Driving, a stress-buster for Suchitra

My personal De-stress mantra
Going for a drive around the city. My love for driving began when I lived in England from 1991 to 1997. The roads were a pleasure to drive on. Most people get stressed while driving because of the traffic but for me, it has a stress-busting effect. I get my ‘me-time’ to chillout and listen to music. I also like to relax on the terrace at home, have some tea and read a book.
In my leusure time
I like to read a lot of books on philosophy, occult and self-help. These days, I’m reading The Secret of The Nagas. I like writing romantic poems. I started taking writing seriously when I began writing a column for a newspaper in Bangalore. English was my favourite subject when I was studying.
A cook for a foodie
I like to cook. I have pretty decent culinary skills. I like baking, cooking Italian dishes like pastas and lasagne. I constantly look up for interesting recipes. Earlier, I didn’t know how to cook much. I took a cooking class from a friend and after that gradually I started learning on my own. I’m a non-vegetarian and Thai food is my weakness. I also love Indian and Chinese cuisine.
My hobbies
I love watching movies and have a collection of DVDs of all sorts of movies but I’m not big on Hindi movies. My favourite movies are Gone With The Wind and So I Married An Axe Murderer, to name a few. I’m fond of thrillers and murder mysteries.
Homebody or party animal
Earlier, I used to be a party animal and would go clubbing three to four times a week. But since I’ve had a baby, I’ve become a homebody now. I guess, you get reminded of your age (laughs). Now, it’s more like friends coming over at my place to chillout.
Tips to de-stress
Everybody should find a minimum of 10 minutes of 'me-time' for themselves. And you could do anything you like during that time, be it reading, talking to a friend, etc. It’s important to do so, in order to keep your sanity intact.