Disclaimer: Foodie post ahead!

So, Beet get his British-food cravings once in a way. Last time it was chips and gravy. He set out to replicate the same in our kitchen. He fried the chips (nothing close to the wedge-chips you get there apparently), made a gravy (no idea how he did it) and then mixed the lot with onions and lots of cheese. Not bad...It could even be a hit in pubs I reckon...and call it Beet's Binge or something...

Jagro's new outlet is AMAZING. Each thing I've ever ordered never fails to disappoint. The latest was their "Vanilla sandwich" which had a moist, light sponge cake which wasn't overly sweet, sandwiched with strawberry jam, cream and their gorgeous strawberries on top! Yum! The pic below of their strawberry tart was taken when we met CJ at his office. MAN. Strawgasmn is not the word. I could eat the little things by the handful.

Suro had been bugging me to go for this wine and tapas Happy Hour at Sugar Bistro for weeks and I finally had the time to do just that. We were there by about 5.30pm (bebaddo!?) and ordered the rose wine which came nice and chilled at 50% off (yay!)
We left around 8pm but were little annoyed because the tapas were not 50% like their advertising claimed. A little misleading but what the hey, it was good fun and good food - so can't complain really. 

Dilgirl and I met up randomly as I was picking up a gift for a friend from Paradise Road on Alfred House Garden. We ho-hummed at going to cricket club (bit dull - they really need to update their menus)...and Paradise Road Cafe (lil' expensive for a small meet up)...and I suddenly remembered The Boulevard opposite to Cricket Club. Now I'm a firm believer of the Tasty Caterers, I mean look at La Rambla and Crossroads... really good food at good prices! And Boulevard didn't disappoint either.

We ordered a appetizer, which was battered prawns with an awesome mango sauce and really great chicken skewers with a peanut sauce. They had a nice salad to go with it with raw papaya cut like a lattice. Nice touch. 

And we shared a quesadilla from the main menu... so good :D Their juices are super as well...and large potions. 

 

Anyone tried the new McDonald's "Hot Cakes"? I had to whine my way to buying it, with a super "let's eat healthy" hubby around. Bah. Basically it's 3 fluffy American pancakes, butter and maple syrup. We had it for tea at home and it's really great. Not too great for calorie counters but a nice treat to share for sure...

Happy day foodies! :*
Dee

The "Girl-School" Glass Ceiling

I just experienced the Girl-School Glass ceiling!

My GM just approved a sponsorship for an Old Boy's Rugby Dinner and joked about when I asked if I can get  one for the Visakha Walk in June.

:(

It's no secret that the corporate world is dominated by professionals mainly from Colombo schools. I'm not generalizing here but it is true. This helps them with their networking and there's nothing like helping each other out when sponsorships are required or when the school needs funds.  Let's face it, the main boy school's in Colombo are overflowing with dough!!

On the other hand, past pupils from Girl's schools find it a tad harder.... after all, women generally have to handle motherhood, home and then prioritize work - AND breaking the glass ceiling in general is a b****.

Sigh.

I always had this plan in my head of teaching after motherhood. After all, who wants to leave home at 6am and go home at 6pm to only find a sleeping child? Quality time was always a priority for me. But as I progress and live, breath and eat the corporate life, I'm seriously re-thinking leaving the workplace and saying goodbye to a career. I'd hate to be cut off.

I really wonder how the 3 female GM's in our workplace cope. 2 are unmarried while the other has older kids and is so motherly to all of us.

Unfortunately, none of them are Visakhians. Damn it.

GAD! damn it!!!

So boobs (thats the husband) not that he has any (now, because he's getting all ripped and all)  but I affectionately refer to him as boobs (for old times sake) :P and I decided to travel down under to see my grandmother... who knew it'll be such a TOUGH TASK!!!

ARGH!
ARRRRGHHH!!!

ARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHH!!!

I'm actually going insane. we've put all the documents now it looks like a migration application. so keeping all my 20 fingers and toes crossed hoping we don't get rejected!!!

Here's hoping!!!

Random clicks

Been pretty lazy to write so will share some pictures from here and yonder...

I thought this tuk-tuk's 'metre-cosy' was rather funny. I wonder if I could make some money making and selling these on Etsy or something...

...aaand featuring...Beet's favourite shop in the whole wide world. Turkey, Chicken, Sausages, Pork - you name it...you get it here in it's freshest form. Not even the rain could stop him on the day I took this picture...

We were at O pub recently on a weekday and MAN, did they get it their cuttlefish wrong. I normally don't leave behind seafood at any cost (sacrilege!) but these plastic, unseasoned, horrible morsels of cuttlefish-shame were so bad I took it out of my mouth and left it on the plate. Beet reckons that they probably change the chefs during weekday/end nights..but still...isn't the sign of a good restaurant CONSISTENCY?! Gah.

Hey the new go kart track in Bandaragama is rather rad. Very professional and the cars are super fast and the track long and tricky. Costs Rs. 1000 per race  but fully worth it methinks...

Late wedding gifts! So awesome :') Specially when people give us alcohol related things, like this shaker! Beet loved it as he's fondly known among our circles as the 'mixologist' - his Mojitos are simply to die for. That's my office mate 'Met', demonstrating for you. He loves listening to jazz on rainy days, is an Apple fanboy, a foodie and SINGLE LAYDEEEZ! (ahem. shameless, I know)

Thought I was rather lucky to get this shot from our office van. I see this homeless man and his dog almost everyday unless it's rainy. I wonder where they go to when it does though. Reminds you what's important in this world I guess...and that love comes in all forms...

xo

Ride on!

Our friend who was fixing our new bicycles called and confirmed that we could pick ours one night, about a week ago. Beet suggested we go to his workshop by tuk-tuk and then ride back home - literally from Kotte to Pelawatta. I instantly thought of all the ways we could die/ be maimed, after all, it's Sri Lanka...

For example -

1. Get knocked down by a bus
2. Get waylaid by a stray dog, end up in ditch
3. Fall down a open manhole
4. Fall into a paddy field
5. Fall into open water (It's Pelawatta..hello...)
6. Get something yelled at by Sri Lankan neanderthal, Beet to protect me heriocaly, we die in bloody politically connected gang fight ...

Etc...

Then again I pushed the thoughts away from my head because one, WE WERE MARRIED DAMMNIT...and two, WE LIVE ALONE...so three, we (I) really didn't need to answer to parents who never really did anything as zany as this at 8 o' clock in the night...and even though all the scenarios (point 1 to 6) could have definitely come true...

you only live once...

right?

Thinking this to myself, we left home in a tuk and wound up at Kotte. The bikes looked awesome so we picked them up and set off back home.

It occurred to me while we pedaled along that you tend to miss so much while being inside a vehicle. Like how one little hill was as daunting as Mount Fuji. How sweat runs down your temples and your glasses fog up (yes, I wore my nerd specs because my vision does a nose dive at night). Then there's that old tuk driver taking a nap inside his his tuk-tuk...women with sili bags full of groceries going home...a coconut seller listening to a radio...a guy in a simple bicycle passing us effortlessly as we struggled. Stray and community dogs of all colours, some tightly curled up and sleeping, some lazily opening an eye as we cycled past.

Lovely.

Of course there's only some small tips to remember while cycling in Sri Lanka -

a. Wear a helmet, gloves and some knee/arm guards if possible (Ebay has some good stuff)
b. Always, always, ALWAYS be aware as cycle tracks are virtually non-existent and traffic is usually indiscipline and horrid
c. Take water (humid) and few tools just in case

I must say this cycling thing is addictive. After that night's jaunt, we cycled on Sunday morning and at night and its only the massive wedgies and crotch/butt hurt that poses as the only setback right now. Then again, I heard you get used to it so...um.. I'm still waiting for that, yeah.

Till then, keep calm and ride on bitches!!!!!

xo

Be the change...

You want to see in the world...

My mother was however one of those people who never pushed me to study but instilled in me the right and wrong and Inspired me to do good in the little time we have left in this world!!!

I randomely found this amazing song... not a big fan! however this song, made me cry! Inspired to do more!!!

A Tour through (and to) galle?

Out of love for just taking pictures I recently enrolled my self in the course offered by the Photography association of Sri Lanka.
The first field trip, yielded the images below. I’m just a small amateur photographer… I don’t think I can’t even call my self that… maybe an armature photo catcher… Yes that’s more like it!!!
So 45 of us not including the PSSL representatives got in a AC bus at 5.15am and started towards galle, via galle road, 

 

somewhere on panadura bridge

somewhere off kalutara bridge

 

  On what I would do to be that dog...

 

Richmond Castle - Kalutara - Quite a story behind it found here          

        we were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of fish being brought ashore.

 the images below are from the galle fort...

 

 Did you know that these (beach) boys jump off along side the walkway from the lighthouse for Rs.2000!!! CRAZYYYYY!!!

The oldest living man in the fort!! Uncle ishmail looking in to a distance....

The day was quite adventurous... 

p.s - These picture are mine!!! so Please ask before you take them!!! :)
 ta!