Thursday, March 11, 2010
March 2010 Update from Bangalore
March 2010 Update from Bangalore
March 1, 2010
Flight to Pune 5pm on Kingfisher
Amma (Patti) take Molly to gymnastics
March 2, 2010
Thriving in Pune
maya art at Nilu's
March 3, 2010
Thriving in Pune
Fly back to Bangalore
Charlie dressed as a pirate for school today. I prepared his costume before leaving town. (see pictures)
March 4, 2010
Flight to Pune 5pm on Kingfisher
Amma (Patti) take Molly to gymnastics
March 2, 2010
Thriving in Pune
maya art at Nilu's
March 3, 2010
Thriving in Pune
Fly back to Bangalore
Charlie dressed as a pirate for school today. I prepared his costume before leaving town. (see pictures)
March 4, 2010
Well, decision time about when to leave Bangalore--and we were helped into into the decision by our landlord who wants to move in my June 1 so they can prepare the house. So we have two months to soak up all we can of this six year experience.
Meeting with Kakli
Parent teacher conference with Miss Bhagya for Molly and with Rhoda Rodriguez for Charlie.
March 5, 2010
Meeting with Maya's teacher Sandra Kunder. Glowing report as always, except she talked about her being a little more shy now. (diffident?)
Molly to Priti's for a lesson.
Andrew Dowling is in town from Sydney, so Alice, Andy, Brigit, Hugh and I met at Sunny's for dinner, starting with cocktails upstairs. With one family gone home (Andrew and Kirsty) and us to follow, I really savor these nights out.
March 6, 2010
Took all the kids to Vini's eldest daughter, Noor's, 9th (or 10th?) birthday party. It was held at their Shobha complex pool.
March 7, 2010
Brought Maya to Kimaya S's birthday party at Epsilon. I entered the driveway, saw a few cars, including a mercedes. Many times the kids' parties are held at the club house, so I thought this was the case. The interior was spacious and airy, punctuated with abstract Indian art. I went into what I thought was the lounge/bar, where several of the moms were chatting. I got a good laugh when I said I thought this was the club house. There were, after all, two pools in the backyard (one square, one elongated), a gazebo, 1/2 basketball court. How was I to know?
Epsilon is the "most premium and upmarket gated community" in the city. Alice and Andy live there, and so does the former cricket captain Rahul Dravid. Rents are about $14,000 (7 lakh rupees). Cisco's senior most executive pays $34,000/month!
Birthday party season (with three kids, they all are): brought Molly to Ayana's birthday party. Ayana's one of the four girls she was at Neev with for four years straight (Ayana, Alyna, Diya, and Iccha). Aanyaa joined in the second year.
Andrew came over for dinner before heading to the airport.
March 7, 2010
Veronique, the amazing French cook, hosted another lunch. Arti, Sangeeta, Mridula, Namrata, Nicola, and Brinda Sundaram were there. Sangeeta's pregnant with Maithreya's little sibling.
March 8, 2010
Charlie was up last night vomiting and feverish, so I kept him home from school today. I really don't know how working moms do it unless they have a full time nanny.
Rita picked up Maya at soccer and then brought her to piano. She likes Irfan, the teacher, but isn't terribly excited about lessons as she was earlier.
Paid Priti 6400rs for 8 classes with Molly.
March 9, 2010
Went for a walk with Divya.
Told Sapna that we're leaving India June 1. Very sad conversation. She's fantastic to work with.
Went to Marylouise's birthday brunch. We all pitched in (about ten of us) and got her a gorgeous tea set from Good Earth, the high-flying mall at UB City on Vittal Mallya. Basically, only the people at Epsilon can afford the prices at UB City, unless you pool together with others.
From there I went straight to the airport for another training stint in Pune. 618rs taxi from Marylouise's place to the airport. Finished Don't Spring the Marathon by Nilu's friend Raghunathan. Lots of helpful hints for the [generally] competitive [Indian] parent to ease up on pressuring the kids academically.
March 10, 2010
Signed up Maya for Youreka outdoor survival camp from April 28 to May 4. Aastha and ? also going.
To Pune for training.
March 11, 2010
In Pune
Amma and Appa here for a visit. Appa's birthday
March 13, 2010
We all went to Marylouise's for a birthday dinner.
Badri took Charlie to his classmate Zaira's birthday party at Keerthana's (Zaira's mom) in-law's place. One of the last single resident homes on MG Road. It was a real carnival, with clowns and a train, etc., catered by Leela (which leases land belonging to the family).
March 14, 2010
All of us went to the Century Club with Manu's family for lunch. Turns out Amma knew Manu's paternal grandmother, who is also a classical singer.
Went for a walk with Kitty.
Did a voiceover at 2adpro with Sheriyar for 3000rs.
March 15, 2010
walk with Divya and Irfana.
Went for another voiceover at 2adpro.
I picked up Maya at soccer then brought her to piano.
March 16, 2010
Today's a school holiday for Ugadi, the Kannada and Telugu New Year.
Went to Vini's for a swim and playdate. We love their pool!
Brought Molly to gymnastics in Coxtown, next to Pizza Corner.
March 17, 2010
Walked with Divya.
Had lunch at Benjarong, the Thai restaurant on Ulsoor Road, with Charlie's classmate's moms. My last lunch with these class moms, who I will always remember as the designer handbag moms because of the row of bags lined up on the banqueted when we went to Spiga for lunch sometime last year.
Went out to dinner to celebrate Maya's Gotcha Day and Appa's (Thatha) birthday.
Went to see the movie Nine with Irfana and Divya. She told me some interesting stories: when she was younger, she had a large family and her sister was adopted by an uncle. This isn't something unusual among Indian families.
Also, she told me about the time she went to an event at the Leela and wore a strapless dress. There was either a newsclip or newspaper article with her picture, and a male cousin got in touch with her to tell her it was inappropriate and not good for the family. This after her mother had told her (before she passed away) that while the Muslim family is very conservative, once she got married the family pressure would decrease.
Amma and Appa went to visit Janaki Auntie.
March 18, 2010
Flew to Pune for more trainings.
Molly's class had a party for Ms. Israni's last day. She's moving to Delhi and will be teaching in the same school that Badri's cousins send their children to.
March 19, 2010
The kids were picked up by Vini and went for a playdate at her house. I was in Pune training, and in the afternoon I got a call from her. I picked up, thinking something might be wrong. Calling for a ten minute break, I listened while Vini asked me how much I'd told Maya about sex. Seems she was sharing some information with Noor, and Vini was just checking in to make sure we were on the same page.
Molly to gymnastics.
March 20, 2010
Maya had a playdate with Pragya. Those two are such close buddies, and it helps that we're less than a block from them.
March 21, 2010
Went to the Bangalore club with Phyllis and Eric Savage, Amma and Appa.
March 22, 2010
Charlie had a field trip to Gerry Martin's farm with is class.
Had my last cut and foil at Passion (5400rs = $100--not much more than U.S. price). On the other hand, I paid only 1,000rs ($20) for Molly's one month (eight classes) of gymnastics! And she wouldn't miss this class for the world. Paid 350rs ($7) for an appointment with an allergist for Maya, and 1100rs ($22) for blood tests.
Amma and Appa left for Chennai.
Kitty and I went out to Olive Beach to catch up and listen to some live jazz.
March 23, 2010
Went to the office to do my expense report and invoice, since we had no power (no current, we say in Bangalore).
Had lunch at Herbs and Spice, our favorite neighborhood haunt, with Vini. Also ran into my ob/gyn there.
Picked up pizza for dinner at Dominos.
March 24, 2010
Big day. Maya had to pack for her class field trip (overnight!) to Coorg. Rita couldn't stay in the evening, so I had Jen's former babysitter, Theresa, watch the kids while I went to the airport to pick up Kirsty. Andrew gifted her a trip to Bangalore as thanks for all his traveling throughout his MBA program. Fantastic to have her visiting.
Unfortunately, Marylouise and Inder were taking off on the same plane for Singapore that Kirsty had flown in on, so they didn't get to see each other.
March 25, 2010
Some of Kirsty's friends came over for a drink, then we went to High Note for dinner.
Maya left for Coorg until Saturday afternoon.
March 26, 2010
Kirsty and I took a nice walk in the a.m., then Veronique came over for coffee so she could get in a visit with Kirsty.
Rita out sick this week, so I was lucky to have Marylouise's cook, Selvi, work with us this week while she was in Singapore.
Had lunch here with Kirsty, Alice, and Jackie.
March 27, 2010
Kirsty and I went to Arati's for lunch at the Elgin, then we had a pedicure at Woodlands.
I went to lunch at Irfana's with Brinda, Divya, and Deepti, and Kirsty had lunch with Alice.
Molly went to Shimoni's birthday party at Grand Ashok straight from school. I dropped Charlie at Oliver's then to pick up Molly. Went to Alice's for dinner, along with Kirsty, Sarah Salmon, Brigit and Hugh.
March 28, 2010
Swam at Alice's with Kirsty and the kids.
Vini over around 2pm.
Went to visit Janaki auntie.
March 29, 2010
I went for a voiceover with Sherry at Adblocker.
Maya went to Nilu's at 5pm for a make up class.
March 30, 2010
Had a meeting with Sapna regarding vmware.
To 2adpro again.
Molly to Priti's and Maya for an appointment with Dr. Kinger. He's putting her on 40 days of montelukast, tryng to build up her immunity so she won't have dust allergies.
Debra came on a visit from Thailand and came over for breakfast.
