Sunday, 11 November 2018
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Brothers in Confectionery- Tewari Bros Confectioners






Tewari Bros Confectioners, as the name suggest it brothers so like many brothers, they have their outlets at many places, I have been to their Chandni Chowk and Connaught Place at both the places, and truly speaking I feel luckily enough for been both of them. The variety of sweets and taste they offer is amazing simply lip smacking. Their staff is also very courteous and kind, overall ambience seems very good but their prices seem to be little overpriced. Apart from sweets they also serve mouth-watering chaats like Gol Gappe, Bhalle Papri, Pav Bhaji and ice creams. Their Rasmalai, Kaju Barfi, Jalebi are definitely must try!

Ambience - 2/5

Service- 3/5

 Food-3/5

Value for money: 2/5










Sunday, 4 November 2018
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A questionnaire with Gauri Dixit

So this month featuring authoress is ' Gauri Dixit'




Can you tell us a little about yourself?      Your profession and your hobbies!!

I was born in Nandurbar, Maharashtra and have been living in Pune for the last 30 years. A graduate in Microbiology and Masters in Computer Management, I am working for 25 years as a software professional.

I love to read, write, travel and have been bitten by the shutterbug recently. A couple of years back I also performed in a unique theatre show “99 Women” in Pune. The show endeavoured to bring 99 women from different walks of life together (most of them non-actors) to put up a professional theatre performance that told stories of 99 women, based on a concept by French writer Genevieve Flaven.

I write English poetry. My poems have been featured in multiple Indian and international anthologies. I am a regular contributor to many poetry pages and e-zines of repute such as Destiny Poets UK, Duane's Poetree, Glomag, Kubili Cafe, Learning & Creativity, Mind Creative, Spillwords and Stanzaic Stylings. I recently won the 'Reuel International Prize for the Most Promising Poet - 2018'.  My first poetry book 'In my skin, I find freedom' was recently released.

A questionnaire with Gauri Dixit 


1.  How did you first get involved with writing, are you an imaginative person?

I am an avid reader and Marathi was one of my favourite subjects. I loved to write essays during exams. MY essays would always be creative and different. That was as far as my writing goes during school days.

Five years ago, I encountered Friday poetry prompts to put in by one of the senior leaders in my organization and poems started flowing. After that, I met with this amazing group of friends online, called 'The Significant League' who helped me to appreciate, learn, read and refine poetry.  After poetry, I ventured into short stories and book reviews.

2.  What do you find most challenging about your writing?

With a busy schedule at work and home, finding quiet and focused time for writing is challenging. But for something that one is passionate about, one always finds the time. I have cut down on other things such as watching TV, to some extent reading as well.

3.  What do you do when you are not writing?

Climbing hills, clicking pictures, cleaning around the house, watching movies on Netflix, eating and many other things and of course my day job :-) 

4. Where do you see yourself in the next 6 months, and 5 years down the road?

I believe in taking life as it comes. I would love to spend time reading good literature, writing, travelling the world, exploring newer areas of work at the workplace to broaden my horizons and then see where life takes me.

5.  How do you keep coming up with material/content for your story?

It all comes from experiences that come with living, interacting with people, reading, new places.

6. Any specific tips you have for new writers who want to make it big in the world of published books?

I am new to writing and a first time published writer. So all I would say is that if you believe in your writing, go for it. Do thorough research for finding the right publisher and focus on marketing.

7.  What’s the best thing a writer can give to his readers?

Even if a writer is able to leave one single thought that will change lives with the reader, that is the best thing to happen.

8.   A lot of people are interested in writing for the money earning potential. What are some tips for people interesting in making money from writing? What are some realistic expectations in regards to what can be made?
For making money I believe that it would need some luck, a lot of research, excellent marketing and good platforms. I have just started to write so perhaps I am not the right person to answer this question in detail.  Writing well, writing consistently and reading good literature is the key.

9. What motivates you most in life?

Everything about life motivates me. It is such a pleasure to find the beauty around oneself and show it to the world be it through photography or poetry or stories.

10.The majority of the readers tend to take sides due to religion and such other considerations.

It is unfortunate how people have started relating religion to everything in the past few years and how they are taking it to extremes. The tolerance and acceptance seem to have vanished. Lot of it could be politics, media, stress etc. I just hope that it will change quickly through the efforts of writers, artists, human beings. Like Victor Pinchuk says "Art, Freedom and Creativity will change society faster than politics"

11.   What is the story behind the name of your book?

My book is titled 'In my skin, I find freedom'.

Poetry helped me to introspect, to understand myself, to get comfortable with who I am and to find the freedom within. It helped me to understand that freedom is not given, it is an attitude that one needs to wear with their skin.



12.  What are your views on increasing plagiarism?

It is a vast topic. Plagiarism has been there, is there and will be there as long as we create. With the technological advances and stricter rules/regulations it could be controlled but it is not possible to eradicate it 100%.

Sunday, 28 October 2018

ख़ुमार...
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ख़ुमार...

 हर नज़र में तेरी ही तलाश हैं...,हर धड़कन को तेरा ही इंतज़ार हैं..! हर फूल तेरे ही नाम हैं...,हर ख़ुशबू में तेरा ही ख़ुमार हैं...! गिरती बरसात की बूंदे जब भी...,खोले पिटारा तेरी ही यादों का...! ठंडी चलती पुरवाई में तेरा ही एहसास हैं...,उड़ता पंछी बहता बादल देता तेरा ही संदेश हैं...! हुआ मेरा ही दिल मुझ से ही बेगाना हैं...,फिर भी ना जाने क्यों हर पल तेरा ही एहसास हैं...! तेरे संग रहने की फिर चाहत हो जाती हैं...,अनजाने ही आ जाने वाली मुस्कान तेरा ख़्याल दे जाती हैं...! दिल फिर तेरे साथ का तलबगार हो जाता हैं...,दिल को मेरे तेरा ही एहसास हो जाता हैं...! दीपx

Sunday, 21 October 2018
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Ice Cream from a Frozen Stone - Frozen Stone


A few weeks ago on my visit to GIP mall, after having my dinner in the food court on the 3rd floor, a loud sound of a something metallic hitting a stone constantly drew my attention towards it. When walked towards the direction from where the sound was coming it was Ice Cream counter named ‘Frozen Stone’. A man on the other side of the counter was making Ice Cream cups in a different manner and it was amazing to watch. I tried there Chocolate special flavour, which was indeed astonishing with lots of nuts and crunchy crunch in it.

Ambience - 3/5

Service- 4/5

 Food-4/5

Value for money: 4/5





Monday, 15 October 2018
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Questionnaire with Authoress-Neelam Saxena Chandra



This month featuring authoress is ' Neelam Saxena Chandra'

Can you tell us a little about yourself? Your profession and your hobbies!!


I am an Engineer by profession. I cleared the Indian Engineering Services Exams and am a Class I officer with Indian Railways, presently, posted as General Manager (Electrical) at Mahametro, Pune.I am a very moody person, enjoying different things at different times. I paint, I anchor events, I act and I write.

1.       How did you first get involved in with writing, are you an imaginative person?I was a very coy and introvert person as a child. My classmates must have rarely heard my voice, except when it came to answering questions raised by teachers. However, I would listen to books and open up my heart to my diary. I used to write poems at that time.


Yes, I am a very imaginative person. After joining Railways, I began compering for events and I loved using short poems written by me. I also started writing short skits and would not only act in them, but I would also direct those skits. After my daughter was born, her craving for a story a day kept the imaginative person in me live till I finally wrote down those stories and sent them for publishing. That marked the beginning of my writing journey.


2.       What do you find most challenging about your writing?

Writing is in itself a challenge, especially when my professional life is so very demanding. However, since I derive my satisfaction from it, I am able to find the energy to write every day.


3.       What do you do when you are not writing?As I said, I can never sit quietly. I keep trying various things. I may just cook a dish, go out for a walk, read a little or play table tennis.


4.       Where do you see yourself in the next 6 months, and 5 years down the road?

I am not really very ambitious and I don’t have a fixed destination. I am enjoying my journey, all the time confident that there must be some place where I will go, for I can never stop.


5.       How do you keep coming up with material/content for your story?

There are so many stories happening in and around you every moment, every day. I just think of the possible outcomes and what would such a protagonist do in such a circumstance and what would make him/her do that. Mostly, a story is born out of my thought process.


6.       Any specific tips you have for new writers who want to make it big in the world of published books?
I would like to advise the new writers that you have to deserve every bit of your success. So, slog for it, read a lot, write well and then only can you be successful. After all, there is no short cut to success.



7.       What’s the best thing a writer can give to his/her readers?A good story/poem which makes his/her readers brood, either encouraging them or making them good human beings by being able to have different prospective in one situation.


8.       A lot of people are interested in writing for the money earning potential. What are some tips for people interesting in making money from writing? What are some realistic expectations in regards to what can be made?


I would like to tell such writers that there is hardly any money in writing as such unless you expand your horizons and make your name by staying in the industry for years. These days, everybody is writing, and you have to be different to be able to become popular. There may be promotion campaigns, but none of that succeeds in the long run if you don’t write well.


9.       What motivates you most in life?Every breathes that I take motivates me. I am motivated by every ray of sun in the morning, I am enthused by the fact that I have yet another day to do what I want and I am inspired by the knowledge that there are so many others who do better than me just because of their willpower. If they can, so can I.


10.   The majority of the readers tend to take sides due to religion and such other considerations.Yes, that is an unfortunate fact. However, I’ve always propagated the fact that God is one and there is nothing more divine than true love. I too have a lot of steady followers and I am sure that others like me too must be having them.


11.   What is the story behind the name of your book?My latest book is titled “Tales from Venus” and is published by LiFi Publications. This is a collection of short stories related to women. A woman is a palette of hues and has various shades to her persona. She desires nothing, but love. If she feels loved, she shines, opens her wings and touches the sky; radiating the whole world. If she does not, she cribs for some time may get angry too; but then finds her own horizons in the space provided. She does not stop anywhere. She is always adapting to the situations and then also modifying herself accordingly and learning to grow in the worst of situations. Tales from Venus makes you aware of the various colours of a woman right from teens till she matures. There are tales that tickle your bones, tales that make you feel emotional, tales of courage, tales of treachery, tales that thrill you and tales that make you happy. Ultimately, you are bound to remain glued to the book because of the surprise element offered by each story.


12.   What are your views on increasing plagiarism?
Plagiarism is not new and has been taking place since long. However, it has become all the more rampant because of easy availability due to the internet. Several times, material written by me was sent to me as a forward without my name. There are certain tools like “your quotes” which quickly show when the poem was first published. I suppose other solutions will also come up due to technological innovations.