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<channel>
	<title>Game-For-Life?</title>
	<link>http://blog.awtaney.com</link>
	<description>Aj's take on life as it happens and and its little meanings!</description>
	<pubDate>Sat, 24 Jan 2009 05:18:59 +0000</pubDate>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1</generator>
	<language>en</language>
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		<title>Weli Deli - Taj Wellington Mews has some Good Food, Bad Service!!!</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Gameforlife/~3/mL68FilJuns/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.awtaney.com/2009/01/24/weli-deli-taj-wellington-mews-has-some-good-food-bad-service/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 24 Jan 2009 05:18:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ajay Awtaney</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Mumbai]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Review]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.awtaney.com/2009/01/24/weli-deli-taj-wellington-mews-has-some-good-food-bad-service/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[So, well, I&#8217;ve been to all the Taj properties in Mumbai and this one too, but never bothered to try out the Deli here. Finally did a working lunch here, and found out how the standards do not match Taj anywhere else.     The nice tucked away location which many people don&#8217;t [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://Mumbai.burrp.com/users/awtaney"><img alt="Burrp Logo" src="http://local.static.burrp.net/images/burrpLogo.gif" align="left" /></a>So, well, I&#8217;ve been to all the Taj properties in Mumbai and this one too, but never bothered to try out the Deli here. Finally did a working lunch here, and found out how the standards do not match Taj anywhere else.     <br />The nice tucked away location which many people don&#8217;t know about, gets you interested. you do have a choice of being seated inside or outside, and outside it is for us. The Waiter takes an amusing amount of time to come and take an order, and then acts fidgety as if not knowing what to do next there     <br />Over to the food. They do know how to make very good Orange Juice, fresh and not canned! They also know how to make good scrambled eggs I say. So much for breakfast. At Lunchtime, we went about with some Pasta . My regular Arabiatta sauce in Penne Pasta with Ham. Tasted lovely here <img src='http://blog.awtaney.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> They&#8217;d of course made a liberal helping of herbs in it.     <br />I say I like the place, except that the service is not Taj quality. Just putting up a few people in waistband coats does not make them Taj hospitality. They got to be much better than that! Hence, I take back 1 star and give them just 3 on 5!! </p>
<p>PS: Check out more Mumbai reviews by me at <a href="http://mumbai.burrp.com/users/awtaney" target="_blank">Burrp!</a></p>
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		<item>
		<title>United Coffee House - visit for the heritage!</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Gameforlife/~3/4Z1cMRvtMaM/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.awtaney.com/2009/01/03/united-coffee-house-visit-for-the-heritage/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 03 Jan 2009 12:03:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ajay Awtaney</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Review]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[delhi]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA["United Coffee House"]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Heritage]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Restaurant]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.awtaney.com/2009/01/03/united-coffee-house-visit-for-the-heritage/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ 
So, well, I was planning a coffee with a friend and we landed up at &#8220;United Coffee House&#8221; which is a full fledged Restaurant in the heart of CP. The place has a wonderful old world charm about it and plays songs from the 90s mostly, when i was a teenager and used to [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://delhi.burrp.com/users/awtaney"><img align="left" src="http://local.static.burrp.net/images/burrpLogo.gif" alt="Burrp Logo" /> </a></p>
<p>So, well, I was planning a coffee with a friend and we landed up at &#8220;United Coffee House&#8221; which is a full fledged Restaurant in the heart of CP. The place has a wonderful old world charm about it and plays songs from the 90s mostly, when i was a teenager and used to love Backstreet Boys and ricky Martin! The patrons were however families and usually on theother side of 35-40 it seems, as we found quite some senior citizens there !!! </p>
<p>So now to the grub. We wanted to call for some Alcohol and a plate of starters. They seemed to have a varied and long list of Wines, some which I had never even heard of. However my friend did inform me that the wines were good! I wanted to call for a beer, and they did not have a wide variety of beer though. They had a draught beer called Golden Eagle from the yesteryears! And for pints, they only had Heineken I guess, and Tiger. So Tiger beer was called for! Peanuts were served free of cost. </p>
<p>Next up, Grub included a Non Veg Kebab Platter which was big and huge! <img src='http://blog.awtaney.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';)' class='wp-smiley' /> the same was difficult to finish between the both of us <img src='http://blog.awtaney.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>The waiters were nice to us, and had a courteous look about them. The place believes in a Candle Light concept still, and they dimmed the lights and brought about candles at 7 pm I guess <img src='http://blog.awtaney.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> If you wanna go out for a nice romantic dinner, then this is the place to be! </p>
<p>Enjoy your time at United Coffee House !!! </p>
<p>PS: Check out more delhi reviews by me at <a href="http://delhi.burrp.com/users/awtaney">Burrp!</a></p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Gameforlife/~4/4Z1cMRvtMaM" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Barbeque Nation, Gurgaon - Barbequeing across the Nation!</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Gameforlife/~3/xUAVfoR_ajE/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.awtaney.com/2008/12/26/barbque-nation-gurgaon-barbequeing-across-the-nation/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Dec 2008 08:41:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ajay Awtaney</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Spice of Life]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[delhi]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[bbq]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[buffet]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[dining]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[experiential]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[grill]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[kebabs]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.awtaney.com/2008/12/26/barbque-nation-gurgaon-barbequeing-across-the-nation/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ 
Ok, well, I have been a fan of the Mumbai outlets for a very very long time. And I knew they opened up in Bengaluru, but I was surprised to find them in Gurgaon  I was catching up with a friend after a very long time in Gurgaon, and it was an apt [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://delhi.burrp.com/users/awtaney"><img align="left" src="http://local.static.burrp.net/images/burrpLogo.gif" alt="Burrp Logo" /> </a><br />
Ok, well, I have been a fan of the Mumbai outlets for a very very long time. And I knew they opened up in Bengaluru, but I was surprised to find them in Gurgaon <img src='http://blog.awtaney.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> I was catching up with a friend after a very long time in Gurgaon, and it was an apt place to look out for to settle in, have an experiential meal and chatter up! </p>
<p>The location was slightly hard to find, because it is not on the main Mehrauli Gurgaon Road and tucked away into a sidelane without any markers on the main road directing towards it. But once you make you way, you are in bliss heaven. </p>
<p>We made it there on Xmas day. The whole place was full of christmas cheer, people catching up on a &#8220;kebabish&#8221; Christmas Brunch and the works&#8230;. The place had a nice decor with 2 floors, a basement floor and a mezz floor on top of that. We went into the basement floor, and for a walkin on a hol, we got a nice quick response. </p>
<p>Going on, my lunch partner was not very hungry and got a very courteous explanation from the staff about the Barbeque Nation buffet concept. They also informed us about complimentary drinks for the day - a slew of drinks and one drink per buffet pax was free. The food is a good 500 bucks per pax wth unlimited buffet and starters&#8230;Both of us, then walked into the food with our eyes open! They have the flag which u can turn down to stop them from serving u any more starters. </p>
<p>Going over the list of the servings of day, they served us some of the kebabs on the nice grill setup in the middle of the table (also doubling up as an Angeethi (heater) for my friend to keepp herself warm!) and some directly into our plates. The helpings were generous, and I love all the food there always anyways. When I asked for a Veg platter for the day, they replaced my black plate with Green to signal that I should not be served anything non-veggie even by mistake. Kudos for the little things you do to ensure people have a good time </p>
<p>Well, there were 14kinda starters served, so i cannot remember all the names, right? They were all good. In the food, since we were already stuffed on starters, we had some bites of the food. I took some chana and laccha parantha and some salads, and then some desserts&#8230; which were kind of getting cold as maybe they were wrapping up for the afternoon! </p>
<p>overall a great experience, very roomy and nice. And at the end of it all, they gave us a christmas plum cake because they were celebrating christmas. i still wait reviews from my friend and the family as to how the cake was, but it looked delicious! <img src='http://blog.awtaney.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>Would love to come back some more! </p>
<p>PS: Check out more delhi reviews by me at <a href="http://delhi.burrp.com/users/awtaney">Burrp!</a></p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Gameforlife/~4/xUAVfoR_ajE" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Mumbai airport better than Delhi?</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Gameforlife/~3/K3nol3GynX4/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.awtaney.com/2008/09/23/mumbai-airport-better-than-delhi/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:19:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ajay Awtaney</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Mumbai]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[air travel]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[airports]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[delhi]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[lounges]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[delhi airport]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[mumbai airport]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[travel]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.awtaney.com/2008/09/23/mumbai-airport-better-than-delhi/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I am at least a regular at the Mumbai and Delhi airports by virtue of travelling between these 2 locations or travelling to other locations from these bases. The privatisation of both the Airports happened about the same time(till a few years ago, these busiest airports of India were run by the Airports Authority of [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I am at least a regular at the Mumbai and Delhi airports by virtue of travelling between these 2 locations or travelling to other locations from these bases. The privatisation of both the Airports happened about the same time(till a few years ago, these busiest airports of India were run by the Airports Authority of India, a government body).  And then i heaved a sigh of relief, that at least the long hours i spend at these 2 airports will now be well serviced.</p>
<p> Too bad then,some hopes have been dashed. i guess the mumbai airport developers have done a far better job of doing up the facilities and are working godspeed to turn around the airport. Most of their efforts are showing results. Lesser queues, smaler waiting times, better and cleaner airports, better counters, smoother checkins and the works. The lounges at the domestic as well as at the international airport have been made spacious and they don&#8217;t seem to be ever peaked out in my past 2 to 3 years of getting there.</p>
<p>However, delhi is not so great i tell you. the queues at the airport are never small, and the whole darn place has more &#8220;pillars &#8221; coming up rather than checkin counters. They are taking too longdoing things and i am thoroughly dissatisfied with my past experiences with them. They have a gem of a property there looking down upon the tarmac. Alas then, it always looks as if i walked into a trashcan. The last time i wasthere, the indian premier league tournament was on, and the whole of a cricket team was seated there with some sitting in each others laps. Now someone go there and do something, of pls ask jet airways to give me access to their business class lunge even when i fly economy <img src='http://blog.awtaney.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>P.S.: Posted from the clipper lounge at the mezzanine floor of terminal2 of mumbai airport, using my communicator e90.</p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Gameforlife/~4/K3nol3GynX4" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>The Media Sneeeeeeeze! aaaaChoooo!</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Gameforlife/~3/eawFkaF0m_s/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.awtaney.com/2008/09/14/the-media-sneeeeeeeze-aaaachoooo/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 14 Sep 2008 17:56:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ajay Awtaney</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Issues]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Spice of Life]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[TV Programming]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.awtaney.com/2008/09/14/the-media-sneeeeeeeze-aaaachoooo/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Have a look at this TV Grab. TV Channels are falling all over each other to get soundbytes that they would show just about anything~~ 
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://blog.awtaney.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/image001.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="184" alt="image001" src="http://blog.awtaney.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/image001-thumb.jpg" width="244" border="0" /></a></p>
<p>Have a look at this TV Grab. TV Channels are falling all over each other to get soundbytes that they would show just about anything~~ </p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Gameforlife/~4/eawFkaF0m_s" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Ganpati bappa morya -when mumbai meets!</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Gameforlife/~3/3QwV4Ov2ezY/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.awtaney.com/2008/09/05/ganpati-bappa-morya-when-mumbai-meets/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:36:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ajay Awtaney</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Community]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Faith]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Festivities]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Ganesha]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Ganpati]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Lalbaug]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Mumbai]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Spice of Life]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.awtaney.com/2008/09/05/ganpati-bappa-morya-when-mumbai-meets/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[  ok, so for the first time in eight months i am back on the blogosphere. It is 1045 pm approx and I just landed up in the queue to meet Lalbaghcha Raja, the most famous of the Ganpati mandals in Mumbai. 
on my way here, i realised a few humbling things in life. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3011/2825038692_21d27d7e50_m.jpg" alt="Entrance to Lalbagh" /> <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3071/2833504835_b5b433e107_m.jpg" alt="Lalbagh Ganpati 2008"> <br />ok, so for the first time in eight months i am back on the blogosphere. It is 1045 pm approx and I just landed up in the queue to meet Lalbaghcha Raja, the most famous of the Ganpati mandals in Mumbai. </p>
<p>on my way here, i realised a few humbling things in life. The most queer of them forms the caption of this blogpost&#8230; Ganpati season is when mumbai meets. I&#8217;ve been in this city of Mumbai about four years now, and i&#8217;ve seen this year on year and slowly becoming a part of it..in ganpati season, mumbai turns into one big harmonious community (it always was, but this part of the year&#8230;it shows). Everyone has a ganpati bappa at their home or at someone close to their&#8217;s home. People visit each other, perhaps more than they do in the diwali season, and they all make merry. Its a feast, with mumbai roaring to the auspiscious chants of &#8220;Ganpati bappa Morya&#8221;&#8230;</p>
<p> i walked about 1/2 an hour from the Lower Parel station to join at the end of the queue, and will spend most of the night here. And there are several ahead of me, waiting it out for the entire night just to worship the God. So the rich and poor all come together here&#8230;.thats the second realisation over the years, that Ganpati bappa is a great equaliser. Everyone waits to meet him here and greet him, no exceptions <img src='http://blog.awtaney.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>The third realisation is the economic aspect of the festivity. I am right now standing at perhaps one of the biggest and most famous pandals in mumbai. A newspaper trivia said that there were perhaps more than 1500 pandals in the city itself. All over maharashtra look around, and you&#8217;d perhaps see much more of them. So this is seasonal income for the artisans, the florists, the electricians, the security industry and so on and so forth. Let me try and figure out a number from somewhere and add that for your reference here later&#8230;but you do realise that by the grace of Ganesha, the resident god of Mumbai, there is a whole festive economy which feeds millions <img src='http://blog.awtaney.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> not just that, overnight, there turn up hundreds of roadside food and beverage stalls selling everything from the famour Vada pao to the filling Pav Bhaji to tonnes of other gastronomic delights. All that, to ensure while you are Queing up to meet the Gods, you are tanked up to see through the day.</p>
<p>Seeing the faith in Lord Ganesha, one thing i am convinced with is that India is a land of believers, where faith is not lost. If we could all combine our faith into one big melting pot and concentrate on making &#8216;India Shining&#8217; well, is a different thought altogether.</p>
<p>Here is three cheers to the spirit of Mumbai&#8230;&#8221;Ganpati bappa morya, mangal murti morya&#8230;agley varshi jaldi aaaaaa&#8221; <img src='http://blog.awtaney.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>PS: The ardous task of getting to see the God was fulfilled at about 9 in the morning when I finally got access to the main area right in front of the idol for a minute. <img src='http://blog.awtaney.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> It was gigantic, and smilin at you. The wait was worth it&#8230;&#8230; this post is not capitalised too much or may have spelling errors, but it was posted from my e90 &#8230; so excuse the same!</p>
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