Tickets to India from USA

Couldn't believe the price we got this time for our tickets to India. Even 4 months before our date of flying, the tickets were exorbitantly priced. Most travel agents said that there was no availability and we tried all the routes we could and all the travel agents we could!! Out of so many airlines flying to India, we finally got British Airways and that too when we are flying on dates no one prefers to...lol. Even then, we paid almost twice the price of tickets we could have got had we been flexible on our dates. We could have got them for less had it been some better dates. Dec 2nd week to Jan 1st week is fully packed for travel. So - take care when you travel in those days. Either book it 6-7 months in advance or be flex on dates.

I have some travel agents to recommend - few of them recommended by a friends:
0. GLOBAL TRAVEL AGENCY: Naren: 510-441-7479 (Ref: Saurabh Batra)- I will take this one back. He said twice he is working on my quotes but did not get back.
1. World Wide Travels: Surender - 800 343 0038 ext 111, 202 659 6430 ext 111 (East Coast) - helped us very well this time
2. Angad Travels: (800)-430-0396 - DC - Gets you a good price for tickets but you have to run after this guy. This time he had no availability for us though.
3. East West Travel, Inc: 202-833-6068
4. International Travel Center: 877 766 7786, 562 860 2559 - They were nice and polite to talk to and gave us some good quotes (when most of the others said that there was no availability for our dates).
5. Trip Explorer: 1 866 trip exp (874 7397) - Not bad
6. Legend Travels: 510-797-9010 - Got us good tickets last time but this time they had nothing available. We had to call them a lot but still it was worth it - last year.
7. Alex (Travel agent in Chicago) – 773-465-1619 - Recommended by Kalpana's friends.
8. Omega Travels in Dallas - 972-518-1268 - Recommended by Kalpana's friends.
9. http://www.alanitatravel.com/ - 617.923.4810 - Recommended by Kalpana's friends.
9. Universal Travel (Sacramento) - 4400 47th Ave, Sacramento, CA 95824 - (916) 429-2711 (Bobby at Universal was quick and gave me rates that were much lower than what I found on Expedia or Bing. Easy to work with)

I tried calling like 50+ travel agents and these were the only ones who atleast bothered to give quotes. Others would not even answer back even if we called them like 10 times!

Hell and Heaven!

Been a while since I posted the last blog. Reason: my school. Shavi and I hardly find any leisure time in weekdays - My MBA and Shavi's office responsibility after his promotion to CTO/VP of the company, along with our Gym has made our lives hectic but nevertheless we are enjoying this phase of life:)

I still try to find some time to read books/novels. The other day I was reading this book: 'Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia' by 'Elizabeth Gilbert', gifted by a friend of mine. Thanks to her - It's a nice read which teaches you the importance of meditation and love for a peaceful life, through the true life-story of the author.

In this story, one of the Guru's of the author in Indonesia talks about Hell and Heaven. I liked his funda - the way he talks about it touches your heart. I will not be able to put it here as amazingly as in the book but here it is in my words:

He says that Hell and Heaven both are good places - where there is all fun and laughter and good, happy things. But then why do we say that Hell is a bad place - for bad people? That is because the path leading to it is bad. The final destinations are both good. So, it is upto you if you want to make the path good or bad - path means ur present life which is in your hands. Finally everyone has to die but how you die - the impact you leave behind makes the people behind you decide if you went to heaven or to hell.
In other words, probably the Guru meant that worry about doing good and living a happy and peaceful current life rather than worrying about the final destination which you dont even know what it is going to be!:)

Woman leader - who leads US or India?

Is that what we get to hear often - Women in India is not treated with that respect as in US?
Then howcome, US never had a woman President till date and India had a woman Prime Minister long back (Indira Gandhi) and the current President is a woman (Pratibha Patil). And now when there is a woman who is getting to stand for the vice-Presidentship in US (by whatever reason), then she is being stereo-typed as 'Hockey Mom' etc? Is that what it is?
Somethings you can never understand. For sure, countries like India do not have much security/freedom for a girl and the western society has much more, but then who will answer this question that why till date when a woman is trying to be a leader in USA - she is already being stereotyped without people judging her. And when Hiliary was standing for the elections - she was stereotyped as a special case - 'Wife of a x-President'. Not that I am taking their side - I do not even know what they actually are (due to my lack of interest), but just got this thought in my mind - where is the woman leading today - in a country like India or in a western/modernized/developed country like USA?

Love breads? Then this one is for you!

Ever tried sprouted grain breads? They are awesum health wise as well as taste wise...Here are more reasons for you to try them:

Sprouting breaks down the starch, protein and fat molecules found in the grain which means that you end up with a pre-digested food, a much healthier one.

Also, sprouting increases the nutritional value of the food, proteins, vitamin and enzyme content gets higher while at the same time this process lowers the carbohydrate content, and the calories of the same.

Basically, Sprouted grains are easier to digested and are rich in so many vitamins and minerals.

Sprouted grains are digested more slowly by your body and as you know foods that are digested that way help you to keep your blood sugar levels stable, which has a positive effect on your weight and energy levels.

If you eat bread, give this type a try and look for organic. I have a recommendation for this: Try the Eziekel Bread (spl the Raisin Bread) at Traders Joe. Yes, it's a bit more money but far more healthy from the normal breads plus this Eziekel bread does not contain corn syrup - one of the reasons why this bread goes bad in 5-6 days. It is organic and has no chemicals. Try it and love it!

Weight day again!

I now feel like pasting our Before-After pics here..lol. We completed almost 3 months of our healthy eating and exercise on this last weekend and the results were amazing. I lost 25 lbs and Shav lost almost 30 lbs! Anyone who sees him can easily figure that out:-) Our diet sheet which helps us count what we eat seems to be a real blessing for weight loss plus we do not feel energy-deficient 'coz we are eating everything healthy we should. Another amazing thing that exercises led to was a drop in my my cholestrol without my conscious efforts. My LDL dropped by almost 50 and so did my overall cholestrol. My cholestrol some months back was just near the border line and it significantly improved now. I assume this was due to my exercise and brisk-walk routine.

It is not that there havent been moments when we did not feel like working out or having something good (rather bad) to eat. In such cases, it was always the other one motivating the other for workout or we trying out better activities like hiking, playing tennis etc. Another thing to mention here is that we havent stopped going out to eat - eating pizza, pies, pancakes and everything we craved for - but only in control and mostly early dinners. The word: 'control' is the key here. You got it!:)

Types of Garden Herbs

Like all garden plants, herbs can be classified as annual, perennial or biennial. Annual herbs need to be re-planted each season because they bloom one season and then die. Examples of annual herbs include:
* Basil
* Chamomile
* Cilantro
* Cumin
* Dill

Perennial herbs come back every year surviving the winter to bloom each season once established. Examples of perennials include:
* Chives
* Mint
* Oregano
* Rosemary
* Sage
* Thyme

Biennial herbs just live for two seasons and bloom during the second season only. Biennial herb examples include:
* Caraway
* Parsley

- Herbs need six hours of full midday sun for the best flavor and the most growth.

- Most herbs need to be kept damp but not wet, so don't overwater. Water with small amounts only, and encourage proper drainage by watering your potted herbs early in the morning or late at night.

- The best time to harvest herbs is just before they flower, first thing in the morning. This is because the oils have settled into the leaves and flowers overnight and are at their highest level. Each time you harvest a sprig, pinch the stem back to a set of leaves to promote leaf production.

HAppY BIrtHDAY to my SweETheaRT!

Wish u a very, very Happy Burrrrrday Shav! :-) and today is also the 2nd anniversary of my driving license.lol! Remember how you just took me for the Driving test on your bday Saturday morning before we went to Tahoe! Was that my 1st bday gift to you - A driving license?:)
And then last year on your bday, we bought a bike for you - a happy 1st bday to our bike:)

So, now we'll wait to celebrate your bday over the long weekend in Big Sur/Monterey..:-) No 'Eating Right' there please!!!!:)

Wish you lotsss of good luck and happiness in life ahead..

Keeping yourself awake at work!

I have figured out a few ways which can help you keep yourself awake at work and actually make you feel quite active:

1. Do some workout in the morning - it makes you really active. The more strenuous the workout, the more it helps. I know waking up early is a big problem (atleast for late-sleepers like me) but the days I do not go to gym in the morning, I am usually sleepy at work- dont feel active at all.

2. Have tea with breakfast, specially ginger tea - it helps. Atleast Tea is healthier than Coffee.

3. Bathe with COLD water. If you cannot - bathe with hot water and then once you are warm, get the cold water on. I am sure this helps - I read this tip somewhere and was making fun of it till I actually tried and made a few others try this. I still don't understand the 'garam-sard' (hot-cold - not getting/eating/drinking anything cold immediately after something hot) funda back in India but again whatever - it helps me!:)

4. The more you sleep, the more sleepy you are in the morning. Get the minimum sleep needed by your body to keep you active - 6-7 hrs is a good sleeping duration, they' say.

(All these have reasons behind why they keep you active - which I am being too lazy to write them down)

Anyone having anything more to share on this, would love to try:-)

Sacramento Heat

Fourteenth day of the eighth month of 2008 at around five after two in the after noon, my Firefox weather extension is showing 'Sunny, 94 degree F'.

I just came back from a 20 minute walk around a few blocks in downtown Sacramento, and it sure feels like 100+ degrees outside. Little bit outside my comfort level. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE sun and am big fan of sunny hikes in humid climate, but it sure is uncomfortable in office khaki's, tucked in shirt and leather shoes.

This year we have been saved by the wrath of Sacramento heat though. I don't remember any other day this summer being 'really really hot' (read: 110+); coz it does get really scorching. I remember a couple of days from last summer and the one before - my Mitsubishi's thermometer was showing 124 F on the freeway and both me and Ruchi were damned by the sight of it. Lucky for us, the AC of the V6 3.1L engined was chugging along pretty well.

Its amazing to see early morning also. Like today at 5.30 am it was much darker as it was almost 2 months ago; but it was also much warmer than 2 months ago. Days are getting shorter as we are well into later half of august, but the heat sure seems going the wrong way.

Fall semester for Ruchi starts last week of September - I sure am waiting for some 'fall' like weather and some rain FALL.

I loved the dilbert strip today :) [I know, I know totally off topic]
( http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2008-08-14/ )

Abhinav Bindra

“He has been shooting since the age of five. I spotted his talent when I saw him shooting balloons, kept on our maid’s head, with an air gun”, he recalled.

Chandigarh, August 11

Surprise and ecstasy marked the instant reaction of the city on the unique achievement of the local lad, Abhinav Bindra.. His “bulls eye” in the 10-metre air rifle shooting finals at the Beijing Olympic fulfilled the dreams of the nation of a billion but for Chandigarhians it was a special moment that they’ll never forget.

While people were expecting Abhinav to do well, no one had perhaps thought that he would strike a gold and create history. But when the news came in, the spontaneous reaction was of boundless joy coupled with the proud feeling of being an Indian.

“We are on the top of the world,” said Abhinav’s parents, Babli and Dr A S Bindra amidst beating of dhols and bhagra at their farmhouse on the Zirakpur-Patiala road. “My son has proved that Singh is Kinng,” said an elated Dr Bindra who credited Abhinav’s success to his sheer hard work and dedication.

“He has been shooting since the age of five. I spotted his talent when I saw him shooting balloons, kept on our maid’s head, with an air gun”, he recalled.

The Bindra farm was virtually taken over by media personnel this morning. OB vans stationed outside the house and photographers flashing cameras and ‘bite’ hungry correspondents vying with each other to get their ‘breaking quote” surrounded Dr Bindra and his wife. And obviously he had not complaints and he obliged everyone even if it meant giving a retake.

Perhaps the most touching appreciation came from none other than Olympian, Milkha Singh, who said, “my dream has been fulfilled”. In an emotional reaction he said, “I had always wished to see India winning a gold in an individual event before my death and Abhinav has done it”.

While celebrations - beating of dhols and bhangra- began at the Bindra farm as soon as the news came in, Abhinav’s school, St Stephens, in Sector 45 also witnessed an outburst of emotion as students came out of their classes. With the national flag in their hands, the students hailed Abhinav’s victory. School Principal, Harold Carver, said, “my prediction made 11 years ago at the school assembly has come true”. He said as a mark of honour to Abhinav the school will remain closed on Thursday.

The general reaction of the public was no different. Radhika a young girl in sector 17 said, “I am proud to be an Indian today. Abhinav has proved that this nation of billion is on the rise”. The ecstasy among the youngsters was also visible in Sector 10 where girls, with their faces painted in tri-colours, gathered with Abhinav’s photo. “It’s the youth power,” they said.

(Extracted from: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080812/main2.htm)

All about the terrible HFCS

Interesting story about HFCS:

Why is High Fructose Corn Syrup bad?
HFCS was developed in Japan in 1971. It is made from corn, and in the mid 1970’s we had an excess of corn crops in America. At the same time, sugar prices were high, which meant that food prices were higher for the consumer.
The brain actually doesn’t get the signal that our stomach is full when we eat foods that contain it.

Since HFCS is made from corn and is grown right here in the States, it is very cheap to produce, while at the same time being six times sweeter than cane sugar. This meant that all of the excess corn could be used to make HFCS, and food that used to be made with sugar could be produced at a much cheaper cost. Sounds like a good solution because the farmers were winning by selling their surplus crops, and the American consumer could buy sweetened foods at a lower cost.

High fructose corn syrup makes food taste really good, however it serves a few more purposes beyond that. It is a great preservative so it can be used in (almost all–check your labels and this site for a list of some of them) processed foods to extend their shelf life. It protects processed, frozen foods from freezer burn. It is also fabulous for making baked goods look tasty: it was found that by adding HFCS, it would make food appear more “natural looking”, as if it had just come out of Grandma’s oven! (I hope you’re catching my sarcasm here ;) )

With all of these wonderful benefits that high fructose corn syrup gives us, why should we care about it, especially since it makes our food taste good? What does it matter that it was banned in Mexico and is rarely found in foods in New Zealand. Is it really that bad? Why should we care about HFCS?

There are several different names and forms of sugar, fructose, sucrose, and dextrose being three. Here we are focusing on fructose, which behaves differently than the latter two in regards to our metabolism.

Both sucrose and dextrose are broken down in our body before they ever make it to our liver, however fructose does not breakdown and reaches the liver “almost completely intact”. This feature of fructose (which in HFCS is of an even higher concentration) has been named “metabolic shunting” since the fructose is “shunted” or sidetracked towards the liver.

Fructose is used to build triglycerides in the liver, which it does by imitating insulin, causing the liver to release fatty acids into the bloodstream. The flood of fatty acids then causes muscle tissue to develop insulin resistance.

Do humans actually consume enough high fructose corn syrup to activate this process in their livers? HFCS is present in fast food, processed food, food found in convenience stores, sodas, cereal, energy bars, and more.

How much of this type of food do many people consume daily in their busy lives? A study was actually done on golden hamsters (their metabolism is very close to ours) in the year 2000 in which they were fed diets with high levels of HFCS. It took only weeks until they had high triglyceride levels as well as insulin resistance.

Studies have also been done on whether or not fructose causes the body to burn sugar as opposed to burning fat. It has been found that our metabolism veers towards fat storage when consuming high levels of fructose. Therefore, HFCS contributes to obesity not only by the fact that our brains don’t know that our stomachs are full, but also by causing the body to burn sugar rather than fat in our cells.

High fructose corn syrup is a man-made, processed sweetener. I was in a convenience store recently and was reading labels to find out whether or not they contained HFCS. I did not go through every processed food on the shelf (I read 10 labels), I only found one item that did not contain HFCS (and the other one contained sugar). I stopped at 10 because these were foods that I used to eat and I didn’t want to look at them anymore.

I obtained most of this information while reading the book “Fat Land: How Americans Became the Fattest People in the World” by Greg Critser. If you would like to learn more about this topic, I would recommend this book to you. It’s easy to read and it gives the fascinating history on how our current food industry evolved to what it is today.

(Extracted from:
http://www.thefitshack.com/2007/03/15/what-is-hfcs-and-why-is-it-so-bad-for-my-body/)

Movie Reviews

• Hancock: Really loved the movie - not sure why it got negative reviews. Can watch it two times because Will Smith realllllly rocksssss.
  
• Kismat Konnection: Sweet romantic movie - though the same old love story but ok for timepass. We watched it at home - ofcourse we forwarded the boring songs! As for Shavi - he was sleeping for half the time while watching the movie!
  
• Sirf: A different movie which we really liked. Not too new but not too old either - a must watch.
  
• Stepbrothers: Cheap/Vulgar Comedy but atleast the two brothers make you laugh. Had got the invitation to view the pre-screening of the movie and people were crazily laughing at each and every scene. Do not watch it if you do not like vulgar comedy as I!
  
• Dark Knight: Excellent acting. Shavi really loved it! I prefer movies like Kung Fu Panda, so better go on Shav's reviews for this one :-)
  
• Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na: Sweet movie for young hearts. lol. A one time home-DVD watch for sure. Quite a hit in India and US. Would have liked it more - had it been there in my (our) younger days..eh!
  
• Wall-e: Will not recommend this one. For sure, it was a different movie - coz it was Pixar but I was asleep in half of the movie, waiting for it to end..;-) These are my personal views but I guess it wasnt worth watching in theater atleast though many people liked it.
  
• Woodstock Villa: Not sure what to say about this one - it is a short hindi movie - so, gud for timepass - can watch. It launches Anupam Kher's son - Sikandar Kher.
• Get Smart: Good comedy movie. Both of us liked it. Had some action as well - overall we recommend this movie
• Speed Racer: Better not to see in theaters (or even on DVD). Good as a timepass movie (that too for kids)! We saw it in iMax which kept us awake during the movie else.....!
• Race: Liked this 'fast-moving' movie. It was a gud Saif-Akshay Khanna starer movie. Every scene in the movie had something going on - a must see thriller.
• Sarkar Raaj: Not one of those usual movies. Good acting by the stars. Shavi liked it and I (being a girl and liking the light stuff more) found it just ok - not of my interest. Though not a light movie but it does not even make you cry much..:-)
• Mere Baap Pehle Aap: Thank God we did not see this one in theater. Quite silly comedy. Paresh Rawal, Om Puri and Akshaye Khanna did their usual good acting but loose storyline and not much good comedy.
• Kung Fu Panda: Nice, cute movie. Excellent for kids as well as aged people like us..;-)
• Marigold: Bollywood English Movie about an american chic landing up in goa and how she accidently bumps her way into a hindi movie role and into salman khan. I give it a 2 star. Totally avoidable.
  

Rooooomba - our Robot!

Heard of Roomba - the iRobot (http://iRobot.com)? We just bought it a couple of days back and fell in love with it right away. We bought the Roomba 570 and we could have never imagined the amount of dust and dirt it picked up in minutes....We being such cleanliness freaks had been vaccuming and wet-mopping the house almost twice week (sometimes even thrice) since we bought our house BUT still the Roomba picked up so much dirt that it was unbelievable.

It is such a sweet thing - it has made our life so easy! Dont want to call it a MAID-like thing - 'coz it is such a special thing:-) The good thing is that you can schedule it to run whenever you want and when it is tired (low on charge), it goes and sets itself on its docking station and gets re-charged. It can go upto 4 rooms when you just leave it....Oops - seems like I am marketing for Roomba!

Do not know how long it will last - but we are happy for now. Just waiting to find a good name for our Roomba - hehe!