Crumpled

Crumpled



Beyond my grasp

Defies my humanly grasp.......


http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=BfL2U0BJ48g&vq=medium#t=81

Noor Inayat Khan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noor_Inayat_Khan



I have been watching a lot of World War II documentary footage lately. Among many things and people that caught my attention, I got intrigued by the mention of Noor's name. What I had learnt during my school days was that India was not an active participant in the War. We stood neutral. It seems, not entirely.

Noor was of Indian parentage, partial. She was the great-great-grand daughter of Tipu Sultan, a ruler from the state of Mysore.  She was a daughter of an American mother and an Indian prince. She lived in Russia, France and then in Britain. She and her brother wanted to help war efforts and she became a spy for S.O. E. , Special Operation Executives, a brainchild of Winston Churchill . He intended to set the "Europe Ablaze" through this specially created section of the army.

She, in the end, got caught by Nazis and died in a concentration camp by firing squad. Supposedly, her last word was "Liberte".



Aida-an Opera by Giuseppe Verdi

Story:
An Ethiopian princess, Aida is a slave in  service of an Egyptian princess Amneris. Aida and Amneris both, love Egyptian soldier, Radames.  Radames loves Aida only. Without giving away too much, the king of Egypt offers Amneris' hand to Radames in marriage. How will true lovers handle it...................... 

Cast:
Except for dancers and priests' synod, only six cast members and they vary by performances. It was only singing; there was no acting per se just to emote pain and suffering.

Music:
I do not have musical ears but they all sounded good, especially Aida when she really belted it out. The songs were in Italian but they translated them on the screen for people like me. Orchestra was good too.

Venue:
Lyric Opera House of Chicago. A huge stone building built in 1928. Facade is old, I believe, and of Gothic style. Well maitained exterior.  Interior walls are ornate and decorated with gold foil. The theatre sits almost two thousand in audience, if not more.

Costume and sets:
Seemed authentic for the Egyptian and Ethiopian antiquity. Lot of usage of Indian brocaded silk and glyphed pillars.

Duration:
The show ran for three and a half hours.

Audience Demographics:
The theatre sits perhaps more than couple thousands. It was packed. Based on my unprofessional estimation, seventy to seventy five percent were baby-boomers and older. Same percentages for Jewish attendees. Six to four ratio between females to males. Fifteen to twenty in a hundred were orientals. A hundred or two blacks. And Indians.......two; two of us. 

Etiquette:
I saw only six children. All well dressed and well behaved. Show started right on time. Once the show started, pin-drop silence in the theatre- not even a random coughing sound. During intermission bathroom queue for females moved fast and in orderly fashion; no pushing, no shoving or elbowing.


All-in-all, a satisfying cultural experience.

Stoicism plus courage

It is soon to be the first anniversary of Japan's Earthquake-cum-Tsunami-cum-Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster. Once again I am reminded of Japanese people's collective strength in the face of adversity.

http://www.npr.org/2012/02/28/147559456/one-year-later-inside-japans-nuclear-meltdown

About two weeks ago I read above article. It details how plant workers, according to the author, "risked their own lives to prevent complete nuclear meltdown" . The Prime Minister also took a risk in landing his helicopter in radiation laden area of the plant.

After I read it, Japanese have once again, scaled two steps up in my personal opinion of them; they are not only stoic but now, also courageous with a hightened sense of community.

Oscars-2012, Fashion

I like fashion. Wearable fashion. Fashion that is worn well.

I have never liked  women's dresses with trails. They pick up so much dirt and who knows what else. I assume, the women of Hollywood never have to wear the same dresses again. Phew...

My vote for this year's best dressed went to Shailene Woodley, Natalie Portman and Gwyneth Paltrow (dress only, cape looked manly) in that order; not that my vote mattered.

Oh, I was very pleased to see A. R. Rehman in the balcony offering his music at the break-times.

Meson Sabika-A taste of Spain

It was a long drive; to a restaurant in an upscale neighborhood. The menu did not have appetizer category. Because Spanish food is served in appetizer size portions called Tapas. Many people do not like the sizes but I like them. That way you can try many items from the menu; and still do not waste much if you disliked something. Tapas can be cold or hot.


We ordered from:

Wine menu: 
Sangre De Toro-     A bottle (Rich complex Mediterranean aromas with exuberant notes of spices and         blackberries)


Dinner menu:
Tomate Y Queso-       Vine ripened tomatoes and Mozzarella cheese with balsamic vinaigrette
Patatas Bravas-        Spicy potatoes topped with Manchengo cheese
Empanda de Buey-    Beef puff pastry
Champinones-           Stuffed mushroom caps
Vegetariana Paella- Seasonal vegetables


Each item was tasty and was happily washed down with the wine.

When I selected the wine I did not pay attention to the name, only to description. When our very pretty and very efficient waitress brought and opened the bottle at the table she handed me the token it came with. A toy 'toro' (bull). Of course, then it clicked, Spain is renowned for its bull fights. Sangre in Spanish means blood. So the wine was "Blood of Bull". 

First couple of sips were not very impressive. But after the poured wine "breathed " a little, taste changed drastically. It became delicious, or was it that I felt too good to notice the difference!! Regardless, three glasses went down very smoothly.

I plan to buy a bottle for ourselves.

Winter arrived

Real winter finally made its debut. Moisture laden snow with its weight elongated tree limbs and made them kiss the ground for its own late arrival.....

My camera's battery died. Before the snow melted  away I took these from my IPhone camera.

Interesting pictures

A friend sent me some pictures I found interesting. I am posting a few with his permission.

A choice

Acrobatics so smooth it morphed into a dance

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=cWIhXzZT8dE&vq=largeS