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Wooed by villas
Silver symphony PACESETTER Ameya ahuja
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Wooed by villas
A fantasy vacation at Hilton, Sheraton, Westin, Four Seasons, Taj Aguada, Oberoi, Leela or any other top luxury hotels in the world may be just be passé now-a-days. A holiday — in a self-supporting, secluded spot alongside rolling landscape for company with one’s own lagoon or a swimming pool catching up with one’s family — is the new emerging trend. Villa vacation is the latest fad which is catching up fast with not only the elite but even the upper middle class. This niche industry has witnessed 100 per cent increase in clientele since the last five years. According to Roshan D’Silva, founder and CEO of www.tripvillas.com, who started his venture in 2009, there has been a remarkable awareness in people wanting to spend time in out-of-the-way places to enjoy solitude and explore the hinterlands of the surroundings.
“These are people who have already finished with the usual sightseeing of Paris, LA, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, Dubai, Switzerland, England etc. Now they want to laze out, enjoy bonding with family and explore on their own their new terrain,’’ explains Singapore-based Roshan. Echoing the same sentiments, Mumbai-based Yogesh Shah, affectionately known as Yogi says, “Today everything has to be customised. People would rather talk of unusual experiences from their vacation plus they want to chill out with family and close buddies in different environs without being hindered by what others might think about them. And this is where a villa vacation has caught up their fancy.”
A die-hard globetrotter, Yogi, started www.backpackers.co in 2009 along with wife Suchana. They went for a villa stay during one of their regular holidays and became villa addicts. They then formed another travel portal, called www.thevillaescape.com for other addicts like them. “The villa experience really enriches your holiday. You get a luxury home complete with private pool access, a kitchen, gorgeous views, more space to spread out and amenities like a concierge service and a private chef who cooks meals in the comfort of your villa’s gourmet kitchen,” explains Yogi. And the best part of such holidays is that lovely villas are available in all exotic places. Places which you had dreamed of visiting as a teenager — Indonesia, Greece, Morocco, Spain, Italy, the US, the Caribbean Islands, northern California, France, Mexico, Palm Beach, the Bahamas, and Natucket; the winter playgrounds of Telluride, Snowmass, Aspen and any other place except of course the poles, North and South. If you want to spend time in Bali of Indonesia — famous for its pristine beaches, try out Luxury Sea View. It has only three villas to rent out. Besides the usual AC bedrooms, you have your own living room, open roofed jacuzzi, a small coral reef lagoon plus a small kitchen if you want to cook or enjoy a group dinner with guests of the adjoining villas.
Or you can try the Maya Siargoa Villa in Philippines, a hilltop vacation villa and a house rental with par-3 golf course where you also get breathtaking view of rice fields, the Pacific Ocean and the valley. If you are a fan of old Hollywood cowboy movies then you must have wanted to explore Colorado in the USA. It has a vast plain rocky land, snow covered mountains, stone villas, which you can rent through portal www.beautiful-places.com and enjoy the real outback. A small village, named Snowmass, has imposing stone and wooden villas on hire. While staying here, especially during the snow season, you can enjoy skiing, riding on the perfect Colorado powder snow. Then there is Telluride, a former silver mining village, which, too, has villas to rent out. What goes in favour of villa vacation is that you can remain incognito here. However rich and famous you may be, villa vacation gives you complete privacy without you having to try any masquerading gimmicks. TV stars couple Manasi and Rohit Roy along with their then ten-year-old daughter Kaira went on a villa vacation in Tuscany couple of years back. Says Manasi, “At Lazy Olive Villa we could laze around without losing privacy. With a drink in hand we could enjoy the pool all by ourselves.
Plus the owners of villa taught us to pick olives from their orchard and to extract oil. We even cooked our meals with fresh oil made from our plucked olives!” On these vacations one can blend in with the local populace. During the usual holiday trips while staying in hotels, the trend is to visit popular places, buy from tourist shops and eat the cuisine which one is used to. In a villa holiday, one can go cycling, horse riding, boating, paddling, skiing, at one’s own pace and time. One really gets to understand the local people, rituals and enjoy their food if one wants to. If you want to cook you can do so or ask food of your taste to be cooked by the individual cooks that are assigned to the villa. The owners even offer babysitting facilities. Of course, these extra amenities come with extra cost. Such villa vacations are now available in India too. Many places like Goa, Kerala, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir, Lonavala etc. have opened their old homes to guests. You can opt for wooden villas in Kasuali nestled among the pine forests, a 100-year-old heritage bungalow with antique furniture in Kolkata, bamboo cottage in Madikeri, a 200-year-old bungalow in Goa and so forth. Roshan says: “In fact, we now get more inquiries for
villa vacations in India. Some of them may not have the grandeur as old villas abroad have but the facilities, surrounding beautiful ambience and the facilities are the same.”
The cost of a dream getaway Compared to hotel stays, staying in villas works out quite inexpensive — a seven-bedroom villa in Medievale on Amalfi Coast in
Positano, Italy, suspended high above the sea hotels is available for $35,800 a week. A six-bedroom villa offered last year in Tuscany would cost one around 5,000 Euros for a week. This works out to about 830 Euros per room per week. Of course, one has to pay for the additional facilities. In India, entire cottages in Kasuali (HP) can be hired in the price range of Rs 1,200 to Rs 22,000 per night. In
Dharamsala, it is from ~900 to ~9,000 per night. Actually, the prices are quite adjustable and can discussed with the owner of the villa or cottage at the time of booking. Food and other facilities like maid, baby sitters, laundry has to be paid extra. At many villas the price is reduced if you use only a few rooms but still will have all the privacy of the entire villa and the place. Some owners place some restrictions like age if these villas are located on high cliff edge for the safety. Some places, if close to some shrine, have restrictions on consuming alcohol. But before booking take all precautions. Every website has recommendations, comments by people who have visited places. Read them carefully and if possible talk to them. And book only from those portals where some official calls you back and discusses all details.
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Silver symphony Silver artefacts ranging from the idols of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha to coins with their imprints are popular gifts. Other silver knick-knacks gaining popularity in trendy homes include photo frames, cufflinks, candlestands, watches, cocktail stirrers, hookah bases and a host of other decoratives. Exquisite Designs Even fashion gurus are discovering the understated elegance of silver, which is establishing its own identity in the jet-set circles. The reason for this new fascination is easily understandable. The metal is eminently affordable, and extremely malleable, lending itself to exquisite designs. Also, silver is the perfect medium to create both trendy and traditional jewellery. According to Rolli Garg, a Delhi-based jewellery designer, “People’s attitude to silver is changing. It is not just the young college crowd that has taken to silver jewellery but a number of working women are also falling for its charm. In semi-formal occasions, silver jewellery is the choice of the fashionable crowd.” Silver, says the designer, looks best with glass tables and colourful accessories. So, if you are choosing a set of silver candlestands, then go in for candles that are red, blue or any other bright colour to offset these. Make sure the silver objects are kept in a place which is well-lit and dust-free. The composition of silver in jewellery varies from region to region. In some states, pure silver jewellery must have at least 50 per cent of silver content while in some others, silver ornaments must have at least 70 per cent of the pure metal. Myths & tales Interestingly, each region has a story to tell about this metal. The most common one, perhaps, is the superstition of buying second-hand silver jewellery. It is said silver bought second-hand brings bad luck. In olden days, poor people used to hold on to their silver jewellery for long, and sell it only in desperation. Even today, when somebody sells silver jewellery, a traditional silversmith would melt it and make a new piece because of the myth attached to it. Rajasthan, which is famous for its intricate inlay work or kundan, uses silver with at least 90 per cent pure metal. Other than kundan, silver can also be used to create ethnic motifs. Examples of these can be seen in films, TV shows and fashion ramps. A very unique thing about silver is the variety of forms it can take, and the ways, it can be combined with semi-precious stones like garnet, amber, ruby, emerald, amethyst, moonstone and turquoise. Complements
Indian skin “Experimentation and innovation with silver has opened up new fields in jewellery designing. Pearl, which was thought to be a partner of gold, is nowadays set in silver also. And, it looks absolutely stunning,” says Rolli Garg. Another advantage of using silver is that it complements Indian complexion. Perhaps that is why today you have gold jewellery created with a silver finish to give it a classy yet casual look. Today women have the choice of wearing old silver, new silver, traditional designs, or even sterling silver, which mostly caters to western buyers. Sterling silver is obtained by combining pure silver with copper in 925:75 ratios. Classic Appeal How does one go about buying silver? If your preference is old (antique) silver artefacts, then you must know that these are sold for their design and artistry and not composition (percentage of silver in the particular piece). Therefore, the day-to-day fluctuations in the silver prices will not be reflected in these ornaments. These are acquired for their classical appeal and not purity of the metal. However, if you are planning to decorate your home with silver pieces, then you must consider the importance of their upkeep. Maintaining a silver article is not easy. Silver oxidises very quickly when exposed to air and has to be cleaned with a mild soap and water solution from time to time. After that choose a non-abrasive polish to give it a shine. Rubbing vigorously with a paper towel or tissue can scratch it. So one has to handle it very gently. When not in use, it has to be stored in airtight containers with each piece wrapped separately in a soft cloth. However, the class and glamour it adds to your entire assemble is well worth the hard work. So, if you are still not a part of the silver crowd, go buy some right now. Glimpse tea
set Price:
Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000
Ancient Egyptian
domestic dog
Price: Rs 22,800 ($380) Jacob J. Roosjen wine
jug\ price on request Victorinox women’s silver dial
watch Price: Rs 19,475 My Wedding Favors rhinestone
handbag Price: Rs 23,100 ($385) Pianki chess set Price:
Rs 8,47,500 ($14,125) WMF nut
cracker Price: RS 8,400 ($140) L’Objet Atelier picture
frame Price: Rs 57,000 ($950) Festival coins Price: Rs 1,500 Classical hookah
base Price on request Hazorfim candlestick set Price: RS 1.2 lakh ($2,000) Gucci
cufflinks Price: Rs 14,500 (£160) Beliram
Ganesha Price:
RS 6,000 Tiffany sterling silver
bowl Price: Rs 1.80 lakh ($3,000)
Imperial baby spoon
Price: Rs 23,000 (£255)
Gorham overlay porcelain teapot
Price: Rs 21,000 ($350)
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PACESETTER Ameya ahuja
By profession he is an auto engineer. Probe a bit further and you'll realise that Ameya Ahuja is no run-of-the-mill nuts-and-bolts guy. He specialises in Formula-1 technology which, as he explains, is very different to the slow-paced automotive engineering which deals with mass-produced conventional vehicles. Says Ameya, “Formula-One engineers deal with the technology of very special cars. Usually, teams race only two or three cars every season. These cars are never finished and are always under a constant state of development. Their primarily aim is to find ways to make the race car lighter, smaller, more efficient and powerful.” F-1, explains the 26-year-old engineer, is largely a prototype sport. A motorsports engineer works in an extremely fast-paced environment with cutting-edge technology. Ameya works for the Lotus, a leading F-1 team of England, and is one of the handful of Indians who have graduated from the Cranfield University, in Bedford. It is one of the two British universities of note that offers this specialised course apart from Oxford Brookes. “The team of engineers has to ensure extremely high speed of responsiveness to problems. If a car develops a problem in Australia, the data is gathered and solutions are in place in time for the next race weekend in Malaysia. A week is all the time engineers are going to get to solve the problem from their office in England to be delivered to the track in Malaysia.” Interestingly, Ameya's life is not all about the automobiles and the fast lanes of Formula One. He has another — and more profound — side to his personality. He distributes books to the needy whenever he comes to his hometown in Delhi. This aspect he is a bit reluctant to discuss at length. The information he gives comes in trickles. Every year when he comes to Delhi he buys large number of books prescribed in school curriculums in different classes and visits various Delhi slums, where he distributes them free of cost. “There can be nothing better than helping people to educate themselves. It is not charity. It just gives me great satisfaction and a sense of purpose,” says Ameya. Ameya feels it is unlikely that overseas F-1 teams will set up base in the country but they may consider setting up commercial operations in India. Recently, the Williams F-1 team set up a technical excellence centre in Qatar to develop high-power composite flywheel energy storage systems, a commercial application of the Group's motorsport simulation technology. It helps in the design and manufacture of high-performance vehicles such as the Jaguar C-X75. Hopefully, the teams will get government sops. “Yes. I am currently following my passion for Formula One in England but, ultimately, I would like to come back to India, perhaps after five or six years and work with an Indian company like Mahindra’s Moto GP racing or Volkswagen India’s Polo Cup operations. I see a lot of scope in India for my field of specialisation.” However, the scope is limitless for his other field of specialisation, distributing books to the needy. Once he sets base permanently in Delhi he plans to open an NGO to spread the message of education to different parts of India. |
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GOLDEN FEET Some years ago, Italian designer Alberto Moretti shot to global fame for creating exotic footwear for Lady Gaga. Today his shoes adorn the feet of a host of celebrities. That's because Moretti's creativity seems unbounded. A proof of that is this exclusive 24-carat gold velvet footwear for men and women. These are simple and elegant and let the gold do the talking. But you'll have to do some travelling to buy these as they are available only in five stores worldwide — Harrods in London, Barneys in New York, Fred Segal in Los Angeles, The Swank in Hong Kong, and Level Shoe District in Dubai. Price: Ranging between
Rs 1.50 lakh & Rs 3 lakh ($2,500 & $5,000)
MACBOOK ON THE GO Whether it makes wallets, clutches, handbags or footwear, leather accessories company Lili Radu's merchandise is marked with a timeless elegance. Now the German brand is wooing Apple users with a range of handmade colourful leather cases. Designed for work as well as fun outings, these cases, sleeves and shoulder bags support a chic designer look and guarantee a fashionable look for the MacBook-on-the-go. Price: Between
Rs 19,800 and 24,000 ($330 & 400)
MATURED TO FRUITY PERFECTION What happens when a spirit is caged for close to 36 years? The result is magic! Hard to believe? Take a sip of the Juar 1977 Single Malt from the Isle of Jura distillery. The long maturation has yielded rich, intense spicy flavours of cherries, apples, red blood oranges, raspberries and a hint of incense. Named after the Scottish yew tree, the whiskey is in a limited edition of 498 bottles though only 52 have been released in the first batch. It may be tough to get hold of a bottle, but if you are a connoisseur buy a dram online of this uniquely crafted 1977 vintage matured to near-perfection. Price:
Rs 57,000 per 750 ml. bottle ($950)
ONE IN FIVE MILLION Sometime back when Porsche asked on Facebook, half in jest, if people would like a fancy new concept car to be turned into reality, the German auto giant did not quite anticipate the overwhelming response. Now five million 'Likes' later, Porsche has kept its end of the promise by creating a special fan-designed edition of its 911 Carrera 4S. Fitted with white 20-inch white rims, the 430 hp, 3.8-litre engine car is up there for the fans. Though, unfortunately, they will not be able to buy it, Porsche is giving one lucky fan the opportunity to get behind the wheel on Britain's Silverstone F-1 track. If you want to be the one, then go on to the website and enter the Five Million Car contest. Who knows, you could be the lucky one! Price: Not for sale
JUMBO MIND GAME
Scrabble is a game that stretches your mental abilities. But now it might stretch your arms as well! Renowned American mixed media artist
Price:
Rs 20 lakh ($12,000)
COLOUR MY MUSIC Tired of those monochromatic headphones? Now you can set yourself apart with the latest Quiet Comfort 15 by Bose. The noise-cancelling boomers are the perfect companion for your iPod or smart phone. The best part of these high-end tech specs is that the company is offering the option of personalising them with your choice of colours and also a choice of gloss or matte finish. For customising the headphones, Bose has tied up with ColorWare which guarantees to turn your music-listening experience from black to colourful. Price:
Rs 24,000 ($400)
FOR YOUR DRINKING PLEASURE! It is a Bluetooth-enabled device that encourages people to drink more. Wait. Before you get that wrong, the Jomi Band is being created by an Estonian start-up company to persuade you to drink more water. The aim is to promote the healthy habit of drinking two to three litres of water a day. Jomi Band, which is still in the prototype state and will be introduced later this year, attaches itself around a water bottle, reminding the user at pre-set intervals to take a sip. It can also weigh the bottle periodically so that it knows the exact amount of water one has consumed and the data will be sent to a smart phone so users can measure their water consumption. All health-conscious people can say cheers to that. Price: To be announced
SWIPE FOR WINE How about swiping your credit/debit card and buying a glass of wine? What’s so special about that, you’d say. The answer is that at the Park 112 restaurant in New York you don’t order wine and then pay the bill by your card. Instead the wine experience has been re-invented by offering a unique exploration through self-service. The upmarket eatery has put up e-nomatic machines that allow guests to taste as well as purchase wine with a loadable card. Truly, at this restaurant self-service seems to be the way to go, and waiters and bartenders are moving towards extinction. Price: From
Rs 600 to Rs 3,000 for a glass of wine ($10 to 50)
RED ALERT Leading global stylists have given red colour the green signal this season. Whether it is couture, footwear or accessories, it is red with an attitude. Take a look at the eyeball-grabbing Christian Louboutin Sweet Charity bag. It is unapologetically feminine. This quilted luxury made of calf-skin leather has a red crossgrain lining, contrast trim and golden hardware. The chain shoulder strap pulls through the top of the bag, making it just the accessory to glam up your wardrobe. Price:
Rs 1.20 lakh ($2,000)
THIN IS IN Video games are flashing and zapping the world all over again. Earlier it was the money-guzzling parlours, today it is the hand-held consoles, laptops and mobile phones that hold sway over gamers. The recently introduced MSI GS70 gaming laptop is the newest kid on the block. With the thinnest and lightest 17" notebook, measuring at less than 0.86 inch and weighing in at a mere 2.75 kilos. The laptop in two versions -128 GB SSD hard drive and 750 GB HDD - packs some high-end hardware within its svelte body. With its looks and specs, it is poised to compete with the best in the market, particularly the Blade Pro. Price:
Rs 1.08 lakh for 128 GB & RS 1.20 lakh for 750 GB ($1,800 and $2,000)
THRILL OF FLYING It's neither a bird nor a Superman. It is a small plane at the cost of a big car. The single-seat eSpider Electric Aircraft, a collaboration between American aviation company Flightstar and Shanghai-based Yuneec, can fly 40 minutes on two lithium polymer batteries. Thus far it is not meant for any serious transportation but is a real toy that provides the thrills of flying. It measures 19.4 feet nose to tail with a wingspan of 33 feet. Coming in a do-it-yourself kit, the limited range eSpyder is all set to provide unlimited fun to flying enthusiasts. Price:
Rs 24 lakh ($40,000)
SEIKO'S STAR TREK It is one of the most enduring merchandise in the history of films. Star Wars has spawned toys, clothing, accessories and anything you can think of. Now iconic Japanese watch company Seiko has come out with a series of limited edition Star War watches, each inspired by a different character in the franchise. The collection includes six unique watches, four of which are analogue, one digital and one chronograph. So take your pick from the range that includes Darth Vader, C-3PO, Stormtrooper and R2-D2. Price: Each watch
Rs 1.08 lakh ($1,800)
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and bond with your family
Gold, diamonds, crystals, stones and beads may have created their own niche in the Indian jewellery market but silver is gaining immense popularity. In modern expression, silver reflects a person’s passion for the fine art of living. If anything, the changing times are only a testimony to the timeless allure of the metal. Besides jewellery, silver is also being used in a variety of decorations in elite homes. It is especially popular during the Diwali season.
The ornate silver-plated bone China tea set by Glimpse is elegantly crafted China, dressed in ornate silver and tastefully adorned with ruby like stones, the silver-plated bone China tea set is truly mesmeric. The intricately carved tea set with silver plated handles that playfully turn, a classic loop knob dotted with red stones and an elaborate tray in fine china is a perfect addition to your prized collection. The set includes a teapot, creamer, sugar bowl with silver lid and a china spoon served on an elegantly oval-shaped tray, trimmed with delicate silver handles. Stunning yet simple, modern yet ethereal, the stylishly designed teaset offers a seamless mix of ideas giving your table an added twist. 
Ancient Egyptians often associated domestic dogs with Anubis, God of the Underworld. This three-foot-long bronze sculpture of the Egyptian God, available on ebay, is hand-painted in silver. The large-scale indoor sculpture makes an excellent adornment for any drawing
room.
Here’s your chance to impress guests at your next dinner party with some seriously stylish silver. This sterling silver wine jug with floral decoration by Dutch designer and antique silver dealer Jacob J. Roosjen is simply spectacular. It will have you drooling to serve up something
special!
This festive season surprise the woman in your life with this distinguished Silver Sunray Dial Watch from Victorinox Swiss Army. It features a stainless steel case and steel steep bracelet. This quartz timepiece has dial, hands, date and time display all in
silver.
This breathtaking silver-framed handbag by American bridal jewellery company My Wedding Favors glistens on both sides with brilliant Austrian rhinestones. Inspired by an Art Nouveau design, the silver frame is embellished with a floral motif accented with pearls and
crystals.
This is a luxurious handcrafted limited production Jungle Animals themed chess set by American company Pianki. It has chess pieces in handmade 24-karat gold and silver. The chessboard is made of onyx and embedded in a handcrafted gold, silver and bronze base.
This rare nutcracker made by WMF Germany has a distinct vintage look. There are four squeezing jaws fitted with little hard and sharp spikes, and the nutcracker works both ways along a revolving hinge in the centre. Measuring five inches, it has both practical and decorative
utility.
All L’Objet Atelier picture frames are made by hand in sterling silver.
The freestanding frames are notable for their distinctive Florentine etching which is an exquisite ancient hand-brushing technique in which craftsmen use fine needles to create the textures
in silver frames. 
Festivals and occasions are the perfect time to make your family feel special. What can be a better gift than a silver coin from Mehrason Jewellers? Crafted from 999 fine silver one side of this auspicious coin is etched with images of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord
Ganesha.
This unusual silver hookah base on display at the well-known London auctioneer Michael Backman Ltd has been gilded in a classical bell shape. It sits sturdily on its flat base, and is decorated with pine-cone like lotus petals, floral sprays and a band of floral and foliage
scrollwork.
This stunning candleststick set by Israeli silver firm Hazorfim weighs 815 grams. Known for its quality and craftsmanship, the company’s silver artefacts can be found in the homes of former US Presidents George Bush and Ronald Reagan, King Hussein of Jordan, Vladimir Putin, and others.
A re-interpretation of a classic men’s accessory featuring an elegant modern style, these Gucci cufflinks are made from sterling silver and feature the iconic trademark engraving. Weighing 24 grams, these add a new dimension to a shirt, making a man look macho and
elegant. 
This beautiful Ganesha, in a meditative reclining position, from the house of Beliram Silver is an ideal product for home display, gifting or simply a collector’s idea. Reclining on the dewan with a silver bolster, the lord is accompanied by his vahan, the mouse sitting playfully near his feet. Offsetting the silver is lord’s tika in red & ochre and ladoos in gold. Contemporary yet traditional, playful yet spiritual, Ganesha in silver is an exclusive and rare art edition perfect to display in the living room.
This large Tiffany silver bowl has a beautiful sleek high polished design. It is decorated with eight-reeded grooves around the circumference. The bowl sits on an applied circular base and stands 5 ½-inches high. It has a substantial weight of 32 troy ounces or almost 1
kg.
This vintage-style baby silver spoon by British company Imperial Silver Plate measures approximately 3.5 inches and has the word “Baby” embossed on the curved handle. The soft finish has no buffing
or machine polishing. The spoon makes an excellent gift for a newborn.
The cobalt blue porcelain teapot has delicate silver overlay work. The pot by Gorham — one of America’s largest sterling silver companies — bears the vintage look of the late
19th century when such teapots were prevalent among the royalty and members of the high
society.
