A vintage perfume bottle from Cairo, waves from Kihim, an itinerary for Kandy and a could-have-happened Goa shrug – all things travel, objects and gestures, invade the bpb office this week. Fun way to start 2012, don’t you think? Need inspiration? Check out our postcard from Cairo here.

But even with all our globetrotting agendas, time must be made to review the battalion of restaurants that have launched/will open for business in the next few months. Yes folks, being a Scouter is hard work. For instance, our first review for the year at Mangiamo was conducted by one of us who was fresh off the Alibaug boat, New Year baggage in tow. Luckily, the food was yum (and pricey), though the same can't be said about its chaotic Bandra station road address. During the review, a fellow diner commented that location doesn’t matter when the food’s good. Do you agree? Drop us a line on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or leave a comment here. We’d love to know what you think.

And while we’re on the subject of new Bandra eateries, we’ve been hearing a lot of our South Bombay subscribers whine about how all things new and shiny favour Bandra. And right they are, as three of this week's stories came from the suburb. Future boutique, bar and spa owners, think about spreading the love this year, won't you?  

While we go back to planning more trips for the troops at bpb, we wish you the same. Lots of passport stamps and happy camps in 2012.

Have you met this season's Three Wise Men? As part of our smart project this Christmas, bpb gets Conrad D’souza (head chef at Pali Village Cafe), Rick Roy (film and fashion stylist) and Aneesh Bhasin (award-winning travel photographer) to answer all your holiday related queries. This space will be constantly updated with reader questions and wise man advice.

Conrad D'souza (Head Chef, Pali Village Cafe)

Q - I've heard mulled wine tastes fantastic, but I've never tried it. Where can I get some in Mumbai? Also, how do I make it at home? - NH

A - Mulled wine is a traditional drink served at Christmas. We serve it at Pali Village Cafe during the holidays. Also, see recipe (6 servings): 1 bottle of Shiraz, 300 ml port wine, 1 nutmeg, 4 star anise, 4 cinnamon sticks 10-12 cloves.

Simmer all the above ingredients for 30 minutes. For each serving, add 100 ml of the above mixture to 60 ml of orange juice with 2 slices of apple and orange each. Serve warm.

Q - What ingredients make a sexy eggnog? - KP

A - Milk (1 litre), Condesned milk (half tin), a pinch of nutmeg powder, 4 egg yolks and 350 ml brandy to serve six.

Q - Please recommend a place to buy traditional Christmas sweets in Mumbai. - SF

A - Try Candies and Mac Craig in Bandra (W).

Rick Roy (Film and fashion stylist)

Q - Where does a man go to get a sharp suit stitched in Mumbai? I need one for New Year. - KK

A- I would recommend Masculine (opposite JW Marriott, Juhu) for great finish and fits.

Q - What's the best way to wear red this season without looking like Santa Claus?

A- Wear a stunning red blazer (Zara has nice ones) over a black tee and fitted jeans. Accessorise with a shiny brooch (check out Viva on Hill Road).

Q - Where can I get a red corset baby doll short dress in Mumbai? Urgent! Need one by Sunday. - N

A- Unfortunately it's hard to find a red corset flowy dress in a good store since it's costume-y and we don't have such shops. But here are some options: You could buy a corset at La Senza and team it with a high-waist poofy red skirt so that it looks like one outfit. OR If you have an idea or an image of the kind of dress you want, then just take a print out and go to Si Branche in Bandra (W) and they'll make the dress for you. However, I can't vouch for the finishing but they will more or less give you the desired fit and look. Since it's urgent, you can also check out Try Me, Le Bijoux at Hill Road, Bandra (W) and the row of boutiques on Turner Road.

Aneesh Bhasin (award-winning travel photographer)

Q - Need some suggestions for New Year which is also my boyfriend's birthday. Any place near Bombay that's not too expensive? - TB

A - There are two places for New Years which you might want to explore. First would be Nashik. You could go on a wine trail, starting with Zampa, then York, finally ending at Sula and staying the night at Ginger hotels. A room should be about 3.5k a night.

Second option is Kolad, a secluded village on the way to Goa. Check out Empower Activity Camp http://www.empowercamp.com/newyear2012.html
You do not get cellular network at Empower, so incase you plan to talk to a lot of people on New Year's eve, this might now be the place for you.

Q- Also, any suggestions for what to do in Goa will be great. - TB

A - You should look for a place either at Aswem beach (North most beach) or then head to South Goa. Do visit Panjim and the Unesco World Heritage Site churches http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/234

Q - I'm planning to visit Koh Samui in mid-Feb for my honeymoon. What will the weather be like? Should I add more places or is a 4-day trip to Koh Samui good enough? Please suggest a good hotel (up to Rs 6 k per night) and any good deals you might know of.- PA

A - Feb will be the beginning of the dry season and is a very good time to visit. I would suggest you keep four days for Koh Samui, maybe take a day trip to Krabi island. For your stay I suggest Rummana Resort, which should be about Rs. 5,000 per night. http://www.koh-samui-hotels.net has a lot of deals on hotels

Posted by Kanika

Picture this: A couple sharing a steaming bowl of rasam vada. Sounds perfectly normal. Add to the scene angry relatives, two divorce lawyers and an acrimonious end, and see your ratings go through the roof.

It was the Canteen at the Family Court story that got us the most hits this week, trumping a new Colaba fashion store, chocolate boutique and sneak peek at a Fort art gallery. Of course, the tweet 'Getting divorced? Here's what to eat.' helped spread the word. Should we actively start looking for and covering lesser known / interesting places in the city even if they aren't new? Please email us your feedback on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Speaking of ending things, we had two perfectly good ideas (half finished too) that had to be trashed this week. Why? Because co-incidentally, Vogue India did both - a really fun pictorial Christmas gifting section with presents dedicated to every member of the bpb team and also the Rajasthan list we told you about last week (subscriber Nikita Jogani very sweetly mailed in recommendations from her road trip, see below). Oh well, we've moved on. On the map that is. Look out for a fun travel list coming early next week.

Let's see, so far we've covered rifts and gifts. All that's left of the week's discoveries is lifts. We found a spirit-soaring story in the New York Times (Glogg before 'Nog) that gives a yum recipe for Swedish yuletide wine mulled with orange peel and cardamom, that we plan to make at our office Christmas party. If you're in the neighbourhood (Cuffe Parade), stop by for a glug of Glogg.

Truncated version of Nikita's Rajasthan Road Trip Highlights

Jaipur-Ajmer-Pushkar-Jodhpur-Jaisalmer-Bikaner and back to Jaipur. Sounds like a lot of places to cover in just 9 days, but it wasn't so bad considering we'd stop in random villages to eat the yummiest khasta kachoris, jalebis and rabri. 

Nahargad Fort in Jaipur: Remember Aamir Khan and Sharman Joshi's lake jump in Rang De Basanti? Here's where it was shot. Great view and super pretty in the evening when it's all lit up. But the Mehrangar Fort at Jodhpur was my favourite.

Ajmer and Pushkar are 30 minutes from each other. In one day we went to the Ajmer Sharif, performed an evening aarti at Pushkar and visited the only Brahma temple in the world.

As icky as it sounds, Bikaner was all about Karni Mata Ki Mandir (rat temple).

There's also a black buck sancturay somewhere on the way from Bikaner to Jaipur.

Just remember to leave your gun at home.

Illustrated by Boris Cardozo

Posted by Mansi

Good morning!

The holidays are coming up, and we're working on some fun features to close out the year with including personalized gifting guides for people we love at the bpb office; some fun wallpapers and a giant travel list for Rajasthan, much like the Goa list we did last year. If you have any  recommendations from the desert state that we can add in, please email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

We also tried doing a long compilation of sweet aunties in Bandra who make unusual Christmas treats at home, but haven't found enough cool people to feature - a lot of former home bakers seem to have folded this year, which is really a shame and quite baffling - I feel like Mumbai has never been as food-obsessed as it is now. Speaking of food-obsessions, The Table has a new cocktail menu, some of which are yum (get the strawberry Mojito, but skip the martini) but also wincingly expensive (think Rs 900 a drink, before taxes). Ouch.

Managing much of the year-end mayhem are two new additions at the bpb office, sharp girls with wicked writing skills and a nose for openings. Welcome on board, Yooti and Shreya! We're also looking for a sales/marketing effort to drive our advertising arm (yes, that).

Interested candidates, please email us your resume soonly, because really, all we want for Christmas is you ~

Posted by Mansi

Ok, so I have gossip: after its premature and unfortunate demise, Villa 39 is scheduled for a resurrection soon. The new avatar is helmed not only by Ranbir Batra from Villa 39, but also the Voltaggio brothers of Top Chef fame! The space is currently undergoing an overhaul under the supervision of interior designer Thomas Schoos.

Pretty exciting.

Is this kind of announcement something you guys would like to hear about more often? We're trying to cut down on writing about establishments much before they open, because launch dates usually get delayed and we end up giving them too much coverage. We're all about getting information first, and we have done announcements before, but we're increasingly moving towards information you can use right away: so we'll put out  the first review of Smoke House Deli, for instance, but aren't sure if we should do a bigger piece on the Villa 39 scoop. Plus, most times such pieces are completely directed by PR and often too pluggy. Thoughts?

Speaking of Smoke House Deli, I absolutely thought that would be our biggest  story this week but the DIY flash mob piece ended up stealing the show (how I wish, wish, wish bpb had been involved in organizing it). But this is the best part of my job, and even Bombay. It takes you by surprise, every time.

Read Our World This Week - I here.

Posted by Mansi

"Was the weekend even here?" I wondered aloud at Sunday night dinner with the folks (a mandatory event if I want to keep shacking up at their lovely home).

It certainly didn't feel like it, consumed by a series of activities more productive than what I'm used to on the weekend. It began with a random bump-in with Parmesh Shahani at Suzette on Friday evening, who invited me to his salon on the lovely terrace of the Godrej Building, Fort. Here, a stellar line-up of people (founders of Echo, IndiaGames, Nano Ganesh and more) spoke about the effects of technology on different spheres, from rural banking to high-tech gaming.

There seemed to be a pervading belief that the world was "flattening" because of the internet - I'm not sure how much I buy into that, seeing as we're under more  surveillance now than ever before in history; the way we communicate, consume and even think is hugely directed by a handful of players (Google, Facebook, Twitter); internet opinion-influencing and even bullying is on the rise. (See: WSJ story on the tyranny of the "Like" button).

Like Nishant  Shah, founder of the Bangalore based Center for Internet and Society put it, it's maybe not that the world is getting flatter, but just that nodes of power are  shifting.

On the other hand, as someone I was later talking to pointed out, if it wasn't for the internet, we would never have been able to launch and sustain bpb with almost no capital and no assets. This is true (although my great-grandmother would have made the same argument about the printing press), and for this, I  am eternally grateful to the information highway.

Posted by Mansi

“What’s the story for tomorrow?” This question dominates, disciplines and more often than not decimates the editorial schedule at the bpb office, which we lay out with careful deliberation every Monday morning. While charting it, we factor in all the new places opening over the coming week; brainstorm for feature ideas; try and find a balance of food, shopping, events and services; make sure it’s not too “girly” or “pluggy” or “press release-y”. We debate and polish, adjust, reconstruct. Two exhausting hours later our schedule is neatly penned onto the glistening whiteboard, a thing of beauty we solemnly resolve to uphold.

And then a new cupcake store opens in Bandra (thanks for the tip off, Tripti Bhatia), we’re scurrying across town to get the scoop, and the entire plan comes crumbling down.

Because of the chaos and gruelling daily schedule we work on, it’s hard to pause and take a view of what’s really going on in the city. This new blog column, which we solemnly resolve (for real) to publish every Thursday,  will attempt to overview our coverage of  the week, and from it extrapolate  micro-trends, currently hot neighbourhoods, directions the lifestyle industry is moving in and other data.

It will also be a place where we will float new ideas before implementing them, discuss workings of the bpb office,  and most importantly, seek insights and advice from you.

Please chime in – we would much,  much appreciate it.

Also, happy thanksgiving!

Posted by Kanika

One Glass of Sea

 I raise a glass of Arabian to my lips

I smell lost fishermen, clutching on to sips.

Tiny tidals fraught with danger,

Bodies mangled under a watchful scavenger.

The smell of death and survival rise,

Helplessness reflects in my oceanic eyes.

I swish a glass of Arabian in my hand,

I set survivors sailing in search of new lands.

A carcass of a captain and the ship he once sailed

Remain in my container, with spirits impaled.

Swiveling around with other ghosts from the sea,

Will they amount to more than a cocktail story?

I taste the Arabian, currants ebb and flit,

Leaving traces of shells on my lips.

Drowning sailors whisper in my throat

Last words to loves separated by the moat.

Their sad messages roll around my tongue

Looking for bottles to float out on.

With a cringe and a fleeting thought, I finally swallow

The Arabian Sea and all its sorrow.

The waters are now new, with a surface like silk

Ships ahoy, there are new voyages to milk.

Posted by Mansi

This is a truncated version of a longer personal essay.

I read Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild as a graduate student in New York, in a single sitting on a Sunday that straddled the cusp between summer and fall. I had watched Sean Penn’s cinematic version earlier that weekend and was trying to fathom my visceral identification with Chris McCandless, protagonist and real-life college graduate who abandoned wealth, family and identity to hitchhike alone across America and into Alaska, where he perished at the age of 24.

We had little in common, McCandless and me, apart from a healthy case of wanderlust and certain disregard for authority. Unlike him I was an avowed urbanite, determined to build a lucrative career and extremely concerned with holding on to my relationships with friends and family, often across wide geographical distances.

But for the first time in my life I was also flat-out broke, and exhausted with the effort of constantly calculating whether I could swing a Corona on Saturday night without the rent check bouncing. McCandless’s insistence that happiness – or even pleasure – was in no way tied to finance was not a new idea, but because of the timing and luminosity with which it was delivered, served as an epiphany to me, escape from the gnawing worry that had lived in the pit of my stomach ever since I started my Masters program at NYU the year before.

So exuberant (and in retrospect, desperate) was I to embrace his philosophy that I donated half my wardrobe, couch and TV to the Housing Works store down the street. I didn’t need these things, I convinced myself – I never watched television anyway and the pretty blue skirt that I had spent my lunch money on could not, as The Beatles sang, buy me love.

Inspired by McCandless’s treatment of poverty as an adventure, I began to scout out inexpensive things to do in New York, taking advantage of student discounts, haunting art galleries, joining an informal language club where I taught Hindi in exchange for French lessons. I grew less stressful, enjoyed my classes at NYU more. So comfortable was I in my new-found asceticism (if you can call an apartment in Manhattan, tiny and rat-riddled as it was, and biannual trips to India, asceticism) that I stuck with it even after securing a lucrative part-time opportunity.

But time often tempers drastic change. I missed Upstate trips with my friends, the thrill of live music at Mercury Lounge, the indulgence in a $5 croissant at the Boulud Bakery. My rapprochement with these was gradual but inevitable.

The phase receded, but it left behind important lessons: there is emotional distance now, between me and material pleasures; the prospect of being broke doesn’t scare me as much. It is this fearlessness that propelled me to commit to a start-up, to protect it against shortcuts, to take it in directions unconventional and risky but ultimately successful. And it is this fearlessness that allows me to truly enjoy the luxuries in my life without worrying about whether I will have access to them tomorrow.

So yes, it's true. A book can change your life.