B Flat Bar !

Yesterday was a fun evening.

first there a was a little bit of a frantic hunt for a birthday gift. I tried to put myself into pri's beautiful flats (& sometimes big heels) and think of what i would like to give myself. I thought for a long time & looked at everything with a "is this a good enough gift?!!" eye but then i was too distracted....by the clothes at M&S, the new collection at Forever new and the lovely smells of Body shop. (No one else I know can make papaya smell so divine)

SIGH:) Shooopping!

well, finally we had the gifts in hand and made a mad dash to the party venue.....not without making a quick pit stop at KFC.

we chomped our hearts out & glugged bottles of water.It was a slow motion moment, i tell you.crispy fried chicken with melting cheese & warm bread. This heap of carbs is so sinfully delicious...its hard to look away.(I can almost hear my Gym instructor shrieking into my ear)

Bflat is on 100 ft road, HAL.

It has a nice lounge setting.A bar, running the length of the place, a small performance area which features upcoming artists & bands or doubles up as the screen area for the never ending cricket dramas in India. I have been there on more than one occasion but haven't really gone past 2 drinks or a kakori kabab at max.However, you'll need some solid daylight & some non alcoholic beverages to see the cracks in the wall and the missing doorknobs (if there are any).

so pri's birthday gathering was a good way to get to know it better.

Like any party scene, the drinks were pouring in......glasses being cleared & replaced in quick succession....food that disappeared fast enough & lots of hugs & voices in the air. we had everything from the innocent sounding mango bloom to the very spicy bloody Mary.

The starters were in good portions.The pork sweet & chewy.The beef spicy & the chicken favourful & light enough to have even some vegetarians dig into it.

The main course was forgettable.The chicken was very bland.very uni-dimensional in flavour & the rice didn't contribute much either.The Long island ice tea despite being pretty & potent didn't grab too many marks.

maybe a couple of drinks later.....it doesn't even matter......

Plans were made, accusations were thrown around,trips to the loo happened, glasses were clinked & forks were strewn around like soldiers in a battered battlefield, bye s were said & hugs exchanged.......what a lovely way of living it up right in the middle of the week!

CAFE FRESCO'S

It was a day set aside to enlighten ourselves about art and us, enthusiastic art geeks decided to pay our respects to the only decent Art museum in Bangalore, National Gallery Of Modern Art.

The NGMA is now in what was previously known as the Manikyavelu Mansion. A palatial house restored to its former glory . ....huge trees line the drive way and green lawns play silent spectators to the people who come here.

Vast lawn space with a water body and a very modern treatment to convert it into a museum.The steel, chrome and concrete blend perfectly with the white and do not create any disturbing visual noises. The amalgamation is as artistic as the contents inside the space.

We spent a good 4 hours pouring over canvases and frames, squinting our eyes trying to understand the art and the artist. Standing awestruck in front of some and wandering listlessly in front of a few others.

But once we were done soaking up the paintings and sharing our 2 cents worth....we decided to calm our complaining stomachs with some much needed grub.It was way past 3 and we made a quick dash to CAFE FRESCO's at Hatworks boulevard.

The place is set in what looks like a colonial looking house but its hard to really see the space in totality and describe it when you are that hungry and the desserts on display didn't make it any better.

We ordered versions of sandwiches which was served with a sumptuous portion of fat fries.

I ordered a Greek style sandwich filled with greens and roast chicken.....and i tried (but failed miserably at) not eating the fries.

I love the two seaters in the place.Small and cozy with tables and seats like picnic/outdoor furniture made of wooden slats. Perfect for a date and dessert. The extended area has very forgettable furniture ... seems like it was added as an after thought but the food is good and the portions are one of the best in Bangalore which always makes the place a delight to visit.

The kitchen would look better covered or a little more busy.With the open kitchen looking empty, it's not really a crowd pleaser.....me thinks.

The desserts will require another post. and I promise that one IS coming.There's New York cheese cake, blue berry cheese cake and a bunch of really gorgeous looking chocolate puddings and some very "south of north america homely" type pies. definitely worth some blog space.