Yip, Yap & Yippity Yap!

I was reading an old blog post of an old friend of mine here. And I couldn't stop myself nodding to her words (Although the main subject of her post is something else - which I intend to blog about in a separate post.) She mentioned that she is bad in the art of small talk. Same here. I simply suck at small talk. Don’t get me wrong - by no means am I a silent person; although I may seem so at first, once I get to know someone really well, nothing can keep me from yapping away. Ask my husband or my close friends-they probably have a part of their ear missing by now ;-) I have spoken for hours together over the phone, much to the irritation of my parents. My friends and I have chatted away into the wee hours of the night not even realizing the time. When I was small, my only worry when my parents came to school was that my teachers would complain that I was too talkative. In fact, that was indeed the only complaint against me for a long time.(Oh that and my math skills-but that’s a story for another day.) Many a time my poor mother, at her wits end has snapped “Can you just keep quiet for some time?” My husband on the other hand, just gives me an exasperated look and listens. Well, mostly.

Anyway the point is I have a lot to say. Otherwise I wouldn’t be here blogging would I? But small talk? Uh-huh. I honestly envy people who seemingly, can carry on conversations with others whom they met barely a few minutes back – about everything and anything. Many people have told me, that they often see me smiling. The simple reason behind that is – I have no idea what else to do. I answer whatever I am asked and I might even throw back the same question with “and u?” and nod my head at the answer. Beyond that I am clueless. On countless occasions I have racked my brains to say something interesting. Or just plain something. But no - my mind stubbornly resists and turns up it's nose at me. In fact, I think I have hardly ever initiated a conversation with anyone; it is generally the other person who starts first. I am usually comfortably lost in my own thoughts.

In earlier days young women used to be instructed in the art of small talk as it was considered to be a beneficial social grace to possess. Hostesses who could entertain their guests with their small talk were greatly admired. Hmm... Looks like I need to find out some such course and get myself enrolled in one ASAP.

P.S: I shall hold a seat for you too Neeru ;-)

Image Courtesy: www.dreamstime.com

Of mango forests and lazy rivers...

I had mentioned earlier that we had been on a short vacation to India recently. So during our vacation, we thought of heading out somewhere nearby maybe for a short trip. I wasn’t particularly interested in visiting the done-to-death tourist spots of Ooty, Kodai, Yercaud etc and was looking for a different kind of place. We just wanted to spend some time relaxing, taking in nature and enjoying some solitude. Several options were discussed and subsequently rejected due to one reason or the other. Then my father-in-law produced a paper cutting which he had saved from months ago. It was about a charming resort called Double Dutch Resort in a remote place in Tamilnadu. No one we spoke to had ever heard of the place. After a lot of discussion we decided to give it a go anyway, albeit with a little apprehension. And so we started off on our journey towards Dindugal.

After stopping in Dindugal for lunch and savouring the popular and quite expensive if I may say so, Dindugal Thalapakatti biryani (which btw I didn’t particularly enjoy - though the others did) we set about enquiring the route to our destination. Being off-the-beaten-track made this place a little difficult to spot. Eventually after many a phone call to the resort, stopping and asking people “vellakaaranga nadathura hotelkku eppadi poganum?” (“How do we go to the hotel run by some foreigners") and several wrong turns later - we finally arrived at Double Dutch Resort.

The resort was everything it promised to be. The only problem we had was that there was no air conditioning :-( Since we had landed in April, although it was not as swelteringly hot as in Chennai it was still a little too warm for our comfort. The very helpful caretaker informed us that there was another resort further up the hills which was equipped with AC and so we thanked him and went on our way on a rater bumpy dirt road to find this other resort named Wild Rock. I must say it is truly a hidden gem.

Wild Rock is situated further up the hills and so is in an advantageous position to boast of a grand, sweeping view of a beautifully still lake reflecting lush green forests and a gushing waterfall in the distance - all set amidst jagged, rocky cliffs. This resort is relatively new on the scene and so we did have a few minor glitches-such as the AC dripping water into the room (although it was fixed soon) and pretty dim lighting – which made reading a pain. But on the whole it is a clean and comfy homestay with friendly and attentive staff. Food is also very homey and you can ask for whatever you want to have for the next meal-it will be promptly whipped up for you.

After a good night’s sleep, we set off for a short trek which led us through a mango farm with mango trees heavily laden with luscious fruit. We just had to reach up and pluck a few, fresh off the trees! We ended our trek at a small, winding river. We waded through it, found dome sun-dappled and smooth rocks and spent some time just lying in the cool, rushing waters looking up into the blue skies with wispy clouds, listening to the chirruping of birds and the buzzing of the bees and dreaming about heaven :-)

We stayed for a couple of days at Wild Rock and we were quite happy about our decision to check this place out. They have lovely gardens and we are told that a wide variety of birds come to visit, including peacocks-although unfortunately we didn't spot any. As I said, it was warm being summer but I imagine that everything would be just perfect if one visited sometime from Nov-Feb. Wild Rock is planning to expand and construction of a swimming pool was in progress while we were there. The resort is near the villages of Aathur and Sembatti close to the Kamaraj Valley. Next time if you are looking for a short, peaceful getaway away from the hustle and bustle of city life-do give wonderful Wild Rock Resort a shot! You will not be disappointed!

The area also has other resorts whose primary focus is on eco-tourism and providing a serene atmosphere to their guests. A few that we spotted are Cardomom House, Lakeside Guest House and Peacock House. Reviews from Tripadvisor if you are interested.

Image: Road to Wild Rock.

Mind Your Manners Please!

I would say that good manners and etiquette often varies from place to place and culture to culture. For example, while I was working in the US, the Americans whom I worked with always used to pop this question “How are you?” almost every time they saw me-even if we happened to cross paths 4 or 5 times a day. It took me a while to realize that it is a rhetoric question and more like saying “Hi!” than anything else. No one really expects you to tell how them how exactly you are feeling. To be honest, I found it a little phony. I mean why can’t we just stick to a simple “Hello”? I’m sure people in India would give one a weird look if one kept posing this question every single time you met.

In India if anyone walks into someone’s home with their footwear on, its sure to create a hullabaloo - on the other hand, in most foreign countries I’m sure people would raise eyebrows if you padded barefoot into their homes.

Also we Indians are much more inquisitive about everybody’s lives. We want to know everything about him, her, their aunt and their distant cousins all included. Often I’ve been subjected to relentless grilling about my life on many a flight by many an aunty or granny! But then shouldn’t there be a line somewhere? There are some manners which are universal-such as saying “Thanks” and “Please”. Similarly there are some questions which you just can’t, or rather shouldn't ask. Of late, I’ve realized that many people are either simply unaware that it is not good manners to ask certain questions or are just not bothered about the inappropriateness of their questioning. So unless you are in a position where we BOTH think of each other as really (and I mean REALLY) good friends or a close family member, kindly refrain from asking these questions - and even if you do fall into the above category, please exercise some restraint!

1.“So when are you getting married?”: Thankfully I’m past this question. But until a couple of years back, it really used to irritate me. I pity the people who are still subjected to this one. Maybe everyone needs to follow the idea of this popular joke?

When I was young I didn't like going to weddings. My grandmother would tell me, "You're next" However, she stopped doing that after I started saying the same thing to her at funerals.

2.“So any good news?”: Now that I have successfully overcome the above obstacle, it’s time for the next question! Good news…. Hmm well lets c… I’m alive, I have a comfortable home and generous husband and loving family and a job I love doing. Isn’t that enough good news?! Any other “good news” is completely the personal business of mine and my husband-I don’t see why we need to keep you informed! So please just stop asking-before things start getting really ugly!!! You have been warned. (Yes YOU!)

3.“So how much do you earn?”: Yikes! I still remember once when I was a small kid, I was at my mother’s office simply running around and doing what kids generally do. One of my mom’s young colleague used to be friendly with me. One day for some reason, I asked him “So how much is your salary?” He gave me a look and asked me “Didn’t anyone teach you that it is bad manners to ask such a thing?” I was so ashamed. In case no one ever taught YOU that it is bad manners to ask people how much they earn, I am putting it down here. Now you know. So unless you are from the Income Tax dept or a potential employer willing to pay me atleast three times of what I earn now - please do not ask me this question ever again!!

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A Restaurant With A Difference

We just got back from a lovely trip to India and I am still getting over the vacation hangover! We had a pretty good time with family and friends, inspite of the sweltering heat and power cuts! But still it is “namma Chennai” and it was indeed a lil bugging to come back. Nevertheless what needs to be done, needs to be done and so it was done ;-)

Coming to the topic of this post, one fine evening my husband and I were planning to head out for dinner and I wanted to try out some new place which we hadn’t checked out earlier. Since I am the one in the travel planning business, the onus of picking a good restaurant was on me. After some enquiries, we decided to go to a restaurant called ‘Kipling’s Café’.
And boy! Are we glad we did!

Kipling’s Café is located off ECR. If you are heading from Chennai then it should be on a small lane on your left, just after Hot Kitchen, Malgudi, Delhi Dhaba – before the Toll Gate. It is a large bungalow, renovated charmingly into a pleasant and welcoming restaurant. There is a terrace but we chose to be seated at one of the dreamy, Goan style cabanas/huts in the garden. Surrounded by lush greenery, listening to frog’s croaking in the distance and with a cool sea breeze gently ruffling my hair-the ambiance was just perfect! The food is a mix of Mediterranean and Asian and was scrumptious. The service was pretty polite and friendly too.

I’m not sure how many of you are aware of this place as it is tucked away in an unassuming corner literally in the outskirts of the city. But it is a wonderful place to have a cozy, romantic dinner or a fun lunch with family or a small group of close friends. I wouldn’t recommend it for larger groups – for one thing the place leans more towards 'Elegance' rather than 'Boisterous' and for the other, food is slightly on the expensive side. Also be aware that if you only like spicy Indianised versions of international cuisine, you might not particularly enjoy the food here-because the chefs at Kipling’s Café try to maintain the authenticity of the food, with regards to both taste and ingredients.

A word of caution: The restaurant is located in a posh area and is surrounded by huge bungalows with high walls. Apart from that, it is pretty deserted and lonely. We went there a little after dark and it was kind of isolated. So I would advise you to go a little early

But on the whole, we had a memorable time and will definitely go back. If you are looking for a peaceful experience away from the hustle and bustle of the vibrant city, then do check out Kipling's cafe!

Some reviews from Tripadvisor if you are interested.

Image Courtesy: Dreamstime

A Bird's Eye View

“Hutt! Hutt!” says the man and my chestnut stead starts slowly up the lush mountain slope. Sitting astride, tightly clutching the reins was I-a petite, city girl who has so far never traveled on anything that walks (not considering piggy-back rides).

Twigs snap beneath crushing hooves, a cold breeze teases by hair, burrs cling hungrily to my sweater and branches stretch out their verdant arms slyly towards me; their fresh, leafy fingers brush me lightly, reminding me of a lover’s gentle, seductive first caress.

The horse and his keeper, both with their heads seemingly bent in deep thought, solemnly plod through the wilderness on dry, narrow paths hewn into the ground by mountain streams that gush down in the summer months. The conifers appear to have conspired and entwined together in a determined effort to filter out much of the sunlight. Although a few slanting shafts of golden light do manage to evade them and play hide and seek with me.

Sounds of human life gradually fade away. My ears are filled with the buzzing of alien insects and an occasional flutter of wings accompanied by shrill bird calls. A gentle hop across a small rivulet here, a mighty step over a huge boulder there - higher and higher we climb. Until finally we halt. We have reached our destination.

I take a few cautious steps and come clear of the green canopy. A few more and I wouldn’t be here, writing. But then, that is precisely my intention. Indeed the sole purpose of this long horseback journey.

My escort sets up the paragliding equipment and proceeds to enlighten me on the basics. For someone who eyes roller coaster rides with apprehension, I listen attentively with a hammering heart and with symptoms of acrophobia. Suddenly, he signals that I am ready. Am I? I ask myself. I remember the numerous failed high jump efforts of mine. I always run up to the pole and then…stop! I could never make myself jump. So will I do it now? Was I really ready to leave behind the safety and security of solid ground?

With a prayer, a shiver and a rush of adrenalin, I run to the cliff’s edge, grit my teeth, will my eyes to stay open and jump! For a split second I flounder. My lemon yellow parafoil forms an arch above me and then gracefully, graciously I rise, defying gravity. Like an eagle drifting lazily, I float. Snow capped peaks wink in the sunlight, miniature villages look up at me with envy and a meandering river gives me a silver grin.

Quoting Wordsworth,
“I wandered lonely as a cloud,
That floats on high o’er vales and hills”

Only, it is not loneliness that I feel. It is solitude. About 2000 m above sea level, in Solang Valley,Kulu Manali-India, I have conquered my fears. I look down and smile upon Earth like a benevolent God.
I gently hum the Carpenter's "I'm on top of the world, looking down on Creation".I am at peace.
A gauzy swirl of clouds envelops me. I surrender to the embrace.

Image Courtesy: www.dreamstime.com

Giving credit where credit is long overdue!

I love getting comments from readers on my blog. Of course I prefer positive remarks (Who doesn’t?) but constructive criticism is also appreciated. Now, I know that there are several visitors to my blog, who enjoy reading it but don’t actually leave any comments here for whatever reasons (laziness? Shy? Dunno how to?). However when they happen to meet me or see me online, they let me know how much they like my writing, which really makes my day :-)

Of course I have a stats monitor which shows me details such as how many visitors I get and from which part of the world etc. But when people actually think of letting me know that they like reading my blog it is indeed very encouraging. That is predominantly the reason behind this post.

I can generally spend hours together doing something which many think of as “uncool”. (Actually make that, do a lot of things which most people would term uncool! ) And that is…watching cookery shows!

Starting all those years back with some tacky and dull cookery shows on Doordarshan to the spunkier Samaiyal, Samaiyal on Star Vijay, I used to watch any cookery show that I came across. I was soooo into this that at one point I even considered taking up catering technology! Anyway thanks to my brother's words of wisdom, better sense prevailed and I did not do that – coz knowing me, I probably wouldn’t have had the energy and stamina to stand and slog away in a hot kitchen for a long time!

The fact that I actually enjoy watching cookery shows continuously baffles my husband who often wonders “Aren’t you bored?!” Well, no! I really take pleasure in watching the chefs create something delicious. Each chef has a different stlye and their signature touch. Sometimes the dishes are new to me, sometimes I already know how to cook them, sometimes I copy their recipes, sometimes I don’t. I would't even call myself a food lover because really I don't eat much at all. But irrespective of whether I am going to make the dish shown or not, I watch the shows anyway!

I think that there is so much to know about a country’s culture, history and tradition by looking at their food and their way of making it. You can see how one dish from one part of the world has been derived from or influenced some other dish from another part of the world-and the culinary borders blend and merge into one another. Some foodie facts are intriguing; some are fascinating while still some others simply succeed in just churning your stomach! You pick up all kinds of trivia! Did you know, for example, that Jamaican and Moroccan cuisines use a lot of spices common to the Indian palate? While we have dosas the French have crepes. Or that Molligatawny soup is supposedly the British pronunciation of “Molagu thanni” in Tamil or in plain English pepper-water? Or that there is an Italian pasta dish called Puttanesca which literally means “in the style of a prostitute” – because according to one theory, it is quick, easy and spicy! Hmmm ;-)

In recent times I have moved from watching cooking shows on TV to the Internet. After lurking anonymously at various websites I finally subscribed to not 1, not 2 but 4 cooking channels so far!(Well it’s free anyway!). I never leave any comments on their videos, which obviously they have taken a lot of time and effort to make, post and administer. So I thought that I would show all of them my appreciation here on my blog. And in case any of you are interested, you could also look them up!

One of the very first cookery videos I saw online was from those 2 smart and savvy ladies at Show Me The Curry. These 2 Indian ladies are settled in the US and cook mostly Indian dishes. Even if they make dishes from other cuisines they customize it to suit the Indian palate-which helps a lot!

Betty’s Kitchen, is another show I follow. The cooking and explanations are done by Betty a retired professor while the filming is done by her husband Rick. She is from Kentucky and speaks with a distinct southern drawl. Initially I used to wonder as to why she was speaking so slowly until I realized that it was her accent! A really sweet and charming lady who barely looks 50 but is actually 60 plus! Her food is mostly American.

The next one is Titli Nihaan. A British lady who is well traveled and is open to trying out different dishes from different cuisines from all over the world. She hosts Titli’s Busy Kitchen and I really enjoy her spontaneity and sense of humor! This is one crazy old lady who definitely cracks me up!

Here comes the famous Nigella Lawson! She is yummy and whatever she cooks is yummy too!In fact she has earned the nickname of being the queen of food-porn ;-) I love her no-nonsense, down-to-earth, hands-on approach to cooking. Above all I absolutely adore her British accent (no matter what Russell Peters comments about the English accent!)

Last but not the least, comes Laura Vitale an Italian cook. Sigh! Sometimes I wish I was born in Italy! Their flawless olive toned skin, silky long hair, sparkling clear eyes! Oof! And they get to eat all the cheese in the world! Lol! Anyways Laura is a very energetic, beautiful and friendly cook and I love hearing her pronounce the names of the Italian dishes, well in Italian as they should be!

I notice that I have only listed female cooks. Although I do watch men cooking, I guess I somehow prefer it if women cook! (Pre-conditioning?!) Of the men I would pick Sanjay Thumma from Vahchef for his absolute passion towards food and cooking as well as Chef Damodaran, who kinda looks like a dark Santa-minus-the-beard! Both seem to be jolly old fellows who would love to dig into a huge plate of food at any given time! I do not like the other famous chef Sanjeev Kapoor mainly because his shows are in Hindi, which I don’t follow. Also I haven’t gotten down to watching a whole lot of other celebrity chefs like Jamie Oliver, Nigel Slater, Julia Child (Although I did watch Julie & Julia, which I found to be charming!) Maybe I will someday ;-)

And then of course, there is the whole world of extensive food blogging, drool-worthy food blogs, wonderful food photographers and talented food bloggers! Well, that is something for another day!

Image Courtesy: www.dreamstime.com

Spooky Pastimes

I am terribly scared of ghosts. No idea whether they exist or not-nor do I want to find out! I have never seen one (Touchwood!) but I have done my fair share of experimentations with Ouija boards and stuff like that. I refuse to watch horror movies simply because if I do watch one, then for atleast a month I keep looking over my shoulder, imagining unknown monsters lurking in dark corners or unseen eyes that follow my every move. Call me naïve or gullible but the fact is that I hover somewhere on the middle ground when it comes to believing in ghosts and spirits. So it is indeed a little surprising that I actually like hanging around in graveyards.

I have never been to a cremation ground but I imagine that it won’t be a pretty site to witness. But on the other hand, I somehow feel that a graveyard is very peaceful. Back home in Chennai, the Kilpauk cemetery is home to some near and dear ones. So it gets a little too personal for me and I don’t really fancy going there unless I have to pay my tributes or to get buried myself. But there is another really old cemetery behind St.Geroge’s Cathedral on Cathedral Road. It was just behind my school and I have spent many a afternoon wandering among tombstones, much to my mother's chagrin!

Once inside the cemetery it is easy to forget that you are in the middle of one of the busiest roads in Chennai. All the hustle and bustle of Mount Road fades away and you are engulfed in a blanket of peace and serenity. It is an island of tranquility, with a green canopy and sun-dappled cool spots. The graveyard has lots of greenery-probably because all the plants and trees get ample nourishment?-and it is really calm and quiet in there. All you can hear is the rustle of leaves and the chirping of birds.

Some of the tombs date back to the pre-independence era while some are relatively new. Some are well maintained with flowers and melted candles surrounding them, while others have been long forgotten and are crumbling to ruins. Some have been built with expensive marble and gleaming granite while others are more humble with just a slab of plain cement. I wander around these tombs, pausing here and there to read the epitaphs. Some epitaphs are poetic or elaborate while some are terse and formal. I look at the birth and death dates, figure how many years the person has lived and wonder at their lives. Who was this person who has become one with the Earth now? I try to imagine what his/her life was like. Did they get to achieve all their dreams and hopes before they died – or were there any unfulfilled wishes? There lies a lifetime ensconced in a 6 feet wooden box deep down under the grass. A lifetime filled with what? Smiles and laughter, joy and contentment? Or tears, disappointments and failures? I only hope that it was the former.

Please Note: A graveyard, as I said can be pretty desolate. So if anybody is tempted to explore, especially if you are alone, do make sure that you stick to the more open and brighter areas. Be aware of your surroundings and resist the urge to drift away into some obscure corners. No, not because an evil spirit is going to possess you. Sometimes in life one needs to be more careful of the living than the dead. If you notice someone observing you or loitering around you then better make a quick exit!

On a completey different note, someone told me that there is a belief in India that our dead ancestors come back as ravens, which is why they are served food during special days. So when I was in the cemetery I noticed loads of ravens all around. Think there is any connection?

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