Bianca's B'day

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BHANGI WIFE!!!

Bianca's B'day

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BHANGI WIFE!!!

Ashes to ashes...

I am not as young as I used to be. There used to be a time when I could party for three days straight and still not be tired. On saturday night, at Bianca's birthday bash at the Slipper Room, a retro-style cabaret club in the LES - I got smashed pissed drunk and came back home at 4 am. What happened between 11 and 4 is still not quite clear to be - but I remember the hostess for the evening making cracks about a 'milky discharge' and I wanted her to cream my coffee with it. It was funnier at the time.

Anyway, spent all of Sunday getting over saturday night (hung over and tired) - slept in till 1pm (did get up for 15 minutes to walk the dog though at 9 am.) And then saw 36 chowringhee lane, an Aparna Sen movie (one of India's most sensitive directors), and was then convinced I was going to die alone. Again.

But then family guy made up for it.

International Notoreity

After reading this story in the New York Times, (with India being all hot and all, the press seems to love it more), it made me wonder - is the international media going to manage to affect the corruption in the country - or will it just be something international journalists will use when they have no other front page fodder?

I sincerely hope these damn corrupt politicos get affected by something, although I know realistically, it's highly doubtful.

Fission Vison

Alright - this is for all those in the company reading the blog (that means you - JW, DD, JS, BS!).

Although Fission, may not be the best place for cutthroat business, the people there are the absolute best to work with. For the days that I surfed the net all day long without doing an iota of constructive work (and yes, there were many), it was the banter of the colleagues 'downtown' that kept me going. And I think that only fissionaries can appreciate the insanity that comes from having absolutely no work, and the crazy ideas for sitcoms/dramas that come out of it. Maybe we should actually consider putting the TV execs in a med ed company so that they come out with shows that are actually funny.

Anyway, I though the best way to do this is to make a list of the things that I will miss about fission, and the things I won't. I'll try not to get all teary-eyed.

What I will miss :

• The immensley entertaining conversations (and conspiracies) thanks to JW, DD and JS.
  
• Free stationary (Im a sucker for free things - as anyone who reads this blogs knows)
• The 2% of work that I did - I think it was really cool that MN (the VP of the company) chose me to go on a pitch with him - of course, it didn't work out - but you know, it's the thought that counts.
• The chase corp run - It's not exactly the new york marathon - but it's at least a start.
• The unanswered questions which kept me going - who stole the missing bathroom key (it was actually under the file rack), and who was the temp with the improper social security number (I guess we'll never know - but incase you're reading - the door code is now 152) and just why did Insomnia-man WB really quit?
• The non-sequitirs which Dr.PM used to make randomly when he used to come out for a glass of water.
• The KS bashing which RA and me often indulged in.
• The fact that despite being in the healthcare industry, the CEO and VP are grossly obese - and they're the ones who pitch business
• The amount of time I had to research free happenings in the city (stay tuned to this blog for more info)
  
• The characters that make up a corporate setup (half of whom, strangely, are also actors)

Things that I will not miss:

• Egotistical condescending directors who have nothing to do with you, but still exert their 'superiority', by reiterating the fact to the VP that they shouldn't "waste money on an intern!!" while I'm right there.
  
• The bathrooms - which have no hot water and broken flushes for the urinals (ugh - I know it was gross)
• A certain rat-like management employee who comes up to your desk and cracks bad jokes with the impression that he's really cool - but when, in fact, no one has any respect for him and they laugh at him, instead of with him. (Actually, I'm going to miss making fun of him - perhaps this should go on the list above)
• The dungeon - anyone who works on 4 will know what I'm talking about - it's almost like prison
• The air conditioning - the place was like a damn freezer!!

But I guess, overall, the experience was definitely memorable - I might devote two whole paragraphs to it if I ever write my autobiography.

An Epilogue to the Summer

So Friday was the end of a chapter in my life. I got done with my internship at fission communications and I finished the book Shantaram.

About Shantaram :
The book is phenomenal. FOr anyone who's from Bombay, or has even visited, it's inspiring. On the surface the book is about an australian convict who escapes from prison and comes to bombay as a fugitive. There he transforms into a local and gets involved with the underworld. But that's only the front - the book is about so much more, it's about relationships, love, passion, reason, philosophy and most importantly, the love for Bombay. I don't think anyone could have described it better, or managed to understand the Bombay psyche better than Gregory David Roberts. Each paragraph, each page was like reading my soul - it changed the way I look at Bombay, and where I fit in to the whole picture. It was like growing up with someone, whom you think you knew really well - and then finding out there's so much more to it. Every quaint tradition and custom which Bombayites have adds to the philosphy of the culture, and I never thought there could be a way to explain it - and here's Shantaram - something that did.
To say that I loved Shantaram would be an understatement - it's become a part of my philosophy and my faith. If there was ever an emotional connection that I had to a work of art - this would be it. It's like listening to poetry that hits you straight in the heart - it totally works.

An Epilogue to the Summer

So Friday was the end of a chapter in my life. I got done with my internship at fission communications and I finished the book Shantaram.

About Shantaram :
The book is phenomenal. FOr anyone who's from Bombay, or has even visited, it's inspiring. On the surface the book is about an australian convict who escapes from prison and comes to bombay as a fugitive. There he transforms into a local and gets involved with the underworld. But that's only the front - the book is about so much more, it's about relationships, love, passion, reason, philosophy and most importantly, the love for Bombay. I don't think anyone could have described it better, or managed to understand the Bombay psyche better than Gregory David Roberts. Each paragraph, each page was like reading my soul - it changed the way I look at Bombay, and where I fit in to the whole picture. It was like growing up with someone, whom you think you knew really well - and then finding out there's so much more to it. Every quaint tradition and custom which Bombayites have adds to the philosphy of the culture, and I never thought there could be a way to explain it - and here's Shantaram - something that did.
To say that I loved Shantaram would be an understatement - it's become a part of my philosophy and my faith. If there was ever an emotional connection that I had to a work of art - this would be it. It's like listening to poetry that hits you straight in the heart - it totally works.

Gujju Recognition?

So, although I have, for all practical purposes, boycotted the Times of India, here's a comment about gujjus which arose from the ToI tabloid Mumbai Mirror (yes, they have a 'tabloid' - since when they consider the Times a 'real' newspaper is beyond me). It's from a Bombay blog I stumbled across called 'Man from Matunga'.

Martini Mania

So, without a doubt, I got completely smashed at the company's birthday party. I had 4 martinis, one after the other, in a span of 2 hours. On an empty stomach.
A lychee martini, a mango martini, a key lime martini, and another great cocktail called a coco bianco - white godiva liquer, dark godiva liquer, vanilla vodka and a dash of cream. It had been so long since I had good drinks, that I almost forgot what they tasted like.
In anycase, the night ended up in two arguments - one with medical writer John Watson's gf Kim about what I wanted to do with my PhD (she refused to believe that I wanted to be a ballerina in pursuit of global domination), and another with the other brown guy in the company Dr. Raj Pannu (he's a Canadian Indian) about bollywood - he was dissing it, and I was missing it. Of course nothing came of either of them, except for feigned drama and half a slice of lime which was grilled over candelight and then waxed (it slipped from my hands when it got too hot).

*hic*

The Power of Aamir Khan

The Rising, the beeb says, has broken box office records for a Hindi film in India. Read the whole story here.

It's still a crappy move. And to the bbc, Rani Mukerjee does not play a prostitute - she plays a courtesan. There's a big difference.

Interesting post

I got this via Inkscrawl, a Bombay blog often quoted by the beeb. It's about the 9 phases of blogging - which one am I in?

http://www.adityeah.com/2005/08/12/the-phases-of-blogging/

Big week ahead

Summer's finishing up, which means free events are running out - and this boy's gotta get as much free stuff as he can get his hands on before school starts.

Tues : Fission birthday party
Wed : Satyajit Ray film Pather Panchauli in Long Island City at the Socrates Sculpture Garden (Free!)
Thurs: Lunch w/Jordana and Nate (still have to figure out something to do in th evening)
Fri: Muppets take Manhattan in Central Park (Free!)
Sat : PS1 with Nik and Binny
Sun : Tomkin's Sq Park for Howl the EV festival (Free!)

phew! How will I survive this social life?

Anybody who wants to join in any of the free is more than welcome - give me a holler - aneeshsheth@gmail.com

Fission Celebration

Talk about the right time to quit - today is the company's 4th Anniversary and they've rented out a hotel bar where there's going to be an open bar (woo hoo!!) and hors d'oevres.
The menu includes:

• Mini Crab Cakes with a Caper Remoulade
• Tenderloin on Toasted Points with Cream Cheese and Horseradish Sauce
• Chicken Sate
• Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese On Pumpernickel and Chives
• Tarragon Scented Shrimp Salad on Wanton Chip
• Tomato and Olive Bruschetta
• Vegetable Spring Rolls

Definitely worth sacrificing a workout for! Hell, the open bar is worth sacrificing a workout for.

Woo hoo!!

Mangal Pandey and Shubha Mudgal

I went to the brethren this weekend to cook, and ended up seeing the blockbuster movie The Rising:Mangal Pandey (*ing Aamir Khan dir:Ketan Mehta) and then Shubha Mudgal performing Sufi-Mystic music on Sunday.

I am a huge Aamir fan. And I like Ketan Mehta (loved Sardar - the biopic about Sardar Vallabhai Patel - advisor to Gandhi and fellow shrewd Gujju). So I figured, given the fact that this is Aamir's first film in four years (after Lagaan), it would be something worth checking out. Man, was I wrong. The film is a blend of distorted historical facts, anachronisms and (the worst -gasp!) a horrible attempt by Rani Mukerjee to do the mujra!
Lets talk about mujras first - a mujra, for those less informed, is a dance which courtesans perform in their kothi, or brothel. Courtesans in early India were like Geishas - they were raised separate from society, in the kothi, and were taught to entertain a man in any and every way possible - dancing, singing, looking good etc. The mujra, is a dance performed by a courtesan in front of a group of men. Based on this mujra, the men would bid for the courtesan with the madam.
Coming back to the movie - the mujra that Rani Mukerjee performed was soo bad that I actually had to watch the mujras from Devdas, Umrao Jaan and Paakeezah (3 briliant films about courtesans) to reel from the after effects of Rani Mukerjees attempts. It was like a lame ass Bollywood adulterated dance bar routine!! And the movie - so anachronistic and stereotypical (with fire eaters and fakirs sleeping on thorns) - I'm surprised that someone like Aamir was behind it. The research was shoddy, the editing was horrible, and the entire cast was in their own world. Even Aamir, whom I used to consider one of the Gods of Bollywood, has fallen after this film. He has the standard 'strong-silent-brooding-type' expression all through the movie, so much to the extent that you don't know when he's really angry, or if its just a fly on his nose!
And why characters like those of Amisha Patel and Rani Mukerjee were introduced is beyond my comprehension. Man, it was such a let-down.
Shame on you Aamir and Ketan. How could you....?

The concert by Shubha Mudgal(famous Indian classical/pop artist), however, was definitely worth it. I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more if I had a better understanding of classical Indian music, but nevertheless - she is a phenomenal singer. She sang from the lyrics of famous Sufi poets like Paltudas, Aamir Khusrao and Muffazar Ali- and honestly, it's a pity I didn't pick this stuff up while I was young - because the lyrics and the tunes are so emotional that they hit you straight in the soul!

Holy Yoga!!

Check out this hillarious Maharishi - I'm almost convinced I want to be his disciple!

Journalism in India

The Times of India ...Man, you gotta love 'em..

http://www.sepiamutiny.com/sepia/archives/002061.html

They even manage to screw up the simplest of stories.

Beyond Craigslist

I'm surprised this one didn't post on Craigs - I guess some people are old fashioned!

Something about Mary meets American Pie?

http://movies-masti-magic.blogspot.com/2005/08/coolest-letter-to-dr-date-so-far.html

Another reason why I love it

The Cartoons :

After the whole monsoon fiasco being related to illegal construction and politicians wanting to make themselves richer by selling of unauthorized plots - we have another fool who wants to fill his pockets!

(Ganesh Visarjan literally means the immersion of Ganesh - it's done as a ritual every year during the celebratory week of 'Ganesh Chathurthi', when for 10 days you bring an Ganesh idol in your house, worship him and send him back to the lords. Of course, in this case, they just want to send the idiot off!)

I love Mid-Day

And here's why:

'When contacted, Sanober did not beat around the bush, “Yes, I am in love with Dilawar. We have been together since the last four months. He is a cutie pie. Agar uski taraf koi ankh utha kar bhi dekhega, I will fight tooth and nail for him.”'

To check out the full story, click here.

I have no idea who this Sanober Kabir is (although there is a little footnote at the end of the page, just reminding us that she's just another one of those trashy 'startlet' sluts.)

You gotta love the ads in India

Here's a couple from Atul Kasbekar's (Indian photographer) website via sepiamutiny.com featuring Javed Jaffery (Indian comic) dressed up as stereotypical residents of the neighborhoods.

For those less informed, the Colaba guy is what bawas (aka Parsees) traditionally wear.
The Dalal Street is what typical Gujjus look like.

And on that note...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/4159974.stm

Is America really the route to realize our dreams?

Fareed Zakaria in the Village Voice

In the weekly Village Voice online newsletter, I was pleasantly surprised to see a feature on Fareed Zakaria (They've called him muslim, heart-throb and super-pundit : do read it). Fareed Zakaria is the editor of Newsweek International, a columnist on foreign affairs and, most recently, the host of a talk show on PBS called 'Foreign Exchange with Fareed Zakaria.'

And somehow, even though I have never met him (or perhaps I might have in my infancy - apparently he used to be a regular feature at the Bombay Gymkhana), I feel a sense of pride. And it would probably be the same if Salman Rushdie had won the booker (he's nominated for Shalimar the Clown) or if anyone else from Bombay won anything. It's almost an implication of sorts that because he was raised in the same circumstances that I was (Cathedralite, South Bombay, Cuffe Parade resident, Bombay Gym member), that success is somehow closer.
Of course, he's only one of the 12 million people who've made it in an 'unconventional' field, and there are the other 11,999,999 who haven't - but it's still inspiring.

I don't know whether it's independence week or just a general 'maturation of the mind' or Gregory Robert's brilliant description of the Bombay Psyche that has got me thinking , but, off late, I've been pondering the entire concept of being Indian - internationally and locally - and how much it really means.

And some more..

http://www.sepiamutiny.com/sepia/

and

http://www.vij.com

These desis are smart, men.

Decent Desi Blogs

Just randomly browsing when I came across these...

http://dcubed.blogspot.com/

http://inkscrawl.blogspot.com

Chinese Food Pet Peeves

1. Americans need to redefine their taste buds. Spicy does not equal sweet. Spicy is when your mouth tingles and you feel the HEAT on your tongue. Sweet is when your mouth waters and you feel the SWEET on your tongue.

I ordered a beef schezhuan style for lunch today from this joint on 3rd ave called Imperial Garden. It had the little chilly next to it, implying that it was indeed spicy. It's about as spicy as a gulab jamun with nuts inside. (And yes, I know, some americans find that spicy too!).
And then there's Gen. Tso's Chicken. Now, I love GTC, but seriously, it ain't spicy. Nope. It's batter fried chicken with a honeyed glaze - where's the spice in honey?! And yet, it has a little chilly beside it. I think I should write to the chinese food menu council and demand that every item that has chillies beside it, should be spicy!

2. Chinese Soup Crackers :
I love them. They're great to snack on and they go great with hot and sour soup. For some strange reason, not all chinese restaurants serve them with delivery. What's up with that? If you're in the restaurant drinking soup, they get a little bowl by the side, but if you order delivery, they don't send 'em. Is it a religious thing? I had no idea the chinese were so touchy about fried flour. Anyway, Imperial Garden did send them. So yay for them!

The presentation that never became...

So the presentation that I was so assiduously working on for the last 2 months (yes, the one that keeps getting postponed), my boss just decided that I will not be physically going for it. Since these are my last two weeks at this company, I see his point, but honestly, that just took away the little guilt that I had for not coming back to this company. (They wanted me to come back in the fall, but obviously, I chose a lab instead - this is not the most motivating company to work for).

Back Remedy

So, the good news is that my back is practically fine now. But just to be safe, I'm not going to lift weights this week - do only cardio (running and swimming), which will ensure a stronger, healthier lower back.

Shubh Svatantrata Divas (Happy Independence Day)

http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0815.html

*sigh* 58 years on, and we're still driving people out of the country and struggling with corruption.

Makes you wonder, for a country so rich in history, how much have we really learnt from the martyrs?

Upcoming Free Stuff...

...which I plan to attend. Any other contributions welcome.

FILM:

Monday, August 15
8pm

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
@ Bryant Park, 42nd St.
at Ave. of the Americas
Manh.

On-and-offscreen lovers Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton spar in
the film version of playwright Edward Albee's look at manipulation
and marriage.

212-512-5700
http://www.bryantpark.org.

-------------------------------------

QUEER A&PI FILM SERIES PRESENTS
AN ASIAN & PACIFIC ISLANDER FILM RECEPTION

A presentation of films examining different trans-gendered experiences.

FREE ADMISSION
FREE REFRESHMENTS
OPEN TO ALL
NO RSVP REQUIRED

THURSDAY, AUGUST 18TH , 2005
7:00PM TO 10:00PM

Two Boots/ Den of Cin
44 Avenue A on 3rd Street
Enter the Video Store, The Screening Space is below the
Video Store, in the basement.

THE SALT MINES
Susana Aikin & Carlos Aparicio
(47 min./Color/1990)
Living along the Hudson River in a secluded lot where the Sanitation
Department
stores broken service trucks, are a community of homeless people. These
mostly
Hispanic transvestites, prostitutes spend their nights roaming the meat
district
near West 14th Street, searching for those who will pay for their
services.
At dawn they return to the dump penniless, having smoked every dollar
they
made on the street.
A straightforward profile of poverty and alienation,
it is a searing and intimate glimpse of life on the fringe.

JAREENA, PORTRAIT OF A HIJDA
Prem Kalliat
(25 min./Color/1990)
This video offers a profile of a transsexual and her community in the
Indian
city of Bangalore. It provides a unique insight into the lifestyle of
the
Hijdas,
a society of eunuchs numbering in the tens of thousands who have
thrived in
India
for centuries. e as male prostitutes and are a close-knit group who
live and
work communally.
Jareena, who assumes the role of a man when she visits her family,
explains
this duality
and how the Hijdas helped her form her identity and assert her true
self.

SPONSORED BY
Asian & Pacific Islander Coalition on HIV/AIDS GBT Project
www.apicha.org
SALGA - South Asian Gay & Lesbian Association www.salganyc.org
The Urban Justice Center www.urbanjustice.org

Cookin'

So today another worm found its way into my head - the cooking one. My fridge is stocked with enough food to last me for the rest of week, but I somehow managed to convince myself that everything there was 'curry', and nothing 'dry' - and so I had to create some.

So, in the heat, I went grocery shopping to the Appletree (gourmet grocery nearby) because I wanted 'fresh' food. Of course, I realize today, that it is a crappy store because it has no cilantro. Any store which has no cilantro deserves to be plucked from the surface of new york city. And they're overpriced!!

Anyway, after doing my grocery, I did cook - tofu, green peppers and onions and Manu (my cook in India who's been with the family for 2 generations) 'mix vegetable'. So now I have an overstocked fridge.

Lookin' forward to seeing Wong Kar Wai's 'In the mood for love' (prequel to 2046) tonight, which John Watson, a co worker of mine, most graciously lent me.

Half Baked!

So yesterday I had big plans of throwing a party in my living room. Before I go any further, I should mention that Marie (my living legend landlady) has a huge living room (by non-new york standards as well), and is the perfect place to entertain guests. And in this huge fabulous living room there are 3 teeny weeny fans which give out about the same amount of air as a fart. So obviously not the best place to throw a party in the summer.

So I got up all eager to plan my menu and give instructions to Bianca and nikhiel who were coming over later that day to help out. FIve minutes in the living room and I was drenched. So even before I finished my morning ovaltine, I called/emailed everyone and told them the party's off.
What even possessed me to think of throwing ap arty in this 100 degree summer heat is beyond my comprehension.

Anyway, as the day progressed, slept for 3 hours, read some more of Shantaram (brilliant book, btw - so insightful and revelatory) and basically chilled. Then, in the evening went over to Brooklyn to hang out (and smoke up) with Ashley, Bianca's lesbian-jew-convert-texan ex-roomate. By the time we left, we were so stoned, we could have made cheech and chong look alert.

Nikhiel and his Cuban friend Fidel, who I think is very very strange and very very horny, tried to fix Ashley's bathroom lightbulb (why - I have no idea - this is one of the reasons why I think he's strange). Trying to change a lightbulb when you and everyone around is so majorly stoned
is not really the best of all strategies - especially when you're in somebody else's house and nobody knows where th lightbulbs are. Anyway, he decided to go ahead and change the bulb (it took him 2 hours). By that time we were already late to make it in time for Broken Flowers (new critically acclaimed Bill Murray film). And we did. Only, the show was sold out. So that was a complete waste!!
Instead, we went to Washington Sq park and enjoyed the stoned musicians playing stuff on their

AAARRGGHH!!!

I hate the company I intern at!!! First of all, they have no work. No, seriously, they have absolutely no work - I get paid to surf the net and check my email 100,000 times a day. I have read the 'best of' on craigslist 100 times over.
Secondly, the management sucks. People here are so disorganized! And finally, the real reason why I hate them, the people in accounts are mentally challenged.

So this is how it starts - when I was being interviewed - I made it very very clear that I was an international student. My 'supervisor' (who has nothing to do with me except sign my paysheets) said this was absolutely cool and that they've dealt with international employees etc etc. Then she very conveniently is 'too busy' to deal with my paperwork bec she has to go to a meeting in Barcelona.
Then she files my paperwork when she comes back from Barcelona (It's been 2 weeks since I've been working there and not getting paid). She begins to file the paperwork then - and realizes I'm an international - and there are different procedures for internationals. So, in the next month the whole friggin company gets to know that I'm an international and I haven't been paid and nobody in the accounts dept knows how to deal with an international. McCann headquarters (up in Nebraska or wherever) finally hears about it and sends down a protocol. So for another week or so they're dealing with the ramification of their screw up. By the time I actually get my first paycheck its July. 2 months after I started working here.
Then the woman in accts tells me that I have to stop filling in timesheets and get on the company's computerized time check in system, which is much easier and fine for me. So for 3 weeks, I don't do timesheets - I just do the online time entering. Today, I get a call from her saying she hasn't recieved my timesheets for the last 3 weeks, and that I won't get a check on Monday. WTF??!!!!!!
So I spend the last hour making my timesheets, getting them signed, running up and down around the whole building (our office is on the 4th fl, accounts is on 2 and the other half of the office is on 11- don't ask me how it works!) and then she's like you do have to enter your hours online, but give in a time sheet as well (why I have to do this double effort is beyond my comprehension) I just lumped it, gave her the time sheets - I have to work here for 3 more weeks and then I'm back in school.

And my back still hurts.

AAAARRRRGGGHHH!!!!!!

I'm in a lab!!

After doing my whole superstitious ritual last night (flossing and brushing in a specific pattern and reading at least 1 chapter of any book before I go to bed - and I got a haircut yesterday - long hair is bad luck). I went off to meet a professor at NYU Med today (wearing all blue - my lucky color) for an opportunity to work in his lab.

The lab was alright, but the prof, Dr. Bruce Cronstein, seemed like a really nice guy, and someone who's very chilled out. He took me for a tour, and asked me to join as soon as I liked. Yay!!

This also means, that taking 3 classes next sem, TA-ing one, and now the Lab (I intend to go in at least twice a week), I can bid my social life adeiu.

Lower Back Pain!

I remember the old secretaries in my dad's office who used to come into work and complain about "lower back pain". These fifty something Indian catholics waddling into office and gently touching their tushies to the ergonomically designed chairs while grimacing.

I feel exactly like that today. I don't what I did, but yesterday I woke up with my lower back mildly hurting - assuming that I probably slept in an awkward position, I decided to ignore it. Today morning, however, it worsened by ten times. I was waddling all the way from my house to the station and sat down on the train more precariously than a dog squats to take a dump.

And all this time, while I'm walking (in pain, mind you), I'm thinking that everyone who was staring at me walk funny probably thought I had mad passionate sex with someone who was 15" or more. *sigh* If only that were true...!

Happy Birday Nangu!!!

Happy Birday Nanguji - may you have the blessings of a thousand naked saints and the sex life of hippy nudists!!

(For those less informed, Nangu = Nikhiel)

Free Log

As of last week :

- Free TV brought in on the weekend (it's a hand me down from the brother, but still free)
- Free Ice Cream (on wednesday American Express' IN:NYC promo was giving away free mini softees)
- Free Sunscreen (at the IN:NYC promotion)
- Free breathmints ( same as above)
- Free Standup Comedy (Wednesday : amateur night at the Duplex in the WV)
- Free Haagen-Daazs Ice Cream (Friday - "Ice Cream Day" at the office)
- Free Spiderman Mardi-Gras mask with shiny things (Saturday - someone who was moving out of the building had a giveaway)

I couldn't have put it better myself

From Bianca's LiveJournal blog:

"-then showered..and raced off to Astoria...to have dinner at Nik's place. chicken curry and okra vegetable. A food experience greatly improved by the smoking of pot. Nik got really paranoid (because he had an off duty cop in his apartment), A just kept laughing and giggling alot...and I stuffed my face with food....every so often finding really random things funny.

N: shhhh...be quiet...If I get caught..I'll be deported..
me: uhh..fool...we're all international...we'll all be deported.
A: yeah..but then we can all hang out together in bombay....we'll be the deported potheads.
me: hahahahahha
N: shhhh....the cop will hear us.

Spectacularly funny weekend."

The sweet thrill of risk accentuated by pot.

Vegetable Bheja Fry

So, since I moved my big 21" TV last week from my old Jersey City apartment, I spent the major part of the week hunting craigs (been watching it like a hawk - refreshing every 15 minutes while at work) for a DVD player - and I finally found a good bargain on Saturday. The DVD player, which originally cost $100 was a year old, and was being sold by some guy in the WV for $40. Of course, being the cheap ass gujju that I am, I flashed my 'poor grad student' card and got it down to $25.

It's an AMW DVD player, which is about the size (width, depth and height) of a regular 3 subject notebook - only, it weighs lighter. The added bonus, I discovered when I reached home, was that it is region free and can play all my region 4 Bombay-bought Bollywood DVDs. Woo hoo!

So on saturday night I trekked all the way to Astoria, Queens (I've become such a manhatter elitist - shame shame) to go to Nikhiel's house where he invited us (the Bianc-constrictor and me) for dinner. I was expecting some delish mangalorian fish curry, but he had just gotten back from tennis when I reached. So we ended up making Okra and 2 chicken curries from packet mixes.

Binny got her 'maal' , and not to take any chances to enjoy the good meal we came for, we smoked up before dinner (empty stomach and beer buzzed). In half an hour we were so stoned that even the overcooked chicken and curry (where the oil separated) tasted good. And there was pecan pie for desert - I ate a whole quarter of it with vanilla ice cream..mmm...pecan pie.

On Sunday, I immersed myself in the pleasure of my new TV (I get TBS - woo hoo!) and my newly acquired DVD player(saw the Miyazaki anime Spirited Away which was pretty darn good).

It'd been so long since I sat in front of the TV that I actually missed the feeling of being brain fired in front of bad reruns and awful TV movies.

*sigh* I remember my days in Bombay where I vegetated for many a day in front of the telly watching cheesy bollywood songs and hindi/urdu subtitled hollywood films on Star Movies. It's just not the same in this country...

Bizzare Broadcasting Corporation

Is it just me, or does BBC get some perverse pleasure by showcasing the bizzare side of India a little too much?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4749891.stm

(On another note - this clip reaffirms my theory that Delhi is just another big village)

Mera Bharat Mahan! (My Great India)

At one end of the country, people are dying because they have no food or shelter, and at another...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4742929.stm

The most uneventful weekend in the summer

So, I went off to jersey to do the usual cooking routine with the brother. This time, it was fairly chilled out (except the drama that my brother creates every time he tries to nag me about my life and i fight back telling him to shut up!). We made random eggplant veggie (was supposed to be something between hyderabadi eggplant and eggplant bharta- and I don't know what it became, but it tastes pretty good!) and spinach dal (which was strictly ok).
In any case, we finally moved my old TV which was stuck in my jersey city apartment to my current apartment. It made me so glad that I moved out of that apartment - the moment we entered it was stinking of stale indian food gone bad! Met Gladwyn (aka retard-wyn), my old roomie, who really is a nice guy except for the fact that he's really filthy. And he was doing alright temping at Lehman or something of the sort. He seemed quite content and settled (with pot belly and all).
Not sure whether the Kama Sutra tee I was wearing scandalized him, or whether it was just his flu-infected haze, but he seemed a bit stunned to meet me.

Had dinner then with one of bhai's friends who lives a couple of blocks down (this bengali dude who is an unbelievable cook).

My next mission : find a free/cheap DVD player for my big TV. Craigslist here I come... (not that I went anywhere - I was always faithful to you)