But First a Word From Heaven

This is the beginning of a very busy week for us. And I will write about that tomorrow. First, I want you to come with me to heaven. Sophie talked me into spending the weekend at the Leela Palace. Our goal was to have a massage and facial on Mother's Day. We did all that and more.

We arrived at 1:00 and I was hungry, of course. I threw my bags into my gorgeous room and ran downstairs to a restaurant called Zen. I had read on the web that they have dim sum. Say no more, I'm there. I ordered a wonderful green tea served in this adorable little cup. The room overlooks the most peaceful garden. And I was alone. Utter bliss. I had little pork buns, tofu egg rolls and sui mai dumplings. Yes, it was too much. No, I didn't eat it all. But it was bliss.

The other high point of the weekend was the shower. You all know my shower. Poor water pressure, a bucket, a dipper. Quaint, but home. Some day I'll show you pictures of every aspect of the room I stayed in. For now, you get to see the bath and million dollar shower. It poured hot water on you as long as you can stand it. That's pretty long. Stuff came out of my hair from the first week that I was here. Ahhhhhhh, heaven.

I seem to recall that we ate at Citrus yet again that night. It is Sophie's favorite. I'm okay with it. Especially when I can eat Confit of Duck and sauteed spinach. Yep. Even here. Duck. This is one woman's crusade to rid the world of this bird. Hopefully, I will never come close.

Sunday breakfast was compris (we already paid for it in the price of the room.) It's like the Sunday brunch, but a third the size. In my opinion, the good third. Lots of fruit, carrot juice and wonderful cheese. Then on to the massage.

No pictures of moby dick. This was the best massage I've ever had. I haven't had many, but this was the best. I will be back. Not to the room, etc. but to the massage. This woman was utterly fantastic. I felt like a million bucks. Thank goodness. The facial was also good. Much better than Delhi. She even massaged my head. They, too, had a shower to die for and a lady in the dressing room who dried my hair for me. Neat.

I went upstairs to finish the Easy Rawlings book that Harriet lent me. I like Easy and his friend Mouse. It was easy reading and enjoyable. KJ left me another summer beach book that I will start when I get home. I sat out on the porch and felt like a queen.

We ate dinner again at Citrix, but Nahum and Chandan came. Avinash and his wife came later to whisk the kids off to a loud disco. Yea, right up my alley. I happily went up to my room and played with my computer. She's aging. Sometimes gracefully, most often quietly. But happily.

Nahum came back the next day to have lunch and then go shopping, looking for some salt and pepper shakers that Sophie admired. They went to Citrix. I honestly couldn't do it again. What I could do was Zen. This time I only ordered two dishes. One was what may have been a pot sticker in bao-ish dough. It was really good. Then I had a sushi roll with lump crab tempura with salmon on the top of half and eel on the top of the other half. OMG, OMG, OMG. Abolutely fabulous. This, too, was too much, but I ate every grain of rice. Zen. I will dream of you. You and the weekend in heaven.