In Goregaon & Beyond

Mumbai is the home base for the Hindi Film Industry, popularly known as Bollywood, and one of the most iconic industry locations is Film City. Film City is spread across 500 acres, and on most days employs hundreds of artists and technicians. Set up in 1911, the very first Indian films were shot here. Film City has been busy ever since. Bollywood scouts are often on the lookout for travelers/foreigners to fill in as extras for movie scenes and soaps. If this is something you’d be interested in, hang around Film City, or Colaba, and you might find yourself with some screen time.

Spread over 4000 acres, the Aarey Milk Colony continues to be one of the city’s surviving open green spaces, much favored by joggers, runners, and cyclists, and nature lovers. Back when Mumbai had limited entertainment options, a Sunday picnic at the Aarey Milk Colony was the pinnacle of weekend excitement. This sprawling green space was set up as milk processing plant (the plant offers dairy tours through the week from 11:00-17:30), and recreational zone (with a garden, a play area, paddle boat rides in the small lake, and food stalls).

When you see this UNESCO World Heritage–listed train station, you’ll understand why it’s described as an eastern version of London’s St. Pancras. This imposing reminder of the British raj, designed in an extravagant Victorian-Gothic style with Islamic and Hindu elements thrown in, is often referred to by its colonial name of Victoria Terminus, or VT; a statue of Queen Victoria still lords over the building’s dome. Inside, watch with awe as thousands of people spill on and off the trains—and if you’re feeling brave, have a go at riding the rails yourself.

The next time you’re in Mumbai, sign up for a two-hour introductory session at Sagittarius Archery. A qualified instructor will take you through the basic techniques before arming you with an appropriate bow and arrow. When you pull that arrow back, analyze the tension of the string, and let the arrow rip towards the target. It’s exhilarating.

Looking for an authentic, light Indian meal? Try the Old Madras Cafe, on the Goregaon Mulund Link Road. The menu offers light snacks such as the crispy, crepe-like dosas, medu vadas, and soft, white idlis. They are all served with coconut chutney, and a lentil soup (sambar). If you’re in the mood for a more complex meal, Old Madras cafe also serves south Indian seafood. Finish off with a hot filtered coffee—served with a tumbler and a bowl, meant to froth the coffee and cool it in the process.

Across north India you’ll come across dhabas: food stops serving wholesome meals to travelers. Urban Tadka is a big-city take on these highway institutions. The menu includes rich north India curries—butter chicken, reshmi tikka, Amritsari chicken, sarson ka saag—all served with a variety of flatbreads and rice preparations. The restaurant is done up with rustic touches, and this extends to the menu—try the coconut water cocktail, served in the tender coconut itself.

On days when you crave light, fresh food stop by Cafe Moshe’s. Their menu has a strong Middle Eastern influence so you can expect to find platters of hummus, kebabs, and crunchy salads with pine nuts and pomegranates. And don’t guilt yourself out of the desserts they offer—cheesecakes, carrot cakes, cookies, and more.

Firangi Paani’s daily happy hour is the perfect time to order beers, signature cocktails, wine, and more. Designed much like an English pub, Firangi Paani is all keg tables, leather chairs, and polished wood. There’s also a decent menu, ensuring you won’t go hungry or thirsty here.

Shopping centers in Mumbai are great places to spend a hot day and they contain everything you could need. The Oberoi Mall is one such destination in the city. You can spend the day shopping (especially during sale season), eating, taking a coffee break, and even catch a movie at the end of it all. The mall also has special play areas for children and holds workshops.

Old benches with handcrafted backrests, beautiful writing desks, well preserved prints, cast-iron lamps with intricate detailing, and massive grandfather clocks—these are just some of the treasures you can find at the Oshiwara furniture market. Many of these items are sourced from family collections, while others are impressive reproductions. Walk from shop to shop and uncover their stock—many smaller items are lost in corners and shadows of bigger pieces. When you find something you like, compare prices, and bargain to bring down the marked-up price.