Friday, January 31, 2014

Don't Date a Girl Who Travels

The husband sent me this link and I couldn't help laughing as I read it. I'm not half as cool as what is portrayed but I would love to project so :)

Don't Date a Girl Who Travels

She’s the one with the messy unkempt hair colored by the sun. Her skin is now far from fair like it once was. Not even sun kissed. It’s burnt with multiple tan lines, wounds and bites here and there. But for every flaw on her skin, she has an interesting story to tell.
Don’t date a girl who travels. She is hard to please. The usual dinner-movie date at the mall will suck the life out of her. Her soul craves for new experiences and adventures. She will be unimpressed with your new car and your expensive watch. She would rather climb a rock or jump out of an airplane than hear you brag about it.
Don’t date a girl who travels because she will bug you to book a flight every time there’s an airline seat sale. She wont party at Republiq. And she will never pay over $100 for Avicii because she knows that one weekend of clubbing is equivalent to one week somewhere far more exciting.
Chances are, she can’t hold a steady job. Or she’s probably daydreaming about quitting. She doesn’t want to keep working her ass off for someone else’s dream. She has her own and is working towards it. She is a freelancer. She makes money from designing, writing, photography or something that requires creativity and imagination. Don’t waste her time complaining about your boring job.
Don’t date a girl who travels. She might have wasted her college degree and switched careers entirely. She is now a dive instructor or a yoga teacher. She’s not sure when the next paycheck is coming. But she doesn’t work like a robot all day, she goes out and takes what life has to offer and challenges you to do the same.
Don’t date a girl who travels for she has chosen a life of uncertainty. She doesn’t have a plan or a permanent address. She goes with the flow and follows her heart. She dances to the beat of her own drum. She doesn’t wear a watch. Her days are ruled by the sun and the moon. When the waves are calling, life stops and she will be oblivious to everything else for a moment. But she has learned that the most important thing in life isn’t surfing.
Don’t date a girl who travels as she tends to speak her mind. She will never try to impress your parents or friends. She knows respect, but isn’t afraid to hold a debate about global issues or social responsibility.
She will never need you. She knows how to pitch a tent and screw her own fins without your help. She cooks well and doesn’t need you to pay for her meals. She is too independent and wont care whether you travel with her or not. She will forget to check in with you when she arrives at her destination. 
So never date a girl who travels unless you can keep up with her. And if you unintentionally fall in love with one, don’t you dare keep her. Let her go.
PS - R, I still need you to pay for my meals coz' you see, I just can't seem to hold on to a steady job :P!!


Thursday, January 23, 2014

Top 10 Comfort Foods I Can't Live Without

I read this article recently which defined the author's take on Indian Comfort food. As drool worthy as the article was, it inspired me to come up with my own list. Below is my list of comfort food available only in India that I miss if I don't eat often (and crave like crazy when I travel abroad):

1) Chole Bhature - This has to be highest on the list. My only grouse with a sore throat is that I can't have the spicy chole. Chacha in DU and Sita Ram aside, my fav in Noida are those at a stall outside ICICI in Sector 18 and the ones in Nathus.

2) Pakode and Chai - These should ideally be separate points but together these are just killer. Crispy hot pakodas teamed with steaming hot ketli type chai can beat away all blues!


3) Samosas and Jalebis - Though I can never eat spicy filling inside the samosa and leave it out, there are few street foods in the world that can beat this crispy wonder. Sharing the crust can start the Third World War! I don't really have a sweet tooth but a bite of the thin crispy jalebi helps cut the spice in the samosa.


4) Gol Gappe - Call it puchka or pani puri or good ol' gol gappa, the satisfaction of savoring this tangy water filled deliciousness is unparalleled. I like mine as sooji puris with a little sonth and lots of cold teekha pani. And yes, staying in Ahmedabad has spoilt me such that I must end my gol gappa spree with a 'sukha', ie. an atta puri with aalu sprinkled with their chaat masala.   


5) Prawn with Vodka in Tomato Cream Sauce - Replacing my earlier favorite Fusilli Chicken Piri Piri, this is my ultimate Pasta dish in the whole world..no literally...all the pasta I have eaten elsewhere on my travels pales in comparison to Big Chill's sinful gorgeousness. I like mine with added bacon and paired with the Belgian Chocolate Shake. Oooohh, heaven! 


6) Aalu/ Mooli/ Gobi Paranthas - As far as my memory goes, every Sunday morning breakfast has been stuffed paranthas. Something of a tradition now, I find my weekend incomplete if I do not start my Sunday with these. I like mine crispy with loads of malai on them and aam ka achaar on the side. 


7) Rolls - The famous kathi roll gets a makeover at every corner wala stall. I love egg in my chicken roll and my new favorite is the Chicken Egg roll at Rolls King. Otherwise, just about any street vendor will do!


8) Dhaaba food- I absolutely am nuts about dhaaba food. Served piping hot, authentic to the core and it doesn't burn a hole in my wallet. My usual order is paneer bhurji, dal fry and butter roti. Food for gods! There have actually been times that we have driven all the way to Murthal, just to eat at the dhaabas and drive back. Yes, we are insane.


9) Hot Choc Fudge - This one is impossible to get outside the city. Nirula's Hot Choc Fudge is unbeatable. Decadent enough to break the strictest of diets, this tall Sundae is something of an institution in itself.


10) Bread Roll - This is a hidden secret of mine. Not something that I eat often, if I get my hands on hot off the kadai bread rolls, I can never stop at one. There was this time I went for a very important and formal meeting and was presented with a plate of lipsmacking rolls and I forgot all about the meeting, shamelessly wolfing down roll after roll :) 

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

You're lucky

You don't know how lucky you are. No, truly. Even if you think life is terrible and you hate your job, you're lucky. You have a job to hate. If you fight with your wife everyday, you're still lucky. You have someone to love. If you think your parents are too intruding, you have parents who want the best for you. If your friend doesn't seem to have much time for you anymore, you still have people you can call friends. If you're not with the one you love anymore, atleast you have a lifetime of memories to smile in the dark about.

You're lucky.

I forget to say this to myself sometimes. Human nature prompts me to look at the darker side of life. But once in a while, a jolt shakes me and reminds me, I'm not just lucky, I'm downright blessed.

One of my close friends, an absolute angel, one of those few people who go that extra mile for people they love, is going through a tough time. Sometimes, when bad happens, it all happens together and light seems so far away. I know, because in completely different contexts, I have felt like that myself. But P, this is just to remind you that we're with you, always. You're in our thoughts, and those of all those people whose lives you have touched and made special just by being the person you are. The bad times are gone now...its all good from here on. Be strong... 

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Your Lazy Winter Lunch Guide

College like feel at Triveni Tea Terrace
A nip in the air (ok, a little more than just a nip), sun rays filtering through the foggy skies and lazy weekends. There is something intoxicating about winter lunches, especially alfresco ones. Nothing beats good food, pleasing ambience and intriguing company. If you still haven't made plans on where to go this weekend for lunch, here's help.
Crispy Palak Patta Chaat at Cafe lota
My latest article on Rediff lists my 5 top picks for lazy winter lunches. Whatever be your budget, there is an option to suit everyone.

Read the article here.  

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