When every single day is a voyage and adventure, sometimes you need to have a little piece of "normal" – or the life you used to have. Without planning or discussion, Emily and I arrived at the same need at the same time. Maybe it's being in a city where all the "stuff" of home are available if you want it. Whatever it was – we needed a day out of our new norm and back into our old – just a little.
So it was that Emily did her work quickly in the morning, went to lunch with me at the nicest restaurant on our block, and then went out shopping for the afternoon. I got a shave and a haircut at the local barber (seriously overdue) and went back to the hotel to work in quiet for the afternoon – sprawled out on the bed, laying on my stomach while I work as I love to do.
In the evening, we switched out. Emily wanted to watch junky TV as she loves to do (and I hate), exploring the phenomenal array of choices on the hotel satellite system. She got herself a Subway sandwich that could have been made in Los Angeles and then plopped herself down on the bed. I went to the movies to see "Harry Potter" which I had been wanting to see – but we were in Nepal when it was released.
In different ways, we got our fill of junky indulgences – although I like to think mine was far more interesting.
Going to the movies is an experience I enjoy in almost every country. It's one of those interesting cultural comparison points – like malls. Since the two often go hand-in-hand, I can usually make it an entire cultural experience in a single event.
Mumbai especially seems like a place where a movie is a must. Being Bollywood – the seat of the Indian film industry – I feel like missing the movies is to miss a piece of Mumbai, just as it would be in Cannes. Only, I'm just not a fan of Bollywood films. But I may go back and try just to say I did.
The experience was great. I went to the Inox movie theaters in the Cross Roads 2 Mall – which is a giant, modern mall complete with stores of all kinds, a food court, a Subway, a Coffee Bean and a Ruby Tuesday. It felt more like visiting a US Embassy than a trip to the movies – we were well represented commercially.
After a quick dinner of hummus and pita at the food court, I was off to my movie.
The interesting points: They do a complete security search – even though everyone goes through one at the mall entrance. The security staff asked to see my camera, and asked me to hand-over the camera battery. They checked it in and gave me a claim card to collect it later. Apparently, they are cracking down on bootlegging.
The snack bar had popcorn, but not much candy. Instead, there were samosas, tikka paneer sticks, chats, chana masala and other common fresh Indian snack foods. Of course, the Coke line of soft drinks was prominently featured. Samosa-Coke combos were prominent featured. They also sold pastas and sandwiches which they heat upon order. One separate stand offered slices of pizza. Their slogan encouraged movie-goers to "fuel-up" with the snacks that were really more like mini-meals.
Then there was the gourmet brownie bar with options to smother one of ten kinds of brownies in chocolate sauce and to top it with ice cream.
With all this "refueling", it only makes sense that they have full-waiter service. So, if you don't feel like standing in line and then lugging your family's meal back to the theater – no worries. They have snack-wallahs who will gladly serve you wherever you are.
Then there's the "snap, snap" factor. Should you get hungry mid-movie, no need to get up. Just snap for a snack wallah and you can order and have your food delivered.
You may be thinking that the you've seen waiter service in first-class theaters at home. For example, there's one that specializes in this kind of experience in Pasadena. Anyone who's seen a movie in Bangkok may be thinking that Bangkok has had Gold-Class cinemas for a long time with waiter service, nice big tables between giant reclining arm-chairs.
What amazed me is that this wasn't a first-class theater with giant seats and tables. This was a standard, stadium-seating-type movie theater with no more than a moderate arm-rest with a drink holder between people. Families and groups seemed to all work together to manage the bounty of their "refueling" during the movie. Meanwhile, there was enough snapping to make you think Morticia Addams was sitting in the back row.
While the movies did not have previews, they did have a series of ads shown before the film – some in English, some in Hindi and some with a mixture. A number of the ads were jewelers and banks promoting commercial loans, which tells you something about the demographic of people who attend movies.
Much like in Turkey, movies here have intermissions – filled with lots of reminders to "refuel" – because you could be tired and out of fuel by the time you're half-way done with the film. Between reminders, there are more bank and jewelry ads.
Normally, I don't talk restrooms. But every once in awhile one encounters a restroom of note. The Inox Cinemas are amazingly equipped for a large intermission or after-movie crowd with more than four long-rows of at least 20 urinals each. There are stadiums less prepared for a half-time crowd. Planners – bravo to you.
With top quality sound, screen and reclining seats, I was thoroughly impressed with my movie-going experience in Mumbai. The only problem in the entire experience was that – given the mall was closed when the movie ended – they ushered us out the front of the theater to hallways and stairs which led to the street. There's nothing unusual about this in mall theaters. Only, there was no way to claim my camera battery.
So, today, we're working from the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf at the same mall so that Emily can get her coffee and I can claim my battery.
Either way, a day of home-like "normal" complete with TV and movies recharged both of our batteries.
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