Masking the pain

What is it that changes… Does the amount of pain you go through decreases as time passes by or do you learn to mask it as time passes… People say time is the best healer, i wish we could measure this healing, in a number of minutes, hours, days, months … or couple of years..or until our last breath, but with a loss like this… time does no justice. Loosing ma, 2 years ago… is still something difficult to get over… and then loosing bhai… sometimes I just catch myself staring into a blank space asking… why did he have to go soon?  where has he just disappeared? Why are things around us so unpredictable, Why him, Why Us? And the truth is … you are never going to find out WHY ? 

I think the only thing we learn as we move on in life, let me correct … drag on in life without our loved ones beside us is that we learn to MASK our pain. We no longer show our vulnerable side to the world , the side that wants to scream out loud, the side that wants to cry, the side that wants to release all the pent up emotions, the side that wants to rip the hair apart, the side that is so so helpless, the side that wants to go back in time and bring the person back… All we can do is , we learn to mask this pain. MASK it with the fakeness, MASK it with things that give us temporary relief from our pain, MASK it with buying new things that make us happy for a while, MASK it with going to places that reminds us of them, MASK it with people, friends, relatives, soulmates who are there with us for a brief period of time, only to know that when these reasons disappear… what creeps back into our lives is darkness, anxiety, fear, pain, depression, helplessness and a sinking feeling that will only keep pulling you down… 

i've learnt that ...we never get over the pain, we never move on… We just learn to MASK it!

The Wilderness is calling ... & I must go

There's something about the Wilderness that beckons my soul. Something that takes me away from the mundane into the world i have been searching all my life... Something that gives me the serenity and peace that I having been looking outside all through... only to find it within me when I am wandering into these pathless woods...

I have seen the landscapes in the country where I live when it rains and I have seen the way the surroundings here on my motherland change... when tiny droplets of water falls from the vault of heaven to unite with the earth's dusky skin leaving you mesmerised with the wonders of nature... the fragrance of the wet soil, the inception of the greens...the feeling of being alive... There is a vast difference when it rains there and when it rains here... It is soul stirring here...

 I had always missed feeling changing seasons there... every season brings with it a new zest of life .. the changing patterns in the nature.. tells me about the changes i need to make within me.. the withering of leaves to allow the fresh green leaves to be born again, the rain washing the earths crust only for the layer beneath to be exposed and show how fertile the landscapes could be... the snow and the cold weather showing us the importance of warmth..Mother Nature is our biggest preceptor, our guru, our mentor... and it's high time we learn to listen to the unsaid...

The more I wander into the mountains, a place away from the hustle bustle of the city life... the more I feel like I belong there.. I want to feel the wind brush against my bare skin, the musky scents of the earth after it rains, the ever flowing rivers and the mighty waterfalls, the red pinks purples blooming all around... the untouched green landscapes, the fresh air... listen to the music that the earth plays... enjoy the sounds of silence... To lose myself only to find myself again, feel in love with everything around me.. within me, to me going to the woods is like going home... it's yet another time that i feel the Wilderness is calling ... & I must go...

In Aussie Land

After about 4 years of waiting and wanting to go to Sydney, we finally managed to plan a year in advance to visit family back there, and witness an epic episode in our lives, the World Cup Semi Finals.

Landed at the Kingsford Smith Airport on 25th of March after travelling for 12 + hours from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur and finally to our destination New South Wales. It took us almost an hour and half to finish all the formalities and walk out, the longer ques and the slower service reminded us that how lucky are we to stay in Singapore where getting in and out of the airport is a matter of couple of minutes, but then again, i guess the amount of rush at the Sydney airport could be due to the World Cup Semis.

On our way home managed to pick up the tickets, first look at the Sydney City Centre and the streets signages did not impress me much, since i was comparing Sydney to Singapore, which happens to be a spic and span city with one of the best directional signages and easy access. Here's a peak into my 14 day wanderlust.

 & Food It is ..
After a good sleep, dressed and left for a lovely time with the extended family -Dinner at a Spanish Tapas Bar, Alegrias - the food was finger licking yum, got to try a lot of new dishes, but PatatasBravas stole the show for me, the aioli dippings were out of the world, finished the dinner with some really delicious Churo's and Pana Cotta. If you happen to ever go to Sydney, at Darling Street, this restaurant is sure not to be missed.

Howzzat ???
Finally, the D day that me, my better half and my brother in law were super exited about, the World Cup Semis, showed up with a true Indian Spirit in tri coloured tshirts and crazy looking wigs hoping the shutterbugs would catch our attention,only to realise way too many did the same...  the excitement was building up. It was my first time to witness this nerve wrecking sport LIVE. It gave me  goosebumps each time the entire stadium stood up and screamed in union...the longest wave formation of the crowd across the stadium..  wow what a feeling, nothing divided the human spirit here, and i guess eventually thats what matters in life as well... although we lost, the experience itself left a mark on my heart and something that i would treasure always! INDIA INDIA !!!

North Head with The Bhasi Bros
Drove down to the suburbs of Sydney to a beautiful place called NorthHead.. all i could see is the bright blue sky the mountains and feel the crisp air... Theres always something about the countryside that makes you feel connected with yourself. The walk to the creeks was exhilarating, the views were breathtaking  and the journey with siblings cracking jokes and endless laughter was definitely worth the ride.

Sydney Harbour & Opera House
Anything that looks grandeur from afar looses its charm as you go closer, unlike the Taj ... For me the Opera House looked beautiful from far specially in the evening when it was lit up... but the closer i got i did not fathom it anymore... the view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge was beautiful though.
Taking the trains from home and wandering on your own was certainly the best part of all the days that i enjoyed the most.

Blue Mountains, Leura, Katoomba, Featherdale.. Nature At its Best ...
This was the best part of the trip... we both drove down to Blue mountains and it was the best place i ever had been to..Temperatures dipping down to 8 and 9 brrr cold chill windy rainy foggy all at the same time .... i thought to myself, if i ever would retire it would be in a place like this in the lap of nature, surrounding by beautiful green mountains, the crisp wind caressing your body and the drizzle drenching your soul... Sitting next to the fireplace at night sipping some wine and then falling asleep in the warmth from the fire ....

Leura was a small sleepy town closer to Blue Mountains... just one small lane with tiny boutiques selling amazing curios and other things, The breakfast here - Pan Cakes with Strawberry Coulis and fresh Cream was to die for. Blue mountain had 3 scenic rides. A cable car ride (with glass bottom) between the two mountain creeks... worlds steepest mining railway ride and another one all of which were something that gave me a high ... with breath taking views and nerve wrecking adventure..

Blue mountains are called as Blue Mountains, because the entire area around the 3 sisters looks blue due the oxygen mixing with the oil from the eucalyptus trees and emit a bluish light giving a different kind of freshness to the surroundings and a blue aura all around... The 3 sisters are the tall mountains standing next to each other, the locals have a story around it as to why these mountains were called The Three Sisters - An interesting one!

The Feather Dale Wildlife was a fun experience as well.. love  the Koalas to bit, those sleepy huggable creatures are too cute. They sleep like 20 hours a day, feed on eucalyptus
leaves and wake up only for a couple of hours, what a life... the Kangaroos were a  beautiful sight too specially with the little ones tucked in their mommys tummies... getting to experience all this in their natural habitat and not in cages was a lovely sight.. totally worth...

The Beaches, Nora Head Light House, Pelican Feeding and Kiama Blowhole
The landscapes change the way you perceive things..i feel every part on the earth would resemble like something that you have already seen.. like if i want tea estates and if i travel to Ooty in INDIA and if i travel to Cameron Highlands in Malyasia.. the landscapes would just be mirror images.. the only thing that would differ is the people (Natives & the food culture). Bondi Beach walk was an experience in itself, It was raining cats and dogs and so windy that i thought i would be blown off. The sea that had gone from looking calmer to ferocious.... scary and exciting at the same time!!! 

The Nora head Light House Beach.. rocky beach.. with just a beautiful lighthouse.. very few tourists around, the sound of waves splashing against the rocks.. the sky changing its hues from orange blue purple... something just your eyes can capture and feel it ... no camera would justify this feeling. 

The Pelican feeding was a touristy Thing.. but it still amazes me that everyday at a particular time even before the guy who would feed them arrived, the pelicans would reach the place before. Even during the time when there is day light savings and people change their clocks to match the new time, these creatures are smart enough to still make a point to reach the place for their daily dose of the Fish minus the chips... that reminds me.. the fish and chips and the aioli dipping... yum :). 

The Great Ocean Road Drive was very scenic and magical. Our Destination for the day was Mount Kiama . Kiama is the worlds largest blow hole.
The water from the ocean gushes inside at a very high speed that pushes it up through an opening and water splashes all over like Lava oozing out forcefully from the earths crust...We would wait for a couple of minutes to see how high the water would reach and were lucky enough to witness that it went up quite high... Mission Accomplished another new experience added in the diary of life.

Jenolan Caves... out of the world experience. Zindagi na Milegi Dobara wala feeling.

The Jenolan Caves are Limestone Caves located in the Central Table Land region west of the Blue mountains in New South Wales. The Caves and Conservation Reserve are inscribed to form part of the UNESCO world Heritage site. 

We went to the Orient Caves and the Imperial Caves. This cave contains some of the grandest formations in the complex and was steam cleaned to preserve them in 1968. Until 1954, this cave, along with the Temple of Baal and Ribbon Caves, were only accessible through the River Cave. All the formations that were formed inside due to millions of years of fossil deposits and limestone deposits were a wonder of nature... anything i would want to put in words would just spoil the beauty of the unseen part of the world.. just see for yourself once to feel what it feels like.. 

Outings to cousins place, bonding with my nieces, brother is law, co sister and shopping were a couple of other fun times, days passed by quickly and it was time to head back to Pavilion. Singapore Calling , Back to the Grind. Sydney you were a wonderful experience!

"I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery - air, mountains, trees, people. I thought, "This is what it is to be happy."

Working in Singapore

... After a gap of almost 2 years of doing nothing interesting and not working, life starts becoming dull and boring... the honeymoon phase of marriage is over and reality starts kicking in.
With all the restrictions Singapore has, it was really difficult to find a job. After struggling for almost 2 years, managed to get a freelance that paid me really well, followed by a creative internship with a well established firm here and finally a full time job into events as a visual designer.
The journey has been exhilarating. Loved each part of my work where i gained knowledge, got to know the Singapore market, how things work different in India & here , excluding the Indian clients, who are very difficult to work with be it here or back in India. That apart, the fun of working in the events industry, designing, being on ground, being behind the screen.. and loads more...
With work comes a lot of responsibility of juggling between home and work, Singapore being such a convenient place, eating meals outside was super affordable and coming back home after a hectic day and relaxing was possible, getting a helper to clean on weekends was easy too.  Earning in dollars and saving money and then converting it to rupees was such an exciting chore. And a dream of having my own house sometime in the near future looks promising.
Working in Singapore, i am so loving it :)

Amchi mati amchi manasa

Festivals 
Coming from a culture that celebrates festivities almost throughout the year, it was sort of difficult to sustain without being able to celebrate all that a true Maharashtrian would.

Well to begin with Ganesh Utsav - anyone who hails from Maharashtra would understand the sentiments behind celebrating this festival. The dhol, tashas, decorations, family gatherings, cultural programs, food and everthing associated with it. Being married to a malayalee, who celebrate just onam and vishu - 2 festivals throughout the year, was a little difficult to digest. Finally, after the first year of marriage, decided to celebrate ganesh utsav. It was in Kuala Lumpur then, bought a Ganesh idol months before the festival and coloured it myself. So this is where it began, Ganesh Stapana then continued for the next and the next year in Singapore.

Thanks to a whole bunch of lovely people in Singapore who visited our place and made this festival even more enjoyable. This year even for walking along with us for the Visarjan, to bid adeu to our beloved bapa.
Bola, Ganpati Bappa Morya !!!

Marathi Movies 
Missed watching the marathi soaps, and the movies, but not anymore. So grateful to organizers who brought in 2 amazing movies in the last year - Lagna Pahave Karun - first marathi movie watched by my hubby (thanks to the english subtitles) and he totally loved it, and the very recent one - "Timepass". Its such a amazing feeling to share such experiences with your better half, since we belong to different cultures. Looking for more ahead.

Food 
From the very popular breakfast - poha, to batata wada, and puran polis to anarse to groceries that every maharashtrian kitchen should have is available here in Singapore. Kokum, chutneys, thalipeeth ata, name it and you get it.
Thanks to my dear friend Sweeny, who introduced me to this place Peshwai that caters to all my grocery needs.

It's truly a home away from home.

Vegetarian food options in Singapore

Being a veggie, isn't an easy thing, especially when you are out of your country. Finding food that belongs to your part of the city is a boon !!!
Since singapore has a cosmo crowd, you can find variety of restaurants and food stalls catering veggie food. Well, some do serve non veg, and quite a handful a pure vegetarian. Whatever, it is, it definitely has mouthwatering food that takes you down the memory lane by offering you authentic khana, reminding you of nothing but HOME .

Here's a list of Veg Food places in Singapore for veggies around

Authentic Gujarathi Food :
Swaad Pure Vegetarian restaurant.
Everything  a traditional gujarathi thali has is available her. Phoolka's as thin as paper and super soft and piping hot comes along with the thali. Variety of veggies / daals / khichadi / rice / farsan / chutney / papad
Above all i found Kachhi Dabeli, after literally craving for it for a year. ( All Dabeli Lovers would know the feeling )

Rates - 7 - 10 SGD.
Taste - 9 /10
Address : Swaad Pure Veg Restaurant, 70 Desker Road, 
Call : 82856865

Gujarathi Thali Meal

Kachhi Dabeli

Authentic Maharashtrian Food :

Mumbai 2 Goa

Currently this is my favourite place when it comes to Breakfast. 

Typical Maharashtrian Breakfast - I am sure every household in Pune / Mumbai would agree.

Pohe, upma, sheera, kandabhaji, batatawada,  misal, and chai. The taste is 9 /10, everything is super delicious.

Try it for yourself. Apart from this it also serves, typical Goan, Konkani food.

Rates - 4.90 SGD (unlimited Breakfast - 7.00am  to 10.00am.

Taste - 9 /10

Address : Mumbai 2 Goa, 77 Syed Alwi Road, Singapore

Call : 69080397

Authentic Punjabi Food :

Jaggis North Indian Cuisine

May it be the simple Rajma chawal, or  Kulcha / Paratha, this place is for someone who loves north indian 

cuisine minus the rich thick fattening gravies. Unlike restaurant style  North Indian food, this one differs coz it tastes like home cooked food. The salad along with the onion mango mint chutney they serve here with everything you buy is just too good to be left out. An old aunty rolling one roti after the other and catering to the peak time demands with a smiling face and love shows in the food and the taste.  

  

Rates - 5 - 10 SGD (more if you add starters / desserts)

Taste - 9 /10

Address : Jaggis North Indian Cuisine, 34, 36 Race course Road

Call : 62966141

Website : www. jaggis.com

Thai Food :

Thai Smile Cafe (11am to 3am)

My all time favourite, since the food here is super yummy and doesn't leave a hole in your pocket, extremely affordable. 

are good options for starters. The aroma of lemongrass,the herbs and coconut milk leaves your stomach and your soul satisfied. Do try the Thai coconut - sweet and refreshing!

Thai Green Curry with fresh vegetables dumped in, steamed rice and mango salad, an awesome combination, and a must try. Spring rolls and fried tofu 

Rates - 7-10 SGD

Taste - 10 /10

Address : 8 Lorong Telok (Behind Boat Quay), Singapore

Call : 653300023, 65367576

Thai Express : 

They have one entire section of menu for vegetarians !!!

Pad Thai Noodles (sweet spicy taste) with a whole lot of herbs and veggies are worth trying. Olive fried rice is a great option for someone who can enjoy the tanginess of olives. It tastes quite different from the normal fried rice.

To top it all is the sticky rice with mango - heaven on earth.

Rates - 10 SGD and above 

Taste - 10 /10

Address : various locations all over Singapore.  

http://www.thaiexpress.com.sg/index.php?page=singapore

Local Food  / Indian Food / Western Food / Indian Chinese :

GOKUL  (PURE VEGETARIAN)

Currently this is my favourite place, not only mine but also my hubby who is a non vegetarian but loves the food here

local dishes like nasi lemak - chicken rice,  laksa -basically if you are a foodie , you are a vegetarian who loves to try food from various parts of the world and feel sad because unfortunately most of the local food is meat based, then GOKUL is a place to be. The chefs have mastered the skills in making the local food with mock meat (soya bean) and soya isn't as boring as it sounds. Mutton chettinad is a must try. Nasi lemak is also not to be missed. 

South Indian food - kuttha barotha is one of our favourites too.

Rates - 7 SGD and above

Taste - 10 /10

Address : 19 Upper Dickson Road, Singapore 207478

Call : 63967769

Branch : 190 Fortune centre, #01- 07 Singapore188979
Call : 63374811
website : http://gokulvegetarianrestaurant.com/

The city neva sleeps

Yes, none the less i am talking about Singapore's nightlife. "Boat Quay" which is one of the most happening night spots and one of the oldest after which "Clarke Quay" came up which is a more modernized version. Since the city is a lot expensive when it comes to day to day things, imagine what it does to our pockets when it comes to clubbing.

Thanks to seven eleven :) ( a store where you can buy drinks at a much price than the flashy clubs). Most of the times its sitting down by the riverside and starting off the session before heading to any of the popular clubs (which has a entry charge)

On one weekend visited a popular place at Clarke quay -  Rupee room, total desi, full paisa vasool place. Danced our way all through the night ... and nothing could beat that experience. Indians and non indians swaying away on some awesome punjabi numbers while all the Sheila's and Munnis putting their best foot forward.

Vaise, hum bhi kisise kam nahi ;) Finally, when the limbs refused to move any furthur, headed back home.

Gosh, its, 5.30 am. Good morning guys