Eating Blue - Blue Decor, Blue Light, Blue Curacao Decoration on plate!!!

estia - Cuisines of the Mediterranean @ aloft Bangalore

I had the honor of sole dining at estia yesterday. Taking an early flight and going straight to a long work day, I was really looking forward to a nice meal. The name estia intrigued me. Legend has it that estia originates from the word Hestia; and Hestia was a Greek goddess of the hearth. Legend ( well aloft legend at least) had it that the restaurant was set in an alluring ambiance. Well don't people tell you that you need to pick a restaurant for reasons other than just ambiance? But people also tell you never stop learning :-). Anyhow, so, I make a stop at the restaurant - and decide to write on the experience --

• Probably alluring means shades of blue. The blue decor is nice; but bluish lights on the blue decor -- not happening dude!  Probably- you identifying Mediterranean with everything blue!!
• The four corners of the restaurant has four different type of table settings; and four different type of light; and four different types of tables. 
• The dress code for waiters is blue t-shirts. What a surprise. And how innovative that is.
• Now, even if you are alone, they want to seat you in the darkest corner. Probably because they don't other people to know that you are alone.Wait - you don't see many people in the  restaurant  anyways.
• Service also makes you feel blue. Unless you ask for it - they don't give you the menu -- probably inline with the theme blue. Or, probably they want you to wait longer so that people can come, thinking it is a busy place.
• However, they try to reduce the annoyance of waiting with nice, Greek music. 
• My order Falafel Wrap in Pita bread; Asparagus and Tender Peas Soup - served with truffle foam and healthy infusion ( essentially a carrot and orange juice); followed by Tiramisu

Now a quick review of the food

• What they call a Pita bread is actually a tortilla kind of thing. And they decorate the plate with a blue curacao syrup --- not happening, or appetizing. However, the taste of the sandwich was not bad at all. The vinegary onion in the wrap was actually a good customization.
• No truffle foam and a bit-too much salt in the soup. However, if you could get past the excessive salt, the taste of the soup ain't that bad.
• Healthy infusion might have been healthy; but nothing to write home about
• Tiramisu - way too much of Sugar - but after all, a dessert is a dessert; especially when you are overstuffed.

All- in- all, the plates weren't blue... probably because they don't want you to feel completely blued. All -in-all -- I might eat again at that place :-).

Finally a Confession - Shopping Addiction or Retail Therapy

I almost passed out on receiving an SMS alert on the credit due on my card. Where the hell did I spend this much money – this month? If I ask my friends, or family – they would say well, you say the same thing every month.  Within few minutes, with an unidentified nervousness, I opened my e-statement. 

&^%$#@! 

I had, like always, indulged in expenses on things that I really don’t need. 

If I seek professional help, they would recommend a strict therapy; and would even tell me random reasons for my unjustified spending ( like emotional deprivation, impulsive, compulsive, freak). Oh well!!

In introspection:

• I always get a high from shopping. Seriously, whether I am paying credit, or cash – just exchanging with it a bag is like a therapy in itself.
• I always buy things thinking I will need it; should use it – but never do. I am one of those people who thinks that buying skin care products would make my skin better; or buying make up would automatically make me look elegant.
• I walk away with purchases when none were needed. Even at a grocery store, I will end up picking things thinking they are healthy; or good – or will help in weight loss. The only think that happens is that I end up throwing them after expiration.
•  I always buy things for myself when I am shopping for others.  The most ridiculous one was that I picked up three pair of shoes, while looking for one for my niece.
• I am unable to resist a sale or bargain. If it is cheap, or discounted- I will pick it. You know you always need clothes to wear when you come home after work. Really, if you work long hours, you only change into sleeping clothes. So what with all the casual T-s and Bottoms that I buy at a bargain and never wear.
• I end up buying things even if they don’t fit – the only parameter that they need to qualify is a sale and a designer label.
• Sometimes, even when I am working, I think of shopping.
• I can’t even count things that I bought but never used.
• At times I feel so guilty after shopping – to the point of sickness.
• I have bought additional suitcases at my travels – just to stuff the &^%$# that I buy.
• I almost never say never to shopping.
• Just recently, I bought numerous lipsticks, when I hardly wear any. Worse, they were all the same color family.

Every girl, worth her salt has an overflowing closet – clothes, shoes, make-up….but mine is out of control.

One of my dearest friends had told me once that she often asks herself “Will I die if I don’t buy this thing – before buying anything”. This stayed with me; but with a sequencing mix. I think about this when looking at the credit card statement. Miss you girlfriend!!

Highway Food – NH 8 Bhiwadi, Old Rao’s Dhaba

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Saturday night, somewhere between 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM, I committed to getting up early and going for a drive. I think the only reason why I said yes to the plan was that it was a drive, and involved least bit of physical activity. Also, I wasn’t aware that I would be working till 2:00 AM on a critical presentation.

Anyways, Sunday morning, 4:00 AM – the alarm went on, and I remembered Darn! We had made a plan to go for a drive towards Jaipur early morning. I don’t know why, and for what the plan was made, but I remembered committing to family and friends that I would come. So, reluctantly, I had to wake up. The troop was ready to leave at  4:45 – so – there we went. I was regretting going – because of the sheer greed of sleeping some more. But all it took was hitting the highway, that I was up – bright and cheery – cruising on the highway.

•  Despite the heat wave, it was a very pleasant drive. The weather was nice at that time, and road was clean.
• There are a lot of traffic diversion, but the quality of road was surprisingly good. Lack of traffic made the drive truly enjoyable.
•  The music – both on ipod and select radio station was a treat to ears.
• Fancy, swanky high-rise buildings at various stages of completion on the highway.

So – after driving for about an hour, we took a small diversion towards Rewari, and turned back. On the way, two of us felt hungry and decided to stop at some place called Old Rao’s Dhaba. I was like it is really not even 6. I hardly wake up at that time, and the very thought of eating at the Dhaba was not really something I was excited about. But I didn’t want to be a spoiler and went along. So, there we were, making a stop.

In true sense, the dhaba was old, seemed worn out, and had people cleaning and wiping plates. They told us that this is 24*7; pure vegetarian hotel. So, we ordered tea and some stuffed parathas.  I never like to eat at such places, so, I first settled for tea. It was ginger, cardamom team – and something to die for. And then - i slowly moved to the stuffed parathas - fresh and crisp. The spices were perfect, and the butter was dripping out – yet the taste was awesome. Food was fresh ( very fresh for a 24*7 place), plates were clean, and the staff was friendly.  And very, very reasonably priced.  In no time, I was literally pigging on the food. Highly recommended for people driving back towards Delhi from Jaipur – or for people living in Gurgaon for weekend brunch.

All in all – we were back by 7:45. On a usual Sunday morning, I wouldn’t have been up – but this is something I would definitely do again. So what – if an early start to the day does make room for a lot of other activities.

Email Management Tips - Less than 5 days OOO and Over 5000 Emails

I was out of office (OOO) for 5 days. And for some reason or the other, I could only access 10% of my emails. Yes, I do use a BlackBerry, but these days were full. And the extremely hot weather and power cuts did not leave me with enough energy to assimilate emails. So, the mails got accumulated, and I ended up with over 5000 emails in a span of less than 5 days. And this was when none of my team was working over the weekend. Phew!!

Now - I detest having stressful day on the first day back at work, and so, i work on clearing my mails as soon as I can. That ways, I can have intelligent conversation with the teams, and spend time with the teams when I am back. It also gives me a feeling that I am back in control, being a control freak that I am.

Sharing some tips -

• If possible, spend a couple of hours on the last day of vacation organizing the mailbox. Or, have an early start on the first day back.
• Sort by Subject. It is quite possible that the action is already taken, or someone has resolved the issue for you. Read the last mail first, and immediately file these bunch, or Flag the last mail for follow up, if needed. (20%)
• Sort by Important Email. Outlook has a Search Folder. Identify and act on these - address, delete, defer, delegate.
• Search for Non Biz - some senders are indeed helpful to call that out in the subject. Yes, they can be easily moved to the Later folder.( 2%) Else look for multiple Fw: Fw: Fw: -- you will know that they aren't the ones that will need an immediate attention ( 5%)
• Use Color Coding, and Rules Assistant. I find it extremely useful. Mails that I am in cc; or I received because I was a part of certain DLs can be deferred.(18%)
• Sort by Sender - Clients/Manager/Team/Support Functions/Others.
• If you can respond to an email in a minute or two, do that immediately.( 15%)
• If you need to delegate the task, or response to someone - immediate ( 15%)
• Follow Up Flag ( 15%)
• Need an action from you - Flag for Action ( 10%)

Finally, do not stress too much if you missed something. You will either get a reminder, or a call :-). 

All this helps me not get buried under an email hell; and a clean mailbox give me a zen feeling. 

Happy to help!!