In Search of the Perfect Coffee in Bombay.

It has been raining incessantly the past couple of days, and the clouds still look happily full, the way a child looks after a bowl of ice-cream. The weather is just right for it...

I close my eyes and find myself transported to a beautiful outdoor cafe in the middle of a small, busy square. As I sit back and breathe in the aroma of freshly brewed espressos, I look around to see a network of echoing alleys filled with gossiping shopkeepers and enamored tourists. The town appeared to consist of a dozen streets made for hours of mindless wandering. Expensive, spotless establishments gleam at the town's center while beautiful, old-fashioned hotels are hidden away behind wild creepers. I imagine myself reading 'Pride and Prejudice' or some such lumbering classic befitting the serene setting. I sit there for hours in a happy daze...

I awake from my reverie to discover that the cappuccino I had ordered twenty minutes ago has arrived. The waiter at Barista has been kind (or conversely creepy) enough to draw a heart with cream on top. The coffee arrives in a standardized and conspiratorially small mug, designed so the customer has to pay much more than what was deserved while not even keeping the option open of stealing that silly mug. Win-win for the cafe guys. I hardly ever go to Barista unless a friend has a discount coupon. 

Hypocrite, you say?

Who passes up an offer for free coffee, I retort.

The same goes for Cafe Coffee Day(CCD). The Tropical Iceberg which tastes exactly like the Iced Eskimo is alright, though. The fact that the more appetizing items on their menu are always, and I repeat, always missing is yet another capitalist conspiracy against the cafe-going customer, I presume. And the music playing makes me want to weep like the windows on a rainy afternoon.

But there's a whole other reason I dislike The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. It tends to have too many people pretending to write novels, and too few people pretending to read novels. It just has this pretentious arty vibe to it that I don't enjoy. Its only redeeming aspect are the adorable tea bags that I'd just like to steal and stash away for a rainy day stuck at home.

This is lamenting the utter lack of cafe culture in this city of dreams.
If the coffee is good, the cafe isn't. Or vice versa.

If you live in the city, do share your perfect coffee haunts.
If the offer of a free coffee and my lively company isn't enough, I promise to tell you about the best ice-cream in the city in return :)

Image Source: Albaflickr's Photostream

18 Going on 80. :)

As part of our grading in the subject Presentation Skills, I had to deliver a 3-minute speech to a class of faces bored with speeches on economic recession, financial reform and the like. I chose to speak on a topic dear to me, and gave a persuasive speech on how reading, though a conventionally unpopular (especially given my age) hobby is a brilliant one. I spoke about how my grandfather inculcated a lifelong love for books in me. I prepared a short Powerpoint presentation that played in the background that elicited a variety of 'awww's and 'so sweeeeeet's. I shared the story due to my firm belief that stories have a more lasting impact than statistics and pedantic facts.

I've put up the slides here. Do take a look. :)

Oh, so that's what people are reading at Tihar Jail.

I never fail to be surprised by the innate ability of the internet to house some of the most bizarre and brilliant things. Look what I found as I was glancing through the Open Magazine website!

The list of books people are reading in Tihar Jail's largest library. :O

Tihar's Jail number 3 has 6,000-odd books, all donated in myriad languages.

From Vikram Seth and Tarun Tejpal to Orhan Pamuk and Karl Kruszelnicki. 

WOW.

P.S. And guess what? I don't see any Chetan Bhagat! Muahahahahaha.

Why Quantitative Analysis does not entertain me.

We Own the Sky. :)

This is some pure magic by M83.

The world's greatest nations have reached some kind of inflexion point or the other. The Americans are battling a myopic administration and an astounding deficit. The Chinese are fighting callous public servants and and incompetence. Europe may be headed for a double-dip.

Here in India, our anti-corruption protests are finding resonance in countries around the world. 

The burgeoning middle class that grew up with blind faith in parliamentary democracy has been jolted out of complacency by Anna Hazare and team. They are igniting minds all over the nation in a manner Kalam never could. In the background of the 2G scam, the uproar around the CWG, the massive amounts of money being found in Swiss banks, we are slowly sitting up and becoming politically aware. And active.

No one is naive enough to believe that the Jan Lokpal Bill will be the end to all corruption in the country. Team Anna's version of the bill is not bereft of flaws. A citizen's ombudsman is but one measure in the entire policy framework that can inculcate accountability in a nation's culture. Most of us experience corruption at the point of interaction- when we apply for a PAN Card or Passport, when we are caught by the cops for speeding, even to make sure an FIR is taken seriously. A variety of policies under different sectors and their effective implementation can be the only way forward. The UID for every Indian citizen, irrespective of income level and even gender, under the Aadhaar scheme is a brilliant initiative to tackle under-the-table corruption. We must look at the Jan Lokpal Bill as a first in a series of changes that can empower the citizen and induce meaningful development. And that is why I support Team Anna.

In a city where the only thing you get for free is the air you breathe, it is refreshing to see people wake up from their complacent stupor and drive change. It is in the spirit of democracy that their voices be heard and given heed. 

Yes, we own the sky. :)

In honor of the day I discovered that the word 'Happify' exists. :)

One of my many quirks is that I find ineffable joy in the pursuit of all things weird and wonderful.

In the spirit of revealing quirks, here's one for the wily old gossip-mongers: I publicly announce my love-affair with words that are strange, obscure and rare. 

After an hour or so of being mesmerized by the Oxford English Dictionary, that corpus of all things boring yet beautiful, I discovered that 'happify' is a word. A real word. It means, of course, to make someone happy. I love the word enough to contemplate making it my middle name. ^_^

After solemn deliberation, I have come to the conclusion that I must impart my newly-acquired wisdom and corpus of obscure words with each and every one of you. I do this in the spirit of social service and happifying, because who knows, you may want some of these words at the tip of your tongue while convincing the irate police officer that you weren't driving drunk.

1. Petrichor- The pleasant smell that accompanies the first rain after a dry spell.

(You will not believe how glad I was when I found there is a word for this! )

2. Nod-crafty -- Given to nodding the head with an air of great wisdom

3. Paradobre- A defense against bores

4.  Hypergelast- A person who won't stop laughing.

5. Kankedort- An awkward situation

6. Vicambulist- A person who wanders city streets

7.  Selcouth- Unfamiliar, strange, marvellous, wonderful

8. Onomatomania- Vexation at having difficulty in finding the right word

9.  Jocoserious- Half serious and half in jest

10. Apricity- The warmth of the sun in winter.

This made me smile :)

11. Fard/infucate- To paint the face with make-up, so as to hide blemishes.

(Hilarious! Excuse me, as I visit the washroom to fard. :D)

12. Shot-Clog- An unwelcome companion tolerated because he pays for the rest.

13. Psithurism- The sound of wind in the woods. 

14. Influous- The phenomenon of ignoring one's horoscope when it's bad.

Care to tell me which words happified you the most? :)


Image Source: Flickr

The View from 5'2" Blog Awards 2011!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why am I giving you Blog Awards?

1. I like the way you write. Or I like you.
2. You need something to smile about if you lost money in the stock market, and did not bet any money on gold.

How can I receive a blog award from The View from 5'2"?

1. By sucking up to all the short people you know.
2. By being awesome. Simple as that.

I've seen a lot, and trust me, a lot of posts giving away awards like they were free coupons for a Talwalkars gym class. It will start with a sentimental thank you to the person who gave you the award, enough to make the person pick up a tissue or two to manage the leaky 'happy-cry' nose. Then there will be a lame picture off the second page of Google Images (first page is too obvious) which will have something written on it like 'I Love Your Blog' or 'Best Blog Award' or worst of all, a pink rectangle that says 'Lovely Blog'. I've seen the same bunch of rectangles bespeaking blog awards doing the rounds. 

Awards should be original and non-interchangeable rectangles, for them to really mean something to the recipient. In that spirit, every image here is a picture I have clicked of something that means a lot to me. 

So without further adieu, I announce my 5 favourite blogs and bloggers :)

I start backwards, to maintain suspense and all.

My Favourite Blogger#5

Felicity, from The Black Waltz

You write beautifully. And your sketches are just out of the world. :)

Your blog award is a picture of my college bag, which has 2 badges of The Beatles, one that says 'Jamming in Mumbai' and one that includes words like 'Abey Shaane'. :D

My Favourite Blogger#4

Pythoroshan. 

You get an image of the third ever cheese omelette I ever made. This is a huge huge deal because I NEVER COOK, not because I hate cooking but because I have cookingophobia. 

 My Favourite Blogger#3

Isha, from Chai Paani etc.

You once wrote a post called 'In Loving Memory of Elanor Rigby'. That's all it took for me to fall in love with your writing. 

You get an image of the rakhis my sister and I will tie to each other this year. :)

My Favourite Blogger#2

mgeek

Simply because you are too smart for us lesser mortals to ever understand what you write, and for the fact that you are interested in throwing me a birthday party at McDonalds next year, without having ever met me thereby putting your life at risk because I may just be a serial killer.

You get an image of the bhutta I devoured this evening as it drizzled. :)

And now,

My Favourite Blogger of All Time

is

Karishma, from Tangled Up in Blue

I love you, Karishma. :)

Your warmth and kindness reflects in every post. You are one of the most perceptive and sensitive people in the blog space. If I ever fall ill, I'd want you to be my doctor, please? :)

You get an image of my cute-as-hell shower cap. :)

I'm not going to tag anyone here.

It will utterly ruin the surprise for the winners if they just wake up one morning to see a comment on their latest post saying 'You've been tagged.' 

Stumble upon my blog some day, and discover that you are genuinely appreciated here. :)

Lots of love to all the 112 followers of this blog. You know I care about every single one of you. :)

Book Review: The Tenth Unknown by Jvalant Sampat

I recently read "The Tenth Unknown" by Jvalant Sampat, and reviewed the same on The Librarywala Blog.(http://librarywalablogs.blogspot.com/) 

Note: Have a look at the blog. Like it. Follow it. Comment on it constantly. All this, so that I can claim "increased traffic on the page" and get a raise. :P

Well, I digress. 

I read the book and much to my surprise, found myself enjoying it. So I'm re-posting my review here. Do give it a read.

It is often said that an author’s debut novel is always semi-autobiographical in nature. To that extent, we may safely deduce at least one fact about Jvalant Nalin Sampat after reading The Tenth Unknown… He was the bright-eyed student who sat on the first bench in every History class while his friends stared at the ceiling with glazed eyes! Historical thrillers, with their mix of fact and fiction, have held readers captive for years but the genre is largely unexplored in India. However, Sampat’s ‘The Tenth Unknown’ can be called India’s answer to The Da Vinci Code.

The novel begins in March 1939, a few months before the start of World War II. The narrative is weaved on the same lines as Talbot Mundy’s 1923 novel The Nine Unknown. Folklore suggests that The Nine Unknowns are a two millennia-old fictional secret society founded by King Asoka to preserve and improve on nine books of secret knowledge. Each of the books deals with a different branch of potentially hazardous knowledge, spanning subjects from psychological warfare to cosmology.  These books are hidden in clandestine locations in different parts of the world.

The fast-paced, high-octane thriller depicts how the first of these is acquired by German archaeologists during the British Raj in India, knowledge of which goes on to become the backbone of Adolf Hitler’s success. The ensuing race of the Germans to get their hands on the remaining eight, the British attempts to thwart their efforts coupled with the Nine Unknowns desperately trying to protect these books makes for a brilliant read.

The characters in this book are meticulously constructed, with just the right shades of grey to make them relatable to readers.  The world of Prithvi Rathore, the elite arrogant Anglicized Indian is turned upside down when his grandfather, one of the Nine Unknowns, assigns him to protect the books from the Nazis. Dismissive of the Indian nationalist movement, one sees a change in Prithvi’s heart once he is refused entry at the Madras Gymkhana on account of his nationality. He scours the world with valor in his search for the all-powerful literature. On the other hand, Joseph Heidler, reluctant member of the Nazi party, who is assigned to hunt down the remaining books, makes for a superb antagonist.

 The one thing that jumps out as one flips the pages of this book is the painstaking research that has gone into making this book a delectable mix of intrigue and action. Travelling from the ruins of Nalanda University to the mystic Angkor Wat, the locations too have been depicted with great precision. The author’s natural flair for the English language places the book on a pedestal that not many Indian authors find generally place on.

The book jumps from conversations in one country to the conspiracies of the other swiftly, which might make it a tough read for some. However, this book delivers on quality of prose, astonishing obscurities and insightful characterization. It’s a must-read and would make a great companion for a solitary train journey.

Now, be cool and purchase the book on Flipkart here: http://tinyurl.com/43jqc76

Flipkart is the first Indian website to be valued at $1 billion. I solemnly swear to purchase all literature and music from Flipkart, unless, of course, I get a better deal. :D

A Fraaandsheep Shout Out. :)

How did the world grow up from loving friendship bands and bracelets?

I guess (wait, I know) I'm too old for them, but friendship bands still hold that charm for me.

Yes, I am that girl who will force you to wear the bright yellow friendship band in college all day.

And so, I did tie my cool inner circle bright yellow friendship bands, and sent a few other lucky mortals sappy text messages. 

On my blog, I'd like to thank Karishma(TUIB), Felicity, Sankoobaba, mgeek, Pythoroshan, Tarun, Arshita, Akshita, (Sana's shouting Sanaaaaaaaa as a reminder), Viya, Nirali, Tarunima and Ezazi for making this blog a happy place in the world for me.

Here's hoping you didn't lose money in the stock market recently, and that you continue writing, reading and commenting here.

I love you all. :)

P.S. I don't understand Blog Award tradition, yet I have been the recipient of three recently, from Tarunima, Viya and Felicity. I thank you from the tip of my hair to that of my big toe. :)

Please do enlighten me on the what, how,when, where, why of blog awards.

The Breakdown of the Modern Intellectual.

Many would raise their hand if asked if today's generation is a dumbed-down version of its earlier counterparts, severely deficient in taste and culture. Sheer statistics will ensure that if they take that stance, they will win the debate. 

It is commonplace to note that reality television and yellow journalism are crowding our mental space. Yet, living in a city as populous as Bombay, one cannot help but find cultural incongruities popping up everywhere. 

The guy who spruces up his daily commute by alternating between hip-hop music and Chomsky lectures. Mozart's 50 Best Loved Tracks on Flipkart's music bestseller list. The Hitchcock movie that surprises you in the air-conditioned BEST bus on your way home. Plagiarized remixed songs playing on loop, on the same channel that airs Coke Studio. The fact that the Jaipur Literature Festival records greater visits with each passing year.

The times they are a-changin'. At snail's pace, but undoubtedly so.

Yet, I can't avoid but view the situation with a hint of skepticism.

Cultural discernment cannot possibly be boiled down to checking off items on 'reliable' prescribed lists on the internet. I hope not.

The questions that sprout in your mind when you read a book that is a New York Times bestseller, but hated, then went on to justify to yourself saying there's something wrong with YOUR taste. The New York Times Bestseller List cannot possibly be wrong. And so, the book will promptly be added to the 'Favourite Books' section on your Facebook, for the world to acknowledge your brilliant taste in literature. Alongside Five Point Someone and Rhonda Bryne, of course. 

If there is a place to document cultural awakening and rebirth in the 21st century, Facebook is the Mecca in my opinion. People strain to be unique and cast themselves in the light that depict facets of their personality that will set them apart from its other 600 million users. 

The feigned nonchalance of the scrupulously scripted 'About Me' section. 

The Quotations page filled with dialogues from obscure movies and underground poets. 

While I am glad that book sales for William Faulkner's novels shot up when it became part of Oprah's Book Club, I wonder how they sit on bookshelves today-as mere conversation-starters or as genuinely appreciated words? 

A devout fetishization of devouring intelligence is being witnessed, that is only leading to the consumption of high culture as a commodity with the aim of upping personal brand value. I just feel that demise of a non-ostentatious appreciation of culture is lamentable. And if our societal IQ is going up, I can only hope it's backed by the right reasons. 

Image Courtesy:  Jochenworld's Flickrstream