Of the queens and cowards of Bangalore

My sister sent me a mail on the Bangalore attacks that shook me. This is no longer a random incident or goons staging a publicity stunt. This reeks of political agenda. What is the answer? Why don't these same people who are so concerned about their 'culture' target their own film industry, ban Hindi and English channels and, most importantly, rail against the rock concerts that seem to happen only in Bangalore? Aren't these the ways people learn to follow 'western/corrupt' ways? Why target women who are alone? What kind of cowards are these? Incidents like this and this are not only shocking but also unnerving to read about when you have female friends and relatives in Bangalore.

I loved the all-embracing culture of Bangalore, the two years that I lived there. So much so, that I was contemplating moving there! And this comes in. My sister has bought a pepper can and has a male friend who is thoughtful enough to drop her home if it is late in the evening. This in a city which has a huge amount of restrictions to curb hooliganism, including a ridiculous 11 pm deadline. In this post-26/11 days, what is the police doing if they cannot even handle civilian goondagardi?

I feel for all the women in Bangalore. They either change how they dress (as if that is the main issue), stop being who they are or take up arms and do something about it. Am very proud to say that they are doing something about it. There are protest marches, pink chaddi campaigns, the Nirbhaya Karnataka and Blank Noise Project initiatives.
Is this the solution though? Citizens forming groups to curb this kind of menace? No, of course not! The solution lies in nabbing and punishing these offenders by the police, not civilians!! The police, meanwhile, are yet to do anything else than give the media statements on how 'Bangalore is safe for women' and how these victims are media-attention-seeking people. The women who, even after molestation, had the guts to file police complaints are attention-seeking. Shameful, indeed.

Diwali sweets should mean chocolates!!

Hope you guys had a great Diwali. Spent this Diwali in Bangalore and performed the one ritual that I love. I make it a point to do it every time I go to Bangalore and used to do it every month I lived in Bangalore. It all stems from my chocoholism that has got me as a willing victim since I was in school. You really can't help but become one when your mum is a teacher and brings home chocolates of whichever bratty's kid's birthday it was. Back then, I used to identify the kid with not his exam essay (which mom used to force me to read) but which chocolate he/she tried to impress me (yup, not mum, me) with ;)
Two decades later and about as many visits to the dentists, I am still chasing and living a chocoholics dream, in spite of the burgeoning waistline.
Being in such a chocolaty mood, here are the best chocolate stuff you can gorge on in the cities that I have lived in. Not too long a list, as I wanted to pen down the best that I have had...

The Chocolate Bomb (also called the Lava bomb): Little Italy, Mumbai/Pune/Bangalore: This is exactly what they say it: a bomb. A jab with the fork is all it takes to set it off. The hot molten chocolate inside is yummy. There was this place in Lokhandwala called Cocco's that had the whole menu comprising of, yep, cocoa and nothing else. The Choco bomb there was superlative. Why did it shut down, why??

Dark Temptation: Barista Outlets: This is a temptation for me every time I go there for coffee. Comprising of a decadent chocolate pastry, chocolate sauce, vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. Some outlets serve the pastry too hot and gooey while some serve it stone cold. The outlets at Oshiwara, MG road Bangalore and the erstwhile outlet at Koregaon Park Pune are the places that get it right always.

Double Trouble: Mad Over Donuts, Oberoi Mall, Mumbai: Yup, its a donut. Though once you bite into one, you can see how its more like a flimsy cover holding all the chocolate! Be warned, its pretty messy to eat this one. This donut comes without a hole as the top is layered with milk chocolate and the donut is stuffed with molten dark chocolate. One of the yummiest and strangest of all places to satiate you choco-cravings.

Death By Chocolate: The Corner House, All Bangalore Outlets: Yes, I know its a ice-cream place. But do you know that this dessert is something that I cannot finish the large size of? Yes, its a huge deal!!! Anyway, this baby has chocolate ice-cream, chocolate brownie, chocolate sauce, vanilla ice-cream and whipped cream with nuts. It comes in junior and large sizes and trust you me, its a meal in itself irrespective of the potion size.

Chocolate Avalanche: Mocha Outlets: Ingredients of this most decadent dessert are chocolate ice cream with chocolate mousse, chocolate sauce, chocolate brownie AND pieces of chocolate! Yes, that is a whole lot of chocolate and it ain't for the faint-stomached or for someone who is watching the waistline (yes, i am, but not while eating this kinda stuff!!)

Will keep adding to this list whenever I find a culinary choco feast that matches any of these. Till then, happy gorging...

Oh, and wouldn't it be great if people actually started buying into the whole gifting chocolates for Diwali instead of the over-sweet (yes, there is such a thing) milky sweets. Make a note all ye who have the fortune of meeting me the next Diwali.

Bundled up: updates, thoughts, reviews

Been some time since I posted. Got a bit too involved with the layout thing. Its fun when you get down to it, you know. Anyway, so am going to like list down whatever I had wanted to post here since a week, briefly.

• Updates: Zee Cafe has started to air Sex and the city right from the first season. Yea!! I know, I know, its much easier to watch all the seasons on DVD now that it is available with almost every other DVD rental place. But I dunno, I prefer it this way. Catch it every Monday at 9. They all look so young in the first season!! :) Btw, how cool is the music of Rock On?? I love it and listen to it like everyday. Admire Farhan and think Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy are gorgeous to create such music. Waiting for the movie. Eagerly. The song Pichle saat dino mein is picturized amazingly. Go watch...
  
• Thoughts: Every city has its own distinct culture and hence, driving patterns. In Bangalore, you will mostly adhere to the white line rule at the signals while you will also sometimes drive on the sidewalk. In Pune, you will drive like you are fighting for survival. In Mumbai, as there is a premium of space, you will drive a few inches away from the next vehicle without flinching. Found something new today: There is a huge puddle of water in the middle of a highway. What do you do? In Bangalore, you will treat it as part of a road and not alter your speed. In Pune, you will accelerate so that you can try to displace as much water as you can and see if you can drench the pretty girl walking on the sidewalk. In Mumbai, however, you will slowdown as soon as you see the puddle. God knows what is under the water - an open drain, a humongous pothole, a burst drain pipe - you will slow down. Even if it is a highway. And you are at 70kmph. Even if you know this will spawn a traffic jam (oh sorry, in Mumbai we have either slow moving traffic or gridlocks, no jams). Even if you know that there is nothing wrong with the part of the road submerged under water coz you drive by here everyday. Even if the car behind you protests with persistent honking. Even if that said car contains me.
  
• Reviews: Watched Bachna ae haseeno more than a week ago. The reason that I didn't even feel like posting a review was coz the movie was so damned dull. The story-line was like some 90's reject script, without the fizz or great music. The lyrics range from a really good Khuda jaane to the equally bad 'Small town girl'. The chemistry between the couples is at the best tepid. The locations are good and the acting is mediocre - coz the script doesn't demand much. The only good thing in this movie is Deepika Padukone. She shines in a very small role. The people at Yash Raj should really start thinking why their movies are not doing great at the box-office. Their tried and tested Switzerland formula is no longer a crowd-puller. If only the powers-to-be had invested as much time in the script than relying too much on the gimmicks (like trying to recreate Rishi Kapoor - Paintal magic via their sons and the original Rishi Kapoor song now shot for his son - btw, the choreography of this song sucked. Poor Ranbir, he is a pretty good dancer). Oh, and they don't get their facts right as well.. you know the stuff that make the movie believable? Get this: Microsoft has a development office in Mumbai, and they send you to Syndey as well. A girl who is studying to be a doctor in Australia has time to attend college, study, and take on two part time jobs. God knows, when she sleeps. Well, whaddya know, I did review this movie ;)

Ok, thats it for now. Out.