Sobha Magnolia 3rd AGM

3rd AGM @ Sobha Magnolia

The heartbeat of any community is the participation of its members, the exchange of views, a few constructive arguments and all the ingredients of a democratic and participative process. The 3rd AGM at Sobha Magnolia today was just that. While we can always have more, there was pretty good attendance (we used to have just enough audience to be able to pick folks for a new association), active participation and people genuinely keen to participate. We are the famed 'argumentative indians' so, one must allow for a bit of that and that is what makes the proceedings lively.

What should not be lost in the whole melee is the great job the outgoing MC has done in focusing on tangible results and good execution. Bringing Kaveri water, Khata, Service Tax issues to a logical closure was non trivial accomplishment.

Getting the right office administration team set up in the form of the CEO, the GM and the accountant team should surely help in the ongoing operationalization of the various processes for running the complex.

Augmentation to the physical infrastructure, be it the fence around the pool, raised height of the road facing compound wall, shelter for children waiting to board their school buses or the ramp connecting the complex to the Bannergatta Road ( would be vital if we need emergency access to the complex) are bound to make the complex more complete and I am sure none of us would grudge the rise in the property value these adds bring in .....

As in any such venture, there are always more things to do, but the 3rd MC should sure be proud of where they are handing off the mantle of the association to the new association.  I wish them the very best in their endeavors .....

Magnolia Foodies at work ....

Its been a while since I last posted my Magnolia blog post ... had a good reason to resurface today...


There is something about good food, getting together for a good laugh and comeradarie .... Magnolia, in short.

Well its not long before the food lovers discover each other , find an excuse and head out. We decided to dedicate this saturday Breakfast to Idli-Vada-Upma-Coffee at good ol' Brahmin Coffee in Shankarapuram ....  


Jay& Padmini, Nestor, Krish, Indraneel&Geetanjali, anrao, vimala and house guests, Padmanabhan & Raji with their son Aswin and his family ....  we had the quorum.


Brahmin's coffee never lets you down ... the chutney pouring and drowning the hapless Idlis ( hmmm), Vada ( aha) and Upma which soon disappeared and to be washed down with a glass tumbler of filter coffee.


The happy relaxed looks are a credible endorsement of the happy tummies .... .. I love it at Magnolia.


The next foodie voyage would be for destination Malleswaram for Vada at Veena Stores, Benne Masala at CTR and Ragi Dosa at NKB ....


If you are a foodie sworn to the cause of genuine mirth at the thought of great food .... do let us know ...


a n rao, a001

Magnolia Celebrates 3rd New Year Day with a display of incredible talent

Its been a while since I wrote my Magnolia Blogs. Used to be pretty regular just after we moved here in July 2009 (the only owner to have moved in then). Travel and work took their toll and my blogs stopped as you can see.

Magnolia decked up like a bride

But when I saw the spectacular display of talent by the Magnolia children during the New Year celebration yesterday, I said I must get back to my writing ... to capture the moments in the life and times at Magnolia and to share with the Magnolians who coule not be there yesterday.

Beauty, Poise, Dance .. Magnolia
Children were a joy to watch

The next Jet Li, Bruce Lee?

We started Euphoria on 15th August,2009 with our first event : flag hoisting. The whole purpose was to start early as Magnolia fills in and to bring the residents here together in the spirit of co-habitation and community living dotted by good feeling, friendship, celebration, fun and combined accountability for the upkeep of this property : Magnolia, that we have all chosen to live in.

Golden voices of Magnolia

The New Year Celebration yesterday was a part of the same intent .... Sangeeta, Sunitha, Urmila, Sobha, Vimala, Babitha etc., did an incredible job of organizing the event and the following dinner.


It was a visual delight to see our children go on stage to deliver scintillating performances : our own very Bruce Lees, Ballerinas, Country singers, Classical singers and dancers and not to leave out our teens firing up the dias with foot tapping music and dances ...

Our Own Swan song

The best part was the attendance ... this really was the fist time the Amphitheater filled up ...

Magnolia Teens Rock

It was my privilege to have captured some of the moments in pictures so i can capture them for posterity and share them for those not present ...


Dear Magnolians .... I wish you an incredibly happy New Year. I wish you health, happiness, wealth, success, peace and harmony ... I wish you a song in your heart, sprint in your step, stars in your eyes and an eternal smile on your lips ... May you always have all that you ever cherished ...


Look forward to keeping the blog alive .... tell me what you think ...


a n rao, A001

Green and getting greener : Magnolia landscape enters its first spring

Dear co Magnolians,

Its been a while since my republic day posting. Thought i would get back to you with something different this time. As I walked around the complex, the sudden urge and inspiration to photograph the landscaping in the complex and share it with you all. All i had was my blackberry ...

I am sure you would pardon me for the bad quality of pictures. I used the blackberry and not the Nikon i usually deploy ..

Be that as it may, the greenery in the complex is really settling down and started looking pretty as we approach our first spring in the complex ( remember that the first occupants moved here last July as monsoon set in). Its great to see the multi hued flowers bloom and smile back at you as you go round the complex. The lawns are getting in place, the plants stabilized and are begining to grow. I am pretty certain this would be some great place on the eye by the time we reach the Christmas of 2010.

As always, i am enclosing the links for the pictures I uploaded to my picasaweb..

http://picasaweb.google.com/achutanrao/GreenMagnoliaPicturesFeb2010#

happy viewing ....

by the way, we are pretty close to clocking a half century in terms of occupants who are already living in Magnolia ...

warmest personal regards and wishes ... an ( A N Rao, A001)

Magnolia celebrates the Republic turning 60

Indian Union has now been a demochratic republic for 60 glorious years. Magnolians met for what happens to be the 13th event here to hoist the flag, meet and great and celebrate the Republic Day on this 26th of January,2010.

Srinivasa Shastry, the president of the Magnolia Condominium Association hoisted the tricolor and kicked off the the tradition of the association President updating the residents on the state of the complex.

All good things must end in what's among God's best creations : food!!!.  It was great to have over 70 residents there joining in munching medu vada - idli -pongal and catching up.

Well, that's what life at Magnolia is about. Bonhomie, friends, happiness and good times.

Wish you all a memorable Republic day .... watch this space for the next event.  ...

your neighbour blogger ... a n rao A001

Aasman Ke Niche : Moonlight Dinners at Magnolia

Well, rubber finally hit the road and we had our first moonlight dinner last night with 56 Magnolians in the 4 month to 79 year age range got together in the amphi-theater for a Beer & Biryani theme. Rain gods were kind and it was a nigth of no rains and it was pleasant. What followed was 4 hours of fun and frolik and games and music. We even had Girish read a poem written specifically for the occassion. We had two Magnolia children perform music. The pictures have been uploaded to the web album at the link below.

There were three families that have not yet moved in. In all, a great evening of getting to know each other and some good time ...

http://picasaweb.google.com/achutanrao/AasmanKeNicheMoonlightDinnersAtMagnoliaEdition13Oct2009?authkey=Gv1sRgCOevotzktpeRLA#