Refrain from blogging between outbreaks

At the airport, Gearing up to head to the homeland. Will be blogging from Dubai till mid-September, and will keep you all updated (verbally and pictorially) on the latest superlatives that the nation has progressed to (be it the biggest, tallest, and bestest). While posts may not be as regular, promise that they will be fun! :-)

In other news, the Obamas are starting to look like First Family material, especially watching their appearance after his DNC nomination acceptance speech. The political environment is so much more scripted and directed now, and one couldn't fathom the comparisons to JFK's acceptance. JFK was hardly as caustic as Obama, especially in his references to the opposition (Bear in mind, that he had the opportunity to rant on Eisenhower, whose policies were considerably detested). Also, still not sure if Biden was the rightful pick, or the "only" pick.

Silence never sounded so good

Hotel Costes 7! Now that's what I'm talking about. I adore what they have done with this Simon and Garfunkel classic. Especially when the percussion kicks in. This kind of music really defines world lounge. Love it!

This looks positively delicious!

What a bevy of talent! :-) Yummm.

Argh!

Sorry for the radio silence. Much going on, in all respects, and gearing up to go back home in a week. Shall update soon.

Meanwhile - 3 medals for India!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Lap of Luxury

Tashan is King

Try this on for size....

Messin' Witcha!

Been jiggling around on Virtual DJ, all evening. Lovin' it! Prepare for more viciously delightful mixes (at least its music to "my" ears). Major novice, here - all I've got is the ear for it. Right now, I'm on Looping and Syncing 101. You've got to admit - this is a pretty dope transition.

Also, worked on this mellowed experimental blend of Bachna Ae Haseeno, with a percussion loop from Dheere Dheere (OST-Shaurya).

Butterflyz by Alicia Keys

One of the most touching and sensual songs that Keys has ever written. Also check this awesome drum 'n' bass remix of Butterflyz:

"Denim like the Jean"

A heartfelt and sad farewell to Bernie Mac - who passed away this weekend after a bout of pneumonia that turned critically serious. He was 50. He had a unique brand of humor which could be associated only with him. It grew on you after you started to understand his body language, and expressiveness. His scenes in Ocean 11 (the Aloe Vera scene where he starts to appreciate the car dealer's hands, the "cracker" scene with Matt Damon/Andy Garcia) as well as his performance in Guess Who, are two of my all-time favorites.

Bernie - we're sure you're making them all smile, ear-to-ear, up there. You will be missed.

Urban Tadkaa...

...or is it "Urban Spice". The new Iselin, NJ restaurant seems to have both signs up. Now, I'm not one to venture out onto Oak Tree Road, unless I have hurricane-strength desi food cravings, and Tamarind and Dawat are both either closed or absolutely inaccessible. But this new joint caught me by surprise. Good, spicy Indian food, nice decor with a very warm feel to it. Highly recommended!

Not just annoying; Also, racist!

Did I not call it? Clearly I wasn't the only one who had issues with that annoying "more flags more fun" dope.

Did Six Flags really think that this was going to work, as a campaign? What note did the brainstorming session end on? Aight, this idea sucks, that idea sucks. Lets just settle on a screaming Asian head counting off flags as an indication of funn.

Schmucks.

Forgetting Winnie Cooper

Apparently, Danica McKellar's grown up. The pre-teen hottie from Wonder Years (did she ever get high with Fred Savage?) is now an author. She was recently at Columbus Circle, publicizing her new book, Kiss My Math: Showing Pre-Algebra Who's Boss. Ahem, a little preachy, no? Ok. Talk about things I didn't see coming, 15 years ago.

In other news, my anthem for the last two weeks - at least after the wildest Pachita shower lounge bash ever. This is Calabria by Enur (featuring Natasha). Horn and brass hooks are here to stay, eh? (a la Kismat Konnection?). Also, catch this track on the latest Target "dorm dance off" commercial.

In case you're think its Esperanto or something, its "Whoop Whoop when you run come around, cuz I know you're the talk of the town, yea"

I heart Sugandha Garg

There are so many people in my life that her character in JTYJN ("Shaleen") reminds me of. Especially owed to her natural acting, and the way she just slipped into that role, so adorably!!!!

Doc's back

If you want a remix that is capable of reviving and making a track that missed the boat, happening again, caught this gem at a house party over the weekend. Its from Dr. Zeus' Welcome 2 Da Club - a Bollywood remix album that's crept up and raised some eyebrows of interest.

Totally love the percussion (its very Shamur).

Experiments with Natural Dark Photography

Tried a couple of sample shots around the apartment.

Its moments like these....

.. that make you truly happy from within. A simple "coming together" of two singing styles. A separate language, almost. Especially Hariharan's "samaa jaaye" at the very end - magical. Is there anything more beautiful and ecstatic than musical fusion?

On repeat on my playlist for many weeks...

Aiso gaye pardes piyaa tum
Chain humein nahin aaye...

"Can't take the Ranjhore out of the Rathod"

Nicely done.

Quite like the third little bear's stuff from Goldilocks, JTYJN was just right. Imran and Genelia have a natural flair for acting realistically. There are no "heros" in this film - just real people. Its not pretentious, not groundbreaking. Just pure good ol' simple Bombay fun. Just what the doctor ordered. Love the way the various relationships are portrayed, especially Jai and Aditi. As well as the various interplays between the friends, and between the kids and their parents (especially Jai and his mom).

The Meghna chick could've been replaced by someone better and a little less Maharashtian. She was as disjoint as Sonali Kulkarni in Dil Chahta Hai, and she was a major disappointment of the Rajat Kapoor/Kitu Gidwani sequence, which was awesome.

Talking of them, the cameos were lethal, and what made the movie really special. Naseeruddin and Arbaaz/Sohail were hilariously over-the-top. The music was perfect. Majorly disappointed that "jaane tu mera kya hai" never made it up on screen, and I really feel I'm the only one batting for this song. What to do, I love it so much.

And that brings me to who blew me away, leading me to rewatch his sequences, many a time over. Pratiek Babbar (Smita Patil's son). In a less than 10 minute performance, this kid packed in a role of a lifetime - one of the most powerfully-etched characters of the film, and displayed immense potential. In his short role as Amit (Aditi's son), Pratiek plays the artistic rebel brother whom the parents cannot reform - a behavioral deviant with a pet rat and a constant foul mood/mouth.

What Pratiek managed to do, was something that actors like Ajay Devgan, Abhishek Bachchan and Akshaye Khanna have never done - "displayed the OPTIMUM amount of intensity". While they are all immense intense actors in their own right, they conform to the Bollywood definition of "intense" which was written back in the 70s, and a little outdated - the serious eyes, the frown, the nonchalance, the voice. What Pratiek brings to the table is all of that coupled with the "natural" intensity that he displays. And of course, his mother's striking features screaming out of him. They way he sailed through this role, bringing it into his own, makes this one actor who could (if given the right opportunities) single-handedly change the way on-screen portrayals are done in Bollywood.

Tum Kahaan? Main Yahaan!

Folks! Sorry about being off the blog scene, but there has been so much going on on all fronts, that I've been completely out-of-whack. I know that the point of a blog, is to get the ability to channel it all out, but sometimes, while you may have all the reason, there just isn't enough ability. But yes I'm back now. And I promise to stay, until the next market crisis.

In other news, Bally Sagoo/NFAK's "Kinna Sohna" blends mysteriously well with the opening theme from Night Court. Seriously, try singing over! :-)