Monday, April 30, 2012
Casa Vagator
Visited this amazing resort on Sunday, Casa Vagator, hidden away in the many tiny curvy lanes of the Anjuna-Vagator belt... an amazing view, and some good food! The pics should speak for themselves.
Vintage Bullet? Not Really!
Came across this beautifully maintained Bullet in Panaji on Saturday... check the registration number to get a sense of the age of this beauty! At least 30, my guess!
Pune Warriors vs Deccan Chargers - Live
Last week, we had the absolute pleasure of watching Pune versus Deccan live at the Sahara Stadium in Pune. Pune lost the match, but the honour of watching Dada live was worth it! He played a short but sexy innings of 25 or so, with a huge six and a bunch of sweetly times boundaries. We saw him fielding up close, near our boundary, saw him chasing the ball with the hair locks floating behind his head, his cap obliging them by falling off at the slightest movement. We saw him marshalling his troops feverishly.
The stadium itself was super impressive, and the feeling of climbing up the short flight of stairs,and finding yourself on top of the stands, filled with thousands of screaming fans, was amazing!
The arrangements also were top class.. heavy but unobtrusive security, very nice traffic flows and parking, free packaged water and namkeen, and clean toilets. Also, a lot of options including pizza and ice creams delivered to your seat. Add the refreshing breeze blowing across the ground, and you couldn't really be asking for more!
Here are some pics that speak for themselves!
The stadium itself was super impressive, and the feeling of climbing up the short flight of stairs,and finding yourself on top of the stands, filled with thousands of screaming fans, was amazing!
The arrangements also were top class.. heavy but unobtrusive security, very nice traffic flows and parking, free packaged water and namkeen, and clean toilets. Also, a lot of options including pizza and ice creams delivered to your seat. Add the refreshing breeze blowing across the ground, and you couldn't really be asking for more!
Here are some pics that speak for themselves!
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| The Warriors celebrate the fall of a Deccan wicket |
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| Expensive hairdos! |
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| Probal cheers the Warriors (or was it Dada?) |
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| The ladies Warriors with their coach |
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| The majestic Sahara stadium |
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| The cheergang |
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| The main stand |
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| And last but definitely not the least, the cheergirls! |
Ronak Bhel
Came across this hidden away joint near Kunte Chowk on Laxmi Road, where we enjoyed this delicious spread in the name of pav bhaji, along with some refreshing juice full of chunky watermelon! Do try it out when you are in the area next time!
Notice the red garlic chutney and the masala onion salad?
Notice the red garlic chutney and the masala onion salad?
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Dada Of The Match!
What a game.. Pune putting up a stunning 192, and then beating the strongest team in the competition, Delhi, by 20 runs. And Dada was all over today.. first, a 40 odd score peppered with some sublime shots, and then coming back so strongly with the ball, putting in 4 amazing overs, starting off with a crucial wicket, and then one more, being involved in a bunch of great saves and catches, and of course, some shrewd captaincy. No wonder, he bagged the Man of the Match!
Here is Dada at his best today, after the KP wicket...
Nehra made good for his past lapses, and Alphonso Thomas was another very, very impressive bowler for the Pune Warriors.
Delhi started off really well, Viru and KP really took Pune to the cleaners, but all it needed was for Dada to get the breakthrough with KP, and Viru was scalped by Kartik.
Next match in Pune on the 26th, and I will be there at our super sexy stadium!! :)
Here is Dada at his best today, after the KP wicket...
Nehra made good for his past lapses, and Alphonso Thomas was another very, very impressive bowler for the Pune Warriors.
Delhi started off really well, Viru and KP really took Pune to the cleaners, but all it needed was for Dada to get the breakthrough with KP, and Viru was scalped by Kartik.
Next match in Pune on the 26th, and I will be there at our super sexy stadium!! :)
Aamsutra
Dear Katrina Kaif,
Its just a mango drink, not mango flavored condoms. Take it easy girl..!!!
Its just a mango drink, not mango flavored condoms. Take it easy girl..!!!
SpiceJet
Had never flown SpiceJet before... and while KingFisher always claimed to provide 1st class service, and Jet too had a good reputation in my mind, I was very impressed with the SpiceJet service. Checkin was super fast, taking not more than a min. Flight touched down ahead of time, the air hostesses were good, and efficient, and the overall experience absolutely marvelous.
Clap clap.
Clap clap.
Innovative Furniture at Qyuki's Office
Here are some examples of really innovative and cost effective office furniture, at Qyuki's office in Bangalore. Especially loved the autorickshaw reception desk, built into a real auto acquired for 20,000 rupees and sliced into two!
Lunch and Tea in Bangalore
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| A tasty homely traditional South Indian thali at Annapurni in Indiranagar, Bangalore |
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| Followed by a very beautifully presented, light Darjeeling tea at Coffee Day Lounge |
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Another Amazing Match
Pune vs Bangalore, another amazing match... First, Pune set up a great score backed by a great opening partnership by Uthappa and Ryder. The Bangalore innings started slowly, rocked by Ashok Dinda and Nehra. Gayle then went beserk, hitting Rahul Sharma for 5 consecutive sixes, but then Nehra hit back with a fantastic yorker, returning Gayle to the dug out. AB De Villers then joined S Tiwary, and the fortunes swinged back and forth. Finally, 28 needed in 2 overs. Dinda bowled a beauty, fighting a bad side sprain, conceding only 4. And then AB and Tiwary pulled off the impossible...
Another amazing game, this IPL has really upped the tempo!
Another amazing game, this IPL has really upped the tempo!
Monday, April 16, 2012
Joke For The Day: Chinese Maal
Jackie Chan's wife dies 1 year after marriage.
Santa tries to console Jackie but is not sure what to say.
Suddenly blurts, 'Hota hai yaar...Chinese thi, aur kitna chalti..'
LOL
Santa tries to console Jackie but is not sure what to say.
Suddenly blurts, 'Hota hai yaar...Chinese thi, aur kitna chalti..'
LOL
Hail Storm!
Pune saw a huge hailstorm today - literally millions of peanut shaped hail stones rained down for almost 5 mins, along with heavy rain and lashing winds.. I was out dropping a friend home, and had to rush inside an under construction building for shelter, to prevent some serious damage...
Check the scene here... thousands of hail stones collecting by the side of the road
And here's a close up! Truly an amazing experience today!
Check the scene here... thousands of hail stones collecting by the side of the road
And here's a close up! Truly an amazing experience today!
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Ajinkya For India
Ajinkya Rahane scored a smashing 100 not out (the first 100 of IPL 5) to stake a claim for the Indian team... his second big innings after 87 something earlier. A very good innings indeed!
Vintage Goa...
Check these stunning pics of Goa... still trying to find the general period...
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| Temple at Veling |
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| View of the Mandovi, probably from the place where the Adil Shah palace (old Secreteriat) stands now |
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| View of Mala Fountainhas, with the Patto Bridge in the distance.. check the road snaking out towards Old Goa |
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| No caption needed! Early 50s. |
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| View from the Panaji Church! |
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Earthquake in Pune?
Earthquake in Pune.. did you feel it?
And no silly, of course I didn't... I am in Goa... remember?
And no silly, of course I didn't... I am in Goa... remember?
SRK? Who?
All the billions of dollars and sophisticated spy satellites and HUMINT later, the Americans still cannot find the answer to a simple question - Who is SRK? Apparently it took airport immigration officials two hours to find that out, after the Indian goverment and Yale University officials intervened in yet another shameful (for the Americans) episode of the King Khan being detained for questioning on arrival on a private jet for a function at Yale, where he was an invited guest and speaker.
I would add a simple step 1 to their investigation process - "Look upon www.google.com". Would save the Americans millions of dollars to spend on searching for folks who do not show up at their immigration counters. Like a certain Mr Hafeez. Oops, we need to ask the Americans to read the newspapers too! THAT would save another ten million!
I would add a simple step 1 to their investigation process - "Look up
Ice Magic
I have blogged about this place before, and this current post is a little late, but I came across this photo on my cell and couldn't resist it...
Amazing place, Ice Magic, in Kolhapur.. hundreds of beautiful ice cream sundaes... some of the presentations really very pretty... and great service! If you get a chance, do check it out... pretty easy to locate from the main bus stand/railway station.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Gorgeous Nerul
Something about old houses that just cannot be matched by all the luxuries of the new!
Ritz Classic... Always!
The gorgeous crab dry fry and mussels rava fry.. what is life without some real sea food at the Ritz Classic?
Change
Been in Goa for the last 36 hours.. and it's been very different!
Came here for work, and spent most of the days in our office, in some serious discussions. Got time to go to Benaulim and gorge on great food at the shack, but all while, discussing social networking, BI and AI with the customer! With work being the focus, family was missing... and with most cousins from Goa out on a pre-scheduled tour, it seemed pretty empty! Hardly spent a couple of hours in Nerul, have missed waking up to the crows and the sound of the poder.
Oh, and yes, maybe I am wrong, but with a change in government, Goa did seem a lot cleaner! On the streets too!
Of course, some things never change! Did start the day with bhaji pav from Bhonsales. Had some great crab dry fry and mussels rava fry at Ritz. Plus a lot of other sea food at beachside shacks. The sun was hiding, but the hot humid weather was the same. The breeze, the coconut trees.
But sometimes, without people, everything is meaningless!
Hopefully, with the remaining 22 odd hours, that will change to come extent! Baga, here I come!
Came here for work, and spent most of the days in our office, in some serious discussions. Got time to go to Benaulim and gorge on great food at the shack, but all while, discussing social networking, BI and AI with the customer! With work being the focus, family was missing... and with most cousins from Goa out on a pre-scheduled tour, it seemed pretty empty! Hardly spent a couple of hours in Nerul, have missed waking up to the crows and the sound of the poder.
Oh, and yes, maybe I am wrong, but with a change in government, Goa did seem a lot cleaner! On the streets too!
Of course, some things never change! Did start the day with bhaji pav from Bhonsales. Had some great crab dry fry and mussels rava fry at Ritz. Plus a lot of other sea food at beachside shacks. The sun was hiding, but the hot humid weather was the same. The breeze, the coconut trees.
But sometimes, without people, everything is meaningless!
Hopefully, with the remaining 22 odd hours, that will change to come extent! Baga, here I come!
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
The Taj Experience
Some amazing shark fin crab meat soup... tastes as awesome as it looks!
And my personal favourite, the Chinese "flower bud" tea! You have to see it "flower" to believe it!
And my personal favourite, the Chinese "flower bud" tea! You have to see it "flower" to believe it!
Google Street View
A friend of mine recently moved to a new city, and shared with me street view pictures of the locality. Intrigued, I checked it out myself, and it was truly a stunning experience. Not just the overall layout, I could literally zoom to my friend's windows, check out the footpath tiles, and the detailed markings on the roads! In one view, I could even make out the makes and models of cars of neighbours, and in one case, even a couple talking to each other outside their garage!
Some areas even have live webcam feeds.
What next? 24x7 web based monitoring?
How far will technology go, and what will be the concept of individual privacy, 5-10 years from now?
Some areas even have live webcam feeds.
What next? 24x7 web based monitoring?
How far will technology go, and what will be the concept of individual privacy, 5-10 years from now?
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Barbeque Delight
The "in-dash" BBQ with lava stones in my renovated kitchen is inspiring some serious grilling!
Have You Ever...
Enjoyed peas pulav
Parked by the roadside, climbed into the backseat of your car, and just sat there in peace, watching the world go by, oblivious to you
Gone for long drives on the highway, to get quality time with your car and your inner voice
Shared a cookie and some iced coffee
Played antakshari, singing the most crazy songs in the most crooked voice, and yet had a great time
Walked into a busy restaurant, just to use the loo
Spent a morning at an anathashram
Done nothing a whole day, and yet had the best time of your life
Gotten up at 400 am to go and have coffee
Changed in the back seat of a moving car in broad daylight
Had piping hot tea while letting the waves lap your feet at the beach
Parked by the roadside, climbed into the backseat of your car, and just sat there in peace, watching the world go by, oblivious to you
Gone for long drives on the highway, to get quality time with your car and your inner voice
Shared a cookie and some iced coffee
Played antakshari, singing the most crazy songs in the most crooked voice, and yet had a great time
Walked into a busy restaurant, just to use the loo
Spent a morning at an anathashram
Done nothing a whole day, and yet had the best time of your life
Gotten up at 400 am to go and have coffee
Changed in the back seat of a moving car in broad daylight
Had piping hot tea while letting the waves lap your feet at the beach
Impact
Sometimes, it's not how long you know a person or how much time you spend together... the biggest impact sometimes comes from people you have had a chance encounter with, a fleeting shared moment. Imagine the six billion people on the planet, their lives virtual lines that crisscross in space and time, and then, in a magical moment, two of those billions of connections being made every second ignite, and make a difference to each other. Be on the lookout for those special moments, because it really is like expecting to find the needle in the haystack.. and when you do find it, don't let it go waste. Very few people are lucky enough to get a second chance at life.
Monday, April 09, 2012
Amayyyzinggg Match
MI - DC ended up being an absolutely stunner... and full of action. Chasing a lower than expected source, MI faltered against some tremendous bowling by Dale Steyn (3 for 11 in 4, including a wicket maiden), before Rohit Sharma took up the cudgels and guided MI to victory at the last ball, helped by a lucky decision in his favour on the penultimate ball.
Earlier, MI's captain Harbhajan Singh and Munaf Patel protested and cribbed and forced the umpires to refer to the third umpire a shocking decision - a clear bowled out against Sangakkara that was given not out, believing the ball had been kicked off the wicky's pads. While the decision was reversed, it was pure drama for five mins. Sangakkara also proved to be a non-sport, he should have walked out on seeing the replays!
Was a nail biting finish, a great match, and a lot of entertainment... everything the IPL stands for!
Earlier, MI's captain Harbhajan Singh and Munaf Patel protested and cribbed and forced the umpires to refer to the third umpire a shocking decision - a clear bowled out against Sangakkara that was given not out, believing the ball had been kicked off the wicky's pads. While the decision was reversed, it was pure drama for five mins. Sangakkara also proved to be a non-sport, he should have walked out on seeing the replays!
Was a nail biting finish, a great match, and a lot of entertainment... everything the IPL stands for!
Klisma
Recently started working on another pretty innovative product by Persistent, now spun off as a separate company... Klisma. Do visit http://www.klisma.in/ for a peek at the "shopping experiences" Klisma offers (and it gets even more fun when teamed up with eMee)... and yes, welcome aboard!
Movie Review: Housefull 2
Forget the dire predictions and the stinging reviews in the papers... if you are looking for some wholesome entertainment, crackling humour, a lot of eye candy for both the male and the female eyes, and some pretty decently executed Dabangg action, look no further! Housefull 2 is running housefull, and it is no surprise why. If it weren't for the tight space, audiences would be literally rolling on the floor with laughter. I, on my part, couldn't stop the tears flowing and my stomach aching with laughter, thoroughly enjoying every bit... the slapstick, the pretty well thought of dialogues, the complications...
The story revolves around two brothers - one jayaz, one najayaz, and their attempts to net the richest son in law for their daughters. One con leads to another, and on it goes, until half the Bollywood industry finds itself in one huge mansion.
John Abraham and Akshay Kumar are hot candy, and work extremely well with each other, their chemistry and sense of comic timing impeccable. Ritesh is great too, Shreyas is OK (doesn't have as much to do as the others). In the girls, Asin looks smoking hot (surprisingly, I liked her!), Zarine, Jacqueline and Shazahn light up the screen for the boys. Rishi and Randheer, Ranjeet (his cameo is a lot of fun), Mithun and Boman (wasted, though) also put on a great show, and Johnny Lever puts in one of his best outings to date.
The sound track is loud, the songs forgettable, but don't really get in the way of the entertainment. The plot is fun, outlandish though it is, and pretty believable. Some of the scenes will make you clutch your stomach in pain with laughter... the encounter with the croc and the python, the "train" behind Mithun towards the end. The dialogues are refreshing too, and pretty "innovative". The fights, Dabangg-style, are pretty fun too.
At 2.5 hours, one of the longer movies recently, but come on, no complaints man! Bring it on!
The story revolves around two brothers - one jayaz, one najayaz, and their attempts to net the richest son in law for their daughters. One con leads to another, and on it goes, until half the Bollywood industry finds itself in one huge mansion.
John Abraham and Akshay Kumar are hot candy, and work extremely well with each other, their chemistry and sense of comic timing impeccable. Ritesh is great too, Shreyas is OK (doesn't have as much to do as the others). In the girls, Asin looks smoking hot (surprisingly, I liked her!), Zarine, Jacqueline and Shazahn light up the screen for the boys. Rishi and Randheer, Ranjeet (his cameo is a lot of fun), Mithun and Boman (wasted, though) also put on a great show, and Johnny Lever puts in one of his best outings to date.
The sound track is loud, the songs forgettable, but don't really get in the way of the entertainment. The plot is fun, outlandish though it is, and pretty believable. Some of the scenes will make you clutch your stomach in pain with laughter... the encounter with the croc and the python, the "train" behind Mithun towards the end. The dialogues are refreshing too, and pretty "innovative". The fights, Dabangg-style, are pretty fun too.
At 2.5 hours, one of the longer movies recently, but come on, no complaints man! Bring it on!
Dada 2 - 0
Pune Warriors continued their IPL 5 campaign in style, smashing KXIP by 30 runs in their second league match, this one played at the spanking new Sahara Stadium in Pune...
Once again, Dada showed why he was India's best captain... his shrewd fielding placements and bowling changes ensuring the KXIP batsmen never settled into a rhythm chasing 166.
Pune also got an amazing stadium, very worthy of hosting international encounters, and the setting looked amazing, the expressway close by, the rolling hills in the distance... and the full crowd, in Warriors blue...
An amazing night, and I can't wait to be there soon!
Once again, Dada showed why he was India's best captain... his shrewd fielding placements and bowling changes ensuring the KXIP batsmen never settled into a rhythm chasing 166.
Pune also got an amazing stadium, very worthy of hosting international encounters, and the setting looked amazing, the expressway close by, the rolling hills in the distance... and the full crowd, in Warriors blue...
An amazing night, and I can't wait to be there soon!
Friday, April 06, 2012
Dada, Yet Again
Pune beat Mumbai in their inaugural match in Mumbai today, a huge upset at the start from the team that finished at the bottom of the table last year, against a team widely believed to be in the reckoning for the top slot. And leading from the front was none other than their stand-in skipper, Dada (while Yuvi recuperates from his cancer)
A great start from a ragtag team with a lot to prove!
Next game - at Pune's very own Sahara stadium tomorrow, and it will be interesting to see how things play out...
A great start from a ragtag team with a lot to prove!
Next game - at Pune's very own Sahara stadium tomorrow, and it will be interesting to see how things play out...
Wednesday, April 04, 2012
Movie Review: Descendents
Set in the beautiful islands of Hawaii, with its pristine beaches and alluring highlands, The Descendants is a roller coaster of emotions for Matt (George Clooney in possibly the most amazing role of his career) an ever-busy husband and disconnected father of two girls, the younger Scottie (Amara Miller) and the 17 year old Alexandra (Shailene Woodley, in another amazingly portrayed character).
While he struggles with the terrible news that she will never recover from the coma, and the decision to pull her off the ventilator, he also has to learn to take care of his "spoilt" daughters, with their profusion of F words and middle fingers, the news that his wife was cheating on him and was about to divorce him and the imminent sale of his family's heritage land he has been entrusted with.
He finds an unlikely partner in his daughter, and her boy friend, as they travel across Hawaii to find and confront his wife's lover. Dad bonds with daughters, and slowly but surely, the knot grows tighter.
The ending is simply brilliant, and for all the tears that will well up in your eyes throughout the 2 hours, you end the movie with happiness and hope...
A beautiful movie that cannot be missed!
While he struggles with the terrible news that she will never recover from the coma, and the decision to pull her off the ventilator, he also has to learn to take care of his "spoilt" daughters, with their profusion of F words and middle fingers, the news that his wife was cheating on him and was about to divorce him and the imminent sale of his family's heritage land he has been entrusted with.
He finds an unlikely partner in his daughter, and her boy friend, as they travel across Hawaii to find and confront his wife's lover. Dad bonds with daughters, and slowly but surely, the knot grows tighter.
The ending is simply brilliant, and for all the tears that will well up in your eyes throughout the 2 hours, you end the movie with happiness and hope...
A beautiful movie that cannot be missed!
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