Search This Blog

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Much Needed Visit to the Mecca of Live Music

After a tough couple of weeks at work, the visit to Some Place Else was most refreshing and rejuvinating. Popped a couple of Kingfisher pints, caught up with some old friends and listened to so pulsating music.

SPAN performing live at Some Place Else.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Tram Ride to Kidderpore Dock and more

Well after that awesome lunch and a lot of deliberation (due to the weather), we decided to get on with our plan of heading out. Just as we got in the car, the rain drops started filling up the windscreen, but since we were committed to our little adventure, we egged on, reassuring ourselves that it was just this side of town that was getting the rain.

Just before we reached the bridge before the ITC Sonar round-about, my wife couldn’t help taking a picture of this car. Incase you're wondering "SUPER SYCLONE"


And then while we were crossing Science City, the huge Dinosaur outside on the road.


Anyway once we reached our destination, we found a parking spot outside the Dalhousie Athletic Club, parked our car there and walked to Mayo Road. While waiting, we spotted a whole lot of Mounted Police headed towards Esplanade.


And the Towering Flood Lights of the Eden Gardens with these Mynahs fluttering about within a stone's throw.


The wait was bringing up more and more sights. A truck carrying the statue of Goddess Durga speeding away. Durga Puja is just a few days away and Kolkata is already coming to a near standstill.



Yippie! Trams headed our way from both directions. This was the plan. Get on a Tram and take a ride through the Maidan. So we took the one headed that way. Gosh these new trams are quite freaky.


Anyway the down side of the journey was that we thought the trams ran quite empty, but to our surprise, we took the journey to the last stop, the Kidderpore Tram Depot, standing.

Since we had come all this way, I convinced my wife to take a short walk to the bridge which I had been hoping to visit for a while now and give her a surprise. And surprised she was to see the Ships there nearly upon the road. Daylight was disappearing fast and while we walked to the centre of this bridge that parts and opens upwards I started clicking pictures of the ships that were docked here on either side of the bridge.





I needed one of me too and so my wife obliged. She’s good at taking photographs too. I’m actually envious of her steady hand.



After that we walked back to the tram depot, got on one and headed back to Mayo Road. I’ve got to say, the trams do get packed, even for a Sunday.


Once back in our car and pretty kicked about our little adventure on a tram to the docks, we headed to the Strand for a celebration.

Puchkas, Pav Bhaji and Soda Sikanji!


After that, we were done in and headed back to our Home, Sweet Home.

And now I'm calling it a night!

Biggest Prawns I’ve ever eaten

Wondering what to do for lunch, we decided to go for Bengali Food and ordered from our usual place. We ordered the Thalis and then the guy on the phone kind of convinced me about the Jumbo Prawns. He kept telling me they weighed in at 250gms. So I ordered two.

It’s not until we opened the foil packing (they usually send in Tiffin carrier, but today they were having a busy delivery schedule) that we realised what he meant by when he kept telling me “they’re big”. 

So I just had to take a pick of the yummiest and biggest prawn I’ve ever eaten.


1.  Spl. Thali with Mutton
(includes Plain Rice, Dal, Sabji, Fish, Aloo Bhaja, Papad, Chutney)     Rs. 130 x 1
2.  Spl. Thali with Chicken
(includes Plain Rice, Dal, Sabji, Fish, Aloo Bhaja, Papad, Chutney)     Rs. 130 x 1
3.  Jumbo Prawns in Malai Curry                                                    Rs. 180 x 2

Bhuri Bhoj Restaurant
318, Madurdaha, Kalikapur,
Kolkata - 700107
Tel: +91 33 65176077

They delivery in a certain km radius and I’m glad we fall within that radius.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Two Faces: Naughty/Sweet

These two cuties got inquisitive while I was standing outside Kafe Bindass, Golpark. The little girl politely asked if I could get her something to eat, while the little boy/girl (am not sure), brash and naughty got straight to the point; “gimme money”. A little later, he/she was like, take a picture of me with your camera, and that’s when I squatted and went clickety-click. The little one seemed like he/she had done this a lot before.
Anyway after I was done, I got them a couple of pastries which they happily took and went on their way, thrilled that they got their pictures taken too.



Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Chicken Alfredo is superb at BB's


Last evening I went to meet an old friend of mine from Delhi and decided on BB's. Was pleasant catching up over a couple of drinks and snacks.

Later my wife joined us and ordered the Chicken Alfredo, which was the high point of the cuisine for the evening.
BB's Restaurant
DN-62, Millennium City,
Sector V, Salt Lake,
Kolkata - 700091
Tel: +91 (33) 50061999

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Wilderness Comes to Our Doorstep

I was on my way to a photo shoot and left the house at around 12:45pm. I had to get to the location by 1:30pm and just as I made my way down the stairs to the landing, a gentleman stops me and points to what I realise is the tail of a snake making its way across the path. I immediately dove in form my camera, switched it on while running nimbly towards the undergrowth the snake had gone into. I fired off a couple of shots, before it went into the undergrowth, only to realise that I had kept the settings on Manual and low shutter speed from shooting last night.

Yikes! I think I missed an opportunity of a lifetime. Not that I was giving up. I decided to camp there for a while; the cold blooded beauty had to come out sooner or later. Meanwhile, squatting on my haunches, I adjusted the settings, with one eye on my weapon and the other on the bush. A 10 minute wait and voila, I see the head pop out upwards. I a split second, I managed to got a couple of shots off. Then I realised that the sound of the shutter, had an effect on the creature as it dived back down.
Another short wait and it made a dash for it and I got bolder and closer and followed it around firing off one shot after another. Gosh this was getting to be awesome, and by some twist of fate, I got a glance off at my wrist. The time on my watch read 1:10pm. What? I was going to have to leave this beautiful reptile in peace and probably chance upon it some other day. I so was looking forward to a full frontal shot of its head.
Anyway, below are some of the shots I did capture.






The Night Must Go On


After the evening spent at The Tollygunge Club soaking up Jazz Music and several beers, there was no turning back. The night had to go on. The music needed to get funky and ofcourse, we needed the beer to flow freely.

There was only one place to go; the Mecca, Some Place Else here we come!


HIP POCKET

INSOMNIA

After a night of music and adda, we headed to Jai Hind Dhaba to grab some food. On the way, I couldn’t help but be mesmerised by the colours of the SOHO Signage.



Got home around 3:00 AM. What a Buzzing night! Though I miss those days when we used to get back at sunrise. When will the government reverse their statute of shutting places by 2:00 AM?

A Couple of French Guys Jazz it Up

The French Duo: Le Chartier-Moqadem
Friday 16th September 2011, 8:00pm at The Tollygunge Club

For their first tour of India the French musician duo Eric Le Chartier on Trombone and Jamal Moqadem on Piano produced a soulful combination of Jazz and Western Classical enchanting a selct audience of music lovers at The Tollygunge Club.




Wednesday, September 07, 2011

Abhijeet Launches his First ever Rabindrasangeet Album

And yet again, I'm at Starmark. That's the 2nd time this week. The last was a Book Launch and this time around it was for the Launch of renowned Bollywood Singer, Abhijeet's first ever Rabindrasangeet Album called Oi Asonotoler.

Nilanjana of Chaplin fame and one of the most popular Radio Jockeys from 91.9 Friends FM was present alongside Abhijeet to launch the Album. The shutterbugs had a field day, before they could let the Singer get on with some Q&A and sing some songs thereafter.



Monday, September 05, 2011

Amish Launches His 2nd Book at Starmark

After a lot of contemplation and a complex day at work, I decided I need to get out and attend the book Launch at Starmark, South City Mall. This is the first time I have been to a book launch where an AV has been made from part of the book depicting scenes from within. It was like the trailer to a Hollywood Blockbuster.

The last time Amish was in town, I got to know him but in the comfort of our studio. The Best Selling author was as friendly, down to earth and amicable in front of a crowd. After a brief reading, he was eager to start the Q&A and fielding questions from both young and old, it was clearly evident that he was a well read person & had dwelled long on research.

Even when foxed by some questions by youngsters, his boyish smile was enough to disarm even the biggest guns pointed his way. Post the book launch, while signing books, he was always able to pop his head here and there to get in the frame with eager fans. The shutterbugs am sure had a field day. I'd have loved to be counted in as one of them, but the battery in my camera died even before Mr. Arindam Seal arrived to launch the Book "The Secret of the Nagas" which is the 2nd book of his SHIVA Trilogy. So these are the few captures of the Author "Amish Tripathi" that I managed to get.



Most Popular Posts till date