While KGA is more geared to the older Goans who live in Bangalore, there are two or more groups which are more geared to the youth and the transitory Goan in Bangalore. It is driven socially and that means it forms a safety net for the old Goans who are in homes, the very young for educational support whether in school or college, the young out looking for jobs and in general, the ones not so privileged.
The famous chef earned the “godambi†tag because he would garnish all dishes with cashew nuts. The right-angled table in the community hall was groaning with divine sweets, melt in the mouth savouries and tickle your tastebuds masalas. At Gokulasthami he is much sought after by the members of the Iyengar community who can find his hub because the aroma wafting from his kitchen leads you by the nose!
Mangalore is still small town enough to wear its old fashioned politeness on the sleeve even on the road.No take it or leave it attitude, no aggressive, loud voice, not even a passive-aggressive comment, but plain “I am here to help you and that is what I am going to do.†Was that just a fluke and was that girl just having a great day? Apparently not, these were just small town courtesies during our stay.
But the TTAG has been whining for 30 long years about the lack of infrastructure, roads, the increase in luxury taxes; about practically every other thing that for them is not a smooth ride to making their millions. For the TTAG there is never enough hotel rooms, more and more Iffi's to be held, more and more loud music festivals. But when it comes to the taxi drivers and beach shack entrepreneurs, they are like a disease that must be stamped out.
The Karnataka government gave 4,000 acres of forested land in Mundgod, near Hubli, in 1966, 7years after the Dalai Lama fled Tibet. Called Doeguling Tibetan Settlement, it's the largest with 18,000 persons. There's much you and I can learn from this serenity, acceptance that there's no country for them for now and a hope that someday things will change.
None of the guidebooks told us that the best way to reach Thekkady from Goa is to take the express highway through TN, Karnataka. It’s about 200 kms more, but driving on the smaller roads has its own picturesque charm. It is a picturesque drive - you cross bridges as verdant paddy fields and giant coconut palms.
And don't be disappointed if you don't spot the animals either in Periyar Tiger Reserve, think highly of the real forest Kerala has gifted the country. In the cold of Thekkady homemade chocolates are a priority in your survival kit and every nook and cranny in your luggage space for the months ahead when you reminisce about Thekkady.
He's very proud that he was judged the 'Best Farmer' by the Department of Agriculture for 2011-12. The certificate says that he was given the award, "in recognition of his commitment and exemplary effort in increasing production and productivity in the field of agriculture". Waving the certificate proudly, he says, This house and our land is part of the agrarian economy.
Why pick on a name like Springfields? "It was a lovely day during the rainy season when the paddy fields were lush green and all around seemed to have a great light \'springy \' feel to it - that was actually how we decided on the name," says Mario.
Adinco's attempt to join the elite big boys clubs began with a collaboration to make cream liqueur with Flovor Chimca, Italy, a leading producer of food flavourings and cream liqueurs which provides them the crucial emulsifier specially designed to stabilise cream liqueurs. Adinco (estd. 2000) have come a long way since Solomon's father Alleluia started off in the liquor and beer distribution business launched much earlier.
The house was renovated in parts, rebuilt in parts and even built in parts but the bottomline is that the recreation was true to the original. Touches can be seen in pictures on the walls which also tell you the story of how these siblings, fourth generation British-Indians, were born and brought up in Kolkatta, Chennai, even Ooty (where their grandfather's bungalow still stands), and made Goa their home. "India is in my blood," says Charlotte, who along with Simon, is a PIO.
Are organic foods expensive? David Gower admits they are. Because it is elitist, you don't get the same comparable yields as the farmer using fertilizer gets. "I also don't grow high yielding crops, only traditional grains, so you have a bigger expense sheet. Also organic farmers don't get access to the usual transportation system," he says.
Malvan town itself revolves around two narrow one-way streets, one is the gateway into town and the other leads you out that is chock-a-block with shops. An evening stroll to potter around the shops to buy kokum syrup, cashewnuts and other Malvani goodies covers the streets, and there's still time to go to the pier from which boats take off to the fort.
Stopping at a bakery for some coffee and cake, again we run into a pleasant young man who has worked in Goa and who is very nostalgic. Manali is a far cry from Goa although tourism thrives in both. There's something about the blend of east and west in Goa that you cannot replicate anywhere.
It is understood that once an alcohol is in a bottle, the character will never change. This is because the high alcohol concentration forbids any change to occur within the liquid.That means if feni was bottled in say the '70s, it would taste the same today. But connoisseurs differ. Or, is it just that '70s quality of feni is just not replicated today?
"The nice thing about Fresh Bakes is that it’s a family run modest place whose USP is in the product whether it is cakes or biscuits, not the hype associated with many bakeries. The proof of the pudding is literally in the eating."
Read More"Crescent claims its products contain a significant percentage of natural aroma ingredients and natural essential oils manufactured in-house. Susegad air fresheners come in nine fragrances while the fragrance oil range includes 12 multipurpose fragrance oils."
Read More"And if you know of a better place, do let us know. Goanspirit will take up the challenge."
Read More"Then ultimately, we got help from a mobile booster (paying more than half a lakh) which ramped up our signals and the internet was back on track."
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