Posted on by Zarine Mohideen · 4 Comments

Today morning I peeped through the blinds expecting the harsh sunlight, instead I was greeted by pleasant weather – blue skies, a light breeze and just enough sunshine to brighten up my gloomy mood. I had enough reason to put on my shoes and go for one of my mini runs. I had my shoes on and music blaring in my head. So off I went, enjoying the wind tickling my neck, breathing in that fresh air that I love so much.

I ran on the side walk and saw something that hit me deep. Someone had spray painted the word ‘humble’ on the sidewalk and I thought how a small act like this could reminded me of a trait I should strengthen. Being humble doesn’t come easily but it’s what I try my hardest to be. It’s easy to get a bloated head and think of oneself as better than the rest, to flaunt what we’ve got. Arrogance is never appetizing. Sometimes we don’t realize when we’re being arrogant or prideful. We think that’s just the way we are, that’s just “me”. But it comes across as offensive to the other person. So to bring us back to reality and to burst that inflated balloon of ego over our head, we need a sidewalk to remind us of what we forgot.

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Posted on by Zarine Mohideen · 1 Comment

I’ve had enough sunshine.

The past few months I’ve been whining about the cold. But now, summer is here and it’s beautiful. Hot and suffocating at times, but still beautiful. I’ve been living in the Bay Area for nine months now and I think I can write a book about the weather. There are days when it feels like I’m living in an oven and the nights are so hot that I wake up with my shirt stuck to my back.

Like right now I’m sitting with all the windows open and it feels like time has reached a standstill. The leaves aren’t moving, the air is hot and the tap water is lukewarm. Only the birds are chirping outside. How are the singing when it’s so hot? All I want to do is put the air conditioner on high and float away in to a sublime siesta. I would do that if it didn’t make a sound that would bring the house down. Damn, all I ever do is complain about the weather! I annoy myself sometimes.

I used to think the weather had a big effect on my moods but my present status brings that theory to a screeching halt. We have learned that sunshine outside does not equate to a sunshiney Zarine.

Posted on by Zarine Mohideen · 2 Comments

Mad Men Stories

I’ve started watching Mad Men and last night at the first season finale Betty Draper touched a nerve. Betty Draper is a bored, beautiful house wife and lives the life of every woman in the sixties. She takes care of her kids, makes dinner, is aware that her husband cheats on her, the usual. She visits a shrink to talk her life out. She lies down on a gorgeous leather couch, a cigarette between her delicate fingers, she is a thing of beauty. The shrink scribbles things in his note pad as she talks, never interrupting. But last night she did something that I’m sure everyone must have felt like at some point.

She suspects her husband of having an affair, in fact she knows but never confronts him and her shrink doesn’t offer her too much of a consolation. The bottom line is she is disturbed. Not depressed, disturbed. She holds the hand of a young boy and cries. She asks him, “Please tell me I’m going to be okay”. At that moment I wept inside for myself and for the hundreds of people who have felt helpless at some point. There are so many instances in life when it feels like we are standing in quick sand and nothing can go right. We don’t need comfort or a shoulder to cry on. All we want is for somebody to tell us were going to be okay. Just a tiny bit of reassurance that can go a long way and I know cause I have felt that too many times in my life.

The young boy in the episode doesn’t know why she is crying and says a simple I don’t know. She quickly gathers herself and leaves. I’ve never liked TV characters as much as I’ve liked book characters but Betty Draper, I love her character. And January Jones whom I’ve  often thought of as an ice queen is perfect in this.

I know how many times I’ve wanted someone to give me the tiniest bit I reassurance. If that’s what you’re looking for right now then trust me, you’re going to be okay, everything is going to be okay.

Posted on by Zarine Mohideen · 10 Comments

Dosa and I have a wild ride.

Today was like Christmas. The tattooed FedEx employee was Santa Claus and my present was a Preethi mixie my Mama sent. I immediately tear the packaging apart and spend a minute marveling at this mixie which is everything an American blender isn’t. The mixie seals what’s for dinner – chutney and godumai dosa. I’m really excited right now as this is my first time making godumai dosa. I check hungryandexcited to brush up on the how to’s of the dosa and I’m confident enough. I make the thokku for the chutney, cool it and grind it in a second with my new Preethi mixie. I then temper it with mustard seeds and enjoy the smell of the curry leaves. Also, tempering is like my favorite part of cooking.The first few sodas are clumpy. I don’t wait too long before I flip it and it forms a paste on the tava. I don’t let that deter me, I soldier on. Finally I make soft dosas. I’m ecstatic. It’s 7.00 pm by then and husband walks in through the door, “Mmm.. You made dosa and chutney! So good!”

I beam proudly, so happy of my achievements. After we eat our spongy dosas and spicy chutney in front of the TV, I clear the table and take the dishes to the kitchen AND I SEE THAT I’VE LEFT THE STOVE ON AND THE PLASTIC DOSA FLIPPER THING HAS MELTED AND FORMED A PLASTIC GOOP ON MY BRAND NEW TAVA.

Someone please tell me how I’m going to flip my eggs tomorrow morning.

Posted on by Zarine Mohideen · 2 Comments

Liquid Chocolate

“Happiness. Simple as a glass of chocolate or tortuous as the heart. Bitter. Sweet. Alive.”

– Joanne Harris, Chocolat

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Hazelnut chocolate milkshake, Max Brenner, The Forum at Ceaser’s, Las Vegas

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“Don’t be talking to a stranger. Stranger means danger.”

There are are some days that are perfect. It’s a bright sunny day out. There is a heat wave(!) and you are sitting in a perfectly cooled cafe with a perfectly cooled mint iced coffee, reading a book you are completely engrossed in. You are one with character and you can actually feel the..

“Are you Palestinian Mozlim?”

“Umm, no. I’m Indian Muslim.”

Puzzled look. “Ohhh. Indian?!”

“Yea.”

“Are you from the part of India that is near Pakistan?”

“No. I’m from the south, Chennai.”

“I know many Braaahmins from there. So what do I see when I visit India?”

Yeah, I just want to get back to my book. It’s very hard for me to get “in the zone” when I read a book. Although I love to read, I am constantly distracted (thanks again to technology for my short attention span). I need to be comfortable enough, have a good reading snack, the light should be just right, etc. And it annoys me to no end when people want to make conversation thereby interrupting me.

Interruption, whether I’m reading, writing or even thinking, muddles up my line of thought. I’m sure most people feel that way so why would you interrupt some one who is completely smitten by her book. Okay fine, I interrupt my husband every now and then when he is reading but I married him. I have every right to demand his attention. You, however, are a stranger. The one my mother warned me about when she said “Don’t talk to strangers”. You have no right to drag me away from my book and force me in to having a conversation.

I wanted to tell him thanks for the attempt at conversation, good sir but I need to get back to my book. How can I say that without sounding rude? What is the polite way of telling someone, especially a stranger, to leave you the heck alone when you are in the midst of doing something?

Posted on by Zarine Mohideen

I don’t like scallops.

“It is a very poor consolation to be told that the man who has given one a bad dinner, or poor wine, is irreproachable in private life. Even the cardinal virtues cannot atone for half-cold entrees.”

– Oscar Wilde

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Seafood Souvlaki, Opa!, Los Gatos

Posted on by Zarine Mohideen · 7 Comments

Give me the caffeine. NOW.

Caffeine has found its way in to a big part of my life. I need my cup of hot java every morning. Without aforementioned cup of java I go crazy. At first I brushed away the caffeine withdrawal symptoms as an every day head ache. No coffee in the morning makes me cranky throughout the day and talking translates to a rock band playing in my head. I feel like I’m carrying the entire world on my already large forehead and you better turn the volume down on the radio lest I punch you.

I grew up in a largely ginger tea drinking family. Coffee was present but did not have a big following. A cup every morning or so was not a big deal. But ginger tea was popular. A cup every evening, a cup with some vadai, a cup if there are guests, a cup if you’re sick and a cup if the guests decide to stay a little longer.

Six months of living here and tea has taken a backseat. I’ve started craving coffee like I’m on crack (I’m not). Coffee with banana chocolate cherry bread from Peets and I’m the happiest girl in the world, a little extra caffeinated, but still happy in my delicious  cloud.

I like the baristas at our local Peets too. There is this one girl who fascinates me. She has streaks of green in her hair. I’d love to get my hair colored in a myriad of colors. but unfortunately for me I will talk the talk but will chicken out when it comes to actually doing it.

I’ve been nursing this post for way too long. I’m just going to hit ‘ publish’ now.

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