#by2coffee

After a tiring run on the MG road this morning all that i wanted is some comfort food and what better than Idli :).. We decided to drive down to namma malleswaram and enjoy the piping hot idlis at by2 coffee . This is located a few meters away from Veena Stores.

For starters I ordered Idli vada and this plate(see below) cost Rs.30 , I mean isn’t this economical? They don’t have the concept of sambhar but this coconut+mint chutney is yummy . Very swift service and I didn’t take time to fetch the idli+vada combo and relish it. The idli’s melt in the mouth and this is something I cant explain but one has to relish it ..

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While I was busy enjoying my idlis I saw a lot of them carry the uppit or kharabath and I was drawn towards the idea to try some of that too. So I got a plate of kharabath , immersed in chutney and it was delicious too. It was very different with peas and capsicum in it . What better way to begin the day than some good work out and delicious breakfast?

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My friend then enjoyed ondu glass bisi bisi kaapi ..

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Its an Aye from me .. If you plan to visit below are the details :

Address: 49, 7th Cross, Malleshwaram, Bangalore

Phone: +91 9632203201

#words

Words .. Words ..
The most powerful tool we own apart from silence ..
It is not always about what we say, it is also about what they heard ..
It is not only about our intent , it is about their situation too ..
It is just a word for us , it could mean life to them ..
It is not always about me! It is about them too ..

Choose them wisely , words can kill , it can make one smile or cry ..
Words can create space .. It can bridge gaps ..

Words .. Words .. Powerful words..

#Thepermitroom

A permit room in India is that section of a restaurant where it is permitted to serve alcoholic drinks. When I heard about Permit room the new lounge on magrath road , my curiosity took its toll. I have been wanting to visit the place from long and alas! ended up going over the weekend . A lot of expectations loaded i decided to visit The Permit Room 🙂

Before I entered the “place”, this board (refer image below) was quirky and I liked it . It was a nice place aka permit room with low light and less crowded as it was around 7 pm on a saturday evening .

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The first order was Kane West(sexy name aint it?) , it was nothing but our very own Kane fish , deboned and tava fried and then I spotted Cubbon Park Salad which apparently is inspired by the carts at the park. Cubbon park has a special place in my life so I chose to order it .. It was grated cucumber ,baby corn, chilli peanuts , lettuce .Both were ok , I be had a lot expectations . The dressing for the salad as mentioned in the menu was missing . So we ate the kallepori and the salad just like that. The presentation was beautiful look below ..

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Since I dont drink I chose to order a crab rasam, it came in a fancy jar like below. Basically crab was in the bowl and the rasam in the jar. I wasted it as the coriander was over powering and it reminded me of something I dont like . Oh btw! I am a huge rasam fan. I can live on rasam rice everyday .. FullSizeRender-5

My friend wanted to eat potato and hence we ordered cheesy gun powder pondy fries. For some reason my friend couldn’t eat it beyond a piece and hence wasted it 😦 . The dip was good , however the fries were too cheesy and the gun powder was leaving a weird after taste or was it the curry leaves .. FullSizeRender-4

We dont give up you see so another potato dish and this was called crushed baby potatoes tossed in peanut masala . This wasn’t bad so this was nibbled with the drinks by my friends . FullSizeRender-9

while this was all happening , I sneaked in the Baked mysuru pak which was in the dessert section of the menu and it was mind blowing. So well done and truly a fusion dish . This is something all of us on the table relished . Main course was not on our mind by the time we finished this so headed out to grab some dinner. Friends settled for some steaming haleem while I decided not to indulge in anything more…

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Below is the coaster I liked. Put one 😀 FullSizeRender-11

It wasn’t my day , or may be we ordered the wrong dishes . The setting was good, service was good in the beginning and as the crowd started pouring in say by 9ish there wasn’t anyone to even look . I would say an “aye” as experiences can change and food may be different on another day . Enjoy maadi 🙂

Their Address: 16, Opp Garuda Mall, Magrath Road, HAL 3rd Stage, Ashok Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560025

Phone:090191 13388

#MotherNature

Nature for me was trees and I have been blessed with a family that loves plants .. We have always had plants around us and that remains the case even now.. When I started working I have been lucky enough to be surrounded by people who loved to travel to the jungles hence I always landed up at Bandipur(innumerable times) , Sakleshpura , Coorg , Chickmangalore etc being the bangalore frog that I am these were the closest accessible places and we ended up driving down there . I was not someone who liked silence I found it eerie to be in the midst of forests , I used to be scared of animal calls, I dreaded the paw marks the guide showed me when we went on a trek . This went on and gradually these things grew on me and I started liking , rather loving this relationship I shared with the Jungles, I realised wildlife was a part of Nature and they belonged to the Mother (Nature)

(The image I fell in love with instantly when I was at R SQUARE for the first time 🙂 )

I never understood why these photographers all dressed up with innumerable pockets on their pants , jackets , a hat and with these hugee lenses paraded in the jungles. I couldn’t ever fathom why people chased animals for clicking their pics. I felt they should be left alone and people should not invade their privacy. . I kept wondering every time I travelled and then R SQUARE happened and thanks to Rohit , Nature InFocus took birth . After working with the regular people (read me) , working on NatureInFocus was a little different basically it was not unnerving, i never understood why because events were stressful , coordinations , running around etc But NIF was calmness for me .. There was something very serene about this project. I loved watching pictures so all the images clicked by the speakers was a treat for my senses .. I then realised if the photographers didn’t visit the Jungle and get pictures how will people like me or the future generation see what is there ? I realised Picture was documentation, it was proof of existence and it was a repository the future generation will appreciate .

(I was around when this image was shot .. So this is very dear to me .)

After the first edition of NIF, I understood what Passion means, the people under the festival roof were oozing of like mindedness and were so passionate about what they have seen, done , achieved and yes! it was beyond money. Grounded is a word we hear so often , where do you generally see them? Be it Steve Winter, or Romulus Whitaker the legends i met in the first edition or Jishnu and Gaurav the latest generation , they loved what they did and are an epitome of passion . I feel so blessed to be a part of this world where people are willing to go a step ahead to save nature, save animals, adopt structures , educate people more on nature and most of all tell stories and I love to listen to them :).. People who are willing to talk and and create more awareness , for we need more people like them to conserve our mother, Nature .

(This image blew my mind and its like a dream each time I see it)

If you love Nature or would love to contribute to her, be there on 8 and 9 of July 2016 . You will love the energy and pictures .. I promise .. More details on http://www.natureinfocus.in

Pic Courtesy : Rohit Varma

#Run

I started running in a phase of life where I wanted to run away from a lot of things , I wanted to tire myself so that I can pass out in the night .. I was never fond of running yet I made a move towards it . Waking up at 5 am every morning and heading to the stadium was an ordeal especially when I couldn’t sleep well, yet I pushed myself and then after a couple of months 10 k happened and few more 10 k’s… It was exhilarating .

I then gave up :), we as humans will do everything when we are suffering and the moment we get to the shores we forget the waves which helped us reach where we are now. I got busy with work and life went on until 6 months ago when the need to restart the workout regime became the goal and then again the running bug bit and it all fell in place . I am still struggling to get things right, I still huff and puff, yet I feel nice after that 40 minutes in the morning . That “me” time when my mind is not chattering as it is completely focussed on the run and conserving all the energy .

I Learnt that more the pain , more the gain. If I had to remain in my comfort zone then I wouldn’t have ventured out and learnt more or discovered myself. The fact that the pain makes me a better runner and sculpts me is a thought that keeps me going , similarly in life we do mistakes repeatedly . We dont let go of toxic activities and people(comfort zone), we hang on to them with the fear that we cant exist without them , we question ourselves as to what will happen to us if they are not around and in most cases we feel Life ends… In these instances that one push , one determination to let go actually does so much good. The move out of the comfort zone is very painful yet it releases all the pain and make us stronger humans..

I realised running or any activity that we do stepping out of our comfort zones launch us into better places , help us meet better people , ensures we live better lives . Especially running is one sport which ensures our brain is not playing evil and doling out negative feelings . There is no time to weave stories . There is no place for negative self talks , there is no place for anything unwanted . I am feeling so good that I wanted to do this bit to urge any of you who is going through a rough patch in your life , just RUN . Not from your problem , but towards the solution . A healthy mind will ensure a healthy thought process and hence a happy life . I believe if even one person is benefitted from my story then my purpose is accomplished .I wanted to urge all of you to move , step out , make that move and run towards the horizons , achieve those goals and bring in loads of happiness .. For I have done that , so can you ..

#kallepori #Bhel

After my regular Sunday Cubbon park time I was stepping out of the park when I saw an old lady unpacking a huge sack near the gate. Very curious I peeped to see what was she trying to unwrap and realised she was preparing to sell kalle pori as she referred them to(Bhel ). I was stumped as I love bhel and i had never seen anything like this before , she read my expression and jumped in to clarify that this was “wheat Bhel” . My happiness knew no bounds 🙂 (Oh!yes , these small things do make me very happy) . She had this north karnataka accent, was very humble and she was talking to the right person as I cant stop myself from trying anything new . Before I realised I asked her how much and bought one litre of it and parted with the cash and walked away…

Once I reached home I inspected the treasure I had with me , this thing was three times the size of the regular Bhel and the puffs were cream in colour . She had told me “madam you can do oggarane with it “, she meant to say that I can temper(tadka) it and savour . I stored it carefully in an airtight container . I woke up this morning to a raining Bangalore and I had this urge to munch on something healthy during the day .. Something which is guilt free . So I prepared this .

Recipe: I added a spoon of olive oil into the wok and when it heated added mustard , dry red chillies , peanuts , turmeric powder , asafoetida and sautéed .. Once I felt it was ready I put the stove off and added red chilly powder and mixed it . Finally added the puffed wheat corns into the mixture and voila you get to see the result and it tasted yummy too . I didn’t add salt to this as I didn’t feed the need to … What better way to enjoy the Bangalore weather? 🙂

PS: you can make this with the regular bhel and corn flakes too 🙂

#Treat

Good food will always remain a reason to revisit a restaurant . We humans end up going to the same place and ordering the same food most times is not because we are scared to experiment but because we like comfort food at times . We know some places wont let us down and that we can count on them and one such pace is Treat , a north Indian restaurant located on 80 feet road Indiranagar which is easily missed . I know this place over 15 years and still going strong , now what would you call that ?

When we at work want to eat happy food , this is the place we head to. Courteous staff , good service and great food 🙂 . We ordered for Dal Fry , Steamed rice (not in pic ) and chicken kalmi kabab along with tandoori khoombh (mushroom) . Please dont miss trying the pickled onions and chilly chutney as accompaniments served . We cleaned the plate in flat 15 minutes and stepped out of the place . Tandoori chicken , biriyani are my favourites in this joint too ..

Its an Aye from me , so please do visit and try . Thank me in your heart and I will receive the blessings 🙂 .

Address :3047, HAL 2nd Stage, 80 Feet Road, Indiranagar, Bangalore

Contact Numbers :080 25253902 or 080 25282137

#masseuse

I like spa’s , a way to detangle my tired soul. After a hectic event schedule I decided to pamper myself and what better way than a good massage . So I fixed an appointment with the goldmine spa (oh yes! they are expensive hence I named them that :)) I went there promptly a little before time but my masseuse hadn’t reached , I waited patiently and she arrived 15 minutes later than the stipulated time all huffing and puffing cursing the Bangalore traffic .

She was a teeny girl dressed in her uniform .I asked for deep tissue , she led me to the designated room and started to work her magic , wait! did I say magic ? She tore me apart , I felt like I was in a wrestling ring or was it like a piece of cloth that was washed on a stone .. I pleaded her to let go of me and she said madam if you want to relax then dont ask for me , you will relax once you are home now allow me to do my work . I cursed my stars and decided to talk to her instead of squeaking so that my attention is digressed from the ordeal 🙂

She began .. She had so many stories , it was then I realised I had no problems 🙂 .. I assumed my life is a roller coaster ride , I felt I had problems until I met her .. I realised all our problems are big for us but what she had to reveal was beyond something I can fathom . She dealt with strangers day in and out unlike us for starters . Random men come for massages and she has to deal with them . She said once there was an Arab who came in and while she massaged him he opened his phone and started watching porn . She requested him to stop it but he wouldn’t budge .

Another time there was this guy who was newly married and decided to discuss his penis size with her and shared story about how his wife was unable to satisfy him. She told me how she squirmed as he made her very uncomfortable that tears rolled down as he asked her about sexual preference and her sex life .

And this one time a married woman asked her for a happy ending , she explained to me how she froze and decided to walk out ..and the ultimate was an agent who refers clients to the spa following her and the Arab client to the room and offering her 10 k for a “special massage”. She threatened him of dire consequences and shooes him away . Many many more stories that has made her strong as a woman . She has the right to walk away from a client who demands beyond her role and that is a boon for her . She says people call her a “rowdy” because she voices her concern loud and clear .

My mind started chattering to me , she has so many things to face and fight each day . Every client is a surprise and she braves it with a smile on her face and hence there is so much to learn from this woman. So many times in life we inflate the smallest of problems and create a hue and cry , she has no option but live with it so she finds the positive and lives with it. Any place she goes she will face the same according to her as the profession she chose is a one like that . She has a choice to leave or live and she chose the latter .We can see the negative or a positive in a problem , it can put us down or make us strong and the choice is entirely ours ..

She finished her work on me , I thanked her and left .. I learnt a lot beyond physical relaxation .. I thanked her for enlightening me as a human .. Life teaches always and we can learn only if we want to 🙂

#HotelChalukya

My dad has taken me there as a kid , I have visited this place several times years ago and forgotten in this hustle bustle of the city. Who will travel from Indiranagar to race corse road for a dosa? This went on till this morning when after a good run at Cubbon park a craving for some yummy dosa popped in and for some unknown reasons Hotel Chalukya flashed as the only option.

Located on race course road its a place one must visit for some yummy dosa and chutney . It was going almost full around 8 am and we listed our orders. One plate idli, ondu plate idli vada, one khara bath , one masala dosa (without red chutney ) and after some thought a kesari bath (yes we could have said chow chow bath but this was ordered in instalments ) and coffees .

The idlis reached the table first . It was soft, yummy and the chutney was delicious . In this era of watery , runny chutney this was a welcome change and with no repeated request . The sambhar was nice too . The dosa was crispy which means it made those criiiisssssppppppp noises and the potato well done . I believe its an art to make good dosas however simple that sounds . The khara bath was a simple no fancy one and frankly nothing much to say about it . Finally the kesari bath was yummilicious . Not dripped in ghee , not excessively sweet , right amount of sugar , the perfect amount of ghee and this was one of the best i have tasted .

Came out happy , smiling and content and with the feeling that glad some things have maintained its charm in my city. Old is Gold they say and this place just prove us right . Its an aye! from me . If you have not been there being in Bangalore then please do visit once and if you are a Bangalorean and haven’t been there for years (like me) then please do the honours . Basically you have no choice left but visit them 🙂

The price for all the above item was approx : 360 Rs which is economical in my opinion considering the kind of prices i have been doling out

Address: No 44, Race Course Road, Near Basaveshwara Circle, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560001

Phone:080 2226 6866

http://www.hotelchalukya.com