Archive for June, 2009

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The birth of Niril Pinil And Memil Diveez


2009
06.30

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I must share how my name is being mutilated by people across the world:

Misspelled on my Airtel bill: Niril Pinil

Misspelled on my airtel landline receipt: Merril Dim

Misspelled on my ID card at a chorale music conference in France: Memil Diveez

Misspelled on a kathi roll dhaba located just a stone’s throw from my office: The delivery fella’ was looking for a ‘dinish’ (in these parts, I ONLY share my surname as they can’t get beyond mmmm if I tell them my first name).

Mispronounced by Malayalees: Mer-rul

Mispronounced byGujaratis: May-rul

Mispronounced by Maharashtrians: Marol

Mispronounced by my dear departed grandma Avo: May-reel

Mispronounced by close friends with great affection: Merly

Mispronounced by a Brit RJ on a Dubai FM channel: Me-ri-yal

Lame attempts by several yuppies to show that they can indeed pronounce such a name: Streep or Lynch?

And this one takes the cake! Mispronounced by a stupid needlework teacher at Indian School, Muscat (duh!) while addressing me in her  first ever roll call in class: May-li (looking up in wonder at the existence of such a name).

In Konkani, May-li means ‘dead’ .

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Remembering MJ


2009
06.28

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Post a long day of mindless travel (because we never made it to two of the destinations on the itinerary), I ended up in a cosy little lounge bar called Moet’s in Defence Colony, Delhi. The food was yum (lamb shanks, Lebanese kebabs ‘n’ more tenderloin lamb), the mojito did not have obscene amounts of sugar, and the ambience was the kind that allows you to hear yourself think.

The DJ was spinning his tracks in a corner. We reminisced about MJ, and how we felt that DJs ought to be spinning tracks by the king, and bingo, a track from Dangerous started playing. The timing was surreal. We reminisced some more, and eventually got the cheque. We paid up. And as we got up to leave, the DJ moved on to Hotel California. The timing was surreal.

On a different note, I recommend Moet’s to all lounge lovers. It’s better than Zenzi’s and Shiro’s, and lightyears ahead of Capitol, a disco at The Ashok Hotel. And yes, every placed I have ever partied it in Las Vegas as compared to Elevate. By the way, I also recommend ‘The Hangover’. It’s both funny and clever (thought sometimes borderline gross). The humour isn’t slapstick, which was a relief.

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Tired!


2009
06.24

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These days, I travel one hour-one way every day, to work and back. And as I pen these sweet nothings, I feel like a dead duck! Travelling is such a bitch. I did it once before when my commute from home to work was from Andheri to Churchgate. And I vowed never again. But I suppose one can never say never, these days. sigh. Things to do in a cab: play sudoko on your cell phone, listen to music (the more eclectic the better), read horoscopes out loud, have conversations with your friends and family on your mobile phone, check e-mail and surf the net if you have GPRS. Sleep (unless your cab driver drives like a maniac).

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New Friends ‘n’ old friends


2009
06.14

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Coaster art

A young un' created this lovely piece of coaster art by screen-printing popular music and movie icons on glass 'n' pasting them on a wooden frame.

An old friend of mine came down from Mumbai the other day. Let’s call him Dr Jo. I have known him for about five years, now. Till date I did not know what he did for a living. and vice-versa.

Maybe it was because we always seemed to be surrounded by people, sounds, smells and other distractions. But this time round, we spent some quality times together, and our conversations took a new,  uncharted turn.

We did get to understand the nature of each other’s, not to mention discover new dimensions to a friend’s personality.

I think everyone must an opportunity to meet an old friend in a new city, after a short spell apart.

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Pub trek


2009
06.07

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Star Trek

The new Star Trek proved to be a thrilling, entertaining watch. Zachary Quinto who plays Spock , is edgy and a bit of an unconventional dreamboat. His love interest in the film, turns into putty, every time he experiences an emotion like pain or anger. Initially, Captain Kirk tries to seduce her, but eventually the player doesn’t get the girl. Get the hint, people?

A crucial guest appearance of the man who plays the original Spock and who is now in his 80s, cast as an older version of himself in the film, was a stroke of genius, and no doubt has made Star Trek junkies absolutely thrilled.

My favourite scenes in the film are the creation of black holes in the universe. Visually, it’s breathtaking and overwhelming a sight to behold, watching an entire planet crumbling into nothingness in a matter of seconds (though the implications are tragic, because entire civilizations are also being destroyed in seconds). Imagine watching the effect in 3D.

Delhi has a Hard Rock Cafe, finally. And by virtue of being able to listen to some rock music, a welcome break from Hard Kaur, makes me give it some brownie points.  There’s no entry fee. But the bartenders looks overworked and it’s hard for even a hot looking gal to get their attention. Sigh.

But there’s a little nondescript place called The Living Room, a little hole in the wall, that’s been converted into a no-frills, yet, casually stylish pub-lounge-disco. The dance floor area has a shiny disco ball suspended from the ceiling, the stairs leading up to pub are painted a bright hue and lined with candles. The crowd is Boho, though my pal Al smirked that when the lights come on he saw hobo, not boho!

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