Infinity 2 Mall, Malad

This is a great mall. It has a very decent variety of stores and restaurants. You can get Indian clothes from several stores or the International labels Zara, French Connection, bebe, Nike, Puma and many more. There is also an electronics store, a couple of kids stores including the most recently opened Harrods.  I went to the Zara here and to a Zara store in Palladium Mall in Phoenix around the same time and found that the selection here was better. It could be because this mall is relatively new and the foot traffic is lesser than elsewhere but I am quite sure that it will gain in popularity. I have seen a few TV celebs shop here as well as a couple of film costume designers. This part of Mumbai is becoming a great destination for people looking to purchase a home within a reasonable budget and a number of conveniences are emerging in this area.

The Infinity-2 Mall, as it is known, has several great restaurants and a decent food court. There is Zaffran for Indian food, Mainland China for Chinese, CPK for Pizzas, A Man-U lounge bar and restaurant and Moshe's cafe for coffee and pastries. If you choose to shop with your children and need a place to keep them busy while you shop, there is a roller coaster and several fun activities by the food court / Harrods. One can often hear kids shrieking in joy from this part of the mall. 

There is ample parking and costs Rs 30. The only thing I hate about this mall is that the layout requires one to walk a lot - There are no continuous escalators taking one from the bottom of the mall to the top. As a result not only does it get confusing (especially if you have a poor memory like mine), it also gets annoying when you are wearing high heels. And oh ! Did I mention the flooring does not really suit my heels.. I feel like I have to grip the floor much more - I keep thinking that I might slip and fall. Note: I have never fallen down. 

Overall, if you live in this part of town, this is a good mall. I would not come to shop here all the way from Juhu / Bandra because its a distance I do not want to travel over the weekend. However, since I work in the area, if I need to slip out for a quick lunch time buying spree, this is where I would gladly go. 

P-Nut Rating - 4.5/5

Mumbai Trafffic

"Boss", ( as they say in Mumbai or frankly any city in India - colloquial term for "brother", "friend", "co citizen of this insane city' etc..) ... the Mumbai traffic has a way of working itself out. The cars are so close to each other but they don't crash. The autos have this unique mechanism of twisting and turning at the drop of a hat resulting in changing lanes before you can blink, but they never crash into the cars ; everyone honks but in some strange way they are all following"The Rule".
The Rule being, don't crash into another vehicle. "Avoid, Avoid, Avoid". But go sooooo close that you cause the other driver to have a near heart attack but he / she may never die !!!!

Here is my tip to new Mumbai Drivers :

Enjoy !! Where in the world can you get a chance to play a real life video game - swerve, sway, uh oh follow lane now, avoid that lady with the child, that idiot is going to cross - anticipate, hey that guy is coming the wrong way - avoid him, stay on the left even though right lane is supposed to be fastest (uh!!! NOT !!).  I find that Mumbai driving really enhances and develops one's sense of observation. I remember watching a movie with Robert Redford and I think Matt Damon where he teaches the "junior Spy" the power of observation -- what' s the man on the far left wearing, whats the lady on the far right reading, what's going on around you - be aware -- those spies should just be sent to Mumbai.. It never ceases to amaze me - how don't people crash into each other, how do they know when to back off, when to speed up -- but it all works.. and I love it !!! So my dearies, en joy the driving and P.S - Loud music helps drown out the irrelevant honking, it enhances your power of vision.. make sure u are not sleeping at the wheel.. keep your eyes on the road, your heart on your sleeve and your brains on the real life video game... and ENJOY ~~~

Grocery Shopping - Mumbai / Juhu

Godrej Nature's Basket , Juhu:  I like this store because the staff (especially the person by the veggies section) is super friendly and useful especially since I am not at all useful to myself or anyone else around veggies/groceries. I have no idea how much is a "pau" or how much I can get in 250 gm or 1/2 kilo or 1 kilo. (I am getting better now). They are also good because they do not have tooooo many choices in the veggie section unlike a hypercity or a star bazaar - all good things for being less confused and distracted.

They have great cheeses and will do a great cheese and cold cuts platter if you are having a party. I was able to give my own empty platter and leave it for an hour by which time it was all dressed and ready to party (unlike its owner who had just got her hair done but still needed to go home, shower, get dressed etc). They typically need 30 mins to dress up the platter and you can select the cheeses, cold cuts etc. If you are like me, you can give them some general direction and leave it to them. They did a terrific job dressing it up with some fruits, cheese, cold cuts on a bed of lettuce. You can tell them your price limit and leave the rest to them. Brilliant !

They have a selection of International foods as well as low fat choices. They also have a wine section. However, when my neighbor suggested I go to STAR bazaar as NB is very expensive I did so but I find NB works for me - a DINK with little time and patience who doesn't want too many choices and cant be bothered to sift through a dozen tomatoes to find the best ones. (also note DINK = Lazy :-) . However, do not order from there over the phone. India still hasn't figured this out -- the cold stuff isn't transported well and this one time, they completely messed up my order and delivered so much more of things I didn't ask for and charged for it as well.

I also find that Bandra's Natures Basket may be a tad bit better stocked than Juhu. They also have some dips however the better place for buying very tasty dips and a good variety of them (at least 6 types) is Society Store in Juhu. They also have a ready dosa batter and a ready chutney pack. All one has to do is put the contents of the chutney pack in a mixie and its ready. They also have ready rotis which will last for 24 hours. Great for days the maid doesnt show up. All these are closest to home food as you will get. Their veggies etc come in neat packs and may be more expensive than some other stores. However, this is a store that has everything - the local stuff, the international stuff and lot of snacks - desi and videshi. Enjoy !

Star Bazaar - Andheri. Went on reco of a neighbour. Huge store. Cheaper than above but better for bulk buying. Didnt have a good experience with fresh food that was far from fresh and quite stale. Good place for stainless steel and other home-ware but because of the lack of "freshness" in fresh veggies, excessive crowds and believe it or not, too many choices, I have decided not to go there again.

Local "Thela"/ Fruit Walla outside my house, Juhu - Best and "fresh-est" veggies/ fruits. Added advantage of home delivery by making one phone call to "Fruit chacha" or " Sabzi Mohan." Look no further - perhaps because they cannot carry much on their "thela" and do not have storage mechanisms, they have to sell out everyday. So you only get the best ginger pieces for your "chai" that money can buy, red tomatoes and some other veggies for 5 rupees a bunch - a currency I understand better than "pau" or "1/2" kilo etc. And they also take credit, you can negotiate if you are the type.

Fish Market - 4 Bungalows. Best and "freshest" fish / shrimp if you know what you are buying. You must negotiate if you know your prices. I knew neither so one time I got lucky with quality of fish and prawns and another time I got neither price nor quality. Of course one can buy frozen stuff at Natures Basket like my single brother does. But if you can master this one, nothing like this market for fresh seafood. And hey, I have not mastered it but if I can do it i.e go to this market and generally walk away with good stuff for good prices, anyone can !

SPAs in Mumbai

I have earned the loving title of "spa slut" from my loving husband. And before your dirty mind goes wandering off, let me tell ya' it is only on account of my frequent visits to spa's all over the world and in every city I have visited and/or lived in. I admit, I love Spa's and I might be a tad bit addicted. Having just moved to Mumbai late last year, I am now exploring the Spa's in Mumbai and here is the low down so far :

Quan Spa at the J W Mariott, Juhu : Very good, Spacious and good ambience and a very good massage. The room almost felt too big and a little less cozy than it should be. However, the masseuse had very soft hands and was well trained. The outside area always makes me dizzy because the floor is glass and there is lighting or water under it.. too dizzy to notice whats under there. Overall, 4/5 P-nuts.

AromaThai Spa at Juhu, branches all over : This was a decent place I walked into as it was stone's throw from where I lived. It was cozy, warm and the service was good. The lighting was low and so were the beds. What I did not like was the low beds, which had a hole on one spot for the head but the bed was so low, I kept thinking that I must be smelling the dust below the bed. I could not see any dust but that made me believe there definitely was some and overall it felt a little claustrophobic. The masseuse was a young student from the north east trying to make some money and be independent. She was sweet and decent at her work but not as memorable as some other places. It was okay as a joint that one could stroll into in dirty shorts and a tee shirt. However, given how finicky I am, I will not put my head in that hole again. If I go there, it maybe for a foot reflexology. 2.5/5 P-nuts


Myrah Spa, Juhu : Love this place. Nice ambience and the owner Nisha has done it up very tastefully. The staff is sweet and well trained. Only Spa in Mumbai that I have gone back to more than 3 times and I recently purchased a 6 massages package from them so obviously I love the place. All masseuse's have soft hands, well trained and the rooms are very cozy, welcoming and clean. Each room comes with a steam / shower which adds to the experience. The herbal tea served before and after the massage and the chocolate that has a "M" wrapper are all great finishing touches to the massage. The ambience is terrific as it is set in a house and it makes full use of the original patio's with sun streaming through the transparent roof. It is pricey and therefore I give it 4.5 / 5 P-Nuts.

HAIR SALONS IN MUMBAI

The stylists are so young that they do not inspire confidence. Having tried 3 to 4 salons I can safely say they all learnt how to cut hair from the same school and their creativity is limited to a few styles only. Still I met a few I liked :

- Kromakay, Juhu : Mansi - very young and sweet looking and not bad. Just tried this place once. I showed her a picture of how I want to look ( a Mila Kunis straight but volume at the top and wavy at the ends style). She was able to visualize what I wanted and gave me a decent trim. Not exactly Kunis but then again I did not also walk in looking like her. Overall, I will give her 4 out of 5 p-nuts. Celeb watch : I saw Amisha Patel walk out with pretty hair

- Taj Landsend, Bandra - I forget the name of the hairstylist but he was good with a blowdry. Classic, simple and very quick. 5/5 p-nuts

- BBlunt, Juhu - A PYT with great confidence. Forget her name. Not bad but hair looked good just for a day. She didnt go too aggressive on the hair sensing my apprehension. For that she and the place gets 3 p-nuts