(Cross posted from The Voice In My Head)
So you think that Mumbai bloggers are a bunch of loud, obnoxious, care-a-damn-whos-around-we-wanna-party lot?Well then you’re not far from wrong.
The first Open Bloggers Meet of the year held at Bandra’s “Soul Fry” (yes, hence the title of this post) turned out to be almost a bit more than hostesses Sakshi & Melody (moi!) could handle.
See this VERY terrible pic of us to tell how relaxed we were the entire party. It’s a shoo-in for Gaurav’s Post a Silly Photo contest:
We had chosen to have the meet at Soul Fry based on a recommendation from Satya at the last bloggy party. Satya of course, did not show up, but that’s a different story.
Saks & I had gone to the venue a week prior and had made necessary arrangements. Suffice to say, our arrangements weren’t enough.
Let me start at the beginning though. It all started fairly decently. Saket won the “I was there first” award twice in a row – he and Bombay Addict were already there when I arrived early to welcome everyone. Saks soon joined us.
Most things went haywire after that. Everyone turned up almost all together – my kudos to all the Mumbai Bloggers, whatever else, at least we’re punctual!
We did do a sort of introductory thingie at first – you know – My name is blah & I blog at blah.blogspot.com (yawn) but more and more people kept coming all the time.
Soon all the three tables we had reserved soon were overflowing with people and the volume of conversation just kept louder and louder.
Yes, Saks & I also got “warnings” from the Manager of the place that they would “throw us out”!!! Do they have ANY IDEA what negative flack they would get on the Indian blogosphere if they had???!
However to be fair to them, it’s not only that we were a huge lot – 28 of us to be exact – but also we were terribly undisciplined. Just short of food flying across the tables. And perhaps that happened too one of the million times I was out of the restaurant directing someone to the place.
After several (failed) attempts to sort out the scene, Saks & I decided to move the party to the outter section of the restaurant (we were earlier in the AC section).
That worked well – at least we didn’t have to “SHUUUSH” anyone anymore. People were generally moving around and talking to different people in groups, so I guess everyone’s versions of the party will be as different as the blind men’s version of the elephant. I definitely look forward to reading all accounts.
I also look forward to seeing all the million photographs we posed for on everyone’s cameras. (If anyone wants to, you may mail me -melodysvoice(at)gmail.com)
One kind soul – non-blogger Jan – sent me this group pic (as well as the terrible pic of Saks & me above) – Keep in mind though this group pic has only about half the lot who were there. More pics as and when anyone send them to me (and as is the done thing, I will link to everyone’s posts too).
(click to enlarge)
I will now give you the round up of who all came – I’m the only one with the “Attendance Sheet” and I know everyone’s waiting for this bit. Will add my two-paise comments on everyone, as I see fit.
PS: If your name is below, please don’t let anything I’ve said about you stop you from saying extremely nice things about me in your posts.
(Listed in the order it was written)
Sakshi Juneja – My friend, co-conspirer and fellow hostess. Came in with a headache. Think it got worse during, but overall she was all-smiles as ever throughout.
Melody – what can I say about myself that I haven’t already at this blog? Then again, I do not have my about page up yet. Darn, will move on quickly.
Saket – Volupturo in the flesh – and who, despite not being fed by his mommie in a month, looked quite, erm, healthy and had a very long and interesting conversation with Nandan, Peeyush & me about what women look for when choosing the men they marry. It was particularly interesting to me, the only woman, to hear what these men thought we want. And no, I didn’t agree with most of it. Then again, it was a rather silly, general discussion – not worth so many lines here.
Sumit – who took a long time to explain why he named his blog ‘Twisted Indifference’ so. Hmmm.
Vivek – Non Blogger, Sumit’s friend – but who does have his own Flickr Account.
Neha – was a Non Blogger too. “Damn these non-bloggers who are so prominent” said Saks of Neha, who was in the center of every picture despite her attempts to the contrary. Neha, for the record, is known to most of us & Saks wasn’t really damning the non-bloggers. I could point out other things here too, but I’m true to my word & won’t.
Amit – whose long locks tied in pony tail have given way to “ill-fitting toupee” and “bad wig” causing him to hear for the 1000th time that he is now India Cut. Ha Ha, said he each time, all the while snickering in his mind (I know these things) “SO original indeed”.
Bombay Addict – Hey, any addict of my beloved Bombay is a friend of mine.
Puneet Bhambhani – who’s a girl fyi – (ridiculously) quiet and a self-confessed “baby blogger”. Incidentally, when I checked (because I’m a good blogger) this link seems to be wrong, but it’s exactly what she wrote. So there. Edit 7th Feb – She did give me wrong url (these baby bloggers, sigh) but managed to get the right one & now the link works fine.
Pragni Sanghvi- who though not, was also termed “baby blogger” by association since she huddled with Puneet the whole time they were there. Pragni also kept asking me to repeat everything everyone said.
Abhishek Chhabra – who was very interesting because he was not one of those in-your-face kinda guys but he was very naughty behind his seeming quiet façade.
Nandan – who thinks women want to marry for money (see para near Saket’s name for more details) and who seemed very upset that the rest of us wanted to chat rather than eat dinner.
Shiju – the saintly footballer who was wrong about one thing – there were lap-dances (one anyway) at this meet and (luckily?) Gaurav wasn’t giving them.
Unnamed friend of Shiju – who didn’t make too much noise, so we shall continue,
Vinu – who has a cloud of his own.
Vijay – the very talkative (false), talented (so true) genius in pyjamas (I’m not even kiddding). Yes, he does that for the same reason a superhero wears his underwear outside his pants.
Smita – Vijay’s very pretty non blogger friend who sometime later in the night demanded we all clap for her. Can’t (rather won’t) elaborate, but we all did readily oblige.
Ideasmith – who was looking fabulous as usual, was unusually loud (she was always demure from what I remember) and fluttering around like a pretty butterfly. She was also cracking jokes in languages I cannot understand, simple languages like Hindi and Gujarati – but in case any of you didn’t know, when it comes to language skills, I am Carol Gracious’ grandmother.
Peeyush. Ah, Peeyush. So much to say, so little time. He thinks women marry to “see the world”. He knows the price of every type of Porn CD – of course, he doesn’t buy them, it’s just in his job description to find out these things, you see. His ears popped up everytime the word “Lesbian” was mentioned (& it was mentioned a lot). He also shared years (and God only knows what else) with Shiju and Gaurav and is, in a nutshell, my Hero. awww.
Rishi - Have no idea who this guy is. Had his name here though, so am noting it down.
Edit 5th Feb: – Rishi is apparently Shiju’s friend (yes, another one!). Thx to Marielle Bigot-Quétard who mailed in to let me know!
K V Narayanan – friend of Peeyush’s. Took a long time to find the place. I know.
Jan (pronounced Yan) Stoklasa – Czechoslovakia origin, London staying, Bombay loving non-blogger, who as I previously mentioned reads my blog & sent the pics above.
Akshay Mahajan – The capital B for Brilliant photographer who didn’t say the lights were bad at my Christmas party (!) and who came along with,
Rohit, his non blogging friend in tow.
Pensive Lawyer also made it again. I unfortunately – again – did not get the chance to bond too much with him…
but did manage to make-out with his pretty girl friend (see gap between girl and friend) Hanisha – again – I am really beginning to think this may spoil my chances getting a good Catholic boy to marry me.
Tejus Caulagi (Pensive’s friend) was (is) the cute guy in the group pic on the extreme right. And Melody doesn’t go around calling men cute (ok fine she does) but she did tell this guy that he was.
Finally, would any Mumbai blog meet be complete without the “I am a used car salesman” Gaurav? Sure, he did turn up after everybody left – but he did get to chat with Jan, Peeyush, Ideasmith, Saks & I as we finished our din-dins & headed over to Amore Gelato. Jan got locked in there, but that’s another story.
I would be a very bad person indeed if I ended this post without thanking Amit and Saket for their ‘big daddy’ like instructions & help at a crucial moment of the meet. As I do Abhishek, Sumit & Vivek who chipped in to help clear the bill. And Peeyush, who paid for me din-dins. And my mother, who’s always an inspiration. And all of you, without whom I could not do this.
Heck, it was an honor just to be nominated.
.
AND WHAT THEY SAID (updated hourly, every hour. Or so):
Sakshi – Saturday Night Special : Blog Fry – With lotsa Pics!
Ideasmith – Highlights of the first 2007 bloggers meet
Abhishek – Soul Fry @ Bandra(Da-meet)
Pensive Lawyer – Melody zindabad!
Saket – First Mumbai Bloggers’ Meet In 2007 – With lotsa Pics!
Bombay Diaries – “Please blog, please please blog”
Pragni – The Fried Souls of bloggers
Peeyush – First timers’ impressions – Open Bloggers Meet
Amit Varmaji – “I want to be eaten now”
