A Cup of Joe

New Delhi now has it's very own Starbucks coffee shop.  Complete with wi-fi, food counter and of course, the coffee.  I was reading an article online regarding the prices of Starbucks and I am fortunate to have the prices of this New Delhi coffee shop.
http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/craving-fast-food-norway-thatll-cost-220600593.html

 

We have also tried locally roasted coffee from Blue Tokai found online at http://www.bluetokaicoffee.com  This company is based in Delhi India and will fresh roast coffee beans of your choice and deliver to your address, in INDIA.  A good choice for local coffee and fresh deliveries.

 

We still miss our two favorites found in the US though.  Same idea but different locations.  From Hill City, South Dakota is Dry Creek Coffee and when we can arrange a shipment we especially love the Sumatra.  http://www.drycreekcoffee.co 

 

From the Chicago area is FreshGround Roasting.  This is another place we like to make bulk order shipments from for our long stay in India where our favorite is the Growers First Honduras http://www.freshgroundroast.com 

 

Mister takes his black but I like cream and sugar, especially the flavored coffeemates! Cheers.

 

 

 

One FULL Saturday

For those who have never been to New Delhi or visited Dilli Haat, Surajkund Mela may be hard to imagine.  Have you ever gone to a craft fair?  Visited something similar to a church bazaar?  In all of these likenesses; Dilli Haat, craft fair, church bazaar, now imagine them on steroids and place them into the spatial likeness of a fair grounds.  It’s HUGE! Surajkund mela has many “zones” with crafts from all over India, and this 2013 year from all over the world.  It was decided last year to increase the foreign visitors to the event the organizers of the mela have now transformed this annual mela to Surajkund International Craft Mela.  These same vendors are found in likeness showing crafts that rotate through the Dilli Haat shopping areas in New Delhi (both locations).  For two weeks, February 1-15, visitors can shop for crafts from all over the world.  From what I saw it was mainly crafts from India, two or so from Africa and one from Pakistan selling marble vases and tables. The food court area becomes very busy from 1:30pm onwards, as does the mela itself after 1:00pm.  I attended the mela twice this year, once during the week and the other on Saturday and both days the mela was very crowded around 1:00pm.  I would suggest an early morning arrival.  There is a 50 rupees entrance fee and gates open at 9:30am but many vendors do not have their booths uncovered and selling until 10am or later.  It was sunny but not hot both days I attended and the colors were bright and cheerful. Entertainment spills out into the main street in the grounds and all walks of entertainment keeps visitors interested and looking for more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This particular Saturday, after the morning and a large part of my afternoon was spent at the mela I stopped at home long enough to change my shoes, bake a gluten free cake for a birthday girl (friend) and collect the family for a night out.  We didn’t go far, a simple drive to the American Community Support Association (ACSA), our local club we are members of.   Saturday’s dinner special was seafood which satisfies the majority of our family's taste buds except kid three who is far too picky for most menus.  Also the band, The Paisleys of New Delhi, was scheduled to play at 7:30pm and they are always a great show.  They had guest performances from some AES students.  Very well done!

The Paisleys Of New Delhi India

It was a fun and full Saturday of entertainment.  For those of you following our saga, we also have our new driver.  He has been employed with us for one full month now.  We hope he can stay working for us until we leave this summer.  Oh yeah, and we are planning to leave this summer.  We will not be returning to the state where we own our home but instead we will look for housing in the state where moms and dad are living. More to come in later posts, we will be adding “transitioning out of India” as a label. 

Shopping

I have somewhat limited myself in the shopping in Delhi up until my mom arrived for a visit.  Not that my mom is a big shopper but she does love a bargain.  While Mom was here we shopped at Cottage Emporium, ACSA vendors, Santushti, flower market, Hauz Khas Village, C-Block Market, produce market, Sarojini, Khan Market, Old Delhi spice market and most successfully at Parhar Ganj.  It was great fun for all of us.  We bought treats and trinkets for family and friends, scarves in every color of the rainbow, clothes for all sizes from baby to XXL, we bought cups and tea, spices, pottery and clothes, hankies and belts and we bought glasses for Mom.  She has not had a new pair of glasses in almost 15 years so she treated herself to two new pairs.  It was so fun to see her revel in the bargains and even get into bargaining herself.  Kid One taught Grandma that whatever price is quoted, cut it in half and go from there, unless it is fixed prices.  Unfortunately Kid One was also so busy with end of the year events, get together and required classes that she was not able to join us in most of our bargain shopping.  Kid Middle and Kid Three attended Parhar Ganj with our trip and returned with some fun bargains of their own.  We will see how well the helicopter actually works but it was worth the $20 to see the delight on the faces of both Kid Three and the man who sold it.
All the kids have said one thing they miss from the US is Target.  After we stock up on the things we need from Target this summer it will be fun to come back to India and do our bargaining for the things we can get from here, and for the most part at a much better price.