The weekend in Bangalore is a touch different, since many firms have business hours on Saturday and/or the over-achiever types I party with work Saturday anyway. Nonetheless, I always have nice weekends.
Good-bye, Nelson!
Thursday was Karnataka Day, so many of my friends had the day off. Hence, Wednesday several people met up at the 13th Floor for a send off of Nelson, who has to leave Bangalore after only 3 months to return to Dallas. He shall be missed.
I left when the shots came out, since I was working Thursday (and it was getting too late to take an auto).
Happy Karnataka Day
I celebrated Karnataka day by working away from the house and going to a department store (a very Bangalorean thing to do, apparently--it was PACKED). Coffee shops have nice sandwiches and power outlets for my laptop, plus I had a FANTASTIC veg panini. In India, all the food gets server at the proper temperature and crispness (not to mention Indian ketchup)! On the downside, I heard a lot of bad international dance hits from the last 10 years (think "Barbie Girl."). I also bought a shirt (since some ketchup ended up on mine) , wandered around Brigade Road, and hung out at a more different coffee shop.
...it's what's for dinner
Thursday night, some of the Bangalore Professionals (the Indian/ex-pat social group to which I belong) met up at a steak house. It was clean and kitschy and about as accurate of decor as you would find a Seattle restaurant posing as Texan. My steak--although not actually the filet mignon cut it was billed--was quite tasty. Since most other people were tired form the night before and I had a 12:30 AM conference call with Seattle, it was another early night.
TGIF (even if we do have to work Saturdays)
I spent Friday at GK having a VERY productive day. Any day that is productive--even when it starts with the auto driver making me walk the last kilometer to work--is a great day. All Bangalore fun aside, it's the work that is the most important thing to me.
Friday night I had a lovely Caribbean dinner at a restaurant in Indiranagar, and then went to a housewarming of a friend of a friend. Another early-but-tipsy night--home before midnight.
Some work and Some More Italian Food
Saturday I worked, tried to get my laundry, succeeded in getting everything but the pair of socks I tried to get the last time I picked up the laundry, and somehow managed to nap, too. I spent the evening at a shi-shi Italian/Western restaurant hosting an exhibition of a modern artist, and it was a lovely time. I met some Indians and more foreigners, had eminently drinkable Indian white wine and a tolerable Cab (that tasted nothing like a Cab), somehow managed to get a free dinner (thanks, Phil!) and a ride home from a friend's driver.
Just another Sunday
I feel a need to complete the weekend tale, though Sunday was spent around the house doing my end of month accounting and following up on work issues. I think I spoke maybe two sentences all day (hello and thank you to the maid) until I made a few evening phone calls. The solitude starts to make me a little weird, so I had better make an effort to interact more when working from home.
3 years ago
