A and me

I figured I don't mind A's patronising anymore!!! being much older and very aware of it, he advices (most of it unsolicited) me on even simple household chores. Realised it has stopped getting my goat anymore!!! what's next? looking like him? they say people start looking like each other when they grow old together....

a summer to remember...

The met department said that the monsoons are likely to hit the city in a couple of days. Summer is finally over, school opens, the dusty foilage will soon wear a fresh green look. I have taken a few months off work and spend the summer at home,no holidays, no travelling, no cousins visiting, just plenty of family time..
JB... he did so much.. learnt french, practiced piano every single day, developed a taste in old classic movies with me, spend hours in the pool, had friends over off and on, and when we would let him, tried cooking. I did all of that with him..I have almost started missing him when he's in school.. an obsessed mom: you bet! I am so proud of him. We were always close, but now we are closer.
A: Illness has brought us closer than we were. Food kept us together, now eating right and cycling has.
Me: watched lots and lots of movies.. developed a taste for award winning films in foreign languages, period films and war movies. Cooked, cooked and cooked... JB says I make the best pasta in the world :) :) well he likes my rissotos and roasts too. Brought my vegetarian bengali cooking as close to perfection as I cooked. Finally started finishing a book in a week. Honed my parental skills,lost a little weight (still a drop in the ocean), finally started cycling and so much more. My to do list still had a few things to complete before I get back to work..
If not for anything else, for being able to bond with my son, for ruffling his hair or giving him a big hug as soon as he gets back home from school, for watching A grin in pleasure when I produce another zero oil delicacy from the kitchen, for finally noticing the beautiful gulmohar trees flowering in all their glory in summers, for growing up a little... this is one of the best summers I have had in a long long time

mumbai meri jaan ?....no way!

after a long long time, a trip to mumbai and got to do stuff I always wanted to:

1. Lunch at Britannia, one of Mumbai's most famous Parsi restaurants in Ballard estates.Famous for it's berry pulao and many other mouthwatering parsi dishes...dhansak with brown rice, sali boti etc. not to forget cool drinks like ice cream soda from parsi run factories.

Also encountered Mr. Boman Kohinoor Irani (picture), one of the partners of Britannia, who insists on taking every order himself despite his frail demenour, failing eyesight, memory etc but an unbetable spirit neverthless..

2. Buying crockery from good earth.. a well appointed lifestyle store epitomising the chic indian look. The largest collection of aesthetically put together designs of crockery and furnishing, difficult to make up your mind.. each peice on display is a collector's item in it's self. I was taken aback at the space they have at their disposal bang in the middle of the now upmarket lower parel area.Also had tea at the tasting room with my two elderly aunts and sister in law. The stylish tea service is done in the beautiful good earth crockey... an experience and fragrance (the store has scented with their own mix of essential oils.. I am told a mix of bergmont, lavender and lemon) to remmember and look forward to in the next visit.

3.A visit to Red Blue and Yellow: A much talked about store when it opened.. though I thoroghly enjoyed my visit, I found the ware disappointing or may be I expected much more.

4. Lunch at the Indigo Cafe: BIL, SIL and me stuffed ourselves at the cafe in Andheri (W). A truly satisfying European meal. Spotted Manish Malhotra lunching with what looked like a young intern at the next table..

on the whole a satisfying trip..

Next trip.. drive on Queen's necklace and lunch at olive or goa portuguesa

waiting, waiting and waiting... sigh!