There was spring everywhere in October. While the weather oscillated between winter and spring, there were some gorgeous days that were definitely bright and welcoming. The flowers are in full bloom and the smell of jasmine reminded me of the change in weather.
I had a pretty social October. The calendar kicked off with the concert by Sonu Nigam. He is an artist par excellence. While the weather dampened our spirits to start with, the show more than made up for it. He entertained his fans for 3 hours non-stop and it was a night where we made a lot of memories.
The next day I went out with a group of friends to celebrate the September birthdays. We found this wonderful Sri lankan eatery in Parramatta called Ceylonia. The hoppers were divine and with some amazing company, the evening flew by in no time.
Jane Austen is one of my favorite authors and Sense and Sensibility remains one of my favorite books by her. So when the new movie came out, my friend and I booked our Gold class tickets. I made sure I watched the previous adaptations before I went for this one. The movie did not disappoint though the 1995 version with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet remain my absolute favorite. But I am glad for the new version so that the generation of today can relate to the modern adaptation.
The following weekend, I had 2 events. A close friend had an early Diwali Party and another had the traditional Golu set up at her place. My social battery was really low that week due to work commitments and HSC stress for son. But I did not want to miss either due to the importance I placed on the relationships. Diwali party was fun – Dancing and playing games with the desi group always brings out the naughtiness in me and while I did not stay too long, it was a great night.
I did not know much about Golu, the South Indian tradition of artistic doll display during the nine nights of Navaratri. I had seen pics on social media but never understood the meaning and context behind it. In North India, Navaratri is celebrated very differently with Jagratas and traditional Pooja at home. So I was very excited when one of my friends invited me to her place for Golu darshan. It was such an amazing experience – her daughter took me through the history, context and her motivation and feelings for setting up the Golu. I love the new generation understanding the traditions and making it their own. I am hoping for my son to take his own journey and reaching there.
The following week I had dinner with a colleague, who over the course of years is now like a younger sister to me. We meet monthly for dinner and both of us look fwd to it. The location and the food remains the same every month but our conversations are different and spans anything and everything under the sun. She is very different from me and much younger, so I learn different perspectives from her.
The weekend was a birthday bash for another friend. We glammed up for this bindass and badass woman and it was a great night. She had invited singers who kept the evening cool with some soulful numbers. Between the singing and dancing, the night was one for memories.
The month ended with HSC exams ending for my son. I celebrated that Friday by taking the trip to the city with my bestie. We saw Sculptures by the Sea which is world’s largest free to the public sculpture exhibition. Against the spectacular backdrop of Bondi Sea and the beautiful weather, it was afternoon well spent. We ended the day by seeing the play A Room with a View at Belvoir St theater. The play surprised me as I thought it would be something serious but it was hilarious. The pace and the actors in this period rom-com kept us enthralled.
The month ended with me having my social batteries completely depleted. But November is Diwali month, so I will have to continue to charge them in between while keeping the spirit alive. Till next month.