Smiles & Sorrows

The sun rises, gives us all a glimmer of hope.

To the old lady, the little children bringing forth..  A bunch of vivacious smiles,

A new dawn full of opportunities for most..

Then comes the ruthless storm..

Breaking down all that was ever meant to be,

The sorrow is not for the cruel storm today,

It's for the faith and belief you have put in everyday..

To the ones who enact to be our vision,

Well you turned out to be the dagger with the most ruthless mission

There will be a sunrise again, is what I know,

Though a different one with a more determined glow! 

Till then let's keep living - you and me,

By being our own beacon of hope.

The Taste of Calcutta!

An e-food-crawl!

I am surely not a food connoisseur or a seasoned chef but that does not stop me from being a food enthusiast. At times, I like cooking up recipes of dishes I really enjoy eating myself and I also love discovering new cuisines, but somehow the old favourites tend to remain unaltered! Calcutta,- my home town, needless to say is a food lover/aficionado's paradise. When you are in the city exploring its sights, sounds, culture and rich heritage, you cannot miss the delicious food which not only include the local Bengali cuisine, but also signature dishes across restaurants that have been prepared and served with much passion and love over the years. The flavours of Calcutta's food is very seamingly interwoven with its culture and people. 

So to some of you this post might be familiar, to a few it may seem nostalgic but I am writing it specially for many who are yet to visit this city and spend some time here or for the ones who have tried a few of these but not all of it. I thought it would be interesting to carve out an e-food-crawl itinerary comprising some of my personal favourite preparations at specific eateries. I decided not to include Bengali dishes, specially because that is cooked up so well at every household. The popular ones to visit though, to relish Bengali cuisine would surely be Gol Bari and 6 Ballygunge Place!

So now begins our food crawl! Hope you enjoy it and yes the calorie controlled and regimented diet has to be kept aside for such crawls. 

Begin with Breakfast

One would usually suggest an appetizing breakfast at the famous Flurys, but another interesting and different option, I thought would be a takeaway combination of some hot and crispy hing kachoris along with the perfectly fluffed up jalebis and a delightful cup of tea from a small but extremely busy outlet called Maharani. So head to Sarat Bose Road, near the Lake Market vicinity for an early breakfast. You can enjoy this lovely and extremely reasonable breakfast in the car or pack it and get it home/to your hotel/guest house, trust me you will not be disappointed.

Kachori and Jalebis: Pic courtesy Zomato

Price: Hing Kachori - Rs. 7 per piece, Jalebi - Rs. 7 per piece and a cup of tea - Rs. 5.

After your breakfast, once you are ready to continue with the food crawl you can of course do some shopping before lunch. You can drop into this store called Byloom - to check out Bengali, traditional handloom and handicraft presented in a contemporary fashion. The sarees are indeed gorgeous.

Luscious Luncheon

Take a trip to Calcutta's China Town - Tangra. Indo-Chinese food is a Tangra creation that is now a  sensation. Once filled with tanneries, now the narrow alleys of Tangra have innumerable Chinese restaurants lined up one after the other. The Tangra-style Chinese is delectable and not to be missed. The chilli-garlic aroma when you are waiting for your food is like an apt prelude. I would recommend one of my favourite restaurants - Beijing for a scrumptious lunch. A few of the dishes I would suggest are golden fried prawns, red garlic chicken and the crispy chicken, but mostly all dishes on the menu (even vegetarian) are delicious. Order for a pint of beer to relish your meal.

Beijing's crispy chicken and golden fried prawns

Price: Rs. 1800 + taxes for two and a pint of beer - Rs. 160 (Approximately)

Sweet tooth?

If you have a sweet tooth and would love to add that touch to your palate, please pick up a small handi of the quintessential Mishti Doi and savour it. It is available almost across all local sweet shops in Calcutta. Some popular ones being Jadav, KC Das, Jugals etc.

Mishti Doi

Price : Rs. 15 - 20 (Approximately for one small piece/handi )

You need some activity after all that eating, so drop into the city's age-old New Market , a complete shoppers delight. It is almost like a maze of about 2000 shops selling everything that one can never imagine. From apparels, footwear, fashion jewellery to crockeries, flower shops, décor items and much more. Please also drop into a quaint and beautiful silver jewellery store called Chamba Lamba. Once you are through with shopping you can get a feel of the majestic Hoogly river on a short boat ride. By now it's evening and been a while since you finished your awesome lunch.

Evening Snacking

I would recommend two options for this (either/or - not both). Momo Plaza - A small cosy eatery where you can devour variety of momos along with some inviting Thupka! The dishes loved by most are the steamed/pan fried chicken and pork momos along with chicken/veg thupka. It is not at all expensive and makes for an ideal place for some evening snacks

Steamed momos with thupka

Price: Rs. 300 - 350 plus taxes for two (Approximately)

The second option I would suggest is to try Calcutta street food and yes of course those Puchkas, the king of this variety of snacks, compared to its cousins like Golgappas or Panipuris. The filling is made by lightly mashing boiled potatoes with black salt, salt, some spices, a generous portion of tamarind pulp (made by mashing ripe tamarind in tamarind water), chilli (powder/chopped/pasted). The tamarind water is made by mixing tamarind and spices/salt and making a light liquid with water. A dry one with no tamarind water is served for free by most vendors, to add a tangy taste to the end of your session. You can eat as many as you can! Puchkas are available near almost every locality with local vendors preparing them behind their small set up.

Puchka

Price: Puchkas - Rs 2:50 per piece and Dahi Puchka - Rs 40 per plate (6 pieces of Phuchka) - (Approximately)

It is time for you to get some rest and then freshening up at your hotel/home/guest house, before it's time to head out for dinner. It must be a slightly late dinner. Head to the popular Park Street and get yourself a seat at Mocambo . 

Mocambo opened its doors in 1956 and since then has been serving some mouth-watering, signature continental dishes. The options are many but I believe, for starters the Devilled Crab is a must! It is an exquisite crabmeat speciality blended in cheese and mustard sauce served in the original shell. An excellent starter.  The second dish, is a personal favourite here and though I have tasted it at other restaurants in India, it really is the best here time and again. Yes it's the Chicken A La Kiev. It is an old Russian favourite - A fillet of chicken stuffed with butter, then coated with eggs and bread crumbs and deep-fried. Other well-known dishes are Fish A La Diane,  Fish Florentine, Chicken Cordon Bleu etc.

The Devilled Crab!

Chicken A La Kiev

Price Rs. 1100 plus taxes for two without alcohol (Approximately)

If you are not in a mood for continental cuisine but still want to enjoy a meal on Park Street, hop onto Peter Cat just on the opposite side and try out the undeniably best Chelo Kebab. Traditionally, kebabs are north Indian dishes and eaten with naan, but people in Calcutta love rice. So this is a delectable combination of rice with kebabs along with poached/fried egg and a blob of butter! A must-have!

Chelo Kebab

Price: Chelo Kebab - Rs. 355 + taxes, Mutton Chelo Kebab - Rs.400 + taxes and Vegetable Chelo Kebab - Rs. 325 + taxes

This ends the day-long food crawl but as the saying goes that beginnings should be sweet we Bengalis or any Calcuttan surely also think alike for endings. If you cannot eat anymore for today please do not forget to pack some chocolate boat pastries from any of the outlets of again a signature and eminent bakery - Kookie Jar.   There are other lip-smacking desserts as well. Enjoy them later!

Chocolate Boat Pastry

Price: Chocolate Boat - Rs. - 55 + taxes

I hope you enjoyed this e-food-crawl which I tried to make informative and fun. I have specially written this for many of my friends and acquaintances who have not visited the city yet and is very eager to. I would love them to try this out and the old-timers can do it anytime they are back in the city.

While I was just finishing this blog post, I read the sad news of the death of Anthony Bourdain - one of the most awesome and unconventional storytellers, gifted chef, food and travel enthusiast and iconic television host. I watched some of his shows and he made one believe that food can be delicious even if it is not expensive, good-looking and even if it belongs to a remote city or small town/village. 

“If I'm an advocate for anything, it's to move. As far as you can, as much as you can. Across the ocean, or simply across the river. Walk in someone else's shoes or at least eat their food. It's a plus for everybody." - Anthony Bourdain. 

The Melodious - Sawasdee Ka & Sawasdee Krub!

Sawasdee Ka & Sawasdee Krub!

Every time I came face to face with anyone in Thailand, beginning from the very welcoming staff at Thai Airways (good option to fly), I was greeted with the most warmest smile and a tuneful - Sawasdee Ka! I obviously googled and found out that 'Sawasdee' means 'Hello' in Thai and the 'Ka' bit is added if a lady/woman is being addressed to. In case you're travelling with your spouse/partner who happens to be a man in my case yes, then you also hear a melodious - Sawasdee Krub. 'Krub' is added when you're welcoming a man. 

This is the only bit of Thai I picked up, on our delightful trip to Thailand back in June this year. We covered Krabi, along with a lovely day trip to Phi Phi and a quick stopover at Bangkok. We stayed for four days in Krabi at the Holiday Inn Express and for about 2 nights and 3 days in Bangkok at the President Park . To sum it up the holiday lasted for a week and was quite memorable. I am in love with Krabi and its gorgeous landscape, the fresh and scrumptious seafood, hospitable locals and the most beautiful blue Andaman Sea. The weather was fairly comfortable, with sunny days, breezy evenings and very occasional bouts of rain. 

My floral, holiday look at Holiday Inn Express

Krabi 

Krabi is a fabulous beach destination, an hour away from Bangkok by air and nestled in the magnificent Andaman Sea. It is also a bustling tourist spot with tantalising white beaches, gigantic cliffs, majestic temples and lively local bars.  

Beautiful Krabi

We kept our itinerary a bit relaxed on the first day, by taking walks by the popular Ao Nang beach and market, strolling into cosy cafes, enjoying the traditional Thai massage, and hopping into ethnic looking shopping stores. 

On the second day we decided to go island hopping. The view of the blue sea flanked by enormous cliffs was breathtaking. Some of the popular islands we visited and took dips into the crystal clear water included Maya Bay, Bamboo islands with the last stop being Ko Phi Phi!! A picturesque island that has been wooing moviemakers since time immemorial and enticing travellers with its exotic pearls, Phi Phi is one of the most popular getaways in Thailand. After a quick lunch, now was the time for some adventure. We were trying something we had never done before. I can swim, but just know the basics, not that great at it, but my husband swims really well, almost as smoothly as a mermaid. We decided to go snorkeling and I was both glad and relieved to see that there were many in the group, who did not even know how to float. The trainer provided us with life jackets and snorkel tubes. It takes a few minutes to learn and get used to breathing with that on, but it is surely not too tough. Finally we jumped in and what we experienced after that was truly surreal. It felt like we were swimming with a myriad of colours under water. It was my first time and I could not go on for too long but I am so glad I was part of this experience. Next on the bucket list is scuba diving someday soon. It was such a beautiful day and while on the speed boat back to Krabi, I wished it never ended.

The view while island hopping!

Just before jumping in to snorkel

Snorkeling - ticked off

Our third day involved a day out at Krabi's most popular beach - Railay. We dutched in and took a long tail boat ride for fifteen minutes. We had three American men for company who hailed from Florida and were on a backpacking trip for two months covering Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. Though this may not be my ideal idea for travel and not practical too, I must admit I was impressed with their plans, consumed by wanderlust. Once we reached our destination, it was a bright day by the beach. We basked in sunshine, read a book and feasted on a delectable lunch comprising - prawn chips, prawns dipped in garlic sauce, steamed rice with basa and Vietnamese sauce. It was lip-smacking! By late afternoon the clouds were hovering over the sea and albeit it was a splendid sight we needed to head back. We finally got into a tail boat and it started to rain right then. So shivering in the rain with a little bit of sunshine still in the sky, gushing winds blowing into our faces we were on a bumpy ride back. This is when I spotted two magnificent rainbows against the sky and over the vast waters. It was mind-blowing to say the least.

The tail-boat ride

The lunch we feasted on at Railay

Cloudy, Grey and just another day by the beach

Somewhere over the Rainbow!

Day four and the final day was fun too. We went on two short hikes. One led to a natural hot spring surrounded by greenery. A visit to Krabi's natural hot spring is a must. There are many hollowed-out 'bathtubs' which are caused by the running water from the thermal springs. You can relax in one of the many natural hollows in the creek and watch the water gently cascade into the blue pools.  Enjoy your own natural 'hot-tub jacuzzi' filled with running spring water at a pleasant temperature of 35-40c.

Natural Hot Spring - Krabi

The next hike took us to The Emerald pool and Blue Lagoon. These are part of the Khao Phra Bang Khram Nature Reserve, and their waters come from thermal hot springs that are deep underground. It almost seemed like we were amidst a nature's theme park! I will let the picture below do justice to the actual experience. However one has to be very careful while dipping into these pools as the way down is slippery and it is extremely deep. I really wish I could freeze time in Krabi, but it was now time to head to Bangkok. 

The hike upto - The Emerald Pool in the lap of nature

Bangkok

Bangkok as expected was full of fun, food and yes a bit of shopping!! I never go crazy shopping while I am travelling but since we were in Bangkok I had to indulge in a bit. The Platinum mall is highly recommended for all shopping enthusiasts. We had one dinner at the popular Cabbages and Condoms - a unique restaurant decorated with figures made out of condoms. Very creative, I must say! I will keep the Bangkok bit short and crisp with pictures to follow, however I have to mention that the visit to the Wat Pho pagodas and gazing at one of the largest recliner Buddha statues of the country was indeed marvelling.

The pretty and vibrant riverside point

The Pagodas at Wat Pho

The gigantic reclining Buddha

At Cabbages & Condoms

So if you have been wanting to explore the sights, sounds and flavours of Thailand take it from me - it will be worth it!

Hope you enjoyed this post.

Love

Debarati

The Paradise Island: Sri Lanka

In between freelance work, drafting the scope of work and plans for prospective projects and most importantly attending a marathon of weddings of all close friends/cousins in 2016, I did not end up updating my blog for a while. However better late than never, so here I am.

Also let me take this opportunity to wish all of you a happy and healthy 2017, a year where you may discover and relish new experiences!

So when you want to plan and enjoy a holiday, but have a few preconditions what can be your best option that you can explore and not regret! My husband and I had to attend a wedding in the beautiful beach town of Kovalam in Kerala towards the end of August, 2016. We wanted to take a holiday after that, but one for not more than a week. 

So we actually did not have to travel too far, to a small country filled with pristine beaches, scenic towns, enthralling wild-life/conservation sanctuaries, rich heritage & culture, delectable local cuisine and the warmest locals. Yes I am talking about Sri Lanka, popularly known as the paradise island.

You can fly on Srilankan Airlines or Jet Airways as they seem to have the maximum frequency of flights to Colombo from several Indian cities. 

Sri Lanka: The Paradise Island

Galle

We landed in Colombo from Trivandrum, but drove straight to the gorgeous Dutch Colonial town of Galle and we stayed at this charming resort - the Jetwing Lighthouse, Luxury Hotel Galle  for 3 nights.

The Terrace at the hotel

It had the best sea view and you should not miss the sunset over the beach from the terrace while sipping on a cocktail and munching some crispy sea food. 

Lemon Prawns by the sea

Galle is an easy, two hour-long drive from Colombo. It’s well worth a visit, to see its 17th-century fort (and UNESCO World Heritage site), colourful bylanes and vintage cars, pretty shops and a series of eateries. Next door to the fort is an international cricket stadium with the sea by its side. 

The old Dutch Fort

Just about 40 minutes from Galle is Unawatuna, a hippy-chic, colourful and well maintained beach. Ideal for a day trip to enjoy the sunshine, a swim in the ocean, read an amazing book while drinking some beer with local fish! We spent 3 memorable days around Galle and had a great time!

The Unawatuna Beach

Bentota 

After Galle we spent one day at Bentota at the Vivanta by Taj. The property is beautiful and very well planned. We devoured a traditional Sri Lankan lunch which though a little spicy, was extremely delicious. On the way to Bentota we stopped by the Kosgoda turtle hatchery where we patted some oldies and also adored the babies on our palms.  We also learnt about Sri Lanka's pioneering sea turtle conservation project and how the village of Kosgoda in particular is a prime turtle nesting site. It was both informative and fun.

The view from The Taj Vivanta at Bentota

The Traditional Sri Lankan Thali

Kisses from baby turtles at Kosgoda

 Colombo

After visiting these beach towns, we finally reached Colombo. The city has two exquisite museums namely The National and Dutch period museum. You can indulge in all the local shopping from Odel - a high-profile department store that combines international and top local brands with both an ethnic and contemporary display.   It's always crowded with both visitors and the locals. We stayed at a hotel called - The Steuart by Citrus very close to the popular old dutch hospital area.

Last but not the least you just cannot miss a meal at the Ministry of Crab . It is a very reputed sea food joint amongst the local elite and foreigners. Thus an online advance booking is recommended. 

Famous cricketers, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara along with celebrity chef Dharshan Munidase decided to create Ministry of Crab as a celebration of Sri Lanka’s seafood, particularly of her wonderfully sweet and succulent crabs.

It was by far the best sea food I ever tasted till date! The Japanese rice coupled with a plate of chilly garlic crab and some butter soy prawns was absolutely lip-smacking.

Chilly Garlic Crab

This sums up our wonderful trip to Sri Lanka. I strongly recommend this as an option for a great holiday. Though we visited the above, Sri Lanka is also well known for its romantic landscapes, flanked by rising mountains, lush green forests, sprawling tea gardens and gushing waterfalls.  Travelling further north the landscape changes completely, North of Sri Lanka is a world apart from the rest of country. The colorful Hindu temples replace the white pagodas. So Sri Lanka has bits of so much weaved into one marvellous island. 

Till we meet again, don't take too long to tick this off your bucket list.

Love

Debarati

Doors to Delightful Dooars!

Never hesitate to open the door to every breath of fresh air, new beginnings and most importantly to embrace the uncertainty of the unknown. I did that in February this year. At times you need to escape the real to live the reel or rather discover bits of the real you, struck down by daily reel life!

After a lot of coordination, bit of planning and follow ups for the first time the entire family agreed upon taking a small holiday to a gorgeous hill station situated in the North of Bengal - Dooars.

We flew to Bagdogra - a small airport connecting the north of the State and hill stations around it to rest of India. Another drive for two hours - before the doors opened to Dooars - a delightful, scenic and peaceful hill station filled with large and lush tea gardens, some wild elephants and delicious momos.

The name Dooars is derived from “doors” as the region is the gateway to the whole of North-east India and Bhutan.

Apart from being green and gorgeous Dooars can truly act as that catalyst to help you relax and breathe in its rejuvenating air. It was a sojourn through rolling hill slopes, absolutely splendid, vast and lush tea gardens, meandering mountain streams and a bevy of beautiful Sal forests.

The picturesque Teesta River flowing away in front of your naked eye flanked by the daunting and undulating hilly terrain wanting to kiss the endless sky is simply breath-taking. One can even capture, a blue outline of the great Himalayan ranges in the horizon. A drive through the Dooars plains, the gateway to Bhutan and the whole of North east India, was truly a wonderful experience for the entire family.

The Teesta - what a view

Wanderlust - Tea Gardens

Love this one - Radhika my sister in law

Feeling free & green 

Dooars is also well-known for its rich biodiversity and forests, the most notable of which are Gorumara National Park, Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, and Buxa Tiger Reserve - home to the rare one-horned rhinoceros, wild elephants, the mighty bison, leopard, spotted deer, sambar, hog deer, reptiles, huge wild tuskers, wild boars, and the rarest variety of and birds, including peacocks.

While we were driving back to our resort one afternoon we spotted a wild elephant from a distance. It was quite interesting to witness the carefree attitude of the lovely huge animal, strolling away across the local rail lines. The officer in charge had to inform the controlling station to slow down any approaching train. This is apparently very common in Dooars and one of the important tasks of the rail officer on duty.

Other places of attraction in and around the region include Jayanti, a beautiful spot encircled by the Jayanti River and the hills around. Bhutanghat famous for its scenic beauty, is close to the river Raidak that borders Bhutan.

Bhutan Border

While driving around and stopping by sights and sounds of Mother Nature do not miss enjoying some local Druk beer and delectable momos.

Enjoying an amazing view and that's The Druk Beer

Momolicious

The Stay: http://www.sinclairshotels.com/dooars

We stayed at this pretty resort called Sinclairs Retreat Dooars located at Chalsa Hilltop spread over 20 acres of verdant green. We took walks admiring the open spaces and nature. Waking up to the view of colourful flower beds was wonderful. We hired a few cycles and went cycling one evening within the resort.

One of the many flower beds

Cycling Fun

One evening while we were going for dinner, the resort was hosting a musical evening by the lawns. The local Santhal dancers were performing by the bonfire. It was fascinating to see them rhythmically sing dance and make merry!

Folk dance by the bonfire

So I would surely recommend everyone to try and visit this place especially if you are planning a short trip anywhere near Calcutta or the North - East.

Family....

Love
Debarati

Weekend Getaways

This is the last post of the year, that I have put together. Though we get very excited to plan that one long and one short holiday usually within our calendar year, the spontaneous weekend trips are also as much fun. Budgets are lesser, you need no leaves granted from the boss and yet you come back all rejuvenated with happy memories.

5 weekend getaways I loved going to, from Mumbai. (not in any order of preference).

The link to the stay option directs you to where I stayed and I truly liked all of the mentioned resorts/properties. 

1.) Sula Vineyards

Nashik is a popular destination for wine connoisseurs and amateurs alike. It houses the famous Sula vineyards. The lush green vineyards, the guided tour and some relaxing time while sipping on wine and nibbling on some cheese makes it a worthwhile weekend. 

How to get there:  Nashik is 180 km from Mumbai, reachable by car, bus or train and 210 km from Pune, reachable by car or by bus.

Links: http://www.sulawines.com/ 

Stay: http://sulawines.com/Stay/ 

2) Lonavala/Khandala

A very convenient hilly weekend outing. Extremely green and surronded by enchancting valleys. It is just a 2/2.5 hour drive from Bombay and the most beautiful during monsoons. Lonavala is also famous for its chikki and delicious fudge!

How to get there: Very easily reachable by car or bus and several trains also connect Mumbai to Lonavala.

Stay: Check out this lovely property in Khandala - ideal for a staycation or a day trip. -  http://www.dukesretreat.com/  

3) Murud

This place should surely be on any itinerary of the Konkan Coast. The relaxed pace of life, fresh seafood, the majestic offshore Janjira fort and the blue and serene beach. 

One can also take a boat ride till the fort before the sun sets.

How to get there: Hire a cab or rent a car to drive down to Murud, which takes about 4 hours. Travelling to Murud is little difficult for first time visitors but to start early in the morning is the best time to drive. One gets clear roads and can reach the destination faster.

Stay: http://www.goldenswan.com/beachresort/html/  

4) Igatpuri

Nestled beautifully on the Western Ghats, Igatpuri is a popular spot for seeking tranquility and natural beauty. Again it is prettiest during the monsoons.  Ideal for an overnight get away to inhale some fresh air before getting back to base.

How to get there: 120 kms from Mumbai, it is a 2 hour drive away. It is also well connected by buses to the city (Mumbai).

Stay: http://www.manasresort.in/ 

5) Lavasa

A winding drive past Lonavala leads you to Lavasa, a pretty and planned township, situated between the Western Ghats near Pune.  Lavasa has a variety of restaurants that offer open air dining on a beautiful lakeside promenade. Boating, cycling and skating are some of the activities you can enjoy during your weekend stay. 

How to get there: It takes a little more than three hours of driving, to reach Lavasa through the beautiful Pune-Mumbai express road. The distance between Lavasa and Mumbai is almost 195 km. Roads are very meandering and buses or cars is the best way to reach Lavasa

Stay:http://www.fortunehotels.in/resort/Lavasa-Fortune_Select_Dasve/Reaching_Us.aspx  

So I hope you will consider the above options while you plan your time out from the hustle -bustle of the city life. Good news is that, even 2016 has been kind to us with quite a few long weekends like its forerunner - 2015!

Happy New Year! Wishing everyone a healthy and happy 2016 from the bottom of my heart.

Love

Debarati