...and then

Wednesday 13 June 2007

Looking for the sea in Bangalore

I just moved to Bangalore. From a perfectly functioning newspaper (whatever else its competitors say) and a vibrant, swank office bang in the middle of town to a something that's like out of Kafka's writing. Really. Like where am I?
No airconditioners. They say Bangalore doesn't need them. Then why am I sitting here mopping my forehead and constantly doing something to my hair so it will stay away from my warm neck? Or, and this is even more pertinent, why the hell is my boss sitting in an air-conditioned cabin?
If that wasn't enough, when I ask a rick (auto, here) to take me to Chamarajpet - yes, that's where my office is. Who was Chamaraj? - he asks me for an arm and a leg. Probably because asking for anything more offensive might get him killed. Of course, most of them first refuse. Admittedly, I do live far away from lovely, quaint Chamarajpetb (No restaurant delivers here. Not even Domino's). But I also have a lake to look out at from my bedroom, a lawn and bay windows that let all the light in the world in. Good trade off? I don't know yet.
So, I've been here three weeks and haven't actually eaten out. I love to eat out. The best I got was a walk with M down to this 'I should be in Mughal-e-Azam' decor-ed restaurant called Jalsa on Outer Ring Road. Mediocre food, regular fare. But gorgeous curtains.
So last night a beer-starved colleague, another chatty one and I decided to go cool off (no airconditioning, remember?). We went to Koshy's. If that place is not a bloody pissing off disaster, I don't know what is. S, this is your Bangalore institution that you've been asking me to parttake of?? Mr Palani promptly said the last order was 15 minutes away. So, okay. Three beers, and the bitching had just begun and he slyly slips us the bill. So, okay. We can still drink while the bill's on the table right? No. "Saar, bill please." So we pay, and in a flash they ask us to leave. Lights off. Aside: Anil's countenance did look rather fetching - half-lit, half-dark.
And that is when the long, cold and irreversible fingers of my tragedy touched me. I had moved to Bangalore from Bombay. The city of my birth. Theobroma. Elco's. Marine Drive. Bandra. Cabbing it. Getting used to saying bubba instead of the more Mac 'darlieng'. I'd come away from places that are mine, people I genuinely love and the sea.
Where will I go if I want to breathe salt in the night?
And then I let go. I went home and totally let go. OD'd on cigarettes, a whole bar of chocolate and read till four in the morning.

This morning, Welcome to Bangalore.
Eating out suggestions, please.

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8 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

You might want to try out a place called Pecos on Birgade road or Mojos on Residency road. If you are the type who likes dark,smoke-filled interiors with cat stevens or some odd Bob Marley crooning at the back and huge posters/murals of rock/jazz legends up your face, you should be there with a mug of beer and some food. The chilly beef and chilly pork are good in Pecos.

2:04 pm  
Blogger TheFlatteredFlyingFish said...

babe, im mad that someone (anonymous, that too) already suggested Mojo. But that realllly is the place to be. I shouldve caught up with you when I came there for aerosmith. And in case you haven't already been or heard, Corner House for dessert. death by chocolate. Take me word for it. Misss you missy. How are things?

7:40 pm  
Blogger TheFlatteredFlyingFish said...

and yes, i thought so too, its sad that it has no sea and shuts by 11..not so bad otherwise..

7:41 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tampon Dave

10:51 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tampon Dave

10:51 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tampon Dave

10:51 am  
Blogger Jay said...

Hey, thanks for visiting.

8:33 pm  
Blogger Tamanna said...

I moved here from Bombay last here.. And I still hate this place. The restaurants, the rick drivers.. The cab drivers.. The airport being so far away.. Spending more time to travel to an office that's 6 kms away than I did to one that was 12 kms away. No local trains. No black and yellow cabs. No western express highway. No NJJBTB. No sea side. No Gajalee even! See what you brought on! LOL! Ok when it rains though, don't you think?

10:48 pm  

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