A design of the history of design

You've probably figured by now, how obsessed with interior design we are, over here at Crave / Create. So here's a fun look at a whirlwind history of interior design, all neatly compiled into a beautiful timeline by Jame from Cheap Conservatories - A conservatory price comparison service.
It's a beautiful trip through the ages and around the world, right from your desk.

Penang Asam Laksa - Firebreathers anonymous

I first fell in love with Laksa before I'd even tasted it, when I saw Rick Stein make his Kuala Lumpur Chicken and Prawn Curry Laksa on Masterchef Australia. I'd tried recreating it then, but I ended up with some stale noodles, and well, apart from a great tasting curry, as a dish I had a culinary disaster in my hands. I finally mustered up the courage to try it again, this time thought, using a completely different recipe, and the results too, were very very different. Red hot different. 

Penang Asam Laksa - Fire in a bowl

 

Penang Asam Laksa Recipe with a twist
serves 8

Ingredients
1 kg pre-cooked egg noodles

Ground spice paste:
15 fresh red chilies and 10 dried red chilies
10 white onions
6 cloves garlic
1 inch of galangal
1 tsp turmeric
2 stalks lemongrass, minced (use the white part only)

For cooking fish:
1 litre fish stock
3 stalks lemongrass, lightly smashed (white part only)
3 inches of galangal, halved
2 filets of Sea Basa (chopped into pieces)
1/3 cup tamarind juice (mix tamarind in hot water for five minutes before squeezing it to obtain the juice)
10 mint leaves
3 tbsp palm sugar
2 tbsp fish sauce

250 ml coconut milk

Salt to taste

Garnishing
Chinese lettuce, sliced

Handful of bean sprouts
2 red onions, thinly sliced
Handful of mint leaves
3 red chilies, thinly sliced

Process:
Blend spice paste ingredients till smooth.
Heat a pot of fish stock and add lemongrass, galangal, tamarind water, mint, fish sauce. Bring to a boil and then add fish. Boil on medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until the fish is cooked.
Add the spice paste.
When it reaches a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes. While simmering, add salt, coconut milk and sugar to balance the spiciness and sourness for your taste.
Rinse noodles in cold water and strain. Place one serving of beansprouts, Chinese lettuce and noodles into a bowl, and pour soup with fish over the top.
Top with red onions, red chilies and mint leaves, and prepare to breathe fire!

The Gateway at Ambad, Nashik - A gateway to another time.

We visited Nashik for an extended weekend as a belated birthday celebration for my husband. The idea was to do something relaxed, yet a little different from the usual beach-bumming in sweltering Goa. With a luxurious yet affordable Taj property, the much talked about and way overdue attraction- the Sula vineyards, and all of this just over 3 hours away on a lovely open road. It sounded like the perfect weekend getaway.

But manage to surprise us it did; with an experience that surpassed all our expectations. The drive was lovely, especially the winding roads through the hills near Igatpuri and Orange city. We ended up arriving in Nashik at 12pm. 2 whole hours before check-in time at the Gateway Hotel at Ambad.
Large and intricate iron gates open into an endless driveway that slopes gracefully past royal looking gardens and tennis courts, to end in a small but elegant porch, where efficient valet and bellboys quickly helped us and our luggage to the reception.

While driving into Nashik, the courteous reception staff on the other end of the phone had enthusiastically informed us that our room would indeed be ready by the time we entered the lobby. And ready it was, an early check in with a free room upgrade and a quick whisper from the receptionist checking when I would like them to deliver my husband's birthday cake to the room. 

(It was done rather efficiently while we were out at dinner that night.) 

The lobby was open with several clusters of richly furnished sofas and couches, leading to a gorgeous terrace area. 

The white latticed veranda with it's white wrought iron furniture and lamps was reminiscent of Jaipur. 

The setting sun even painted pink lines in the horizon as further proof. 

Walking down the aisle, on the 2nd floor, we really got a sense of the history and heritage of this hotel that looks like a royal Maharashtrian residence. All the fittings were expensive and old wood. The room was a much needed haven of air-conditioning from the sweltering Nashik heat. 

The Superior room was a lovely old world room with high ceilings, wood benches, a chest of drawers with intricate brass accents in gold polish, built in cupboards with latticed doors and a soft luxurious bed. No goose down pillows here though.

The flipside was the heartburn the new fake looking wood finish flooring stickers. I really wish they had maintained the old flooring that I’m sure they’d had. 

But the bathrooms were modern. Smooth granite walls and counters, rough granite flooring, and an unparalleled shower experience with shower heads spouting high pressure water at three different levels. The downside here was the lack of a bidet. Rather shocking.

Now it helps to keep in mind that while Nashik is classified as a metropolitan city it is far from urbanised in the cosmopolitan manner of Mumbai or Pune. This hotel, which would probably qualify as a 3-4 star elswhere, is the most luxurious experience that Nashik has to offer. People are friendly, the place is clean, service is impeccable, but the infrastucture leaves a lot to be desired if you’re used to a lot more. 

The hotel has a large, beautifully shaped swimming pool with a maximum depth of 5 feet. Set amidst a lush garden with white wrought iron latticed garden furniture and a smattering of deck chairs, the pool is serviced efficiently. 

Apart from the tennis courts at the entrance, there is also a small basketball hoop, table tennis court and gymnasium flanking the poolside. There is also a rather basic but clean salon which is most efficient.

As I mentioned earlier, Nashik really isn’t that cosmopolitan, so while considering dining options, it really is your best bet to stick to what they know best - Indian cuisine. Their Indian restaurant - Panchratna has been recently reopened and serves up some good Rajasthani and Mughlai food (some of the dishes are an attempt at fusion plated cuisine a la Vineet Bhatia, but not quite there in terms of the drama of flavours and textures). 

We tried grilled chicken drumsticks stuffed with akuri, and while it wasn’t bad, it didn’t really impress us. 

The mains however, was quite literally breathtaking. Khandeshi cuisine is the local Maharashtrian fare, and a really spice mutton Khandeshi left us breathing fire, but enjoying every bite of it. The chef informed us that in order to keep the authenticity of the dishes, they invite housewives who cook it the traditional way to come into their kitchens and cook a few plates of the dish of the day. So it did have a nice rustic feel to it, and yes, that secret ingredient, love. Served with bhakri (a bread made of jowar or bajra) this was most certainly an unforgettable meal. The desserts however sounded rather uninspiring.

The other dining option at The Gateway is their all day dining restaurant called “Gateway All Day.” They serve up a buffet at dinner, which is a quite the medley of South Indian, North Indian, Chinese and Continental cuisine. From the appetizers all the way to dessert, I would strongly recommend sticking to Indian, because, while the Indian food was delicious, well, they just don’t get Continental cuisine.

Further proof of this lies in another experience I had at the hotel. 

The Gateway has a sweet little promotional programme called “the Chef’s Hat” where they invite guests for a complimentary private lesson with their chef. 

This culinary class, comprised sauteing preboiled pasta in a precooked arrabiata sauce. 

Another dish was a simple salad, where I “learnt” to mix together some sprouts, chopped carrots, honey, lemon, and salt, and arrange it all on a bed of lettuce. 

One has to give them points for the enthusiastic effort, but the attempt was pitiful in the least. 

Adjacent to the restaurant is Somras - the bar, which apart from a couple of local gents is usually empty. You’ll find the standard alcohol varieties here, but don’t expect the cocktails to be anything more than mediocre. 

The friendly staff however, does make up in terms of a delightful experience. One of them was so saddened that we hadn’t done the tourist attractions like the caves and temples, he even brought us a detailed docket for our next trip to Nashik.

At the end of our two night- three day stay at The Gateway Hotel, we were obviously delighted, felt pampered, and pleased with the enjoyable experience. It surpassed our expectations, which is why although I doubt we’ll ever return to Nashik, I’m glad we went. 

The Gateway Hotel Ambad Nashik, P-17, MIDC Ambad, Mumbai-Agra Road, Nashik 422010, India Tel: 0253-6604499 www.thegatewayhotels.com Doubles from Rs. 5,300/-

PS: Remember that Expedia Blogger Contest I won? I used the voucher on this trip, so it was practically free!

Run to the water... and find me there.

Dear Kyra, 

I just read about how much fun you're planning on having this summer on an exotic beach. And I must say, i'm turning green with envy thinking about how you're going to shine brighter than the sun thanks to Lakme Sun Expert. Well, there's no point sitting here at my laptop wishing I could go with you, so here's what I've done. I've gone and checked out the perfect exotic beach vacation for us. 

I was thinking about how you wanted to have fun in the sun, and what better place to do that than Mauritius? Life there is all about being out in the sun and enjoying the best nature has to offer.

The best part? It can be as relaxed and laid back or action packed and exciting as you want it to be. And if that hasn't convinced you, consider the gorgeous backdrops in all our stunning photographs that we'll treasure forever.

Two gorgeous girls in gorgeous Mauritius, We'll wake up in a luxurious bed that's just at the foot of our private pool. 

We'll slather on our Lakmé Sun Expert Fairness + UV Lotion SPF 24 PA++and lounge about on the daybed, take a leisurely plunge in our private pool, listen to some beautiful music on the iPod dock, watch the birds and bees in the private garden, enjoy some refreshing summer juice from our minibar. 

Once we're settled in, we could take a boat ride to the gorgeous Ile aux Cerfs (Island of deer) and enjoy the crystal clear waters of the lagoon, watch some exotic animals in their natural habitat, but not without first gearing up for the great summer outdoors with Lakmé Sun Expert Fairness + UV Lotion SPF 30 PA++  

While we're there, we absolutely must do the undersea walk. The gorgeous soft white sand on the beaches on the East coast goes all the way down to the sea bed, on which we can walk, in a magical wonderland with pretty corals and curious colourful fish that come to kiss your finger tips. 

There's so much more we can do, from snorkeling to scuba diving, rides in glass bottom boats or even submarine rides. 

There's just so much beauty hidden under those sparkling waters. Infact, we can even take a fishing boat out, either to try some deep sea fishing, or to jump into the wild waters and swim with the Dolphins!. Imagine being at arm's length from those gorgeous creatures right there in their home. And don't you worry about your beautiful skin, for after all these adventures, we'll be sure to use Lakmé Sun Expert Skin Lightening+De Tan After Sun Face Wash and then apply Lakmé Sun Expert Skin Lightening+De Tan After Sun Face Gel.

On our way back we could check out the gorgeously rainbow hued seven coloured earth at Chamarel as well. What girly trip is complete without some retail therapy? So I've found out about the hip and trendy Caudan Waterfront where we can shop for bikinis, flip flops, sarongs, dresses, jewellery, bags and so much more.  After that we'll head further north to the Grand Baie Bazaar and pick up lots of Mauritian and Malagasy crafts for our jealous friends back home. 

Back at the resort we'll head down to the beach, (only once we've replenished our skin's supply of Lakmé Sun Expert Fairness + UV Lotion SPF 30 PA+ where we'll sunbathe on the deck chairs, watching the beautiful sun shining down on the sparkly waves. 

We wont be able to resist running down the pier, trying out the paddle boats, sailboats, para sailing, water skiing and so much more. 

We'll frolic and swim in the sea, play a round of beach ball with the locals, high five each other when we win and when it starts nearing sunset, we'll come back to the resort's pool, lounge about, read a little, and just watch the world go by. 

You might get tempted to take a horse ride down the beach, that could be fun as well. 

And we'll watch the sun set among a riot of colours through the gorgeous Mauritian sky. 

The sun will set on the day, but not on the good times, for we'll be back at the room, pampering our skin with Lakmé Sun Expert Skin Lightening+De Tan After Sun Face Mask. As the night sets in we'll settle down with some exotic fruit and fresh seafood, the typical cuisine in Mauritius.

So, Kyra, have I managed to convince you, that a summer with me, will be unlike anything you've done before? Are you ready to really have fun in the summer sun with me while staying protected by Lakme? I can't wait to leave! 

- XoXo

Me.

PS: This is my entry for the Lakme Diva Blogger Contest and all photographs and content are my own.

We're gonna soak up the sun..

When Lakmé asked us, how we'd live it up on a beach this summer with our friend Kyra, I could already see the sun shining on us.

Goa always has been my favorite summer haunt. And this year, it's hotter than ever. With the sun shining overhead, the lilting sound of the sparkling cobalt waves, the balmy salty breeze toying with your hair, the magical grains of sand twinkling on your tanned smooth skin, bikinis by day, thin floral dresses by night, lively music to groove to, Goa really can make you look your radiant best, if you know how to work it.
Kyra and I would check in to our hotel room, throw our luggage down on the bench, slip into bikinis and cover ups, slather on lots of sunblock (I love the way it makes our skin glisten before we've even stepped onto the beach) flip on a pair of sunglasses, throw a bottle of water into our totes, and run straight for the sand.
We wouldn't notice the hours flying by, as we laze on deckchairs, reading for a while, tanning for a while, snoozing for a while, jumping up taking a dip in the sea, drying off, replenishing our parched skin with lotion and our parched throats with some lovely fresh juices.
We'd toss around the volleyball, gloat in our victory, sit back and watch the sun setting in the horizon, before heading back to our rooms, to shower and moisturize, all set to shine on an equally fabulous night.
We'd return to the city, looking sun-kissed and even more fabulous than before. Wondering what's our secret? Here's your chance to take a sneak peak into our Cosmetics case.

Coast to coast: A journey of culinary distinction

Mauritius conjures thoughts of indulgence with gorgeous beaches, great weather, fresh ingredients, and innovative cuisine. Precisely what we experienced at the Maradiva Villas Resort and Spa. Since our stay package included all meals, we did most of our dining at the resort itself, a decision we most certainly do not regret. 


There are two restaurants at the resort - Cilantro, a pan Asian a-la carte restaurant with a teppanyaki bar that’s open only for dinner and Coast2Coast, an all day restaurant that serves Mediterranean, Mauritian and International cuisine. 


On entering Coast2Coast at night, you’re instantly swept into the magic of the light cast by lanterns and candles, all dancing in the sea breeze. The 3 seating areas comprise a lounge full of sink-in sofas against large farmhouse tables with dim lighting, a formal and elegant smattering of tables, and the busy area, elegant wooden tables and chairs on a terrace under a towering dome of wooden beams, overlooking the garden that turns into the beach. We chose this one.

The dress code is resort chic, but vacationers wear everything from shorts to evening gowns. The minimalistic modern tableware sparkles on crisp linen.  As does a selection of glasses for your different wines and aperitifs. The menu is vast, and making a choice may seem impossible. Unless you have the luxury of a week long stay like we did. You get to select a soup/ appetizer, a main course and a dessert. You’ll spend the short wait after your wine selection resisting the freshly baked breads and unsalted butter placed on your table. Enjoy all the conversation you can at this stage, because after this, it’s all about the food. 

Over five days, we sampled everything from exquisite seafood like squid, octopus and shrimp to excellent meats like chicken, lamb and beef. Whether grilled, fried, sauteed or in a salad, the ingredients are all fresh and well cooked, bursting with flavour. So much, that a palate cleanser is served between courses. Some days it was a sorbet, others, a wafer with a celery dip. Considering this is a five star property, you wouldn't expect the service to be anything short of impeccable. Coast2Coast certainly surpassed our expectations with efficient and polite staff that were always on their toes, always around, never in the way. 

When the time came to order dessert, every night was the same ritual. Decline, then ask to just “look” at the menu, order the whole hog, pig out. Wise decision. The desserts at Coast2Coast are the chef’s piece de resistance. Every dessert comprises several complementary elements, that all come together to deliver visual and gastronomic delight. Much like the entire experience of eating there.

Australian Lamb Shank

A pot of Vietnamese Pho Soup

Madagascar Vanille ice cream with Caramel- Banana tarts

Lamb chops with Wasabi Mash

Creme Brulee

Squid & Octopus Salad

Food and Presentation: 8/10
Ambiance and Decor: 7/10
Quality of Service: 9/10
Value for Money: If you must ask.. then you really can't afford it.
Favorite Menu Item: Octopus salad, Pan fried Ruby Snapper, Creme Brulee
Best Suited For: Couples
Kid Friendly? Yes, but we’d rather it wasn't
Vegetarian Friendly? Yes
Recommend to a friend? Yes. Absolutely.