The Voice In My Head…

Someone recently complained to me that I’m not writing posts like I used to. “I want to know where you’re going, what you’re doing and who you’re doing it with”, he grumbled.

I don’t think I ever gave that many details about what I did (did I?!) but it has been a fun weekend, so I shall tell you what I’ve been upto.

Friday 23rd May after work headed to a “Focus Group Discussion” for a new startup website. I’m not allowed to discuss it online yet, but I was very impressed with what I saw. Great job guys! Went with Sakshi & one of my 2 new close male friends, the young baby Kaushal (who is now sporting a goti in a failed attempt to look older, lol). Met two other bloggers at the discussion - and it’s always good to meet other bloggers! Saks & I are planning another of our fabulous blog meets mid-June, all who’d like to come, pls let me know (it may not be an open invitation thingie this time, we’re not sure as yet).

(with Saks & Kaushal at the focus group thingie. Can you see my blog in the comp screen behind?!)

Post discussion, dinner was ala Monza - a great Italian food & Wine Boutique at Phoenix Mills Parel, that I remember spending part of one perfect evening there, seemingly another a lifetime ago.

Post dinner headed for coffee to Cafe Coffee Day at Carter Road. My gentleman friend & I were both a little drunk by this stage (no, I haven’t started drinking, it was just a natural high!) and we we had *the* most ridiculous discussion ever. Remained there till we were thrown out.

Ended it by taking a drive to the Mount Mary Rosary walk & stopping to pray there (which is something the two of us have made a new habit of). There was a group of boys there - who followed us up right to the top of the walk - I was a bit apprehensive of why they were doing that (& a bit fearful of being mugged) - but my faith in the goodness of humanity was restored when I saw all of them, young boys, Muslims at that (most were wearing Kufi scull caps) light candles and pray themselves at the top of the walk.

(The Rosary walk at the Mount, by day)

Saturday 24th May evening met up with one special lady friend for dinner - we chose to eat at the food court at Infinity Mall since we were later meeting friends for a movie there. Dinner was delish - as was dessert from American donuts!

Post dinner met up with large group of friends to watch the movie “Be Kind, Rewind“. My full review here.

Post dinner & the movie, headed out to Blue Frog (hey, it was Saturday night!) - NoJazz
were playing - and they are the best thing I’ve heard in a loooong time!

“Electro? Neo Jazz? Sci fi pop? Post-funk ? Whatever!” - That’s what their website says & I completely agree - it was trippy fusion & I was suddenly in Club Cubana in Goa, quite raved out. Brilliant stuff.

Sunday 25th May was a nice lazy day, accented by the fact that I spent time with a film actress friend who’s looking a pretty as ever even off the screen.

Would have probably had to end this post there, had it not been for another gentleman friend who whisked me out of work this afternoon (Monday 26th May) after I only mentioned I was craving Sushi - and took me to Tiffin at the Hilton (Trident? Oberoi?), where we ate the *most* delish sushi ever - I’ve always enjoyed the Sushi @ Tiffin, to die for.

However to my surprise, as fantafabulous as the sushi was - the Crème brûlée dessert that I almost didn’t order (as I’m trying to cut down on sugars) was unbelievably out-of-this-world yumm. The picture really doesn’t do it justice.

Which brings us back to Do (as in Doe, a deer, d-uh).

To answer your question (you know who you are) there’s no special special someone in my life - but I’m surrounded by so many amazingly good great friends - I have only gratitude in my heart, praise God.

Went to see this flick with group of friends - we were 9 of us totally - and the large number of us turned out to be a totally good thing (especially the loud laughing 3 or 4 who kept the rest of us going).

I knew nothing of the movie beforehand except that it was a comedy starring Jack Black - and since I haven’t seen a single Jack Black movie that I haven’t enjoyed, I was looking forward to it in a way.

I think the script writers of this movie are some brilliantly funny dudes who must have been on dope the whole time while they were writing the script - so ridiculous stupid is the movie. So nonsensical.

At times I wasn’t sure where to be flat out annoyed at it’s blatantly ridiculous stupidity, at others I was laughing out loudly. In retrospect, whatever I may say, I have to give it this - it’s unique!

I recommend you go in a large group of friends like we were or perhaps you’ll just find it ridiculous.

Whoever thought of this nonsense ought to be awarded the Critics Dopey Award. Definitely.

Prologue: On Men & Mates (and the women who provide them)
Chapter 1: So, let’s start with Husky!

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Chapter 2: And then there was ‘Mamen’

Though Husky (from chapter 1) was the first boy I saw, Mamen was way down in the line - nevertheless, I feel like writing the ‘Mamen story’ at this point.

‘Mamen’ (not really his name, but we’ll come to that shortly) came highly recommended. And I mean highly recommended. He had just returned to the country (after some many years) and was on route to his hometown shortly.

In fact the friend of my mum’s - let’s call her ‘Hillary’ (yes, I’m reading too much US politics these days) - who organized our meet, boasted that she had pulled off some sort of coup in getting him to meet me first, before any of the other women’s daughters - who, had he gone to the hometown first, would have definetely “pakrao-ed him” (Pause to go: Yipee!)

I was told to go to Hillary’s house to meet Mamen. All of the other boys I have met (before & after) have come to my house to meet me. Few exceptions - the ones who I have met from out of town (Husky & another one, who we’ll meet later on) and - Mamen.

The meeting was weird right from the point go.

Continue Reading »

Recently I went out to Bombay’s newest coffee chain - Gloria Jean’s Coffees. Though it’s a brand that started out in a small coffee and gift shop in Chicago USA (named after it’s owner - Gloria Jean Kvetko), it’s really big in Australia. I remember thinking on my last trip down under that Gloria Jean’s Coffees was just everywhere, just like Barista is here in Mumbai seemingly around every corner.

When I entered the Gloria Jean outlet in Bandra (where Lemon Grass used to be, near Pot Pourri) I was stunned - it was completely full (& remained full with constant in & out flow the whole time we were there). I guess I shouldn’t have been too surprised, it was new after all, people are still interested to see what it’s all about, what’s so special about it.

Then later I realised - this is the case with every coffee place I’ve seen in Bombay - be they Barista or Cafe Coffee Day or Mocha - all of them are always completely full or getting there. It’s like Bombay thrives on it’s coffee culture.

Incidentally, the Mocha at Bandra has been shut - I have no idea why yet - there’s a plastic notice at the entrance which though I saw from my car, I was unable to read. Will go and pry later. Or if anyone knows, feel free to enlighten us.

Meanwhile, I’d like to be the first one to say (but I’m sure many have said this before me) I’m waiting for Starbucks to come to Mumbai. And I’m sure it will, and I’m sure they’ll be as full as all the other coffee shops.

Will you please send me this Bible?

I know I’ve got many other Bibles, but I just feel like I need something new to re-kindle the fire I’ve always had for reading your word.

Thank you

Hugs from your (favorite!) child,

Melody

PS: Thanks, was walking in the valley of the shadow of darkness, but as you promised you were right there besides me. The worst is over.

You may or may not know this about me, but I am an IMDB junkie. Well, it’s not like I visit the home page & browse through, but without fail, I check out every movie at IMDB before I decide to go.

A high rating usually prompts me to go & vice versa - so much faith I have in the imdb guys.

But apparently they’re not god; apparently they make mistakes too (shudder).

Yesterday cute boy calls up & asks me out to see ‘Iron Man‘. I’ve never heard of the movie before, so naturally I check it out with imdb.

The rating is 8.3 / 10 - which even a non imdb user can tell, is bloody high. Add to that user comments like this one:

“Robert Downey Jr. is perfect! Gwyneth Paltrow is perfect! Terrence Howard is Perfect…and Jeff Bridges is brilliant!”

Honestly, for a moment there I wondered whether the review was written by a 12 year old, but cute boy was very enthu, so off we went.

And of course, I didn’t like the movie (oh come on, with the title & the intro, you didn’t get that?).

I think there are lots of reasons I didn’t like the movie; to start with, I didn’t know it was based on a comic book. Maybe if I had, I’d be more forgiving and less expecting. I also thought that the movie tried to do too many things - it tried to be funny, suave, serious and all techy all at the same time. I cannot take squirt me with a gas gun haha funny to war in Afghanistan serious two frames from each other.

Cute boy loved the film, though he agreed with me that Oscar winning Gwyneth is totally wasted in it (I personally think she did it only for Apple. My thoughts on ‘Apple’? Another time).

A lot of the plot was completely lost on me - the whole movie was like a Hindi movie in English - except for a few parts, which really were in (a funny accented) Hindi (I kid you not!) with wrong translations.

Though undoubtedly the specials effects of the movie are good - but honestly special effects have come such a long way that I wasn’t really impressed by any of that either.

All in all though, not a waste of a movie experience. Why? Because I was with cute boy of course…

If you can get him to go with you, you might even enjoy the film