‘Vadaa Paa’ chain in Chennai

Reported by P. V. Durga

The 'Vadaa Paa' joint in Nungambakkam

‘Vadaa Paa’ is a new food joint in different parts of the city.
The chain was started in February 2011.

As the name suggests, it exclusively sells the famous North Indian snack - the vada pav.

These vada pavs are freshly made and served. They are priced at Rs.15 per vada pav.

They also have an interesting “Double Tucker” offer wherein you are served two vadas in the same paav. This one costs Rs.25.

The Vadaa Paa joints are in Nungambakkam, Triplicane,  Gopalapuram, Kodambakkam and Anna Salai.


For more details visit www.facebook.com/VadaaPaa

Besant Nagar Fitness Studio has offers for summer

By Arathi Kannan

O2 Health Studio, one of the most well known fitness centers in the city has launched a brand new summer offer. This offer is called “Summer Shift” and offers upto 30% discount on annual gym membership. This offer is applicable for the inumerable number of fitness programmes the gym has to offer like general fitness, fast track weight loss programme, muscle gain, wellness combo etcetera.

In addition to this, the first 50 registrations get a free towel kit and complimentary aerobics and yoga. O2 has other offers for the summer as well like junior fitness, swimming camp, kids dance and yoga.

This health studio is located in Besant Nagar and has a number of well equipped cardio fitness and strength training equipments. The trainers are certified in fitness and ensure the clients get the service they wish for. The gym also conducts yoga, dance and Pilates classes.

For more details visit O2 Health Studio in Besant Nagar 7th Cross Street or call them on 044-4551670/8636.

A Real Stress Buster

By Arathi Kannan

With undue pressure mounting on students these days, it seems like almost everyone is in need of some professional help to cope with the stress. “Advising is not counselling” says Mrs. Shankari Mandiram, a psychologist who runs an institute that offers such professional help. Mrs. Mandiram believes that counselling involves a lot of empathy and not sympathy. “The counselor should have genuine concern and unconditional positive regard towards the client” she says.

She deals mainly with students and parents, especially the ones who need to build their self confidence levels. She says that the main problem parents face is anxiety about their child’s academic performance and overall development. The students on the other hand have many other problems like inability to concentrate in studies and peer pressure.

Her organisation, NISS Institute of Soft Skills Private Limited has its centre in Gandhi Nagar, Adyar and conducts various courses for students and their parents. Currently, she is conducting a summer course called “Smarter You”, a personality enhancement and soft skill training programme. She also runs long term courses that focus on psychological help and mentoring. These sessions last for over ten months.

Ask her about her future plans and she says “I am planning to start a mental conditioning course for students appearing for the IIT-JEE exam. I already have lots of clients who are under pressure due to that.”

Mrs. Shankari Mandiram can be contacted at +919940164661.

Guitar Classes at Thiruvanmiyur

By Arathi Kannan

A guitar class for beginners is being conducted in Thiruvanmiyur this summer. People of all ages are eligible to join. These classes are taken by Arun Kumar, a young law aspirant who has taken to teaching guitar because of his sheer love for music. Arun is a very passionate guitarist and has played onstage on various occasions.

These classes are held once a week at his residence. Students interested are asked to bring a guitar of their own.

The fee structure is as follows:

School students: Rs.150/- per month

College students: Rs.250/- per month

Office goers: Rs.350/- per month

For more information contact Arun Kumar on +919940489835.

Home-made Andhra pickles on sale

By P. V. Durga  

Lakshmi is a resident of Nandanam and is she is well-known for the traditional Andhra style pickles she makes and

A picture of the pickles she sells

sells.
 
She says her business started in March 2010.
"I was looking for Andhra pickles for my mother but I found all the pickles had preservatives and lacked the

traditional taste in them, so decided to make the pickle on my own, " she says.

Her friends also encouraged her once they found out that they were good.

She employs people in Guntur - her native town in Andhra Pradesh - to prepare the pickles. “My uncle takes care of

the preparation process there,” said Lakshmi.

She also said that no preservatives other than turmeric are added to the pickles she sells.

These homemade pickles are available throughout the year except during the November and December months (monsoon

time in Andhra ).

She also undertakes door delivery in areas like Alwarpet, Mylapore, Mandavelli, Nandanam, T. Nagar , Mambalam and

Saidapet.

Her address: Door no.7 , N Block no: 7, 5th Street, Lotus Colony, Nandanam, Chennai – 600035. Phone: (044) 6457

2233, 6457 6677. Cell: 9444183140

A Vaishnavite temple in Mylapore

By Raghav N

The Sri Vedantha Desikar Devasthanam, a temple located in Mylapore, is a historically significant place. It is considered to be where Peyalvar, the 3rd of the Vaishnavite poet saints known as Alvars, was born in the 7th century.

The ancient well in which Peyalvar was found as a baby is located in this temple. It has 10 shrines, devoted to different gods, the main shrine being that of Lord Srinivasa.

The well-designed temple was renovated recently.

The temple's website, www.svdd.com, is regularly updated, giving information about upcoming events and the temple in general.

The Sri Vedantha Desikar Devasthanam is at 11, K.P Street (near Chitrakulam) in Mylapore. For details, contact 2495 3799.

Dry Cleaners on C. P. Ramaswamy Road

By Raghav Nandakumar

Jawahar Dry Cleaners is located in Alwarpet, on C. P. Ramaswamy Road.

It is the only dry cleaner in the locality.

There is an interesting piece of history behind the place.

Till 10 years ago, this place was a popular departmental store called Jawahar Stores.

Jawahar Dry Cleaners be found at 25, C.P Ramaswamy road (near the Ranga Road junction). For details, contact 42108422.

English classes at P.S.High School

English classes are being conducted at P. S. High school in connection with the Cambridge ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages) programme.

The CUE English classes are conducted by A.V Shekhar and A.V. Meenakumari.

There are various levels - YLE (Young Learners English) consisting of the levels Starters, Movers and Flyers. The senior levels KET (Key English Test), PET (Preliminary English Test), FCE (First Certificate in English), CAE (Certificate in Advanced English), CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English).

The forms for taking the exams can be filled at the coaching centre.

A.V. Shekhar' contact phone is 9444971524.

Tholkappia Poonga open now only to students

By Bhavana Shiv Shankar

Tholkappia Poonga or Adyar Poonga on Greenways Road is a very interesting and beautiful place.
It has been developed with 1.4 lakh saplings of 172 native species, has a large water body and is home to birds and animals.
This is part of the Adyar River Estuary and was once a protected area with lots of bird and animal life on land and in water. It was later polluted and became a wasteland. The state decided to redevelop it again.
At present only groups of students are allowed inside the Poonga. Even teachers are not allowed unless special permission is taken.
The Poonga is open from 9 am to 12:30 pm and from 2 pm to 4:30 pm. The tickets for the entry are priced at Rs.5.
To reach this campus, you travel south on San Thome High Road and look for it after the Ayyappa Temple. You can also get here from the Mylapore side - turn left at the playground.

Art camp for children

By Bhavana S

An art camp in going on at the Global Art campus at Karpagam Avenue, R. A. Puram.

It is run by the director of Thejomaya, Uma Yogeshwaran.

The camp started on May 2 and ends on May 13. It functions from 9:30 to 11:30 am, 5 days a week.

The course includes free-hand drawing and global art for children of different age groups.

22 children have enrolled for the camp. They are taught different levels of shading and how to use pastels and colours effectively.

The contact phone number is 044-45535518 and the address is No.9, First Street, Karpagam Avenue, R.A. Puram, Chennai-600 028

Bistro opens in Alwarpet

By Raghav Nandakumar

A bistro will be formally opened soon on Bawa Road in Alwarpet.
It is called Ashvita.

It is a branch of Ashvita which has already been running as an art gallery and a food place for the past 4 years on Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai.
The bistro has had a soft opening.

It specialises in continental cuisine (Thai and Chinese) and snacks such as puffs and cakes.
Ashvita is open all 7 days of the week from 9 a.m. till midnight.

The bistro also sells homemade jams and pickles and recipe books. The interiors are chic.

Seating is both in open air and within the air-conditioned interior of the bistro, accommodating a maximum of 60 people.

The bistro is owned by Ashvin Rajagopal, son of the famous gynecologist Gita Arjun.

The new Ashvita is at 11, Bawa Road in Alwarpet. For details, contact 4210 9990.

Orly boutique in Lambeth Avenue, Alwarpet

By Raghav Nandakumar

Lambeth Avenue is a small cul-de-sac tucked away in the heart of Alwarpet, having just about a dozen residences. A few months ago, a store bearing the name of Orly opened here.
Filmmaker Rajiv Menon cut the ribbon, setting the pace for some brisk business. The store specializes in designer wear for men, such as kurtas and sherwanis.
The store is a small, modest place.
The building is a modified residence.
Orly is at 12, Lambeth Avenue (off Bawa Road) in Alwarpet.
For details, contact 2466 1299.

New coffee shop in T. Nagar

New coffee shop in T. Nagar

The coffee shop

By P. V. Durga

Caffe Crush is a new hangout for the youth in T. Nagar. It is on Habibullah Road.

This fifteen-day old shop has a nice ambience set to the theme of an English home side. You can sink into cosy couches here.

 It offers you a variety of cold and hot coffees and tasty snacks to munch on.

An associate of the owners said that Chennai was a very conservative place and it is only in the last few years that the people have started to come out of their personal spaces.

He said that the motive behind setting up this shop was to provide  customers with quality food and a place where they can relax and unwind.

The interiors

They plan to expand their menu once they receive a good response from the public.


The shop is located at New Number 72, Old Number 76/1,Habibullah Road, T.Nagar, Chennai – 17

Mangoes arrive late in City

Mangoes arrive late in City

By P. V. Durga

Mangoes, the fruit relished the most during the summer season seem to have arrived late at local markets.
At Kavita Stores in New Bazaar in T. Nagar, the store which is run by two brothers, there were limited quantities.
One shopkeeper said that the delayed ripening of mangoes and the
Assembly elections were the cause for the late arrival of the fruit.
Owing to the late arrival of mangoes, watermelons have been selling fast

A Neighborhood Bibiliophile

- By Nived S Bharadwaj (based on a live interview)

For many, their hobby would be collecting stamps or coins, but for Mr. Govindaraju (76), the passion and hobby is to collect and sell very rare books, some of which are as old as 100 years! Move over the Philatelists and Numismatists, here comes the veteran “Bibliophile”!

Mr.Govindaraju, who has been collecting books for the last 45years said his main inspiration was his father. “My father was a book collector. He used to buy and read a lot of books. After reading, he would also ask me to read and preserve the books. This way, I have managed a huge collection” Govindaraju said with a smile.

Govindaraju, who has a MA degree in Social Work and a Law Degree in Labour Matters, is also a retired Labour Law Consultant. The veteran claims that he has been moving all around Chennai to search and buy rare books. When asked about what he felt about his rare books collection, he mentioned that “These books are rare because they have rare information and not just because they are very old. This sort of information is not easily available nowadays”.

Govindaraju feels that nowadays the Electronic Media and e-Books are deteriorating the reading habit among people. “It is always better when two people talk to each other face to face, the same way reading books is an interactive process that provides a unique thrill”.
He adds “CD’s have come to narrate even very simple stories. Books have a personal touch. They don’t die. Reading builds character and makes man better!”.

However, Govindaraju feels sad that the present day generation doesn’t seem to have the habit of reading. ”The schools and parents want only academic results. They don’t want to give time for their children to read books, which are a big source of knowledge.” he said.
Overall, Mr. Govindaraju hopes things will take a turn for the better and the younger generation also realizes the huge value of reading books. He is there to help with his huge collection.

For those who share a passion for books, here are the contacts of Mr. Govindaraju:

Mr.Govindaraju
Rare Books
45/50, Second Main Road
R.A. Puram, Chennai - 600028
Telephone : 044 24936152
Email: renuka_govindaraju@yahoo.com