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Seema Goswami

Articles by Seema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: Some books are a closed chapter

Bestselling authors don’t always churn out page-turners. And life’s too short to endure books that are average at best

David Nicholls’s recent book, You Are Here, didn’t live up to the hype.

Brunch

Updated on Sep 20, 2024 06:24 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: Forget demure, forget mindful

Women are expected to dress their age. But why should arbitrary numbers dictate anyone’s choices? Wear what you want, when you want

Nicole Kidman, 57, has worn her hair long despite the unspoken rule that older women trim such excess.

Brunch

Updated on Sep 13, 2024 04:39 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: Leave us to our own devices

A Delhi restaurant's laptop ban sparks debate on dining etiquette, with calls for clearer rules on device use, rather than outright prohibitions.

If reading a newspaper at a cafe is okay, reading the same news on your laptop should also be allowed. (ADOBE STOCK)

Brunch

Updated on Sep 06, 2024 04:00 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: Show them your best side

There’s always a right time to visit a city to catch it in its best moments. Festivals, monsoons, and spring are a few short cuts

Visit Amritsar during Baisakhi or Diwali, when the Golden Temple is decked up.

Brunch

Updated on Aug 30, 2024 02:32 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: Not all men. But always a man

The threat of violent rape and murder remains a grim reality for every woman. Why are men still saying Not All Men?

Every man may not be a rapist. But nearly every woman has experienced sexual assault. (HT PHOTO/ARVIND YADAV)

Brunch

Updated on Aug 23, 2024 04:10 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: Ghost protocol? Keep it real

Death is the ultimate whitewash. People who pass on are suddenly the best people we’ve known. Why such selective memory?

Harry Potter’s folks died while protecting him. It shaped the course of his life.

Brunch

Updated on Aug 16, 2024 03:34 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: Making it all the way home

People travel, move countries, change continents. But what is familiar will always be home: Food, people, places

London has beautiful parks and the glorious countryside. But it isn’t home. (ADOBE STOCK)

Brunch

Updated on Aug 09, 2024 04:48 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: Settle in. Don’t settle for less

For most people who move house, setting up the bedroom is the top task. Trust your instinct, everyone’s idea of home is unique

Some people only feel at home if they can rustle up a meal in their kitchen. (ADOBE STOCK)

Brunch

Updated on Aug 02, 2024 04:53 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: Don’t ignore the true Queen

The Bridgerton books are setting records in their streaming avatar. So, why hasn’t anyone filmed Georgette Heyer’s much better Regency romance novels yet?

Bridgerton, based on the books by Julia Quinn, isn’t the best of the Regency romance genre.

Brunch

Updated on Jul 26, 2024 04:18 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: Put recipes on the itinerary

Whipping up meals on holidays is considered a vacation faux pas. But it’s fun to experiment with fresh local produce

The true taste of a vacation is sampling the locally available fare. (ADOBE STOCK)

Brunch

Updated on Jul 19, 2024 04:35 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: What could go wrong?

A lot of things, as every chronic worrier knows. But life goes on, whether you worry or not. Here’s how to accept it

Anxiety falsely feels like a sign that we’re in control, as the movie Inside Out 2 depicts.

Brunch

Updated on Jul 12, 2024 04:41 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: Drop anchor, not the basket

The world is on fire. It’s hard to process it all, let alone fight it. Here’s how to stay grounded during the most trying times

Books are a way to escape the horrors of the real world. (ADOBE STOCK)

Brunch

Updated on Jul 05, 2024 04:28 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: Swept under the carpet

Why do Indians, at home and abroad, treat household staff so terribly? We want the best deals from our employers, how about passing it on to our help too?

In Downton Abbey, the household staff were treated fairly well.

Brunch

Updated on Jun 28, 2024 06:07 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: We’re only getting older, baby

Why were we all so eager to rush into adulthood? Growing up means an endless loop of responsibilities and chores. And wishing we were young again

Settling down and preparing for a child isn’t easy, as Verona and Burt realise in Away We Go (2009).

Brunch

Updated on Jun 28, 2024 12:19 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: There’s lots to unpack here

Movies make travelling light seem effortless. But with a little adjustment, you can learn to let go of stuff you don’t need

In the movie Monte Carlo (2011), the girls had all the right accessories and clothes for their five-day trip

Brunch

Updated on Jun 14, 2024 05:07 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: Guess who’s coming to dinner

Some guests take their welcome much too seriously, don’t think twice about being disrespectful, and are wholly unbearable. Here’s how to identify them

Some guests love to give backhanded compliments, like the sarcastic stepmother in Fleabag (2016 - 2019).

Brunch

Updated on Jun 07, 2024 04:32 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: In it for the long haul

Travelling gets better as you grow older. But less pressure and more funds bring with them aching bones and low energy. Here’s how to cope

Don’t hesitate to use reward points and get an upgrade, especially on long sectors. (SHUTTERSTOCK)

Brunch

Updated on May 31, 2024 03:51 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: We’re like chaat and cheese

Indians and Italians have quite a lot in common. From food to family to identity, the similarities are striking

Indians and Italians are similar in terms of their love for family and community. (SHUTTERSTOCK)

Brunch

Updated on May 24, 2024 04:55 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: Who’s the third world now?

There was a time when Egypt or Lagos were considered lawless lands. Now one has to be on guard in London and Paris

It’s not just Cairo that has pickpockets and muggers, but first-world cities like Paris and Naples too. (SHUTTERSTOCK)

Travel

Published on May 17, 2024 05:08 AM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: Notes from a branch manager

There’s not a seed of doubt: Plants and flowers teach us perseverance, patience and resilience. They may also be the key to leaving behind a legacy that lasts

Even small-scale gardening can create opportunities for life lessons. (ADOBE STOCK)

Brunch

Updated on May 10, 2024 06:19 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: Let’s not be selfie-ish

Eat, pray, love, pose for a photo. Holidays are less about living in the moment and more about documenting it to show off online. Why not make memories instead?

Instagram has changed how we holiday, dictating what we wear and how we pose for selfies. (SHUTTERSTOCK)

Brunch

Updated on May 03, 2024 03:43 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: Get all the tales wagging

Logging out and heading on vacation? Load up the Kindle with these new books. They’re perfect by the beach or hillside

A suitcase full of book recommendations, just in time for the summer vacations.

Brunch

Updated on Apr 26, 2024 04:59 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: There’s lots to unpack here

Moving house is bittersweet. There’s tons of decluttering to get through, to make room for new memories. Here are my tips

The BBC show Sort Your Life Out gets families to lay out all their personal possessions in a huge warehouse and take stock.

Brunch

Updated on Apr 19, 2024 04:45 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: 99% perspiration, 1% vacation

Is it necessary to hustle for that muscle on a holiday? Why not stay active by exploring the town you’re in instead?

The choice to work out inside a gym while on vacation is a personal one. (ADOBE STOCK)

Brunch

Updated on Apr 12, 2024 09:55 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: The second coming of age

Parents and grandparents have realised that they don’t owe their children cushy lives, nor do they have to save every penny for them. After all, YOLO

This generation of parents and grandparents will spend their savings on taking holidays. (Adobe Stock)

Brunch

Updated on Apr 05, 2024 05:00 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: The princess and the plea

After weeks of speculation, the Princess of Wales was forced to reveal her diagnosis, just so that the out-of-control conspiracy theories could be laid to rest

The controversy about Kate Middleton’s whereabouts magnified after the Palace released this doctored picture.

Brunch

Updated on Mar 29, 2024 04:02 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: Luxe is what you make of it

For some, it’s fashion, for some it’s travel. But it’s usually the little things that go unnoticed that are the most luxurious

People, mostly men, may be surprised at how expensive skincare truly is. But, as the adage goes, it’s worth it. (Adobe Stock)

Brunch

Updated on Mar 22, 2024 04:07 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: Weekend do what we want

Let go of routine and forget about chores. Sundays are to do as you please, even if all you want to do is nothing at all

I would rather put in extra hours during the week to finish chores so that I have Sunday as a day to do nothing. (Shutterstock)

Brunch

Updated on Mar 15, 2024 04:28 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: A filter for the strain

Everybody’s stressed. Few manage it well. Skip the boring advice, ditch what the IG gurus say and do what works for you

If you’re feeling burnt out, there’s nothing better than spending some time in nature. (Adobe Stock)

Brunch

Updated on Mar 08, 2024 03:41 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

Spectator by Seema Goswami: The trips you can taste

Some foods are worth travelling for. Some taste best with a side portion of nostalgia. Some are impossible to detach from the city that made them famous. Dig in

Each city has food that you just won’t find anywhere else. Like puchka in Kolkata. (Adobe Stock)

Brunch

Updated on Mar 01, 2024 03:11 PM IST

BySeema Goswami

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