BEST's New Seats

Did some shopping over the weekend. Hopped on board a BEST bus on our way back and noticed the new seats. Separate seats for each individual, unlike the earlier bench-style-faux leather trimmed-cushion ones. Plastic seats...in place of the sturdier metal frames used to bear our weight. The seats have been introduced ages back but they are new to me because I don't get to travel around my place in the bus. So my first impression was good—the seat felt comfortable and gave my back enough support. That does'nt really matter if the bus goes over a bump—the roads are still designed to jar you to the bone. But I noticed that taller and stockier people did not look very comfortable in them. The seats are meant for thin people with small buns. My friend said the seat would creak each time he shifted his weight. And he is not even obese!
I managed to take this photograph of a lady at the window seat, watching her whirligig twirl in the breeze. This seat has the most leg room. The girls sitting behind her were a bit unnerved when they heard my phone camera's shutter. I thought I was in for it...

Visitor from Oslo? You Don't Say!

It was a pleasant surprise! Someone from Oslo visited my blog and returned!
I had added the FEEDJIT widget (it rhymes, even) to my blog. I cannot remember whose blog I had visited when I came upon FJ. All I know is it's a fun widget. Someone from Dubai, searching for "sexy+bras" on Google, ended up on my Right Bra, Right Attitude post! That must have been a let down.
Anyway...so I rejoiced on the fact that I may have found a faithful Oslo-nian who likes what I write. Last night I visited my page once again, from my Nokia E51. Apart from Dubai and Texas, Oslo was still there — with 3 returns!
Awesome, I thought. I guess Europeans seem to like my writing more. Ahem! A minute later, it struck me...that wasn't an Oslo-nian visiting my blog. It was no European either...it was ME!
I use Opera Mini to browse the Web on my phone. The browser uses a proxy server, which reformats Web pages requested by the user and makes them suitable to be viewed on smaller screens. The proxy server (as you must have already guessed) is based in Oslo, Norway.
So there you have it. It was me all along — I had not clicked on "Ignore Me" on my FJ widget from Opera Mini. Noone from Oslo after all...Sigh.

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Update:
I just realised the Dubai searcher I mentioned earlier...did not Google "sexy+bras". It was "saxy+bras"!!

Kokum Juice on a Hot Day

I have been visiting a place near Dadar station for the past two weeks now. Each time I made my friend take me to a restaurant called "Mama Kane".
Mama Kane is a Maharashtrian joint, really old, I am not sure how old but by the feel of the place, I am certain it is over 50 years old. It is well known for its batata wada (colloquial for potato chops).
I spotted thalipeeth on the menu while my friend waxed eloquently about the kothambir wadey. They were delicious! We agreed that ever Saturday we will share a meal at Mama Kane.
Last week when we were at Mama Kane, I chanced upon Kokum Sharbat/Juice. It's been years since I have had Kokum juice. The first time I was made to taste Kokum juice, it was a mixture of a sweetish concentrate and cold water. The version at Mama Kane's turned out to be a more authentic version — mixed with cumin seeds and served in a little bottle. A great cooling drink on a hot summer afternoon. The picture shows an empty bottle — that means I liked it so much that I did not leave any for you to look at. (The brown packet in the background contain 4 piping hot thalipeeth for home.)
Today I could not make it to Dadar station, so I guess I will have to wait till another Saturday comes along.

Here are some links to information on Kokum:
- About Kokum on Upper Crust
- How to make Kokum Juice

- Here is a fancy looking batata wada/potato chop
- A great Indian foodie blog I came across while searching for info on Kokum and Thalipeeth: One Hot Stove

And finally, a review of Mama Kane