad of personal issues and couldn’t focus on creating content. Hopefully, this doesn’t happen again in the future.
It’s also been a while since I posted a book review and so I am precisely doing that. So let’s call this my back to work post, shall we?
And then there were none is a book that keeps you on the edge till the very last word. Written by one of the greatest mystery writers of all times, this book really boggles your mind till the very last word and I literally mean it. You are not going to know what’s going on until you come to the very end.
Ten people from various backgrounds are invited by a rich host to a mansion off the Devon coast for various purposes. They are perplexed when they find out that their host has still not arrived. In the meanwhile, they try to get acquainted with each other.

Things get rattled when one of them dies and they realise they have a murderer in their midst? Do they or was it someone else? What about the ten china soldier figures in the dining table? Is there a connection? Do read the book to find out more.
One of the best books ever written, Agatha herself admitted that this was the toughest book to write and you can really understand why, once you read the book. I really hope that you all read this masterpiece and the fact that I am really excited writing this review tells how much her detective mastery has impacted me.
So what are you waiting for? Grab a cup of coffee or tea or whatever you prefer and start cracking. Trust me, you won’t regret it. I would really love it if you told me in the comments how much you loved the book.

My rating: 5/5

For those who want to check out this book, here is the link: https://amzn.to/3syBEPf

Author: Agatha Christie

Publisher: Harper Collins

Restaurant review: Cafe Veloute

I had gone to Pondicherry with my friends a few days back and we went to this cute little cafe in Bussy street. The dishes that we ordered are as follows.

This dish was given as a complimentary and as a starter. The taste was really fresh and it really cleansed our palates for our next dishes.

To put it in simple words, it was potato on a stick. It tasted good but could have been better with a bit more salt. My personal opinion is that the number of pieces served can be reduced as it was really heavy.

The buttermilk fried chicken was extremely delicious!!! The exterior was really crispy and the inside was really soft and tender and it was served with a sweet chili dip. This was my favourite among all the starters served. I highly recommend you all to try this.

We did not take a photo of the tempura prawns on its own. The photo shown here has the buttermilk chicken in it as well. The dish was really good with the light and airy batter and the plump prawns. This too was served with a sweet chili dip but I felt that it could have been served with a spicy dip as the dish itself lacks spice.

The masala fried paneer was extremely yum with the tangy sauce and the soft paneer. I highly recommend this dish for all the vegetarians out there.

We started our main course with Cajun fish with rice and sautéed vegetables. I personally liked only the fish and not the rice and vegetables. The dish had more rice than the fish and was not what I had expected. I also would have preferred a full slice of the fish and not just two small pieces.

The second main dish that we ordered was the Braised chicken with mashed potatoes. I really did not like this dish. There is nothing much to say about it.

I am a hard core dessert person and I never end my meal without something sweet. This was the perfect way to end our elaborate meal. The brownie was really soft and the combination of it and the ice cream was definitely divine. I recommend you all to try this as well.

Overall a great experience and I will definitely visit again if I go to Pondicherry.

Food: 3.5/5

Ambience: 4/5

Customer service: 3/5

Book review: Man, Woman and Child

PS: I borrowed this book from a friend and read it and hence I could not take a picture. The picture I have used here is from a website named carousell.ph . I am attaching the link here for reference: https://www.carousell.ph/p/man-woman-and-child-by-erich-segal-142406527/
This is the first post of romance genre in my feed. So as promised, I have switched from my go-to genre which happens to be psychological and mystery thrillers. Okay now, so let’s dive into the review.
Man, woman and child is an intense family drama that revolves around love, passion and faithfulness. Bob and Sheila Beckwith, who are the man and woman as the title says have everything that everyone envies. Love!! They are a happily married couple who have two daughters and live a peaceful and happy life. Bob loves his family with all his heart and soul.

Just when everything seemed to be perfect, one phone call changes everything. A phone call that tells Bob that he has a son. Memories come flooding back to Bob on how he had been unfaithful to Sheila ten years prior. Now that the truth was out in the open, will the couple stay together? What happens to the family? Read the book to find out more.
The author must have had some kind of magical powers as each and every word written in the book makes you feel the pain the couple undergoes. The emotion conveyed is intense and maybe some readers out there would definitely shed a drop or two. A must read book for all bibliophiles out there.
One thing that really shocked me was the fact that I couldn’t find any pictures of this book on Instagram. This is one of the author’s best works in par with his famous ‘ Love story’ (will post my review later) and yet, this was the situation. This was another fact that prompted me to post a review on this book as I really felt that this gem should be known to all my fellow book lovers out there.
My rating: 5/5
For those who have read this book, do let me know your perspectives in the comments below. For those who want to check out this book, here is the link: https://amzn.to/3ak8L2j
Author: Erich Segal
Publisher: Rhus publishers

Book review: The Silent Widow

Yet another mystery thriller in my blog. Yes, I am a huge fan of mystery and psychological thrillers.
The Silent Widow is a book by Tilly Bagshawe written using Sidney Sheldon’s name. His family allowed her to continue his legacy as her writing style was similar to that of Sheldon’s. Sidney Sheldon is and was one of the best mystery writers we have ever been gifted with. But sadly due to his demise in 2007, we all lost a gem of a writer. But I think the universe heard the cry of all the bookholics and reincarnated him in the form of Tilly Bagshawe.
Doctor Nikki Roberts is a psychologist who makes her living by trying to understand and read people’s minds. But what happens when there are a sudden spate of murders in the city and she is the common link between them? Are these murders related to the murder of an au pair in Mexico that happened ten years ago? Don’t worry, I am not going to give you spoilers.

The writing is effortless and smooth and manages to keep the suspense element intact throughout. Though I think fans of Sheldon would predict the ending, it certainly is worth giving a read. I also think that the plot of the book is similar to the ‘ The naked face ‘ which was the first novel written by Sheldon and which was nominated for the Edgar Allen Poe award for best first novel. I will post my thoughts on this book as well soon.
Overall a good book but definitely had scope for doing better as I really have great expectations from the author. Will post more reviews on her other amazing books soon.
My overall rating: 3.8/5

If you have read this book, do let me know your perspectives in the comments below. For those who want to check out this book, here is the link: https://amzn.to/2LY0Pem

Author: Tilly Bagshawe
Publisher: Harper Collins

Book review: The Alchemist

‘It’s the possibility of having a dream come true, that makes life interesting.’

This is one of my favourite quotes from this book and really strikes a chord with me. I mean isn’t that life all about? Hoping for a better tomorrow? Hoping for better things? It’s the hope that keeps us alive, isn’t it?

This is a book with a minimal number of pages and simple language which makes it great for beginners. And what better way to start your journey into the world of books with something motivational. The alchemist is the perfect book to teach you about hope, dreams, following your heart and looking out for signs. Call me old fashioned, but I really do believe in all these. Those who believe in the ‘law of attraction’ can definitely resonate with this book.

To be honest, and this might be an unpopular opinion, I did find it to be a drag initially but was hooked as the story progressed. The author has really done a great job in capturing the true essence of what dreams really are. The writing is really straightforward and easily understandable and that makes it a very quick read for bibliophiles who are in this world for quite some time.

If you are interested or looking for some motivation and inspiration, then just grab a cup of tea( tea lover here!!) and settle down with this gem that radiates positivity. I am sure you will start seeing the world in a new perspective, once you are done with it.

My rating: 3.8/5

If you have read this book, do let me know your perspectives in the comments below. For those who want to check out this book, here is the link: https://amzn.to/34XJI3e

Author: Paulo Coelho
Publisher: HarperCollins

Restaurant review: Fromage, Chennai

Happy to say that my last lunch for the year was excellent!!! I went to the MRC nagar branch of Fromage along with my sister for lunch.

The following are the dishes that we devoured. I also ordered the Veg Tortizza as a takeaway but that didn’t make it to the list as it was gobbled up by then.

The Chicken Tortizza was amazing and really was light. The cheese was gooey and yumm!! Of course, being a restaurant that specialises in cheese, I would expect no less.

I would say the same about the Chicken Parmigiano. Chicken tenders loaded with gooey mozzarella cheese an served with a salad. The dish was really cohesive and the cheese definitely took the dish to the next level.

For dessert, we had the death by chocolate cake. The buttercream filling and the ganache on top was really moist and delicious. The cake however was a bit dry and we were able to eat it only because of the buttercream.

Overall, the food was excellent and totally met my expectations. I just had one problem and that was the choice of desserts. Besides this chocolate cake and rainbow cake, there was nothing else as an option. Also, this cake was a 12 layer cake which was really tough for 2 people to finish. I actually had to ask the waiter to cut it in half and bring the remaining home. Overall, an amazing experience and looking forward to going there again.

Food: 4/5
Ambience: 5/5
Service: 5/5

Book review: Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice!! There is something about the combination of these 2 words that just makes you want to say it again and again. Don’t you think they just flow effortlessly from your tongue?

“It’s a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”

This opening line needs no introduction and is definitely one of the most well known quotes. Mrs.Bennet is someone who strongly believes in this and wants to get her daughters married off to rich men. She feels that a woman’s only goal in life is to get married and be a good wife. Well with her second daughter Elizabeth around, her task is not going to be that easy.

Elizabeth Bennet, a strong-minded woman who believes that a woman is destined to much more than marriage (and yeah she is right) doesn’t agree with her mother’s thoughts. She is a spitfire and rebel who believes in doing what is right for her. This only adds to her mother’s worries as she believes no man will be willing to marry her daughter because she lived in a society where a woman being like this was frowned upon.

Enter Fitzwilliam Darcy, or Mr Darcy as most of us know him. A handsome young man who is allured by Elizabeth’s behaviour but appears to be haughty. So what happens? Do they fall in love or were they not meant for each other? Read the book to find out more.

This book is a timeless classic and will always be one. Though this book was published in 1813, the author was way ahead of her time in capturing the essence of what a woman truly felt on various aspects such as societal pressures, marriage, honor, judgements and dependence on a man after marriage with dollops of sarcasm.

One of the books to have captured my hearts with its writing and broad thinking, this book will always be special to me. I really wish I could have met Jane Austen and had a fangirl moment with her , just to tell her how much I love this book. Jane Austen!! I will always bow down to you for giving the world this amazing gem!! A timeless classic indeed!!

My rating: 5/5

Author: Jane Austen

Book review: The Breakdown

As my blog suggests, I think it’s pretty evident that I am into psychological thrillers. There really is something about this genre!! It never fails to mystify or bamboozle you whenever it gets the chance. According to my personal opinion, I feel that this genre is really tough to nail it right. So did this novel meet all these expectations? Read on to find out more.

Cass Anderson, who is the protagonist of this story lives a happy life with her husband. All seems to be going well until the day she decides to take her usual shortest route to her home on a rainy night in spite of being told not to by her husband. Along the way, she sees a car parked in the woods and finds a woman inside it. Not wanting to get out of her car in the downpour, she just waits inside expecting the woman to come to her if she needed help. Since the woman doesn’t come forward she just drives off and goes home. But to her shock, she finds out the next day that the woman was murdered!! Not only that, she realizes she is becoming more forgetful!! So what happened? Read the book to find out!!

Coming to the overall writing of the book, though the plot was really good, I felt the part where she forgets things was quite a drag. I mean, we get that she is forgetting a lot. Hence I felt that there was no need to dedicate so many pages just to that fact as it deviated the focus from the main story. But other than that, the plot was perfect and the suspense was amazing. I really could not figure out what was going on and was really shocked reading the ending. So kudos on that!!

So if you are really looking for a good psychological thriller and would be willing to forgive the fact that there are quite a few pages dedicated to forgetting things, then this book is for you. But once again, I would like to highlight the fact that the plot was amazing!!

My rating: 3.8/5

If you have read this book, do let me know your perspectives in the comments below. For those who want to check out this book, here is the link: https://amzn.to/2WpPtSk

Author: B.A Paris
Publisher: HarperCollins