Moving

We are moving to our own home-finally!!

It feels great to see your home take shape from the foundation stage to the completion stage.We really cannot wait to pack and move and actually start living there.

Just before booking this flat,we had paid advance to another flat which was almost our dream home.Sprawling and spacious with the perfect plan,we had even decided where to place our stuff and bang,some problems and we had to let go of that one.To say we were disappointed would be putting it lightly.It was ready for occupation too,so we had dreamt of moving there the very next month.Well,as my appa says,everything happens for the best and we believe it happened so that we could get this home in a prime location and that too from a reputed builder.

After months of waiting,next week is the moving date.Can-not-wait!!

Shall update details after moving-till then take care and God bless!

6 things which happened since my last post

1.I got a maid for doing the household work as soon as I posted my last blog entry.As expected,I am not completely happy with her but it is alright,both of us are managing well.She speaks very little,comes sharp at 8 every morning,finishes her work and leaves.Works well for the time being.

2.We finalized the interiors for our new flat and work is progressing fast.We hope to get everything done and move in by November 1st week max.Hope everything turns out well.

3.I made a couple of trips to my hometown,actually went in once every month since June:) and I am loving it.Going home is now more looked forward to as I have a li'l candy(my bro's baby girl)there to play with and cuddle.

4.I got a much required hair cut.My hair had grown too long and out of shape.I am never able to decide at a given point whether I want long hair or short.Immediately after a hair cut,I proclaim I want long hair and wouldn't cut my hair till it reaches at least my waist length.But each and every time,it grows out of shape and I go for a cut.I am happy this time,but not entirely so when it comes to the style.Maybe I should go for straightening or smoothening?

5.I taught basic baking skills to amma and guess what,she's a very enthusiastic learner and has mastered the famous Dates cake so well.We also made kick-ass Nankhatai and now I can relax and ask her to bake me truckloads when I am in Ekm,another one into the list:)

6.Ajay has asked me to choose a Birthday gift and as usual,I am uncertain.Have  thought about a couple of things,maybe I will decide in a month's time or so,let's see.

If any one is reading this(other than me)hope you are doing alright-God bless!

Home-maid!

I've not been entirely lucky with my house-hold helps.Initially the lack of communication[I didn't know Tamil and they didn't know anything else but Tamil]and ignorance[not knowing how to instruct them etc]were the main reasons but even after I picked up the language I really couldn't master the art.First thing,I find it difficult to go behind their backs and make sure they are doing every job the right way.


Most of my maids didn't last more than a year and a half.The main reason to leave would almost always be--I thought there were only 2 of you and very less work but you seem to have guests every weekend[more utensils to clean]and lots of clothes to wash[we don't have a washing machine,strange,I know]


I found it depressing to welcome another new one because I have an issue.I take time to get settled with one and going through the same grind with another one causes me a headache.I thought all my issues were resolved when I hired A a while back.Without realizing,she stuck with me for more than 3 years,a fact quite bewildering considering my previous track records.


Today,after taking a day leave and with a pile of laundry and an even bigger pile of dirty utensils to wash,she dropped the bomb.She came and said she is suffering with acute back pain and cannot continue the job,no not even the leftover job she was supposed to finish.I thought it was the most depressing news I had heard,but surprisingly not.I donned my apron and set about doing the work.In less than 3 hours,I finished the laundry[by hand],mopped the house and finished washing all the utensils and gave myself a good pat on my back.


Now I am contemplating whether to keep a maid or not.I have got enough time to decide since I've made up my mind that I can do every job that she did[even better]with time.


So till another maid-story seeya!!

I got it!

My first jeans was a Lee regular fit,waist size was 28 and I comfortably fitted into it for a good 2-3 years.After that it was 30 and then 32 and then..thank God jeans expands with use or else I'd have to switch to 34 too,what a dreaded thought!!


Slowly and steadily I came back to 30 and now guess what,it is not about the size anymore but the shape!!I got myself Ajay got me a Levis Curve id Demi curve jeans and guess what the waist size is -- 28 and I am jumping in joy,it definitely is about the size I say!


Can't wait to flaunt it!!


What is your curve id?

Just another day!

[image source]


I have always believed birthdays and anniversaries have to be celebrated with pomp and glory and probably continue to believe it but yesterday was just that--just another day!


Ajay and I celebrated 9 years of wedded bliss and we let the day pass without much celebrations.I can't yet believe I let that happen,but it was a natural thing.Monday being a working day,we decided to advance the celebrations by a day and went out for a lovely lunch out to a great sizzler joint - Tangerine.I love it that they have plenty of options for vegetarians as opposed to some places where they just serve a cutlet on a bed of herb rice and call it veg sizzler--yeah,been there,done that!

After that,we went to the much happening joint in Chennai--Express Avenue.Ajay gave me a blank-cheque shopping deal,ok that means he asked me to get anything I wanted.Now why do I become a party pooper the moment he says that,I don't know.I let go a chance of getting a Levis Curve id jeans[yeah that one is so much in vogue these days]saying it costs a bomb.We went to a great Indian designer store-Soch and I got 3 pretty Kurtis and loved it absolutely.


We then went to Sangeetha to have hot filter kaapi and headed back home.We had friends over for dinner and ordered Chinese.I baked a simple Cherry cake and we finished it in no time.


After all this,the d-day felt like just another day.We wished each other first thing in the morning[yeah,that was there]and went about doing our chores and the day got over--just like that!I didn't even bake a cake--blasphemous,I know!


Now I want the Levis Curve Id jean..Ajay,are you reading this??

Comments..or the lack of it!!

During my initial days of blogging[food blogging],a dear friend of mine who was an avid blogger told me something.That,blogging is a game,you need people to read your post-fine,you want them to comment on your posts--you got some work to do.I was clueless about all this comment thing,not even knowing where the comment form was at the end of this post!!

I was apprehensive posting comments on other people's blog,some of them whom I totally adored fearing that they might trail me out and see my ugly ducking blog.But then,I fell in love with my baby blog and as and when I started taking good care of it,I wanted people to come,see appreciate and encourage me further in this.


Blogging,was starting to become a passion and I spent more and more time on it.

As time passed and the posts increased,I started getting comments on a regular basis,most of them from my regular reader base.I felt happy and almost jubilant that bloggers whom I adored commented on my posts.


My comment policy was simple,if I liked a blog post-I would comment.Irrespective of the fact,if that blogger comments on my posts or not.Similarly,I might not comment on each and every bloggers posts who comment on my blogs[even though I'd love to!].If I start commenting on every blog post which appears on my reader or on every one's blogs who comment on mine,one day would not be enough.


When I started this blog,I never thought my posts would get comments on it.I started it so that I could write down my thoughts/feelings or whatever came to my mind.I was glad when someone asked me to write here regularly.So I am hoping to continue writing here and get some comments too..get the drift?

The Birthday Cake

Yes,after all that huffing and puffing yesterday,I finished baking the cake on time and it got the much required resting period[almost 7 hours]during which time the flavors set in very beautifully.While cutting the cake,the knife just slid in which made my heart beat faster as to how it would taste after all.


One bite into it,Ajay gave his thumbs up.He absolutely loved it and had as much as 3 slices!I loved it too but couldn't have much,all the licking of ganache and whipped cream while decorating the cake took its toll.I enjoyed the cake today,in fact had a big slice as my breakfast.Deep chocolate flavor and the creamy chocolate cream and ganache..YUM!

Ajay's Birthday Cake Preps

Hershey's Perfect Chocolate Cake - Baking in the oven  Cooled,moistened with syrup,filled and crumb coated
Filling - Chocolate whipped cream - cooling in the fridge  whipped and used for filling
Frosting - Dark Chocolate Ganache - done


Ideas for decorating the cake - still in the thought process stage!  I finished decorating the cake.As always,not fully satisfied,but okay,let me see how photogenic it looks finally.


I hope to finish everything by noon so that the cake can get the resting time in the fridge and ready to cut in the evening.


Usually,Ajay has absolutely no demands when it comes to his Birthday cake,but this year,almost a month back he asked me to make Death by Chocolate Cake for his birthday.That put me in pressure.It is different making something for pleasure and its different when you are under pressure to perform.I hope I have done it right and the birthday boy will like it.*fingers crossed*

Thattukada ~ Restaurant Review

Thattukada,literally means street side shop.We heard about the place first time from a dear friend who was a big fan of their 'meter chaya',which was their classic tea made the Kerala tea-shop style.They started their first outlet in Spencer Plaza and we frequented the place whenever we went to the mall.


They specialized in 'Thalaserry Biriyani',which is a typical Kerala Biryani made with small grained Jeera rice.Ajay was a big fan of their Chicken as well as Mutton Biryani and always ordered it.The portion was just right for one person,not too much or too less.Biryani came with a thick coconut chutney,onion raita and a papad.


I ordered their snack items-Parippu Vada-a spiced lentil vada which tastes best with their meter chaya.Pazham Pori,very immodestly I have to say that I make better pazham poris.What we got was pazham pori which was too oily and too chewy.I always asked for Ela Ada-steamed rice pancakes with coconut-jaggery filling,but it was always unavailable.


We checked out their Ascendas outlet too.Here the Biryani was just OK,according to Ajay.Since we went there for dinner,none of the snack items were available.I opted for Porotta with Veg Kurma and as expected,it was good.The porottas were flaky and crispy,just like how it should be.The kurma was tasty but nothing great.


The best[worst!] for the last.We had gone to watch Christian Brothers[review might come soon] and for dinner we checked out their outlet in Express Avenue.The staff were Tamilians,which was quite difficult because most of the items,we had to pinpoint and tell them.I ordered a Veg Combo which had Buttermilk-too watery and tasteless,Parippu vada,which was just about Ok comparitively,Coconut chutney and Pickle-good,Porotta-which had a faint essence smell,Veg Kurma--same taste,nothing great-nothing bad.I had a choice of rice,but only on the menu.They did not have ghee rice,so I was served Plain Biryani rice.Only saving grace was the payasam,which was warm and hence edible.


Here comes the twist,they did not have Thalassery Biryani which was such a dampener because they said that only while serving,after we had ordered and paid the bill!It was an anyones-guess-cuisine Biryani.Ajay was very hungry so had most of the Chicken Biryani he ordered though unwillingly.A friend who ordered Mutton biryani found pieces of Chicken in it other than one sole piece of Mutton.Egg Kothu Porotta had only eggs and onions and no porotta.


All in all a very bad experience.I would only recommend Spencer Plaza Thattukada if you ever plan to visit that place.Though not authoritatively because it has been ages since we went to Spencer.So there..enter at your own risk!

Yutham Sei - Movie Review

I am kind of biased when it comes to a few heroes/directors when I am watching a movie.Despite hearing rave reviews of the movie,I was hesitant to watch Yutham Sei because Cheran is not actually my favorite[I liked him in Autograph,but that's it].Ajay kept on telling that we should watch the movie but I kept on postponing it.I shouldn't have!


For someone who went on with preconceived notions of "not liking" the movie,I have come out liking the movie so much that we are still discussing it and are planning to watch it again.


The movie begins with a few here and there scenes where a girl is supposedly kidnapped,strange parcels with human body parts starts appearing in public places and the usual fare associated with it.Cheran,a CB-CID officer is assigned the task of finding out who is behind all this gory crimes but he is hesitant and asks for medical leave as he wants to search his sister who was kidnapped a while back.The senior officer convinces him and he is assigned the job with two junior officers.


Once they start investigating the case,slowly pieces fall into places.Many more killings and kidnappings follow and the audience is literally on the edge of their seats to find out who is actually behind it.It takes a while to understand why these incidents actually happen,but when you do you truly are stunned and nodding your heads in approval.


After few more killings and extremely gory scenes,everything comes to an end you truly feel justice prevails.Revenge is the only true emotion of the human mind and the director has portrayed it to the T.


Cheran is perfect as the no-nonsense officer but in the bridge fight scene,it is hard to believe that he actually fights against eight goons[with a nail cutter as his only weapon]and gets all of them arrested,a tad difficult to believe.His junior officers Prakash and Tamizh[screen names] have performed well too,especially Tamizh.


All in all a good thriller albeit in between the plot gets a little slow,you kind of start to feel-ok,enough killings and kidnappings what next?Good show by all the actors.Watchable again.