Saturday 18 October 2014

DIWALI- A celebration of life!

Being an Indian and not being excited for Diwali is IMPOSSIBLE.

So here I am sharing my love for the festival of lights, the festival of colours, of brightness and of good winning over evil.

Being a christian my family has never been into celebrating Diwali the traditional way, but that doesn't mean we don't soak in the awesomeness. Of course we do.
This is when neighbors, friends, and classmates come into the frame.

Ever since school days to college times, one thing hasn't changed- Celebrating Diwali with family. Because there is nothing like #GharWaliDiwali. I repeat, NOTHING. I used to be excited the whole year for Diwali vacations as I would be going to Indore, my hometown where all of us cousins will party on like there's no tomorrow.
Days before Diwali, we used to plan and prepare for a new rangoli design, each day. Frankly, I am not much into drawing so I used to let my cousins draw while I messed it up by filling colours in it. Um, okay.
*Embarrassed*


P.S- All credits of making this rangoli go to my cousin sister Dorin and I am *just* posing. Okay, you can hit me now :P

As Diwali approached, our ears would become more efficient on hearing the doorbell ring bringing in lots and lots of sweets from neighbours and friends. Acting sober in front of them and attacking on the sweets once they went has always been our hobby, you bet!

In the blink of an eye, Diwali arrives!
Everyone around is dressed up in glittery new clothes, heaps of makeup, the sound of crackers busting your ears and oh! the poor dogs are crying somewhere in a corner.
Nothing much has changed over the years except for the impact of social media.
Hence, these days we are glued to campaigns, contests and sending 'virtual' greetings on Diwali rather than moving our ass out to celebrate in reality. But, Hey this is fun too.

My favourite Diwali moment ( after bumping into food ) is dressing up in a traditional attire and collecting compliments like flowers. Oh, how I love them!
*Perks of being a girl* HAHA!

This is how I was dolled up last year during Diwali, good no?

Following the tradition, I shall be enroute hometown yet again this time to celebrate Diwali with my extended family.
Lots of pictures shall be uploaded, so stay tuned ;)

But hey, Did you check out the PepsiCo #GharWaliDiwali campaign video as of yet? Then do it now.
This made me so nostalgic reminiscing old times showing how our lives have changed over the years.
Day by day everything is the same but when you look back it's all different.
Don't let time slip by. Celebrate this Diwali with your loved ones. Money can wait, time won't.


P.S- Also do check out https://www.gharwalidiwali.com/ to value your bond with family all over again and get that push to celebrate this festival with the ones you love.

https://twitter.com/DsouzaJennifer/status/523586422649802753

Happy Diwali :)


Wednesday 15 October 2014

A WWE experience in Malaysia!


Never imagined my love for WWE will one day take me to experience the thrill LIVE in MALAYSIA.
But as they say, Dreams do come true. Yeah they do. Mine did.

It all started in the first week of October with Ten Sports announcing me as the #No1WWEfan and I was enroute Malaysia to live my dream.

Let's begin our journey!

9th October 2014-
Thursday - T2 Terminal, Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai.


Bumped into fellow WWE fans Pranay and Digvijay at the airport which meant our trio would double up the fun in Malaysia.


Boarding Pass- Check!
Hey, I had a window seat to add to the awesomeness :)


With loads of excitement in our bellies, we boarded our flight.


Snoozed off for the night and in the blink of an eye it was already 7.30 a.m, our flight had landed at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Main Terminal, Malaysia.

10th October 2014, Friday- 7.30 a.m, Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia

WOHO. EXCITEMENT AT PEAK!


What was next?
Exploring the beautiful country, watching WWE live and having lots of fun.
But first, we checked into our Hotel to freshen up a bit because a long weekend was at stake.

Hotel 'The Gardens' in Mid Valley City, Kuala Lumpur was our home for the next 3 days.
With spacious rooms, pampering services, humble staff and a mind-blowing location, 'The Gardens' is a winner. 

My room number- 822! Amazing, right?

Won't you like to see the view from my room's balcony door?



We then grabbed in a few hours of beauty sleep as the evening was bringing in heaps of WWE action.
YAY!

4.00 p.m - Stadium Putra, Bukit Jalil, Malaysia.

The vibe, the crowd, the madness, the energy. The place was where we three were just meant to be. Every eye was rolling and searching for their favourite WWE superstar, every heart was beating for the fight to start.

My exclusive WWE pass. My ticket to bliss.



LET THE FIGHTING, SMASHING AND BLOOD-SHEDDING BEGIN!


No matter whether India is a part of WWE or not, we support and that's enough for us to cheer and roar.
*Proud Indians* in Malaysia.

From 'The Big Show' to 'John Cena', they were all there to make sure we never stop shouting, 'This is Awesome' :D


Wait, Did I tell you there are many perks of being the #No1WWEfan?

Look Look! We got to meet 'Los Matadors' in an exclusive Meet and Greet Session.
Say WOW!

It was an action packed evening filled with wrestlers giving the game of WWE their all for their pride which had to be restored.
This was my first time watching WWE live and it was happening in a completely different country, what else could I have asked for? 

The night ended but the memories remained. We were awe-struck with what we just saw, there were lot many chats that followed as we went on for dinner at a local restaurant.


It was time to call it a night.

11th October 2014

It was a leisure day for us. So, we decided to go sightseeing and some budget shopping.
But, breakfast in the hotel first.

From Indian delicacies like Sambhar-Vada to Malaysian 'Bubur Pulut Hitam', it was a 'making tummy happy' time.


Let's put on our 'explorer''s hat and set off to capture Kuala Lumpur in our lens.

Where did we go?

1. Petronas Twin Towers
- The beautiful high rise towers which make you touch the sky. They are a piece of marvel, gorgeous and how!


How about a group selfie?

After adoring the beauty, we went on to our next destination.

2. Kuala Lumpur City Centre ( KLCC ) 
- The great Malaysian shopping destination. From Gucci to Bata, you will find every brand at one place. A shopper's delight, an adventurer's plight, KLCC rocks.

Then, we took the free bus service 

and went on to-

3. Bukit Bintang
- Gorgeously blessed with malls and shops, this place is a must-come-must-watch.


We did some window shopping, food hogging and photo-clicking.

4. Petaling Street aka China Market
- A ' shopper on budget's paradise'. No guesses on what we were there for, 'Cheap shopping'.
It's the Malaysian version of Mumbai's 'Fashion Street', Delhi's ' Chandni Chowk'.



When at Petaling street, you feel like you have been exported to somewhere in China.


Just how Pani-puri can be found at every street in India, Chestnuts are found in Malaysia.

Done and dusted are we said our body so we headed back to our hotel to get some much needed rest after travelling like nomads only to meet at a lavish dinner party at 'The Library' Bar in Mid valley city.

The Library bar also had a live band performing while we relished our pizza's!
How cool is that?


At around 12.30 a.m, we had to return back to our hotel as we had a early morning flight back to India.

12th October 2014 - Sunday.

Time to depart from the beautiful city of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia was here. 
With a heavy heart we bid adieu to Malaysia.
Tears rolling down our hearts said we shall be back again soon but till then 
THANK YOU for giving us innumerable memories which shall make us smile for generations to come.


Finally, I would like to conclude by saying a massive THANK YOU to the entire team of Ten Sports and WWE India for giving this #No1WWEfan a chance of a lifetime. From the super fast arrangements to the smooth journey, everything was spot on.
From all three of us, We heart you guys.


Love, 
J! <3


P.S-
Stay tuned for exclusive WWE updates and more such exciting contests.

Follow Ten Sports -

On Instagram- http://t.co/cEodImZ9P6 



Follow WWE India on Twitter- https://twitter.com/WWEIndia 

Hope you liked the post! :)

Cheers!

Saturday 11 October 2014

A weekend in Goa!

Be it an Indian or a foreigner, we all love Goa. Don't we?
Afterall, it's our closest escape to paradise.

And how disgusting was it that in my 19 years of being on this planet, I had never been to Goa?
Yeah!
So this time I said to myself - ENOUGH! 
And I was Enroute to the beautiful land of beaches, alcohol and peace.

It was the second last weekend of September and this time I didn't have to sing 'Wake me up when September ends'. LOL!


Hello Madgaon, let's begin our journey ;)

As I reached Goa by late night, the very first thing I looked for after getting freshened up at my resort was - FOOOOOD. And luckily, Goa is Mumbai's partner in crime. Yes, It never sleeps.

So, I went to a restro bar in Baga called '23' which is open 24/7. 
Warning- It has good food but the vibe isn't too comforting if you are a single girl or a group of ladies / with family-children. On the other hand, For guys, it's the most perfect place. Roger that! 

After boozing on beer and Prawns Fried rice, I returned to my Resort.
Which one?
'Resorte Marinha Dourada' in Arpora, Baga- Goa.
Beautiful is the description. 
Clean, spacious rooms which make you feel like home. It has In-hotel wine shops, dining areas, garden, pool and lots of bliss. 

A good night'a sleep beckoned and it was already Saturday morning.
Time for some breakfast in the resort,eh?

From Poha to Toasted bread, 
From Masala Omelette to Uttapam with Sambhar-Chutney and tea, fulfilling.

After filling my tummy, I went on to explore the closest beach - The Baga-Calangute Beach.


Beaches serve you more than just good food and alcohol, it's an out of the box feeling which takes you away from the daily stress, a long way ahead. 


Every time I am on the beach, the little girl in me comes out who views everything as a wonder, in itself.

A friend's birthday treat was up next at The Curry House in Candolim.
Even though the lights were going on and off, the candles made up for it.
When two friends meet on a birthday eve, there is not just one or two glasses but a sea of alcohol. Yeah! That's exactly what happened.
From Vodka to Honey Bee Brandy,
Whiskey to the famous Goan 'Feni', we tried it all. 

The party went on till 1 a.m and then off we were to our resorts, only to meet again.

Next day was filled with visiting churches and museums in Old Goa. 
Panjim is a city that speaks of the Goan history, The Portugese connection, the sacred temptation, the undying emotion.

First up,
- Basilica of Bom Jesus- A marvel piece of architecture. 



Inside the church, there is also kept the sacred body of the saint who worshipped Jesus Christ- St. Francis Xavier.



Right opposite is another church- St. Francis's church, and a museum which is equally beautiful.


Then, as it's said,
'When in Goa, do as The Goans do.

I did the same. 
Hello Coconut Water.

Tired. Too much. Yeah!

Back to the resort and some pool time maybe?

What was left to be explored?

A lot more than you think.
Oh yea.
There is so much to see in Goa that one weekend is never a solution. NEVER.

Let's leave rest of the places for the next time and explore some nearby food joints.

A local shack nearby our resort served Prawns curry-rice with Red wine which left me wanting for more.

I also bought some Cashew Feni to have it back home,Shh! This is a secret. Okay?

But let me tell you, Alcohol in Goa is really cheap. Like very cheap.
Don't forget to rope in a lot of bottles in your luggage. 
Ignore if you live in a dry state, Please.

Said Namaste to a Goan dinosaur one last time before I bid goodbye to Goa.

But first, let me have dinner.

Pork Sausages at Kapriz in Baga were an overdose of Onions.
My view- You might want to give this a miss. 

Chicken fried fingers, French fries with Mayonnaise and Arctic Vodka.
Sorted.

It was time for me to leave the lovely city of Goa,
With a heavy heart, I advanced my steps towards the station to board my train.

My heart was crying. I didn't want to go.

Goa is much more beyond beaches and drinks.
Goa Is found in its historic past which still shines in monuments, churches and museums,
Goa is where peace prevails.
Every person here is a tourist who has left behind stress to live a life where he is the king and the world is his kingdom. 
And that's what Is the spirit of Goa.
Commendable. Highly appreciable.

I feel one should visit Goa every weekend but that's not possible,
Hence, a trip every two months should be aimed for.
Because Goa shall never disappoint.

Mark my words.
You can also hit me later ;)


Adios Goa.
We shall meet again soon.
Thank you for giving me wonderful memories that I shall think and smile at for generations to come.
❤️
Love,
J!