ROUNDABOUT

A new eating joint, Pizzeria Romano, in Koramangala is a must try for food lovers, especially if you are into Italian food. It isn’t authentic Italian. It does have an Indian touch to it. But the food is delectable. An absolute must-try.

The pizzas are the thin-crust ones and taste nothing like what you get home delivered. Not too bland, not too spicy. It tastes just right. It has been about a month since I went there, so I haven’t been able to retain in my head the names of the dishes we savoured.

The pasta is also delicious. We tried the Pasta Arabiatta and another one with a cheese-based sauce and mushrooms. I liked the Arabiatta for the way all the flavours were blended. Perfecto! It tastes nothing like the Arabiatta you get in other Bangalore cafes. Full marks to the chef.

But what makes this place all the more special are the interiors. It has these beautiful Chinese print wallpaper and an unmissable chandelier. There are Italian posters adorning the walls. All this makes the place classy and elegant-looking.

The service is pretty decent. The waitresses are dressed in short black dresses, lined with a touch of pink. They look really cute and are very hospitable!

Each table is adorened with beautiful candle-holders, just adds to the ambience of the place. I went there for lunch, I’m sure the place looks all the more better by night. I would suggest a dinner.

Coming back to the food, the portions are not enormous but just about enough. For two pastas, a regular pizza and a drink, we spent around Rs. 600 which was quite a decent amount, going by the looks of the place.

Not too many people seem to have discovered this place, so there’s barely a crowd. So go there, before this place serves a packed house.

Great food, even better ambience and no hole in the pocket, what more can you want? Try Pizzeria. It is at, No 55, 5th cross, 6th block, Koramangala. Ph No. 40953752, 40953751

Landmark: Next to Oye Amritsar

I’m really not a ‘drawing’ expert but these entries for the ‘Doodle 4 Google’ contest are simply fabulous. Some of them are so well thought out and so beautifully portrayed. The ideas are really across a range. Good to know that such talent is coming to the fore.

Take a look at the finalists’ entries here

http://www.google.co.in/intl/en/doodle4google/vote.html#d=d2-8

My father is a storehouse of information. Everyday he churns out stories from the past. Of course, we children sometimes tease him, saying it is all due to ‘age’. For me, nowadays, it’s a matter of story ideas. Papa gives them to me every now and then, encouraging me to write about it. He is an ardent follower of Baba Ramdev, the guru of yoga, so on and so forth. I shall leave aside my comments of how I feel about the Guru himself and focus on the ‘story idea’ or ‘blog idea’ my father gave me. He talks about Baba Ramdev to me everyday. He recently narrated the story of how the Guru has filed a case against Hindustan Lever for their latest ad for a detergent Surf Excel.

I hadn’t seen the ad on TV until Baba Ramdev’s press conference on the same. Take a look at the ad here if you haven’t seen it already.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNE3l2LPiEY

I am all for creative freedom. I’m not always in agreement with Ramdev’s tirade against the modern, especially when he is against ‘toothpaste’. But this ad definitely seems to be in the wrong, in my opinion. It’s quite ‘ridiculous’ if I may use a word as mundane as that. And I say this with due respect to canines. I love dogs. Have lived with them in my house for at least nineteen years. But I don’t understand why such an ad was made for a product such as this. And no human can replace a dog. What were ad-makers trying to make the little boy do? Impress Rosey miss? Expect her to feel happy that her student acted like a dog, making up for her loss?

A simple ad for a detergent, so much of rubbish. An utter waste of capital.

I remember the time Petu lost her first baby. I don’t remember the name of her second-born. But we weren’t as close to her as Sasha. And then there was Mark, Nikita and Wayne’s cousin. We would help him make maanja for kite-flying. He was one big bully. He and my brother were the ones who tackled the snake that was spotted on Krishna Jayanthi. Yeah, the snake still freaks me out. Even as my mother said it was a snake visiting us on Krishna Jayanthi, I was scared to even step out of the house after dusk, after this ‘auspicious’ visit. I remember this day quite vividly. We were walking back and forth from the Besterwich house to ours. My brother happened to almost step on the snake close to one of the bikes in our compound, and shouted out. Everyone went running out.

The snake eventually slithered its way to the back of the house where there was a drain that was connected to one of our bathrooms. It had gotten into the drain. We immediately blocked the opening in the bathroom and also poured phenyl down it! Talk about animal activism!

My brother and Mark and the rest of the Besterwich family stood near the drain. My brother was given the task to get the snake out of the house. Mark was helping him. Of course, they were all excited. I, meanwhile, was crying my lungs out I think, sitting inside the house. I must have been about eight or nine then. My brother was given a gunny sack and gloves to try and get the snake out. The gloves didn’t work. So he just caught the snake using the sack and threw it out of the house.

I really had nightmares after this snake incident. My mother took me to two temples, supposedly to ward off this fear. I don’t remember after how long I got over this. Phew!

Nanny sedates baby, ‘rents’ out to beggars

This article in The Times of India came as a shocker to me.

I really thought crime was an exaggerated problem in Bangalore. But this shook my notions. Very scary to know that such an incident took place in the city.

Now before you ape Himesh Reshamiya and say ‘Complicated’, I’ll stop you right there since I’m not talking about relationship status. I’m referring to Google Chat status messages.

It has become fashionable to make a statement through a statement. I mean, literally. Long before Twitter came into the world, status messages were making a mark and still are. Whether you want to share interesting links, convey your mood, abuse anyone or simply say what you want, status messages have come to say a lot about a person. I know I have cracked up reading some really weird ones.

Here are some that I have picked from my Chat list. Pardon me if there is any copyright violation.

Humpty Dumpty was pushed

Think I need a break from me!!!

Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t – you’re right.

Aspirations, desires, goals, expectations….do people of all ages experience them…or is it the domain of the young.

Reticence, ten nines are one.

Wants an XO breakfast; the Arabian Sea; a lunch of Prawn Xacuti and beer; a beach bed, umbrella, sand, sunset, long jumps, crab chasing; and end the day with butter garlic prawns and cocktails!

~♥~Zindagi main kuch lamhein khaas ban gayee, mile to mulakat ban gaye, bichre to yaad ban gaye, aur jo dil se na gaye, woh app ban gaye~♥~

If you don’t disturb me, its ok I can understand

wants that beach. and now. thank you.

obama gets nobel for peace!!! SCAMMMMMMMMMM

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe, Catch a tiger by the toe. If he hollers let him go,Eeny, meeny, miny, moe

(insert profound message here)

Assume this is a song with an appropriate life-status msg

Too old for teenage truculence?

History repeats itself. That’s one of the things wrong with history.

“People are very open-minded about new things – as long as they’re exactly like the old ones.”why???????????????!!!

well…f u …ed!

A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous — Coco Chanel

what did God say after making Adam? “I can do better” and made Eve. Lol

~♥~Raah mein un se mulaakaat ho gai Jise darate the wohi baat ho gai ~♥~

Darro maat inshallah jeet hamari hogi..

When the preferable is not available, then the available must be preferred.

Should stop thinking about food all the time.

y ws life so easy a week back and not 2day

I spoke a great deal! YAAY!!!

mujhe change chaheye

blechhh.

This is my list.

Why don’t you share status messages that you have found funny/weird/whacky/silly/stupid/ridiculous/just about anything?

I scour through the newspaper everyday but looks like I missed this. Until an acquaintance happened to send it to me via e-mail. I am quite surprised that this has not received sufficient media coverage.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/dc-comment/un%E2%80%99s-caste-charter-boon-not-liability-958#comment-22993

The UN Human Rights Council had prepared a draft for “the effective elimination of discrimination based on work and descent”. And India has rejected this. India apparently does not want to have any international interference on this issue.

The article says “the UN draft proposes to equate all discrimination on the basis of caste, occupation or descent as a violation of human rights”.

So is India afraid to accept that discrimination based on caste exists in the country?

“Presumably, it is pressure from politically-strong OBCs enjoying both muscle and money power, that their representatives are standing in the way of India adopting a rational and just position in relation to the UN’s proposed principles and guidelines”.

Are the politicians going to continue playing the ‘caste’ card and ring in the votes for their personal victory?

Are people from the so-called General category going to continue to get fake SC/ST certificates to bag a college seat?

Are we going to continue to use separate utensils for our helpers at home? Are we going to continue to make these house helpers to sit on the floor when they are as human as us?

The Constitution seems to exist just for the sake of it.

What will it take for us to let go of all prejudices and treat everyone equally?

Note: I found the trailer of this documentary movie titled ‘Shit’, directed by R P Amudhan. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqW1ZB_rjKg I’m unable to find the entire movie online. A very stark example under this topic. I had the privilege of viewing this film and meeting the film maker about three years ago. Please do share if anyone happens to have a copy of the entire film.

Female mutilation has no cultural, no traditional and no religious aspect. It is a crime which seeks justice - Waris Dirie

As a girl/woman/mother/sister/daughter, the story of beautiful Waris Dirie will come as a shock to you. I had only heard about circumcision with regard to men who are Muslims. Until I read this article http://biography.jrank.org/pages/2958/Dirie-Waris.html A shocking practice carried out in Africa, putting women through misery, all in the name of religion.

Waris Dirie went on to become a super model and even featured in a James Bond movie in the ’80s. Here’s a more detailed description of her inspiring journey. A Reader’s Digest piece http://www.fgmnetwork.org/articles/Waris.html

These atrocities against women must stop.