Bonus day.
I can’t remember if it was while I was still pregnant with Nicolas. It must have been. Because if I had been walking in the woods with a friend, it had to have been the before-times. That is to say, before Nicolas was born at the very start of the COVID pandemic and every idea I had about what his early years would look like got thrown out the window. But I digress.
Somewhere and sometime along the way, my friend introduced me to the idea of “bonus days.” A veteran Foreign Service wife and mom, she knew all about the joys of American holidays when the Embassy is closed but local schools (and daycares and preschools) are still in session. She explained that they were perfect for day dates.
This is where I admit that Joe and I have been horrible about taking advantage of them. I think the last time we actually made a date out of a bonus day was while we were still in Belgium.
I’ll blame it partially on the pandemic and getting used to not being able to go out or have babysitters come to the house or do anything outside of our bubble for far too long. And I’ll blame it partially on the rough year at our last post. But I’ll also take part of the blame. The truth is that I haven’t prioritized the bonus days like I should have. I’ve found things to do around the house or on my to-do list that seemed more important.
I’ve been trying to do things differently here.
(Plus, quite frankly, this mama needed an afternoon away after last week. Between preschool being closed for fall break and the necessary changeup in our household staff, it was a doozy.)
I already had a solid idea when Joe asked over the weekend what we should do with our “free” Monday. I suggested we head to Khan Market where we could grab lunch, do a little window shopping, and maybe even sneak a treat before heading home. It wouldn’t be the most exciting adventure we’d ever had, but it’d get us out of the house together without the kiddo. I think he was a little surprised that I didn’t say that I was just going to tackle the first five things on my list.
With Nicolas home from school and happily playing hide & seek with his new nanny, we got into a taxi for the fifteen-ish minute ride to what the internet describes as “a high-end shopping and dining hub that draws well-heeled locals with its international designer labels, upscale boutiques and jewelers.”
Based on that description, you might be picturing something similar to Singapore’s Orchard Road or New York’s 5th Avenue. You’d be mistaken. Khan Market is slightly more chaotic (although certainly tame compared to, say, Sarojini Nagar Market) and a lot more crowded in terms of both retail and personal space.
Imagine walking through alleyways with tiny boutiques on the ground level and more spacious shops and restaurants up sets of steep stairs. Now mix in the sound of horns honking incessantly from the crowded parking lot and streets surrounding and you’re maybe about halfway there.
It isn’t at all what I had expected the first time I visited. But I kind of love it. Even if I’m not nearly well-heeled enough to do any serious shopping there.
Joe had never been, but he had done what he does and scoped out a restaurant on Google Maps ahead of time. As we climbed up the stairs, away from the crowds, I knew that SodaBottleOpenerWala was likely going to be a hit. I wasn’t wrong.
From its funky vibes reminiscent of the Bombay Irani cafe scene to a waitstaff that includes Deaf and Hard of Hearing servers, this place was unlike any I’ve been to. And the food! I stuffed my face with masala fries and a classic egg sandwich (think chunky egg salad meets just the right amount of chopped green chilis) while washing it all down with a housemade strawberry basil soda served in an old-school refillable bottle. Joe let me try some of his Sali chicken and Irani-style naan and I almost had buyer’s remorse about my own meal. Almost. We will definitely be back.
Our next stop was FabIndia. I wasn’t sure what to expect as we walked up another steep set of stairs but I had been told that I might be able to find kurtas there that actually fit. (Let’s just say that my first attempt to buy off the rack at Sarojini Market’s discount sellers had ended in teary laughter as I tried to get them onto my tall, curvy frame once back home. Luckily it was only a 600 rupee lesson to learn that I am significantly bigger than even the “very big” sizes available there.)
FabIndia’s friendly salesguy suggested I try on the XLs first but showed me where the XXL rack was just in case. I got to town sifting through the teals and magentas and deep blues looking for a couple of pieces that I could make mine. Twenty minutes and much restraint later, I walked out with two long kurtas that I knew made me look good. And Joe even agreed that they were pretty and “not that expensive.” Success.
It was three p.m. by this point and a caffeine fix called. So we headed to Blue Tokai, a roaster/coffeehouse whose coffee we had bought from the commissary but hadn’t ever visited. The experience was kind of unremarkable but the coffee was good and the company even better.
Did you know that coffee tonic is a thing? I didn’t until this afternoon. (It’s what you’d think it would be: espresso poured into a glass with ice and tonic water.) Joe declared my drink “weird, not like bad weird but also not good weird.” I loved it. More for me I guess.
As we walked back down the stairs to catch a taxi home, I had the oddest sensation. It took me a split second to recognize what I was feeling: happy. Not just getting by. Not just content. But actually happy. It’s been a while.
India has its things and I know I haven’t seen or experienced even the tip of the iceberg yet. But there’s something about living here that is working for me. I’ve been getting out, I’ve been making friends, I’ve been finding myself again. And it’s been easier for me to prioritize the things and people that really matter rather than hiding away in real and imaginary busyness.
It feels good.
And I have to say that it was a pretty fine bonus day.
