Mandi Farm

A couple of relaxing days at Mandi Farm ... and only about 30 minutes from home!! This place is on the outskirts of Delhi on the Gurgaon side. Amazing! We were very spoilt and pampered all of Independence Day weekend.

This is a farm converted to a B&B. It has everything anyone could want or need for a short get-away.

BYOB - sure, no problem! A bit of Indian sparkling upon arrival :-)

Here's to a lovely weekend!

All meals were served in this fantastic environment - a mix of imperial, Asian and modern.

Football, badminton, board games ...

... and lots of playing in the pool.

Paula made an amazing football cake in Maia's favourite colour for her belated birthday party. We all had blue tongues and lips ... not sure what the food colouring contained ... it was however delicious.

 Not 2, ELEVEN ;-)

Our hosts, Paula and Howard, are both chefs (and have many many other talents). 

Howard even held a short but sweet "workshop" about how to cook shellfish.

Some more food pics - can't resist, it was all soooo good, and all non-Indian.

Howard's home made Fois Gras

Don't get me wrong, I love Indian food, however, every now and then it is nice to have a proper Sunday lunch with the works (well, almost), a Mexican breakfast, and a seafood paella. Don't you agree?

 Paella

And Paula's incredible desserts ...

Maia requested chocolate fountain for her birthday, so, in addition to all the other desserts, we had ... well, one more!

Thanks all for a wonderful weekend. We will be back :-)

Shahpur Jat and Hauz Khas with friends

 "I hope you brought your ball dress", somebody asked me as we had just arrived in India. Well, I seem to have forgotten it in Germany ... or maybe forgotten to ever buy one!
Autumn is the time for balls at the high commission and embassies in Delhi apparently. What do I know about ball dresses? Absolutely NOTHING - you know the song ...

So, off to Delhi and a tour around the many shops in Shahpur Jat ...

 

... with a couple of friends who know about these things :-)

 Lots of winding little alleys

 Sometimes we wondered if we were really going in the right direction!

 You can find shops both with Indian style and Western style dresses.

 Maybe a bracelet to go with it? Here comes a whole wagon full.

Yes, it was a hot day, so the guy is right to cover his head.

 Some vitamins to replenish your system

 These young men are dyeing fabrics. When they are done, they simply pour the water down the drain ...

 It was lunch time and the "restaurants" were busy.

It does actually look and smell delicious. I wish we could eat Indian street food, but everybody says not to. Well, if we stay in India long enough maybe one day ...

We got hungry as well and found 'Le Parisienne', a clothes shop cum café with very delicious quiche (and clean toilets ;-) ) - perfect for us.

 They knew we were coming and had decorated the place especially!

No, not really ... the birthday party walked in just as we left :-)

I am not sure exactly what these guys were up to, but I think we are dealing with some sort of construction, and probably not of smart phones.

 The search resulted in the order of one gorgeous ball dress. This is the shop where I finally found and ordered a dress.  Yes, I know, it does not look like a fancy fancy dress shop, but believe you me, they had the most fantastic dresses. I had to wait a week to pick it up - that is how long it would take to make it ... by hand ... wow!

They had quite a few dresses on display in the shop - if one fits you can try it on. If not, they just take your measurements and make that model in your size. I was lucky - the one I fell for did (very nearly) fit, just a little on the tight side around the torso ... Have you ever walked around outside in 37 degrees and then tried a ball dress on? Then you know how difficult it is to get into it - let alone getting out of it again!!! After a while in that tiny, hot dressing room I was almost in panic and had to ask for help :-)

On the way out of the Shahpur Jat quarter, Trish treated us to some typical Indian sweets. What they are called, you ask? कैंडी केक  or something similar.

 

Have a lovely day!