Friday 14 August 2009

So long, farewell

So long, farewell, I eat and say goodbye.

I am on a dining streak.

It is largely because of the hysteria surrounding the fact that my office is finally moving closer to my house. It is also because I have figured that with the pills I am taking to get my health back on track, I can regulate my weight as well. Finally, it feels like life is under my control.

As my colleagues sadly share stories about how much they will miss UB City, they let slip that it is apparently modeled on and called the Manhattan of Bangalore and the neighbouring Cubbon Park is thereby called Central Park. How they think of these things I never know.

I have often been told that it is a classy place.

One hysterical woman actually gushed to me on the phone rather needlessly that when she first saw it, her first thought was, "My God, Bhumika works here! The lucky bitch!"

But the only thing I like about working at UB City is the courtyard below where people who like to smoke can smoke peacefully. And the fact that you can see the sky from there and it is airy enough that you don't smell the smoke. And considering I meet most of my friends there and that we all often meet during work hours, that could be my Central Perk. Ha! Look at that, even I think of these things.

I have never understood how arbid and in-your-face Western ostentation is classy. But they all say, "Vijay Mallya, now he has taste."
In yachts may be.
And beer certainly.
Women? Definitely.
But UB City? Ho hum.


Then my friend Preethi said, "You don't know anything about classy stuff. Everyone I know thinks UB City is classy." And I had to finally shut up because I remembered that for the longest time I thought that the man I was in love with was classy, and then I was proved hopelessly wrong.

But the fact remains that once we move out of this classy, claustrophobic (Sit on the 9th Floor of a high rise, have the false ceiling a little above your nose, and windows that don't ever open; and you will understand what I mean) joint, there will be few places to eat out.

And Indiranagar does not count as it is my quasi-home.

So I have decided to eat my way out of this place.

Yesterday, my office friends and I went to K C Das and had exquisite aloo puris and sweets. Bengali breakfast I have realised, makes me sharper. I was quick at repartee all of yesterday. I swear, I was.

And today, Preethi and I are going to fine dine at Khansama. When I am back, I might write a review if I am not too full and lethargic which I've been promised is highly likely.

Sometime next week, I have invited my favourite ex-boss to meet me at UB City and as she is a vegetarian I have decided to take her to Rajdhani which serves really decent vegetarian Rajasthani cuisine.

And Preethi and I have also planned a phenomenal breakfast at Amruth (which makes superlative masala dosa and sambhar, I swear).

There are plenty of other eateries too. But those I think I can live without visiting, like the pizza and beer at Toscanos, Andhra biryani at Nandini, anything Continental at Casas, burgers with yummy mayo at Ice and Spice, cheap Chinese (the best kind) at Beijing Bites, apparently anything South Indian at Konark, ice-cream from Corner House, and the channa batura and coffee that will reach you 30 hours after you have placed the order at Airlines.

But all that is being too greedy. So I will take it easy as I tick things off my list. Besides, there's only so much medicines can do.

For those of you who are wondering why I am inviting friends and family to lunches and other dining opportunities almost indiscriminately, I will let you in on my strategy. When I meet them I also hope, in true Wodehouse style to touch them up for some cash for my school. The strategy is to fatten them and when they are all mellow and satiated to make a pitch. Just like in Wodehouse. I don't see how it can fail.

Yes, I have finally decided to start a school.

But before that, there is plenty of food to be eaten, the meaning of class to be understood, and bye-byes to buildings to be said.


6 comments:

Basically Blah said...

And the worst part of "classy" UB City is the fact that there are no stairways and only those steel-coffin-type elevators. For borderline claustrophobes like yours truly, it's quite nightmarish...

Bhumika's Boudoir said...

Yea! Another one who doesn't think it's classy.

But to be fair, there are stairways now and escalators as well. But I understand, still not so good, is it? :)

Anamika Mazumdar said...

with all this gorging on food,how are you going to shed that .... ?

Bhumika's Boudoir said...

If this is your idea of a sales pitch, Anamika, I'm afraid, you have to try to sell your pills elsewhere.

Bhumika's Boudoir said...

LOL, just realised, I had crass redefined for me, in my quest to understand the meaning of class. LOL. And it's true what they say, you either have it or you don't.

Aaron said...

you either have it or you don't

To me, class or crass, is defined in relation to a point of view. Its either classy or crude (there is no in-betweens)

Girl must say you've got a classy view. ;)

And about UB City... Its just overdone!