Seven Seas Signature Spa and Hair Salon

Visiting the Seven Seas Signature Spa and hair salon this morning has left me feeling relaxed and on top of the world. Ever since the spa opened a few months ago, I have been trying to make my way to it and finally today I decided to treat mom and pamper myself to a deep cleansing facial along with a full hair colour, highlights and a blow dry. The masterminds behind the spa is none other than the celebrity event planner, Mr. Aadil Saith and his brother Mr. Ismail Saith. Walking into the spa certainly brought out  the 'aaarrrrhhh' factor in me as I inhaled the beautiful aromas that welcomed me. I was greeted by warm and friendly staff that had a huge smile on their faces. Mom and I were asked to complete a questionnaire that is usually standard in all spas pertaining to our allergies, health conditions and of course medication usage.I was then ushered into a private room and asked to change. The ambience in the room was outstanding. The beautiful decor along with the scented candles in the room created an atmosphere of absolute peace and tranquility. It did not feel as though I was snap bang in the middle of town. I do want to take the opportunity in complimenting my therapist Eureka for her kind and friendly demeanour and personality. I must say that she has good hands. Whilst giving  me a shoulder and foot massage I was falling off to sleep as I was so relaxed. Visiting all the rooms in the spa, one can not help but notice the great pride that was taken on detail. The breathtaking decor comprising of varying shades of purple, grey, black, beige, browns, blues and silver themed with exquisite curtaining coupled with the equally gorgeous lounge suites and mosaic mirrors only reflects an owner that has style and an inner creativity. I was particularly impressed with the bridal suite that had all the amenities that a bride requires in order to make her big day even more special. She can be pampered to a variety of treatments, and then step out looking like a supermodel after having her hair and make up done as well. I am usually a very rigid type of a person  when it comes to my hair. I prefer visiting my usual hairdresser at scissors.com as I have been acquainted with her for many years now and she knows my hair in and out. This morning though, whilst I was skeptical at first when I seen such a young team working in the spa salon, I must say the hairstylist at the spa proved me wrong when I seen the end results. The hair colour and the highlights they chose were absolutely perfect. The spa is definitely of an international standard thereby offering a variety of signature treatments from around the globe such as Swedish massage, Moroccan scrubs, Hot lava shell, Shirodhara, Kizhi,  Andaman seashell body polish , and Ayurvedic intelligence to name a few. The spa also offers a variety of dessert treatments that will definitely make your partner wanna eat you up! Some of the treatments on offer include the Blueberry cheesecake, Espresso coffee clay body mask, Chocolate Fondue and Tiramisu treatment. The sheer opulence, elegance and grandiosity of the spa will definitely attract me and almost force me to visit again. 

The Seven Seas Signature Spa is located at No. 85c Mint Road Fordsburg inside the Image Lifestyle Wedding and Conference Venue

To make a treatment booking contact them at: 011 838- 9938

For any further info, kindly click on the link below:
http://m.sevenseasspa.co.za/

FashionEASTaSA 2013

Thanks to the celebrity event planner, Mr. Aadil Saith CEO of Unusual Functions, I had the opportunity of being a VIP guest at the FashionEASTaSA fashion show 2013 held a week ago at the Dance Factory downtown Jozi. I must be honest when I heard that the event was going to be held at this location, my primary concern was my safety and of course will my vehicle be safe. I was quite surprised to discover that the Dance Factory is indeed an excellent centrally located venue thereby making it ideally suited for an urban, multicultural ambience. The parking facility was excellent and  of course there were car guards on duty as usual. I think South Africa is the only country in the world where car guards are employed to look after vehicles in a parking lot thereby preventing vehicles from getting stolen. Guests were treated to a buffet lunch on arrival. Following a mad hatters retro theme in accordance with the new logo launched earlier this year, guests were transported into a world of colour with beautifully decorated cupcakes and other delicious goodies that were definitely a visual feast and brought out "the arrh factor" in most of the attendees present. I particularly enjoyed the assortment of salads, the pastas and the beautifully garnished kebaab skewers. 

I must compliment the organizing team on a well put together show. The choreography was done by DJ Zuby who sat next to me throughout the entire event. He is originally from Mumbai but now resides in South Africa as he is pursuing a career in aviation.I must say that he has amassed quite a female fan following here in South Africa through his music. The clothing range that truly brought out the wow factor in me was undoubtedly the range by Archana Kochhar, an internationally acclaimed Mumbai based designer. She also happens to be a close friend of Luvv Israni who is a dear friend of mine and is undoubtedly one of India's leading fashion and advertising photographers at present. Archana's sari range was not only stylish and elegant, but her choice of colours coupled with soft flowing fabrics will surely make any woman feel sensual and beautiful. Her outfits are also reasonably priced and affordable to most people in society. Hats off to Zuri Couture for bringing this elegant range of clothing to South Africa. However, whilst many were under the impression that the Manish Malhotra and Neeta Lulla dresses were original pieces, I was quite disappointed to discover after the show that the outfits were in fact replicas of these highly accomplished designers. I had the privilege of meeting Manish during my trip to Mumbai and I also had a chance of viewing his exclusive clothing range at the world famous Mumbai based clothing store, Sheetal.

Abayaat has become more of a fashion statement within the Muslim community and has thus lost its purpose of concealment. What I seen on the ramp can not be defined as abayaat. I would classify the clothing range as jalabiyyas or Arabic Middle Eastern inspired dresses. A perfect traditional abaya adorned by women in the Middle East is firstly not body fitting and secondly it does not have high slits going all the way to the top thereby exposing the legs. Regarding the 'abaya' range there were a few styles and designs that caught my attention, but having attended numerous fashion shows and events whilst residing in the Middle East, I have come to the conclusion that overall many of the designs have been repeated with the exception of sequined or beaded fabrics replacing the traditional plain black abaya fabric.I was quite satisfied though with the clothing range by Dubai based designer Noura Sahroui. Her outfits were brought to South Africa by the Azaadville based designing house Fiza Exclusive Abaya collection. 

Apart from some of the hideous shoes that many of the models struggled to walk with, the make up artists did an excellent job in giving the girls a flawless look. That's the power of cosmetics!!

The highlight or the showstopper for the afternoon was undoubtedly the little boys and girls who strutted their stuff on the ramp. The kiddies range of clothing was put together by Fatima Ebrahim of Lil' Divas Couture. I was particularly impressed with the little boys thobes.

There were also two dance segments included in the program performed by artists from the Sitara Dance Academy. I always believe that for anyone to succeed, you need to have a cutting edge over someone else. New and fresh ideas are imperative. Being an event junkie, I have watched this dance academy perform at the Image Lifestyle event a few months ago. The same dance sequence was performed at the FashionEASTaSA 2013 event. I found the dance sequences and choreography to be boring.The dancers lacked passion and enthusiasm although the song choices were excellent. Perhaps if a new dance sequence or choreography was put together, I would have enjoyed it more. The MC of the event did an excellent job in presenting the show and also interacted with the audience quite aptly thereby getting their undivided attention as well as participation. After the fashion show, guests were allowed to purchase the various garments. What really irked me was the fact that many of the outfits had no prices on them and no one could really assist with the prices in a speedy efficient manner.This I believe is one critical area that requires improvement. Overall, my heartiest congratulations to the entire organizing team of FashionEASTaSA 2013. I am already looking forward to next years event where I am hoping that its gonna be bigger and more successful than this years event.

Take note i have not posted all the pictures on my blog. For more pictures kindly click on my facebook page.

Sophia book event at the University of Johannesburg

As I drove off into the sunset yesterday evening heading back home, I couldn't help but ponder and reflect on the lovely afternoon I had at the Sophia book event held at the University of Johannesburg. What was discussed at the event was absolutely relevant and typical of what is happening to many women in South Africa including Indian women from rich and affluent homes. Gender based violence or violence against women is definitely a topic that society needs to bring to the fore. A few days ago a lady cashier at one of the shops mentioned to me that she was surprised to see a well known woman from within the community arriving at the shop with dark glasses on. Upon further investigation she realized that the woman was beaten up and hence the area around her eyes were blue. The abused woman however stated that she knocked herself into the door covering up for her husband. Hence, this woman has stuck in this abusive relationship for many years whilst her husband walks tall in society. Women are selfless creatures. God has made us this way to endure pain and to sacrifice for the sake of our families. But, then I wonder.. why should we be always sacrificing. No matter how powerful a woman is in terms of education or if she is a successful business woman, the minute a woman steps into her house she is immediately taken over by a patriarchal system whereby the husbands rules and regulations take over. Frankly speaking, I do not agree with this. Whilst a man is the head of the house, the wife should be his equal and she should have a right and a say with regards to the running of her home. This issue of gender based violence is prevalent across the globe. In countries like Yemen, Pakistan and Afghanistan women are abused to such an extent that acid is thrown on their faces, thereby disfiguring them for life. Hats off to Shafinaaz Hassim, for her involvement in gender based violence and for creating an awareness about this issue through her books. South Africa needs more women like this to support and encourage these abused women to come out of the closet. Every human being has a right to lead a happy and fulfilling life. If a man has dreams and aspirations so too do women. A woman's dreams don't just fade and wither away the day she marries or becomes a mom or a wife or a daughter in law. My advise to all women out there is this, if you are in an abusive relationship please please please, seek help. Talk to someone..go for counselling. We only live once, so let us all enjoy this life that God has blessed us with. Live your life to the fullest and follow your dreams.

Mystic India World Tour - A show not to be missed

After reading rave reviews about the Mystic India World Tour currently in South Africa, my family and I decided to grace the event at Emperors Palace on Friday night. The artists danced the night away to a capacity crowd mainly Indian of course, although I was quite surprised to see many White and African people enjoying the production as well. The producer and brainchild behind the show is Mr. Amit Shah who along with his entire world class team put together a show that enthralled and captivated the audience for the entire duration of the program. The show not only celebrated Indian Cinema's 100th anniversary but it also took the audience down memory lane showcasing Indian folk dances going back many decades in time. The narrator of the show Mr. Sanjay Sahni, who I had an opportunity of interacting with after the show, did an excellent job of taking the audience down memory lane. His voice quality and fantastic command of the English language mesmerized the audience as he related the story of the mythological Elephant God in Hinduism Lord Ganesha, Lord Krishna and Radha's story and  the story of the legendary Moghul king, King Akbar who married a Hindu princess Jodha bhai thereby sealing the unity of Hindu and Muslims in India during the 16th century.Every story was accompanied with a beautifully choreographed dance sequence. We were taken to Porbandar, the birth place of Mahatma Gandhi in India.Gandhi arrived in South Africa  in the year 1893. It was a fantastic idea on the part of the production team to include the story of Mahatma Gandhi as it unites Indians from South Africa with the native Indians from our motherland, India.The presentation took us through various cities in India where different Indian dance forms originated from. Bharat natyam, which is a very erotic dance form originates from Tamil Nadu, South India. The movements of an authentic Bharatanatyam dancer resemble the movements of a dancing flame. We then celebrated the festival of spring in India commonly known as Holi. The dancers took to the stage with beautiful, brightly coloured outfits and danced happily with enthusiasm and grace thereby making the audience feel as though they are also apart of this colourful festival.I was really impressed with their eye and facial expressions. The Bhangra dance originated from Panjab and watching the dancers do the Bhangra made me want to get off my seat and join them. We then traveled to Uttar Pradesh where the Kathak dance form originated from. According to Wikipedia, a kathak performance is traditionally divided into two distinct formal parts. The technical part is full of intricate rhythmic structures woven around a preordained rhythmic pattern. They include swift and masterly footwork called tatkar and exquisite circular movements or chakkars. Rhythmic units are woven around sort of long patterns called tukras and toras respectively. The other part of kathak employs bhav or abhinaya which elucidates the emotive content of the subject matter. 

The highlight of the show though was undoubtedly the acrobatic act performed by Rajesh Mudki, Rajesh Amrale, Ashwin Rawal and Naresh Kashiramjadhav. Their performance was based on an old Indian warrior art of Mallakhamb. According to Wikipedia,originally mallakhamb was introduced as a supporting exercise for wrestlers. "Pole mallakhamb" was started by Balambhattdada Deodhar sometime between 1800 and 1810. Later on, his student Damodarguru Moghe realized that only major grips can be developed with a pole and used cane instead of a pole. Subsequently, the unavailability of cane resulted in rope mallakhamb. Almost 25 to 30 types of mallakhamb apparatus were tried and tested over the years. Up until today this technique is still utilized by the Indian army as part of a soldiers training program.

Prabhu Deva is undoubtedly one of India's best when it comes to dance and choreography and hence a dance show would be incomplete without showcasing his dance style. The dancers did a fantastic job pulling off every Prabhu Deva move effortlessly and flawlessly to the famous song "Muqabala Muqabala". Of course as we moved towards the end of the show, modern day Bollywood song and dance was showcased to an audience that witnessed Indian culture and tradition at its best. Hats off to the 26 member cast that performed with their heart and soul.

The female dancers were Kruti Shah, Hiral Shah, Rupal Joshi, Rachel Higbee, Andrea Palesh, Anjuli Bhattacharyya, Brielle Simonelli, Katerina Lott, Melissa Cammarata, Zimone Mincey, while the male dancers were Jack Tyler, Joseph Barnett, Raphael Niba, Reginald Webber Jr, Donnel Lewis, Bryan Soto, Adam Bourque. I was particularly impressed with the stunning hand made costumes that included traditional Indian clothes from the various regions in India. From what I heard over five hundred costumes were required for the show. The lighting and sound effects was definitely of a high international standard. No Bollywood show can be complete without professional musicians. Rohan Dahale and Manuraj Rajput played the tabla and the flute with absolute finesse and perfection proving to the world yet again that when it comes to music and song compositions India reigns supreme over the rest of the world. The only downside to the show for me was, it was too short.I wanted to see more of Bollywood.  The one and a half hours flew by like water. I guess time flies by when you having fun. :)))

                        Picture courtesy https://www.facebook.com/EmperorsPalaceResort

Those were the good old days

This saturday that passed by my family and I attended my niece Juwairiyya's very first sports event hosted by her play school Kiddies campus.  The kids were excited the whole week about the event but as murphy's law would have it, on Saturday morning we all woke up early only to discover that  it was a rainy, chilly and miserable day for a sports event. Luckily, the event was indoors at the local recreational centre. Arriving at the venue, we were greeted by the staff of the school who were all engrossed in the final preparations for the event. Mothers, sisters, siblings, grand mothers and grand fathers, uncles and aunts were all out in full force to support and encourage the little ones. The kids participated in a variety of categories such as the hula hoop race, bean bag race, changing the baby's nappy race in partnership with all the mummies, the lipstick race and the scooter race as well. There was also a daddy's race where all the fathers were asked to participate in a race. Hot dogs, koeksisters, popcorn and a variety of other goodies were on sale at the tuck shop. All proceeds from the tuck shop was given to the school. At the end of the event everyone left the venue with a barbeque pack comprising of a delicious piece of chicken accompanied with a roll and potato salad. What I loved most about the event was the fact that irrespective of whether a child came out first or last, everyone received a medal and thus no one felt heart sore or discouraged.
Being at the event made me recall my school days and all the sports functions that I participated in. In high school I remember being a mascot at the annual sports day function. My mom had to sew a pretty white and yellow dress. Whilst I was never really a sports orientated person, I use to enjoy watching the others participate and tug of war was an activity that I loved being a part of. I was more academically inclined and acting in plays, public speaking, speech contests, debating and newspaper competitions was very much my forte and strong point. I remember dressing up like Tina Turner with a wig for a mock interview that we had to do and also dressing up like Sherlock Holmes for a one man show play. Mind you I still have the wig
and now and then we take it out of the cupboard and fool around with it. Oh well, those were the good old days...Don't know if the kids of tomorrow will be enjoying outdoor activities and being a part of plays and having clean innocent fun. Today's kids are technologically orientated with most of their time spent watching television or being deeply engrossed on their mobile phones and computers. Sadly, it is the same technology that has caused our youth to develop asocial personality disorders along with a lack of manners and respect. Gone are the days when kids use to play doll house doll house and pretend to cook meals, gone are the days when kids played 'ringa ringa rosie', gone are the days when kids played hopscotch and swing ball. How I wish for the days of my youth to return, if only I could turn back the hands of time!!!!!

 

Image Lifestyle Wedding and Conference Venue

 

On the 23rd of November, a week ago, my family and I were invited to the launch of the Image Lifestyle wedding and conference centre in conjunction with Unusual Functions. The event seen the coming together of numerous entrepreneurs, businessmen as well as government officials for a night of glitz, glamour and live entertainment.There were many guests from abroad who traveled to South Africa especially for the event. It was quite a pleasure meeting individuals from Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan as well as from China. Guests were warmly welcomed by specially trained event specialists and were escorted to their seats after taking a photo at the foyer. Many media personalities also graced the event. Guests were blown away by the sheer magnitude of the hall along with the breathtaking decor.Opulent chandeliers graced the ceilings accompanied with elegant lounge suites and regal carpets. All the art pieces that adorned the walls were painstakingly created  by a charismatic and dynamic artist, Fazal Casetti Docrat. I was so excited to have met him and his family after many years. The master of ceremonies for the evening was Mr. Bushan Das who also entertained the crowd by singing a variety of songs like Chamak Chalo along with a few golden oldies as well. The opening ceremony kicked off with a rendition from the holy Quraan. All guests were then asked to rise for the South African National Anthem as the Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane and her entourage were also present for the event.This was followed by a talk on Islamic Finance by Moulana Ragie.I found his speech to be quite thought provoking in a sense that he pointed out how Islamic Finance can have a positive impact on the global community at large basically reinforcing the fact that Islam along with its various rules regarding finances is not just for Muslims but for Non Muslims as well. Guests were treated to a five course meal whilst being entertained by live dance performances by two separate dance academies. Chicken salad and vegetable soup complimented with rolls was served as a starter. Steak roulade garnished with macaroni and masala chicken was served as a main course. Towards the latter part of the night guests then made their way back towards the foyer area where beautiful tables were laid out with an assortment of cakes, biscuits and desserts.It was an ideal opportunity for guests to interact and socialize with each other. I found the behaviour of some of the guests to be quite appalling though. Despite hailing from elite financial backgrounds, many of the guests were packing cakes and desserts in the decorative boxes that were on the dinner tables and taking them home. Chinese spoons filled with small portions of desserts were taken away by greedy guests as well.

Mr. Sayed Hussein Mia who is the chairman of the SHM group of companies was also invited to the event but extended an apology through his daughter for not being able to grace the function. His daughter however, used the event as a launching platform  for her newly acquired Middle Eastern clothing range "Shukr". Models strutted their stuff on the catwalk. I must admit though that I was not impressed with the range at all. I found the clothes to be old fashioned, mediocre and simply out of tune with the latest styles and emerging trends in Islamic clothing. Bold floral scarves matched with plain cotton pants and tops doesn't do it or me at all.It is a range that has seen its days in the Middle East a long time ago. The "Inspired" range of abayas were also showcased at the event. This range of abayas are designed in Dubai and retail in South Africa for between R2000 to R5000. Whilst many of the local South African Muslim women are gaga over this range of abayas, I personally only found a few of the abayas to be worthy of the price tag. The Image Lifestyle wedding and conference centre also boasts a bridal gown showroom along with abayas by " Unusual Couture". This range of abayaat is designed in Saudi Arabia. Each abaya is elegant and beautiful with a reasonable price tag. The premises also renders the professional services of a hair stylist, make up artist, along wih a fully kitted spa. My heartiest congratulations to Mr. Altaaf and Mr. Aadil Saith for making sure that the premises has all the amenities available in order to make that "special day" a memorable event. The venue is centrally located in the heart of Fordsburg allowing for convenience in terms of traveling distance and also allowing foreigners who grace the venue for conferences to be able to soak up the rich cultural heritage and history of the Fordsburg area.

If you wish to utilize the services of the Image Lifestyle wedding and conference centre kindly contact the celebrity events planner Mr. Aadil Saith at:

(w) 0027 11 413 2091
(m) 0027 (0) 827355559