Life is easy kya karein

Jaipur 'Junoon' is still there in my head. I am simply not able to forget our Jaipur holiday. 'Junoon' translated loosely means madness or craziness. It is not the exact meaning but the best I could manage. I seem to compare my shopping experience with Jaipur. I accompanied my visiting relatives to a few boutiques in Mumbai.Thank Heavens for the 'Firangi' accent and a genuine one at that, that we were treated well in all shops. I have this Mantra of putting lipstick when I go shopping. Cant do much about the clothes I am wearing but my lipstick helps me to be treated well by most sales people in stores, malls and boutiques. The attitude is, they check you out and decide on their own that you are not a customer but a browser. Then the subtle rejection is there for all to notice. One experiences this as an Indian when one goes abroad even though Indian tourists spend a lot on shopping, the sales people will treat a fair skinned Caucasian better. This is the arro...

Anokhi Cafe did not get mentioned in the last out for just one reason: The children did not like the food. We loved the vibe of the place and the fresh salads from Anokhi Farms. The menu did have pastas and sandwiches and the Falafel was good too. Children are not used to the tomato sauce with farm fresh tomatoes. Mumbai children can only dress well and know how to use the latest gadgets. The outside world is alien to them. Mumbai is the easiest city to live in. People are so helpful and the city is safe. Here the working women culture has been there for years. So all help is attuned to catering to them. And Mumbai s convenience has been there much before the super markets, Malls and the helpful websites like concierge services, arrived. Here right from the building watchman to your watch repair shop to the local grocer will help you beyond their core business or service. People are approachable. The only time you can get lost in Mumbai is when you are using Google Maps. People are y...

December is a lovely time to visit Jaipur. It is a manna for the cold starved Mumbaikars. The city is buzzing with holiday makers and yet it is so unlike one of our metropolitan cities. Jaipur has character, as my little one would say 'Bhar Bhar ke', which means, loads of it.  We loved the restaurant Tapri in Jaipur. Tapri is a terrace / rooftop restaurant in the heart of the city, close to all the sightseeing places. The crowd is electric and the food is fresh and warm. The open terrace tables are in huge demand. You get the view of the twinkling stars, and our National flag flying high in the park. Lot of wedding plots in the vicinity which we could peep into. Kept wondering when the crowd will start trickling in as it was getting cold in the night. But the local people have late night weddings and the cold doesn't t bother them as there is a lot of bling and metal around. Small bonfires are set up all over the lawns to keep the guests warm . In Tapri, if you want t...