How will you measure your life - Clayton Christensen

The Happiness Hypothesis - Jonathan Haidt

The Thinking Life: How to thrive in the age of distraction - P.N. Forni

Getting Things Done - David Allen

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings -  Maya Angelou

Though it's too late to say 'आषाढस्य प्रथम दिवसे' (The monsoon is expected to hit Kerala coast in the 1st week of June), the city is seeing clusters of inky black clouds late in the evenings. They look lovely against the backdrop of a blue sky and barren branches of trees. I am already looking forward to the season's first rains........

प्रशांत दामलेचं 'बहुरूपी', झी मराठी, १ जून, दुपारी १ वाजता

Eat All Fresh - The House Of Kababs, Shivaji Park

It is true what they say about good things coming in small packages. A couple of days ago, after a blistering morning of shopping, I was looking for a new place to have lunch at in Shivaji Park. That's when I spotted this one, tucked away next to where Prakash hotel is currently located. If you want another landmark, it is bang opposite Sujata restaurant.

My first choice was Maratha Chicken Masala but I was informed that it is served only on weekends so I ordered Malvani Chicken Masala (Rs. 140) and Roomali Rotis (Rs 30, Rs 20 for small). I was surprised when it was served within 5-7 minutes. 'Oh no, not another lukewarm non-veg meal!' I inwardly groaned as I dipped the spoon into the spicy-looking gravy. Surprise! The meal was piping hot. The disposable serving plate came piled with well-cooked tender pieces of chicken in a reasonably spiced tasty gravy, pieces of cucumber, onion and lemon. The rotis were soft.

Malvani Chicken Masala

The eatery is small - about 3-4 tables but extremely clean. It is air-conditioned. The staff is attentive and courteous. Apart from Malvani Chicken Masala, Maratha Chicken Masala, Butter Chicken and Prawns Masala, the menu boasts of 8 varieties of chicken kababs, 7 types of paneer kababs, mutton seekh kabab, chicken/ paneer kabab platter, veg/chicken sandwiches, chicken/mutton/paneer rolls, Tawa Surmai/Rawas, Tandoori King Prawns and chicken/mutton/prawns biryani.

So if you find yourself in Shivaji Park and are looking for a tasty, hot and fulfilling meal at a very reasonable price, check out this House Of Kababs.

Elementary - Season 2

I have watched almost every episode of this show with increasing dread - that something is going to spark a romantic interest between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Joan Watson, despite her involvement with his elder brother, Mycroft. I have embraced a lot of changes from the original plot. A Dr. Watson who is a 'she' and not a 'he' - and an oriental one at that - being a sober companion of Holmes. A younger version of the original landlady, Mrs. Hudson, with her life's troubled story. Inspector Lestrade, who, in Doyle's version, was tenacious if not brilliant but has been reduced to an incompetent fool of a man in this show. And finally, Irene Adler being the elusive Professor Moriarty. But I would have found it impossible to stomach any romantic liaison between Holmes and Watson.

So in a way, I was pleased when Joan (I cannot make myself refer to her as Dr. Watson when talking about Mycroft!) went back to Mycroft after the truth reason behind his getting back to the MI6 fold was revealed. I said 'in a way' because I find this version of Mycroft Holmes decidedly creepy - his hollow cheeks (with all due respect to his recuperation from cancer!), slow manner of speech, halting gait and above all, the furtive way in which he looks at people. Nope, I don't like this Mycroft Holmes and more so as Joan's paramour. No surprise therefore that the Season Finale has left me relieved and worried at the same time. Relieved because he is out of her life and worried because I don't want Sherlock to take his place.

It would be interesting to see what cases MI6 has in store for Holmes though I am fairly sure that we will get to see plenty of the proverbial 'British stiff upper lip'! I am not sure if Sherlock can continue consulting with NYPD at the same time. If not, I am going to miss Captain Gregson and Detective Bell.

Looking forward to Season 3 - with a bit of an apprehension and all fingers crossed :-)

I have watched the ad a number of times - enough to probably qualify for an entry into the Limca Book Of Records for watching an ad maximum number of times. And yet, I am unable to figure out the relation between Deepika Padukone's neck and the fact that the price is mentioned on the neck of every Coca Cola bottle. I am also unable to fathom why this placement of a price tag should be a cause for celebration among the consumers. Are we supposed to be glad that Coke isn't taking us for a ride on the price front, in addition to selling us a carbonated drink with lots of sugar?

And then there is the Maazaa ad by Parineeti Chopra that has robbed me of the pleasure of watching 'Golden Era with Annu Kapoor'. Every ad break has her invading the screen with dumb looks at heaps of mangoes, a machine I have no intention of finding out the purpose of and a final guzzling of the mango drink with an insane expression as if her life depends on it. I suspect that the reason my enthusiasm for mangoes has gone down this season precisely because of this inane ad.

Finally, an ad that makes me laugh every time it is aired on FM channels. A teacher asks a parent why his child is displaying signs of decreased attention span. The dad replies that his son is passionate about tennis but the only tennis teaching academy is far from their home. So the child is exhausted by the time he is back home. He also explains that while he doesn't want the child to lose on the academic front, he is also keen to let him follow his passion. Then the dad asks the teacher if she can think of any way to resolve this. And the teacher casually asks him 'Then why don't you shift to Nirmal Colosseum Kalyan?' as if this were the easiest thing in the world. :-)

लोकसत्तेत मोठा गाजावाजा करून प्रकाशित झालेलं वैद्य खडीवाले ह्यांचं 'पूर्णब्रम्ह' हे पुस्तक मोठ्या उत्सुकतेने विकत आणलं खरं पण पुस्तकाने साफ निराशा केली. साधारण सर्वच मराठी घरात होतात अश्या न्याहारी, भाज्या, आमट्या, भात ह्या प्रकारातल्या रेसिपीज पुस्तकात आहेत. पारंपारिक महाराष्ट्रीयन पदार्थ अभावानेच दिलेत. मात्र Russian Salad सारख्या पदार्थाचा उल्लेख आहे. बांधणीही एव्हढी विसविशीत आहे की आणून जेमतेम एक महिना झाला नाही तोच पानं सुटी व्हायला सुरुवात झाली आहे. :-(

असो. विस्मृतीत जाऊ पहाणारया पारंपारिक महाराष्ट्रीयन पदार्थांबद्दल मला लोकसत्तेतल्या एका लेखात मात्र छान माहिती मिळाली - विदर्भीय झटका, चवीचा ठसका. ह्या लेखाबद्दल लेखिकेचे मनापासून आभार!