Life etc.

Travel | Begging with the Little Sisters of the Poor in Mangalore Market

2013-05-22T09:00:00.000+05:30

My mother has been volunteering at a local Home for the Aged regularly (anywhere between 2-4 times a week if we're not travelling) since 2003 - in July she completes 10 years!! I too have been visiting & volunteering since then, but I'm definitely not as regular.

She grew quite close to one of the old nuns she worked under, Sister Rosaline & when Sr. Rosaline got transferred to Mangalore she invited my mother to come visit. Fast forward to present day and mom & me have been visited Mangalore five times in the last eight years. Since we go on a lot of vacations, many people assume that our trips to Mangalore fall in that category but they are anything but holidays. I will be honest, I was never very enthused to visit but I wouldn't feel comfortable with my mom going alone so I always accompany her. Plus she's always carrying a ton of medicines to be donated so someone needs to mind the bags. Besides, she's given me some nice treats for going with so I can't play the martyr card, you know?

When we visited in March this year it was already getting really hot & the frequent power cuts (almost 1/3rd of the time!) made it even more unbearable. But there's always something nice to see & different to do, & I always return feeling a bit more positive & optimistic.

Sr. Estella, the second in command in the Mumbai home had just transferred to the Mangalore home a few months before our visit. So she asked us if we would like to go 'marketing' (by that I mean buying food & other necessities at the market) & of course we gladly agreed. And I lugged my cameras everywhere, & got some really nice photos that I'm eager to show off. But these aren't those photos.
The order was founded in 19th century France, the foundress Jeanne Jugan took to begging to support all the destitute aged she was looking after. We know all the stories, how some people gave generously even though they didn't own much, while one man slapped her just for asking. She was ashamed, but it was for the poor so she kept at it.
In the 21st century the order owns vehicles but they still do beg to sustain the Homes (considering they take in people from all religious backgrounds & don't charge them a penny). In Mumbai they don't have to look far, it's a prosperous city & people give generously on a daily basis. In Mangalore it's not the same, people there aren't as rich neither do they give much.
Every Wednesday the sisters make a round of the markets begging for food. Many small businesses have a standing amount that they give weekly, while some may give when the mood strikes. The Wednesday that we were there Sr. Estella asked if I would click some photos of them making the rounds to be published in their magazine. I agreed, not really knowing what I was up for.

I wouldn't call myself a street photographer by any length, but when I do take street photos, they're much more candid. Yes I may be the girl dressed in western clothes with two or three cameras round her neck, yet nobody notices when I take pictures - I'm quiet, quick & don't use flash.

This stems from me being an introvert - I've missed photos over the years because I haven't been able to muster the courage to ask permission, but I've made my peace with it. I liked clicking incognito, moving it & moving out.

This was so, so different. The sisters insisted on telling everyone their photo was being taken, which resulted in some very awkward posing & grinning on the shop owner's parts.

Do you see the second photo from above? That was taken in the wholesale vegetable market. Those boys are responsible for helping to load sacks of vegetables into trucks once people buy them. Usually, since the nuns are given vegetables for free, not one single boys bothers to help but now when they see photographs being taken, suddenly there's five of them jostling to help at the same time. There was so much excitement to see someone with a camera that everyone started to get louder, a couple of them came up to me to ask for photos (in Kannada, which I do not understand / speak) & I won't lie, I felt overwhelmed, uncomfortable & even a little frightened. But thankfully we moved out & went to the flower market & it was much more sane there.

You can read the stories about begging in as many books as you like but actually seeing it is a very unique & humbling experience. There was still some distance between me & the nuns, I know it would be much harder if I was with them. The owner of the egg shop in the first photo always gives a box of eggs so it's not hard, they just have to go there & pick it up. The man in the white shirt in the third photo always gives very generously too, he gave the sisters sacks of various vegetables & made sure his men loaded it in the van. Many gave more than usual just because they knew they were being photographed. Many refuse (either politely or rudely). Other than the owners of the bigger, wholesale vegetable shops, the sisters humbly hold out their sacks in front of the smaller vegetable vendors & ask for whatever they can spare, even if it's just one gourd or three lemons. One twenty something lemon vendor, who when approached pretended that he just couldn't see Sr. & then just threw two or three spoilt lemons in her sack in disgust. As my mom always says, "There are all kinds of people."

Dream Destination | Switzerland

2013-05-22T08:00:00.000+05:30

{photos 1. 2. 3. 4.}

I'm always dreaming up new places to add to my travel wishlist (or bucket list?) with the latest being none other than Switzerland, it isn't called the playground of Europe without reason.

Would you care for some Bollywood trivia? For most Indians, Switzerland as a travel destination only really caught on after Yash Chopra shot scenes from his films there, a Switzerland Honeymoon became the most fashionable place for a honeymoon. So Yash Raj films is probably responsibly for 90% of all Indian tourists visiting the place.

And you know what, I can see why he chose the place - it's absolutely stunning. Just staring at these landscapes through my computer screen is giving me a severe case of wanderlust.

Even though I don't ski, I can already think of a million things I'd love to do see & there - ride on the Bernina express, visit Rhine falls, Bärengraben, Basel Zoo, take a boat ride on Lake Lucerne. But for most part I'd like to skip Zurich & Geneva & stay in the smaller towns, because I live in one of the most populous cities in the world, so I'd like to visit Switzerland to get away from it all. And right now staying in a bed & breakfast at Interlaken sounds like heaven. So I've been stalking this website on Swiss Tourism too.

I'm going to start planning & saving my pennies. ;)

Food + Drink | The Barking Deer Brewpub, Mumbai

2013-05-20T09:00:00.000+05:30

I couple of weeks ago I went to the Barking Deer Brewpub in Lower Parel, for their Bark for a Beer event & got to sample a lot of different kinds of beer & delicious food.

It's a lovely little British-style pub with a hole-in-the wall feel & they play amazing music too. I definitely felt like I was in London (if it wasn't for the rowdy, very Indian crowd).
I'm not someone who really knows beer (yet) but we were served Heineken, Amstel, Hoeegaarden, Leffe Blond & London Porter.

Greg, the founder was supposed to give us a tour of the microbrewery but at the end of the meal we were too stuffed to even walk properly. I think I'll go back sometime for that tour!

The founder of shoe brand Matos was also there that day. They make shoes that are completely eco-friendly & for every pair that's bought they donate a learning kit to charity (they only have a men's range currently).

The Barking Deer Brewpub, Opposite Blue Frog, Mathuradas Mills Compound, Kamala Mills Compound, Lower Parel, Mumbai

find them- website // facebook // twitter

Book Review | India: The Cookbook by Pushpesh Pant

2013-05-14T09:00:00.000+05:30

I've always liked cooking but in the last year or so I've really been bitten by the bug. I don't usually use or buy cookbooks but I prefer following cooking blogs. But the one cuisine I haven't made much is Indian (the irony!) & I knew I had to start somewhere so I started to research cookbooks. And this cookbook stood out at once. It's was published by Phaidon who specialise in visual books, seemed very comprehensive & it won a Gourmand cookbook award too.

I'm always attracted to well designed books & I'm very happy with this one. It's hardbound & hefty at over 800 pages

The cover is designed like a sack of rice with a 'quality assurance' red star & there are even some parts that look smudged for aesthetic effect (the blue on the top).

Best front end paper ever!

The author Pushpesh Pant is an academic who lives in Delhi. As a book created to represent the entire cuisine of India (very diverse!) it has been twenty years in the making.

The introduction includes a brief history of India food, some information on the regions of India etc. The recipes are divided into 10 sections, namely Spice Mixtures and Pastes // Pickles, Chutneys and Raitas // Snacks and Appetizers (vegetable, fish & seafood, meat) // Main Dishes (vegetables, fish & seafood, meat) // Pulses // Breads // Rice // Desserts // Drinks // Guest Chefs (recipes contributed by chefs at Indian restaurants around the world). And finally there's a glossary, directory & index.

All the dishes do not have pictures. Instead there are beautifully photographed sections of glossy paper in the book showcasing some of the dishes.This is what a recipe page looks like (two on each page)-

As one can understand this cookbook isn't really made for Indians but for foreigners interested in the cuisine. Every dish name is translated into English & some of them end up sounding quite comical.

The one thing I dislike about the book is that the recipes are quite short & lack details. I understand that they had to make some snips to fit 1000 recipes in a book, but sometimes there aren't enough details or quantities aren't properly indicated, I really wish it was better edited.

But all in all I think it's a beautiful, comprehensive & well researched book with a lot of great recipes & they're probably not overstating it when they say that this is the only book on Indian food you'll ever need.

I've heard people say that this isn't an easy book to get hold of but then I do all my shopping online. So if you don't, try searching on your favorite online. This book is worth some trouble.

Buy India: The Cookbook on Flipkart (India) // Amazon USA// Amazon UK // Book Depository (ships free worldwide)

Oh Hello There

2013-05-13T09:00:00.001+05:30

photos from my instagram @magali_c

Heyyy* guys! I'm done with my exams & it feels really good to be back here blogging. Needless to say I missed this so much. So how've you been?

My life was completely computerless for 12 days so when I switched my computer on a couple of days ago I spent 7+ hours just browsing lol cat images. Ever since then it's just been procrastination to the max, like obsessing over which new lipstick to buy so I hope to get more productive in the coming days.

• So I heard H&M & Topshop are going to enter India really soon? Pretty exciting because I'm such a consumerist.

• Ada is on her way to visit me!

• I've been thinking of getting a fringe / bangs. Not side swept but full-on you can't see my forehead & eyebrows. Still on the fence so feel free to weigh in?

That's all I have to say for now. Food / travel / books / green living posts coming soon!

* That hey definitely needed three y's instead of just one.

Drink | Belvedere Cocktail Masterclass with Alison Dedianko (+ Cocktail Recipes!)

2013-05-02T09:00:00.000+05:30

Few days before my exams started I was by Belvedere Vodka, the Polish super premium Vodka brand for a bartending masterclass with their global brand ambassador Allison Dedianko at Wink.

She showed us how to make six cocktails (scroll down for recipes) & then we all got a chance to try our hand at making our favorite one. She even mentioned how it's such a pleasure to bartend in India with the wide availability of fresh fruits & ingredients. Bartending isn't an exact science like baking but instead it's a lot like cooking. It allows a lot of room for experimentation & personalization. You can modify anything to fit your tastes, just be sure to have fun with it! Another great tip? Chill the glass. There's nothing worse than a cool beer in a warm glass, same goes for cocktails.

I knew I couldn't mix my drink & take photos at the same time, so I photographed Karishma mixing her drink, a saffron & cinnamon daisy.

I always thought I was a sweet cocktail kind of gal but when I tasted all the drinks I was surprised to find that my favorite was the clove sour.

I was a tad intimidated to be behind the bar but Allison & the resident bartender were great teachers.

The clove sour I made with fresh clove infused simple syrup.

Turns out Allison was right, you do appreciate your drink more if you make it yourself.

Here are the recipes to the drinks were learnt. Try making some this weekend (& don't forget to share a photo if you do!)

Lemongrass Silver Fizz
50 ml Belvedere Vodka
10 ml Fresh lemon juice
10 ml Simple syrup
2 inch slice of Lemongrass
15ml Egg white
Topped with Cream Soda

In a cocktail shaker muddle lemongrass.
Add lemon juice, egg white and simple syrup.
Dry shake the ingredients with ice and fine strain into a champagne flute.
Top with cream soda.

Since cream soda isn't very commonly found in India, Alison just substituted it with some vanilla syrup & regular soda (similar flavors). Remember that these recipes are just a starting point, feel free to play around with them

Pineapple and Cardamom Martini
50 ml Belvedere Vodka
20 ml Pineapple juice.
10 ml Cardamom infused Simple syrup.
2 Cardamom pods.
2 chunks of fresh Pineapple

Muddle cardamom with Simple syrup and fresh pineapple.
Add rest of the ingredients and shake with cubed ice.
Fine strain into a chilled martini glass.
Garnish with a pineapple leaf.

Saffron and Cinnamon Daisy
50 ml Belvedere Vodka
25 ml saffron and Cinnamon syrup
25 ml lemon juice.
Dash Premium triple Sec
Dash Egg white

Dry shake all ingredients to emulsify the egg white and create a foam.
Add ice and shake until very cold.
Fine shake into a chilled Martini glass.
Garnish with a piece of cinnamon.

Clove Sour
50 ml Belvedere Vodka
25 ml clove infused simple syrup
25 ml lemon juice
2 dashes Bitters.

Shake with ice and strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass.
Garnish with a slice of lemon.

Use Coupondesh.com and avail of the best deals and discount coupons

2013-05-01T14:22:00.000+05:30

Discount coupons are in vogue these days & every website is working hard to get you the best deals & coupons. The latest one among them is Coupondesh.com. This online coupon site is the one stop solution for all types of coupons (for free, of course).

Developed in the year 2013, Coupondesh.com displays the best in discount coupons for all types of shoppers starting from kids to old aged people. The site provides discount to the retail buyers from almost all the reputed Indian e-commerce websites. Coupondesh.com features around 300+ coupon stores and the number keeps increasing. Besides that, the site also boasts featured stores from where the visitors can get the discount coupons that they are looking for. You can have such coupons for electronic items, clothing, accessories, kitchen necessities, home décor, jewelry and more.

So do you want to use coupons when you shop? You know the drill- You will just have to click on the provided coupon code. After you have clicked on it, you will come across the merchant site where the buying and selling is done. You can now choose the product of your choice and then apply the code on the checkout and automatically the discount will be applied on the total price.

Here are some of their special features (you won't find these on other websites)

1. “The Featured brand” section displaying top brand coupons to choose from
2. “Deals of the day” section providing best deals but for limited duration
3. “Select a Category” box at home page to easily access the coupons of specific category
4. “Let us guess your favorite coupons” section to locate the best desired coupon out of thousands there in the website
5. Offers sections in the menu bar to choose from wide variety of promotion types
6. Blog is integrated within the website to easily share thoughts and comment

There are also some great social sharing features integrated so you can share the discounts with your friends. And don't forget to like them on facebook too.

This post has been sponsored by Coupondesh.com

Just a minute in April '13

2013-04-29T09:00:00.000+05:30

April is always exciting, being my birthday month & all. It also the month Mumbai properly gets into summer, & boy is it hot! I also made a trip to Mangalore with mom, which has become an annual occurrence of late. Exam fever dominated most of April (though I didn't get much studying done, there was a lot of worrying / procrastinating / stressing, you know? Anyway my exams start today, wish me luck!

Watching... Seinfeld - LOVE LOVE LOVE. I know it's weird that I'm watching it for the first time (I have got some shocked reactions from people) but I'm happy that I'm getting to see it for the first time. Also Happy Ending, Psych & Criminal Minds.
Listening... David Bowie, Queen & Blondie
Reading... Blogs, etc.
Cooking... Pastas, bagels etc.
Buying... Something very special from London (thank you mom & dad!) The cat will be out of the bag soon.
Looking forward to... My exams being over. I feel like everything else is on hold till then. May 10th is not far away, though :)

Store Visit | The Cocoa Trees

2013-04-25T09:00:00.000+05:30

Chocolate is one of the best example of a universally liked food. I think I have met two people in my entire life who said that they didn't like chocolate. And why not? It's that kind of thing that makes bad days good & good days better. We've all heard about how eating chocolate releases the same hormones as being in love does, & that eating dark chocolate daily is good for you. So why hold back?

The Cocoa Trees is a Singapore based-boutique store that offers a delicious spectrum of branded chocolates which cater to a variety of individual needs.

The stock Anthon Berg, Cadbury, Chupa Chups, Cote d’Or, Daim, Droste, Duc d’O, Fazer, Ferrero, Frey, Gavottes, Goldkenn, Haribo, Hawaiian Host, Hershey’s, Jelly Belly, Jules Destrooper, Kagi, Kinder, Lorenz, M&M’s, Maltesers, Mars, Mentos, Merci, Milka, Ritter Sport, Snickers, Starburst, Storz, Swiss Delice, Taveners, The Belgian, Tic Tac, Toblerone.

They've been in India since 2011 but they recently opened two new stores at Nature's Basket, Bandra & R City Mall Ghatkopar. I visited the former.

It was my first time visiting the new Nature's Basket (which is amazing! I want to buy everything). The Cocoa Trees isn't hard to locate at all, just take one flight of stairs down & then go right.

Tons of different variants of Dairy Milk.M&M's dispensers (which can also be used as coin banks). There was also a cute M&M's clock. These are the kind of things that make me regress - I was so close to picking up one of these, I actually had to remind myself of my age.Milka was introduced to us by a family friend from Germany - it's a lovely treat that we get once a year. So glad that they're available here now. If you like milk chocolate, you must get your hands on some. Oreo tins shaped like giant ores? I want to decorate with these.For the little ones.Zaini eggs with little Disney figurines inside.

There seriously is an amazing selection in there. I ended up buying some zaini eggs (they remind me of the kinder surprise my dad used to buy me by the dozen when I was little) & some nutty dairy milk.

The Cocoa Trees, Godrej Nature's Basket, 133, Hill Road, Bandra West, Mumbai- 400050

Travel | Plucking Cashewnuts in Mangalore

2013-04-22T09:00:00.000+05:30

The place that we were staying at in Mangalore had a very large property surrounding it filled with trees (mostly cashew / jackfruit / chikoo). Labour costs have gone up in recent years so getting people to pluck produce & sell it is not very profitable. Most of the things go to waste (which is such a shame, considering this is truly organic produce without the inflated price tags).

The first picture is a tiny fruit that will eventually become a pineapple (& I'm so happy with it because my mom took the photo all on her own, without being prompted! My ~~baby~~ mommy is growing up ;'))The precious Jo Totes camera bag that goes everywhere with me.Can you spot the cashews?My mom getting all excited (she loves cashews).The loot (among the six fruits to the left, the yellow ones are ripe & the green ones are raw). On the right, those are tender cashew nuts that have fallen from the tree before the fruit got a chance to grow.

And finally, a little vine video that sums up this post. It's so different from instagram because moving pictures! I'm still not sure what to make of it but it sure is fun. Which got me thinking, what do you think about me embedding vine videos into posts on this blog where it's relevant. Do you think it breaks up / interferes with the flow of things? Let me know. And if you want to follow me on vine, just search for 'Magali Vaz' as vine doesn't really have usernames.

A lot more fun + eventful things happened in Mangalore this year which I will be sharing soon enough.

Travel | A bungalow in Udupi

2013-04-19T09:00:00.000+05:30

Our family friends have a gorgeous bungalow in Udupi. These are just shots from the garden. I posted some more glimpses of it in this vine.

Travel | Blessed Joseph Vaz Shrine at Mudipu, Karnataka

2013-04-17T09:00:00.000+05:30

These are from the day we went to the Blessed Joseph Vaz Shrine in Mudipu (just outside of Mangalore) at the top of a hill.

I had forgotten to charge one of my cameras, & then came the evil power cuts, so long story short I was stuck with just my dslr + 50mm lens, very restrictive.

There were no services going on when we visited, & the place was very serene so we spent a few minutes just sitting in the empty church. Afterwards we drank some locally made cola (cloyingly sweet!) & just enjoyed the view.

Twenty One

2013-04-15T03:49:00.001+05:30

I'm in a really busy patch & things have been a bit quiet on the blog these past few days as a result. In the past few days a) I returned home from Mangalore b) Celebrated my birthday - I'm now 21! I suppose that means I can do a few more thing legally c) Went for a mini vacation with mom (in Mumbai itself) & ate too much kimchi.

Last year I took a birthday portrait for the first time in years & I decided that it was something I should do every year. I was a little too busy to take it on the right day so this is actually taken two days later. Compared to last year's photo, I've gained a bit of weight & my hair is shorter. I'd like to have a few more birthday photos so I can notice big changes that come with getting older. I recently bought my first tube of red lipstick & I'm hooked. I finally get the hype. :)

After Dark by Aditya Mendiratta

2013-04-10T09:00:00.000+05:30

Today I'm sharing a wonderful series by Aditya Mendiratta that I think you might like. Over to him-

I often thought that the night is more alive than the day. The colors of the night attract me to it.

I have always been curious about things that happen in the night when every one is asleep. My mind always wondered around the question what & why? Is it because they are afraid to come out in the day time? Are they suppressed? Or is it just another time of the day to work?

One day I decided to take my camera and go explore, only to discover interestingly strange characters who are never to be seen during the day.

Aditya Mendiratta, a former engineer was bitten by the photography bug in the year 2008. Stepping out of his comfort zone in 2011, he said goodbye to the corporate life and joined the creatively enriching life of a photographer. You can see more of his work on his website & facebook page.

Food & Drink Lately

2013-04-05T22:36:00.000+05:30

Sipping (guzzling?) on cups of tea in my pretty new mug - this one's Red Velvet Cake by DAVIDsTEA. It's been a while since I did a tea discovery post, planning one soon.

I've been going through a seriously meaty phase & I really can't get enough of these delicious patty melts (The pan is messy because I hadn't planned to photograph - real life!)

Sculptures at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya

2013-04-03T09:00:00.000+05:30

This is the same place formerly known as the Prince of Wales museum. I get that they have to cast off the colonial yoke, but did they have to change the name into such a mouthful? Prince of Wales museum has such a nice ring to it.

All photos taken in the verandah & sculpture gallery at the museum. All three in the gallery (with the solid black background) are incarnations of Vishnu dating from the 10th century onwards.

Just a minute in March '13

2013-04-01T09:00:00.000+05:30

March was an exciting month, what with India Design Forum (& design week that preceded it). I have so many things I want to get done but my exams are so close & thought I'm not studying that much I find the whole thing quite stressful.
By the time you guys read this I'll be on my way to Mangalore. No computer (gasp! the horror!) but I hope to stay connected on email / twitter / instagram / vine. I'll be back soon!

Watching... I'm up to date with Happy Endings & I finally started watching Seinfeld & I love it so much. I'm trying not to binge view but it's so good that I have no self control.

Listening... The new David Bowie album The Next Day. It's everything I could have wished for & then some. Also Blondie, Queen & Art Garfunkel.

Reading... My textbooks! :(

Cooking... Pastas sauces & salads.
Buying... Too many lipsticks (paid for by my mother, thanks ma!)

Looking forward to... My 21st birthday, my exams being over (the latter will only finish in early May).

Shopping Experience | LimeRoad.com

2013-03-29T09:00:00.000+05:30

LimeRoad.com is a unique Indian e-commerce website. With a tagline of Love.Create.Share.Shop they stock everything from clothes & accessories to home, kitchen & dining articles from various brands & give their users a chance to curate the items onto scrapbooks.

Recently they offered me a voucher to pick a few items from their store & share my experience. It's not often that I find Indian web stores with things I actually like but LimeRoad really does stock so many nice things that I found it very hard to pick just a few.

I placed the order one night & received a confirmation call the next morning. They told me I would likely receive my order in 2-3 working days. That evening I got an email notification stating that my order was shipped (with tracking) & I received the package the next evening.

When ordering fragile items online I'm always on pins till I receive & unbox my order, hoping that nothing breaks before it reaches me (I know most websites offer replacements but it's always a lot more work having to complain via phone / email, sending photos & then waiting for the replacement to arrive). But the box was packed very securely with layers of shrink wrap on the outside & foam on the inside. In fact, after years of shopping online this was the first time (after seeing the box) that I wasn't at all worried about anything being broken!

All the five things I got were ceramic kitchen things from Anuva, a brand that makes handmade gifts & décor.

Ceramic mugs (left is here but the right one is out of stock, more mugs / cups & saucers can be found here).

Ceramic cup. I love this one, it's so pretty. Also it's much larger than it looks, one cup of this = at least two regular cups.

Ceramic jar.Ceramic plate. The exact size appears to be out of stock but here's a smaller one & a larger one.

As I mentioned, I was more than happy with the packaging. All of the ceramics are heavy, glazed & seem to be of high quality. The designs aren't exactly even everywhere, there are some stains & imperfections but I guess that's expected because of the handmade nature of the items. The only thing I'm less than ecstatic about is the jar, the stamped design looks slightly faded/smudged so I'm thinking I should have gone with this black & white jar (similar to the cup) or this chalkboard jar. I love all of the other things, especially the cup & plate. The blue hand stamped design looks lovely & though I got the dinner plate size, the smalled one would be great to mount on a wall especially in the dining room.

I was very happy with the promptness of shipping too & I will probably order again soon. This three tier cake & chocolate stand is what I may get next (it's so British & cute! Reminds me of a tea party). I've been bitten by the saree bug recently (though I've yet to wear one) & these two silk sarees are on my wishlist too. A bit pricey but they're silk & they're probably wardrobe investments, right? RIGHT?

Travel | Garça Branca Ayurvedic Botanical Garden, Bird Park and Bed & Breakfast, Loutolim, Goa

2013-03-27T09:00:00.000+05:30

It's been a little over two months since I returned from my latest trip to Goa. This is the last post about Goa (until my next trip) & I've been saving it because it's special.

If you know me, you'll know that I'm always ranting about the popular image of Goa that the rest of India has - that's it's just a place with beach parties & cheap + easily available liquor / drugs / women. I have been going to Goa every year since I was little & I can honestly say that I heard of this ill reputation only after started reading newspapers at 11. This mistaken belief is so widespread that many people actually believe it's not a suitable destination for families / children. Goa is a stunningly beautiful coastal state. Do they get a majority of their income from tourism? Yes.

But they are so many great things to see, so it's very suitable for families or friends or couple or even single travellers who aren't looking for the aforementioned three things. The key of course, is where you stay. For people looking for peace & quiet, skip North Goa completely. The only time I've been there was three years ago when some of mom's friends from overseas were our travelling companions so they wanted to do the touristy thing. My actual home town / native place / whatever else you want to call it is a sleepy village in South Goa, not very far from Margao. I spent most of my childhood vacations in my family home there, either chasing the animals (cats / dogs / pigs / goats we have them all), fishing with dad (I was much better than him even at age 8 ;) ) or just exploring. I sort of detested those vacations then, but I am so very grateful for them now... it made up for living in a big city as concrete & chaotic as Mumbai, & it's experiences like these I would definitely want my kid to have (if any, that is).

And I'm rambling. I apologize. There's something about Goa that makes me very nostalgic & sentimental. Now to the actual point of this post.

When I was in Goa last May I noticed a sign for Garça Branca Botanical Garden on a large maroon two-storey Portuguese style villa (two storey is notable because most Goan houses are just one storey) . It was interesting to see something like that in my sleepy little village - this is not the place you see tourists passing at all. I made a mental note to visit but then plum forgot about it. The next time I saw that sign we were on our way to the bus stop to return home.

I told myself I must go next time. That statement feels a little iffy, because I've said that to myself for every Kala Ghoda fest I've been aware of (over the last five years) & I still haven't gone.

But when I was in Goa this January I'm proud to say I actually went. It would have been terrible if I hadn't because this place is literally 300mts away from my family home.

So we walked there in the hot afternoon sun (camera bag in tow, of course), not really knowing what the expect. I expected it to be boring, but so what? A change of scene is always nice. Or, 'At least you can say you went' in my mother's words.

We entered in & bought tickets. The ticket includes a free drink (cold frooti). It was rather nice to see that like so many tourist attractions they don't charge additional camera fees.

Tickets + biz cards. I'm happy I took this photo, because a rogue gust of wind blew these into the swimming pool shortly after.

African lovebirds... aren't they cute? Those look like doll eyes!

As soon as you enter you're greeted by a lot of different beneficial plants, all labelled with common name, scientific names & uses.

Cane swings under the shade of a tree. These were so comfortable my mom plopped on one & refused to get up for a while (she wuz sleepeh).

Various Indian herbs / spices.

This reminded us of a friend who calls his wife Katy. Concrete monkey bin. Animal bins always remind me of school because we had large metal penguin bins there.One of the four emus. If you read the above tickets & business cards, you'll know that Garça Branca sells emu meat too. I remember first reading about emu meat when a restaurant in Mumbai introduced it last year. It has 2% fat and low cholesterol in their meat - so Carlos Mascarenhas, the man behind Garça Branca has started a crusade he calls 'EMU MEAT FOR THE HEART '. He's determined to make Goa aware of this nutritious meat and to choose it over the beef (42%), Pork (29%), Mutton (27%), Chicken (17%), Turkey (14%).

They are numerous photography points (at least three if I recollect correctly) scattered about the place. They are narrow metal spiral staircases leading up to higher vantage points (either on the main building or on the slightly hilly terrain) those are great for photography or just looking around. I got up at one of those points just above the emus & it was funny/scary to see them craning their necks to look at me.

The reason that Garça Branca looks underwhelming from the outside is that you can't see all the land - it stretches inwards rather than alongside the road & I don't have any exact numbers but this place is big! Wall paintings on the walls adjoining the stairs & on an area at the side. I got to jump on a trampoline for the first time. I always assumed it would be easier - I fell twice. Fun, nonetheless.Replica of Christ the Redeemer on one of the vantage points.Catfish. The duck + goose enclosure. I was trying to get them all together, but they are not friendly! When the goose comes out the ducks stay away. There were also some other birds (like turkeys) that I didn't click photos of.

And now the best part of Garça Branca, the pier. This place is so amazing it has a private riverfront with a stunning view of hills & the Borim bridge. I didn't expect this, it was such a pleasant surprise.

There's a little canopy by the pier with traditional mud roof tiles, art deco fans & colored patio lights. The perfect place for some afternoon shuteye.

I almost didn't want to share this, it feels like a wonderful hidden gem. But I know not doing so would be selfish. So all I will say this, if you're staying in North Goa you must try & visit, you won't regret it.

Garça Branca is also a Bed & Breakfast. I didn't stay so I don't have anything to report on that end, but they have got some glowing reviews on tripadvisor. It sounds like a great place to experience a traditional Goan lifestyle if you aren't lucky enough to have family in Goa.

How to get there (address is at the end of this post): Garça Branca is easily accessible whether by private vehicles or public transport. To go there by bus, take a bus heading to Ponda from Margao, get off at Loutolim Toll & take the road perpendicular road (national highway 17B - just ask anyone around, Goans are friendly). You'll start to see signs on both sides of the road.

Keep going till you see this (on the right side of the road approximately 500mts in)-

The Botanical Garden & Bird Park is open from Monday to Thursday, 9AM to 5PM. Garça Branca is shut during off-season, i.e. June to September. Tickets: ₹100 for adults, ₹25 for 5-12 years olds, children enter free.

The Garça Branca, House no. 934, Vanxem, Loutolim, Goa 403718, India.

Find them: website // tripadvisor

In case you're wondering, I wasn't paid or compensated in any way for this post. I just found it amazing & wanted to share. Do let me know if any of you end up going, would love to hear about your experience.

Sweet Treats from Icing On Top Exquisite Confectionary

2013-03-25T09:00:00.001+05:30

There are many perks to blogging but being sent a bag of desserts has to be one of the best. Yesterday Icing On Top confectionery sent me a bag full of treats to try & review, it felt like my birthday had come three weeks early.

About them - We create desserts. Desserts that you will love. Desserts that are bite-sized because we infuse that single bite with flavour, and more importantly, our love for food. We also happen to be purely vegetarian, therefore every thing we create is eggless, so that you can indulge sinfully, while still being good.

I got cookies, cakelettes, tartlettes, cake pops & shot glass mousses.The cakelettes got a little melted before I could photograph them. Too much (middle) was my favorite. ♥All the cookies with the cookies & cream shot glass. The oaty caramel crunch cookies (middle on the bottom row were amazing) - crunchy & delicious. Assorted tartlettes.

Red velvet & double chocolate cake pops.

All of the desserts came nicely packed in a cute bag. I think they'll be ultimate gifts to someone you know on a special day, I know I'd prefer these over flowers any day. Also who's to say you need an excuse to order these? There's nothing like desserts delivered home to brighten up a dull day.

Icing On Top, 27, Kazi Sayed Street, Opp. Hira Mistan Sweet Shop and Anand Wine Shop, Next to Masjid Station (W), Mumbai 4000093

phone- 09867013315

find them- website // facebook // twitter

Recipe | Strawberry Butter

2013-03-22T09:00:00.000+05:30

It's no secret that I like butter. I like baking with it, sautéing with it, putting it on toasted buns but what I love most of all is scooping out bits of it & putting it straight into my mouth because butter is delicious.

I had been seeing recipes for flavored butter around on pinterest but it's so perfect on it's own that I didn't think there was any way to make it better.
And then I tasted strawberry butter. It's so amazing & out of this world good. Perfect.

So perfect, that I have to paraphrase Destiny's Child - 'I don't think you're ready for this ~~jelly~~ butter.'

If you like strawberry or butter & have never tried this, you are missing out. But I can help you because I have the super-simple recipe. Prepare to be blown away.

You need just three things - strawberries, butter & strawberry preserves.

There's just one thing to remember, folks. You want preserves, not jam. Any brand will do. Among Indian brands, the Kitchens of India Strawberry & Mint conserve is nice (Technically a conserve is different from a preserve, but it will work just as well.)

Isn't the Amul girl cute? I can't even stand her cuteness. I wish there was some way to get a large print of her for my wall. But in lieu of I will frame an Amul butter packet.

At this point I'll let you in on a little secret. This will be especially useful for those of you who find that fresh strawberries out of season or available at ridiculous prices- you can make do with frozen strawberries. Or no strawberries. They are definitely good for presentation & texture but I'm sure this butter won't be any less tasty without them.

And there isn't any specific recipe to be followed either. Just remove your butter from the fridge, put it in a mixing bowl & wait a while. You want it to soften slightly so it can be easily whipped.

Add half a tablespoon of preserves to jam & start to mix. Keep adding half tablespoons of preserves till you like the taste. Remember, it is not meant to be too sweet (that's why I don't add any additional sugar). I think I ended up adding about four tablespoons to 100 gms butter. You can add a dash (less than half a teaspoon) of vanilla essence too if it floats your boat.

Refrigerate for half an hour (at least) before consuming.

Sweet, sweet strawberry butter. Never ever leave me! ♡

This keeps in the fridge for a week - 10 days. Always bring it to room temperature before eating. This will taste amazing on almost anything - scones, toast, chapatis, pancakes etc. Be adventurous!

Strawberry season is almost over here in Mumbai so this was my 'goodbye strawberry' breakfast - strawberry + mint milkshake & french toast topped with strawberry butter.

If you make this I'd hear about / see it! Feel free to share it on instagram / twitter (just tag me @magali_c) or post a photo to the Life etc. facebook page.

Shame on You, Vespa India & OgilvyOne Worldwide India!

2013-03-19T08:03:00.000+05:30

I remember exactly how I felt last February when I heard the first conclusive news about the Vespa launch in India - positively euphoric. I've always been drawn to well designed / classic / iconic things, & I figured from then it was just a countdown to when I would own one. And then the month they were launching I went out & bought a miniature to remind myself of what I would be getting soon. I didn't for a minute consider that my mind would change someday. It was a dream I had for years - I'd save up, go to riding class, save up some more & finally book one. It was all planned out, set in stone if you may.

Then I saw their facebook & twitter updates. They didn't behave like I imagined a company of such stature would. I mean I know this was Vespa India, but it was in partnership with Piaggio Italy, so they wouldn't mess up, right?

Then I saw their first commercial in India. It was one of the most distasteful, horrible things I had ever seen, so I blogged about it. I hated the direction they were going with, but even this wasn't enough to make me reconsider eventually buying the scooter of my dreams. But this is when I unfollowed & unliked them on all their social media pages. Besides, their only social media strategy seemed to be taking photos of Vespas (especially Italian ones) off other various blogs & websites & sharing them, mostly without credit. Also there was almost nothing about actual Indian Vespas, they seemed to be relying too much on the iconic status of Vespas internationally.

Last night I saw one of my friends ask them a question about a miniature Vespa they posted about. And then I saw this tweet-

link to tweet they have taken down the tweet

I was absolutely disgusted. They had stolen the photo from the My Little Red Vespa I did here on Life etc. 11 months ago. Not only had they taken it without credit or permission, they had added a border & text to it. I asked them to post attribution or take the photo down (& apologize too). But by then it was 11PM so I knew nothing would happen soon.

Acting on a hunch I decided to go & check out their facebook page. And then I saw this-

They had posted the same image to their facebook page as well. Again without any credit or attribution.

link to post they have removed the photo from their facebook page

By the time I saw the facebook post I got a lot of support on twitter. This tweet was particularly interesting-

@magali_c Ouch. More proof that @vespa_in is the most unprofessional company in the vehicle space.
— Nigel Britto (@NigelBritto) March 18, 2013

You see, I've known Nigel for a while (over the internet) & I know that he owns a white Vespa. All this time I thought Vespa just had terrible PR / Social Media people but turns out the scooters are terrible too - they give a lot of trouble & the customer service sucks. And to think that I was seriously saving money to get one in a couple of years, yeesh. I'm glad I got saved, because buying one would have been a pricey mistake.

Getting back to their social media behaviour. It's so funny that they keep posting about Vespa miniatures & not getting back to people who have genuine queries about them. The question they get a lot on facebook is where one can buy a miniature like this & they either ignore the person or give evasive, ridiculously unhelpful answers. For example, one of my friends asked them on twitter where one could buy this & they replied, "You can get some cool Vespa merchandise at a dealership near you." I am familiar with their actual puny merchandise range & it includes some t-shirts, bags, keychains & overpriced helmets. They do not have miniatures. I bought my miniature from Maisto, a company that specialises in scale models of various vehicles. It's a cute miniature, nicely priced & I happily display it on my desk - earlier it was to remind me of what I'm saving up for but now I'm thinking I should go out & buy some more miniatures & put them all over my room, to get over the fact that the Indian agent of my dream scooter seems to be run by a bunch of tasteless idiots & miniatures might be the only Vespas I'll own in my life.

The Vespa India people are definitely going to run the brand into the ground in this county - Vespa Italy, are you listening?

Regarding the social media aspect - you'd think with these constant gaffes, a 12 year old was handling their 3 lakh strong Facebook page (no offence to smart 12 year olds everywhere). But no, their page is managed by OgilvyOne India a faction of the world-famous Ogilvy & Mather advertising company. OgilvyOne worldwide have branded themselves as 'The World's Pre-eminent Customer Engagement Agency'. So this is what an agency like that does? For shame! David Ogilvy would not be pleased.

Also an honest question to fellow bloggers reading this - do you think I should start putting watermarks on my photos? I used to do that when I first started photoblogging back in 2009 but stopped because I really didn't like the look, to me it spoils a photo. But almost all of my friends (both in real life & one social media) have been telling me to do so but I hadn't started yet. But apparently you cannot even expect anyone, even big, company with even bigger reputations to respect intellectual property right of artists, photographers & other content creators. I'm well aware that scum like this can easily edit out a watermark (seeing as how they added text to a photo of mine, something I've expressly forbidden on my FAQ page) but I'm wondering whether a watermark might make them think twice about it? In other news, I'm seriously considering making a blacklist of brands that do something like this, either on this blog or on the Life etc. facebook page because the last time something like this happened to me I heard from a lot of other bloggers who went through the same thing.

~~I'm still waiting on them to take my photos down on both websites, I will make sure they do it.~~ Let's see where this goes, I will keep this post updated.

Update - I can confirm that Vespa India has taken down the offending image from their facebook & twitter pages & sent me an apology email as well. It definitely doesn't make image theft right, & of course their fans on facebook do not know what they did etc. but it's a step.
They also promised that they have taken steps to ensure nothing like this happens in the future & I hope they mean it. So Indian bloggers who are reading this, if any brand does something like this to you, feel free to let me know via the comments on this post or twitter (@magali_c) & I'll do everything I can to help.

The Good Earth Farah Baksh Journal - Kashmir through Design Eyes

2013-03-18T09:00:00.000+05:30

Today I've reviewing one of my favorite new journals, the Farah Baksh journal by Good Earth. They launched it at their Wanderlust Party a few days & I was so very excited that I got to take one home with me that night.

The Good Earth Farah Baksh collection has been inspired by Kashmiri design sensibilities and consists of an eclectic mix of fusion covers, dinnerware, centerpieces, bed linen and apparel. The retail store's design team spent an extensive period of time researching Kashmiri culture and craftsmanship.

Beenu Bawa, director of Good Earth noted, "Creating this collection was such a joy, that we wanted to share our experience of Kashmir. So we have created a journal that tells that story through our design eyes. In these pages, you will discover our inspirations, process and journey. We hope the journal will inspire your own reflections and be a place to record your personal journey."

You probably saw some pictures of the journal & packaging on in this post. It comes in a minimally designed brown cardboard box. Inside the box, the journal is wrapped in another layer - thick paper with mint & white chevron stripes on it. Slide this off, & you finally get to the journal.

It's cloth bound & floral printed. It reminds me of the Penguin Clothbound Classics, except this is prettier.

The first page (don't miss the Mughal inspired Raja Rani print on the inside of the front cover). The pages inside are all heavy, thick & textured with a matte finish.

There are a lot of blank pages for you to write or draw whatever you wish along with some spreads about various aspects of Kashmir (gardens, scents etc.)

The spread above has the recipe for Zafran, a fragrant Kashmiri drink made of saffron & other spices.

This is my absolute favorite! A Good Earth design inspired by jhumkas & other silver jewellery. I have wanted jhumkas for as long as I can remember & I finally got the perfect ones on my Jaipur trip last December.

I even made a vine (6-second video) to show you a little more of this gorgeous journal! (PS- Are you on vine yet? I'm Magali Vaz there, feel free to leave your name in the comments so I can have a look).

I'm definitely leaving the blank pages blank for now, at least till I can figure out exactly what I want to write or draw in there. It's a lovely journal & I really want to make it special.

This would be the perfect gift for any friend who's artistic & loves good design (or for yourself, if you love those things!)

The journal in available in all Good Earth stores (there are three in Mumbai- Juhu, Colaba & the flagship store in Raghuvanshi mills) for a limited time. Good Earth also has stores in Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai & Singapore, you can find the locations here.

Alternatives to Google Reader - Bloglovin' & hellocotton

2013-03-17T09:00:00.000+05:30

As you may have heard, Google is shuttering Google Reader on July 1st.

Honestly this doesn't affect me as I stopped using it years ago. But I understand that a lot of people use it to stay updated with Life etc. so I thought I'd suggest a couple of alternatives.

Bloglovin' has been been my primary way of staying updated with all my favorite blogs for a few years now. It's a beautiful & very visual platform, that shows you a big preview of the picture in the blog post. You can also organize the blogs you read by putting them in groups, & ♥ posts you like to view them later (just like ✭ on twitter!)

It started out pretty basic but they've been steadily adding useful new features over the years (like profiles) & I feel really good about staying with them.
My only real qualm with them is since they don't monitor posts on their homepage, the occasional bit of something vulgar or offensive will slip through (like porn). But don't let that deter you, you don't have to see any of it when you're logged in to your account.

This is how Life etc. looks on Bloglovin', with a preview of the latest post. You can follow here.

My second recommendation is hellocotton. This website is younger than bloglovin' & a sort of mashup: two parts blog reader, one part social network for women bloggers. It's also a bit more personal - your profile (or page) as they call it shows your photo, real name, location & age. You can write messages on your page as well as other people's pages (much like facebook statuses & wall posts). They too have a way to ♥ your favorite blog posts & read later. One of my favorite things about it is the discovery area, you can choose any one of the categories - fashion, beauty, lifestyle, home & diy, etc. & find beautiful curated posts based on that topic - a great way to discover new blogs & get your own posts featured (note about this: the hellocotton team is currently on vacation till March 28th so you may not see this right away).
There are a few downsides - The photo preview for each post is quite small & there's no way to add multiple blogs on a page (you have to make multiple profiles). And the biggest hinderance to using this as a true alternative to google reader is that the you have to have a profile there for people to follow your blog, & you guessed it... everyone doesn't have an account. So great website for female bloggers to join, but not a great website to replace reader.

My page on hellocotton. You can follow along here.

So these are two tried & tested alternatives to Google Reader that hopefully aren't going away soon. There's also feedly that's similar to google reader but apparently much better looking but I haven't tried it so I can't comment.

Links to my bloglovin' & hellocotton pages are both in my sidebar. If you don't want to use any of those you can even follow by email.

IDF 2013 | Good Earth Wanderlust Party

2013-03-15T09:00:00.000+05:30

As part of the Design Week that precedes India Design Forum, Good Earth hosted a Wanderlust party in their flagship Raghuvanshi Mills store.

It was one party to celebrate three things- an exhibition by Bangalore based Arastan showcasing treasures from the Silk Route & Morocco, a photography exhibition by Sunhill Sippy called Into the Crowd & most importantly the launch of the Farah Baksh design journal.

Décor based on the theme... it created such a lovely mood. This is the Farah Baksh design journal. It's Good Earth's very first design journal & tells the story of their Kashmir collection through design eyes. (I'll show you some of my favorite pages from it on Monday)Harshita Krishnan serenading us with her amazing voice. Pretty wares by Arastan. The kid's section (isn't it adorable?)

I can't believe it took me this long to visit Good Earth. Everything is so beautiful, & when I entered & looked around I felt a strong urge to buy everything.

And in case Good Earth is the kind of store that strikes your fancy (how could it not?!) now's the perfect time to visit. Their end of season sale started yesterday & goes on till the 18th. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Good Earth, Raghuvanshi Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Mumbai 400013

find them: website // facebook // twitter // instagram

When you're reading this I'll probably be at Indian Design Forum. I'm getting more & more excited about it as I type. Follow me on twitter for highlights from the two day event (I'll only post interesting things, I promise not to overcrowd your timeline).

Happy Weekend!