Chillout: Travelling & getting creative with her 8-yr-old defines a perfect weekend for Pepsico’s Vani Gupta
In this week's chillout, Gupta shares her weekend routine that not only helps her deal with the high stress of corporate life but also allows her to create some cherished memories. Read on…
Corporate lady with a distinct style. This best describes Vani Dandia Gupta, Marketing Director - Indian Snacks, Foods at PepsiCo India who has spent close to seven years at the company.
A constant stream of emails, back-to-back meetings and work related travel has not stopped Gupta from having her weekend dose of hitting refresh.
In this week's chillout, Gupta shares her weekend routine that not only helps her deal with the high stress of corporate life but also allows her to create some cherished memories. Read on…
1. On a typical weekend you will find me...
Saturday mornings are sacred. I am at my best creatively and intellectually. There’s something about a Saturday morning that is so full of optimism and positivity that I find myself bursting with ideas – and almost all of my new beginnings have taken germ on a Saturday morning.
I love painting – so a lot of weekends are spent dabbling in paint and multi- media. My 8 year old son loves it too, so we are currently working together on a huge mural called “A walk in the Park”. Other than painting I love planning holidays to new places - even the planning is as thrilling as the holiday itself. I have been collecting travel magazines since a long time (as a great fan of the Lonely Planet magazine, and have several issues of Outlook Traveller, Conde Nast amongst others) and have each neatly flagged for different places. So the act of planning means rifling through my many magazines, while also looking up places on my phone… and making notes in my ‘Blue Travel Diary’.
2. My idea of relaxing is...
Doing something fun with my son - even if we’re playing Master Chef (where he plays the role of the Master Chef of course and I’m the lowly usher cum server), watching him play football, or even going for night walks with him.
I’m not much of a reader, but I do especially love devouring magazines on flights – I necessarily buy a couple of interesting magazines (travel and lifestyle) from the airport before boarding a flight.
And I love the ‘me time’ I get in hotel rooms while I’m travelling on work – it allows me to do a lot of thinking, without being distracted by regular work or household circus.
3. One vice I cannot do without...
I don’t have any vices – nothing that makes one happier should qualify as a vice. I love my wine, I love my Old Monk, and I love good food – plenty of food that is.
4. I love a Staycation/adventure...
…that involves meeting new people, experiencing all the colourful culture of the lands I visit.
On the last holiday in Italy, we found ourselves in a very large old luxury villa in a small town called Castellamare di Stabia which was literally a one horse town! Oh well, one taxi town! And we had to take a long 2 hour trip to Positano on a taxi, train and then a bus every day. While I cursed plenty about my research having gone so wrong, we made lots of friends on the train and of course, the one taxi driver in the town became best friends by the end of the 3 days there!
My more interesting holiday was at Egypt, which presented many strange ironies….
1) I packed more than 30 different dresses, prepared to put on the Nefertiti act. But I survived mostly on borrowed clothes. Mine were all used for wrapping precious stoneware and ceramics that I bought suitcases full of!
2) I ran away from, and thought I'd be safe distance from loud item numbers of Bollywood, but I saw so people dancing in hordes to Bolly tunes at various ‘Indian’ and Bollywood festivals there, that I found myself gyrating too, and I returned an ardent Bollywood fan!
3) Thought I'd steal a few ciggi puffs behind my son’s back. But gosh, in Egypt, EVERYONE smokes EVERYWHERE, ALL the time! The smell of smoke in cafes, lobbies, restaurants, taxis, streets and shops.. It was so cloyingly sickening.. I turned from a 'heavy chain passive smoker' to a very 'active resolute quitter'!
4) Travelled continents to find peace and deep meditation stooped over a colouring book, surrounded by colours, in a hotel room!
5) I so fell in love with the art and craftsmanship of Egypt, that where I'd been advised to bargain with aggressive fervour (khan el khalili) I found myself cajoling shopkeepers to pitch higher for their wares and see more value in their art! Obviously I acquired a huge fan following of several strange men, following me around chiding "come spend your money with me!"
6) Boski found his calling at the Fustad centre of arts and crafts in old Cairo (Govt run centre) amidst local artists, carving and painting... Hold your breath.. Dinosaurs! So we spent two full days building a collection of colourful plaster dinosaurs and kung fu pandas which were carefully wrapped in bubble sheets and brought back from far Egypt to dear motherland.
7) I ran to Egypt on a whim. But met Turkey and Greece, and fell in love …all over again!
5. I confess, I am a...
I do believe that people who curse more than others are happier and more honest. I would much rather believe and lean towards one who is quick to use curse words and swear – than one who is more correct as a general state of being. So as you may have guessed, I am a happy ‘no holds barred swearer’ at most times, and am more spontaneous and gregarious than most others.
6. I spend me-time on...
I like writing in my diary. Reflections on myself, dreams for the future, people I’d like to connect with, job lists, my self-improvement list and the like. I find it very cathartic.
7. The last show I binge watched...
Crown on Netflix
8. I can make a mean ... to save my life... SKIP THIS I THINK
Nothing really worth mentioning. (Though I do love my own salads, and my steamed honey fish and garlic chicken and tomato soup… but I’m not much of a cook.)
9. A skill/hobby I want to learn this year...
I studied 3 levels of Spanish while I was on maternity leave but remember very little of it now. I want to go back to studying Spanish again.
10. My next vacation/adventure will be ...
Scandinavia is on the cards for the coming summer – I hate the cold, so let’s see how I get along. But I am counting on the high happiness index of that part of the world to keep me happy and warm!
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Bonding with son over Netflix makes Anshuman Goenka’s weekends special
ChillOut: The Marketing Head of Bacardi India loves to relax on a beach
Anshuman Goenka, Marketing Head of Bacardi India, loves to be at home on weekends. For Goenka, spending time with family and bonding with son over Netflix are the best things about weekend. And being on a beach with Bacardi Ocho is his idea of relaxing.
For this week’s Chillout, exchange4media caught up with Goenka, and he didn’t shy away from spilling the beans. Read on to know more about him and his weekend indulgences…
On a typical weekend you will find me..
At home, watching Netflix with my son
My idea of relaxing is…
Being on a beach with a Bacardi Ocho, the premium rum
One thing I cannot do without…
My family
I love staycation or adventure…
Part relaxing and part adventure. A little bit of adventure is always great
I confess, I am…
Always striving for perfection.
I spend me-time on…
Eating and drinking out with wife
The last show I binge watched…
Suits Season 8. I am a big fan of the series
A skill/hobby I want to learn this year…
Guitar. I have been wanting to learn it for a long time now
My next vacation/adventure will be…
In Las Vegas, again
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SharePool or golf field: Frederic Widell’s place to be on weekends
ChillOut: The VP & Head (South Asia) and MD, Oriflame, loves beach vacations, and Bali, Sri Lanka, Maldives are his favourite destinations
After a very hectic week at work, when Frederic Widell, VP and Head of South Asia & MD, Oriflame, gets time off on weekends, he loves to spend it at home, reading a book. For him, swimming is the best part of the weekends and being at a beach is his idea of a vacation. A complete coffee person, five cups a day is a must for him.
Read on to find out more about Widell and his weekend indulgences…
On a typical weekend, you will find me...
In the pool or golf field. If I get time, I also love reading non-fiction books.
One vice I cannot do without...
A glass of wine. Also, I am a coffee person. I drink at least five cups of coffee in a day.
I love a staycation/adventure...
At a beach. I love Bali, Sri Lanka and Maldives. In India, I love Goa. Jaipur, Shimla, Tamil Nadu, Udaipur are also my preferred destinations. I love scuba diving also.
I confess I am a...
If you would have asked me this question about five years ago, I would have said workaholic. But now I enjoy life also. We have one life and we should live it to the fullest.
The last show I binge-watched...
Sacred Games. I love watching series for three-four hours on Sunday.
A skill/hobby I want to learn this year...
Snow-bowling
I can make a mean ... to save my life...
Vegetable sauce or lasagne or Swedeish Cinnamon Roll, with coffee or tea.
My next vacation/adventure will be..
End of the year. I will definitely go to Goa. I also plan to go to Maldives for scuba-diving
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Digital detox & good food make Bharat Khatri’s weekends perfect
ChillOut: Khatri, Country Lead, Xaxis India, rejuvenates by watching animated science-fiction, and pampers himself with a spa session on weekends
Bharat Khatri, Country Lead, Xaxis India, spends his weekends with a detox from digital devices and making time for self-care. Being a foodie, he pampers himself by indulging in good food.
Khatri says he also rejuvenates by watching animated science-fiction anthology series.
For this week’s ChillOut, we spoke to Khatri about his perfect weekends. Read on:
On a typical weekend, you will find me...
Getting up early to maximise my weekend. Time is precious, no matter what day it is. My weekends generally start with an intense functional training session to stay in shape, followed by a brunch with my friends and family to keep my inner social animal alive.
My idea of relaxing is...
I pamper myself with good food, a spa session, and a few pieces of dark chocolate. I also take a ‘tech-sabbath’ for a few hours each weekend to get into the zen mode.
One vice I cannot do without...
I have an insane sweet tooth. Ritter SPORT – Dark Chocolate with Hazelnuts is my all-time favourite.
I love a staycation/adventure...
I would choose an adventure in the mountains any day. Hiking in the Himalayas is like my religion.
I confess I am a...
Big foodie who follows the lean gains and intermittent fasting protocol. I also dream of doing something like Rocky and Mayur of ‘Highway On My Plate’ fame, having my own TV show while travelling around India in search of good food.
I spend me-time on...
Watching videos of inspirational people from various walks of life.
The last show I binge-watched...
Love, Death & Robots on Netflix. It’s an animated science-fiction anthology series.
I can make a mean ... to save my life...
Grilled chicken!
A skill/hobby I want to learn this year...
Mixology.
My next vacation/adventure will be...
To Macau for the infamous Tower Bungee Jump. With that off the bucket list, I’ll head over to explore the sights of nearby Hong Kong.
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For Gajendra Jangid, a perfect weekend means spending time with family
ChillOut: Gajendra Jangid, Co-founder and CMO of Cars24, is a fitness enthusiast, a voracious reader and a 'Game of Thrones' fan
The idea of a typical weekend for Gajendra Jangid, Co-founder and CMO of Cars24, is to spend time with his family and kids. A fitness enthusiast, his idea of relaxing is yoga as it helps him distress after a busy day at work.
An IIT Mumbai alumnus, Jangid, worked for a multi-national company for over 9 years and spent almost 5 years in the US. After coming back to India, Jangid realised he didn’t “want to die in the same company”. “I wanted to decide how I want to spend the rest of my professional journey. It is then that I bumped into Vikram Chopra, CEO & Co-founder of Cars24, who was also my batchmate in college. And we took a leap of faith, and that’s how we started our journey.”
In this week’s ChillOut, we speak to Jangid about his perfect weekends. Read on:
On a typical weekend you will find me...
For me, my typical or perfect weekend is spending time with my family and kids. They are my stress relievers.
My idea of relaxing is...
After a hectic day at work, Yoga helps me distress and stay active.
One thing I cannot live without...
I just cannot do without working out. It’s part of my daily routine and fitness is important.
I love a staycation/adventure...
Without a doubt, spending time at my hometown in Rajasthan.
I confess…
I am an optimistic.
I spend me-time on...
I am voracious reader, I love spending me-time reading books and exploring genres.
The last show I binge watched...
I am a big ‘Game of Thrones’ fan. I binged watched GOT Season 8 but have to say the ending really disappointed me.
A skill/hobby I want to learn this year...
I am really keen on learning swimming this year. I have been wanting to learn swimming for years now.
My next vacation/adventure will be...
It has to be scuba diving in the Maldives.
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Srikanth Bureddy’s idea of perfect weekend is being at home with friends
ChillOut: The Co-Founder & Director of Valueleaf Services (India) Pvt Ltd., also loves experimenting in kitchen on some Sundays
For Srikanth Bureddy, Co-Founder & Director, Valueleaf Services (India) Pvt Ltd., weekends are about staying at home and meeting friends. He calls himself an “opportunist” who looks to better his every act, and a “nocturnal” person who loves mid-night coffee sessions with friends. He is a fan of Andhra food and loves cooking it too.
Read on to find out more about Bureddy and his weekend indulgences.
On a typical weekend you will find me...
Mostly, at my Mumbai home with friends. I like cooking and experimenting in the kitchen. After all, there is nothing better than a simple way to unwind. I take breaks on Sundays as it is very important to counter gauge the challenges for the next week. Few Sundays in my calendar year are also marked for getaways.
My idea of relaxing is...
Reading books and travelling. Both the activities are very close to my heart. It is important to take out time for yourself to unwind and explore.
One vice I cannot do without...
Midnight coffee sessions! I am a nocturnal person.
A staycation/adventure I love...
Travelling to mountains. San Francisco is always my first preference. It is something that I love to do, besides my lovely projects at work.
I confess, I am ...
An opportunist looking to better every act that I do. This helps me evolve with knowledge & experience, and see uncommon things in the most common situations.
I spend me-time on...
Reading and travelling. There is something very intriguing about reading and seeing places.
The last show I binge watched...
Honestly, I don’t remember! But I have never watched a complete show at one go...and movie theatres put me off to sleep. Movies are entertaining but never fit in my me-time.
I can make a mean ... to save my life...
A full-course Andhra meal. I love Andhra food.
A skill/hobby I want to learn this year...
Coding or writing.
My next vacation/adventure will be...
Not planned yet. I love to surprise myself sometimes. You would probably know if you keep in touch via my blogs and Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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Encountering wildlife in its habitat is a humbling experience: Mehernosh Pithawalla
ChillOut: Mehernosh Pithawalla, VP and Global Head - Marketing, Sales & Innovation, Godrej Security Solutions, talks about his love for good music, movies and experimenting with new technology
Weekends are meant for watching a movie in the comfort of the home, says Mehernosh Pithawalla, VP and Global Head - Marketing, Sales & Innovation, Godrej Security Solutions.
For Pithawalla, music, films and travelling help him relax and calm down after a busy day at work. He also confesses he is a fan of good animated movies. In this week’s ChillOut, we speak to Pithawalla about his perfect weekends.
Read on to find more.
On a typical weekend you will find me... Relaxing at home, indulging in binge-watching or planning my next travel.
My idea of relaxing is: Great music, engaging films, and travel to the wilderness.
One vice I cannot do without... I love to experiment with new technology. If it’s worth noticing, it’s worth trying.
I love a staycation/adventure... I would always prefer an adventure. A travel to experience the wildlife in their real habitat humbles any human.
I confess I am a... fan of good animated movies.
I spend me-time on... Listening to music, or binge-watching movies.
The last show I binge-watched… I am an avid Netflixer. The last few shows that I have watched are:
Money Heist, Game of Thrones, Sherlock and Breaking Bad.
A skill/hobby I want to learn this year... Cooking. It looks like a simple chore but as you experiment you learn more. Cooking for others is a form of altruism.
My next vacation/adventure will be... Maasai Mara and Serengiti. I am a great lover of the Nature as it makes us realise that we are only a small speck in the creation by the almighty.
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Vipul Mathur finds inner strength through yoga
Mathur, CEO, Mufti, spends his weekends with family & watches a live musical or scribbles down notes to unwind
Weekends for Vipul Mathur, CEO, Mufti are for family alone. Apart from finding inner strength through yoga, he also loves to scribble ideas in his journal and spend time in ashrams. While he is not into binge-watching, Mathur does catch up on live musical shows and dramas.
Mathur shares with exchange4media his true idea of chilling out. Read on:
On a typical weekend, you will find me...
My weekends are dedicated to my family. I spend time with both my kids - play badminton with my son and go out on dates with my daughter.
My idea of relaxing is...
Yoga is definitely my idea of unwinding and relaxing. It gives me the inner peace and strength to deal with uncertainty, look through things when there is chaos and makes me a compassionate person as a whole.
One vice I cannot do without...
I tend to over share with people who are dear to me.
I love a staycation/adventure...
If I am traveling alone, I usually go to ashrams where I meet new people and get a chance to serve them. Alternatively, if I am traveling with my family, we all usually prefer going up the hills. It's soothing to share the moment with my family.
I confess I am a...
A foodie!
I spend me-time on...
I have a knack of journaling and I usually spend me-time scribbling notes in my journal which could later shape into ideas. It helps me calm my inner self.
The last show I binge watched...
I am not really a 'binge watcher'. But I do attend some live musical shows or dramas. The last play I saw was 'Umaro Jaan' in a musical theatre.
I can make a mean...to save my life
Chicken Barbeque, undoubtedly.
A skill/hobby I want to learn this year...
I used to play the synthesizer earlier but my busy schedules have kept me away from it for a very long time. However, I plan to start playing it all over again this year.
My next vacation/adventure will be…
Switzerland with my family and I have many reasons. Not only is it beautiful, but it has various spiritual organizations too.
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