Senior Couple Sitting on Bench, Lal Bagh

This post is for Thursday Challenge: BENCH.

I saw this couple in their sunset years of life deeply immersed in talking in a colorful bench in Lal Bagh, Bangalore. The arms of the bench looked so menacing but the couple sitting on it seemed sober. They may be discussing their problems, or may be their happiness. Whatever! I hope they found peace!

Truly, the bench is a boon to idlers. Whoever

Lal Bagh Flower Show, August 2015

The 202nd flower show recently concluded at Lal Bagh. Can you guess the number of visitors there yesterday, on Independence Day? It was close to 20,000 visitors! It took a while for the local police around to control the traffic and guide the visitors. Luckily I made a visit mid week, quite early in the morning when there were hardly any visitors.


The Theme: Bangalore Palace
Flower shows are

Mexifornia at California Pizza Kitchen 2015

It is again festival time at California Pizza Kitchen! The festival called “Mexifornia”! This is the third time in a row the chain is celebrating the festival in CPK outlets all over India. Like every festival, this too is loaded with a variety of crispylicious starters, cheesylicious pizzas and yummylicious desserts!

I am sure you know the story behind this food festival ‘Mexifornia’. You can

Sri Sri Ayurveda Centre, Bangalore

Most of us today are engaged in a lifestyle where businesses, communication, travel etc have become less tedious compared to what it was say half a century back. Thanks to modern gadgets! Unfortunately instead of easing life it has made the world more competitive, complex, and stressful. Several stress related diseases have crept into our lives and they are ruining lives from a very early age.

My Gurukul Experience

‘India doesn’t teach you what you want to learn 

but it teaches you what you need to learn’ 

Gurukuls have a very unique system where student gets knowledge by residing with the teacher. The main objectives are self control, development of character, social awareness, integral development of personality, propagation of purity and preservation of knowledge and culture. The system had slowly

Fresh Treats at California Pizza Kitchen

California Pizza Kitchen now brings an exciting introductory offer for this season. It is presenting "Fresh Treats" brand new 9” Pizza making their debut to the regular menu. We (bloggers) were invited to the tasting session of these newly introduced pizzas. Previous reviewers advised me to go on a empty stomach and I am so glad I listened to them.

 I was always in love with their thin crust

Boutique and Mid-segment Hotels, Bangalore

Continuing my series on hotels of Bangalore, this post is on boutique hotels and mid segment hotels in Bangalore. There was a time in 2007-08 when accommodation prices rose up to Rs20,000 a night. There was a severe scarcity of good hotels and accommodation facilities in the just emerging high tech city Bangalore then. Industrial sector had slowed down a bit, but the rush to city for new

Hotels in Bangalore

Staying in Bangalore has its own advantages and disadvantages and along with that some responsibilities too! In the past couple of decades Bangalore has seen a vast change in terms of lifestyle. Earlier it was known to be ‘Garden City’ of India or the ‘Pensioners’ Paradise’. Life was cool! Sadly today it is known as ‘City of Ring roads’ or the ‘Silicon Valley of India’. People from all parts

Faces of India - 201

A load is a load is a LOAD, even if it is light sack of bright and colorful flowers. This is a common scene in Bangalore during festival time. The lady was hurrying to get a proper place in the open market so that she could make quick sales.

Faces of India, a series through which I intend to portray the various characters of my country whom I met during my travels. See more here.

White Elephant, Indiranagar, Bangalore

After a long time Thai food! Thai dishes have awesome taste with a good combination of Indian and Chinese cuisine styles. I go bonkers over their stir fries with Indian masalas. The recent experience at Thai food at White Elephant, a newly opened restaurant in Indiranagar, Bangalore was relished well. And here is a short picture story on my experience there. 

As soon as I entered I was

Chili's at Indiranagar Bangalore

Walking into Chili’s the first thing that strikes you is the seating space. Chairs and tables lined up inside, outside, first floor, ground level, lots of them! Very good utilization of the ‘not so big’ place! Everything around had a stamp of chili – the chairs, the salt& pepper and menu card holder, even the door handle.

Chili’s is a casual dining restaurant chain and has restaurants in many

Peri-Peri, Nando's Restaurant

The motive was to taste the newly launched Butterfly Chicken Breast Meal of Nando’s and I came back not just tummy full but with enhanced vocabulary; a whole set new words, facts and figures about chilies and chicken.

 First a word about Nando’s: Nando's - the international chain of a casual dining restaurant group, originated in SouthAfrica with a Portuguese/Mozambican theme. It was the

Corporate Menu at Loft38

Loft38 at Indiranagar Bangalore is out with its Corporate Menu for the office goers. The menu is served Monday to Saturday. It has a good combination of dishes for the different courses.


Pear, blue cheese and walnut salad




Smoked chicken salad: Smoked chicken, orange, pomegranate, mixed greens and mustard dressing



Before I mention about the food I must mention about the excellent

Jayamahal Durga Puja, Bangalore

Can you guess where this picture was clicked without scrolling down? 








This was taken in my own Bangalore city!

The pandals that come up during Durga puja in different parts of the city are usually very sober and traditional types. This year Jayamahal Puja pandal was different. It took up ‘Egypt’ as theme. The entrance was through a model of sphinx, the pandal top was like that of an

My Sushi Making Experience

I always thought the exotic Sushi is too complicated to make. So when the chef at ITC Gardenia was giving a lesson on sushi making I happily followed it up. The sushi rice mix was done previously, so what exactly went to the mix is not known to me. I think it is the chef’s secret. I googled to find that rice vinegar, sugar and salt goes into the sushi rice mix.








The rice mix was shaped

Faces of India - 182

I was in lot of dilemma for a long time whether to post the pics together, finally I did post. Both the pics were taken on the same day at different places of Bangalore city without their knowledge from a distance. I find a lot of contrasts in both the pics. While the man, attired in evidently poor clothes, carrying a load looked happy and carefree, also amused at something, the elderly

California Pizza Kitchen, Bangalore

A month long International Pizza & Beer Carnival is on!

The mood is all set for foodies and beer lovers as California Pizza Kitchen, Bangalore gets ready to allure them for a variety of choices with the Pizza & Beer Carnival. The classic restaurant, with taste inspired from many countries, is ready to serve its patrons with the best of world flavors throughout this month long carnival.

Mexico

Yauatcha, MG Mall, MG Road, Bangalore

A Michelin-starred restaurant from London, Yauatcha is now present in Bengaluru. Yauatcha is a dim sum tea house which started its first Indian operation in Mumbai in December 2011. We, the food connoisseurs and aficionados of Bangalore got to experience this authentic international dining experience since 16th September 2013.
Yauatcha is located at the bustling heart of the city at #1 MG

Durga Puja 2014 Puja Pandals, Bangalore

The first part. 

It is the eyes of Ma Durga that fascinates me the most. Each pandal I go I try to observe the expression and feelings depicted by the eyes. Ma Durga is actually in a very angry mood while slaying Mahisasur, the demon in the form of buffalo. The artists while painting the eyes must have definitely tried to convey the emotions. But then only few come anywhere near the angry

Photo Essay on Puja Pandals of 2014, Bangalore

When it is Durga Puja time of the year, Bengalis are in a frenzy celebrating the 4 days. Besides worship and prayers, eating and pandal hopping becomes major activities. (Pandals are places where the resident Bengalis of that area get together, contribute and worship Goddess Durga.)

This year I could make it to 11 pujas in the city scattered in various parts of the city. Here are 4 of them.