Designer Bed Linen Sale!

Some of you may know the lable Amara, a local producer of fine bed linen (300 to 600 thread count). They will be going out of business and willing be holding a sale with up to 60% off all items.

Friday, March 2nd
and Saturday, March 3rd
10:30 to 5 PM

New No. 24, Old No. 44, Bishop Garden
R.A. Puram
(Off Greenways Rd.)

Don't miss it!

Playgroup Schedule

13th Feb: Lisa Feldmann 21/10 First Street, Kasturi Ranga Road, Alwarpet, Ch 18, tel 9841598056, 24991225

20th Feb: Elizabeth David 11 Second Cross St, Kapaleeshwar Nagar, Neelankarai. Phone : 2449 4518 or 988 458 8275

27th Feb: Brandy and Emerson

H101 Grayshott Apt, Bishop Gdn, (swimming pool - don't forget your swimsuits and towels)

March 6th: AISC 100 Feet Road, Taramani, 044 2254 9000

March 13th: Paula Davies and Eliya Flat E401 Greyshott apts, No 4 Bishop Garden Ext, Tel 43203693, mob 9940033270 (swimming pool - don't forget your swimsuits and towels) more details nearer the time!!

March 20th: Nathalie von Hofmeister & Hagen and Freddy:No 9., 3rd Seaward Rd. K.G. Valmiki Apts. Apt. 4 Valmiki Nagar Thiruvanmiyur Chennai -41 m: 9884187761

(Kids can play in spashy pools on terrace so bring swim suits and towels)

Note for new members:

Those OWC members who are interested in being added to the playgroup email list (for last minute changes and updates) should contact Reena Nirula reena.nirula@talk21.com or Sejal at sej173@yahoo.co.uk

For non-members, please remember that this is an Overseas Women's Club event. We therefore ask that non-members join the OWC before being added to the playgroup list. To do so, contact Radhika McGregor at radhikal_chutney@yahoo.co.uk

We are now looking for voluteers to host for the following dates:

Remember first Tuesday of the month, the playgroup venue is the children's playground at the American International School (AISC). Cars should be parked outside the gate for non-badge holders.

March 27th

April 3rd AISC

April 10th

April 17th

April 24th

May 1st AISC

May 8th

The Marketplace

Sadly, Bernadette will be leaving this summer. To prepare for her leave, she has the following things to sell:

Plants for sale: bougainvilliae, palms and other potted plants for immediate sale.

Furniture: rosewood and teakwood beds wardrobes large and small. Low accountant desks coffee. dinnner wagon oaccaional pieces. Furniture sales by calling Bernadette's 98840 21048191

Ford Escort: left hand driver for use a second car RS 45000. Aircon needs work .
Call bernadette at 98840 21048

************************************************************************************

For Sale: Motorised "Afton" Treadmill
2 years old
Price new Rps. 35,000/-Little used
Offers in the region of Rps. 20,000/-

Contact: Carole HainesMobile: 98412 79919e-mail: carolehaines@yahoo.co.uk

Garden Tea Pictures

February Tiffin Club

Here's the latest on the ever popular tiffin club. Don't forget to sign up early!

The January Tiffin was held at the Marriott and the theme was Pizzas and Pastas. The chef showed us some wonderful new variations and we left full of enthusiasm to try them out.

February Tiffin Club
Thursday, 8th Feb
10.30am
Gwen Simmons' home:
10 Turnbulls Road Extension
Tel 044 2434 7888

The theme is Valentines Day.

We need to bring dishes which are heart shaped, red or have red in them. If you are interested in attending this Tiffin Club event, Please call me as soon as possible and sign up. Sejal 98840 525 75

February Book Club

The next book for discussion is:

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry

22nd February

12.00 pm

Bharati Nair Gopinath

Aashraya 18

2nd Seaward Rd Flat d

Valmiki Nagar

Tel# 9884495778 42120726

The discussion will be followed by lunch. Lunch will be potluck,please bring enough food for 5 people.
Happy reading

Balveer

February General Meeting

Meeting date: Feb 14th
Timing 10-11:30
Krispy Kream / Wonton Restaurant
New 39, (Old 86-A)
4th Street
Abhiramapuram Chennai 600 018
(Close to Park Sheraton and Anokhi)

Menu: Spinach & Mushroom Quiche, Spring Rolls, Eggless Brownies
Charge is our normal Rs. 120
Demonstration will be done by a distributor of chocolate and ingredients for the candies. He has trained/worked with the pastry chefs at the Taj.
He will demonstrate the following:
Moulded and filled chocolates - leafs - chocolate cups.

We are limited to 40 people so we will need to have a warn in for this meeting.
Warn in to Stephanie Thompson at 99401 01343 or srthompson917@hotmail.com no later than February 10th

Crafts Group - Christmas Bazar

Suzanne de Haes, who heads our crafts group, has the following ideas to share regarding reviving the OWC tradition a Christmas Crafts Bazar:

If we want to have a real Christmas Bazar at the end of the year, we have to make sure that we have enough things prepared and therefor it would be to late if we only started in September or October!

People who are interested in making crafts for a Christmas Bazar can come to my place on Friday February 2nd, if possible between 10.30 and 12.30. Everybody is invited to bring her ideas, I brought some ideas back from Belgium and I have made some samples as to know what is easy to make and what would require some more time.
Everybody should understand that not everything we make is complicated - nobody needs special skills!!

Hope to see some of you on February 2nd!
Suzanne

Ladies Who Lunch

The last ladies who lunch was on in Benjarongs. Lovely food and lovely atmosphere. There were 17 of us which is a good turnout. It seems to be a good idea to have the ladies who lunch on the same day as the general meeting so we will continue to do that for the forseeable future.
Next month there is a change of venue for the actual meeting and we will be having lunch in the same building. The date is Valentines day 14th Feb.The lunch will be ready when we are finished the meeting so everyone to just stay around.

Krispy Kream/WontonNew 39, (Old 86-A), 4th Street, AbhiramapuramChennai 600 018

We are going for a set menu this time made up of Chinese, Indian and Westernfood. The price will be 300roupees per person.We will need definate numbers this time however so if you could warn into Stephanie Thompson srthompson917@hotmail.com ph:94401 01343 as I will be away from the 31st Jan.
Thanks Suzanne

Cheshire Home Christmas Party

Those OWC members who came to the Cheshire Home Christmas party expecting to entertain poor, unfortunate children found themselves entertained by this lively bunch. One young man played the classical flute, an adorable little girl sang and a group of street kids danced to traditional Tamil folk songs. The children also all received gift bags. You can see our Maureen handing them out. Don't miss it next year!

Notice Board

Tennis anyone?? Contact Bernadette McEwen 9884021048

Nanny wanted. Part or full time. English speaker. Call Cecilia Bartholdson 9884485390

Wanted...Maid full or part time (not live in). Duties house cleaning and ironing. Gardner 1 day per week. Location Boat Club area. Contact Janet Moritz 9884833324 email janetmoritz@gmail.com.

Suguna Trust Cooking Class

A Message and an opportunity!!

For those who love good food and want to learn to make their kitchen even more international or to learn all the ins and outs of catering.

This is your chance and even to cook your way to a big prize in the end!

This course includes Soups –Salads- Indian Breads- North/south Indian and the Chinese cousine.

Practical Training will be Provided. Don’t let this opportunity slip- All information will be given to if you call – 42616667

2007 will be a delicious year if you participate now.

For further information please contact me at 9940181955 or 42616667.

Course duaration: 1 month

Course Fees : Rs 5000/-

Course Timings : 10.30 AM to 12.30 PM 2.30 PM to 4.30 PM

Weekend classes also available. Only 10 people in one batch. Kindly Oblidge, Thanking you,

For Sk Education Trust ( http://www.skeducationtrust.org/index.htm ) Suguna Founder Trustee.

Ladies Who Lunch

The last ladies who lunch in December in the Madras club was combined with Christmas lunch for the elderly residents of the friends in Need Society and St Georges Cathedral Home. It went really well. The food was great and we were all up singing Christmas carols accompanied by Suzannas' lovely piano playing. We had a few of the older folk up by the piano singing away to their hearts content and we even had an Elvis Presley rendition in centre stage dancing and all. I think the old folk all enjoyed themselves. We centainly did.
Next month's lunch will be a quieter affair. We are going Thai.
It will be in Benjarongs at 12.30 on Wed the 10th January.
We know that this is the same day as the general meeting, but we can all just go together as a group afterwards since Benjarong is so close to the Park Sheraton.
Benjarongs is a nice Thai restaurant which has been around a long time and the food there is usually of great quality.
Address: 146 TTK road Alwarpet. ph: 044 24322640/ 044 42110061
Any questions ring Suzanne 98846 89222

January Book Club

The next book club will be held on January 18th at my house:

Natalie von Hoffmeister

No. 9, 3rd Seaward Rd.

K.G. Valmiki Apts.

Apt. 4

Thiruvanmiyur

Social Chat 12 PM

Book discussion 12:30 followed by what I hope will be a palatable lunch...

I am just opp. the Cheshire Home, one of the OWC charities. Please call me if you get lost and SMS me to RSVP 9884187761.

The book is 'The Night Watch' by Sarah Waters. Here's what the Sarah Waters website has to say about it:

"Moving back through the 1940s, through air raids, blacked out streets, illicit liaisons, sexual adventure, to end with its beginning in 1941, The Night Watch is the work of a truly brilliant and compelling storyteller.
This is the story of four Londoners - three women and a young man with a past, drawn with absolute truth and intimacy. Kay, who drove an ambulance during the war and lived life at full throttle, now dresses in mannish clothes and wanders the streets with a restless hunger, searching ... Helen, clever, sweet, much-loved, harbours a painful secret ...Viv, glamour girl, is stubbornly, even foolishly loyal, to her soldier lover ... Duncan, an apparent innocent, has had his own demons to fight during the war. Their lives, and their secrets connect in sometimes startling ways. War leads to strange alliances ..."

New members are always welcome!

January Garden Tea

For those of you who are new to the OWC, we have a garden tea every year in February. It's our last big event of the year and quite nice. This year's garden tea will be held in January since February can be a bit hot for an afternoon event.

The dates have now been confirmed:

Wednesday 31 January 2007
Cottingley

Time: 11am
Theme: Elegant Dress

The Park will be providing a sandwich/quiche lunch at this year’s Garden Tea. There will be many stalls available and music will also be provided. This is a lovely occasion and well attended every year.

Ticket price Rs 350. Tickets are limited to 100, so please buy early to avoid disappointment! They are on sale with Sanjita Shah and Radhika McGregor.

January Tiffin Club

The December Cookie Exchange was incredible - so many cookies to choose from made by the Tiffin Club members and a simply sumptuous feast laid on by our hostess Judy Mason. A big thank you to everyone who participated and made such an enormous effort towards making the morning so very special. My family is still enjoying the varieties of cookies I brought home including spice cookies, gingerbread boys and girls, snickerdoodles, ginger snaps, shortbread, double chocolate biscotti and many more!! I can't wait for next year!


Next month's Tiffin Club is at the COurtyard by Marriott Hotel and the theme is Pizza and Pasta. It is on Thursday January 11th at 10.30am and the cost is Rs500 including a buffet lunch. The numbers are limited to 15 places, so if you are interested, please contact me at the earliest! Otherwise, may I take this opportunity to wish you and your families a happy holiday season, and a peaceful 2007.

Sejal Wasani
98840 52575
sej173@yahoo.co.uk

Kids Carnival

Dear OWC Friends,
Madras Esplanade Ladies Circle 100 is organising a Kids Carnival on Sunday, December 10 from 3-8pm at Hotel Savera as part of our fundaising efforts. We have a number of fun games stalls with small prizes for the winners, a Raffle, mehndi, face painting, Bingo, a visit by Santa and even some shopping for the Moms! This is on the same day as the Santa Brunch, but a different time and should be fun for the kids.
Ladies Circle India is a voluntary charitable organisation, connected to Round Table India. Proceeds from the Carnival will go towards projects undertaken by Madras Esplanade Ladies Circle 100. So, please do come and enjoy the games and put a smile on not only your little one's lips but countless underprivileged kids as well!
Entry tickets are Rs 100, raffle tickets are Rs 25.
Please contact Dina Sawlani on 98414-26191 or dsawlani@gmail.com for tickets, sponsorship opportunities/donations of gifts and/or more info.

Jaipur Trip

Ladies, I am organising a trip to Jaipur for a small group who would like to take the opportunity to explore this fabulous pink city.

The dates have been planned to coincide with the Jaipur Heritage Festival which incorporates daily craft bazaars, music, theatre and dance. We will also take in the sights of the Amer Palace, where you can take an elephant ride up to the palace and fort, as well as visiting the City Palace, Palace of Winds and, time permitting, a trip to the Anokhi museum.

The dates are as follows:-

Depart Chennai on Monday 14 January on either of the following flights (availability permitting):-

Kingfisher Airlines
Chennai-Bombay 0650 0835 Rs 3900
Bombay-Jaipur 1040 1225 Rs 4500

Jet Airways
Chennai-Bombay 1415 1605 Rs 3100
Bombay-Jaipur 1755 1930 Rs 3200

Returning Chennai Friday 19 January on either:-

Kingfisher Airlines
Jaipur-Bombay 1300 1445 Rs 4500
Bombay-Jaipur 1705 1850 Rs 3900

Jet Airways
Jaipur-Bombay 0825 1000 Rs 4975
Bombay-Chennai 1105 1250 Rs 3600

We plan to stay at the 3 star Madhuban Hotel, which is a small heritage hotel situated in Jaipur. This has been recommended to me by an OWC member who stayed there earlier this year.

Prices/room grades are as follows and they have twins and doubles in each category. I would suggest that we take twin rooms to minimize the cost.

Suite (per night) Rs 2592 (this includes 8% tax)
Super Deluxe Rs 2052 “
Deluxe Rs 1512 “

I have made enquiries for 6 rooms (max 12 people) and at the moment they can accommodate us.

To check out the hotel online go to http://www.hotelsjaipur.com/ and to check out the festival go to http://www.jaipurfestival.org/ .

Please note, transfers, food and any tickets to sights/festival have not been included.

However, if you are up for an adventure then please contact me by December 8th.

Jo Frogbrook
9840891824

JANUARY BOOK CLUB

The next book for discussion:16 January 2007
The Night Watch by Sarah Waters
There will be no book club meeting in December do not have a host for the book club meeting in January. Any volunteers! Please call me or email me so that i can inform the members.

email-ajit_jaswal@hotmail.com

tel#-9940183839

RegardsBalveer

Marge

As many of you have already heard, Marge passed away last night. I just wanted to say a few words about her and invite others to do the same. I met Marge at a lunch in 2003. I had only been in Chennai for a couple of months and was, of course, lonely. I felt too insecure to try to make friends with what I then considered the 'fancy' ladies of the Overseas Women's Club since most of them were older, lived in huge bungalows and had husbands who worked for major corporations at very high levels. My husband and I were trying to start a business and felt like a bunch of bunglers at that time. But Marge was nice to me. She was open and funny at the lunch and said some hilarious things about her life in India. She made me realize that we all had the same problems adjusting to our new home. She mentioned that a cat in her garden had kittens. Being Marge, she already had the mother cat sterilized and the other compound cats, as well. She had even adopted two of them and was now looking for homes for these kittens. I ended up calling her and adopted two of the kittens. When I came to get them, she was again open and friendly. Like a breath of fresh air to me at the time. I remember her sitting in her garden sipping coffee. She looked stylish, cool and timeless in sunglasses and a T Shirt. We became friends at that point and I learned to appreciate Marge's open and uncritical take on things. She was the person you could always go to if something was wrong and she wouldn't judge and she would actually listen! And she was funny. Every lunch I had with Marge and our friend Cathy was pure hilarity. We laughed about the absurd things that happened to us. Marge never let anything get her down too much. Her spirit was too fun-loving and light for that. To this day, I don't know how old Marge was. She wasn't my age, but she could have been. She was just cool. For any age and anywhere, and I loved her and I know a lot of other people did, too.
Please use the comment feature of this blog to write something you remember about Margaret.
-Natalie