Some days, i'm just mad

I quietly coast along everyday, my work and my lifestyle choices have left me with very few opportunities to interact with people. I kinda dont mind that - i have always been a loner on some level. And then there are days, when even the few conversations i have are unbearable. Today, a lady called. I dont want to go into the details but the bottom line is, she needed my help. She calls me and tears my name apart...she says "hi saae...nnn..dah riy aa....???" I say "umm....you mean (insert my desi name here)"...and shes says "oh yea right whatever". No apologies, nothing. And she needed my help.

Another person at work calls me...she has a problem she needs to solve and essentially needs to go to half the people in my company to get the problem resolved. So she calls me, the first easy target that popped up in her mind, gives me a big lecture and then hangs up on me without saying as much as a "bye" or a "thankyou"

Sometimes i just dont get people. All through my life, i was taught to be nice. I genuinely try to be nice, not because i crave for approval or for appearances, but because this is my religion - love. In the material world, in my day to day life, this niceness has got me nowhere. I dont really want to get anywhere, but i guess it would be nice if people had a little respect?

I guess i have not spiritually evolved into a supremely composed being, who stays calm no matter what. I guess that is why the big caveat is thrown in the Gita - do your thing, but expect nothing in return. I am rambling now and better stop. Some days, i am just mad.

Sivaji Review - The verdict? Chummaa Adhirudhu!!!

I feel a great sense of responsibility as i write this review. I have just witnessed a historic event - the coronation of the emperor, the greatest star in the history of Thamizh, Indian, Asian, and most definitely world cinema. Is my praise excessive? Na.... watch Sivaji and you would probably agree.

Sivaji marks a historic departure from the political and emotional ghosts that have haunted Rajni's career in the past decade. In Padayappa, he embarked on a pseudo onscreen battle with JJ, and the movie was bogged down by one-upmanship and consequently, male chauvinism. Baba was a daring exercise, but failed. It painfully showcased two of the things Rajni seemed to be most uncomfortable with - his age (should he act young , or middle aged?), his beliefs (should he showcase his spiritual side or continue to play cat and mouse games about his political future??).

Finally, there was Chandramukhi. A little unsure of the viability of his superstardom, Rajni played safe. He chose to remake an old favorite, let Jo and the screenplay rip and then made a grand comeback in the last 15 minutes of the movie, with almost no dialogues, a super cool bad ass getup and the famous "lakalaka".

The movie became a superhit, with fans loving his negative role. Rajni got his mojo back, and the rest is history. Sivaji continues in the same vein - a totally unihibited, unshackled bad ass Rajni; Ofcourse, he still helps the poor and needy, but he also unapologetically chases his girl, changes wigs more often than Shriya changes her costumes, fearlessly spoofs the patron saints of Thamizh cinema (Sivaji and MGR), allows Vivek to speak his punch lines for him (in Rajni style ofcourse) and endearingly calls himself the mottai boss!

Almost on par with Baasha and Thillu mullu, this is one of Rajni's finest performances. His comedy with Vivek is simply unbelievable - they bring the roof down with their totally irreverent satire, including spoofs on subjects as varied as raraa sarasuku rara, tehelka's investigative reporting, and even Vadivelu's famous "aoowww"!
Sivaji was much anticipated, partly for being a Rajni movie, and partly for being a Shankar movie. It ends up being a FANTASTIC Rajni movie. As for Shankar's contribution, I am torn between two equally plausible verdicts -

Verdict A - It is a terrible Shankar movie, simply a rehash of Gentleman with bits of Indian and Anniyan thrown in. Shankar's specialty has always been taking the common man's problems, throwing in spectacular song and fight sequences, and creating a vigilante single man army who changes Thamizhnadu in an unreal, but still very believable fashion. You have to willingly suspend your disbelief when watching a Rajni movie, but sequences in the second half of Sivaji where he sets the world right are just too much - even for a diehard Rajni or Shankar fan. Also, the "office room" (where government officials are beat up) concept has been exploited to a lesser extent in Vijaykanth movies, and it was disappointing to see such sequences in Sivaji. This movie could have just as easily been directed by K.S Ravikumar. If this criticism seems harsh, think of Indian - despite Kamal's double action and much-hyped performance, it was Shankar's taut direction that stood out. There is none of that brilliance in Sivaji.

Verdict B - Shankar has done a brilliant job here. The same guy who totally overshadowed Kamal, has gallantly stepped into the shadows here to create a memorable tribute to the superstar's talent. He makes Rajni shine, and lets everything else pale in comparison.

Vivek is simply brilliant. Suman is on par with Rajni. His restraint and understated performance is simply superb - he is menacing, but without becoming a caricature. Surprisingly, the movie does not have the big crowds of actors who typically surround Rajni. Some good actors show up very briefly, and make an impact - Livingstone, Raghuvaran, and Chinni Jayanth being the most notable.

Now the songs - a big portion of the movie's budget was spent on building sets and on song picturizations. Shankar hits and misses in equal parts. Ballelakka's picturization does not befit such a wonderful song (but Nayanthara makes the guys in the audience real happy). Also, Sahana saaral is redundant and boring - Shankar actually has women in angel dresses and fluttering white and silver wings...is that not so.....last century? duh! But Rajni simply dazzles in Vaaji Vaaji, Style, and Adhiradi kaalam. Style is especially cool - with loads of wild wigs, a white Rajni (yea really, white, and he looks pretty good!) is a treat to watch! Shreya is fabulous - she has a perfect figure, dances well, and carries off some pretty daring costumes.

Chandramukhi left me with a sense of dissatisfaction - of having watched a Rajni movie that could have almost been really good, but was not. Sivaji leaves me with no such feelings of disappointment. Cinematically, it may not be an Indian or a Baasha, but, for Rajni fans (and for many new converts), this movie is incredibly special, worth watching at least twice in the theater, and proves that Thalaivar is truly the Baasha...he is really THE Boss.

The lean veggie - Edamame sundal

Shelled soya beans (edamame) are said to be really good for health - they are a great source of protein, and all the good stuff... It can be lightly boiled and snacked on like peanuts, but the plain version didnt taste much of anything. So, i went back to an old favorite sundal recipe

Ingredients -

Frozen Edamame - 1 cup

Chopped cilantro - 2 tbsp

Salt - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Broken red chilli - 1

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Broken urad dhal - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 1 tsp

Lemon juice - 1 tbsp

Lemon zest - 1 tsp

Hing - 2 pinches

Curry leaves - 3 (finely chopped)

Grated coconut (or dry coconut flakes) - 2 tbsp

Recipe -

1) Place the edamame in a microwave safe bowl, cover with water, and microwave for 5 minutes. Check to see if tender , and microwave for another minute if needed

2) Drain the edamame, but reserve the water

3) Heat 1 tsp of oil in a non-stick pan

4) Add the mustard seeds, cover and allow to splutter. Then add the red chilli, curry leaves and urad dhal and fry for a few seconds till the dhal is golden brown

5) Add the edamame, turmeric powder, salt, hing and stir fry for 2 minutes

6) Add 1/4 cup of reserved water, coconut, and cook till the water evaporates

7) Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the chopped cilantro, lemon juice and lemon zest. Taste and adjust the seasonings

The One...Da Boss!!!

My dad (with a lot of irony in his voice) : "So sivaji gets released and all the poverty and corruption in India will somehow get taken care of?"

Me: "ofcourse Daddy. Anna vandha thamizh naadum amerikkaaa"...

And i was only half kidding. Somehow, I've almost become a believer, there is something about Rajni that transforms everyone. Rajni fans are everywhere. You cannot dismiss them as simple gullible people living below the poverty line who can be charmed by a bunch of goody goody scenes on the silver screen. Cos, Rajni's fans in Chicago cheer him with the same gusto exhibited by the rasigar mandram diehards celebrating at udayam and devi paradise. Cos, Rajni's fans drive all the way from Florida and Tenesee to Atlanta just to watch Baba on the first day. Cos Rajni's fans are ready to pay 26 dollars per ticket, when even Spiderman 3 at IMAX cost only 11 dollars.

Will he ever participate in politics? I dont know, maybe Sivaji has some big hints thrown in? I checked out a couple of blogs where fans were making live updates as they watched the movie, but i didnt read these articles. I dont want anything to detract from my pleasure of watching the movie tomorrow. Thats why i loved chandramukhi - i didnt have a clue about the movie and was pleasantly surprised.

Celebrating Sivaji's release, i made a special Rajni hits cd for my commute. Here are some of the songs that i enjoyed the most -

1) Devuda - Chandramukhi
2) Thillaana thillaana - Muthu
3) Paandiyanin raajiyathil - Paandiyan
4) Maadathiley kanni maadathiley - Veera
5) Ballelakka and vaaji - Sivaji

Deva and Illayaraja have given Rajni some of his most memorable tunes. Sivaji is a rare expection - but Rahman's music for Rajni has always been strictly mediocre - Baba, Padayappa and muthu come no where near Baasha or Thalapathi. I know, Muthu had a couple of big hits, but i was cringing as i listened to kuluvaaliley - it seemed cute then, but it seemed childish and disjointed as i listened to it now. Dont know why Rahman runs out of inspiration when it comes to Thalaivar's movies.

I'll post my true Sivaji review on sunday. I cant wait!!!

Summer, friendship, birthdays and flowers...

June is all that and more to me. I guess everybody feels this way, there is something special about the month that you celebrate your birthday.

I tried to pretend for a few days that my birthday doesnt matter, i'm too old to celebrate and all that blah... But i realized i was lying to myself. My birthday does matter a lot to me. And i am really grateful to all the people in my life who made the effort to remember and wish me well. And I also cannot accept the fact that not a single person at my workplace wished me. Ok, so they say work is all about business, and you should not take it personally, but i am still a little surprised. Ofcourse, over the next few days, it somehow slipped out and i got a couple of belated birthday wishes, which is, i guess all that i can hope for in the place that i spend 12 hours a day, 5 days a week at.

My parent's wedding anniversary, my mom's birthday, and my baby sister's birthday are also in June. Growing up, this is why i loved june, there were parties and celebrations every single week. I miss all that now, but the wonderful weather more than makes up for it.

To celebrate my favorite month, I decorated my dining table with the centerpiece in the picture. The gorgeous blue glass bowl is a birthday gift from my best friend. It is perfect for displaying cuts of small delicate short stemmed flowers. The beautiful purple and yellow Nemesia flowers are from my container garden. They are long lasting, and have a faint, almost jasmine like fragrance.

Totally fabulous

Alison Stewart sometimes hosts Countdown when Keith Olberman has the day off. During last night's show, i totally fell in love with her outfit - a beautiful burnt orange kurti with threadwork and bold gold accents. It was such a refreshing change from the stuffy suits and ties. Women in the news media always seem to fall under one of two categories - dumbed down, staid and botoxed or dumbed down, blond and almost provocatively dressed. So it was a pleasure to see a confident, sassy 30 something old Alison, making a fashion statement and keeping the show watchable.

Why am i going on and on about a relatively obscure anchor? I guess the image she projected resonates with something in me....Its yet another birthday for me. As the years race by, i am sometimes scared, thinking about the rapidly approaching big 30 and looking at my long unfinished to-do list. However, sometimes I feel really good. As i get older, i am gradually shedding my insecurities by the way side...i am a little more comfortable with who i am. I was a rabidly patriotic indian a few years ago, then spent another few years desperately trying to fit into the american life in every way possible. I think a happy medium is achievable....like a kurti during a prime time news broadcast....

Back to my first love . .. reading!

When there is absolutely nothing worth watching on TV, when there is nothing exciting happening on the political front (though the pundits are trying their best to create hot topics for discussion), when the days are incredibly long (sun rises at 5:00 am and sets at 8:00 pm or so) and when the allergy season is in full bloom, and when you live near some of the best public libraries in the nation - i dont really have a choice; i have to read! My book reviews begin...

White house chef - Walter Scheib

Personally hired by Hillary Clinton., Walter Schieb was the chief white house chef for most of the Clinton years, and also for Bush's first term. This book is a delightful compilation of anecdotes and recipes. Walter writes about his menus for major state dinners - how Hillary and her team wanted to pay a tribute to the visiting head of state's country by including that country's dishes on the menu, or preparing contemporary american food with accents specific to that nation.

Even though Walter states that the book is apolitical, it is pretty obvious that he was totally enamoured by the Clintons - Hillary is portrayed as a warm loving hostess, and Bill as an adorable superstar. Walter's character sketch of Chelsea is probably the most genuine, and truly endearing. Growing up in the whitehouse, Chelsea gradually became a full time vegetarian. Also, Hillary requested Walter to include more healthful meatless dishes in the menu. This prompted Walter to delve into the cooking traditions of India, China, and other countries to devise meatless dishes. Some of the vegetarian recipes in the book are excellent, and really simple (the minted peas soup, and the mango black bean salsa for example). Ofcourse, there are many other recipes that could easily take days to prepare, a fact that Walter acknowledges. This book is a quick read, and if you are a Clinton afficionado, dont miss this one!

Whats with McCain????

I have tremendous regard for John McCain's service to the nation and his tragic past as a Vietnamese prisoner of war. With that being said, is McCain a viable presidential candidate? In light of the events over the past few years, and more specifically, the past month, the answer is a resounding no.

Between 2000 and 2004, McCain gained popularity as a maverick figure in the GOP, standing by his beliefs rather than towing the party line. However, according to Wikipedia - "McCain's voting record in the 109th congress was the third most conservative among senators".

It is no coincidence that McCain's pandering to the GOP's ultra conservative base coincides with the rise of his presidential ambitions. The desire for the office of the presidency is understandable, but the complete lack of conscience makes McCain's campaign practically unforgivable. McCain jumped at the first opportunity to take cheapshots at a fellow vietnam hero John Kerry, by criticizing his "botched joke" about the troops just before the 2007 midterms. However, when criticized for singing the "bomb Iran" song, he asked his critics to "...lighten up.."!!!! His Iraq trip fiasco painfully highlights his ignorance of the reality on the ground, and his willingness to jeopardize the safety of American troops and Iraqi citizens to score political points.

It is still very early in the race, and at this stage, judging by McCain's weak campaign fund raising, it is apparent that many Americans feel the same unease with his candidacy.

Get a life... leave the laptop at work...

For the first time in many months, I felt a great sense of freedom this weekend, coz my office laptop simply did not work. I spent the whole of last year, way too engrossed in my job. Now, thinking about it, I probably was not as effective as I could have been, as I was simply exhausted. This year, a light bulb is suddenly burning bright in my head. For me to be effective at work, I've got to work less, and hence work more. Sounds like an oxymoron, but I have seen many crackberry addicts "working" all through the weekend, and then spending precious hours during the workweek, bitching to their colleagues about how they are overworked...I'm now itching to go to work this monday morning after three whole days away from my office laptop. I hope this new strategy of mine works, i hope i get to see at least some sunshine during the day, and i hope i get a life at least this year!

The case for Obama

Opinion polls for the past few months constantly pitched Hillary Clinton as the democratic front runner, and I viewed these with constant disbelief. The opinion of Washington pundits aside, it is hard to imagine the average Jane or Joe rooting for Hillary. Voters can be roughly divided into two groups - people who do not really follow politics, and people who do. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that the former will have a major perception problem with Hillary, and the latter will most certainly have a problem with Hillary's stance on Iraq.

It is probably unfair to judge a book by it's cover, but politics is all about perception, and people do not really get the warm fuzzies when they see Hillary. She is too guarded, too practiced, too focus-grouped, and too opinion-polled. As she is afraid to be herself, she comes up short when compared to a slick Edwards or a warm, self-effacing Obama. Much like conventional desis, Americans are also typically guarded when it comes to rooting for strong willed, independent, career-oriented women. It is not a mere coincidence that a Laura Bush has wide spread support across party lines, and even Nancy Pelosi works over time to promote her nice ol' granny image. Hillary's performance as the junior senator from New York has been admirable, but, for a majority of the voting public who do not really deep dive into real politics, it is simply way too easy to dislike her.

For diehard democrats, it is really difficult to get past Hillary's vote for the Iraq war. She can nuance her stance on this forever, and her consultants can come up with all the necessary shpiel, but this does not change the reality; the consequences of the war have been disastrous, and also sadly anticipated by millions across the world....except, seemingly those who cast their votes. While voting for the war, Hillary could have either predicted these consequences or not. If she had predicted the consequences and still cast her vote, that makes her an unscrupulous politician who would rather give up her beliefs than cross paths with a then popular president. If she had not predicted the consequences, and cast her vote based on the "intelligence", that raises serious questions about her competency and capability to rule this nation. The same logic also taints all other contenders who voted for the war - John Edwards, John Mccain, and the likes.

The general unease about Hillary's candidacy is totally reflected in the first quarter fund raising numbers reported last week. Obama's 25 million came from thousands of average Janes and Joes, as opposed to Hillary's 26 million which was bolstered by her senate account, an undisclosed amount of general election contributions, and many friends left over from the Clinton years. I have nothing against Hillary - in fact, before Obama announced his candidacy, I was a major supporter. I do not have perception problems with her, but I simply cannot look past her Iraq vote.

...If you get only one great love, then Chennai may just be mine...

Qoute source: Carrie Bradshaw (and ofcourse, substitute Chennai with New York!)

I'm back after two blissful weeks in the most fabulous city on the planet, Chennai. I've been to India and the UK a few times before, but I have never had such a wonderful time. Everything somehow came together...perfect times with my family, friends, cousins, and ofcourse, beautiful Chennai. I spent the next couple of weeks back in Naperville feeling rather bad for myself, terribly homesick, and missing all the smiling faces around me. Anyway, i guess our hearts are more tenacious than what we think... i am back to slogging away at work, catching up with American politics, shopping for groceries, and remembering my times with my baby loves without getting a lump in my throat...

My prediction for the best picture Oscar winner

Disclaimer - My predictions are usually wrong, but what the heck!

All our desi actors and directors always wistfully claim that their life's ambition is to win an Oscar. Having watched the award winning movies year after year, the Oscars seem rather predictable. Certain genres and themes get rewarded repeatedly. Here are some -

1a) The dysfunctional but lovable protagonists - They are usually nutty, but with hearts of gold, and their spirit always triumphs. Examples? American Beauty, Forrest Gump

1b) The dysfunctional protagonists in tragic circumstances - same as the above, but these movies are a lot more serious. Ofcourse, for the movie to win an Oscar, hope HAS to triumph. Example? Crash

2) The achiever - They are kinda nutty, almost loserish, but overcome all odds and win. Its the message of hope all the way. Examples? Million dollar baby, A beautiful mind.

3) The magnum opus -These movies are big business to Hollywood. If everyone made low key small budget movies, Hollywood would go bankrupt. So, every now and then, the magnum opuses get rewarded big time. Examples ? Titanic, Lord of the rings, and Gladiator. Though i suspect the award for LOTR was more a case of enough already. And hey, dont forget the friggin hope

4) The offbeat stuff - Movies like Chicago, and Shakespeare in Love somehow struck gold.

5) Patriotic/War hero/Holocaust/Historical movies - Totally obvious reasons. Braveheart, Schindler's list, Life is beautiful, Gandhi etc...I actually dont have anything cutting to say about this genre. Some of these movies were really deserving.

Tomorrow's best picture nominees are - Babel, The departed, Letters from Iwo Jima, Little miss sunshine, and The queen. Applying the above yardsticks, here are my 2 cents

Babel

The movie desperately tries to fit into 1b in the hopes of making an Oscar, but the scriptwriters forgot the all important Hope factor, so, sorry no.




The departed
I didnt get this movie - especially the whambam ending with everyone shooting each other faster than you could say "huh? WTF?". Anyway, everybody else did get this movie, plus it fits into category 3. So, a pretty serious contender i would say.


Letters from Iwo Jima

Hollywood loves topical films, and what could be more topical than soliders valiantly fighting a losing battle? Plus Clint Eastwood is an old hollywood favorite. This movie fits like a glove into category 5, so its a very serious contender.

The Queen

Probably a type 1b, I have not watched this movie. I cannot imagine any compelling reason for it to win the best picture

Little miss sunshine

This movie is surprisingly cute, 1a all the way. It is a sunshine filled version of American Beauty, with the hope factor laid on super thick. However, it's finale with the little girl performing a kinky number may just be too much for the majority of the academy that likes good clean fun. So, while this may be a big favorite, it will probably not win.


So the verdict? In the tussle between The departed and Letters from Iwo Jima, the former may just win, because the academy has not given Martin Scorcese an oscar yet, and they may believe that it is about time.

(pictures source: www.rottentomatoes.com)

Podcasting 101

So what are podcasts?

The name is a little misleading - Pod"cast" suggests live programming, but the term refers simply to radio programs, that are downloadable in mp3 format.

Why cant i simply listen to the radio?

Well, if you want live news, especially when you are commuting, and with no access to the internet, the radio is still your best option. But then, there are many many reasons to listen to podcasts. Live radio is 25% programming and 75% annoying ads (note: percentages not scientific, it just feels that way to me). Podcasts give you many hours of solid programming, with little advertising (and you can skip the boring sections which usually are at the beginning and end of the podcast!) Also, many major radio networks seem heavily influenced by the political party that they are indirectly affiliated with, and hence, the news may not be entirely complete, and the analysis may be biased. You get the real story on podcasts, and not just by American networks, but also the BBC, and many independent organizations like Democracy now and PRI


How do i get started?

1) You need an mp3 player - an Ipod is not a must. Sony has a really cute little mp3 player, and Sandisk's rhapsody is also fabulous

2) Make a folder called "my podcasts" on your desktop

3) Download itunes - You can forget the Ipod, but Itunes is essential. Download itunes, click on the itunes store and then click on podcasts. You can search for and subscribe to many podcasts. Modify the settings so that all your downloads go into the my podcasts folder that you created. Check out the screenshots below.

4) Use your mp3 player's software to import the mp3 files from the "my podcast" folder into your mp3 player

On an every day basis -

1) Open itunes, and choose the podcasts option. Itunes will automatically download all the latest podcasts from your favorite sources that you have already subscribed to

2) Plug your mp3 player into your computer. Delete all the old podcasts and import all the new ones


3) Enjoy!!!

In my next blog, i'll list my favorite podcasts. Itunes' podcast homepage has all the most popular ones listed.

The cutest thing(s) in the world

* Orangutans clapping hands

* Little 2 year olds in the airport walking real fast behind their moms

* A friendly dog jumping and running endless circles around you

* Sleeping babies

* Babies who smile at you at the grocery store checkout line

* Babies. Period.

7 more days to Babyland!!!!! Yaaayyyyyy!!!!

What is happening to the airline industry?

Everytime i fly, i tell myself that domestic air travel cannot hit any new lows, and every single time i am proved wrong. The latest? United has stopped serving even the two measly cookies that they used to with beverages. And just 25 minutes before boarding, they changed gates, and not just within a terminal, but to an entirely different concourse. So, i had to make a mad dash to my new gate, with my baggage in tow, so that i could go in time to beg for a seat assignment (thats right, i had a full proper reservation, but no seat assignment till the last possible minute).

On my return trip, the American Airlines kiosk tried to extort $25 from me.

Reader alert -

This article may be really boring if you have not been in the situation that I have, but, for the sake of consumer rights, please humor me by reading on!
I wanted to travel standby on an earlier flight. The kiosk gave me two options - standby for free, or get a guaranteed seat for $25. I thought "what a rip-off" and chose the standby for free option. A boarding pass printed, with a seat allotted to me. Earlier in the day, I had already checked and made sure that this flight had many empty seats. Why did the airline even give me the $25 option? If I had agreed to that, what benefit would I have had as a customer? A passenger can be allotted a standby seat in one of two ways -

1) The flight has empty seats, so the airline will have no issues with allotting a seat to you. Once the boarding pass is printed, you are already guaranteed a seat. So why trick you into a moment of self doubt? (like uh oh..what if i dont get a guaranteed seat??)

2) The flight has no empty seats, and could accommodate you as a standby passenger only in the event that passengers with a confirmed reservation do not show up or cancel. In that case, when you are at the kiosk, the airline does not as yet know the number of passengers who may not show up. So, how can they give you a guaranteed seat even if you pay the $25? Or, if someone has already cancelled their reservation and if there is an empty seat, that automatically leads you to the above scenario 1, which means that there is no reason to charge you the $25.

I am no airline expert, i am trying to look at this logically. If you know why airlines do what they do, and if you think they are justified, please let me know. I would love to change my opinion on this.

Whats with all the mea culpa?

It has been the flavor of the past year or so. The magnitude of your mis-deed does not matter, you simply have to show up and say "i made a mistake, and i'm sorry" and boom!!! everything is magically forgotten. And do you want to create a PR bonanza for yourself out of your "little" boo boo? Simply show up on a late night comedy show, and smile gamely while the host make a couple of jokes at your expense, further "cute-fying" your gaff.

So, Joe Biden shoots his mouth off about Barack Obama, and then gains more visibility through all the talk shows and newscasts than he ever would have as the 459th wannabe for the democratic presidential nomination (ok the 459 is an exagerration, but it sure feels that way). Lewis "Scooter" Libby lies about conversations with reporters regarding the outing of a covert CIA operative. And guess what his defence is ? He says he just "forgot" what he said cos he had more pressing matters at the time. Its not a big deal, its just a war right? John Edwards voted yes for the war, and strongly supported it even a year and a half later. And guess what? No worries apparently. He says he is wrong, and he thinks that is good enough to wipe his slate clean and he is back to nursing presidential ambitions. Despite her husband being regarded as one of the most brilliant political strategists of all time, Hillary Clinton has not been sassy enough to master the mea culpa game and as a result, is in real danger of kissing her presidential dreams good bye.

Simple question - what happens the day Hillary admits she was wrong? Will time somehow turn itself back and will history rewrite itself? Does John Edward's so called "brave" admission make him any wiser? What is going to prevent him from committing another "mistake" when he is president? Especially scary is his justification - at the time, he was apparently busy with his political campaign and later, when he had the time to sit and think at leisure, he figured it all out. WTF?

I cannot help but wonder - as ordinary citizens, when we botch up something in our lives, we pay the price, but, in the public arena, major mistakes are gladly forgiven, and the doers of misdeeds are endlessly rewarded through bouts of free publicity they could have never dreamed of otherwise. What is wrong with the world we live in?

The Lean Veggie - Thengai paal kootu

If i were to make a list of my mom's best recipes, this is surely number 1. There are days when I am tired of north indian and south indian food, but not in a mood for pizzas and sandwiches. This dish perfectly fits the bill then. The rich flavor comes not from a big pile of spices, but simply from ginger, fresh coconut milk, and cilantro. This recipe allows the flavor of all the veggies to shine through without getting overpowered by the gravy. Serve it with pulao, or fresh basmathi rice, or phulkas or idiappam. I made some instant sevai, but it is not the best accompaniment. The kootu is so flavorful, you need a bland side dish to go well with it.

Ingredients -

* 2 cups of chopped vegetables - beans, carrots, cauliflower, peas, zucchini squash, lima beans(any combination and proportion works)

* 1 peeled chopped potato

* 1/2 cup chopped tomato

* 1/2 cup sliced onion

* 1 tbsp chopped ginger

* 5 curry leaves finely chopped

* 1 tsp cumin seeds

* 1/2 can coconut milk (try to avoid the lite milk varieties)

* 3 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

* 2 green chillies slit lengthwise

* 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

* 1 pinch hing

* 1/2 tsp chilli powder

Method -

Try to use a pressure pan for quick cooking. If a pressure pan is not available, use a big saucepan with a well fitting lid.

1) Heat the pressure pan and add 2 tsp oil. While waiting for the oil to heat, perform step 2

2) Finely slice the onions, chop ginger, curry leaves, green chillies and tomatoes3) Add jeera to the oil, take care not to let it burn, and add the ingredients from step 2

4) Stir fry for 5 minutes

5) Add all the veggies, turmeric powder, chilli powder and stir fry for 5 minutes

6) Add enough water to cover all the veggies, close the lid of the pressure pan, add the weight and cook till you hear two whistles. Immediately turn the heat off. After 5 minutes, place the pressure pan on a cool surface. This is important to make sure the vegetables do not get over cooked. If using a saucepan, simply place a lid and cook till the vegetables are done

7) Open the pan, and add salt and the coconut milk and heat through. Make sure that you do not boil the curry, as the coconut milk's flabor gets altered if over heated. Check the taste and add more salt, chilli powder and a pinch of sugar if needed

8) Garnish with the chopped cilantro

5 Things you did not know about me (and wish you didnt!)

I have been tagged..

So, here are a bunch of things you may not have known about me..

1) I really wish i was a singer - Ok, i know i'm not good enough, but my dream is , i will be someday, and cut my own album!

2) I am semi-clairvoyant. If i write anymore about this, i may sound like a complete nut!

3) I am a serious political junkie and I am pretty passionate about American politics. I know, i am not an American, but i really believe we live in a small, totally interconnected world, and it is really important we stay aware and informed

4) I take cooking very seriously - i am trying to perfect all the old fashioned iyer recipes. To me, its more than cooking, it is a big part of my heritage and i want to preserve it for the next generations!

5) I am deeply faithful. Ok, so i'm not your regular slokam reciting, fasting type, but my faith is deeper and more absolute than most people around me know

Top 5 TV shows

I'm suddenly addicted to TV again thanks to my DVR and ability to skip commercials.

5) 24:

Just when it seemed like the show was in serious danger of jumping the shark (what with Jack's torture routine getting staler than bread six seasons old, and with the super predicatable about face that Jack's dad does), the show suddenly made a sharp turn to the left (yes, pun totally intended), with an Obama-esque president mouthing platitudes about civil liberties. Wow! Miracles are possible even in this day and age? Or is it just good ol money talking? (with Fox simply veering towards current public sentiment?)

4) The daily show with Jon Stewart:

Jon has suddenly got his mojo back. He is actually speaking complete sentences, and resorts to making juvenile faces and blowing raspberries only once in every 2 minutes (as opposed to every 2 seconds a few months ago). The high profile guests in his show are proof of his rising influence - Bill Gates the day Vista was launched, Joe Biden on the day of his famous gaffe were some good ones

3)Tonight show with Jay Leno:

Still an all time favorite for me. I'm trying to like Letterman for my hubby's sake, but Jay is too funny, night after night

2) American Idol

The season has actually gotten off to a good start, with some genuine heart warming moments, a Paula who promises to be as loopy as ever, Randy's count of the word "dawg" quickly reaching 1 million, and Simon saying what everyone else really wants to. Watch out for Bailey Brown. Shes probably the next idol.

1) Countdown with Keith Olbermann

This is quite simply the best show on TV (MSNBC). Keith discusses the top 5 news topics of the day, and the topics cover a wide range of subjects - politics, movies, scandals, sports, UFO sightings, and also lists the top newsmakers of the day, and the "worst persons in the world"!!! Warm, funny, patriotic, passionate, opinionated, fiercely independent and totally fearless- Keith is a shining beacon of hope in today's world of party hacks and suits mindlessly mouthing talking points.

Top 10 must-eats in Chennai

Ok, so i love food. And i love Madras. And in just 21 days, i will be homeward bound! I am starting a new series of blogposts, to celebrate the delicious torture of the next 21 days - the waiting, the anticipation, the nervousness and excitement! Its going to be about all the things i want to do when i'm home.

Madras is a gourmand's delight, and here is a list of my personal favorites -

10) Keerai vadai and paneer tikka at Alumni Boat club - best enjoyed in the open air, with the smell of the adyar river wafting around you!

9) Idiyappam and sambar vadai at Dasa Dosa - This is a really classy restaurant, opposite LIC

8) Badam milk at Ambikas appalam depot (and their fiery peanuts to take home) - How do they make it that thick? Ofcourse, best enjoyed after shopping for some leo coffee and bangles at the road side shops near the tank

7) Vegetable pulao at Baahar - I dont know if this restaurant still exists (its opposite the music academy) , and i really hope it does for the sake of their wonderful mint flavored pulao

6) Gobi manchurian and veg fried rice at Saravana bhavan - Its kinda oily, but a truly great celebration of indo-chinese cuisine

5) Fourteen idlis and finger chips at Saravana bhavan - I've eaten fries everywhere in the US, but nothing comes close to Saravana's giant spicy chips

4) Bhel puri from Ajnabis (and some north indian pickle to take home) - This joint is a favorite to many north indians in Madras. Tucked away in a tiny corner, the tastes are truly authentic

3) Channa samosa at Gangothri - Their pani puri stand is too crowded, and the fragrant channa samosa is more enjoyable

2) Kaara kozhambu at Sangeetha - This comes with their thali meal. I dont have the right words, you have to taste this to believe how good chettinad cuisine can be

1) Phulkas and aloo mattar at the Bombay halwa house with a side of hot jalebi and samosas with green chutney - We used to trek all the way to their old location in mount road and were heart broken when they shut it down. And then, miracles do happen. They opened a new branch in luz., and it is almost as good as the old one (and they have also reopened a branch in mount road). Not many Chennai-vaasis know about the Bombay halwa house, but the aforementioned dishes are truly amazing. The phulkas are big and light as air, the aloo mattar is spiced in the most subtle and flavorful manner possible.

My soul sistah

Desperately trying to get out my panneer pushpangal rut (though i could happily listen to the same 20 Raja songs for the rest of my life), I finally decided to get with the times and started checking out the latest and greatest Pongal releases. And then I checked her tamil blog, saw the very same songs reviewed and went all misty eyed. I realized my little baby cousin - my soul sister, is now big enough to write her own insanely cool blogs, find an adorable soul mate, and live happily ever after....

I didnt realize it then, but growing up with my big sis, soul sis, and her super cool baby sisters were some of the happiest days of my life. So many weekends were spent in a happy blur of endless chatter, music, and awesome food. Especially, when we pulled Jiji paati into the madness, we were a crazy group (imagine a group of gals 70, 21, 19, 16, 12, and 11 years young) We had so much fun together!!!

I cant wait. In just four more weeks, we are going to be together again (albeit only for 2 weeks). There will be more recruits to our crazy gang (moms, soulmates, a little 4 year old gal and a handsome 1 year old!) and hopefully some day, our kids will grow up together, and like us, spend many a happy day sharing the joys of the latest tamil album, the cool beach on a hot summer's day, paneer butter masala from chithapa's favorite restaurants, slivers of raw mango during the summer holidays, endless coffee from mom, and chithi's famous pulao!

I'm hungry

Maybe its the weather. Maybe its the fact that I have 8 pounds to shed in precisely 8 weeks (to look atleast a little presentable while standing next to my fabulous cousins during the wedding of this decade) and my system is fighting every single attempt for any dietary restrictions. Maybe its the simple joy of pure vegetarian food.

Anyway, I am back to becoming a serious foodie. My inspiration is bloggers like Mahanandi. You have to check out her blog, it is such a beautiful tribute to simple Indian food. Cooking is a joy, and i want to devote more blog space to it. So, here is a fabulous recipe I made for our new year night dinner - apple crumble (source:BBC)

The prep time is barely 10 minutes. You do not need any special ingredients other than apples and brown sugar. Serve this dish hot from the oven with a dollop of vanilla icecream.

Another year has passed....

We started the new century with hopes and dreams, of a peaceful present and a hopeful future. Sadly, each passing year has been bloodier than the previous. Combined with the relentless onslaught of natural disasters and the threat of global warming, the world that our children will inherit is a dysfunctional, damaged, hurting, violent place. Is it fair? Is it pardonable?

This is why i am really looking forward to the new year. Hopefully, it should be a new dawn, with new hopes for peace, everywhere. The shift of power in the US offers great possibilities and if well utilized, could restore America's rightful position in the world. Companies are slowly realizing that profitability and environmental responsibility are not mutually exclusive ideas. Technological advances could bring us closer to the dream of total reliance on renewable energy. We can always hope, and we can always pray....we do not have a choice.

Farewell Peter...

Ray's mom - "I dont want to be your trophy wife"
Ray's dad - "what contest in hell did i win?!!"

And when Peter Boyle (Ray's dad) said this, it didnt seem mean or rude, it was just plain funny! I was really saddened by Peter Boyle's passing. He brightened up many boring evenings for me, and without him, Everybody loves Raymond would not have been half as good. As Ray's dad, he was simply brilliant! With deadpan humor, and tons of sarcasm, Peter enlivened every episode. We'll miss you Peter ... Everybody loves you..

Ode to the Mahakavi...

On this birth anniversary of Mahakavi Subramaniya Bharathi, I realize that my writing can never do sufficient justice to his greatness, or even adequately articulate the intensity of my admiration and devotion to his thoughts and ideals.

I can only quote from some of my favorite works of his..

"Engirundho vandhaan..
Idaijaadhi naan yendraan..."

(He came from somewhere, and said he belonged to the community of cowherds....- From Kannan yen sevagan)

"Thani oruvanukku unavu illayenil jagaththinai azhithiduvom"

(We shall destroy this world if one person goes without food - From Bharatha samudhayam vaazhgavey)

"Bhoomiyil yevarkum inni adimai seiyyom
Paripoorananukkey adimai seidhu vaazhvom"

(We will never be enslaved to anyone in this world, we will enslave ourselves to the Supreme one and live - From Aduvomey palli paaduvomey)

"Pillai piraayathi izhandheerey
Neer pinnum an nilai pera vendiro"

(You lost your childhood, dont you wish you could get that back? - From Karpanai oor)

"Nandridhai therndhidal vendum
Indha gnanam vandhaar pin namakkedhu vendum"

(We should choose what is right, and when we are enlightened in such a way, what else do we need?)

"Than seyal yenni thavippadhu theerndhingu
Nin seyal seidhey niraivu perum vannam
ninnai charan adaindhen kannammaa
ninnai charan adaindhen...."

(Instead of agonizing over my deeds, I should perform your deeds and attain fulfillment, and hence i come to you seeking solace...)

And then it was winter.....

Where did spring, summer, and fall this year go? I cannot believe how fast time flies. Here are some pics of this year's first snow fall.

Movie Review - Babel

I do hope this movie is an aberration. I pray that this does not start an annoying trend in Hollywood (if it doesnt already exist) - that of Oscar fishing. Movie makers are supposed to just try and create good cinema, and then hope to win awards. They cannot decide that they want Oscar nods, and then start throwing in a mish-mash of suitable elements into a movie.

The storyline is about the terrible situations that ordinary people could get into unknowingly, how such situations could spiral further out of control, and finally, how such situations end up in nothing but tears, despair, and agony. This is the common thread that weaves together the seemingly disparate concurrent events happening in Morocco, Mexico, and Tokyo.

The most annoying parts of the movie are the Tokyo sequences - the shocking MA rated scenes are not even necessary for the storyline and simply seen gratuitous.

Babel is not entirely bad - the cinematography is fabulous and the movie is bolstered by stellar performances by Brad Pitt and Adriana Barraza (who plays the mexican nanny). The director does succeed in keeping us engrossed in the narrative in the beginning - however, somewhere in the middle of the movie, we realize that there is nothing redeeming about to happen. Nothing is going to save the characters from the cesspools that they have fallen into, and that is when we lose hope, both for the characters of the movie, and for ourselves getting our ticket's worth of entertainment.

Whats hot and whats not

YAY :-) :-) :-)

* Panera Bread's veggie friendly menu - You can actually have breakfast, lunch and dinner and there. The rotating soup menu gives you a reason for repeat visits

* AMC cantera charging 5 bucks a ticket for all shows before 12:00 noon - its a great way to kill a boring afternoon and you can actually feel good about having fun at the movies without burning the bank

* Beyonce's deja vu - I dont really get the tune of this song, but she sings her lungs out, and plus sister looks and sounds totally fabulous

NAY :-( :-( :-(

* Cell phone users who do not use the "silent" or "meeting" feature in their workplace; And they are the same boors that download flamboyant ring tones..so all day, you are forced to listen to these pesky little things sing non stop (and the proud owner is not even in the office)

* There is a time for everything- however, people start talking about or promoting things too early, waayy to early. Case in point, thanksgiving is not even over yet, i have barely had one cup of pumpkin spice latte, and suddenly, Starbucks is displaying christmas colors in their stores and even on their cups and serving eggnog lattes and ginger bread. The midterm elections are just over, Nancy Pelosi has not even installed her new drapes yet, and people are already talking about the 2008 presidential elections. So, in essence, washington is ALWAYS in an election mode. The people trying to get their names on the primary ballots are mostly senators. So, when are they ever going to get time to say, pass laws?

So is this fate?

Check out the two links below. They are related news stories and genuinely scary -

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15759622/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15254176/

Reminds me of the Final destination movies..

So ok, i said i was going to blog everyday? I guess i need to define what "everyday" means. Because, for me, a week rushes by in a second. One day its monday morning, and suddenly its friday. It seems like this year just started, and suddenly, its going to be december. Where did summer and fall go and why is it winter already?

Hot and happenin...

Whats HOT !!!

* Podcasts rock!!!! More on this in my next blog. Its like a whole new world that i have discovered

* Justin Timberlake sure brings SEXY BACK!!!

* The first woman speaker of the US congress - Despite every effort to demonize the stylish 66 year old grandmother (ooooo she looked scary on 60 minutes?!!!! gimme a break!). She won, and won big!!! and her drapes shopping did not go waste!

Whats NOT!!!!

* The terrible regressive storyline in the Godfather (now titled Varalaaru). When will Thamizh cinema directors wake up and get out of their stone age mentality????

Back to Blogging

Ok..here it is...a grand new revival of my blog!!!!! The regular readers of my past blogs know my routine by now - i'll blog like theres no tomorrow, and then i'll disappear forever. If you know me, you also know what my old excuses are - too much work, not enough time etc etc etc.....

I want to blog again. There are so many fun little things that happen in my life, and its wonderful to share it with people - family, friends, and strangers alike. I promise - at least one post per day (if not more). I look forward to your comments, and even your contributions (as guest columnists in my blog!)

"Gas prices fall more than 7 cents"- Is this the end of the tunnel?

 

price for gasoline declined for the second week in a row, dropping to the lowest level in two months, the government said on Monday.

 

Source: Gas prices fall more than 7 cents - Automotive - MSNBC.com

Where I live, I have not seen the 7 cent drop yet. The prices have slowly dropped by 2 cents, and it may be a while before we catch up with the rest of the country. I'm still holding my breath every time I drive past a gas station. As many statistics show, we are not driving any less - just cutting back on other things. Car pool anyone from the west burbs?

The Art institute of Chicago

Chicago is a magnificent city, and it is a tourist's paradise. I have lived in the surburbs for the past few years, and I can still find novel places to visit on a sunny weekend in Chicago.

Yesterday, we took advantage of one of the last few summer weekends of the year and visited the Art institute of Chicago's museum. It is a fabulous destination for art lovers and even interests the easily bored!

Getting there...

Driving is not a bad option, the trick is finding parking. The millenium park and other garages are close by, but pricey (about $25) We got lucky, and managed to find parking on the side of a parallel road (Columbus), for $3 an hour. The metra (you need to catch a trolley from union station) and CTA are other good options.

Make it a day trip...

The beautiful Buckingham fountain and the Millenium park are very close by. You can also take a walk down the Magnificent mile for some heavy duty window shopping and see the beautiful Chicago river. The big bean at the Millenium park (officially known as Cloud gate) is a must-see. It was created by Anish Kapoor (a british indian).

At the museum...

Check out the museum's website at this link. I spent the most time, in the gallery showcasing scupltures from India. The displayed idols encompassed the Hindu trinity. I really enjoyed the detailed descriptions posted next to each diety. The write-up for the Nataraja idol was profound, condensing major Hindu beliefs in one simple paragraph. Another beautiful sculpture was a Varaha avatar depiction from Rajasthan, with a delicate Bhoomadevi gently resting her hand on Vishnu's (as the boar) snout.

Check out my photo blog for some pictures.

The museum also has a fantastic collection of impressionist era paintings by artists like Monet, Van Gogh, and Renoir. I have always loved the water lilies by Monet, and I couldnt believe i was standing simply two feet away! The most spectacular painting is "Paris street, Rainy day" by Gustave Caillebot. The effect of rain on the Paris cobblestones of Paris is unbelievably realistic.

Windows live writer rocks!

Thanks to Miss. Paranoid's post, I downloaded Windows live writer. This is my first blogpost (or rather my test blogpost) with it. Its awesome! I did not have to refer to any help file, its as easy as just opening a notepad file and typing. Inserting hyperlinks, spell check, changing fonts etc.. are just a breeze. I usually dislike downloading toolbars to internet explorer, but window's live toolbar seems good. Ofcourse, it very heavily pushes MSNBC and other microsoft related sites, but the novel feature is, you can browse multiple websites within a single explorer window using the tab feature . I tried to insert an image here, but i got an error message (it probably has something to do with Blogger's settings). Anyway, with this new tool, I really have no excuses to not blog frequently anymore, so do watch this space for more!

Dailamo? What the *%^&??!!

I am still shaking my head with disbelief. Dailamo from Dishum is supposed to be a great big superhit song. Apparently it used to constantly play on radio mirchi. A google search for Dailamo took me to many websites praising the song to the skies. I had to find out for myself what all the hype was about, and I made the mistake of listening to the song.

It was terrible! I agree, the tune is catchy, but I couldnt stand any of the vocals. This is what I HATE -

* Words that do not have any meaning (Dailamo?????) It shows an utter lack of imagination
* Thamizh is a beautiful language - why kill it by pronouncing it with a western accent?
* Kaalaleke????? The lyricist could not think of a proper word to use in the beginning of the song, so he takes a real thamizh word and distorts it to fit the tune
* The weird suggestive ooohh aaahhh noises the male singer makes through the song

There are many bad songs. What upsets me with this song is the fact that it is such a big hit in India, and I do not get it at all. It scares me because my reaction implies one of two things - either i am too old fashioned, unwilling to change with the times, or people in Thamizhnadu have changed so much, become so westernized, and become so much more non-conservative. Where does that leave me?

Thendrale ennai thodu

I am trying to unearth Illayaraja's gems. My quest (through many forums and blogs) led me to his soundtrack for Thendrale ennai thodu.

I have no recollection of watching the movie. Per music india online, this movie was released in 1985, staring "Mike" (as in microphone) Mohan and Jayshree. Mohan is one of the classic examples of how a good jaadhagam (or God knows what) can propel a person right to the top. He was a mediocre actor. Somehow, he managed to act in some really good movies (Mouna Raagam being the most memorable) and many of his movies ended up having superhit songs (such as Payanangal mudivadhillai, mella thirandhadhu kadhavu etc). Jayshree was one of the "homely" actresses at that time. She was very pretty, Sadha reminds me a lot of her.

Of all the Ilayaraja albums that I know of, this is easily one of the most innovative. The composition of tunes, the orchestra, the raagams that he has used...his brilliance cannot be described in words. Here are my favorite songs -

Kavidhai paadu kuyile - I've always adored SPB and I fell in love with him all over again after listening to this song. The raagam is similar to needhane yendhan pon vasantham from ninaivellam nitya. The tune is racy and flamboyant

Pudhiya poovidhu - Shades of Sudhdha Dhanyasi again. The tabla type beats in the background make all the difference. SPB rocks as always, and Janaki keeps up with Ilayaraja's super difficult (but super melodious tunes)

Kanmani Nee Vara - This is the best in the album. Malayamaarutham is one of my favorite raagams (manasayatulo by Thyagaraja is a divinely beautiful composition in this raagam). Ilayaraja effortlessly uses this raagam and weaves wonderful romantic tunes. Jesudas is surprisingly disappointing in this song - he doesnt quite hit all the right notes. But Uma Ramanan more than makes up for his shortcomings. She was one singer who never quite made it, but that gives me a topic for another blog post.

Here is the link for this movie in music india online. Do not miss this album!

Movie Review - Something Something unakkum yenakkum

I have only myself to blame. The silly title offered me enough warning - and i went ahead and watched the movie anyway, hoping for a good family movie with Jeyam Ravi and Trisha.

The movie sucks. Is Thamizh cinema that starved for original ideas? The movie's story is a straight lift from Maine Pyar Kiya. To make matters worse, there are entire sequences lifted from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. The gaiety looks terribly artificial (i have been to a million Thamizh weddings, when do people do impromptu bhangras?)

Trisha does her usual thing, but her standard four expressions that she alternates through this movie and all her other movies (mischeivous, sad, supportive-to-the-hero - repeat)are tiring . Jeyam Ravi is made to overact all through first half, though he is watchable in the second half.

By the way, the hero and his family are supposed to be from London. There are shots of his dad (Bhagyaraj) talking on the phone with a "London" backdrop. There are huge skyscrapers and 5 lane (on one side) expressways. I have travelled to London many times, so correct me if i am wrong, is that really London?

The Ohare international terminal

I spend my days rushing through my regular routine - work, home, work, home....And then, a couple of times every year, I am jolted from my inertia, and reminded of the big world outside of my little cocoon, and the land I left behind for my new home.

A trip to the international terminal at Chicago Ohare to pick up my parents or my mother in law is always a memorable experience. The people watching experience is great fun.

Every arriving flight brings the same kind of people - the nervous young grad students, the tired and bored business traveller, the shy and apprehensive new bride, the harried mom with hyperactive children, the overwhelmed grandparents... And the reaction of the people who have come to receive them is also identical - we are nervous, excited, impatient and finally, immensely relieved when we see the face of our long awaited loved one.

It makes me think of how small the world really is, and how alike all of us really are. Why then do we fight?

Movie Review - Syriana

Its not a new release, but if you are looking for a good dvd to watch, search
no further. Urgently narrated, intriguing, complex, relevant, and compelling - Syriana is arguably one of the best Hollywood movies of this decade, and also probably one of the most important.

I do not wish to give away any details of the story here, as it is a treat to watch the events unfold. The movie makers are daring enough to weave a complex web of geopolitical machinations. The storyline is punishingly complicated, but the intent seems to not be confusion - the movie makers simply want to communicate the fact that we live in a complex and completely interlinked world. Domino effects are inevitable, and every action sets off a terrifying chain reaction.

The casting is flawless. Christopher Plummer, Matt Damon and other known faces like Amanda Peet provide ample support. The characters portraying Prince Nasir and the young immigrant oil field worker also touch your heart with their heartfelt performances. And George Clooney? He is fantastic! Completely deglamourized (he added 30 pounds for the role), he slips into his character with consummate ease. Watch the movie just for him!

What to write?

There are many topics that I want to write about, current affairs mainly. However, I have resolutely decided to stay away from anything potentially partisan. This includes my musings about wars, the debate on stem cell research etc.etc..

And that explains my silence on the blog front (and of course, the insane workload). What will I write about? Movies? There is not a single Thamizh movie right now that is worth watching (my blog readers, i will be glad if you disagree with this, and suggest a few good movies for me!) Travel? There is not much variety to my trips up and down I-355. And that is why you see this blog meandering between the following three topics - food, music, and Madras nostalgia. I am desperately trying to break out of this rut....maybe books? gardening? home decor? Help!!!

The hottest song this summer

Well, if I have heard an english song, then it must be really really famous (because, as you know, its going to take me another 5 years just to finish discovering all the Ilayaraja songs)

Anyways, Hips dont lie by Shakira is super hot! Check this link out for the music video. The beats are racy, the hip hop sections (by Wyclef Jean) are cool, the lyrics are not great, but makes it all the more easier to sing along, and then Shakira....her dance movements make even Madhuri Dixit seem pale.. She does make a man wanna speak Spanish... The rest of the album is surprisingly ok, unlike many other albums that have exactly one good song.

Rediscovering Raaja jems

"People claim they are Illayaraja fans, but they just listen to Pani Vizhum malar vanam and Illaya nila pozhigiradhu..." - said Miss.Paranoid to me.

And she is right. I was in danger of falling into the Punnagai Mannan/Sindhu Bhairavi rut. I saved a few olden goldies to my mp3 player yesterday, and smiled all the way to work.

Check these songs out -

En jeevan paaduthu - Karthik and Saranya starred in this really weird movie. Basically, Karthik has a love failure, kills himself and becomes a ghost. Saranya discovers his diary, reads his story and sympathizes with him, and becomes friends with him (the ghost). Finally, she realizes she is in love with him, and many soulful Illayaraja songs later, she kills herself and the two ghosts live happily ever after. I cannot believe this...i actually watched the full movie and even remember every scene! Like my mom says, if i had paid this kind of attention to my books, i could have gone to Harvard!

Anyway, some songs are really good.

- Ore murai un dharisanam by S.Janaki captures the longing of a girl in love

- Katti vechuko un anbu manasa is too good - it has the catchy thavil beats. I think Deva copied this for Vaali, and in turn, the beats inspired Rehman for the Mayilirage song from Anbe aaruyire

- Engiruntho azhaikum - There are two versions. The male version seemed a little boring, and the female version is actually sung by Lata Mangeshkar. She sings it well, however, her accent is not easy on the ears at all (especially when it comes to words like "azhaikum"

Some other songs -

- Neela kuyile from Soorasamharam - This song is almost as good as Naan yenbathu nee allavo from the same album. The only jarring notes are from the background music between the charanams, and it was composed that way for the song picturization (the hero is going through some trauma after battling the bad guys and the heroine is helping him out). Chitra is soulful, and Arulmozhi (a singer who never got his due) is as good as SPB

- Medhuva medhuva from Anna nagar mudhal theru Chitra and SPB elevate this song with their crystal clear voices, despite the fairly trite lyrics.

That brings me to another topic. Ilayaraja never had the advantage of Vairamuthu's superb lyrics the way Rehman did. That gives me enough material for the next blog post.

Great Kathiawadi food at the Village Hut

Just yesterday, my husband and I were lamenting the lack of good vegetarian indian restaurants in the Chicagoland area. After some googling and a helpful friend's recommendation, we went to the Village hut at Glendale heights for lunch. Well, I know that most of my blog readers do not live near Chicago, but I wanted to write this article because of the superb cuisine. And I am hoping to inspire you into hunting for the closest Kathiawadi restaurant near where you live.

We were not given a menu. Instead, the restaurant owner, after ascertaining that we were first-timers, decided that we should go for the Kathiawadi style lunch. The food was awesome. We were given a big jug of Chas (buttermilk flavored with cumin and chilli powder) and papads for starters. The appetizers were regular vadas and something like a cross between dhoklas and dosais.

Now on to the main course - we were served a wide variety of curries, dhal, kadhi and bajra rotis. The unique aspect of Rajasthani and Gujarathi cuisine is the simplicity of the recipes. There are very few ingredients used, and no heavy masalas or rich tomato gravies. And absolutely no cream in the dishes (something desi restaurants are notorious for). My favorite was the patra curry - colocasia leaves stuffed with a besan filling and steamed and then made into a curry. We finished the meal with a decadent walnut-milk-something. My next project? To try and start cooking Kathiawadi food at home.

Chilli curry

I am discovering the joys of gardening. It has been really hot for the past few weeks, and the plants on my deck are growing wild! The weather has been really kind, every week has had alternating rainy and sunny days.

I bought a little "mariachi pepper" plant in spring, and dumped it in a pot and forgot about it. This beautiful plant is now almost too big for it's pot. I had to pluck the peppers as they were almost too heavy for the plant.

I really wanted to make molaga bajji, but my health conscious husband vetoed the idea. So, I used the peppers in my other favorite recipe - Mirch ka salan. If you have not tried this recipe, you do not know what you are missing! This is the perfect dish - it has an unusual combination of mughlai, north indian, and south indian flavors, and is both hot and sweet. Hemant Trivedi's cookery corner has the best recipe for this dish. I recommend you follow every instruction (i skipped the peanuts as I am allergic). You can use any kind of green chilli, or even bell peppers for this dish. Check out the other recipes on his website as well - the udipi sambar really has the hotel sambar taste.

My photo blog

For a precious few months in the year, everything is green in the midwest. Check out my new photo page on flickr. Here is the link. An easy way to view the pictures is to click on one of the photo sets, to the right of this page (i have two sets currently). Click on "all sizes" to save a full size image to your pc.

Oh..How the world has changed!!!!

I just discovered a Chennai metroblogging pool on flickr.com. There are some amazing Photos of Chennai, and if you browse through other collections of the contributors, you can check out some beautiful pictures of Thamizhnadu.

You have GOT TO SEE THIS PHOTO. It is one of the best i have seen recently. The picture speaks a 1000 words, and captures the essence of Chennai in one snapshot -- The fancy multi national company hoarding jostling for space with the little potti kadai, PCO booth and tiny Aruna repair shop in a blue box...The crumbling sidewalk and bright plastic water buckets...Hmmm...I miss you Madras....really do..

Cool music blog

If you love Ilayaraja, you have to check this new blog out. It carries the most comprehensive article about Ramarajan hits !

The exhilaration of bicycling!

Summer in the midwest

I've lived in Chicagoland for nearly three years, and I've only now discovered the beauty of the great outdoors. I used to try and run, but found it really boring. You require a tremendous amount of energy, no skills (except the ability to constantly propell yourself forward), and you really do not see new places (how far can you run before you should turn back?). I've finally discovered something i truly enjoy - bicycling! Dupage county is a haven for bicyclers. There are trails in the various forest preserves (Herrick, Blackwell, Mcdowell etc). The different forest preserves are connected by the Illinois prairie path, which is a gravel path running through many counties.

Cycling is deceptively easy, but it really is a superb workout for your lower body. You are so busy having fun, you barely notice your pumped up heart rate. Some tips, especially if you are a newbie like me -

* Avoid backpacks especially in hot weather. I just sling a little handbag over the handlebars
* Always carry a water bottle. You get dehydrated faster than you think. Gatorade is also a good option
* Carry some identification with you, and a little cash. You can stop by a gas station and get water if you need
* Carry a digital camera if you can!

Back to hindi movies

I stopped watching hindi movies a few years back. I'd had my fill after watching movies like Devdas, Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gham etc and thought Bollywood was not capable of making good movies anymore. But i was wrong, and i've spent the past few weeks trying to play catchup. Here are some of the good ones

Parineeta - Parineeta is surprisingly different. The director almost succeeds in recreating a period feel (1960s Calcutta). It is an endearing love story, bolstered by fabulous performances from Saif Ali Khan and Vidya Balan. Newcomer Vidya has been as lovingly photographed as Rajjo in 1942 a love story. The movie's end is botched up, but it doesnt detract from the effect the rest of the movie has.

Darna zaroori hai - Darna mana hai was good, and Darna Zaroori hai is even better. More power to you Ram Gopal!

Fanaa -
Usual Bollywood candy fluff, made watchable by Kajol! She looks slimmer, and her performance is as heartfelt as her DDLJ Simran. The music is catchy too (i know, i know, usual mushy stuff, but its fun nevertheless)

Mr. and Mrs Iyer
Simple good cinema, with a strong storyline and fantastic performances. Konkana Sen excels as the Iyer mami.

I know. Some of the above movies are kinda old, but I am playing catch up. Better late than never right?

Where are my blogger friends?

I usually click on all the links to the right (Paranoid, Parvathi etc etc). They have been super silent for a while. And then there are the one-post-wonders. Mother Blogger and My bad....I have their links in the hope that one day, they will suddenly start blogging again!

My new fav song...

Mere haath mein tera haath ho..
Saari Jannathein mere saath ho...
Tu jo paas ho, phir kya yeh jehan?
Tere pyar mein ho jaaoon Fanaa...

This elephant can dance too...

Source. - www.time.com

During my first month in the USA, sometime in August 2000, I called my dad, and I was giving him a detailed account of my new world. Comparing it to India, I remember telling him this ..... "People criticize India all the time. NRIs visit India and constantly crib about the pollution, and the bad roads. Foreigners still look at India as the land of Maharajas and snake charmers. Indians while patriotic, often have little pride in their motherland, hankering after approval by anyone not Indian. What all these people forget is, it took countries like the USA many centuries to get to where they are today. Despite its centuries old history, India is a relatively young country. Its been just 53 years since we got our independence. Its only a matter of time before India realizes its true potential"

Looking back, I guess i was echoing the sentiments felt by almost every Indian who moved to a foreign country and realized that if there was heaven on earth, it was in India, right in the crowded streets and cramped apartments that we grew up in.

Time magazine's cover story for the week is about "India Inc", touting India as the next great economic super power. I read the article with mixed feelings...intense pride, cautious optimism, and a good deal of fear. Why fear? Whatever India does, India does incredibly and exceedingly well. Any phenomenon in India does not grow - it exploded. I refer both to the good and the bad.

The good? The incredible brilliance and ingenuity of Indians. Our tenacious, and single minded ambition have built an unshakeable reputation for us in every major company across the world. "Hes a typical desi guy, pretty good" - is a common refrain in the corporate world. The 80s and the 90s saw a phenomenon - hordes of bright young Indians migrating to the USA and Europe. While people in India lamented about the terrible waste of talent and brain drain, these expatriates slowly but steadily built a solid reputation for Indian brain power. Indians in mainland India also slowly but steadily chugged along, building a solid India, despite the government in many occasions.

The bad? We all knew that India would one day break out of its ugly shell...I dont think anyone ever imagined that in this decade, we would actually be recognized as a superpower, in an incredibly positive article, published by America's leading magazine. However, India's explosive growth and success is unprecedented..even Indians shake their heads with disbelief. The rich are richer, the middle class better of than ever, but what about the poorest of the poor? The caste distinctions in India are stronger than ever, rearing their ugly head in reservations. Excessive wealth is leading to many social ills. I do not wish to sound like a wet blanket, but are we growing too soon, too fast? With tremendous power comes great responsibility (as a certain comic movie said, alluding to the USA in fact). Are we ready?

Check out the article at the link below...
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/current
You need to try and read this article this week. When the article is archived next week, only subscribers can have access.