26 NRI PULSE October 2009...InVogue ...

Diwali Gift Ideas & Home Decor

For more information, call me at 404-633-4966 or visit Raneez Boutique at 2179Lawrenceville Hwy, Suite 18 & 19, DecaturGA 30033.

BY RANI SHARMA

The vastdiversity of In-dian culture hasled to thegrowth of a fas-cinating varietyof craft tech-niques andideas. For all ofus shopping forgifts this Diwaliseason, therecertainly is nodearth of ideas.

From in-tricate kutch embroidered cushion cases to ornatekalashes and designer diwali diyas & gift trays,the possibilities are endless.

With a little bit of imagination, even oldbanarasi or bandhni saris can be transformed in to

elegant throws, pillow covers or tablecloths, byseaming it with some gold crushed tissue and net

embroidery. Youcan gift that spe-cial person yourlabor of love!

Kalashes arenecessary inweddings andpujas. But thesedays, beautifullycrafted kalashes,encrusted with

glass, or engraved in metal, can be displayed athome as a decorative piece or gifted to a loved one.

Gift packaging is a growing industry in Indiatoday. It is all in the presentation. Wrap yourfestival gifts in crushed tissue, net or organza ma-terial or handmade paper. Put your little partyfavors or return gifts in little gold tissue bags. Yourguests will be delighted with the effort!

Diwali gifts are an important part of our tra-

dition. Lay out the dry fruits,Indian sweets, chocolate oreven gold on elegantly de-signed trays. Exquisite handpainted diyas (earthen lamps)can make for a great gift too.Add the wow factor to yourannual gifts.

Feng shui items are be-coming very popular as gift

items these days. They are not only pleasing to theeye, but are supposed to bring in good luck, happinessand prosperity. A feng shui piece can make for a great

gift idea this diwali.Visit our newly opened third wing to see

a wide array of gift ideas and decorative items.

...Restaurant Review ...

Cloves: Great Food & Poker FunThe Cloves Indian Restaurant1300 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. Ste2210Suwanee GA 30024Ph: 678-714-2275www.theclovesrestaurant.com

Their Bailey’s Cheese Cake and ApricotBread Pudding are to die for! But you don’t haveto have a sweet tooth to enjoy a visit to ClovesIndian Restaurant off Peachtree Industrial Blvd

in Suwanee. Thereare plenty of tastyNorth Indian, SouthIndian and Indo-Chinese items onthe menu to choosefrom.

Whether it istheir paneer 65,mango chicken,chicken tikka dosaor their lamb roganjosh- there’ssomething unique inevery section of themenu. Their mixed grill platter,chicken 65 and goat curry are, aswith most restaurants in Atlanta,very popular amongst patrons.

Their lunch buffet is priced at$8.99 weekdays and $11.99weekends. The weekend buffet is

BY VEENA RAO

elaborate, with over 24 items to choose from.There are appetizers, vegetarian items, non-vegetarian items, plus dosas and naan and twodesserts. The food is tasty and healthy.

Housed in a ritzy strip- The Plaza at SuwaneeStation- the restaurant has an elegant décor withthree glass sides. Customers come to eat goodfood in a quiet environment, with a great view ofthe woods. The restaurant also has a large patio,for people who choose to have a quiet, outdooreating experience.

With good food, friendly service and a greatambiance, it is little wonder that Cloves has beengarnering the attention of food lovers in the

Suwanee, Duluth, John’sCreek and Alpharetta areas.Ample parking space isanother plus.

Cloves is run by threeIT professionals, SantoshNarayan, Raj Srinivasan andUday Gupte, for whom theidea of a restaurant evolvedout of a common love forfood. Suwanee was theirnatural choice for locationbecause there are no otherIndian restaurants in thatarea.

The two chefs are fromHyderabad and Chennai, andhave over 40 years of culinary

experience betweenthem. The southIndian food istraditional, but thechefs and theowners experimentwith the NorthIndian food all thetime.

Come Saturday,the restaurant morphsfrom quiet restaurant toa trendy hang out placefor youngsters. Clovesis perhaps the onlyIndian restaurant in

Atlanta to offer free poker games (hosted by the AtlantaPoker Club) at its premises every Saturday. The ownerswill soon introduce weekend carom and chess forpatrons.

The restaurant also offers catering andbanquet facilities. Don’t miss their special Diwalilunch buffet!