Say cheese, Bryan

Say cheese, Bryan

Rock concerts are a regular affair in India and rock audiences, a well experienced lot. The screaming, yelling and trying to catch the singer’s eye is the same in Mumbai and Madrid. But some things are definitely changing. At the Bryan Adams concert at MMRDA complex on Saturday night, the crowd did not have lit candles in their hands to wave. Instead, the entire arena was awash with the twinkling lights of mobile phone cameras as fans tried to take pictures of the singer and the band. Adams, an old “Mumbai hand” returned the compliment and took his own set of pictures.

Thought for food

British foodies have been getting advice from Indian chefs such as Cryus Todiwala, chef and owner of Café Spice Namaste in London, on how to make low fat curries and also how to incorporate principles of Ayurveda to make Indian food which is healthy and beneficial. In an interview to The Independent, Todiwala comes up with recipes such as “Scallops with ginger and garlic” and the Malayalyee vegetarian dish Thoran. This he, says, should be served with dahi bhaat to keep the balance. Another chef, Ravi Bajaj advises those with diabetes to eat chicken methi. Todiwala is realistic however: “I am a bit sceptical about Ayurveda practitioners who will grab your wrist, check your pulse, and then tell you what to have for dinner.”

Taxing vodka now

If genuine Russian Vodka’s your poison you might just want to stock up, because Russia, home of the heart warming tipple, is running short thanks to a bureaucratic mix up. Every distillery in the country has come to a grinding halt. Distilleries are not allowed to sell vodka without attaching excise stamps that serve as anti-counterfeit stickers. And tax authorities haven’t yet sent them round. While most distilleries are disbursing last year’s stock, the real thing is running out.

Kala Ghoda fracas 

The inauguration of the Kala Ghoda festival saw a lot of jostling for space and jockeying for the right seat. Some amongst the late comers were denied entry since the inauguration was underway and there was no space to sit. One particular gent was rather agitated at being kept out. He started dropping big names and his connections to the sponsors but came a cropper when the people at the door professed blankness. It turned out later that the management of the event was outsourced to a firm whose people had no idea who these big names were. The important guy had to contend with standing and craning his neck to watch the show.