======================================================================== Goa's phone numbers change from Nov 10, 2002. Prefix old number with a 2. New numbers will be seven-digit 2XXXXXX (where XXXXXX is the old number). ========================================================================
www.timesofindia.com Tito's: Disco, inn and melting pot CYRIL D'CUNHA TIMES NEWS NETWORK [ SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2002 09:15:04 PM ] PANAJI: You are part of a delightfully wild side when you visit Tito's, one of the most happening places in Baga, North Goa. Here you could just feast on hedonism and good food or just find an excuse to enjoy the scenery from one of the many vantage corners overlooking the rolling sea waves. You branch off the main road and roll up the narrow pathway almost on the edge of sands, and expect to be greeted by friendly ushers at this hacienda-like, white-painted structure, for a place at Goa's hottest niteclub. As David D'Souza, who with his brother Ricardo runs this place, explained, "This is not only a disco and a restaurant but a meeting place of cultures as well." Here, the joy of dining is far beyond good food, like the settings, atmosphere and ambience. This family-run business, founded by the father of these young hoteliers in 1970, has grown from a mere shack to this modern structure, with two pubs, the Tito's main pub-lounge area and Mambo. Situated on an area of 3,300 sqmt, it also has two restaurants - the `Brass' where fish specialties are served and the main one which is multi-cuisine. Spotting David itself was a task in this crowded place where one of India's premier percussionists, Sivamani, and Mumbai DJ Nasha were performing, and he could very well have passed off as one of the waiters as he mingled in the crowd. When asked why many people associated Tito's with smoking hash, he promptly replied: "They assume things wrongly and attribute the creation of this impression to his competitors. We still face bad publicity." He was quite emphatic when he said that no dope was allowed in this place, which catered over-all to 60 per cent of the Indian clientele, mainly from Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi, who were big-spenders and the rest were charter tourists. The future of Goan tourism is Indian, David said, and even if one per cent is tapped, that will be a big number. Whilst expressing happiness at the policies of the present Tourism Minister Micky Pacheco, he pointed out that the tourism industry would be better served if taxi drivers were more polite towards their customers and also that they should introduce the meter system, as was done in Mumbai and Bangalore. He also felt that better handling of tourism publicity would help the business. Cooperation among the shack owners, stopping of the present lottery system in allotting shacks, giving the regular owners a permanent licence and keeping the surroundings clean, would go a long way in improving the business, said David. Backing moonlight parties in Anjuna, he said that the ban on playing of music after 10 p.m. was bad for tourism. Besides, it also blocked the future of many budding Goan musicians, whose number was fast dwindling, he stated. David, an avid sports fan, said he was the principal sponsor of Goa United Sports Academy, set up in Calangute, thus going to prove that business and sports could go together. He revealed he also had an Indian restaurant called `Indian Impact' nearby and was planning another in Anjuna with a piano bar on the beach, a bowling alley and pool games. ---------------------------------------------------------- What's On In Goa (WOIG): Nov 06 Children's book exhibn opens, Walkabout, Anjuna... (all weekdays) Nov 06 ArtHouse, Calangute: Chaitali's acrylics on canvas till 19.11 Nov 07 Revision of electoral rolls (till Nov 30) See schedule. Nov 07 Creative science, for children, Goa Sc Centre (till 16.11) Nov 10 Corporate summit on IT and biotechnology, Intl Centre (till 11.11) Nov 17 Goan Engineers and Assoc meet, at Pickering, Canada. Nov 20 Fr Agnelo's 75th death anniversary, Pilar Dec 01 Two day conference, Goa Agenda. IT For Society. (Ends 2.12) Every Sunday: Music therapy sessions at Moira, 5 pm. 278, N.Portugal ----------------------------------------------------------
