Loving and Fooding!

I know that to make a dinner romantic, all you need is two pairs of clasped hands and two pairs of eyes mirrored in each other. The food could be caviar and champagne or two cans of coke and bread pakode. However, when you plan to take out a loved one for dinner, you want a quiet place, that fills your mood with romance. So, I looked at the most romantic restaurants that I have been to in the three cities that I have spent my life in, after the arrival of romance. Let me add that none of the restaurants I am talking about here are expensive, very handy for college goers or those who have just started drawing their salares.

New Delhi: Pebble Street

A pebbled street in Santa Fe, Colombia

It seems a long time ago that I used to go here. My first time was when I was fresh on my second job. Ever since I have recommended it to many people, and have had many dates with my beau then. Sometimes, visiting places here in Colombia remind me of this little place, because the floor is literally made of cut stones, resembling an actual pebble street. And many of the Spanish settlements of the olden days had the same for roads. So, the ambience gets a lot of marks for resembling like an old European colony. I remember dressing up in a long skirt and a peasant top once, to feel even more authentic. And don’t worry, the food is fantastic too. My favourite order used to be Mushy Buttons, a plateful of mushrooms filled with cheese along with a very spicy dip. Apart from continental, the menu also comprises of Indian and South-East Asian. I remember my Dad ordered Indonesian food there! You can check out the menu here. And now the best part: they serve liquor. Find out the time for happy hours!

Bangalore: Bewhaha

Whoever came up with this concept is an absolute genius. Yes, it is not just a café but also a concept. You don’t just get food for your tummy here, but for your brains too! You can choose to rent from sixty-five different board games, which you can enjoy while you munch on sandwiches, pakode, samosa or sip on the likes of Calvin Brew Milkshake (absolutely naughty and yummy!) or the Pan Galactic Gurgle Blaster. The service is tailor made for you to feel cool and cared for. There is even a person who helps you select a game and I have heard they also arrange for hobby workshops and hip-hop classes. The area is very near to Jyoti Nivas College and several offices, so that the crowd is always nice. Along with tables and chairs, they also have floor sitting, where you would often catch a big college crowd chilling out with a board game. Don’t fret, there are games for two people too. Just check this place out with your chosen one. And if you are alone, there are a range of books too!

Medellin: Bon Vent

Parque Lleras

At first glance, this is just an Italian fast food place. I have ordered pizzas from here, especially for my vegan friends, and they have loved it. Its difficult to find vegan food in this city. So, the reason I visited the place last night was for the thin but soft pizza crust. And I was pleasantly surprised. Its a small place tucked away in one of the corners of Parque Lleras. There are only five tables, only one person to wait on all and probably only one cook inside, but the food is lovely and inexpensive! We ordered a simple pepperoni pizza and a portion of wings in barbecue sauce and savored every bite. Their pizzas are square in shape; I found that easier to pick up. The romantic part is that the seating opens out into the pavement, which appeared to be less busy than other lanes of Parque Lleras. So, on a cool summer night, there is you and your bright eyes and good food. What else do you want? Oh, yes! Every place here serves liquor. There was a whole rack of wine bottles!

If you are in any of these cities and happen to take my advice about any of the above restaurants, lemme know if you liked them.

Frenchman's Creek by Daphne du Maurier

What could be more romantic than falling in love with a pirate who is as charming as any gentleman? In a sentence, that is the story of ‘Frenchman’s Creek,’ a novel by Daphne du Maurier, the author of ‘Rebecca.’ I have read romances in my time, but none can appeal to me more than this one right now. The heroine Dona is a married woman with two children. She is the rich wife, whose husband is slower than her, unmindful of the mild flirtation his friend Rockingham carries on with Dona. Bored of her life in London, Dona takes her two children and comes to Navaron, her husband’s property on the Cornish coast. And while trying to have some peace, she stumbles upon an adventure. She discovers that a French pirate, who has been terrorizing the neighbourhood has been hiding right on her property. When Dona tries to investigate further, she gets captured, only to discover that the pirate is a very educated, cultured person, who, just like her has taken to piracy only because of boredom. Dona joins his crew and has the time of her life. But her fun is short lived, as she realizes her responsibilities and refuses to sail away with her love. 

The story is an escape to a fantasy, which is ridiculously unlikely to happen. Daphne du Maurier herself wrote it at a time when she was overwhelmed by the worldly responsibilities of life. But its her. Her genius is felt in the suspense and the words chosen to create the romance. The impact I felt was a languid drowsiness that I let caress me like the winds on the Cornish coast. Dona is a woman who is present in each one of us women. She is the one who rebels against norms that patriarchal societies have bound her with and yearns for the same freedom that men save for themselves. 

Unfortunately, I am really happily married and the pirate I love is sitting in this room even as I type. So, I never get to do anything illegally exciting. But we’ve had our share of adventures. We still do, when the ordinariness of life springs unexpected surprises at us now and then.

Ingredients for a Yummy V day!

Cupid’s month is here. I am guessing a lot of pink and red in the shops to get you into a Valentine mood. Teddy bears, love coffee mugs, greeting cards; all that jazz. But what is it that could actually turn any given day into a real blast of romance? In my opinion, it is just the situation. He or she is there, you are there, but where are you? Is it a wedding, where she is fully decked up and blooming? Or is it a football match where he is sweaty and determined, all muscles ripping? Or maybe she is at her window, her hair undone, eyes scrunched up, staring at the dawn? Or the library, where his strong jaw is clenched in concentration over a physics sum? Sigh! I was once in a situation where my date and I were drenched in rain. I have written about it before, if you remember. However, every day there isn’t a ‘situation.’ Maybe that’s why mankind and nature, together have several ingredients to make things happen. Not just anything, romantic things!

Consider flowers. I would say red roses, even though it is a cliché. Nothing is more romantic than the smoldering, velvety petals of a red rose. Needless to say, it’s scent is an aphrodisiac that has powers that nature has generously given for our benefit. Why not make the best use of them?

Coffee can excite the mind. The caffeine in it can elevate you out of your laziness and spur you into action. Find out how it is an aphrodisiac here. Share a cup with him or her on V day. Then come back and tell me what happened. (Wink!) 

Chocolate. Dark, dark, dark! The darker the chocolate, the more it makes a woman loosen her hair. So the scientists say. As a woman and a die-hard chocoholic, I can tell you those scientists are absolutely right. 

Music can perform miracles too. It could be the lyrics of “Pal pal dil ke paas,” or the steam in “Bheege honth.” Or how about Bryan Adams crooning “Have you ever really loved a woman,” or Chris Issak’s “Wicked Games.”

Candles can drive away more than just darkness. Switch off the lights and burn one this Valentine’s day and find out how. There are so many in the market. Choose one in your favourite colour and scent. Maybe tranquil lavender or yummy vanilla! 

Try the above five and let me know if it worked. Happy Valentine’s Day.

Please do things to my heart

Make my beat stop and start

Just ask to be mine

Please be my Valentine