Posting from the other side of the Wall

i.e. the Great Wall of China.

I was in China this week and as I wait on the swnaky new terminal 2 of Shanghai-Pudong Airport, I have nothing better to do but blog!!! Especially since its 2:20 am and my flght's not scheduled to take off till 3:30am....

So here's what happened/I learned in this trip:

Sweet gentleman that I was travelling with picked up Femina Magazine to read when he had plenty others that are supposed to interest men!
Jet's international service as well as aircrafts are truly international. Lovely experiance!
The 180degree flat seats are amazingly comfortable! You can sleep like a baby!! (Oh, how I wish they start boarding and I hit the sack...hmmmm)
I like Shanghai more each time I visit here.
Saw a Volkswagen's Beetle in convertible format on road. I want to buy one. Maybe not convertible though.
Ferrari sounds better rev-ing past on road than the race car counterpart through the idiot box. Why does a red Ferrari seem to - even, sound better?? Any ideas??
Watched an amazing Acrobatics show today evening at Shanghai Central Theatre. Awesome stuff. The write up hardly does justice to the quality of the show. Its quite superlative. Try this You Tube version. Watch this as well. We got fourth row seats and watching these artists perform right in front of you is even more mesmerising than the you tube versions. After this 90-100mins show was over I realised that throughout the show either my hand was clasped on my mouth in amazement or I was clapping!
Discovered a few more nice cafe s on Nanjing Street and enjoyed dinners there. My lovely little Italian place that was closed when I visited last time was found to be operational again this time around and needless to say I hogged there! Didn't miss breakfasts at Wagas-my fav diner either!! Went out to a 'lovely old bungalow converted into a fine dining restaurant' with ECADI team and ate most amazing lobster I have ever had! Whoever says decent food's a problem in China?!!!!! Ohhh and had lotsa Starbucks as well, as per the custom!
I want to find some report on whether the malls make money in China. The shear amount of retail space has once again defeated all my 'understanding' of retail real estate.
We have planned really nice lofts. I enojyed the process of design after an long time!! And also the heated discussions!!
Bought a whole lot of Architecture and Landscape books. The system ECADI has for buying the books is ultra-convinient. A lady brings a boxful EVERYDAY to their office!! The flip side of this, though, is my bag is now supernaturally heavy. And not only that I have had to purchase additional bag to fit it all in!
And the JET is boarding now~~ so Goodnight!!!!

Harajuku

X's written something (brilliantly well!) I was thinking of putting together! Read it yourself!!

Harajuku ~ Meadow Lodging

Oh and this is the 100th post!! How nice it is that this post is linking to X because of whom I started this url in the first place. Thanks X!

Did Do

Threw a surprise party for moi mamma on her 50th b'day along with sis chacha! She loved it and I happily ticked off one 'to do' on my list!! :)

Weekend Getaway

Ran off to Alibaug for two days!! It felt so refreshing that I am feeling like I am back from a 10 day vacation!!! Superlative!! Stayed in a lovely new property in the middle of nowhere - Radisson's Alibaug. Definitely recommended if you intend to get away from the bustle and want to 'do nothing' or for a romantic vacation for two or else to go with a gang and freak out!! The property is pretty new and they are yet to acquire the liquor license so all you alcohol freaks, please carry your own beverages. (they have an excellent lounge and disc by the way) But their food and service is par excellence!! They serve amazing seafood in kokani and malvani flavours. Not only have they successfully glorified 'उकडीचे मोदक' and 'ओल्या नाराळाची करंजी' but also serve 'पन्हं' , 'ताक़' and 'सोलकढी' as 'shooters' (Read potently prepared and served just enough to leave you wanting more!!)
I have not seen a pool with more that 25m lap length in a while in a resort and we totally enjoyed having it here! I loved swimming in the afternoons without getting tanned as the first monsoon poured!!

Find picts of the resort here:

Radisson's Alibaug June'08

It was easily the perfect weekend if Fedex would have fought back! You can't give to Raffa on a platter eh! Then it has no entertainment value!!!!

Too Close For Comfort

Too many narrow escapes...
Too many saves by a whisker...
Too many times we are hanging on by fingernails...
These are more than fare share of close calls I am ready to handle...

Need to do something about this... Dunno what though....

Unaccustomed Earth

is a total, absolute must read!! I am barely half way through but I am deeply moved by the sincere simplicity of telling stories that this pulitzer prize winner

I love 4pm in office End of May!

May ends and June beginnings! You know this is that time of the year when you see tufts of super white clouds in perfect sky blue skies. This is when the clarity of vision is superb. You know what I mean, right? Have you traveled in this time of the year by road?? Then you will know! The visibility of the horizon and clarity of the view somehow is maximum. For example on Mumbai Pune highway you can really see a mountain line after another extending so far ahead that the last mountain line totally looks deep purple-blue (like that bruise which starts showing up on the skin, well after it has stopped hurting! No, seriously! That IS the right shade!) The temperatures of the summer peak start easing around this time as well and the days and nights find a breeze with a promise of first showers!!!


It is a total joy to sit in this site office at this time! I have a West side facing window and the sun shining through the clouds lights up my desk with soft rays after 3pm. And all I see outside is lawn we have stitched ready for monsoons due to arrive shortly, those lovely clouds and lines of mountains intercepted by trees! Here's a sneak peak:

This is moi cluttered desktop sun-bathing

Looking out

Pushing those blinds away!

Heavens smiling!!!!

Now you know why I am such a workoholic!!!!

PS All pictures taken with a BlackBerry Curve phone camera...