All posts filed under: PLACES

Rootsandleisure_longwa_travel

Longwa Village in Nagaland Might Be Your Best Bet for a Quiet and Enriching Getaway

Published by Kumti

One of the coolest things to do right now if you are looking to refresh your mind or just plain bored of the usual stuff on social media – is to go and visit a village and experience Mother Nature and her folks in the purest form. Having said that, there are tons of beautiful villages in every corner of Nagaland, in the Northeast region of India, and our local friends recommend visiting Longwa village in the district of Mon in Nagaland. With just around 600 households, Longwa village promises to be a quiet getaway while also enriching you with their rich historical and natural offerings. It is said that there are only 7 Chief Anghs (a ruler; sole authority of a village) in Mon district and Longwa is one of them that proudly has a Chief. Here are some local information about the place, it’s people and their food. This village shares borders with Burma and India An interesting thing about Longwa is that, it is located on the borders of Myanmar and India. The Chief’s place also …

Rootsandleisure_littlesunshine_cafe Thailand

A Chat With Utchi, Founder of Little Sunshine Cafe in Thailand

Published by Asmita Das

As we continue to explore local cultures around the world to grow this community, one of our friends from Chiang Mai introduced us to this charming cafe in Bangkok and recommended it as a must-visit on a trip to Thailand. This cafe called ‘Little Sunshine Cafe’ and managed by its founder Utchima Sriprachya or Utchi, is known among the locals for its menu full of Healthy and Delectable dishes. And not just the food, this cafe is also loved for its warm homely environment – an important USP of ‘Little Sunshine’ Cafe. “We want our customers to feel like they are at their friend’s place, having home-cooked food – creating a familiar warm ambiance that is hard to find in a restaurant.” ~Utchi, Founder, Sunshine Cafe We chat with the founder Utchi to know more about her journey, her food philosophy, inspiration behind her cafe, and more. Hi Utchi, so nice to be having this chat with you! Please introduce yourself. I’m Utchi, founder of Little Sunshine Café. I’m actually a dietitian, graduated from the …

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“The Essence of Travel is to Experience a Destination in its Organic Form” – Meet The Founders of Madventures From Bangalore

Published by Asmita Das

Today, we have Pranav Mutalik and Shreyas Bhat, the busy young entrepreneurs with us who have come up with their Eco Tourism Agency – Madventures on nothing but one of their college trips. Aged around 26, the founders believe that experiencing the place and its people is devoid of the distraction the modern tourism industry offers. To be able to see, feel and experience a destination in its most organic form, is the essence of travel; same goes for hikes. Here’s a conversation with Shreyas, one of the Founders, who tell us how Madventures was born. Share a brief about the Founder of the venture We, Pranav (Mutalik) and I (Shreyas Bhat), have ardent love for traveling and hiking. We have always enjoyed being outdoors and amidst nature and this drove us to get into the hiking and trekking business. In fact, the idea of starting Madventures took shape on one of our trips in college; however, the company means much more to us now. Tell us something about Madventures. What is it all about? Madventures …

Rootsandleisure_deepika_travel

“Travel Taught Me that We are all Explorers – Looking for our Life’s Purpose” Deepika from Mumbai Shares Her Travelling Stories

Published by Kumti

They say our real test comes when we’re exposed to new places, people, experiences and how we deal with it. Traveling is no cakewalk, and it does get overwhelming at times, but for an explorer, this challenge is an appetizer and some of the best moments are created when you travel. Today, we take you on a virtual journey of a travel fanatic Deepika Gumaste – a traveller, a Communications Consultant, and a Homemaker. She has voyaged over the globe, whilst juggling in between her home in Mumbai and weaving out stories of experiences. How has your roots/upbringing brought you to where you are today I am a trained classical dancer in Bharatanatyam and was also a part of my school singing group. I belong to a family of nerds, who in all capacity treasure activities such as traveling. I got my itchy feet from my mother. As a kid, I traveled high and low, visiting resorts and family destinations. It’s just now that I have taken to a different sort of lifestyle – one that …

RootsandLeisure_homestay

Malinggo Homestay – A Home Away From Home in Sikkim

Published by Lisa

We have become much dependent on our environment but we have turned ignorant to them. Paul helps in bringing awareness and closeness to the nature with the concept of homestay. Here’s a quick conversation with the Founder of Malinggo Homestay in Sikkim who is in love with nature and its beauty of Gangtok. Tell us something about yourself My name is Paul Karna Rai and I live in the valley of Pastanga (East Sikkim). I used to be a Government Contractor and also worked with Voluntary Health Association of Sikkim (VHAS). Perhaps because I live in this valley, I have always felt close to nature, to the environment – the sound of the running river, the chirping of the birds, the cry of the crickets, the flowers of spring, the dew of the winter morning and mostly the first fall of sun’s rays on the mighty Mt. Kanchenjunga. Home is right here in the mountains amidst nature. How did you come up with an idea of a homestay? The concept of homestay first started in …

Rootsandleisure_hopecafe

Rev Chang’s Hope Café – A Café For The Special Ones!

Published by Kumti

With cafes and food joints sprouting out like flowers in spring, it is almost easy to pick one out and do a story but it is during these blossoming times when we come across one that has a different story to tell. Here’s the tale on Hope Café and their secret ingredient that makes them stand out from the rest! Hope Café – This place is more than what meets the eye. It is a café that caters to and by those that we often tend to neglect.  The brainchild of Rev Achu Chang, an altruistic pastor for whom faith, kindness and hope are the special ingredients that one can put together to reach out to those in need and help the community develop and grow in strength. Tell us something about the Café Proprietor/Owner? Hope Café is owned by few young Naga entrepreneurs – all kinds of people,  educated, dropouts and differently-abled. It is initiated by Rev Achu Chang as one of the branches under Eden Enterprises and Ministry. the main purpose of this café …

Rootsandleisure_ProjectOtenga

A Chat with the Founders of “Project Otenga” – A Café in Ahmedabad that Brings Together Slow Design and NorthEastern Roots

Published by Shiori Chan

Having a professional degree in designing may be one of the keys to conceptualize and define a structure but to be able to metamorphose it into a café of abstract comfort takes a little more than that. It takes persistence, determination and unsparing creativity to fill every corner with ingenious passion. For Kabyashree and Dayananda these elements came in together at the right time and with the right push to help them blossom their entrepreneurial journey that beautifully combines their passion, their design background and their roots Here’s a chat with the founders of Project Otenga, Ahmedabad  – Kabyashree Borgohain from Assam (extreme left) and Dayananda from Manipur (extreme right) . They talk about how the project evolved from a house café in Gandhinagar to a full-fledged space in the University campus in Ahmedabad. Here’s a little background on the founders A native of Assam, Kabyashree Borgohain is a design strategist, a gastronomical food researcher and chef, and an alumnus of the prestigious National Institute of Design, Gandhinagar . She also has a degree in Fashion and Lifestyle Accessories from and the …

RootsandLeisure_Holohoto

Ambrosia , Japanese Anime Theme Cafe | Nagaland

Published by Kumti

A new cafe/food joint is now a common sight in Dimapur. It sprouts up  almost every season, each with their own unique ideas and themes that we can’t help but keep an observant eye. Today, we introduce you to this adorable café by the name Ambrosia, a Japanese anime themed café which has become the talk of town not only because of the ambiance but also because of the delectable food served. This café is dedicated to all the anime lovers. Holohoto K Yepthomi, currently pursuing L.L.B from City Law College, Dimapur is the owner who has perfectly incorporated his love for Greek myth and Japanese anime into a space of aesthetically amazing café. As soon as you walk into the café, you will see characters from famous Japanese anime hung up on walls, drawn on boards and the transition moves from objects around to your food and right into your being! It is the perfect escape to anime-gination. Cafe culture is one of the current trends in Dimapur. “I am extremely delighted about the …

RootsandLeisure_FacesSikkim

Faces | Kids Playing Badminton on a Cold Snowy Morning in Lachen Village, North Sikkim

Published by RNL Writer

  “This photograph was shot in Lachen*, North Sikkim. It was captured around 6:30 am on a cold January morning – just after Lachen had received its first snowfall (this winter). The Lachenpas woke up to see their village blanketed with snow. The two children in the photograph are little Lachenpa girls playing badminton early morning. Snowfall to these kids mean snowball fights, building snowman, running around and throwing snow at passers-by … fun times.I attempted to capture images of these raw expressions that a snowfall in Lachen usually brings. This was also a festive occasion because the community was engaged in celebrating cham dance at the gompa. So the general mood of the village was that of celebration and playfulness” ~ Mayalu Mesh (@thesikkimese) *Lachen is a picturesque tourist location in North Sikkim with just about 100-150 households. Temperatures in Winter months (Jan-Mar;Oct-Dec) fall below zero degrees, and the entire pine-clad village gets covered in snow. Lachen serves as the base for some wonderful treks in North Sikkim.

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“My Mom’s Galho Restaurant Inspired Me to Open This Cafe” Pelevotuo Solo, Owner of “Mom and I” Cafe in Kohima

Published by Imtee Jamir

Growing up in Nagaland, dining out meant visiting the local “Chow & Momo” restaurants or being invited to a friend’s or relative’s house for dinner or tea. However, the food scene has significantly evolved over time, with new cafes, restaurants, lounges, and bakeries popping up every month. Today, one can be spoiled for choice with the abundance of options available. What’s interesting to note is that most of these places have been founded and managed by passionate youngsters in Nagaland. It’s pretty fascinating and cool, isn’t it? The best part is that these founders often have interesting personal stories behind their food ventures. Today, we meet with Pelevotuo Solo, who runs a Galho restaurant in Kohima called ‘Mom and I’ Cafe.  We chat with Pelevotuo Solo, owner of “Mom & I” cafe in Kohima Nagaland, to find out why all love this humble cafe. R&L: Hi Pelevotuo, tell us the story behind your cafe “Mom and I” in Kohima. Pelevotuo: I was born and brought up in Kohima, Nagaland and I have a Master’s Degree in …