Green Basil Restaurant
4623 Kingsway
Burnaby, BC
Okay, well, my parents are away, and I have been eating out alot, hence all the restaurant reviews. Back to a favorite, Green Basil Restaurant in Burnaby, located just across from Metrotown. They serve my favorite cuisine, Thai of course.
Green Basil, is very clean, very neat, and the service is excellent. It is (as unfortuantely most Thai places are) a bit on the pricier side, but I guess that is to be expected. Myself, and two of my friends ordered a combo, consisting of chicken skewers, soup, salad, green curry chicken, tiger prawns in a sweet and sour sauce, and chicken in black bean sauce, and ice cream for dessert (my apologies, as I forget the Thai names of all these dishes).
I never speak ill of the taste of Thai food, and this restaurant will live upto your expectations taste wise. The chicken skewers when dipped in peanut sauce are delightful, and I enjoyed the chicken/black bean combination in particular, as I had not tried it before. The soup was a bit bland compared to other Thai restaurants I have visited, but other than that, all the dishes were superb. Its a bit pricy, but still reasonable, compared to other Thai restaurants in greater Vancouver.
Service: 5/5
Ambiance/Location: 4/5
Food: 4/5
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Restaurant Review: The Eatery
The Eatery
3431 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC
I used to absolutely detest sushi, and made fun of people who ate it... who in their right mind could enjoy raw fish... 3 years later, I am eating my words... I now ravenously consume the stuff, and am an absolute addict.
I got a chance to go out with some friends tonite to a upper-end sushi place, located close to the UBC campus on W. Broadway. 'The Eatery' restaurant, is sort of a funky, high end sushi place, with not quite your typical surroundings/ambiance. In fact, its more of a restaurant which has a club feel. I was not at all impressed with the service though... we had to wait about 45 min for our food to be brought to the table, which I think is unacceptable on a Monday nite.
In keeping with the theme of not quite being your typical sushi place, they offer some not so typical rolls... 'The Eatery' is probably the only place where you will find the 'KFC' (Fried Chicken) Roll, 'Mango' Roll, or the 'Jalapeno Popper' roll. And of course you can get your regular sushi rolls as well. However, all this funkiness comes at a price... the rolls here are quite expensive, starting at no less than $5 per roll, with the fancier ones being upto $8 per roll. So if you come, be prepared to shell out some dough.
I ordered a California roll, a Spicy Tuna roll, and just to fit in, decided to try a 'Jalapeno Popper' roll. No doubt the quality of the sushi is absolutely superb, much better than the cheaper sushi places. Honestly, I wasn't too impressed with the 'Jalapeno Popper roll' and I would have prefered to stick to the regular sushi rolls. Having said that though, my friend raved about his 'KFC' Roll, so perhaps the adventerous types should keep experimenting with the funkier rolls.
The sushi quality found here is superb, but I am still not convinced it is worth the money you pay out. But if you want to try sushi thats a bit 'out of the box', the by all means, stop by 'The Eatery' restaurant.
3431 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC
I used to absolutely detest sushi, and made fun of people who ate it... who in their right mind could enjoy raw fish... 3 years later, I am eating my words... I now ravenously consume the stuff, and am an absolute addict.
I got a chance to go out with some friends tonite to a upper-end sushi place, located close to the UBC campus on W. Broadway. 'The Eatery' restaurant, is sort of a funky, high end sushi place, with not quite your typical surroundings/ambiance. In fact, its more of a restaurant which has a club feel. I was not at all impressed with the service though... we had to wait about 45 min for our food to be brought to the table, which I think is unacceptable on a Monday nite.
In keeping with the theme of not quite being your typical sushi place, they offer some not so typical rolls... 'The Eatery' is probably the only place where you will find the 'KFC' (Fried Chicken) Roll, 'Mango' Roll, or the 'Jalapeno Popper' roll. And of course you can get your regular sushi rolls as well. However, all this funkiness comes at a price... the rolls here are quite expensive, starting at no less than $5 per roll, with the fancier ones being upto $8 per roll. So if you come, be prepared to shell out some dough.
I ordered a California roll, a Spicy Tuna roll, and just to fit in, decided to try a 'Jalapeno Popper' roll. No doubt the quality of the sushi is absolutely superb, much better than the cheaper sushi places. Honestly, I wasn't too impressed with the 'Jalapeno Popper roll' and I would have prefered to stick to the regular sushi rolls. Having said that though, my friend raved about his 'KFC' Roll, so perhaps the adventerous types should keep experimenting with the funkier rolls.
The sushi quality found here is superb, but I am still not convinced it is worth the money you pay out. But if you want to try sushi thats a bit 'out of the box', the by all means, stop by 'The Eatery' restaurant.
Service: 2/5
Ambiance/Location: 4/5
Food: 4/5
Restaurant Review: Thai Terrace
Thai Terrace Restaurant
2872 W. Broadway
Vancouver, BC
As almost everyone knows, my favorite cuisine in the world is Thai... I just love the taste of basil and coconut milk, and I find the food to be far less greasy and oily than other East Asian cuisines while still being flavorful. Which is why it is nice to be able to review a restaurant which is one of the best Thai places in Vancouver... Thai Terrace.
Thai Terrace is in my opinion the best 'Bang for your Buck' Thai restaurant in Vancouver. Located at the corner of W. Broadway and Macdonald, in a very friendly neighborhood and pleasant surroundings, the restaurant itself is very small, and the furnishings are sparse. However, by saving money in this manner, they are able to offer wonderful food and very decent prices. Typically, I go for the dinner combo, which consists of a Salad, Soup, Spring Roll, One Dish, and Rice for $9.25. The taste is at par with most Thai restaurants I have been to, and the portions of food are very reasonable.
This time, I went with some office colleagues to celebrate the promotion of our office manager. As an added bonus, one of my officemates is Thai, and so when we got to the restaurant, we let him do all the ordering, and he did a great job. We started with the House Salad, Tom Yum Koong Soup, Pad Gra-Prow (Chicken sauteed with pepper, onions and basil leaves), Pla Sam Rod (Fish marinated with peppers, mushooms, and basil leaves), and of course, the standard Yellow Curry Chicken.
In fact, all the dishes were superb. I love the dressing they use on the House salad, and I find Thai soups to be far better than Japanese Miso soup. The three main dishes were plentiful, flavorful, and absoultely delightful. The service is also quite prompt. I really don't have anything bad to say about this restaurant, as it is a students delight. Good food at very reasonable prices. Only the ambiance lacks a bit, but for me, it doesnt matter.
2872 W. Broadway
Vancouver, BC
As almost everyone knows, my favorite cuisine in the world is Thai... I just love the taste of basil and coconut milk, and I find the food to be far less greasy and oily than other East Asian cuisines while still being flavorful. Which is why it is nice to be able to review a restaurant which is one of the best Thai places in Vancouver... Thai Terrace.
Thai Terrace is in my opinion the best 'Bang for your Buck' Thai restaurant in Vancouver. Located at the corner of W. Broadway and Macdonald, in a very friendly neighborhood and pleasant surroundings, the restaurant itself is very small, and the furnishings are sparse. However, by saving money in this manner, they are able to offer wonderful food and very decent prices. Typically, I go for the dinner combo, which consists of a Salad, Soup, Spring Roll, One Dish, and Rice for $9.25. The taste is at par with most Thai restaurants I have been to, and the portions of food are very reasonable.
This time, I went with some office colleagues to celebrate the promotion of our office manager. As an added bonus, one of my officemates is Thai, and so when we got to the restaurant, we let him do all the ordering, and he did a great job. We started with the House Salad, Tom Yum Koong Soup, Pad Gra-Prow (Chicken sauteed with pepper, onions and basil leaves), Pla Sam Rod (Fish marinated with peppers, mushooms, and basil leaves), and of course, the standard Yellow Curry Chicken.
In fact, all the dishes were superb. I love the dressing they use on the House salad, and I find Thai soups to be far better than Japanese Miso soup. The three main dishes were plentiful, flavorful, and absoultely delightful. The service is also quite prompt. I really don't have anything bad to say about this restaurant, as it is a students delight. Good food at very reasonable prices. Only the ambiance lacks a bit, but for me, it doesnt matter.
Service: 4/5
Ambiance/Location: 3/5
Food: 5/5
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Dreams...
I have never been much of a sound sleeper... although, as most people who know me, know that I am not a 'morning' person, and would much rather prefer to be under the covers, for some reason, I do not sleep that deeply during the night, and tend to wake up at the slightest disturbance.
Perhaps for that reason, I rarely ever have any dreams... honestly, the topic of dreaming has always been interesting to me. Some people take dreams quite seriously, and go to great extents to analyse and interpret what they have experienced in their sleep. Personally, I find it quite amusing... when I do dream, I rarely have nightmares, and my dreams are usually non-sensical and somewhat comedic in nature.
For the past two months, I am not sure why, but I have been dreaming on almost a nightly basis... some have been lovely reminders... spending time with old friends, and relieving good memories... dreams that I have been disappointed to wake up from. Some have been the usual non-sensical type... leaving me with not much to think about. And on occasion, I have had the terrifying nightmare, where I have literally woken up in a cold sweat.
I am not really sure what to make of the sudden change in my nightly neural activity... not sure if it means anything at all actually. So instead, I would like to pose some questions to the few people who read this blog... what do dreams mean to you? Do you take dreams as some sort of spiritual message, or is it just your brain playing tricks on you? Do you enjoy dreams, or do you just wish that you could get some rest in peace...?
Perhaps for that reason, I rarely ever have any dreams... honestly, the topic of dreaming has always been interesting to me. Some people take dreams quite seriously, and go to great extents to analyse and interpret what they have experienced in their sleep. Personally, I find it quite amusing... when I do dream, I rarely have nightmares, and my dreams are usually non-sensical and somewhat comedic in nature.
For the past two months, I am not sure why, but I have been dreaming on almost a nightly basis... some have been lovely reminders... spending time with old friends, and relieving good memories... dreams that I have been disappointed to wake up from. Some have been the usual non-sensical type... leaving me with not much to think about. And on occasion, I have had the terrifying nightmare, where I have literally woken up in a cold sweat.
I am not really sure what to make of the sudden change in my nightly neural activity... not sure if it means anything at all actually. So instead, I would like to pose some questions to the few people who read this blog... what do dreams mean to you? Do you take dreams as some sort of spiritual message, or is it just your brain playing tricks on you? Do you enjoy dreams, or do you just wish that you could get some rest in peace...?
Restaurant Review: Ming Tak Hongkong Style Restaurant
Ming Tak Hongkong Style Restaurant
8363 Granville St.
Vancouver, BC
Okay, so this is probably a review with the longest restaurant name I will ever write...
Typically when I go out for Chinese, it will be to an 'Indian-Style' Chinese restaurant, with the food liberally seasoned with Indian Spices and Chillies... however, for a change, I agreed to go out with some friends for a more authentic Chinese experience.
The restaurant is located in South Vancouver, on Granville, in a fairly easy to reach area by car. We got there at 8PM, and for some reason the restaurant was totally empty... but perhaps this is because we went there on a Wednesday night. Consiquently, the service was very good, and the food arrived promptly as the waitress was not distracted with multiple orders.
I ordered a combo consisting of sweet + sour shrimp, chicken with mixed vegetables, rice, and a spring roll. For dessert, I ordered green tea ice cream, which I had never tried before.
Now, I am not too sure what the specialty of Hongkong style is, but to be honest, there didn't seem to be anything too special about it. Compared to Indo-Chinese, the food tastes a bit bland, but still is pretty good in its own original way. I particularly liked the sweet and sour shrimp, and the proportion of food was very good, and is just enough to fill your stomach. Personally, I wasn't terribly impressed with the ice-cream, and would prefer to stick with regular flavors like vanilla/chocolate, and save my green tea to be served steaming hot in a mug. We all ordered different dishes, and looking at the menu, I would admit, there are alot of different items to choose from, in fact, more than I have seen in most Chinese restaurants.
If you are in the neighborhood, and craving some Chinese, feel free to drop in, as you get a decent bang for your buck.
Service: 4/5
Ambiance/Location: 3/5
Food Quality: 3/5
8363 Granville St.
Vancouver, BC
Okay, so this is probably a review with the longest restaurant name I will ever write...
Typically when I go out for Chinese, it will be to an 'Indian-Style' Chinese restaurant, with the food liberally seasoned with Indian Spices and Chillies... however, for a change, I agreed to go out with some friends for a more authentic Chinese experience.
The restaurant is located in South Vancouver, on Granville, in a fairly easy to reach area by car. We got there at 8PM, and for some reason the restaurant was totally empty... but perhaps this is because we went there on a Wednesday night. Consiquently, the service was very good, and the food arrived promptly as the waitress was not distracted with multiple orders.
I ordered a combo consisting of sweet + sour shrimp, chicken with mixed vegetables, rice, and a spring roll. For dessert, I ordered green tea ice cream, which I had never tried before.
Now, I am not too sure what the specialty of Hongkong style is, but to be honest, there didn't seem to be anything too special about it. Compared to Indo-Chinese, the food tastes a bit bland, but still is pretty good in its own original way. I particularly liked the sweet and sour shrimp, and the proportion of food was very good, and is just enough to fill your stomach. Personally, I wasn't terribly impressed with the ice-cream, and would prefer to stick with regular flavors like vanilla/chocolate, and save my green tea to be served steaming hot in a mug. We all ordered different dishes, and looking at the menu, I would admit, there are alot of different items to choose from, in fact, more than I have seen in most Chinese restaurants.
If you are in the neighborhood, and craving some Chinese, feel free to drop in, as you get a decent bang for your buck.
Service: 4/5
Ambiance/Location: 3/5
Food Quality: 3/5
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
India... The Bad, The Good, and The Great
So I just got back from my 3 week trip to India a few days ago… probably my nicest trip of the year… Just a few thoughts, of the bad, the good, and the great of what I saw…
Lets start with the bad. And I hope no one takes offence to these comments… remember… ‘Koi bhi desh perfect nahin hota hai… perfect banane parta hai…’
The Bad
There is absolutely no question that India has progressed in leaps and bounds over the past 15 years, and has modernized itself phenomenally. But I wonder, what is the best definition of modernization? Is it westernization, or something else? The reason that I ask, is that while I feel Indians have gone out of their way to emulate the negative aspects of western culture, they haven’t been so forthcoming in emulating the positive aspects. Everyone wants to eat, walk, shop and talk like westerners… everyone wants to date and party, and essentially do all the fun things that we corrupt westerners do… but where is the emulation of the good practices? What about punctuality? Everyone still shows up late to everything… What about professionalism and courtesy? No one has the patience to wait in a lineup… everyone just pushes and shoves their way to the front of a line (which makes sense since everyone is late to begin with)… What about civic sense? It is shameful how people still just throw their rubbish, or spit on the road, rather than having the common sense to find a trash bin.
A funny example I can think of is the construction of pedestrian overpasses in Kolkata… no doubt, a very good idea… the idea is to provide these overhead walkways so that people aren’t running across the street, risking their lives and clogging up traffic… a very good idea… at least in theory, anyway. In fact, what I observed was that people would still rather risk their lives and scamper across 4 lanes of traffic rather than simply climb up a flight of stairs and easily walk across… is it stupidity, laziness, or just a lack of sense… I wasn’t quite able to figure it out… however, what made the situation even more hilarious, is that these newly constructed structures turned out to be very good spots for guys to take their girlfriends up for a bit of privacy… after all, they were essentially deserted, I guess the view was better than that at street level, and was the perfect spot to share a bit of intimacy I suppose… now there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to do so, but it just seemed like a total waste of resources. My point is, if people have decided that they are modern enough to follow the essentially western traditions of dating, then they should also figure out that a overpass is to be used for walking first, and PDA later…
The Good
I happened to be in Kolkata on the anniversary of the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai. While I have noticed that in the past, in the aftermath of such terrorist attacks, there will be a bit of an outcry, over time, general public apathy returns, and all is forgotten. Such was not the case after 26/11. There is a genuine sense of outrage, anger, and disgust over such a shameful act, and I felt that everyone was united, regardless of age, religion, and language in condemnation. Contrary to what the terrorists hoped to achieve, I really felt there was a sense of unity and solidarity amongst the people. It is really a wonderful display of strength, and was very much heartening to see.
The Great
I also had the good fortune of being able to travel to Southern India this time. What outsiders don’t realize about India is that travelling to a different region of the country not only feels like you are travelling to a different country itself, but in some cases, feels like you are travelling to a different planet! Mannerisms, dress, language, religious practise, everything changes. And yet, there is unity. It is still one country, and to me that is absolutely amazing.
Europe may pride itself on its culture… but the fact is, despite essentially being of the same ethnicity, the continent was, and continues to fracture itself along the slightest difference in religion or language (think Yugoslavia, or to a smaller extent even the current situation in Belgium). What culture is there, when immigrants are expected to assimilate, and you can’t coexist with anyone who is even slightly different from you? North America may pride itself on its high standard of living… but I wonder if some of the ethnic minorities in the USA feel the same way, having spent their lives growing up in a Ghetto?
Despite the tremendous differences, and difficult situations Indians have had to face, in the past 62 years, democracy has triumphed, and the country has remained united… this is something absolutely unique, and something every Indian should take pride in.
I have done a lot of travelling this year, and have logged a lot of miles. I have travelled extensively on 3 different continents within the same year, and not many people can say that. After all these travels, I can say that without a doubt, that although there may be umpteen problems with the country of India, there is still something magical about it, and I am really privileged that my roots were based from such an amazing place.
Lets start with the bad. And I hope no one takes offence to these comments… remember… ‘Koi bhi desh perfect nahin hota hai… perfect banane parta hai…’
The Bad
There is absolutely no question that India has progressed in leaps and bounds over the past 15 years, and has modernized itself phenomenally. But I wonder, what is the best definition of modernization? Is it westernization, or something else? The reason that I ask, is that while I feel Indians have gone out of their way to emulate the negative aspects of western culture, they haven’t been so forthcoming in emulating the positive aspects. Everyone wants to eat, walk, shop and talk like westerners… everyone wants to date and party, and essentially do all the fun things that we corrupt westerners do… but where is the emulation of the good practices? What about punctuality? Everyone still shows up late to everything… What about professionalism and courtesy? No one has the patience to wait in a lineup… everyone just pushes and shoves their way to the front of a line (which makes sense since everyone is late to begin with)… What about civic sense? It is shameful how people still just throw their rubbish, or spit on the road, rather than having the common sense to find a trash bin.
A funny example I can think of is the construction of pedestrian overpasses in Kolkata… no doubt, a very good idea… the idea is to provide these overhead walkways so that people aren’t running across the street, risking their lives and clogging up traffic… a very good idea… at least in theory, anyway. In fact, what I observed was that people would still rather risk their lives and scamper across 4 lanes of traffic rather than simply climb up a flight of stairs and easily walk across… is it stupidity, laziness, or just a lack of sense… I wasn’t quite able to figure it out… however, what made the situation even more hilarious, is that these newly constructed structures turned out to be very good spots for guys to take their girlfriends up for a bit of privacy… after all, they were essentially deserted, I guess the view was better than that at street level, and was the perfect spot to share a bit of intimacy I suppose… now there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to do so, but it just seemed like a total waste of resources. My point is, if people have decided that they are modern enough to follow the essentially western traditions of dating, then they should also figure out that a overpass is to be used for walking first, and PDA later…
The Good
I happened to be in Kolkata on the anniversary of the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai. While I have noticed that in the past, in the aftermath of such terrorist attacks, there will be a bit of an outcry, over time, general public apathy returns, and all is forgotten. Such was not the case after 26/11. There is a genuine sense of outrage, anger, and disgust over such a shameful act, and I felt that everyone was united, regardless of age, religion, and language in condemnation. Contrary to what the terrorists hoped to achieve, I really felt there was a sense of unity and solidarity amongst the people. It is really a wonderful display of strength, and was very much heartening to see.
The Great
I also had the good fortune of being able to travel to Southern India this time. What outsiders don’t realize about India is that travelling to a different region of the country not only feels like you are travelling to a different country itself, but in some cases, feels like you are travelling to a different planet! Mannerisms, dress, language, religious practise, everything changes. And yet, there is unity. It is still one country, and to me that is absolutely amazing.
Europe may pride itself on its culture… but the fact is, despite essentially being of the same ethnicity, the continent was, and continues to fracture itself along the slightest difference in religion or language (think Yugoslavia, or to a smaller extent even the current situation in Belgium). What culture is there, when immigrants are expected to assimilate, and you can’t coexist with anyone who is even slightly different from you? North America may pride itself on its high standard of living… but I wonder if some of the ethnic minorities in the USA feel the same way, having spent their lives growing up in a Ghetto?
Despite the tremendous differences, and difficult situations Indians have had to face, in the past 62 years, democracy has triumphed, and the country has remained united… this is something absolutely unique, and something every Indian should take pride in.
I have done a lot of travelling this year, and have logged a lot of miles. I have travelled extensively on 3 different continents within the same year, and not many people can say that. After all these travels, I can say that without a doubt, that although there may be umpteen problems with the country of India, there is still something magical about it, and I am really privileged that my roots were based from such an amazing place.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Lest We Forget
November 11 is Remembrance Day. The day is meant to commemorate the sacrifices made by members of the armed forces in times of war. However, honestly, to most of us, November 11 is really just a day off... most of us are probably sleeping in at 11AM, rather than taking part in any of the myriad of memorial services around town.
Sometimes I ask myself... does it really matter to me? None of my family members or friends are in the military... nor do I have a family history of anyone being in the armed forces. I have never remotely been affected by war, or the grief that comes with it.
Well, when you think about it, that alone is reason enough for me to remember... the fact that I am lucky enough to live in a place in peace, and be lazy and arrogant enough to take it for granted. That is what members of our armed forces have served and died for... for pricks like me to be able to lead a charmed existance. No matter what your nationality, or what the cause, all these men and women who have served their country faithfully deserve to be commended for what they have done.
This Remembrance Day, do take the time to try and remember... the rest of the year is for us, but maybe we can take a moment this one day to be thankful for those who spend sleepless nights protecting us, so that we can sleep peacefully at night.
Sometimes I ask myself... does it really matter to me? None of my family members or friends are in the military... nor do I have a family history of anyone being in the armed forces. I have never remotely been affected by war, or the grief that comes with it.
Well, when you think about it, that alone is reason enough for me to remember... the fact that I am lucky enough to live in a place in peace, and be lazy and arrogant enough to take it for granted. That is what members of our armed forces have served and died for... for pricks like me to be able to lead a charmed existance. No matter what your nationality, or what the cause, all these men and women who have served their country faithfully deserve to be commended for what they have done.
This Remembrance Day, do take the time to try and remember... the rest of the year is for us, but maybe we can take a moment this one day to be thankful for those who spend sleepless nights protecting us, so that we can sleep peacefully at night.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Restaurant Review: Red Sea Cafe
Red Sea Cafe
670 East Broadway
Vancouver, BC
Red Sea Cafe serves authentic Ethiopian/Eritrean cuisine. Never tried it before? Well, it is a definate must. This was by no means my first visit here, and will not be my last.
One of the curious features of Ethiopian cuisine is how the food is served to you. Apparently, back home, the food is meant to be eaten and shared together. And that is how it is served to you here. The different vegetarian and non-veg cuisines are spread out of a large piece of 'injera' (a flat, pancake like bread), and everyone at the table dives in and pigs out. Most would agree that the non-veg dishes are probably a bit better than the veggies, although I do like the spicy lentils quite a bit.
Of the Ethiopian restuarants in Vancouver that we have tried, this is probably the best. They are open late, and the owners are very friendly. The price of Ethiopian food is not bad... approximately $15, and you will leave with a full stomach.
670 East Broadway
Vancouver, BC
Red Sea Cafe serves authentic Ethiopian/Eritrean cuisine. Never tried it before? Well, it is a definate must. This was by no means my first visit here, and will not be my last.
One of the curious features of Ethiopian cuisine is how the food is served to you. Apparently, back home, the food is meant to be eaten and shared together. And that is how it is served to you here. The different vegetarian and non-veg cuisines are spread out of a large piece of 'injera' (a flat, pancake like bread), and everyone at the table dives in and pigs out. Most would agree that the non-veg dishes are probably a bit better than the veggies, although I do like the spicy lentils quite a bit.
Of the Ethiopian restuarants in Vancouver that we have tried, this is probably the best. They are open late, and the owners are very friendly. The price of Ethiopian food is not bad... approximately $15, and you will leave with a full stomach.
Service: 4/5
Ambiance/Location: 3/5
Food Quality: 4/5
Friday, October 23, 2009
Restaurant Review: Atithi Indian Cuisine
Atithi Indian Cuisine
2445 Burrard St
Vancouver, BC
After a while, I went out with a friend to a new restaurant... Atithi is a somewhat upscale Indian restuarant that was opened a few months ago... I had been meaning to try the food all year, and finally got a chance last nite.
The restaurant is actually owned by a Bengali... since we shared the 'Bong Connection', I was treated very well, and was very impressed by the service... they really went out of their way to make us feel at home. I also liked the ambiance... not too fancy, but still very chic.
We ordered the Chicken Biryani, and Jackfruit and Potato Curry... while I felt the portions were a bit small for the price, the taste was superb... the Biryani mixed with Raita was heaven, and it was nice to get an authentic Bengali dish like Jackfruit served in a nice restaurant for a change. We were also served with some lovely complimentary Kheer at the end, which will remind you of the type your mother makes...!
If you are looking for a nice nite out, and want to savor some excellent Indian cuisine in a wonderful environment, I highly recommend this restaurant. I know I will be headed back!
Service: 5/5
Ambiance/Location: 5/5
Food Quality: 4/5
2445 Burrard St
Vancouver, BC
After a while, I went out with a friend to a new restaurant... Atithi is a somewhat upscale Indian restuarant that was opened a few months ago... I had been meaning to try the food all year, and finally got a chance last nite.
The restaurant is actually owned by a Bengali... since we shared the 'Bong Connection', I was treated very well, and was very impressed by the service... they really went out of their way to make us feel at home. I also liked the ambiance... not too fancy, but still very chic.
We ordered the Chicken Biryani, and Jackfruit and Potato Curry... while I felt the portions were a bit small for the price, the taste was superb... the Biryani mixed with Raita was heaven, and it was nice to get an authentic Bengali dish like Jackfruit served in a nice restaurant for a change. We were also served with some lovely complimentary Kheer at the end, which will remind you of the type your mother makes...!
If you are looking for a nice nite out, and want to savor some excellent Indian cuisine in a wonderful environment, I highly recommend this restaurant. I know I will be headed back!
Service: 5/5
Ambiance/Location: 5/5
Food Quality: 4/5
Friday, October 16, 2009
Deepmala 2009
After days of hectic preparation, we finally put together Deepmala 2009 last Saturday...
Speaking for myself, although most of the day I was totally stressed out, until around 9PM when the food service was over and we realised just what we had accomplished, I finally was able to let loose and enjoy myself... dancing like an absolute maniac until I literally couldn't walk anymore, it was really the most fun I have had in a really long time. We stayed up all night, and I finally got to bed the next day at 2 in the afternoon...
And of course, I had my own seranade... ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwi5za6VlrA
Speaking for myself, although most of the day I was totally stressed out, until around 9PM when the food service was over and we realised just what we had accomplished, I finally was able to let loose and enjoy myself... dancing like an absolute maniac until I literally couldn't walk anymore, it was really the most fun I have had in a really long time. We stayed up all night, and I finally got to bed the next day at 2 in the afternoon...
And of course, I had my own seranade... ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o0DxQQ0fHY
What a night!
Friday, October 9, 2009
Lecturing, and Murphys Law...
Murphys Law: "Whatever CAN go wrong, WILL go wrong..."
At the start of the semester, I was assigned a marking TA for the 3rd year Construction Materials course in the departement. While typically, a marker would only be responsible for marking assignments and recording marks, the prof informed me that he would be away for a week during the semester, and inquired as to whether I could take 1-2 of his lectures that week. I thought it would be a good experience, so I said yes.
I was originally scheduled to give my lecture on 'Concrete Durability' on Wednesday, Oct 7, while a Guest Lecturer from the industry was scheduled to come in on Friday Oct 9. On the night of the 6th, it suddenly hit me that I had never actually lectured to such a large audience before (class size was 150, and I had never done anything larger than a Lab Tutorial of not more than 30 students), and that I should probably get a bit of practise on my slides. So I stayed up until 2AM that night, giving mock presentations to my audience of Soda Cans in my lab. The lovely thing about Soda cans is that they always pay attention, and never ask any questions.
Anyway, I promptly arrived at 7:45AM the next morning ready to dazzle the audience with my knowledge of concrete cracks. Standing outside the lecture hall however was an elderly gentleman who clearly wasn't a student. He informed me that he was the guest lecturer, and showed me an Email sent to him by my prof. Apparently, my prof informed him that HE would be lecturing on the 7th, while I was to lecture on the 9th... wonderful. I bored my Soda Cans for no reason. Obviously, since he had taken the day off, and would not be able to come on the 9th, we decided that he should lecture, and I would postpone till Friday.
Fastforward to Friday morning. After another late nite lecturing to my Soda Cans, I arrive at 7:45 again... I decide I would try and be the 'cool lecturer' and would start off with some jokes. When I get to the lectern, something curious popped up on the screen... 'The system has been disabled'. Interesting... I couldn't load up the computer or the projector to actually show the slides I was going to present in class. Well, no worries, I would just go upto the main office and get someone to come down and help me. Of course the office didn't open till 8:30 AM, which wouldn't really be of much help. I came back down, and it was 8AM... damn... no time for my jokes. What to do now? I walk out into the hall, and find the janitor. He offered to come down and take a look, but after noticing his blank look, I realise he would be better at cleaning the console than actually getting it working.
8:10 AM... now I am getting worried... the students are starting to give me dirty looks for getting them to show up to an 8AM lecture... again, I go out into the hall... I walked into the classroom across the hall, and to my delight, it was totally empty! I can shift my class there! Eureka!
I go back into the original lecture theater, apologize, and tell everyone they have to shift to the room across the hall... despite the dirty looks, I am happy, as I will at least get to lecture. Interestingly, my class was for 150 students... and the entire class managed to fit into a lecture hall for 94 students. Point to note... not more than 1/2 of a 3rd Civil Engineering class has the dedication to wake up for an 8AM lecture on concrete.
I boot up the computer in the new lecture hall, and thankfully, everything works fine... until I slip in the USB with my lecture on it. 'Device not readable'. D**N it!!! At this point I am ready to throw a hunk of concrete through the lectern. What to do, what to do?! I decide to give it one last shot... when all else fails, restart the computer... 2 min later, I am back at the main screen... I slip in my USB, and thankfully, for the first time in 3 days, SOMETHING goes right!!! The slides loaded up, and I was ready to go. Only 2 days and 20 min late I suppose!
Turns out I am an okay lecturer... I only put 2 people to sleep during my talk (one of whom I had to wake up after the class ended), and people actually asked a few educated questions. I managed to speed through the slides and finish everything on time, and thankfully, nothing else went wrong. However, I am seriously going to think twice the next time my prof asks me... 'So what are you doing at 8AM next Wednesday?"!!!
At the start of the semester, I was assigned a marking TA for the 3rd year Construction Materials course in the departement. While typically, a marker would only be responsible for marking assignments and recording marks, the prof informed me that he would be away for a week during the semester, and inquired as to whether I could take 1-2 of his lectures that week. I thought it would be a good experience, so I said yes.
I was originally scheduled to give my lecture on 'Concrete Durability' on Wednesday, Oct 7, while a Guest Lecturer from the industry was scheduled to come in on Friday Oct 9. On the night of the 6th, it suddenly hit me that I had never actually lectured to such a large audience before (class size was 150, and I had never done anything larger than a Lab Tutorial of not more than 30 students), and that I should probably get a bit of practise on my slides. So I stayed up until 2AM that night, giving mock presentations to my audience of Soda Cans in my lab. The lovely thing about Soda cans is that they always pay attention, and never ask any questions.
Anyway, I promptly arrived at 7:45AM the next morning ready to dazzle the audience with my knowledge of concrete cracks. Standing outside the lecture hall however was an elderly gentleman who clearly wasn't a student. He informed me that he was the guest lecturer, and showed me an Email sent to him by my prof. Apparently, my prof informed him that HE would be lecturing on the 7th, while I was to lecture on the 9th... wonderful. I bored my Soda Cans for no reason. Obviously, since he had taken the day off, and would not be able to come on the 9th, we decided that he should lecture, and I would postpone till Friday.
Fastforward to Friday morning. After another late nite lecturing to my Soda Cans, I arrive at 7:45 again... I decide I would try and be the 'cool lecturer' and would start off with some jokes. When I get to the lectern, something curious popped up on the screen... 'The system has been disabled'. Interesting... I couldn't load up the computer or the projector to actually show the slides I was going to present in class. Well, no worries, I would just go upto the main office and get someone to come down and help me. Of course the office didn't open till 8:30 AM, which wouldn't really be of much help. I came back down, and it was 8AM... damn... no time for my jokes. What to do now? I walk out into the hall, and find the janitor. He offered to come down and take a look, but after noticing his blank look, I realise he would be better at cleaning the console than actually getting it working.
8:10 AM... now I am getting worried... the students are starting to give me dirty looks for getting them to show up to an 8AM lecture... again, I go out into the hall... I walked into the classroom across the hall, and to my delight, it was totally empty! I can shift my class there! Eureka!
I go back into the original lecture theater, apologize, and tell everyone they have to shift to the room across the hall... despite the dirty looks, I am happy, as I will at least get to lecture. Interestingly, my class was for 150 students... and the entire class managed to fit into a lecture hall for 94 students. Point to note... not more than 1/2 of a 3rd Civil Engineering class has the dedication to wake up for an 8AM lecture on concrete.
I boot up the computer in the new lecture hall, and thankfully, everything works fine... until I slip in the USB with my lecture on it. 'Device not readable'. D**N it!!! At this point I am ready to throw a hunk of concrete through the lectern. What to do, what to do?! I decide to give it one last shot... when all else fails, restart the computer... 2 min later, I am back at the main screen... I slip in my USB, and thankfully, for the first time in 3 days, SOMETHING goes right!!! The slides loaded up, and I was ready to go. Only 2 days and 20 min late I suppose!
Turns out I am an okay lecturer... I only put 2 people to sleep during my talk (one of whom I had to wake up after the class ended), and people actually asked a few educated questions. I managed to speed through the slides and finish everything on time, and thankfully, nothing else went wrong. However, I am seriously going to think twice the next time my prof asks me... 'So what are you doing at 8AM next Wednesday?"!!!
Friday, October 2, 2009
Should my mouth be this bloody?
Just a short unplanned rant... I went to the dentist yesterday... I generally have good oral hygene, and haven't had a cavity in years. However, yesterday, I met the dental assistant from hell...I think she was a new trainee, and she decided she wanted to experiment on my gums. 2 quick questions...?
1) Why do dentists/dental assistants insist on talking to you when they have instruments shoved in your mouth so you can't have a conversation with them anyway???
2) Why do they ask you if they should stop when you yelp in pain when they are just going to continue on with whatever they were doing to make you yelp in the first place???
Anyway, to make a long story short, this was the first time when I got out of a dentist chair for a routine cleaning and was actually spitting out blood... and was STILL spitting out blood this morning. Apparently she wanted to make sure that there was absolutely no tartar/crud on my gumline and she did a VERY good job of it.
What a lovely profession... you get to torture your client for 45 min, and then collect 45 dollars from them at the end of it... MAN I picked the wrong line of work... :S
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Desi Titanic...
One of the gripes I have always had as an UTSAV member is that we always seem to do the same thing every year... very little innovation, because in general people are too lazy to try new things. But seriously, how much Antakshari can you play? Secondly, I have always felt that the general membership should play an active role in organizing and suggesting events... not just the executive. After all, we are there to execute, but the membership is really what matters.
This year, I was approached by a member about putting together a team for the annual Longboat race. Almost every other club on campus takes an active role in UBC-REC events such as Longboat, whereas UTSAV has always lagged... maybe due to changing club demographics, this trend is changing, but whatever the case, I was pleasantly surprised and happy to try and oblige.
I was even more pleasantly surprised when it turned out that membership was actually more enthusiastic then expected. We had originally planned to subsidize only one team, however, we had enough participants to put together two teams, one mens team, and one coed team. Another UTSAV first! One minor issue for me though... although in general, I like anything sporting... there is one major exception. I really don't like swimming!
I took a few lessons as a kid... my parents insisted on it, as they said I would make use of it later on in my life. Consequently, I did actually learn the basics... how to float, doggy paddle, backstroke, and swim a few lengths of the pool at least. Not an expert, but enough to not drown I guess... However, over time, for some reason, I developed an adversion to water... I once actually almost drowned when I went fishing at a lake (long story, maybe for another blog entry), and had to be pulled out by an uncle... secondly, I was a bit fussy about swimming in public pools with people releasing god knows what kind of fluids into the water. Finally, and most importantly, I just didn't find it to be much fun. So whenever my friends were enthusiastically diving into the water for a swim, I preferred to remain poolside or laze on the beach.
Now, Longboat (unfortunately for me) is a water-based race where 10 team members enthusiastically paddle around a race course in English Bay, and ends off with the boat landing on the beach, and one of the team members running upto the finish line and banging a gong. While I was cool with the gong part, not so much with the boat part... what if we fell in? Well, I decided that I would be a hypocrite to encourage others to try new things, and then chicken out myself... besides, what were chances of us ACTUALLY flipping the boat?
Well, we had a pre-race clinic one week before the race so that everyone would know the rules and get accustomed to rowing the boat. Was pretty simple... I was selected to be the 'driver' who steered the boat, while everyone else was responsible for providing the propulsion to motor along on the water... while initially we had trouble paddling in sync, before we knew it, we were paddling around right in the middle of English Bay... we developed an 'interesting' 'R'-rated chant to keep us paddling in rythm (which I shall not mention as this is a family blog), and after a while, we got the hang of turning the boat left and right... despite the waves, we did quite decently! Satisfied, we decided to head back to shore, and THAT is where things took an interesting turn... literally!
About 100 m from the beach, one (unnamed) teammate decided to enthusiastically turn around and yell at another one of our teammates seated in the middle of the boat... unfortunately in his enthusiasm, he gave the boat a sudden shake which tipped it one way... and without warning, my worst fears came true and the Pacific Ocean which had until then managed to stay OUTSIDE of the boat, now started to pour INTO the boat! Within a split second, the boat was almost completely submerged, and flipped right over, and before I knew it, I was floating in the middle of English Bay!
In the ensuing panic, it was like a desi version of the 'Titanic'... bodys in the water, everyone screaming and shouting at each other! Thank god for our life jackets which kept everyone afloat! Not to mention, the waters of the Pacific Ocean are much colder then I ever imagined, and I was afraid that if I wasn't pulled out in minutes, some of my body parts would freeze and start falling off... However, despite my water phobia, I actually managed to stay relatively calm, and shouted at everyone to try and relax... one of my teammates sprawled himself on top of the overturned boat, while the others clung onto each other and the sides of the boat for dear life... I was genuinely worried for one or two of them who were shivering scared... I was barely staying afloat myself... what would we do if one of them went under? Well, thankfully, I didn't have to find out, as after what seemed like an eternity, but was in reality not more than 2 min, the rescue boats arrived to pull us out... one of the rescue members chuckled at us and told us we were the first boat of the day to flip... I chuckled back, and cursed at him in my head as I swam over, away from the flipped boat and into the rescue raft. One by one, we all climbed on to the rescue boats, and headed back to the beach... when we got back on dry land the spectators on shore gave us an enthusiastic ovation... not know what to do, I bowed back!
At the time, when the boat was submerged, the whole incident did not seem funny at all... but in retrospect, I think for some of us, the unexpected swim in the Pacific was maybe the funnest part of the entire event! Morals of the story, boys and girls?
1. Your biggest fears are often not as bad as they seem...
2. When in a boat, always wear your lifejacket...
3. Mom and Dad have an uncanny way of always being right!
(PS, We DID compete in the actual race today, successfully finished, and most importantly, this time we did NOT flip the boat... )
This year, I was approached by a member about putting together a team for the annual Longboat race. Almost every other club on campus takes an active role in UBC-REC events such as Longboat, whereas UTSAV has always lagged... maybe due to changing club demographics, this trend is changing, but whatever the case, I was pleasantly surprised and happy to try and oblige.
I was even more pleasantly surprised when it turned out that membership was actually more enthusiastic then expected. We had originally planned to subsidize only one team, however, we had enough participants to put together two teams, one mens team, and one coed team. Another UTSAV first! One minor issue for me though... although in general, I like anything sporting... there is one major exception. I really don't like swimming!
I took a few lessons as a kid... my parents insisted on it, as they said I would make use of it later on in my life. Consequently, I did actually learn the basics... how to float, doggy paddle, backstroke, and swim a few lengths of the pool at least. Not an expert, but enough to not drown I guess... However, over time, for some reason, I developed an adversion to water... I once actually almost drowned when I went fishing at a lake (long story, maybe for another blog entry), and had to be pulled out by an uncle... secondly, I was a bit fussy about swimming in public pools with people releasing god knows what kind of fluids into the water. Finally, and most importantly, I just didn't find it to be much fun. So whenever my friends were enthusiastically diving into the water for a swim, I preferred to remain poolside or laze on the beach.
Now, Longboat (unfortunately for me) is a water-based race where 10 team members enthusiastically paddle around a race course in English Bay, and ends off with the boat landing on the beach, and one of the team members running upto the finish line and banging a gong. While I was cool with the gong part, not so much with the boat part... what if we fell in? Well, I decided that I would be a hypocrite to encourage others to try new things, and then chicken out myself... besides, what were chances of us ACTUALLY flipping the boat?
Well, we had a pre-race clinic one week before the race so that everyone would know the rules and get accustomed to rowing the boat. Was pretty simple... I was selected to be the 'driver' who steered the boat, while everyone else was responsible for providing the propulsion to motor along on the water... while initially we had trouble paddling in sync, before we knew it, we were paddling around right in the middle of English Bay... we developed an 'interesting' 'R'-rated chant to keep us paddling in rythm (which I shall not mention as this is a family blog), and after a while, we got the hang of turning the boat left and right... despite the waves, we did quite decently! Satisfied, we decided to head back to shore, and THAT is where things took an interesting turn... literally!
About 100 m from the beach, one (unnamed) teammate decided to enthusiastically turn around and yell at another one of our teammates seated in the middle of the boat... unfortunately in his enthusiasm, he gave the boat a sudden shake which tipped it one way... and without warning, my worst fears came true and the Pacific Ocean which had until then managed to stay OUTSIDE of the boat, now started to pour INTO the boat! Within a split second, the boat was almost completely submerged, and flipped right over, and before I knew it, I was floating in the middle of English Bay!
In the ensuing panic, it was like a desi version of the 'Titanic'... bodys in the water, everyone screaming and shouting at each other! Thank god for our life jackets which kept everyone afloat! Not to mention, the waters of the Pacific Ocean are much colder then I ever imagined, and I was afraid that if I wasn't pulled out in minutes, some of my body parts would freeze and start falling off... However, despite my water phobia, I actually managed to stay relatively calm, and shouted at everyone to try and relax... one of my teammates sprawled himself on top of the overturned boat, while the others clung onto each other and the sides of the boat for dear life... I was genuinely worried for one or two of them who were shivering scared... I was barely staying afloat myself... what would we do if one of them went under? Well, thankfully, I didn't have to find out, as after what seemed like an eternity, but was in reality not more than 2 min, the rescue boats arrived to pull us out... one of the rescue members chuckled at us and told us we were the first boat of the day to flip... I chuckled back, and cursed at him in my head as I swam over, away from the flipped boat and into the rescue raft. One by one, we all climbed on to the rescue boats, and headed back to the beach... when we got back on dry land the spectators on shore gave us an enthusiastic ovation... not know what to do, I bowed back!
At the time, when the boat was submerged, the whole incident did not seem funny at all... but in retrospect, I think for some of us, the unexpected swim in the Pacific was maybe the funnest part of the entire event! Morals of the story, boys and girls?
1. Your biggest fears are often not as bad as they seem...
2. When in a boat, always wear your lifejacket...
3. Mom and Dad have an uncanny way of always being right!
(PS, We DID compete in the actual race today, successfully finished, and most importantly, this time we did NOT flip the boat... )
Thursday, September 17, 2009
The Soundtrack to your Life...
The type of music I load onto my playlist everyday in the office depends heavily on what my mood is that day... if I feel peppy... maybe some R&B or Pop... if I feel angry, maybe some Rap or Rock... if I feel sentimental... maybe some Old Classics, or Religious music... Sometimes even listening to a certain song can change the way I am feeling at that instant... or reinforce the feeling even more.
Its unbelievable the power that music has over us... it has the power to generate emotions, or completely change them. These feelings are gripping and seem to emerge from nowhere. Music is perhaps the simplest medium which can colour our mood, affect our perceptions, and subsequently control the way we act around others.
Personally, I am most affected by music which not only sounds good, but has lyrics which mean something... of course, we all enjoy the songs which make no sense, are completly generic, yet still sounds good to the ears, but in terms of songs which we actually remember and love, I think lyrics which we can relate to are essential...
Which songs are unforgettable to you, and why? Which songs are the ones which have affected you, and maybe influenced the person you have become? What is the soundtrack to your life?
Today, I am feeling melancholy... so I am going to say, 'Bittersweet Symphony' by 'The Verve'... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx3m4e45bTo
Its unbelievable the power that music has over us... it has the power to generate emotions, or completely change them. These feelings are gripping and seem to emerge from nowhere. Music is perhaps the simplest medium which can colour our mood, affect our perceptions, and subsequently control the way we act around others.
Personally, I am most affected by music which not only sounds good, but has lyrics which mean something... of course, we all enjoy the songs which make no sense, are completly generic, yet still sounds good to the ears, but in terms of songs which we actually remember and love, I think lyrics which we can relate to are essential...
Which songs are unforgettable to you, and why? Which songs are the ones which have affected you, and maybe influenced the person you have become? What is the soundtrack to your life?
Today, I am feeling melancholy... so I am going to say, 'Bittersweet Symphony' by 'The Verve'... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx3m4e45bTo
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Free Food!
The new term started up on Tuesday... which means that the campus is now flooded with Undergrads... Graduate students have this arrogance about them... we go out of our ways to mock and ridicule these lowly minions... probably just to blow off some steam after our professors mock and ridicule us. :P
As wonderful as it is to hear drunk Undergrads screaming like banshees until 3AM on every street on campus, and as fun as it is to be pestered with questions about Undergrad courses that we actually don't have the answers to, and as great as it is to no longer be able to get a seat on any bus because they are all filled with our young friends, there is actually genuinely one great thing about the term starting... the FREE FOOD!!!
Cooking is the bane of every student who lives on campus. However, come every September, we gain a 6th sense, the sense which allows us to detect all the free pizza partys, bbqs, orientation coffee, cookies, donuts and all the other free giveaways that come part and parcel with the start of the new academic year. As a student, we consider it our god given right to abuse the system, and go back for seconds, thirds, or even fourths until our tummys are filled... (or maybe thats just me).
Of course I am a special case... I have been doing this for years... my friend and I discovered this free food phenominon waaaay back in first year Undergrad when on the way to the arcade, we stumbled across the weekly Biological Gradute Students Society party which provided ample pizza and beer to all those who attended. Henceforth, we made it our business to pretend like we understood the discussions, and knew everyone who was there, all in the name of a few slices of Freshslice pizza every week. The days have gone where I acted like a Grad Student to get free pizza, and now the roles have reversed... yesterday I happily acted like an Undergrad so that I could score some free Dominos on Main Mall during Imagine Day celebrations... old habits die hard I guess!
So Undergrads, bring me your noise... bring me your questions... but above all, and never forget this... bring me your free food!!! :P
As wonderful as it is to hear drunk Undergrads screaming like banshees until 3AM on every street on campus, and as fun as it is to be pestered with questions about Undergrad courses that we actually don't have the answers to, and as great as it is to no longer be able to get a seat on any bus because they are all filled with our young friends, there is actually genuinely one great thing about the term starting... the FREE FOOD!!!
Cooking is the bane of every student who lives on campus. However, come every September, we gain a 6th sense, the sense which allows us to detect all the free pizza partys, bbqs, orientation coffee, cookies, donuts and all the other free giveaways that come part and parcel with the start of the new academic year. As a student, we consider it our god given right to abuse the system, and go back for seconds, thirds, or even fourths until our tummys are filled... (or maybe thats just me).
Of course I am a special case... I have been doing this for years... my friend and I discovered this free food phenominon waaaay back in first year Undergrad when on the way to the arcade, we stumbled across the weekly Biological Gradute Students Society party which provided ample pizza and beer to all those who attended. Henceforth, we made it our business to pretend like we understood the discussions, and knew everyone who was there, all in the name of a few slices of Freshslice pizza every week. The days have gone where I acted like a Grad Student to get free pizza, and now the roles have reversed... yesterday I happily acted like an Undergrad so that I could score some free Dominos on Main Mall during Imagine Day celebrations... old habits die hard I guess!
So Undergrads, bring me your noise... bring me your questions... but above all, and never forget this... bring me your free food!!! :P
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Restaurant Review: Novelty Sweets and Restaurant
Novelty Sweets and Restaurant
6665 Fraser St.
Vancouver, BC
Was in the midst of whirlwind fundraising for UTSAV with my executive friends this afteroon, and consequently, was in the Main/Fraser area. After a few hours of soliciting/begging, it occurred to us how hungry we all were, and so we decided to stop at Novelty for lunch.
I generally don't like any of the lunch buffets in the Main/Fraser area, but I find this one to be bearable. It wasn't the first time I had been here, and I always go for the $7.99 lunch buffet. The buffet includes Naan, Rice, Butter Chicken, Saag Paneer, Aloo ki Sabji, Choley, Dal, Samosas, and Jalebi.
The thing I like about this buffet, as that for this price, the taste is very decent. Generally low price buffets tend to be made with low quality ingredients, and are bathing in oil, but this is not the case. Of course, Novelty is no high end restaurant, and the taste shouldn't be compared with places like Maurya, Raga, or Samosa Garden. However, for the price, I think it is an excellent place to drop in and fill your stomach without regretting it the next day. Personally, I tend to fill up on the Naan and Butter Chicken, but the choice is yours...
One thing though... the service is distinctly lacking. Although the place was very clean, we had to wait forever for fresh Naan and Samosas. We were seated at a table with not enough plates, glasses and forks, and had to help ourselves.
Service: 2/5
Ambiance/Location: 3/5
Food Quality: 3/5
6665 Fraser St.
Vancouver, BC
Was in the midst of whirlwind fundraising for UTSAV with my executive friends this afteroon, and consequently, was in the Main/Fraser area. After a few hours of soliciting/begging, it occurred to us how hungry we all were, and so we decided to stop at Novelty for lunch.
I generally don't like any of the lunch buffets in the Main/Fraser area, but I find this one to be bearable. It wasn't the first time I had been here, and I always go for the $7.99 lunch buffet. The buffet includes Naan, Rice, Butter Chicken, Saag Paneer, Aloo ki Sabji, Choley, Dal, Samosas, and Jalebi.
The thing I like about this buffet, as that for this price, the taste is very decent. Generally low price buffets tend to be made with low quality ingredients, and are bathing in oil, but this is not the case. Of course, Novelty is no high end restaurant, and the taste shouldn't be compared with places like Maurya, Raga, or Samosa Garden. However, for the price, I think it is an excellent place to drop in and fill your stomach without regretting it the next day. Personally, I tend to fill up on the Naan and Butter Chicken, but the choice is yours...
One thing though... the service is distinctly lacking. Although the place was very clean, we had to wait forever for fresh Naan and Samosas. We were seated at a table with not enough plates, glasses and forks, and had to help ourselves.
Service: 2/5
Ambiance/Location: 3/5
Food Quality: 3/5
Friday, September 4, 2009
What the puck?
I was sitting down yesterday scheming of ways to spend the ridiculously few dollars I have in my bank account... do I go to the U2 concert? Naah... not worth it. The Kailash Kher concert? Well, unfortunately, the concert falls right in the middle of Durga Puja, and I probably wouldn't be able to attend... then it occurred to me... I hadn't been to a Vancouver Canucks game for a while... I wonder how much tickets cost now?
Logged into the Canucks website, and was shocked... the prices for tickets in the nosebleed section are $55... imagine that, the CHEAPEST seats were $55. However, despite the insanely high prices, I am still seriously considering going, provided I can convince a few other of my friends who are as foolish as me to part with their money as well...
Why on EARTH am I even considering this? I have already done way too much travelling this year... both in and out of the province... and I really shouldn't be able to afford this. But what on EARTH is it that draws me to go to a game when I am not even sure if I am going to see my team put up a decent performance. Hockey doesn't have any cheerleaders, so its not as if I am going to get to go and stare at any cute girls to get my moneys worth...
The last game I went to was with my friend Mohit, and it was the first time he had been to a Canucks game. They were actually complimentary seats, and we had to work as 50-50 ticket vendors for the first period, so really, we only got to see half the game. But for that 1/2 he was absolutely mesmorized. For a while, I wasn't sure if I was the one who had been watching this game since I was a kid or him! We were perhaps 200 m away from the action, but we were roaring at every goal, groaning at every hit, and screaming at every opportunity possible. When a fight broke out, we felt like we wanted to jump over the boards and join in the melee!
The Canucks slogan is 'We are all Canucks'. For every Canucks fan, believe it or not, this is true. We live and die with our team. We treat the players like gods when they win, and curse them when they lose... and even if they lose year after year, we still come back to them the following year, because well... 'We are all Canucks'.
I don't know what it is about this game that has the capacity to unite a city together, or at the Olympic level, unite an entire country together. India has cricket, most of the world has soccer, and well, Canada has hockey... actually Canada IS hockey... we may not be the games superpower anymore, but without a doubt are the games most passionate followers. And I suppose the passion is what makes fools like me consider spending money on tickets which I really can't even afford...
On a sidenote, does anyone have $55 that I can borrow for ummm... textbooks next week? ;)
Logged into the Canucks website, and was shocked... the prices for tickets in the nosebleed section are $55... imagine that, the CHEAPEST seats were $55. However, despite the insanely high prices, I am still seriously considering going, provided I can convince a few other of my friends who are as foolish as me to part with their money as well...
Why on EARTH am I even considering this? I have already done way too much travelling this year... both in and out of the province... and I really shouldn't be able to afford this. But what on EARTH is it that draws me to go to a game when I am not even sure if I am going to see my team put up a decent performance. Hockey doesn't have any cheerleaders, so its not as if I am going to get to go and stare at any cute girls to get my moneys worth...
The last game I went to was with my friend Mohit, and it was the first time he had been to a Canucks game. They were actually complimentary seats, and we had to work as 50-50 ticket vendors for the first period, so really, we only got to see half the game. But for that 1/2 he was absolutely mesmorized. For a while, I wasn't sure if I was the one who had been watching this game since I was a kid or him! We were perhaps 200 m away from the action, but we were roaring at every goal, groaning at every hit, and screaming at every opportunity possible. When a fight broke out, we felt like we wanted to jump over the boards and join in the melee!
The Canucks slogan is 'We are all Canucks'. For every Canucks fan, believe it or not, this is true. We live and die with our team. We treat the players like gods when they win, and curse them when they lose... and even if they lose year after year, we still come back to them the following year, because well... 'We are all Canucks'.
I don't know what it is about this game that has the capacity to unite a city together, or at the Olympic level, unite an entire country together. India has cricket, most of the world has soccer, and well, Canada has hockey... actually Canada IS hockey... we may not be the games superpower anymore, but without a doubt are the games most passionate followers. And I suppose the passion is what makes fools like me consider spending money on tickets which I really can't even afford...
On a sidenote, does anyone have $55 that I can borrow for ummm... textbooks next week? ;)
Restaurant Review: Main Kabab Hut
Main Kabab Hut:
219 E49 Ave
Vancouver, BC
I had heard about this place from a number of my friends recently, and since I was in the neighborhood, decided to try it out for dinner.
The restaurant is essentially, a 'hole in the wall' kind of place... very tiny, with only 3 tables, and a kitchen directly behind the counter. Essentially, the restaurant specializes in North Indian/Pakistani non-vegetarian cuisine, including Biryani, Nehare, BBQ and Kebab.
My friends who had been there all raved about the Chicken Biryani in particular, so I decided to give it a shot. I didn't have to wait very long, since the place was practically empty, save for one other customer, probably because most people were fasting due to Ramazan... the cost for a plate is $8.00
The food was very good, no complaints. But to be honest... not spectacular. I have been to my Muslim friends houses on Eid, and quite frankly, that Biryani was better... the mothers touch was missing I suppose. However, having said that, this Biryani was also quite authentic, and better than that which would be found at more expensive restaurants. I was very impressed by the quantity, as I was barely able to finish the plate. The Biryani also came with a small bowl of Raita, which was a nice touch to aid digestion after consuming all that masala. Considering the portions, and reasonable price, I do recommend anyone who is in the area and craving some non-veg to drop in and sample some of the delicacies.
219 E49 Ave
Vancouver, BC
I had heard about this place from a number of my friends recently, and since I was in the neighborhood, decided to try it out for dinner.
The restaurant is essentially, a 'hole in the wall' kind of place... very tiny, with only 3 tables, and a kitchen directly behind the counter. Essentially, the restaurant specializes in North Indian/Pakistani non-vegetarian cuisine, including Biryani, Nehare, BBQ and Kebab.
My friends who had been there all raved about the Chicken Biryani in particular, so I decided to give it a shot. I didn't have to wait very long, since the place was practically empty, save for one other customer, probably because most people were fasting due to Ramazan... the cost for a plate is $8.00
The food was very good, no complaints. But to be honest... not spectacular. I have been to my Muslim friends houses on Eid, and quite frankly, that Biryani was better... the mothers touch was missing I suppose. However, having said that, this Biryani was also quite authentic, and better than that which would be found at more expensive restaurants. I was very impressed by the quantity, as I was barely able to finish the plate. The Biryani also came with a small bowl of Raita, which was a nice touch to aid digestion after consuming all that masala. Considering the portions, and reasonable price, I do recommend anyone who is in the area and craving some non-veg to drop in and sample some of the delicacies.
Service: 4/5
Ambiance/Location: 2/5
Food Quality: 3/5
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Fall in Vancouver...
September is almost here... the unofficial end of summer, and the beginning of fall. I used to absolutely DREAD this time of year in grade school, as it meant the end of holidays, sleeping in, and playing around all day. When I came to university, it started to matter less and less, as I usually used to work in the summers, and then when I came to grad school, then I had to work year around as a research assistant anyway...
Strangely, I started to appreciate the fall season more and more, after I got over the fear of the 'first day back to school'. Why? There are many reasons... firstly, I think Vancouver looks absolutely beautiful in the fall. The leaves begin to change color, and the weather usually stays fairly decent; minimal rain/no snow, so that you can still go out for a brisk walk and appreciate everything. Secondly, it is the Indian festival season. Now of course, it is celebrated here a fraction of how it would be celebrated in India, but it is still nice to see everyone with smiles on their faces, it gives friends and relatives an excuse to get back in touch and wish each other the best, and finally, most importantly, my mom goes into the kitchen and makes up some delicious sweets and snacks that we eagerly await year around. :P
Last year I wasn't able to appreciate the fall that much, as I was busy with alot of things going on in life... this year however, I plan to enjoy all out, and of course, since I am the UTSAV VP this year, there is the added bonus of helping to organize and then partying like crazy at Deepmala this year... hope everyone can join me!
Strangely, I started to appreciate the fall season more and more, after I got over the fear of the 'first day back to school'. Why? There are many reasons... firstly, I think Vancouver looks absolutely beautiful in the fall. The leaves begin to change color, and the weather usually stays fairly decent; minimal rain/no snow, so that you can still go out for a brisk walk and appreciate everything. Secondly, it is the Indian festival season. Now of course, it is celebrated here a fraction of how it would be celebrated in India, but it is still nice to see everyone with smiles on their faces, it gives friends and relatives an excuse to get back in touch and wish each other the best, and finally, most importantly, my mom goes into the kitchen and makes up some delicious sweets and snacks that we eagerly await year around. :P
Last year I wasn't able to appreciate the fall that much, as I was busy with alot of things going on in life... this year however, I plan to enjoy all out, and of course, since I am the UTSAV VP this year, there is the added bonus of helping to organize and then partying like crazy at Deepmala this year... hope everyone can join me!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Biker Boy
I bought a new bicycle a few months ago. Was inspired after I finally went and biked the Lions Gate Bridge/Seawall back in the spring (yes, I have lived in Vancouver my entire life, and didn't bike the Seawall till now...) Besides, it seems to be the IN thing to do these days, and I got a really good deal. It was a second hand bike, bought from a Chinese guy who I think was dealing in stolen bikes, but hey, a deal is a deal right? Only $30, plus a new helmet, lock and waterbottle holder, ended up costing me $60 in total.
Bike riding in North America is definitely not as popular as most other places in the world. I have seen pictures of streets filled with bikes in China, and one thing that really impressed me about Europe is how people prefer to get out of their cars, and take their bicycles, or public transit. It is definately a nice convinience, and lets you go a bit further/faster than if you were just travelling around on foot.
Its nice to be able to zip around campus on my bike, but I can't help but be reminded about how much fun it was to ride bikes when I was younger. Back then gaming consoles were too expensive, so we actually used to go outdoors and stay active in the summers. Games like 'Cops and Robbers', or 'Hide and Seek' in the forest behind our house were quite standard, and then there was the manditory daily road hockey game between the kids from one end of the street, against the kids from the other end of the street, which only ended when it got too dark, or somebody got hit in the head with the ball and started crying.
And of course, we all had our own bikes... ah... our bikes. Although I doubt any of us ever went faster than 10 km/hr, to us, we felt like speed demons, going not less than 120 clicks. My first bike was actually a bit bigger than I was. I was 5 years old, and my parents bought me a second hand yellow Schwinn, with the old style foot brakes. For the first few months, I pedelled around with training wheels until one day when dad decided that enough was enough, and he took them off, took me to the field at the back of our house, so that even if I fell off, at least it would be on grass, and told me to start pedelling. Thankfully, all went well, and I didn't fall, although convincing me to stop was a bit of a challenge, since I was petrified that if I stopped moving I would take a tumble.
Of course we all took our share of spills... I think all of our mothers had purchased the mandatory Dettol bottles to clean off all the cuts and scratches we sustained, and of course had those perfectly shaped bandages which covered up the skinned and scrapped knees, and road burnt elbows which were pretty much a weekly occurance. My most spectacular crash happened to be when I managed to run head on into a parked car and ended up sprawled over the front windshield. Not exactly my finest moment...
What did we do on our bikes? Well, of course, there were the street races... at first from one end of the street to the other. Then, when we were a bit older, around the block. And then, finally, when we gained enough stamina, the races became all the way around the neighborhood. One of our biggest accomplishments was the construction of a ramp we used to go airborne on our bikes and pretend like we were Tony Hawk, when in reality, I doubt we got more than 2 ft off the ground. When we finally started getting a bit of pocket money from our parents, we would sneak off on our bikes and spend $0.50 on an Ice Cream from McDonalds, or a Slurpee from 7-11. We felt like kings.
Well, Ice Creams/Slurpees cost more than $0.50 now... our old biker gang has disbanded, and since I can drive, when I am home, I kind of prefer that means conveyance these days. These days, its just me, alone on my bike using it to go around campus, usually to the office, or SRC. Once in a while, I will take it a bit further, maybe to Broadway to have dinner, or down to the beach to watch the sunset. I may have grown up (well, physically at least), but every so often, its nice to be able to ride my bike, and pretend like I am 5 years old all over again...
Bike riding in North America is definitely not as popular as most other places in the world. I have seen pictures of streets filled with bikes in China, and one thing that really impressed me about Europe is how people prefer to get out of their cars, and take their bicycles, or public transit. It is definately a nice convinience, and lets you go a bit further/faster than if you were just travelling around on foot.
Its nice to be able to zip around campus on my bike, but I can't help but be reminded about how much fun it was to ride bikes when I was younger. Back then gaming consoles were too expensive, so we actually used to go outdoors and stay active in the summers. Games like 'Cops and Robbers', or 'Hide and Seek' in the forest behind our house were quite standard, and then there was the manditory daily road hockey game between the kids from one end of the street, against the kids from the other end of the street, which only ended when it got too dark, or somebody got hit in the head with the ball and started crying.
And of course, we all had our own bikes... ah... our bikes. Although I doubt any of us ever went faster than 10 km/hr, to us, we felt like speed demons, going not less than 120 clicks. My first bike was actually a bit bigger than I was. I was 5 years old, and my parents bought me a second hand yellow Schwinn, with the old style foot brakes. For the first few months, I pedelled around with training wheels until one day when dad decided that enough was enough, and he took them off, took me to the field at the back of our house, so that even if I fell off, at least it would be on grass, and told me to start pedelling. Thankfully, all went well, and I didn't fall, although convincing me to stop was a bit of a challenge, since I was petrified that if I stopped moving I would take a tumble.
Of course we all took our share of spills... I think all of our mothers had purchased the mandatory Dettol bottles to clean off all the cuts and scratches we sustained, and of course had those perfectly shaped bandages which covered up the skinned and scrapped knees, and road burnt elbows which were pretty much a weekly occurance. My most spectacular crash happened to be when I managed to run head on into a parked car and ended up sprawled over the front windshield. Not exactly my finest moment...
What did we do on our bikes? Well, of course, there were the street races... at first from one end of the street to the other. Then, when we were a bit older, around the block. And then, finally, when we gained enough stamina, the races became all the way around the neighborhood. One of our biggest accomplishments was the construction of a ramp we used to go airborne on our bikes and pretend like we were Tony Hawk, when in reality, I doubt we got more than 2 ft off the ground. When we finally started getting a bit of pocket money from our parents, we would sneak off on our bikes and spend $0.50 on an Ice Cream from McDonalds, or a Slurpee from 7-11. We felt like kings.
Well, Ice Creams/Slurpees cost more than $0.50 now... our old biker gang has disbanded, and since I can drive, when I am home, I kind of prefer that means conveyance these days. These days, its just me, alone on my bike using it to go around campus, usually to the office, or SRC. Once in a while, I will take it a bit further, maybe to Broadway to have dinner, or down to the beach to watch the sunset. I may have grown up (well, physically at least), but every so often, its nice to be able to ride my bike, and pretend like I am 5 years old all over again...
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Back to the Future?
Its time… its time to go back and put myself through unnecessary torture… its time to head back… to the gym.
It was recently pointed out to me by a ‘family member’ ;), that all the good work I had done this year by going to the gym has basically been undone in the past few months. I had gotten a bit side tracked over the past three months, and especially with all the travelling, I just gave up on going to the gym. Now, the love handles are making a slight return, and the shoulder pimples/biceps which had developed have receeded back to where they came from…
I used to be in excellent shape. In fact, I am still in very decent shape, but not in the phenomenal condition I once was. 6 years of my life were dedicated to the martial arts. Furthermore, I am proud to say that I trained at one of the finest schools on the West Coast, where Black Belts were not handed out as party favors. I was a different person back then… unbelievably disciplined, and my life basically revolved around two things… undergrad, and training. Why did I do it? Well, because I loved it… as sadistic as it sounds, there is an indescribable pride which you gain from pounding on someone, and then being able to get up after taking a heavier pounding. Most people think that we do it to be able to show off… to throw some ‘Bruce Lee’ style kicks, when in reality this is not the case at all. The mental strength one develops from training in the martial arts is unparalleled. Only by getting humiliated and being pushed to your physical limits in the dojo did I realize what my actual self worth was. Your ego is destroyed, and you realize the meaning of humility. But believe me, it is not a bad thing… you learn to learn from others, rather than staying in a delusional state, you actually strive to improve yourself, and most importantly, you learn to never give up. By the end, if you have been persistent, you will never feel the need to show off to anyone what you can do, because in your mind, you already know you can do it all. Beyond being able to break a wooden board (which is surprisingly easy to do actually), these were the lessons which I felt were actually the most valuable, which I have tried to use in every corner of my life. After all, what is there to prove to anyone, when you have already proven everything to yourself?
It has been 5 years since I have regularly trained, and I think I have changed as a person, but maybe not necessarily for the better… lets face it, although I like going to the gym because I like feeling fit, there is also that little part of me which has developed which also enjoys the compliments I receive when I look fit. And although there is nothing wrong with that, it shouldn’t be the primary reason I go to the gym. Maybe I need to remind myself of the lessons I learned a few years ago, and go back for the reasons one should be working out. To be strong, to stay healthy, and of course, to have fun. And hopefully, if I have inspired some of you to take up the martial arts on your own, or better yet, give me some company at the SRC gym starting this fall, then all the better!
It was recently pointed out to me by a ‘family member’ ;), that all the good work I had done this year by going to the gym has basically been undone in the past few months. I had gotten a bit side tracked over the past three months, and especially with all the travelling, I just gave up on going to the gym. Now, the love handles are making a slight return, and the shoulder pimples/biceps which had developed have receeded back to where they came from…
I used to be in excellent shape. In fact, I am still in very decent shape, but not in the phenomenal condition I once was. 6 years of my life were dedicated to the martial arts. Furthermore, I am proud to say that I trained at one of the finest schools on the West Coast, where Black Belts were not handed out as party favors. I was a different person back then… unbelievably disciplined, and my life basically revolved around two things… undergrad, and training. Why did I do it? Well, because I loved it… as sadistic as it sounds, there is an indescribable pride which you gain from pounding on someone, and then being able to get up after taking a heavier pounding. Most people think that we do it to be able to show off… to throw some ‘Bruce Lee’ style kicks, when in reality this is not the case at all. The mental strength one develops from training in the martial arts is unparalleled. Only by getting humiliated and being pushed to your physical limits in the dojo did I realize what my actual self worth was. Your ego is destroyed, and you realize the meaning of humility. But believe me, it is not a bad thing… you learn to learn from others, rather than staying in a delusional state, you actually strive to improve yourself, and most importantly, you learn to never give up. By the end, if you have been persistent, you will never feel the need to show off to anyone what you can do, because in your mind, you already know you can do it all. Beyond being able to break a wooden board (which is surprisingly easy to do actually), these were the lessons which I felt were actually the most valuable, which I have tried to use in every corner of my life. After all, what is there to prove to anyone, when you have already proven everything to yourself?
It has been 5 years since I have regularly trained, and I think I have changed as a person, but maybe not necessarily for the better… lets face it, although I like going to the gym because I like feeling fit, there is also that little part of me which has developed which also enjoys the compliments I receive when I look fit. And although there is nothing wrong with that, it shouldn’t be the primary reason I go to the gym. Maybe I need to remind myself of the lessons I learned a few years ago, and go back for the reasons one should be working out. To be strong, to stay healthy, and of course, to have fun. And hopefully, if I have inspired some of you to take up the martial arts on your own, or better yet, give me some company at the SRC gym starting this fall, then all the better!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
The Circle of Life
My Dad went in for a surgery last week. He had been having difficulty breathing through his nose, and essentially, the procedure was to clean out/remove some sort of blockage. I talked with some friends ahead of time, and was reassured that the procedure was fairly minor, and in fact, I wasn't too worried, as it was a day surgery, and he would be out by the evening.
Thankfully, everything went well... however, when I went in to see him in the afternoon, I was a bit taken aback by what I saw. He was totally sedated, hooked up to a IV, and face was heavily bandaged. It was alot more than what I was expecting. I am very lucky to say that I haven't had to spend much time in the hospital myself, as my friends and family have for the most part always been healthy, and maybe thats why I was a bit taken aback.
We took him home, but for the next 12 hours or so, he was totally disoriented and groggy... his nose was bleeding quite profusely, as we had to change his bandage every hour or so. Basically, he was in an infant state, and was unable to do anything on his own. Of course Mom and I were there to look after him, but it felt a bit weird...
I have always been closer to my Mom in the family... she is kind of the strong silent type, and has really always been the leader... we just let Dad think he is though... ;) But still, it kind of hurt me to realise that my Dad has aged and become somewhat feeble. It isn't the first time that he has come back from the hospital, but it seemed as if this surgery really took alot out of him.
A few weeks ago, I was travelling through Europe... I spent alot of money, and vacation time on myself, exploring... I am wondering if those resources could have been better used elsewhere now... at some point kids reach the age when they begin to take on the responsibilities of their parents... the 'Circle of Life' I suppose... I guess, I didn't even realise it, but maybe my time to start walking on the circle has come as well...
Thankfully, everything went well... however, when I went in to see him in the afternoon, I was a bit taken aback by what I saw. He was totally sedated, hooked up to a IV, and face was heavily bandaged. It was alot more than what I was expecting. I am very lucky to say that I haven't had to spend much time in the hospital myself, as my friends and family have for the most part always been healthy, and maybe thats why I was a bit taken aback.
We took him home, but for the next 12 hours or so, he was totally disoriented and groggy... his nose was bleeding quite profusely, as we had to change his bandage every hour or so. Basically, he was in an infant state, and was unable to do anything on his own. Of course Mom and I were there to look after him, but it felt a bit weird...
I have always been closer to my Mom in the family... she is kind of the strong silent type, and has really always been the leader... we just let Dad think he is though... ;) But still, it kind of hurt me to realise that my Dad has aged and become somewhat feeble. It isn't the first time that he has come back from the hospital, but it seemed as if this surgery really took alot out of him.
A few weeks ago, I was travelling through Europe... I spent alot of money, and vacation time on myself, exploring... I am wondering if those resources could have been better used elsewhere now... at some point kids reach the age when they begin to take on the responsibilities of their parents... the 'Circle of Life' I suppose... I guess, I didn't even realise it, but maybe my time to start walking on the circle has come as well...
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Restaurant Review: Dakshin
Some people do movie reviews… some people do book reviews… being a food lover, I have decided that for this blog, I will provide the occasional restaurant review. First up:
Dakshin Hyderabadi Cuisine:
8077 King George Hwy
Surrey, BC
Dakshin is an Indian restaurant which opened up in Surrey about 6 months ago, but I hadn’t had the chance to drop in and try it out. Finally went with my parents on Sunday nite, and was pleasantly surprised.
The food is basically South Indian cuisine, but with more of an Hyderabadi twist, which means that much of the menu is in fact, non-vegetarian. Consequently, I decided to try the Lamb Thali, consisting of Biryani, Lamb Curry, Zucchini Sabji, Dal, Rasam, Pooris, Papadum, and a Gulab Jamun for dessert. The price was fairly reasonable, $11.95, and the proportions of food were quite filling.
As is standard with Andhra cuisine, the food is quite spicy. Personally, I love the spices, so it wasn’t a problem for me, but those with more sensitive tongues should probably keep that in mind and let the chef know before ordering.
The best part of the meal was by far the Biryani… the touch of Jaffran was absolutely heavenly, and I wish that they had served up a bit more Biryani as part of the Thali. I also found the Rasam to be quite good, as it wasn’t too salty, not too watery, and the squash pieces were a nice touch. I didn’t like the Dal too much, as I think I am a bit more used to having Sambar as part of a South Indian meal.
Overall, we were quite happy with the food, and the service was prompt and polite. It wasn’t quite the usual South Indian restaurant I was used to, (there were no Idlis, Uttapam, or Porota on the menu), and I wouldn’t recommend the place too highly if you are a vegetarian. However, for the rest of us, it’s definately worth checking out.
Service: 5/5
Ambiance/Location: 3/5
Food Quality: 4/5
Dakshin Hyderabadi Cuisine:
8077 King George Hwy
Surrey, BC
Dakshin is an Indian restaurant which opened up in Surrey about 6 months ago, but I hadn’t had the chance to drop in and try it out. Finally went with my parents on Sunday nite, and was pleasantly surprised.
The food is basically South Indian cuisine, but with more of an Hyderabadi twist, which means that much of the menu is in fact, non-vegetarian. Consequently, I decided to try the Lamb Thali, consisting of Biryani, Lamb Curry, Zucchini Sabji, Dal, Rasam, Pooris, Papadum, and a Gulab Jamun for dessert. The price was fairly reasonable, $11.95, and the proportions of food were quite filling.
As is standard with Andhra cuisine, the food is quite spicy. Personally, I love the spices, so it wasn’t a problem for me, but those with more sensitive tongues should probably keep that in mind and let the chef know before ordering.
The best part of the meal was by far the Biryani… the touch of Jaffran was absolutely heavenly, and I wish that they had served up a bit more Biryani as part of the Thali. I also found the Rasam to be quite good, as it wasn’t too salty, not too watery, and the squash pieces were a nice touch. I didn’t like the Dal too much, as I think I am a bit more used to having Sambar as part of a South Indian meal.
Overall, we were quite happy with the food, and the service was prompt and polite. It wasn’t quite the usual South Indian restaurant I was used to, (there were no Idlis, Uttapam, or Porota on the menu), and I wouldn’t recommend the place too highly if you are a vegetarian. However, for the rest of us, it’s definately worth checking out.
Service: 5/5
Ambiance/Location: 3/5
Food Quality: 4/5
Bengali Music...
Bengali is a wonderful language... sure, we may be obsessed with our 'sh' sounds, rolling everything into 'o's, and adding 'chi', 'che' or 'cho' to the end of every sentence, but in general, I think it is quite pleasant on the ears. I speak and understand it fluently and love its nuances and expressions.
Why then did I never get into Bengali music? I always prefered English or Hindi, and don't really enjoy Bong music at all... :( Every time my dad pops a Bengali music cassette into the tape player in our car (yes, we still have a tape player, CDs are too advanced for my dad), I cringe at the 'Adhunik' (modern) sangeet which he seems to love. For me, it sounds absolutely awful and the lyrics are in some cases quite ridiculous... Then we move onto the genre of Bangla rock which seems to be quite popular in Bangladesh. The problem with Bangla rock is that while the acoustics and getup is such that the songs sound like that they should be about death and destruction, the lyrics seem to be about love and peace... so I am not sure whether to laugh, cry, or change the channel.
Bengalis have a knack for music, and the region has really produced some of the greatest composers and musicians in the country. We can go back in time and the list is endless... Rabindranath Tagore, Nazrul Islam, Bankim Chandra, RD Burman, Hemantha Mukherjee, and Kishore Kumar, all the way to todays stars like Shaan, Abhijeet, Babul Supriyo or Shreya Ghoshal.
Classical Bengali Music, like Rabindra Sangeet or Baul Sangeet is phenominal for those who understand it, but it has its time and its place. For some reason, we seem to be lagging about 50 years behind or are badly out of place when it comes to modernizing Bengali music... on occasion, I hear the good Bengali album... I thought Anjan Duttas work in 'The Bong Connection' was quite decent, and 'Majhi Re' is a song which every so often pops into my head...
But I digress... to the Bongs reading this blog, am I a lost cause? Can you rescue my faith in Bengali music by recommending some nice songs, or will I be lost to the likes of Himesh Reshammiya for ever???
Why then did I never get into Bengali music? I always prefered English or Hindi, and don't really enjoy Bong music at all... :( Every time my dad pops a Bengali music cassette into the tape player in our car (yes, we still have a tape player, CDs are too advanced for my dad), I cringe at the 'Adhunik' (modern) sangeet which he seems to love. For me, it sounds absolutely awful and the lyrics are in some cases quite ridiculous... Then we move onto the genre of Bangla rock which seems to be quite popular in Bangladesh. The problem with Bangla rock is that while the acoustics and getup is such that the songs sound like that they should be about death and destruction, the lyrics seem to be about love and peace... so I am not sure whether to laugh, cry, or change the channel.
Bengalis have a knack for music, and the region has really produced some of the greatest composers and musicians in the country. We can go back in time and the list is endless... Rabindranath Tagore, Nazrul Islam, Bankim Chandra, RD Burman, Hemantha Mukherjee, and Kishore Kumar, all the way to todays stars like Shaan, Abhijeet, Babul Supriyo or Shreya Ghoshal.
Classical Bengali Music, like Rabindra Sangeet or Baul Sangeet is phenominal for those who understand it, but it has its time and its place. For some reason, we seem to be lagging about 50 years behind or are badly out of place when it comes to modernizing Bengali music... on occasion, I hear the good Bengali album... I thought Anjan Duttas work in 'The Bong Connection' was quite decent, and 'Majhi Re' is a song which every so often pops into my head...
But I digress... to the Bongs reading this blog, am I a lost cause? Can you rescue my faith in Bengali music by recommending some nice songs, or will I be lost to the likes of Himesh Reshammiya for ever???
Monday, August 17, 2009
Dog Parathas...
Photo courtesy of: MarriedtoaDesi.comMy mother spent 6 years growing up in Chennai... she says it was the happiest time of her life, and has always had a soft spot for Tamils. Although she never managed to pick up the language, she retained her love of the food, and so even when I was growing up, she would every so often experiment in the kitchen with Dosas, Uttapam, Tamarind Rice or Upma.
Coming to campus, I became good friends with many Southies, and picked up a few more pointers on the quirks and quarks of South Indian cuisine. I was introduced to a new dish many months ago called Kothu Parotta. I wish more people knew about this dish because it has become an absolute favorite. Those of you who have tried the Malaysian dish Roti Canai would be familiar. The Parotta itself is a bit thicker, butterier and flakier than a regular Paratha, but the genius of it is that it is served chopped up into small pieces, mixed with Chole and other selected vegetables like Onions and Tomatos, garnished with Cilantro, and then served with Raita. The word 'Kothu' itself apparently means 'minced' in Tamil, and was the source of a good laugh a few months back...
I had gone with a new group of friends, only one of whom was actually South Indian to the local Sarwana Bhavan. While I ordered a Paneer Dosa, one of my friends decided to order 'Chopped Paratha with Mixed Vegetables', not knowing the surprise she was about to recieve. Just before her plate arrived, she got up to go to the washroom, and when she got back, her plate was at the table...
My Friend
Everyone else: Yours.
My Friend: But I ordered paratha?
Me: That is Tamil style paratha.
My Friend: But where is the paratha?
Me
My Friend: Is it UNDER all this? {Starts poking around in the dish}
Me
My Friend {Eyes wide, with a confused look on her face}
Me {Starting to snicker}
{Rest of the table quietly murmurs}: They made this out of chopped dog?
South Indian Friend: {Giving everyone else at the table dirty looks}...
Me: {Ready to fall out of my seat laughing}
I can vouch for it to be an absolutely scrumpcious dish... but perhaps, my South Indian friends, for the sake of better promotion, you would consider remarketing it for the rest of the us with a slightly different name? ;)
Gems from Ghalib
A few years ago, I was introduced to the works of Mirza Ghalib... given my exceptionally poor communication skills in Hindi/Urdu, at first, it was quite a struggle to translate and comprehend most of his cuplets... however, it is a rewarding process. Some of his poems are truly beautiful, and these are some of my favorites:
1)
हजारों ख्वाहिशें ऐसी के हर ख्वाहिश पे दम निक्ले,
बहुत निक्ले मेरे अरमान लेकिन फ़िर भी कम निक्ले...
Not just the name of a movie, as I originally thought. Describes my thoughts exactly sometimes... no matter how much I get, I still desire more... and for some of these desires, and at times, so stubborn am I, it feels like I would be willing to give anything!
2)
शराब पीने दे मस्जिद मैं बैठ कर,
या फिर वह जगह दिखा जहां खुदा ना हो!
Sometimes his work is really abstract, but at other times, it is crude, and yet beautiful. I love the way Ghalib illustrates that even a drunkard knows that god is everywhere in this verse.
3)
ना था कुछ तो खुदा था, कुछ ना होता तो खुदा होता।
डूबोया मुझको होने नॆ, ना होता मैं तो कया होता ?
There are times that I seriously question what the point is of what I am doing... what is the point of my existance... Ghalib has considered the same... god was there, is there, and will continue to be there. Sometimes it seems like we are drowning in our own existance/sorrows, but really, even if we were to not exist, life would continue to go on. What is the point of leading a pained life, when really, in the grand scheme of things, us, and our problems are quite insignificant?
A sobering thought, and I hope nobody becomes suicidal after reading this verse... and hopefully, you consider that it is much better to lead a happier life then a pained one, so that such thoughts do not come to the mind. Maybe ignorance really is bliss...
1)
हजारों ख्वाहिशें ऐसी के हर ख्वाहिश पे दम निक्ले,
बहुत निक्ले मेरे अरमान लेकिन फ़िर भी कम निक्ले...
Not just the name of a movie, as I originally thought. Describes my thoughts exactly sometimes... no matter how much I get, I still desire more... and for some of these desires, and at times, so stubborn am I, it feels like I would be willing to give anything!
2)
शराब पीने दे मस्जिद मैं बैठ कर,
या फिर वह जगह दिखा जहां खुदा ना हो!
Sometimes his work is really abstract, but at other times, it is crude, and yet beautiful. I love the way Ghalib illustrates that even a drunkard knows that god is everywhere in this verse.
3)
ना था कुछ तो खुदा था, कुछ ना होता तो खुदा होता।
डूबोया मुझको होने नॆ, ना होता मैं तो कया होता ?
There are times that I seriously question what the point is of what I am doing... what is the point of my existance... Ghalib has considered the same... god was there, is there, and will continue to be there. Sometimes it seems like we are drowning in our own existance/sorrows, but really, even if we were to not exist, life would continue to go on. What is the point of leading a pained life, when really, in the grand scheme of things, us, and our problems are quite insignificant?
A sobering thought, and I hope nobody becomes suicidal after reading this verse... and hopefully, you consider that it is much better to lead a happier life then a pained one, so that such thoughts do not come to the mind. Maybe ignorance really is bliss...
4)
नींद उसकी है, दिमाग उसका है, राथ उसकी है,
जिसके बाज़ू पर तेरी ज़ुल्फें परेशान हैं ।
Originally, I wasn't terribly impressed, until someone explained a double meaning in this verse. Apparently, 'परेशान' has a double meaning in classical Urdu, which makes these lines even more meaningful... I shall leave it to you to find out what the second meaning was.
5)
मुहब्बत मैं नहीं है फ़र्क जीने और मरने मैं,
उसी को देख के जीते है, जिस काफ़िर पे दम निक्ले...
Somehow, Ghalib shows his genius by taking two contrasting elements (love, and death), and blending them together to make it seem incredibly passionate! I am not much of a romantic, but this for some reason is my favorite of the bunch.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Europe Memoirs, Part 5: The Eiger Trail
Original Publish Date: August 12, 2009
Before leaving for Switzerland, I did a bit of research on the web and found out that one of the most recommended scenic hikes to do in the Bernese Alps is known at the 'Eiger Trail'...
Before leaving for Switzerland, I did a bit of research on the web and found out that one of the most recommended scenic hikes to do in the Bernese Alps is known at the 'Eiger Trail'...
The trail starts at a place called Kleine Scheidigg which is deep in the heart of the alps. From there you hike up approximately 300 meters to the base of the Eiger Mountain, known as Eigergleister. The hike then continues along the foot of the Monch, Eiger, and Schrekhorn mountains and you slowly descend down to the village of Grindelwald. Total hike time, with breaks, was approximately 6 hours. I travelled from Gimmelwald to Kleine Scheidigg via cogwheel train, and upon disembarking, was absolutely blown away... three of the highest peaks in Europe were on one side of me, and green, but rocky landscape beckoned from the other. I spent a few minutes admiring what I will probably never have the chance to experience again, and then decided to commence with the first part of the hike upto Eigergleister.
300 meters... not even a single lap around a standard running track. Now I like to think that I am a person who is in pretty good shape. But let me tell you, when you are breathing the thin mountain air, and carrying a 30 lb pack on your shoulders, you suddenly realise you are not in as good shape as you think you are... it took me a solid hour to make this elevation difference, and by the time I reached Eigergleister, I actually was ready to pass out. The only thing that kept me going was the sight of two elderly Swiss women who had actually passed me as I was hiking up and were now happily chatting away and looking at the summit. Of course neither of THEM were carrying a 30 lb pack and had probably been doing this as soon as they popped out of their mothers wombs, but I shall conviniently digress...
The rest of the hike was strenuous but enjoyable... I simply put on my headphones, stayed in tune with the music (Lucky Ali is really good hiking music for the Swiss Alps by the way...) and took in the sights around me... Every so often I would stop for a water break, snap some pics, and chatted with my fellow hikers. I was also continuously seranaded by the light clangering sounds of cow and goat bells from the animals which had come up to graze on the cliffs. 5 hours later, I found myself descending into the village of Grindelwald...
Have you ever had a meal which fed not only your body, but also your soul? Well, this happened to me in the village of Grindelwald. I spent the night in a farmers barn there... (hey, it was cheap, and how often do you get to sleep in straw?) but was running low on cash. Realising that an ATM was not easily accessible here, I ended up going to the local Aldi supermarket, and bought a loaf of Pumpernickel Bread, a hunk of Cheese, some Swiss Chocolate, and a liter of Milk. Total cost? Only 8 CHF... :) I took my bag of food up to a field beside the barn and proceeded to have myself a little picnic... The meal? Well, I just described it previously... My dining mates? Two goats which were grazing in the field... The setting? An unobstructed view of the Schrekhorn mountain... I happily gorged myself on the contents of my bag of food, and proceeded to watch as the mountain turned from the color of granite, to a hue of pink, and finally, as the sun bid me adieu, it became darker and darker, and faded from sight.
Every so often the mind reaches a place which is difficult to describe. Tagore wrote a famous poem, the opening lines of which are "Where the mind is without fear, and the head is held high"... The Bodeans wrote the song for the 90's TV show 'Party of Five' known as "Closer to Free"... poets, musicians, and scholars have described this place using various words, but whatever that place is, as I lay in a farmers field on the other side of the world, body aching, but stomach full, I think my mind reached it, and I had a peaceful nights rest after a long, long time...
Europe Memoirs, Part 4: Gimmelwald
Original Publish Date: August 12, 2009
Interlaken Ost is considered the gateway station into the Bernese Swiss Alps. Upon disembarking here, you transfer to the Jungfraubahn, the system of cogwheel railcars which take you high into the Alps, wherever you want to go. The first stop beyond Interlaken is known as Lauterbrunnen, which lies at the entrance of the Lauterbrunnen Valley. As the train pulls into Lauterbrunnen, and you get your first glimmpse at what lies ahead of you in the valley, you literally have your breath taken away by the awesome sight of the mountains ahead.
Interlaken Ost is considered the gateway station into the Bernese Swiss Alps. Upon disembarking here, you transfer to the Jungfraubahn, the system of cogwheel railcars which take you high into the Alps, wherever you want to go. The first stop beyond Interlaken is known as Lauterbrunnen, which lies at the entrance of the Lauterbrunnen Valley. As the train pulls into Lauterbrunnen, and you get your first glimmpse at what lies ahead of you in the valley, you literally have your breath taken away by the awesome sight of the mountains ahead.
The valley is known as the 'Valley of 1000 Waterfalls', as every few 100 meteres there is a waterfall cascading down from the valley cliffs on either site of you. I hiked from one end of the valley to the other, the total time being about 4 hours, but it flew by, as I simply absorbed what I saw around me. The grass and trees are lush green, and all the while you are surrounded by the snow covered trips of the mountains. Clouds lazily meander across the background of the deep blue sky... the air is crisp, and every breath you take invigorates your senses.
Ultimately, my destination for the night was a small village known as Gimmelwald. The village of Gimmelwald lies 2000 meters above the valley, in a remote part of the alps, at the other end of the valley. It is accessible only by cable car, and by the time I reached there, I realised I was actually exhausted. But there are no materialistic pleasures to be had here. In Gimmelwald, there is basically nothing. No stores, no restaurants, no banks, nothing. There are 3 small guesthouses, the attic of one of which became my place of shelter for the night. After grabbing a quick nap, I spent the rest of the day exploring the village. Cows and goats graze in the fields, young men with their pants rolled upto their knees toss hay on the hills with pitchforks. Young, blue eyed, blond haired boys and girls kicked a soccer bell around in the only street in the village, as their mothers looked on, and chatted with one another. There are no Playstations, no IPods here... kids still ride their bikes and play on the swings in the playground. There were only 2 jeeps in the entire village... and a total population of 150 people. I came to the conclusion that the people of these village must have been exceptionally hardy to survive and propser in a location such as this, especially in the wintertime.
Seeing a place like this, where there are minimal facilities, and yet, the people are happy and prosperous makes one realise that maybe not all good things in life are fancy and expensive. It is nice to know that there are still places like this, and people like these... I had been questioning humanity alot lately, and it was good to see that it still exists in remove places such as the village of Gimmelwald...
Europe Memoirs, Part 3: A Canadian in Europe
Original Post Date: August 8, 2009
I began my 3 day hiking expedition by leaving Berne early in the morning and heading for Interlaken Ost station by train. At Berne station, I was standing on the platform minding my own business when I was approached by an elderly gentleman. He told me he saw the Maple Leaf on my backpack, and asked me where I was from (I was pleasently surprised to see how well the Maple Leaf is recieved throughout Europe). We got to chatting, not just on the platform, but all the way to Interlaken, as it turned out we were going to the same destination. In fact, he was extremely friendly, we ended up exchanging contacts, and I promised I would come and see him the next time I was in Berne. The gentlemans name was Hans, and he happened to be a retired professor, who used to teach at Berkeley, and had travelled throughout the world, including Vancouver. This was really the first chance I had gotten to talk to a Swiss person freely, and we started discussing the differences between North American and European Culture. I told him how much I loved the relaxed lifestyle, personal fitness levels, and excellent infrastructure. However, I started to think to myself... despite these benefits, would I want to actually settle here? By the end of our conversation, something sort of dawned on me... as a tourist, I was extremely well treated and welcome, and I had an excellent time travelling, but as a foreigner.
Europe has its own history, its own language, and its own set of values, of which each European country is quite protective. To stay in Europe, I felt an immigrant would really have to change themselves and BECOME European. People in general tend to set their own boundaries, and it isn't until they are pushed do they tend to redefine these boundaries. But I wonder, do we sometimes forget who we really are, and justify redefining ourselves, just so that we can fit in? Do we become blissfully ignorant, and is it really even worth it? Given that I have never been pushed too far out of my comfort zone, perhaps I don't have the right to ask these question, but it was a thought that popped into my head quite often during my travels.
In North America, perhaps because of the lack of history, I think the choice is still optional... speaking from experience, if an Indo Canadian wants to retain Indianess and be proud of being Canadian at the same time, it is entirely acceptable. The Canadian identity is that that we don't actually have our own distinct identity because we have come to accept a myriad of identities from throughout the world into the country. I suppose you could say that you are free to define your boundries in whatever way suits you best. Whether or not this is a healthy approach is debatable, but perhaps this is the reason why I think most minorities would still prefer to come to North America first before heading to Europe...
I began my 3 day hiking expedition by leaving Berne early in the morning and heading for Interlaken Ost station by train. At Berne station, I was standing on the platform minding my own business when I was approached by an elderly gentleman. He told me he saw the Maple Leaf on my backpack, and asked me where I was from (I was pleasently surprised to see how well the Maple Leaf is recieved throughout Europe). We got to chatting, not just on the platform, but all the way to Interlaken, as it turned out we were going to the same destination. In fact, he was extremely friendly, we ended up exchanging contacts, and I promised I would come and see him the next time I was in Berne. The gentlemans name was Hans, and he happened to be a retired professor, who used to teach at Berkeley, and had travelled throughout the world, including Vancouver. This was really the first chance I had gotten to talk to a Swiss person freely, and we started discussing the differences between North American and European Culture. I told him how much I loved the relaxed lifestyle, personal fitness levels, and excellent infrastructure. However, I started to think to myself... despite these benefits, would I want to actually settle here? By the end of our conversation, something sort of dawned on me... as a tourist, I was extremely well treated and welcome, and I had an excellent time travelling, but as a foreigner.
Europe has its own history, its own language, and its own set of values, of which each European country is quite protective. To stay in Europe, I felt an immigrant would really have to change themselves and BECOME European. People in general tend to set their own boundaries, and it isn't until they are pushed do they tend to redefine these boundaries. But I wonder, do we sometimes forget who we really are, and justify redefining ourselves, just so that we can fit in? Do we become blissfully ignorant, and is it really even worth it? Given that I have never been pushed too far out of my comfort zone, perhaps I don't have the right to ask these question, but it was a thought that popped into my head quite often during my travels.
In North America, perhaps because of the lack of history, I think the choice is still optional... speaking from experience, if an Indo Canadian wants to retain Indianess and be proud of being Canadian at the same time, it is entirely acceptable. The Canadian identity is that that we don't actually have our own distinct identity because we have come to accept a myriad of identities from throughout the world into the country. I suppose you could say that you are free to define your boundries in whatever way suits you best. Whether or not this is a healthy approach is debatable, but perhaps this is the reason why I think most minorities would still prefer to come to North America first before heading to Europe...
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Europe Memoirs, Part 2: Sleeping Around
Original Publish Date: August 4, 2009
Haus Justinus
Floor was a little hard... also, the pillow was kind of lumpy... ;)But jokes aside, CK, had a blast hanging out with you, and really appreciate you letting me crash at your place... sometimes comfort doesn't matter, and its about the people, and not the place. 5/5 stars.
Hostel International
Village Attic
Mercure Hotel
I decided to shell out a few extra bucks and stay in a nice place for the last part of the trip. I was a complete stranger to the city, and given the state of many of the youth frequenting the Coffeehouses in the Red Light District at night, I think it was well worth spending the extra money to stay at a really comfortable place rather than cheaping out at and meeting some of these youth at 'Bobs Backpackers Hostel'. 5/5 stars.
#7
Heathrow, Terminal 3
Running low on cash, and anxious to get home, my last nite in Europe was spend on an airport bench in London. Was actually quite chilly, and I wish I had my sleeping bag, or at least a blanket. However, the bench was quite comfortable, and the janitors were not the least bothered. 2/5 stars.
Get your heads out of the gutter people... this note is about the myriad of different places I stayed at/slept in during the Europe trip. From a farmers barn to a 4 star hotel, I did it all...
#1
Haus Justinus, Student Hostel, Zurich, Cost CHF 50/nite.
Haus JustinusI was pleasantly surprised by this place... stayed in it during the conference itself. I was expecting a student hostel to be like Thunderbird, or even worse... Totem. But it was very clean, very quiet, and the breakfast buffet was absolutely to die for. I give it 4/5 stars.
CKs Place Floor was a little hard... also, the pillow was kind of lumpy... ;)But jokes aside, CK, had a blast hanging out with you, and really appreciate you letting me crash at your place... sometimes comfort doesn't matter, and its about the people, and not the place. 5/5 stars.
#3
Hostel InternationalBy far the crappiest places I had to stay. Although both places were clean, the rooms were a bit smelly and muggy, and there was always someone snoring loudly. 2/5 stars.
#4
Village House Attic, Gimmelwald, Cost CHF 25/nite.
Village AtticWhile in the tiny village of Gimmelwald, in the Swiss Alps, I found a place which the owner had converted into a bed and breakfast. While the individual rooms were quite expensive, he had converted the attic into a sort of dormitory with 4 cots on the floor. The nice thing was that the night I was there, the dorm was empty. The place was cool and clean, and the view out the window was mindblowing. One too many flys buzzing around though. 3/5 stars.
#5
Weiss Family Barn
The most adventerous place I stayed. Yes, I slept in a farmers barn. DDLJ anyone? Unfortunately no Kajol/Simran to dance around with all nite... The straw was actually too soft, and I think I got bit by a few insects... but hey, who cares... I slept in a barn. 3/5 stars.
#6
Mercure Airport Hotel, Amsterdam, Cost Euro 80/nite.
Mercure Hotel I decided to shell out a few extra bucks and stay in a nice place for the last part of the trip. I was a complete stranger to the city, and given the state of many of the youth frequenting the Coffeehouses in the Red Light District at night, I think it was well worth spending the extra money to stay at a really comfortable place rather than cheaping out at and meeting some of these youth at 'Bobs Backpackers Hostel'. 5/5 stars.
#7
Bench at Heathrow Terminal 3, London, Cost Euro 0/nite.
Heathrow, Terminal 3Running low on cash, and anxious to get home, my last nite in Europe was spend on an airport bench in London. Was actually quite chilly, and I wish I had my sleeping bag, or at least a blanket. However, the bench was quite comfortable, and the janitors were not the least bothered. 2/5 stars.
Europe Memoirs, Part 1: AmsterDAMN!
Original Post Date: August 2, 2009
My European adventure is coming to an end soon, and I have had alot to think about and write about... so here is the first part of my memoirs from this trip... I have a lot more to say, so be prepared and, stay tuned! I thought I would start off with the city which I originally was not too keen on visiting, but I somehow ended up here, and decided to make the most of it. It ended up being quite an interesting experience, and I am glad I made the stop.
Arrived in Amsterdam early in the morning via an overnight train from Zurich. Frankly, my first impressions of the city were pretty negative. The landscape of all of the Netherlands is as flat as a pancake, and the weather was dull and gray. It is very depressing looking, as basically the entire country is farmland/dikes, with the occasional small town which pops up in between. Furthermore, when you first see the city of Amsterdam, all of the buildings seem to be made of brick and mortar, which almost makes the city seem as if you have arrived in a prison in the midwestern USA. The Dutch language itself is a bit funny... it seems to be a combination of German and Nordic Languages, and kind of sounds like the people are grunting and gargling from the back of their throats in short, loopy bursts, with every 3rd sound being a "sh" (The Dutch pronounce 's' as 'sh').
The Dutch are an odd bunch. They REALLY know how to relax. Apparently no one works past 4PM and 8 weeks of vacation a year are quite normal. While the Spanish and the French are flamboyant and passionate about partying, and the Swiss and the Germans are a bit more orderly and classy when they relax, the Dutch are just chilled out, about being chilled out. Nothing seems to phase them, and they judge no one.
People are absolutely obsessed with bicycles. They have a parking garage for bikes and not for cars right beside Amsterdam Central Station. You are far more likely to get hit by a bicyclist than a car here. I guess it makes sense with the land being so flat and all. Some other interesting quirks I noticed... these people have really weird toilets with very little water in them, which basically forces you to inspect your business, after you have conducted your business. Also, they seem very keen on eating healthy. Dutch cuisine is a bit bland, and if you order french fries, expect to pay extra for your ketchup/mayonaise on the side.
Anyway, dropped my bags off at the hotel, took a shower, and headed out early in the afternoon on a tram to explore the city. Before I left the hotel, I had an interesting debate in my mind... what should I wear? I decided to go a bit formal and wear a pink shirt with a sweater... the pink turned out to be quite appropriate. I did not plan this at all, but by chance, that day was the gay pride parade in Amsterdam. I discovered this while walking to the city center and I noticed huge crowds lining the sides of one of the main canals. I asked what was going on, and someone in the crowd told me that the parade floats were about to come down the canal... imagine that... Sudip from Surrey standing bemusedly on the side of a canal as hundreds of drag queens, drag kings, and queers in general gyrated to techno music as they floated down a canal, while tens of thousands of Dutch enthusiastically cheered them on with cans of Heineken in their hands... I actually had to pinch myself when one of the floats stopped right in front of me, the mayor of Amsterdam climbed on board, and conducted the marriage ceremony of two gay Jewish men from the USA. Beside me someone held a huge sign which read, "Dutchify the world... gay rights for all..." Quite the interesting start to the Amsterdam experience.
Marijuana use is quite rampant and accepted. Interestingly, I don't think the Dutch get stoned as much as tourists from abroad do. Weed is sold upto 30 grams at once in small 'Coffeeshops' which are located in almost every block of the city. Most are pretty chilled out, but the ones located in the city center were filled with some pretty freaky looking stoners... People pretty much go in, get high, and then come out as if its part of the normal routine. Although smoking in public is prohibited, I went to a place called Vondelpark, where I noticed many youngsters smoking joints as they chilled out along the side of a lake... and of course, drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes in public are totally acceptable.
The Red Light District is something else all together... in fact it is not that big, only about 4 city blocks. However, what was amazing to me was how much a mainstream part of life it is. It is only about 5 minutes from the Central Train Station, and tour groups, families with kids, and party goers happily stroll along, admiring the sights and 'pleasures' which are being openly offered within...
Amongst all the wildness, there are also some nice museums here... the Rembrandt Museum, Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank House are all here. I really wanted to see the Anne Frank House, but unfortunately, it was closed due to the parade.
I'm not sure about how nice it would be to settle here, and some of the things I saw were sort of a shock. But I think if you are mature enough, you should definately come here once just to experience the incredible aura the place has. I don't know if Amsterdam is representative of all of the Netherlands, and may just be more of an experiment. In fact, Rotterdam and Den Haag were an absolute bore in comparison. While the Dutch may in fact be very conservative in the personal lives, (I'm not sure, as I amen't here long enough to pass any judgements), the way they are willing to live and let live is admirable, and I am impressed by how they refuse to judge absolutely anyone...Coming up soon... Hiking in the Swiss Alps... stay tuned!
My European adventure is coming to an end soon, and I have had alot to think about and write about... so here is the first part of my memoirs from this trip... I have a lot more to say, so be prepared and, stay tuned! I thought I would start off with the city which I originally was not too keen on visiting, but I somehow ended up here, and decided to make the most of it. It ended up being quite an interesting experience, and I am glad I made the stop.
Arrived in Amsterdam early in the morning via an overnight train from Zurich. Frankly, my first impressions of the city were pretty negative. The landscape of all of the Netherlands is as flat as a pancake, and the weather was dull and gray. It is very depressing looking, as basically the entire country is farmland/dikes, with the occasional small town which pops up in between. Furthermore, when you first see the city of Amsterdam, all of the buildings seem to be made of brick and mortar, which almost makes the city seem as if you have arrived in a prison in the midwestern USA. The Dutch language itself is a bit funny... it seems to be a combination of German and Nordic Languages, and kind of sounds like the people are grunting and gargling from the back of their throats in short, loopy bursts, with every 3rd sound being a "sh" (The Dutch pronounce 's' as 'sh').
The Dutch are an odd bunch. They REALLY know how to relax. Apparently no one works past 4PM and 8 weeks of vacation a year are quite normal. While the Spanish and the French are flamboyant and passionate about partying, and the Swiss and the Germans are a bit more orderly and classy when they relax, the Dutch are just chilled out, about being chilled out. Nothing seems to phase them, and they judge no one.
People are absolutely obsessed with bicycles. They have a parking garage for bikes and not for cars right beside Amsterdam Central Station. You are far more likely to get hit by a bicyclist than a car here. I guess it makes sense with the land being so flat and all. Some other interesting quirks I noticed... these people have really weird toilets with very little water in them, which basically forces you to inspect your business, after you have conducted your business. Also, they seem very keen on eating healthy. Dutch cuisine is a bit bland, and if you order french fries, expect to pay extra for your ketchup/mayonaise on the side.
Anyway, dropped my bags off at the hotel, took a shower, and headed out early in the afternoon on a tram to explore the city. Before I left the hotel, I had an interesting debate in my mind... what should I wear? I decided to go a bit formal and wear a pink shirt with a sweater... the pink turned out to be quite appropriate. I did not plan this at all, but by chance, that day was the gay pride parade in Amsterdam. I discovered this while walking to the city center and I noticed huge crowds lining the sides of one of the main canals. I asked what was going on, and someone in the crowd told me that the parade floats were about to come down the canal... imagine that... Sudip from Surrey standing bemusedly on the side of a canal as hundreds of drag queens, drag kings, and queers in general gyrated to techno music as they floated down a canal, while tens of thousands of Dutch enthusiastically cheered them on with cans of Heineken in their hands... I actually had to pinch myself when one of the floats stopped right in front of me, the mayor of Amsterdam climbed on board, and conducted the marriage ceremony of two gay Jewish men from the USA. Beside me someone held a huge sign which read, "Dutchify the world... gay rights for all..." Quite the interesting start to the Amsterdam experience.
Marijuana use is quite rampant and accepted. Interestingly, I don't think the Dutch get stoned as much as tourists from abroad do. Weed is sold upto 30 grams at once in small 'Coffeeshops' which are located in almost every block of the city. Most are pretty chilled out, but the ones located in the city center were filled with some pretty freaky looking stoners... People pretty much go in, get high, and then come out as if its part of the normal routine. Although smoking in public is prohibited, I went to a place called Vondelpark, where I noticed many youngsters smoking joints as they chilled out along the side of a lake... and of course, drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes in public are totally acceptable.
The Red Light District is something else all together... in fact it is not that big, only about 4 city blocks. However, what was amazing to me was how much a mainstream part of life it is. It is only about 5 minutes from the Central Train Station, and tour groups, families with kids, and party goers happily stroll along, admiring the sights and 'pleasures' which are being openly offered within...
Amongst all the wildness, there are also some nice museums here... the Rembrandt Museum, Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank House are all here. I really wanted to see the Anne Frank House, but unfortunately, it was closed due to the parade.
I'm not sure about how nice it would be to settle here, and some of the things I saw were sort of a shock. But I think if you are mature enough, you should definately come here once just to experience the incredible aura the place has. I don't know if Amsterdam is representative of all of the Netherlands, and may just be more of an experiment. In fact, Rotterdam and Den Haag were an absolute bore in comparison. While the Dutch may in fact be very conservative in the personal lives, (I'm not sure, as I amen't here long enough to pass any judgements), the way they are willing to live and let live is admirable, and I am impressed by how they refuse to judge absolutely anyone...Coming up soon... Hiking in the Swiss Alps... stay tuned!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
AR Rahmans Top 5
Original Publish Date: July 14, 2009
As I sit around trying to understand Matlab code, my mind wanders, and I decide to do the thing that all grad students do when they want to procrastinate... Youtube.
I came across the following links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCEMB5Eqbc4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPtpVEBz9DI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HBwXz7p1CU
Wow, this man (AR Rahman) really is a genius. I agreed with some of the list, but not all... but I can't blame any list maker, all of his songs are so good, it is tough to choose!Anyway, just for fun, here is my top 5. Am wondering what everyone elses top 5 lists are, and whether you all had as tough a time as me picking it!
5) Dil Se Re - Dil Se
4) Tere Bina - Guru
3) Yeh Haseen Vadiyan - Roja
2) E Ajnabi - Dil Se
1) Saathiya (Title) - Saathiya
As I sit around trying to understand Matlab code, my mind wanders, and I decide to do the thing that all grad students do when they want to procrastinate... Youtube.
I came across the following links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCEMB5Eqbc4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPtpVEBz9DI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HBwXz7p1CU
Wow, this man (AR Rahman) really is a genius. I agreed with some of the list, but not all... but I can't blame any list maker, all of his songs are so good, it is tough to choose!Anyway, just for fun, here is my top 5. Am wondering what everyone elses top 5 lists are, and whether you all had as tough a time as me picking it!
5) Dil Se Re - Dil Se
4) Tere Bina - Guru
3) Yeh Haseen Vadiyan - Roja
2) E Ajnabi - Dil Se
1) Saathiya (Title) - Saathiya
Curry Bashing, Kangaroo Bashing, and Canada Bashing
Original Publish Date: June 17, 2009
I am sure most of you have by now heard of the ‘Curry Bashing’ incidents which recently went on in Australia. Interestingly, I have actually found it somewhat difficult to form an opinion on this subject. Let me tell you why…
Supposedly there were 20 incidents of assaults against Indian students studying in India due to their ethnicity during the month of May…
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/20-incidents-of-attacks-on-Indians-in-a-month-in-Sydney/468521
Absolutely disgusting… it must be horrible for an Indian student to be living in Australia right now… I can only imagine what it might be like for one to have to go out at night with the thought of an assault hovering over their heads. Pretty straight forward, right?Well…
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/jugglebandhi/entry/we-re-even-more-racist
Hmmmn… to be honest, the writer of this article makes a lot of sense… anyone who has been to India knows of the obsession over fair skin… the castism and regionalism which is still prevalent in many parts of the country, the use of derogatory terms for those who don’t look Indian. For shame… for shame… who are Indians to criticize others??? But wait… there is more:
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Free-Kick/entry/racists-indians-no-way
This is very true… why should Indians show restraint!? For years, people of the subcontinent have been treated shabbily by their European counterparts… its time they started standing up for themselves! Foreigners criticize India, why should Indians back down when they are being targeted outside of the country? The racism which may or may not exist within India is a moot point… well said! Okay, so now the question is, who are the real racists…? Oh wait, I know, it’s the CANADIANS!!!
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Indians-Abroad/After-Australia-racial-assault-on-Indians-in-Canada/articleshow/4638419.cms
Wow… considering the recent goings on, anyone reading this article in India would probably come to the conclusion that I live in a racist country where I am in danger of being beaten to a pulp any second because of the color of my skin… of course as far as I can remember, no redneck has had the guts to try and slur me in the past 15 years, and when it happened, a couple of my friends and I sent him scampering out into into the school playground in fear of his life... It sounds even stranger considering that I was born in a city where the majority religion is Sikhism, in a region which has countless Temples, Gurdawaras, and Mosques, in a province which has had a South Asian as premier, in a country which has literally dozens of South Asian MPs and MLAs and where pretty much every South Asian festival is joyfully celebrated in some form or another. Damn… now I am totally confused.
Being bombarded with so many different opinions, arguments, and view points, I stop and ponder for a second… maybe, just maybe, it isn’t really that complicated… when it comes down to it, perhaps it is as simple as this:
Racism of ANY form in ANY country or region of the world against ANY ethnicity is simply wrong and should be condoned. Be it beating up Indian students in Australia, monkey chants against Australian cricketers, or assaulting tennis players in Canada, all of the acts are immoral, and there is no excuse for any of them. There is no point in sensationalizing any of the incidents, there is no need for finger pointing or rationalization, there is simply the need for people to realize that we are all human beings, and to discriminate against one another on the basis of our ethnicity is criminal.
Forgive me if I am being a bit too simplistic and idealistic, but is it possible that this is really all it boils down to?
I am sure most of you have by now heard of the ‘Curry Bashing’ incidents which recently went on in Australia. Interestingly, I have actually found it somewhat difficult to form an opinion on this subject. Let me tell you why…
Supposedly there were 20 incidents of assaults against Indian students studying in India due to their ethnicity during the month of May…
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/20-incidents-of-attacks-on-Indians-in-a-month-in-Sydney/468521
Absolutely disgusting… it must be horrible for an Indian student to be living in Australia right now… I can only imagine what it might be like for one to have to go out at night with the thought of an assault hovering over their heads. Pretty straight forward, right?Well…
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/jugglebandhi/entry/we-re-even-more-racist
Hmmmn… to be honest, the writer of this article makes a lot of sense… anyone who has been to India knows of the obsession over fair skin… the castism and regionalism which is still prevalent in many parts of the country, the use of derogatory terms for those who don’t look Indian. For shame… for shame… who are Indians to criticize others??? But wait… there is more:
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Free-Kick/entry/racists-indians-no-way
This is very true… why should Indians show restraint!? For years, people of the subcontinent have been treated shabbily by their European counterparts… its time they started standing up for themselves! Foreigners criticize India, why should Indians back down when they are being targeted outside of the country? The racism which may or may not exist within India is a moot point… well said! Okay, so now the question is, who are the real racists…? Oh wait, I know, it’s the CANADIANS!!!
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Indians-Abroad/After-Australia-racial-assault-on-Indians-in-Canada/articleshow/4638419.cms
Wow… considering the recent goings on, anyone reading this article in India would probably come to the conclusion that I live in a racist country where I am in danger of being beaten to a pulp any second because of the color of my skin… of course as far as I can remember, no redneck has had the guts to try and slur me in the past 15 years, and when it happened, a couple of my friends and I sent him scampering out into into the school playground in fear of his life... It sounds even stranger considering that I was born in a city where the majority religion is Sikhism, in a region which has countless Temples, Gurdawaras, and Mosques, in a province which has had a South Asian as premier, in a country which has literally dozens of South Asian MPs and MLAs and where pretty much every South Asian festival is joyfully celebrated in some form or another. Damn… now I am totally confused.
Being bombarded with so many different opinions, arguments, and view points, I stop and ponder for a second… maybe, just maybe, it isn’t really that complicated… when it comes down to it, perhaps it is as simple as this:
Racism of ANY form in ANY country or region of the world against ANY ethnicity is simply wrong and should be condoned. Be it beating up Indian students in Australia, monkey chants against Australian cricketers, or assaulting tennis players in Canada, all of the acts are immoral, and there is no excuse for any of them. There is no point in sensationalizing any of the incidents, there is no need for finger pointing or rationalization, there is simply the need for people to realize that we are all human beings, and to discriminate against one another on the basis of our ethnicity is criminal.
Forgive me if I am being a bit too simplistic and idealistic, but is it possible that this is really all it boils down to?
Turning Failure into Success
Original Publish Date: June 1, 2009
I was reading a friends blog a while ago about life’s funny twists and turns… and one of her stories led me to think back a bit about how I got myself into the predicament I am in today.
I graduated from UBC with my B.A.Sc in Civil Engineering in 2004, and worked for over a year in a small structural engineering consulting company in Surrey. However, after some time, I found myself wanting to come back to school due to the crappy pay, poor working conditions, and lack of job satisfaction… I figured getting my masters degree would be a good way to increase my credentials so that I could get a job at a better company after I completed. I spoke with one of my old professors, and he suggested that in order to guarantee entry into the program (as for some reason, it was quite competitive at the time), I apply for a non-thesis based M.Eng, rather than for a thesis based M.A.Sc, do well in my course work, and then if I wanted to, transfer into the M.A.Sc later on. Essentially, the plan was that within 18-24 months, I would be done with my studies and back in the work force leading a regular, mundane life… but it seems life has a funny way of playing tricks on you…
Now it had been well over a year since I had been out of school, and the first semester I was back, I found myself really struggling with academics… I just wasn’t used to the routine of sitting/sleeping through morning lectures, working through insanely long assignments, and then cramming for tests. Also, I was a bit depressed because it seemed as if all my friends from undergrad were moving onto bigger and better things in their lives, and here I was stuck in reverse, back in school. To top it off, the program advisor suggested that I take 3 courses in my first semester… and those three courses happened to be the most difficult courses in the program, and in my opinion, quite possibly, contained some of the most difficult subject material you can take in engineering in general.
I somehow managed to slog my way through two of the courses, but the third became the absolute bane of my existence. No matter how much I studied, I just could not understand the subject, and it showed in my poor midterm mark, as well as in my assignment submissions. I studied like mad for the final exam, and prayed like anything that I could just pass the course so that I would never have to think about it again… unfortunately this was not to be. Although I passed the course, my grade was not high enough for me to get credit for the course towards my program… essentially, I would have to retake the course in a year (thereby delaying my graduation), or take another course over the summer in order to make up for it.
Now I had usually been a pretty decent student. In fact in high school, I was one of the better students in the school, and even during undergrad, in the instances when I actually did do some work, I usually managed to get pretty decent marks. So being told I had to retake a course was absolutely mortifying for me. At the time, I think I considered it my biggest failure ever… however, left with no choice, I started looking for a professor who would give me a research project over the summer so that I could make up for the missed credits. And this is where my life took a turn in a totally different direction.
That summer, I met with my current Ph.D supervisor. I had always considered research as kind of a waste of time, but since I didn’t have a choice, I asked him if he could take me on as his directed studies student. I had done pretty decently in one of his courses, and so thankfully he agreed. At first things started kind of slow, but for some odd reason, I found myself beginning to develop an interest in the subject area, and in doing research in general. I did well in the project, and he agreed to accept me as his M.A.Sc student. Over time, I guess I continued to do well, and he offered to take me on as a Ph.D student.
Now, never in a million years, had I, or anyone around me imagined I could possibly have the title, “Dr.” associated with my name. And even I was EXTREMELY hesitant at the idea of sentencing myself to another 3-4 years of school… however, the idea was intriguing, and since I did seem to share a good relationship with my supervisor, after many months of sweating over it, I decided to accept the offer, and I guess the rest is history…
I am without question the worlds most unlikely Ph.D candidate, and when I tell people that if I can do a doctorate, then ANYONE can do a doctorate, I really mean it… think about it… a distinctly mediocre undergrad who failed in his first semester as a masters student, and was never too keen on research anyway, is now somehow on the road to a Ph.D…
If I hadn’t failed that course years ago, I would never have started looking for a research project, and I would never would have gotten where I am now. Of course, for that matter, I am still not sure if I have even taken the right decision, but I suppose time will tell.
Your attitude can be your biggest friend... or your biggest foe. In my limited experience, I have found that while a positive attitude does not necessarily guarantee success, a negative attitude will pretty much guarantee failure. I suppose the moral of this post is that one should always try to stay positive, never give up hope, and try to turn your failures into successes… life is a trip, and things seem to have a strange way of working out…
I was reading a friends blog a while ago about life’s funny twists and turns… and one of her stories led me to think back a bit about how I got myself into the predicament I am in today.
I graduated from UBC with my B.A.Sc in Civil Engineering in 2004, and worked for over a year in a small structural engineering consulting company in Surrey. However, after some time, I found myself wanting to come back to school due to the crappy pay, poor working conditions, and lack of job satisfaction… I figured getting my masters degree would be a good way to increase my credentials so that I could get a job at a better company after I completed. I spoke with one of my old professors, and he suggested that in order to guarantee entry into the program (as for some reason, it was quite competitive at the time), I apply for a non-thesis based M.Eng, rather than for a thesis based M.A.Sc, do well in my course work, and then if I wanted to, transfer into the M.A.Sc later on. Essentially, the plan was that within 18-24 months, I would be done with my studies and back in the work force leading a regular, mundane life… but it seems life has a funny way of playing tricks on you…
Now it had been well over a year since I had been out of school, and the first semester I was back, I found myself really struggling with academics… I just wasn’t used to the routine of sitting/sleeping through morning lectures, working through insanely long assignments, and then cramming for tests. Also, I was a bit depressed because it seemed as if all my friends from undergrad were moving onto bigger and better things in their lives, and here I was stuck in reverse, back in school. To top it off, the program advisor suggested that I take 3 courses in my first semester… and those three courses happened to be the most difficult courses in the program, and in my opinion, quite possibly, contained some of the most difficult subject material you can take in engineering in general.
I somehow managed to slog my way through two of the courses, but the third became the absolute bane of my existence. No matter how much I studied, I just could not understand the subject, and it showed in my poor midterm mark, as well as in my assignment submissions. I studied like mad for the final exam, and prayed like anything that I could just pass the course so that I would never have to think about it again… unfortunately this was not to be. Although I passed the course, my grade was not high enough for me to get credit for the course towards my program… essentially, I would have to retake the course in a year (thereby delaying my graduation), or take another course over the summer in order to make up for it.
Now I had usually been a pretty decent student. In fact in high school, I was one of the better students in the school, and even during undergrad, in the instances when I actually did do some work, I usually managed to get pretty decent marks. So being told I had to retake a course was absolutely mortifying for me. At the time, I think I considered it my biggest failure ever… however, left with no choice, I started looking for a professor who would give me a research project over the summer so that I could make up for the missed credits. And this is where my life took a turn in a totally different direction.
That summer, I met with my current Ph.D supervisor. I had always considered research as kind of a waste of time, but since I didn’t have a choice, I asked him if he could take me on as his directed studies student. I had done pretty decently in one of his courses, and so thankfully he agreed. At first things started kind of slow, but for some odd reason, I found myself beginning to develop an interest in the subject area, and in doing research in general. I did well in the project, and he agreed to accept me as his M.A.Sc student. Over time, I guess I continued to do well, and he offered to take me on as a Ph.D student.
Now, never in a million years, had I, or anyone around me imagined I could possibly have the title, “Dr.” associated with my name. And even I was EXTREMELY hesitant at the idea of sentencing myself to another 3-4 years of school… however, the idea was intriguing, and since I did seem to share a good relationship with my supervisor, after many months of sweating over it, I decided to accept the offer, and I guess the rest is history…
I am without question the worlds most unlikely Ph.D candidate, and when I tell people that if I can do a doctorate, then ANYONE can do a doctorate, I really mean it… think about it… a distinctly mediocre undergrad who failed in his first semester as a masters student, and was never too keen on research anyway, is now somehow on the road to a Ph.D…
If I hadn’t failed that course years ago, I would never have started looking for a research project, and I would never would have gotten where I am now. Of course, for that matter, I am still not sure if I have even taken the right decision, but I suppose time will tell.
Your attitude can be your biggest friend... or your biggest foe. In my limited experience, I have found that while a positive attitude does not necessarily guarantee success, a negative attitude will pretty much guarantee failure. I suppose the moral of this post is that one should always try to stay positive, never give up hope, and try to turn your failures into successes… life is a trip, and things seem to have a strange way of working out…
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