"What's Cooking" ???... check out

After coming to US I don’t how much new things I have learnt or how much I have changed? One thing I have definitely learnt… that is cooking food and thing that has changed is... my interest towards cooking. I can proudly say now I am one of the good cook if not the best!! :)

My mom for long time kept saying that I should try and learn cooking... at least few basic things I should know. Even some of the family members used to suggest the same… but always I used ignore them with a uncanny smile... :) In Chennai with my roommates sometimes I used to cook few things like rice, egg burji, rasam… but never had interest to try something big and discover more...

But after coming to US things have changed a lot… I have become a good cook [that’s what my roommates say… becoz they are the one who eat my preparation!!] suddenly there seems to be a great interest to experiment with cooking. In the process I have learnt lot of menus and discovered new menus too.. :) !! From vegetarian stuff to non vegetarian I have tried everything. In some I have become a specialist as over last few months I have got the consistency in taste & style!!

Roommates say my wife to be is very lucky since I cook so very well :) [hope someone to be is reading!!]… Its not that I do every item from scratch… special thanks to all mixes and powder by MTR, MDH, Priya…so on which has made cooking of some items very simpler. However my secret to tasty food is my mom made sambar powder… which can be used for any spicy item which gives amazing taste to it.

So you want to taste the items which I cook? Then come to my place and check out “WHAT’S COOKING”??? [u don't need any medical insurance :) I assure u that...]

New Game! has just begun....

Weekends were getting as usual & boring... just watching movies... local roaming... eating & sleeping... i don't have to tell much... its universally common for all bachelors like us :). So I and my friend [sushruth] decided to do something different... we thought of playing some sports... so that it will be interesting... good time pass and also good for fitness. We went to Sport Authority [its a sports retail shop...] got badminton rackets and racquetball set [racquetball is same as Squash with little changes in rules].

In chucha's [sushruth] apartment there are is club which houses gym and racquetball court. As it was known to us earlier we just had to get the required things ... now we have started playing in weekends and sometimes in weekdays... Its a wonderful game... Just half an hour play gives us good workout. More than anything its fun to play.... The New Game! has just begun and i am loving it...

Chak De! HOCKEY

I watched Chak De! INDIA movie this weekend and its an excellent movie... me being a Hockey player and having played the game for over 8 years... I could relate myself to almost every scene in the movie[those training sessions... camps...coaches...] Let me remind everyone that Hockey is our National game [many may have forgotten...] and Cricket is just our national craze!! I don't blame cricket[even i am a crazy fan...] for the poor state of other games in India... its just that cricket has far reach... its more popular... has more media coverage and of course lots of money [:)]... but if you look at the administration run by BCCI its as bad or as good as any other sports associations in India.

Lets come to the movie... Many said movie belongs to SRK... yes its an unconventional role for him which he has performed excellently... after Swades its this movie where he has tried to be different from his usual image... Many said SRK doesn't have opposite lead actress for the first time... but i say this movie has 16 lead actresses [the 16 players...] even though many got just couple of lines in entire movie... for some this movie is about showing team spirit, resolve, women power.... yes these things are also there... for me this movie is all about Hockey.... and Hockey is the winner all the way...

In Bollywood most of the film makers tired to make sports movies based on the popularity.. of course first choice is Cricket... some tired like racing and boxing... but for first time some has dared to make a full time movie on Hockey... thanx to Yash Raj Films and Shimit Amin [director] for bringing this movie... as we celebrate 60 years of Independence this movie has given a new life to our national game... this movie may or may not become a super hit... but definitely Hockey will be super hit again... CHAK DE! HOCKEY

[pic source:http://www.yashrajfilms.com/]

Service Anniversary :)

Now i can put in my resume that i am a 2 year experienced IT professional... yeah! completed 2 years with my company on this July 25th. Last 2 years have been really wonderful... lots of fun... lots of learning [nanu estu kalithe...adu ondu '?']... and of course lots of travelling :)

It all began with campus interview on 13th August 2004... 25th July 2005 i joined the company and so far its been a very good bonding [officially the bond period is over.. ;)]... I have gained lot of new things both professionally and personally. I have gone places... Hyderabad to Bengalooru to Chennai to California... its been worth a journey. I guess i could have done better... but that's part of life... we need to keep growing... like most of techies i too have one common complaint... that is on salary... its very less... ha ha ha !!![anybody listening...rather reading]

The First Rain...

Summer heat wave was getting worse... we had started feeling the rising temperatures... alerts were being sent across bcoz of this... it seems cali[CA] had bad rainy season previous year... so the power situation is getting worse... and there could be blackouts!! hmm [ellara mane dose toothe... US is no different..he he :)]

It had been more than 2 months here and I had only heard people talk about rains here... they say when it rains it pours... well i hadn't got a chance till this Wednesday... Finally saw the First rains in cali... it was a dull morning and cloudy... while on the way to office i and my friend talked about rain... as soon as we reached office it started raining... cool ... wonderful... took out my mobile cam and took a snap from my office... it wasn't a heavy downpour... it was normal... but it cooled off the rising temperatures... weather is now amazing.... i am remembering namma sooper song of the year.."ಮುಂಗಾರು ಮಳೆಯೇ..." :)

A ಪ್ರಯತ್ನ always makes a difference...

ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಬ್ಲಾಗ್ ಬರೀಬೇಕು ಅಂತ ತುಂಬಾ ದಿನ ದಿಂದ ಆಸೆ ಇತ್ತು... ಕೊನೆಗೂ ಈ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನ ಮಾಡ್ತಾ ಇದ್ದೀನಿ... [ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ತಪ್ಪು ಗಳು ಇರುತೆ...please adjust]ಆದರೆ ನಾನು ಯಾವುದರ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಬ್ಲಾಗ್ ಮಾಡಬೇಕು ಅನ್‍ಕೊಡಿದ್ನೋ.... its too big ಅಂತ ಅನಿಸುತೆ..!! ಆದ್ರೂ ಜೀವನ ದಲ್ಲಿ experiment ಮಾಡ್ತಾ ಇರಬೇಕು ಅಲ್ವ??... for example ನಾನು ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಬರುವ ಮುಂಚೆ [ಅಂದ್ರೆ USಗೆ ಬರುವ ಮುಂಚೆ]ಯಾವತ್ತು ಅಡಿಗೆ ಮಾಡಕ್ಕೆ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನ ಮಾಡಿರ್ಲ್ಲಿಲ... ಆದ್ರೆ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಬಂದ ಮೇಲೆ ದಿನ ನಂದೇ ನಳಪಾಕ... ಇಲ್ಲಿ ವರೆಗೆ ಸುಮಾರು 25 ತರ ಸಾವಿರುಚಿಗಳನ್ನ ಮಡ್ದೀದಿನಿ... ಎಲ್ಲ ಎಕ್ಸ್‌ಪೆರಿಮೆಂಟೇಶನ್ ನ ಎಫೆಕ್ಟ್... ಆದಿಕ್ಕೆ A ಪ್ರಯತ್ನ always make a difference... ಈ ಬ್ಲಾಗ್ ಒಂದು ರೀತಿಯ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನ.. :)

Sporting Sense...

Long long ago... hmm not so long ago [lokal boyzz style..] I was one of craziest cricket fan... specially Team India. But after the world cup debacle and the stories which followed later from being a crazy fan ... I have now become a just another normal fan :)

Finally after all nonsense with coach selection[or election by BCCI !!], team selection..... some sporting sense has prevailed in Indian Cricket. They are back to winning ways. Though beating Bangladesh was not among the greatest victories but regrouping after the world cup was necessary and that tour provided the ideal platform. Now winning against South Africa in Ireland showed some glimpses true team spirit which appeared to be lost few months back ... though we fanz always expect lot more from them!![cricket onde sports namma desha dalli jana bidade follow madodu--so high expectations yavagalu ide iruthe...]

Yesterday the probables for twenty20 world cup were announced and the famous trio [Sach, Dada, Wall] names were missing bcoz they have opted out of this tournament... well how good tat decision is I don't know... what I know is that these three players have immensely contributed for Indian cricket over a decade no matter what people say or criticise about them... They are simply great!! Now all three are aged around 34 [ considered as old men in cricket].. so I guess its a right sporting sense where old stars make way for youngsters... die hard fanz please control!!!


Coming to tennis... this weekends action was amazing... it was gr8 to see Venus Williams winning the women's Wimbledon Championship. This victory is gr8 since she was seeded low and no one gave her a chance. But she showed lot of determination to do it... As usual in men's Roger Federer won the championship for fifth time in a row and Nadal is finally catching up to him but still long way to go... anyways hats of to Fedex... Fedex and wimbledon always makes good sense!! :)

Lets GO GREEN...

These days I have gone crazy towards photography... and I guess its common for any person to take photos of the new exciting places [at least i think so]... this photo was taken at Livermore in Hindu Temple... However this photo doesn't have a story like the last blog... its just a symbolism of what i am writing about ;)

I read article[I dont remeber which paper!!]which said if don't address Global warming issue seriously then by 2025 the Gateway of India, Marine Drive in Mumbai will be covered by water... means they will be part of Arabian sea. Well that's alarming since 2025 is just 17 years away... It wont be just Mumbai but the entire coastline across the world will lose about 2-5 kms to rising sea water... if this the prediction for 2025.. image what will happen by 2100 and further...

I remember one of the write ups of Green Peace which said "Wake up, Its not too late - Save Earth"[words may not be same..but it was almost similar!!]. Exactly its not too late. Its just how we plan up things over next few years.... And now slowly people are getting serious about the Global warming issue. I can see in media that the global leaders are talking about this issue with some seriousness... that's a good news. I think everyone needs to stand up and do something. Well we have to live here and we cannot escape...

We can start with small things[like Google doing a Blackle]... its monsoon season so lets save rain water. Whenever it rains it doesn't have to pour!!... so saving little rain water now will help us in future... small things make big difference isn't it ??... do whatever small things possible to save mother earth... come lets go GREEN!!

Pic Of The Week!!

Weekends are getting as usual now… Saturday roaming… Sunday sleeping [SSS- Sunday Sleeping Syndrome :)]!! its now more than a month in CA… It was yet another Sunday evening and I was watching a movie... [After coming here I have watched many movies online… oh I just lost the count how many? My laptop has become my best friend… ;)] I stopped watching the movie and decided to go out… weather was just too good. So thought of walking along El Camino… on the way I realized not much cash in wallet… so ATM … but as I walked I found that the ATM is bit far than my imagination suggested…

So on the way got into bus… went to the place got the cash. Before starting I had made up my mind to have dinner at Udupi!! [Don’t be confused... there is a desi restaurant called Udupi Palace here in Sunnyvale]. I was walking back to Udupi... as I approached it I thought of taking a snap of this place [or palace rather!!] so I could show ppl back home. I opened my mobile camera… I don’t how it happened… how I got this angle… but ended up capturing this awesome pic [at least it’s awesome for me... ashte ashte!!]… For a moment I felt that I am a gr8 photographer…. I intended for something but ended with something else... u know that's how these gr8 photographers are :)... And guess what would be the time when I took this pic...it was 8.45pm in evening!! So much of daylight… hmm if India had so much of day light we would have done wonders with the amazing talent that we have… well some things are not under our control…

Had badam halwa & bisi bele bath at Udupi… it was gr8 & I enjoyed it… looking at this awesome pic I thought it must be called “pic of the week”…

The French Conqueror...

What does it take for Roger Federer to win the French Open? Answer is very simple… he has to beat Rafael Nadal. Yes that’s pretty simple isn’t it? Its second time in a row that the French open final was played between these two superstar. End result the same... Rafael Nadal does it again!

Nadal by winning the French open for the third time in a row has created an historic record. Nadal is the second man in 93 years to win three consecutive singles titles at the French Open after Bjorn Borg won four in a row from 1978 to 1981. Looks like Nadal is on course to do the same or may be even more.

Just Look at this amazing stats… Nadal is undefeated in his career at the French, having won all 21 matches he has played en route to his three championships. Nadal holds the longest winning streak among male players on a single surface (Clay). Till date he has won a record 81 consecutive clay court matches… wow!! No doubt that the Spaniard is the “Undisputed King of Clay Court”.

Nadal is the World No. 2 in Tennis rankings and has remained in that spot for 98 weeks now that’s bcoz the world’s no.1 player has just dominated everyone else. Even in French open Federer has a good record but only thing is he always finishes second!! I being a Federer fan I would have liked him to win French open … but it looks like he going the Pete Sampras…John McEnroe way who never won this title. However Federer still has a long career and i am sure he will do it one day.

Now let me twist the question which i asked before.... what does it take for Rafael Nadal to become World No.1? Again answer is simple…he has to beat Roger Federer on other courts too…ha ha :)!! The Wimbledon is coming up…and it promises to be a great battle… Right now its celebration time for French conqueror!!

The King of Mangoes is here...

One good thing Mr. Bush did during his last visit to India was to sign an agreement that allows import of Indian Mangoes to US and in return India would get Harley Davidson. I don't know how far the Harley Davidson's will be successful in India but the imported mangoes here in US are a super hit... people have gone cray buying them... specially the Desi's.

US had banned import of Indian mangoes 18 years back due the concerns of high pesticide levels used in India. Now that these mangoes are subjected low levels of radiation US has again began to import them from the world's largest mango producer-India.

"Alphonso's"(Alphanso's) is known has the "King of mangoes" has finally arrived here and believe me each one of these mangoes has been sold at price of $4!! Its been in such a demand that some one bought 4 boxes of Alphonso's by spending nearly $160. Specially in bay area where I stay, with lot of Desi's around the Indian supermarkets are flooded with demands... Not just Desi's but other American people are also liking it very much. The hot and humid climate of India makes Alphonso's very sweet, with vanilla-orange blossom flavors it really gives a great taste which is making people go crazy... The King is ruling the world!!

My Journey to US...

It took sometime coming...yup finally found little time to recollect things...

It was an unusual Thursday morning in Chennai. It started raining early morning. Rain in Chennai that too in summer... i thought something good & diffrent must be coming . It was day for my appraisal also!! so i felt i would get a good rating. when i walked into office my RM called me and asked my resume.. and said some onsite openings are coming so my name is pipeline. I thought its usual round of trailer show played by my RM. Appraisals began three team mates finished by lunch..we had huge discussion b4 lunch with everyone and even they said that they would be sent onsite pretty soon. So in lunch we left over guys discussed what would be our action plan for discussion. After lunch i walked in and my RM called and said i have to fly next week for California!! shocked.. surprised..hmm totally lost... appraisal after that was just a formality..everyone in team were also shocked at this news... it was an unexpected...

After that it was a total mess...had to vacate Chennai in a hurry... had to complete travel formalities... had to attend a training in Hebbal office, Bangalore...running here and there for lot of things, packing...so on... Finally day had come ... Could not meet any friends... informed them over phone, mail. My relatives came to our home that noon for lunch..so met almost everyone. Bon Voyage!! hmm tats what most of them wished me.

Reached Blore airport around 10.15pm... security and immigration clearance were pretty smooth. Had Lufthansa(Boeing 747) flight at 1.55am on 13th may. It was surprise that i met one of my practice leads in airport. He was on his way to London, but via Frankfurt. So we were on same flight. I also happened to see people like Nandan Nilekanni, Mahadavan Nair..so on... hmm that's kind of ppl u find on international flying. It was first time in my life i was flying out of my country and it was special.

Reached Frankfurt after 9 and half hours flying, reached there at 7.30am local time. Smoothly got though security at transit and had to wait till 10.30am for next flight to Detroit. But flight got delayed by 30min due to some system failure at north Atlantic. Finally boarded Airbus 330 Lufthansa around 11 am. It was another 9 hours flight. It was great experience to fly over Greenland, and the ice cover over mountains just looked amazing. Finally reached Detroit around 1.30 pm local time. Had the immigration and customs clearance. Got my baggage and again got it checked in for San Francisco in North West Airlines. Detroit airport is simply awesome. Had to walk around 2-3 km inside airport to reach my terminal A 70. My flight to SFO was at 7.35 pm. So had lot of time at Detroit airport..just roamed around. Had got 'Hoolige' from home so ate it there. It was awesome and gr8l!! :)

Finally reached SFO at 9.30 pm local time after flying five hours from Detroit in Airbus 250. Mr. Atwal, a sardarji...the cabby came to pick me at airport. From SFO airport... Marianis Inn hotel is about 35 miles around 30 min drive. So reached there around 10.30pm. Finally i was in Santa Clara,US. It took totally 34 hours journey in which 24 hours were flying time.. rest was which i spent in airport. In my entire life prior to this i had flight journey only thrice. But in this one journey alone i had to change three flights. Travelled around 11,000 miles all alone. It was fun travelling.. reached different places, different time zones, met different kinds of people... A journey worth remembering... my first international journey..it was indeed a special one.

For making my journey special all credit must go to my parents... i had just 5 days to pack up. but i never found time to pack as i was busy in training and completing other travel related things... i don't know when my parents packed all my stuff... they had made sure to put each and everything... from groceries to medicines to clothes... so a big thanks to everyone... right from my parents... relatives... friends... my company ppl for giving the opportunity... AND definitely GOD for everything......

Watched "Mungaaru Male" in US!!

hmm...finally i got to see the classic.. the sensational hit..the mega blockbuster movie "Mungaaru Male" in California,US. The movie got released in December'06 last week ...it became such a mega hit but i could never make it to this movie. Since i was in working Chennai... even when I was in Bangalore for 4-5 weekends between Jan and May.. due some reason or other i never got a chance see it !!.

Finally it happened on May 20, 1pm show... Venue:India Movie Center, San Jose, California, US. Watching this movie with other Kannadigas in US was gr8 and had fun. It was just by luck that i found that this movie is running here. I was going through some North California Kannada koota website(kknc.org) and saw that 'Mungaaru Male' has been released here on May 11th and is running successfully. wow!! tat was a gr8 piece of news for me and i just decided to watch the movie in weekend.

I don't have to say much about the movie... everyone knows its awesome. But still i have to say about the picturisation of malnadu i.e madikeri, sakleshpura, jog.. its simply amazing... gr8 dialogues..its a simple story but effective.. had good fun watching it. It was special watching a Kannada movie in foreign country. I read that Mungaaru Male part 2 is coming up...Hope more and more "Mungaaru Male" happens in Kannada industry... let the song go on.."ಮುಂಗಾರು ಮಳೆಯೇ ಏನು ನಿನ್ನ "

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Rak