ABC Wednesday - 'Y' for The 'YEAR' 2014

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The 'YEAR' 2014 has been very special as it was the 'Comeback Year of MDS'.
I also got a co-photoblogger, my 9 year old son Krrish who loves photography and does the Mumbai Weekend Snaphot every Sunday.

Today's photo is a collage of the best photos of 2014, which actually means the best of December 2014, as we did a comeback on December 1, 2014.
Please vote for the photo which is deserving of being tomorrow's CityDailyPhoto group's 'Best Photo Of The Year'.
Thank you dear Mumbai Virtual Tourists for your warm welcome to us after a break of five years. We love you all our dear readers. 
Thank you to our fellow CityDailyPhoto community, CityPhotographers community and Indibloggers, as we are so proud to be one of you.

Wish You All A Happy New Year 2015 from Anita & Krrish.

Our World Tuesday # 15 Florista at Inorbit Mall

Florista is a floral designing boutique at Inorbit Mall Vashi. 
They also provide customised bouquets and floral arrangements combining varied flowers, vases and accessories to go with the arrangement. I love the cute teddy bears that are available here to add on with the flowers. 

Monday Shopping and Markets : Hill Road

Jewellery shopping at Hill Road, which is one of the best places for street shopping in Bandra.

Mumbai Weekend Snapshot by Krrish - 4 : Fairytale Christmas at Damien

Christmas was loads of fun, as I spent Christmas Eve eating out, clicking photos at many places, also Damien at Bandra. We ate Merwans cake, decorated our Christmas tree, and I got a cool Spiderman dart gun as my Christmas gift.

These fairytale displays were put up this Christmas at Damien store. They are The Frog Prince, Lion Goes To War, Puss In Boots and Santa's Reindeer.
There was also a nativity scene in the display.
Damien Interior Store is closed for Christmas season, but is always decorated with awesome displays, and no passerby can resist taking photos here.

Wish you all a great Christmas week loaded with gifts and lots of fun, and a Happy New Year 2015. Love you all.

Weekend in Black and White : 4

'Patel Light World' is an all under one roof shop for all your lighting needs. You can shop here for the latest and sophisticated products at the best wholesale prices. It is one of the shops in the row of wholesale shops, located at Dana Bunder Chowk, near Vashi APMC Market.

For amazing black and white photos from around the world, click below:

Skywatch Friday 2014 - 4 : Sunrise

Morning is not only Sun Rise….

But a beautiful miracle of Nature…..

That defeats Darkness…

And spreads Light……..

Have a Beautiful Day !!!!

For more beautiful skies around the world, click below:

Merry Christmas from Mumbai

Merry Christmas to all Mumbai Virtual Tourists from Krrish and Anita.
Wishing you all the joy and peace, love and presents and a wonderful Christmas.

ABC Wednesday - 'X' for Xmas

Painting Santa Claus at a showroom entrance for 'Xmas' time.
Merry Christmas to all Mumbai Virtual Tourists and all participants of ABC Wednesday 'X' for

For great photos of ABC Wednesday around the world, click below:

Our World Tuesday # 14 Merwans Cake Shop

Merwans Cake Shop near Andheri station, is an inseperable part of our world and we find excuses to visit this bakery and celebrate. Once you open that door, the aromas of cakes, muffins and savouries will surround you and you cannot leave without trying a few of the delicacies.

It is one of the best, the oldest and the pocket-friendliest bakeries in the city.
Exotic cakes and pastries that will melt in your mouth, cookies, croissants, chocolates, rolls, puffs, desserts, icecream, fruit smoothies....are all irresistible and pretty inexpensive, with no compromise in taste and quality. There is a special eggless section upstairs, if you are a vegetarian.
 Some of the speciality cakes, pastries and savouries you must try are mawa cake, almond cake, pineapple cake, dutch truffle, chocolate crackle, lemon crackle... to mention a few. To buy the special Christmas cake in this season, you may have to stand in queue.
The veg.mini pizzas, chicken garlic roll, chicken cheese roll, veg. manchurian pattice, paneer roll, veg. and non-veg puffs are also very popular.
There are three small cafe tables with seating, but insufficient for the huge crowd inside. Most of the very popular stuff - like mawa cakes and almond cakes are sold out in a couple of hours after arrivng on the shelf.

Merwans is an awesome cake shop, insanely popular and amazing value for money. It is Krrish and my favourite hangout on most weekends when we visit Andheri. I will share photos of few of the delicacies here next week, if they allow me to photograph, or click the cakes and puffs I buy for Christmas.

Merry Christmas to all friends and readers of 'Our World Tuesday'.
To view the Christmas week from places around the world, click below;

Monday Shopping and Markets : Christmas Shopping

Its Christmas season, and whether you visit markets in Andheri, Bandra or the wholesale markets in Vashi, you will see all stalls selling Christmas decorations and accesories like this one.

Mumbai Weekend Snapshot by Krrish - 3

I love dogs but don't have one as a pet. Loved this one walking at the beach last weekend. I also love going to the dog park at Carter Road in Bandra, and playing with the pet dogs that people get there.

Wish you all Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays !!!

Weekend in Black and White 2014 : 3

Saffron Spice

The staircase from the doorway up to the restaurant Saffron Spice in Powai.
The lift is also very unique and interesting.

For great shots in black and white, click below:

Skywatch Friday 2014 - 3 : Renovation of Andheri Station (West)

Andheri Station renovation

Andheri station is being renovated for the last few months, and this is a partial view of it against the clear blue sky.

For more photos of skies around the world, click below:

Simply Mumbai - 3 : Swachh Navi Mumbai

Swachh means Clean.
Navi Mumbai Municipal Staff does a great job cleaning the streets in Sanpada.
They are usually in sarees with a blue jacket over it. Since winter time is really cold this time, this lady is wearing a scarf and a sweater and doing her job sincerely in the early morning hours.

ABC Wednesday - 'W' for Watermelons

Seasonal fruit - watermelon

At the wholesale market in Vashi.

To see more photos of ABC Wednesday - 'W' from around the world, click below

Our World Tuesday # 13 Mumbai Metro

Mumbai Metro

Mumbai Metro Line 1 VAG ( Versova - Andheri - Ghatkopar ) was inaugurated on 8 June, 2014. It was designed to reduce the traffic congestion in the city, and provide east-west rail connectivity.

Tokens and smart cards are available for travel. The frequency of metro train is 4 minutes at peak hours and 8 minutes at non-peak hours, Sundays and holidays.
The train timings are from 5:30 am to 12 am.

The route is as follows:

Versova - D. N. Nagar - Azad Nagar - Andheri - WEH ( Western Express Highway) - Chakala - Airport Road - Marol Naka - Saki Naka - Asalpha - Jagruti Nagar - Ghatkopar

Inside Mumbai Metro

For more 'Our World Tuesday' photos from around the world, click below:

Monday Shopping and Markets : Nadco Shopping Centre in Andheri

The Nadco Shopping Centre in Andheri West near the railway station is a one stop destination for fashion accessories, purses and handbags, exclusive jewellery, art and craft shops, readymade garments, sarees, dupattas, nightwear and loungewear, footwear, books, stationery and bags, toys, mobile phones...the list is endless.

What you see is just a row of shops on both sides of the passage. There is a big market at the end of this passage. The prices are pocket friendly and the merchandise is usually trendy.

Dont forget to try yummy snacks and farsan at Trupti snack shop in the shopping centre

A must check out when you are visiting Andheri suburb of Mumbai.

Mumbai Weekend Snapshot by Krrish - 2

My favourite dish is Pav Bhaji.
If mummy makes pav bhaji everyday, I'll be very happy.
The pav bhaji at Juhu beach also tastes very good. It is a must try, atleast once. We ate pav bhaji at this stall last weekend, and I watched this uncle make pav bhaji.
It is mouth-watering and appetizing to watch the 'bhaji' which is a mashed mixture of veggies cooked in butter and spices, being made on this huge 'tava' and then the 'pav' fried in spice and butter. Yummy!

Have a fun-filled yummy weekend!

Weekend in Black and White 2014 : 2

Children playing after school is always a pleasant sight. It's their own way to unwind, destress and relax after school hours, which are sometimes really stressful.

For more black and white photos from around the world, click below:

Skywatch Friday 2014 - 2 : Towers of Doom

Electromagnetic radiation from mobile phone towers installed on tops of residential buildings can pose a major health hazard for residents living within 300 m range, especially pregnant women and children and those living in the top floors of the building.
The residents show symptoms like memory loss, lack of concentration, headache, mood swings and hormonal imbalance. They also have greater risk of developing cancer. The radiation causes insects, bees, butterflies, sparrows and pigeons in the vicinity to disappear.

Is it ignorance of the consequences, or greed for money that the towers end up getting installed on so many residential buildings?
Is there a 'Tower of Doom' in your area?

For more skies around the world, click below

Simply Mumbai - 2 : Young Entrepreneurs

These two little girls were collecting bunches of coriander (cilantro) leaves, discarded by the wholesale sellers in the APMC vegetable market. A couple of sprigs of each bunch were spoilt.

They were sorting the coriander leaf bunches, removing spoilt sprigs and making fresh bunches. When I asked what they would do with them, one of them said 'we will sell them for Rs. 5 a bunch'. They looked busy and focussed and didnt really care to be photographed, and got on with their work after replying me.
 In a market where retail sellers buy cartloads full of veggies, or a basketful to carry on the bicycle and sell, these two girls found their own way of making money.

They seem to have acquired life supporting skills to survive in the fast paced city. I am inspired by these little workers and would like to call them 'Young Entrepreneurs'.

ABC Wednesday - ' V ' for Variety of Namkeen / Farsan

A huge 'Variety' of these fresh fried snacks popularly called 'Farsan' or 'Namkeen' of different tastes, shapes and flavours are very popular in Mumbai. They could be of Maharashtrian or Gujarati origin or even from North or South India.

Here they are sold loose by weight. One can even taste before buying them.
In many localities, the 'farsan' vendors sell the freshly packed  'farsan' at our doorstep. Our kids eagerly wait every Thursday for their favourite 'namkeen wala uncle' (means- uncle who gets lots of  'namkeen') and are eager to try something new each time. They are popular snacks for the school 'short break'.

For more ' V ' for..... entries from around the world, click below

Our World Tuesday # 12 Where do you read your newspaper?

In the hustle and bustle of the city, they have found a quiet spot in the park to read the newspaper. Where do you read your newspaper?

Monday Shopping and Markets : Char Bangla Market

Vegetable vendors at Char Bangla market in the Andheri(West) suburb in Mumbai.
Take a close look and you will find they have all the fresh ingredients for your speciality dish like yellow and red peppers, mushrooms, sprouts, baby potatoes and tomatoes, fresh corn and the regular veggies too.

This one is from my archives, but the market is still very much the same.
There is also a fish market nearby.

Mumbai Weekend Snapshot by Krrish - 1

Hi friends, this is my first photo on mumbaidailysnapshot. 
I clicked this one from the auto yesterday, when this boy came asking for some money or food. 

Mom and I usually carry biscuit or wafer packets to give the children who beg on streets, but we never give them any money. We also make sure we open the pack a little so that they cannot resell it. 
These children have a tough life, and buy 'Gutkha' - (Wikipedia meaning - a sweetened mixture of chewing tobacco, betel nut and palm nut) for Rs. 1 or 2 instead of food. Mom has even seen a little boy go to a cigarette and pan shop, and exchange the Rs.2 biscuit pack for a Rs. 1 'Gutkha' pack. So opening the pack is important so that we are sure we gave snacks and not gutkha.

I feel very bad for them and want to do something for these children. When I see them, I feel blessed to have such a nice home, family and school. 

I hope you like my post. Please come back on next Sunday to see my Mumbai Weekend Snapshot.

Weekend in Black and White 2014 : 1

I spotted this old scooter with a torn seat in battered condition in the station parking lot. Wonder who parked it, and for how long its been lying there?

For more black and white photos from around the world, click below

Skywatch Friday 2014 : 1

A statue of a worker carrying a load on his back in Dana Bunder area near APMC market in Vashi, against the surprising cloudy morning sky.

It is dedicated to the workers, locally called 'Hamaal' and are the lifeline of the wholesale market in Vashi.

Click on the image below

to see pictures of skies all around the world

Simply Mumbai - 1 : Seasonal Fruit - Guava

Winter brings these delicious guavas to Mumbai markets. Guava is locally known as 'peru' and comes in the white and pink flesh types. The skin, seeds and flesh are all edible. An excellent source of vitamin C, guavas are great for the skin. This pink variety tastes the same as the white one, but looks prettier and more tempting, especially when cut in this ziz-zag manner.

You will see many fruit vendors selling them in fruit baskets by the roadside, in Mumbai.