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Grand Power Packed Sunday Afternoon with a 1000 people

It was a grand power packed Sunday Afternoon at Sofitel BKC’s Banquet Hall with a friend couple hosting a pre wedding lunch for the FM &  his wife’s daughter & her husband to be….congratulated them & wished them all the best & caught up with a lot of friends and acquaintances,many of them ‘Who’s Who’ in the World of   Politics,Business,Medicine,Education,Media,Banking,Equity,Broking,Bollywood & Music &….exchanged pleasantries with some & banter with others ! ….it was a heady cocktail mix !….so you can consider this blogpost as a hangover !

It was interesting to catch up with the NextGen too ,children in their 20’s of friends in their 50’s….hey guys don’t address me  with “Hello Uncle “….makes me feel old !

There must have been over a 1000 enjoying the exquisite & extensive hospitality of the Hosts  !……felt warm when the hostess said “Gaurav, the Aloo Gobi’s just for you !”…& there were a 1000 dishes of  various world cuisines  to choose from  in a 360 degrees presentation around  the Banquet Hall on the outside !….the party was all over the  2nd Floor !…..our friend and hostess is humble and down to earth and has a Heart of Gold ….it’s a common perception that one born into an illustrious political pedigree would throw weight…not her !….earlier this year in February she was responsible for ensuring our once in a lifetime ‘Mata kaa Bulava Aaaya Hai’ Vaishnodevi Jatra was indeed a lovely & memorable one !….,a year  ago when I had jocularly told her I missed her Aloo Gobi ! she actually send not just the Aloo Gobi but Paneer Makhanwala too over to our residence that could feed an army !…she’s deeply religious too & an ardent worshipper of Siddhi Vinayaka & Infant Jesus & St Anthony… like we are too…. Every Tuesday is specially marked for a visit to the famed Prabhadevi temple & Worli Shrine  for Prayers to both

Wife was amused when an elderly man came up to me and hugged me saying ” I’m very proud of you!….you come on TV and are very knowledgeable ” and  kept repeating this even when it turned out to be a case of mistaken identity !…so I hugged him back !

And an Equity Guy who’s sought frequently for his views on and off TV enquired ” Gaurav , What’s your big scrip!?  but excused himself when asked for his ! read more

Gujarati Thali at Shree Thaker Bhojanalay ~ Yeh nahi khaya toh kya khaya !

Gujarati Sunday Vegetarian  Thali at  Shree Thaker Bhojanalay ~ “Yeh nahi khaya toh kya khaya !”…..it began serving 70 years ago  in 1945 !

Just a few Sundays ago in October 2015 ,at the express desire of my adult nephew down from Toronto,my wife,adult son ,him and I sauntered in late afternoon at 2 pm to enjoy yet again a lovely Gujarati Thali  at Kalbadevi’s (South Mumbai)  legendary Shree Thaker Bhojanalay….it has no other branches….There were some large groups waiting as usual but as we were just four we got seating immediately…this is rare and possibly the rush was less because it was a really record hot Sunday and India was playing South Africa in a day night decider fifth ODI at Wankhede Stadium  nearby so South Mumbaikars probably had stayed home…thankfully for us to get a place !

And Boy did we enjoy !….they keep serving faster than you can eat !….and do eat with your hands to relish it more !

For Rs 600 each for it’s Unlimited Sunday Thali we relished…actually devoured one helping after another ! that highlighted in Bold Green were my favourites while Family had others too !….Menu keeps changing every day :

  • Drink ~   Chaas (Buttermilk)
  • Sweets ~ Shira + Basundi + Bengali Sweet
  • Farsans ~ Moog dal Bhajias +  Samosas + White Dhoklas ~ all served with standard & special chutneys
  • Salads ~ Tomato & Cucumber cut small + Raw Pumpkin
  • Vegetables ~ Bhindi + Potato & Peas + Big ‘Vaal’ (White Kidney Beans) + Mixed Vegetables + Dhokli Chodi ( Green Beans)
  • Curries ~  Gujarati Daal (Theeka  or Sweet Variants) +  Gujarati Kadhi ~ both normally had with plain rice  and kadhi also with pulao
  • Rotis ~ Hot Fresh Rotis with Ghee Option + Bajra Rotla + Makkai Rotla + Hot Piping Puris
  • Rice ~ Pulao or Steam Rice  served with ‘Lachko’ Daal ( Dry  Mashed Toor Daal )
  • Others ~ Khichda Papads
  • read more

    Relaxed Weekend thus far ~Inspired by Friends & Food & Fab Views

    Golf Course View from the Library

    Relaxed  Extended Weekend thus far……

    Thursday Night….enjoyed  dinner with a couple clients and friends that ended with a sinful Apricot Pluf and  Fresh Anjeer & Walnut Icecream

    Friday Night….chilled  with good friends over a lovely dinner 

    Noon Saturday…. lots to ponder in solitude…rouble crashing 23%,’Swachh’ India and ‘UnSwachh’ BCCI,Subdued Gold and Oil Prices and who’s behind this,Maharashtra Politics,’Make in India’,Sensex at 28000…gathered and penned thoughts inspired by the Golf Course view from the top from the Library…followed it by a great Lunch that began with Pumpkin soup with Pine Nuts & a Rocket Lettuce,Walnut and Pears Salad and ended with Terrine with Strawberry coulis !…all in soulful solitude

    Later on Saturday evening…. Wife & I checked out Vir Das’ ‘History of India’ 90 min Comedy Act….it’s been running for quite some time now ….quite ‘Vir’ and hilarious…finally managed to catch the show at Sophia’s….caught up with friends too….we were all in splits…laugh riot…it’s stand out stand up stuff from Vir..he’s in a league of is own…some of his act is written by stand up comedians Rohan Joshi & Tanmay Bhatt….Vir’s new Act is ‘Battle of the Sexes’ and producer Ashwin Gidwani tells us that the guys and girls sit separately in the audience for a good reason….surely will catch up with this new act too….alright Vir have plugged both your shows so you can now send the commission…..   😆 …followed this with  a really late dinner of Mushroom & Almond Soup and Water Chestnuts in Soya and Balsamic Mushrooms and  Balinese Curry & Rice with friends

    Morning Sunday…. had a Hot Strong Force Water Shower…recommend it strongly as a cheaper and more invigorating alternative to massage…followed by a Healthy Akoori on Toast Breakfast with Fresh Orange Juice and Strong Pot of Mint Tea…also managed a Masala Dosa !

    Healthy Breakfast of Akoori on Toast & Fresh Orange Juice with Pot of Strong Mint Tea

     …now ready for a light Sunday late afternoon bite of  Pringles with fresh Garlic Mushroom Dip 

    Maybe Catch the Epic ‘Interstellar’ this Sunday evening

    …and tomorrow is another week that begins with great expectations of one of our recos running away  and welcoming new clients !   😆

    You Guys too hope are enjoying the weekend and will have a fruitful week coming up read more

    Japanese Single Malt Whisky rated the Best in the World !….Scotland ?

    Yamazaki Sherry 2013

    Japanese Single Malt Whisky rated the Best in the World !….Scotland ?

    First Thought was a Chuckle really that this must be the El Nino Climate Change Effect !

    Whisky Expert Jim Murray has picked Suntory’s Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013 as the best hailing it as “near indescribable genius and possessing a nose of exquisite boldness and as thick,dry and as rounded as a snooker ball “

    For the first time Scottish Whiskies have failed to make the Top Five in Murray’s respected guide

    The Bottle costs Sterling Pounds 101.28 online at www.masterofmalt.com and it’s Sold out !

    Want a Peg ! ?

    That’s Rhetoric !

    Feeling Warm ~ Daughter gives us a First Lunch Treat !

    It was an impulsive ‘with the flow’ day on Monday,August 4,2014….as Daughter & Wife who were in the Churchgate Area called me at work and said “lets have lunch together” ….and past 2 pm they picked me up and Daughter decided that Lunch would be at her favourite ,and ours too,Yokos Sizzlers at Fort,a stones throw from my office and even her school,now ex-school….she loves to celebrate birthdays and achievements at Yokos and we have been blessed she has matured into a fine young lady soon to be 19 and has already achieved more than we did in our lifetime till now…and it’s only her beginning….so Yokos has been a frequent dining place for us

    So it was our regular French Onion & Cheese Soup & Iced Tea followed by their Super Sizzlers prepared just the way you want with extra french fries or mushrooms etc in Garlic or Pepper Sauce with additional bowls of these sauces to spread some more

    And we were more delighted and felt extra warm and special as Daughter insisted she will pay for the Lunch !…dipping into what’s she’s aggregated and accumulated thus far  from  ‘may be token but priceless earnings’ from representing State & India in Football + monies she received from Family & Friends for her achievements ….and her school appreciated her returning within days after her Std XII ISC Examinations to stand in for two weeks for Biology and teach Stds 9 to 12…acknowledged this with a Letter,Certificate and even a Cheque Amount ! which she initially refused to bank as she felt it was not right ! as she did not do this for Money !…we were touched she felt this way but  convinced her it was alright to bank the cheque…she agreed but has directed this amount be kept aside for her to apply for a noble cause later on

    That was her first real treat to us ! and we shall remember this and what she stated too

    ” Mom & Dad this may be  my first Lunch Treat for you but it won’t be my last !”

    Our Son too had treated us warmly with his first pay cheque…even to this date he keeps his monthly cheque before God before it’s deposited

    Daughter leaves this weekend for Higher Science Studies on an overseas scholarship and our Son will be going with her to settle her in

    Our Eyes are already Moist!

    Saw Salman Khans KICK on Idd Night and then needed to be Kick Started !

    Saw Salman Khan’s KICK on Idd Night ….Mindboggling….actually the Mind Boggled !….and needed to be Kick Started !

    Inox Multiplex at Nariman Point ,Mumbai was relatively empty….they need to reduce their Ticket rates….but if you think the Multiplex attracts only the Elite…think again….the row behind was occupied by one  who was discussing his Police Cases & FIRs in Hindi Slang with another similar who he bumped into in the Interval…not even in whispers

    …….quite understand Salman Khan in the movie when he asserts “mujko samajh ne ki koshish ne kar…Dil mein aata hoon, samajh mein nahin”…as he moves from Devi Lal Singh to becoming Devil all for a noble cause of orphaned children !

    ….Wife Nergis was wondering where was Nargis Fakhri in the movie !…had to tell her she was the item girl in the item song….she was then wondering where was Jacqueline Fernandez !?…told her she was ‘Dr Psycho’ and the other item girl in the other item song…scintillating solo though !

    ….so what’s with this Female casting ! ? Bollywood attracts…Jacqueline Fernandez is a Sri Lankan while Nargis Fakhri is an American of Pakistani descent (Father’s a Pakistani & Mother’s a Czech ) though has never been to Pakistan

    …. interval was longer than the first half as Multiplex Chain needs to make some Revenues through endless Ads and F & B Sales……though wife & I enjoyed their Rs 99 ‘Simply Baked Potatoes’…comes in six variations…had to have coke …first time in a year !….because they sell only 4XL Mineral Water Bottles and I did not have a strolley with me !

    …the  4 & 5 Star Ratings for ‘Kick’ from some Film Critics in leading Media deserve a ‘Kick’….. but then the ‘Bhai’ does take care of them ! even if he shrugs “Who Cares !”

    So what was good about ‘Kick’!?….well for one,Salman’s line above…and for another,Jacqueline Fernandez’ scintillating sexy solo in an item song…and I quite liked the cameo villan’s role enacted by Nawazuddin Siddiqui….very good actor

    ….and it’s broken collection records grossing Rs 93 crs in it’s first weekend !…definition of a ‘Super Hit’ coming along when it grosses over Rs 200 crs soon !

    ….that my friends is the state of India’s mindset !….all necessities….Onions & Tomatoes & Salman Khan Movies !….we crib on inflating prices of the former but pay Multiplex Money and say ‘paisa vasool’ to watch the latter get a ‘Kick’ &  appeal to our heart while destroying our mind unless we haven’t any or have left it at home ! read more

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