For somebody who has been shifting houses all my life(Not in the fun way, Dad is a banker you see!), shifting from Mumbai to Chennai did not seem that big a deal. Especially after a few fun filled adrenaline high weekend getaways to visit my then-boyfriend-now husband guy. Alas, only now I realise they were all part of this then-boyfriend-now husband guy's elaborate plan to lure a poor li'l happy girl to this stupendously(my fav calvin word) pretentious place. The poor li'l happy girl (obviously, me!) never realised that she never spent a more than a few hours in Chennai, that too at night, and that she was always whisked away to Yercaud or fun Mahabalipuram beach resorts. Obviously some one knew I was a sucker for beaches - not the Juhu beach kind, more like the serene Kerala beaches. Beaches had a way of making me feel free and always left me high (consider the savings on alcohol :P). Beaches, I will save for another blog.
Anyways, here I was after my wedding - thoroughly bored and clueless in the midst of nosey neighbours. Add to it rude loud richskaw guys with over priced rides, scorching heat, ridiculous traffic and more importantly, no good pani puris! why God, WHY?! Being jobless, which invariably meant no income, didn't help either!
Slowly I learnt to haggle smart, got an AC and started making my own pani puris (now i am quite good, if I can say so myself)! Life, though not a party, was not so bad anymore. Right now, I have a funny relationship with this city - I neither hate it nor love it. I definitely DON'T want to stay here forever, but I'll miss this place when I leave.
Here are a few things which sums up Chennai for me -
1. Marina Beach - the cut mangoes coated with salt and chilli powder - YUM!
2. Satyam Theatres - my first 3D movie experience and where we spend half of our salary
3. Oxford Bookstore - the super friendly staff there let me sit there all day long and ensure constant supplies of coffee and blueberry muffins, while I read book after book.
4. Murugan Idli Shop - the only place where I don't mind eating idlis. Mom still does not take this kindly.
5. Mahabalipuram - this place is a sigh!
6. Amethyst - one cant actually describe this place. Let me just say, I can spend hours here.
7.Haggling talkative rickshaw guys- Once you learn how to deal with them, they are bearable too.
8. Sangeetha's - our second kitchen. We should get frequent-eater privileges here!
9. Havana, Raintree - unexpected surprise.
10. Veeramma :) - my sweet heart old maid who makes sure the lazy me doesn't do any work at home. At her age, she has much more stamina than I can ever have in my life. whew!
11. Filter Kaapi - need I say more?
