Hello, How would you like your Mind Numbingly served today?

How about going for a Mind Numbingly Boring with a free side of Yawn on the side?

Or try a Mind Numblingly Terrible with a generous dash of Nonsense on the top?

Ok, that's the end of my mad chatter.

I have watched two starring Liam Neeson movies in less than 72 hours and neither was very good.

The first one was a DVD of The Third Person (TTP) directed by Paul Haggis, of Crash fame – an excellent thriller. TTP is a multi-story-in-one-movie concept film spinning on the life and times of a Pultzer-prize winning author who has confined himself into a luxurious hotel suite in Paris, in the desperate attempt to pen another winning piece of literature and restore his former glory. To aid him in his frustration, he gets the company of his beautiful, tormented and (of course) much younger, journalist lover girl to join him there and muse him out of his misery.  

Moving from Paris to Rome, we meet a young American business traveler who is stuck in the city waiting for a shady business deal to come through. In a moment of abject loneliness, he is drawn by the mystery woman seated next to him in a dingy local bar and for some reason, is taken by her rather strongly and almost forces an entry into her current trials and tribulations.

Cut to across the Atlantic, we enter the city of Manhattan and meet two women, both saddened by their personal circumstance. One, a successful lawyer fighting hard to aid the other’s losing battle in gaining visitation rights to see her little son from the protection of his artist father. The young, dark haired beauty has been reduced to delicate state of near poverty and desperation. In contrast, the striking blonde lawyer leads a life of comfort and success. Both women are painfully lonely without respective partners and their own children; bravely displaying their vulnerability as they try to turn their fate.

The terrific ensemble cast is why I selected the DVD and also endured the entire duration of the movie, in the hope for some surprise element of genius to turn it over its head and leave me . It is a real shame that a movie starring Liam Neeson, Olivia Wilde, Kim Bassinger, Adrien Brody, Mila Kunis AND James Franco, failed to be executed well. The texture and fabric of the movie in capturing the particular energies of the three cities was good but the weaving of the various tales and shoddy narrative leaves the viewer feeling deathly bored and ready for a long snooze.

Well said: "With a cast such as this the film works as well as it can with such obtuse twists and turns involving each of the three couples. The film 'feels' like it wants to be wonderful, but it just plods along too slowly to make us care very much about this odd groups of maladjusted misfits." (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2343793/)

Moving on to pikchur number 2 – the less said, the better.

Taken 3…the third, worst and hopefully final in the Taken series was as bad as any cheesy, mass-market, mind-frying, ridiculous Bolly movie. A movie made for a low intelligent human being whose idea of cinema is dhoom-dhaam and bhaag-daud. Random cars fly over cliffs and the Hero obviously emerges out of the flames completely unscathed, entire buildings blow up with a simple click of a button, a squad of 20 top-cops can’t catch the lone good guy on the run…and other such predictable scenarios. The only running I wanted to do was toward the exit, but the popcorn held me hostage and I sat till its bitter end. Watch this at your own risk. More funny reviews at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2446042/?ref_=nv_sr_1

But,

The one movie that deserves a lengthy and well-analysed piece of its own is the endearing coming of age of young a boy, in the multi Golden Globe winning, Boyhood. A ground-breaking movie shot with the same cast over a span of 12 years. I watched it two weeks ago and was utterly charmed by Mason who portrays the life of a regular American kid and his mildly dysfunctional family life. The magic of seeing him and his sister grow up literally in front of your eyes on the screen. Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette cast as their parents showcase the Modern Family spirit. Kids with separated parents who have no say when their parent(s) carry forward his/her respective life with a new spouse who may or may not have a positive influence on the kids; are often in a difficult predicament. The movie deals with the situation of the average american suburban kid with such poignancy and delicacy, no wonder it swept the Globes taking in Best Director and Best Film awards and putting itself in the forerun of the Oscars race.

Go, Team Mason!

Patricia Arquette's interview on Vanity Insanity is worth a quick read:

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jan/13/patricia-arquette-i-paid-my-dog-walker-more-than-i-made-on-boyhood

The Way I Are

Farewell, Good-bye, Sayonara, Ciao, Toodles, Hasta la vista, Au Revoir, Peace Out 2014 -

Sorry that I seem to be utterly excited that 2014 is now a thing of the past but it was a pretty below-average year for me and by the end of it, I was ready to get on with it and ring in the new. No matter how out-of-it we may feel; my family and me are infused with festivity by the end of November when the delicious decadent vibe of December starts creeping in and enveloping the world over! The last month of the year conveys an infectious message of joy, gratitude, forgiveness, sharing, lights, food, love, and family.

Unfortunately, December 2014 was marked by certain depressing and shattering world events completely unaligned from the above stated notions. Lights were most certainly blazing away, but lights of a different kind. From the Peshawar massacre, the Sydney café hostage holdup, the impending ISIS crises or the disappearing Malaysian airline plane – it was a time marked by blood, tears and innocent loss. A tragic time for all of humanity. Wherever the perpetrators of these events are, I hope divine justice swoops in and deals with them in the right manner. Political discourse and commentary are most certainly not my forté and I will leave that to the more knowledgeable to comment on.

Knowing that I can say, write and illustrate my own feelings and observations of the world around me, is a gift I have been born with - The Freedom of Expression. The very basis of my micro blog is this basic principle and freedom that I take for granted because I can and I should. As I type this, members of the Free World are agitating the 7^th January 2015 massacre. 3 gunmen stormed the offices of satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris Wednesday and opened fire, killing at least 12 people in what French authorities are calling the worst terror attack in four decades. The masked gunmen shouted Islamist slogans and exchanged gunfire with police as they fled and continue to remain on the run.

This particular tragedy has shaken the international literati and glitterati out of their complacency, as it has occurred in the City of Lights, a city hitherto known for its rich history, literature, fashion, architecture, and gastronomy; less known for its strikes, manifestations and alleged secularism. In India, we are confronted with such horror stories rather often and it scarcely seems to worry the international community when it happens. Poor nation, poor people theory….

Paris has been the birthplace of so many important and revolutionary artists, poets, writers and philosophers. This quality epitomizes the spirit of the city, making it the city of the Arts and to have something so grave and terrifying occur so brazenly has shaken the world with supporters showing solidarity adopting the #jesuischarlie tag.

In two weeks, Mumbaikars will see the better side of its citizens on 18^th January 2015 with the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon fever taking over. The SCMM is particularly close to my heart as I have had wonderful memories running as a Dream Maker (Feel free to support my cause at http://www.unitedwaymumbai.org/fundraiser-3954 ). One gets to see the wide diversity in the people of this marvelous city who come out to support, cheer and enjoy the bonhomie and energy felt on this Sunday every year. I see people much older than me running the half marathon with such dedication and determination, handicaps smiling away as they make their own way towards the finish, crazy people dressed up in strange costumes shouting some slogans, models, actors, industrialists – all coming together to celebrate the city of Mumbai and pitch in. But this amazing energy seems to be forgotten before and after and right after, things fall back into the usual rut. Why should it be so? When we get together for the right reason, good things will and can happen…I hope the good forces continue to preside and the Island City sees actual progression in this year and the years to come.

Next up in January is the visit of US President Obama for the Republic Day celebrations for which all our roads have been dug up overnight and all sorts of infrastructure overhauls have harrowed us Mumbaikars. Let’s see what comes off the historic event, other than Obama ji picking up a humble jhadoo and sweeping the streets. To really cleanse the country, we all know it isn’t the roads that need cleaning…the erstwhile Shashi Tharoor might know a thing or two about that. 

Erm that will be all from me for today. Don’t want to say more, alas I might have to watch over my shoulder.

But I will be back. Stay tuned! In the mean time, be mindful and be careful!

Sharing my song for the time that is now, and quite aptly so:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5l9-xNcV5E

Right it out

Isn’t it funny how much time, energy and emotion we put into and onto people, events and activities that don’t do anything good for you. Well, I certainly have wasted precious hours and copious tears on irrelevant matters and am sure will do so in the future but hopefully less and less.

I haven’t written for so long and it’s a shame really for myself (I know I don’t have a gala of expectant readers waiting for my next post...or do I, now!?) since this is an activity that can be quite therapeutic and reflective. In my self-created whirlwind of mental activity (read: confusion) expressing my thoughts out does help clear the dusty haze a little bit and help me see beyond these distracting clouds of confusion that I seem to be walking through now a days.

So, Sunday NOTE TO SELF: Write it out

Back to what I like discussing: Food and Movies in the city; and I have lots of updates on both.

Let’s start with the food feature of the post, #Gagganrock (the official hashtag) up in Mumbai last weekend. The 36 year old maverick chef Gaggan Anand hit the city of Mumbai with a series of private sit-down dinners and also some twitter-advocated roaming food trucks, hitting a large audience from well-traveled palettes to the aam after-work aadmi.....True to his flamboyant style, he pulled off quite a show and had enough tongues wagging on the subject of his food and his craft. Here is a guy with quite a bio to reckon with, starting young, working hard and rebelling early. He is currently based in the city of Bangkok with his award winning, eponymous titled restaurant, Gaggan. Having the chance of dining at it precisely one year ago, it was a meal that I certainly haven’t forgotten. Experiencing his food lab was quite an experience and I vividly remember all that I ate (12 courses!) and drank. The concept is pretty easy, there’s three offers on the menu, going from a basic 10 course to 12 course and lastly, 15 course offer. Beyond that is his growing wine cellar and of course, the lab continues to experiment with its Gaggan signature cocktails. I will never forget his imaginative interpretation of a Long Island Iced Tea. 

The food concept stems from molecular gastronomy (he continues to collaborate with El Bulli) and I know that the chef doesn’t like the use of that word (molecular) but essentially it really is that. Every course of your meal is an act in a play, making the experience like going to the theatre. In Mumbai, I was lucky to plus-one myself to a privately hosted dinner with other patrons of highly discerning taste (think hoteliers, food critics, corporation heads and other chefs). My mother had been most looking forward to this evening as she had not been with us in BKK, and had to make do with our rave-reviews on it. 

Ironically enough, she was left untouched by the Gaggan experience and perhaps even a little hungry, if that is possible at the end of 15 courses! Yes, the food is a bit gimmicky and I felt I had “been there, done that”.  Indian food is challenging to experiment with and I am coming to believe that perhaps it is too tough to do a proper cross-over cuisine with our Desi dishes - they are better enjoyed the good ol’ fashioned way. Pretty plates and quirky names do make dishes amusing, but don’t entirely work at making it tasty. Especially for an Indian diner who craves something a bit more real and substantial, more so when he is paying a steep price for the meal. This kind of food works better to the more gentle taste-buds of travelers.

 I would give Gaggan a huge kudos for his originality, creativity and crazy-food-scientist approach..he his only at the helm of his career and am certain his innate intelligence and rockstar personality will propel him to the better and greater. I look forward to trying his food some years at another international destination. Keep the Indian flag flying high!

So Fresh - a caviar and nitrogen infused sorbet-esque cocktail

I am not your Michelin-star going gal, but a few months ago, I stumbled into a delightful restaurant in Grenada that was in the that I was staying at. My favourite meal of my entire vacation was at La Fábula Restaurante under the guidance of Chef Ismael Delgado. Nothing beats eating dinner at 8 pm with the sun still out, in a lovely courtyard with fountain et all in a charming and historic town with flamenco music playing some where down the street as dinner-time music. With a giant rose stuck furiously in my hair, an accessory that I felt necessary for the flamenco performance I would go to watch later that evening, I was the first guest to the restaurant that evening. In Spain, people don’t eat before 10 pm so the kitchen was not up and about. Luckily, I had told the Front Desk that dinner couldn’t be later as I would then miss the performance, something i didn’t want to have to do given my one night in Grenada. The Chef was telephoned and he agreed to serve me early. He was charming and confident, asking us a few key questions (allergies, food preference and wine preference) and told me to trust him with what would soon arrive to the table...Okay then. When in Rome....

Soon came a whimsical plate of what I thought was table art only to realise it was the Amuse Bouche sent by the Chef. and amusing it certainly was! Have a look:

Too cute to eat, but of course I did!

A special fork for my fish entree

Each of the items, was delicious and different. every bite unraveled a novel taste and sensation. The local white wine selected by the maitre’d was terrific. I would return to that town for the wonderful Gilda. Pure and light, like water....The two courses that followed were magical as well. Real food, no tricks. Dessert was skipped in favour of some more vino. Here was a chef who otherwise served dinner to his patrons over an average meal-time of 2 hours, 15 minutes and didn’t want to lower his style because I had to scamper off and eat an exquisite meal so hastily. He was humble yet proud and spent time explaining his creations. 

In the case of both these chefs who were similarly aged and had each gone through the discipline of working as executive chefs with leading hotel groups in international destinations; they also got the extra mark because of the way they handled their supporting staff and team, introducing each by name and telling me (the diner) on what that person was good at. This goes a long way when building a career and creating a positive dining experience and developing a dedicated group of patrons who would in fact, think of re-visiting a city only to go back to these restaurants for an inspiring meal.

Things that make me go mmm....Manish Dayal as Hassan in the Hundred Foot Journey currently tops that list. We know that girls get very impressed with guys who do good in the kitchen. So when you are served the most delectable omlette from the hands of an awfully cute baawarchi with his molten-chocolate eyes maintaining a steady gaze as you take that first bite, it is easy to say that it’s going to be one of the best eggs you might ever have! The wonderfully charming movie with its heart-breaking young leads (Manish Dayal and Charlotte Le Bon) and the fantastic cast made this movie one of my favourite food movies of all times. In the same week I watched Chef and enjoyed it thoroughly too. In this case, the chef in question was definitely no Hasan but his young son was certainly a cutie! 
Both movies are very different, but food is a basic and universal theme and when a foodie movie keeps it real and doesn’t stray away from the essence, it turns out well. Both movies dealt with the delicate and oft turbulent relationship between a father and son. Also, important to note is that both movies the male protagonists would never have enjoyed the success that they did, if there wasn't the support and prod given by the feminine forces in their lives. 

South Mumbai is in need for independent eateries and with a growing dining culture, hungry mumbaikars always look forward to something new opening up. Japanese food has been a worldwide favourite for the past 10 odd years and Mumbai seems to have lately got a couple of new japo joints. High up on my must try list is Saizen (the old Tetsuma) in Colaba, which has gotten encouraging reviews for food and value. Yukka another new one at the snazzy Palldium hotel has generated a bit of a buzz with the swish set. I am yet to hear very positive recommendations on it to make me venture to it. A little earlier, Guppy by Ai opened its Mumbai kitchen at the Racecourse. I have been to the Delhi restaurant twice and enjoyed it sufficiently for its kitschy vibe and fair food. Its Mumbai counterpart is apparently not very good and over-priced. Since I like stand-alone restaurants, I plan to give it a go soon too and decide for myself. Hold the wasabi until then.

I had a rather mellow weekend and a particularly homely Sunday. I did a bit of food-labbing myself today recycling last night’s dinner leftovers today at lunch with a Tandoori chicken salad, which turned out very good. And for dinner, I attempted  to stay healthy with a sesame-crusted baked salmon filet. The outcome was very average making me a bit anxious of my culinary skills since cooking salmon is for kitchen dummies. 

It is really peculiar that the most well-known chefs around the world and in India are all men. Including the baawarchis and maharajas that work in our homes. Yet, it is assumed that women must be able to cook simply because we are the fairer sex and this is what the universe (men folk) expect of us. Our God given destiny!!! Clearing through that controversy chef Ritu Dalmia. A really inspiring female chef who has been consistently dishing out  excellent food and series of Diva restaurants to lucky diners in the capital city. She is no Tarla Dalal or Nigella Lawson and has the spunk, talent and discipline to make it bigger. My little wish is for her to find a spot in Mumbai soon - we need you here!!

As I make way to get it RIGHT, I hope to write again soon, but don't be too mad if I am spending time on mastering the art of preparing the essential yellow dal and the perfectly round roti - diaries of Belan Babe out soon! 

A longer way up

A trip to Eros DVD-wala in Fort is an absolute essential for all of us 20 and 30 somethings living in South Bombay. Eros DVD is somewhat of an institution - this hallowed place is an actual sub-terrain cave in a dilapidating colonial building in Fort. The guys running the (illegal) show have chosen their shop location carefully (safe, hidden location AND the first Starbucks to hit the city is a across the street) and are absolutely current with movies and TV shows, airing internationally. 

The Fort area is the heart of the original city of Bombay and is the oldest part of the city. It is still shakily holding onto its place as the historical commercial center of the city and is always bustling with working bodies, darting through its old, winding gullies.

I digress.

A few days ago, I had stopped by good ol' efficient Eros and quickly updated my DVD library and last evening I watched a movie from that lot - "A Long Way Down"

                                                            <<Movie Spoiler Alert! >>

A peculiar tale of 4 strangers who find themselves one fateful New Years' eve upon the rooftop of a buildng in central London, ready to take the plunge down…towards their end.

Of course neither of the four actually end up jumping and they eventually "rescue" one another from the crises that has driven them to this point in the first place.

The unlikely foursome make a bizarre pact which keeps them together for at least 6 more weeks. The turn of affairs is when they wake up on the 2nd of January to see their faces all over the brit tabloids for two of them are public figures. Martin (Brosnan), a famous TV personality who has lost all social status when he is caught with a minor girl - tearing up his career, popularity and most importantly, family. And Jess (pretty Ms. Poots) whose known for her famous politician father and the tragic and mysterious disappearance of her older sister. Martin, who craves for the public attention he is so used to thrive on decides that the foursome must embrace this new found fame and they get onto live television, give interviews and come up with an amusing story of the "angel" that rescued them that chilly night. Following which, the four of them become tabloid fodder and get hounded by the press and papparazi looking to further sensationalize this event. Overwhelmed by the media frenzy, they seek a hideaway and find themselves in an exotic beach town, drinking their sorrows away over margaritas and piña coladas galore. 

Returning to London, the four part ways and resume their ways and seek to embrace life as they had once known it. But we can all predict, that it would never ever go back to being entirely the way it was…

The movie was short and pleasant to watch. It definitely lacked a strong storyline and mood - moving from soulful drama to british comedy. But I enjoyed it for the performances of all the four protagonists. Pierce Brosnan was a lot less self conscious than usual and worked the brit accent rather well. As for Toni Collette - she played Maureen effortlessly. What touched me most were all the poignant moments laced along the narrative. All four led such widely separate lives but one dramatic moment brings them together and binds them forever. 

Lately, I constantly find myself in situations where I meet people randomly just once and bump into them a few times thereafter in a completely different setting/city. Or, I recognize a face that I have seen before in some part of the world. In many of these situations, I have ended up conversing with these friendly ghosts and more often that not, we have found some common link/connector/relationship.

We DO live in a global village and all these communication vehicles bring the world tighter and closer. Yet despite this human overload in our lives, we often find ourselves lost and empty like those 4 people on that London  rooftop. Precisely why we need to make an effort to retain the human element in our lives - the touch, the feel, the voice, the hold. Nothing can replace that. This could lead me to discuss the movie "Her" where the lonely and sensitive protagonist (Joaquin Phoenix) develops a romantic relationship with his Operating System (voice of Scarlett Johansson). A sci-fi meets rom-com film examining the future of human emotions, I found this a compelling watch. Phoenix was brilliant as the forlorn writer recovering from heart break and looking to move on with life. After a series of dates gone awry, he finds solace in the voice and efficiency of his new OS and soon finds himself love-locked with the faceless, virtual Samantha.

As creepy as this may initially seem, I don't think it is a far cry away from the urban youth's romantic endeavors. It is one thing to show love by emoji over a whatsapp, but it is quite another to receive a hand-written love note, or even a scribble!

Don't forget to reach out and actually hug whoever it is that needs your attention. Make real time for it…go be somebody's care bear today~

La Ville-Lumière

No points for guessing what or where I am referring to with the title of this post…

Paris oh Paris - The City of Light, as its widely known , is a city that has always presented a paradox to me. Love to Hate it and Hate to Love it. C'est difficile non?

Life is always a bit difficile for the average, stressed Parisien. I have come to understand that this feeling is now an inherent mood of its citizens, being the effect of socialism. The French, are famous for their grumbling, regularly ranking near the bottom of global happiness indexes. Malaise, after all, is French for ill at ease. As an MBA student, studying in Paris between 2007 and 2010, an infectiously happy and cheerful character (moi), was soon affected by this heavy feeling and general gloominess. Sad to admit, my time spent there was not particularly happy but this wonderous, beauteous city gave me a lot of other good qualities and it opened my eye to another part of me that had remained largely hidden up till then. Hence the paradox! The glorious city which has the most amazing buildings, avenues, spaces, food, wine and more; in the world, has people that don't feel the right enough to enjoy it. Even during summer, you will see the city filled with people on the streets (all Parisiens walk….) but the ones that are happy, smiling and taking selfies are usually the tourists that come to the city be it sunny, windy, rainy, cold...the majestic Eiffel Tower always stands proud and photogenic for them.

This summer, on behest of an old and special college friend, I decided to kick-start my summer vacations landing in Paris. I landed at the dreaded CDG Airport (a place that has left me scarred with worrisome memories and some tears) only to be welcomed by the glorious sunshine and got my bags quick enough and set off into the city with a smile on my face and a rumble in my tummy. Croissants were calling out to me….as were the pains aux raisins. Cheat day started the moment I landed. Oo la la!

On reaching the apartment, that I shall henceforth remember as Hotel Majik, I was temporarily lost in the sense of deja-vu. The place looked and smelled exactly like it has been in 2010. That's another thing about Paris - it takes the adage "old is gold" rather seriously, as did my friend too I guess! Everything stays the same as it always were and little care is taken to modernize it. Even when things have been modernized, they are done rather subtly. So subtly that one often misses them!

To profit the sunshine, I jumped out of my airplane attire and into something loose, chic comfortable to hit town. Hotel Majik owes its name to its owner and the magic of the location - right under the Eiffel Tower! So it didn't take me very long to get into the mood as I waited for my favorite bus (no. 69 :S) and watched the trigger-happy pose under the iconic monument on that sunny morning.

The day passed by in happy oblivion as I walked in my favorite neighborhoods, ducking into my old, favorite streets and often pausing in front of the creative vitrines of boutiques and high-end brands that have the most startling and amazing windows at their Parisien outlets. As mentioned before, Paris is a city made to walk through, and I am certain it also the secret to all french women's fantastic physique; so I intended to do my bit too! But honestly, discovering the city by foot is the best way to find little alcoves and details - a beautiful courtyard, a set of inspiring doors, intricately designed wrought-iron balconies or simply, a charming bar and fabulous oyster restaurant.

That evening, I went to a marvelous restaurant for dinner, "Les Fables de la Fontaine" - a seafood speciality restaurant, perfect for a romantic, seafood evening (http://www.lesfablesdelafontaine.net/1.aspx).

Fuelled by the yummy champagne and seaweed butter, the first course of delectable langoustine was a bit of a waste on my insensitive palette. The second course of river Sole made up for it and how….a perfect end to my first evening in Paris and beginning of a memorable vacation. 

The next day, I met another old friend for lunch. A tough and determined girl from Taiwan who had now setup shop in Paris. Marrying a Frenchman and working with the most well-reputed French luxury brand in the world, I imagined she would be gushing about her perfect PArisien life. Instead I was surprised to discover that her sentiments were quite similar to mine on the state of affairs there and the acute dip in the quality of life in an antiquated and expensive city apartment. She was thinking of moving, and couldn't wait to do it soon, except for the bump on her belly that was deterring her plans by some time. 

The afternoon turned out to be rather delightful as I went to check out the banks of the river Seine and chill out at "Les Berges". A recommendation from a true-blue, born and bred Parisien friend who told me that in my short time there, I ought to check it out (http://www.outandaboutinparis.com/2013/06/paris-does-it-again-newly-opened-berges.html). Designed like the Highline in Manhattan, it is a very nicely refurbished pedestrian plaza right upon th river and a novel way to enjoy the city and fine weather. 

My favorite bridge - Pont Alexandre

Unfortunately, I had to cut it short and rush off for the French countryside to witness the aftermath of a French-Lebanese union and partook in the merry making. Returning with the gang the next day (a Saturday), the french heaviness suddenly set in. First it was the commute back with the ridiculous traffic (some strike or the other got things to move slowly. The French LOVE revolts and strikes), then was the miserable weather (rainy and very cold) and the lack of enthusiasm for even young people to enjoy on a Saturday. So I gave in and went with the current vibe and decided to wake up early and meet my old flat mate and her husband (both darling friends of mine) for brunch, before catching the Eurostar to Londres. As it turned out, the next day was also cold and quite grey. Let me be sure to tell you that Parisien's idea of brunch food is far from what we think of brunch in this part of the world. I was lucky that the eggs were freshly prepared and having them scrambled was an option! The rest was vienoiserie of no special nature - croissants, muffins, some crusty looking salad and a decent coffee selection. Oh well, I was off to the land of crumpets and scones soon enough and my company made up for the blah meal. 

Sitting back on the train that I nearly missed (another very normal occurrence in my travelogues), I thought about the last 3 days that I had and held on to all the nice things that I had experienced. It had been short, sweet and adequate….as always, I left another small part of me dans les rues. One day, I will come back to pick up all the little parts that I have lovingly scattered all over this special place.

We will always have Paris.

Won't we?

The Birds and The Bees

People who know me a fair bit will most likely know that I have a knack for attracting the Odd. By which I don't mean odd people (that happens without saying…), but odd circumstances that don't happen to many other people.

I always seem to provide entertainment to my family and friends when narrating yet another "unique" tale from my life and times…..so today I am going to share one such story on the blog.

Frankly, the incident shouldn't have surprised me too much given my track record, but a few days later and I am still oddly amused by the aerial invasion upon me. Minding my own business and preoccupied by the 50 degree sweltering Dubai heat, I was outside the Mall of the Emirates and trying hard to locate my designated chauffeur. With the sun over my head and playing a game of cat and mouse with him, I was suddenly distracted by a loud sound coming from overhead. Squinting up, I saw the source of this strange noise - two birds flapping about animatedly. I resumed my call, looking around frantically for the black vehicle that would rescue me from the insane heat. What happens next ? The cackle gets louder and i feel 4 claws scratch my head!! Good Lord - attack of the pigeons?! So I start walking faster toward the closest building where I could get some shelter. Still a 100 meters away, I break into a jog….the cackle gets even louder and with a second swift swoop, the bird does it again! So now I run near the closest car and duck low into the ground, the bird continues to stay onto me and is now flying down low to reach me and manages to get dangerously close………………

I am almost down flat, sticking as close to the ground as I can get without having to actually lie down. Additionally, I'm using my handbag to cover my head and face from the evil, flying drones. A few more moments in this uncomfortable position and I hear the flapping and cackling get fainter - I have managed to fight the enemy off. Hurrah!

By this point, the crowd waiting at the porch of the hotel had noticed this peculiar sight and I had attracted the kind attention of a valet who rushed to my aid. I jumped up and dusted myself off brusquely, thanked him and went on my way, nervously making it to a covered shelter. I spotted the car and quickly dived right in and requested to speed out of there!

It took me a few moments to assimilate the awkwardness and hilarity of the event that had just transpired. I checked, and then double-checked my head to be sure that the angry bird hadn't left something behind! And to my relief, I was clear of any kind of deposit. Every time I wear the yellow blouse that I wore on the fateful day, I recall this incident and look into the sky, making a silent prayer to the Bird Gods to be gentle to me when I go out.

As usual, this has become a terrific story to narrate and I have recently used it to liven up a stuffy group gathering that I was a part of. Comic relief always helps. As they say "laughter is the best medicine"; and laughing at one self is sign of positivity and maturity. Glad to note that I am able to do it all the time….you should try it some time too.