Twenty- five Seven

Lunch at Indigo Deli @ Phoenix Mills

April 25, 2012

We were originally slated to go for lunch to Cafe Zoe this afternoon. But early in the morning I learned that it was closed for renovation. Hence we changed our venue to Indigo Deli at Phoenix Mills.

I was first introduced to Indigo and its style way back when it first opened. It was in a quaint bungalow in a tree shaded by-lane off Colaba Causeway. In those days its stark clean no nonsense lines was tres avant garde. So was its unique menu of Western cuisine flirting mildly with Indian flavours. I loved the wide arm chairs in which one could rest by the bar and didn’t mind the hard bench on the long table . For many years Indigo was our favourite dining spot especially in the winter months when we could partake of the joys of al fresco dining on a dark moonless night.

Many Mumbaikars shared my sentiment and Indigo soon had to expand. Indigo Deli situated in the same neighbourhood was rather disappointing especially in its limited menu choices and it dark, mysterious ambiance. What particularly irritated me were the waiters who really treated the guests like morons who needed to be indulged. Luckily this culture does not prevail at the Indigo Deli at Phoenix which is a delightful place to grab a meal in the middle of the day. Today four of us college friends met up at this eatery for a quick lunch. While we had every intention of going Dutch, people of my generation actually believe in chivalry. So the only man amongst us picked up the tab though we did offer to pay our way.

We started out with a yummy, cheesy, barbequed chicken thin crust pizza which we shared . I also indulged in a deep fried calorie filled fish and chips. The fish was golden fried and unidentifiable. It tasted distinctly frozen and I finally understood why GSBs are so particular about eating Pomfret fresh off the boat.

I’m not complaining though because the lack of taste was compensated by the good company and conversation. When friends meet after a long time food becomes secondary. I rounded off my meal with a quick dash into Fab India where we indulged in kurta shopping before I dashed across to the Canon shop on the 5th floor to find out why my camera was capturing white as pink. Apparently I had chosen the wrong setting. I am not yet convinced but I am willing to give this camera one more chance before accepting this verdict as final.

Incidentally we found out that Cafe Zoe was not shut for renovation but actually ran into some licencing problems. If it is closed for renovation, I do hope that when it re-opens it has enough insect traps placed at strategic points so that we don’t have to wave off the fruit flies and house flies that flutter above the food.
What am I?

April 25, 2012

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”
― E. James Rohn

I don’t know who E. James Rohn is but I do know one thing :

I hang out most with two senior citizens ( one 84 year old father in law and an 81 year old mother in law), my 53 year old maid servant, my 45 year old driver and one of my 50+ friends. Of course my 50+ husband does fit into this equation but the waking hours I spend with him in a single day hardly makes a dent .

So what does that make me? A 63 year old retired maid cum driver cum middle aged matron?

On what basis do motivational speakers make such remarks?
Shopping & More – The Great Eastern Store

April 25, 2012

Teak wood entrance

Yesterday I spent one of the most fascinating mornings shopping . Situated right in the middle of the city, behind the walls of the crumbling New Great Eastern Mills on Dr. Ambedkar Road is a fascinating store quite unlike any I’ve seen in Mumbai so far.

In fact we overshot the gate and had to go a few yards in reverse before we entered the compound. I was a bit sceptical and could sense Namuj’s wariness as we passed gnarled trees and ramshackle buildings. It felt more like a visit to the Temple of Doom rather than a high end store selling high end antiques and reproductions. However, we persisted and were relieved to find a semblance of civilisation as we knew it when we came upon the actual compound housing the store. We were directed to a bright yellow building with a wooden canopied entrance.

The gnarled roots of a tree:
the perfect backdrop for a stone statue

Moroccan lantern

When I first told Namju that we had to go to Byculla near the Zoo, she was quite astonished. So was I actually because I never imagined such a gem could be so close to a Zoo! And this shop is not just one shop but actually three shops under one sky and within one compound. 70,000 square feet of beautiful furniture to browse through in air conditioned comfort. And to top it all you have an attendant to answer your every question!

We entered unsure of what to expect and were simply amazed by the aesthetic assault. It was like entering Alladin’s Cave. Morano chandeliers and Moroccon lanterns, oil paintings and antique jewerly mounted on the wall, mirrors, rugs, furniture and antique glass ware, sharing a space that was easy to move around in.

French Piano

We had planned on spending just an hour but didn’t realise that we had spent more than 2 as we browsed around ! Amidst Chinese camphor chests, porcelain tea cups and china ware, we found an antique French piano in burled wood polished to mirror finish. There was a photo shoot going on and I took advantage of the superior lighting especially since my own camera was playing up and providing colours that didn’t exist – shadows and shades of pink and blue! While Namju was looking out for a show case, I was just looking around for fun and I was fascinated by the baby chairs sitting atop a sideboard and a complete bar ready find its place in someone’s house!

The bar

Baby chairs

waiting for the photo shoot

Lovingly restored, some of the pieces were actual antiques while several were reproductions made with a high level of craftsmanship. I loved wandering through the different spaces : this was quite unlike the visit to Chor Bazaar with its manic energy and heat and dust. Here, you could feel a sense of calm and peace with each building having a new kind of energy. I specially loved the last one which we entered through a blue tiled doorway. As we stepped inside and wandered through, I was fascinated by the

Swagged ceiling

white cotton swags hanging from the high ceiling in the last room which harked back to the halycon days of Great Eastern’s textile past.

For anyone interested in antiquing in clean surroundings, this is the place to go to.