When I first came to India in 1988, my exposure to Glamourous nights out was at 5 star luxury hotels. Up market and trendy restaurants were just not a thing. The hotels were and still are really something - some are beautiful old houses, old palaces with the most sumptuous of interiors and I love them. They take me back in time to the part of India that was a rich tapestry of opulence and princely states. Wealth beyond imaginings, and magnificent periods of a varied history.
I can tell you a story about a wonderful hotel in Udapiur called the Lake Palace Hotel. It belongs to the Taj group of hotels now but was originally built for a Maharaja in the mid 1700's. It really is luxurious and I was booked to stay two nights there during my first trip to India in 1988. I will let you know that I gave up that wonderful experience to stay on in Delhi where I had just met Mr Anil Parihar! So I have never experienced the luxury in Lake Palace! I think someone owes me a trip there, would you agree???
Anyway, unlike back in the late 1980's the social scene in Mumbai is something else now. The bars, restaurants, night scene is pretty buzzing, and if you want a great night out, great food, a bit of glam, plenty people watching, music and good service there are numerous places to go.
It does help that my wonderful friend #KAREENAGADIALI is in the know and took me to some great places.
From the cute (not glamorous but tonnes of fun) bar in Bandra , Soul Fry #soulfrybandra where they serve lovely food and KARAOKE is a regular event to #bastianmumbai or Americano #americanobombay, we have had some great nights. Confession - I was MADE to sing Karaoke at Soul Fry - I had NOT even had that much to drink and somehow, after a fair bit of cajoling I found myself as 'The Dancing Queen'. Enough about that - although there is a video in circulation!
Bastian is a very big venue, with really quirky decor and a fantastic menu - how I wish our Ben could come and experience the Hospitality here as this is what he is passionate about.
I loved Slink and Bardot - not the same more formal atmosphere as Bastian or the new Americano in Khala Ghoda, but a packed bar cum restaurant, with small rooms and a feel of 1940's sitting rooms - in a stylish sense.
People watching is fascinating - what is the crowd like? Is it just like being out in any town in the UK? Like London maybe? Well, yes and no. End of the day, it is people out for socialising, meeting friends, eating great food and drink. But there is a new edge of glamour which I have not really felt in other cities. There is an element of 'dress down' but also an aura of 'wow glamour'. Maybe it was my friend and her glamorous circle - western dress with Indian pizazz! Indian style outfits, or western with a flair of Indian ethnic. Very easy to feel under dressed if you have not glammed up yourself.
One of our very posh dinners was for my birthday and was a big surprise for me - Anil booked Indian Accent at The Lodhi in New Delhi. There is a list of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants and Indian accent is one of the three which make the cut, so it really was a special night. We had been sight seeing Delhi with jeans, jumpers and coats - Delhi was cold! SO, it was nice to get dressed up and spend the last birthday of my 50's (gasp!) with a bit of glamour.
Lunches in Mumbai are more than a soup and sandwich or a 'pie and a pint'. Favourites? Well, all of them from the 'canteen basic' of the South Indian Anapoorva (think formica tables, metal chairs, no room to swing a cat) serving delicious dosa's with coconut and green chutney, or to our gang's 'fail safe go to' - The Shalimar Hotel, where you will find those typical dishes we never tire of - Mutton Rogan Ghosh, Chicken Chettinand, and dessert of Gulab Jamun and ice cream.
Diet? What diet?
I will let you into a secret - well I am not letting you know the specific location of our favourite bar - don't want hordes of people taking up all the tables. Situated near the iconic Taj Palace Hotel, is a roof top bar with views of the Gateway of India, and the Arabian Sea. To sit there early evening just as the sun is going down, the view of the Taj Palace dome lit up with such deserving pride, and sip on a vodka tonic or a brandy with ginger (I like to have that as a 'cheers' to my mum - that was her tipple) - beautiful nights AND the food was very tasty. Became like our 'local'!
We have also seen some brilliant plays and music events - most at a wonderful venue in Mumbai - NCPA (National Centre for Performing Arts), where I have been coming since my first visit. There is a full calendar of plays, music concerts, short films, talks - really such a gift to have this in the community. (Oh I should mention that forever, since back in the day, before and at intervals the NCPA serves tea, coffee, cold coffee, samosas, chutney sandwiches. Delicious - so if you do not like the play or performance at least there is a tasty bite!)
Some of the thing we have been to -
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour - Wonderful - written by Tom Stoppard and Music by Andre Previn
Short Film Festival - Pardah Kosha Mangsho - Nice to see
Soulful Blues - Jazz and Music Night - Great
Amar Akbar Akoori - A play in Gujurati about Parsis - I didn't understand a word, but got the essence of it and enjoyed the laughter of my Parsi friends!
The Devil Wears Bata - A political comedy, poking fun at all current and past parties, including a bit of Trump!
Aurat Aurat Aurat - Really fine despite much being in Hindi I could follow it - basically about the stereotyping of women across the years in India
The Siddhus of Upper Juhu - A comedy about a crazy family - good fun!
Trunk Tales - Sorry but this was utter rubbish - in our opinion!
Ambi Subramanian - Super Violinist
The Exonerated (not at NCPA) Wonderful play about a group of Americans who were all wrongly sentenced to Death Row - a true story
Royal Opera House - An evening of Khatak Dancing featuring Hayden Gadiali Hussain
Still to see - Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre - The Great Indian Musical - Civilization to Nation
CINEMAS
Glamorous, luxury, and more than just about the movie! With the most luxurious seats, much better than 'our' cinemas, if you do not like the movie, you can always get some shut eye! But aside from that, press the bell on your seat and you are given 'table service' from a great menu ranging from Nachos, to spicy snacks, to curry, to ice creams, drinks and teas.
What did we see -
The Whale - Lovely, sad, thought provoking - and 3 ice creams and a bowl of fries
Tar - Strange, and very grey - but I loved it as I loved the 2 ice creams and the same fries!
What's Love Got to Do with it - Good old British Comedy but based on arranged marriages - ditched the ice cream but kept the fries! Drawn to this movie as the score was written by a favourite musician - Nitin Sawhney.
And so much more - forgive me for places and meals, and food I have missed - but it is almost midnight in Mumbai. The cat is curled up and at peace, I have an early appointment with the hairdresser tomorrow - and so to bed.
When I first came to India in 1988, my exposure to Glamourous nights out was at 5 star luxury hotels. Up market and trendy restaurants were just not a thing. The hotels were and still are really something - some are beautiful old houses, old palaces with the most sumptuous of interiors and I love them. They take me back in time to the part of India that was a rich tapestry of opulence and princely states. Wealth beyond imaginings, and magnificent periods of a varied history.
I can tell you a story about a wonderful hotel in Udapiur called the Lake Palace Hotel. It belongs to the Taj group of hotels now but was originally built for a Maharaja in the mid 1700's. It really is luxurious and I was booked to stay two nights there during my first trip to India in 1988. I will let you know that I gave up that wonderful experience to stay on in Delhi where I had just met Mr Anil Parihar! So I have never experienced the luxury in Lake Palace! I think someone owes me a trip there, would you agree???
Anyway, unlike back in the late 1980's the social scene in Mumbai is something else now. The bars, restaurants, night scene is pretty buzzing, and if you want a great night out, great food, a bit of glam, plenty people watching, music and good service there are numerous places to go.
It does help that my wonderful friend #KAREENAGADIALI is in the know and took me to some great places.
From the cute (not glamorous but tonnes of fun) bar in Bandra , Soul Fry #soulfrybandra where they serve lovely food and KARAOKE to #bastianmumbai or the new kid on the block #americanobombay, we have had some great nights. Confession - I was MADE to sing Karaoke at Soul Fry - I had NOT even had that much to drink and somehow, after a fair bit of cajoling I found myself as 'The Dancing Queen'. Enough about that - although there is a video in circulation!
Bastian is a very big venue, with really quirky decor and a fantastic menu - how I wish our Ben could come and experience the Hospitality here as this is what he is passionate about.
I loved Slink and Bardot - not the same more formal atmosphere as Bastian or the new Americano in Khala Ghoda, but a packed bar cum restaurant, with small rooms and a feel of 1940's sitting rooms - in a stylish sense.
People watching is fascinating - what is the crowd like? Is it just like being out in any town in the UK? Like London maybe? Well, yes and no. End of the day, it is people out for socialising, meeting friends, eating great food and drink. But there is a new edge of glamour which I have not really felt in other cities. There is an element of 'dress down' but also an aura of 'wow glamour'. Maybe it was my friend and her glamorous circle - western dress with Indian pizazz!
One of our very posh dinners was for my birthday and was a big surprise for me - Anil booked Indian Accent at The Lodhi in New Delhi. There is a list of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants and Indian accent is one of the three which make the cut, so it really was a special night. We had been sight seeing Delhi with jeans, jumpers and coats - Delhi was cold! SO, it was nice to get dressed up and spend the last birthday of my 50's (gasp!) with a bit of glamour.
Lunches in Mumbai are more than a soup and sandwich or a 'pie and a pint'. Favourites, well, all of them from the 'canteen basic' of the South Indian Anapoorva (think formica tables, metal chairs, no room to swing a cat) serving delicious dosa's with coconut and green chutney, or to our gang's 'fail safe go to' - The Shalimar Hotel, where you will find those typical dishes we never tire of - Mutton Rogan Ghosh, Chicken Chettinand, and dessert of Gulab Jamun and ice cream. And if you want something lighter chilly cheese toast you can never go wrong with.
I will let you into a secret - well I am not really letting you know the specific location of our favourite bar - don't want hordes of people taking up all the tables. Situated near the iconic Taj Palace Hotel, is a roof top bar with views of the Gateway of India, and the Arabian Sea. To sit there early evening just as the sun is going down, the view of the Taj Palace dome lit up with such deserving pride, and sip on a vodka tonic or a brandy with ginger (I like to have that as a 'cheers' to my mum - that was her tipple) - beautiful nights AND the food was very tasty. Became like our 'local'!
We have also seen some brilliant plays and music events - most at a wonderful venue in Mumbai - NCPA (National Centre for Performing Arts), where I have been coming since my first visit. There is a full calendar of plays, music concerts, short films, talks - really such a gift to have this in the community. (Oh I should mention that forever, since back in the day, before and at intervals the NCPA serves tea, coffee, cold coffee, samosas, chutney sandwiches. Delicious - so if you do not like the play or performance at least there is a tasty bite!)
Some of the thing we have been to -
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour - Wonderful - written by Tom Stoppard and Music by Andre Previn
Short Film Festival - Pardah Kosha Mangsho - Nice to see
Soulful Blues - Jazz and Music Night - Great
Amar Akbar Akoori - A play in Gujurati about Parsis - I didn't understand a word, but got the essence of it and enjoyed the laughter of my Parsi friends!
The Devil Wears Bata - A political comedy, poking fun at all current and past parties, including a bit of Trump!
Aurat Aurat Aurat - Really fine despite much being in Hindi I could follow it - basically about the stereotyping of women across the years in India
The Siddhus of Upper Juhu - A comedy about a crazy family - good fun!
Trunk Tales - Sorry but this was utter rubbish - in our opinion!
Ambi Subramanian - Super Violinist
The Exonerated (not at NCPA) Wonderful play about a group of Americans who were all wrongly sentenced to Death Row - a true story
Royal Opera House - An evening of Khatak Dancing featuring Hayden Gadiali Hussain
Still to see - Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre - The Great Indian Musical - Civilization to Nation
CINEMAS
Glamorous, luxury, and more than just about the movie! With the most luxurious seats, much better than 'our' cinemas, if you do not like the movie, you can always get some shut eye! But aside from that, press the bell on your seat and you are given 'table service' from a great menu ranging from Nachos, to spicy snacks, to curry, to ice creams, drinks and teas.
What did we see -
The Whale - Lovely, sad, thought provoking - and 3 ice creams and a bowl of fries
Tar - Strange, and very grey - but I loved it as I loved the 2 ice creams and the same fries!
What's Love Got to Do with it - Good old British Comedy but based on arranged marriages - ditched the ice cream but kept the fries! Drawn to this movie as the score was written by a favourite musician - Nitin Sawhney.
And so much more - forgive me for places and meals, and food I have missed - but it is almost midnight in Mumbai. The cat is curled up and at peace, I have an early appointment with the hairdresser tomorrow - and so to bed.
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