That thing you do

The day closes and the dogs are hungry. Until a car drives up. Unloading from its boot a meal that’s been cooked just for them. Just one of the many stops this girl makes. Giving the friendly neighbourhood strays their sustenance. Somewhere else laws are being passed. Laws that limit the freedom of your dog. A rule that says he has to be on a leash if he is in a public space. But this girl loves dogs in all shapes and sizes. She has a few medicines in her pocket. If a ear is infected a few drops are administered. The dogs know her well. Pavlovs whistle is replaced by the sound of her car engine. She doesn’t find favour with most people. Who think stary dogs are a nuisance. Until their barking scares away a midnight visitor who wants their Blaupunkt car stereo. Or the junkie who thinks walking away with a manhole cover is free enterprise. It’s tough being a dog. There are fewer spaces which have mud and trees. Lamp posts and car wheels have to make do. The traffic is an obstacle course. But you know there is a doggie god when a car drives up and someone who really loves you, feeds you.

And so it goes. With the old man who has a pavement class on Carter Road. Old. Very. Probably is due VRS from VRS. Each morning. Children from nearby building sites. Sitting before the sea trying to master their A’B C’s . The O for Orange obscured by an early morning walker. No it’s not O for Parrot the old man says. They have only a little time before the rising sun hits their stretch of the pavement. Till tomorrow morning then.

When another day will dawn and let him once more do that thing that he does.

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And so it goes. With the old man who has a pavement class on Carter Road. Old. Very. Probably is due VRS from VRS. Each morning. Children from nearby building sites. Sitting before the sea trying to master their A’B C’s . The O for Orange obscured by an early morning walker. No it’s not O for Parrot the old man says. They have only a little time before the rising sun hits their stretch of the pavement. Till tomorrow morning then.

When another day will dawn and let him once more do that thing that he does.

Super Spa

If the word ‘Evolve’ brings about ideas of change for the better, you won’t be disappointed when you step into Evolve MedSpa. Situated at Hill Road, the MedSpa promises you quality service at affordable prices. You can walk right in for consultation on any skin problems or go there to meet a dentist.

“We don’t do just the usual treatments. If a person needs a smile correction (includes doing away with laugh lines, aligning and whitening the teeth) we can do it here. Of course, the client has to come in for a thorough consultation before we go ahead with anything,” says Amishi Bora, marketing head of Evolve.

If you are the kind that isn’t comfortable going out for a massage, Evolve is made just for you. Call up and set and appointment and they will send their masseuse or masseur to your home. The masseuse will bring the oils, the massage table, the linen and the disposables. “We are looking into taking over the bai that comes home to massage you,” says Omar Farooque, Head Spa Operations.

The wellness section offers you reflexology where you can choose between a 30 minute session and a 60 minute session. The 60 minute session will have you feet scrubbed clean, massaged and then in a mud pack. You can avail of a shoulder, neck, face, head and back massage and then the usual Thai and Swedish massages etc. However, the spa’s USP remains its Dead Sea salt scrub. Omar explains, “It is imported from the Dead Sea in Israel.”

The medical spa section allows you choose from laser treatments for hair removal, Botox, dental care and other cosmetic surgeries.

Where: 52, Hill road, Natasha Bldg, Ground floor

Contact: 26432627

Cost: Rs.350 onwards

– Shilpa Rao

Where: 52, Hill road, Natasha Bldg, Ground floor

Contact: 26432627

Cost: Rs.350 onwards

Community Fun

This year the Zonals are pushing boundaries. The ‘Andrean Zonals 2009’, a competition between the four zones of St. Andrews Parish, the North West, North East, South West and South East, is now open to participation in the group categories from parishioners of neighboring parishes such as St, Anne, St. Theresa, St. Peter and Mount Carmel combined with St. Francis D’Assisi. It kicked off last weekend with choirs, vocals, instrumental and Dance (yes, dance and live bands are now a part of the zonals). Saturday will feature instrumental, vocal, duets, Quartets and Bands. So far the North East zone is leading with 205 points.

Where: St. Andrews Auditorium ,

When: August 29th, 4pm to 11pm

Hitting the right notes

If you wanted to sing in the rain but couldn’t hold a note, the Suman Sridhar might just be the person you need. The jazz and opera singer who has a degree in Music from Rutgers University, NJ, USA will be conducting a vocal workshop this weekend and invites amateurs to join. She says, “The workshop will help develop vocal tone, range and strength through diaphragmic breathing and muscular training. We’ll be using operatic vocal technique in the genre of practice- from Indian classical to pop. In addition I’ll be teaching students about the safe practices and “don’ts” of vocal use.” Suman says that the workshop will also help students understand methods of ear-training and pitch memory, delivery and style, improvisation and scat.
Contact: 9619292122, When: August 30th, Duration: 8 weeks; Fees: Rs.250

Chaos Theory

Writer:  Anuvab Pal, Director:  Rahul da Cunha, Cast: Anahita Uberoi, Shaana Levy, Zafar Karachiwala & Sohrab Ardeshir

This has won the Juilliard Playwriting Fellowship 2004, was the finalist in the BBC World Playwriting Contest 2007 and definitely worth seeing. Chaos Theory is a comedy of ideas that follows the eras, words and the lives of two professors. The play follows their experiences of over a lifetime together without expressing their real emotions. The location is placed in the colleges in the United States and India, amid academics and the social changes of the 70s, 80s and 90s, the play is a journey of love not just what the doctor ordered but like the chaos theory itself, an imperfect physics.

Where: St. Andrews Auditorium, When: Sunday 7:30pm, Contact: 26459667 for tickets

Teri bhi chup meri bhi chup

Writer: Suresh Jairam, Director: Dinyar Contractor, Cast:Ali Asgar, Swapnil Joshi, Kodak (Farzil Pardiwalla), Monaz Mevawalla & Kranti Redkar

This play is a merry mix of mistaken identities, errors and omissions, horseplay and an abundance of slapstick humour which culminates into a hysterical nightmare of chaos and confusion. The plays two protagonists Mr. Khare and Mr. Khote are partners in business one a simpleton and the other a philander. This play comes with a statutory warning: Please fasten your seat belt or else you will find yourself rolling in the aisles with laughter. We’ll see on Sunday.

Where: Manik Hall, Opp Lilavati, When: Sunday 8pm

Guitar Workshop

Bandra’s oldest music store Bhargavas has a great workshop for beginners and enthusiasts who want to improve or learn the guitar. This Sunday they will be hosting a workshop which will be handled by Sunny D’Souza. Sunny is a music teacher who teaches guitar and will teaching participants to

Read Tablature, Getting started basic exercises, basic finger picking patterns, Common chords, Strumming,Introduction to scales, Getting down Bends and Vibrato. So if you thought of learning the guitar or just started and want to perfect your skills, then this is the workshop for you.

Where: Bhargavas Music store, Waterfield road, When: August 30th,

3-5pm, Contact: 26411842 / 26439761

New cafe in Bandra

Even though it may be a little hard to find, Gostana is worth the effort if you’re looking for a café where you can chill out away from the noisy streets. Located just off Pali Mala Road, the burger and salad joint is barely a few days old and serves up some delicious café food. “Our aim is to serve healthy and fresh fast food. All our burgers have a whole wheat and multi grain option,” says owner Arpana. Apart from burgers (Rs.90-160), in lamb, fish and chicken, Gostana also sells a good selection of hot (Latte, Macchiato etc) and cold beverages for Rs.60 on average and a dessert of the day. We recommend you try the Lamb Burger (Rs.140) and their unique ‘rommus’- a hummus made with rajma beans and the delicious chocolate brownie. Where: New Kantwadi Road, Off Pali Mala Rd, next to Bagel Shop; Contact: 022 64533359

The Sweetest Thing

Ingredients:

For the filling

2 cup shredded fresh coconut, 1 cup jaggery or sugar

1/2 cup a mixture of unsalted pistas and cashews, 1/2 cup Milk

1/2 a pinch of cardamom powder, 1 cup rice flour

1 cup water, 1 teaspoon ghee, 1/2 teaspoon salt

Method

Heat a pan. Pour milk and add coconut and jaggery or sugar to it and cook on a medium flame. Stir continuously until it’s properly mixed. Now, add cashews and pistas. Cook for 2 minutes and then add cardamom powder to it. Mix well. Let it cool.

Now, in a separate pan boil a cup of water. Add ghee, salt and oil to it. Then, add rice flour and stir well. Cover the vessel with a lid for 2 minutes. Remove the lid, stir well and keep the vessel aside. The dough should be neither too sticky nor too dry. Knead this mixture thoroughly while hot and keep it covered aside.

To make the modaks

Grease your palms well with ghee. Take a ball of dough. Flatten the dough to form a cup shape. Place about 1 tablespoon coconut filling into this cup. Dip thumb and index finger in the oil and make 5 to 6 small pinches side by side on the outside edges of the cup. Bring them together on top and join to form a peak. Now, place the modaks on a pre greased plate. Steam for 10-15 minutes. Serve with ghee.

Feast for many