Globetrotting in Style: Exploring Bangalore, India

Hey there! I'm Ashima Sharma, a lifestyle entrepreneur, freelance writer & travel blogger and the co-founder of the The Logical Traveler blog. I moved to Bangalore a couple of years back and it’s a city that rocks pretty much 24/7.  Whether you want to shop, chill out in the evening or just enjoy the pleasant weather, this place has it all. So here I am super excited to share some places that are a must visit in Bangalore, India.  

1. UB City Luxury Shopping Complex - It’s one of the finest spots to experience, as well as a very classy place. It gives you a feeling of having a fine lunch while also being great in the evening for enjoying the Bangalore breeze. This place is centrally located in Bangalore city, which makes it accessible for everyone. It has cuisines ranging from Indian, French, Asian, Mexican and Italian, to name a few. 

My favorite place in UB City is Cafe Noir. It represents the ‘French Art De Vivre’ offering a perfect outdoor ambiance for customers to enjoy the beautiful Bangalore weather. Along with a range of French cuisine, they have the best French Deli Corner. Here's what I recommend for a delicious meal. 

What to order at Cafe Noir: 

-Main Course: Minute Beef Steak, teamed up with a glass of Red Wine.

-Dessert: Chocolate Mousse 

Once you're here, you just have to check out the awesome stores that this place offers.  Its ranges from chic international fashion brand, Aviraté,  - to one stop solution for all your sartorial needs. This shopping district also features your classics, from Burberry to Louis Vuitton... and how can we forget the watches? Well, there is an entire alley of watch stores from Rolex, Seiko, Zimson, Tag Heuer and Omega to name a few.

2. Arbor Brewing Company: To experience one of the finest craft beers in town, this is the place to be! Their bar offers a selection of wine and liquor in addition to their award-winning beer.

What to Order at Arbor Brewing Co.– A must try is the Raging Elephant Beer.  To team it up with a delicious appetizer, you’ve got to try the Florentine Stuffed Chicken.

3. The Leela Palace Hotel – This hotel covers over 9 acres of lush gardens and cascading waterfalls. It gives you a true feeling of an Indian palace. It has a royal look and feel, yet designed in a modern way, so you're still getting a rich feel of Indian Culture. 

The Library Bar at The Leela Palace Hotel– A place you’d certainly like to drop by. Its decor combines Victorian leather and dark-wood furniture, and is an upscale experience like no other place in Bangalore. While you’re sipping one of the vintage malts, you can absorb the ambiance of the space as well. 

The Collonnade at The Leela Palace Hotel- (inspired from the term ‘Colonnade’ resembles a series of giant pillars) If you’d like to shop for some Indian Designer fashion, with or without a hint of modern touch, this is the perfect place to shop. However, if you’d like to relax and have a cup of coffee or read a book, then Cafe Collonnade is a must try!  

What to Order at The Collonnade – Café Frappuccino and the Blueberry Muffin

So now you know the top 3 places to visit when you're here in Bangalore, India! The pictures I shared do not do complete justice to these place, so you’ve got to see it and experience it for yourselves. The more you explore Bangalore, the more it grows on you and and trust me, you’ll love it! I hope I've tempted you to drop by Bangalore when you're enjoying your next vacation in India.

Ashima in front of the waterfalls at The Leela Palace Hotel.

Ashima Sharma is an Entrepreneur, Freelance writer and Travel Blogger. She travels to experience different cultures and cuisines and also makes new friends along the way. Her objective is to inspire people to ‘Travel More with Less’! To learn about her and get inspired to travel, pay a visit to The Logical Traveler.

Photo credits: Shreyash Sharma, Co-Founder, The Logical Traveler

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Beautiful Neutral Home with Pops of Electric Blue!

Hi, I'm Tina and I write the fashion blog Just A Tina Bit! I work full time as an IT consultant and blog part time for fun! When I have spare time between these two jobs, I love hanging out with my boyfriend and our three little pups (yes, we have three!). 

Tina's Personal Style...

My style is typically feminine (I love anything with bows and ruffles), but I like to switch it up and be edgy and chic or casual and simple!

Tina's Favorite Space in Her Home...

I love cooking in the kitchen and snuggling up with the pups on the couch in the living room!

The Best of Seattle...

Seattle is amazing since it's a major metropolitan city but it doesn't feel too big. I love that we have super clean and crisp air and we get to experience all four seasons (none of which are too extreme)! It's really the perfect combination!

There are so many wonderful restaurants in Seattle! I recommend Musashi's for sushi.  It's a hole in the wall kind of place, but it's soo good!  Also, Red Mill restaurant is great for burgers, Toulouse Petit for brunch, Trophy for cupcakes, Moore Coffee for the best latte art, and The London Plane for the cutest restaurant atmosphere!

Tina's Perfect Day...

A perfect day always has to start with a delicious brunch and some tasty coffee! Followed by some exploring of the city, stopping by Pike Place Market for gorgeous flowers, and winding down with a home-cooked meal and of course lots of puppy cuddle time!

Stop by and say hello to Tina over at her blog, Just a Tina Bit!

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I Spy... Colorful Marimekko!

From homewares to textiles to fashion, Finnish design house Marimekko always delivers a healthy dose of color, which I so often crave. This season, Marimekko shines yet again with their punchy home decor and bold designs at their recent Paris Fashion Week runway show (Spring/Summer 2016).  Enjoy a look at Marimekko's newest creations with this fab dose of color to brighten your day!

And here's a peek at some of Marimekko's previous collections, which are just as bright and whimsical. Each design has so much character on it's own, and as a collection.  I imagine that every Marimekko print has a unique and special back story, making each Marimekko piece more curious and desirable, especially for those of us on the hunt for truly unique gems. 

Head over to the Marimekko website to shop their fabulous, patterned creations.  They are sure to beautify your home and your closet!

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Chic Home Tour Filled with Style & Charm

Jessica Camerata is the blogger behind the fashion and lifestyle blog, My Style Vita! She is also the co-founder of the blog community, The Blog Societies! Jessica shares her daily looks, beauty favorites, recipes and home decor inspiration on her blog. 

Jessica on personal style... 

I tend to be a bit of a mix of styles. Sometimes I feel pretty casual and simple in jeans, tee and slip ons, or I can be a little boho chic.  I think my blog has helped me try out lots of new styles so it can be a little all over the place sometimes. On a day to day running around town though, I'm definitely on the casual side of things and like to keep things simple.

On style at home... 

I love to wear things that make me feel good and that I love. I think I do that in my home as well. So many things were added in based on how I felt when I saw it or what it reminds me of, which makes my space a little more personal and eclectic. 

Jessica's favorite place... 

My favorite space in my home is probably my living room. It's where I spend the most of my time between working on my laptop or hanging out with Pork and watching TV. It's comfortable and cozy.

Jessica's favorites... 

Right now I'm all about comfort for some reason, it may be the fact that I now work full time from home, so my style is starting to lean more casual. I bought these Vans over the summer and have been living in them ever since. My favorite accessory of the moment is this marble and brass necklace I got at the new Madewell here at Ponce City Market in Atlanta. I have bit of an obsession with the marble/brass combo so when I found it in a necklace I just had to have it. I've been layering it with other favorite gold necklaces or by itself to dress up a simple white tee. 

Fashion & Accessory Love... 

Some of my favorite jewelry is from Gorjana who always has great pieces for layering. I also love Madewell. Their pieces are affordable and have a bit of a boho flare to them. And last but not least, I love BaubleBar for their trendy pieces. My favorite accessory lately has been ear jackets and they have the best collection and they're usually all under $35.

Goals for the future... 

I'd love for my brand to grow into something that really has staying power that people want to check out daily. I also hope to see The Blog Societies grow to become the go to source for inspiration, resources and networking. We're working hard to transform that platform into what we originally envisioned it would be and look forward to seeing how it evolves over even just the next year as we've expanded.

Photo Credit: Kimberly Murray Photography

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Artist Spotlight: Printmaker Alison Headley

Name: Alison Headley
Artform: Printmaking
Location: UK

Jacquin: How did you connect with printmaking as your preferred medium?

Alison: I have always enjoyed looking at printmaking and buying etchings, screenprints and Linoprints.  The textures and smooth luminous quality that you find in this kind of artwork fascinated me.  And although I've always loved painting and drawing I wanted to try something new art wise so when I saw a course in printmaking four years ago I decided to sign up for it. Even though I tried all the other techniques in printmaking (etching, etc.), it was Lino that instantly clicked with me.

Jacquin: What has been your favorite print to date? 

Alison: I can honestly say that each piece has a special place for me.  However, if I was to choose a significant image that I am drawn to more generally, it would be portraits.  I am especially fascinated by faces and love creating slightly oddball images that would possibly not happen in real life, like a bird standing on a girl's head or a beautiful butterfly landing on the tip of a lady's nose.  "Bird Perch" pictured above.

Jacquin: Tell us about your printmaking process.

Alison: I spend a lot of time on designing the image.  I usually draw an idea over and over until I feel I have the perfect balance for the Linoprint.  When I am finally satisfied I will trace my design onto the block and start cutting.  Depending on the size and design, this can take many many hours, not to mention blistered fingers and hands.

Jacquin: How do you select the subject of your works? 

Alison: My head is literally brimming with images I want to create on Lino.  It can get quite frustrating since I have to be selective, as not everything I think up will work well as a finished Linoprint.  Sometimes I've worked on a design for ages even traced it onto the Lino and then realised it just won't work well so have to scrap it.

Jacquin: What is inspiring you currently? 

Alison: I am inspired by so many things it's difficult to pin point just a few things.  Matisse is definitely the artist I'm drawn to when ever I need an extra shot of inspiration.  His ability to pare down an image to its essential lines and then turn it into something beautifully decorative is awe-inspiring!  I also love illustration and often think that some illustrators are in reality true artists!  Ana Juan and Olaf Hajek come to mind as artists/illustrators but honestly these are a tiny taste of what inspires me. 

Jacquin: What would the perfect day be like for you?

Alison: My Perfect day would have to be a sunny one (something which is rare in the UK).  I love love love spending time in London.  Definitely going to an exhibition, the Tate Modern is one of my favourites and the shop there is a treasure trove for art books.  Then enjoying Dim sum in Soho, a walk by the river and catching a play or going to the comedy store, finished by cocktails and dinner in a small French Bistro near Convent Garden.  Perfect!

To learn more about Alison Headley, visit her Artfinder page here. 

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