Style travel guide Tel Aviv in the wake of a Fashion Week

Madelaine Triebe explores the boutiques, bars and beaches of Tel Aviv; Israel’s second largest city and first most fashionable . Tel Aviv, the city of an infinite nightlife and buzzing designer scene, hosted its first ever fashion week last year, leaving a refreshing air of innovation and new thinking to the style world. Young, fashionable, and with no legacy to cater for, the designers set the trademark for the city; a nicely fragranced potpourri of independent designers for anyone who wants a fashion of taste and purchases, free from high street chains and massive purchases malls. Two of the designers showcasing their work were Meital and Rahya Mitrani, siblings unanimously running designer label Sister M. In their studio in Florentine, a bohemian and unpolished neighbourhood, they design their handmade dresses and jewelleries from scratch. The sisters designs clothes for a comfortable and colour-loving clientele, who are always prepared to be surprised by every new collection coming out. According to Meital Mitrani the taste arena in Tel Aviv “is exclusive compared to the rest of the world.” Asking her about what makes it so special she says: “It’s the urban feel of the city and the Israelis’ mix and match approach to taste.” Walking out on the streets of Tel Aviv in neighbourhoods such as Neve Tzedek and Gan Hahashmal, it makes sense what she says. As a thriving hub for many upcoming designers and unique clothing shops, it’s a pleasure to discover the diverse choice. On Barzilay Street there is a vast range of dreamlike boutiques: Delicatessen, Kobico and Nona Elga to point out some of my favourites. Walking one more minute you should aim to end up on Levontin Street and visit Hagar Satat, an Israeli jewellery designer stunningly mixing gold and leather into beautiful accessories. With the refreshing selection of small-scale boutiques you have a great shot of unexpectedly finding something very not many would have heard of back home. Filled with restaurants, an endless amount of al fresco dinning, and a party life that will guarantee a holiday filled with late nights, Tel Aviv has many ways to spoil its guests. Not to forget the kilometre long beaches, running from the north to the south, arranged to host any sunbathing, volleyball-playing, drink-sipping sun-lover. As a visitor this means you are in for a treat when visiting Israel’s style and party capital. Some of the places the city has to provide, though, are not always effortless to find. One of them is Deli, a well-hidden bar on Allenby 47. Passing by the sandwich and salad spot, you’re not likely to believe that you’re standing in front of a sweet hide that, although it has limited space, is both a relaxed bar as well as an intimate club and lounge. The crowd is sleek, hip and grown up, making Deli an genuine Tel Aviv experience. Another great place is the Social Club, a trendy bar and restaurant on Rothschild Boulevard. Always busy, you might have to wait for a table or a stool at the bar, but one time seated by the friendly staff you will end up staying for a long time, sipping in the cheerful and busy atmosphere. Incorporated with the lively metropolis is the city of Jaffa, giving any visitor a great two for one deal. Jaffa, or Yafo in Hebrew, is an Arab-Israeli city thought to have one of the oldest ports in the world. It’s a must-see for anyone who loves the charming ambience of old cities. Dating back to the Bronze Age, or maybe earlier according to some historians, Jaffa has a rich history, stretching from Ancient Egypt to the Biblical period and the Ottoman era. Strolling surrounding in the old city on cobblestone streets, surrounded by brick homes and alleys with a fantastic view above the Mediterranean Sea, it is impossible not to fall in love with it. Pass by the artsy new interior design shops or sit down at one of the unusual restaurants, or why not just go to the famous street bakery Abulafia and have a taste of the sweet pastries and freshly baked pita breads. To make the most of the beautiful sea view go to The Container, a fashionablebar and restaurant, situated at Old Jaffa Port. Although Tel Aviv offers you a grand selection of things to do, don’t forget to take a break and soak in the vibrant atmosphere. To really engross yourself in the culture you have to understand that there is no need to stress. So mix up the purchases-frenzy and late-night clubbing with a bit of coffee sipping on an outdoor caf and you will be just like one of the cosmopolitan, living-loving Tel Avivians that make the city such a unique place. Your Tel Aviv holiday wardrobe May is the hottest period of year to go with median highs of 37C, pack a cool kaftan like the colourful designs by Ceylan Insel Milano. To make to most of the night life, take an elegant evening dress by Meher and Riddhima. The designers are well-known in their domicile land of Dubai for their East meets West womenswear.

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Pathani Suits- A Hit In The International Fashion Circuit

The Indian Fashion industry has come of age. With the trend of Indo Western wear gripping the country, it has been a real challenge for the Indian designers to popularize Indian styles abroad. With global exposure like Milan Fashion week, LOreal Fashion week, India International Garments Fair etc. Indian Fashion has ultimately found the gateway to the global fashion scenario. Moreover what has given them the edge is the scope to experiment and bring back the fashion of the yester years in their collection with a modern touch, a typical example of which would be the traditional sherwanis and pathani suits.

Ace Indian Designers like, Manish Malhotra, Ritu Kumar, Raghavendra Rathore, Hemant Trivedi, Kiran Uttam Ghosh along with a handful of newcomers Sabyasachi Mukherjee have therefore taken Indian fashion to new heights. Each designer has their signature creations and styles and make for the best professionals in the Industry who had been dressing Indian men and women for years now.

While in their fashion shows, women have always stolen the show either with their gaudy and colorful sarees, lehenga cholis, salwar kameez or else with Indo western outfit. However, men too have now succeeded in making a mark with their well cut and fitted suits, Pathani suits, kurta pyjamas, traditional sherwanis, Indian wedding sherwani as well as tuxedos. Left with few choices for a formal yet stylish look, pathani suits is an apt selection for attending any cultural or traditional occasion.

Whether it is a moment of festivity or a precious occasion like a wedding, Indian men look their best in designer kurta pyjamas, Pathani suits or stylish menswear achkans.

While trendy Indo western wear or chic tuxedos can be worn now and again, nothing matches the charm and style of embroidered dhoti kurta or a Pathani suit. For the groom especially, a typical wedding sherwani well accessorized with a stole, kantha and the special grooms turban makes the best Indian wedding attire. However, for those who want to sport a casual style yet appear sober and traditional can go for the Pathani suits. A native wear of the men belonging to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Pathani suits have become the first choice of men staying in India and abroad. They are a fresh break in the lines of designer kurta pyjamas and make for great ethnic wear for the modern man. Since men too like to experiment with colors nowadays, Pathani suits are available in hues like pink, maroon, aqua blue, light brown beige, turquoise etc. With well detailed work, different neck styles, embroidery and thread work, a well fitted Pathani suit can make any man stand out in the crowd. Choice of materials for your Pathani suit are many too as they are available in silk, khadi and polyster. With their variety, vibrancy yet stylish features, models walking down the ramps in a designer Pathani suits have a global appeal and made it a hit in the International fashion circuit.

For those who cant afford a designer Pathani suit, dont have a reason to lose heart. The online shopping sites are the best places to grab best deals within your budget. So, if you are looking for online Pathani suits or traditional mens wear, wedding accessories and more ethnic wear from India, these sites can help get what you want. Since home delivering the product is a part of their customer services, it is not a concern whether you are residing in India or abroad.

Sure Signs of Being Cursed

If you’re reading this, it’s likely that you want to know more about curses. Perhaps you suspect that a curse or hex may have been placed upon you. If so, keep reading. Or perhaps you just want to stay protected from curses. This is the article for you then, too. Whatever your interest, these are the top ten signs that you are almost certainly cursed:

10. Nightmares, night terrors, sleep paralysis, or strange nighttime sensations. One of the most evident symptoms of being cursed or hexed is trouble sleeping. This can range from sleep paralysis and nightmares to simply having an unusually restless sleep. While everyone has the occasional nightmare, consistent experiences of nightmares is a strong indication a curse has been placed on an individual.

9. Loss of energy. Curses and hexes can turn individuals described as vibrant and positive to dull and boring. Fatigue and sudden loss of energy is a strong symptom of most curses. This is especially true for curses and hexes placed to drain individuals of their energy. Psychic vampires are notable for working in this fashion.

8. Misfortune of loved ones. If loved ones or people close to you suddenly start experiencing an unusual amount of misfortune, this is a clear symptom a curse has been placed. While we expect curses to affect the person they are placed upon, it doesn’t always work like that. This is because some curses are directed at damaging a person’s entire life, which includes harming those around the victim. These types of curses are becoming increasingly common, and unfortunately can be devastating.

7. Financial or property loss. Sudden and unexpected losses of property or financial loss are good indicators of a curse. Many curses are intended to affect a specific aspect of a person’s life, such as finances, health, or relationships. Anything from being laid off at work to becoming the victim of (supposedly) random vandalism can be the outcomes of a financial curse. If you’ve experienced sudden financial losses, it’s worth asking if you’ve been cursed.

6. Relationship trouble. Curses directed at harming relationships may be the most abundant curses in existence. Curses of this nature can turn happy and healthy marriages into trainwreck failure marriages, so beware. It’s very common for things to be going perfectly and then suddenly, without warning, to take a turn for the worst.

5. Deterioration of health. While sickness has many natural causes and should always be appraised by qualified medical professionals, it is important to note that magical curses and hexes do, in fact, cause sickness. Healthy individuals can be made sick instantly with some curses, while other curses manifest themselves as gradual declines in health.

4. Legal trouble. Lawsuits and criminal charges may often stem from curses. Curses can manifest themselves in such a fashion that innocent people are accused of crimes or torts, or may actually incline people to engage in criminal behavior that may result in their misfortunes. Whatever the case, if an individual suddenly experiences legal trouble it can be a symptom of being cursed.

3. Direct perceptions of being cursed. Some curses are more obvious, causing individuals to be directly tormented by hallucinations or delusions. Additionally, as some employ spiritual beings the victim may find themselves directly harassed by such entities. As the saying goes, if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a duck. If a person has strong experiences of being cursed, there is a good chance they are.

2. Sudden and serious illness. As opposed to a gradual reduction in health, sudden and serious illnesses are strong symptoms of harmful magics at work. These usually manifest themselves as specific, serious illnesses that afflict the victim acutely. As the nature of these curses are especially dangerous, they should be dealt with as soon as possible.

1. Death. Yes, people can actually die from curses. Death by harmful magic can manifest itself in a myriad of ways, from suicide to sickness to car accident. Unfortunately, after this symptom is present it is already too late to help the victim. The key is to block and remove curses before this occurs, not wait until after. Additionally, powerful curses may even harm those around the intended victim, so it is important to deal with them in any situation.

All of the symptoms listed above are indications a curse has been placed on someone. Individually they are not proof per se, but collectively they should be taken as strong evidence. What this means is that if someone experiences one or more of the symptoms above, they should seriously consider that a curse may be the cause of it. The more symptoms there are, the stronger the likelihood a curse has been placed.

However, a curse is no reason to lose hope. At the fist sign of evidence a curse has been placed immediate action should be taken to remove the curse. Additionally, there are ways to prevent a curse. Caution should be taken, however, when attempting to fight a curse, as inexperienced casters may actually compound it and make it worse. You should seek out a professional witch to remove or protect you from curses.

Blend Old World Styles In Your Wardrobe

With the festive season, lighting up right now, it is also time for the marriage season. You will definitely have weddings to attend and how can you make an appearance without looking glamorous. Of course, you have options like traditional kanjeevaram saris, ornate salwar kameez or lehengas. However, there is no harm if you try out some new styles. Come forward and enter the world of gararas and shararas. Designer Nisha Merchant says that Bollywood has always been a big trendsetter of fashion and one can easily go back to our movies, to actresses like Meena Kumari, and Mumtaz or even Rekha in Umrao Jaan and Tabu in Maqbool who carried off the garara with such lan. Recently the show of this designer won accolades at the Wills Fashion Week in Delhi when actress walked gracefully on the ramp in a captivating emerald green garara designed by Nisha.

According to designer Nisha Merchant, gararas are somewhat like pants that are fitted around the thighs until roughly 3 inches above the knee. They connect a bias fabric with a plenty of gathers around the bottom. A garara comes with horizontal joint and may also have some vertical panels as well. If you want to look very pretty then you should wear a garara with a long choli along with a beautiful dupatta in a single shade. Nowadays you can opt for plenty of other variations as well. Designers Vikrant and Ashish Parikh experimented with the look. They went for a short blouse like choli, instead of the regular one and used a heavily sequined and embroidered dupatta.

A sharara shares similarity with a lehengas in terms of looks. You can call shararas as wide legged pants, which have good fitting until the knee and then flare out like a skirt. They also look like a full skirt that comes with a drawstring waist. Recently designer Pallavi Jaikishan displayed her shararas at the Couture Week that was held in Mumbai. According to her the sharara is structured in such a way, that it looks like it has vertical panels. Care is taken to ensure that it does not have horizontal cuts. If you want your tailor to stitch some nice shararas for you then you need to shop for the right materials. Flowing fabrics such as georgette and chiffon work bets for shararas. Highlight the shararas with a brocade or net dupatta, embroidered choli, and beautiful traditional jewelry.

Finding the Right Mix to smarten up your Bathroom

Bathrooms often reflect the elegance and style of the house. More than just necessity, people go to their bathrooms for different reasons. The addition of certain bathroom fixtures make their stay inside the bathroom more relaxing and comforting than ever. Because of this newfound love for the shower room, bathroom facelifts have become a popular phrase in recent years.

As it is, most homeowners now consider the bathroom to be as essential as the living room or any other room within the house. After all, you can always show the guest the best room in the house, but you cannot stop him or her from going to the bathroom. A number of consumers want to have celebrity style bathrooms. Unfortunately, most households have limited floor space. This would mean that extending the bathroom is not always an option. You could, however, create a plan about how you can improve the look and feel of your current bathroom without having to alter its current layout.

The first things that you need to consider are the areas of the bathroom that should be repaired or replaced, either because they are already broken or their presence would significantly change the style you want to implement. Whilst cheap products can provide a quick fix, these are usually not durable enough to last for years. Another problem for cheap products is that it is hard to find the right style to use for each. This means that these low cost fixtures might not fit in if you have a certain theme in mind for your bathroom facelift. Suffice it to say, smartening up your bathroom is a very big investment.

You can start by selecting modern tiles to fit your style. The thing about tiles is that they have a predefined colour. You cannot buy sets of tiles only to change your mind later about your envisioned bathroom theme and motif. It just would not work that way. Being the apparent element to the shower room, tiles set the tone of the bathroom. Select which type of tile to install only after carefully deliberating what you really want to do with your bathroom.

Bathroom fixtures should not only look good, they should also be functional. For this, you need fixtures that can be used for added storage. Putting a small piece of furniture replete with a set of drawers is a good option, as you can easily store toiletries and other personal effects here. If the space is very limited, then worktops and sink cabinets could be of great use. For an added flair, choose the ones that have either ceramic, brass and chrome finishes.

A bathroom is not considered a bathroom without a vanity mirror. Nowadays, vanity mirrors are no longer known for their simplicity and basic functionality. In fact, many different styles, shapes and sizes are available in the market today. Some can even be made to order and can actually form part of the actual bathroom installation rather than being just a fixture. As for paint and wallpapers, choose the ones that are heat and water resistant. Not to be missed out are the floor coverings. Whilst there are no rules in selecting which type of floor covering to use, it is best to avoid carpet type floor coverings as these could post cleaning problems later on.

If you prefer to add more fixtures on your bathroom without professional help, then you need to equip yourself with the proper tools. For instance, if you want to change the layout of certain tiles, you need tiling tools that can help you spread and fill the tiles within the plaster or better yet get a handy trowel to make sure your tiles are leveled.

To smarten up your bathroom, you also have to take in consideration your bathroom accessories. You do not have to buy expensive items, you just have to keep the old ones as fresh looking as ever. The key here is to keep them clean and dry without having to remove them from their fixtures. Miele vacuum cleaners will come in handy in these situations. Known for their innovation and versatility, these vacuum cleaners can easily collect dirt and mildew in seconds. Making use of the well designed Miele vacuum bags, the dirt and dust collected are instantly sealed within the bag through the special flap valve opening that automatically closes when the bag is lifted from the cleaner.