on a rainy day! :)

When Cyclone Nilam was ravaging Tamilnadu, Bangalore saw it's side effects with two days of incessant rains, crazy winds and sudden drop in temperature turning Bangalore into a veritable hill station all of a sudden. Considering there was hardly any rain during the entire rainy season, everyone welcomed these showers (atleast for the first day before the roads got worse, traffic turned for worst and damp clothes occupied every available surface in the house!;)


All said and done, the weather was gorgeous - the kind where you either cuddle under a razaai all day long or step out and enjoy the rains. We decided to do the later! We left thinking of having lunch at some new place in the city. But both the places we shortlisted were typically enclosed spaces and how does one enjoy the weather there, really?


So, we just turned the car around and decided to go to another new place we had just heard about called Cafe Buzzinga in Whitefield, Bangalore. Found the phone number, called and found exactly where it was and reached. It is lovely open space @ Lakeview Farms (which in itself is a private property - a part of which the owners have given for commercial purposes).


Cafe Buzzinga is as casual as it's name makes it sound. Run by two young partners, it is a simple place with daily fresh menu on a white board and comfortable cane chairs on pebbled ground. The kids felt at home instantly. Add to that the huge lawn (belonging to the owners) where they had a free run (till the owners came along) and indulgent service - we ended up having an absolutely fabulous afternoon!


What made the whole experience superlative was customer delight offered by the cafe! We absolutely LOVED the bacon in their all day breakfast combo. Since we wanted to have more of the said bacon, we asked them if they could make us a bacon/cheese sandwich which was not on the menu. There wasn't a moment of hesitation and a perfectly grilled sandwich was at our table soon enough! :)


Here are some pictures that should give you an idea! :)

On our way out! Cub holding Bub's hand to keep her under the umbrella, while Bub has plans of her own! ;)

In the middle of the huge lawn of Lakeview Farms! :)

Cub trying to channelize his inner Hulk! But he was too happy to get it right! :)

Arre Bhaiyya! Let me pose by myself! :)

Doing a round of the lawn while the food gets ready! :)

and Bub chose to take a walk with her Papa! :)

Time for some hot chocolate?! :) Served very thoughtfully in a little Espresso cup for a little girl! :)

Content smiles post a great meal and a good time! :)  

The lake and wet roads on our way back! 

Randomness! :)

The festive season is on and I am loving it. There is a slight nip in the air, people are smiling, there are kandeels in the balconies and lights put up in every other home. M is traveling and not around for either Diwali or our anniversary. 7th to be precise. That kind of sucks, but other than that it is difficult to mope when there is so much fun in the air. Today Cub and me made small paper lanterns... the ones i am sure most of us have made in school. We hope to make some more and then put them in our balcony as Diwali decor. Cub also made a Toran in school with the help of his teachers. Since we did not have one in any case, we immediately put it up on our door. It quite lovely really.

That said I was just reading this blog post the other day and started to wonder. It is indeed true that we are very kanjoos with our praise and appreciation. How many of us ask for a feedback form, when we get excellent service? Yet, we are the first ones to look for the complaint book when we have even the slightest trouble.

While it is great to expect and demand good service, isn't positive feedback a part of this? I read somewhere that truly successful don't just learn from their failures, but also the success. WE all crave appreciation - from our boss, colleagues, friends and family. Then what makes us forget that other people want it too?

I Love M for this. He is always very respectful in his dealings with folks at every level. We go buy something, he always makes sure he finds out the name of the person and uses it to thank him / her. He shakes hands and smiles without an iota of self consciousnesses or ego. And I have been learning from him.

These days if I enjoy the service at any place, I make sure I get their names. I mention it specifically if feedback form is given. If there is none offered voluntarily (like in retail industry), I ask for it and quickly fill it out mentioning the name of the person who delighted me with their efficiency and practical approach. Trust me, it is not an easy quality to find in lot of places.

It is amazing and saddening at the same time to see their happy and surprised expression. They are just not used to get even a polite thank you on most days. The last time i asked someone else for the name of a sales girl who helped  me find the right churidaar because that girl had gone out for lunch by the time i got to the billing counter. The manager came rushing and his question was "Is there a problem, Ma'am?!" Sigh!

So next time you are happy with some work someone has done for you will you say a heartfelt thank you and then take out two minutes and put it in writing too?

Toh iss Diwali, aap kisse khush karenge?! :)

happy diwali folks! have a great time!

an ode to an ode...

My life till date has been pretty normal and mostly happy! Anti-jinx to that. No extreme lows, some highs and a lot of simple days with neither. But everyone has some angst at some point in time and mine was my looks. Or lack of it if I may say so. It is never easy being an average looking teenager. Dark, thick glasses, no sharp features and a big boned structure maketh not a traditional beauty.


Yes, one always knew about Inner Beauty and Personality, but these words made no sense when you did not get no boyfriend in college or even have boys noticing you. It was difficult not to feel bad sometimes about lack of roses on the dratted rose day or knowing there was precious little you could do about the image in the mirror.


The parents were ever supportive. Always talking about the innate intelligence and the street smartness that not many girls had. The fact that one was a social being and knew how to have a conversation with everyone. That one had good manners and kind heart. But that did not make the one I had crush on look at me. He still did prefer the obviously pretty.


The angst of an average looking girl is only what she can understand, deal with and get out of. There are no popular books and movies that talk about the Plain Jane. If they do, it is in the tone of how ugly duckling turned into a swan. The girls always become prettier and sexier, get rid of the glasses and the plumpness and get themselves the man. Which is why i LOVE this movie called Thodasa Roomani Ho Jaaye with all my heart.


It captures the life of a young woman who is not beautiful by any conventional standards. She can cook up a storm and repair cars. She is not scared of getting dirty, but cannot get herself to preen and look pretty. She obviously is not getting married because she just does not have what it takes. Then comes along the Rainmaker - Baarishkar who tells her to look within. Tells her that there are no bad looking woman. Then follows the gorgeous song "Main sundar hoon" - the realization that she is special too.


It is not just about her, but how he brings out hope and longings of each of the family members. The way he reads them, the way he helps them bring out their best, face their fears, accept what is good in them and believe that they can succeed. The movie is sheer poetry. Every dialogue will make you ponder, smile, tear up or do all of the above. With top class performances by Nana Patekar and Anita Kanwar, this movie is a treat that one just should not miss. The father in the movie is one who adores his daughter, sees the best in her and cannot understand why other people cannot see how special she is. I am yet to see a subtler and a more awesome portrayal of a father.


As I watched the movie again today, I still got transported to the time when I wanted to beautiful, when I identified with Binni's character and thought that with her I had discovered my beauty as well. For the longest time, i dressed in checked shirts and pants behaving like a tomboy! :p While it takes a lot of influence me, I think this movie really made me challenge the way I looked at myself and the world and it is still the best "pick me up" for me.


There is no DVD of the movie, but you can find VCD online. And the whole movie is available on YouTube as well. If you have not watched it, make sure you do.


If I could talk to my teenage self, I would tell me to just relax and while it would be great to be a stunner, you really wont do badly for yourself and your happiness will always shine through! :)


Here is the video of Nana Patekar reciting the dialogue in some interview. Amazing is an understatement!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVLH5HnNmbs

Here's another lovely article someone shared with me on facebook. It is good to know you are not the only idiot! ;)

http://www.divinecaroline.com/24133/96491-never-ugly

And here are some lines from one of my favouritest songs from the movie!

rasta akela ho
har tarf andhera ho
raat bhi ho ghaath ki
din bhi lut raah hoAao tum aur hum dard ko basuri banaye

Yehi to hai mausam
Aao tum aur hum
Thodasa roomani ho aye
Mushkil hai jeena umeed ke bina
Thode se sapna sajayae
Thodasa roomani ho jaye

PS: This is no fishing post asking you folks to tell me that I am indeed beautiful or how gorgeous my smile is! :) I now know my beauty and the lack of some of it mostly does not matter! Cheers!

will the real mother please stand up?! :)

Read this gorgeous gorgeous piece on MadMomma's blog. We all tend to judge people on the basis of our beliefs. There are a few things which are as right or wrong in a black and white manner with no shades of grey. Leaving those apart, all of us at some point fall into the trap of thinking we know better or someone else always seems to be doing better. Mothers are the most judged and judgmental of the lot and we learn to live with it. So like that blog post, I am making an attempt to figure out who Real Mother is! :)

Real mothers breastfeed. Or they don't. They don't because they cannot or perhaps because they don't want to.

Real mothers experience love at first sight with their babies. Real mothers take months to feel that love and show it.

Real mother use diapers. Real mothers use cloth nappies.

Real mothers are patient and forgiving. Real mothers are impatient and get frustrated.

Real mothers make fresh food for their kids for every meal. Real mothers also serve leftovers and feed processed food every now and then.

Real mothers stay at home for their children. Real mothers work out of homes for their children.

Real mothers don't trust others with their children. Real mothers trust someone else to look after them in their absence or in their presence.

Real mothers make outfits from scratch for fancy dress or Halloween. Real mothers just pay some money and rent them.

Real mothers teach their children at home. Real mothers send their children for tutions.

Real mothers have a fixed bedtime for their children. Real mothers don't insist on it.

Real mothers can bake birthday cakes. Real mothers just get them baked.

Real mothers dance with their children. Real mothers read to their children. Real mothers don't do either.

Real mothers never show their tears. Real mothers cry in front of their children.

Real mothers eat before their children. Real mothers feed their children first.

Real mothers cannot stay away from their children. Real mothers cannot wait to get away for a while from their children.

Real mothers don't take the nannies along on their shopping trips. Real mothers do.

Real mothers are proud of their kids. Real mothers are also embarrassed by theirs.

Real mothers take their children to shopping malls and gaming zones. Real mothers take their children to parks and zoos. Real bothers do all of it too.

Real mothers get Wii for their children. Real mothers play ball with their children.

Real mothers let their children watch TV. Real mothers don't bother with that contraption ever.

Real mothers get bored of constant chatter of their kids. Real mothers cannot have enough of it.

Real mothers take their children to movies. Real mothers don't. Real mothers also take them to concerts and plays.

Real mothers don't buy guns and dolls for their children. Real mothers do.

Real mothers judge and get judged. Real mothers don't.

We may think that one kind of mother is better than other, but then we rarely have the big picture to know why the mother is making the decisions she is. And most of us are not on either extreme. We are somewhere in between and trying our best to balance it all. Mostly.

Fact is, all mothers are Real. As Real as everything WE so firmly believe in and know to be right! :)

So, will the real mother please stand up?!

when do toys rest and BIDWF!

You know your home sees equal division of labour especially in a kitchen when following conversation ensues with your 3yo;

M who walks in after me from work sees Cub and me chilling (its cold war actually after another scene of terrible behaviour by Cub) in the living room. There is cooker on the gas.


M - cooker mein kya hai? (Whats cooking in the errr.. cooker?!)

Me - Dal

M - sirf dal? Subzi nahi hai? (only Dal? no subzi)

Cub - Nahi Papa, mummy ko subzi banana nahi aata. Woh sirf dal banati hai. Subzi toh aap banaoge.
(No papa, mummy doesn't KNOW how to make subzi. She makes only dal. YOU will make the subzi)

M and me were first very very stunned and then rolling on the floor laughing. It is so true. Everyday (barring exceptions of course) M makes the subzi and me the dal! :)


And if you think kids are salve drivers who don't care enough for their toys just because they treat parents badly? Have a look.

When the Cub goes to sleep...

He sometimes ensures that all his trains and planes and robots go to sleep too!

On a completely unrelated note, I am absolutely NOT a poetry person. I just don't understand most of it. But i recently purchased a collection of Ogden Nash called Candy is Dandy and am loving it! I remembered him being a funny guy with some poem of his studied at school eons ago. He isn't just brilliantly witty and sarcastic, but has such lucid observations which hold true even today! I keep passing on the book to M when i want him to read something especially nice, but then he wants to read next three pages and book comes back to me only after 10mins of constant nagging. :D

Here's some of his lines. I couldn't agree more. This is pretty much my relationship with God considering i rarely go to places of worship and mostly have one on one's at my convenience and obviously expect HIM/ HER to understand! :)


I didn't go to church today,
I trust the Lord to understand.
The surf was swirling blue and white,
The children swirling on the sand.
He knows, He knows how brief my stay,
How brief this spell of summer weather,
He knows when I am said and done
We'll have plenty of time together


What is your relationship with the one Up above? You enjoy the rituals that go hand in hand in with religion? Or stay away from them? Or are pretty much neutral and will participate if you have to and stay away when you can?! Or maybe not believe at all?! :)

of Food and sacrifice!

These two words usually don't go together in my dictionary. I mean I won't sacrifice my food for anything in this world. I might sacrifice something for good food though... So my first statement does not hold true in that case! ;)


Anyway, my parents and uncles had come over for just 2 days for Cub's birthday (these are the moments you feel totally blessed) and they came loaded with gifts for Cub and food for us. They know us so well! ;) So Cub's favourite Ujoba (also known as Mango-waala aadmi because he sends us hapoos peti every year) got us some salted pistachios. I LOVE salted pista and cashew. Only trouble is no one can eat one and in this case it was impossible to keep track unless you saw the pile of shells in front of you. Then one also remembers making Pista shell flowers for some school year's Diwali homework. (do kids still get that? we would always end up doing it on the last two days of the vacations).


So I decided very enthusiastically that I will eat as many pistachios it would take to make these phools with Cub.


So it was all sacrifice folks! For my child's sake! ;)


And we actually did end up making some and had fun while at it. Cubby painted the shells with me holding them between my fingers. So obviously i had more paint on my fingers than shells had! :D He also helped stick em on the base (which is shoebox flaps) and scribbled the background design. We used bacha hua crepe paper (streamers) from Cub's birthday party to make the handle.


The Plan is to send the final creations to folks as thank you from Cub for making his birthday special!


Here's some photos! :)

Sticking on the petals. Pity we don't have photos when he was painting the shells!

Even when hard at work, there is always time to pose!

Fake smile - part 1. With final creation!

Fake smile - 2. Different pose, same smile. He is MY son! ;)

Trying if it looks nice hung up on our bathroom wall!

The photu without models. Scribbling all over the base done by Cub! :)

Shruti, some day we might be good and enthu enough to participate in Artsy-Crafty! :)

might as well do some tag to break the block!

Kiran tagged me some time ago to tell the world some honest stuff about me! last time i had to do a tag about 10 things you don't know about me, I had struggled to reach 10 points! Lets see how I fare this time! ;)


I am a quick reader, but not the most attentive one. You ask me tomorrow what I read yesterday, chances are I won't remember. I just want to move on to the next page!


I cannot wear heels. After the first few times when they killed my back, I never went near them. I keep looking for nice flats. And yes, i trip over wearing them too! :p


I tend to start things with a bang but then end up losing interest pretty quickly!


I LOVE going to these home expos and exhibitions and shopping there. I realised this when my I answered "Exhibition" to almost all questions relating to "where did you buy this from?" about things in my house!


I have never been proposed! Not even M! Sigh! Ofcourse I have told at least 3 guys that I have a crush on them and the only way I can get over it is by telling them!


I save and reuse wrapping wrappers that I like. And yes, they go under the gaddas on the bed for safe keeping! ;)


I hate washing clothes! Give me a sink load of bartans, I can manage them, but even two clothes and I totally whine!


I am a very average cook which I think stems from that the fact that I am not an enthusiastic one.


I eat wonly dark chocolates. I might have a small piece of milk chocolate on rare occasions but that would mostly be only out of sheer desperation for one. Otherwise anything below 60% dark is not even called Chocolate! Ha!


I am not very good at accepting even constructive criticism. Ask M.


Phew that was tough! I tag Suma, Swati, JLT and WIAN to do this tag! Bring it on ladies!


And now here's some photos of the Jodhpur chapter of our Rajasthan trip! The Mehrangarh fort is absolutely awesome and MUST visit. The autos there are very kitschy and touristy and very very comfortable. The hotel we stayed at was beyoootiful! :)




Happy to be in a big bed after sharing a berth with me on the train! :)



Just to show you guys who tall the bed was! :)




I so totally fell in love with the autos! each one was unique!

The Mehrangarh Fort is stunning! Must see, folks!

The room where the king enjoyed his entertainemnt! it's s rich and the work so intricate! They really knew how to live it up! :)

The Blue city. They claim it NOT in comeptition to the Pink City! I was not convinced!



The "palkhis" for the Royal kids. our kids just get the royal "godi" :p



The men and the arms they use! ;)




The gorgeous silk stoles. I indulged in just one!



Candlelight dinner at ratan Vilas. It is a gorgeous property!



Stairway to the beautiful terrace!



View from the top!

The ma-beta in rare moment of lauuu! :p

I told ya i loved the autos. Guess what? they love me back! :) written in the auto!

The Vintage cars at palace now converted in to VERY expensive heritage hotel!

There were a lot more pictures. But i just got tired. And this post has been drafts since 9th Feb! gah!! Hope to be l'il more regular now.

Thank you for all your good wishes for the new home. We have settled down and have just few more boxes to go! ;) Next post I hope to give you a small tour! If i can get a carpenter to come and do some fixing that is! :p

happy gudi padva to all of you. may this new year bring everything good, beautiful and kind in your life and may you add the same in other people's lives!

Cheers!

why?!

She walked in to the room looking for him.
He just gave her a curt nod and she went up to him wondering whats in store today.
She did not know why she submitted to him like this.
He pushed, pulled and prodded her in public.
Even after she was tired and spent, he would say "Once more" with a twinkle in his eyes.
She would push herself and do what he said yet again...
She signed and wished that next time at least it would be a hot guy!


Are all gym instructors this crazy?!


Gotcha there, didn't I?


I started just a week ago and the trainer can really push everyone hard. He doesn't let anyone say "Enough!". If you do, you are rewarded with "Another set!" and he will laugh as you groan and discover the muscles that didn't exist!


Right now I am a permanent double H state! Hurting and Hungry. But then you can add another H to it, Happpy! :) It's good to see how much you can push yourself and being able to do more and more every day. I wish i had more time that the measly hour I am getting, but something is better than nothing and I seriously hope I can keep at it this time!


So wish me luck, will ya peoples?! :)

And yeah the very cool Monika and her hubby N are gunning to get a go at The Great Driving Challenge. All you have to do to make their dream come true is - VOTE HERE! Here's a couple with a passion for cars and drives and our 2 mins can let them have a paid holiday doing what they love! So PLEASE to vote! :)


Have a super weekend folks!

awesome, anyone?!

Past few days I have been feeling a tad low and l'il deficient as a mother and a wife and generally think am being a painful person to have around! So, this tag might be a good exercise in boosting my self esteem. Thanks awesomely cool Asaan and awesomely funny MiM for this one. Ofcos these two phenomenal ladies have done just too much of an awesome job of it, but I am gonna give it a shot in any case! :D


I need to put down 7 things that make me AWESOME! Seven seems a tall order! brrrr!


I am awesome because I have a smile that reaches my eyes even today. My teeth aren't pearly white by any stretch of imagination, but that has never stopped me from showing em off at any given chance! :p


I am awesome because I always manage to look at the bright side, the silver lining or whatever else you might call it. I love the fact that I am almost always positive about how things are and will turn out! :)


I am awesome because I am a solution oriented person. I can think in ten different ways and come up with just the right option. Basically, I am quick on take and enjoy taking control of the situation that seems to be getting bothersome!


I am awesome because I deal with people at every level with equal respect. You can be the office boy or my boss, my maid or my ma in law, you will see me being polite and genuinely respectful and/or affectionate. I use please and thank you in every situation, though sorry doesn’t come by that easily! :p I make friends easily too, though keeping in touch is not my strongest point! ;)


I am awesome because I can forgive even when I may / may not forget, but mostly I forget too. I truly believe that life is too short to hold grudges and waste time in hating when it can be used to love! :)


I am awesome because I give without expecting (most of the times! Hubby may be excluded from this! ;). I believe that one good turn gets another and even when you may not get something back from the same person; it will come to you from the most unexpected quarter... in full measure or maybe more! :)


I am awesome because I managed to do this tag!! I started this blog on M's insistence and didn't think that it will be such an awesome thing to have where i can record our life with Cubby and make awesome friends while at it!


Now if that isn’t too much awesomeness for a day, I dunno what is! ;)


I tag fellow awesome peoples;


Puja for being an awesome friend all the time!

Swati for being awesome at everything!

~nm for being awesomely creative - be it cooking or photography or making cool headers!

Namesake for using her words so awesomely that you always feel you are right there!

Priyanka for doing awesomely interesting stuff with her l'il gal Ash!

Sue for her awesomely clear thinking and honesty!

Dee because she is awesomely sporting and funnn!

Mags - for being an awesome woman in every way! and please to read THIS awesome post by the lady that talks about keeping our children safe from sexual abuse.

Couchpapaya - for being an awesome reader, reviewer and cook!

Angel's flight - for being awesomely fun and sensible!

domestic goddess and me??!! You HAVE to be kidding! ;)

So the brilliantly creative and funny and recently discovered (my loss) Maid In Malaysia tagged me tell you about my domestic...errr... horrors! There is indeed no other word that can describe those situations which are a very literal as well as metaphorical black marks on this whole womanhood business! Least in my case it's too literal! ;)


The first one is really old... when i was reallly young! Yeah weird paradox! :p I used to spend my summer vacations at my mausi and mama's place in Kolhapur. I loved spending time with my cousin who is just 15 days elder to me. I was quite tall then. (No. I didnt shrink! Duh! but kinda stopped growing any taller and stayed at measly 5'6!). So, one day my mausi wanted to removed a packet of oil from the loft. Me, thinking, I am as tall as the next guy on stilts, said "Oh! Don't bother with chair and all, I can take it down with my... errr bare hands and toes arched!"


I cannot believe I actually did what I did next. I couldn't reach with my hand stretched (what with my haath not being kanoon ke) and toes arched. So I should have just given up and got a chair. Right? Right? Nooo, Wrong! I decided to jump and pull it off the loft! Yup my hand touched it, and my fingers closed in on the edge and before my feet touched the ground, the packet of oil had hit the ground AND split open! I had oil on my cousins smartest dress (we used to exchange clothes!) and oil all over the floor. I don't even remember by mausi's reaction. I am sure she would have whacked my sister or given least a looong lecture, but since it was me, we just got down to cleaning the floor. Rather she did, me thinks! Thats when I came to know that sprinkling lotsa aata on oil is the best and easiest way to clean it!


Though I do wish I had learnt this lesson in theory.


Cut to recent past... year 2005. Married for almost a year and still pretty much clueless and learning ropes in the kitchen. We had just shifted to this house we are currently living in. A pal had come to stay with us from Chennai. We didn't have a fridge and Mumbai common sense said you need to boil the dal or any other khaana well once, to let it survive to the leftovers stage! So, I put the kadhai with dal on gas and came and sat outside. We were almost set to sleep. Tired after long day of shifting and setting up stuff, we all slept off. M n me in the bedroom and friend in the hall. We slept like logs apparently because we woke up to a kadhaai with what used to be dal clinging to its edges yucky smelling and charred beyond recognition! The gas miraculously was still burning.


Buddy S, conveniently blamed us saying she had a cold and her nose was blocked no thanks to that. The funny thing is that the odour of burnt dal took like a week to completely go away inspite of brilliant ventilation of the ghar! We could smell it the moment we entered the house after day's work, but for life us we don't know how we slept through it WHILE it was burning to cinders! :P


This got repeated once again! This time it was milk left to boil. M was traveling and I just went off to sleep forgetting about it. Though it was lot more dangerous because the flame had gone off but the gas was leaking. Thank god I didn't have any switches to turn on as soon as I woke up. M keeps talking about how he could have returned to a blown up home! Brrrr!


What happened to the bartans you ask?! Well the kadhai got back to its original colour with serious scrubbing ministrations for a week least and the doodh ka pateela had to be thrown because it's bottom gave away and the colour won't get better either. The burnt taste just refused to go!


As MinM says it's domestic horrors in 80 clicks! So time to tag fellow bloggers! Suma, Swati, Puja, JLT, Anu, Monika, Avanti, Homecooked (kitchen goddess, do you have any?) and Deepa. Tell us ladies! :D


Have a great weekend you all! :)

see ya soon! :)

Work has been maddeningly hectic past few days. The weekend even more so! Buddy G came home with much awaited Pannu Bhaiyya of Goa fame (warning! cuteness overload in that post!) and taking care of two kids who ALWAYS want the same toy can drive you crazy!

In M's words in an email to pals "G was here from Goa and the kids spent 3 days gouging each others' eyes out. Of course, since she left he's been looking mournfully for "pannu bhaiyya". Just keeping them apart was so tiring. I felt like Henry Kissinger negotiating a Middle East truce."

The weekend deserves a whole post by itself with pictures thrown in for good measure!

Right now, this post is just to tell you peoples that am off to Lucknow for a chhutti. If you can call 3 days that! There is a wedding in the family and I hope the heat won't play spoilsport with the naach gaana that a northie shaadi is supposed to be!

Ma-in-law has bought some chikan kurta pajamas for Cubby and am dying to see the l'il guy all decked up in cute traditional stuff! :)

You guys have a great week ahead! See ya soon enough! There is so much reading I have to catch up too. Milenge break ke baad!

Cheers!

who comes up with these funny lines?!

Feeling too lazy to do tags and too sleepy to write something new. In that case comes rehash to the rescue! :D Remember I said in the saap-seedy post how I used to write another product review website?! This is one of them gems! ;)



At one of those corporate trainings which start with ice breakers, we were all asked which was our favourite T Shirt and why? People talked about old t shirts that made them feel comfy, branded ones that made them feel hep and then it was my turn. I said “I like this t shirt that has a cactus plant on it and says “Allergic to Pricks” because it’s totally me and my attitude”. The trainer was slightly shocked but very amused too, though he did avoid asking me too many questions during the course of next two days. Hehe!



I have always been fascinated by message T Shirts. Earlier they used to be not so common and happening either. It would say “Nobody is perfect. I am Nobody or My mother says no message T Shirts for me” and the likes. Then one day while browsing through a shop I came across a t shirt that said “God is too big to fit into any one religion” with signs of every religion put in row on it. I just fell in love with it and picked up for my boss.



Since then Tantra has been one of my favourite brands. I can spend hours just browsing through their t shirts and laughing away to glory. My brother is addicted to them and it is my standard gift to him, adding to his ever growing collection. I remember when last time, my parents came down to meet me, I thought of sending a Tantra for bro and I actually browsed for over hour and half! M had almost killed me then.



Tantra T Shirts tagline says India on a T Shirt! Of course it isn’t just India, but desi lingo plays or just twisting of your nursery rhymes. There is this one that simply says “Mary had a little lamb” with a small lamb on it and in brackets it says (it was very tasty)!!



The material used to make is cotton in its most comfortable form making wearing your attitude COOL in every sense of the term. The colours are usually standard in terms of black, blue, red, white, green and cream. They have 4 sizes available starting from small to the extra large. The styling is very simple round neck, no variation in that. I wish they made a few V necks too. The women’s tees are more fitted and shorter in length. Quite nice actually!



The tee comes with a handmade paper tag with whacky instructions and doubles as a neat book mark Priced, till last I knew at a very reasonable 250 - 350 bucks, these tees are a total steal and fundu value for money! They make great gifts for pals and NRI rishtedaars and even for your young at heart uncle and aunty. Tantra is retailed through all major shopping chains like Shoppers’ Stop and your local guy selling a combo of branded and unbranded stuff.



Some of my favourite Tantra Tees are



Picture – Taj Mahal – The Tag –Via Agra – The greatest erection made by man

Picture – Crowded Railway Compartment – The Tag – Indian Railways – 150 years of bringing
people closer.

Picture – Lotsa Arab Sheikhs – The Tag – Aap Qatar mein hai.

Picture - Some allegedly Chinese alphabets – The Tag – The next guy who asks me what it means will get a punch on his nose.

Picture –Ganpati – The Tag – 50% Human 50% Elephant 100% Cute

Picture – Man on a potty – The Tag – Download



The list is endless actually. I haven’t checked em out in quite some time and I am sure there are lot more crazy additions to their repertoire! I did manage to see some really cool kiddie Tantra tees recently! Just picked up one for Cubby, though it’s a little big for his current size. The one I really wanted said “You pinch my cheeks, I pull your hair!”, but I didn’t get in the smallest size they have! Priced at 195 bucks they are quite cool!



And the one I saw in a shop in Mumbai and laughed till I cried had a picture of lazy looking cow and it read “Pampered cow = Spoilt milk”



Which is your fav message tee or the wackiest thing you have read on a tee?



ps: talking about creativity, here's a blog I came across just last month and I am awed and amazed that SO much can be done with crochet! For me it pretty much meant those TV covers and table cloths in white or pink. Then along comes this girl and shows a whole different world!


take a bow Crafty! :D

april seems like a good month to do this tag!

So OM's mommy tagged me to do this 4-4-4 tag and I am doing it about a mnth late, but hey I am doing it! The tag is pretty simple.

“Go into your photo archive,pick the 4th folder in the archive,select the 4th picture in the folder,and write about it.Then tag 4 other people to do the same."

Considering my expertise (Ahem!) in tags and photos, this is making best of both worlds! ;)

And guess what my fourth folder is called? Blog pics! Hyuk! I really need to get a life.

This was the fourth picture. Its Cubby's room (we all sleep there actually) and those are the rubber A,B,C,Ds which we bought just to add colour to his room. Its actually a jigsaw puzzle that turns into a small rubber mat! Now it surely wont! Yeh fevicol ka mazboot jod hai! ;)

Ofcos I have no intention to stop at one picture. Might as well turn it into a propah blog post about Cubby's room!

This is the most useful gift I got post baby. Given to me by my more experienced SIL. It a wall hanging with small shelves which are extremely handy to keep small clothes like hankies, bibs, nappies, vests and shorts! :D The Pluto on top is gift from Cubby's daadi and we get to hear "Goonite Puto" everyday. Oh! And there is the Fogg (cubby speak) too!

This blurred picture is the height of my creativity. Sadly I took the picture just before pulling it off so its in a sad shape. Thats all the booties Cubby got as gifts but never used 'coz they would keep falling off his feet. The red bits are cut from greeting card M ahd given me and some stuff off wrapping paper also! :D

This is what replaced it! These are greeting cards Cubby got on his birthday from grandparents and a few friends. Some stickers that were lying around in the house and that chhottu scooter we got as return gift from a birthday party. Even this one is shambles by now and I need something new! The small wall hangings you see have wooden birds and snimals on mat like material.

The close up! Just in case you missed some finer details of Ahem! My artwork! ;) And no, I didnt cut out the letters that say Cub Tale. They are bazaar bought!

The most prized posession. These are fish made out of leather, a speciality I believe from Andhra Pradesh. Ofcos getting them to stick on the wall was helluva job and took us forever till they stopped dropping off because of their weight. Eventually it became impossible! And yeah, the door doesnt close! :(

So then this gift from Aaji-Ajoba came handy. The wall was slightly damaged with all the feviqwik and jazz. And we needed something big enough to cover it. M and me obviously fought over the positioning of all the cute stuff and this was the final result! Cubby loves saying "Oney-Bee, Dog, Coow, Sunn, Birdy Birdd" and the works! I love how bright the whole thing is!

This is a buddy stuck on the walls of the master bedroom. Cubby's Eyetaya now almost called Eyephant! :D There is similar dog, parrot and pig on other walls. He ripped off a couple.

So thats that then. I tag Dee, Swati, K3 & Puja. Share your picture with us!

And why April is a good month to do this tag? Its the 4th month sillies! :p

Ps: Considering we all have credit cards and/or loans, read this very interesting post by the pati about very own Desi credit rating society! What do YOU think?!

SaAp SeEdY - oF hiSsInG and mOuNtiNg

Read THIS post by Suma a few days ago. Ofcourse her's is a very sensible and warm post. The only similarity is that my post is about games too. THis one was written on another website I used to write previously on before blogger snatched me away. I thought I might as well share my pearls of wit and wisdom (AHEM!) here as well. That also means I can do sixty posts by just copy pasting the stuff written there!


The idea came from the VERY brilliant and solliidd funny buddy called Udtahaathi! Must read for laughs! Especially This one!


Most of us here are familiar with Sridevi dressed in white, writhing and wriggling in the song “Main teri dushman, dushman tu mera. Main naagin tu sapera” from the classic Nagina.


Somewhere you must have heard this classic dialogue too. "Tumne jisko doodh pilaya ma, woh aasteen ka saanp nikla!"


And it was a snake that got Adam and Eve chucked to Earth from Paradise.


Snakes always make me think of something nasty and evil. Something that looks so slimy can hardly be trustworthy. Add to that some of its species are poisonous to boot and I think all of em bite anyway.


Yet with all these “qualities” these reptiles play starring role in one of the most popular childhood games (that I still LOVE) called Snakes and Ladders. Of course here too Snakes are the villains, so no surprises there.


I tried googling the history of Snakes and Ladders but couldn’t come up with much. Wikipedia says that the western form of the game was invented in Victorian England possible by John Jacques and was apparently adapted from ancient Indian game Dasapada dating back to 2nd century BC. These claims however have not been verified.


Since not much is known about the history, cut to present or recent past or whatever and let me tell you what this game all about.


Snakes and Ladders is basically a board game played between two or more players with a block grid on the board. These blocks have numbers 1-100 on them. Some of these have a ladder or a snake on them. The intention is to reach to the topmost block saying 100, your starting point being One!


You roll the dice and move the pawn as per the number you get on the dice. If you get six you enjoy another turn. Yiippppeee!! So all the players take turns rolling the dice and keep moving ahead. If you come on a block that has the beginning of ladder on it, you get a shortcut up the ladder. For eg. You reach 8 and it has ladder that reaches up to 23, you jump up to 23 in that same turn! Whatte fun! :p The same way some blocks have snake mouths on them. If you get into one of THOSE blocks then you slip down the slippery snake right to the block where the tail is, losing all the lead you might have gained!


So you basically keep on rolling the dice and keep moving up and down depending on your luck till you finally reach the century number 100!


The winning or losing depends on sheer dumb luck which is why I just love this game! If you are the type who is good at rolling dice and getting the number you want a la Shakuni Mama, you will not be wasting that precious talent trying it on Snakes and Ladders! Hehe!


Snakes and ladders is available almost everywhere – starting from local trains and streets in Mumbai to every toy shop worth its salt. It should cost you anywhere between 15bucks to maybe maximum of Rs.100 which will be one of those 5 in 1 kind of boards.


It’s difficult to NOT enjoy the game even today (a reflection on my IQ I guess!), but its sheer simplicity makes it so enjoyable just for a few real laughs and fake groans when you go down the snake!


It is usually a big hit with kids because it’s so easy to learn and can be played with lots of friends as long as you have those different coloured pawns to differentiate between players. If not anything else, they are sure to learn their numbers to 100 and to win and lose in turns.


This may sound farfetched, but isn’t our life a lot like Snakes Ladders too? WE roll the dice (do what we should) and then move. Sometimes it takes us to unexpectedly quick success… that elusive ladder we get. At times, a sudden fall because of circumstances… the snake that pushed you down. Most other times we just keep moving at our own pace without any major hurdles. Eventually we reach our destination through all the Snakes and Ladders and those plain blocks.


Of course, in our life luck plays a smaller role I guess, yet the similarity is uncanny, won’t you agree?


On a lighter note I wish I could dance like Sridevi in Nagina! Anyone game to play the music??!! :p

Fifty50!

oh well! when you want to write and dont know what a tag comes to the rescue. Monika tagged me to do this one! So here i go!


1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?

Naah! My granny chose it! and again yesterday a guy on phone first called me Radha and when i stressed on A said Aadha! aaarrgghh! Is it really that difficult?!

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?

yesterday. while watching Delhi 6. Then almost got teary eyed when Cubby did "Namsate" to all elders before leaving. It was so cute even if it was done on my request! :)

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?

EEKKSS!! does that answer the question?!

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?

Lunch is usually veg since I don't cook in the mornings and the office has arrangements with an udupi place! Oh! and i cant cook non-vegetarian food! :( but I love fish and chicken

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?

Yes! This blog started as an online baby book for him. And that's what it pretty much is even now!

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?

Yes! I would be terribly lucky! :p

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM?

Yeah. Sometimes it works the best. Though mostly i think of sarcastic comments as an afterthought. so they mostly happen in my head!

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?

Yes. Touchwood i have never had a surgery. Except the C-sec! ;)

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?

Next thing to do after the tattoo!! :)

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL

Wheat and rice!

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?

Nopes. I wish i didnt have to open em even while wearing em! :p

12. IF YOU WERE TO PICK YOU OWN FIRST NAME, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

I really cannot imagine anything else! Perhaps Anamika or Avantika

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?

Chocolate! and i honestly think Vanilla should not even be called a flavour! Frozen sweet milk is all it is! UNLESS it's dunked in chocolate sauce! :p

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?

Smile and handshake. I hate limp handshakes especially when they are offered like that because you are a woman!

15. RED OR PINK?

Red - totally love it! :)

16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF

I am terribly impatient!

17. WHOM DO YOU MISS THE MOST?

right now M who is in pardes!

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST?

that's the point, innit?!

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?

Denim capris and white chappals (will it sound fancier if i call them thong style slippers or something?!;)

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?

Crap playing on office radio. Would love to listen to Delhi 6! :)

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?

Red

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?

Cubby - freshly bathed! good food! Mehendi! Pudina!

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?

Office colleagues. Work related stuff!

25. HOW DO YOU KNOW THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU

blogosphere and then in asli life! and i am happy about it! :)

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?

I havent watched anything in ages! if i do, Tennis!

27. HAIR COLOR?

i think its towards brown! whatever l'il i have that is!

28. EYE COLOR?

Brown.

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?

No. Wore them only at my wedding and M has been begging me to ever since! But i find them too cumbersome. glasses are easy! :)

30. FAVORITE FOODS?

Dark chocolate and its various dessert forms, pizza, vada-pav and Mumbai sandwich!

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?

Both! Though i really don't get scared by I know what you did last summer kinda genre! so no slasher flicks!

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?

Delhi 6 and totally loved it! :)

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?

a yellow chikan kurti.

34.SUMMER OR WINTER

i dunno really. I cant take either extremes!

35. HUGS OR KISSES

Both and in large quantities! Extremely healthy! :)

36. DESCRIBE YOUR PENCIL CUP

i have dumped by stuff in the drawer! that question kinda went over my head first. didn't we call those things pen-stands?!

38. FAVORITE ARTIST(s)?

is an answer really expected?! how to pick one? Jack Nicholsan, Amitabh Bacchan, Abhay Deol, Asha Bhonsale, Kishore Kumar, all the peoples at Pixar studios and many others!

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?

Striptease by Carl Hiaasen. Rereading is more like it. I just love this dude! Othawise just read Palace of Illusions and LOVED it.

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?

Oh its some ugly n old mouse pad in dull grey! Shessh! The things these tags make you notice!

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?

Didn't watch TV at all. Yes, it IS possible! :)

42. FAVORITE SOUND(S).

Nice music and an asli full throated laughter

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?

A R Rahman! :p

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?

Lucknow, i guess.

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?

My smile reaches my eyes! :)

46. WHERE WERE U BORN?

Pune. That's where I got married too!

47. FAVORITE PIECE OF JEWELRY?

earrings. mostly danglers.

48. HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR SPOUSE/SIGNIFICANT OTHER?

At alliance francaise! He joined the class to patao another pal, I pataoed him instead! :)

49. FAVORITE SONG?

yeh dilli hai mere yaar! Ishq mohabbat pyaar! thats the only line i know and I am loving it! :)

50.Favorite Musical?

Chicago! I love the whole treatment and how different every song is. What performances! And the actors have sung their own songs. Love Queen Latifah's song - Reciprocity. No, actually I love all the songs! :)

Now to tag others! Suma, WIAN, Smita, Swati and Puja.

Yeh tag karke saadi izzat rakh lo! :p