Life Unpacked

February has come to an end and along with it the winter too. This winter, I spent the majority of my days out of Mumbai (hence, the lack of blog posts on my part) which, to think of, is blessed with non-existent winter! I know it sounds outright crazy, but having spent one winter out of Mumbai, I am grateful that we have an entire season of mild sunny weather as opposed to months of bone-chilling frigidity where water pipes freeze.  Anyway, I have come back with a lot of tales to tell and a lot of winter woes to treat. Thankfully, the sorry state of my feet is already taken care of: courtesy Himalaya! These guys at Himalaya were kind enough to send across samples of their Foot Cream a few months back. In my absence, my mom tested the product on my behalf and met me with a glowing review on my arrival. I have used the product once already and I can attest and add to her opinion on this affordably indulgent product.  Product's Claim Himalaya claims that their...

The fondness for food I possess is a direct influence of my parents; In my childhood days, I distinctively remember each Sunday being reserved for trying out either a new restaurant or gorging on lip-smacking street food. Once, we ventured to a place serving Gujarati Thali and I cannot help but chuckle at the fact that I refused to even touch the delicacies. Yes, I was that picky! Anyway, that tryst marked my only encounter with a thali...until now.  The bustling restaurant on the weekend Last weekend, I made a stop at Maharaja Bhog's outlet in Oberoi Mall with my mum to finally savour my fill of a Gujarati/Rajasthani thali. True to its name, Maharaja Bhog is every bit opulent- I instantly fell in love with the regal decor as soon as I entered the restaurant that chaotic weekend. And, in my opinion, what sets this thali restaurant apart from hordes of other is their attention to detail and a hospitality that parallels a Gujurati or Marwadi househol...

Last Sunday, my Mum and I headed to 180 Degrees restaurant at Hotel Grand Sarovar Premier, Goregaon, to indulge in their Mother's Day Brunch. Now, it is no secret- I love buffets. But what I discovered this time around was the fondness my mother possess for buffets. According to her, buffets are a perfect opportunity to sample a massive variety of offerings without any food wastage. So imagine our collective delight when we stepped into the restaurant to an extensive selection of French, Italian, Mediterranean, Arabic, and Far-Eastern delicacies along with Indian regional favourites!  Restaurant Interiors Salad Counter The 180 Degrees Restaurant at Hotel Grand Sarovar Premier proudly boasts of being one of the largest all-day dining restaurants in the suburbs of Mumbai serving global cuisine. And it surely did not disappoint! We kicked off the gastronomical extravaganza with two lip-smacking salads, a terrific bread basket, Mexican Three Bean Soup...

Until this weekend, my two-point plan of attaining a goodnight's sleep was having a perfect night routine and a bottomless cuppa of chamomile tea. After all, clocking in restful and restorative hours of sleep is on everyone's agenda. However, we all end up making one crucial mistake which negates all the efforts. And that mistake, folks, is not paying heed to thy mattress. And this is something which I learned over this weekend, courtesy Foam Home, an Indian luxury mattress manufacturer with a legacy of over 40 years now. With over a third of our lives spent sleeping, and over a half spent in bed, it should be pretty obvious that the choice of mattress makes or breaks our backs, right? Yet, most of us overlook this fundamental and divert their big bucks to plush bedding instead. I would be lying if I said I am not guilty of following this cult. In fact, I realised the error of my ways particularly when I rested my supposedly well-rested self on a mattress at Foam Home...

A handbag essential, hand sanitizers need no introduction. I awkwardly recall the moment I picked up a sanitizer, when they were initially launched in Indian market, from the shopping mart's aisle after a long debate with myself; I kept contemplating whether I would actually need a product like this on the travel I was undertaking the next day and in that contempt, I picked up a packet of paper soaps too. Funnily, those paper soaps are still lying in my bag after all these years. But on the other hand, I have gone through countless bottles of hand sanitizer. So when Himalaya contacted me to try out their range of PureHands hand sanitizers, I nodded in an affirmative instantly. Product's Claim Himalaya PureHands calls itself a self-drying disinfectant hand gel which is effective against bacteria and fungi. The product claims to be recommended and used by doctors too. Himalaya PureHands is proud of itself for being a one of its kind effective yet herbal, alcoho...

Lately, new restaurants are mushrooming in every nook and cranny of the city. And honestly, it is becoming harder and harder to keep up with them. So, what does one do when they come across an excellent eatery that has that sweet cosy vibe with the right dose of funk, minus all the pretensions that come with dining out? They become a patron. Simple. Say 'Hello!' to Bohemian Brew The easy-to-miss sign board The outdoor area The indoor area The basement area The boho-chic decor The tea bar A mere two minutes walk away from the Khar Road railway station, Bohemian Brew stands bang next to the S.V. Road junction. Although the tiny sign board declaring its presence is a blink-and-miss and might mislead one into imagining a super cramped interior, this is certainly not the case. The entire space is neatly divided into three separate zones- the al fresco area, the interior section, and the hip basement section- each of is an experience in it...