Category: Lifestyle

Lemon Tree Hotels launch universally accessible hotels in Gurugram

The Lemon Tree Hotel Company, the third largest Indian hotel chain by asset ownership in the country, announced the formal opening of its twin properties in Gurugram, thereby becoming the largest owner of hotel rooms in the millennium city.

Adding a collective inventory of just under 400 rooms, Lemon Tree Hotel, Sector 60 and Red Fox Hotel, Sector 60, located just off Golf Course Extension Road and a short distance from the key business hubs also houses a separate Convention Center with commercial and office space making it the largest accessible MICE destination in Delhi NCR.

In line with the fresh, fun and spirited ambience of Lemon Tree, these properties promise to delight its upbeat guests with their vibrant interiors, scrumptious food, impeccable facilities and the distinctive warm and friendly services that Lemon Tree is known for.

Speaking on this occasion, Vikramjit Singh, President, Lemon Tree Hotels said: “We are delighted to reach a milestone of six hotels in the city. Gurugram continues to attract business and leisure travelers throughout the year and the launch of these twin properties along with a Convention Center, only brings to fore the potential of this market and LTH’s successful run here.”

With this launch, Lemon Tree group now commands a joint inventory of 530 rooms in the city.

Designed on the principles of universal design, these special hotels allow people of varying abilities to access all areas of the hotel with ease and offer specially designed room and multiple suites for differently-abled guests.

They are a part of a unique initiative adopted by the company, wherein, Lemon Tree has taken its initiatives on inclusion to a new benchmark. Not only are these hotels 100% accessible for people of all abilities, but are also run by a special team.

As part of the group’s HR strategy, we usually hire 12-15% employees with disability and a similar percentage of persons from the economically and socially marginalized disadvantaged segments (EcoSoc) of the society. In a first-of-its-kind endeavor, 70% of the hotel staff in Lemon Tree Hotel, Sector 60 is either from the Economically and Socially marginalized segments of the society (EcoSoc) or differently abled (Employees with Disability).

Aradhana Lal, Vice President, Sustainability Initiatives, Lemon Tree Hotels explains: “We truly believe in mainstreaming and including people with disabilities and those from the marginalized segments in our employee base and provide them the same opportunities as others in order to realize their full potential. This launch is special to us. We are proud to introduce our new hotels in Sector 60, Gurugram run by a truly special team

Strategically nestled between high-end residential societies, the twin hotels offer easy access to HUDA Metro Station, Leisure Valley and Sector 29, the entertainment district of the city, besides being 20 minutes away from Signature Towers, IFFCO Chowk and the Mall mile on MG Road.

Lemon Tree Hotel, Sector 60 has been designed with innovative interiors and inspiring artwork that make for an ambience that is refreshing, contemporary and stylish. It has an inventory of 104 stylish rooms and suites, a 24×7 multi-cuisine coffee shop – Citrus Café and a hip recreation bar – Slounge in addition to a business center, a fitness Gym and open-air swimming pool.

Red Fox Hotel, Sector 60 is an economy business hotel and offers 154 smart rooms and suites, a multi-cuisine coffee shop – Clever Fox Café, a Cyber Kiosk, an efficient meeting room, a well-equipped fitness centre and laundry service. The hotel welcomes guests with its fresh bold interiors as well as crisp and clean rooms and delights with its unbeatable value and reliable safety standards.

With the opening of this new property, Lemon Tree Hotels now owns and operates 40 hotels in 23 cities with over 4100 rooms and over 4500 employees.

Day 2 at Asian Designer Week

The 2nd day of the Asian Designer Week was ruled by the NextGen Fresh Talent and NextGen Fashionpreneurs who exhibited vibrant and vivid ensembles that kept the audience hooked throughout the day. The highlights of the show included designers from Bangladesh, Srilanka & Singapore.

 

The second day of the Asian Designer Week Season 4 opened with NextGen Fresh Talent (Students) wherein ten very innovative and interesting designers showcased their out-of-the-box creativity and design concepts that caught the attention of fashion enthusiasts and designers from across the country. Hrishitaa Bhatt walked the ramp for the designer Nidhi Mehra (Aahana’s) who showcased scintillating combinations and hues, the collection was ideal for any occasion. Acid attack fighter, Ms. Ritu Saini also walked the ramp for designer Disha Chadha. Hon’ble Chairman Sadbhavna Sewa Sansthan and Advisor- Govt. of Uttar Pradesh Shri Anil Singh also marked his presence in the event. The new breed of designers which were categorized into NextGen Fresh Talent, NextGen Fashionpreneurs, NextGen Fashionpreneurs 6 degrees, Newgen Asian Designer and Asian Designers showcased the collection.

From a wide range of designers to myriad ideas, inspiration, and a blend of age-old traditional craftsmanship with contemporary, futuristic forward designs, the Day 2 of the Asian Designer Week was a significant event for the fashion industry. Promoting PM Modi’s ‘Make In India’ campaign, many designers incorporated India’s traditional fabrics and handlooms in their collection giving a glimpse of the rich Indian heritage.

I visited in the evening and first collection that I witnessed was by Veronica by Meenu Mehra and Varsha Sethi.

VERONICA by Meenu Mehra

The collection showcased customized & weaved fabrics using the techniques of jacquard that created the dual lighter and darker effect of the dye.

VERSHA SETHI by Versha Sethi

Designer Versha Sethi is a Rajasthan based designer who immortalizes timeless style in her bespoke designs. She is well-known for her meticulous craftsmanship, strong fashion sensibility and an undying love for fashion work. Her brand caters to the entire wedding trousseau of brides and consists of an incredible range of fabrics, intrinsically woven together to present bespoke designs.

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The collection that truly caught my eye was Aahana’s by Nidhi Mehra, beautiful colours and delicate cuts made the entire collection look very very feminine and chic.


Aahana’s by Nidhi Mehra was born as a concept 3 years ago with Nidhi’s first designer studio being launched and operated in Noida. Nidhi’s collection has been showcased and appreciated across 20 leading national and international fashion shows and events. Taking inspiration from the feminine passion with the bold yet ethnic apparels, each piece of the designer collection AAHANA’S by Nidhi Mehra couture represented class apart from combining beauty and confidence seamlessly together. With scintillating combinations and hues, the collection is an ideal wear for any occasion. Hrishitaa Bhatt sizzled the ramp as the showstopper for the talented designer.

She has been an active participant in various global business summits and has recently won the coveted ET Brand Award 2017 at the ET Global Business Summit 2017 in New Delhi. Over these last 3 years, through her passion and innate creative skills, Nidhi Mehra has made a huge mark in the fashion industry by bringing about a paradigm shift in outlook of the opinion leaders from the fashion fraternity.

Drive to Safety, a CSR initiative by ICICI Lombard

The total number of road accidents in 2015 was 5,01,423 as against 4,89,400 in 2014, representing an increase of 2.5%. The resulting number of deaths in 2015 was 1,46,133, as against 1,39,671, marking an increase of 4.6%. The number of people injured from these accidents was 5,00,279 in 2015, as against 4,93,474 in 2014, an increase of 1.4%.

Two-wheelers were involved in about 31.5% of the total road accidents in the country in FY2015, highest among all vehicle categories. Lack of professional driver’s training, non-use of safety gear (especially helmet by the rider and the pillion rider) and appropriate road safety behavior are among the major causes of road accidents. Age-specific data also shows that children are susceptible to road accident victims being below 14 years. In 2015, 54.1% of those killed belonged to the 15-30 year age group.

In 2016, ICICI Lombard introduced a unique CSR program named ‘Ride to Safety’. This initiative aimed at improving road safety scenario for children who ride two-wheelers as pillion riders. Workshops were conducted across cities to create awareness for road safety and more importantly, influence the driving behavior of two-wheeler riders. Apart from imparting necessary education to children and their parents on road safety habits, ICICI Lombard distributed ISI-marked helmets that children can wear when they ride two-wheelers as pillion riders. The Company conducted more than 150 workshops in Mumbai, Pune and Delhi till March 2017. Apart from spreading the road safety message, it distributed specially designed ISI marked helmets to 24000 children who attended these workshops.

Just yesterday an awareness program cum rally was organised at the Talkatora Stadium, Delhi. The occasion was graced by many eminent personalities like RSS leader Shri Indresh Kumar, Special Commissioner of Police, Shri Ajay Kashyap and also Shri Nitin Gadkari, the honourable Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways & Shipping.

The event saw many top schools of Delhi in presence and it was an eventful day for children as many special activities like Magic Show, Nukkad Natak and Mimicry Artists were lined up for kids. The children also walked up the stage and sang songs showcasing their hidden talents.

See here a ventriloquist engaging and entertaining the children

The session by Indresh Kumar was especially lot of fun for children and he passed on the message of road safety and need for helmets in an engaging manner. In fact all the activities weaved in the message in an interactive yet effective way.

Nitin Gadkari, himself gave helmets to a few children and then flagged off the rally. The emphasis of the rally was on use of helmets especially by kids who generally pillion at the back seat with adult drivers. The rally had experts riding bikes whereas kids from schools wearing these helmets pillioned.

I must say that it truly was a great event and also overall a great initiative by ICICI Lombard.

Speaking on the occasion, ICICI Lombard MD & CEO, Bhargav Dasgupta said, ” Ride to Safety campaign is a part of our vision to contribute to the community at large. This unique CSR program emphasises that children as pillion riders incorporate the road safety habit of wearing a helmet from young age. Our aim is to see each and every two-wheeler riding child with a helmet. We have already distributed 24,000 child specific ISI marked helmets to children. We are committed to this initiative and will be distributing 1,00,000 helmets in the next 5 years to children riding two wheelers as pillion riders.”

Look Good Everyday with ShopClues as it reveals its new Fashion Avatar!

ShopClues is India’s first and largest online marketplace and recently at an event they announced the launch of their new avatar focused on the fashion category. The underlines theme for this new campaign is #LookGoodEveryday, with focus on trendy clothes, matching jewellery and accessories and completing your look for everyday. The clothes, jewellery, accessories are all very very trendy and appealing and yet very affordable.

The launch event was organised at Nehle Pe Dehla by Niche, in CP and saw some of the leading fashion bloggers and media attend the event. The event had a very casual and party like approach with many exciting games and activities for the audience like Hoop the Trend, Tol Mol ke Bol and Dressing the Mannequin. Shopclues also showcased some of their best collections and also introduced their latest trends through a Fashion Show. I must confess that I fared very badly at the Tol Mol Ke Bol game, as every time I guessed the price for a product, it was much cheaper than my guess. The quality of the products didn’t let me guess it for less, but they truly were very affordable and surprised me every time when the price was revealed. After a few failures, I did manage to guess it right

Radhika Aggarwal, Co-Founder and CBO, Shopclues interacted with the audience and highlighted the idea behind the campaign. She said the focus was on giving a smart dressing wardrobe for which one doesn’t need to spend huge bucks and also there is something for every kind of shopper. Be it men or women, some one who wants simplicity yet look presentable or someone who wants to dress outstandingly, there is truly something for everyone.

Modern Roots is a latest collection for women that represents various handicrafts of India such as pure indigo to mirror work, the range is priced from 499 t0 1599.

Pinks, Yellows and Metallic is a Bollywood inspired collection starting from as low as 149. 9 to 5 Dressing, Flash Dance Shoulders, Summer Florals were some other collections for women. While for men, there was Layered Look, Smart Casuals and Mood Dressing.

Keeping this latest collection in mind, ShopClues has also launched a new TVC, take a look here

To check out the collection visit ShopClues

All I can say is that I had a lot of fun at this event and I now plan to do some shopping for myself from ShopClues.com, what are you waiting for..?

India Runway Week Season 8- Season of Gold, Shimmer and Cuts

Following India Runway Week and being a part of since almost 2-3 years, I can easily say that each year, it takes you to another level. Its definitely a growth story worth mentioning and Kiran Kheva has surely put in a lot of efforts to take it where it today is.

A mix of ace designers and some upcoming wonders, it was a perfect mix of fashion showcasing and also there were a lot of engaging activities for the audience to indulge in. Fashion shuttle was one such interesting activity, a person could go to the fashion shuttle, get dressed in designer wear, get a makeover done and then also get a photo shoot done, I mean it was a great idea. Then also there was a small exhibition area where in all the participating designers exhibited their collection and got the women drooling.

Also season 8 was really high in the shimmer and cuts when it comes to the designer wear showcased by designers. Gold as a colour flew all over and yet this all shimmer had a sense of class and elegance. It was gold and glitter but without being jazzy.

This season at Inda Runway Week redefined metallic, glitters. With color and shimmer being in focus for this season we need to watch out must haves for your wardrobe straight from the India Runway Week season 8 held recently.

Tisharth by Shivani– Tisharth by Shivani Jain brings GOLDEN SUMMER DREAM which is the colour of the sun and Golden are the dreams we weave, golden is the color of goddess and is considered as pious and sacred. Big Boss contestant Nitibha Kaul walked the ramp for the Delhi based designer.

Crmson by Nancy Sood– CRMSON by Nancy Sood collection emphasis on the women who glows in every shade ,diligent and conscientious towards a minutest responsibility,dedicated and devoted in all spheres, navigating her way through time for her to believe that she deserves to maintain her peace without any slightest hesitation.

Priyamvada Dalmia– Priyamvada Couture,’ was born from the deep desire to cater to young, confident women, who define fashion on their own terms. Bollywood Actress Mugdha Godse walked the ramp for Priyamvada. Focusing on Indian Ethnic Wear, this label curate pieces inspired from her own fashion sense and her role models from among the beaming fashion industry.

Clotho INDIA– Clotho showcased unputdownable collection with a pastel palette, nature inspired handwork and embellishments, recoloring nature in different hues and shades. They kept an involvement of translucent textiles with structural as well as falling silhouettes. Their Clothing line is the extension of one personality, not making it a trend but a part of a woman wearing it.

Ritambhara Paliya– Known for Luxury contemporary Indian wear, Ritambhara Paliya is a noted name in Indian Fashion Fraternity, whose hands are well skilled in designing outfits for women of all ages. Ritambhara Paliya specializes in Evening gowns, lehengas, Anarkali’s and maxi dresses and also into fairytale and destination weddings attires that are rooted in quintessentially Indian sensibilities but with the modern twist.

Pooja Peshoria– Pooja Peshoria showcased her fresh and glamorous summer collection ‘The Beauty of Reflection’ at the India Runway Week 2017. Inspired by the natural reflections which illuminate the ocean’s surface, the collection was strong and opulent yet fluid and feminine. Designed for the determined woman of today there was a blend of forward modernity yet rooted with traditional elegance and detailing.

Harkiran Basra– His prime focus was on bridal couture with off-shoulder blouses. Her collection had brocades and sequined dupattas. Her collection surely is a must have especially the dupattas, they were gorgeous.

Designer Mithi Kalra Launches her all new ‘Moonlight Collection’. Her collection is a spectacular sight to behold with her playing with the captivating designs in all white ethereal look. Moonlight basically transpires from the cosmos, which is a like a distant, beautiful space for her as the charm of moon stands almost unparalleled from ages. Through this collection, Kalra has made an effort to not only bring about the wondrous peaceful serenity and tranquillity of the universe but has also consciously tried her best to revive the monochrome trend in a novel avatar, like never before as she clearly believes in giving the style its due.

This year Ikreate had a chance to be the blogging partner for the day 3 of the event and it truly was an opportunity worth all the effort. My special thanks for Kiran and Surabhi, from Media Maniacs for bestowing me with this chance and I really look forward to the next season and more healthy associations.

 

SHOPPERS GALORE AT SPRING-SUMMER EDITION OF RUBARU

Even when the temperature is soaring high in Delhi, nothing can stop the enthusiasm and energy of fashion lovers from visiting the summer edition of Rubaru. Rubaru, which is a brain child of 3 friends, Durgesh Goel, Minal Aggarwal and Vandana Aggarwal is a collaborative effort to curate brands for a unique and stylized experience. It gives both the brands and customers their value for time and money. As a customer one gets to experience so many brands under one roof and the brands also benefit by getting a greater exposure. Such exhibitions are always a win win situation for everyone. In its 15th edition, Rubaru, yet again proved to be a fashion and lifestyle extravaganza.

Over 50 brands, specializing in summer-wear, organic materials, summer chic and wedding bling jewellery, home décor, juttis and footwear, and even interesting food products, it was a packed house at Lalit Hotel. Tarot reading on the side, bling footwear bang in the centre of the hall and noted FDCI designers Rahul Singh, Abhi Singh and Gaurav Jagtiani coming together to form the perfect ensemble for a fashionable day out. Out-of-town travellers included brands who’d come from Jaipur, Lucknow, Punjab, Himachal and even Goa.


“No two brands at our exhibition have overlapping products or styles, and I only pick brands that I enjoy or would love to shop from, to give people a quality shopping experience,” says Durgesh Goel, founder of Rubaru.

The collection showcased by the designers was really chic and classy, and some of the pieces were truly mind-blowing. It seemed like a shoppers paradise. Me and my friend and my mom, enjoyed walking through the entire exhibition, picking up our choices and even posing with some of the designer pieces.

Given a chance, would have picked up a lot more stuff from the exhibition, but holding on for the next edition to indulge and splurge.  Exquisite pieces of jewellery and some inso-western outfits really grabbed my attention and loved them.

A great evening spent splurging and having fun with friends..Rubaru was truly a delightful experience!

 

 

 

Smaaash Sky Karting and Pit Stop Brewpub- An enthralling experience!

Adrenaline pump, technological excellence and unexplainable thrill is what you get when you go sky karting at Smaaash. Equipped with the best in line technology, this sky karting is as thrilling as it can be but also at the same time, its extremely safe. Shaped like a canter, it excites you even before you enter this place. Its so wonderfully done.

The best of technology being used in the carts has been imported from Spain. These carts are all electric, top of the line and offer superior acceleration as compared to engine powered carts.Not just that, being electric also means that these carts are  noise, vibration and pollution free. Also the design and technology are so simple that those who have zero driving experience can also glide their way smoothly.

The racing track has been designed and executed by Germany based Protex Karting. The track features dramatic elevations meant to be battled with karts that are equipped with exclusive speed control. The Protex barriers instead of the old tyres which usually form the boundaries of the tracks have been deployed to give better and great safety to the karters. These barriers are spring loaded and shock absorbing which makes things more safe and sound.

I loved the fact that safety has been given utmost attention, making it a great experience especially for kids. Otherwise also, they provide everything thats required to make the karting safe, crocs, hair caps, helmets and neck rest and that too without any extra charge. They also ensure that when kids are karting, no adults are allowed, in order to avoid any rash encounters or bumping etc.

After a thrilling 5 minute lap, I settled down to watch the kids going for rides over and over again and enjoying themselves thoroughly.

We came down to the PitStop Brewpub after this fascinating experience to satiate our hunger pangs and I must say that the quality of food and drinks served at this place is just awesome. We tried Chicken Tikka, Oriental Chicken Basket, Tempura Stuffed Mushrooms, Beer Batter Fish N Chips, Galauti Kebab, Burrah Chop Adraki and Gosht Seekh Kebab and I must say that each of the dish was fantastic, no complaints at all. In fact I strongly recommend Stuffed Mushrooms, Seekh Kebabs and Burrah Chops, as they were outstanding.

Coming to desserts the PitStop Rush Sunday is a must have, and you can also try the Red Velvet Cheesecake and Brownies.

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Overall it was a great experience, full on thrill and entertainment and tasteful meal, what else can one ask for.

PitStop BrewPub Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Easter Special- Pet Themed Cakes & Cookies- Courtesy Eat Treat!

Its Easter, and baking is surely a mandate on this date, though we can go ahead with the regular Easter Special bakes and include the Easter Bunny in it, but isn’t it fun to anyway bake some pet themed cakes and cookies all around the year..

We often find ourselves wishing we could bring our furry friends to work or sneak them to parties, because our pets are the just the best things about us (no jokes)! We’ve found a yellow bunny cake and cute kitty cookies that the great folks on Instagram are talking about, for those of us who miss our puppers wherever we go. Pet themed cakes are just what you need.

So here is our pick.. take a look at these.. aren’t they so lovely..

http://eattreat.in/magazine/pet-themed-cakes-birthday/

 

Power Woman- Gita Gopinath, the woman behind Sundri, a world class salon!

When we talk about unisex salons, most of us end up thinking it as a new age funda, but not many know that there are women who have been ahead of times, and they did this some 27 odd years ago, yes 27..

Gita Gopinath is one such woman, who not only dared to dream but also fulfilled and nurtured her dream to the extent that today she boasts of a salon that is 27 years old. Gita was married back then when she started all this, she faced some resistance from her family, more so from the husband and in-laws side, but she did not give up. She was one amongst the first batch who was trained by Blossom Kochar, back then. Once she enrolled for the program with Blossom Kochar, there was no looking back. Starting with a small salon, today she has a multistories building to call of her own. Situated in sector 14 market of Faridabad, Sundri by Gita Gopinath is one of the most reputed salons in the city. Here is Gita Gopinath at her salon..

Gita at work

Equipped with the latest technologies and trends, today Sundri is a perfect mix of modern methods and age old experience. The place is a beautiful one indeed and Gita’s personality reflects in each corner of the place. I was so surprised to find a floor place dedicated to a small library having philosophical books, on positive mindset and lifestyle, exclusively for the members of the salon, where in they can sit in peace, read, relax and unwind. Its such a beautiful thought I must say and the credit goes to Gita for thinking and planning all this along with her designer Deepa Devarajan, who helped bringing that serenity to the place. Deepa not only helped on designing this floor, but she is responsible for the overall design of the salon and its a perfect example of one power woman meeting and collaborating with the other.

Gita Gopinath with Tamanna Sing and Deepa Devarajan

Coming back to Gita, she has not just successfully taken Sundri to newer heights, but also passed on the legacy to her younger son. Karthik Gopinath, Gita’s son was a step ahead of his mother, as he not just got inclined to this business of styling at a much younger age, but also added feathers to his cap by winning prestigious competitions into hair styling in his teens itself. He is a shy dude who knows his work well and lets his work speak instead of himself. With the mother son duo putting in all their efforts at the right place, I see the future of Sundri stronger than ever. It was a pleasure meeting both of them and learning so much about their life, their struggles, their perseveration and their devotion towards their work. Its truly inspiring to meet such people who are so clear of their dreams and leave no stone unturned to follow and realise them.

Gita with her team..

I wish them both a great deal of luck, and for all of my readers, all  I urge is that do visit Sundri once, get yourself pampered with their services and you will know how different your experience will be.

Ghungroo- Delhi’s Only Dinner Theatre, An Experience Beyond Words!

Tucked away at Parsi Anjuman, Bahadurshah Zafar Road, Ghungroo is Delhi’s one and only Dinner Theatre. The concept of dinner theatre in itself is very unusual and thoughtful at the same time and Rudra Experiences are doing a wonderful job of bringing different experiences for us to explore. An absolutely wonderful experience to spend an evening with family n friends. We recently got a chance to witness this and I am so glad we went for it, and trust me I already look forward to going there again, it was so wonderful.


The music and dance show which traces the history of Delhi from the times of its first documented ruler Prithvi Raj Chauhan to its present along with the Audio Visuals is a treat to watch.



As the mesmerizing performances take you through the journey of Delhi becoming the seat of power and it’s cultural impact across India, you are literally on the edge of your seat, and can’t take your eyes off the dancers.



Its  beautifully choreographed and equally well performed and each of the act deserves accolades.
A most interesting musical journey from the Sounds of Yore to the present day. Simply enthralling one hour spent and you cant have a better form of entertainment than this.

For us it was experience beyond words can describe and we created memories for a lifetime.


After the spellbinding performances  a gastronomical delight at Angaare the open air barbecue awaited us
An authentic Indian Barbecue which served delicacies as Seekh Kebabs, Chicken Tikka, Fish Tikka, Paneer Tikka and Mushrooms.
All slow cooked with delicate spices and perfectly done.
Also to accompany the tandoori delicacies were ChickenC, Dal Tadka and Vegetables along with  Tandoori breads.
For dessert there was the Shahi Tukda and Jalebi .Both awesome.
All in all great food and is highly recommended.
A great theatre experience followed by delicious food. Sitting out in the open and enjoying the sumptuous food is a treat.


Don’t miss this for anything, indulge in it and experience Delhi’s culture like never before, its totally worth your time and money, catch a glimpse here

You can check the details here and also book yourself a seat, http://rudraxp.com/daytrip/ghungroo-sounds-of-yore/ so what are you waiting for.. do it right away..

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