Friday, July 18, 2008

MATHSYA-T NAGAR

This one I have blasted in my earlier posts. But then we had tried only chaats. But still I take back my words.This time we went inside and had south indian , Dosa and sambhar vada both were very delicious. And inside its a\A/C--very first requirement in chennai's weather and ambiance is also very good.
We had north indian dinner also like daal makhani, butter pneer masala,haandi paneer, stuffed kulcha, methi parantha and naan.Butter paneer masala and stuff kulchas were very good, though a little spicy, but daal makhanai and other things were also good.
We are ordered coffee also, and liked.
So I would say this restaurant rates--
very good in ambiance
very good for idli dosa
good for north Indian also
and rates are also not very high..

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

NEW MAXIME--SOME MEAN JOKES







got them in my email by my sister.

CHOLA SHERATON- CHENNAI

This is located on cathedral road, The entrance is Ok but the lobby is not very impressive. They have several restaurants, we decided to go for Peshawri. Here the ambiance is that of Afghani style, all the staff dressed in afghani salwar, and kameej with jackets and all.Inside on the walls are the paintings with something written in urdu.
  • For the appetisers they had cold drinks, jaljeera, canned juice and mocktail.all just ok, mocktail was too sweet......it was a fruit punch.........and absolutely no presentation. But the mini variety of masala papad was good ,served on the house. all drinks are in range of 125/ to 150/--.
  • For the main dish, very selected varieties-----dals----just one--peshawri, but it was good, in fact quite yummy,in the vegetable section they didnt have much, more of the paneer varieties only, we ordered paneer makhani and liked it.all in the range of 400/--450/
  • For raita... they just put tomato, onion and cucumber in curd.......very disappointing to see.In good restaurants one expects something special, here they didnt even put normal spices.
  • For the Rotis they had stuff kulcha, kurmi naan,plain naan, khasta roti, pudina parantha.kurmi naan is naan with grated cheese and sauce on the top, and in stuff naan they had the filling of paneer, both were good and in the range of 125/-- to 150/-.
  • For the desserts......kulfi,rabri, gulabjamun are served
The ambiance is not much to say about and seating is not very comfortable.
Food preparations are good, but with a limited variety.
Service is good

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

maid servants-bai

Maids are also biggest tension providers---if you have them then you are always worrying--when will she come, or if she has taken a leave today, and if u dont have , then you are always searching for them. Once I find somebody, I normally fix one thing very specifically like time.
So here I fixed 7.30 am for her, first she came at 8, then 9, then 10 and then sometimes she came at 1 pm. Poor me--------always waiting..........waiting,and more waiting and then getting angry,hyper, making my BP higher, and so ultimately i chucked her. and then she comes to me, saying that she works in a house where always she gets late as she is given much more work to do than decided upon.
And it came to mind that normally we dont think twice before asking our maids to do something extra for multiple reasons...like we have guests, or we have called people for dinner etc. without
thinking that she has other houses also, and she has her hands full. And poor maids end up getting all the blame for their irregularities and sometimes even loosing their jobs.So who is to blame?.......we educated people taking advantage of them or they who are uneducated but generous with what they have---capacity of doing physical labour.... So what is the solution ?
i think that if we keep a part time servant, we must stick to the work plan we engaged her for, nothing extra, otherwise not only we are taking advantage of Her --- if we are not paying extra for that ----and if we are paying extra then we are inconveniencing our neighbors-those houses where she is working.
If you have any other idea how to manage this, please tell me.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

COPPER CHIMNEY-RESTAURANT IN CHENNAI

Finally I have found a restaurant with good north indian food. Actually My SIL had been to a restaurant of this chain in Mumbai and there the food was good, so he recommended it.
  • Its location is also quite convenient, its on 74 cathedral road ( ph n0. 28115770). It was quite crowded, but since we had booked the table in advance , we didint have any problem.
  • Ambiance is not very good, its like in a hall they have put the tables and quite close to each other, so one gets to hear a lot of noise and to compound it they keep the TV on.
  • In the food section...................
  • For the appetisers they have soups, jaljeera ,lassi and cold drinks-------soups in the range of 70/---------- . and then there is bread basket ( assorted bread one can order with the soup for rs 30/---) ,we ordered tomato soup and jaljeera, both were OK.
  • For the main course in the vegetarian.....in Tandoori section usual variety is there..........daals ..... 115/..), other vegetables in 185/----. Veg. jhalfrezi and palak paneer both were very good,with just right amount of oil and spices.
  • masala papad was also good.
  • In the assorted basket they serve 7 types of variety like naan, stuff naan, parantha and all that, and all of them were well prepared.
  • we were really stuffed by the time so we didnt taste desserts.
  • All in all, a good place to have tasty food. I would recommend it.

Friday, July 11, 2008

vice or virtue

Today i find lots of changes in the fabric of society, it has become a polyester from Khaadi, No stain is bad, it can be washed, however dirty you make it, still it can look clean, not like Khadi--which is to be maintained sprightly clean, cant take a single spot.
Earlier even a hint of some bribe, scandal used to make big noise in the society and a big embarrassment to the person. Its not that there were no tainted persons , or no corruption or no opportunists., because greed is a human quality, so existed in all the ages, everybody knows that Mahabharata took place only because of Duryodhana's greed. But there was a stigma attached to every vice, so whoever indulged did so on the side,and when confronted would not accept it easily.
See how the times have changed.Today nobody has any scruples, instead of feeling ashamed they will start telling you the names of hundred other people who are corrupt and all that। क्या सब के चोरी करने से चोरी चोरी नही रहती ?
here i want to say that -------I am afraid that............if the majority is corrupt, then there is a chance that tomorrow corruption may be converted into a virtue------------.I feel scared of living in that society.......................where journalists start supporting the politician only because they have been very candid in the dealings or feelings.

Monday, July 7, 2008

sharing

There are many ways of sharing wealth, these are the few ways I think we can without really even giving much;-----
  • On the railway stations when we see porters, we must utilise their services if we can afford-----because we are helping some one to earn living. Do not think that they are charging more, or exploiting us, havenots can never exploit anybody.
  • keep as many servants at your home as you can afford---we are giving them employment and then we can do their help in their hour of need.
  • Instead of thinking of going far away to charity we can atleast adopt a family in the sense that we would counsel them, help them whenever possible, and it can be the family of your own maid, sweeper anybody. Doing just this much can change the face of the earth.
  • Normally what happens that due these bargains published in the paper we go to great distances in the hope of a bargain, without realising that we will be spending more than the amount we save on fuel and time will be wasted that is different.
  • Dont bargain too much with vegetable vendors----they dont make much----plus their commodity is perishable item. however we bargain, we cant save much, its only our habit.
  • Try to do most of your shopping from your nearest shopkeepers-------it will save the travelling of goods---ur travelling------fuel in the end. and in the bargain ur area will develop.
  • everybody used to tell me earlier not to buy anything in lieu of old clothes. thats also right but when we buy from them we are encouraging them to work, because the people involved in trading utensils against old clothes are also poor. To help them what we can do is not to drive a hard bargain.

poll added

Hi everybody ! i just wanted to know what is the most liked topic on my blog, so I have added a poll, please take a minute and vote.
Thanks.

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Enchanting Goa






















Anjuna goa
country club goa





These are the pictures of Goa----clockwise--konkan railway,mangeshi temple, bom jesus church, church, country club,anjuna beach,







Friday, July 4, 2008

children, parents and god

This is about children. I am not sure who is the writer, may be Kahlil Gibran, But its worth reading
Your children are not your children
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts;
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies,but not their souls;
For their souls dwell in the house of TOMORROW,
Which you can not visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them; but seek not to make them like you,
For life does not go backward, nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children;
As living arrows are sent forth.
The archer (god ) sees the mark upon the path of the infinite ;
And he bends you with his might,
That his arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for goodness;
For even as he love the arrow that flies;
So he loves also the bow that is stable.
This is my favourite verse, so I think it must be by Gibran only as he is my favourite poet. here the emphasis on 2 moro and god written in bracket are my additions, just for the sake of explanation. Such a profound knowledge on parenting in so few words !

Love & togetherness.

But let there be spaces in your togetherness
And let the winds of heaven dance between you.
Love one another but make not a bond of love ;
let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup,
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous,
But let each one of you alone.
Even as the strings of a flute are alone though they quiver with the same music.
Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping ;
For only the hand of life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together,
For the pillars of the temple stand apart.
And the oak tree and the Cypress grow not in each other's shadow.
Its written by Kahlil Gibran, I read it some where and liked it. Its like Chhayavad of Hindi written by the writers like Jayshankar Prasad etc, where human love and love of god are merged together in description.

starter snack

For serving as starters before dinner or even as a snack with tea its a tasty accompaniment.Its a non fried tasty snacking.
ingredients------
  • 200gm peanuts---roasted----normally if you put them in microwave at high for 3 minutes, shaking them once in between-----they are well done.
  • 2 tomatoes finely chopped
  • 1onion finely chopped
  • 3 green chillies finely chopped
  • half cup cucumber finely chopped.
  • 2-3 tbsp. green coriander-finely chopped
  • 1lemon
  • salt to taste
just before serving mix everything together and the sprinkle the lemon juice and serve it garnished with green coriander. its a very tasty, crunchy snack. In the garnishing you may add Bhujia also.
Just before serving

REAL HERO AND SUPER STAR-RAJNIKANT

I was very happy to read this----
Rajnikant and producer and director of Kuselan pooled part of their fees and donated 4.5 million to the 100 odd technicians of the movie, saying they are the unsung heroes of the movie..
hats of to him ! Makes me feel so good that still there are some people who feel for the people, no doubt he is so popular and loved everywhere. he deserves it.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

HOW I WAS DUPED

It must be 1989, I was running a departmental store, and suppliers used to come to me, sometimes for the known products and sometimes with a new one. One day a supplier came to me and said-------
I supply the washing soap 555 and a new product, which is like a Tinopal but used mostly in industries, we are manufacturing it our selves.
and he showed me samples of some yellow powder in plain polythene packets.
In the mean time a customer came and bought a few things and then he happened to see those pockets. He asked me whether I sold those packets, because in his factory they need bulk quantity of that and in case i had them, he would certainly prefer to take it from me.
I was so happy and smiling from ear to ear , thinking-see, i got such a good opportunity in business, I will take order from him and supply from that.
Without thinking any more I asked the supplier to give me 200 packets of those, he had with him some around 100 , he left those there and asked for the payment. Now I always used to do the payments next week--that is a week credit, so I told him that. Then he said would i mind if instead of cash he take some products my shop. LOL, My happiness increased, as I got some more sale(ham to aur khush aur bikri ho rahi ha........ )
And notice that he started with--he supplies 555--a known brand-----but all this time neither he took the order for that nor I noticed that.That was his ploy for getting a good g=credential in my mind.
Now u will say then...........what happened..................hona kya tha, he dissappeared never to show his face.:(
This is life my dear, which teaches you at every step. Now its upto u how u learn. Nothing happens without a reason.

10 lakhs ton grains damaged

Today I was watching star news and it was telling.......................10 lakhs ton of grains damaged and destroyed in the godowns of FCI due to the negligence and carelessness of bureaucracy.This amount could feed 1 crore people for a year or 1 lakh people for 6 years. Can u imagine the wastage, that too in a country where many people go to bed without food. Isnt it a crime? Though it is said that now India has all the advanced facilities and technique for storage. And when the officials were asked--- they replied very nonchalantly----its nothing unusual or much to think about..it happens

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

2-3 news today in TOI worth mentioning---


  • Suicide of Praveena-she was married 2 months back, fought with her husband on honeymoon only and came back without telling him to her parents, when they scolded her. she lived with her grandparents.................................

What the world is coming to, marriage is not a ladoo to be eaten, its only hard work which makes it successful. One needs to work continuously first to make the bond stronger and then to keep it alive. I feel surprised that today when people are going all out for seeking info and advice for the good health, better carrier and prosperity, why they are leaving behind the relationships.Relationships are the main stay of life and contribute a lot for the well being of everybody.I feel so happy only because i have so many people around me who love me, but for keep on getting their love, I will have to work towards that. Nothing comes on a platter. I feel pity for the people who take their relationships for granted and when everything is lost they repent but nothing can be gained after a certain time. And suicide----its the biggest waste of a precious life, and life long sadness for the parents of the person who commits.There is nothing, absolutely nothing in life , no problem which can not be solved and suicide is a problem not solution of anything.


  • Women cop held taking bribe---------

I always used to think that if more women come into the professions, world may be a better place to live, as they will be more honest and committed, but it seems to be not like that. may be it is the position or what, but women also take to corruption the same as men. I am completely disillusioned.


  • Shinjini finally recovers-----------------

She is a 16 yr old girl who took part in a reality show and rudely rejected by the judges and she lost her speech.She is on the TV 24 hrs,blame being put on the judges. But I fully disagree with that, according to me parents are to blamed, because it is parents who want their children to participate because of the greed for fame and money.They know the format of the show and agree for everything. For winners everything is good and for losers---------they start telling about the minus points of these shows.


  • Heavy rain hits normal life in Mumbai-------------------

Every year rains create a havoc in Mumbai, residents are put to lot of problems and difficulties, may lives are in danger, and some even loose their lives BUT govt. never takes concrete steps to tackle the problem, I cant understand the apathy of the system.........., but I am so scared of mumbai rains that i would never want my children to visit mumbai in this season.
  • Loan waiver creates " haves" and "havenots"
Here the irony is that haves are those who didnt pay their loans and havenots are those who were paying regularly. And now the villagers who paid are regretting because they scrimped and saved to pay, and now they are saying that they would not pay thier loans now, because in next few years govt. will again come up with such an scheme ( quite a hair brained one). honesty does not pay according to them now. Our finance minister is changing the minds of people and how.............

creativity

This I got from a friend of mine, this is the height of creativity, I want it to be seen by kids:)













Food Court in Spencer Plaza-Chennai

On the third floor ,in Spencer Plaza, food court is there. It has many restaurants like.......
Pathankot---it serves north indian food like daal, sabji,naan etc and there are many others likw Qwiky --cafe and others for south indian, and bakery items and chaat even. But since it was quite noisy, crowded and I felt suffocated , so we didnt sit there. But outside there is one sweet shop. It is a Chennai version of Delhi's Haldiraam. almost exactly same menu-like all the sweets including jalebi:), Dhokla..........in all, the varieties, like sandwiched one and all..........it is a rarity here, atleast I havent seen anywhere else, then Chaat counter, chola bhatoora and all that. we took orange rasagullas..........they are my favourite since I ate them first in 1975 in Ranchi in Uday Misthaan bhandaar in lalpur chowk ranchi-----there they were really out of this world...........now of course I always find--if i find at all..........a poor version of that, and here also it was OK.............actually for me anything is better than nothing:), then we tried Raj Kachori---it was good and quite filling.
Then there is one Arun Icecream outlet, I never tried it, as I always thought of it as something local, we had only kwality walls, because earlier also we tried Vadilal in MP but never liked it. But Arun's is quite good , we took---single scoop of Bengali badshah-it gives you a very authentic taste of Rajbhog in icecream--quite a unique concept, and then we had one with strawberry flavour and sauce, it was also very tasty

Ajanta Ellora

 Last week we made a trip to Aurangabad. We had a direct flight from here.we stayed in Lemon tree hotel and liked it. It’s totally value for...