Of Wedding bells & Christmas bells

 

So today is when the season of Advent kicks off, Christmas Carols start playing, parties get planned, sweet shopping lists get made, phew… the tasks are endless.

And what other perfect time to get married than during the month of December! We’ve been getting invitation cards practically everyday (what with last year being leap year and all.)

Best of all, there’s nothing like a wedding in the family--when my cousin decided to take the plunge, it was all hands on deck. I’ve had a blast creating Wedding-related stuff at home and here’s a sampler:

The Ring Holder
	I created a cluster of roses and set them on a bed of creamy vanilla satin and lace
The Toasting Glasses
	This arrangement is made with handmade French beading flowers

I’d be happy to get feedback and suggestions, so feel free to shoot me a mail!

Jobsites, Networking sites & Matrimonial sites

 

So after a really really really long sabbatical I’m back, with a vow to be more regular. After all, its about being connected and staying connected.

And that brings me to my anecdote for today. For most of you who don’t know I work in Human Resources and in my line recruitment is huge chunk of what I do. So what do  we recruiters do? From mere mortals we metamorphosis into complete social animals . Everyone—and I mean everyone—is a potential candidate and/or a client.

I’ve had interesting conversations at the chemist, at the gas station and church (client converted!). Well the down side is you get pesky neighbours who ask you for a status update every three days (makes you want to change your cell phone number, but try juggling three numbers like I do and its not worth the trouble!!!)

And if you want to get over your shyness in public places, being a recruiter is just what the social skills teacher ordered! Parties where you probably know only the host/ hostess is the motherlode. Its like an untapped oil well, an undiscovered mine, a pharoah’s tomb. Loads of new many people to meet, the potential is endless. (Big ticket closure last May via one such birthday party, ka-ching!!)

You see, networking is an integral part of our job. The other is to stay ahead of the curve and find newer more innovate ways to find that elusive candidate or client lead or industry. The usual suspects are the Monster.com, Naukri.com and so on. Then of course there are the LinkedIn's and Vaults of the world. And for some (and I mean those companies that actually do have not site restrictions…pray do those still exist??!)  there is Facebook and Orkut and Hi5. (Pssst… if you know of something new drop me an email)

In my experience, women do well with people and maybe that’s why you will find a higher percentage of women in HR and recruitment. Now as is the natural progression (in most cases), you graduate, you get a job, you find the right ‘boy’ (even if he is in his 40s, here in India I don’t why we still call them boys) and get married. How do the last two happen?

Well, some get lucky, fall in love with Mr Mostly Right (Mr. Perfect retired a lifetime ago), others have parents (and the extended family) pitching in (see its all about networking) and then there is the trusty shaadi.com, bharatmatrimony.com and a host of other regional .com matrimonial sites to choose from.

But, I’ve come across a very ingenious colleague. The person who cannot be named (WCBN) comes from a traditional family. Hence when  it comes to the eligibles there is a long list of parameters  that have to be fulfilled before round 1 (aptly called ‘coming to see’ stage). This is where the one WCBN had a brainwave.

Remember, its all about being connected :) So LinkedIn, here’s  another revenue spinner for you.

Step 1 -  Log onto www.LinkedIn.com. Go to people search (top right hand) and  type in possible prospective first names and surnames.

Step 2 – Shortlist ‘suitable candidates’ from the populated list and send them invites on LinkedIn. Offer them an ‘exciting’/‘interesting’ opportunity. (Such an opportunity may or may not exist in reality)

Step 3 – Invite them to the office for an interview for a ‘personal interview’  and to discuss the ‘opportunity’  (the aforementioned ‘exciting’/‘interesting’  opportunity) in more detail.

Step 4 -  Meet with candidate and evaluate the role/ candidature for the ‘opportunity’ and secondary Main & actual agenda -  is he good husband material. The other thing -  its the only way you can ask a guy how much he makes within the first meeting, brilliant!

Step 5 – Inform candidate if he’s made it through or declined. Now in this particular case, insider information says all declined. Not sure if the candidates know though, if they failed the interview of their lifetime. (Good for them!!)

I guess, the WCBN needs to work harder at sourcing the right candidate or the ‘client’ aka WCBN , needs to re-work her parameters.

But heck, if this isn’t ‘marrying’ business with pleasure and making the most of networking sites, I don’t know what is. LinkedIn… Jai Ho

Watch out for :- Soon to be launched LinkedIn application – MatchIt  - The perfect partner… Life Partner

Plum Rum, Peach Schnapps & Irish Cream hic hic..

 

Just wanted to let you know, this year, bitten by the movie a Good Year, I am rolling my sleeves up. So welcome to my homemade liqueurs.

Getting set for Christmas I have Plum Rum. I know, I know Christmas is 6 months away, but the rum takes 6 months to mature and you get the best plums now. This will be ready for pick up in the 2^nd week of December. Its gorgeous, served chilled on Christmas evening.(Charmaine will attest to that! Twice over!)

Then - Peach Schnapps, which due to the seasonality of the fruit will be made this month and will be ready for pick up by mid July.

And last but not the least is Irish Cream, available throughout the year.

Please let me know, if you would like to order the first two as the best quality of fruit is now - June.

So if you want to get your hands on a bottle please let me know!! You can email me on ayeshatellis@yahoo.com or +91 98201 31194 and I will get back to you by the end of the day.

Cheers!! Prost!

Movie nights!!

Its been a drought the last few months, with no releases what with the multiplexes on strike. So it wasn’t a wonder that Friday night was a full house show for Angels and Demons (released in single screen theatres, but what the hey). Then again it was the much anticipated Ron Howard movie, so maybe I shouldn't be wondering so much!

The tighter storyline, so makes the prequel - Angels & Demons, three years after the Da Vinci Code worth the wait. The cinematography is breathtaking and honest to goodness Salvatore Totino (Frost/Nixon) leaves you spellbound. The marriage of the ancient with the modern is brilliantly showcased through stunning panoramas of churches and  Vatican City along with the yet to be understood concepts of antimatter or the God Particle. To a certain extent there is some suspension of belief, but overall the performances of Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor and the pace of the movie definitely captivate the viewer. I love the fact that there is no hint of romance between Dr. Langdon & Dr. Vittoria Vetra, which keeps you riveted to the story at all times. Doesn't matter what faith you believe in, if its the history shrouded in mystery that excites you, this one is a must see. (I've seen it twice!).

Now for my weekly dose of chick flicks,  I caught up on my current favorite - Definitely, Maybe, a 2008 release starring Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher, Elizabeth Banks & Rachel Weisz. In this romantic caper, the unexpected but most welcome element comes in the form of Abigail Breslin (from Little Miss Sunshine fame), as the daughter of Ryan Reynolds.

The story is told in flashback and there is a certain tempo which keeps you engaged in spite of soo many  characters weaving their way in and out of the storyline. Will Hayes (Ryan Reynolds) is a single dad in New York, has just been served with divorce papers and picks up his 10 year daughter Maya (Abigail Breslin) who has just learnt about sex education in school. Pretty tough day huh?

So instead of getting into the birds & bees stories, Will decides to get Maya to guess who her real mother is in the form of a puzzle, with name changes et al.

He takes us way back to 1992, when a green behind the ears, Will Hayes leaves Wisconsin and his college sweetheart ‘Emily’ ( Elizabeth Banks) behind to pursue a career in NY while working on Bill Clinton’s political campaign. Here is where he meets a free spirited April, who for all her brilliance is a copy girl at the campaign office. Stuck in a series of relationships that are not going anywhere, April finds herself drawn to Will. There is on extremely tender scene, that made me sob buckets and buckets, where April gets Will to practice his proposal to Emily on her.  Jeez, sparks fly and how.

Well, sometimes the pot of honey is not always at the end of the rainbow and as the story unfold, we see Will move from an almost engaged to Emily relationship to Summer (Rachel Weisz), a journalist unsure how to find herself as a true writer. In that mix, April flits in and out as Will's shoulder to cry on, sounding board and everything else except the one thing she wants the most.

The path of discovery throws up startling revelations to both Maya & Will and by the end of the movie you feel like you are trying to brook all the welling up emotion inside you by jus squeezing your eyes shut. Eventually the tears come and how. Thank God for Kleenex.  A lot of Kurt Cobain, a lot of references to a certain President shouting himself hoarse about his alleged extra circular activities and lot of feel good endorphins! Call 70mm today or just catch it on HBO. On last count I saw it twice on HBO and twice on DVD!

Oh! And if you do get Kettlecorn, save a bag for me.

My DVD picks for this week (Angels and Demons isn’t out on DVD yet :()

 

Now that IPL is finally over, its time to hit the silver screen once again. To kick of this weekend, there was Angels & Demons, finally finally releasing. Phew a movie release in ages. (Thank God for single-screen theaters).

But if religion and science is not your cup of tea, then my recommendations would be:

• Hairspray, a must watch for John Travolta fans. Travolta plays an  adorable ‘mom’ (Edna Turnbald) from the 60’s, dealing with a ‘happy to be chubby’ free-thinking daughter (Tracy)—played by the very talented singer and dancer Nick Blonsky. In an age where black and white couldn’t even share the same dance floor, the movie captures the battle of racism through a heartening love story and aspirations of a teenager. The all-star cast is completed by Christopher Walken who plays the dotting father and completely devoted husband. The soundtrack has to be the best in a long time, and combines jazz, rhythm and a complete 60’s vibe. You will absolutely love the powerful performances of Queen Latifah and Zach Efron. This movie doesn’t leave you with foot-tapping music—the sheer energy and passion that the cast brings, leaves you foot stomping (you will know what I mean when you get to the grand finale).

 

• If animated movies are your thing, grab a copy of Flushed Away. The movie opens with a peek into the life of Roddy (voiced by Hugh Jackman), who’s a rat living as a pet in the posh Kensington area of London. When Roddy gets flushed down the toilet by an insurgent gutter rat, he loses all the comfort and luxury he was used to, but eventually gains a lot more than what he bargained for. Down in the sewers, there exists a whole parallel London city,  whose inhabitants are just rats. That’s where he bumps into Rita (Kate Winslet), who agrees to take him back to the surface and his family, if he helps her on her mission. The adventure begins with the duo dealing with villains like Le Frog (Jean Reno, hilarious) and the Toad (Ian Mckellen). The story takes amazing twists and turns (in several cases, literally) and the goal is much much bigger than what the two intrepid daredevils ever imagined it to be. The soundtrack is awesome, and is interspersed with choruses from the cutest animated slugs. With a wire-tight storyline, great voiceovers, and in-your-face visual effects, this is great entertainment for any age group.

• And to really tickle your funny bone, if you like Russell Peters (or not) be sure to check out the fantastic entertainer, comedian, and world-class ventriloquist, Jeff Dunham. Catch his videos on YouTube—the views are in the millions. He starts each of his shows as a regular standup comedian, poking fun at his wife, his daughters, his dogs, and his cars. Once we’ve established what a family man he is, you get to see the little guys that made him so famous. His repertoire of talking, irreverent and wholly hilarious puppets ranges from a redneck Bubba J, to a cantankerous senior citizen Walter, to a one-sneaker- purple-skinned fuzzy thing (for lack of a better word) called Peanut. The other guys that make up the pack are Jose Jalapeño (on a ‘steek’) and Achmed the dead terrorist—they’re a hoot! Each of these fellows have their own personalities and Jeff Dunham is brilliant at taking situations from everyday life putting  side splitting, laugh-worthy twists on them. Nobody is spared from his barbs—George Bush and Michael Jackson are but the tip of the iceberg. Good luck on getting your hands on his must-own DVD: ‘Spark of Insanity’.

And don’t forget to stock up on a couple of bags of Kettlecorn. Happy watching!

Home made goodness… Part 2

 

Now to my Mumbai chapter of marzipan eggs--I have to introduce you to the lovely Rebecca, who can very easily whip up a storm in the kitchen as she can on the dance floor.

Called Happy Bunnys, you may be fooled into believing she only caters to the Easter season, but if your are looking for that special themed birthday cake or anniversary cake and even a naughty hen party cake, this should be your stop. You can order anything from a chocolate to a sponge to a fruit or a plum cake, and even  the more traditional Goan Coconut cake (Baath).  To put it mildly, when it comes to making celebrations memorable Rebecca should be on your speed dial. You will definitely  be the talking point of innumerable conversations.

Rebecca has pretty much experimented on her own in the bakery department and comes up with winners each time. Its not just the final product (each of her creations are visual treats) but the satiated feeling you get when you dig in, is serious nirvana. Pictured here is one of her creations for a Chinese themed anniversary cake. Wish it was mine… :(. She has some wikkid specialty cakes, like a Skull cake too.

Marzipan making is a talent that runs in the family and there is no one like her mum Ramona, who can make it as drop perfect as it has to be.  (Just thinking about the last lonely egg sitting in my fridge has set me drooling). The consistency is smoother than a baby’s bottom--when it comes to flavor, it beats any competition hollow.

In addition to her many talents, Rebecca is also an artist and this is ever so evident in her presentation and the accents she uses on her  masterpieces. Each egg or bunny and cake is one of a kind. And the best part: you also have the option of going completely eggless.

Operating out of Bandra, Rebecca does take orders over the phone. Reach her on +91 98216 94917. Happy Munchies from Happy Bunnys!

Home made goodness……..Part 1

 

After three weeks of silence, I’m back. Blame it on my busted motherboard and graphics card. Lost all my data (damn you technology). But now that I’m back online there are two treats that I have to, have to share with you.

Easter conjures up images of marzipan eggs, bunnies and chocolate nuggets (sigh)…. Well, my first discovery comes from Bangalore, in the form of Fiona Smith. She goes under the name of ‘fijo’ and now let me walk you through her Easter specialties  and then take you on the dessert trip of your life.

Fiona is a complete self-taught patissier and trust me when I say, she has mastered desserts, chocolates and cakes to an art form.  For starters, she makes her marzipan out of blanched almonds (patience thy name is Fiona). It has to be the smoothest marzipan, I have ever eaten and ensconced in dark chocolate, it is truly salvation. There are also twists in her marzipan based eggs, go for the dark chocolate with a hint of orange. Very unusual.

But she also makes chocolate Easter eggs, like Chocolate Truffle - a light filling of chocolate ganache (blend of chocolate, butter, cream) with a dash of Kahlua or Cointreau. (doesn’t your mouth just water). Or the Chocolate Praline Egg - dark chocolate eggs with a crunchy filling of roasted hazelnuts and almonds and caramelized sugar.

Now if you have a constant craving for sugar, fijo has a fix for anything that you desire. I will put my hand on my heart and implore you to order a batch of her chocolate chip cookies. The cookie just groans with the chips and they are they are the right consistency between chewy and snappy. Chomp on them as is or nuke them in the microwave for 15 seconds, crumble over ice-cream. Most fulfilling feeling ever.

Now if brownies are your Achilles heel, the dark chocolate brownies are what you need to go after. Each piece is huge, so maybe you savor half a piece at a time (who am I fooling here). The brownies are a little crusty on the outside, which surprises you when you bite in,’coz its so moist and chewy. Micro for 30 seconds, so you release the dark cocoa aroma and add a dollop of ice-cream, yummy..

Fiona also has a wide repertoire of cakes. Her pound cake has been a favorite for years. Also ask for her lemon sponge. If you are looking at season specific cakes, don’t look any further. The Easter Simnel cake that I’ve had thanks to fijo, has not been matched by any other so far. For Christmas, not only do you get the rich and sumptuous rich fruit and rich plum cake, you will absolutely reach nirvana with the mince-meat pies. The filling has been matured for a year and has the right mix of candied peel, dry fruit, spices and alcohol (hic).The crust puts all other shortbread to shame.

And finally, phew, pies, tarts (try the coffee tart) and mousse are her forte. I personally love the three mousse cups, but the list is endless here, so best to call and check with Fiona herself. High on experimentation, she will be coming out with her new menu for May shortly. You can call her on +91 98860 17450. (Remember it is a Bangalore number). She takes orders pretty much year round for her chocolates and cakes, so you will not be disappointed.

Do try her out and let me know what you think. Hey and check, if Fiona has any of her stock of Coffee Liqueur ready for sale. Bonne Appetite.