missmalini has a new address!

Psst! missmalini version 2.0ye is now available on www.missmalini.com! (I’m still working on getting all the comments migrated and the links/pictures just right so please bear with me.) Also, I have tons of pictures and stuff from the weekend was just waiting for the DNS server to kick in with my new address. So sit back enjoy and don’t worry missmalini is not going anywhere. To the moon baby, to the moon!

Also follow me on Twitter @missmalini for the latest dish.

Bandra gets Besos

Remember the darling little store I told you about at Kemps Corner, Mumbai? They’ve just opened up in Bandra too! Check out their swanky flyer. Shopaholics rejoice!

The Bangalore Beat: Day 1

So Bangalore was awesome. I also took a much-needed detox from the Internet this weekend which explains why I’ve been MIA but I’m back, with pictures!

First up the ride to the Mumbai airport from Bandra on Friday was almost a major blog score because we heard a giant CRV honking behind us and saw Salman Khan in the passenger seat. Long hair, window-down, scowling cool-ly and smoking a cigarette. Unfortunately I only managed to get a shot of his knee (but hey I tried!)

So here’s a fast track through my weekend in Bangalore; first up let me just say that Bangalore’s 25 degrees and 57% humidity knocks the pants off Mumbai’s 36 degrees and 94% humidity. (Thank God it was raining when we got back!)

After several recommendations we decided to go for the centrally located Shilton Suites (look for the pink feather!) tip # 1 is that Bangalore traffic makes Mumbai traffic feel like a breeze so unless you like long, and I mean LONG rides pick a central location. Anything near MG Road works. The Shilton is cute, the Luxury Suites cost about 4500rs ($93) a night and the staff is mostly smiling and at your service (they have a little trouble getting two of everything right at breakfast though but I suppose no biggie.)

Soto

On Friday we decided to head out and try the famed Japanese restaurant called Harima (Devtha Plaza.) Absolutely delicious food. It may have helped significantly that we had an authentic Japanese guy at the table who did all the ordering for us! (FYI Soto is my boyfriend’s classmate at Harvard Business School and in Bangalore for the summer, so if you’re up for being a happy shiny tourist guide lemme know.)

RJ Anjaan & missmalini

Then we headed down the street to Nyx (Residency Road, opposite Purple Haze, above Konark restaurant) where Radio One Desi Grooves was on. Only the hottest Bollywood night in the city that rocks Bangalore every Friday! RJ Anjaan (from94.3 Radio One Bangalore) was up on deck with DJ Jasmeet and gave me a big fat friendly Bangalore welcome which made me feel like a total superstar. (Thanks for that Anjaan!) Sadly Bangalore wraps by 11:30pm tops and unless you find yourself an after-party to attend its generally lights out, quite a switch from an average weekend in Mumbai but still refreshing to see a whole new set of clubs and (I guess since they know the clock is ticking) they sure pack in the power on the dance floor!

Amrita, Anjaan and a Koala Bear

That’s Anjaan’s gorgeous wife Amrita. Super-fun and friendly and can you believe neither of them drink but just love to dance?! Impressive. Oh, and if you’re wondering why Anjaan is hugging a Kuala Bear (yes a real one) it’s because he was recently in Australia and came this close to bagging “the best job in the world” as island caretaker, check out his application video I thought it was really neat. On the upside his current job is pretty much in the top 10 too in my opinion and I should know! Day two up next…

Welcome Valhalla!

So as promised I checked out Valhalla last night. The first thing I have to say is, what a step up from Starters & More?! Now don’t get me wrong, I have loads of happy pub-hopping memories from there (one which involved a yeager bomb and another on a fateful night where my very lovely (albeit slightly hyper) jive-partner spun me around so hard that I lost my balance and nearly cracked my skull open on the step leading up to the bar! (He later bought me a helmet as a joke!) Good times.

Anyway Valhalla has several things going for it:

1. South Mumbai has very few lounges to speak of. This could be the new Henry Thams perfectly located at Eros, Churchgate
2. There’s an upstairs, outside smoking section where you can take your drinks (woohoo!)
3. The bartenders are friendly and the tapas is yummilicious (especially those little pieces of pineapple wrapped in ham. I’d like some more please!)
4. Also the open bar party hosted by Shamita Singha had Redbull which is always a good thing.

So Lets take a moment and talk about this throne. It kinda feels like that elephant in the room (that everybody wants to ride!) Almost every member of the glitterati gave it whirl (and a pose) for paparazzi and friends while others lounged, chatted, giggled, gossiped and guzzled.

I’ll get the whole PR set of pix in a while but here are mine. I missed Kelly Dorji because he was too busy taking a picture of Manasi Scott on that chair! (Love her hair by the way.)

Manasi Scott

So the usual suspects (as I Twittered) were Ash Chandler & Junelia Aguira, Shveta Salve, Kelly Dorji, Manasi Scott, sister act Mashoom & Shamita Singha,TC & Nathalie Ressencourt De Sousa (who are hosting singles night at Cafe Goa tonight incidentally), Kim Jagtiani (who had just come from a gig, hence the hat), Anurag Kashyup, Delna Poonawala, Nisha & Adam Bedi, Candice Pinto, Abhishek Kapoor, Apeksha & Sumeet Chopra (happy mommy-to-be) Arshiya Eappen and Amrit Maghera doing her After Hours deal.

Nisha Bedi & Amrit Maghera

Kim Jagtiani

Mashoom & Shamita Singha

Nisha & Adam Bedi

The DJ

Delna Poonawala and Manasi Scott

Arshiya Eappen (centre) & Apeksha Chopra (right)

Apeksha Chopra

So would you believe Apeksha Chopra (with a body like that) as TWO children?! Also had a fun chat with Nisha Harale Bedi on the smoking terrace (she’s so fun btw and complimented me for being ballsy on my blog heehee) she revealed that at her beach wedding Goa Candice Pinto caught the bouquet (even though Aanchal Kumar was vying for it!) Candice also confessed that she didn’t know about the white wedding dress code so showed up in rainbow hues and was super embarrassed!

Candice Pinto and Nisha Bedi

Krsna Mehta @ Pheonix Mills

Krsna Mehta now has a new branch of his store Zeba to visit in Phoenix Mills, Mumbai. I love his kitschy collection of things that all profess an undying affinity for Mumbai. (Plus a lot of its pink, what’s not to love?)