On Top of a Mountain

Went for a camping trip this past weekend to the provincial capital of Victoria. As I have seen most of the sights about 9 times there, wasn't really much to be excited about. However, quite often, the group makes the trip, and got to go with a great group of people, to have a memorable time.

Undoubtedly for me, the highlight had to be the hike to the top of Mt. Finlayson, in Goldstream Provincial Park, just about 30 min outside of the city. I hadn't gone hiking since my Europe trip last year, and was a sobering reminder of just how out of shape I have become. On the other hand, next time I go hiking, I should probably remember to wear good shoes, not wear jeans, and keep some water IN my water bottle before starting up the hill.

More than anything in the world, I appreciate silence. There is something special about 5 guys sitting totally silent (although one of them was not quite silent) at the top of a hill just admiring the view after a sweaty journey. Since the feeling is kind of indescrible, I shall let the picture do the talking...

Special congrats to one member of our group who went hiking for the first time, and almost made it to the top! :) Well done!!!

Restaurant Review: Sala Thai

Sala Thai on Cambie
3364 Cambie St.
Vancouver, BC

Another Thai restaurant, another awesome experience. Went out for a group lunch with my office colleagues last week, to another Thai place. As usual, food was absolutely superb. As there were Vegetarians, and Non-Vegetarians amongst us, we tried a variety of dishes, both Veg and Non Veg, including some new surprises. I would like to recommend 2 of them:

1) Gai Hor Bai Toey: Tender pices of chicken marinated in a honey sauce, and wrapped in pandamus leaves. A unique twist on the common chicken skewers, with larger pieces of chicken marinated just enough to make them sweet and spicy, and wrapped in pandamus leaves. Delicicous to look at, even more delicious to eat!

2) Thai Iced Tea: Yes, even their Iced Tea is awesome. It is served with the milk and black tea separated into two layers. Mixed together, forms the sweetest of nectars. A must order.

Obviously, go here.

Service: 4/5

Location/Ambiance: 3/5

Food: 4/5

Commercials

Question... why are North American TV commercials so crappy?

This has come to my attention each and every time I travel outside of the continent, come home, and am forced to subject myself to the unimaginative, unentertaining drudge that pops up every few minutes on my TV screen.

North American TV shows are followed around the world, and are so popular. Why then, can't the commercials be of the same quality? For some reason, people are afraid to push the edges in some cases, or in other cases, prefer to convey the message in a direct, uninteresting way. Commercials in India or Europe, are to me, far wittier, cute, and comedic, and actually stay in my mind after the ad is over. Someties the ads are better than the programs.

I don't think a North American commercial has EVER enticed me to buy the product after watching the ad. Even the Super Bowl ads are usually nothing to go gaga over. For a continent so rooted in commercialism, our commercials are definately a drag...

Restaurant Review: Lacasita

Lacasita
101 W. Cordova St
Vancouver, BC


Why is it that I can never write a good review about a Mexican Restaurant in Vancouver? Hmmm... I wonder...


Lacasita is a Mexican restaurant located at the edge of Gastown in downtown Vancouver. I suppose the idea was to make the restaurant look as authentic as possible, and as such, it is decorated very nicely with a Spanish Movie playing on a flat screen TV, Sombreros on the wall, and a very cozy feel. However, it is equally important that the food be of the same high quality, and unfortunately, that is where Lacasita has fallen short.

I ordered a combo meal which featured 1 Quesidilla, 1 Flauta, Beans, and Salad. Neither was the taste impressive, as I found it to be quite bland, nor were the portions, which were far too small. I decided to order an ice cream to fill my stomach, as it was quite deliciously described in the menu, but turned out to be nothing more than a scoop of ice cream which you could purchase at any neighborhood Safeway with a bit of whipping cream and cinnamon on top. It actually didn't taste that bad, but I was just expecting a lot more.

I would suggest if you are in the area, avoid Lacasita, as there are better restaurants around in Gastown to enjoy.

Service: 2/5
Location/Ambiance: 4/5
Food: 2/5

'Dreaming with a Broken Heart'

I listened to this for the first time a few days ago... normally don't like John Mayer, but I read the lyrics and thought they were worth a post...

'When you're dreaming with a broken heart, the waking up is the hardest part...
You roll out of bed and on your knees, and for a moment there you can hardly breath...
Wondering was she really here?
Is she standing in my room?
No shes not... cause shes gone, gone, gone, gone, gone...'

'When you're dreaming with a broken heart, the giving up is the hardest part...
She takes you in with her big, brown eyes, then all at once, you have to say goodbye...
Wondering could you stay my love?
Would you wake up by my side?
No you won't... cause you're gone, gone, gone, gone, gone...'

A year in the life of an Exec...

My term as Vice President of Utsav: The Indian Students Association at UBC came to an end a few weeks ago. It is quite ironic that I feel a bit nostalgic about it being over considering just how hesitant I was to become an executive this year in the first place. I almost had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the position!

By no means were we the perfect exec, but I do think that we did manage to set a new standard in terms of professionalism, organization and execution for the club. Not all of our events were a success, but the ones that were, will certainly be remembered for years to come. Of course, it helped that we were able to piggyback off of some of the good ideas of previous execs, but in general, we were quite satisfied with out performance. It is actually a good life lesson as you learn alot about team work and time management when you are put in such positions, and guess what, we even managed to have a bit of fun as well! :)

To the next team, I wish you the best of luck, and hope you are even more successful than we were. To our team, I won't name everyone individually, but it was truly an honor and a joy to work with you all, and I am happy that I was able to make 8 great new friends this year! Cheers!

(Anti) Social Networking

I read a very interesting billboard sticker the other day which got me thinking. It read, "Why do we have more Facebook Friends than Real Life Friends"?

To be honest, I don't even remember what the sticker was advertising, but the question was quite relevant. I have nearly 300 friends on Facebook, and to be really honest, I think I would be lying if I said I was actually in regular contact with any more than 50 of them at any given moment in time.

Social Networking is an interesting phenomenon. Undoubtedly, it has its advantages. It has allowed me to get in touch with and rediscover what long lost friends are upto. It is a nice time pass. And I guess moreover, it satisfies the secret desire we all have to find out what is going on in each others personal lives.

The question that we must ask ourselves is when is it too much? Is social networking actually making us ANTIsocial? Where I once used to phone or meet my friends to pass on my birthday wishes, it has now become far more convenient to leave a message on their wall. Real life discussions these days seem to always make some mention of what someone posted on some social networking site. It seems our virtual lives are taking precidence over our actual lives. Given the astonishing rate at which the internet and social networking sites are becoming integral parts of our lives, it will be interesting to see just how social or anti social we become.

Restaurant Review: The Afghan Horsemen

The Afghan Horsemen
202-1833 Anderson Street
Vancouver, BC, V6H 4E5


Located at the entrance to Granville Island, The Afghan Horsemen is one of Vancouvers better known Afghan restaurants. Shame on me that it happened to be my first visit here! It is a favorite restaurant of a friend of mine, and we happened to head there for her birthday.


Well, one of the nicest things about the restaurant is its ambiance. They have tried to maintain an authentic 'Afghani' feel. If you come in a group big enough, you can get your own room where you sit on the floor and eat off of lowered tables. There are fine persian carpets and decorative hookahs everywhere, giving you that 'Lawrence of Arabia' feel. I am told that apparently you can hire a Belly Dancer to perform as well, but unfortunately, she was not on the menu that day... :(


Well, as for the food, I tried the 'Karahi', which is an authentic Afghan dish consisting of Lamb Shish Kebab with sauteed onions, green peppers, tomatoes, onions and fried eggs, served sizzling hot. The food has a somewhat Indian feel to it, is somewhat spicy, and I liked it very much. I don't know about how healthy it is, but there is no doubt that Afghans and Pakistanis have mastered the art of Non-Veg cuisine.


I must say the price is a bit lofty. My dish cost $20, and after, taxes, tip, and drinks, an individual bill can easily come out to $30. So be ready to leave with a lighter wallet when you enter. A quick note about the service. Although in general, the service was friendly and prompt, we had a bit of confusion surrounding paying the bill, which took about 15 min to resolve. The problem may have been because we came in a large group, but still, isn't really excusable.

Service: 2/5
Ambiance/Location: 4/5
Food: 3/5

Pride and Prejudice

It's been a while since I posted anything. In truth, the past few weeks have been not too eventful... nothing earthshattering has really been happening in Vancouver/on campus, and I haven't had any great revelations to share with the world.

I have been having some random thoughts lately about peoples preconceptions, and essentially our prejudices. I have written blog articles in the past condemning people for being racist/biased against others for no reason. But I wonder, is it okay to have a prejudice if that prejudice is not hurting anyone? I have my own prejudices against people, thoughts, and ideas... but as much as possible I am tolerant of others, even if I don't accept/agree with them. Usually, I just dismiss anything I don't agree with, without actually considering the other side of the argument. I don't think that makes me a bigot, but I wonder what it is about this mind block that keeps me rooted in my mental comfort zone. Sometimes, I wonder if it has stunted my growth as an individual... hmmmn...

Sorry for the boring post people... next time, I shall try to write something more juicy.

Restaurant Review: Andales Mexican Restaurant

Andales Mexican Restaurant
3211 W. Broadway
Vancouver, BC

Andales is a small Mexican restaurant located in Van West. We went there for an office lunch last week. While generally I am positive with my restaurant reviews, I have to say that there is not much to be positive about here.

We went in at 1:00PM, the restaurant was fairly empty save for one large group who was paying their bill. Unfortunately, there was only one waitress serving at the time, which meant that we had to seat ourselves, get our own menus, and were not even offered water to start off with. Given that the service was this bad when the restaurant was empty, I shudder to think what it may be like at peak times.

As for the food itself, nothing special. For more authentic mexican taste, I would recommend other restaurants in Vancouver. I tried the Soft Chicken taco, which came with Black Beans and Green Salad as sides. The taste was really rather bland, and far too mild for Mexican food. While the prices were reasonable (around $10 per plate), I felt the portions were too small.

I do not recommend this restaurant... there are better Mexican restaurants in Vancouver which you should explore first, and there are better restaurants around in that part of Vancouver.

Service: 1/5

Ambiance/Location: 3/5

Food: 2/5