Anoushka Shankar

Last week, my dear Husband took me to Anoushka Shankar's concert in Delhi. I had heard few songs from her thanks to a great radio in France Nova. I spend the most wonderful evening. I am not usually a big fan of oriental musics, mostly because I don't know them much. I grew surrounded by Jazz, and somehow until now it is still my reference. Luckily, it also helps opening to other style of music...

On the other side Anoushka Shankar is not really traditional music, it mostly a fusion, of traditional indian instrument and other like drums, bass and hang drums....

Some pictures of the concert she held in Mumbai here

I mostly like the instrumental pieces, and I loved Metamorphosis

You can also enjoy a whole concert she gave in Lyon, in 2012

Enjoy the music.... in French here

Freedom at midnight

This enchanting title is actually the title of a very exciting book I finished a few weeks ago. And this week I couldn't help think about this book again with the passing of Nelson Mandela.

You can buy Freedom at midnight here, kindle, audio.... whatever the version you want.

This book was written in 1975 by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre, it is a sort of India partition for dummies.... If I can say that...

I loved it, was great. Another vision for us european people of Gandhi, Nerhu, Jinah, Moundbatten...

It is amazing to realize that this event happened in 6 months or so, how ? How was born the world largest democracy ?
A great book, I advise you to offer to your "bookworm"  friends...

One tip though, for half of the book I wondered when east Pakistan became Bangladesh. It happened in 1971

Procrastination... or when you lose control

Procrastination or the "art" of not doing what you are supposed to do !

I just discovered and realized the consequences of procastination inside a couple relationship... In mine but also saw other examples of how small things become a mountain and then explode...

Seeing her loved one losing some control on personnal budget made a friend of mine feel cheated when the banker called her...

And I just made my loved one feel the same because of a task that for some dark reasons (still unknown to me) I didn't manage to complete

PROCRASTINATION wikipedia gives us a long explanation
It is just that being caught procrastinating makes you feel even more guilty, stupid, childish....

And I feel so bad because I remember when I was a student, procrastination was so common in my life.... Growing up, I managed to improve myself, I became good with paying bills, going to the administration to do stuff, paying taxes, writing thank you notes... Dealing with problems was less "problematic"
And for that thing I totally lost it ! I should have felt concern and I didn't, don't want to !

And admitting this weakness, actually it is more like being caught and then you have to admit it, let's be honest... I feel dum, not reliable and doing this to your favorite person in the world make it worse.

Don't know yet what is the solution...

Yummy street food, Delhi Kathi rolls !!!

For me traveling is also synonym of eating ! The food, is part of the culture you are discovering,,

Especially for a french person, I think. I remember a brasilian friend at work who told me one day: "You all speak about food all the time, the morning, what you had the night before or what you are going to have for lunch, at lunch, of the food you love, or what you are going to cook in the night... and on and on and on..."

And love India, also because of the food... They can eat all day, that have crazy street food... I'll come back to that another day

Today I want to talk about Kathi rolls... The Man "of my life", made me try this one day and I love going back there....
It seems is is originated from Kolkata, it is a rolled paratha stuffed with paneer, mutton, potatoes, name it, there is a possibility.
Usually we go for double paneer... Honestly it is nearly a meal... But considering the amount of calories, it has to stay exceptional.... otherwise you might transform into a a giant golgappa (other street food, round and fluffy)

It is greasy, it is spicy, you have veg and non veg option and you can ask them to make it light on the spices if you want....

We go to Art of Spices

The only thing not fun, is eating in your car... But still, is one of my favorite food, for 100 roupies top you have a meal... It doesn't look so clean, but it is ! You can trust me I have had food there many times and I have never felt any discomfort, except from the spices sometimes...

Is is in the service lane behind City Hospital close to Karol Bagh metro station. All the youngster of the area drop by to have one or two... It is safe...

Pilates for dummies

This spring, I realized that I was turning into a giant Turkish delight ... Since we moved within Paris I was not doing my daily hour walk to get to work (that life was tough in that time ....) So the demons of cellulitis began to really squat. And winter dragging on didn't really help realzing the extense of damages ...

Unfortunately, I hate the gym, it's noisy, everyone is staring at each other and the scent of perspiration emanating from it is a violent assault to my sense of smell ... For me, the exercise should not be painful, but a moment of pleasure otherwise I cannot keep going ... You'll tell me, and  the swimming pool, plus I love swimming but not "zigzaging" I'm quite intolerant there and as I'm a bit lazy, I don't get up at 7.30 in order togo at 8 am ...

So I bought new sneakers and I started to jogtrot (yes jogtrot, I can not say jog, it would really be a lie) on the waterfront between home and "grande bibliothèque", and it is great ...

And instead of buying cassette Cindy Crawford (only those over 30 will see what I'am talking about), I found something good to my level: Pilates for Dummies, it is capital to start easy otherwise it is easy to be discouraged.

Plus: you don't need much, a yoga mat, a bra bra without clasp in the back (yeah, yeah, this is better), you can also find the videos on you tube (very very average quality)
Least ahhh you must find the motivatio ... oh yeah if the smile of the girl, very annoying!

And after 1 or 2 weeks, I improved and Pilates for dummies (yes I bought it in English, 1st because it rhymes and 2nd to improve my English at the same time), started being a little slow ...

So I tried to find another video, one constant between all those, is that frozen smile all the girls have, that gives a sort of of urge for murder, I don't know, but me but when I fight for my abs, I don't really smile...

So my new discovery is a set of three DVDs, Winsor Pilates, basic step, 20min and 45min here
The DVD is not new but it is one of the most noted and then there are a lot of languages ​​...

Ok the teacher has playmobil haircut and is a "bit" over enthusiastic, but I think the basic video is nicely made and it's cool to have 2 routines according to the time you can spare...
Anayway, I started seeing the results pretty quickly, for an average of 3/4 sessions per week ( the 20 min one is really easy to squeeze in).

I manage keep up with the routine ( I am quite proud of myself), even if there are still exercises that are close psychological suffering, yes, some are simply not feasible, the neck pull for example.

Trying to come up with open arms, shoulders relaxed (yeah, yeah relaxed) and flexed feet .... It is a mental torture for me to see the girl doing it so easily with his goofy smile ....

But one day, perhaps, after 10 years of practice I would post here a video of me succeeding ! .... it is said that hope springs eternal!

Post en français ici

One way ticket !

Big step in my life, I left paris, my job, my apartment, my family, my beloved friends... I am starting a new chapter of my life in India !

Everybody asked me 2 days before leaving "this not to difficult ?" The answer, is no leaving is not difficult, taking the decision few months back, yes that took some gut, some sleepless nights...

But now I am there !!!!

I actually been here for what ? 2 weeks now ? I still feel jet-lagged and somewhere lost in translation....
I do realize, but not so much... Even if I am super exited and super happy, it is a interesting time of my life, some new feelings....

For some time, we are going to stay at my husbands' parents, not too long I hope, I already want my independence and my freedom back... I have left my parents house 18 years ago now, so it is uncomfortable to experience that again, not being the master of the place you live in.... pfffff