spicemagazineonline

SPICE Wednesdays 7.08.09

2008-07-13T06:28:08P

SPICE wednesdays
the perfect mingle...monthly, only at the W san francisco

You are cordially invited to join us again...
181 third st, san francisco, ca 94103
XYZ bar, second floor, behind beaded curtain
to enter, mention SPICE

| no cover | cocktail specials | deejay |

music by www.djprecautionsf.com

There will also be an exciting fundraiser;
all proceeds to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society lls.org/hm_lls

our july partners:
Rajinder Dua, RR Gallery
www.RRgallerySF.com

Rohit Maheshwari

THE FRIEND OF OUR ENEMY IS OUR FRIEND?

2008-09-01T01:22:45P

India wants to be closer to Iran. Why America shouldn’t be worried.

Alexander the Great’s Empire. Rome. The Incas. The Mayans. The Mongols. The Ottoman Empire. The British Empire. The Third Reich. Imperial Japan.

History shows us that the balance of power constantly shifts. Some empires rise and fall in dramatically quick fashion, like the third Reich and Japan, and, comparatively speaking, the Mongols’ and Alexander’s Empires. Others, like the Roman and Ottoman Empires, span many centuries. A safe bet is that there will be no permanent balance of power.

Sleepless in San Jose

2008-06-03T15:11:51P

It is 1:30 in the morning on Tuesday, June 3^rd. Election day is here. I am exhausted, but I really don’t feel like sleeping. I am definitely excited about the day. I have spent months leading up to the end of the primary campaign. And, what I have been told is definitely true. Before you know it, election day creeps up on you until you are staring it in the face. Right now, the face is telling me that there is a little over 18 hours before polls close.

So, how would I describe the last few weeks? It was a lot of work, no doubt. I have walked and walked and walked. And, when I wasn’t walking, I was thinking about where I was going to walk next. Of course, the slew of endorsement interviews became so repetitive that they led to frustration. Frustration from being taken away from more walking! Of course, I really should not be so distraught over the interviews because for the most part they resulted in a great outcome. I was fortunate to earn the endorsement of almost every major organization. That includes the police and firefighter associations, the local teachers groups, and the Sierra Club. The biggest nod of approval came from the San Jose Mercury News on May 20^th. The reasoning behind the editorial board’s recommendation was the final piece that justified a consideration of voting for this first-time candidate.

A Sign of the Times

2008-04-26T18:36:06P

So, I have been campaigning in earnest now for over two months. It is an unbelievable experience, but it leaves very little time to reflect. When you do reflect, it seems to be on the strangest little things where you can hang a sliver of optimism. For example, my good fortune with fortunes; Last month, I was having lunch at a downtown Chinese restaurant with a few local law enforcement leaders. After we each enjoyed our lunch specials, the little white plate was passed around, our destinies selected at random. So, everyone takes a look at the little slips of paper. It was the usual smattering of generalizations mixed in with phrases taken straight out of a power of positive thinking seminar. Then, I break apart my cookie and start laughing as I read it to the guys. “Remember three months from this date. Good things are in store for you.” I will take that over an exit poll anytime. Then, two days ago, I stopped into a Chinese place near my house with my campaign manager for some hot and sour soup. And what does the fortune say that time? “Your present plans are going to succeed.” Plus, 2008 is the year of the rat. And, when was I born? Like I said, hanging on to any sliver that slithers by is how I keep my spirits high as I work through this campaign.

At Vibha's

2008-03-04T21:14:39P
"Two old friends talking about marriage"
The house was dark except for the living room. Sheila could see a flickering television screen through the window. Vibha answered the door right away. "Come in" she said as if they had met last only a week ago. It was a tastefully furnished home without any ostentation. The smell of spices wafted in from the kitchen. Setting the cake on the dining table, Sheila followed Vibha into the kitchen "Smells lovely. What are you cooking?" she asked. "Nothing much. It's chicken dhansak and rice"

She was on her third glass of wine while Vibha sipped her OJ. "So why did this guy keep calling you if you wouldn't answer the phone?" Vibha asked puzzled. Sheila was recounting her recent experience involving a man in his late fifties who had once interviewed her on the phone. She had not accepted the job, but the man kept calling her from a private number and never left a message. The first couple of times she had answered but then she stopped. He called as early as 6:00 a.m. and as late ten in the night. Every once in a while he would email her to say Hi and want to set up time to chat. In exasperation, Sheila asked him to call her one evening just to see what he wanted.

Pakistan’s (Still, and More) Frightening Crystal Ball, Part II

2008-02-10T08:00:00P

Bhutto widower conducting a massive rally

My last piece was written a little more than a week before the sad yet predictable assassination of Benazir Bhutto two days after Christmas.Nationwide elections that were supposed to be the start of a more “democratic” government in Pakistan, then scheduled for January 8^th, were (wisely) postponed by Musharraf in the massive protests, rioting, violence and chaos that followed and are now scheduled for February 18^th.In my last piece, I stated that Musharraf was truly in a no-win situation; this is even more so today, as he is (unfairly) blamed for Bhutto’s assassination, is even outright accused of it, and faces all of the same problems as before but at a more intense level, with even less support at home and abroad than ever before.And recent developments in Afghanistan, India, and the United States all seem to be trending towards not really helping to bring stability to Afghanistan, and, in turn, Pakistan is in a position to cause serious headaches for all of these countries, if not migraines.

Point of No Return

2008-02-03T23:31:48P

For the past few months, I have felt like I have been creeping ever so slowly towards the edge of a cliff. As I get closer and closer to it, I try to peer over the edge to help predict what I have in store. Sort of like dipping my toe into the ocean, I want to allow myself the option of jumping back onto dry land. However, before I had a chance to back away, I find myself rushing downwards towards the unknown. Recently, I filed an intention to run for City Council at the clerk’s office in San Jose. I thought that would mark the beginning of a journey. In reality, the journey began a long time ago. I’ve been falling ever since.

The Case of the Eager Auntie - Part 2

2008-02-01T08:00:00P

Four hours later, I was pacing back and forth in my hotel room. My feelings had blended seamlessly through a cycle of eagerness, impatience, irritation, confusion, bemusement, and finally resignation. Had I become a schizophrenic, uttering nonsense while the polite people around me eagerly nodded their heads somewhere in between “yes” and “no?” Was I experiencing a Twilight Zone style alternate dimension where time moves more slowly? I knew that morning had faded into afternoon as the muffled cacophony of crushing traffic below reached its crescendo. No, this was merely my first experience with “Indian Standard Time.” The irony couldn’t be stronger. Being of Germanic heritage, I suffer from a unique cultural fetish – Punctuality. We love our precise machinery, especially clocks. That word, “clock,” really doesn’t do justice to our obsession with precision. I admired my Wenger “chronograph” with its brushed steel band, onyx face, and auto-wind action. Muttering to myself that if only these people understood the beauty of Punctuality, I nearly missed the muted chimes of my house phone.

The Perfect Blend

2008-03-03T08:00:00P

Nothing plasters a smile on my face quite like ice cream, especially when it’s homemade! While ice cream is readily available in grocery stores, homemade ice cream is in a league of its own. When you make your own, you combine fresh, rich, ingredients with additions of your choice. This recipe will result in the richest, creamiest, silkiest ice cream that will give new meaning to the phrase "melt in your mouth." My recipe starts off with a Crème Anglaise base, which is heavenly in itself. It is then slow-churned until transformed into ice cream. Try this base recipe first, but then feel free to experiment and create your very own unique concoction. This dessert is perfect for one and even better for a crowd!

Impersonation

2008-02-05T02:53:16P

Quite recently I was talking to someone who is back in Bangalore after spending a couple of decades in the US. He is happy with the quality of life especially because domestic help is so affordable. It is a luxury he had forgotten all about. "Given your line of work, India is the place to be in right now. You should consider returning" he tells me.

I tell him my decision to leave had nothing to do with quality of life or the lack of it. It was all about freedom and independence. While my situation is far from perfect, I don't lack for freedom and that makes up for everything else that is missing. I no longer have to fictionalize or impersonate to survive like I once had to.
J was going to turn a year in a month, while I was apartment hunting in Bangalore and getting into the rhythm of being back in the workforce after a longish hiatus. The hunt came to a happy conclusion with me finding one that was spacious, airy and sunlit. Being sparsely furnished, J had the run of two thousand square feet of space. I thought that was perfect as she was learning to walk and could not practice her new skill enough.