What: Funky boxer shorts for men and women from SayC, call Simera on 9833073066, available at SayC, Java City, Lavelle Road, Bangalore. Check the Facebook group here.

Why: Because these super comfy boxers, sporting everything from Felix the cat to Mr. Men, are guaranteed to jazz up your underwear drawer.

When: You want to burn the briefs along with the bra.

What: Trikaya, Aditya Shagun Mall, 3rd Floor, NDA Pashan Road, Pune. Call 02066750868.

Why: When we visited on opening night, it seemed as though all of Mumbai had migrated to this humongous Pan Asian Pune joint. One bite of the Phanang Curry-rice and we knew exactly why.

When: You don’t mind day-tripping in the quest for a good meal.

As one of us Scouters travels West, taking a break from our fair city and sunning herself on the banks of the Bosphorus, we bring you recommendations from Istanbul, one of the most charming destinations in  Europe.

Eat:

Arrive at KeVe, and you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a magic garden. Located on the very edge of Taksim, Istanbul’s hippest shopping district (we highly recommend the walk here from Taksim square) and housed in a 19th century open-aired courtyard, this little restaurant is cannily decorated with fairy lights, wrought iron chairs and a couple of resident cats. The whimsical décor warrants a visit all on its own, so the airily light cheese and spinach tortellini, mint lamb and perfectly pitched drinks are a great bonus.

What: Mobile Camping on the Konkan Coast, Quest Adventures, call 9820367412 or visit www.quest-asia.com, Rs 3,000 per day/per head.

Why: Give Jehan a buzz, and within hours he’ll send you an SUV loaded with camping gear, equipment for your chosen activity (body boarding, waterfall rappelling, kayaking) and a team leader/driver/chef. They can also arrange shorter trips, treks and more.

When: You want to be a happy (s)camper.

What: Toubé Bäs’ Run-Veer dry fit running T-shirts, visit the website here or call Saurabh at 09900131376, Rs 700, ship nationally.

Why: Released on September 1, these kitschy, cool T-shirts sport a sprinting superhero, and claim that running is not just a sport but also a battle. Anyone who’s ever gotten onto a treadmill will agree. Only 500 pieces are available, so get yours now!

When: You don’t want to sweat it.

Neet Shah, scuba instructor and founder off Dive Right In! plays travel agent for you this season.

Fittingly, Neet’s romance with scuba diving began at during his honeymoon, when he dived for the first time. Since then, he has dived in the Bahamas, Bermuda, Costa Rica, Galapagos, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Thailand, and the Andamans.

Before giving into his scuba obsession, Neet was a management consultant in New York City, and has graduated from IIM Ahmedabad. He runs Dive Right In!, a scuba training and travel agency in Mumbai.

He gives us the low down on his five favorite travel destinations:

Sri Lanka: I’ve only been there for a couple of days… but I just loved the vibe. The people are awesomely friendly, the food is great and with the war over, the north-east will be open for tourism. Plus, the locals claim that the beaches up there are as good as the Maldives.

What: Lazy Days Goa Rentals, visit www.lazydays.co.uk, price on request.

Why: From rural cottages to bungalows on the beach, Lazy Days rents out homes all over Goa. Our favorite is Casa Marsol, a pretty four bedroom villa right next to Candolim beach, complete with four poster beds, open-aired bathrooms and a private pool.

When: You want to be king of your own (sand) castle.

What:IndjaPink Luxury Travel for Gay Men, visit www.indjapink.co.in, price on request.

Why: Because after all the 377 hype and hoopla, it’s finally time for a vacation. This travel agency caters exclusively to gay couples, organising group tours and individual trips all over India.

When: You want to get off the straight and narrow path.

What: Our favorite podcasts: The New Yorker Fiction; Indie Travel; and Bands Under the Radar, free.
Why: The New Yorker podcast is a literary wet dream: Jhumpa Lahiri, Jonathan Franzen, and others narrate short stories by giants like Nabokov and Updike. From journeying across Oaxaca in the time of swine flu to the best iPhone travel apps, the award-winning Indie Travel is guaranteed to fire up your wanderlust. And Bands Under the Radar brings you undiscovered artists who will grow up to be the next Arcade Fire and Coldplay. They accept submissions as well.
When: You want to race against rhyme.

If you’re looking to take a vacation, check out the Ladakh Confluence, August 28-31, 2009. We’re super excited about the line-up at this open-aired festival set against Leh’s spectacular landscape, which will showcase an international group of stellar musicians as diverse as Talvin Singh (tabla), Rahul Sharma (santoor), Bauchklang and Rajasthan Roots. A ton of people are going from Mumbai, so check out the Facebook group to find travel buddies for the ride up there, etc.

For a shorter getaway, consider white water rafting on the Kundalika.