Celebrating Bandra in pictures

The Opening Parade

The Reigning Parade

Best head massages in Bandra

There is nothing better than a soothing head massage to relieve your mind from daily stress, throw in some oil and your scalp is both well nourished as well as relaxed all at once. Let’s take a look at the best places to indulge in this nirvana of sorts.

FIVE STAR HAIR DRESSERS – Opposite HDFC Bank, Pali Market

Rs50: Vatika, Navratna, Shehnaz Hussain Hair Tonic

Nishit Bhandary, “The warm towel really hits the spot after a good massage, if you are off directly to any place but home try the Shehnaz Hussain Hair Tonic as it doesn’t leave you with an oily feeling.”

KINGS HAIR DRESSERS – Opposite Mt. Carmel Church, Adjacent to Shiv Sagar

Rs60: Darbur, Navratna, Vatika, Rs80: Almond Oil

Sailesh Soloman, “Nothing beats the feeling of those hand held massagers relaxing your scalp as you relax and unwind. Ask for a shoulder massage which truly makes it a complete package.”

 

LAKME SALON, Waterfield Road

Rs.75 approximately: And not to leave the ladies out. Lakme offers some super indulgent head massages (they even massage your eyebrows!). You can choose from olive oil, almond and coconut. The massage also includes a small neck and back massage and comes complete with a nice cup of chai.

TWINKLE GENTS SALON– Ambedkar road, near Sweet Bengal

Rs50: Navratna, Amla, Parachute, Darbur

Sudip Palwankar, “It’s the best way to rejuvenate after a long day of work and before a long night of partying.”

– Sheldon D’souza

Nail induslgence nail spa

You instantly like Nail Indulgence when you see it from the outside. It has pretty mirror curtains and a colourful display of nail polish bottles. When you are inside, the warm brown and cream interiors have a calming effect on you. So does the soft, classical music which drowns out the traffic noise to an extent.

I got my nails (hands and feet) filed and then painted shocking pink and I can’t stop admiring them ever since. It set me back by Rs.300 but it was worth it. My attendant’s name was Chonchon and she is an expert at her job. You can sit here endlessly as no one is in a hurry to make you leave. The staff is polite and well-informed.

Nail Indulgence offers manicures, pedicures (starting at Rs.325), nail extensions (Rs.1600-Rs.2200), head massages and face scrubs. They have exotic rose and chocolate treatments too. The pedicures and manicures are done in the comfortable recliner chairs replete with a foot or shoulder massage.

Owner Ragini Bajaj has been in the nail-dressing business for ten years and they have branches all over Mumbai. They had a branch at Santacruz but shifted to Bandra a couple of months ago. They are the exclusive distributors for EZ Flow and China Glaze products in India. “Today everybody wants to look good and fashionable and taking care of your nails is an important part of that. We also have a training academy and a nail biter’s program. The extensions help your nails grow and make a fashion statement. We have branches around town as we don’t want our clients to travel,” said Ragini.

Nail Indulgence Nail Spa is located near the Mango Showroom in Khar (West). It is open from 11 am to 8.30 pm. Contact: 9821771000

5 things you have to do

1) Lucky Dip: A counter set up in the first cafeteria next to the church offers a daily lucky dip with gifts ranging from dolls to yoyos, imitation jewellery to stationery. One can either visit the stall and sign up with your name and contact number or look out for little girls in pink dresses walking around the eating area with a name pad and pen. Price: Rs10

2) Giant Wheel: Everybody knows of the thrilling experience of a Giant Wheel ride, if not imagine being attached to a giant Ferris wheel with a mechanism that keeps you perpendicular to the ground at all times throwing you around steep falls in both clockwise and anti-clockwise routines, butterflies guaranteed. Price: Rs30

3) Coaster-Go-Round: It adds a devious twist to the simple Merry-Go-Round with a wavy track profile making it dip and rise like a roller coaster while spinning around throwing the carriage outwards like an aircraft leaning to one side during a turn. Price: Rs30

4) Inflatable Funhouse: Strictly for the kiddies, this is an inflated double isle synthetic balloon where the young ones love jumping around and jumping around and jumping around. Price: Rs20

5) Tail The Donkey: A corner stall at September garden (Carmel’s ground) sported the old ‘Tail the Donkey’ game, wherein one has to attempt to tail the picture of a donkey with blindfolds on. It gets especially tricky when you’re spun around to confuse your sense of direction. Winner gets to pick a gift from a spread similar to the Lucky Dip. Price: Rs10

– Sheldon D’souza

The Unusual Suspects

You’ve sat at Bandstand, you’ve chilled at Carter Road and you’ve even done your time at the semi-shady Reclamation promenade. These are the well known and popular Bandra hang outs. But then there are the places where if you are over 18 you will have never heard of… the unusual Bandra hangouts. They may be unconventional but they are more often than not packed to the brim. Read on to find out where Bandra’s most unusual hangouts are.

1. CAFE COFFEE DAY WALL: On first glance the dozen or more teenagers that sit on the wall right outside the café may seem like customers waiting for a table. But, if you pass by an hour later and still see them sitting there you will know that that is their only purpose for the evening. Teenagers hang around the wall because it is the prime location to see and be seen. But, if you do fancy a day on the wall, head there by 4pm.

2. GHANA WALLA PAVEMENT: Either the ghanna walla has a magnetic personality or there’s just something about the pavement. Hordes of kids gather around this pavement for gossip, sugar cane and chota Gold Flake. The hangout used to be complete with the vada pau guy a stones throw away, but the BMC dealt with that. Packed during college hours, the crowd usually dwindles as evening and curfews approach.

3. YMCA LANE: A place of choice for the upper crust of Carter Road visitors. And by upper crust we mean those who want to see but not necessarily be seen. Full of fancy cars packed with youngsters, the lane offers a bit of privacy but you can still feel the vibe of the road. The parking spots closest to the main road are the most in demand.

4. UNDER THE BRIDGE: The tunnel leading the Reclamation promenade is plastered wall to wall with young coochie cooing couples, from Bandra and beyond. The place is dark (some over-zealous couple might have busted the lights) and quiet. But, beware… it is tremendously suspicious.

So, if your bored of the same old places every day check out these unusual places where you can hangout.

– Glynda Alves

Seniors Day Out

The Royal Vintage Carriage

You always hear of kids or families and friends going for a day out just to relax, get away from the noisy city and just have a little fun. But now it’s time for the senior Citizens to enjoy a day out. This Saturday, a fun day out is being organized by Josie Mascarenhas for all senior citizens. Senior citizens can expect a picnic like trip filled with games like housie and many others especially designed for them. Along with games, there’s even going to be sing-along sessions where senior citizens will get the chance to croone to some classics.

The day is aimed to introduce a well designed old-age home in Panvel called ‘Nishkalanka Seva Home which when translated means pure home.  Josie Mascarenhas tells us more, “It all started with people asking me if I knew a good old age home for their father or mother and I used to tell them about this place in Panvel just off the highway. But people would say, ‘Oh Panvel is so far away!’ , but it is actually just an hours journey by car. This place is very nice and has wide open spaces and is in a little township.” The home is spacious and can accomadate around 200 people and they even have their own health center.

Apart from all the games and singing, senior citizens are in for a another treat as the famous ‘Royal Vintage Carriage’ bus will be taking them to their destination and back. The day will start at 7.30am and end by 6pm with breakfast, lunch and tea being included.

When: Saturday, 27th September, Entry: Rs250, Contact: Josie on 9820340455.

Read On

Looking for your next great read? Inbandra comes to the rescue with a list of the suburb’s best bookstores.

HAPPY BOOK STALL: This popular stall manages to use up every available inch of space, but has a good selection of books by authors like Jane Austen, Salman Rushdie and Jeffrey Archer. You’ll also find the Harry Potter series here, among many others. My favourite is the Calvin and Hobbes collection. Where: 8, Rizvi House, Hill Road, Contact: 26400019, 9224426325, Timings: 11:30am to 8:30pm, Mon-Sat

SUDARSHAN BOOK HOUSE: This book house is the neatest in Bandra. They’ve got the latest books for kids and even offer various packages and schemes at very affordable prices.
Where: Opp BMC H-Ward office, St. Martin Rd, Contact: 26426951, Timings: 10am-1pm and
5pm-8pm

N/BOOKS: They’ve got a wide selection of comics (including MTU and MARVEL), novels (Agatha Christie, Stephen King, Danielle Steel), children’s books and even dictionaries. But I like their stock of over 200 magazines, Indian and international, especially Muscle and Fitness and Top Gear. They also have a good library facility. Where: Shop G5, Rizvi house, Hill Road, Contact: 67255797, Timings: 11am to 9pm, Mon-Sat

CROSSWORD: This is place is great if you’re on a budget or strapped for cash and you have an urge to read the latest issue of Vogue of Overdrive. They let you read not only the magazines but also certain books as well. A great plus point is their comfy decor and coffee shop. They also have a great dial-a-book service. Where: Noor Mahal, Near Tavaa Restaurant, Turner Road, Contact: 26407049, 65269033, Timings: Weekdays, 10am-9pm

– Rommel Albuquerque

Oktober Fest

Yes, you read right, the most famous festival for beer lovers all over the world is being celebrated right here in Bandra. Oktoberfest, a 16-day festival held each in Germany, is being held in Bandra, albeit for only 10 days (we’re not complaining – we’re just happy it’s actually here). But these guys are calling it ‘B.L.O.B meets B.L.O.T and a Series of Trippy Experiments’

This line up of beers includes Guinness, Orange Bloom, Tiger, TsingTao, Stella, Carlsberg, Peroni, Corona (and a lot more) at incredibly cheap prices. Domestic beers are available too, at dirt-cheap prices. And in case you think drinking beer all day isn’t fun enough (it is, by the way) there’s also Helium Project’s Sundown Sessions, where you can play traditional beer games like beer pong, ring toss, 2 litre glass race and more.

So you’ve got a beer in your hand, you’re playing beer pong and you wonder what else you need to complete the experience? Music, of course! B.L.O.T (the acclaimed audio-visual performers from Delhi) and a Series of Trippy Experiments, featuring artists such as Nucleya (Udyan Sagar from the Bandish Projekt), 909 Connection, Leon Joseph, DJ Hash, Jon Qui and various acclaimed rock acts will be performing for you.

Where: The Mumbai Times Café, off Linking Road, When: 4pm to 1:30am till August 30, Entry: Tickets are on sale to listen to the bands and join in the games. Rs.300 cover charge (a pint of Fosters costs Rs 50); Contact: 66711587, 9422769843

B.L.O.B meets B.L.O.T

22nd August – Kritical Bass, Priyanjana, Progressive (4pm-9pm) BLOT – Psytrance (9pm onwards)

23rd August – Helium Project, Minimal Tech (4pm-9pm) BLOT – EDM Live (9pm onwards)

24th August – Helium Project, UK Progressive (4pm-9pm) Ankit (playmysoundrecords/ Galazy Nepal) – Uplifting trance (9pm onwards)

25th August – Project Raga Tronix, Metal Messiah (Heavy Metal) (4pm-9pm) Bombay Elektrik Project (DJ Arnold & VJ Sapna) – Deep Tech/Techno/Progressive house (9pm onwards)

26th August – ATKT (Hindi Rock), Lithium, Space Zitar (Psychedelic Rock) (4pm-9pm) Bombay Elektrik Project (DJ Pramz & VJ Dooj) – Minimal/Progressive house

27th August – Kritical Bass, Minimal Tech (4pm-9pm) Udyaan (Bandish Project) – Asian Underground (9pm onwards)

28th August – DJ Jay, Progressive (4pm-9pm) Leon Joseph – Minimal + Tech

– Rommel Albuquerque