Another week, another Portmanteau!
The twelveth edition of Portmanteau brings with it stories of human endeavors and will. Our feature covers the spirit of the Oberoi Group and Mr Mohan Singh Oberoi's vision to bring luxury stays to India during a time where such a concept was inconceivable. We talk about the sheer determination it takes to sail around the world solo, an improbable passion that only a handful of people have achieved.
Our Elysian for the month features the immaculate Geoffrey Bawa, one of Southeast Asia's most celebrated architects. And we have a twist this time in one of our sections! A simple take on how the world took to making booze at home when there was none outside, along with some guidelines.
The Travel Record for this edition is a playlist by The Cape hotel, to get you into the mood for a coastal adventure. This edition's Reel features literary works from some of the greatest minds that have been turned into movies. I wonder what our Owl has to say about that...
We hope you enjoy the twelveth edition of Portmanteau. As always, we welcome feedback and suggestions from all our readers.
Sharing the mutual love for travel!
Ashish
A deep dive into a story that's arcane, thoughtful, and sometimes humorous!
The Oberoi Story In India
Life comes a full circle with opportunities seized, luxury redefined, once fleeing from and once running toward a tragedy.
Mohan Singh Oberoi was propitiously born on August 15 1898, sharing the date with the birth of a nation that he almost single-handedly helped redefine.
When you’re stuck home and the wine shops are closed, what do you do?
Become your own distiller. Just be careful while you're at it. No one anticipated that 2020 would see most of us grounded in our own spaces, sans warning. With everyone shutting shop, we were starved of one non essential commodity that might just have lifted our spirits (no pun intended) during lock-down
The lack of alcoholic beverages meant that people had to turn over a new leaf and switch to a healthier lifestyle, which did wonders. But for those that had the time, inclination and a lot of sugar, another possibility emerged: If you can’t buy it, make it!
How prepared are you for your travels?
The great literary works that we love and cherish have also come to life on the big screen!
Every child with a sweet tooth will have heard of this classic. A young boy from a poor background wins the ticket of a lifetime: To visit a chocolate factory for an entire day!
Roald Dahl’s writing comes alive in this hilarious and slightly dark film about 5 competition winners who get what they deserve. 4 brats of the highest order who rightfully deserve the mess they get themselves into eventually, and Charlie, the innocent lad who lands the biggest prize of them all.
One of Johnny Depp’s most amusing roles (you can barely tell it’s him!) with some heartwarming moments along with addictive songs, Charlie And The Chocolate factory is a worthy adaptation of the novel.
You all probably knew this was on the list, didn’t you? If you haven’t seen Mario Puzo’s classic tale of the Italian mafia of America come to life, now is probably the best time.
Watch the long but intense story of how the Corleone crime family goes from a seemingly harmless vice of gambling and union related crime into drugs and other more potent acts thanks to mafia politics. Along with the rise of Michael Corleone as the new head of the family, the film is a beautiful portrayal of a hesitant son’s entry into a completely different life.
With star performances from Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, the Godfather has every reason to be #2 on the IMDB Top 250. A serious watch, but a gripping one.
Scott Fitzgerald’s novel about extravagance, parties and mystery come to life thanks to the stellar performances by Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire and Elizabeth Debicki.
In 1922, the golden age of America, Nick, a young Wall Street stockbroker moves to Long Island, next to a millionaire with a flair for the dramatic and a single name: Gatsby. Soon, he receives an invitation to attend Gatsby’s party, an over the top affair where he is the only one to ever receive an actual invitation and the rest of the attendees just show up unannounced. From there, Nick becomes friends with Gatsby, and the story takes a very different turn as Nick becomes responsible for reuniting Gatsby with the love of his life.
The Great Gatsby was a hallmark novel in America despite initially negative reviews, and the movie does every justice to this wonderful book.
What does it take to sail around the world, solo?
We’ve all heard the stories of the legendary Ferdinand Magellan. Nearly 500 years ago, the Portuguese naval officer became the first human to start a journey at one point and travel around the world with his ships returning home, albeit bruised and battered.
From then on, the itch to circumnavigate the Earth has affected many a brave navigator. Despite the modern age making lives easier, sailing is somehow the one adventure that hasn’t become a more achievable feat.
To everyone who's ever said the books are better than the movies: I don't care. Enjoy both.
A brilliant recipe from the Ministry Of Crab, pioneers in sustainable seafood!
The Ministry Of Crab is a Sri Lankan enterprise run by Dharshan Munidasa, a native chef and restaurateur whose passion for fresh ingredients and sustainable cuisine demands that his catch always be delivered to the restaurant every single day.
The best part? no food is allowed to be stored in freezers. Here is a simple recipe for some garlic chilli crab from the kitchens of the Ministry!
This recipe will have you appreciate the true taste of fresh crab.
An inspired party playlist from The Cape, a Thompson hotel in the Baja California region.
Puzzles to get your neurons firing.
One man from Sri Lanka was responsible for setting a new trend in architecture in Asia, and eventually around the world.
Art is sometimes an explosion of ideas and colors put down on pen, paper or screen. Sometimes however, it is also on display through the world’s buildings and monuments.
A more subtle practice that few people championed throughout human history. One such man was undoubtedly Deshamanya Geoffrey Manning Bawa. Or Geoffrey Bawa for short.
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