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The Tastes of Telangana…
“You must come and try Telangana cuisine.” A friend from Hyderabad sent out a vague invitation to me knowing my love for food and new cuisines. The invitation led me to ponder over my ignorance about the cuisine from the recently born state of India. There isn’t much dialogue about it, after all. Of course, culinary distinctions have always existed between Andhra and Telangana cuisine but a brand new identity calls for distinct bifurcation. Curious about the cuisine, BlueSkyDreamers (BSD) got in touch with Chef MV Naidu, Executive Sous Chef at Hyderabad Marriott Hotel & Convention Centre & Courtyard by Marriott Hyderabad who promised to tell us all about Telangana cuisine. BSD: Chef, we have heard so little…
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Take a Poetic Trip to Fratelli Vineyards
To be amazed by innumerable stars on a dark night To be amused by the setting sun bathing in orange light To be vowed, thrilled, enthused…and then hushed To forget all the madness, chaos and exasperating rush To stare outside the window and gather thoughts But not write a word, just untangle the knots To be silenced, to be hushed, To be vowed and be here & now… It takes wisdom of a lifetime, But sometimes… Just a glass of wine. A good poem reveals nuances each time you read it, just like good wine that opens up slowly and gradually. While the above lines (which I wrote sitting by the windowpane in the…
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Offbeat Luxury Honeymoon Destinations from India
A couple of soon-to-get-married friends have been asking for recommendations for offbeat destinations for their romantic vacation, so we thought of putting a post about it. Of these, I haven’t been to Kenya yet but it looks like a gorgeous place for honeymoon! SWEDEN: A Scandinavian nation of thousands of coastal islands, inland lakes, forests and mountains, Sweden has a landscape that is truly romantic. The coastal cities of Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö are not just gorgeous but are also full of gastronomic adventures and cultural experiences to make your trip memorable. There’s plenty for the couples seeking adrenaline rush: hiking, downhill and cross country skiing, fishing, canoeing and river…
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The Girl with a Jumbo Passion: Prajna Chowta
No matter how well trained you are, an elephant ride is always a matter of holding on to dear life. As the sturdy giant ambles along, one senses how frail and meaningless our existence can be. If not for the difficult choices we make, dull monotony can quickly set in. That is the lesson one takes away from Prajna Chowta, one of the very few women mahouts in the world. I had the fortune of interviewing this elephant girl a couple of years ago. I chanced upon the article I had written for Atelier Diva magazine and thought of sharing her inspiring story with the readers of Blue Sky Dreamers. Meet…
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Baby’s Day Out in Delhi: No Child’s Play!
Where are baby-friendly places in Delhi? New mom Bushra Bhushan raises the question & makes some valid points in a guest post on the blog. Restaurants equipped with high chairs, pram-friendly ramps, preferential parking… If you want all these and more to enjoy a weekend out with your little one, then maybe you just need to fly out of the country! Sad. This society is alien to many such necessities. Either the best of the places won’t have a high chair, or, if they do, they won’t be worthy of seating your little angels in. I have a few specifics. My husband and I love the Chettinad cuisine at Swagath…
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‘For the Love of Travel’: Bushra, Kartik & Little Kyra
Less than eight months old, and she had already been on two road trips and eight flights. Kyra is certainly one of the most travelled infants! Making ‘travelling with a baby’ sound effortless, her parents Bushra Bhushan and Kartik Malhotra are true travel enthusiasts. Even as they pack their bags for the next trip, BlueSkyDreamers (BSD) caught up with them for the second interview in the series ‘For the Love of Travel’. Read about their exciting journeys before Kyra, and practical tips for travelling with a baby. BSD: Let’s begin with your story. How did you and Kartik meet? Was travel always a common interest or did one pass…
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‘For The Love of Travel’: Sandeep & Smita Sahajpal
“There are no bad trips…just experiences which eventually make memories that you look back upon and smile at.” – Sandeep & Smita Sahajpal When they got married in 1984, travel wasn’t as ‘fashionable’ as it is today. In love with each other and with the idea of travelling, both dreamt of seeing the world together. Living the dream for over 30 years now, both are on an ongoing journey of creating memories and cherishing life’s every twist and turn! Meet Sandeep & Smita Sahajal – our inspiration behind this series “For the Love of Travel”! [As mentioned earlier, this series is dedicated to featuring travel enthusiasts who have captivating…
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Announcing the “For the Love of Travel” Series
Travel. The word means different things to different people. Some travel as tourists collecting pictures/selfies in front of famous sights. Some love exploring places no guide books talk about. Some love the indulgence of business class and luxury hotels while some find gratification only on budget trips. Then there are some of us who travel purely for the love of travel. Like Robert Louis Stevenson, they romanticize with the idea of “movement” from one place to another. There life moves from one trip to another. Whatever be the purpose and idea of travel to us, all of us come back as storytellers. We have funny travel stories, horrible incidents, awe-inspiring…