connectivity

Just loving the fact that I can now post on the blog using my phone!!!
Technology can surprise n how. ..

connectivity

Just loving the fact that I can now post on the blog using my phone!!!
Technology can surprise n how. ..

Sparkling wrist

From sometime back I was looking for a bracelet that could suit my thin wrist. I came across so many but either they were too flashy with all the coloured studs or had this big charmer look which didn't look as chic :(

But you know they say that you may find it when you least expect it! While browsing for Moccasins in the shopping mall last week, I came across the ADD ONS Women store which is famous for its accesories. To curt my disappointment for not getting a pair of good shoes (in my size), I started looking around their other stuff to please myself and found this bracelet that sparkled among the rest.

I brought home a pretty black coloured bracelet with the metallic look & a bling that I would love to sport with my dresses or casual look be it for a day or an evening out and the best part was I didn't feel guilty of being an impulsive buyer ...!
 

"The Sula Vineyards"

The sun on the wall in this picture respresnts the Indian diversity of the Sula brand

It was sunny, it was bright, it was vast and dreamy…it was the place to be & a tour to remember!

We visited Sula vineyards, Nashik in early March this year.  Unfortunately we missed the Sula music fest which is held every year in the month of February.  Never the less, I am very glad we had this quick city getaway and a break from the usual commercial spots.

Set away from the city, the vineyards sprawls like a big huge green bed of grapes. The ambience is inviting and as you enter you shift to a world that smells so fresh and fruity! We reached Nashik about early afternoon and had booked a private bungalow for accommodation that was 5-6 kms away from the vineyard.

The main attraction is the Winery tour and wine tasting. They arrange tours daily between 11.30 am to 5.30 pm except on the Dry Days; a list of the dry days is published on their website so make sure you read the list before you plan a trip.

 

We reached around 4 in the evening so that we could book ourselves on the tour before it gets crowded for the last tour of the day. The tour began at about 4.30 pm with this very friendly guide. He gathered the group and gave an interesting introduction on the owner of the vineyard, the history of the vineyard & most importantly a brief check on what the tour includes. He took us to the various rooms and sections where wine production takes place. I am going to save some information & not elaborate more on this as it will kill some fascinating facts that one would discover while taking the tour.

The tour ends at their tasting room where 4-6 different wines (as per the kind of tour you have paid for) are given to taste with a little brief on each. The entire tour is well defined and kept high level of enthusiasm throughout.

Mesmerising, beautiful and the spelndid view of the vast vineyard

For wine lovers, like us, who would love to have more than the tasting quantity, the tasting room extends to the balcony where you can purchase the bottle and enjoy every sip. Also try their well prepared cheese platters that go best with wines. We exactly did this and enjoyed a very splendid view of the vineyard from the balcony. The sun set was very captivating with the horizon lined with the pleasing view of the lake …we were completely mystified with the exquisite of the place.

 

 

I also enjoyed photography around the place especially of the giant bottles, artist – painted walls and purchasing some of their wine bottles from the in house shop. They came in this pretty wine bottle bags and made a perfect give-away for family n friends back home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The vineyard houses 2 restaurants for lunch and dinner options, Little Italy for a scrumptious Italian affair and Soma to suit your Indian taste buds. Both cuisines can be thoroughly enjoyed with the best Sula wines.

For more details on the vineyard, visit http://sulawines.com.

Quick facts: Nashik is about 160 kms fro Mumbai. Book a car to go around the place. Check for hotels like Ginger, IBIS. Lily Portico etc for a good stay and for a luxury stay there is TAJ group’s The Gateway Hotel Ambad. Preferably visit between November to February to avoid the summer heat and to enjoy every bit of the trip.

Other attractions: Nasik is also famous for its religious significance to Hindus. Some of the sacred old temples and Trimbakeshwar Ghat a place to get salvation for Hindus are mythological & interesting places.

W & W

 

It was just another Friday but it really got special for 2 reasons, one – it was International Women’s Day, the day to mark you respect, appreciation and love for the women and two – we had this amazing food and wine at Woodside All Day Bar and Eatery, Andheri west.

The day started off pretty well with all the attention at work in the thrill of women’s day. The cheery on the cake was we got treated for lunch by our mates at work & it was really sweet of them to make us feel nice (will write separately on the place we lunched at J). Women can never not enjoy attention…am sure no one would beg to differ on it!

Post lunch things started getting rushed with all the work and scheduled meets & somehow the chances of going out were getting slimmer. I was very disappointed to know that in the bargain to juggle my home and work responsibilities I may lose out on this planned evening. Fortunately, my God sent angel disguised in my husband came to my rescue and we figured the way out.

I finally met up with my friend, my soul sister, my buddy, partner in crime and we began our “time-out”. We hit the shopping market first to buy her few dresses& got some pretty good deals and stuff that made her smile from ear to ear…it is a delight to see people finding happiness out of small things in life.

After shopping we finally reached the restaurant and omg…wat a place!

We were shown 2 options to either sit out in the open area or sit inside. Inside was air conditioned, very calm feel, a pleasing décor& dimly yet appealingly light. Whereas the fun element was outside with this wooden bar table running across one of the wall & the place was bustling.

We were shown a good table and once we settled, it only started getting better. The guy waiting on us wished us Happy Women’s day and literally made it happier by letting us know that there is glass of wine on the house tonight for each of their female guest…woow!

The menu had all the good options from breakfast to a good dinner. I had heard their pizzas were good so we ordered Roasted tomatoes, bell peppers & wild mushroom pizza and Chicken stuffed with fresh mozzarella, mushrooms & spinach accompanied by grilled balsamic vegetables. We skipped the deserts because we were too full. The pizza was well done with a thin crust & the base sauce was good and not too tangy which helped cause when tomatoes were used as toppings. The chicken was extremely well blended with veggies and cheese was generously flowing over it. The vegetables in balsamic were a good accompaniment to the all cheezy flavour. They also have a section dedicated to monthly specials which should be tried & am definitely going back to do so.

The service, food and ambience were in perfect sync to make their guests feel welcomed & comfortable to relish the good food. Thumps up to all the staff and chef and cheers to:

W = Woodside All Day Bar and Eatery and

W = we the women who deserve to feel special everyday, being God’s most precious creations J !!!!

( I know there have been too many exclamations in this write-up but could not help as the day was super, ending with some more!!!)

 

Mystical Majorda

Majorda - Goa, India.

Low season

I visited goa in the end of April last year and that is when Goa is closing down. Thank god not literally like those snow clad places but in terms of business season.

The beach shacks were packing off to the end of their lease contracts, reducing the staff and everything else was slowing down. But that's Goa, even in the peak season its got an own pace with its slow sunset, the long parties and the everlasting fun.

In our 'Romantic n relaxed' vacation itinerary, Majorda was marked to be visited in south Goa. Easily accessible from the main city by a cab and also connected via the state transport buses. If one is looking for a quiet evening and yet the tint of Goanese fun then Majorda is the place to be. You can enjoy the local Goan cusine and alcohol at the shack restaurants on the beach, soothing surf sounds and endless pristine sand curling your feet.

 

I took this picture early in the evening and love the way it shares the story of the lively chat that took around, the relaxing time spent n the romanticism of the sun sets. While the world could be back to the grind, Goa stays beautiful and unfolds to open and welcome the people again...year after year.

Sun Sun go away

My hunt for a pair of sunglasses finally ended at ZARA.

After looking through various styles like aviators, round frames and in shades of brown, black, pink...the frame that caught my eye or rather fit my eye well were these chic frames from ZARA. Retro styled and comfortable.

I can now happily say Sun Sun go away...

Coloured pants

 I love finding out and following on the latest trends...

My recent observation were these coloured pants. Everyone seem to be wearing them...right from hollywood biggies to the low on pocket college girls.

I picked up a pair as well from a local designer label in Mumbai. Imaginative shades are out there to choose. Safe ones are red, blue, emerald green and pinks. They can be teamed up with whites, blacks & nuetral shades like grey. The bolds are mixing brights with bright too, so choose your style.

For the brand conscious...check Vero Moda and Mango as they have got an awesome collection with new vibrant colours.

Grab a pair now and paint the town red. Cheers

Shopping in the capital

I was still lingering at the thought when he said “ Madam jach rahe ho aap ” meaning the outsfit I have tried suits me well. It was my first day of shopping in Delhi & it turned out to be a colourful, vast, elaborate and an enriching experience. Shopping in Delhi has the ability to meet the needs of almost each traveller who wants to shop be it diversified. From the old Lajpat Nagar market to the plush Dilli Haat... will leave you fascinated though with empty pockets!!!

Normally we would visit the malls or known markets and would not explore the local markets easily but when I did it I was awestruck with the cosmic variety they offered. When in other cities, most people wonder if they could choose a good place to shop, get what they like and most importantly do not get rigged into the malice of price versus quality. I share some that could be of good interests.

Lajpat Nagar market also known as the Central Market: For Indian clothing, ready- made salwaar suits or to be stitched materials. It houses the best of variety and price range that fits your need. You have various local shops selling read to stitch suit materials ranging between 400-1500 (need bargaining by 5-10%) with varied quality of cotton, jamavers, georgette, shiffons etc. If you are the creative kind and love to mix match your stuff then a shop named Vastra sell varied materials as per meter requirement. In addition, they have several dupattas to be matched with & sell everything with fixed/marked.

 Down the lane are these 2 shops called Sabhayata and Sanskruti for well designed readymade Kurtis in all sizes. A one stop destination to buy Kurtis, salwaars, chudidars, Indian designed skirts etc. They have fixed prices making it easier for shoppers.

 The by lanes in the market also offer other things like long Kurta pyjamas for men, ranging from 450-500 rs, mojris for both men and women ranging between 350 – 650, not woollen but these fancy shawls for rs 150 – 350, bed covers and sheets with fixed prices and handicrafts like colourful stone studded mirrors, diaries etc which should be bargained to a price range of 50 – 150 rupees and can be bought as souvenirs for friends and family back home. Right outside the markets are various street vendors selling steamed momos and fresh lime sodas which can surely freshen you up for another quick round of shopping plus there is 3C mall in the area which has good food outlets.

Saket, Janpath: Street shopping export reject clothes or surplus & funky cloth bags. They hike the prices before selling and hence need persuading and extreme bargaining skills to purchase the items. Do not shy to bargain hard. Janpath is highly preferred by hippie kind of travellers for the Indian motive designed kurtas, bandans etc.

Greater Kailash Part I & II M-Block markets: Considered to be one of the most popular markets in Delhi. It has a wide range of products, luxury brands and few street shopping of clothes (again export rejects/ surplus) & shoes that attracts most of Delhi youngsters. There is this famous Price pan which sells numerous variety of tasty pans, papdi chats etc to mingle with your taste buds!!! 2-3 shops in GK part I sell beautiful variety of silver items like earrings, nose studs, anklets, bracelets etc. What's more...they do body piercing using safe and hygienic means. A must stop for silver jewellery lovers.

Shopping malls like City Walk in Saket and Emporio in Vasant Vihar (both in South Delhi) are excellent options for high end international label outlets.

Dilli Haat: If you are looking for rich handicrafts from around the country then is the place to be. It is located at Pitampura and houses stalls selling these. They have various food stalls as well selling delicacies of various states/ parts of the country. This place is an upgraded version of the intrinsic bazaars popular in India & is promoted by Delhi tourism. More information can be found on www.delhitourism.com.

THE MEMORIAL OF LOVE

If there is any place which could change the way a person can love a spouse...it’s the TAJ MAHAL.

This huge architectural marvel is situated at the bank of Yamuna river and is filled with an aura which can only leave you awestruck. Famous for being one of the Seven Wonders of the World was built by the then Mughal emperor Shahjahan in the memory of his loving wife Mumtaz in the year 1631 and was completed in the year 1653.

It’s advisable to take a tour of the place with the help of tour guides who are authorized by the government and should not charge more than Rs 150 for an hour. They explain the history of the place with an interesting sense of narration and storyline however beware to not get too influenced with their choices of place to shop around!!!

The carvings and stones used from different parts of world have formed this beautiful monument and it is a classic example of bisymmetrical figure and gives an even view from all 4 directions.

Right inside are the replicas of the mausoleum of both Shahjahan and his wife Mumtaz. The original ones are structured at the basement and due to the limitation of space and the ever increasing number of visitors, the entrance to the place is closed and can only be peeked through.

FACT SHEET:

It’s located in the city of Agra which falls under the state of Uttar Pradesh.

How to get there:

By air: Delhi domestic airport is the closet one to Agra. The distance between Delhi and Agra is approximately 253 Km which can be covered by cab. There are also direct flights from Mumbai to Agra by few airlines.

By rail: There are various trains from Delhi like Intercity Express, Shatabadi etc and from Mumbai, trains like Mumbai Agra Superfast special (train number 0131).

MakeMyTrip is one of the good online option for details on timings, availability and making reservations.

Places to stay:  

Luxury: The Taj Mahal Hotel of Agra is a classic choice to stay. They are called as The Gateway Hotel, Fatehabad Road. The main attractions are the rooms with the view of the Taj Mahal.

Budget Hotels: Hotel marina and hotel Grand too offer as good choices.

Places to shop: Shopping in Agra can be a wonderful experience if you appreciate handicrafts and precious jewels. Sadar Bazaar and Kinari Bazaar are the well known markets. Everyone loves to pick up these miniatures Taj Mahals as souvenirs.

 When to visit:  The best season to visit is between October to March . The monument is closed on Fridays for the tourists.

Attractions: Agra Fort is a must see when you around the place & is located closer to the Taj. A total of 400 tourists are permitted to see the Taj Mahal, on or around moonlit nights, on five specific nights in a month. These nights are the full moon night itself and the two nights before and after the full moon night. There is an increased price to the entry ticket as compared to normal rates. Under the light of the full moon however, the Taj Mahal is said to appear at its best - shimmering like a fairytale castle built for a legendary princess.

Crunchy Nachos

On a Saturday evening with some confused weather - hot indoors and slightly chilly breeze outside, we decided to have some beer and no so heavy food, thanks to the heavy late lunch.

We headed yo Sammy Sosa - in Oshiwara, Andheri. Their main attraction is a special menu serving some beers from all over the world. Right from Argentina to China...they have it all in a very interesting format describing in brief the type & its origin.

Their signature dish, as the cuisine suggests is Nachos with chilly fried beans topped with cheese sauce, served with salsa dip. They live up to it and definitely do justice to other items from the menu like tacos, chicken in potato jacket etc.

Their meal portions are good too with Mexican rice & chicken or vegetables in varied sauces.

The dessert options are limited and not very novel. We tried brownie in chocolate sauce which was just about above average.


Their service is good but most of the times they wait to much on you which could be intruding specially when you are in a mod of good conversations and catching up with friends or unwinding after a long week at work....

The decor is mainly influenced from any downtown bar in Texas using the main element as wood and the seating area is done up with bright orange leather which brightens up the place. Another broight factor are the string of lights running through the staircase. 

Overall a good place and definitely worth trying for its food and few special offers on bar menu :) :) :) Herez a 3 out of 5 from me to Sammy Sosa...Cheers