Travelista India

2013-07-26T21:49:00.002-07:00

Tell us something about yourself and your design venture.

CHITRANKA… christened by my sister, accepted by my family and acknowledged by the known world around me; this name has brought a lot with it. Appreciated for the traits it got along, I took up to painting in no time, since infancy and still have a long way to go. Being a Master Degree holder in Journalism, writing has sketched out various roles in my life. City-based leisure magazine, online forums, newspaper and the ad world, all this were in my loop.

All this definitely, was a beginning of whole new life as CHITRANKA which means the artist, as I ventured into a horizon. I have resorted to put my creativity and colours on everything worth painting.

What are the products you are currently offering? Your future plans with regards to your label?

Artfully Yours– Chitranka deals with anything that is worth painting, and serve all those who love and appreciate art. The repertoire is inclusive of fabric, murals, canvas and artifacts. The sphere of fabric is vast – I have chosen kurtas, kurtis, t-shirts, dresses and sarees for now. Artifacts include bottled lights, ceramic vases, clay pots, candle stands, mobile covers and a lot more. I plan to take my venture to the next level, and transcending art beyond ordinare. I plan to take part in public displays for my products and bring art easily to people.

What according to you is the USP of your label? How would you describe your label in one word?

The USP of my label would be interestingly exclusive that oozes out from every stroke. As the designs are completely hand-painted and no bulk production, there is no question of replication, hence every product is unique in its own way. So, I would describe my label as ‘Interesting’, in just a word.

Tell us what inspires your designs. When not designing, how do you recharge your creative batteries?

My designs are primarily inspired by divinity, as you will find a touch of mysticism in most of my designs.

When not in my creative shoes, I indulge in television and movies, big time. That helps me recharge and loosen up.

If there is one dream destination (any city, culture, country) which you would like to inspire your designs, which one will it be?

What better than our Incredible India, when it comes to inspire art and creativity. The colour palette that India offers has a vivacity of various cultures, all under one roof.

Where can we buy your products?

My products are available on the FB page of my company. You can place an order on the page and I shall get back to you, personally. The link of my page:

www.facebook.com/ArtfullyYoursChitranka

2013-07-25T13:33:00.000-07:00

Pooja’s scissors go snip snip snip, and tada! We have a masterpiece! Chosen by our team as the winner, Teekhii Chhurii is all about intricate papercutting. From cascading florals to customized designs, Pooja uses her blade to create delicate magic. And we absolutely *heart* her lacy hearts!

Tell us something about yourself and your design venture.

I am Pooja Ajmera, 28 years old, a true Sagittarian, who is born and brought up in Mumbai, India. Since childhood, I was always surrounded by books, hence never really got to explore the potential of my creative side!

But as they say, it’s never too late!! So, here I am with Teekhii Chhurii. I use a very sharp blade and knife for papercutting and hence the name. Also, I love this name as it has a naughtiness that associates the brand with me.The idea of Teekhii Chhurii is a mirror to my love towards Papercutting. I recently discovered my true calling. Last year, for my sister-in-law’s birthday, I thought of gifting her something special. I knew about papercutting but had never really tried my hands at it. It was an "AH HA moment" for me, when I made my first papercut and realised - this is what

I wanted do for rest of my life and that is how Teekhii Chhurii came into existence.My goal is to breathe life into this dying art called Sanjhi and give it a modern twist which will also inspire others.

What are the products you are currently offering? Your future plans with regards to your label?

Apart from regular designs, I also make commissioned (personalized) papercuts, where you can express yourself through the paper. So if you are looking for unusual presents, gifts for men, house warming, wedding, anniversary, or for "people who have everything", these unique hand-cut designs may well be just the thing! Paper is traditionally a first anniversary gift. My future plan is to create more awareness about this art form and Teekhii Chhurii through exhibitions and opening more e-stores, for papercuts to be available to everyone. I don’t plan to make it a million dollar company as I do papercutting for love and not money.

Check out this absolutely cool Delhi Papercut by Pooja!!! (We loooooove it!)

What according to you is the USP of your label? How would you describe your label in one word?

Pretty designs made from paper using a sharp blade, patience and lots of love makes papercuts so unique. A single sheet of paper can be turned into a something so beautiful amazes a lot of people. The beauty of Papercuts is that they can all be customized and every design is different from the other. The USP is to own an art piece that is not found just anywhere. These papercuts are painstakingly hand cut and are not laser cuts or prints or paintings. The perfect word to describe my label would be “Meticulous”.

Tell us what inspires your designs. When not designing, how do you recharge your creative batteries?

I take inspiration from anything and everything around me and then bring them to life by papercutting. When I am not designing, I am either planning for a vacation or I am on one. I love to travel. Meeting new people, interacting with them, getting to know and different culture gives me a high.

If there is one dream destination (any city, culture, country) which you would like to inspire your designs, which one will it be?

As I love travelling and exploring places, I would love to visit each and every place. But if I have to choose only one destination then it would definitely be covering up entire India for the abundance of beauty, culture and variety it has.

Where can we buy your products?

You can buy my products from my facebook page or by dropping a mail on teekhiichhurii@gmail.com . Few designs are also available online on my estores:

Its Handmade: http://teekhii-chhurii.itshandmade.in/

Yellow Trunk: http://www.yellowtrunk.com/index.php/featured-shops/teekhichhurii.html

2013-06-23T13:15:00.000-07:00

The Romanian Blouse- A Cultural Treasure

A national culture can be recognized by its unique elements of identity and belonging. If Italy gave great opera composers to the world, France built the Eiffel tower, India enchanted with the Sari and USA made Facebook possible, Romania hasn't yet shown, what it has to offer to the world. It has remained hidden and unfairly underrated by those who haven't ventured in this cultural civilisation. Probably, part of its charm is that its treasures aren't easily revealed. Its deep spiritual culture needs observation and careful attention because its inherent creativity is quiet and modest, waiting patiently to be discovered. Romania has always been admired from a foreign perspective, reminding it to be proud and take cognizance of its rich heritage and culture.

Design, fashion and art are often representative of a country's culture, telling volumes about the bygone era, tales from the past, historical and geographical mysteries and ancient traditions. For instance, the great modern sculptor Constantin Brancusi from Romania whose works were inspired by nature's symbols, simplicity of country life and ancient Romanian traditions. Similar exquisiteness can be found in the craftsmanship of the Romanian weaving women who learned to sew symbols on the IA – the Romanian blouse for thousands of years. These blouses represent Romania's history with infinite stories being encrypted in the form of signs and ancient alphabets on these blouses. Modern life made Romania adopt Western culture and consumerism instead of valuing the customs that lie deep within the country's s fibre.

Fortunately, the foreign and fresh perspective showed Romania how special and still wearable is the "clothing item" IA! A myriad of fashion designers started incorporating ancient Romanian designs into their collections. Starting with Tom Ford and now with chain stores as H&M, the symbols on the IA are gaining widespread popularity and this phenomenon made Romania realize that it has got to claim this moment.

In this zeitgeist, a simple Facebook page called "La Blouse Roumaine" wanted to promote Romanian femininity through the IA and achieved massive support right from the first week of its conception. It's beautiful portrayal of its design's simplicity and juxtaposition of peasant women sowing with fashion models posing started moving people to action, inspiring them to proudly wear the IA again and promote this unique craft epitome of the Romanian heritage. Along with "Semne Cusute", a blog which documents all the lost symbols online, "La Blouse Roumaine", in just 8 months became an authority and a voice that is heard by museums and embassies. On the 24th of June, the community inaugurates and celebrates the Universal Day of IA, coinciding with the Midsummer and an ancient pre-Christian holiday, the Sanziene.

The aims of the community until now have been to make Romanians all over the world celebrate this day, be proud of their heritage and introduce it to other nationalities. After the first Universal Day of IA, the focus will be more international, so that Romania can "export" its values and create a new country brand. This gathering of people online, fighting for a common and beautiful goal, has made Romanians like me more united and proud of our identity, more connected to our past and happier to be alive.

The Romanian Blouse is a perfect example fusing a country's culture and history with its present and creating a strong fashion statement!

Written by : Alma Andreescu, Our Romanian Travelista

2013-06-22T23:04:00.000-07:00

Rajeev Aggarwal of Bottles Not Empty is the happiest when at his canvas- bottles! His beautifully designed, ecofriendly, once discarded bottles, can add a glamorous touch to every decor. From contemporary to traditional, every bottle tells a different story. Here is the master has to say about his art.


Tell us something about yourself and your design venture.  
I've always been inclined towards pursuing my hobby of giving back to the environment by the way of upcycling as recycling on the other hand requires more energy, machinery and  trained labor to create similar products and to pursue this, I voluntary retired from the Gurgaon company where I was the director.
I wish to train like minded people in what I am doing now and also looking to learn from other people working in similar lines. For me bottles are a 3D canvas and believe that part of the story is hidden at the back too. Putting creativity and design on a bottle is a challenge until and unless the design is flowers. Few more people are doing designs on bottles but my effort is to bring at least one new design everyday.

What are the products you are currently offering? Your future plans with regards to your label?

Presently we are doing only glass bottles and as the label suggest these bottles are rejuvenated once again and are full of life because they are filled with colors and are no more empty. It would be difficult for anybody to throw these graceful bottles rather they will find place on a rack, table or mantle!

What according to you is the USP of your label? How would you describe your label in one word?

For us the creativity is more important and selling of these might will come naturally. These bottles should command respect in the market and though appreciation comes naturally, we believe demand will also be created once awareness is there.
We are happy with three words of our label "bottles not empty".

Tell us what inspires your designs. When not designing, how do you recharge your creative batteries?

Nature, magazines, newspapers and meeting people generates ideas and ideas are converted into designs . Creativity on bottles today recharge batteries for the next day!

If there is one dream destination (any city, culture, country) which you would like to inspire your designs, which one will it be?

Having explored only parts of India and few countries in Europe, I believe that India is the best place for culture and creative diversity. Apart from my mother-land, I am inspired by Italy because of the great designers there who have created marvels.

Where can we buy your products?
Few online stores are selling our products. They are

fabulloso.com, simplysizzl.in, indiebazaar.com, itshandmade.in, greenngood.com, thevault.in

Occasional sales at: styletag.com
Very soon at: unwrapindia.com and praangan.in

You can email us at bottlesnotempty@gmail.com

Tanushree Nair's innovatove products

2013-06-22T22:58:00.000-07:00

Founded by Tanushree Nair, Karaashilp, the winner of Designer Travelista Contest in the audience's choice category, is a lifestyle label offering contemporary hand made products. The denim bags are designed such that you can't help but fall in love with them! Here is what Tanushree has to say about her label.

Tell us something about yourself and your design venture.


I am a "retired IT professional" who found my calling in hand crafted products. I was exposed to art & craft right from my early age as I saw my sister & mum doing it actively. As a kid too, I used to save a little bit of this n that and would craft up something out of left over materials. Meaning the ground for recycling/upcycling was set very early in my life. After an almost 9 & half year stint in the corporate world, I decided to call it quits and since I was not the one to sit idle, started dabbling in sewing, crochet. I found my hubby's old disposed denims & an old torn bandhani dresslying around from some time and decided to make a bag out of it. Thats how my first product came out (Thanks to my hubby!!! :)). And I went on to make some more. The bags found acceptance in the market and thats how Karaashilp came in to existence on 1st September 2011.

"Karaa" means hand and "Shilp" means craft in sanskrit, literally meaning "Hand Craft". The idea is to make Karaashilp a one-stop store for contemporary, eco friendly, functional lifestyle hand made products. Our flagship product - Upcycled denim bags are still the most adored, hot selling products.

What are the products you are currently offering? Your future plans with regards to your label?


Currently Karaashilp offers two ranges: Eco & Premium, each having sections in bags/totes, home decor, jewellery & accessories. Eco range caters to all things upcycled and Premium range caters to our new line of products. We are focusing on the Eco range right now as everybody loves our Denim range products. We are planning an entire gamut of products not just for the fashion-savvy women but also for the cool men-folk and the adorable kids!!

What according to you is the USP of your label? How would you describe your label in one word?


The USP of our label has always been exclusivity and uniqueness in design with functionality going hand-in-hand without compromising the beauty.Our products and brand oozes "Passion".

Tell us what inspires your designs. When not designing, how do you recharge your creative batteries?

Anything and everything around us inspires my designs. Elements of nature, people, everyday situations...anything. One just has to be alert to absorb the vastness around us. I generally love to unwind with a coffee and a book or jump on to our very own WWW and browse around aimlessly!!!

If there is one dream destination (any city, culture, country) which you would like to inspire your designs, which one will it be?

Venice  for its beautiful setting, architecture and artworks

Where can we buy your products?

You can buy our products from our online store: www.karaashilp.com.
Like us on FB: www.facebook.com/Karaashilp 
Follow us on Twitter:  @karaashilp

2013-06-19T07:52:00.002-07:00

Monica Gupta’s label EarthenStyle screams India! Loud, colourful and vibrant, her pots are easily eye-catchers. Beautifully handcrafted, and very very trendy, Gupta’s label is sure to stir a renewed interest in the traditional art of pottery in youngsters. These “happy” clay pots are any connoisseur’s delight!

Here is what Monica has to say.

Tell us something about yourself and your design venture.

Educated as a software engineer, MCA from Nirma Institute of Management & Technology, employed as a Manager in MNCs in last 10 years.

The creative urge, which was lying dormant in me, resurfaced when I shifted to Bangalore from Faridabad. I left my cushy job and started giving texture, colour and shape to inanimate mud. This was the beginning of ‘Earthenstyle’.

‘Earthenstyle’ produces delicately crafted earthen pots in different shapes, where the exteriors are textured and finished in vibrant colours, so that a unique desirable product for home décor is ready to be marketed.

As our brand logo depicts, we deal with hollow earthen pots, mostly circular in shape. Different layers of colours embrace the pots, to enhance its beauty.

What are the products you are currently offering? Your future plans with regards to your label?

‘Earthenstyle’ product range consists of hand painted terracotta products for home décor which includes vases, pots, masks, hangings and planters. We have recently introduced ‘Kathputlis’ and ‘Blue Pottery’ to add rustic flavour of Rajasthan to our collection, and will continue to add more flavours, as we move forward.

As future plans, we aim to increase our visibility in the market, so that ‘Earthenstyle’ becomes synonyms with decor of homes and work places.

What according to you is the USP of your label? How would you describe your label in one word?

Loud, glossy, vibrant colours which are smoothly blended are Earthenstyle’s USP. The one word which can describe our label is ‘Attractive’.

Tell us what inspires your designs. When not designing, how do you recharge your creative batteries?

Leisurely walking through, without any tensions, observing nature in all its vividness, inspires me a lot.

My hands express what my eyes see. For example, observing my 6 year old son, giggling with ‘Angry Birds’ game, inspired me to paint angry birds on hanging pots for his room.

When I am on a break and not designing, I meet people on internet or face to face, to get their opinions on the work I do. This helps me to understand, likes and dislikes of users of my products.

If there is one dream destination (any city, culture, country) which you would like to inspire your designs, which one will it be?

‘Italy’ the land of Churches & beautiful sculptures, has always been my dream destination to visit and recharge by creative batteries. However, I have been there, while I was doing my regular corporate job, and did not have the chance to explore the beauty around.

Where can we buy your products?

Our products can be bought from our facebook page (www.facebook.com/Earthenstyle) and some e-commerce platforms like craftsvilla.com and mirraw.com.

You will also find us in few Exhibitions & Flea Fairs in Bangalore.

We are also tieing up with few Crafts store, to retail our products, which are coming up soon.

2013-06-15T05:17:00.000-07:00

Puja Sharma's label #8 Bareli Street offers fun, quirky jewellery that will leave you drooling. She was selected by our team as the winner of the Designer Travelista Contest. Here is what she has to say.

Tell us something about yourself and your design venture.

After graduating from National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Bangalore '03, I worked in a garment export house for few years. Working in this industry, I realized that all they want us to do was cut-copy-paste designs from foreign brands. My creativity was packed and locked for a long long time. I was frustrated despite the salary. I felt I could do much better. As a creative person I wanted my freedom to think, explore, create and have my own design space. Determined, slowly I made my way towards realizing my dream and thats how #8 Bareli Street started 3 years back.

What are the products you are currently offering? Your future plans with regards to your label?

We started with Fashion jewelry for the young adult and slowly we are doing different Theme based collections for Older woman and girls. We have plans to get into designer accessories like stoles, belts, and hand bags. We would also love to add a small range of garments and home furnishing.

What according to you is the USP of your label? How would you describe your label in one word?

USP of our design is that its trendy and innovative. Our choice of material and design gives every collection its unique appeal. We make sure our design collection is spot on with the current trends. Our craftsmanship gives each piece individual touch with extra care given to Finishing and quality. So our designs can be enjoyed by just about everyone. In 2 words we describe our brand as FASHION FORWARD.

Tell us what inspires your designs. When not designing, how do you recharge your creative batteries?

Born and brought up in a rich culture of INDIA my design collection has every possible influence from the Soil. One can find bright Colour combinations inspired from rich Art & craft available in every part of our country. In my free time i watch TV channels like NDTV good times, covering all that they feature on travel, food and fashion. I watch Runway fashion shows on FTV. I love to read and browse about art and craft from different parts of World.

If there is one dream destination (any city, culture, country) which you would like to inspire your designs, which one will it be?

Europe!

Where can we buy your products?

One can see our design collection on www.8barelistreet.com or www.facebook.com/8.barelistreet (some customers directly buy from facebook)

We are currently selling from online portals like www.craftsvilla.com www.itshandmade.co.in www.indiebazaar.com www.voylla.com

We also retail from few shops in Bangalore ( Shop:VIVIDITY, Koramangala, Near JNC & VIVIDITY , HSR layout, 27th Main road) and Bhubaneshwar (Shop: NO CODE)

2013-06-09T04:19:00.000-07:00

With a plethora of quirky designs, we recently wrapped up our first Designer Travelista Contest. The entries were full on fun and creativity, lots of colours, and ofcourse, done with immense passion. What impressed us most was the way mundane discarded items had been recycled into attractive products. Like Shweta's ingenious jewellery made up of discarded metal zips that made it to the top 15.

Recycled handcrafted tribal jewellery by Shweta Pandey

From Priya Krishnan’s “culture coasters”, to the Guitar & Cupcake pin cushion by Palak Jain that won a Special mention, every entry in the top 15 screamed innovation. The winners were declared in two categories. One was the Audience's choice, and the other was chosen by our team. Winning entries in the first category were Tanushree Nair & Monica Gupta. Our team selected Puja Sharma & Rajeev Aggarwal as the winners.

Cultural Coasters by Priya Krishnan

Creative Cushions by Palak Jain

Tanushree Nair of Karaashilp brought an arry of beautiful bags to the table. Both fashionable and functional, her lable was a hit winning with over 300 likes. Styling earth is what Monica Gupta of EarthenStyle loves the most. Her pots have India all over them. Wonderfully bright, vibrant and loud, these pieces of art can spice up any decor. We *heart*!

Puja wooed with her beads! Colourful and bright, her funky pieces add sunshine to every collection. The hand-painted bottles by Rajeev were marvellous. Very artistic, the designs both contemporary and traditional at the same time, these bottles are definite eye-catchers in any living room.

The Winning Entries

Check out the TOP 15 shortlisted entries here- http://on.fb.me/129FQ9T

Designer Travelista is an initiative by Travelista India to help talented designers and upcoming cultural and design entrepreneurs showcase their lables. All winners get goodies and are featured by us online and during our festivals happening at prestigious venues in Delhi and London.

We have our second contest on. So hurry! To send in your designs, click here- http://on.fb.me/15MeCoe

2013-05-18T08:26:00.001-07:00

Shops, Sweets and Spices in Old Delhi

‘Exhausting’, ‘stressful’ and ‘crowded’ are just some of the adjectives used by most travellers who visit Old Delhi. Narrow alleys, a booming population, busy shops and a myriad of aromas lingering in the air mean Old Delhi is an exotic assault on the senses.

I visited one of Old Delhi’s oldest and most popular markets, Chandni Chowk (translated as moonlit square), which was designed by the Mughals in the 17th century. Today, the area is a treasure trove of history and is home to some of the most famous remnants of the Mughal Empire. Dilapidated havelis (archaic mansions) of the bygone era, historic shops serving secret recipes of 16th century kings and an eclectic mix of bazaars selling everything from fabric, precious jewellery, spices and perfumes are major specialties of Chandni Chowk.

Rickshaws and tuk-tuks are the latest mode of transport in Chandni Chowk and they efficiently wind their way through the congested lanes and choking alleys. In fact, I noticed that the rickshaw drivers had developed a method to make way, and alerted the crowd on the streets with a ‘Hello Madam’, ‘Esqueeze (excuse) me’, ‘Hello Sir’, or ‘Shide (side) please’, which to my surprise worked much better than honking horns or ringing bells!

Chandni Chowk is still a big trading centre of Delhi and an ultimate foodie’s delight. The heritage food and sweet shops of the market are a big hit with students, locals and tourists and serve the best Indian savouries and sweets. For instance, down one dingy lane – characterized by entangled electricity wires, decrepit houses and notorious monkeys – is the world famous ‘Paranthewali Gali’, a street selling paranthas (fried Indian breads stuffed with various fillings), which is home to ancient parantha shops of the 18^th century.

It is quite a task to spot the oldest parantha shop, as there are about 5 shops in this lane all claiming to be the ‘real’ one! But after much research with the locals, I found the original. The variety at the shop is just amazing, offering everything from paranthas stuffed with potatoes, cauliflower, popaddums, bitterguard and even condensed milk. The paranthas tasted heavenly and I only stopped because my stomach couldn’t keep up with my tongue after four paranthas!

I visited another legendary shop, the Ghantewala Confectioners (Ghanta meaning a huge bell), which is the oldest sweet shop in Delhi, established in 1790. The story goes that whenever the royal procession of Mughal king Bahadur Shah Zafar passed the shop, the king’s elephant stopped and refused to move until it was offered sweets from the shop. The elephant wore a huge bell round his neck and continued to ring it until his demands were met.

Today, there are no elephants, canals or royal processions, but Chandni Chowk has passed the test of time and remains a rich source of Indian heritage and history. Its inhabitants are giving in to the temptations of a modern India but its alleys continue to sing tales of India’s cultural and historic past.

This entry was originally written by Travelista's founder Akshuna Bakshi for leading travel website My Destination.
Originally published in My Destination, http://www.mydestination.com/blog/shops-sweets-and-spices-in-old-delhi/

2012-08-02T19:48:00.001-07:00

LONDON 2012

It's Olympics time in London ! There is a joyous and carnival like atmosphere in the city and most spots are buzzing with tourists and travellers. So if you happen to be in London to celebrate the banter surrounding the Games, don't forget to visit the following places. This list has my personal favourite spots of London which you can simply not afford to miss if you intend to experience a quintessential British summer. So here we go-

Notting Hill Gate/Portobello Road- The home of all things English and vintage ! If you are a fan of vintage, you got to visit this place ! Every Saturday, Portobello road comes alive with great fanfare. Portobello Road market has a unique Bohemian feel to it. The colourful houses with long, slender climbers prettily adorning the French windows and cute vintage cars parked on the road give the whole market a vibrant and gypsy look. There are small rustic stalls lining the whole length of the road and they sell everything from vintage posters, CDs, exquisite porcelain crockery to some beautiful precious and semi-precious jewellery. You can browse your way through some rare vintage mantle pieces, jewels or try on chic retro fashion. And there are a number of bakeries and cafes' in the market to keep you energised for your 'shop till you drop' adventures! The famous Hummingbird bakery deserves a special mention as it serves one of the best cupcakes in London. Do stopover at this delicious cake heaven during your visit. And don't forget to bargain. Often, vendors overcharge for items which aren't even vintage. So scrutinise the item/cloth carefully for its grade and quality before you blow up hundreds of pounds on something which was a fake ! Oh and in case you are a Hugh Grant/Julia Roberts fan like me, do get your picture clicked in front of the door of the house where Notting Hill was shot. The door was originally black in colour but was painted blue before the owners sold it off. But then what the heck ! The association with the film is enough to make it the paparazzi's muse.

South bank- If culture had an address, it will be London's South bank Centre ! It is home to some of the greatest cultural organisations like the British Film Institute, The National Theatre, Haywards Gallery and hosts London's most famous tourist attraction 'The London Eye'. A visit to the South bank is like a wholesome three course meal ! You can please your basic touristic desires by hopping on to the London Eye and enjoy some spectacular views of the city of London. On the other hand, you can satiate the artistic and cultural connoisseur inside you by catching up a play at The National Theatre or a cool film of the bygone era at the BFI. And that's not all. If you just feel like taking a stroll by the South bank and enjoying the views of Thames and the city, this is the just the place for you. You could also visit the Gabriel's Wharf market as you walk towards the OXO tower and check out some quirky fashion by new designers. Food has never been a concern for South bank either as there are some great restaurants and cafes like Las Igauanas, BFI cafe, Wahaca and Dishoom specialising in cuisines from all round the world.Whatever you choose to do at this wonderful place, I can assure you that you won't be disappointed.

Camden Town Market- Think gothic, think quirky, think eclectic, think Camden ! Camden Town is a fascinating tourist spot in London. It offers a whole new side of the city which you wouldn't get to experience by visiting the hotspots of Central London. Camden Town is generously influenced by the Gothic lifestyle and you will find all sorts of weird shops like tattoo piercings, electric T-shirts (Don't worry they wouldn't give you a shock. They just light up and look like a walking discotheque when you wear them) and all things black and loud. But that's not all. Camden is a perfect example of globalization with its market having stalls from almost every part of the world. This is one place where you can buy or taste something 'Made in China', 'Made in France', 'Made in India' or 'Made in UK' all at the same time ! The market is beautifully located on the banks of The Regent's Canal and has fabulous mix of designer fashion, world crafts, vintage goods and arty souvenirs. It's also a food lover's delight as Camden serves some of the best world street food in London. Those with a nose for history, Camden's Stables market originally functioned as a horse hospital and stable for injured horses in the Victorian era. And did you know that deep beneath the Stables market lies a secret maze of underground tunnels or 'catacombs' ? Well, the next time you hear any strange neighing sounds while visiting Camden, you know where they might be coming from...

Quirky window art in Camden

Hyde Park and Lake Serpentine- No visit to London is complete without visiting the sprawling, green Hyde Park. One of the most popular out of the Royal Parks of Her Majesty, Hyde Park is a joggers delight. But even if you aren't in the mood to stretch your muscles, just visit the place on a sunny summer day to enjoy its lively atmosphere. The Lake Serpentine is especially popular during the summer months and is busy with swimmers, kids and boats. After spending some time at the park, one can visit the Buckingham palace or hit the streets of Knightsbridge for a dose of luxury !

Oxford Street- This piece of shopping heaven in the Westend can make every shopper go weak in his/her knees. The sheer variety and number of high street brands can make you cringe and compel you to spend all your hard earned cash on things you don't even need ! But trust me, no feeling can match the one imparted by the retail therapy at Oxford Street. From expensive labels like Russel and Bromley to the cheap fast fashion of Primark, there is something for everyone here. There are a few fast food joints like KFC and McDonalds for a quick grub but in case you are in for a more elaborate meal, check out the scrumptious mozzarella and baby tomato crepes served by John Lewis's cafe.

Spitalfields and Brick Lane- Tucked away in East London, these two places are perfectly visited together. Spitalfields market has a vivid variety of designer fashion and creative craft shops. The market hall hosts stalls from upcoming designers and one can get some exclusive designs for a bargain price here. Just about two blocks away is Brick Lane, popularly known as the 'Curry Lane' of London. It isn't hard to find this street as you will automatically gravitate towards the aroma of the spices lingering in the air. Try out a delicious Indian meal at Masala Zone and then wash it down with a pint of beer at the Truman's Brewery.

Afternoon tea and scones at Trafalgar square- When you visit London or take one of the sight-seeing tours, you must have been suggested to enjoy cream tea and scones at The Ritz. However, when you are on a budget, Ritz doesn't do much for the pocket. But you can still enjoy authentic English cream tea with scones at 'The Cafe in the Crypt' near Trafalgar Square for an affordable price of just £5.95. This is a unique cafe located in the crypt of the 'Saint Martins in the Field' church and offers a once in a lifetime experience to enjoy a delicious cup of English tea with clotted cream scones on someone's final resting place ! Spooky but still scrumptious ( The scones of course! ) ;)

Ice cream at Tower Bridge- Yes this is one of the cliched tourist destinations of London but an absolutely essential one ! You are ought to be mesmerised by the grandeur and magnificence of this bridge. A visit to the Tower of London, followed by a walk over the bridge is a great way to appreciate the history and opulence of the city of London. Oh and do dig in a cone of your favourite ice-cream from one of the many ice-cream vans parked by the river bank. Absolute delight !

Apart from the above few, London has a number of other places which deserve a visit. So equip yourself with a map and zero in your favourite now!

2012-07-19T20:48:00.000-07:00

Some questions and exclamations I encountered from people round the world about India ! (Meant for pure entertainment and no offence is directed to anyone )

1. "Hey you are an Indian...But your English is very good !" (Most of them are quite surprised)

2. "You live with your parents ? In the same house ? Are you kidding me ???"(Almost every single American and European friend has said this to me who is unaware of our close knit family system and not to mention the dominant parental influence in our lives :D)

3. "The trains in your country don't have any doors ! It's fucking scary !!!" (An American who travelled in the Indian second class )

4. "Why are Indians always nodding their head ???" (Again, almost everyone I meet asks me this ! I don't know why people here feel that Indians are always nodding their head !!!)

5. "Do you have cows on your streets ???" (A cliched but still an embarrassing question to say at least)

6. "So will your parents get you married after your degree ???" (Duh!)

7. "We love Indian food ! We have Sainsbury's (a superstore chain of Britain) 'Dhal' and 'Chicken Tikkah Masala' almost every weekend! ( A British woman on her love for Indian food. Special attention to the pronunciation of Dal and Tikka ) :)

8. "I love Bollywood films...they are sooo funny with all the singing and dancing !" (And this expression of theirs is followed by me lecturing them about the 'few' experimental films we make in a year ! )

9. You have Gucci and Prada in India as well...Really ??? (A Brazillian guy looking astonished!) (Why? Can we just have cows on the streets !!! )

10. After showing Guzarish to 2 guys from Holland, they exclaim- "Is this an Indian film ?" "Are these people Indian? " ( Hrithik and Aishwarya) ? "No way !"

11. "You know the other day I was in the tube and there were 2 Indians talking in a strange language...It had so many English words interspersed in between...I could almost make out what they were talking about !" (Afterthoughts of a French person after being exposed to a concocted language called 'Hinglish' )

12. "Even you need a VISA to work here ? But aren't you from India ? Wasn't it a colony of the British? You guys must be having an arrangement of some sort ?" ( Yes we were a colony but we haven't really borne any fruit of letting them rule our country for 200 years ! Not even 'Right to work' like EU !!!

2012-05-22T05:07:00.001-07:00

The Loooooooongest Pier of the World

About 40 kilometres from the glorious city of London, lies Southend-on-Sea, a small town buzzing with energy. As the name suggests, Southend-on-Sea is a coastal town which came into existence during the Georgian era. Southend-on-Sea is similar to most British sea-side towns having long coastlines, pebbled beaches and beautiful girls sunbathing at the beach ! But jokes apart, Southend-on-sea has one amazing feature which the rest don't. It is home to the longest pleasure pier in the world which has a length of 1.33 miles and was built in the year 1830. The pier's magnificent length is a record holder and till today remains the longest pleasure pier ever built on sea. The story goes that being close to the capital, a lot of visitors visited Southend during their leisure time in the early 19th century. However, due to the creation of mudflats (shallow wetlands) near the sea beach, the sea receded as far as a mile during low tide. As a result, the visitors' boats couldn't stop by the sea. To address this problem, the then Lord Mayor of The City of London, William Heygate decided to get a pier built for the potential tourists and traders. Since then, the pier has been in existence.

But the real attraction of the pier is the hundred years old Crompton railway which transports tourists in its archaic coaches from the shore to the pier head. The blue coloured diesel locomotive inscribed with Sir William Heygate's signature has a beautiful old world charm to it and puffs away from the shore at every half hour. An interesting fact about the pier railway is that it operated as a horse pulled railway when it was first built. (Lord save that poor horse !) However, it was later replaced by a diesel engine.

It is a treat to walk along the Southend Pier while the cool sea breeze and gentle sea waves give you company on your stroll. It is a great way to appreciate the English charm of the little town establishments by the bay and absorb some breath-taking views of the Pier and the sea. As one walks towards the Pier head, the view starts getting clearer, finally culminating into a large pier deck. The Pier head hosts a cute cafe which serves the basics of an English breakfast like toast, ham, scrambled eggs, scones, jam, tea and coffee. One can either choose to relax with a cup of Earl Grey at the cafe or play around with the slightly pre-historic 'Talking Telescopes' installed at the pier head. The telescope requires a pound to operate and gives an overview of the sights visible from the pier. But remember to be quick, as the telescope is quite niggard about the money and suddenly stops the commentary just when your eyes begin to focus and brain starts processing the tiny, distant specs as actual sights !

On the way back, the train journey is a joyful ride and has its own unique thrill of travelling in a vintage train in the middle of a vast, blue sea ! A good idea is to walk one way (preferably while enroute to the Pier head) and ride on the Pier train on the way back. This not only allows one to enjoy both modes of journey but also proves easy on one's tired feet after walking 1.33 miles ! Southend-on-Sea has plenty of places to explore apart from the historical pier. Some famous attractions include the seaside amusement park 'Adventure Island', Pier Museum, Southchurch Hall and Southend's famous Farmer's market selling mulled wines, exotic French cheeses, olives, cupcakes and much more.

Southend-on-Sea is an amazing place to unwind from the daily routine of the city and definitely deserves a visit especially for being home to a historic landmark like the Southend Pier. Have a look at the pictures our Travelistas clicked and decide for yourself...

2012-05-19T19:04:00.000-07:00

For the love of Gelato...

Tucked in between the hustle bustle of shops on the busy Golders Green Road is Bella del Gelato, an Italian crêperie and ice-cream parlour. At first sight, you might miss this small abode of pure delight but once you notice its yellow coloured display board saying 'Bella del Gelato', you will be a fool to not enter.

It is a long, slender shop over-powered by the high street retail stores but it offers one of the best gelatos and crêpes in London. Offering a range of gelato flavours like Dark Chocolate, Pistachio, Mango and Hazelnut, Bella del Gelato impresses every inch of one's tastebuds. The gelato is creamy, flavoursome and just melts in your mouth as soon as you eat it. The ice-cream is so good that it would be unfair to give words to the feeling which I experienced when I took the first lick of the gelato. But what I could definitely say is that this is the kind of therapy one needs during break-ups or bad days at work ! Although, all the gelato flavours are extremely delectable, my personal favourite is Melon. Firstly, it is a unique flavour to be found in an ice-cream parlour and secondly this one has an extra-ordinary taste. It's fresh, fruity and in the truest sense of the word melony !

Chocolatey crepes

Image Courtesy: Google Images

Apart from the amazing gelatos, Bella del also prepares a variety of scrumptious crêpes and waffles. A myriad of toppings are available ranging from Nutella, bananas, chocolate, nuts, fresh strawberries and cream. You can either go for the set menu combinations or get experimental with your combos. Whatever you choose to do, you wouldn't be disappointed. The staff attendant at the shop will carefully spread the crêpe batter on the hot surface of the crêpe maker and beautifully shape it with a batter stick. In minutes, you will see your golden brown crêpe come to life after which it will be stuffed with your choice of selected toppings. Before serving, the shop attendant will decorate the white china plate with art crafted from chocolate sauce and place the crêpe over it. The crêpe can be described as nothing but heavenly as from the time you will start eating, you will just be eating. In fact this is a kind of a litmus test I have developed for most of the dishes especially sweet ones. If you continue to dig into it with an expression of trans on your face and forget about your partner who accompanied you to the restaurant/cafe, the dish is a winner !

Bella del Gelato has reasonable prices for its ice-creams and crêpe starting at £3.20 for a crêpe (differs according to the toppings) and £2.40 for a scoop of gelato. The shop is a great treasure hidden in the alleys of Golders Green and should definitely be given a try. For me it is a small piece of heaven which never fails to liven me up :)