Resounding Emptyness

From one emptiness to another I wander looking for brilliance to shine within me.
Looking for my half, if not better just Equal.
Wishing I had a road map to life or a cheat sheet.
Looking ahead to look behind to stay still with you my perfect one to-nite.
Imperfect me wanting your perfection so desperately.
To complete ,incomplete me .
Lying Romances keep the fire lit wanting more knowing less.
Drama rules logic fails.
As someone said everything in life is mediocre Love shouldn't be one of them.
Stuck in mediocrity waiting for my knight in shining intellect to match wits with.
Rush oh perfect one to whisk me away from it all  in a Dark cloud with a Silver lining

Where for NEW YEAR's

So Confused as always what to do for new years. My heart screams Italy,France and Singapore. But I have the love of my life my German Shepherd Athena who would have to sit for days on end in Quarantine. Which i think is totally unfair that people are allowed to travel all over the world Willy Nilly and my precious one is supposed to sit in quarantine just because she might be carrying some kind of pathogen. People carry more diseases than animals and most of the pandemics have been started by us so called Humans. 

Anywaz back to the Where for new years. Need a vacation. Goa? Lonavla? Delhi? let me know what u r doing. Perhaps will join u Take care have a Great Week 

One Hour for me and One Hour for you :)

If i had an extra two hrs. a day I would like to be able to spend one hr. pampering myself and the other hour on some worthy cause.
 Everyday the hour that I want to spend on other people would change. Sometimes making someone close by feel better by a foot rub or a massage. A stranger better by giving them food. I'm an animal lover and would love to just donate all my time to them without any concern for anything else. But that is not possible as I have pets and a Family of my own to look after everyday. After all charity begins at home.
      
I would love to pamper myself with a spa sadly they cost too much. So might keep them to a minimum of at least once a month as opposed to me having just gone once to a spa in my entire life. I think working out for an hr or at least thirty minutes is also pampering yourself as that takes care of your physical and mental well being as well. Exercise is good for the brain and heart. Women in general do not take care of their eating and exercising. Which they should as it makes you Healthy and happy.

The one hr I would like to spend at an animal shelter somewhere helping poor hurt animal with no voice. Hating that humans would ever be cruel to them. I wish i could take them all home and keep them safe, secure and well fed. Animals are the most loyal loving people I know :) yes i know i said People because sometimes behave  totally opposite and we still call them Human and being an Animal is used as an insult. My favorite times in my life have been spent with animals volunteering at the Zoo in Singapore and New york and working at Sentosa island in Singapore :) all filled to the brim with animals insects reptiles birds etc that are taken good care of.

Vicious Angry Person Being a Bad Neighbour

Having issues with the mental case that live below me. I'm on the 11th floor and she is on the 10th. Been Living there longer than she has. Didn't have any issues with anyone. A Leaking pipe into her house apparently was me throwing water and piss water none the less. She caught my servant telling her dont throw water in my house. Like I would achieve some kind of Nirvana doing that.

Lied to me that she wanted my servant down to do some work and then again told her to stop throwing piss water into her house. Weird lady like i would be collecting pee in a bucket and throwing it down. The Next time she did this which was pretty much on a regular basis. I asked our building manager to come which he did with her son and checked my balcony which was DRY as a Bone.

Water is not the only problem. If there is any noise like us walking in Rubber slippers its the end of the world and she calls at odd hrs to say that we are making noise like 4 am in the morning when everyone is asleep and JUST BREATHING.....How Cruel of us to Breathe in Our Own House....And get this she made complaints even when i was in a Different state (goa) and there was absolutely no one at home. I dont expect little elves came just to mess with her but might have in her troubled head.

The Straw that Broke the camels back : Last nite i was lying down on the bed and reached for a bottle that was place on the floor and it tipped over. Yup u guessed it right. She called up complaining. Till Date I've been taking diplomatically with her and cordially thinking that shes old and must be cranky. Last nite at 9 pm getting tired of the harassment As she tells me what is all this that your throwing around. i asked her is she going to call every time a bottle falls down and guess what she says YES....Wow i thought to myself this person has no clue how to live cordially i don't think she can even spell or read or write. So i told her she was Crazy and needed to buy a bungalow if she didn't want Neighbors. I personally think she is one of those women who has no control on what goes on in her life is frustrated and has chosen me to take it out on or is just used to fighting and misses it from the old Chawl that shes moved from. Thank u Redevelopment. Money doesn't Bring Class
Having moved to India from New york and having lived in India in my own building ,moving into a society I don't come to expect much from people around like common sense or civic sense but someone going out of their way to make me uncomfortable in my house is absolutely vicious....I do hope she realizes what a JERK she is being. And we can talk ,resolve it and move on eventually.

The Adventures of TINTIN in 3D

Movie Poster

Just Came back a few minutes ago from the movie. Its a great movie in 3D none the less .Loved the movie the 3D. Hated the Glasses as they were scratched and too heavy. Watched the movie at Inox @ Thane (W) got the recliners at the back. Love to sit there cause its so comfortable and has a good view. Didn't make a difference where we sat in 3D.

Great first half . Thirty seconds in and the mystery starts and the viewer is Drawn in. I enjoyed it so much that i forgot to eat my red vines :) or sweet cable as the candy treats company call them. And anyone that knows me knows i LOVE them. Wishing there was no Interval and I wasn't brought back to the reality of sitting in the Theater. 

The second Half moved faster and it was very exciting and cant wait for the 2nd installment. Its a must see for all people who loved the Comics. It brings the comics to life. Every scene could be paused and it would fit in a comic instantly as the makers of it will emphasize as well.

Haven't put the plot of the movie up as I didn't want to spoil it for everyone as discovering it. Let me know if u want to know the plot will email u personally. But I would prefer if u watched it in 3D and Discovered it for yourself. Its a pleasure frame by frame. Will definitely go for it a second time or maybe a third time even. Hope everyone Enjoys the Movie as i did

Morgutal with Chutney Receipe

Morgutal is a South Indian delicacy eaten by me at my Bf's mom's place plenty of times. She makes it very well and compliments it with coconut chutney. After Eating it for the millionth time in the last 9 yrs I made the decision to take the recipe from her. So here goes....If u do use it let me know how it turned out and if you made any additions, would love to know anything u thought that made it better Eat in good health :)

Morgutal : 1 and 1/2 cup tur dal cook till soft with Turmeric and salt ( one teaspoon each should be enough)
                grind : 3/4th coconut , 1 and 1/2  teaspoon Jeera full not powder , 8-10 curry leaves ( curry patta)
                          3 chillies, fist full of raw rice Grind all together into a paste and keep aside.

Vegetables : Pumpkins ( red or green) 100 gms ,Peas 100 gms Peel of skin of pumpkin cut into cubes add peas and boil with turmeric and salt . Add paste into dal and pour it all into the boiled vegetable broth. Let it boil till gravy becomes thick.
Tadka: with coconut oil 1 and 1/2 spoon rai mustard seeds and urad dal.
Below is the pic of how it should look in the end.

Morgutal

Chutney: 1/2 coconut, 3 chillies green ( to taste) dried chilly whole , Urad dal 2 teaspons, Channa dal 1and 1/2 teespoon dry roast all of the ingredience mentioned then add curry leaves 3-5 Tamarin pulp 1/2 lemon size. remove all this from the heat then Dry roast coconut pulp with coriander leaves and salt to taste ( less is more in this case) you can always add more salt later. Grind all into a chutney to eat on the side. Below is the pic of how it looks at the end of it all

Coconut Chutney

Eat with boiled or steamed rice. ENJOY.........

Morgutal, rice and Chutney :) ENJOY

                         

Luv us or hate us Pakistan U cant Ignore us anymore....Pakistan give MFN status to India

The reason that India gets the MFN status from Pakistan is the economic conditions there. Pakistan imports good from India but via Dubai. So all goods would be getting more expensive with middle men or firms importing them. Then re-exporting them to Pakistan.This would have obviously made those goods more expensive for the people that it eventually landed in Pakistan for.

India is cautious wondering if Pakistan is going to withdraw the status after giving it as they have done with several other things in the past. I do not think India has anything to worry about as these good were being exported anyway to them. Prices obtained for the goods in India would remain the same but cutting out the middle man in Dubai would mean that these same goods would be cheaper for the Pakistanis who like the rest of the World are dealing with Financial blows and inflation.

This would mean more business for the ports of Gujarat. Improvements in shipping links between India and Pakistan. But would in turn mean a percentage of exports to Dubai decreasing. The firms that have invested in Dubai's future as an entry port would be threatened. In this economic climate could mean a slight adjustment or complete doom. That remains to be seen. But companies in India and Pakistan would see a boom in Exports and imports between the two countries that were doing it already but to put in lays man's terms on the sly. Hoping to see some lovely Pakistani clothing into India at Cheap costs as we all love a bargain. Instead of having to buy them from visitors to and fro. Yes i do love Pakistani embroidery and crochet as they love Indian Prints and Bollywood movies Needless to say all of this is on the sly.

High time we both grew up and stop sticking our tongues out at each other. Even if no one will admit it. Pakistan has come out from the loins of ancient India as have many countries. So high time we act like adults and stop the meaningless sibling rivalry in which no side wins.

Here's hoping this trade development lasts and is not broken by the time this blog post is published. Fingers crossed









 

Is It Love Or DOVE? My longstanding love affair with Dove Products

I have been an avid Dove user since I moved to New york. Which was a long 10 + years back.  My hair has gone through a rainbow of colors and dove has always helped.   

Was very happy with the results and the best part is that a Dove Bar in New york is also an ice cream sandwich. Not only did Dove keep my multi streaked hair clean, nourished and pampered. It also gave me an ice cream treat. Not to be confused with the famous Dove soap Bar which is really nourishing as well. For me anything named Dove became a very comforting product. Whether it was for my hair,skin or my hungry tummy :).

My multi streaked hair in NY

 Happy with my foray into blonde in the pic above I decided to go even blonder pic below.

Blonder Halloween

 Of course with my trusty nourishing therapy Dove under my belt. I used Dove when i went Bleach blonde thrice a week with the matching nourishing conditioner wash away as well as the leave in conditioner. Wishing I had used Dove's Hair spa as well. But then Hindsight is 20-20. So next time which is next week i hope to correct the previous mistake :) Dove all the way. Cant wait for my Dove Hamper to come as well it will come just in time to condition my newly colored hair. The pic below is my latest pic without having colored my hair for the last few years or so. Never liked my brown color think that it is too mousy. My sis tells me this is the in color rite now. Maybe will go a few shades lighter.

Natural brown color

I am still using Dove therapy for split ends the big blue bottle I bought an industrial size one :) same with the leave in conditioner :) I think Dove should come out with a line of Hair color products that go well with their shampoos. I'm sure it will be as nourishing as their shampoo and soap. Would love it if they came up with a Skin care line as well :)  I have been a Dove loyalist for at least 10+ yrs now and would love to use more of their products. I am going to get a cut and color this week will post the pics on the next blog and hopefully my new DOVE will be here by then. Or I will just go out and buy some :) Cant wait....Its like getting a new present for my Hair :) Yippee :) 

  More to follow on the Next Blog Post so till Next time :) Wishing u Love and DOVE :)

Spaghetti Kitchen Powai

Entered into the restaurant expecting good food as had great take out a week earlier. Liked the decore which was very rustic Italian Bistro. Nice Ambiance didnt have loud music playing which was good so people could talk. Very family friendly restaurant . Many families were sitting and enjoying their food in a nice hum of conversation. Ordered the penne in white sauce again. Pic below

Penne in white sauce with chicken and broccoli

Was not as good as it was when i had the take out. Smelled more milky rather than cheesy. The Staff were kind enough to correct that Immediately.

Had the Sea food Marinara Was great. Never having had a sea food marinara i was pleasantly Surprised 

The only complaint I have is that there was only one Mussel a few prawns squid and fish were plenty. Next time will try it with just the Mussels and let u know how that went. I generally have the mussels in wine sauce. Will review that if they have it.

Sea food Marinara

Half  Eaten Sea food Marinara

Really really Loved the Steak

Always on the look out for a good steak place like all good carnivores should be. Had the Steak di manzo with mushroom sauce. They give you an option of pepper sauce havent tried that yet. But the steak was cooked well loved the mushroom sauce and this comming from my BF who is not a fan of mushroom. I did eat 1/4 cause i had to wrestle it away from him unlike the asparagus which he hates and i luv :). The Sides were Great as well mashed potatoes and a rubix cube like carrot which i really appreciated :). The Croquettes were nice as well all just lightly looked with still a crunch to them. Pretty plate isn't it?

Steak Di Manzo

For dessert Loved the CHOCOLATE BOMB

Chocolate Bomb

  

Really loved the chocolate bomb it was nice and warm and soft with melted chocolate inside :) Yummy. they served it with a cold scoop of vanilla with chocolate sauce. Included both the pics of before and after i dug into my bomb and it all exploded into a chocolate river. Now who can complain about a chocolate river not me :) Loved it :)

Overall good experience we ordered 3 mains and dessert out of which only one the penne in white sauce needed a little tweaking. Would prefer it with a Bachenel (made with flour and butter)sauce like the french instead of a milk sauce which smelt too milky for my liking. Would I go again Sure I would. Would like to try out there mini pizzas as well till next time folks happy eating :)

Love Hats always makes me think of the RACES

Philip Treacy Hat line 2011.......London milliner (Hat Maker). Galleries of haute couture and ready to wear hat collections. 

I wonder why we didnt pick up the Hat wearing tradition from the British. Picked up almost everything else. Hats always remind me of the Scene from "MY FAIR LADY" the movie where Eliza is taken to the races in a black and white gown with a lovely hat and everyone around her is equally dressed up Rather Poshly :) i would say.
She is learning to speak proper english and manners. she carries herself off very well until the race begins and her horse is behind where she yells out to the horse in her thick uncultured voice " Move your blooming Arse" 
Its Funny as hell and a classic to boot. Would recommend everyone see it. Back to topic...Loving the hats . They are a piece of Art to look at but would i stick one on my head. Would u???  I think not. Simply because the aesthetic hasn't been accepted in India at all. Would stick out like a sore thumb dont u think. 


The Most Famous hat fiasco to in the recent times has been about  Princess Beatrice toilet hat. Shes is the daughter of Prince Andrew (brother of Prince Charles) and Sarah Ferguson...She looked like she wore a Toilet lid on her head. This Fiasco was at the  April wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton, who are now known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
 

posting the picture from the NY times. She in turn sold the hat on Ebay for UNICEF and for children in crisis charities :) smart girl....

 and she had been the only royal to complete a Marathon till date :) yippie for the Royal women :)

Whats ur opinion about hats???Love them or LEave them??

Restless in unending Purgatory (poem by Raahila Ladhani)

This Day I Sit and Stare into the naked air.
Waiting for my love to Begin Anew.
My heart to heal and peace to settle in my Weary soul.
My Restless Heart Walks, to wait for sleep to come.
To dream of a Better tomorrow.
But None come to me ,my love.
A restless heart beats, to the Drum of evil time that slips away from my Palm ,taking with its Grains of sand, my love, my peace , my patience.
Left is Forlorn ,Forsaken,Impatient me.
Restless in Unending PURGATORY
Unable to live.
Unable to Die .
Not to be me and FOR U NOT TO BE MINE.....

Rumor of Angels (Poem By Raahila Ladhani)

I heard a rumor of angels.
People said to me. I scoffed and walked it off.
Until i saw your hand reach for me.
I have missed you so much this Year thats gone by.
Everyday I wish for you to be.

I heard a rumor of Angels and didn't think there was one for me. 

Until you left my hand and had no time for goodbyes.

You went away, one ordinary day.

No Fireworks, no warnings , no tearful goodbyes.

I miss your smile ,your crazy eyes ,your mad acrobats ,your almost complaining.

I hate the people i meet now ,most all of them without you protecting me, judging them.

Your sweet embrace, your mad antics, I long for.

Run free my darling.

The big tomato farm in the sky awaits you.

Forgive me for my Limiteless stupidity my one true love.

I pray I should see you once again. 

My rumored Angel my life long love. 

Words fails me  i miss you now more than ever.

 

Sabyasachi Sarangi's photos

Dear, meet this wonderful mumbaikar.

Qualities of an Exemplary Human being.......Must read


Exact Narration by an auto-rickshaw passenger,

Suvendu Roy of Titan Industries, who shares his inspirational encounter with a rickshaw driver in Mumbai:

One Sunday, my wife, kid, and I had to travel to Andheri from Bandra. When I waved at a passing auto rickshaw, little did I expect that this ride would be any different...

I looked in front and there was a small TV. The driver had put on the Doordarshan channel.

My wife and I looked at each other with disbelief and amusement. In front of me was a small first-aid box with cotton, dettol and some medicines.

This was enough for me to realize that I was in a special vehicle.

Then I looked round again, and discovered more - there was a radio, fire extinguisher, wall clock, calendar, and pictures and symbols of all faiths

- from Islam and Christianity to Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism.

There were also pictures of the heroes of 26/11- Kamte, Salaskar, Karkare and Unnikrishnan.

I realized that not only my vehicle, but also my driver was special.

I started chatting with him and the initial sense of ridicule and disbelief gradually diminished.

I gathered that he had been driving an auto rickshaw for the past 8-9 years; he had lost his job when his employer's plastic company was shut down.

He had two school-going children, and he drove from 8 in the morning till 10 at night.

No break unless he was unwell. "Sahab, ghar mein baith ke T.V dekh kar kya faida? Do paisa income karega toh future mein kaam aayega."

We realized that we had come across a man who represents Mumbai – the spirit of work, the spirit of travel and the spirit of excelling in life.

I asked him whether he does anything else as I figured that he did not have too much spare time.

He said that he goes to an old age home for women in Andheri once a week or whenever he has some extra income, where he donates tooth brushes, toothpastes, soap, hair oil, and other items of daily use.

He pointed out to a painted message below the meter that read: "25 per cent discount on metered fare for the handicapped.

Free rides for blind passengers up to Rs. 50.

My wife and I were struck with awe. The man was a HERO!

A hero who deserves all our respect!!!

Our journey came to an end;

45 minutes of a lesson in humility, selflessness, and of a hero-worshiping Mumbai, my temporary home.

We disembarked, and all I could do was
to pay him a tip that would hardly cover a
free ride for a blind man.

I hope, one day, you too have a chance to meet Mr Sandeep Bachhe in his auto rickshaw: MH-02-Z-8508.

Be a Reason for Million Smiles…. But Never be a reason for even a single Grudge…..

The Above Photo and write up are credited to Mr Sabyasachi Sarangi and Suvendu Roy of Titan Industries.

Mr Sabyasachi Sarangi Graciously allowed me to reproduce it for my blog as i wanted to share this inspiring story with my fellow bloggers. This should be shining India. Helping each other should be how we operate and live in this world. Where our very existence makes life easier for everyone else. In India especially the differently able ( Handicapped) find it hard and every day existence is a daunting task. In this melee of upheaval and limitations imposed by a lack of facilities and overflowing populous. There is a man who is helping as much as he can. It stands to question. Have We are people of little or more means done anything??? Let alone as much as we can. Complaints come easy to us. Fighting is second nature. But being Grateful for what we have and helping our fellow man comes very hard. In a place which overflows with population. People that are able are treated with disdain and abruptness. We don't have time to help our own people let alone someone else. Animals are mostly there to torment as we walk by. Hit or throw stones at. What we don't understand or are familiar with being foreign to us is treated badly. I love animals perhaps even more so than most people I know. Anyone who knows me knows this about me. Hating the way the so called bottom of the barrel or the lowest of the low are treated.  Will write more about this and its tangent stories later. Rite now just wanting to leave you my reader with this inspiring story and hoping to make you think about doing your part in Helping and Caring.

Over Connected Under Educated OVer Privileged and Definitely Depressed

I do Like to be connected but there is something as 'BOUNDARIES' people...there is such a thing as too much information. Don't know how the Kardashians do it. Everything out there even their toilet habits which i find very very disturbing. Everyone Draws a different line in the sand about whats out for public consumption and whats not. Reality TV scripted is sometimes too weird. The show about people eating weird stuff like soap, clay, glass etc is kinda weird. Even the Celeb shadowing paparazzi is crazy. Movie Stars Tv stars are just people and some crazy headlines about them are way over the top and always All News is Earth shattering. I always wonder why ? Why is someone going to the freaking restaurant earth shattering. When there is so much else going on. Politically, Environmentally and in our own lives.....Addiction to Drama is a serious issues happens to us all. Life is not a Hindi movie or any movie for that matter. People expect more and are often disappointed that there are no many highs and hopefully not many lows. Everything being OK is something we need to learn to get used to. As everything on TV and movies even Ads tell us different. Everything is about Instant gratification. Buy this and instantly u will get the life of your dreams or use this and u will get the man of your dreams. More about this later :) Storm happening at the construction site rite now :) have to run :) Hide :) and save myself

Easing myself into the chaos

So used to having a cause to rebel against when i was growing up it was the parental unit and now on my own I miss that.
It was so easy knowing what Path to take. It was the path that my parents were dead against. A lot of people have been asking me to blog for a few years now and I always resisted. Didn't want to blog because it meant that i would have to write down and make an effort to state my opinions. Didn't know if anyone would bother to read it.  Wouldn't want to offend people with my blog. Most importantly didn't want people to know what I was thinking.
Live and Let live and love is my policy in life. Most definitely I have a relaxed sense of morality. I pride myself not having fit into a box or a stereotypical Trait of any kind. With all these contradictions being visited and re visited every time i meet someone new I don't like talking about myself especially in cultural strict societies since i can just see people trying to fit me into these detestable Boxes of assumptions. Let me know if you feel the same. Happy travels.