24 October
2021
23 October
2021
From the bartender’s corner – Alaska cocktail
This is a fairly old cocktail (very early 1900s). Although, in those days, Old Tom Gin was used. Today, it is your normal London dry gin. Quite close to a martini, this is made from gin, yellow chartreuse and orange bitters. A bit complex in the nose and the finish (the yellow chartreuse plays a dominant role), it is somewhat citrusy to the palate and leaves a strong impression on you.
23 October
2021
Somewhere in rural Georgia…
23 October
2021
Morning 4 mile run with Samaresh…
22 October
2021
That be totally me!
21 October
2021
I do not want to look like I just wrestled down a tiger
Me: “Sharmila, I need a new pair of jeans”
She: “Why? What happened to your minimalism?”
Me: “I am worried of something worse.”
She: “What are you talking about?”
Me: “I am afraid people will think I am becoming fashion conscious.”
She: “WHAT???”
So, I showed her the pair of jeans I was wearing.
Me: “I think people will think I am wearing ripped jeans. I don’t think they will know that a decade old pair of jeans starts springing holes.”
The worst part is that the other pair of jeans I have is also disintegrating. I am totally pointing the finger of suspicion to my laundry guy.
She: “Do you know your size?”
Me (confidently): “Yes, large.”
After she had stopped laughing inconsolably, she blurted out “That is your shirt size!”
Me: “Oh!”
Apparently, there are 2 numbers that define a pair of jeans that I should know.
This is too complicated, man. Does anybody know if ripped jeans are going out of fashion soon? I really want to wear my current pairs and look out of fashion at the same time.
20 October
2021
Very funny sign
16 October
2021
Saturday winding down
(To) Mere mehboob ne wada kiya hai
Paanchve din ka
(Aare) Kisi se sun liya hoga
Yeh duniya chaar din ki hai.
Roughly translated…
(So) She has promised to meet me
On the fifth day from today
(Perhaps) She also has heard from others that
This life is only for four days
(As a cultural context, “duniya chaar din ki hai” literally means that this world is for four more days… the point being life is only for a few short days more)
16 October
2021
From the bartender’s corner – Sazerac
16 October
2021
Do you know the English word for this?
Growing up in India, we used to get our shoes repaired every time they sprung a hole or a nail got dislodged. I have not visited a cobbler ever since I came to this country. I suspect, it is cheaper to replace a pair of shoes than repair it these days. At least the kind of shoes I wear.
But in those days, a cobbler used to come by our neighborhood every Saturday and anybody who needed shoes repaired, got them done by him. As a small kid filled with curiosity, it was a marvel to watch the cobbler stitch the thread using a needle with a sidecut that would be used as a hook to loop the thread in and pull thru.
And he always carried a heavy anvil like the one in the picture. Do you remember this?
Did you know that there is an English word for this? I always thought of it as an anvil but as it turns out, there is an exact word to refer to this cobbler’s instrument.
What is it?
