Citygritty — Pune

Toon in
According to the Cartoon Network, one-third of its viewers are adults. That being so, this freaky Friday at Totem Pole is sure meant for such adults, with the organisers going all-out to put up one big evening based on the theme – cartoons. The place is going to see cut-outs of popular figures like Asterix, Garfield, Pink Panther, Flintstones, Dennis the Menace, Calvin and Hobbes, The Mask, Casper, Simpsons and Popeye amongst others.

The staff will be wearing face masks of various characters, with even the monitor screening the shows. Too bad kids are not allowed at these happening places, but you can always carry back some of the give-aways that will be doled out, which include key chains, toon patches and cards. So time to get back to the good old days of childhood with a Yabba Dabba Doo!

China on your mind
If you have always wanted to cook Chinese food but did not know quite how, veteran cookery expert Shailaja Abhyankar will show the way. Called Chopsticks, this cookbook in Marathi was published last year but its distribution was started only in January this year.

“There wasn’t a good Chinese cookbook in Marathi, so I hoped to fulfill this need. Chinese cuisine, especially commonly known dishes like Lung Fung Soup, Manchurian Chicken and American Chop Suey, are highly popular among people,” she says. And she should know – her Chinese Cooking for Indian Homes (in English) is already into its sixth edition. Abhyankar is quick to add that the recent Marathi book is not merely a translation of the English book and that she has also added a few new recipes in it.