Door County - Wisconsin

- Woke up at 4:00 am in the morning on Saturday and started driving towards Wisconsin at 5:30 am

- Reached Door county at 10:30 and then went to the Peninsula State Park to see the fall colors

- The scene was like out of a Yash Chopra movie what with blue waters on one side and yellow and orange leaves all over the place

- Clicked pictures by the dozen, as if it were a photo shoot

- Drove to a winery to taste 50 different varieties of wine

- Got a little drunk, ‘cos even if you taste just a sip, 30-40 sips make a drunk girl (hic!)

- Drove to the hotel and rested, had dinner, played cards, fooled in the swimming pool and Jacuzzi and called it a night

- Woke up early next day and hit the road again to Potawatomi (no, I did not make up that name) state park – another photo session ensued

- Drove along the shoreline covering the whole door county and got back and stopped for lunch

- Then saw hoardings for airplane scenic tours for door county, took a 15 minute tour in the airplane – needless to say, the views were breathtaking and the fall colors were great and the place looked like heaven – it was a first time experience for all of us – and thus ended the trip on a flying note - literally (in the Misters words) and drove back home!

-Moi

Mood of the day: Tired

Song of the day: Vaishnav janato

Songs of the day: Raah dekhe - Shubha Mudgal
Mathura nagarpati tum kaahe gokul jaao - Shubha Mudgal

Beautiful songs !!

Chhan se jo toote koi sapna ... !

Chan Se jo toote koi sapna
Jag soona soona lage
Jag soona soona lage

Koi rahe na jab apna
Jag soona soona lage
Jag soona soona lage
Jag soona soona

Hai to yeh kyun hota hai
Jab yeh dil rota hai
Roye sisak sisak ki hawayein
Jag soona lage

Chan Se jo tute koi sapna
Jag soona soona lage
Jag soona soona lage

Koi rahe na jab apna
Jag soona soona lage
Jag soona soona lage reeeeeeeee

Soona Lage Reee

Roothi roothi sari raatein
Fikhe fikhe sare din
Virani si Virani hai
Tanhai si tanhai hai
Aur ek hum hai pyaar ke bin
Har Palchin

Chan Se jo tute koi sapna
Jag soona soona lage
Jag soona soona lage

Koi rahe na jab apna
Jag soona suna lage
Jag soona suna lage

Patharo ki is nagari mein
Pathar chehre Pathar dil
Phirta hai mara mara
Kyun rahon mein tu awara
Yahan na hoga Kuch hasil mere dil

Chan Se jo tute koi sapna
Jag soona soona lage
Jag soona soona lage

Koi rahe na jab apna
JAg soona soona lage
Jag soona soona lage

Hai to yeh kyun hota hai
Jab yeh dil rota hai
Roye sisak sisak ki hawayein
Jag soona lage

Chan Se jo tute koi sapna
Jag soona soona lage
Jag soona soona lage

Koi rahe na jab apna
Jag soona soona lage
Jag soona soona lage reeeeeeeee

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan rocks!

Fall and all... !!

Temperatures have crossed below the 50 deg F line. The last Indian summer day went by last weekend, it seems, as usual, without bidding adieu. Winter was going to sneak in without giving fall a chance, but looks like fall is standing firm on its ground - it’s fall officially.

It’s time to take out and don the melancholic winter coats and woolen wear. Skirts and shorts have to be replaced by sweaters and scarves. Flip flops and sandals will step behind, giving way to snowboots. Fall and winter fashion has already hit the store windows.

Trees are showing colors – there is yellow, orange, red, brown all around. Soon the trees are going to be bare, ready to be lined with virgin white snow.
Days have become shorter and the skies are dark and wintry. Summer, this time made a grand exit.

Windows at home, have started staying closed. Before long, the heater will be switched on at full blast. No more barbeques in the patio, no more walks to the lake to watch the sunset, no more kitchen gardens in the balconies of apartments, no more pretty colorful summer flowers adorning the streets on Michigan Avenue. Cold coffee and iced teas have given way to hot chocolate. Halloween pumpkins are out at every doorstep in vicinity. No longer are girls seen showing off their colorful clothes, instead they are wearing long black and gray jackets and scarves.

Chicago has changed from the bright perky colors, to black and white – it seems fall is here.

-Moi

Mood of the day: Colorful

Song of the day: Mausam ke sargam ko sun - Khamoshi

Perfect Sunday!!

- Eventually get up by 10:00am in the morning.

- Fight over the music genre and medium (TV/CD player/Laptop) and then listen to some music

- Do some cleaning

- Cook together

- Eat together a late brunch of sandwiches and kheer

- Sit with friends and watch the F1 race

- Play cards with friends over snacks and ice cream

- Go the lake shore and watch the Chicago skyline and the sunset

- Go and play some pool

- Go to dinner with friends and eat biryani and then finish dinner with “paan”

- Come back home

- Snuggle against the Mister and go to sleep

Next day:
Face a severe attack of Monday Morning Blues.

-Moi

Mood of the day: Happy (I got back my phone)

Song of the day: Phoolon ke rang se

Marriage Diaries!

I lost my cell phone two days ago :( . It was a new phone, just bought it in march or april…. Well I am still hopeful that I will find it somehow … some kindly soul might come and return it back to me… but nobody has come forward in these past days.

So I guess will go and get a new one today from the store…

My conversation with the Mister last nite

Moi: Shall we go tomorrow after work to the store to get the cell phone or shall we go on the weekend?

Him: We can go on the weekend!!

5 minutes passed, both of us reading our books….

Moi: When should we go to get the phone – tomorrow or on sat’day?

Him: Saturday sounds fine to me.

Another 5 mins go by discussing some other topic (the topic being whether Saif and Kareena make a good pair, and that Hrithik looks great in the promos of Jodha-Akbar)

Again I ask-

Moi: When should we go and get the phone – tomorrow after work or do you think Saturday is better?

Him: Ok Ok – we will go tomorrow after work!!

All the talking a wife has to do to get her way…. Its hard work you know :)!!

-Moi

Mood of the day: Great

Song of the day: I’ve had the time of my life – Dirty Dancing

Calvin Hobbes:

Laaga Chunari Mein Daag...!

SPOILER ALERT!! – Plot of the movie might be given away so if you have not watched the movie stop reading the blog right now!

I watched this movie yesterday evening… in the morning I read the reviews on rediff and ibnlive (I never do read reviews but I was just very curious and wanted to read how the critics had applauded the movie) and to my extreme surprise read the movie being trashed by every major newspaper. So we went to the movie with zero expectations, and just becos we had already booked the tickets online and could not cancel them…. And boy was I glad I went!!

The movie starts with Benares in the backdrop and it is the story of a family with moderate means. Rani Mukherji and Konkana Sen Sharma are the two sisters who sing away their blues, their relationship in the movie has been shown very realistically and sensitively. Being a big loather of stereotypes, I found this movie to be free of clichés and stereotypes. I expected the movie would be an emotional, melodramatic, tear jerking saga of Vibhavari Sahay from Benares who goes on to become a call girl, (an ‘escort’ as they have called her in the movie) Natasha in the big bad city of Mumbai. Emotional – yes it was, but what it was not was melodramatic and crude… it was a very sensitive and sensible depiction of the journey of the woman and her transformation was shown very sensibly and it was very subtle. Rani Mukherji has given a stellar performance again, and she looks gorgeous throughout the movie. Konkona Sen Sharma looks refreshing and has complemented Rani’s performance. She needs a special mention, ‘cos she has proved that she can be the quintessential Yashraj heroine and carry off the glamour effortlessly. Kunal Kapoor – I have said in my earlier blog that he is one hunk of a guy – he looks amazing … he rocks. Abhishek Bacchan double rocks. He does not have too much of a role, you can almost call it a cameo (just 2 songs and 2-3 scenes) but this man has got amazing screen presence and great style and panache. He has the grace of his father and can sweep anyone away with just his eyes. He shares great chemistry with Rani (I still think he shouldn’t have married Ash, he makes a better pair with Rani) and he is simply lovable in the movie.

But the star of the movie is definitely Pradeep Sarkar, the direction being simply immaculate. The movie has been directed very elegantly and has crisp editing. The director knew what he wanted to show in the movie, did not unnecessarily prolong scenes, did not extend anybody’s characters in the movie. Even big names like Abhishek Bacchan and Anupam Kher were given short but apt screen times and did not kill the movie with stereotypes, confrontations and melodrama. The movie has a great look, colorful yet not pompous; it is a technical treat. Pradeep Sarkar has proved yet again that he is a proficient story teller. A story that has been told a number of times before – inspite of that the director manages to offer something different. And this movie is a definite must watch.

-Moi

Song of the day: Kacchi kaliyan mat todo

If music be the food of love, play on.....

The songs in my playlist right now:

1. Aankhon mein teri ajab si ajab si – Om Shanti Om

A very soft romantic number from the much awaited Om Shanti Om – KK is excellent and it is easily the best number from the whole album

2. Dastaane om shanti om – Om Shanti Om

A haunting number which tells the story of the movie, reminiscent of “Ek hasina thi” from Karz

3. Jab se tere naina – Saawariya

A very soft romantic from another much awaited movie Saawariya, its got a young feel to it

4. Man kyo behka ri behka – Utsav

This is one of my absolute favs. One of the rare songs where both Lata and Asha share the playback- its an absolute gem of a song

5. Saathiya – Saathiya

I love all songs from this movie, I love Rani, I love Vivek Oberoi, I love Rehman, I love Gulzar…it’s a pet album of mine

6. Pardesiya – Mr.Natwarlal

Just for the love of Big B and Rekha…. A very youthful and peppy song featuring the great pair

7. Mohabbat bade naam ki cheez hai – Trishul

Like this song from trishul – don’t know why

8. Justuju jiski thi – Umrao Jaan

This is another oldie gem, the movie had all great songs, its very difficult to choose favorites, but Asha just hits the spot with this ghazal – absolute magic

9. Zindagi jab bhi – Umrao Jaan

Another song from the same movie, Talat Aziz has done only one good thing in his musical career, that being singing this song … its just beautiful

10. Saiyan dil mein aana re (remix)

It’s a great remix, one of the very few remixes that I absolutely love

11. Tere bina – Guru

It’s a Rehman masterpiece… this man is just God, and with Gulzar as the lyricist the song is just great, they are pure magic together

12. Radha kaise na jale – Lagaan

Another Rehman composition, very rural.. and Asha Bhonsle done a great job – as usual

13. Mera kuch saaman – Ijaazat

What can I say about this song? Ijaazat is inarguably one of the finest of Pancham’s compositions and probably the best of Gulzar's poetry. Four gorgeous solos, exquisitely crafted by RDB and lovingly sung by Asha with layered poetry by Gulzar. One realizes at such moments, that the whole sometimes is truly greater than the sum of its parts.

"Ek sau solaa chaand ki raaten ek tumhaare kaandhe ka til
gili mehendi ki khushboo, jhoot mooth ke shikve kuch
jhoot mooth ke vaade sab yaad karaa do
sab bhijvaa do, meraa woh saamaan lautaa do"

One hundred and sixteen moonlit nights, spent with you... the mole on your shoulder... the intoxicating smell of mehendi...the silly arguments and fights...the false promises made in mischief... I have left all this behind with you... send it back to me, send me all of that baggage!

I know the translation sounds a little silly, but you have to feel the song to love it!

14. Tujhse naaraz nahi zindagi – Masoom

This is an absolute personal favorite. This song is the reason that inspired me to write this blog. Gulzar’s evocative lyrics set to a simple and beautiful melody by R D Burman. The questions that life throws at us, ever so innocently.. and the storm of emotions and thoughts that we pass through as a result of it… its just beautiful!

"Tujhse naraaz nahin zindagi hairaan hoon main
Tere masoom sawaalon se pareshaan hoon main

jeene ke liye socha hi nahin, dard sambhaalne honge
muskuraayen to, muskuraane ke karz utaarne honge
muskuraaoon kabhi to lagtaa hai
jaise honton pe karz rakhhaa hai

aaj agar bhar aai hain, boondein baras jaayengii
kal kyaa pataa inke liye aankhen taras jaayengii
jaane kab ghum hua kahaan khoya
ek aansoo chhupaake rakhaa thaa

zindagi tere gham ne hamein rishte naye samjhaaye
mile jo hamein dhoop mein mile chhaon ke thande saaye.."

Film: Masoom (1982); Singer(s): Lata Mangeshkar, Anup Ghoshal; Lyrics: Gulzar; Music: R D Burman

"When I smile, I feel the smile weigh on my lips like a debt. When the tears flow, I don’t stop them, for my eyes might crave for those very tears tomorrow." Eloquent words that tug at our heartstrings… This song will always have a special place in my heart… for a number of reasons!!

- Moi

Mood of the day: Soulful

Change or no change!

Is change better? Well we will see...
Recently I decided to get some new upgrades to the system I call myself.

I got my hair colored and got highlights in them. I have been wanting to do that since a long time, but was very apprehensive. How do I look? – well not the usual for sure – something different, some new look. Bottom line, I am glad I did it, and am getting used to my colored mane slowly, and so are the people around me

So, its going ok so far...

The other thing on the 'just trying to do something different' list is cutting down on the morning cuppa coffee...i know i know ....coffee and life…go hand in hand...but its now time for something new.
And thats Green Tea. I might sound like a faddist...but I am just loving it...
and that’s going ok so far too.

I know its not a big revolution and change can be bitter sweet...but you won't know it until you go for it - so just do it!!

-Moi

Mood for the day: Perky

Song for the day: Aankhon mein teri ajab si ajab si

Calvin and Hobbes: