Her South Bombay

They say it takes a ‘Townie’ to know the Town and I under no circumstances could ever claim to be one. The closest I have come to staying at Town is when I stayed over at The Ritz and when I slept over at a friend’s place at Colaba after falling in love with his cook’s dishes. Even the security guards at my office foiled my plans to stay overnight at the office and refused to believe that at times I too can be over worked.

So anyway, when Random-dom asked me to write something more about Bombay, I was a little lost for ideas. The one place I wanted to write about was South Bombay (not Mumbai in this case!!! :D ) but you see, I’m not exactly qualified. So I did the next best thing. I asked a ‘Townie’ about her town and this is what I got from Namita.

While I typed out the title of this post I wondered if I was projecting a front of being this "divide" person....a person who pronounces the suburb versus town difference!

But I dismissed the thought and went ahead anyway....

Being born and having spent my whole life in south Bombay, it’s a place which is home for me!

From colaba causeway to worli seaface and everything in the middle of the two....fall in super cool south bbay!

Here’s a list of my favourite things to do in town!...after all the townie that i am.....time to exercise my right....

1. Walk and shop along causeway starting at regal, ending at theobroma! My idea of a workout..

2. Grab beer at Cafe Mondegar or Cafe Leopold or Tavern or Ghetto

3. Play games at the kids zone at atria mall....collect tickets and go home with gifts!

4. Eat grilled sandwiches and chic choc icecream at right place, breach candy

5. How can i make a list of favourite hangouts and forget the good old roll places, where we have hung out for hours at a stretch...Bade Miyan and Ayubs....Bombay’s not Bombay without you.

6. Chinese cuisine....five spice...period.

7. My personal favourite, watching the sunset at the cuffe parade promenade....sitting on the flight of steps, which meet the sea...brilliant....aurora borealis(Northern lights).The coloured sky is out of this world.

8. Walk along marine drive and worli seaface....ipod and me.perfect.

9. Drive down hanging gardens for that breathtaking view of the city. Can hardly see it because of the greenery...but the little we see...it’s worth it. A million lights. Incredible.

10. The Kala Ghoda art festival. Cannot be missed.

11. Clubbing at insomnia....one place i can never get over. So sad it’s shut. Wish it comes back.

12. Salt water grill...needs a special mention after all its Bombay’s fancy answer to a shack in Goa!

13. Wine tasting at ivy-extremely close to my heart.

14. St.Thomas's Cathedral...for its divinity, peace and positive vibes.

15. Kobes sizzlers the 1st original and most authentic sizzler place in Bombay

Okay I just realised that the list can go on...

coffee, dessert, food and hukkah at mocha, bhurji pav at the station, the lovely vada pav, jehangir art gallerys one show called enduring images, class of 84 at the NCPA, inox for the bestest popcorn, tea centre for its piano, bachelors for choc shake, modern juice centre for its shwarmas, the MTDC bus ride, the Prince of Wales museum and............

So I’m going to stop here.

After all what is life without food and peace within!

Let this be a concise guide to South Bombay...

Happy exploring

To be very frank, I have made it a point to do everything that Namita recommends as soon as possible. Whenever my travels allow me to take a breather in Mumbai; I intend to tick off things from her impressive list. A few more of my own should go here though.

The walk down Marine Drive to Nariman Point and the Tonga Ride to Chowpatty from there. Pizzeria pizzas and music at Not Just Jazz by the Bay. Churchgate Oval. Standing beneath Eros on a weekday morning and experience Mumbai rushing to work, Standing outside VT and watch the Bombay Dreams come alive in the eyes of the thousands that come into this city of dreams. Fort and Fountain if only for their architectural brilliance. And finally my favourite – finding the common man at Worli Sea Face. Solve this riddle and you’ll love it.

So there goes the Non Townie recommendations :D And as she said earlier; Happy Exploring.