Why I love October

Sports
Baseball post-season. NFL regular season. F1 end of season. Some cricket here. Some tennis there.
Not that I watch any but I'll throw them in - college football, NBA pre-season and NHL regular season.
Though this year has been heart-breaking for the Yankees (again!) the next few weeks promise to be exciting and entertaining as they build a new team (hopefully without A-Rod) and set a new direction (no more roller-coaster rides to post-season).

Fall Colors
Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, suburban Philadelphia, NYC, rural Connecticut, Boston and of course Vermont – seen it all and can never get enough. Never thought one could spend some much time looking at a tree. Never thought one could experience so much joy looking at a tree.

Pumpkins
In shapes, sizes and colors beyond my imagination. A feast for the eyes. And in Mom’s pumpkin soup, a feast for the soul.

Apples
Don’t you just love to bite into a crisp Red Delicious? Or sample local varieties at the farmer's markets. Apples with names like Honeycrisp, Jonagold, and Mutsu! I read somewhere that 2,500 varieties of apples are grown in the U.S. I can't believe that for four whole years all I ate was Fuji!

Pies
And how about those Whole Foods apple pies? Perfect with a scoop of Haagen-Dazs Light Vanilla Bean ice-cream.

Exuberance All Around

Mom and Dad are here.

Yankees are within a game and half of the Red Sox.

The weather is perfect.

I Hate Food Courts!

They seem to exist only to make and serve bad, unhealthy food! I just had a pretty bad experience at Boston's famous Quincy Market.
I have heard great things about the food courts in S'pore - general cleanliness, lots of variety, fresh fruits stalls, reasonable prices, etc. I guess they are not going to be very veggie friendly. Oh well! A new journey of discovery awaits. But right now, I want dal bhaat!

It's happening! It's happening!

HR is going start processing the transfer...
It's time to buy furniture, make reservations at Daniel, stock up on Crema di Balsamico and plan a farewell party!

Bring out the Kleenex!

Cause and Effect

I am volunteering for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure this weekend. I’m neither running nor walking the 5K race. When the race starts on Sunday, I’m either going to be asleep or I’ll be enjoying chai and NYT (something I haven’t done for some time now). I’m helping with registration. I register those who haven’t and help get bibs and t-shirts for those who have. I also answer questions as simple as "Is it a rain or shine event?" or as absurd as "Do board members have connections with the Bush administration?".

Interacting with participants and survivors as well as organizers and other volunteers has been a powerful experience. It’s a great example of individual initiative and of ordinary people uniting for a cause. Most participants and volunteers are middle-aged women from in and around the city. Some are from farther away. I heard at least half a dozens accents today. Some registrants didn’t even know what Komen was or did until they walked up to our table. Everyone had a story. Everyone had an aura that comes from knowing you are doing something good.

What kind of volunteer opportunities are available in S’pore? Are individuals encouraged/allowed to take an initiative and devote themselves to a cause they believe in? Can I organize a bake sale or a bike race? What about a community development project? What do I believe in? What will I fight for? HIV/AIDS (battle of our generation)? Premature babies (celebrate my sisters and my nephew)? Cancer? (in memory of my grandmother?) Or as Meg says – do something positive and don’t get involved in the negativity of the fight against this or that. How about a movement to plant community gardens in urban areas? Or teach kids to cook? Or bankers to breathe? Or bring Vaishali back to NYC. Now that is a cause worth fighting for!

Events and Milestones

RF is now Mrs. Brackner. My annual performance review results brought some cheer. I met Reshmi after almost two years. Nisu-bisu celebrated another b-day. And Baby O turned one.

Moving to S’pore doesn’t mortify, terrify or horrify anymore. I’m ready.

A Premature Goodbye (August 17, 2007)

I said my first goodbyes this week when I had to roll-off my project very very unexpectedly. All this time I’ve been thinking about how difficult this is going to be. This time I felt it. And it hurt!
When you have worked with a group of people for ten straight months it’s not easy to just pack up your electric kettle and leave!

Thankfully the week went by very quickly. I had to transition out of my role, cancel hotel reservations, plan for my next project, make new hotel reservations, work on the transfer to Singapore, etc. etc.

It was a great experience both professionally and personally. I have formed some solid friendships and I take more than project management skills to Singapore. For example, I will always have Mcnally’s Laws.

Law #1 – You can never communicate too much
Law #2 – You can never communicate too much
Law #3 – You can never communicate too much
Law #4 – No surprises
Law #5 – Work-Life Balance is the gift you give yourself
Law #6 – Pay me now, or pay me later
Law #7 – Collect fingerprints
Law #8 – It’s not about control, it’s about influence

The laws were created by my friend and colleague Tom. They are absolutely critical for project management and are pretty applicable in life as well. Here’s to McNally! I will drink a pint of ale for your health and continuing wisdom.

The Furniture Saga Continues

Milind finally conceded that buying furniture in NYC and shipping it along with all our other stuff was a better idea than trying to buy furniture locally. I didn’t exclaim ‘I told you so!’ at that moment. So here it is - I TOLD YOU SO!

Anyway, I set about looking through my 20,000 Crate and Barrel catalogues and found a bedroom set and a sofa. I then called CB to ask for an international delivery quote. It took them about 48 hours to get back to me with this:

Merchandise: Ellis Queen Bed, Ellis Dresser, 2 Ellis Nightstands and a Rochelle Sofa

To ship the order to Singapore will cost:
$883.21 USD via Freight Forwarder to Port only.
Please add $1,088.00 USD for Import Documentation, Customs Clearance and Door Curbside Delivery.
Please add $365.00 USD for Inside Delivery.
The quote is for shipping only and does not include the cost of the merchandise, nor any tax and duty the order may incur.
Tax and duty fees are the customers' responsibility, and are to be paid when the order arrives into port.
The transit time is approximately two weeks after leaving Crate&Barrel, baring no hold up in customs.
The order is insured and traceable

That’s a total of $2336.21 not including tax and duties and of course the cost of the furniture! I guess there is going to be a lot more furniture shopping when I move to S’pore!

Flavors of S'pore

Can’t help being a foodie even if I’m a vegetarian in carnivore heaven. Here are some of my experiments with S’pore food:

Rojak
Can’t say I loved it though it was an interesting mix of textures – crunchy cucumber, soft pineapple, chewy fried tofu and sprouts.

Laksa
Loved the yellow curry vegetable laksa at Thai Express! Noodles, veggies and tofu in a yummy yellow curry that is neither too spicy nor too sweet. And definitely lighter than the curries in the U.S. This could be good replacement for our Saturday afternoon lunches at Land Thai on Amsterdam Avenue.

Ice cream
Folks here can certainly appreciate good ice cream. In addition to the American staples Ben & Jerry and Haagen Daz, the Danes, Aussies, Kiwis and Japanese have set up gelato/ice cream/frozen yogurt shops. The ice cream was lighter, less sweet and flavors were mostly fruit-based. I sampled black sesame, green tea, green tea and red bean, cherry, pistachio, mango and durian flavors.

Coffee, Coffee O and Coffee C at Ya Kyun Kaya Toast
Coffee – black
Coffee O – with condensed milk
Coffee C – with skim milk

O is the way to go! And it tastes even better with Kaya Toast – two thin slices of well-toasted bread, a generous amount of butter and a thin layer of Kaya (a spread made from coconut, sugar, eggs and flavored with pandan leaf). Strangely enough, the first time I sampled the pandan leaf flavor was in a Thai restaurant in a small suburb of Philadelphia. Yeah, I travel far and wide but I always find Thai food.

Thos SB Raffles Chocolate
Named after the founder of modern Singapore, Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles, this beautiful store at the Raffles Hotel is a gourmet’s paradise. They have food and wine from 33 different places across 6 continents! We tried the truffles - Schezuan Pepper (didn’t taste the heat at all), Coconut (nice combo), Kaya (my favorite new flavor) and Raspberry (have had better). Nice store but Leonidas Pralines still rule.

Calamansi Juice (Nimbu Pani S’pore Style)
This is basically a Key Lime juice served with a small piece of jaggery. Very refreshing after a day’s furniture shopping. I think it will make a good mixer. Very refreshing.

Singapore Sling
I actually bought a poster that says “Where else should one partake of a Singapore Sling but at Raffles Hotel?” The cocktail was invented in Raffles’ Long Bar in 1915 and today more than 2000 of them are made daily. They even sell a mix in the gift shop! We sampled our Singapore Slings in the Writer’s Bar which used be a watering hole for Somerset Maugham, Joseph Conrad and Rudyard Kipling.

Conclusions:
S’pore has some excellent dining and it’s getting better everyday. Options range from street-food to upscale fine dining.
There is hope for vegetarians. Though I will turn a blind eye to shrimp paste and fish sauce.
Desserts and Italian food are no problem. Though pizza needs some working.
Ingredients for a variety of cuisines (like taco shells and seasoning, tahini, greek yogurt, etc.) are readily available.

The Power of LVMH

Check out the line outside the LV store at the Takashimaya department store! It seems LV limits the number of people inside the store so that they can provide a consistent and high quality of service. Is this an only-in-Singapore moment? I've never seen lines outside the LV store on Fifth Ave! But then again its a massive 3-storey store.

Our New Home

I took these pictures on my first day in Singapore (Jul 20). The first picture below is the entrance and dining area. The open door on the right leads to the kitchen. The second picture is the living room. You are looking at my recliner and coffee table.

These next few pictures are the bedrooms, den and kitchen. Now you can understand why I felt overwhelmed.

An Assessment in Numbers

Days spent in Singapore: 9

Thoughts of doom and disaster (I can’t live here! I hate it! etc. etc.): None

Thoughts of hope and optimism (I can live here! etc. etc.): Enough to put husband and mother at ease

Boxes unpacked: 33

Trips to Ikea, Home Fix (Home Depot-type chain), etc.: 6

Days spent without phone, TV and Internet: 5

Malls visited: 11

Shoe shops visited: Too many to disclose

Furniture shops visited: More than the number of shoe shops

Bars/Clubs visited: Too few to disclose

Spa treatments enjoyed: 3
Going by the abundance of spas, salons and slimming centers and the newspaper ads for spas, salons and slimming centers, it seems like a fairly narcissistic society. I have to admit I got a little influenced and wore make-up everyday!

Italian restaurants visited: 3
The quality of Italian food was a complete surprise. The fettuccini with fresh porcini mushrooms at Il Lido and the tagliatelle with taleggio and radicchio at da Paolo put all my worries to rest.

Desi joints visited: 4
We enjoyed a variety of desi fare from the S$2.80 dosas at Sarvannas to the kick-ass kadai paneer at the dhaba-ish Haldi to the sublime saag at the sophisticated Rang Mahal. And then there was Tiffin. The phrase ‘Angrez chale gaye par ise chhod gaye’ (without the negative connotation) would be an appropriate description for this Indian restaurant at the Raffles Hotel (comparable in stature and beauty to the Taj Bbay before glitzy makeover.) The ambience and service made me feel like a memsahib from the days of the Raj.

Times we got lost driving: As many as the number of furniture shops. A trip that should take about 10 minutes (home to Orchard Road) took us an hour. Poor Vikram first had to wait forever and then witness Milind and me lose our tempers. Apologies!

S’pore Pros: Niraj & Sheila, small city (pretty much everything is 10-15 minutes by car), more space than NYC, friendly locals, lovely tropical vegetation, great food, good mix of east and west, close to Bbay.

S’pore Cons: It is not New York!

First Impressions (July 20, 2007)

Our thank-God-he-is-in-Singapore friend Niraj said ‘welcome to the unreal world’. I thought he was exaggerating. Boy was I wrong!

It started with Singapore Airlines. WOW! Everyone from the check-in clerk to the gate staff to the flight attendants was polite, courteous and actually happy to serve the passengers. Changi was a little gaudy but it is CARPETED! Immigration took five minutes. And the officer actually said “Happy Birthday in advance”! I had to ask him to repeat it because my ears couldn't believe it! After the ‘warm and welcoming’ folks at JFK this was UNREAL indeed!

And what about Milind? Oh, he was there with a big smile and huge bouquet of orchids. Really? Nah! Just like the other time he was supposed to pick me up at JFK (when I moved to NYC) he was late.

At 7am the city looked lovely. All man-made but lovely. Multi-colored bougainvillea and lush green trees lined the roads into the city.

The apartment now is a slightly different story. When I moved to NYC, Milind had been staying in 14C for more than a year so it was a fully functional place and I only had to enhance it. Now the place here is beautiful no doubt (the bedrooms have hardwood floors!!!) but we have only four walls and 33 boxes of stuff we shipped from NYC. Right now I’m overwhelmed with the amount of work it needs. And I have 9 days. Is there a Bed Bath & Beyond-equivalent here? What about Home Depot? Where do I buy furniture? Thank God I brought a Crate & Barrel catalogue for ideas. Should have brought all the 20,000 I have been saving for the day I would have a place like this!

The grocery store was a little demoralizing. In a new place you try to find familiar names and faces (in this case brand names and labels). Early in my NYC days I would go to buy crackers and come back empty-handed because I was overwhelmed with the variety of crackers available. Now I’ve gotten so used to the variety and words like Organic, All Natural, Whole Grain, Vegetarian, Low Fat, Lite, etc. that I was quite disappointed to find only Low Sugar and Low Cholesterol not to mention the new set of products – several types of tofu, interesting looking fruits, etc. (This sounds so shallow now that I’m reading it but first impressions are first impressions!) Well, I started with the basics today (Jul 20) – eggs, cheese, bread, OJ, a little cilantro, an onion, a small bell pepper, ketchup. All the fixings for a hearty breakfast tomorrow.

Oh yeah, before I forget, it is HOT!

Randomness and Union Square Park

Scenes from yesterday afternoon…very random but totally entertaining

1. Two guys practicing martial arts
2. Group of 2 NYPD cops, 4 FDNY firemen and 2 EMTs trying to help a man who was either drunk or drugged or very sick (good to see our taxes at work)
3. Man making speeches as his wife taped him on video (kids looked on bored and/or embarrassed)
4. Tattooed and pierced students with interesting hair coloring just hanging around or trying to save the world
5. Couples sun-bathing
6. Homeless folks lying around doing nothing
7. Tourists trying to take it all in
8. Me - well-fed, hydrated and happy

Another NYC-Perfect Sunday

I’m getting so spoilt. Sunday was a gorgeous summer day, perhaps a bit hot but filled with joy and optimism. I started at 34th street and 8th Avenue, walked across town to the row of enticing and exciting stores between 6th and 5th avenues. Returned some clothes bought on impulse (why do I do it again and again and again?). Walked some more to Park Avenue. Stopped by at Eneslow at 32nd street. What a great business. What delightful customer service. Highly recommended. At 26th street debated whether to eat lunch at Sarvannas. Thought of the ghee in the dosas and kept walking. Walked all the way to Union Square. Stopped by at Maoz. Was flooded with memories of a similar falafel joint in Amsterdam (do you remember Nisu-bisu?). Salad box filled with yummies, walked over to Union Square park and sat myself down on a patch of grass to enjoy crunchy falafel, hummus, pickled baby eggplant, carrots, olives, cucumber with dill, tomatoes, fried eggplant, two types of slaw, and four sauces. As I sipped the freshly-squeezed OJ, I could feel waves of contentment wash over me. Had to call the husband to share the moment. (He was having a stressful moment standing in the SQ check-in line at the Bbay airport. When I get to S’pore end of this week, I’m going to pamper him like no tomorrow.)
Where can I get good falafel in S’pore? Do they allow eating in parks? Can I take a nap in the park? What about public displays of affection?

Coming Soon!

The countdown has begun. In 9 days I will be in Singapore. Unpacking boxes. Buying furniture. Catching up with the husband. Meeting friends old and new. I'm EXCITED!!!!

Past and Present...and Perhaps the Future

I saw my great grand parents’ pictures for the first time last week. It was unreal to see my grandfather (who celebrated his 91st birthday in March) as a boy and a teenager and a young man. It was even more unreal to hear stories about my great grand parents and grand parents. I understand myself and my decisions so much better now. I promise to tell my kids all about where they come from so they may have a better idea of where they are going and how they are going to get there.

Movie Time in Beantown

I didn’t watch Out of Africa as planned. Instead I watched three dhishoom-dhishoom movies, a movie adaptation of a Broadway musical and a smartly-written independent film.
Watching Die Hard, Blue Thunder and Banlieue 13 made me realize how CGI has completely ruined action films. Ok, maybe ruined is a harsh word. Watered down, maybe. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love what CGI can do; LOTR is one of my all-time favorites. But the thrill of watching real, unfooled-around-with action sequences (think Bruce Willis running around bare feet) is beyond the thrill of watching Orlando Bloom’s Olyphant sequence in the Return of the King. And what about Parkour? If you saw Casino Royale and loved the opening action sequence you will love Banlieue 13, a showcase for Parkour in the guise of a futuristic French movie.
Anyway, enough about action movies. Rent was very enjoyable and I might actually go watch the Broadway show and/or the opera La Boheme while I’m still in NYC. And Thank you for Smoking was delicious from start to finish. Kudos, Mr. Eckhart! I look forward to seeing you in No Reservations (which is the Hollywood remake of the lovely German film Mostly Martha).

What is the film scene in Singapore? Do they have an international film festival? Is there a Netflix-type service? Where can I get my supply of foreign films? Maybe I can start a movie club, kind of like a book club with sound and light effects!

Last Year This Time....

....I was in the Ngorongoro or were we already at Sayari Camp in the Serengetti? Such a happy place. Such a happy time.

I think I will watch Out of Africa this evening.

Hurrah! No Driving For Me! (Follow-up to Taxi Cab Post)

Thank you Joanne, Niraj and Rahul for taking the time to provide answers. These are only the first of many questions that I have about Singapore. Come to think of it, I didn’t ask Milind as many questions when he proposed marriage and a move to NYC.

Anyway, this is what you told me –

Joanne
Will I be able to talk philosophy with my S’pore cabbie?
- Unlikely, but you can try :) Some are extremely chatty. Most of them will complain to you about the government. When I tell them I work for the government, the complaints get louder. Many of them are more conversant in Chinese than in English, which may limit their conversation somewhat.

Will he help me with my luggage (NYC cabbies are infamous for never helping with luggage)?
- Usually, especially if you are female and look helpless beside a large suitcase(s). That's the tactic I use.

Will he give me correct change?
- Absolutely, although of course count your change to be sure. Note: NO NEED to tip taxis (or anybody else, for that matter) when you're in Singapore. However, I was well trained in NYC and now tip cabbies here a small amount of change - they are inordinately grateful, out of all proportion to the actual size of the tip.

Will he take the most crowded streets at rush-hour (Ever lost your temper when the taxi driver took you through Times Square at 7pm on a Friday?)?
- Perhaps. You will soon learn to direct which route to take.

Will I be able to ‘hail’ a taxi by raising my arm and pretending to be the Statue of Liberty?- Yes, but cabbies in Singapore are extremely annoying. In the main shopping and business districts (Orchard Road areas, Shenton Way), they do not respond when flagged on the street, because they prefer to wait for phone bookings. That gets them an extra $2 or so. It pisses me off mightily, but the dollar incentive is too strong. So, before you come, I can give you a list of taxi phone numbers for you to call. You need a mobile phone, not your arm, to get a cab in Singapore. Note, this does not apply to the more residential areas of Singapore, where your Statue of Liberty pose will get you the cab.

Niraj
Taxi guys here will give you exact change - sometime ask u to keep change here as well as help u with luggage. Welcome to the unreal world...

Rahul
If not anything else, I can ally your fears about Singapore cabbies, they are super professional and return your exact change but may not be so good at philosophy.

Milind, I don’t think I’m going to get a driver’s license. (Aah! Just uncovered material for another post!).

A Summer Evening at the Lincoln Center

Last evening I went for a Summertime Classics concert at the Lincoln Centre. According to the NY Times, the series is “the nearest you suppose that the Philharmonic will openly venture in the direction of the pops concert”. For me it was a perfect way to end a busy, topsy-turvy week. The music was light and cheerful, Bramwell Tovey the conductor was very entertaining and the Philharmonic, well it was the NY Philharmonic.

It was the most informal concert I’ve ever been to at the Lincoln Center. Mr. Tovey introduced each piece with tidbits about the composer, the music and the period. I’ve never seen conductors explain the music. He was full of one-liners which made me think that he could have a decent second career in comedy. In his introduction to Franz Liszt’s Les Preludes he explained that Liszt was considered an icon of Hungary though he spoke no Hungarian. Then quickly added it was like if George Bush or Paris Hilton spoke no English. And while describing celebrities in 19th century Europe he stated that they were pretty much like celebrities today except they didn’t go to prison.

I owe my interest in western classical music to my maternal grandfather. He had a habit of listening to western classical music on the radio while he took his afternoon nap. I was a passive listener then, now I actively seek it. While in college, Nisu-bisu and I attended a workshop on classical music appreciation by Parag Trivedi. He used to host a show on Radio Mid-Day back in the early/mid-90s. I attended an enhanced version of the same workshop several years later at b-school. Then during my EY years, a colleague and I would attend all the free concerts during Bbay’s western classical music season each winter. And in NYC I have been very lucky to live so close to Lincoln Center (and to discover a source for discounted Orchestra section tickets).

What is the music scene in S’pore? Milind told me they have a national orchestra. True? What about other types of music? Would S’pore be on U2’s tour itinerary? What about dance and theatre? When we were in NYC, Milind promised me he’d take Salsa lessons. Will we find an instructor with a will strong enough to make Milind dance?

Thank you Rabindranth!

Give Me Strength

This is my prayer to thee, my lord---strike,
strike at the root of penury in my heart.
Give me the strength lightly to bear my joys and sorrows.
Give me the strength to make my love fruitful in service.
Give me the strength never to disown the poor
or bend my knees before insolent might.
Give me the strength to raise my mind high above daily trifles.
And give me the strength to surrender my strength to thy will with love

This poem by Rabindranath Tagore (from the Gitanjali collection) has been a source of strength and peace these last few months.

A Philosophical Taxi Cab Ride Down 7th Ave

This morning I rode to NY Penn Station in Fernando Batista’s taxi. No, I don’t remember every taxi driver’s name. There is a only-in-New-York story here. This taxi had neatly written pieces of paper taped all over the partition that divides the front and back seats. Based on his observations of people and (the beauty of) life, Fernando writes these really smart, easy-to-understand axioms. You know most of these things instinctively but it still feels good to read them in black and white. Things like – you won’t have a problem if you choose not to make it a problem. Or my favorite one, our perception and awareness of reality is always incomplete; thus we will always be partially right and partially wrong. Anyway, Fernando has almost finished compiling a book of his thoughts and ideas and is ready to take them to a publisher. He wrote – today you will do four things (I can remember three) – solve a problem, create a problem, do something special. Thank you Fernando for sharing your thoughts and making my Monday morning commute special.

On a different yet related note, will I be able to talk philosophy with my S’pore cabbie? Will he help me with my luggage (NYC cabbies are infamous for never helping with luggage)? Will he give me correct change? Will he take the most crowded streets at rush-hour (Ever lost your temper when the taxi driver took you through Times Square at 7pm on a Friday?)? Will I be able to ‘hail’ a taxi by raising my arm and pretending to be the Statue of Liberty?

57th Street Farmer's Market

Summer brings a different charm to the city. Yesterday I walked down to the farmer's market on 57th street and bought tomatoes ripened on the vine (their fragrance, their fragrance....!), radishes, swiss chard, scallions, boston lettuce, asparagus and sugar snap peas. All very fresh, straight from the farms near NYC. It felt good to know I was buying fresh produce and also supporting local farmers. I made Braised Spring Vegetables based on a recipe I found in the New York Times. The vegetables turned out very well but the dumplings were a big disaster. Fortunately, I'd picked up a very tasty multi-grain roll from Whole Foods as back-up. Poured myself a glass of Pinot Grigio and feasted on a simple yet extremely satisfying dish. Will definitely be going back to the market for more produce next Saturday.

Will she or won't she?

So, the decision has been made. After 4 glorious years in NYC we are moving to Singapore. Do I want to move? Who in their right minds would want to leave NYC? Trade the Upper West Side for River Valley Road? Central Park for Botanical Garden? Whole Foods for Cold Storage? MTA for MRT? Sido's falafel for Carrot Cake? Deep breath, Vaishali, deep breath!
Well, in less than a month I will be in S'pore to check out our new apartment, new neighbourhood, new friends. Can't say I'm not excited. But leaving NYC seems like the hardest thing I've ever done. As Milind says, we were made for each other...NYC and me. :-)
So let's see how this new adventure goes.