We’re well into summer now and you’re probably finding yourself reaching for an ice cold beverage every chance you get. Who can bear the thought of hot coffee or tea in this stifling heat? I myself would love to kick back on a hammock on this summer afternoon with a chilled glass of sangria. Of course, it’s not the most “pregnancy-friendly” drink. Luckily, I have a homemade mint iced tea recipe that might just do the trick (and it’ll go really well with the hammock too, though where I’ll find a hammock in the city is beyond me…but a girl can dream!).

My mint iced tea makes for a deliciously refreshing drink and is easy to make - perfect for that outdoor summer party of yours or just for yourself. Believe me, you won’t want to go back to the bottled, preservative-filled, sugar-laden crap they sell in the stores.

 Oscar Sunday (or as I like to call it, a girl’s version of Superbowl Sunday) is the biggest night of the year for the Hollywood stars. For mere mortals like us, it’s an occasion to watch the Hollywood hunks and beauties sashay up the red carpet. It’s a time when we allow ourselves to be seduced by the glitz and glamour of Hollywood and feel like we’re part of the action, even if for a moment. It’s also an opportunity for us to critique outfits, hairstyles, and bodies like judges of a cruel reality show. Last night, I threw an Oscar Party at my place where we did all of that…and more!

The original Kati Roll Company at McDougal and Bleecker in Greenwich Village

New York City is known for its world class restaurants serving up high-brow foods, culinary delights the names of which you can’t pronounce, and cuisines from countries you haven't even have heard of. While that’s all well and good, I contend that you cannot have experienced an honest to goodness meal in New York unless you’ve been to The Kati Roll Company. The Kati Roll Company is the anti-thesis of all that I just described. It’s a hole-in-the-wall which speaks of quiet assertitude, unassuming from the outside but bold in its offering of a disarmingly simple yet wholesome meal inside…the namesake kati roll.

Constant eating is something that goes hand in hand with a trip home to Bangkok. We just can't help it. A few pictures from last night's family dinner at Audrey Cafe and Bistro. It's a cute restaurant in Sukhumvit Soi Thonglor with a chic, French "frou frou" vibe. The menu offerings are varied with continental food though they specialize in Thai cuisine. What was really memorable at Audrey were the desserts. I don't know what we were thinking but we ended up ordering three different kinds of desserts and received complimentary tiramiru bites on top of that. Calorie overload, much? But that goes with the territory when you're on vacation, right? We'll worry about working those pounds off later...:)

Happy Thursday everyone! The weekend is almost upon us and, if you’re anything like me, you start thinking about what your weekend plans will be. I’m actually MEGA UBER SUPER excited about what lies ahead for me this weekend. I’ll be visiting my “adopted” hometown of Austin, y’all! I lived there for several years before moving to New York, and I truly love everything about Austin (hence, I “adopted” it as my hometown in the US – though nothing replaces my hometown of Bangkok!). I am pumped about catching up with all my Austin friends, gorging on Tex-Mex food, absorbing the heat and the Texan pace of life. In between all of that, I will also be attending the 3-day Austin City Limits Music Festival, which I used to attend every year when I lived in Austin. More details to come after I return from my trip next week!

But enough about me, let’s talk about what YOU will be doing this weekend. Here are some recommendations of some goings-on about town:

Madison Square Eats

Imagine a land far, far away where you can enjoy Indian, Mexican, Italian, Lebanese, Chinese, and a number of other cuisines all in one sitting. Well, that land is actually not that away. Nestled in the triangle between Fifth Ave, Broadway, and 24th Street, Madison Square Eats offers a gastronomic haven from food trucks and well-known restaurants around town: Momofuku, Mexicue, Ilili, Graffitti , Hong Kong Street Food, Wafles & Dinges, etc. With the weather getting chillier, your days of hanging out outdoors are numbered. So take advantage of this small and cozy outdoor food festival . Last weekend, my friends and I ended up having a 2 hour dinner there, chatting away over wine, falafel, dumpling chaat, truffle oil & honey pizza, black bean tacos, crepes, and lord knows what else! Get there before it ends Oct 19.

Toshi’s Lounge

After a satisfying meal at Madison Square Eats, my friends and I randomly wandered into Toshi’s Lounge just a few streets away. What a great find! This place has live music every night and is reasonably happening without trying too hard. It hit the perfect equation of “Not too hipster + not too dimly lit + not overly loud = Being able to see the person in front of you and having a decent conversation with them”. I can definitely see this place becoming a frequent hangout spot.

So check these places out and let me know how you liked them. I’ll be back from Austin next week and maybe we can exchange stories from our weekend shennanigans?

Have you ever been at a table full of wine connoisseurs and felt ill at ease? Do you feel at a loss when staring at a long wine list at a bar, not knowing what to get? Well, today’s post is about how to help you feel more comfortable on vino-related matters. While I certainly don’t claim to be an authority on wine (there are plenty of other people and guidebooks that can do that for you), I do know of clever ways to help you maneuver around some tricky social situations involving wine. Some info may be common knowledge, but hopefully you’ll learn something new...

It’s been almost exactly a month since I returned from Spain. The lazy pace of life that we had embraced during our trip had to be shed the instant we hit U.S. soil. Goodbye Spanish siestas, hello New York minute. But today, on this quiet Sunday, I feel the need for a mental revisit. Come, walk with me…

Hello fellow New Yorkers! The sun is shining, the clouds are gone, and the weekend is upon us. What more can you ask for? Well, a fun plan for the weekend ahead perhaps? There are a bunch of activities going on in the city this weekend which should not be missed. Whether you’re looking for something interesting to do or have friends in town to entertain, here are my recommendations for this weekend.

This weekend, the Urban Mantra sisters got to hang out together in the same city for a change! On this sunny yet slightly cool day, we started with brunch at Colicchio & Sons. If you're ever there for brunch, we highly recommend the french toast (brioche pain perdu, as written on their menu). It's probably one of the best french toast we've had in New York, which is saying a lot! The service was impeccable as well.

Food fairs in the city are as much a summer staple as the cafes with outdoor seating, concerts in the park, and smelly streets! Earlier this week, I found myself at an event called Hester Nights. I know what you’re thinking  – these summer fairs are a dime a dozen. What makes this one so special? Here’s the lowdown, amigos…

Reason 1: Hester Nights offers a line-up of local, indie food businesses every Thursday at the Hotel Eventi Plaza. It’s open from noon to 10pm, so you could literally have lunch, dinner, and a mid-afternoon snack there, if you were so inclined. And unlike other food fairs, you don’t have to struggle to carry and consume your fruit juice, pizza slice, and taco all while standing; there’s outdoor seating in the plaza with a cool ambiance.

Reason 2: There’s a reasonable choice of food stalls (listed here). At my recent visit, I sampled eats from Bombay Sandwich, Pizza Vita, and La NewYorkina (needless to say, I was very full later). In speaking with the husband-wife duo behind the Bombay Sandwich stall, I learned that they started this endeavor just about 6 weeks ago! After trying their authentic Indian-style potato and chutney sandwiches reminiscent of Bombay street food, I knew I would be back for more.

Reason 3: Hester Nights isn’t just about food. There was a stall by Estate Jewels with an eye-catching display of their vintage jewelry collection. I was only planning to browse but instead walked away with a gold chain bracelet I fell in love with (don’t judge, it happens to the best of us). I believe there are different vendors every week.

Reason 4: There was also a party to celebrate the official opening of a retail store called The HESTER. Honestly, I’m not sure I understand this store which has advertised itself as “new retail concept”. The store layout is minimalistic with certain areas occupied with displays by jewelry designers, interior, and clothes designers. Whether all the displays were present as works of art to be admired or for sale was unclear. The HESTER will be open late in conjunction with Hester Nights every week.

Clockwise: Joel Fitzpatrick organic towels; DJs at the party; free wine; Kelly Lamb geo-planters

So there you have it, folks. A simple recipe to spice up your Thursday night. If you end up going, let me know how you enjoyed it!

With temperatures getting dangerously close to 100 degrees this weekend, all I wanted to do was hide in my air-conditioned apartment, free from the scorching heat and the unpleasant odors that pervade the city in the summers. But that would have been lame – summer is the time to be outside, even if your skin and olfactory senses get burned in the process. Luckily, the Frying Pan ended up being the ideal daytime hangout spot! Docked at Pier 66 along the Westside Highway, Frying Pan is a historic ship that was salvaged and then converted into a bar and grill. Give me some booze and burgers, and I’m a happy woman. Give me a shaded seating spot with a waterfront breeze, and I’m even happier.

One Saturday morning, the Urban Mantra sisters and a couple of friends decided to get brunch at the Lower East side. With so many options, we struggled to pick a place. We eventually settled on Beauty & Essex and…hallelujah! We were able to get reservations just a day in advance! Considering that dinner reservations at Beauty & Essex are next to impossible to get (you have to call a month in advance or be prepared to accept a dinner rez at 5pm), we got pretty lucky with a spot for brunch. If you’ve never been, Beauty & Essex has an interesting set-up. Upon entering, you appear to be in what looks like a pawn shop with charming, old-fashioned trinkets and collectibles. But don’t let that fool you into thinking you’re in the wrong place…

After admiring the pretty brooches and rings on display in the pawn shop, we made our way past a set of double doors which led into a strikingly different setting. Warm, glowing lights, a spiral staircase, and a lavish décor greeted us inside the main restaurant. The menu offerings were just as unexpected and enjoyable. Though prices were a little steep and the portions for some dishes on the smaller side, these limitations were quickly made up by the taste of the food. We HIGHLY recommend the warm, melt-in-your-mouth blueberry scones (we ordered two rounds of these!) and the kale and apple salad. As for drinks, nothing says summery and refreshing like the Platinum Peacock made from cucumbers, apples, and mint! Check out some pictures from our sumptuous meal there.

Needless to say, we had a lovely experience at Beauty & Essex and are now trying to get reservations to check out the night scene there. Unless of course, we settle for the night scene at 5pm…


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Why is it that weekends fly so fast and weekdays seem to last forever? To stay upbeat through a long work week, I often like to indulge in something that's just for me - whether it's rocking out at my Bollywood dance class, zen-ing out at yoga, or starting my day off right at my favorite coffee shop...

I get inexplicable joy out of the simple act of enjoying a wholesome cup of coffee paired with some carbs - whether it's a bagel, croissant, scone, muffin, or cupcake (I think I get it from my mother)! Today, with a sinfully soft apricot-thyme scone and a frothy cappuccino in hand, I could do no wrong. Hey, it's the little things that get you through the day, right? Thank you, Stumptown Coffee!

Readers, what are things you like to do to get through the week?

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Hey everyone! With Memorial Day passing this last weekend, it is now officially summer! Woohoo! Summer is my favorite season…the sun is out and the days are longer, giving you more time to do fun activities! As usual, there are a hundred things I would like to do this summer, so I thought I’d organize them into my DC Summer Bucket List! Some of these activities are big and require planning, while others are smaller things I’ve always wanted to do when the weather got nice but never got around to. So here it is, my DC Summer Bucket List!

1) Tubing: Nothing screams summer like hours spent floating down a river under the hot sun! I haven’t had a chance to go tubing in the past, but with summer tubing deals coming out and the Potomac nearby, this is a summer activity I don’t plan to miss out on!

2) Grilling: With great weather outside, people turn to this favorite all-American activity as a way to relax and enjoy some succulent meat! I like Whole Foods’ pre-marinated meats which are ideal for grilling. Try their salmon and spinach burgers with feta cheese, they’re delish!

3) Jazz in the garden: The National Gallery of Art offers this free concert series every Friday throughout the summer. People can enjoy a cocktail outdoors while listening to live jazz music, dipping their feet in the fountain, and engaging in some political talk. How quintessential DC!

Enjoying sangria at Jazz in the Garden

4) Dining at outdoor patios: With DC teeming with outdoor seating venues, getting dinner and drinks at an outdoor patio is just one of the things I equate with summer! Some of my go-to’s are Lauriol Plaza, Eighteenth Street Lounge, and Marvin…but I hope to explore a few other places this summer!

5) Attending a concert: Summer is the time for concert tours and music festivals, like Lollapalooza and Firefly. I just bought tickets to the LMFAO concert at the end of June in Philly, so I’ll be looking forward to some Party Rocking!

6) Picnicking at the National Mall: Bake some treats, buy some white wine, grab a book, and you’re good to go. Sleeping on the grass while reading the book is optional.

7) Beach time: You can’t say beach without summer. I can’t wait to lounge around at the beach, do some water activities, and work on my tan (oh, who am I kidding? I’m Indian! We don’t like tanning!)

Soo ready for some beach time!

8) Enjoy snow cones: While stores that sell these are hard to come by, I know of vendors who set up camp in Bethesda. If you’re looking for snow cones in New York, look no further than La New Yorkina with flavors like mango chile, cucumber lime, horchata, and fresh coconut. Yum!

These are just some activities that are at the top of my wish list this summer. What activities are big in your town and what are you looking forward to?

There are not many things that scare me, but among the few horror-inducing things in my life is "wine in a can" (cue horror flick music). Don't get me wrong, I'm not a wine snob by any means. I like to think that I have a somewhat discerning taste but for the most part, I appreciate wine in all shapes and sizes. Except in a can. The idea itself is brilliant - cans are convenient to carry around, especially in outdoorsy places, and they allow you to enjoy small portions if you don't want to open a whole bottle. However, I've generally found wine in a can to be a disappointing experience. Even with fancy packaging and marketing gimmicks of "premium quality" labeling, I've found the flavor of canned wine to be mediocre at best. There's always something not-quite-right about the taste. Stale, flat, or lacklustre, you might say.

Enter the Sofia Blanc de Blancs Mini. It's sparkling wine in a can which, I dare say, is a game-changer. This product has been around since 2004 but clearly I got the memo a few years too late. I just discovered it recently at a wine store when searching for a bottle of chilled white wine. Something about the color of the can and its fancy lettering appealed to me, and I decided to try it (who says you need an occasion to pop open a small can of bubbly?). Turns out, I quite enjoyed it. There was definitely something right about the taste. Crisp, zesty, or effervescent, I would say.

According to an article I read, the Sofia Blanc de Blancs Mini targets a female crowd with an image of being a breezy clubgoer's drink. Well, whether you enjoy it at a bar or in the comfort of your home, whether it's for an occasion or not, I would recommend trying it. Perhaps a way to start off the weekend on a bubbly note?


What about you readers? What do you think of boxed or canned wine?

In our increasingly competitive market, it has become ever so important for businesses to innovate and offer something different to catch the consumer’s attention. I’ve encountered a few establishments that I think push the envelope in terms of offering a routine service in a fun and unique way!

Manicures and Martinis

Mani/pedis are way for most women to relax and treat themselves to some much needed care and grooming for their hands and feet. Getting a manicure or pedicure is in itself relaxing, but with so many shops and spas opening up in big cities, some have tried to add an extra element of indulgence! Hence the idea of pairing manicures with martinis! Not only does the idea have a ring to it, there’s something fun and relaxing about a red cosmopolitan in hand to complement your nail polish! :) My favorite spot in DC is Mimosa Salon in Dupont, where you are given a limitless supply of mimosas while getting your nails groomed.

Fish Therapy

Rather than those regular ol’ massages or exfoliation treatments, some spas have started offering “fish therapy”! I first encountered these in Bangkok, but they have popped up in other cities across Asia and the US too. Basically, you stick your feet in a tank of small fish that nibble at your feet, offering natural exfoliation for your skin. While I can’t comment on the quality of this service over regular techniques, the entire process is much more ticklish and fun! A must try if one comes up in your neighborhood!

Coffee and Cuddles

For those who don’t have pets but would love some cuddly companionship every once in a while, coffee shops like these are just what you need. Bunny cafes, as they are so called, allow customers to enjoy coffee and snacks while petting cute rabbits. These have become popular in Japan where cramped quarters and busy urban lifestyles don’t leave room for people to own pets. As long as they have figured out how to deal with the slight odor that rabbits can bring, I can’t wait until bunny cafes debut in the US!

So these are some unusual business concepts that I’ve encountered recently. The challenge, of course, is finding an unmet need and turning it into something successful. Easier said than done. I’ll be thinking of ideas but if you have any to contribute, please don’t hesitate to share. :)

Update: I recently tried the Tuk Tuk Boy's Thai street food in midtown, and I have to say that it was GOOD! Their pad thai was very authentic. I was also quite excited about their Thai iced tea because it tasted the way it should (I feel that most places here don't make it right). Definitely one of the better food trucks I've had in the city, and very much like the street food I would have in Bangkok. I'm looking forward to going back and trying their papaya salad (som tam), fried rice (khao pad), and masaman curry!

I followed up my Thai lunch with some crepes for dessert. The Crepes Truck was right next to the Tuk Tuk Boy's cart so I shuffled on over to get myself crepes with nutella, strawberries, and walnuts. Yum! Overall, the perfect Friday lunch!

  

I think we all agree that weekends fly by way too fast. Often times, we get so caught up with doing chores and running errands that before we know it, it's Monday again! It's nice when you can press the pause button and do things you want to do instead of just things you have to do. It was a gorgeous, sunny weekend in NYC, the kind that reminds you of why weekends (and life in general!) is meant for living. My simple (and all too-obvious) recipe for a good weekend:

It’s Friday and you get a message from a friend – “Happy hour at the museum tonight?” Normally, that would garner a response like, “Is the name of the bar Museum?” or “Girlfriend's already drunk!”. Well, if you have been to the Rubin Museum, then you’ll know that a happy hour at a museum is possible!

The Rubin Museum of Art is a small place that focuses uniquely on Tibetan/Himalayan art. Every Friday night, part of the museum turns into a lounge where a DJ plays worldly eclectic beats and a mixologist serves up fun cocktails like a Watermelon Mojito or Pomegranate Margarita. There’s even a small food menu comprised of fusion South Asian tapas like naan pizza and coriander shrimp.

When I first visited this place, my friends and I were so engrossed in the eating and drinking part of the experience that by the time we were ready to check out the museum, it was closed! It was kind of shameful. Recently when I went back, I made sure not to make the same mistake again. Once we had a drink in hand, our group proceeded to walk around and check out the exhibits. The one we saw, which is still ongoing, is called Hero, Villain, Yeti: Tibet in Comics. It was definitely interesting!

Funky cocktail drinks at the Rubin Museum

DC has its fair share of museum happy hours too, like those at the national Smithsonian museums and at private galleries. Phillips After Five is a happy hour held on the first Thursday of every month at the Phillips Musuem. The gallery organizes an enjoyable and interactive happy hour with live music and tours, making it easy for people to meet and appreciate modern art! There was something so bourgeois, yet fun, about sipping a glass of wine and discussing a Picasso painting with friends that I can’t wait until my next visit!

So if you’re the type of person who typically finds museums too educational or feel the need to add some culture in your life while still socializing, a happy hour at a museum might just do the trick. It’s certainly different from the usual weekend routine!

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So I had bought tickets to an event called the "Winter Cocktail Wars" back in early January to cheer myself up when the weather was bleak and cold and I was suffering from post-holiday blues...Yes, I know how lame that sounds. But the event sounded interesting and seemed like a good deal -- $40 to see two mixologists duel it out for the best cocktails concoctions as we, the audience, got to sample their creations and vote for the best one. The opportunity to try several different cocktail drinks with appetizers in a lounge? I'm so there!

Aztec Chocolate Bitters as a cocktail ingredient

The competing bartender at work!

Triple fisting!

I ended up having a great time with my friends! The mixologists/bartenders used unique ingredients to come up with their signature drinks, for example ice-cream with Prosecco or hot sauce, beer, and a Bloody Mary mix. Some combinations worked, some didn't. But overall, it was a fun night...and it sure helped beat the winter blues! 

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