Fading landmarks...

It is terribly saddening to see the prominent landmarks in one's life lose their place in the new dispensation of things - though, of course the first question that pops up is why it has to lose it's place at all - why not adapt and retain the essence and flavor?

Nevertheless, some of the places I thought of as landmark in Cal are showing signs of losing, if they haven't already lost, their lustre.

Flury's, for one - Flury's was synonymous with a lot of feel-good things. Now, though it looks swankier, in its essence, it is not even remotely what it used to be - waiters do not seem interested in serving; an order for a coffee and a croissant or a pastry means the waiter will walk around with around with your croissant or pastry looking for who is looking at it, and by the time the coffee comes around, both the croissant and the coffee have become cold - the pastry in all likeliness would have hardened....yesterday we got the famed chicken sandwiches from their South City outlet, and the chicken was so leathery, making these also a 'once' famous....

Nahum's in New Market - another iconic place - everything from garlic bread to their pastries were all flavored chlorine....

Someplace Else - was another fave a few years back. We went there for old times' sake and wished we hadn't. Asked for draft beer - run out of it; Kingfisher Strong - don't have, okay then, any other beer---so the guy comes back and keeps a bowl of cornflakes mixture, and then, no sign of the beer - so where is he? he's writing something along with the bartender.....and we wait and wait, finish the bowl of mixture, and still wait, till finally the guy looks up and sees us waiting - -and then rushes off to get it....by  which time we were wondering why we were there at all....okay beer over, we thought why not round it off with some good coffee at The Street - so we go into this freezing place, and ask for black coffee, and pat comes the reply - hot coffee machine is out of order, we could give you ice cream!!!!!!!! now how's that for an evening out???

And the latest - our haunt for Bengali sweets and savories - Mukherjee Sweets in Ballygunge Place - the quality has gone down to a point when their snacks are inedible....

Modernization does not mean a lowering of standards or quality - certainly....

A glimpse of what's in store...

As Cal starts dressing up for the Pujas....

South City mall

 

Cal's in...

puja fever...