I've been spending a lot of time on balconies recently. It's not intentional, just something that has happened. Last night, for example, I spent time on three separate balconies in Worli. I think that makes me enough of an authority to identify the best balcony in Worli - or BBW if you are a consultant and like to use acronyms indiscriminately.
Balcony #1: My balcony. My apartment has a small balcony - I like to go outside and just look at this insanely huge and crazy city I'm living in. Last night I was surprised to find three different office chairs sitting on the balcony that hadn't been there the last time I was out there. This is one of the odd parts of having a staff that services the apartment - they will move things, switch things around, bring in new items, all without explanation. I'm not sure why we need 3 chairs on the balcony. Maybe I'll find out, but they'll probably be gone in a couple days to back from whence they came...
Balcony #2: Aer. This is name of the rooftop bar at the Four Seasons. It has these gorgeous 360 degree views of Worli and the city of Mumbai. Ami, Kevin and I have been meaning to go there for a while now, but our schedules have just been too busy. With the monsoons arriving, Aer bar will close for the season soon, so we had to make sure to visit it at least once before the option was no longer available. It rained yesterday afternoon, so that when we called the hotel around 9 pm, they were closed, but said that it's possible they would open later tonight if the rain dried up. We decided to go grab dinner at a nearby restaurant and keep our fingers crossed that the bar would be open by the time that we were finished. We met up with a friend of Ami's from San Francisco, who also lives in Worli, and he suggested Olive restaurant by the racecourse. It's the same ownership as the Olive restaurant in Bandra, but much less "sceney" and more focused on the food than the crowd. The food was Mediterranean and was just ok. We had a veggie mezze platter with some delicious hummus and pita and cous cous, but my gnocchi main course was underwhelming. We spent some time catching up with Kishore (Ami's friend) and then called Aer and confirmed that they were indeed open - yippee! We arrived at the bar - it's at least 20 stories up with chic white furniture and clear glass barriers extending about 6 feet high to keep people from being swept up by the wind, I suppose. Since it was a Monday night, the bar was pretty empty. We ordered some insanely expensive drinks (I made sure mine had fresh pineapple juice in it, yummm) and hung out there for a little while. We talk about our upcoming house party, my dating adventures, and how Kevin was approached by a 60-year old man at a public pool and went to coffee with him randomly before the guy invited Kevin upstairs to his apartment (he declined) - and then how on the same day how he jumped on the back of a different strange man's motorbike to get a ride to yoga class. He wasn't sure how to hold on to the guy so awkwardly held onto his shoulders as if he were giving him a massage - hilarious. Kevin has been holding out on us with these stories - they happened 2 weeks ago! Anyway, we took some photos of the view from this balcony, and then decided it was time to go home.
Balcony #3: As we're walking out of the hotel, Kishore offers to bring the group back to his apartment so that we can see the view from his balcony, which he has dubbed the best balcony in Worli - or BBW (I can't claim ownership of the phrase). Ami has already been there before, but Kevin and I are interested and so we all go across the street to hang out a little longer (Kishore lives very close to the Four Seasons). Since Kishore grew up in the US, his is by far the most western apartment I've seen here in the states. He has a couch very similar to Jen and Chris' couch, an XBox and other various furnishings that just felt western to me. It was comforting, actually. His balcony turned out to be as good as promised - it didn't have the neon lights or expensive bar menu that Aer offered, but it has an expansive view and is quiet and peaceful. I would have to agree with his boast - this is my favorite balcony in Worli. Now if I can only figure out how to get invited back to enjoy it some more.... :) Anyway the four of us hung out and watched Modern Family - American TV! I haven't turned on the TV since I've been here - again, it was comforting.
Worli is a great neighborhood to live in. Aside from not experiencing regular power outages, it's an older part of the city with less crime and poverty than you find elsewhere. We're close by SeaLink (the brige I posted pictures of a while ago), which means it's easy to get to Bandra and the northern suburbs without having to go through the city. We have ocean views, a boardwalk on which to stroll, and cool breezes blowing down the streets. Even though I still think that my firm is significantly overpaying for the rent in our apartment, I'm really glad that I'm staying there nonetheless.
The rest of my week is filling up quickly. I'm being courted by no fewer than 13 different men - it's becoming quite overwhleming, actually. I had to turn down two separate date invitations last night because I had planned to go to Aer already. These men don't seem to understand the concept of requiring some advance notice to get a date - they both asked me several times if I could meet up at various times/places last night. I'm not sure what kind of women they're used to dealing with, but you need to give me several days' notice if you want to get on my social calendar (especially here in India)! I'm not sure why they're so eager - I realize that the novelty of me being white is factoring into their interest, but I'm not sure what else is behind it. Guys in the states are so much more noncommittal - "hey can I have your number" doesn't always translate to the guy actually calling you. Here, if I give someone my number they are texting me or calling me within hours. Hours! Hopefully these guys will quickly learn that they need to book me in advance if they want to spend any time with me - I already have plans for the next three nights lined up. Maybe these guys are just used to girls being at their beck and call? Or maybe I'm being too harsh and they're just eager to meet me because they know I'm leaving in 6 weeks. I don't know - will keep you posted.
Balcony #1: My balcony. My apartment has a small balcony - I like to go outside and just look at this insanely huge and crazy city I'm living in. Last night I was surprised to find three different office chairs sitting on the balcony that hadn't been there the last time I was out there. This is one of the odd parts of having a staff that services the apartment - they will move things, switch things around, bring in new items, all without explanation. I'm not sure why we need 3 chairs on the balcony. Maybe I'll find out, but they'll probably be gone in a couple days to back from whence they came...
Balcony #2: Aer. This is name of the rooftop bar at the Four Seasons. It has these gorgeous 360 degree views of Worli and the city of Mumbai. Ami, Kevin and I have been meaning to go there for a while now, but our schedules have just been too busy. With the monsoons arriving, Aer bar will close for the season soon, so we had to make sure to visit it at least once before the option was no longer available. It rained yesterday afternoon, so that when we called the hotel around 9 pm, they were closed, but said that it's possible they would open later tonight if the rain dried up. We decided to go grab dinner at a nearby restaurant and keep our fingers crossed that the bar would be open by the time that we were finished. We met up with a friend of Ami's from San Francisco, who also lives in Worli, and he suggested Olive restaurant by the racecourse. It's the same ownership as the Olive restaurant in Bandra, but much less "sceney" and more focused on the food than the crowd. The food was Mediterranean and was just ok. We had a veggie mezze platter with some delicious hummus and pita and cous cous, but my gnocchi main course was underwhelming. We spent some time catching up with Kishore (Ami's friend) and then called Aer and confirmed that they were indeed open - yippee! We arrived at the bar - it's at least 20 stories up with chic white furniture and clear glass barriers extending about 6 feet high to keep people from being swept up by the wind, I suppose. Since it was a Monday night, the bar was pretty empty. We ordered some insanely expensive drinks (I made sure mine had fresh pineapple juice in it, yummm) and hung out there for a little while. We talk about our upcoming house party, my dating adventures, and how Kevin was approached by a 60-year old man at a public pool and went to coffee with him randomly before the guy invited Kevin upstairs to his apartment (he declined) - and then how on the same day how he jumped on the back of a different strange man's motorbike to get a ride to yoga class. He wasn't sure how to hold on to the guy so awkwardly held onto his shoulders as if he were giving him a massage - hilarious. Kevin has been holding out on us with these stories - they happened 2 weeks ago! Anyway, we took some photos of the view from this balcony, and then decided it was time to go home.
Balcony #3: As we're walking out of the hotel, Kishore offers to bring the group back to his apartment so that we can see the view from his balcony, which he has dubbed the best balcony in Worli - or BBW (I can't claim ownership of the phrase). Ami has already been there before, but Kevin and I are interested and so we all go across the street to hang out a little longer (Kishore lives very close to the Four Seasons). Since Kishore grew up in the US, his is by far the most western apartment I've seen here in the states. He has a couch very similar to Jen and Chris' couch, an XBox and other various furnishings that just felt western to me. It was comforting, actually. His balcony turned out to be as good as promised - it didn't have the neon lights or expensive bar menu that Aer offered, but it has an expansive view and is quiet and peaceful. I would have to agree with his boast - this is my favorite balcony in Worli. Now if I can only figure out how to get invited back to enjoy it some more.... :) Anyway the four of us hung out and watched Modern Family - American TV! I haven't turned on the TV since I've been here - again, it was comforting.
Worli is a great neighborhood to live in. Aside from not experiencing regular power outages, it's an older part of the city with less crime and poverty than you find elsewhere. We're close by SeaLink (the brige I posted pictures of a while ago), which means it's easy to get to Bandra and the northern suburbs without having to go through the city. We have ocean views, a boardwalk on which to stroll, and cool breezes blowing down the streets. Even though I still think that my firm is significantly overpaying for the rent in our apartment, I'm really glad that I'm staying there nonetheless.
The rest of my week is filling up quickly. I'm being courted by no fewer than 13 different men - it's becoming quite overwhleming, actually. I had to turn down two separate date invitations last night because I had planned to go to Aer already. These men don't seem to understand the concept of requiring some advance notice to get a date - they both asked me several times if I could meet up at various times/places last night. I'm not sure what kind of women they're used to dealing with, but you need to give me several days' notice if you want to get on my social calendar (especially here in India)! I'm not sure why they're so eager - I realize that the novelty of me being white is factoring into their interest, but I'm not sure what else is behind it. Guys in the states are so much more noncommittal - "hey can I have your number" doesn't always translate to the guy actually calling you. Here, if I give someone my number they are texting me or calling me within hours. Hours! Hopefully these guys will quickly learn that they need to book me in advance if they want to spend any time with me - I already have plans for the next three nights lined up. Maybe these guys are just used to girls being at their beck and call? Or maybe I'm being too harsh and they're just eager to meet me because they know I'm leaving in 6 weeks. I don't know - will keep you posted.
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