Just Another Day in Paradise...

.......or in other words, just another day in the life of P.R.E.E.T.I....and trust me, if this is paradise? I can't imagine hell :)

This was something Satti had asked me pen in ages ago -when I wasn't working my ass off like now [I know I don't need to pretend to you guyz, but, if not you then who else???Tamil la sola pona, unga kita scene podama vera yaar kita mudiyum???hahaha...Itz a senti 'awwww' moment ppl!!]. I told him I wouldn't do it. I mean, cmon, who would wanna take time out to read about me:

1. Waking up at 12.30 a.m (technically pm, though I'm still gonna maintain the 'a.m' cuz anytime I get up is morning and morning is a.m and I'd still say good morning when you call me then though it technically is afternoon!!!confused???)

2. Watching anything and everything on T.V. As I have professed a million times over, I am a couch potato and love being one. I used to watch Oprah on Star World at 2, but thanks to Hallmark buying the broadcasting rights, I was forced to watch Ellen- which I didn't like, not only cuz it just isn't O, but also cuz it just isn't O! Yet, I sat and watched it anyway cuz, what the hell! it's on TV at 2 and 2's a good TV time, just as 3,4,5,6,7,8.......!!!

3. Eating uneventful food like...red rice and rasam..or papadam and curd rice...or bread and jam....or chapathi and dal....or.....

4. Sitting online and blogging. Sitting online and chatting. Sitting online and checking mail....

5. Getting down the stairs as my cuckoo clock starts 'cuckoo-ing' 5 times at 5 (d-u-h!) and 5 is tea time , sitting at the dining table and waiting for Padma to give me tea [and biscuit if I've been a good girl ;) Makes me sound like a dog..hehe]

6. Talking on the phone to Ruby/ Dolz/ Rekz/ Dad/ Prathi/ Jane/ Satti about how bored I am, how I need a job, how I need my own money, how I've aged and put on 5 kilos, how I........

7. Getting back to my comfy green sofa and settling down just to watch the next round of anything- tattoo artistes, cooking shows, Kareena dancing to some silly music or the zillionth repeat of Friends...

8. Talking fervently to dad at 8,when he gets back from work, about my future and what I want to do with it....

9. Finally deciding at 1 p.m [I'm sparing y'all the post meridien explanation :D] to hit the sack and dream about...nothing or something or anything!

Now, temme, you wouldn't really wanna read about all that, would you??? :D

P.S. a) The routine has changed now. I work. And the details are too boring for me to get into :D

b) Coming to think of it, compared to Just Another Day at work- sitting in a freezing cold office on a beautiful rainy day and doing NOTHING- sitting at home and doing ALL the above does seem like Just Another Day in Paradise ;)

Tantalizing/Tormenting Tongue Ticklers...

This time my thank u's are directed towards Andu san. As I heatedly explained my tryst with skin-thin salami, he suggested I write on it. This is one suggestion I did take :)

I'm an absolute food-junkie. After music, I live, breathe and crave food. And God has blessed me with the best of friends and family who share the same passion. (P.s: do take a look at the snap on the rite. Yours truly indulging in some 'finger-licking'..hehe) And so, I am gonna take you all on the astronomical sensation giving- gastronomical route- a trip though the roads of Chennai with pit-stops at my favourite and not-so-favourite joints.

1. Gallopin' Gooseberry: My rating *****

Mayo. Lots and lots of it. No order of mine here is complete without extra, extra mayo (Ahem, when I am not dieting that is...which is like almost alwayz :D). Their Rosemary chicken sandwich- 3 slices of white bread with just the right amount of meat, mayo and herbs- is heaven. If you thought a sandwich would be lighter than a burger, think again. This one is HUGE and absolutely sinful. Add to that a Carbuncle from the Fruit Shop below & I couldn't ask for more! Their burgers are good too. But I pick the sandwiches. To me, the prices are a lil high, around 90 for a sandwich, but it certainly wouldn't leave you hungry at the end of it!

2. Tangerine: My rating *****

Think steak, think Tangerine. Me and Dolz were weekly goers here till she got married,I started working and well, this happened-'the family'- me, aj, andu and dolz- were served a family of cockroaches 'on-the-house' with our basket of french fries. As the tiny lil creatures ran hither tither on our table, our appetite died a natural death (do read andu's blog on this for further info). That hasn't stopped us from going there though because the food is beckoning. Our standard order would include: French fries and stuffed mushrooms for starters, a nice, tall glass of minty iced tea, maincourse of either Stuffed cottage cheese steaks, Paneer and corn cutlets or Chicken Desiree and Dessert-Oh!this is the BEST part about Tangerine. Their desserts are to-DIE-for!I would suggest the Death By Chocolate (literally!), the Tiramisu and the Rum & Walnut cake (for the faint hearted, dont you worry, a lil bit of rum wouldn't do any harm. Tho' dolz claims she did get high on it!hehe)

3.Sparky's Diner: My rating *****

By the Americans, for the Indians. This is one highly priced burger joint which keeps with the American tradition of serving absolutely fatty, greasy burgers which are not necessarily tasty. I remember feeling high and dry the 1st time. I wouldn't suggest it EXCEPT for their Friday nite buffet priced at 375 nett. It is strictly for meat lovers with heady quantity of meat and excellent serving sizes. Burgers, sausages, breads, salads, pastas, soups and dessert-it's all there. Definitely worth a try on a Friday evening.

4.Paprika- at The Courtyard Marriott: My rating *****

*Drool* This is one place my condescending Dad (pardon me pa!) actually approved. And I fifth-ed it (after Harsh,dolz n mum...hehe). A refreshing change from our usual Main street- Copper point routine, Paprika was a whiff of not just fresh air but aromatic delicacies which seemed endless. No doubt it created a dent in Harsh's pocket (around 6k for the 5 of us) but none of us were complaining as it was worth every penny. Finally a new place to go to, one that my whacky family would unanimously agree!

5. Coffee World: My rating *****

Coffee World is now the official hangout of my gang-of-gurls (me, ruby, prati n janie..n satti ofcourse when he's around) for our TLC sessions. This has more to do with the proximity factor than their menu. The skin-thin salami experience was here. Being on one my infinite diets, that hardly last a day, I decided to stick to it and order a salami sandwich (lean meat) with brown bread (!!!) and *sniff* no mayo!I was just excited at the prospect of eating anything other than oats, skimmed milk and peanuts. But when I was served, I literally had to squint and scratch to find the light pink salami on the dark brown bread! Then why do I rate it 3/5???Awwww...I'm just partial to the place cuz a lot of good moments have been here. I'm a sucker for sentiment ppl! :)

6. Eden: My rating *****

Do not get outta here without trying the fried baby corn, mushroom crepes and aloo chutneywalley.

7. Cream Center: My rating *****

Another regular JUST for their near-perfect rendition of the lebanese Hummus. Something only me and dolz can relish (and gladly so, cuz we don't have to share then..hehe).

[P.S:On demand from my dearest bro-in-law Harsh, who couldn't believe I rated his fav. place 3, I am upgrading it to 4. And it is 4* worth, lemme tell you. And also, he SWEARS by their vegetable biryani..real awesome!]

8. Arabian Hut @ Citicenter: My rating *****

Closest to Bahrain's shawarmas and so a regular on my list.

9. Mocha- My rating *****

Blueberry brain freezer shake, Oreo shake and Nutella crepes- sums up Mocha in my eyes. I must add that their service borders on lousy. It may be a strategy to have ppl lounging in, but by the time you place the order, get it and get out- a Bollywood film with all its songs and dances would be complete!

10. Saravana Bhavan- My rating *****

Not for their food, which is already well known, this rating is for their delectable range of natural icecreams. Do try guava, strawberry and banana. Yummm!

Damn, all this writing has gotten me hungry as hell...Time to go feed by growling tummy :) I'm not letting you go that easy though, as alwayz, your turn to spill the beans.... :)

Music-My Marijuana

I crave music. At times I feel my head would explode if I don't get a nice shot of my favourite song. Just one dose and I'm peaceful. I'm quietened and my mind and body relax. I could just stay that way for hours, as though in a trance. Yup, music is addictive.And how!Right now, I would give anything to yank out my shuffle, plug it into my ears and listen to Dire Straits or Elvis or,ofcourse, my man Bryan Adams (I'm basically an any-music person and I can listen to anything, but for heavy metal and the Norah Jones kinds). That heady rush of lyrics and beat, that giddy pleasurable sensation..oohhh...neither caffeine, nor alcohol, nor sex nor drugs can beat that!

I don't really pay much attention to the lyrics of a song, especially Hindi or Tamil. (Basically cuz I wouldn't really understand it even if I did!) But then there are those that just drawwww you to the lyrics, and I analogize with every single word being sung. Few of my picks would be-

1. "So far away" by Dire straits

"I'm tired of being in love and being all alone
When you're so far away from me
I'm tired of making out on the telephone
And you're so far away from me

You're so far away from me
So far I just can't see
So far away from me
You're so far away from me..."

[For those of you in long distance relationships, Im sure this makes a lottaaaa sense...To me, it did...Every time... ;)]

2. "Best of Me" by Bryan Adams

"Sometimes words are hard to find
I'm looking for that perfect line
To let you know your always on my mind
Ya this is love - n' i've learned enough to know
i'm never lettin' go
No, no, no - won't let go

When you want it
When you need it
You'll always have the best of me
I can't help it believe it
You'll always get the best of me"

[Y'all friendz out there, this goes out from me to U! :) Love!]

3. "Right Here Waiting" by Richard Marx

"Wherever you go
Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you

Whatever it takes
Or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you"

[Extremely simple lyrics, but I'm not complaining when I'm the one being sung-to!]

There are lik a million zillion more songs that I could think of and I wouldn't wanna venture into that now cuz this is a blog and not a lullaby, though music is what we're talking about here!

As I said, genre doesn't matter-R&B, hip hop, rock, hindi,tamil whatever, music is just the best thing EVER! If Elvis melts my heart with "Can't help falling in love", Sean Paul makes me wanna get up and groove to "Temperature". If "Cocaine" makes my fingers ache to strum a guitar, "Nattu Saraku" makes me wanna do the koothu! Just goes to prove that Music, my pals, is My Marijuana!

Go on now, gimme an insight into your musical inclinations. Let me know what gets your body moving and soul stirring :)