Far from his San Francisco home, award-winning sommelier Kerry Damskey is currently nosing around the Sula Vineyards in Nashik. bpb quizzes him on the best wine pairings for any situation:

You’re a Wine Virgin: Play the fruit

Not even a sip? Ever? Seriously? And you call yourself a bpb subscriber! Wine virgins, peg your grape expectations on Château de Beaucastel, Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Made from soft tannins, this light red comes loaded with fruit and is immediately likeable.

You Get Fired: Call on Your Sherry

Stop whining and grab a bottle of La Ina, a Spanish sherry and instant pick-me-up: it’s boozy enough to get you cheery, but won’t reduce you into a puddle of teary drunkenness.

What: Houndstooth messenger bag for men, Lord K, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , available in several cities internationally, Rs 2,500.

Why: With their burly detailing, leather flaps and black & white checks, these bags put the macho back in the murse. They come in denim as well, but we like those better for girls.

When: You want to be a strapping young man.

Trading one big city for another, we escaped Mumbai for a weekend in Kuala Lumpur, complete with shopping sprees, Starbucks coffee, and dazzling views of the Petronas Towers. But even surrounded by massive malls, drowning in flavourful ramen soup and dizzy from the heady pleasure of shopping at Dior, we didn’t forget about you. Here are our recommendations of what to do in KL, a metropolis slick with oil money and urban cool.

Eat

KL features a ton of international chains, including Chili’s, Burger King and – lo and behold! – California Pizza Kitchen. But the city’s indigenous food scene is just as vibrant. Street corners all over the city have local kopi tiams or coffee shops that serve like Nasi Gorang and drunken noodles, fast and on the cheap.

What: Bombay Local Route Marks by Swa, call 9819451906, available in Mumbai or online at http://stores.ebay.in/onlineswa, ship internationally.

Why: Designed by NID graduates Maithili and Ankan Mandal, these pop-coloured bookmarks map local rail routes and are sure to brighten up your morning commute.

When: You don’t want to lose your train of thought.

Storming the Castle

All of last week was a battle of stress vs. rest. Bitter war waged on from Monday to Friday, with R&R finally coming out on top and a fort conquest to boast of. Jubilant, we left our Blackberrys in Bombay and drove out to Fort Jadhavgadh, a heritage hotel about four hours from the city.

The Spoils of Battle

This awesome resort, built in 1710 and perched in the Saswad hills 2,500 ft above sea level, has everything you’d expect from a big, drafty castle: open courtyards, menacing dungeons and thick stone walls. Guests also have access to an antique museum, rooftop dinners, deer parks, full-service spa and emerald blue pool. Best of all, the bar has a kick-ass happy hour from 4 pm to 8 pm. This could, we thought while sipping on some royally good martinis, quickly eclipse Amby Valley as the place to jet off to around Mumbai.

Peace Treat(y)

We were booked into a premium room but sweet talked our way to one of the four luxury suites at the fort. Air-conditioned tent top? Check. Four-poster bed? Check. Antique dressing room? Check. Three-section bathroom with ridiculously large bath tub? Check. Balcony with a (gorgeous) view? Check. Suite!

Memories for Monday

Unfortunately, we’re back in Mumbai now. Looks like stress might emerge triumphant this week, but the sweet taste of victory remains.

Getting there: Packages start at Rs 5,500. For more information and specials call 02115 - 305 200 / 202 780 or log on to http://fortjadhavgadh.com.

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Bpb readers’ astrological prediction for January 11, 2010: Your career and love life are on solid footing, making this a good time to take a vacation. And even if they’re both hitting rock bottom, vicarious travel is definitely on the cards. 

It’s written in the stars. Grab your passport and head to Cafe Goa tonight, where a bunch of globetrotters will unpack pictures, videos, music and memories from interesting journeys at a traveller’s Show & Tell. If you don’t have a sojourn story of your own, you can just hang in the audience – the event is free and the cheapest way to go around the globe and back. 

As midnight approaches, we recap the biggest lifestyle trends of 2009 and ring in the New Year.

Back: Stars stepped out of the silver screen and crept onto walls, planners, belts. Retro Bollywood art became a symbol of kitschy-cool, with everyone from environmentalists to former film poster artists jumping onto the bandwagon.

Forth: Time to go global. Swap Bachchan for Bono and Himesh for Hitchcock with classy, cool laptop bags by Fungus Designs, which brings together the best international artists to give your accessories a New Year facelift.

Getting there: Shop online at www.fungusdesigns.com  Rs 5,300, ship internationally.

Indian Hippy's quirky accessories may not appeal to everyone, but if you're looking for a more adventurous version of your standard-issue, drab wallet, then you’ve got yourself a hit. Hand-painted by film poster artists rapidly going out of business due to the digital era, this just-launched range of belts, wallets, clutches and small furniture pieces feature Bollywood's most famous stars and movies in miniature. We especially like the foldable chairs featuring President Obama – kitschy and unusually funny.

What: Hey Bhagwan accessories by Play Clan available in Mumbai, Delhi and online www.theplayclan.com, ship internationally.

Why: When embarking upon such debauchery, turn to God first. Put your hands together for Play Clan’s range of super cool idol prints – Durga, Laxmi, Krishna – which will guard you against all evils. We especially love their hologram postcards and frames. 

When: You want the Elephant God on your side. Cheers, big ears!

Merry Poppins

Wake up. Brush teeth. Break a date. Drive to work. 

The Bubble Calendar 2010 allows you to pop out of your rut, even if just for a split second. This ingenious calendar takes the bubble wrap we all love to burst to an entirely new level, with each date on the calendar marked with a pop-able bubble. 

Wall Power

A super fun accessory that gives your walls a nice lift, this calendar has received rave reviews, being dubbed “the cleverest calendar ever”  and the “best kind of pop art”. The Bubble Calendar is available in horizontal and vertical designs, and printed on thick 80 pound cover stock paper.