BENGALURU: I needed this hiatus from all things social and ‘anti-social’ to give me a fresh frame of reference on what’s crucial, and a fierce perspective on what is important. ME! I’m sure my healer will approve, as he has always reiterated that putting oneself first is a conscious habit (unless one is a narcissist). All these alpha roles we play as women; powerful individuals, understanding spouses, sacrificing moms. leave no place for precious ‘ME’ time. This extremely restrictive space is a harbinger of feeling desolate.
This is the first time that I was a working recluse in my city of Mumbai. I didn’t connect or make plans with any of my friends either old or new. I liked that feeling, as it gave me time to reflect and suss out answers for myself. I stayed with my niece in her luxurious five-bedroom apartment, with an endless sea-view, and a stone’s throw away from my apartment which was going through a major overhauling. Imi’s sisters were down from the US and there was a sweet rebonding with both of them right through Ramadan.
I was impressed how these Dior/ Chanel wearing ladies, believed and practised their beliefs with integrity and generosity, with the ‘fasters and ‘feasters’ enjoying the breaking of the fast alike. I saw the gentle love the sisters had for their brother as they pampered him with conversations, food and doctors’ visits which he would never have done otherwise. My family is loud, raucous and demonstrative, while his is calmer and equally loving. I understood.
On my flight bound inwards, I was chuffed when my mobile lit up like a Christmas tree before I even said ‘touchdown’! The messages were mostly from friends who said, ‘nuff is nuff’, invitations and a whole load of emails from readers who missed my columns.
No sooner had I landed than it was a quick reconnaissance of what was missing at home (everything!), a pep talk with a ‘holidayed-out’ staff and a reconnection with my flower-guy, laundry-guy, milk-guy, grocery-guy. Sigh! Yes! I was out for nearly two months. Luckily I had made a programme with my girlfriends to meet at Four Seasons for a dim-sum lunch as soon as I got back. Chef Ng Meng Looong from Malaysia wove his magic, with his exceptional lobster broth and Agaricus blazei dumplings had us swooning for more. Even though my friend GM Reuben Kataria was busy in training, he made sure to pop-in and make us girls feel special.
There have been a slew of Michelin Star chefs and master chefs visiting our city of discerning palates lately. I was thrilled to finally attend chef Manish Mehrotra’s (of Indian-Accent fame) pop-up dinner at JW Marriott at the invitation of GM Gaurav Sinha. There is a week-long waiting at his restaurants both in Delhi and New York! Needless to say the food was impeccable and I am lucky!
I had a great experience lunching with chef Rahul Gomes Pereira alias chef Picu of the famed Jamun restaurant at The Oberoi. His five- course lunch inspired by handpicked local Goan ingredients was a smash hit. I asked someone from the hospitality industry how these pop-ups helped the hotels. And the answer was short and succinct. The pop-ups were designed to give an elevated epicurean experience to their regular diners with culinary experiences that were unique and different.
Ah well, great to be back!