Muddle

At that point of limbo, it slows down.

Trying to look as far as it can, to judge, to know just a little bit more.

At that point of limbo, there is always a blinding storm,

And the only way ahead is to look inside.

At that point of limbo, 

It closes its eyes, in a silent prayer.

Let it be different, let it be magical.

With a deep calm,

It embarks. One more time. 

Those things I wish I knew .....

There is a thin line that divides acceptance and still wanting more.

At every step and stage in life, you need to answer this question to your self –

Are you going to demand more from life or are you going to accept what it is giving you.

Each decision defines your life, chisels it and makes you into someone you either are proud of or someone you don’t relate to a few years down the line.

But how do you know the decision you are making is the right one?

Perhaps that’s why sometimes we play along; let time take its course, watching the game as a spectator.....

....Just hoping that by the time the game is over, it isn’t too late.

Image courtesy - www.savagechickens.com

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Better Alone Than Lonely In A Crowd

 A friend of mine who has come out of a not so good relationship and now by the grace of God is getting
into a beautiful one told me the other day that while she was in the interim period in between relationships, she realized how it was so much better to be alone than being lonely in the relationship she was in.

The words have been resonating in my mind ever since I had this little chat with her. It is so true for not
just romantic relationships but all our relationships in general - family, friends...etc etc ...

We strive to be the center of someone else’s life only to reach there all alone in the middle of someone
else’s universe, alone and lonely. (most of the times at least)

If God is kind to you there might be someone and something out there for whom you will be the center of the universe one day and you will never ever be alone or lonely. But while you search for it, my wish for you is that you learn, accept and enjoy being alone.

Start loving your company, doing things for yourself and remember that even though you might be with a
whole jing bang of people or with that someone you consider special, you are your own best friend, always.

And for that very special friend, I wish her a lifetime of happiness and togetherness! 



Image courtesy - Google 

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The Shiva Trilogy - Not Really A Book Review

Richard Bach in his book ‘Illusions’ said that when you are looking for answers just open a book and start reading, the answers will be there for you. 

I have been readying the Shiva Trilogy – The immortals of Meluha and the Secret of the Nagas and I have to admit I am in love with Shiva. 

With no intention of hurting the sentiments of fanatic Hindus, I think Shiva is so hot. Is it his passion, strength or the world of weed he lives in? Or is it his honestly, humility and love? I am not sure but he certainly has it in him to be the ideal man for any woman!

I loved the books. They are quite the page turners and are written in an uncomplicated, breezy ease. I like how the writer has tried to bring in facts, history, spirituality and mythology together. I read chapter 3 of book 2 almost five times to understand the masculine and feminine way of life from the Hinduism outlook.

Strangely, answers started coming. 

I am not ritualistic but I have a lot of faith and believe in something spiritual existing everywhere around me. I have read a lot on new age spirituality and a lot on Buddhism but I never got down reading about Hinduism. Perhaps because I was forced to watch Ramayana and Mahabharata on Sunday mornings all through my childhood, I considered that as a learning ground and never revisited it.

But there is so much more to it than the Mahabharata and the Ramayana and it goes way before they were even written. This I have come to realize now.

It is fascinating to understand the core of what we are from an adult point of view. Everything seems different. And as they say, comes to us at the right time. 

It is this amazing web of a way of life that leads to one thing – balance and change.

Transformation is the key to everything; it is the only constant. The trick is to balance it.

So I look around me and wonder, if I apply this in everything that is transpiring in my life right now, it could be a sure shot way of ensuring permanent happiness. 

And suddenly it all seems so simple. 

I wondered what I was running after, when it was all, always within me.

So while I wait for the third book to be published, I am taking a back seat, taking it easy. I don’t need everything to happen NOW. I need to live the now....

....Sipping a glass of wine and watching the sunset. I know Shiva wouldn’t mind, he's here smoking his chillum right next to me!

Order your copy of The Shiva Trilogy here

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Heart Warming Stories, Soulful Food : Bringing a bit of Pune into my kitchen - Chicken and Leek Stroganoff, an ode to Prems

One of my favorite places in Pune while I spent five years there was Prems. Quaint and relaxed, it was the perfect place to go to anytime of the day. No clue how ‘happening’ it is now but back in those days it was perfect for the once a month splurge on a good meal kind of place, apt for a first date or to spend a few hours drinking beer and reading a book. Prems appealed to everyone.

I used to love the way a huge tree would cover the entire courtyard and in the late afternoon little leaves would fall down and scatter on pristine white table cloths. I still remember they had a cat or two which was not very pleasing for me but it did add some character to the place. However, what I most remember about Prems is the Chicken Stroganoff. 

The first time I ever tasted Stroganoff was  in fact at Prems. And I became a regular for Stroganoff and beer.  The creaminess and the flavor of the dish were delectable. Even today I can think about it and go into a dreamy state that reminds me of those carefree college days, late afternoon lunches, a chilled foster and the Chicken Stroganoff. 

A few days ago I woke up thinking about Prems. Yes, I dream of food. Kill me if you want to.

As luck would have it I was browsing through one of my JamieOliver cook books and I found his 19 minute recipe to Chicken and Leek Stroganoff. Can you believe my excitement, Maybe I should have asked the lord for a million bucks!

Anyways it was the weekend and post a quick trip to the grocery store, I was ready. The Stroganoff turned out YUM and bought little taste of Pune in my home with a whole lot of memories to think and reminisce about during the weekend.

I just love how food brings us closer to who we are, where we come from and takes us, where we ought to be.

Chicken and Leek Stroganoff

So here’s the quick and easy recipe thanks to Jamie Oliver (it took me longer than 19 minutes though :-))

What you need

Rice – I used one cup Basmati
Leeks – The recipe said 1 large leek but I found a packet of baby leeks and used those
Mushrooms – used regular white ones
2 chicken breasts
Olive oil
Butter
A glass of white wine  - J I used more than a glass
A bunch of fresh parsley
around 250 gms of single cream
1 lemon 

Seasoning – salt and freshly ground pepper

And what you do

 

Boil rice as you would and set aside.
In the meanwhile, chop the leeks, slice the chicken into little finger type size, slice the mushrooms.
Heat a pan and add the butter, olive oil, leeks and white wine with some water and seasoning. Cover with a foil and let it boil away for five minutes.
Chop the parsley and then add the chicken, mushrooms, parsley and cream to the pan. Bring to a boil, add seasoning and simmer till the chicken is cooked. Just before turning off the heat, add some more seasoning if need be and half of the lemon juice.

Serve on a bed of rice with some parsley garnishing and wedges of lemon.

As easy as it gets!

Happy cooking!

Heart Warming Stories, Soulful Food : Easy Peasy Grilled Fish And Pineapple Salsa (For lazy single girls and boys :) )

My dinner tonight was amazing and I absolutely have to share this recipe with you all. It is a simple, no nonsense gourmet delight in your kitchen within thirty minutes. Makes sense for me and a lot of single, working crazy hour’s people out there. 

I have always been wary of cooking fish however recently I have vowed to be healthy in my food habits and fish seems to the smart option for dinner. The problem is I love eating fish but I don’t like if it smells fishy. My Indian palate also craves for something tangy and full of masala. So I need to really think before I cook any kind of sea food. After spending an hour browsing the internet for some inspiration today, I came across a few recipes that I decided to combine and make this yummy pain grilled fish and salad.

Pan grilled soy fish with caramelized onions and a pineapple salsa salad

 The fish –

Make a marinate of  1 tbsp olive oil,  2 tbsp chopped onions, 2 tbsp lime juice, 2 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tsp garlic paste. Mix portions of fish fillets with the marinate and keep aside for 15-20 mins (I used cream dory fillets and kept the marinate in the fridge)

You can bake the fish or grill it in an Ikea grill pan if you are as lazy as me. Allow the onions to caramelize and put the remaining marinate on the fish as well

The fish was ready in 5 minutes on medium heat, I didn't use any extra oil, the olive oil in the marinate was enough.

The salad –

The soy flavor of the fish needed something sweet and tangy to break the strong soy flavor. So I decided on a pineapple salsa. The prep for this can be done while the fish marinates, but you would like to leave it in the fridge for a while as it tastes heavenly when it’s cold and the flavors have had time to blend together.

Finely chop a cup full of pineapple, some spring onions, some red onions, half a red pepper, 2-3 tbsp of coriander and one jalapeno. Mix all this with 1 tsp of honey, juice of 1 lime, salt, pepper, a pinch of paprika and a pinch of cumin powder.

The fish goes so well with the salad. And even on its own the salad is refreshing and quite awesome! The caramelized onions give a very sizzler type flavor to the fish and there is no fishy smell :- )

So much so for healthy food, I am ending my dinner with an absolutely delicious coconut macaroon from Waitrose.

well, it is the weekend and a little bit of indulgence is allowed, isn’t it? ;-) 

Happy Cooking!

Time To Throw Away The Yo Yo

Call me ignorant or lazy but sometimes I fail or simply refuse to see an issue hanging right in front of me. The issue goes up and down like a yo-yo and I simply try to look right and left, pretending it’s just not there.

I have been doing this for a while on an over powering issue hanging over my head. So, I was quite surprised when something very simple made me stop, stand back and take notice.

I was threatened, not physically, emotionally or mentally but threatened by an anger that rose out of me. In the larger scheme of things, probably the one thing that made me sit back and notice the ever swinging yo-yo was something very small and silly. But it had links that I realized led to everything that issue was made of. 

I tried to put two and two to make five, eight and ten. Acknowledgement = respect = honesty = gratitude = counting your blessings every day = happiness.

Seems simple, but to practice this is very tough. I sat down and listed each one of these attributes to see if everything fit this bill. If it did, then life couldn’t be better.

While I struggled to balance my insecurities as an artist, writer and self-confessed creative junkie with my poker faced, stiletto wearing, quiet and patient avatar, I wondered which side will tip sooner and which person inside me will take the lead, now that the truth was dawning upon me. 

If my happiness depended of gratitude and respect, I needed to do and be in every situation that fulfilled these attributes.

How many times in life, if not forever, we allow ourselves to live without the fulfillment of these attributes. We make excuses, give up and give in, only to rot inside because something always remains amiss. 

We forget that what matters in life is if our inner core is smiling, if we are actually smiling in our hearts, stomach and knees and not just on our faces.

We ignore indications and signs that tell us – something is not right, “You are not fulfilling your sole and inherent right to be happy”. We just ignore that voice deep inside us and allow ourselves to believe that we could make do with the average.

It is when this realization seeped into my soul that something inside me snapped. Something changed.

I pledged.

From today, I allow my eccentric artist to take the lead. Today, I give up on the average and empty that space in my life for the best to come and fill it. I believe that I deserve all the happiness of the universe, because I am God's blessed baby. Today, I throw away the yo-yo and look straight ahead into the future that shines so, so bright. 

Today, I take a step into an ocean of happiness and allow myself to float away in its glory, forever.

Luzern Top 5 Things To Do (On A Budget)

My top 5 picks for the budget traveler to Luzern, Switzerland. Have a read and maybe you can add some of yours :-)

Fairytale Luzern

1) Feed the swans 

These babies are ALWAYS hungry. And look at that view!

Apart from the fact that you get surrounded by plenty of swans and it is the prettiest sight in the whole world, you get to sit and stare at people walking up and down the Chapel Bridge for free. You would in other circumstances spend quite a lot for a pint of a glass of wine to people watch at one of the busiest places in Luzern. This way you feed the hungry and can spend an evening staring at the sun setting over this fairytale town.

Information on the Chapel Bridge and the area around it can be found here http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/old-city-chapel-bridge-water-tower-lucerne.html

2) Grab a drink at Roadhouse

Roadhouse, Luzern

It’s a cute little bar close to the Bahnhof and is packed almost every night, wait in the line, it is worth it. The pizza is great and they serve beer by the bottle. Get a big Heineken for 5CFH and split it between two. Just next to it is McDonalds perfect for a cheap dinner post drinks. 

Check out Roadhouse here http://www.roadhouse.ch/RH/

3) Hog on Doner Kebabs

Yumminess!

The Doner Kebab rolls here are quite different from the ones in Turkey. These ones are juicy and minus French fries. In an expensive country they make for a really filling, yummy and cheap dinner option. 

I found this amazing kebab shop right next to my B&B check it out here http://rote-perle.ch/kontakt.htm

4) Hop on and off on a boat trip

Sunset from the lake

If it were up to me, I could do this the entire day and maybe the next day as well. Start your journey from Luzern and get off at the next tiny town, walk around and get back on to the next boat making your way to another town. This makes you see the quaintness of Switzerland. Some of the villages are so quiet you wonder if anyone even lives there. But these little insides are so pretty, I could get lost in them forever. Another option is to take a train in any direction, get off at every station and just walk around. Trust me; it will be way better than spending your day in the touristy places.

Tickets can be bought on the spot or online, check out the website for Lake Luzern here http://www.lakelucerne.ch/en.html

5) Walk around the old quarter 

Should I shop, should I stare?

Walk a bit, stop for a glass of wine and then walk a little more. The picturesque old quarter with its cobbled lanes, street side cafes and intricately painted buildings make it perfect for an afternoon stroll. There is a lot of window shopping to be done and if that doesn’t interest you just laze around a fountain and stare at the sky.  I went crazy taking photographs of the painted buildings and also posing in front of them (Now that is something no one would mind!)

For a great walking tour of the old quarter check out Frommers  http://www.frommers.com/destinations/lucerne/0162010008.html 


*Chapel bridge, old quarter and lake lucerne image - Idle Tuesday Afternoon Thoughts
*Swan image courtesy Jim. M. Goldstein  
*All other images from Google 

Thank You Airbnb!! - My review of the best travel site at the moment!

When I was planning my trip to Europe this summer two things were killing me – airfare and hotel rates. Even bed and breakfasts were so expensive. At one point I almost gave up the holiday planning and decided to book myself in a 5 star spa in Thailand for a week – trust me, it was turning out cheaper.

There must be an internet fairy or something because by mere chance I stumbled upon what I now call a travelers saving grace – www.airbnb.com

 

I had my doubts while I browsed through it. Mostly because I couldn’t believe the rates and the accommodation that came with it but apparently people were raving about it. I had the choice between expensive hotels and inexpensive couch surfing, this somewhere fit in the middle.  

I took the bold step and booked my Switzerland and Florence stay with airbnb and I couldn’t have had a better stay anywhere else than I did via the airbnb hosts. The dynamics of my entire holiday changed because of this, for starters I had more money to spend of food and then I met some amazing people!

My host in Luzern, Viki, hosts two rooms in her lovely apartment right in the city center, I loved making breakfast and looking out from her kitchen window, it seemed like I lived in Luzern forever. Viki on her own turned out to be a gem of a person and even volunteered to drop me to Zurich if I missed my train early in the morning. Now where would I find that in a hotel?

Viki's amazing home

In Florence, though it took a while to find and I almost saw half of Florence while looking for the apartment, Mario’s apartment was one of the most beautiful homes I have seen. Mario, taking a break from work was right there to pick my bags and take them up several flights to this old building and as soon as I took a breath he spread out on his dining table the map to Firenze and marked each restaurant and bar I should visit and what I should eat where. Mario and Harry left me the sweetest note and some chocolates for my journey back home. It was the sweetest end I could have had to my trip.

The view from my window at Mario's apartment

In the end I have to say I was pleasantly surprised, mostly because I was so vary about booking from the website. 

However the fact that when I was in their city, I referred to their address as ‘Home’ kind of says it all! My hosts were such nice people and made each day I spent in their home a lovely one. 

Airbnb as an organization was apt with emails, reminders and most of all the cost of my entire stay, making it so cheap!

I am back and already planning my next trip and guess where I went first – www.airbnb.com this time I am deciding a vacation spot based on a pretty vacation home for rent. 

For all you travelers out there, before you rush and book into a hotel, check out this website and you might actually live, eat and party like and with the locals! 

Until my next update from the recent trip to the updates on the next upcoming one – Happy Travels!

All images copyright - idle tuesday afternoon thoughts