How to wear your formal footwear, casually!

As you already know, I am big on experimentation! Last evening, I thought of giving something a shot. It’s conventional when you can pair off a formal wear accessory with your formal wear attire, but when you can pull it off with casual attire - it is an ART! 

A few weeks ago, I acquired a box of Johnston and Murphy colored shoe laces (Ping me for a discount code on this) and threw a poll out on the blog about the option of wearing colored laces with dress shoes. Got a ton of yay's for this one, haha!

So here you go, I wanted to sport a casual attire and couple it up with my black dress shoes (Wingtips with brogues), but off course not with the black laces - yes, it would look funny! The polo was of a teal shade and yes the socks were teal too - so blue/green laces would have been a little too mainstream, right?

I thought of matching the color of the Ralph Lauren logo with the color of my shoe lace, yes that is yellow! This is quite quirky, but too my surprise - it turned out very well!

Here is a snap shot of it:

As always, any thoughts/comments/feedback are much appreciated!

Cheers,

Adi

Travel Blog Post #1 - Your go-to guide as you go about planning your next BIG visit to Dubai and Abu Dhabi!

Folks – Previously, I have published two posts about my visit to the Emirates (Which pretty much shows how much I loved my visit ;)). Before I jump on planning my upcoming trip to Turkey, I wanted to document some of the pre-requisites if you plan on visiting Dubai and Abu Dhabi and want to plan it out yourself. I had gotten multiple requests for my Dubai itinerary so I thought of putting this piece together to help you guys better navigate as you go about planning your next big trip.

PS: I got a ton of help from locals to help me plan this up and this is purely based on my own experience from my recent visit.  

Visa- If you book through Emirates they will have an option on their portal itself to apply for the visa (Once you book your tickets). You have to different visas - depends on how many days you plan on visiting:

Visa type	Validity
96-hour	96 hours from arrival date
Tourist - short term (one entry)	30 days from arrival date

Air Tickets - direct flights with Emirates and other local airlines (Air India, Indigo, etc.) Nonstop as well as One Stop flights (Good Price Point - Rs. 12,500 to Rs. 25,000 - peak season)

Ground Transportation - Dubai is very well connected in terms of public transportation (Trains, cabs, etc.). They are reasonably prices and the taxi cabs operate by meter.

Foreign Exchange Fees (VERY IMPORTANT):

Since this will be considered as a foreign transaction for you, you might incur foreign exchange fees based on your payment method. Try to find ways to avoid incurring these fees - typically cards like American Express waive of foreign exchange fees which will help save a considerable amount.

Accommodation -

Old Dubai: Budget accommodation available here - very similar to Mumbai (Lot of Indian immigrant population as well as good food options). Well connected to major parts of the city by metro as well as public transport. Look at Bur Dubai, Karama, etc. for hotel options.

New Dubai: Accommodation on slightly higher price range available here - Good restaurant options available close by. Well connected to major parts of the city.  Well connected to major parts of the city by metro as well as public transport.

List of Local Restaurants (Which I personally visited - MUST TRY):

http://adityasharangdhar.blogspot.com/2015/02/dubai-food-delight.html

The groupons and snapdeals of Dubai - Keep an eye out for tour deals on this site (You should be able to find deals for all the tours I have mentioned below at a very good rate compared to any tour agency). We did a couple of our tours from here - the quality and service is similar to the normal tour, it’s just at a discounted rate. Very similar to the way Groupon or Snapdeal operates in India:

1. Yallabanana.com

2. Cobone.com

PS: The tours on these sites are operated by local tour agencies itself. Usually the site will tell you this tour is operated by “XYZ agency” and you can reach out to these agencies on the side and ask for additional discount (Since you are by passing yallabanana/cobone, they are saving on the middle man cost and will usually give you some discount ;) J )

Suggested Tours - (I have added some rough time estimates, to help you customize the plan - try to do all of these if you have enough time)

1.      Half day Dubai City tour - This is a standard package offered by most of the tour agency, doesn't vary too much. All the tours will show you around new and old Dubai and all the historic places, etc. Try and finish this up on Day 1 itself, so you have a decent idea about your whereabouts. (Time: 9 am to 2 pm)

2.      Dubai Marina evening Dhow Cruise with buffet dinner - Take this cruise over the other option i.e. Dhow Cruise. This is a better experience in terms of the cruise itself, the places they take you, food, etc. (Time: 6 pm to End of Day)

3.      Top of the Burj Khalifa - Purchase the ticket from the Burj Khalifa website itself (Tour agents will charge you more). Make sure you get it at the right time else the time slots will run it. Don't buy the ticket on the spot; it will be around three times the price. A good time to get the ticket would be around 45 minutes before the sunset. That way you can witness the day and night views. Step out of Burj and try to stop by for the water show - they have timings allocated to it, and it is a very nice show to see. (Time - 6 pm - 9 pm)

4.      Dessert Safari with Quad Biking - This will be a one day activity - totally worth it. They will take you through the dessert, do the safari and then have a traditional Arabic setup with food, shisha, dances, etc. Try to get the one with Quad Biking - it’s a very nice experience. (Time: 3pm - End of Day)

5.      Abu Dhabi City tour with Ferrari world - Spend about a day visiting Abu Dhabi and Ferrari world. This might be a slightly hectic day since you will leave fairly early and visit Abu Dhabi (1.5 hours from Dubai). Overall a good experience and you can look at a packaged deal of the city tour with Ferrari world - will turn out economical.

6.      Dubai Mall - You can spend about half a day exploring the Dubai Mall (Depends on your agenda - if you want to shop there, etc.). The mall has a really nice aquarium which is a MUST visit. Really good experience - take the combo package which includes the underwater aquarium tour, the boat ride and the zoo. Worth the price. This would be about a 3 - 4 hour experience, so if you want to shop - set aside one day for Dubai Mall itself.

Sample Email to send Tour operators while asking for quotes, etc.:

Hi There,

I am reaching out to request a quote for the below tour options on Jan 6th and Jan 8th, 2015 for Three Adults.

1. Dubai City Tour

2. Dhow Cruise

3. Dessert Safari with Quad Biking

4. Abu Dhabi tour with Ferrari world

I am open to the open of packaging one or more of the about tour options.

Awaiting your response.

Thank you,

Your Name here

Local Tour Operator Emails (The ones I had reached out to for a quote):

24x7@sharaftravel.com

info@utravel.ae

alrais@emirates.net.ae

Info@welcomettc.com

info@travelginie.com

aadops@emirates.com - This is Emirates Airline's tour agency

reservations@godubai.com

support@isango.com

As always, feel free to reach out to me for any additional help / information.

Cheers,

Adi

That Summer barbecue look..

Coming Soon...

How do i carry off a Peacock Blue accessory?

It is always an interesting exercise while picking and choosing the right accessory to complete "that" look of yours, right? Sometimes we run into situations where we want to wear "that" cool accessory shade - read peacock blue, but can't necessarily gauge whether it will be a yay or a nay! No worries, the key is experimenting. Big deal if it goes wrong, at least you tried.

I am welcoming Summer 2015 with loads of bright colors and dapper company! This post is a result of dapper company pulling this shade of so well during multiple events! Thought of playing around with peacock blue after my experiments with bright hibiscus! With this particular shade of blue, you can go one of the two ways pretty much! (If you discover additional combinations, throw em out in the comments section)

Light and Subtle: A perfect complement to peacock blue's vibrant shade would be a light and subtle polo / shirt and shorts combination. Sum this up with dark accessories (maroon watch strap and navy or black boat shoes) to ensure the peacock blue accessory doesn't give a "loud" feel to it and is the only vibrant accessory you sport.

Dark and Vibrant: You can go down this route if you want to go hand in hand with the peacock blue accessory and take the more vibrant route. In this case you want to be very careful about the shade of the polo / shirt you wear. It CANNOT be too dark (read black) because it will tend to overshadow the accessory and lose the whole point of it. Go for shades such as heather grey, navy, bright hibiscus, etc. and couple it with other "not so dark" accessories such as a tan watch strap (see below)

Cheers,

Adi

Are you summer ready?

Are you summer ready yet? Love this weekend must haves post by @brooksbrothers

Swing by your nearest Brooks Brothers, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and stock up on some polos, shorts as well as a pair of boat shoes. Couple this combo with a classic brown belt and a matching watch and top it off with a few accessories here and there if you'd prefer!  If you haven't already got them make sure you get a pair of club masters or wayfarers to complete that #dapperlook

Colors to keep an eye out for: light or dark orange, turquoise blue and shades of peach

Alternative links (Picked these ones last weekend)

Polo (Color: Bright Hibiscus) - Click here

Shorts (Color: Navy) - Click here

If you are done with summer shopping for yourself make sure your lady has her look complete too, if not - it's time to do the shop run with her gentlemen!

Cheers,

Adi

Dubai Food Delight!

Folks,

Like you already know, Dubai was awesome and one of the key contributors to make it awesome was the variety and taste of the cuisines available. In my short time at Dubai I made it a point to try out as many restaurants as I could and my best friend (local from Dubai) and his fiance made that possible! Cheers Prashi and Anshul :D

I am writing this post to present you with some of the hidden gems in Dubai along with some of the specialties out there. If ya'll plan to hit Dubai anytime soon, try and give these places a shot and let me know how do you like them.

Piccolo Mondo Bay - Zomato Link 
What to Have: Sit on a swing, throw a blanket on top of yourself and enjoy the views of Burj Khalifa with a Sheesha (Flavored Water Pipe) in your hand #livingthedream

QD's - Zomato Link 
What to Have: Enjoy a nice Sheesha with a couple of drinks overlooking the pleasant views of the Dubai Creek with a backdrop of the beautiful Dubai Skyline #thisislife

Moon Mood Cafe - Zomato Link 
What to Have: A traditional style setup where the Sheesha and Moroccan Mint green tea combo could never go wrong.
Tourist tip - Hit the nearest supermarket and grab a couple of Moroccan Mint green teas if you become a fan. I was an instant fan and got myself a couple of boxes from Twinings and Lipton.

Kulcha King - Zomato Link
What to Have: An Indian delicacy place, where pretty much everything is a steal but Kulch (Stuffed Potato pancakes with spices and toppings) wins the race, hands down!

Which Wich - Zomato Link
What to Have: How I love this place! It was a delight to find this chain in the Emirates and hell yeah, any superior sandwich selection coupled with Oreo Milkshake does the job here. #bloomingtontimes

Al Mallah Cafe - Zomato Link
What to Have: This is truly a hidden gem, and a must visit if you are in Dubai and try out the Cheese Garlic Zaatar Manakish, it is out of the world! #nomnom

Kana Cafe - Zomato Link
What to Have: Enjoy the views of the Dubai skyline sipping a fresh fruit juice (watermelon is a must try) and smoking a refreshing Sheesha.

Sukh Sagar @ the beach - Zomato Link
What to Have: Anything and Everything! A traditional Indian food restaurant delicacy setup which pretty much serves an end to end menu of some really delicious Indian food items.

Dessert Safari Buffet Spread
What to Have: Anything and Everything! Dessert Safari is a must do activity if you are visiting Dubai and trust me, you should make the most of the buffet spread. It is authentic and delicious.
Verdict - Grand Canyon (West) 's food prepared by the hualapai tribe still beats this spread - joint verdict from my parents and myself. #grandcanyonforthewin

Filli Cafe - Zomato Link
What to Have: Tired after a long working day, drive down to Filli Cafe and have a cup of Saffron Tea (Zafraani Chai). Trust me, you won't regret it!

Tea Junction Cafe & Lounge - Zomato Link
What to Have: Looking for an ideal place to sit back and relax with a cuppa tea/coffee in one hand and a sheesha in another. You might want to try Tea Junction then. It has a more sophisticated ambiance with an option of indoor as well as outdoor seating. I came across an interesting Tea flavored Sheesha on the menu here, if you will. It is called "Teasha"

Zaroob Cafe - Zomato Link
What to Have: Trying to look for the best place to get a late night snack? Go no where, Zaroob's the place you want to bless your stomach with. Pretty much anything from the menu is legit and worth giving a try. #latenightmunchies

Golden Fingers - Zomato Link
What to Have: A quick pit stop place to grab a quick falafel roll or shawarma, this is the place you wanna go to! #malabarifalafel

Pappa Roti - Zomato Link
What to Have: If you are a Mumbai-ite you will relate to this place. Remember the traditional Bun Maska Pav (Bread & Butter) ?? Oh wait, and some Nutella, Kitkat and other toppings on it? Legit right, stop over at Pappa Roti for a quick bite while touring the Dubai Mall, you will love it!

Chatori Galli - Zomato Link
What to Have: Looking for some freshly cooked and delicious Indian Sweets? Go to Chatori Galli and make sure you try their freshly prepared Jalebi's (Deep friend curly sweet dish). Its out of the world.

Dorrat Al Bahar - Zomato Link
What to Have: Well, all you "Sindhi's" out there, you get a wide variety of Kokis here. Need I say more?

Bombay Bites - Zomato Link
What to Have: Looking for a quick evening snack, Bombay style? Stop over at this place and try some of their Indian Snacks including Vada pav, Samosa coupled with the Indian Masala Chai (Tea).

Persian Cafeteria - Zomato Link
What to Have: Tired of the traditional Falafel and would like something different in it? Go no place else, Persian Cafeteria remixes the traditional Falafel with the option of Samosa and Vada (Deep Fried Potato Patty with Spices). Make a quick hop there when you are browsing the streets of spectacular Meena Bazaar.

Feel free to send me a note or leave comments if you have any questions, concerns or suggestions.

Cheers,
Adi

Pink pink pink!

Well who said guys cant wear pink, and pull it off. In the recent past, not too long ago I went all out with the "pink" color coordination at my friend's wedding, To put some context to this, the guys had to wear grey suits with shocking pink ties and the bridesmaids had to pull of pink gowns. 

So here is my top-down pink color coordinated look inspired from #mydappercollegue

Details:

Shirt - Joseph a Bank Signature Collection with Monogramming

Cufflinks - Burj Khalifa Diamante Collection with Swarovski elements

Watch - Montblanc Star Wold-Time GMT Automatic

Socks - Funky Socks

Accessories (Pocket Square, Tie Pin, Bracelet) - Custom Made / Tailored

Shoe - Zara Men

Laces - Als - Bandra (Mumbai, India) - Credits to my good pal Saby for helping find these :)

Any questions/comments feel free to comment or drop me a note.

Stay blessed,

Adi

Dopey vs Dapper

Found this post this morning on @gentelmenschoice 's instagram handle. So legit! 

All you men out there, get your suits tailored and throw in some accessories and #getdapper fellas!

For more details around accessorizing feel free to leave a comment or drop me a note.

Cheers,

Adi