Saturday, August 9, 2014

Hindi Literature in Mumbai

I visited the Prithvi theatre after a long time thanks to K who wanted to catch a play. After some scintillating acting in "Bombed" happened to get into their bookshop for the first time and was delighted to find an excellent collection of Hindi literature.
After moving to Delhi, getting Hindi books is not so hard but having a good collection under a single and small room is a blessing, so bless you guys

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Mamagoto in Delhi

Last night went to Mamagoto in Khan market again after ages, though the one in Saket has been frequented in the interim. I must they these folks have been consistently good. The regular staple - glass noodle salad was relished, the coal roasted eggplant was rather surprisingly sweet and good. The masaman curry delicious! The Delhi winter is here so skipped their cocktails this time but my earlier visits have fond memories of them.
Prices: range typically between 300-500/dish, curries don't include rice.
Location: Khan market, Select City walk etc. Good folks at Zamato have links to venues,menu etc.

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Cuvee Speciale: Full marks

Tried this wine in Delhi the other day, served right it is an outstanding wine!
Do test out the color though, given the heat of Delhi, it should be very pale.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Drill that could kill

Blog Post from Occasional Lapses Into Sanity. Linked here since these incidents seem to be becoming a part of city lifescapes.

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The other day We went to Lifestyles in Kalyani nagar to pick up some stuff. While there shareek-e-hyat decided to catch a movie at Meriplex across the street. So we picked up tickets for a 430 show and headed to crossword to browse through books while waiting for the movie time.
Around 420 just when we reach the counter to pay for selected books, suddenly security comes in and asks everyone to come out. At the main gate policemen are busy locking the door and everybody is being herded out. There is no announcement, no co-ordination just some security folks pushing people to a solitary open exit.
The exit as can be expected is jammed with people from multiplex rushing down and people from mall joining the melee. Total chaos, I shield s-e-h from behind while the front crush had to be navigated as it came. I almost could visualize the Pratapgarh tragedy preying Pune doesn't get one of its own. There is no police, no sign of security at this exit, to manage the flow or to help anyone stumbling on the stairs and getting crushed. All there is, is a crush of elbows into sides, boots on toes and fisticuffs.
We come out to a open field with bushes, s-e-h's toenail is broken in the crowd crush and is bleeding badly. There was no time or place to figure out if any one is injured, the first impulse is to rush to safety and somewhere where the toe can be kept away from crowd and dust. Few folks from security outside claim ignorance as to what exactly is happening. Wondering we decided to brave it out and find our way to car and get out. S-e-h is able to walk slowly so we decided to move away from the crowd and try and find a way to the car.
I figured out it cant be a Mumbai style attack happening since then it would have been foolhardy to get the crowd out in open. So maybe its a bomb scare. Anyways we walk ahead, s-e-h limping on and see Lifestyle up ahead. The road is being blocked and police forcing vehicles to detour. But Lifestyle itself is open. So I figured it must have been a bomb scare for Meriplex and situation at-least for now is fine otherwise. I asked a policeman what is happening and he just shrugs.
I got inside, picked up the stuff, got down to lifestyle parking and got the car out, it is past 5 now and people still waiting out, fire brigade etc in front of meriplex. So I took the other route back to home. Lucky thing the car was not parked in Meriplex else we'd have to wait till the scene cleared.
Next day Express mentions it was a mock drill conducted by police. And I think what the hell. Do you want people to die in stampedes. If s-e-h got injured I am sure many others did too. If you have to conduct drill at least ensure it doesn't kill anyone. Why wasn't security placed on the stairs to manage the flow? Why only 1 gate was kept open and that too was one with stairs! What did the exercise prove?
Papers mentioned movie screening was resumed by 4:15 - my foot, I came out on roads after 5 and it was still blocked.
When do will we realize its not ok to put people's life and limb in danger for the sake of a drill. What were the objectives of the drill? How soon a movie hall can be emptied? Sure announce people to leave and come down and stop them there once they are in open. To get an mall emptied? Open freaking all the exits and not crush 1000 people on a 3 feet wide staircase! Heavens forbid where there to be an explosion sound of any kind I am sure people would have died on that staircase!
Learn from these IT firms. We have regular fire drills and 3000 people can and do evacuate in under 2 minutes. Just herding people out like cattle with no management of evacuations is plain stupid.
Lets know no one else got injured or lost valuables. And Pune police folks next time you plan a drill, please PLAN it and not just execute.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Lament of a Married Foodie

Heard the other day
"I am a foodie but she ain't a cookie!"

Why City Stories?

This is the reason! Imagine having to lay a road for love, whoa!
Interesting data though. Given that its India, the fact that the last marriage was 50 years ago and the youngest hopeful suitor of a damsel is only 16 somewhere there lurks an explanation I am sure :)

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Hill & Dale Pinotage 2005

This plum colored wine from Stellenbosch South Africa is available in World Foods Hiranandani @INR1652/56.
The wine is quite celebrated the world over as one of the inexpensive good wines, ofcourse Indian extortionate taxes on alcohol implies you pay many times more than the internatinal prices. Still since that is true for all imported wines, go ahead and try this.
The wine has a nose of plum and cheeries. On the palatte, you get a flavor of berries, oak and a hint of tennins. The wine is quite smooth and can be had on its own. A wine with distinct flavor will have people who love it and people who won't. I fall in the former category and I do recommend having a go at this.