20 Things that prove you are a certified Foodie!!!

20 Things that prove you are a certified Foodie!!!

1. You plan your itinerary of a trip around best places to eat at in that location:

 When your friends and you decide to take a trip somewhere in your own country or outside you find yourself googling 'best places to eat at so and so', 'most unique cuisine of so and so', 'best desserts in town of...', etc . you know what we mean. For you every trip is more of a gastronomical trip and you make sure you explore the place by exploring its delicious cuisines and come back home with a lot of stories to tell about food.

 
2.You plan your 'things to eat' even when you are going to see someone in a hospital:

Yes, I know you relate to this. If you have go see someone at a hospital that is in a different vicinity, you plan your after-hospital food trips to places or local joints which are popular in that vicinity. Similarly when you have to go to funerals, you are more interested in the food around that area than paying homage to the dead (This point is only valid for distant relatives and people you don't know so closely. We are not trying to say you are insensitive)

3.You are an expert at 'foodstalking' :

 

Foodstalking is a term used when you look at food on other people's tables in a restaurant until your food is served. You also ask the waiter about what is table no 1 eating and what is the lady on table no 4 drinking. Ogling at food excites you a lot more than ogling at people.

4.You know the whole world of gourmet food in and out:

You dont have a problem in explaining aubergine, caviar, balsamic vinegar, valrhona dark chocolate, etc etc to your friends. You just dont know the words but you also know a little story behind it and can explain it to your friends with elan.

5. You hate it when people say you eat a lot or you go out very often:

You love food and anything against it is outright offensive. You go out not to while time but to enrich your knowledge about food, to tantalize your taste buds, to understand the current markets in the food industry.. In short you love eating and you can come up various such innovative excuses.

6. You prefer food porn than real porn:

Errr... May be this is taking it way too far but trust me I personally know so many people who love ogling at some awesome food pictures on yummly all the time and it seems that they are definitely experiencing foodgasm.

7.You love watching cookery shows:

No we are not talking about the typical Tarla Dalal kinda shows but something like Chakh-le India where he travels the nooks and crannies of the country to get to the origin of an old recipe or a Nigella Lawson, Masterchef Australia, Cupcake wars, Most bizarre foods of the world kinda shows.

8. You love sampling new eateries in your city: 

Your idea of a great evening is good food, good company and good conversations over clubbing and dancing all night. You are absolutely updated on the food scene of your city. You know which new eatery popped up, which has shut down, some might be under renovation, whats the most popular dish of a particular bistro or where do you get the best burgers in the city. You are updated about all the information.
 
9. Free Food excites you a lot more than cheap clothes:

The sign FREE FOOD is a lot more exciting than FLAT 50% OFF for you. Without a blink you would select free food.

10. You love weddings just for free food:

You go to weddings just because they have lots of free food. Your friends know that they can always find you in the food section.

11. You know all the street food vendors of your city:

Ok I dont mean literally ALL but ya most of them and you know what are they popular for. You know who sells the best pani puri in town or who makes the most awesome grilled sandwich. You are also aware of the most innovative food vendor who makes fusion food and makes it taste so good. Yummmmmm

12. You know that cheese is the secret ingredient of any recipe:

You love cheese. Period.

13. At the end of the month,you realise that you have eaten most of your salary:

We mean you have spent most of your money in trying new places and its awesome food and reviewed them on zomato and your blog, or you brought home some dips and chips and chocolates and all the wow things from the shelf of a supermarket. You realise that most of your money is gone into food than clothes or shoes or bags.

14. Presentation does not matter as much as taste:

Yes you do give importance to food presentation but if the food tastes yummmy than you almost forgive the maker for bad presentation. Good food just makes up for everything.

15. You know the staple food of a lot of countries:

Your were strong at geography back in your school days and now you what is the staple food of various countries and ofcourse you are all excited to try that once you visit that country and at times you just want to visit that country because of its amazing food.

16. Your friends seek your advice when it comes to going out on dates : 

You suddenly feel like an event manager when your friend asks you where should he take his girlfriend for a great dinner. You list out some exotic places to him with details like what should you order and what you should not. You also go the extra mile and make reservations for them and also ask the manager to make it special. You gain immense happiness in doing this.

17. You keep a tab on food fests happening around the city:

You know that the food you get to sample in food fests, you dont get it anywhere else and the food at these fests is heavenly. Hence you keep a tab on all these food fests happening around your city and make sure you attend them with a bunch of your foodie friends.

18. You feel nostalgic around food related matters:

You will not miss your school as much as you miss your school canteen, or you walk in to your ex office and go with that awesome meal at the cafeteria which you have been missing all the while. You of course the cafeteria guy and the school canteen guy so well till now.

19. Food is your best friend:

You believe nothing can lighten you up as much as good food.
You are depressed you resort to eating, you are happy you go out and eat, you are sad you binge eat, you broke up with your girlfriend you binge eat. Food just solves all the problems no matter what. Food doesn't ask questions, food understands.

20. You made it till here:

You read all these points and related to them. You made all the way till down here. There's no better way and no other way to prove that you are a foodie!!!

Top 5 destinations in India to go for a bachelorette trip with your girlfriends.

One decision that a gang of girls just can't decide on: Where to go for your bachelorette trip.. That one crazy trip u take with all your girls before getting hitched.

And I absolutely detested how various travel portals used to list usual touristy places, tweak it a bit and package it as a destination you should go to with your girls..

Hence I did some research and came up with a list of places in India which you shall definitely want to try and explore with your girl gang.

1. Ladakh- 

 

If your group of girls are adventure junkies, then there's no better place than Ladakh for you people. Doing some lean and mean tasks in the absence of the boys is surely challenging. Go for a crazy white water rafting adventure in the wild zanskar river where the rapids go up till level 7 and 8, or u can drive up to the world's highest motorable road- khardung la. Camping at nubra valley and staying in petite tents right outside the picturesque pangong lake sure sounds exciting right ?? Have a cuppa chai with the jawans when you spot them. They are always happy to oblige and in the bargain u can have some interesting conversations with them and have an enriching experience with some of their stories. Ladakh as an experience shall leave a mark in your hearts for life and you shall definitely have a ball of a time with your girls here.

2. Manali-

 

 

If you and your girls are more like the chilling like a villian types, then Manali is just the place for you. With some of the best quaint lil cafes that faces the river whereas some that are on the river, Manali is a place that shall never let you down. Go far off from the usual tourists who clamp in the main area of Manali and wander around in the bylanes of Old Manali which is also particularly famous for pure Manali 'stuff' #youknowwhatimean.

Chill in a quaint Israeli cafe with some awesome local beers, stuff and forget about all the stress which is piling up due to the wedding. 

Also while there you would want to try your hands at a few adventure sports like valley crossing, paragliding (which is undoubtedly one of the best in India), skiing (only if you get lucky) and valley zorbing (must-try).

 Insider tip- Make locals your friends. They shall give you information about the best parties that are happening in the valley. The best raves

You can also contact him while you are there- 

Lekhraj- 09318830641

He's local there who guides young tourists in the best possible manner. Might also arrange for an awesome trek to Spiti valley or other closeby destinations for the adventurous ones.

3. Auroville -

 

This quaint little town of Auroville is a less commercial neighbour of Pondicherry. With some of the cleanest and the most beautiful beaches and some mind blowing French architecture, a trip to Auro should definitely be on your list. Chill at some of the lazy cafes, take a walk down the beautiful strip of beach or just relax in your beach facing cottage all day long with your girls and totally feel de-stressed.

While here you can also take a surfing course at India's first professional surfing school in Pondicherry. Eat some awesome french food which is made out of fresh local produce in french styled bistros of Pondi and Auro and do not forget to try the cheese and chocolate that are made locally in Auro which are yum beyond words.

Awesome food, beautiful beaches, quaint bistros, clean roads, warm people, yummy chocolate and fresh cheese..is there any other way to say adios to your stress lines.

Just the trip you need with your girls.
And mind you..some really good looking French guys to ogle at.

• Word of caution: Auro is a liquor-free town but most hotel/villa owners are open about BYOB. Hence, stock up on your alcohol while you are in Pondi and guess what Pondi is a UT so super cheap booze. Double whammy

• Also if you want to visit the Aurobindo ashram then you need to send an email to them. They shall revert to you with a confirmation and only then you can make a visit and enter the ashram. (and its totally worth it)

• Surf school of Pondi 

You can contact them incase you wanna book yourself and your girls for a surf trip

You can check the following link for some cozy yet amazing accommodation

https://www.airbnb.co.in/rooms/2448787?s=UxR5

https://www.airbnb.co.in/rooms/6353518?s=UxR5

http://www.aurovilleguesthouses.org/index.php?param=cGFnZT1wcm9maWxlZGV0YWlsLnBocA==&id=63 

the hosts of Samarpan guest house Donata and Stefano are really warm people and very helpful too.

4. Rishikesh- 

 

Picture this:
You are on a white sand beach right on the banks of Ganga (the whole stretch of beach is just to yourself) living in tents which consists only of beds and lanterns, listening to the mystical sounds of the swift Ganga river flowing right next to you and the magical sound of a waterfall right behind your camp; a lil bonfire put up just for you and your girls, beers that are chilled by anchoring them in the fast paced icy river water and you and your friends are sitting on a distance of 2 feet but still cant see each other clearly because clouds (literally clouds) are passing from from between the two of you. Sounds like paradise right?
Yes, the small town of Shivpuri which is at a distance of 14kms from the main town of bustling Rishikesh is nothing less than a paradise. You gotto trek through two mountains and cross a over water bridge to reach the camp but once you reach the camp, you wouldnt want to go back. There are a lot of activities at the camp too like waterfall rappelling, cliff jumping (yes jumping right in the deep river from a height of 80ft..sounds fun?) , white water rafting (the rafting on the waters of Ganges is popular across the world), river crossing, ziplining, etc.
While here, you can also try your hand at Bungee Jumping as Rishikesh is India's best and highest bungee jumping site and fret not, its extremely safe.
Do not miss the mesmerizing evening aarti of the Ganga while you are in the main square of Rishikesh.
So much adventure packed in one trip is surely gonna let your stress be at bay.

For riverside beach camping you can contact them:
G5 camps 
Vivek -  http://adventurerafting.in/our-camps.html

5. Andaman 

 

Another beautiful and yet unexplored beach town in India which is absolutely the place that deserves a visit before you tie the knot. The tranquil beaches, the serene sounds of the waves, the sumptuous food and some mad beach parties is what makes Andaman islands a must-go destination.
You can explore the under water world by taking lessons in scuba diving or just by going for a guided deep sea dive. Andaman is blessed with a beautiful marine life and boasts of the best corals in India.

Ask the locals where are the beach parties happening and they shall not let you down.
A long island iced tea, all your girl pals, a beautiful clean strip of beach with not many people and lots of gossip and conversations after a long day of exploring the town on your scooty and also exploring the world under the water.. What else do you need to forget about all the mounting stress of marriage.
While here, take a beach yoga session in the mornings. Its so divine that you shall instantly feel the energy surrounding you and do not forget to bring back a lot of beach and bikini selfies with your girls.



I am definitely calling my girls now and asking them to pack their bags. Whats your pick??

My bucket list before marriage

It was a pleasant sunday morning. The sun wasnt too much in its own element.. we Mumbaikars love that.. and the birds were chirping at my window sill.. I had a cup of amazing coffee in my hand and serenity all around me. Out and out..a good morning.

While I was sitting and staring into space, the haunting thought of marriage just around the corner came in my mind and then I thought to myself that my life going to change and for good (of course) and no more m i gonna be single (obviously) and then all tasks have to be done together.. its more like we are gona be a tag team.

Hence the deep thought, what is it that I wanna do before getting married.

Whats my bucket list before I walk down the aisle with Mr S ??

Here's my bucket list

1. Take a solo trip

Yes thats one on top of my list.. before i tie the knot i definitely want to take a solo trip and explore the world on my own. I want to meet new people, know their culture, dance with them, get lost in an unknown territory , find myself, find my true calling.. for some weird reasons, these kind of things excite me.


2. Learn how to bake

Oh yes.. I believe baking is a therapy in itself.. like an instant stress buster.. but i m so terrible at it and atleast once in a day I find myself looking at the picture perfect recipes and those extremely well shot photographs of their cakes, brownies, cookies, etc which are far from reality...

I keep trying my hand at it thinking that whatever I bake the end result is definitely gonna be like that in the picture but alas!! its exactly the opposite. Hence learning how to bake falls in my list too


3. Learn the LANGUAGE

Mr S and folks speak a different language.. yes i wanna learn the language and be able to speak fluently in that language to anyone from the family. I m so weak at it and its grammar is so tongue twisting. I definitely want to be extremely proficient in that language.

4. Get fit

Oh my god.. I have been telling this to myself since donkey years but never got myself to do it. I have started to make small steps now atleast.. like drinking smoothies in the morning.. eating healthy.. trying to go for a walk or a jog.. but nothing beyond that has gotten materialized.. Im trying hard and I m sure to succeed.. thinking this way is also one step closer..isnt it??

P.S- my point #2 is contradicting to this one :p

5. Go for a crazy bachelorette trip with all my girls.

This one is definitely on the list of most girls and I am no different here. I would love to let my hair down in an unknown town with all my girlfriends. One crazy party before I get hitched. I wanna drink, dance, chill, relax, put our feet up, let our hair down and in the bargain get to know them a lot more.

6. Get my finances right

I hate to admit this but I m terrible with numbers and my finances are always haphazard and absurd. I dont even keep an account. dont save much and hardly invest. Yea I hate it and hence I have decided to change this and learn how to keep accounts of my each expense and income.. invest my money and save some regularly

7. Learn one adventure sport professionally


I am an adrenaline junkie and I love to indulge myself in various adventure sports, water sports, etc

I want to take a professional course in one of the adventure sports, be it learning how to surf, or paragliding or hang gliding..be it scuba diving or learning how to skydive.. I definitely wanna do this thing.

I wish to tick this bucket list before my D-day

Whats your bucket list? people who are tying the knot soon?

5 tips to keep in mind while shopping for your bridal trousseau

So it's time to get all prepped up now and one of the biggest task for the bride and her family in brown families is preparing the great Indian bridal trousseau..
For us its more like gifts parents wish to give us in the form of clothes, accessories, jewelry, bags, shoes, perfumes, cupboards, suitcases, dinner sets, 325 types of crockeries, microwaves, blender, toaster , waffle maker.. Everything I 'might' need in the future and certain things i might just throw away.. And the most weirdest thing they want to gift u is lingerie.. Oh yes ..u heard me right.. Lingerie.. Indian parents don't want to keep that factor personal and are probably way too kinky and want to prepare you for your sexcapades with ur to be husband..

I recently went to Ahmedabad to shop for a part of my bridal trousseau.. That's Indian suits and sarees.. Ahmedabad is supposed to be the Mecca of Indian wear and oh I wasn't disappointed with what I saw and what I bought.. And it just made me heave a sigh of relief that for atleast a few days mum shall keep mum and stop bickering about the never ending shopping as I could tick off a lot from my list..

But with personal experience I would like to share with y'all 5 essential tips to keep in mind while shopping for all those Indian stuff 

1. Ask a friend whose style you trust and is honest enough with u.

It's very important to have someone who understands you and your body type and helps you decide what looks good and what doesn't in the most honest way. I made this mistake and regretted it in a big way.  I had the quintessential annoying aunty accompany me along with my mom.. Somewhere in between shopping trips, a not so good friend also joined me and her opinion didnt matter much but she somehow just convinced me to buy stuff I wasn't too sure about and now I have a few things I believe I m never gona wear and I wasted a few thousand bucks ..all thanks to her.. I made a mental note of never meeting her ever again but the damage is done already.

2. Never buy anything without trying it on.

Yes I agree that trying tons and tons of things is quite annoying but u have to hold on and make yourself do it. You need to be completely sure whether something looks good on you or not because you got to stay with it forever. Buy it only if u r 100% sure. Leave it even if u have 1% doubt towards it.. Chances r you might not end up wearing it too much 

3. Never shop on an empty stomach.

I think the title says it all.. An empty stomach might make you cranky and cantankerous and you might just find yourself dismissing most of the good stuff just because the fuel hasn't reached your brains yet. It is equally important to stay hydrated.

4. Shop during off season.

Shopping during off season has a lot of its benefits.
A. You get the personal attention from all the salesmen of the shop since they don't have much customers to attend to
B. You end up getting great stuff which are gonna be launched in the next season. The new and fresh stock might just become yours
C. The biggest benefit is cheap bargains.. Since its off season you can demand for great discounts and you can buy the stuff u like for a lot more cheaper rates than it is actually meant to be.

5. Be proactive and start early.

This might reduce a huge amount stress from your shoulders. When your major shopping is taken care of, you can sit back and relax and sip your coffee. You can also start getting your bridal outfits made early as well so that you are not stressed out when your wedding date is coming closer.. A survey suggests that 78% brides face stress because their shopping is still pending or because their bridal outfit is not yet ready. Hence avoid this stress and start early so that you can finish well before time.

Major tip for all you brides to be: 

just sit back and relax..

delegate work.. Don't take a pile load of wedding work on your shoulders,its practically impossible to get everything done alone 

and if it doesn't happen like the way you want to ..don't fret.. Chances are no one shall notice but you and the stress on your face shall be noticed by everyone!!