Vedasri Siddamsetty

recent posts

about

Living it up .

  • There’s something about brick!

    The warmth of terracotta has always surpassed the steely resolve of concrete, since as human being we thrive on warm connections, little does it matter that concrete has more resolve, more strength and more load bearing capacity, we feel drawn in to the softness of clay, its highest strength cousin, the brick, and only after the clay has undergone the firing process, its hardship becoming it’s mettle of strength. Yet the colour, the texture and the porosity of it wins us every time. There are the preferrers of concrete just as there are the lovers of brick yet the warmth quotient of a material is undeniable. One person recently remarked to be about how the T1 terminal of the Bengaluru Airport is so grey and steely while the T2 terminal is so warm and fuzzy with it’s brick walls and ample use of bamboo. Yet another lamented to be about how the T2 encourages such extravagant waste of time and the T1 with its steely structure gets the job done. Again the competition between brick and concrete comes down to the competition between the Maximalist and the Minimalist, my local fashion designer proclaimed that a good designer is always a maximalist, and as she declared the mandate, ace-designer Vinita Chaitanya came to my mind as did her extravagant reels with Maximalism personified and I found myself agreeing to her proclamation. Vinita herself declares a minimalist, a depressed and a soul with a psychological problem. But soon I found myself thinking about this matter.

    While minimalism is the need of the hour, just take a look at the landfills in this country, the waste incinerators in first-world countries and the plastic stuck in the ocean and I would have won you over on the case of minimalism. Mostly the ones who send others to the psychologists office are the ones who should be visiting the psychologists office, in any case, today shrinks need shrinks to function, so Vinita’s statement is to certainly be taken with a pinch of salt. Less is more says Mies Van de Rohe and while it may be more, it also depends on what the less is. The best designer is the one who makes minimalism feel like maximalism, that makes us know and feel that minimalism is not scarcity but actually abundance. Because we all want to feel abundant and truly thats how we should always want to feel. Feel, in design and building of the environment feel is the keyword, just like in life, you’ll forget soon enough what a person was wearing but will remember for long how they made you feel. Even a feel of good or bad is very remembered as they say the body remembers. The feel of a shiny granite on the feet is very different as the feel of the matte texture of the shahbad stone. The feel feel the most in the world am told by an acupuncture doctor than even the heart, the hands come a close second. No wonder textural play is such an important part of the transition from babyhood to toddlerhood. It is ever said that the more textures a baby is exposed to the faster the brain development occurs.

    In that case, the texture of the materials in our environment matter a lot, though our brains are probably got growing at the speed of a baby’s! Yet the matter is that a variety of texture all day, and a variety of activity with our hands also win as far as we are dealing with the brain. But just like covering a concrete wall with thinner brick tiles dont quite make the cut like covering a cake with fondant, the real beauty is when the form is visible rather than a veneer. Solid wood is the real deal, not the veneer. Well now make in India sounds like the real deal. Its more than vernacular, more than local, while being local is always good for the environment and the beings in it, the urge for a global outlook, makes any land progressive. And then there is the question of why we want to be progressive? Again it comes down to the brain and the body to feel expansive, to be open to building something grander than the self. And its here that colour, texture, proportion and form all matter, in creating a feel. Sometimes the feeling is directed and at other times the feeling is the by-product. Yet being mindful prevents the mindfull from happening and the mindful zone is certainly the more peaceful zone, the quality of peace is what is desirable, and when peace is combined with a sense of space or expansion, the design goal as with the life goal (er gold) is struck!

    There’s something about brick, its proportion, its steadiness, its intergrity, its strength and the numbers of it that it takes to make a wall, contributing to a maximalist feel, a feel without really being the thing, but not the brick tiles ofcourse!

    https://www.architecturaldigest.in/story/inside-filmmaker-hansal-mehtas-unpretentious-retreat-in-mahrashtras-roha-salt-studio/?uID=3f71c20bc69b5965caed58d311b763526ecef2c228198d3dbd77ca7f6844618b&utm_campaign=ad_Daily&utm_source=newsletter&utm_brand=ad&utm_mailing=AD_Newsletters_Daily_2026-07-10&utm_medium=email&utm_term=AD_NEWS_AD_Daily

  • VOCing the Talk!

    The Volatile Organic Compounds is abbreviated as VOC, in paints and adhesives they are carbon-based chemical solvents that evaporate into the air at room temperature and almost every trending interior design materials are drenched in it. Ever had a cold once you inhabited a newly painted room? Well you know what we’re dealing with then. The interior spaces are the first spaces where we embrace our environment, with lesser ventilation they dont give us enough light or air that we may need. While wellness has rightly creeped into our clothes, make-up (nail paint is no longer a status symbol), accessories (plastics are fast making their way out) and natural materials or concoctions with natural ingredients have begun to be seen in our consumerables, our built environment too definitely needs an upgrade to become well, not just for the sake of the environment or the ethos of sustainability but mostly for our own hedonistic benefits.

    Ofcourse one way to go about this is to go with products and materials that have been listed with a low VOC, those could include paints and solvents that do not embody any of these compounds that are injurious to health else there is a way to truly understand materials. Natural materials with their textures are not just wonderful to see, they also feel extremely wonderful to feel. While concrete isn’t a natural material, it is completely free of VOC’s, and like the other natural materials of stone, wood, clay, bamboo, hempcrete that aren’t releasing low-vibe compounds into our being. Our commitment to ourselves and the environment may well be to steer clear of such.

    Citing a few examples for a better understanding, the most popular interior building material is plywood with it’s dangerous synthetic glue that continuously off-gas formaldehyde. Once you see how plywood employs tons of urea-formaldehyde, switching to engineered timber or soy bonded plywood makes a lot of sense. Wood plastic composites and low emission ply woods are options better that the traditional plywood. Educating ourselves and our carpenters alike would be very useful. Veneer is a natural wood slice, yet the application of it is largely hinged on high-VOC solvent contact glues, if veneer application is much desired then low-VOC glues are an alternative or natural linoleum veneers work. High Pressure laminates fuse paper and plastic-based phenolic resins under intense heat, offering very little end-of-life recyclability and instead paper-based composites, natural mineral and stone surfaces require zero chemical sealing. Woven ratten panels are increasingly growing in popularity for their durability and appeal. Stainless steel has no VOC compounds but even if not, mild steel when degreased and powder coated present a highly durable finish without a hazard.

  • Facing East

    The sun rises in the east, and sets in the west and we are beings powered by the sun, hence greeting the sun every morning is a boon. I can tell the difference in the vibe of an early riser and a late riser, its the vibe of the sun. Us Indians are deeply connected to the sun on a physical, mythical and mythological level, even the worshippers of the moon cannot deny its dependency on the sun. We are so dependent on this yellow star that its lack is a sure cause of despondency. Every home owner wants their house to face east, in India, even businesses are said to thrive when they face east. While Vastu shastra lays down certain rules, obviously the rules are contextual, it mainly seeks to leverage the geography of the planet. Courtyard houses and dwellings in the past are directionally aligned, keeping the centre point of the home free and open to receive the blessings of the divine, the Stack effect is just another scientific learning.

    What happens then directionally if the house faces east, by faces we mean the main road or entryway adjoining the residence is to the east, then the other living spaces are aligned such that the master space is on the south west corner, the kitchen in the south east, the children are accommodated in the north-east, gaining the best of the morning sun, and the north-west is perfect for the flow of water or the washrooms. Of course the actual science is not as easy as that and requires minute modelling of the space. Today, there are remedies for a house not facing east, like putting in copper bars to make up for what the house lacks, well much like the remedy of a smile, apparently just keep smiling and one can change their fate, happily!

    However, there is merit to the science and as the naysayers roll their eyes, it would be perfect for them if they do that while facing east!

  • Spell-bounding Sikkim!

    Joining into the Indian fraternity last of all, here is an Indian state that is not from any standards the least of all. With a bustling education scene, pharmaceutical manufacturing scene, spiritual embodiment scene and an air quality index that the world can only learn from, the first green and completely organic state of India, is Sikkim at the frontier of all things that the future would ideally look like! All the credit decidedly goes to the former Chief Minister who ensured that pesticides and chemical fertilisers were completely banned from the state roughly over 10 years ago, now every produce from the state is totally organic. The humility and the soundness of the people is truly marvellous as is their devotion to their mountain deity, Mt Kanchenjunga, a five peaked mountain that is also the third highest mountain in the world at 8548m above sea level. While the government of Sikkim has banned the climbing of this peak, to honour the sentiments of the Bhutia and the Lepcha Buddhist communities that find climbing of the Kanchenjunga alike to desecrating the Goddess, the mountain peak is still mountable from its Nepal side, the government of Nepal collect huge amounts for scaling this mountain.

    While Kanchenjunga forms the main attraction in Sikkim, the state offers spectacularly picturesque sights from its Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western fronts. To the North is the Nathu La pass, an extremely important breakaway of the Himalayas from India to China, Nathu La also was an important point of the erstwhile Sillk Route that allowed the passage of goods from China to Persia and further into Europe. The treacherous mountains soften in the two major passes of the Khandungla and the Nathula, both that below to India. The passes are heavily guarded by the Indian Army, with Nathu La being especially guarded by the spirited soldier by the name of Baba Harbhajan Singh, who has been gone in body about 50 years ago but a dextrous and zealous army man guarding the front even today! He is replete with all the army honours including paid leaves, awards and recognitions. In return he cautions the army regiment on duty at the front on enemy activities and keeps the guards awake in the miserable cold! One for the record and one for the supernatural, his temple is key to the fact that not everything that happens in this world can make total sense to the most sensible organ, the mind! Our drive upto the Nathu La pass was nothing short of splendid. The winding roads of East Sikkim are not as curvy as the Western forests of Sikkim, but with the falling of snow deeply hazardous. With fresh snowfall at Nathu La the entire scenery was transformed like a moving picture into a winter fairy wonder land. The entire pass blanketed in snow is extremely beautiful and at an altitude of over 14000-odd feet truly surreal. With altitude we did not feel any sickness but perhaps we were entranced by the beauty around us and with the quirky Adrin-ridden playlist of our driver. The Nepali influence is grand in the region and the singer doled out life lessons in every song with a beat we could not stop grooving to. Fresh snowfall in May? Well the answer remains in how the world is turning and we the people of it are turning out! This part of Sikkim is also home to the serene Tsomgo Lake where the world literally stops and the rather still lake is circumambulated by the sturdy Yaks who seem very much at ease in that temperature and the altitude. With no tourist service at Nathu La in terms of food is very much made up with full spectrum cell phone service from Chinese telecom and a prompt change of the time in our phones, signalling China time! The 5 time zone spanning country still tersely uses one time zone across all its zone and it is amusing to find our clocks chime to theirs while at Nathu La!

    East Sikkim is where the capital and the most populous city of Sikkim is, Gangtok! It is also the most happening city with way too much activity in almost all sectors. Its MG Marg is so quaint that one cannot help but fall in love with the scrumptious food, the delectable fare from all its cafes and the traditional local fare that is served up along its pedestrianised central spine. Ice-creams in this cold city are up for grabs with the local Sikkim milk cooperative launching its own ice-cream parlor the day we stepped onto the Marg. Unlike the usual mall roads of hill stations, this marg actually houses a mall on its parallel road, a very on point West Point mall stocked with the latest fashion. While the seven sister states of India are known for their fashion sense, the eighth brother that Sikkim is fondly called is not far behind. A fact seen all over the state as women walk past in their pretty skirts and the men are equally trim in build and fit. The fact that this state shares such close proximity with Bhutan kind of rubs them both equal in the way that nature is treated, Bhutan is known for its cleanliness and nature consciousness, attributes that can be awarded to the Indian state of Sikkim as well. The best of Bhutan is keenly felt in Sikkim too, but ofcourse these two zones are very different from Nepal in terms of these two facts, yet Sikkim borrows heavily from Nepal in terms of language and culture. The Buddhist monasteries leave a keen imprint on the ethos of this region but particularly on Sikkim, Tibet and Bhutan. The Tibetan influence on the Buddhism practiced here is very keen, the Vajrasana mould of Buddhism that puts nonviolence or ahimsa at the apex. As the BRO signs say all over the upper roads, “Why be a Gama when you can be a Lama”. It literally doesn’t translate to but conceptually translates to why be an ordinary person when you can be spiritually aligned!

    The Enchey Monastery that we visited was very special as the monk here gathered flying powers after his deep meditation! The hymns of “Om Mani Padme Hum” fill the hills as the prayer wheels are rotated all across the region. The calmness is surreal as is the feel of the place replete with positive energies. As birds chirp in region and sun glints on the icy peaks we made our way to the West but not before seeing the beautiful Himalayan zoo and the gorgeous Orchidarium that pays homage to the joyous and deeply classy flower of the orchid flower, of whose 515 specie are found in this state. Orchids that are found all over the world in different colours and constructs are deeply admired for their beauty. The Orchidarium is a very well designed museum for this flower that showcases its various forms and functions. Vanilla is a type of an orchid, a bit of knowledge I gained here too during the visit to see this spectacular flower, and in the zoo I learned of the Red Panda, a cat like, panda faced creature red in colour, also the state animal of Sikkim. It is so exotic to see and climbs a tree resting on it like a pro! The Himalayan zoo is very interesting in that it is not meant to be like a traditional zoo with the visitors peering into the animals living there but lends a very natural setting to the visitor almost like an experiential quality that blurs the cages between the habitats of the animals and the visitors. The Yak that we found all over the Northern Sikkim is housed at the highest most point of the zoo, for the yaks, any altitude of less than 7000 feet is truly lethal. Looking dressed to the T in fur coats, these yaks are domesticated for fun rides for the tourists and locals alike. Rich in colour the tapestries of Sikkim are liberal in their use of the reds, yellows, blues and all the other tertiary colours that make for resplendent objects against the blue and white of the sky and the snow. At the revered Hanuman tok and the Ganesh tok one is treated to spectacular views across the Valley and spirituality like none other. Hinduism is also a major religion in Sikkim heavily borrowing from its neighbour, the only Hindu country in the world, Nepal. A majority of the people in Sikkim continue to be Hindus inspite of the influence of the region and the prominence of Christianity around the world.

    While Southern Sikkim is replete with agricultural produce, all organic and all good for the gut, western Sikkim is still forested and deeply at that. Pelling the other city we stationed at, is much smaller that the state capital yet extremely beautiful in make and belief. Pelling brings one closer to the Mount Kanchenjunga roughly about just 40 km from this glorious peak, one that is all about giving away wishes to its worshippers. In fact there is a lake in the vicinity called the Kheocheopalri lake that is called the wishing lake! It is a foot shaped lake and legend has it that birds allow no leaves to rest on the lake immediately pulling out the leaves that drop onto the sheet like lake, it is surrounded by a wetland and the birds that comprise the habitants of the lake are melodious as ever. The feel of the lake with its adjoining monastery is very holy just like the mountain deity herself. Our resort offered us stunning views of Mount Kanchenjunga and the snow peak apparently unveils itself ever not so often, shielding itself with clouds and every time the clouds clear and the peak is visible makes for a lucky view. Even better than the views from the Chumbi Mountain Retreat are the views from the newly opened Pelling Ropeway to the Pelling skywalk, again a centre for a huge praying Buddha statue, one that we also saw on the roadway between Gangtok and Pelling at the Buddha Park of the Thatagat Tsal. The views are uplifting and the scene are truly spell-bounding, it all probably has to do with the prayer words on the prayer flags and the prayer wheels that unending winds carry over all around.

    Not having an active airport in Gangtok of makes the region very hard to reach and hence one has to arrive all the way from the Bagdogra international airport that is a part of West Bengal. The drive is scenic along the banks of the Teesta river and one is treated to the city that is Siliguri. Sixteen kilometres from the Nepal border and about 30 odd kilometres from the Bangladesh border make Siliguri a very important centre in this part of the country hence being heavily guarded by the Indian Army. Siliguri also is the beacon to the north east, all roadways connecting to this part of India have to pass through here. The drive to the various points in Sikkim is not for the fainthearted and definitely not for one who considers their food their medicine or a reason for being! While the food and the views are reward once one gets to the main point, the journey is definitely not the destination in case of food along the way. The beauty of Sikkim does not pass any one by, it’s a beauty that stays with one long after, especially the views of the snowcapped mountains afar. While the region gets ready for the Mansarover season, and pilgrims arrive for the trek or the helicopter ride to the abode of Lord Shiva one just wonders on how much more beautiful can the world get. While Switzerland is clean pristine and beautiful, Sikkim is that and spiritual and that makes it spell-binding! It is touted as the Switzerland of the east but course there cannot be a Switzerland in the east!

  • Busan is good!

    Getting to Busan is easier than you might think—much like the famous film Train to Busan suggests, there isn’t just one way to make the journey. Multiple trains run daily from the vibrant, fast-paced metropolis of Seoul to Busan, a breezy coastal city known for its relaxed charm. The trains are a lot like the latest buzzword in the Indian Railways – the Vande Bharat. The shared technology ensures the cabins and the train rather is exactly the same but with a whisk of the wand and colours that are a lot more sober and neutral, if not way cleaner, the internal compartments of the trains are very pleasant.

    In contrast to Seoul’s high-energy atmosphere and its ever-evolving beauty scene, Busan offers a refreshing change of pace. With its scenic beaches, warm coastal air, and an abundance of experiences waiting to be discovered, the city invites you to slow down, explore, and simply enjoy. The city is quite huge and offers a lot to do, including the stunning observatories that allow one to fly one into the sea with beautiful and soulful views and a sky capsule inching it’s way along the hilly shores.

    The Haedong Yongungsa Temple perched on the rocky cliffs of Northern Busan is a spiritual centre housing the Buddha, and is popular to grant a son for the one who rubs the belly of the deity, a fact that fills up this gorgeous temple replete with the crashing waves with hoards of tourists and visitors across the world and also from Korea. The prayer wishes are tied as lanterns and hung in the air in lined bunches so the wind can carry the prayers into being. The entry way to the temple has statues of the 12 symbols of the Chinese zodiac who are revered to as personality and all giving deities to those born in the year of the specific zodiac animal.

    Apart from the Cheongsapo Daridol Observatory, the Haeundae Sky Capsule, Dalmaji gil Road for the pink cherry blossoms, which are quite robust and taller than their Seoul cousins, the Gwangan Bridge, Somang Square, Huinnyeol Cultural Village which are dotted with pretty scenic cafés and shops of the latest fashion, the Hwangryeongsan Observatory, Oryukdo Skywalk, Arte Museum, the BIFF Square, there is one place that absolutely cannot be missed in Busan.

    And that is the resplendent Shinsagae Mall and its massive 13 themes of spas, the Spa Land with it’s Turkish, salt, yellow ochre, cedar wood, ice bath, Bali, Greco-Roman, electron, make for an excellent experience followed by the onsen type of the heat bath experience. If there was one thing that India could adopt from South Korea, I would say it would be the Spa experiences and if there were two things that India could embody from South Korea it would be the habit of having warm water or herbal teas as a daily habit done multiple times a day! The gadgets and the automobiles are anyway, loaned from South Korea, in terms of technology or the know-how.

    As a culture, South Koreans are a lot like Indians except a bit more obsessed on skin while Indians seem to be more obsessed on hair! The beauty standards of not incomparable, the safety and cleanliness standards are a clear win. Busan is known for the chill vibes and as a seaside location it is but for natural to have a place as lovely and comparatively scenic with a vibe of art and culture on the high. The Busan International Film Festival that is held here is a hotbed of the latest in the world of cinema, Korean storytelling and ofcourse the omnipresent K-Pop!

    And with that am signing off on the South Korean notes on the site but with one last run of Swim by BTS!!

  • Only Jeju

    When the tagline of this city is such one is left to wonder, what would we expect in only Jeju and from the flight above, looking down into this volcanic island while we’re about to land one notices a bunch of glistening long structures which we felt like a warehouse of sorts, but as the plane descends and one comes closer, one still don’t realise what those structures are. Only a drive through the roads of Jiju makes you realise that they were all farms covered with protective material of sheets, in order to grow the beautiful natural produce, that Jeju is known for. This beautiful volcanic island, which is extremely fertile, is known for oranges, green tea, and host of fresh produce along with the umpteen UNESCO sites. While there is a lot to see in Jeju, and the rest of the world as such, I made my pick and headed straight to the gorgeous, Innisfree House and the OSulluc tea Museum. While influencers have frequently described a trip to the Innisfree house in Jeju as an extremely therapeutic and calming event, I could not disagree at all.

    The beauty of this island city is paramount it is fondly called the Hawaii of South Korea with nature, the main character of this land. I was introduced to the world of Korean skin care through my friend Kanika to Innisfree, it is one of the oldest brands or perhaps one of the first brands from Korea and is known for its formulations that are very mild and natural. Today, influencers are trending many other brands because their formulations are super gentle the results dramatic! Yet in their flagship store in this island, it is kept very subtle, simple and classy. The beautiful Interiors and the organic Cafe serving up scrumptious food is a total delight set in the green Tea Fields. The neighbouring O’Sulluc tea museum is just as popular if not more. The concept of drinking warm beverages such as herb teas in the culture is endearing also, because of the climate that they are subjected to. Less populated and serene, this location transports one back to the feel of Switzerland. The bill structure in this place is also keenly natural, inviting the outdoors inside and engaging one with the outdoors as frequently as possible through vistas, walkways or sheer transparent glass.

    The Hallasan mountain, which is the tallest mountain of the country is located right at the epicentre of this island. While trackers can take very parts to reach the top, some easy and some really hard it’s a day program sites are marvelous and the effort totally worth it to the South of the Island and all along the coast are beautiful beaches, best enjoyed in great weather! Waterfalls make their way through the different parts of this island. A great public transportation system connects all parts of this island and a ride along the fringes of the coast is truly scenic. Interesting cafes are found in different parts of the island and stepping into one such Cafe I was stunned by the attention to detail the owner exhibited and how every table had fresh flowers styled serving up, exquisite food, and a lesson in presence.

    The cherry blossom trees blooming all across the region, add to the delight of the volcanic landscape. On just another afternoon, the outdoor gym in parks are dotted by putting Landscape for Golf layering the leisure activities available. Not being densely populated is one of the most charming parts of this island city. The Koreans are very proud of it and so is anyone who steps on this island. The views are stunning and the field is exquisite, but most importantly, the air we breathe is so clean and nutty. The most important part of any trip to Jijo is not the distance from Seoul but it is, in fact the weather if the weather is not conducive flights to this island can be cancelled for weeks at a time though there are multiple flights to it in a day. A clear Sunny day is the best way this island is explored by foot by local transport or by the Taxis. Uber work like a dream here, even without knowing the language allows you to seamlessly transport yourself from one place to another without using the power of speech. Another truly wonderful thing is the volcanic Spa the applies heat to the body.

    While nature take stage here, the Landscape is truly inspiring. Watching the birds fly, hearing them chop amongst the rust of leaves and the blowing of the wind. The vibe of Moana and hence Hawaii is not far behind. No wonder it is called the Hawaii of South Korea. As one gains a sight of the South Pole, as there is no break between the island of Jeju, all the way to the South Pole, the endless blue of the Pacifis Ocean is keenly felt. More than 1000 miles to the east of it is Hawaii. The positive ions of found in nature and the quality of earth is scientific enhance, visiting places where nature is pure and concentrated allows the human mind to truly relax.

  • Seoul for the soul

    Covered over 25 administrative districts Seoul is the capital of South Korea and also the epicentre of everything that comes out of South Korea. K-pop drama locations to K-pop concerts to Design events to scrumptious food this bustling Metropolis offers the sun and sometimes the moon to the average traveller! And if you can move to Gangnam style there is little you cannot do in Seoul! Starting out with a bang of partying at Itaewon we remained like the Koreans undeterred by the flux of rain. The heating umbrellas dotted across the pub-lined streets of Itaewon were the perfect recipe for warmth but fireworks inside literally made the pub scene super lit!

    Starting with a bang, Itaewon district’s lit times are best followed by another district, which is popular, not just for the music that came out of it and put South Korea on the world map, but the beauty treatment industry that dots this district multifold. If you have not jived to Gangnam Style, holding your arms across with your fists enclosed, jumping away in the most funny and may I add fun manner, you have not experienced what it is to hear and move to the beats of K-pop.  Oppa Gangnam Style is the song that hit charts everywhere in the world and it’s hook step has a statue in reverence to the song in this eponymous district. Located right outside the COEX mall  the statue is a huge draw to the tourist, just like the Fairfield library that it houses inside the mall. The books lined up across the walls of the library with the natural light coming in on all the sides makes it a beautiful location point to reflect, read and indulge in what seems to be the most popular activity today – take 1000 pictures! This most Instagram place like all similar others can be ventured out to only after standing in the long ques! Today’s monuments are totally different from those of the past, what we lineup for today as humans is completely different than what we lined up for in the past.

    The beauty industry in Gangnam is extremely revelatory, from the Egg Clinic to the Shinebeam clinic to the ever popular Unni Guide, there is something for all. And at all starts with a skin analysis. The skin analysis is mostly conducted by a machine and then guided by a dermatologist who deciphers the AI generated evaluation for us mere mortals. JANUS and META VU are two such AI power devices that look into the very many layers of the human skin. Beauty is more than skin deep, we know, and so I thought, as I stuck my head into the META VU machine in the Unni Guide dermatology Centre, but in Korea, the skin is given its sheer adherence in the beauty standards. As the machine studied the various aspects of my face and my skin I prayed that I was okay, such is the peer pressure in the atmosphere! After an in depth analysis, some rotations with the eyes open and some with the eyes closed, splashing UV, IR and what not rays across my face my skin age was deftly deduced, and with that the potential underlying issues crafted out in a 10 page report, I was ready for meeting the Dermatologist!

    When asked about my basic skin care routine, the dermat analysed my skin analysis report and enquired about the products I use. She was shocked that sunscreen isn’t slathered on my skin 24×7. Of course I do use the appropriate sunscreen only when it’s a very very sunny day. Brian Nobbay, the celebrated Bangalore dermat would have been extremely proud of me, but this one she was completely aghast! So as she convinced me about the merits of using sunscreen, repairing the barrier of my skin with moisturiser and steering clear of any other product because I wouldn’t need them she struck off retinol vitamin C and a lot of others from my list since they are extremely drying, while saving me a lot of time and energy in my morning routine or at the Olive Young clearly! So I posed my own question to her saying that if I use sunscreen, then how would my skin with the help of cholesterol in my bloodstream make vitamin D, a very essential vitamin for every process in the human body. She flatter her eyelids for a second thought deeply and said that’s a good question and that’s probably why we Koreans take it orally! The cosmetics industry also puts forward an entire nutraceutical industry, all for beauty that is skin deep! Nevertheless, armed with all our skin analysis reports, six of us, women completely at the mercy of the AI generated skin reports marched into Olive young and well, what can I say, the GDP of Korea has definitely seen a stark rise!

    The other districts of the South Korean capital may not have been as glitzy as beauty is concerned, but they were beautiful in their own right. The Onion Cafe in the Seongsu district was an ode to good design, I wouldn’t just say good design but charmingly sustainable design. Seongsu is filled with beautiful cafes, Boutique stores and a vibe that is futuristic, but quaint. Though the food in the Onion Cafe is to die for the interior design of the cafe is starkly refreshing. The salt bun one can taste here or in the many cafes across Seoul is delightful! But the cafe’s interiors deserves more praise, it is a dilapidated building converted to use in such honest breaking apart yet the field of the cafe is five star, totally luxurious. Be it the stretch ceiling lights, the snazzy, air conditioning, or the comfortable furniture embedded in the cafe interiors. And as one crosses into Dongdaemon, the future comes calling.

    Straight out of Zaha Hadid’s Studio is the Dongdaemon Design Plaza, which is futuristic unabashedly. The doyenne of architecture this project of the Master architect from London suggests her merit as someone who is beyond the masters and that’s what one feels while one experiences this design plaza. Built to house a performance space, an art gallery and shops, the public utilisation of this Design Plaza is incomparable. With the BTS army taking over, totally active at this spot one got to witness their new single light up the space with sound and lyrics. The massing is what she gets totally right, the two bean shaped domes uncover several layers of floor spaces that flow into each other. The facade of the building itself comes alive with all its materiality. A feat that is also observed at the LOTTE tower or the Seoul Sky as the tallest building in South Korea is fondly called. The LOTTE tower is built by the group and is the 5th tallest building in the world at about 555m, shaped like a split cone with a connection at the top, the sky walk is a must do for the adrenaline junkies of the world. At its base, it has the Lotte World Mall and the very delightful Seokchon Lake that celebrates the annual cherry blossom festival when all its cherry blossom trees on it’s fringes bloom. In the evening, the lake is lit up in delightful pink colour focused on the cherry blossoms, therefore making a performance out of the area. With pink cloud balls of candy floss in our hands and the pink cherry blossoms over our head, it makes for an unforgettable memory.

    The Namsan tower and its delightful, love, Lock Bridge, which is featured in so many K dramas along with the Gyeongbokgung Palace our places on the list that one cannot ignore. Insadong and Ikseongdong with its tiny streets and delightful stores and restaurants, make for an experience like no other. The Bukchon Village with its Sulwhasoo flagship store is extremely dainty and pretty. These areas remind one of the way people would live in close proximity building their built structures to protect them from the biting wind or the cool climate that the region endures. In the past, only nobility were allowed to wear colour in Korea. The masses were expected to dress white hanboks, the tourist today, also rent, and where in splendid colours walking into the palace free of cost if one has rented and worn the hanboks! On an average day the visitors are encouraged to wear the hanboks and stroll around the palace precincts that make the palace and its grounds come alive greatly. Personally I felt it was a splendid idea for the visitors to be wearing the traditional outfit and setting the stage for a perfect setting to view. The ombré outfits are the best of all the colours one witnesses across the far field all matched with beautiful hairdos with creativity befitting a king! While we excitedly reminiscenced of the shows we saw, Bon Apettit your Majesty to Crash Landing on You, the country’s most popular export lies in the lingering sense of comfort, brilliance, awesome natural setting one gets to experience.

  • South Korea

    South Korea

    We all have a little bit of Korea in our lives, knowingly, or unknowingly, whether it’s the automobiles that we used to commute for the refrigerator we employ to store our food in, to skincare that are formulated or even the dishwasher products that we use. This country, the size of the Indian state of Telangana has produced a massive scale of devices, entertainment or formulations that have become a part of every day life all across the world, their kimchi notwithstanding the highest spot in fermented food in the world! 

    But in real time, parked next to a hugely communist country firing away test missiles every quarter in not so much a mean feat, remaining largely peaceful and calm if not safe is a truly commendable feat. In spite of and mostly because of their k-dramas, a major k-pop culture, impeccable beauty standards and hugely gripping storylines South Korea is very relatable to Indians if not the world at large. While their technology has been borrowed by India for the automobile, gadget and a plethora of other industries, the way they employ it in their stead makes the country and people of Korea mostly connected to the world.

    In the next few posts we go along together across the three cities of South Korea that are diverse and so different from each other. Seoul is for the soul like their city tagline goes, Busan is good like their city tagline goes and Only Jeju as its tagline goes! The city vibe with the hills of Seoul is a lot different from the beachy climes of Busan is a lot different from the magical volcanic quality of Jeju. The spirit of South Korea is encapsulated across all the three cities in full measure. The people are hospitable, the language barrier deftly crossed over with smart technology like PapaGo and else, while Google Maps quivers a bit Naveen takes over just alright and may I add the ever-growing Vegan tribe too find a hearty meal devoid of sea oils of any kind!

    The take aways are quite huge quite literally with the beauty enthusiasts going way over budgets at their very popular Olive Young stores which have sprouted all over South Korea, the design fanatics going wild at Art Box or the enthusiasts of tipsy world figuring out the best amongst the aisles of soju, even children are not looked over with the ever present arcade spaces. For the materialists there is materiality spread across malls, outlet malls, shopping complexes, street side shopping, for the experiencialists there are experiences like no other, for the nature lovers there is the cherry blossoms, the canola fields, for the hikers, there are trails of all levels and sizes and lengths. All of it effortlessly sprawled across the country.

    While the world is looking east today, Japan and South Korea have emerged as the most popular choices in the recent times and at this time mostly because of the cherry blossoms. Throughout history South Korea has shared more than just cherry blossoms with Japan, colonised by Japan and mostly looted, they also inherited an indomitable spirit of hardwork and respect that is a mark of the Japanese. But with a zing of delight, intelligence that is fun and loaded on cuteness, Korea has built upon its history with dollops of effervescent joy!

  • Hey Ram!

    Today is Sri Rama Navami and it is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Lord Rama, the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu, who was born on the ninth day (Navami) of the Chaitra month to King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalya in Ayodhya. It celebrates the victory of righteousness (dharma) over evil and honors the God for all the ideals that he stood for. Growing up Lord Rama was my favourite God (yes we Hindus are very much allowed to have our Ishtadevatas), the story of the epic Ramayana had a lot to do with the like, I just couldn’t wrap my head over Mahabharata, and Lord Ganesha came a close second, but as I grew up my allegiance greatly moved to Goddess Lakshmi, for firstly she is a woman and it generally made me feel more close and hence love this deeply venerated Hindu Goddess. Diwali, the festival of light, when Goddess Lakshmi visits us has always been my favourite festival, it is also the day when Lord Rama returns to his capital Ayodhya. The festivities galore it always lit up the spark in my eye.

    While the premise of Lord Rama remains the same, the epitome of good over evil, through his life story in the epic Ramayana he has displayed what all of us would perhaps want to embody but then the part after triumphing on the evil Ravana was not really taught to us all as children, the spurning of his wife Sita and the birth of the twins culminating with Sita being taken into the earth were harsher episodes in the story of Ramayana, at the end of the day it is all justified though and Lord Rama is a God, worshipped with Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman. The greater good notwithstanding. The search for being good and being happy is not an end goal, but a hedonistic being that serves us just as much as serving the society, we feel good when we look good, do good and be good, there isn’t an iota of doubt about it. But though being the good girl was on my mind, now I also want to be the good-to-myself-girl and so could you!

  • If I were a health coach

    The last seven years I have been following the tenets of over 7 health coaches, starting with Simrun Chopra in 2019, for like almost all the programs she had to offer, then after an ACL tear following a skiing incident that did not facilitate the high knees and jumping jacks that Chopra liberally administers, I moved to the slow propaganda of Raksha Lulla, then the soulful relay of Palak Arora, then the eat-all-you-want of Asha Ashta, the cool physiotherapist Vinod Jain, finally terminating the 7 year fitness journey with the machine man of India coach Puneet, who claims to be India’s best coach, but we all know what self-claims mean! Now after this long and arduous fitness journey, a difficult one for one who moved at her own whim and fancy, something that worked out very well for her over the years with an almost zero injury span, the injuries only started with the advent of the fitness, well only the ones who do something worthwhile are chided or something on the lines of that!

    Either way after all the trials and errors, I have come to the conclusion that I was much better off before starting this journey, when my movement was guided by my body and cardio meant shopping! Walking to nearly everywhere and then eating in lieu of what my stomach felt. After devouring almost a gazillion health reels here’s what I really think! The best diet is what I was on while I was post-partum, thanks to my mother who fed me lauki and tinda and ensured it was all rice and ghee, oops I mean nice and dandy, no doubt about it.

    1. Movement all day trumps exercise.
    2. Sweets are a ghastly addiction.
    3. Chocolate is food for the Gods, and we clearly are mere mortals, so dont touch it even with a barge-pole.
    4. The urge to eat the gourd vegetables is real, they are nutritious and delicious!
    5. Lying down with your favourite playlist on is a brilliant way to relax.
    6. Massages are needed the most when you have no time for it, and not needed when you have all the time for it. Its just the massage law!
    7. Eating minimally but maximum times in a day is bliss. Ayurveda isnt always right for me. 2 hour meal time is great.
    8. Paying for health coaches is a waste, better to get in touch with yourself, after all they are not you and most are in for the money, only.
    9. Fat is literally an armour, ask yourself what security services are you engaging with and why are you outsourcing your safety.
    10. Wearing your favourite style of clothes in your favourite colours is an armour no less!
    11. Warm nourishing foods, preferably asian, or in your case what sets your heart in a happy vibe is the way to eat.
    12. Definitely not tracking macros, micros, steps, sleeps, breaths, smiles, accountancy is a full-time career for a reason. Tracking pulls out joy in being a human.
    13. Oiling hair, body and using besan and citrus essential oils are one on the coolest way to be.
    14. Unplugging and going analogue for however long it’s possible is a great way to be.
    15. Being a child and in a state of play, with even the most adulting necessities.
    16. Simply doing nothing. Isnt it the hardest thing to do – nothing. Just like 0 is the most fascinating number, nothing!
    17. Putting it down on paper, or typing it out on a system, the pensieve, that Dumbledore has, is amazing. Thank you Rowling.
    18. Drinking a lot of water, this stuns me that Bruce Lee died with too much water, so now I sip, why die of water of all things.
    19. Swim. Just one word, the feeling of it, preferably in the morning hours when the birds are chirping and the sky is that beautiful sky-blue.
    20. Travel, just the novelty of it is good for health, preferably do not ski, while travelling on a mountain, but definitely hike, seeing new places and trying new things are heavenly for the soul.
    21. Walk with a friend every once in a while and chew their ears off, again hopefully in the early hours in a nature setting, maybe squeeze in a couple of suryanamaskars or yoga asanas too, again under the sun or the dawn sky. I do not get people who do yoga indoors, what a waste of the asanas!

    Well my head is buzzing with a few more options, like eat at 50% capacity, talk to a psychologist and give up on sugar, but nay they did not make the cut. I would never do that to myself or you, but yes this is what my Physiotherapist and an Ayurvedic guru told me, never ever perform to 100% in life, effortless is what life should be. Slacking is not a dire thing to do. In fact stop exercising when the sweat starts to develop on your brow or the back, that is an indication that your body is heating up. I can almost see my husband roll his eyes in contempt on that last line, for he believes sweating is a crucial parameter to slot any activity in the exercise segment, but then I beg to differ. While he uses the term exercise to describe an engagement in physical activity that improves health, I’d like to use it to describe a use or to apply, a faculty, a right or a process. I do exercise my right to use my mind and not outsource the thinking to a coach. Why should the coach tell me when to start or stop, or how many reps to do, btw I can count over 12 too, so why stop at 12, like do 48 reps with four breaks is a better way to jog my grey cells instead of 4 sets X 12 each, or unless my muscle tells me to. The whole fat-shaming, fit-shaming can take a pause, am fit-elevating and allowing the armour to melt while safely sipping on my water. That said being skinny is tremendously useful for the joints, especially the knee that takes 4 times the impact for every kilogram of body weight, so unless you have a chance to live on Mars or the moon, antigravity applying to your joints, (but I must say living in space does its damage to other parts of the body), its really better to be skinny. That and the fact you can wear Zara clothes and manage some gorgeous shopping in Korea or South-east Asia!

    And with that I would humbly like to request AI algorithms to stop sending me wellness reels and move over to art, wonder and culture with a heavy dose of architecture and design, maybe with a dash of appropriate humour. My eight year old has after all declared that I need no more educational content in my life, since am already very smart and can thrill myself with funny things henceforth in life (perhaps the biggest obscured life lesson on wellness – that on laughter). Instagram, Meta, X, Google, Gemini, ChatGPT and all else that I may log into, please note. No wellness travel too please, am well on my journey hereon primarily focussed on beauty and beautiful things, places, spaces and well you get the drift.

    P.S. Here’s a bit of information I remembered but could fit the appropriate place to place it in this post, so as an after-thought am adding it in here. A while ago when I was much younger I found a book by my Dad’s bedside, it was called, “Every Path is Paved with Gold”, it is the biography of Kim-Woo-Choong, the founder of Daewoo, a very profitable company that has now bit the dust. However he was a pretty successful man at his prime and he says, there is no concept of exercise when you live your life in full, he walked 10000 steps on the factory floor, he did his bit of movement without slotting it, wearing a wearable or sleep devices. He says in every day there is opportunity of health provided we aren’t outsourcing to gadgets or human inventions always, just like the inhabitants of the blue zones declare. Where we know movement is crucial but we do not need to slot it in and it is completely effortless.

  • Petroscentophilia and petrochemicals

    Ive always loved the smell of petrol, pulling into a petrol bunk, its another matter the price of the petrol and the heart burn that it involves burning this fuel for the environment and for my lungs, that is not inclined to the good sense in me. But recently at IndiaWood 2026, specifically at the mattress expo I was made painfully aware of the presence of petro-derived products in my sofa foam, mattress and worse in my pillows too, obviously even after tossing all the polyester in my wardrobe still kept me in the petro loop!

    When I asked Gemini what is the love of the smell of petrol called it said: You likely enjoy the smell of gasoline because its high aromatic hydrocarbon content—specifically benzene—triggers a, sweet scent that activates your brain’s reward pathway, causing a minor, temporary sense of euphoria. It is also linked to nostalgia, evoking childhood memories, or a physiological response to inhaled hydrocarbons.

    As the west bombards the east for political reasons, the mines of petroleum that span across the region are going to create ripples across the globe, not to mention the devastation that war brings. World leaders scramble some to condemn and some to laude the attack as a way of the good winning over the evil. But the decimation of one does not mean there will not be the rise of the other. But as the repressive policies of nations are challenged and the fight is for peace, the nature of the oxymoron remains unchallenged. The love of the scent of petrol or the flash of the polyester clothes or the softness of the petro foam is no excuse for the use of fuel that only burns to damage not just itself but in the very environment it is a part of.

  • Spaces of wonder

    What do you achieve by travelling my father asked me last week, a question he supposedly poses to everyone who loves to travel, has to travel or rather wants to travel. I wanted to think for a second but instead I instinctively replied for the wonder that travel entails, quickly adding that it was also the reason I dont enjoy travelling to the same place twice. The joy of the new, of the novel, the novelty of how a place is, the myriad of ways people tend to live, work, play or simply be, the wonder that is in experiencing places that are untouched, the wonder of nature and the wonder of beauty, of course we can experience a sense of wonder in our day to day also too, being wondrous about the beauty in everyday life, the simple sunrise everyday is a thing of wonder, or as the Nuns in my school, my Principal would boom that waking up every single day is a miracle, a thing of wonder. After each day is a day of new wonder.

    When I travel the novelty of the situation, the same person in a different place or the feeling of new, the taking in of different ways of being, beauty anew is something of wonder. And then I realised that when I come back home, I strive to bring that same sense of wonder into everything I do. Especially the spaces I create. Looking at the drawing board today at a very incredulous project I am wondering at what would instill in this space a sense of wonder, pun intended! The dictionary meaning of wonder is a feeling of amazement and admiration, caused by something beautiful, remarkable, or unfamiliar; a person or thing regarded as very good, remarkable, or effective; desire to know something; feel curious or even doubt! But it is the feeling of amazement and admiration we look out for. That said there are places we end up travelling to that makes one wonder with doubt, and then comes the gratitude for how much better we have it. In life it is all relative, Einstein with his theory of relativity established just that. So the thing is, the sense of wonder is why we chase new experiences, which could even be something new in the house, new clothes, new things, but what does it take to make the space that we live or work in steep with wonder, to keep us vibrant and alive.

    The spaces we inhabit shape us more than we realise, the design of our homes, our workplaces, recreational spaces dictate how much we walk, the amount of sunlight we bask in or the energy that we tend to absorb from our surroundings making design of our built spaces extremely crucial. We may or may not follow the tenets of Vaastu calling it dogma, but logic is infallible and what we definitely could do well to entertain. Needless to say then, form follows function, finance, feeling, frequency and wonder!