Two & Counting

Two happy years of marital bliss started with this simple invitation :-) 

Coorg: Hills of bliss

As we approached Coorg from Mysore a mystic fog began to appear as we climbed down the Kodava valley..... which brought a surreal feeling to the forest, but the most mesmerizing was the rain, which splattered on leaves of the diverse rain forest to create a music of its own. Coorg has something to offer everyone.....the hungry traveler, the adventurer, to soul seeker, the birdwatcher, everyone.

Coorg has many verdant trekking routes in the midst of forests and hills, and it's best to go in the months from October to February. Some of the known trails are in the hills of Brahmagiri, where you could trek your way to the Irrupa Falls. You could also consider trekking to Pushpagiri, the second higest peak of Kodagu and Tadiandamol (the highest peak).
The Vancahal range has multiple trekking routes which land up at a breathtaking ridge. It's a windswept place and the ridge area gets very breezy, naturally the  route starts from Galibeedu (Village of Wind).
Club Mahindra has a good trekking center, but you can also contact Cats Adventure(+919900777377) for trekking guides. It is considerably dangerous to trek without a local guide as routes are not marked, jungles are leech filled and the tribal people are very wary of outsiders.

There also a other activities such white water rafting and fishing available within a fifty km radius, but the trekking routes are a must do!

Like many regions, the Kodava valley has its share of local festivals, when we we around there was a day when all the women of the house hold shot a boar and celebrated the feast, however to be privy to such an event one needs to be invited to a local's house, If you lodge at a homestay, your chances are better.


Typical festivals:

• The 'Festival of Arms - Keilpoldu' is held in the months of June to September. During this festival the weapons are polished and worshipped before resuse. 
• Cauvery Shankaramana is based around the river Cauver is held in October. 
• The harvest festival 'Puthar' is celebrated in November or December. The festival is accompanied by folks songs and dances, performed by the different villagers at their temples. 

Grub & Grog..
Traditionally Coorg has had a drinking culture, even for women. As a outcome there is a host of wines as well as grogs (cocktails) locally produced. Different fruit wines such such as apple, gauva, cashew, banana are found in the local market. Not all are palatable to traditional tastes but worth a try (Apple was quite good!).
Grogs are essentially a blend a local spices such as honey, pepper, clove etc. and some alcohol content. My favorite ones where Admiral Grog (Brandy, honey; Pepper and cardamom), Arbica Grog ( Local coffee with Brandy and cinnamon) and a Mint - Rum based cocktail. (Also available in non-alcoholic versions). A good barman will grind the ingredients fresh before concocting your drink (Planter's Bar at Club Mahindra recommended). 




The reputation of kodhava valley cuisine has already spread way beyond ....The Pandi (Pork) curry and chops are truly delicious! The best version I tasted was from a road side tea stall, which incidental had a make shift kitchen for the plantation owner...who made pork curry everyday. 
Other interesting options include Kodambittu (Rice balls), Palak dal, bembla curry and some pachadi.

Of course one has to absolutely have the filter coffee in Coorg, grown in neighboring plantations, it has the power to create a brand new coffee lover :-)


Other places of interest:

• Tibetan Monastry near KushalNagar (The largest one in south India), 
• Abbey Falls with a lovely suspension bridge.
• Talcauvey Basin
• Drive through known elephant routes 

 Must buy: Spices & Coffee beans

Where to stay: Club Mahindra, Orange County & Local Homestays

Reason to return: Pandi curry, Vanachal hills & Goorg

Coorg... hills of bliss

Coorg trip started with a beautiful drive from Bangalore to Madikeri...

Had some wonderful tea plantation views...

    

Found a huge monastery.. 

Landed in some fogggy places...

Social etiquette of the virtual world....

This train of  thought generates from one simple action...  A long lost school friend of mine, who recently found me on Facebook,  and then immediately asked for my blackberry pin ! I am almost angered ... how dare he? doesn't  he know.. blackberry messenger is only for co-workers and close friends and then.. ...it struck me this classification is my head, it may or may not be a norm its written out  mentioned anywhere? but by and large everyone get this ... you add every single person you have interacted with as Facebook friend, you share your email with most people you know, phone number with one rung closer group, instant messengers like gtalk, msn, is nearly on the same level as phone and more instant methods such office email and bbm... which connect instantly are an exclusive group. 


Is this classification deliberately crafted by the technologist ? Our we are just naturals at creating rules and social etiquettes? In theory, everything can be treated as a all -important medium, depending the number of them you use.... but i guess we just love to create rules....

Symbol of dreams..

It is matter a great pride for all Indians, to have such a well though out symbol for the Indian rupee....  


It is a perfect blend of Indian and Roman letters: a capital ‘R’, and Devnagari ‘Ra’, which represent rupiya... and the two lines are taken from the Tricolour flag (two lines and white space in between)

Kudos to Udaya Kumar!  Hope this new symbol add more value to our currency :-) 

Happy Feet :-)

My pair of highly personalized canvas shoes....

Wish List

101 Crazy & Not-so-crazy things to do with the one & only  Nikhil Mudaliar

  

1. Under water B&B
2. Hike the Appalachian Trail
3. Explore the tanzania crater
4. Cruise around the antartic
5. Make a documentary
6. Own a country house and convert into b&b when we retire.
7. Try a new reciepe every week
8. Lots of action
9. Run a marathon together
10. Crazy road trips
11. Cultivate a japanese garden
12. Learn to fly, own a plane
13. Write a book
14. Make jigsaw puzzles
15. Visit the mangolian dessert
16. Adopt a puppy
17. 2 kids
18. Build a go-kart
19. 500 mile motorbike tour
20. Learn tango/swing/jive
21. Have our own peepal tree to sit under.
22. Camp away
23. Kiss under the full moon
24. Collect raindrops
25. Make lego/toy/furniture models
26. Appriciate good wine, cheese & chocolate
27. Jacuzzi & bubble baths
28. Go to crazy amusment parks
29. Learn a new skill each year
30. Watch goofy movies
31. Checkout atleast 101 B&Bs across the globe
32. Do a cycling tour
33. Re-do our love nest
34. Pillow fight
35. Take a cruise
36. Fold a 1000 cranes
37. Have kitchen garden
38. Start a fund for a couse we belive in
39. Beach buming
40. Photograph the world our way
41. Sky Diving
42. Opera in zurich/milan
43. Fitness freakyness
44. Build a music collection
45. Barbeque every season
46. Write our poem
47. Make fun cocktails
48. Romantic dinner in a hot air ballon
49. Make our own wine/beer
50. Dance under a street light
51. Create a home spa
52. Make & Fly kites
53. Play Go
54. Rock climbling
55. Build a tree house (atleast a bird house)
56. Make a wall mural
57. Take our parents on a vacation
58. Watch a total eclipse
59. Read crazy comics
60. Build sand castles
61. Piggy back rides
62. Visit capri caves
63. Stay in a igloo
64. Cross the equator
65. Star gazing with and without telescope
66. Back-pack across europe
67. Tell bedtime stories
68. Bake crazy cookies & cakes
69. Watch sunrise & sunsets
70. Make latterns every diwali
71. Be party animals
72. Swim with dolphins
73. Shower in waterfall
74. Go deep sea fishing and eat the fish we catch
75. Watch a live sport game
76. Cross a glacier
77. See a active volcano
78. Go on a pilgrimage
79. Walk the great wall of china
80. Travel the trans-siberian rail
81. Go on a Safari
82. Live in non english speaking regions of the world
83. Volunteer for cause
84. Sleep in a hammock
85. See penguines
86. Build our own engery source( wind/solar/gas)
87. Surprise savings account
88. Decorate a big christmas tree
89. Have orange orchard
90. Got to rock concerts
91. Make it to K2/Everset base camp
92. Watch fireflies in the dark
93. Make our contribution to our country
94. White water rafting
95. Have our potrait painted
96. Own a house with a view
97. Listen to grass grow
98. Act in a play
99. Design our own vedio game
100. Have midnight walks
101. Drive eachother nuts

Harihareshwar

Reason to visit again: The cove formation coupled with a moon rise view is too romantic to resist.

Distance from Mumbai: 231 Kms, google says you can make it 3hrs 42 minutes but realistically takes close to 5.5 -6 hrs.

Road conditions: Not too good once off the mumbai- goa highway, avoid journey after dark.

Local fare:

• Fish & Fish. Some households offer home made delicious meals, ask for local "Khanavals"
• Mangos when season
• Try the karvanda (Local Berry) syrup/soda

Place to stay: MTDC- best location as always, but leave behind your luxury yearning....

Things to do:

• Visit the "Kalbhairav" temple make a big "Pradrashana" around it, beautiful views from the hillock behind.
• Drive from Harihareshwar to Dive Agar is very beautiful and of course you can view the "Suvarna Ganesh"(Golden Temple) in Dive Agar
• Visit the Bagmandala killa (Tiny fort). The fort is quite hard to access but the sunset view from the fort is quite worth it :-) Cross the creek at Bankot to reach the fort, If have the inclination trekking-up will be easier as the car road is very narrow and steep.

3 Views

On an engineer's drawing board, all objects are represented in three views, to bring out different details. 'Third Angle' is one of the simplistic ways representing an 3d object on a 2D landscape... The purpose is dual, either to reverse engineer something already in existence or to define a new object.

As an after effect of engineering and design education, I tend to redistribute everything I perceive into analytical grid. The outcome is more often than not an amusing but perfectly useless insight.

This blog is about the little and not-so-little things that get dissected on my mental drawing board.

An Ode to Mrs I

Happy Birthday Girl !!

2009 .. would have been unbearable... if it wasnt for your coffee, dosa's and brain pickle :-)
Wish you loads of happiness and a great year ahead :-)

HariHareshwar - Magical Cove

Our first Kokan road trip...

With narrow and winding drives...

Deep Dives....

Balancing Acts...

Castles in the air.....

Paw attacks...

Secret views....

Private Moon rises....

Lazzzzzzzing around....

Sweet 16

To our marriage.... 'coming of age'.. 16 months and counting :-)
One of my all time favorite songs ...

Happy Anniversary :-)

One stage, Many Characters

For all the newbie’s who come to 'Amchi Mumbai', travelling in the infamous "locals" is an adventure ride. But for the regulars who ride day in day out, it becomes an ingrained chore. There is almost nothing pleasurable about travelling in the locals, given the heat, the rush & the ubiquitous presence of filth.

Each day has the same template, in the morning; faces are purposeful, driven needing to get somewhere, by evening the same faces show not so subtle signs of exhaustion, weariness and mild dejection. Yet, amidst this seemingly mundane journey, there are daily deeds which break the mold.

Often, street children ride in the ladies compartment, daring each other to jump out first at the station and board the last possible moment. After of couple stations, there is eventually an 'Anuty' who gets annoyed and gives the kids a good long firing may be followed by couple of whacks....

There are the eunuchs who sit by the door seemingly blocking it, but only till they see someone struggle to get in the last moment, a hand is always lent to ensure the person boards the train safely. ..

Almost everyone has a private phone conversation to catch up on....and fellow travelers oblige by pretending they are in private booth and respectfully ignore the raised voices, passionate arguments, teary goodbyes, anger diatribes and so on...

There is the informal info club.... who exchange book recommendations, newspapers & gossip. . and of course the mutual admiration society who compare, sarees, jewelery, shoes, etc...

And then there is an occasional vendor who finds her way into the first class... brining a bundle of entertainment to buyers and spectators alike...

When an occasional infant is travelling with mom, who doesn't have place to sit... finds more than one lap to occupy... and often followed candy treats..

And ironically Mumbai behaves its best only when disaster strikes.... given the two days of motormen strike, its was stunning example of comradeship in which fellow passengers helped each other, offered to share cabs, gave lifts to strangers....

Its a pleasure to find such colorful characters on a such dull ride ... :-) :-)

Then and now....

remember this email conversasion....sounds like ages ago:

location: Ann Arbor, year 2008
7:15 am: alarm rings, I shut it & go back to sleep
get up in anywhere btw 7:30 & 7:45
7:45 - 8:15: shower, get ready. (notice my half hour beauty baths?? :))
8:15: have nimbu paani (warm water, honey & lemon/lime)
next 30-45mins: drive to work, timing depends on traffic & weather. always listen to NPR (national public radio) news; the US version of BBC, only more liberal.
9:00: arrive at work, check work email, if nothing urgent happening (no fire fighting emails from europe or asia ), check personal email, news (cnn, bbc, si.com (sports))...have breakfast (mostly cereal bar or smoothie)
10:00: finally start work, check personal email & si.com every 15mins..:), if not too busy. mornings are very unproductive for me.
12:00: lunch time!!! mostly microwave packed lunch & chat with others in the process; have lunch with collegues or while online (mostly thoroughly combing thru si.com), sometimes I even nap if really sleepy.
1:00: Really get to work, 2-3 hours of solid work, finalize calibrations, shoot emails (& customers if I can find one :)), meetings with customers, peer reviews etc.
4:00 get back to online stuff, chat with collegues (mostly abt sports, shopping, stuff)..trash talk with ppl who support other teams (esp. if the college football season is on)
5:30-6:00 : wrap up work, drive home, again listen to NPR or music. occasionally I have another session of 2-3 hours of solid work if required or if we have tele-cons with asia , generally preceded by dinner. get home at 10;00 in that case.
6:30: get home, snack (hopefully not too much) :)
7:00: head to the gym or sleep (only two radically different options, very rarely I just while away the time or go out bowling or catch a movie). in the gym its running (as much as 10miles on some days), weights or ultra-competitive raquetball (which is like squash on steroids or rather sqaush for dummies)
9:00 get back, head to the guys/gals place whose cooking turn it is; pack box for lunch next day (I eat dinner only if lunch out is planned the next day. chit chat & catch with all the busy folks. gossip: more abt food & less abt ppl. :) today I got into an argument with an ass abt what excatly 'bedanas'(in marathi) are :)
10:00 get back home, have dinner which would be cereal or homenade veggie soup & if can't control myself something sinful like some desert.
10:00:11:30 : watch tv, type emails, play madden (nfl football) on the PC. I delibrately turn on the TV only to watch sports or to catch the daily show (john stewart) & the colbert report.
11:30: brush, floss, moisturize (maan, I AM gay!! :) & ligths out.




so I've typed abt 1000 words what I could have said in 3 : life is BORING!!!!




And the present:
locatation: Ahemdabad, year 2010.

alarm rings at 7:35 (atlest somethings in life are constant)...
no time to waste or snooze..get up & face reality.
shower & get ready, by 8:15 leave for the mess hall for b'fast ..quick call to wifey on the way..wakey wakey
gobble up b'fast...usually cereal, plus the indian b'fast item of the day sometimes an omelete or sunny side up as well.
by 8:45 : rush off to the class room (about 300 feet away)...first class starts at 8:45..mentally wake up before then.
8:45 to 1:10 pm...three 45 minutes classes with 20 mins breaks in between...
during the break: rush off to the restroom, refill water bottle.
in the class: consume water from the bottle, try to stay awake (impossible during economics classes) & try to learn something as well . CP be damned. (CP = class participation, usually 15-20% of the grade).
1:15: head back to the mess for lunch..(quick call to the wifey num. 2 on the way)...ie. call num. 2 not wifey num. 2.
lunch: heavy on the salads not so much on the mutter paneer.
1:45: head back to my room catch on emails & the outside world...off to bed by 2:15..what a luxury!!!!

4:00 (hopefully by 5:00 at the latest): wake up, face reality again.
till 7:00 ...catch up with the most critical HW, study material or assignment at hand.

7:00 to 9:00 pm...off ot the syndicate room for group study, discuss assigments, homework or the marketing case for the next day. productive time spent: approx 50 % (mean 50, min 20, max 70)...rest of the time: social loafing..(that is a real word, learnt in OB (organizational behavior)...MBA education at its best..:))
(if no syndi meeting scheduled during this time..off to a run in the serene old campus.)
9:00 : off to dinner...quick call number three on the way...during dinner optimize salad consumption with goddies like non veg item of the day, sweet or the day or good old mutter panner..
9:30 to 1:00 am: back to syndicate finish up tasks for the next day; more social loafing.
if meeting finishes by 11:30 or 12:00..head off for soccer ...
1:00...back to room..catch up with baiko..study till 2:00....lights out at 2:00.


phew!!

how does midnight soccer after three pegs of vodka make you feel???

answer: thirsty!!

disclaimer: image is staged, everything else real.

Foodie list :-)

World's 50 best restaurants list released....
Danish cuisine reigns supreme, according to some of the planet's most prominent eaters. .....I though only Danish pastries were famous...

1) Noma (Copenhagen, Denmark)
2) El Bulli (Roses, Spain)
3) The Fat Duck (Bray, England)
4) El Celler de Can Roca (Girona, Spain)
5) Mugaritz (Errenteria, Spain)
6) Osteria Francescana (Modena, Italy)
7) Alinea (Chicago, Illinois)
8) Daniel (New York)
9) Arzak (San Sebastián, Spain)
10) Per Se (New York)
11) Le Chateaubriand (Paris, France)
12) La Colombe (Cape Town, South Africa)
13) Pierre Gagnaire (Paris, France)
14) L'Hotel de Ville - Philippe Rochat (Crissier, Switzerland)
15) Le Bernardin (New York)
16) L'Astrance (Paris, France)
17) Hof Van Cleve (Kruishoutem, Belgium)
18) D.O.M. (São Paolo, Brazil)
19) Oud Sluis (Sluis, Netherlands)
20) Le Calandre (Rubano, Italy)
21) Steirereck (Vienna, Austria)
22) Vendôme (Bergisch Gladbach, Germany)
23) Chef Dominique (Helsinki, Finland)
24) Les Créations de Narisawa (Tokyo, Japan)
25) Mathias Dahlgren (Stockholm, Sweden)
26) Momofuku Ssäm Bar (New York)
27) Quay Restaurant (Sydney, Australia)
28) Iggy's (Singapore)
29) L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon (Paris, France)
30) Schloss Schauenstein (Fürstenau, Switzerland)
31) Le Quartier Français (Franschhoek, South Africa)
32) The French Laundry (Yountville, California)
33) Martin Berasategui (Lasarte-oria, Spain)
34) Aqua (Bath, England)
35) Combal Zero (Rivoli, Italy)
36) Dal Pescatore (Mantova, Italy)
37) De Librije (Zwolle, Netherlands)
38) Tetsuya's (Sydney, Australia)
39) Jaan Par Andre (Singapore)
40) Il Canto (Siena, Italy)
41) Alain Ducasse Au Plaza Athénée (Paris, France)
42) Oaxen Krog (Oaxen, Sweden)
43) St. John (London, England)
44) La Maison Troisgros (Roanne, France)
45) wd~50 (New York)
46) Biko (Mexico City, Mexico)
47) Die Schwarzwaldstube (Baiersbronn, Germany)
48) Nihonryori RyuGin (Tokyo, Japan)
49) Hibiscus (London, England)
50) Eleven Madison Park (New York)

Not even one from India ..... hope that changes soon...?

Interesting take on corruption

Bribery in India: A good thing?

Interview link:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126199094

The first time I heard this interview, I thought the firangi media with its penchant for bringing out the worst of India, found one spineless soul who has completely surrendered to system & now has become an integral part, even a proponent of it. After, hearing it the second time, I realised , I know many people who have come to terms with things in a similar fashion. In fact, all the people who had a reasonably successfully business, played along the system.
Brings me to the interesting question : Does one resist or join the flow? What if one treated these people as contracted and considered these cost as additional payroll, will it make morally easier ?

Any ideas for an alternate survival strategy ?

By the way....

Last week Sayanee, our team's graphic designer, a 'bong' our default food consultant... got a reference for this parsee joint called "By the way".
Unlike regular parsee place which "maintain" their 50's set up, this joint was very posh. 'By the way' as upped its decor to create a contemporary look, along with upping its prices.
As the four of us carefully scanned the menu, in order to optimize our order, but even before we d finalised the waiter has a suggestion about taking a "Lagan" Style meal consisting of 3 courses, Mutton Cutlet, Patra ne machi, Sali chicken, Dhansak & brown Rice and of course lagan nu custrad.

Spread was too delicious to not consider a replication:

• 1Fish Pompfert
• 1/2 cup Coconut, grated
• 1 bunch Mint Leaves
• 1 bunch Coriander Leaves
• 10 Green Chilies
• 10 Cloves Garlic
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 large Onion
• 2 tbsp Cumin Seeds
• 2 Lemon
• 2 tbsp Ghee
• Banana Leaves
• Salt to taste

How to make Patrani Machi:
• In the mixer jar, add mint, coriander leaves, grated coconut, chilies, garlic, sugar, onion, cumin seeds and salt. Grind it until it turns into a fine paste.
• Clean the fishes and slice them both to get 4 pieces.
• Apply the above made chutney to the fish piece and sprinkle lemon juice over it.
• Now, cut the banana leaves in such a way that it is big enough to wrap each fish piece properly.
• Heat the leaves on both the sides and wrap it up. Thereafter, tie it with a string.
• Now, grease the baking tin and place the fish in it. Pour some ghee over each piece and allow it to bake for about 15 minutes.
• Your patrani machhi is ready to be served!!

And of course and the end of the meal, we were pleasantly see only a bill of Rs 1000/- among four of us, thanks to waiters recommendation of a meal plan :-)

Globe Trotters

See you later, Alligator, In a while, Crocodile

On the eve of my departure from the US of A, change seems really hard. It was only little over 12 months ago, I prepared to go west. As our stars presumably spend a lot of their time dancing away..... causing best laid plans to go haywire :-(
The 2009 roller coaster ride has been crazy, exciting & filled with memorable moments.... but now its time to move on, live in new places and catch up on blogging :-)

So lets says a big CHEERS with a special cocktail :

Bellini :
2/3 cup white peach puree (use yellow peaches if white not available)
1 teaspoon raspberry puree
1 bottle chilled Italian sparkling wine such as Prosecco orAsti Spumante Brut

Can be substituted with by a quick version:
1 parts Peach Schnapps
3 parts Champagne (or Sparkling wine)

This drink was created 1943 at Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy in honor of the painter Geovani Bellini.

Nikhil's Big 3-0

The invite...

The party...

The after effects..