The French Connection of a Desi Boutique Hotel (Featuring Scarlette)

If you haven't heard of the boutique homestay "Scarlette", located in Safdarjung Enclave, (New Delhi), well then it's time you take a tour of this charming place. 

A creative mix of all white walls, fresh white linen, a well curated collection of Indian vintage frames, furniture acquired from Rajasthan and a cozy fire place woven into the design and decor of this Kothi-esque place, gives it the Indo-French vibe! The B&B is run by Pauline Bijvoet, a business school graduate from France who came to India and fell head over heels in with what the country had to offer. Now juggling between working as a production agent for fashion brands and running Scarlette, she is here to stay.  

Scarlette has four rooms that you can choose from, each sporting a distinct personality. They have also widened their service net by acquiring two additional service apartments. Their cafe serves coffee, baked goodies and an indulgent breakfast to start the day off on the right note. Though the place targets budget travelers from France and other European destinations, the intimate yet casual ambiance makes it an ideal weekend getaway for local Delhiites. Their coffee shop with a relaxed vibe, is the perfect place to unwind with a favorite book. If you would rather enjoy lounging outdoors, their terrace seating area has some beautiful fuchsia bougainvilleas creating an exotic look with its overgrown branches. To see more of this charming place click here.

Image Copyright/Credit : Scartlette

New York City (Through My Lens) - Part 1

Back from our trip to the ultimate metropolis, "New York City" !!! With an inimitable dynamic pulse, this city never ceases to amaze me. 

Within an hour of being in NY, we were in sync with the city's beat and traced our path effortlessly, exploring perennial favorites of the tourists. Pounding the grid-like streets is the best way to take in the city's sights and sounds. But if you want an easy way out, the city is very well connected by a subway and you always have a yellow cab at your service.

If you have 3 days or more at your disposal, then I suggest that you plan your city tour on your own and delve into what the city has to offer at leisure.

The city's sky-scape boasts of architectural feats and I'm not surprised why. Cruising south down the Hudson, the scenic Midtown skyscrapers offer abundance of photography opportunities. For someone like me whose caught by the shutter bug, we took two different cruises, one by day and the other by night. But I must say the evening date with the city was what I enjoyed the most. We got to observe the city's skyscape against the melange of sunset hues and once the sun went down, the city looked resplendent in all it's night light.

Hungry and need to call it a day, head over to Little Italy - the best kept secret of NYC. Dining at Lombardi's and then walking across to Rice to Riches to enjoy the most delicious rice pudding is a perfect way to end the evening. (My personal favorite at Rice to Riches is the Man-made mascarpone flavor. With a light creamy taste and texture, the cherries add the perfect sweet tart contrast to the dish.) 

The city has pockets of green in the midst of the glass and granite canvas and the most famous of all is the Central Park. This 800 acres of lush green prime land, is a welcome escape to the city's residents and tourists alike. Another favorite of mine is Bryant Park. Take a breather and rest those tired feet and then get back into the grove to explore the hustle-bustle of the city.

Any opportunity that I have to revisit this city, I'm game........Circle back with me tomorrow for more captures (in monochromatic tones) of this wonderful city  that never sleeps..........

Images: Clicked by me. Please do not use without prior written permission. 

Images are the property of Sruthi Singh and subject to copyright.

A Dreamy Weekend.......

I love a vacation for the simple reason that "Time" does not get to play, "Dictator". I have an opportunity to simmer down and escape the ho-hum of the daily grind. My weekend getaway to Deep Creek Lake (situated in Garrett County of Maryland and a 31/2 hrs drive from Virginia) was just that:) 

View from our Deck

I loved everything about this trip : we got to spend some quality family time together, made new bonds and connections with the wonderful friends that we planned the vacation with, the sweeping mountain views were breathtaking and the weather, Oh so awesome !!! 

Perched on a hill top, the Mountain lake villa (from Taylor made vacation homes) was the perfect choice for our stay. With stunning views Deep Creek is a popular destination all year round. Fed by the Youghiogheny River, the lake offers an abundant choice of water sports. If your not a water person, then take delight in the long walks on some wonderful  trails along the waterfront or hike the gorgeous mountain trails. 

If your an outdoor person, then Wisp Resort is the place for you. An entire day can be spent here. Wisp is a 4 season resort and is sought after during the winter months too as they offer adventure sports like  cross country skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and more. The must do is the Mountain coaster which is a hybrid coaster car going 3,500 feet downhill over 350 vertical feet on the eastern side of Wisp Mountain. Another favorite is the scenic chairlift ride. On reaching the top this magnificent view greets you !!!

Looking to spend a quiet afternoon by the water, the Swimming beach at Deep Creek Lake State Park is a wonderful place to unwind. With a beach blanket and a picnic lunch, the little ones can have their share of the fun in the shallow waters (it's wonderful that a life guard's there to watch over you:)

We had a great kitchen at our disposal and with some talented cooks in the group and every single one of us pitching in to help, we had our feast ready in no time. This was one situation where too many cooks didn't spoil the broth ;) When the sun came down, the red wine and cocktails came out !!! Once dinner was over and little ones were tucked in bed, the grown ups sat down for some heart to heart conversations and danced the night away to some soulful music........

A snapshot of a memorable evening 

I hope you enjoyed the captures through my lens and the post was resourceful in planning your own summer getaway !!!

And finally a picture of the wonderful bouquet of Wild Flowers that my  son picked up for me :)

You have a wonderful day !!!

Images: Clicked by me. Please do not use without prior written permission.
Images are the property of Sruthi Singh and subject to copyright.

Tanzania beaches - a true paradise

Talk about the Monday morning blues and the start of a routine week ahead. Mine was a hectic weekend. I don't feel rested and am already looking forward to the next weekend in the hopes that it would be more relaxing.

Well, for now I have these dreamy and wonderful get-a-ways to look at and go ohhhh and ahhhhhh over it.  

Kilindi is a 15 unit pavilion recently completed along the unblemished stretch of Northern Zanzibar. Kilindi has an allure and charm that draws you to it's white-bright sand, cascading rain-water pools, lush tropical gardens and domed private spaces of leisure.  One look at the pictures below and you want to be transported to this haven almost instantaneously. To check out more, here's the link. 

Next we have the Vamiza Islands. It's the surrounding Islands, beyond Tanzania - situated on the Vamizi seas. Bathed in sunshine and breeze, the sandy white beaches and tropical flora and fauna inhabiting this space make it one of the most sought after island retreats. If you want to revel in the glory of these beaches the Vamizi Island Lodge is ideal with it's thirteen impossibly romantic timber villas strung loosely along one of the world's most beautiful beaches. If you are one of those undaunted travelers in search of an  exclusive island escape this is your go to place. Here's the link , to check out more.

Now, let's get back to reality and take the bull by it's horns, shall we????. Stay tuned for more on "If  I could I would (Featured Shop)" coming up tomorrow. Until then take care and Adios:)

Images:  1-3 Via, 4-6 Via

Cozumel, Mexico

Every opportunity that life hurls at me to slow down and enjoy some precious moments with my family and friends, I seize it with both hands. Our family vacation was just that and more. We took the cruise and traveled to Cozumel (Mexico), Belize city (Belize), Island Of Roatan (Honduras) and Grand Cayman. Every island had so much to offer......... the sandy white beaches, the endless blue horizon, waves making a new pattern, time and again that could not be replicated and the islands local flavors and vibes. Not to mention the wonderful company we had, as we were a group of 16.

Travelling to the enchanting island of Cozumel(the largest island in the Mexican Caribbean) was only the tip of the iceberg. Friendly people, great food and pristine waters was indulgence for all the senses. The name Cozumel was derived from the Mayan word "Cuzamil-Pectin" or "Land of the Swallows" as legend has it, the Mayan Goddess Ixchel thanked the women for dedicating temples here to her by sending her favorite bird as a sign of gratitude. 

Once on the island, a little haggling with a local tour guide and we were on our way to the archaeological site, San Gervasio. History of these Mayan ruins dates back to 100 BC and continuing as late as the 16th century. Armed with sunscreen, bug spray (is a must) and my lens we were off on our long trek through the fertile jungle heading towards the religious ruins dedicated to the Maya Goddess  Ixchel["what translates to "She of the Rainbows"- deity of fertility and love].  San Gervasio served as a sacred site where Pre-Columbian Maya women would make a pilgrimage at least once in their life time to make offerings. It is overwhelming to see something so ancient existing for us to observe to this date.

At the end of the trek this wonderful sight awaits you.

Having explored the ruins, we could not contain the kids excitement for the beach. So our next stop was at Club Cozumel Caribe. It's great to hire a local tour guide as they can lead you to the hidden treasures that may go unnoticed despite the hours of research prior to travel. Inviting blue waters, restaurant at your service and a place to shower after you have soaked in the salty water and have sand kissed body always helps. This is where we spent the bulk of our time. This place offers snorkeling too. So while the husbands and others who wanted to try snorkeling were gone, the kids were kept busy playing in the water and making sand castles. I managed to sneak in a cat nap for myself under the shade of the coconut lined trees. Stopping and devouring moments like these is what makes up for a good vacation.

After showering up, we were hungry and could eat a horse. So out came the Mexican fare - quesadilla, nachos and fajitas. We eat Mexican food here in the US all the time, but having authentic Mexican food in Mexico is something else. With bellies full, we were off to steep ourselves in the local ambiance and shopping that the place had to offer. The pictures will be  doing the talking from here on.

I can't get past the clear blue waters dotted randomly with boats, the roads lined with coconut trees, the feeling of sand under your barefeet and the gentle waves as they crash against the shore making the most soothing sound that I have heard in a long long time.

And language is not a barrier when travelling, that's for sure. All you need are warm people who welcome you with a hospitality that cannot be forgotten. And that is exactly what we got.

High light of the trip: me being able to put my feet up and immerse myself in the ocean sounds and smells..............the laughter and chuckle of the kids as they splashed around in the salty waters......... holding hands and walking with my husband along the beach as the wind tangled my hair to a wonderful mess. 

As difficult as it made it for me to leave this island, the only consolation was that I had three more islands waiting for me to put my feet up again and experience nature and create memories to last a life time.

Hope you'll enjoyed your tour of Cozumel with me. Sharing these with you'll, only made me relive all those wonderful moments.

Take care and have a wonderful week.

Images:Clicked by me. Please do not use without prior written permission.

Images are the property of Sruthi Singh and subject to copyright.