SJBHS OBA Connect - Kerala 2018

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Our school St Joseph's Boys' High School, Bangalore is celebrating 160 years of providing a well-rounded education to students of all sections of society, while our alumni association - known as the Old Boys' Association - is celebrating a 100 years of camaraderie, networking and giving back to our Alma Mater.

The Brunton Boatyard in Fort Kochi draws inspiration from its heritage to reflect a historical and glorious past. A fitting venue for Josephites to 'Connect', representing an alumni network that represents a hundred glorious years of remarkable growth and vitality. The SJBHS OBA initiated the series of reunions known as 'Connects' in 2010. These reunions - filled with nostalgia as well as sense of vitality - have been held at picturesque locations in India and overseas since then. 

Several Old Boys and their families reached Brunton Boatyard during the afternoon of Saturday, May 19. After registration and a warm welcome, we were treated to welcome tea, coffee and biscuits. Brunton Boatyard is located on the shores of the Vembanad Lake, the longest lake in India and perhaps the largest in area. At about 4pm, it was then time for a relaxed boat ride along the placid waters of the lake that leads to the Arabian Sea.

Almost 50 Old Boys from Bangalore and Kerala, and many families, participated. Thommen Karimpanal ’55 was the oldest while Jay Prabhu ‘99 (“Somshekar”) was the youngest Old Boy. Prayer and introductions on the evening of Sat, May 19 were followed by a sumptuous dinner covering a wide range of Kerala cuisine.

A three-piece band entertained the gathering till late in the evening. 

Four representatives from the Batch of 1975 had gathered, from Bangalore, Thrissur and Trivandrum.

The Josephites from the 1950s had retired relatively early. Here is a picture of Josephites from the 1960s.

Several batches from the 1970s...

Followed by batches from the 1980s and 1990s...

Strong participation from families made the Connect even more special. Thank you, all!

Toddy joined the 3-piece Band, and sang several Blues songs.

The agenda on Sun, May 20 was breakfast, a relaxed back waters cruise and a lavish lunch. 

A picture of the happy group just after the morning boat ride. 

The OBA thanks the Kerala Chapter for their outstanding hospitality – for the 9th year in a row!

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Goa in April 2018 - Peaceful indeed

Sniffing the Mangalore Food Trail

Sniffing the Mangalore Food Trail 

This post is about a food trip I experienced in Mangalore when I visited a class mate from school. He now lives in Mangalore. The night bus is a very convenient option. Dozens of buses leave Bangalore. I rode the KSRTC bus which departed at about 11 pm and got into Mangalore early morning. My friend had asked me to get off at Jyoti Talkies bus stop. The bus reached at 07.30 am sharp.   My friend lives within a 5-minute walk. 

Kudla Family Restaurant

First stop, Kudla Family Restaurant that is located just by the bus stop. Friendly ambiance, clean, superb breakfast choices. The dish to try would be Idly with Tovve, it's as light in consistency as  rasam yet yummy. Missed taking a picture, so he is a picture of Tovve dal from the udipi-recipes website.

  

Shetty Lunch Home 


Lunch was at Shetty Lunch Home, located on a quiet street not very far from Jyoti Talkies. An old building that has been renovated, the restaurant is airy with a cheerful atmosphere. There is a new section across the street that is open on weekdays. 

The bar is reasonably priced. Excellent fish thali on the menu, we went on a Saturday.  

Tawa fried Seer fish is always an amazing option to choose.

The friendly owner had a small conversation with my friend who knows my friend very well. 

Machali 

Dinner was at Machali, a no-frills restaurant, absolutely simple in its decor. Always packed, but service is quick, so waiting times are not much. Parking is available in a small ground in front of the restaurant. 

My friend received a warm welcome from the staff.  This is a unique attribute of Mangalore, very friendly staff. 

We ordered Appam, Sardines and Prawn curry. Delicious! 

Giri Manja

Set in an old home, Giri Manja is a family run restaurant that has obviously grown in popularity and size over the years, having now taken up several rooms in the house. 

The adjoining lanes are narrow, but parking was no problem, being Sunday. However, parking is a minor inconvenience, isn't it? 

Giri Manja offers a fish thali, with a choice of side dishes, and a lime and soda based cool drink that is their formulation. The atmosphere is quiet and focused, it's all about quick service and yummy food. Worth revisiting, for sure. 

Dinner was once again at Kudla Family Restaurant near the Jyoti Talkies Bus Stop. Appam and Chicken in Konkan style curry. The night bus brought me back to Bangalore by 7am. 

That was a super food trip in Mangalore. Thank you for joining me. Wish you a similar trip soon, as well. 

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