The Internet Personified: All I Want Is A Room Somewhere

Happy Diwali, you guys! It's also National Cat Day in the US, so double the reason for celebration. Here, have some cat .gifs to commemorate the occasion.

This week in High Culture: Went and saw my friend Ashwati perform with the Lyric Ensemble of Delhi as part of the India International Centre's Art Week. Very fun, show tunes and things, but Ashwati did opera and was absolutely smashing. I was very pleased to recognise the song from that British Airways ad--The Flower Duet. You must go watch them next time they perform, here's a link to the Facebook page and here's one to Ashwati's page where you can get updates on her opera singing across the world.

The next day, my mother and I, not yet tired of doing the whole cultural thing, went and saw the Bolshoi Principals do The Nutcracker. Now, thanks to my extensive reading of The Babysitter's Club, I know a lot of the stories already, but especially The Nutcracker, since that's basically a kid's show. It was beautiful and I loved watching the dancers and how they twirled around on their toes without breaking a sweat. I decided to blame my lack of ballet lessons as a child for the reason I wasn't twirling on stage with them. (It's very useful, having a childhood free of lessons. All that potential!) Also, since I'm now obsessed with the (tune? track? piece?) Dance of The Sugar Plum Fairy, it's my new ringtone, so there's some 1800s meets mid-noughties irony for you.

This week in I Think I Can: Inspired by the ballet dancers' physiques (especially one who was supposed to be an Arabian dancer and had like an eight pack), I decided to sign myself up for Zumba. Unfortunately the dance academy near my house, like all dance academies across the city, has a full capacity Zumba class, so instead, I'm going to be learning hip hop dance, which according to my Googling, burns 700 calories to the more sedate 300 of jazz (also offered at this dance "academy") (which is a playschool + daycare centre as well, and so will also be full of curious children watching.) I'll let you know how I fare next week, but I am convinced I'll be fully bikini ready by December which is when we leave for Goa again. (Here's where I slip in a message about body positivity, and how I'm not trying to be thin, I'm trying to lose the excess flab from my waistline. I'm quite happy with the rest of my body. It's mine and it does the things I want it to do.)

This week in Social Media Gets You Things: Was told by fellow Twitter friend that they had recommended my name to be invited for the Google Pixel launch. I was mildly interested, but there's also a chance that I would have been too lazy to go. They didn't invite me in the end, but you guys, everyone at the launch got a free phone! I could have had a free phone, OR, more likely, I could have been kicking myself for being too lazy to go to an event where I got a free phone. Which makes me think about people who Instagram/tweet/blog about getting free shit. Is the only way you get free stuff by schilling other free stuff? Probably. I got a nice olive oil hamper for Diwali from Leonardo, but apart from saying, "Oh cool, olive oil!" I'm not sure what the purpose was. Thanks Leonardo! We appreciate your olive oil!

This week in drinks: Shrayana recommended I try a glass of the York red when we were at Perch this week. I'm familiar with York, because ages ago in Bombay, a sommelier friend recommended them (almost impossible to get in Delhi, though I hear the Khan Market liquor shop has some). Back in Bombay, it was still a little tarty, still capable of dying your mouth the kind of red that never leaves, but now, this new red is lovely, nice and mellow, plus an Indian winery! Which is always nice to support.

The best Bloody Marys in Delhi are at Coast Cafe. That's all.

Oh, also I took my mother to Arriba for dinner post the ballet and had an avocado-cilantro margarita which was delicious. The food was just okay, but the drinks, man. I miss Sancho's, which was the only reasonably priced Mexican Delhi had for a while. Come back, Sancho's!

This week in stuff I wrote: As Aunty Feminist, on how to avoid being sexist in a relationship. ** Very pleased with my first Mint byline, reviewing the newest Bridget Jones. ** In my relationship column, on Diwali spent with friends. **

This week in stuff I bought: Have been going slightly mad with Diwali sales, so getting a lovely package in the mail every two days. This week: a cat t-shirt (a single cat earring to go with), more earrings, a denim biker jacket and an ikat messenger bag. Recommend new website Ajio for good quality + good prices + speedy delivery. Try them if you're an e-commerce type. (MORE stuff coming from various sources next week!)

Sunday link list: This satirical piece mocking the whole "introverts are delicate flowers" made me laugh. (I self-identify as an introvert btw.) ** Why do so many new books have "girl" in the title? ** In Mint, living with and without plastic. ** Video: sexist things all women hear during their lifetimes. ** Going to the Gilmore Girls fan festival. ** Is poop falling from planes on to Delhi's homes? One dude thinks so. ** (via Ameya) Roxane Gay's rules for female friendships are ON POINT. ** Forty things you can stop doing (using deodarant and peeling veggies among them.) ** (A lot of my daily reads are via Next Draft, which is an excellent daily newsletter with links, so subscribe to him for more link love.) **

Have a great Diwali!
xx
m