An interesting evening -- Kuku's II Metro Ride

We wanted to visit the play-gym near our home but when we reached there, it was closed. Not wanting to spend the evening at home, we decided to go on the metro. Kuku has not been on one for almost six months now.

We parked at the Byappanhalli station and walked in. I forgot all about the frisking and walked toward the escalator when I was asked to go back. Kuku didn't want to wait and decided to go on the escalator by himself. He made for the escalator but the security guard, decided to stop Kuku. Unfortunately, he was not aware that Kuku hates to be carried by someone he does not know. In seconds, ppl looked shocked at the volume on Kuku! I was handed the screaming toddler with a smile while he continued bawling away. The screaming toddler suddenly had a bucket full of tears falling from his eyes and he wanted to get down while wiping his tears with his hand. Uff!! I was ready to sit down and cry - seriously!  I was already wondering why I had even thought this was a good idea but the rest of the evening was actually quite nice.

Anyway, after all the hoo-haa, we reached the platform without any more incidents. Kuku stared awe-struck as the metro train silently entered the station. After we boarded the train, he held on as if for dear life. The snap shows how scared he is :)

He also watched as the door beeped every time it opened and shut (at every station). At every station he kept saying 'Aaachu" (finished). We wondered if he wanted the ride to be over or he wanted to know if it was over.

We got off at the MG Road station and took a walk on the MG Road boulevard. It was quite late in

the evening but not very cold and so we happily walked almost all the way. Kuku really enjoyed the walk. He insisted on walking and refused to be carried and he made cheeky faces at his dad as his Dad was busy shooting candid pics.

It was a nice walk and there was a nice little Dasaprakash which did not look like it was functional but surprisingly it was. We decided to stop on our way back. The Arien ordered for a masala dosa and coffee. I ordered for vada. Vada was badly burnt and tasted awful. Masala dosa was yummy. Coffee was good as per the Arien.

Then came the shock - no return metro ride. It was after 8 and apparently, for a few days the train was not available after 8. We could not get an auto and we kept walking. It was not a warm evening and we were not dressed for walking in the cold. We finally got an auto and we were trying to protect Kuku from the cold air and he tried to push my hand and duppatta away! Uff. I do not think we have ever been that happy to see our car as we were that day. Serves us right for not looking for notices :(

An interesting evening!!

Wordless Weekend -- Happy Second Birthday to Kuku

Kuku's Cakes for his Second Birthday

Spy -- Movie Review

After a long time, got to watch a comedy movie of my choice. We usually watch whodunits and thrillers so this change was good. Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) is a CIA analyst who spends most of her time in a rat-and-bat infested basement, being the ear-piece of the field agent, Bradley Fine (Jude Law) and saves him from danger. She is also secretly in love with him. When Bradley dies in a mission gone wrong, Susan wants to avenge him and opts to get out on the field. How this plan goes all funny and finally right forms the rest of the movie. The movie starts with 007 like opening credits that is impressive as hell.

Melissa McCarthy from Mike and Molly and BridesMaids, is really really funny. I loved her in Mike Molly and she held her own in Bridesmaids but here she is near perfect as Susan Coooper. Jude Law looks dapper and you totally understand that Melissa is in love with him.

Jason Statham was absolutely and amazingly funny. A great find! The Arien has watched so many of his action movies that he found him absolutely amusing in this role. His dialogues drove us crazy :)

The funny moments are not corny and so I really enjoyed it all. The supporting cast was really good. Some of the funniest moments were the verbal slaps between Melissa and Rose Bryne (in a scary hairdo - very reminiscent of 60s and 70s heroines in Indian movies) and of course, Jason Statham's amazing achievements. A really funny moment was when Melissa ate a hand towel assuming it was an appetizer. Very funny and very real :) Also, when she killed an assassin and then tried not to puke over him (eyyooow but we were laughing).

For the folks who follow the bollywood scene, we have Nargis Fakhri in a blink and miss appearance first and a fight to death scene with Melissa. She had on a green jump suit as seen in this pic and the fight was surprisingly funny. You could not see much of her during the fight - it was quite fast and over after a couple of whacks with a pan and a knife to the heart!

We also have a cameo from 50 cents - it did not looked added on for effect and was funny :) 

It was a good break and though we caught it in two sittings - it was worth waiting for. Really enjoyed it. Watch it when you can. 

Where did June, July, and most of August go?

June was busy to say the least. One significant happening was that Kuku started Play School. While I was heaving a huge sigh of relief on one side, I was also all senti and ready to cry when he was all dressed to go. The first day was a dream. Apparently, he did not cry at all after the initial shock when he realized we were not coming in with him. The teachers were so full of praise about his stoic persona that I could not believe my luck. Well, it lasted all of 1 day :D

That is a snap of him on his first day at play school before he walked in. Before the drama, I would have to say.

June was spent in tears, emotional hugs, falling sick, all achieved with a rapid frequency hitherto unheard of.

July, I started to slowly get back to a routine and was in office 4 days a week. This proved to be too much for Kuku. He looked at both actions as punishments - he was being banished to playschool and I was not at home when he came back.

So, July, was also spent in tears, and you know the rest.  To say that those two months were extremely stressful for all of us would be an understatement. I wondered if I should quit. I also wondered if Kuku should be removed from the current playschool. I knew that Kuku moving to a new school was going to be nerve-wracking for both of us- worse than the current one. I was not sure if my quitting would really change things for all of us. The Jury is still out on that though!

August was better than June and July. Kuku kinda settled - not great but better than before. According to his teachers, he participates in most of the activities.

That is a picture of him on blue day playing with a blue ball :)

He still cries unpredictably and throws tantrums left, right, and center. He is also into behaving quite irrationally - I know, I know - He is a baby. There are days when I really doubt it :P There are days when I want to lie down flat and kick my feet in the air shrieking like a banshee whenever things do not go exactly as I want them to :)

Anyway, now I am back. Hopefully, I may manage one more post before August is done! Well, that is hoping for a lot :)

May 2015 Update on my Classics Re-Reading Spree -- Not too bad

So, its time for yet another update on the status of my Classics re-reading spree. No waning of interest as yet. So, what have I completed so far? Here you go:

• Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
• The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald 
• Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
•  Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Currently reading The Enchanted Castle by Edith Nesbit. I am as usual picking books at random. I believe that is the reason I am still reading the books :)

Kuku's First Haircut -- Another First this month

So, our trip to Chennai resulted in Kuku falling sick - thanks to the weather change. After the fever and resultant sickness went away, the Arien insisted that we cut his hair. So, the next weekend, Kuku had his first haircut.

Just before the Haircut

Kuku was extremely happy with all the attention as he sat on a high chair etc. but cried incessantly as the guy tried to cut his hair. I was holding his right hand, the Arien was holding his left hand, and the Senior Arien was providing support by standing behind Kuku but nothing really worked... he wanted out and he cried till he could get out :(

So, the haircut while mostly done was not perfect as he refused to let the guy cut some of the slightly longer ends. I did not want to force him. He was crying so much his nose was running :(

We decided to feed ourselves as a reward for the tough job that was completed. All of us were quite stressed :) We spotted a nearby Chaat place and all of us enjoyed Chaat. Kuku was provided puffed rice in a Katori and that kept him occupied while we ate the Chaat.

And just like that, I had another first with Kuku. Nice!

Wordless Wednesdays -- 300 Posts -- New Milestone -- Yeah!

Image Courtesy: www.z90.com

Uttama Villain -- Movie Review

I am a Kamal Hassan fan. His movies and roles are usually well-chosen (not always though), his acting is always top-knotch, and you either enjoy the movie and want everyone to watch it or you totally hate it and want to tell everyone to not watch it. He has had his flops, his commercial hits some of which were total masala potboilers as well, but you wanted to know what he had to offer and so you would always go to watch his latest movie.

As per the latest news, Uttama Villain is a hit and has had a good opening. The reviews have been uniformly very sweet - positive response and critical appreciation n all that. So, this is one scary review to write. ** Spoilers Ahead**

Story:
Kamal is Manoranjan, an aging super star who is still loved by the masses. He is married to Varalakshmi (Urvashi) and has a son. His father-in-law is Poorna Chandra Rao (a famous producer). He is in the middle of an affair with his doctor, Arpana (Andrea Jeremiah) and his latest film is a sooper hit. He occasionally takes a  swig from his bottle and sometimes faints in the restroom.

Image Courtesy: http://stargallery.in/uthama-villain-movie-new-stills/kamal-haasan-pooja-kumar-uttama-villain-movie-stills-10/

His manager, Chokku (M S Bhasker) is in-charge of keeping a lot of this hidden from the press and from his family. His co-star is Pooja Kumar. To celebrate the success of his movie, a party is organized at his home.

At this party, he learns two life-altering truths. How does he handle both the situations forms the rest of the story.

K Balachander, the director, plays director Margadarshi in the movie and makes a movie for Manoranjan.  

Image Courtesy:  http://silverscreen.in/media/photos/uttama-villain-movie-stills/

Some scenes that stayed in my mind:

• Dr. Arpana is going to share the first of the life-altering news with Manoranjan and she is unable to handle the same. That was what it was supposed to be - but what it looked like - a) Dr. Arpana was doing a wild, wriggly, snake dance to catch Manoranjan's attention b) Dr. Arpana had just been groped by the other actor in the scene, was trying to squirm away from another grope, and calling attention to the same c) Dr. Arpana wanted to use the loo and the director insisted on completing the scene before he allowed a loo break d) Dr. Arapana's beautician or make-up lady has gone on long leave and she has no idea how she can continue to look as fabulous without her e) The Director said that no free lunch was going to be served that day
• When Manoranjan refers to his driver as his sotthu (Riches or Treasure) and the driver sheds tears of joy. You want to yell 'Yenna Mirugam Aaakathe' just as S Ve Shekar does in most of his dramas.
• When Manoranjan hears the second life-altering news from Zachaeriah (Jayaraman). There is no histronics or melodrama or over the top acting but there is also not much anything - like emoshun or acting. It fell flat - I did not feel that Kamal was much upset - his dialogues were sharing his grief and shock but no emoshun except a very exaggerated sigh and some rolling of eyes. He has done that way better in gazillion scenes in so many movies - I could not comprehend it.
• When Chokku is asked to read the parting letter from Kamal's old flame out loud. Dr. Arpana tries to leave, Mano roars SIT DOWN. Chokku squints or blinks and then comes forward to read it near the reflected light from the screen. There must have been some major meaning to this scene but I did not get it. The letter was so blaah.. it was so not worth the SIT DOWN or the theatrical touch.

Blast From the Past - A still from MMKR

Its not that the movie does not have some genuinely funny scenes or sequences - the ayyo appa and ayyappa scene in the movie within the movie, the scene where Urvashi is admitted in the hospital and says that she was quite beautiful years ago and she has spoilt her looks by eating - you cannot help smiling as you remember Urvashi and Kamal from the movie 'Michael Madana Kama Rajan'.

Image Courtesy: http://www.indiaglitz.com/another-interesting-addition-to-uthama-villain-star-cast-tamil-news-104616.html

Also, the scene where Kamal meets with Margadarshi and he shouts at Manoranjan for doing masala potboilers and various meaningless movies. Some of those dialogues were quite close to the truth.

But, the funny scenes were too few in number and do not save the movie from falling flat. The movie within the movie was funny for a bit and then it got too bizarre and the thaiyyam n koothu while artistically well executed - did not help the movie at all.

Image Courtesy:  http://www.cinedesh.com/tag/uthama-villain-heroine/

Sorry, Kamal, this movie was way too indulgent even for you Or maybe it was too intellectual for me.

First movie experience with Kuku

While on our shortest visit to Chennai, ever, we managed to catch the latest Kamal Hassan movie, Uttama Villain. You can read the review in my next post. It was Kuku's first movie experience.

To start at the beginning, we thought the drive and the popcorn that we were eating outside was a good prelude to the movie for Kuku. But, Kuku believed otherwise. He ran all around the place, accepting popcorn from my niece - who gave him tiny bite-sized bits for easy chewing. He attempted hide n seek but seeing the crowd decided against it. And then he went from one person's arm to the other. We were about 10 ppl watching the movie and so it was a while before he came back to me :) All this happened outside the screen.

Once inside, Kuku was quite surprised that we all had to stay put in one place and shrieked. The Arien dutifully walked him down to the lowest or first row. Then the lights dimmed and Kuku wanted to climb up and down in parallel to the rows of seats - so, the Arien took him up and then down and then out. I was so guilty that I timed myself to step out exactly after 30 mts to bail the Arien out. I got up from my seat only to find the Arien standing near the stairs to the exit with a fast asleep Kuku in his arms. He slept for about 30 mts and then same issue - lets go up and down, up and down, up and down. Thankfully, it was Intermission by then.

Post Intermission and a few scenes later, I decided to relieve the Arien and found them near the stairs leading to the exit. Arien was watching the screen, Kuku was watching his rhymes on the Arien's phone! I watched the rest of the movie from the stairs while Kuku continued to watch his rhymes so the Arien could sit in his seat for a little more than 15 mts.

So, that was our amazing (???) experience at the movie hall. On our drive back, the Arien whispered, "Lets not watch a movie in a theatre until he is old enough to sit and enjoy the same." I had to agree. So, while we will continue to watch movies, it maybe in our home rather than on the big screen, for a while at least.  


     

Breakfast at MTR, Metro Ride, and Meeting a friend at the Hospital -- Eventful Day

It has been a while since we had breakfast together as a family though we live in the same Apartment complex. So, when the Arien suggested we all meet up for breakfast outside, all of us agreed. The Taurean wanted to eat at MTR, Indiranagar, and thats where we went.

We started on time, around 8 am. We were surprised to find that we had to wait to be seated. Anyway, we went in and the Arien asked the waiter for the menu. They do not maintain any. The waiter instead, rattled - "Idli, Dosa, Masala Dosa, Neer Dosa,...". The Arien interrupted him with "Do you have any Rice Bath?" The answer was No. Before he could repeat his menu, the Arien asked "Do you have Poori?" The answer was No again. Arien asked "Do you have pongal?" The answer was No again. I asked for Onion Oothappam and received yet another NO. I have been here before but not for breakfast. I did not know that they did not serve some of the breakfast options. So, instead of wasting time, we ordered masala dosas and Idlis. The masala dosas arrived quickly enough with a small Katori of Ghee. As we ate, we noticed giant Mangalore Bajjis which looked like pooris from a distance. We realized that we had interrupted the waiter so many times that he forgot to tell us about the bhajjis. Anyway, the Masala dosas were crispy and yummy, the green chutney was pretty good - white chutney not so much, ghee seemed excessive. No opinion on the Idlis. But, the Neer Dosa was  pretty good too. Tea or Chai was good. Usually, most places serve great coffee but Tea is supect but I liked the Tea here. It was served hot with no sugar. The Arien and self shared a cuppa. The Arien was a tad bugged with MTR because he wanted to eat 'Rice Palav' or 'Pongal' or 'Poori' none of which they served - I never eat Masala Dosas but I ordered it here. I liked it.

On our return, we took the Metro. You can read 'bout that here.

As soon as we reached home, I tried to put Kuku to sleep. With all the excitement, he fell asleep almost immediately which surprised me a lot but I was glad. I was planning to visit a colleague whose son is sick, at the hospital. Four of us were supposed to go together but we left separately and two of us came back together. The visit was upsetting and I hope and pray that God gives her the strength to continue to be strong.   

First Ride on the Metro with Kuku

We have been planning this ride since Kuku turned 1. Everytime the plan was close to materializing, something else always came up and this was pushed to the back. So, when it happened right out of the blue - it was a whole lotta fun :)

The ride was a short one - in fact, exactly two stops away. We were returning from a breakfast get-together in Indiranagar and the Arien dropped us off at the metro station there and said he would pick us up at Byappanahallai. The Taurean, self, and Kuku were taking the metro ride while the Ariens were driving to the drop off point.

Kuku was absolutely excited and enthralled. The escalator scared and excited him. The ride was smooth. Somewhere in between, he got a bit terrified and got all clingy - but had a nice time. He could not believe we were so high up and stared in awe at the coconut trees.

I think we should do this again - probably go upto MG Road and then back.  Thanks to the Taurean for taking this snap.

Chop Chop Chop -- Snipe Snipe Snipe

Anyone who knows me, knows that I do not experiment with my hair - at all. So, when I uploaded my new look on social media - I knew everyone would be quite surprised. At that time, I wondered how long I would be able to maintain the same.

Well, not as long as I hoped... While I liked my previous  look, it was too much of a hassle and the length was totally in the way. In April, things just got out of hand with Kuku acting out, the weather which made me wonder why I did not chop off my hair, office stress, general irritation etc. So, I chopped off my hair in April. I did not go back to my old hairstyle but now have shoulder length hair. I like a no-fuss, easy hairdo for myself.

Now, I have hair that is easier to manage while not as long - Some folks did not like this look much - but, it is easy maintenance and so I am def happy :)

Update on my Classics Reading Spree -- So far so good

So, I am still into reading Classics. Maybe because I am reading a book from a different author, each time, I am able to continue doing so. What have I finished reading so far, you ask? Here you go:

• Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
• Five Children and It by Edith Nesbit
• Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
• The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit  
• The Legend of the Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

I am currently reading Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. I don't think I have read this book before. Nothing seems familiar or leaps to my mind as I read. I could not even connect to the title of the book. Hmmm.. thats nice in a way.

I have not taken up a challenge because reading a particular genre or author can get a bit boring after a while - this is more random and I can read as many as I like and go in any order I like. Maybe I should look up other folks's lists to identify the best way to go about this - Lets see. Too soon to talk 'bout it. My interest in Classics may wane anytime :(

Badlapur -- Movie Review

The Arien wanted to watch Interstellar and I wanted to watch Badlapur. Nowadays, realizing that we may not be able to watch either, we quickly agree to the other's choice. The subtitles for Interstellar were in Russian and so Badlapur was the chosen one. We knew we would not be able to watch the entire movie in one sitting- thanks to Kuku- but we were determined to watch as much as possible in 1 sitting :)

We had heard a lot of positive reviews 'bout this movie. I thought Varun's promotional activity would involve his carrying the co-star and he did not disappoint. Yami looked a trifle uncomfortable inspite of her winning smile :) Read on for the movie review *Spoilers Ahead* 

Image Courtesy: http://www.mid-day.com/articles/is-varun-dhawan-trying-to-break-a-world-record/16057190

The movie is a revenge saga. The story begins with a bank robbery and the escape vehicle chosen by the thieves belongs to a young woman (Yami Gupta) and her son. Police men are chasing after the thieves almost immediately and in the ensuing chase, the kid who was seated in the front seat falls off the vehicle and onto the road. This shocks the bank robbers (Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Vinay Yadav). Yami Gupta is concerned for her child and screams for the vehicle to be stopped. The tension in the car as a result of the child falling off, the police chasing after them and their possible capture, results in increased tension and the death of Yami Gupta by a gunshot wound. It is clear that they cannot get away and so Nawaz tells Vinay to get off with the money at a corner and allows himself to get caught. He is immediately placed in Jail and beaten by the police officers but he does not reveal the name of his partner and pretends to be the driver with no idea that the gun was loaded.

Varun is the husband of Yami Gupta and he cannot believe the double tragedy that has hit him in an

otherwise normal day. He meets with Nawaz in the hope of getting the name of the partner but Nawaz spins the same tale to him. Varun does not believe him but he needs the name of the partner. Nawaz is sentenced to 20 years of Jail which was clearly unexpected. He does not contact his partner or reveal his name but he tries to escape every year and is caught everytime. Nawaz is diagnosed with cancer after 15 years and Varun signs his release order after getting the name of the partner from Nawaz's mom. Nawaz is not aware that Varun knows his partner's name. What follows is nail-biting and then a bit underwhelming, but good.

Image Courtesy: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/gallery/varun-dhawan-badlapur-huma-qureshi-nawazuddin-siddiqui-yami-gautam-divya-dutta/1/13582.html

I somehow did not expect Varun Dhawan to be able to carry this role - but he did a good job of it. Nawaz is an exceptional actor: he had the best dialogues and most of the funny ones. He ably supported the script. Seeing Vinay in a serious role after a long time, a good actor who played his part well. The women had only a small part to play and they did justice to it - they did not outshine the male actors - it was simply not possible with their part but they showed that they were willing to do anything for their loved one and there was no trace of the regular filmy heroine. Yami Gupta, Huma Querishi, Radhika Apte, and Divya Dutta were good.

Image Courtesy: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/varun-dhawan-badlapur-gets-a-certificate-for-too-much-sex-and-violence/1/417148.html

Wah Wah

• Almost  every scene in which Nawaz appeared.
• Dialogues were crisp and get full marks 
• Jee Karda song was lovely
• Varun's serious avatar - impressive for a person who is known for his romantic roles

Blah Blah

• Treatment of the women in the movie was a bit on the crude, thoughtless, and objectification side
• The 'second chance' dialogue towards the end was a bit underwhelming 

Go watch and share your comments!

Re-reading Classics -- Escape into paradise

Surprisingly, March has been a month of reading. I started with some of the books I loved and then moved on to ones which I could not remember at all. The ones I re-read this month include the following:

• Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
• Pollyanna by Eleanor H Porter
• Emma by Jane Austen

I am currently reading Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. I am trying to read 1 book from an author and then going back to them again hopefully next month. Unfortunately, Emily Bronte, has written only this book. Though I recall having read it, when I re-read it, I could not remember much. It was quite surprising. I have not yet finished reading it, though. Hopefully, some memory will return.

I have always wanted to read Alice in Wonderland - I remember reading the book when I was a kid and getting lost in the book and being unable to figure out what was going on and getting very confused. I also want to read all the books in the Chronicles of Narnia series, by C S Lewis.

I know I tend to read a particular genre for quite a bit and then drop it like a hot potato. So, let me see how long this interest in classics perseveres. I may not even continue after this month. Fingers Crossed!

Absolute Barbeque -- Restuarant Review

After a long time, we were doing a team lunch and the venue chosen was Absolute Barbeque. Its quite popular and everyone knows about it , apparently, but I was clueless. I thought it would be similar to Barbeque Nation in concept and so was a willing recipient of the treat.

First, the location, it is near the Park Hotel near Innovative Multiplex, Marathahalli. Its on the 3rd

Absolute Barbeque

Floor. We were having our treat on Friday and so the place was packed. It took me a while to find our group (Yes, I was late). They had already started on the starters by the time I joined.

Image Courtesy: www.timescity.com 

When I joined I was asked if I was vegetarian or Non-vegetarian and when I said I was vegetarian, I was served a pineapple slice. The taste was a bit strong for me but I was unable to place it. A colleague mentioned that it was cinnamon. The pineapple, shorn of its external coverings, looked like 'Shawarma' - a non-vegetarian dish. (It took me the entire lunch to figure out the name of the non-vegetarian dish!) The other starters were the staples: Mushroom, Paneer, Corn etc. Then, I noticed water melon, some mixed vegetables including the big chilli (used for chilli bajjis). Apart from this, I was served crispy masala corn that I enjoyed quite a bit and a potato vada which was quite spicy. 

There was an option to choose an item and watch it being grilled - they called it the Wish Grill or Exotic grill. I was not in a mood to experiment - also, broccoli was one of the options and so I gave that a pass. I think the Non-Vegetarians had some very different options for the Exotic Grill - Rabbit, Quail, or Emu. I remembered to make a note to inform the Arien. 

The main course was a number of gravies, steamed rice, and a veg Dum Biriyani on the vegetarian side. I noticed that the staples were there in the non-vegetarian side. I had rotis and decided to get started on the desserts. The dessert section had a number of goodies: Phirni, Gulab Jamoon, Apple pudding, chocolate pastry, Italian pudding or mousse, and of course the Wish Ice-cream - the flavors chosen were bent, and beaten into submission and served as three scoops by the server. I did not try that either. I opted for the Gulab Jamoon, the chocolate pastry, and the Italian thingie.  

Whenever we have team lunches, we usually split up into two groups - the veg and the non veg groups. So, I do not have much of an idea on the non-veg starters.

Now, to the real question: How does this restaurant compare with BBN? Well, obviously they are quite similar but this place has certain exotic options for non-vegetarians. BBN has the Kulfi and they have the Wish Ice-cream. BBN has a decent number of different vegetarian starters and so has ABS2 though I liked the BBN's options better. Price-wise BBN is priced slightly less than ABS2, at least the one at Banaswadi. Ambience was good.

Rating: ***1/2
   

I - Movie Review

Got around to seeing my first Tamizh movie this year - I. The last time Shankar and Vikram got together, they gave us the hugely successful "Anniyan". So, naturally, there was a lot of hype surrounding this venture. However, according to me, it was all for naught! The movie released more than two months ago but if you have not seen the movie yet, watch the movie and see if you agree with me or not. *Spoilers*

Vikram as the bodybuilder

Vikram as the model

Vikram is into body building and is trying to win the Mr. Madras contest. At one of the contests, the other contestants were real body builders, I think, and it was difficult for me to accept that Vikram won the contest. Another contestant wants him to lose and Vikram wins in spite of not having the superior body.  But, then that is the typical bollywood way.

Image courtesy: www. pmwwt.com

Vikram is a great fan of Amy Jackson, a model who has been shooting a number of ads with Upen Patel. Vikram takes on a temporary bodyguard role for Amy while she is in town and he shares his card with her. While you wonder if Amy and Upen are having an affair, she is actually trying to fend off his unwelcome advances. As a result, she gets pulled out of various ad projects. In a fix, she contacts Vikram and transforms him into a model.

Image Courtesy: www.onsecrethunt.com
 

Vikram after I

They are to travel to China for an ad campaign and Ojas Rajani is in charge of converting him into a model. Upen is surprised that he has lost out a number of campaigns as a result of Vikram's entry. Ojas, falls for Vikram. Vikram is unable to act and struggles to emote in the China ad campaign. The director of the shoot asks Amy to profess love so he can emote better. Amy is not comfortable but agrees. And soon, he is acting pretty well and the shoots are a walk in the park for him.Ojas lusts after Vikram and breaks the news to him.

Image Courtesy: www.studioflicks.com

He refuses to believe until Amy accepts it. This shocks him but he completes the shoot. Ojas is upset. Amy feels very guilty and returns his love which surprises Vikram after an absolutely unnecessary and totally contrived dishum-dishum fight with a number of chinese extras and a local tamizh dialok delivery by the two actors!

They decide to get engaged when they return. Meanwhile, the ad agency which gave Vikram his

Vikram as the beast - Dream

break is planning to shoot an ad for a product that is good and Vikram refuses to shoot for the ad and also gives a statement to the media about his decision. This affects the ad agency adversely. Vikram and Amy get engaged and then things change. What happens next is not too difficult to imagine. The story is told in a non-linear manner, with the present story interspersed with flashbacks.

Image Courtesy:  www.indianupdates.com

I liked Vikram in his body building avatar. His physique is exceptional, specifically the torso. But, his legs are quite lean and do not appear muscular. At the contest, all the other body builders seemed to have very muscular legs. I thought he looked old in the model look, with a clean shaven face, which everyone in the movie raves about. His beast look in the dream sequence was pretty good and the other look was frankly scary. Kudos for carrying the different looks.

Suresh Gopi, a famous malayalam actor, plays a prominent role and Santhanam is Vikram's friend and supporter during all the changes from good to great to horrible. Upen Patel, Ram Kumar Ganeshan, and Ojas are caricatures. Ram Kumar Ganeshan is blessed with his dad's dialogue delivery and sometimes it is a major distraction. Not what I expected from a Shankar movie. Anniyan was far far better. Robot was very good. This movie does not meet those high expectations. A pity!

Wah Wah

• Vikram's acting prowess.
• Vikram's ability to don multiple looks for his role in this movie
• Special Effects
• Picturization of the Ennoddu Nee Iranthal (More like a musical) and Marasalaittean (Special effects)
• Songs were ok.

Blah Blah

• Old wine in new bottle - Typical revenge story with beauty and the beast thrown in
• No twists at all - the one twist is also so clear early on that you are just waiting for it to happen - No surprise
• Neither the role of the main cast or the supporting cast was well fledged out - some of the villains instead of being scary or terrifying were reduced to almost caricatures and were comical.

The Collected Short Stories and The New Collected Short Stories -- Book Review

Finally, my first book review in 2015. Well, I have read these short stories a while ago when they were sold as separate books. Yes, a long time ago :) The Arien got me these two collections of short stories for Christmas. I got around to reading them this month. The Collected Short Stories is a collection of three books: Quiver full of Arrows, Twist in the Tale, and Twelve Red Herrings. Some of the stories are good, some are predictable, some are just ok. I think I preferred the stories from the "Twist in the Tale" book of this collection.

Image Courtesy:  http://www.panmacmillan.com/book/jeffreyarcher/thenewcollectedshortstories

If you have not read any of his books, you could start with the Collected Short Stories.

I have been reading and re-reading Jeffrey Archer's books almost as often as I read Agatha Christie's books. And, I enjoy them a lot. However, I do not like his newer short stories that much because somehow they seem quite predictable. Its also possible that after re-reading his books a gazillion times, I look for the Tell or can recognize the Tell of the author. I do not want to think that the master story teller is losing his touch. I like his novels though. He still weaves a pretty good story.

The New Collected Short Stories is a collection of three books: To Cut a Long Story Short, And Thereby Hangs a Tale, and Cat O' Nine Tales. I liked the stories from the "The Cat O Nine Tales" book from this collection but there are some good stories in the other books as well.

Image Courtesy:  http://itchingtoread.blogspot.in/2011/12/jeffrey-archer-new-collected-short.html

Catch it when you have the time.. its a light read. Because it is a collection of short stories, you can put it down for a bit and then get back. That was the life saver for me. I tend to get engrossed in a book which irritates the Arien and Kuku but that did not happen this time.

Oh and No.. this is not really a review though the title pretty much says that :) 

Pulse Polio @ Masinagudi

So, I was supposed to send a reminder out about the Pulse Polio vaccinations on Sunday (22nd Feb) but forgot all 'bout it in the rush to pack. I was actually worried if we could get the vaccination done because we were not in Bangalore. But, I needn't have worried. We got Kuku's polio drops @ a health center in Masinagudi.

We had, by the the time we got the vaccination, received a gazillion calls from family members reminding us to get the vaccination. So, we spent the rest of the time, informing folks that "Yes, we got it done", "No, we are not in Bangalore", "Yes, it was possible here as well" and other variations of the same!

Hope you got it done as well!


   

Elaneer Mousse

I spent a lot of time nibbling on my nails wondering if I would do anything new this month. And then over the weekend, as we drove towards Mysore, we stopped at a Food Court. I was quite surprised to hear myself order Elaneer Mousse at the UpSouth outlet. I am not someone who experiments with food and so I was very sure I would be hitting myself on the head 'bout that choice for the rest of the journey. Surprise! Surprise! I loved it. Its very rare that I experiment with my food and rarer still that the experiment does not blow up on my face. I had the widest smile in a loong time and was ready to do the bing dance :)

Well, Elaneer Mousse (Elaneer means coconut water in Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada) ,as the name suggests, tasted of coconut. I love coconuts. I like them in Biscuits (coconut crunchees), chocolates (Bounty), Chutneys, Subjis, and raw as well. And so, obviously I liked it a lot. I allowed the Arien to take a bite and he was like - "It tastes like coconut burfi" which made me go Grrrr.. Well, ya, it kinda tastes like coconut burfi. The Arien somehow managed to hit the nail on the head.

Image Courtesy:  http://www.indiannewsandtimes.com/2014/06/25/upsouth-adds-fantastic-elaneer-mousse-menu/

Well, anyway, I tried a new dish - Yipeee!! I loved it - Double Yipee!! I have a post - Triple Yipee!!

Is Chetan Bhagat the New Shah Rukh Khan? -- Rant

Hahahaha :D Are you wondering if:

• Chetan Bhagat (CB) has been signed on by Yash Raj films
• CB has become buddies-nahin-family with Karan Johar
• CB has started a on-off relationship with Farah Khan by slapping Shirish Kunder
• CB has a six-pack
• CB had botox so he cannot ever frown and even when he does - it looks comical
• CB's illegal ramp has been mowed down now
• CB has a surrogate kid called Abram

 NO NO NO!

Well, there was a time, when I watched a lot of TV (before Kuku, of course) and at that time irrespective of the channel, when it was time for advertisements, I found myself staring at Shah Rukh Khan. If it was not Fair and Handsome, it was Lux, Lux Cozy, Navarathan cool Tail (Yupp, that is the spelling), etc etc etc. After Amitabh Bacchan, an actor I used to admire a lot before he joined the  overexposed list, it is Shah Rukh. Amitabh appears for Maggi, Cadbury's, Navaratan Cool Tail, ICICI, etc etc etc. I found myself admiring the Heroes of an earlier era who would not be caught dead appearing for these advertisements. Of course, some of them died penniless as well :(

Chetan Bhagat now has the dubious distinction of joining the overexposed group with Shaadi.com, Blender's Pride, etc. Seeing him on TV advertisement after advertisement, had everyone at home going "Whaaat??" The senior Arien even asked "Who is that?" Well, so, if Shah Rukh was the next Amitabh, Chetan is the next Shah Rukh!  

Gone Girl -- Movie Review

This was the first movie we watched in only two sittings. I am not sure if I should thank Kuku or the movie director for that. Kuku, because he did not cry and throw tantrums while we watched the movie and the director for making a movie that was quite gripping. Ok, before I start, I am a big fan of Ben Affleck. I have usually found something to like irrespective of his role or the movie. Glad to get that out - Ok, now to the review: **Spoilers Ahead **

Amy

The movie starts on the day of the fifth wedding anniversary of a couple (Ben and Rosamund) and you feel that Ben (Nick) is not too happy or interested in celebrating the accomplishment from the way he is chatting with his twin sister (Margo). He is called home by his wife (Amy). He reaches home to find the house empty. He wonders if this is something new that Amy has planned and starts searching for her. He is surprised she is not at home but does not seem too upset until he reaches the front room where the glass top of the table has been shattered and the table is upside down. He fears that she has been kidnapped and calls the police. 

Amy Image Courtesy:  www.hitfix.com

The Police

The detective (Rhonda) and her partner (James) ask questions, check the scene of crime, walk around the house, and find an envelope marked Clue 1, in Amy's handwriting. Nick mentions that that is part of the anniversary and they usually have a treasure hunt. Each clue results in an unfolding of the scene and you wonder what is going on as a red undergarment that does not belong to Amy is found in Nick's office. Nick is quite surprised and tries to solve the clues ahead of the police as he is worried. And then, Amy's parents arrive and you are hit with some information that Nick obviously is not aware of, some he is aware of but did not think important enough to share with the police which makes them wonder what else he is hiding.

The Detectives Image Courtesy: www.collider.com

Nick Proposes to Amy

The movie keeps slipping from the past to the present as you see a charming Nick propose to Amy amidst a bunch of journalists. You wonder how a couple that were so much in love could become so indifferent in 5 years - you wonder if it was all an act or  if it was marriage that killed their love.

The Proposal Image Courtesy: www.soundonsight.org

As the media frenzy builds, Nick tries to keep it normal and attempts to do all the normal things with disastrous results. Nick's oddest behaviors were actually the most natural and not so curiously, they were the ones that stayed in my mind: Nick, Margo, and Amy's parents are attending a press conference called by Amy's parents. At the conference, Nick comes across as wooden and does not say "I love my wife, I miss her.." etc but asks folks to speak out if they have any information about Amy. Amy's parents nail it by doing all the right things on camera. Nick is ready to leave but Margo asks him to stay. Then, Nick is asked to pose with one of the banners that has Amy's picture. He stands close to the banner while a cameraman asks him to smile and he does.

Nick Poster Smile Image Courtesy: http://blogs.indiewire.com/

He allows another lady to take a selfie with him which also lands up in the hands of the media.  You are wondering at Nick's odd behavior as the media frenzy builds.

As the mystery unravels, you go from thinking "Whoa- Nick is in deep shit" to "Douchebag Nick" to "Wow Nick" and to finally "Oh man, Nick". Ben is perfect. He hits all the right notes. Maybe the  experience with the media during his romance with Jennifer Lopez (daubed Bennifer, at that time) helped. Ben is simply fantastic as Nick Dunne, a gentleman first, charming, lazy, and totally lovable.  

Margo chatting with Nick on their Anniversary

The supporting cast was actually pretty good. I liked Margo (Carrie Coon), a lot. She came across as a natural. She is a typical sister, protective and at times, hitting him on his face with the truth, and always supportive. There are times, when their closeness is also twisted out of context, as part of the media circus, another form of manipulation and it was handled well.

The detective and her partner also do a good job. The male partner is unsympathetic towards Nick while the detective is not as quick to judge which creates some tension between them. The lawyer, whom Nick Dunn, hires is also perfect for his part.

This is a movie about manipulation: of another person, of each other, of the media, of the police, the list goes on. Amy is fantastic as a master manipulator and Nick is not far behind. I liked the movie. The Arien felt that it dragged a bit. I only felt that you can manipulate some people most of the time, most people some of the time but not all the people all the time. Of course, people become master manipulators with practice. There are some scenes which cannot be watched with the family or with children and so I advise viewing with discretion.

Resolutions for 2015

So, I typed the title and stared at the screen for a long time. I mean, I have a number things I want for this year. But, I want to make a list of only those ones that I will close before the end of this year. And that was becoming a tough list to create. I have a history of coming up with resolutions and not really keeping them and so for a change, I want to do things differently :)

Sometimes a resolution with specifics or measures makes it achievable quite as long as I am motivated to do it. For instance, lose 5 kilos before the end of the year. Lose 5 kilos in 3 months - It is possible. But, can I do it? Bottom line, as always, these resolutions boil down to me.

So, instead of coming up with a bunch of resolutions that are easy to make and break - I decided to come up with a list of achievable resolutions for 2015. And since, according to research, 80% of the people who came up with resolutions tend to break all or most of their resolutions before the end of January, I have decided to come up with my list at the end of the month. Here goes:

• Walk for about 30 minutes - 5 days in a week if not every day. 
• Eat sensibly to lose 5 Kilos in 5 months time.
• Blog once a week or post 4-5 blogposts a month.
• Read 1 book a month - re-reading an old book is also allowed as long as I read it again completely.
• Try 1 new thing every month - something I have not attempted in the past.
• Take 1 trip per quarter for the change of scene that it gives you - it need not be a big trip - a weekend away or even a single day outing is also fine as long as you are not in your home.
• Start going for driving lessons and drive your car to office before the year ends.

As you can see, none of them are very challenging and should be achievable soon. Well, lets see. It all depends on me. I wonder if I should tack this on my laptop - something which I stare at everyday so I remember them and do something. All the Best to me.

Maze Runner - Movie Review

Finally, a movie review. After Maleficent, I got to watch Maze Runner this week. Kuku was ok for a bit. When he started to throw a tantrum,  I was able to put him to sleep. And so, we were able to watch the movie without too many breaks :)

Image Courtesy: http://screenrant.com/maze-runner-trailer/

The movie started off very well - a guy is in a lift kinda thing which is traveling at a very fast pace in the upward direction - he is awake and is trying to get out but is not able to and finally loses consciousness. The lift stops and the top part opens and he sees that he is being watched by a whole bunch of people (guys mostly). He is unable to remember anything and is being led to the leader. He seems curious and has a million questions and finds the people (boys and young men) strangely accepting of the situation they are in. The movie manages to sustain a level of suspense and we are as eager as the new guy (greenie or newbie) to know the answers.

There were some good moments and at some level you are wondering if this movie is like the hunger games trilogy and are excited. But, somehow the movie manages to fall flat. The ending with the twist is so passe` and a person who could not be there - is. Either editing was missed or the shot should have been handled or taken differently. Also, it is quite clear that there will be a sequel to this movie - maybe more than one.

I wanted to check if this movie was based on a book as I missed the initial part, and I found that Yes it was part of a series, written by James Dashner. He has two sequels and 2 prequels to this book. Well, I plan to catch up with the books. I usually like the books better than the movie - most of the time. Well, lets see.

Barbeque Nation - Restuarant review

This was not a milestone anniversary - its not even the anniversary after Kuku was born - its just another anniversary that comes every year. I cannot even remember what we did last year, we probably visited my MIL and showed kuku off.

This year, we had lunch at BBN. This is not the first time I am visiting BBN but it has been so long since I last visited that I had forgotten all 'bout it. The Arien had had this restaurant on his Christmas wishlist but it did not happen. So, we somehow made this happen for our Anniversary. Apart from the OhmyGod! food, the visit gave me a post - Hurrah! Another first - my first restaurant review for this year.

Some things to note if you have not been there before: BBN is not a place for vegetarians who do not prefer restaurants where both veg and non-veg is cooked and served. Its also not a place if you do not like barbeques or grilled starters. Its also not a place for a person on a diet.

If the above points do not apply to you (I put off my diet for the meal), its decent fare. The service was good. The vegetarian starters consisted of: Paneer, Bhindi, Stuffed Litchi (very different), Soya (Nice), Mushroom (So-so), and Potato Wedges. Paneer, Bhindi, and Potato are staples and they were as ok as can be. There was a seafood festival going on and so the Arien enjoyed his starters - Squid, Prawns, Fish.. I was quite busy with Kuku to pay attention. The Arien ordered French Fries for Kuku which came unsalted but Kuku managed to have 2 (amazing).

By the time, I had tasted a bit of each of the starters, I was feeling kinda stuffed. And, then the Arien asked me to get some of the main course while he held Kuku. My memory had gone with the last of the starters, I think :P I opted to have a bit of the Kashmiri Pulav (Kuku seems to like Basmati rice a lot) and Schezwan noodles. I did not want to have any rotis. Kuku was stuffed too.. he refused to take any more. They had a decent dessert section as well - but we dropped it to try the Kulfi. I wanted to know what the fuss about the Kulfi was. I chose the mango Kulfi with mango crush - overdid the mango bit but it was ok. The Arien chose the kesar pista Kulfi which was chopped into slices and had nuts, roohafza et al. I was feeling quite stuffed after the meal and it was ob. I had kissed my diet goodbye not for this meal but for an entire week :(

The Arien really enjoyed the food, Kuku was better than usual, and just when we were ready to leave, some of the serving staff decided to dance for Remo Fernandez's goan songs. The songs are infectious but the dancing was totally so-so. Kuku was zapped at the music and stared at the dance unblinkingly. And then we were off for the visit. When we returned home it was 8. All three of us were tired out of our senses but it would be 12 before I slept. Kuku took a while to get sleeping and so I could not fall asleep earlier. Inspite of that, it was way better than last year.

First Ride on the Phatphatiya

Kuku took his first ride on the Phatphatiya on Sunday. I thought the hassle of taking the car and finding a place to park it would be an issue and so I suggested going by bike. Also, Kuku has not taken a ride on the bike and so I thought it would be fun. Hahahahahaha :D

Getting onto the phatphatiya was a breeze earlier but getting onto one with Kuku in my arms was an entirely different thing. And the joke, he refused to recognize the Arien, who was wearing his helmet and wailed shrill-ly until the Arien took off the helmet. After Kuku could see who it was, it still took a while to calm him down. Anyway, I got on and took him. It was obvious it was all new. Kuku wanted to continue wailing as the breeze hit his face full-force. Thankfully, he saw a cow grazing on garbage and he went 'MAAA' and no - it is not what you think. Kuku was not calling the cow his mom or his mom a cow but was actually imitating the sound that the cow makes.

Kuku was not interested in sitting in front i.e on the front seat or actually the petrol tank of the bike, at all. He was not comfortable riding pillion with me but of the two, he was ok with the latter. In fact, after the Polio drops session, after we reached our parking lot, I tried to move him to the front seat and he screamed - again, the Arien had to remove the helmet and calm him down. (I guess he thought the Arien was an alien from the way he screamed.) He was ok but not really comfortable - more like - I will put up with this for a few seconds and then I will wail. And then, finally, a small smile to say - Oh OK - when it ended.

The ride as such was fun because it was for a short distance. It was awkward for me as well. I mean, I dunno how zillions of women do this. I was terrified that I would lose my balance and fall down - probably on Kuku. I was terrified that the Arien would lose balance and we would all plonk down. I was actually glad it was over. I think so was Kuku :)

Pulse Polio Program -- Why does your baby need it?

I guess most folks know this but I didn't. When some family members called to let me know that the Pulse Polio program was going on last year, I listened but did not bother to go get Kuku vaccinated at the government health centers. I thought, we have already taken the polio injection for Kuku - so why stand in a queue with zillion other people to get it? My SIL called and told me how it was very important and that even if I have missed one, I should take care to get it done when it was being done again. I was confused but did not want Kuku to suffer because I took the decision not to.

This year, the Pulse Polio program happened on Sunday19th January. Again, the same family members called and informed me and we wondered where we could get it done. I was told that I could visit the nearest railway station, government school, etc. to get it for Kuku. We started out for the railway station and were told that there were people waiting near the nearby temple or a bit further - who were volunteers for the program and they could give the drops for Kuku. We did not see anyone near the temple and so we decided to keep going when we saw a banner for the Polio drops. I was apprehensive of the queue, the crowds, etc. as I imagined a zillion people before us but there was no one! We went in, got it done, Kuku had a mark on his little finger to indicate he had taken the drops, and we were back home before you could say Pulse Polio :D

I came home and wanted to read up and I found this article very helpful:

http://www.babycenter.in/a1011663/the-polio-vaccine-drops-or-injection

Now, I know why we must take these drops and will go for every one of these sessions. If you missed it, do not worry. The next one is scheduled for next month. Keep an eye out for the advertisements in the newspapers. I will also post a reminder.

Eureka!!

So, the other day I was cribbing to the Arien about how the number of blog posts per year seems to be going down steadily in my blog. In fact, I mentioned that it may reach zero soon. I must have sounded really upset because the Arien offered to share his pics and play the role of a guest blogger in times of need.

Yesterday, I shared one of his latest pictures for my Wordless Wednesdays post. The pics I share are usually always taken by him and so its not such a big deal but still -  that was enough to make me go - Eureka!!! At least, my blog will not be starved of posts in the eventuality that I (in spite of resolutions) forget to write/post.

Oh and Happy Sankranthi - Happy Pongal Folks! Have a nice one :)

Wordless Wednesdays -- Urban Landscape

Hair Spa - Whoo laa laa!

After gazillion salon visits, I finally went in for a Hair Spa. I love my hair, irrespective of its length, but after years of coloring, it was really important that my hair got pampered and I finally opted for it today.

I don't really know what I was expecting but it was def not what happened :) Guys, this post is going to hit your BORING button so move on to some other blog post. Gals, let me know if I got ripped off.

It started with a hair wash - well, my hair was in need of a wash so I have no complaints on that. And then application of a mask for more than 45 mts. And then leaving the mask on for an hour or so (more than an hour as I foolishly asked for a pedi as well*). After that a wash off and a light blow dry.

I dunno what I thought it would be like. Maybe I was expecting a massage (the guys get an amazing head massage from their barbers) and maybe I thought my hair would look even better than before. It was softer, silkier - yes and I looked absolutely gorgeous (I love my hair and when it looks good - I think I look gorgeous :P) but my hair was still breaking easily which was ignored by the lady who handled my hair.   

Maybe I need a few more sessions. Or maybe I need to escape from these folks who try to sell you these Spas. Any comments? Did I get ripped off?


* In most salons, the same person handles most of the requests from a single client. Unless one of her usuals come in and she hands you off for a bit, it is the same person. So, by default, everything is likely to get delayed. And if you are on the clock, like I am, with an impatient hubby and a cranky toddler at home, every delay becomes a big issue. 

2014 - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

2014 flew past - of course, some parts not so fast and some too fast. Whatever I wanted going fast went too slow and what I wanted handled well, went badly and so obviously I do not love 2014. But, 2014 had a few good moments as well.

The Good - What went well

• Kuku calling me 'Amma'
• Kuku sitting up suddenly and clapping his hands - happened during a vacation and not at home
• Kuku standing up without support and taking a few careful steps before he carefully plonks down
• Kuku turning 1 year old
• Getting a few hours away from Kuku to visit office, visit the parlour, and generally take a break 

The Bad - What could have gone well but didn't

• Striving for work-life balance in my chaos-filled life
• Keeping my cool when I listen to advice on how I should bring up my son or manage my time and also when I receive gyan on how ppl managed their kids with no support blah de blah
• Following a Diet
• Managing Kuku when he throws a temper tantrum or during his incessant wailings

The Ugly - Something which did not work at all

• Cooking
• Managing my time 
• Working with Nannies 

Anyway, I am glad 2014 is over. Kuku begins his terrible 2s (they begin after his first Birthday itseems) and I have to get better organized at handling my time and the lil fella. Hoping for the Best. Good Bye 2014 and Hullo 2015.