Life Unpacked

The fact that being a food and travel and lifestyle blogger is a physically demanding task may come as a shocker to many. With all that food sampling and long hours on the road punctuated with unhealthy eats, the unhealthy effects do show after a certain point of time. Hence, I wasn't surprised when I noticed that my physical fitness has declined from being a 5k run ready to gasping for breath on climbing merely a flight of stairs. In order to remedy this state of being, I shopped for new workout gear and was all set to hit my local park but procrastination seemed to get the best out of me every single time. This was when I got an opportunity to try out a hot yoga class in Mumbai. Now, hot yoga is a total rage in Western countries. At the same time, it is relatively unheard of in India, the birthland of yoga. So I curiously signed up for the same. Today I am trying to spread a word about this particular kind of yoga and my experience of the same at the premier yoga studio I sampl...

Back in the day when I was facing my share of troubled skin, I had come across this Himalaya product in the trolley of a fellow shopper during a grocery haul. Post that initial sighting, I quickly marched to the relevant aisle to get hold of this product. Honestly, I have zero recollection of how this cream reacted to my skin and had almost forgotten that I've used this cream in my war against acne until Himalaya Herbals contacted me to review the product. Now, my face is no longer covered with zits of varying intensity all the time. Hence, I was on the verge of declining the opportunity. But the universe works in mysterious ways. My brother got a terrible breakout and thereby became a perfect specimen to examine the working of this cream on!  Product's Claim Himalaya Acne-n-PimpleCream promised to control pimples and scars while keeping the skin soft. Himalaya says that this product is a formulation containing Silk Cotton Tree, Lentil, Aloe Vera and Saurashtri,...

If you haven't already got your fill of writeups romanticising train journeys, congratulations, you've come to the right place. I have probably stated hundreds of times my love for train rides, but seldom have I ever penned it. How could I? Words never did justice. It is one thing to proclaim that you love railways and allow the other person through it to gauge the intensity condensed in that statement by your being during the journey, and it is an entire ballgame altogether demonstrating that emotion while sounding genuine and not overly pompous in written words. I'd be lying though if I said I never tried writing on the railways before. The truth is, I have attempted numerous times. But also dripping with the truth is the fact that each time, it ended up in complete failure. Tonight, I am giving it a go once more. Winter mornings, sleeper coach, and a piping hot cup of tea: Isn't that all one needs? Years ago, when my mum held my hand in one hand and a suit...

Culture is the colour that fills a land. And to soak in that colour is why people travel. At least, I do. Anyway, it is an accepted fact that the best way to experience a culture is through its food. Hence, it should come as no surprise that when I was in Amritsar last month, my belly forgot all its bounds. With only a couple of hours in my hands to savour a slice of Amritsar in that tightly packed itinerary squishing in all the must-sees within a day and a half, I was determined to make the most of it. Thankfully, the mission was accomplished, and with it, my love for Amritsar cemented. The Golden Temple, Amritsar Curious to retrace my steps for an unforgettable dessert crawl through the distinctly captivating bylanes of Amritsar? Read on... 1. Shri Krishna Misthan Bhandar The phirni of dreams... After a failed attempt at entering the Golden Temple on the first day of 2017, I spent a better part of the morning prancing around the Golden Temple complex. Thoug...

The old clock at CST station took no liberty of speeding past to 11.30 pm as I waited there, getting flanked in each direction by strangers, for the Amritsar Express. Contained in this sea of anonymity, forty were the ones I was going on a 10-day long trip of a lifetime to the mountains with, on a day's notice. 'Nervous' shall be the word people would use to define the state of being of a person in that very situation. But honestly, all my nervousness vanished and indifference took over as soon as I arrived at CST for the days ahead. Long-distance train journeys are a chore, generally, yet every time they end up being an adventure worth recalling. This one was no exception: from finally understanding the game of cards to almost missing the train at Itarsi, everything 90s happened during the rail yatra which concluded at Ambala Cantonment. Packing light was the biggest favour I did to myself on the trip, and that I realised as I glided past the 40 and into our bus with...

Note :   Sorry for the lack of pictures in this post. Due to some technical issue, I have lost most of the pictures I had taken. Currently, I am in the process of recovering the same. I shall update the post with the pictures as soon as I recover them. Cheers. My tryst with The Beer Cafe dates back to the time I stumbled upon their outlet at Mumbai Airport. I remember being thoroughly confused regarding my order. Fast forward to a chilly evening last month and I exited the brand new outlet of The Beer Cafe at High Street Phoenix, Mumbai armed with extensive knowledge on beer, courtesy the Beer Appreciating Workshop hosted by Mr. John Eapen of Tales Of Froth .  The evening commenced with an introductory session quickly followed by an informative talk on beers and lagers and stouts and ales. We were taken through the beer making process and at the same time educated how a single difference in ratios or the source of any of the primary ingredients can drastically cha...

Frankly, I haven't come across a single person who isn't fond of pan-Asian cuisine. After all, those delicate dumplings, hearty ramen bowls, and zingy curries exploding with umami easily equate to soul food. However, the popularity of this cuisine is, unfortunately, offset with its often disastrous execution. I have had my fair share of shoddy Thai curries, folks. So when I was invited to try out the newly opened Lemon Leaf at Colaba as a part of the Diabetic Food Trail, I was both excited and nervous (for all the right reasons). Thankfully, it delivered what it promised it delivered more than it promised. Just before we dive into all things Lemon Leaf, I would draw some attention towards the Diabetic Food Trail which happens to be a much welcome health initiative presented by Britannia Nutrichoice Essentials in association with Biocon with the objective of urging the food industry to create a healthy and diabetic-friendly menu. A wide array of restaurants in Mumbai, Pune,...