Dear Anu,

Do send me the other story as well. :)

Else, nothing much...will go to work tomorrow after a week. You celebrating Onam?

Take care...

Love,

Pallavi

* * * *

Anupama Mohan to me
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04:08 (6 hours ago)

i hope so! Onam is on the 27th and last time we had the most annoying (hilarious to S) experience. S and i went to 'Madras Palace' whose online menu invitingly screamed 'Onam Special'. off we went on Onam day, and after 1.5 hrs of train, bus, and biped foray, we reach the place. basically, a middle-of-nowhere oasis. first thing to notice: full-throttle south india decor and jagjit singh music playing. ok, "so India is land of contradictions, sue me." we call curly-haired muchhooless waiter. menu comes - i take one look at 'Onam special menu' leaflet in the 14 page novel that is the hotel menu and say, this one. he smiles knowingly and nods his head. left to right. i am a little anxious in case he didnt understand 'this one' said with finger pointing towards leaflet held in plain sight by other hand. confusions happen, right. he clarifies - 'sorry, maadim. no Onam special today.' i am blunderstruck - 'but today is Onam - phbttt phbttt' now it is his turn to be blunderstruck. he recovers. 'yes, maadim. we dont have Onam special. every other day we have. today No.' S is laughing bullets out of his gall bladder by now. i am still thinking he can be redeemed - the waiter that is. so i speak slowly in case he is an escapee on barbiturates. 'today - is - Onam.' the pauses in my words marked the popping of 10 children per second somewhere, probably kerala. waiter unfazed. 'oh sorry maadim, our other branch has Onam special.' i am wary but poor mallu-food-starved tummy was already beginning to get hopeful. 'where is your other branch?' beaming waiter: 'in Richmond Hill, maadim.' S had to physically restrain me from clobbering waiter into chutney powder and dosha. RichfuckingmondHill is next state away. so that was my last Onam - i was super pissed.this time though my new frd - a Mallu and a chef with a restaurant (finally i am learning the art of how to win friends and influence them to open restaurants with my kinda food) has invited us and so it just might be a culinary treat. o'wise there is always leftover stuff in the fridge and an overactive imagination!

: ) long note.

other story beneath.

tell your thoughts.

umma,

Me.