I *heart* Bombay (and well..Boston)

I'm urban..in the way other people are mountain-people or tunafish junkies. I love city life...something about dreary concrete blocks and grumpy people totally gets my juices flowing. Ergo, this will be a blog about me, my two favourite cities (Bombay and Boston), my addiction to Vietnamese coffee and my views on Gregorian chant and it's efficacy in curing some types of tympannic membrane rupture. Enjoy!

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Welcome to Bengalooru!

So it's been a good month and a half and I'm safely ensconced in Bangalore's welcoming Kannada-auntie-talcum-powder-covered bosom. And while I watch the rain lash the conference room window and shiver in the cold breeze whipping up the leaves in the parking lot, I'm totally loving the fact that it's the middle of May! And Bombay is sweltering with 38C temperatures and 100% humidity while I scan the Bangalore streets for Tibetan women selling sweaters!

The move was reasonably hurried. I had two days to pack, say my "sayonaras" (in Ashaben Parekh style) and eat as much of Amma's fish curry and rice before I got the heck outta Bombay and into my new home of Bangalore (Side Note: Do I only live in cities starting with B? What does this mean? Next stop- Barcelona? Brasilia? Belgaum?)

It's weird moving to a city where you have no roots at all. At least with my move to Bombay from Boston, I was coming back to my hometown. Here it's a total new frame of reference. No more Linking Road, hello M. G. Road. No more pani puri, hello "soup-bonda"!

Looking for a place to live is obsessing me so much the last few weeks that I've almost stopped obsessing about being single! That's an achievement indeed..I've decided on a place, on a budget and now I'm being picky. I am 30 - I wanna live like a 30 year old does (on a TV show maybe!) All you Bangaloreans (Bangalorites? Bangalorekars?) reading this post, I'm moving to Indiranagar...it's the closest thing to Bombay I can find here. And for you Bombayites, it's sorta like Lokhandwaala, Juhu Scheme and Bandra has a drunken threeway and then gave birth to something with the characteristics of all three....and named her Indiranagar! So till I find an apartment here, I'm living in the B'lore equivalent of Kandivili..for a Bandra boi - a fate worse than death.

Here's a quick reckoner (I'll have to check this often) of things I like about and don't like about my new city:

1. Like: 13th Floor, Maya and Cosmo Village
Dislike: The fact that all these bars shut down (!!) at 11.30pm!

2. Like: Spiga, Herbs and Spices, 1912
Dislike: The fact that no restaurant here can make a good Pav Bhaji!

3. Like: The awesome weather
Dislike: The fact that it will never rain hard enough for me to get a holiday from work!

4. Like: The tree lined avenues at Cubbon Road and Malleswaram
Dislike: The fact that there is almost no public transport here!

5. Like: The small town feel of much of the city
Dislike: The fact that it means everyone sleeps with the same group of people!

There will be many more I'm sure..I'm still finding my wings here. It would help if I had a bunch of folks to show me around here and hang out with. So far I'm reduced to hanging out at India Coffee House on M. G. Road drinking a coffee and watching the world go by...would be nice to do that with a bunch of people!

Till then, I have to figure out if this blog name needs changing..but then again, No. I love my Bombay far too much to wanna do that. So till then, "hog Barthini" all you lovely people!



22 Comments:

  • At 12:30 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    bugs bunni


    vasanth

     
  • At 11:39 PM, Blogger Pri said…

    Yay you're back!!!
    This should help you find some good food in Bangalore. Also check out Nandini and Painted Platter in Indiranagar. It's a pretty area no? The first family of Indian cricket stays there too.

     
  • At 12:34 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Hey!! Nice blog.. Incase you are wondering who this is, I met you yesterday evening and you were showing me some videos from the movie Eight Women :)

    I have been in bangalore all my life and would be glad to show you around, especially the food places :D

    LOL @ vasanth's comment :))

    ~ Chin

     
  • At 6:45 AM, Blogger The Dancing Writer said…

    Vikster! You sound like you are having a wonderful time there! Yay!

    Enjoy and keep updating us with it.
    I'm sure Bombay misses you, especially CCD and those long cruising walks we used to take on bandstand.

    Is there a Gay Bangalore contingent down there? You better hit it!

    I predict your single-dom will be reverted this year.

    MEENU

     
  • At 10:42 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    namaskara viks!!
    chana giddira?...kannada lesson for the day...oh yeah i used to love that coffehouse..for some strange reason i used to like the egg sandwiches there....try the dosa as well...its pretty neat!..

     
  • At 3:48 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Aaah....Bangalore. I lived there for around 2 years, but I could never come to terms with that place. To be read as never really liked it. The lack of late night haunts contributed their bit to this.

    Maybe I'll check with you in 6 months and see if you are bitching about the ghastly traffic :))

     
  • At 7:54 PM, Blogger DSK said…

    Hey there...

    I've lived in Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad at different points in time. But nothing, absolutely nothing comes close to my loverrrly stay at 12th Main Indiranagar. Of course, the crowd in Indiranagar alone gets to me... it used to be a quiet, "residential" locality... not anymore!

    Trust me Brigade Road, Church Street, M.G.Road and Commercial Street will become favourite places to go to, even if you have nothing to do there.

    You may not get your Pav Bhaji in Bengalooru, but "Swalpa adjust maadi" and step in to anything called a "(anything) Sagar" to have the world's best Idli Vada and more.

    And yes, people are warm and welcoming...

     
  • At 10:51 PM, Blogger Harish said…

    Hey Vikku,

    nice to read your blog, Its been a long hiatus indeed! I used to browse this space and used to go away dejected. Finally! the wait is over. I wondered if it was normal to be curious about anothers blog, about the happenings in anothers life? Your blog makes such wonderful reading, much that its a must read for me, (naah!Im not exaggerating), If I were a blog-jury, id give u cent-percent for your screenplay :)

    ipso facto... I wonder ever we could find an equivalent to Humaar Bombay? the city is just magical, de facto clairvoyant.

    a conjecture - could Bombay be what she is having lost her enamor to Bengaloooru!

    Where dwelleth Vikram, there liveth life!

    Cheers!
    harish

     
  • At 11:55 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Velkom velkom Bombayman! Think of the wonders getting to bed early in Bangalore can do to your complexion ;)

     
  • At 5:33 AM, Blogger Unknown said…

    >>Dislike: The fact that there is almost no public transport here!

    Just b'cos u can't find ur way around! BMTC is one of the very few profitable public transportation companies in India, and has one of the best systems around. The Volvos are a god-send. I take the bus atleast 40% of the times I need to move around town - in fact, I haven't taken an auto in a while!
    From I Nagar to MG Road, you have 1000 odd buses if you walk 2 minutes to Airport road... so there.
    Try the BMTC

     
  • At 5:46 AM, Blogger Vikster said…

    Vasanth: Bugsi Bunny to you too!

    Pri: So when are you taking me out to dinner at your fav Indiranagar haunt?

    Chin: Oh hey....so you actually understood Vasanth's comment? I thought it was more of a private joke between the two of us!

    Meenuji: Are you betting the family farm on me losing my singledom this year? How about my re-grown virginity?
    Bangalore will be just like Bombay..The Vikster looking for love and only being offered sex!

    Kindred Spirit: I heard they make great scrambled eggs there...maybe I'll try them on my evening stroll down M. G. Road this evening.

    Balaji: Yeah, if I was younger I dunno if I could live here..but at this age? I think I'm about ready to slow down a little.
    Maybe plant a garden.

    DSK: yeah, just like Bombay, some people are real nice..some others are quite "full of themselves". Funnily enough, the ex-Bombayites are the friendliest of the lot...weekend calls bemoaning clubs and public transport seem to be our common point!

    Hiyer: "Blushes deeply"

    Bikerdude: I know what you say..I have the clearest skin, the most non-puffy eyes and cleanest hair thanks to staying home everyday! Pity I also have this aching need in my groin...

    Mike: If I understood Kannada, I'd take the bus everyday..trust me! There are no signs in English!
    And PS. It is NOTHING compared to our BEST!

     
  • At 6:05 AM, Blogger venkatesh said…

    welcome sir...

    hum aapko dikhayenge bengalooru when i am in blr next time :) or it may be too long enough from now that u may have show me all again..

     
  • At 8:39 AM, Blogger Harish said…

    Hey Vikku,

    Make a Habit of Blushing. You will have to do that more often with my heartfelt 'poop sheet'.

    Love & Smiles,
    Harish Iyer

     
  • At 12:04 PM, Blogger Hob Gadling said…

    Hey Vicky,

    Best of luck on your move! I have some friends there, including one who blogs pretty regularly - deez

    Also, there's a giant paltun there from VESIT.

    Say hi!

    Hob

     
  • At 1:10 PM, Blogger i-me-moi said…

    yo .... i was directed here by Hob. i am one of the people you are supposed to say hi to. I Nagar is the best you could have gotten to. and the city grows on you so beware .... more latez. g'luck!!

     
  • At 4:25 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Bengaluru ge su-swagatha! (or welcome to blore baybee!)

    hope you have a great time here!
    maybe you'll even find a new fag hag! :)

     
  • At 4:02 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Congrats on the move!
    But dig deep into your best Carrie Bradshaw and tell us what the readers really want to know: how are the boys in Bangalor?
    IGC

     
  • At 12:26 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Ok, great Pav-bhaji at 2 places:

    Nagrathpet - ask Auto wala for Avenure Road and get to the Raja Maket wala galli. Near the flag post there is this Pav-baji wala from Juhu Beach, Bombay.
    But this place is only open in the nights - rasta food.


    Sukh Sagar, Gandhinager. Ask auto wala to take you to Gandhi Nagar, NAtional Market. You can't miss Sukh Sagar Mall there. On the side there is an entrance to the rest. Try it, Nice.

    Happy?

    Bon Apetiet.

     
  • At 11:47 PM, Blogger Pri said…

    Boss UPDATE maadi pliss!

     
  • At 2:57 AM, Blogger Purple Momentz said…

    hey there ... love you blogs !!

    for someone who has lived in that city for quarter of a century i could not help but nod my head at all u had to say!!! .... am not sure i cud live in that city any more.

    but hey let me not sound morbid.... it has its fun side too ... just needs a degree (maybe a few..:)) of mellowing and chillaxing (as the blore bois say) to get into into the groove.

    hope you have fun ....

    cheers

     
  • At 8:08 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    HI Vikram,

    Nice blog. bangalore.burrp.com might be able to resolve your pav bhaji woes.

    Cheers

     
  • At 10:22 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    How I love this blog! Welcome to namma Bengalooru!

    BTW, Todays TOI B'lore reads:

    "After hitting bad patch, pacer Irfan pathan back to swinging ways"

    "He had a glitch in his action. He is using a different set of muscles because of this glitch. He wasn't using his leading arm fully, but now he has started doing that"

    "When you play a lot of cricket, things can go wrong with your action"


    :)

    Jay.

     

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