Grumbles and Grudges

I have decided to add a new feature to my blog: The Complaints Department, now named Grumbles and Grudges.  Grumbles are things that I need to complain about, and Grudges are for outright anger and punishment infliction.

This week Grumble is Hypercity.  It is very annoying when the largest grocery store in the city does not have the simple things I want.  Today they didn't have my Danon Vanilla Yogurt.  There was a nice empty space where they should have been...and that empty space laughed a sinister laugh at me (Heh heh heh...now you have to go to another grocery store instead of going home!  Heh Heh Heh!).  The second thing I wanted that they didn't have was decent produce.  The cucumbers were soft and mushy, and the green chili peppers were just floppy.  I didn't even look at the fresh coriander (aka cilantro) which is usually laughable: more like a bunch of flowers that actual coriander leaves.


This week's Grudge goes to Quiznos.  We went there on Sunday for a quick, non-Indian lunch.  We ordered 3 chicken subs for the 4 of us.  While the girls and I were in the bathroom washing our hands, Mr. TEHG (This Expat's Hyderabad Guide), bit into his, swallowed, then looked at the inside of his sandwich only to realize that the chicken was pink.  BLECH.  He sent his back.  I looked at our subs, and sent them back too.  3.5 hours later, Mr. TEHG, was struck with food poisoning.  Quiznos has definitely earned it's spot in the Grudge corner.  

Food Shopping: Where to go and where I go.

One of my wishes is to be able to buy everything on my shopping list at one time and at one store.  Unfortunately this doesn't always happen.  Is my list too long? Specific? Obscure?  No, none of the above.  "No Stock Madame" is a common phrase I hear at grocery stores, which is usually followed by an annoyed "Sigh" from me.

For my big shopping trips when I need to buy meat (ie chicken- I don't cook other meat here), I make the trek to HyperCity in Inorbit Mall, Madhapur.  The downside to Hypercity is that their produce isn't as good as other stores.  Qmart, Ratnadeep, Spar, and Tarkari all have much better produce.  For reference, Hypercity opens at 10am (there rest of Inorbit mall opens at 11am) and closes at ?? sometime later than a normal person would be doing their grocery shopping, probably 9:30pm.

If you are looking for the best produce:

• Tarkari is a small fruit and vegetable shop with 2 locations: Road #1 Banjara Hills directly below Lion India Framing Shop, and in Gacihbowli between the Cyberabad Police Comissionerate and the ramp to the new flyover. It is next to a More grocery store which has an orange sign.  Tarkari has the best selection of produce and you can find lettuce and celery most of the time.
• Qmart: Road #2 Banjara Hills
• Ratnadeep: (a few locations around town including:) Main road Madhapur, near My Home Navadweepa, and Road #12 Banjara Hills.  Their produce is always very good.  The tomatoes, onions, okra, green beans, and other items are prepackaged in 500g or 1kg bags, which makes shopping easier and quicker.
• Spar: Oasis Center Begumpet
• Pure O Natural:  Opposite Lumbini Springs, Kondapur.  Only fruits and vegetables.  Good selection and quality

Buying Meat?

Like I said, I only buy and cook chicken here.  Any fish or prawns I buy are frozen.  I buy my chicken from Hypercity, and will get frozen fish or prawns wherever I can find them: usually Ratnadeep or Qmart.  A number of people order meat and cheese from The Deli at the Novotel.  When you go there, ask for "the list" of produce and meat that they sell.  You can give them your order and it will be there to pick up the next day.  For me that requires planning...not my forte.  

For quick and easy grocery needs (milk, eggs, butter, sugar, flour, juice) any Heritage, Fresh, or More grocery store will be fine.  

Curtain and Upholstery Fabric shops

India is a great place to get home furnishing fabrics and custom made curtains and upholstery.  Fabrics are great quality, the selection is huge and the prices are good.   My 2 favorite (home furnishing) fabric shops are both located on the same road in Ameerpet but on opposite sides of the street.

They are:
Vijay Textiles: 040 2341 4172 (there are several showrooms around town, the one I go to is in Ameerpet)
Jaydurga Furnishings: 040 2373 3614
Both shops can make curtains and do upholstery work.  

Hair Care

Not long after your arrival you will be plagued with the question "Where should I get my hair done?"  Wherever you go always always ALWAYS!! ask for a Senior Stylist!!  The price will be marginally more, but it can save you a big headache (pun intended)!

For the Gents 2 good bets are:

• Ista Hotel in Gachibowli 040 4450 8888 (ask to be connected to the spa)
• Tangerine on Road #36 Jubilee Hills, opposite Chutneys Phone 040 2355 4800  
• I have also seen nice work done on gents at Envi Salon in Inorbit Mall, Madhapur, but I don't have any personal accounts to back that up. 040 4003 6014

Best to bypass:
Ellaa Suites salon:  my husband HAS had good haircuts there, but has also had NOT good haircuts there.  The quality of the cut is very much dependent on the stylist there, and in my opinion isn't worth the risk

Ladies:
My favorite is Bubbles Salon in Jubliee Hills opposite KBR park: 040 6576 5577. Tanjua is the best stylist there.  (they also do the best pedicures in the city IMO)
Also recommended:

• Manea Salon in Banjara Hills : ONLY have Sachin do your hair!  Road #2 Banjara Hills, Park View Estate 1st floor  040 6678 4511
• Mirrors Salon Road #1 Jubilee Hills, next to Celebrations  (a new one just opened on the main road in Madhapur, but I don't have the info yet)
• Novotel Salon (Rosalie is the recommended stylist) 

Best to bypass:  Ellaa Suites salon.  Just don't bother.  Contact me and I could do a better job for you. 

These recommendations are only for haircuts.  Color is a different issue entirely.  Needless to say in India, colorists are most comfortable with shades of dark brown.  So if you have any other color hair, you may have difficulty getting your hair colored to your liking.  One friend wanted dark blonde and wound up platinum.  Another lady wound up orange because the colorist "mixed the color herself".  My best advice, since I don't color my hair, is to ask around before blindly choosing a colorist.   

Stocking your Home: Kitchen Wares

Stocking your kitchen can be a never ending battle.  Here are good places to start:

1.  Hypercity, Inorbit Mall Madhapur.
2.  Hometown, Punjagutta
3.  @Home, Rd #1 Banjara Hills

An odd, off the beaten path place where locals would shop is:  Agro Mech Industries: B-7 Industrial Estate, Sanathnagar, Hyd.  www.agromechindustries.com  040 2370 0280  There are 2 buildings on opposite sides of the street.  The first is a shop with appliances on the ground floor, and lots of good stuff upstairs.  Glassware, dishes, plastic items, plastic storage boxes, knives, restaurant supply items.  Fun fun fun.  The building across the street is a large, no frills, warehouse with all kinds of stainless steel items, pots, pans, tiffens, little kitchen gadgets.  It is a dusty place so bring something to wipe your hands with once you leave.  Check with your driver to see how long it would take to get there.  From Madhapur, it was at least a 45 minute drive.  A friend's driver brought her to this place...we may have been one of the first expats to visit.

Stocking your home: Sheets, Towels, & (Ready Made) Curtains

There are several options in Hyderabad for sheets and towels, etc.  Here are my 'Best Bets':

Hometown in Punjagutta, lots of options for sheets.  They also have a good selection of cushion (aka throw pillow) covers
@ Home, Road #1 Banjara Hills, opposite City Centre mall
Wellhome, City Center Mall, Banjara Hills.  Occasionally they have great sales on towels.  I was there recently and they were having a "Buy 1, get 2" sale.
Lifestyle, Inorbit Mall and Begumpet.

Shoppers Stop also sells sheets, towels, etc but tends to have a smaller selection than other places.

Silly Things you need when you arrive in HYD: ID Photos

ID Photos!  Lots of them.  Arrive with a few, mostly for your Resident Permit that you get at the FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Office), then get a WHOLE BUNCH!  Two years ago we got 60 ID photos printed up for each of us.  The stash is almost gone.

Why, do you ask, do you need so many ID photos?  Well...when you sign up for a cell phone, you need some, when you sign up for Internet service, you need some.  If you join any clubs (TEA) or the Golf Club (Boulder Hills / Hyderabad Golf Club) you will need photos for ID cards.   When people look at you, you need some.  When you sneeze, you need some.  Seriously, sometimes it feels that way.

So I'd suggest that you get 25 printed up for each year that you expect to be in Hyderabad.  

What to Wear in Hyderabad: a response to my first comment (yay!)

I received my first comment on this blog and thought it was definitely worthy of an entire post in response.  Here was the question:

 I've read that in Hyderabad a woman must cover herself more, from the shoulders to elbows and skirts or pants past the knee, around mid calf. Is this true? Thanks

What to wear?  What to wear?  I admit this was a big question for me as well before I moved here.  I was predominantly concerned about the heat, but upon further investigation, became increasingly more concerned about dressing "modestly" so as not to offend the locals.  

The number one thing for an expat lady to realize is that you WILL be stared at no matter what you wear!

Does a woman need to cover up from shoulders to elbows?  No.  Many Indian tops are sleeveless so that's no issue.  In public, I would stay away from strappy tops/camis etc.  As for sundresses...I'd wear them out to brunch, lunch, or someplace where there are other expats/foreigners, but probably not out to the grocery store.

Skirts and pants are best at knee length or below.  Capri pants are fine.  Shorts, I only wear at home, in my own neighborhood, or on the golf course.  That's it.  Funny story...When my husband and I came to Hyderabad on our "Look & See" trip, I decided to wear shorts on our first day out.  I figured that if I was going to have a faux pas, I might as well do it on the first day.  We decided to do touristy things and went to Charminar.  Charminar is located in the heart of the Old City, where it is VERY Muslim, and VERY conservative.  I walked around; Blonde, blue-eyed, pale, and wearing shorts!  I received a shocking amount of attention, stares, "hello"s and was asked my many many people (mainly young teenage-to-twentysomething boys) to have my photo taken with them.  The lesson I learned was to NEVER wear shorts or even a short-ish skirt to the Old City again.  The comfort you feel in your own clothes will be offset by the discomfort you feel by being the recipient of constant stares and attention.

Lesson learned.  If I go to the Old city, Charminar, General Bazaar in Secunderabad , or anywhere where I will be among lots of locals, I will wear long pants/jeans, or an Indian outfit (Salwar or Churidar for pants, and a long Indian top/tunic).  It makes for a more pleasant experience.  

Good Eats: Italian

Quick Picks:
#1 Via Milano, Road #36 Jubliee Hills
The recently opened, and good all around Via Milano ranks as my favorite Italian Restaurant.  In the few months it has been open, I have eaten there 5 times, and every time I have eaten good food, and received great service. There is even a nice tenderloin on the menu which is not easy to find at a non-hotel restaurant.  As for desserts: go straight for the Dark & White Chocolate Lasagna.  It's smooth chocolately deliciousness melts in your mouth and leaves you wishing you could lick the plate without shame or embarrassment.

#2: Little Italy, Jubilee Hills, near Apollo Hospital
Vegetarian Italian food.  Extensive menu.  Lots of great pasta choices.

A little mention about Prego at the Westin Mindspace.
Good food but VERY EXPENSIVE.  Great if you're on an expense account, obnoxiously overpriced, if you are not.



   

Good Eats: Indian

Here's my quick picks for favorite Indian Restaurants:

#1 Zafraan Exotica, Road #12 Banjara Hills, opposite the Audi dealership.
The dal Zafraan (actually Dal Makhani) is probably the best thing I have eaten in India.  Simply delicious. I'll say it again: Delicious.  My husband agrees, and he is truly NOT a dal fan.  The restaurant is on the top floor of the building and you have the choice of indoor or outdoor seating.  The service is great, the waiters even recognize me when I walk in, (which is always a plus and ensures good service).

#2  Our Place, Road #10 Banjara Hills, next to Inhabit.
Every time I go, I order (and devour) the Murgh Zaffrani (Saffron Chicken).  It is in a delicious, yummy, rich sauce and it is so good, I'm not even embarrassed that I don't share it.


Quick Picks:  Biryani

#1: Paradise.  Main outlet is in Secunderabad, new outlet is in Hi-Tech City near Shilpakala Vedika (spelling??) and KFC
#2: 4 Seasons Multicuisine.  There are a few around town, the one I know the best is in Kondapur, 2 buildings down from Jayabheri Silicon County.

Happy Eating!

First Post

Last Saturday marked my 2 year anniversary as an expat in Hyderabad.  During those past 2 years I have gone to many places, and searched for many things.  I felt it was time to share my knowledge and that of my friends, for the benefit of all the expats who are here now and will come after I have left.

My plan for this blog is to elaborate a bit on the TEA Guide which is available from TEA (Twin-Cities Expat Association).  The TEA guide gives lists and contact numbers for all sorts of places and is useful to have.  I'd like this blog to provide the same information you'd get when you ask a friend for a recommendation.  I'll share the good places as well as the places I don't waste my time on.  Where is the best pedicure in town?  Where should I get my haircut/colored?  Where can I buy lettuce? What are the best shops for carpets? Does anyone know of a good tailor? etc, etc...

I should state right now, that I'm not a clubber/partier, I don't spend lots of money on clothes, I don't care about designer labels, I like value for the money, I like lots of choices, I like good food, I like honest salespeople, and I like finding things I'm looking for.