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CityMasalaApril 2007 Free CopyFree CopyFree Copy

A Lifestyle and Entertainment Magazine for Todays South Asian

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CityMasalaA Lifestyle and Entertainment Magazine for Todays South Asian

IN THIS ISSUEApril 2007

On The Cover

2 Viji - An Artist with a Cause

Achievers Club: Real Estate Gurus.

4 Beauty with Shahnaz:Take Care of your Hands.6 The Legal Corner: PERM - Procedures &

Changes.8 Cricket: The World Cup Line Up.2 Bollywood: The Return of Madhuri Dixit.6 Spotted Around Town: Issues faced as

desis in the US.

Also In this Issue8 Top Ten Desi Countdown.0 Health Talk: Raising Self Esteem In Your

Child.0 The Parents Chat Room.3 Reel Talk: Movie Reviews.6 Auntyji Ko Pucho.8 Daru Ka Nasha: The Canadian

Connection.8 Dining: Restaurant Review.0 TechTalk: Top Gadgets for 2007, Part II.2 In The Kitchen: Recipe - Chana Chaat.2 CityMasala Book Club: Book

Review - The Palm Leaf & Other Stories.4 Body Talk: Perk Those Pecs.8 Star Lite Star Brite: This Months

Horoscope.

ityMasala is published by CityMasala LLC. The opinions and viewpoints of our contributors and advertisers do not necessarily reflect those of CityMasa

ityMasala disclaims any liability with respect to the use of our reliance on any such information and further disclaims any liability to any party for loss oamage caused by errors or omissions, negligence, accident or any other cause. CityMasala reserves the right to reject any advertisement they deem unaceptable or inappropriate for publication in CityMasala. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and originality of content. Copyright 2005 Cityala LLC. All rights reserved. Reprinting of any material without prior permission from CityMasala is prohibited.

For those of us with children, we have weathered Spring Break and come out ofit unscathed! There are some of us who have managed to spend quality timewith our kids during this time, some of us who have not been affected by the

break at all and then there are some of us who have simply prayed and hopedfor schools to re-open so that we could get back to our lives!

Team Masala has been working consistently in bringing forth yet another issue through which we cacontinue to entertain you.

On the cover for this issue, we have Viji Reddy. Viji is an accomplished artist who creates a successfusion of eastern and western interiors with textiles for home furnishings. She is an important part ofcommunity and has a great personality that goes really well with her talent.

The real estate market bubble has popped, or has it? If you were to believe the screaming headlines ithe media, you would be eager to jump in and get a great deal. More sellers than buyers, is this reallythe time to buy real estate in Florida? Dont want to miss the boat? Read what our featured realtors iAchievers Club (pages 8, 10 & 39) have to say. Find out what makes each person we have featuredstand out and become successful in their business. We also provide contact information of the peoplfeature so that it is easier for our readers to contact them.

As promised, we bring you a brand new column, Spotted Around Town (page 36), where we interviewed a few people in the Tampa Bay area. The question for this month was, what issues/advantagdisadvantages do desis face in America? We would love to get your feedback on this column and wwould be happy to address any concerns that you may have. Send in your questions. We may chooseone of them as the featured question for the column. Write to us at [email protected]. Also, whyou see Team Masala in your area trying to interview you, please dont be shy. Come forward so thayour views can be heard through CityMasala.

Our hands are the most used part of our body and possibly the most ignored! Shahnaz writes about ting better care of your hands, and gives you ideas on various ways to pamper them. Amit Dehra unrels the Perm process in The Legal Corner, which is a two part article. As always, DJ Jafar brings youmusic scene while Javid, an avid fan and player of the game of cricket, talks about the World Cup.

Nandini brings you the latest buzz along with information on some movies in the making from Bollywood. Auntyji addresses concerns that parents-in-law have expressed and Sanjay Puranik tackles th

pecs in the effort to help you build on your core exercises to keep you physically fit and strong. Daru

Nasha is about alcohol from Canada, where Ashish has spent some amount of time. A wireless TV?Believe it or not, Samsung is launching one! Turn to page 30 to see what Vish has to say.

Please remember that taxes are due by April 17 th , 2007. For those of you who have not yet completthem, please contact your tax consultant or refer to our March issue to find a tax consultant.

We love to get your feedback, keep writing to us at [email protected]@citymasala.com

Remember to talk about CityMasala, rave about CityMasala, make your friends read Ci

Masala and ask for your copy of CityMasala by its name!

Published By:CityMasala LLC

Marketing813-476-5415 813-642-3313

[email protected]

On the Webwww.citymasala.com

Editor and Publisher

Chhaya SanghaviShaphali Jain

Junior EditorSurabhi Jain

Content ContributorsAnita Singh

Ashish JainDJ Jafar

Javid LateefKavita Trivedi

Dr. Maulik TrivediNandini Chakraborty

Sanjay Puranik

Content ContributorShahnaz Husain

Sheniz JanmohamedVish Viswanathan

Guest ContributorsDr. Adarsh Jain

Amit Dehra;Attorney at Law
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]

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Where do you come

from?I hail from Durban,South Africa, where Iwas a school teacher.

When did you come

to the US?

I left South Africadue to the politicalconditions there andcame to the US in1976.

When and how did

you get into real estate?

I got a US degree in accounting and worked forvarious places in the accounting field. Then Ijoined MetLife Real Estates accounting depart-ment and was there for 15 years. Meanwhile Iacquired a CPA license and finally started on myown as a realtor in 2003.

What struggles did you face establishing your-

self?I came to the US without a penny in my pocket. Iworked at a restaurant, day care and even as adishwasher on campus to make ends meet. I had tostudy as well as keep myself afloat in a new coun-try.

What is the most important rule of purchasingcommercial real estate?I would say the profit potential of the estate.Weigh how much the value of the estate is likelyto appreciate in the future and only then invest init. There is no point in investing in an estate whichhas reached a saturation point in terms of its valueappreciation.

What is the most important rule of purchasing

residential real estate? Here again I would saythe profit potential but, in residential estates youalso have to look for comfort and accessibility. Seewhat suits your needs best and if it comes with a

good appreciation potential, youve hit the jack

What sets you apart from other realtors?Hard work and extensive research. I understandthat being in the real estate business is not a partime job. Dealing with people while keeping aclose tab on the market is my absolute strength.

Message to people aspiring to get into real es

tate.Remember that disclosures are very important.You must be honest and upfront both while selland buying real estate.

How would you describe the real estate mark

as it is right now?

Its a buyers market for sure. There are too masellers and fewer buyers.

What would you advise people who would w

to buy real estate during the present marketResearch and negotiate. This is a wonderful timto invest in real estate so make your move now.

Contd. On Page 10

Krish Pillay - PRUDENTIAL ROBERTSON REALTY

Where do you come from?Sofia: I was born and raised in Karachi. My par-ents are from Gujarat.Ameer: I was born in Deccan, Hyderabad. Myparents were also Gujarati; my mom was fromPorbandar (Gandhis birthplace) and my dad wasfrom a small town called Rojka.

When did you come to the US?Sofia: I came here in 1983 to visit my sister inHouston and then returned in 1990 to settle downpermanently.Ameer: I came here in the early 70s to pursue aBusiness Management degree at Southern IllinoisUniversity.

When and how did you get into real estate?

Ameer: Sofia has a degree in Microbiology, andhad been working as a Microbiologist for a fewyears. I had entered the hospitality industry rightafter college, and held management jobs with sev-eral organizations for a number of years. We hadboth experienced job burnout, and also had a de-sire to move closer to water where most of ourfriends lived. This was about eight years ago whenwe decided to move to Palm Harbor and pursuereal estate as a second career. We now live in

Odessa.


self?Sofia: We were very fortunate that we startedin this industry during its boom. Ameer fo-cused on business opportunities and commer-cial investments, while I worked with residen-

tial clients. We have been involved in at least200 buy-sell transactions, and have beenmulti-million dollar producers every year. Wehave also won numerous awards, in addition

to investing and flipping for ourselves.


commercial real estate?Ameer: Look ahead 5, 10 or 15 years and try togauge the growth and then buy along that path. Besure you have enough sustaining power in case

projected growth is delayed due to fluctuations inthe economy or other international situations. Phe-nomenal results can be achieved by buying wellahead of time!

What is the most important rule of purchasingresidential real estate?

Sofia: With the tax breaks and inherent equityappreciation, buying instead of renting your pri-mary residence is a no-brainer! Buy the mosthome you can afford in a reputable communitywith higher-priced homes, so the property gainsgreater appreciation. Be sure it is located within 30minutes of your work, and has A-rated schoolsaround if you have school-aged children.

What sets you apart from other realtors?Ameer: Our honesty and integrity is beyond re-proach. We have never intentionally directed aclient into a wrong business or investment venture

just to make our commission! Were equally loyalto buyers and sellers. We emphasize due diligencein business transactions to verify seller claims.

Were more interested in building long-term retionships rather than making a quick buck.

Message to people aspiring to get into real e

tate.Sofia: In spite of tough competition and other

unique challenges, this can be a fulfilling careeYou need good people skills and lots of patiencYou cannot take rejections too personally, andmust be prepared for major fluctuations in inco

Ameer: If youre willing to work hard with a sicere desire to serve your clients, enjoy meetingwide variety of people, dont get too frustrateddealing with some unethical and disloyal peoplyou will inevitably encounter, then this could brewarding pursuit.

How would you describe the real estate mar

as it is right now?

Sofia: It is a Buyers Market! Interest rates arstill quite low, and sellers are really motivated.

There are more sellers in the market than buyerWhat would you advise people who want to

real estate during the present market condi-

tions?

Ameer: If youre renting, you must buy whatevyou can afford. If youre a residential investor,sure you have sustaining power of at least a yeaor two. Mortgage payments, property taxes, insance, and routine maintenance can drain youquickly. Quick-flip time is over for a while! Comercial real estate is holding its value so far, anshould for some time. Buy with caution, and a further away from big cities. We would like to sincerely thank the Indo-PakBangla community for their continuing supporand trust. We credit you for our success.

Ameer and Sofia Lakhani PINNACLE MORTGAGE REALTY

Website: www.AllTampaBayHomes.com Email: [email protected]; [email protected] 813 925-0200

Website: wwwrealestatepillay.com 813-892-2946

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Contd. From Page 8

Where do you

come from?I come from Bom-

bay, India.

When did you

come to the US?In 1973. Aftergraduating from therenowned Instituteof Catering Tech-nology and Applied

Nutritions fromBombay, I worked at the Taj Hotel and then I gotan opportunity to move to the US. I fell in lovewith the quaintness of central Florida. Aftergraduation, I worked in management for the Ra-mada, Hilton, Sheraton and Hyatt Hotels in the

Orlando area. In 1980, my brother and I had theopportunity to open a very elegant Indian restau-rant in the exclusive neighborhood of Bay Hill inOrlando. Even though the cuisine was very new tothe area, we did teach central Floridians how to eatand enjoy curry!

When and how did you get into real estate?After the restaurant, I tried a lot of different thingsto keep busy but the satisfaction factor was notthere. What I missed most was the close interactionwith people that I had in the restaurant business.Real estate was booming in the central Florida area

at that time and the transition was a very easy oneas this was a core need that I could address.

What struggles did you face establishing your-self?The biggest struggle I faced was in getting myname out. I kept reminding family, friends andacquaintances that I was in real estate at everyopportunity I got. Otherwise, I didnt have to gothrough too many struggles. I guess you could callit being at the right place at the right time.


commercial real estate?

Using an educated professional who can determinethe needs of the commercial client in regards totheir investment goals.


residential real estate?Again, using a professionally educated and a localrealtor who understands the needs of the clientfamily and finds them a home which best suitstheir needs, be it community, schools, recreationalor cultural.

What sets you apart from other realtors?My motivation to help people satisfy their coreneeds professionally, ethically and in a friendlymanner. I love to see people enjoy their homes andshare it proudly with their family and friends.Working for a company like Signature GMAC

Real Estate gives me the chance to serve my clefficiently through their Premier Service ProgrOne Stop Shop for financial needs and home in

ance needs.


tate.In Orlando, which is such an unique market plait could provide a great opportunity for individgetting into the real estate market. With so mucland and new construction and the influx of 11new people moving into Orlando every week, is the business to be in.


as it is right now?

It is a very different housing market than it wayear ago. It is an opportune time for buyers as is a housing inventory of over 22,000 homes, ainterest rates are at an all time low. Buyers havunique opportunity to select the best house for

best price.


to buy real estate during the present marketPeople who are still on the fence about propert

prices in central Florida and are waiting for prito drop further need to wake up and take hold othe great market conditions. Buyers who remaithe fence will likely encounter fewer incentiveand higher prices in the long run.

Pat Patnaik - SIGNATURE GMAC REAL ESTATE

Website: www.srgmac.com/ppatnaik; Email: [email protected]; (Cell) 407-761-1416; (Office) 407-992-5030Contd. On Pag

Where do you come

from?I was born in Guyana,South America.

When did you come

to the US?At age 17. I moved to

New York in 1977 fora better life and educa-tion. I graduated fromErasmus Hall High

school in 1979 and then went to Brooklyn College.I got married in 1983 and this year, my wife and Iwill have been married for 24 years. We don't haveany children.

When and how did you get into real estate?

We moved to Florida in 1988 because we needed achange. We bought a retail business in St. Peters-burg in 1990 and owned it for 5 years. I have also

worked for Danka & Xerox Corporations as a tech-nician for about 8 years. I purchased some realestate in 1996 and remember feeling unhappy withthe deal. I felt that I had paid too much and that mymortgage was not the best deal. In 1998, I got mymortgage brokers license and in 1999, I became aicensed real estate salesperson. I worked for sev-

eral real estate companies in Tampa but felt that I

didnt get the training I had been promised. I wasalso giving away almost half of my hard earnedcommission. In 2003, I got my real estate brokerslicense and started my own company called Mi-chael Maharana Realty & Mortgage Inc. in Janu-ary of 2004. In 2004, I sold over 30 new homes &in 2005, over 40 new homes.


self?No struggles as such. I established myself by beinginvolved in community events.


commercial real estate?Location, Location, Location with lots of visi-

bility.


residential real estate?

You should ensure that your needs are met with theproperty you consider and what you can afford

comfortably. If you have children, or plan to havechildren, you should look for a community withgood schools, shopping centers and hospitals.

What sets you apart from other realtors?I offer my clients complete honesty, extensiveknowledge of the market and thorough profession-

alism. I work with each client on an individualbasis to fit their needs.


tate.As in any other job, in order to be successful in

real estate, you have to be ready to work very hThis is a business that requires your attention 2Once you have proven yourself a true profes-sional, have earned trust, have learned to workwithin your clients needs and have offered gocustomer service, you can then become a verysuccessful realtor.


as it is right now?The real estate market is very slow right now bit's showing signs of picking up soon. It is a buers market if you are looking for your dreamhome. There is a lot of inventory to choose from


to buy real estate during the present marketI would advise them to educate themselves andwould offer my best advice on current market cditions.

We are moving into our new Wesley Chapel ofthis month. I have bought an Avalar franchise aour new company is called Avalar Realty Sour

Michael Maharana - AVALAR REALTY SOURCE (Previously known as MICHAEL MAHARANA REALTY & MORTGAGE)

Website: www.avalarrealtysource.com ; Email: [email protected]; 813-785-0302, 813-994-3300

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By: Shaphali Jain

CM: Viji, tell us a little bit about your-

self.Viji: : I am from Hyderabad, India. I didmost of my schooling there and then wentto the MS University in Baroda to studypainting and ceramics. Ive also studied atthe Brooklyn College in New York whereI graduated with Honors in Painting andCeramics. Im a self taught textile de-signer as well and have done a lot of in-dependent study in different forms of art.

CM: What brought you to the US?Viji: I was one of those people who neverwanted to leave India. I had so muchthere to identify with, so much that I

wanted to do with design and bring myown interpretation to. I married Uttamwhen I was 21 and we moved to NewYork. It was an exciting place to be inbut, at that time, I remember being verylonely. I really couldnt identify withmuch in the beginning and the worst part was notbeing able to see the sun for days on end. Whenpeople used to say, isnt it a beautiful day?, Iused to wonder what on earth they meant! Andthen I began to understand that when the sun actu-ally did come out, it was a beautiful day!

CM: What facilitated the acclimatization proc-

ess?

Viji: Art is so much a part of that city that I

gradually started to find my rhythm. I started to goto the Art Students League which was a turn ofthe century building in New York and started to

draw and paint to get my bearings. I met a lot ofartists and became familiar with things. New Yorkgrows on you you have to get to know it. Myhusband didnt baby me either. He told me, takethis train and go get your license. I was terrified!I eventually got very comfortable there and afterliving there for 5 years we moved to Florida.

CM: What was the move to Florida like?

Viji: Moving to Florida was another experience.After being in the Mecca of arts, we moved to aplace which at that time was quite starved for art.Things are different now. We have a stronger

Indian community but there is still very littleserious art. I go back to New York and Miamifairly frequently because of my art.

CM: What about textiles in particular drew

your attention?

Viji: Indian textiles have always intrigued me.Textiles are a big part of India. Interior decora-tors and fashion designers have always createda repertoire with textiles and have tried to in-corporate textiles within their work. Textilesare timeless because of the colors. They are anamalgam of so many cultures a beautiful

blend of Persian, Islamic and European withthe Indian. This art form needs to be revived

because India is changing so fast. People donot associate with the traditional so much anymore and these age old aspects of our traditionare rapidly dying out. The younger generationdoes not think its cool and fashion is followingthe more modern trends. I constantly demon-strate and wear what I believe in and I blend itwith modern or American clothing. I weartribalsaris which are woven in villages. Theyare so unique that they draw people to them.

CM: Would you say that you are able to

incorporate this blend into your interiordesigns as well?

Viji: Absolutely, I use the same approacin interior design. My designs have to haan Indian identity not overly so theyhave to be cleverly incorporated. I try noto get too Indian either. People from othecountries are able to relate to my work anfind it beautiful. I showcase textiles in minterior design work it is an extension owhat I do. I am currently remodeling ourown house in India and am working on arestaurant cum boutique which is on thedrawing board right now. It is going tocome alive with the textiles that I have in

mind.

CM: What do you do to bring textiles in

your world here in the US?

Viji: Well, let me give you a little bit ofbackground on what I do. I support a gro

of artisans or crafts people in India. I have beendoing this for over 10 years now. We revive oldcrafts such asKalamkari or pen work a 17th

Century art form which uses extracts from natudyes and then prints are made with those dyes.This used to be a very strong trade that developin many parts of the world. Europeans had noconcept of this art in the 17 th Century until theycame to India. It evolved further when Europea

brought their own designs ...

Contd. On page 2

Viji is an artist. She lives and breathes the art form in her paintings, in her textiles, in her interior design, in what she wears and in her very essence. Asmost artists go, she is one who seems very much at peace with herself and seeks to find the same peace around her. Her home is the epitome of what shebelieves in and stands by - the Indian art form that lives here in all its vibrancy, beauty and energy. She is passionate about her country of origin, India,and all that it stands for, particularly in the arts. She works tirelessly towards bringing various art forms to the US along with their history, with the con-viction that if she couples her art with an accurate background of where it originated and how it evolved, she will be able to make it permeate across bor-ders. She has enlisted a lot of support for her work, both in India and in the US, and this is because of her passion for not only preserving the art form bualso the artisans. Read on to get to know yet another local hero in our area. Please visit www.aalamwaar.com for more information.

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The first thing to do is to protect our hands bywearing gloves while washing dishes. Massagecream on the hands, the nails and the skin aroundthem after each exposure to detergent or soap.This takes only a few minutes.

Do It Yourself Manicure

Put together a small bowl, an emery board, anorange stick, nail clippers, cotton wool, cotton

buds, nail polish remover, nail polish and handcream.

Step 1. Remove old nail polish with nail polishremover. Do not use too much remover, as ittends to dry out the nails. Then shape the nailsusing an emery board. You should file the nailsin one direction only, not back and forth.

Step 2. Add a few drops of shampoo or soap-freebath gel to warm water in a bowl and soak yourhands in it for 5 minutes. Then, use a soft

brush on the nails to clean them. Washhands if they feel soapy.

Step 3. Use cotton buds or wrap cottonwool around the orange stick and gently

push back the cuticles. Dont use a metalcuticle pusher, as this can injure the skin. If thecuticles tend to adhere, apply some cream andthen try to push them back.

Step 4. Wrap cotton wool around a thin stick, oruse a cotton bud to clean beneath the nails.

Again, sharp metal instruments should not beused for this.

Step 5. Apply hand cream on the nails, cuticlesand hands. Massage the cream into the skin of thecuticles and hands. Wipe off excess cream with amoist towel.

Step 6. Apply nail polish, using smooth strokes,from the base of the nails to the tip.

Points to Remember

Avoid using very hot water to soak hands asthis can cause dryness of the skin and nails.

If you have brittle nails, avoid frosted nailpolish.

If you have any kind of nail infection, avoidfiling them or sing nail polish. Seek medicalattention as there may be a fungal infection.

Useful Tips for Nail Beauty

Rub a slice of lemon under the nails to makethem look cleaner and whiter.

Broad nails can be made to look narrow ifyou leave a very narrow strip on each side

without polish.

Using lighter shades of nail polish makesmall and short nails look longer.

If the nail polish chips, avoid peeling it off.This can remove the protective layer on thenail as well.

Home Tips

To soften the skin and lighten skin color ofthe hands, take some sugar in your palm andadd lemon juice. Rub this on the back of thehands and wash off.

Take 2 tbsp sunflower oil and 3 tbsp coarsesugar. Mix together till it becomes a paste.Apply and rub into the skin on the hands.Rinse off after 15 minutes.

Put a cup of warm milk in a bowl. Soak youhands in it for five minutes to strengthennails and soften the skin.

For stains on the hands, take lemon peand rub on the stains.

Take fresh orange peels, pierce themwith a fork and rub the peels on the hands to

brighten the skin.

Dont forget to write in with your questions to

[email protected].

Our hands are always on display and they begin to show neglect and aging sooner than other parts of the body. The skin on the back of the hands is thinand has fewer oil glands. Our hands are also exposed to soaps and detergents on a daily basis while we perform our chores and this makes them rough andry. A weekly manicure goes a long way in keeping our hands in good condition. Here are ways to give your hands a luxury treatment at home.

If you have brittle nails, include

adequate protein and calcium in your

diet. Add skimmed milk, yogurt, cottage

cheese, fish and sprouts to your diet.

By: Shahnaz Husain

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PROGRAM ELECTRONIC REVIEW MAN-

AGEMENT (PERM)

A permanent labor certification issued by the De-partment of Labor (DOL) allows an employer tohire a foreign worker to work permanently in theUnited States. In most instances, before the U.S.employer can submit an immigrant petition to theDepartment of Homeland Security's U.S. Citizen-ship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the em-ployer must obtain an approved labor certificationrequest from the DOL's Employment and Training

Administration (ETA). In summary, PERM laborcertification is the first step towards the majority ofemployment based green cards.

What is PERM?

To improve the operations of the permanent laborcertification program, ETA published a final regu-ation on December 27, 2004, which required the

implementation of a new permanent labor certifica-tion program to be effective on March 28, 2005.The Program Electronic Review Management sys-tem (PERM) was developed to replace the Reduc-tion in Recruitment (RIR) and standard labor certi-fication process.

How does PERM differ from old regulations

i.e., Reduction in Recruitment or Standard La-

bor Certification?

The most important differences between PERM,RIR and Standard Labor Certification are proce-dures, prevailing wages and adjudication time.Under PERM, the application is essentially ap-

proved automatically as long as the applicationdoes not trigger the DOL computer to send out anaudit request. Under the RIR and Standard LaborCertifications, all applications had to be reviewed

by the State Workforce Agency and the Depart-ment of Labor before they were approved. Note

that prior to the implementation of PERM, theprocessing time under the old labor certificationwas usually 2-3 years, sometimes even more.

What does Labor Certification mean?

It means that DOL has certified that there are noqualified U.S. workers able, willing, qualified andavailable to accept the job at the prevailing wage

for that occupation inthe area of intendedemployment and thatthe employment ofthe alien will not adversely affect the wagesworking conditions of similarly employed workers.

Where are cases processed?

Applications are processed at either the Chicagthe Atlanta National Processing Center. The chof the National Processing Center depends upothe state where the job offer is located.

What are the processing times?

The Department of Labor has set the goal for ming decisions on electronically filed PERM acations at 45-60 days. However, the 45-60

processing time frame is only a goal, which m

that DOL is not bound to this time frame.

Please note that all the above facts are generanature and that all cases are unique. Before ming a decision on any immigration matters on yown, do consult an immigration attorney.

Please send your questions to

[email protected].

Percentage of

Legal Perma-

nent Residentsby state.

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The Best of Both Worlds!Is Indian music the next big genre to take over the

States? You better believe that its already here! Indianmusic has contributed to a lot of different music groups

that are played on the radio today. A perfect example is the mix of hip hopand reggaeton (Latin reggae). The larger segment of 2nd and 3rd genera-tion Indian Americans has contributed largely to the increase of this musictype and this is what I have been doing for some time now. The blend ofbeats and melodies is amazing. In 2005, the internationally acclaimed Latinartist,Daddy Yankee teamed up with an Indian singer by the name ofDeevani and released Mirame, a hard blend of reggae beats with an In-dian melody. It uses a sample ofEli re Eli from the movie Yaadein. Thisblend and a handful of others is setting the club scene ablaze. Rememberwhere you heard it first. Until next month here are your top ten clubbangaz to keep your heads bopping and your hearts pumping.

1. Javeda Zindagi ANWAR2. Main Jahan Rahoon (Dhol Mix) NAMASTEY LONDON3. Leja Leja (Remix) USTAD AND THE DIVAS4. Albela Albela HONEYMOON TRAVELS5. Barso Re GURU6. Chanda Re EKLAVYA7. Salaam-E-Ishq SALAAM-E-ISHQ8. Doorie (House Mix)- ATIF ASLAM9. Ya Rabba SALAAM-E-ISHQ10. Har Manzar (Remix) BAABUL

DJ Jafar can be contacted at 941-238-8243 or via email:

[email protected].

By: Javid Lateef

It is the eve of the World Cup as I pen this.The practice matches have had some bizarreresults. All the fears that we have had aboutsuch a tournament being held in the Windiesalso seem to be coming true. Only time willtell whether I will be proven wrong or not,

but I highly doubt it!

Let us start with the teams. Realistically, theminnows have no chance of winning the cup,

but I think that Bangladesh and Kenya arecapable of an upset or two. Both teams have swashbuckling batsmen, whocan change the course of any game and have the results to back them up.Their biggest problem has been stringing a few wins together, but not takingthem seriously might end up hurting any of the more established teams.

As far as an open field is concerned, I believe that this World Cup has NOodds on favorite. The Aussies, who have dominated the shorter form of thegame for almost a decade, seem to be on the decline. Their bowling has lostts incisive edge that it possessed in the last few World Cups. Glenn McGraths an aging warhorse and will be shouldering the bowling. The absence of

Brett Lee and Shane Warne is going to hurt Australia. They have lost the lasttwo series they have played, and in a few games, after racking up a huge

score, the bowlers could not contain the opposition. They will have the sameproblem in the World Cup and the rest of the field is sensing that their aura ofnvincibility is crumbling.

The south Asian teams seem to be performing well, of late. Sri Lanka, withJayasuriya Muralidharan andJayawardhene is always a threat. Their battingand bowling are well suited for the conditions in the Windies. They are al-ways dangerous and if they make it to the 2nd stage of this World Cup, theycan go all the way. Pakistan beat South Africa convincingly in a practice

match and seems to be ramping up well towards the first game against theWindies. The absence ofAsifand Shoaib Akthar, The Nandrolene Twinwill be a big blow to Pakistan. It is the end of the road forAkthar, but Asan immensely talented bowler. Pakistans biggest deficiency will be theirfielding, I feel, and it will cost them a game or two, but they are previousWorld Cup champions, like Sri Lanka and India, and are capable of makinto the final dance.

India seems to be getting their act together. I am very happy with the newball attack. ZaheerandAgarkarare a great combination. The left-right cbination is working well for the Indians. The batsmen have all struck a rivein of form, in the recent past, and apart from Sehwag, all have runs undtheir belt. I believe with a little bit of luck, India is capable of surprising whole field.

The host, West Indies, will have some rethinking and restructuring to do bfore the start of the World Cup. The batting just seems to collapse. The Ians bowled them out for 85 runs in a practice game and they have a lot ofwork ahead to rectify the situation. They have a lot of pressure playing ahome, and I am curious to see how they handle the heat.

We then have South Africa, England and New Zealand to finish off the EEight. South Africa is now the #1 ranked team in the world. It has beate

every single team in the last few months and is on a roll. The players do a reputation as being chokers, and are desperately trying to shake that imaEngland is an enigma wrapped in a riddle! They look like world beaters day, and pathetically inept the next. CollingwoodandPieterson are in gonick andFlintoffis the games best all-rounder. They have not had a haptime in the last few World Cups, and will be looking to change that. NewZealand is riding high right now. They demolished the Aussies at home awill be looking to continue that trend through the World Cup.

And that wraps it up for now let the games begin.

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By: Dr. Adarsh Jain Increasing Self Esteem in Your Child

Without a strong and wholesome sense ofI,no individual can survive the complications ofadult social relationships. Here are some exam-ples of how to instill the right level of self es-teem in children.

Be a happy critic. If a child has done somethingwrong, do not criticize or talk down to him. Tellhim what the right thing is or how it should havebeen done.

Avoid saying an outright NO or being nega-tive too often - it puts you in a position of oppo-sition. Speak in affirmatives and align yourselfon your childs side. Instead of saying, nocandy for you ordo not eat candy, you couldtry, we will eat fruits instead. Using alterna-tives as much as possible conveys the impres-sion that the desired item is being replaced in-stead of denied to the child.

Reward good behavior such as helping sib-lings, doing small chores or keeping toys inplace, by appreciating and rewarding the child.Rewards can be in the form of praise, gifts, hugs

and kisses. Do not bribe your child to get a taskdone.

Let the child make her own decisions aboutthe smaller issues such as music, food, clothes orhairstyles. You may choose to discuss the prosand the cons of a particular decision and stressyour views. Try to leave the final decision toyour child. This gives them a feeling of controland helps raise their self esteem.

Avoid making dramatic statements. Oftenparents make statements like, My son does notlike vegetables. He likes to eat only meat.These statements act like written words on the

brain and the child feels compelled to act thesame way. The statement may be modified withone such as, My son is very flexible. He eatsmore meat than vegetables and he likes tryingnew things every day.

Dont be afraid to show off! Feel free to shareyour childs good work with other family mem-

bers, friends and guests when appropriate. Frameand hang paintings or drawings in their room for

exhibition.

Encourage your child to play with other chidren outside of school, in a park or in yourneighborhood. They learn to share and socialiand also get a sense of self in comparison to

others.Teach them to own up to their mistakes.Support them by not rebuking them when theymake a mistake. Instead, gently guide them towards the right way.

Do not force your will on them. If they haveinterest in something else, this will only lead conflict and poor performance. Let them follotheir heart and their own sense of well beingwith your guidance and support.

Teach them to respect themselves as wellas others. Often, the birth of a second child pr

duces intense sibling rivalry. Prepare the firstborn for the arrival of the litt le one and ensurethat the firstborns environment changes as litas possible with the new arrival.

Please write to Dr. Jain with questions or feeback at [email protected].

Children seek parental attention and approval. If rewarded for a particular behavior, the child will do it again and again. Through consistentinstructions and examples with regard to the correct behavioral patterns, parents can help a child to be more focused and disciplined and to beproductively occupied both mentally as well as physically.

By: Dr. Maulik Trivedi

Q.My question is about my niece and nephew.They are both very good children but are ex-

tremely fussy eaters. My sister has tried to

introduce many different foods into their diet

but they like to eat only bread, pasta and pota-

toes! Vegetables, daals and fruits are com-

pletely missing from their diet and this con-

cerns both my sister and I as we are also vege-

tarian. They are 7 and 5 yrs old. Can you ad-

vise on how we can get them to eat a healthier

diet without each meal time being a battle for

all involved?

Shalini from Winter Haven

A. Your niece and nephew are not very differentfrom most kids. They love to eat feel goodfoods. Your concern is appropriately rooted in thelong term negative effects of improper eating onthe human body. Here are some basic tips on howto get them to eat a balanced diet.

Tip # 1 Have the kids eat at regular intervals.Have them eat 3 meals (breakfast, lunch and din-ner) alternating with 3 snacks. Make sure they eathealthy snacks (fruits, vegetables and granolabars or non-sugared cereals). Feel good foodssuch as white bread, pasta and potatoes may tan-talize our taste buds but they are high in carbohy-drates and lead to increased fatigue.

Tip # 2 Keep healthy snacks around. Stop buy-ing junk food. If the kids dont have it, theywont eat it.

Tip # 3 Instead of feeding the children first, makedinner time a family event. Having fun conversa-

tions that unite the family automatically gravitatechildren to the dining table. Lead by setting agood example. Eat a well balanced diet so thatyour children, who are natural imitators, will tryto follow.

It is important to note that in some cases, cravingcarbohydrate rich foods like pasta and rice can bea warning sign of early diabetes. If you have afamily history of diabetes, or if the children areseverely over-weight, it is necessary to have themevaluated medically.

Q.Dear Dr. Trivedi, I am writing to you aboutmy wife. I am not sure if you can help me but

we have been trying for a long time to have a

second child. We have a daughter who is 10-

years-old and I feel truly blessed to have her.

However, my wife is very depressed because

she is not being able to have a second child.

We have gone through various medical proce-

dures and everything is fine with both of us. I

try to tell her that we should be thankful for

the one we have but she feels she has failed in

some way. How can I help her feel better

about this?

Name withheld upon request.

A. Your intent to help your wife shows your ca-pacity to be a good friend as well as a good hus-band. This is the ultimate comfort that you pro-vide for her in this situation. If and when you feelit is appropriate, you may discuss the followingideas too.

We all have desires in life. Not being able to

fulfill our desires is a commonsource of our sorrow. Butsometimes, obtaining what wedesire is not in our control.

Should one put a stop to desires in ones life? Tanswer is NO. That would be unnatural and contrary to our nature as human beings. To desirewhat we do not possess gives us the motivationand zeal to go forth in life. We have to dream.

But sometimes, life has a different plan for usfrom the one we made. Sometimes we are soinvested in our own plan that we fail to see theopportunities waiting on the sidelines when wefail. Very often, if we look for other options,there is an alternate way to have something verysimilar to what we desire.

Perhaps an alternate way for your wife to experience the same joy is to consider adopting a child

or to sponsor a child through humanitarian pro-grams, or even to volunteer time at a childrensgroup home or a play group in your neighbor-hood.

Help you wife discover the alternate opportuni-ties waiting to be explored. This will help her pher sorrows behind. More importantly, dont leyour desires get drowned by your sorrows.

Dr. Trivedi is a Board-Certified Psychiatrist wia private office in Tampa. He treats children,adolescents and adults. Please visit

www.MINDvantage.com for more information.Send your questions to:[email protected].
http://www.mindvantage.com/http://www.mindvantage.com/

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Neta BBig B for president? Apparently thats the latest

rumor going around. Now that candidates aretrickling in for the post of President, the Sama-

jwadi Party plans to proposeAby Babys name.For the man himself, though, mums the word.

Chhota BAbhishekand fiance,Aishwarya Rai, have notdecided on a wedding date or venue as yet. Butthen again, being the achchha bachchas they are,Im sure their parents will be making all the deci-sions for them. There was talk of March 19, andofUmaid Bhavan in Jodhpur, but nothing seemsto be finalized yet. I have heard that Jaipur andGwalior seem to be front-runners for the locale.

Pooree PhamileeI might as well finish all the news regarding the

Bachchans in one blow. Looks like the entirefamily is getting into show business now. ShwetaBachchan will be hosting a television talk showcalledNextGen to cater to todays youth. Forthose of you with satellite television, please let usknow what you think of thisBig B offspringsforay into show business!

Chhote NawabSaif Ali Khan has been discharged from the hos-

pital after experiencing chest pains earlier inFebruary. Hes received a clean bill of healthand has been advised to make some major life-style changes, specifically regarding smoking andhis diet. Heads up to all those thirty and forty-

something guys who have some genetic risks take heed! South Asian men are notorious forcholesterol issues. Quit smoking, start exercis-ing, and streamline your diet! Okay, no morelecturing my hubby gets more than his share!

Tera karoon din gin gin ke intezaar

Well folks, looks like the wait is over! Of all the

heroines that people wanted to see back on thesilver screen,Madhuri was by far the winner.

Aaja Nachle isMrs. Dixit-Nenes comebackmovie. If nothing else, she looks FAB!! Man, ifI could look like her (which I dont) after havingtwo kids (which I do), I would be very happyindeed!

Bijli giraane main hun aayiSpeaking of comebacks,Mrs. Sridevi Kapooriskeeping up withMrs. Nene with two upcoming

projects, one of them which is to be produced byher hubby,Boney Kapoor. They made waveswithMr. India; hopefully this next venture will

be just as successful!

Paani Paani haiDeepa Mehtas Waterwent to the Oscars as Can

adas official entry and was nominated for BestForeign Film, but unfortunately didnt win. Joh

Abraham was mistaken forAntonio Banderas bsome, despite the fact that he was wearing an

achkan and was among a bevy ofdesi women(i.e.,Deepa Mehta, Lisa Ray, Seema Biswas)!

Chak de chak de chak deYashRaj has been very busy indeed! This pro-duction house has several releases lined up for2007:

Chak De India: SRKis a girls field hockeycoach. I know hes great at soccer, but hockey?

Aaja Nachle: Mads comebackand she playswhat else? A dancer! Also starringKonkona SSharma & Kunaal Kapoor.

Jhoom Barabar Jhoom: Another sports movieAbhishekplays an avid soccer (oops, football)

fan. Preity Zinta, Bobby Deol, andLara Duttaco-star.

Tara Rum Pum: Yet another sports movie (didthey run out of ideas??) Starring Saif Ali KhanandRani Mukherjee; Saifis a race car driver inthis one.

Lagaa Chunari Mein Daag: Looks to be a tradtional family-oriented movie. WithRani Muk-herjee, Jaya Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan,

Anupam Kher, &Konkona SenSharma, and di-rected byPradeep Sarkar(ofParineeta fame),this looks to be a winner. Bangali der chhorachhori! Kudos to anyone who knows what I jussaid!

By: Nandini Chakraborty

B O L L Y W O O D

www.erosentertainment.com




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RBy: Kavita Trivedi

Johnny (Sanjay Dutt) and Jimmy (Saif AliKhan) are two small time crooks who dream ofbecoming rich and famous but keep gettingcaught and end up behind bars.

While fleeing prison, the hapless pair comesacross a hotel manager (Shakti Kapoor) anddiscovers that he is involved in shady dealingsand embezzles thousands of pounds from hisown company. In an attempt to get rich quickly,

both Johnny and Jimmy become waiters at thehotel and hatch a plan to blackmail the boss.However, their plans are thwarted after the bossis found dead having been killed by a mobstertrio (Mukesh Rishi, Aashif Shaikh and Shiva).The duo then attempts to make the mob believethat the boss is alive in an attempt to catch theculprits. But, with the hotel owner (Bipasha Basu)

and her friend, the obsessive romantic novel

reader (Kim Sharma) in the picture, will they be

able to get away with the dead body in public?

Due to the films delay, some scenes appear be outdated but expectations are high for debtant directorAjay Chandoks comedy caper.

Sanjay Duttand Saif Ali Khan have done agood job and though the movie bears someresemblance to their earlier performances inHaseena Maan Jayegi and Main Khiladi T

Anari, they are a lot of fun to watch togetheon screen.

Renowned composersAnand Raj Anandhavprovided the music score for this film and thtracks Parva Digaraand the title trackNe

Pe Dehlaare the only dominant songs worthlistening too.

Overall, a slight disappointment but a good

movie for light entertainment purposes.

After the hard hitting smash hit Sarkar, acclaimeddirectorRam Gopal Verma teams up once againwith superstarAmitabh Bachchan for thiscontroversial love story.

Based on Vladimir Nabokovs novelLolita,Nishabdtells the story of Vijay (AmitabhBachchan) a wildlife photographer, who dur-ing one of his outdoor shoots, accidentallyspots Gia, (Jiah Khan) a sweet 18-year-old,and captures her innocence on camera.

He later comes to know her as his daughtersfriend, and then as far more, as their relation-ship crosses into the forbidden boundaries oflove.

The films sensitive theme focuses on humanrelationships and the controversial liaison

between a 60-year-old man and an 18-year-oldgirl. The story may be a bit too bold for the Indian

masses to digest, but depicts situations that occin real life.

As always,Amitabh Bachchan gives a stellaperformance and brings forth an intense per-sona. Debutant New York born actress,Jiah

Khan,performs well and brings a sense offreshness and innocence to her character.Revathi andAftab Shivsdasani do a good job wtheir supporting roles.

The films cinematography captures the beau

ful scenery of Munnar and Kerala and the baground musical score provided by composerturned film makerVishal Bhardwaj sets thecorrect tone for the movies theme.

The films only trackRozanna has been especially penned forAmitabh Bachchan who lenhis vocals once again afterBaabul.

A controversial film worth a watch!

Oscar Fernandez (Boman Irani) and Nahid(Shabana Azmi) are two divorced pensioners

who are happily married a second time around.Partho Sen (Kay Kay Menon) and Milly Sen(Raima Sen) is a couple that comes from asmall town in Bengal. Pinky (Amisha Patel)and Vicky (Karan Khanna) come from Delhiand are poles apart from one another; Pinky istalkative and bubbly and Vicky is the typicalquiet introvert. Madhu (Sandya Mridul) is atraditional girl from Mumbai who met hersettled-in-America husband Bunty (VikramChatwal) online. Gujarati couple Hitesh(Ranvir Shorey) and Shilpa (Dia Mirza) isfinding life hard after their arranged marriageand raise the question of what is more impor-tant in life: love or marriage?

The envy of everyone is the perfect couple As(Abhay Deol) and his childhood sweetheart

Zara (Minnisha Lamba) but unknown to theothers, they hide a dark secret from each other

The films climax revolves around a mysterybiker who follows the honeymoon travelersfrom Mumbai to Goa on their hectic holidayschedule which becomes the talk of a radioshow that reveals their secrets and their past.

With a great musical soundtrack by Vishal-Shekhar, Honeymoon Travels is an exciting anupbeat movie that explores the nature of loveand the complexities of human relationships ina light hearted manner.

Worth watching.

NEHLE PE DEHLANEHLE PE DEHLANEHLE PE DEHLADir: Ajay Chandok; Cast:Sanjay Dutt, Saif Ali Khan, Bipasha Basu and Kim Sharma

NISHABDNISHABDNISHABDDir: Ram Gopal Verma; Cast:Amitabh Bachchan, Revathi, Jiah Khan, Ruksaar and Aftab Shivdasani

HONEYMOON TRAVELS PVT LTDHONEYMOON TRAVELS PVT LTDHONEYMOON TRAVELS PVT LTDDir: Reema Kagti; Cast:Abhay Deol, Minnisha Lamba, Shabana Azmi, Boman Irani, Amisha Patel, Karan Khanna, Dia Mirza, Kay Kay Meno

Raima Sen, Sandya Mridyul and Arjun Rampal

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and artisans in India incorporated it intotheir own work. I have my own crafts unitin Hyderabad and we produce handcrafted home furnishings with a range ofnatural dyes on natural products such asjute, linen, cotton, silk and wool. I designthe concept and the artisans incorporateit. I have built an environmentally sus-

tainable industry which is also a fair tradeorganization. We do not employ any childlaborers and we believe in empoweringpeople. We teach and train people withno skills and help them create a liveli-hood for themselves. There are two as-pects to this business - garments andhome furnishings and we are now able toretail to very high-end stores in bothcountries. Part of the proceeds from thisgoes into helping the artisans in India.

CM: Tell us what the home furnishings

comprise of?

Viji: We have everything ranging fromblock printed and intricately embroideredbed linen, jute rugs, curtains, drapes,blankets, quilts, cushions & wall hang-ings. The designs are timeless and weconstantly work with older antique artdesigns to protect and preserve them. Ialso work with Turkish and African de-signs in order to reach out to a wideraudience.

CM: With all of this, you paint as well?Viji: Oh! Yes! Painting is my secondterrier. It fits in well within my realm ofart. I always work with a series in mind. Ipractice yoga and meditation and my artis abstract. Freedom from the Known is

a series that I have done which followsthe Shree Yantra, the geometric formfrom our scriptures, based on the Tantrikaspect. It signifies Shakti which is themainstay of the Tantrikbelief system. Iwork with the concept of the union of themale and female, the energy of reachingGod in an uplifted state of mind. Mywork is processed through my interpreta-tion and my paintings depict my visualvocabulary.

CM: So, what, or who, would you say

was your inspiration?Viji: I remember the passion for painting

set in at about age 10. I insisted that I beallowed to take classes at the ColourWonder Institiute in Hyderabad. It was inBaroda where I finally found myself. Iwas surrounded and taught by some ofthe foremost artists of our country, Gu-lam Mohammed Sheikh, Jyoti Bhatt, K.G. Subramaniam, to name a few and theinfluence that they had on me was phe-nomenal. My father, Narain Reddy, hasalso been a major source of inspirationand support in my life. He is very artistic and anamazing designer. He is self taught and I remem-ber growing up with copies of the Architectural

Digest lying around at home. He is as accom-plished with structural designs as he is with theinteriors. He is a man who is way ahead of histimes. I get a lot of encouragement and support

from my parents in my business today. Wbring to this field is through their support.

CM: Tell us about your children.

Viji: My son Udayan is 17 and my daughAnjali is 14. Uday is quite creative and a rtaker. He is a good photographer and sculpas well. Anjali is organized and meticulouUday plays the tabla and Anjali the piano

CM: How would you describe your hus-

bands role in your life?

Viji: Uttam is very supportive and is my bbone. He has always believed in giving mfreedom to explore my creativity.

CM: What would you say keeps you

grounded and focused?

Viji: The fact that I work with grass rootspeople or my crafts people and the fact thathey depend on me. It is because of them tkeep going forward. They have stood by mthey realize I am sincere and they see in mmeans to improve their existence. This is i

portant to me because I want to do all that

can to improve their lives both at the basicwell as the artistic level.

CM: Any time left over for a hobby?Viji: Yes, my music! I play the Sitar. Painis my profession but music has always beemy hobby. I host house concerts at my homand music is a very important part of our l

CM: Tell us about something you are very

passionate about.

Viji: I am passionate about India and all owork. I try to bring India into every aspectmy work. In 2006, I curated an exhibit ontextiles called Sari, Six Yards of Magic the Maitland Art Center in Orlando. It ran 6 weeks and was seen by hundreds of peophad every imaginable sari in the exhibit frseasonal, ceremonial, traditional and modealso took part in the textile exhibit at MOSfor the Demystifying India project which iexhibit currently and is ongoing for about years. I also work with a pioneer in textilerevival, Suraiya Begum, and a major part owhat we do is teach widows and women toweave. I work towards incorporating the htory with the art itself. Ive realized that ththe way to bring in the support. I have alsoup a trust fund to help fund the health needthe artisans who work with me. I am now

tempting to start another fund to help witheducation of their children.

CM: How do you enlist support for all th

you do?

Viji: People ask me all the time, how canbe involved? How can we help? The bestway is to visit my website and to buy the pucts there which are made by these artisanPart of the proceeds go to these people. It whelp to connect the two worlds and it can ohappen with everyones support.

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These days Auntyji is hearing a lot about how you cannot escape taxes ordeath. She would like to add one more thing that you cannot escape -yourself! There are a lot of people out there who try to avoid paying taxes(you know who you are), but that is a different story. There are also many ofus who chase after the fountain of youth, try to prolong life and try to post-pone death. We are proponents of a healthier lifestyle, eating better, exercis-ng more and know how to take advantage of modern medicine. However,

how many of us actually improve who we are on the inside?

Our parents give us the genes that we are born with, and these genes dictate aot of the characteristics within us. We cannot control how tall or short we

are (hanging on branches really does not help much), what our features lookike (only plastic surgery will change that), the color of our skin (bleaching

can only do so much), our eyes (color and eyesight can be changed and cor-rected), hair (which can be bleached, dyed or transplanted), or a multitude ofnternal organs that might be more susceptible to disease. Thanks to advance-

ment in science, a lot of these can be rectified for those who want changes.Mentally and spiritually as well, we have a lot of the characteristics that wederive from our parents or our environment, some that we suppress withinourselves and others that are intensified as we mature.

Some people try to run away from their problems. Everybody around themseems to be to blame except they themselves. They blame their parents, theirfriends, their job, their family and just about everyone else for all that iswrong in their life. They never seem to get the right breaks. It always rainson their parade. They always complain and seem to thrive on negatives. They

never win. They have no friends or all the wrong friends.They are stuck in life. Sometime they move on to a dif-ferent city or even a different country to start a new life,

but what they fail to see is that at the end of the day, theproblem lies within themselves. Acceptance of who oneis, is the key to understanding oneself in order to attainany kind of fulfillment in life.

Auntyji looks at herself as honestly as possible and finds that she is truly hmothers daughter. Her mother was a self made woman, a strong willedwoman, a stubborn woman, and a woman with many great qualities andsome that were really not that great. Auntyji would have liked to have inheited only the good ones, but heredity comes as a package and she didnt geto pick and choose! It is now up to Auntyji as to how she wants to cultivator suppress each of these behaviors that are part of her being. Auntyji seesherself as having similar speech patterns, liking similar foods, dealing with

people in a similar manner, similarity in the acidity of her tongue, likenessthe love of animals, and recently, a similarity in ailments as those that hermother had. Sometimes, Auntyji finds herself cringing when she catchesherself behaving like her mother (having sworn to herself on numerous ocsions that she would notbecome her mother). At other times, she simplyaccepts and embraces the feeling (this is what I liked and cherished about mmother), and at other times still, she finds herself striving to embody hermore (this is what I admired about her). In the end, we are who we are andshould learn to make the most of it.

Q: Auntyji, I am a retired man and have spent

my working years in Patna. My son is a doctor

and a green card holder. He lives in a big house

in Orlando with his wife (who stays at home)

and their young girl, age 6 and boy, age 10.

Last year my wife and I came to here on a 5

year multiple entry visa as our son wanted us to

spend our time divided equally between the

USA and India.

I write to you with a heavy heart. My problem

is that I find that my son and his wife have

changed a lot. They do not want to listen to

anything we have to say. We are older, and

should be respected. Back in India, my wife

touched her in-laws feet every day and it never

occurred to me to say no to my father. Here,

our son argues with us and tells us that we do

not understand. His wife has become too inde-

pendent. A housewifes duty is to take care of

her family and her home, but she insists on

hiring a maid to do the cleaning. They eat out a

lot or order food from outside. They have also

started to eat meat. Our daughter-in-law

drinks alcohol with our son and my wife and I

find this very hard. When we try to bring up

our concerns, we are met with rudeness and

disrespect.

The only silver lining here are the children.

They are well behaved and love and respect us.They always do very well in school and have a

desire to learn about Indian culture.

We are proud of the fact that our son is suc-

cessful and rich. How do we make him see that

he has lost the values that we raised him with?

Vishnu in Orlando

A:Vishnubhai, I come across this situation somany times. You have to realize that you are notn India anymore, nor are you in your own home,

and the year is 2007. Times have changed!! Youhave lived your life the way you wanted to, or

maybe it was the way it was expected of you, butthat was your choice. Your values, life experi-ences, desires, or expectations cannot be the sameas those of your sons. It is not that your son doesnot love you or is being disrespectful, otherwisehe would not want you to spend time here withhim and his family. Your expectations are not

being met, mainly because you are equating themto a different set of circumstances with different

people involved.

Your son has chosen non-traditional ways to showhis respect for you and your wife. As an older andwiser person, you should try not to get upset about

petty issues. Your daughter-in-law is also proba-bly doing a fine job if she has a happy husbandand two smart kids.

What Auntyji suggests to you, Vishnubhai, is tolive and let live. Give up your complaints and tryto look at the positives in your life so you cantruly enjoy the golden years. Enjoy your grand-children. Take up a hobby. Read a book. Do somegardening. Tell your wife how much you love her.Just stop trying to tell your son how to live hislife.

Q: Auntyji, I am very disturbed. I originally

hail from Kerala, India. We moved to the US

10 years ago. We have a 9-year-old daughter

who is just not what we had imagined her to be.She is totally Americanized. All her friends

are non-Indians and she does not even attempt

to mingle with Indian kids of her age. Her food

habits, way of dressing, language and hobbies

are also not Indian. It distresses us to see our

only daughter eating pasta and fries all the

time, wearing only western clothes, calling us

Mom and Dad (instead of Amma and Appa)

and reading books and magazines that she

should not be reading at her age. We are not

against her, but would like to see some traces of

our culture and values in her. To make matters

worse, she shuts herself up in her room and

refuses to discuss anything with us. She woul

rather talk to her friends than spend time wi

us. Please help.

Panicking in Daytona Beach

A: Where and how does Auntyji begin with thisituation? You seem to have come to the USA

physically, but even after 10 long years, you re-fuse to even attempt to accept that you are nolonger in India. Coming to the US was a choiceyou made, knowing well that this country is verdifferent from the place you hail from. Auntyjisays that you are not just making it difficult foryourselves, but you are also pulling your innoce

daughter in two opposite directions. She is growing up in America and will adhere to the ways tshe sees around her. This is normal and exactlyhow you grew up.

Sit back and think - what actually matters moreyou? Your daughter eating pasta, wearing westclothes and having friends or your daughter eatwhat you want her to, wearing what you want hto and having no friends?

Auntyji suggests that you get to know your dauter and understand her instead of dictating toomany rules. Try to create an atmosphere at homwhere she feels she belongs and doesn't feel theneed to lock herself in her room. Try to take an

interest in what she likes, her friends and thebooks and magazines that she reads. When youable to make her feel more comfortable with yoyou can then gradually draw some comparisons

between the two cultures so that your daughterdoes not find a drastic change in what is aroundher and what she experiences at home. Wouldnyou rather that she be a confident girl who growup to be successful in this country?

On this note, Auntyji bids her readers alvida a

waits to hear from you at

[email protected]. Dont forget, life is

short - live it to the fullest with attitude!

By: Auntyji

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By: Ashish Jain

Fellow daru bazon - lets talk Canadian- eh? Since I spent two wonderful shiv-ering years of my life in the land of thelittle brother, Canada, I thought it onlyfair to address the daru habits of thegreat Canadians.

First and foremost is the Canadian ob-session and absolute resolve that Cana-

dian beer is the best and unlike anythingelse that comes from the south of theborder. No full blooded Canadian willbe caught drinking American beer. Mol-son and Labatt are sworn by with much

pride by all Canadians. Beer is as mucha national heritage as is Hockey.

All Canadain daru is sold by the govern-ment (in Ontario anyway) so the pricingis not as flexible as it is down here. Thegood part is that there are enough desisin the country to warrant the presence ofOld Monk XXX rumin most stores.

The other booze that is quite unique to

the Canadians is frozen wine called Ice-wine which is made with frozen grapesand is shipped and stored cold. The wineitself is pretty smooth and a definitemust for all collectors.

The Canadians are different in theirconsumption of the Bloody Mary as well

which is known as the Caesar and ismade with clamato juice. The Caesar is alot heavier and spicier than any BloodyMary made in the US.

As far as whisky consumed by ourneighbors up north is concerned, the

biggest and most easily recognizablename is the Crown Royal. Recently, I

had the distinct pleasure of tasting theCrown Royal XR($150 - $200 a bottle)which is a limited edition Canadianwhisky blended with the last remainingwhisky from the Crown Royal distillery.It has a heavy wooded full flavored tastewith a distinctive vanilla and toffeecreamy smooth finish.

The other popular drink in Canada is theSeagram and coke or the Seagram andsprite which is a nice heady drink. Thecoke or sprite mix takes the edge off theSeagram which is otherwise quite arough drink.

I also have a weakness forCanadianMist Whisky which is priced affordablyand is a light and smooth whisky.

As in most of my articles, I must includea personal story which began during anice summer evening when we went to a

party on a cruise boat chartered by a desi

group. There was drink-ing, dancing and plentyof eating (the food wasdelicious) as we cruisedalong the Toronto sky-line which is quite beau-tiful. The weather wasglorious, which hardlyever happens in Canada,

and the cool breeze, thedesi bhangra music anddesis of all shapes andsizes actually managedto make a pretty good evening. Thenight ended around midnight and sinwe were still not partied out, along wthe fact that we were at the harbor, wwent to a different party on anothercruise boat which was one of the mathat are anchored along the harbor anfunction as clubs or restaurants. One

jump ship as many times as one likeand there is a boat that suits everyhearts desire - but that is another stothat I will have to wait and share wityou another time!

Until then, drink responsibly and hopyou have a swinging time. Write in wquestions or feedback [email protected].

Restaurant Review: Ahmed RestaurantBy: Surabhi Jain

The Alcohol Free Restaurant- this isthe slogan for Ahmed Restaurant whichs owned by Shamsul Ahmed and was

first called Mughal Restaurant. It wasrenamed Ahmed Restaurant in 1990and today, the restaurant is listed on theaolcityguide as one of the best diningplaces in Orlando.

The huge menu caters to almost everytaste and preference. But, the restaurants really known for itsKababs. From

charbroiled Seekh Kababs, Lamb SeekhKababs and Chicken Kabab Special, the15 varieties listed on the menu include Shami andBoti Kababs which are mixed with special herbs.Says Shamsul The kababs we serve are madewith a special recipe and are very famous among,not just the Indian customers, but also the non-

Indians who frequent the restaurant. One canalso try a collection of the Tandoori Kababs withthe mixed tandoori special.

The appetizers section has the usual Indian platterofsamosas, pakoras and salads. Whats interestings theKeema Samosa which one does not find at

many restaurants.

The main menu offers a huge selection of meat,fish and rice dishes, including specialties likePanfried Pomfret, Masala Spiced Mahi Mahi, ChickenTikka Masala, Goat Jalfrezi cooked with onionsand bell peppers andPalak Lamb in a thick currysauce.

The owner regularly samplesthe food cooked in the kitchenwhich is run by 3 talented chefs.I have to know what we serveto our customers.

The menu also offers beef spe-cialties. The chef recommendstheNihari (tender pieces of beefcooked in a thick curry sauce)and theBeef Korma (cookedwith a special korma sauce).

With 10 chicken, 6 goat, 7lamb, 6 beef and 9 seafood spe-

cialties on the menu, this is a delightful restaurantfor meat lovers.

The veggie lovers can pampertheir taste buds too. The vegetar-

ian section offers mouth water-ingAloo Chole, Paneer Makhnicooked in a butter cream sauce,Chole Palakcooked in a mildcurry sauce and spicyPaneerVindaloo to name just a few.

The restaurant also servesBiry-ani with a choice of meat orvegetables. There is a vast breadsection with freshly madegarlic naan, keemanaan, home made paratha, aloo naan and home-made roti.

If this vast delectable array of foods does not tempt

you, you alsohave the choiceto pick from avariety of bur-gers. There aresimple cheeseand veggie

burgers, ChapliKabab Burger, Chicken Burger, Fish Burger,

Lamb Kabab Rolland Steak Roll.

And if you are still thinking Alcohol free anwondering what to drain the food down with, tis Mango lassi, salt lassi, frozen drinks like virmargaritas and a special cream soda drink fromTrinidad, apart from the regular soft drinks.

From $3.00 a meal one cspend as much as one w

to indulge their taste budAnd, do not leave withosampling the sweetpanwhich is made desi stylewith lime paste, grated cnut, pistachio powder,gand nuts.

The restaurant also provcatering service for parti

and weddings.

Ahmed Restaurant is located at 11301 S. OranBlossom Trail, Orlando, FL 32837 and can bereached at 407-856-5970.

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By: Vish Viswanathan

I hope you enjoyed my pick of the top gadgets for the year 2007 from the Consumer Electronics Show that were covered in theMarch issue. For this issue, as promised, I bring the rest of the gadgets that I had picked out for your review.

POWERCASTA Pennsylvania start-up company says it has theanswer to one of the biggest problems in mobile

phones - battery life. Powercast could changethe way we interact with our handheld gadgets.Powercast uses the energy from a transmitted RFsignal to power small, battery-operated devices -cell phones, wireless PC peripherals, and hearingaids may never go dead again. The transmittercan be placed in anything that plugs into the wall(lamps, alarm clocks, and so on) and can send alow, continuous signal to small gadgets that con-tain an embedded receiver. Charging batteriesmay never be necessary again.

Major CE and IT manufacturers will have toagree to build Powercast capability into their

products, and thus far, Powercast is revealingonly Philips as a future partner. The first Power-

cast product will come to the market by the endof 2007, the company says.

PHILIPS HTS8100 SOUNDBARWe've seen single-speaker virtual-surround sys-tems before, but the Philips HTS8100 is the firstone that includes a built-in CD/DVD player.Wire up the external subwoofer and run the

HDMI output to your flat-panel TV (it up-converts DVDs to 1080p resolution), and theresult is the most minimalist home theater systemto date.

The HTS8100 is only five inches thick and fea-tures Philips' proprietary Ambisound technology,with five amplifiers integrated into the singlehorizontal "sound bar" to create what the com-

pany deems a "full 5.1-surround sound experi-

ence through a one-piece, fully integrated, hometheater system." Playing up the system's high-endcredentials, Philips says the built-in DVD playeroffers 1080p up-conversion via HDMI and Fa-roudja DCDi circuitry. Sounds good to me.

If that $1,000 price tag scares you a bit, Philipshas also introduced a sleek 2.1 virtual surroundsystem that will list at $599 when it, too, hits thestores in the second quarter of this year. TheHTS6600 features HDMI connectivity but it up-converts video to 1080i, not 1080p. However, Isuspect that only hard-core videophiles will beable to tell the difference.

SANDISK SANSA CONNECTWireless connec-tivity isn't a brand-new feature for

MP3 players(hello, Zune andApple iPhone), butSanDisk takesconnectivity in adifferent direction

by allowing usersto hop onto anyopen Wi-Fi con-nection to tradeand to recommendsongs from anydistance. TheSansa Connect also

offers a sleek design, a fun, user-friendly inter-face and access to streaming Internet radio.

This sleek MP3 player uses built-in wireless tech-nology (802.11g, to be exact) to hop onto anyavailable hot spots, allowing the user to grabmusic and photos without connecting to a PC. Itis designed to work with online music services(specifics are yet to be determined), meaning youcould potentially find and buy a song from justabout anywhere (Starbucks comes to mind).

The Sansa Connect does have other things goingfor it, of course. The player comes with 4GB offlash memory and offers an SD card slot to addmore. The body is sleek and compact, measuringin at 2.05x3.58x0.63 inches, and the bright color

screen is ample at 2.2 inches (diagonal). TheConnect also features simple, tactile controls, afun, user-friendly interface, photo playback, andsupport for subscription. WMA files (MP3 andunprotected WMA are also supported). Noticea

bly absent is video playback capability and anFM tuner, though I suppose SanDisk figured yocould do without the latter given that you getaccess to Internet radio? That's right, Internetradio. Sweet. Where do I sign up?

The Connect came out in March with a $249.99price tag.

SAMSUNG FP-T5894WSamsung's wireless TV,the first of its kind, comeswith a separate base sta-tion that accepts connec-

tions from A/V gear andwirelessly transmits to the58-inch plasma panel via802.11n at a range of up to300 feet. That meansfewer holes in the walland maybe even a plasma

by the pool (for you luckyFloridians).

Samsung's FP-T5894W, the first mainstreamlarge-screen "wireless" TV, aims to make thosewireless-looking installations a lot cheaper andeasier. Like most "wireless" A/V gear, it doesrequire one cord - to supply AC power - but tha

it. The rack full of A/V equipment that accompanies any self-respecting plasma installation con-nects to the FP-T5894W's "wireless A/V centerwhich the company claims can sit up to 300 feeaway from the panel itself. The panel and theincluded wireless center communicate using the802.11n wireless standard at bit rates up to150Mbps, plenty for 1080p video, for example.The FP-T5894W is a 58-inch plasma display w1080p (1920x1080) native resolution.

Available in September, the wireless FP-T5894will list for a mere $5,799.

Please send your comments and feedback to

[email protected].

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Special Financing Program for New Immigrants!Special Financing Program for New Immigrants!Special Financing Program for New Immigrants!$800 Allowance for Immigrants$800 Allowance for Immigrants$800 Allowance for Immigrants

AvailableAvailableAvailable ONLYONLYONLY at Wesley Chapel Toyotaat Wesley Chapel Toyotaat Wesley Chapel Toyota

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INGREDIENTS

1 cup chickpeas (chole or chana) soakedovernight

1 medium onion, diced 2 medium tomatoes, diced

4 green chillies, chopped

1 leaf tej patta

1 big or 2 small cardamom pods

1 tsp red chilly powder

1/4 tsp haldi

1 1/2 tsp dhania powder

1 tsp amchur powder

1 1/2 chana chaat masala

1 tsp tea leaves

1 cup water

FOR GARNISH 2 small cucumbers, diced

1 small onion , diced

1/2 small tomato, diced

2 green chillies, chopped

1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped

3 tbsp yogurt, beaten A few pinches of red chilly powder and

chana chaat masala.

METHOD1. Boil the soaked chana along with the tea

leaves (tied in a cloth) until tender.2. Remove excess water and discard the bundle

of tea leaves.3. Heat 4 tbsp of oil in a heavy bottom vessel

and add tej patta and cardamom pods.4. Add diced onions and cook until they are

slightly brown in color.5. Add chilly powder, haldi, salt and dhania

powder and mix well. Let this cook for a

minute on medium heat.6. Add the boiled chana and mix well. Let this

cook for 3 to 4 minutes.7. Add diced tomatoes, chana chaat masala,

amchur powder and green chillies and stir8. Add a cup of water and let it cook for anot

3 to 4 minutes.9. Garnish with the ingredients mentioned un

der "Garnish."

Serve with potato cutlets or samosas along w

mint chutney.

Note: Adding tea leaves tied in a cloth with thre(small hand kerchief ) to the chana while boilinmakes the chana slighly brown in color and addlot of flavor to this dish.

The Palm Leaf & Other Stories is a vibrantmontage of life in the Chinese community inCalcutta.Lis stories are simple but poignant,using the clarity of her language to display thetragic beauty of life. From tales of arrangedmarriages to searching for suitable jobs, thesenarratives take on lives of their own, allowingcharacters to breathe within the page.

The most striking element ofLis writing is herability to synthesize delicate, rich imagery withthe dirt of reality. This writing technique is es-sential in effectively representing Indian life,

because it is that very contradiction that definesthe Indian experience.

In Rally at the Ochterlony Monument,Limasterfully describes the scene after a monsoon,Two buses stood silent and submerged to thebumpers, their exhaust pipes clogged with mud

and slime. Two girls in white blouses, navy tiesand starched navy skirts sat on a rickshaw.

The Palm Leaf & Other Stories candidly ex-plores the challenges the Chinese minority facesin a place where the majority is ethnically In-dian.

The most powerful example of this experienceis Last Dragon Dance in Chinatown in which

Chinese Indians were victimized by Indian authorities as a result of Chairman Maos Commnist agenda and the autonomy of Tibet. Thestory is told from the perspective of a child,heightening the sensitivity of the subject, Onday, I found a copy of the Peoples Monthlyunder a chair in the courtyard. Mom told me

throw it away, for we might get into trouble wthe police. But I hid the magazine under mybed.

AlthoughLi captures the atmosphere of Calcuwith innate accuracy, some of her charactersseemed to lack the specificity of regional dialand mannerisms of speech. However, this obsvation certainly does not take away from thethrust of the stories, as they are still powerful

Li is able to tell a story that is amusing, light-hearted and satirical and then follow with astory that is pathetic, political and heartbreak-ing. Her stories encompass a wide spectrum ohistorical events, family politics and simplechildhood memories. The Palm Leaf Fan &Other Stories is a collection brimming withsorrow, laughter and an air of grace.

To buy The Palm Leaf & Other Stories, visitwww.tsarbooks.com orwww.amazon.com.

BOOK REVIEW

The Palm Leaf & Other Stories:By: Kwai-yun Li

By: Sheniz Janmohamed

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By: Sanjay Puranik

Chest muscles (pectoralis major) are one of the largest muscle groups in ourpper body. They play a crucial part in upper body strength and play a signifi-ant role in defining that sought after V-shaped definition.

Historically, exercises for the chest have consisted of two major groups:resses and flys. In recent years, more innovative chest exercises have

volved using cables/pulleys, the stability ball and a host of other appurte-ances. Beginners should start with some of the illustrated and more tradi-onal exercises before moving to other advanced options.

The exercises in this column represent some of the major group of exercisfor the chest which are especially beneficial for beginners. Mix up your rotine by changing the sequence of exercises and rest the muscles for at leasthours before working the same muscle group.

Again, remember to drink plenty of water and eat a well-balanced and hea

diet. If you encounter chest pain or any other physical discomfort, stop andconsult your physician before undertaking further physical training.

PEC FLY

Sets: 3 with 10 reps per set.

Adjust the seat height so that the handles are in line with the point just be-

low your shoulders.

Draw your belly in towards the spine and maintain a strong contraction.

From the starting position, slowly bring elbows together as shown in the

ending position.

Hold the position for 1-2 seconds and slowly return to the starting position. Hold your head pressed against the head rest and do not let it jut forward at

any time.

CHEST PRESS ON BENCH WITH DUMBBELLS


Maintain a stable pelvis by drawing your navel towards the spine.

Slowly raise the dumbbells from the starting position.

Hold the dumbbells in the ending position for 1 second before slowly low-

ering it back to the starting position.

DO NOT let your back arch at any time.

SEATED CHEST PRESS


Adjust the seat height so that the handles are in line with the point just below you

shoulders.

Draw your belly button inward to stabilize the core.

Slowly, push the handles to the ending position.

Hold for 1-2 seconds before returning slowly to the starting position.

Keep your wrists in line with your elbows during extension.

CHEST PRESS - FREE MOTION


Adjust cable arms parallel to the floor.

Hold the cables with arms parallel to the floor and stagger feet as shown in startin

position.

Brace the spine by drawing in the abdomen towards the spine.

Press slowly till you reach the ending position.

Hold for 1-2 seconds before returning to the starting position.

Please send in questions or feedback and comments to [email protected].

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Spotted Around Town is CityMasalas newest column and features people Team Masala interviews throughout different spots in the Tampa Bay area.For this particular column, we spotted people at Malani Jewelers and Apna Bazar on Fowler Street in Tampa. We would like to thank the owners of botthe locations who acted as gracious hosts as we spotted their customers and interviewed them. The question - What issues have you faced as a desi ithe US? Some of the people we attempted to interview were very shy and some were forthcoming and very willing to share. Speak up, Tampa (Orlandto begin soon) so that people may hear you. Write to us at [email protected] with ideas for questions you feel we should ask so that you can get toknow how different people have tackled different issues or what peoples views are on various issues.

Jipsa Patel- I had to go through a little bit ofadjustment from British English which I grewup with in India, to the American English that isused here. The standardized tests also took a bitof getting used to in the way the language isformatted. After a few practice tests, I was ableto adjust fairly quickly. Other than that, I think

being a desi here is an advantage. I was able toget a scholarship to USF under the minority

program and that is a definite plus!

Raj Suxena - I think the biggestissue Ive had to face here is

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