The Classic Recipe

With a long weekend ahead of me I was eager to extend its pleasure by kickstarting it off Friday evening. And what could be a simpler solution than a film. But it seemed that I had exhausted my collection so I began re-looking old folders hoping to surprise myself with a find in some corner. The only titles around seemed so promisingly boring that I quickly got onto IMDB to check whether any of them had the potential of not being an evening spoiler.

And thats how 'Sunset Boulevard' happened. The extravagantly vintage sounding title held a 8.7 rating on IMDB. What could be more inviting!

Briefly the film is a crazy little drama about a once popular yesteryears silent film star (played by Gloria Swanson) now in her fifties and yet not in terms with her waned fame, a young jobless film writer (played by William Holden) who by chance intrudes upon her property and what happens when the two get involved. It is also about the extravagant lives Hollywood stars live and the fame that surrounds them, one moment at high tide another moment all ebbed away.

You did say that that sounded like a familiar Hollywood plot. Well then this film made in 1950 and directed by the brilliant Billy Wilder from the 'golden age' of Hollywood is probably the inspiration for them. What got me hooked all the more was that most of the script drew inspiration from real life occurrences to weave in its details. Now thats a real gem. The more you can dig out of a film the better it gets. From the lead actress Gloria Swanson who nearly plays herself, to Buster Keaton and Cecile Demille, many actors in the film play themselves. Gloria is seen surrounded by her very own pictures and also watches her own films through the movie. An interesting fact to note however would be that in real life Gloria Swanson was pretty level headed about her rocketing and plummeting Hollywood fame.

Now thats a great film to kick start your friday. And don't forget to read through the film's Wikipedia site once your 'done' watching it. And do write in if you know of another great weekend kick starter !

Christmas time! Home Decor

Really enjoyed doing up home for Christmas again. Its such a must to bring on the seasons flavours. Mom started with cake baking and then we did up the house together. From putting up the Christmas tree to mom's innovative crib making styles, they'll all a part of treasured growing up memories for me.

1. The Christmas Tree

2. The room from behind the veiled curtains

3. The tree to the right corner of the room and the crib to the left

4.The crib

5. The angel over the crib

6. The king who lost his balance :)

7. Red lamps and wine and fairy lights

8. Sequenced velvet red cushions to go with white laced sofa covers

9. Stockings, snowflakes and fog curtains

10. Santa sits alongside the bible on our red Christmas tree skirt

11. Santa sits thinking on the tree. He's joined by one of the camels of the three kings

12. Red christmas ornaments and paper cut flakes swing above the head.

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We are Birds of the Boundless Sky

This would be one of my favourite poems. Used to recite it pretty innocently while at school. Here's a translation of the same off a website:

We are Birds of the Boundless Sky- ShivMangal Singh Suman

We are birds of the boundless sky

Caged, we cannot sing.

Battered against these golden bars

Break, shall the delicate wing.

We who drink of free flowing waters,

Shall die of hunger and thirst.

Far better is the bitter berry

Than grain in a golden cup.

Within these yellow prison bars

We forget our speed, our flight

And visit only in lucid dreams

Our open swings within trees.

Such were our desires and more to soar

Beyond the boundaries blue

To devour the scarlet rays with beaks

And stars like grains, chew.

To blend with the horizon seamless

These wings shall thrash and throe,

To be one with that same horizon

Or only to be no more.

Pay no heed to the tree-bough

Destroy and wreck my shelter

but if these wings I am to have,

Do not distress these frantic flights.

Qissa Ek Raat Ka

Raat khamosh kade intzaar kare mera, ki mai kuch kahoon,

Ke wada tha oon se ki aaj guphtagu hogi.

Kuch raaz honge, kuch sikayatein hongi, kuch izhar hoga.

Par na jaane kyun, aaj zubaan khushk si hai.

Din masroof tha.

Uske raftar mein mehfil nahin jami.

Ke woh kabhi sawaloon pe utthe jawab, toh kabhi jawabon pe utthe sawaalon ki pemaish kar sake.

Lehaza, kuch der, kisson ko dibbe mein baand kiya gaya.

Kisse barte gaye, dhakkan kasakta gaya.

Aur phir,

Raat aata hai.

Sabr ka chadar bechata hai, sukoon ka wada karta hai.

Par na jaane kyun, ab zubaan khushk si hai.

The Perfume

Wisps of winter in the air,

An ever so slight fog hangs here and there.

Orbs of yellow streetlights look so much warmer,

The smell of a burnt off cracker around the corner.

There's the sweet whiff of the Gulachin flowers.

Memories of gift boxes arriving home, shining like stars.

Of holidays when children played around without a care.

Of love that hung gingerly in the seasonal air.

And so like an alluring perfume you could never perfectly define,

Are sweet October memories of mine.

- By the Witch