Maybe not everyone will be in a mood to party this Saturday. Oh yeah, it’s the New Year Eve, but if you plan for a small dinner with family, we have news for you. You can drop in for the yummy New Years Eve dinner at Avenue Regent, M. G. Road. They have a small party happening there with soft music.

When Kochi hotels, their clubs and restaurants are gearing up to celebrate parties with loud music and ‘masti’, you can drop in at Avenue Regent if you prefer a small candlelight dinner.  A band would also be performing at the restaurant. You can make your Saturday New Years evening quiet with good food.

Buffet dinner will be served and you will have to pay 1500 plus extra tax (per person) for the dinner. There will be 10 non-vegetarian dishes along with 14-15 vegetarian delicacies.

Avenue Regent has always come up with ‘class apart’ parties and dinners. This one will be mouth-watering for sure. Try this one. You would not be disappointed on New Year’s eve.

Weekend is here. Time to pep up your palatte with some yummy food! Wondering where to drop by? Avenue Regent is the answer. Kochi’s most beloved hotel is hosting yummy food, and you cannot ask for a better treat with friends and family.

Buffet is the answer! Treat your taste buds with sizzlers on Fridays, seafood on Saturdays, or some nice oriental cuisine on Sundays. This food festival is happening at ‘The Springs’ at Avenue Regent, M. G Road. The rates are reasonable too. They have buffet lunch and dinner as well.

For reservations, call them at 0484- 2377977.

Here is something which you can totally involve in! The steak fest happening at ‘Mezzo’ in Avenue Regent in M.G. Road is worth a try. With international cuisines waiting to grab your attention, the restobar sure shall make you happy. And what more, you get to taste a beverage absolutely free with each steak. This is total paradise for continental food-lovers.

Kochiites complaining of the lack of good steak joints will find a respite with this fest. The steak fest started on the 27th of May and shall be on till the 10th of June. So, you still have time to drop in. Senior Captain of the restaurant, Mr. Shaji claims that the unique steak dishes have by now, attracted people from across the city. “We have more steak varieties in paneer, chicken, lamb, pork and beef. And that is one reason to why we have are crowd-pulling too”, claims Shaji.

Chicken Involtini is a must try! This steak which comes at a price of 300 (+tax) would take you to cloud 9 for sure! Now, vegetarians can also get a bite of their lovely steaks. You can try out their paneer steak that comes up to 250 rupees (+tax). You can drop in at Mezzo any time between 11a.m-11 p.m, and try out their lovely steaks.

So don’t miss out the fest, you would love it!

Kochi, being the commercial capital of Kerala needs to have some finer 5 star hotels for the flood of businessmen and entrepreneurs that visits Kochi every day. We do have the luxury hotels like Taj, Casino, Dream, and Le Meridian. But with the fast pace in which our city grows, we merit more. Kochi is being presented with international brands like The Holiday Inn, and The Park Hotels very soon. What more can we ask for? The Holiday Inn in Kochi! Holiday Inn is famous for being one of those budget hotels which is affordable for the middle- class. It also provides a 5 star stay to its customers. That is more than exciting. The best part is you can witness these hotels coming up in our Bypass road, and they are being built in a rapid pace. K Kumar, a resident of Kochi plans to start a business soon. “I’am happy that I’ll have good hotels to house my clients. Also, being a Kochiite all my life, I’am glad to see my city grow at such a fast pace.” Kochi is geared up for more progress. This is just a beginning. All excited to see Kochi in the next 2 years, aren’t you?

It’s a real tired afternoon, and all you can think of is food? I suggest you the perfect abode. The buffet at Avenue Center at Panampilly Nagar can satisfy your appetite and gratify your wallet as well. Some real good sumptuous food awaits you out there and that too at a price of not more than 275 rupees (including tax) at rate at which you can get your tummy filled in the city, Kochiites. Salads, soups, rice, chicken, and desert assortments leaves you craving for more. They also ensure that there is a continental dish in the list, which is unique every day. You can lay your hands on some real red meat and chicken offered by the best chef in town. Vegetarians, do not be gloomy, the buffet has fantastic vegetarian dishes, chiefly the North Indian delicacies including Paneer and Dal (slurppp……)!! The buffet is a remarkable blend of Indian and Continental at its best. The hospitality of the staff also requires a special mention here. The cheerful staff around you in the restaurant definitely makes you feel at home!! So do not hesitate to step into Avenue Center in Panapilly Nagar, next time you really think that you need to treat yourselves, and also munch on some real good chow!!!

Craving for a hot chocolate velvet with that mild touch of rum, or a scrumptious pot belly sandwich with freshly made fries from Cocoa Tree?…But, oh shoot!…..the next image that flashes is the crazy noisy traffic at MG Road….good enough to gulp down that saliva that just filled your mouth and simply wind up the thought, patting your poor tummy and deciding – maybe next time, probably when you are somewhere closer to the place.

Cocoa Tree, Kakkanad

Well…then here s great news people, especially for those in and around Panampilly Nagar – Cocoa Tree has opened at The Centre Hotel. Though slightly less spacious than the one at Avenue Regent, m’ pretty sure that aint gonna come in any of our way to hit this place and try out the lip smacking delicacies they always had to offer.

So, the next time you crave for that sinful chocolate excess drooling with warm rich chocolate or the juicy yummylicious club sandwich from Cocoa Tree, you know you need’nt think twice.

Once again glory and glamour catwalks into 2010 with a fashion Escapade from Josco Fashion Mantra on 23rd Jan 2010 from 7:30Pm onwards! Get floored and fashion stung as the hottest models from Bangalore take over the runway. In the urban designer collections from the famous Rajesh Shetty, At “The” chill out zone of the city which is none other than Loungevity, Avenue Regent

Organised by the crown of all event companies, Kamikazee Events with the groove factor from DJ Ram all throughout the night. Get ready to check in and set your eyes to check out the Mantra of Fashion! Mark your attendance on the official Facebook Event Page

Another year is coming to an end. We all bid adieu to 2009 and beckon in 2010, the beginning to a new decade. We have a lot to look forward to in the next year, most importantly for me is the FIFA World Cup in South Africa ( pardon my try at humor, but I am serious in a sense ). But we all have something or another waiting for us in 2010, it is tradition that we say goodbye to this year in a manner befitting it. New Year to most people is synonymous with parties(wild ones), crowds, huge gatherings of people and so on. Each culture has its own way of celebrating it. Kochi is soon picking up the pace on being social and trend-savvy to celebrate New year in all manner possible. So to those still planning on what to do for the New Year’s Eve, here are some suggestions that I can merely provide.

Parties
As always a lot of people look forward to the end of the year to let loose. Parties are on of the foremost places where you can do that, well in a sane manner at the least.
Here are some parties to soothe your thirst, that is happening in Kochi on New Year’s Eve.

The Gateway hotel
One of the places where New Year parties have been happening over the past few years. Click for more info.

Casino hotel
The Casino Hotel has a retro theme to their New Year bash, if you in a retro mood check out the Casino in Wellington Island. Couple’s and Stag Entry’s cost Rs 5000/- , while kids get in cheaper.
Magic shows,DJ nights and food is what’s in store for you.

Renaissance
Rejoice is their New Year program, which they have had since 2005 where they celebrate the New Year. Its accompanied by DJ’s, Live band’s, Professional Dancer’s, a huge Gala Buffet with more than 100 dishes to try out!
This is another good place for families to try out.

Taj Malabar
One of the swankiest places in town. For fine dining check out their dinner and of course their water front lwans will be set afire by the festivities with a DJ and all the works!

Dream Hotel
Always a hot place in town for parties. Click for more info.

Glow Disco Bar
One of the clubs that offers regular parties. Bound to be a fun night over there. Click for more info.

Gokulam Park
Free Formation has a party setup for you over there.Click for more info.

Le Meridien
Celebrate the New Year with The Blue Torrent at Le Meridien. Music extravaganza by bollywood fame Shrradha Pandit, DJ’s,mega buffer dinner all await you for the New Year Celebration.

Avenue Regent
Have a succulent dinner at the Springs restaurant for the New Year or head to Loungevity, which has one of Kochi’s hottest dance floors and party your socks off late into the night.

Ramada Resort
Check out another hot party spot at the Ramada Resort, they are hosting the Song of the Seas New Year party with Kingfisher. Exotic dancers, three DJ’s, unlimited beverages,of course the food and more.

Micheals Land Resort
Another place that could be a good place to spend your New Year’s eve. Click for more info.

DD Retreat
Try out DD Retreat for fun with the family. Click for more info.

Mermaid Hotel
The Mermaid will host a Mermaid night to celebrate the New Year, with the familiar Filipino female band lending their music. Fireworks, cinematic & folk dance, karaoke and more are what they have in stock for you.

Dinner parties
If you aren’t exactly the socialite and prefer quiet dinners with your close friends to parties, a dinner at home is your best option. Whip up some of your best dishes, get your friends to pitch in with some of theirs too and welcome the New Year over some good food and Wine if you are in the mood for it. Go for whatever that fits your mood but remember the hangover that comes with it. So unless you have work to get to in the morning, have fun! Better stock up on drinks and groceries as soon as possible if you doing the hard way or have it done fast food style and order take-out.

Experience the Surreal
These are prone to had a risk tag to it as is done in the late hours, don’t worry its nothing illegal either. You can roam around the corners of Kochi where you wouldn’t be able to otherwise in peace during the day, watch the flights takeoff from the airport, the calm waves of the sea from the beaches, the alluring lights of the city from a high rise, its all up to your imagination. Park yourself at a strategic location and watch the Sunrise on the first day of the New Year with your close buds. But stay clear from any funny stuff and dangerous spots where criminals can catch you in a tight spot. Also don’t give the Police a reason to haul you in. Keep it neat and clean and you can experience something great, simple as it may seem.

Cochin Carnivale
Its harder to get to this event at Fort Kochi than any event in Kochi. The Thomppumpady bridge is jam-packed usually due to the majorly high influx of traffic into the Fort Kochi side and it is hard to get there with the police restricting vehicle movement. If you get there early enough or have two-wheelers as your mode of transportation, you really should try to get in the sight of the ‘Burning of the Santa’ on the beach side. Locals and foreigners alike throng to catch a sight of this spectacle.

Note:The New Year is always the time to be merry, alcohol do form a major factor but do refrain from drunken driving, hire a driver or decide the designated driver between your chums, don’t cause misery to your family and to others.

So on this note I wish you all A Happy New Year Kochi! See you in 2010!