Mary, Mawi and Mangalore

Last Christmas was special. It was the first time in over ten years that I was able to spend it in Mangalore and with my closest people. It was quite unusual too, considering it was my first hot Christmas in a long time (after too many wintry and white Christmases in the UK). I chose to celebrate it wearing two of my favourite designers; Mary Katrantzou and Mawi.

Mangalore, despite being quite similar to neighbouring Goa and Kerala, is rarely on the tourist map. I think it often gets overlooked which is a shame; it has lovely beaches, wonderful green spaces beautiful churches and temples and a culturally diverse population. Christmas is good time to be in Mangalore due to the the numerous parties and religious celebrations that are on in the city. Ed was quite keen that we re-create an 'English' Christmas meal and when that proved tricky (sourcing and roasting turkey, brussels etc. required a bit too much effort and we hadn't planned it well enough), we decided to go out for Christmas lunch. The meal out wasn't anything to write home about but we had a lovely time together as family.

For our meal out I wore a beautiful Mary Katrantzou number that I stalked on eBay with a *wonderful* Glitterbug Clutch by Mawi.  I wore the latter literally every time we went out. Shoes were a challenge as my size 4 shoes felt too small for my heat expandable feet. Instead I bought these sandals from a local store ( Metro) and was pleasantly surprised! It was such an easy to wear outfit and the colours and sparkles made me (and those around me) happy!

Now, I'm back to wearing multiple layers, woolly socks and hugging hot water bottles. Hope you are all having a lovely weekend. Ann x

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Quirky Restaurants: The Yoga House, Mumbai

In the heart of bustling Bandra ( a very popular suburb of Mumbai), in the very quaint Chimbai Road area, is a little oasis called The Yoga House. I'd read about the place in the Indian edition of Vogue and wanted to check it out myself. I half expected an over-rated hyped-up place that sold eastern philosophy to western tourists. I was wrong. If I had to use a word to describe the place, it would be authentic. The eating area is very Ghandian cool. They burn frankincense in the evenings. The menu is wholesome yet unpretentious and reasonably priced (relatively speaking).

We visited the yoga house one Friday evening whilst briefly stopping over in Mumbai. We sat by the open air eating area,  looking at a fraction of the Arabian sea in the near distance, listening to hymns from the church next door and the yoga teacher possibly explaining Anjaneyasana pose. I drank a virgin mojito and Ed sipped Mami's coffee which was essentially Nescafé with jaggery and cinnamon. It was blissful.

The menu has interesting titles and I chose 'I am Dancing' for my main which was essentially an Indianized brown rice paella. Ed had 'I am Detoxing' which a scrumptious quinoa burger. Both dishes were thoroughly satisfying, wholesome and delicious. We shared a baked apple and ice-cream number for dessert which was nice too. We figured that a wheat grass shot ( at Rs.60 a go i.e less than £1) seemed a nice way to finish off the meal.

Watching the yoga session made us both want to go join in. Sadly, you can't really do yoga with a full belly. We asked the staff for details of the Yoga course and I was little shocked by the prices. India has moved on so much since I last lived there. They Rs.600 per session or Rs.7000 for unlimited classes a month which seemed a little more expensive than what I'd pay in the UK. And yet, they seemed very popular.

Seemingly expensive yoga sessions aside, we think it is a great place to hang out and enjoy some serenity amongst Mumbai's chaos. The detox diet has inspired me to start using more brown rice and quinoa back home.I'd definitely recommend a visit to The Yoga House if you ever happen to be in Mumbai.  Ann x

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Things to do in Kerala: Insider's Tips: Part 1

It is rather ironic that I'm writing a travel post on Kerala. I'm a 'mallu', a.k.a. Keralite. (Not Keralan; I hate it when people don't use the right term. It's like someone referring to an English person as Englandan). And I never thought of Kerala as a travel destination.  Anyway, distance makes the heart grow fonder and all that bollox. I now live in cold, wet and grey England and I miss Kerala. I miss it's constant sunshine, warm and furious monsoon rains, paddy fields, food etc. There are things I don't miss but they don't matter if you don't stay in the place long enough. I've never lived in Kerala very long but we visited every few months when I was younger. And, I never truly appreciated the place. Visiting Kerala was like a chore, sometimes even a necessary evil. Not anymore though. Living in England has taught me many things including the ability to appreciate what I left behind. Now, Ed and I have always try to get a visit in, every time we've fly to India. It has also meant I've provided Ed with a slightly non-touristy view of the place. With the blog and all, its fair I share my thoughts with you too.


Stay: Kerala has numerous posh hotels to choose from but for the authentic Keralite hospitality experience, you've got to stay in a homestay. We've used Mahindra Homestays a couple of times and have been very pleased with them. The site provides detailed information, reviews and photos to give you a sense of what you could be in for. It won't be a five star experience and you are unlikely to have a champagne and bubble bath opportunity. But, it is an interesting eye-opener to the little nuances of Keralite/Indian living. Welcome to the world of bucket baths!

Keralite Breakfast: I believe that Kerala serves up the best breakfast, ever. It isn't remotely like a milk & cereals or a fat fry-up or even the much loved continental posh nosh. Breakfast in Kerala is a proper meal, relatively labourious to make, delicately flavoured, nutritious and very satisfying. My favourite is iddiappam (aromatic rice noodles) with fresh coconut milk. I also love puttu and kadla ( see pic below), appam (a pancake of sorts) and stew, parotta et.al. Most local homestays serve Keralite breakfasts. If not, they are inexpensive to buy at local restaurants. Keep an eye out on my blog for recipes from my mum.







Fish: Keralite food isn't particularly spicy; the focus is on flavour instead. My favourite food whilst is Kerala is a good meen (fish) curry or varutha meen ( fried fish). Although river fish are just as popular, I'd recommend indulging in some good quality sea fish like pomfret or mackerel. I could live on fried pomfret. Again, watch this space for recipes.

Getting around: There are plenty of ways of travelling to Kerala. It is well connected by rail, road and air. Emirates fly direct from the UK to Cochin (Kozhikode) and Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram). Alternatively, most Indian airlines fly from Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai to Cochin and Trivandrum. Travelling around Kerala is inexpensive by train. You could also use a good bus company (Volvo buses come to mind) to travel to hill stations like Munnar. I have family all over the place and we sometimes hire a car with driver for a day or two. It costs around Rs.1000 for a day or 80 kilometres. However, if you do choose to travel via road, always be prepared for a potential fuel strike. Keeping a jerry can with some fuel may be a good idea as we once go caught out  by running out of fuel during a strike. Particularly stressful if you have a flight to catch.

Have you liked my little tips so far? I'll share more on places to visit, cultural experiences and activities in part two. Ann x

Quirky Shops: Either Or & Doodlage

When I wrote about Either Or the other week, I promised to write a part two. Well, here it is. As I'd mentioned in my previous post, Either Or has been a great supporter of up and coming  Indian fashion brands and they also encourage sustainable fashion. Happily Unmarried and Chumbak are friends of Either Or and were supported by the store. However, the best example of the store's support of young, ethical and quirky is it's collaboration with Doodlage.

When I first spotted this lovely jumpsuit with whimsical bunny prints on one of the store rails, I bounced with joy. When Laxmi brought out more of Doodlage's delights, I was utterly smitten. Doodlage makes gorgeous fashion items out of used clothes. It draws about the traditional Indian ethos of recycling beautiful clothes and handing things down the generations albeit slightly touched-up. Doodlage's price band isn't the cheapest but the quality of its reused fabrics and its robust designs make it good value for money.

The prices start at about £50 upwards for a shift dress to about £80 for the bunny print jumpsuit. If you fancy a piece or two from this up and coming brand, head to Either Or Pune or check them out online at Not Just a Label. Also, hopefully this post and the lovely clothes will hopefully have inspired you to re-invent and up-cycle your own old clothes. Ann x

Quirky Shops: Either Or Pune, A Visual Delight

There is nothing cooler than a quirky shop with a strong ethos. I stumbled upon Either Or whilst in Pune, India and fell in love with the place. Everything from the shop's front door to all the bric-a-brac it sold had character. More importantly, the store is a supporter of local artisans and designers which, in an age of fast fashion,  is a wonderful thing. I liked the shop so much and Ed took so many photos that I will be writing two posts about this lovely boutique.

Either Or isn't just a fashion store. It sells a lifestyle that encourages ethnic design, sustainable fashion and creative ideas. I can't wait to get back home and hand paint my kilner jars and stuff them with wild flowers. Or perhaps, use block printing to revive a pair or of tired shoes. My favourite things included the intricately embroidered and colourful printed cushion covers, painted teapots, and hand-painted lampshades. The service was also very good-Laxmi and her team treated us to fresh tender coconut water whilst we browsed. Ed and I were impressed. Either Or has two sections within the same building to cater to its large and varied stock. The store also has a little lounging/reading area which stocks some fabulous reads including Handmade in India.

If you are on the look out for unusual fashion items, ethnic jewellery, colourful home decorations- this is the place to head to. Either Or also stocks some fabulous craft sets which are great for kids of all ages. I bought a few sets of crafty things for my little sister and myself. Expect crafty blog posts relating to bandhani and block printing at some point. Also, watch this space for my next post on Either Or featuring one of the designers they support. Keep colourful. Ann x

Exploring The Lake City, Udaipur, India

Udaipur has always brought to mind mystical palaces, beautiful lakes, James Bond, history and romance. It has often been called 'Venice of the East'. I was very much looking forward to our few days in the Lake City and was quietly hoping that my romantic notions would not be shattered. The drive from the Airport to Udaipur was uneventful but as soon as we got to the historic centre, regal elephants and dieting cows welcomed us. The old town is densely built up and many of the old mansions (havelis) have now been converted into affordable B&Bs. We chose to stay in one such haveli overlooking the lake Pichola. The sunsets from our terrace were stunning and Udaipur at night looked just as magical.

I could write reams about what to do and see in Udaipur but my best advise would be to slow down and savour the history and beauty surrounding you. I must admit that there isn't anything particularly romantic about the wider city itself. It is just another Indian city with similar volumes of traffic, noise, colour and chaos. However, there are a few interesting palaces and gardens dotted around the visit that are well worth a visit.

To See: The City Palace, Jagmandir Palace and Monsoon Palace are all well worth a visit. I enjoyed our leisurely stroll around the City Palace and watching the sun go down from there in the evening. The Monsoon Palace was the setting for Octopussy. You can take a boat ride up to Jagmandir for about Rs.500. We also had an interesting time overcoming multiple building hazards to visit the puppetry making workshop on top of one the cities many terraces. There are plenty of  touristy tours available should you feel a bit lost or want a quick overview of the main attractions. I'd recommend exploring the place by foot, Lonely Planet in hand.

Culture: I always try and get a taste of the local culture whilst visiting a place. There are a couple of places in Udaipur that organise Rajasthani music and dance evenings. You can enjoy a few hours of Ghoomar dancing, folk music and puppetry which are all suitably entertaining albeit a little bit scary. I'd like to know how those women manage to dance with multiple earthen pots on their heads or with pots with fire.

Shopping: Rajasthani embroidery and textiles are hugely popular and there plenty of places to buy them. I'd recommend getting out of the tourist zone and heading to the less magical city centre to buy them. You can (and indeed) should politely haggle- you don't want to be taken for a dumb tourist.

Eating: There are many restaurants around Udaipur that serve a traditional Rajasthani thali which is worth trying. You also have plenty of bastardized curries to suit the western palate. I'd recommend the Ambrai restaurant  and Jagat Niwas Haveli in particular for impeccable setting, stunning views and great food.

Accomodation: Udaipur caters to all price ranges. If you have enough to splurge, there are stunning hotels like the Oberoi Udai Vilas and Taj Lake Palace that cost up to $800 for a night's stay. If like us, you are a regular person, try havelis that cost anywhere from $40-100 for a night's stay.

My favourites: There are three things that I'd definitely recommend, 1) Indian style afternoon tea at Fateh Prakash Palace, 2) Cocktails at Jagat Niwas in the little cushioned seating area overlooking the lake Pichola and 3) Beautiful white embroidered bed spreads from one of the many textile shops

I hope you get to travel to Udaipur some day- it is well worth a visit. Ann x

Photography by Edward Chandler