Friday, August 31, 2007
A very sparse month. As with last month, the 2007 is correct. I'm just behind. Not hopelessly though.
August 1, 2007
Maya had terrible dry skin around her mid-section, so I brought her to Dr. Mukta Sachdev, a dermatologist at Manipal. She gave her a few different things: coconut oil, Venusia (Squalene, Aloe Vera and Vitamin E cream), and Oilatum emollient (a light liquid paraffin that goes in the rinse water of her bath). Within a week, her skin was as good as new.
This Dr. Mukta is quite well known around town. We had Maya and Molly's ears pierced by her, I have a friend who brought her daughter there to see if the scar from an injury would eventually become less prominent, another friend who went there for Botox (evidently the good doctor has eight or nine patients a week go in for that treatment), and yet another friend who sees Mukta regularly to check for irregular skin patches. I must say I know one person who has gone to her for botox, too!
August 2, 2007
Went to Ista to for drinks and dinner: Ista is a nearby hotel with a gorgeous outdoor bar. Nice comfy seating and good music--sometimes people get up and start dancing. Good place to go with friends.
Kavi, Priya, and Molly
Kush and Badri
August 12, 2007
Lalbagh & horse riding
It's not always easy finding things to do around Bangalore, especially with kids. We took a walk around Lalbagh Botanical Garden in the morning--240 acres of park land in the southern part of the city. Hyder Ali (a famous ruler of Mysore) commissioned the park, but his son Tipu Sultan completed it. Huge flower shows are held here every January and August for Republic Day and Independence Day.
In the afternoon we went to the Equestrian Center of Excellence so Maya and Molly could ride horses. They both have helmets, but only Maya takes a lesson from Mr. Sundar, really nice guy who used to be a jockey.
August 14, 2007
We had plans to go see "Surf's Up" with Kirsty and her kids. Went to the Forum Mall in Koramangala. Got there a little early so went for coffee and hot chocolate with Molly and Charlie. Stopped in to the bathroom, and as we were leaving, Molly got her pinky finger stuck in the door. It looked quite bent, with the blood at the surface, so we went to Manipal Hospital. Badri works next door so he met us there. We met with Dr. K.M.K. Varma, yet another doctor who has a great reputation and who lots of my friends have gone to. He's one of the leading orthopedic surgeons at the hospital. He set Angus's (Kirsty's son) arm when he broke it at school.
Between seeing him, going for the x-ray, and going back to the doctor, we were at the hospital for nearly three hours. I was glad I'd packed lots of snack food in my pack for the kids before and after the movie. Of course, we never made it to the cinema. In the end, there was no fracture, but he wrapped it with gauze and tape next to the ring finger just so the little finger would have support. Consultation 250rs ($6.25) and x-ray 150rs ($3.75). And Badri says that Manipal is the most expensive hospital in all of India!
Took the kids on a camel ride around the neighborhood. You know they're on your block when you hear their distinctive bells. The first time we heard it I told the kids it sounded like Santa Claus was coming to town.
camel outside our garden
Maya, Molly, and Mommy on camel
Charlie on camel
August 15, 2007
I'm taking Ashtanga yoga in Jayanagar with the granddaughter of Pattabhi Jois, the founder of the Mysore Ashtanga yoga school. It takes about 45 minutes to get to lessons, but it's a great workout!
August 21, 2007
Observed Vivek Saxena, another Aperian Global trainer, do a half day (4 hour) training at Fidelity. It's about 15 minutes from our place, at a place called Embassy Golf Links on the Ring Road to Koramangala.
The way the train the trainer process goes is this: you observe a few trainings, co-train a few, and then get certified to do it on your own. The objective of the "Conducting Business with the U.S." trainings is to introduce the concept of culture; talk about some of the differences and similaries between people in India and the U.S., and then work with them to see how you can bridge the gap between those differences to work more effectively together. Most of the Aperian Global agreements with multinational corporations is two-way: people get trained in India about how to work with the U.S., and then their colleagues in U.S. are trained on how to work with their Indians counterparts.
August 22, 2007
Went to dinner at Ira and Sheri's, good friends who live near by (about a 10 minute walk, across 100 ft. road). They came here to help their son, Sean, set up a business called babajob. Babajob is jobs clearinghouse for the internal sector. Sean left Microsoft because he was really excited about doing this, and Ira and Sheri have stayed on because they're also enjoying the business and people connected with it so much. The New York Times says of babajob: "Seeking to bring the social-networking revolution to the world's poor." Find out more at http://www.babajob.com/
August 30, 2007
Brought Molly to Dr. Sudha at the Bangalore Holistic Medical Centre on Richmond Circle. I must have heard about her from a half dozen people, all locals who are thrilled with how she's helped them (mostly children) overcome health issues like asthma and sinus issues. An assistant interviewed us to ask lots of questions about Molly then we met with Dr. Sudha. Met interesting families in the waiting room in between both meetings. In the end, the consultation and homeopathic medicine for asthma and building the immune system was 950rs ($23.75). People say she's one of the most expensive homeopaths around, but many swear by her. The guy who founded the clinic has newspaper articles all around the waiting room--doctor to the Bollywood stars.
Any day could be costume day. Molly the witch
Molly with the very hungry caterpillar
August 30, 2007
Sunny's with Marion et al
Went to Sunny's for dinner with Marion and Phil, Jessica and David, Kirsty and Andrew, Charmaine, Badri and me. Sunny's is a terrific restaurant in an upmarket part of town around Lavelle Road. Lots of designer shops and boutiques all around there. Yummy continental food and nice wine selection. Marion and Phil will be leaving Bangalore to head back to the UK for her next assignment with Reuters very soon.
August 31, 2007
I went out with my friends Kitty (three doors over to the left) and Yamini (two doors over to the right) to 100 ft. Boutique restaurant. Both are from Bangalore (though Yamini's family is Kodava, from Coorg--the gorgeous land of coffee plantations--and Kitty's family is originally from Calcutta).
Came home to Badri saying, "I've got some bad news." Oh no, I thought. "Charlie has asthma." He woke up yesterday barking like a seal, so I kept him home yesterday. Didn't cough much during the day, but it started up again at night. When I came home about 11:30pm he was laying on the couch while Badri watched cricket, wide awake, wheezing and coughing. I've just sent an instant message to our pediatrician, Dr. Chinnappa, on his cell (mobile) phone.
