1nter w • IS er1n

Warm and cosy, relaxing and reviving is the best way to enjoy this chilly season, writes VINAYA RAJ

Itis that time of the year when the cold \vind blows and the ground is covered with frosr, and we go 'brrrr' and 'grrrr'. \Y/e keep grw11bling about the cold, the rain and the wind. l don't like the cold much eithe r, bm it is also a cosy time, isn't it?

A time for warm cuddles and movie nights, soups and roasts, and baking clays. A time to stretch o ur legs in front of the fireplace and spend a lazy evening listening to the rain and wind outside. Ir is a time for relaxation and rejuvenation. r o r just for nature, but for us as well, I think.

I love that we can a.I] get under a l arge quilt on the lounge and watch mov ies. Even m y 20-yearold will sm1ggle up widi hjs little sisters and watch a Hi.nm movie. I bear d1em whispering under the doona, adding their own bits to " \'{l har rud he say?" or "W hy did she do that?" And Hinili movies are perfect for winter, don't you think? Intrigue and rnasala! We watched Don 2 recently and the kids were fascinated by its t\llisrs and turns And dien we sat under the doona after the movie ended, ta.I.king about d1e original Don, rbe intrigues of smuggling and gangs in the lnilia of die '60s and '70s. Now I dunk we will watch .Jewel TbieJ; D ee111ar and movies of that era educational, I call ir!

As I try ro get through the cooking while there is still some lig ht, I hear the swoos h of the oven door ope11ing. "Mm nun !" goes m y daughter. We love ovenbaked food in winter. Eve n if ir is just the normal vegie pasta diat we always have, simpl y sprinkling ir wid1 cheese and sticking it in die oven seems to make it taste and smell just wonderful. And the heat from the oven or gr.ill warms up the room so nicely roo. So roasts and pies it is these days, and the kids are happy to bake cakes and muffins for dessert and snacks. A nice, warm family- bonding time?

Defi1iitely!

After reading all those English novels from Erud Blyto n omvards, Adelaide's wimer was the first time that I could bake d10se kinds of dishes and ear them in front of an open fire. A dr.eam come m1e! In our first home in Adelaide we had a proper lireplace and a walnut ttee in di e garden. Roasted wahrnts are much better than roasted chestnucs, believe me!

Gazing into the crackling Aarnes of a log fire as yo u tell stories ro your little ones, you can hear your imagination whispering to you, making diose stories grow longer and diose short winter eve11ings stretch lovingly ln the m o rning, in o ur ugg boots and dressing gowns, we look out at the garden. The grass seems ro have grown over night ai1d is heavy with dew: Sometimes nearly grey wid1 frost As I loo k at our banana plant, I know for the first time what burning cold means. The poor little thing looks like iL has literally been burnt by fire! The large fig tree is bare of leaves. Ir seems to know that it does n ot need ro provide shade at this time, and lets the sunlight stream in through its branches in to the house. Oranges and mandarins are our happy fruit dus season, and keep the common cold at bay Adelaide winters can be ve r y wet, but die sun when it is om can be stingingl y warm. I love d10se balmy days! Winter makes me appreciate die stmshine even more. And as I go inside om o f a co ld w ind, I love the warmth of m y home that much more. The kids will stay in , it seems to whisper co me, and all o f yo u will be cosy within r count m y blessings ai1d whispe r my thanks for iliese loving winte r evenings.

Celebrate Independence Day with your very own lndo Australian fusion creation

'Indian women; chis one's a nobrainer fusion l ook for sure! Quirk it up by pairing tl1e kurti top with coordinated co loured denim.

' BY KALYANI WAKHARE

Itis remarkable bow we are influenced by the fashion and style of the country we live in, and how easily we adapt this in to our own personal sryle over time. However, our cultural heritage is timeless and so very special to us that we look fonvard to celebrating festivals and occas ions, and love sporting traditional outfits to these.

Typically, weekdays probab ly see you Lil pencil skirts and pantsuits busy ar work, or tunics and leggings paLted with boors, rushing to finish numerous errands, before you pi ck up the kid s from s choo l.

Sometimes, I'm sure that like me, you wait eagerly for that weekend soiree to dress up in a gorgeous s ui t o r sw ish arotmd in an exquisite s,m1 Don't we all love an occasion to flatmt our spl endid Indian wardrobe and jewellery co match!

Ever wondered how you'd successfully sport an IndoAu ssie fusion look that is effortless ly chic? Come a day like Independence Day, it's your perfect chance to try a new lookl

Contemporary Australian fashion i s all about looking and feeling sty li sh in a relaxed and smart- casual manner. Traditionall y inspired by the Far East more so than Europe, J\ustralian fash ion has always included prints and flowing forms in the ir outfits. And that's what makes the fusion challenge much easier!

The key to a great fusion outfit is co b lend tl1e l ndian piece seaml ess ly; trying too bard or adding coo many pieces will only ruin the look So how do you do it? Here ar e fou r easy pointers to get the look righr.

1. Indian prints

Indian prints are so distinct and charming tbat yo u would create an instant winner witl1 delicate paisley printed pants or a ha11dba11i (tie and dye) skirt. The rest of your o u tfit can then be fairl y plain w ith a neutra l coloured Aowing top, paired with a smai:t tote hag. One coul d safely say that p rinted kmtis paLted witl1 jeans is al.most I.be uniform for co ntemporary u.rban

2 . Colou r

\Vhen we think of Independence Day, the co lours that come to mind su·aight away are saffron, white a nd green. Can yo u actually team tl1ese up to create a l.ook dedicated to patriotism? Ok, it's not as outrageous as i t sounds. One way to do it elegantly is to just wear a white or beige shirt w itl1 jeans, and throw in a subdued green scarf and a lovely baigara mirror-work orange bag Wear your fancy wedges or sandal s and finish tl1is look in style witl1 a pretty ser of silver and oxidised metal bangles

3 Jewellery That brings us to d1e next and perhaps one o f the most important elements of an Indian look, jewellery. Statement necklaces are all the rage righ t now and you'll be surprised how easy tl1ese are to work into a shirt 'n' jeans look, or even with a pretty evening dress Indian jewellery is so versatile be ic k1111da11, delicate gold and silver, or pearls. You can instandy glam u p an ourht w ith pretty stone earrings, intricate bracelets or tantalising anklets.

4 Accessories

If you are not abl e to identify your s1:yle in any of the above, I'm sure th is o n e will have you n odding ) Our head and smiling, because it can't get simp ler tlian tl1is Ye e 1 promise these accessories can't be underestimated ac all! I'm talking about scarves w ith Indian prints and colours; just adding this one piece to an outfit w ill in srandy make your fus ion loo k compl ete, irrespective of whether it's silk, wool o r chiffon. The other easy accessory is an exclusive Indian dutch with embellishments, perfect arm cand y, you will agree! And lase but not least is footwear. Attractive lndian sandals, rllf]i-is or k.olhapmi chappals all work magic in an Indian fusion look. So go out there with confidence, sporting a fusion outfit to your Independence Day gathering-and leave your friends spellbound by your super-stylish l ook!

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Seeking Brides

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