Manicure freebies -  Khan Market: most expensive real estate in New Delhi, a higgledy piggledy assortment of shops and services close to many ex-patriots and wealthy Indian neighborhoods.  I'm a fairly regular customer at the Khan market.  I can walk to it if I want good exercise. I feel safe shopping there.  They have a good selection of food products and three book shops.

This week I went in search of a manicure.  Between the pomegranates and the constant grime of New Delhi my hands at times erroneously reflect betel nut addiction and an improvised nail brush (couldn't buy a designated 'nailbrush') isn't shifting the tenacious stain.  I walked up the narrow stairs to the hair salon Felix and I have frequented before.  My earlier appointment was just as they were coming awake at 10 a.m. This time I arrived in the full swing of business with 6 stations busy with various hair processes.  I wasn't sure they even did manicures. Madam at the desk nodded towards the waiting room couch and said "Most welcome," when I asked.  She stepped around the corner and spoke some rather harsh words and a pleasant young man came and took me in hand.:)  In good India style everything was a bit improvised, but had very specific order and at different points in the proceedings my pleasant young man would also imperiously snap some order to a lesser minion and a bowl of yellow warm water showed up, or heated damp towels appeared.  The yellow water got my attention, looking rather like a warm liquid I didn't want to put my hands into.  I don't think the young fellow had a clue what my concern was but he obligingly told me that it was Savlon and water (so the yellow Savlon should kill anything in the water I might have been worried about :)).

As I sat through the lengthy, most enjoyable, manicure I had the whole salon to observe.  The music was heavy on bass and loud, very much the flavour of the young, black T-shirted men working.  There were 4 hair stylists and about 6 assistants and a strict hierarchy - floor sweeper and water carrier; hair washer; stylist assistant and stylist.  The higher up the ladder the longer and curlier the toes on the black leather shoes (even floor sweeper was proud of his canvas Converse shoes).  The clientele, in contrast, were mainly slightly overweight women in their 40s and 50s, Indian and ex-pats.  The whole scene was somewhat surreal as the young men from the hip down repeatedly broke into MTV choreography while their hands steadily went about the hair business of washing, snipping and sweeping.  Even my nail improver,although seated for his job, managed to get his head into the MTV action while buffing and greatly appreciated the MTV parallel when I mentioned it.

Apart from the great entertainment, the manicure also included a fabulous arm massage.  All wonderfully unexpected and  good things to add on to the list of things to be thankful for in Thanksgiving week.