Hola Madrid!

When I thought of travelling to Spain, the first thoughts that struck me were the popular party destinations like Ibiza or Marbella. No sooner than I could remember it was much much more than dancing my way of at the fanatical beach clubs and starting my days with a glass of champagne!

Madrid, my first stop; what could I say about this city that has never been said before? From its historic architecture to an array of night clubs and the best shopping experiences. Did you know Madrid has the biggest Primark in the world? And believe me I’m not exaggerating it is ecstatic.

The vivid architecture caught my eye everywhere I went. There’s something so earthy about the the architectural pattern of Madrid, be it the soft hues of warm colours of carefully carved pillars.

I spent my days visiting historic monuments and rooftops,

Shopping at the Gran Via,

Spending quality time in the El Retiro Park while sipping some chilled Sangria enjoying this view

(Hat, H&M. Sunglasses, sneakers; both Bershka. Bag, Stradivarius.)

And ending up in a tapas bar at the end of the night.

I think Madrid is the best place to live in Spain because of its fast (not so fast) paced life, amazing weather and you’ll be surprised how many people from around the world you’ll come across who’ve been living in Madrid since decades but they made you feel nothing else but welcomed to the beautiful city.

Cape Sounion

Cape Sounion is truly an amazing site you should definitely include in your holidays in Athens. Located 69 km south east of the city center and about 2 hours by bus or car. Noted as the site of the ancient ruins of the Temple of Poseidon. Situated 65m above the Aegean Sea, the original temple was built around 600 BC. The relics are rested on the cliff remained throughout time after thousands of years surrounded by the sea.

A unique combination where Ancient ruins meets the coastal beaches. The best time to see the temple is early in the morning, staying until sunset to see the magnificent hues of colors against the ruins.

Not far away from the temple, you can see some public beaches. This kind of beaches are not organized. As a consequence, you need to go prepared since there are no chairs and umbrellas. There are some local tavernas close by and cafes.

Another option of course is to spoil yourself and have an incredible summer vacay. An exceptional place to see while visiting Greece and most of us can come to understand why a temple dedicated to the god of the sea would be built at this location. 

Hummus is where the heart is....

Hummus, that creamy dip that hails from the Middle East, has a reputation as a clean, healthy food. It deserves it.

All the main ingredients are super foods in their own right. It's got chickpeas, sesame paste, garlic, and olive oil in most traditional versions. 

It's convenient to buy a plastic container of hummus at the store, but you’d be surprised at how easy it is to whip up at home. You'll save a few bucks and know exactly what's in your hummus.

Just combine 1 can of chickpeas, 1/4 cup tahini, garlic to taste (try 1-2 cloves), 2 tablespoons olive oil, and the juice of half a lemon in a food processor or blender, and whirl until smooth.

Tip: You can adjust the proportions of the ingredients to taste, depending on how strong you want the flavor to be and how thick you like your hummus. Start with less liquid than you think you might need. You can always add more as you blend it, but if you add too much, you've got a sauce, not a dip! You can garnish it with black olives and sprinkled red chilly powder! 

Reminiscing Bali...

You should not talk about heaven, if you haven't been to Bali. This, I remember specifically, as our cab driver named Jonny told us this as soon as we arrived in Bali.

And I must say at the end of my trip, I completely agreed with him! 

Bali, call it anything, land of Gods, surfers paradise, paradise of fruits, etc...etc... You're going to love every minute you're there. 

When it comes to food specifically, trying the Indonesian Java curry is a must! Also at beaches like Jimbaran, you can savour freshly grilled seafood (prawns and crab were my favourite) 

The enormous number of temples, people worshipping and celebrating their festivals, clearly shows us how well cultured the Balinese are! 

Balinese spas are flooded with amazing masseurs who have their unique massaging techniques to leave you relaxed and at bliss after any treatment. Finding a local spa treatment is not difficult, it can either be at your hotel, or the market area in Ubud or Seminyak. 

The Rock bar at Ayana resort is something I've never seen before. The waves clashing the glass walls of the bar while you enjoy your cocktail mesmerising the sunset, is truly worth it! 

An Indonesian high street brand from Jakarta named Gaudi caught my eye! Their collection is playful, quirky, chic and sohphisticated at the same time. Loud colors and huge prints are a complete no no with everything available at affordable prices. And that's what I loved about this place! 

So, if ever you get a chance to visit Bali, just grab it! You're just not going to regret it...

The rise of European high street!

Every time I travel, it's imperative that I shop! And when it comes to shopping, we, Indians look for brands which are not yet launched in India. 

Discovering new brands can be addictive yet informative. Last month when I was in a mall in Athens, looking for H&M, GAP, TopShop, Banana Republic, etc...etc.. were at the top of my list. But as I skimmed through the stores, I found these amazing outlets which were flooded with chic and stylish clothes and accessories. There are hundreds and hundreds of European high street brands which we are completely astray from! There was Stradivarius which I remember exceptionally! Every piece of apparel or accessory was so classy and affordable at the same time. It shouted European street style in a glamorous way. The tinted shades of brown, grey, white and beige which are almost impossible to find in India caught my eye!

- courtesy Muskkaan Jaferi. Bag: Stradivarius. iPhone cover: H&M. Scarf: Tally Weijl. 

Courtesy: iPhone cover and bag: Claire's. Sunglasses: Stradivarius. 

Other brands like Bershka, Tally Weigl, C&A and Chicorée shouldn't be missed too! So next time you're travelling through Europe don't forget to check out these brands! 

That's all for now....

Courtesy- Bag: H&M. Scarf: DKNY. 

Courtesy- Bag: Claire's. 

Nothing beats basil pesto with roasted tomatoes!

Who doesn't love pizza?! I've barely come across people who don't like pizzas. And if you're one of them, I really don't know what to say to you!

If you read below is the recipe of a simple pesto pizza! Hope you have fun making it too!

When it comes to making a pizza, there are a lot of things which are to be considered. The cheese, the crust and the sauce are the imperative ones.

Today I made a pizza with basil and mint pesto topped with roasted tomatoes and kalamata olives with garlic aioli. Cheated on the crust with freshly baked wheat pizza base from Theobroma. Using thin bases is always a better option. 

Firstly the sauce is a blend of basil leaves, mint leaves, few cloves of garlic, olive oil and some salt. You can add some Parmesan later if needed. 

Roasting tomatoes is the easiest. De seed some tomatoes, pour olive oil and sprinkle some salt and oregano on the top and roast them in the oven at 180 degrees for 10-15 mins. 

Once this is done. We need to pour the sauce on the base and then the tomatoes and olives and in the oven again until the crust is golden and crispy. 

It's amazing how easy it is to cook Italian food! Give me 30 mins and I can cook something utterly delicious. And the best part is that everyone loves Italian flavours! 

Buon appetito!

Do peel off masks actually work?

In skin care, the “peel off” breed of face masks. Promising to do everything from “reveal cleaner, revitalized, younger looking skin” to “gently peel away impurities,” the masks are increasingly popping up in major skin care brands. 

So, I tried this cucumber and aloe vera peel off mask by H&M. 

And the answer to whether is actually works? 

Kind of.

The peel-off technique is more of a marketing thing. It's more just the satisfaction that we get from peeling it off ourselves, we almost feel like we're peeling off the dead skin with it. It can have a little bit of a mild exfoliating effect, but I would say that the peeling isn’t really adding that much of a benefit. It is quite refreshing though and helps push away the fatigue. 

That's all for now!