O15 Cafe - An experience!

Exactly a month ago, I visited this cafe in Four Bungalows, Andheri just a little ahead of Kokilaben Ambani hospital. My friend & Marketing Manager (YBFC), Reeti, invited me for its launch which was going on for a week before its opening. I didn't think I would be doing a post on it but after those visits, I couldn't help talk about my experience. This post has been due since then.

The first time I went was on 6th December, 2013. I invited Mona to come along but it was pretty late by the time we met and we arrived at the venue just a little before 10PM. The building entrance had the cafe logo on a wooden finish board giving out the impression of it being a quaint cafe-bar.

But what was waiting for us inside was far from it.

Ambience:

As soon as we entered, we were floored by its ambience. Brick walls, musical instruments on display, dim lighting, a performance stage, club & new-age music that isn't too loud to deafen and not too quiet to get lost in the walls of the cafe. They have elements of everything. To be honest though, I couldn't help think of Hard Rock Cafe as I saw a couple of guitars up against the brick wall. There are other elements though that are far different. Firstly, what strikes out about the place is that they have a place for everyone.

They have a huge seating area with tables & chairs in front of the bar and all around it. This is where the music can be heard and space can be made for a dance floor just by moving the chairs a bit (this is what happens when the guests can't hold their feet!!). They have a stage area where bands can perform.

I like these black boards atop the bar area

Buzzing with people!

Now, for couples or people who want to have a little privacy but still not be taken away completely from all the fun & music, they have cute little booths designed as "Telephone Booths".

Fooling around with Mendes, one of the people who served us.

We took one of these - not because we wanted "privacy" but more so because there were a lot of food bloggers out there, just finishing their session and taking pictures. We didn't want to intrude.

There is another seating area which is behind the stage. It has a separate wall (made of glass tiles with faces of artists painted on them). This area is completely isolated from the rest of the cafe and is undisturbed by the music or any noise outside. Here is where you have your meetings and discuss serious stuff with people.

On the left is the entrance to the quiet area

We had to return home soon that day and just got an hour to spend at the cafe. I'll describe the food we had a little later in the post.. Save the sweet-treats for last ;)

Anyway, so, like I said, we had to go home soon that day. I really wanted to come back here and experience this a bit more so when I learned that the next day was Karaoke night, I immediately decided to come the next day - to stay for longer and to experience Karaoke..

(Let me tell you, Karaoke nights at O15 are super fun! They happen every Wednesday and the cafe is usually full during this time.)

Karaoke screen put up before the evening could start

It was my first time at a Karaoke night and when I entered, it had already begun with people singing some of my favourite songs of the old days!! The mood had been set, there was more crowd than usual and a lot of cheering from them for the singers that courageously went ahead!

I kept getting off my seat to sing but sat back down again, not knowing how people would react to my voice (though I used to sing a long time back.. but that's a secret ;)).

There was a woman called Fenella who completely had the audience with her voice.. She sang a lot of tracks and after her, whatever little hopes I had of not making the audience throw food at me, died.

This is one of her tracks:

This girl is really on fire ;)

We (Reeti & I) had something to eat, spoke for some time, she introduced me to her G.M. and after a while, I saw Tanaaz Irani walking in with her family and friends.

Tanaaz - I remember her from the Zabaan Sambhalke days!

One of them even decided to sing and he was being quite a performer singing whilst standing up on his chair!! Crappy voice though.. but that only meant my hopes had come to life again!!

So, when this random other guy started singing "Nothing gonna change my love for you..", I just couldn't resist. I told Reeti that I am going with her or without her. So without her, I went ahead. This guy had a magical voice.. he was doing justice to the song right until I stood next to him and he gave me the mic so I could sing a few lines. Soon, we were taking turns singing through the song, much like a duet! I felt so nice.

Reeti came forward just after this and we (Reeti, this guy and I) sang Marc Anthony's "You Sang To Me" to end it all. It was the last song of the day and with that, the cafe also came to a close.

I am not posting our videos :P

Reached home at a long time after 2 that night. Was very tired but it felt so good!!

Food:

Over the two days, this is what we had and what we think of it:

Starters (Veg):

I chose to have the Chinese Mandarin Wraps on Day One and let me tell you - they were such a treat!!!

See how cute they look too!

They are quite healthy too with so many veggies inside them.

The other starter was the Afghani Mushrooms. Now, let me tell you how much I hate mushrooms. I remember once someone ordered a mushroom pizza with me, I picked out every single one and just had the pizza bread with cheese & some other veggie over it. It's about how they look, how they taste.. it's everything! I don't like mushrooms! Reeti shares the exact same sentiments as me when it comes to mushrooms so when she asked me to try them, I could trust her to be onto something really different and went ahead & ordered.

I can say I surprised myself as soon as I found myself reaching out for the second piece!

They didn't taste like they usually do at all and I really don't know how they were cooked but they tasted a lot like paneer but very tasty paneer!!

Afghani Mushrooms. Image Source:  http://archive.mid-day.com/lifestyle/2013/dec/271213-mumbai-guide-a-leap-from-india-to-the-world.htm

So, whether or not you are a mushroom eater, I'd recommend the Afghani Mushrooms to you.

On the second day, we had Jalapeno Cheese Croquettes. I needn't explain these to you. They were simply yum. I feel like having them again as I am typing this right now!!

Starters (Non-Veg):
Mona had the Jack Daniels BBQ Chicken Wings but I am not sure how she liked them. Waiting for her take on those in the comments!! :)

Main Course (Veg):

On day one, we had Vodka Sauce Pasta which is Pasta in tomato cream sauce infused with vodka. And on day two, we had Asian Style Paneer. I liked the Pasta better than the Paneer. Reeti likes the Paneer more.

Dessert:
We got so engrossed in singing and in the music that we forgot to order desserts! But the Raspberry Cheesecake was recommended by some. Will taste it the next time I go there :)

The stage is all set for the band performance the next day (Picture shared by Reeti which she clicked the next morning.)

I'd recommend this place to anyone who wants to have a good time. Like I said, this cafe has a place for everyone! :)

Another birthday gone..

Another year has passed. Reached what some would call a milestone.

It was a day mixed with laughter, peace, joy and actually even a little negativity but nothing that could kill spirit.

Things turned out to be okay after all. Maybe not as perfect but still just okay.

Started off with breakfast with a dear friend, followed  by attending a college friend's wedding, lunch with parents, dinner out with friends after which they came home to relax & enjoy some more..

So all in all, it was a good day. Met people, cut cakes, laughed a little and there was hugging!

Like I mentioned in my last post, I don't have bucket lists to mark milestones. Other than wanting to travel more, after the past couple of years, all I really want is to have a fuller life. A life I can fully let myself into..

which is to say,

I want to have more life in my moments than moments in my life.

Happy Birthday to me!

Choices and expectations

This weekend seemed like the most stressful one in recent times. Like I mentioned in the last post, my birthday is coming up.. I kept stressing over whether to celebrate, where to celebrate, what to wear etc. Last week was spent in going to the mall trying on clothes and looking at dresses online. Shopping for an occasion almost never works. I get so confused that I either end up buying them all or none at all. This morning, I decided I won't stress out over having a perfect time on my birthday. It's my state of mind that will make it perfect after all.. not the location or the outfit. I mean, I really won't mind if I am only just by myself but at peace. It will still be worthwhile. (FYI, I can now imagine the stress people go through at their weddings)

It makes me think whether choices, plans etc. are really an illusion. Last year, I had the best time ever. I did make plans but none of them worked out. My dress tore at the last minute. The party was delayed. Someone I was close to at the time did not wish me all day. But in the end, all of us ended up having the best time of our lives. My friend had bought me a dress as a birthday present which I donned for the day. The party was late but that only meant more guests could arrive and those that were already there decided to crash at my place than go back home. I got the awaited call quite late but that time made it possible for me to be wished & blessed by that someone's mother too.

So, it feels like it does not matter what you want. More often than not, life gets in the way and makes it worthwhile. Choices / Decisions feel like an illusion at such times.

Or maybe we need plans. Safety sake. Sometimes they are going to work out. Sometimes they just won't.

A lot of times, unplanned or unexpected things bring more joy as they have the surprise element.

All of this reminds me of a quote I once read,

"The expected is what keeps us steady. It's the unexpected that changes our lives forever."

Hola

I cannot believe I haven't written here for a whole month!

I have just been running out of things to write about.

October was a month that brought a lot of changes to my otherwise boring routine or rather, the lack of it.
I had been in my shell for almost a year now & decided to slowly try and find a place for myself somewhere than waiting endlessly for something great to happen. So, it started with me taking a random decision by accepting a project to keep myself occupied. It led to me being super busy & stressed instead, but atleast the stress was directed differently so I'd like to think my decision wasn't a bad one.

In the middle of all this, I spent a few nights at a friend's place and we stayed up talking all night the first night I was there!! It's nice how some people just seep into your life like they've always been there and staying with them seems as comfortable & natural as living by yourself. Better too! I feel lucky to have such friends..

Spent a weekend in Goa with my parents. It was our yearly religious trip but this time, it was slightly more relaxing than all the times we have been there.

I took some photos in my dad's phone..

This is where we stayed :

It's called "Bhakt Niwas" and is temple accommodation but the building looked so vibrant & royal that I could not resist taking pictures..

And this is the temple building :

Who'd say it's a temple!!! right?

Somebody was in a mood to pose for a picture ;)

Doesn't he look like he's winking at the camera?  :D

I tried taking pictures of the sunset across the landscapes from the train on the way back.. but it was an AC train so the windows were shut.. 

Some of the photos look like they are painted on canvas because of the settled dust on the windows :D The last one looks like it's from a dream..

I think I prefer travelling in Sleeper trains (with the windows open and lots of people).. they have a different feel altogether.

I started attending & performing at Open Mic, Prithvi Cafe.. it happens every fourth Tuesday of the month. My first time there was quite nice. I met someone new, read out one of my poems, listened to others perform and had a good time. The second time around, it was a bit dull. I read out some of my short poems but was shaky for some reason. Also, it got over very soon.

Navratri just came and went by .. it wasn't as fun as last year and that was the same with Diwali.

On one of the days, a friend & I had gone to Worli Seaface post dinner .. and we came across people were bursting firecrackers, lighting sky lanterns.. it was so lively & colourful!!

People lighting sky lanterns..

A small boy lighting one more sky lantern

In the air..

A family lighting chakras..

I love these!!! Can look at them all day :) This one was clicked by my friend.


And this dude was bursting fireworks in his hand !!!

Wrong person wearing the superman tee :D


So many sky lanterns.. there were more!!

So it was a fun evening..

In other news, my birthday is coming up soon ..I had thought of making a bucket list but dropped the idea..
I know what I want to do pretty much.. worry less and take the train out of the city more often :)

Until next time, cya! :)

Europe! #HappyTravellers

A lot of you would already know how often I keep travelling to places - I don't miss a chance to pack my bags and get, set - go! It goes without saying that travel contests always excite me.. So, as soon as I heard about the Indiblogger "Happy Travellers" contest (sponsored by Yatra Holidays), I knew I had to enter this one.

Travelling opens your eyes to so many new things, ideas and people.. I've always loved exploring new places and have visited a lot of places across India (except for the East of India, yet to go there).

I've never had an opportunity to travel out of the country. Not even to see my own brother after my visa was rejected for the second time!! I want to see many places across the world. Places like Bali interest me for their rich culture while the whole of Europe excites me for it was home to so many artists- writers, painters, musicians etc.

It's really very hard to pick on one place but if I absolutely had to.. it'd be Europe!! I'd like to travel across that whole continent! :)

I have so many travel stories to tell. I was going to do a post on it but this contest came up and I thought I should enter this first :) Well, so what I have experienced is that, travelling is not just about seeing places. It's the whole package. Firstly, the journey does matter to an extent i.e. the people you meet during your journey, the food etc. and this is different for each person. As for seeing places, apart from just seeing the place, it is the stories about the place, about the people who lived there once is what interests me more.

So, what would I do if I go to Europe?

Setting foot itself would be a magical experience. 

Italy is the first country I'd go to..

I am very fond of European architecture (Medieval & Victorian in particular) and simply love looking at the buildings in South & Central Bombay.. so I'd like to explore the European cities on foot as much as possible, looking around and taking in as much as I can. I've heard of places in Italy where they rent cycles too so I will avoid carrying a lot of luggage with me. Of course, if I have family & friends with me, cycling wouldn't be possible.

Florence, Pisa, Verona, Venice, Rome and Milan are some places on my list..

Tuscany is known for its scenic beauty, countryside landscapes.

Most of Florence (in Tuscany, Italy), I've heard, is like an art exhibition. It'd be a thrill walking around the squares (or the piazzas) looking at works of art on display.

Piazza della Signoria, Florence, Italy.

Imagine living in a city where all of it is like a museum .. so beautiful!!

I'd visit the cathedrals & churches there .. just for their elegant structures!!

Next up would be to go and see some of Michaelangelo's masterpieces.. :)

David (Michaelangelo)

The Piazza della Signoria was where the original sculpture of David by Michaelangelo used to be.. but in 1873 they shifted it to the Accademia Gallery. Now, there's a replica of the original sculpture at the Piazza della Signoria. Michaelangelo's house, Casa Buonarotti, has a few of his sculptures too including "Madonna of the Stairs".

Madonna of the Stairs (Michaelangelo)

I'd take a walk on the Ponte Vecchio bridge just to look around at some jewellery, maybe even buy some..

Ponte Vecchio Bridge, Florence, Italy.

And for the food, I've heard that the San Lorenzo market is one place to go to, to explore the variety of food. I am a vegetarian though so might have limited options here! :) Can always explore the famous wines & cheeses of Tuscany here.

Next I'd go to Pisa to see the leaning tower! Have heard of it so much..

The Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy.

Next city I'd go to is Verona.. Though it's not a very renowned city, with three of Shakespeare's plays set there, this city arouses some curiosity.

I'd like to see Romeo and Juliet's house :)

Juliet's balcony, Verona, Italy.

I'd also like to see the Basilica of San Zeno which is the most famous structure of Roman architecture and also the marriage place of Romeo & Juliet :)

Basilica of San Zeno, Verona, Italy

The next place is Venice.. and the first thing I want to do here is explore this 'city on water' on a gondola ride.. Would love to take a tour of the canals, the bridges. Have also heard that one can cover most of Venice on foot in a couple of days time. So that's something I'm keen on doing.

I want to walk around Saint Mark's square (Piazza San Marco) and visit the museums.

Would like to see the famous Rialto bridge.

Rialto Bridge, Venice, Italy

Looks so magical. I think Venice in the night would look more beautiful.

There is an Accademia Gallery (museum) in Venice too, which is host to many works of art.. worth paying a visit to.

Rome and Milan are the next cities on my list.

Rome for its fabulous architecture..

I'd like to visit the Roman Colosseum.. Also, having heard of so many Roman Gods, the Pantheon is also one place I'd go to.

Roman Colosseum

Inside the Pantheon, Rome

Would also go to see the world's oldest shopping mall.. Trajan's market! :)

                                                                        Trajan's Market, Rome

Not much of a fashion person, Milan (Italy's fashion capital) is the last city I'd head to in Italy.

Would stop at Duomo, the world's largest gothic cathedral. And then go to Castello Sforzesco, a castle in Milan! :)

Duomo, Milan

Castello Sforzesco, Milan

Castello Sforzesco, Milan (at Night)

Everything looks so beautiful in the night!!

Have heard there are plenty of parks in Milan too. Would be nice going there for a stroll or just relaxing with family & friends during a lazy day- picnic basket and everything! :)

So that's about Italy.. The other countries in Europe that have caught my interest some time or the other are France and Greece.

Paris in France for its Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum and the apparent romance that flows through the city..

Eiffel Tower, Paris at dusk (I like this picture of the Eiffel Tower)

Eiffel Tower, Paris at night

The Mona Lisa (Leonardo Da Vinci), Louvre Museum, Paris.

Greece caught my attention when I was watching the movie "Mamma Mia!" starring Meryl Streep. Also,  Greek mythology is very intriguing.. they have Gods & Goddesses for everything!! :)

The Island of Skopelos, Greece (where the movie Mamma Mia was shot).

Santorini Island, Greece

Santorini, Greece (at night)

Would also like to go to the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Germany.. almost every country in Europe!

Travelling is exciting.. and every person's journey is so unique as we all see things differently.

Had written a short poem on this. 

Posted it for the Twitter #HappyTravellers contest (which I won, btw! :) ) but had to cut short the words owing to the 140 character limit on Twitter. Posting it here again just so that there is a full version of it online..

I've always wanted to go to Bali.. also Greece, France and Italy. 

See new people & places.. look around & meet new faces.

So it's Bali and Greece for its culture, France and Italy for the art. 

And so many more places in the world, I don't know where to start!

I love how each place carries a story, of the people who lived there once.. 

How some places are so beautiful, an example of nature's brilliance!

I want to see Juliet's balcony, and also Romeo's abode.. 

Where there used to be true love once, I wish to walk down that road!

I want to take a boat around Venice, and take the gondola tour.. 

I want to then go to Pisa and take pictures with the leaning tower!

For what good is this life if we cannot see, the beauty there is in the world?

It exists in people & places of God, waiting to be unfurled..

If I win this contest, I get to go to Singapore or Thailand. And if that happens, Indiblogger & Yatra might just make one of my dreams come true.. of travelling out of the country!! :) So really keeping my fingers crossed..

P.S: If y'all want to participate, here's the link : http://www.indiblogger.in/topic.php?topic=86

You might want to hurry though, it closes tomorrow (9th September 2013)!!

P.P.S: Images have been Googled for, obviously :)

on taking decisions

A lot of times, I take too long to make a decision and often, beat myself over it thus get stressed. 

Over time, I have learnt that one can look at one of these parameters while making decisions :

1) Importance

Look at how important making this decision is to you. Is it life altering? Will it significantly change things? 

If yes, does doing it move you towards your end goal/values? If yes, do it. If no, don't.

If it is not life altering, look at the 2nd parameter.

2) The Happiness Advantage

Does this make you happy? 

If yes, does this also contribute to the happiness of others who may be important to you? If yes, do it. If no, you may still do it but if it is instead causing them harm in a way that it is hindering their spiritual growth or obstructing their personal goals, don't do it.

If it does not make you happy i.e. sucks the energy out of you, don't do it.

If it does not significantly affect your happiness, don't waste much time on thinking over it because it does not matter what you choose to do. Take a random decision and shift focus to  yourself or if you can, decide not to take a decision at all.

"Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run
There’s still time to change the road you’re on."

- “Stairway to Heaven”, Led Zeppelin (Source: Nissim's blog)

just because

sometimes you have to brush thoughts or memories aside, put them away in a corner of  your mind because you aren't sure what emotions they might stir up.

lately, I have just been brushing a lot aside.. as i can't figure out what a lot of things might bring up. some things are hard to brush aside but i think it is slowly getting easier. I stay on it for some seconds and then allow the thought to pass away. it's also with other thoughts. it's like- nothing is really important "right now".
sometimes i may find something interesting that grasps my attention - a good blog, bits of the tv shows my parents watch, the ads that come in between, something in a music video, a few lines of lyrics of a song i always listen to but never paid attention to before.. i carry these as i go along. maybe it's all part of something that's still getting created.

as for thoughts- they are just that. thoughts. they come, they pass away. none that important as to grasp my attention and very few as strong as to take over me. i feel spurts of peace. so maybe it's a good thing.

i wish to have less of these thoughts and more of the stillness or perhaps, the "fullness". the things that catch my attention. my heart.

i'm smiling more often than before.