There are bars and then there is Anvil... the thought that goes into each recipe and the passion with which they make their drinks... its makes the experience goes way beyond the ordinary!
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Dawn
Beauty lies in the moment of dawn...
When darkness makes way for light to trickle in...
... for clarity to dawn upon us and make the unfamiliar vanish...
... to reveal the color of the bright pink flowers that a moment ago...
... were nothing but a heavy bush of darkness...
It is in this moment of dawn that one transforms from fear of the unknown to a feeling of having captured the unknown!
I found this piece, I had written a few months ago on the first morning of our trip to India, at the back of a book I was then reading (Life of Pi to be precise). On that early morning as I walked on the terrace and gardens of our house, my mind still must have been thinking of something new that I had gotten myself into, but the moment of transformation of night to dawn put so much light and clarity into the muddle of the mind that it had to be penned down!
When darkness makes way for light to trickle in...
... for clarity to dawn upon us and make the unfamiliar vanish...
... to reveal the color of the bright pink flowers that a moment ago...
... were nothing but a heavy bush of darkness...
It is in this moment of dawn that one transforms from fear of the unknown to a feeling of having captured the unknown!
I found this piece, I had written a few months ago on the first morning of our trip to India, at the back of a book I was then reading (Life of Pi to be precise). On that early morning as I walked on the terrace and gardens of our house, my mind still must have been thinking of something new that I had gotten myself into, but the moment of transformation of night to dawn put so much light and clarity into the muddle of the mind that it had to be penned down!
Friday, February 10, 2012
Celebrating 2...
... years as a resident of the city of Houston, which thus far, has been a pleasant surprise!
While there is the occasional 'OMG,We live in Texas!' moment (Case in point: Cops on well fed Texan horses with cow boy hats in the middle of a work day in downtown going about doing their business as usual), Houston has been a city with a lot to offer... culture, drama, diversity, art, GREAT FOOD, people... sometimes eclectic, sometimes traditional, sometimes annoying, sometimes conservative, sometimes surprisingly bold and always so cosmopolitan! To me, it has been the city which has something for everyone to offer - find your 'clique' and live with it!
Ofcourse, like all big cities, there are many things that need to change...
but two things are true:
1. Here within the 'loop' as they say is 'pretty cool'
2. The city has a marketing problem and could use some stepping up in selling its goodness!
While there is the occasional 'OMG,We live in Texas!' moment (Case in point: Cops on well fed Texan horses with cow boy hats in the middle of a work day in downtown going about doing their business as usual), Houston has been a city with a lot to offer... culture, drama, diversity, art, GREAT FOOD, people... sometimes eclectic, sometimes traditional, sometimes annoying, sometimes conservative, sometimes surprisingly bold and always so cosmopolitan! To me, it has been the city which has something for everyone to offer - find your 'clique' and live with it!
Ofcourse, like all big cities, there are many things that need to change...
but two things are true:
1. Here within the 'loop' as they say is 'pretty cool'
2. The city has a marketing problem and could use some stepping up in selling its goodness!
Friday, January 27, 2012
Elevator diaries
An elevator ride to the 26th floor each day at work lends itself to a number of ‘elevator moments’. Ofcourse there is the usual mix of people – getting off on the wrong floor, going up instead of down etc etc… but there are some conversations that stick in your head all day... mainly because that minute or so of overheard conversation is almost like a window into an individual’s personality
wait! who said I am judgmental?
wait! who said I am judgmental?
Friday, January 20, 2012
lets get back to this space
Just realized I have published only one post in 2011... looking back, its almost like I have (unknowingly) cheated to keep my streak of blogging for the last 7 years going! In a day and age of too much information and writing your mind out in 160 words, its about time I get back to this therapeutic space!
The goal is to do better than 2011 - easy! Already leveled now!
Friday, December 02, 2011
Sunday, December 19, 2010
in the middle of the Carribean: Puerto Rico
of the charming sea-walled fortress town of Old San Juan
of a strong natural harbor
of a Spanish colonial past that has been transformed into a rich contemporary vernacular
of its food - that is as evolved and robust as its culture
of its diverse flora and fauna
of a clan that takes pride in its existence
of the sun & sand and the blue sea
Puerto Rico has many stories to tell!
pic above: Fort San Cristobal - Old San Juan
of a strong natural harbor
of a Spanish colonial past that has been transformed into a rich contemporary vernacular
of its food - that is as evolved and robust as its culture
of its diverse flora and fauna
of a clan that takes pride in its existence
of the sun & sand and the blue sea
Puerto Rico has many stories to tell!
pic above: Fort San Cristobal - Old San Juan
of familiar strangers
The guy at the parking garage, the coffee vendor at your neighborhood cafe, the person at the office building front desk, the guy at the grocery store checkout, fellow 'gym'ers, the lady taking order at your regular restaurant...
... they are not family, friends or acquaintances ... but familiar faces you see day in and day out- exchange smiles acknowledging the familiarity... they are familiar strangers
Many months ago, on my last day in Denver- I bid good-bye to all my friends and colleagues I left behind... but as I was walking out of the office building on the last day, a small, insignificant thought occurred to me - would the lady who I picked breakfast every morning from or the juice vendor in the lobby wonder where I was after a few days? probably not!
... they are not family, friends or acquaintances ... but familiar faces you see day in and day out- exchange smiles acknowledging the familiarity... they are familiar strangers
Many months ago, on my last day in Denver- I bid good-bye to all my friends and colleagues I left behind... but as I was walking out of the office building on the last day, a small, insignificant thought occurred to me - would the lady who I picked breakfast every morning from or the juice vendor in the lobby wonder where I was after a few days? probably not!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
She calls it ‘Houston’s heart’ …
… I ask – History, unique and fascinating it is! – But has it taken away from ‘Houston’s heart’?
Without further adieu let me introduce you to the subject of this blog post- the TUNNEL!!!
A gentleman once told me –“walking through this tunnel makes you feel like a little rabbit – you occasionally need to peep out to see where you are”. Right you are, Sir!
Ever since I started working in downtown Houston, a few months ago, I have been fairly ‘intrigued’ by the elaborate and extensive underground network that this part of the town exhibits. Lets first talk about my experience and opinion about the tunnel system and if the subject fascinates you too – go on to read more about its history and story in the link that will appear towards the end of the post.
So what is this tunnel you ask? It is a whole different ‘underground’ world – not just a network of streets that connects the entire downtown but a bustling system of shops, great restaurants, eateries, convenience stores, dry cleaners, art exhibits, so on and so forth. Not only is it a means of getting around downtown on days of inclement weather (in the context of Houston that would mean hot days above 100F or rain) but this well-lit, completely finished, air conditioned and well guarded SEVEN mile long underground system is more a destination in itself- the heart of intense pedestrian activity for the city’s central business district.
As an Urbanist, I have obvious complains about this system – one that takes life ‘off’ the streets leaving for fairly monolithic street frontages of tall office lobbies, minimal retail storefront and activity. To note though, the part of downtown Houston that manages to balance street life and that underground – is the theater district and areas adjacent to it- lively by day and night- restaurants/outdoor seating and street side pedestrian activity.
On a personal note – I am claustrophobic - which makes me feel not so comfortable underground!
Having said all that, this tunnel really intrigues me – for the subterranean urbanism that exists in there, bustling with activity visible and known only to an ‘insider’. The city’s buildings lend themselves to pedestrians: allowing themselves to be experienced from the inside… manifested in different ways but giving something more to the pedestrian than what he would get as a passerby!
My love for being connected to the outdoors leads me to avoid the tunnel as much as I can but in a climate like Houston where summers are hot and its rains often, a covered walkway system is probably justified but the ideal scenario would have been though for the tunnel to be purely a means for pedestrians to navigate and come up to ‘real’ life on the street and not a world underground!
Discover Houston Tours, does a tour of the tunnel system and this write up makes for an interesting read….the article reads… Although the Tunnel is one of Houston's best-kept secrets, most of downtown's 150,000-person workforce - and thousands of visitors - use it every day, particularly when it's raining or close to 100 degrees above ground. This system of air-conditioned skywalks and subterranean passages has been given many different names - mall, concourse, connection, underground, promenade - but Houstonians continue to call it simply "the Tunnel." …….. CLICK here to read on
Title of post borrowed from Sandra Lord- author of the article above – and calls herself-the tunnel lady
bourdain speaks!
"deeper you go into a country-the more back in time you do"
- Anthony Bourdain in today's episode of No Reservations in India - this so true for any country anywhere in the world!
love his show!!!!
- Anthony Bourdain in today's episode of No Reservations in India - this so true for any country anywhere in the world!
love his show!!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)