‘Reading List’ Update

August 19, 2021 / Srishty / 4 Comments

Couple of days back, I started creating a ‘reading list’ for myself. Now reading list can literally mean anything for anyone, but I’ll just explain what I mean here, in this context. I have a very short attention span these days when it comes to work and, honestly, I know I am not putting in enough effort to concentrate harder. I also know how we get lured into obsessively check our phones by the algorithms, but I can try harder to not do that for sure. For example, I can easily leave my phone in the other room so that I don’t open Instagram for the next couple of hours, right? Anyway, so I come across a lot of notifications during the day & there are very tempting articles (?) that I feel like going through in entirety. What I am trying to do when this happens – just make a note of the said article which I’ll go back to in my ‘free time’. So, this is sort of a daily reading list.

I am loving making this daily reading list to the core & there are more than one reasons for that –

I love making lists on notebooks but don’t get enough chances to that, as I prefer having my work related to-do on my laptop only. This is giving me a great opportunity to write down something that’s important to me daily.
I hate the fact that I don’t consume any news actively or any of the adult stuff, you know. This activity is prompting me to read more so-called informative stuff as well. Since I am not reading stuff on a whim now, I end up incorporating more informative reads because then I don’t feel pressured to immediately consume that info.
Its a mindful activity – something that slows me down on an otherwise busy day. I come across something I want to savor, and note it down to be savored in a few hours. This 2-minute thing is a joy!

What I am not liking is that I almost never end up completing my daily reading list, but I am sure that you would have guessed already. 😀

This also reminds me how much I love reading posts with back links to other blogs, where people are suggesting what they loved reading on other blogs. I need to do one of those, for random articles as well as my own old blog posts.

Would you like to share anything that I can include in my reading list for today? 😀 Do leave them in the comments!

Blogmas Day 2 | December Rains

December 12, 2020 / Srishty / Leave a comment

I have never been a rains person, you know the kinds who get excited about rains and rainy season. But if it’s a rainy day where I don’t have to get out of the house, then I do start enjoying the rains. The idea of just savoring the good looking skies with a mug of your favorite hot beverage in hand and doing the cosy things you love doing. The tip tap outside the window also feels very calming and adds to the cosiness.

It rained in Surat today and the fact that a North Indian like me would least expect rains in December added to the unexpectedness and therefore the sudden change in skies uplifted my mood so much! Rains are known to bring a sense of general gloom to people, as compared to, say, sunshine but it worked quite the opposite way for me today. I guess because a)it wasn’t raining since a long time, it was the first time rains happened after 3-4 months , b) I didn’t need to step out.

Whatever it was , it made me happier. I shot this small video of my work situation while in the balcony.

15 | Holiday

January 16, 2019 / Srishty / Leave a comment

Happy Makar Sankranti or Happy Pongal or Uttarayan or whatever the harvest festival is called in your part of the world.

This also means the sale season is quickly going to be over and spring summer collections will be in soon, in case you care. 😄

Also, I spent most of my time sleeping in today. 😛

The One where I left a piece of my Heart in Mussoorie

July 31, 2017July 31, 2017 / Srishty / 16 Comments

You know how my favourite trips are always the ones with my favourite people, the destination usually plays a secondary role. Additionally, I love hill stations. Indian hill stations more so. I was pretty much sure that this trip to Mussoorie is definitely going to be one of my favourites, but let me tell you I loved it more than I could ever have thought, I left a piece of my heart there in Mussoorie. Forever.

I had always wanted to visit Mussoorie, having read countless blog posts and, of course, the Ruskin Bond connection, which you get to read about every now and then is there too. Mussoorie is romanticised crazily in all or most of Ruskin Bond literature. Recently, there is so much else that I have read about it, be it the colonial era bakeries where time stands still, the old but gold Prakash departmental store for preservatives, cheeses & what nots, the beautiful view of Dehradun lit at night from up above, the hills, the bookshops & this list will never stop.

With my best friends in tow, this was one of the most memorable trips I ever made. Yes, I am saying this for the same people with whom, for the first time, I explored the streets of Berlin, the too good to be true Paris or the tiny gullies of Venice but this trip to Mussoorie still remains one of the most close to my heart.

When else do you get so lucky that you wake up in the morning with hot chai, awesome snacks in the mountains for company & long, lingering chats in the hills with your best friends at night?

Sharing some of the bits when I managed to sneak away from being in the moment. The pictures do not do justice to the vintage beauty that Mussoorie is, but I’ll definitely be going back for more & you will see many odes to Mussoorie here. 🙂

Please also scroll to the end of this post regarding a list of things to do in Mussoorie on your first trip.

A List of Things to Do in Mussoorie:

Walks from Picture Palace to the Mall Road (till Mussoorie Library) are the best things. For me, the best part is stopping every 10 minutes for food, be it popcorn, kadahi doodh (milk), maggi (instant noodles), corn on the cob, cotton candy, omelettes, kachori (Indian fried bread), jalebi, cotton candy, you name it! If you are someone who enjoys more quiet, peaceful walks, you can proceed further ahead from the Mussoorie Library.
Cambridge Bookstore: Well, there is no dearth of bookstores in this cute hill station, but this one is extra famous because Ruskin Bond himself visits this on Saturdays.
Mummy da Kitchen: A personal recommendation that is right next to Cambridge Bookstore. It’s a stand-and-eat stall but the food is absolutely mind blowing. Do give it a try & comment here if you do. 🙂
Kempty Falls: This waterfall has become extremely overcrowded & filthy now a days but can be done as a tourist-y thing on your first trip.
Kadai Milk: Heated, creamy milk with lots of nutty goodness, it’s a must have in the hills!
Landour: It’s a cantonment area near Mussoorie. We trekked upto Landour for copious amounts of gorgeous views but you can very well take a cab. There are many things that one can do in Landour:
1. Char Dukaan: When you reach the St. Paul’s Church in Landour, there is an area right outside it called ‘Char Dukaan’ which is Hindi for four shops. It is actually 6 shops famous for their food, all of them sell more or less the same stuff and, honestly, the food is pretty average but its anyway a fun idea to trek upto there which makes the regular food taste extra delish.
2. Sisters Bazaar: Named so after the nurses who worked in the military sanatorium here, this place is now essentially a small lane with tiny shops but with some of the best things. There is Landour Bakehouse, a gorgeous bakery with the best quirky lines & some delicious stuff on the menu. Then there is the ages old Prakash departmental shop who make peanut butter, cheeses, pasta sauces, jams, preservatives etc after the American missionaries who settled here in the 1830s left.
3. Lal Tibba: This is just a point in Landour which is known for its views but the views are endless everywhere in Landour.
4. Lama Cafe: On your way to Char Dukaan, you will spot this Tibetan cafe that stands out due to its colorful architecture. I haven’t been here but heard that it’s good.
5. Rokeby Manor: One of the most famous home stays in Landour, I haven’t stayed here as yet, but I think it deserved a mention.
6. Boarding Schools: Sneaking around them for a quick look is fun.

Definitely going back for more! ❤

30 places to eat in India right now!

August 20, 2016August 20, 2016 / Srishty / 4 Comments

Today I am writing an unplanned post after a really long time. I am more than just excited for this, you will soon know why. Read on.

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I am writing this post for this week’s Discover Challenge: The Poetry of List-Making. Discover Challenge is a weekly challenge hosted by WordPress with different themes every week & the reason you are reading this post is because this week’s theme fit like a glove to a life situation right now. When I moved from India to Berlin & then to Ljubljana, like most Indians, what I missed most was the food. I LOVE INDIAN & INDIAN-ISED FOOD. I love writing lists too, especially physical lists – with pen & notebook. So, I started making a list of places in my notebook where I want to eat at once I am back to India, random food places that popped in my head at any time. This list was meant purely for fun & now I am sharing the joy with you.

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The original list

If you are in India right now and you are a food lover, you can try some of these because, well, you only live once.

Disclaimer 1: This is not a ‘must-eat’ list because it isn’t even my favourite places, heck, I haven’t even eaten at most of these. They are just food places that came to my head while I was missing my home country & its food. So, I just noted the places for future. Also, most places are in Delhi, because that’s where I live & that’s where I will be eating immediately after going back. Haha! So, its natural.

Disclaimer 2: I personally believe that the heart of eating in India resides in its street food, more than the fancy restaurants. However, this list may not represent that because I am more inclined to note down fancy restaurants lest I forget them, but street food & important street food joints are so ingrained in my being that I know even if I forget noting them down, I’ll remember them when I am around. 🙂

Now that we have the important bits covered, let’s move to the 30 places in India (mostly Delhi) where you can eat right now. I have also tried to reason why a particular place came to my head. 🙂

Big Chill: This is one of my favourite Italian joints & I have explained here why I miss it.
Kake Da Hotel, Chandni Chowk: I liked the food of number 3 in the list & since they have the same names, I got reminded that a friend highly recommends this.
Kake Da Hotel, CP: I like the spicy, rugged North Indian food here.
Cafe Hawkers, CP: I visited this with few friends & realized that thankfully it does not do just average food with amazing ambience, like most ‘cafes’ these days. I really liked the food & they have huge portions. Yes, I am going again.
Hunger Strike: This is a small momos joint in Lajpat Nagar & I have been wanting to go here since my B.Tech days, so the craving is at least 4 years old. They are supposed to have one of the tastiest momos in Delhi & momos is my drug of choice, haha!
Majnu ka Tila: Not a food joint, it is a Tibetan refugee area in Delhi & I have this feeling that I would love to try the food that most restaurants & cafes sell here.
Andhra Bhawan: A very simple, no-fuss Andhra food canteen that everyone seems to rave about. I have to try.
Diggin: A super pretty, really dreamy cafe. I always thought its famous due to its ambience, but I have heard the food’s very good.
Wow Momos: I have been around this joint so many times & always acted stingy because why spend even slightly more on momos when you can have them for so cheap. You can judge me.
Woodbox Cafe: They have pretty food photos on their social media & many people I know like them, although they don’t seem to be exceptionally wow or something.
Blue Door Cafe: I don’t know, long ago I read a blogger’s review of this place & it stayed with me, although doesn’t seem to be very out of the box.
Big Yellow Door: Lot of people recommend & food seems to be delicious!
QDs: Because, oh, just go here
Uber Cafe, GK: We celebrated a friend’s bachelorette here & quite unexpectedly, I loved the food here, almost all the things I tried were fabulous.
Cafe Lota:Recommended by friends
Sakley’s – The Mountain Cafe: Recommended by friends & read about it somewhere
Ivy & Bean: Many bloggers I follow seem to love it
Moet’s Sizzlers: Everyone who has lived in Delhi as a child seems to love it, they have old memories with their families here, I think I should give it a go!
Sitaram’s Chole Bhature:The iconic Chole Bhature joint in Old Delhi, I have tasted here & the food is heavenly!
Rajma Chawal at Shanker Market: I am not a rajma chawal person but this joint is super popular & the way rajma chawal is served here – chaotically arranged on a plate with extras – makes me miss my chaotic & flavorful India so much! ❤
Epicuria: Curiosity! Is it a fancy food court? Is it just something overhyped? I want to know. This new place in Nehru Place that every one of my generation seems to visit is on my list, just for the heck of it.
Cafe Di Ghent, Meharchand Market: Anyone who has been here loves it so bad, I feel criminal to not go & check it out.
Theos, Noida:I am not a dessert person, but this comes so highly recommended, I have to see for myself what’s the big deal.
Dolma Aunty’s Momos: I am a momos lover & if there was an award for the thing that I missed most in Europe, then please hand the award to momos! (They are available in Asian stores, but only non-veg ones, and Berlin being the cosmopolitan baby that it is, has some momos’ joints but they don’t manage to match up, sadly).
Elma’s Bakery, HKV: Same as point 3.
Various street vendors selling Gol Gappe: Because obviously.
Various street vendors selling Momos: Because obviously.
Kota Kachori, Jaipur: Kachori is an Indian snack, a fried puff filled with spicy lentil or onion mixture, it is super yummy & the ‘Kota Kachori’, a specialized version from a place called Kota, is my favourite version so far.
5 pani wale gol gappe, Jaipur: These are super popular in Jaipur, although not exceptionally delicious, still eating gol gappe with 5 differently flavored waters along with my cousins who live in Jaipur is one of my most fun experiences!
Visiting new cities in India & eating there: Truly, when you go somewhere, you start appreciating home more. In my case, though, I am feeling bad that I am almost 25 years old & there are so many unchartered food in India yet unexplored. Can’t wait to change that.

Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed compiling it! Please let me know in comments if you happen to check out any of these places. Also, you can read these if you want more foodie recommendations.

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New free marketplace in India: What are you missing out on?

July 20, 2016July 20, 2016 / Srishty / 1 Comment

With so many shopping websites popping left, right and centre, apart from being spoilt for choice as a buyer, what comes to mind is how much easier it has become if you simply want to sell something.

This idea of setting up a small business, without any investment in building a physical store or even a website of your own, is very appealing. This is what ezebee.com gives you. It provides you with a platform to start a small shop on their website.

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The best part is that the basic version of ezebee.com is free. As from the website itself – “Users are able to open an unlimited amount of Shops, add infinite products to their shops, and best of all, there are no commission fees for transactions completed through ezebee”. Other than this, they also have a premium version where you get priority as a seller.

For more details about how both the versions work, how ezebee.com earns money or anything else, you can also check out the FAQ section of their website ezebee.com.

What I liked most about this website was that no matter which part of the world you are in, just type in the city in which you want to look for stuff and you will get city-specific results.

The other thing that sealed the deal for me was that there is no end to what all one can find here. Check for example this vintage chair that I came across while random browsing.

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Tell me, would you ever be able to find something like this in any of the regular brand shops? ezebee.com shops will take you to numerous such things because anybody can build anything (product or service) and sell it. 🙂 So, it is more likely to find unique things.

The site also has a good design and layout. A clean, white base with everything placed on it in tiles, kind of like Pinterest, one of my favorite ways of displaying things.

What also stands out is how ezebee is giving access to European market (where it was founded) to the small businesses that use its marketplace in India.

I think the idea of having such a marketplace, especially for both goods & services, is quite helpful for small businesses, as they cannot afford to invest a lot, take too many risks or build an elaborate strategy. On top of that, if they had opened a physical store, they would have had access to only their local market, unlike here where they get access to many foreign markets too.

So, if you are someone who is good at making handmade earrings or soaps, or even want to tell people about your cooking skills & have cooking classes, join ezebee right now and sell your forte.

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Oh, and, these are just examples. You can sell all kinds of diverse things on this free marketplace, so go and take a look 🙂

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