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Now, apna Hero and Heroine always make the last entry, so Neeraj and Poonam - our star couple for the party made a shaandaar last entry. Everyone was seated and the show started. First up was Suraj who introduced both sets of parents and thanked Neeraj for taking Poonam and her pranks away from him :p. And then guess what? This guy came out of nowhere and said something in Suraj’s ears. Suraj had a weird expression on his face and said that there was his certain Hyundai Sonata with a certain license number whose lights were. Oh wait! Was that Neeraj and Poonam’s car? Both Neeraj and Poonam looked at each other puzzled. huh? us? did we forget? nooooo! I think they were about to get up and pass their keys so that someone could turn the lights off when Suraj saved the day! Twas a joke guys!!!! But he really got both of them on this one!

Then came two wonderful segments. First, one of their friends who had gone to India for their wedding shared some of her experiences from India. It was clear that they had ALL enjoyed India and had come back with memories that were to stay forever! Next up were the other five friends who had gone to India with them. Theirs was the best piece of the night! They had prepared this absolutely hilarious song based on a track from Lion King! Its hard to describe how hilarious it was, but it was definitely from the heart! The song reflected on what a great time they had in India. One thing I remember from their song was that the Bhatias love to party! In that case, I was SOOO in the right place that night

Next up was a wonderful speech from Neeraj that he had written when he had first moved from India. Continue Reading »

Song of the day: Its the time to disco….Kal Ho Naa Ho

Alas, that day 7 am was early! I don’t know, maybe because of the one hour difference,or maybe because I had fallen asleep in the car, I did not sleep well. I kept waking up and going to bed all night. So in the morning, when Punnidear’s alarm went off, I was awake. She first woke Neeraj up and then when she shook me, I retorted with a “main already jaag gayi hoon”( I am already awake). It was supposed to come out nicely but I think it came out in the grumpy early morning voice I must have scared her because she said okay and went to get ready. So I was supposed to have been awake right? I still lay there forEVER before I got up and went upstairs to the living room from the basement.

We had morning nashta and at the table were four people. Two with an extremely desi breakfast, and the other two with a very American breakfast! Continue Reading »

Song of the day: Where’s the party tonight….Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna

I was invited and couldn’t make it to their engagement party. Then again I was invited and couldn’t make it to their wedding, so when the invitation to attend their 1st Wedding Anniversary came up, I knew for sure that I was going to definitely make it this time! And boy, am I glad I did or what?

I had already met Neeraj and Poonam at St.Louis last year, but this was the first time I was visiting their home and their family. I was excited because I knew that both of them were great friends and fun loving people and there was no better chance to share and celebrate their happy moment and the wonderful journey of their relationship from staying apart to engagement to marriage! After many attempts by the cosmos of foiling my plans of going to Illinois for NPs 1st Anniversary Party, I finally boarded the plane to O’Hare. Little did I know that I was in for one of the best weekends in a LONG time! Continue Reading »

It was the summer of 2005 when I had visited di and jiju in Bangalore. Although I had been there before, this new Bangalore was nothing like it was in the winter of 1999. So much had changed in those years. The traffic, the people, the malls, the roads, the food…

The food! Ah! I was at the popular mall “Forum” one afternoon. Di and I had just finished watching Dus at PVR. Her little one was mighty troubled at not being fed for three hours, so she sat at a table in the food court and pulled that Gerber jar out. I left the happy ma and beta jodi in search of something to soothe my palate! As if my stomach growl was heard all the way in Gujarat, B called.

Me: Hello?
B: Hi sweetie! Whats up?
Me: I am hungry!
B: You wont believe it but I was about to snack on something. Am hungry too!
Me: (a little aloof, checking the menus out) yea okay
B: by the way
Me: uh huh…
B: one of my friends just got back from Bangalore and he said he had had something at a restaurant there that was real yummy. I tasted it and it was too good!
Me: (still checking the menus) What was it? Food? Dry hoga…it lasted through the journey?
B: arrey two hour plane ride…ofcourse it lasted
Me: oh okay
B: why dont you get it when you come here
Me: umm sure whats it called?
B: it was something like khormakala
Me: WTH? I have never heard of it..what in the world is it.
B: well its like a mixture of bhel and vada pav
Me: MF hussain ka abstract art suna tha…yeh abstract dish kahaan se?
B: no no its a Bangalore specialty..actually more kannada specialty, you HAVE to get it…ask your di..she must know for sure.
Me: where can I get it?
B: Now if I knew that wouldnt it get it myself?
Me: (a little too hungry) okay okay will get it..gotta order food now, I am really hungry! bye love ya

And thus began the search for this food item.I asked di and jiju, they had never heard of it: “we have been here only for a short time, must be some authentic dish…sorry dont know” Asked around in a few restaurants, but all in vain. For the first time, B had asked me to get something for him and I was not able to find it. Frustrated and sad, I called him.

Me: Honey, I just cant find it. Actually, I must have mis pronounced it..what is it called again
B: Khormaakaala…thats how its said.
Me: I cant find it..
B: (in a sulky tone): its okay…now you cant find it..so you cant..I have never asked you for anything before…just this one thing. They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.

And the sky came crashing down on me. The Punju had for the first time asked me to get something and I couldnt get it!

The day of my departure from Bangalore:

B: (excited) I am sure yuo musta gotten khormakala for me. You are just making it up so that you can surprise me
Me: Nahi sachi, I couldnt find it.
B: whatev, we will see when you get here

In Ahmedabad, after the best Pav bhaji ever!

B: so now for the grand finale, how about you muster up the khormakala. I am sure you will like it too.
Me: (teary eyed) I tried! I swear I tried but I couldn’t find it. I never got the chance to go to any specialty stores either. I am SOOOOOOOOOO sorry! Give me another chance. I will call up my friends who are actually from Bangalore, they will know for sure. I am SOOOOOOO sorry.
B: (looking away) Yea sure. Your friends will get it for me or what.
Me: Don’t be so mean. I said I am sorry. I tried. What the heck is khormaakaala anyway!

B did not say anything. We spent the whole day together. Him sulking and me feeling guilty about not being able to bring back this one thing he asked for. We spent the evening at Kankaria lake, joking, the tension finally subsiding. After a good joke when both of us laughed till we almost cried, I said.

Me:I am still sorry about khormakala. If you tell me what it was like I am sure I will be able to make it for you. What is khormakala?
B: (with a straight face) My love, khormakala is nothing compared to your love.
Me: No but I still want to know. I can make it for ya someday
B: (sighing) well if you MUST know! khormakala happens to be a figment of my imagination.

OH MY GOD!(imitating Janice from FRIENDS) You are dead the next time you mention khormakala!

B is still paying for it. Everytime there is or will be a conflict about where to go eat out, he will be reminded of the khormakala that never was.

Song of the day: Baawri piya ki

The customary new years resolutions have to be made and published at the end of each year, but I am going to keep them to myself for right now. Maybe reveal them one at a time? However, the customary end of the year post is here. Something new this year with my personal best and worst of the year. Start with movies and music, shall we?

Best Movie: Khosla Ka Ghosla
In spite of the numerous big banners and names this year, my personal fav is this low budget movie based in Delhi. Apart from a taut script and excellent performances, this film is very down to earth and realistic, not to forget the amazing dry humor! Undeniably noticeable, it outruns all the other major movies that I enjoyed this year. A full review remains…

Best Song: Baawri Piya ki – Baabul
I am an ardent Sonu Nigam fan and this song from Baabul (the only decent one in the whole album) takes the cake. There were not really many songs that stuck to the heart this year. The only one that comes close to this number is “Mere haath main” from the film Fanaa which also runs a close second in terms of movies this year.

Best Actor: SRK, Hrithik or Johnny Depp
Okay okay! I digress from the “what’s really important” here because I am biased. Biased with these actors and the Punju will not agree on these “best” ones for sure! So lets move to the next one ;)

Best Actress: Eh?

Best Place Visited: I didn’t really travel many major places this year. Just here and there. The place visited this year is the only major outdoor vacation that I took and the glory goes to Las Vegas, Nevada!!!!! Tis’ true that Vegas is like adult Disney land. Your first time there, all you do is gape at the lights and more lights of the sparkling city. Ditto when you enter your first major Las Vegas hotel. For me it was The Luxor, where I stayed. The lights, the glitter, the moolah, the cards, the roulette, the dealers, but most of all the gamblers, it was all very well…err…Vegasy! Vegas is a must visit atleast once in your lifetime. Even if you are not a big gambler, its just worth popping those eyes out at the glamour of this huge blob of light,energy, money, and alcohol in the middle of the desert!!! Moreover, I also met Neeraj and Poonam for the first time during this visit. I never did a travelogue on this one…should have. Just remember…everything that happens in Vegas, happens late! :p

Best New Experience: this year was full of new experiences and adventures that included playing blackjack in a Las Vegas casino. However, my fav new experience was watching the famous Broadway show, Mamma Mia!: hilarious with lots of music and completely entertaining, a jaw dropping experience. Loved it!

Best Moment: I thought I would have to scratch my grey matter real hard to remember ALL those moments that happened over the past 365 days, but it wasn’t too hard. Undoubtedly it was the moment when ma, pa, and I drove back from a weekend vacation in the mountains to find my license to practice waiting between the front door and the screen! Its indescribable, when the moment that you spent years preparing for and eons biting your nails over is finally there!

The worst? Well let’s see, why fret over what was bad and ugly? I will just let those worst things be and look forward to good things next year. Overall, 2006 was a good year. B agrees. A lot of changes took place within my life. Several of them were life defining and important ones that are already charting the course of the years ahead! There were quite a few defining changes at B’s end as well. To add icing on the cake, ma and pa finally started talking about B! What a year!!!!

Ah, I forgot to mention. I must have increased the “times watched” number of Maine Pyar Kiya and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge to a gazillion this year.

Wishes for a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR to all from Ms.Gujju and Mr. Punju. Hope 2007 is a FANTABULOUS year for all of you ahead.