Cooking, shopping and ‘me’ time: Manvitha Harish

I don’t wait for weekends to arrive to do the things that I enjoy doing. And being in the profession that I am, I don’t really get weekends off. There have been days where I have worked non-stop without a break. I have no complaints because I enjoy what I am doing.

Whenever I get a day or two off, I stay home and watch movies or cook. Even watching movies is never a relaxation for me because I watch movies either from an actor’s or a director’s perspective. I try to learn something new from the movies that I watch.

Shopping is another favourite pastime, but it is interesting only when I am shopping for others and not for myself.

There’s really never a time when I don’t cook. I find it a great de-stresser. I make biryani, both chicken, and mutton. I bought a large vessel just to make it.

I put a lot of effort into what I make because I believe that it sends out positive vibes to those who eat it. I also bake in my spare time. I used to make a lot of cupcakes but I soon found that everybody began making it. It wasn’t as exciting anymore. I now look for recipes that challenge my culinary skills.

If I  go to some authentic biryani place and if I like the dish then I ask them for the recipe. I have also experimented with Asian, Chinese and some other styles of cooking.

I am a big foodie. I eat everything I like in small quantities. But I make sure that I burn it all out at the gym the next day I also make sure that I eat a diet that is rich in protein and fibre.

This ensures that my energy levels remain high.

Weekends are also reserved for spending time with my pet Doodle. He likes to be around me whenever  I am home. You can’t distract him whenever I am getting my hair and makeup 
done.

He watches very closely and won’t move, no matter what the provocation is. He doesn’t even bat an eyelid.

I also have a select group of friends that I hang out with. It may sound a wee bit funny but most of my friends are either 10 years younger to me or older to me.

I also set apart some time to be alone. This time is precious because it gives me room to think about the road ahead and plan better.

A few of my favourite things: 

Dancing

Listening to music 

Shopping 

Long drives 

Cooking