Weekend Guide: Pot of Gold

Because of Good Friday, we’re sending out the guide a day early. Enjoy the long weekend!

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bEGINNERS

What: Pizza Toss Up with bpb and Del Italia’s head chef, at Del Italia, opposite Juhu Beach, Juhu, Rs 1,000 per person including unlimited beer and wine, to register email guide@bpbweekend.com.

Why: Because rolling dough gathers much sauce. Here, you can toss pizza base in the air, miss, and try again; drink copiously in the afternoon; and hound head chef Glyston Gracias for his secret recipes. Maybe, if you pay close attention, you’ll even learn how to make pizza from scratch, toppings - mozzarella, parma ham, grilled zucchini - and all.

When: Base camp on Saturday, April 10 from 4 to 7 pm.

***

What: Art lessons by celebrity tattoo artist, Al’s Tattoos, Magnet Mall, diagonally opposite KFC, Linking Road, Bandra (W), price depends on number of sessions.

Why: bpb found the most unlikely masterji in famous tattoo artist Al Alva, who has just opened his third studio. Ask him nicely, and he’ll give you lessons on how to draw in his intricate, grungy style that has adorned miles of celebrity skin.

When: You want to make flesh scrawl.

pEDAL

What: Old Mumbai Bicycle Tour with Woodside Inn, Wodehouse Road, Colaba, call 22875752 or visit the Facebook page here, Rs 1,350 per head, breakfast included.

Why: Here are all the elements for a perfect Easter Sunday: bicycles leading to hot bun(nie)s, a pretty trail at the end of which you’ll find yummy eggs. And waffles and pancakes and fruit, but no alcohol.

When: Mass congregation outside Woodside Inn at – brace yourself – 6.45 am, Sunday, April 4.

bRAND NEW

What: The Beauty Bar, Red Rose Apartments, off Linking Road, Andheri (W), call Kamya at 32254300 or 9819561136, visit the Facebook group here, Rs 2,200 for Benetint by Benefit.

Why: Lining the shelves at this Bar will be hard-to-find international brands like Benefit, Bumble & Bumble and Victoria’s Secret, albeit with significant mark-ups. The store hasn’t opened yet, but they’re taking phone orders and will deliver anywhere in the city.

When: You want to pull off a Shirley Temple.

***

What: Dosai double-quick at Komala’s restaurant, shop #141, space formerly occupied by BHS, Phoenix Mills, Lower Parel.

Why: Here, McDonalds meets Madras Café. This canteen-like space is the Singaporean chain’s first Indian outpost and will serve dosai, idli and other South Indian favourites, fast food style. Watch out for the bpb review!

When: You want a quick one, Murugan. Slated to open this weekend.

Wake Up Bid

Several eateries are now bidding for our daylight hours, with established restaurants going beyond entrees to make room for eggs and late night bars inviting us to drop by for lunch. The latest early bird in the league is Out of the Blue in Bandra, where bpb got a sneak peek at the breakfast spread slated to start on April 10. This addition is probably the brainchild of new resident chef Tanai Shirali’s (formerly at Wasabi and Intercontinental) team.

Dosa Diner

A buffet of meats and cheeses, cereal and hash browns, fruit and nuts, is spread across one nook. In a corner, a chef tosses masala omelets (or any other kind you want), and also available is a breakfast menu from which you can order dosas, idlis, pancakes, waffles, bacon and hotdogs. The South Indian fare looked most tempting; we were woken up this morning not by coffee but piping hot, piquant sambhar, a crisp dosa and two types of chutneys. The mushroom-masala-cheese omelet with toast, dates, watermelon and a glass of skim milk on the side is another good option, as are pancakes or waffles with maple syrup. Skip the unappetising poha, though, which we hear might be taken off the menu all together.

Holiday Food

Expected to be priced Rs 275 and Rs 300, this is not a five star hotel spread. But Out of the Blue’s hearty, cheerful breakfast is guaranteed to give your blah day a boost.

Getting there: Out of the Blue, Union Park, next to Olive, Khar (W), call 9324839393, breakfast starts April 10, 7 am to 10.30 am.

Dark Horse

If you live on the opposite side of the Sealink, you can check out the newly introduced breakfast at Kala Ghoda Café. In keeping with the rest of the menu, it’s sparse - offering eggs, waffles, muesli and yogurt - and good value for money: three scrambled eggs, coffee, orange juice and toast costed Rs 200. We only wish that the eggs were slightly less watery, the juice less bitter. But the stellar coffee and thick slices of freshly-baked multi-grain bread certainly make for a good morning.

Getting there: Kala Ghoda Café, Ropewalk Lane, opposite Trishna Restaurant, call 22633866, Rs 200 for breakfast, 9 am to 12.30 pm.

Pop Goes the Diesel

Mindful of Diesel’s core competency and totally denim-starved - many things are easy in this city, but finding a good pair of jeans is not one of them - we made a bee line for this brand new outpost of the international chain at Palladium. And we hit pay dirt: stone washed and graffitied, skinny and frayed, here was a wall full of pants you could build your entire wardrobe around (Rs 7,000 to Rs 22,000). Satisfied, we strolled towards the men's section next, not knowing that our seduction had just begun.

Coating Rituals

It started out innocently enough, as most affairs do: footsie with a pack-of-3 socks and harmless flirting with cool linen shirts (Rs 5,000). But before we knew it, we were feeling up the irresistibly soft tees (Rs 4,000) and were all over the hot jackets, including the coveted Leart Giacca leather version (Rs 30,000). It’s a good thing that studly helmets (Rs 17,000) with leather detailing were around for extra protection.

Other cute sightings included a Jaydi Giacca jacket with human figure illustrations, black stonewash shirts with quirky button detailing and the store’s obviously attractive sales staff.

Bi-Passing?

The small corner reserved for women, however, didn’t tempt us to swing the other way with boring racerback formal tops (Rs 14,000), long-sleeved shirts (Rs 10,000 and up) and lackluster scarves (Rs 4,000) crowding the shelves.

Acting Pricey

A look at the Diesel website revealed most of the Mumbai stock is from the current spring /summer collection, but is considerably more expensive than in the States. A basic tee for instance, costs almost double here. Still, the new Diesel store – “Stupid” and all - managed to charm our pants off.

Getting there: Diesel, ground floor, Palladium, Phoenix Mills compound, Lower Parel, call 24932726 / 27.

Put Pen(Pa) to Paper

Chinese Whispers

Ever wonder why restaurant-made Chinese food tastes so much better than the soya-sauced hakka noodles you (barely) manage to whip up in your kitchen? We don’t either. But you can hear it straight from the horse’s mouth at Sampan’s first cooking class, presided over by head chef Penpa, taking place on Wednesday at the Novotel Hotel poolside.

Don’t be a Dumbling

Participants will be taught how to prepare a three course meal, including soup, starters and one of the restaurant’s most popular mains – the Clay Pot rice. In addition, chef Penpa will spill his deepest, darkest culinary secrets, and will also send you home with a Sampan apron and a surprise souvenir from his kitchen.

Trail(or) Blaze

To whet your appetite, we got you one of the chef’s most prized recipes, exclusively for bpb! Try these at home, and you can kiss hakka noodles goodbye forever. Bon appetite!

Vegetable Dumplings

Recipe by Chef Penpa from Sampan Restaurant, Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach

For the stuffing:
50 gms each of beans, cauliflower, carrot, cabbage, celery
15 gms of ginger/garlic
10 gms spring onions
2 gms white pepper powder
10 gms Maggi seasoning
10 ml rice wine
10 ml sesame oil
Salt to taste

Cut all the vegetables in small sizes and boil them. Make sure to drain out all the water by squeezing tightly. Sauté ginger and garlic in a pan, add in vegetables and seasoning and cook for a couple of minutes. Set aside to cool.

For the pastry:
100 gms refined flour
Salt to taste
Water as needed

Prepare a soft dough with flour, salt and water. Roll it out thin and cut into round shapes about 3 inches in diameter. Put the cooled vegetable mixture in the centre, fold the pastry and crimp it in the centre to form a tower. Use a dim sum basket to steam for 10 minutes. Serve with soy or sweet chilli or any sauce of your choice.

Note: Don’t panic if your kitchen doesn’t have a dim sum basket – your good old idli steamer will do the trick.

Getting there: Pool side, Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach, Juhu. Culinary class on Wednesday, March 31 from 3.30 pm to 5.30 pm, to register call 66934444, Rs 750.

bpb Review: Villa 39

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Fatima Sham Mahimwala, our guest Scouter and Villa 39 reviewer is an avid foodie, and has been deeply involved with the food and beverage industry for many years. She has worked with The Tasting Room, Out of the Blue, and most recently was the Director of Sales, India at The Leading Hotels of the World. She has a degree in hotel management from Switzerland and writes a food blog, which you can check out at www.fatima-theffactor.blogspot.com.

Villa 39, with its bright lights and fun bar area, has the potential to become one of Mumbai’s most buzzing new nightspots. The Italian restaurant which made its debut last night also has a more formal upstairs dining room, which looks rather clinical and slightly confused, where stark white walls and a lovely modern chandelier are perplexingly paired with heavily carved Indian panels.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

We began our meal with a batch of excellent cocktails, including Sangria, watermelon martinis and a wonderful Sgroppino: essentially an (overpriced) adult slush made fresh with lemon and sparkling wine. However, a drink the bartender billed as his “best” vodka cocktail and the house special came looking like baby food churned together with both the garnish and the taste missing!

Head Start

Villa 39 features an ambitious menu, one that showcases a splendid selection of dishes and ingredients – just reading through it made us hungry. Fortunately, our starters of Carpaccio di Manzo (beef Carpaccio), Terrina di Mozzarella Caprese (tomato and mozzarella pesto), and Spiedini di Pollo (chicken skewers from the bar menu), were all terrific.

The Carpaccio, despite being extra lemony, was top notch and perfectly paired with rucola leaves and fresh pepper; chicken skewers were succulent, tender and melted in our mouths. Even our plain Jane tomato mozzarella starter packed a punch, with sweet tomatoes pillowed under soft cheese and finished off with pesto sauce.

Villa Woes

A main of Pollo Sorpresa (surprise chicken) turned out to be quite a surprise indeed. Even though the dish was deep fried and had butter spurting out of it (always a good thing), I was personally quite disappointed by how tough and chewy the chicken was. The Lasagna di Vegetariane (vegetarian Lasagna), too, was unpleasantly dense and slightly over-salted. I was however, bowled over with the Gnocchi alla Piemontese (Gnocchi with sun dried tomatoes, spinach and gorgonzola): a wonderful mélange of flavor, texture and visual appeal. Unfortunately, the portion size of this dish was the most meager of our mains – only one fourth the size of the lasagna.

Our meal ended on a bitter rather than sweet note, with a chocolate fondant that I would definitely not recommend. It was spongy, chewy and tasted like rubber garnished with liquid chocolate.

Wish List

Hopefully as it finds its pace, Villa 39 will flourish into a restaurant offering interesting food and great drinks, a fun place to hang with friends or impress a date at. Then, unlike now, the atmosphere will be looser, less intimidating, and we won’t be compelled to speak in whispers. Even as it stands, though, this is not a restaurant to be ignored: I suggest you swing by there the next time you’re in the mood for some fancy (and pricey) Italiano.

Getting there: Amarchand Mansion, 60 Madam Cama Road, Colaba, call 66573939, Rs 1,600 per person including drinks.

At bpb, we review restaurants anonymously and pay for our own meals.

Weekend Guide: Mouthing off Mumbai

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bACON

What: Turning Tables IV with bpb and Aurus, to attend email guide@bpbweekend.com – limited seats! Rs 1,000 this month, BYOB.

Why: 1 super chef, 5 course meal, 20 interesting strangers aur us! Chef Vicky Ratnani cooks up a storm at this month’s bpb underground kitchen, complete with a sneak peek at the restaurant’s upcoming menu. Note: the only plus 1 you’re allowed to bring is a bottle of wine.

When: April 7 at 8:30 pm. Entries shut April 2.

***

What: Paninaro sandwich delivery service, call 61519999 or visit www.paninaro.in, place your order a day in advance, Rs 80 to Rs 140.

Why: These wicked wiches of the feast serve a range of complex sandwiches - tuna and tobasco-spiked iceberg lettuce, smoked chicken on romaine, sundried tomatoes with arugula. bpb recommends the hummus and cream cheese versions, but skip the Thai Connection.

When: This gherkin progress opens its first two outlets next month at Nariman Point and Fountain. Also, read our review of Villa39 here.

pINT

What: USB beer cooler at Maple - Apple Premium Store, Kamal Society, opposite National College, Linking Road, Bandra (W), call 40068888, Rs 1,950.

Why: Along with Apple products, this just-launched store stocks other seriously cool gadgets as well. bpb pick: a single-can retro beer fridge that you can plug into your laptop or car. Stella idea!

When: You want to drink and pen drive.

bURST

What: Live in an Alphonso orchard, Mahua Bagh, Alibagh, visit http://www.mahuaresorts.com or call 9819469323, Rs 3,600 per night for an AC cottage, meals included.

Why: At this new beachfront property, you can pick organically grown fruit straight off mango trees before heading out for a swim in the ocean. Amenities also include pretty individual cottages, sky showers, and a friendly staff ready to rustle up a meal or give you a massage whenever whimsy strikes.

When: Now, during Alphonso season!

***

What: Shirts in a tea bag from Masala Tees, order online at http://ebook.masalateecollection.com/ebook.html or call +91 9910931043, also available at Bombay Electric, Colaba, start at Rs 1,200.

Why: The packaging of a Malasa Tee is so adorable (an oversized tea bag), that you almost won’t want to open it. One look at the shirt inside, though – soft, cleverly illustrated and punctuated by odd jewels – and you’ll be glad you did. They come in men and baby sizes too.

When: You like it Earl grey or black, but not (t)oolong.

Event Round-Up: Her Work is Never Done (Part II) at Gallery BMB from March 27 to April 17; BBQ Nights at Elbo Room every Tuesday, 8 pm onwards; Israel’s Atomic Pulse rocks Blue Frog on March 26, 10.30 pm onwards.

Where Chamomile and Cabs Mix

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‘Pause. Detox.Refresh. 150 metres ahead', screams a bus stop hoarding, announcing the arrival of RichFeel Spa and conjuring images of blessid peace on a noisy street intersection. Who could help but follow?

The Doors

I opened the single door that stood between busy Bhulabhai Desai Road and the serene, all-wood spa, crossing over into a world redolent with the smell of eucalyptus oil and music from a bubbling brook. I relaxed almost instantly, but my tranquility lasted only until the next bus screeched by. Soundproofing the space would have probably been a good idea. Until then, bergamot with strains of BEST it was.

Will You Go to Ped With Me?

RichFeel's wellness menu features a range of treatments including relaxing massages, crystal therapy rituals and the more serious physiotherapy healing. I was scheduled for a basic foot relaxer, which began with a selection of the lighting that best suited my mood - nice touch!

Booth and Nail

Next, they brought out a giant finger bowl for my feet, complete with hot water and lemon. My peds were dunked, scrubbed, and prepped for a nice rub. The masseurs at RichFeel, I discovered, though not very discreet with doors and chatter volume, are deft, gentle and good at what they do. They capped off the massage with a Caterpillar Walk, which put pressure on key stress points. Meanwhile, my face was treated to a super-smelling tissue face pack and a relaxing eye mask.

Noisy Finish

If only the eye mask were replaced with earmuffs, I thought, as a spate of angry honking punctured my massage-induced haze. Too bad bpb isn’t into shameless plugs!

My final verdict: Experience value-for-money services in a space suspended between calm and chaos.

Getting there: RichFeel Spa 1 Sagar Mansion, 40, Bhulabhai Desai Road, call 23516228 or visit http://www.richfeelspa.com/.

Aditi Patil, our visiting Secret Scouter tried and tested RichFeel Spa, delish sandwiches and our in-house swing on her visit to the bpb office. She is a hotelier-turned-banker and when she’s not running herd on her four year old son, loves reading bpb.

Let’s Talk about Sacks, Baby

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It seems about right that an outdoor adventure store would crop up bang on the wild intersection just before Bandra station, where a helmet, a rescue knife and a harness could actually come in good use. And it was at exactly this spot that Bangalore-based Wildcraft launched its flagship Mumbai store three days ago.

Tent to Be

Impressively designed with sleeper wood panels and an actual forest picnic table, Wildcraft makes you want to camp. The current stock unfortunately, didn't light our bonfire. We suggest you visit after the weekend, when the predominantly travel bag collection is scheduled to be supplemented with all kinds of cool outdoor essentials, from climbing holds and crampons to canoe paddles and ice axes. Also coming soon, a Victorinox counter with mag lights, Swiss army knives and more. But for today, we had to make do with tents, sleeping bags, air mattresses and sipper bottles.

Look Ma, No Hands!

As we browsed through the burgeoning bag collection (pouches that go around your wrist and waist, corporate laptop carriers for the wild, day packs, rucksacks) we were impressed at the variety but a little disappointed with the finishing. Check out the knapsacks that turn into trolley bags, army print tech-packs and the handy lunch bag that can be carried to your office too. bpb’s favourite: a hydration bag that lets you sip water from a tube while you ride your cycle. And at a reasonable price of Rs 995, it was easy to get us in this sack!

Getting there: Wildcraft, junction of Linking Road and SV Road, next to Shoppers Stop, Bandra (W), call 26558771/72 or visit www.wildcraft.in, bag packs start at Rs 995, tents at Rs 3,995, haversacks at Rs 2,000 and sleeping bags at Rs 995 with warrantee.

Cheese on the Crease!

When we first read about Juno’s Pizza, a “Pure Vegetarian” delivery and take out service that opened a couple of months ago, we expected pizza close to what you get at the local Shiv Sagar: bready, sweet and loaded with Amul cheese. Consequently, the boxes dropped off by a cheerful delivery guy in a funny cap were more surprising than a pie in the face.

Skinny Menu

Juno’s insists on a minimum of three pizzas (approximately Rs 600) to deliver anywhere further than a few of blocks from its Hughes Road kitchen. It took some serious creativity to come up with three different options from the severely limited menu - no cheese variations, no meat, no sides. We finally settled on a basic plain cheese, one with garlic, onions and peppers, and a “healthy” version: whole wheat base topped with mushrooms and green chillies.

Toss For It

All of these arrived a suspenseful 45 minutes later, while the Kolkata Knight Riders took on the Mumbai Indians on home ground and our standby dinner of daal-chawaal waited patiently in the wings. There was, however, no need for back-up – Juno’s did just fine at the crease.

All three pizzas were piping hot when they arrived, featuring wafer thin, crunchy crusts. The whole wheat base was the surprising star of our line-up: crisp, complex and airily light, it won over the most health-averse of our guests. We dug in with gusto.

Top That!

Unless you’re the kind that take their pizza strictly straight up, skip the plain cheese – neither the sauce (slightly over-sweet), nor the cheese (not Amul, but still unremarkable) are good enough to carry the meal. The mushrooms too, are shriveled and unappetising. Go instead for the garlic, which pairs nicely with onions and green peppers, and remember to add a dash of green chillies to spice up the pie.

And while you’re at it, pile on some hot sauce. The result might be a distinctly desi pizza, but still a far cry from your corner fast food center. All in all, we ended our dinner batting for Juno’s.

Getting there: Juno’s Pizza, Hughes Road, call 64520022/33, visit the Facebook page here, start at Rs 150 for an 11 inch pie.

Winestein’s Theories

Far from his San Francisco home, award-winning sommelier Kerry Damskey is currently nosing around the Sula Vineyards in Nashik. bpb quizzes him on the best wine pairings for any situation:

You’re a Wine Virgin: Play the fruit

Not even a sip? Ever? Seriously? And you call yourself a bpb subscriber! Wine virgins, peg your grape expectations on Château de Beaucastel, Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Made from soft tannins, this light red comes loaded with fruit and is immediately likeable.

You Get Fired: Call on Your Sherry

Stop whining and grab a bottle of La Ina, a Spanish sherry and instant pick-me-up: it’s boozy enough to get you cheery, but won’t reduce you into a puddle of teary drunkenness.

You Want to Score: Hit the Sweet Spot

Armed with a bottle of Chateau d'Yquem, a French Sauternes, anyone can get lucky. It’s full bodied, with a voluptuously complex bouquet and deep, velvety flavour… Are you turned on yet?

Pre-drinking With Friends: Draw a Blanc

Sweet, lively and a lot of fun, Sula Chenin Blanc should be a permanent fixture in your friend circle. Say cheers!

You’re Flying Solo: Dry Again

A dry white like Sula Sauvignon Banc makes for a perfect companion. It doesn’t demand much from you, and is sweet without being cloying. So go ahead, pop open a bottle for yourself. What? Like you haven’t done that before!

Best Secret Work Stash: The Marlborough Man

Keep a bottle of Cloudy Bay - Marlborough from New Zealand in your desk drawer. A glass (or three) of this burly vino is a guaranteed stress-buster.

For a Wretched Morning After: Hide and Creek

Skip over coffee and bananas and head straight for the bottle (just like you did last night). Bill's Block Maple Vineyard Zinfadel from Dutcher Crossing Winery is the best cure for a throbbing hangover. Trust us; we got this straight from the experts!

Getting there: Good bets are Sante, Shop No. 53, 60/62 Woodhouse Road, Colaba; and Jude Wines, Lourdes Haven, 10/A, Pali Junction, Bandra (W).

Weekend Guide: Bombay Baked

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Be a Secret Scouter: Wanna help us out? Come scour Mumbai with us for one day next week, and get published on the website. Tell us a little about yourself at guide@bpbweekend.com, and we’ll get back to you!

bATTER

What: Palate Culinary Studio, G-2, Bir Sagar, 17th Road, Santacruz (W), call Rakhee Vaswani on 9820295221 / 32220807 or view the Facebook group here, start at Rs 1,100 a class.

Why: The smell of freshly baked lemon cake led us to this new cooking studio. Here, you can take workshops on everything from sushi and Shish Tawouk to Shrimp Creole and Saffron Risotto. The small but impressive set up comes complete with professional cooking units, whimsical crockery and a culinary coach trained under Michelin-starred chefs.

When: You want to fry and fry until you succeed.

***

What: CrossFit Om, VN Sphere, Navchandra Niwas, Linking Road, Bandra (W), call Dheepesh Bhatt on 9820028098 or view the Facebook group here, Rs 3,000 a month.

Why: Exercises with unusual props and celebrities; push ups on Mount Mary steps; and relays at the beach: this new -in-the-city, high intensity workout is gymming over with surprises.

When: Classes held five times a week; new gym slated to open below Escobar early next month.

pURCHASE

What: Package forwarding and personal shopping agents from the US, visit www.myus.com, membership fee starts at approximately Rs 475 annually.

Why: Because sweet talking your sister’s best friend’s aunt to bring back loot from the States is a drag. Not only will this award-winning service give you a US address and forward packages within a week, they’ll even order your stuff from sites that only accept American credit cards. bpb’s shopping cart: Bumble and Bumble hair tonic, Paul Smith fedora, Searle metallic flapper dress.

When: You want to build parcels in the air.

***

What: Bucket seat by Tokri, to order call Manisha Mehta on 9867756911, also available at Attic, Santacruz (W), Rs 3,200.

Why: bpb loves these colourful cast iron buckets-turned-poufs. Not to be paired with your shower curtain.

When: You want balti-more.

bRUSCHETTA

What: Villa 39, Amarchand Mansion, 60 Madam Cama Road, Colaba.

Why: Sneak peek! This fresh, creamy white restaurant looks good enough to eat. Presided over by former Leela chef, hopefully the Italian menu will be equally delish. bpb review out soon!

When: You’re looking for the ciao factor. Slated to open March 25.

Event Round-up: Green beer, Irish music and fun discounts at Elbow Room’s St Patrick’s Day on March 20, The Medicine Show at Blue Frog on March 20 and DJ Nitin spins at Busaba on March 25, 9:30 pm onwards.

bpb Cutting: Say Cheese!

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Our weekly pick-tionery of Mumbai happenings.

Alcohol is more harmful for Indians than westerners, a study claims. News like this drives us to drink!

Bees and Bonds: Mayawati is greeted with a massive garland of currency and a swarm of bees at Lucknow rally. The Dalit queen sure knows how to cause a buzz.

Facebook comes to Asia with offices in Hyderabad, Bengaluru scores India’s first Taco Bell, and best of all, Punjab hosts Kabbadi World Cup premiere. Maximum City, catch up!

Golden Kela Awards, Indian version of the Razzies, recognize the performances of Kareena Kapoor, Harman Baweja and Deepika Padukone. Members of the new banana republic?

Michelin-starred chefs, fondues and Swiss wines replace the regular menu at Indigo’s ten year anniversary Swiss cuisine festival. Say cheese!

Mumbai Indians kick ass, defeat Delhi Daredevils by 98 runs. Capital!

M.J’s bizarre saga continues: news reports claim that the syringe used on the star just before his death will be auctioned off by the owner for over five million dollars. Quite a prick!

Panick(er) Attack: Air your views on the IPL at this online chat room, set up and headed by cricket journalist and Yahoo! Managing Editor Prem Panicker.

Porn may be good for society as it reduces the rate of sex crimes, argues Asylum. An impossible stretch?

Royalty, Shilpa Shetty’s new club, opens to the public today. Glad to see the starlet is putting her husband’s money to good use.

Tiger Woods announces his return to golf with the Masters at Augusta next month. This is when you remember the Wood joke and the hole joke and the swinger joke….