So in my whole friend circle, I know just one person who doesn’t possess a cell phone. One.

Over a period of time, we’ve grown so used to this handy device that life without it is quite difficult to imagine. I for one, would feel lost without one. I, especially find it useful when travelling - it’s so much more convenient than running around than find a phone booth that works!

I know that it was hardly a few years ago when cell phones were but novelties and we used to depend on landlines for communication. But within the space of a few years, this aspect of life has changed drastically. Today, it’s unimaginable not to have one.

In a way, not having a cell phone does have its advantages though. For example, when people said they’d meet you somewhere at an specified time, there was no option but to be there at that time. Whereas, today there’s the scope of calling, changing the time and cancelling even at the last minute!

And the other downside of the phone is that it can be quite an intrusion (especially from people wanting to offer you their free credit cards!), not to mention wrong numbers and crank calls. Also, people expect return calls immediately. I’ve often come across friends asking why I didn’t pick up their call. Or call back. Even if it wasn’t something important – that is not the point! The excuse we usually have these days is what if it’s something important and we feel obliged to pick up a call. But in the end, I think the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

So what do you feel? Is not having a cellphone a sign of not wanting to move with the times? Or just a personal preference that shouldn’t be a big deal?!

Okay, now let me confess that I’m not very big on chocolate or sweets. But that certainly didn’t stop me from trying this dessert place called Chocolate Painted Platters.

I took the opportunity to ogle at the different shapes & sizes. And take pictures. There is a poster with some cute chocolate related quotes, don’t forget to read through it!

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This is one great mystery for me.

Most of the time the food is nothing to write home about and not value for money. The waiters talk to you like you are a very sad life form that doesn’t deserve to exist, the place is noisy and you can literally hear the conservation on both sides of your table and beyond!

There’s this particular harsh review of the place here.

Not to forget the strangest experiences you have. Like this one that Suman and I had a few months ago.

Sometime ago, I was there with a few of my friends. We were chatting and making as much noise as everyone else. The waiter came up to us and told us to keep our voices down despite the fact that nearly everyone was talking as loudly!!

The other day, went there for breakfast with a couple of friends.

Can I have a tea with the lemon and milk separately, friend Sabir asks rather nicely.

You can’t, replies the rude waiter. You can have only lemon or milk.

Yes, but can I have it on the side, asks Sabir again.

No, replies, the waiter, we can only serve lemon or milk with one pot. And he adamantly refused to hear what Sabir was trying to say!

And yet, we continue to return. The regulars will swear by the place.

Why, I wonder? Is it the convenience? Or is it the atmosphere of the place? It’s one of those deep, dark mysteries, I tell you.

A bike trip to Coffee Valley, Hosamane

Well, yes. After many unsuccessful attempts to go on a bike ride, I finally did it. Of course, I still can’t ride one, but I found the second best thing – riding pillion. And I must congratulate my back and the other more sensitive parts (ahem) for lasting it out the more than 500 kms we covered to Sakleshpur and back.

Coffee Valley turned out to be a nice chilled out place tucked in a coffee plantation in a small town called Hosamane. “Leave the blackberry behind, experience pure magical beauty of this coffee country and the famed hospitality of the Hosamane family” it promised. And it was a promise they took seriously we were to realize, when we staggered out after the weekend, a few kilos heavier! The hosts are lovely people and make sure you don’t leave till you feel like stuffed potatoes.

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Following my post yesterday, there have been more interesting (and predictable) developments in the Indian public space.

People in the city of Jaipur are advised to indulge in private displays of affection instead (this is very much Indian culture, btw) and make loads of babies. It’s good for the country, people. Jai Ho!

Actually, this happens every year, but it never ceases to be amusing. I really think these folks need some TLC and are seriously pissed off because they’re not getting any. But till then, they resort to making unpleasant threats and “blacken faces” of those found making public displays of affection (making threats, btw is very much Indian culture!).

So keep your hands to yourself is the bottomline.

Now we all know that this V-day stuff is crass commercialization, reason for rose farmers to make more money, and for Hallmark to increase bottomline and blah blah. But for heavens sake! Have they heard of non-participatory tactics instead? And don’t they have anything to do - like find better ways to run the country? Or loved ones to hang around with? Eh?

Here’s something for V-Day (advisable to read in private only)

Metroblogging ® is the world’s largest network of city focused blogs, with over 700 bloggers contributing to more than 50 cities…

From San Francisco to Bangkok, from Karachi to Toronto, Mumbai to Bangalore, Metblogs are a hyper-local look at what’s going on in the city. Our hand-picked core of regional bloggers give each site a new perspective on daily life; less calendar listings, more friendly advice.

With Metblogs ®, you can read about life and times in your neighborhood, your favorite places to visit, places where you’ve never been, or get a feel for them all with the “best of” blog on the hub at metroblogging.com.

If you’re interested in being a part of the Bangalore Metblogs team, do shoot me an email at anitabora at yahoo dot com

The few things to note are that you need to be a Bangalore resident, passionate about the city and want to write about things happening in and around a few times a week! And we also meet up in person every once so often to gupshup, catch up, debate and discuss!

So what are you waiting for?

Stuff like this serves as much needed amusement, and bring a smile to my face on an otherwise seriously busy day!

The question that gets my attention:
Should couple’s be allowed to kiss in public like in paris?

And then I read on…

Response 1
what is the harm in it? if the partneres are loyal to each other & express their love to each other, place hardly matters for such thing like kiss. if a mother can kiss her kid in a public place then why not a lover. - why not indeed!

Response 2
no man more you cover more you have the value. america is super power but culture of usa is toooo dirty . india is developing country who culture is world famous. so be indian mere bhai.having kiss at public place show no love it is show off. if paris kiss rate is high there divoroce rate is also high and there childerens without parents. - i am speechless!

Response 3
First of all the question thats shoots up is there a necessity to kiss in the public.Even though u luv your parter to that extent, express it privately. Showing off ones love in public is not a good sign for a healthy relation - what is the necessity to kiss at all, i ask?!

Response 4
there is no harm kissing publically but we should never forget that it is not very safe doing any such activities in our country. If oyu kiss publically in western countries no one even bothers to look at you but if you do it in a place like patna in bihar you will definetly have to think about the consiquences. No harm in expressing our feelings but guys just be carefull while selecting the place. - what smart advise!

Response 5
i think in a country like india with our social structure it would be difficult. amen!

This bit about Response 3 tickled me: “Showing off ones love in public is not a good sign for a healthy relation”.

And I really appreciated the well meaning intent of response 4. “It is not very safe doing any such activities in our country.”

And despair not, there’s more entertainment!

On a more serious note, I don’t think the Indian public is mature enough to handle PDA (aka, public display of affection) as quite apparent from some of the responses.

It’s quite a pity really. If we conducted some of our PDA in public as the word suggests, who knows, we might be a less frustrated and less populated nation! :)