Sunday, July 27, 2008

Crap TV and great DVDs

ooooo blogging is so great. I'm so glad I have returned to the blogosphere, somehow capturing all the triviality of life is somehow more meaningful when attached to a url. Anyway, what's on my mind right now, apart from the wedding of course, is TV. Beloved and I spend hours glued to various TV serials, which we discover, watch obsessively until they are over and we are left bereft hanging on until the release of the next series. So far this year we've been through 3 Seasons each of House, Grey's Anatomy and Prison Break,  Seasons One of Heroes, 3 Seasons of Lost (which bored me eventually), 2 Seasons of Life on Mars and finally Ashes to Ashes, which is wonderful. The latter saw the Beloved popping his Brit TV Series cherry, prior to that it had only been Americana but with the help of the subtitles, he's loving Gene Hunt and his Mancunian dry as a bone, offensive wit. 

So now we are on to Brothers & Sisters, a US series which took us a few episodes to get into, and a while to get over the lollipop headed Calista Flockhart, but which now has us both gripped (and a record breaking 8 episodes last night ... er 8 x 42 minutes thats er .... ). The saga of an American family beset by atypical self loathing and introspection, and all the drama of a nation obsessed with itself (complete with storylines wound around 9/11, Iraq and New Republicanism) but its enthralled us already. 

I just wish that india's plethora of channels would show some decent TV. Last week saw the launch of yet another GEC (General Entertainment Channel), catering for the masses with its one music show (check), one reality show (Bigg Boss 2 AND Fear Factor, check check) and its desi mythological yarn (something about Lord Krishna). With a reported 4crores (USD 1 million) spent in marketing in Bombay alone, the hoardings are full of it. 

Its Raining Again ....

So this, my 5th monsoon season in bombay, seems a little less taxing than in previous years. Maybe its just tougher for a single girl to navigate the rains, perhaps I'm just not partying as much as before, and the meaning of 'romantic rains" has suddenly hit home. I used to scoff at my indian friends who waxed eloquently about the romance, the mists, the opportunities to cuddle up and drink hot chai and eat fried pakoras ... claiming that no Brit could ever appreciate the rains after years of feeling persecuted by the rain god. But now, I kind of see what they meant. The monsoon season is an excuse to cuddle up and be romantic, and an unnecessary interruption for anyone who doesn't need, want or have that option. 

Its interesting how the rain has pervaded a national consciousness and become almost an ally in managing life's challenges. Being a few minutes late for meetings which is anyway normal in the land of IST (India Standard Time) stretches into hours of delay, caused by waterlogging (or "waterclogging: as its oft referred to) and the fear of a 2005 flood is never far from the mind of any Mumbaikar once the clouds open up. Paranoia (understandably) sends office workers scuttling home, images of Mumbai afloat and the death of hundreds still fairly fresh in the mind. Yesterday was the anniversary of "26/7", the flooding which brought Bombay to a standstill and created havoc in the lives of so many. Papers were full of it, and the rains fell heavily in commemoration.  Its tiresome if you are trying to manage a busy schedule with the kind of punctual inner clock which I seem to be unable to shake off, and I find myself unable to relax when the rain messes up my carefully planned schedules, but then again, sitting on the couch earlier this evening with a cup of tea (which has since been replaced with a glass of red wine) and snuggling up to my beloved, watching Brothers and Sisters on TV and hearing the rain lash against the windows makes me more appreciative of this annual ritual. Rains, bring em on. 

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Couture ... and all that ....


Found a sweet sounding dressmaker via the internet, in Bandra. V and I went to check her out (helps if he comes along, to help manage any potential 'white skin syndrome' - ie the miraculous ability for any goods or services in India to double in price when the negotiatee is a foreigner). She showed us into her lovely, albeit dusty Bandra drawing room, all musty smelling faded grandeur, and proudly showed her the albums of her 'creations'. Hundreds and hundreds of the sweetest catholic girls, squeezed into yards of shiny, frilly, lacy, beribboned, sequinned ... monstrosities. I know its difficult when you are getting married in a country which frowns on off the shoulder, but overdoing the frippery is not the answer. Anyway, we politely turned our back on that option and then the internet threw up up another option ... a really funky chick who just gets it (and can produce my dress, bridesmaids dresses and all). So I picked the design, asked a little nervously about the cost and was very relieved to find that the wedding gown will cost me less than a handbag in England. Or not far off, at least. 

Next stop, fabric shop .... acres of gorgeous material - silk and chiffon and selected the most beautiful regal purple shades for the bridesmaids dresses .... have sent a bunch of designs to the girlies and asked them to choose and send their measurements .... and the price of said gorgeous fabric ....??? Roughly 1.50 pounds a metre .... gotta love India. 

 

Sunday, July 6, 2008

A date change ....

So we picked the prime date of the year for an Indian wedding ... bang smack in the middle of the auspicious season for hindus .. luckily the beloved is a Christian and so we were able to shunt the date. And happily also in time, as none of the guests who'll be winging their way from Europe have yet booked tickets .... so we are now done and dusted with downpayment made to the Military club of Calcutta ... for an unkempt patch of green which right now looks like a field which desperately needs a mow, but which I am assured will be transformed into a heavenly wedding venue once the decoration wallahs have had a go. We've also booked a guesthouse near the house and the venue for all the firangis to put up in, so that's another thing done. Now I really have to turn my attention to ... the dress. I was kind of thinking ... dress vs saree .... but I think I'll keep it Western for the wedding ceremony and desi for the evening reception. Looking forward to dressing up all the girlfriends in sarees also .... 

Vivek and I went to a wedding on Friday evening. I had hoped for some inspiration but it was not forthcoming in a traditional indian wedding - booze free, vegetarian and full of people popping in and out to wish the bride and groom, stuffing food into face, and running away. Guests coming to our bash will be forced to sit through a whole round of speeches, and then coerced to strut their stuff on the dancefloor. Vivek has booked a rocking band - friends of his who I saw play in Calcutta and they are just awesome.