A Gambler’s supper

Given a choice, I would like to dig my four fingers into one of those delicious meals with curries, rice and other side dishes. But life doesn’t always provide choices as most of my lunch ends being sandwiches while the car being the dining room.
After today’s lunch, I thought of digging a bit into the history of this food keeping many like me up and running.

There lived a recklessly extravagant British statesman called Jon Montagu (1718 – 1792) in south east of England in the eighteenth century. He was the fourth Earl of Sandwich, a historic town and civil parish on the river Stour and notorious as a gambler.

Montagu had invented this bread-enclosed convenience food known as the "sandwich", so that he would not have to leave his gaming table to take supper.

The concept is this food is wonderfully simple: a delicate finger food served between two slices of bread. People of the Mediterranean and Greece are known to have this culinary concept in practice since ancient times and Montagu is thought to have picked it up during one of his trips.

Early reference of sandwich is found in the 1760 that during the initial days they were assumed to food consumed primarily by the masculine gender during late night parties and drinking sessions.

The general public of England and rest of the world got indoctrinated with the passage of time.

For Reference: Encyclopedia of Food and Culture, Solomon H. Katz, editor, William Woys Weaver, assoicate editor [Charles Scribner's Sons:New York] 2003, Volume 3 (p. 235-6)

You May Say I' am a Dreamer

I always dreamt of a home, just like in the film President (1937) “Ek bangala bane nayara, ati sundar pyara pyara, Vishwakarma ke dwara.”  Yes, dreamt and not really own a home as in my dream, but I am hopeful of fulfilling my dream pretty soon.  I always have dreamt big as they say “when you dream, dream big.”

I would like to own my dream home in a skyscaper and would like to buy myself a duplex on the 20th and 21st floor of a high rise. Just as K. L. Saigal would have sung “Itana uncha bangala ho yeh mano gagan ka tara, jis pe chadh ke indradhanush par jhulaa jhule chand humara”.

The property would have the guest room, lounge, dining, and kitchen on the first level and the 3 bedrooms on the second level and a terrace.  Each of the bedrooms would have balconies, a small dressing room, and the master bedroom would have a small study attached to it.The maid's room, however, will be semi detached.

As for the interiors, the flooring would be wooden and the doors and windows would have a mahogany brown wooden color. The walls would be painted cream and the ceiling white. The kitchen would be a spacious one with marble flooring and fitted with both chimney and exhaust (as we do use a lot of grease in our cooking). It would be fitted with GI modular (from Godrej Interio) and all the regular electronic fittings (viz, toasters, dish cleaner, grinder, juicer etc).

The living/lounging area would be fitted with a home theater and would have a lot of art work on the walls.  The stairs leading to the second level would have exquisite sculptures.

The home will be a smart home with interactive devices and gadgets and will be equipped with Godrej furniture and security systems. The interiors will be designed with a minimalist approach with lots of open spaces.

 Now, that is my dream and I believe I am going to live my dream someday, Goddess Lakshmi willing or in K. L. Saigal’s words “Bhandar hoye lachami ke haathon mei sara, paye ab jibhar ke sukh jisne bipat uthaye.”

A Dream That Everyone Dreams

 My “dream home” has fascinated me and my mind since I was a kid. As the mini me then, I would think of a home by a river miles away from the hustle bustle of the city where the only sounds would be from the flowing water and an occasional bird chirping.  As I grew up, I started loving the mountains and my dream of a dream house gradually veered towards the mountain and I started dreaming of a small house atop a huge mountain from where the only things my eyes could see was the cliffs covered with white ice. I would dream of myself seating on the window with a cup of steaming coffee and watching the mountains while drifting away to the dreamland.  Time passed fast and soon, I started to dream about living by the sea in a secluded island and watching the sea roar, cool breeze blowing over my shoulder and me sitting on the rooftop with a can of beer in my hand and wondering what made the ancient travelers take to the sea or if mermaids were a reality.

Now at this age, I dream of a different kind of a house, not on the mountains, not by a desolate river or a distant desolate island.

Now, I dream of a house near the city, albeit a few hundred kilometers away from the din and bustle of the city.  The property I dream of is of a few acres (not hundreds but 10 would be just fine).  The outer perimeter of the property would be lined with trees.  The trees would provide me with lots of oxygen and privacy and provide nesting place for my winged companions.  The driveway would be lined with trees on both sides and would lead to my “dream house.”

In the middle of the property, an expansive Victorian style two and half storey bungalow would stand in its full glory.  The exterior of the building would be made from stones/bricks and would be designed in such a way that nature would peep in once in a while during the course of the day bringing in ample natural light and ventilation.  I would like to have plenty of bedrooms, outdoor and indoor kitchens and large living and dining spaces.  There will be terraces, balconies and living spaces all meticulously intertwined with open, close and semi covered transitions.  At the top floor would be my studio cum office where I would like to write/paint and meditate. The stairway would showcase lots of artwork and sculptures building up the mood of the exclusive guest visiting my art gallery in the basement.

Behind the bungalow would be a swimming pool, L shaped, with a diving board. The uniqueness of this pool would be an aquarium running along all the sides of the pool. While swimming in the pool, I would be having fish in their natural surrounding for my company. Beyond the pool would be a tennis court, a basketball court, and a small amphitheater with music systems for those wild crazy nights.

Around the tree lining and the outer perimeter of the property, I would like to have my organic farm, where I would grow all my vegetables and fruits.

Till that dream become a reality, I will have to be content with the 3 Bedroom apartment that I possess. I would love to have it redecorated with intrinsic details so as to evoke the feeling that I am actually living in my dream house. The walls of the bedrooms would be painted with earth colors and the living room would be painted white being accentuated with classically framed artworks. But one face of living room will be a video wall eliminating the need for a TV but equipped with touch screen and powered by a search engine bringing in answers to any query that one might have. The flooring will be combination of parquet, marble and some exquisite imported tiles. The wall of the bathroom will be lavishly cladded with hand painted ceramic tiles leaving the wall behind the bathtub for a large aquarium. The kitchen will be no less comfortable than a bedroom with clean lines and built-in appliances and seamless surfaces.

Each Bedroom set will be of a style distinctly different form one another with matching framed artworks a choice that Godrej Interio could easily provide from their wide range of products. While we would prefer to have the wooden look wardrobes in all the bedrooms, we shall have a traditional storewell in the study fully equipped with an electronic safe to keep important materials safe and secured. The balconies will be done in a way that will bring the nature into the interior living spaces and shall be illuminated by solar powered lamps as soon as the sun goes down.

My apartment will then be a place where, I shall close my eyes and envision I am sitting in the heaven and when I open my eyes I will see the same place. The only thought that will come to my mind will be "if there is paradise on face of the earth, it is this, it is this, it is this”.

Quill - A not so simple feather

It was a harmless simple feather. At least that is what it seemed to Ron. It was inside the age-old manuscript like object that Ana has discovered in the attic. Now a day’s Ron doesn't visit Ana as frequently as he used to do sometimes back.

After all the situation has changed since Ana has revealed her true feelings. Human are social animals and their life is all about relationship and relationship.

Today Ana had called him over the phone excitedly and told “please come over as soon as you can. I have some queer stuff to share.” She spoke in length about the old diary that she has found and the also the picture of the ancestral sofa.

But when he came over, she also showed him this old dilapidated notebook. She said “you have a look at it while I go down and arrange for some refreshment for you.”Before he could stop her she was running down the stairs.

It was a very old piece of treasure but definitely not before paper was invented. He was mesmerized and sat down on the chair by the discarded desk nearby. He gently placed the notebook on the desk and untied the ribbon carefully.

He removed the feather and held it in a pen-hold grip and glanced at it casually. He cannot believe his eyes. It was not a feather that he was holding but a quill.

“How didn’t I notice this so long” he thought, a bit disturbed.

He looked up at the mirror by the side of the room and was shocked. It was not his familiar face that was staring back at him from the mirror. It was almost him but somehow it appeared he was dressed for a fancy dress party themed 1715.

“What’s happening to me?” he murmured. He blinked his eyes and everything was back to normal to his relief.

“Am I hallucinating? Or it was just my imagination” he wondered.

Just then Ana came back to the attic with some cakes and lemonade.

“How long is your family staying in this house?” he questioned.

“More than three centuries”, she replied thoughtfully. I should tell you something interesting that I found out today. “Two hundred years back one of our grand great grandfather built this house. Interestingly, he was also called Ronbir. Just like you.”

Interesting indeed! Ron thought.

One Evening At Orion, Bangaluru

We were in Bangalore for 3 days towards the end of July, 2015. It’s a lovely city but seemed to have everything in excess and that includes people, cars and bikes.  One evening we dropped down at the Orion Mall. It was a bit crowded but if you discount that, it was a great experience.

The parking was available in the adjacent multi-storied parking garage which was well staffed helping to find the right parking spot.

Security screening at the entrance made us pause for a few moment but I am not allergic to such checks and incidentally this is the norm in India these days.

Once inside the mall, we were amazed by the display of flowers. The sheer size and complexity of these installations were simply breathtaking.

The mall is lined up with variety of stores and should satisfy everybody's need. The prices were competitive and more so for the branded stores. We did manage to identify and cash on a few great deals.

The place provided a level of comfort to all and it was interesting to see singles, couples and family equally at ease whether they were shopping, window shopping or just chilling.
  
I however would advise to avoid going there during public holidays or long weekends, in case you are looking for some privacy and space.

The star attraction during our visit, particularly for my daughter was the weaver weaving a very complicated saree inside the store in real time.

 

Nanobot - The small is BIG

NANOBOT. It is a new word that I have learnt the other day while listening to a talk show on the FM radio. The intent of this post, however is not to bore everyone raving about how enlightened I now feel, having expanded my vocabulary of the complicated English language.

I was actually amazed by what this small word is all about. It stands for a new technology, which many like us was not aware of. Well as the name suggests, it is formed by combining the words “nano” and “robots”. Till this time, no one has used the words “nano” and “robot” in the same breath for me.

I learnt that these are tiny microscopic robots which can be of immense use to the mankind and particularly to the medical field. A little bit of prodding into the internet revealed that nano-robotics is an emerging field of research and technology. More specifically, I was enlightened that nanorobotics refers to the nanotechnology engineering discipline of designing and building nano-robots, with devices ranging in size from 0.1–10 micrometers and constructed of nanoscale or molecular components.

The names nanobots, nanoids, nanites, nanomachines, or nanomites have also been used to describe these devices currently under research and development. Researchers working at the University of California, San Diego have claimed a world first in proving that artificial, microscopic machines can travel inside a living creature and deliver their medicinal load without any detrimental effects. Using micro-motor powered nanobots propelled by gas bubbles made from a reaction with the contents of the stomach in which they were deposited, these miniature machines have been successfully deployed in the body of a live mouse.

A few days later, I happened to be in the company of some doctor friends and I placed this new found knowledge for discussions rather excitedly. My enthusiasm was dampened with their scepticism that came from the other side. Apparently directed therapies has been in existence and haven’t reached anywhere.

Today, I am cautiously optimistic that the naobots will turnout to be the next big change for humankind.

Elsa and the Dragon

I will not claim this blog post as mine. To be precise, this is not even a blog post, it is a Vlog post and I did not have to sweat as my enthusiastic second grader took charge. She said, "I never won a competition in my entire life.” That’s quite a strong statement for someone who just celebrated her 7th birthday. “I am going to record it very nicely so that I will win!" she declared.  

I did the editing to fit it within the allowable 90 seconds, sacrificing some important aspects of her creativity. The storyline after editing can be summarized as below:

“Elsa lives in a castle. This time she has magical power to bring in rains. Her sister Ana is trapped by a dragon in a tower and the knight fails to rescue her. Elsa uses her special powers to free her sister. There is a twist to the story in the form of them getting a baby brother. … and they happily live ever after.”
The video can be watched here: Elsa and the Dragon

One lesson learnt during this exercise is the realization that work done by others with ease is not necessarily easy. Therefore, next time I do not like a part or a whole movie, I will be very reluctant to criticize.
Being the dad and her only other partner in this mission, I do feel she have done a commendable job.
I congratulated her for the effort and said "you are already a winner darling and will get an assured prize from your dad."
Now I rest the rest to judges.

This post is part of   #ColgateMagicalStories  competition hosted by   indiblogger   

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The following version of the video blog, thoughnot part of the competition, is an elaborate one and gives an insight into the making of this movie. Making of the Movie