Saravanaa Bhavan
955 W. Broadway
Vancouver, BC
Was feeling hungry on my way back to campus last Tuesday evening, in the mood for vegetarian, so I decided to convince a friend to join me for dinner at Saravanaa Bhavan restaurant. Have been here plenty of times, but this is my first blog review.
Saravanaa Bhavan is a well known chain spread throughout the world, with locations in Canada, the USA, Australia, Europe, Singapore, and India which serves authentic purely vegetarian South Indian food. Originally based out of Chennai, I had the good fortune of being able to eat at the original restaurants there, and must say the food was mouth numbingly good. I guess the local touch makes a difference.
The restaurant here is not quite as good as the one in Chennai, but is still most definately worth a visit. I am in fact more impressed by their non-dosa dishes. I think there are better places to get a dosa in Vancouver. However, the items like Uttapam, Idli, and Vadai are excellent. The Vancouver location has expanded its menu to include North Indian vegetarian dishes as well. The service that day was a bit poor, as we had come near closing time, and the waitress seemed to be in an off mood.
After much debate, my friend and I both decided to order the South Indian Thali, which gives you about as much food as you can possibly eat for $10. Rice, Pooris, Papadum, Sambar, Rasam, 2 Sabjis, Choley, Curd, Raita, and a Sweet Dish are served to you in steel vessels. For the first time in my life, I asked for a second helping of RASAM :S. I was pretty close this time, as only one of the Sabjis managed to survive the wrath of my rampaging stomach. I topped this off with a cup of filter coffee. If you think Starbucks, Blenz or Seattles Best is good coffee, you really need to try authentic South Indian Filter coffee, as it is simply amazing. I could write a separate blog on that alone.
Veg lovers rejoice, Saravanaa Bhavan was made for you.
Service: 3/5
Location/Ambiance: 3/5
Food: 4/5
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Restaurant Review: Green Lettuce Restaurant
Green Lettuce Restaurant
112-6350 120 St
Surrey, BC
Time for a review that I probably should have done months ago. This is a review for Green Lettuce Restaurant, a restaurant I have been to dozens of times, and is one of the most well known restaurants, especially amongst the South Asian Community in the Lower Mainland. Why is it so well known? Well, this is one of the few places outside of India where you can get chinese food which is authentically prepared in Indian style. Surprised? Don't be. Eastern India has a sizable Chinese population, in fact, Kolkata has a large Chinatown located in a part of the city called Tangra. Of late, these Chinese have begun to migrate throughout the world, and many of them have come to Vancouver and have opened up their own restaurants serving Chinese food which has been modified and enhanced from their own experiences to make the Indian crowd happy. So when you enter the restaurant, don't be surprised if you are greeted in Hindi or Bengali, rather than in Mandarin or Cantonese! Although there are no less than 6 different Indo Chinese restaurants now open in the Lower Mainland, Green Lettuce is probably the most well known as it is the oldest (open for 11 years now) and has served many famous Indian celebrities when they come here from India. In fact, there are a pictures on the wall of Bollywood royalty like Aishwarya Rai, Hrithik Roshan and Lucky Ali chowing down at the restaurant on their plates of Gobi Manchurian and Hakka Noodles!
As I have been to this place many times, I think I have tried most items on the menu. However, this time, I went with my office colleagues in a group of 10, many of whom had not tried this food before. Consiequently we ordered quite a few dishes. Cream Corn and Chicken Soup, Vege Pakoras and Chicken skewers were the appetizers, Hakka Vege Chow Mein, Hakka Chicken Chow Mein, Gobi Manchurian, Bombay Style Chop Suey, Chili Paneer, Ginger Fish, Dai Ching Chicken, and Pineapple Chicken were part of the main course. Afterwards we were too stuffed for dessert, although experience dictates that one should try the Almond Kulfi if you have room.
I definately recommend you try the dishes which are spicier and have more of an Indian twist to them. No other chinese restaurant serves paneer as part of their meals, and the Gobi Manchurian is unique and I have never had cauliflower prepared in a better manner. The Dai Ching chicken is also particularly good, although some might find it a bit too spicy.
Good, friendly, service and reasonable prices combined with the fantastic food make this place a must visit for all visitors and residents of Vancouver.
Service: 4/5
Location/Ambiance: 3/5
Food: 4/5
112-6350 120 St
Surrey, BC
Time for a review that I probably should have done months ago. This is a review for Green Lettuce Restaurant, a restaurant I have been to dozens of times, and is one of the most well known restaurants, especially amongst the South Asian Community in the Lower Mainland. Why is it so well known? Well, this is one of the few places outside of India where you can get chinese food which is authentically prepared in Indian style. Surprised? Don't be. Eastern India has a sizable Chinese population, in fact, Kolkata has a large Chinatown located in a part of the city called Tangra. Of late, these Chinese have begun to migrate throughout the world, and many of them have come to Vancouver and have opened up their own restaurants serving Chinese food which has been modified and enhanced from their own experiences to make the Indian crowd happy. So when you enter the restaurant, don't be surprised if you are greeted in Hindi or Bengali, rather than in Mandarin or Cantonese! Although there are no less than 6 different Indo Chinese restaurants now open in the Lower Mainland, Green Lettuce is probably the most well known as it is the oldest (open for 11 years now) and has served many famous Indian celebrities when they come here from India. In fact, there are a pictures on the wall of Bollywood royalty like Aishwarya Rai, Hrithik Roshan and Lucky Ali chowing down at the restaurant on their plates of Gobi Manchurian and Hakka Noodles!
As I have been to this place many times, I think I have tried most items on the menu. However, this time, I went with my office colleagues in a group of 10, many of whom had not tried this food before. Consiequently we ordered quite a few dishes. Cream Corn and Chicken Soup, Vege Pakoras and Chicken skewers were the appetizers, Hakka Vege Chow Mein, Hakka Chicken Chow Mein, Gobi Manchurian, Bombay Style Chop Suey, Chili Paneer, Ginger Fish, Dai Ching Chicken, and Pineapple Chicken were part of the main course. Afterwards we were too stuffed for dessert, although experience dictates that one should try the Almond Kulfi if you have room.
I definately recommend you try the dishes which are spicier and have more of an Indian twist to them. No other chinese restaurant serves paneer as part of their meals, and the Gobi Manchurian is unique and I have never had cauliflower prepared in a better manner. The Dai Ching chicken is also particularly good, although some might find it a bit too spicy.
Good, friendly, service and reasonable prices combined with the fantastic food make this place a must visit for all visitors and residents of Vancouver.
Service: 4/5
Location/Ambiance: 3/5
Food: 4/5
Saturday, June 5, 2010
The Big Fat Indo-Canadian Wedding
Several of my very good friends are getting married this summer, and I guess I get to take a more active role this time around. I have attended a few weddings in India, but mostly as an outside guest, and not a member of the 'inner circle'. Perhaps for this reason, although I have enjoyed the weddings I have experienced in India, I definately have more knowledge of what goes on at the Canadian version.
One of the nice things about the Canadian version is how it is possible to try and blend the old traditions in with the new. Mehndi/Haldi is commonly done, and the ceremony itself is usually held at the Mandir/Masjid/Gurudwara. But along side of this, things like the 'First Dance', Cake Cutting, and Introductory Slide Shows of the happy couple have been silently incorporated into the festivities.
No doubt the Indian version is purely authentic, but the Canadianized version can be quite a blast. In fact, people go all out to try and imitate the glitz of the posher Indian weddings, which I am quite sure is inspired by what we are exposed to in Bollywood movies. While it is difficult to copy the wedding ceremonies themselves, mainly due to lack of time, and facilities, it seems as if a concious decision is made to try and outdo one another at the wedding reception(s). These days, things are stage managed, with professional photographers, videographers, the most glamorous of dresses, expensive jewelery, color themes (yes, it is imperative that the seat covers must be color coordinated with the grooms tie apparently), slide shows, stage performances, DJs, bad jokes by the MC, etc, etc, etc... The lowest cost I hear of these days at a wedding is not less than 50k, with richer couples spending upwards of 6 figures on their wedding festivities! Wow, with costs like that, it is probably good to remain a bachelor!!! To be honest, I am sure that in the midst of trying to impress family, friends, relatives and strangers the families of the bride and groom are probably stretching themselves to the limit, but heck, they want us to enjoy, and enjoy we do to the max!!!
The food... ah the food... the quality of a recpetion is judged not by the happiness of the bride and groom, but by how many appetizers are served (usually not less than 3). You have heard of a 6 course dinner? Well how about a 6 course appetizer? Vege Pakoras, Tandoori Chicken, Fish Pakoras, Paapri Chat, Tandoori Rumal Rotis, Gol Gappe... yes my friends, this is quite common. And I haven't even started with dinner yet.
To wrap up, just a list of stereotypes which I find applicable to most, if not all Indo Canadian wedding receptions (and I am sure those who have been in my position can add to this list, so I would like to encourage you to do so):
1) Butter Chicken. I have not encountered a wedding reception where this has not been served. Even if the bride and groom are vegetarians, to keep the meat eaters happy, somehow, this dish makes it into all of the dinner menus.
2) Michael Jackson. I do not understand why, but for some reason when playing the English Music, most DJs are obsessed with playing 'Thriller' as many times as possible during the night...
3) Crazy Dancing Aunty. There is always one crazy aunty who rocks the dance floor (or at least thinks she is rocking the dance floor). You can recognize this aunty as there is usually a circle of wide eyed younger people who dance in a circle around her in a mesmorized trance.
4) Drunk Uncle. There is always one alcoholic uncle who has a few too many during the night and ends up on the dance floor trying to do the Macarena while balancing a half-empty bottle on his head. It never works... you can recognize this uncle as the tie he is wearing usually starts off around his neck, and ends up around his forehead.
5) The Performance by a Relative. Sometimes good, usually a snooze, the bride/grooms nephew/niece/brother/sister/6th cousin is inevitably forced to do a dance performance during the reception. The good thing for the performer is that no matter how the performance is, he/she is rewarded by crazy dancing aunty (see number 3 above) who will come up, and join in the dance near the end and reward the performers with no less than $20.
6) The hopeless MC. I have attended very few weddings where the MC has actually been good. Usually its not even his/her fault, as people are too busy eating/gossiping/getting sloshed at the open bar. Usually he/she fades into the background, and their lasting memories are unfortunately of having made bad jokes, and dealing with poorly functioning A/V eqpt.
7) Irritating glass tappers in the audience. One of the weirder rituals that seems to have been picked up from western weddings, is that of someone in the audience tapping on their drinking glass loudly with their silverware during the reception. This is to indicate that it is time for the bride and groom to publicly display their affection for each other in front of everyone with a kiss on the lips. Unfortunately, with Indian weddings, the bride and groom are usually too shy/terrified for any PDA, and so instead, are forced to uncomfortably sit still while the irritating glass tappers tap on their glasses until they finally run out of strength in their wrists...
One of the nice things about the Canadian version is how it is possible to try and blend the old traditions in with the new. Mehndi/Haldi is commonly done, and the ceremony itself is usually held at the Mandir/Masjid/Gurudwara. But along side of this, things like the 'First Dance', Cake Cutting, and Introductory Slide Shows of the happy couple have been silently incorporated into the festivities.
No doubt the Indian version is purely authentic, but the Canadianized version can be quite a blast. In fact, people go all out to try and imitate the glitz of the posher Indian weddings, which I am quite sure is inspired by what we are exposed to in Bollywood movies. While it is difficult to copy the wedding ceremonies themselves, mainly due to lack of time, and facilities, it seems as if a concious decision is made to try and outdo one another at the wedding reception(s). These days, things are stage managed, with professional photographers, videographers, the most glamorous of dresses, expensive jewelery, color themes (yes, it is imperative that the seat covers must be color coordinated with the grooms tie apparently), slide shows, stage performances, DJs, bad jokes by the MC, etc, etc, etc... The lowest cost I hear of these days at a wedding is not less than 50k, with richer couples spending upwards of 6 figures on their wedding festivities! Wow, with costs like that, it is probably good to remain a bachelor!!! To be honest, I am sure that in the midst of trying to impress family, friends, relatives and strangers the families of the bride and groom are probably stretching themselves to the limit, but heck, they want us to enjoy, and enjoy we do to the max!!!
The food... ah the food... the quality of a recpetion is judged not by the happiness of the bride and groom, but by how many appetizers are served (usually not less than 3). You have heard of a 6 course dinner? Well how about a 6 course appetizer? Vege Pakoras, Tandoori Chicken, Fish Pakoras, Paapri Chat, Tandoori Rumal Rotis, Gol Gappe... yes my friends, this is quite common. And I haven't even started with dinner yet.
To wrap up, just a list of stereotypes which I find applicable to most, if not all Indo Canadian wedding receptions (and I am sure those who have been in my position can add to this list, so I would like to encourage you to do so):
1) Butter Chicken. I have not encountered a wedding reception where this has not been served. Even if the bride and groom are vegetarians, to keep the meat eaters happy, somehow, this dish makes it into all of the dinner menus.
2) Michael Jackson. I do not understand why, but for some reason when playing the English Music, most DJs are obsessed with playing 'Thriller' as many times as possible during the night...
3) Crazy Dancing Aunty. There is always one crazy aunty who rocks the dance floor (or at least thinks she is rocking the dance floor). You can recognize this aunty as there is usually a circle of wide eyed younger people who dance in a circle around her in a mesmorized trance.
4) Drunk Uncle. There is always one alcoholic uncle who has a few too many during the night and ends up on the dance floor trying to do the Macarena while balancing a half-empty bottle on his head. It never works... you can recognize this uncle as the tie he is wearing usually starts off around his neck, and ends up around his forehead.
5) The Performance by a Relative. Sometimes good, usually a snooze, the bride/grooms nephew/niece/brother/sister/6th cousin is inevitably forced to do a dance performance during the reception. The good thing for the performer is that no matter how the performance is, he/she is rewarded by crazy dancing aunty (see number 3 above) who will come up, and join in the dance near the end and reward the performers with no less than $20.
6) The hopeless MC. I have attended very few weddings where the MC has actually been good. Usually its not even his/her fault, as people are too busy eating/gossiping/getting sloshed at the open bar. Usually he/she fades into the background, and their lasting memories are unfortunately of having made bad jokes, and dealing with poorly functioning A/V eqpt.
7) Irritating glass tappers in the audience. One of the weirder rituals that seems to have been picked up from western weddings, is that of someone in the audience tapping on their drinking glass loudly with their silverware during the reception. This is to indicate that it is time for the bride and groom to publicly display their affection for each other in front of everyone with a kiss on the lips. Unfortunately, with Indian weddings, the bride and groom are usually too shy/terrified for any PDA, and so instead, are forced to uncomfortably sit still while the irritating glass tappers tap on their glasses until they finally run out of strength in their wrists...
Saturday, May 29, 2010
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.
Special congrats to one member of our group who went hiking for the first time, and almost made it to the top! :) Well done!!!
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!!!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
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.
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
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
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...
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...
Saturday, April 10, 2010
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
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...'
'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...'
Thursday, April 8, 2010
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!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
(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.
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.
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