Lifestyle – Page 2 – Dumbbells and Drama

Lifestyle

A Taste of Chocolate Paradise: Le Flamington, Pune

I can safely assume that Pune has a coffee shop at almost every corner. Seeing how much the city adores the beverage, the entry of gourmet coffee came as no surprise (at least not to me) What I was worried about was the reaction of this price sensitive market that has grown to love deals and budget entertainment options. So was I right? From the little bit of knowledge I’ve gathered after speaking with owners and managers of gourmet coffee stores, I realised people were not too comfortable shelling out those big bucks every now and then. They do have a set of loyalists, mostly the early adapters who’ve stuck around, and the market is definitely growing, albeit at a slow pace. Why am I talking about coffee when my headline clearly says chocolate? I wanted to share with you the context of the conversation I had with Taha Khan, owner…

Lifestyle

Mocha Is Back In A Brand New Avatar & We Love It!

Once upon a time Mocha, with it’s quirky walls, dim lit interiors and sheesha (and those Oreo Shakes) was a popular haunt for youth in Pune. You can only imagine how sad it made us to see one of our beloved cafes shutting shop. Four years later, on 5 May 2017, Mocha gave Pune a reason to celebrate once again as it opened its doors to public in a completely new avatar. The menu and ambiance might be completely different (definitely not what the old Mocha was like) but that never stopped Puneites from celebrating the comeback of this brand. Has it lived up to it’s expectations? Let’s find out: Ambiance There are no dark purple or deep pink walls anymore. Everything is brightly lit, modern, sleek and super stylish. The seating indoors is spacious and well ventilated. The outer area comes as a pleasant surprise with its swings, pebbles,…

Lifestyle

DimSum Affair At Baan Tao, Hyatt

The baby sister has been a huge fan of momos all her life (I fail to get the obsession, I mean steamed white flour dumplings stuffed with vegetables/meat served with sauce fail to get me as excited as say a butter chicken would, you know what I mean?) But well, when Baan Tao at Hyatt Pune reached out to me for a Momo Festival, I decided to take the baby sister out on a momo date to have the night of her life. I’ve always considered momos as snack food, and now in hindsight I think we should have gone a little more prepared (read hungry) for the festival. Don’t get me wrong here, it all went good. But eating 20 momos is not as easy as it sounds, a fact that we realized that night as we enjoyed a delicious dumpling dinner, not in the mood to miss out…

Lifestyle

Hey Pune, Zora Has GOT TO Be Your Next Dining Destination

It’s been a long time since I fell for food the way a naïve young lady falls for her tall, dark, handsome knight in shining armour in all those romance novels. I remember it like it was just yesterday; my eyes lit up as I saw the exotic curried mixture of spices and herbs glistening in the candle light as the serving platter made its way towards me, the voluptuous bubble filled buttermilk waffles made my heart race, and one bite of this gorgeous creation had me smiling, with silent tears of joy rolling down my cheeks ( I’ve got alibi, in case you wish to confirm this) “It’s a perfect first date / anniversary place” “I love the music” “Woah, this place is huge!” were things you could hear us saying before the Masala Whiskey and Blue-Red Wine Mojito were served to us. These magical concoctions had us quiet…

Lifestyle

The Little Next Door Is A Good Idea For Some Weekend Debauchery

Had a rough week and looking out for a place to get wasted because….weekend? I’m pretty certain you know what I’m talking about. Unfortunately this comes at a price, and this price gets too much to handle, especially at the end of the month. We only have a handful of bars and pubs serving booze and food at an affordable rate, and while this might work in our favour, the crowd spoils the vibe. Or we might love the crowd but the prices seem way OTT. I’m sure you know what I mean. So where does one go? I think I might have a solution for you. Head over to The Little Next Door on a Friday night and knock yourselves out with unlimited beer/sangria and barbecue starters….only for 850 bucks! I went over last weekend, and here is what my night looked like – If there’s one thing I need to…

Fitness

Arogya Spa : Hyatt Regency Pune

Massages are under-rated. After all that working out, your body NEEDS a massage, a fact that people tend to equate to a luxurious life only. How you get the massage is completely up to you, but make sure you do. Why? Read carefully. Did you know massages can help you workout better too? Before you think it’s all just a waste of money, here’s a little something about massages and spas that might interest you.- A massage helps loosen up your muscles after an intense workout, which allows you to recover from the impact better and faster than you normally would. It improves blood circulation and helps soothe sore muscles. A massage helps you stay flexible. Massage therapy promotes improved sleep patterns. A massage stimulates the lymphatic system Deep tissue massages are great stress-relievers for muscle tension and cramps These are just some of the benefits of a good spa.…

Fitness

5 Ways To Eat Smart With Gaia Good Health

Well, I’ve been trying to eat healthy. While I do work out almost every day (30 minutes a day)I am keeping a strict check on what I consume. Being a total foodie I’ve found it extremely to control my cravings for carbs and sugar. Over the years I’ve learnt how to set aside 1 day a month for pizza, 1 cheat meal a week and I also time my snacks as per my workout (eg : sugar is digested till 2 hours after a workout, proteins are great for post-workout, etc etc) Plus you know how they say it’s 40% gym and 60% diet? Yeah, so that’s true. Avoid junk for a week and you’ll see the difference in your body. In this post I’m going to share a few examples of what I eat, and hopefully I’ll be able to inspire some of you to make healthy lifestyle changes.…

Lifestyle

212 All Day Cafe & Bar – My Take On The Healthy Menu

Y’all know how I’ve been trying to eat healthy and seriously concentrate on getting some definition for my summer body (those of you who don’t know what I am talking about, why aren’t you following me o IG/Twitter/SC? ID- @dumbbellsndrama. Hitting that follow button now would be a great idea) It is difficult for a dessert and food lover like me to be logical about what I eat (I OD’ed on some ice cream yesterday, but that was well timed too cos I ended up loading after a workout, so muscle building :)) Anyhoo, I honestly don’t expect myself to start getting excited about chia seeds and kale, but I know I’ve come a long way since those pizza and whiskey loaded nights. I take time to decide what healthy things on the menu can be ordered, and even on cheat days I don’t go all out (wheat base pizza,…

Lifestyle

Vh1 Supersonic,Pune

Over three straight days with temperatures flirting around 35 degrees,VH1 Supersonic gave their sweaty fans the chance to dance themselves clean. Vh1 Supersonic this year was blessed with beautiful summer days; it was 3 days of the sun shining brightly in a clear blue sky, 3 green lawns packed with festival goers, interactive exhibits, a brew garden for thirst quenchers and great music. Laxmi Lawns was one big carnival last weekend as the festival attenders danced, lounged around, ate and drank over 3 days. Merchandise stalls, LED see-saws, swings, jenga blocks and art installations completed this happy picture. One of the highlights of this festival was the payment system- no chaos over money, you could simply load your microchip with the desired amount & swipe it at the bar & food counters. This cashless payment system was executed flawlessly. Larger Than Life The Gionee Stage was dedicated to drum &…

Lifestyle

Oriental Fine Dining : Baan Tao, Hyatt Pune

Fine dining is not unique to Pune. In fact it’s easy to walk into a fine dining establishment at almost any locality now. Be it grand hotels with intimidating décor or romantic spots hidden away from the buzzing city life, the opportunities to devour a gourmet dish are aplenty. One of the names that comes up while we think of fine dining is Baan Tao in Hyatt Pune. Baan Tao, a fine dining restaurant serving oriental cuisine whips up some of the most delectable prawns in the city. Inspired by the fresh produce of Japan, China & the Orient, you’ll love the authentic menu of traditional dimsums and sea food soups that this place has to offer. Baan Tao is set in the plush Hyatt Pune, located in one of the most luxurious localities in town. The restaurant sits on the second floor of the property and creates a modern, luxurious and…