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Clothing, Food, Hair, Styling Tips, Vietnam

Ben Thanh Street Food Market

December 18, 2019

Ho Chi Minh is the biggest city in Vietnam, but most of the tourist spots are located within walking distances. Amongst them all, the Ben Thanh Street Food Market has to be my most favorite spot in the entire city… so much that we visited it even before flying out of the country.

Oh the ‘we’ here is me and my husband! Yes recently married and exploring food now as an official couple

So what do you get at the Ben thanh Street Food Market??

I would say absolutely every type of South East Asian Cuisine ranging from Thai, Japanese, Indian and the very warm Variety of Vietnamese pho. They also have a super cute dessert counter. Drinks are available in plenty; followed by a lively Music band playing some popular English songs.

The Vietnamese obsession of drinking saccharin…

The Vietnamese people have a rather odd fetish with drinking slushes . They are usually flavored syrups stirred with coconut milk and ice. You can find almost every person gulping down these drinks in every odd corner. I call it odd, because I think its mostly a ‘style statement’ , with the only exception of the amazing Vietnamese Coffee.

The environment at the Ben Thanh Street food Market lively and you could sit for hours and chat about almost everything under the sun/moon. The Street market is best enjoyed in the evening though.

My glorious plate of food at the Ben thanh Street food market…
A rather short 7 point must eat item list

1.Beef rolls covered in Beetle leaves were simply delicious and juicy to the core.
The leaf h Beef in beatle leaf

ad a hint of bitterness to it that paired excellently with the juicy beef and the chilli-peanut dipping sauce

2.The very first Pho of our journey– so the husband had been driving me crazy about having Pho, pho and more pho … and this is where we had a super awesome bowl full of warmth and amazing flavours.Mind you the flavours are complex and like a warm jacket on a winter day.

3.Roasted pork to the rescue! I mean who doesn’t just simply love roasted pork?! The meat falling off the bones paired with various dips like soy , chilli and fish sauce..! HEAVEN.

4.Vietnamese cold spring rolls : I repeat they are cold… but welcoming. With a crunch given by the ice lettuce every time you bite into them… I can assure you it’s not your usual greasy spring roll experience. See, I have never been a fan of the greasy roll version .. may be that’s why this worked with me so well.

5.Kobe beef with all the hype:
I have always found these fancy beef dish names a hype.
KISS ( Keep It Short & Simple).. well I didn’t quiet enjoy this one! There’s a lot of Japanese influence too in the current Vietnamese food culture. We did try sushi at a local street shop.. I would definitely not recommend it! stay away from having sushi in Vietnam.. and if you are a sushi-virgin this experience might just scar you! lol.. The only reason I say this is because I love an original sushi and sashimi. May be next trip Kyoto! Sorry to digress.. just have the kobe beef only if its grilled or barbecued.

6.Raindrop Cake :
This is an absolute delight to the eyes.. Perfect round ball of agar agar swimming in mildly sweetened coconut milk. This made me look up the raindrop cake origin..!
Well the Raindrop cake is actually called “Mizu Shingen Mochi” in Japanese!

7. Last but definitely not the least… my ultimate favorite sandwich.. the divine..yet humble Ban Mi
I loved the Ban Mi so much that it earned an entire blog post for itself.. Here’s why>>

I am also gonna share a short clip of the food galore at the

Ben thanh Street Food Market video; Click Here >>>

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Clothing, Food, Hair, Styling Tips

The Best Tibetan food in Bangalore

September 13, 2019

Best Tibetan food in bangalore

Here’s how and where to find the Best Tibetan Food in Bangalore?

But First.. why Tibetan Food?

I have always been in awe of the Tibetan or Buddhist culture for the longest time. Tibetan food is food for the soul. I’m a sucker for the Steaming dumplings and spicy meat stews with potatoes. I mean you really cannot call yourself a foodie if you haven’t even Tibetan!

Some mouth-watering Tibetan dishes..

You can start your meal with an arduous portion of dumplings or momos as we call them. (Only to be eaten with Spicy chilli sauce.. I insist.. Please no Mayo!).
Followed with Laping to build up your appetite .. and for the always hungry souls like myself.. a huge servicing of Thenthuk is just divine. Best Tibetan food in bangalore

Most Tibetan food joints in India are extremely affordable and not very glamorous places.. which could be a disappointment for a lot of the fancy eaters!

But I have always believed fancier the place; sadder their food !

On one of my trips to Bangalore, my cousin took me to this Small family run Tibetan restaurant off Brigade Road called- Green Tara.
Lemme warn you; it’s not your Mainland Chinas of the world.. so don’t expect impeccable service or decor. Although food is always hot and spicy! Well mildly spicy in my case!

I have been there more than a couple of times now; because I absolutely love their hot stews.. very homely and comforting. Filled with flavour and aroma of the spices. Makes my mouth salivate even as I write..

Piece-de-resistance..

Best Tibetan food in bangalore No bowl of soup will ever taste the same for me after eating a Tibetan one! Noodle Soups are very popular in the Tibetan Cuisine. My personal favorite is the Laping seasoned with red chilli peppers, onion, chilli oil and a heavenly amount of Garlic!
Have some steamed bun along with this for sure..

Avoid the thupkas though!

I strongly recommend this place for a sumptuous meal any time of the day if you are strolling on Brigade or MG road in Bangalore.

What I wore strolling around MG Road..

Best Tibetan food in bangalore

This is how a Strong Tibetan Soup makes me feel..

I feel free relaxed and fully-satisfied and not bloated at all!

Of course not on the beach!!

I wore this dress to my Tibetan food adventure.

(Psst: The actual photos in this dress at Green Tara has family; can’t expose them to the paps you see..!)

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Accessories, Clothing, Hair, Styling Tips

What is it about Mexican food that makes you wanna dance?

September 9, 2019

Chinita in Bangalore

I love love .. absolutely loveee Mexican food , their music and almost all their telenovela!
Just like their soap operas their food is spicy, tangy, sometimes sweet and with plethora of drama. I mean have you even seen an episode from Breaking Bad??! sorry… Bad Mexican Reference!

Mexican Food

When its Mexican Food for your Dinner Date..you don’t say No
My fiancé (boyfriend then) completely admires my love for Mexican food and took me to this one incredibly romantic Mexican place called Chinita in Bangalore once. (Indiranagar to be precise)

It was a summer dinner date and I was craving a good and relaxing meal .

So why is Chinita the best for Mexican?
Chinita has this amazing wooden furniture to accommodate 4-5 guests on one.
With amazing Mexican carnival music playing in the background we happily munched down our fish tacos and a giant burrito bowl with a glass of freshly squeezed watermelon juice.

The service is amazing too and their staff is very attentive and not very intrusive either !

What to wear to a Mexican Dinner Date?
Summery tee with Denim Shorts.. Keeping it simple.
Let your hair down ..only to drown in the aromatic food!

I will always remember Chinita coz it was one of my very first dates with my boyfriend then.. fiancé now..
.. he definitely knew the way to my heart is a Burrito Bowl 🥰

Cause all I want to do.. is eat Tacos with You!

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Clothing, Hair, Sri Lanka, Styling Tips

The Heritage Cafe Galle – Exploring Galle in 1 Day

September 3, 2019

The Portuguese colonial Clock Tower makes Galle the most preferred touristic spot In South Srilanka. It’s a huge fortress beside the sea to check out amazing sunset, cafes , shop for precious Stones and of course walk in the best beach attire

We spent 2 days exploring…this beautiful Sri Lankan Coastal City of Galle.
Since it was just us 3 girls; we stayed at the clean and cozy Thenu Guest House right in the heart of Galle Fort. We had pledged to wake up early morning & to go see the Sunrise at the Clock Tower… Of Course I didn’t live up to it .. I mean who wakes up early on their holiday !!

Leisurely Breakfast..

Thenu Guest house Galle I woke up to a lazy breakfast of fried eggs, toast smothered with extra butter and black coffee.. I mean why not ?

We hopped on a cab which was generously offered by the friend’s hotel concierge service..for a discounted price.

You see they don’t say bargain in Srilanka .. it’s discounted
(Read:”Discounted specially for you madam, come again!!” You Indian?? Special price for India!! LOL )

Saving the ocean- One Turtle at a time..
Turtle Hatchery & Reserve Galle
We drove to a Turtle hatchery and reserve.
This place rescues injured turtles caught in fishing nets or ones with limbs broken due to jet boats.. poor things!
I think they are doing an incredible job at the reserve and also educating people to preserve our oceans. An absolute treat for kids too!
You see the little french kid next to me; he was kinda wicked.. trying to drown an aquatic animal .. in water!!

Heritage Cafe Galle- oh so Romantic!!

Heritage Cafe Galle

By the time we finished learning about all the different types of Turtles washed ashore; we were famished.

Before travelling to Sri Lanka, I had looked up this uber-popular restaurant called the Heritage Cafe Galle for its amazing menu and Wood fired Pizzas.

I was rather in the mood to eat some Fish.. So I ordered this amazing plate of Baramundi with some Ice tea since it was scorching hot outside.

So here are 4 reasons why the Heritage Cafe Galle is perfect for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner?

Open ceiling with white colonial building architecture
Roomy and allows natural sunlight to brighten the place with just about enough plants and greenery
The iron elephant at the entrance and the little red tuk-tuk are so cute too
You can choose to sit on chairs or the sofa-seating, I rather suggest the table opposite to the pizza oven and right under the bright blue sky..

Finishing with some Hi-Tea..
The lunch was followed by a visit to the local Tea Factory ie Handunugoda Tea Estate. We bought huge bags of Ceylon tea, Chamomile, rose and my favorite Hibiscus tea along with those famous Cinnamon sticks.
You can ditch the cinnamon sticks if you ask me; I think Indian Cinnamon is a lot tastier.

Handunugoda Tea Estate

Coming up..
Galle Day 2 – Still Fishing and Mirissa..

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Hair, Shoes, Sri Lanka, Styling Tips

What to wear in Kandy?

August 6, 2019

So I started my 1 week long Sri-lankan sojourn with Kandy. The peaceful train journey from Kandy to Pinnawala was not only breathtaking but also calming.

It felt as though the mountains and hills were calling me for the longest time.

Where did I find these beautiful Elephants?

You definitely have to take this train to Pinnawala Elephant reserve. Just Rs.400 (SLR)

Here’s what I wore to this arduous train ride among foggy mountains & absolutely beautiful waterfalls.

Picturesque Train Ride to Pinnawala

North Srilanka demands rigourous walking. So please pack a sack-full of chips, biscuits and wafers(Unless if you are travelling with a Gujju friend then you are sorted.. just like I was)

What to pack for 1 day trip to Kandy?

Kandy is cooler in the day and gets even more pleasant by the evening. so ensure you are layered up Good!
Denims with a tee and comfortable walking shoes are advised. The ever-bright shining Sun compensates for all the extra-layering and make your skin & hair glow like a million Diamonds!

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