Though I didn’t make it to the second floor that day I knew that it contains beautiful furniture of all shapes and sizes. Every time I go there, I swear to myself, one day I will decorate my home like this. VTI is like the government version of Fab India minus the hefty prices. To me the only problem remains going up and down crowded Mount Road. the other craft place that comes to my mind that I don’t mind losing myself in is the Craft Council of India at Nandanam. But VTI stationed right at the heart of Mount Road after the British Council has a very old world charm about it.

Just as I had picked up a beautiful wooden box and was contemplating buying it, a man intervened, “Madam, closing time!” Closing time? It was 2 0′clock in the afternoon! Then he went on to elaborate that on Saturdays, they only work for half a day. With a heavy heart, I had to leave since I couldn’t see any other customers around and I felt a bit guilty for making the staff wait. As I approached the billing counter, I saw a few Spanish-looking people walk in. This place, I must mention, is very popular with tourists. I think they were told the same thing, which they found to be very incredible. That this shop closed on a bright Saturday afternoon and also remained effectively closed all through the weekend.

All in all, I really like VTI for all its shortcomings. If you ever do drop in there, please do with lots of time in your hand and plenty of moolah. You will need it, trust me!

DISCLAIMER: I got these images in the mail. If you think the right party needs to be acknowledged, please let me know.

Geojit Financial Services Ltd, a premier stock broking company and a joint venture with Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation Ltd (KSIDC), opened an all-woman branch in Chennai on April 22, 2006. This is the first all-woman branch of Geojit in Tamil Nadu and the third in the country.

Read the complete news item here.

Source: chennaionline.com

The first that comes to mind is Kenzo’s, which has now metamorphosed to Eatalica. They promise America with a touch of Italy. I do enjoy eating there but have noted that when you take a group of 8 with you (a) it can get cramped (b) they serve rather late. On the other hand, if you are going out with one other friend, then they are a safe bet.

But the fast food joint that I swear by goes by an unlikely name and is tucked away in the basement complex of a 3-storied building in Gandhi Nagar. It’s called Mr.G’s and they haven’t paid me to write this!

I have often wondered what the “G” in Mr.G’s stood for. But I haven’t dared to ask.

The fast food place is right next to the building, which houses the current leisure store, Odyssey. It’s in the same building as Nuts and Spices and Cup n Saucer. Walk into the basement and it’s there on the right. Because it’s in the basement, it cuts off all the noise from the road. As soon as you enter the AC-ed place, you are welcomed by a tastefully done interior. There are the usual tables scattered in an orderly fashion. Beyond which is the rotund counter. On one side of the wall, you can find papers and magazines. While you wait for the order to come by, you can munch on some news. What I really like is the sober lighting -neither too bright or low. It’s soothing. On the yellow walls you can find some framed witty cartoons. The one (I think) can remember is a woman throwing away the chocolate wrapper and the caption says, “Being on a diet is not licking the chocolate wrapper.” A TV drones on in the background. But I ignore it. My favourite piece is a grandfather clock, something you don’t get to see so often nowadays, at the far end.

The menu consists of the burgers, sandwiches, starters, milkshakes, fruit juices, pizzas and even Chinese food. I’m a big fan of the burgers and sandwiches so I usually stick to that. The prizes are not cheap. A burger goes for 64 bucks apiece and a sandwich is slightly less at 59. But to their credit it is filling. But if you are here for the Italian menu, it has some very delicious-sounding food like Tuscan bruschetta (Rs.35), Pizza alla Siciliana (Rs. 89), Pasta primavera (Rs. 89) and Insalata mediterraneano (Rs. 49).

There is only one problem with this place. They take their time to make their food. Which means you better have company to yap away or a book in hand or help yourself to the magazines till the order comes. But it is all worth it in the end.

For a long time this place was my undiscovered oasis. I have taken practically every friend here for a quiet place to chat. Now that it is flanked on either side by Naidu Hall and Odyssey, the other people have come to know it as well.

They also have free home delivery but when I did order home, I found that hidden costs were added, so stay warned about ordering home. A lunch/dinner for two should cost about Rs.300 to 350, which seems reasonable. So go there for the food alone!

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Image courtesy: The Hindu

HUMAN CARE FOR HUMAN CURE

Apollo Hospitals, Chennai

What does this mean? Does it mean that hospitals care to cure, cure to care or simply alliterate to nowhere? It still doesn’t make sense to me. But then that’s, I suppose, the charm of it.

Ambulances lined up Madras 1940


Bank of Madras 1935

Car Showroom Madras 1913

Madras Marina Beach 1913

Madras Market (Kothaval Chawadi) 1939

Madras Library with college students 1913

Mylapore Chennai 1939

DISCLAIMER: If you think someone has to be given credit for these photographs, do let us know.

According to the paper DNA (Daily News and Analysis):

Doulos, recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest ocean-going sailing passenger ship, is now in Chennai to host the world’s largest floating book fair.
Doulos arrived at Chennai port on April 8 amidst much fanfare with the 320-member crew donning their national costumes and bearing flags…

The book fair will open on April 13th and is here till May 8th. So you have plenty of time to catch it. Don’t say that you weren’t informed!

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News source: DNA
Images courtesy: Doulos

So one day, I set off to see this bookstore alone with no company and lots of time to kill. Unfortunately, when I reached there, I was too early. At 10:30 in the morning, the shop hadn’t opened yet. There was also a jewellery store right next to it. The friendly shopkeeper from the jewellery store told me very helpfully that if I wanted books I could do to the bookstore at Spencer Plaza. I said thank you but didn’t take him seriously. After walking to and fro and sitting down for a while, I went to the Spencer’s bookstore. But I wasn’t going to go away without as much as a dekho of Giggles. I came back and the doors of the stores were just being creaked open.

Only two people were in the shop, the owner Nalini Chettur (in the picture) and an assistant. On either side of the store, there were no shelves, only books. Piled up high one on top of the other with only the spine visible so that you can read the name of the book. My head started spinning seeing the sheer number of books that were crammed into the space. I took my time to go through the titles on the spine. Then I would select one which the very obliging and skilful assistant would pull out from the stack and give it to me. Unfortunately, I am a very fussy reader and couldn’t find the book that I wanted. What I got however was a very enlightened bookseller who can discuss anything under the sun. I spoke about Marquez, Rushdie and Ché Guevara right there in between two towering shelves of books. Did I forget to mention? Only one person at a time can make it into the space between the book towers and if you like your food a bit too much, then you better stand sideways. Or else lose weight before you go on. There is not a better excuse on earth to lose those extra pounds!

There is one mystery though. Nalini sits at a desk that looks like it has been there from the beginning of time right at the back of the store. The books crowd around it like saplings under a tree. Some saplings though are trees themselves. It must take Harry Houdini to conjure up a new trick to come out of that space. But Nalini slipped in and out with dextrous ease. I asked her, “How did you come out from there?” And she gave me a mysterious smile like a magician who was asked to reveal her tricks and said, “That is a secret!” I drove myself crazy trying to fit in the architecture of the room (longitudinal), the space available (a little more than half a meter) with the laws of physics (don’t remember the exact law - never said I was good at physics) and gave up! This was a temple of books. Who knows maybe it has it own magic realism going on here!

It turned out that Nalini Chettur is also a woman with an elephantine memory. She remembered some of my friends who had been to her store some time back.

Do you know what I secretly wish? I wish I could convince her to start branches of her store in different parts of the city and I would willingly manage one of them for her. Alas, but there is only one Giggles and only one “biggest little bookstore”! I came away from the afternoon trip with a lighter wallet and a richer memory of the day.

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Image courtesy: The Hindu

A VFX studio is getting ready in Chennai. Worth twenty million dollars and made by technicians from Hollywood. It will have fifty Hollywood experts working once the soft launch takes place.

The studio will be opened in May and is supposed to have world-class facilities. First of it’s kind in India, this concept is sure to catch up.

Source: Andhra Cafe

Now, I am no stranger to Gangotree. I spend my college years (Many would that be since I also did my Master’s at Stella) right across the road. Gangotree was then not so famous and the prices of the chaats were downright street-food kind. Rs.15 for a plate of heaped bhelpuri that could suffice for lunch. So a whole bunch of us used to troop down to the now-famous place and eat to our heart’s content. Slowly, everyone in my family got to know about this place. Well, not to mention the whole of Madras! Which lead to some expansions. No, I’m not talking about the expansion I the collective girth of the city. Well, that too. But I was talking about the building. Then they expanded the place, added a room at the back, an ice-cream stall in front, colourful plastic tokens, and some more rupees to their prices. Still, I couldn’t complain because no one quite made bhel like them. And the best part? You talk in Hindi to the men who make them and they will make it faster! They are after all Biharis and any kindred spirit from the North of the Vindhyas seemed like people from home for them. Anyway, that’s what I think.

My affair with the best bhelpuri in town underwent a slight change. I shifted from yummy bhel to yummier Dahi papdi chaat. The round fried white papdis swimming in a pond of red, yellow, green chutney is to die for. And to top it all the dahi was white, smooth and cooling and great to tuck into especially in the summer months. So that’s what I had last Sunday evening.

Since by now nearly every other person knew about Gangotree’s chaats, we had to wade through quite a bit of crowd right from the token counter (by the way, they have replaced colourful plastic tokens with printed paper) to the line for the chaat. After nearly 20 minutes of yelling “Bhaisaab, ek dahi papdi chaat please!” (Bhaisaab, One dahi papdi chaat please!) I got my prize. It was worth the 20 minutes and more. The explosion of flavours inside your mouth tempered with the cold yoghurt was nothing that written words can do justice too. (An aside: Is there a job out there where I can taste chaats like this and get paid for it? If there is, I’d like to have it. You can contact me immediately. I assure you I will do complete justice!)

Of course, Gangotree makes excellent dhoklas and sweets as well. But if I could, I would give it a 5 star just for its chaats!

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Image courtesy: Gangotree