A potent witches' brewHalloween is celebrated with much gusto all through the western world, onthe eve of All Saint's day, October 31. When I lived in London everyHalloween Krish and other little children from the neighbourhood would dressin ghoulish outfits and masks and `trick and treat' their way through therows of Georgian homes on either side of Addison road, where we lived. Ialways had a Mr Pumpkin with eyes and mouth cut out and a candle lit insideto make for the spirit of Halloween. Later in the night, the grown-upsdressed the part and went to a party where the food and liquor had witches'brew and snakes and frogs names to make it more potent and to fit into thespirit of the night. Some of the costumes were so authentic that even aclose friend could go unrecognised. Pranks were common and buzzer handshakesand creepy crawlies climbing up one's arm was par for the course. Guy Fawkes Day followed a day later and in the chill of a November nightbonfires and crackers lighting up the winter sky made home and a Diwalimissed in India seemed bearable.On Sunday evening, Jules Fuller and Sophiya along with Mel D'Souza, Vandana,Ravi and Ayesha invited us to a Halloween Party in the Sports Bar at TheBowling Co. Having missed the opening party and subsequent other events atthe venue, I was quite excited about going and when I was told that we hadto dress up in Halloween gear I asked both my sons, Krish and Shiv, if theywanted to join me. We reached the venue, Shiv dressed as a ghoulish bat, meas a cat, and Krish as the tit-for-tat apron lady. Sophiya looked bewitchingin a red dress and Ayesha, like the wicked stepsister. Jules was a characterfrom The Clockwork Orange and Vandana had a pair of devil's horns on. SureshBhojwani wore a pair of menacing black sunglasses and everyone else justcame as themselves. The music was loud and happening and the bar was packedsardine-can tight. Suchitra Pillai, Suman Ranganathan and Mitali Kakkar ledthe glamour brigade. Jules joined the band to loud cheers from the fan club.The talent that is inherent in both Jules and Sophiya is truly inspiring.She sings, tap dances, ballet dances, mimics and acts, he is a Vaudevilleact on his own. Together they are electric. The evening tripped the lightfantastic, we were all cruising on Halloween blades and riotous we were too.The food included chicken in Vodka and mushrooms in a brew. Yummy! Icouldn't help but think that with Diwali around the corner, this Halloweencelebration made me miss London and the years of yore, almost a reversesentiment from when I lived in London.As we walked out, Samson of China Garden-fame, convinced me to walk intoFire & Ice, the new club on the block, for a looksee very chic, very hep.From the leather-studded door to the curved bar area overlooking the floorit packed a very New York punch. A very popular new nightclub.The other very, very in, fun eatery in the city is Indigo. It has a cafechic with a guaranteed "A" list crowd especially over the weekend. RahulAkerkar is the most talented chef in India with entrepreneurial spirit and asound knowledge of the restaurant business which ensures that Indigo is thefun place to be at with affordable prices to boot. I'm sure all these placesare going to be the forerunner of things to come which will take Mumbai backto the top of the charts as a city that never sleeps.
