Issue 34

Thursday, June 27, 2013

streetspicks Butter Lounge

Butter Lounge, located at Patto in Panjim, is considered one of the best party spots in town. There’s a reason for that – they have different theme nights on different days of the week. There’s Funky Saturdays – for the Saturday night crowd who want to let their hair down after a hectic week. On Tuesdays it’s Retro nights with Old Skool, Retro and Rock n Roll so that even the older generation can party a bit. On Wednesdays it’s Cosmopolitan nights and the attention shifts to the ladies with free shots and stuff. On Thursdays it’s time for some of the coolest underground Deep House, Tech and Minimal – absolutely no commercial sounds.

Well, you get the picture. Plus some of the best DJ’s around.

At Patto, Panjim. +919822126262

Down the Road

Down The Road is surely one of the more popular hangouts of the real Ponjekars and is a good place to soak in the party vide of the capital city, a vibe quite different from that of the north Goa coastal belt. This is where you will meet the regular folks of Panjim out to have a good time with friends in the friendly neighbourhood watering hole. According to regulars, the best thing about DTR is the affordable pricing so you can really party without burning a hole in your pocket. The second thing is it’s close to home, so you don’t have to drive for long after a night out on the town. And the most important thing: it knows the musical and other tastes of the regulars. The great thing about DTR is there’s something for everyone. There’s Chinese and global food dishes, live music, karaoke, DJ music, dancing, sporting action on the TV and loads to drink.

Near Patto bridge, Panjim. 8087649050, 9823173757.

LPK Waterfront - Superclubbing in Nerul

To experience true madness on a Herculean scale, you’ve got to visit LPK Waterfront, ‘India’s first Super Nightclub’, as it bills itself, down by the riverside in Nerul. Made entirely of mud and stone, the place is somebody’s psychedelic dream come true – or gone riot. LPK has taken a conscious decision to stay away from the trance and club music which is played at many other nightclubs and party spots. The emphasis here is on international chart-busters from all over the globe because of the international crowd which requests songs of their favourite artistes. While the European tourists request Euro pop hits, the desi domestic crowd clamours for Bollywood hits and the DJs throw in hip-hop chart busters for extra measure. Our Goan crowd troops in to add to the mix on weekends. “Most clubs play club music, but the people who come here come from abroad and they want to listen to more funky music and the new hits,” say the DJs. “Nobody leaves the floor.”

At Nerul. 9096939351, 9326733292.

June 28 Dine and Dance

Dance to world melodies of ‘Music Fever’ featuring Jonathon and Nashvin.

Zuperb, which launched in December with a live performance of Latin music by bassist Colin D’Cruz and drummer Carlos Gonsalves, features different musicians.

It’s a European/ Continental restaurant best known for European/ Continental food and is located on Holiday Street – look for the road opposite the Calangute Mall. They also serve Indian, Chinese, and Goan. @ 7.30pm onward At Zuperb, Holiday Street, Calangute.

9869076107, 9820134503, 9833156510.

June 27 Thursday Night Live

Featured this week at the Sofala in Nerul is Indian classical singer Shubhangi Joshi in an impromptu fusion jam session with jazz and pop singer Chrystal Farrell. The two will be jamming together for the first time, so the jugalbandi sounds like it is going to be interesting. The Sofala is well known for their live jazz music and other acts on Thursday nights. It’s not often that you get a chance to see and hear some happening fusion music in Goa. It’s tonight. A trained student of Indian Classical Music, Shubhangi has studied with Mrs. Shobha Abhyankar for over 10 years in Pune. She has performed from a very young age, and has given numerous stage performances in both classical and light music all over India and abroad. A versatile singer, she has recorded albums of the World Music / Relaxation / Meditation genre. Recently she recorded an album ‘Saqi Lounge’, accompanying the noted Ghazal singer, Ghulam Ali. She has also recently launched her first solo album, ‘Krishnagaan’.

At The Sofala, Bhattiwaddo, Nerul @ 9 pm . +91 832 6714141

Gen Next Goan Divas

music & nightlife | 03 New stars in music

Clubs/Bars/Lounges/

July 2

Delicious food and lovely music At Margao @ 10 am to 11.45 pm +918322712899

With “Artis3” (Anthea, Bosco and Sammy) @ 7.30 pm onward.

At Zuperb, Calangute

Raissa’s Sheesh Mahal Lounge

Club IANOS

Club & Global Cuisine Calangute, Baga Road 0832 6528283

lowdown | 06

Women’s Soul

With DJ Anika At Malts n Wines, Baga @ 9 pm +918308721200

food | 07 Dining out on the streets

Tardy Thursday

With DJ Kiran At Club Margarita, Colva @ 8 pm +91982325900/+918322789728

Thursday Night

With DJs Yuri & Brandon At Cafe Mambos, Baga @ 8 pm +919822765002/+918322279895

photo essay | 10

Thursday Night

São João and the Goan soul

With Newton & DJ David At Kamaki, Baga @ 8 pm +919823276520

feature | 11

June 27

Going down under

With DJ Amit, DJ Milind, DJ Ross & DJ Kriss. Every Friday Blu Nights. Every Sunday Retro Metro.

Enjoy the open air lounge and the Indoor Disco. Come late evening, the place shifts gear into intimate mode. Shadows and candlelight set the mood. Indulge in cocktails ,champagne and cognac, in their contemporary Lounge or Disco indoors thrilling to the state-of-theart lighting and sound system, while rocking to the rhythms of world-famous DJ’s.

At F Cube, Lounge - Disco, Arpora +91 832 2275796

cover story| 12 Gun culture in Goa

arts & entertainment | 15 Dazzling Konkani show

Pulse Night

June 28

Special Ladies Night

With Guest DJ & Aggie At The Radisson Blu, Cavelossim @ 8 pm +918888061199

June 29

feature | 18

Sexy Saturday

With DJs Rinton, Mr.E & Joel At SinQ Beach Club, Candolim @ 8 pm +919765400534

Lingerie for your love

explore | 19 Top book spots

Evening of Classic Retro, with “The Taylors”

(Desmond and Ryan) on Acoustic guitars and Vocals. @ 7.30 pm onward At Zuperb, Calangute

Sizzling Saturday

With DJs Navin & Spike At White House Restaurant & Bar, Dona Paula @ 8 pm +918322453839

sex | 20

Rhythm and Blues Live

Need som Lovin’

At Cavala beach Resort, Calangute @ 9 pm +918322276090/+91 8390055518

fashion | 22 Falon’s got style

June 30

Salsa Night

At L’Orange, Marquis Vaddo, Candolim @ 8 pm to 11 pm +919970173606/+919823291413

Wine and Dine and sing along,

June 27 to June 30 Smoking Chutney live

Every Thursday At Malts N Wines, Baga @ 9 pm +917875242960

On-going

Pickled Mango

Multi Cuisine serving culinary delights from around the world with different music themes every night. Môn: music fever. Tue: in-house music. Wed: karaoke burning. Thur: in-house music. Fri: one man band by Joe. Sat: karaoke burning. Sun: in-house music. @ Resort Rio, Arpora @ 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm +918322267300

Souza Lobo

Oldest restaurant on Calangute beach With live music in the evenings. Different music themes every night. Môn: Nelson & Leo. Tue: Nezz and Neka. Wed: Lui one man band. Thur: Nelson and Leo. Fri: Just Leo. Sat: Victor & Sol. Sun: Valentino.

At Calangute Beach @ 8 pm +918322281234

Fort Aguada Beach Resort

Mon: Estella Pinto. Tue: Mac Dorado. Wed: Estella Pinto. Thur: Savio. Fri: Darryll. Sat: Natasha.

At Sinquerim, Candolim @ 7.30 pm +918326645858

Martin’s Corner

Authentic seafood and Goan cuisine along with live music every week. Môn: Shane.

Tue: Karaoke by Jonny. Wed: karaoke Francis Paul. Thur: Ashley. Fri: Karaoke by Johnny.

Sat: Shane. Sun: Kenny, Bonny.

At Betalbatim @ 8 pm. +918322880061

Night By Night Every Monday Hindi music

At O’ Goa, Hotel Fidalgo, Panjim @ 8 pm to 11 pm 2226291

Every Tuesday

Retro & all Time Hits

Retro hits played by DJ Aggie At Radisson Blu Resort, Cavelossim @ 9 pm onwards +918326726677 / +91 8888061199

Every Wednesday

Tuesday – Country Rock

At Café Mojo @ 10 am to 11.30 pm +91 9850980091/ +91 9860010061

Ladies Night

At Soul Souffle, Uddear, Verna @ 8 pm +918322782100/ +919404312100

Russian Ecstasy Nights

At Radisson Blu sort, Cavelossim beach @ 9 pm +918326726666/+918888061199

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Jam Session

A musical adventure with Goa’s one & Only Zezhinio At Sweet Chilli, Sinquerim @ 7.30 pm +91 9820820254

Retro, Rock n Roll & Old School With DJ Saby Fernandes spinning Retro, Rock n Roll At Resort Rio, Tambudki, Arpora From 8 pm to 10.30 pm +919552538203/ +919011015959

Wednesday Nights

Featuring DJs David and Ashley At Kamaki, Baga @ 7.30 pm +91 9923093408/ +918322276520

Every Thursday

Thursday Grill and Games Music, games & barbeque At Soul Souffle, Verna @ 7 pm to 10 pm 2782100, +91 9764694321

Every Friday

Ladies Night and Hoteliers Special At Radisson Blu Resort Cavelossim @ 9 pm +918326726666/ +918888061199

Gen Next Goan Divas Veeam Braganza

By Andrea Fernandes

I

t is rightly said that Goans are born with music in their blood. A Goan does not need an occasion to break into a song, be it at a festival, wedding or a birthday party. For some, music is the food of life. Let’s take a look at three Goan young ladies who have managed to gain name and fame through their very special voices.

Veeam Braganza started singing at age eight. She says her fondest musical memories are of performing with music maestros like Chris Perry, Jazzy Joe and Graeme Hamilton. Her preferred genres are soul and the blues. Veeam credits her father, Tiatrist Alphonso ‘Bond’ Braganza, as her greatest musical influence. At eight he released her first Konkani album ‘Mhaka Jievonk Di’, after which came ‘Mhozo Hero’ and ‘Johnny Johnny’.

Today Veeam performs locally as well as internationally. “I have travelled to the Middle East, Spain, Amsterdam, Italy, Lithuania and Latvia, and all this for music. I totally feel blessed,” she says.

Veeam sets herself and her audience on fire when she steps on stage and is

hailed as the second Lorna. She says there is a lot more she dreams of having.

The world is her stage.

Sonia Shirsat

Fado singer Sonia Shirsat is a favourite of Konkani music lovers. Rated as the best fadista around, Sonia has been singing the semi-classical genre professionally for the last 12 years. She has performed in Goa, Daman, Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Luxembourg, Macau, Lisbon and Canada.

The release of her first solo album, ‘Saudades de Fado’, proved that Sonia’s global potential. After ‘Saudades de Fado’ in 2010, then came along ‘Uggddas’ in 2013.

Turn to page 6

6 The Lowdown Photographs by Ananda Krishna

from page 6 Celine Dion and Britney Houston are her favourite singers, and her favourite genres are pop, Hindi ghazals and Konkani. She took up singing professionally in 2002. “I started at home, singing along to the music we listened to in the family, matching my voice to Whitney Houston and Toni Braxton,” she says.

The 33-year-old singer’s father is a Hindu doctor and her mother is a Catholic teacher.

She grew up in rural Ponda, then studied commerce and law, before taking up a job as a lecturer in a law college. All along, she sang and never parted with this love. Her mahogany-rich voice is soothing to the ears.

She learned to sing on her own.

Sonia won nearly every major singing competition in Goa while still in her teens, led a band to the semi-finals of the Saregamapa Challenge on Zee TV in 2000, and even won a trip to France that year for topping the national French Nightingale competition sponsored by Alliance Française. Sonia Shirsat received the Yuva Srujan Puraskar for the year 2011-2012 in the field of music.

This singer with her uncannily powerful voice has become India’s first musical sensation in the world of Fado. When asked if she had to tell people something about herself that they wouldn’t know, she says, “I would like to tell them that I live in Ponda.”

Onshore

Crown Casino

Crown Casino is Goa’s latest addition to the fast growing gaming industry. Owned and managed by SOL Entertainment Private Limited (A Sugal & Damani Group Venture), the casino is located in one of the awardwinning 5 star hotels in North Goa where patrons can enjoy a panoramic view of the Mandovi River from the glass walls of the casino. The Crown Casino offers a range of table games.

12:00 noon-06:00am | All days Behind Old Secretariat, 1st Floor, The Crown Goa, Bairo Alto Dos Pilotos, Jose Falcao Road, Panaji.

9158883461, 0832 2222822/2222833

Chances Casino

At Vainguinim Valley Resorts +918322456683/4/5/6 Email: sales@chancescasinoresort.com

Gold finger Casino

At Vainguinim beach, Dona Paula +918322454545

Casinos Treasures

At Majorda beach resort, Majorda +918322881111

Casino Paradise

At Neo Majestic, Porvorim +918326710101

AkshadaTalaulikar AkshadaTalaulikar, better known as Akshada Puranik, is another wonderful Goan singer. Her voice is similar to that of Asha Bhosle. Hailing from Cuncolim, Akshada started off singing in Hindi and English and then moved on to semiclassical, both in Marathi and Konkani.

She started singing 17 years old. A tom-boy as a child, she never took music seriously even though her mother was a good singer.

She has completed her graduation in commerce and is currently pursuing her MA in Hindi. When asked what rocks her boat besides singing, she responds: “I look forward to acting in a drama someday if any director approaches me.”

She has been learning music for the last seven years from two different teachers: Pandit Sudhakar Karandikar and Pandit Kamlakar Naik. Married to a musician, she has a child who keeps her busy.

The Lowdown Sussegado. Fun. Sun. Beach. Heritage. The list of things that come to mind when you think of Goa is long, but doesn’t generally include items like AK-47s or Glock pistols. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the number of guns in Goa and the state’s gun culture are clearly on the rise. It’s our cover story of this week’s Goa Streets. Here, we present you the whole story – well researched, meticulously documented and carefully written. We hope this article sheds light on an important issue for the state.

To be sure, not everything we’ve written about this week has to do with heavy topics like weaponry. To prove the point, take a look at our piece on a different kind of culture also taking root in Goa – that of lingerie appreciation! Or our story on three lovely Goan singers, or Miramar’s yummy ‘eat street,’ or our piece on a wonderful extravaganza of Goan song and dance. On these pages, we take you to some fantastic book shops to help you while away the monsoons and we give you an insightful interview with up-and-coming Goan fashion designer Falon D’Cruz. And be sure not to miss our story on the sad state of Goa’s subways.

The Goa Streets Team Her rich voice is easily recognized in Goa through frequent radio jingles sung by her. Once upon a time she was also a part of ‘Alcatrazz’ band. She has also been an anchor for the local TV channel ‘In Goa’. In the year 2009 Akshada Talaulikar was awarded the Mangalore Global Konkani Music Award for Best Female Singer.

Akshada explains,“People have a habit of portraying someone as a singer of a particular genre, but I feel that if one wants to sing, then singing a song in any genre is possible,” she says, adding, “I would love to sing in tiatrs as well.” 

Offshore

Casino Carnival

Entry Rs 1,500/ Enjoy free unlimited snacks, veg and nonveg buffet dinner, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Andloads of live entertainment.

At Panajim.

Open 24 hours 8888807256

Casino Royale

Casino Royale Goa is India’s largest and most luxurious offshore gaming vessel. Anchored in the Mandovi, Casino Royale Goa creates an ambience that is at par with gaming destinations worldwide, with international games such as poker, baccarat, blackjack, and roulette, and serviced by dealers trained to the highest global standards. A family destination, it also has a kids’ room where trained staff look after the little ones. Open 24x7.

Entry: Rs 1,500 per person on weekdays (Mon-Thu) and Rs 2,000 on weekends (Fri-Sun).

Boarding Point: Fisheries Department Building (6 pm-6 am only), Opposite Mandovi Hotel, D. Bandodkar Marg, Panaji; and Noah’s Ark Jetty, D. Bandodkar Marg, Panaji 0832 6519471, 0832 2433289.

Casino Pride

Captain of Ports Jetty, Panjim +918326710101/111/ +91-832-6519641 www.casinopridegoa.com

Feedback In our June 20th edition, Streets reported on speed breakers in Goa that take lives instead of saving them. The article stirred quite a few responses from readers. Here are some of them: Superb choice of topic. I have been meaning to cover that aspect of the N number of speed breakers, which are annoying off course, but there are a few which are really dangerous. Especially in the north. - Deepansh Bhatnagar Great article. Zero standards on the Goa speedbumps, also they are rarely properly painted. Total death traps. - Aaron DeMello Saw a terrible accident a day or so after these were set up with a huge truck turned over, first thing I thought was it was done shabby. - Tribe Eva First speed bump death I saw was 20 yrs ago... speed bump appeared overnight...by the football ground Anjuna...poor Scandanavian girl went flyin... why do they do this? Why do they put them at night with no markings or warnings? death traps... damm them - Amazon Swallow Well, I came off my scooter going over a speed breaker in Morjim in October with my son. It was unmarked and new... I broke my pelvis and my sacrum... thank God my son was mostly ok... they really need to sort this shit out!!! - Ruth Van Straten Are you guys serious about this? Hello Speed kills period, city limits, school zone etc should not be more than 30 mph, if you real want speed try the so called (high-ways) - Leonel Fernandes

Your effort for Uttarakhand

The floods in Uttarakhand have taken a heavy toll of human life, killing over 800 and rendering thousands homeless. You can contribute your donation towards the Uttarakhand disaster through CaritasGoa, the charitable institution, which has already started working among the affected.

Cheques and demand drafts can be drawn in favour of Caritas-Goa, a/c 18046 Corporation Bank, Panjim branch (with a note that the amount is towards the Uttarakhand disaster).

Chief Advisor - Steven Gutkin • Publisher - Marisha Dutt • Editor - José Lourenço • Senior Correspondent - Ashley Do Rosario • Business Manager - Praveen P • Sales Executive - Kedar Prabhugaonkar • Sales Executive - Vincent Kola • Data Entry Operator - Radhika Naik • Photographer - Ananda Krishna • Administrative Assistant - Nilesh Shetgaonkar

7

streetspicks Allegria

Part of the Taj Exotica, Allegria serves high quality Goan and Portuguese food. On the menu are all the classic Goan dishes like Chicken Cafreal, Pork Sorpotel and Kullanche Mass Kottnim, which is crab meat in a shell, plus Nistiachi Koddi, your indispensible Fish Curry Rice. Seafood lovers should try the Goan stuffed fish and the tiger prawns. For vegetarians we recommend Goan-Portuguese Caldin de Verdura, a mildly flavoured vegetable stew-curry, or the Saraswat Thali – Goan Hindu style combo-meal. They also serve imported Portuguese wines. A meal here is best enjoyed in a leisurely way and is unlikely to be forgotten in a hurry.

Taj Exotica, Calwaddo, Benaulim, Salcette. 0832 6683333

Photographs by Ananda Krishna

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Antique Mardol

This is the most crowded restaurant in the Verna area during lunch-time. That’s because of their Goan lunch, prepared by their all-woman staff, comprises six different types of fish, all cooked differently. The owner has a flourishing fishing business, which explains the easy availability of fresh and best quality fish here. Also, they serve many thalis like Portuguese Thali, Special Veg Thali, Punjabi Thali and Special Chicken Thali. They also have an à la carte Indian, Chinese and European menu. There are photographs of Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham behind the cash counter, just to remind customers that even celebrities eat here.

Opp. D-Link, Verna. 0832 2887090-91, 9823997355

Anandashram

Located in a quiet lane near the General Post Office in Panjim, Anandashram is one of the oldest eateries in Goa and is something of an institution for its affordable and hearty Goan fare. It is housed in the inner, open courtyard of an old Goan Hindu-style house. Though it looks modest, it is hugely popular for the fish, vegetables and chicken thali. The place is packed during lunch for their special Fish Thali consisting of kingfish, some special fish or seafood.

A Special Thali here typically consists of chapati, one vegetable, pickle, rice, fish curry, fried fish, some shell fish, Sol Kadi — the cooling digestive made from kokum and so on. The Chicken Thali comes with substantial portions of meat cooked in the Sagoti style with roasted garam masala. The Mori Masala, Prawn Masala, Fish Masala and Fish Fry are fast moving items. The limited Chinese menu is strictly average. Stick to the Goan instead and you won’t be disappointed.

31st January Road, Opp Hotel Venite, Fontainhas, Panaji. 9823195245

Bhojan

Bhojan, located on the busy 18th June road, is among the best vegetarian restaurants in Goa, with a selection of dishes from all over the country. You can try the standard thali or order from the menu.

But the thali with its fixed menu can save you the trouble of deciding on what to eat. The fixed menu starts with a welcome drink and contains two sweets, two starters, four vegetables, Dal/Kadhi, Phulka, Thepla, Bhakri, puri, paratha, rice/Jeera Rice/Pulao, an assortment of Chutneys, Chaas and ice cream. The helpings are unlimited and make this thali very popular. Bhojan has a pleasing ethnic décor, but if you’re in the mood for imbibing, go elsewhere, as they don’t serve liquor.

Hotel Fidalgo, Time 11am-12 midniht non stop food service, 18th June Road, Panaji. open everyday.

Home delivery: 0832-2411959 & 9764159686 0832 2226291, 2226299, 2428101.

Caterin Service Contact: Mr. Roland Rodrigues @ 9890422440

Street Food on Streets

By Pedro Menezes

G

uess where Panjimites go for a spot of sea breeze after a hectic day? Miramar beach, of course, and when there, automatically, a visit to one of the street food carts lining the beach front is a must. It’s one of those things which just happen. The ‘Bombay bhel puri’ stalls here are probably amongst the oldest in Goa. Over the years a lot has changed, the carts which earlier used to be down the road towards the circle are now all clustered together where the earlier parking lot used to be, and now it’s the capital’s very own eat street where you get a whole variety of food items at down-to-earth prices. The carts have also all been standardised by the city corporation for reasons of hygiene.

The majority of the 20-odd carts there, of course, are the vintage bhel puri-wallahs. But where in earlier times you

would only get about four or five items – pani-puri, shev puri, bhel puri, ragada pattis, et al, you now get a whole variety of ‘chaats’ from north India. The moment you get there, one of the young boys – each cart has one – comes to you with a menu card with the list of goodies available from that cart. “Come, Turn to page 9

Some of the yummiest bites are roadside – but watch out for hygiene

8 Food Mog cakes in Margao

Mog is a cake studio in Margao, and has some inspired cakes created by chefs Brainard Colaco and Mimi Colaco. There’s have a wide range of offerings of freshly-baked savouries at any given time of the day (puffs, croissants, quiches, pies) plus an affordable confectionery line and healthy, sugar-free and vegan offerings. There’s also cakes and gourmet products such as bagel crisps, bread sticks, cookies, muffins, lavache, crostini’s, confitures, chocolate spreads, candy and cookie bouquets. An all-day menu offers sandwiches, waffles/ pancakes, salads, power lunches and a variety of hot and cold beverages. Next, they want to impart their knowledge and culinary skills to some of their guests, by way of cooking demos.

Shop No 3 & 4, Colaco Residency, off Abade Faria road, Comba, Margao. +91 9892588252, 8380078252.

Courtyard

Specialised in world cuisine, fusion At Hotel Campal, Panjim @ 11 am to 3 pm, 7 pm to 11 pm +919822384084

June 30

Lounge & Lunch @ The Sofala

Featuring live music and Goa’s most authentic Italian food at our new restaurant Mia Cucina Delicious homemade dishes and unlimited beer, wine, Sangria and selected cocktails for INR 1,000 plus tax per person Mia Cucina Restaurant At The Sofala, Bhattiwaddo, Nerul Call +917774008822 12 pm to 4 pm

June 27 to July 14 World Pizza Festival

There’s a month long festival of pizzas with toppings from around the world at this Italian eatery near Azad Maidan, Panjim.

There’s the Big Fat Greek Pizza, the Desi – with a makhani twist, vegetarians can do the King Fu Hustle or the Gringo Chilli. Plus a Trip to Hollywood, Indonesian Volcano, Singapore Merlion, even a Sweet Tooth Pizza with fresh fruits. You get the idea – you’ve got a month to check them out at the awardwinning café. At Cafe Mangii, Panjim @ 11 am to 3 pm and 7 pm to 11 pm @ +918322230771/73

June 27 to June 30 Sunday Brunch

Unlimited Lunch buffet @ Rs. 250/adult &Rs. 150/Kid below 5 Yrs. Menu features dishes from Goan, Indian, Chinese & Thai cuisines.

At Global Shore Restaurant, Porvorim @ 11 am to 3.30 pm

July 2

Wine and Dine and sing along, With “Artis3” (Anthea, Bosco and Sammy) @ 7.30 pm onward.

At Zuperb, Calangute

Everyday

Happy Hours

Pan Asian Bowl Champagne Sunday Brunch

Pamper yourself every Sunday in a luxurious setting. Enjoy brunch at the Grand Hyatt with French champagne and food from five interactive and livestations dishing out Asian, Italian, Middle Eastern, Indian cuisine and desserts. Rs. 2200 + taxes (includes buffet, champagne, wines and select drinks) At Grand Hyatt, Bambolim @ 1 pm to 4 pm +91-832-3011125

Sunday Live Brunch

George Bar and Restaurant

Specialising in Goan, Seafood Near Mary Immaculate Conception church, Panjim @ 10 am to 3.30 pm, 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm +918322426820

Baba’s Wood Cafe

Sunday family brunches

Rejuvenating cocktails, soul warming gourmet cuisine from around the world, activities to keep the kids entertained and get into the rhythm with Ashley.

At Latitude, Vivanta by Taj – Panaji @ 12.30 pm to 3.30 pm +918326633636.”

A carnival of fusion cuisine, a bar to enlighten your spirits, this restaurant next to the lobby specialises in multicuisine, with a focus on Oriental cuisine.

At Hotel Fidalgo, Panjim @ 7 pm to 2 am +918322226291

Coros Velvet

Alfama

Want gourmet food in Caranzalem? Head to Coros Velvet. It’s a multi cuisine fine dining restaurant which specialises in ravioli, steaks and pastas. At Miramar, Panjim @ Noon to 3 pm to 7 pm to 11 pm +918605020020

Giardini

Live Music on most nights, Specialising in Multi-cuisine At Curca, Bambolim @ 11.30 am to 11 pm +918805873335

Confeitaria

Every Sunday

Forrest Veg Food Court

At The Crown, Panjim +918322400000

Specialised in Goan and Portuguese food At Carina Desa, Betim From 7 pm to 11 pm +919823129239

Enjoy a Sunday Live brunch with live stations, a live band, best of live entertainment and an unlimited flow of wines! There’s live entertainment for kids too, including magicians, balloon sculpting and face painting, etc.

From 12:30pm to 03:30pm At Waterfront Terrace & Bar, Goa Marriott Resort & Spa +918322463333

At Capiz Bar, Grand Hyatt Goa @ 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM, Enjoy 25% discount on all beverages.

Happy hours, happier moments! +91-832-3011125

Habour Café

A’tona Bar and Restaurant

Serves fresh bakeries, Pastries, Chocalates, and speciality Coffees and teas At Grand Hyatt, Goa @ 8 am to 8 pm +918323011200 Specialising in Chinese, Indian, Italian At BhagwanMahavir BAL Vihar, Panjim @ 11 am to 11 pm +918326454353

An Italian wine bar and restaurant with pizza oven and homemade gelato. Wide choice of pure Italian dishes with beef fillet and fish always on the menu.

12 pm to 3 pm & @ 6 pm Monday to Sunday. Closed on Tuesday At Mala, Fontainhas, Panaji +918323256213/ +919923414098

Chilli ‘n’ spice

Cantina Bodega

Pizzeria, bakery & cafe. Owner Vandana utilizes her expertise earned from her years as a top pastry chef in New York City.

At Sunaparanta Centre for the Arts, Altinho, Panjim @ 10 am to 7 pm +91 9011662233

Docaria

At Cidade de Goa, Dona Paula @ 8 am to 11 pm +918322454545

Global Shore Restaurant

Global Shore Restaurant is a multi-cuisine restaurant and they specialize in Goan Seafood/Chinese/Thai/Indian & Tandoor.

At Hotel Chandrageet, Porvorim +91832 2414125/+9193731113205

The Verandah

Is the signature grill restaurant, serving fresh Market produce of seafood, meat and vegetables.

At Grand Hyatt, Bambolim @ 7 pm to 12 am +918323011658

Viva Panjim

Well known for fado evenings At Cidade de Goa, Vainguinim Beach @ 7.30 pm to 11 pm +918322454545

Goan cuisine & seafood. Linda place has long been a favourite for those in search of very tasty Goan food.

At Fontainhas, Panjim @ 12 pm to 11 pm +918322422405/ +91 9850471363

Tamari

O’ Coqueiro

A Pan Asian restaurant serving Chinese, Thai & Japanese cuisine. Specialty to try is the fine style Sushi.

At Vivanta by Taj – Panaji Lunch @ 12.30 pm to 03.00 pm and dinner @ 07.30 pm to 11.30 pm +918326633636.

A Pastelaria

Bakery & Confectionery Gateaux, Pastries and Cookies.

Chocolate and strawberry flavoured the mousses are soft and melting, a treat for the kids. Its maska all the way At Hotel Mandovi, Panaji From 9 am to 9 pm +918322426270/+918322426273

Goan Cuisine in Porvorim, made famous not just for its tasty food but also as the place where international criminal Charles Sobhraj was arrested. It’s the restaurant where chicken cafreal was introduced by its old proprietor GinesViegas.

At NH 17 Rd, Porvorim @ 12 pm to 11 pm +918322417806/ +918322417271/ +918322417344

Ritz Classic

Known for Goan fish curry rice and seafood.

Very popular for lunch, especially with the Panaji office crowd.

At 18th June Rd, Panaji @ 11 am to 11 pm +918326644796

Chinese, Malaysian & Thai cuisine.Some of the finest Asian food in Goa. At Miramar, Panjim @ 12.30 pm to 11 pm +91 9923499429/ +918326455547/ +918326455548

Chulha

Indian Street food and Tandoor At Grand Hyatt Goa, Bambolim @ 3 pm to 11 pm +91832-3011125

Tea Cafe

Cakes, Coffee and other goodies. A newcomer to the Panjim cafe scene, it’s part of the Group. At Fontainhas, Panjim @ 11 am to 7 pm +918322223050

Barista Lavazza Outlet

Barista Lavazza’s famous beverages like Flavoured Hot Coffee, Cold Coffee, Hot Tea, Ice Tea, Mojito, Smoothie, Ice Cream Shakes, Juices. In bites section they offer Sandwiches, Calzones, Muffins and Cakes.

At Shop No. 15, 16, & 18, First Floor, Navelcar Trade Center, Opp. Azad Maidan, M G Road, Panjim +918322422130

Upper House

Goan and continental cuisine.

One of the tastier and more elegant restaurants of the capital.

Good bar, too. At Panjim @ 12 pm to 11 pm +918322426475

Café Azul

All day dining restaurant offering buffet combo option.

At Cidade de Goa, Vainguinim Beach @ 7 pm to 11 pm +918322454545

In and around Candolim, Calangute Happy Hours

On select brands @ 12.30 pm At SFX, Vivanta by Taj Fort Aguada Beach Resort, Candolim +918326645858

Lunch & Dinner Buffet

With Multi Cuisine At The Stone House, Fort Aguada Rd, Candolim @ 12.30 pm to 11.30 pm +918322479909

Food 9

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Infantaria

Looking for a cosmopolitan place to eat at in Calangute-Baga? Infantaria on the Baga road has an infectious vibe and an eclectic menu, a take-away counter and nice round tables.

Guests are mostly tourists from all over who come there to see and be seen. But the food is nice too, with a selection of Goanstyle pastries, cakes, Goan cuisine, Chinese and even some killer Mughlai, besides Continental dishes like pastas. There’s music, big TV, an upstairs area with pool tables.

Maybe it’s the open-air vibe which gives the place its charm. Plus it’s open from early morning to late night.

Infantaria, Baga road, next to Calangute Association, Calangute. Tel: .

Coba

Specialising in Indian, Grills, Seafood At Double Tree by Hilton, Arpora @ 10 am to 11 pm +9183266556672

Orange

Tucked away in a cosy corner next to Magnum Resort in Candolim, almost opposite the Candolim health centre, Orange is a soothing place which also doubles up as an art gallery. It’s open all through the year and features a multicuisine menu with great Goan delicacies like roast pork, excellent sea food and great pastas. They have live music sometimes too.

Almost like an ocean of peace in the hustlebustle of Candolim’s main street.

Orange, next to Magnum Resort, opp Candolim health centre, Candolim main road, Candolim.

Eat Street

Specialising in multi-cuisine, it’s a place to dine, drink and dance the night away.

At Hotel Calangute Towers @ 24 hrs a day +918326636000

Casa Portuguesa

Baga’s not all about discos and partying.

There’s a bit of the past too, if you only know where to look. Housed in a charming 18th Century colonial-era house in Baga, this restaurant offers Portuguese cuisine along with some dishes which are a fusion ofGoanand Portuguese influences, complete with pleasant Fado music.

On Baga Rd @ 7 pm to 11 pm +91 9822122960

Fish Tales

Specialising in Seafood At The Glitz, Calangute @ 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm & 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm +918322281800

O’Asia

Specialising in Pan Asian At The O Hotel, Dando, Candolim @ Noon to 3 pm, 7.30 pm to 11 pm +918323047000

Chilihip

Specialised in Thai At Fort Aguada Road, Candolim @ Noon to 3 pm, 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm +918888610500

Flambée

Specialised in Chinese, European, French, Goan, Indian At Souzawaddo, Candolim @ 9 am to 11 pm +919326114271

Flame

Multi- Cuisine Restaurant At Double tree by Hilton, Arpora, Baga @ 7 am to 11 pm +9183266556672

Beach House

This Goan speciality restaurant at the Vivanta Holiday Village was the base of super chef Rego and features some of his signature creations. Specialised in Goan, Portuguese, Seafood.

At Vivanta Holiday Village, Sinquerim @ 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm +918326645858

Dandey’s Grill House

Specialising in grills, steaks and also Goan and multi-cuisine.

At 181 Bella Vista, Chogm Rd, Sangolda @ Noon to 3 pm & 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm +919890315172

In Arambol 21 Coconuts

Arambol looks like the end of the world when you’re living in Panjim or Margao, but a drive through the verdant countryside during the monsoon is quite refreshing.

Once you reach Arambol, 21 Coconuts, on the left when you reach the main beach, is a good place to park yourself and watch the rains lash the beach and the mighty sea roar yonder. The food is decent, the menu multicuisine and the tables are right on the beach, though if it’s pouring you can huddle inside.

21 Coconuts, Arambol beach, Arambol.

In and around Margao Diwa Brunch

Every Sunday Kids Eat Free promotion with Pan Asian and Coastal cuisine coupled with delectable desserts At Alila Diwa, Majorda,Salcette @ 12 pm to 4 pm +918322746800

Upper Deck

Coffee shop offerings traditional coffee along with light snacks and drinks.

At Radisson Blu Resort Goa, Cavelossim Beach @ all day +918326726666

Boat Quay Grill

Specialising in World Cuisine, European, Grills At Royal Orchid Beach Resort, Utorda @ 7 pm to midnight +918805013553

Fig & Olive

Flavours of the Mediterranean, Arabian & Italian. At Holiday Inn Resort, Cavelossim @ 9 am to 11 pm +918322871303

Spice Studio

Goan dinner.Elegant outdoor restaurant in a well-appointed resort in the South.

At Alila Diwa, Majorda @ 7 pm to 10.30 pm +918322746800

Betty’s Place

Specialising European, Goan, Indian, Seafood At opp. Holiday inn Resort, Mobor, Cavelossim @ 6.30 pm to 11 pm +918322871038/+918322871456

Cafe Mardi Gras

24 hrs cafe serving seafood, Goan, North Indian, Coffee & snacks At Holiday Inn Resort, Cavelossim @ All day +918322871303

Shandong

Bistro

At Alila Diwa Goa, Majorda @ 7 am to 10.30 pm +918322746800

Gavin’s Restaurant & Pub

Specialised in Goan cuisine, Goan Curries, Cafreal At Verna, around a kilometre off NH-17 +919822177179

Anjuna& around

Artjuna

The season maybe over and the flea market closed, but this place on the flea market road, is a good place to stop for a cup of coffee. Set up in an old Portugueseera house with a beautiful garden in the courtyard, the café serves up chilled café au lait, milkshakes, sandwiches, juices and baked goodies, homemade dips, iced lattes, blended coffees and more. Also they have art shows and musicians jamming some nights. Very arty atmosphere, if you know what we mean. At MonteiroWaddo, Anjuna @ 9 am to 6 pm +918322274794

Mamma Mia

Italian cuisine with a blend of Italian imported ingredients and local organic produce. Nice spacious restaurant with a good view of the fields and coconut trees of the Baga backwaters. At Resort Rio, Arpora @ 12.30 pm to 10.30 pm +918322267300

Biryani Palace

At Anjuna beach road, Anjuna @ 11 am to midnight +918323257586

Ciao Bella

Specialised in Italian Food At Assagao, Badem Rd @ 7 pm to 11 pm +919767557673

Asian-cuisine restaurant with fine dining ambiance At Radisson Blu Resort Goa, Cavelossim Beach @ 11 am to 11 pm 6726666

Alcove Restaurant and bar

Peppers

Blue Tao

Known for steaks and other meat dishes At Pajifond, Margao @ 11.30 pm to 11 pm +91 9822133506

Specialising in Multi-Cuisine At Alcove Resort, Ozran beach, small Vagator, Anjuna @ 8 am to midnight +918322274491

Specialised in Italian, Seafood, Organic Food AtAnjuna beach Rd, Anjuna From 9 am to 11 pm +918975061435

From page 7 have something,” he coaxes you, and such is his charm that there is a high chance you will fall for the bait.

Depending on which cart you go to, you now have a long list of chaats to choose from, like ‘papri chaat’, ‘aloo chat’, ‘tikkis’, ‘dahi wadas’, the works, all popular food and snack items from north India. One of the pleasures of eating here is watching the guys make the chaats, like the way they crack the puris to make shev puri and then add the filling, which also differs from cart to cart, and then they ask you, “Sweet or spicy?” Most say medium, so that they get a bit of both.

Many of them have also added ‘pao bahji’ in their menus, the bhaji made by pounding peas, potatoes and other veggies into a pulp. Served with bread smothered in butter.

Nowadays there’s more than just the behl puri-wallahs. There are also a handful of shawarma carts too, offering a delightful variety of shawarmas: Lebanese, Turkish, Arabic, Mediterranean to even Mexican shawarma (of course anyone who knows true Mexican food will recognize it for being Mexican in name alone).

Most of the shawarmas made in Goa are made with grilled chicken.

Besides shawarma, you also get burgers and hot dogs, while there is another guy who gives you the Mumbai-style ‘tawa’ delicacies like ‘bhaida rotis’ and other rolls, all very filling and delicious. One of our favourites, though, is the ‘gola’ guy, the cart with all those coloured bottles of refreshments and syrups which are used to make all kinds of cold drinks and sherbets. One of the best things during a hot summer evening is to get them to make one of their ‘golas’. The experience begins with watching them make ice shavings. When there are enough shavings to form a small round ball, the ice is packed together into a sphere, a stick poked in the centre and a generous serving of your syrup of choice is doused on the ice. Just like ice-cream sticks. Absolutely sinful on a hot summer day.

Unfortunately, it would not be correct to complete this article without a word about hygiene. The decision to standardize the carts came after an outbreak of illness several years back. Today, operators are supposed to cook elsewhere and bring the cooked food to the site. Hardly anyone obeys that rule. Another rule is to serve in disposable plates and cups. That one is being heeded for the most part, to the benefit of hygiene if not to the environment.

Overall, eating in these stalls is not without risks when it comes to cleanliness.

Besides the carts, there are a few other popular hangouts located in the area. There’s Café Coffee Day to one side and D’Silva caterers a little ahead. D’Silva is hugely popular for their Goan food and snacks like beef chilly fry and chops. Towards the beach, just next to the rocket, there is Danny’s little restaurant which is also a popular stop for cold drinks and snacks.

You can decide what goes well with the sea breeze… 

Feature 11

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Photographs by Ananda Krishna

Goa’s Creepy Subways A Good Idea Gone Bad

By Ashley do Rosario

T

he subways may have been built to help pedestrians avoid the risk of being run down by speeding vehicular traffic on Goa’s highways. But, there are very few takers and the nearly half a dozen built over the last decade have turned into white elephants for reasons ranging from poor sanitation and bad lighting to a stunning lack of security.

Take the case of the sub-way on the highway at the Goa Medical College in Bambolim. Built at a whopping cost of Rs 37-crores, hardly anyone has used it since it was inaugurated on January 26, 2009, mostly because it’s badly kept and unsafe, with no security guards posted anywhere.

“It’s so dirty. There’s garbage strewn all over and the place stinks of human excreta,” says Agostinho, who works at one of the outlets in the GMC complex.

According to him, there were a few cases of pedestrians being mugged in the sub-way, which is why very few people use it, despite the risks involved in crossing the highway to get to-and-fro to the GMC hospital.

So poor is the utility of this subway that the government is now seriously pursuing a proposal to convert it from a pedestrian subway to one for vehicular traffic. A consultant has already been engaged by the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation, the agency which originally built it, to study how it can be re-designed for traffic.

“We will have to work out ways to entice the public to use these subways,” says GSIDC managing director Sanjit Rodrigues, who suggested introducing exciting activities including performances by stand-up artists and entertainers, as one possible way to do it.

“It’s a question of culture. The public in Goa are not accustomed to using subways. We have to build that culture,” he said.

The story of under-utilization of the subway at Bambolim is not an isolated one. Ditto is the case with the one on the highway at the industrial estate in Verna where thousands of workers simply refuse to use it, crowding the road instead and causing a bottle-neck for the highway traffic.

The solitary exception to the stories of Goa’s under-utilised subways is the one

on the highway near the Agnel AshramPadre Conceiçao College of Engineering in Verna. It’s well used by the students and staff of the technical colleges and schools in the Agnel Ashram campus, perhaps because it’s reasonably clean and waterproof. Save for the missing window panes and the not-so-good condition of the electric boxes on the walls, this subway seems to be well kept.

The subway near the road to Holy Rosary convent in Nuvem is littered with waste and its broken switchboard poses a risk of electric shock. During Streets’ inspection of this subway, not one pedestrian was seen passing through, while a few pedestrians were seen crossing the busy highway itself.

The subway at Nuvem church is better used, to cross from the Mae dos Pobres church and school to the bus stand on the other side of the road.

But two transverse cracks can be seen in the roof of the subway slab, through which rainwater drips through, forming large stagnant puddles on the floor. Corrosion of the steel in the slab is bound to set in, and if not rectified soon will weaken the slab and road in the coming years.

There’s no arguing over the advantages of having subways

built on highways where traffic flow is continuous and heavy. It cuts the risk of losing lives in mishaps where speeding vehicles knock down pedestrians eager to get to the other side of the highway.

And, Goa has had more than its share of such avoidable mishaps.

Take the case of Roshni Rego, a standard XI student from Margao who was killed when she was run over by a train when crossing the tracks to get to her Damodar Higher Secondary School in 2010. She and three other students decided to cross the tracks, eager to reach school on time after the vehicle that used to drop them couldn’t use the subway because it was flooded. Roshni was the last among the four students to cross the track and was hit by a train, tragically ending her life.

The student and teacher community reacted with outrage then, blaming the authorities for poor maintenance of the subway. But three years down the line, very little has changed on the ground and the subway continues to get flooded rendering it useless during the monsoon.

At Bambolim, where hundreds of people cross the highway either to get to or leave the Goa Medical College hospital, there have been dozens of mishaps, some fatal, where pedestrians have been victims.

Life-taking accidents such as these at several busy points along the national highway that cuts through the length of Goa can be entirely avoided by subways.

Only, of course, if these are kept clean, well lit, secure and usable. 

12 Cover Story

Largely unheard of a decade ago, a gun culture takes root

By Ashley do Rosario

O

K, so it’s not exactly the Gangs of Wassepur or Once Upon a Time in Mumbai. And Goa and guns are hardly synonymous. Yet gun ownership in Goa once again appears to be on the rise a decade after a major police crackdown shut down an illegal arms racket.

Lots of folks – from hotel and casino managers to politicians to regular Joes (or Pedros or Pandus or even Joanas) – own guns. And the number of people applying for guns and getting them appears to have as much as tripled in the past couple of years. It’s not unusual nowadays to hear of street brawls descending into gunplay.

Take the case of the incident in tourist hotspot Baga this month, where a hotelier, Savio Valles, opened fire from a pistol in a brawl he and his family members had with a group of taxi-drivers over a parking dispute. Valles didn’t shoot at any person, but his act of pulling the trigger, even if in the air, served to highlight the unspoken gun culture of Goa, where police now admit that keeping track of who owns which gun isn’t exactly their highest priority.

Before we continue, let’s clarify what we’re talking about. There are two kinds of gun ownership in Goa – legal and illegal. While exact statistics are hard to come by, it seems clear there are more legal guns in Goa than illegal ones. Still, illegal ones – often coming from from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh - are on the rise, and they’re cheaper and a lot easier to get than legitimate ones.

No, Goa is not the Wild West nor are guns anywhere near as easy to purchase

as in a country like, say, the United States.

Here, getting a gun is a relatively difficult process involving an application, and not everyone who wants them gets them.

“One has to essentially be a resident of Goa and without any police record,” says Girish Sardessai, one of four Goan dealers of legal fire-arms.

Still, perhaps it’s a commentary on the state of security in Goa that more

and more people feel they need guns.

Last year alone, the state administration said it received 309 applications for new gun licenses. Figures for approved applications in 2012 are not currently available, but considering that around three-quarters of applications are generally granted, that would put the number of issued gun permits at around 245 in 2012 - or about the same number

As for illegal guns, police said it’s difficult to estimate how many are in Goa, although buying a country-made gun from states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh isn’t difficult.

of licenses granted for the entire threeyear period before 2012.

As for illegal guns, police said it’s difficult to estimate how many are in Goa, although buying a country-made gun from states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh isn’t difficult. It’s no accident that when a 23-year-old local politician from Siolim was shot and injured last November, police announced that the weapon used was an illegal gun purchased from a Bihari about five years before the shooting.

To understand the significance of incidents like the one in Siolim or more recently in Baga, one must consider the fact that until about a decade ago, the use of guns in Goan crime was unheard of.

Now it’s becoming increasingly common, including during a brawl involving a business rivalry last December in Morjim, where shots are believed to have been fired from an illegal, country-made pistol.

Smith and Wesson revolvers, Berettas, Colts, Savages, Brownings and CZs are all handguns popular among Goans who own guns legally, Sardessai explains.

Popular rifles in Goa include Mauser, Bruno, Kricko, Browning and Geco and among the favoured 12-bore guns are Sauer and Sohn, Krupp and Browning, he says.

Sardessai adds that a lot of the guns from the Portuguese colonial era are still in use. One of the reasons that older guns are common in Goa is that in 1986, the government imposed a ban on the importation of guns from abroad.

Guns manufactured by the Indian Ordnance Factories are available for between Rs 45,000 to Rs 80,000. It’s the

Turn to page 14

14 Cover Story

From page 12 imported ones, most of which date back to the pre-1961 colonial days or before the 1986 ban, that cost upwards of Rs 1.5 to 2 lakhs, says Sardessai.

Goa’s gun-owning culture dates back to the colonial era, perhaps as a weapon of self-defence against attacks from wild animals, particularly in the wooded hinterland. It’s no coincidence that Goa’s southernmost taluka of Canacona, which is largely a mountainous and wooded terrain, submitted the most number of applications for guns last year.

Licensing is so difficult that generally only industrialists, businessmen, political figures and their likes can get a gun. For the aam admi (common man), it’s a lot harder.

For a gun licence, an individual has to submit an application in a prescribed form to the District Magistrate (Collector). It is then processed with the local police verifying the claims of the applicant and reporting back to the Collector, who then interviews the applicant and either issues or denies the licence. Licences are issued to civilians under the Arms Act, for self-protection, crop protection and sports.

If you are applying for self-protection, threat to your life is evaluated and if it’s for crop protection, you have to own cultivable agricultural property.

Licensed fire-arm owners are safely on the radar of the police and other security

authorities. What’s worrisome, however, are the un-licensed guns lying in the hands of criminals.

About a decade ago, Goa was rocked by an illegal arms dealing racket. Sixteen persons, all alleged to be part of an inter-state gang, were arrested and over two-dozen mostly imported arms were seized along with ammunition. Some of these arms were ‘pen-pistols’ (guns in the shape and size of a fountain pen) - a novelty at the time.

According to the then Deputy Inspector General of Police Karnal Singh, Goa at that time was being used as a centre for buying and selling arms of different makes, including imported ones.

The police got a lead to the racket after arresting a fellow named Joeboy from Panjim, who was believed to be involved in illegally settling real estate disputes.

An arms repairer, Bhalchandra Chari,

who has since passed away, was said to be the man behind making the pen pistols, a few of which were sold to some prominent Goan citizens, subsequent police investigations revealed.

Police officials acknowledged privately to Streets that surveillance for illegal possession of arms or trade has limped back to leniency, with so much time passing since that decade-old episode.

“It’s only when incidents like the one in Baga last Saturday where a shooting takes place that our antennas go up,” says a DySP ranked officer who did not wish to be identified. He admitted that illegal arms possession is “quite prevalent” in Goa but did not elaborate.

Statistics of cases booked under the Arms Act for illegal possession of guns were not readily available. But a senior official of the Goa Police’s reader’s branch, which is responsible for keeping

Goa’s gun-owning culture dates back to the colonial era, perhaps as a weapon of self-defence against attacks from wild animals, particularly in the wooded hinterland.

records and statistics, revealed that over a dozen cases are booked on an average every year.

Interestingly, the Goa police themselves have recently upped the quantity and quality of weapons in their own armoury and have become only the third state in India to possess submachine guns and pistols of US make.

Their Quick-reaction Team and Commandos will now go about their job armed with the Colt M4 CQB submachine guns, which have a 251 mm barrel, a folding front sight and an upper receive. It is designed for use in close quarter combat and fires up to 800 rounds in a minute.. The Goa police have acquired 50 of these guns. Another new acquisition in the Goa police armoury is the Glock pistol, which allows quick fire and does not need any safety device to be operated externally. Around 100 of these will be given to policemen deployed for the security of VIPs and VVIPs in Goa. Former Inspector General of Police Sundari Nanda had initiated the process of acquiring the Colts and Glocks about a year ago. She has now transferred out of the state, but her move was seen as an attempt to update the police armoury, adding an undeniable edge to the force which two years ago had already acquired nearly 550 AK-47s.

Unfortunately, the growing presence of guns in Goa may mean the police will need these weapons more than ever. 

15

Thursday, June 27, 2013

streetspicks Classical Music Soiree

On Monday July 1, the Art Chamber in Calangute has a Classical Music Soiree featuring well-known musicians Bianca Mendonca on the cello and Neville Bharucha on piano. The program will feature the Sonata in E major-F. Francoeur (arranged by A.Trowell), Sonata in A minor-Op.36 - .Grieg, 1.Allegro Agitato, 2.Andante molto tranquillo, 3.

Allegro, Impromptu -A. Arutunia. Followed by a solo piano recital of Rondo- Mendelssohn, and Moszkowski-Caprice espagnol. Donation passes Rs 50. At 7.30 pm Art Chamber, Calangute. +91 9823217435

June 27 Mango Tree Art Programme

Sunaparanta, Goa Centre for the Arts is once again putting on the Mango Tree After School Art Programme, which begins today, June 27. With an all-new curriculum, this year’s programme will have 30 classes (held every Thursday), spread from June 2013 to March 2014. The programme is open to all those interested in art in the age group of 5 to 14 years – which is divided into three age groups. Class for the 5 to 6 year olds will be taken by Michelle Faria; the 7 to 9 year olds by Melanie Garreth and the 10 to 14 year olds by Ramdas Gadekar. In addition, they will have guest facilitators - Rani Sarin who will be conducting a Textile Workshop and Shamoli Barreto who will conduct a Wall Mural Workshop.

At Sunaparanta, Panjim @ 5 pm to 6.30 pm +91 832 2421311

Gallery Gitanjali

Original work by local and overseas artists sprawl over the entire premises. They spill across corridors and public areas and even extend to guest rooms. A striking display area is the chowk of the Pousada where paintings are hung across white walls. Painters on exhibit include Mohan Naik, Suhas Shilker, Sonia Rodrigues Sabharwhal, Francis D’Souza, Jayashree Patankar, Dietrich Kerky, Shri Shail, Arya and Robert Geesink. They have won acclaim locally and some are well known overseas as well. Work at the Gallery is abstract and realistic in colour and oil, Including collages and landscapes.

Panaji Inn, Fontainhas From 9 am to 9 pm. +919823572035

Bhangrallem East-West Goem An blend of dance

By José Lourenço

Y

oung couples in colourful kunbi saris and kurtadhoti ensembles dance on stage in a high energy act, to the throbbing beat of traditional Goan instruments. The dhalo folk dance merges into a corredinho which in turn makes way for exotic Indian classical dance. The Bhangrallem Goem troupe sets the stage afire.

June 28

Konkani Play: Munisponnachem Ghor Directed By Pal Soares At Pai Tiatrist Hall, Margao @ 7.30 pm +919158347164

July 1

Konkani Play: Desak Luttinakat Directed By Menind De Bandar At Kala Academy, Panjim @ 7.30 pm +918322420453

July 6

In Stages

A Theatre Company for Young Adults At Sunaparanta, Altinho, Panjim @ 4 pm to 6.30 pm + 91 832 2421311

June 27 to June 28 Art of Living

At Lingayat Hall, Margao and Gautam Manglorkar House, Porvorim @ 6.30 to 9.30 pm +919422063255/+919423884822

Think Goa and music, and the melodies of folk, mando, cantar and the traditional ‘geet’ spring to mind. Think dance, and you see images of dhalo, corredinho, waltz and Indian classical dances. But in the last decade or so, Purnanand Chari and his troupe Bhangrallem Goem (Golden Goa) have been performing a delightful blend of these Western and Indian styles that Goa is famed for.

Purna (44) as he is popularly known,

and music

heads the Konkani department at Mallikarjun College in Canacona. Inspired by the dynamic performances of Mangalore-based Mandd Sobhann, Purna set out to create a show that would bring together Goa’s varied Konkani music and dance genres into one spectacular gala.

The concept of Bhangrallem Goem took off in 2002, when Purna took up the challenge of motivating and choreographing a group of singers and dancers to perform over 20 songs in a 2-hour show at the Rajiv Gandhi Kala Mandir, Ponda.

“I blended Goan folk dances with modern styles. The costumes were also drawn from traditional outfits,” says Purnanand, a past president of the Konkani Bhasha Mandal (KBM). “In Goa, Hindu and Catholic audiences are divided across tiatr, cantar, geetam and folk shows. I tried to bring them together, by including tiatr style songs by Chris Perry, Alfred Rose as well as Indian classical songs by Jitendra Abhisheki, Ajit Kadkade, and also music and dance of our folk culture.”

Songs composed by Purnanand, like ‘Ami

Turn to page 16

16 Arts&Entertainment from page 15

July 1 to September 30

An Art Exhibition - Chitrangan At Gallery Gitanjali, Panjim @ 2.30 pm to 6.30 pm +917350530445/+918322226523

Galleries of note Kerkar Art Gallery

Owned by Goa’s best-known artist Subodh Kerkar and located right in the middle of Holiday Street in Calangute, this is a good place to buy some contemporary art by leading Goan, Indian, and International artists. Not just fine art, but also sculpture and other art forms. There are exhibitions on at all times of the year, and also a nice restaurant attached where you can meet up with your artist friends and discuss the art scene. Subodh also does installations often, at times on the beach just down the road. Besides original art, you can also buy reproductions of famous paintings here, frames, etc. Well, you get the idea. At Gauravaddo, Calangute From 10 am to 7 pm +918322276017

Ruchika’s Art Gallery

Ruchika`s Art Gallery displays fine arts, performing arts and new forms of art.

Opp. Goa Marriott Resort, Miramar.

From 10.30 am to 6 pm. +918322465875/ +919850571283/ +919881836400

Casa Popular

At Municipal Market, Panaji +918322262135

Xavier Centre of Historical Research

Exhibitions of paintings, rare books and symposiums etc, with particular emphasis on contemporary cultural and social issues affecting Goa. At B B Borkar Rd, Porvorim. +918322417772

Carpe Diem

Carpe Diem, a newly opened art and learning centre in Majorda.

At Majorda From 10 am to 6 pm +918888862462

Surya Art Gallery

Surya Art Gallery is situated in a quiet location where contemporary works of canvas paintings of Goa and artefacts are displayed.

At Bandawalwada, Pernem +919404149764

Yemanja Art Gallery

Features works by different artists At Betim, Verem road, Reis Magos +918322416930

Panaji Art Gallery

To promote Goan art, this gallery displays figurative and individual works of artists.

At Panaji Art Gallery From 9 am to 8 pm. +919822168703

Arte Douro Art Gallery

This gallery in Calangute displays paintings on canvas of original art & international print arts. It also showcases works by contemporary artists from India & abroad.

At Arte Douro Art Gallery, Calangute, From 9 am to 9 pm +919822147148

Big Foot Art Gallery

Display of works by various artists from India and abroad.

At Big Foot Art Gallery, Loutolim From 9 am to 6 pm +918322777034

Zuzache Vangddi’ (We are warriors), Suklelea Zaddar (On a dry tree) and Mandovi Mandollinam often combine elements of the dulpod, mando and vers, all traditional folk forms. He has composed over 50 songs, many of which are performed routinely at Bhangrallem Goem’s shows.

A typical show involves around 45 artistes, including singers, dancers, choreographers and technicians.

The cost of staging a show runs to about 35,000 rupees. Much of the cost of earlier shows was borne by Purnanand himself.

As requests came in for shows around Goa, various hosting institutions and the state Art & Culture department began to foot the costs, but by and large this project has been a labour of love.

“We always encourage local talent wherever we perform.

Artistes from the village where we perform are encouraged to compere, sing and dance in our shows,” says Purnanand, who shoulders the overall coordination of the entire show, besides singing his songs. “A decade has passed since we began, and some of the kids who performed with us are now grown up and have married.

Soon the next generation will be performing with Bhangrallem Goem!”

Singers like Sonia Sirsat, Bindiya Vast and Rajesh Madgaonkar, dance choreographer Vishal Gawas, folk dance maestro Pramod Mhadeshwar and the folk dance troupe Siddhi Vinayak Akar from Mardol are just some of the performers that have graced the Bhangrallem Goem acts.

“I owe a lot to my wife Rupa, she comperes and helps coordinate our shows,” acknowledges Purna. “She has been very understanding right from the start, especially when the finances of our shows were strained.”

He recalls some prestigious shows – at the Centenary

Festival of Canara BankMangalore, 25th anniversary of the Bombay High CourtPanjim, Gomant Vishwa Sammelan-2006, International Film Festival of India-2012 and many more.

Purnanand’s group also conducted a landmark contest for bhajans (devotional hymns) in Konkani at Ravindra BhavanMargao, wherein over 60 groups participated. Prior to this, there were no Konkani bhajans in practice, as the Marathi language held sway over all Hindu religious ceremonies in Goa. More than 120 shows later, Purnanand has even greater ambitions. “I want to revive the All India Konkani Music Festival that was first staged in 2002,” he says, referring to the popular event that brought together all Konkani communities for a

3-day fest. “I also want to initiate a Festival of Konkani Identity – Konkani Asmitai Sammelan.”

His group also participated in the Longest Marathon Singing event of Mandd Sobhann at Mangalore in 2008, where the 40 hour songathon earned a place in the Guiness Book of World Records.

What rivets the audience to their seats are the high energy dance moves and dazzling faces of the young dancers on the Bhangrallem Goem stage. “That energy is there in our traditional Konkani folk dances,” asserts Purnanand.

That latent energy has been unleashed onstage by Purnanand Chari and his young ensemble to truly showcase a Golden Goa. Konkani culture keeps evolving, and Bhangrallem Goem’s innovative dance steps are in the right direction. 

Thursday, June 27, 2013

streets picks June 29 to June 30 Two-Day Trek to the Ghats

The Goa Hiking Association, the oldest trekking organisation in Goa, is organising a two-day trek to Amboli in Maharashtra.

Dinner, breakfast, lunch and evening tea and night stay will be provided. Amboli is a popular hill station which comes alive with waterfalls during the monsoon. A trek in the Western Ghats is really invigorating and rejuvenating with your body getting enveloped in mist and clouds, like some kind of natural cold sauna. Plus you can take a dip in the fresh water ponds and streams and even bathe under waterfalls.

At Amboli, Maharashtra +919822984848/+919823885031

August 11 to August 18 Yoga, Rejuvenation, Meditation

A Yoga Immersion Monsoon Retreat’ Sonja Appel invites you for a 7 day Yoga immersion in the Goan forest in the middle of the monsoon to rejuvenate your mind, body and soul. Monsoon is a truly magical and extraordinary season, the time of the year when nature is at its best. Emptied from many tourists, Goa belongs to the Goan people and becomes a small, green and spectacular state again. Water is flowing everywhere giving the countryside a lush green color.

Relaxation and immersion is what you need to come back to your true inner self. It is the perfect time to come on a retreat, to enjoy and really experience what rain and life are about. There will be an ayurvedic doctor and therapists on site to meet your ayurvedic needs too.

The course will include group yoga (beginners are welcome), comfortable accommodation, breakfast, lunch and dinner (vegetarian, organic and locally grown ingredients).

At Morjim-Ashvem Rd, Pernem +919923219230

June 29 Book Release – ‘Beyond the Silence’

Nam Umrigar releases her new book “Beyond the Silence”, on spiritual master Meher Baba and his teachings about the meaning of human life. The master, and the book, emphasize the thread of love as a way to bind the spiritual and physical worlds, ultimately bringing us all together as one big family. ‘Beyond the Silence’ is part of Nam’s life project to help people who have been struck by tragedy and grief. It may be a bit ‘new agey’ for some of us, but if you dig this kind of thing, don’t miss the launch.

At The International Centre Goa, Dona Paula @ 6 pm +919765404391/+918322452805

June 27 to June 31 Workshop

on the Basics of Handwriting analysis and Cookery classes: Specializing in grill and roasting methods At Villa Spice Aaquarious KAD Developers, Marna, Siolim @ 10 am to 12 pm and 4 pm to 6 pm +919975986938

June 15 to July

Language Courses

Communicare Trust is offering language courses in Portuguese and Konkani in Dona Paula, Margao and Vasco.

Also offering German and Spanish in Dona Paula, Spanish in Mapusa and Spoken English and Marathi in Vasco. +919822586058/+918975440381

June 27, 29, & 30 Medical Camps

At St. Xaviers High School, Curtorim

June 28

Friday Health Talk

At The International Centre Goa, Dona Paula @ 5 pm +919765404391/+918322452805

Every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday Vocal Classes

At Swami Vivekananda Society, Panjim @ 10 am to 12 pm +918322224098

Every Tuesday, Thursday Harmonium Classes

At Swami Vivekananda society, Panjim @ 2 pm to 8 pm +918322224098

Every Friday

Free Swimming Guidance

Organised by Walter Macarena At International Center Goa, Dona Paula from 5 pm to 7 pm +919822911161

Every Sunday

Tailoring Classes

Near Holy Family School, Porvorim From 3 pm to 6 pm +919765731003

Everyday

Yoga for the Body, Mind & Soul

By Ms. Hoor Girglani Monday to Friday At International Centre Goa, Dona Paula @ 8 am to 9.30 am & 5 pm to 6.30 pm +919765404391/ +918322452805-10

Want to be Fit & Healthy

Presented by Calburn Fitness Solutions in association with the ICG At The International Centre Goa, Dona Paula. +919823578880

Tuk Tuk

From apparel to jewellery, bags to accessories, everything at TukTuk is handpicked from across India.

At A104, Pereira Plaza, Opp.Hospicio, Margao @ 10.30 am 1 pm & 4.30 pm to 6.30 pm +919049017182

Monday & Friday

Taekwondo Sessions

Martial Arts, Fitness, Health & Self-defence Trainer: Vincent Rosario, Introductory Fee: Rs. 400 per month At The International Centre Goa, Dona Paula @ 5.15 pm to 6.15 pm +919823696138

Spice Farms

Tropical spice plantation

Elephant rides, authentic Goan cuisine, mini bird sanctuary and a boat to row or paddle.

At Arla Bazar Keri, Ponda For reservation call: +918322340329 or Email: tropicalspice@rediffmail.com

Sahakari Spice Farm

Guests are entertained by folk dances, elephant rides, art of climbing the tall betel nut palms and swinging from one stalk to the other. Lunch served in earthen pots and banana leaves.

At Ponda Belgaum highway, Curti.

Call: +918322312394 Or Email: info@sahakarifarms.com

Savoi Plantation

Offers traditional Goan Saraswat cuisine served in mud pots and banana leaf plates along with seasonal fruits grown in the plantation. At Ponda For reservation call: +918322340272/ +919423888899 or Email: savaiplantation@rediffmail.com

Museums

Museum of Christian Art

All days of the Week At Convent of Santa Monica, Old Goa @ 9.30 am to 5 pm +918322285299

Goa Chitra

Ethnographic museum that preserves its universality in its collections of artifacts representing the culture of ancient Goa. At Goa Chitra, Mondo-Waddo, Benaulim @ 9 am to 5 pm +91 9850466165/ +918326570877, Email: goachitra@gmail.com

Big Foot Cross Museum

Houses 80 classifications of crosses of around the world.

At Big Foot, Loutolim @ 10 am to 5 pm. +918322777034

Ancestral Goa

A center for Preservation & Promotion of Art, Culture & Environment started by Maendra J. A. Alvares.

At Big Foot, Loutolim @ 9.30 am to 6 pm +918322777034, info@ancestralgoa.com

Casa Araujo Alvares

Goa`s first automated sound and light museum. A 250-year-old mansion showcasing traditional inheritance.

At Loutolim @ 9.30 am to 5.30 pm +918322777034

Courses JULY 1 to September 30 Bar Tending

Mennen Academy is offering 3 months course in Bar Tending At Mennen Academy At Hotel La Mansion, Guirim, Mapusa +91 832 2262050/ +91 9764999102

LANGUAGES

Alliance Francaise

Learn French courses, Panjim 2420049/ +91 9922813950

St. Britto

Learn French, Mapusa 2293812/ +91 9049018214

COOKING

Cooking Classes for foreigners Detroit Institute +91 9822131835.

Taengs Cookery Classes Margao. +91 9822585944

Bertha Pereira Cooking Classes +918322734589. Margao

Vandana’s Bakery Classes Caranzalem. +918322462163

Meena’s Cooking Classes

Dance

Cyrus Da Costa Dance Classes

Monday to Saturday Viennese Waltz, Foxtrot, Cha Cha Cha, Jive, Margao. +918322715906/ +919921039537

Dr. Martin & Dance Illusions Team

@ Panjim, Vasco, Margao Waltz, Jive, Cha ChaCha, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Salsa. +91 9823014397

Dance for Life Academy Mapusa. +919823765523

Jason and Sylvia Dance Academy Hip/Hop, Bollywood, Latin American, Jazz Ballet for Kids Panjim/Mapusa +919822161652/+919822151614

Snaden Shawn dance and aerobics Learn dancing, Mapusa +919890163433/+917798609859

Nritya Sankul

Margao. +919823936483/+919689468712

Kalangan

Margao. +918322735191

Asha Shivam

Porvorim. +918322410357

Dance Illusions

Panjim. +919823014397

Fatima’s Ballroom Dance Classes Margao. +918322786191

Maxie’s Guitar and Dance Classes Panjim. +918322230178

Simply Ballroom,

The Western Dance Academy Vasco. +918322528272

Raeconz

Porvorim. +919923826572

Music

Rhythm House

Margao. +918322714299

Binow Zacharia music classes Porvorim. +919822386385

B X Furtado and Sons Margao. +918322715719

Pilar Music School Pilar. +918322218595

Caranzalem. +918322462163

Bondo Percussion

GESTO Culinary & Hospitality Academy

Brianne Music Classes

Margao, +918322730873

Branca’s Cooking Classes Panjim +919822131835

David Furtado Dance & Aerobics @ Panjim, Mapusa, Porvorim, Candolim, Aldona and Saligao.

Learn Salsa, Jive Waltz for Adults & Bollywood, Hip Hop & Contemporary dance for kids +919975914195

Porvorim. +918326452492 St. Cruz. +919503968920

Diniz’s Piano Practice Parlour Panjim. +918322430943

Gabriel Music Classes Calangute. +919850463544

Indo-Western Music Academy Margao. +919890942949

Joe Gonsalves Guitar/Piano, Panjim +919850339418

18 Feature

Intimate apparel Goa turns out her drawers beachwear for regular use, signs of the changing times are still only a blip on merchant ship was docked at the radar in Goa. “I shop for lingerie in the busy port of Liverpool in Mumbai,” said Keira D’Souza, who finds the UK. The year was 1982 and wearing the regular white, black and the young sailor from Goa who’d just nude shades “boring”. The young woman disembarked was to be married early the finds herself inundated by choice in the following year. He was on a mission – to metro’s malls and stores. “Some shops in buy good quality lingerie at the port for Goa stock brands, but do not have much his wife-to-be for their wedding day, as choice in terms of design and colour,” she the choice back home was very limited. added.

It’s been three decades, and he and his Still, wearing trendy lingerie on a wife are still happily married. Now their regular basis is now common in Goa, with son plans to be married this year, and his more women taking male partners along fiancée has travelled to Mumbai to find on their shopping trips the perfect wear for their big day. Indeed, The models at Victoria’s Secret and the variety available in India has grown Agent Provocateur aren’t the only ones tremendously, but despite an expanding sliding on lace and satin. Wearing wellmarket, the choice in Goa remains limited fitting lingerie is part of power dressing. to a few shops.

It makes women feel confident, sexy Customers stream into Monsoon in and in control, even if she’s the only one Panjim and Westside at Caculo Mall in who knows what’s under her clothes.

Miramar where a number of brands and Many women who differentiate between well-versed staff help make the choice underwear and lingerie when shopping easier. The Bikini Shop in Baga is another say it makes them feel good. regular haunt with clients looking for There may be a few red cheeks, but interesting beachwear and lingerie. They the boys aren’t complaining either. Savio stock a range of international and Indian Pires said, “More women in Goa these labels, but apart from these stores, and a days are wearing designer lingerie and few others, the pickings in Goa are pretty beachwear to express their sensuality. It’s slim. very important for a good sex life, too.”

India being India and Goa being Goa, He is happy to carry the bags when his most people are still a bit reluctant to girlfriend goes shopping. “I help out with have their names appear in the same the selection because after all it’s for me!” sentence as an undergarment. So please he quipped. forgive us – we’ve changed all the names Kevin Menezes can’t wait for the day in this article. his girlfriend drags him on her shopping With today’s women interested trips. “I’d love to go along! Sexy lingerie in good quality, trendy lingerie and or beachwear show the confidence of a girl with her body as well as her broadmindedness,” he Do you have anything in spinach said. flavour? My hubby is On her frequent a strict vegetarian. trips to Mumbai, Camille Pinto loves popping into shops to fill her wardrobe with pretty innerwear.

“I generally go with my sister or close girlfriends, but I’d take my boyfriend if he was paying!” she chirped. She has been shopping with her boyfriend in Goa and said she normally has a fairly comfortable experience, “except for one occasion where the lady was

By Dielle D’Souza

A

very shy and embarrassed to attend to me due to his presence”.

And it’s not just the attendants who sometimes feel ill at ease. Men themselves have a long way to go in being comfortable picking out nice panties for their partners. “A lot of my friends from other parts of India want their partners to wear nice lingerie but will not go shopping with them. It’s still an uncomfortable experience for a lot of guys, even in the metros,” said Vikas Desai, who works in New Delhi.

His sentiments are echoed by Keira D’Souza: “I don’t mind taking my boyfriend along, but he feels shy and awkward when I stop at the lingerie section in the store. So I normally shop for my lingerie alone.”

Many others like Christabelle Aguiar

haven’t yet warmed up to the idea of power dressing on the inside. “The most interesting lingerie I’ve ever bought was a low-back bra to wear with a dress I have.

I prefer basic underwear since no one’s going to see it,” she said, adding, “I’m sure there’s a market for it in Goa considering the options out there, but pretty frilly stuff is just not my style.”

From pretty bows to animal prints, polka dots, dainty lace and sheer fabrics, lingerie has only gotten more varied, with online stores such as myntra.com, lalingerieindia.com, cilory.com and kamuklife.com offering the option of shopping from home.

It’s about time more lingerie stores in Goa figured that stocking nice underwear is turning slowly from an option to a bare necessity. 

Explore 19

Thursday, June 27, 2013

bookshop. It hosts a wide range of local and international newspapers and magazines (including, of course, Goa Streets), some of which are quite rare, and a decent international book section.

Photographs by Ananda Krishna

Golden Heart Emporium

- Margao

This book shop in Margao has been around for decades, providing Salcete with fiction and non-fiction as well a large collection of textbooks in a separate section. Combined with its lending division, the Confidant Lending library, this nondescript shop on Rua Abade Faria holds thousands of books. Run

by Walburg Coutinho and his family, Golden Heart is thriving today, proof that bookshops are still good business in Goa, despite tales of book-shop woe from around the world.

Bookworm- Taleigao

you to get comfortable in. Besides the book-filled rooms, Literati also has a café within, for a tea/coffee or ‘lite bite’. The second-hand book section is a real gem, where you never know what you could get your hands on. The monsoon only adds to the dreamy charm of this place.

Lotus Eaters - Anjuna

Elevate the monsoons by curling up with a book

By Sanket Sharma

F

or an avid reader, monsoon can be like Christmas.

Delays, cancellations and a lot of getting stuck in places is all part and parcel of the season, but it ends in a precious gift. In this case, of time. What better activity to indulge in, than getting in touch with that obsessive reader in you.

But reading just anything doesn’t cut it. Although magazines like ‘Heat’ and ‘Cosmopolitan’ are written in the same language as J.D Salinger’s ‘Catcher in the Rye’, there is a fundamental difference between the two.

Reading ‘good’, in short, requires a conscious effort. In order to either keep you going or get you started, we have compiled a list of 7 bookstores around Goa.

Broadway - Panjim

Broadway is Goa’s answer to the famed Crossword and Landmark Bookstores.

It is a one-stop shop for a very decent collection of books, from subjects like science, fiction, autobigraphy, drama and philosophy to inspirational, spiritual, children, religion, cooking and teaching.

Located at the Calculo Mall in Panjim, as well as in Candolim and Margao, this bookstore has been the average reader’s best friend for some years now. Khalil Ahmed, its affable owner, also holds regular ‘special’ sales at venues in Panjim and Margao, selling some books even for as little as 50 rupees. I’ve found a limited edition ‘reconstruction of the Jack the Ripper story’ by Patricia Cornwell at one such sale. For bookworms, these events are the equivalent of being a child lost in candyworld.

Literati - Calangute

If the reader is like a sadhu, then Literati is like a Himalayan temple. It’s where they go to find peace. Run by the dedicated Diviya Kapur, it is located in Candolim in an old Indo-Portugese house. A grassy passage leads you to the beautiful garden and cozy veranda, which also has a little seating arrangement for

‘Lotus Eater’ means a person who lives life in a fog of laziness and dreams and is indifferent to the life outside of him, a sentiment embodied at this bookshop. The youngest of the shops in this list, it is located close to the Anjuna petrol pump. This book shop only deals with second hand books, and also buys old/used books. Apart from books, they also hold small communal gatherings for readers, where they read verses from favourite books and share ideas. Currently on a small break until August. Updates on Lotus Eaters can be tracked on http://www.facebook.com/ LotuseatersBookstore.

Bookworm is not just a bookstore, but a place for children to discover, understand and enjoy books. This bookstore’s programme consists of four parts ― Library, Book Treasure, Mobile Outreach and Publishing. The library is the main idea behind the store, where children from anywhere can borrow books and enjoy them.

Book Treasure provides books and support to under-resourced schools and Mobile Outreach takes books to the poorest groups of people. The store also holds various events and workshops for children and parents throughout the year.

Singbal Book House -

Panjim.

Varsha Book Stall -

Panjim

Matt Damon famously walks past this bookstore in the movie Bourne Supremacy, giving it its 15 seconds of background fame, enough for locals to boast about. Located opposite the Panjim church on the corner of the unusual 5-road intersection, this bookstore is as much a newspaper stand as it is a

If you like to browse your books to the music of honking cars and bikes, Varsha Book Stall is your cuppa tea. It is located near Cafe Prakash, that hoary old haunt of journos and armchair philosophers near Azad Maidan. This shop has a good selection of magazines and newspapers from the rest of the country and abroad.

Its frontage is tiny, but the shop extends deeper like a book lined tunnel. Its owner Vaman Bhate happily opines that book reading is on the rise in Goa. So quit cribbing about how there’s ‘nothing to do’ in the monsoon, go lose yourself in the pages of one of these lovely book dens of Goa!

20 Hot Streets

Need some love in my life Dear Acaricia May I am a single working woman in my late forties. I got too caught up in my career and family problems, and somehow feel I have missed the bus. I have a few male friends, yet somehow don’t feel I have the energy to cope with a marriage. But I love children. I actually work at a school and have always been surrounded by kids. Of late I wish I could have a son or daughter of my own. My doctor tells me it is a bit late to have kids of my own, so I have been considering adoption.

I am nervous about what my neighbours and family will say if I adopt a child now, in my middle age. Our Hindu Goan society is very orthodox and quick to mock people like me.

Am I too old to adopt? Will that adopted child love me as a mother, or will there always be a distance between us? I just want some affection in my life, before it is too late. Is it too late?

Janaki - Ponda

Dear Janaki

It is never too late to bring love into your life. Go ahead and adopt that child.

You will be giving a kid a good home and making life better for one more human being. Two, to be precise, as that would include you. There are many ways to achieve fulfilment in life. Hearing the sound of children’s laughter in your home, or helping them through their tears, is undoubtedly one of them.

But there is no shame in not having children, and it is possible to have a very full life without them. If you do adopt, you may need help bringing up that child, so be sure to get the support you need from friends and family. Yes, that child will love you as a mother. Good luck to you!

Love, Acaricia May

Dear Acaricia May

I am a 35 year old married woman, working part time. How should I get my husband to go out with me and socialise better? He is a real ‘ghor mazor’, as we say in Konkani, a house cat. We only go out for Sunday Mass together and occasional birthdays of friends or family. We’ve been together 5 years now. How can I get him out of the house for a nice dinner or dance with me? All our friends go out for New Year, Easter, Christmas parties and so many events all around the year. He didn’t even take me on a honeymoon, I still resent that. I know he gets tired from work, but he sleeps right through the weekend. He is so-so in bed, does his duties. But is there some special kind of Viagra or something to get him to be more outgoing?

Joan – Margao Dear Joan

It seems your couch potato of a husband could use a little prodding!

First, explore what he actually loves

doing. Does he like fishing, going to the movies or walking on the beach? Offer up one of these outings as a treat and see if he bites. Now if nothing works and he still refuses to budge, you could try going out with your own friends and see how much he likes hanging out in the house without you in it! Joan, it might take a little creativity and innovation to light a fire under Mr. Stay-At-Home’s behind.

I have to say that as worrying as his ‘ghor mazor-ness’ is your ‘so-so-in-bed’ comment. When it comes to that part of life, mediocrity is not good enough. You might have to show him the way in that department as well. Start talking. Tell him what turns you on. Ask him what turns him on, and do it! If you can ignite the missing spark in the bedroom, who knows, maybe it could lead to the dance floor!

Love, Acaricia May

If you have questions about sex, relationships or any other matter relating to the heart, please write to Acaricia May at acaricia@goastreets.com.

USEFUL STUFF www.goastreets.com

Thursday, June 27, 2013 Police 100 Ambulance 108 Coast Guard 1718 Women Helpline 1091 Goa State Aids Control Society 1097 Child Helpline 1098

Airline Offices Air Arabia Airlines 9225906416/15 Indian Airlines 18001801407 Air India 2431100/04 Jet Airways 1800225822 Spice Jet 18001803333 Kingfisher Airlines 18002093030 GoAir 1800222111 Singapore Airlines 2438813 Qatar Airlines 7930616000 Ambulance Services Goa Medical College 2458725 Vintage Ambulance +91 8322232533 /+91 9823059948 Ambulance Trust (Margao) 2731759/2714464 Mapusa Ambulance Service (Mapusa) 2262372 Helpline (Dona Paula) 2453303 Super markets Magsons Super Market Miramar, St Inez, Caculo Mall, Caranzalem, Vasco, Verna and Varca 2463700/2463701/2463702 Orchard Stores

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Corner

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21

Anjuna. 2273231 Newton’s Arcade Candolim. 2489056 Delfinos Super Stores, Candolim, 2356895 / 5235685 Maple Leaf Supermarket Porvorim, 6454099 Parsekar Stores Mandrem, 0832 2247345/2247900 Bus Services Kadamba Road Transport Corporation 133 Kadamba Transport Corporation 2438034/2438036 Manish Volvo 2444056 Paulo Travels 2438531 Neeta Volvo 2438088 Medical and Hospitals Dial-A-Doctor (Toll Free) 1911 Blood Bank 2458724 Vrundavan Hospital, Mapusa +918322250022/+918326713535 Apollo Hospital Margao. 2728888/ 6728888 Manipal Hospital Panjim. 3048800 Vintage Hospital Panjim. 2426650 Pharmacies Jeevan Rekha Medical Store Panjim. 2435946 Holy Spirit Medical Services

Margao. 2737433 Bardez Bazaar Mapusa. 2256620/2250618 Walson & Walson Calangute. 2276366 Nayana Medical Stores Porvorim. 2417818 Police stations Margao 2705095 Mapusa 2262231 Pernem 2201233 Anjuna 2273233 Calangute 2278284 Porvorim 2417704 Old Goa 2285301 Ponda 2313101 Colva 2788396 Vasco Harbour 2512234 Verna 2782325 Canacona 2633357 Post Offices Panjim GPO 2223706 Margao 2715791 Mapusa 2262235 Calangute 2276030 Department of Tourism 2438750/2438755 Goa Tourism Development Corporation Ltd 2226515/2226728 Govt. of India Tourism 2223412/2420529 Panjim Information Counter

2438520 Margao Information Counter 2715204 Vasco Information Counter 2512673 Railway Stations Canacona Code:CNO +918322643644 Madgaon Code:MAO +918322712790 Pernem Code:PERN +918322201283 Thivim Code:THVM +918322298682 Vasco de Gama Code:VSG +918322512398/+918322512131 Karmali Code:KRMI +918322285798 Safety Information Tourist Police Booths Miramar 2464260 Tourist Police Booths Calangute 2281238 Tourist Police Booths Vagator 2274031 GMC Casuality 2458725 GMC Casuality 2458725 TOY STORES Totally Toys Trionora Apartment, Panaji 2220304 Nilesh Store At Mahatma Gandhi Rd, Panjim 2230161

1st 4-star Hotel in Vasco, The HQ

he HQ is the first official 4 star hotel in Vasco to be approved by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India .

The HQ, a unit of Palette Hotels (I) Pvt. Ltd. is part of the NRB Group, one of Goa’s oldest business groups having interests in India and abroad. The HQ which opened its doors in 2010, is in the heart of Vasco catering to the business traveler and to the local Vasco populace offering a comprehensive range of meeting facilities and professional business service.

The HQ comes with well appointed rooms and suites, four in-house restaurants offering a variety of cuisine, ranging from Indian, Oriental, Mediterranean, Pizza’s and Cakes. The HQ serves a mixed clientele of corporate and leisure customers. The HQ is situated conveniently near the airport and in the vicinity of the port and industrial hub of Verna. The famous Bogmalo beach is in close proximity .

The 4 star classification, comes soon after the receipt of the award for Best Dining Experience 2013 given by

North Goa Snip Salon Spas

At Padmavati Towers, Panjim @ 10 am to 9 pm 2420898/989 www.snipsalonandspa.com

Club Mud Spa

At Sorantowaddo, Anjuna @ Open daily 8 am to 8 pm 2274131, 9011071941, 9822162111. www.lagunaanjuna.com

Sephora Salon & Spa

A Dubai-based beauty services chain Nr. Don Bosco School, Panjim. @ 9 am to 9 pm, Open daily 2231314, 3260890

Spa Sitara

Spa & Salon At Fort Aguada Rd, Candolim +918888886084

Dreamz Spa and Salon

@ 10 am to 9 pm At Campal, Panaji :- +918322223628 At Don Bosco, Panaji :- +91832222488 At Village Panchayat, Calangute:+919561319903 www.dreamzsalonandspa.com

South Goa Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa At Arossim Beach, Cansaulim +918322721234/+919923207075

Sohum Spa

At Royal orchid beach resort and spa, Utorda @ 9.30 am to 10 pm +918322884400/+918322884401

Beyond Looks Beauty Salon At Margao, Salcete +919822100932

Amanya Spa & Salon

Business Goa, Goa’s leading business magazine. The HQ is professionally managed and led by the MD & Chairman of the NRB group Mr. Narayan R Bandekar & his sons Mr. Nitin Bandekar & Mr. Amit Bandekar and are spurred on by the mission of providing the best service at all times.

The Corner is a regular space where organizations, entrepreneurs and all those with noteworthy projects can “strut their stuff.”

Traditional Ayurvedic Therapies Relaxing European Massages Mystical Oriental Therapies Rejuvenating Body Scrubs and Wraps Pampering Bath Preparations Indulging Facials At Ranghvi Estate, Dabolim (Near airport), Vasco, +918326486888/+918322538661/+919096 700407

Thai Spa Beauty Salon At Old Market, Margao +918322701177

22 Fashion

‘I love the freedom we have in Goa’ - Falon D’Cruz Photographs by Ananda Krishna

By Jonathan Rodrigues

G

oa Streets meets up with fashion designer Falon D’Cruz (25) from Guirim, Mapusa.

What is unique in Falon D’Cruz’s designs, something you consider to be your trademark?

FALON: I try and incorporate lace as much as I can into my work. For me, lace is classy, timeless and can go from feminine to edgy with the right accessories and attitude. I love mixing something edgy with something feminine. My USP would have to be the evening gowns I design. I love working with soft-looking structured silhouettes that enhance the feminine features of a woman. My shows are varied depending on the events they are held at.

For the Navy Queen Pageant 2012, the contestants opened in corsets designed by me. Then, for the Grape Escapade 2013, the collection was of a Vineyard wedding theme; which meant gowns in colors of wine.

What has been your experience at fashion shows so far? Any slip ups or goof ups you learnt from?

FALON: I’m one of those designers who happen to be into backstage management too.

In that respect, I find it really easy to envision changes in the music and how the entire show will shape up. Goof ups will always happen at any event, no matter how much planning goes into it. More than anything, I’ve learnt to stay focused on the bigger picture and to overlook the little things.

Are you into any other ventures besides being a fashion designer?

FALON: Before I started off as a full-fledged designer, I was already a partner in a fashion firm called uCherry; where we organize fashion shows, fashion shoots, wedding photography.

Basically anything and everything related to fashion. It’s wonderful having two businesses that are so closely linked. It is stressful no doubt, but the satisfaction is immense. It gives me a certain amount

of freedom to take off now and then for a short holiday.

What does Goa as a place have to offer to your styles at work and lifestyles in general?

FALON: I love Goa. Besides being ‘home’, it’s a wonderful place to be inspired by. Unfortunately, Goa has relatively little to offer in terms of material and accessories for a designer. It becomes a little difficult when you have to keep going elsewhere to source out

fabrics, embellishments and that sort. With the amount of designers springing up all over Goa, it would be fabulous to have bigger retailers for fabrics and such.

I personally love the freedom we have in Goa when it comes to dressing up and being able to express oneself with clothes and accessories.

It is easy to pick up trends and try new styles in here.

I think the reason is largely due to the diverse cultures.

Our level of acceptance is superb.

With competition hovering around and the need to keep re-inventing yourself, where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

FALON: Competition will always be around; though for me, it acts as a motivating factor. As clichéd as it sounds, I believe the key is to believe in what you do and always stay focused on the bigger picture. I can’t really imagine the scene 10 years from now, but I’d like to become a brand that people trust and appreciate

for quality of work and design.

I am sure you have a living inspiration you look up to as your role model.

FALON: I love Alexander McQueen. His brand has the most interesting blend of edgy-meets-feminine-meets-futuristic; and yet it all manages to look so classy.

Manish Arora is another favorite with his quirky designs. As far as a role model goes, I wouldn’t say I aspire to be like one person in particular. There are a lot of people from whom I have learnt different things and it has all shaped me into the person I’ve become today.

What do you do when you’re not designing?

FALON: I’m easily bored and I need constant entertainment. I love going out.

Sitting at home, for me, is far from fun.

I tried my hand at baking recently; it’s not the best idea when you end up eating everything you’ve baked though! A huge part of my day goes into my work. So, by the time I’m home, I’m usually surfing the net or flipping though a magazine. I do love window shopping, more so when I travel. 