Haven - Sampoorna - Velachery

Sampoorna Global restaurant was in my wish-list for quite sometime. By the time, our gang could attack, they changed their name to Haven Sampoorna. We went there with quick lunch in mind. It's a very small place near Sri Krishna Sweets, 100 ft rd, velachery. The interiors are functional, Hollywood-Quote photographs catch your eye. They are veg and their menu had more of continental stuff...which is actually scarce here. We ordered pasta, baked vegetables, diet lunch, french fries, & lunch combos. The starters were vegetable rolls. My pasta had too much cheese, but baked vegetables was awesome. They give more quantity unlike a saravana bhavan where quantity can be measured in spoons! Diet lunch (2 chappathis, subzi, soup, salad)was good but that was not worth the 115/- they charged. The fruit salad that came with the diet lunch was a winner. The lunch combo came with parathas & veg pulao. It didn't disappoint us. The prices are also not too heavy on the purse. (came to around Rs.150 per head) Overall, its a welcome addition to velachery.

Concrete-il pootha Chinna Hibiscus

Gender Stereotypes

Vidya tagged me for ‘My Sins against Gender-Stereotypes’...and so..this

Gender Dacolties List

• Well, women are generally considered to be the most pious creatures on earth. True..most of the temples and their trustees owe their livelyhood to the religiously religious womenfolk who faithfully throng the temples, keep the vrathas and do their daily poojas at home..Somehow, I managed to escape..and lo! became an atheist. I don't remember the last time, I prayed to 'god'...been a very vocal atheist since childhood despite being in orthodox surroundings. Self reasoning guided by Periyar books might hold the clue..!
  
  
• Getting Emotional is something I can't. Cannot even say comforting..soothing words to near and dears who are in distress. People say, I'm awkward while cajoling the Boy. Crying doesn't come easily...still openly gape at people who cry at the drop of the hat.[ made of sterner stuff..or..yerumamaatu thol]
  
  
• No fear...may be the conditioning came with me being an atheist. At home, in any dark, lonely place. [nammala paarthu vera yaaravadhu bayandhathan undu!]
  
  
• State, National politics are my favorite subjects of discussion. An election around the corner gets me mighty excited. Could reel out the 40 constituencies of TN, track VIP election campaign, minute by minute election result announcement, etc..Next, would be history & archeology.
  
  
• Abt cooking..Hmmm..cookery shows are one of my fav. in TV. But never had a passion to enter the kitchen. Here..is a big bow to my amma, MIL & husband ;-)
  
  
• Comfortable being the single girl in all boys gang. Always had a big circle of guys to hang out with.
  
  
• Would be the first girl to join the 'dance floor'..match every step with the guys...kuthu..all the way!
  
  
• Would keep my mouth firmly shut, if my hubby is in mood for a slangfest..you can never catch me raising my voice or fighting. No big time drama[ Confession: I irritate the life out!]
  
  
• I'm darn sure of what I want to buy.., my clothes, jewels selections have not been more than a few minutes. I'm most sought out for making bulk purchases in the family ;-)
  
  
• Foot-board travel generally means..standing in bus steps.but, was part of a peculiar specie that sat on the foot-board in the college buses!!

But at the same time, I

• am fanatically obsessed about a spic and span home. House in disarray would send me into depression. Wet towel on the bed would spoil my entire day.
  
  
• love re-re-re-re-reading Ramanichandran novels (cha..enna book idhu - nu feel pannalum..therupi padipom)...& would be ready to give my right hand for a dreamy romantic Mills&Boons. Sucker for romantic novels
  
  
• believe in Retail Therapy. 'am a match match person...have a fetish for accessories..proud owner of a huge bangle collection,running into dozens.
  
  
• wanted a teetotaler partner..thankfully landed up with one.
  
  
• believe my elixir of life is chit-chatting with friends..into big time gossip.
  
  
• am prone to asking questions like 'don't you think, I have lost a little bit of weight?'...[Rajesh shakes his head which looks like an yes from one angle and a no from another angle!]
  
  
• collect all my gifts and treasure my greeting cards..

Uff..this is one difficult post, sooo.. much of 'I's..which 'I'm not comfortable with!

How to write novels?

Kadugu's hilarious take on novel writing for dummies. I particularly liked the conversion of a present day happening into a historic piece of writing.

முதலில் எழுதப்படும் கதை:

"தலப்பாகட்டில் பிரியாணி சாப்பிட்டுவிட்டு ஸ்கூட்டரில் ஏறிச் சென்று கொண்டிருந்த மணியின் பார்வை சட்டென்று எதிர்த் திசையில் சென்று கொண்டிருந்த மாலினியின் மேல் விழுந்தது. அவள் ஒரு பெரிய கட்டடத்தில் நுழைந்தாள். அவள் அணிந்திருந்த `சைனா' புடவை மாலை வெயிலில் பளபளத்தது.

இதை சரித்திரக் கதையாக மாற்றுவது எப்படி?

"பால் சோறும் பலாக்கனியும் உண்டுவிட்டு புரவியில் ஏறிப் பாதை வழியே மெல்ல வந்து கொண்டிருந்த இளவரசன் மார்த்தாண்ட மணிவர்மனின் பார்வை ஒரு கணம் எதிர்ச்சாரியில் மலர்ப் பூங்காவின் பின்புறம் சென்று கொண்டிருந்த ராஜ பாதையின் மேல் சென்றது. அங்கே அழகு மயில் என ஒயிலாகச் சென்றுக் கொண்டிருந்தாள் எழில் மங்கை மாளவிகா. அவள் பூப் போன்ற பாதங்களால் நடக்காமல் அன்னமென மென்காற்றில் மிதந்து செல்வது போல் சென்றாள். அருகே இருந்த மாட மாளிகையின் வேலைப்பாடுகள் அமைந்த மணிக் கதவுகளைத் திறந்து சென்றாள். அவள் அணிந்திருந்த முத்து மாலையும், காதில் நடனமாகிக் கொண்டிருந்த குண்டலமும், சங்குக் கழுத்தை தழுவிய நவரத்னாபரணமும், -இவைகளும் சாவகத்திலிருந்து கொண்டு வரப்பட்ட மென்பட்டாலான மேலங்கியும் அந்தி வெயிலில் தகதகவென்று பளபளத்து ஒரே தேஜோமயமாகக் காட்சி அளித்தது...

Paa - Splendid

Saw Paa. Amazing movie.
Amitabh's infuses life into the movie without ever being Amitabh. If you had not heard that Big B is acting in the movie, you will never ever make out that the 13 yr old boy, Auro who impresses you onscreen is a 60+ old man. I think, credit should be shared with the Pa director, Balki and the technical crew to have executed this master piece which on paper would have simply read 'Abhishek plays father to a 13yr old Amitabh'. Divya Balan, acts like a dream and looks like a million bucks in sabyasachi sarees. Abhishek held his own even when pitted against author-backed mom & son roles. Ilaiyaraja's magic returns with haunting melodies. Media bashing was the only off-key note in this outing.

Soderling - The Leveller

Last French Open, Robin Soderling removed Nadal from Federer's path to Clay Court Glory. But, this time around, he levelled it by handing out a QF defeat to Federer. Federer's record streak of reaching the semifinals in 23 consecutive major events ended with this!!

Soderling is fast becoming the French Open Shocker Specialist. Would love to see a Soderling Vs Nadal final at Roland Garros.

Sri Krishna Sweets - Velachery

Wanted to blog abt this for quite sometime.But.....

Well, The latest addition to the colourful landscape of velachery is Sri Krishna Sweets - on the 100 Ft road - more towards Guru Nanak College. Within a week of it's opening, I landed in the well decorated shop. Parking space is much better than the other shops on the road. They have caught hold of a good corner space. Immediate attraction is the centrally placed - Sweet Buffet Stall...It is really huge and there are upteen varieties of sweets & savouries..Since, I'm on this 'Diet' mode, I skipped the center piece. The restaurant, which is on the periphery, is kind-of cramped with tables and chairs put very closely. I knew the hiccups of a newly opened eatery, so safely ordered a simple - Dosa.

Man, what a disappointment! The waiters had no clue about serving the customers. I had to do a mini-dance to get the attention of a waiter and then gave my 'big' order. Then , I joined the 'There is no sign of the food ordered' fellow people. A good ten minutes passed and I was really getting restless. It would have been OK..if people who came before me were getting their orders. I saw only one pongal, two chaat items being served in a crowded place. After another 5 minutes..the couple who sat before me got their orders. I told the waiter to hurry up - After all, its just a plain dosa. Another five minutes passed, the waiters are running up and down, I wonder for what!I had a good mind to walk away..and finally my dosa arrived ..but...hey..what a pity - it was a cold-dosa. Had it been on another day, I would have returned the dosa..but that would be mean another 15 minutes of argument and was already running late. So, quickly ate the food and made a hasty retreat after paying a 'thendam' 25 Rs.

Would not write them away after the first experience..Another visit would go into the decision making exercise.