JOIN USTo good food, friends and beyond
Weekends are a big deal for me since I’m busy with work rest of the week. That’s why I like to wake up a little later than usual, around 9 am, work out for some time, have a good, healthy breakfast and then head out to the city to meet my friends.
Most of the weekends, my wife Debina and I are out making plans with some of our close friends. I have been friends with them for more than nine years now and we are a gang of eight to 15 who get together often. It’s usually at a cafe where we like to meet. This, of course, extends to going for brunch and shopping thereafter.
Last weekend, as usual, we woke up a little later, had our breakfast and went to a cafe. We called all our friends over, had a leisurely lunch and then went to the mall to shop. Even though my wife does most of the shopping, I end up buying something or the other as well.
Since we are a gang who love to eat, we prefer going to Japanese and Chinese restaurants. While we want to binge eat, we have to make sure that we keep up with our diet. Fortunately, with the kind of food that Chinese and Japanese cuisines have, it gives a balance to our hungry souls.
There are also times when my parents visit from Patna. As both of them are working, it’s hard for them to visit us often. But when they do get a 10-day long vacation, they come over and we plan some impromtu trips outside the city. Debina and I take them to a cafe or restaurant and then surprise them with a mini-vacation or a long one that we all go for. Her parents join us as well. We usually go to Lonavla or Khandala as it’s closer to where we stay. To be honest, the unplanned trips are the best since we have no expectations yet we have a lot of fun at the same time.
I’m also someone who doesn’t like to be alone. Even if I have to go to the next room, I need someone with me. So being alone for any weekend is out of the question.
We also have a five-year-old boxer Dexter, who we love very much. He has a caretaker who manages his daily routines, but when we’re at home during the weekends, we take him out for walks or to our housing society downstairs and play with him. Having a dog in your life is a great feeling as they are always there for you and greet you every time like they haven’t seen you in ages. Whenever I feel low, being with him makes me forget all my problems. I also like to spend time during the week reading a book. I am a sports enthusiast and I also have a black belt in kick-boxing. So whenever I get time, I like to practice that or try some gymnastics. Horse riding is also one of my favourite pastimes. Ever since I took part in ‘Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa’, I have also started enjoying dancing a lot. So when I know that I have a lot of spare time, I get a trainer and ask him to teach me new moves — there’s always something new to learn!
My friends are a huge part of my life. Since weekdays are usually chaotic with work and other activities, weekends are a breath of fresh air because of my friends. Other than us spending time at restaurants and cafes, we also enjoy playing cricket and video games. When we get time, we also like to go out to the water sport centre. But there are also times when we just meet in someone’s car and just sit and talk. It’s little moments like these that make my weekend a perfect one.”
A few of my favourite things
*Dancing
*Gymnastics
*Taking Debina shopping
*Shoes
*Horse riding