Resident of Goa or visiting this state, GoGoaNow is your one stop to the sights, sounds and taste of Goa. Here you can plan your weekend or your holiday with things to do, see, visit, eat and drink.
From exhibitions, concerts, dance, food and drink to performing arts, libraries and more, GoGoaNow is the definitive guide to events in Goa.
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Essentially Goa
An eco-farm with thrills and adventure for the first time in Goa
For the first time in Goa, an eco-farm will be opening which consists of more than just a farm or spice plantations. People can come here and admire the farm and get thrills as well. The construction of SharvRaj Eco-farm at Padoshe Sanquelim in Sattari taluka will be in five phases. The first phase will be inaugurated on 9th March 2019 at 4 pm. It will be open to the public from 10th March 2019 onwards. The first phase is built in an area of 10 acres. The farm consists of horticulture, rainwater harvesting, vegetable cultivation, borewell recharge, different types of irrigation methods, medicinal herbs, water management, organic fertilizers, and more. Those who love adventure will be able to find it at the eco-farm’s adventure park which has features such as Burma bridge, climbing net, rope net crossing, catwalk net, sliding net, log swinging bridge, tyre climbing, and rock climbing. Their water park facilities are a water play station, family slide, spiral slide, multilane slide, and so on. Another attraction of SharvRaj Eco-farm will be the thrill rides- sky cycling (the first in Goa) and zip lining. Other activities include horse rides, bull cart rides, archery, etc. They will be […]
Azulejos- Tiles, Thoughts and Art
Velha Goa Galeria Velha Goa Galeria is a place full of various creative pieces. They sell products like ceramic tiles, clay items, glassware, tableware, and cutlery. The majority of their products are Azulejos (hand painted glazed tiles). The price range of the products is approximately between Rs.300 and Rs.15,000. They also conduct workshops and hold exhibitions. . . Address- H.No.191, Rua de Ourém, Fontainhas, Altinho, Panaji, Goa . Telephone: 98221 59881 Azulejos de Goa The Portuguese style craft, Azulejos, is beautiful. These hand-painted tiles take hours to make. Orlando Noronha went to Portugal and started getting into this craft. He says, “ I always wanted to do something different. It’s an art that I learned in Portugal in 1998 as a hobby and later on when I returned I thought of reintroducing this beautiful art in Goa with Goan designs, motifs, etc.” He is of the opinion that it will always be trendy. His place in Panjim, Azulejos de Goa, is crowded with these tiles and the most popular items are Azulejos tiles and plates. Orlando’s products are also available at Taj Khazana, Magsons […]
Chorizos- The King of Sausages
Pork sausage is one of the traditional food items of the Goan cuisine. It is mostly loved by the Catholic community of Goa. Pork sausage is basically a boneless pork meat that is seasoned with the required spices and is marinated with vinegar. This mixture is then kept in an earthen vessel over a period of two days. This process allows all the spices and the vinegar to blend properly with the raw meat. The filling is then stuffed into casings which are made up of a layer of intestines of beef meat. They can be eaten boiled, fried, as pork chops and as a pie filling in sandwiches. The most common dish that is prepared by using the sausages is the ‘Choris pao’; bread stuffed with sausages. Pork sausages are easily available in New Margao Municipal market, near the old Margao Municipal building and the Mapusa Market. Pics Credit – Shivang Mishra I NT GOGOANOW.COM
Mayem Lake has now been made more tourist- friendly
Dr. Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister of Goa, inaugurated the beautification and up-gradation works undertaken at Mayem Lake on 27th August 2019. He also launched the Bungee Jumping Site there. Mayem Lake is a famous tourist spot for boating or just relaxing and enjoying the scenery. The works undertaken include the development of approach road and parking area for around 57 cars, 40 two-wheelers and 10 tourist buses with a 12m wide approach road. A ticketing booth and tourist information office has been put up at the entrance. The walkway lets the differently-abled move around freely. There is a natural trail, where people can feel and experience the lake view and natural beauty. The existing lake retaining wall and parapet has also been strengthened. Picnic spots have also been developed. Children can enjoy in the play area with swings, see-saw, slopes, etc. To add to the fun, there is now an air-conditioned mirror maze, a duck house, and an amphitheatre (with a capacity for 120 people which can be increased to 200) for showcasing the local folk and cultural dances. Other facilities include a souvenir shop, potter huts to promote local artisans, landscaping, drinking water facility, restaurants, etc. 20 new boats and a jetty with a terminal building for queuing purpose and lakeside […]
Shell Craft- The art of the sea
Neeta Bhat Goa, a coastal region, boasts of its shell craft. Neeta is one such person who practices this beautiful craft. He ingeniously incorporates shells into various household items like flower vases, table lamps, hanging balls, shell mirrors, and showpieces. Since Neeta is registered at the Handicraft emporium, their branches sell his products. Additionally, private shops from Mapusa & Panaji buy his items. He believes in keeping a low-profit margin of only 20%. The price range for his products are approximately between Rs.17 to Rs.290.” In the future, he intends to dabble in making necklaces out of raw material like sari borders. The gentle-natured Neeta says this about shell craft, “ Of course I enjoy it!.” Maya Shetkar The down-to-earth person- Maya Shetkar uses simple seashells which she buys from the market to create beautiful pieces of art. At a young age of 16, Maya’s neighbour taught her this craft and over the years she has put her own creative input into seashells crafting. She makes showpieces, table lamps, curtains, flower pots, mirror work, shell flower bouquets, and earrings. Maya’s items are available at Goa Handicraft showrooms. She also sells her work at exhibitions. Her prices start at Rs.50. She admits […]
From Grandma’s Kitchen: Mango Jam
Nothing beats a good homemade jam Ingredients: 12 mangoes 1 cup sugar A handful of cinnamon sticks 5-6 cardamoms 1 tsp citric acid Method: Extract mango pulp and blend it in a mixer. Strain through a sieve. The sugar should be half the quantity of the pulp. So if the pulp fills 2 cups, then add 1 cup sugar. Add cinnamon and cardamoms. Boil all the ingredients together. When the mango thickens up add 1 tsp citric acid. Let it cool and store in a jar.
Goan women and cuisine excel at the Goan Woman Chef of the Year 2019
Edition III of the Goan Woman Chef of the Year was held on Saturday, August 17 at Taj Exotica Resort and Spa, Benaulim. The culinary competition which has been growing in popularity and number of participants, was organised by The Navhind Times in collaboration with IHCL Goa. Designed exclusively for women, the competition was conceptualised with the objective to appreciate gastronomic talents of Goan ladies from all walks of life irrespective of caste, creed, race or religion while inculcating a spirit of healthy competition and a passion for creativity; in addition to promoting culinary passion, taste for excellence and bringing to the fore some traditional recipes that have been handed down through generations. The minimum age to apply was 18 and it was heartening to see several 18 year olds participating with gusto. Senior ladies too in their 60s and 70s participated with equal enthusiasm. More than 30% of the participants were in fact in the age group of 50 years and above. The senior-most participant was 79-year old Aninha de Noronha, who will soon be celebrating her 80th birthday. Registration commenced at 8.30 a.m, and the buzz and excitement as the contestants arrived and registered was palpable. Hundred ladies […]
Who says a lockdown should be boring?
Are you one of those people under lockdown going crazy with boredom indoors? Here are some ideas to help you make your time at home fun and productive: Catch up with family and friends There must be people you haven’t spoken to for a long time. Call them and recollect cherished memories together. Reach to those who are alone and support them during these times. Learn something new Sometimes life gets so busy that we don’t get time for other things. Learn to play that piano that’s gathering dust in your house or practice new dance moves by watching online videos. Try your hand at stitching, embroidery, etc. You can even complete an online course, take up the task of speaking a new language, learn to do basic home repairs, programming, carpentry, and so much more. Have an indoor photo-shoot This is an idea which can be loved by smartphone owners having social media accounts. Take selfies, dress up if needed, and capture creative photos indoors by making use of props, shadows, using window light diffused with shutters, taking macro shots of objects, etc. There are a lot of ideas online where people use items like sieves, […]
Smoothie Recipes from Taj Hotels
Chefs share smoothie recipes to beat the heat. GRANOLA & FRUIT SMOOTHIE Ingredients:1 banana sliced1 apple medium (Peeled & Diced)1/3 cup plain Greek yoghurt1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder1tbsp. maple syrup or honey1 tbsp. flaxseed powder1/2 cup granola1/4 cup ice Method:Crush granola coarsely in the blenderAdd Greek yoghurt, soy milk, and honey to blend it wellAdd the rest of the ingredients and blend until smoothVoila! Granola smoothie is ready AVOCADO SUPER SMOOTHIE Ingredients: 1/2 cup of almonds & walnuts1 ½ – 2 cups of spinach leaves chopped1 firm ripe avocado 1 ½ cups almond milk 1tbsp. of liquid apple syrup or honey1tbsp. sunflower seeds1tbsp. pumpkin seeds Method:Add mixed nuts (almond & Walnut), sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds in a blender and blend it wellAdd spinach, avocado & soya milk in a blender. Blend until smoothAdd liquid apple syrup or honey and blend it for another 10 seconds.Pour into glasses and serve. PEANUT BUTTER AND HONEY OAT SMOOTHIE (from Executive Chef Nitin Mathur, Taj Santacruz) Ingredients: 2 cups of rolled oats (pan-roasted)½ yoghurt1 cup almond milk1 large banana3tbsp. peanut butter2 tablespoons honey1tbsp flaxseed powder Instructions: Place oats in blender and processPour milk into a blender and allow processed oats to soften in […]
From Grandma’s Kitchen: Tender Coconut Pudding
A soft jiggly dessert with coconut goodness that is seen at some Goa functions. Ingredients: 2 cups of milk ½ tin sweetened condensed milk 1 cup tender coconut water 1 cup tender coconut flesh ½ cup china grass Method: Take out the tender coconut pulp (without the water) and blend. Let the china grass soak in the tender coconut water for 8-10 minutes. Boil the milk and condensed milk together. Heat the china grass and coconut water till the china grass melts. Mix it into the milk mixture. Add the blended coconut pulp and mix. Pour the mixture into a tray or bowls, let it cool and then refrigerate.
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