I NEED to know now...Does it really hurt...?

Not love. Not breaking up. Not tattoos or peircings. What I wanna know is - Does it really hurt...to SMILE...?

My parents have taught me to be pleasant and polite. And being all full of manners as I am (atleast I try!), I smile at people I know. Not necessarily a buddy or the one-who-sits-beside me. I mean, could be someone on the same floor. There is this one girl at work, whom I see pretty often. I smile at her when I see her and what does she do...? Pass me by like I don't even exist! (This has happened,like, thrice)I mean, it's technically impossible to miss me, you know, thanks to my 'towering personality' (= huge). Besides, I was looking straight at her and smiling. And so, she cannot even use the pathetic excuse that I was probably smiling at the person behind her (or maybe she thought it was the cupboard...?or the wall perhaps...?) Doesn't anyone reciprocate niceties anymore?

She's not the only one. Me and Ruby joint aerobics recently. We were late (as usual) for our first class and the instructor told us to join the crowd and follow suit. We were all left feet and tripping and I looked at the girl in front and smiled sheepishly. She, inturn, threw me this disinterested, 'I'm-too-busy-to-waste-time-smiling' expression! (Adding insult to injury is the fact that she's as thin as a stick of asparagus while I'm that huffing, puffing plump tomato) Thankfully, there was another nice lady who just asked us to hang in there till the end.

With medical reports (eg: Smiling involves just 17 facial muscles and...), poems (eg: Smiling is a merry thing, blah blah blah"), songs (Remember Boyzone's biggest hit: Words, which began with-Smile, an everlasting smile.......??") and the likes of Hallmark/Archies coming up with the 'Smiley' (that cute, yellow thing on cards/keychains/anything & everything) , the entire 'Smile' concept is pretty much in your face. And so, I'm gonna assume the non-smiling kinds are extremely ignorant people with no life. Living in an igloo without a window and no humans around => Zilch people skills.

Or maybe I'm just ancient. Maybe being grumpy is in and I never realized. Well, the lean, mean men have always been considered hot. You know, the 'bad boy' image and all. Maybe that works for women as well.....? Maybe it's better. Would save guys the effort of saying those corny lines like "Your smile just killed me" or "I love the way your eyes light up when you smile" etc. Or maybe, they'd just change them and go, "Your frown just scared the shit outta me" or "Your dead pan eyes and frigid expression just turn me on".

Whatever maybe, a smile works for me. Lifts me up to smile and be smiled at. What do you think?

Million $ quote: "To Smile or not to Smile. That is the question" (by Will.I.A'int Shakespreeti)

P.S: Update: Ever since I've written this post (like 30 min ago), I've seen Girl#1 twice and I couldn't help but smile so hard, I looked sillier than the Cheshire Cat in 'Alice in Wonderland'!

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.... :)

The Devil Wears PRADA, The Angel Wears HERSELF...

Check out the pallette below giving this season Summer '07s MUST-WEAR shades. Dare to sport anything else and your stint in the everyday fashion scene is ka-put....So, are you IN...or are you OUT???

Oh yea, by the way? The primary 'requisite' to BE in the fashion scene in the 1st place, is that you have GOT to be a size, get this, ZERO! (translation: somewhat similar to the skeleton in your biology lab, but with skin..and (not necessarily)pretty features...and hair!) So, if you happen to be (shudder!) anything close to a size 1 or above, Get a Life, you are SO not stylish!

Who dictates the world of haute couture, you may wonder. It is not one, but a plethora of like-minded 'creators' of fashion who churn out fashion regulations by the hour every-single-day of the year. They get paid by the millions for it, their cranky whacky designs get noticed (God knows why), win accolades and all that earns them a place in the Golden Book of Mankind. More often than not, the huge (pun intended) chunk of people, not conforming to the pre-set standards of body architecture, get ignored.

[Below: Sketches by a top designer]

Hollywood in 2006 came out with a comical take on the World of fashion with "The Devil Wears Prada". The Devil, played sophisticatedly and with elan by a high-on-botox Meryl Streep, is a fashion guru, an icon feared by all in the industry for her ruthless ways. Editor of the most coveted fashion magazine 'Runaway', Miranda Priestly (Streep) runs her office mirthlessly, sorely testing her staff all the time. Her office shouts Prada!Armani!Versace! at every possible turn and Andrea Sachs (Anne Hathaway), her new assistant, finds her self plunged despairingly into a mire of impossibly thin, heart- wrenchingly stylish men and women in hot stilettos and tight leather pants revealing bodies that pledge life-long dedication to the gym! Andrea isn't the type. She's a typical cream-cheese bagel loving, jelly donut freak who, according to her, is a good writer and so, doesn't see why she must keep track of what she eats and what she wears!

[The movie is supposed to be inspired by Anna Wintour, editor of the U.S Vogue magazine]

I loved it, enjoyed every quip, every candid frame of the movie was hilarious but it left me wondering- if Andrea ( a size 8 ) wasn't acceptable, what about ME? I guess I'm entitled to eternal banishment from the very face of the earth for being a (humble) size 14+!!! I do have my moments of deep,dark sorrow when I look into the mirror and see my reflection,yet I do believe that that has nothing to do with who I am. I may not fit into any of this year's pret line from Milan or Paris or whereever, but I am happy wearing my cotton kurtas in fat-concealing colours like black with my inimitable dupatta wrapped around my broad shoulders and neck. THAT is my fashion statement and hence the anti-thesis, The Angel Wears HERSELF..... (not that I necessarily mean that the angel is me)

Style is intrinsic, it emanates from within. You maybe wearing the most elitest gown, but if you carry an attitude to match its price, you're not going to have too many fans! It is all a matter of confidence-how much thou love thyself! Style is comfort- if you like what you wear, it shows. Try it out, wearing your best jeans and your favourite t-shirt always makes you feel good, no matter if the jeans are Levi's or the T- Nike. But when you do dress up to,well, 'dress-up', wearing a short, slinky revealing dress, you may get a lot of winks but you couldn't care less because all you want to do right then is slip out of it.

What you see below is NOT a grizzly bear nor the sketch of a rag-picker, it is infact one of the top designs for the Fall of 2006. I'm sure none of you would want to be caught alive-or dead- in THAT!Now you know what I mean..?? :)

At the recent fashion week in Paris, renowned designer Jean Paul Gaultier did something that shocked the world. As a fitting response to the controversy over the size-O models, he put a voluptuous size 20+ model on the ramp in a daring black corset, proving that BIG is BEAUTIFUL. Now, isn't that admirable???

Rather than join the bandwagon on the season's best colour, pattern, length blah blah, take the time to discover YOUR style. That sets you apart and makes others sit up and notice your unique image- just YOU.

So, the next time you are intimidated by someone claiming to be in vogue (and indirectly alleging that you aren't) let them go to Hell, because The Devil (may) Wear Prada, (but) The Angel? Wears HERSELF...

P.S: Dolz, I know you're laughing at the title..Trust me, it still is funny for me too...but I didn't wanna go back on the few literary bursts that grace my tiny lil brain :)

Of Pride, Valour and Honour...

On one of those girly nights, conversation never stopped, it just went on and on and on...It got personal and then it got political....And embroiled in that conversation was this awe-inspiring true story...It left me awestruck and hence the blog...

Thank you Rekz for telling it to me....

"In the fierce and unkempt forests of Africa, the crude and cruel men considered women as mere objects of desire. Innocent women and children were raped to satisfy their rampant hunger. Respect to women was something they had never heard of. One day, a gang of over zealous, moronic men ransacked the house of a young girl of 13 and carried her away for their silliness. She managed to escape their deadly throes and ran away. The men pursued her deeper and deeper into the forests.

Suddenly, the weeping girl spotted a herd of lions in front of her. Rooted to her spot with fear, she could not move. She stood, as though struck by a thunderbolt, till the furious cries of the men behind her jolted her out of her shock. The little girl, though young, was full of pride and she decided to save her honour and give her life away to the golden beasts before her rather than die disgracefully in the hands of the human beasts behind her. She ran forward towards the herd....

The pitiful sobbing of the little girl sounded, to the lions, like the whimpering of a wounded cub. Instinctively, they formed a protective circle around her, baring their razor sharp teeth menacingly to her pursuers, warning them not to take a step forward. The delirious fools fled the scene almost immediately! The herd remained there guarding her the entire night. The girl awoke the next morning, the trauma still looming over her, and was astonished to find herself alive. She looked around but the lions were nowhere to be seen. She was saved- by the 'Deadly Beasts' from the 'Humane Humans'."

Now wasn't that good??? Reiterates the fact that animals are far more 'human(e)' than most humans themselves! But whatever we are, whatever we do, I truly believe that all of us should try and live like the little girl, a life Of Pride, Valour and Honour.....