In Florida's Sunshine City

Sunshine, beach, food and good looking men... that's what the Gods planned for me in Florida's, Tampa City...

Shooting for IIFA is great fun, but I pulled the short straw and was called for airport duty, shooting celeb arrivals. But I was not complaining. The camera crew assigned to me was super fun. And more importantly, very good looking...

Chris and Joe love food and decided that I needed to be well fed after seeing how malnutioned I look. So once the third batch of celebs had made their way out of the airport, we decided to break bread..litetally... The crusty loaf dunked into this rosemary, pepper, sea salt mixed with olive oil, was just what the doctor ordered to whet my appetite.. in a jiffy... it was cleaned..

Joe is an Italian American and decided to give me a taste of that cuisine.. salads for all and a full meal of mashed red potatoes with the peel and tenderloin marsala...beef cooked in red wine... 

Lunch over, the trio alongwith Ryan, our production boy decided to plan our next day's lunch.. a foot long Cuban sandwich.. the fillings include roast Cuban pork called Mojo, ham, salami, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard on fresh Cuban bread. A mouthful to write and certainly a mouthful to eat...But what a porky mouthful...

Over long hours of shooting, chatting and eating...our day started at 10am and finished at 12 midnight, we wrapped up the shoot... Tom is another day and the Cuban sandwich beckons...

Welcome To New York City

As the plane landed, I looked out to have a look at New York City bathed in the early morning light of dawn... it looked, from the skies, just another sprawling metropolis... until I had my breakfast of a New Yorker burger.

This is what a New Yorker looks like... sumptuous, and filled with slices of ham...with a touch of dijon mustard... the bun was toasted and the slices of ham were moist and pink...

It was washed down by a glass of grapefruit juice and some slices of apple and cinnamon, dried and roasted... a blissful meal.

 

After my breakfast, I stopped at a small shop where I picked up beef jerky and pretzels. All the cowboys in my novels eat beef jerky in their travels across the rough brown mountain terrain, on their horsebacks. 

While pretzels is a thing that is served at every beer bar or party in America. So it was a must - taste thingie in New York. 

A three hour halt and I had to catch my flight out.  I know what is in store for me after I finish my work at IIFA in Florida, where I am headed out.. so, till then, au revoir NYC... I plan to discover all your glorious food delights in just a few days...

The Annual IIFA Pilgrimage

It's that time of the year again... new destination to take the legacy and splendour of our hindi films.   And this time it's the United States of America...

IIFA has a new address every year and it's a date that I have been keeping for the last 12 years... From South Africa to Amsterdam, from Singapore to Toronto, I have made this event my very own.

As you can see, my room is in a mess...clothes strewn around... suitcase ready to be packed. Clothes are never an issue here... a more important issue is at stake... Food.

I am the Producer of the Weekend Stories for IIFA. And we have to shoot features on lifestyle, discovering the best tourist places, the best eateries...all with our Bollywood celebs. Some of my high points have been cycling with Mr Bachchan in Amsterdam, being garlanded by Salman Khan In Colombo, a plane ride with the likes of Rani Mukherjee, Shilpa Shetty and Fardeen Khan in Johannesburg... the thrill is unprecedented as the actors are in their most comfortable space.

But the hiccup is eating on time. So my backpack always has

the favourite Indian savouries like bhujia, cheese balls, namkeens and my favourite orange cream biscuits. For the back up dinner, it's the famous cup a noodles. You just need hot water, the rest is all in that cup.

I also have a honeymoon partner, Poonam. We have been sharing our room for the last 5 years. The 5 days that we spend together is precious because we only meet in bed, to rest our aching back and tired feet... all day long we are out hunting for celebs...no naughty ideas here...)))

And the two IIFA regulars, who make sure I get to see the best of everything a city has to offer, Gurpreet and Tina... Love you both...

I have made many friends too... Jack, the chauffeur from Toronto, who fed me prawn dumplings, my Pakistani guide in Dubai, who would get me mutton biryani, Premadasa from Colombo, who sneaked me out for a delightful  hour of ayurvedic massage... 

This year is special as my hubby will be accompanying me to Florida and post IIFA, a great vacation is on the cards.... Thank you Wizcraft and the three men who pull off this incredible awards show every year... Sabas Joseph, Andre Timmins and Viraf Sarkari...

The Family IPL Rivalry

Until KKR won, I was not kicked about the latest edition of

this competition. After all, being a die hard KKR fan, I was used to being abused by all. Still, the purple colour ran deep in my veins.

With the tourney starting in the UAE, I was not even planning to keep abreast with the events this year. But my husband, Bobby Dutta, was all set to start our annual rivalry with me.

Bobby was part of Mahendra Singh Dhoni's core team and handled his and Chennai Super Kings events and marketing. I was working with Red Chillies, the company owned by Shah Rukh Khan. A die hard cricket fan, employee of Red Chillies and with Sourav Ganguly as the captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders, there was no questioning my loyalties...

The "on ground" competition was no match to the "at home"

rivalry. KKR was always fighting to stay away from the lowest rung of the ladder, while CSK was conquering all the teams like Alexander the Great on a war path. 

The swords would be drawn on the night of the clashes between CSK and KKR. KKR would get thrashed royally and the end result, Bobby would have to sleep in the spare bedroom. The news of this competition also reached the ears of MS Dhoni... 

Until one fine day, KKR trounced CSK badly in the semis and took the IPL crown in the 5th edition. Since then, peace reigns in the Das-Dutta household... 

Last night there was ample reason to celebrate as KKR drew

first blood against the defending champions, Mumbai Indians... So, here's to a grand new season of exciting cricket times and Bobby sleeping in the master bedroom...

Bobby's Exam Phobia

The phones have been ringing since the wee hours of the morning... my mother, Bobby's mother, then his siblings..All the best wishes and don't get nervous advice are being given by concerned family and friends.. Bobby has to go for the US visa interview today and my darling hubby is behaving as if it is an entrance exam.

Bobby and academics have never had a reason to be close friends. In school and college, his love and skills at basketball ensured him admissions in some of the finest institutions. After all, a state level player was an important feather in an academy's cap.

As I will be going for IIFA, held this year in Florida's Tampa Bay and as such we have our very good family friend staying in the same city, I pushed Bobby into coming with me. And then the herculean task of applying for a US visa.

Olga, our friend gave him all the necessary invites and documents for his visa. Alongwith that advice.. what clothes to wear, how to speak and the works. So sweet of her...

A nervous wreck by this morning, I was told to feed him his

good luck breakfast... fried eggs and buttered toast. Bobby got dressed for the visa interview. I overheard him telling Zehn to pray for him and to give a good luck kiss.

Shaved, suited and booted, Bobby Dutta with his papers in tow has now headed for the interview.Toes and fingers crossed...

The Cook is Back

I am a slave... a slave to this woman proudly holding her latest efforts in the kitchen. She is Saraswati, my cook. While the world and their maids are going to their gaon for the summer holidays, my Saviour returns after 9 months. 

 

I and my waist have had her for 6 years.. and in the last 6 years, I have put on some 20 odd kilos. Pl look at my photo before she came into my life. But when the 2 inch tongue controls the 60 odd kilo body, it balloons to unforseen dimensions.

So, what happened in the last 9 months? Well, I lost some 10 kilos as my lady in waiting had gone to her gaon. So, this is what I look now.. not quite there, but almost there..lol.

But the love of my life is back in my life and the dish she has cooked is tender jack fruit with all the Indian masalas.. and steaming hot rice. Now, the problem is that one can eat less, but not when you are eating with your fingers and licking your chops... the dish smells and tastes like tender mutton called kosha mangsho. And 2 servings are just not enough.. a third is mandatory, while a fourth, is for the soul.

So, the soul is satiated, the heart is excited and the waist is happily stretched... this is the life, trials and tribulations of my life... but I'm lovin it...

The Road Trip With Kirron Kher

Kirron Kher is out on the streets of Chandigarh canvassing for a seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. And for those accompanying her, it's an experience that they will not forget soon. And I am talking from personal experience. 

I had the good fortune to travel with her to Shillong last month. A helicopter was booked so that the tedious road journey of 3 hours from Guwahati, through a uphill terrain that was being constructed, could be done away with. But Kirron, who is afraid of flying preferred going by car.

My first surprise on meeting her at the Guwahati airport was with her attire. Gone was the benarasi saree with her lovely antique jewellery and the perfectly coiffed bun with the gajra. Standing next to the baggage carousel was the lady in black tights, sweatshirt, a gorgeous black ankle length coat with her glorious hair left open, that hung to her waist. She looked HOT...

Kirron picked up her luggage and headed for the food

counter. She was planning for a picnic as she chose cheese sandwiches and diet coke, while saying no to bottled water. Kirron's fixation is that she prefers filter water to bottled water. I picked up chicken kathi rolls, chicken burgers... one never knows if there is a traffic jam on the narrow 2 lane roadway to Shillong or we may face a landslide. I like to be well prepared with food and beverages for any calamity...

And like a lady, Kirron picked the tab...an absolute unusual occurrence in tinsel town, where everything is paid by the sponsor. 

We sat in an Innova as the authorities could not arrange for a high end car at such short notice. Kirron gamely sat down with her picnic hamper and asked the driver to get her Lays potato chips. And the specific flavour was tomato salsa.. I had my reservations.. we were travelling through a village as a shortcut to the highway. But at a small roadside shop, actually it's stretching your mind if one calls it a shop, we found the desired flavour. Kirron promptly bought half a dozen of them.

Settled comfortably, the actress dug into her foodie goodies with sheer happiness. Conversation, sandwiches, coke, and a delightful green vista dotted with pineapple cultivation and local people selling their harvest by the roadside,marred only by the construction work, we reached Shillong.

On reaching the city, we were told that she had to attend an

event immediately as some children were waiting to perform for her. Without batting an eyelid, Kirron went to the auditorium which had half a dozen camera crews and some 500 guests in her travel stained clothes, after having woken up at 4 am to take the 7am flight from Mumbai. Without a thought of her saree clad, impeccable image, the lady went about her meeting with such graciousness, that the audience was bowled over.

If I had to vote, I would cast my vote for Kirron Kher. She is sporting and sensitive, fun to be with and yet can take up cudgels for what she believes in. A leader with a heart and a conscience... that's what India needs...

The Dimsum Spa

After six weeks of keeping house for house guests, sans a cook... a PNM was definitely on the cards... pampering and massage. 

 

I headed to Versova to Shashi, the lady with the magic fingers. I started with a Remy Laure facial which included a dry mask, a black mask, and a peel away mask... back massage followed. The pliant body was in seventh heaven. 

Now doing these treatments takes a toll on the purse strings. But the spa salon had a huge surprise waiting for me.. they had ordered a platter of Dimsums for me to sustain me until the next treatment started.

The Dimsum platter had the works... some were stuffed with

chicken, some with prawns n basil, some with assorted veggies... but the best was the chicken and corn. The Dimsums were moist, stuffed well and easily put away in two bites. The various sauces were a welcome change from the usual fare. The bland steamed momos or Dimsums with the spicy sauces was just what the doctor ordered for a lovely Saturday lunch, and that too, sponsored and paid by the salon.

After sipping on Green Tea, I resumed my hair spa replete with a oil massage, steam and the spa cream. The feet were next in line for some attention. I decided with spring in the air, orange would be my colour.  

As I paid up and headed for the car, my hubby called. His friends were coming over for a few days and would be staying in our house. Expecting a barrage of violent cursings, he was pleasantly surprised when I calmly said, "fine.". Little did he know what recuperation plans I had up my mind, post their departure.

Zehn's Graduation Day

Two years of daily school, hard work and some play ... Zehn Dutta was going to graduate. The black gown and hat were going to be donned. My 3 year old was going to graduate to Juniour school, Kindergarten, a momentous occasion for us, parents.

Seeing them off were the faculty members... talking us through their academic year with loads of pictures of their various activities... pyjama party, grocery shopping, nature walk, regular school activities,.. each teacher of the nursery batch spoke so lovingly of their students. Zehn's class teacher, Miss Rupali was openly sobbing away.

At the end of the speeches, I asked for the mic to thank them for taking care of our precious babies. 

Zehn started going to Euro Kids Lokhandwala when she was just a year and 10 months. They have nurtured her, taught her and loved her, in spite of the frustration of teaching children when they don't know how to respond. Her principal, Priya Mittal, alongwith all the faculty staff  know each and every child by their name, across all batches. Salutations! 

Miss Mamta, her playschool teacher is a sweetheart. As I would be travelling on work, she would slip notes inside Zehn's diary to keep me abreast of what was happening in school. 

And while we talked, laughed and cried, the tiny tots were busy having fun, running around, playing catch catch as all rambunctious kids do.

The graduation day party ended on some awesome chole bhaturas, poignant memories and bidding adieu to teachers who have built the foundation for my daughter's life... I thank them all.