1. Post incessant and unnecessary status updates. Case in point: Alice is going home! Lucy is waiting for her hubby to get home so they can have dinner! Bob is so bored. No really. Bob is completely bored. John is watching t.v. after having lunch. Newsflash: I don’t care. I don’t care what that you’re going home or that you are so bored that you have to take the time to log onto Facebook to tell your friends that you are, infact, bored. Also, although I’m a huge foodie, I’m not particularly interested that you had a sandwich today or made yourself a healthy omelette in the morning. NO ONE cares.

2. Constantly confess your love to your significant other/best friend/sister/nephew/lover. This is like virtual PDA, and if you didn’t know, PDA’s are generally considered to be bad taste. The same rules apply for the internet. I do not want to hear about how much you love your “hubby” or that you miss your sister so much that you’re going to spontaneously combust and cry or that  you love your wife so much that you insist on leaving messages on her  page professing your affections, even though she is probably in the next room.

3. Connecting your Twitter account to your Facebook account and updating your status about 20 to 30 times a day. Repeat after me: Twitter is not Facebook, and Facebook is not Twitter. They are not interchangeable. Please do not take over my feed with your unnecessary updates and @replies.

4. Application requests. I’m not really interested in knowing which character I am from Twilight or how eco-friendly I am or what Sex and the City profile I fit best. Believe me, if I wanted to know, I would have taken the quiz or installed the app without any incentive from you.

5. Baby photos. This is perhaps one of the most annoying things you can do in LIFE.  Baby photos are  seriously the bane of my existence. And I’m not talking about the occasional upload or one album dedicated to your child. I am talking about endless uploads and endless albums documenting every waking, sleeping, burping, farting, tumbling moment of your toddler’s life. It gets worse when parents start discovering that they can upload mobile photos and then next thing you know, you log onto Facebook to discover your entire feed populated with useless photos of a child from 20 different angles. Oh, what’s that you say? There are fuzzy photos in the bunch? Why OF COURSE you should upload them, why deprive the world of a photo of your little angel, even though it’s blurry. What could be worse than baby photos? Oh I know, how about the comments people leave on them. “He’s growing up so fast!” “OMGOMGOMG can be be ANY cuter?” “I can’t wait to have one of my own!” Please - for the love of God, CAN IT.

If you thought Hollywood produced a lot of films each year, then you haven’t seen anything yet. The Indian film industry, more coyly known as Bollywood produces more films than you can even imagine. In fact, it produces so many films that  Netflix couldn’t possibly carry them all and this is why they probably don’t. In 2006, Bollywood’s profits were around 1.75 billion and that number is expected to rise to 3.4 billion in 2010 according to sources pooled by Mutiny, a blog about a wide array of topics concerning India.

Bollywood is a 110-year-old industry, so if you are looking to explore it, you can imagine the confusion and hassle picking films to watch presents. For this primer, the focus will be on films made in the last 10 years.

photo by Meanest Indian

Finding Bollywood Films

Before you begin watching Bollywood films, you might be wondering where you can acquire them. Well, you’re in luck because Netflix has a plethora of popular Bollywood titles for you to choose from. With a monthly subscription costing anywhere from $8.99 to $16.99 depending on how many videos you choose to have sent to you, this is probably the most economical choice. Your next option would be to buy your films. When I first started delving into the curious world of Bollywood, many of my Indian friends scowled at the thought of me actually paying for DVDs, as these films are guaranteed to be streamed online at some point (most likely illegally). The problem with that is that to someone like me who cannot speak Hindi, it doesn’t work, as most of them do not have subtitles online. The most reputable and inexpensive site I have found where you can buy DVDs from is Nehaflix, Here you can find most films under $20. You can also find them at local Indian stores if you live in a metropolitan city but chances are that they are overcharging you. So Netflix is probably your best bet.

Genres to Choose From

There’s bad, really bad and horrible. Then there’s semi-good, all around good, and absolutely amazing. The great thing about Bollywood is that there is something for everyone. You have your serious, artsy films, your epics and your profound love stories that transcend class and socioeconomic status (newsflash: most Bollywood films center on and exploit this theme). Then, you have your cheesy films, with Westernized styling, sets, language and music laced throughout the film, you comedies that borrow heavily and more or less plagiarize concepts used in American films and your 4 hour never ending dramas that will literally drain you of your life and soul (and your weekend) by the time you finish watching. So you, yes you, you lucky viewer, have A LOT of variety to choose from. In my experience, I’ve found that sampling a bit of all genres is a good idea. It keeps you grounded and balanced and allows you to laugh at something that is so horrifically cheesy while praise a unique storyline with superb acting.

The First Ten

The Basics

• Bride and Prejudice (2004) - If you have never, ever seen a Bollywood film before or been remotely exposed to Indian culture or subject matter, this is probably where you should be starting. As you might have guessed, this is a Bollywood adaptation of the Jane Austen novel, “Pride and Prejudice” starring Aishwarya Rai, Martin Henderson and the  dude from LOST, Naveen Andrews. The plot follows its Western counterpart, with some character name changes to suit the cultural backdrop. There is a knee- slapping hilarious scene of a “cobra” dance,  as well as costumes you will drool over.  This is a perfect “East meets West” film and one that you will definitely enjoy.

• Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001) -This is another recognizable title, as it was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Bollywood heavy hitter Aamir Khan produced and played the lead role in the film, while it was based on an original story by Ashutosh Gowarikar. “Original” is hard to come by in Bollywood these days, as most films are rip off entire story lines and plot points of their Hollywood counterparts. Set in the Victorian era of the British Raj, it revolves around high-taxed peasants who agree to a proposition put forth by officers that if their village is able to beat them at cricket, their taxes will be cancelled for three years. With a soundtrack by a now recognizable A.R. Rahman, Lagaan is pretty much considered Bollywood gold and works well for an international audience.

Next Steps

• Devdas (2002) - Congratulations, you have made it past the basics to fully immerse yourself in a  bona fide Bollywood film you probably haven’t heard of. Starring Sharukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit, Devdas tells the story of forbidden love between two childhood sweethearts, whic I suppose, is a pretty standard story as far as Bollywood goes. The difference here is the production quality, cinematography, costumes, elaborate dances and acting. This is a sob fest, but one that you’ll be happy to indulge in. I must warn you that it’s three hours long and towards the end it does drag on a lot, but overall it’s a visually pleasing film that will leave you wanting more.

• Dhoom 2 (2006) - You might recognize that this is a sequel by the “2″ in the title, but rest assured, you need absolutely no knowledge of “Dhoom” to enjoy this over the top, Westernized thriller that will give you more laughs and enjoyment than you could have imagined. Full disclosure: this is not by any means a cinematic classic. It’s cheesy, it’s hilarious - and not always for the right reasons. Dhoom 2 gives new meaning to the term “movie magic.” Case in point: in one of the first scenes, Abhishek Bachchan, clad in a bombastic red leather jacket, flies out of the a RIVER on a jet ski and lands on the dock in order to save his partner. Twenty seconds later, he’s fully dry.
  

• Veer-Zaara (2004) - Another star-crossed romance on your plate will do a body good. Especially one that involves two lovers from different backgrounds. Veer Pratap Singh (Shahrukh Khan) is an Indian Air Force officer who falls in love with Zaara, a Pakistani woman played by Bollywood darling Preity Zenta. Though they both love each other, Zaara’s family convinces Veer to leave her alone out of respect to not tarnish the family name, as news of their Pakistani daughter being in love with a Hindu man would cause a backlash. Veer respects their wishes, however the man Zaara was meant to marry frames Veer as being an Indian spy out of spite and for the shame he has brought upon him. Enter Rani Mukherjee, a Pakistani lawyer who finds Veer in prison (where he has been for the last 20 years) and tries to help him reuinite with Zaara. The film is told in flashback style, with Veer recounting his days before his imprisonment. It also has a really wonderful scene depicting the Hindu Lodi festival. Having won several awards and considered to be the highest grossing Bollywood film of 2004, Veer-Zaara is not one to be missed.

• Salaam Namaste (2005) - Think of this as Bollywood’s answer to Hollywood’s “Nine Months” (1995) with Hugh Grant and Julianne Moore. Starring Saif Ali Khan and Preity Zinta, Salaam Namaste was the first Indian movie to be filmed entirely in Australia. The backdrop, as well as the plot line are entirely Western and show modern Indians and their integrated life with Australian society. The film tells the tale of Nick and Ambar, two Indians who have left their homeland to live and work in Melbourne. Ambar is a medical student who has a rocky relationship with her father because of her decision to leave home and Nick is an up and coming young chef living the playboy life. Ambar is a radio d.j at a local station named “Salaam Namaste.” Their relationship starts off quite rocky when Nick completely forgets he had an interview with Ambar at the radio station. The rest of the film documents the time they spend together, from their decision to lease a home together, to breaking up upon the revelation that Ambar is pregnant. With an excellent soundtrack and a hilarious, yet touching plot, you wont even notice that you’ve somehow seen this film before.

Deep Cuts

• Khabi Al Vida Naa Kehna (2006) - Before you watch this, know that it is 194 minutes long. That’s over three hours, for those of you keeping track. Despite the fact that your entire backside might go numb after finishing the film, it is well worth it. Khabi Al Vida Naa Kehna, or “Never Say Goodbye” stars a slew of Bollywood stars including Shahrukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta and father and son team Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan. I’m sure some of these names are starting to sound familiar. This romantic drama is set in modern New York City and deals with the relationships of two couples who struggle with their own identities along with adultery and extramarital affairs. It’s quite funny, touching and heart breaking all at the same time. The film became the high grossing Indian film of all time after its release. The script of the film was even invited to be included in the library of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.It was even reviewed by a New York Times critic, which can be your judging meter right there - if a NY Times film critic took his time out to review a Bollywood film, then it must be good, and it is, it really is.

• Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gham ( 2001) - Often shortened to K3G, the title of this film translates to “Sometimes Happiness, Sometimes Sadness.” K3G was the highest grossing Indian film overseas until 2006, when its record was broken by Khabi Al Vida Naa Kehna. The story revolves around the adopted son of a famous business man, Rahul who falls in love with a middle-class girl named Anjali (Kajol). Because of her status,  Rahul’s father Yash forbids him to marry her. He complies, however when he learns that Anjali’s father has passed away, he marries her immediately. As usual, because Rahul has dared to fall in love and marry someone not of his parent’s choosing or status, he is excommunicated from the family. Meanwhile, Rahul’s brother Rohan (who is the biological son of Yash and his wife), finally figures out why Rahul has left and sets off to London where he meets Pooja (Kareena Kapoor), Anjali’s sister, and asks her to help him to reunite both sides of his family. What follows is an adventure full of ups and downs in an effort to bring the family together. You’ll laugh (mostly thanks to the comedic genius of Kareena Kapoor) and you’ll cry and afterwards, you’ll probably want to hug your mom.
  

• Kal Ho Na Ho (2003) - Another film set in New York City with familiar names (Shahrukh Khan, Preity Zinta, Saif Ali Khan), Kal Ho Na Ho or “Tomorrow May Never Come” is a bit of a tear jerker. Naina (Preity Zinta) is a young woman who has had a lot to deal with in her life time. From her father’s suicide, to coping with the financially stressed restaurant her mother runs and the fact that her paternal grandmother blames her mother for her father’s absence, she’s turned into a bitter and angry woman. Naina finds that the only things in her life that relieve her from her daily troubles are her good natured mother and her MBA classmate Rohit (Saif Ali Khan). Soon enough Aman Mathur (Sharukh Khan), a new neighbor arrives and notices how tangled the lives of his neighbors are. His optimism and attitude change things for the better and even though Naina is resistant to his ways at first, she realizes that she’s falling in love with him. At the same time, Naina’s friend Rohit has managed to fall in love with her. Cue in the three way love triangle. But wait, things are set to get more complicated.  Unfortunately, Aman suffers from a sever condition that weakens his heart and sacrifices his love to  play matchmaker between Rohit and Naina. Kal Ho Na Ho has an amazing soundtrack complete with an Indian rendition of Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Woman.” This is a great film to watch after you become familiar with Shahrukh Khan, Preity Zinta and Saif Ali Khan through the previously mentioned films.

• Taal (1999) - Starring Akshaye Khanna, Aishwarya Rai and Anil Kapoor (Slumdog Millionaire), Taal is the oldest film on this list and perhaps the hardest to digest because of this reason. Manav (Khanna) comes to visit his wealthy father when he meets Mansi (Rai), the daughter of a spiritual singer named Tara Babu. He of course, falls in love with her, except lo and behold, since she is of low social status, Manav’s father Jagmohan does not approve and packs up his family, moving them to Mumbai and away from Mansi.  When Mansi and her father travel to Mumbai to meet Manav’s family and sort out the matter, they endure hostile treatment from the family which causes Mansi’s father to get into a physical altercation with Jagmohan. After Manav witnesses this, he too reprimands Mansi’s father. Hurt and upset, Mansi tells Manav that she no longer wants anything to do with him and sets off home, where she soon meets Vikrant Kapoor, a music producer who is a fan of her father’s work. Mansi soon lands a contract with Vikrant, where she performs dance numbers and remixes to her father’s songs and more. She soon becomes a sensation in India, even going to Canada to receive an International MTV Award. However, she soon finds herself with two suitors: Vikrant and the ever apologizing Manav, who has come back to win her over.  It is interesting to note that this film did not do well at the Indian box office.  However, it became the first Indian film to reach the top 20 on Variety’s box office list in the U.S. The music was composed by now world famous composer, A.R. Rahman.

There you have a top 10 list that should keep you satisfied for at least two months. I have to point out that there were a lot of films that could have made it on this list. In my opinion, these are the films that would suite a Western ‘beginner’ audience the best. Some of these films are considered high up on the ladder of amazing cinema, others might be an embarrassment to even mention. Remember, that this isn’t the end, but just the beginning (Oh dear, I sound like an inspirational poster). There are so many movies you can choose from, it’s ridiculous. Also, keep in mind that  Bollywood is a complex industry. Indian films are a way for people to escape their normal every day lives, this is why they are almost always glazed with elaborate dance routines, lavish sets and outlandish plot lines. The most important thing to remember while watching a Bollywood film boils down to one statement:  For the most part, don’t take yourself, or the films you’re watching too seriously. This isn’t to say that there aren’t amazing, deep and profound movies in Indian cinema. On the contrary, there are, some of which appear on this list, but as a starting point, the above films will serve you well. More posts on Bollywood coming soon.

London’s Sagar restaurant offers authentic Indian cuisine that will in many ways, make you feel you could be just minutes away from the Taj Mahal, while also managing to make your mouth water. The entire menu is also vegetarian, which is great for someone like me or a nice change of pace from meat drenched menus of other restaurants. Sagar, meaning “sea” in Hindi, is located nearby Tottenham Court Road, although they also have a branch in Hammersmith. It is one of the only restaurants in London to serve Udupi cuisine, which is the world renowned cuisine of South India. It’s not particularly flashy or overwhelming, but manages to stay simple while combining traditional and modern elements, all the way down to the decor of wooden tables with brass statues that grace the walls.

Although we were hungry, we had one appetizer to share, which was probably a good decision, considering the size of the dish. Unfortunately, I was so excited about the food, I forgot about looking at the menu to see what exactly it was that I had eaten, so I could keep it for future reference. I must point out that this forgetful trait I have during moments of awesome food, clothes, shoes or otherwise happens often. I’m going to say that it was more or less like a falafel, only it tasted much better. It was a great combination of different beans and vegetables and the deep fried shell made it tread into heaven territory. It also came with a fabulous coconut chutney that I could have drank on its own.

We both ordered dosa dishes, with some kind of vegetable concoction inside, I believe mine was aloo (potato) masala. It doesn’t really matter that I can’t remember, but all you need to know is that it was delicious. It came with that amazing coconut chutney and we ordered some cucumber yogurt on the side.

That yogurt came in handy because my dosa was especially spicy. The server warned me before he took my order but I thought it would be easy to handle. Note: Watching Bollywood does not make you immune to hot Indian spices. Trust me, I learned the hard way.

As you can see by our dishes above, we enjoyed the food (and the drinks!) very much. The food was great, the service was good, but there was something that we couldn’t put our fingers on that kept us from being able to fully enjoy Sagar that cold Saturday night in London. I guess the only way to describe it was the atmosphere. To the left of us we had a group of about six hip and trendy 20-somethings, who by the way, couldn’t all arrive at the same time, so every 20 minutes or so, one would show up and greet the others before sitting down. This didn’t help the fact that all the tables were EXTREMELY close to each other. If they were any closer, I would have been able to see other people’s nose hairs. That group was nothing compared to the over zealous and obnoxious German tourists who insisted not only on talking loudly and putting a plate they weren’t using on our table when we weren’t looking, but standing up and taking professional photos with a camera that probably cost well over $700. Needless to say that it was annoying and as I pointed out in my last post about Akari, the atmosphere of a restaurant is at times perhaps a bigger deal than the food.

Sagar
17a Percy Street
London
W1T 1DU
020 7631 3319

Before I go any further, I’d like to point out that I feel a range of emotions about the things I do while navigating the Los Angeles freeway system every day. Sometimes I do them out of necessity, other times for fun and mostly so that I do not die of boredom or purposely drive my car off the 405, because that thing, you know, that thing you call a FREEway in other states, is really just another word for PARKING LOT in L.A. and I need to stay sane for the love of all that is holy.

Things I’ve done while driving:

1. Makeup - this includes and is not limited to: concealer, foundation, powder, mascara, blush, eyeshadow, eyeliner and mascara

2. Nail polish - clear coat, top coat and everything in between. So sue me. I’ve also taken it off.

3. Filed my nails - You would too if you were traveling at 10 mph for about 30 minutes.

4. Plucked my eyebrows - You know when you leave your house in the morning and you take a quick look at yourself in the bathroom and decide you feel  ok? Well to ensure that you feel like shit from the moment you step foot in your car until you come home, auto makers have the audacity to put mirrors inside cars that show you at your absolute worst and bring all the faults you have in your face to the surface. This is bad when you’re trying to look and feel good. This is good when you haven’t had time to groom your face and your eyebrows are beginning to look like they belong to Groucho Marx, because those mirrors show every last inch of everything on your face that doesn’t belong there.

5. Eaten an assortment of breakfast products (including yogurt - with a SPOON!) along with many hundreds of thermoses filled with tea

6. Read - I kid you not. One time I got so bored that I whipped out a book while I was stuck on the bridge that connects the 10 east to the 405 north.

7. Fallen asleep - This used to happen to me a lot while I driving home from school after a 10 hour day of classes, stories to edits and write and the heat of the Valley. And mostly because the scenery driving out of the Valley was so damn boring. Fortunately, the freeways I took were mostly empty and I did a good job of jolting myself back to life.

8. Written emails and responded to them.

9. Sung “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston at the top of my lungs.

10. Rolled my windows down and blasted “This Charming Man” by the Smiths.

11. Listened to “All Things Considered” and other various programs on NPR as well as “Morning Becomes Eclectic” on KCRW for the past six years. This has resulted in an undying love for the reporters and hosts who work at NPR and exposure to a whole lot of amazing music that I wouldn’t have heard otherwise.

12. Gotten horribly lost. The worst was when I dropped off a friend at her house in North Hollywood, an area I was completely unfamiliar with. I spent two hours trying to extract myself from the area (and inadvertently drove through frightening looking cities) until I found a freeway that I recognized. Needless to say, I saw more of L.A than I ever wanted to that day.

13. Ran out of oil. I don’t even know how this happened since I regularly take my car for oil changes, but on a windy Spring day in Northridge, Calif. I walked across the street from a parking lot to a gas station, bought oil as per the instructions given by my dad ( who else was I going to call), opened the hood of my car - a sight which I had never seen before and changed my oil. Except, I wouldn’t call it “changing” because there wasn’t any oil in there for me to change. I guess pouring oil into a vessel is appropriate.

14. Shouted obscenities at overbearing, obnoxious and cheesy radio hosts, complete with hand gestures.

15. Over analyzed events, conversations and my future to the point of insanity. When you have almost an hour and a half to spare in the mornings and a hour at night sitting idly in the car, your mind tends to drift, a lot. I wouldn’t say this isn’t always a negative thing. The time I have to just think in the car has helped me resolve things in my head, as well as given birth to new ideas, which I probably would not have thought up if I didn’t spend so much time in my car.

In my defense, I want to point out that in the eight years that I have been driving, I have only received two tickets, one of which was issued because of a traffic camera (lame). I have never gotten into an accident (except once when I slightly bumped the car infront of me that resulted in absolutely nothing) or into an argument with another driver. Plus, most of the above activites are done in traffic that is barely moving, which allows me to concentrate for a couple of seconds at a time on other things while I’m in the car. I’m actually a pretty good driver if I do say so myself, even if I multitask while on the road.

It’s official: I cannot use public bathrooms. Before I go on, I must clarify that my definition of “public” includes anything that does not sit within the confines of my home or the home of the ones closest to me. This means bathrooms in eating establishments, work and anywhere else you can think of. If a toilet seat cover needs to be applied, I can’t use it.

Of course, just because I don’t want to use public bathrooms, doesn’t mean that I don’t have to and need to, because well, let’s face it, when you gotta go, you really gotta go.

Remember way back when you were studying for that psychology midterm and no matter how hard you tried to get beyond the words “psychology is an academic and applied discipline involving the scientific study of human mental functions and behavior” you couldn’t. You just kept repeating the same incomprehensible phrase in your head over and over again until it didn’t mean anything.

Yea.

That is exactly my thought process when I’m forced to use a public bathroom except instead of repeating phrases from overpriced textbooks, I try to talk and coach and coerce myself into peeing.

The smells, the sights, the sounds, the knowledge that hundreds or even thousands of bums have graced the toilet seat before me is nauseating enough to make me feel a dizzy spell coming on. Fortunately, I have mastered the art of the mid-air pee.

It’s hard enough to actually make myself go when I’m alone in there. God forbid someone walks in, because my entire endocrine system shuts down and refuses to cooperate. My bladder stops in its tracks and my body finds it indecent to object.

Today I desperately had to go. I held it in as long as possible before I decided that I would combust if I tried to deny it any longer and made my way to the dreaded three stall bathroom at work. It wasn’t until I was situated that I realized someone else was in there with me. Oh dear God, I thought, how am I ever going to do this now?

I suddenly found myself mimicking the conversation a dad might have with his son at a softball game.

“You can do this. You can do it. Just believe in yourself. Try harder. You can do it!”

After a couple rounds of repeating the sentence above, I finally got myself to relax enough to start and end my time in the bathroom of the second floor of an office building somewhere in Santa Monica even though someone else was in the stall next to me without a care in the world.

This “I-can’t-pee-in-public-bathrooms-especially-when-I’m-not-alone” business is really bordering on the brink of an illness. A crippling, nerve wrecking, socially awkward illness.

Luckily, whoever it was had left before I came out of the stall. That’s another thing. I have no interest in seeing who I unwillingly shared my fiercely private moment with. I will stay in a stall as long as I can so help me God, as long as I don’t have to exchange pleasantries with my pee buddy.

I am not sure where this dramatic disdain for public bathrooms stems from. There are times when I am proud of myself for refusing to use them, there are other times when I hate that I can’t just go with the flow (no pun intended) and just pee already, for the love of bladders everywhere.

Do not even get me started on doing anything more than the occasional tinkle.

Smart restauranteurs always know there is more to opening an eatery than just the food. In an age where those simple moments where you’re able to breathe and (gasp) relax are coveted, the atmosphere of where you do the most sacred of daily tasks - eat, is so important.  Japanese restaurant Akari,located in the London borough of Islington, is the type of place where you can breathe.

Its inconspicuous location, low lighting and friendly wait staff make you feel like you’re a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city outside.

When you walk into Akari, the first thing you notice are their homey, rustic wooden tables and how the patrons at them are completely involved in their own conversations enough to not even look up when the servers put food down. I told you this place is relaxing - filled with enough talk to mask the sound of silence, but not enough to mask the talk at your own table.

When we arrived, it looked like most of the tables had been reserved for different parties. We inquired if they had room, and they graciously opened up a reserved table for us, as the other party wasn’t expected until about two hours later.

After the staple order of edamame and two glasses of pomegranate tea, which I have to say, was so delicious, it was time for some food.

Cue in the vegetable rolls and deliciously warm Udon buckwheat noodle soup. As you can (kind of) see below through the lens of my iPhone camera, the rolls are put together so delicately. The seaweed was so fresh and soft and the shape of the roll made it perfect for dipping into some soy sauce. The soup came with its own little saucer full of spices that you could mix in the bowl to your heart’s content. At first, I didn’t mix it well enough, so I got a mouthful of spices that needed to be washed down IMMEDIATELY before I choked.

After the Udon completely warmed our souls, it was time for dessert.

I wish I could remember the name of this heavenly concoction above, but it slips my mind. It was like a sticky soy pudding, with a delicious glaze on top. I have to admit that I couldn’t finish this dessert, which is a rare occurrence for the likes of me, but it got a little too rich by the end.

We capped off the night with some traditional green tea. If you noticed a difference between this last photo and the ones before, it’s because we were so involved in the ambiance of the place, that we didn’t even remember that we had an actual camera with us until the very end. Akari restaurant gets high marks on all fronts: it is a charming, authentic Japanese restaurant with great food, good service and an atmosphere that’s missing from a lot of restaurants. By the time you get up to go home, you’ll realize you’ve spent about two to three hours there. You probably will be well-fed and happy enough to not care.

Price: Quite reasonable. Except to pay around £25-30, obviously more if you decide to indulge in the extensive drink menu.

Interesting tidbit: Akari’s location was formerly occupied by a pub named Three Brewers.

Akari Restaurant
196 Essex Rd
London, N1 8LZ, United Kingdom
+44 20 72269943

Los Angeles is a raw town. It’s an open wound. It can chew you up and spit you out or put you in its lap and pat you on the back all in a matter of weeks or even days. There is no rhythm to this sprawling city of concrete jungles and imported palm trees. There’s only one thing you can be sure of: traffic.

It’s unique in its ways, which is probably part of the reason why people either love it or hate it. I have not yet met anyone who has ever had lukewarm feelings about L.A. It’s always “L.A is just amazing!” or “I don’t care how amazing it is, I will never spend that much time in a car.” I understand, believe me I do. I ponder that thought on a daily basis.

If by some fluke, my parents hadn’t decided to move to Los Angeles, I would have probably hated it too. But then again, it was either L.A or staying in a post-revolution Iran. I will thank my lucky stars that they chose the former.

Either way, L.A does not have a rhythm. It’s more random than rhythm, that’s for sure. Because of Hollywood, because of the eclectic nature of industries and jobs, there is no beginning and end to a day spent here. There is no “I’ll be there on time,” or “I will be home for dinner.” There is no day of rest, no pity from the blazing sun, there is no certainty.

Los Angeles doesn’t operate like other cities. Especially not like the city of London. In London, everything is defined by a rhythm. Tube arrives on time, please mind the gap, you will be at your destination of choice. This is as certain as the fact that it will be an overcast day. Tea time at 4 p.m. , overcrowded bars after 5 p.m., Gems TV rebroadcast from 7 to 9 p.m. (don’t ask),  stores closed by  9 p.m., The Evening Standard being sold in tube stations,  in bed by  midnight to do it all over again.

It’s nice to have that feeling of security.

Do not misunderstand me.  Because of my attachments to the City of Angels, I could never really insult her and I secretly cringe when someone does. It’s just that living in Los Angeles makes you feel that sometimes, the rest of the world does not exist. You gain a sense of entitlement and think there must be few places in the world as good as this. This place where you have everything available to you at the drop of a hat. It’s amazing how there is an entire world out there that’s just waiting for you to explore.

London is the only place other than Los Angeles that I have actually wanted to live. I mean, really live. When I was younger, I dreamt about moving to New York and though I’ve been there a handful of times, it never really felt like “home” to me. Unless it was somewhere like Brooklyn or Long Island, I couldn’t imagine myself living that entangled in a metropolitan city. This is probably a reason why I have never had the urge to move somewhere in Los Angeles like West Hollywood or the up and coming neighborhoods of Downtown.

London feels different. Maybe that’s because my boyfriend lives there and it already feels familiar, maybe it’s the people, the food, the neighborhoods, but after a week there, I had gotten so comfortable with it that when I thought of the idea of getting in my car to drive to work (gasp) I really felt nauseous.

The thought of arriving somewhere in less than 15 minutes and usually on time is astounding, especially to a native Los Angeleno. Public transportation is an awe and enigma to me. After a one week taste, I am thoroughly enamored by it.

When I first got to London, with all its quaint architecture, funny pub names and narrow streets, it looked like a set that belonged in Disneyland. I thought any minute now the view in the distance would be just a backdrop when I got closer. But the view didn’t fade, and the dainty black cabs whizzed by, right after the red double decker buses slowly made their way down the avenues.

With its long list of street markets, ability to get many places on foot and general rhythm, you are constantly exposed to people all day long. This is a far cry from life in Los Angeles, where even at work I interact with people through instant messenger when they are sitting right next to me and the extent of my involvement I have with people doesn’t come any closer than the bumper in front of me on the freeway.

It’s expensive and crowded, yes, but it is so much more. Do you know how amazing it is to see and interact with  people from other countries? But Los Angeles is one of the most diverse places in the U.S you say. Yes, this is true, but do you know how exciting it it to see people who say they are German who are ACTUALLY from Germany? Or to hear people speak Polish and Greek and Nigerian? It is absolutely thrilling for me to see young people whose native languages are not English, who have not been jaded and swept up in Western fever to the point where they are no different from teenagers in the U.S. It’s pretty damn exciting, let me tell you.

London has a heart beat. A big blood red heartbeat. We were walking in Covent Garden Market on my last day there when I saw a man with a guitar in the middle of the market singing a beautiful rendition of one of my favorite songs, “Wild World” by Cat Stevens. At that moment, no other song sounded appropriate and excuse the pun, but it really struck a chord in me. Yes,  It’s hard to get by just upon a smile. There’s a lot of bad and we should be aware. But to see new places, to not take opportunities and risk, to not see what else is out there would be a disservice to yourself. As I boarded the plane out of Heathrow, dreading a 10 hour flight home, my insides tangling up at the thought of it being months before I see him again, there was a Mark Twain quote that I remembered.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

It’s true.

In the Notting Hill district of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, lies a curious path called Portobello Road which leads to a visual feast of a market featuring antiques, vintage clothing, innovative designs and more food than you’ll know what to do with. Oh, the food.

Mark my words: This is not something to be missed.

When you begin making your way to the market, it becomes painfully obvious that the majority of people who are walking with you ( and believe me, there are a lot of people) are tourists from Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland and Japan, among other places. This little fact might put a damper on your mood. It put one on mine, but I recovered quickly enough to sing “Is this the way to Portobello” in my head to the tune of “Is this is the way to Amarillo” sung by Tony Christie.

When you do get there, apart from the fact that you have to navigate through bodies to keep moving or get a good look at those vintage shoes you’ve been eyeing from afar, the crowd becomes secondary to all that you have laid out in front of you.

Of course, the first thing you’ll notice is the food. There’s so much of it and such variety, you wont know where to look. You’ll probably be regretting the fact that you had the audacity to eat breakfast before making your way to Portobello, rendering you unable to consume the delightful delicacies on the road once known was Green’s Lane.

Savoury quiches, mouth-watering donuts, fresh and glistening fruit. Paella to whet your appetite, Nutella crepes you wont be able to resist. You’ll almost forget that there’s more to Portobello than the food. Oh but there is. There is.

Vintage fashion from all corners of the world seem to use Portobello Market as a sort of dumping ground - but not in a bad way. There is something for everyone here, from shoes, scarves, costume jewelry, coats and hats. If recycled fashion isn’t your thing, rest assured there are plenty of stalls displaying the newest trends and local designs.

You can even buy knick knacks for your projects in a variety of sizes and shapes.

The above stalls are very dangerous because of the temptation they present. As I am currently working on developing self-control around food, I didn’t indulge in these delicacies, but you should definitely be my guest.

If you get weary during your journey through Portobello, there are a multitude of places to sit and eat. Grab some authentic Mexican cuisine or just a cappucino or latte at Santo, perhaps. Of course, there is no shortage of food on the street, so a bite on-the-go works just as well.

As always, the most important aspect of visiting anywhere, whether its Portobello Market or another such locale, is being there with someone you love.

Dear executive decision makers at Mattel,

I don’t have to tell you that Barbie is a money making machine. I also don’t have to tell you that she’s reveled around the world by girls who play with her, adore her and want to be her. Keeping that in mind, I just have to ask, what is the meaning of this new “Totally Stylin’ Tattoo” Barbie?

Were your designers so bored on a Sunday night, that they decided to watch Rock of Love Bus on Vh1 and model a Barbie after the horrible excuses for women on that show? Or was it that thinking of a new edition that really meant something and inspired young girls, was oh I don’t know, too much work?

Executives, don’t misunderstand me. I am all for creativity and I am all for tattoos, in fact there have been so many days when I’ve contemplated getting one myself, but as a company who knows full well that they have a social responsibility and have had a social responsibility to countless generations of young girls whether they want to or not, I have to ask again, what were you thinking?

Why play a part in teaching women to aim low? Why not make a scientist Barbie, or engineer Barbie or CEO Barbie? If you were aiming for creativity, why not artist Barbie or writer Barbie ? If you were aiming for diversity, why not Indian Barbie or Kenyan Barbie?  Now more than ever, this would have been the time to make a Barbie with a purpose, not a Barbie you can give pink butterfly tattoos to.

While I applaud you for representing a often ignored segment of our tattoo loving society, I just cannot understand the reasoning behind your decision. Isn’t Barbie already a menace to the self-esteem and development of young girls? Doesn’t she already cause enough damage, what with her blond hair and figure so thin that she wouldn’t be able to menstruate much less have children if she were a real person? Aren’t there enough products, ideas, objects and media already decaying  the innocence of children? Soon enough, children will not have a childhood any more. They’ll just be an army of small adults, growing up too fast, pursuing vanity over education  and not valuing themselves as much as they should. At a time when women still earn less than men for doing the same work and when they are a  minority in science related fields, why of all things, bring out a tattoo Barbie?

This all might sound a bit dramatic. It’s just a doll, some might say, no big deal. Barbie doesn’t have anything to do with a girl’s self-esteem, others might cry, and they may be right and I might be wrong, but for me, the main point is this: when you can be socially responsible and promote and enhance good qualities in the youth of this country and around the world, why wouldn’t you? I’d like to one day see a philanthropist Barbie, perhaps a volunteer Barbie or better yet, a journalist Barbie. If you have an opportunity to reach millions of girls, why not take part in solving the problem, not adding to it?

It’s not like you haven’t done it before Mattel. You’ve had a surgeon, UNICEF Summit diplomat, astronaut and paleontologist Barbie. Why not do it again? Why not ride the momentum of the change that’s been taking place in this country since November 2008 and set an example?

I’ll be waiting for an answer.

P.S. Thanks for taking away Bratz Dolls, whether you wanted to or not. At least they’re not out causing havoc.

Disappointed,

Liana

After two horribly dreadful days of being without him, my little lamb, Henry the Maltese came home today. About nine months ago, Henry underwent luxating patella surgery to correct both his knees. I documented his entire recovery process here in an effort to provide that information to someone who might be as nervous and scared as I was and ended up meeting many dog owners who were going through the same thing, especially Laura and her Maltese Rocky from Florida (Hi Laura!)

I had taken him to the vet on Saturday because I had slowly began noticing that when he was turning sharp corners while running (which was always), he would lift his right foot up, just the way he did before his knee caps were aligned correctly with pins. I would also occasionally catch him licking at his knee, so I knew something wasn’t right. His physical therapist had told me earlier that licking is a sign of pain, so I booked him an appointment at the vet so that they could take a closer look.

They suspected it was the pin that was bothering him and instructed me to bring him in on Monday so the orthopedic surgeon who did his surgery could take a look. On top of that, he had about four baby teeth (which I later found out was six) that needed to be removed and he hadn’t received vaccines in well over a year, so it was decided to kill three birds with one stone and do all procedures in one go. He was meant to come home Monday, but the surgeon had an emergency surgery so Henry ended up staying the night at the hospital, so the surgeon could take a look first thing in the morning.

Monday night was one of the worst nights I had had in a long time. It’s amazing how empty the house becomes when your pets aren’t there. You don’t realize how much you love them and how much of an integral part of your life they are until they’re gone. I didn’t know what to do with myself that night and Jason Mesnick also known as the worst Bachelor of ALL time wasn’t helping things either.

But I digress. I woke up Tuesday excited at the prospect of picking Henry up. I even packed away his toy and a blanket in the car, but as I had left work early and already driven half way there, I got a call from the vet alerting me that the surgeon was going to be late, so he would have to spend another night and he would be ready for pick up the next day.

Needless to say, I was gutted. One day was enough, I didn’t know how I was going to survive one more day without him. I was restless, anxious and over analytical the entire night. If I was getting this worked up over my dog, I thought to myself, I really didn’t want to know what it was like to watch your own children go through such things.

Today, after two hours in traffic from Santa Monica to Pasadena, a lot of stress, six pulled baby teeth, four stitches, a shaved leg and one daunting vet bill later, Henry is home again. He’s a bit drugged out and tired, but doing well all the same. He can walk, which is great and I’m hoping his leg will be as good as new going forward.

When I brought him home and put him down, he drank what seemed like a gallon of water and then went straight to pee. He quenched his thirst, emptied his bladder, ate some boiled and shredded chicken and had a nice rest in my lap the entire night.

If your dog has had luxating patella surgery, and you begin to notice behaviors such as the one Henry had, it’s a good idea to book a follow up appointment with your vet. A simple procedure can make a lot of difference. As far as I can tell, Henry is in minimal pain and he’s taking it quite well. Sometimes, we tend to forget how resilient animals are and how resilient we are when faced with adversity.

Pets not only give us joy on a day to day basis, they teach us so much about ourselves. They teach us to be selfless, to be loving, to be responsible, they teach us the most basic of human emotions: compassion. In many ways, it is the way you treat animals, not humans, that reveals who you are. After all, it was Milan Kundera, one of my favorite authors who said “mankind’s true moral test, its fundamental test (which lies deeply from view), consists of its attitude towards those who are at its mercy: animals.” Henry has managed to teach me so much about myself. There were times in my life when I cringed at the thought of having to take care of something or someone other than me. Henry has taught me that taking care of either animal or human is a truly rewarding and humbling experience and I couldn’t ask for a better little lamb.