A Thailand trip is incomplete without a visit to Bangkok. Hence, post our incredible time in Phuket and Krabi, our journey through Thailand led us to the bustling city of Bangkok. Our abode in the vibrant city had to be extra special and hence we chose Montien Surawong Hotel. Nestled in the heart of Silom, Bangkok’s most vibrant and exciting district, it is close to all the major tourist attractions, including the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, and the Jim Thompson House. After all, sightseeing and shopping in Bangkok has its own charm.
With the festive season approaching, there’s no better time than now to invest in celebration-appropriate menswear. When scouting for the perfect outfit, it is important to look for something that not only complements the occasion but also resonates with your personal style. Finding an ensemble that seamlessly harmonises the festive spirit with contemporary allure is key to making a lasting impression during this joyous season.
Krabi is no less than a wonderland and we wanted a suitable abode for us. Hence, me and my family chose Centara Ao Nang Beach Resort & Spa Krabi for our stay. The drive from Phuket to Krabi was smooth, all thanks to Lark Holidays from whom we booked our travel (Not only intercity but in city too). Lark Holidays is the most reliable travel operator at Thailand. The drivers arrive on time, cabs are clean and the drivers are well informed.
Our first International trip post Covid had to be special. Afterall we waited for 3 long years to go overseas. We chose to go to Thailand, a destination which I did explore a few years back and absolutely loved it. So why not relive the nostalgia!
Considering how special our trip was, our abode had to be even more special. That’s why we chose Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa, it’s not a hotel or a resort, it’s the quintessential idyllic island retreat. This 5-star Marriott Bonvoy beachfront lifestyle resort comes with unique design, inspired by nature which offer guests a chance to explore Phuket from a new perspective through spontaneous discovery.
It was hard to resist travelling over the last 8 months. Finally, we thought of taking the plunge, packed our bags, picked the car keys and headed to Agra for a royal stay at ITC Mughal.
This time our trip was extra special as it was our first trip post lockdown after a gap of 8-9 months. The old and heritage city Agra known as the ‘city of Love’ not only has the marvelous Taj Mahal but also has the splendid ITC Mughal. ITC’s luxury collection hotel is situated in close proximity to Taj Mahal and is a tribute to the Mughal builders of the past as this hotel is historic and is inspired by the heritage Mughal monuments like Fatehpur Sikri and Agra Fort.
I love the vivid culture India has where one gets to learn about different religions as well as their festivities. I have enjoyed the splendour of Christmas as much as I enjoy Diwali so when I got an invitation for a Ramadan Food Walk from Novotel Hyderabad Airport we could not say ‘NO’. After a 2 hour flight we landed in Hyderabad, the City of Nizams from where in a few minutes we entered the plush and beautiful hotel. A look around and I was captivated with the serene surroundings filled with greenery and nature.
Sakul Intakul, Thailand’s baron of the blossom contributes beauty and life to “The Spring”, the season of joy. To celebrate this, The Park Hotels and The Museum of Floral Culture, Bangkok launched Sakul Intakul’s magnificent new book “Grand Celebrations: Extraordinary Floral Designs for Weddings and Events”. The book celebrates the beauty of life through the delicacy of colourful petals.
What if we tell you with just one card, you can book tables over 150 top 5-star restaurants across Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata & Bangalore? You don’t believe us? Wait till you get a card called Dineout Plus, India’s largest premium dining programme . It is India’s first invite-only luxury dining programme that promises a Flat 25% off on the total bill at over 150 restaurants.
“Badi gazab ki bhook lagi…Maggi chaiye mujhe abhi” is what we have been singing our entire childhood…and Maggi is one thing that has been common from childhood till now and that’s also been with us through our ups and downs. From the late night Maggi which we have had during our exam time to the times when Maggi was our ultimate saviour from the hara bhara khana that our mom wanted us to have or the Hill Station waali Maggi., We all have special memories associated with Maggi. A few months back, we went through a dreadful time when Maggi was banned…obviously none of us believed in the reports and prayed and prayed for our favorite food item to be back. And God did listen to our prayers and sent us our Maggi back!! 😀
I don’t think there could be a better tribute to Maggi than a Maggi food festival. So we excitedly waited for Feb 28, 2016 to take a ride to Nehru Park, Chanakyapuri where the first edition of Maggi Festival was taking place. The festival was not only about Maggi noodles but Maggi in various forms or combinations. Didn’t understand? Maggi Shawarma, Maggi Lasagna, Maggi Donut, Seekh Kabab Maggi, Maggi Popcorn, Maggi Momos, Butter Chicken Maggi, Vodka Maggi, Vada Pav Maggi, Paneer Tikka Maggi, Poha Maggi, Salami Maggi Cakes, Baked Cheese Maggi, Maggi Dosa and a lot more! Yes, that’s what we saw at the festival organised by Delhi based hyper-local startup GoBuzzinga and supported by Delhi Food Walks.
The fbb Femina Miss India Delhi 2016 pageant wrapped up with infinite oomph and glamour at The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel on February 27. India’s most prestigious and credible beauty pageant gives the winner of Delhi a lifetime opportunity to get a direct entry to the Grand Finale of fbb Femina Miss India 2016.
Priyadarshini Chatterjee of Guwahati won the fbb Femina Miss India Delhi 2016 title. On her way to winning the coveted title, Priyadarshini also bagged the sub-titles of Prayag Miss Photogenic, Mobstar Miss Entertainment and fbb Miss Talented. While Natasha Singh was declared as the 1st runner up and the title for 2nd runner up of fbb Femina Miss India Delhi 2016 went to Rinki Ghildiyal.
For us Indians, chai is a ritual followed not only in the morning but evening as well. Though we have hundreds of street vendors across the city for chai but it is quite difficult to find a perfect cuppa in the premium spaces. So when Team ChicLifeByte got to know about Mister Chai at Shangri La’s – Eros Hotel, New Delhi, we were quite excited. The Café is perfectly located and the branding was visible on one of the pillars as we entered the hotel. Lively, well lit, open café with grey and light green couches made for comfortable and pleasant seating.
Conceptualized by the renowned Dubai based interior design company Stickman Designs, Mister Chai is an intimate and relaxed space with a seating capacity of up to 50 guests and enclosed by a beautifully detailed brass balustrade, with each bookend creating a unique design detail. Placed to the left is the full height, gold-leaf-etched timber Tibetan prayer wheels and to the right is an intricate screen of planter boxes in colour contrast of black, red, green and brown interestingly called “Wall of Chai”. This quaint and exquisite element ensures that guests enjoy privacy from the main lobby.
Bevelled antique mirror walls add depth and open up this subtle space. Brass shelving is suspended delicately from the ceiling, displaying the unique varieties on offer. We were impressed by the fact that each feature adds its own distinctive character to create the perfect ambience for guests to relax and savour the delicacies on offer.
We all know that there are limited options when it comes to Pizzas. What if I tell you there’s something new in the pizza space to try out! Rich with authentic Italian flavours and variety of options both in veg and non veg. We were excited to know about this place when we received an invite from them. With the launch of PizzAah! – Mumbai’s latest pizza chain, not only can diners satiate their taste buds in wood-fired and smoked flavours but also, can have them delivered at their doorstep.We thought what better than Valentine Day’s eve to soothe our taste buds!
PizzAah has been launched at Cafe Lager, Bandra West. The cafe is where the famous “Zenzi” Bar used to be. The place has got that rustic feel to it with lovely interiors and rhythmic music running in the background. People who have been to Zenzi however might miss the old charm sans the celebrities off course. As of now this is the only place available with the dining option. Encouraged with an overwhelming response at Bandra, PizzAah has started with a Dark kitchen in Andheri East.
Located nearby Rajendra Place metro station, this pocket-friendly restaurant cum pub called Lanterns Kitchen & Bar is a must visit if you are around. Owned by brothers Jasneet and Suneet Sahni, the restaurant inspired from Irish concept serves delicious Indian, Oriental, Mexican, European and fusion food.
The interiors are vibrant & emit positive energy with relaxed seating & a focus on music which is evident from their frequent live performances by well-known artists every now & then. The place is huge and looks dainty with painted graffiti on walls. In the evening it looks magical with lights. It has a distinctive styled bar & also a terrace garden. The serving dishes are specifically designed to add a surprise element.
Asian Hawkers Market was one food festival Team ChicLifeByte was looking forward to. Afterall, it did make quite a buzz during the last edition. Who can miss the scintillating Pan Asian culinary journey celebrating Asian cuisines and culture from the Far East to South-East Asia. This three-day food festival saw the best of five-star and standalone restaurants come together to present the cuisines of Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam (I just got the visa to Vietnam, by the way, so should soon go explore it myself).
There was a lot of buzz for restaurants like Pa PaYa of Mumbai, promoted by multi-award-winning restaurateur Zorawar Kalra, presenting its critically acclaimed dishes for the first time in Delhi. Also in the thick of the action was Delhi-NCR’s newest Asian restaurants – Honk at Pullman-Novotel, New Delhi Aerocity, and The Bento Café from Ashish Kapur, creator of The Wine Company, dimsumbros and Yo China, showcasing their products for the first time at a food festival. And Vidur Kanodia of Shiv Sagar fame was to test-market his forthcoming brand, Hawkers Chowk, and its unique range of Sichuan dosas, Chinese bhel and chilli idlis.
In a small market of Sector 22, Gurgaon, climbing up a flight of stairs we enter this small and cozy eatery of the most preferred American comfort food, Pizza, CRUSTY GOURMET PIZZA & MORE. Standing by their name, they do have a lot to offer. Around 30 people seating capacity, the outlet has indigo and wood combination interiors with a visible kitchen and a small cornered counter area. One entire wall of the restaurant has a beautifully hand-done art piece of the Roman Colosseum.
The funky and handsome looking owner and promoter of the place, Rohit Narang, prefer attending his customers personally and suggesting them what to order, understanding their taste buds in a quick 5 minute conversation. Quite a well travelled man, he has tried putting his experiences and knowledge of taste palates across his journeys in his menu, and the chef supports him in his endeavors. Rohit very proudly says “we didn’t invent pizza, we just set out to perfect it” and stands by his words on that. I haven’t seen such a variety in a single menu elsewhere.
The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel has recreated the magic of Punjabi food and culture as Dilli 32, the Indian Cuisine restaurant takes you on a delightful culinary journey with ‘Amritsar on a platter’ through the Grand Trunk Road.
As I made my way to the hotel, to my surprise, the outdoor area was done in an array of bright phulkari colours, the colours of the true love & Punjab with Chef Rohit Tokhi and the main surprise planner Chef Ashwani Kumar Singh present overlooking & setting everything at the fest right & perfect.