Excesses and more...

Que sera sera!

Everyday brings a new set of zingers and some days leave me reeling- as if I have just been ejected off a gargantuan movie set at Ramoji Film City! Truth be told- I have never seen Ramoji film city- except through the flattering eye of a cinematographer's lens... Nevertheless, one is sure one gets the drift...

Life is a series of peaks- as I chase one wave after another- everything seems tidal while it lasts!!! Take for instance the plan for the big party this weekend. The menu is under discussion. How does one decide on a menu, by the way? Time at hand plus resources- manpower and moolah of course! That s a definite no-brainer. One would think... However, things work differently sometimes...

The menu this week has hot and sweet lamb chops in a thick brown sauce which is between a barbecue sauce and a chinese hot and sweet sauce, stir fried mussels with cucumber chinese style, the classic inimitably delicious butter garlic squid, and thai style chilli basil prawns as starters. The main course is a fruity ghee rice with mango chutney and a delectable curry with mixed vegetables and mushrooms. Dessert is still unclear- any suggestions?

The mandate this week- with three pregnant women waiting in line- is a low spice meal. The chef is one with an enviable reputation- with a hand to die for! Each dish will turn out to be a well balanced delicacy that will leave everyone in a Dickensian world of wanting and waiting.

As I type this in, the chef- who wants to be referred to as "the undertaker who is a specialist"- is looking over my shoulder trying to pepper my blog with random phrases. Go get your own blog chef! He is now singing Aye meri meri zohra zabeen in a strange voice... Looks like he is getting into gear- it has been a good day!

Back to the big menu... dessert will include some part of a cake.

Hmmm... There is still a piece of chocolate excess lying in the fridge (and it's calling out my name). I haven't exercised in weeks now and the guilt is overwhelming! I imagine that every cell has its own little fat storage unit working overtime and it is visible to the entire world as i walk.

I have just tasted the mutton curry that's for dinner- oh oh! Vive la chef! A south indian spicy curry that will serve as a great accompaniment to either rotis or rice... What will it be?

Uh oh! my tummy is still complaining about the heavy MTR meal I subjected it to at lunch. I think I have been sitting on the fence with this one for far too long. The verdict is out- and it's final! MTR is vastly over-rated. A minimum 20 minute wait at 1 pm for a meal that leaves you wondering why you bothered! The sambar and rasam are good- not great. The bisi bele bath- IMHO- is better at Woody's. The palya is OK. The poori and sagu are average. The chutneys are good. The pongal and hesarubele payasa were nice (and the saving grace if you ask me, today). To be honest, I've never enjoyed the raitha and the kosambari as much as I did today. the one really good thing about the entire meal is that the quality is truly homely- my stomach has been saying good things about the quality of all the ingredients all afternoon... and trust me, I would have known by now if things were not quite right. Happy birthday Latha aunty- you were spot on about the quality of the food- but taste is of consequence too! And the entire experience leaves a lot to be desired. Are the Maiyas paying heed??? ;-)

My bulbul is back in the balcony bamboo... my little ecosystem is flourishing! Maybe I am learning the ropes, after all... I want to "make friends" with him. He looked in on me this morning too. Bulbuls are fruitarians, I read... He is noisy, and curious, and exceedingly brave. He flew into the house and had to be carefully shown the door lest he hurt himself...

The most important point of the day- it is my little angel's first birthday... she has been very bulbul like- yakking away at the other end of the phone. I have not gone to see her yet- and will only do so over the weekend when i shall be a part of the 70 member gathering at rt nagar!

Now to more excesses!