Sunday, March 11, 2007

Perfick. Quite perfick.

A morning stroll past the paddock, down the tree-lined avenue with dead leaves and dewy grass underfoot. Three polash trees in bloom, posing in a row at the edge of the 16th green, like dark Santhal girls in their red-bordered ­saris and red bangles. Afterwards, a time-warp - buttered toast and marmalade in the 19th Hole. And The Statesman. I’d no idea people still read that paper! But somehow it fits in with the shaded peace and the tang of the marmalade. And the breeze from the fans, that first day of spring when it’s just a little chilly with the fan on but just a little too stuffy to leave it off. The kind of morning when I feel about 12 years old again and a Sunday is a vast expanse of Possibilities.

If only they still had morning shows at Metro or New Empire and I could go watch Mel Fahrer and Stewart Granger in Scaramouche.

A series of very minor Nice Things. Like Lay Down, Sally coming to life as I start the car. Or putting it in neutral at the top of the Gariahat flyover and coasting all the way to the traffic lights at Ballygunge Phnari. The perfect cup of coffee with the morning papers, sitting on the balcony and feeling the day stir to life with bird-song and the scent of green things.

Caught up with T* for breakfast. Udipi Home on Jatin Das Road. A small glow sign outside thanks APJ Abdul Kalam and Viren Shah for the opportunity to serve them breakfast AND lunch at Raj Bhavan on 21st January 2003. A blackboard proclaims the prices and announces the availability of pickles and savouries. And beds for a hundred rupees a night. Inside, a verandah has been converted into a dining room. The place oozes atmosphere. Stupid me – I’ve passed this place a few thousand times but never ventured in before. The food is outstanding. – dosai with amazing chutneys, onion vadas, followed by strong sweet ‘dancing coffee’. The TF or Tripti (Contentment) Factor is very high, tending towards 1. Bliss.

The whole morning is very Pop Larkin. Perfick. What have I done to deserve this?

It strikes me when I log on. This Simple Desultory Philippic is two years old today. How appropriate. Food. Calcutta. A little nostalgia. Leisure. A few moments of peace, even. Which (alas!) is all that this space seems to be good for. No issues of great import, not enough energy for strong opinions. A sort of Emsworthian potter down the Yew Avenue of life, with the occasional pause to contemplate the floppiness (or otherwise) of hollyhocks, or a detour to give the Empress a comradely scratch along the spine. Faff of the first water, all of it.

And yet, and yet … Thanks to my meanderings here, I’ve got to know Interesting People. I rate ‘Interesting’ far above ‘Nice’, but as a bonus, they’ve been Nice too. Well, mostly. (Stern look at certain Obstreperous Children with No Respect for the Elderly – you know who you are!) I’ve spent huge amounts of time reading their (your?) blogs and following their lives and opinions, but it’s all been worth it. The satisfaction of some give and take in the comments section, the unique pleasure of meeting a fellow blogger for the first time in some unexpected corner of the world. Sadly, no revenue from ads (even though readership is well into double figures by now, thank you very much), not even a nomination for an Indibloggie (cue discreet wiping of single tear) but, after nearly two years, offers to Pander to the Public for Pelf. (I love pelf!).

So, all in all, it’s been rather nice. Very nice, in fact. Oh what the hell - as of now, it’s perfick. Quite perfick. Before I get entirely maudlin - thanks, all of you.


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31 comments:

n said...

"Food. Calcutta. A little nostalgia. Leisure. A few moments of peace, even...No issues of great import, not enough energy for strong opinions."
Sounds good, quite peachy actually ;)

"A series of very minor Nice Things."
aren't those the best kind. the Small Joys versus One Big Overwhelming one? i like the former more.

Dreamcatcher said...

Happy Birthday to A Simple desultory Philippic. You write the best about food and about the city. Mocambo should have that post of your framed and kept on the wall.

Anonymous said...

Congrats and many happy returns!! (Writing as simply as I can - don't want to hear 'what was that?' again) :)

Winsome Reflections said...

Do you remember what you had been thinking as you wrote your First post two years back?

I begin my sojourn today. Living in hope that over time, I may also gain readership such as yours...

scout said...

who are these rowdy children you talk about? i'd get along very well with them. :D

happy budday!

Unknown said...

Do you know you have a perfick talent for turning a normal Sunday morning into a work of art ? Happy Anniversary too , BTW and may we have many more for years to come !

Space Bar said...

happy birthday, SDP (rather than JAP, no?)

And I like meanderings and nostalgia and peace and droopy hollyhocks and flames of the forests!

Please please keep them coming.


SB

Vivek Kumar said...

Two years.. hmm.. reminded me that I should catch up with the archives!

Congratulations!

Revealed said...

But the gods don't like men being happy. So watch it, mister.

And following that dire prediction, Happy bloggie b'day and all.

And if anyone had to be Lord Em, I'm glad it's you :D!

Ganja Turtle said...

tks for dropping by...yes,back to "If"! ;-)
And btw, Happy Bday,ASDP!

thalassa_mikra said...

There, that is why I love it here. That's exactly what I would do if I had a perfect breakfast on a pop larkin perfick day. I would sit back and count them blessings that are perfect breakfasts with friends.

Here's the very best to your blog.

Unknown said...

Happy anniversay! A perfick post to celebrate the anniversay! and Bah! to Indiblog, I say!

Falstaff said...

Many happy returns. I suppose this makes this a Wellbeloved blog?

The ramblings of a shoe fiend said...

cake! cake!

Progga said...

"HIPY PAPY BTHUTHDTH THUTHDA BTHUTHDY"

For the use of a good deal of pencil, and how! :)

30in2005 said...

Two years of many many more....

As for 'Food. Calcutta.' No truer words have been said! Had a 3 day wedding last month - tagged on to the two manic Agra days. And an accident in front of Oberoi Grand. Still suffering the whiplash from it. Avoided the wedding festivities and food as far as possible and ate out. Shall blog about it all soon. soon.

km said...

Food, Sundays and even a mention of The Statesman. There's a beautiful trifecta.

And here's to the Terrible Twos.

La Figlia Che Piange said...

Highfive. Also, respeck. Heap Much.

Anonymous said...

It's been two years?

Well here's to many more.

Happy birthday J.A.P.

Aishwarya said...

It's nice having you around. :)

venkat said...

Happy Birthday! thx for dropping by..

Tabula Rasa said...

bah. how un-OldestMember-ly.

Ganja Turtle said...

Yappy Burpday - you have been born in interesting times,what!

J. Alfred Prufrock said...

N, the Boss’ Approval is always gratifying.

Dreamcatcher, thankee, but what would YOU frame?

YS, I’m afraid I missed the reference.

Winsome, welcome and allabest.

Scout, I sadly fear you would!

Eve’s Lungs, ‘work of art’? And I thought you were the Mistress of Idylls.

Space Bar, thank you for the wishes. And for the fine distinction.

Vivek, perhaps you should post about Moscow as well as “check the archives”.

J.A.P.

J. Alfred Prufrock said...

Revealed, druther be Uncle Fred in the Springtime.

Ganja Turtle, hang in there and you’ll make it. Though I hated grad school over there.

TM, aren’t you in Cal some time soon? Must make it to Udipi before the weather turns sticky.

Sense, right you are and pass the muffins!

Falstaff, which of us, then, is the Keeper?

Manolo Person, you shall have the icky icing and the candy gnomes.

Progga, pliss to essplen.

J.A.P.

J. Alfred Prufrock said...

30, ANOTHER bump? Hope Mocambo made up to some extent.

KM, ‘trifecta’? Such big big words only! (And thankee)

Opaline, heap big thanks.


Tom P, time passes faster as one Grows Older. Bwuhahahahaha.

Aishwarya, likewise, I’m sure.

Venk@, I drop by far more often than you think. Feed readers breed sloth.

Tabula Rasa, for why?

J.A.P.

Dreamcatcher said...

Well there was this delectable piece on breakfasts. My favourite I would say.You write about food fantastically.

s said...

and now we are two.
how you've grown!
i remember you when you were so high

zigzackly said...

Late to the party, Saar. Pliss to phorgive and accept our humble congratulations.

J. Alfred Prufrock said...

DC - honoured to be appetising. Though I would have been even happier if you'd dropped the 'about food' from that sentence.

Duck - orbacheen hongsho!

Griff - better late etc. and honoured as ever.

J.A.P.

the Monk said...

Oh, but you're good, JAP. That was a bootifool post. Keep blogging, please.