Nightcap, for those peaceful sleepful times

Nightcap, for those peaceful sleepful times

Posted by Nerdyy

Yo Girl-o, jes a tad bit worried about them sleepless nights, what gives? Can't really do words while um blocked, can send a pic with a million words entwined.

("Oh no, there he goes with his grappa again!")

Caesar, are you too ambitious?

Caesar, are you too ambitious?

Posted by Nerdyy

Or at least that was the claim of Brutus, or maybe that was the claim of Shakespeare relayed through Brutus! If you have been following the news these days, you should be able to figure out what brought me to this topic.

However, there is a deeper purpose here; or at least a series of purposes. Readers (or maybe reader?) of my blog will remember (or if you don't I will refresh your memory) that I had alluded a year and a half ago to a restaurant in Rome that had (more than one) historical significance (here is the post: http://musikellishus.blogspot.com/2015/11/pasta-in-roma-yes-of-course.html). The purpose of that post was not just that though, I had intended to write a series of posts about interesting culinary creations and the original restaurants that created them.

So here is Part 2 of that series - the humble (as far as its beginnings) and the now classy Caesar Salad. Cesare (Caesar) Cardini from Lake Maggiore near the Piedmont in Italy emigrated to San Diego in the US in the 1920s and set up a restaurant in Tijuana , Mexico called Caesars. One day short of supplies, he concocted a salad with Romaine, eggs, limes, anchovy and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Thus was born the Caesar Salad!

As always, for the vegetarian palate, the anchovies can be skipped!

Sunset, Revisited

Sunset, Revisited

Posted by Nerdyy

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, February 2017

In each sail that skims the horizon,
In each landward blowing breeze,
I behold that stately galley,
Hear those mournful melodies; 

Till my soul is full of longing
For the secret of the sea,
And the heart of the great ocean
Sends a thrilling pulse through me.

- The Secret of the Sea, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Vignettes of my Dazzling Ex-Flames

Vignettes of my Dazzling Ex-Flames

Posted by Nerdyy

Travel - One of the true passions of my life - I love the concept of visiting and spending time at destinations and then moving on to another destinations (Some might argue that this also reflects the way I view people - they wouldn't be completely incorrect) - variety after all is THE spice of life :D

In this brief post I present glimpses of hot dazzling women from a long time ago - from the country of my birth.

We start with the sexiest of them all (indeed this lady is arguably the moistest or wettest of all ladies in India, creating fertile surfaces wherever she travels).

Lady Ganga - as she descends from the mountains and starts her long journey to meet the Saagar of her dreams.


Next up, we move to Lady Mumtaz - truly a dazzling spectacle. No picture ever has done her justice or ever will - you actually have to be there to truly comprehend the scope of her beauty.

The picture is a little off center but you get the idea.

And we move on to Lady Victoria - although I did find out that the lady has changed genders in the interim 35 years since I last visited her - she now goes by the name Chatrapati Shivaji.

This is the erstwhile Victoria Terminus Station in Bombay - I do not believe there is a grander train station anywhere in the world.

Next up - one of the grand dames of Bollywood - opened in 1933 this art deco construction has hosted red carpet premieres of many a Bollywood hit. This is Regal.

And finally, not a flame but a landmark that reminds me of myself ( I will briefly explain)

This is Humayun's Tomb - right in the heart of Delhi - an absolutely gorgeous monument with lush grounds and a variety of other ancillary structures - truly a beautiful spectacle - attracting maybe one- hundredth of the crowds that other major monuments in the area attract - and even more remarkably, mostly bypassed by the local population. In short forgotten, taken for granted and unappreciated - hence it reminded me of myself - always the story of my life :D

Je Suis Parisien

Je Suis Parisien

Posted by Nerdyy

Peace for Paris !

Pasta in Roma ? Yes, Of Course !

Pasta in Roma ? Yes, Of Course !

Posted by Nerdyy

As I had mentioned, the posts are going to be a mix of songs (non-Indian), travel and food - the last two sometimes mixed together i.e. landmark food establishments in fun to travel to places. Our first stop is Rome - The Eternal City. Always bustling, crowded with a real threat of thieves around every corner, Rome has some of the best food in the planet, along with a lot of history making restaurants. Here is one - a disgusting tourist trap if ever there was one, but one that has a very significant role in many histories.

Somewhere between the Spanish Steps and Piazza Navona sits this ancient eatery - now overrun with tourists and offering pretty bad food. Why, you may, ask are tourists still flocking here ? Maybe this !

Enjoy !

Paradise !!

Paradise !!

Posted by Nerdyy

The Hills Are Alive with The Sound of Music

The Hills Are Alive with The Sound of Music

Posted by Nerdyy

Ah its Springtime again and even though the last couple of days might have felt like mid March rather than late April, the flowers and the tiny new leaves peeking out from the branches remind us that time indeed cannot be rewound.

And again I find myself in the little gap between work, escaping the city to visit some family in gorgeous California - so yes the hills are alive but not in Salzburg.

There are so many memories of this house where I'm at - a lot of them good, some of them extremely sad and painful - but this might be the last time I ever stand here looking down at the driveway and massive expanse of yard, and gaze down this wondrous sight. The next time I am in this part of the world, it is expected that I will not be here. Farewell beautiful house - We will all miss you :D

The Second City

The Second City

Posted by Nerdyy

The city of my birth and my first two decades or so of life, was also once called the Second City of the British Empire, with classical colonial remnants still dominating the landscape. Here are some glimpses.

Raj Bhavan formerly the residence of the Viceroy of India

Victoria Memorial - dedicated to (of course) Queen Victoria

General Post Office - a classic domed structure

The Howrah Bridge - any movie shot in Calcutta will have this somewhere

A couple of non-building shots:

Ram Teri Ganga Maili Ho Gayee ....

SPRING ! Yellow Gulmohar

Time to bid adieu to India and start my long trek back home - again through Hong Kong :D

My Favorite City in India

My Favorite City in India

Posted by Nerdyy

Delhi is just beautiful in late February early March with highs in the mid 60s to low 70s (F) and the flowers just starting to bloom. Here are some vignettes:

Mid Morning Traffic

Rashtrapati Bhavan (formerly the Viceroys residence)

India Gate

North Wall of Purana Qila

 And finally to gladden the heart of a friend:

You Talking to Me ? YOU TALKING TO ME ?

Next stop - the city of my birth and the first 22 years of my life :D

Glimpses from Southeast Asia

Glimpses from Southeast Asia

Posted by Nerdyy

So here I am in mid February with a couple of weeks off and racing away from a bitterly cold hometown temperature of 9F to spend the time off in some sun, and catching up with relatives that live in Asia. Transiting through a very festive Hong Kong airport on Chinese Lunar New Years day, I end up a few hours later in the City of the Lion :D

Saara Shehar Mujhe LOIN ke naam se jaanta hai 

 ... or Merlion as he is correctly called - a mx between a fish and a lion. (I can almost hear someone screaming at me - "you and your Ajit jokes" - to her I would say this is an original Ajit dialogue - not a joke :P)

The city is hot and humid - so you do need to hydrate yourself from time to time - and what better way than to head over here:

Raffles Hotel - home of the Singapore Sling

And if you feel peckish head over to one of many joints serving this:

Chilli Crab

.... and no - the Chilli Crab hasnt affected my brain :D

Happy Thanksgiving Canada

Happy Thanksgiving Canada

Posted by Nerdyy

Happy Turkey Day or Tofu Turkey Day - whatever the case may be :D

And Yes the 80s songs will soon be back - as soon as I can catch my breath for some youtube searching :D

Summer in Da City

Summer in Da City

Posted by Nerdyy

A Perfect Summer Day

Buckingham Fountain in the Foreground with Michigan Avenue/Grant Park in the background and way in the background you see a glimpse of the Sears Tower (now renamed Willis Tower). This picture taken while I was stopped at a red light on Lake Shore Drive.

USA vs Belgium - Tuesday July 1st

USA vs Belgium - Tuesday July 1st

Posted by Nerdyy

The World Cup Soccer is in full swing - so far Brazil and Argentina have looked underwhelming while Holland and France have looked pretty strong despite both of them kind of wilting in the heat a little bit. The last two World Cup champions Spain and Italy have been sent packing, while England probably turned in their worst group stage performance ever.

Tomorrow Argentina plays Switzerland while the US take on Belgium for the last two QF spots. Here to celebrate USA versus Belgium is a beer face off.

Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale from Kansas City Missouri

That would be my favorite American Craft Beer.

Delirium Tremens from Melle Belgium

One of my favorite Belgian beers (and I have many)

Welcome Summer :D

Welcome Summer :D

Posted by Nerdyy

What better way to spend the last day of spring than at a baseball game at Wrigley Field :D

And dont let the next picture shock you - the owners of these buildings actually built stadium seating on the roof and make a ton of money on gamedays :D

Also with the wetter days of Spring behind us and the sunnier and warmer days of Summer ahead, it shouldnt surprise anyone that the umbrella sheltering this blog has been packed away :P

Hanging Out By The Lake

Hanging Out By The Lake

Posted by Nerdyy

A little hazy near downtown - but at last after all the travels here is a hometown pic

View from the northside of the city

US Capitol

US Capitol

Posted by Nerdyy

The seat of Federal Legislative Power in the US - this Duomo inspired classic sits on the eastern edge of the National Mall

Lincoln Memorial - Washington DC

Lincoln Memorial - Washington DC

Posted by Nerdyy

Dedicated to the 16th President of the United States and the preserver of the Union, the stunning memorial is situated at the Western Edge of the National Mall.

Lincoln Memorial

Inside the memorial, Mr Lincoln sits casting a wary eye at the work of the legislators at the other end of the National Mall and is flanked by two of his greatest speeches

Abe

No Memorial dedicated to Lincoln would be complete without this - arguably the greatest American speech at its darkest hour. The Battle of Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863)fought around the town of Gettysburg, PA is often called the turning point of the Civil War and resulted in a Union victory in the battle under Major General George Meade as well as the retreat of the Confederate Army under General Robert E Lee. This speech was given on November 19, 1883 at the Gettysburg Battlefield to commemorate the dead from that pivotal conflict.

The Gettysburg Address

The Nations' Capital

The Nations' Capital

Posted by Nerdyy

The seat of executive power of the free world :D ... well its really the residence (The West Wing including the Oval Office is on the side)

The South Facade

The North Facade

A dogwood tree in full bloom at the White House lawn

The Big Apple

The Big Apple

Posted by Nerdyy

If I were Shahrukh Khan I would be singing a song with this as a backdrop

Lower Manhattan from across the Hudson river on a clear Sunday evening - its a little late hence the blurry pic. The new Freedom Tower now dominates the skyline.