citymasala dec 06

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A Lifestyle and Entertainment Magazine for Today’s South Asian

December 2006 Free Copy

Star PerformersRupesh Rawal & DJ J afa

CityMasala’sAnniversary

Celebration

Achievers’ Club: Dr. Harish Patel

Bollywood

Urmilla vying for Kajra Re Fame

CRICKETThe Leo M oxey

Tournament

Tête-à-tête Shahnaz Husain



Also In this Issue:21 Reel Talk

22 Global Masala: The Eternal Debate

24 Zed’s Feature: Straight into a Man’s

World

26 Auntyji Ko Pucho28 Wining and Dining

30 Tech Talk: Tips for holiday shopping

32 In the Kitchen: Recipes

34 Body Talk

35 Star Lite Star Brite: This Month’s

Horoscope

On the Cover: Star Performers! Rupesh Rawal and DJ Jafar

8 Achievers’ Club: The Healers

Amongst Us

10 Rupesh Rawal: A Special Thank You12 Tête-à-tête with Shahnaz Husain

14 CityMasala Anniversary

Celebration

18 Cricket: The Leo Moxey Tournament

20 Bollywood: Urmila vying for

Kajra Re fame

CityMasala is published by CityMasala LLC. The opinions and viewpoints of our contributors and advertisers do not necessarily re fl ect those of CityMasala’s.

CityMasala disclaims any liability with respect to the use of or reliance on any such information and further disclaims any liability to any party for loss or damage

caused by errors or omissions, negligence, accident or any other cause. CityMasala reserves the right to reject any advertisement they deem unacceptable or inap-

propriate for publication in CityMasala. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and originality of content. Copyright © 2005 CityMasala LLC. All rights

reserved. Reprinting of any material without prior permission from CityMasala is prohibited.

Editor and

Publisher:Chhaya Sanghavi

Shaphali Jain

Graphic Designer

Dawn Sallas

Junior EditorSurabhi Jain

Orlando Marketing

Mala Chakravorty

404-547-1989

Tampa Marketing:

813-476-5415

Content Contributors:

Anita SinghAshish Jain

Javid Lateef Kavita TrivediMala Chakravorty

Monica BhatiaNandini Chakraborty

Nicolas AujulaSanjay Puranik Shahnaz Husain

Vish Vishwanathan

Zed RehmanGuest Contributor

Dr. Jain

Published By:

CityMasala LLC

Telephone

813-642-3313

Email: [email protected]

On the Web: www.citymasala.com

IN THIS ISSUEDecember 2006

A Lifestyle and Entertainment Magazine for Today’s South Asian CityMasala

One year old and going strong! CityMasala celebrated its first anniversary and the

success of the magazine with a party at Shalimar Restaurant. Dinner was followed byMasala Night during which our two talented performers, Rupesh Rawal and DJ Jafar,

entertained the guests with their talent and music.

Achievers’ Club introduces Dr. Harish Patel. Armed with a few degrees, Dr. Patel also

teaches medicine. He has worked tirelessly not only in his profession but also to benefit

the community.

Shahnaz Husain is now a part of Team Masala. Surabhi interviews Ms. Husain and lets

you into the private world of this legend of beauty products.

Read about Rupesh Rawal, who is an amazingly talented singer. We were honored to

have him with us at our anniversary party.

Sheniz Janmohamed is the latest addition to Team Masala. In CityMasala’s book club,

Sheniz reviews “Born on the Mountaintop” by Satyam and Freedom Malhotra.

Javid regales us with a blow by blow account of a game played by a local cricket team,

India, during the Leo Moxey Tournament. Dr. Jain points us in the direction of better health through better breathing exercises that promote spiritual and physical health. This

month’s Global Masala has Monica and Henry address what most desis debate about, life

in India vs. the US. TechTalk extends tips on the best online bargains which help save

money and time. Auntyji, now a full fledged Florida resident, is enjoying the glorious

sunshine. Even the slight cooling temperatures don’t seem to have fazed her desire to

help out lost south Asian souls. Daru Ka Nasha bubbles with information on the bubbly.

Surabhi dines at Deeya restaurant in Clearwater and tells us what she recommends

from their menu. Sanjay writes about the importance of nutrition and why your diet

takes precedence over any exercise program that you may be considering. Zed goes to a

wedding as a man’s date! Turn to page 24 to let the story unravel.

We would like to remind you to submit your recommendations on who should be

featured in our magazine. We appreciate and look forward to feedback from our readers

and it would not be possible to cover all the deserving people of our community without

your help. Write in to [email protected] or [email protected] so we may look

into your recommendations.

As always, please remember to talk about CityMasala, rave about CityMasala, make

your friends read CityMasala and ask for your copy of CityMasala by its name!

Chhaya Sanghavi and Shaphali Jain

MEET OUR TEAM

From Our Desk to Yours



To CityMasala,

I enjoyed reading about all

the team members that bring

CityMasala together. Knowing

a little bit more about all of you

makes reading all the articles

more fun! Keep up the good

work!

Shaheen Mirza – Orlando - FL

Q: To CityMasala,

I am really excited about the

upcoming Beauty articles from

Shahnaz Hussain. Can we write in

with questions for her and which

email address should we use?

Swati Misra – Ft. Lauderdale, FL

A: Dear Swati,

You can write in to

[email protected] or

[email protected] and Shahnaz will be happy to answer

your questions.

To CityMasala,

I read your article on Global

Masala: Desi Acronyms. This

article is extremely useful for

my research and I would like

to use the acronyms as I am

writing a book on World of

Indian.

Neil Raymond

Q: Where can I find your publication around the USF

area?

Your magazine is very

intriguing, I really enjoyed it

cover to cover.

Is it a monthly publication?

Keep up the good work...

Thanks

Andrew Gangaram

A: You can pick up a copy

of CityMasala at most southAsian stores and restaurants.

You may also read the

magazine online at

www.citymasala.com.

FROM YOUR DESK TO OURS:

We would like to feature someone whom you think deserves to be in our Achievers’ Club column. Send

in your recommendations to [email protected] or [email protected].



Dr. Harish Patel hails from Baroda,

Gujarat, and talks fondly about his father,

Mr. Jesangbhai Patel who, he says, played

a big part not only in his education, but

also the education of the entire village

that he belonged to. Jesangbhai Patel was

a farmer by birth, and the first person in

the village to have become a graduate.

The senior Mr. Patel instilled the

importance of education in Dr. Patel who

moved to the US after completing hisMS from the Baroda University Medical

College to study Psychology in New

Jersey. After this, Dr. Patel completed

his Hematology & Oncology Fellowship

from the Cancer Center in Howard

University in Washington D.C. followed

by Internal Medicine and a residency in

D. C. General Hospital. He followed this

up with a residency in Neurology from

Georgetown and Howard University

combined. What confidence would such

a list of qualifications instill in a patient

– especially considering the depth of knowledge such a physician would

possess!

Dr. Patel started his practice here in

Florida in 1992. West Coast Neurology

in St. Petersburg specializes in treatment

for headaches, neck and spinal injuries,

dementia, strokes, and seizures.

What makes Dr. Harish Patel truly stand

out in a community that certainly has no

dearth of physicians, is the keen desire

to share his knowledge and his wealth of

resources with the younger generation.

Dr. Patel is an Associate Professor at

North Side Medical Center and about

twice a week, apart from teaching his

students, he also advises them on a

variety of subjects. He finds that a lot of

the students are unaware of the number of

appropriate resources available as well as

how to get the required information from

trained professionals. Dr. Patel helps the

process along by setting up a platform

of guidance on how to get into the right

medical schools, getting placements by

utilizing his connections and in general,

by helping these youngsters realize their

full potential. He says he is able to help

about 40 – 50 students every year and is able to get about 6-7 students placed

into rotation in his network of clinics. He

says that he helps these students in any

way that he can to get into US or foreign

Medical Schools and teaches them not to

settle for less.

Dr. Patel perpetuates this practice at home

as well. He selects a group of children,

mostly comprising of nephews and

nieces, and allocates a certain amount of

money to reward them for good grades in

order to encourage them to always striveto do better.

Dr. Harish Patel is an important member

of the Gujarati Samaj of Tampa Bay. For

the year 2006, he served as the Chairman

for the Samaj. He says that ever since

he has moved to Florida, he has served

the committee as a volunteer in fund

raising and getting the optimum number

of advertisers to support the efforts of

the Samaj in order to celebrate their rich

cultural heritage.

Dr. Patel also volunteers his time and

services to other communities through

various churches and temples.

Dr. Patel has two sons whom he is

extremely proud of. Keyur Patel is in

Lublin, Poland, studying at the Hope

Medical Institute. He says, “Keyur is the

kind of person who goes the extra mile

for people. In High School, he would get

up an hour early to help in providing

transportation to those kids who didn’t

have any way of getting to school.” His

other son, Shivas Patel is 24 years old and

is in real estate. “Shivas is an extremely

dynamic and helpful person. He has

helped countless people set up businesses

and find jobs. I am very proud of both

my sons. They are honest, reliable and

extremely hard working.” Dr. Patel’s wife

of 27 years, Hema Patel, is also always

involved in community work and support

When asked what he likes to do in his

spare time, Dr. Patel says, “I really like

helping people. I also like to read and

am particularly interested in politics,

US & Indian.” When presented with

the omnipresent dilemma of every

immigrant, what do you miss about your homeland, he replies, “The lifestyle and

the closeness amongst family, friends and

neighbors.” He likes to go back to India

every other year.

Dr. Patel concluded his interview with an

interesting anecdote which bears credence

to his dedication as a healer. He says that

a few years ago, an 18 year old patient

was brought into his care. He had been

shot accidentally in the heart. He was

admitted into the ICU and for 7 days,

countless doctors and nurses administeredcare and shared their opinions about his

condition. At the end of the week, all the

doctors gave up on him and pronounced

him brain dead. Dr. Patel persisted

because he felt that his brain was still

salvageable. The patient’s family chose

to have faith in Dr. Patel who eventually

treated this patient into full recovery

due to his expertise in the field. The boy

lives today and is a successful actor in

New York. Dr. Patel may be contacted

via email: [email protected] and by

telephone: 727-528-2272.

If you would like to recommend

someone whom you think

should be in our Achievers’

Club column, please write in

with your recommendations

to [email protected] or

[email protected].

Achievers’ Club The Healers Amongst Us

Dr. Harish Patel



Rupesh used to skip school so that he

could spend time on his own music.

He has had the opportunity of being the

keyboard player during one of Nusrat

Fateh Ali Khan’s shows.

Rupesh’s second album, Tere Jaisi, was

released in April of 2006.

Feedback on his albums: People across all

age groups love the simplicity of his work.

Rupesh has worked tirelessly towards his

career for the past 15 years. He now wantsto find a soul mate. Any takers?

Rupesh has also had the opportunity of

performing with Asha Bhonsle.

Rupesh has recently recorded a Bollywood

song with his childhood pal, Sukhbir, (of Dhoom 2 fame) and is awaiting the release

of the movie.

Rupesh Rawal is an Aries. Ladies – would

you like to check out those matrimonial

charts?

Rupesh Rawal was awarded the title of

Cultural Ambassador by the former Prime

Minister of the Republic of Kenya , Daniel

Arap Moi.

From age 14 to age 16, Rupesh composed

8 songs and recorded his own album in

Dubai.Rupesh’s childhood was surrounded by

music. Both his parents are musicians and

he could play whatever he heard from the

age of 6.

Rupesh has performed on stage in over 14countries and has done over 500 shows.

Rupesh considers himself to be a musician

before a singer.

Rupesh’s first album, Pehli Nazar, was

released in 1998 in North America and

England.

Rupesh’s albums are created by him for

the love of music and for what is in his

heart.

If Rupesh had not become a musician, he

would have most certainly become a chef,or an interior designer. A creative person,

he says that he is not cut out for the 9-5

life style!

Rupesh Rawal: A Special Thank YouBy: Shaphali Jain

Rupesh is a modest 33 year old whose love for his art pours forth in every facet of his life. He

lives, breathes and works for his art tirelessly. When CityMasala requested him to be a part of

their first Anniversary Celebration, he made time in his busy schedule to accommodate this

request and we got to see a side of him that deserves to be revealed to all of our readers. That

such talent and dedication to art exists in our midst here in Florida is something to celebrate and

with that in mind, here is a side of Rupesh Rawal that may not be apparent to all…

If you would you like to book Rupesh Rawal for your next celebration or to just set up a meh fil, call him at 386-882-1462 or visit his

website at www.rupeshrawal.net.



CityMasala is honored to have Ms.

Shahnaz Husain as a part of our amazing

team. Beauty – The Shahnaz Way will

now be a regular column in which Ms.

Husain will share some of her world

famous tips on skin and hair care with our

readers.

A warm smile, oodles of confidence and

a visible passion for natural skincare and

beauty, Shahnaz Husain is a lady who

can take one look at you and predict your

skincare and beauty habits. Married at the

tender age of 15, a mother by the time she

was 16, Shahnaz Husain has come a long

way. Today, she is the humble owner of

the largest, one of a kind chain of globally

located lifestyle shops featuring her

Ayurvedic skincare products. She owns

training institutes, spas, and has a name

that stands for a global brand. CityMasalahad the chance to have a tête-à-tête with

the goddess of skin care and this is what

she had to say…

Beauty according to you is…A total impact. A beautiful woman is not

necessarily one who has been endowed

with classic features, but one who values

herself physically, mentally, emotionally

and spiritually. She is a real and vital

person, who leaves behind a lingering

fragrance of her personality. I always say,

“There should be beauty power, brain power and spiritual power!”

Secret Mantra for timeless beauty

spells…Total well being of body, mind and soul.

Cosmetics help only 20%. Good physical

and mental health makes up 80% of true

beauty. The external body condition is

a barometer of internal health. Timeless

beauty, radiance and vitality come from

physical fitness, a nutritious diet, regular

exercise and freedom from stress.

The most dangerous mistake people make with their skin and hair care

is…Subjecting their skin and hair to the abuse

of chemical ingredients and treatments.

The human body is natural and best

treated by nature.

Your principle of “Care and

Cure”says…That beauty lies in the good health of

skin and hair. Through the principle of

“Care and Cure” we offer protective,

preventative and corrective beauty care,

based on the holistic healing system of

Ayurveda. I rejected “Color and Cover”

and adopted “Care and Cure.”

Just before hitting the bed, one

should…Cleanse. Night-time cleansing is a must to

remove all the impurities and pollutants

that have been deposited on the skin

during the day. Nourish the skin with

a “skin-food” cream, if the skin is

normal to dry. Remove all creams with

moist cotton wool, so that the skin can

“breathe” during the night and allow the

body’s restoration and repair work to take

over.

Receiving the coveted Padma Shri

award …Makes me feel honored. I have dedicated

35 years of my life and career to promoting my country with total devotion

and a crusader’s zeal. I have always

believed that India has so much to offer

to the rest of the world. I have received

much international acclaim, but receiving

one of the highest civilian awards and

recognition from my own country is the

greatest honor. It has made my relentless

efforts truly worthwhile.

Cosmetic surgery…Makes me think of the risks involved.

Avoid it if you

can and rely on

nature and natural

remedies.

Daily makeup…

Is part of good

grooming. It imparts self-confidence.Beauty is a matter of looking

and feeling good. Daily make-up is easier

if the skin is clear. How can the artist

paint a beautiful picture if the canvas is

not clean? Removing make-up before

bedtime is as important as knowing how

to put it on.

Skincare over the past 10 years

has…Made us look at nature with enlightened

eyes. Nature is the best cosmetologist. An

entire range of beauty products exist in

nature and Ayurveda tells us how best to

go about it.

Your biggest strength is… My relentless determination, iron will

power, steel grit, ability for sheer hard

work and inner spiritual strength.

Your biggest weakness is…My emotional and sentimental nature.

The healthiest skin that I have seenis …

Madhubala. She had the most beautiful

translucent skin. Among the other stars, Dimple has timeless beauty, Aishwarya

and Kareena have good, healthy skin.

If not a beauty expert, Shahnaz

Husain would have been… Cannot dream of being anybody other

than who I am. My work is not merelymy career. It is the sole purpose of myexistence.

Joining the CityMasala team…Would be an enjoyable association for

both of us.

A B e a u t i f u l W om a n

V a l u e s H e r s e l f

P h y s i c a l l y , M en t a l l y ,

Em o t i o n a l l y A n d

S p i r i t u a l l y .

Beauty The Shahnaz WayBy: Surabhi Jain



November 18, 2006, CityMasala celebrated its first

Anniversary with a formal party with dinner followed by

Masala Night, a “By-Invitation” event. Invited guestsincluded advertisers who have supported CityMasala since

its inception one year ago, as well as people who have been

featured in the magazine. Hosts, Chhaya Sanghavi andShaphali Jain, along with Ashish Jain, Javid Lateef,

Sanjay Puranik and Surabhi Jain represented Team Ma-sala.

CityMasala wanted to commemorate its anniversary with an

effort to honor those people who contribute to its success.We have worked very hard to get where we are but the sup-

port that we have received has been phenomenal.

CityMasala, now a household name, has made a distinct

mark in Florida.

Anu and Satbir, owners of Shalimar Restaurant, made the

experience truly memorable with their excellent food, gra-

cious hospitality and warmth. Guests were made to feel athome and individual needs were catered to in the most ac-

commodating manner possible. The evening started out with

a variety of appetizers followed by dinner.

CityMasala’s trademark event, Masala Night, followed the

wonderful dinner. The evening’s highlight was provided bythe entertainment for the evening. DJ Jafar and singer,Rupesh Rawal, put on a show that prevented even the shy-

est of guests from sitting and looking on.

Masala Night was sponsored in part by Western Union and

the lucky draw prizes included gift certificates from Shali-

mar Restaurant, Hair Color Experts and Apna Bazar.

Rupesh kicked off Masala Night with a soulful rendition of

Himesh Reshamiya’s Aashiq Banaya and got the dancing

enthusiasts off to a fabulous start. Even while tables andchairs were being cleared away, people squeezed them-

selves in between to encourage the process along. Before

the song ended, the vast majority of the people had de-

scended to the dance floor asking for more. Rupesh obligedwith Kajra Re and Dhoom Macha le and the crowd went

Contd. On Page 16

CityMasala December 2014


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I am devoting this article to local cricket

and to the exploits of the Indian cricket

team that plays in the Leo Moxey

tournament that is presently going on.

The Leo Moxey is an offshoot of the

Red Stripe Competition, which is

loosely based on the old West Indian

tournament. In 2004, the League obtained

sponsorship from Winston Moxey, owner

of Bowerbank Income Tax & Accounting

Services, Inc. of Orlando, a long time

supporter of cricket in Central Florida,

and it was agreed that the name of the

tournament would be changed from

Red Stripe to Leo Moxey in memory

of his deceased brother, Leo. This

year, ten teams are involved in the

competition, their makeup being

representative of the West Indiancountries and India. They are:

Antigua, Barbados, CFCL Select

(A youth team), Guyana, India,

Jamaica, Rest of the World, Trinidad

& Tobago, USA Select & Windies

United.

The teams are divided into two groups

with each team playing the other group

members on a home and away basis. At

the end of the regular competition, the

top two teams in each group compete on

a knockout basis. The final match is on

February 4, 2007.

That being said, our story begins on a

cloudy, overcast Sunday morning as we

make our way to Poinciana to take on

Trinidad & Tobago in a crucial tie. We

had narrowly lost the previous game

against Jamaica and were determined to

put up a better show this weekend. Our

team, last Sunday, was led by Sanjay

Puranik, who was captaining for the first

time in this particular tournament. The

team consisted of players from 4 different

teams in the Central Florida region. The

toss was won by Trinidad and Tobago and

they decided to bat first.

Our opening bowlers, Satish Konduri

and Yogesh Mahadeviah, bowled a neat

spell and we restricted them to 30 odd in

the first 10 overs. After a breakthrough by yours truly, there was a 2nd wicket

partnership of 50 odd runs (between

Laggan and Rasheed). Our bespectacled

Kranti Vijay, a Dilip Doshi like left arm

spinner, was in his element yet again. He

has been the bowling find of this season

and he spun a web around the batsmen,

not allowing them any room to score

at all. He finally had Laggan driving

uppishly to mid-on for Ravi to take an

easy catch and, with the very next ball,

dismissed Ray Mohan. Jigar Desai took

over for Kranti, who had the remarkable

figures of 7overs-1maiden-12 runs-2

wickets. Jigar ran through the T&T

middle order by taking 4 wickets. The

ground fielding was excellent and though

they scored heavily in the last few overs,

we restricted them to 169 runs.

It was our turn to bat and Avinash

Puranik and Nikhil More opened the

innings for us. They made slow but

steady progress, adding 55 runs until

Avi was bowled by a ball that turned in

sharply. Kranti joined Nikhil and they

pushed the score up to 100 with good

running and a few boundary hits. Nikhil

was judged LBW, rather harshly, I might

add, and to add insult to injury, he was

2 short of his half century .We were

100/2. This is when Amit Dehra went

into bat. He had fielded brilliantly in

the outfield and he walked to the crease

with us needing 70 runs at a run rate of

about 7 runs/over. He started off with a

bang, slamming the first ball he faced to

long-on for a boundary. He then farmed

the bowling, running very aggressively

between the wickets. Kranti was

run-out for a well made 22 and Ravi,

Sanjay and I followed in quick

succession. Amit never let up. He

was always on the lookout, stealing

that extra run whenfi

elders were notexpecting it and cleverly working the

ball around the field. When I fell, we

were looking at a run rate of over 8 an

over for the next 3 overs, to win the

game. Amit made a mockery of it by

slamming a huge 6 over widish long-

on. Jigar and Amit brought the game

home with 3 balls to spare in the last over

A match winning knock by Amit - one

that we will not forget for a long time to

come.

It was a nail biting, toe clenching finish

to an amazing game, and as the winning

runs were scored we all rushed into the

field towards Amit and Jigar. It is for

moments like these that we play the

game. The camaraderie on this particular

Indian team is amazing and here’s

wishing all the guys (moi, included) the

very best for the remainder of games to be

played. I will end this piece with a quote

by the man of the match, Amit Dehra

(tongue-in-cheek), “East or West India is

the best!!”

Cricket The Leo Moxey Tournament By: Javid Lateef

The man of the match, Amit Dehra (right) with

Jigar Desai (le ft) .



It’s all in the name! Amitabh Bachchan, who recently turned

64, has been in the news a lot lately.

Firstly, he created cinematic record by

completing 23 scenes in 5 hours. Then he

was honored by Delhi University with aPh.D. in literature for his contribution to

Indian Cinema. Next he was in the House

of Commons in London as the brand

ambassador for the IIFA Awards. He also

announced that he, Jaya and Abhishek

will be acting together in a forthcoming

Yashraj film directed by Pradeep Sarkar

of Parineeta fame. Family always comes

first for the Bachchans, it seems. He

announced to the world that he was eager

for Abhishekh to get married so that he

could look forward to a male grandchild!

Don’t you already have a male grandchild,

Mr. Bachchan? Or does the fact that

he is not a

Bachchan

make the

difference?

Don…once

again!Remakes and

sequels have suddenly become quite hot

in Bollywood! And apna Don-2 seems to

be the latest star to get interested in this

trend. King Khan says, “I suggested the

idea of Don 2 to Farhan since ‘ Don ko

pakadna mushkil hi nahi namumkin hai!’

… if the audience likes it lets do another

Don.” If Shahrukh has his way, we may

see Don sequels

and Don

merchandise for

several years to

come! Can we

handle it?

Can you name the highest paid actor

in Bollywood? No, it’s not a Bachchan or a Khan – it’s

Hrithik Roshan! Almost written-off byshow business after several flops, the

phenomenal success of Krrish led to

Hrithik signing an unbelievable deal

with the Anil Ambani controlled Adlabs

group – Rs. 35 crores for 3 films. Now he

is the uncontested highest paid actor in

Bollywood! The Roshans can now wave

cheerily at their detractors as they laugh

all the way to the bank!

Amir Turns

Director…

Again!Famous for

interfering

in every film

he acts in,

the latest scoop on the perfectionist Amir

Khan is that he had a major showdown

with Amol Gupte, the director of his home

production, Taare Zameen Par . Amir

will direct the film himself even though

the credits may show Gupte as director.

Definitely not a first for Amir !

Himesh’s new AvatarAfter topping all

music charts for nearly

two years, Himesh

Reshammiya has decided

to try his hand at acting.

Titled Aap Ka Suroor - The Real Love

Story, produced by Vijay Taneja and

directed by Prashant Chadha, the film

will launch two new faces. According to

Himesh, the film is a dramatic love story

inspired by his life and will reveal why he

never smiles, why his beloved leaves himat the end of every music video, and most

importantly, why he always wears a hat!

Mehbooba MehboobaThe latest addition to Ram Gopal Varma’s

Sholay is Abhishek Bachchan in a very

special appearance. He will dance to

Mehbooba Mehbooba á la Jalal Agha style

while Urmila Matondkar will clone Helen.

The senior Bachchan, playing Gabbar ,

will look on lasciviously. Urmila is very

excited about having both the Bachchans

together for

her dance

perhaps

hoping thiswill bring

her the

attention

Kajra Re

did for Aishwarya!

Salman -- Rajshri’s mascot?Salman Khan has been associated with

the Rajshris since Sooraj Barjatya’s first

film, Maine Pyar Kiya. All of Barjatya’s

films starring Salman have done well

except for Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon,

which did not feature Salman, and was amiserable flop.

This time, Sooraj

does not want to

take any chances

so Salman Khan

has been co-opted

into the film in

a unique way.

The very first frame of Vivah will have a

poster of Salman! Hopefully Salman as a

mascot will bring as much luck as Dharma

Production’s mascots Kajol and Rani,

bring to Karan Johar!

Ajay Directs Kajol! Ajay Devgan has been waiting to direct a

film for a long time. Raju Chacha, which

was directed by his cousin Anil Devgan

carried allegations that Ajay actually ghost

directed the film. Finally he is all set to

direct a film starring his Kajol. Devgan

will play the lead role. This will be the star

couple’s sixth movie together. Hopefully

taking over the baton on the sets will not

lead to conflicts on the home front!

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By M ala Chakravorty

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Bollywood MasalaB O LL Y W O O D

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www.erosentertainment.com










Sid ( Rahul) is a local disc jockey who dreams of

making it big one day. He meets Trisha ( Mallika)

at her own wedding where she ends up being

the runaway bride! A few months later the two

meet again, become friends, and eventually

fall in love.. Three years into their relationship

Trisha unexpectedly proposes to Sid during a

cricket match. Confused and not ready to commit

to marriage, Sid does not respond well to the

marriage proposal and they break up. Trisha considersmarrying her friend, Vivek ( Jas Arora), a local businessman

while Sid dates a music video girl, Tanya (Sophie), to get

over each other. Will Sid and Trisha be able to clear up their

misunderstandings and will Sid be able to commit to Trisha

before it’s too late?

Debutant director Saket Chaudhury’s comedy

focuses on the issues of love, commitment and

marriage. These serious issues are dealt with

humor and wit in a light hearted manner keeping

the audience entertained and involved.

Rahul Bose is hilariously funny as Sid, and

plays the confused and harassed lover brilliantly.

Mallika sheds her sultry pouting image and plays

the role of a simple girl convincingly well whilstSophie fills the void in the film by oozing sex

appeal as the music item girl.

The music score by Pritam is average with a couple of foot

tapping tracks. Overall, a funny adult comedy which will have

you laughing. Highly Recommended.

The Indian police force embarks on a huge cat and

mouse chase to capture Don (SRK ), the ruthless drugmafia king in Malaysia. Don becomes seriously

injured in a police encounter and Vijay, his look-

alike, is sent in to bring down the gang. When the

man shielding Vijay’s identity is killed, Vijay finds

himself being hunted by both the police and the

gang. He decides to enlist the help of the glamorous

Roma (Priyanka) and ex-prisoner, Jasjeet ( Arjun), who have their

own personal scores to settle with Don.

Director Farhan Akhtar’s third release is a slick remake of an

Amitabh Bachchan classic. Technically, the film appeals due to

its edgy style, its exciting thrills, visuals, polished special effects

and its modern spin on the original. The characters, however, lack

detail and don’t quite have that unique quality which stood out

in the original 1978 classic. The brilliantly executed

action and chase sequences and a surprise twist in themovie make up for some of the shortcomings.

Shah Rukh Khan steps into legendary Amitabh

Bachchan’s shoes for the first time. He plays both

parts well while adding his own personal style and

excels in the negative shades of the character. His

dialogues are crisp, but not quite as intense and

convincing as the great Mr Bachchan’s. Kareena dazzles in the

re-mixed item song Ye Mere Dil.

Don may not match up to the classic original, but this visually

stylish suspense thriller will appeal to the younger masses.

Worth Watching.

Bollywood MovieReviewsBy Kavita Trivedi

Sana Azim (Kangana Ranaut ) is a beautiful actress

loved by millions of fans. However, her success and

popularity are exploited by her superstar boyfriend,

Nikhil (Shaad Randhawa), who uses her both

physically and to make money. Struggling filmmaker Aditya (Shinney Ahuja) is desperate for a hit

and uses Sana by casting her in his film for his own

personal gain. After working with her he sees the

caring and vulnerable side of Sana and falls in love

with her. Loneliness, fear and insecurities slowly drive

Sana to madness and she disappears from the limelight. Months

later, Aditya receives a call that the woman he once loved is

fighting for her life in a hospital after trying to commit suicide.

The issues of love, loss and despair are handled brilliantly in

this film and tell the story of director Mahesh Bhatt’s turbulent

relationship with a schizophrenic actress, the late Parveen Babi.

Despite having only one film to her credit

(Gangster ), Kangana Ranaut shows maturity

as Sana and her emotional portrayal of

schizophrenic Sana is tearfully fantastic. Shinney Ahuja excels as the arrogant Aditya, and turns

in a confident performance. Debutant, Shaad

Randhawa makes a good effort with the negative

aspects of his role.

An excellent music score has been produced by

composer Pritam with the funky beats of Kya mujhe pyaar hai as

the most popular.

Woh Lamhe is a touching and hard hitting drama that follows

one woman’s plight into self destruction. Above all, it is Mahesh

Bhatt’s emotional tribute to the woman he loved and lost.

Highly Recommended.

R E LE T A L KDon

Dir: Farhan Akhtar Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Arjun Rampal, Priyanka Chopra, Isha Koppikar and Kareena Kapoor

Pyaar Ke Side Effects Dir: Saket Chaudhury Cast: Rahul Bose, Mallika Sherawat, Sophie Chaudhury, Jas Arora

Woh Lamhe Dir: Mohit Suri Cast: Shinney Ahuja, Kangana Ranaut and Shaad Randhawa






Cool Quotient: US

versus India – A thoughtprovoking article by a

multi cultural couple

What do all immigrant

desis have in common?

“Comparing” the two countries – India

versus the US.

According to psychologists everywhere,

humans are extremely adaptable

creatures. We desis, in particular, are

endlessly adaptable and can adjust to

practically any condition within a certain

physical range. People say things like“I couldn’t live a day without being

able to see my favorite TV program,” or

“I couldn’t live without electricity and

running water,” but when these things

are not available they adjust and continue

living.

A move from India to the US means

non-stop supply of water and electricity,

no cows on the roads and no chaos! The

organization is shocking! Where are the

crowds? Where is the endless supply of

everything you need (and don’t need)

being sold by street vendors? The earscan go numb with the absolute silence

here.

Yet, we miss and talk about being Indian

all the time. What is it that we miss?

Ask anyone and they will say things

like giving gaalis, the noise pollution,

festivals, maids, and the life of a

maharajah or family.

These days, every south Asian Indian I

know is looking for an opportunity to

invest in India; either in real estate, the

services sector or simply investing in bluechip companies. The return on investment

is booming across all sectors. Millions of

dollars are being sent by NRIs to India

every year.

Is life in America really better than life

in India, or is it just a different set of

problems? I think there is no simple

answer to this.

In India, life is a constant battle, and some of the less tolerable issues are:

• Nothing works in terms of

infrastructure.

• Everyone is overly interfering.• Everything is chaotic and noisy.

In America life is a battle too. The

“issues” seem fewer but they can be

formidable:

• There is never enough time for

anything.

• There is not much in the way of

culture.

• Everyone wants immediate

gratification.

In India, the time crunch is being felt

more and more as the country develops. Nobody has time anymore, and managing

time becomes the single most important

skill required for becoming successful

and staying “on top” of things.

The key would then have to be in our

attitude. Wherever you choose to live,

there should be some balance in your

life. There should be freedom to live in

harmony with loved ones and to indulge

in a great discussion over a hot cuppa

coffee about life in India versus the US.

Health Talk Deep breathing is associated with deep benefits - spiritual as well as physical. It is a well known fact that most of our problems

manifest themselves because of insuf ficient oxygen in our blood stream. I thought it would be beneficial to cover some of the basic

breathing exercises that can bring about a change in lifestyle as well as concentration levels. They take only a few minutes a day and

can be done while driving, in bed or at work.

By: Dr. Adarsh Jain

Breathing Exercises

Alternate Nostril

Breathing: Sit with your

eyes closed. With the

left thumb, close the leftnostril. Inhale and

exhale deeply and

slowly from the right

nostril. With the index

finger of the right hand, close the right

nostril and release thumb from left nostril.

Inhale and exhale slowly and fully. Take

at least 10 deep breaths from each nostril.

Alternate nostrils and repeat these steps

for three to ten minutes.

Abdominal Breathing

Sit comfortably with a straight posture,or lie down on your back with your

lower back pressed down on the floor.

Inhale while pushing the abdomen

out and expanding the lungs to their

maximum capacity. Then exhale while

contracting the abdominal muscles in.

When exhaling, think that your belly button is pressing down on the floor. This

maneuver expands the lower part of the

lungs.

Bellows Breathing ( Kapaal Bhati)

Exhale completely and follow by

inhaling deeply. Next expel brief, rapid

and forceful abdominal exhalations

alternating with relaxed effortless

inhalations up to ten times. Gradually,

the number of forceful exhalations can be

increased to 30-50 times.

Deep BreathingStand with your feet apart at

approximately shoulder width distance.

Extend your arms to the side, left palm

facing upwards and right palm facing

downwards. Breathe deeply and regularly

until the strain on the arms and shoulders

is unbearable. Raise the extended armsslowly until your hands meet. Then lower

the arms and relax. This allows the chest

to open and expand fully.

Bastrika

Sit comfortably with your eyes closed.

Join hands and raise them to shoulder

level. While inhaling, stretch arms

upwards and open out hands then join

hands together again and bring them

down. This maneuver must be repeated

forcefully and rapidly fifteen to twenty

times in quick succession. Follow this by resting and breathing normally for

a minute or two. This cycle is to be

repeated three to four times.

By: Monica Bhatia Groover & Henry GroverGlobal Masala

Many of us breathe too fast. This fast, shallow breathing expels carbon dioxide too quickly and has many bad effects on our physical and

emotional health. When our breathing is deep and involves not only the respiratory muscles of the chest but also the belly, lower ribcage, and lower

back, our breathing slows down. This slower and deeper breathing helps to turn on our “relaxation response.” Such breathing helps to harmonize

our nervous system and reduce the amount of stress in our lives. This, of course, has a positive impact on our overall health. Please feel free to

write in with comments or questions to [email protected]



If there is anything I hate more than girls,

more than the color pink, even more than

people not being punctual, it’s weddings.

This is mainly because a great number

of giggling girls attend these functions,

many of whom insist on wearing the

color pink in some form or the other, and

by God, I have yet to attend a wedding

where the bride turns up at the allotted

time. Some, if I may add, aren’t even

fashionably late and end up looking like

overly dressed up transvestites. And after

embarrassing myself at the last wedding,

where I mistook the groom’s mother’s ‘big

bone’ body structure for being pregnant, I

vowed I would, never, ever, EVER, attend

another matrimonial event.

Of all the weird and exciting friends I

socialize with, Joshua takes the crown

for being the wackiest of all. His form of

transportation is a vintage Vespa, he has

a tattoo near his butt cleavage that reads‘nice view?’, and if he ever eats peas, he

does so only in even numbers. An amazing

violinist, he frequently performs with the

London Symphony Orchestra but currently

thinks Paris Hilton’s new album is ‘pretty

amazing’. Now, that’s just crazy talk, but

then again, he is gay.

Joshua has asked me to meet him at our

favorite French café in West London on

a Saturday afternoon. ‘You must come.

I demand it’ he says. ‘You must be out

of your mind if you think I’m going to awedding as your date’ I reply.

‘Don’t upset me, Zed. You wouldn’t want

to see me upset’ he barks at me. ‘Or else

what, your eyes will go green?’ I question.

Before I knew it, Joshua had leapt out

of his chair, yanked me off of mine,

and pinned me to the floor with my arm

bending in a way I did not think was

possible. The eyes of the bewildered

customers focus on me as I scream for

help. But no help comes my way as

Joshua’s sheer size is quite intimidating

to approach. All I could hear was him

shouting ‘SAY YES. SAY YES, DAMMIT!!’

I would either have to say yes or lose my

arm forever. And I love my arm.

Two weeks to the day, I find myself

waiting for Joshua outside the Hilton

hotel in Park Lane. As we aren’t close

family, we attend the reception where

Joshua’s friends and peers greet him with

cheers and salutations. A man, freakishlyresembling Kevin Spacey says, ‘Ah. Josh.

So this is the cheese you’ve been hiding

for three months. I love your D&G suit,

young man’. His comment is followed by

a wink. ‘You’ve been hiding me Joshua?’

I ask. ‘You only bring out diamonds in the

evening’ he replies to the Spacey look-

a-like. ‘Ethan is that diamond and this

Jack Squared wedding reception is that

special evening’, he further elaborates. At

this point, I am confused as hell. I give

Joshua a stare, which speaks the sentence,

‘I want answers now’. Joshua pulls me back a little and whispers in my ear, ‘I had

to lie to my friends that I’ve been dating a

guy called Ethan, when in fact, he doesn’t

even exist. And, when the Jack Squared

wedding was announced, they all wanted

to see him’. ‘But I don’t even look like an

Ethan. Why did you choose me?’ I ask.

‘Because you’re the nearest thing to a

closet homosexual’ he responds!

I feel the intense urge to slap him but

instead I say, (remembering how much

I love my arm) ‘And why is this a ‘Jack

Squared’ wedding?’ I ask. ‘The grooms

are both called Jack’ he replies.

Accepting an orange juice from a waiter

that passes by, I begin to put things into

perspective. I am the pretend date for

a gay man, at a gay wedding, with gay

guests, and am wearing clothes by gay

designers. My day could not BE any

gayer even if Elton John made a guest

appearance.

At the dinner table, I eat with a number

of Joshua’s friends. He is clearly liked

by everyone. They praise his work all

evening and it becomes apparent that he

needed a date just to ensure he kept face.

Such a talented musician can never be

seen alone. I had never been surrounded

by so many gay men before (of course,

there were women present but they were

heavily out numbered) and any other man

in my place would’ve left the table when

heated discussions about which James

Bond looked best topless, started. But I

stay to ensure Sean Connery is chosen.

I realize as I sit there that I should feel

uncomfortable and perhaps a little

intimidated. Many of them are highly

successful and wealthy musicians, but I

don’t. For the very first time I can openly

talk to not one, but a whole group of men,

on our masculine attitude towards life, the

fire that fuels our envy on women having

the best clothes, openly quote verse from

musical legends, share tips on the best

moisturizers and of course, how HughJackman wouldn’t last one minute if he

was dancing on top of our table. Well, the

others raise the last point. I just gracefully

nod a lot.

As our evening comes to a close, Joshua

and I bid the guys farewell and make our

way towards the nearest subway station.

Shoving my shoulder as we reach the

platform, Joshua smiles and looks at me.

‘Thanks for tonight, Zed. I appreciate

you giving me your evening. The guys

loved you’. ‘Of course they loved me’,I reply, ‘I’m super cool. Everyone loves

me’. ‘I know. I think I love you too’ he

says very slowly. I’m not sure if laughing

in someone’s face is the standard reaction

in such a situation, but that’s what I end

up doing. And hard. Joshua however is

not laughing at all and I realize he is being

honest with me. As we board our train, we

share an awkward silence. ‘I don’t think

it would’ve worked out to be honest’ I tell

him. ‘I think we’d argue over who would

wear the trousers in the relationship’.

Straight Into A Man’s World By Zed Rahman



Q: Auntyji, I have a very big problem

with my sister-in-law. She and my husband share a very close relationship

because they lost their father at a

very young age. She likes to control

my husband’s every decision down

to what kind of house we should buy

and how we should decorate it. I can’t

take it anymore. I have tried to talk to

my husband but he says that I have to

respect her. Respect is one thing and

ownership is another. What should I do?

Ready to Erupt in Orlando

A: Dear Ready to Erupt: Life will beeasier for both you and you husband

if you put a cork in it and calm down.

When children lose parents at a young

age, they become very dependent upon,

and close to, one another, especially if

there are only two of them. You will

have to start accepting that they have a

close relationship, otherwise you will

drive your husband away. Auntyji thinks

that your sister-in-law is probably only

trying to give your husband the benefit

of her wisdom and support. You should

be appreciative of this instead of whininglike a spoiled child. Try to sit down

with both of them to communicate more

openly and you might be surprised at how

she may welcome you into the decision

making process. Remember – you catch

more flies with honey than with vinegar.

If all else fails, you can then try to

persuade your husband to move - to a

place far away from your sister-in-law.

Q: Auntyji, I am writing to you because

I like your common sense advice. I

have recently moved to the US to join my husband here. I have left behind a

very exciting and ful filling career in

India and after having lived here for

almost a year, I am beginning to feel a

little depressed. I cannot work in this

country because of my visa status and

it is very disheartening to fi nd that my

quali fi cations and experience amount

to nothing here. How can I keep myself

from stagnating?

Rusting Away in Miami

A: Do not despair my dear. This is

just a temporary phase and will pass.

Sometimes we all have to make sacrifices.

Yours was to leave your career to follow

your husband to this country. He could

have come to you in India and you would

still have your “exciting and fulfilling

career.” This could have left him feeling

resentful about having left America. Do

not be like those people who waste their

whole life vacillating between where they

want to live and never be happy.

If this land of opportunity is going to beyour future home, then be patient my dear

girl. The time will come when you will be

legally allowed to work. In the meantime,

you can enhance your qualifications with

refresher courses or just enjoy the free

time you have now with some hobbies or

other activities that you never had time

to do earlier. Make some new friends or

volunteer your time. If this doesn’t work

for you, you can always count on Oprah

and bon bons in the afternoon.

Q: Auntyji, my nephew is immigrating to the US with his wife and two children

this winter. He does not have too many

professional or employable skills and

not too much spare money either. I am

worried how he will survive here.

C oncerned Aunt in Jacksonville

A: Arre bahen, Auntyji knows exactly

how you feel. You want them to come

here and do well yet you are concerned

because it is not easy. If you try to make

your nephew aware of all the pitfalls that

await him, he will not be able to fullyunderstand what you mean. We have

all had to go through various struggles

in our lives and only those of us who

have settled down in this country, can

fully appreciate the countless sacrifices

we have had to make to fully assimilate

ourselves here.

So, instead of stressing out, just let

them carve their own path and experience

true life in the United States of America.

If they make it, you have another place

to go to for weekend dinners and get-togethers, and if they don’t, they have

only themselves to blame.

On this note, Auntyji bids her readers

alvida and waits to hear from you at

[email protected]. Don’t forget

life is short – live it to the full with

attitude!

Auntyji is enjoying the discovery of Florida and its offerings. Just the other day, she enjoyed her

dirty martini in sunny 80 degree weather in South Beach while New York was having a winter

snow storm! She feels so glad that she has made this move. In South Beach, like in Soho in New

York, every corner was filled with beautiful people speaking foreign languages. Auntyji felt like she

was at home in New York… except this was cleaner and warmer. One realization did hit her though – in

this warm weather there is no hiding under layers of clothing, so one has to always try to maintain a good

looking body.

Speaking of a good body - Auntyji is reminded of the hunky trainer, Yul. She is trying to convince him to

take some time off from his busy schedule of flexing muscles and laying on the beach to pose for CityMasala

magazine. His good looks and great physique will provide a lot of inspiration. Can you believe this? He has

never eaten a cheeseburger in his life - he is scared that if he eats it once he might like it and then want to eat

it again and again, and then what would happen to his beautifully carved body?

Living in Florida definitely has certain advantages. There is no state income tax, groceries are slightly cheaper

than up in the northeast, restaurants are cheaper, people are friendlier, weather is nicer and cities are cleaner.

Florida is also the cruise capital of the world and Auntyji intends to make full use of this. Nothing can beat the

sensation of floating on the ocean, basking in the sun, listening to your I-pod and waiting for your next huge

meal.

Auntyji Ko Pucho B y: A u n t yj i



A simple

man witha simple

mission:

Aftab

Singh’s

(owner)

desire is

to serve

authentic

north Indian

food in its

most mouth-

watering

form. Achef par

excellence, Aftab Singh took over Deeya

Indain Cuisine from its previous owner,

Satish Nair, about 6 months ago. Aftab

Singh has revamped the restaurant right

from the menu, seating arrangement, and

the service. He says, “I wanted to give

a different fl avor not just to the food we

serve at Deeya, but also in terms of the

entire experience that our customers have

here.”

Make sure you have a huge appetite for

every imaginable north Indian delicacyon the menu. For appetizers, do not miss

the chicken tikka, keema samosa, chicken

pakoda and the chef’s recommendation -

hot cheese pakoda made with home-made

paneer .

In the drinks area, there is lassi, mango

and regular, and a variety of alcohol

ranging from Indian beer, wine and soda.

The main courses have 13 chicken dishes

for the poultry lovers ranging from

chicken tikka, tandoori chicken, chicken

kashmiri, chicken do pyaza, chickenvindaloo and Deeya’s special tikka

masala. However, butter chicken is the

favorite of most people who frequent the

restaurant. “Butter chicken is one dish that

I always cook myself no matter how may

orders we have in the day” says Aftab.

A wide variety of lamb and sea-food

dishes are also available. Vegetarians

can indulge in equally inviting treats

ranging from k adhai matar paneer, shahi

paneer masala, bhindi masala, aloo gobi,

mushroom masala and even the mughlai

malai kofta on the platter. The authenticsarson da saag at Deeya Indian Cuisine

will leave you wanting more.

Remember to keep enough space for those

not-to-miss desserts. Home made pistachio

and mango kul fi, warm gulab jamuns,

kheer loaded with dry fruits are among the

many sweet delicacies offered at Deeya.

Deeya Indian Cuisine offers a daily lunch

buffet at $8.55 and also specializes in

catering.

Deeya Indian Cuisine is located at 5166

E Bay Dr. Clearwater, FL 33764 and the phone number is 727-539-0273.

D A A R UK A N A S H AIt’s the time of the year when we get into the “spirit” of the

holiday season. Eggnog is a drink associated with this festive

season and in my mind, this drink was probably discovered by

someone with a huge need for adrenalin in their system or way

too much time on their hands. Many believe that eggnog is a

tradition that was brought to America from Europe. Later, here

in America, a new twist was added to this wine and milk punch

where rum was substituted for wine. In colonial America, rum

was commonly called “grog”, so the name eggnog came about. I

have tried it and that is all I have to say about it!

Another event to look forward to during this season is the advent

of the New Year and as tradition dictates, we drink champagne

at midnight to bring in this occasion. I have an interesting

champagne story which happened way too long ago to me, back

in desh. At that time, the only champagne available was an import

from Russia. So, armed with this priceless booty from a foreign

land, we made our way to Jaipur to celebrate New Year’s Eve

with our friends. As we were all pretty new at the drinking game,

we shook the bottle really well before opening it. The final resultwas that once the carpet and floor was done with our priceless

foreign booty,

we all got to

have a “little

sip”. Till date

we have no clue where the darned cork went.

Sparkling wine and champagne usually refer to the same drink but real champagne comes from the Champagne region of France

Both champagne and sparkling wine are made with a blend of

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. Champagnes and sparkling

wines are classified according to their sweetness. Natural - not

sweet and very dry; brut -a little sweet and dry; extra dry - often

flavored with fruit; and pink or blush – sweet.

Let’s take a look at the different brands of champagnes and

sparkling wines according to their pecking order (aka price):

Cooks, Korbel, Moet & Chandon or Bollinger are the more

affordable ones and if you truly have deep pockets, go for the

Dom Perignon or Krug. If you can’t pronounce it, don’t drink it

Balle balle to all and see you next year.

D i n i n g :Deeya Indian Cuisine

By: Surabhi Jain

By: Ashish Jain

CityMasala December 20



Tip #1

Research the product

If you’re uncertain about which specifi

c product to buy, don’t fret, there are

plenty of web sites which will provide

you with ample research data. Sites

like CNET: www.cnet.com, ZDNet:

www.zdnet.com, Consumer Reports:

www.consumerreports.org, and PC

Magazine: www.pcmag.com, provide

you with product reviews and ratings

for all types of gadgets and electronics.

There are sites that specialize in specific

technologies like Digital Camcorders:

www.dvspot.com, www.steves-

digicams.com, Digital Cameras: www.dpreview.com, Audio Video: www.

avguide.com and www.avreview.com.

Check these sites and others to narrow

down your choices.

Tip #2

Feel the product

The next thing I like to do after I’ve

narrowed down my product list is to

check out the products physically by

visiting electronic stores like Best Buy

and Circuit City. This not only gives you

the opportunity to feel the products and check out the features but also helps you

narrow down your list further.

Tip #3

Use Comparison Shopping Sites

Sites like Shopping: www.shopping.

com, Price Grabber: www.pricegrabber.

com, Froogle: froogle.google.com, Price

Scan: www.pricescan.com, mySimon:

www.mysimon.com, and Yahoo

Shopping: shopping.yahoo.com can

save you time as well as a considerable

amount of money. These comparisonshopping portals seek the lowest prices

on everything from the latest cell phones

to this season’s hottest fashions; plus they

calculate shipping and sales tax for you.

Yahoo Shopping even groups rebates

and coupons with the items and lets you

search by discount (e.g., 10%, 20%, and

50% savings.)

Tip #4

Check out Bargain Sites

There are plenty of deals to be found on

bargain sites. Spoofee: www.spoofee,

Slickdeals: www.slickdeals.net, Ebates:

www.ebates.com, Tech Bargains: www.

techbargains.com, Hot Deals: www.

hotdealsclub.com, and Fatwallet: www.

fatwallet.com are a few of the largest

sites. Members post deals and coupons

and point you to the lowest prices and

best sales. Check these sites often and

move quickly if something catches your

eye because these bargains often go in a

matter of minutes.

Tip #5

Find Coupons and CodeMany manufacturers and web sites

offer online coupons for percentages

off, free shipping, and free gifts. There

coupons or discount codes aren’t highly

publicized and are often provided to

select groups (e.g., college students and

retirees) even though anyone is free to

use them. Site like Naughtycodes: www.

naughtycodes.com and Currentcodes:

www.currentcodes.com offer thousands

of discounts from merchants ranging from

1-800-Contacts www.1800contacts.comto Zappos Shoes: www.zappos.com.

If you’re looking to make a large

purchase like a Plasma TV or a new

PC, it might be worthwhile to purchase

a coupon from eBay www.ebay.com.

Sellers auction discount coupons that they

received during promotions or as prizes

from instant-win games.

Tip #6

Look for Rebates

Many items (especially consumer

electronics gear) come with rebates that present significant savings. Sites like

buy.com and Amazon www.amazon.com

let you file these rebates online so that

you don’t have to worry about losing your

receipt. Manufacturer’s rebates require

you to mail in the UPC code and proof

of purchase. In either case, make sure

that you remember to file the rebate by

the due date or you’ll be out of luck (and

possibly a lot of cash).

Tip #7

Save on Shipping

Spend $25 or more on Amazon and you

qualify for free shipping. Look for items

marked “Eligible for Free Super Savings

Shipping” and expect to wait for three to

five business days longer than standard

shipping. Many online retailers like

Circuit City www.circuitcity.com offer

free shipping year-round when you spend

more than $25 or you can pick it up at a

Circuit City store near you.

Tech Talk By Vish Viswanathan

Getting the Best Deals Online - Forget the mall…Hit the Web

We are heading towards one of the busiest shopping seasons of the year. How would it sound if I were to tell you to

put down your car keys, skip the long checkout lines and hit the web this holiday season? Check out some tips that I

have put together for shopping online. You can most definitely use these tips for electronic purchases but they apply to practically

anything you might be in the market for.

So, work the web and Happy Shopping!! Please feel free to write in with comments and feedback to

[email protected]



FLORIDA

THE MAIL ROOM

253 MERRITT SQUARE MALL

MERRIT ISLAND , FL 32952

ABC SUPERMARKET

6500 CARRIER DRIVE

ORLANDO, FL 32819

SEVEN STAR FOOD STORE

632 MASON AVENUE

DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32117

INDIA BAZAAR

5108 SUITE B 14TH ST. WEST

BRADENTON, FL 34207

TRAVEL KINGS

6610 E. FOWLER AVE. SUITE G

TAMPA, FL 33617

SAI KRISHNA

11636 A NORTH DALE MABRY HWY

TAMPA, FL 33618

DESI BAZAAR

8469 S. JOHN YOUNG PARKWAYORLANDO, FL 32819

INDIAN GROCERY

10046 CROSS CREEK BLVD

TAMPA, FL 33647

CHOWRANGI SUPERMARKET

1320 NORTH FEDERAL HWY

DELRAY BEACH, FL 33483

K INTERNATIONAL GROCERIES

9866 W SAMPLE ROADCORAL SPRINGS, FL 33065



Vegetables

10 to 12 small Karelas.

Note: scrape the skin from the karelas,

make a slit and remove the seeds. Keep

leftover masala for the gravy.

Roast these ingredients

8 tbsp sesame seeds

5 tbsp coconut shredded

4 tbsp peanuts

1 tbsp jeera

1 tbsp dhania seeds

Grind the above ingredients along with

½ tsp haldi

2 tsp salt

1 tsp chilly powder

2 to 3 green chilies

1 tsp tamarind paste

1 tbsp garam masalaCouple of tbs of water to make it into

pasty consistency.

Other ingredients

1 medium sized onion

(Grind this along with one bay leaf and 2

small cardamoms.)

2 tbsp tomato paste or 2 medium sized

tomatoes cut into small pieces.

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp tamarind paste

½ tsp mustard seeds

½ tsp onion seeds (kalonjee)

½ tsp fenugreek seeds

7 to 8 curry leaves2 to 3 red dry chilies broken into pieces

1 bay leaf

6 to 7 black pepper seeds

1 inch cinnamon stick

Salt according to taste

1 tsp red chilly powder

1 tsp jeera powder

1 tsp garam masala powder.

½ cup oil

1 to 2 cups of water

Method:

1. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan and fry the karelas until

they are slightly brown (not burnt).2. Remove from oil and keep them aside, save the oil.

3. Mix the ground masala well and stuff into the karelas.

4. In the same oil used to fry the karelas, add mustard

seeds, onion seeds, dry red chilies, curry leaves, black

pepper seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon stick and fenugreek

seeds until they sputter.

5. Add the onion paste and fry till golden brown. Add

ginger garlic paste.

6. Add salt, chilly powder, haldi and dhania powder and

cook for a minute or two.7. Add tomatoes/ tomato paste and sauté for 2 minutes.

8. Add the stuffed karelas and let cook for 3 minutes on

medium heat.

9. Add the left over ground masala and tamarind paste and

cook for another 5 minutes. If you want more gravy, add

a cup of water and then check for seasoning.

10. Add the garam masala powder.

Masaledar Stuffed Karelas

I n the K itchenCreations by Anita Singh

Garnish with mint or coriander leaves.

Do you want to save the

world? Strike that. Are

you addicted to saving the

world? If you think addictions are only

physical bad habits with psychological

consequences, you are sorely mistaken.

Satyam and Freedom Malhotra’s “ Born

on the Mountaintop” is a fascinating

exploration of psychological addictions-

from being addicted to saving the world to

being addicted to finding the perfect love

(and we know how fruitless that search

is!).

The book sets up a dichotomy between

two syndromes, ‘CLS’ and ‘ULS’. ‘CLS’

is the ‘Conditional Love State’ and ‘ULS’

is the ‘Unconditional Love State’. The

main purpose of the book is to move

from ‘The Conditional Love’ state to the

“Unconditional Love’ state. The authors

suggest that many individuals do not feel

‘worthy’ of love and therefore seek to gain

approval or worthiness through certain

activities that become addictive. One of

the reasons why individuals suffer from

CLS relates to preconceived notions of

‘success’ and ‘worthiness’ perpetuated by

societal and familial expectations.

The Malhotras state that it is important

to recognize disappointment or failure

because it is human. Reversing that

disappointment or failure by forcing

oneself to succeed is detrimental.

Born on the Mountaintop seems to be

influenced by Buddhist philosophy and

meditation techniques. Despite the fact

that the book’s premise revolves around

the problem of addiction and the constant

need to be loved and to achieve higher

success, it does not condone the opposite

reaction: sitting at home and doing

nothing. The purpose of the book is not

to discourage one’s aspirations to achieve

success but to re-evaluate WHY one seeks

success and acceptance.

Unlike many self-help books, Born on

the Mountaintop does not suggest that

the solutions provided will immediately

transform one’s life. Instead, it urges

readers to completely engage in the

techniques indicated and states that it

is only through a commitment to self-

transformation that one’s life will be

transformed. In terms of structure, the

book is laid out neatly and concisely with

inspiring quotes to set the tone of the new

section or chapter.

Do you want to save the world? Find the

perfect love? Get the perfect job? Make

enough money? Work out to achieve

bodily perfection? Then you’re addicted.

Born on the Mountaintop might just be the

antidote. This book can be purchased on

www.memagic.com.

T he C ityM asala B O O K C L U BBORN ON THE MOUNTAINTOP: Satyam and Freedom Malhotra.

By: Sheniz Janmohamed



Body Talk B y S a nj a y P u r a ni k

The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don’t want, drink what you don’t like, and do what

you’d rather not. - Mark Twain

Of course, Mark Twain died at the ripe old age of 75 (in 1910 that was probably pretty good!). Besides

being a famous writer, he worked as a steamboat pilot, volunteered in the army, prospected for gold and

timber and even tried his hand at journalism. All in all, a pretty active life style, I would say! I wonder

what he would have done if he had 200 channels of TV, a car to get around, and the drive-through food joints that we all frequent!

As I mentioned in my previous article, changing to a healthier lifestyle is never easy. Next to regular

exercise, good nutrition and eating right are the biggest part of a healthy lifestyle. In fact, I would argue

that it is more important to begin with nutrition before you start an exercise regimen. This is especially

true for people who are trying to lose excess weight. While most people realize the importance of

physical activity, the role of food and nutrition is often overlooked and underestimated. Nothing could

be further from the truth. In fact, exercise without a complementary diet is futile and self-defeating.

Nutrition 101

The 2-minute drill on the basics of

nutrition - Food is a source of energy

for your body to function just like your

car needs gasoline to run. Body convertsfood to energy which in turn enables

you to perform all physical and mental

functions. There are six basic classes of

nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, fats,

vitamins, minerals, and water. A balance

between these nutrients is very important.

For example, too little iron (a mineral)

would lead to poor endurance and a lower

ability to burn fat while too much protein

can increase the risk of dehydration.

Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are

considered energy sources since they can

be ‘burned’ to produce energy. Vitaminsand minerals are essential for chemical

reactions in our body that produce energy.

Water carries nutrients to all cells in

the body and provides a medium for

exchange and conduction; i.e. to bring

good nutrients to the cells and take away

the waste products from the cells. Water

is essential for hydration to regulate the

body temperature.

It’s time to change - In order to maintain

energy from an exercise point of view,

the general rule is to eat smaller mealsat least five to six times a day. A lot of

people skip breakfast! That is one of the

worst things you could do. A fistful of

oatmeal with non-fat milk and a banana is

the breakfast of champions. Alternatively,

eat a couple of boiled eggs (preferably

only the egg whites) with wheat toast and

a glass of milk. Have a snack at 10 am

(not a bag of potato chips but an energy

bar or a piece of fruit should suf fice)followed by a moderate lunch.

Carbs: The Reality! You need energy to

be able to work out. Carbohydrates are

considered the limiting energy substrate,

which means you feel exhausted when

your carbs run out. Eating carbohydrates

at every meal is very important. Watch

out for carbohydrate foods with a high

glycemic index such as candy, potatoes

and sodas as they produce an excessive

insulin response which encourages your

body to manufacture fat. Carbs with a

lower glycemic index avoid this excessive

insulin response, such as those found in

apples, peaches, plums, kidney beans,

chick peas, milk and yogurt.

Proteins: include some protein in all your

meals but avoid going on a protein-rich

diet that is deficient in carbohydrates. Our

bodies cannot process excess protein so it

is useless to overdo protein in any single

meal - unless you are training to be the

next world body building champion and

are working out at the gym 2-4 hours a

day. Good sources of proteins includecheese, chicken (skinned and trimmed),

milk, yogurt, tuna, soy, turkey and peanut

butter.

Fats: pay attention to the amount and

type of fats consumed. Fats are essential

for our bodies but most people consume

more fats than they should. Eat foods that

are lower in saturated fat. Keep that can

of ghee to cook only Diwali foods. Put itaway for the rest of the year. Olive and

canola oils are good cooking mediums

containing mono and polyunsaturated

fatty acids which tend to lower

cholesterol. It certainly helps to reduce

the amount of oil used in cooking. That

chicken curry will taste just as good even

without an inch of oil floating on top!

Vitamins and Minerals: the best way to

ensure adequate vitamin consumption is

to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables

every day. Vegetarians should consider

vitamin supplements for iron and zinc,

since these are predominantly available

through meat sources.

Water: DRINK LOTS OF IT!!! I

cannot emphasize this enough. Most

people drink water when they feel

thirsty. However, this thirst sensation is

a delayed response to fluid loss from the

body. Staying optimally hydrated is very

important, especially if you are planning

to start an exercise program. Drink small

quantities of water throughout the day for

a total of 6-8 glasses per day.

Please send an email to

[email protected] with questions

or comments.

There is a lot of information available on the internet which may be contradictory and confusing. If you are not sure, consult your

physician or a certified dietician to plan your diet. Nutrition coupled with an exercise program is a great start to get you on your way

to a healthier lifestyle and general wellbeing. For more information on nutrition and nutrition related topics, check out the following

websites: www.intelihealth.com or www.positivehealth.com.



HOROSCOPEZodiac of the Month

Sagittarius Nov 22nd – Dec 21st Ruled by: Jupiter; Gemstone: Yellow Sapphire; Lucky Day: Thursday

Bestowed with optimism, you are a thrill seeker and love to takes risks. In your eyes nothing can bring you down. Being a

natural adventurer you love to explore the world and to meet new people. Your love for knowledge is strong- whether in

reading the latest novel or speculating over the ins and outs of philosophy. You have an inherent need for new information.

You possess a strong yet erratic sex drive and your need for freedom should be respected.

Your Horoscope: This can be a quiet and reflective time when you spend time pondering over your life’s purpose. You become more

secluded as you need time to yourself to analyze where you are going and where you have come from. This meditation can lead togreater inner transformation.

Aries: Mar 20th-Apr 19th

Ruled by Mars; Gemstone: Red Coral;

Lucky Day: Tuesday

Keep a check on your

finances and debts as you may

overextend yourself without

thinking. Pay off those piled

up bills and avoid being extravagant

otherwise you may fall deeper into

financial turmoil. New friends come

along with whom you may develop an

emotionally deep bond.

Taurus: Apr 20th – May 20th

Ruled by Venus; Gemstone: Diamond;

Lucky Day: Friday

Heated conversations and

debates can highlight your

relationship where you will

enjoy challenging each

other’s view points. Just don’t let it turn

into a power struggle that leaves you with

a bitter taste in your mouth. Gifts from

a significant other can sweep you off the

floor.

Gemini: May 21st – Jun 20th

Ruled by Mercury; Gemstone: Emerald;

Lucky Day: Wednesday

There may be ample

opportunities for expansion

within your workplace. New

ideas and projects can take you places

and there may be scope for work in other

countries. Healthwise you may feel a little

strained. Take plenty of rest and go on a

healthy diet. A newfi

tness regime willcertainly get you back in shape.

Cancer: Jun 21st – Jul 22nd

Ruled by the Moon; Gemstone: Pearl;

Lucky Day: Monday

It’s time for fun and

socializing! Attend parties

and gatherings where you

can let your hair down to

feel free again. Your creativity will come

out to express your artistic side. Let your

inspiration turn into reality as this will lead

to bigger and better things.

Leo: Jul 23rd – Aug 22nd

Ruled by the Sun; Gemstone: Ruby;

Lucky Day: Sunday

You will be at your most

comfortable at home

where you will spend time

entertaining friends and

making your surroundings special with

some new interior additions. Avoid getting

involved in heated arguments with thosearound you as this can cause some serious

damage to personal relations.

Virgo: Aug 23rd – Sep 22nd

Ruled by Mercury; Gemstone: Emerald;

Lucky Day: Wednesday

You are buzzing with new

ideas and are eager to soak

up knowledge by reading or

taking a new course. Friends

can be a source of great mental stimulation

for you as you expand your horizons and

you will want to communicate your points

of view to all and sundry.

Libra Sep 23rd – Oct 21st

Ruled by Venus; Gemstone: Diamond;

Lucky Day: Friday

You are an extravagant spender

and will want to pull out all

the stops as you go consumer

crazy. Just remember to stay

within your limit otherwise a scary credit

card bill may give you the shudders. Avoid

takingfi

nancial risks. Friends may ask for money. Helping them out is fine but before

handing over your cash remember that you

may not see it again.

Scorpio: Oct 23rd – Nov 21st

Ruled by Mars & Pluto; Gemstone: Red

Coral; Lucky Day: Tuesday

You are bold and confident as

you go about your daily life.

However, don’t overpower

those around you as they may

not be able to handle your new surge of

1000 watt energy. It is a time for initiating

new goals and fighting forward with those

ambitions. Nothing can stand in your way

as you aim to reach for the stars.

Capricorn: Dec 22nd – Jan 19th

Ruled by Saturn; Gemstone: Blue

Sapphire; Lucky Day: Saturday

You feel secure around friends

and associates as you share

similar ideas and ideals that

are important to you. Workingwith others can lead to bigger and better

opportunities for you. Old friendships can

come to an abrupt end as you realize that

you have outgrown certain people in your

life.

Aquarius: Jan 20th – Feb 18th

Ruled by Saturn and Uranus;

Gemstone: Blue Sapphire; Lucky Day:

Saturday

You will be ambitious and

headstrong in your professional

life as you make your way

climbing the career ladder. Be

careful about upsetting those

in authority as it can be a long fall to the

bottom. This is a time for making those all

important career changes that will affect

your life for years to come.

Pisces: Feb 19th – Mar 19th

Ruled by Jupiter and Neptune; Gemstone

Yellow Sapphire; Lucky Day: Thursday

A trip to another country can

be very benefi

cial for you asyou will get much needed rest

and respite. You will be able to mix with

the locals to get a taste of the sights and

culture. A romantic admirer from another

country or from a different background can

become more significant in your life.

Nicolas Aujula is a certi fied Astrologer

with the New Age Foundation. He is a

multi-disciplined practitioner quali fied in

Natural Health and Holistic Therapies and

is a Counselor and Therapist.

Star Lite Star BriteBy Astrologer Nicolas Aujula



CLASSIFIEDS

Employment:Be a part of CityMasala, the fastest grow-ing Desi publication in the state of Florida! We are look-ing for Sales people in the south Florida area. If you arefriendly and outgoing and would like to have flexible tim-ings, call Chhaya at 813-476-5415 or email your resume [email protected]

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