Bottles and Chimney

This was supposed to be my first official entry into the pub-scene. I had a mixed feeling about pubs for a long time and finally decided I'd give it a try some fine day. One of two of my dear friends found an occasion and finally me and 11 friends of mine hit the 'Bottles and Chimney" yesterday. And here I make a note of my experience.

The guy who lets people in let me in and the first thing I get to feel is a strong smell of tobacco. People who know me know very well how much I hate smokers. They make sure I don't have a loaded gun when smokers are around. When I see that the entire ambiance turned "tobaccoey", I wanted to be a suicide bomber.

Well that's a good feeling to get when you want your friday go bang for the next couple of hours. The next feeling I get, almost simultaneously with the smoke, but was underplayed as the smoke was the most revolting, is the rhythmic thump. I figured it was the dance floor and expected to see young guys and gals go nuts over a wicked DJ playing whatever DJs play.But there was nothing much of that sort - what I see are people on bar-stools and lounges with half-opened eyes savouring their favourite drink.

After a couple of shuffles, we were directed to our very own "corner". I'd prefer it to be a quiet cornor where I can sip my drink and reflect on life, but that turned out to be right next to a big speaker which was handing out a boom every second. I settled in a nice corner in the corner provided to us. Wanted to strike a conversation with friends sitting around me, but when I started trying to talk, people around started to look at my as if I had too much of drink.

The menu had a lot of stuff in it. Fascinating combinations really. My eye fell on this drink "espresso martini". Espresso because I like "good" coffee a lot and martini because I was asked to try that by one of my friends. My other friend tried to direct my attention to better martinis around, but I stuck to this one.

Sat there listening to what the DJ was playing and looked at my friends seriously surveying the menu for their favourite cocktail. A long wait bore fruits - we had some starters coming in. The starters were not really good, but I was hungry and I gobbled whatever came to my reach. A kebab that came my way was good.

Then came the drinks, each in a glass of its own shape, draped in its own colours and wierd shaped straws jutting out of the poisons. Then came my espresso martini. Wowee... zappo... that was served in a very wide and shallow conical glass, strawless, and looked really punchy. Actually, it looked very professional. Had a sip and there was some sort of fire flowing through my oesophagus and collecting in my stomach. I was having my part of the pan-galactic-gargle-blaster and immediately remembered Zaphod. I started wondering where he was and started looking out for Zaphods around. Most of them had only one head, if at all.

After some time and effort, I finished my drink and started looking around again. The place started getting smokey and for a second I thought that the gargle-blaster had started acting. The system parameters seemsed to have changed a bit and I suddenly started noticing some good-looking girls with guys around, dressed to their own taste. My thoughts wandered around the money they spend, the cars they drive and the work they do. Then my mind wandered about the work I do and I had to crush the thought like you crush an insect. Then I realized that the smoke was not because of the drink, it was some sort of smoke that they blew about to create an ambiance.

Friends invited me to check out the dance floor and shake a leg or two or three. I went there and saw a pretty "exotic" crowd. Not the usual crowd I get to see. They are dancing around to the hackneyed music the silly DJ was playing. Well, I was intoxicated and felt it would be good to shake a little. I started dancing to the best of my ability hoping that the DJ will notice me, feel touched about my enthusiasm for his music and play a better song. But maybe he didn't like the way I danced, he started playing very morose music. Yes, it was some mix of someone, and it had drums in it, but that doesn't mean that he can make me dance for any crappy song he plays. I quit and came back to my corner.

People started to have more drinks. I started chewing on some french fries and swaying my head to the music. Don't think that I was swaying my head in appreciation for the music. Swaying my head makes me feel that the world is going round and round and that was what I wanted the world to do when I have a drink.

The DJ announced his final song of the list of revolting tracks he played. I thought it was worthwhile to end this party in style and I patiently moved my hands around. After that, he goes to play another last one. This was "woh lamhey" which was kinda better and my body swayed involuntarily for the first time this evening. After that song, I decided to forgive the DJ. A friend of mine was terribly disappointed that the DJ was retiring for the day. Anyways, we started to disperse.

One of my other friends was really happy that I liked the party. He offered to **** everyone in present there as a token of thanks to my decision of liking this party. I restrained him and suggested that we will thimk it over tomorrow.

A waiter came in and producedthe bill. My friend stared at it for some considerable time. Well, everyone was rather sure that we're going to have holes in our pockets very soon.

People didn't want to go. But the police wanted. Well, obviously, the police wanted the place to be cleared so that they can sit and enjoy their drinks. We thought that was a decent request and moved out.

I had a great time driving back home. Driving at mid-night in the hyderabad roads always seemed to make me really happy. Came home and shut down my system anticipating some sort of hang-over the next morning.

Today morning, I got up earlier than usual, and as fresh as the morning air.

To conclude, Bottles and Chimney is in some sort of ways a "wicked" place. Best place to go if you 1) earn a lot 2) had a tough week at office and 3) trying to go mad.