These Spaces!

For the longest time, Panjimites had been craving a no-frills, relaxed space where one could grab a drink or two, laze around endlessly under the canopy of a tree grooving to a live music gig or immersing oneself in a riveting performance art, without having to cross the Mandovi Bridge. That was until Rumi came along. Housed in the front yard of a beautiful Indo-Portuguese villa and under a huge mango tree, this open air space takes its name and inspiration from the famed Sufi mystic who believed passionately in the use of music, poetry and dance as a path for reaching God. It was only natural then that the owners Ryan and Nassim conceptualised this space with the idea of fusing Ryan's love for music, Nassim's love for food and the duo's common love for poetry. While the space was designed for poetry performances, the small-ish stage is becoming a favourite venue for bands who love the intimate character it adds to the performance.

Within few months of being in operation the restaurant has managed to pique the interest of foodies with its eclectic lunch Thalis. We are not talking about the Goan thali, mind you, but one that draws a heavy influence from Varanasi and Bihari cuisines. The evening menu is a little experimental though as the chef tries new things on Sundays and adds to the menu what's best based on popular feedback. We can vouch for the momos served here — they're simply the best.

Frequent live music gigs and food pop ups keep the action alive and buzzing at Rumi Goa. The restaurant space, when not serving food, is open to workshops and activities.

Tucked away in the quiet and pristine part of South Goa, carpe Diem is an art and learning centre, a café, a small lifestyle store, a stage space for performances and outdoor events and a ceramic studio – all rolled into one! The space contains within the premises of the owner, Daegal Godinho’s beautiful 270 year old ancestral house, and is used flexibly for all kinds of art and creative activities. As an active member of the theatre group, ‘The Mustard Seed Art company’ Daegal and his fellow artistes commonly felt a dearth of spaces to rehearse and perform. It was while working in Dubai as an IT professional that he thought of using his ancestral space as a place for art and creative or socially beneficial activities grew on Daegal and eventually after returning to Goa, Carpe Diem was incepted a few years ago.

The space is always buzzing with art exhibitions, pottery classes, baking workshops, film screenings, book launches and readings, live music performances and a host of other performance arts. In the past too, Carpe Diem has successfully hosted events and workshops on yoga, theatre workshops and performances, gardening workshops and events that provoke intellectual discussions, among many others