Pets or fashion or just a cool instagram caption :(

An year back when we arrived here the land of dreamers, I actually thought everyone was so great at having pets. They cared there are dogspot kind of places and shelters are amazing. This must be heaven for dogs cats. Well, reality is there is just like 30% of people who genuinely care.

Its become fashion. What triggered this post is this poor small dog left in the car unattended. Well, I didn't complain in the first hour because someone might have genuine reasons to leave and might come back in like 10 minutes. Hmm nah its been 3 hours of that dog shivering looking out. So the animal activist in me was all fueled up and went up to concierge. Guess what its the frontdesk woman's dog. She started explaining how sweet dog is how he is okk with being left alone in cold with food and water. Nope, didn't really explain her insensitivity. I get it, you have to run to a store you can't take your dog everywhere. Would you just leave your kid in car with food and water? Don't animals have feelings?  Lets leave you in car with water and food for more than an hour.

Take a walk in the morning and see all these cribbing dog owners walking dogs. I have seen so many people with small dogs not even looking behind if dog is comfortable being dragged for their rush. People like us who think a thousand times about the implications of leaving them alone or going on vacation never end up with a pet. I hate to be racist but asians yeah like me and other countries that are around us are the worst. They just adopted one because it looks cool here in US. I see so many sulking faces with sulking sad dogs.

Ever been to a shelter, try seattle humane. My volunteering work involved warming up the new cats to shelter. Stories that piled up saddened me to core. Neighbors moved out left their cats behind. Two cats won't eat sleep or even respond to treats. If you can't decide if you really need a pet and you can't provide for them emotionally financially physically, don't commit. Just have a baby morons.

It is an angry post and goes out to all you stupid culprits who just adopted dogs for fashion because everyone in my workplace has one or because they are so cute when they are in the corner by themselves. Educate yourselves be mature and for god sakes stop making new smaller shorter breeds so they fit in your purse. We are altering nature, we are trying to shape it the way we find convenient.

So if you do have a dog, be a good dog owner. Love him how much he loves you, take him for walks play with him , give your time and energy, teach your kids well. If you are not up for it, just don't do it.

Please adopt from shelters, animals there need your love so badly.

Not to end this on a bad note, I have witnessed awesome people with their happy pet friends. Go to any off leash dog park and you will see. Live up to your pet's expectations. They deserve so much better.

There's a thing called "yoga injury"

Yep my first yoga injury is here, it stares and pokes whenever I lean in for those lunges. It feels like a betrayal my body has been put through. I mean come on yoga the slow moving careful relaxing practice why why. They call it runners knee sadly enveloping 2 weeks of my power yoga.

The point here is don't underestimate the risk of pain in yoga practice. Now your instructor might not be able to pay attention all the time. So how do you avoid it?

First of all, while doing lunges warriors, don't over extend, the weight of body should not be just on the forward knee. That is what gave me left knee inflammation. Even when you are in warrior 3, the base should be firm, again not your body weight. Your energy is distributed to hands legs all around so instead of putting pressure on the single leg, feel like you are bound like an aerial performer and feel strength everywhere. There is a whole pdf on where to put pressure in which asan.

Secondly, take breaks frequently. We are all competitive we all want to do it from start to end but rest rest when you do need it. It would be better if you do 4 poses with ease and strength rather than dying fish face.

Thirdly, use foam roller. My husband uses it to get rid of knots in back and thighs. Its super useful. My knee healed a lot faster because of this. Its available on amazon.

Fourthly, switch classes. If you feel like your knee is sore or you feel low on energy, go for bikram yoga. I have been doing it for 2 weeks thanks to my knee pain. Its less intense and uses more basic poses instead of all the power yoga craziness.

Listen to your instructor when she tells you which body part is working here. In bikram for example when you do supta vajrasana your chest is lifted. So sometimes, why not see instructor doing it or perhaps an expert in class. Observe and then follow. Our version of doing it fully and actuality might be far off.

Last one would be unplug for a while. Give your body the rest. We don't feel but our knees our back our balance is all being tested, our rusty body is getting a makeover so take it slow.

Good night yogi :) NAMASTE

Leela Palace Chennai : Royalty Addiction

If you are not an authentic middle class born, you will never know the kind of nervousness that creeps in when we walk in a 5 star hotel like most of which is inhabited by foreigners and NRIs which kind of applies to us too. So with that NRI confidence of a middle class soul, I put my step forward in checking in. We all know those stories where you have to act all formal and classy with a dress to go just because you are in that building. I would never do it, not even if its paid for.

On our first day, frankly we found them a little too sir madam a little too attentive but then next day they understood us, we got the hang of it and it was all perfection from there.  Ever stayed in those city hotels like hyatt or silver cloud in US, they are super expensive and serve cheapest limited breakfast with even minimal customer service. In a few years, all these receptionists will be robots, I do have my doubts if they already are. Hello, what a wonderful day I know right its supposed to rain blah blah cyborg conversation hehe :P


Coming back to leela palace, its a luxury you step into. You are spoiled forever. Anything any hotel any reception area lesser is like an insult. That is what leela feels like. Their breakfast spread is amazing, you can ask for pancakes you can have dosa chutney by the backwaters with an indian music playing in background. Our mornings started with fucking awesome gym, gosh that gym has everything you need. Not that I wasn't working out before but 15 days of that training transformed me. The benefit of training is you can eat as much as you want. So breakfast followed with me gorging on all the south indian dishes I haven't had in an year.  Lunch was burger some days other days it was tomato soup or something. You can try it all. Its amazing. Every time I stepped out of leela other than malgudi savera, it was awful.

Most of the credit goes to staff. Staff is super courteous and no matter what, they will help you out. I love love their swimming pool, its like you are in that palace era where you are the queen and this nice warm pool is yours all yours. They even have a dryer to dry out your swimsuit.

We wanted to try hilton but came running back to leela within a day, yeah thats how much we loved it. The room is like a king's room, the bed the furnishing the double vanity washroom the bathtub ohh life's amazing for billionaires. I wish I was one, where are those lottery tickets that actually work?

Some nights we would hit pub for our JB, its pretty cool there. Not a lot of youngsters come to this one which made it perfect for us oldies sipping on whiskey with peanuts. They managed to hit classy on pub too. Hilton on the other hand had such a non functional small gym with too much noisy pub. I feel like all these western ventures come in with a very minute idea of how india is. They don't want to please us, they just want to make us feel like we don't deserve more than their shitty hotels. But then our own indians are not interested in providing services too. All people want to do is make bucks off our ignorance to a lavish life's right.

It was all in july so this is just a under exaggerated version of experience, if I did write in july it would be like 10 posts on leela palace chennai.

 Its a royal endeavor.

La Belle Vie : Naukuchiatal Bnb : Wonderful Serene Heaven

When we decided to go India for a month, a random voice said why not end it with a mini vacation with family. And this is what turned up.

So came La Belle Vie bnb. Have you ever dreamed of living in hill station in an artistic wooden house? This one is so much more than that. Its located a little farther after nainital. You will find their listing on airbnb. As our trip was coming to an end, with our families we took train to delhi which is really torturous for spoiled people. Then we took taxi to this place, all the while it was raining and I wished it was worth all the effort. Rocks were falling all over the road.

First of all, people who manage this place are super helpful. They will guide you in bestest way possible. As soon as we reached, he showed us the rooms which trust me were to die for. You feel like you have reached a sort of parallel heaven. First look is so impressive, you get immersed in it. Ohh the house is designed beautifully, its like you want to bid and buy it then and there. I am posting some pictures too. Rooms are really spacious although I do wish washrooms were a little more presentable. They have everything you might need. Ohh and the stairs to the upper mini floor with lights, hmm some one really put heart into this place.

The lake is just around the corner. As you can see, its serenic and peaceful as not many tourists come this side of nainital. I do recommend a boat ride just for the fun of it. My parents arrived around 8pm and guess what whole road was full of glow worms. Aha I told you heaven. Then as my husband and Mahesh who will be described in a full paragraph ahead went out, mahesh told us leopard comes out to hunt there. Well, they came back safely so probably leopard wasn't hungry.

Mahesh now ohh god he is the chef of the house. You ask him for anything and he will make it. Of course there is a menu. He is a pahari chef so instead of going for regular north indian food, take his advice. Do try his daal, gosh I so wish I could just live and eat there all my life. His version of omelette is so much better than any other. How can I forget those parathas and khichdi and that kitchen? I am telling you each and every part of home is perfect. Live there to know it. Mahesh is also the caretaker so once a day he cleans up the rooms. Did I mention his pakoras and tea are to die for? Aaaah Mahesh hehe. We wouldn't have survived hotel food, I am so thankful for homemade food there. On our way back, we stopped in some manga dhaba, as soon as we ate food we got stomachache. I would recommend packing food from Mahesh too. Such a fan article. 

I love dogs and this place is full of them, friendly ones. We met and petted almost 6 dogs on the street. I guess hill station dogs are simple minded too. Then there is pasha labrador, ask about pasha when you go. We played with him almost every evening. 

If you are a morning person and love nature with a peaceful quiet setting, you must try this one on your next india visit. Just the taxi ride can be a bit tiring so keep that in consideration. Its so worth the money and time.

So called Arranged Love marriages :P

Wedding season is on. What lead to this post is my hour long conversation with my mil. I don't know how but we discussed at least 6 marriages in the same talk, upcoming ones troubled ones and then those running on compromises. When we were growing up, love marriages were the kind of setups with rebels eloping or convincing parents after years of struggle. It wasn't easy. Then arranged marriages happened all the time with parents' happily spending giving away daughters to some family they deemed perfect with their business kundli logic.

The latest wedding trend is yeah arranged love marriage. Two people fall in love, their parents meet say yes and then begins the process of arranged setting. Even though these lovers want to get married, they don't have the guts to tell parents that girl's parents might not want the kind of extravagant drama. Guys feel overwhelmed with the fact mom dad family agreed. According to them, saying or laying more rules might seem like an insult to their loving relatives. I don't think so. What kind of love is it when you see your girl and her family fighting for money and you do nothing. How can you step back when it comes to deciding the finance part? Chicken indian men. They just do the necessary part and step back. Why not do an arrange marriage when you can demand more confidently? People say gifts a little cash is all part of it. No, its not. If someone wants a gayatri temple wedding, why can't they? Why do we have to listen to guys' parents ruling it? You are doing us a favor by marrying, your idiot son loves our moron daughter. Stop calling it love, call it arranged comfortable money minded pig love. I said it, live with it. And girls fight it, do you think he will stand for you when time comes? Think about it. There are so many friends who did love marriage, their parents agreed and now their husbands' parents are much more taunting demanding than arranged marriage scenarios. Stop interfering one time fuck birth givers. Is it like a life term mortgage these girls pay with their peace of mind and relationships?

Indians are so awesome, we fudged up the love part in love marriage. I know at least 4 friends who are not divorcing their husbands and wasting time age kids lives. Even if your husband was having an affair, did it ever occur along with dragging him to court you are ruining your life. The time you could use in shaping up healthy kids or career or peaceful life is all going in ransacking some ex's present. There is this friend who stalks her husband in gym, then picks up random fights and still wants him back. I feel bad for husband. Moving on with life is important too, why is vindictiveness so important in your insignificant journey. There is another one who in the name of dowry has not given divorce for 14 years. Seriously, what are the chances of living happily with this guy you kept tormenting in court police station for more than a decade. Just because there is a kid in equation, it is not okk. Stop it.


Then of course we have arranged marriages. Couples who eat together, work all the time but their conversations are limited to guests relatives kids household appliances. They are so much into the whole whirlwind of responsibilities they stopped looking at each other decades ago. Now its all work till you die, serve till you drop.


Ohh its not that traumatizing. I have seen exceptional couples who are doing everything right, standing with each other making decisions, accepting correcting flaws and moving on towards happiness. Life's cool, we complicate it with money expectations. My in laws never ever poked in our life. When they did, it was amicable and we drew the line too. They never ask how much where we spend our money or  anything else for that matter. We are not pressurized to be in weddings or call people. They let us be. Still I am pretty sure there is so much scope of improvement to be done on both sides. So instead of going backwards, move in the right direction, if you feel something is wrong, tell it to your parents especially guys. They will understand. Your wife is your responsibility too, she didn't sign up the birth agreement you have with yours.

Traditions should evolve : My "Dandia" perspective

It is or was the dandia season like a few days ago. I have traditional friends and they were going crazy about it. Hmm come to think of it last dandia was awesome for me in chennai. We had a few drinks, wore my stupid chumbak kurta and just danced to every song form south indian kase panna to its time to disco 90s feel. There was no one selling dandia sticks for 5$, no one dressing up to impress. It was pure fun. Ooh chennai I love you so much.

Why do we associate festivals with wasting time grooming up and then learning dance steps so we don't embarrass ourselves. All you got to do is look a little presentable, have super funky music not that step 1 step 2 do i look beautiful step 3 step 4 is my hair bouncy step 1 what was step 2 again. Poor husbands are clicking pics of wives twirling in all the wrong ways.

If I could host a bollywood dandia party, it would be like no dandia sticks just music, people who are over dressed will be kicked out. Wear your comfortable sneakers groove to kala chashma dandia mix. Have drinks ooh indian appetizers again dance then go to jalebi stall. I think I just described an indian wedding for me. If you could have menus on indian wedding cards, it would be so much easier to decide and attend :) In my own wedding, I ate all the goodies waiting for baarat. If you think of it, it is easier for girls, poor guys make fools of themselves riding horse or even worse horse cart seeing sweaty asses dancing and keeping a kid close who they don't even care about. Hehe my guy got backpain and we had the awesomest pics like him not smiling at all and me giving all the vamp auditions.


I have to describe this wedding scene, we all know how much important bride's sisters feel for no apparent reason. You are not the one, let bride have it all. These particular sisters and her friends learned exact 6 steps to balam pichkari. Now every 15 minutes, the song would play and exact 6 steps followed. Haha so satisfying to see people dancing like everyone cares when in fact the only folks looking are those waiting in line to handover envelope and leave or eat or or the paid photographers ;)
Must have been a guy who invented makeup to fuck up our lives.

So my point is don't make festivals dresses dance steps sooooo big that it takes fun out of our life. Don't fret over minute things, life is simple so do the nagin step come on.

How to have a safe hot yoga practice : Before after yoga

Lets add a disclaimer first- All the experiences are my own, it could vary person to person. So under no circumstances I guarantee this will work but it worked for me.


Here's the list of before after hot yoga practice that should help your body prepare and recover from that hot room that makes you haute like seriously victoria secret haute.

Hydrate hydrate hydrate : Wake up at least 2 hours before yoga class. Finish drinking 2 litres in that span slowly slowly. Eventually it becomes a habit and you don't mind gulping all that water. My 500 ml water in yoga class literally drags through whole week as my body is well hydrated.

Emergen c: I manage with emergen c. You can choose any of the products in the category and take it 45 minutes before class. So when you are in there sweating, it will help replenish lost salts.

Chill pal towel : I got it from amazon and it works. It cools you down instantly. So invest in one of these towels.

Sturdy mat : You don't have to buy all the expensive mats and towels. Its cool with just one mat. Basic necessities of life. Its cool but who wants to carry 10 things to yoga class.

Clothing : Before joining yoga, seemed to me people practicing it always wore shorts or like a cool tank top or just a sports bra. I am a shy introvert so even if I turn into a model, my t shirt and leggings would be the outfit in yoga class. It doesn't matter. Everyone sweats, if you are conscious wear a simple cotton t shirt with fitted leggings whatever is comfortable.

Food  before: I go for noon class so sometimes I do eat chapati curry around 10am. If I go for 8am class, I have to have light breakfast. You need energy to pull off the moves in there. Get a jar full of assorted nuts, your favorite ones walnuts raisins figs dates and eat before class after class. Don't go on a full stomach but never starve. Have apples bananas berries. Pretty soon you will be eating for fun. Yoga kind of takes you to a healthier meal too.

Food after : So if you already had lunch, come back start with yogurt which is my favorite. I make it in yogurt maker hehe lazy people. Then you can munch on cantaloupe melons a little toast with almond butter honey. Yogurt helps a lot in cooling down and its good. Have boiled eggs omelette anything that you like. Once in a week, go for those cliche green drinks kale spinach honey and all the weird ingredients.

What else do we need hmm a little motivation okk so what do you think when you do yoga.
I would say don't think anything. Just listen to your yoga guide and body. Never over stretch over breathe, stay calm. If an asan is testing you, give it time. Some days you will do your best, other days you will merely survive. Its not about doing asan, its just about showing up with integrity to do it. That doesn't mean you stop trying. Do it at your pace. People will always do better or worse, find your focus point. I take about 3 breaks which is more than normal. But we are all learning. Instead of dying while doing, enjoy it and relax.

Also keep changing classes and instructors. Once you know the flow and terms, you start going for different instructors and different forms of yoga. If I am a little tired, I go for bikram. If I am all charged up, I go for my favorite instructor who focusses on core workout. When its all average and lazy, its my motivational pushy instructor. Then if you really want to learn, you will find enthusiastic young teachers who do yoga with students. Find empty classes, ohh they are wonderful. In short, try every class every teacher. It brings a change to routine and body.


Force smile and then you will start smiling naturally. Life is not complicated, yoga is not complex, we make it tough.



NAMASTE

Alcohol pyramid : How alcoholics evolve with age

If I could advise anyone, it would be start drinking as early as possible. Haha why because you might have to slow down at a certain age, not because your wife or your kids will do it, your stupid rotting body will regret it next morning.

We started drinking around 23 which is so officially late, seriously its such a sham my parents build around it. At least we were lucky none of us wasn't inhibited about it. As I was looking at all the old pictures, it struck me we did drink it all.

Lets start with the first phase. Every person starts with a cocktail with like 10 mls of vodka. You start liking it for the sweet buzz it gives you. When its the beginning of evolution, its just 3 drinks sometimes, you don't even care for hydration, sleep it off, wake up with the worst hangover, puke here puke there and lesson learned. Eat and drink enough with cocktails. Yep, as if its gonna help the older version of you.

Then comes the dancing in pub phase. I have danced in chennai pubs like anything. What we did was get drunk before you reach pub. Smart strategies. You start making your own cocktails, margaritas, bloody marys, sangrias, pina colada. Still on a more sweeter level the alcohol journey goes on. You order food, try all the restaurants nearby not knowing the future you is going to envy your metabolism so hard.

As the last one starts wearing off, you move on to the rum with coke phase with cheaper biryani to manage home party costs. In India it is so much easier, get pizza with so many  vegetarian options. Some days you have vodka with orange juice. See cocktails are getting simpler now. After some time, you start cooking pasta at home to go with your rum gin vodka tequila. You are still owning it with 6 drinks and still dancing partying ohh what life. You get those disco lights home theatre and life is party from friday to sunday.

Ohh you are approaching the end of an era but you still don't know. Rum coke works but now you are making more home food avoiding all the calories, who can forget old monk n rum. Then your friend takes you to goa and you find port wine.Goa is party heaven of course. Any pub any dance floor is apt. Beach side shacks serve awesome food. We went on a company outing and one of our south indian friends went into a dance battle with britishers. Haha rumba fun matcha. Another group of friends with whom I shared hukka actually had the guts to fight those bulky human gatekeepers. Who can forget random tequila shots. Life's a party. Then comes the wine phase accompanied with rum sometimes. If someone offers whisky, you say it doesn't suit your taste. You are young you are not going to drink whisky. Its for old hairy bearded people in old style pubs. Pakoras cashews now you have your own selection of chakna ( snacks ). You are trying wraps salads everything with it. Save these moments, click pics so you do remember how much you ate drank slept. You have perfected the art of hydration.

Then one day whiskey comes back in picture. You are nearing thirty, you don't want to drink coke or unhealthy snacks that were once your life. So that gives way to wine and salad. Ohh you sophisticated you or should i say old you.  Well, whiskey isn't so bad, you give it a try, in few months you are buying jameson irish whiskey or jim bourbon and gulping it with water and ice. Out of blue you want to have captain morgan krakken spice rum, it was awesome with coke so yeah what happens next kills your spirit. You were awfully careful about drinking enough water, eating healthy sufficient homemade curry yogurt. Still you poor soul wake up in the middle of night with stomachache, you can't sleep because of the sugar high coke gave you. Its not hangover that kills, it is how it irritates your intestine. Next morning you are so regretting those 3 drinks. And you decide I am gonna stick to whiskey. Thats how your body lets you know you are old you are dying your body is losing water so my friend drink less sleep early.

My advice to all the parents who stop their kids from drinking, let them they will leave it or moderate it after 30. Well, I don't have kids so not really my concern if it harms your kid. Don't drink and drive you adults , young people might probably handle it. Hope is not lost, move on to cannabis ;)

P.S. Whether you drink or get high, always end it with awesome f :P

My body loves yoga : here's why

I have been doing yoga for like 2 months and its a pretty short time to even see long term effects. Its not weight loss that took me to yoga, it was kind of an itching feeling of having tried everything to feel fit and relaxed at the same time. You can do beachbody insanity workouts you can do tabata dailyburn or even try your cross fit trainer, nothing will ever compare to the stability and strength yoga will promise from first day. Although I might have to couple together one of these with yoga because abs are not made in yoga studio.

The changes huh the first and foremost change was pms is gone, all my life I had pms symptoms like weight gain bloated tiresome, may be I wasn't a healthy kid didn't eat right didn't sleep right. May be all of that corrected together aligned with yoga brought the results. That problem has vanished, its kind of a cliche when women start experiencing body issues, yoga is eradicating them for me. Its such  a relief, never wanted to be a grumpy oldie. So all chakras activated or at least flowing together is really good for a woman's body. One of my yoga friends said this, she joined gym for a while and then came back to join yoga along with. She said its really mystical how yoga treats us from day one. Its a blessing for a woman.

Second one was noticed by my husband who within a month told me you have to keep doing whatever you are doing eating. In his stalker language, your body is taking all the right curves and burning all the faulty ones and flexibility is a bliss. Okay, haha we know what he wants and he did convey it in the tharkiest way possible ;) Yep, your body is going to burn fat from where it should, it will not even touch the curves you are supposed to have. Your face will not lose fat, the process is really slow though so be patient with yoga. If you had to start yoga, be your fit self and then start. It might not burn extra fat if its a lot.

Third third you feel more confident in general life. Yoga gives you a vision where somehow you start feeling more capable, your conversations with people are more profound, you don't put extra effort where you shouldn't . Perhaps you start seeing minor setbacks as nothing but experience. You are more yourself. I realized a lot of other things like work isn't important, do what you love blah blah. Earlier it was all on my mood energy if I can walk into a coffee shop and talk. I had anxiety issues, yoga is healing that too. It gives you individuality, you feel like everyone else is the same so you don't see anyone above or below. Sometimes I think may be when we practice, our practices of yoga are different, some people bend more some people rest on mat more but we all start and finish together. That is life, aint it. Live your life your version of fullest, not some facebook socialite fullest. Because that my friends is gonna fade.

Ooh I love this one, the posture. You start sitting upright your shoulders that were rounded by loads of work or hours of laziness are looking up. With yoga, you are also always pushing. To this day, I am not doing chaturanga right, hehe my instructors keep saying my name to correct me. I asked my instructor why some days are tough and very wisely she replied its because you expect. Hmmm if you go mindlessly expecting nothing, you do good. Same goes for this world of illusions.

I get embarrassed less. Well, I was the kind of person who would apologize even to a barista for wasting her 10 seconds. It was like I owed something to this world. It could be the kind of insecurities that dwell up when you see yourself lesser. Yoga took care of that too. We are practising and I pop my knee, guide makes a joke about chiropractor and done. Hehe my mat makes weird noise and still its okk. For first time in life, I actually shared a public washroom while camping. So yeah all of these things let you know its all cool, there is nothing to get embarrassed about, just walk up and shine. Be calm be gentle, no one knows you so there is really no need to prove too. Care about your day, be polite to people if someone can't respond its the kind of thing they should work on not you.


I see people as they are. Hmm some of the credit will go to cannabis and sadhguru videos. Even though you might realize, its difficult to accept some people's behavior towards you. Its enlightening when you can be in their shoes and empathize. It must look like a borrowed article from google but its all my experience. One of our relatives always made rude comments or taunts, this time I retaliated and fought back, nah not the solution because if you do it first time, you will always be agitated which is worse. So next time I just sat peacefully and put same thing across in milder words expressing my notion of the situation. That helped. Even if we get angry or shout or worry, its us who suffers, others just mock our lack of control.  So if a sister in law comments on your hair color, just say thanks, don't look into the implications double meaning plots haha, no one is stealing your property. Let them be, people mature at different rates.

What I want eventually to happen would be me loving everyone and not judging situations people places kids. Hehe that is the goal.

NAMASTE