Tuesday, November 28, 2023
More Lonavla Exploration: Market, Church, Bushi Dam, Chikki Shopping
A Hiking Break in the Western Ghats: Lonavla and Khandala
A Hiking Break in the Western Ghats: Lonavla and Khandala
Thursday, November 16, 2023.
It had been a very long time since I had been into the little hill-stations of the Western Ghats. I was last in Khandala when I was about 9 years old and I do not even remember when I was last in Lonavla. Llew and I waited until the monsoon had bid Bombay goodbye and until the oppressive heat of October had bid us farewell before we decided to make a quick hiking getaway into the hills. We hope to do many more such trips during the next four months as they are the most pleasant months in India. It was good to make a start with this one. Before setting out, we had to find a place to stay—it was just by sheer luck that I ran into a friend who recommended this Air B&B in Lonavla called House of Shrof. Just a couple of phone calls later, we had zeroed in on our accommodation and were only left with the issue of arranging transportation to and from the venue home.
Luckily, the owner of the B&B, Eefa Shrof, was very helpful in putting us on to a company that offered a taxi service which we booked without any further ado.
So, at 6.00 am, as planned, (we set our alarm for 5.15 am), the driver (Sunil) was on the phone telling us that he had arrived. And off we set. It was still quite dark when we drove out of our building’s driveaway, but in about 30 minutes, we could see dawn breaking on the Eastern Express Highway.
Driving to Lonavla:
Sunil informed us that the drive would take two hours as we were not likely to meet any traffic at that early hour of the day. The new Bombay-Pune highway has also cut time in half and made for very easy transport to Khandala and on to Lonavla and then Pune. We’d had a cup of coffee before leaving home, but by the time we arrived in Lonavla, ahead of schedule, ie. in an hour and 40 minutes, we were ravenous and ready to plunge into a hearty breakfast. It was fun to go through about three long tunnels en route, to spy the Duke’s Nose (a peak that juts out provocatively and is reminiscent of a royal nose) and to see the many chikki shops even before we arrived at our destination. Lonavla is known for an Indian confection called chikki, which is made from sugar or jaggrey (molasses) and the addition of a variety of nuts, dried coconut, gram, etc. No visitor leaves Lonavla without buying chikki.
Arrival at House of Shrof:
House of Shrof is located on a quiet lane away from the general bustle of the market area. To get to the main road, you need to walk for about 8 minutes along shady bylanes. We had a bit of difficulty finding the place as the Google map led us a merry dance--but a quick call to Eefa fixed it. Since check-in time was 2.00 pm, Eefa agreed to stash our backpacks until we returned from our day out.
Out first impression of House of Shrof was of a really idyllic place. It was set in a beautiful garden that, we discovered, was landscaped in tiers. After using the facilities, we dropped our bags off and left. Taking directions from Eefa who met us at the gate of her premises, we set out in search of breakfast. It was only 8.00 am and not many places were open at that hour. Cooper’s, the place next door that she recommended, only opened at 10.30 am. This meant walking for a good ten minutes, past Auxilium Convent on our left and then a number of cemeteries, each of a different religion, before we reached the main road. There, we spied McDonald’s and since it was the only place open, that’s where we headed. We realized that we were doing in India the very same thing we did in the USA—we only used McDonald’s when we were on the road!
Breakfast at McDonald’s:
There were a few patrons at McDonald’s when we arrived there to order a Spicy Chicken Burger for Llew and a Filet O Fish burger for me. We discovered that this McDonald’s did no breakfast sandwiches—hence, we had no choice but to eat chicken and fish for breakfast! Llew ordered a decaff Americano while I had a hazelnut hot chocolate which was just lovely.
While we were seated at breakfast, we discussed the possibility of finding transport that would take us to the various venues we had in mind for the day. After considering the use of an auto rickshaw, we nixed the idea. Rickshaws do not ply by meter, the minimum cost for a single fare is Rs. 100 (as opposed to Rs. 23 in Bombay) and they charge you per venue, not for the whole day. It made much more sense to approach the same car service that had brought us to Lonavla to provide us with private transport for the whole day. At Rs. 3,300 for the day, it seemed like a far better deal that going with rickshaws per ride. Accordingly, we called the taxi service and within twenty minutes, they sent us a car with a very nice driver called Vilas and by 9.30, we were setting out to begin a day of hectic sightseeing.
First Stop--Pawna Lake:
After meeting and greeting us, Vilas, an elderly man with a lovely gracious Maharashtrian manner about him, suggested, he drive us first to Pawna Lake. This was not on our agenda, but since it was very close to Lohargat Fort (which is where we did want to go first), he suggested we cover Pawna Lake too. The drive was long—about twenty minutes, but soon we were at the venue.
Pawna is a large expanse of water that was dug to create an artificial lake that would provide water for the whole of Khandala, Lonavla and neighboring Poona (now Pune). It was pleasant to get out of the car and take in the sight of the lake surrounded by hills and to see that motor-boating was possible on the lake. However, there was a haze everywhere we went and we were told that it was the result of the enormous amount of mountain-blasting that is going on to create a 30-mile tunnel on the Bombay-Pune Highway to shorten road travel time between the two cities. It is causing awful dust pollution in the entire area and robbing one of visibility in the hills.
We did not spend long at Pawna Lake because, apart from taking pictures, there is really not much to do here. Within ten minutes, we were back in our car again and heading towards Lohargat Fort.
Hiking Up Lohargad Fort:
Loharrgad (Fort) is one of the many hill-top forts that were built by Maratha chieftains throughout the 1500s and the 1600s. Many of the Maratha clans used this one including the most famous of them all, Shivaji, who lived in it for two brief stints. In-between the fort was taken over by the Mughals, but Shivaji was able to prise it back into Maratha control.
There is an entry ticket of Rs. 25 per head to get to the fort. There are about 300 steps to get one up to the first tier of what is essentially a two-tiered fort. At times, the stairs are steep, at other time, they are broad and shallow. They are made of hand-hewn black basalt rock and it is amazing when you consider the fact that these forts were built in the 14th and 15th centuries when there was no mechanization possible. There were quite a lot of people climbing up with us and often they paused to take a rest before hiking up again. As we climbed higher, we received lovely views of the surrounding rural countryside, although the haze continued to obscure our views.
Having reached the first tier viewing platform, I decided that I’d had enough climbing and would sit it out if Llew decided to go higher. He did. I believe he climbed another 200 steep stairs before he reached the very top where he found a small temple, also made with black basalt. The views were essentially the same but the haze was even greater.
In about a half hour, Llew descended again and the two of us began the descent to the base together. It took us about one hour and fifteen minutes to see it all. Along the way, we passed by a small temple, saw the two huge doors with the iron spikes set into them (to dissuade elephants that were used to ram down the gates) and three cannons. No doubt, there would have been many more such remnants of medieval warfare at this site, but most of these items have been carted away. We also saw lots of monkeys on the trees and along the ramparts of the fort, but they seemed to be less aggressive than most monkey are in places of tourist interest in India.
On to the Bhaja Caves:
There are two famous sets of Buddhist caves in the vicinity of Lonavla—the Karla Caves (closer to Khandala) and the Bhaja Caves (closer to Lonavla). They are both very similar in that they are rock-cut Buddhist cave temples that date from the second century BC to the sixth century AD. Since we would have the time to cover just one set of caves, we asked our driver for his recommendation if he were to make a choice and he suggested we do Bhaja Caves.
Getting up to the mountain that houses the Bhaja Caves also involves a great deal of hiking—you climb up the same black basalt rock hewn steps to get higher and higher with the base receding further and further and offering the same pleasant rural views. As it is just past the monsoon, the landscape is still green and fields do not lie fallow. After climbing for about half an hour, we reached the main gate where we paid an entry fee of Rs. 25 per head for our ticket.
The Bhaja Caves are fabulous and definitely worth a visit despite the long and tiring climb up. Like all Buddhist Cave Temples in India, there is a large prayer hall called the Chaitya or chaityagriha which is basically a temple. At the end of it stands a conical stupa. Because this prayer hall is hallowed ground (still used by Buddhist worshippers), you are required to remove your footwear upon entering.
We surveyed the prayer hall as well as the many little caves cut into the mountainside. Most of them were empty and contained simply a single platform. We had to follow the path carved out along the hillside to arrive at a cluster of mortuary stupas, each in conical shape, hewn out of the granite of the hill. Simply spectacular.
Even further down the path (and I am glad we followed it and did not abandon it), we arrived at a pillared temple with columns at its entrance. Inside, we had the most pleasant surprise. We saw the first and probably only set of fully sculpted walls in the venue. Because it is indoors and protected from the elements, the carvings are absolutely unspoiled and as sharp and well-defined as they could possibly be. They depict Gods from the Buddhist pantheon with a procession of human beings following, either on horseback or from the top of an elephant. Truly astounding!
We did spend a little more time peering into a few more caves but the rest of them did not offer too much by way of artistic or architectural interest. On the whole, the Bhaja Caves made for a totally fascinating expedition and I am glad we took the time and trouble to hike up there and back.
Lunch at Kinara Village Dhaba:
By this time (it was almost 2.00 pm and we were surviving on McDonald’s burgers), we needed food sustenance. We requested our driver to take us to a nice restaurant and he asked if a roadside dhaba would suit us. Indeed it did! Now, if I remember dhabas (from my long ago travels in the Punjab), they were little more than roadside shacks that served the most delicious food to truckers along the Grand Trunk Road. I remember the seekh kebabs and lassis we consumed in those places and the absolute laughable rates at which they were sold.
Well, this dhaba was fancy with a capital F. There was a whole Rajasthani village recreated for our wandering pleasure. In little wooden huts, individual tables were laid. We could choose a hut of our choice as they were scattered all around the periphery. In the center was a large shack with a number of hand carts sprinkled around. The place was beautifully landscaped to seem reminiscent of a village setting. It was all actually pretty delightful. Best of all, the place offered really spotlessly clean toilets—which, I have to say, in a country like India, is a real joy to find. There was running water as well as soap and paper towels to wash and dry one’s hands—now these little touches are taken for granted in the rest of the world, but in India, they are indeed a huge deal!
We decided to eat Lahori Chicken which came with gravy and a Corn and Spinach Vegetable dish which we ate with garlic naans. But, best of all, we started our meal with ice-cold shandies as we were badly in need of something to slake our thirst and our bodies that were craving the cool fizz of aerated waters. We loved our meal—it was super tasty. Indeed, our driver had made a good choice and we lunched well and tipped handsomely as our waiter had been extremely kind and helpful to us and had offered superb courtesy and service. Then back in the taxi we sat for the next lap of our travels.
Visiting St. Mary’s Villa in Khandala:
With three major items of sightseeing done, all that was left was for our taxi driver to ferry us from one ‘point’ to the next. All hill-stations have these ‘points’ by which is meant viewing stations for vistas over the hills. I had requested Vilas to take us to the Duke’s Nose, perhaps the most famous of the points. However, as that spot was in Khandala, we needed to drive to that location—just about a 15 minute drive from Lonavla. And since we were going to be in Khandala, I requested the driver to take us to St. Mary’s Villa.
Why St. Mary’s Villa? Well, mainly because this was the pace in which I had stayed when I was last in the area at the age of nine. And, secondly, because this was the venue at which my parents (until my mother was still alive) had spent every summer for at least ten years. They used to rent a large room and go there with my brother, Russel, for at least a week each summer. This annual excursion gave my mother a break from the drudgery of daily housework, allowed my father the opportunity to spend long hours reading and gave Russel the chance to socialize with new friends he made at the venue.
Over the years, my father had made friends with the care-taker, Steven, but had lost touch with him. He, therefore, asked me to find out his whereabouts and obtain his phone number. This was another reason why we made the detour to St. Mary’s Villa. I did not remember what a sprawling place it is and how much real estate the Jesuits own up here in the hills—a spot they have used through the years for retreats and family outings and picnics. For many years, Fr. Juan was in-charge of an annual summer camp for Bombay Catholics who would go there in large numbers to enjoy the fun of a community getaway. I am not sure if the camps are still held here, but the current care-taker, Raju Annappa, gave us a short tour of the premises, showed us one of the sample rooms (with five beds in a room and a utilitarian, old-fashioned, bathroom at the end) and told us what the current rates are: Rs. 560 per head per day for lodging alone and another Rs. 560 per head per day for food which includes four meals (Breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner).There were a few people resident on the premises while we were there but, for the most part, the place seemed empty. I could see why my parents enjoying being in this place so much—it affords all the amenities at very modest prices and its location in terms of views over the Table Top Mountain cannot be beaten.
Getting to the Various Lookout Points:
Following our excursion to St. Mary’s Villa, we focused on seeing the major ‘points’ as the viewpoints are known at Indian hill-stations. I told our driver to take us first to the Duke’s Nose—this protuberance is most famous because it takes the form of a hill that juts out on the horizon as if from a regal face! We saw it from a distance and under the haze which we came to expect everywhere we went.
We also stopped to look at the Kune Waterfalls which we saw from across a narrow valley—once again in a haze. This is a far larger body of gushing water during the monsoon.
And finally, our driver took us to what he called Sunset Point—it was simply crawling with people and every single one of them was there to see the sun set behind the hills. But the haze was so discouraging and the crowd so off-putting that we actually stepped out ourselves, strolled to the promontory and then realizing that we would not see much of a sunset anyway under such poor visibility, decided to simply turn back. It was time for us to return to our hotel and get a bit of a rest and a stretch out as we had done an enormous amount of walking.However, our driver was keen to show us one more attraction: Bushi Dam, which is right in the heart of Lonavla (as opposed to Pawna Dam which is about a twenty-minute run out of the city). However, this excursion too proved to be challenging as the approach to it was awful: past some rocks, a little creek that actually had stepping stones over it to enable us to cross and up a steep set of stairs that afforded us a tranquil view of a large lake with a weir running across it. Here too, it appears as if monsoon is high season for this venue—apparently, white water rafting, etc. is actually carried out as a sport here when the force of the gushing water allows it. It was not possible, of course, at this part of the year. So, rather disappointedly, we retraced out steps, over the rather unusual terrain, to get into our car and get home.
Accordingly, our driver brought us back to the House of Shrof, where we entered our room and found it very appealing. The décor had a quiet subtle sophistication, the colors were the soft dove-grey that is currently so ‘in’ everywhere and the en suite bath was spacious and spotless. We found that coffee and tea making facilities were
included and we opted immediately to make ourselves a cup of tea and eat it with the biscuits I had carried—a really welcome snack as we stretched out, watched some TV and got the rest we craved.
Dinner at Cooper’s Restaurant Next Door:
All that was left was for us to go out in search of dinner and since we lacked the motivation to go anywhere too far, it was very convenient to think of strolling just next door to the restaurant attached to the Cooper resort. On the ground floor, they sell a variety of chikki and fudge for which the place has become famous and on the upper floor, we discovered a well-appointed restaurant with a varied menu.
As Cooper’s is a Parsi place, we opted for their special Parsi menu, but first, I ordered a cocktail as our heavy physical exertions demanded a sundowner. How tickled I was to find a cocktail named Lonavla Sundowner which consisted of a gin base with grapefruit juice, burnt thyme, lime juice and soda. It was very elegant indeed and very tasty and I enjoyed it as we awaited the arrival of our Prawn Patio which comes complete with Rice and Dal. It was extremely tasty indeed and we truly relished it. For dessert, I chose the Crème Brulee—a dessert I rarely see in an Indian restaurant (everyone carries Crème Caramel). I was not disappointed. It was perfect—smooth as silk in consistency and with a perfect caramelized sugar crust at the top that I actually had to crack open to get to the silky contents inside. While we ate, we watched another one of the semi-final matches of the Cricket World Cup that has the entire country enthralled, on one of those giant screens that you find in international bars. The service was good, the food superb and the prices quite reasonable for the quality presented to us.
We were very pleased indeed that our lodgings were just a short stroll down the adjoining lane. Although it was very late (after 11.00 pm), we felt very safe as we made our way back.
After what had been a hectic but most fulfilling day, we made our way back to the peace and serenity of our Air B&B, brushed and flossed our teeth, watched a bit of TV (although desultorily, as we had run out of steam) and called it a night.
Until tomorrow…
Friday, September 15, 2023
A Day Spent at Heathrow Airport, London
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
London, UK
A Day Spent at Heathrow Airport
My Virgin Atlantic Airlines flight from New York arrived at London’s Heathrow airport at 11.00 am local time. I was excited as I thought that although I was landing at Terminal 4, I could make my way to Terminal 5 which is far more interesting in terms of shopping (even if it is window-shopping) than any of the others. I had about 7 hours to kill during a long layover—so you can imagine I needed exciting things to do.
As it turned out, I was not able to change terminals and the huge errand I hoped I could do at Jo Malone turned out to be a damp squib as (long story short), the spending vouchers I had received from Virgin Atlantic for offering to be bumped off a flight, could not actually be used at the Duty Free Shops. I was determined not to give up and I went to a Virgin Atlantic help counter and discovered that what I could do was use the voucher to recover cash from a bank cash machine! Well, that was even better. An assistant walked with me to the cash machine and I was able to recover 250 pounds—that’s more than $300. Now I felt flush. But it gave me pause to ask myself: did I really need another bottle of perfume? So I decided not to spend the money but to take it over to India. It would stand us in good stead on our next travels in the UK.
whole issue took me over two hours to sort out—so quite a lot of my time was taken there. Next, I began browsing through the duty free shops—perfume, clothing, jewelry, even booze. But I already had two bottles in my suitcases and I did not want to get into any trouble, so I refrained from buying anymore. Anyway, after a while, I felt the need to sit down and that’s what I did. I bought a Meal Deal from Boot’s which consisted of a Chicken Selection sandwich pack with 3 types of chicken sandwiches (all delicious), a chocolate milk shake and a dessert: a New York Cheesecake in a small glass bowl (which I was very happy to bring home for serving dips, etc). It is now a happy souvenir of my long layover in London, So overall, I can say I had a good time. There were souvenir shops to look at—I ended up buying tins of British tea for my maid Pushpa, for my Dad’s Man Friday Rohit and kept one tin for us. Then, I browsed through the book shops and leafed through a few books. It is amazing how many ways one can pass time before one gets really tired on one’s feet. Of course, I also spent a lot of time chatting with my friends in England and to Llew in Bombay.
When boarding was announced, I made my way to the gate and in a little while, I was on the aircraft once again. The flight was empty. All of us had stretcher seats, by which I mean that we could change seats once the seat belt signs were off and find places on the aircraft where three or four seats were in a row so that we could stretch out and sleep.
I had a window seat and, for me, the best part of this flight, was that I could see the moon on my right hand side at the very front of the aircraft. As the miles were swallowed over Europe and the Middle East, the moon traveled across the sky until it was literally right outside my window. It turned out to be a really large, full and luminous moon. Only the next day I realized that it was a Blue Moon from which we get the phrase, “Once in a Blue Moon”. This kind of moon is rare—because usually there are 12 full moons in a lunar year –one full moon appears every 28 days. But every three years, there are 13 lunar months in a calendar year and a 13th full moon appears. This is known as a Supermoon or a Blue Moon. And I was so lucky to see one while already way up high in the air! You can just imagine how thrilled I was. Sadly, my camera could not capture its glory. It will forever stay in my memory as one of those rare things about which one can boast in one’s lifetime.
on flight were good, entertainment was engrossing. I watched a movie and then a couple of TV shows and all the while, I used my window seat to take pictures of the world below me—most of which was in darkness.
We arrived in Bombay at 8.25 am. I was pleased to see that since it was the middle of the monsoon, the Indian sub-continent was green all over (like England). Most times when landing in India, one notices how brown or yellow it is--so dry and arid. This time, it was so much more pleasing.
I got off the flight, had no trouble with immigration and my baggage and went straight to the pre-paid taxis from where I got one in no time. It was simply great to be back home again and to see the familiar sights of lovely Bandra and then my building and then, of course, Llew.
My long travels of five weeks had come to an end and I was happy to spend some time processing every wonderful experience through which I had lived.
Until I leave my Roost to take on a different part of the world again, I wish you happy days—and may the road rise up to meet you!
Monday, September 11, 2023
My Last Day in the USA Dawns! Lunch with my Hosts, a Walk Around the Neighborhood and a Tearful Goodbye
Tuesday, August 29, 2023
Westport, CT
My Last Day in the USA Dawns! Lunch with my Hosts, a Walk Around the Neighborhood and a Tearful Goodbye
Hard to believe I have reached the last day of my long stay in the USA. When I first arrived here, it seemed to me as if I had all the time in the world to spend at my leisure. But, as in the case of all good things, time passes quickly when you are having fun, And I have had the month of my life! So, no complaints. And I am now all set, mentally, for the next phase of my life.
So, I awoke, as usual, at about 6.00 am and did a bit of blogging and reading and went over in my mind all the things I had to accomplish today. I had my last breakfast in the US (of muesli with honey yogurt and milk with a cup of decaff coffee) before I turned my attention to the matter of my packing. I think I was pretty much all set with the weighing of my two suitcases and my one strolley (which contained nothing other than our sterling silver tea and coffee service which I had picked up from my friend Bonnie who stored them for us in her basement). And then, I told my hosts, Leslie and Sunil, that I would take them for our last meal together somewhere of their choice. They chose the Sherwood Diner, which is just five minutes away—a great choice, I thought, as I had never eaten there and I have always loved American diners.
So the morning passed at leisure with us chatting about this and that. Leslie would leave and go on duty at the Library at 2.00 pm which meant an early lunch (12. 30) was in order.
Lunch at Sherwood Diner:
At 12. 30 pm, Leslie and I drove off to Sherwood Diner. Sunil took his car so that Leslie could drive straight to work after lunch and I would get back home with him. The diner was far more crowded than I expected (for a week day afternoon), but then I realized that it was the last day before schools reopened and many families had come in groups, probably to treat their kids to a last meal before school began.
Leslie and Sunil opted for omelettes and, of course, in the US, these are humongous: Leslie had the spinach and feta cheese one (like Eggs Florentine) and Sunil had the Country one (with ham and cheese). No marks to guess that I had my favorite diner food of all time: Belgian Waffles with maple syrup, whipped cream and fresh berries. Of course, we enjoyed our meal thoroughly as we chatted about all sorts of things and took pictures. In the parking lot, we parted company, as Leslie left for work and Sunil drove me home.
Back home, I took an afternoon nap (mine is never more than 20 minutes) and made some calls to say goodbye to family members and friends. Before I knew it, it was time to get ready to leave. I called for an Uber to pick me up at 6.30 pm as I had to be at JFK airport at 8.00 pm for my 11.00 pm flight via Virgin Atlantic to London. I would have a long layover in London (over 7 hours) and I was rather looking forward to it, actually.
Since I had about two hours to kill, in the late afternoon, I decided to take a walk around Leslie’s little protected enclave which is something I had promised myself I would do sometime before leaving. I was glad I managed to find the time to do so on a beautioful afternoon when the weather was just perfect.
Off to the Airport—Goodbye Connecticut and the USA!
Leslie returned on schedule at 6.15 pm, Sunil helped me carry my bags to the curb and, right on schedule, at 6.30 pm, my driver arrived. He turned out to be a Pakistani from Lahore named Ahsan and he was really lovely. Of course, although I tried hard, I burst with emotion like a dam and sobbed uncontrollably when saying goodbye to my hosts. Not only had they gone out of their way to make me welcome and comfortable but they did not consider it a huge favor or anything of the kind. They kept telling me what a pleasure it had been to have me and how much they had enjoyed my company. I, for my part, had the best month with them. Leslie and Sunil were marvelous company and I learned so much more about both of them from the time we spent together. I left with wonderful memories of places we had explored together and experiences we had enjoyed—which I was sure I would cherish for a very long time to come. Indeed, I was really sorry to say Goodbye to them.
My sobbing continued in the Uber for quite a while. I must say my driver was very sweet and sympathetic and when I apologized, he told me not to worry at all—airport drives mean tears, he said. I was glad I was not the only one!
At JFK Airport and On The Flight:
All went well when I arrived at JFK airport. I was afraid (I always am) that I would be overweight and subject to all kinds of stress. But I had the sweetest Traffic Assistant named Naharul who was a thorough gentleman. Not only did he give me window seats on both sectors but he didn’t seem to think my baggage was overweight and my suitcases went through without any questions asked! Phew! That was a huge relief!
I whiled away time at the airport by going to McDonald’s where I got myself a Fillet o Fish burger (my favorite kind) and ate it as I was aware that dinner would be served around midnight and I was not sure I wanted to stay awake till then. I actually ran into a lovely stewardess named Samantha who was operating my flight who was also getting a MickeyD’s Meal! She informed me that, as a result of a technical glitch that had disabled all air control systems in the UK, our flight coming into JFK from London had been delayed—fortunately, only by an hour. Hence, our departure was delayed by an hour. This was quite tolerable, of course, so I sat down and did some reading before getting to the gate and staying there until our boarding was announced.
It was a very pleasant flight during which I think I managed to sleep for about two hours. The meal on board was not bad at all—chicken pot pie with beans and potatoes, a bread roll with cheese, a Greek salad with a small brownie bar for dessert. I had a Gin and Tonic before dinner and in a little while (after watching the end of the movie, Tar, which I had started on the flight in as well as a new British movie called Allelujah about life in a hospice for the elderly starring Judi Dench, Derek Jacobi, Jennifer Saunders and a new young Indian actor whose name is Bally Gill), I dropped off.
Until tomorrow, cheerio!
Thursday, August 31, 2023
Sunday Rolls Around Again: Mass, Coffee with Friends, Packing to Leave and Attending an Open-Air Music Concert in Westport
Sunday, August 27, 2023
Westport and Fairfiedl, Connecticut
Sunday Rolls Around Again: Mass, Coffee with Friends, Packing to Leave and Attending an Open-Air Music Concert in Westport
The morning after the night before! It was well after midnight by the time my sense of excitement piped down and I was actually able to fall asleep after returning from Halle’s wedding. That I managed to wake up early is just an indication of the way by body is wired. I was already up and blogging when I heard from my doctor friends, Ed and Marguerite Pinto, that they were leaving their church at Westport (St. Luke’s) and as per our arrangement would be in the parking lot at Trader Joe’s in ten minutes. This left me just enough time to wash, get dressed for church myself and see them there. Yes, I am known to do things at lightning speed (but then I had kept my clothes ready for wearing to church last night).
Breakfast with the Drs. Pinto:
As planned, I was at the Trader Joe’s parking lot and there were Ed and Marguerite, both retired physicians (he is a cardiologist, she is a pathologist, both are dear family friends of ours). We hugged and said how long it was since we had met and then I was in their car and they were off. They drove me just a couple of minutes away to McDonald’s where we had decided to meet for coffee. Logistically speaking, given their commitments and mine (and the fact that this is the second last day of my stay in the USA), all we could manage was this early morning meal in MickeyDee’s!
I had selected an Egg and Sausage McMufffin and a “Seniors” coffee (for just $1), we settled down for a lovely long chat. I had about 90 minutes with them before I’d had to leave for Mass at 10.00 am at my own church where they were going to drop me. Th Pintos (who have been our primary care physicians for almost 30 years) had a lot to say about their bi-coastal lifestyle. Since their doctor daughter, Michelle Kittleson, a world-renowned cardiologist herself, married and settled down in Los Angeles, California, and gave them three beautiful grandsons, they decided that after retirement, they would spend as much time as possible close to them. Accordingly, they sold all their other properties to buy a penthouse in Beverley Hills, California, where they live from October to March. They spend the spring and summer in Westport, Connecticut, as they rent a mother-in-law apartment from Marguerite’s sister, Nirmala (also a physician and now our primary care doctor) where Marguerite says she feels as if she has died and gone to heaven (as this was the apartment her own parents used to live in before they both passed away).
Meanwhile, Michelle has been going great guns—publishing medical and non-medical books, making an international name for herself as a cardiologist, raising three boys, following her passion for cooking and baking, etc. They simply could not stop talking about her. They also talked about Bangalore, India, from where Ed had just returned after spending two weeks. He had gone there to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of St. John’s Medical College, an institution that had been founded by a group of Indian Catholics that had included Marguerite’s father, Dr. Monteiro! Yes, as you can see, they are three generations of eminent doctors—all of whom have made a huge contribution to humanity through their work. For my part, I got to discuss my own health issues with Ed who continues to keep a close eye on Llew and my health, even though he is so far away, simply because we are such close friends.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Ed and Marguerite especially as I hadn’t had the chance to bid them goodbye before I left for India and they were keen to find out how we were doing in Bombay. At the end of our visit, we piled back into their car and they drove me to St. Anthony of Padua Church where I was just in time for the 10.00 am Mass.
Mass and After at St. Anthony of Padua Church, Fairfield:
It was nice to see Fr. John Murray back on the altar today after all the drama surrounding his collapse last Sunday. It turned out that he had come to say Mass on an empty stomach and fainted, probably from hunger or a radical drop in his blood sugar. He was right as rain as he began Mass. Since I was at the 10.00 am Mass, it was much more crowded and lively than the 8.15 am Masses I had attended over the last two Sundays. I recognized a lot more people and was particularly happy to see my friends, Rick and Kelly LaFerreire, whom I was determined to meet at the end of Mass just so that I could visit with them.
Well, our visit—first in church, then in the church patio and then in the parking lot--went on so long that eventually they asked me to come back home with them for coffee after which they would give me a ride back home. I readily agreed as I had not been in touch with them and was also keen to catch up on the doings of their family. I was absolutely shocked to discover that their twin boys, Max and Luke, were off to college in a couple of days! Seems like only yesterday they were born!!! Where do the years fly? I also met Zoe, their sassy and very lovely daughter, whom I have also known since childhood as she was the first friend of my niece Anaya when my brother’s family was living in our home for a year. Zoe would often come over to play with Anaya and I has spent many evenings at our place while I kept an eye on her as her Mum ran errands.
We settled down with coffee at their kitchen table and continued to gab about all they have been doing and after a little while, we got back into their car and they dropped me home. It was a lovely visit and I enjoyed returning to Taintor Road in Southport where so many of our friends have lived over the years.
A Few Varied Hours at Home:
By the time I returned home to Westport, Leslie was out and Sunil was in the garden lounging on one of the chaise-longes. He offered to help me set up some financial accounts but although we spent over an hour on them, we were unable to make much headway as I am hopelessly ignorant about financial matters and Llew was fast asleep in India to answer Sunil’s questions.
I gave up and went inside and after nibbling on fruit and cheese and crackers, I returned to my room to continue with my packing as I would be leaving on Tuesday and I still had to start dividing my weight between two suitcases. After a while, I decided to take a nap as I had not had much sleep. However, just before I fell asleep, my friends Mary-Lauren and Brett, called to ask if I’d like to join them in the evening for an open-air concert at the Levitt’s Pavilion nearby in Westport. They had an extra ticket they had ordered for me and wondered if I’d be interested in attending a concert by North County Band which played a number of their own compositions plus well-known hits. Since I was free and keen to see my friends again, I readily agreed. Leslie volunteered to drive me to the venue. The Factoras also sent me the menu from Yamafuji Sushi and asked me to pick from it. I told them I would go with whatever they ordered—just to order extra for me too.
And so, at 7.00 pm, we were seated under a kindly sky in Westport at a beautiful open-air facility that was constructed, a few years ago, for community events. As it happened to be my wedding anniversary, I was happy to do something fun to mark the day (even if Llew was far away). After Leslie dropped me there, we were a bit early and sat gabbing away until my hosts arrived. They had brought everything with them including chairs, a portable table and all the fixins’ for an al fresco meal under the stars. We set up, began eating (they did not bring wine-instead they had healthy smoothies and flavored Seltzer water for me) and I was introduced for the first time to sweet potato sushi and avocado sushi—both of which were just delicious.
The music was superb. The band had lovely-voiced singers –male and female—and their music was foot-tapping enjoyable. They played for a full two hours by which time darkness had fallen over Connecticut and stars began to twinkle. We had a really lovely time and I was thrilled when Llew awoke in Bombay and we were able to get him on the phone, The Factoras were able to wish him for our anniversary and his being present, even if it was only in spirit, made the occasion feel extraordinary for me.
was then dropped back home, after which I got ready for bed and hit the sack.
Until tomorrow, cheerio!
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
A Morning Spent in a Basement n Fairfield, Cionnecticut, Shopping for Odds and Ends, Enjoying a Wild Flower Garden and Quiet Dinner at Home with my Hosts
Friday, August 25, 2023
Southport and Fairfield, Connecticut
A Morning Spent in a Basementin Fairfield, Cionnecticut, Shopping for Odds and Ends, Enjoying a Wild Flower Garden and Quiet Dinner at Home with my Hosts
As the days are flying by, I find I have settled into a comfortable routine here in Connecicut. I still wake up far more early than I would have desired, but at least the extra hour or two allows me to catch up with my blog and chats with Llew in Bombay. It also allows me to plan my day.
I got out of bed, made my usual breakfast of muesli with honey yogurt and had a hot coffee. Then, as Leslie would only be beginning work in the afternoon, I had her car at my disposal. I called my friend Mary-Lauren and found out that her daughter Sage and husband Brett would be at their home all day—I could, therefore, take my time about getting to their place. I wanted to sort through my large DVD collection that I had left in three large boxes in their basement. My intention was to bring a lot of my DVDs home to Bombay but I also wanted to thin out my collection and give away a good number.
I spent a good part of the morning shopping for the few items Llew has asked me to bring back and that I wanted to take with me. I then stopped at Dairy Queen for my last Chocolate Cherry Love Blizzard and was enjoying it in the parking lot when Sage texted me to tell me to be at their place before 3.00 pm as Brett had an interview at that point. I told her that I was right on my way.
I spent the next hour down in their basement. I managed to let go at least 60 DVDs and put them into a box to be left at the storage bins at the Pequot Library. I dropped those over at the library later that evening. The ones I did want to bring with me were placed in other boxes and the ones I wanted to retain in the basement I consolidated into two boxes instead of three. I also left behind another heavy box filled with stuff from my office at NYU that I could not carry to India myself. All this done, I got into the car and returned to the Library.
Just before I pulled into the library’s driveway. I noticed the beautiful Wildflower garden in front of the library. I simply had to stop there to take some pictures and this I did. By 6.00 pm, at the time that Leslie would get off work, I was there to return the car to her. She locked up the library and both of us then drove straight to Trader’s Joe’s. I picked up a frozen chicken pot pie as I was really keen to have one before I left. Leslie picked up a Cheese and Tomato Pizza and it ended up being a casual evening at home with my hosts and more Ted Lasso. I am keen to finish the series before I leave for India. I am enjoying it very much as it is really heartwarming. After dinner, Sunil offered me a glass of port wine which I rather enjoyed. We sat chatting for a while when I excused myself to take a shower and retire for the night.
Today was pretty uneventful but tomorrow will be another busy day and it was good to have one with a slightly slower pace today.
Until tomorrow…cheerio!
Saturday, August 26, 2023
Seeing my Endicronologist and Taking a Long Walk in Southport/Westport with Leslie
Thursday, August 24, 2023
Fairfield and Southport, Connecticut
Seeing my Endicronologist and Taking a Long Walk in Southport/Westport with Leslie
Today was a quieter day as I am now in Return Mode. After an early wake-up during which I blogged, I made my breakfast and drove off for an 8.20 am appointment with my endourologist of at least 15 years, Dr. Glenn Rich in Trumbull. I feel really blessed to have the use of her car as Leslie starts work only at 1.00 pm most afternoons. This allows me to do all my jobs in the morning at great convenience.
Seeing my Doctor Again:
All went well with Dr. Rich although we did talk about checking my arteries for any blockages in light of the fact that my cholesterol is borderline. I tried to get the scan done at Advanced Radiology but they had no appointments available for the next few days and since I am leaving soon, I will get it done in India. This, of course, is only precautionary as the US bases its heath care on preventative medicine. My ECK was clear, my blood pressure is normal, so the chance of heart disease is minimal. Still, you can never be too sure and Dr. Rich wants me to stay on top of my heart health. He was delighted to hear that I work out six days a week, have followed a low-carb diet for 25 years, have never smoked and drink alcohol very sparingly. Hopefully, this will augur well. He would like to see Scan results and asked me to fax them to him. Meanwhile, he gave me an appointment for a year from now.
It is amazing to me that I still have the ability to see my doctors, thanks to Medicare and NYU’s Supplemental Health care benefits. For as long as we can swing it, I will make these annual medical pilgrimages to the US. Of course, a time may come when that will no longer be possible…but, for the moment, I revel in the knowledge that I can.
I stopped at CVS for one quick errand: buying OFF Mosquito repellent (as per Llew’s request) to deal with them in India. I also stopped at Stop and Shop to buy my stash of marinated olives as this is something I cannot get in India—I can only find the bottled variety which are usually used in martinis. I then drove back home and went straight for a cofree as it has turned pretty chilly already. In fact, I think that late summer-early fall is probably the best time to be in the US—you avoid the possibility of truly burning up in the summer heat and you do not get the awful brutality of winter. Maybe it might be best to plan future trips at this time of year.
Getting Packing Done:
I spent the rest of the morning worrying about my packing and taking out all heavy stuff so that I could include those things that urgently need to be transported to India. I will leave those things that are not urgent in my friend Mary-Lauren’s basement. They will be transported to India at a later stage. We stopped to eat Lunch (I ate leftovers of my British Breakfast Plate of a few days ago—it was still quite quite delicious) and then I had a nap.
By the time I woke up, Leslie had returned from work and we sat down chatting. It was quite grey outside and looked very gloomy but a thought suddenly occurred to me. I asked Leslie if she was too tired and she said she was fine. I then suggested we go for a walk and I take her to a place she had never been to before—I told her that it was a favorite walking trail for Llew and me, especially during the pandemic, when we enjoyed being out in nature talking about our future plans to relocate to India. She said she would love to go for a walk and so off we went.
Walking Again in Southport/Westport Meadows:
The area I call the Southport Meadows are actually on the border of Westport (as Leslie found out by using a satellite map later on). It is just past Southport Beach and is a vast acreage that has been in the possession of the Audobon Society as part of their conservancy project. Llew and I used to enjoy walking here as it seemed we were always far from the madding crowd in a protect environment where we could enjoy wild flowers, towering trees and, if we were lucky, much wildlife too.
And for Leslie and myself too, it turned out to be a splendid walk. Leslie was utterly charmed as she had no idea such a place existed and she absolutely loved it. She found out that it borders the playing fields of Green Farms Academy (Llew and I used to often walk around the periphery of their football and baseball fields too). We saw a cute little rabbit on our walk as well as a pair of deer. We stopped by the little lakes and the fountains in the private properties and multi-million dollar homes that form the periphery of the meadows. We took pictures and had a really wonderful time as we plucked wild raspberries and blackberries (reminded me very much of the plucking of wild blackberries that I used to do in England when I would take them home and eat them with ice-cream). Oh, the happy past times of rural summers in the West!
When our walk was done, we had a couple of errands to run: I had to pick up mail from my home and so met the Kennedys again briefly, we went to Stop and Shop to return the aerosol mosquito repellent I had bought as well as the Pledge furniture polish as Leslie told me that aerosol containers are not allowed on the aircraft and we stopped at CVS to get something else I needed to buy—clip-on sunglasses as I simply cannot do without them in India.
Dinner and Ted Lasso Back Home:
Once home, we discovered that Sunil had taken over the cooking and had prepared grilled chicken with vegetables for us. We had a lovely dinner while watching Ted Lasso (I am determined to finish the third and final season before I leave from here as we do not have Apple TV at home) and also following the TV coverage about Donald Trump getting booked and having his mug shot taken in Georgia.
Dinner done, we sat chatting for a while before I excused myself to take a sbower and get ready for bed.
Until tomorrow…cheerio!
Friday, August 25, 2023
Lunch at the Pequot Yacht Club With Southport Book Club Friends and Dinner with a Lovely Family in Fairfield.
Wednesday, August 23, 2023
Southport and Fairfield, Connecticut
Lunch at the Pequot Yacht Club With Southport Book Club Friends and Dinner with a Lovely Family in Fairfield.
Today was another eventful day! Indeed, most of my days seem to be crammed with activity as I am focusing on meeting friends whom I last saw nine months ago, in November, just before we relocated to India. I awoke early, did some blogging and tried to get back to some reading, I am expected to finish reading The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Sheyan Karunatilaka, a Sri Lankan author whose novel won the Booker Prize last year. Except that the Magical Realism of the book makes it so abstract and so complicated that almost 100 pages into the book, it all still seems like gibberish to me. I am sticking with it, still hoping it will all start to unveil itself like the layers of an onion.
Appointment with my Radiologist:
My day began with an appointment in Trumbull with my radiologist of 25 years, Dr. Neil Specht to whom I go every year for my annual mammogram and ultra-sound. This year, as I am on Medicare for the first time, I am learning exactly how it works. All my physicians accept it, of course, for existing patients—which is a big relief because at this stage in my life, I don’t want to go looking for new doctors who do not know my medical history.
I know Sandra, the technician, very well and she is always wonderful. I usually have a different person doing the ultra sound every year and this year it was Ashley. Fortunately, the doctor told me all was well and very stable and I did not need to worry for another year. I made an appointment for next year and I was off. It is wonderful that Leslie gives me her car to use as I go to these doctor’s appointments as they have made my life very easy—however, these morning appointments are clashing with my tutoring schedule and I am required to do some creative juggling of days and dates—all of which is quite a nuisance.
I stopped at Cathy’s place and picked up a bottle of tequila to take back to Bombay from the stash of alcohol we had left with them. Similarly, I drove to Bonnie’s place to pick up a bottle of Drambuie which she is also holding for me. I hoped to take these two bottles to India. With them in my trunk, I drove to Leslie’s place to return the car to her, but I was well aware that I had a luncheon appointment with my Southport Book Club folks at the Pequot Yacht Club and needed a ride from Leslie’s place. I sent out a text requesting a ride and received a response from Joanie who said she would come and pick me up. In the end, however, it was Laura who came as she now lives in Westport (not too far from Leslie).
Lunch at the Pequot Yacht Club with a Fun-Loving Bunch of Friends:
We were blessed by a truly glorious late summer’s afternoon when the Mill River looked spectacular and there was a bit of wind to provide relief from the sun. We sat on the patio outside overlooking the sea craft passing by. So idyllic! Made me realize how blessed Llew and I were to live in such a heavenly location for 30 years of our lives and how lucky I was to make friends with these gals who are members here!
Alison signed me in and while everyone else had a Cobb Salad with Grilled Chicken, I opted for the Crab Cakes with Remoulade Sauce which were just lovely—except that they were meant to be an appetizer and did not come with a starch to provide any bulk. Even so, they made a good light lunch. I had an iced Diet Coke to go with it. It was a bit chilly as the wind was picking up and I forgot to bring a cardigan.
We had a really lovely two hours, chatting about our families and our summers. Laura has moved to Westport and is building a home in South Carolina into which she will be moving in a couple of days. Ruthie was leaving with her family for London, Alison’s children no longer need home schooling as they are all at uni now. She has begun a new voluntary project called World Tutors that links up voluntary tutors with students around the world (mainly in the Global South) to help them do better in their studies. After she told me about the project, I volunteered to be part of her teaching corps. She will fill me in on the details later.
Lunch done, the ladies drove off with Alison offering to pick me up again at 3.00pm. I strolled to the village, hoping to get back to Foxtrot Vintage but found that it was closed. I walked instead to The Carousel and looked around a bit, but did not find anything. At 3.00 pm, I phoned Alison who came to get me. We chatted more about her tutoring project until we arrived at Leslie’s.
Dinner with Close Friends at their Fairfield Home:
I had a bit of time to relax with a short nap and then take a shower before it was time for me to call Mimi, my friend, who was working up to 6.00 pm, to let her know that I was ready to be picked up. She and her husband Shayon came along to Leslie’s in their spiffy red Tesla and off we went. It was wonderful catching up with them in the car as I had last seen Mimi last year when she and her family had treated Llew and me to a farewell lunch at our favorite Thai restaurant (Ru Thai) in Bridgeport. Mimi has since changed jobs (she is a corporate lawyer and works as Legal Counsel for Credit Suisse Bank in Manhattan) and Shayon, her husband, is a Professor of Physics at the University of Hartford—and is currently on summer break.
Back at Mimi’s beautiful, spacious home in Fairfield, right opposite the Brooklawn Country Club and Golf Links, we settled down into a really plush and very comfy sofa. It was actually the first time I had been to their place as we usually meet in restaurants. They gave me the tour of their home and showed me their large back yard which is really very well manicured by professional gardeners. I was also thrilled to see the things that Mimi had taken from our estate sale—two masks (one we had bought in Poland and another in South America) that joined her collection of masks on the wall and the Royal Doulton porcelain flowers (which I had always loved) and which are now in a glass vase on the buffet of her dining table. She also has our Stratford-on-Avon plate. Like me, Mimi is a confirmed Anglophile as she studied British Jurisprudence at the University of Cambridge in the UK—the Other Place (as we, from Oxford, call it!).
Their twin children—Anshul and Ankshita—joined us for dinner. The family had just returned from a fabulous holiday in Crete where they had rented an Air B&B for a week. They had also toured Athens. We had a lot to talk about in terms of their wonderful holiday experiences. As for the food, well, what can I say??? They made me a typical Bengali meal (as they are Bengalis, of course) that included everything: 3 types of vegetables, chicken curry (made by Shayon), shrimp with potatoes (made by Mimi), rice, dal, hot and fresh off the tava (griddle), plus pakoras and a delightful salad. Dessert was gulab jamuns and chocolate fudge ice-cream! I mean, truly, it was a meal fit for a king and we all ate well. There was much laughter and chatter around the table as the entire family regaled me with all sorts of stories and I had a really grand time.
By 10.00 pm, I asked if I could stop at another friend’s place—Swapna’s—so that I could pick up two belts that belong to Llew and which he had left behind to be brought back to India later by Swapna’s husband, Rasik. Swapna was still up and told me I was welcome to come and pick up the belts. This gave me a chance to introduce Swapna to Mimi and Shayon and, of course, immediately, they found out that they had met before at someplace else. I did pick up the belts and then off we went. The Sinhas dropped me back to Leslie’s place where we reached at close to 11.00 pm.
What a splendid day it had been! I consider myself so blessed to have friends who are so warm, hospitable and welcoming and who are making my stay here in Connecticut so special.
Until tomorrow…cheerio!Thursday, August 24, 2023
Lovely Lunch at Centro in Fairfield with an Italian Friend and Browsing for Vintage Jewelry in a Thrift Store in Southport, Connecticut
Tuesday, August 22, 2023
Fairfield and Southport, Connecticut
Lovely Lunch at Centro with an Italian Friend and Browsing for Vintage Jewelry in a Thrift Store
Today was much less eventful than many of the past few days, but it is good to have some breathing room in the midst of non-stop activity. I awoke early, as usual, and had my muesli and coffee for breakfast even while I taught three of my online classes. I am glad that I am able to carry them out; but they leave me exhausted.
Browsing for Vintage Jewelry:
After breakfast, Leslie (who was going to run a few errands) dropped me off at the Carousel Thrift Store which reopened today after 2 weeks’ summer break. It was packed and I could not believe how many women had zeroed in on the idea of getting there early to get first dibs at everything. I left with a nice haul of costume jewelry and ran into an old friend there. Butzi Moffit comes across for a natter and a browse around with her assistant every so often. I spent a few minutes visiting with her before I left and walked towards the village where I was to be met by my friend, Fausta, with whom I was supposed to have lunch at Centro’s Italian Restaurant in Fairfield Center.
Italian Lunch with a Friend:
Fausta came, as planned, in her car and met me outside Barbara Barbara where I sat for a few minutes on a bench to get my breath back. It was a warm afternoon but not humid and I was glad to have such terrific weather throughout my stay here. I was on the phone with Misha of NYU—dealing with medical insurance issues—when she arrived. We settled down in Centro’s and studied the menu. It felt nice to be able to have lunch on a week day—this is the huge benefit of being retired and I am enjoying it immensely.
Both of us chose to stick with iced water and for lunch we chose the Salmon Salade Nicoise which was absolutely delicious and very large. We both took doggie bags home. Of course, we caught up with a whole lot of things and chatted quite continuously. I was also happy to bump into Mary-Jo, a lady I knew years ago through my next-door neighbor, Trish—who has since moved to Mill Hill Terrace. We visited for a while and then left.
Fausta dropped me off at Balducci’s from where I picked up Maldon Salt and then she dropped me home. Once over at Leslie’s, I had a nice afternoon nap and made a few calls (Annu in CA, Rosemary in Florida, etc). It was great that I finally had the time to make calls.
In the evening, I watched Ted Lasso with Leslie before we stopped to eat dinner. I enjoyed the remnants of my Salade Nicoise before we called it a day.
Until tomorrow…cheerio!
Wednesday, August 23, 2023
Long Morning Walk to the Salt Marshes in Fairfield, Lunch with Bonnie in Southport, A Spurt of Shopping, Dinner and Dessert with my Brother’s Family
Monday, August 21, 2023
Long Morning Walk to the Salt Marshes in Fairfield, Lunch with Bonnie in Southport, A Spurt of Shopping, Dinner and Dessert with my Brother’s Family
Today was another enjoyable day, but then I guess in these posts I am focusing on all the fun I am having and leaving out the nitty gritty, annoying details pertaining to banking and medical insurance issues that have been plaguing me since I arrived here and that I am trying hard to resolve.
Anyway, I awoke at 5.30 or 6.00 am (getting latter now for sure), did some blogging (no time to read at all) and then washed and got ready for the three classes I taught, back to back, for an hour each. By the time I was done and could have my breakfast, it was 10.30 am and I was famished.
Breakfast of muesli and yogurt and coffee done, I got ready to leave with Leslie to get her car tyres fixed at Town Fair Tyres. My friend Bonnie was going to pick me up from there at 10.45 and by the time we arrived, she was already in the parking lot. It was not long before she drove me to her place where we parked.
A Lovely Long Walk in the Fairfield Marshes:
I will always be grateful to Bonnie for showing me this gorgeous walk in Fairfield. It takes you across the Salt Marshes that back up to the sea and are always filled with bird life especially white egrets which are Bonnie’s favorite bird. This time too, we had such a swell walk together as we always have so much to discuss and so much to notice. We swung by the edge of the water (we could not go on to the beach as they had some tree-trimming going on), but then we got on to the marshes and walked to the water. We had a lot to talk about with regards to her daughter’s wedding at the weekend and I could see that Bonnie was keyed up and also excited.
Reviewing Stuff in Bonnie’s Basement:
Once we arrived at her place, we had a cold Coke each as the walk had left us winded. Then, we went straight down to her basement as I needed to pick up some of the items I had left behind in her home. This took us about fifteen minutes and by this time, Bonnie told me she was hungry and wanted to know if I would go back with her to The Driftwood Café in Southport Village to share a tuna sandwich—as we’d had one last week and she said she was “jones-ing” for one. I had never heard this expression which she told me dated back to the 1950s! Interesting. With my items placed in my suitcase (which will become my carry-on on my flight back, but a silver tray left behind as we simply did not have the weight allowance for it, we left Bonnie’s place together and made our way to Southport Village,
Lunch at The Driftwood Café in Southport Village:
We settled down at The Driftwood Café and ordered the same thing we’d had last week. We shared a tuna sandwich on toasted whole wheat with a Diet Coke each. Lovely light lunch and being in the neighborhood hangout that has been in business for decades was quite something.
Library Browsing:
Bonnie then dropped me and my suitcase back to the Pequot Library parking lot where I awaited Leslie’s arrival at 2.00 pm. I placed my suitcase in her trunk and then went down to the basement bins to see if I could find any friends. Sadly, I missed Stephanie who had left on vacation—I was looking forward to getting a picture with her. However, I did meet Sandy Zera who gave me a hug and told me that she missed both Llew and me very much. A little social visiting later, I was on my way again.
A Long Spurt of Shopping:
This time, since I had access to Leslie’s car until 6.00 pm when I would need me to return to take her back home, I was able to go from one big shop to the next buying up all the items on our list: sadly, Bed Bath and Beyond had closed but I was able to go to Stop and Shop, Staples, Home Goods, the Main Fairfield Library where I needed to do some reference work, and then, because it was so hot, I stopped at Dairy Queen and had my favorite blizzard—yes, for lunch (after all, ‘tis the season!)! This time, I was able to explain to the salesperson exactly how I like my blizzards and she made me a really great one! With a chocolate ice-xream base, chocolate dipping sauce and chocolate-covered cherries! I was thrilled! With my Blizzard done, I went off to Home Goods where I found the oven mitts I wanted.
With about 20 minutes to spare, I swung back on the Post Road to get to the Pequot Library to be just in time to meet Leslie who would be finishing up her shift at work. I requested her to drop me off to my next port of call, Colony Grill, as I had plans to meet my brother’s family there.
Dinner with my Brother’s Family:
I had plans to see my brother Roger and his family at Colony Grill at 7.00 pm and thought I would simply get there an hour earlier and wait. But, en route to the place, Leslie happened to inform me that the Fairfield Main Library was open till 8.00 pm. It made more sense for me to go there and pass my time in a library rather than in a crowded and noisy place on my own. So that’s what I did. This left me an hour to browse through some of my favorite magazines (that I really do miss in India) such as Victoria and Real Simple. In fact, I found out that Victoria has a special issue on England (they do this once a year) and that they had beautiful photo-features on Oxford and Highclerc Castle. Well, I decided to take pictures of these pages because the photography was so beautiful.
6.50pm, I began walking towards Colony Grill and was there in five minutes. My brother’s family had arrived and we were lucky, apparently, to find a booth as there was a line out the door. They told me that this is one of their favorite places in Fairfield and that they take all their guests to this place. I have to say that I was very surprised as I have never (in all my years living in Fairfield) ever been to this spot! The pizza, it seems, is renowned here and since pizza is all they serve, they have gained a vast reputation for it.
Pizza at Colony Grill takes the form of something called “hot oil pizza”. It is extremely thin crust, comes with a very thin layer of what looks like cheese (but is not mozzarella as it is not stringy) and a light tomato sauce. Although I thought it was a novel experience, this is not my idea of pizza and nowhere in the world (not even anywhere in Italy) have I come across pizza like this. I cannot say I was a huge fan. I prefer my pizza with more body and much more filling on it. This has a couple of meatballs, a lot of delicious pepperoni (saving grace) and a few pieces of sausage (all on the individual pizzas that went by these names). There was also a pickled chilli pepper at the top which was able to offer some much-needed heat. Overall, it was an unusual eating experience.
More importantly, we had a really good time at the dinner and talked about all sorts of things including my stay here and all the things I am managing to accomplish. It was lovely and we had a nice evening.
After dinner, when we left the place, the family conferred among themselves and decided to go out for dessert. Here too, they took me to a place to which I had never been. It’s called Whale Tea and is in a tucked-away corner at the other end of the Bodega strip mall. Inside I found those novelty teas that I had first seen in Hawai’i a long time ago. They are filled with tapioca pearls which I do not like at all. Aside from the teas, there was what is called ‘stir-fried’ ice-cream or ‘rolled’ ice-cream. It’s similar to the sort of gimmicky thing they do at Cold Stone Creamery where they flatten the ice-cream down with one’s own choice of mix-ins and toppings. Using a flat spatula, these are then rolled into an ice-cream cup. I had just a couple of tastes as I’d had my Dairy Queen blizzard in the afternoon and did not want to overdose on ice-cream! More chatter, more laughter around the table until finally, it was time for me to take their leave and say Goodbye to them as I do not think I will see them again before I return to India.
Roger then dropped me back home to Leslie’s and I was able to spend a few moments with Leslie and Sunil before calling it a night. Yes, it had been another splendid day and I am really grateful I have all these opportunities to meet up with a variety of people and enjoy a variety of experiences.
Until tomorrow…cheerio!
Breakfast with Former Southport Neighbors at Gruel Britannia, Mass at St. Anthony’s, Lunch with Friends at South Street Seaport in Manhattan and Viewing the Frick Collection in the Met-Brauer Museum
Sunday, August 20, 2023
Southport and Fairfield, Connecticut and Manhattan, New York
Breakfast with Former Southport Neighbors at Gruel Britannia, Mass at St. Anthony’s, Lunch with Friends at South Street Seaport in Manhattan and Viewing the Frick Collection in the Met-Brauer Museum
Today was unbelievably eventful and very very enjoyable. My day began early as I had to get ready for breakfast at 8.30 am in Southport. I was lucky that, after I washed and dressed, Leslie dropped me to Gruel Britannia, the cool British-themed restaurant that opened, a few years ago, in Southport, Connecticut.
I took my seat in a place that was practically empty at that hour. I was really hungry and ordered a decaff coffee right away as I waited for my friends Pui and Ken Hom to show up. They came about 15 minutes later, after I’d had a chance to study the menu and decide what I wanted. There were so many exciting choices (I certainly had my eye on the smoked salmon brioche roll), but eventually, since it was a British eatery, I chose The British Breakfast Plate. Pui chose the Smoked Salmon Platter and Ken had the Avocado Toast—all of which are absolutely scrumptious, I am sure). Certainly my platter was much too large for me to finish at one go and I asked for it to be packed for me. I had a hard time, to be honest, carrying it around with me all day, but I had little choice in the matter.
We had a truly wonderful time together and the Homs treated me to breakfast—they refused to allow me to pay and I was really grateful for the treat. We chatted non-stop through the entire two hours we spent together and I have to say I was reluctant to leave as we were having such a good time. But I did have to go to Mass which began at 10.00n am. They dropped me to church (which was literally just around the corner) and off I went.
Mass at St. Anthony of Padua Church:
I had attended the 8.15 am Mass last Sunday when I had run into a few friends. This Sunday, I was attending the 10.00 am Mass--when you usually see different people and I was surprised that so many of them came up to say Hi to me and Welcome Back—just as several had done last week. It’s funny…but I recalled the early years when I used to go back to my parish in Bandra, Bombay (35 years ago) and folks used to come up to me to say Welcome Back to my parish in Bombay! Of course, as the years went by (all 35 of them!), people moved or passed away, younger congregations became evident and fewer people continued to know me—the old timers still do, of course, and they still know my Dad and Russel…but time does have an impact, all the same.
Mass was said by Fr. John Murray, SJ, whose masses I always enjoy. Indeed, there is something extraordinary about returning to Mass at St. Anthony’s, indeed hearing Mass in any part of the world, except India. I hate to say this because I don’t want to appear as if I am simply bad-mouthing my own city (as it is now), but I find the music, the choir, the sermon simply superb when I travel as the priests make the Mass so interesting and refrain from putting their congregation to sleep. If there is one thing I miss about living overseas (whether it is the UK or the USA), it is the quality of the Masses I enjoy in these countries. We, in Bombay, simply cannot compare (in my humble opinion).
After Mass, I went to the sacristy to say Hello to Wendy Long, my friend, who was at the Lectern—only to discover that there was high drama going on. Fr. Murray was flat out on the floor. Whether it was the ‘heat’ that got him (to my mind, it was a really pleasant day....but he had his heavy vestments on) or a heart attack, who knows? Many people were swarming around him, bringing him water, a candy bar and calling the ambulance and the EMT services. Through all of this drama, I met Joanne and Fausta, two friends, who hugged and kissed me and looked very worried about the priest’s fate.
Touring our Lovely New Church Gardens:
I had been hearing a lot about the new church gardens that have been created on our church property, thanks to the efforts of a bunch of parishioners who planted them and take care of them. Fausta had to run but Joanne offered to show me around them and then to drop me to Fairfield Station as I had to take the train into Manhattan for my next appointment with my friends.
Yes, the gardens are lovely. We used to have just one, devoted to Our Lady (the Blessed Mother), but I was surprised to see that a large Vegetable Garden had also been planted. The beds were filled with various kinds of tomatoes, Swiss chard, lettuce, chilli peppers, and all sorts of herbs. I was told by Joanne that the produce is harvested and donated to Merton House, a Catholic charity nearby. We then moved on to the Pollinator Garden which was absolutely buzzing with bees and monarch butterflies. Since these gardens receive full sun, it is almost magical the towering heights to which they grow.
Finally, we stopped at the piece de resistance: the Labyrinth Garden that was designed and planted in memory of our beloved Parish priest, Fr. John Baran, who died in 2016. He was deeply loved by all of us because he was such a special person. When he passed away, he left us all bereft and it was decided that a great way to remember him would be by creating a stone labyrinth on the ground in a maze-like design that would be surrounded by flowers and plants and benches (many of which have been placed there in memory of other parishioners who have died such as my friend, Fred Wheeler). Yes, I could sense the spirit of Fr. John in this space and I was glad I had the chance to spend a few thoughtful moments in his garden.
On the Train to New York:
Joanne was lovely and she did drop me off to Fairfield Station to allow me to get on to the 11.12 am train (which was running late—which was why I managed to get it). I bought my ticket and settled down to await the arrival of the train. During the long journey into the city, I spoke to my friend Ian who was supposed to be present for lunch in New York City today, but who had developed a sudden and very painful attack of gout. He told me all about his ailment before we went on to talk about a large number of things. In fact, our conversation went on for over an hour while we pulled into Grand Central Station. I realized that I needed to use the facilities so off I went to the basement rest rooms where I could not believe now long the line was! Fortunately, it moved really quickly and I was able to then hop on the subway to get to my next destination.
We were initially supposed to meet in midtown Manhattan but Susan, who was joining my friend Jenny and me for lunch suddenly decided that Midtown would be too crowded and that we should meet downtown at South Street Seaport. She wanted us to eat at a new place that has sprung up right on the waterfront and which she discovered yesterday—called Industry Kitchen. I have to say that the journey to get down to Fulton Street from Grand Central was long and annoying as it involved changing trains.
Anyway, Susan had made a reservation for 1.30 and it was just 1.30 when I arrived at the place. Both Susan and Jenny were there and we were soon seated in the shade on the patio which happened to be buzzing. As in every major touring destination, here too, in New York City, there are tons of tourists everywhere. We had little glimpses of Brooklyn Bridge from our table and under really benign blue skies and a river that sparkled wondrously, we ordered our meal. I had a frozen margarita (that was really stiff) while Jenny Lou had prosecco and Susan had a Bloody Mary. For our brunch, I chose Waffles with Strawberry Compote, Whipped Cream and Maple Syrup, Jenny chose the Bean Soup and Lamb Chops and Susan had Huevos Rancheros. Needless to say, our meal was simply splendid. Portions were not outsized and all of us managed to finish them all while we chatted nineteen to the dozen. We are old friends that go back at least 35 years—so you can imagine that we have a whole history to recount when we meet and so many people to inquire and talk about—not to mention ourselves and our lives and the turns they have taken.
But, by 4.00pm, Susan said she had another evening’s appointment, Jenny said she wanted to get back home as she had a long way to go to Southern New Jersey and I wanted to go and see the Frick Collection as I had tried to see it last November and had not succeeded.
A Walk Around Wall Street:
However, before I got on the subway to try to get to Uptown Madison Avenue, I decided to take a stroll around South Street Seaport which used to be my haunt in my early days as a new immigrant in New York. I have really happy memories of this place as it was instrumental in enabling me to accept the reality of my new life as an immigrant in a city for which I did not care too much and where my experiences were not very happy.
I was also quite happy to wander around the city’s Financial District and to take in the sights of the skyscrapers of the old and new corporate buildings towering all around me. It was such an uplifting feeling. But I realized that the reason I had found this area so dirty and decrepit thirty-five years ago, had much to do with my own state of mind at the time. Now that I am in a different mental place, the world seems like a far happier place to me! It is really uncanny! Anyway, it was great to pass by the Federal Reserve Bank and to notice the heavily grilled windows that house the country’s gold reserves in the basement and to catch a glimpse of the new Peace Tower that has taken the place of the old twin towers of the World Trade Center. Almost 25 years have passed since that fateful day when I was in Manhattan and saw the twin towers fall! Now the 9/11 Memorial and Museum stand in the place of the former towers. The new building is much shorter but it is still quite striking.
I got into the subway at Fulton Street and then found myself going through a really horribly complicated journey to get across town and then uptown. So irritating. It took me a full hour to get to the Met-Brauer because the L train which would have connected me to 14th Street and Union Square was not running, Instead, we had to go back to street level and take a special shuttle bus that was running passengers to Union Square.
Seeing the Frick Collection at the Met-Brauer Museum:
Anyway, by the time I finally arrived at the Met-Brauer, it was about 5.10 pm and since the Museum closes at 6.00 pm, I knew I had just 45 minutes to see it. The assistant told me that it was on three floors. I was given a free ticket with my Met ID card and off I went. I took the elevator to the fourth floor and thought I would make my way downstairs. This seemed like the most efficient way to do it.
Sadly, no photography was allowed in the Museum, but I managed to feast my eyes on the absolutely first-rate collection of art and decorative objects that Henry Clay Frick managed to amass in his lifetime and which he housed in his mansion on 70th Street and Fifth Avenue. Of course, I have been to the Frick Mansion many times—it is one of my favorite places in New York City. But I had not seen the art work for a really long time and I was delighted to take in the masterpieces of painters such as Rembrandt, Monet, Turner, Constable, Vermeer, Bronzino. Hobbema, El Greco, etc. Plus, there is a huge amount of work by Chardin and Boucher (which reminded me very much of the Wallace Collection in London). Truly, it was a feast for the eyes and I was satiated. I was super thrilled that despite the awful journey to get to the site, I managed to make it on time and was able to see it all—because who knows when I will be able to return to New York City again or have so much time to see it all.
On the Bus Back to Harlem:
Now that I know that there are buses that go uptown to Harlem so easily, you can bet I will give the subway a pass. Accordingly, I jumped on to the Uptown Madison Avenue bus and, since it was a Sunday, we just zipped through to the north. In the bus, I had a chance to chat to my friend Raquel in Boston who was very disappointed that I was not able to make it to Boston on this trip. Still, maybe next time…when Llew is with me, I shall.
On the Train Back Home to Westport:
I was very happy to discover that Leslie was free to pick me up from Westport station and take me straight home. She had cooked dinner and there was the appetizing aroma of chilli wafting around the kitchen. She had also baked cornbread from a package which was absolutely delicious and I volunteered to fix a green salad which I did. With her husband Sunil at home, the three of us had a really nice dinner and caught up on our day.
Yes, it was, as I said, a truly eventful and very satisfying day and I felt deeply pleased at its outcome. I simply then brushed and flossed by teeth and changed for bed.
Until tomorrow…cheerio!
Tuesday, August 22, 2023
A Hearty Breakfast with a Dear Friend in Southport, Ice-Cream with our Realtor and a Fabulous Dinner Party in Syosset, Long Island
Saturday, August 19, 2023
Fairfield and Southport, Connecticut
A Hearty Breakfast with a Dear Friend in Southport, Ice-Cream with our Realtor and a Fabulous Dinner Party in Syosset, Long Island
I woke up early today happy to note that I had a lovely day in store. I merely washed and got dressed and then called an Uber for my ride. Both Leslie and Sunil were busy with the family conference call they do by Zoom every Saturday with their international family. Hence, I could not drag them off to give me a ride. The Uber worked fine and within 10 minutes’ of calling for one, the driver was at my door. He was an exceptionally polite man and I had a very good ride.
Breakfast with an Old Friend, Jane Dean:
My friend Jane Dean is old—in more ways than one. I discovered that she is 88 (although chatting with her, it is hard to believe she is on the wrong side of sixty!) and she is someone I have known closely for at least 15 years. Jane used to live in Southport Village, traveled to India with Llew and me when we had taken 22 Southport ladies on a tour of India, invited us frequently to her home for wonderful meals, over the years, and, in general, has been a dear friend. About a year ago, she sold her home and moved to an assisted living community called Maplewood, about five minutes down the road in Southport, which is better than any five-star hotel. She has other Southport friends there—so she does not lack for company or for things to do (it helps to have a vibrant mind and loads of interests in one’s old age), but she is only now getting used to the loss of her independence and the fact that she is not really in her own home.
Breakfast was in the dining hall which looks like a posh restaurant. She told me to come for breakfast because that is one meal during which, as she said, “you can have whatever you like”. After a couple of false starts (I wanted Waffles which they could not provide and then Eggs Benedict which they said they cannot do!), I settled for a ham, cheese and mushroom omlette with sausages, orange juice and decaff coffee. Jane was being good and decided to have oatmeal with fresh blueberries. Oh, the meal was just splendid and I enjoyed every mouthful. But, more than anything else, I enjoyed Jane’s company for there are not many people I know who can keep up a scintillating conversation, match me idea for idea, flit from one subject to the next quite effortlessly (and when I say topics I don’t mean idle gossip) and bring fun and laughter into all her pronouncements. She is also very fond of Llew, gets my monthly newsletter, keeps abreast of all our news and sends me some of her’s too. It’s all great fun and we really enjoy being with her.
When breakfast was over at 9.30am, we took the elevator and adjourned to her room on the second floor where we sat down and chatted some more. I love Jane’s lovely collection of paintings and art work on her wall, the photographs of her family and other keepsakes and mementoes that have colored her life. But soon, it was time for me to leave and when Jane discovered that I had taken an Uber, she told me that she would give me a ride home.
Accordingly, I requested her to drop me off to Trader Joe’s from where I could pick up a salad for lunch and then spend a large part of the morning packing. I was rather worried about fitting my things into my two suitcases—and so that’s what I did.
I spent a good part of the morning working on packing my two lamps (that I have brought back from my office at NYU) back in my suitcases in such a way that they do not break. I do not want the banker’s lamp to break as it has a glass lampshade and, for that matter, I do not want the other ceramic lamp to break either. It has a beautiful lampshade and I am hoping that it will not be bent out of shape in the process of reaching India.
When I had spent more than an hour working on my suitcase, I weighed it and found that I had exactly 48 pounds in it (I am allowed 50). So, I will not be putting anything more into that suitcase. Everything else will have to fit into the other suitcase (or be left behind for other folks to bring to us).
Just when I was starting to feel fatigued and my back started aching, I got a call from our realtor, Britt, asking me to join her for ice-cream at Dairy Queen (my favorite neighborhood ice-cream place).
Ice-Cream with our Realtor, Britt Petrucci: We have also been blessed with an extraordinary realtor, Britt Petrucchi, who handled our tenancy agreement and then went out on a limb to iron out so many aspects and clauses (as we were so far away in India). She was keen to meet me after she knew that I was Stateside and, as she used to work in my favorite ice-cream place (Dairy Queen), she suggested we go there for a Blizzard—my favorite kind. Well, sadly, my favorite blizzard-maker, Beth-Ann, is no longer at the Fairfield DQ—she is now in Monroe, CT. Of course, I was heartbroken to find this out, but was also delighted to hear that Britt is Beth-Ann’s best friend! Wow! It seems that they had both started working at this DQ when they were 15 years old. They are now in their early-40s! Of course, they do other jobs for a living; but they always return to do part-time hours in this happy place, Britt told me. Sadly, not any ore. Management has changed and they do not see eye to eye with the new owner! So sad! Well, I was treated by Britt to a Chocolate Cherry Love Blizzard (which was not nearly as good as the ones that Beth-Anne usually makes for me), but hey, I did not complain. I enjoyed my huge ice-cream and had a chance to visit with Britt and learn a lot about her and her family. She has been really terrific to us and both Llew and I have grown really fond of her. So I was super glad I was able to make the time to see her. Britt dropped me back home to Leslie’s place in Westport. I had a bit of a lie-down before I woke up to take a shower and get ready for the next item on my agenda: I was invited to Syosset, Long Island, to the home of one of my oldest friends in the USA, Doreen. She and her husband John live in a lovely house with a large garden at the back and tons of space indoors. Doreen and John had also invited a couple called Ralph and Lynne who live in nearby Norwalk and I was very fortunate that they offered to come and pick me up and take me with them to the Bellomo’s place. < Off to Dinner with the Bellomos in Syosset, Long Island: Ralph arrived with Lynne at 5.30 pm and off we went. The miles were swiftly eaten up by our non-stop chatting as we made our way to Long Island. This couple is originally from Bandra and we do have a lot of friends in common—so there was a lot to talk about. By the time we reached Doreen’s place, it was just past 7.00 pm. Doreen’s Mum was already seated outside and I was delighted to see her after absolute years. She looked very well indeed and chatting with her is always a pleasure. A little later, we were joined by another couple—also close friends of ours—Anita and Allan Walther. I had, in fact, introduced Anita to Doreen at least 30 years ago and we have all remained very close friends. Anita’s mother Kamla also came along and it was a pleasure to see her too after such a long time as she lives in Delhi. There was much to chat about over Doreen’s spread of appetizers: cheese and grapes, chicken malai kebabs served on sheikh kebab skewers with peppers and onions, Indian style potato samosas with mint chutney and tamarind chutney as we sipped wines and seltzers. As twilight gradually descended over the group, we adjourned inside. We found that Doreen had cooked a huge spread that included mutton korma, pea pullao, black pepper shrimp, mango salad, cauliflower gratin, fish oreganato and an assorted bread basket. In fact, even though I took only a small spoon of each dish, there was so much on my plate that I was full just looking at it. Desserts were equally lovely: Doreen made Ina Garten’s Peach and Raspberry Cobbler, there was vanilla ice-cream to go with the Cobbler and Ralph and Lynne brought a mousse cake (I had taken Chocolate Truffles from Trader Joe’s). So, you can just imagine how stuffed we were by the time we arose from the table. Indeed Doreen had taken an enormous amount of trouble and we were most impressed by and very grateful for her efforts. When it was about 11.00 pm, Ralph and Lynne decided to call it a night as we had at least a 90 minute drive back to Connecticut. We said our long goodbyes before we were finally out the door and in our car and headed back on the highway. It was about 12.30 pm, by the time I put my key into the door. Until tomorrow…cheerio!