Lounge Loves: ‘Big City Greens’, Tolstoy's stories for children and more

A Quirky Entertainer

A voiceover by Tom Hanks at the end of one of the episodes of Big City Greens caught my attention. The actor had a guest appearance in Cheap Show, an episode from the second season of this animated series streaming on OTT. My daughter was nearly done watching all the seasons (2018-present), and was ready to move on to other shows, but I was hooked. I have been binge-watching this saga of the Green family—siblings Cricket and Tilly, father Bill and grandma Alice—and their move from the countryside to the Big City. Their crooked house with a little garden in front seems to be an effort by the family to preserve some semblance of their farm life in the bustling urban space. My favourite character is Tilly, wise beyond her years. Her imagination and creativity sees her out of many dire situations Cricket lands them in.

—Avantika Bhuyan

The Choco Pie, Reimagined

The Lotte choco pie remains a favourite, transitioning from my school lunch box treat to a post-dinner indulgence even now. I visited Ulo’s scoop shop for their limited-edition dessert drop, which is part of the Indian Craft Chocolate Festival’s citywide activity in Bengaluru. Ulo’s take on the classic is truly decadent: a sponge cake with peanut butter caramel that oozes out with every bite. The rich, high-quality chocolate shell makes me wonder if I can ever go back to Lotte’s slightly waxy original. Once you pick up the choco pie, be sure to ask for the festival map to try every limited-edition dessert across the city—from Subko to Mäki Pâtisserie—and a sticker to mark your visit to each spot. There’s a lucky draw with a mystery reward, but for me, the desserts themselves are prize enough.

—Ghazal Chengappa

Flowers on Demand

One of the highlights of a recent trip to Bangkok was a late-evening visit to the city’s famous flower market, known locally as Pak Khlong Talat. Walking down the pavement lined with flower shops, which are open through the day and night and sell everything from loose bunches of the most glorious wildflowers to elaborate arrangements made as offerings to the local wats, I came across something utterly unique and delightful: a vending machine selling bouquets. The arrangements were not particularly uncommon or eye-catching, but I was quite tickled at the thought of people making a quick dash to the vending machine to pick up last-minute flowers for a loved one. Any Indian entrepreneurs listening?

—Shrabonti Bagchi

Tolstoy Story

Growing up in the 1980s, my father often picked up books from boimela, the then Calcutta Book Fair. And almost every year, he brought us Russian children’s books. I remember the Tolstoy and Chekhov titles, and one named Cardboard Clock Square. I can also clearly recall the cover of Stories for Children by Leo Tolstoy, of a curly-haired boy with the most serene eyes. Imagine my excitement when I found the same book in Bengali translation at a pujo pandal book stall recently. Shishur Kahini has all the stories that I once read in English as a child, and now I am looking forward to reading them to my seven-year-old son in Bangla. Life does come full circle.

—Rituparna Roy