Seventh Heaven

Top Ten Christmas Gifts

2011-12-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

Christmas is a season to celebrate with your dear ones. Christmas is also about gifts. Gifts are a gesture of your love and warmth...so why not surprise your friends and dear ones with a lovely gift this festive season? If you are wondering what to buy which would make your loved ones smile, here's a list of top ten gifts for Christmas:

Pashmina shawls (Women)
Wine (Men & Women)
Jewelry (Women)
Watches (Men,Women, Children & Youngsters)
Colourful and unique coffee mugs (Men, Women, Children & Youngsters)
Relaxing spa packages (Men & Women)
Personalized gifts (Men, Women, Children & Youngsters)
Cool and comfy slip-ons (Men & Women)
Books (Men, Women, Children & Youngsters)
Cameras, toys & games (Men,Women & Youngsters)

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Top Ten Movies of 2011

2011-05-18T08:20:00.000-07:00

Being a complete movie buff, I love to watch good movies. I watched Wolfman recently and liked it. Horrors and thrillers are my favorite genres. In 2011, there are lots of good movies to enjoy. So here's my list of top ten movies of 2011:

Cowboys And Aliens

          Starring: Daniel Craig, Olivia Wilde, Harrison Ford, Sam Rockwell
          Director: Jon Favreau
      Release Date: 29th July 2011

Thor
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hiddleston, Rene Russo
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Release Date: 29th July 2011

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Anna Kendrick
Director: Bill Condon (Dreamgirls)
Release Date: 18th November 2011

Contagion
Starring: Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard, Jude Law, Gwenyth Paltrow
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Release Date: 21st October 2011

Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, Noomi Rapace, Jared Harris
Director: Guy Ritchie
Release Date: 16th December 2011

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Ralph Fiennes, Bill Nighy, John Hurt
Director: David Yates
Release Date: 15th July 2011

Scream 4
Starring: Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courteney Cox, Emma Roberts
Director: Wes Craven
Release Date: 15th April 2011

The Cabin In The Woods
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Jesse Williams, Amy Acker
Director: Drew Goddard
Release Date: 15th April 2011

Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Starring: Johnny Depp, Ian McShane, Penélope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush
Director: Rob Marshall
Release Date: 20th May 2011

The Adventures Of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn
Starring: Jamie Bell, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Daniel Craig, Andy Serkis
Director: Steven Spielberg
Release Date: 23rd December 2011

Phenomenal Woman

2011-02-13T08:25:00.000-08:00

Here's a lovely poem "Phenomenal Woman" by Maya Angelou dedicated to me and my womanhood!

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

2010-12-25T06:25:00.000-08:00

Here's wishing all a fabulous Christmas, year end and a promising and rollicking new year ahead!

Happy Holidays!!!

Back to Blogging, Creativity and Year End...

2010-12-18T04:49:00.000-08:00

Again a long gap and it's somewhat unintended! Blogging and anything creative needs time and I was not getting any. Work kills your creativity...well literally! It leaves no time to feed your creative instincts and drains energy. It's frustrating sometimes for a creative soul like me...I feel I'm going on like a robot, doing nothing which makes me feel that I have done something worthwhile. The imagination within me burns incessantly. I ponder and set my imagination free. I want to end the year with a resolution- I want to do something which satisfies my creativity; read a lot, write a lot and voice my opinions, and most importantly, keep on blogging :)

So, I'm eager to end the year on a jubilant note and welcome the new year with a bang! Here I raise a toast to my creativity!

Top Ten Romantic Movies to Enjoy on a Rainy Day

2010-08-07T05:50:00.000-07:00

Movies fascinate me! I'm a voracious reader and avid movie enthusiast, and the magic of silver screen enchants me like nothing else! Romantic movies or where love is the main theme captivates me in a big way. I've watched innumerable romantic movies as well as movies depicting various aspects of love. Not that I liked all of them, but most of them have won my heart.

So wondering which movies to catch up with on a rainy day? Well, choices may vary individually...but there are some titles which I guess are universal favorites. Check out the list of my personal favorite top ten which I would love to watch during the beautiful monsoons. Prerequisites: A comfy sofa, some soft pillows, good food and of course your sweetheart in tow:)

1) Notting Hill: I have watched this several times and each time I watch, I fall in love with the characters again and again! The aura is beautiful, romance is mushy, music is wonderful and everything just looks in place. Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts is fabulous!

2) Pretty Woman: Awesome, Classy and Beautiful! Julia Roberts as Vivian still tops my chart of her favorite movies.

3) Cold Mountain: Jude Law, Nicole Kidman and Renee Zellweger puts up stellar performances in this 2003 war drama. Love is beautiful as well as sombre in this film.

4) Titanic: Oh so beautiful! It has now become an epic and cult romantic film. I find it hard to control my tears when I watch this love saga. I guess Jack and Rose would stand out as my all time favorite romantic characters. Titanic is still one of the highest grossing films in history!

5) Autumn in New York: Lovely, serene and melancholy at the same time! This is one of my favorite Winona Ryder films.

6) My Best Friend's Wedding: Hilarious and lovely at the same time. Julia Roberts at her vivacious best!

7) The Notebook: A simple and beautiful story and truly touching!

8) City of Angels: Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan as Seth and Maggie are wonderful in this romantic drama. You fall in love with the characters over and over again!

9) Unfaithful: I love this one...well-made, lots of twists and turns and stark.

10) Shakespeare in Love: With an impressive assembly of good actors, this period piece is romantic, intriguing and swashbuckling!

There's a whole lot of beautiful movies which I have watched or want to watch...movies that fascinate me, make me cry or ponder...but more about them in the posts to come. Enjoy!

Surround Yourself With Music!

2010-04-24T09:05:00.000-07:00

I am a complete music and movie aficionado! More so, I cannot imagine my everyday existence without music. Music is present in every form in my life. It soothes my soul, cleanses all clutter in my mind, refreshes me, fills me with new energy, makes me romantic and rejuvenates me in every way!

I feel, music is present in minute little details and surroundings in our lives. You just have to search for it! Music is the language of God! It's His way of saying that He exists! Music can be so beautiful, so very enchanting! Music can be felt in the early morning twitter and songs of various unknown birds, droplets of rain, cascading and gushing water, the hustle and bustle of daily life, cacophony of horns during traffic jams, prattling of exuberant children, busy chirping of birds after sunset and what not! The presence of music in myriad forms in our lives is undeniable. I guess the world would have been a very different and unpleasant place to live without music.

Personally, I unwind with music, whenever I feel low, cannot concentrate, have any tension or simply when I need to recharge myself. I feel an instant emotional surge; my mind gets a complete makeover and I feel renewed with extra energy. Music helps us to smile. Such is the power of music! Music engulfs everything, removes negative energy, makes you think positive. Music is used to relieve stress and as healing therapy for many ailments.

Include music in every way you can and see the difference!

Loneliness...Revisited...

2010-02-02T07:46:00.000-08:00

I need to be loved
I need to be happy
Cared and comforted
Longing for love
Yearning to be needed
Waiting for loneliness to disappear
Filling my life with ecstasy!

Loneliness is a feeling of emptiness and solitude, sometimes self-imposed, sometimes influenced by several external factors. Let's begin with a beautiful poem on loneliness by Katherine Mansfield...but can loneliness be beautiful? Isn't it paradoxical? Well...here it goes:

Now it is Loneliness who comes at night
Instead of Sleep, to sit beside my bed.
Like a tired child I lie and wait her tread,
I watch her softly blowing out the light.
Motionless sitting, neither left or right
She turns, and weary, weary droops her head.
She, too, is old; she, too, has fought the fight.
So, with the laurel she is garlanded.

Through the sad dark the slowly ebbing tide
Breaks on a barren shore, unsatisfied.
A strange wind flows... then silence. I am fain
To turn to Loneliness, to take her hand,
Cling to her, waiting, till the barren land
Fills with the dreadful monotone of rain

Now, loneliness has perhaps become synonymous with our lives! There's a saying, " it's always lonely at the top...", but I guess it persists everywhere, all the time. The modern day life and lifestyle is aggravating it more. Then there are stress and tension at home and workplace, anxiety and various other factors contributing to feeling unwanted, neglected and empty inside. Many noted actors, musicians, writers and people from various professions today are victims of profound despair and depression. Several studies and researches today show that the feeling of loneliness and despair is spreading like a disease and it is quite alarming for our society! Chronic depression has now become a common syndrome among teenagers and many adults.

How can we deal with loneliness? It's easier said than done. I do not want to go into all those typical theoretical solutions and loads of commonly practiced methods. Sometimes, we feel dejected for no apparent reason. We need to be happy, need to feel loved, wanted and cared all the time. Loneliness should be dealt with love and compassion. Only that would heal loneliness in a slow and steady way.

Ten Simplest Ways to Say "I Love You"

2008-12-08T06:19:00.000-08:00

Saying "I Love You" can be quite unnerving for most people. These are the most simple and sweetest words on earth, but can be difficult to say in reality. It requires courage to say these magical words to your person of interest. Here's some interesting ways to propose to your sweetheart:

1) Write your message in a piece of paper and hide it somewhere in his/her's most used things. You can use a colored or any of those fancy papers and ink for the purpose; chances are he/she will get the message.

2) Plan a special outing/dinner/movie theater/or any place you like and have a heart to heart communication. Express your interest in him/her with your eyes and smile. Have a positive mind and smile a lot. You are sure to get a good response.

3) Gift something to the one you love. It can be chocolates, books or something they'll love. Wrap it nicely and gift them. It's a sweet way of conveying your message.

4) Invite the person you love and cook for them. Have a candlelit dinner. Having a sweet conversation over good food is a great way to convey your message of love.

5) Sending love letters can never be passe. So try them if you believe in writing down your thoughts. You can use colored ink, greeting cards or fancy papers to pen down your thoughts. Writing a love poem is also a good idea. If you are too nervous to hand it over by yourself, make someone close to you to do that. Emailing and the good old way of posting by mail is also a good idea.

6) Now is the time for technology; so conveying your thoughts is no big deal. Send a text message, picture message, voice mail or something sweet and wacky to say that you love them. If you can gather the courage, just ring them up!

7) Go for a romantic movie, boat rides or music shows and convey your love message when you feel that the time is appropriate.

8) Take a walk together or go somewhere. Don't forget to smile, make a lot of eye contact and touch your partner, when you are out. This will make things easy for you and will convey your message of love appropriately.

9) Nothing says it more clearly than a bunch of red roses. So go ahead and say it with red roses. You can even hide a romantic poem written on a chit somewhere inside the bouquet.

10) Send them an online greeting card. It is perhaps the easiest and sweet way of conveying your romantic message to your beloved. There are many online card sites out there today, which allow you to send beautiful greeting cards for free.

So if you really love someone, don't just sit and wait for things to fall into place. Make a plan and get ready to convey your message at the earliest!

One Lone Tear

2008-10-20T06:30:00.000-07:00

I love Maya Angelou's poems...they are so eloquent and true to life. Here's one of my favorites:

Touched by an Angel

We, unaccustomed to courage
exiles from delight
live coiled in shells of loneliness
until love leaves its high holy temple
and comes into our sight
to liberate us into life.

Love arrives
and in its train come ecstasies
old memories of pleasure
ancient histories of pain.
Yet if we are bold,
love strikes away the chains of fear
from our souls.

We are weaned from our timidity
In the flush of love's light
we dare be brave
And suddenly we see
that love costs all we are
and will ever be.
Yet it is only love
which sets us free.

Maya Angelou

Power of Love: Jennifer Rush

2008-09-27T08:53:00.000-07:00

Love songs always lift us and mend our broken souls whenever we feel low and stifling. We feel the magic of love oozing in our lives when we listen to the beautiful lyrics and words of these everlasting songs... such is their sweet and comforting impact!

Love songs have always been my favorites, be it anytime or any day. Listen to this beautiful and eternal love song by Jennifer Rush and feel the power of love!

How Do You Make a Good First Impression?

2008-08-19T03:47:00.000-07:00

One of the most important questions that occurs to most of us is--How to make a good first impression? What do we do when we enter a room? What is the other person thinking? Well...here's a video that I found, that will teach you the steps of making a reasonably good first impression. Watch it and enjoy!!!

How Can I Make A Good First Impression?

Do Soulmates Exist?

2008-08-12T22:53:00.000-07:00

We are all familiar with the term "soul mate", but the question is--Is there anything called soulmates? Do soulmates exist in reality?

Let us first see what exactly are soulmates. The term commonly refers to those people who deeply understand and feel for each other. Often when there is a free and natural affinity of pure love, friendship, intimacy and compatibility between a man and a woman, they are known as soulmates. It is quite mysterious at times...somewhat inexplicable when one feels a deep connection with one's soul. It is a spiritual connection. You feel as if you are drawn to that "special someone" by some magical string and experience strong, ethereal feelinngs for him or her.

Have you ever tried to delve deep within to find out why this happens? Why is it that suddenly you harbor deep feelings for someone special? What is it which makes us feel that we know someone for ages? Remember that unforgettable dialogue from the most romantic movie of all times DDLJ? "Ek undekha unjana chehra...." So it happens many a times that we have a picture of someone in our deepest thoughts and one fine day, that face comes in front of us...we happen to meet that person in reality! What happens then? Well...you get the hint from God! The highest intuitive power automatically lets you know and then there's no turning back! This is what is known as soulmates...one soul...living and feeling for each other...but residing in two bodies. There is a mystical connotation to the term "soulmate"...which finds completion when these people meet. A common belief is--soulmates will obviously meet and come together, breaking all barriers and overcoming all obstacles. If one half does not meet the other, it would be forever search for them! They have to search for the other and most compatible half to complete them.

I feel some souls are made for each other. They just need to meet...rest would follow. I have strong belief in soulmates and believe in compatibilities. This beautiful poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning sums it all...

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Love Quote: Woman's Love vs. Man's Love

2008-07-21T23:48:00.000-07:00

According to the famous French-speaking Swiss author Germaine de Stael, "Love is the history of a woman's life; it is an episode in man's."

Very true! Love means very different for a man and a woman. When a woman truly falls in love, it means a lot to her...she wants it to last for a lifetime and nurtures it in every way she can. A woman's love has depth, dedication, passion, truth and longing...she embraces her love with a completeness that is quite unlikely for a man. Even when a woman is heartbroken, she cannot forget her love and cherishes it forever!

Contrarily, men are quite different. A man can rarely reciprocate his love and devote himself completely like a woman...for him, it is more of a passion, a momentary lust or longing, or merely a physical attraction. Very few men are capable of true love. For them it is more of a temporary "affair", a "fling", or pure lust! Hence it is easy for them to get over relationships and forget all previous connections. For a woman, love means a lifetime...a history! For most men, love is just another episode!

Monsoon:The Season of Love

2008-07-09T20:30:00.000-07:00

Monsoon is the season of LOVE and ROMANCE. There is an unmistakable whiff of romanticism in the air! The misty air, the sweet aroma of rain soaked soil, the rumbling of thunder, the twittering of birds in the pale horizon, the pearly raindrops on leaves, builds the perfect ambience for a cosy love story.

Just imagine--what it is like thinking about your beloved on a rain washed evening? Rain has magical qualities to trigger our romantic life. Personally, I'd like walking in the rain with the one I love, and have steaming cups of freshly ground coffee. Watching a good movie is also quite romantic...however, don't forget your popcorn:)
In Kolkata, mostly couples love to catch up a movie at a multiplex, take a stroll along the Maidan greens, in and around Victoria Memorial, or simply do some mall hopping, to make the most of monsoon romance. There are, no doubt, dearth of romantic hangouts in Kolkata. I feel, coffee shops are the best places to unwind and have a romantic rendezvous.

The entire feeling of love and romance in the rains can be summed up in this beautiful poem by "Eternal Night"...

Rain, rain will you stay?
I kind of like the clouds of gray.
If you must leave, I understand.
It is the good mothers command.
I want to take you to the park
And hold you under veil of dark.
I want to show my love is real.
I need to tell you how I feel.
I’ll hold you close, and keep you warm;
I’ll shield you from the violent storm.
And when the sun begins to shine
I’ll still be yours, and you’ll be mine.
Rain, rain will you remain;
And wash way all of our pain?
We press our lips, in loves exchange
I hope that you will never change.
I never want to let you go;
I’ll whisper how I love you so.
And as the rain picks up its speed
I’ll vow to be the one you need
Rain, rain will you stay?
I kind of like the clouds of gray.
There’s nothing I would rather do
Than spend my time here holding you…

How Do You Feel when You Are In Love?

2008-07-07T03:29:00.000-07:00

The million dollar question is---How does one feel when he/she is in love?

Love brings with it ecstasy, exuberance, and a freshness, that was hitherto unknown to us! The feeling of being in love is something indescribable...which cannot, perhaps, be penned down in words. We feel as if we are in seventh heaven! Everything seems rosy, irrespective of the condition you are living in! The world seems a better place to live in. Life seems a forever symphony of lilting tunes.

I feel, love is that wonderful feeling which brings a whiff of fresh air in our otherwise monotonous life and surrounding. I love the word "love" itself, the idea of being in love, and the paraphernalia that it brings along. There's a subtle sweetness about being in love with someone special; a longing for someone who you identify with, and the harmony that you share with this person. There's magic in the air! We have a prolonged sunny mood, much unlike our occasional mood swings:) Love gets us going and makes us do all the wackiest of things:) Do you all agree?

You know when you have found your prince because you not only have a smile on your face but in your heart as well. ~Author Unknown

What's your idea about love? How do you feel when in love?

What is Love?

2008-06-11T08:54:00.000-07:00

"One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love." - Sophocles

There seems to be no complete and accepted definition of love, even today. What exactly is love? Can it be summed up in few words or sentences? Perhaps NO! Love is a very complicated, inexplicable, and sublime feeling, that is beyond definition. The experience and feeling of love is different for everybody.

Love opens the gates of happiness to all those who fall in love. Love has many shades and stages. Love is a strange feeling. You never know where and when you'll find love. You cannot predict love or get love forcefully. It just happens. Love has no boundaries. Love is all encompassing, heavenly, unconditional, ethereal, madness, crazy, sacrificing, and above all--suffering! When in love, we cannot escape the tears and the pain it brings with it. But there is hope and triumph in that pain. Look at the eternal love stories of celebrated lovers--Romeo and Juliet, Anthony and Cleopatra, Laila-Majnu, Heer-Ranjha, Othello and Desdemona, Samson and Delilah, Sohni and Mahiwal, or countless others, who have made their love eternal with their sacrifices and courage.

As Mark Twain has said, "Love is the irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired", love makes us do the craziest of things and fills us with insatiable desire. Love makes one a better human being.The world seems a better place to live, when you are in love. Every day seems a new day full of promise and every moment looks bright. Love is an enigma; love makes life confusing, but still we can't help falling in love; without love we cannot live at all.

Speaking about love, I can go on and on...without stopping:) But it is virtually a very difficult emotion to explain...something not restricted within words.

So what's your opinion about LOVE? Come share it with me!

Unforgettable Love Songs-2

2008-05-22T22:45:00.000-07:00

Some more romantic and unforgettable love songs...come fall in love all over again!

Unforgettable Love Songs--1

2008-05-15T08:04:00.000-07:00

I am a die-hard romantic and love listening to romantic songs. Here's a collection of some love songs that are eternal and will never fade away. So open your heart and invite some love into your life by listening and humming these beautiful tunes!

Welcome to my blog!

2008-05-13T05:23:00.000-07:00

Hello Everybody! Welcome to my new blog!

Here I will discuss about Love and Romance---Two of the greatest mysteries of this earth!

Come and share your views, personal experiences, beliefs, joys and sorrows, and everything that you wish to share about love and romance.
Love is a mystery...simply inexplicable!

Have you fallen in love lately? Is it your first love? Heartbroken in love? Are you suffering in love? Head over heels in love? Lost interest in love? There are so many shades and stages of love!

Whatever state you are in, just share it with the world. Who knows, you will meet and find someone who can lend a shoulder to cry on and make you feel better! You can find a trusted friend here.

And I am here as your patient listener, a trusted friend, to share and care for you!