Have you ever played with fruits? Let’s not get too twisted here. I am only talking about stomping on grapes. Where you ask? Grover Zampa Vineyard. Grover Zampa is located at the foothills of Nandi Hills. It is one of the oldest vineyards in India. It is around 410 acres wide and offers interesting activities for you to indulge in. The tour in this vineyard includes a guided tour that takes you through the entire process of winemaking. The process […]

What will you find in a Geology museum? Rocks. What will you find in a Historical museum? Artifacts. What will you find in a brain museum? Brains. Every brain has a ‘yarn’ to be untangled and you can spend years trying to unravel all of them. Now that we have this sorted, let’s proceed. Did you know one of the most extraordinary museums at NIMHANS has preserved over 600 samples of human brain? The number is increasing every year. The […]

When you get back on a motorcycle after a long break it’s as if you have taken a breath after being under water for far too long – Jerry Smith, Cruiser Been a long time since you rode a bike and hence skills got a bit rusty? There are several ways you can get back in the game. The love for riding motorcycles never dies. So if you have taken a break owing to family obligations or economic situation or […]

Meditation is a very popular technique being used by millions around the globe. It is about 4000 years old, at least. In the last few years, we have seen meditation build its presence as a lifestyle trend. However, despite this very few people are aware of what meditation really is. Unfortunately, I am no expert on this subject either. There have been many debates on how meditation signifies a clear mind, digital detox and the calmest brain state. However, there […]

Need a cup of refreshingly exotic beverage? Well, how about a cup of tea that dispenses the most flavorsome experience when paired with a scrumptious bite. Infinitea was first launched in 2003 on Cunningham Road, Bengaluru. Bengaluru was known to be brimming with coffee drinkers until then. However, Infinitea has revolutionized the beverage culture. Infinitea is perceived to be India’s first tea bar marking its debut in Bengaluru. South India being more inclined towards a coffee drinking ritual, opening a […]

Great food. Brilliant company. Idiosyncratic self. When you enter Koshy’s, its like you have entered another world – it could either be your blissful place or a space where your thoughts are elevated to another level. A restaurant on St. Mark’s road that has been running for over 70 years creating an ambiance that is exclusive and somewhat special. Koshy’s is an emotional experience that not only includes mouth-watering food but a full-fledged discussion on anything or everything under the […]

The Summer Palace of Tipu Sultan was constructed in 1784 within the premises of Bangalore Fort. Tipu Sultan used it as a summer residence. The palace is an incredible blend of Indo-Islamic architecture. Hyder Ali, Sultan of Mysore, had started the construction of this palace during his governance however it was completed by Tipu, Hyder’s son, in 1791. Post Tipu Sultan’s death in 1799, the British Administration used this palace as their Secretariat. Today, both the Bangalore Fort and Tipu […]

Mayi Gowda, the owner of Blossom Book House, was a former engineer who started to sell books in 2001. Initially, he sold books on the pavement outside his hostel. Soon, he owned three floors of books and today there are two Blossom shops on Church Street. Blossom is a bookshop where you will find any book that you are looking for and at times even discover ones that to the very moment you didn’t know existed. If you aim to […]

Helmets are mandatory and the rules to wear a helmet while riding are becoming more stringent than ever. However, its mandate use doesn’t fail to spur a debate. It was more than a 100 years ago, around 1914, when the first head protection for the motorcycles was introduced. Dr. Eric Gardner, a British physician, initiated an idea to prevent the head from injuries with a shellacked canvas shell covering. This first helmet soon became mandatory after it reduced the number […]

Binging is something we all love to do. Okay, let’s say most of us love to do! Now whether its binge watching Game of Thrones or binge eating Hari Super Sandwiches – they definitely set you on a high! The latter is indeed gastronomically nurturing. It was 18 years ago when a family from Hindupur decided to bring their legendary creation, the Hindupur style sandwiches, to Bengaluru. They opened their first outlet in Jayanagar, 3rdblock, Aurobindo Marg. It started as […]

Lavonne is not just a café you to go to gorge on those finger-licking pastries. The Lavonne academy was first introduced in India in 2012 by Vinesh Johny and his co-founders Avin Thaliath and Lijo Eapean. This academy is affiliated to City and Guilds in London. The core purpose behind Lavonne’s introduction was to initiate pastry making as a mainstream career choice. They even have a delightful patisserie connected to their academy. This bakery offers the most unique and delicious […]

Right till the 1960s, Jayanagar was considered one of the largest urban settlements in Asia. Then a suburb, built as a southern extension to the city, it saw the transformation of several villages into a developed area. This sprawling locality, spanning nine blocks, comprises Siddapur, Yediyur, Thayappanahalli, Bairasandra, Karisandra, Kattapalya, Ragigudda, and parts of Sarakki and Lakkasandra villages – The Hindu, 2013 Jayanagar was established in 1948. According to a few resources, the name Jayanagar was derived from the first name […]

In 2016, Jeffery Archer visited Bangalore to launch his fabulous book. If only I could remember the name of the book. BBC News talked a bit about this event in one of their articles. They wrote – “While addressing the audience at the launch Jeffery Archer commented, ‘A woman walking on the pavement overtook my car eight times and my car overtook her eight times. Two more times and we would have been engaged. I’ve visited Bangalore many times in […]

“When the fabled founder of Bangalore, Kempe Gowda, set out to build his dream city in the early sixteenth century,” writes George, “his mother gave him two instructions: Keregalam kattu, marangalam nedu. Build lakes, plant trees.” In stark contrast now, most parts of Bangalore have turned into steel and concrete jungles. It’s once empty roads are choked with traffic congestion that would give Beijing a run for its money; a large section of the city suffers from water crisis; and, […]

Conversations can be very informative, entertaining and at times it can completely throw you off your seat. I heard something the other night that literally did the latter. I have always enjoyed learning and reading about bike riders who go for these exhilarating road trips. A road trip on a motorbike is also on my bucket list. However, the maximum distance I could think of bikers covering is about 200-300 kms. But when I heard a friend talk about a […]

To every woman around the globe, I am writing this letter to thank each one of you for seeking freedom, fighting battles, aiming for transformation, finding an honorable place for yourself in this politically and the socially entangled world. I want you to look into the mirror and thank yourself for all the days you had to step out of your comfort zones to courageously face new challenges. Thank yourself for speaking up and changing a life – a sister, […]

          Every picture, living being, and the place has a story to tell. We love the ‘charisma and magic’ of historical places. The truth is that every nook and corner of our city Bengaluru has the most alluring and mysterious past/history. It is mysterious because there are countless beliefs but we really don’t know the truth. One such place is Marathahalli. Let’s start with the name. The name Marathahalli is derived from the Sanskrit work ‘Maruti’. Maruti […]

The concept of Electronic City was initiated and developed by R. K. Baliga, the first Chairman and Managing Director of Keonics. His purpose was to make Bangalore the Silicon Valley of India and that’s how Electronic City came into existence. In 1978, Keonics established Electronic City on 332 acres of land in Konappana Agrahara and Doddathogur villages. Today, Electronic City is an outsourcing capital of the world. Electronic City is located in South Bangalore on NH-7. It is the biggest industrial park […]

If motorcycle is how you travel to work everyday then being a skilled rider is a must for you. Mastering balance and control is needed to ride efficiently in congested/crowded areas. You need to be even more skilled if you are traveling with a passenger. As an experienced rider, you need to do your bit to assure that passenger is comfortable and secured. After all, the pillion is entrusting you and your riding skills with his/her safety. Firstly, check that […]

Road Trips on a motorcycle can be brilliantly summed up in 3 exquisite quotes: ‘The perfect man? A poet on a motorcycle.” – Lucinda Williams “Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere and sometimes in the middle of nowhere you find yourself.” – Stacy Westfall “On a bike no one ever asks, “Are we there yet?” – Stacy Westfall Road Trip – these two words can bring a sense of ‘exhilaration’ and ‘fiery enthusiasm’ for a bike rider. Bike riding through […]