nyc state of mind

three reasons why i love the city today:

1. david letterman - while leno, conan and kimmel are returning in january w/out writers, dave is negotiating with the wga so that he and ferguson can come back with writers. i'm sure the others would do it as well if they weren't owned by the networks, but still... also, dave was the first guy to open up his wallet to pay his staff while the show is dark, he's just so classy.

2. the local papers/tabs are reacting to the fan who got kicked out of msg for holding a sign at a game that said isiah should be fired (he is absolutely dismal as a coach and perhaps, as a man). one paper even went so far as to print a full page sign, saying fans should take it to the next game and see how many fans they throw out then. the knicks are ridiculous, they should be glad anyone even watches their sideshow anymore.

3. the naming of pettitte in the mitchell report absolutely stunned this city (and me). the outrage and sadness represented just how loving and faithful the citizenry are - they couldn't believe this respected guy would have done something like that. even better, pettitte, who has been a true pinstriper (except for that aberration with houston courtesy clemens), admitted his limited use relatively quickly. i think pettitte will be forgiven, but some others, i'm not so sure.

if you're a word-phile

go to this site:

www.freerice.com

it's the best of both worlds - giving to a worthy cause & testing your vocabulary skillz

easily

one of the top 5 worst days of my life. i just needed to put it out there, hopefully things will only go up from here - they sort of have to.

kickboxing

the solution to my many problems PLUS... the sport of the future.

i have found my calling people

pause. rewind.

perhaps i've lived in the dvr age a little too much now, but seriously, at one moment this morning, i wanted nothing more than to rewind 30 seconds of my life. it wasn't anything mortifying or permanent, but i totally had that wishful thinking of now would be a good time to press pause and rewind for a do-over. if we thought about it really, how cool would that be?

but then the question really comes up, that if you were allowed to have one superpower, what would it be? i don't think i'd choose time travel in the end, it would probably be one of three things - instant travel, reading people's minds, or being able to control others' thoughts/actions. oops, that probably says a little more about me than i should let on.....

release date: tbd

i've already been part of a fake band (in case you're wondering, i was the drummer). though our inaugural world tour was indefinitely postponed, i've decided to continue my musical musings, and you all are the first to know. and like any aspiring rap star with dubious talent, i don't have any producer-approved tracks, but i know what i'm going to call my first album. drum roll please.....

thugocracy

isn't that the coolest word ever? i don't know how long it's been around, but i heard it today when french president sarkozy used it to describe the cause of youth rioting in his country. i love it. it so encapsulates a culture that has pervaded society right now, in such a brilliant and witty way. it's easily my most fave word of the year!!

happy t-day!

happy thanksgiving everyone! i'm working through the holiday, so wont be going home, but spending the day with some great friends. i was excited, so baked some goodies, cookies, parmesan twists, and even today's dinner, for a change! but the most exciting thing was i produced the first ever "packaged" gift from my kitchen - apple butter to give the host. of course, i wasn't as professional as i could have been - i.e. boiling the container to guarantee proper canning, but i figured, you live, you learn!

go fish yourself

went to see om shanti om yesterday - my man's new movie - and of course i loved it. ok, so that much was to be expected, but i really thought they did a good job making a tongue-in-cheek look at bollywood films. this was a real masala film, which shahrukh hasn't done in a really long time, so it was fun to see him get back to that. and shreyas talpade is awesome as usual (if you haven't seen iqbal, go see it now...), the newcomer deepika padukone isn't bad, she has potential. the music is awesome, part throwback to the 70's and part current. but overall, it was totally shahrukh's movie - he ruled the entire thing. of course, the shirtless song didn't hurt, but he was just completely impressive in his range of emotions and comedy throughout the whole thing. and anyone who says anything elsewise - yanda rascalaaa! mind it.

how sweet

some late night kinko's work had taken all my energy, i was literally just wilting at the checkout counter. for whatever reason, i had to wait while the woman behind me was helped. out of her bag, she pulled out this giant leaf which was laminated. then she pulls out another giant leaf and wanted to get it laminated. the kinko's girl was like, wow i've laminated some weird things before, but this is a new one. so the girl tells us this story of how this guy gave her the leaf years and years ago, because her name was autumn and that she carries it around with her wherever she goes. how ridiculously cute is that? so she said she had been searching for years for a leaf to give him in return, but she just now found one. both the kinko's girl and i were completely bowled over and all i could think was - god, please, just one time in my life, please.

comfort foods

just saw this fun food quiz - i'm a total foodie, so it was a bit difficult for me, and as you can tell, i've totally cheated. i'd love to know your answers!

the aroma that comes to mind when you are hungry

the smell of onions, tomatoes, garlic and spices being fried up in the kitchen. i know it sounds generic, but it's the start of so much yummy indian cooking!

a snack you always carry with you

granola bar sadly - the only portable thing i don't feel too guilty about

the food you crave when you are depressed

easy. chocolate - in any form

what's on your wish-list when you are happiest

hands down - dal bati with my mom's garlic chutney and tons of lime juice. really good mexican food comes a close second. also, the good fortune wrap from main sqeeze in CoMo and magic meatballs from the flying carpet truck in philly

your most memorable meal?

falafels and fresh pita on a street restaurant in dubai, pizza in the shadow of the coliseum in rome and hot pad thai when i was freezing my ass off standing in line overnight in new york - they all sound like they have crazy stories attached and i love that they do! and for pure reminiscing - my naniji's cooking when we visited india as kids

a dish you have cooked for a loved one

black bean soup for the fam. a fun oscar party buffet for my friends

a cuisine you have heard about and are keen to sample

good vegetarian south american food, if it exists

the most outrageous food you have come across

in missouri - sliced green peppers, battered and deep-fried, and then sprinkled with powdered sugar. why do that to a vegetable?

your favourite from your mom's kitchen

there are so many, but luckily, an indian meal can consist of several dishes - khichdi with dhai, broccoli aloo sabji with raita with chonk, and besan ladoo. my mom also makes a killer lasagna. plus, my dad makes amaaazing soups

7th Annual MIAAC Film Festival

for all new yorkers out there - come out and see some great shows! i can even send you a discount code if you ask nicely! ;)

The Seventh Annual Mahindra-Indo American Arts Council Festival is here - November 7-11, 2007

Five days...
Fifty films and documentaries…
ZERO wait.

The festival begins November 7th, with the Opening Night Screening of Saawariya, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor and Salman Khan, at the Loews Times Square, followed by a gala reception at Madame Tussauds. The excitement continues over the next four days, with a diverse range of features, docs and post-screening discussions with actors and filmmakers. Some of the highlights include: Valley of Flowers, Missed Call, Via Darjeeling, Sita Sings the Blues, Gearing Up and AIDS Jaago. For the first time, festival-goers can watch our lineup at two convenient locations – Loews 19th and Broadway in New York City and the Newport Center Mall in Jersey City. The festival comes to a magnificent end with the Closing Night Screening of The Last Lear, starring Amitabh Bachcan, Preity Zinta and Arjun Rampal, on November 11th at Asia Society.

For a complete schedule, please visit www.iaac.us

read it:

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/11/hitchens200711?printable=true&currentPage=all

just read it, nothing more, nothing less

note to andy bernard

how dare you sir? doing something so sweet that i may have to choose that moment as my fave over that of pb&j... i'm torn.

v is...

supporting the rabid

chak de india!!

india just won the 'world cup' of cricket - it's actually the twenty20 - a new tournament where each team plays 20 overs. it came down to the wire and india played awesomely against pakistan in the final. my fave bowler - rp singh - did really well as well, so that's quite exciting. of course, part of me is like, of course you did well in this tourney, when i had no chance of watching you live, unlike your dismal performance at the real world cup in april. but, i guess i just have to take some solace that you turned yourselves around!!

no illusions

i'm loving timbaland's song - the way i are - the beat is amazing, but these lyrics just truly crack me up: "i ain't got no money/i ain't got no car to take you on a date/i can't even buy you flowers"

i mean really - setting the bar real low, the girl can have absolutely no expectations whatsoever. of course, the girl is totally fine, she doesn't mind the broke-ass-ness, she likes him just the way he is. now, i was initially like, right, of course the girl doesn't mind, we always seem to be taking the short end of the deal when it comes to guys.

but then i kept listening and had the realization that rap could solve all the problems in the world. this is what the guy says later: "your body ain't pamela anderson/it's a struggle just to get you in the caravan/but listen baby girl, before i let you lose a pound, i'll buy a bigger car/so listen baby girl, i love you just the way you are, the way you are"

ah, unconditional, blind love, expressed just so by the rapper d.o.e.

off my seat, laughing

last night my roommate and i watched the us open men's quarters (on tv, sadly). we saw the djokovic-moya match, and though moya lost, which made me sad, it was fun to see djokovic play. after the match, during the post-interview, he was just hilarious - really funny, sarcastic and genuine. even more hilarious were the impressions he was asked to perform - seems he's got quite a knack for them. my roommmate l. and i were literally on the floor laughing, he's that good, and more importantly, he's just got a great personality it seems. i can't find that bit just now, but here's a link to other impressions he's made at this open - too funny!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYA_7RUSarU

update: here is the vid from the match: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKj4PdWrK-o

also, thank you to the genius who got andre to comment on the federer-roddick match on wednesday. he was brilliant - part of it was his insight into the game, you know this man has studied every angle, every strategy, every mechanic to the full extent. he's just got such a mental handle on the game, which is why he was able to last so long and make a competitive comeback late in his career. second, his experience playing against both of these guys added a great dimension to his commentary, he's faced down both of them, which few commentors have. and finally, he's just got a humor to him which is unforgettable. i'm sure by now you all think i'm a psycho about him, and i am, a bit, but he truly did an amazing job. a couple of fun things - he called federer "fed" all night, which is what i want to call him now. he also offered this great example of how to read an opponent, citing becker's "tell" - his tongue used to hang in the direction he would serve. and last, this bit of wisdom - you won't always play great, sometimes you'll play bad, but you just need to play better than your opponent - so simple, yet so effective. oh andre, once again, we miss you!

perfect ny weekend

adios, summer, we loved you so. the last weekend of summer was gorgeous in the city, warm weather and fewer people, and i loved every minute of it. had breakfast (thanks, l. & l.) and lunch with some friends on saturday, after which i went to sit in the nearby plaza with a book. while i was there i saw three brothers of different ages, dressed identically. i don't know why it bothers me, but it totally does - i have issues when parents dress twins the same way, but twins get away with it for a while. here, the boys were like 10,8, and 5 - it was just interesting. and then sunday... ah, sunday. a day of truly nothing - read some, watched a great movie (aqueelah and the bee) and did nothing else, it was absolutely lovely. yesterday was fun, spent the whole day getting a tan (rats) at the open. roddick got an easy by, but thankfully we got to see the blake-haas match. we sat through the first 3 sets, and then decided to get a glimpse of davydenko, with the understanding that if somehow haas won the 4th, we'd come back. of course, by the time we sat down for davydenko, haas had blown through blake 4-0 in the 4th, it was insane. we literally ran back to ashe and caught the 5th set, and what a set it was! both haas and blake played really well in the 5th, even though they blew chances earlier. the crowd was heavily pro-blake, but a few of us just wanted tommy to pull it out. finally, in a final-ditch tiebreak, he did. a solid 8 hours of tennis and i wanted more! so i came home and watched federer play the total cutie feliciano lopez. the kid is 26 and gorgeous (he's a spaniard). lopez did well early on, but then federer just laid into him, in true r-fed style. all in all, a wonderful weekend full of friends, tennis, and entertainment - what more can a girl ask for!

to know lloyd dobler

is to love him. how true those words are. p. and i watched say anything today, and what a wonderful movie. it is easily my favorite american movie, i absolutely love it. every line: "i gave her my heart, and she gave me a pen" "a dare-to-be-great situation" "and don't you ever think it" "the world is full of guys. don't be a guy, be a man" "kickboxing, the sport of the future" "joe lies" and "i'm the distraction that's going with her to england" is just awesome. and who can forget the seminal scene with the boombox.... sigh.

oh andre

went to the us open on thursday night and saw sharapova and blake vs. santoro. sharapova won easily, but blake had a hard time beating a tired and injured santoro, who totally won over the crowd with his tenacity and drive. but, overall, i just missed agassi. just knowing that he wasn't there to play was tough. obviously, because the open is going on, i think more about it, but it really is quite sad.

also, who says we can't get peace on earth and goodwill towards all men, esp. sworn enemies:

stunning, sobering realization

i know the words to almost half of justin timberlake's futuresex lovesounds album. my head is hung low in shame (and moving up and down to the beat....)

secular politics

yesterday, i read an article in vanity fair by christopher hitchens. his new book has been out a while, but i haven't read it or even about it. but the article was an interesting take on reaction to the book, which basically, if my interpretation is correct, presents an atheist viewpoint against religion in general. conservatives, in a "know-thine-enemy" move, have propelled it to great success apparently. but anyways, the article talks about religion and politics, mentioning mitt romney, al sharpton and several other names. at the end, he writes something like (but much more eloquently, i'm sure) - one day there will be a presidential candidate who says he's not a man of faith, and there will be no major repercussions. it immediately struck me because it seems so hopeful, and i don't view hitchens as hopeful. still, it got me thinking - could it happen? in this country, where religion and politics are so hypocritically entwined, could we actually not care if a national candidate said he had no faith whatsoever?

finally, a sign

that things must changing for the good. yesterday, i think a pigeon pooped on me - yes, laid one right on top of my head as it was flying by. as disgusted as i was, i could only take solace in the fact that some very wise people ages ago said the indignity of being defecated upon is a lucky thing. allright, world, bring on the good luck, i'm SOO ready.

south africa fo sho

that was the slogan of the south african broadcasting company - or at least that's what it sounded like to me! i recently spent eight days in SA with two friends, and it was a wonderful trip. the country is beautiful and the people are extremely friendly. there are obvious signs that racial tensions still exist, as the country still seems segregated, though of course, now it's not apartheid. still, it's a great place and i really wish we had much longer to explore. still, here are some scenes from SA:

not completely useless

one of my not-so-secret shames - i'm a soap opera addict. maybe not a tape-everyday-without-fail addict, but definitely someone who stays updated on my favorite show, general hospital (snaps and swoons for sonny corinthos and jason morgan), on a regular basis. it takes very little for me to latch on, albeit temporarily, to a new soap. i don't really like most american soaps because they're ridiculous, but the indian ones are a whole 'nother story. indian serials, as they're called, are absolutely off-the-chain bad - contrived situations, rehashed plots, over-the-top characters, hideous actors/actresses, pathetically bad acting and overly-dramatic sound effects/visual tricks. still, despite all the negatives, i can start watching a show and follow it regularly for about six months before my frustration and disgust reaches dangerous levels. (of course, if there's a cute boy involved, my interest can be kept a little longer...) my willingness to put up with indian soaps has made me the source of astonishment/ridicule from my family, but it's ok, it's just the tip of the iceberg for them. but, now, thanks to a new study, i may not need to be so embarrassed by the shows. it seems, because the shows are so liberated-women-centric, they have actually changed gender attitudes in central india. while some of the stats in this story seem a little exaggerated, if even part of it is true, it's a good thing. though my personal opinion is that many of the female characters on these shows are really annoying, i'm sure they represent a whole new world to rural women in india.

bonkers for becks

please let me spend all my saturday nights with such attractive men. i was one of the lucky 66,000 to see david beckham play his first MLS start for the Galaxy against the Red Bulls. and we definitely got our money's worth, as our seats were amazing 2nd row, corner and becks played the entire game, despite a still-recuperating ankle. he played really well, setting up two goals in the first eight minutes of the game. we got to see him upclose several times as he took several corner kicks from right in front of us. though the loser crowd booed him at times, you couldn't help but notices the flash of bulbs and the immediate standing of the crowd sections as he ran by. he was pretty gracious as well, smiling at the crowd when he came near. sadly, he didn't make any of his own free kicks though, partly because of the artificial turf, which will take some time for him to conquer. but most importantly, he did take off his shirt at the end, thank you god (unfortunately, he was at the other side of the pitch when it happened, but i've included a shot, so you don't think i don't spread the wealth!). he is too pretty, and SOOOO fit, i could be getting close to dangerous levels of coveting him. plus, he's english - what is there not to like?

happy 60th india!

india celebrated its 60th anniversary as an independent and free nation yesterday. it's an interesting time for india - the country is growing by leaps and bounds in so many respects, but is still struggling to provide basic human needs in many other areas. the british left india with a lot of problems, surprise surprise, and it has taken leaders years to try to foster unity. of course, many political leaders have encouraged the differences as a means to their enduring power, but i try to remain hopeful that they will come to their senses soon. i understand its naive to think a country as varied - culturally, linguistically, religiously, geographically, and politically - as india wont always have an uphill struggle to find common ground, but i do hope it will happen. the pace at which india is changing in the metropolitan areas vs. the continuing lack of education and development in the interior is an even more daunting challenge for the country. and though the economic boom india has experienced because of the IT sector is vital, political and business leaders must soon realize that complete dependence upon other countries can only cripple them in the long run. india must begin to create economic opportunities that are 100% desi.

but for all its problems, india remains a country full of the enthusiasm, dreams, grace, intellect, beauty and hard work of a billion people. and those billion people have the capacity to be great and do magnificent things. so, all i can say is CHAK DE INDIA!!

jane in the city

those of you that know me, know that i ADORE jane austen. i've loved her since i was in high school. gotta admit, initially, emma didn't do it for me, but by the end, i was hooked. then i read p&p, saw the bbc miniseries (thank god for fitzwilliam darcy and colin firth) and that was it - a life-long obsession was born. so, the recent interest in jane austen has been interesting and somewhat fun. though austen's own words, esp. those of p&p, will remain among my favorites ever, i've enjoyed reading some of the fake "sequels" and modern re-imaginings. there are a bunch of books due out this summer and one of them, me and mr. darcy, starts with this line: "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single girl in possession of her right mind must be in want of a decent man." LOVE it!!

impending doom

so i ran into a bachelor party on saturday night. i was walking home and i saw this group of guys, with one dude in the middle.... with a ball and chain shackled to his leg. the boys - and i do mean boys - with him were clearly amused to no end by the gag. he was carrying the ball and they kept asking him to do stuff with it. i had never seen that before and i just found it hilarious/sad.

for shame

new details are out about pat tillman's death and the ensuing coverup. there is information on his actual wounds and the military's immediate and long-term efforts to hide the truth about his death. the report indicates doctors suspected something was wrong right away and when they tried to get more information, they were blocked. but the most annoying sentence in the story for me was this:

"Army attorneys sent each other congratulatory e-mails for keeping criminal investigators at bay as the Army conducted an internal friendly-fire investigation that resulted in administrative, or non-criminal, punishments."

can you imagine this? sadly, yes. attorneys actually applauding that they kept investigators, and most importantly, tillman's family, in the dark about his death. i don't think any information that has come out has diminished tillman's sacrifice or service, but it has made me so sick about how the military has treated one of its own.

responsibility or realistic?

there's an article in the times today about the children's book series, junie b. basically it follows a kindergarten-aged girl, who is mischievous. it's a popular series, but some parents take issue because of some of what the kid does, but more importantly, because of how she speaks and spells. the author regularly uses incorrect grammar and spelling in the book. she says, that's how a real 5 or 6 year old would speak/spell. education specialists/parents say children should be taught proper spelling/grammar from the beginning. it's an interesting debate, i think. mark twain's huckleberry finn has been cited as an example of great writing, that is not completely in line with grammar rules. that's true, but at the same time, finn probably wasn't written primarily for children (was it?). the article caught my interest, especially in the wake of potter.

btw, the entire time i've been writing this post, i've worried about my grammar/spelling. i think i'm okay, but i wouldn't put any money on it... so sad.

all is well

so it's done. the decade-long saga of harry potter comes to an end. i finished reading the book yesterday, i just couldn't put it down. at first, i found myself rushing through it, just cuz i couldn't wait to see what happened. then, as i read each chapter, it dawned on me that this was it, no more would i wonder what happens to hp and company. the end of the this book was THE END. and that is a sobering realization. but, i have to say, without giving away any plot points, that i think she did justice to the series. there were some shocks, some sad points, some smiles, and some laughs. and though i'm sad beyond belief that it's finished, overall, i'm just glad that these books were written. hp and friends can serve as a real inspiration to generations of children and adults alike, regardless of their literary status. since this is such a vague "review" i wont say more, because i would hate to spoil the book for anyone. perhaps in a few days i'll write a little more, once everyone has had a fair chance to read the conclusion firsthand. but i'll just say, see you later, hp - it's no use saying goodbye, i know we'll be revisiting every so often in the future.

who am i?

ah, the eternal existential question... just kidding.

but, if you want some fun help with the above, check out this link: http://www.personaldna.com/

you have to complete a somewhat-involved set of questions, but it spits back your "DNA" - and it may be freakishly accurate (i think it was in my case). and, as an introductory, limited time offer, if you tell me yours, i'll tell you mine!

does he know cher and d?

yesterday, bush was speaking in nashville - this is a little excerpt:

AUDIENCE QUESTION: Mr. President, music is one of our largest exports the country has. Currently, every country in the world -- except China, Iran, North Korea, Rwanda and the United States -- pay a statutory royalty to the performing artists for radio and television air play. Would your administration consider changing our laws to align it with the rest of the world?

THE PRESIDENT: Help. Maybe you've never had a President say this -- I have, like, no earthly idea what you're talking about. Sounds like we're keeping interesting company, you know? Look, I'll give you the old classic: contact my office, will you? I really don't -- I'm totally out of my lane. I like listening to country music, if that helps.

absolutely hilarious. completely honest, for once, but just too funny!

overheard at work

producer: "there's a new elian. we have a package, but i haven't been able to see it yet. so, we don't know if he's cute or not."

spoiling harry

why people why?

i'm normally a total sucker for spoilers, i LOVE knowing some of what's going to happen on my favorite tv shows. and now that information from hp7 is on the internet, i'm having a tough time not clicking on one of the links. the tough part is that there are still two days before the book is out and then... then, i have to fight the urge to not read the last page first. what to do, AUGH??

meet the simpsons me:

i'm not a huge simpsons fan, but my appreciation for the show's wit has increased over the years. still, i can't say that i watch it regularly, but doing this was just fun! you simpsons' fans, give me details on my character: name, occupation, annoying personality tic...

mea culpa

so, last post i compared her to a piece of furniture, perhaps a little mean of me. but, i watched the victoria beckham special on nbc last night, and i gotta say, what a smart move by her handlers. she hasn't won me over completely, but i've done a 140 on my opinion of her. posh was very funny, she actually smiled (though she didn't eat), and she seemed to be a real person. of course, much of it was staged for the "reality" show, so i'm sure she knew to be on her best behavior, but some of the things she said were absolutely hilarious. when confronted by crazy, denying-their-true-age-with-botox ladies, she goes - there's only one way to deal with this, get more drunk. so true. she questioned why young hollywood girls want to go underwearless - so true. and she made repeated fun of herself, self-deprecation, so true. she spoke often, and fondly, of "david and the boys" and overall, just seemed like she's much more confident, witty & self-aware than i had ever thought. she's still high-maintenance, but then again, i suppose when you get to that level of double celebrity, it's hard to avoid the trappings of fame. oh, and i totally want to adopt her catchphrase - everything is "MAY-JUH"

becks on the brain

ooh, sometimes i love my job - like when i'm required to watch the beckham galaxy presentation... yum. he is just so pretty. yes, the voice needs help, but who cares? not when the final product is this:

i just cant get enough of the accent. today, during his speech, he said that family came first, and then, the second most important thing was footb- before catching himself and saying soccer. he then apologized and said he'd get used to that at some point - adorable! of course posh was there, looking wooden & waxy - kinda like a coffee table i guess.

fancy new beesly

that is what my next custom-made t-shirt will say (it also makes an awesome band name or even a group name for vh1's world series of pop culture). or maybe - i love jim halpert.

i just rewatched the office episode where jim and pam talk over the phone for the first time after he leaves and have an awesome conversation about absolutely nothing. i seriously love the character they've created with jim, he's absolutely lovable and adorable. he really epitomizes what me and most of my girlfriends are looking for... which sucks for us, since he's not real. damn.

yippee-ki-yay!

happy 5th of july people - hope you all had a wonderful 4th. mine was great - a picnic (albeit, an indoor one in the end) with a sandwich with a mountain of mozz. and then, though this is somewhat embarrassing i saw die hard for the first time... the original one (thank you l. for bringing it over). it was great, the action was real, the clothes and baddies very 80's and bruce had hair! i loved that the story was set in one night, one location, and one villain - relatively simple compared to the blockbusters of today. and it was hilarious, i can see why people think john mcclane is such a memorable character. almost made me want to see the new one... almost.

ryan howard + kelly kapoor

sitting in a central park amphitheater...

yesterday we went to see the shakespeare in the park production of romeo and juliet... and sitting two rows ahead of us were ryan and kelly from the office. he looked very normal and she looked relatively pretty (though i wasn't crazy about her dress)... it was very exciting to spot true (and talented) celebrities for once. they actually seemed pretty nice as well because they were carrying full conversations with the randoms sitting next to them. as for the production, it was amazing - truly wonderful. water was a major part of the stage and it added such dynamic to the setting, i thought it was a wonderful choice to breathe more life into each scene. the actor playing romeo was brilliant - he injected such humor into the character, just made him come alive. i wasn't too impressed with juliet (lauren ambrose from can't hardly wait) - she was okay, but perhaps it was the fact that she was playing a teen that was more annoying. either way, i just love the company for doing this amazing thing every year.

then today, we saw "company" - the broadway musical - and it was also amazing. i didn't know anything about the show going in, which was wonderful. the lead, raul esparza, was a force. for a character that doesn't have too dynamic a role, he really brough a lot of wry wit and dry humor to the role. his breakthrough at the end was breathtaking. i also loved the set for this one - very sparse, yet suitable. and the entire cast doubled as the orchestra which was insane - how they actually did all that was surprising - on stage the entire show without any liquids or breaks as my friend a. pointed out had to be very tough. and the show itself is just really great - it was an adult show and the themes of love, commitment and being lost were very real. there's two lines in the show - "i'm tired of being in this city, pretending to have a life" and "there's a time to come to new york and a time to leave" both of these lines just struck me as so real - they convey the frustration of many people of a certain age who want more out of their lives. so many different elements in the show just made it a great experience - easily one of my more favorite theater experiences

either way, a weekend full of wonderful entertainment - yea new york!

the end of an era

saw this on the wires:

Restaurant and sausage king Bob Evans will be buried today following a funeral service in southern Ohio. The company Evans founded warns that seating will be limited for the service at the University of Rio (RY'-oh) Grande (grand) in the town of Rio Grande, about 92 miles south of Columbus. Evans died Thursday at the Cleveland Clinic, where he was being treated for pneumonia. He was 89. Fans of the folksy Evans will have another chance to celebrate his life next month. A memorial service will be held Saturday July Seventh on the Ohio State University campus in Columbus.

this town is really close to where i grew up and i had met bob evans at least once. he was a nice guy, very grandfatherly. in fact, he sort of was a surrogate grandpa to one of the girls in my class. the original bob evans farm is about 20 minutes away and remains a great place. while there was evidently some behind-the-scenes drama within the family over the direction of the restaurant, which i think led to it's decline about ten years ago, it is a place i will always associate with my childhood. half my high-school friends waited there as a part-time job and every fall, the farm holds a farm festival that is simple, old-fashioned fun. it's sad to learn of his death, but a wonderful chance to reflect on all he did in his life.

conversation overheard...

if someone were eavesdropping on our table tonight:

v: who breaks up with somebody and then immediately changes their profile on facebook?
s: it's total attention-seeking behavior.
c: exactly.
v: i'm sorry, if i had just broken up with someone, and i were truly devastated, changing my profile would be the furthest thing from my mind.
s: i would be crying, curled up on my bed... with my ice cream.
c: what flavor?
s: i don't know... but it would have beer in it.

(unending cackling follows)

the absolute, most classic representation of my wonderful (and thankfully, morose) friends!

goodbye gilmore girls

so, yes, i must say goodbye to the gilmore girls - i am actually pretty sad at its being over. i thought the finale was pretty good, somewhat cut short by the fact that it all seemed rushed, but overall, a good run. i've talked enough about the series, so that's all i'll say.

my virtual greek god

so, it's a little creepy for me to think apolo anton ohno is adorable, but oh well, i do. i've refrained from blogging about it, because i didn't want to seem like a total loser, but after his performance just now, i had to say something. they are such a cute dancing couple, they're really doing well. i'll be honest, i haven't voted yet (i consider that the final frontier of tv madness), but i may be venturing into deep space pretty soon. i really fear that loser people will propel joey fatone to win, or worse yet, steve sanders....

so this explains it

i haven't checked the validity of this map, but i think it illustrates a key frustration shared by many of my friends... i'll admit, mostly girls. the orange dots stand for single women and the blue dots for single men. yes, it is basically the new red-state blue-state map for me.

but, to me, the most interesting fact of this map is the numbers listed on the two coasts - 185,000 more single females on the east coast, and 40,000 more single men on the west coast. the disparity is even more glaring when you think that there are nearly 150,000 more single women in the major cities. just one less indicator that the cards really are stacked against us.

desis makin' waves

i just read this article in usatoday - it's about south asian actors making inroads into hollywood. it is a very superficial read, but still, i gotta publicize anything that shows indians doing better. i gotta say, the character of kelly in "the office" is easily the most non-stereotypical desi role on tv right now... she is such a great addition to that already amazing show!

controlling our minds (and our pockets)

so starbucks has arguably cornered the market on coffee - but it's still not enough for them:

"Starting today, guests at Omni luxury hotels will find small scented stickers on the front pages of their free copies of USA Today. A blackberry aroma will suggest that the guests start the day at their hotels with a cup of Starbucks coffee "paired with a fresh muffin." The promotion, to be tested for at least six months, is being sponsored by Omni Hotels and Starbucks Coffee. (NYT)

so, it's not enough for them to be the coffee choice, now they want to use subliminal mind-control tricks to manipulate the public's cravings. i agree, it's terrific advertising/marketing strategy, but it's a little too scary for me.

rapper mc rove

at the annual radio-tv correspondents dinner wednesday, two comedians performed a skit where machiavellian karl rove pretended to be a rap star. it is hiliarious to see - seriously, search for a clip on youtube or something, you will die laughing - he tries to dance, tries to hip... and then hop, even throws a little "walk like an egyptian" in... so great! but, what is funnier to me is nbc's david gregory in the background laughing it up and trying to join in. and of course, the only person who has any real dance moves is the unidentified black man on stage. truly, i couldn't stop laughing.

but, to try to be serious about the issue - you have to wonder what sort of credibility these journalists have when the next day, they're supposed to be holding these politicians accountable for their transgressions. i mean, yukking it up with rove is fun, i'm sure, but the man is a political manipulator, who has undoubtedly crossed the line multiple times. the washington press corps is halfway in bed with people in power, which, in my opinion, means they aren't able to ask the questions they should ask, until it is way too late.

sneak peek: hp7

so, here's a first look at the cover art for the final harry potter book.... to me, it looks so much more hopeful than the last one, so maybe that's a good sign. all goldens and creams, no dark greens and blues. perhaps my hope of harry not biting the dust will come true. but i can't rejoice just yet, this is what the art director at scholastic said:

"The structures around Harry show evident destruction and in the shadows behind him, we see outlines of other people. For the first time, the cover is a wraparound. On the back cover spidery hands are outstretched toward Harry. Only when the book is opened does one see a powerful image of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, his glowing red eyes peering out from his hood."

but, against my usual nature, i will continue to dream the impossible dream that our beloved hero will live on to inspire generations of kids to come. they will read the series and believe that you won't always die if you decide to take the hard road, fight the good fight and go mano a mano with pure evil. oh, who am i kidding, she is going to squash him like a bug.

can't argue with that logic

went out to dinner with friends of friends today. we were having a discussion on california and of course, the boys talked about how pretty the women were. the girls, of course, immediately chimed in and said, they're fake pretty.... and who finds that attractive? a second later, one of the guys goes "well, fake pretty sure beats real ugly" absolutely hilarious!

politicized or not?

john and elizabeth edwards today announced that her breast cancer has returned, this time in her rib bone. this development means that, now, her cancer cannot be cured, though it can be treated. i watched the announcement live, and i have to say, i found their candor moving. i know they are used to it, what with all the hardships they've already dealt with in life. more importantly, i admired him for not mentioning his campaign until reporters asked him about it. now, i thought that was very classy, but then the very next minute, i thought, this has been carefully orchestrated by his people. that cynicism then made me sad, but it can't be helped. he is continuing with his campaign, which is also interesting. i do believe that he would drop out if the situation warranted. i'm sure at this point, since it seems that they caught it relatively early, the treatment wont be a minute to minute struggle. i hope so, at least. while edwards hasn't been the most straight politician, i think he's probably a pretty good guy in her personal life which, in the end, is probably the best thing you can say about somone. (but then again, he is a politician, so who knows what happens behind closed doors...)

let's hear it for the boy

uh oh, it's ohno!!

(wish i came up with that on my own) my new-ish love for apolo anton ohno stems from last night's dancing with the stars. the olympic gold medalist in short track speedskating was absolutely adorable. he definitely has room to grow, but he seems very laid back, earnest and obviously, fit (and who could ignore that smile). i think i would change the soul patch and the bandana, but from what i remember from the olympics, those are part of his trademark look. so, i've cast my lot with apolo, let's hope he does well and goes far, i have full faith in his ability to do it!

as for the others, joey fatone is okay, he'll do better than he perhaps deserves cuz of his nsync fanbase. heather mills - not bad, but more media hype than anything else, which is the only reason she did it in the first place. steve from melrose - okay, will do well cuz he's a guy and he's relatively fit. laila ali - she's good, but still comes across as really manly, maybe they need to cover her arms a little. most of the others aren't too bad, save billy ray cyrus, who is truly truly terrible.

inner child syndrome

the fanboy flick 300 has done ridiculously well at the theater, and though i haven't seen the movie, it seems interesting. but i was reading an article on the success of the movie, and the director said that he thinks part of the reason is that the generation of kids who grew up reading these comics are now in their 40s, but they still keep the little 15-year old inside of them alive and willing to spend money on this form of entertainment. it made me think about our whole generation actually - in that, it seems we all are prolonging the days of our youth now. we're all settling down later in life, in all areas - family, job, location, etc.. - and we're completely happy doing it. i guess i just started thinking about my parents' generation, many of them were responsible for major things at this point in their lives, and even some of my cousins, only a few years older than i am, are well into their adulthood, more so in india, but several here as well. is it a cultural thing? or financial? or some sort of generational/sociological trend? i don't know, but i do know that i remain happy (for the most part) in my existence as a girl who is still goofy most of the time.

will he or won't he?

i just read the most fun article in newsweek, which speculates on whether gore will run in '08. the best predictor as to whether the former veep will, once again, throw his hat in the ring:

"A leading indicator of his intentions could be Gore's waistline. The theory is that slimming down will be a signal he intends to run. "He has lost a few pounds, and Hillary can read into that what she wants," says a longtime adviser who declined to be identified discussing his boss's figure. Gore has always been a voracious eater, and at 58, the pounds don't come off so easily. He is trying to be healthier, working out daily when he can."

i love it! but, the funny thing is, is that everyone i talk with has mentioned his weight (and that horrendous woodsman beard a while back ) as a major sign that he may be ready to end the candidate phase of his life. when you think back, i guess all of our recent prez's have been, or at least looked, fit.... though clinton gained during his tenure. it's interesting to think if america would elect a fattie over a woman or a minority. i don't know - the prejudice against an overweight person's competence is a sociological fact.

slushity, slush, slush

yes, new york is pretty when it snows... but the city ain't so lovely a few hours after the storm stops. my goodness, it was nasty outside yesterday afternoon. i actually think the city did a better job cleaning up (well, at least fifth ave) because of the st. patrick's parade, but there were massive slush puddles everywhere, it was horrible trying to walk through. and then of course, the wonderful mass of drunk people who don't quite know where they're headed just makes it all the more, a special experience trying to get home. i did go to a pub for a short time, so was fortunate enough to see a sea of green (and inebriated) folks, a live (and inebriated) bagpiper, but much more importantly, rude (and inebriated) europeans, who couldn't get to their next drink fast enough... gotta love it! but to show that i bear no ill will toward that whole continent of people, here is a yummy peace offering:

cricket mania!

the 2007 cricket world cup is off! i got into cricket a few years back, but i'm still nowhere near the craziness of some others. still, i'm excited to see how things go for india - hopefully we don't completely suck. the matches are all over the caribbean over the next two months, i think my family may even try to go to some, yea! anyways, once again, google got into the celebration, and i love it:

salsa on2

so my friend n. and i just took our first salsa lessons earlier this evening... it was interesting, to say the least. we learned the basic foot movements today, but it was still something to get used to. i have been involved with indian-style dancing since i was a kid, and it is, for the most part, based on a four-beat count. this salsa is based on the 2nd and 5th beats, so it's going to take some time to adjust. but, learning a dance in which pairs are the given is another step toward moving away from my asexual existence. say it with me now, hallelujah!

happy holi!

i really wanted to be in india this year for holi, but plans didn't work out, unfortunately. well, here's to the hope that i will, one day, get to celebrate this colorful (and naughty) festival with the fam!

"to iraq and back"

is the title of bob woodruff's video diary of his experience of reporting in iraq and then being injured and recuperating. it was on abc last night and if any of you have a half hour to spare, click this link and watch it. it is a very well done piece on his struggles, but also the frustrations of the larger population of soldiers who are undergoing the same process. it was heartbreaking to see the situations they and their families face. it never struck me until just now, that 20 years from now, there will be a slight dip in the number of veterans who saw active combat, but 50 years from now, we'll have a huge number of vets that will need support, and i wonder if our government will be equipped to handle it.

good, but long

the fourth annual oscar party was last night and it was a lot of fun. as for the show, i thought it was okay - the pacing was off, it was too long, but i actually liked parts of it - overall, ellen was funny and enthusiastic. the shadow puppets were cool, and i loved will ferrell, jack black and john reilly. the montages were too long, they give away too many random awards during the show, and they've got to cut the annoying "behind-the-scenes" peek with that dude from mtv. anyways, wanted to post some pics of the food, there was too much of it, but i had a good time experimenting/making it all:

singing gymrat

so, i just noticed today that i (silently) sing along to my ipod when i'm at the gym. i think some people totally stare when they walk by, and while i'm as paranoid as the next person, i hope it's because i look like i'm talking to myself and not some other reason. i'm also hoping i'm not making weird faces as well... eeek. also a caveat, i can't truthfully call myself a gymrat, but i'm aiming, as part of my pseudo-lent observance, to become a partial one in the next couple of months. wish me luck!

congratulate me

it's My Future Husband with the extended family back home.... :)

city streets, sunday 9 am

saw a mo rocca lookalike walking early this morning and was taken aback. i loved rocca when he was on the daily show, i just thought he was hilarious with his slight lisp, nerdy glasses and, of course, zany humor. but, what is he up to now? i have no idea where he is or what is keeping him busy these days.

chocolate!

the apartment smelled like delicious chocolate twice today - first i made some no-pudge fudge (basically fat-free brownies.. .which, despite the paradoxical sounding name, is actually pretty good)

and then we baked a two-layer dark chocolate cake for a friend's party. and even though we used a box mix, it was fun to be slightly domestic for a while. mmmm, mmmm, good!!

oh goodness

tim hardaway, the former nba player, recently gave a radio interview where he said he hates gay people and that they should not be allowed in the world. the comments came after the public coming out of first nba player. the nba has now barred hardaway from activities surrounding the all-star game, though he has since apologized for his comments. but, what is the deal with this? what is wrong with people that they say these things? ideally, we could stop them from thinking it as well, but i'm a practical person, that will take more time. but don't people who could potentially be role models understand they have to live their lives with a little more respect for what they say and do (i'm talking about michael richards, isaiah washington, britney spears, mel gibson, marv albert, bill clinton... the list goes on and on)

hehe

saw it on their website yesterday, it made me laugh!

in the words of grey's

seriously? seriously! no, seriously.

21 months and counting

election '08 is less than two years away, and it's already the top news story of recent days. obama and romney declaring, hillary and rudy gaining leads in polls, it's all very interesting. i don't really know where the race is going now, but it seems like there are several very un-electable personalities: obama, clinton, giuliani, mccain, bloomberg, romney... all of these people seem to have major obstacles which they will need to overcome in order to be elected president. but then again, maybe it always seems like the candidates are longshots in the beginning, and by the time they've won their party ticket, they've all apologized, conformed, and melded into this unrecognizable mold of a moderate liberal/conservative politician.

whirring around

went to see "because i said so" yesterday and can i tell you, i've rarely seen such a horrible movie (though the king kong remake could rival it). seriously, overacting in abundance, and no real plot line whatsoever. diane keaton plays a "helicopter" mom, one who hovers over her youngest daughter regarding her single status. all the characters criticized her for that trait and even the audience is asked to see her as meddling. i didn't realize till later, but i think many indian girls (and perhaps boys also...) have lived with moms like that. i don't mean to imply that my own mother is that manic, but there is definitely a tendency to worry about the eventual marriage. diane keaton puts out a personal ad for her daughter and vets the first-round herself, letting only one guy eventually get in touch with her daughter. what is this, if not an arranged "marriage" process? it was just very interesting to think that the movie basically disguised a situation that routinely occurs in many indian households! obviously, there are many indian children who rebel against the process, and no one would enjoy being deceived as happens in the movie, but i wonder if cultural differences play a part in the acceptance that parental involvement in the husband hunt is a likely thing.

ringless no more

so, the colts won the superbowl last night, thank goodness. nothing against the bears, in fact, had they been playing the pats, i would have rooted for them to kill brady's bunch. but, in the end, peyton manning and, more importantly, coach tony dungy, were able to walk away with the win. for manning, it was the culmination of a career marked by too many near misses. as for dungy, i have rarely seen a coach handle himself with as much as grace and class as he has. but how much fun was the game? the rain was just ridiculous, it made the entire game a joke - like 4 fumble turnovers, grossman couldn't keep the ball and runners just slipping everywhere...

anyways, i came across this little passage in a sportswriter's article. i just thought it added a bit of interesting info to the whole story:

"Two and a half hours before the Super Bowl kickoff, when the stadium was practically empty and neither team had yet come out to warm up, one solitary figure stood near the end zone, firing touchdown passes to a couple of his receivers who had joined him to play catch.

The man was dressed in all gray, with no jersey or helmet. He stood in an imaginary pocket. Sometimes he rolled out. He lofted passes to the corners. He hit receivers cutting across the middle.

You had to look twice to make sure who it was. The man taking the extra work turned out to be the one person in the game who didn't really need it.

It was Peyton Manning."

mathletes unite!

i went to see a great off-broadway play today. victoria martin: math team queen follows a popular girl who joins the math team to avoid getting detention. of course, she has an untapped gift for math, and she quickly learns that there's more to geeks than just retainers and klingon... though barely. it's a cute, funny show, with really great performances. the actors portray high school teens in a realistic way - a combination of angst, humor, and resilience. i also loved that they dropped stuff from the ceiling - it is my way favorite thing for plays/musicals. it never ceases to instill a sense of childlike wonderment that i could reach out and actually touch little pieces of the show!

and no, i wasn't on the math team... that would be science olympiad instead, thank you very much.

friday night at fedex

tonight after work found me walking through a somewhat shady part of town to pickup a missed package. i had felt sad at the prospect of spending even part of my friday night at such a lame place, but was, of course, rewarded with an extra long stay. they couldn't find my package for about half an hour so i ended up sitting it out in the store. i thought i'd be the only person to be at the fedex during the last half hour it is open, but, first, a south asian guy comes in with tons of little packages. then a british couple - he with slightly fruity shoes, she with a chic coat - comes in and retrieves a packet. then another man comes in to ship boxes of something that could be dubious, medical waste/experimentation, to be quickly followed by a black guy, scrolling through his blackberry, while also pulling cd cases out of his jacket pocket. finally, an eastern european man walks in to mail something and starts pulling out random papers at the box counter. now, while i'm sure the rundown seems slightly crazy, it was just interesting to think that these people, who seemed to come from very different walks of life, all had late evening business to do at a random fedex on the westside. and who knows where the packages they retrieved were from or the destination of the packages they sent off - it struck me as a really small world or one with infinite possibilities.

just around the bend

hp7 will drop on july 21st... a mere five and a half months from now. i am so excited, but also somewhat sad at the prospect of losing the feeling of anticipation for another book. still, harry potter and the deathly hallows promises to be an exciting book, though i must reiterate my belief that she must not kill our main boy... actually, i think i better say our main man, have you seen those recent pics of daniel radcliffe? they're so disturbing. now, i happen to think the kid is a little cutie, but dude, i don't want to see him even close to partially nude. but, let's just say that i am being forced to, as these publicity shots have been all over the web lately, can i just say two words - fake tan. please.

so long, champ

barbaro's owners decided to put the derby winner down early this morning, and i think they made a smart, humane decision. everyone was saddened by his injury and his owners truly went above the call of duty to treat him. one of my friends today said that all we'd been hearing was positive news about his recovery, but i had recently seen several stories that said they had been doing surgeries, casts, and slings as he continued to develop problems. putting him through much more of that would, in my opinion, have just been wrong.

the maestro

so yesterday i watched part of the federer-roddick match... and just marvelled at how amazing he is. now, i'm no fan of roddick, but even i was embarrassed to see him lose so pitifully. federer literally made the second set look like a practice session, just perfecting his exact shot placement. even roddick's serve didn't seem to be an effective weapon, it was wonderful. but, i was laughing at the commentators, they didn't seem to know how to talk about the match... dick compared federer to an entire orchestra, mary carillo was so frustrated she was quiet, and luke jensen (who is an odd choice to begin with) never said anything unless he prompted.

no one mourns the wicked...

except the end of it that is. i won the lottery tickets for wicked tonight, which is the like maybe the third time in my life i've won anything random... very exciting! anyways, my friend l. and i went to the show, and it is great. it's a side story to "the wizard of oz" - how the so-called 'wicked witch of the west' came to be. the story was very cute, the music was wonderful and the costumes/sets were green, goth, and gorgeous we sat in the first row, and i was truly amazed at these singer/actors... unbelievable. their talent is truly inspiring. in case you're wondering, my favorite song from the show was "defying gravity" though "i'm not that girl" came close because i could definitely relate.

also, l. had some serious flirtation going on with the orchestra conductor... well, with the back of his head at least. gotta admit though, he was a cutie!

let it snow...

just not too much! i am so happy to see snow outside the window. it's about time to see new york blanketed, even if for a few hours.

ethnic responsibility

i'm a relative latecomer to 24, just started watching regularly last year. i was definitely looking forward to this year's premiere, especially considering kal penn was part of the show. as excited as i was to see him in the first hour, pretty soon my enthusiasm turned into sadness when i realized he was a terrorist in the show. then last night, he played a rapist on law & order. now, i know he's just trying to get his serious acting chops out there, and i don't even think he's a top offender, but it made me think of actors who take jobs that portray their ethnic/racial identities in negative stereotypes. i started thinking about this during the united 93 movie - where some actors were given grief for portraying the terrorists that took the flight hostage. it's an interesting dilemma and i can understand both sides of the argument - reinforcing those images vs. getting work and hoping to lessen those stereotypes eventually. anyways, just something i was thinking about as i watched my beloved kumar do serious damage instead of just smoking it up and riding a wild cheetah!

bollywood buzz

two of the quote-unquote biggest stars in hindi movies... abhishek bachchan and aishwarya rai... got engaged last night, and it's making news all over the internet. cnn is reporting it on its website, and i've seen it several other places. speculation about the couple, known as abhiwarya, has been everywhere for several months, but it's official now. if you know my taste in desi movies, you know i don't really like ash at all, but i've warmed up to abhishek. his performances in several films have been great, though i don't think he should dance a lot. as for the couple, both of them have shady romantic backgrounds - particularly ash with salman khan - so i'm not sure where this will go. also interesting - apparently, their stars don't match, and so they've visited numerous temples to try to better align their horoscopes. now, i'm a borderline believer in astrology, so let's see.

a baby's cry

just saw children of men, and i thought it was pretty good. the movie is very bleak, both how it's shot and its central theme - a world torn by global violence and the human race dehydrated by global infertility. the story is harsh, but the image that stays with me is how it was shot. the director, alfonso cuaron, used a lot of hand held camera and i feel it worked beautifully. there are two sequences in particular - one, a long car chase shot from inside the car, and two, a gunfight scene where the camera runs alongside the hero, clive owen. both are just amazingly well done. owen is very good, solid and stark, yet hopeful... but i also think they wrote his character well. i can't say the same about the entire plot, i just wish they explained more - i wasn't sure why i was being asked to care about the main struggle, trying to smuggle a pregnant woman out of england. that being said, i thought some of the imagery was very relevant to the world we live in today, where fear of others and the common occurrence of violence heighten and meld into an apocalyptic existence.