Tag: MEW

Vienna Roast!

Europe is always a good idea! 

It’s even a better idea if you get to travel to the same destination for work. 

Vienna! The moment you think about that place. There is the background music of Mozart and Beethoven playing behind you. 

The warmth of history, the taste of cinnamon Apple strudel. 

After a journey of ten long hours of an overnight journey, followed by a quick hour layover at Munich! 

Vienna gave us a warm Welcome! 

Thirty-five degrees Celsius this was indeed the warmest day too! The reason the warmest day became the hottest for a couple of us in the team! For me definitely, our bags did not make it with us to Vienna!!! 

And, it was the first time in my life, I reached my destination without my Bag! 

While, We weren’t sure, when will the bag make it to Vienna! I continued sweating it out that day, moving around the Tram and memories flashing back to the last time I visited the place for the first time Eight years ago! With family when we decided to do Vienna, Prague and Budapest! 

Belvedere Palace looked so familiar and nothing seemed to have changed, the Spanish riding school walk refreshed so many of the memories of walking around. 

Passing through the parliament and walking by Mariahilfer Straße stores, with trees on either side felt it was only yesterday, I was here! The day ended at Coffee Pirates, A new addition to my memories! A speciality coffee roaster and cafe in Vienna, that had the interiors of a signature European cafe. Minimalistic use of colour, with interesting art photos and wooden furniture. 

The tram stop at Hauffbonff was a strange memory of arrival and departure to our other destination when we visited the station and enjoyed the Euro Cup atmosphere when Austria was playing on the same day, we had landed in  the city of Vienna! 

What was different this time was the access to two Venues that were also part of tourist sightseeing, but we had the privilege of being part of an event that was hosted at the venues with some of the best in their businesses. One of the best Wedding planners from India, MEW! Motwane Entertainment and Weddings, to one of the most well-known Indian catering company Foodlink. 

To collaborating with the best Viennese food services Any Act to the best catering division of a very well-known coffee brand Dallmayr collaborating with a Michelin star Paul Ivic chef, chef at Tian Vienna, which is one of the 4 world’s best Michelin vegetarian restaurants started and the only one in Vienna.

The Palais Lichtenstein, the space where the After Party was hosted and an exclusive tour organised for the guests, to view the Art Pieces were some just of the highlights of the experience. The Viennese locals, even mentioned. Locals & Tourists don’t have the privilege of viewing each of these rooms. 

While meeting the local official In charge of the venue! I had a glance of his wrist from a distance and noticed him wearing a freelancer Raymond Weil! By which he was pleasantly surprised and wasn’t expecting this conversation, during the walk-through. 

Belvedere: A palace that would be open for the public while our baraat procession and wedding ceremony would be going on, a typical touristy crowd gathered around to witness, the grandeur of a traditional Indian wedding. The floral decor on the Mandaps to the DJ music playing on the DJ Van! An unusual sight for some of them to have experienced at the Belvedere on a Saturday. 

Spanish Riding School( SRS) had a complete makeover. If we hadn’t seen the venue without the decor. It would be hard to imagine, how the space was transformed from a ground for the horses to a stage for an experience of a lifetime with entertainment options of a pianist, playing the instrument in the middle of the stage, A band from Paris singing Hindi Bollywood tracks, like Hindi being their native language. Ballerina dancers and Waltz performance took over the audience completely. 

And while all the entertainment was going through a fine dining experience in all sync was planned out and smoothly operated by Dallmayr and food plates were prepared by the chef Paul Ivic The Pumpkin pinenut Ravioli and the Ricotta cheese Ravioli had the sweetness and Blandess enhanced by a special sauce poured over them. 

The Golden Kiss: The Signature dish of the evening was a mushroom-filled Filo pastry with Truffle and oyster that had a good balance of all three tastes. 

The Pistachio Ring: The Dessert  Had the tangy-ness of the passion fruit with the dark chocolate in the pistachio ring that was a base of the dessert, which not only looked tempting, but was also very flavourfull. 

A day of understanding the difference between The local ‘Demela’ of Torte! Or Sacher Torte 

Indian Matchmaking! Now Streaming

It’s Funny! How many things I have done related to weddings, Right from a  show on a popular television channel that highlighted a designer doing a makeover for the bride for their wedding to ending up in Wedding planning with a destination wedding planning organisation to being one of the contenders for the series on the streaming platform. And over the years, working with so many different aspects of weddings & relationship, there are quite a few things I learnt, and quite a few questions to those who answer aren’t justified. 
While working on the makeover for the bride about five years ago, I realised girls and women are now taking their time to settle down, They are more confident and independent. 
While working with wedding planners – I Realised marriage is more of a “Show Business” 
And while auditioning for “India Matchmaking” It was the first time  I got the answer to some of the question, which I always looked for. 
“Why do people get married” – A Question which is never asked by the boy & girl who would be spending their life together. 
What do I really look in a partner – The Answer to this question is always looking at a friends/ role model’s marriage and answering those points without looking into what the person is actually looking for?
Why haven’t you found anybody yet and why arranged marriage? – Maybe it truly is the fault in my stars. 
And lastly, when the series streamed and I watched the complete series, none of the genders knew exactly what they were looking for in each other? 
While the fascination for the west and international audience on the concept of “Arrange Marriage/ Matchmaking”  questioned them about the Indian culture of marriage in many ways, Why is our media shying away from admitting who we are actually? 
Why is marriage so important? Today thank god. Marriage by some isn’t prioritised like a Goal or landmark. While for the others their only “Goal” is to be married not because they are “ready”, not because they have “connected” but rather because of the peer & family pressure that forces them not to question what marriage is? Why some question it too much and have high expectations, others just follow the checklist one should follow in a regular “Life” 
   

Jodhpur

My first visit to Jodhpur was in 2018 and on my first visit I hardly had any time to absorb the place .it was a short Work trip and 2019 was back on the second visit- It was more or less the same but had visited more streets rather than the usual route hotel to venue and now on the third visit in 2020 I finally visited a tourist site and our venue for one of the wedding function (Mehrangarh Fort) The Venue the fort was fifteen to twenty minutes from any of the hotels out there and the walk up to the fort is “uphill task” Concreate steps with the structure around like the typically Rajasthan architecture, the small windows and curve and tomb designs framework when you walk up to the rampart. A Panoramic photography viewpoint – You can See the City from this point and see those Blue Houses Jodhpur is known as the Blue City of India.

You can also see Umaid Bhavan Palace from here and that’s not all if you climb and go to the concert area – This is where the sangeet function was held you will find another viewpoint – Where you can capture and experience the Sunset. There are only two things to see in Jodhpur, the Fort, Umaid Bhavan Palace and the local market for Traditional Rajasthan souvenirs and local Rajasthan Cuisine.

It wasn’t just the Mehrangarh fort that one of the only touristy outing, But witnessed a Polo match that was organised between Two teams (Bride & Groom ) 7 minutes each and there are four Chakkars – A Game last for Twenty Minutes with each team trying to score a goal by knocking the ball in the goal post that is placed on either side of the ground.

Must try the Janta Kachori – A Traditional snack fried stuffed with onion paste at one of the oldest places and Visit the Mehran Café at the Fort.

Jaisalmer: Rajasthan February 2020!!

After travelling to nearly most of the prominent cities of the state. (Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur ) Jaisalmer was one that I had not visited yet or hadn’t experienced yet.

But, a Weekend Gateway that was planned was the perfect chance to Witness the city in it’s truest sense. Immediately after coming back from Nagpur, The next morning, I had taken the flight for Jaisalmer- There was a huge excitement of going to a new place, and that was from the moment we took off to the moment we were landing, A total Desert area I hadn’t witnessed anything like this since a long time and THE Best place in Jaisalmer SURYAGHAR was my subject and venue for the weekend. And what a property- Sunrise point to a sunset point and the structure like a fort was like the perfect combination of the destination and property. The other most important highlight remains the Dunes journey – Photographing and recording the sunset until we reached the venue, where we going to experience a new “Dawn” We had a lively night with entertainment, Guest dancing to DJ Tunes Until a Guest Deejayed the party until the end. The party went all night and we called it a day at 6:30 am at the dunes, but captured and lived the sunrise on the journey back to our hotel.

Jaisalmer has museums and fort which one must visit on their visit to the city, But should also experience Sand Dunes when they are in the city.

#ARVINDDUBASH50TH

La Mamounia the destination !!

La Mamounia –La Mamounia hotel is an experience in itself. I can’t think of hotel that I have been to that has so much character and culture. From the moment you enter the hotel,Step into the porch and enter the hotel lobby.You have so much to take in. Every corner,The Guard wearing traditional outfits is worth photographing. 
The lobby is got one of the most “Modern hotel feel” but the rest is very cultured and design oriented. 
The Bars-Churchill & Piano Bar. I just did not want to move from here. Even though I don’t drink.I kept visiting these venues for coffee & orange juice.The worlds best orange juice is found in Morocco,No wonder the hotel had so many orange trees planted in the garden with lemon trees. Everyday having the freshest orange for breakfast or anytime of the day.
If that’s all you thought was the pampering the guest received while staying here. 
Well Pierre Hermé From Paris is right in the hotel lobby,Where you can enjoy some of the best Macrons & Chocolates. 
The restaurants in the hotel have a Moroccan touch in so many ways -From thr stencils glasses to the the velvet upolestry for the chairs and the lamp lighting to set in the mood during the dinner in the evenings. 
The swimming pool too has a worthy view for the ones who just want to laze around for a sun bath.
The most soothing places out of all is the spa.It’s a heaven and paradise in itself.
The Suite in the hotel known as the Riad’s is enough to call it home for many.The hotel has only 3 of these. But,The way it’s done up it’s nothing over the top like many luxury hotels.But is very spacious and tastefully done.Morning you can enjoy the view of the orange trees or rather Enjoy the sunrise between the coconut trees. 
The Moroccan restaurant in the property is one of the best places to enjoy the sun set

Trivia: 
1.Winston Churchill– Has a Bar & Suite named after him here as this was his favourite place in the world-He described the place as the most lovely spot in the world. Winston Churchill would visit often and paint during his stay- His painting are in the Moroccan museum.
2.La Mamounia is named after the prince Al Mamoun.Who was gifted the  gardens, that was attached to the hotel  as a wedding gift in the 18th century.
3.The Most Instagramable Place in #Marrakech