A Saturday Well Spent

Waking up before the alarm can make one feel quite pleased with themselves. It renders a sense of calm, and the rude shock of suddenly waking up from deep sleep to a monotonous beep beep of a phone alarm is absent. Anyhow, that's how my Saturday started. I had big plans for the day. Or as big as I can manage for the first day of a weekend anyway. I had already decided what I wanted to eat for breakfast- one side of a burger bun (which I was treating as a bagel) with cream cheese and some aloo bhujiya sprinkled on top (that's an Indian savoury snack). It was quite delicious, and as I was eating and surfing the channels for something good to watch (as is my habit), I chanced upon The Deathly Hallows-Part 1. Obviously I ended up watching the whole thing. That kind of wasted some time I could've used in getting ready, but it didn't make too much of a difference really. Anyway, I got ready to step out after that, but clearing phone memory in order to take a picture (and tweet it) gained more importance, and I got later than intended. Also, felt hungry so I thought I might as well eat a ligth lunch before stepping out as it was 12:10 by then, and I had no plans to eat next before 5 pm. (I'll come to the reason in a bit)
So the first course of action was to visit a public library. I am quite an avid reader, and books here in Istanbul are quite expensive (specially when converted to INR), probably also because english books are not as abundant and hence, the higher price. To put things in perspective, a movie ticket at a nice mutliplex in a mall costs half as much as an english book. So, seeing as how I love to read and all, I thought it was high time I became a member of a library here. (Had been thinking about it last year, but never got around to visiting any). I was also to attend this pop-up food event at Souq Karakoy along with some people of the Foodie meetup group later in the evening, so I thought I'd pass my time in the library (or two) for 2/3 hours and then go over to the event. But, as I said, I got a little late in leaving my house, and then google maps guided me to the wrong entrance to the library. In fact, it wasn't the entrance at all,and I had to trudge up the road and circle back to near the starting point, only to discover a long line of people standing outside the entrance. This is probably the right time to mention I meant to visit the Ataturk Kitapligi, which is one of the most popular public libraries in Istanbul, and last year, became the first one to turn into a 24 hr library.

What is it?

What is it about the rain? It always makes me want to write, or curl up in a blanket and read, listen to the howl of the rain outside, with maybe a cup of hot coffee or tea fogging up my glasses.

Yes, as you can well imagine, it rained today. Proper thunder-lightning type rain. I was sleeping, the crash-bam-boom of the thunder clouds woke me up. Since then, it's been lovely weather. However, I am quite sad that the weekend is over. I feel so tired. I need to sleep.

I did enjoy this weekend though, I watched a film I'd been meaning to watch and I raced through (or flew through, *nudge nudge wink wink*) Anuja Chauhan's latest chiclit. (That's not a bad word guys, its a legitimate genre). Both made me incredibly sad. La La Land was such a visual and aural treat. And I wanted to bawl my eyes out at the end (obviously didn't, because, people), and I mentioned this to a couple of friends who'd seen it, and they were like "Why?". I guess the regret of What Could've Been, makes me gloomy, reminds me how little things change our lives, and our lives just pass us by. We don't even notice, and there it is behind us, What Could've Been, like an abandoned little puppy dog, staring at us with big morose eyes.
And to top it all, Anuja Chauhan's latest, Baaz, with young, dashing, cocky Ishaan 'Baaz' Faujdaar, of the IAF, dealt such a blow, so suddenly, that I felt blindsided, dumbfounded, hoping against hope, that The End wasn't what it was, that there was More. It started off as a rocky read, I didn't particularly care much for the writing style in this one, but slowly and surely it gripped me, reeled me in and kept me hooked. Fast-paced, with several thrilling sequences, but touching characters, Baaz, was unputdownable a quarter of the way in. Not only was it saucy, like her other books, being set in the midst of the Indo-Pak war, lent it an added touch of 'feels'.

Anyhow, that's all I can write today, just checked that I have fever, and now I can't think of what else I wanted to say. *All Systems -- breaking down*

So long, and thanks for the fish!

Black Eyes

Your eyes, my eyes
Pools of black ice
Swimming in paradise
Screaming in disguise
My eyes, your eyes
Black eyes, black as the night
Black as the raven kite
Pools of black ice

Wicked Times

This week I somehow just opened a word document, and started typing out a poem. Just like that. Now it isn't my best work, but considering I'm now writing poems (yes, hope to make it continue by using present tense) after years of inaction, I think it's not half bad. I do realise I could still improve it if I spent some more time on it, but if I do that, I will risk never end up posting it, so I'm going ahead with imperfection for the sake of prolificacy. Anyway, here it is. Enjoy-

Wicked Times

In wicked times like these

When your mind plays tricks on me

I feel sick and uneasy inside

Dizzy and brain-fried

Voices in my head

Screaming, whispering, devilish

Confusing me, leading me

 farther

Down into the pits of consciousness

Where dreams swirl in fogs

And my stomache churns

As I’m pushed down

Down, down into the abyss

sound ceases to exist

thoughts turn to dust

I break the invisible chain

And thrust myself up

Finding you in the light

Smirking, head cocked slight

Puzzles and riddles, and laughs

as if I've committed a gaffe

With each ordeal, I wear

My shadow dims, and voice thins

But I love the game

so I come back for more

Dil Dhadakne Do: A cruise you'll love to be on!

Dil Dhadakne Do...

I watched it last Sunday, and since then had been planning to write this post. My review of the movie. (This has now become something like 16th Sunday back :P)

First and foremost, I loved the film!

The music grows on you. At first listen, I hadn't liked any of the songs I'd heard (namely the three most popular ones from the film), but slowly they've grown on me, and now I'm quite obsessed. Initially, I'd thought that Priyanka and Farhan had totally ruined the title track with their ghissa-wa voices, in an otherwise very upbeat and peppy 70s style number, but now I don't mind them so much, cause the music was won me over. Second, the 'Pehli Baar' song, which I'd initially thought was slow and nothing exceptional, now forms my waking-up-to song. Maybe it's because some songs you just like better once you've seen them in the context of the film.

From the first 5 minutes itself, I kept trying to place the narrator's voice, I just KNEW I recognised it. I turned to my Mom, and said, "This isn't...?", then dismissed the idea. I was right. And that added a zing to the movie. 

The movie is very funny. Like really funny. And I love the satirical, wry, sense of humour it has. If you've ever lived in Delhi, you'd instantly feel connected to this movie, because the characters are SO typical of the uber-rich south delhi posh crowd complete with the punjabi auntie wearing designer clothes, to the spoilt brat who dresses like she's on the runway, to the drunken uncles who hit on teenage girls...*sigh*....this is my kinda movie. Fun, breezy. The drama is interesting, if a bit long. The performances by the ensemble cast, really spot-on. Ranveer Singh as the insecure child of the big business family, living in his father's shadow, and thrust into doing something he really has no interest in, strikes the right cord. He looks vulnerable, and you feel for his character. You cheer for him when he stands up to his parents, you laugh with him when he cracks jokes on his fellow shipmates. 

Priyanka Chopra is fine too. Though I do have certain issues understanding how her character, a powerful, strong, independent business woman, takes shit from people in her personal life, husband, mother-in-law, parents...But i guess, what Zoya is really trying to show is that underneath the surface, all of us have our insecurities, all of us have things or people we’re afraid of, or get bullied by, no matter how we behave or portray ourselves in the outside world.

Anuhska Sharma was good too, well I always like her. She’s garhwali after all (Garhwalis FTW!), and I think she has that spunk that is sometimes so lacking in actresses (should I be saying female actor?) of this generation. But her role is too small to really judge much. I guess her role is more of a thread, a small but vital cog in the wheel, that sets things in motion.

Apart from this, like I mentioned, the entire ensemble cast is very good. I especially love the scene with Shefali Shah, binge eating on a chocolate cake, when she discovers an ugly truth about someone close to her. The scene has no dialogues absolutely, but the way the camera pans onto her face, revealing the turmoil of emotions she’s undergoing, says more than a melodramatic “hindi-film” cry-fest could’ve said.

There is just one problem I have though. Rahul Bose, in my opinion, was highly underutlised in this film. I mean, an actor of his calibre deserves more screen space and dialogues than what the movie offered him. The character he portrays also lacks depth, and ends up as too linear and simple for my liking. He ends up coming across as a villain in the last 45 mins or so, where I feel that really was not necessary, but just made the task easier for the writers. Again, I'd like to point out that the second half becomes a bit heavy, and could’ve probably been edited a bit better and crisper.

The end again, is a little bizarre and ‘flighty’ if I can use that word. It still ends up being fun though, so I will forgive this little “bollywodness” on the part of the filmmaker. A friend said the entire movie gave a very “Woody Allen-ish” feel. Although, I can’t honestly say what a “Woody Allen-ish” feel is, with my current knowledge and experience of his movies, it seems like a nice way to describe it.  I truly loved this movie, and I feel it is highly quotable and a must-watch for anyone who likes light-hearted, yet not entirely mind numbing, cinema. I would recommend this, really. :)

As they say, Yeh Dil Dhakadne Do, which for me translates to: Why so serious, Live a little, Love a little. :)

 Note: If you want to travel to Greece and Turkey, but don't have the bucks, perfect movie for you!! Also, if you just wanna do a recce of the place. Lovely shots of both countries *sigh*

Some Thoughts

Wow. It's been months since I was here, and I didn't even write a year of end post in 2014.

Guess I was too caught up with life. Work. Friends.

2014 seems so far away, yet, I have memories of afternoons spent, like it was just yesterday.

I like to think I have grown both emotionally and professionally, over the past year. I originally came here to write a review for Dil Dhadakne Do, which I watched last week. But somehow, seeing how I haven't written since last Aug (and that also, hardly counts), I seem to have digressed and see myself writing and thinking about the last few months.

As I'm about to enter a new phase of life, you'll see this space much more populated with musings, ramblings and sometimes downright vague posts. But hey, that's what you come here for don't you? ;)

I think one of the reasons why I haven't been writing is, that, any free time that I get, I put to watching some TV series online, or reading some book, or generally passing time browsing through Facebook and clicking on every '7 things you'd relate to if you were born in the 90s', 'this video of xxx will blow your mind', etc etc that catches my interest. Anyhow, like I said, hopefully, this will change in the coming days.

BTW, the weather is really nice today, and maybe that's partly the reason why I finally got down to writing something. I always feel that a little rain goes a long way in getting the creative juices flowing.

Anyhow, I'll be off now. Will be back soon, with reviews and stories about living in Delhi, and working in Gurgaon, and going to all the amazing places I've been to since last year.

Au Revoir! I'll be back!

I love to Travel :)

Mumbai- City of Dreams - http://pinterest.com/pin/530580399823035782/?utm_source=android_share

Top 5 Holi Songs

I love Holi. And I love Holi songs from the silver screen even more. So this year I thought I'd put together a list of my favourite songs.

Pichkari!

Without much ado, here goes-

No. 5
Haule Haule- Rab Be Bana Di Jodi
You might not think of this as a Holi song, but technically it starts off with Holi and the whole picturization is so sweet. I love the long takes, the synchronised choreography and the colour schemes. It's a treat to watch :)
No. 4
The No. 4 position jointly goes to-
Tum Tak- Ranjhaana
Dhanush is reason enough to love this song, but if that doesn't do it for you then A.R Rahman surely will. And if none of that works, then there's the exceptional cinematography. The way it's shot will make you fall in love with colours. *sigh*
Madubala - Mere Brother Ki Dulhan
Again, not technically a Holi song, but there are Bhang references, and I love the UP feel :D

No. 3
Balam Pichkari - Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani
The folksy feel, the interesting instruments, the kitschy lyrics, the colours, and the carefree abandon of your good old college days. With a very hot Deepika Padukone. What more d'you need? This song makes me wanna get up and dance in the middle of the theatre. And that doesn't happen too often.

No. 2
Khaike Paan Banaras Wala- Don (1978)
One of my favourite songs from one of my favourite movies. I don't think it's actually set in Holi, but since it's all about Bhang, you'll hear it often enough at Holi parties. There's nothing I need to really justify here- the song is awesome and that's that. :)

And finally for my No. 1 Holi song------

Jai Jai Shiv Shankar- Aap Ki Kasam
Not your usual Top Holi song, but I like this much more than the omnipresent 'Rang barse' etc etc
Rajesh Khanna, who I love. Kishore Kumar who I love even more. Mumtaz who is too cute, and music that is so 70s. The song encapsulates Holi so beautifully, the lyrics and the music compliment the thought so well. Ek ke do, do ke chaar dikhte hai truly :)

Enjoy listening to these (and many more) Holi songs and a very happy and colourful Holi to all! :)

P.S- Do tell me what your favourite Holi songs, the absolute worst (that'd be a long list in itself), the downright sleazy...

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V

Madras- A one night stand that couldn't become a torrid love affair

This happen's to be my 100th post! :) I thought I'd make it special :D If you've been around for a while, do leave a comment to let me know whether you love/hate/abhor my blog and my narcissism or...just lemme know what's up...

I've been travelling for a while now. That's the one thing about being in sales, esp if you're a management trainee. You get to travel. A lot. Now it started off with the south. I spent a couple of days in Chennai, and contrary to popular belief (or just what ppl around me believe) it is not such a bad place after all. The way people had always talked about it, I thought there'd be nothing to do, no entertainment options at all. Boy, was I wrong. I landed in Chennai on the morning around 9-10 am and we were supposed to report to our regional office directly. However, they allowed us to stop over at our guest house to dump all our luggage before we headed off to work. Now, of course language is a problem in Chennai for north-indians (for anyone who's not Tamil basically) but Google Maps came to the rescue, and in broken english, we managed to reach the right location. I should mention here that my company's guest house is located in a really posh part of the city. Wide roads, tall trees, sprawling bungalows. An auto driver later told me Jayalalitha lives nearby and bcuz real estate there is so high, that's the reason they charge us a bomb for those short auto rides. But more on that later. People crib abt the Chennai weather, but I for one prefer the hot and humid over the cold and dry any day. Considering what it does to my hair, I'm being very generous I feel, but I just can't stand the cold. Now it was a friday evening , and when we got off work we decided to just chill at our guest house. The next day, we had work (have blogged about this recently- read 'The first day of the rest of my life') but after that we went out. Had some snacks at a place called Gangotree which was decent, and then headed to 10D. The only issue I had with the place is that it doesn't open till 7:30. Apart from that, I loved *everything* about this British style pub. Ambience is comfortable, old worldly and friendly. The music was a bit loud, and there were random people but I would still recommend this place to people looking to unwind in the city. The shots were good and the appetisers as decent as you can expect from a pub. I would give it a 4 star rating on 5. For further info on what I'd eaten, you can read the other blog entry I mentioned above. Other notable places to eat/party in the city that I discovered in my short stay there were Raintree Hotel (it has a lot of options- Rainbow, Madera, etc. etc.), this cute lil place called Sandy's Chocolate Laboratory (Near the Unilever guest house in Nungambakkam), Purple Room in Hotel President. Tangerine is another place in Alwarpet, but i didnt feel the food was very good. As for shopping, I only visited two malls. Phoenix in Vellachery and City Centre In Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai.

Mammo Deli, 10D and Sandy's

Phoenix is huge, and a lil confusing, but it's new so the time that I was there, a lot of shops hadn't opened. In fact, I'd gone there with a friend from work, management trainee like me, and we wished to eat, but couldn't find anything. Finally, we saw this small cafe 'Mammo Deli' where we had delicious mocktails and some tangy pasta (was very hot- temperature-wise). I found free-wifi in the mall though so I whipped out my laptop and started doing some work (didn't have a data connection USB then, and I had done some research before heading out, there's a list on foursquare for free WiFi spots in Chennai and I put it to full use). They have a decent food court as well. There was one joint which caught my eye, by the name of Cha Republic. They put those bead-type thingies in shakes, the kind you'll find in abundance in southeast asia. And now I hear, Zara has opened up there.
 So, Phoenix does offer enough options for recreation Yea, it's a joke that the Hard Rock Cafe in Phoenix City Mall which opened just a few months back, can't even serve alcohol. Because in Chennai, you need to have lodgings in order to get a liqour license. Which is why places like 10 Downing Street have lodgings as well in the first floor. For the average movie-buff, Chennai is a haven. Though, for a north Indian, there might not to be too much of a variety. The Tamil Nadu govt has imposed a regulation on ticket prices, so no matter that it's a multiplex and you're watching the latest 3D action flick, you still pay a meagre Rs. 120 to watch a movie. 

My point being, Chennai is a city where you can have fun, you just have to look in the right places. A friend of mine who's working there currently, parties every weekend, and eats out more than 3 times a week. Two of the places she recommends are Mash by Besant Nagar, near Elliot's beach and California Pizza Kitchen, which is a chain and has no "madras"ness about it. When I was "interviewing" her for this piece, and asked her if she'd visited some of the restaurants I've mentioned above, she was clueless, but I guess that is collateral damage...when you end up living in a place, you end up going to the tried and tested places to eat, hang-out, etc. Hopefully, this piece will wake up a few people, and encourage them to go out and explore the city that they may have written off in a hurry.

Another friend of mine, who has again, been working in Chennai the past couple of months very kindly gave me a sound-byte. Utkarsh Gupta, from IIMC, says "Chennai has the potential to be India's Miami with the long beachline it boasts of, but the local admin needs to realise it; a city still stuck somewhere in the 80s when the country is moving on". I wouldn't say I entirely disagree with what he says...

Now, I remember, I mentioned I'd get back to the auto-wallas, and I always try not to disappoint, dear readers. I thought it'd be funny if I tell you guys how a friend (fellow north-Indian) and I used to communicate with the auto-wallas in Chennai. I already spoke about the merits of Google maps, but we still had to give directions from time-to-time. So, the way we communicated was "Right-aa", "Left-aa", "Stop-aa". I know, this is probably very anticlimatic, but it's hilarious when you hear us say it :P But then, it works, so who cares, right? Na urr thadava sunna...Ok, that was randomly inserted there for good measure. He he. I do like showing off my prowess over the dravidian tongue by sometimes quoting Rajnikanth dialogues...There's only one that I know, so it gets old real fast. :)

But I digress...the whole point of this article was to stress upon the fact that every city has something to offer, and one shouldn't write it off without fully exploring the options it has to offer. Or maybe, it's just me, I like to find something good about everything...Whatever it is, I can't say whether I loved or hated the city, cause one week is hardly enough to take in the atmosphere, let alone explore all the nooks and alleys, but it's a city I would definitely love to visit again, and test the waters with.

P.S- A special mention to the north-Indian auto walla who was asking whether I had visited Marina beach and other sites in the city. :) You made me happy, Auto walle Bhaiyya :) I guess you recognised a kindred spirit in the land of Rajnikanth and filter coffee. (Sorry,I don't mean to stereotype. Apologies, if I'm being ignorant)

I don't know if this happens to everyone, but I find nice autodrivers/cabbies in whichever city I go to, be it Mumbai, Hyderabad or Chennai....Now, if only auto walle bhaiyya's in Delhi were listening....:/

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Free WiFi Spots in Chennai: https://foursquare.com/krishna06/list/free-wifi-spots-in-chennai

I found it useful, hopefully you will too.

Threat to my creative freedom

A few days back I suggested to my sister that she start a blog. She used to write in college so I said why don't you continue to do so? Write a blog about your baby. Well, she didn't agree then, citing various reasons from "I write pretty badly" to "there are 1000s of blogs on the same subject out there". Anyway, I decided to leave it at that. But a few days back, my sister pinged me and asked me to pick a title from the two choices she lay in front of me. I asked her why and I had a feeling it might be cause of the idea I had given her a few days previously. I turned out to be right. She was thinking of a blog name. I gave my opinion and said it required some tweaking. When she asked *me* to come up with the right word, I joked that if I could think up good names, I would've done so for my own blog. Huge mistake. She asked me to share the link and I refused but she continued to pester and finally I relented and sent it to her.
When I got back from my sales stint in Chandigarh, I was greeted with a barrage of onslaughts about my blog. Apparently I'm a hypocrite because to her I always said I liked Sonam Kapoor, while on my blog I keep ranting about my hatred of/for her. She also accused me of copying her opinions and passing them of as my own. To which I said these were *my* opinions and she called me delusional. Anyhow, later she told me she made my parents read the dussehra post as well where I called my family "the villain to my plans". I'm hoping her interest in my blog dies down because this can really hamper my creative freedom. :P I will share her blog URL with you guys when she decides to commence it. Till then, wait for my next post- I've been working on it this week! :)

Ugh.

*sigh*

I've been thinking a lot about this blog of late. About taking it to the Next Level. Going Mainstream. Making it more of a full-time thing than something I remember to do once in 4 months.

But, no matter how much I think, conceptualise, ideate....I just don't how to really start.
As always, I start off with deciding to change the template I'm using...and then waste a good few hours in choosing one that is *just perfect* [I'm a cautious and dissatisfied shopper, so it stems from that...Just ask my mom], and never being fully satisfied with the output.

So, rather than writing or conceptualising new blog posts, I have successfully managed to waste the productive hours of my day, discussing, analysing, doing all the superficial things that I know don't matter as much as I make them out to.

So, what do I do when my net connection goes wonky, and I'm not able to see any of the said templates in action? Do I finally start writing? No...Heaven forbid. I start tweeting and pinning and randomly browsing through blogs and coming across awesome initiatives like http://nanowrimo.org/

So, I decided enough was enough. I will blog, if it's the last thing I do today. Ok, maybe that was a li'l too melodramatic for 7:30 pm  , but you get my drift write? [Oh god, it has come to this]
Anyhow, so this is my post. Here. And Now. Bye bye.

The First Day of The Rest of My Life

Now this is a lil something I wrote way back in May 2013...around the 20th or so. And like everything else in my life, I never finished it, and hence, never posted it. But I do realise that Time is of the essence in most of my blog posts, and I'm posting it now, in as is, state, and maybe I'll complete it at a later time. I don't know why I chose to be so descriptive though. It may get boring, bear with me :|

How often have you heard this phrase? My bet is, about a million times. Even so, I had to write about this. Though I’m only about…er…20 days late? That is what procrastination does to you. Anyhow, the point of this post is- that I am now a working woman. I have a full-time, paid job. K It’s a scary thought. But actually, it’s been pretty okay so far. I’m a management trainee, and my induction last for 3 weeks. It was a bunch of sessions covering an overview of the different departments, some fun stuff like factory visits in Punjab and Haryana….and finally a one-day CSR activity at an NGO which was quite enjoyable. So much for the easy part. From then on, my sales stint started. Flew off to Chennai early morning, attended a few sessions at the RSO and headed to the guest house where we MTs were put up. Chennai…has been quite interesting so far. Yeah, it’s humid as hell, and as soon as we leave the office building it feels like we stepped into a furnace/sauna depending on the time of day, but I’ve still managed to enjoy the past few days. And I’m no stranger to hot and humid climates, having spent the last two years in Calcutta.

On Friday, we just chilled at the guest house, watched random movies and songs on the Home Theatre System (yes, you read that right) and basically enjoyed the good life.

Saturday…well, Saturday, we had to come into office for some work, but we got free early, an hour after lunch or so, so we decided to chill (again). We thought of going to watch Aurangzeb in a theatre 7-9 kms from our base, but we got late on the way, so decided to take  a detour to 10 Downing Street- this totally amazing, totally British place.  We got there at 7, but the place hadn’t opened, so we thought we’d explore the locality a bit. I had 1 mallu, 1 gult for company. However, the gult is as less of a gult as I’ve ever seen in my life. Hehehe. So, anyhow, we found this place called ‘Gangotree’…which, erm, I’m ashamed to admit, I pronounced as Gango-tree (Gango rhyming with Mango). We had awesome snacks- dhokla and pav bhaji. Or maybe it was just that we were hungry. My mallu friend however, had something which looked like Pink slush (‘Pink Solution’ he called it). Falooda with ice cream he claimed it was. K *shudder* Anyway, after our stomachs were partially full, but our souls fully satisfied with the gastronomic treats, we headed off to 10D. There’s a cover charge for guys, but it’s times like these that you’re thankful for being a woman. J  The place in itself was very very good. I liked the ambience. From the way they illustrated the menu, to the books stacked up on the walls. As for the food, I can definitely vouch for the baby corn starter. The pepper chicken was a little dry though.  We also went to the Purple Room at Hotel President, but I didn’t stay there long, so can’t comment about the place.

The next day…was again a relaxed morning. Got up, had dry upma for breakfast and watched tv while lazing around on the couch. Mango juice, watermelon juice…the good life. For lunch, I headed off to meet a friend from IIMC at Raintree Hotel. It became a mini IIMC reunion of sorts. We ordered Italian, and beer. I had something called Tequila Chicken, with a bunch of other herbs and yellow and red peppers, and the pasta I chose was ‘Fettucine’. This dish, my dear readers, was very very good. I couldn’t make out the taste of Tequila, however, it was tangy and juicy, had an adequate amount of seasoning. In short, I loved it.

Song Of The Day....V 2014 :P

Yeah, I'm starting it again.
Today's Song of The Day is-

And by now, anyone would've figured out I'm a huge Matchbox 20 fan. :)
Enjoy.

[I think the lyrics are somewhat childish, but I like the feel of the song. Geddit, geddit? :D ]

A Kohl-lined Story

Anyone who's known me for even a week would be able to tell people that I love my kajal. I never (never ever ever) step out with eyes that are not kohl-lined. Friends have been assigned secret missions to secretly catch me without kajal and click pics as proof. My sister has called me a racoon, taking it upon herself to wipe the black stuff off of my eyes, and my kajal sticks have been hidden from me. (There was a period of time, in high school, where my eye doctor had advised me not to wear kajal, but I found ways...) So you understand, I can be called somewhat of a Kajal connoisseur. 

A few days back, while on sales calls, I started noticing this new product at chemist stores. It was black and pink, and obviously caught my eye. So, when I went shopping with my sister, I'd made up my mind that I would buy it. The last time I bought kajal was anyway in July and I go through these things like a kid goes through candy after Hallowe'en. So anyway, I went and bought the new Supreme Magique Kajal from l'oreal. The packaging's nice, I love anything with the colour scheme pink and black and it's a roll-on liner, the kind I love.
It's supposed to be suitable for contact lens wearers so I tried it on while wearing contacts. It's supposed to be smudge-proof, but frankly, the first day, I was disappointed. It wasn't dark enough for one, which I have a huge problem with. I kept trying to put more and more layers on, but that was a pain, and the difference wasn't very stark. The third continuous day of using it was better though. It is definitely darker now, but that maybe cause I've been wearing specs, not lenses and cause I never wash off my kajal at the end of the day. (Not advisable though, please don't do that).
Anyhow, for now I'll give it a rating of 5/10. My MAC is much better than this. But at more than 4 times the cost, it was bound to be. :)

Last One Standing

I know I've been away for too long. And you know why I'm here now.
Yep, have to write a year-end post after all. Even though, I've been absent from this blog for the greater part of the year. So, getting right down to business....

I won't talk about the kind of year it has been. I don't think I can. It would take a lot of effort, time and some courage to be able to put everything out there. But as usual, it's been an interesting year, slow in parts, racing by in others. I guess 2-4 major events happened this year-
1. I graduated from post-grad (yeah, not to happy about the fact that I'm no longer a student)
2. I'm a working professional (so-to-say)
3. I lived alone (not on campus, not with folks) for some part of the year (miniscule in proportion, really, but the thought of it counts)

So, this year has brought it's share of pleasantries as well as miseries. I'm not gonna delve on those now. Reserving being philosophical for another time.

I'm not gonna list down a set of resolutions for next year either.

The only thing topmost in my mind right now is how much I miss campus life. That's about all. Don't get me wrong, I love being able to earn and spend my own money, establish my independence (gradually, in phases :P) and all the rest of the mumbo-jumbo that comes with being an employed adult. But I miss not having a schedule, or having my own sweet schedule (cause that was also, after all, a routine) or just sitting around doing nothing at all, blasting loud music from my speakers all day long, cleaning my room time and again, planning wing parties, and so on and so forth. It just makes me sad....that I'll never be able to go back there again. And I don't mean the place, that may still be possible some 20 years down the line. But I will never really be back there, with the same people, in the same environment, as a care-free (mostly) student.
I'm sure there will be many more better things in the future, many memories and experiences still to make. But one can feel sad for oneself from time-to-time can't they?

OK, I'm done reminiscing. Now for the year-end stuff.

So, the thing is, I love reading (and watching) all the year-end editorials and shows that come about this time of the year. You know the type- Best of 2013, Top 10 Blockbusters of 2013, Top 30 Countdown of 2013's Chartbusters, The Next Big Things in 2014, etc. etc. etc. The year before OSO released, I was reading the year-end brunch and they said Deepika Padukone will be the Next Big Thing in Bollywood. (Same issue said Sabyasachi will be the Next Big Thing in Fashion) and from that moment on, I'd taken on an instant liking to her. And I've said this to whoever cared to listen this year (considering her hugely successful 2013) that I always knew she had it in her. Which is why I've decided I'll make one of my own lists this year. I don't think I have the time and effort to pen down 10 things and all now, so I'll keep it short and simple and let's start with-

7 THINGS I LOVED ABOUT 2013:

NO. 7
Jetpack Joyride
Yeah, I downloaded this on my iPad one fine day, just randomly, and when my friends got a hold of it, all hell broke loose! Let's just say, I'm so addicted, I downloaded it on my phone and all but finished (one mission left) the game in a matter of a few weeks, days...I've lost track of time o_O

NO. 6
Chillar Songs
Yes, I love Chindi Hindi Music and I'm proud of it. I have listened to http://www.ghatiparty.com/ and found it too subtle for my tastes. So, I went and made a playlist of my own. It's not exhaustive, mind you, because a lot of the songs weren't available on the mobile version, but go ahead, give it a try....if you have the courage...
http://gaana.com/playlist/natashabahugunachillar
*Tamanche Pe Disco, Tamanche Pe Dis Dis Dis Dis Disco*

NO. 5
Buzzfeed
It's awesome. Keeps you entertained on many a boring afternoon/late night (depending on what your sleep schedule is).

NO. 4
My Foray into the World of Smart Phones
Well, I bought a nexus. And OMG, my blackberry was like one of those 90s desktops in comparison!! :) :) :) :) :) :) Androids FTW!

NO. 3,
Being an Aunt!
:)
Yeah, well, I'm an aunt now, and even though I sincerely doubt my competence in being one, it's still an exciting thing to happen in one's life. All she does currently, though, is sleep, cry and feed. Maybe in a month or so, I'll actually be able to play with her (I refuse to change her diapers, it disgusts me). Anyhow, I've already decided I'mma make her listen to metal when she grows up, am already singing SRK songs to her so she gets conditioned to automatically like him (Muahahaha!) and be as cool as me obv. :P You know, like a mini goth at 13 years? No? Erm, Myabe not, I have a feeling my sister will kill me if I do that :P

NO. 2
Hauz Khas Village!
Yes, I discovered it this year, and yes, what kinda delhiite am I, etc. etc. but seriously, I freak-ing LOVE the place! It is just the right mixture of high end cafes and old-world charm, ruined monument and interesting pubs as can be found, where else, but only in Delhi!

NO. 1
Travelling and Living Alone
a.k.a South ka Darshan
This year, I got to travel a bit...with friends, while I was on campus, and that was amazing. One of the trips happened to be a surprise trip on my birthday, so it was all the more special. :) Also travelled a bit for work, and that was fun too.
And secondly, while on my sales stint, I travelled to the South of the India. I was in Chennai and Hyderabad, and it was so much fun living in and exploring these cities. Living on my own is something I've dreamed about doing for a few years now, and what made it even more exciting was living with one of my best friends from school. :) Unfortunately, my adventures got cut short and I cam back to Delhi, so these lands are yet to be fully explored by me...Someday...Hopefully soon.



7 THINGS I DETESTED ABOUT 2013:

NO. 7
Instagram
People, PLEASE, try taking pictures and NOT Instagramming them for once! I mean, for one, every picture looks the exact same. And secondly, there are a million other editing softwares out there, why don't you go explore some? I'm quite happy with the editing options on my Nexus 4 for now, and really proud of the fact that I've managed to stay away from Instagram so far (except for the one time on my friend's phone)

NO. 6
Graduating
Like I already mentioned in my long tirade above, I really did not ever wanna graduate out of my post-graduate college, I was just having too much fun! But, oh well...life goes on.

NO. 5
Last Minute Cancellations
Yes. These suck. When you're all packed, tickets booked, itinerary planned out and then, due to some godforsaken reason (or person) your travel plans get all ^&*%ed up! I think, I'm personally jinxed when it comes to planning trips (esp with friends), so if you're planning one with me, better be careful!

NO. 4
Being Buried in Work
Yeah, I don't know if I'm a workaholic or just plain slow. but being bogged down with work SUCKS. And like my boss said to me one fine day, I'm too young to have a break down, so if I had been making resolutions, this would be right up there on the list.

NO. 3
Growing Up- "Beta Shaadi Kar lo"
You know the drill...Done with studies, have a job, so what else are you expected to do now but marry someone soon? Considering my mental age and maturity, I don't see this day coming soon (and thank god for that).

NO. 2
AAP Supporters
Armchair politics is bad enough, facebook activists are worse! And they're annoying because they're all over your newsfeed. From people changing their profile pics to the AAP icon, (even when they have nothing to do really with Delhi elections, and maybe my saying this is being short-sighted, but I really don't get why people who it's not gonna affect make such a hue and cry about things) to each fb update being about how great Fejriwal is, I was just SICK. TO. DEATH. with AAP supporters brandishing their brooms in public.

And also, before I forget, NaMo supporters are no better. What was fun though was Pappu-bashing on social media. Anyhow, I think I've made my point, and now moving on to the big finish-

*drum roll*

                           *drum roll*
                                         
                                                      *drum roll*

NO. 1
Technological SNAFUs
This has been a year, where I was blessed, cross that out, cursed with bad luck when it comes to gadgets. Lost my iPad, lost my hard disk, survived a time where both my phones refused to function (all this happened in the same time period btw, except for the hard disk), and basically, I felt like the Techno Gods were out to get me. A friend kindly pointed out that both apple and seagate products were blue in colour, don't know what that means, but I still ended up buying a new blue hard disk 2 weeks back.


Anyhow, this is how I bid adieu to 2013. See you next year, and I promise to be more regular from now on! :D
Let's hope this is a promise that I actually keep. :)


See you on the other side folks!


P.S- And if you're still wondering about the title, it's cause this is the last day of the year left. That's how random I am. Knowing that, you'll be able to sleep at night, right? OK.

P.P.S- I have a lot to say abt what I loved in Bollywood/TV this year, but I don't have time right now, so will write about all that next year :)

Bhaag Bhaag!

A couple of movie reviews have been pending for a while. Guess I've been a li'l lazy....
So anyway I'll get right down to it. I watched Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. Was pretty excited. And yeah, I loved the movie. It _is_ quite long, and a couple of scenes seemed pointless and could've been done away with, but overall, I thought the story-telling was very good.
Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra takes you right to the scene of the crime, so to speak...not that I'm talking of a crime...I merely mean, he transports you into the world of his characters.

Farhan Akhtar delivered a power packed performance, and though you might think it odd that he is romancing a firangi babe in Australia when he's supposed to be training, he makes you live the character along with him, he makes Milkha Singh real (on screen that is).

The Music. Loved it. Though some songs were unneccesary and could've been done away with- like the one where he returns to his village, and is imagining Sonam Kapoor. Come to think of it, certain scenes itself could've easily been done away with.

BUT the biggest shocker of all is.....

Sonam Kapoor was alright. What with the miniscule role and all. :D

But all in all, I really loved the move. The flashback scenes in particular were extraordinarily shot. And maybe, it was the subject, but it really ended up being heart-warming :)

This was supp to go up in July...an you believe it?! 5 months late! Need to work on this procrastination thing.

Victory is Mine

Happy Dussehra folks! Though for some of you, this festival signifying the victory of Good over Evil, is tomorrow, all my friends in the South & East. I was telling my dad how weird that is, but he told me that there are 2 different almanacs followed by the Pundits of the North and the South, and such discrepancies are bound to happen from time to time. Whatever, it just amounts to a whole lot of confusion, imo. Anyway, leaving that aside, this Dussehra, I was determined to watch Ravana Dahan in a nearby colony. However, it was not to be. My family, yes, the constant Villain in all my plans, managed to dissuade me from going. It's going to be too crowded, it won't be safe, etc. etc. etc. Now, pray tell me, so what if it's crowded? Big deal. Anyway, finally they were like, watch it on the news, and since then, have been selling it to me saying, look how clear the picture is, how nicely you can see it without the cons of having to withstand human company.

***

I was walking outside with my mom, and we watched some fireworks in the sky. It was fairly nearby, so I rushed home to the terrace in order to catch a glimpse of my very own neighbourhood Ravana being burnt. Alas! It was not to be. I couldn't see a thing, not even remnants of the sparks in the sky. Bungalows and trees ended up being my nemesis. Anyhow, I have decided that next year, no matter what, I am stepping out of the house, with a loyal friend for support, to watch Ravana Dahan. Next year, no one can stop me. I will be invincible, Muahahahaha :D

While you guys, enjoy what's left of this holiday, (the North folks) I will ponder over all the Good things I've done this year, and all the Bad (see, this is like preliminary homework for Christmas! ;D Now don't call me an angrez, I very much love all Indian festivals, I just happen to love other international festivals too! ) deeds I've committed.
So long, Farewell, Until next week then!

Gangs of Joka- Must Watch

So I have these friends back at Joka (my beloved campus) who've made this intensely hilarious video for a competition. I thought I'd share it here, because I love the opening credits- they're just awesome! Plus, I miss campus, and like everyone says, you'll get a whole campus darshan through this one li'l video. Watch it, cause it's enjoyable, and if you do like it (which you will) and would like to help these poor little over-enthu souls win, like and share the video as well! And wait for the twist in the tale! :D
Enjoy!~

Waterlogged!!

Now I know I said around 1:40 pm day before yesterday that "we got drenched" but that was nothing compared to what we actually got one we came closer to home. The streets were waterlogged, and as usual, I was all excited about seeing so much water. Until our car suddenly stopped. And then refused to start. And there was water all around us. And then water started to seep through. So in the next few seconds, my feet were already soaked in muddy water. So finally my mom said we'd have to wade through the water to get home. So we picked up our shopping, and as I opened the car door, a rush of water swept into the car and I promptly closed the door again. Then to shouts of my sister calling me an idiot and telling me to hurry up, I braved the onslaught once again, and this time stepped into the muddy pool outside. It was nothing like anything I've done before. We were wading in knee deep muddy water and holding onto each other so as not to slip and crack our skulls. That's that, but the story doesn't end here. Fat drops of rain were hitting our heads and for some odd reason my left eye was hurting and I couldn't see anything. Somehow we waded through the dirty water, braved the hard hitting rain drops and finally got home. Shopping bags a mushy pulp, looking like we just walked out of a swimming pool, we entered the dry facilities of our home sweet home. Quite an adventure I must say. Doesn't look like I'm going to be squealing in joy the next time I see mini lakes prop up on the road when it rains.

Rainnnnnnnnn

It's rainingggggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!
Same thing happened last week when we'd come to Ambience mall. Got drenched :)