Blog – Angela's Bangalore

Working for Guns N’ Roses: 3 Lessons I Learned Touring India With the Band

This month marks one year since the Guns N’ Roses tour and looking back I realise that not only do I continue to feel humbled to have been chosen to handle the Tour’s social media but that I am truly thankful for the experience because…

Living in India Left a Mark on My Daughter That Will Never Go Away

By the time my daughter finished up the final term of her iGCSEs and enjoyed her summer break on the beach in Barcelona in 2011, the cats and I had been settled into life in Bangalore for over four months. The blog I started the…

Crazy Tale of an Indian Man’s Attempt to Woo a White Woman

Click here for the blog post all about what it feels like to fall in love with an Indian man .... and how that relationship is viewed by society: Reflections from a White Woman on Dating An Indian Man ********* I don’t know if…

Bangalore FRRO Guide: How To Register or Apply for a Visa Extension Using the New Appointment System

UPDATE 2013: Please be aware that you can no longer simply show up at the FRRO for service as they have implemented an online application and 'APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING' service that is required for literally everything, even when there is an emergency. You MUST complete the…

Bangalore’s Insane World of Food Blogging: or Why Some Amateur Food Critics Are Idiots

I feel quite honoured to have been included in an article about the rise in popularity of food blogging in the current issue of the national Indian business and financial magazine, Business Today. Along with the lovely writer Nandita Iyer of the amazing blog Saffron Trail,…

Angela’s Indian Visa Shuffle in the USA: Tips on How To Apply and Avoid Delays via BLS International

I’m back to my roots in California for the first time in 10 years, and out of India for the first time since 2011, all for the sake of my Indian employment visa. You see in India a foreign resident is not allowed to change…

Bangalore News Flash! White Women Are Stealing Indian Men!

I love those lyrics from Can You Feel It by The Jacksons when Michael sings “All the colors of the world should be, Lovin' each other wholeheartedly.” Sure, you and I have our differences, but that’s what makes life interesting and fun and truly wonderful. …

Being A Dirty White Secret For An Indian Man {or why a white woman isn’t always free to date an Indian man}

I’ve been angry and upset about this topic more times than I can even count. I suppose that this blog post – written after some martinis at 2am – is my way of gaining some closure in true blogger style to ensure that I end…

Finding Love in India, Thanks to My Blog …. at a Gallery Opening in Bangalore

Honestly, I never set out to create a blog that is now ranked the #1 ‘Bangalore Blog’ (I'm so humbled and proud to actually say that though!) but as of last month that is exactly what my little baby is. Really, type it in, it’s #1…

Reflections from a White Woman on Dating An Indian Man

If you are a regular reader of my blog I’m sure you will be happy to learn that in January – after about 18 months – I finally met a SINGLE smart, handsome Indian power guy (ahhhh the best kind!) who I basically fell head-over-heels…

So Tired Of Being GROPED By Indian Men

Every time that a man thinks he can touch me without permission, for his amusement, for “fun” … it astounds me. First, I wonder what kind of depraved LOSER is the guy that needs to cop a feel of my body to get his jollies. …

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Welcome To The {VIP} Jungle – Guns N’ Roses India Tour 2012 (Bangalore, Mumbai, Gurgaon)

I remember when Guns N’ Roses signed with Geffen Records and their debut album came out. Well, in the spirit of full disclosure for me it wasn’t the album but a cassette tape but you know what I mean! It was back when MTV only…

Adventures Of An Indian Wedding (or how Nick and Angela became Tamil Nadu celebrities) – part 2 of 2

Haven’t read part 1 yet? You really need to or you won’t know the characters in the tale I’m about to finish telling. …once again this is insanely long so please go grab a beer or some wine or tea first! The day of the…

Adventures Of An Indian Wedding (or how Nick and Angela became Tamil Nadu celebrities) – part 1 of 2

Barnaby, a blogger friend from New Zealand who was living in India until earlier this year, once wrote an article comparing being white in India to something akin to being a celebrity. At that time I had only been living in Bangalore about seven or…

Diary: I Can See The Light, But I’m Still In The Tunnel

The monsoon breeze is blowing and the rains are pouring down at our flat in Jaimahal and I’m inspired to do something I don’t normally do…write a short and honest ‘my diary’ post inspired by some things from my week. I don’t want to go…

My Photo Shoot Drama: Saved by Robert Naorem and Hemanth Narayana

(this post is really long…sorry!) My blog has been a part of my daily life since the first day I moved to India. But I’ve realized that I haven’t been writing very much lately. According to a friend, this is a common affliction for bloggers…

Confessions From A Wedding Reception In India

Recently I went to a wedding reception in Mysore. An Indian friend of mine had just married his lovely Iranian bride and they invited hundreds of friends and family to celebrate. There were massive outdoor tents and romantic twinkle lights, men and women dressed in…

Bullies Come In All Shapes, Sizes and Nationalities

I’m cheesed off and have 3 stories to share! Something happened yesterday to a defenseless guy in the village I moved from in Spain that has me spitting a bit of fire. Friends back home are trying to sort out the best next steps to…

My Day Judging Indians: Pantaloon’s Fresh Face Model Hunt 2012

It’s not an understatement to say that I have been asked some pretty random things since moving to India. From questions asked to me that I can’t write here by drunken men to questions that stem from the misconceptions of Americans to dozens upon dozens…

My Expat Story: One Year In Bangalore – Relationships

In April, 2012 I completed one year in India. Welcome to #2 in a series of articles recounting how life has really been for me in Bangalore. Article #1 was all about the work stuff. Article #2 sums up dating, relationships and being a single,…

Angela’s Top 5: Odd, Sweet and Hysterical Blog Comments & Mail

So it’s been just over a year since I’ve been writing Angela’s Adventure In Bangalore. I started it just for my friends and family so in the beginning I didn’t have an email address so readers could contact me or a Facebook page – because…

Is Inequality To Blame For Outrage Over Aishwarya Rai’s Post-Baby Body?

This is the first article on my blog completely unrelated to my experiences and life in Bangalore, I hope you will indulge me as I just can’t help myself. Certain so-called “news” today has me a bit fired up. Now, in my opinion, I’ve been…

Do Cashiers Steal More From Foreigners?

I’ve written time again about how safe Bangalore is with respect to petty crime compared to my former home in Spain. In Barcelona, all women adopt a certain way of holding their handbag to ensure no pickpocket attacks or from thieves who cut bag straps…

[Fiction] A White Woman and Indian Man Fall in Love. But Will It Last?

Welcome to my first stab at writing fiction. Although the subtext of the story is based on certain feelings and an experience of my own, the inspiration was my desire to try and change the stereotype of white women in India. My story is about…

Behind The Velvet Ropes @ an RCB IPL After-Match Party at ITC Gardenia Hotel in Bangalore

I’m not proud to recount part of this tale. To be honest it’s a bit embarrassing. But in the spirit of transparency and full disclosure I’m going to retell my experience about how I made an ass of myself in front of a bunch of…

Meeting Cricketers Anil Kumble, Chris Gayle and Actor Aditya Singh … and Having No Clue Who They Are!

Last weekend I was at a party and due to a misunderstanding I was involved in a bit of a ruckus. Well, okay, to be perfectly honest I sort of started the ruckus because I thought someone was being mean to my friend and I…

The Burka Experience – Understanding the Women Behind the Scarves

From the time I was a kid until into my early 20s, there were moments when I spent more hours of the day in my bikini than dressed in clothes. From L.A. to Puerto Vallarta to San Diego and Barcelona, my homes have always been…

White Lady In A Sari – How Work Mates Reacted to Me in Traditional Indian Clothes

“Angela, come with me, I want a photo,” said one of the executives at work today. It was Sari & Kurta Day at work and I was dressed in a sand coloured sari with purple accents, my hair was pinned up and I was properly…

All About Bangalore Weather on Grey Winter’s Day…Goodbye 2011

“All the leaves are brown and the sky is grey.” I was born in Los Angeles, California and whenever I hear the first words from The Mamas & The Papas classic hippie-movement song California Dreaming it always warms my heart just a bit. Yet today…

Holidays in India: My First Christmas Alone in Bangalore

This is the first year in AGES that I am spending Christmas without my daughter. Traditionally she and I head out on a 10 day adventure that spans the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. In recent years we have taken off to Tunisia, Marrakech and…

Dave Prager’s Delirious Delhi: Curious Book Launch Event

Although I can’t prove it, I swear that the cosmic universe is listening to my heart and sending me clear signals that I’m supposed to write a book. It’s something that I have been thinking about for a few years but in very broad terms. …

Bangalore Auto Rickshaw Survival Guide For Foreigners

Since moving to Bangalore in May, I have – hand on my heart – the most stress-free transportation situation! No more trains or commutes driving myself into work through stop and go traffic. You see, in India they drive on the left side of the…

Feeling Sorry For Myself

I don’t often write just about me. In fact, this might be the third time now in the 6 months since I started this blog amongst the 90+ articles that I’ve written. But I have a writer’s block of sorts. Not that I can’t write…

Miscommunication Dangers of Expat Life in India: No, I Was NOT A Stripper!

We all go through ups and downs in life…no one escapes them. There are periods when we earn more or less money. Times of adventure and youthful whimsy or times when we work long hours or are burdened with tons of responsibility. Moments when we…

Survival Guide: Transportation In India

Every country has its own little idiosyncrasies on the streets that make it special. Differences with the people, with the infrastructure of the roads, and with fun things like our modes of transportation. One of my favourite countries in the world is Morocco. I’ve only…

Indian Men And Flirting Online, Many Are in Hot Pursuit of White Women

If you follow my blog then you already know that I’m not in a relationship. I’m not big on dating at the moment and I am very straightforward about stopping a guy in his tracks when he starts to bust a move on me. When…

The Indian Sausage Fest, Always More Men Than Women at Nightlife Venues

I’ve been living in Bangalore now for close to five months and I’m still not really on board yet with the different sets of rules and standards that exist for men and women. Some things seem like quite a big deal. For example, it blows…

Nightlife Dancing Ban? Eh Gov’nor! We Want to Dance in Bangalore!

The first time I saw a Bollywood war film I about died laughing. It was fabulous and bloody and tragic for the first 30 minutes or so. The film was a well-developed story line that was touching with well-shot war scenes. Then all of a…

Why Do So Many Indian Men Cheat?

There are so many preconceptions that I brought with me when I first moved to India. Either misconceptions garnered from Bollywood films, which it turns out, are not the best guide for sorting out what is normal everyday life and what’s not! I really thought…

Angela’s Guide: Instant Attraction…What Men Find Hot

I love men. My three closest friends are men. They are smart, sexy and fun as hell…sweet and loving and always there for me day or night. One is from Germany, another Australia and the third from the U.K., and oddly they all live in…

Bangalore’s Alcohol And Drug Culture

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I have been really pleasantly surprised about the nightlife here in Bangalore. Aside from the lack of high-end dance clubs, I mean. So far Coco Bongo is the only place in town where I’ve been able…

Angela’s Guide: How to Successfully Approach a Woman

Gentlemen of India, are you tired of striking out time and time again when you approach a woman at a bar or a party? Well, I have a little secret to share with you: women are equally frustrated by being hit on in the most…

On the Bangalore Sugar Daddy and Indian Women Striving for Gender Equality

Today I was talking to a friend of mine about the Times of India article that was published this week about Indian women and bar culture. One of the messages was that Indian women go out to bars and clubs more and more now in…

Dating, Relationships, Marriage and Sex in Bangalore, India

Believe it or not, last week I went on my first date since December, 2009. Every time I say that – or in this case, write it – it looks shocking to me but somehow it really doesn’t bother me. Back home in Spain, I…

The Dark Side Of Bangalore Night Life and After-Party Scene

It hasn’t taken me long to learn that when the sun goes down, that’s when Bangalore really heats up. This isn’t Ibiza or Los Angeles but I have to admit that for such a conservative country like India that the nightlife has pleasantly surprised me. …

My New Job: Cricket Public Relations Here I Come!

So if you actually know me or follow my blog then you know that I packed up my life and moved to Bangalore just over 2 months ago from Barcelona for a new job as a chief officer at a services company. I was so…

Shopping on Commercial Street in the Bangalore Rain Was Fun, Fun, Fun

People-watching is fun, fun, fun. My favorite places to people-watch are either at Heathrow (terminal 4) airport or back home in Spain (in Sitges) on Calle del Picado at the only cocktail bar in town called Pay Pay (pronounced more or less like Pie Pie…

Indian Construction Standards and Bangalore Graffiti Street Art

Ahhh tonight's post is being written from a bar stool at Xtreme Sports Bar on 100 Feet Road as I wait for my mate Peter to join me for a drink and some dinner. Enrique Iglesias is belting out some sad song and my cosmopolitan…

Lovely Richard’s Park in Bangalore is Romantic and Amazing for a Walk

Today was a highly stressful, painful and massively life changing day…for Jolie and Saffie, our cats. I took both of them in to the vet at CUPA (www.cupabangalore.org) to be spayed. This is something we have talked about doing for a while but finally decided…

Indian Chai Tea Drinking Culture Shows Love for Caffeine

After a week of eating dinner on the sofa at the new flat I have finally ventured out in Bangalore again, this time again with actual humans (I am just using my laptop for company at the moment). I have arrived a bit early so…

Indian Men Can Be Very Girly

In true macho style, I am writing to you tonight from the comfort of my own sofa, flat-out lounging with my laptop on my stomach (thank you 80s California elementary school system for teaching us girls how to type properly so we could grow up…

First Thoughts on Arranged Marriages and Indian Wedding Customs

Sorry but I am starting off with me, right now, as I am sat here in my hotel TRYING to enjoy what I thought was going to be a light dinner. Everything here is new to me. Literally everything. And on the nights I don't…

My Quest To Go Native In Bangalore: Saree Shopping & The Spicy Indian Food Challenge

I am once again happily sat at Roomalli With A View, taking in the lovely sights and the toot-toot-beep-beep sounds of the city below the restaurant on 100 Feet Road. I love this little spot, plan to take my daughter here when she arrives. Nope,…

FRRO: Visit 6 Desks + 4.5 Hours = Angela Is Legal Resident of Bangalore, India

Indian efficiency. Is it something to poke fun at like the inefficiency of the American judicial system? Or something to write home to mama about? If we are connected on either LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook you will have read a status update or two by…

BLEEP me? No, BLEEP You!! Films and DVDs Censored In India Cinemas and TV

We've been having some pretty fantastic rain here lately, starting around 17:00 each day and lasting several hours, knocking out the electricity and cable here at the hotel at least 3-4 times per night. So yesterday when I turned on Superbad -- a Hollywood comedy about the last days of…

About Moving to India from Spain, Musing from Costa Coffee

My friends, the topic for today is tastes and an intro to sounds, starting with where I am sat now…at my very first visit to a Costa Coffee since I have arrived on Indian soil. I know everyone in Europe will know what Costa Coffee is…

Working In Bangalore: Don’t Confuse Indian Prasad For A Snack

Today I made a pretty big ass of myself at the office in front of my colleagues. I am not sure if I have already mentioned this really cool standard practice here but there really are guys in my office who bring around tea and water to all…

I’m Moving my Daughter and Cats and Our Life to Bangalore, India

I am writing my first-ever blog post from a hotel room in Bangalore, having arrived only earlier today ready to start living this new adventure of my life. Things have moved quite quickly since I applied online for my new job through LinkedIn.com. In fact,…