The first thing that I do in the morning on a weekend is to make myself a glass of fresh juice comprising an apple, beetroot and carrot. This particular combination is rich in nutrients and keeps my energy levels high throughout the day. A glass of this gets me started for the day ahead. I also make my own salad which is never complete without avocado. This is one fruit that I can have in any form at any time of the day. I add it not only to my salad but also to my sandwiches. 

I love cooking and that’s exactly what I do when I am home. I make myself a chicken breast salad which comprises grilled chicken with a serving of carrots, cut to resemble rice grains. I also mix in bell pepper, tomatoes, chilli flakes, salt, avocado and a dash of either red wine vinegar or the white one. I carry out the same experiments with fish, prawns and crab. Cooking also has a therapeutic effect on me. So I make the best use of my time at home to satiate my craving for food. If I am up for more cooking, then I go all out to make burritos, pastas, quiche and peanut butter. I first make small portions and if my family likes it, then I prepare larger ones. I also like frozen fruit desserts which I have with Tajin powder, especially bought from Mexico. 

I also enjoy painting and gardening. I never knew that there was a painter in me until I began sketching and realised that my strokes with the brush were perfect. I think I developed a love for painting because I like doing my makeup myself and experimenting with different colours. This is also why Biology was my favourite subject because it involved a lot of drawing. I use oil and acrylic paints. I haven’t had any formal training in art and have learnt through trial and error. My first painting was of Jesus Christ that I gifted my brother. 

I also spend a lot of time in the garden in my balcony which is also where I paint. I nurture the plants everyday and like the smell of wet plants. I’ve also made a small bird bath which attracts some rare birds in the morning. There are about eight to 10 small black birds with orange horns that come to drink water and feed off the bowl of bajra kept for them. My mother and I get extremely excited when we see these particular birds. We are still in the process of figuring out their name. 

I feel I don’t have to go seeking entertainment and relaxation outside because I find it at home. My brother is an excellent cook and the scrambled eggs with cheese and Goan sausages he prepares is something to die for. He and I spend a lot of time cooking and at the PlayStation. Some of the games that we play are ‘Battlefield’, ‘GTA’ and ‘Call of Duty’. We also have some of our friends over on the weekend for karaoke nights and we even play a round of a board game called ‘Rotten Apple’.

I live on Lavelle Road and there are some nice restaurants in the vicinity. If we are in a mood to eat out, then we walk over to UB City, ‘Sunny’s’ or sometimes ‘Smoke House Deli’.  I make time for myself over the weekends and do a bit of meditation which helps me focus better and prepares me for the challenges ahead. My profession can get extremely stressful at times and I feel most relaxed when I am surrounded by people who matter to me. That makes my weekend perfect.