Heyya!

Hello there!
We haven't been as regular as we've wanted to. Our writers, you know! But we've come back in May, our writers have been “sweating it out” in summer, slaving away – writing all this, just so you can read it (are we saying this a lil too often nowadays?) Hmm, so we take you to the cooler terrains of Kodai in wanderlust, and then do some pasta-talking – “originals” from Toscano, and we've, as usual, nothing much to say in the funny section. We've begun to think we should google out some santa-banta stuff and change the names! Our writers have no sense of humour.

Wine, Dine and Dance - Toscano

Forum Value Mall, whitefield boasts of a Toscano and rightly so. The urbane chic place makes any fine-dining enthusiast raise an eyebrow and a toast. The courteous staff, the yumm Italian food, and the dressing of the food are excellent.The salad LOOKED so good,that i was sorry to eat it up, but glad that i did (okay, its fraught with exotic veggies, and i don-know-what-but-yumm-syrups and “Goat cheese”). Oh yes, check their Wine-bar out – it has wine from auzzie land and so on. A tad expensive on the pockets, but just a tad. The Italian cook (Accent et all) came in and asked about his food and I was pleasantly surprised and pleased. For the win, amigos.

The Queen of Hillstations – Kodai

Kodaikanal – its NOT as high at the Nilgiris, but charming nevertheless. You'll enjoy the hilly terrain, the arid climate, the evening mist and some long walks. Breathtaking is the Coaker's walk. Wondrous are the routes that take you from kodai into the hills – the little villages, the puff-puff huts, the green, the blue, the golf course, the “GuNa” caves, the Pillar Rocks. Stunningly refreshing are the waterfalls and rivulets. But, its terribly crowded – omg, it is! Every soul from every part of the country seems to be here. The place has turned incredibly touristy with nasty tourists taking random photos of other tourists and things like that (may an elephant take their cameras away!) It destroys the peace and beauty, really! And Kodai isn't all that cold in April-May. Its bright and sunny in the afternoons – so you can leave your woollens behind. You should try the little tibetian restaurants and market-places. Oh, it has “home made chocolates” too, in plenty. Whats it with Indian Hillstations and home made chocolates! Anybody?

Radio Waves

I am one of those unfortunate beings who has to be the early bird and fly across the city, flip-flap-flip-flap before other lazy birds get up and begin driving. And birds like me listen to the radio and assume that we are one of those few people tuned in, at this unearthly hour. And it gives us a feeling of exclusivity. So this show I tune into in the morning (Ain't I sorely tempted to give the name away!) has this host (*sigh*) who has this question with a blank to fill everyday (hint. Hint) And I, diligently waste good mobile money on it, most days. Just based on the assumption that no one in their sane minds would listen to the radio at that hour and that winning the gift hampers would be easy. Can you believe this, I've never won it – ever! There is always some other bird winning it. And its not about me winning, this post – its about the number of people that are awake at the crack of dawn. And it shatters my little illusion of exclusivity. Gee, I never knew that our lil city had that many worm-eaters (#getit?)

Winc-ies!

Hello winkies,
We have wanted to call you that for a while now! “So how're you doin?” (we've wanted to say that too, for quite sometime now – like how Joey sa(ys)(id) it). We at Winc, have a done a lot of travelling just to bring you something new to read (How do you like THAT?) And we've also been eating out a lot – just to give you a new Wine,Dine and Dance. The things we do for you!
So, in our wanderlust – we take you to Vizag, in our wine,dine and dance, we take you to Rajdhani. In our ha-ha-something we don't do much.
Lap it all up. As we said, “Its just FOR YOU” this time :)

Wine, Dine and Dance - Rajdhani

Once in a while, when you have had too much of Pasta, you'll love to go to Rajdhani. Not only because they'll bring you a fancy-King-type bowl to wash your hands, not only because they'll be dressed like they are in a palace, but also to try their Khichdi, Dhokla and more. I went to the Rajdhani in Ahmedabad. And they have chains all over bangalore (one in Forum Value Mall) and other cities. They'll bring you unlimited food in a “thali” (plate). They'll bring you all that your gran makes best, but well dressed. The rotis, the million curries-to-go-with-it, the khichdi, the daal, the Indian desserts like “Halwa” and “custard-fruit-cream-thing” (whose name escapes me) – are so “wah! Wah!” I felt like an “athithi” in the “Athithi-devo-bhava” theme song. The staff are sub servient, friendly and say “Namaste” very nicely. Its an experience – eat how much ever you want, if you can – and you'll feel very happy, about the food, ambience and the bill. No kidding.

Wanderlust - vizag

Vizag is a breather. Its a break from the-Goa-coastal scene and way cooler (in temperature) than the Chennai-Pondy ones. And its much much more “do-your-own-thing” type. If you want to drive across the coast, do that on RK Beach road. RK Beach road offers one the idyllic shore. Not too many people, not too many touts, not too many dogs, not too much litter. But you won't find “VOOHOO PARTY!” type people. You'll find a resiliant rock to sit on, and watch the waves in some peace. The RK Road is full of bright stores, lights, ice-cream and corn gaadis, and statues of famous people. You can also go into the submarine museum there. Vizag has some famous restaurants – one being Dasmallah, which is close to the beach. Apart from that, the town is so-typically-a-typical-town with theatres, narrow streets and honking autos, some fancy clothing stores and a couple of eateries. Vizag snuggles all nicely between the sea and hills. Wander off into the “Simhachalam” “Annavaram” “Kailashgiri” hills near by – where it is incredibly scenic and not very toursity (again). Where Simhachalam and Annavaram are also piligrimages, Kailaishgiri is a “hill-hang-out” for tourists and locals, with “parks”. You can see the vizag coast line, beautifully marginning the city from there. If you are around vizag, try to make it to Araku-valley near-by. We'll write you a separate note on that. Go to Vizag for that “breather” you need, go with a book to read, go there because its such a simple beautiful coastal India city without too much-ado.

Funny Side Up

I was watching a Tamil movie last night – a mind-numbing senseless one where people wear parti-colored-clothes and run around, and a guaranteed mood-lifter. So Tamil-mass-flicks are all about “punch dialogues”, yes? The Hero (ahem!) is generally an auto-rickshaw guy who can lift his own auto with his own pinky (Hail! Hail!). The heroine, is irrelevant and shows up in rain-songs. The music director, well, is deaf. Its good fun, you start of with a villian – the meanest chap, ugliest and the one that never brushes his teeth, crosses words, arms and lorries with a hero – virtuous, hilarious, and never-before-born type. Hero outwits villian, first in words, then in lorries and arms. Entry heroine in between – with 3-4 songs, some feet-tappers from the streets. Gimme pop corn and i will watch again. If only to learn up some useful slang. (i picked up “capemari”). Hail mindless movies. I will watch you, if only to escape too-much-sense, for a while. Deal, capemari?

The January Journal

Hi folks,
Happy January. And we're now moving into february, so in case you've kept your resolution going- its time to re-think. At Wink, we're just flitting Jan away saying a lot of "Happy New Years". Im sure you'll find a couple of hidden HNY in our posts this time.
In wine, dine and dance, we bring you Kyra. In Wanderlust, we board a train to Bijapur and in supposed-to-be-slightly-funny Funny-Side-Up, we write this time, a not-so-funny piece.
Join in the journey with us for this year. Tell us how you found our columns. Leave a note and we'll get back to you (if your note was complimentary, that is).

Wine, Dine and Dance - Kyra!

Kyra sits comfortably on the building, a floor on top of adidas and maspar in Indiranagar, Bangalore. If its one thing bangalore needed – it was food inside the audi at Rangashankara. We've always wanted to eat french fries and watch a moving play. Kyra allows me that luxury. Being able to dine, and that too comfortably while listening to the guitars wail or a story being told is Kyra's greatest asset. Not to mention its interesting style of not-doing-too-much-decoration, which is a relief nowadays (In Blr, you end up sitting on a throne nowadays to eat humble chaat! With drapes around you, of course). The food is pricey, over-rated, and just about okay. You'll mostly be shelling out a cover charge because of the “shows” at Kyra. Its definitely a must try. I thought Kyra was an interesting experience – some “good” and a “lot of just-Okay” thrown in a cup.

Wanderlust-Bound to Bijapur

Bijapur, the capital of Adil-shahs and Bahmanis. It rests majestically in North Karnataka.You'll probably want to re-think the train journey from Bangalore to Bijapur. It takes ages and rarely is on time! But the quaint little town makes up for any flaws you find, while travelling up there. Famous for its architectural wonder – the gol gumbaz, Bijapur exudes exuberance in its other monuments too. Poetic, royal and captivating – you'll find Jamia masjid, the Ibrahim-Roza, the fort walls, the water-tank, the little-ornamental mahals that border the tiny lanes in Bijapur a treat to watch. The main market, the joLa-rotti, the Shiv mandir add a little touch of today to the aged Bijapur. Not far from Bijapur is Rakkasathangadi – where the famous Talikota war was fought. Look around and you'll see 500 years of history, architecture and culture – thrown in to make a memorable recipe. Watch out for spicy food, some touts, and do try their yummy signature sweets at the sweet meat stall. I'm going to bet that you'll be buying a gandhi-topi as a souvenir from Bijapur. Well, i certainly did.

Funny Side up - A matter of the Mind, really!

Its funny how one thinks one appears. I could never imagine my “image” (the way i look) without a mirror. I just don't know. Does the color yellow suit me? I really don't know. There's rarely anything one can say about one's apprearance without the approval or dissapproval of a third-party. You can comment away on Rakhi Sawant, but when it comes to you – you don't know! Do you have a really long nose? Do you look like your aunt? You don't know until someone lets you know. I've had this image of me in my head. Very unrealistic as images in the heads go by! I think I look just fine, unless I see a photograph of mine. And then i go, “is that me? I thought I was taller than that!” Oh let me tell you, you curious reader, I work for a living. And when I was getting out of the kick-boxing class, one kid's parent asks me “which class are you studying in, ma?” Mentally, in my head, I thought, at the very least, I'd look like in-college-types. I've always wondered what Rakhi Sawant thought she looked like! Now, even more so!

Wink Away!

Hello readers,
We bring you another edition of the wink. Its no better than the previous one, we solemnly say. (At this moment, you can take some time off to grumble about the same-ol-writers and same-ol-columns)
In our Chow-really-mean,we have Oye Amritsar. In the hop-scotch, we hop to Hampi. In our pretend-to-ha-ha, we have a Miss-Invention, badly mis-firing.
Our three primary columns are still Wine,Dine and Dance, Wanderlust and Funny Side Up. We just wrote different names to cheer you up a bit.

Happy reading.

Wine, Dine and Dance: Oye Amritsar!

Right in the heart of the eateries and pubs (Church Street), rests a piece of rural Punjab (I assume the “rural” part). Its on the roof top. But since I went there in broad day light, it seemed just like “rural punjab” to me. The story begins with Lassi. Drink as much as you want, if you can. But if you are a Jal Jeera fan, like me, drink in. Then the story takes its Punjabi note, serves really hot puris and other “authentic” eats. One thing is that in broad day-light, you cannot a-la-carte. You have to eat on the buffet and let me tell you, its not bad at all. In fact, its exactly what I recommend. The starters were things I liked the most. There is lots more on the menu – I'd ask you to pig out. The ambiance is very “typical” with one-liners that are “world famous in Amritsar”. The music is Bollywood and in that good. Its fun to eat while humming “Dard-e-Disco”. Totally Thumbs Up stuff, this.

Wanderlust: Hop to Hampi

Come, wear your shoes, take a skip and hop to Hampi. Get a map, read some history and you're good to go. Hampi is a magnificent ruin - from the Vijayanagar Empire. The nearest place to stay is Kamalapura. There are a lot of options to find roofs and one of it is the Mayura, a government undertaking. You can rent cycles out on hourly basis and cycle into Hampi and wander around. It has its usual pitfalls – the touts, the “travel-guides” and its wise to exercise caution. A Hampi ground survey can take you 3 days, easily. There are important things to see, the “inverted” mantapa, the akka-thangi rocks (although, this one is more story-gas than most others), the lotus mahal, the pushkarani (you'll see that many movies have been filmed there). Its wise to go to Hampi when its not summer. There is also the “purandara mantapa” across the river. Try the Vittale temple for some breath-catching architectural splendour (including the "musical pillars") There are cute little stores near the Virupaksha temple which are “lonely-planet-recommended”. Lots of old coin sellers and “photographers” around that area, along with stone carvers and general things-that-are-foreigner-centric. Try and “imagine” a little and Hampi rises from its tombs and looks like a palacial, wonderful ruin – something really that befits Royalty.

Funny Side Up - A Miss-Invention!

We invented the “gentleman”. Its our concept. He is “charming”. He opens heavy doors and lighter ones. He offers to carry our coats. He makes “polite” conversation. He puts his coat down on puddles so we don't have to step on slush. He never forgets to “thank” us. He laughs at all our jokes. And today, thanks to all the “women are equals” thing, our gentleman – the concept we developed, nurtured, nourished so we can flatter and fatten our ego, is gone. Gone are the days where the guy would open the door, instead he probably expects some to be opened for him. I can no longer wait for a bunch of roses at my door! There are no people that would come to my rescue when my car doesn't start (partly because I do not start it). There are no volunteers to carry books or laptops. Its become such a mean, man friendly world. I'm almost beginning to think that “equality” was a guy's answer to the “gentleman”. And they have succeeded, to gently put it.
What ever happened to getting the car-door opened? What happened to the ever caring gentleman? He has been replaced by one that well, oh, is tiresome. I found myself asking the same question. After the works of the the legendary women like "Jan Austen" who tried to keep the tradition of the gentleman alive (bless her soul), how could he disappear so suddenly! The men have gotten their vitamins and have been donning thinking cap.
Equality. Thats what killed our gentleman.

Welcome to the Wink

Hello Readers,
It is a pleasure to welcome you to the wink again ( ;) ;) ;) ) It has been raining and for some of us, it means clean vehicles, better looking rooftops and much greener trees. At the Wink, we've spent our time THINKING (now, isnt that productive?)
But here's something else we did - we wrote some nice columns (ahem) for you to read. Our regular columns - the Wine, Dine and Dance trying the copper chimney, the Wanderlust musing about Masinagudi and our Funny Side Up - where we're Joking again.
Thanks for writing to us. It keeps us motivated to write too. We look forward, as ever, to hear what you have to say. Send in a mail to welcometothewink@gmail.com with your comments.

Wine,Dine and Dance - Copper Chimney

When I went to Copper Chimney (and thats atop the Bangalore Central. If you don't know where that is, its near Garuda Mall. If you need directions to that, well,its best to ask someone) I half expected it to be a Chinese place. I blame it on intuition – and thats why people say, you mustn't trust intuition so much. (Or don't they say that?) Its quite a climb to that place (the elevator doesn't go all the way up). It is very chic. Sleek design of the place makes it look extremely “modern”. There is the balcony, where you can gaze down at Bangalore from. Its a view that one must definitely want to see – especially in the nights, when Bangalore glows. The food is very Indian, very niche though and not to mention, expensive. The Bar has the essentials and more. They also can rustle up lovely mocktails. It has all the ingredients for a relaxing meal – the right ambiance, the right music, lighting and food. The food can take some getting used to. They have Rotis in their Breads section of which I have never heard of (but that could also be attributed to my ignorance too) Some of them in the Rotis, were extremely different. Its definitely worth a try. If you have the taste for it, you might like it. I enjoyed the rich feel to the place. I liked the way the menu card looked. I liked the place, in general. Don't tell me I did not warn you, it makes your purse much lighter.

WanderLust - Misty Masinagudi

Wanderlust – Masinagudi

In the shadow of the Nilgiris, one could find Masinagudi – a home to resorts, forests and elephants. You could reach M from Bangalore, by going towards Mudumalai. I have always believed that if you see a place near the mountains, walk towards it. Go deeper towards the mountains and Masinagudi unfolds. Its numerous luxury resorts (each better than the other) and mist cast a spell (I spelt that right, didnt I?) Masinagudi attributes its name to a tiny little temple of “Masinamma” which is at the village. The village stretches for about two streets and phew, its pitch dark after six. The resorts are a little away from the village, more towards the mountains. And the taxis at the village would take you there for a Rs 50. Some resorts you could try are “Ombalan's” and “Bamboo Banks”. There are a lot of things you could do at Masinagudi – take a mountain walk and so on. The forests are very deceptive though and is very much real – with its tigers and elephants (Tuskers too) and bears. Masinagudi is a place to unwind with your latest buy from Crosswords. Its beautiful, mist-ical and very close to Ooty. You could take a look at close by places like Singara and so on. If you meet a tusker while you do so, convey my regards.

Funny Side Up - Just Joking!

I once told a joke aloud. Less than two people reacted to that and the reaction was a mild tilt of the upper lip and a polite nod. Born to a family of jokers (I mean, people with a good sense of humour) I was deeply offended. It shook my roots, which were in the funny pond. My great grandfather was a great story teller. I have heard stories about him, and I strongly believe thats what they are – “stories”. I hear that even today, in his village, when they think about his jokes, they laugh so loud that the others mistake it for another-loud-thing-thats-not-done-generally-by-most-sane-people. My father cracks me up with his funny questions (One common one being, “what do you intend to do the rest of your life? Watch television?”) My mother is even funnier. She says to him, “Of course not!” But I stand out. I said “I will work, of course” (Now, if that isn't a scream!) I always thought my brother was the funniest, he added, “Do as I did. Work hard”. Now, if that isnt our mantra!