As stated a couple of days ago, I have been making plans to go out and enjoy myself with a couple of pints. About 3 times I have planned in recent weeks and wasn’t even sure until yesterday morning that I would go out. But go out I did as after I woke up and was feeling good. Yet I still took it easy and waited till 11 am before making up my mind. I also thought that a friend would join me as he called me at 9:20 am. Alone I would go.

At 12 am, after coffee and tea and some breakfast long done, I took a shave and a shower and got ready. I booked an Uber and made my way to Olive Downtown in Kadaanthara, which has a really nice bar called the Blue Rock Restobar. I really love this place but I must say that on this day it was a bit warm as if the ac had issues. I asked for some iced water before I could peruse the food & drink menu. Sipping my water I looked at the beers selection and decided on Budweiser.

For snacks I decided after a long look to start with the ole favourite of French fries. Their French fries were plentiful and good. Nothing like the awesome ones I get at Couchyn but good enough. Before I could finish the fries, my first beer was done, so I quickly ordered another. However a couple of bearded assholes were too loud and kinda ruining the mood at this point. Loud and boorish!

Fries done and halfway through the second Bud, I asked the hostess to get me some honey glazed sesame pork which was delicious. By this time the two loud mouthed boors had paid and then left as nosily as they were in here. As the door swung closed behind them, I was so happy. So I ordered another beer, yet another Bud.

I had to leave some of the beer unfinished but it was ok. I finished the pork and took my final sips of beer, used the toilet for the second time and then paid my bill. I went down and booked my Ola back to my home and came and took a little nap, satisfied and satiated.

So I rarely go out for drinking anymore or drink at home. Since like late August of 2021 at first because I was on a diet, then my illness and then I just stopped going out altogether. I haven’t also bought any beer or other alcohol since August of 2021. 2021 I only went out to have beer twice – once in February and then in December, the day before Christmas.

Since then I have a been following a diet. My plan was to stick to the diet and break it like once a month or so and enjoy some of my favourite food and drink. Since I started the diet on January 1st, I haven’t moved out of my diet much – maybe a cookie or two – and I was eager to have some beer. And I also wanted to eat some of my favourite food.

I initially planned this for Sunday but then I was battling a bad cold I caught on Friday and hence decided to rest Saturday and Sunday and if I was feeling up to it, I would go Monday afternoon (I had taken a personal leave well in advance for something else) and I would go and get some beer. So yesterday I got ready by 12:45 pm and booked a Uber to go to Couchyn. As soon as I got there, I ordered me a Corona Extra and a plate of their jumbo tempura prawns.

Next up I got a Hoegaarden Whit Beer. Something is different – the last two times I felt that the Hoegaarden was better than the Corona but this time it felt way off. I preferred the Corona over the Belgium beer. Maybe it was a bad bottle or something. And I never add lime or lemon to my Corona. So after that I got another Corona and that would be it as far as the beer was concerned. Instead of getting a meal I opted for another snack.

Once the prawns were done I was thinking of what to get next. I didn’t want a big meal and I thought about getting some beef or chicken. Instead I went with a large basket of their French fries. Why, because I haven’t had French fries in almost 2 months and had started to miss it. Also, Couchyn & the Grand Hotel makes some excellent fries that puts McDonalds, Burger King etc to shame. Really good ones! Once that and my 3rd beer was done, I booked an Uber and came back home.

Finally, after such a long time I was finally out and about. Post May and the second lockout which lasted for almost a month I haven’t been out for anything other than getting vaccines done in August. Then I had my hospitalization in October and then have only been out for hospital visits and doctor’s appointments. Today was the day that changed. What I needed most was two things and for the first I booked it via a phone call in the morning. A couple of days ago I had also called my cousin Sujith to see if he was game to meet up for a few beers and we arranged to do it today.

I was long, long overdue for a haircut. Even though I am balding very badly on the top, my hair does grow at the sides and back. My last haircut was…..steady yourselves folks……back in late April or early May! My hair was so long at the back that it was almost shoulder length. It was very difficult to dry my hair after a shower. Also it started getting in the way at times and it was curling at the ends and when I shave it would get in the way. I should have cut my hair back in August or September but then yeah, I wasn’t going out anywhere.

So I had booked my appointment for a haircut at a nice saloon which I have been going since the last 2-3 years. Expensive but it is very nice and comfortable and you don’t have to sweat while waiting for your barber to be free. Besides, I only have to do this once every 4 months or so, therefore a little pampering is ok in my book. I shaved and showered and then got dressed and got into an Uber by 12:40 pm and reached there by 12:55pm. I waited for all of 5 minutes before I was seated and then got my long locks chopped off. Man, it feels good!

While I was still getting my hair cut, Sujith reached the saloon and waited on one of the seats. Once my haircut was done, I paid and united with my cousin – we hadn’t met since July of 2020. Damn, that is such a long, long time. We walked over to Couchyn, my favourite bar which I hadn’t visited since February 2020, got a table and then checked the menu. Prices are so high these days but yeah once in a while it’s ok to enjoy yourselves. We ordered two Hoegaardens which was delicious and then two Coronos, which I had never had before. We munched on a bunch of French fries – which are way better than any fries from McDonalds, Taco Bell, Burger King, Chicking or KFC. Seriously!

Ofcourse we chatted up a storm. We talked about what he was doing and his personal life, what I have been doing at work and my lack of a personal life. We talked about the usual stuff – Star Trek shows, Marvel movies & tv shows, other new tv series, girls & women, etc. After that we ordered one more Hoegaarden each and ended up the afternoon with two scoops of ice cream each. He had vanilla and I had chocolate. Everything was great tasting and I really have missed beer. It has been 6 months since I had had a meal out of the home and since months since I had any beer. How I have missed you, beer!

Then I booked my Uber to come back home and we parted at the entrance. He walked to the Metro nearby and went home. I got into my Uber and had a nice chat with the driver who was also very kind. I came home and watched tv for a bit and took a nap before waking up for coffee.

Finally! After over a year I went to a bar and enjoyed a few drinks and some food. Even though the bars opened in late December, I wanted to wait for a few weeks before going in as Covid isn’t going anywhere. But after my cousin went to Couchyn & Blue Rock bars last month I was really wanting to go to one myself.

So I planned to go in last weekend but I was feeling a bit tired and wanted to stay in all weekend and catch up on my sleep. This weekend my cousin was headed to Trivandrum to meet some friends and other relatives. Even on my own I thought I still want to go just because it’s been so long. I wanted a change of pace and it having been over a year, I was ready to go. So I went to Blue Rock yesterdat at 12 pm.

I went in and there is plenty of social distancing in the tables and I love the layout. I ordered 4 Smirnoff Vanilla vodkas and 7up. This is the first time that I am trying the vanilla flavoured ones and boy is it delicious. I love their espresso one, which tastes just like a light cold coffee and this one is like a vanilla flavoured 7up! Hmmmm.

And now let’s talk about food. Blue Rock & Olive Downtown (which the hotel that this bar is in) has excellent food. I first ordered me some golden batter fried prawns which are really delicious. They had this thick sweet chilli sauce to dip the prawns. I could drink that sauce everyday. It was that good. And I love prawns.

After that, and while I started my 3rd drink, I ordered some honey glazed pepper pork. I was thinking of sticking with seafood but this place has a lot of pork items on their menu. It was good and well cooked but a bit too oily and spicy for my taste. If they had gotten down that under control it would have been the perfect dish. I needed to cool my tongue down and I kept sipping 7up for that.

I ended the afternoon with a slice of cake as a dessert. I then went to buy some groceries and some medicines before coming back home and watching part of a movie.