The week started busy busy busy at work. Added to that two of my close friends were leaving the country & I was a bit caught up with stuff to do for them.
Took a holiday on Maundy Thursday (13th) so I had a looong weekend at home 
Went for the evening Mass & then instead of eating hot cross buns (tradition MT food!) went to Basilico (the one in Bandra) for dinner.
Was rather dissapointing because we didn’t get place to eat inside due to the crowd (post 10.30pm on a Thurday!) & sitting outside even given the high wall, was like being on the road due to all the traffic noise. Added to that there seemed to be some hindu celebration going on just outside & the noise was really unbearable. The food was so-so and the portions small. Did enjoy the company though & my drink - a grape fruit juice with cut up fruit in it - perfect for the hot weather!
Good Friday (14th) went for the evening service. Followed that by a tad shopping at Gabbana. Didn’t go with this guy who’s busy modelling the DG shirt below:
Followed that with dinner at A. Susan’s. Main course was fish. Side entertainment included the breaking of the glass platter the fish was on while trying to cut the fish. 
Saturday (15th) was crazy. Had a million things to do. Of course I didn’t realise that in the morning ! I thought I was relatively free & started to bake a cake!! Then as the cake was being made, more & more work & other things started cropping up.
Made it for a funeral Mass (the burial actually) & also had some time (God only knows how) to get into Salon Simone to get my hair cut (just a tad) & ironed. Made it on time for the Vigil Mass (wonders of wonders!!!). To my amazement the Mass took two hours & my dear friend next to me was squirming in his seat like a little seal.
Post Mass went into the city to the Hilton for dinner with this gorgeous man:
Had sushi (at Tiffin) and lamb & it was all very good From there it was off to Wink at the Taj President. The bar was very very happening by the time we got there (by around 12.30). Joined a group of friends there & stayed there till closing time.
Next stop - Insomnia at the Taj Mahal. Insomnia was crazy. Was almost impossible to get into the Taj due to some wedding that was just ending. And the club itself was crazy crowded. Took hours to get our drinks & managed just the last two dances on the dance floor (was too packed to think of moving closer until then!). Had a great time though, felt like we were back in college.
Coming home took us years because the President of Cypress who was staying in the Taj was on his way to the airport just in front of us & they kept stopping all the civilian cars at every junction. Terrible. Ended up sleeping at past six in the morning & was pretty zonked, to say the least.
Started Easter Sunday (16th) in this manner, lol. Had brunch at Hornby’s Pavilion at the ITC Grand Central, Parel with a group of family friends and kids. My cousins from UK Cat & Dan were also with me & we finished off early evening.
It was also my darling Del’s birthday. Eli & I had planned a special surprise dinner party for her at a restaurant & I had not met up with her as a result. Had called her at 12 midnight and in the morning as well, but she was really pissed off that I wasn’t going to meet her personally. “What’s the big deal?” I told her “We can celebrate your bday anyday… perhaps I’ll call you in a day or two”. Lol. Could see the smoke out of her ears over the phone!!
She was totally surprised & shocked therefore when she did entered the restaurant. She was expecting to have dinner with Eli & there were all her close friends! Organised a cake for her with ** candles. You actually couldn’t see the cake for the flames. You old hag 
Had a really fun night. Everyone was in their element & the laughter was steady. The bill which was reaaaaaally huge came on this long piece of paper:
Was another long day & night, but great fun. Remember something about being told to wear preggy dresses if my pants were too tight. Thx for the advice buddy.
Ending this rather long post with a special shout out to Bangalore’s newest babe on the block - & someone who reads this blog everytime she’s missing Bombay. Awwww… Bangalore’s gain, Bbay’s loss.
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April 18th, 2006 at 8:59 am
wow!! what a weekend u had!
and here i wasted away my exceedingly long weekend.
and wrt ur last statement.. glad to see its not just me who misses bbay while at blore!
April 18th, 2006 at 11:59 pm
April 19th, 2006 at 10:05 am
Indeed you are blessed with great family and friends and is there someone special too …
April 19th, 2006 at 11:32 am
Your camera lens seems to be smudged. If you did’nt notice, the gorgeous guy that you are talking about, his picture came out blurry.
April 19th, 2006 at 1:20 pm
@ Mario: Reaaally? I *ahem* didn’t notice that… hmmm
April 19th, 2006 at 4:38 pm
You generaly manage to pack a lot of things in a week. You are in a *eventful* profession too. How d ya keep a balance with mind,body n soul
If I get into your shoes, I will surely be sleeping 48 hrs over the weekends.
April 19th, 2006 at 6:04 pm
To sum up… Phew!!! How do u do it?
She could be my *(looking furtively around to see that Aps isnt around 
* long lost cousin’s sister’s mother-in-law’s grand-aunt’s husband’s father’s niece’s grand-daughter. But as far as I know, she’s not. 
You actually couldn’t see the cake for the flames. LOL! And who did pay the reaaaaaally huge bill? Did u pay, huh, did u? Did u?
Next time I come to Bombay, you gotta take me around town ok?
And Mel, here’s an ans for you.. Apy n I not related, as far as i know… but you never know. Konkanas generally tend to have the missing link to relate to other Konkanas.
She was my classmate during school days though, and a really naughty one, I might add. Pity her hubby. She achieved the *ahem* privilege of being a Mallya after marriage…
Oooh I really hope she reads this.
April 19th, 2006 at 8:44 pm
hmmm, so you dont entertain yourself below the best I see!! You are probably the kind a friend of mine used to say he wants to get married too. He would say I will marry rich and become a sticker(as in stick to whatever she does) lol!! Have a blessed Easter.
April 19th, 2006 at 10:35 pm
April 19th, 2006 at 10:39 pm
April 20th, 2006 at 7:00 am
Secondly, “How d ya keep a balance with mind,body n soul” - I believe life is too short to be wasted on sleep. Make it a point to list out different things I’m doing for different areas (otherwise we get stuck at working only one part of us)
eg: For my mind, I make it a point to read a lot. I also write a lot & this also works my mind.
For my soul, I do many spiritual things like daily Bible reading, going to chapel & praying, Holy Mass etc
For my body, I try to eat right, drink lots of water (a must in this weather), I go out for a run (or at least brisk walk) whenever I can (went yesterday for a run) etc.
Work is just one part of what we are & what we do. If you make it everything about you then (I believe) you’ll end up being consumed by it. A wise friend of mine told me, “Cut Off”. So when I come home or when I’m off hours even if home, I consciously try to cut off from work mode.
@ dev: Del’s bf (and soon to be husband!) Eli paid the bill
He’s the one posing with it as a sash!
Absolutely! Will take you around Bbay next time you’re here. Gimme a buzz.
About Apy… I’m gonna rat on you. Gonna go over to her place & tell her to come here… nananannaa
@ biju: Lol. I’m actually very simple at heart believe it or not. And I have no qualms about not marrying rich. “If you marry for money, you’ll end up paying for it the rest of your life” my sister used to say.
We were both brought up to look for other things in men, like intelligence, family & moral values etc. I’m not saying that I’m against money or I don’t like to be pampered (because once in a while it’s nice), I’m just saying that it’s not something I look for in a man.
And I don’t know about your friend, but I hope to God it’s not what men look for in women either!
@ Eli: Hey darling
Yeah the bill was HUGE!!! And you’re so much cuter than the DG model sweetheart.
April 20th, 2006 at 3:00 pm
Confess!! U arent human?? Isnt that true…I mean how can one person cram so much and still be walking tall!! LOL!!
If not anything else just all that restaurant food would kill me!!
April 20th, 2006 at 11:22 pm
Its more like a joke, marry rich and forget your worries
If only life was that simple, I would have married the richest available!!
I like your sisters statement. I see myself using that in future
April 21st, 2006 at 10:48 am
hey mel, that was quite a blast u had! and yr tips on how to keep fit sure seems like an ideal way of lving life. hats of to u fr actually following it!
btw, dev doesn’t know this, but he is actually my mom’s dad’s cousin’s daughter’s mum-in-law’s brother’s wife’s grand father. that means he is like my grand father. or is it great granpa?? whatever.
btw, jfyi, a blogger asked me if he was my brother. I said ‘NO way!’. so his nxt question. ‘Is he yr hubby’? hahhahahahhaha! never laffed so much in my life! the blogger is embarrased and says, ‘er, uh, better than asking if he were yr father, right?’ So i tell him. ‘plz plz plz if the 3 of us ever get to meet, plz ask him if he’s my father.’ LOL!!!!
April 21st, 2006 at 10:55 am
@ biju: Don’t know if it’s an original statement or she got it from somewhere but do feel free to use it!
April 21st, 2006 at 11:03 am
April 21st, 2006 at 11:09 am
teeheehee mel
April 21st, 2006 at 11:25 am
Mel… stabbed me in the back, huh?
I would be her nephew if we were related. Whatsay, Apy aunty?
Incidentally, I am a generation younger than Aparna.
April 21st, 2006 at 11:30 am
xcuse me? stop fabricating info, granpa
April 21st, 2006 at 11:44 am