Celebrity Watch!

Guess who?

A friend had sent a youtube link of her kids video. A1, who has so far watched TV shows, movie songs on youtube saw this video and excalimed, "Ammaaa... they are on YOUTUBE!!!" So, we made her a celebrity too!! ;) Talking of celebrities, have you met your favourite celebrity and how did you react? When A1 recently met the family band "Laughing Pizza" for real, she was all dumbstruck and tongue tied!

After the initial excitement of air travel waned and become an ordeal, the one and only tiny flicker I have each time every time, I am about to fly is, "will I spot a celebrity?" Though the "celebrity" for us is either a movie artist or a sportsperson where sports limits to cricket and/or tennis. So, Kenyan marathon runner or even a Dutch footballer won't count!

One of my mother's friend is related to Vani Ganapathy, Kamalhaasan's ex-wife and my mom tells me that we have spotted Kamal & Vani in weddings during their happily married years. Though being very young at that time, I hardly remember the events. But for a very long time, I used to boast to friends about my meeting with Kamal(depending on my mood & imagination level it ranged from shaking hands to riding in his shoulders!)!! So, you can imagine who would have been the saddest person when the two divorced!!

At the peak of my 'cinema payithiam' days, one day, on my way home with a cousin, saw a crowd outside a bungalow. We learnt of a cinema shooting and my cousin was telling me that the house was called Singapore house and it was often let out for cinema shooting. I was bent upon waiting outside to see which actor/actress were inside while my cousin was getting thoroughly embarrassed hanging around there. All that I can remember now is Actor Suresh coming to the balcony to give darshan and we(much to my cousin's relief) taking off after seeing Director Natraj(Moondram Pirai villain!)!

Several years later, I had now jumped fence when it came to running behind cinema stars. At school, we were taken to watch a stupid movie called "Engalayum Vaazhavidungal", supposedly a children's movie, at Nagesh theatre. Thoroughly disappointed by the movie we were all waiting for our school bus when we heard about Anandbabu(Nagesh's son) coming into the complex. Within minutes, 3/4 of the crowd ran to see him and some even returned with autographs. We were a few girls who felt embarrassed by our classmates behaviour and later had a big fight with those who went 'running to see Anandbabu'!!

After some years in the foreign countries, with most faces looking alike, while struggling to spot neighbours at the grocery store, Aththaan and me exchange conversations like, "That Guy browsing at the laptop at the far end.. doesn't he look like John Cusack?" or "Look, look that man in the speeding convertible... he is definitely Harrison Ford!" More pathetic is when I go to famous stadiums, I won't know whether to admire the grounds or celebrities or enjoy the picnic/specialty food!!

Anyway, during one of my air travel ordeal, before A2 was born, it was just me & A1 and I was eagerly waiting to see who was going to occupy the last seat in the 3 seater row. My mind floating high up flashing scenes from 'Dil chahta hai', 'Ninaithale inikkum' and the likes... 'thud' came crashing to the ground when the empty seat was occupied by my ex-company's ex-VP!

P. S. - A1 is at crossroads now...

In Music

She is too old for Dora

too young for Hanna Montana

just right Amul chocolatey suggestions for a 8 yr old please!

Big Show(s)

Atlast the purpose of getting Vijay TV got served! After indha round andha round-nnu round round-a suthi Super singer Junior got selected!! Alka Ajith deserved to be the winner but seemed like the kids(& the viewers) were drained to the last bit! Shravan, Priyanka and Srinisha were my other favourites! It is amazing to see such talent and zero stage fright in today's kids!

Once upon a time, these once-in-a-blue-moon shows were exciting and interesting. But these days, there seems to be one almost everyday(and is Karthi, the official representative for these Vijay TV functions from the Sivakumar family?). I am glad I can forward, skip, personalise and finish it in 1/2 or 1 hr!

May be I am old fashioned, but seems to me that these Orey the celebrity treatment, grand finale(y) thingy( and I thought the 9PM timing was not suitable for juniors!), beg for votes are a little too much for kiddies? The juniors, suttigals were all nice in the beginning. But now with the kids acting(or trained to?) like adhigaprasangis and with jodi no. 1 juniors, please let kids-b-kids!!

UPDATE

Ok, Vijay awards - check!

Though orey Deja vu! Adhey aattam, pattam, Gopinath(Vijay TV can soon change its name to Gopijay TV!), Kamal, Surya(are they introducing new categories just for Surya?), Sasikumar and Co. But I am not complaining!

Health nut case

I often wonder how & when did this health freaky, green hippy avatar of mine started! Because I was, once upon a time, a normal, regular, veggie-hating, kothavarangai skinny picky eater like most! I was never the foodie in my childhood days, embarrassed my parents everywhere with my very short list of favourite foods(my mom reminds me of this whenever I complain about my kids!). But my mother was never the fretter like me and never let criticisms from others about her kids' poor eating habits bother her too much. She always used to say"ellaam perisaana saapda kathupaanga"!

Learning to enjoy cooking lead to experimenting with varieties. And pregnancy made me a responsible eater. Once given a teeny-tiny chance to these 'counting calories', 'nutrition labels', 'balanced diet' thingies, they cling onto you like leeches for life! "You got to set an example" dangles like Yamadharmarajan's kaththi everytime I eye an extra treat or think of indulging! Right when I am fighting for 50% reservation for the brownies(flour, sugar, rice) at the dinner table, food bloggers are far ahead in their exploration and supremacy over grains like oats and quinoa(to learn to rightly pronounce it is an achievement!) and barley and... Oh, I can't keep up!!

Provision store experiences mostly like this one(from 5.05-6.30), shopping at departmental stores (Kamadenu supermarket, Vitan, Nilgiris) used to be a big bandha. Inge supermarket experience kekkave venaam! But after "Food Inc", its only the ugly, dirty side that is visible through the neat, packed isles. Co-incidentaly there was an episode on Vijay TV's "Neeya Naana" about farming, natural organic vs technology assisted. Everywhere its the farmer who has become the pawn! So, inimey head to the local farmer's market sacrificing Saturday morning sleep-dhaan.

So, for now only veganism is left and with articles like these, I am considering if I should try something like dairy free duesdays/dhursdays (like meat free mondays) and Aththaan is seriously considering cutting off ... no, not dairy, but home internet connection!!

Book roundup - II

It is easier to run & hide from the masala and melodramatic stories of the screen versions, thanks to the numerous reviews from benevolent souls online and offline but when it comes to the print versions, I learnt the hard way that the star ratings don't help! After months of enduring bitchy sisters, witchy Ammayis atlast found a simble Ammachi and seedhi-saadhi sisters in an extraordinary tale - Atlas of the unknowns! It's hard to believe that the author, Tania James is a second generation Indian American as I could smell the maNNin maNam of both Kumarakom as well as NY! The narration, jumping from person to person was a total page turner. Engrossing and engaging novel! "The Wonder House" by Justine Hardy was another affecting novel!

Like the Athribacha story, I went to get books by Anita Rau Badami and came back with Amulya Malladi's! AM's "Serving crazy with curry" is the latest, I guess, to join the gang of novels with recipes thrown in at the end of each chapter. The curry in the title and the Indian desi setting made me pick this one but only ended up with an indigestion(the Saroj-Avi's Aradhana shtyle love shtory seemed the only high point!)! ARB's Tamarind woman with almost a similar setting of an incompatible couple, a bitter mother with 2 daughters was a bit interesting. Liked the description of the different places that the family live in due to the father's transferrable job. Quick read! ARB's "A Hero's walk" was like watching a Tamil movie. The detailed descriptions that looks like the author's style was but too strong, especially about the dirt and filth. I don't know how I dared to pick this one up with a story line of a little girl in Canada who loses her parents in a car accident and comes to live with her maternal grandparents in India. Though the main storyline is not about the girl, it was so so sad when the toothfairy dreams of the little girl goes out the window, the villi ammayya steals the red jacket!

Lately almost all of the novels that I've read have a filmy feel but none as worse as "the dowry bride"! Very shallow and childish!! And then there was this "Ladies coupe", felt like reading the script of KB's 70s movies! "The marriage bureau for rich people" by Farahad Zama was filmy too but a wishful and good natured one! "Almost single" and "For matrimonial purposes" were bollywoodish jolly timepass! I leaped and grabbed R K Narayan's "The Guide" when I saw it in our local library! Even though I haven't watched the movie, I knew that there was no room for imagination as Dev Anand and Waheeta Rahman were firmly stuck in my head as Raju and Rosie. In a weird coincidence I read "Hullabaloo in the guava orchard" by Kiran desai right after guide where the lead character is an accidental samiyar like Raju but the similarities end right there! Is the end really what I am thinking it is?!!

Tried my hand at non fiction with Earl Mindell's "The Oral Health Bible" but had to return without finishing as books like these are in such demand that it couldn't be renewed like the other books!

Vittadhum pidichadhum

After quite a long gap, I caught up with some recent episodes(conservative moms vs new-age moms) of Neeya, naana. It was a 2 part episode with part 1 dealing with cooking(Amma cooking Vs wife cooking), romance(Ennanga vs poda porukki!)etc while the second part was about the tug-of-war between the old and new style of parenting. Parenting is tough and for the present generation parents there is the Eastern-western conflict! The true aadha I am, I was siding with some points this side and some points that side! It was surprising when Gopinath concluded with reference to some Irish research which states parents/moms acting as an extended hand(as against letting the kids be independant) until atleast their children are 12/13 yrs of age as "the best parenting"!!!

I had been looking forward to Parthiban & his daughter Keerthana's episode in Coffee with Anu but missed it when it was shown here. So, I went hunting for the episode online and clicked on the date I had missed the show. Anu started talking about her guests' father-daughter relationship and in came Sarathkumar! It was around the time that Sarath-Radhika were all teary eyed about Jaggubai's unofficial release on the net/VCDs before its official release and for a minute I forgot that the programmes of Vijai TV shown here are a week behind and thought "ada paavigala, TV programmes kooda early release on the net-a"!

Too much to catch up with(moochu vaangudhu!!) in movies, music, books, blogs...!! Had I been a cell user in India, "iktara" would've been my ringtone. Vat a song!! With Kollywood (Annathey manichukonga!) all gone very serious and scary and sentimental(Pre "Tamil padam"), I had to knock bollywood for some timepass(read romantic comedies) movies and ended up watching "Wake up Sid", "Jaane tu ya jaane na" etc. Any timepass movie suggestions? Nambikkai natchathirangala(Kadhal Bharath, Dishyum Jeeva), ippadi thadam maari poreengaley da!!

One scientific flaw per film please!- Yaarukkavadhu kaadhula vizhugudha?

Engalukkum snow varum....

Every winter, A1's wish for shoan (the way A1 called snow when she started talking) will come true atleast once even here in the south. This year after all the record breaking snow in the east, even we got slum(the way A2 calls snow now!) decent enough to take pictures!

Amarikan Inglipish!

Recently I met an old acquaintance and when I went up to her and said, "remember me? we used to meet at our daughters' football practice sessions"? She had a big question mark in her face, "football practice... oh, soccer practice, you mean?" Can I get anymore superbowled!!!

I've always admired people who become Roman as soon as their feet touch Rome! Amongst friends who in just 3 months of landing in foreign shores could talk about cabs & cardigans in ishtyle, here I am, a thirundhadha case, even after a decade, still filling petrol, eating and feeding biscuits instead of cookies/crackers, getting rose/violet colour outfits! Recently, A1 added a new word, comforter, in her vocabulary cos' we still refer to hers as 'blankie'(btw, a diploma course is required to understand bed linens)!

Some words like 'trash', 'elevator', 'bell pepper' didn't seem that hard to get used to. But words like schedule, bath etc. confuses my brain and the outcome will definitely be the Indian way to Americans and vice versa! Same with direct, vitamins etc. And bike, scooter, jeep are quite deeply etched that the substitution is still a WIP. Apartment was easy but when I had to answer which floor, I always wished I lived in the top most as I bungled with all others. Shortened versions are to make life easy. But I kashtapattu, vedhanapattu, thindadi, theruporukki somehow manage to say 'condomonium' in full cos' a couple of times, my mouth(with help from brain or not, I know not) mysteriously adds a 'm' to the end to its short form!!

Recently a desi asked me if & how I pronounced my name Americanized. After reading thro' this post, you might've guessed that like the Doordarshan TV times palmolive shaving advt. dhadiwala(beard) guy, my answer was "who, me?" ;)

Okieee!!

One of A1's friend's mom happened to tell me that on a discussion about idlis, A1 remarked, "My mom makes the best idlis"! No doubt I came back home all smiling ear to ear and thinking, not all hard work goes unnoticed, unrewarded. While I was sharing this proud moment with hubby, A1 appeared from nowhere and said, "I didn't say that. I just said my mom makes idlis too"!!

(okie, okie... aall iz well, aall iz well)

From the time I wake up in the morning to the time I go to sleep, my mind transistor always remains on(especially with all my favourite radio stations vanishing one by one(thendral.com, aahaafm etc.)) with some song playing all day and some are picked up by the mouth! Now that A2 is old enough to have ideas and opinions and realised the utility of the mouth other than eating & crying, uses it to command "Amma, no paat!"

(okie, okie... aall iz well, aall iz well)

Atthaan is orey the narcissist these days, all the time only I-phone, I-pod, I-app... But I dare not open my mouth about it or orders will be placed on the I-net for me too and/or the chotoos(I-yo!)

Saaka? Beka?

As long as in the parent's nest, didn't give much thought to the plate of food, infact favourite food most of the time, that awaited me every meal time! The realization hit only in one's own nest! Most Indian dishes, though delicious, involves tedious work. I can't think of many dishes that are easy to make. Even the basic dal & roti or rice & rasam/curd(in this hemisphere, a degree more or less in the warmth of the milk will result in climate change(d) antartica's melting glaciers like yogurt and not the katti thangam, I mean, the getti thayir that one expects!) involves medium level work! But the worst is that even hard work doesn't guarantee rewarding results. Another proof of this!

So, instead of becoming a beku by slogging with the "kai vidaa" stirring / "ennai kopparai" styles of cooking with average(and below) success rates, I took to the fantastic "fill it, shut it, forget it" baking! With wonderful food recipe sites and amazing food bloggers simplifying & healthy-fying recipes that are easy & rewarding, neither I have to give saaku-pokku to avoid making yummy dishes nor the victims have to give saaku-pokku to avoid my experiments!

So, here are some of my experiments from the www!!

No-bake chocolate & peanut butter cookies - One of my relatives had sent this and I loved it! The recipe is so easy and simple too! Only, the next time I am going to make it as bars instead of cookies.

PB Granola - I love granola bars! With a little chocolate chips, nuts etc. it is better than Snickers! (As you would've guessed, I have got to finish this jar of chunky peanut butter sitting in my pantry!)

Banana bars - Feeding A1 healthy foods is getting challenging every passing day, month, year! She is tired of all the banana breads and muffins. So, I found this recipe. Don't know how long its going to take for her get tired of this too!

As per many commentators in the recipe site, it is too sweet and I cut down on sugar & butter. I haven't tried it with the icing too. Still very yummy either for breakfast or just a snack.

Coconut bun - I used to love these thenga buns. Thanks to the food blogger for posting this recipe. It came out delicious. Only problem was that some liquid from the buns oozed out in the baking process. But that might be because I must've really stuffed the buns!

Nippattu - Seri, seri, atleast one savory dish since its winter!! This came out well only it became a bit soft the next day.

Ada, Raamaa!!!

Good - Healthy diet containing fruits, vegetables

Bad - Junk foods

Ugly - Pesticide/hormone added produce/dairy

Good - Bathing/Showering preferably everyday

Bad - Not bathing/showering

Ugly - Taking showers can make you ill

Good - Natural breeze through open windows

Bad - Artificial air conditioning

Ugly - Keep windows closed, use air conditioning

Deepavali Bonus!

I got my Deepavali bonus! Vi'jai-ho'! ".com" Vaazhga!!

Even though the celebration for Kamalhassan's 50 years in Cinema has been going on since August in Vijay TV, I have been unable to contain myself ever since pictures & articles about the grand event that took place in Nehru stadium last month began emerging!

Atlast, 'kanden kondatathai'!!!

The program was fairly neat and organised, categorised decade-wise, talent wise with oliyum, oLiyum performances in between. K Balachander & AVM Saravanan made short & sweet "oosi vedi" speeches having already said much more in the 'thodarum sarithiram' episodes. The Radhika segment was the "sara vedi"! Rohini's poetic speech & Revathi singing 'inji idupazhaga' were 'maththappu'! The absence of Kushboo, Ambika/Radha amongst his heroines was surprising!

The much anticipated unplugged with SPB & Hariharan was a mini "poochetti". Mini because after the CBE extravaganza 'Kamalum Kadhalum', anything else might seem low-key! Vivek's rocket speech was asusual enjoyable. It was puzzling to see Kamal sitting unusually grim faced almost through the entire time, his expression brightening once in while and notably when Shruthi sang "one is the loneliest number"!

The function-shy Ilayaraja made exception to attend his sahodarar's mega celebration. But the "10000 wala" speech came from Rajni!! He was unbelievably Mr. Perunthanmai-kanth! When Kamal came atlast to the dias he seemed genuinely emotional! Kudos Annathey!! You absolutely deserve this accolade!

In those yesteryear DD only days, 2 Kamal songs in Oliyum oliyums, chitrahaars /chitramalas would lead to big elated discussions. Now after happily drenching myself in the Grand event Kamal shower, it is sad to find all my Kamal fan blogger friends in dormancy/hibernation. Even my best friend and fellow Kamal fanatic is in a non-approachable situation that I had to make this Deepavali release myself!

Iniya Deepavali nalvaazhthukkal!!

Achchamundu achchamundu!

Nope, not a(nother) review of the recently released movie. But ever since I heard about the movie, it's been of some interest to me. Be it the new& nice cast of Prasanna & Sneha, the desi setting of the movie or the director of the movie, Arun Vaidyanathan. In my pre-blogging days, when there weren't many tamil blogs, Arun's blog was one of the few tamil blogs that I followed. He used to post about his short films, movie reviews etc. but had to shut it down because of some nasty commentators. When bloggers(whether you know them personally or not) come under the limelight, it feels the way a friend does. But now having come to know of the theme of the movie, I am all "achchamundu achchamundu"!

Once upon a time, in Damil movies, the hero was the epitome of goodness! Then there was a time when all heroes were anti heroes. Ipellaam, orey the yadhartha heroes dhaan! The perfectly odhavakarey college/high school drop outs, drinking & smoking in every frame! Is that Anbumani Ramadoss saar giving that 'I told you so!' look? But luckily or unluckily, the red carpet - Bangalore ishtyle stories will not make it on Damil screens!

And what is with Jeeva and sodhappal endings? From 'Ram' to 'Dishyum' to 'SMS'... aiyo! yempa ippadi?

Gone too soon!

The only news that penetrated and made us to pause during our vacation was the passing away of Michael Jackson. This past weekend, the news of his fans all over the world performing his songs to commemorate his 51st birthday took me down memory lane too.

My interest for western music started (& faded) with his rise(& fall!). In the late 80s and early 90s, 3 of us friends used to sit glued to the radio sets (rarely together but mostly in our own homes) on Saturday nights to listen to the one and only western music program on Madras B and discuss the songs the following sunday morning. It used to be a competition to learn the lyrics of the songs! MJ's was a particular favourite. Screaming 'Ambey... Ambey' for 'Bad' or feeling goosebumps listening to 'Man in the mirror' or giggling to the 'Girl is mine' seems like yesterday! When cable TV entered and brought MTV home, watching the videos of Thriller, The smooth criminal, Black or white were so awesome!

A (US return)friend of mine in college sort of gave me the idea that MJ wasn't as popular in the US as in India. So, the first time in the US, when someone asked me whose or what kind of music I liked, I wasn't sure whether to say Michael Jackson or not. Then he himself added, "George Michael? My sister used to be crazy about him"! I was about to blurt, 'George Michael, Michael Jackson, I guess all Michaels' and gulped it at the last minute and saved my face for the person talking to me was a Michael too!!

Like most celebrities, once again, in the manipulation contest between the media and the celebrity, the media wins!

RIP, Moonwalker!

P.S. - And bye, bye Chandrayaan! Some consolation!

Malayala Melody

Our back from India items include all the usual ones like eatables, clothes, memories etc. plus a few children's VCDs everytime. A1 has graduated from 'Amma inge vaa vaa', Thenali Raman/Panchatantra animated stories to music/dance VCDs this time! Enjoy a few samples here. Feel free to suggest any other musical videos featuring children singing/dancing.

In an unrelated note, idhu ennanga combination, Mr India Sridevi - Thayir vada desigan...

Senti-mental!

Summer holidays meant going to paatti/thatha veedu for most Indian kids. Guess, the desis are continuing and saving the tradition now! We made our 'thaai manney vanakkam' trip this summer. It was A2's first trip to India and my first time with 2 kids on the mega flight experience(not bad at all!).

The last couple of months just zipped past packing & unpacking from one place to another, attending several functions(thoroughly enjoyed vazhai ilai kalyana saapadu!) etc. that after my return I had to go thro' the photos to realise what really happened! None of the usual NRI stuff like cinema theatre visit, shopping or sight-seeing this time b'cos of clingy A2! A1 went on an amusement park-adanam in every place with whoever available!!

Atlast people have started to get bored of mega serials and now it is Music/dance shows that rule India. Aaha, enna timing that I got to witness the mega final of Super singer 08 and Surya's sashtanga namaskaram to Kamal in vijay awards!!! And what 'phonnu, cell phonnu, blue toothu, black berry, blue berry.... idellaam dupe... SMS dhaan top!! Chiyaan, nee asathu ba!!

I guess, it's quite common in most house-holds that the porandha veedu and pugundha veedu have totally different lifestyles / pazhakka-vazhakkams! Every trip some stuff gets left behind in India, mostly accidentally & some purposely! It was so funny that on one side, I can dig into all those treasures and more while in the other, even if I came back missing my flight, the stuff would've been donated! Now back home, to deal with all my household collection mountain, I am wondering if I should go my usual 50-50 method of holding onto some as memorobilia and trashing the rest. But now the problem is that there is adidhadi as to which is memorobilia/trash & to who!

Deepening, darkening Grrreen!!

The economic slowdown, the green shift etc. are making the once termed 'cheap Indian mentality' not cheap anymore! 

Bringing your own bags to stores are welcomed and I see people sporting these store logo-ed green bags everywhere!(oh, I miss being the odd jolna pai!)

I was surprised to see the following printed on Target's plastic bag

10 Ways to Reuse Your Target Bag

1. Tiny Trash Can Liner 

2. Doggy Duty 

3. Water Balloon 

4. Road Trip Rubbish 

5. Soggy Laundry 

6. Ice Pack 

7. Toiletry Tote 

8. Kitty Litter Liner 

9. Tomorrow’s Lunch Bag

10. Care Package Padding

(aaha, appadi vaanga vazhikku!!)

Even my kindergartener has caught up with the Reuse-Recycle-Reduce mantra but her ishtyle is always the unexpected! She doesn't let me throw anything in the bin now(even the flimsy store bakery boxes). After the use of her favourite tools: scissors, glue, colors (Cut & Paste & Decorate) it becomes a "gift for Amma"!! 

Whether I (get to) use or not, I love to clip all those coupons that I find and add to my handbag clutter. But compared to her, I don't know if I will even qualify to be Kadhalikka Neramillai Sachchu style, raanikku saamaram veesum chedi!!! 

It is nice that all newsletters are sent(or atleast have the option) in e-mail saving paper. But isn't  it just light green since electricity is used to power those computers?

People, please stop giving those free T-shirts for anything and everything! Most of them are of gigantic sizes and others have outdated logos(how to wear a T-shirt with prints Digital 1999 or Black Friday 2006!)

Hubby's office celebrated a belated Earth Day recently (on a day he was off!). A few days back he proudly brought back his green kit containing a couple of green re-usable bags(with grocery on the other hand in a store plastic bag!!), a green tips sheet and other pamphlets in logoed plastic bag! One of the green tip was about carrying your own mug to the coffee shop & reduce trash! Everytime we had to get doggy bag/food to go from the restaurant, my hands would itch to get a container of my own but never got the courage(what if aththaan declares, "That's it! No more eating out")! Anyway, like the jolna pai, I'm sure the day is not far away when everyone will come to restaurants with their adukku tiffin box! 

Kaapi & Tea

This post has been brewing in my mind for quite a while now but what with the spring fevers and spring breaks! Next to sweets, the kaapi/tea comes in my irresistible list! I try to limit one of each per day but any bonus is absolutely relished. As a kid, Amma made it more special by banning it for kids. It was an absolute triumph when Amma, vexed with our pestering, lifted the ban! Till date, the thought of hot kaapi  is my boost to the chore-some 'waking up in the morning'! 

For Appa, anything more than 1/2 tsp of sugar in the kaapi is panagam but the rest of us would enjoy the kaapi with a generous 2-3 tsps of sugar. But that made it impossible to enjoy kaapi anywhere outside of home. Especially, in the kalyana mandapams, in the plane, at Starbucks etc. Initially, it used to be embarrassing to ask for more sugar packets at the counter all the while wondering how this sugar crazy land is content with one teeny-tiny sugar packet for the giant lotta of coffee! Also, it took a long time to realise that the little too milky cafe latte is the one which is as close to our kaapi from among the big list of capuccinos & espressos in the coffee shops. 

Even though the filter kaapi wins hands down and it is worth waiting for the thick dicoction to drip & fill the filter, there is no time for these indulgences during the hurry-burry week days. As it is my dislike for microwaved milk has raised a few eye brows. Whatever the beverage, I only prefer the good old pongalo pongal stove boiled milk!

Like the English language, the other British custom left by the British and adopted by some Indian families is the afternoon Tea. With a couple of biscuits and soothing hindi songs from Vividbarathi, it was bliss. The best tea I ever had was at a roadside tea shop in Mettupalayam! Tea is good if someone makes it for you. And making tea for one person is torture! Hubby is from a kaapi and kaapi only family! After several ghajini attempts, this got him hooked onto tea so much so that these days he gets Chai Latte from Starbucks for both of us!! 

Lately the kollywood movies can be categorised into the kaapi or T type movies. Kaapi types are from big banners, big casts, big names and copied/lifted from foren films. (Originali)T types are small budgets, new faces or forgotten faces, too realistic, sad and/or gory! There are few boost/bournvita type movies but don't stay in the mind too much!

Anyway, as per the tradition of including arusuvai (of including veppam poo & mango pachidi) on the Tamil new year's day to signify the ups and downs of our life, I am thinking may be I'll start a tradition of having 1/2 cup of unsweetened kaapi and 1/2 cup of sweetened kaapi! To all my Virodhis and Friends, puththandu vaazhthukkal!!

Vattam, Maavattam!

The Appas, Ammas, Athais, Mamas of desis who come to visit the states spend most of their time converting $ into Rs or vice versa. But as a pudhu ponnu in the states, I appavi-ly use to exclaim, "haiyo, tape recorder 55 dhaana! Vangidalamley?" much to the horror of Hd! Then came the icing, sales tax! Especially with all prices ending with a .99, the final payment always seem a mockery! To my knowledge, I always remember paying either the MRP or sticker or the kadakaran sollara price at stores in India. Or if one is really lucky with no 'no bargain' signs, can even come out of the store with a big grin having saved Rs. 2!! Here in the States, if one is lucky enough to live in a no sales tax state or even in the vicinity of such states then orey the alattals dhaan!! To save 5%, we used to drive 50+ miles in the North East! 

It was a revelation that not just the tax, driving rules, immunizations, speed limits and many other things varied from state to state. And when we moved here, it went another step further,  the county level! With our city lying across 3 counties, it took me a while to understand the county level rules, tax(take the right turn and save 1% sales tax!), school systems etc. Anyway, all this build-up is for my latest bungle. 

As a pudhu ponnu in the states knowing nothing about the big deal about long weekends and the mandatory big plans for trips that one has to make and with an absent-minded professor hubby who might thankfully remember on Sunday evening that the following Monday is a holiday, I took over the holiday planning committee chair(wo)man post. All was well until this past President's day long weekend. With hubby having a holiday, relatives' kids having a holiday, Balavihar on holiday and even the stock market enjoying a holiday, not in my wildest dreams did I imagine A1's school district county would be sincerely working on President's day! Now hereafter, every holiday I will be subjected to the "Are you sure its a holiday for me today?" 

Slum God!

When the hares of bolly, kolly and all the o'llywoods were racing for the os'car', slowly, steadily and smartly ARR has won the 'ஞானப்பழம்' (gyana pazham)!! Congrats to Madras Mozart(!!)! More than all his recent awards, its his acceptance speech with a punch(billion people in GG, in tamil at Oscar)that really was more surprising! "இவ்வளவு முத்து கூட உதிருமா இவரிடம்(Ivalavu muthu kooda odhiruma ivaridam)!!"

I like "கஷாய"(kashaaya-isn't that the opposite of masala?) movies even though I am an emotional party(you know!)! I have been keeping my fingers crossed for our ultimate gutsy கஷாய director Bala's latest கைவண்ணம்(kaivannam), 'Naan Kadavul'. Before I had kids, a couple of dozens of handkerchiefs and I was all set to watch those real movies. But now, emotionally and mentally weak, I have to muster enough strength to sit through those serious stuff. Having not been able to watch beyond 30 mins of 'Slumdog..', severe penance, I mean, preparations are needed to see kadavul, I guess!

Something something!

In our local Indian store, the newest attraction is 'Madras Samosa'! It's only around the late 90s, that Chaat houses started creeping up in Chennai but now there is a local version of the Samosa??  The crust of this new entrant is crispy which makes me wonder if some wrap (tortilla or wanton wraps) is used for the crust. So, does that mean from scratch preparations are punjabi(?) samosas and semi-homemades (Sandra Lee ishtyle) are Madras versions?!! If so, what wraps do they use in Madras?

Sometime back during a discussion with A1(my older one) about eating habits, I happened to mention that my grandma often said kids can & should eat anything & everything and that they are even capable of digesting stones. These days the pulses / lentils/ dals' (especially tur dal) quality has come down a lot.  Either it takes too long to cook(some don't cook very well even after an over-night soak!) or there are impurities in them. So, when A1 discovered a stone in her food once, she asked me, "do you want to test my digestive system, Amma?" 

Repeat-u!

A2 stepped into infanthood from babyhood. A2 is still too young to comment/reject Amma's homemade cakes but for A1 the yummy cake with icing from the store is worth waiting!

December in Chennai is kutcheri season and here in the US, it is 'jingle bells' season. I was remembering how some people used to get tired with the ''oliyum oliyum' team in the DDO(doordarshan only) days for featuring appropriate songs around the pongal, navarathri, Christmas festival times("போச்சுடா! இன்னிக்கு ஒரே பொங்கல்/கிருஸ்மஸ் பாட்டா வெப்பான்!"). Also, repeat programs wasn't much welcomed in DDO days, isn't it? But I am grateful to the numerous channels here which repeat old comedy serials. Even if I've watched it numerous times, some serials like Friends, Everybody loves Raymond, Cosby show, Spin City etc. are so enjoyable that I don't mind watching it again and again! And the entire cast in some shows(Spin city, Everybody loves Raymond) are just too too good!

Once again, its the time of the year, to say goodbye to one and welcome the next. It can be just another year for some or a new beginning for others. Whatever, asusual, wishes for a happy year ahead. Ey meri Guzarish(Asin, you lucky girl! First Surya then Kamal and now Aamir-a!! BTW, the credit shows Javed Ali/Sonu Nigam. Who has actually sung the song?) !

Andrum Indrum

In my grandma's generation, coconuts were got directly cut down from trees in the backyard, then fibres removed, outer shell cracked open, white edible part grated and used in cooking;
In my mom's generation, coconuts were bought from stores and then outer shell cracked open, white edible part grated and used in cooking;
My generation, frozen grated coconut packet is cut open and used in cooking;
My daughter's generation might just read it in the ingredients section of ready-made meals!!

In my grandma's generation, they hardly knew their exact birthday;
In my mom's generation, they were aware of their exact birthday;
my generation knew to celebrate their birthdays;
my daughter's generation start planning their birthdays as soon as that year's party get over!!!

அன்று கிளி ஜோசியம் பார்த்தார்கள்
(Andru kili josiyam paarthaargal)
இன்று டார்ரொ ஜோசியம் பார்க்கிறார்கள்!!
(indru tarrot josiyam paarkiraargal!)

Digital(l) age!

Ever since I heard/saw in the news about television broadcasting in the US going all digital from February next, it's been unbelievable that there are television antennas in this part of the world and that there are users too!! It looks like eons now those good(!) old days in the then, Madras with most houses showing off (multiple, sometimes!) antennas which was crows' kuttichuvar' for their daily discussions. There had been numerous times when we had to dance with those antennas moving it in different directions to get some decent audio or grainy video.

For me, digital age started with those Rs. 35 digital watches. Aaah, those were the days! Now almost every room in our house has a clock with digital display like clock radios, cooking range, cable box etc. that sometimes I doubt my clock reading skills from dial clocks!

When my husband bought his first digital camera, I thought it was an unnecessary expenditure(little did I know, mega pixel count was in competition with mega serials!). Although I agree that digital cameras help us record every smile, every step, every milestone of our little ones, it is no match to looking at a physical photo album. And with the numerous pictures sitting in supposedly organised, appropriately named folders, it's become so tedious to find 1-2 specific ones from the chakravyugam! I fondly remember those 24-36 film roll camera days when finishing a film roll was a big task followed by the wait for the prints('aanandha avasthai'!). The look on our faces at the photo lab - priceless(can be 'Salangai oli' Jayapradha style or that podi payal style!)!

Ragasiyamaai...!

"Can you keep a secret?" asked a (relatively, at that time) new friend. Why and how she trusted me with that big secret which I had to keep for 2 semesters is still beyond me. But the hardest of all was when on the big secret reveal day, I had to pretent as if I was hearing it for the first time infront of the rest of the gang!!

Recently read this in a fwd message

3 fastest means of communication

1. Tele-phone
2. Tele-vision
3. Tell to woman

Need still faster - tell her not to tell anyone.

LOL!! But that's because most Men have communication and/or memory problems! When my friends prided about having conspired with my husband for my surprise baby shower, I was glad he remembered about the party and taking me there!!

I used to be a better secret keeper in my younger days probably b'cos I didn't talk so much then! Infact, I was so good that it upset some close friends later when they found out that I hadn't shared some of the secrets with them!! These days I am having to do a lot of 'mennu-muzhungi' to guard secrets. It is easier if we know how long we got to keep it a secret and if we don't have to mingle/face the concerned parties.

Having said all these and with a blog mostly about me(2), what secret have I got to share for this tag of yours, mitr? :)

Lost (and found) in translation

Isn't it a shame that perseverance like some other qualities like innocence, shrewdness which as children we casually and effortlessly master but let fade with age? It is both amazing and bugging when after lengthy discussions with a child about why (s)he is not allowed to do something or why (s)he is not ready for something or why (s)he cannot have something, the child goes back to square 1 the very next day(and the next day and the next day...) and asks 'Can I have/do it?' just in case Amma forgets and let her/him have/do it!! But then, thinking about it, as parents, we do persevere in repeating some gems handed down thro' generations hoping they would echo like 'அசரீரீ' in their later years just like it did/does to us.

எடுத்தால் எடுத்த இடத்தில் வை(Eduthal edutha idathil vai) - The most common 'asareeree', I guess! Even if you are an organised person, if your spouse/partner is not, then 'searching...' is unescapable!!

கண் பார்த்தா கை செய்யணும்(KaNN paartha kai seiyanam) - If there are things strewn on the floor or water dripping from a faucet or see any unfinished task, my hands will go 'para-para' because of this gem from my grandfather!

Do you hear any (more) of these 'asareerees'?



Cho says in Muhammad-bin-thuglak, 'அரசியல் ஒரு சாக்கடை, அதில் எது வேண்டுமானாலும் கலக்கலாம்(arasiyal oru saakkadai, adhil edhu vendumaanaalum kalakkalaam!)!' Not-so-very-similarly, English language has a lot of kalakkals! Didn't know that a word's language of origin gives clues to its spelling! Kudos to those kiddy bees! Anyway, coming to my point, I'm wondering how some English words got totally different meaning in India. Like how 'smart' got to mean beauty instead of brains. How wild 'assault' got tamed to mean 'casual'? And how 'hold on' became to function as bus' stop chain!!

Truth (sometimes) Triumphs!

Writer Sujatha's passing away was shocking inspite of the knowledge about his poor health and hospitalisations in the recent years. For many of my generation, reading(novels) mostly meant in English language but the limited reading in Tamil would definitely include his works. I really admired the balance with which he dealt with science and religion.

Long time back he did a Q & A in Junior Vikatan. I remember someone asked him about 'maru jenmam'(rebirth) and I vaguely remember his explanation about how it can't be true sighting that the human population has always been on the increase. Now thinking about it, according to Hindu religion, rebirth can be as any creature and not necessarily human, right? So, if we take the total count of all life forms on this earth, will it be a constant no? That all those extinct animals are reborn as humans now?

Vaimaiye (sila samaiyam) Vellum was my very first attempt in reading a 'thodar kadhai' and not surprisingly it was Sujatha's. Talking of truth, when I read reports about person(s) confessing to a crime in India, I can't help doubting if (s)he is the real culprit? Is (s)he being framed? etc.(too much of movie influence?) Similarly, I can't help wonder why and what prompts people to confess to their crime after many years!

தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்து - தமிழ்நாட்டில மட்டும் சொல்லாதீங்க!!
(Tamil new year wishes - say not in TN!)

Going, going.... green!!

It's been months since I wanted to post on this topic but by the time it got the chance to see the light of day, all these have become old news!! Anyway, better late than never!

Green - never been my favourite colour. Probably because the colour is always associated with raw, dirty etc. in Tamil. The colour's association with our arch rival neighbouring country could have added to it. In my nenavu theriyadha vayasu, Amma tried to get me a parrot green with rose border pattu pavadai but luckily the store didn't have that combination and I ended up with a peacock (neck) blue with rose border pattu pavadai! But in the recent years, the dislike for green has begun to change like tamil movie hero-heroine's modhal-pin-kaadhal style(starting with 'pachai nirame', may be?).

After pillayar suzhi with this, information super highway (mis?)led to very many scary articles about pesticides in produce, rBGH hormone fed cow's milk etc., that I began 'organic-organic' chant. Like (mythological) Markandeyan's parents I had to choose between short life-spaned almost-never-on-sale organic produce or pesticide friendly regular produce. A friend was helpful enough to add to the confusion commenting that since proper regulations aren't yet in place for organic farming, even her garden vegetables can get passed as organic produce. Appo aadha-aadha(adhanga, 50-50!) dhaan!

Next it was time to buy a new washer-dryer. The kathukutty armchair environmentalist was all for the neela nira energy saver tag. For the budget which would have fetched a laundromat size washer-dryer, we ended up with a petite front loading W/D(Now about the comforters... which can't be washed in our petite machine... Should I wash them in non-energy saving-laundromat machines or replace them every season?). Oh, btw, the uncomfortableness and back-ache caused from loading the clothes crouching infront of the machine will go away when visitors' exclaim, "oh, front loading machine-a!". ;)

Now what is the use in having energy saver appliances if one is using environment unfriendly detergents! Chi-chi-chi! Try, try and try again with detergent names starting with eco, bio in Whole Foods or Natural/Organic sections of Supermarkets. With Indian cooking, Curious Georgina(s), any detergent will need some extra help, isn't it?

Since the beginning of the new year, 'Going Green' has become 'hot'(almost topping the new resolution list!!) Like SVSekar says in 'Ellarum Vaanga', 'ella porukki pasangalum namma technique-y follow panranga'! So, in TV, magazines and everywhere there is tips, tips and more tips to go Earth friendly.
First in the list is car pool and/or switch from gas-guzzling vehicles. Except to work, we never let my husband go anywhere without us(hey, he gets to drive peacefully on the car pool lane!) and so what if in place of Accord we have Civic now, it is hybrid!
Next in the list is energy conservation - shut off unnecessary electrics. Hey, we are from a country where it is in the genes like our elders to follow people from behind and shut off lights/fans even when they just step out to get a glass of water! 'Yaar kitte pesureenga', huh!
And then there are those recycle/reuse plastics(anga dhaan naama nikkaromey!), run dishwasher/washing machines on full loads(overload pannamey irundhaley perusu!) etc. etc. on which we don't need any more lessons!
I mostly adhere to and even change my lifestyle if it would mean doing my bit for the Earth/Environment but for #1 in this recent article in RD - Iyaa, mudiyadhaiyaa!!

Taare zameen par

Preschoolers, A1(my older one) & B are good friends. B's mom often complained about this boy, C who bullied B at school. From the teacher, we came to know that C was not only troublesome but a troubled kid too(his parents were in the midst of a divorce!). After learning this, I kind of sympathised with C than with B. Don't know if I would have been as sympathetic had the bullied kid been mine. During one of my visit to the school, C once told me, 'A1 doesn't like me!'. I didn't know how to react. My heart went out to this little boy who for no fault of his, was undergoing stress at this young age. C no longer comes to school. Wonder which parent won custody of him!

Update

I am not done yet, like A1 says! I was in a hurry to publish my post on the special leap day of the year! Anyway, while browsing through the TV channels, I landed on 'Supernanny' programme recently after a long time. I told my mom about this programme and she was appalled at how kids were disciplined. "Manushaal illadhadhanaaley ennannamo seiyaraangapa, indhoorley" was her comment!

When A1 was in her terrible 2s-3s stage, I thought these Supernanny, Nanny 911 etc. would be interesting and helpful in learning to handle toddlers. But after watching a couple of episodes, I realised what a gem A1 was and more, I didn't want her catching me watching it for I feared she might think, 'oh, ippadiyellaam pannalaama!' I've often wondered, how those children captured on camera would feel years from now!

Mahanadhi

Sa...d movies, always make me cry!

அதுவும் மஹாநதி-யை பார்க்க எவ்வளவு தைரியம் வரவழைத்துக் கொண்டாலும் முடிவதில்லை, முழுவதுமாக பார்க்க!

Echo

In those good old DD only days, there used to be a programme called 'Ediroli' where viewers sent in their comments, suggestions about the week's programmes. The one & only highlight of the programme was that the name of the Sunday evening movie MIGHT get revealed! Does something like this exist in any of the Channels these days? Lately, I've been catching up on some of the Tamil channel programmes and my letters to the imaginary 'Ediroli' team.

Watched your(Sun TV) "Koottu Pongal" with Pushpavanam Kuppusamy, Nithyasree and Lakshman Sruthi shown as part of the special Pongal programmes. The concept was novel where Pushpavanam Kuppusamy & co sang a folk song and based on its raagam, Nithyasree sang a classical song and Lakshman Sruthi & troupe sang a film song. Only the choice of songs by Lakshman Sruthi was 'naaraasam'!!!

The other musical programme called "Pattikaada Pattanama" compered by Gangai Amaran with Manika Vinayakam, Gana Ulaganathan and co on the Pattikaadu side and Harini, Tippu, Haricharan, Jaydev & co on the pattanam side was quite enjoyable. It started off well with both teams singing songs based on a theme like Bakthi, Pengal etc.(Especially hilarious was when for the 'thaikulam' theme pattikaadu team sang 'ammadi... ponukku thanga manasu' and the pattanam team retorted with 'ammadi.. athadi..'). Kadaiseeley, konjam sodhappal!!

"வாயுள்ள பிள்ளை பிழைக்கும்" என்பற்கேற்ப, இன்றைய தேதியில், தமிழ்நாட்டில் பேசத்தெரிந்தால் போதும் பெரிய ஆள் ஆவதற்கு!!

In Vijay TV, the 'Neeya? Naana?' is the jolly kind of 'Arattai Arangam'. The Kalyanam, Rasipalan topics were interesting. The compere, Gopinath doesn't let any discussion to grow into an arguement. Surprisingly, he speaks good Tamil too! But the casualness that has come to this kind of speaking in public is making people say anything and everything without shame! In the rasipalan episode, one boy proudly told the audience how he scored less than 300 marks in his 12th Std and how when everyone said he couldn't get into any college, one josiyar predicted he would definitely get into a good college. The boy proudly showed off his AMJain college ID card!! "இழுத்து ஒரு அறை விடவேண்டுமென்றிருந்தது. என்னால் தலையில் தான் அடித்துக்கொள்ள முடிந்தது"

New 'A'ddition!

Me too is now Mommy of two! We welcomed baby girl, A2 on Wednesday. Back to blogging has now made it to the New year resolutions list! Anyway, wish you all a safe holiday season and happy New Year!

Pch..!!

Most of the times, it is only disadvantageous to be a person of understanding/adjusting type!!

Second Chance

Have you ever got the feeling that you deserve another chance to do something better/ right? I used to get that feeling after every exam!! Jokes apart, there is this relative of mine, very affectionate but very demanding. In the past, everytime we visited/called, we have had to be on the defencive for something or the other. It was due to her insecurites, I used to reason. I heard that she is now a drastically changed person! Infact, I found out for myself when I called and talked to her recently. The most surprising thing in this is not that the lady is remorseful of her actions but that she is lucky to have got that second chance to mend fences with the people!

And btw, we are getting a second chance in parenting! Yes, the second one is expected to be a new year release!! Talking of parenting, it is a never ending lesson! I learn new/different things from every family. This recent scenerio is one:

Guests arrive. Host and guest's kids go wild after seeing each other. They hyper-actively run around, play/throw ball etc. Guest kid hits the ball and brakes a photo frame. Guest Dad admonishes kid for the act. Guest Mom comes in defense of kid and admonishes Dad for not cautioning the kid before! Host Dad and Mom don't know how to react!! On second thoughts, the Guest Mom seems right in the sense that it was the elders' fault that they didn't stop the kids from playing inside. Then, did it shock because the guest Dad is related to me? Or does it sting me for the numerous times my daughter gets admonished by us in other's houses for little things?

WCTT!

"கழுதை தேஞ்சு கட்டெரும்பு ஆன கதையா", from test cricket to ODI to 20-20 now!! I guess, the 'real' cricket fans wouldn't be too thrilled about this latest version but helps poor souls like me to unglue(!) their spouses from out of the laptop screens sooner!!

From the team line-up, I could only recognise and name a handful of players and wondered if the 20-20 actually meant that eligibility for players was that they should be in their 20s! "ஏதோ கெலிச்சா சரி, அதுவும் பழம் பெருச்சாளிகள் இல்லாமல்!!"

Tring tring!

Recently, my preschooler daughter left a (her first ever!) message on her Dad's answering machine. Oh, what a big milestone we made it to be!! I had got introduced to these answering machine thingies only a few years back and was reminded of those initial years of awkwardness & uncomfortable feeling I had towards talking to a machine aka leaving a message.

For that matter, telephones themselves were among the luxurious items list till recently in India. Around age 10, we had shifted to a house whose earlier occupants had a telephone connection. The instrument(along with the connection!) remained for a few days after our move and it used to be exciting to dial numbers on the huge black instrument, pick up and say 'hello' when it rings etc.

After that it was around my high school time when we were in the then, Bombay that we had phone connection at home. That was a pretty good time as a typical teenager, I used to be on the phone with friends for hours(after just returning from school where we would've already chatted the whole day!), call up from outside(read cinema theatre!) after bunking classes to safely inform mom about it etc. There once was a promotion by a company called Cello(casserole makers) in which if you say 'Cello' instead of 'Hello' when they call, you win a casserole! My Dad used to insist all of us to say cello on the phone. I hated doing it and as luck would have it, it was I who picked up the phone when Cello company called and I said 'hello' and lost a casserole for my family!!

Back in Chennai after a few years and back to phone less days! Though phone connections were getting easier in Chennai, there were 2 schemes in those days. Pay $15000 and get connection in 15 days or pay $3000 and get connection in 3 years! Our rich neighbour got the phone connection in 15 days and all in our colony were happy as if we had got our own phone connection. The phone owner's initial pride started to melt when everyone in the colony started giving their phone no. as their contact no. The phone owners were mostly receiving other's calls and seem running to each house to give the messages the whole day! To discourage this, they stopped giving msgs and even charged $1 for incoming calls!!

Then, came my phone allergy days. That was when almost every Chennai household started getting their phone connections. I never liked attending phone calls for I was bad in recognising voices. I hate when someone calls and asks, "யாருன்னு தெரியலையா?". Even worse was at work, when all of us used to avoid cabins with phone extensions for the fear of being caught by the Boss("Let's discuss the new requirement!") at lunch time or 5 PM!

The phone allergy worsened after coming here, for the new English accent was difficult to decipher on the phone. Ah, the tele-marketing calls!! How many papers/magazines have I subscribed to because of my "can't-say-no" nature to the tele-marketeers!! I fought a(yet another!) losing battle with my hubby in avoiding cell phones sighting radiation fears. But then mobile phones made it convenient when each of us wanted to go to different stores at the mall and India trips. In India, cell phone technology is/was far ahead. Sibling, cousins would come to visit me and would either be talking on their cell phone or text messaging and might talk to me in the gaps! People who meddle with my cell phones would change some settings or change the ring tone and when it rings I would wonder if someone was at the door(most houses have musical calling bells) or someone was backing up their car!!

Now with 2 landlines, 2 cell phones, Internet connection and all, I sometimes wouldn't be able to reach my folks. They would've gone out forgetting to take the cell phone, forgetting to switch on the cell phone and/or answering machine!! And on my part, with all the technology, I don't know anyone's phone no. from memory! With all these technologies around, I've lost touch with many of my friends! Atleast in those early cell phone days, people called from their cell phones at the end of the month, so as not to waste the expiring minutes! Sigh!

Where from?

Years back, on my first sight seeing trip to Boston with some relatives, the tour guide asked the visitors one by one, "Where are you from?" The others were answering 'California', 'New Jersey' etc. and so, when it was my turn, I said, "Massachusetts!". Me in plaited hair, pottu on the forehead etc. the tour guide must've thought, 'really?'!! When it was my relatives' turn, they chorused 'India' almost immediately.

Recently, on a trip to Ruby Falls in Tennessee, again the same 'Where are you from?' from the tour guide and this time I said "India" almost the same time my husband answered, 'Georgia'! The tour guide commented, "So, you guys are not sure, huh?" Oops, I did it again!!

Vegetable Puff

I am (like I've already said in all cycle gaps!) a sweet lover. Any time of day or night I can have them. But the U S of A, with its abundant sweet treats, has even made me crave for some salty/spicy snacks from time to time! Unlike in India, where you can stop by a 'kaiyendhi bhavan' or bakery and have those pakodas or samosas or kara bun or puff, there are not much choices in the light snack variety other than a pizza slice or bread stick here. Then, one of my friend surprised me with those home-made vegetable puffs one day. Ever since, I try to stock up on those frozen puff pastry sheets ready to make these easy savory treat for those lazy afternoons or to trick guests to make them believe that I am a super cook! ;)


Ingredients


Frozen puff pastry sheet - 1

1/2 an onion, diced

Mixed vegetables

(diced potatoes, beans, carrots, peas) - 1 cup

garam masala - a pinch

chilly powder - as per taste

salt - as per taste



1. Make a vegetable masala sauteing the diced onions in a little oil and adding chilly powder, garam masala, salt and mixed vegetables (I used regular potato masala).

2. Thaw the puff pastry sheets.


3. Preheat oven to 350 F(or 400 F)


4. Cut it into rectangles, fill with vegetable masala, close and seal the sides. Poke the pastry sheets with a fork[Alton Brown's(one of my favourite cooks from food network) advice!]

5. Place it in ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 30 mins(or 20 mins)

P.S1. : me - in hiding, this is not going to be a Friday feature. It just happens to be a Friday today!!


P.S2. - I've been looking for 'kara' bun recipe for a long time. Anyone knows of a recipe or a link, please let me know. Any other such savoury recipes(no frying) that you know of can be shared too.

Teenage Turmoil

I'm sure, as a child, most of us would have wanted to grow up fast! Especially, the hype and gloss surrounding the teenage years would've added to the impatience. But like most things in life, what most adults conveniently cover-up or not highlight is about the unwanted but unavoidable aspect of that age, the not-so-simple, beauty spot pimple!!

The timing of its appearance (as a solitary reaper or as a gang) is something one has to awe at! Exactly before a family function or school annual day or the day you get to meet a friend's good looking older brother!! The more people tell about the advantages of practicing untouchability with the 'beauty spots', one would feel like crushing it!!

Luckily, the face is only visible to others and not to ourselves(unless you are a descendant of Snowwhite's stepmom!)! But the disadvantage is, people looking at you start giving beauty tips/remedies for the lovely spots. Apply this cream, that cream, multani-m(a)itti, curd, milk, cucumber, apple or whatever is in season! The folks at home would get all worried that their share of healthy snacks is neither going inside their tummy nor ours!

As a last resort, medical help is sought. Here again there is dilemma whether to go for homeopathy, allopathy or ambikapathy/amaravathy. Homeopathy takes 40 yrs to get results. Allopathy will result in side-effects lasting between 40 days-40 yrs. Not much is known about the effects of ambikapathy/amaravathy! Anyway, by the time, the magical teenage ends, we are left with a moon-like face, complete with craters!! Then, you step into adulthood and realise among the other bigger issues, these pimple problems were really simplest of them all!

Last Friday Melody!

Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Basu Chatterjee's movies in the 70s are a treat to watch even today. Simple story, elegant execution, lovely songs, natural acting - what a risk it must've been in that era of gory and violent Hindi movies! Listed below are some of my all time favourites.

Jab deep jale aana - Chitchor

Tu jo mere sur mein - Chitchor

Na jaane kyon - Choti si baat

Jane-e-mann - Choti si baat

Meine tere liye - Anand

Zindagi - Anand

Loote koyi - Abhimaan

Tere mere milan ki - Abhimaan

I wanted to include songs from 'Chashme Buddoor' along too even though it was directed by Sai Paranjpe and came out in the 80s but couldn't find any links.

P.S. - Like the title says, this will be the last of the Friday melody series. It started of like this one (last) July Friday and for the past 2 years, it has been fun playing the DJ! I guess, it will be kind of itchy the next few Fridays but I've almost run out of ideas, enthu' (and end it before I run out of audience)! A big Thanks everyone!!

FM

Some recent favourites!


செவ்வானம் சேலைய கட்டி - மொழி

ஏன் எனக்கு - நான் அவனில்லை

பேரூந்தில் - பொறி

உன்னாலே - உன்னாலே உன்னாலே

உன் பார்வை - சென்னை 600028

தாலியே தேவையில்ல - தாமிரபரணி

அட, Lallu land!!

For many years, Bihar in northern India has earned notoriety for being one of the poorest and most lawless states in the country.

Nobel-prize winning author VS Naipaul once described it as the place where "civilisation ends".

But all is not lost, perhaps. We discover five areas where Bihar might consider itself to be ahead of other Indian states.

more...

FM - Hindi oldies

Tera mera pyar amar - Asli Naqli

Achaji mein haari - Kalapani

Aaja sanam - Chori chori

Dil ki nazar se - Anari

Dil thadhap - Madhumathi

Deewana hua badal - Kashmir ki kali

Bandha parwar - Phir wohi dil laya hoon

Manner(les)s!

Sometime back there was a huge outcry when Mumbai was judged the rudest city by a Reader's Digest survey. But I realised it long back that politeness as per the western standards was/is not our cup of Tea. I have never thanked my bus conductor/driver or the fruit/flower seller or sincerely said sorry to a co-passenger on stamping her feet or excused myself on getting a phone call or asked my mom, 'can I have some more sambar, please?' or ... I can go on and on. On top of that came 'Maine pyar kiya' where the hero and heroine's 'No sorry, no thank you among friends' got etched in my mind!! Apparam enna, when there is no necessity for sorry and thank you among friends, why waste it on strangers!!


With all this background, you can understand the struggle I must've gone(still going!) thro' landing in the western hemisphere! Atleast with outsiders I can show a 'don't care if they think me as rude or mannerless' attitude but when kids start to learn manners from school, there is no escape. My daughter wouldn't leave me in peace unless I 'welcomed' her 'thank you' or 'ok-ed' her sorry! But hubby dear hasn't been so lucky yet! On situations even when a sorry from my side is absolutely due, my mouth won't utter them(first of all, owning up my fault-ey nadakkadhey!). Whenever there is a chance to thank him, the words would come till my throat but then 'maine pyar kiya'!!! So, this post is to let him know that atleast those words float in my RAM!

P.S. - 'Please' is getting to be the most abused word in our household. During her toddler days, as part of teaching manners, we taught our daughter to say 'please' when she needs something. Also, to show difference, whenever she used 'please' we tried to attend to it immediately. Now, it has turned the table on us. What do you do when they go 'Amma, more cookies, please please!' or '100 more minutes in the park, please please!'!! :(

FM - Indi Pop

Ho gayi hai muhabbat - Aslam

O Sanam - Lucky Ali

Choodi jo kanki - Phalguni Pathak

Tu jo mila - Alisha Chinoy

Mehndi ki raat - ??

Breathless - Shankar Mahadevan

Afreen afreen - Nusrat Fateh Ali khan

Vaalpaarai - Malgudi Suba


Links are from youtube. The Indi pop of those early days used be interesting and exciting because of its picturisation.

FM - "நிலா"

நிலா காய்கிறது - இந்திரா

நிலாக்காயும் நேரம் - செம்பருத்தி

நிலவே முகம் காட்டு - எஜமான்

நிலாவே வா - மௌன ராகம்

நிலவுக்கு என் மேல் - போலீஸ்காரன் மகள்

(அந்த)நிலாவத்தான் - முதல் மரியாதை

Veyyil

Growing up in Chennai, 'ஸ்ஸ்.... என்ன வெயில்!' ('sss... enna veyyil!') was pretty much the only dialogue/monologue one can hear on weather. So, it felt odd when I was actually looking forward to some warm 'வெயில்'('veyyil') on my first summer in the North-east! Also, the obsession with weather reports was a totally new phenomenon!

Is it only me or does anyone else feel that even the high 80s and low 90s degree F (25-35 C) feels a lot more hot than it does in our hot Chennai? Is it because of the low humidity? Or is there any truth to theory that in US unlike India(which is near the tropics) the radiation is more because of its geographical location? Another thing is, a couple of days of 90+ degrees F and there usually comes those really noisy thunderstorms cooling the place down. The weather reporters(Todd Gross of Seven News was my favourite!) on TV have numerous times explained why it happens but I never understood it(*sighing* Whatever! Why doesn't this happen in India!). Another weather phenomenon which I awe at and wish happened in India is how rain clouds have enough punch to sustain from Texas coast to the North-east Coast whereas in India, the storm force loses power going from AP coast to TN coast! Ofcourse, Atlantic & Pacific oceans are giants compared to Bay of Bengal & Indian ocean.

Anyway, all this veyyil/weather puranam is because this is my first summer in the south. Only this time, there hasn't been any April showers to bring May flowers and we are in official drought('Namma enge ponaalum namma specialty-um koodave varum poley'!). Ofcourse, the 'drought' here is different('don't water the plants or face court!) from our drought(alternate days water supply, thanni kodam, Metro water lorry...).

Lastly, வசந்த பாலனின் 'வெயில்' மனதை சுட்டது! Who is to be blamed, the father or the son? Even though the punishment given to the boy was harsh, I could relate to the father's anger! On one side, there are children toiling in match box/fireworks/loom industries yearning to go to school and on the other side, there are children whose parents toil to educate them and they bunk schools, smoke or run away to chase colourful dreams! Like I wrote before, it is tough being a parent especially, a father! Pasupathi(Annathey's find!!), asusual is brilliant! And kutti paiya, GVPrakash, urukittiye, pa!! Producer Shankar seems to do the prayachitham for all the sins of Director Shankar!!

FM - "மாலை"

மாலை என் வேதனை - சேது

மாலையில் யாரோ - சத்ரியன்

மாலை எனை வாட்டுதே - பூக்களை பறிகாதீர்கள்

மாலை கருக்கயில் - நீதியின் மறுபக்கம்

மால கருக்கலிலே - எங்க ஊரு காவக்காரன்

மாலை பொழுதின் - பாக்கியலட்சுமி

Remake

Happened to watch a few scenes from the original 'King Kong' recently on TCM. For a movie of its time, it is really something!! That got me thinking. If Billa/Kulla could be remade, why can't someone remake the classic 'Maya Bazaar' (good chance to show off our compooter graphics!)?




My vote for the role of Gadodhgajan (played by Rangarao) is Prakash Raj.




After 'Godfather' spl. role, think Ajit might suit the role of Krishna? ;)



And IMO, Vivek might be good choice for Illakkana Kumaran, the gaurava prince played by Thangavelu.






Is there anyone now in Kollywood to do role of Vatsala played by Savithri ?

FM - "அந்தி"

அந்தி மழை - ராஜ பார்வை

அந்தி வரும் நேரம் - முந்தானை முடிச்சு

அந்திநேர தென்றல் காற்று - இணைந்த கைகள்

அந்தியிலே வானம் - சின்னவர்

ETFN* - III

Asusual, a flashback incident after reading this post. We had been invited for lunch at my husband's (American) colleague's house when our daughter was around 9 months old. Like all Indian mothers, my daughter's feeding time was made into a big event by me! After initial chat, when everyone got ready for lunch, I excused myself saying that I had to feed my daughter first. The colleague had a girl just 6 months older to ours who was made to sit on the high-chair and served whatever was cooked. By the time I was done with the feeding session, everyone else had finished eating too and so I ate while everyone else watched! The next day at work, the colleague was quite cross with my husband as he thought my husband practised the good old Indian tradition of letting the wife eat only after the husband and hence the feeding the child ruse!!!



* - Embarrassing Then Funny Now (I and II)

FM - "மூங்கில்"

மூங்கிலிலே - ராகம் தேடும் பல்லவி

மூங்கில் இலை - பெண்மணி அவள் கண்மணி

மூங்கில் காட்டோரம் - பூக்கள் விடும் தூது

மூங்கில் காடுகளே - சாமுராய்

FM - "மா"

மாம்பூவே - மச்சனை பாத்தீங்களா

மாஞ்சோலை - கிழக்கே போகும் ரயில்

மாமரத்து - ஊமை விழிகள்

FM - 'ஓ!!'

'ஓ மானே மானே' - வெள்ளை ரோஜா

'ஓ வானம்பாடி' - சாதனை

'ஓ வசந்த ராஜா' - நீங்கள் கேட்டவை

'ஓ பாபா லாலி' - இதயத்தை திருடாதே

'ஓ பேபி பெபி' - காதலுக்கு மரியாதை

'ஓ மனமே' - உள்ளம் கேட்குமே

FM - "மலை"

"மலையோரம் வீசும் காத்து" - பாடு நிலாவே

"மலை கோவில்" - வீரா

"மலையோரம் மயிலே' - ஒருவர் வாழும் ஆலயம்

Tomato Sambar Recipe

Ingredients:

1 tomato chopped
1/2 onion chopped(optional)

1/2 cup Mung dal

1 or 2 tsp sambar powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste

1 tsp oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp urad dal (optional)
1 red chilli (optional)

3 and 1/2 cups water

Method:

Boil mung dal in 1 and 1/2 cups water. Mash and set aside

1. Add 1 tsp of oil to sauce pan and temper with mustard seeds, curry leaves, urad dal and red chilli

2. Add chopped onions and fry till soft

3. Add chopped tomatoes and fry a little

4. Add 2 cups water, salt, sambar powder and turmeric

5. Boil in high till it starts frothing

6. Reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes

7. Add the boiled mung dal, stir and let boil for another 5 minutes

8. Add chopped cilantro/coriander

IMO, this sambar goes well with dosais, adais etc.

and with rice & kaara/fry curries

P.S. - For a milder sambar, just add chopped tomatoes to water and follow from step 4. Temper with mustard seeds at the end.

Mung dal makes it quite bland. For variation, you can substitute Tur dal.

FM - "தாலாட்டு"

தாலாட்டு - அச்சாணி

தாலாட்டு மாறி போனது - உன்னை நான் சந்தித்தேன்

தாலாட்டும் பூங்காற்று - கோபுர வாசலிலே

From the news

Power station harnesses Sun's rays!!

Looks like science fiction! But to be able to use the tremendousness of Solar energy!!


Media should focus on battles of poor: NCERT director

Media, are you listening?


Bollywood star to take husband’s family name!!

Nothing like reading a newspaper along with morning coffee! Ingey coffee-yum waste, paper-um waste!! The space and importance given to World/International news in local newspapers here is really something. And the above news making it to a local GA paper is... what can I say!

FM - "சின்ன சின்ன"

சின்ன சின்னதாய் - மௌனம் பேசியதே

சின்ன சின்ன ஆசை - ரோஜா

சின்ன சின்னக் கிளியே - கண்ணேதிரே தொன்றினாய்

சின்ன சின்ன வண்ண - மௌனம் ராகம்

சின்ன சின்ன ரோசாப்பூவே - பூவிழி வாசலிலே