My guide to Delhi: SIGHTS AND EXPERIENCES

One thing plenty of people don't give Delhi credit for is the amount there is to do here. Tourists land here, spend a couple of days and hot foot it off to Rajasthan.

However if you do give the city a few more days, these are the things I'd see:

Humayun's Tomb - my favourite sight in Delhi. To fill you in on a little bit of history... 'The tomb of Humayun was built by the orders of Bega Begum (also known as Haji Begum), Humayun's first wife and chief consort, and begun in 1565, nine years after his death, and completed in 1572 AD at a cost of 1.5 million rupees at the time.' That's huge money and it was worth it, this site is beautiful, peaceful and a complete oasis from Delhi madness. Come and enjoy the main attraction but also take the time to see recently restored Isa Khan's Tomb which is just as you walk in to the right.

Lodi Garden - What a beautiful city garden this is - historic tombs, lakes, flowers, young lovers and space! Something rare in these big congested cities. I love taking the kids to Lodi and letting them run around. Of course you have to be careful of the odd Desi dog, cavernous hole or jutting rock but all in all it is a lovely place to spend a spring or autumn afternoon. It just wreaks of history and you get a sense of it everywhere you walk. Also has a good running track - or so I have heard.

Nizamuddin Sufi walk - Nizamuddin Basti is a 12th century village that has slowly been taken over by modern Delhi. Visiting the Basti is like stepping back in time - a combination of tiny laneways, mosques, congestion, food stalls, offerings, flowers, tinsel and goats. It is a predominantly Muslim area and has about 200,000 residents.
I recommend heading in on a Thursday night on a tour - there are a couple of groups I recommend The Hope Project and Little Black Book Delhi. On Thursday night you can visit to be part of the Dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin and watch the Qawwalia (enchanting Sufi singers). Qawwalia starts about 9pm but you can do a tour before that and visit some of the mosques and shops and hear some of the fascinating history. The qawwalias are amazing to listen to, it really is something you won't experience anywhere else. After enjoy one of the many fine kebab stores in the area.

Old Delhi - Old Delhi is the Delhi you expect to see when you think about the capital. Busy, congested, dusty, electrical wires everywhere, a complete overload on the senses. Some of the best sites in Old Delhi are the Jama Masjid (walk to the top of the tower), Kinari Bazaar and the Spice Market. I can highly recommend hiring a rickshaw driver to take you on a little tour, it helps you see and do more with your time. Akbar is the guy I use and he is stationed at The Red Fort and his number is 9891 462 125. Akbar has great English and does a nice tour.

Gurdwara Bangla Sahib - I have done a post on this sight previously so I will refer you back to that.
It is still one of my favourite places. This is one of the most spiritual places I have been and gives you an appreciation of how many religions co-exist in this country - especially after a trip to Old Delhi.

Mehrauli Park / Qutub Minar - About 40 minutes from central Delhi is the Mehrauli Archaeological Gardens and the Qutub Minar. Beautifully preserved and a lovely spot to experience some green space. The Qutub Minar is 72 metre tall iron pillar and was built in from 1192 and completed in 1368. Again a seriously interesting spot to soak up some history about this incredibly old city.

Hauz Khas Village - as well as being a great spot to get a drink and some dinner, HKV has some pretty impressive old structures and a beautiful lake. Take the time to visit if you are there doing some shopping.

Raj Ghat - A quiet spot to reflect on the life of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi was cremated here and a peaceful spot to appreciate what an influence this man had on the country. His museum is over the road and good for a look as well.

India Gate - A huge monument dedicated to those who died in the First World Wars (1914 - 1921). It is about 42 metres tall and very imposing when you stand under it.

Presidents Palace, Gardens and Changing of the Guard -Again I have written about the Changing of the Guard before - here - it's a nice thing to do on a Saturday morning and is full of pomp and ceremony!
The Presidents Palace is normally closed to the public but for a few weeks in March the gardens are open to the public. If you are in Delhi at this time go and check it out. They are manicured to perfection!

Out of Delhi but a MUST SEE!!!! Of course I am talking about the Taj Mahal. The Taj is breath-taking! You can see as may postcards and pictures of it but it is not like seeing it in the flesh. The symmetry, the history and the serenity. Get there and have a look.

On top of all this there is also plenty of shopping to experience, but this is a separate post to come shortly.
 

My guide to Delhi: FOOD

After four years living and breathing all things Delhi, I thought I would put together a guide for you to get the best bits out of the capital. Whether you are just visiting or going to come and live in Delhi there is a few things you shouldn't miss and will help you have a great time in this city.  Of course there will be things I miss but that's were feedback and suggestions come in. So have a read and let me help you enjoy Delhi and India!

Food!
Indian food is popular the world over. While I have been in Delhi I have access to some amazing Indian food, funnily enough though some of the best Indian I have had is in my own home with my wonderful cook Sheela. I am going to get her to sit down with me and share a couple of recipes before we leave and I'll make sure to share them with you. However, given most of you want have access to my cook, where else should you go for good food in Delhi?

Indian!
Indian Accent is without a doubt is my favourite restaurant in Delhi. The food is innovative, fresh and light. What the chef has managed to do with 'Indian' cuisine is so interesting and makes you want to go back for more. I love the dory fish, the tacos (vege and non-veg) and the spare ribs. Of course there are plenty of other amazing things to choose from. I never go the degustation as I like to have control over what I eat, but the option is there if you like it.

Varq is located in the Taj Mansingh hotel and it does lovely Indian food. Again a bit different and not stodgy. A lovely restaurant vibe adds to it's pleasures. Have a drink in Rick's before you head down for food! 5 star prices (+ taxes) make it expensive but it's a nice treat.

Gunpowder is sadly no longer in Delhi but it is in North Goa so if you are down that way definitely try it. The food is hot, spicy and amazing!!!! Great cocktails to match. Apparently you can order it and get it home delivered in Delhi so look that option up.

Sagar Ratna is a chain but great for a quick South Indian fix. Cheap cheap it can't be beat for a lunch on the run.

Other notable - Bukhara, Dum Phukt or get an invite to someones house!

Of course you can't talk Indian food without talking Old Delhi and street food. I have eaten in Old Delhi a hand full of times and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. However for your first time I would recommend a guide to show you the ropes so you don't put too many feet wrong. Try the Parantha at Parantha Gali, the Pani Poori at one of the many popular stalls and the Indian desserts like kulfi, jalebi and gulub jamun. For a sit down restaurant meal you can't go past Karim's. It has a serious history and the décor, characters and food is a must visit. It isn't far from the Jama Masjid - it's famous so just ask around. For more information on Old Delhi it's worth learning from an expert so check out Pamela Timms book Korma, Kheer and Kismet, it's worth a read.


Other food when you've over indulged in Indian...
Sometimes you just can't have another Indian meal and you need other options, so here you are:
The café scene is coming along nicely in Delhi and I am pleased to say you can grab a great salad or sandwich at a few places around town.

My fave's are Latitude at Good Earth café in Khan Market and Chez Nini in Meherchand Market. Latitude is run by the DIVA group and the salads are super fresh, interesting and tasty. Think quinoa, avocado, olive, pomegranate and roast pumpkin, feta, walnut. They also have the best avocado supply in town. Love their bruschetta!!!
Chez Nini is run by an Indian/Canadian lady and they do a lovely Caesar salad and a to die for Poutine. It is so good. The décor in both these cafes is lovely and you can easily spend a few hours reading a book over a coffee and delicious cake after lunch.

Dinner options are a plenty! So here goes:
Guppy by ai is a Japanese restaurant in Lodi Colony Main Market and it is great. Funky décor, good cocktails and delicious fresh sushi. The pork belly is very naughty but delicious.
Tres is also in Lodi market and does good European food. I have been here a number of times and always happy with what I order. Again the cocktails are great.
Townhall in Khan Market is relatively new on the scene. The sushi chef from the Oberoi has moved to Townhall and is producing some fab creations. All very fresh and on the money. Great spot for lunch or dinner.
Depot 29 in Safdarjung Enclave do a cracking guacamole and a variety of great burgers and tacos to go with your mojito. Live music takes place on the weekends.
Purely for some rooftop action you could head to Amour in ever trendy Haus Khas Village. In the cooler months it is great to grab a pizza and a beer while looking down on one of the coolest markets in Delhi. Spice Route is a interior design spectacle located in The Imperial Hotel. It's menu comes from along the spice route (hence the name), so you can enjoy Thai, Indian, Malaysian etc... The food is good, the room is amazing and you have to order the red wine just to drink out of the glasses! In the cooler months sit in the courtyard, you can pretend you're in Thailand.

Brunches are a must do every now and then and there are plenty to choose from. I recently enjoyed the Sunday brunch at On the Waterfront in the Lodi Hotel and it was fantastic. Free flowing Moet all day and a great variety of delicious food. Brunches with booze start at about Rs4000 and are a great day out.

High Tea is a pleasant hangover from the English and no one does it better than The Imperial.  For Rs900 during the week and Rs1200 on the weekend you can dine like a old colonial! Finger sandwiches, smoked salmon and petit fours aplenty. Only disappointment is they use teabags not leaves which is a bit of a let down. It's a lovely experience though.

So there you have it a list of some good eating experiences in Delhi. The good news is the restaurant scene is exploding here and there are new options everyday so get out there and explore and enjoy.

C x


 

Nearly the end of the post.

Well it has been nearly a year since I have been on my blog - I have well and truly neglected my duties and as it so happens my time in Delhi is nearly at an end.

It has been a busy, stressful, happy, unhappy year... So much has happened that has made it memorable for good and bad reasons. There has been sickness, health, death, birth and travel. Lots of travel.

Some of the places we have ventured to this year include Australia (our annual pilgrimage home), Jaipur, Amritsar, Mumbai, Agra, Rishikesh, Mussorie, Ranthambore. Plus we went further afield and visited Dubai, Italy, Croatia.

I might do a quick recap on each place over the next couple of days and give my best bits!

Jaipur - I've been to Jaipur a bit over the four years and I still love visiting. My top things include:
stay at the Samode Haveli. It's not too far from everything, the rooms are huge and full of old world charm. The hotel restaurant has wonderful Indian food and the wine is very reasonably priced. Breakfast is served in an amazing room, painted intricately to keep you entertained over your coffee.

Visit the Jantar Mantar but get a guide as they make everything clear and easy to understand and make this a really interesting site. Take an elephant to the top of the Amber Fort and enjoy fantastic views on the way up while checking out the beautifully painted hathi's.

Eat lunch at Anokhi café - yum salads and pastas and fresh food. A nice break from Indian cuisine.

Get a copy of Love Jaipur by Fiona Caulfield as she has the best shopping tips in one easy guide. A trip to Old Jaipur is a must. As is a sunset visit to Nahargarh Fort, it's spectacular.

Amritsar - Amritsar has two wonderful things to do - Wagah Border and the Golden Temple. The Wagah Border is fantastic and a must see. It is a ceremonial event held every night at the border of Pakistan and India. It's a display of country pride, pomp and pageantry! The flags of each country are lowered simultaneously after much stomping shouting and yelling of HINDUSTAN/PAKISTAN!!!!! Foreigners have a special queue which is very welcome as we get a great view of the spectacle.

The Golden Temple is wind blowing. I had the great pleasure of travelling there with my sister. We visited late at night (9pm) and again for daybreak. When I first saw this beautiful building at night it took my breath away. It was as if it was floating and the reflection was spectacular. Luckily for us it was quiet and everything was closing up which made it additionally peaceful.

The morning visit gave the Temple a new light. Luckily my sister encouraged the early morning visit... I was happy to stay in bed! It was truly lovely in the morning, chanting, prayers and again not many people. We visited the huge kitchen, ate fresh chappati and it was wonderful. It will come with me as one of my fondest memories.

Ranthambore Tiger Hunt!
We took the kids to Ranthambore National Park in March to see some tigers. We took Second class AC (2AC) train on the Saturday morning from Nizamuddin to Ranthambore. The train left at a reasonable hour and took about 5 hours. The train was great, no issues at all. There was plenty of space for the kids to sleep, read, eat or watch the iPad. It was a very easy way to travel this distance.

We stayed at Khem Villas which was a very lovely property and they arranged pick up from the station. At Khem we had our own little cottage so it ensured ultimate privacy and the kids could make a bit of noise without us being too self conscious. Khem also had amazing grounds. We went for nice walks, sat around the campfire at night, swapped tiger stories and ate good food. The gin and tonic's were nice too!

You organise your safari's separately. I took our four year old but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone younger than this. You have to be quiet on the hunts and sit still which every little person has trouble doing. However we had a great safari. We saw lots of deer, birds, peacocks, a crocodile and one beautiful tigeress. It was amazing.

In the afternoon the hotel let us use their jeep and a driver and we took our 15 mth old and 4 year old into the national park, but not on an official safari. We drove around, went to the Fort and had a lovely trip. Very casual and easy for the kids, although the walk to the Fort is steep and riddled with monkeys.

I highly recommend this trip - it was a winner!

 

 

Agra - So we could 't leave Delhi without taking the kids to the Taj Mahal. Tom and I have been a few times each before but I really wanted to the kids to go and have a pic if front of India's icon. We decided to splash out and stay at the Oberoi. It is a swanky property with lovely views of the Taj from your balcony. Although jury is still out on whether it is worth the prices they charge!

 

From Delhi we took the relatively new freeway through Noida and on to Agra. It is a very easy drive and very quick compared to the long rode before the freeway opened. All in all it took about 2,5 hours on the way down there. My advice on this one is you don't really need to spend the night in Agra, unless you are particularly driven to see the Taj at sun up or sun down. Once you visit the Taj and the Agra Fort you can easily wind your way back to Delhi in one day. It will be long but it's doable.

However we did stay, we saw the Taj, the kids got their cheeks pinched and photos clicked by Indian tourists and we then took refuge back at the hotel and hit the amazing pool. It was a very nice respite from the dusty streets of Agra.

In the past I have visited the Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikhri in addition to the Taj and both are worth a visit if you have the time.

Rishikesh and Mussorie
Our most recent trip was over the Diwali weekend to Rishikesh and Mussorie.

We flew into Dehradun and took a taxi to Rishikesh to the Glasshouse on the Ganges, where we stayed for 3 nights. The taxi drive took about 1 hour (even though everyone told us 2 it really isn't that far). The Ganges is spectacular, the hills amazing and the air fresh. The hotel option was ok but our friends stayed at a river camp and if you can bear the thought of drop toilets and cold showers this is a great option. With our little ones we thought the accommodation would be better but not sure ...... I'd like to try the other to compare.

Either way watching and listening to the river make its way through the hills is amazing! I loved it and was so glad to see the Ganga! We made a trip into Rishikesh at 5 pm to see the Ganga Aarti which was good. Rishikesh is disappointingly dirty and doesn't feel particularly spiritual to me but it was nice to hear the chanting and watch the candles float down the river. Kids thought it was fun.

Then it was onto Mussorie..... well what a drive!!!!It took about 3 hours from Rishikesh to Mussorie and the last hour is winding road all the way to the top. The kids were great on the way up (not on the way down) but it is a pretty incredible feeling ascending to the mountain top and into the clouds.

The architecture is also amazing..... the thought of bringing everything up to the mountain to build a property sounds awful and difficult but some lovely places have been constructed.

We stayed at two different places over the two nights. First we tried The Amber which is a lovely small hotel with magnificent views of the hills. The Amber has a really lovely feel and the kids loved the playground and The Company Garden which is a short walk down the hill.

The second night we went to the new swanky JW Marriott. It only opened a month ago and is very different from The Amber. It is big and 5 star, so which you choose really depends on what you are after. The food at the Marriott was lovely and there was lots of space for the kids to run around. There was also a pretty cool kids club. One of my favourite things about the Marriott was at 4.30pm they set up games on the lawns, had bbq'ed corn cobs, masala chai and cake and you could play with the kids, meet other guests and enjoy the beautiful fresh air of Mussorie.

 

The only thing to be prepared for is the cold and the inevitable vomiting on the way down the mountain if you have travel sick kids.

So that is it for our 2014 travel around India - with Delhi as our base. Next we move base camp to Mumbai and start new adventures from there!

 

Let's catch up....

December is here and I have neglected my duties.... my poor blog has had no action since May so here I go in trying to update on my life a little.

With May obviously came the heat and it was very very hot! It was regularly 45 degrees and only dipping to mid 30's over night. This is my third summer in Delhi so kind of getting used to the prickly heat that comes with summer and the suffocating feeling that comes with a sunrise. It is a tough time, especially with two little people who are forced to deal with some serious cabin fever! But we didn't have to wait too long for a break....with June came a trip to France and Albania.

It was a lovely three week break and a completely different weather experience. Rainy, cold and overcast most of the time in France and then beautiful low 30's in Albania. How the trip went is another post but let's say travelling with kids is hard work. They get sick, tired and don't sleep that well - especially when they can't get out and run around too much. So it was lovely to get out of Delhi, breath clean air and eat amazing food but it certainly wasn't easy......

On return to Delhi I started work again, just part time, but it is great to be back at the desk and I am really enjoying it. Some dear friends moved home (or somewhere else) over the summer following the end of their posting so that was very sad...... I still miss them months later. The downside of expat life I guess.

However on the flipside,expat life comes with lots of interesting holidays! In August we headed to Singapore and Batu Batu island. Now this holiday was amazing!!!! Perfect. Batu Batu Island is wicked and everyone should look it up and plan a holiday there. It isn't cheap but it is worth every cent! Singapore was also great as Mum and Dad came up and stayed for a week and my best friend was there from Melbourne. It really was a lovely way to spend a couple of weeks.

Happy and revitalized, we returned to Delhi and were head long into the infamous Monsoon season, it was a cracker! Rain rain rain..... more rain..... It was probably the longest monsoon we have enjoyed since I have arrived in Delhi. I love monsoon but it plays havoc with traffic and going anywhere can take hours.

Then of course it is Dengue season, were we spend every waking minute petrified of those little mossies with white legs! This year I was so scared that it would strike one of the kids but thankfully we managed to avoid it (touch wood). Sadly lots of people I know succumbed to dengue and it sounded hideous.

Now the weather is much milder and we have enjoyed cool nights, Diwali and now we are into Winter... a lovely time of year bar the hazardous air quality! It's hilarious but true, this place revolves around the weather!!! In all these seasons lots has been happening and might do separate write ups on a few things over the next couple of days.

But for now, I'm looking forward to my second Delhi Christmas and investigating a little trip to the snow. Let's see .....

Mum's the word.... on Mum's day

Mother's Day - the little wee celebration of Mum's everywhere. I never gave Mother's Day the credit it deserved, until I was a Mother and realised it is quite nice to celebrate. Sorry Mum!

I am not talking big gifts, as I really don't think Mother's Day is about gifts, but just a little appreciation - a card, a phone call, a sleep in - that's what we're after. Since my children can't use a phone, and are incapable of sleeping in, I got the card.

So roll around Mother's Day 2013. This year I am a Mum of two little barbiloots. One that is hitting her stride and is hilarious and adorable and the other, pretty fresh and getting his head around solids and sleeping and still pretty darn adorable. Luckily they have a Dad who did them proud this year. It was a gorgeous day. My card was beautiful, nicely homemade, as was my coffee and toast in bed.

Then it was time for breakfast!

Breakfast location of choice was at the Leela Palace Chanakyapuri.

First off there is walking in to this amazing OTT hotel. Our 2 and 7/8 year old walked in and just said 'WOW, look at this princess room' and how right she is - shining gold and silver everywhere, beautiful fresh flowers and immaculate staff. She was pretty pumped by this stage.

The lobby of the Leela

 

We walked to Qube restaurant and Soph saw the muffins and fruits and knew it was going to be a good morning, plus she had some new friends coming.

I ordered the eggs benedict, my husband a masala dosa and Soph's pancakes. All of it was delicious. Then we hit the buffet - fresh prosciutto, fresh honeycomb, muffins, pastries, fruits, freshly squeezed juices, yoghurts, cereals - it's all there. We had a really lovely morning and the staff were lovely. Cost of breakkie is about Rs1100 for adults (inc taxes) ($A20) and this gives you the lovely buffet breakfast, plus an order from the a la carte menu (Sophie wasn't charged). The Leela was very happy to have our three families there and had ample highchairs for us to use if needed.

In the afternoon I drove myself (yes drove myself) back to the Leela for my afternoon Mother's Day treat. A 90 minute hot stone massage. I think this is one of the best presents to give a Mum - particularly a new one - space (in a fancy 5 star lavish hotel). It is not cheap (Rs6500 or $A130) (by Indian standards) but sometimes you just have to spoil yourself.

The Espa at the Leela is luxe - beautifully appointed and a haven from this crazy place. Walking in is instantly calming, as is the ginger and lemon drink and cold towel you get when you arrive.

The hot stone massage was a lot more hard core than I had bargained on. The sweet little Nepalese girl turned into an angry young lady once she hit my back. I was stretched and pulled to loosen myself up and then coated in oil and rubbed with hot stones. It was amazing, painful but afterwards felt pretty great. 90 minutes was the perfect amount of time, I felt like I was relaxed and thoroughly enjoyed the break.



Espa bathroom

Espa waiting area

Then it was time to hit the traffic, head home to my babies, ring our wonderful mum's, before being ready for another night of broken sleep!

Ahh motherhood :)

Summer lovin'

Welcome to summer Delhi.

It's hot, really hot but I'm still wearing jeans. I know it's going to get hotter and I want a buffer in place. I have 4 weeks until I'm escaping for a couple of weeks, then back into the furnace. The light at the end of the tunnel will get me through these early hot days.

This is my third delhi summer, I can't believe it, my third. When I think about it like that the time has actually flown and I have survived when, at the beginning of the season, I'm unsure if I'll make it through with my sanity. Of course I live a charmed life of AC most of the day, either in the house or car, but still if I want to bitch about it I will. It's really hot, all the time. ALL the time.

At the beginning of summer it is the cabin fever that gets you first...what the hell am I going to do with a toddler (and now a baby) for 3 long months..... Swim..... Swim..... Yes I have access to a pool, yes I'm lucky.

My family room is my sanctuary and each day over 40 degrees it just gets that little bit cosier and I get lazier. Last year I worked and it wasn't so bad (looking back on it) being occupied all day in an AC office leaving Mary to entertain Soph. However this year it is a shared problem..... And given baby's don't generally dig 45 degrees I think I'll be inside a bit.

So what's to do.

Here's my list of things to keep us all entertained over summer:

- ice skating in Gurgaon
- Stellar children's museum in Gurgaon
- walk aimlessly around a couple of malls
- plan a trip north, maybe Musoorie?
- swim.... Swim.... Swim
- make cookies, cakes and playdoh with toddler
- movies
- eat lots of mangoes
- rinse and repeat

Bring it on summer, after this one there is only one more to go on the sub continent..... I can do it. Yes I can!

Take me to the Second Floor

I discovered Second Floor Studio in Khan Market a little while ago. It is pretty much opposite Amici Italian restaurant, through a narrow doorway and up a couple of flights of stairs. You'll know it when you reach it - clean, white finish with stylish black font declaring its name on the windows.

Inside is some of the most beautiful stuff I have found in Delhi - stunning cushions, scarves, mirrors, camera cases and cute Indian collectibles. It also stocks my favourite En Inde jewellery. Other brands that I have discovered are Joli Joli and Olivia Das.

But then...... I discovered their Shahpur Jat store - AMAZING!!

This store is incredible. It specialises in interiors and I wanted everything. You must pay it a visit when you are here to see the candelabras, rajasthani busts, wall hangings, pictures, tables......

It is on the pricey side but sometimes you need a treat! On my most recent visit I bought a very cool steel thali platter and super cool key rings. I will be back again and again to stock up my house and clog up my wardrobes!



Interior of Second Floor Studio Khan Market

 



Scarf anyone? Khan Market

Cute camera pouches Khan Market

Oz Fest India

For the last nine months of 2012 I was a little distracted from my blog as I went and got myself a job. I was working on Oz Fest, an Australian cultural festival taking place across India from October - February.




NOW  WHEN: Image by 'Terra Form Australis by HASSELL, Holopoint and The Environment Institute'

Working in a country so foreign to me was an interesting experience - frustrating, rewarding, a very steep learning curve. However here I am on the other side and glad I did it.

I was working on the marketing and comm's for the Festival. I did this in conjunction with a team of peeps and two external marketing companies. The marketing and communications side was always going to be different, I am not used to how or why things work here.... plus this media environment is cluttered and busy. But, like everything here, 'it will be right on the night' rings true. Somethings are constants across countries - social media is king, as is word of mouth and budgets are limited! But other things, a many number of things, are quite different......

We produced a media launch, websites, brochures, bags, invites, banners, back drops, we entered twitterverse and plastered Facebook ..... the list goes on....

After months of work (for me) and a couple of years for others, we kicked off Oz Fest on 16 October in the presence of the Aussie PM - Julia Gillard. The Opening Night was a concert at Purana Qila, New Delhi and it was brilliant! Gurrumul, Mark Atkins and AGB events all travelled from Australia to make it a night to remember. I had never seen any of their work live before and I was amazed. Gurrumul was incredible, I mean truly incredible. The lighting by AGB events was out of this world and Mark Atkins didn't play nearly long enough. They were also joined on the night by Anoushka Shankar, an Indian sitar player - she too was brilliant and brought a completely different aspect to the evening.

The event was a huge success, the audience piled in, sat attentively, watched, absorbed, appreciated and left. It was a nice mix of expats and Indians and the team couldn't have asked for a better evening.

So that was a particularly good start to an amazing four month extravaganza.

Other events included the tour of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow - absolutely hilarious, photography exhibitions from the Pilbara region of Western Australia, music performances by 5 Aussie rock bands and the Aussie MasterChefs who were treated like rock stars!

Of course there was more but I headed off to have baby no. 2 and the festival successfully carried on without me.

I love the Indian Accent!

I am finally getting around to writing a post on my favourite dining experience in Delhi - Indian Accent - a must for those who love good food and feel like refreshing their idea of what Indian food could be.

I first went to Indian Accent just before Diwali in 2011, as a guest of a friend. We went for lunch and it blew me away. At the time I had no idea what a treat it was to be taken to lunch there, but now I am well aware of how spoilt I was. Since my first visit I have been back about 3 times, the most recent with my Mum, as I had to show her a different side to 'Indian' food plus the Aussie MasterChefs paid the restaurant a visit on their recent trip to the city...... so now everyone has to go don't they?

We ventured down to Friends Colony on a stunning Sunday afternoon, 5 of us (plus our newborn in the pram - who was amazingly well behaved). The restaurant was pretty quiet, just a few tables occupied but everyone already tucking into the delicous morsels.

When you arrive you receive a complimentary mini blue cheese naan which is the perfect entree into what is to come - Indian food but with an inventive, interesting twist using a variety of exotic ingredients. I am not a food blogger so I won't go into the flavours and textures but will give you a rundown of what we enjoyed.

The menu is complex so decisions are hard to make, but make we did, and here's a few pics of the results.





Sorbet course breaker in a cute replica pressure cooker



Amazing chicken

 

 

Rice crusted John Dory moilee, market green and pine nut poriyal - incredible!



Dessert platter



Goodbye treats - hmmmm umm no thanks but they look pretty.





My happy plate and my very lovely Rose.

 

 

Some of the other things we enjoyed (not pictured) were the:

chicken tikka quesadillas, swiss gruyere, pink peppercorn raita - SUPER CUTE

meetha achaar chilean spare ribs, sun dried mango, toasted kalonji seeds

soft shell crab, flame roast coconut, tomato pickle chutney - LOVE

duck tawa khurchan, mattar makhana malai

tamarind chutney glazed tandoori chilean pork ribs, tandoori aloo - AMAZING!!

slow cooked baby lamb shank, california prune and mulberry korma - yes please

 

 

All in all everything - the service, the wine, the food and the company was great. The only thing I don't love are the goodbye treats - not to my taste but hey it doesn't matter they look pretty.

 

The meal cost about Rs4000 a head and was worth ever rupee. 

If you're in the city - go there!!!!

And we're back

So it's been ages since a post but I've been busy adding to our family - Charlie Thomas was born in December. His arrival took me back to Perth for 3 months. It was beautiful - summer in Perth was a complete treat. Good food, fresh air and great friends. I loved it, however after 3 months it was time to get back to my world and life in Delhi.

So 15 hours later with two kids and a very patient and wonderful Mum, we made it back to Delhi. Anil, Surinder and Tom were all there to meet us and our 6 suitcases. My divine neighbours decorated the house for us and it felt good to be here.

The best thing about the timing of our arrival is I have caught the last of the beautiful cool Delhi spring weather. It is divine and if anyone is thinking of visiting this has to be the best time.

A few things struck me on my return, things I'd missed and things I haven't.....

Haven't....
- the filthy bank notes. Oh how I enjoyed dealing with the clean aussie bank note
- the truly terrible coffee (thank god for Nespresso)
- being the object of stares from the local male population
- my children's colds and cough (both returned in about 2 days of arrival)

Have ....
- the pure delight in Sophie's face as she chases peacocks around the place and her delight in seeing them display their feathers
- everything is possible, you just need to be creative
- my house is cleaned and dinner cooked by someone else
- yoga

India has put on a real show for my first week back. The weather is amazing - ok it's not 'let's go to Cottesloe Beach' amazing - but it's cool, the sky is blue and the air is relatively clean.

I made it back just in time to celebrate our 4 year wedding anniversary. It was a lovely night with French champagne and roses.

Mum's had a lovely time, to help her enjoy herself and relax after having us in Perth for 3 months we booked her into a massage at the Leela Palace at ESPA - 9.30 on Wednesday. We dropped her off and waved her goodbye. Sadly for Mum I obviously didn't make it clear enough I meant AM and they had booked her in for the evening so that didn't happen - 'can we offer you a pedicure instead maam?'. These people clearly haven't met us as we are in bed by this time, these days!

This time of year the Mughal Gardens at the President's Residence are open for inspection. Mum and I went today and they are magnificent. The variety of flowers, the colours and the layout are beautiful and free entry. Of course there is the usual high security presence - step off the lawn or I'll shoot! but you can block that out. Other annoyances include no phones, no cameras (hence no photos), no handbags, but you do get the bonus of a good touch up by the security guard on entry - always good when you are feeling lonely! But it was beautiful and a recommended outing for sure, especially in this amazing weather. Other highlight was seeing the tuk tuk named the 'Handicap Express' parked out the front plus the Imperial Hotel is just nearby so we just popped in there for lunch afterwards - ah it's nice to be home!

Other hot spots we've got visited this week include watching the 20/20 cricket, a long lunch at China Kitchen, lunch at the Italian Cultural Centre, shopping trip to Santushti and Khan Market. All very successful. Pick the expat?

So even though I adored my time in Perth more than anything and it was beautiful it is good to be home, showing off my boy to my friends and getting back into the swing of things. Delhi is being kind at the moment and it's nice to be back.
 

Tres..... Lodi's new place

It wasn't long ago that Tom and I tried a new restaurant - Tres at Lodi Colony Main Market. For those of you that have read my posts before it is just next door to my Fancy Cloth House Tailors. The interiors are fairly bland and beige but thankfully the food is not.

As I'm preggers, I could not induldge in one of the yummy looking cocktails, instead I splashed out on an apple rosemary mocktail! Unfortunately it wasn't very good and should have just stuck to lime soda. Lucky Tom on the other hand sampled the ok wine menu.

For entree I ordered Canadian scallops with cauliflower pannacotta and Tom ate the King prawns. Both were really lovely - the plating was beautiful, as was the taste. For main Tom had  the melt in your mouth lamb and I ate my old favourite pork belly. Both of the main dishes were fantastic! Pork is always quite rich but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Never too full....... I finished off the meal with Apple Tarte Tartin - again did not disappoint.

The only disappointments came with the drinks.... only green tea on offer for me post meal and Tom had an espresso in a very cool glass.

Price - Rs 4900 for two with some drinks

Tres
17 Main Market
Lodhi Colony
New Delhi
Ph: 011 24625520 OR +91 9971536053 
 

Remarkable Rajasthan

Last weekend was Tom's birthday, so we escaped Delhi, took Sophie to her favourite place, the airport, and boarded a Jet Konnect twin prop to Jodhpur. 1 hr 20 minutes later, bags collected, car waiting - we were on our way to the RAAS hotel.

The journey was fairly mainstream until we hit the old town. At entering the gates of the Clock Tower you travel back in time to donkey carts and extraordinary narrow lanes - not made for Toyota Innova's!

The RAAS impressed from the moment we pulled through the grand old gates. We were greeted by lovely staff who applied tilak (red powder dot) to our foreheads and offered a refreshing ginger and lemon drink. Before we saw our room, we were escorted around the grounds, shown the frog pond, the pool and you couldn't ignore the imposing view of the Fort. It was a beautiful hotel of a mere 31 rooms.

We stayed in room 123, this was our view.

View from 123!

As you can see from this pic, this beautiful place is also right next to a mosque.... and it was Friday..... so our first welcome to Jodhpur was the call to prayer, that goes on for a really long time on Friday. However it really doesn't matter and certainly didn't bother us - kind of added to the ambiance.

Friday we spent at the hotel, had lunch, swam, arranged a babysitter and that was about it. Luckily a very nice lady arrived at 8pm to a very wide awake Sophie and we took our leave. Tom and I had a walk around the streets of Jodhpur, met some lovely convincing spice and fabric sellers, witnessed little people worshipping and singing at the foot of Ganesh statues and we dodged inevitable cow poo! We returned to find Soph still awake and running rings around the lovely babysitter!

Saturday was tour day and we left the hotel via the very funky blue tuk tuk....

The streets of Jodhpur are full of amazing things, yes you are in India, so you get used to a certain level of craziness but I really liked the vibe of this town - it was friendly, casual and colourful -always colourful!!!

The first thing I saw on our travels was a funeral procession, a body being carried above the shoulders of its loved ones wrapped in bright, colourful fabrics.... not a piece of black in sight! The crowd chanted, sang and rang bells as they moved toward the cremation site.

As we wound our way through the streets of Jodhpur we saw all kind of things... cows, pigs, dogs, Gods of Sex....

but the team favourite was the elephant

No getting passed this...

An elephant and his Mahout.

Aren't they beautiful? We stopped, Sophie fed him 20 rupees, which he dutifully passed to his Mahout.

Following on from the elephant spot, we moved on to the reservoir - which was lovely and actively being used by worshippers and also by random dogs to take care of their families.

Reservoir near the Fort

Ganesh ji

I spot puppies under the pavement!!!!

Of course Jodhpur is also famous for being the 'blue city' - houses are painted blue and the reasons vary from keeping the place cool to repelling mosquito's.

and lovely Ganesh statues are everywhere

The afternoon saw us at the Mehrangarh Fort, this place is spectacular. Built right up on the hill there it has a lovely breeze and the architecture is amazing, not hard to believe it never was successfully attacked.

Walls of the Fort

 

Entrance to the Fort

 

Beautiful Fort and a must see.... for the Fort and the view

Umaid Palace in the distance

 

One of the great things about the day was our very nice guide - Ram. He didn't take us to one shop, didn't push us to do anything and was brilliant taking care of our daughter throughout the day. If you are going to Jodhpur and need a guide call Ramniwas (Ram) 09314709126.

So then back to the hotel, more swimming, relaxing and listening to the AFL finals series on the iPad with the free Wi-Fi..... oh and some frog spotting!

All in all Jodhpur was great, the hotel was perfect and nothing was too much trouble - the staff were all amazing and I was quite sad to leave.
 

Caught off guard.... never!

Saturday morning for us normally means hanging out in our PJ's, watching kids cartoons, sheltering from the hot and/or wet weather and nursing mild hangovers..... however since I am pregnant, the hangovers aren't around, plus the monsoon as cooled things down slightly so it's time to annoy my husband, get him out of bed and load the family into the car for Delhi activities. Let's see how long this enthusiasm lasts......

This morning we visited the ceremonial 'Changing of the Guard' Delhi style. It starts at 9am at the Rashtrapati Bhavan (residence of the President of India) and goes for 40 minutes (check the website for timings) . There is a small amount of seating to watch the event, but there weren't many people there this morning so seats were easy to come by.

We got there about 8.55am so the set up and last minute checks were all taking place.





Last minute checks

 

 



Banners of the Army

 

The sun was out (and hot) and there was a mild breeze, so the whole waiting experience was pretty pleasant. Soph ran around spotting monkeys on the roof tops which kept her entertained.

 

Too sunny!

 

Unlike many things in this country, this event actually started on time, with much pomp and fanfare.... however there was a minor curveball thrown when this cyclist decided to cut in front of the parade. The cops were thrown into a spin and much yelling and pointing ensued!

 



The troublemaker

 

Once this side show was over the real thing got underway - drums, music, marching soldiers and horses - what more could a 2 year old ask for? She loved it!

 

 

 

 

This event has run every Saturday morning since 1773, so it is not surprising that it runs like clock work - down to the men following behind the horses to clean up the inevitable mess. 

 

 

Meticulous army

 

 

 

 

 

 

So was it worth the early(ish) Saturday morning? Definitely. There weren't too many people there, it was calm and pleasant plus I really loved seeing the beautiful horses and the handsome soldiers all dressed up in their regal uniforms. 



 

 

So handsome!

 

Delhi does good

August means Monsoon and Monsoon means happiness! It rains and rains and the air is cooler. We can sit outside and enjoy a drink (and the dengue plagued mosquito's).....

This years Monsoon has brought more happiness than last years for two main reasons - this year was way hotter than last year and secondly I am pregnant this year and the heat really got to me!

People venture out alot more during the Monsoon, including us, and I've been to a couple of new places I would recommend to my Delhi friends or anyone coming to visit...... anyone......anyone......

1. Indian Accent - best meal I have had in Delhi!!! My visit a week ago was my second since I have been here but the meal was just as good as the first time, if not better. Stand outs for me were the ribs, prawns and the yummy peanut butter chicken. It is Indian but with a twist, and what a brilliant twist. The restaurant is classic and contemporary and the service is great. Only piece of advice is stay away from the after meal digestives - complimentary little morsels that are best avoided and opt for a real dessert. An expensive meal by Delhi standards but certainly worth it. 77 Friends Colony West.

2. Almirah in Meher Chand Market has great kids clothes in very cute patterns and designs. This is my latest place so if you have had a baby recently you can expect a gift from here. I especially love the PJ's and little girls dresses. Shop 38 Mehar Chand Market.

3. Chadha Tailors in Lodi Colony Main Market. Tom has bought suits from here before and they are great. Beautiful wools and colours available and a tops tailor. This time we are also trying shirts, so I'll let you know how that goes. 22 Main Market, Lodi Colony.

4. Chez Nini restaurant has seen me visit a few times lately and I really like it. Most recently Tom and I took refuge there after a terrible attempt at lunch at nearby Ploof Delhi (won't go into it but don't think we'll be going there again anytime soon). Chez Nini has a lovely owner, the decor is modern and fresh and the food is great. Highly recommend the duck burger, coq au vin and quinoa salad however even more highly recommend the churros and the red velvet cupcakes... Yum!!!! Can even get cupcakes and bread to take-away. 79-80 Mehar Chand Market.

5. Sotomoto is a great new children's furniture shop in HK Village. A bit on the exxy side for me but nice to go and have a peek.

Other places still on my love list:

• L'Opera Patisserie - baguettes rock as do all their breads and cakes..... oui oui!
• Sagar Ratna - quick, easy, reliable South Indian food (near work).
• Gunpowder in HK Village - always good!
• Brunch at a friends on Sunday morning, the best way to spend a lazy Sunday morning with hungover friends and husband even though you haven't drunk for 5 months!

That is all from me, a bit of spruiking for my hometown after the bashing it received over the summer! 

 

Summer fling ...

After a very very long hot Delhi summer, our family escaped for a week to the beautiful teardrop island of Sri Lanka. We spent two nights in Colombo and five in Thalpe, about 15 minutes from Galle.

I have been to Sri Lanka before and remember then being surprised about how different it was to India - so close yet so far. A lot less people, a lovely sea breeze and supermarkets with aisles are my main take-aways from Colombo. I fell in love with Paradise Road, a homewares store with beautiful crockery, pottery and tableware. I bought a teapot, milk jug, serving platters and some linen - all really lovely and nowhere near the price of Oz. A trip back may be necessary to stock up on more plates and things......

Next stop was Thalpe. We took the new highway from Colombo to Galle - WOW. It is amazing, about six months old and smooth as silk to drive on. 400 Sri Lankan ruppees ($A3) gets you through the toll gates and then it is one hour of the smoothest driving I've experienced in this part of the world.

In Thalpe we checked into Apa Villa and couldn't have been happier with it. We had Saffron Suite 7 and it was perfect for us who were travelling with a toddler. There was a bedroom, bathroom, sitting room and covered deck, where we ate breakfast, dinner, enjoyed the view and hunted for hermit crabs.  It was super chilled at Apa, they had a beautiful pool right on the ocean and lovely staff. You couldn't swim in the ocean, as it was very rocky and rough, but I loved just looking at it and breathing in the fresh ocean air.

 

In addition to just chilling at our villa, reading books and eating seafood, we had a couple of trips into Galle Fort and checked out some shops and eateries. We had a great lunch at the Galle Fort Hotel, bought some cool replica Air Ceylon pictures and checked out the lighthouse. It is a cute old town and lots of shops to look through and spend a few dollars at.

We also visited Apa's sister property in the countryside. This is a stunning garden setting and very relaxing. The head gardener showed us all around and we tried to spot an elusive monkey - without any luck.

Other than that we did very little - we swam, slept and chilled. Even our toddler got swept up in the relaxed vibe and had a good sleep in every morning!

 

We'll be back ........