Day 9: Newfound respect for Food Courts!

There are few things that bring me to greater despair than being the captive audience of the food court at a mall. In the United States. The very sight of fast food cash registers and characterless counter tops doling out large portions of terrible food from the likes of Sbarro's, something or the other called 'Peking Wok', the atrocity that is the local 'Taste of India', and wait for it, McDonalds, is just hard on my food-loving soul.

But a food court in India... I'd be happy to buy some property and just settle down in one of those. Observe Exhibit A to the right - the food court at the Inox, Nariman Point. Observe, and weep. For this is what us phoren types are missing. Kabab Company, Bombay Blue, Simply Sizzlers, some place selling Indianized Lebanese food, Swati Snacks. Biryani, bhel puri, gelato. Under one crowded roof. I looked around jealously at the office crowd lunching there - suited I-bankers, traders, clerical staff, my mother!

As I shoveled down a 'Maharaja Chicken Sizzler' and some Bombay Blue chicken, I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if I worked for say, a McKinsey at their Express Towers office, and walked over to Inox for lunch on a Friday. Now there's a thought. Bunty Mundra, you and your people listening?

This was also my last trip to SICOM, where the mother of mine has worked for 34 years. Or is it 32. After 30 it's just one big, unbelievable number anyway. But yeah, I'll miss visiting her there. So here's a commemorative picture of a financial curiosity she has in her office. Yes, it's a half-bull-half-bear. (I bet South Park would have an outrageous and creative term for this critter).

So, watched a movie at Regal, Colaba after possibly 10 years. Band Baaja Baarat. Strictly average movie. But it wasn't bad. And these days, 'wasn't bad' is the new 'I didn't totally hate myself for spending three hours in there'. But really, not bad. Entertaining. Liked the music. And the girl is cute. Does anyone know if she's single, and reads some of the less popular travel/food blogs, and wouldn't mind terribly moving to Ann Arbor? She can't dance though. Not very well anyway. Not without some dance lessons. Oh, wait, there's another idea.

I don't know how spending Rs. 250-300 on mediocre movies is justified. Rs. 70 at Regal is such a good deal. Also, if you know how I can use the new Rupee symbol in a blog instead of the dorky 'Rs.', let me know?