Fusilli with Pesto Sauce

The post has been moved to the location: http://ruzipes.blogspot.com/2006/08/fusilli-with-pesto-sauce.html

T'Oaks

Booze, kababs, some extremely well DJ'd classic pub music and a place ambushed with mature good crowd.... that's what I would crave at the end of a routine day at work. Of the many places Pune has got to offer... the one junction which is ever rocking, and quenches my desire would be 1000 Oaks. The place started almost a decade back, the period in which Pune has seen a wave of change. But T'Oaks is still one of the favourites on my list (and perhaps on most of the Puneites).

The place, situated in the heart of MG Road, has a nice old bunglow like look, with some good use of wood and plants. The outside portion is mainly occupied by the families, is pretty much boring and besides I'd prefer to start off in the bar. With music pumping loud and at a decibel enough to make even a soft James Blunt ballad rock, it's a perfect way to start off the evening. The rhythm of the songs played back-to-back catches up, as the night gets younger. With Pink Floyd, REM, Doors, Clapton, Jovi, Collective Soul, U2 and other ever-popular artists, this relay of music makes me crave for more and more! They even cater song requests from folks, which I personally enjoy after giving deep thought to match the ongoing beat velocity.

To start off, drinks accompanied by their delicious chicken and paneer starters and some mutton kababs gives a good pickup. And if you're evening just couldn't get better, the crowd starts heating the small dance floor as early as 10PM, adding to the charm. From teeny-boppers to age-no-bar types, everyone takes their chance on the floor. I prefer to sit with my drink and chant the lyrics of the songs with the company I go with. The place's also got an LCD screen, which you can gaze at. The only thing I hate is the smoke that chokes up the place and burns my eyes. But thats tolerable :)

The food out here has its own taste too! Owned by a Punjabi, this place has definitely got enough to offer for the North Indian acclimatized tongue. The place serves the best Dal Makhani and very good Butter Chicken. The Dal is a must for me with every visit I make. They also serve a good bunch of Mocktails for yer lady! Call it a pub, a hangout, good date spot, resto-bar or just perfect to celebrate a small birthday of special friends. As far as I can recollect, every visit of mine at T'Oaks has been wonderful.

Just a week back, I had been to T'Oaks to celebrate my best friend's b'day along with his fiancee and some of their friends. This would be my entry into the place after almost a year and what amazed me was that being a Tuesday, the place was PACKED! With so many joints opening up around the city with the latest of the trends to attract the crowd, it remains untouched. Truly a mastermind's investment, a place that would survive generations!

PS: Mr. Lamba, I need discount for my next visit to T'Oaks on drinks and the starters :))

"Can you please hold it for a second?"... Revised!

One of the items on my hate-list is holding anything in my hand (except a soft fair hand ;) ). Whether its a used tea cup or flowers at someone's reception or my own camera case, the moment I’m told to hold something, my brain starts thinking of algorithms to get rid of it. Most of the people are already well-versed with my “Lace baandhna hai” trick. It works wonders sometimes.

ACT - I

The other day, I went down from the office with my colleagues Mady, PK and Rahul for a tea. I picked up 2 Marie biscuit packets on the way for my between-hours hunger. Seemed like the shopkeeper didn’t wanna give me a plastic bag for purchasing mere Maries. So I started walking holding the 2 packs in my hand. I somehow wanted one of them to carry them to the office. So I started!

ME: “Dude, hold these packs, I’ve got to tie my laces.”

Mady: “Sure!”

Just as he was about to get them, he saw my leather shoes (with no laces) and pulled his hands back. Damm didn’t work :) So we kept walking till target 2 (read as Rahul) got curious about the new brand of Marie’s I bought.

Rahul: “What Marie’s are these?”

ME: “This is some new brand" and handed over one pack, thinking of a way to get rid of the other one.

ME: “Dude, guess what! You agree both these packs look similar, right? but there’s something very different about the two", and I kept staring at the Nutrition Facts sheet on the pack. There you go, the trick worked and he ended up holding both the packs. Poor he, kept scratching his mind to figure out the difference.

ACT – II

Just a few days back, late in the afternoon, we 4 college friends were having ice-cream in a mango shaped plastic cups, sitting in the car. I was sitting in the co-driver seat, so I had to hold mine as well as PD’s ice-cream cup. Both of us finished the icecream and I was to hold the empty cups. I'd already played the "lace" trick earlier, so I tried another trick. Turning back I said “Agni, hold this cup! PD’s cam will fall off my lap” and I gave him the cup. As I gave the cup, I grinned back at him :))

After a minute or so, he said: “Ruz, here, take your ice-cream”. Without realizing what I was to do next, I turned and took it back!

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shitttt, shitttttt, shittttttttttttt!!" was all that was left to say :(

The Changi Times – II

The wallet was missing…! Oh god! This is not what I want at this moment. My flight is in 2 hours time. So I rushed to the seats, where I’d been lazing around for quite sometime. Nope, nothing there. Then I rushed to the joint where I had Chinese and asked the folks working there. No clue here either, but one of them suggested that I complain at the Airport Support booth. I got my way down to the support and sat there at their table.

A decent looking lady with a cute chinkie smile looked at my terrified face and asked me “May I help you?”. Thoughts kept running in my mind, but I had to behave myself :)) I told her that I lost my wallet and that I realized about it sometime back. She kept smiling, and then asked me the whereabouts and the usual yada-yada. I kept answering her obediently and she noted down all my answers. She said that they did find some wallet and the description did match the one I gave. Daamm, I was so relieved now, she asked me to wait there for 10 minutes while she went to fetch the wallet.

After about 10-12 minutes, she arrived with a plastic Ziploc and there was my wallet!!! She asked me another set of questions before she could handed it over to me. Then she made me fill a form and then left me greeting with her smile again. Though she did not let me know who reported the wallet to her, but I guess I left the wallet when I bought the bottle of water. I was soooooo relieved; I rushed back to the cafeteria and ordered 3 coffees. Then, I rushed back to the support desk, and gave the 2 ladies the coffee. They were so glad and they thanked me back. Now all I had got to do is somehow pass off the remaining time in peace.

2-3 more rounds at the terminal and I would have killed the remaining time. This time every 10 mins I had to feel me pocket to make sure the wallet is still there. I spotted a liquor shop, and my eyes climaxed over the Johnnie Walker, which I really wanted to buy, but was reluctant since I was not sure if my already full-to-capacity cabin luggage and the bottle would be allowed? Somehow, I managed to kill the remaining time, by re-entering the perfume shop again and again (by now I must have made it to the Most Wanted list of the lady working in there) and some electronics shops. At around quarter to 6, I went to queue up for the check-in. I was so relieved now, the longest wait was finally over and in a few hours I would be back to INDIA!!! Well the good thing is, after this point there was absolutely no problems till the end of my journey!