Kavita Koparkar studio- Bridal dream

Weddings are what fairy tales are made up of, it's the most important day in a girls life and she wants everything to be picture perfect. 

The whole experience is well thought of, planned and implemented for months right from the minutest details. The sweet memories of which linger on throughout the life.

Every girl aims and dreams to look her very best and beautiful on her special day. Grooming the bride and enhancing her beauty is one of the most important aspect of the wedding.

Taking this experience forward and adding to the fairy tale romance and charm is the newest concept in Pune - The Kavita Koparkar studio. 

They don't only do make up or enhance the beauty of the bride but this is the place where they make the dreams come true. This is where the princesses get ready and are pampered by the finest in the business for their D day. The studio is the major part of the dream wedding. 

 

The studio stands grand in the bustling Karve nagar. The three storied, 2500 sq feet studio is a marvel reminiscing one of the Peshwai Pune grandeur and opulence. It's designed on the basis of Pune's heritage and palaces/wadas. It's beauty inside and out and aptly sets the stage for the grand wedding themes to be followed. 

One entire floor is dedicated especially for brides and only as a Kavita's studio.

A floor houses gorgeous bridal attires, embellishments, accessories, jewelry which one can flaunt for nominal prices. (Leased out, especially for brides maids and NRI clients who are mostly hard pressed for shopping)

One floor is allotted for the bridal group, relatives and brides maids to get ready with the help of professional artist and stylist from the studio. 

The studio also houses a photo corner with luminous fabrics and rich backgrounds and effects for the photo shoot of the bride after she is decked up and all ready, so the photos can be captured when the bride is fresh and picture perfect. A photographer's delight and the bride's too. 

Every minute detail is taken in consideration. Kavita Koparkar studio is surely every brides dream come true. 

In tete a tete with the brain behind all this, the woman of the hour KAVITA KOPARKAR herself.

Kavita Koparkar owner of Papillon studio and the first Indian to have been trained from Cinema Makeup school Los Angeles, USA, has got yet another feather in her cap at such a young age. 

Throwing the doors open to her latest and biggest venture so far, how does it feel? 

Kavita -" Feels amazing, this being my dream venture and my dream come true after hard work and lot of efforts put in. "Working in the industry for 10 years she knew what were the areas she had to work on and improve especially after the rapid growth and globalization. 

"The bridal make up and grooming industry is one of the most rapidly growing one almost parallel with the film industry. "

"Weddings in India are a big affair and still there is a dearth of many things in Pune as well as Maharashtra regarding this" and you surely want to change this scene I chip in.

"First and foremost there was a need for a dedicated Bridal space to concentrate only on the bride and avoid the chaos and others problems which pertain to working on the bride at the venue which has shortcomings like special and adequate lights or space, wedding jitters due to all this which curtails my work and final outcome". Kavita says " it's funny and yet exciting now that I think of, I had the entire picture clear in my mind, right from the concept to the visualization everything was crystal clear to the hilt. Infact the people who were working on executing my concept also find it funny that how I knew it more than them that how the final picture is going to take shape." This just shows the confidence and clear goal she had in mind. Her goal being providing the Bride complete luxury and an experience to cherish right from the time the bride enters the studio. Kavita says, " Every bride on entering my studio should be like Oh Wow! and that should be the start of her journey into the fantasy and wedding fervor. Where I want to pamper the bride with comfort and luxury and treat her like a princess on her special day." 

Kavita tells us her concept studio has been getting overwhelming response and it has taken the wedding experience of any bride to a notch higher. 

She has big dreams for the future, " I want the brand to grow many folds, I have also started a academy in the studio, where my aim is to prepare parallel line of artists who are really good and efficient. I want to make the courses more structured, provide internships and take this venture to a higher level." On this note we bid adieu to her wishing her all the luck.

Kavita Koparkar studio has definitely opened a gamut of bridal services and experience for the brides to be of Pune. 

Hope you liked the article from Bhakti Diaries this month, do let me know what would you like me to talk about. Till then signing off, yours -

xoxo

Bhakti 

bhakti000@hotmail.com 

Guide to Winter food

P.S - This article was written by me for Citadel Magazine Magna Publications Pune 

The familiar chill is setting in marking the arrival of winter season. Its time to bring out the woolens from the closet, its time to warm up and welcome the season.
Winter season marks many a things like - festivals, a bout of cold, starting of a new year and many more, amongst all these, winter is also known for growing appetites. Our body craves food in winter and we generally feel more hungry to keep our self warm.
However we almost always reach for comfort food which is zero or low nutritional value and which does little to no good to the body and hence invites a bout of illnesses and low immunity.
Seasonal food is found in abundance and one must make complete use of what nature has to offer us and utilize it fully.
Seasonal food which is available according to different seasons helps our body build resistance and immunity and helps us through the season by making us healthy.
The seasonal food that we get is easy for the body to digest and it helps the body sustain different seasons and nourishes it. The importance of seasonal food is overtly understated.

Although in today's age we get everything all round the year due to advanced technology , the importance of seasonal food remains unchanged.

Lets have a look at the nature's winter food basket and what it has to offer to satiate our winter cravings.

Winter Nutriment

Apples



True to the saying - an Apple a day really keeps the illness at bay and thus the doctor away.
Keep these juicy, crunchy red jewels handy to bite away those winter blues. Apples boost the cardiovascular health and helps in preventing dementia, Parkinson's, Alzheimer, and many different types of Cancer. It is rich in fibre and antioxidants and helps the body fight against diseases. It is very good for weight loss too.

Apple pie is one of the favorite dish in winter all over the world.





Oranges


These citrusy, tangy colorful oranges are natural antibiotics which build the immunity of our body against common colds and cough. Consume them fresh and whole or sip on their juice, either way they are full of zest and flavor. Also do enjoy Grapefruit, Guava, Amla, Grapes, Pomegranate and Lemons for your supply of Vitamin C this winter.

Mustard Leaves.
Come winter and every Punjabi house is filled with the aroma of Sarson da saag and Makki di roti. Mustard leaves are a winter's delight. They pack in antioxidants, carotene, vitamins and minerals and add that much required pop of colour to the plate. One can experiment with different healthy yet tasty recipes. Apart from Mustard leaves, Methi, Palak and other green leafy vegetables are a good source of beta-carotene and Vitamin C which are powerful antioxidants, they help to fight diseases and build immunity.




Carrots

Carrots are another seasonal gem, being rich in not one but varied vitamins namely vitamin B, C, D ,E ,K  and indirectly even vitamin A. Be it carrot juice for breakfast, carrot salad or pickle in lunch and the very yummy must have (mummy ke haath ka ) Gajar ka Halwa for dinner, carrots are yummy in every avatar.





Halwa in all forms make for a good winter breakfast and are tasty and nutritious.

Soups

Soups make for the perfect evening snack in winter or a meal by itself. These magical potions are tough on those stubborn cold and cough and vanish the winter blues. Soups have a comforting effect on us. The vegetables and herbs retain their nutrients better in soup than in any other cooked form. Soups help to control weight, they also boost the immunity of the body. They help in controlling the blood pressure. Soups make us feel satiated and keeps us feeling full for a longer time. A warm bowl of soup can work wonders on a cold winter day.



Hot Cocoa
A mug of Hot Cocoa laced with cinnamon and topped with marshmallows is enough to get a hearty smile to even the gloomiest of moods. Hot Cocoa is an all time favorite of kids as well as adults alike. Winters are made of snuggling in the blanket, reading a book while sipping on this warm concoction. This heavenly drink also comes with loads of benefits. Its a proven fact that hot cocoa contains antioxidants which reduces the risk of heart diseases. Flavonoids found in the drink boosts cardiovascular health by improving the blood flow. No wonder winter and Hot Cocoa go hand in hand.





Peanuts

The quintessential Indian snack. One can't have enough of this in any form, be it - boiled, roasted, fried, salted, spicy, with jaggery or simply plain. My personal favorite being peanuts and jaggery, another winter staple diet. Peanuts are filled with proteins, carbohydrates, calcium and fats. Coupled with jaggery they generate heat in the body in winters. Chikkis of peanuts and jaggery are consumed with gusto in all households in winter.






Dry fruits

In winters, throughout the day the body craves for little snacks or nibbles. Dry fruits are the best bet to carry around and keep yourself feeling full in a healthy way. Keep a small box of dry fruits handy in the bag to banish food cravings on the go. Dry fruits retain the essential nutrition value of fresh fruits in the best way possible. They are instant energy boosters and keeps one recharged all through the day. They are rich source of fats (good fat), fiber, magnesium and vitamin E. Dates keep the body warm.



Peas

Peas are a general favorite. I, myself am a big pea eater and a massive fan of this green beauty. I have an old ongoing love affair with these perfectly round green pearls. One just needs to add them to give any dish an instant appraisal. Loaded with phytonutrients, having anti inflammatory and antioxidants properties. They also help in preventing stomach cancer. Big things definitely come in small sizes. Besides, after a hard cold winter day Mutter Paneer, Alu Mutter, Peas pulav make for a perfect wholesome and yummy meal.



Eat with the season. Stay fit and healthy, enjoy wholesome and tasty food this winter.

Until we meet again.

Do let us know your favorite winter recipes.

xoxo
Bhakti
 

Drive in the Rain...

Monsoons are the best time for drives as the road beckons you to come experience the beauty of the nature and be enthralled.
Pune boasts of a lot of green areas and picturesque landscapes around the city which become splendid in rain. There are a number of monsoon destinations at a short distance from Pune.
One such weekend we traversed Mulshi whilst it was raining, we took an impromptu drive, as the climate was perfect and ideal for a beautiful journey.
Monsoon drives make everything all the more gorgeous and enticing.The road leading to Mulshi itself is gorgeous and beautiful however I was in for a shock as all I could lay eyes on for a greater part of our road trip was constructions, unplanned development , ugly structures and bungalow schemes. I was really heart broken seeing the nature rapidly being eroded, destroyed mercilessly. Finally after what seemed like ages, farms started creeping in slowly and got a sudden joy, happiness and surprisingly a drastic change in the climate.
Mulshi being a rice growing small village is all busy in rainy season, it has the mulshi lake and thus the road is dotted with small rivuklets ,waterfalls, streams which finally joins it. Everywhere I laid my eyes I found beautiful rice farms and men and women working in their make shift rsincoats (ghongdis).
The mist looms magical tales around the mountains. Its like we are straight into a fairytale book. The road was so beautiful filled with amazing sights, eyes could hardly behold.

Have a look for yourself - 

We started late afternoon with a light snacks, some packed sandwiches, fruits and water (I always prefer to carry my own water bottle from home especially in rains.).

Mulshi is hardly an hour and a half from Pune and a sleepy paddy village with Tata lake and picturesque setting. The views are really mesmerizing and one cant help but get drawn to them. We couldn't get enough and continued on the Tamhini Ghat road which is renowned for the beautiful gurgling waterfalls dotting its landscape (the roads leading towards Tamhini is not that great and very patchy). Mulshi has its own share of waterfalls and rivulets everywhere you lay your eyes.

 

A Hamlet just out of a fairytale.

 

I was a little girl all over again, playing in every stream, waterfall and rivulet I could manage to get in.

 

 

 

Here goes my favorite pink umbrella. 

 

Should I laugh or should I cry :)(

 

 

Such awesome weather does wonders to the appetite.

 

A perfect drive. A perfect weekend. 

This drive really got a smile to my face and a sparkle back in my eyes.

Mulshi remains one of my favorite monsoon weekend getaway.

One can just go for a drive and enjoy the sights, have hot tea and snacks at the small humble eateries or have a day trip carry your lunch and have a picnic spread finding a good spot or one can even visit a resort and spend time. I am up for all options.

What do you like? Let us know..

What I wore-

Shorts and capris remain my monsoon favourite however it was too cold for either of them.

Denims- Levis
Cardigan- Splash
print Singlet- Ginger
Footwear- Goa Market
Umbrella- Mahabaleshwar market

You can shop for my look here

cardigan

top



 

here

top

 

heart umbrella

 

jelly monsoon flip flops

 

footwear

xoxo
Bhakti