india

June 17, 2016June 17, 2016

Udaipur through my lens: Top Five

Hey guys!

I always share travelogues and details itineraries of my travels but this time I thought I’d let my lens do the talking. Here’s a short photo diary of my trip in Udaipur a few months ago. I know this post is really delayed but if you’re planning a trip to Udaipur, hopefully these photographs will give you an idea of the city. However, having said that if you ask me my top 5 places to see, visit or eat at in Udaipur, here you go

1. Badi Lake: A lake not too many people visit, this should be you go-to spot to just absorb the beauty of the city of lakes. This lake transports you to a different world all together and has to be one of the most spectacular places you’ll visit. You’ll find little to no tourists here and actually enjoy the scenery without the crowds and noise.

2. Ambrai Restaurant: One of the most talked about restaurants in the city, Ambari is a must visit place. The food in this restaurant is very good but not amazing. However, what makes this restaurant an absolute must visit is the ambience in itself. Located at the lake, it’s really as beautiful as it gets. Whether it’s a perfect winter brunch or a cool summer evening, Ambarai offers you the most lovely candle lit evening at the Lake with views to die for. If you’re not staying at a “lake-side” hotel, visiting this restaurant will give you a similar feel to actually living in those hotels!

3. Vintage Car Museum: If youre a vintage lover, car lover or a vintage car fanatic, this is the place for you. This car museum is a private collection of cars of the Maharaja of Udaipur and it’s totally worth going gaga over. Once you’re done being in awe, you can enjoy a lovely at the Garden restaurant serving traditional Rajasthani food. Oh, the laal maas was AMAZING.

4. City Palace Udaipur: This is for all those history lovers out there. Udaipur’s City palace is absolutely beautiful and should be checked out if you want to learn about the history and culture of the city. The place is absolutely beautifully done up and the history of the space is just mesmerizing. I would recommend getting an audio guide or an in-person guide to enjoy the experience a bit more. Be prepared for the space to be very crowded since this is the most visited touristic destination in the city.

5. Panchwati: An area hardly anyone talks about, Panchwati is a must visit if you want to take a step out of the luxury and experience the city in it’s true essence. With tons of lit up chaat and lcoal food stalls, this area is so “happening” in the evenings that it can really uplift anyone’s mood. You must try out some authentic Rajasthani chaat with Kulfi for an ultimate #foodporn experience

Regarding Accommodation: Accommodation in Udaipur is definitely not cheap and it really depends on the type of hotels you’re looking for. If you’re going backpacking, I am so sure youll be able to find hostels to bunk up in. However, Udaipur is known for its opulence so finding a beautiful hotel in the lap of luxury is very easy. We stayed at the Lalit Laxmi Vilas and it was absolutely stunning. I had NO complaints from the hotel whatsoever and would highly, highly recommend it. Unlike the Taj Lake Palace or the Oberoi Udaivilas, The Lalit Laxmi Vilas is located on lake Fateh Sagar, hence being slightly secluded from the hustle bustle of the main city which we absolutely loved.

Fateh Sagar Lake

The Lalit Laxmi Vilas, Balcony

The Laxmi Vilas, Suite

The Lalit Laxmi Vilas, Evening Band

The Lalit Laxmi Vilas, Balcony View

The Lalit Laxmi Vilas, Corridors

The Lalit Laxmi Vilas, details

The Lalit Laxmi Vilas, Reception

Badi Lake (must visit)

The Lake Palace Hotel

The City Palace

Cafe in Udaipur City Palace

The Vintage Car Museum

Garden Hotel, Vintage Car Museum

Panchwati (For Chaat)

Authentic Rajasthani Chaat

Ambrai (HIGHLY RECOMMEND)

As always, if you have any queries, you can comment here or ask me on Instagram! Untill next time, xx

November 7, 2015June 7, 2016

QUICK LAST MINUTE DIWALI DIY GIFTS

Hey guys!

In today’s post I am sharing with you super easy and quick Diwali gift ideas. You can gift these singularly/ all of them in a little gift basket or even keep them for your self! hehe! I would personally love to gift all of them together in a little basket since they all compliment each other so well. We have some cinnamon scented diya’s, vanilla and coconut body scrub, salted caramel sauce and sweet & spicy mixed nuts. I just love how every single one of these DIY’s turned out! If you try any of them out, please do let me know and tag a picture of them on Instagram. Happy Diwali lovelies 🙂

1. Salted Caramel Sauce

I absolutely love salted caramel and what can be better than having a whole jar of it at home? This makes for a lovely gift since the sauce has a fairly decent shelf life and can be put to many uses. Whether it’s just drizzling it over vanilla ice cream for that amazing butterscotch flavour or pouring it on cakes, breads, brownies…anything really!

Time: 10 mins

Yields: 1 cup/small jar as shown

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons of butter/ butter cut into 6 cubes
1 cup sugar/200 grams of sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup heavy cream

Recipe:

1. Heat the sugar over a saucepan on medium heat constantly stirring it with a wooden spoon. The sugar will start to clump and turn into a brownish liquid. Just make sure to keep stirring so that nothing burns.

2. Once the sugar is melted, add in the butter. The liquid will bubble really rapidly but don’t worry. Keep stirring for about 2 minutes till the butter is completely melted.

3. Very slowly stir in the heavy cream. Keep in mind that the cream is colder and the liquid so it splatter/bubble rapidly.

4. Let the mixture boil for a minute and remove from the pan.
5. Add in the salt and stir.
6. Cool the salted caramel a little and pour into a jar.

Each time before re-using, simply put the jar in the microwave.

It lasts for 2 weeks in the fridge. If kept at room temperature, it’s okay for a day or so, so you can make it, pack it up and gift it. Just tell the guest to keep it in the fridge.

Sweet and Spicy Nuts Mix

These sweet and spicy nuts are as addictive as it can get. I don’t have a pure sweet tooth so these are perfect for someone like me who lives that hint of spiciness. These nuts are amazing to even munch on during drinking at a party or simply can be served with tea.

Time: 25 minutes

Yields: 3 cups of mixed nuts

Ingredients:

1. 3 cups mixed nuts (You can use as many or as little.Just modify the recipe accordingly I used 3 cups according to my jar size). I used Almonds, Walnuts and Cashews in equal proportions (about 1 cup each)

2. 1 teaspoon Salt

3. 1/4 teaspoon ground Cumin (Zeera Poweder)

4. 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper. I used Kashmiri Lal Mirch Powder. If you dont have either of them, you can use normal Red Chilly Powder

5. 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6. 1/4 cup water

7. 1 Tablespoon Butter

8. Cooking spray/a teaspoon of oil

Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line a baking tray with butter paper/parchment paper and lightly coat with cooking spray or a teaspoon of oil.

2. In a large bowl, combine all the nuts with salt, black pepper, cumin and cayenne pepper/red chilly powder/Kashmiri Mirch powder. Mix all the ingredients together.

3. In a saucepan, heat sugar, water, and butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. Cook for 1 minute and remove from heat.

4. Slowly pour this mixture mixture over the bowl of nuts and stir to coat. Make sure all the nuts are equally covered.

5. Transfer nuts to the prepared baking tray and spread into a single layer. Bake nuts in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.

6. Take them out of the oven and stirn them around in the tray to make sure that nothing is burnt and the syrup is evenly coated. Spread into a single layer, return to the oven, and bake until nuts are sticky and roasted, about 5 minutes.

7. Take them out of the oven and place the nuts in a cooling tray. Don’t cool them in the same tray that you baked them in or they will continue to cook. Once they’re cool, put them in a pretty jar and they’re ready to eat/gift.

Sugar and Vanilla Body Scrub

If you love soap and glory scrubs, you would absolutely LOVE this one. Vanilla is one of my favorite scents so of course I had to make a body scrub using the same. This scrub is super cheap to make and works really, really well! It’s also really safe to use since you know you’re not putting any chemicals in.

What you need:

1. 3 cups White sugar and 1 cup Brown Sugar. {It depends on the size of your jar. My jar was huge so I needed 4 cups of sugar in total}

2. 1/2 teaspoon of pure Vanilla Essence

3.2 cup Coconut oil {The amount of oil is exactly half of the sugar. If you use two cups of sugar, use 1 cup of oil}

4. Any Essential Oil. I used Vitamin E oil {Optional}

To make:

1. Stir all ingredients together until well combined.

2. Pour the liquid into an air tight jar.

3. I tied a pretty white bow to the jar to add a personal and femine touch.

4. To use, splash water on skin and gently scrub. Rinse and pat dry. Enjoy your super soft and silky skin!

Cinnamon Scented Diyas

These diyas have got to be the easiest DIY in this whole post. It included more of simply using your creativity rather than actually creating something from scratch. I went to the market and bought two diya’s: One bigger than the other. The bigger diya was empty without any wax/thread and the other one had the wax and thread ready to light. In the big diya’s base, place 5-7 cinnamon sticks and then place the smaller diya on top of that.

When you light the smaller diya, there would be a lovely scent of cinnamon that is to die for! It’s such an easy thing to do and takes no time. If you want you can even glue the cinnamon sticks to the larger diya to ensure that they don’t move.

I hope you try out these DIY’s! Untill next time xx

Notes: Recipe of the salted caramel is from Sally’s Baking Addiction and the recipe of the mixed nuts is from All Recipes

October 15, 2015October 15, 2015

The weekend getaway: Walterre

Hi guys!

My friend Madhavi & I decided to hit the hills for a little weekend getaway on 2nd October weekend. We searched and searched for a cottage or boutique hotel for days but just couldn’t find an accommodation that would fit the bill, i.e.: be reasonable, close to Delhi yet in the hills and have some character to it. Finally, Madhavi told me about a little cottage named Walterre, located about an hour away from Dehradun. As soon as I opened the website, I knew we just found the place we were looking for. Without overthinking too much, we booked our room online there and then and were ready to go!

The Villa

The villa has 4 large bedrooms, huge gardens, verandas, a living area, dining room, kitchen and a reading nook! It works like any other hotel where you book a room for your self exclusively and have access to all the other common areas. How it works differently is that, you’re essentially sharing a house with 3 other groups/families (staying in the three other rooms). At first, this may be a little strange to some but think of it more like a guest house or a home-stay where you are living in someone’s house and are paying rent for it.

Though you do share the common areas such as verrandas, gardens, living room with other guests, it can be really fun experience since you get to meet new people. If you don’t want to interact with others and want time only for your self, think of these common spaces as a hotel lobby where other guests lounge around doing their thing.

The entire villa is beautifully done up with ever nook and corner carefully thought out. Almost all the walls in the house are adorned with rare natural history lithographs from the owner’s collection, sourced from all over the world! Complementing prints and patterns beautifully put together truly makes the place stand out as even with an excess of it all, it just all falls into place.

The Rooms

The rooms are huge with four post bed, a little living room, and an attached bathroom. Each room could easily accommodate at least 3 people where the third person charge is extra (Check the website for all tariffs). We rooms were air-conditioned along with having fans and the bathrooms had a geezer so that worked well since the property isn’t located at a very high altitude.

The Service

I don’t know where to begin to compliment the service. It was absolutely outstanding. The accommodation serves three meals a day where breakfast is charged at Rs.250 and lunch + dinner at Rs.350 each (per head). The home caretakers really do a good job to ensure that the house is spotless clean and all your dietary needs are met! For breakfast, we had a lovely array laid for the both of us on the terrace that included- cereal, eggs, poha, tea/coffee/ toast with home made jams & nutella. What I loved about the place was how personalised things were. You don’t want eggs? No problem! You can tell the chef to prepare something else for you. Dinner was definitely the highlight of our day since the food was absolutely out of the world. Well prepared, home made, good quality food- what more do you need? A typical dinner menu looked something like this- Palak paneer, Chicken curry, Dahi-Benegan, Rice, Rotis, Curd OR Mutton curry, Bhindi, Rice, Rotis, Paneer, Gulab Jamuns. It was a buffet like system where the food was laid on the table and one could eat all you want so Rs.350 for such a lovely meal was worth every penny.

Things To Do

We checked into Walter on the 1st evening at around 6 pm and checked out on the 4th morning. We did have time on our hands so decided to things at an easy pace. There’s a river right around the property- about a 5-10 mins walk downhill. This place has something to offer to everyone. If you want to spend time in the cottage reading, writing or simply soaking in nature- it’s absolutely perfect as the property is tucked away amongst greenery and the hills. One can take short walks nearby or even go down to the river for a while. On the other hand, it’s an hour’s drive away from Mussoorie if you’re looking for the “hill-station” experience. The villa’s caretaker will arrange for a car and a driver (Need to pay extra) who will drive you down to Mussorie, wait there and bring you back. Since we didn’t want to go to main Mussorie Mall area, we decided to hire the car who dropped us off at “Picture Palace” from where we decided to begin our trek to Char Dukaan and Sister’s Bazaar. The walk uphill to these two places is not easy whatsoever and is pretty tiring. Its about an hour of uphill walking but is absolutely worth it. If you don’t want to walk, you could also tell the driver to take you in the cab but I really recommend walking it! Chaar Dukaan was a delight after the long walk where we gorged on pancakes and bun omelette. It wasn’t half as crowded as the Mall at Mussorie and the weather was pleasant too since it is at a much higher altitude. From Chaar Dukaan, it’s another short walk to Sister’s Bazaar where we went straight to Prakash ki Dukaan to buy some freshly baked cinnamon rolls, peanut butter and home made preserves. If you do decide to go to Mussorie, make sure you go to this shop- YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!

I highly recommend this villa to you especially if you want to live fairly close by to a hill station (that’s not too far from Delhi) and yet be far away from all the craziness and chaos. Walterre defines the term getaway in it’s true sense where it really seems like you’re living in a little cottage right out of a fairy tale.

Little Notes:

How to reach: The easiest option is to take the Dehradun Shatabdi from Delhi to Dehradun. You could also take a Volo from Delhi to Dehradun. Once you reach Dehradun, you can book an Ola cab that would take approximately Rs.500 to the property. The villa is really secluded in the middle of nowhere so don’t get worry if it takes you a while to find it. You can also call for a pickup to the train station/bus stand from the villa it self but that is way more expensive, even though it’s more convenient.

Tariffs: Approximately Rs. 3,500 a night + taxes

For more pictures from the trip, check out my Instagram handle 🙂

This post is NOT sponsored whatsoever.

November 10, 2014June 7, 2016

For the love of Old School

Hey guys,

If you know me by now, there’s one thing that I absolutely cannot forego and thats comfort. By comfort I dont simply mean comfortable clothing, but also the little things that keep us in a happy place. Ever since I was a kid, I would go to the Delhi Gymkhana Club and Delhi Golf Club with my parents every weekend and sometimes more often. There’s something about these clubs that lets me eat my cup of tea, yummy chicken sandwiches or even the endless array of sumptuous food {Sunday buffets YUM} without feeling guilty. Both these clubs being a century or less old are quaint and magnificient at the same time. Whether it may be the formal winter lunches, the simple relaxed tea hour or the crazy thursday/saturday nights, I can see my self spending hours there and not keeping any track of time {#truegrannyatheart}

Recently, Madhavi and I decided to visit the Delhi Gymkhana Club {a good place to go when the pocket is a little light}. Though we couldn’t make it for the lunch hour, we decided to sit down in the lawns have some tea with ‘snacks’ {Ofcourse!}. We ordered two cups of tea, my favorite- chicken sandwiches and one portion of cheese balls. Now, we cant go wrong with the former too, but if you’ve had the cheese balls then you know they exemplify addiction+weirdness in a whole. Though they taste strange, you can’t just more than one. Maybe its only me, but I have always felt that way since I can remember.

On an ideal situation , especially if it was a Thursday, we would have stayed on and moved to the bar by 7 pm, but since time wasn’t really in our favour, we decided to stick to tea and conversations. However, we did manage to go to the bakery (within the club) and pack some bread! {granny moment again} Trust me when I tell you that it’s some of the yummiest bread, ever!

Moving on to the outfit, I kept it as classic as possible with a white midi dress and moccasins. What I loved about this look is it’s versatility. With a couple of accessories and a bright lip, one could easily transform this look from day-to-night. Now that its getting a little chilly, I can also imagine my self adding a leather jacket {to make it a little edgier} or adding a blazer to keep it formal! A midi dress such as this should definitely be on the list of top 10 must haves. The moccasins on the other hand need no introduction. Yet another classic pair, you just cannot go wrong with them. Though these particular pair arent everyone’s cup of tea cause of their androgynous element, I just cannot get enough of them.

Details: Dress and Shoes- Zara, Rings- Forever 21, Bag- Found in mom’s closet.

November 1, 2014November 1, 2014

Pondicherry: France in India

Hey guys!

Im finally here to share my experience about Pondicherry! I have tried my best to keep it short! If you all want more details on the trip, please do let me know 🙂

History, food {great food}, beaches and Ashrams; Pondicherry has it all. Having visited the backwaters in Kerala last year, I knew that I haven’t gotten enough of the South and Pudducchery/Pondicherry was on top of my bucket list.

We booked a flight from Delhi to Chennai and decided to drive down on the East Coast Road to our final destination. The drive as expected was beautiful and even though we did stop at a dhabha en route which was a huge dissapointment when it came to food, the filter cappi made up for it {Heaven, oh yeah}.

In Pondicherry, we stayed at the hotel Palais de Mahe. Newly built, this hotel resonated the old world charm of French architecture. With intricate details resembling the colonial building styles, this boutique hotel transported you back in time. We had our first meal at the hotel’s restaurant itself {which was highly recommended}, and boy was I surprised! From Lobsters, crab to grilled fish, they had it all. With each dish being succulent and flavourful, we couldn’t have asked for a better start to the trip.

Having rested for a bit, we decided to walk around the city in the evening {it’s way too hot to do so in the day}. Pondicherry is interestingly has it’s areas marked out using the colour of the buildings. If the colour of the building is yellow, it’s a part of the French quarter {where he lived}, if it’s grey, its owned by the Aurobindo Ashram and if it’s white, it’s a part of the Tamil Quarter. Easily explorable on foot or cycles, Pondicherry is every history buff’s delight. What makes the space stand out is the very fact of how modern elements such as graffiti takes over walls of the colonial French quarter.

The Promenade is open to walk , sit, eat and do whatever one wants from 6 am to 6 pm as no cars are allowed on that 1 kilometer stretch. With hundreds of people simply hanging around with their families and enjoying an evening snack at the hawkers around the ocean, there’s a sense of quiet in the chaos.

For my family and I, what made the trip the trip was definetly the food. Since we aren’t really into medition or spas, the gastronomic journey was the highlight of our trip. The food was a delightful mix of French cuisine with Tamil flavours and vice-versa. It may sound strange at first, but trust me, you got to exeperience it to truly appreciate it’s brilliance. I won’t talk about every single meal here since this post would literally never end but two meals that definetly stood out for us were at Maison Perumal in the Indian Quarter and Tantos in Auroville.

Maison Perumal, the sister property of Palais de Mahe specializes in authentic Chettinad cuisine. We ordered a portion of shrimp tossed sautéed with coriander, their classic fish curry with apams and prawns ground with spices served with rice. Though I don’t remember the exact names of the dishes, till date the flavours are etched in my memory.

Tantos, on the other hand, located in Auroville provided us with an altogether different experience. Auroville , located just 10 kms from Pondicherryis an experimental township in Viluppuram ) is an experimental township in Viluppuram district which houses about 50,000 people from all over the world. The purpose of Auroville is to realise human unity – in diversity. Today Auroville is recognised as the first and only internationally endorsed ongoing experiment in human unity and transformation of consciousness, also concerned with – and practically researching into – sustainable living and the future cultural, environmental, social and spiritual needs of mankind. What makes the place even more interesting is the fact that out of the entire population, only about 1/3^rd are Indians. Hence, this global township offers you a unique spinechilling experience. With german bakeries, French cafes, Italian restaurants, greek dhabas, Auroville has something for everyone’s liking. After hearing so much about Tantos from tourists as well as civilians, we had to try it out and I am so glad we did. Specializing in pizzas, they are some of the best I have had across the world! If you do visit there, make sure you are ready to wait to be seated and served {it’s worth it}. We also picked up a slice of banana chocolate chip cake from the Auroville bakery and enjoyed a cup of tea with homemade bread and jam in an organic café called Natural Elements. To add to the experience, we also got to visit the Auroville paper factory and that was one experience no one should ever miss. If you love stationary, this place will be your paradise.

Other than Auroville, the Indian Quarter of Pondicherry completely sets it self apart from the French quarter. Resembling any other town in Tamil Nadu, this area is any shopper’s paradise. Specialising in leather goods {The Hidesign concept store + factory + factory outlet is located here} to indo-western outfits, candles, essences, if you’re looking to take out some time to shop, you’re in for a delight. Most of the stores in the French quarter are boutiques and hence the pricing may be a tad bit high, though totally worth it.

I wont go on too much and will let the photographs speak for them selves. If you do plan to go to Pondicherry, please feel free to email me at sarasuri@gmail.com and I’d be really, really happy to help you! Here are some of the places that you MUST visit-

Places to Eat:

Maison Perumal- For Lunch {The Indian Quarter}
Palais de Mahais- For Dinner {The French Quarter}
The Indian Kaffe Express- For Coffee {The French Quarter}
La Maison Rose- For Dinner and drinks{The French Quarter}
Villa Shanti – For Lunch {The French Quarter}
Tantos – For lunch, Italian {Auroville}
Auroville Bakery
Natural Elements – For tea/lunch {Auroville}
Paradise Beach and Auro Beach –It’s too hot during the day but as the weather gets pleasant in the evening, the beach gets crowded. Catch 22.

Filter Coffee, En Route Pondicherry {East Coast Road}

View from the terrace of the Hotel

Hotel Palais de Mahe- Pool

Restaurant at the Hotel

The meal at Maison Permual

The first meal in Pondicherry

Processed with Moldiv

Tantos and Natural Elements in Auroville

Hope this post inspires you to make a trip there! Pondicherry and Auroville have so much to offer. Though theyre really quaint, both these spaces offer and insight to global and local fusion in best way possible!

July 31, 2014June 7, 2016

Eidi {Photo diary}

We all have a bucket list and experiencing Eid at Jama Masjid was a part of mine. Though I have lived in Delhi all my life and have been to Jama Masjid multiple times, I just never managed to go there on Eid. This year however, I kept my commitment and headed to the Walled City with a friend of mine. Both of us were extremely excited (especially for the food) and couldn’t wait to try out all that the streets had to offer. We knew that we may not have time to go to Matia Mahal and hence our plan consisted of visiting the Mosque itself and devouring the Biryani, Haleem, Kebabs and ofcourse sevaiyaan. We visited this Masjid during the afternoon and though it was crowded and oozing of vibrance, there was still an overarching sense of serenity. One could see a sea of people wading their way through the streets leading to the Masjid. Others, just enjoyed the festivities outside while they shopped and ate to their hearts content.

So here’s my Eidi; the very experience itself. It was truly a synesthesic moment, as we sat one of the balcony’s of the Mosque and saw time sweep by.

I really hope you liked the photographs. They’re more than simply photographs for me and are instead memories etched out on paper. Though these photographs may not do justice to the experience and I really recommend you too visit the Masjid during this time, if you havn’t already. I would love to do a part two of this post where I share with you some of my favorite places to eat around this part of the city. So stay tuned 🙂

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook for more photographs.

July 9, 2014October 17, 2015

What’s in my bag?

Heyy guys!

This tag has been extremely popular on YouTube over the years and I can’t be more excited to upload my own What’s in my bag post! The stuff in my bag changes more or less depending on the season (other than a few essential items which are always there no matter what). Here’s what’s in my bag that I have been using over the summer! {Especially during my summer vacations where I spend a lot of time exploring the city and spending long days outside}.

The bag that I have been using lately is the Louis Vuitton Never full (GM) and l absolutely adore it. I use this tote when I’m travelling as well since it can store so, so much {As the name suggests}. I must however admit that I wont carry all of this stuff just to do errands or even a night out!

What’s in the bag?

Wallet: To begin with, my wallet is one essential that I carry with me at all times. This one’s a gift from many years ago but I still can’t get enough of it. It’s the perfect size and though it’s simple, it’s got an elegant glossy finish to it which makes it look really special.

Sunglasses: One word- Cat eye. These have got to be one of my favorite pair of sunglasses. They are from Style Fiesta and hence weren’t too expensive either! I love having a good versatile pair in my bag at all times and this pair definitely fits the bill!

Specs: Just like my sunglasses, I have to carry my specs at all times too. I need my specs for driving or watching television and since I can be pretty careless, I don’t like spending too much on a pair. These ones are from Dayal Opticals.

Book: No matter where I go and for how long, carrying a book is absolutely imperative. I love reading and I find some to be the best time to catch up to my wish list! I just began reading Metamorphosis after having read so much about it. I must say, though I haven’t gone through, I highly recommend it! You can buy your copy here.

Portable Charger cover: My phone undoubtedly has the worst battery life ever and not having a charger with me can be extremely inconvenient for if I have to get through to anyone. Sometimes, carrying a normal charger defeats the purpose for it can get extremely tough to find a plugpoint and that’s where this portable charger from Puro comes into handy. It’s a really pretty white and gold cover which has a battery installed within it. As soon as I put the cover on and switch on a button, my phone starts to charge! I got this one from Dubai so not sure if it’s available here in India but Amazon.in is worth checking out.

Chewing Gum: Whether it may be mint or gum, you’ll always have a pack with me. I prefer the bottle packaging way more since it’s easier to find while I’m searching for it in the bag. Oh, and it lasts longer!

Tea Bag: However strange it sounds, I find my self carrying some sort of sachet of tea or coffee. This one is the TWG Waterfruit Green tea and its SO good! I’m absolutely obsessed with it and drink it every single day. Since I’m interning, I carry these in my bag for office #shameless.

Camera: Being a blogger and in fact simply having a passion for documenting things around me, I carry a camera with me wherever I go. Though I use my phone camera a lot but I do have my SLR handy whenever needed! Here, since I shot these photographs using the DSLR, I placed my cute little Instax Mini instead. I don’t carry this one everywhere I go but do like to have it to me on a date or a girl’s day out!

Earphones: If I have my phone, I have my earphones. These ones came with my phone itself and are really convenient to carry and are an absolute must when I’m travelling in the metro! Though I prefer listening to music over headphones, I don’t carry them every where I go (other than while I’m travelling or working out).

Wipes: This is one summer essential I just cant do without.These cool cucumber cleansing wipes are such a day saver. They cane be used for numerous purposes- whether it may be removing makeup on the go or simply cleansing away all the oil or dirt of a long day. They have a really nice cooling effect and feel refreshing when used in the soldering heat. They are available at New U stores.

Makeup: I do NOT carry makeup with me on a daily basis but these pack was lying in my bag since I carried it previously! One will find makeup in my bag if I know that I have a long day, followed by a long evening with no time to go back home in between. Carrying different items can be extremely inconvenient so nothing beats the Estee Lauder Travel Exclusive Makeup Kit (available at Duty Free). I just find it much easier to have all the products that I need for a simple day to night summer look in one place neatly packaged rather than creating my own travel makeup kit, which can be a time consuming process. If I am going to be carrying the kit, I would most likely also have my Maybelline Lip Gloss with since the kit comes with a dull nude lipstick that looks stunning with a gloss layered on!

Perfume: Another summer essential has got to a perfume. The one currently in my bag is Dior Addict. I love the scent for it’s the perfect balance of cranberry, orange and sweet musk.The size of the bottle is really convenient to carry around too!

Sunscreen Spray: Having a sunscreen with us is extremely important especially if we are outdoors all day! I hate how most sunscreens are so sticky on the skin and so I’m glad I found the sprays in the market. This sheer body mist sunscreen pray with SPF 50 is extremely light on the skin and does the job too.

Hair brush: No one likes to be sweaty tangled hair and a hairbrush is of course a must! I really want a tangle teaser too so if you know where I can get one, please do let me know!

Mirror: Though my phone has a front camera, I just love carrying this cute little ‘Bitch Please’ pocket mirror. It has a sturdy rubber lining and yes, its pink! (I got it from Happily Unmarried.)

Other items: Other things that weren’t there in this bag (SURPRISINGLY) are receipts, tons and tons of receipts. I happen to be a receipt hoarder and each time I buy some thing, I have a tendency to shove them in until they there reaches a point that I can’t find anything else in the bag.

I also carry my laptop with a diary if I have to work from somewhere and have a meeting. These two things though I don’t like tagging along with me until absolutely necessary.

Next, I have a magazine or a newspaper on me to keep me entertained during the metro journeys when I don’t have the patience to enjoy my book in peace.

I love my food so one will usually see my carrying a snack. Whether it may be a ziplock pack of almonds and walnuts or a tetrapack of Soy Milk (You would definitely find this in my bag! 😉 ), I like keeping my self hydrated and fed throughout the day.

photo (55)

I really hope you enjoyed browsing through what I like to carry with me during an ordinary summer day! I would love to hear from you of what you carry in your bags! Since its a tag, I tag ALL OF YOU! 🙂

If you have any queries, you can email me at sarasuri@gmail.com

Make sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook for all fun updates too 🙂

June 15, 2014June 7, 2016

{Beer & Ball : The Delhi Guide} 2014 FIFA WORLD CUP

Hey everyone! The four year wait is over and the 2014 FIFA World Cup has finally begun! With some really exciting matches already over, we still have 28 days of madness ahead of us. Since the matches are taking place in Brazil, sadly for us, the options of where to watch these games are rather limited.Most of the extremely awaited matches happen post midnight (IST) and I’m sure we all have that one question in mind ” WHAT DO WE DO?”. I must admit that I am not football crazy, but with all my close ones being absolute die hard fans, I do enjoy games every now and then! The Schedule. To begin with, here’s the schedule for all those who haven’t already taken a print out or saved it on their phones.

Time	Group	Match	Venue
FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014
01:30 IST	Group A	Brazil vs Croatia	Arena Corinthians
21:30 IST	Group A	Mexico vs Cameroon	Estadio das Dunas
SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 2014
00:30 IST	Group B	Spain vs Netherlands	Arena Fonte Nova
03:30 IST	Group B	Chile vs Australia	Arena Pantanal
21:30 IST	Group C	Colombia vs Greece	Estadio Mineirão
SUNDAY, JUNE 15, 2014
00:30 IST	Group D	Uruguay vs Costa Rica	Estadio Castelão
03: 30 IST	Group D	England vs Italy	Arena Amazonia
06:30 IST	Group C	Ivory Coast vs Japan	Arena Pernambuco
21: 30 IST	Group E	Switzerland vs Ecuador	Nacional
MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014
00:30 IST	Group E	France vs Honduras	Estadio Beira-Rio
03:30 IST	Group F	Argentina vs Bosnia and Herzegovina	Estadio do Maracanã
21:30 IST	Group G	Germany vs Portugal	Arena Fonte Nova
TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 2014
0:30 IST	Group F	Iran vs Nigeria	Arena da Baixada
03:30 IST	Group G	Ghana vs United States	Estadio das Dunas
21:30 IST	Group H	Belgium vs Algeria	Estadio Mineirão
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014
0:30 IST	Group A	Brazil vs Mexico	Estadio Castelão
03:30 IST	Group H	Russia vs South Korea	Arena Pantanal
21:30 IST	Group B	Australia vs Netherlands	Estadio Beira-Rio
THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 2014
0:30 IST	Group B	Spain vs Chile	Estadio do Maracanã
03:30 IST	Group A	Cameroon vs Croatia	Arena Amazonia
21:30 IST	Group C	Colombia vs Ivory Coast	Nacional
FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 2014
0:30 IST	Group D	Uruguay vs England	Arena Corinthi
3:30 IST	Group C	Japan vs Greece	Estadio das Dunas
21:30 IST	Group D	Italy vs Costa Rica	Arena Pernambuco
SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 2014
0:30 IST	Group E	Switzerland vs France	Arena Fonte Nova
3:30 IST	Group E	Honduras vs Ecuador	Arena da Baixada
21:30 IST	Group F	Argentina vs Iran	Estádio Mineirão
SUNDAY, JUNE 22, 2014
0:30 IST	Group G	Germany vs Ghana	Estádio Castelão
3:30 IST	Group F	Nigeria vs Bosnia and Herzegovina	Arena Pantanal
21:30 IST	Group H	Belgium vs Russia	Estádio Maracanã
MONDAY, JUNE 23, 2014
0:30 IST	Group H	South Korea vs Algeria	Estádio Beira-Rio
3:30 IST	Group G	United States vs Portugal	Arena Amazônia
21:30 IST	Group B	Australia vs Spain	Arena da Baixada
21:30 IST	Group B	Netherlands vs Chile	Arena Corinthians
TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2014
01:30 IST	Group A	Croatia vs Mexico	Arena Pernambuco
01:30 IST	Group A	Cameroon vs Brazil	Estádio Nacional de Brasilia
21:30 IST	Group D	Italy vs Uruguay	Estádio das Dunas
21:30 IST	Group D	Costa Rica vs England	Estádio Mineirão
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2014
01:30 IST	Group C	Japan vs Colombia	Arena Pantanal
01:30 IST	Group C	Greece vs Ivory Coast	Estádio Castelão
21:30 IST	Group F	Nigeria vs Argentina	Estádio Beira-Rio
21:30 IST	Group F	Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Iran	Arena Fonte
THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2014
01:30 IST	Group E	Honduras vs Switzerland	Arena Amazônia
01:30 IST	Group E	Ecuador vs France	Estádio Maracanã
21:30 IST	Group G	United States vs Germany	Arena Pernambuc
21:30 IST	Group G	Portugal vs Ghana	Estádio Nacional de Brasilia
FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014
01:30 IST	Group H	South Korea vs Belgium	Arena Corinthians
01:30 IST	Group H	Algeria vs Russia	Arena da Baixada
ROUND OF 16
SATURDAY, JUNE 28, 2014
21:30 IST		1A vs 2B	Estadio Mineirão
SUNDAY, JUNE 29, 2014
01:30 IST		1C vs 2D	Estadio do Maracanã
21:30 IST		1B vs 2A	Estadio Castelão
MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014
01:30 IST		1D vs 2C	Arena Pernambuco
21:30 IST		1E vs 2F	Nacional
TUESDAY, JULY 1, 2014
01:30 IST		1G vs 2H	Estadio Beira-Rio
21:30 IST		1F vs 2E	Arena Corinthians
WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 2014
01:30 IST		1H vs 2G	Arena Fonte Nova
QUARTER-FINALS
FRIDAY, JULY 4, 2014
21:30 IST		Winner Match 51 vs Winner Match 52	Estadio do sMaracanã
SATURDAY, JULY 5, 2014
01:30 IST		Winner Match 49 vs Winner Match 50	Estadio Castelão
21:30 IST		Winner Match vs Winner Match 56	Nacional
SUNDAY, JULY 6, 2014
01:30 IST		Winner Match 53 vs Winner Match 54	Arena Fonte Nova
SEMI-FINALS
WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 2014
01:30 IST		Winner Match 57 vs Winner Match 58	Estadio Mineirão
THURSDAY, JULY 10, 2014
01:30 IST		Winner Match 59 vs Winner Match 60	Arena Corinthians
THIRD PLACE
SUNDAY, JULY 13, 2014
01:30 IST		Loser Match 61 vs Loser Match 62	Nacional
FINAL
MONDAY, JULY 14, 2014
0:30 IST		Winner Match 61 vs Winner Match 62	Estadio do Maracanã

Now that we have our dates and timings in place, let move on to the where these matches can be watched other than the comforts of our homes of course.

Nine Thirty pm

This time slot suits the Indian time zone well for it’s not too late, since most bars/pubs shut down by 1. I have personally talked to each one of these places and they are screening all the 9:30 pm matches.

1. Soi 7 Pub & Brewery – Soi 7, since it opened up in Gurgaon has been one of the most popular joints in the city. I’d recommend sticking to the alcohol here since food is definitely not their forte. This lounge is known for it’s self-brewed beer, lovely cocktails, good music and occasional boxing matches which are really fun to watch! They do take reservations so it’s best to book your self a table especially during peak hours. Thursday: Ladies Night (Alcohol is on the house for women) & Tuesdays : Corporate Night (20% discount for corporate professionals)

Location: Cyber Hub, Gurgaon

Open till: 1 am

For reservations – 01133036518

2. Downtown – Located in Sector 29, Gurgaon, Downtown has got to be one of the most fun places, especially on a friday night. The place is huge since it rests on 4 levels. Oh, dont say no their wheat beer.

Open till: 12 am

Location: Leisure Valley Road, Sector 29

For reservations: +9195822622545

3. Underdoggs – Monday Nights!Underdoggs is known for it’s Monday nights for its All you can eat and drink Mondays at Rs.799 + taxes (which includes unlimited Chicken wings, unlimited pizzas, unlimited beer, unlimited cauliflower bites and unlimited soft beverages).

Location: Ambience Mall – Vasant Kunj and Ambience Mall- Gurgaon

Open till: 12 am

For reservations: 01133036180

4. Moonshine Cafe & Bar – Divided into two sections, offering two completely different experiences, Moonshine in no time has made it as one of the most fun places to party in the city. A plus point- its really big and airy along with the food which deserves a special mention!

Location: Hauz Khas Village

Open till: 1 am

For inquiries: 01133036849

5. Vapour Pub & Brewery– With its highlight being a beautiful terrace, Vapour as one of numerous microbreweries in Gurgaon is a fun and relaxed bar lounge to watch the matches on it’s numerous TV screens.

Location – MGF Mega City Mall, Gurgaon

Open till: 1 am

For Reservations – 011 33036097

6. Imperfecto – To relish the aroma from the Mediterranean, Imperfecto is showing matches on giant screens, with deals such as a bucket of six pints of beer for Rs 1,300 with free tapas.

Location: Cyber Hub, Gurgaon and Hauz Khas Village

Open till: 1 am

For reservations: 011 41090093

7. Soy – Restaurants like Soy in Khan Market have a deal where guests predicting the correct match result will get a set of five vodkas/five any Indian liquor (standard servings). Also, all registered users will get a free round of drinks whenever a goal is scored. That sounds like fun!

Location: Khan Market

Open till: 12 am

For reservations: 011 33036223

8. Caffe 9 : This multi cuisine restaurant & lounge has come up with a concept called ‘Get Set Goal’. Patrons can catch the action of Football World Cup 2014 Live on big screens. It will also be running an offer wherein the patrons can predict the winner before the first goal and get a round of beer for free. These is definitely a fun way to enjoy a game night!

Location: Cannaught Place

Open till: 1 am

For reservations: 011 33036178

9. Striker Pub & Brewery: Striker, being one of the older breweries in town has managed to maintain is cliental pretty well. It has a fun and energetic vibe throughout the week. On tuesday nights, drinks are free for the ladies! There are two huge screens for the match screenings, so definitely no complains.

Open till: 1 am

Location: Global Foyer Mall, Golf Course Road, Gurgaon

For Reservations: 011 33036121

10. Mia Bella: Mia Bella has an international flags décor theme to celebrate this year’s football fever. They have two giant screens, one on its rooftop and one inside. They also have a promotional offer called ‘beer bonanza’ that includes imported beer at discounted prices. Along with that, they are hosting games and contests during half-time and give away freebies (drinks/shots on the house) for guessing the correct names of players.

Location: Hauz Khas Village

Open till: 1 am

For reservations: 011 33036327

11. 100% Rock: The place is huge and makes for a fun place to watch the matches. Their happy hours last till 10 pm so ordering all the drinks as soon as the match starts would be a smart thing to do.

Location: Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj

Open till: 1 am

For reservations: +91 9818009286

12. Etc.. Cafe Pan Asian – Throughout the World Cup, they have a special cocktail menu featuring deals like Free Kick (a pitcher of Long Island iced tea), Red Card (11 Indian beers), Golden Goal (20 Kamikaze shots) along with many more drinks. Who can say no to such a spirited menu?

Location: Ambawatta Complex, Mehrauli

Open till: 12 am

For reservations: 011 33036342

13. The Beer Cafe: Completely immersed in the world cup spirit, Beer Café outlets across the city are screening the matches on high-definition LCD screens. They are are also offering complimentary tattoos and wristbands during the match hours.

Open till: 12 am

Location: Cyber Hub, Ambience Mall (Gurgaon), Cannought Place (+ 7 more locations)

For reservations: 0124 4949624

14. 7 degrees Brauhaus– They have a community of The Beer Enthusiasts which meets every wednesdays. 7 degrees showcases 1 new beer from across the world as a part of our Members Tasting which is complimentary. Members can avail Open Tap offer (unlimited beer @750rs all inclusive) every wednesdays. For this membership, charge a fee of 1000rs. (Please contact the bar for more details). As a member, you have an access to the Open Tap nights, 20% off every time.

Location: DLF South Point Mall, Gurgaon

Open till: 12 am

For reservations: 011 33036728

15. Monkey Bar– Though a little tough to find if you don’t know Vasant Kunj well, it’s definitely worth it! Serving yummy food, interesting cocktails at decent prices and a huge screen, you can’t say no to Monkey bar. In spite of it’s size, (whcih is huge) getting a table during peak hours on the weekends can be really tough.

Location: Pocket C 6 & 7, Vasant Kunj,

Open till: 12:30 am

For reservations: 011 33036531

16. Harry’s – Harry’s review

Location: Khan Market & Select City Walk Mall

Open till: 1: 30 am

For reservations: 011 33036834

Post Midnight

If you’re on the lookout for a place to watch the 12:30/1:30 am match then these bars or clubs, all located in Hotels do fit the bill! However, make sure that the match will may not be the highlight of the night for a couple of these places.There are TV screens where the match is being played but along side the DJ will continue to play for the night.

1. RSVP– With entry at Rs.1000 for a couple, choosing RSVP as your go to club would be a smart thing to do. Do keep in mind that it’s a weekend club only! (Fridays, Saturdays). Also, the music may overshadow the match screening and hence it’s not the place to be if you want to watch the match without the ‘clubbing’ experience.

Location: Jaype Vasant Continental, Vasant Vihar

Open till: 3:30 am approx

For inquiries: +91 9999617787

2. The Blue Bar– The Blue Bar is a personal favorite for its cocktails, ambience and fun music. On fridays and Saturdays, the last order will be taken at 2:30 am for alcohol and 1:00 for food. The bar would shut by 4 am! Kafe Fontana located in the same hotel, will also be screening all the matches and has some deals on the food too!

Location: The Taj Palace Hotel, Diplomatic Enclave

For inquiries: 011 66503665

3. Kitty Su– Being one of the most popular clubs in the city, Kitty Su is as commercial as it can get. It does offer a promising fun night if you’re with a large group of friends. The drinks are expensive so preg-aming sounds like a better plan here!

Location: The Lalit Hotel, Cannought Place

Open till: 3:30 am approx

For inquiries: 011 44447666

4. Howzzat– As the name indicates, this place is a sports bar from beginning to end. With beer being it’s forte, its a fun place to watch matches at reasonable prices in spite of being located in a hotel.’Bouncers’ and ‘Googly’ are their most ordered drinks, for sure!

Location: Galaxy Hotel, Gurgaon

Open till: Approx. 3 am

0124 4032222

5. Ricks – For the world cup, they are offering two beers for the price of one to all soccer fans (during the live telecast) and appetizers such as traditional nachos with charred tomato salsa and ranch dressing, jalapeno poppers.

Location: The Taj Mahal Hotel, Mansingh Road

Open till: 3 am approx

For inquiries: 011 23026162

The unexpected

There are a few of places that we all assume will most likely screen the matches but having called them up and talked to them, I was wrong! They, in fact are not screening the World Cup matches & I thought listing them down might help those who may consider these bars for watching the games specifically.

1. Route 04

2. Fork You

3. Shiros

4. PCO

5. Hard Rock Cafe

To be on the safer side, you should call them up before negating these options completely!

Party all night

Tika Taka time : https://www.facebook.com/tikitakatime

Screening matches open air in Asola farms, Chattarpur, this event seems to have it all. Giant screens, TV and football games!

Grubbin’ away

Post watching the match, if you’re not in the mood to order in there are a couple of places that you rush to in order to satiate your taste buds. I’ve personally tried out all of these and really vouch for them! Oh, and these options don’t pinch the pocket at all. Ofcourse to top of the list is Paranthas. My favorites are the ones at Moolchand in Delhi ( thanks to the good old college days) and outside the E&Y building (Golf Course Road) in Gurgaon. If you want even more options, the keema maggi,chilly chicken and chowmien are to die for at the Convergys ‘Dhaba’ in Gurgaon. We also have the classic Pandara Road (Have More- I can swear by the Butter Chicken *slurps*) which now shuts by 2 am. If you don’t have the time to wait, then a quick stop at 24*7 would be a good idea post the match!

For the best deals on food during this FIFA season you must try out Johnny Rockets, Fat Lulus, Baci and Mcdonalds! They have some really interesting offers such as Fat Lulu’s ‘Italy day’ food deal that includes one portion of chicken wings, two 14-inch pizzas and one plate of pasta for Rs 1,499 or their ‘England’ meal which includes eight beers and Fish n Chips and Argentina – Pitcher of Long Island Iced Tea and Minute Steaks – both for Rs.1,499.

If you rather be in your pajamas and watch the match with your close friends while devouring pizzas, then you’re just like me! For late night food delivery call,

1. Batman Delivers – Sector 14 and Sector 53, Gurgaon

+91 9910099925

See the menu on Zomato

2. Crave Busters- Hauz Khas Village, Rajouri Gardenm GK 1

011 33036715

See the menu on Zomato

3. Knight Riders Delivery- DLF Phase 3, Gurgaon

9910596785

See the menu on Zomato

4. Midnight Munchies – All across Delhi

8882223456

Their website

Making life easy

For renting out the projectors: Who can say to not watching the match on a huge screen within the comforts of home? Here are a couple of safe options for renting a projector for a few days incase all fails!

1. Spark VFS Productions

2. Projection Screens

For taking a cab back home: If you have your own car, then the Driver Bulao service is perfect for you. You can rent professional and reliable drivers for 4,8,10 hours. One of the most recognized global car services has got to be Uber and it’s finally in India! This is one of the easiest hazzle free ways to be driven in luxury. Other than that, you can also simply opt for Meru or Easy Cabs.

Now that you have everything in place, who are you supporting this year ? 😀 Have a fun FIFA month!

Image: fifa.com , Some deals: Outlook Traveller

May 28, 2014June 7, 2016

vingt-deux {At Coast Cafe}

Hey everyone!

Firstly, thank you all for the lovely birthday wishes 🙂 It really means a lot. I had a wonderful day and felt so spoilt! I wanted to share some bits of day with you as I enjoyed one of the nicest meals in Delhi at Coast Cafe (HKV).Before I move on to the review, here are a couple of things that I got for my birthday and I’m really,really grateful for the same.

With baseball caps being a rage and me lovin’ the pineapple print, this cap fits the bill of being absolutely perfect for spring-summer. I’ve also been loving statement necklaces with faux crystals paired with graphic tshirts which look casual yet chic. Next, who can say no to Polka dots? This pair of jeans has got to be my comfiest pair that I have in my closet right now. Another thing I am loving is the pink isntax mini that I’ve been wanting for a while. Absolutely love the picture quality as well. With all of us taking photographs digitally, I simply loved who you can print out a photograph on the spot and keep it with you for fun DIY projects.

Moving on the the part I loved most – FOOD! No birthday is complete without the day comprising of yummy food and thats exactly what I got to enjoy (luckily!). Coast Cafe, which is fairly new in HKV is located above Ogaan on the 2nd and 3rd floor. Not only is the store easy to spot as it’s placed right as when one enters this urban village but it also has it has wall painted by the extremely talented Alina Vergnano. Coast Cafe stands out in in comparison with other numerous cafes in multiple ways. The decor is calming yet not dull.The cafe is extremely well lit cause of its glass window/door that acts as a well for one side of the cafe that leads to a balcony which can be used as a smoking area. Playing with greys and browns,the decor is chic and the little plants on each table add life along with the use of some really interesting art adds life to the dining experience.

Coast Cafe has a really interesting menu as it gives twists to the usual salads or pastas that may be provided anywhere else. The food has a touch of indigenous coastal flavors which is what makes it stand out. To begin, my boyfriend – Seehan and I ordered the Watermelon Cooler and the Classic Iced Tea- both of which were extremely refreshing and spot on (especially for the summer!) I loved how the ice tea was not too sweet consisting of packeted ingredients. Instead, one would actually taste the tea with lemon which made it absolutely worth it.

As a starter we ordered The Original Baja California Fish Tacos. Having seen this dish flooded on social media there was no way I could not try it out. I’m a sucker for tacos AND seafood, so this seemed like a match made in heaven. The fish was fried perfectly in beer batter, served with a cabbage salad and a piece of lemon for some zing to the dish. Along with the tacos, a salsa and a yogurt dip was served as well. As a whole even though the dish scores really high marks on the on the score card it could do with a whee bit more of flavors-maybe some more spice in the salsa? but we really enjoyed it none the less.

Next in our gastronomic adventure, we ordered ‘Our Garam Curry with Lamb, Malabar Paranthas and Appams’. This is hands down the best part of the meal. This Kerala Lamb curry cooked in garam masala did absolute justice to coastal food. Having been to Kerala in the past, I can positively say that is version is as good as the ones I’ve enjoyed there if not better. Packed with numerous flavors, there was a perfect balance of spices where the lamb melted in my mouth. The coconut was not at all overpowering and the the serving size was decent as well. The malabar paraanthas were divine along with the appams which bound all the flavours of the Lamb curry.

Finally, we decided to order the dessert and I went ahead with a classic- Tiramisu. It was really light though the rum content was a little towards the higher side (Oh, I have no complaints). Having finished this fabulous dessert in just a couple of minutes and being absolutely fulfilled, I was surprised with a little brownie and ice-cream which a friend of mine (Shirin) had pre-ordered as she knew I was planning to eat lunch here! The gooey wallnut brownie was served warm with vanilla iceream and a little candle. This was really a cherry on the cake (quite literally)! I did however wonder why the brownie was not served before the tiramisu as had I known that the brownie was going to be served, I wouldn’t have ordered the Tiramisu in the first place. Since we were already full, we couldn’t do justice to the brownie which deserved it’s share of appreciation.

Coast Cafe really did make me a happy girl on my birthday and I’m glad I decided to go there for lunch. Since it was just the two of us we didn’t get to order too many dishes so I highly recommend going in a larger group to enjoy even more items on their menu. From what I know, their salads and Prawn curry are really worth talking about as well.

Ambience – 4.5/5
Iced Tea – 5/5
Watermelon Cooler – 4/5
Fish Tacos – 4/5
Kerala Lamb Curry with Malabar Paraanthas and Appams – 5/5
Tiramasu- 4.5 /5
Brownie- 5/5

If you’ve eaten here, I would love to know what you ordered! 🙂 Hope you enjoy the photographs! (& a lovely meal ofcourse)

May 22, 2014June 7, 2016

Phantasmogoria

Phantasmagoria: fantazməˈgɔːrɪə,-ˈgɒrɪə : a sequence of real or imaginary images like that seen in a dream. Shahpurjat offers numerous moments to experience the same with its splash of art in every nook and corner of the urban village. To compliment these colours I decided to go ahead with a monochromatic outfit and break the myth : Black is not for the summer. I wore printed pajama pants (absolutely love this style) to create a casual day look which works well in the Delhi heat.

The art behind me is by Mattia Lullini and its absolutely fabulous.

To add some colour to the outfit, I wore a pastels statement necklace from Faballey that instantly lifted the look making the outfit easily wearable from day to night. Finally, I added the wedges to tie the look together and give me a little extra height.The outfit details: Top – M&S, Pants – Forever21, Wedges – Zara, Necklace- Faballey.com

One of the nicest stores in Shahpur Jat is definitely the The Wishing Chair which houses a little cafe called the Mad Teapot. I had heard so much about this store and FINALLY ended up going recently.This cafe cum store, tucked into the village is extremely charming and looks straight out of a fairy tale. I absolutely love everything that’s for sale, whether it may be the lights, stationary or simply the girly room decor. They also sell the items online which is extremely convenient if you don’t want to step out in the heat. However, the little comfy cafe makes a perfect pitstop while shopping or walking through Shahpurjat exploring the art.

My favorite element of Shahpurjat is hands down the street art which has added such dynamism to the urban village. Each painted wall tells us a story and takes us into the lives of the artist. All the work is a part of the festival St. Art Delhi that took place a couple of months ago. If you haven’t walked through the entire village and checked out the work, you really must! Here are some of my favorites:

By: Ranjit Dahiya

By: Foe

By: PCO

By: Alias

By: Sé Cordeiro

All outfit photographs are taken by: Madhavi Singh

Time

Group

Match

Venue

ROUND OF 16

QUARTER-FINALS

SEMI-FINALS

THIRD PLACE

FINAL