Seriously people. It just keeps getting better…
Yesterday I joined a shopping tour that our Community Liaison Officer (CLO – my former job) put together. It consisted of 3 shopping stops + lunch. Our CLO is a rock star and this trip was beautifully laid out. We took off around 10 AM. It was my first time going into the southern part of the city where much of the colonial architecture and older buildings are. Was definitely more crowded down there! But also more beautiful too. So many places here have grimy facades but then you open the door and poof – you’re in a magical wonderland! It’s bizarre. And that’s if you can find the place! So many really popular places are down these dark alleys and tucked into corners. Not the best business strategy if you ask me but I guess you take what you can get real-estate-wise here.
Our first stop of the day was Chimanlal’s Paper Company. This handmade paper store has been around since the 1950’s and exports all over the world. They produce paper products of all shapes and sizes – gift boxes, wrap, bags, tags, notebooks, cards, envelopes and more. Their stuff was exquisite.
I walked away with way more paper products than I intended to. It turns out that I have a hankering for shiny things…
These pictures do not convey the gorgeousness of this product. It was unreal. And the prices. Soooo reasonable! I WILL be back. :)
Next up was the Crawford Market, a bustling downtown market filled with stall after stall of random stuff. There was the usual fruit and veg, but there were also many vendors selling nuts, spices, electronics, and beauty products (to name a few).
I didn’t get harassed excessively which was a blessing. It felt really legit too because 95% of the people there were Indians doing their everyday shopping. This was no tourist bazaar folks. Exhausting but amazing!
We needed a little reprieve by that point and thankfully it was time for lunch. The CLO had selected the lovely Café Zoe as our lunch spot. The vibe was so fresh. Great food, lots of locals and an airy, light atmosphere. I will definitely be taking Nick back there.
The last stop of the day was a well-known home goods store called Good Earth. We walked in a plain, unassuming door and were greeted by this:
Around every twist and turn were beautiful new displays full of gorgeously-crafted Indian-esque products. I was in heaven.
It’s rare that I buy something for myself spontaneously but this mug was just calling my name (again, I blame the shiny gold). Hence, I ended up with a set of 2 beautiful handmade china mugs to drink my tea in each day. I know I will appreciate looking at this beauty each morning as I start my day. Again, the picture does not do it justice!
Here’s a teensy sampling of my paper purchases for the day.
And here are some lovely votive candle holders I found for $1 each!
Our day wrapped up around 4:30 and I was exhausted but happy. And now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to attend a birthday party for Krishna (a Hindu God) with neighbors I’ve never met. Should be exciting! All in the day of an expat in India… :)
