D for DIET and D for DOMINOES !

D for DIET and D for Dominoes !!! Not the best combination ever. And just when I thought that I am in LINE with my DIET – Bazooom…. On my way to office last week I see a Dominoes is now Hiring sign !!! What !!! This can’t be the location – I said to myself. There was a dingy BAR that old men sat at and drank post work. But my worst fears or should I dare say my wildest dreams came true… DOMINOES was opening at that very location.

Strategically placed in the beginning of the only lane that I have to pass twice a day - once to enter office and once at close of day – DOMINOES was going to haunt me !! This week – up until yesterday I was adamant of not looking at it. I had also mentally prepared myself to look the other way at the fat man sitting in the Lucas Electronics store right opposite to DOMINOES new location at Saki Naka.

But yesterday as My sister Dhwani Doshi and I passed it on our way out – we made the store manager promise that He has to , has to has to make us NO 1 customer !!! We were adamant that the store should make their first sales to US. A matter of prestige for someone like me who has been a big fan of Mexican Green Chillies, Medium Size Thin Crust and the Choco Lava Cake – both from the time they have started !!!

So today on my way in – I made sure the ever similing area manager was sticking to his promise. I even made him give me a missed call on my phone, so that I could check on Dominoes whenever I wanted !! And there at 3 30 – I get the much awaited Phonecall.

DOMINOES was not only wanting me to become their first customer – but they also wanted me to OPEN THE STORE !!! WHOAAA… I was officially their chief guest and was to cut the ribbion and cake et all !!! MAJJHAA AA GAYA !!!

So while the 30 off DOMINOES MEN AND WOMEN dressed in Blue cheered, I cut the RIBBON. Had I known I was to do something so major today – I would have dressed in my best and put on some make up !!! God – when will I ever learn ???

Anyway – So, I did… and made the MAHURAT ORDER of my favourites. Then the store managers – the smiley, helpful ones took me inside – showed me the kitchen—it is mighty small I tell you !! Can you believe they churn so many pizza’s in that much space. Or atleast I am hoping they will amazingly well, now that I have opened the STORE !!

My Dad was fortunately there at the Andheri Office – so I tagged him there.. It was an event to remember… : )) He tried taking a few pictures – but his photographing skills go to the dogs without his 50+ reading glasses. We enjoyed the freshly baked Pizza with the smeltering cheese !! And then the lava oozing out of the cake and came back as happy bunnies fluttering the NO 1 Customer Receipt that my Sister DHWANI DOSHI was dieing to have !!!

Vod-Ch-Ra-ka or Vod-Ra-Ch-Ka ?

So a few years ago - I went for Raghuvir - my best friend's birthday to salt water grill. This amazingly located restaurant is now shut ! What a shame ... Nothing worthy of staying ever stays in the city of Mumbai. however - apart from this - it was the first time that I dined with his girl friend Chhavi Sodani - which is an amazing memeory.. But another one of the first was when I tried for the very first time Watermelon Vodka. SO it was basically vodka with fresh watermelon juice as a chaser. But the most heavenly part of the drink was those ice-cubes in the form of FROZEN WATERMELON PIECES soaked overnight in VODKA.. !!

With every little bite into these cubes, the vodka oozed out.. !!! These pictures remind me of this first party with this couple who are going to tie the knot soon. Ofcourse - what would be perfect for this reception is a drink that i associate with them coming together !!! Sad thing is that my bummer as I fondly call him is now a Wine Drinker, but hey - who can complain when they have a watermelon mojito popsicle named after their togetherness ??

Flowers by Girish Karnad

The play premiered as the opening show at the prestigious Ranga Shankara Theatre Festival in Bangalore, India in October 2006. Since then the play has completed over 50 performances in Bombay, Bangalore, New Delhi (opening the National School Of Drama Festival) and Kolkata to packed and appreciative audiences.

Written by - Girish Karnad
Directed by Roysten Abel
Performed by Rajit Kapur
Light Design & Execution– Arghya Lahiri
Sound Design – Amit Heri
On Sound – Nadir Khan
Production Controller – Shernaz Patel
Produced In Association with Ranga Shankara and Rage Productions

Destiny – I was to go see the play with Hrishabh, but the Mr Late Latif was in Bandra at 8 45 – he would never make it to the closing bell. And hence – in the nick of time Aakash Shah – the play enthusiast grabbed the opportunity and 2 mins before the close we walked into Prithvi Theatre. Tickets were sold out – Wednesday night in Juhu ?? There is no logic except it’s a Karnad play after all. We would have thought getting front row seats would be impossible – but we did manage to get 2 – only to realise that the mid-level this time, as Arundhati Nag advised to those early birds standing in line, because of the unusual set design.

There was the smoky fragrance of dhoop around us, and long ropes of blue light, as we waited for the play to begin. Not that we had to wait any more than 50 secs. This Rangashankara and Rage co-production has been directed by Roysten Abel with Rajit Kapoor performing the 90-minute monologue. The visually breathtaking set design, by Roysten Abel and executed by Shashidhar Adapa and Selva Kumar, consists of an elevated platform, such that the solitary character seated on it appears almost suspended in the air. Below him, on a stage scattered with tiny white jasmines, is an urli decorated with flower garlands. Just visible, in the shadowy darkness behind the urli, is a heap of jasmine flowers sloping gently over a Lingam.

The man sitting on the platform stands up, turns around to face us and begins to speak. The setting is a temple, and the man is standing above the temple tank. He is the temple priest who has been worshipping the Lingam for years, decorating it with fresh flowers every day, softening the black stone with daily worship, talking to it, even discussing contemporary politics with it. A married man, he lives with a devoted wife, children and old parents. One day a courtesan, Chandravati, comes to offer prayers at the temple. The priest is attracted to her. After a few silent interactions, when she does not appear in the temple, he goes to her house to find out the reason for her absence. She tells him that she is having her menstrual period. When he visits her house again, after two days, she has had her cleansing bath. She invites him to decorate her naked body with ropes of flowers, the way he has always been decorating the Lingam. Their affair continues like this, but one day, on the night of the play, the priest must confront his powerful conflicts - the pull of love on one side, and duty on the other; his love for Chandravati, his love for the Lingam, his loyalty to his chieftain, and his loyalty to his wife.

It’s not Karnad’s most powerful play - my favourites are Tughlak and Taledanda. I also felt that its English title, Flowers, didn’t quite fit for a play with such a serious theme. Nevertheless, it’s a beautiful, moving work, with some superbly crafted sentences, a rising sense of conflict, and a fine, controlled plot - the hallmark of Karnad’s best work.

But for a 90-minute monologue, Rajit Kapoor’s performance was disappointingly lacking in feeling and energy. At times, he seemed to bereciting his lines, rather than enacting them with the passion of a conflicted, desperate man. I thought the play deserved better.

But ofcourse – Aakash and I didn’t like it at first. While walking out we did try to make conversation – because the last 20 mins of the play were stretched. I had to sleep over my thoughts and when I woke up this morning I decided I still have mixed feelings for the play. We wouldn’t recommend this play, had it not be for the amazing concept of the central plot perched high up – as though suspended in mid-air.
The conversation after the play was rather more interesting – as it always is with Aakash Shah - my soul brother !

Dream Homes !

It's as if illustrator, Charles Schridde, plucked every single future fantasy home out of my head and published them for Motorola in the early 60's. How does that happen?
Pss Pss... Top Secret - I may have found someone interesting to share my dream homes with that I may talk about in the near future... !!! But I don't want to jinx it before it happens... So fingers crossed for me peeps : )

Pot of Gold

I crashed late on Saturday night, so yesterday when I heard the alarm go off at 8 – I was pissed off at my hyper social Physical-self for committing to POT OF GOLD – a Rotaract Club of Bombay Airport Initiative. But then my mental-self urged me to get my backside off the get ready for a big day ahead !!!

For those who don't know Pot of Gold or have not had enough of me propagating it – POG is a shopping experience for orphan and street kids. After weeks of hard work we managed to collect 900 - 1000 items including clothes, toys, stationery and art supplies. We not only collected it – We made sure we sort each and every item out for the last day. For most aunties – they saw opportunity to off load their old lingerie, table mats, sari’s etc – mostly out of the scope of this shopping experience. But we did it. We divided them into 9 categoies.
1. BOOKS
2. Girls Clothes – Tops
3. Girls clothes – bottoms
4. Infant Clothes
5. Boy Clothes – Tee’s
6. Boy Clothes – Bottoms
7. Stationary
8. Accessories – shoes, bags, belts, socks etc
9. TOYS

OMG – who could forget TOYS !!!
Yesterday we hosted 185 kids from Abundant Life Ministries and Door Step. Over 5 hours kids sorted through everything and bargained their way to the items they wanted. It was amazing the way the kids conducted themselves - no ruckus and no cribs that they were among the last and all the good things were gone. Touching to see some of the kids buying for their siblings rather than spending the money on themselves. The stall owners seemed to be enjoying themselves far more than the kids.
Most of the 185 of them were inbetween the age of 7 and 12 – which meant BOOKS – the stall that I was handling saw no takers !!! At first I had to snatch them from other counters and get them to my counter.

I also made up a 1 Book for Rs 10 --- But Rs 20 for 3 books !!!

Towards the end – I have to put a 1 book for Rs 10 and get another book absolutely free !!! LOL. I could understand why Books were so unpopular – Ofcourse the TOYS – saw maximum attention. Prices at Rs 60 – whichever you buy – kids actually started bargaining as to why they were prices so expensive.

185 kids went back with happy faces and memories they will treasure and you made it happen. Thank you so much for your contribution to making this event such a resounding huge success. A big round of applause for all our volunteers.

Black & White Holga Love

You can't beat classic black and white analog photos for your wedding day. These lovelies are shot by Ashley Garmon on her Holga camera.

Living-Pool Room

Completely over the top, but how much fun would it be to swim in your living room? And swing over the pool? And watch old movies from a floating device?

The crazy thing is, this home is a New York townhouse. Even crazier, there's a second pool on the roof. For the owner's pet turtles!

Build-Your-Own Breakfast Bars

A cereal bar, a pancake bar, and a biscuit bar? Why was I not invited to these breakfast parties?! :)

A Barbershop Quartet Proposal

Sweet alert! Scott formed a barbershop quartet with his friends so he could serenade Maddie and propose to her on the beach. The boys spent many late nights together over the course of three months rehearsing "By the Light of the Silvery Moon".

Wouldn't you love to hear how they sounded? There's nothing like four-part male harmony to melt a girl's heart.

Long Pleated Skirts & Gowns

Nothing like an industrial pleated skirt or gown... ! They absolutely look gorgeous :)






But thats not just all... Look at the one pleated dress I have got. I wore it for my cousins Baby Shower --The sex of the baby was unknown - and we all had to either support a boy and wear blue or a girl and wear Pink. Here is a photo of me supporting BOY - Yah yah... the dress itself is WHITE - notice my DIY Project and made flowers out of stockings and hung them on the neckline... What do you think of it ??

When will I be Bridesmaid ?

When will i be my sisters BridesMaid ?? Cant wait to strut around in these awesome gowns and meet an equally charming husband to be at the after-party !!!