Archive for On my mind...
One desire
February 1st, 2006 • On my mind...
What I truly, madly want right now:
Two tickets to the Torino, Italy for the Winter Olympics.
Meme – 4 Fings
January 31st, 2006 • 2 comments On my mind...
I don’t usually indulge in memes, but this – for a friend 
4 Fings. (why is it called fings?)
4 Jobs that have left me demented or influenced
- Waiting tables twice. (both experiences lasted exactly one day)
- Internship at InStyle magazine.
- Serving as Secretary for Indian Students Association
- Assistant to a Brand Identity Manager, Alina Wheeler
Recent Projects
January 23rd, 2006 • 2 comments On my mind...
I have been incredibly busy which explains the rare posts. I do have a few updates –
DesiCritics.com — the finest South Asian bloggers, writers and journalists in an adaptation of blogcritics.com (I will be cross-posting on StyleStation and Desicritics)
Mumbai Metroblogging – Although I cringe at calling my Bombay, Mumbai – that’s the official name. I do not live in Bombay but then again, I do not live in New York or in Philadelphia. So I’m entitled to write about and for a city I’m passionately in love with.
And — I will be covering the Fall 2006 New York Fashion Week (Feb 3 – Feb 11) for PSFK For updates straight from the tents — keep checkin psfk in the coming weeks!
Ironic
January 14th, 2006 • On my mind...
Transcript of an MSN Chat between a close friend in Bombay (Mumbai) and myself –
Friend: Guess what I’m having for dinner?
Jinal S: What?
Friend: Subway! Mmmm.. It smells soo good.
Jinal S: What kind did you get?
Friend: the veggie…what you upto?
Jinal S: Just getting ready… we are going to Jersey for pani-puri!!!!!!!!!! And pav-bhaji!!! And maybe a hindi movie after
Friend: Cool.
The irony of the chat struck much later– my friend was eating an American Subway sandwich for dinner and I was about to drive 2 hours to Jersey to eat typical, junky Indian food.
Hah.
Ritz Theaters- leading the future
January 2nd, 2006 • 1 comment On my mind...
Last night I watched Munich at the nearby Ritz theater. On the back my ticket it said,
People used to go to the movies as they now watch teleivision – not to see something but to see anything. We’re trying to select from the films avaiable to us, features for those who want to see something.
When you enter a Ritz theater, you know your choices aren’t limited to movies by the handful of known studios -TriStar entertainment, Columbia and Dreamworks. I’ve watched both obscure and mainstream movies at these theaters- movies like The Triplets of Belleville, The Motorcyle diaries, The Little Seamstress and Balzac and more recently, Memoirs of a Geisha and Munich. I’m not too impressed with the quality of the cinema screens– a little dull and dark. But the theaters constantly impress me with their selection of movies. A perfect mix of foreign movies and mainstream titles.
There’s a good chance you’ll never hear of the movies this theater plays if you don’t read its bi-monthly filmbill or don’t stop by the theaters once in a while. Strange movies in foreign languages, experimental movies , thought-provoking movies that discuss homosexuality, transexuality and unconventional relationships and political dramas that are too intense for regular theaters — are the usual pickin’s at Ritz. They strive to initate a dialogue. Every movie I’ve watched at Ritz has resonated within me and has become a topic of conversation among friends often leading to burning debates. I guess this reaction is what they are aiming for. From it’s website-
The Ritz Theatres aim to play films which will appeal to a discriminating audience — movies which portray people and experience in ways that bear a reasonable relationship to the way life is lived, or which possess elements of artistic merit or provide an entertainment based on adult wit.
At Ritz, paying $9 for a movie you’ve never heard of – is completely worth it. More theaters should take lead and offer a more diverse selection. Sometimes it pays to not think just in terms of profit. Do you agree?
CoolSpot- Site
December 21st, 2005 • 3 comments Culture Briefings, Marketing/ Advertising, On my mind...
Engrish is a collection of humorous english that is used in Asian advertisements and product displays.
Insanely entertaining and a powerful glimpse into the japanese consumer culture!
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India on a quest to return-to-its-roots
December 17th, 2005 • 26 comments Culture Briefings, On my mind...
When the ruling party changed Bombay’s name to Mumbai in 1995 Bombayities young and old revolted by making a somber promise to keep the city’s name alive in their hearts. And so we adhered to calling our beloved city, Bombay.
- The adjoining picture is appeared in The Times of India. Along with the picture appeared this note, "The street sign at the recently named Dr Sharad Pandey Chowk at Bandra was defaced four days ago. The incident comes in the wake of protests from members of a neighbourhood ALM group against naming the chowk after the late doctor". (Thanks Vivek!)
I even went to the extent of losing one mark in my final 10th grade English examination by writing Bombay in the address instead of Mumbai in Letter-Writing (A question worth 8 marks where we had to write a mock letter to a friend, a relative or a parent, usually describing a silly school trip or how celebrated a certain festival) I was proud of that mark I lost.(In 10th grade, every mark counts! – It is like the SAT’s for Indians) To date, I chide my non-Bombay friends who call it Mumbai, It will always be Bombay, I say.
Mumbai is for maps, notarized documents and CNN. Bombay is for its lovers.
As rich and heterogenous Bombay’s history is – it’s name has an even more illustrious history. What used to be a land-mass of seven scattered islands was first called Heptanesia by Ptolemy. When the Portuguese inhabited the islands, they christened the place, Buon Bahia or Bombiam- that meant "good bay," while the fisher-folk living on the fringes by the sea named the island, "Mumba," after Goddess Mumba, their gaurdian spirit.
In 1662, Portugual gifted Bombahia to King Charles ii for his marriage to Portuguese Princess Catherine of Braganza, Bombahia was soon angelicized to Bombay. And it stayed Bombay from until 1995. Once Bombay’s name was replenished to it’s Hindu name, a slew of other streets, roads, railway stations and airports were named after people from history and other valiant fighters. The justification was, "on anti-colonist grounds." At one point, I actually wondered if they might demolish the colonial architecture, railways and Brit-inspired schooling system. Thankfully, it must have been a tremendous challenge for the politicians because they never mentioned these factors as anti-colonial.
The trend quickly spread to other cities and Madras was renamed Chennai and Calcutta, Kolkatta. Here and other other English-sounding streets were changed. But the big news came a few days back when the government approved Bangalore’s name change to Bengaluru. And a proposal is being considered to change Delhi’s name to Hastinapur. I heard this news from an enraged Banglorean. "What sucks is, they didn’t come to me asking for my opinion if I want this change or not," he wailed. The name-change has evoked extreme reactions and has both its detractors and the locals, who have supposedly embraced the change. Some are glad to get rid of that last vestige of colonial flavor and some (like me) see absolutely no point in this nation-wide exercise.
India is getting a little too wild with this sudden, "return to the roots" streak- when there are really no narrowly or correctly defined roots! India’s culture is an exquisite amalgamation of hundreds of years of Aryan, Persian, Mongol, Arab, Chinese, Portuguese and British influences. Essentially, by getting rid of one – we Indians are discarding a piece of our history.
This name-change odyssesy has embittered some of us. The city we grow up with and that grows up with us represents our identity and becomes a part of our personal histories. A lexicon we build for ourselves. And to have that taken away is just malicious. A couple generations down the road, they will only read in history books that Mumbai was once Bombay and Bengaluru was once Bangalore. But they will never know the whole generation of peoples who knew and loved Bombay and Bangalore. They will never share that common history with us.
This may not be a big deal to some of you. To some of us, it is a big deal. Imagine changing New York’s name to…Piegoneye or whatever it was called before it was called New York. Or Imagine changing London to…(sod it- can’t think of anything!) It just matters.
Is this a cultural trend? Or is 50-year-young India still trying to discover it’s individuality? Answers to that will appear with time. For now, this discontent is what we are left with.
I won’t be surprised if India’s name is changed to Hindoostan in the next couple of years. I suggest you brace yourself for this as well.
Here are Aranyi’s views about the issue. Fierce!
A picture a day…
December 12th, 2005 • 1 comment On my mind...
Images are a powerful medium of expression. Getty Images, has initiated, Change Me, a world-wide project aiming to bring people together through imagery. The concept behind this project is to encourage people to select a photograph from Getty Images library that has the power to spark an idea, change an opinion, change a mood or change someone’s life.
I think it is an interesting project – only a little unfair by limiting it to submissions selected only from the Getty library. It would be more challenging and inspiring if people were encouraged to submit their own photographs that THEY have taken.
What say?
PS: I didn’t take this photograph, but absolutely love it. It used to be on my desk-top a couple of years back.
Trend-Spotting Guide
December 1st, 2005 • On my mind...
Although PSFK has already written about it, I have to add my two bits! Trendwatching.com’s December newsletter is probably the best it has produced to date.
Instead of rounding up trends, the newsletter shares with it’s readers tips and methods to spot trends and cool-ness.
A must read!
Black Friday is overrated
November 25th, 2005 • On my mind...
I am one of those who woke up at 7am in time for the grand sales. So Sue me. But heed my advice, it wasn’t worth it!
I’ve seen better sales AFTER Christmas than on the much hyped Black Friday. I can blame it on Media. But there are times when you have to step back and accept responsibility. And the truth is- Black Friday has become such a cultural icon that we consumers are willing to forgive the advertisers and the stores for not *really* giving us *the* deal!
I’m ofcourse tired, but inspite of my bickering and complaining, it was an enjoyable day. And I got to try the new Starbuck’s Christmas drinks (wink!)
Overheard
September 23rd, 2005 • On my mind...
..two women talking outside Barnes and Noble on Walnut Street..
(one of them was, obviously a high sschool teacher)
"you will not believe what Bush has asked us to do– on the national constitution day, we are now fukin supposed to teach a lesson about the constitution!"
as if the teachers have less burden..tcch