Life is all about balancing out things. Chalking out his life mantra, Abraham Thomas, COO , Red FM says, "I very well know when to switch on and when to switch off. What keeps me going is the ability to manage my stressful work along with quality time with family and that's what keeps me going."

The Red FM office situated in S Mumbai, looks like a real happening place, with some 20 something kids walking in and out of his cabin. Looks like, Red FM is a rather informal place to be in. As Abraham adds, "All youngsters in the company are like a family and therefore there is no formality as such between us."

He further adds, "I joined Red FM as I wanted to utilize all my leadership skills into something more creative and challenging. I was working as Product Manager with Indian Express for eight years and later was with Sony Television as a director sales for three years. Seeing a sudden boom in the radio industry, I took this plunge from being a VP- sales in MTV to now being the COO in RED FM."

A born Mumbaiya, Abraham basically hails from Kerala and loves travelling. He says, "I plan my holidays along with wife Mini, my son Amit (13) and daughter Sanjana (8). I feel this is the only time when my children are actually mine. After a few years they will have their own life and won't like it, if I interfere in their lives. And so I make it a point to spend some quality time with them. So, Friday nights, when I am on my way back, I pull off my switch and don't think about work till Monday morning."

As we get him talking more about his life, Abraham garnishes us with his lovely recipes for a happy living.

"I have fond memories of Venice"
I plan my holidays at least three times a year. Overseas holiday vacations have always been fun. Some of my favourite destinations are Barcelona, Venice, Florida, Spain, and Europe amongst others. I don't really like new and modern cities, but I prefer places like Venice and Barcelona which are historically significant as well as culturally rich.
I have fond memories of Venice. I very clearly remember a small restaurant where we had lunch once. The restaurant had six tables in it which were all full. The hotel was run by a family of four, where the head of the family sat outside with a glass of beer, the son and daughter- in- law took care of the orders and passed it on to the lady in the open kitchen, supposedly their mother. The food was exceptionally tasty and on peeping into the kitchen unbelievingly, I saw the lady cooking alone. Sometimes, I still wonder how she managed all the cooking on her own. Another exciting experience was the Gondola ride. (A gondola is a traditional Venetian rowing boat propelled by an oarsman (the gondolier) who stands facing the bow and pushes, rather than pulls, a single oar.) It was an awesome experience.

"Goa never leaves me unsatisfied"
India is a great tourist destination. There's always so much to explore here. Goa is one place where I can go anytime of the year and I am never tired of it. It always has something new and exciting to offer. It just keeps getting better every time you are there. And the local food out there is just unbeatable. Last year, I had gone to Sikkim with my family which is a splendid beauty. Also, I will always cherish my trip to the majestic Himalayas. I still vividly recall it when we reached a particular height, we could see snow and I felt as if we've reached the top. But as the clouds cleared, I could see no end of the Himalayas and that's when I realised its majesty.

"I can't cook basic food"
I can eat anything and everything, be it grilled, baked, steamed or fried. Though, sea food remains my all time favourite, I even loved trying out oysters in Japan and snails in Malaysia. I am really adventurous when it comes to tying out new cuisine. I try my hand at cooking but that is of course very occasionally. Sometimes, I do try out some exotic dishes over weekends or on special occasions.

"My I Pod is my all time companion"
I have a total of 4,370 songs in my I pod which has been my friend for the past four years now. I love listening to any kind of music be it classical rock, latest and even hip hop. Now a days, I've been trying to keep pace with my children and listen to the latest music.

"I loved Maximum City by Suketu Mehta"
I love reading. Tough, its difficult to find time but I do find some time to catch up on my favourite authors. One book that I can very well. I loved reading Maximum City by Suketu Mehta. This book gives some chilling undercurrents of Mumbai. I liked Richard Branson's Losing Your Virginity and have also read most of John Grisham and Sydney Sheldon.