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Go Gusto ride in HT 17/3/15 |
Click here for a video on what happened in the ride.
After doing food walks for a while I tried
something completely different last Sunday.
something completely different last Sunday.
This was a breakfast hop where we
crisscrossed across South Mumbai on scooters stopping for bites on the way.
crisscrossed across South Mumbai on scooters stopping for bites on the way.
I was quite tickled when I was approached
to host this activity for Mahindra Scooters. Mahindra was one of my main clients
during my market research days. I quite enjoyed working with them then as they
encouraged you to do some pretty innovative work. It seemed that life had come
to a full circle with my now coming on board as a brand ambassador for a brand I had once researched.
to host this activity for Mahindra Scooters. Mahindra was one of my main clients
during my market research days. I quite enjoyed working with them then as they
encouraged you to do some pretty innovative work. It seemed that life had come
to a full circle with my now coming on board as a brand ambassador for a brand I had once researched.
The only hitch was that having been raised
by an over-protective Bengali mother (is there any other kind?) , I don’t know
how to ride a cycle, let alone a scooter
or a bike! Mom deemed two wheelers too unsafe for me and even frowns on my
driving a car!
by an over-protective Bengali mother (is there any other kind?) , I don’t know
how to ride a cycle, let alone a scooter
or a bike! Mom deemed two wheelers too unsafe for me and even frowns on my
driving a car!
The problem was sorted as my co-host for
the breakfast hop was Amrita Rana, a Punjaban, who is an adept scooterist apart
from being an enthusiastic food blogger (here’s
her blog), bacon jam maker, YouTube video host and cooking class
instructor. This bundle of energy was to be my ride and she made sure to drive
me at a pace safe enough for even my mother to approve.
the breakfast hop was Amrita Rana, a Punjaban, who is an adept scooterist apart
from being an enthusiastic food blogger (here’s
her blog), bacon jam maker, YouTube video host and cooking class
instructor. This bundle of energy was to be my ride and she made sure to drive
me at a pace safe enough for even my mother to approve.
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With Amrita Rana at the start of the ride |
We spent a couple of planning sessions at
Candies along with the team from Flying Cursor, the agency who was working with
Mahindra on the event, where we planned the route map.
Candies along with the team from Flying Cursor, the agency who was working with
Mahindra on the event, where we planned the route map.
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Planning and eating meets at Candies |
A contest followed to select the walk
participants and the event trended on twitter.
participants and the event trended on twitter.
Finally Sunday arrived and I woke up at an
ungodly hour to make it to Marine Drive near the Mahindra Dealership by 7.30
am.
ungodly hour to make it to Marine Drive near the Mahindra Dealership by 7.30
am.
As I saw the beautiful sea opposite us and
met the enthusiastic participants for the ride my sleepiness disappeared and I
was primed up for the ride.
met the enthusiastic participants for the ride my sleepiness disappeared and I
was primed up for the ride.
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A cheerful start to the ride |
Thankfully it wasn’t too sunny as we had an
early start. The Mahindra Gusto scooter was quite stable and Amrita drove very smoothly. The
seat is pretty long and we sat very comfortably as our posse of 5 scooters took
off.
early start. The Mahindra Gusto scooter was quite stable and Amrita drove very smoothly. The
seat is pretty long and we sat very comfortably as our posse of 5 scooters took
off.
I really enjoyed taking in the beauty of
South Mumbai from the majestic Queen’s Necklace sea-face to the sunny art deco
architecture of Churchgate and the more august and Victorian buildings of
Colaba s we rode down the roads on our Mahindra Gustos.
South Mumbai from the majestic Queen’s Necklace sea-face to the sunny art deco
architecture of Churchgate and the more august and Victorian buildings of
Colaba s we rode down the roads on our Mahindra Gustos.
Mumbai never looked so pretty.
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The Go Gusto cavalcade |
Now to the million dollar question, what
did we have for breakfast?
did we have for breakfast?
The menu that we chose was reflective of
the diverse heritage of Mumbai and we stopped at some classic South Mumbai
breakfast places in the ride.
the diverse heritage of Mumbai and we stopped at some classic South Mumbai
breakfast places in the ride.
Our first stop was Olympia café at Colaba
where we had kheema pao (spicy minced meat curry with bread) and Irani chai.
There was a mixed vegetable dish for vegetarians. Olympia is representative of
the many Muslim owned eateries dishing out Mughlai fare in old Mumbai and popular among Colaba old timers. It opend early and is packed for breakfast.
where we had kheema pao (spicy minced meat curry with bread) and Irani chai.
There was a mixed vegetable dish for vegetarians. Olympia is representative of
the many Muslim owned eateries dishing out Mughlai fare in old Mumbai and popular among Colaba old timers. It opend early and is packed for breakfast.
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The first breakfast stop at Olympia |
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Kheema pao at Olympia |
We then went to the Tea Centre in
Churchgate to get a feel of the lost world of the clubs of the British Raj. Here we had dense scones with
clotted cream and jam and muffins and relived our Enid Blyton memories. We
tried out a variety of hot teas and iced teas too.
Churchgate to get a feel of the lost world of the clubs of the British Raj. Here we had dense scones with
clotted cream and jam and muffins and relived our Enid Blyton memories. We
tried out a variety of hot teas and iced teas too.
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Scones and muffins at the Tea Centre |
We then drove down Marine Drive, taking in
the sea breeze, and reached Café Ideal. You cannot come to South Mumbai to
eat and not go to a Parsi place. In keeping with the vegetarian code followed
by restaurants in Marine Drive, Café Ideal is a rare vegetarian Parsi joint.
They serve eggs though and open early enough for breakfast. So we finished our breakfast ride with spicy and creamy
Parsi scrambled eggs, akoori, and sali par eedu (eggs fried with matchstick
potatoes).
the sea breeze, and reached Café Ideal. You cannot come to South Mumbai to
eat and not go to a Parsi place. In keeping with the vegetarian code followed
by restaurants in Marine Drive, Café Ideal is a rare vegetarian Parsi joint.
They serve eggs though and open early enough for breakfast. So we finished our breakfast ride with spicy and creamy
Parsi scrambled eggs, akoori, and sali par eedu (eggs fried with matchstick
potatoes).
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Akoori and sali per eedu at Ideal Cafe |
It was time to say goodbye and I realized that
riding on the Gusto turned out to be a wonderful new way of seeing the city which I really enjoyed.
riding on the Gusto turned out to be a wonderful new way of seeing the city which I really enjoyed.
Life after all is all about new experiences
and this was a pretty good one.
and this was a pretty good one.
Heading to South Mumbai on a Sunday morning
with its empty roads is a sure-shot way of falling in love with the city again.
with its empty roads is a sure-shot way of falling in love with the city again.
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At the end of a great morning |
This
is a sponsored post.
is a sponsored post.
You
can click
here to see Amrita’s post on the ride
can click
here to see Amrita’s post on the ride
Sad to see this kind of crap on your blog. I know everyone needs to earn money, but this is taking things too far. Sponsored content / advertorials should be much more subtle. This was just too shameless and in-your-face… 🙁
@anon I would rather make it clear when I am doing sponsored content than be subtle and insidious about it
Sad to see that you choose to remain Anonymous when making a disparaging remark.
Anon – it's his blog, he can do what he pleases. Quit being a judgemental pony .
Gusto looks very different and stylish! i have been reading some really good reviews about this scooter! Especially about it's features like front kick start and adjustable seat feature. Looks like a good one from Mahindra!