December - CityMasala

December 2006
Free Copy
A Lifestyle and Entertainment Magazine for Today’s South Asian
CityMasala’s
Anniversary
Celebration
Tête-à-tête
Shahnaz Husain
Achievers’ Club:
Dr. Harish Patel
Bollywood
Urmilla vying for Kajra Re Fame
CRICKET
The Leo Moxey
Tournament
Star Performers
Rupesh Rawal & DJ Jafar
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CityMasala
IN THIS ISSUE
December 2006
A Lifestyle and Entertainment Magazine for Today’s South Asian
From Our Desk to Yours
One year old and going strong! CityMasala celebrated its first anniversary and the
success of the magazine with a party at Shalimar Restaurant. Dinner was followed by
Masala Night during which our two talented performers, Rupesh Rawal and DJ Jafar,
entertained the guests with their talent and music.
Achievers’ Club introduces Dr. Harish Patel. Armed with a few degrees, Dr. Patel also
teaches medicine. He has worked tirelessly not only in his profession but also to benefit
the community.
Shahnaz Husain is now a part of Team Masala. Surabhi interviews Ms. Husain and lets
you into the private world of this legend of beauty products.
Read about Rupesh Rawal, who is an amazingly talented singer. We were honored to
have him with us at our anniversary party.
Sheniz Janmohamed is the latest addition to Team Masala. In CityMasala’s book club,
Sheniz reviews “Born on the Mountaintop” by Satyam and Freedom Malhotra.
Javid regales us with a blow by blow account of a game played by a local cricket team,
India, during the Leo Moxey Tournament. Dr. Jain points us in the direction of better
health through better breathing exercises that promote spiritual and physical health. This
month’s Global Masala has Monica and Henry address what most desis debate about, life
in India vs. the US. TechTalk extends tips on the best online bargains which help save
money and time. Auntyji, now a full fledged Florida resident, is enjoying the glorious
sunshine. Even the slight cooling temperatures don’t seem to have fazed her desire to
help out lost south Asian souls. Daru Ka Nasha bubbles with information on the bubbly.
Surabhi dines at Deeya restaurant in Clearwater and tells us what she recommends
from their menu. Sanjay writes about the importance of nutrition and why your diet
takes precedence over any exercise program that you may be considering. Zed goes to a
Star Performers! Rupesh Rawal and DJ Jafar wedding as a man’s date! Turn to page 24 to let the story unravel.
We would like to remind you to submit your recommendations on who should be
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Achievers’ Club: The Healers
featured in our magazine. We appreciate and look forward to feedback from our readers
Amongst Us
and it would not be possible to cover all the deserving people of our community without
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Rupesh Rawal: A Special Thank You your help. Write in to editor@citymasala.com or info@citymasala.com so we may look
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Tête-à-tête with Shahnaz Husain
into your recommendations.
On the Cover:
14
18
20
CityMasala Anniversary
As always, please remember to talk about CityMasala, rave about CityMasala, make
Celebration
your friends read CityMasala and ask for your copy of CityMasala by its name!
Cricket: The Leo Moxey Tournament
Chhaya Sanghavi and Shaphali Jain
Bollywood: Urmila vying for
Kajra Re fame
Also In this Issue:
21
22
24
26
28
30
32
34
35
Reel Talk
Global Masala: The Eternal Debate
Zed’s Feature: Straight into a Man’s
World
Auntyji Ko Pucho
Wining and Dining
Tech Talk: Tips for holiday shopping
In the Kitchen: Recipes
Body Talk
Star Lite Star Brite: This Month’s
Horoscope
MEET OUR TEAM
Editor and
Publisher:
Chhaya Sanghavi
Shaphali Jain
Graphic Designer
Dawn Sallas
Junior Editor
Surabhi Jain
Orlando Marketing
Mala Chakravorty
404-547-1989
Tampa Marketing:
813-476-5415
Content Contributors:
Anita Singh
Ashish Jain
Javid Lateef
Kavita Trivedi
Mala Chakravorty
Monica Bhatia
Nandini Chakraborty
Nicolas Aujula
Sanjay Puranik
Shahnaz Husain
Vish Vishwanathan
Zed Rehman
Guest Contributor
Dr. Jain
Published By:
CityMasala LLC
Telephone
813-642-3313
Email:
info@citymasala.com
On the Web:
www.citymasala.com
CityMasala is published by CityMasala LLC. The opinions and viewpoints of our contributors and advertisers do not necessarily reflect those of CityMasala’s.
CityMasala disclaims any liability with respect to the use of or reliance on any such information and further disclaims any liability to any party for loss or damage
caused by errors or omissions, negligence, accident or any other cause. CityMasala reserves the right to reject any advertisement they deem unacceptable or inappropriate for publication in CityMasala. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and originality of content. Copyright © 2005 CityMasala LLC. All rights
reserved. Reprinting of any material without prior permission from CityMasala is prohibited.
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December 2006
FROM YOUR DESK TO OURS:
To CityMasala,
I enjoyed reading about all
the team members that bring
CityMasala together. Knowing
a little bit more about all of you
makes reading all the articles
more fun! Keep up the good
work!
Shaheen Mirza – Orlando - FL
Q: To CityMasala,
I am really excited about the
upcoming Beauty articles from
Shahnaz Hussain. Can we write in
with questions for her and which
email address should we use?
Swati Misra – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
A: Dear Swati,
You can write in to
beauty@citymasala.com or
info@citymasala.com and
Shahnaz will be happy to answer
your questions.
Masala: Desi Acronyms. This
article is extremely useful for
my research and I would like
to use the acronyms as I am
writing a book on World of
Indian.
Neil Raymond
Q: Where can I find your
publication around the USF
area?
Your magazine is very
intriguing, I really enjoyed it
cover to cover.
Is it a monthly publication?
Keep up the good work...
Thanks
Andrew Gangaram
A: You can pick up a copy
of CityMasala at most south
Asian stores and restaurants.
You may also read the
magazine online at
www.citymasala.com.
To CityMasala,
I read your article on Global
We would like to feature someone whom you think deserves to be in our Achievers’ Club column. Send
in your recommendations to editor@citymasala.com or info@citymasala.com.
CityMasala
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December 2006
Achievers’ Club
The Healers Amongst Us
Dr. Harish Patel
Dr. Harish Patel hails from Baroda,
Gujarat, and talks fondly about his father,
Mr. Jesangbhai Patel who, he says, played
a big part not only in his education, but
also the education of the entire village
that he belonged to. Jesangbhai Patel was
a farmer by birth, and the first person in
the village to have become a graduate.
The senior Mr. Patel instilled the
importance of education in Dr. Patel who
moved to the US after completing his
MS from the Baroda University Medical
College to study Psychology in New
Jersey. After this, Dr. Patel completed
his Hematology & Oncology Fellowship
from the Cancer Center in Howard
University in Washington D.C. followed
by Internal Medicine and a residency in
D. C. General Hospital. He followed this
up with a residency in Neurology from
Georgetown and Howard University
combined. What confidence would such
a list of qualifications instill in a patient
– especially considering the depth of
knowledge such a physician would
possess!
Dr. Patel started his practice here in
Florida in 1992. West Coast Neurology
in St. Petersburg specializes in treatment
for headaches, neck and spinal injuries,
dementia, strokes, and seizures.
What makes Dr. Harish Patel truly stand
out in a community that certainly has no
CityMasala
dearth of physicians, is the keen desire
to share his knowledge and his wealth of
resources with the younger generation.
Dr. Patel is an Associate Professor at
North Side Medical Center and about
twice a week, apart from teaching his
students, he also advises them on a
variety of subjects. He finds that a lot of
the students are unaware of the number of
appropriate resources available as well as
how to get the required information from
trained professionals. Dr. Patel helps the
process along by setting up a platform
of guidance on how to get into the right
medical schools, getting placements by
utilizing his connections and in general,
by helping these youngsters realize their
full potential. He says he is able to help
about 40 – 50 students every year and
is able to get about 6-7 students placed
into rotation in his network of clinics. He
says that he helps these students in any
way that he can to get into US or foreign
Medical Schools and teaches them not to
settle for less.
Dr. Patel perpetuates this practice at home
as well. He selects a group of children,
mostly comprising of nephews and
nieces, and allocates a certain amount of
money to reward them for good grades in
order to encourage them to always strive
to do better.
Dr. Harish Patel is an important member
of the Gujarati Samaj of Tampa Bay. For
the year 2006, he served as the Chairman
for the Samaj. He says that ever since
he has moved to Florida, he has served
the committee as a volunteer in fund
raising and getting the optimum number
of advertisers to support the efforts of
the Samaj in order to celebrate their rich
cultural heritage.
Dr. Patel also volunteers his time and
services to other communities through
various churches and temples.
Dr. Patel has two sons whom he is
extremely proud of. Keyur Patel is in
Lublin, Poland, studying at the Hope
Medical Institute. He says, “Keyur is the
kind of person who goes the extra mile
for people. In High School, he would get
up an hour early to help in providing
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transportation to those kids who didn’t
have any way of getting to school.” His
other son, Shivas Patel is 24 years old and
is in real estate. “Shivas is an extremely
dynamic and helpful person. He has
helped countless people set up businesses
and find jobs. I am very proud of both
my sons. They are honest, reliable and
extremely hard working.” Dr. Patel’s wife
of 27 years, Hema Patel, is also always
involved in community work and support.
When asked what he likes to do in his
spare time, Dr. Patel says, “I really like
helping people. I also like to read and
am particularly interested in politics,
US & Indian.” When presented with
the omnipresent dilemma of every
immigrant, what do you miss about your
homeland, he replies, “The lifestyle and
the closeness amongst family, friends and
neighbors.” He likes to go back to India
every other year.
Dr. Patel concluded his interview with an
interesting anecdote which bears credence
to his dedication as a healer. He says that
a few years ago, an 18 year old patient
was brought into his care. He had been
shot accidentally in the heart. He was
admitted into the ICU and for 7 days,
countless doctors and nurses administered
care and shared their opinions about his
condition. At the end of the week, all the
doctors gave up on him and pronounced
him brain dead. Dr. Patel persisted
because he felt that his brain was still
salvageable. The patient’s family chose
to have faith in Dr. Patel who eventually
treated this patient into full recovery
due to his expertise in the field. The boy
lives today and is a successful actor in
New York. Dr. Patel may be contacted
via email: wcn531@aol.com and by
telephone: 727-528-2272.
If you would like to recommend
someone whom you think
should be in our Achievers’
Club column, please write in
with your recommendations
to editor@citymasala.com or
info@citymasala.com.
December 2006
CityMasala
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December 2006
Rupesh Rawal: A Special Thank You
By: Shaphali Jain
Rupesh is a modest 33 year old whose love for his art pours forth in every facet of his life. He
lives, breathes and works for his art tirelessly. When CityMasala requested him to be a part of
their first Anniversary Celebration, he made time in his busy schedule to accommodate this
request and we got to see a side of him that deserves to be revealed to all of our readers. That
such talent and dedication to art exists in our midst here in Florida is something to celebrate and
with that in mind, here is a side of Rupesh Rawal that may not be apparent to all…
Rupesh used to skip school so that he
could spend time on his own music.
He has had the opportunity of being the
keyboard player during one of Nusrat
Fateh Ali Khan’s shows.
Rupesh’s second album, Tere Jaisi, was
released in April of 2006.
Feedback on his albums: People across all
age groups love the simplicity of his work.
Rupesh has worked tirelessly towards his
career for the past 15 years. He now wants
to find a soul mate. Any takers?
Rupesh has also had the opportunity of
performing with Asha Bhonsle.
Rupesh has recently recorded a Bollywood
song with his childhood pal, Sukhbir, (of
Dhoom 2 fame) and is awaiting the release
of the movie.
Rupesh Rawal is an Aries. Ladies – would
you like to check out those matrimonial
charts?
Rupesh Rawal was awarded the title of
Cultural Ambassador by the former Prime
Minister of the Republic of Kenya, Daniel
Arap Moi.
From age 14 to age 16, Rupesh composed
8 songs and recorded his own album in
Dubai.
Rupesh’s childhood was surrounded by
music. Both his parents are musicians and
he could play whatever he heard from the
age of 6.
Rupesh has performed on stage in over 14
countries and has done over 500 shows.
Rupesh considers himself to be a musician
before a singer.
Rupesh’s first album, Pehli Nazar, was
released in 1998 in North America and
England.
Rupesh’s albums are created by him for
the love of music and for what is in his
heart.
If Rupesh had not become a musician, he
would have most certainly become a chef,
or an interior designer. A creative person,
he says that he is not cut out for the 9-5
life style!
If you would you like to book Rupesh Rawal for your next celebration or to just set up a mehfil, call him at 386-882-1462 or visit his
website at www.rupeshrawal.net.
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December 2006
CityMasala
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December 2006
Beauty
The Shahnaz Way
By: Surabhi Jain
CityMasala is honored to have Ms.
Shahnaz Husain as a part of our amazing
team. Beauty – The Shahnaz Way will
now be a regular column in which Ms.
Husain will share some of her world
famous tips on skin and hair care with our
readers.
A warm smile, oodles of confidence and
a visible passion for natural skincare and
beauty, Shahnaz Husain is a lady who
can take one look at you and predict your
skincare and beauty habits. Married at the
tender age of 15, a mother by the time she
was 16, Shahnaz Husain has come a long
way. Today, she is the humble owner of
the largest, one of a kind chain of globally
located lifestyle shops featuring her
Ayurvedic skincare products. She owns
training institutes, spas, and has a name
that stands for a global brand. CityMasala
had the chance to have a tête-à-tête with
the goddess of skin care and this is what
she had to say…
Beauty according to you is…
A total impact. A beautiful woman is not
necessarily one who has been endowed
with classic features, but one who values
herself physically, mentally, emotionally
and spiritually. She is a real and vital
person, who leaves behind a lingering
fragrance of her personality. I always say,
“There should be beauty power, brain
power and spiritual power!”
Secret Mantra for timeless beauty
spells…
Total well being of body, mind and soul.
Cosmetics help only 20%. Good physical
and mental health makes up 80% of true
beauty. The external body condition is
a barometer of internal health. Timeless
beauty, radiance and vitality come from
physical fitness, a nutritious diet, regular
exercise and freedom from stress.
CityMasala
A Beautiful Woman
Values Herself
Physically, Mentally,
Emotionally And
Spiritually.
The most dangerous mistake people
make with their skin and hair care
is…
Subjecting their skin and hair to the abuse
of chemical ingredients and treatments.
The human body is natural and best
treated by nature.
Your principle of “Care and
Cure”says…
That beauty lies in the good health of
skin and hair. Through the principle of
“Care and Cure” we offer protective,
preventative and corrective beauty care,
based on the holistic healing system of
Ayurveda. I rejected “Color and Cover”
and adopted “Care and Cure.”
Just before hitting the bed, one
should…
Cleanse. Night-time cleansing is a must to
remove all the impurities and pollutants
that have been deposited on the skin
during the day. Nourish the skin with
a “skin-food” cream, if the skin is
normal to dry. Remove all creams with
moist cotton wool, so that the skin can
“breathe” during the night and allow the
body’s restoration and repair work to take
over.
Avoid it if you
can and rely on
nature and natural
remedies.
Daily makeup…
Is part of good
grooming. It imparts self-confidence.
Beauty is a matter of looking
and feeling good. Daily make-up is easier
if the skin is clear. How can the artist
paint a beautiful picture if the canvas is
not clean? Removing make-up before
bedtime is as important as knowing how
to put it on.
Skincare over the past 10 years
has…
Made us look at nature with enlightened
eyes. Nature is the best cosmetologist. An
entire range of beauty products exist in
nature and Ayurveda tells us how best to
go about it.
Your biggest strength is…
My relentless determination, iron will
power, steel grit, ability for sheer hard
work and inner spiritual strength.
Your biggest weakness is…
My emotional and sentimental nature.
Receiving the coveted Padma Shri
award…
The healthiest skin that I have seen
is …
Makes me feel honored. I have dedicated
35 years of my life and career to
promoting my country with total devotion
and a crusader’s zeal. I have always
believed that India has so much to offer
to the rest of the world. I have received
much international acclaim, but receiving
one of the highest civilian awards and
recognition from my own country is the
greatest honor. It has made my relentless
efforts truly worthwhile.
Madhubala. She had the most beautiful
translucent skin. Among the other stars,
Dimple has timeless beauty, Aishwarya
and Kareena have good, healthy skin.
Cosmetic surgery…
Makes me think of the risks involved.
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If not a beauty expert, Shahnaz
Husain would have been…
Cannot dream of being anybody other
than who I am. My work is not merely
my career. It is the sole purpose of my
existence.
Joining the CityMasala team…
Would be an enjoyable association for
both of us.
December 2006
CityMasala
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December 2006
November 18, 2006, CityMasala celebrated its first
Anniversary with a formal party with dinner followed by
Masala Night, a “By-Invitation” event. Invited guests
included advertisers who have supported CityMasala since
its inception one year ago, as well as people who have been
featured in the magazine. Hosts, Chhaya Sanghavi and
Shaphali Jain, along with Ashish Jain, Javid Lateef,
Sanjay Puranik and Surabhi Jain represented Team Masala.
CityMasala wanted to commemorate its anniversary with an
effort to honor those people who contribute to its success.
We have worked very hard to get where we are but the support that we have received has been phenomenal.
CityMasala, now a household name, has made a distinct
mark in Florida.
Anu and Satbir, owners of Shalimar Restaurant, made the
experience truly memorable with their excellent food, gracious hospitality and warmth. Guests were made to feel at
home and individual needs were catered to in the most accommodating manner possible. The evening started out with
a variety of appetizers followed by dinner.
CityMasala’s trademark event, Masala Night, followed the
wonderful dinner. The evening’s highlight was provided by
the entertainment for the evening. DJ Jafar and singer,
Rupesh Rawal, put on a show that prevented even the shyest of guests from sitting and looking on.
Masala Night was sponsored in part by Western Union and
the lucky draw prizes included gift certificates from Shalimar Restaurant, Hair Color Experts and Apna Bazar.
Rupesh kicked off Masala Night with a soulful rendition of
Himesh Reshamiya’s Aashiq Banaya and got the dancing
enthusiasts off to a fabulous start. Even while tables and
chairs were being cleared away, people squeezed themselves in between to encourage the process along. Before
the song ended, the vast majority of the people had descended to the dance floor asking for more. Rupesh obliged
with Kajra Re and Dhoom Macha le and the crowd went
Contd. On Page 16
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December 2006
Cricket The Leo Moxey Tournament
By: Javid Lateef
I am devoting this article to local cricket
and to the exploits of the Indian cricket
team that plays in the Leo Moxey
tournament that is presently going on.
teams in the Central Florida region. The
toss was won by Trinidad and Tobago and
they decided to bat first.
Our opening bowlers, Satish Konduri
and Yogesh Mahadeviah, bowled a neat
spell and we restricted them to 30 odd in
the first 10 overs. After a breakthrough
by yours truly, there was a 2nd wicket
partnership of 50 odd runs (between
Laggan and Rasheed). Our bespectacled
Kranti Vijay, a Dilip Doshi like left arm
spinner, was in his element yet again. He
has been the bowling find of this season
and he spun a web around the batsmen,
The Leo Moxey is an offshoot of the
Red Stripe Competition, which is
loosely based on the old West Indian
tournament. In 2004, the League obtained
sponsorship from Winston Moxey, owner
of Bowerbank Income Tax & Accounting
Services, Inc. of Orlando, a long time
supporter of cricket in Central Florida,
and it was agreed that the name of the
tournament would be changed from
Red Stripe to Leo Moxey in memory
of his deceased brother, Leo. This
year, ten teams are involved in the
competition, their makeup being
representative of the West Indian
countries and India. They are:
Antigua, Barbados, CFCL Select
(A youth team), Guyana, India,
Jamaica, Rest of the World, Trinidad
& Tobago, USA Select & Windies
The man of the match, Am it Dehra (right) with
United.
Jigar Desai (left).
The teams are divided into two groups
with each team playing the other group
members on a home and away basis. At
the end of the regular competition, the
top two teams in each group compete on
a knockout basis. The final match is on
February 4, 2007.
That being said, our story begins on a
cloudy, overcast Sunday morning as we
make our way to Poinciana to take on
Trinidad & Tobago in a crucial tie. We
had narrowly lost the previous game
against Jamaica and were determined to
put up a better show this weekend. Our
team, last Sunday, was led by Sanjay
Puranik, who was captaining for the first
time in this particular tournament. The
team consisted of players from 4 different
CityMasala
not allowing them any room to score
at all. He finally had Laggan driving
uppishly to mid-on for Ravi to take an
easy catch and, with the very next ball,
dismissed Ray Mohan. Jigar Desai took
over for Kranti, who had the remarkable
figures of 7overs-1maiden-12 runs-2
wickets. Jigar ran through the T&T
middle order by taking 4 wickets. The
ground fielding was excellent and though
they scored heavily in the last few overs,
we restricted them to 169 runs.
It was our turn to bat and Avinash
Puranik and Nikhil More opened the
innings for us. They made slow but
steady progress, adding 55 runs until
Avi was bowled by a ball that turned in
18
sharply. Kranti joined Nikhil and they
pushed the score up to 100 with good
running and a few boundary hits. Nikhil
was judged LBW, rather harshly, I might
add, and to add insult to injury, he was
2 short of his half century .We were
100/2. This is when Amit Dehra went
into bat. He had fielded brilliantly in
the outfield and he walked to the crease
with us needing 70 runs at a run rate of
about 7 runs/over. He started off with a
bang, slamming the first ball he faced to
long-on for a boundary. He then farmed
the bowling, running very aggressively
between the wickets. Kranti was
run-out for a well made 22 and Ravi,
Sanjay and I followed in quick
succession. Amit never let up. He
was always on the lookout, stealing
that extra run when fielders were not
expecting it and cleverly working the
ball around the field. When I fell, we
were looking at a run rate of over 8 an
over for the next 3 overs, to win the
game. Amit made a mockery of it by
slamming a huge 6 over widish longon. Jigar and Amit brought the game
home with 3 balls to spare in the last over.
A match winning knock by Amit - one
that we will not forget for a long time to
come.
It was a nail biting, toe clenching finish
to an amazing game, and as the winning
runs were scored we all rushed into the
field towards Amit and Jigar. It is for
moments like these that we play the
game. The camaraderie on this particular
Indian team is amazing and here’s
wishing all the guys (moi, included) the
very best for the remainder of games to be
played. I will end this piece with a quote
by the man of the match, Amit Dehra
(tongue-in-cheek), “East or West India is
the best!!”
December 2006
CityMasala
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December 2006
B O L L YWO O D
Bollywood Masala
By Mala Chakravorty
Can you name the highest paid actor
in Bollywood?
www.erosentertainm ent.com
It’s all in the name!
Amitabh Bachchan, who recently turned
64, has been in the news a lot lately.
Firstly, he created cinematic record by
completing 23 scenes in 5 hours. Then he
was honored
red by Delhi University with a
Ph.D. in literature for his
h contribution to
Indian Cinema. Next he was in the House
of Commons
London as the brand
mons in Londo
ambassador for the IIFA Awards. He also
announced that he, Jaya and Abhishek
will be acting together in a forthcoming
Yashraj film directed by Pradeep Sarkar
of Parineeta fame. Family always comes
first for the Bachchans, it seems. He
announced to the world that he was eager
for Abhishekh to get married so that he
could look forward to a male grandchild!
Don’t you already have a male grandchild,
Mr. Bachchan? Or does the fact that
he is not a
Bachchan
make the
difference?
Don…once
again!
www.erosentertainm ent.com
Remakes and
sequels have suddenly become quite hot
in Bollywood! And apna Don-2 seems to
be the latest star to get interested in this
trend. King Khan says, “I suggested the
idea of Don 2 to Farhan since ‘Don ko
pakadna mushkil hi nahi namumkin hai!’
… if the audience likes it lets do another
Don.” If Shahrukh has his way, we may
see Don sequels
and Don
merchandise for
several years to
come! Can we
handle it?
www.erosentertainm ent.com
CityMasala
No, it’s not a Bachchan or a Khan – it’s
Hrithik Roshan! Almost written-off by
show business after several flops, the
phenomenal success of Krrish led to
Hrithik signing an unbelievable deal
with the Anil Ambani controlled Adlabs
group – Rs. 35 crores for 3 films. Now he
is the uncontested highest paid actor in
Bollywood! The Roshans can now wave
cheerily at their detractors as they laugh
all th
the way
y to the ban
bank!
Amir Turns
Director…
Again!
Famous for
interfering
in every film
www.erosentertainm ent.com
he acts in,
the latest scoop on the
he perfectioni
perfectionist Amir
Khan is that he had a major showd
showdown
with Amol Gupte, the
he director of hi
his home
production, Taare Zameen
ameen Par. Am
Amir
will direct the film himself
self eve
even though
the credits may show Gupte as director.
Definitely not a first for Amir!
Himesh’s new Avatar
After topping all
music charts for nearly
two years, Himesh
Reshammiya has decided www.erosentertainm ent.com
to try his hand at acting.
Titled Aap Ka Suroor - The Real Love
Story, produced by Vijay Taneja and
directed by Prashant
hant Chadha,
Chad the film
will launch two
According to
o new faces. A
Himesh, the film
dramatic love story
m is a dramati
inspired by his life and will rreveal why he
never smiles, why
beloved leaves him
y his belo
at the end of every music video, and most
importantly, why he always wears a hat!
Mehbooba Mehbooba
The latest addition to Ram Gopal Varma’s
Sholay is Abhishek Bachchan in a very
special appearance. He will dance to
Mehbooba Mehbooba á la Jalal Ag
Agha style
while Urmila Matondkarr will clon
clone Helen.
The senior Bachchan, playing
aying Ga
Gabbar,
will look on lasciviously. Urmila is very
excited about having both the Bachchans
20
together for
her dance
perhaps
hoping this
will bring
her the
attention
Kajra Ree
Aishw
did for Aishwarya!
www.erosentertainm ent.com
Salman -- Rajshri’s mascot?
Salman Khan has been associated with
the Rajshris since Sooraj Barjatya’s first
film, Maine Pyar Kiya. All of Barjatya’s
films starring Salman have done well
except for Main Prem
Ki Diwani Hoon,
rem K
which did not ffeature Salman, and was a
miserable flop.
flop.
This time, Sooraj
does not want to
take any chances
so Salman Khan
has been co-opted
into the film in
www.erosentertainm ent.com
a unique way.
The very first frame of Vivah will have a
poster of Salman! Hopefully Salman as a
mascot will bring as much luck as Dharma
Production’s mascots Ka
Kajol and Rani,
bring to Karan
aran Johar!
www.erosentertainm ent.com
Ajay Directs Ka
Kajol!
Ajay Devgan
vgan has been waiting to direct a
film for a long time. Raju Chacha, which
was directed by his cousin Anil Devgan
carried allegations that Ajay actually ghost
directed the film. Finally he is all set to
direct a film starring his Kajol. Devgan
will play the lead role. This will be the star
couple’s sixth movie together. Hopefully
taking over the baton on the sets will not
lead to conflicts on the home front!
December 2006
RE E L
T AL K
Bollywood Movie Reviews
By Kavita Trivedi
Don
Dir: Farhan Akhtar Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Arjun Rampal, Priyanka Chopra, Isha Koppikar and Kareena Kapoor
The Indian police force embarks on a huge cat and
in the original 1978 classic. The brilliantly executed
mouse chase to capture Don (SRK), the ruthless drug
action and chase sequences and a surprise twist in the
mafia king in Malaysia. Don becomes seriously
movie make up for some of the shortcomings.
injured in a police encounter and Vijay, his lookShah Rukh Khan steps into legendary Amitabh
alike, is sent in to bring down the gang. When the
Bachchan’s shoes for the first time. He plays both
man shielding Vijay’s identity is killed, Vijay finds
parts well while adding his own personal style and
himself being hunted by both the police and the
excels in the negative shades of the character. His
www.erosentertainm ent.com
gang. He decides to enlist the help of the glamorous
dialogues are crisp, but not quite as intense and
Roma (Priyanka) and ex-prisoner, Jasjeet (Arjun), who have their convincing as the great Mr Bachchan’s. Kareena dazzles in the
own personal scores to settle with Don.
re-mixed item song Ye Mere Dil.
Director Farhan Akhtar’s third release is a slick remake of an
Amitabh Bachchan classic. Technically, the film appeals due to
its edgy style, its exciting thrills, visuals, polished special effects
and its modern spin on the original. The characters, however, lack
detail and don’t quite have that unique quality which stood out
Don may not match up to the classic original, but this visually
stylish suspense thriller will appeal to the younger masses.
Worth Watching.
Pyaar Ke Side Effects
Dir: Saket Chaudhury Cast: Rahul Bose, Mallika Sherawat, Sophie Chaudhury, Jas Arora
Debutant director Saket Chaudhury’s comedy
Sid (Rahul) is a local disc jockey who dreams of
focuses on the issues of love, commitment and
making it big one day. He meets Trisha (Mallika)
marriage. These serious issues are dealt with
at her own wedding where she ends up being
humor and wit in a light hearted manner keeping
the runaway bride! A few months later the two
the audience entertained and involved.
meet again, become friends, and eventually
fall in love.. Three years into their relationship
Rahul Bose is hilariously funny as Sid, and
Trisha unexpectedly proposes to Sid during a
plays the confused and harassed lover brilliantly.
cricket match. Confused and not ready to commit
Mallika sheds her sultry pouting image and plays
to marriage, Sid does not respond well to the
www.erosentertainm ent.com
the role of a simple girl convincingly well whilst
marriage proposal and they break up. Trisha considers
Sophie fills the void in the film by oozing sex
marrying her friend, Vivek (Jas Arora), a local businessman
appeal as the music item girl.
while Sid dates a music video girl, Tanya (Sophie), to get
The music score by Pritam is average with a couple of foot
over each other. Will Sid and Trisha be able to clear up their
tapping tracks. Overall, a funny adult comedy which will have
misunderstandings and will Sid be able to commit to Trisha
you laughing. Highly Recommended.
before it’s too late?
Woh Lamhe
Dir: Mohit Suri Cast: Shinney Ahuja, Kangana Ranaut and Shaad Randhawa
Sana Azim (Kangana Ranaut) is a beautiful actress
Despite having only one film to her credit
loved by millions of fans. However, her success and
(Gangster), Kangana Ranaut shows maturity
popularity are exploited by her superstar boyfriend,
as Sana and her emotional portrayal of
Nikhil (Shaad Randhawa), who uses her both
schizophrenic Sana is tearfully fantastic. Shinney
physically and to make money. Struggling film
Ahuja excels as the arrogant Aditya, and turns
maker Aditya (Shinney Ahuja) is desperate for a hit
in a confident performance. Debutant, Shaad
and uses Sana by casting her in his film for his own
Randhawa makes a good effort with the negative
personal gain. After working with her he sees the
aspects of his role.
caring and vulnerable side of Sana and falls in love
www.erosentertainm ent.com
with her. Loneliness, fear and insecurities slowly drive
An excellent music score has been produced by
Sana to madness and she disappears from the limelight. Months
composer Pritam with the funky beats of Kya mujhe pyaar hai as
later, Aditya receives a call that the woman he once loved is
the most popular.
fighting for her life in a hospital after trying to commit suicide.
Woh Lamhe is a touching and hard hitting drama that follows
The issues of love, loss and despair are handled brilliantly in
one woman’s plight into self destruction. Above all, it is Mahesh
this film and tell the story of director Mahesh Bhatt’s turbulent
Bhatt’s emotional tribute to the woman he loved and lost.
relationship with a schizophrenic actress, the late Parveen Babi.
Highly Recommended.
CityMasala
21
December 2006
Health Talk
By: Dr. Adarsh Jain
Deep breathing is associated with deep benefits - spiritual as well as physical. It is a well known fact that most of our problems
manifest themselves because of insufficient oxygen in our blood stream. I thought it would be beneficial to cover some of the basic
breathing exercises that can bring about a change in lifestyle as well as concentration levels. They take only a few minutes a day and
can be done while driving, in bed or at work.
Breathing Exercises
Alternate Nostril
Breathing: Sit with your
eyes closed. With the
left thumb, close the left
nostril. Inhale and
exhale deeply and
slowly from the right
nostril. With the index
finger of the right hand, close the right
nostril and release thumb from left nostril.
Inhale and exhale slowly and fully. Take
at least 10 deep breaths from each nostril.
Alternate nostrils and repeat these steps
for three to ten minutes.
Abdominal Breathing
Sit comfortably with a straight posture,
or lie down on your back with your
lower back pressed down on the floor.
Inhale while pushing the abdomen
out and expanding the lungs to their
maximum capacity. Then exhale while
contracting the abdominal muscles in.
When exhaling, think that your belly
button is pressing down on the floor. This
maneuver expands the lower part of the
lungs.
Extend your arms to the side, left palm
facing upwards and right palm facing
downwards. Breathe deeply and regularly
until the strain on the arms and shoulders
is unbearable. Raise the extended arms
slowly until your hands meet. Then lower
the arms and relax. This allows the chest
to open and expand fully.
Bellows Breathing (Kapaal Bhati)
Exhale completely and follow by
inhaling deeply. Next expel brief, rapid
and forceful abdominal exhalations
alternating with relaxed effortless
inhalations up to ten times. Gradually,
the number of forceful exhalations can be
increased to 30-50 times.
Bastrika
Sit comfortably with your eyes closed.
Join hands and raise them to shoulder
level. While inhaling, stretch arms
upwards and open out hands then join
hands together again and bring them
down. This maneuver must be repeated
forcefully and rapidly fifteen to twenty
times in quick succession. Follow this
by resting and breathing normally for
a minute or two. This cycle is to be
repeated three to four times.
Deep Breathing
Stand with your feet apart at
approximately shoulder width distance.
Many of us breathe too fast. This fast, shallow breathing expels carbon dioxide too quickly and has many bad effects on our physical and
emotional health. When our breathing is deep and involves not only the respiratory muscles of the chest but also the belly, lower ribcage, and lower
back, our breathing slows down. This slower and deeper breathing helps to turn on our “relaxation response.” Such breathing helps to harmonize
our nervous system and reduce the amount of stress in our lives. This, of course, has a positive impact on our overall health. Please feel free to
write in with comments or questions to HealthTalk@citymasala.com
Global Masala By: Monica Bhatia Groover & Henry Grover
Cool Quotient: US
versus India – A thought
provoking article by a
multi cultural couple
What do all immigrant
desis have in common?
“Comparing” the two countries – India
versus the US.
According to psychologists everywhere,
humans are extremely adaptable
creatures. We desis, in particular, are
endlessly adaptable and can adjust to
practically any condition within a certain
physical range. People say things like
“I couldn’t live a day without being
able to see my favorite TV program,” or
“I couldn’t live without electricity and
running water,” but when these things
are not available they adjust and continue
living.
A move from India to the US means
non-stop supply of water and electricity,
no cows on the roads and no chaos! The
organization is shocking! Where are the
crowds? Where is the endless supply of
CityMasala
everything you need (and don’t need)
being sold by street vendors? The ears
can go numb with the absolute silence
here.
Yet, we miss and talk about being Indian
all the time. What is it that we miss?
Ask anyone and they will say things
like giving gaalis, the noise pollution,
festivals, maids, and the life of a
maharajah or family.
These days, every south Asian Indian I
know is looking for an opportunity to
invest in India; either in real estate, the
services sector or simply investing in blue
chip companies. The return on investment
is booming across all sectors. Millions of
dollars are being sent by NRIs to India
every year.
Is life in America really better than life
in India, or is it just a different set of
problems? I think there is no simple
answer to this.
In India, life is a constant battle, and
some of the less tolerable issues are:
• Nothing works in terms of
22
•
•
infrastructure.
Everyone is overly interfering.
Everything is chaotic and noisy.
In America life is a battle too. The
“issues” seem fewer but they can be
formidable:
• There is never enough time for
anything.
• There is not much in the way of
culture.
• Everyone wants immediate
gratification.
In India, the time crunch is being felt
more and more as the country develops.
Nobody has time anymore, and managing
time becomes the single most important
skill required for becoming successful
and staying “on top” of things.
The key would then have to be in our
attitude. Wherever you choose to live,
there should be some balance in your
life. There should be freedom to live in
harmony with loved ones and to indulge
in a great discussion over a hot cuppa
coffee about life in India versus the US.
December 2006
CityMasala
23
December 2006
Straight Into A Man’s World
If there is anything I hate more than girls,
more than the color pink, even more than
people not being punctual, it’s weddings.
This is mainly because a great number
of giggling girls attend these functions,
many of whom insist on wearing the
color pink in some form or the other, and
by God, I have yet to attend a wedding
where the bride turns up at the allotted
time. Some, if I may add, aren’t even
fashionably late and end up looking like
overly dressed up transvestites. And after
embarrassing myself at the last wedding,
where I mistook the groom’s mother’s ‘big
bone’ body structure for being pregnant, I
vowed I would, never, ever, EVER, attend
another matrimonial event.
Of all the weird and exciting friends I
socialize with, Joshua takes the crown
for being the wackiest of all. His form of
transportation is a vintage Vespa, he has
a tattoo near his butt cleavage that reads
‘nice view?’, and if he ever eats peas, he
does so only in even numbers. An amazing
violinist, he frequently performs with the
London Symphony Orchestra but currently
thinks Paris Hilton’s new album is ‘pretty
amazing’. Now, that’s just crazy talk, but
then again, he is gay.
Joshua has asked me to meet him at our
favorite French café in West London on
a Saturday afternoon. ‘You must come.
I demand it’ he says. ‘You must be out
of your mind if you think I’m going to a
wedding as your date’ I reply.
‘Don’t upset me, Zed. You wouldn’t want
to see me upset’ he barks at me. ‘Or else
what, your eyes will go green?’ I question.
Before I knew it, Joshua had leapt out
of his chair, yanked me off of mine,
and pinned me to the floor with my arm
bending in a way I did not think was
possible. The eyes of the bewildered
customers focus on me as I scream for
help. But no help comes my way as
Joshua’s sheer size is quite intimidating
to approach. All I could hear was him
CityMasala
By Zed Rahman
shouting ‘SAY YES. SAY YES, DAMMIT!!’
I would either have to say yes or lose my
arm forever. And I love my arm.
Two weeks to the day, I find myself
waiting for Joshua outside the Hilton
hotel in Park Lane. As we aren’t close
family, we attend the reception where
Joshua’s friends and peers greet him with
cheers and salutations. A man, freakishly
resembling Kevin Spacey says, ‘Ah. Josh.
So this is the cheese you’ve been hiding
for three months. I love your D&G suit,
young man’. His comment is followed by
a wink. ‘You’ve been hiding me Joshua?’
I ask. ‘You only bring out diamonds in the
evening’ he replies to the Spacey looka-like. ‘Ethan is that diamond and this
Jack Squared wedding reception is that
special evening’, he further elaborates. At
this point, I am confused as hell. I give
Joshua a stare, which speaks the sentence,
‘I want answers now’. Joshua pulls me
back a little and whispers in my ear, ‘I had
to lie to my friends that I’ve been dating a
guy called Ethan, when in fact, he doesn’t
even exist. And, when the Jack Squared
wedding was announced, they all wanted
to see him’. ‘But I don’t even look like an
Ethan. Why did you choose me?’ I ask.
‘Because you’re the nearest thing to a
closet homosexual’ he responds!
I feel the intense urge to slap him but
instead I say, (remembering how much
I love my arm) ‘And why is this a ‘Jack
Squared’ wedding?’ I ask. ‘The grooms
are both called Jack’ he replies.
Accepting an orange juice from a waiter
that passes by, I begin to put things into
perspective. I am the pretend date for
a gay man, at a gay wedding, with gay
guests, and am wearing clothes by gay
designers. My day could not BE any
gayer even if Elton John made a guest
appearance.
At the dinner table, I eat with a number
of Joshua’s friends. He is clearly liked
by everyone. They praise his work all
24
evening and it becomes apparent that he
needed a date just to ensure he kept face.
Such a talented musician can never be
seen alone. I had never been surrounded
by so many gay men before (of course,
there were women present but they were
heavily out numbered) and any other man
in my place would’ve left the table when
heated discussions about which James
Bond looked best topless, started. But I
stay to ensure Sean Connery is chosen.
I realize as I sit there that I should feel
uncomfortable and perhaps a little
intimidated. Many of them are highly
successful and wealthy musicians, but I
don’t. For the very first time I can openly
talk to not one, but a whole group of men,
on our masculine attitude towards life, the
fire that fuels our envy on women having
the best clothes, openly quote verse from
musical legends, share tips on the best
moisturizers and of course, how Hugh
Jackman wouldn’t last one minute if he
was dancing on top of our table. Well, the
others raise the last point. I just gracefully
nod a lot.
As our evening comes to a close, Joshua
and I bid the guys farewell and make our
way towards the nearest subway station.
Shoving my shoulder as we reach the
platform, Joshua smiles and looks at me.
‘Thanks for tonight, Zed. I appreciate
you giving me your evening. The guys
loved you’. ‘Of course they loved me’,
I reply, ‘I’m super cool. Everyone loves
me’. ‘I know. I think I love you too’ he
says very slowly. I’m not sure if laughing
in someone’s face is the standard reaction
in such a situation, but that’s what I end
up doing. And hard. Joshua however is
not laughing at all and I realize he is being
honest with me. As we board our train, we
share an awkward silence. ‘I don’t think
it would’ve worked out to be honest’ I tell
him. ‘I think we’d argue over who would
wear the trousers in the relationship’.
December 2006
CityMasala
25
December 2006
Auntyji Ko Pucho By: Auntyji
A
untyji is enjoying the discovery of Florida and its offerings. Just the other day, she enjoyed her
dirty martini in sunny 80 degree weather in South Beach while New York was having a winter
snow storm! She feels so glad that she has made this move. In South Beach, like in Soho in New
York, every corner was filled with beautiful people speaking foreign languages. Auntyji felt like she
was at home in New York… except this was cleaner and warmer. One realization did hit her though – in
this warm weather there is no hiding under layers of clothing, so one has to always try to maintain a good
looking body.
Speaking of a good body - Auntyji is reminded of the hunky trainer, Yul. She is trying to convince him to
take some time off from his busy schedule of flexing muscles and laying on the beach to pose for CityMasala
magazine. His good looks and great physique will provide a lot of inspiration. Can you believe this? He has
never eaten a cheeseburger in his life - he is scared that if he eats it once he might like it and then want to eat
it again and again, and then what would happen to his beautifully carved body?
Living in Florida definitely has certain advantages. There is no state income tax, groceries are slightly cheaper
than up in the northeast, restaurants are cheaper, people are friendlier, weather is nicer and cities are cleaner.
Florida is also the cruise capital of the world and Auntyji intends to make full use of this. Nothing can beat the
sensation of floating on the ocean, basking in the sun, listening to your I-pod and waiting for your next huge
meal.
Q: Auntyji, I have a very big problem
with my sister-in-law. She and my
husband share a very close relationship
because they lost their father at a
very young age. She likes to control
my husband’s every decision down
to what kind of house we should buy
and how we should decorate it. I can’t
take it anymore. I have tried to talk to
my husband but he says that I have to
respect her. Respect is one thing and
ownership is another. What should I do?
Ready to Erupt in Orlando
A: Dear Ready to Erupt: Life will be
easier for both you and you husband
if you put a cork in it and calm down.
When children lose parents at a young
age, they become very dependent upon,
and close to, one another, especially if
there are only two of them. You will
have to start accepting that they have a
close relationship, otherwise you will
drive your husband away. Auntyji thinks
that your sister-in-law is probably only
trying to give your husband the benefit
of her wisdom and support. You should
be appreciative of this instead of whining
like a spoiled child. Try to sit down
with both of them to communicate more
openly and you might be surprised at how
she may welcome you into the decision
making process. Remember – you catch
more flies with honey than with vinegar.
If all else fails, you can then try to
persuade your husband to move - to a
place far away from your sister-in-law.
Q: Auntyji, I am writing to you because
CityMasala
I like your common sense advice. I
have recently moved to the US to join
my husband here. I have left behind a
very exciting and fulfilling career in
India and after having lived here for
almost a year, I am beginning to feel a
little depressed. I cannot work in this
country because of my visa status and
it is very disheartening to find that my
qualifications and experience amount
to nothing here. How can I keep myself
from stagnating?
Rusting Away in Miami
A: Do not despair my dear. This is
just a temporary phase and will pass.
Sometimes we all have to make sacrifices.
Yours was to leave your career to follow
your husband to this country. He could
have come to you in India and you would
still have your “exciting and fulfilling
career.” This could have left him feeling
resentful about having left America. Do
not be like those people who waste their
whole life vacillating between where they
want to live and never be happy.
If this land of opportunity is going to be
your future home, then be patient my dear
girl. The time will come when you will be
legally allowed to work. In the meantime,
you can enhance your qualifications with
refresher courses or just enjoy the free
time you have now with some hobbies or
other activities that you never had time
to do earlier. Make some new friends or
volunteer your time. If this doesn’t work
for you, you can always count on Oprah
and bon bons in the afternoon.
26
Q: Auntyji, my nephew is immigrating
to the US with his wife and two children
this winter. He does not have too many
professional or employable skills and
not too much spare money either. I am
worried how he will survive here.
Concerned Aunt in Jacksonville
A: Arre bahen, Auntyji knows exactly
how you feel. You want them to come
here and do well yet you are concerned
because it is not easy. If you try to make
your nephew aware of all the pitfalls that
await him, he will not be able to fully
understand what you mean. We have
all had to go through various struggles
in our lives and only those of us who
have settled down in this country, can
fully appreciate the countless sacrifices
we have had to make to fully assimilate
ourselves here.
So, instead of stressing out, just let
them carve their own path and experience
true life in the United States of America.
If they make it, you have another place
to go to for weekend dinners and gettogethers, and if they don’t, they have
only themselves to blame.
On this note, Auntyji bids her readers
alvida and waits to hear from you at
auntyji@citymasala.com. Don’t forget,
life is short – live it to the full with
attitude!
December 2006
CityMasala
27
December 2006
By: Ashish Jain
DAARU
KA NASHA
It’s the time of the year when we get into the “spirit” of the
holiday season. Eggnog is a drink associated with this festive
season and in my mind, this drink was probably discovered by
someone with a huge need for adrenalin in their system or way
too much time on their hands. Many believe that eggnog is a
tradition that was brought to America from Europe. Later, here
in America, a new twist was added to this wine and milk punch
where rum was substituted for wine. In colonial America, rum
was commonly called “grog”, so the name eggnog came about. I
have tried it and that is all I have to say about it!
Another event to look forward to during this season is the advent
of the New Year and as tradition dictates, we drink champagne
at midnight to bring in this occasion. I have an interesting
champagne story which happened way too long ago to me, back
in desh. At that time, the only champagne available was an import
from Russia. So, armed with this priceless booty from a foreign
land, we made our way to Jaipur to celebrate New Year’s Eve
with our friends. As we were all pretty new at the drinking game,
we shook the bottle really well before opening it. The final result
was that once the carpet and floor was done with our priceless
foreign booty,
we all got to
have a “little
sip”. Till date
we have no clue where the darned cork went.
Sparkling wine and champagne usually refer to the same drink
but real champagne comes from the Champagne region of France.
Both champagne and sparkling wine are made with a blend of
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. Champagnes and sparkling
wines are classified according to their sweetness. Natural - not
sweet and very dry; brut -a little sweet and dry; extra dry - often
flavored with fruit; and pink or blush – sweet.
Let’s take a look at the different brands of champagnes and
sparkling wines according to their pecking order (aka price):
Cooks, Korbel, Moet & Chandon or Bollinger are the more
affordable ones and if you truly have deep pockets, go for the
Dom Perignon or Krug. If you can’t pronounce it, don’t drink it!
Balle balle to all and see you next year.
Dining:
Deeya Indian Cuisine
By: Surabhi Jain
A simple
man with
a simple
mission:
Aftab
Singh’s
(owner)
desire is
to serve
authentic
north Indian
food in its
most mouthwatering
form. A
chef par
excellence, Aftab Singh took over Deeya
Indain Cuisine from its previous owner,
Satish Nair, about 6 months ago. Aftab
Singh has revamped the restaurant right
from the menu, seating arrangement, and
the service. He says, “I wanted to give
a different flavor not just to the food we
serve at Deeya, but also in terms of the
entire experience that our customers have
here.”
CityMasala
CityMasala
Make sure you have a huge appetite for
every imaginable north Indian delicacy
on the menu. For appetizers, do not miss
the chicken tikka, keema samosa, chicken
pakoda and the chef’s recommendation hot cheese pakoda made with home-made
paneer.
In the drinks area, there is lassi, mango
and regular, and a variety of alcohol
ranging from Indian beer, wine and soda.
The main courses have 13 chicken dishes
for the poultry lovers ranging from
chicken tikka, tandoori chicken, chicken
kashmiri, chicken do pyaza, chicken
vindaloo and Deeya’s special tikka
masala. However, butter chicken is the
favorite of most people who frequent the
restaurant. “Butter chicken is one dish that
I always cook myself no matter how may
orders we have in the day” says Aftab.
mushroom masala and even the mughlai
malai kofta on the platter. The authentic
sarson da saag at Deeya Indian Cuisine
will leave you wanting more.
Remember to keep enough space for those
not-to-miss desserts. Home made pistachio
and mango kulfi, warm gulab jamuns,
kheer loaded with dry fruits are among the
many sweet delicacies offered at Deeya.
Deeya Indian Cuisine offers a daily lunch
buffet at $8.55 and also specializes in
catering.
Deeya Indian Cuisine is located at 5166
E Bay Dr. Clearwater, FL 33764 and the
phone number is 727-539-0273.
A wide variety of lamb and sea-food
dishes are also available. Vegetarians
can indulge in equally inviting treats
ranging from kadhai matar paneer, shahi
paneer masala, bhindi masala, aloo gobi,
28
December2006
2006
December
CityMasala
29
December 2006
Tech Talk By Vish Viswanathan
Getting the Best Deals Online - Forget the mall…Hit the Web
We are heading towards one of the busiest shopping seasons of the year. How would it sound if I were to tell you to
put down your car keys, skip the long checkout lines and hit the web this holiday season? Check out some tips that I
have put together for shopping online. You can most definitely use these tips for electronic purchases but they apply to practically
anything you might be in the market for.
Tip #1
Research the product
If you’re uncertain about which specific
product to buy, don’t fret, there are
plenty of web sites which will provide
you with ample research data. Sites
like CNET: www.cnet.com, ZDNet:
www.zdnet.com, Consumer Reports:
www.consumerreports.org, and PC
Magazine: www.pcmag.com, provide
you with product reviews and ratings
for all types of gadgets and electronics.
There are sites that specialize in specific
technologies like Digital Camcorders:
www.dvspot.com, www.stevesdigicams.com, Digital Cameras: www.
dpreview.com, Audio Video: www.
avguide.com and www.avreview.com.
Check these sites and others to narrow
down your choices.
Tip #2
Feel the product
The next thing I like to do after I’ve
narrowed down my product list is to
check out the products physically by
visiting electronic stores like Best Buy
and Circuit City. This not only gives you
the opportunity to feel the products and
check out the features but also helps you
narrow down your list further.
Tip #3
Use Comparison Shopping Sites
Sites like Shopping: www.shopping.
com, Price Grabber: www.pricegrabber.
com, Froogle: froogle.google.com, Price
Scan: www.pricescan.com, mySimon:
www.mysimon.com, and Yahoo
Shopping: shopping.yahoo.com can
save you time as well as a considerable
amount of money. These comparison
shopping portals seek the lowest prices
on everything from the latest cell phones
to this season’s hottest fashions; plus they
calculate shipping and sales tax for you.
Yahoo Shopping even groups rebates
and coupons with the items and lets you
search by discount (e.g., 10%, 20%, and
50% savings.)
www.currentcodes.com offer thousands
of discounts from merchants ranging from
1-800-Contacts www.1800contacts.com
to Zappos Shoes: www.zappos.com.
Tip #4
Check out Bargain Sites
There are plenty of deals to be found on
bargain sites. Spoofee: www.spoofee,
Slickdeals: www.slickdeals.net, Ebates:
www.ebates.com, Tech Bargains: www.
techbargains.com, Hot Deals: www.
hotdealsclub.com, and Fatwallet: www.
fatwallet.com are a few of the largest
sites. Members post deals and coupons
and point you to the lowest prices and
best sales. Check these sites often and
move quickly if something catches your
eye because these bargains often go in a
matter of minutes.
Tip #6
Look for Rebates
Many items (especially consumer
electronics gear) come with rebates that
present significant savings. Sites like
buy.com and Amazon www.amazon.com
let you file these rebates online so that
you don’t have to worry about losing your
receipt. Manufacturer’s rebates require
you to mail in the UPC code and proof
of purchase. In either case, make sure
that you remember to file the rebate by
the due date or you’ll be out of luck (and
possibly a lot of cash).
Tip #5
Find Coupons and Code
Many manufacturers and web sites
offer online coupons for percentages
off, free shipping, and free gifts. There
coupons or discount codes aren’t highly
publicized and are often provided to
select groups (e.g., college students and
retirees) even though anyone is free to
use them. Site like Naughtycodes: www.
naughtycodes.com and Currentcodes:
Tip #7
Save on Shipping
Spend $25 or more on Amazon and you
qualify for free shipping. Look for items
marked “Eligible for Free Super Savings
Shipping” and expect to wait for three to
five business days longer than standard
shipping. Many online retailers like
Circuit City www.circuitcity.com offer
free shipping year-round when you spend
more than $25 or you can pick it up at a
Circuit City store near you.
If you’re looking to make a large
purchase like a Plasma TV or a new
PC, it might be worthwhile to purchase
a coupon from eBay www.ebay.com.
Sellers auction discount coupons that they
received during promotions or as prizes
from instant-win games.
So, work the web and Happy Shopping!! Please feel free to write in with comments and feedback to
techtalk@citymasala.com
CityMasala
30
December 2006
FLORIDA
THE MAIL ROOM
253 MERRITT SQUARE MALL
MERRIT ISLAND , FL 32952
ABC SUPERMARKET
6500 CARRIER DRIVE
ORLANDO, FL 32819
SEVEN STAR FOOD STORE
632 MASON AVENUE
DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32117
INDIA BAZAAR
5108 SUITE B 14TH ST. WEST
BRADENTON, FL 34207
TRAVEL KINGS
6610 E. FOWLER AVE. SUITE G
TAMPA, FL 33617
SAI KRISHNA
11636 A NORTH DALE MABRY HWY
TAMPA, FL 33618
DESI BAZAAR
8469 S. JOHN YOUNG PARKWAY
ORLANDO, FL 32819
INDIAN GROCERY
10046 CROSS CREEK BLVD
TAMPA, FL 33647
CHOWRANGI SUPERMARKET
1320 NORTH FEDERAL HWY
DELRAY BEACH, FL 33483
K INTERNATIONAL GROCERIES
9866 W SAMPLE ROAD
CORAL SPRINGS, FL 33065
CityMasala
31
December 2006
In the Kitchen
Creations by Anita Singh
Masaledar Stuffed Karelas
Vegetables
10 to 12 small Karelas.
2 tsp salt
1 tsp chilly powder
2 to 3 green chilies
1 tsp tamarind paste
1 tbsp garam masala
Couple of tbs of water to make it into
pasty consistency.
1 tsp tamarind paste
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp onion seeds (kalonjee)
Note: scrape the skin from the karelas,
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
make a slit and remove the seeds. Keep
7 to 8 curry leaves
leftover masala for the gravy.
2 to 3 red dry chilies broken into pieces
Roast these ingredients
1 bay leaf
8 tbsp sesame seeds
6 to 7 black pepper seeds
Other ingredients
5 tbsp coconut shredded
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 medium sized onion
4 tbsp peanuts
Salt according to taste
(Grind this along with one bay leaf and 2
1 tbsp jeera
1 tsp red chilly powder
small cardamoms.)
1 tbsp dhania seeds
1 tsp jeera powder
2 tbsp tomato paste or 2 medium sized
1 tsp garam masala powder.
Grind the above ingredients along with
tomatoes cut into small pieces.
½ cup oil
½ tsp haldi
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 to 2 cups of water
Method:
ginger garlic paste.
1. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan and fry the karelas until
6. Add salt, chilly powder, haldi and dhania powder and
they are slightly brown (not burnt).
cook for a minute or two.
2. Remove from oil and keep them aside, save the oil.
7. Add tomatoes/ tomato paste and sauté for 2 minutes.
3. Mix the ground masala well and stuff into the karelas.
8. Add the stuffed karelas and let cook for 3 minutes on
4. In the same oil used to fry the karelas, add mustard
medium heat.
seeds, onion seeds, dry red chilies, curry leaves, black
9. Add the left over ground masala and tamarind paste and
pepper seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon stick and fenugreek
cook for another 5 minutes. If you want more gravy, add
seeds until they sputter.
a cup of water and then check for seasoning.
5. Add the onion paste and fry till golden brown. Add
10. Add the garam masala powder.
Garnish with mint or coriander leaves.
The CityMasala BOOK CLUB
BORN ON THE MOUNTAINTOP: Satyam and Freedom Malhotra.
By: Sheniz Janmohamed
Do you want to save the
world? Strike that. Are
you addicted to saving the
world? If you think addictions are only
physical bad habits with psychological
consequences, you are sorely mistaken.
Satyam and Freedom Malhotra’s “Born
on the Mountaintop” is a fascinating
exploration of psychological addictionsfrom being addicted to saving the world to
being addicted to finding the perfect love
(and we know how fruitless that search
is!).
The book sets up a dichotomy between
two syndromes, ‘CLS’ and ‘ULS’. ‘CLS’
is the ‘Conditional Love State’ and ‘ULS’
is the ‘Unconditional Love State’. The
main purpose of the book is to move
from ‘The Conditional Love’ state to the
“Unconditional Love’ state. The authors
suggest that many individuals do not feel
‘worthy’ of love and therefore seek to gain
CityMasala
approval or worthiness through certain
activities that become addictive. One of
the reasons why individuals suffer from
CLS relates to preconceived notions of
‘success’ and ‘worthiness’ perpetuated by
societal and familial expectations.
The Malhotras state that it is important
to recognize disappointment or failure
because it is human. Reversing that
disappointment or failure by forcing
oneself to succeed is detrimental.
Born on the Mountaintop seems to be
influenced by Buddhist philosophy and
meditation techniques. Despite the fact
that the book’s premise revolves around
the problem of addiction and the constant
need to be loved and to achieve higher
success, it does not condone the opposite
reaction: sitting at home and doing
nothing. The purpose of the book is not
to discourage one’s aspirations to achieve
32
success but to re-evaluate WHY one seeks
success and acceptance.
Unlike many self-help books, Born on
the Mountaintop does not suggest that
the solutions provided will immediately
transform one’s life. Instead, it urges
readers to completely engage in the
techniques indicated and states that it
is only through a commitment to selftransformation that one’s life will be
transformed. In terms of structure, the
book is laid out neatly and concisely with
inspiring quotes to set the tone of the new
section or chapter.
Do you want to save the world? Find the
perfect love? Get the perfect job? Make
enough money? Work out to achieve
bodily perfection? Then you’re addicted.
Born on the Mountaintop might just be the
antidote. This book can be purchased on
www.memagic.com.
December 2006
CityMasala
33
December 2006
Body Talk
By Sanjay Puranik
Nutrition 101
The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don’t want, drink what you don’t like, and do what
you’d rather not. - Mark Twain
Of course, Mark Twain died at the ripe old age of 75 (in 1910 that was probably pretty good!). Besides
being a famous writer, he worked as a steamboat pilot, volunteered in the army, prospected for gold and
timber and even tried his hand at journalism. All in all, a pretty active life style, I would say! I wonder
what he would have done if he had 200 channels of TV, a car to get around, and the drive-through food
joints that we all frequent!
As I mentioned in my previous article, changing to a healthier lifestyle is never easy. Next to regular
exercise, good nutrition and eating right are the biggest part of a healthy lifestyle. In fact, I would argue
that it is more important to begin with nutrition before you start an exercise regimen. This is especially
true for people who are trying to lose excess weight. While most people realize the importance of
physical activity, the role of food and nutrition is often overlooked and underestimated. Nothing could
be further from the truth. In fact, exercise without a complementary diet is futile and self-defeating.
The 2-minute drill on the basics of
nutrition - Food is a source of energy
for your body to function just like your
car needs gasoline to run. Body converts
food to energy which in turn enables
you to perform all physical and mental
functions. There are six basic classes of
nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, fats,
vitamins, minerals, and water. A balance
between these nutrients is very important.
For example, too little iron (a mineral)
would lead to poor endurance and a lower
ability to burn fat while too much protein
can increase the risk of dehydration.
Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are
considered energy sources since they can
be ‘burned’ to produce energy. Vitamins
and minerals are essential for chemical
reactions in our body that produce energy.
Water carries nutrients to all cells in
the body and provides a medium for
exchange and conduction; i.e. to bring
good nutrients to the cells and take away
the waste products from the cells. Water
is essential for hydration to regulate the
body temperature.
It’s time to change - In order to maintain
energy from an exercise point of view,
the general rule is to eat smaller meals
at least five to six times a day. A lot of
people skip breakfast! That is one of the
worst things you could do. A fistful of
oatmeal with non-fat milk and a banana is
the breakfast of champions. Alternatively,
eat a couple of boiled eggs (preferably
only the egg whites) with wheat toast and
a glass of milk. Have a snack at 10 am
(not a bag of potato chips but an energy
bar or a piece of fruit should suffice)
followed by a moderate lunch.
Carbs: The Reality! You need energy to
be able to work out. Carbohydrates are
considered the limiting energy substrate,
which means you feel exhausted when
your carbs run out. Eating carbohydrates
at every meal is very important. Watch
out for carbohydrate foods with a high
glycemic index such as candy, potatoes
and sodas as they produce an excessive
insulin response which encourages your
body to manufacture fat. Carbs with a
lower glycemic index avoid this excessive
insulin response, such as those found in
apples, peaches, plums, kidney beans,
chick peas, milk and yogurt.
Proteins: include some protein in all your
meals but avoid going on a protein-rich
diet that is deficient in carbohydrates. Our
bodies cannot process excess protein so it
is useless to overdo protein in any single
meal - unless you are training to be the
next world body building champion and
are working out at the gym 2-4 hours a
day. Good sources of proteins include
cheese, chicken (skinned and trimmed),
milk, yogurt, tuna, soy, turkey and peanut
butter.
Fats: pay attention to the amount and
type of fats consumed. Fats are essential
for our bodies but most people consume
more fats than they should. Eat foods that
are lower in saturated fat. Keep that can
of ghee to cook only Diwali foods. Put it
away for the rest of the year. Olive and
canola oils are good cooking mediums
containing mono and polyunsaturated
fatty acids which tend to lower
cholesterol. It certainly helps to reduce
the amount of oil used in cooking. That
chicken curry will taste just as good even
without an inch of oil floating on top!
Vitamins and Minerals: the best way to
ensure adequate vitamin consumption is
to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables
every day. Vegetarians should consider
vitamin supplements for iron and zinc,
since these are predominantly available
through meat sources.
Water: DRINK LOTS OF IT!!! I
cannot emphasize this enough. Most
people drink water when they feel
thirsty. However, this thirst sensation is
a delayed response to fluid loss from the
body. Staying optimally hydrated is very
important, especially if you are planning
to start an exercise program. Drink small
quantities of water throughout the day for
a total of 6-8 glasses per day.
Please send an email to
bodytalk@citymasala.com with questions
or comments.
There is a lot of information available on the internet which may be contradictory and confusing. If you are not sure, consult your
physician or a certified dietician to plan your diet. Nutrition coupled with an exercise program is a great start to get you on your way
to a healthier lifestyle and general wellbeing. For more information on nutrition and nutrition related topics, check out the following
websites: www.intelihealth.com or www.positivehealth.com.
CityMasala
34
December 2006
Star Lite Star Brite
By Astrologer Nicolas Aujula
HOROSCOPE
Zodiac of the Month
Sagittarius Nov 22nd – Dec 21st Ruled by: Jupiter; Gemstone: Yellow Sapphire; Lucky Day: Thursday
Bestowed with optimism, you are a thrill seeker and love to takes risks. In your eyes nothing can bring you down. Being a
natural adventurer you love to explore the world and to meet new people. Your love for knowledge is strong- whether in
reading the latest novel or speculating over the ins and outs of philosophy. You have an inherent need for new information.
You possess a strong yet erratic sex drive and your need for freedom should be respected.
Your Horoscope: This can be a quiet and reflective time when you spend time pondering over your life’s purpose. You become more
secluded as you need time to yourself to analyze where you are going and where you have come from. This meditation can lead
togreater inner transformation.
Aries: Mar 20th-Apr 19th
to bigger and better things.
1000 watt energy. It is a time for initiating
Ruled by Mars; Gemstone: Red Coral;
new goals and fighting forward with those
Lucky Day: Tuesday
Leo: Jul 23rd – Aug 22nd
ambitions. Nothing can stand in your way
Keep a check on your
Ruled by the Sun; Gemstone: Ruby;
as you aim to reach for the stars.
finances and debts as you may
Lucky Day: Sunday
overextend yourself without
You will be at your most
Capricorn: Dec 22nd – Jan 19th
thinking. Pay off those piled
comfortable at home
Ruled by Saturn; Gemstone: Blue
up bills and avoid being extravagant
where you will spend time
Sapphire; Lucky Day: Saturday
otherwise you may fall deeper into
entertaining friends and
You feel secure around friends
financial turmoil. New friends come
making your surroundings special with
and associates as you share
along with whom you may develop an
some new interior additions. Avoid getting similar ideas and ideals that
emotionally deep bond.
involved in heated arguments with those
are important to you. Working
around you as this can cause some serious with others can lead to bigger and better
Taurus: Apr 20th – May 20th
damage to personal relations.
opportunities for you. Old friendships can
Ruled by Venus; Gemstone: Diamond;
come to an abrupt end as you realize that
Lucky Day: Friday
Virgo: Aug 23rd – Sep 22nd
you have outgrown certain people in your
Heated conversations and
Ruled by Mercury; Gemstone: Emerald; life.
debates can highlight your
Lucky Day: Wednesday
relationship where you will
You are buzzing with new
Aquarius: Jan 20th – Feb 18th
enjoy challenging each
ideas and are eager to soak
Ruled by Saturn and Uranus;
other’s view points. Just don’t let it turn
up knowledge by reading or
Gemstone: Blue Sapphire; Lucky Day:
into a power struggle that leaves you with
taking a new course. Friends
Saturday
a bitter taste in your mouth. Gifts from
can be a source of great mental stimulation
You will be ambitious and
a significant other can sweep you off the
for you as you expand your horizons and
headstrong in your professional
floor.
you will want to communicate your points
life as you make your way
of view to all and sundry.
climbing the career ladder. Be
Gemini: May 21st – Jun 20th
careful about upsetting those
Ruled by Mercury; Gemstone: Emerald; Libra Sep 23rd – Oct 21st
in authority as it can be a long fall to the
Lucky Day: Wednesday
Ruled by Venus; Gemstone: Diamond;
bottom. This is a time for making those all
There may be ample
important career changes that will affect
Lucky Day: Friday
opportunities for expansion
your life for years to come.
You are an extravagant spender
within your workplace. New
and will want to pull out all
ideas and projects can take you places
Pisces: Feb 19th – Mar 19th
the stops as you go consumer
and there may be scope for work in other
crazy. Just remember to stay
Ruled by Jupiter and Neptune; Gemstone:
countries. Healthwise you may feel a little within your limit otherwise a scary credit
Yellow Sapphire; Lucky Day: Thursday
strained. Take plenty of rest and go on a
card bill may give you the shudders. Avoid A trip to another country can
healthy diet. A new fitness regime will
taking financial risks. Friends may ask for be very beneficial for you as
certainly get you back in shape.
money. Helping them out is fine but before you will get much needed rest
handing over your cash remember that you and respite. You will be able to mix with
Cancer: Jun 21st – Jul 22nd
may not see it again.
the locals to get a taste of the sights and
Ruled by the Moon; Gemstone: Pearl;
culture. A romantic admirer from another
Lucky Day: Monday
Scorpio: Oct 23rd – Nov 21st
country or from a different background can
It’s time for fun and
Ruled by Mars & Pluto; Gemstone: Red become more significant in your life.
socializing! Attend parties
Coral; Lucky Day: Tuesday
and gatherings where you
You are bold and confident as Nicolas Aujula is a certified Astrologer
with the New Age Foundation. He is a
can let your hair down to
you go about your daily life.
multi-disciplined practitioner qualified in
feel free again. Your creativity will come
However, don’t overpower
out to express your artistic side. Let your
those around you as they may Natural Health and Holistic Therapies and
is a Counselor and Therapist.
inspiration turn into reality as this will lead not be able to handle your new surge of
CityMasala
35
December 2006
CLASSIFIEDS
Employment:Be a part of CityMasala, the fastest growing Desi publication in the state of Florida! We are looking for Sales people in the south Florida area. If you are
friendly and outgoing and would like to have flexible timings, call Chhaya at 813-476-5415 or email your resume to
chhaya@citymasala.com
Malani Jewelers: NEW LOCATION ON 2367 E. Fowler Ave.
is looking for pleasant mannered and courteous sales people
for their brand new store. Call Noor at 404-376-9037
CityMasala
36
December 2006
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December 2006