My last day at work. I said my goodbyes to everyone and got their contact info: if Food and Wine Mumbai has any openings, I know who to call. The lovely Lori and James accompanied me to Konark for one last lunch: gobi mutter, vegetable curry, fruit salad - the usual. I told Lori and James I'd do what I could to meet up with em' again before I left: they're good people all around.


My last night out in Bangalore: we went back to the magnificent Ice Bar at the Taj West End. (I'm getting used to posh. How will I ever survive back home, where a 19 year old in the presence of an alcoholic beverage is a Danger to Society?)

It was dead as hell when we arrived and I could tell Arvin and Phil were having desperate nightmares of being trapped in an enviroment full of stupendously wealthy buisinesspeople all night long. I decided to soldier on and started working the crowd (well, not exactly - *mingling?*) I located Bob again from the Fusion Bar sitting with his plump and sweet natured buddy and (knowing a good thing when I see it) introduced Alicia, my wonderful new friend from Queens in NYC. As we had both impressive coasts covered between us, we made a fairly unstoppable pair, and I tried to introduce her to the various after-party dispensers in India. (A good turn.) The two guys insisted on buying us whiskey, which I made sure to send over to the Katary Villa boys in my stead (I'm trying to hold off. No more Yellow Things.)

Kasey from Boston and I were accosted by a deliciously foul mouthed Indian guy from Pittsburgh, and to the general amusement of all parties, we exchanged increasingly vile Your Mom insults. (This apparantly was astonishing to the UK people: "Is this what passes for humor in your country?" "Good lord, but I am afraid, yes.") I prefer English humor as it actually contains something more then scatalogical humor and sexual inferences about your parents, but I am an American and I must know how to dish it out.

The rest of the evening passed fairly usuallly: Alicia and I made a good attempt at dancing, I got a few more few drinks from various appreciative businessmen, the new people had a great time dancing to OM SHANTHI OM and doing tequila shots: I felt like I was leaving them in good hands. Sniffle.

Alicia and I got invited to an afterparty, but I decided to be a hero and stay with the boys, who naturally had not got invited anywhere. I enjoyed the hell out of their company (Arvin, Phil, Kasey, Jimmy), and I figured I'd rather spend the evening getting sloshed on Old Monk on the roof rather then having to make small talk with unattractive but wealthy people at somone's bitchin' Bangalore mansion. (See, I got some semblance of self-control.)

I was hit on in the intierm by an amusing 5'2 Irish businessman, who took me aside and gave me a lengthy spiel on how I Needed A Man and (gesturing to my friends), these, these, were Merely Boys. (All delivered in a high squeaky Irish voice.) He grandly invited me to his apartment where he said I would be plied with a variety of expensive Irish whiskies, but I politely declined.

The boys and I had yet another profoundly uncomfortable rickshaw ride (you try wedging five strapping young guys and one shrimpy but game girl into one of those suckers)

We spent the evening doing exactly what we'd planned: drink Old Monk on the roof, talk about all sorts of interesting stuff, and watch bad movies on Star Network. Arvin, Phil, and Kasey were in theory slated to go to Mysore with the new girls earlly the next morning, but we all agreed there was no way that would happen and went to bed at three am.

The girls came by very early the next morning to attempt to collect Arvin and Phil, who were utterly dead to the world. I did get to say goodbye to them and exchange contact information: I am determined to see them again. Alicia is especially wonderful and I look forward to meeting up with her again somewhere on the Eastern Seaboard this summer. Maybe she can talk me into some good Caribbean clubs....