Krazy 2

Namaskar blog friends! I had an eventful weekend. Attended the Krazy 2 concert which came to our city on Saturday. The show featered Indian playback singers like Sunidhi Chauhan and Ali Zafar. Ali Zafar however, is a Pakistani musician/actor who is now based in India. The concert was enjoyable simply because we went as a big group. I was not too impressed with the singing. The best part of the evening was when we were allowed to go to the front of the stage, and see the artists from close quarters. It occurred to me that these 2 are ordinary people otherwise. Just because they are famous celebrities, I am in awe of them. There was another singer from Indian Idol 2 with them called Rakesh Maini. I remember watching him on TV. I was happy that he too got a chance. The energy in the auditorium was full on when Sunidhi and Ali sang their super hit songs. Sunidhi sang songs like Beedi jalaile, My name is Sheela , Disco Dewaane, Chokra Jawan re and Ali sang London, New York, Paris and Madhubala.  He also sang some old Hindi songs which could have been avoided. I can see why he had to do that though. Ali does not have many songs to his credit yet. However, the audience went berserk with Ali's grand finale performance of Madhubala. He then flung his snug, by now, sweaty leather jacket into the audience. Some lucky (?), screaming girl, must have got it. Some young girls next to me were screaming his name so loudly, that I had to close my ears. All he did was wink at them and they were so happy. Such is the power of a celebrity. One question came to my mind. Why promote Pakistani artists in India, when there are so many talented Indian people, struggling to get work? I understand the whole India-Pakistan improving relations part, but not at the cost of ignoring good talent in our own country. Bu then again, who am I to say anything? It's just my opinion.  OK folks, parting tonight with a lovely ghazal by Jagit Singh. Jhuki, Jhuki si nazar. Sunidhi sang this for us. It was a pop rendition of the Ghazal. I hated it! In fact, a die hard Jagit Singh fan would have been offended, She was brave to even try it. So, I felt like listening to the original version. Enjoy my dear cyber family. Shub Ratri.

 

Absence of color - New color?

Hello blog friends!  Heard that Rakhi Sawant is standing for the Cine and Television Artistes’ Association (CINTAA) elections 2013 listening to issues of actors. I really hope she wins. The bold item girl, deserves a chance. She might eventually be able to knock some sense into the corrupt ruling people with her "bindaas bol" attitude. I also noticed that the Bachchans definitely have their PR staff working overtime for them. TOI had an article today, that said Aaradhya Bachchan is the most stylish Bollywood baby. What a random statement to make. This is because the Bachchans were spotted arriving from New York when Aaradhya was dressed in leopard print tights and a scarf. Really? This type of outfit is readily available for kids her age in any dress store. Nothing fashionable about it. Talking about fashion, I would hate to be in Kim Kardashian's shoes right now. With every pound she is gaining, the media is splashing a nasty new nick name for her on magazines. It must be dreadful to be called Shamu the killer whale. Don't worry Kim, size zero can wait till after the baby.
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I just realized that every day you wake up, you have the opportunity to be creative. From sunrise to sunset, your day is filled with opportunities to let your creative juices flow. Right from picking your outfit, fixing your hair, making breakfast, tackling work, picking material to read etc, etc.



Imagine a day, when you wake up, that everything is black and white. There is absolutely no color in the world. Not even black and white. Everything is transparent. Life would have been boring and chaotic too. We would all be living a blind man's world. So, what is so color? Is that a new color? Or is it black? Has anyone ever solved this mystery? Color means so much to me. I would go under depression, if there was no color. In fact, people at work always identify me with my colorful outfit and matching jewelery. They call me the 'colorful' person. That is the reason I dislike the cold and dark Winter season with naked trees and frosted leaves. Now, don't you all agree that God has carefully planned the world. Thank God!
Leaving you tonight with this beautiful song "Raat Ka Sama" from the movie Ziddi  which was made ion 1964. Enjoy! Shub Ratri.

Grab the crab

Namaskar blog friends! It's yet another manic Monday. Bang, Bang Shrimp was the new thing our family tried and fell in love with. This was at a restaurant called Bone fish grill. Apparently, on Wednesdays this dish is 50% off all day long. The kids were saying, now there will be something to look forward to on the dinner table on Wednesday nights. So, another good weekend filled with fun filled activities, comes to an end. Now back to the 8AM-5PM grind. I made crab curry for dinner tonight. We were eating crabs after 2 years or so. Sanil and Shekar thought it was too much work and a messy affair. Rohit and I enjoyed it. Like mother, like son. It was well worth the effort for us. Hard work really pays off! The gorgeous pink and white, soft and succulent flesh was just the right thing that my taste buds were craving for a long time. We spent a good 1 hour at the dining table today. This was good, as normally we finish in 10 mins. We could spend some quality time together, chatting and enjoying the crabs together. I feel people tend to relax, unwind and enjoy sharing experiences when they are eating good food. Posting pics below.

Yummy platter of Rice and Coconut crab curry

Close up view of the crab

This is the Konkani way of making Crab curry. It's a coconut gravy. Normally, this dish would not be so dry. I did not realize that the crab would soak up all the water out of the gravy. But taste wise it was just like my Amma's preparation. I was remembering the chatter around our dinner table in Manipal. Dad would make it so enjoyable, by relating all his childhood stories. I miss those days.
Here in DC, they have Crab fests during the crab season. I have been to one so far. People line up and sit on tables, covered with brown paper. Every table has a big pot of steamed crabs. Everyone is given a hammer, old bay seasoning and butter. The crabs are so huge, that after eating around 4-5 one feels full. I have eaten 10 of them in one go. That's how much I love crabs. For the beer buffs, there is abundance of free flowing beer. People can also enjoy music and arts and crafts. Add to this, a bunch of like minded people, and it will be an event that you would want to go to again and again. This is on my "to do" list for this summer.
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As I am typing this post, I am listening to my favorite Ghazal singer Jagjit Singh, singing "Pyar ka pehla khat likhne mein waqt to lagta hai" live to some lucky audience. Wah! Youtube zindabad! The maestro is immortal. I love the following lines.

Jism ki baat nahi thi unke, dil tak jana tha,
Lambi doori tai karne mein, waqt to lagta hai.

Gaanth agar lag jaye to phir, rishte ho ya doree,
Laakh kare koshish khulne me, waqt to lagta hai.

If anyone knows who wrote this song, please let me know.  Lucky, is the woman, who would have received a similar first love letter from her boyfriend or husband. I have attached the link for you, my favorite friends, Enjoy. Shub Ratri folks ! Love you all!

 

Perfumes - love them or hate them?

Hello Blog friends! A moment of silence for the 3 people who lost their lives and the numerous injured in the Boston Marathon bombing incident on Monday. What a cruel act! I am making one wish now - Let non violence and peace prevail! Folks did any of you check out PSY's new song "Gentleman"? if not check it here.  He released it on April 13th and already has 105,461,002. I think people are clicking on it more out of curiosity. The music is similar to the "gangnam style" in my opinion. It has not impressed me yet. But then again, it can grow on me if I keep listening to it. The media will do their part in promoting the song. Posting the Song of the day from the movie Kahin pyar na ho jaaye. It's playing on the online radio right now for me. OMG! the bubbly Rani looks so young and beautiful. Her attractive tiger eyes light up the screen every time she blinks.

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Finding a perfect perfume is such a hard job isn't it? Every time we look around there is some celebrity releasing his or her new perfume. I have tried some from the departmental stores, like, Beautiful by Estee Lauder, Happy by Clinique and D& G Light blue. I have also tried Jovan musk from the drug store. I have liked them all. Every time my husband goes on a trip he invariably brings me perfumes from different countries. Recently he bought one called "Holi" by Kenzo Amour. He had purchased it at the London airport he told me. I find it to be a little strong. The bottle is so cute. It's red in color and has a long cap. However, I still haven't found the one scent that I have in my mind. The one that I smell on some women when they pass by. I am shy to stop them and ask which perfume they are wearing. Wearing Perfume gives me pleasure, not only because it smells nice, but also because I feel confident when I smell good. A perfume is the last accessory that I use before heading out of the door. I like using sprays more than perfumes because perfumes tend to be too strong for me and often leaves me with a headache. But recently, I came across a perfume called Prada Amber by Prada. I think that's going to be my next buy. I like their body lotion too!. However, I did not like their new fragrance called Candy. I get attracted to the shape of a bottle first and I automatically think that the perfume will smell good on me. The marketing people are doing  a fantastic job in deceiving people. I fall for their tactic every time. Hence, most of the bottles of perfume, go unused by me. It sits on dresser adding to the décor of the room. I feel sad that I spend so much money on these bottles. Recently, I read somewhere that old perfumes can be used on pillows to give them a fresh smell. Good idea! I think I am going to finish all the old bottles of perfume that way. There is a right way to wear the perfume. A dab of fragrance to what is called the pulse points where the blood vessels are closest to the skin giving off more heat and acting like mini fragrance pumps the wrists, neckline, behind ears, and behind the knee has always been a popular use. So, go ahead wear a perfume and attract people towards you. Good luck shopping! Please leave me a comment on which is your favorite perfume. Who knows I might be tempted to try it. Shub Ratri. Love you all!

The "like" button on Facebook

Howdy friends? I had another fantastic weekend. The Ugadi function went off very well. Wish I had the video to share. The weather was great this weekend. Really wanted to go to Washington DC to check out the cherry blossoms. For the 12th year in a row, our family has been successful in planning this event and then failing to execute. Sometime ago, I had written about surprises and how I like listening to the radio for this very reason of not knowing which song is going to be played next. Today, I came across this song from the movie Page 3 by chance. I am glad I did. Pleasant surprises are always so nice aren't they? I am going to share the song with all of you as the Song of the day.   

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There was so much activity on Facebook today. People sharing pictures of how they enjoyed the weekend with their friends and family. Pictures excite me. I love the creativity that goes behind those cheerful smiles and poses. Like they say, pictures speak louder than words. So, with this thought in my mind, I set out for my evening walk today. The sun had gone down and I felt a nip in the air. The beautiful cherry blossoms and the determined joggers, created the right atmosphere for an enjoyable stroll.

I was thinking, I had used the "like" button on Facebook quite a lot today, without writing a comment. So, what is it that I am really liking? What is that I am agreeing with by liking people's statuses, be it a statement, question, or a picture? If somebody were to post a status that their grandfather died, is it ok to click on the "like" button, just to agree with them that it indeed is a sad moment? My intention can be misinterpreted. People might think I am happy that the person's grandfather is dead. Not a good thing. I know, I can write a comment, but normally, if I do not know the person very well, then I don't write a comment. So then, is it a good idea for Facebook to introduce a "dislike" button. I would think not. People would abuse that and I am sure Mark Zuckerberg has no intentions of spreading negativity. Another thing that I cannot fathom about the "like" button is that, the post I "like", immediately surfaces to the top of the page, making it visible for everyone. Not every time do I want this information to be public. The new thing now is the "follow" button. I use this to follow celebrities that I like, but this information is also public. I don't think that there are security settings on these buttons. Anyway, inspite of these issues, I still continue using Facebook. Mr. Zuckerberg's addictive product definitely has me sold! Shub Ratri folks! Love you all!

THANK YOU ALL AND HAPPY UGADI!

Namaskar blog friends. Happy Ugadi to all of you. It feels very good to reach the 10,000 hits milestone. Took me around 2 years, but its finally here! I could not have done it without your support. I really wish I could get to know some you "Anonymouses" out there who write such encouraging comments. I started this blog, just to learn about blogging. I thought I should write a few posts and see if I can actually even write more than a paragraph. So I decided to start small. I picked a favorite topic and decided to write what I knew about it. Soon I found I could write more than a paragraph. I kept surprising myself and that was so enjoyable to me. Writing also proved to be extremely therapeutic to me. It was like maintaining a daily dairy. Some good friends became daily readers of my blog and started giving me their feed back. This kept me motivated. I feel I have learnt a lot just by writing about general things. I have a long way to go. Hopefully by the time this blog hits the 20,000 mark, I will have improved as a writer and made some new friends.

Leaving my dear blog friends tonight with the Song of the day from the movie Race 2 which my dear friend Anu posted on my Facebook page. Enjoy! Shub Ratri. Love you all!

Good times, busy times

Hello blog friends! I just noticed that I am close to having 10,000 hits on this blog. Thank you all for your support. It keeps me going. I really wish this was more interactive. It's been crazy trying to do so many things. I have my plate full these days. I just completed another cooking video with my dear friend Anu. The local Konkani Association is celebrating Ugadi on April 13th. I am one of the committee members and feel responsible to put up an entertaining show. I am in the midst of preparing a script, of course with my dear friend Anu again!. It is going pretty well. I have to also prepare a brochure for the same. And then there might just be another surprise item from Anu and I, you never know us. Hmm, not easy! But I am enjoying every minute of it. I wish I could do this full time. We celebrated a friend's 40th B'day on Sat. Had a good time eating Biryani and fish. Again I slipped on my diet routine. I will have to pick back up tomorrow. Sigh! The buzz for the past week was TOIFA. So, what is TOIFA? I had to find the answer on Google. Times of India Film Awards 2013 (TOIFA). Must be something new. Any excuse to make more money for Bollywood. I saw some pictures of the event which happened in Vancouver, BC. It was Barfi all the way again. What was Raveena Tandon doing there? The media is making a sensational story by focusing on Gauri Kahan and SRK. Looks like the Amitabh and Rekha story is being revisited? Also, saw some pics. of Ash's begum like appearance, covered up in layers from top to bottom. Hmm, boring aunty,  go home! And whatever happened  in Thane, Mumbai, with the fall if the illegal building, was not that big of a surprise. As long as India does not have strict anti corruption laws in place, these kind of fatal incidents will continue to happen. Sorry, I will have to stop this post abruptly tonight, as I am so tired and I have lost my thinking power. I will keep away from this space till next week (got to practice for the show) promising you to come back with a bang. Till then stay good, keep fit and enjoy! Happy Monday! Leaving you tonight with the Song of the day is from the 1984 movie Sunny. Shub Ratri!