Gateway of India
Gateway of India

‘ello, I’m back!

The reason for my absence – wish I could say it was a sugar coma! − was my day job, which took me to Delhi and Chennai. And then I thought, why not stop over at Mumbai, the city I dreamt of being in, ever since… Wake Up Sid? (Yeah, I’m a walking-talking cliché like that :-p)

SO, how did I find it? Exhilarating and exasperating. The latter bit has already escaped my memory, so I’m sharing with you the things that I loved… 🙂

1. Bandra-Worli Sealink

Bandra-Worli Sealink (Photo courtesy | Manoj A Nakum)
Bandra-Worli Sealink (Photo courtesy | Manoj A Nakum)
Bandra-Worli Sealink (Photo courtesy | Adam SEO)
Bandra-Worli Sealink (Photo courtesy | Adam SEO)

Came across it en route to my hotel from the domestic airport and was bowled over… How majestic it looks in broad daylight? Steven Spielberg thought it was the “best piece of art in this city”, so who am I to argue, aye?

2.  Trident, Nariman Point

Trident, Nariman Point
Trident, Nariman Point
Marine Drive from Trident, Nariman Point
Marine Drive from Trident, Nariman Point
View from Trident, Nariman Point
View from Trident, Nariman Point
View from Trident, Nariman Point
View from Trident, Nariman Point
View from Trident, Nariman Point
View from Trident, Nariman Point
View from Trident, Nariman Point
View from Trident, Nariman Point
View from Trident, Nariman Point
View from Trident, Nariman Point
View from Trident, Nariman Point
View from Trident, Nariman Point

Needless to mention how glossy it is, and the breathtaking sights that can be had from it, but what impressed me the most was the warmth of its staff. They really looked after me once they learnt I was travelling alone. My hard-earned cash very well-spent, I’d say.

Trident, Narimon Point - The Official Home of Mumbai Indians
Trident, Narimon Point
Trident, Narimon Point - The Official Home of Mumbai Indians
Trident, Narimon Point

And oh, the Sachin Tendulkar-fangirl in me (told you I was a cliché!) was well excited to learn upon arrival that it was the “Official Home” of Mumbai Indians 😀 No running into him, though. Boo.

3. Wasabi by Morimoto at Taj Mahal Palace

View from Wasabi by Morimoto at Taj Mahal Palace
View from Wasabi by Morimoto
View from Wasabi by Morimoto at Taj Mahal Palace
View from Wasabi by Morimoto

The best meal I’ve had in Mumbai! And I’ve eaten at Indigo, The Table, Sancho’s (thanks Danny Sura for the treat!) and The Sassy Spoon during my four-day stay.

Cookies & Cream cocktail at Wasabi by Morimoto
Wasabi by Morimoto
Wasabi by Morimoto
Wasabi by Morimoto
Tofu cheesecake at Wasabi by Morimoto
Tofu cheesecake

I took it with a pinch of salt when the waiter claimed they were on par with Nobu, but, it turns out, they, actually, are! Or, at least the black cod is!! I may or may not have ordered 3 desserts that night, but it was the tofu cheesecake that took the cake 😉

4. Ebrahim & Sons

Bubbles, a Japanese Spitz
Miss Bubbles

My dog has mange mites and I’ve been taken in for a ride by her vet for the past 6 months (just because I’m a mug). I wanted to get supplies for her which weren’t watered down (:-@), and was recommended this store at Kemps Corner, near Crossword. SO thankful I am!

Supplies to fight mange in dogs
Supplies from Ebrahim & Sons

The store was so well-stocked and the lady so helpful; she made lotsa recommendations and I got them all (anything for my baby!). And it looks like they’re working: she’s not scratching herself all the time 😀

FYI, their deets, should you be looking for a good pet supply store… 1, Hughes Road, Kwality House, A.K. Marg, Kemps Corner… Tel: 02223805513

5. Palladium Mall

Palladium Mall, Mumbai
Palladium Mall

I may or may not have emptied my bank account here. And the crowning glory of my shopping spree is…

Furla Papermoon satchel
Furla Papermoon satchel
Kenneth Cole 'Belt One Back' satchel in croc leather
Kenneth Cole ‘Belt One Back’ satchel in croc leather

Like either of them? I did all sorts of calculations in my head and it turns out these two specific models were cheaper here than in the UK by… 😉 I love that neither of them have any visible branding… #iamalogophobe 🙂

And oh, special mention of the customer service at Kenneth Cole. This bag was on display, so it’s understandable that it had a little scratch mark on it. I asked for a fresh one, but as luck would have it, this was the last piece. They called other stores to see if they had any, but it turns out they, too, have sold out. So, guess what the store manager and the sales advisor did? They got down to polishing it, and, remarkably, managed to make get rid of the mark! Great job, guys 😉

6. Le15 Pâtisserie

Paan macaron from Le15 Pâtisserie
Paan macaron from Le15 Pâtisserie

The paan macaron’s to die for!! I loved it so much that I ordered a box of 48 to take with me back home 😀

7. The Locals

Churchgate, Mumbai
Churchgate, Mumbai

How cheap it is! And how quickly it gets you to the suburbs from town! Just bril.

8. Team MissMalini

Kunal Kohli Productions
Kunal Kohli Productions
Zina Tasreen with Team MissMalini (Photo courtesy | Amruta Khatavkar)
With Team MissMalini… (Photo courtesy | Amruta Khatavkar)
Zina Tasreen with Team MissMalini (Photo courtesy | Amruta Khatavkar)
With the girls… (Photo courtesy | Amruta Khatavkar)

One semi-fast train ride and 20 minutes of roaming-around-under-the-blazing-sun later, I got to the MissMalini headquarters, which, btw, is on the same floor as Kunal Kohli Productions!!

Rahul Bose's autographed photo
Rahul Bose’s autographed photo

And look, what they got me 😀 Cheers, guys!

Mumbai skyline from Malabar Hill
Mumbai skyline

But yeah, Mumbai, it was a pleasure.

Until next time… Z x