Tag: Around the city in a MH-12…

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As Much as You Can

While the Thali system of lunch or dinner (Maharashtrian/Gujarathi style cuisine) has been around since my childhood, a more general Indo-western style buffet is fairly common in Pune now. I am sure that must be the case in other parts of India as well.
Here is a list of some buffet’s. Most of these are in the range of around Rs 500/ per person as of now.
Seasons at Aundh offers a buffet at Flavours. This is an excellent offering the best part being for those who dont want to gorge on the full menu can opt for smaller combos of only Soup+ Starter or Soup+ Starter+Sweet – at a lower rate of course. The meal includes a soft drink/beer and coffee to end the meal. Obviously the offering may change from time to time and what I have written is what we have enjoyed. The restaurant is not very big but the decor is simple and stunning. Valet Parking available.

Barbeque Nation at Kalyani Nagar (behind Dass Showroom) and also at Balewadi. Unbeatable for its starter range that is served sizzling right at your table. The pasta, chat and seafood counter is a good change. Beverages are to be ordered (and charged) separately. The staff works tirelessly, smilingly as you try to pause between courses to give your digestive system a breather… The sweet counter offers its delicacies in small bite sized portions. An excellent idea me thinks.
My suggestion- visit for lunch so you can do full justice. The chain of restaurants is present across India, check out the one in your city and do book a table to avoid waiting outside…

FoodLink: at ICC: We have not yet visited this place but has got some good reviews. These are priced lower.

Nawab in Camp: Opposite Poona Club. North Indian Food- mainly Lucknow style.

Puran da Dhaba at Pride Hotel: Dhaba style food. The restaurant is decorated like a Dhaba (obviously no air conditioning). Mehendi is a plus but bangles (choodivala) and the astrologer will serve you at an additional charge.

All Stir Fry and Not Just Jazz By The Bay at E-Square on University Road also offer soup/salad/sandwich buffets. Different combinations (at different price points) are available. Worth a dekkho. We have not yet sampled their offerings.

In addition most hotels offer seasonal specialty themed buffets ranging from Christmas or nation specific food etc. Check the Pune dailies for whats on offer when you feel like eating till you drop.
If you know of any more such buffer spreads do let us know.
Eat As Much as You Can!!
Cheers!

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Annual Fruit and Vegetable Show

The Pune Municipal Corporation organised its annual fruit, flower and vegetable show at the Sambhaji Park recently. In view of the recent explosions at German Bakery in Koregaon Park, public participation was less enthusiastic. Every year the organisers go the extra mile to decorate the Park in a unique way. In fact, one will not recognise Sambhaji Park in the Show to be the same as the one seen all year round.

This year, the entrance and walkway thereafter was bedecked with orchids, anthurium, gerberas and carnations in many different colours. A deer created out of sphagnum moss was a lovely look alike to a real one. With Shiv Ratri being round the corner, the organisers had created a ‘shiv ling’ of flowers. The backdrop to the imposing statue of Shiva (NOT made of flowers!!) was … more flowers of course with a layered border of pansies, salvia, balsam etc.

Behind they created a landscape depicted a river, trees etc. and in front of it a flower train…

Other than this the show had the usual displays (all wonderful) and a superb display by the Friends of Bonsai.

If you missed the event this year, here are some photos. But keep track of the newspapers next year, and its a not-to-be missed display .
Cheers!

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PL Deshpande Garden


The PL Deshpande Garden situated on Sinhagad Road Pune is probably the only one of its kind in Pune. It is open only in the morning and evening hours, charges an entry fee of Rs 5, visitors may not walk/play/sit on the grass and eating is not permitted in the wonderfully clean property.

So obviously this is not a place one can go on a picnic but is certainly worth a visit. I would say visit more than once and in different seasons.

Also called the Pune Okayama Friendship Garden, this beautiful garden is based on the 300 year old Korakuen Garden at Okayama City, Japan. The landscape is designed to give visitors a feel of changing nature throughout the year (do refer to the map at the entrance that gives a suggested route to be followed for the best experience). As one walks around one feels various elements like , stillness, light, hardness etc.

I must add that trees/bushes don’t carry botanical names so my walk around the park was challenging as I tried to identify names of various trees/bushes/ flowers planted here. The landscaping includes a small waterfall, a hillock, several bridges, undulating lawns and several ‘gazebo’ like bamboo structures where one may sit. The tiled walking track also has several benches where one may sit and enjoy the natural beauty.

Word or pictures obviously cannot capture the beauty of this garden. Visit it.
Cheers!

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Mask for everyone…

This candid photo from the Times of India dated 10 Aug 2009.

For those of you who want to learn the correct way to wash your hands, follow this link:
http://www.who.int/gpsc/clean_hands_protection/en/index.html

Stay well!

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Phoren or Indian

The H1NI1 outbreak in India surely owes its origins to foreign countries. Many of the positive cases in India are people who have travelled abroad.
Among warnings issued to people to prevent H1N1 infection is to avoid foreign (phoren) travel.

I can’t speak for other parts of India but in Pune certainly, foreign (phoren) returnees are always looked upon in awe. Lets say till this H1N1 outbreak. Suddenly nobody thronged to visit people returning home from visiting their kith and kin or their foreign holiday.
Those who did, were openly asked questions if they suffered from symptoms, did the people they stayed with suffer symptoms and so on….
Discomforting? Certainly…
Embarrassing? Probably…
Arrogant? Certainly not…

The dilemma is worse with visiting foreign (phoren) relatives (particularly those keen for a desi experience in their northern hemisphere summer).

This weekend there are many more people moving around wearing masks on their faces. Pune girls/women are not new to such facial protection used as they are to tying long scarves or dupattas around their heads.
As we try to protect ourselves will the namaste/ namaskar (an Indian form of greeting people with folded hands) be a more hygienic form instead of the foreign (phoren) hand-shake?

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What(er) on earth?

Puneites misery continues with water supply on alternate days. What is worse is are the distribution anomalies as is the blatant wastage that occurs in the pipelines.

The dailies carry reports of tanker water suppliers demanding above prescribed rates for water. The PMC claims to have taken some steps in this regard.

Now Mumbai too faces a 30% water cut. Click here for details.

Did you know that only 1% of world water is usable by humans. Click here for some interesting information about sources of water.
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Every drop counts

The infrastructure crisis in Pune city continues. Roads, electricity and water take turns in testing patience of Punekars.

Water currently is the chart topper with monsoons playing truant. Though the Met office says June 2009 rainfall met average levels, dams that supply water to the city are drying up and fast. Currently we face a 40% water cut with supply on alternate days.
Through the year the Khadakvasla and Panshet dams that supply water to Pune serve as picnic spots substituting for Mumbai’s ‘chowpaty‘ (beach). The amount of rainfall in the Khadakvasla and Panshet dams is closely reported in Pune dailies.
More constructive action on part of citizens is required.
Saving water in all possible means is of utmost importance at all times.
Install rain water harvesting systems in existing buildings. While the cost may seem high, it would be shared by several people and returns over time would make this investment worthwhile.
Washing machines consume a large quantity of water. Change to manual washing and use the machine only to spin dry the clothes. Else use the ‘economy’ mode available on the machine.
Click here for some tips on saving water at home.
Click here for the latest satellite image of the country to get an idea of upcoming rainfall.
We are paying the price for carelessness and irresponsibility that we resorted to through the years. Simply praying to rain gods or blaming the system now will not count. All round and year round efforts are required at times with some personal discomfort.
Every effort counts to make each drop of water go a longer way.
Do it. Now.
There is no time to lose.
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White Lily and Night Rider

A common feeling among family members, friends is that despite talking all the time we actually do not communicate. With misunderstandings galore there is obviously something missing. Within a home, it can cause a family to break up. 
‘White Lily and Night Rider‘ is an one act ‘experimental’ play that deals with communication  issues prevalent today. Often trust that is the basic premise of all social transactions is lacking. Two individuals may speak, write/mail/message each other but do they really convey what they want to say? Does the other person understand?
Milind Phatak and Rasika Joshi who have also written, directed the play and coordinated the sets and lights have explored such facets.


A couple in their late 30’s chat anonymously on the Internet and decide to meet with the option of marriage. What transpires is both hilarious and poignant. Has the Internet made us afraid of real life issues?  Along with the protagonists we too may question the foundations of relationships… Are we living our real self or is it hidden away inside us waiting for a virtual release? 

Though the play is in Marathi, me thinks this topic is valid for all. 
Make it a point to watch White Lily and Night Rider. 
Best!
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A Dream Come True

They say a person’s age should be judged by how long he lives on in people’s memory rather than how many years he/she spend on earth. In that case, Dr Nitu Mandke continues to live today via thousands of people he had operated upon. An excellent cardiac surgeon, it was indeed a cruel turn of fate due to which he succumbed to a heart attack in 2003. It was his dream to build a cardiac hospital in Mumbai. His untimely death only delayed this effort. The hospital was inaugurated on 26 January 2009 in Mumbai, much bigger than originally planned and inclusive of other specialities as well.

Dr Nitu Mandke completed his school and medical education at Pune. His family and friends organise a program on 31 January each year to commemorate his birthday. The simple program yesterday devoid of undue emotionalism was highly motivating. A fitting tribute to a great human being.
Key take aways:
Like its important to get a good teacher, a teacher too looks out for a good student
Dream big and then stay focussed on your goal
Work towards your target one step at a time
14 Feb is round the corner. It is the Congenital Heart Defects Day. Spend a few minutes learning about this condition. Some congenital heart defects are completely curable and children go on to live meaningful happy lives.
Best!
Archana
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Steamy Affairs


Jangli Maharaj Road is easily the street food leader in Pune. They say that if one eats dinner out each day on this road then one can easily spend a year and not repeat a food outlet. While this may be an exaggeration, family restaurants stand cheek by jowl with roadside thelas, fast food outlets and more.

For foodies in Pune every new entrant is a subject of study!
‘Steamy Affair’ thus came under our scanner. There are no prizes for guessing what is on offer….
A simple standup outlet, idlees are the USP. Ranging from the normal fluffy white to more exotic sounding Kancheepuram, shevai and corn idlees, Steamy Affairs even offers special ‘varai’ idlis for those on a fast. Of course these are restricted to Thursday and Saturday.
Each serving is accompanied by sambhar and chutney and it doesn’t take long to demolish it. While the sambhar could do with more vegetables, it does have a typical ‘Puneri’ taste. Chutney passes muster. 
Besides idlees there is not much else on the menu except few beverages.
Priced between Rs 12 and 20, the pinch to the pocket is bearable.
Certainly worth a visit when in the area.
Yenjoy!!
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