�Zanzibar�, the very word evokes a sense of excitement. It conjures an image of something mysterious, something forgotten. It�s a place everyone knows exists, but not exactly where. Like Borneo. Or Brunei. Or Papua New Guinea. Well, Zanzibar for me awakens junior school memory. A geography class when we were doing a lesson on the climates of Africa. And for some reason there was a picture of four men bound together at the wrist with iron balls on their ankles, captioned �The Slaves of Zanzibar�. Unfortunately, that is still a strong association in my mind and a historical fact so poignant in the life of Zanzibar, it will never be able to live it down.

Yet today it is an emerald isle lying lazily in the golden sun in the splendid Indian Ocean. In my life I have never seen waters so clear or in such pretty shades of blue. Flying low in a five-seater plane, crossing over the sea to the mainland, Dar-es-Salaam, I could see the coral reefs, believe it on not! On second thoughts, don�t. Just go and check it out yourself. And to make it easier let me tell you how to get there from Bombay, the headquarters of UpperCrust. Take an Oman Airways flight to Muscat which flies in directly to Zanzibar. It�s East Africa, off Tanzania.

The Gourmet Destination of this quarter is Aurangabad. Unusual, no doubt, but you know us, and you also know how capable we are of bringing to the fore aspects nobody knew existed. Check it out, you�ll be surprised.

By far the person who has created the maximum impact on my tastebuds in recent times is Madame Katy Dalal. If you see the pictures shot of her Pulaos, you will swoon. But believe me, that is nothing compared to how great her food tastes. If I were you, my next dinner party would have food from her kitchen.

Cover girl Malaika is not just a photographer�s delight, she is the heartthrob of endless number of chefs too. Loves to eat. And lots. Don�t know where she hides it, says its her metabolism in overdrive that helps. Lucky her.

Mahima Chaudhry is an adorable sport. I love her looks, I love her nature and I love her honesty. I had coffee with her on the day after she had the guts or perhaps integrity, to call it quits with beau Leander Paes. Couldn�t have been easy to cope with a boisterous coffee-tasting group and a broken heart and that too with a smile. Atta girl, coffee days are here again. The world turns and life always gets better.

Farzana Contractor