Christmas at Star City

Even if you are not a Christian, all of us may enjoy a little bit of Santa's good cheers. I was happy to find this spread around Star City Mall which decorated their main hall quite nicely. More importantly, I was glad so many  young neighbors came by to have their coffee and chai in the mall , socialize and warm up a bit. It is awfully chilly these days. If you really want to get toasty, sit at Cafe Coffee Day, there the heaters were working nicely. And don't forget the Asman toy shop who offers lots of gift opportunities.

So come on over to feel that spirit , get a hot chocolate and hang out with your loved ones. At least this mall management still makes an effort to brighten our gloomy December days, even though most shops are still vacant.

By the way, did you ever try hot red wine (or hot rum) during winter months. Just add sugar and cloves , some water and a dash of lemon juice to the cheap red wine, heat it slowly until the sugar is dissolved and there you go: you have German GLUEHWEIN, that means glow wine (afterwards your cheeks will glow :-)

Big Bazaar Coming

If they cannot make a jingle out of that title/ headline, then it's their own fault....

WHEN WILL IT OPEN???? WHO KNOWS, probably in time for the DIWALI business season!

Most of you have probably seen it already, driving by, but just in case you have not heard:
the metro station for Mayur Vihar Extension now houses a Big Bazaar super market, which is pretty darn convenient considering some of us still bemoan the departure of the Reliance shop at Star City Mall and the fact that practically nothing has happened in the DLF Galleria mall next door. What a waste of real estate.... As I am actually out of town, please, let me know any updates on the mall situation. I'd love to see these places really come alive and turn our neighborhood into something special.

If you want to know the difference between Mayur Vihar Phase 1 and Phase 2, you only have to consider the fact that neither a Nirula nor a Cafe Coffee Day could survive in Mayur Vihar II for more than a year or so. While phase 2 was made for government employees and only offers DDA flats, Mayur Vihar Phase 1, including the extension, offers apartment societies, spacious roads and overall a more peaceful living. Maybe because in Phase 1 and the Extension  there arent so many temples :-)  , while Phase 2 has a famous Shiva temple and an old Ganesha temple. Who knows, but I can only keep recommending MV1 and its Extension as an ideal place to live in all of Delhi. It is most ideally situated traffic wise, close to CP and to Noida, it has modern facilities and good schools, and is really trying to grow retail-wise. Plus we have two Cafe Coffee Days (CCD), one of them at Sikkim Plaza in Phase 1 near the Alcon School is way too small and I am surprised to see they have not extended the premises, while the other one at Star City Mall still has not bothered to advertise their existence to the outside for people who drive by and also remains rather small and without any upgrading where seats are concerned.

In the West they used to measure development by the amount of Mc Donald's in the region, in India you can use the presence of a CCD as the indicator for an upswing, I suppose....Oh well....

What else is happening in the 'hood, folks??? DO KEEP US INFORMED!!!! Send me your stories....This blog here if for you, participate!
Best wishes to you from your Mayur Vihar Reporter, tina, currently out of country :-)  Cheers!

Soccer at MV

During my afternoon walks this week, I saw for the first time that there is something strenuous happening in our neighborhood: I discovered that we have a children's soccer club in our midst with 2 African coaches. The lady who brought this amazing feat to life is Mrs. Anju Abbott. She started the BLACK TIGER SOCCER CLUB for boys (and girls) age 5 to 15. Four times a week the kids slave away over that  round piece of leather. And boy, do they work hard. It certainly is a great alternative to cricket and the big field next to Vigyapan Lok Apartments could not find a better use. (right next to Mayur Vihar Extension metro stop)

Fenced In

You have all seen the new side walks in our neighborhood, and certainly across the ASN School and near Samachar Apartments it all looks real dandy. They have even "cleaned" up the area around the trash dumps. But what about Club Avenue across from the CNG Station? WHO in godesses' name has come up with putting back the fences after improving the stones on the sidewalks? Who will walk behind a fence? Not that the sidewalks desperately needed a make over anyway. Looked more like a case of "malai" to me, if you know what I mean. New public trashcans, better cleaning of our roads, more streets lights at night all this would have been more important than sidewalks.
Wonderfully spacious and luxurious:

SAHAKARITA Marg across the ASN School

UNusable even with new stones to walk on: Sidewalks on CLUB AVENUE
What do you think? Is this all a case of preventing small-time vendors from settling in on open sidewalks or what is the mystery behind the fences? May be if I hear a good explanation, I'll get used to it. Fact of the matter remains: fenced in sidewalks are a great waste of space. In the end they will only be used for piddle points. Tell us your opinion.

New Shops at MV1

Hello Neighbors! We  have a couple of new shops in our 5 Star Village. Have you spotted them already?

CHHAPAI is here, if only a bit hidden in the Gupta Arkade/ a.k.a Samachar Market/ a.k.a DDA market /aka Atlanic Plaza/Anupama Arcade/ Why are there so many names for his one shopping area here?
Ethnic sarees, duppattas, stoles & cordinates Open from 10-10 every day except mondays
Two months ago this sari shop opened its door across from Mother Dairy's vegetable stall and next to the electric shop. It's a beautiful and elegant place. Do stop by! Mr. Khan is most helpful in showing you the most wonderful silk and cotton saris with block prints. There are also lovely shawls and nice fashion jewelry. I bought a nice gift there today: earrings, bangle and a ring for 460 rupees. Silk cotton kurtas can be bought for 850 rps which I feel is very reasonably priced. Give this new shop a chance. It is a great addition to the market. If all the other shops were as clean and beautiful as this one, we wouldn't have to rush to any malls anymore.

You might have seen the new kebab place KATHI JUNCTION. Located in a corner near the meat shop and close to Domino's, it it a welcome edition since there are simply not enough food places in our neighborhood. I have yet to eat there and probably won't, but you may know more about its quality. Tell us.

If only the mouth watering recipes were served in mouth watering surroundings

The outside trash is still such a turn off and I cannot understand why shopkeepers don't put their heads together and organize common dumpsters so this area can be a great community place.
I wish we would get a coffee shop or some other places to sit and enjoy. If this large "lawn" area would ever get cleaned up and benches were put up, we would all only be too happy. I wrote the Municipal Department about the trash, but no word from them. If all of us would complain, may be someone woke up and improve this disgusting site.

Children's Day at Riverview Apts

Farah from Riverview Apartments was nice enough to tell me about a lovely event that happened in her society last weekend. As I did not know about the idea behind it, I asked her to explain more:
"Children's Day is celebrated in India on the occassion of the birth anniversary of our first PM Jawaharlal Nehru.  He was lovingly called Chacha Nehru by children, and he was very fond of them. The kids in our society are quite active and they just decided on the 13th November, a Sunday, to organise this painting competition. It was they who told everyone going from door to door canvassing as it was not an official society event. About 15 kids got together , roped in a few of us for organising, settling and monitoring the events and then found some judges. We brought in "neutral" neighbours(whose kids were not participating) and they judged the paintings. 1st prize went to Faiz Ahmed, 2nd prize to Saloni and 3rd to Srinandan."

High Rise in Mayur Vihar

This huge shell of a building has been standing on Club Avenue between Fraser Suites and the CNG Station for quite some time now. The sign only says Antartica Properties and we don't know yet what it will be, who will use it, but we do know one thing: it's tall. Fraser Suites apartment users must not be amused to have the sun taken away from them, but during the summer months, they might be grateful to be in the shade of this high rise.
Seeing how narrow it is and how flimsily it is made, one would like to warn future dwellers of it already, but life is a risk. When the next earthquake hits, they might start throwing bed sheet ropes over to the more sturdy looking Fraser Suites. Also not amusing is the way the workers dangle from the scaffold high up without any protection whatsoever. It might be a case of "Peepli Live", when he falls, the worker's family might be blessed with some money, but I wouldn't bet on it.

Getting boring, right? These no- news updates about the mall business. But you know what they say: HOPE dies last! So once again we ventured across Club avenue into the District Centre to see if there is new activity. But besides the aforementioned liquor activities all around the mall parking lots, not much else has changed since we last reported. However, there are a few brave souls who have opened their business inside the otherwise deserted Galleria Mall, one of them the YASH RAJ Film Shop . The have DVDs, CDs Vcds and also music CDs and Blue Ray movies. No, no blue movies :-)

This photo was taken in the setting up face Yash Raj Films Delhi branch:  IS OPEN NOW from 11 to 6 pm (sorry about the poor picture quality)
http://www.yashrajfilms.com/AboutUs/BuisnessActivities.aspx?SectionCode=PRO002

One man was in there getting his beard trimmed I think.

The German dental specialists have arrived.  Will Indians use these services with a name
they cannot pronounce?
http://www.duerrdental.de/en/contact/branchoffices-representations/s-jaiswal/

One big office for all?http://www.pacificholidaysinc.com/

http://www.testritegroup.com/Contacts/asia.htm


http://www.myvideotalkindia.com/

http://www.orbitcoms.com/
the other company not found online

As far as shops goes, you can see that there is nothing here that makes a visit worth our while.
When will the big anchor shop finally arrive or a movie hall?  Lots of shops are now listed for rent, but it looks like the fools who pay skyhigh prices are becoming fewer and fewer. Good!

The food court still deserted. Unless they install a COSTA or Cafe Coffee Day in the mall, no one is going to come.

So there you have it. I wish I could say "no news is good news", for our neighborhood it continues to mean, we have to head over to Noida or South Delhi to have a fun day at the mall. Too bad! The DT signs everywhere tricks us into thinking there will be a DT movie hall soon, but such is not the case.

Candy is Dandy, but Liquor is Quicker

...this wise old saying by the American poet Ogden Nash certainly is being adhered to in our Mayur Vihar Extension neighborhood where WINE and BEER shops are sprouting like mint leaves.

Even at night, you can find your way to your
favorite booze joint!
There are 4 alcohol shops now between Star City Mall and the DLF Galleria, and they are probably the source of income for these 2 malls that really matter. It seems that our neighbors in Uttar Pradesh are loving these close-to-the-border shops where they can chill with booze and an egg sandwich before heading back to their own "country". After all these grill wallahs have also smelled the green of dollar notes and started to set up shop all around the two malls. There are a lot of parked cars now with the motors running, meaning they are having a drink of two right BEFORE they are driving again. Now THAT is the really scary part: More lunatic drivers out there. And of course the police is nowhere to be seen. I love a good drink, but please not before driving, please, and not in a culture of dark and sneaky corners. Unfortunately it seems to be a sport only enjoyed by men here, and as long as that is the case, these wine and beer shops are not what we were hoping for to happen in the malls.

Have you seen this old lady sitting near the Hilton under the metro line lately? She sits there in the evenings, during the day, we were told, she is in the fields behind the two 5 Star Hotels. We tried to talk to her, but it appears she is a Bengali tribal woman. She was very vocal, and I heard the word "police" alot, but that was as far as our conversation went. We bought her some biscuits and a bottle of water, admired her self-made head gear( really creative) and went on our merry way. We hope the Hilton staff might occasionally help her out, too, for she is clearly a lost soul.

If anyone has any suggestions as to help this creature, do email me, or visit her yourself in the evenings. Thanks!

UPDATE : many people must have donated blanked and things for her, as she is still camped in front of the Hilton. And one noble neighbor has tried to help  by calling 20 NGOs asking for solutions how to make this woman's life more bearable, but none of them, not a single one, has even answered his emails, let alone come up with a plan or offering options. Looks like NGOs are often only a web site looking for government funds to pay themselves.....