Home Sweet Home at the Bond Bar

Or rather...Bond, The Bar. We went back after more than a month's interval wondering if everything might have changed. The Sports Bar was still the same...an enormous TV with its usual array of tall chairs and square tables with an enormous bar on one side and cushy sofas dotting the periphery. We sat near the TV although I had my back to it, gazing instead at the colourful lamps and streamers and lights arranged under the mall's dome in a Diwali theme. The servers recognised us and one of our regular guys showed us to our table and asked whether we'd like the day's specials or our usual stuff. We kicked back and relaxed as cocktail followed cocktails and beer flowed generously and we even received an 'on-the-house' special - fried wontons stuffed with spring roll mixture. Served with schezuan sauce. Yummmm.

They expanded their menu to include loads of other starters and dinner options apart from a pasta and noodle section. We tried fish fingers with tartar sauce (crispy on the outside, soft and melting fish within) and barbequed sausages with fries and a barbequed chicken sizzler that my husband had most of. We also shared a fluffed cheese omelette (which the regular guy remembered even as my husband tried to describe it while battling long-island-tea-induced haze) with buttered toasted bread and salad.

The DJ (new guy) played all the right tracks. The other new thing was the partitioning off of the party section. Also, almost no crowds made the service prompt and the attention very centred towards us, which we basked in. A new drink I had was named Black Russian and my husband later ordered the White Russian which was a sweeter contrast to mine. Our session finale was a Bailey's Coffee flavoured Irish Cream in crushed ice. A lovely thing to sip slowly and indulge in.

We were pleasantly surprised to be remembered by the wait staff and the bartender right down to what we like and how we like it. The new menu additions and the songs played by the new DJ served to spark a new interest in the place.

I see, I am

I've been back from the south-east just a few days back but it seems like I finished the tour just yesterday, Sentosa beach still clearly replaying the Songs of the Sea in my mind over and over again. It was lovely to come back to relaxation and the daily comfort of not always following a hectic physically demanding schedule. At the same time, I miss the food - sausages, noodles (so many different kinds...so many exotic flavors), rice and curry combinations, the soothing combination of fried egg and buttery croissants, the temptations of hot and golden bread pudding with vanilla sauce on the side...a million memories all blending together and yet each individual piece glinting out of the tapestry of melded gastronomic delights.

I also miss the streets, the inns and the streetside restaurants even if I passed most of them on my way to different tourist attractions. The quiet sidewalks, even with traffic constantly flowing past. Our beautiful hotel rooms at Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur both providing a great view of the cityscape both in the morning and night. A chaise longue in a corner and a canopied four poster bed at the other end. 'Together-time' between tours. A great spread awaiting us at every table we stopped at for meals. The lush green landscape of Thailand, the dark velvety rainforest scenes of the Malaysian highways, verdant fronds leaping into view from dark stone buildings of Singapore. I can just close my eyes and see them again.

At the same time, I'm glad to be back in Bombay. The land where you dont need to convert one currency to another, where everything is afforable as long as you're reasonable. Where one can find a mix of different cuisines, some made to suit your palate, some that you need to adjust to. Where you dont always need a map to locate where exactly you are rather than where you're off to.

One of the many treats in store was meeting my mom, dad and sis for a family lunch. Our first Diwali after marraige was quite a special affair. Both mom-in-law and mommy went all out to make it memorable in their own ways. The lunch was super in every way, kabuli pulao, chicken curry in brown gravy, loads of boondi raita and vegetable salad, pooris and shrikhand and potato bhaji. A mango ice cream at the end made us all a bit dozy...my uncle decided to break up the gathering to get a bit of sleep.

Lots of gifts exchanged and presented to us. We also got hampers - my mom made a hamper of my favourite (and now my husband's too) goodies from the bakery near my house. It was heaven to bite into a chocolate walnut brownie the next day with breakfast. My aunt made a hamper of home-made goodies that were yummy too...I dont remember when I last ate a homemade chiroti.

A lovely couple of days, as memorable as the trip we've just completed, if not more. We received a microwave from my parents as a Diwali gift which we're excited to try out. Consulting its massive cookbook, we made a veg pulao as the very first microwave-cooked dish. It turned out really well and I cant wait to make more things like chicken, rolls, desserts, cakes... the sky's the limit.

It all really just comes back to food. No matter how far you go, the one thing that instantly makes you feel at home is food.

Rich, Rich!

Finally got broadband. Hooray!!! Hubby got promoted. He is now the king of his project. Doesnt mean he doesnt report to someone above but well...he runs the whole show now. He wanted it for so long and he's got it now...all of us are so happy for him. After so much pain and anticipation, he's now got it! The ones above will be watching but I'm sure things will be great from now on. He got what he wanted and that's what matters for now. I'm sure our holiday will be even better, there wont be a spectre of the uncertain looming over him.

I got what I needed...broadband and just gaped at the speed which I had forgotten while getting used to the dial-up. Especially the photographs that now show without me wasting precious phone time, waiting impatiently for the picture to show...often having to miss the ones that just wouldnt open.

Sigh! Today is a day of miracles :)

Busy week

Work consumed me like flames do a body...ok, not as bad as that but it did keep me busy through the week. Which was why I had to go home for my round of shopping for clothes (for my South-east trip) on a Saturday. Hubby came and we had lunch with my parents and sister. Quite a few things seemed to have been discussed as I faded in and out of conversations, checking whether the trousers were properly altered, showing off my possessions to an admiring audience and having fun flitting around the place. I also went out in the 2 pm sun (not a good time during the October heat) and got my eyebrows done and a further alteration made to my trousers.

We had a great biryani lunch which started off with puris and shrikhand and a french beans upkari (with loads of potatoes). After stuffing on those, we stuffed even more on a wonderfully 'dummed' Hyderabadi Biryani (the way my mommy makes it) with chicken that had a smoky, spicy aroma with raisins and roasted cashews lending more flavor to the already aromatic preparation. With beaten and slightly spiced curd on the side, it was beauuuutiful! I didnt realize how much I'd missed it.

Our home visit ended on a rich note, with a dark chocolate cake from Birdy's with two teddy candles waiting to be cut by hubby and me whose birthdays are in October. The richness of the cake stayed on in memory and that evening, at home far away from home, I started to get hungry for more biryani and cake.

Sunday was another frenzied bout of shopping. Bought three Maybelline lipsticks of which I need to return one as it's damaged. I was very surprised to see the lipstick fall out when I opened it, it was cut off on the bottom. Never had this experience with Maybelline products and I need to interrupt work today to go and rectify this problem.

We also packed last night and hubby worried that his clothes were taking over my space in the suitcase. Thankfully, I was occupied with an aching knee and did not tease him too much for it.

I cant wait to take a wonderful break for 10 days, visiting different places and trying out their local specialties.

Because you need a list to pack a suitcase..

...I finally went and made one. Sent it by e-mail to hubby dearest asking him if that's what he was looking for. As with all other tasks that I dont like, I dont know why I cribbed and post-poned it for so long coz it was a little bit more fun than I thought it would be. I made a day-wise packing list with columns for day wear, evening wear, night wear etc. It helped me decide to buy two trousers instead of one and extra t-shirts and shirts. The only things I own are not enough and thank goodness, I identified how many extra clothes I need because it's too expensive to even want to launder your clothes there. Goa was different. Goa was in Indian currency. Still is the last time I checked although the accents are Caribbean.

Better than a fake (I-can-see-right-through-but-cannot-laugh) US accent. Which I used to hear a lot at work.

Hopefully, my husband will love the list and praise it highly. He's been a bit sullen ever since my father-in-law thought the tour was more like a jail they imprison people in. Plus, there was a slight irritation when we decided to order food instead of cooking it. We'd been to the tourist orientation programme organised by our travel agents where they had a walk-through of our package and an open question round with lunch thrown in. It was very pleasant and I've started to look forward to the trip even more. After we had a chat at home, we realized how my FIL felt and hubby did not like it very much. Especially since it is all paid for and nothing can be done. Not that we want to change our plans now.

Hubby and I are looking forward to the food and entertainment along with the sight-seeing that they're managing. I realized what immense work it is and you can just relax letting these tour managers take the pains of arranging your stay and travel. While telling you some interesting facts about what you're looking at or where you're staying.

There's not much time and I need to start shopping to get the things I need. Soon, every one will realize that and there'll be a few, anxious moments till we're packed and on our way.

Am keeping my fingers and toes crossed.

Ramblings and Cribs

Last evening I worked till 9 pm and slept late after finishing my second read of the Namesake. The hubby wasnt around - he's partying with his friends at a hillstation near Bombay - so I had the whole room to myself with a giant LCD TV and books I could read till as late as I wanted. Sleep finally got to me and as I finished my book, I shut the lights off and went to sleep praying I didnt get nightmares else I'd never get any sleep.

Today he seems to be taking it slow getting back. First taste of freedom post marriage and all that. He said that he didnt know when they would be leaving. Of course, the people with the cars (or Scorpios, rather) are sleeping. They plan to have lunch and then leave. I'm sure that I'll be getting bored here but there's nothing to do as I need to wait for work and I cant go shopping all the time (on my salary, too). None of my friends or my family can just drop everything and visit me for half a day or just lunch. You need to sit in a bus for 2 hours one way to be able to do that.

Hence, I decided to write a post. It does a miraculous job of clearing my head and I get to crib to someone about it (or rather, the whole world). Plus, I have all this free time to actually do the assignments for our impending tour to South-East Asia. I have the "fun" job of making lists for packing clothes, medicines and anything else we might need for the 10 days we are there. I dont like lists as much as I hate packing. I'd rather get it over with soon and deal with what I've packed. My hubby's much more structured and I'm just a go-with-the-flow person. He makes lists for every single thing. He's even planning our financial present and future. I am trying to sort out the mess that seems to have grown to bursting proportions in my cupboard.

Arent we just made for each other?