a short break

This is just a quick post to let you know that I will be going on a break until June 8th, as I currently have exams going on. I will be back and posting regularly after that as I have a few food reviews, fashion related posts, and DIYs planned. Plus, it will finally be the monsoon (!!!) so expect some rainy day themed outfits!

http://www.chicncheapliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/

http://m.stylebistro.com/runway/Paris+Fashion+Week+Spring+2014/Attendees/mSDtVNhcow2

http://m.coolspotters.com/clothing/christian-dior-spring-2013-rtw-blue-floral-skirt

Anagha C.

Personal Questions Tag

I like to do these every once in a while so that I don't just keep writing about the same things!

1. Do you have a middle name?

Yes, it's my father's name (common for most Indians)

2. Favorite subject in school? 

Probably math, but I hated statistics and loved Economics and Chemistry even though they were both difficult for me.

3. Favorite drink?

Unfortunately, Coke! It has too much sugar and stains your teeth, so I've mostly given it up, but I still have it once or twice a week.

4. Favorite song at the moment?

Carried Away by Passion Pit

5. Do you participate in any sports?

I got my 1st black belt in taekwondo about 5 years ago and haven't gone back since, but I exercise pretty regularly, depending on how much time I have (exams!).

6. Favorite book?

I loved the Harry Potter series and grew up on it.

7. Favorite color?

Purple, but not to wear.

8. Favorite animal?

Cats and dogs, I cannot pick just one and I find the street animals in India are extremely sweet! Only once I had a bad experience in which a dog chased me while I was on a bike. I have learned since then not to wear a helmet while driving through a crowd of dogs.

9. Favorite perfume?

Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb

10. Favorite holiday?

I love going to Hawaii! All the islands are different, but wonderful in their own way. I also like going to New York City but it's not really a holiday since it's only a few hours away from home.

11. Have you graduated high school?

Yes, a couple years ago.

12. Have you been out of the country?

Many times, even though I live in the U.S. I was born in Canada so I'm already a dual citizen, plus I attend college in India. Shoutout to my parents for giving me so many opportunities!

13. Do you speak any other languages?

I speak English (obviously), Hindi, and Marathi (both of which are semi-necessary in Mumbai, especially Hindi, but if you go outside Mumbai, to say, Pune, then you definitely need to know Marathi). I also took 3 years of Spanish so I can still say a few things, and every now and then I try to review what Spanish I know so it stays fresh and I don't forget it.

14. Do you have any siblings?

No, I'm an only child.

15. What's your favorite store?

I love Nordstrom, but for clothes I've been making some of my own clothes for the past few years. I also like Forever 21 for basics like t-shirts. Zara is also really good, but in India you will only find the previous season's clothes and they'll be pretty dirty and in limited stock. For jeans I only wear designer and I have jeans that I've been wearing for 4-5 years. I prefer Seven for all Mankind since they actually carry my size (my waist is pretty small, around a 23-26 depending on the brand).

16. Favorite restaurant?

I don't really have one. In Mumbai I like Smokehouse Deli, but to be honest I haven't found that any of the restaurants here are anywhere near the quality of food that you will get in the U.S. At home I love to have fried clams, lobster rolls, and lobster bisque (!!!).

17. Did you like school?

To be honest, I think the school and the people make a difference. I attended two high schools, and the first one I attended was really horrible because the people weren't that great nor were the teachers. I attended a high school in a small Midwest city in 11th and 12th grade, and found the experience to be much better. The people were very inclusive and the teachers were extremely supportive.

18. Favorite movie?

The Italian Job (2003)

19. Favorite tv shows?

I have a really bad addiction to TV, but I love Friends, Seinfeld and Modern Family. I could watch these over and over and never get bored.

20. PC or Mac?

Mac all the way! I got my first laptop when I was 12, and it was a MacBook. It lasted 6 years of heavy use and abuse before I finally had to replace it with a new MacBook Pro which is still going strong even though I have spilled milk on the keyboard.

21. What phone do you have?

I have a silver iPhone 6, and if you're considering it then I highly suggest you buy a 64gb phone. I originally bought the 16gb and it wasn't enough, I had to get a 64gb phone.

Personal Questions:

1. What do you order at Starbucks?

In the U.S. I get a grande mocha with three extra pumps and in India I get a venti white chocolate mocha.

2. One thing in your closet you cannot live without?

Leggings! Super versatile and much better than jeans in terms of ventilation in this Mumbai summer.

3. What's one thing most people probably don't know about you?

I actually like to run, but I find it a bit difficult because of light lung and heart issues (nothing major, just makes exercise a bit difficult), so I tend to push myself too hard. I have to work extra hard to keep my ego in check and not push myself to the brink, or else I'll end up just collapsing.

4. Name one thing you want to do before you die.

There's a lot, but I would love to go scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef.

5. One food you cannot live without?

Chocolate. I love brownies and chocolate frosting, I eat it out of the can. It takes a lot of self control to not eat a whole can of frosting. I also love cheese and cheese flavored chips. And bacon. I cannot get enough bacon. 

6. What's your most listened to song on iTunes?

Viva la Vida by Coldplay

7. What kind of style would you define yourself as having?

Minimalist. I dress in light shades, shades of white, gray, and black.

8. Favorite number?

18

9. Two hobbies?

Researching fashion and designing clothes

10. Two pet peeves?

People who are judgemental when they have no right to be, and people with bad manners.

11. Guilty pleasures?

Television and junk food. I cannot get enough of either.

Anagha C.

Diet/Healthy Foods I Eat

Even though I'm not an expert, I still make an effort to eat healthy almost every day. Admittedly, I don't stick to this diet ALL the time, because it can become difficult during exam time, but it's the effort that counts. I think that if I just stick to this about 75-80% of the time and allow myself to also have treats on the side, then it's not that difficult to stay trim and healthy. Combine this with exercise (on which I will write a post at a later date), and you should be on your way to a healthy, but not restrictive, lifestyle.

Breakfast

I make a quick pot of plain oatmeal with milk, not water, and a few table spoons of brown sugar which you should be able to get at any world foods store. Then, depending on what fruits I have I might add some sliced banana or strawberries.

Lunch

Generally I'll get my tiffin, which I like to think is healthy since it's "home cooked" food, but I still pour off any excess oil. If I don't eat my tiffin, then I might make a bit of pan fried chicken, since I don't have a grill or oven to cook it in a healthier way. All I do is take a piece of chicken breast and maybe put a rub on it or just put a bit of meat tenderizer on the chicken breast and fry it up, then eat it with a bit of ranch sauce and buffalo sauce for flavor. At this point in the day I will take another chicken breast and maybe marinade it so that the flavors will have soaked in to the meat by dinner time.

Dinner

Depending on my mood, any preparation that I have done (ie: a marinade), and the amount of time I have available, I will again cook a chicken breast. If I don't, then I will most likely order something from a nearby restaurant, like a small Chinese dish, maybe with rice, or a kebab, which is incredibly tasty and extremely filling, I can only eat about half of an order. Usually I will only order if I am short on time due to exams, or too busy.

Snacks

Usually if I get hungry in the day then I will eat a piece of fruit, like a banana or an orange (I try to avoid fruits whose skin you generally eat, just to make sure I don't catch any unnecessary bugs that might debilitate me). Otherwise, I will have a small serving of potato chips or Indian Namkeen, which are dry snacks. I also like to eat Nutella and sliced banana sandwiches, which are easy to make and just a half sandwich will fill you up easily.

Obviously, I don't stick to a regimented health plan of any kind and I allow myself to eat unhealthy foods all the time, but I love food and cannot imagine giving up some of my favorites just because something has "too many calories". Keep everything in moderation, and you should be just fine. Also, do not forget to drink lots of water, but be careful if you're just starting to exercise, drinking more water increases your blood volume and you have to be more careful and attuned to the signals your body is sending you during exercise, but I will address these concerns in a follow up post regarding my exercise plan and what I do to stay fit.

Note, make sure to take all precautions when dealing with raw meat, and especially try to see where your meat is coming from. It's always good to be aware of what you're putting in your body. In addition, consult a doctor before undertaking any sort of exercise especially if you have a pre-existing condition, including pregnancy.

my tips on staying clean and healthy in this summer heat

Considering how hot it is right now in Mumbai, and in the rest of the northern hemisphere (I'm assuming), I thought I would note down a few tips on how to stay clean and healthy in this summer heat.

Hydrate

The most important thing I can suggest you do in this heat is keep hydrated! Continuously drink water, and remember, most sources say that a minimum of 2L or 8 glasses is required per day.

Moisturize

Remember to apply moisturizer each morning so that your skin doesn't dry out. In this heat, a lighter moisturizer than you would use in the winter is probably best. I use a bit of Kiehl's Creme de Corps, which you can purchase in stores at Phoenix Marketcity or Palladium.

SPF

Whenever you go out, don't forget to use sunscreen, and pay attention to SPF,

don't skimp! I like to use Neutrogena's Ultra Sheer moisturizer with SPF 50 which is available anywhere Neutrogena products are sold.

(Anti fungal) Powder

Use regular powder on exposed parts of your body to help cool down, and use anti fungal powder on areas of your body that collect sweat. Any regular powder is fine, and for anti fungal powder I suggest Clotrimazole (candid), which is available at any local pharmacist.

Deodorant

I use a stick anti-perspirant which actually helps prevent sweat, while the spray "deodorants" sold in India just cover up the smell. The best deodorant I have found is Arm & Hammer's antiperspirant, but if that's not available,  stick deodorants are available at the bigger supermarkets.

Change Your Bedsheets

Make the effort to change your bed sheets every week, and try to change your pillow case every 3-4 days. While I know this will throw off your pillow:bedsheet ratio and probably interfere with your matching sets, it's better to have clean sheets. All the sweat that collects in your bedsheets can carry bacteria, and it's best to keep your pillowcase free of sweat to prevent skin infections and even acne. 

Shoes

If you are wearing close-toed shoes, I suggest you leave them out for one day, or at the least one night, to dry out before wearing them again. Otherwise, I suggest that you stick to open toed shoes to give your feet room to breathe. But be sure to take care of your feet more often! Soak and scrub your feet once a week or so, and keep up with moisturization.

Undergarments

Be sure to wash undergarments after each use during this period, even bras, because the sweat from your body is soaked up by your bra and will collect bacteria. Sports bras, especially wash after each use! You sweat a lot more in those, so keep them clean to prevent body acne.

Mosquitoes

While there is no sure fire way to prevent mosquitoes from biting, I've had luck with a few methods. Odomos cream works for me, but I know it doesn't work for everyone, and I find the smell and greasy texture to be too much to handle. Plus, I have heard unsubstantiated claims that it is a carcinogen. You could also try using Good Knight coils which I find to be extremely effective, but are not good for your respiratory system. Currently I am using a pop-up mosquito net, purchased from the U.S. which I just have to unfold each night and it forms a tent with a zippered opening. It's definitely better than anything I have used before, and if you really wanted to you could put a mattress or lay down a sheet, but I don't bother with that and instead spray it down each morning with an antibacterial spray and wipe down any sweat I might have left behind at night. In this, I can leave my windows and doors open and not have to worry about getting bitten by mosquitoes at night.

Link to the SansBug tent I am using:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003BWF9WI/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1432445346&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX200_QL40&keywords=sansbug&dpPl=1&dpID=41VkNk1sl6L&ref=plSrch

Food/Apetite

The next post I do is going to be about  the foods I eat and my own, unscientific "diet", I'll just mention a few suggestions here. First of all, drink cold water! Don't believe the old wives tales about it being harmful and freezing your food, this is completely untrue. Try eating a bit less than you normally would, as this will help you cool down. Avoid fruit juices as they are full of added sugars, instead eat a piece of fruit. Try drinking coconut water too, I know it was a bit of a craze a couple years ago, but that doesn't mean you should stop drinking it!

Just a few tips on how to stay cool in this heat! If you have any suggestions or requests for posts, please do say so in the comments.

Anagha C.

Note that I was not paid to mention any of the above products, they are simply some of my products that I have tried and tested that work.

a few places to shop in Mumbai

In Mumbai, it can be difficult to find exactly what you are looking for. Often times I find myself looking for something that, at home, could be found in any local store, but due to the lifestyle in India, isn't a necessity for the average Indian. For that reason, I've put together a guide, to help you find what you are looking for.

Pet Supplies

In India there isn't as big a "pet culture" as you would find in the US or UK, but in Mumbai it is becoming more common to find people with at least one pet, which is great! Because of this, it's now a lot easier to find things, like cat and dog food. Now my preferred shop is Shopawholic, in Bandra's Pali Naka. There are plenty of pet shops in Mumbai, and especially in Bandra, what with the huge foreign, expat, and NRI population, but I find Shopawholic to be the best. The owner is incredibly knowledgeable about pet supplies, and he is an importer so he knows what pet supplies are and aren't available. Plus, he knows quite a bit about animals, which is super useful when you've got a pet that you don't know much about, especially in India where conditions and availability are different from the US. I got a guinea pig a couple months ago and the owner here told me what supplies were and weren't available in India. The best part about this shop is that they offer a 10% discount and they are willing to deliver your order home, which is especially useful when I'm ordering 4KG of cat food and don't feel like carrying all that home in an auto. They also offer grooming services at super affordable prices, which I have yet to try (only because my kittens have to get their shots first; please vaccinate your pets before grooming!), and they even offer a discount on Sunday appointments. They also do home grooming! Definitely my favorite place for anything pet related, and if you need any suggestions for things like vets, then ask the owner, he will definitely help you out.

 Shopawholic 
 +(91)-22-38524928 
 Shop No 5, Ground Floor, Petronella Chs, Dr Ambedkar Road, Bandra West, Near Pali Village Cafe, Mumbai - 400050 

DIY Supplies

I usually do a lot of DIYing, so for supplies I head to a shop in Pali Naka, next to Regal Plus. They have a whole variety of lace in different colors, perfect if you want to change up a little pair of shorts or a skirt. They also have buttons and other little knick knacks which are perfect for DIYing. The only thing I haven't been able to find here was velcro, but I think they might have it in stock sometimes.

Go to Regal Plus in Pali Naka, two doors down from it there's a small shop next to a doctors office, this is the shop.

Fabric

I am the kind of person who knows exactly what I want in terms of clothes, so sometimes I have a tailor adjust clothes that I already own, or I have a tailor custom make something for me, so I have to buy fabric. The best fabric market in Mumbai is Mangaldas Market, across from Crawford Market in South Bombay. They have the widest variety of fabrics in Mumbai, but beware, they don't have imported fabrics, so if you are looking for scuba fabric (neoprene)*, like I was, don't come here, just get some when you go abroad next, even though it might be expensive. Just be sure to take a Hindi-speaker along with you, and know that the guys there can be kinda rude, so just be persistent and ignore their attitude. Also, don't let them convince you into buying unnecessary extra fabric, since it's a wholesale market, they might get annoyed if you only want to buy a couple yards.

*just a note on neoprene, it can be purchased online at wanderandhunt.com for about $40USD per yard

Organic Food
There isn't as much of the "organic food" culture in India as you would find abroad, namely in the US, it's a huge business. But I've started to find that in the more cosmopolitan areas (i.e.: Bandra) you can find some organic foods, so it's starting to become a "thing" in India, which is great. For milk, I've started purchasing "Doctor Moo" milk which is available at Regal Plus for only Rs.30 for a half liter, which if you compare that to the TetraPaks of Amul Taaza milk that I used to buy, comes out to only about Rs.5 more for organic milk! And when you compare the taste, you can really see how inferior the Amul milk is compared to Doctor Moo. From now on, whenever I'm making deserts, I know for sure that I will be using Doctor Moo. For meat, I go to Joseph's as I have said before because I can be sure of where my meat is getting cut and cleaned, but I will have to check if their  meat is organic or not. 

Please let me know in the comments what other Mumbai posts you would like to see, or even general posts about fashion.

Anagha C.

Mumbai Review: Spicebox.in Tiffin Service

Staying in Mumbai has been a challenge as I am far away from my parents and my family stays in another part of the state. Mostly you think about the big things when you move, "will I make friends?", "will I be able to adjust to my surroundings?", but there are little details that you have to deal with as well, and that includes the food situation. As most of you might know, I am born and raised in the U.S., so when it comes to food, I always have to err on the side of caution. That means only hot, fresh cooked street foods where I see my food getting cooked, and no unfiltered water, so nothing like pani puri from the street. In addition, I stay in a hostel at a school which is vegetarian, so as a hardcore non vegetarian I struggle to get my daily fill of meat which I don't have to spend (read:waste) time cooking, but can be guaranteed of the hygiene. So when a friend recommended Spicebox.in tiffin delivery service, I was more than intrigued. Most people in Mumbai have some sort of tiffin set up, whether it's their mother sending them a hot lunch in a tiffin from home, or an Aunty who has set up a home business, all these tiffins eventually travel through the complex system that is the Mumbai tiffin dabbawala's and land up exactly where they should. As I don't have any relatives in Mumbai, and I cannot be sure of how clean a home business might be, I thought that going with a packaged tiffin system would be a good place to start.

My Experience:
So I began by ordering a 2 week non veg tiffin trial (or what I thought at the time was to only last 1 week, as there is no specific information regarding the period of the trial on their website). They offer vegetarian, alternate, and full non vegetarian tiffins, which are very rare in Mumbai, few tiffins will give you non vegetarian food everyday. At the end of the week I was impressed by not only the sealed packaging but also the (relative) quality of the food and the time in which they delivered. Also, all the containers are disposable, which while not exactly environmentally friendly, are extremely convenient if the food is too much to consume in one sitting (which it often was if I was eating alone). So, at the end of the week I decided to order a one month tiffin which I placed that weekend itself. Then the problems began. The following Monday I received two tiffins, and while confused, I knew I couldn't do anything about it at the time as I had exams going and barely enough time to shower or eat let alone deal with sorting this issue out, so on Tuesday when only one tiffin arrived I was relieved. But again, and for the rest of the week I continued to get tiffins, so when at the end of the week I got call asking if I wanted to continue the tiffin, their customer service rep finally informed me that the trial was of 2 weeks and it had overlapped with the first week of my monthly tiffin. So essentially I lost 1 week of tiffins, along with the money, and at 120RS per tiffin (expensive by tiffin standards, even for non veg), I did not take this lightly. The customer service rep said she would look into it and get back to me but I never heard from them again. Then I continued to receive my tiffin for another three weeks, at the end of which I got another call requesting whether I wanted to continue the tiffin, and although I agreed I asked what had happened to the week of my tiffin that I had lost, would I be getting an extra week (which would show me good customer service on their part), they said it would not be possible as they only had two week trials on offer, not one week. I decided to forget it and move on, but this time instead of taking the large tiffin with 3 rotis, dal, non veg dish, and desert/salad, I took the smaller meal with only 3 rotis, dal, and the non veg dish. I might also note at this point, that they claim to not repeat dishes within 1 month and they give a different cuisine on Fridays. However, I found that the dishes were basically the same, and by different cuisine, this meant they included pav bhaji or kheema pav. So I had ordered another monthly tiffin, but this time smaller, so on Monday I went to check if my tiffin had arrived, and despite searching everywhere and anywhere they might put it, I couldn't find it. They had failed to deliver my tiffin, so I emailed them, but didn't get a response. However, on Tuesday, I did receive my tiffin, but it was large rather than small, which I specifically hadn't ordered so I wouldn't end up wasting food. After emailing them, they responded with a perfunctory apology, and a claim that there was "too much confusion" with my order. On Wednesday they delivered my tiffin properly, but again on Thursday I got a large tiffin and had to throw away food. On Friday, I simply did not receive my tiffin, yet again.

Evaluation:
Spicebox.in has a lot of work to do not only with their customer service, but they need to improve whatever ordering system they have in place. When I got phone calls from them, I did not pick up as they came from unknown numbers, and upon searching them on Truecaller, there was no indication that they were related to Spicebox.in . Despite many emails to their customer service I got hardly one or two responses. If Spicebox plans to expand and collect quality customers they could do themselves some good by looking at the model of many American companies, who apologize for their mistakes, while Spicebox leaves their customers to fend for themselves. All in all, not a good experience, and while I have emailed them to try and cancel the remainder of my tiffin, I doubt they will agree to give me a refund, as that is what they have shown in the past.

Information:
Order via spicebox.in, payment can be done online or via Delhivery in which they come pick up the cash for a nominal fee; veg, non veg, and alternate tiffins are available; two sizes; the service is currently only available in Mumbai