17 June,2009 10:12 AM IST | | Namita Gupta
Run in the rain, tuck into a hearty meal of pasta with prawns and bacon, check out what monsoon fashion has on offer...the list of things to do when you hear the low growl of thunder is endless
Art attack
What better way to brighten up dark skies than with a splash of colour? Which is perhaps why the most cheerful place to head to is a place where you get to feast your eyes on art. Jasu Rawal, the 70-year-old artist from Gujarat,u00a0 has abstracts on acrylic. These paintings are minamilistic
Where: I ART, Shop-in-shop at Silk Interiors, No. 66 Lavelle Road, Bella Vista.
On till June 25.
Wallet factor:u00a0 Rs 15,000 onwards
Silences of Solitude
Dr Alka Raghuvanshi plays with light and shadow on water, land, and within the self. She achieves this with the use of metallic gold, silver, bronze and copper.u00a0 She is India 's first trained art curator, having trained at the Goldsmiths College , London and the Museum of Modern Art in Oxford.
Where: Leela Galleria from June 20 to 25, 11.30 am to 7 pm
Wallet factor: Rs 38,000 onwards
No damn ramp
u00a0
Full fayda!
Anu Nagappa and Susan Fernandes' fashion studio, Astara, has a monsoon sale with emphasis on daytime dresses. There's a 50 per cent off on the monsoon collection.
Where: Astara, next to Foto Flash, Ulsoor Lake, 38, Annaswamy Mudaliar Road
Ph: 2555 3819.
Wallet factor: Rs 1,500 onwards
Colour me up
Tamanna's latest collection in bright hues fuchsia, aqua and lime is guaranteed to make shopping in the rain sound like fun. There are chic evening dresses, tunic tops and kurtis on offer.
Where: Tamanna, Commercial Street
Wallet factor: Rs 1,500 onwards
Bold and bright
French Connection's new monsoon collection has earth tones, bold tribal colours, clean vintage prints with oversized modern graphics. Colour injections in lime green, orange and pink stripes feature across bare shoulder dresses, smock tops and loose knitted vest dresses. Eclectic chiffon handkerchief dresses add humour to a formal style.
Where: FCUK, Lifestyle, Oasis Mall and Shoppers Stop
Wallet factor: Priced at Rs. 1,995 upwards for dresses, Rs 2,995 upwards for denims, Rs. 1,295 upwards for tops
Bon appetit!
Aqua, the alfresco dining restaurant at The Park, has an all-new menu for the monsoon season. Tapas and BBQ platters are served in tents by the poolside.u00a0
The starters and salads section includes foie gras with spiced sultana chutney, mint, rocket and melba toast; roasted blue cheese pears with rocket and almonds; and prawn, calamari, iceberg and fish salad with sherry vinaigrette. The tapas selection includes tiger prawns with garlic, chilli, serrano ham and tomato salsa on crusty catalan bread; marinated artichokes and assorted olives; and spinach and feta empanadas.
The menu also has a selection of platters that can be shared by a group including a lovely ham and cheese platter - San Daniele with grana padano, smoked couburg with emmenthal, and serrano ham with fresh buffalo mozzarella. The barbecued non vegetarian kebab platter is a warm salad platter which has grilled zucchini with salmoriglio, barbecued babycorn, baby potatoes and peppers with rosemary, and roasted beets with thyme and feta.u00a0 There's also grilled prawns with basil butter; barbecued whole pomfret recheado; Parsi style banana leaf sea bass; and Oriental style ginger -orange duck; maple and rosemary basted spicy pork chops.
The barbecues also feature a fair share of vegetarian selections like grilled tofu, shiitake, leeks and hot mango sambal; spice and herb marinated mini cottage cheese steaks with guacamole; and barbecued baked potatoes with toppings. For dessert, there is dark chocolate and walnut tart.
Where: The Park Hotel.
Ph: 2559 4666
Wallet factor: Rs 1,500 for meal for two
As right as rain
"I have been in Bangalore for the last four years. I love the fresh breeze during the Bangalore monsoons. I live next to a park in Benson Town and it gets really pretty here when the rain washes away the grime and dirt from the streets. I love to sit in my balcony and watch the raindrops falling on the leaves. I have a large pair of Wellingtons, which I use during the monsoon. I am a very white person, and in the monsoon I continue to wear my white dresses and white trousers. If you see me taking a walk, you will find my trousers all rolled up and I will be carrying a pretty white umbrella. I'm also a soup person, and since I'm a vegetarian I love to have mushroom soup."
Laila Baker, CEO, www.bangalorebuddy.inu00a0
"I have been in Bangalore for the last two years. I love the way the air smells during the monsoon. I sleep well when it is pouring buckets outside! I also eat really well when it rains. In summer, I limit myself tou00a0 salads. But during the monsoon, I gorge on pasta with bacon and prawns, and lots of meat, fish and beef with red wine."
Paolo Nonino, co-owner and head chef, Via Milano and Colonial restaurants
"I have lived most of my life in different countries. I have been in Bangalore for a year now and I love the monsoon. I love to walk in the rain sometimes. In fact, sometimes when there's au00a0 drizzle, I like to go running. I also like to play soccer in the rain at a sports centre in Hennur. I have a special recipe of Indian pasta, which I think is so perfect for the season."
Gavin Rodrigues, spa professional, Amani
