Friday, June 27, 2014

Just some music

So Ramadan begins day after tomorrow and yesterday was the last day of dancing for us until August so off we went to our usual place to shake a leg. But the good people at Maxx forgot to take permission for a DJ to play music. The live band played some nice songs but it just wasn't the same so we decided to try another place called Malekon, a Cuban themed club. It was good fun shaking a leg on the floor but somehow I got really tired by the time it was two in the morning so I took a break and sat at the bar nursing a Cranberry juice watching funny videos on the TV and laughing like a weird person. Thankfully everyone else around me was too inebriated to notice. And that's Ankita sweating it out and totally owning the floor. Can you believe that she'd been suffering from cold, low grade fever and bouts of coughing all day? Dancing all night to music that hits you in the ribs will cure you of a lot of ailments. I highly recommend it. At least once a week, dance!

I've been shazaming away songs on TV and I must say I totally love it. So I thought I'll share some new and old music I've fallen for thanks to Shazam. Here goes

If you could read my mind by Gordon Lightfoot

If you could read my mind love
what a tale my thoughts could tell
just like an old time movie
'bout a ghost from a wishing well

Wreck of Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot

Does anyone know where the love of God goes
when the waves turn the minutes turn to hours?

Avenue by Agnes Obel

What is wrong at the end of the day
What is really wrong no one dares to say

Riverside by Agnes Obel

I walk to the borders on my own
to fall in the river just like a stone
chilled to the marrow in them bones
why do I go here all alone

December by Collective Soul

Turn your head now baby, just spit me out.

The world I know by collective Soul

So I walk up on high
And I step to the edge
to see the world below
And I laugh at myself
while the tears roll down
cos it's the world I know

Okay that's it for now people! There's more music to be shared but I'll save it for another day. For now enjoy your weekend and remember to dance whenever you feel like it. It doesn't matter if it's in your living room or your car or the changing room or the ladies room or the couch as you thank technology for Youtube!

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Birthday dinner

So I'd ordered two dresses from exclusively.in and they sent me one. Apparently the other one will only get made in July due to some incomprehensible reasons that I really don't give a damn about. I told the customer service woman as much. This is the first time I ordered clothes online and I must admit it's a bit of a pain in the ass. The dress takes forever to get to you and then you spend more money getting it altered to fit you well. This one arrived in time for my birthday and thankfully I got enough time to have it altered. I must say I'm quite happy with the result but I'm convinced that I just don't have the patience for online clothes shopping. I would rather be able to try on a dress for size, dance in the changing room to understand if it moves well and buy if I'm convinced.

Anshuman promised me my birthday dinner and there I am all dressed up in my stilts and new dress. I wore slippers to the car and only got into the heels once we reached the place. He didn't tell me where we were going. When I said,"Just tell me!" He replied,"Sarvanna Bhojanshala." So I gave up. We drove and at some point he missed the exit and we drove deep into Palm Jumeirah. He kept me guessing till we finally reached The One & Only Resorts
and were shown to our table at 101 restaurant. It's a lovely sparkly place with a
beautiful view of the Atlantis glittering across the ocean. We sat outside even though it was a bit warm but the view totally made up for it. I asked him to order for us. He makes better food choices for me than I do. I find fancy restaurant menus quite intimidating. The fish was wonderful and Anshuman tackled his grilled chicken with a fork and knife like a pro. I thought to myself,"That can't be easy. If it were left up to me I would bite into the meat like a wild animal." So I asked him why he wouldn't use his fingers. He said,"Well, when in Rome." In other news I don't like artichokes. They taste like nothing. I do however love bread but then I always knew that.

I went to the ladies room to take a selfie. They have the best lighting in bathrooms. I know it sounds odd and ridiculous but it's true. Seriously if you want to shoot a nice selfie of yourself go to a nice restaurant and click one in the bathroom. There were two young girls looking at their phones and giggling, waiting for me to leave so they could take their own selfies. And I was too embarrassed to take a picture of myself in front of them like a vain arse so I had to leave.
And that's me showing off my new ring from a kiosk in Ibn Batuta. I'm not much for statement rings but I do like this one. As I have grown older I have not only come to accept that I have a little pig's nose but now I think it's rather cute. I have also come to accept the fact that my face still longs to be a teenager and gets a couple of zits every month like clockwork. All the aloe vera gel in the world has not helped. And I no longer care. This reminds me of a friend of mine Jatandeep Singh, affectionately known to us at NID as Cybill. He used to suffer from horrid zits and more than once I heard him say with a smile,"I love my pimples." I'm yet to reach that state of zen. Ok enough about zits!

So we were reclining on soft sofas when I spotted some pink heart shaped balloons which said,"Happy birthday". Of course I had to go find the person who shared my birthday. They were a group of about eight people. I asked whose birthday it was and one of the girls pointed to a woman saying,"Our sister." I turned to her with my arms wide open and exclaimed,"It's my birthday
too!!" She got up and we hugged like old friends. I kissed her on both cheeks as we wished each other a happy birthday. Everyone at the table wished me a wonderful birthday and I said,"When I saw the balloons I couldn't stop myself from coming over!" The lovely woman, dressed in a head scarf probably Egyptian or Jordanian replied,"They're for you!" We, born on the 23rd of June are the best!

Actually now I know two people in Dubai who are born on the same day as me. The other person is a guy called Aditya affectionately known as Nikki who goes to a foreign land every year to celebrate his birthday. He's not much for birthday parties quite like me. We're born exactly ten years apart. Of course he's a good boy and has a great sense of humour which comes with being born on this wonderful June day. Being born in the hottest month of the year the Gods blessed us with a warm heart. I once asked Anshuman,"Do you think I'm a beautiful person?" he replied,"Yes baby you're very beautiful." I said,"No! no! not my face I mean as a person." He mumbled half asleep,"Yes baby, you have a beautiful heart. One day I will eat it." I burst out laughing.
Ankita, Pushpita and Sohana came over bearing gifts. Sohana smelled the roses and said,"Wow!" This little girl simply cannot stay still. She opened all available drawers, chased Ninna around and then tried to feed her soggy paper (don't even ask). She kept asking for cake and there was none. I felt quite awful about that. I was so happy with the flowers and the candles that I completely forgot about getting cake! Well my darling Sohana cake is due.

When I dab on perfume Ninna knows the mom is going out and leaving me alone for a couple of hours. So there she is sulking on the sofa. My living room was filled with the smell of fresh roses and a cinnamon candle. If you look closely you will notice most things have failed to remain at a right angle including the curtain rod. Do I care? Nope. Ankita has made several failed attempts at fixing my paintings. But then she's a perfectionist. Sometimes I wish I was too but the feeling doesn't last for
very long. I go right back to being my usual laid back self. I'm comfortable like that.

So happy birthday to me!

Monday, June 23, 2014

40

And just like that I'm forty. How does it feel? Exactly the same as yesterday when I was thirty nine. What I love about all birthdays is the way your loved ones treat you on your special day. I came home to beautifully arranged forty red, pink, yellow and orange roses, crimson heart shaped candles and my husband patiently waiting to surprise me on the eve of my fortieth. I felt like my heart would burst.

My mother called exactly at ten thirty because it was my birthday in India. She always does that. The people who love me remembered despite Facebook not being able to remind them. I went off Facebook ten days ago. I don't miss it at all to be perfectly honest. Am I going to make any major changes in my life now that I'm forty? Nope. Can't really improve perfection can you?!

Sunday, June 22, 2014

The swimming lesson

So I finally decided I needed to learn swimming for four reasons. First, it's getting hotter and resultantly my walks are getting shorter which leaves me without any real exercise, second I'm afraid of water and I don't want to be, third Anshuman wants to take me on a cruise but I refuse to go unless I know how to swim, fourth I love water so much and looking at people swimming like fish fills me with envy and longing. So I enrolled myself in classes. And yesterday the dreaded day came and I was literally quaking with fear because my instructor Jeewan told me clearly,"You won't be using a float." As you can see in the above photo if I don't have a float I remain latched on to the the stairs. And finally I was in four feet high water. Jeewan stood six feet away from me and told me to begin floating towards him. I whispered,"I'm scared." He asked again and I said,"I'm scared." Finally he held my fingers and I let go of the ground beneath me. He taught me how to breathe properly and after a while let go of my fingers. I was really quite proud of myself finally being in the water without help.

Then he tried to teach me how to float on my back but my body would become stiff like a bow. I tried to relax and at one point he told me,"Spread out your arms and legs like a starfish." And suddenly a picture of a dead starfish flashed across my mind but instead of being scared I was really amused at the way my brain works. Well I didn't do too well trying to float on my back but at least I wasn't afraid.

I got to know my instructor a little better. He is from Nepal but has spent more time with his uncle in India moving from one city to the other. He spoke perfect Hindi and promised I would be swimming like a fish at the end of our lessons. I continued to practise in the pool after he left only too glad to be in the calm waters for another half hour. So yay for me!

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Zombie

So it's 12:39 on a Friday night and the hot chocolate hasn't helped me fall asleep. It's my own fault. I was hibernating until noon and then went back into the same state beginning late afternoon until the evening. Ankita's friends are visiting from the US. I drove over to her place feeling a bit like a zombie having slept way too much. It was nice to meet new people but somehow I felt like I was only half there.

You know how it is. Once in a while melancholia seeps into your bones and no matter how much you sleep it doesn't seem enough. As I write this my eyes feel like a ton and yet sleep seems far away. Some work comes in on Sunday and I'm hoping that that will wake me up. May be it's because it's the weekend but then each day is a weekend for me. Anyway I'm not going to analyse my hibernation mode. I'm hoping once I'm done writing this post it will be purged in some way and when
I wake up tomorrow I will truly wake up.
You didn't think I was going to leave you with my blue mood did you? You know me better than that by now. The smile is never too far away from my heart. As I was walking towards the car the sprinklers came on and someone's headlights shone through the water. The blades of grass were twinkling and the light dispersed beautifully. I couldn't capture it very well but you can imagine how beautiful the sight was. And with that I wish you Goodnight and pleasant dreams.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Temptations

So having shopped way too much in Sri Lanka I promised myself I would buy nothing but sabzi bhaaji for the next six months. What do you think happened? I went to the mall and made another promise. I would go to the hypermarket and pick up groceries and come back home like a good little girl. As I walked in I thought to myself,"What's the harm in doing a little window shopping?" Big mistake. I managed to resist a lovely spring dress but then I saw some lovely shoes on sale at Nine West and out came the credit card. Shopper's remorse set in early but didn't stop me from buying two lovely pearl rings from a kiosk I should never have paused at. I remembered what one wise man called Oscar Wilde once said,"I can resist anything except temptation." Big sigh.

Well I did get to the hypermarket eventually. I'm always surprised at the way some people dress to do their grocery shopping. There was a rather large woman
literally bursting out of a tiny red dress which clearly belongs in a night club. Her long hair was left open all over her shoulders and face and I wondered if she could see anything at all. There was this other woman who wore a long chiffon dress barely covering her tatas. Every time she bent down to inspect a fruit, the men folk got an eyeful. I couldn't help but smile.

So I'm posting two pictures of myself in this post. Why? Because they couldn't be more different from each other. The first one has my warrior paint on. Makeup I mean. The second one is what I'm really like, all big glasses, under eye dark circles and oily skin. I've cut my inordinately long nails now. I broke one trying to tear off a grocery bag and banging my hand on the grocery crate. Don't even ask how I managed that singular feat.

Monday, June 16, 2014

Aaaaaaand I'm on TV

So if you haven't seen me for a while here's a quick look. I got my fifteen seconds of fame this week. Actually that's not quite true. I've been on TV before. I once presented an entertainment program during my summer break from NID on DD2 at the age of nineteen and then I was interviewed on B4U channel about my films Nothing in Particular and Temple on the Hill when I was about twenty seven years old.

And now many years later I was filmed at the Jean Pierre Roc Roussey exhibit at the Opera Gallery speaking to the Gallery Manager Annamaria Bersani. Here's the link. Please begin watching from the 8th minute. Enjoy!

Roc-Roussey exhibition at the Opera Gallery 

Sunday, June 15, 2014

The hummingbirds

Glenn Arthur is an American artist who describes himself as a macabre romantic. He paints women in perfect detail and there is almost always a hummingbird in the visual. I like hummingbirds even though I've never actually seen one. For some reason they come across as some mythical creatures that don't really exist. I really loved this particular painting and felt like sharing it. Do take a look at the rest of his paintings on his blog as well as website.

http://glennarthurart.blogspot.ae 

Saturday, June 14, 2014

People and pups

Can you imagine the sheer cuteness when there are three ten weeks old pups in the same room? You don't know which one to look at, kiss and cuddle. Ninna has been having trouble with her eyes. The last time I went with her to a new vet who informed me that she had lost vision in one eye and that the eye may have to be removed. I was heartbroken and the doctor proceeded to tell me that she might look odd post surgery. I told him I didn't care what she looked like. I was just sad that she was suffering.

Well I went to see the eye specialist today and found three  Rhodesian Ridgeback pups who were there with their parents who looked like English Bulldogs. Okay may be I'm exaggerating a little. They looked like English people. One of them was suffering from diarrhoea (the pup not the people) and all three of them were there to get vaccinated. The people treated them with great tenderness which was heartening to see. They have three adult  Rhodesian Ridgebacks so now they have six dogs in all. They must have a really big house and yard because these little guys are going to grow into big, beautiful, loving and loyal creatures.

Ninna was examined and has been given three medicines for her eyes. The eye specialist said she still has a little vision in the damaged eye and the situation is not completely hopeless. No surgery needed as of now. I'm praying that the medicines will work.

After the appointment I was relieved that Ninna didn't show her displeasure by pooping under the doctor's table like last time. She met her Boston Terrier clone Berkley. They sniffed each other's noses. He was a little taller with longer legs. They jostled a bit and growled at each other finally Ninna tried to dominate by barking at which point Anshuman had to drag her away. Berkley jumped up at me when I petted him and laid a couple of licks on my face. When I responded with a kiss on his nose he proceeded to lick my cheeks real good. People who have known the love of a dog are so very very lucky!


So I went dancing again Thursday night to the same place with the live band. Ankita knows everyone in the band having become a Thursday night regular. I've enjoyed myself so much last two weeks that I'm going to tag along until Ramadan begins and the place closes for a month. I think I enjoy observing people just as much as I love the music, dancing and general merriment of being with friends. Usually you can tell the age of a person by the songs that they sing along to or simply from the way their light eyes up when the band plays the opening bars. So I'm obviously the one singing to Phil Collins and the soundtrack of 'Dirty Dancing'. Pushpita a decade younger than me knows the words of most songs. Ankita does too but then she's a sixteen year old at heart and always will be. I drank two glasses of Cranberry juice and a bottle of water. I left the girlfriends shaking a leg on the floor and was home by two in the morning. Ninna was pissed as she usually gets when I get home late but licked my face regardless.

And right now she's gently snoring next to me resting her little face on my ankle. I love her.

Friday, June 13, 2014

Jean-Pierre Roc-Roussey at Opera Gallery


Cielo Salazar of The Idea Agency, a PR firm in Dubai tracked me down on twitter and invited me to the 20th anniversary exhibition of the Opera Gallery in DIFC. I was more than happy to see the work of this wonderful French artist Jean-Pierre Roc-Roussey. 

"The exhibition, The Woman, The Myth, The Mystery, that will be on display till 25th June 2014 is a real exploration of the baroque painting style of this reputed and respected artist in the contemporary art scene, and draws us into a fantastic world of myths and legends, where our subconscious governs over all. Indeed, Jean-Pierre Roc-Roussey uses myths and themes from Neo-Classicism and the Renaissance, mixed with elements from the Middle Ages and Oriental civilisations. His work is mainly focused on women warriors, amazons, Greek goddesses, samurai women or African dancers, creating a new form of exoticism with mysterious realm."
Okay I copied that from the PR release that she sent me just to give you an idea of what this particular exhibition is all about. I don't think I could have written it in a more succinct and at the same time informative manner.

The first thing that struck and delighted me were the amazing use of warm hues by Roc. I'm going to call him that because it's easier, fun and he's a rocstar. His paintings are a graceful dance of cultures and a languid movement of form and colour. Oriental features, Arab turbans, powerful feminine forms draw you in to their world alive with music that you can almost hear in the silent tinkling of gold anklets.


And then there really was music. The beautiful Raquel Reina performed to the Bolero. Her elegant and subtly sensual performance had everyone mesmerised. The painting in the background seemed to breathe life into the danseuse as she did the same for the artist's canvas.









This piece has to be my favourite amongst all his work so naturally I asked Ankita to take a picture of me with it. I didn't dare ask the price. I'm quite sure I cannot afford it but I was glad to be able to gaze upon the serene woman ensconced in a beautifully controlled whirlwind of snowy foam. This canvas can calm the most troubled mind.









And that's Ankita's favourite in black and gold hues.













The lower floor of the gallery houses artists like Chagall, Miro and Picasso to name a few. This painting stole my heart. I love the fact that this canvas lends itself to a story. I could imagine a serene lake with young people swimming with abandon and gaiety. Again I wouldn't dare ask if it's for sale or how much it costs. And again I was so glad to gaze upon it for a long time. I couldn't help but smile.


And this sculpture about one and a half feet long moved me deeply. Half woman half reptile warrior woman lies atop a blade which might cut her in half should she slip from her precarious resting place. There is a grief in this piece, the knowing that she needs to be a woman and a monster and live with the knowledge of imminent destruction.



And that's life for you. All of us acrobats jumping from one situational comedy or tragedy to the next all the while throwing brilliant shadows on the blank canvas that is time.




I come to the end of this post with this lovely picture of Cielo, Ankita, me, an art critic whose name I forget and Ada (L to R). So let me thank you dear Cielo for inviting me to this amazing place. There are many other galleries in the same space and if you live in Dubai and have even a passing interest in art you must visit!

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

True Detective

Having finished watching 'The Blacklist' I moved on to the HBO series 'True detective'. I've seen four episodes. There are four more to go. It's taking me a long time because I have to take breaks between episodes, not because I'm doing something incredibly productive in that time but because you can't watch these episodes back to back. They affect you.

Two detectives are being interviewed regarding a murder that occurred seventeen years ago. Matthew McConaughey plays detective Rust Cohle also known as 'the taxman' amidst his fellow policemen due to a large notebook which he carries with him everywhere he goes. This series was difficult to watch because Cohle is a difficult character. I've seen enough serial killer dramas so the mystery while engaging is not something entirely new. McConaughey plays the reticent, quiet, intense and immensely complex Cohle with the same flair with which he essayed the lead character of 'Dallas Buyers Club'. He is a man on edge literally sitting on a trunk trying to close the locks and not quite succeeding. Every now and then the trunk blows up from under him and he gets thrown right off into a world of alcohol and drugs.

But he's brilliant at what he does. He lives in a sparse room, questions society, religion and the ways of his partner Detective Marty Hart. The series forces you to contemplate the shadow aspect of a man's personality. Cohle's character says,"We need bad men to protect us from other bad men." So the violence and the darkness exists in all of us. Sometimes in a fit of anger a violent thought can stun you. You wonder how it is that you are even capable of having such a thought. But the fact is that you are. The fact is that there is darkness within you just as there is light. I think unless we understand this darkness and accept it we cannot let the light shine through. I'm not sure if I'm making sense.

In the context of the series Cohle has reconciled himself to his personality and his being having reached a certain point in his life while Marty still struggles with his 'flaws' and his 'darkness'. Cohle doesn't feel the need to wear a mask and yet he remains on the fringes which is probably so because it simply suits him to be himself rather than explain and justify his beliefs to people. Marty on the other hand finds himself inconsolable when faced with his 'flaws' that he so easily justified to himself as long as it suited him. I'm not going to go into plot details lest I spoil the story for those of you who decide to watch the series.

I find that dark characters are infinitely more interesting than the 'normal' ones. The twists in their personalities make them special and a delight to watch. They force you to examine yourself and question who you are. The fact is that there are people 'insane' enough to murder for no 'visible' reason and there are 'sane' and 'normal' people who pass the death penalty for 'good' reason.

All that said the series has violent and adult content so you've been warned. Watch it.

Sunday, June 08, 2014

Lightfoot, Spader, Rothenberg

So I was binge watching 'The Blacklist' yesterday when this song came on as James Spader sits in the dark waiting to kill a mole in the FBI. I heard the first few lines and fell in love. Anshuman has this amazing app on his phone called Shazam. It listens to any song playing anywhere and tells you the name of the song and the singer. And so I came upon Gordon Lightfoot. Sometimes you've gotta love technology. That's Mr Lightfoot in his youth. Looks like a wistful Clint Eastwood doesn't he? I like him. And so my affair with country music carries on. The song is a warning about a villanous, sexy woman who will hurt you if you're not careful. Here's the song Sundown - Gordon Lightfoot
"I can see her lyin' back in her satin dress
in a room where ya do what ya don't confess"

I've always liked James Spader. I think it's that evil smile and the ever present glint in his eyes. It's like he knows he's going to get the better of you. I like that kind of confidence in a character. 'The Blacklist' is just about okay thanks to his valiant effort. The rest of the cast really sucks especially the actor who plays the female lead. I mean she's so bad I sometimes cringe watching her but then my love for Spader wins and I continue to watch him play a badass. It's good timepass.


'Ripper Street' is another BBC series I've just finished watching. It's a crime drama set in Whitechapel in London in 1889 just months after the Jack the Ripper murders. It's a really good series and I do love crime dramas. Had me hooked until the end. The last time I remember seeing Matthew Macfaydan was in 'Pride and Prejudice' playing Mr Darcy with Kiera Knightly playing Ms Bennett. He was awful and so was she but he redeems himself utterly and completely in this series. Jerome Flynn is Benett Drake, the tough sergeant with a kind heart. My favourite however has to be Adam Rothenberg who plays Homer Jackson, the drinkin', gamblin', womanisin' American brilliant forensic genius and overall badass. Do watch this one.

Saturday, June 07, 2014

Heels hurt

And we party on dudes! It was Ankita's parents' anniversary and an excellent excuse for all of us to get dressed to the nines and celebrate. Clearly the boys didn't get the memo. I got to wear my Yolanda top from Sri Lanka. I got so many compliments that I think I was floating a little bit above my bed last night. And I look much taller thanks to four inch heels. Remember when I fell on my face going down two steps? Same. This time I didn't fall on my face but the elevator from
the parking to ground floor was locked so we had

to go down stairs anyway. I took my own sweet time with one hand latched to the rail. I swear I imagined myself dangling from it, I was so sure I was going to trip. Onki's dad saw me walking around and called me urgently to him. He sat me down and said,"Parul I'm scared of seeing you walking in those heels. Actually I'm not scared that you will fall and break your foot. I am more scared that you will damage your shoe!" We burst out laughing! Who would have known such

a mild mannered, reserved and quiet man was hiding a fabulous sense of humour. He went on to relate the story of when he was riding a bike with Pushpita riding along with him and they were in an accident. They fell and obviously his little girl was hurt but he checked up on his bike before paying any attention to his daughter! It reminded me of the time my father and I were in a similar accident. The fault lay with a guy on a bicycle who came out of nowhere. My lip was cut on my dad's helmet. My father lost his

temper and whacked the guy who ran away.
It was such a lovely evening. Above are the minions digging into their cake. As the evening wore on I got rid of my heels. I picked up both the girls in my arms and spun around with them laughing and squealing,"Faster! Faster!" Twice Ahana ran into my arms saying,"I love you Parul!" How blessed am I? Let me thank this universe for bringing so much love and joy into my life.
And there was a feast to be had. Butter chicken by Pushpita, Rajma by Ankita, Fried fish by aunty, Jeera aloo, Russian salad, parathas and rice. Oh my God how much I gorged on the lovely food. Rajma was fantastic. I had to avoid everything else on account of my tummy troubles. And isn't Ankita's mum gorgeous in her Ikat sari? Such an elegant lady. There is such grace in everything she does.


And that's yours truly posing away. I got a lot of flack for being already tall and towering above everyone else in my stilts. Onki couldn't relate to this person but once in a while I want to feel statuesque even though I know it's only until I get to the car and get back into my comfy slippers. Heels really do hurt and are insanely uncomfortable.

Friday, June 06, 2014

Much loved

It's a special day when a woman turns forty mainly because I think she no longer cares what the world thinks of her. All she really cares about is how she feels about herself. I think that should be the case at any age to be honest but we are human beings and we do get affected by how other people view us which is why it is imperative to surround oneself with people who love you without judgement. The real friends. They won't be too many but each will be worth a million. I've been lucky in that regard. I have a few of those and it was this beautiful woman's 40th birthday this June 2nd. As you can see the love is evident in the picture. This is what life is all about. The rest is 'maya' as my husband would say. So Happy birthday my darling Ankita! You're a rockstar.


And there she is as beautiful as ever. I admire her sheer tenacity when she puts her mind to achieving something. The woman works out everyday like a demon, raises a toddler and keeps a flawless home without any help. If I had a fraction of her energy my house wouldn't be the regular mess that it usually is. The most wonderful thing about her is that she radiates joy. Yes this is the kind of person you want in your life. When you find someone who radiates joy, grab them and never let go. Don't stalk them though.

Ankita, Pushpita and I went dancing last night. I was dancing after such a long time and I remembered why I love it so much. I think that picture below should give you an idea of how the night went. It was a lovely little place, very different from the clubs I've been to here before. The people were real not under 35 year old celeb clones with perfect abs. They were all age groups and ethnicities. And as Ankita says all the time," Dance is a universal language."




There was a live band and the singer was really good. I'm so out of date as far as music is concerned. I really have no idea who Bruno Mars is. I've heard 'of' him but not his music but then all you need to dance is a beat. And then this song came on and I knew some words-"I know you want me, you know I wantcha" And Ankita yelled over the din,"You know this song!" I yelled back,"Yes!"
But the live band has to be the highlight though. They played 'Sweet home Alabama' and an Elvis song which I now forget. I got home at four in the morning after the customary missing the exit twice. I think I pulled about twenty three muscles in my back and my toes hurt from the heels. I washed off the makeup and the mirror was smiling the way it does when I'm happy.