The Mumbai impression

No more of the "last days/posts".... i thought today i will write about the city Bombay...

I have 2 interactions with this city... at 2 completely different points in time!!

Phase 1 - when i was single (ready to mingle.. couldnt stop myself from saying that :)) and Phase 2 - post marriage.. my run in with Bombay has been completely different on both the occasions.. when i was single, i was quite enamoured of bombay... the pace of life.. the headiness associated with starting to work and actually earning money.. the "star value" attached to the city .. the freedom.. i had what you call pure unadulterated fun!!!! Going to discs every weekend.. if not a disc then party at a friends place.. at that time we were fresh out of the institute.. so the attachment with institute ppl was quite strong.. whenever we used to go to discs, there would be at least 15-20 of us!! Even though we were earning, we used to be stingy with money.. thats how we were at college!! So the habit conitnued.. i still remember, i went to shoppers stop and really liked a top which was for about 400 Rs.. i came back home without buying it and then thought.."I have started earning.. i can afford this luxury".. and i went back to shoppers stop and bought the top (which incidentally i still have)... we used to stay very close to Amitabh Bachchan's house.. right next to prithvi.. and we absolutely delighted by it and always used to plot and plan as to how we could go and meet him!! (Which i did last year.. an absolute gentleman.. will reserve it for next post)
At that time, we were quite enamoured with Bombay.. we were young.. full of energy.. and loved the fact that nobody bothers you.. and in fact we had our own keys at the PG and there were no restrictions.. We were thrilled to bits!!!! We saw ambitions all round us.. so were we, ambitious i.e. ... i also did my first night out in Bombay. (at work)... and was mighty proud of it.. :-).... living on adrenalin.. and loving it!! Bombay we saw through our rose tinted glasses.... everything was always great about Bombay that point in time...we never saw any slums, never felt the space constraint, never found it to be crowded.. selective seeing/ registering it was.. maybe because of the headrush of living alone in a "big bad city" and managing quite well i would say... I missed Bombay so much, that i took me 6 mths to adjust to Delhi, a city i had been in, all my life.

And staying in Bombay now... by the time i got married,i had already been in delhi for 4 yrs!! And coming from delhi, suddenly Bombay seemed to be a different place.. from what i remembered.. maybe it was the exuberance of youth that made it seem so.. maybe now i have mellowed , become less aggressive.. slower.. whatever the reason maybe, i saw a completely different Bombay.. i am staying in a completely different locality compared to the highly upmarket juhu.. bombay seemed suddenly claustrophobic.. thousands and thousands of people everywhere jostling for space... i remember during ganesh chaturthi in 2006 i went downstairs to see the various processions.. and suddenly on the flyover i saw a sea.. a human mass coming towards me.. i was petrified and ran back home.... i stay in a 1BHK.. when i walked in and saw that there is no balcony.. i was devastated... i had a male servant.. and the house was in a bad shape.. and no lift either.. i was close to tears... we roamed about a fair bit in Bombay.. i would never get used to the "no lane changing "rule.. lol.. coming from delhi.. there is a point at fort, a signal, which when i saw for the first time, i burst out laughing.. on the same side of the road, there is traffic coming from both the directions.. and they all converge to go to another road.. and in bombay, people still kept to themselves.. which is a good thing i guess.. the pace of life still remained fast.. but maybe i have grown older :)...

Now that i am leaving bombay.. i feel sad.. i love this house.. i made so many frds here.. who i miss terribly (already).. and now i quite like this place.. can even talk about this place intelligently without sounding dumb...used to odd sounding names of places like chinchpokli, andheri etc... quite love the freedom it gives me as a woman to do what i want.. quite love the freedom it gives us as a couple.. quite love the fact that the cabbies are always there no matter what time of the night how close the distance... quite love the fact you can get a 5 re meal as well as as 2500 rs meal and right next to each other.. quite like it that ppl are actually professional and do not mind if a girl , and that too a young girl handles their account (not me.. i mean anyone).. that there are some or the other stories always to tell ppl everyday about the traffic, rain, trains etc etc etc.. i think in bombay ppl never run out of anything to say not because they are gregarious in nature but because the city offers you that something everyday.. it is a city of dreams.. of achievement perhaps.. of doing.. of activity.. always in motion.

Yes i do like Bombay. But i know Bangalore will also be a unique place in itself.. so was Delhi... But yeah.. i will surely miss Bombay.. a lot i guess.. purely for the life it breathes in, in to all of us!!

Last day at work in Mumbai

Today was an extremely hectic... a morning meeting.. got back to work at lunch.. and since it was my last day... we all went out for lunch .. ate a lot.. came back at 3.. sat with my boss till 5.. finished everybody's reviews... and then finally at 7 the farewell party (?) started... lost of speeches.. cake cutting.. a frd put a little bit of cake on my face.. no cake smashing happened thankfully!! And then speeches for about an hr at least!!!! And then came the photography session.. lots of snaps in and around my bay!!! And finally got back home!!

Some of my frds came along with me in the cab till dadar.. when they were getting off, then i started feeling so bad!!! Till then we were doing masti, having lots of fun.. doing timepass.. but suddenly in one sec, everything changed.. and i felt.. this is it.. dont know when i will meet all of these guys next!!! I am already missing them all so much!!

Came back home.. to a bare home (the packers had come in today) .. as it was 2 yrs back.. and i am feeling worse.. it looks exactly like the time when we entered the house.. a feeling of dread... and now again its completely empty.. completely empty of our identity.. its only now when i look at this house in this shape i realise the personality, the character we had given to our home!!! And right now its devoid of everything!!

Last few posts

Well, the PC will be there till tom before it is packed off!! So even though today i am feeling lazy, i thought i must put in a post coz i will be absent for a few days (hopefully only few)!!

So to continue the "Mumbai story", when i came to Mumbai 2 yrs back, even now i proclaim everytime that i like Delhi better than Mumbai... beter food, more space, wide roads, balconies, parks, and more space, and more space etc etc etc ... but now that i am leaving bombay, i am feeling .. dont know what.. hard to describe.. well, i am not happy at leaving!! definitely not happy... not extremely upset as well.. somewhere oscillating between the two!!!

I have lots of memories associated with this place.... i will i am sure miss a lot of things.. passing by Amitabh Bachchan's house and showing it off to all visitors who land up in Bombay... and of course SRKs house... and trips to pune (in the rain)... and the breakfast at mondys.. at madras cafe.. i know i know.. i have already said all this in my last post!! But still!!

Today had a part of my farewell... part speech.. also got some gifts from my colleagues.. frds actually... extremely rocking group we have at work!! Leaving all of them is sad!!! :(

The Mumbai chapter

Well, the bye byes have started.. all of a sudden actually.. it was about 2.5 mths ago that i came to know that we would be going to Bangalore.. and we were like.. "2.5 mths!!!!!!!!! So much time we have!!!!!!!!!!!" etc etc...

But now suddenly time is running out here in Bombay.. we still have so many places to go , so many people to meet!!!!!! But i guess its not happening.. we have finally booked our tickets to Bangalore.. for saturday.. such an air of finality to it.. till now i was quite relaxed as i felt there is so much time.. but now we have only 3 more days to go !!

Last weekend met up with my husband's colleagues.. was still ok... went out for many lunches with my colleagues.. had a party at my place on Thursday, another party at a colleague's place on friday... met another old friend of mine for breakfast on saturday.. went to marine drive.. took lots of pictures.. my husband is carrying his camera these days to work.. he is clicking all kinds of snaps of the city!! Went to Madras cafe on sunday, clicked pictures with the owner... went to starcity and caught Bachna Ae Haseeno (the first time we watched a movie post marriage was here .. though this time i saw it with my mom)..

We so wanted to go to Gallops (one of our favourite places).. and i wanted to go to Haji Ali.. never been Matheran, Ganapatiphule and all.. i also wanted to have the noorani chicken biriyani.. wanted to eat a roll at bade miyan, have another heavenly breakfast at mondy's.. so much to do!! Just wish i had more time.. But then i guess everytime it would have been the same!!!! So right now we are trying to cram as much as we can to our day!!

2 great , fantastic , deadly years in Bombay.. wonder what Bangalore will be like!

Sweet success .. ahem

Well, the party was a huge success.. or so i think!! Actually it was.. when i think back to all that we did yesterday, i guess everyone enjoyed.. and that too without much drinking!

So to ease your minds first (thanks everyone for the suggestions though).. the menu was something like this -
1) Alu tikki - i made the dough/batter/masala and got cook aunty (thats what i call the aunty who comes over to cook) to make tikkis using breadcrumbs.
2) Bhel Puri - Veg / Jain - I made
3) Pakodas - Cauliflower / Onions - Aunty made
4) Chicken nuggets - I fried.. :-)

The main course included -
1) Pasta in white sauce - Thanks knife for the help! I tried it the same way.. turned out quite well.. or so i have been told!!!
2) Egg bhurji and bread - made by my colleague

So, lots of food... and we had loads of fun of course... we played a game wherein a situation is given to someone eg - "you are a piece of cloth hanging on the clothes line and its windy"... the person's team members are not aware of this .. the person has to enact the role he has been given (in the case, the cloth).. he cannot act out the situation like Dumb Charades.. so the other team members need to understand the situation and barge in on this skit playing roles in the situation that they understood.. in this scenario, one person could be air, one could be the clothes line and one could be a stone in the garden or a tree etc !!!! Try this game... the results are hilarious!!!!!!!!!! We had a great rocking time doing all this.. the situations given as simple as.. going to the loo when stomach is upset... to Joker in the Dark Knight.....right upto a horny ox!!!!!! It went from good.. to bad.. to worse!!! But was hilarious.. a laugh riot!!

All of us have a lot of videos of all this!!! Maybe, someday i will post it!!!

Also had dinner at a colleague's place.. authentic punju food... the starters were - monita (canopies), corn, paneer tikka, alu rolls. Main included cholle, tava pulav, kachori, mix veg, dehi vada. And deserts were malpua, rabadi and icecream.. By the time we reached the deserts, i was about to burst!!!!!!!!!!!! Finger licking, lip smacking food!!! Having such authentic punju food in Bombay for the first time!!! :-) Brilliant.. extraordinary...

Dinner plans

I am in Bombay for a week more! Moving to Bangalore on the 31st of this month.. i.e. weekend after next. So in the build up to my leaving, inviting my frds over for dinner!!

So the problem is -
1) I need to spruce up the house .. dont get me wrong.. our house is usually pretty clean (there's only the two of us).. but there is a whole lot of stuff lying everywhere.. books/ clothes.. more books and finally more books!!!
2) 2nd problem is that they are all coming for dinner.. so i need to feed them all with something.. i have never planned a party earlier.. so thinking what to do.. one idea that they all gave was that we can have a maggie party .... another one said we could have veg pulav.. need a huge kadhai for both!! Some are asking me if i will be making anything at all or not!!!!!!!!! Since i have been promising everyone for the last 3 months or so, that i will get something for lunch, i was thinking at least now i will make something.. maybe just one thing!!!! I dont want to stand in the kitchen when everyone is having a blast ... not the sign of a good hostess!! :-)

Give me some ideas ppl.... maybe i will end up ordering from Lucky Biriyani!!!!

Travel plans

I am very fond of traveling.. but if you ask me where all i have been.. i would be able to count it all on my fingers.. During school years, the vacations would be spent at my paternal grandparents' place in Kerala or my maternal grandparents' place in Jamshedpur. So as a family we have not traveled much except once to Mussorie and once to Trivandrum/Kovalam (my dad used to travel so much because of work that he would insist all the places are the same). Even now that i am married, in the last 2 yrs (me and husband on personal trip) we have been to Chiplun, Mahabaleshwar and London. So i dont know how, but i love traveling but ahvent traveled too much.. rather what fits better is "I love the concept of traveling".

So i watch a lot of shows on Discovery Travel and Living (one of my favourite channels).. And i have also subscribed to the Outlook traveler magazine.. and of course we have already bought the outlook traveler weekend breaks from Bangalore (this despite the fact that we just went to 2 places in last 2 yrs).. i also have bought special places to stay in India, 500 romantic places in India and of course 1000 places to visit before you die, outlook traveler trekking, loney planet etc... at this rate by which we are going, we will not be able to visit even 30 places!!! I devour these books the minute i get them.. and i love to fantasize and dream about these places.. and of course plan about traveling to these places..

But things never go as per plan.. I mean even before i reveal these plans to my husband, they die.. like in the rest of this year.. i will go to Kerala for Onam for a couple of days, then to jaipur/ delhi for a marriage, then again to Kerala with frds!!! The problem also is i am also not very good with being spontaneous about short trips.. as in i like the idea of doing so.. but i dont know if i will be able to.. not getting a place to stay, non hygenic places, food, bathrooms scare me!!! So much as i like the thought.. it just remains a thought!!!

Like currently, rather till today we planning to drive to Bangalore.. but today trashed that idea. But i am hoping, really hoping, that we genuinely travel (once we get to Bangalore i.e.).. to places .. i want to go to Coorg.. Kodaikanal.. Valley of flowers.. Auli... etc etc etc.. In my personal diary (ahem), i have also made a huge list of the places that i want to go to.. sadly havent had the satisfaction of crossing out much from there ... I really envy ppl who just decide on the spot.. "lets go" and they go too!!!!!!!!!

Who reads our blogs?

Do you all usually think before giving out your blog id to somebody? I have been thinking about it.. who should be reading my blogs.. And i came up with 2 sets of ppl -

1) basically friends / relatives (some in my age grp).. who i would wanna share my thoughts with...who would want to know me better.. discuss with me on various topics..

2) And people who do not know me (by name) because just the thought of sharing thoughts with ppl you do not know is heady...

But all this while, one thought used to pop up regularly in my mind.. should it be restricted entry.. should i give it out to only those ppl who i would wanna discuss / share such things with! I had put my blog address on orkut... but just for a day.. removed it quickly.. as i am not sure if i would want everyone to be reading it.. i mean , dont know why, but gives a strange feeling! I feel maybe .. just maybe .. everyone may not understand what i am talking bout.. I am writing about everyday things only.. but still.. For eg, you might know 10 ppl.. but you would talk bout some general things to 3 ppl, a little more (a little personal) to others, and still more personal to 2 ppl!! There is a big funnel at work here!!! There are some issues / topics that you would talk to an x type of ppl.. for whatever reason!!!

So, i have put my blog address on one site which i have just joined!! So not many ppl are listed as my frds there!!! Till now, all of you who read / mssg.. its good fun.. i am quite enjoying this banter.. I look forward to reading the comments everyday.. everyday the minute i reach home, the first thing i do is check comments and reply.. then read all your blogs.. and then put in my post!! Completely hooked on to it...

To come back to the topic at hand - but recently for the first time didnt give my blog address to someone (even though i did mention i blog) .. its strange but i didnt.. the thought was that the person doesnt blog.. will not be able to appreciate blogs in general.. may not enjoy it.. kya karna hai ..

Its very confusing.. at the end of the day a blog is meant for public consumption aint it? And continuing with the same thought why shouldnt we put our pics on the blog? I know Knife does!! Maybe becuase its a food blog.. and may not cause harm???? :-)

So what do you all do? Tell you frds / acquaintances / relatives etc that you blog? How do you screen ppl?

The perfect weight

Well an amusing thing happened to me the day before.. in the ladies washroom at work.. I bumped into someone there.. a colleague of mine.. and she said..." you know you have gained weight; i mean in a nice way; you shouldnt lose any weight.. you are perfect like this".. And on sunday, this very sunday (on10th), someone told me that i had lost weight!!! Within 2-3 days, i had 2 extreme opinions!!! :-)

This weight issue is so weird..
1) Weight is one the first things that everyone comments about when you meet them.. i do so myself.. in fact my first comments are usually about weight (unless you are a client in which case i desist unless maybe.. he/she has lost weight).... i dont know why i do it!!! I am sure its not listed in any book as the world's greatest conversation starter.. I say it everytime.. and minute i say it.. i think now why did i have to do that??? Its a natural human tendancy i guess... to talk about weight when you meet someone after a while.. at least with women.. i dont know about men.. do men also do that???
2) You meet 2 people in the same day... one person will promptly say that you have lost weight and the other one will say you have gained weight.. which to believe??? I know I know.. the weighing machine i guess.... but isnt it strange.. i mean 2 ppl in a span of a few hrs have such radically different opinions!!! It is also not a function of time.. I have seen 2 ppl who we meet everyday at work.. giving 2 completely different opinions on the same day!!!
3) And once it is established that you have lost / gained weight, the next step is advice.. either advice on how to gain/ lose weight OR give me advice on how to gain/lose weight!! And pretty enjoyable conversation this!! Enjoyed by women i guess!!!

Every woman has a weight issue.. i have always had a weight issue.. a few yrs back.. 2 to be precise, i used to try everything in the book to gain weight.. tried to have cheese everyday , ice cream everyday etc etc.. but needle would oscillate between 43-44 kg.. at that time my target was to hit 45!!!!
And now post marriage.. i have developed a tummy.. which i want to lose... at least i think i should lose.. have not taken much action!!! So there is always this weight situation.. at every point in life.. or is it only my life? But i have never obsessed about it..

So the million dollar question is ... is there something like a perfect weight???

Fashion faux pas

Today in the morning on breakfast news on NDTV, there was a story about what women have been wearing in the last few years.. what did they wear earlier and what have they graduated to.. and then they devoted about 5 mins to what is called "Nightie ".

It was a very strange news item to be present on breakfast news!!! Why would anybody want to see these fat aunties dressed in nighties parading around... that too early in the morning.. (see its stuck in my mind so much.. i am writing about it 12 hrs later.. mentally traumatic possibly)

I dont have anything against nighties... Nighties are extremely comfortable.. i have worn nighties .. like twice in my entire life!! I dont know why but i dont wear them!!

Anyway, on this channel, they were talking about how nighties have become a rage.. everywhere with women.. they not only wear it in the house but also venture outside wearing the same!! They showed mallu women roaming around wearing them.. and one lady's husband even said.. that his wife wears it even for small functions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Like how????????????????????? I am a mallu...and have actually seen it myself.. many many many women wear nighties and roam around.. go to the nearby shops etc.. its so weird.. how can anyone do that???????? But they do.. apparently it is considered to fashionable in Kerala!!! Its like committing fashion suicide!!!

I have been in Delhi all my life.. there, there is a slight variation to this trend... women do wear nighties outside of home.. but team it up with duppattas (god have mercy)!!! Do they think its easier on the eye or what?

Apparently, according to the news channel nighties connote emancipation of women .... basically no need to stick to saris / salwaar kameez etc.. also they were talking about how in movies it always a sign of the vamp (loose women).. and then later even heroines started wearing them!!

I have never seen anything so utterly atrocious!! And to top it all, the news channel was interviewing some store keepers.. who said that in some cities in the west, there are nighties with zippers which are in great demand!!! ROFL!!!

They have really done some thesis on this topic.. how in the world do they come up with such stories??????????Whose brainwave was it? Really!!!

A shot in the arm

Funny thing is.. today is tuesday and i didnt feel like working.. I mean usually it is mondays that such things happen.. wherein on monday you try to school your mental energies (what is mental energy?? I have no clue but fits perfectly) to work the entire week... since it did not happen to me yesterday .. i guess today was the day for it.. maybe.. also adding to it was the fact that i had to travel to andheri.. and your day is already over even before it started!!

In my team including all ex-people... rather the 2 ppl who i am very close to, there are about 7-8 ppl (a huge number) who i gel with.. actually i gel well with all (:-) ) but particularly well with a certain set of people.. some situations / instances binding us together. So one of these ppl mailed all of us today saying that she had joined the new company... and then started the barrage of mails!!! There were, and I am not kidding, really, 60 mails exchanged between all 7-8 of us in the morning (all this before lunch)... on a variety of things.. new job.. weekend.. vasai trip.. next set of lunches... more picnics... bongs... clients.. everything one can possibly think of.. and it was rocking.. I loved it.. it was just as if everyone was there at work and we were all chatting as usual.. one reply every sec types.. just as you would converse with a group of ppl face to face!!! And suddenly, everything was fine with the world (for me i.e.).. and i was up and running.. having shaken off all the slackness!! Undaunted at the Andheri trip :-)

At times, thats all that you require to rejuvenate yourself.. a shot in the arm.. a connection with like minded ppl, or with ppl you like!!!!

Monday morning blues

Today is probably one of the first mondays when i didnt have "the monday morning blues"!

Usually every Monday, actually not Monday but Sunday i start getting monday morning blues....

Friday evenings are the best.. when going back home.. i am like a kid contemplating a 2 month long vacation.. the entire weekend is before you... and i start planning what all should i do.. irrespective of whether i do them or not.. i feel decidedly happy... one of the happiest moments .. comes every week without fail!!! :-) And friday evening, i am usually alone.. so even if i am dead tired, i try not to sleep early like i usually do.. i want to enjoy every moment of the 2 day long weekend!!! So i try to catch a movie.. some movie, any movie on TV! If there's nothing worth watching i get very disappointed and glum.. and i try to catch not just the 9pm movie but the 11pm movie too... just the thought that i can chillax and get up late.. really late.. maybe in the afternoon.. just the thought that i actually not only have an option of lying in bed the entire day but can actually exercise it.. just the thought itself is intoxicating!!!! So i like sleeping late on Friday evening.. just so that i can , if i want to, exercise that option. In reality, (these days), i like getting up and going for a morning show of some movie.. so that the entire day is ahead of me. But still...

Saturday mornings are also great.. with the entire day stretching ahead in all its glory.. there is still a sunday to fall back on... So i like going out on saturdays.. i like it when my days are full... Basically I am very happy on saturdays too!!!
The build up to monday morning
Sunday mornings..ok... life is still good..
Sunday afternoon... time is running out.. need to do some activity to not think bout work
Sunday evening .... some thoughts of work start trickling in.. long face.. sulking in one corner.... start throwing a fit if i am at home not doing anything.. trouble my husband "at least lets go for a walk" anything to take my mind off tom!!! So end up playing scrabble!! Almost in tears at night.. ok so i am exaggerating... but thats the way i feel...
Monday mornings.. drag my feet to work.. literally.. not kidding... try to go as late as i can!!!

But today there was a spring in my step.. no not getting a promotion.. not getting a raise.. nothing of the sort.. actually i got completely, thoroughly bored yesterday.. for the want of company!! My husband is in Bangalore... so i had the day to myself.. not entirely.. my cousin and her mom were there in the morning.. did time pass.. they left in the noon.. then made lunch, ate at 3... and then got bored.. how much TV can one watch, really!!!! And it was raining continuously... was very depressing.. so the minute rain stopped, went to crossword .. bought a lot of books.. felt good instantly.. it started raining again, so was hanging out at crossword, reading.. then came back home at around 4.. again nothing to do.. so watched superstar (some boring movie).. then washed clothes to pass time.. watched some more TV!!!!!

By the end of the day, i was actually longing to be at work... not healthy i know!!! I am sure this will pass soon and i will soon get cured.. all of you all please pray for me!!! ;-)

Trip to Vasai

Went to Vasai today with my friends from work... yes Vasai... its so far that its as good as going to Lonavala or something.. it gives the feeling of long distance travel.. maybe thats because it is long distance!! :-)

Some of us met at the dadar station.. we had been assured that the trains will not be crowded (thats teh only reason why i conceded).. "how can it be? Its saturday early morning .. cant be crowded... and while coming back we are traveling in the opposite direction, so cant be crowded again" Both sides we found it crowded... with the feedback given, we were planning travel in the gent's compartment!!! But couldnt get in.. somebody even scratched me!!!!!!!!!

But anyway, we were to go to the West Palm Beach Resort which is in Vasai E incidentally!! If you visit the website, there are beautiful pics.. of golden sunsets, palm trees and the sea.. when we went there.. the only thing that matched the pic were the palm trees (of course the golden sunset cannot happen as we were there during the day).... but i am sure you get the drift.. The place was TERRIBLE...
1) The place itself was dirty... my frds who went to loo.. gave a full description.. but i dont care to repeat it.. the entire thing at least.. he said there was a moment when a frd of our was washing his face at the basin, and just next to the basin, a guy was happily singing and peeing into the pot!!!!!!!! And of course it was all dirty.
With great difficulty we found 2-3 chairs where we could sit.. which we were not dirty.. the rest were covered with birdshit.
For breakfast they served idlis that were as hard as a rock!!!
2) At 10 in the morning, there were lots of ppl there.. I mean what were they doing there so early?????? And most men, actually all (men + women) except us, were in the pool... looking gross.. all men with their huge, round pot bellies in swimming trunks.. in all their naked glory.. yech!!!! What is it with Indian men and pools!!!! And there were ppl dancing.. they were all wet (obviously from the poool).. skimpily dressed women (in tank tops with bulging stomach) and equally skimpily dressed men... we felt that we had landed from MARS!!

So after much deliberation, we took our money back and left.. this place is quite inside Vasai.. no rick too.. there were some farmers there.. we asked them about the beach.. one of them suggested Rangaon.. but said there is nothing there except the beach...

So we all walked... took a rick... and reached this place.. which was beautiful.. it was isolated.. nobody there at the place... not a single soul except for us i.e.... imagine.. there was not much by way of beach... it was all damp..there was sea... and oodles of greenery too...if you have been to juhu beach.. then this was like paradise!!!! Played a lot of games there.. did TP!!

One of our frds joined late.. so got him to bring sandwiches and other stuff.. had lunch there amidst running bhains/ cows and dogs.. but worth every min, sec we spent there!!!!!!! Took a couple of videos .. will try to post them on the site.. they are hilarious (videos of some games we played).... :-)

So all in all, 5 stars for the trip... to this small village called Rangaon.. thank god we decided to move out of the resort.. else we would never have been to this place.. and the best places always get discovered by accident!!! Maybe if i ever visit Vasai again.. will find that the place has become commercial...

What should i wear?

Tomorrow, we all from work are going for a picnic. A day picnic... to some resort in Vasai.. about 10 of us i think.

Now the thing is, to make this trip even more fun, we were planning to have some theme to it!! We discussed it in the afternoon.. but forgot about it later.. remembered it again at 10pm (some of us were still at work.. yeah i know.. terrible isnt it)! So called up ppl.. and it got decided that we will all wear red.. rather there has to be some red in what you wear.. which ppl can see i.e.!!!

In 2001, had gone to a new year theme party.. as in the theme was not new year.. it was black chamko.. as in we had to wear black shiny clothes.. first had thought will not spend too much on it.. went to linking road and bought stuff.. black top / black trousers.. but didnt like it.. went to globus and bought another one... spent a lot... but it was all in good fun.. everyone was a sport, even the guys!!!

Now i get very confused about to wear when such mandates are there!!! Really!!! It is a very difficult thing.. till evening hadnt even thought what i would wear.. and thinking what would i wear that too tom is out of the question !!!!! Would have worn a pair of jeans and tee!!! But now i am confused.. the perfect statement for this state of mind is "main asmanjas pad gayi hoon"!!!!

The options are clothes, hairband, earrings etc... Now i do have a red top.. but the fitting is an issue.. one of the first tops i bought when i started working (in 2001).. i still fit into it.. but stomach shows!!! So it goes out of the window! Another one a slightly party top but totally red ..no contest there .. if somebody had to pick out a red coloured top then this would be it.. it will win hands down.. and we are going by train which i need to rem when choosing... maybe.. maybe not.. dont know!! Another one with an orangish red collar.. does it classify as red?? And one maroon..by no means red.. but can stretch.. it is a shade of red after all.... so back to where i started .. what should i wear??? I have a pair of red earrings.. but if i wear it, my clothes need to match... or do they!! And its a very Indian style earrings.. looks better with Indian clothes! Hmmm.. So what do i wear?? My colleague suggested that i can drape a red duppata around my neck.. i do not want to go looking like an imbecile, do i!!!!! So what do i wear?? Maybe if i say this 5 times.. i may hit upon an idea.. or then maybe not!! I think it is already 5 times... or is it... my maths is weak ;)

All my clothes are strewn on my bed.. but tired now.. need to get up early tom morning.. will sleep.. will decide tom morning.. with a fresh mind.. a fresh perspective!!!! :-)

Then again there are some days which are like this!!!!

Some more in the same vein..

Today was raining the entire day... why is that the day it is raining non stop, you have many meetings lined up. So i went to andheri for my first meeting.. left 1 hr 10 mins before the meeting (enough buffer).. reached domestic airport too in time.. there is a new flyover that is open there but apparently the cabbie didnt know (and i was on the phone yakking).. so went below the flyover got stuck.. post which got stuck at 3 different places.. reached 15 mins late for the meeting.

Then left.. ran to office (by cab).. for a con call... reached parel at 1.45.. got lured by Jai Hind Lunch home.. was assured of quick service... in between my new boss called.. told him will call at 3... but obviously got late.. had the con call at 3 and left for the next meeting at churchgate at 4.. spoke to my new boss in between... reached late again.. and this time the cab seat was wet (icing on the cake).. and only on my side of the cab..so i got wet on all the wrong places.. i am not saying where (sure, you know it)... it looked terrible..

In that state, reached the client's office.. it was the first timewe were meeting this guy .. we gave his name at the reception, and the lady was like.. who????????? And we were like.. whoa!!!! You dont know??? She tried to elicit a description but obviously we were no help there..But we insisted.. so she said, must be this new guy who has joined. In any case, we called up the client on his cell... he said.. you take the first door on the left and meet me at the 5th cubicle.. bilkul bindaas!!! So off we went , looking for the 5th cubicle.. but in vein.. met some other chaps who we knew.. asked about the whereabouts of our man friday.. and they were also like.. who????? who is he?? Even then we were persistent.. called up the guy again.. some miscommunication.. he said come to the 3rd floor.. and we are like.. finally!! Waved our byes to the chappies and went.. happily i may add .. and went to the receptionist (you have to cross her if you need to any other floor).. and told her in gay abandon ( we were happy about solving this puzzle).. that guy is on the 3rd floor.. and not 1st!!! (In our minds we were saying.. yes!!!!! Yes!!!! Yes!!!! pumping fists in the air and all that).

And she said.. there is no one on the 3rd floor.. there is renovation happening.. but we insisted (yet again)... so we went to lift and told the lift guy.. 3rd floor pls, he said.. there is no one there.. so we got off on the 1st floor (one thing i didnt understand, why did take this guy's word at face value.. why not others, esp receptionist since she meets these ppl day in day out.. if anyone should know, she should know) ...

So we called the client again... he said where are you????? We are here at your churchgate office.. He said butI sit at the Andheri office!!!!!!!!!!! Well.... well.....well.. we didnt know there was an andheri office that existed....in all this it was already 4.45.. so we went , met someone else we knew there.. and then came back to office.. total kela.. or DDP(dhadadhad popat).. or OTS DDP (on the spot DDP).....

So some days do turn out like this... siiiiiiiiiiiiggh (i thought if i put a lot of i's and g's, it could signify the long sigh)...but tom will be a better day.. hopefully..will at least get to meet the ppl we go to meet... so we are going to andheri again tom.. and then again day after for something else.. i hate andheri.. sob sob sob!!!

These tailors!!!! Hmmmph!!!

Exactly what the title suggests......... hmmmmph!!!!

It was awful.. am extremely annoyed.. what is it with alteration.. why dont these tailors take up alteration jobs!!! So irritating, i tell you!

I have an armful of clothes.. a sackful rather.. ok a packetful .. that needs to be altered.. and some of these clothes are new.. i would have hardly worn them once or twice till now. So yesterday (i dont know why) i opened my cupboard, took out all these clothes and decided to get them altered (it might be because i woke up early, got ready early, didnt want to reach office early.. one of those days!! Even then I reached early, and the light went off for 45 mins.. should have understood that very moment, things will not go according to plan).

So off i went with this bagful of clothes. Besides this bag, i had my usual handbag (which is quite huge and heavy because of the stuff i stuff inside it.. even my notebook / umbrella can go inside), my umbrella (dont keep it inside as bag becomes heavy) and my cell. So in the evening yesterday i stopped at this shop.. and it was closed!!!! So i walked back home , tried another shop.. closed again (about 7 mins walk).

So i lugged it all again today.. i thought will finally give it all today -
1) Was planning to leave at 6.. but ended up leaving at 8!! (whenever i decide to leave, something comes up always)
2) Not only i had to carry the clothes packet, i was carrying my handbag, also my office diary for a meeting tomorrow morning (to which i will go directly), some prints for that meeting.. and to top it all, it started raining!!!!!! So had to use my umbrella too!!!
3) Usually the taxi fare in the evening is about 65/-. Even in the worse case doesnt exceed 70. But today it was 75 bucks!! That guy's meter must be fast. I dont have anything against paying 10 bucks more (and i usually pay it too without saying anything).. but you know one of those days when everything starts annoying you!! But anyway i thought, at least will give the clothes to the tailor, my load will be lightened.
4) And the icing on the cake - the tailor (the jackass) refused to take the stuff.. "we dont do alterations on clothes not stitched here".... I was fuming!!!!!!!!!!! I mean, why??? Whats the big deal about alteration??????
5) So i thought there is another tailor near my place .. let me try there.. I went (all this time it was raining continously... my open umbrella, my bag, the packet, my notebook).. and guess what.. that guy too refused to take it... "its season time, and dont have ppl".. argued a little.. but to no avail!!!!!!!!!!
6) Reached home (have to climb 3 floors).. and the phone ringing continuously in my bag!!!! Sheesh!!! just wanted to throw the umbrella out of the window!!!!!!!!

I think tailors are quite important in a woman's life.. or so i have seen , not experienced. In the last 2yrs in Bombay.. gone to the tailor thrice (including today)!!! So usually dont think so much about tailors.. my mom always harps about tailors.. a constant gripe.. where do i get a good tailor.. in delhi my mom used to travel all the way from vikas puri to rajouri garden (only 20 mins i know.. but still)!!!!! I have heard other women also talking about the search for a perfect tailor!!! You can spend a lifetime doing that and still remain unsatisfied!!!
But me.. , i do not worry so much about it (thats because my mom used to get my stuff stitched from delhi.... no wonder she's worried and i am not)!!! I am too lazy to think about tailors... maybe will start buying readymade stuff!!!!
Well anyway, so much for alteration.. will dump clothes.. maybe.. just maybe will give it another shot in Bangalore.

Mummy - Tomb of the dragon emperor

I saw this movie late last night... the 10.25 pm show. And it was devastating. An excrutiatingly boring movie. We had 2 options - Mummy or Ugly and pugli. I think the 2nd one would have been better!!!

My husband did not know the 2nd part of the name of the movie(the dragon bit).. he saw it and said.. "i thought Mummy was in Egypt.. isme dragon kahan se aa gaye?" And that set the tone for the movie. There is nothing remotely exciting, thrilling or scary about the movie. Its a singularly flat movie.. without even a single action sequence which would make you feel that it was worth it. Mummy 1 was quite decent.. the mummy was scary.. ok not that much.. but a little.. and those gross insects (like cockroaches) that get under your skin was scary (all right, only a little but still !!!)... there is nothing worthwhile, of that sort in the movie.. Jet li looks pretty normal.. not at all scary, cruel or anything of that sort.. and the sad part is that he doesnt even have any action scenes in the movie ... the good ones (like he does in rush hour and all)!!

Its a pretty sorry movie. The guy who plays Brendan Fraser's son was very boring.. staid, non thrilling kind of a guy!! In fact Brendan Fraser was more exciting than the son!!! He is the only, the only (even if you look thru a microscope) saving grace in the whole movie.... And he looks the same age as his son ..so you can imagine what the 20 yr old son was like!!!!!

Extremely boring... was yawning throughout the movie... came home and saw National Treasure - Book of secrets.. definitely better!!! And we were able to drown our "Mummy" sorrows and forget it completely at the end of it!!!