Hot Secretary Service

You have laundry and gym, dentist appointments and salon sojourns, breakfast meetings and lunches with ladies. And all that before 1 pm. Keeping it straight for you is At Your Service, a nifty new company that will manage your day-to-day tasks, from fixing a faulty tap to picking up the kids after school. Easy as pie!

The Jeeves are Turning!

For Rs. 10,000 a month, At Your Service provides you with a Personal Assistant and an office boy who work remotely, and can be reached by phone or email. They’ll take care of all your errands, including  booking tickets to Goa, paying your electricity bill, renewing your passport and even haggling with the sabziwallah. And not just when you’re in Bombay - this mistress of management can organize your life all over the world.

Date Knight

At Your Service is founded by Bharat Ahirwar who formerly ran Big Help, a similar personal logistics company. Rest assured that he won’t raise an eyebrow at your zaniest requests – he’s done it all before, from booking a charter plane to scouting out the best jazz bars in Paris.

So call him, darling. He’s guaranteed to sweep your to-do list off its feet.

Getting there: Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 9819605729, Rs 10,000 a month for a personal assistant.

bpb digs deep into the pockets of restaurateurs and models, techies and Bollywood celebrities to find out what phone applications make them tick. You’d like to tap that (phone), wouldn’t you?

Danish Aslam, film director, Break Ke Baad

Sun Seeker: It shows you the position of the sun in the sky on any date you choose in your current location, including an augmented reality camera view which superimposes the sun (and its projected path) on your surroundings via your camera lens. Very helpful when you're scouting a location for a shoot.
Available for the iPhone here.

Reeder: This is, hands down, my most-used app on the iPhone. It's the best (and the fastest) RSS news feed aggregator available. Basically, it compiles RSS feeds from all the websites that I'm following and puts them in one, easy-to-access place, even if I'm offline.
Available for the iPhone and iPad here.

Camera+: Thanks to this app, the default iPhone camera now rests in the 'unused apps' folder on my iPhone. Very fast load time, it lets you take multiple pictures instantly without waiting for the previous one to save and even has some very competent built-in filters and frames for some basic post-production to jazz up your photos.
Available for the iPhone here.

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Champ Alreja, CEO, Hitplay.in

Pulse: A very useful app that customises daily news according to my preference. I don’t read regular newspapers anymore!
Available for the iPhone, iPad and Android here.

TEDtalks: This one provides inspirational and sometimes, out –of-the-box quotes by entrepreneurs from around the world. It makes for good brain food.
Available for the iPhone and iPad here.

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Nachiket Barve, Fashion designer

Twitter: This app needs no explanation. I use it for all my updates and work promotions.
Available for all mobile software here.

Google: For all that I need to know!
Available for all mobile software here.

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Gauri Devidayal, Restaurateur and Owner, The Table

Conde Nast Traveler: This app keeps me updated with all the traveling information I require. An enabler of fun vacations.
Available for the iPhone and iPad here.

Blackberry Messenger: A very handy tool to connect with personal and professional contacts.

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Clint Fernandes, Make-up artist

AccuWeather: It is the best weather app that I have used. Quite convenient for outdoor photo shoots.
Available for the iPhone, iPad, Android and BlackBerry here.

iPad Book Reader: This reader is more user-friendly than the Kindle. It has brought me back to reading.
Available as part of the iPad software.

Sex up your career with our free monthly listings of super job openings in the city, from working for an uber cool designer to landing gigs at fashion mags and non-profit organisations.

Know of a cool job opening? Send us an email on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Elle Magazine: Needs a copy editor in Mumbai. Minimum five years experience. Send your resume to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .in.

Crop Factory: This cool new Bandra salon set up by ex Juice stylist is looking for junior and mid level hairstylists with at least two years experience. Email your resume to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call the salon on 31922093/4. 

Monitor Group: This consulting firm's social arm is looking to hire a manager and a senior consultant with 3-4 and 5-7 years of consulting experience respectively. Email your resume (attaching CV and describing why you're interested) to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Sea Shepherd: Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS), an international marine wildlife conservation non-profit welcomes volunteers to come on board their ships that take on whaling fleets and save blue fin tuna. See volunteer details here http://www.seashepherd.org/get-involved and read a Mumbai volunteer’s experience on our guest blog.

At Your Service: This soon-to-be-launched logistics firm is looking for a client servicing executive with one year experience (freshers can write in to). Must be good at multi-tasking. Email your  resume to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

You're Invited

‘Ravi weds Roma’ is set in a glittery heart that’s embossed on a bright red card covered in gold Om print butter paper. If you’re either Ravi or Roma, you’re probably not too pleased right now. And rightly so.

To save your wedding guests from RSVP revulsion, we scoped out Uttara Shah, a Savannah College of Art and Design graduate who recently started an appointment-only card design studio in Lower Parel. Uttara’s modus operandi:  She’ll meet with said Ravi and Roma and make sure their favourite flowers and prints, eco-chic ways (she does e-vites too) and even their New York fixation (see picture) translates on to the wedding card. “I don’t work with templates and never repeat a design,” says the graphic designer, who’s done a bunch of glitzy weddings, including a year planner invite for actor Imran Khan and Avantika Malik’s January (I) do.

This last bit of information has Ravi and Roma worrying how much they’ll have to shell out for a card – Uttara says it’s price on request and can’t do less than 300. Maybe we can make Chimanlal’s glittery Om paper work, they're thinking. And rightly so.

View a slide show of our five favourite wedding invites by Uttara here.

Getting there: A505 Marathon, Innova NextGen, opposite Peninsula Corporate Park, off GK Marg, Lower Parel, for an appointment call 9930121161 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , price on request.

What: Luxury Limo car service, call 8080850505/9820703711 or visit www.luxurylimo.in, start at Rs 2,000 for 2 hours.

Why: Because as much as you love your trusty Honda City, sometimes you need some special lovin’. Enter Luxury Limo with its fleet of drool-worthy honeys including BMW 5 Series, Mercedes E Class, Audis and even some vintage numbers (coming soon), which you can rent by the hour. These guys also provide body guards, make dinner reservations, secure spots on guest lists and help plan your events.

When: You wanna get rowdy in an Audi.

What: CrossFitOM’s Zone Diet dabba service, call Jatin Mehta on 9820052846 to order, Rs 1,000 for breakfast, lunch and dinner (ouch!).

Why: Dheepesh Bhatt, the man behind uber-trendy CrossFitOM fitness regime, has taut us well. Now he wants to feed the city too. After working on a specially formulated Zone Diet (40:30:30 ratio of calories obtained daily from carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) menu, he has tied up with a hot kitchen that delivers breakfast , lunch and dinner.  Expect fruit salad, muesli, tuna sandwich, tofu steak, delivered in vacuum sealed containers that can be re-heated. Call Jatin at the kitchen and mention Dheepesh to get the menu in your inbox.

When: You want to grain weight the right way.

What: Mini golf at your doorstep by Golf Mania, call 9819030887 or view the Facebook group here, Rs 3,000 per hole per day including transport and set up charges.

Why: Which way do you swing? Give Golf Mania two hours, and they can set up a mini golf course (complete with greens, clubs, balls, even instructors) wherever you are, including your home or office. They do permanent installations and are planning regular events as well.

When: You’d like a green tee.

Sex up your career with our free monthly listings of super job openings in the city, from working for an uber cool travel company to landing gigs at TV channels, NGOs and culture hubs.

Know of a cool job opening? Send us an email on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

National Center for Performing Arts (NCPA):  Is looking for Senior Executive – PR & Media Relations to maximise positive media coverage, manage outreach programs, come up with creative PR ideas and create corporate identity material. Applicant must have up to three years relevant experience. Weekends are off! Email your resume to Romit Chaterji on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Backpackers Co: Is recruiting foot soldiers and freshers for their marketing, sales and social media departments. Must like travelling. Skills like juggling and mimicking would be a bonus. Jeans are permitted at the workplace. Email your resume to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

NDTV: We the People and The Buck Stops Here are looking to hire a programme co-ordinator. Send your resume to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The Coolest Job: A global beverage company that prefers to stay anonymous (while the viral campaign plays out) is advertising ‘The Coolest Job’ on Facebook. Applicants must be over 21, willing to travel  to clubs around the world, attend parties and get paid over a lakh a month. Yes, we're suspicious too, but couldn't resist putting this in. Click here to apply.

What: Plant rentals by Plants on Hire, call 9324602188, start at Rs 95 per plant for a year.

Why: Who would want to hire a plant, we wondered when we saw a Plants for Hire truck whizzing past us at Marine Drive. Apparently, 125 (and counting) offices in the city that we (s)potted on their client roster. These green guys armed with catalogues, recommend plants along with care rituals that would work best for your space - exotic plants for weddings, indoor ones for your home or workplace – and even replace the ones that die at no extra cost.

When: You want to grease someone’s palm.

What: Newsdrink.com, invite code: brownpaperbag, free membership.

Why: Newsdrink.com is the new Marie biscuit. A fresh aggregator site for newspapers, magazines and blogs from around the world, it’s the perfect accompaniment to your morning cup of tea. We love: Foreign Policy, Reuters’ Oddly Enough Blog and Two Guys Around TheWorld Photo Blog. What would be really fun, however, is if Newsdrink gives us access to paid subscriptions. Just a suggestion. Indian publications will be out next week, and a mobile app, next month.

When: You need a free press journal.