The end of February and a few more days of 100 Happy Days Challenge!! :) :) :) Days 22 - 31!! :) :)

So February’s come to a close … It’s already 2 months into 2014 and I get this feeling that this year is flying by so fast! :) :)

And my Happy Days Challenge is drawing short breaths and trying its level best to stay alive… It’s doing slightly better (only slightly though!) in the Instagram space… At least I am posting random pictures there on and off, in spite of not writing anything here…

Can you believe this?

In a span of 2 months (maybe a few days less), I have only posted for 21 days…

Very bad. Very bad.  I know! :) But you know what I realized..

One – it’s very very difficult to be happy every day.

Two – it’s very very difficult to find and figure out if and what makes you happy every day.

This is ongoing. Some days are awesome and you find that you wake up with a smile on your face, a song in your heart and a lilt to your step … and on others you wake up looking like something the cat dragged in, all weary and tired and even if you have slept fitfully the entire night, the very thought of shuffling your feet to work and enduring a long day makes you want to go back to bed and curl up and just lie there… no motivation… no mojo… no nothing!

But then I am going to give this another shot. Famous last words, yes I know! But also, a personal effort to try and keep this up, thanks to some feedback I have been getting. And trust me; they make me feel really nice! Just the fact that there are a few people out there, who follow this space and read whatever junk I spew out, I am glad... And thankful... Also very very grateful to all those who have reached out to me asking me about this challenge… I OWE YOU GUYS BIG TIME! You make me want to write and that is a BIG THING! :)

So yes! February! Short month, quick month and a mixed one at that! :)

Lots happening on the work front (looks like people tend to work a lot after Chinese New Year!!), a dance performance for the local Chingay event, some great evenings with friends, and some cringe-worthy days as well…

So this is my mish-mash for the Happy Days Challenge for whatever happened in Feb!! :)

Disclaimer: This is going to be a picture intensive post!

Day 22  - Quotes like these!!!

Quotes like these make me go all 100-watt smiles beaming like a Cheshire cat! :)

This year is also going to be about spreading the love for dance – that’s a note to self as well!!

Day 23 – 28 – Dance Baby Dance! :)

The practice sessions with the ladies. The synchronization efforts. The fun. The laughter. The dress try-outs. The dress rehearsals. The thrill of being up on stage. That feeling of a 100 butterflies in the tummy. The first beat of the song. The qualms disappearing.

Being up on the stage that I call my second home. My Mothership! :)

A bit of Dandiya. A bit of Garba. A whole lot of happiness.

Day 29 – Full Moon in all her glory! :)

Her. Shining in the starlit sky. Like a big old lantern in the space. 

I had gone for a walk that evening, getting some milk, talking to my folks, when I noticed her. In all her glory. Caught a glimpse through some trees. Tried to take a few dozen snaps. I am simply lousy at night photography. Not that I am great shakes at day shots. But you get the drift. So then after a few tries, I gave up when I saw this okay-okay shot I got! :) Good enough for me!

Day 30 – Jaago Re!

TATA TEA LIFE – My most favorite of all tea brands! It has all those spices and stuff mixed into the tea powder – Brahmi, Cardamom, Tulsi, and Ginger etc. And has a slightly bitter taste (just perfect for me!) if you add just a tad too much tea to the boiling water. I grabbed this packet from the shop counter, as soon as I saw it, without even checking to see if someone else had kept it there… The shopkeeper must have thought I was weird. I was checking the basket to see if it was still there, on and off.

Ok! I know what you are thinking... What a nutcase!! Right! But then, I can’t find this damn brand anywhere these days and I have been craving for this for a while now. Yes! I know! I am a certified loony!! Go ahead say it, I don’t care! I have a packet of TATA TEA LIFE for the next couple of months! :D :D

Day 31 – Twinkle twinkle all the way!

Twinkle Twinkle little stars… Pretty pretty lights...  Up in the ceiling…

They kept changing the colors :D  and it was so so so good to just look up and keep watching them.

I am so gonna have one of these in my home whenever that is! :)

I am a chump for these kinds of things. :) I have no idea why… but small things like these fill me with these little bubbles of grins.

Same goes for fireworks! But another post is dedicated specially to them! :)

That’s it for Feb my dearies...

Dance. Sing. Live.

Lots of love, lots of peace and a whole lot of hope, fingers crossed, rabbit’s foot and horses’ shoe to keep the challenge going! :) :) 

Getaway Weekend - Day 18, 19 and 20 of the 100 Happy Days Challenge :) :)

Right!!

15 days since my last post on the 100 happy days challenge!

If you count today as well too!! But then I am going to post today (as you can well see) so that means that effectively its only 14 days.

And I am going to post about the last 3 days which is Friday, Saturday and Sunday (Jan 31, Feb 1 and Feb 2) which means I only missed the last 11 days!! And since I am posting for the last 3 days today and there will be no post for today... It means I missed 12 days.. Or not? :-/ 

Did you get my math? You didn’t? Never mind neither did I!!! I got confused myself... Oh well! I never was any good at math!!! :D :D

So let’s just say, I missed the last 2 weeks, and I am re-kick starting (if that’s a word!!) the challenge again!!

Attempt number 2!! Bring it on!!

Before you ask me why I missed the last few days… I can cite any number of reasons… laziness, bad mood, lots of work, lack of time, no energy, etc etc… but it all boils down to the one thing that I didn’t feel the mojo to write anything. Not that I wasn’t happy any of those days I missed… but that somehow, the effort to put the happiness down into words was lacking. And now after a super duper getaway, I have found the mojo again (or so I hope!!) … and this time I am going to relentlessly stick onto this and see how far it’s going to take me. :D :D

So yes.. Last 3 days.. It was a long weekend here, and off we went to Bintan in Indonesia.

And what did I do these 3 days…

• I slept. A lot. Like a log.
• I started a new book. The book thief by Markus Zusak. Of course didn’t make too much progress but I still did read about a 100 pages. :-)
• I ate. Properly and to my hearts’ content.
• I sat by the beach with the rest of the others, soaking in the deep salty air and enjoying the wind playing havoc with my hair.
• I did archery. For the first time. And got a bruise to show for it as well. :-) :-)
• I rode an ATV. Another first. That’s an All-Terrain-Vehicle. Something that I came to know of in this trip. And can I tell you that it is really hard for midgets and weaklings like me. Phew!! But it was still fun!!
• Got a traditional Balinese massage done. Idyllic. And so very relaxing. :-) :-)
• And the finale was the experience on the jet-ski. This wasn’t my first on a Jet Ski but it was the first in terms of a very thrilling ride ;-) :-P quite enjoyable if you ask me… ;-)

And in all this time here, I clicked just the one pic that you see below.

This was my most favorite spot of the entire time there. We didn't exactly stay here though we spent most of the time the last three days around here. 

The waves. The wind. The color of the sea. The blue skies. And the company. :-)

That’s what is called a perfect vacation. :-) :-)

Here’s to many more of those this year! :-) :-) Cheers… 

Clarke Quay & Zumba Workouts - Day 16 & 17 of the 100 Happy Days Challenge.

I think this day late thing has stuck on to me now… miss one day and then the lag continues…

So today’s posts are going to be for both Day 16 and Day 17.  :) :)

Day 16 - Clarke Quay 

Have you been to Clarke Quay in Singapore? It’s the hub of the nightlife here. Popular place and our once-upon-a-time-adda of night outs and parties and pleasures… I have very fond memories of this place… it was my long ago hangout time, a place for having a good time… Clarke Quay is the place that got me hooked onto pubs and dancing and letting my hair loose. We have spent entire nights there having endless conversations and pulling each other’s’ legs. Such good times!!  Such memorable times! :-)

There are a couple of clubs there that used to be our favorite haunts for dancing… Cuba Libre and Pump Room being among them..  I loved the then-live band at Cuba. And on weekends you have some amazing dancing crowd there. Latino beats mainly. And Pump Room is a mix of all popular genres… great beats again!

We visited the place last night. Brought back fond memories. :D :D

Day 17 – ZUMBA fitness workout! :)

Thousands of emotions well up inside me throughout the day.

They are released when I dance.

-Abraham Lincony

I rejoined my ZUMBA Workout classes today. Such an exhilarating feel it was. I also learnt how much out of shape and stamina I am! To get through that one hour fitness routine was literally painful. Add to it the fact that I didn’t have my shoes today and I was dancing barefoot. But guess what, it’s all good. Because the feeling you get at the end of it…. Wonderful!!! It is a pleasurable pain when muscles you knew were existing and dormant in you start making their presence felt… :-) Loved the feeling… always love it!! Dancing always gives me a high… whether it is for a workout routine or for a stage show or just simple clubbing.

In that sense, these two happiness factors are combined for the posts… for me Clarke Quay is symbolic of the dancing and the fun with friends, more than the drinking and of course Zumba, goes without saying…. 

Keep Calm and Drink Lassi ;-) - Day 12 of the 100 Happy Days Challenge :) :)

You like lassi?

I do. 

In fact, I like it quite a lot. But it’s very hard to find a well-made lassi! It’s an art... Everything has to be in just the right proportion. The yoghurt, the sugar, the essence, the garnishing, all mixed together properly into an intoxicating mix. YUM! :D Yeah, I guess you must have figured out that I prefer the sweet lassi instead of the salted / spicy one!! :-) :-) if it’s gonna be salted / spicy, it better be Chaas or Buttermilk… Curd and Sugar have always tasted finger-lickin’ good to me, any day! :-) :-)

So that’s what made me happy today!! :-) :-) :-) 

This big glass of MANGO LASSI from ChaiTime…

Have you been to this shop called ChaiTime? They have some amazing rolls and samosas… and a lot of varieties of teas… Check it outsometime... You won’t be disappointed! Guaranteed!! :-) :-)

I was there today. My lunch was from there and that’s when I noticed this enticing Mango Lassi on their menu. So instead of having my usual coffee / tea today evening, I opted for this. And may I tell you, what an impressive choice I made! It was simply amazing.

Here you go, I clicked a pic just to make you envious… :D :D  The pic may be bad, but the thing in it... D.E.L.I.S.H.

Beat the heat.. Beat the rising tempers... Keep Calm and Drink Lassi! ;-) :-) 

“Life is half delicious yogurt, half crap,

And your job is to keep the plastic spoon in the yogurt.” ;-) ;-)

Next in list – the Strawberry Lassi on their menu!! :D :D 

I haven’t tasted a Strawberry Lassi before... *rubs hands in anticipation* :-)

Cupcake Love :D :D - Day 9 of the 100 Happy Days Challenge

It was a lazy boring day today. Very very low-key.

Got up at 12. Slept again at 3 after lunch till about 6. Then was sitting around not knowing what to do.

So me and this friend of mine, decided to simply go out for a stroll, maybe get a haircut… etc!

On our return from the mall, after again doing basically nothing, except wandering around the shops, we decided to get some donuts.

And next to the donut shop, we saw this cupcake shop!! :D  Twelve Cupcakes!

How do you make a lazy boring Saturday interesting??

You buy cupcakes, eat them and relish!! :D :D

Here’s the shot for you to drool at..

And trust me it was YUM YUM and YUM!! :D :D

“What can I say?

I've never met a cupcake I didn't want to get to know better. ;-) ;-)”

― Jasinda Wilder

You ask me which one is my favorite?? :D :D 

This one right here!! 

Sponge cupcake with Cream Cheese topping and Rainbow Sprinkles!!! :-) :-) 

YUM YUM and DOUBLE YUM!! :D :D 

The Ten Day Challenge: Day 6 - Five Foods!!

Day 6 - FIVE FOODS

Yes! When you look at me, it will look as though I don’t eat much! Actually I don’t.. But whatever I like I eat quite well!! 

This is gonna be a short post… here goes!

1.     Idichakka Poduthuval – ‘Idichakka’ is tender jackfruit. Idichakka thoran / poduthuval as we call it at home, is a mouthwatering dish when it is prepared well. It’s quite a tedious and messy job cleaning up the jackfruit but the taste compensates for it all.  

2.     Fried rice and Gobi Manchurian – An all time favorite. It’s a standard order when we go to Indian restaurants.

3.     Grandmom’s Potato curry – I have no idea how a simple dish like this can be turned awesome. And I still can’t get it right even when I try my level best. All she does is fry up the potatoes till its golden brown and I can never quite manage to get the same taste how many ever times I try! She makes it all the time when I visit her in Coimbatore and serves it simple rice and ghee. Tastes divine!

4.     Mom’s Vegetable Pulao – Love this! Of course this one I never tried making. Too much effort and I am as lazy as they come!

5.     Curd Rice and Egg Omelets - :-) This combo rocks! :-) 

Food haunts in Hyderabad!!

Do you like street food? You know, like the roadside paani-puri stalls, the hawkers selling samosas, local tea stalls where they give you the tea in dirty tea glasses? Ah! I thought so! I like them too ... They taste really yummy!!!


My exposure to street food began when I moved to Hyderabad for work. The flat that I was staying at earlier with my friends from college was in a lane that was filled with cheap and local food stalls where you get everything ranging from rotis to chicken to the ever-famous hyderabadi dum biriyani. Hyderabad has a lot of places where you can enjoy a great meal at reasonable dirt-cheap prices and the quality of the food will not be compromised upon either. But apart from that, for the street food that I am talking about, when and if you visit Hyderabad, do check out these places! 


I guarantee that you will like it. 


Now this list of places or eateries are not just street food or local delicacies. They are places that serve great FOOD. 


Disclaimer: this post can tend to get a little long.


Paradise's Chicken Biriyani. If you are in Hyderabad and you are a non-vegetarian, it would be a crime to miss this! This place serves the best chicken biriyani in Hyderabad. And take my word for it, it's awesome! If you like spicy food, when you place the order tell them to make it 'double masala'. Mmm.... :D


Just diagonally opposite to Paradise is a small nondescript vegetarian restaurant called 'Shree Dhaba'. The Paranthas here are mind-blowing. Prices are reasonable too. A little further down from Shree Dhaba is a paan shop where you get great paan called Dimmy Paan shop. They have an amazing variety of paans too. 


On the other side of Paradise is a sweet shop called Dadu's. The jalebis here are mouth-wateringly delicious. They make these hot-hot jalebis right in front of you. One of the best things that you can have when its raining. Also, they have amazing kulfis. And their sweets are out of this world. Really! 


Oh! also Paradise-chai. Best to have this early in the morning say around 6:30 sorts when you are on the way back from a journey. They ope at about 5:00 in the morning and the chai-biskoot is just out of this world. The biscuits just melt in your mouth. 


Okie ... If I start writing like this, I am never going to finish this post. So here's a better way. 


The Bengali paani-puri stall near Nalli's in Begumpet. After you fill your palate with those big puris ask the guy to make you masala puris. These are the dry puris and they taste amazing! 


Maharaja Chaat Bandar near the Kaveri water tank on the way to Hitec city near Madhapur. Try out paani-puris and dahi-puri here. Mind-blowing would be an understatement. 


Mirchi Bhajjis with Tamarind sauce spread liberally over them at 'Balaji Mithai Bandar' at Kukatpally shopping street. 


Chicken lollipops and Rumali rotis at Al-fatha Hotel in Karkhana.


Paani-puri, Sev puri at S.R.Nagar junction. Also the mirchi bhajjis with onions and chutney. 


Chicken Tikka Masala at Hunter's Roost - Yatri Nivas near Begumpet. 


Needs Dhaba in the bylane next to Lifestyle building in Begumpet. 


Punjabi Rasoi near Gachibowli junction.


Eat Street in Necklace road. Try the Ohri's stall there.


Breakfast Bundis at KBR Park. The egg dosa and the onion dosa there is out of this world. 


Right opposite to Motorola building in Hitec city is a small gully that leads to a few places that serve food for the office-goers. Try one of these for good telugu meal with pappu, rasam, podi, etc.


Guntur Idli at the Chutneys restaurant.


Try out juices at the Rasranjan Juice Stall in Abids. Try out the strawberry juice there. Its just brilliant. 


And now for the best of the lot. 


There's this place in Koti where they have these breakfast bundis. You get there at like 7:00-7:30 in the morning and start off by ordering a plate of idlis. I am telling you, they are the best in the world! No, not even mom makes idlis like these! I am sorry Amma! The guy gives you about 4 idlis in a plate topped with chutney and podi sprayed liberally. Oh My God! Thinking about it makes my mouth water. If I can manage 2 plates of those idlis, then think about how good they must be! And idli is never one of my favorite dishes. It falls into my sick-man's food category. But this one... Mmmm... you can just keep eating it... 


And once you are done with the idlis, move over to the shop right at the corner of the street and ask for a 'Paneer Dosa'. Let me explain how this guy makes this amazing mind-blowing, out-of-this-world dosa. He puts batter onto a tava greased with oil, spreads a mixture of the idli podi and chilly powder on top of it, puts a big chunk of masala (the ones they use in a masala dosa - aloo, onions etc) on it, evens it, puts a big blob of butter on that, lets the butter melt over the dosa and then grates paneer over it like no one's business until there's like a huge chunk of paneer on it until you ask him to stop. He just keeps grating it. Phew! And then, he rolls over the edges of the dosa and hands it over to you on a plate with 2 types of chutney. 


Okie I cannot write anymore. Just thinking about it makes me feel hungry and craving for the dosa. Phew! 


Anyways, next time I go to Hyderabad, I will make sure to take a video of this. Its worth it.  Trust me! 


Now I gotta go eat something. Writing about all that food has made me hungry! 


Until later!! :)