24 August 2017

From the bartender’s corner – The Brindle

Back to mixology. And back to continuing with my experiments with The Botanist gin. Although, I have to admit that strictly speaking, this cocktail is really made with the Bulldog Gin. But if you do not tell anybody, I won’t either 🙂

This cocktail is made with Gin, Creme de Cassis, Elderflower Syrup and Simple Syrup. Pour the Creme de Cassis after you have stirred the rest of the ingredients and put it in the martini glass. That will give the nice layered look.

Shalini, if you are reading this, now you have an idea with what to do with that bottle of Elderflower syrup you got from Italy!!

Category: Cocktails | LEAVE A COMMENT
24 August 2017

How did that come around? – “Start from scratch”

During an office meeting today, somebody mentioned – while trying to design some stuff – “Let’s start from scratch”. At that point I made a mental note of finding out later – why do we say that?

In the evening, Nikita and I did some research to understand why do we say “start from scratch”? Of course, the meaning is generally to start from the beginning – but the nuance is to start without any relative advantage. Basically, you start without any head start.

Of course, it is difficult to deduce anything from the common meaning of “scratch”. What would minor skin lacerations originating from itching have anything to do with this? Other than tough puzzles – or posts with questions like this – when did you start anything by scratching your head first? 🙂

Turns out this has its roots in sports. There are many sports we found out – boxing, cricket, golf as examples who use the word scratch to denote a line (usually to commence something from). There is an even earlier reference to this meaning of “scratch” – for runners – essentially the starting line for runners.

The real reference goes back another century before that. And it was about horse racing in England. All horses had to be lined up perfectly on the starting line without any hoof crossing that line to give any advantage. That starting line in horse racing was referred to as the “scratch line”.

And that is the origin of the phrase “to start from scratch”. You start from the beginning with no advantage at all.

There you go!! I learnt something today!!!

Category: Word Play | 7 Comments on How did that come around? – “Start from scratch”
21 August 2017

Perfectly timed…

If you have a lot of WhatsApp friends on the other side of the world (in my case, mostly India), you too probably get mildly irritated by those perfectly mistimed pictures you get every single day. You know the ones that they send saying “Good Night” as they go to sleep and you of course just woke up. To be sure, you also get the Good Morning message right when you go to bed.

Never miss timing it wrong.

Not today though 🙂

The Good Nights are pouring just as it is getting dark here!!

Category: Humor | LEAVE A COMMENT
19 August 2017

Last intersection point before leaving India

I was almost done with the whole trip. This time, there were a lot of intersection points that I was able to create. It was 6PM in the evening and I was very tired. I was going to leave the hotel around midnight to catch my flight. I decided to take a quick nap.

The next thing I knew was that the hotel room phone was ringing. It took me a few seconds to realize where I was – I was so deep in my sleep. It was almost 9PM. The voice on the other end said “Your guest is here”.

I suddenly remembered – my classmate from MBA days – in fact we were next door neighbors in our dorm for the entire period – was going to drop by. I quickly got freshened up and ran downstairs. I almost missed him in the crowd. I had a mental picture of Anand Makwana from 1991. The one I saw over 26 years later has dropped a lot of body weight. And looked much much younger!!

You know you have made some good choices in friends when you realize that they would fight through Delhi traffic for over two hours just to spend some time with me. This, after unfailingly waking me up every morning, but for which, I would have certainly missed the first class!

We caught up on a lot of things – his family, his parents (turns out his mom passed away soon after I went to see her when we were still studying) and his professional and personal life. I was impressed with how much tennis and running he is able to put in in a week.

Some of the best conversations we had was around what are the lessons we have learnt in the last twenty five years or so – both on the professional and personal fronts. It was extremely educational for me to internalize his synthesis of life lessons. Frankly speaking, I am still processing thru his words.

Had it not been for my flight and the fact that he was going to be late reaching home, I probably would have chatted for another couple of hours. Which is what I intend to do next time I am in Delhi…

Category: Intersection Points, Vacations | 8 Comments on Last intersection point before leaving India