Pune got a whole lot of love from Lush recently, when the British brand that does handmade cosmetics sent over two fragrant stores (one at Amanora Town Centre two months ago and another at Phoenix Market City just three weeks ago) full of yummy bath and body products. Take a trip to the new 300 square feet shop to splurge on fresh bars of soap, tubs of jelly and prettily packaged bottles that make all kinds of slick promises, offering Sweet Lips, Sex Bombs, Dream Cream and even Lovely Jubblies.

Dewy-eyed (and skinned), we couldn’t help but go all the way, returning with goodies that curled everything from our hair to our toes. Quite the Lush, we know!

Our lust list:

For your hair: Ultimate Shine Bar, for the smoothest, shiniest Lance-locks. Rs. 590 for a bar.

For your face: The Vanishing Cream will bring a rosy glow to your skin. Rs 2490 for 45 grams.

Bhagyashri Dixit is founder and CEO of www.sheepstop.com, a cool website that mixes shopping with gambling to sell fun T-shirts (see more information here). Follow this ISB graduate's baa-d ass Pune recommendations!

Bhagyashri's Flock of Five

Pune's Best Food: Malaka Spice in Koregaon Park hits the spot nicely - I loves the kari kapitan. I also enjoy eating at Deccan Rendezvous, hidden on the backside of FC Road, a cozy corner to dine at.

Getting there: Malaka Spice, Lane 5, Off North Main Road, Koregaon Park call 9823064050; Deccan Rendezvous, 1202/3, Apte Road, Shivaji Nagar, call 25612345.

Best Service in Pune: Tasty Khana is an online service that offers home delivery from your favorite restaurants, table reservations, awesome freebies and helps you look for food when your out of ideas.

Getting there: www.tastykhana.in

Favorite Online Store: Besides SheepStop, I also browse Beaute Naturelle, a Pune start up that has a fresh range of beauty products handmade entirely from natural ingredients. They also come in really cute bottles and packages.

Getting there: www.sheepstop.com, www.naturelle.in

Pune's Local Favorite: Sweet Chariot near FC Road does a whole range of cakes from black currant to choco-beetroot extravaganza. They also do really awesome custom cakes that are perfect for special occasions.

Getting there: Sweet Chariot Cafe, F.C. Road, Shivaji Nagar, call 9730044619.

Favorite Stores in Pune: I swear by Bliss at Phoenix Market City for all things quirky and fun and Pyjama Party in Wanowrie, which has a huge collection of goodies for all my party needs.

Getting there: Bliss, Phoenix Market City Mall, Viman Nagar, Nagar Road, call 30950596; Pyjama Party, Shop No. 41, Sacred Heart Town, Wanowrie call 985003905.

For this month's podcast we borrow from Keith Richards' autobiography, @paperslut's Twitter feed and our new team member's play list. Thank you for the music!

Download the podcast or hear online here.

We All Go Back To Where We Belong - REM
1,000 Ships - Rachel Platten
Save Room - John Legend
Wood - Rostam Batmanglij (of Vampire Weekend)
She's a Rainbow - The Rolling Stones
Empire State of Mind - JayZ featuring Alicia Keys
Live and Learn - The Cardigans
Apples - Delhi 2 Dublin
Sometimes - The Bandana Splits
Lightning Crashes - Live

Have a favourite song? Send us your recommendations to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and if we love them, we’ll add them to next month’s track record!

Green, Not Jaded

If he could paint anything in the world, Pune-based graffiti artist Luvnit Sawhney would spray the words “Property of nature: return to closest water body” across city water tanks; and parachuting wine bottles, which he depicted in a recent mural, are his solution to the aftermath of war and natural disasters.

But don’t dismiss him as a tree-hugging, impractical idealist just about yet – this boy’s got talent, and he’s willing to share.

Banksy on This

A final year product design student by day, Sawhney moonlights as a graffiti artist by night, painting odd corners and quiet streets of Pune with neon pink balloons and wine bottles. His works are heavily influenced by the art and ethos of cities like Detroit and Singapore, where he has lived; he counts artists like Banksy and Shepard Fairey as major inspirations as well.

Sawhney has also recently launched his own company called W!NK (stands for Wasting Ink), through which he is collaborating on the Dirty Wall Project in Mumbai and also holding graffiti art workshops at IIT Guwahati. Catch him there, or better yet, call him over, where ­he’ll customize a mural or art installation specifically tailored to your space and taste. Spray of hope!

Getting there: Call 09730984036, email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or view the Facebook group here, murals start at Rs. 10,000.

What: Ginger lime & black pepper soap and other yummy bath/beauty products on www.naturelle.in, shop online, start at Rs 5o.

Why: Founded by biochemist-turned-entrepreneur Meghana Choudhary-Joshi, this Pune based e-shop stocks enough natural beauty products (lip balms, face packs, shampoo, soap) to power a hundred showers. We suggest you tap into Tvam whipped grapefruit body butter and Madras coffee scrub by Nourish.

When: You're soaping for the best.

What: bpb’s Fire Escape, view page for submission email address and other details, prizes include free stays at InterContinental Marine Drive and The Westin Mumbai Garden City.

Why: What are the five (or more) things you would take with you if your house was on fire? Email us a photo of these items and you could score a free night's stay at the InterContinental Marine Drive or The Westin Mumbai. All entries will be featured on bpb’s Fire Escape, and the most “liked” ones will win.

When: Contest closes on June 10.

We run for covers this month with Birdy and Ray Lamontagne, who are joined by The Strokes, Duran Duran, The Weepies and our very own Jagjitji. Play-full!

Download the podcast or hear online here. Enjoy!

Never Hear Surf Music Again - Free Blood, OST 127 Hours
Two Kinds of Happiness - The Strokes
Soon We'll Be Found - Sia
Crazy - Ray Lamontagne
Gotta Have You - The Weepies
Come Undone - Duran Duran
Skinny Love - Birdy
Everyday Is A Winding Road - Sheryl Crow
Hoshwalon Ko Khabar Kya - Jagjit Singh
Rhythm of Love - Plain White T's

* Special thanks to Shaista Vaishnav and Divvya Haralalka for sharing their music.

Have a favourite song? Send us your recommendations to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and if we love them, we'll add them to next month's track record!

What: Go virtual soft-boarding on Pinterest.com, click here for invite, free.

Why: No longer do you have to wade through the endless links in your Firefox history to find that fun Easter egg design from last week. This cool new(ish) website provides you with virtual soft boards on which you can “pin” things you like from all over the internet – news stories, photos, recipes, summer’s best hats - and want to access later.  Pinterest also allows you to follow and share with other users. Tack-y!

When: You are bulletin bored.

Secret gardens, dreams, black balloons and an old photo of your new lover add to the welling summer heat in this month's podcast.

Download the podcast or hear online here. Enjoy!

On Old Photo Of Your New Lover - One AM Radio
Everything At Once - Lenka
Secret Garden (Jerry McGuire) - Bruce Springsteen
I And Love and You - The Avett Brothers
That's The Way Love Goes - Janet Jackson
Dream - Priscilla Ahn
Yaad Kiya Dil Ne - Hemant Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar
Black Balloon - Goo Goo Dolls
Tighten Up - Black Keys
That's Amore - Dean Martin

Have a favourite song? Send us your recommendations to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and if we love them, we'll add them to next month's track record!

What: Arjun Basu’s 140 character Twitter stories, follow him on www.twitter.com/arjunbasu, free.

Why: “Your place is a mess, she says. I honestly wasn't expecting you, he says. And he sighs and says, This is where you start changing me, right?” This and more couple-ts, updated on a daily basis.

When: You want to give love the bird.