Some Tender Loving Care To Give

My Mom has been a grandma for 3 years now to my rambunctious daughter, Zehn. They share a really strong bond, bordering on what we call "violent love" or "wild love". Zehn does not believe in loving affectionately, rather she will ask my mom to remove her glasses so that she can launch herself on mom and hug and kiss her passionately. 

When my hubby and I decided to take a working holiday, we packed Zehn to Guwahati to mom's place, as she was having her summer vacation.   

Mom was over the moon, planning her meals and her evening play time. Every time we would call mom, she would talk in details about Zehn's activities, taking pride when she learnt a few Assamese words or could paint an animal that looked like a tree...

The bond after 2 weeks had grown stronger. Mom was a new person. After daddy passed away last year, mom had no one to take care of. .. someone to cook for, someone to scold and reprimand and even nag, someone to worry about. A woman needs to nurture, some tender loving care to give... that's the core of a woman, I realised.  And mom had finally found someone to love and nurture in the absence of her husband. 

Perhaps that's why we need to celebrate women with women's day and mother's day, because the nature to nurture is thy woman. Thank you, mom...one more time.

An Indian in New York

The ultimate destination for most, one would like to believe is New York. I was not one of them. Unless I was being paid for, I was not going to waste my money on a visit to the Big Apple. But destiny gave me a ticket and a holiday to NYC and I took it.

We put up at my cousin's place in Harrison, a gorgeous

suburb of NYC. A train ride to Grand Central Station, 30 minutes away, on a cold, windy, rain swept day was not the most ideal day to see Manhattan, but what the heck... The adventurer in me set the pace, and alongwith the man I promised seven lifetimes to spend with, took the hop on hop off bus.

A stop at the 9/11 memorial was an emotional experience. Amongst the many who passed away, there were the firemen who lost their lives saving the many victims. And what got me breaking down on that wet pavement was this... a wreath with a teddy bear. The trauma was relived as memories of the attack came crashing back. 

We never got off the bus thereafter and sombrely headed

back home.  A warm meal of various kinds of Brazilian meats, with homemade soup made by my Polish sister in law, some cuddles from my niece, made the day a lot better. 

Just like a mercurial woman, the following day New York welcomed us to glorious sunshine... we again headed to Manhattan, where we shopped at Macy's, ate hot dogs, posed with the Statue of Liberty, and caressed the Bull's balls on Wall Street.

Perhaps the big highlight of this trip was my interview at

Times Square. For a journalist of almost 2 decades, to be facing the camera and being asked about the Big Foot and the mystics of the world, was a great high. The Empire State Building suddenly lost it's sheen to me as I stood more than 200 feet tall. 

Thrift stores and garage sales have always fascinated me... and I finally got my wish. From clothes to shoes, from books to knick-knacks, at throwaway prices was such a bargain for me. Unfortunately, with a baggage ceiling of just 23 kgs, the shopper in me died an abrupt death.

Finally, something that made my last evening in NYC memorable. A visit to the Cheese Cake Factory, had me drooling... from Reese Peanut Butter to Oreo Cookies, from Strawberry to Pecan Stuffed Coffee Cake, I picked up half a dozen of them...and the cream that accompanied was finger licking delicious. It had to be, each cheese cake was a whopping 2000 calories. 

New York beckons you like an exuberant lover... Each day she has something different to offer. If its nostalgia one day, it's the sales discounts on another, if it's eating some day, it's history claiming another. Each day is a novelty, each day creates a memory... until you decide, it's time to see her just one day more. And your's truly, is committed to seeing her again... Bye bye New York, until we meet again.

A Friend Named Olga

IIFA drew it's final curtains last Saturday with a gala display of Indian cinema's immense talent and splendour... For me, it was time to bid adieu to work and say hello to vacation time... My very first US holiday and it was with my friend named Olga. 

And just prior to the event, she did the impossible... she dolled me up for the big night...and Cinderella went to the ball.

As we had all skipped dinner to see the show which wound

up by 4am, we decided to head for an early breakfast at I Hop. Accompanied by our respective hubbies, we ordered a king size meal. Southern fried steak with fried eggs, grits and biscuits with gravy. The cuisine of the South is rich and heavy and I had a first hand experience of it.

Olga lives in Clearwater, in Florida's Tampa Bay in a huge 4 bedroom house with a pool with her four strapping sons and loving hubby. Olga is a Latino beauty, tall, statuesque looking with long black hair and ruby lips...and she is a momma, who loves to keep home and cook awesome meals for her boys. We were right at home basking in her warm hospitality...

Her hubby, James is an American with the very unique sense

of the British dry humour. His company was what a lovely Merlot does to a steak... gives it a robust enhanced flavour. An evening with him, while his wife cooked this exotic Spanish dish called Cioppino, with crabs, mussels, prawns, cod fish and scallops, all in one big tureen, with some garlic bread, was straight out of a Nigella Lawson meal.

Every meal is home cooked for Olga's boys and guests... One night after an exhausting night's shoot, me and my IIFA friends were yearning for some home cooked dal rice. Next morning a huge hamper with plates, cutlery, napkins and pickles came the piping hot dal and rice. We blessed her from the bottom of our hearts... It was the kindest gesture anyone has done for us, on an overseas shoot. 

James is a culinary expert himself. Having made us the perfect Margaritas with Tequila, Contreau and lemon mix, James lit the charcoal barbecue for some thick juicy steaks, tomatoes and corn while Olga baked some cornbread. Dessert was this perfect strawberry. 

The food was awesome, but what sets Olga apart is her happiness at keeping guests, taking the pains for making us a part of her family and the generosity of her time. She bid us adieu at the airport, weeping profusely. Bobby and I are honoured to have found a sister in a friend. 

Thank you, Olga for your love. We will cherish it always.

A Florida Experience

Sunny skies and sunnier people. As IIFA celebrated the glory and magic of Indian films in Tampa Bay, my camera team decided to share the world's best cuisines that Florida had to offer...

Chinese takeaway is huge in the States. Chris, my food guide, mentor and soul mate decided to give me a taste of this cuisine from Yummy House, which dishes out a mean salt n pepper Calamari fry and pork fried rice with some chicken fried dumplings.

The pork was barbecued and had a slightly sweet taste while the Calamari was salty and peppery. All this was accompanied by some sauces, and the killer one was a really chilly spicy sauce, that sat perfect on my Indian palette. 

And the portions were huge. When Chris ordered one

portions of each, I was seriously worried. I was HUNGRY and had little intention of sharing my goodies. But the mentor knew his way about and I did not starve. Rather the four of us, that is Joe and Ryan also, could not polish off the rice.

Lunch over, it was time for dinner. While the team had salads, I went for some Japanese Teriyaki beef fry with steamed veggies and rice. Juicy, succulent pieces of meat made a huge dent with the rice and veggies on my curvy body, taking it to a new found girth.

As we continued shooting till the wee hours, it was time to knock on the doors of a diner.. pork chops with mashed potatoes and biscuits with gravy with a lovely smiling plump blond waitress to serve us, it was an American breakfast designed for a healthy Indian appetite. 

Just to inform you, I was also working. Having had airport duty thrust on my head, I got to shoot all the celeb arrivals, just off the aerobridge. It was something to see the jet plane steer it's way right to the mouth of the aerobridge and shoot the stars stepping into Sunshine City. 

An experience to cherish...  

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...