Why do I want to Blog?
It has been a while. It has been such a long while that many of you may question the Subject of this post and ask “You don’t blog so often, so why do you call yourself a blogger?”
Well, here is the deal. The past one year of my life has been like that super fast train in Japan. Add a roller-coaster ride to it and you have the complete picture. I was bubble-wrapped in work and life, in general. I was living to work and working to live with a warped sense of LIFE. Don’t get me wrong, it was a lovely job! But there were times when I would curse myself for not doing what I love to do. Blame it on “I don’t have the time..” My social media presence dropped to zero or perhaps negative. My passion for photography took a stab in the back. My love for experimenting in the kitchen went down the drain as I hired a cook. My book reading habit took a hit and the books retreated their steps into the book shelf…
My father recently asked me a question that turned my Warped World upside down. He said, “So, do you always want to work for an IT company writing their press releases?” Â Yes, ‘zapped’ is the word you are looking for. My father knows what I love to do and he shook his head vehemently at me spending my life doing what I like but not love.
So, taking the support of a presented opportunity, I quit my job. Yes yes, I hear you go “ooooooohhh bold! Are you mad?” In a normal situation, I should have stuffed my face in a brown paper bag and hyperventilated… but somehow, I was calm and excited. I am guessing those are the right feelings when you do the right thing.
So what is it that I love to do? I still don’t have the clear picture and it is somewhat of a Wordle in my head… But the words that make up that Word Cloud are :
- Writing
- Travel
- Photography
- Digital
- Marketing.. coz hey! Once a marketer, always a marketer! 😉
Now that I have jumped off the cliff, it is time to soar.. it is time to find what I am looking for.. it is time to get into something that I love and not just that I need.. It is time to live the Dream!
My inspiration to blog is this picture that my father took of me.. Sort of defines 2 of my ‘loves’ – Travel and Photography and leads to the 3rd Love, i.e., Writing. This is what makes me want to blog. Because being able to blog regularly will be my first step towards the Dream!
(Picture taken at the Taj Mahal, Agra in November 2012)
Zomato Restaurant Guide 2012 is here!
I am a certified self-proclaimed Foodie. Yes, one of the many reasons you will perpetually find me cribbing about workouts and waistlines. Having been in Bangalore for over 5 years now, I honestly feel that Bangalore offers the widest range of cuisines. It is a foodie-heaven. Over the years, I have spent many weekdays making a list of must-go-to new or old eateries and spent many weekends trying out those eateries. Over the years, I have also become that person that friends, friends of friends and acquaintances call up to ask, “I want to try something new in Italian in Indiranagar.. where to go?” or “SOS Tanu! My Dad’s birthday and I  don’t know where to go with the family!!!” My usual response is “Breathe! And let me think and message you back!” So when it comes to Bangalore eat-out scene, I am in love with it! It is  definitely a place for many gastronomical delights!
My usual search suspect has been Zomato.com (got the Mobile app too). And so when Zomato released their Restaurant Guide, I sighed at the thought of ‘yet another restaurant guide-book‘. But when I managed to get my hands on it (yes! I collect Restaurant guides too.. hello! Read the first para again.. :P) I knew this was special! Here are some of the reasons why you must..and yes MUST get this in your collection, well, that is, if you are a true-blue foodie…
- The listed restaurants are not just your usual suspects that you may think are biased options. The restaurants are top-rated and have the best user reviews on the website. So it is practically a guide that has been put together by Zomato’s many patrons. There are no mammoth listings of all eateries of Bangalore..coz that would need at least 3 volumes. But it has a very catered and focused listing of the best of Bangalore. (authentic)
- The best part about the Guide is that it has recommendations for our many occasions and moods, such as – Romantic Dinner, Catching-up, Girls’ Night Out, Sunday Brunch, Dining with Kids, Late Nighters and Value for Money. So now you know where to look when you are looking for the best place for your special occasion and the ever-changing mood! (Ingenious)
- The Guide begins with a page description on How-to use the Guide. So make sure you go through the what-each-symbol-means exercise. From explaining the various categories to icons and what each restaurant detail tries to tell you.. the quick how-to will help you read the Guide a better and quicker way. Definitely a plus! (Reader-friendly)
- An innovative feature of the Guide is the QR code, they have given for each restaurant. So all you got to do is pull out that smartphone, scan and view the restaurant menu on Zomato’s WAP portal. Awesome, right! All you literally got Bangalore eateries on your fingertips! (Innovative)
- The book has been cataloged very neatly. The first half lists the restaurants and clubs as per the category with page number reference to the second half of the book that has the Restaurant Details. (Easy-to-browse)
- Many of us walk into a restaurant and ask the waiter, “What is your recommended starter?” The Guide has the answer to that perennial question! The Restaurant Details section has a ‘Don’t Miss!‘ box that gives you a tiny list of recommended dishes that you have to try! *glee* For people like me, who are always on the lookout for something new, this is perfect! Of course, if you don’t like it, don’t come looking for me with a gun! 😛 (Value-added feature)
Book Review: The Imperfect (Perfect) Mr. Right
Imperfect Mr. Right
Can an ordinary perfume salesman become India’s most eligible bachelor?
The question stares at you from the bright pink book cover with the embedded “Imperfect Mr. Right” and “Shakti Salgaokar” stretched boldly across it. I know Shakti from Twitter and admired her a lot, virtually. But when I made the much required weekend trip to Mumbai, I got to meet the spirited author and spent a much giggly and girly breakfast (read: Brunch)morning with her, Ruchi and Aparna. Before I indulge in giving you dope on the book, I would like to take a few minutes and give you a peek into Shakti’s personality. She could liven up a place by just walking in. Her articles grip you. Her passion for baking inspires you. She is a strong individual and an absolute powerhouse! Now before you think, this is a review about the author, you are wrong! The reason I tell you these very lovable personality traits is because they reflect so beautifully in this gem of a début novel.
Rahul Rajgopal is an ordinary salesman, your guy-next-door that every girl befriends, every aunt adores and every man admires. He is instantly likeable, has a beautiful extrovert personality and is honestly very content with his simple lifestyle in the bustling city of Mumbai. Tanya Kher is the strong-headed, in-your-face, individualistic and ambitious Media Planner with big career dreams that she has carefully charted out for herself since she was a teenager. She is not cut out for air kissing and is a workaholic. Her world turns upside-down when she catches her colleagues making fun of her when she wins Employee of the Year, third time in a row and realizes that her life is really very empty. She runs away from it all to find inner strength, peace and maybe, companionship.
Avinash Menon is a ruthless and manipulative head of Cee TV and only cares about the moolah. When Avinash spots Rahul, in a glitzy mall of Mumbai, he believes he can make a successful show (read: heightened TRPs) if he transforms him into a polished, suave and a multi-millionaire Rajsigh Jaiswal who comes to Mumbai and participates in a reality show to choose the Perfect Mrs. Right for himself among 30 women fighting for his attention and love. What happens when Tanya, who participates in the show as a favour to her friend and a bigger favour to herself , meets Rahul Rajgopal? What happens when such contrasting personalities meet? Thunder, lightening, World War 3…..or probably love?
Imperfect Mr. Right mirrors the young Indian society as it is today. A young society that believes in being ruthless, ambitious, sometimes superficial, immensely competitive and somewhere among all that there is a slight ray of hope that’s called Love. A society that is very individualistic, has a focused sense of time and purpose and believes in the present.
What I loved the most about the book is the fact, that it gradually moves towards a little feeling called Love. There are no sudden dramatic moments, there are no sub-plots, there is no unnecessary details given. The focus is very much on the principle characters and their emotional journeys. There are moments when you want to get into the book and give Tanya a friendly advice and there are moments when you want to just smile at the simple yet complicated chemistry between Tanya and Rahul.
Imperfect Mr. Right is a perfect read for men and women alike. No, I will not compartmentalize it into a chick-lit because honestly there is nothing ‘flimsy’ about it. (yes, I find Chick-lit an equivalent to an Akshay Kumar movie) Every reader will find a character that he/she identifies with. Every reader will identify with Rahul’s predicaments and every reader will connect with Tanya’s guarded demeanor. I could go on and on, but that would mean revealing the story to you… and well, that’s unfair, right?
So whatcha waiting for? I suggest you go to the nearest bookstore and if you are too lazy then get online and order the book right away! It will be your perfect companion on a Sunday afternoon with a lazy Mojito or a Chai Latte if you are on a detox diet!
And for all of you, who are not in India.. don’t you boo-hoo just yet.. Order here!
Stop! Please stop Murdering the Girl Child
I am quite disturbed with the death of Baby Hina (name changed) in Bangalore. Her father beat her to the extent that she had to go on life support. Her mother was tortured because she bore a girl child. Her twin sister was murdered while in the womb. Her dadi-dada (grandparents) tortured her and her mother too. The world just got worse.
Every report I read, brought out a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach accompanied by tears stinging the eyelids. And rage too. Pure rage. How a father can do this to his 3-months old baby, is beyond my understanding.. Beyond any humane understanding.
Dear uneducated and insensitive Men of the world and their parents,
You do know that its the sperm that determines the sex of the baby and not the egg, right? If not, I suggest you take sex-ed classes ASAP. Imagine a world with only men. Who would your sons marry? How will you become grand and great-grand parents? Answer me. Which part of your brain allows you to torture and victimize your wives/daughter-in-laws in order to get a son? Requesting you to ditch your archaic ideologies. Requesting you to educate yourselves. Requesting you to please stop.
I wish 3rd-degree torture for Hina’s father. But I also know, there are many insensitive husbands and their families out there who continue to torture women because they give birth to girls. My maid in Gurgaon gave birth to 9 girls in 10 years. Why? Her husband wanted a boy. She continued to kill her body to please her husband till my mother took her to the hospital and got her operated. Looked like the only way, the husband would stop.
I am on Outrage Maximus Mode in my head right now. This heinous crime has been brought to the front because Hina’s mother spoke. I request all those women, to-be mothers, already-mothers to speak.. Speak to NGOs, media, us.. Don’t be quiet. Don’t be scared. Speak. You have a lot of support. I promise you.
This violence must stop. This is not the kind of world that girls should come in to. You know that.
Ramblings of a Feisty Spirit 