For a large chunk of my young-womanhood, I lived in B’lore, a heavily residential Anglo-Indian neighborhood. Despite having Khasi (Shillong) relatives myself, I wasn’t actually aware about the area; my family paid little attention to lineage and I never heard the language spoken. Until I met my best friend and later, my bro-inlaw. They were the main source of my North-Eastern influence in the neighborhood, particularly in the area of food. My first life-changing Naga-influenced food experience was delivered courtesy of my bro-in-law’s mum, Aunt Anung, in Nagaland. But not just any meat preparation. Her meals were tastier than any spread I had eaten before. The pork was perfectly smoked and fried, served with steamed vegetables and axone (fermented soy-bean) on the side of raja-mirchi (The Naga jolokia) chutney. When paired with a bamboo mug of red tea, made a far better nightcap than a Hot chocolate with a shot of Bailey's Irish creme mixed in ever could (well, maybe not far better).

So my first lesson in great food pairings came to me on a chilly evening, in a small town of light and bright colors and late night city occupants, while I sat at the dinner table combining tastes and on the edge of every flavor of meat, vegetables, side dishes and drink. And it’s still one of my favorite moments. The crunch of the roasted pork, the snap of the fried fat, the bite of the rajamirchi-axone mixed chutney; nothing on the planet sets up the taste and texture of a meal better.

Picture Courtesy : The Naga Kitchen

But the reason for this post isn’t about the recollection of a gourmet moment. There’s one other major culinary event for which I have the Naga neighborhood to thank: it’s the opening of The Naga Kitchen. The first Naga restaurant in B’lore city that I visited on Friday and Saturday. This local joint, serves a wicked version of authentic Naga cuisine, and from the moment I bit into my first roasted pork piece, I was hooked. I don’t care who you are, or how much you struggle with ethical issues around eating meat: you’re just going to have to admit that there’s pretty much nothing as delicious as properly cooked pork.

What's better than this? Almost nothing.

So allow me to say it: it’s time to come home to Naga food at:
The Naga Kitchen
#26 A.V.S Arcade, Above F Square Garment store
Terrace Floor, Opp. Adidas Showroom
Next to Empire and Nandhini hotel
Kamanahalli Main Road
Bangalore - 84

If you’re around this side of town, do get to The Naga Kitchen and taste some of their smoked pork and your ethical dilemma will be a thing of the past. At least until hunger strikes again.

In exactly three weeks, at 9:01 a.m. on Friday, September 24, I will turn 27. If 27 is dead in woman years, does this mean I am approaching resurrection? Or has my flesh finished rotting off my bones and is my skeleton just lying here, deluding itself that there is any life left in it at all?

Sara Bareilles : King of Anything

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I was trying to branch out a bit on this track. Most of the time I get into the groove of singer/songwriter Indie kid with a jones for folk tunes music and run it until it’s dead. But on this single I was looking for a bit more. A bit of pop oomph. Welcome to Sara Bareilles, almost-gonna-make it pop rock act. But I bring you good music with a focus on the music being good. Hence, she has made the cut.

So, hi. What’s up. Yeah, I know. Listen: I’m not so much abandoning EC as just sort of ignoring it. Totally different.

I’m trying to focus on texting elsewhere, offline, which takes up a lot of time, both valid and overstated. Also, whatever I write here lately would just be me gushing about my week so far with a cute boy, but I think instead I’ll keep it to myself cos there’s no way I’m going to make that particularly interesting or funny. In addition, my luck in all things seems to have done a giant flip-flop for the better, and I’d hate to jinx it.

On the whole, I’m super friggin’ glad. ‘Long-distance guy’ continues to painstakingly woo me. I know, I was supposed to not write about it, because it’d just be gushing, and do you want to read it? Hell no. The less you guys see me being all excited about this courtship ritual the better. All I’ll say is that he’s really really smart, witty and hilarious, so you can see what I’m dealing with here.

Right. Anyway. Moving along…to other stuff in my life. Uh… Runa and I watched Iron Man 2. I bet you have, too. And if you haven’t then I urge you to go for it. The best scene in the entire movie involves Scarlet Johansson looking like this and doing her own stunts:


So you know it’s good.

That’s all I got. The week brings dreadful work. Nothing too glamorous or exciting, but it’s money, honey, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my 26 years, it’s that love don’t pay the bills. It will, however, make you feel like you just ate a bar of chocolate, and what’s not to like about that?


As much as I'd love to hate this band called The xx - I really can't. Seriously. I'd love an excuse. But they're pretty awesome. The song ‘Islands’ is really infectious and I love it with a fiery passion that burns with the strength of a thousand suns. But I am positive that the geniuses behind this track have somehow infused it with the mental (television counterpart of weed). How else can you explain the subconscious urge that compels me to awaken with this track in my head? Were I to be deprived of ‘The xx’, I know I would experience the shakes, enter a violently spastic state and end up chopping my ears.

P:S To all my friends and family in Nagaland. Please be at the Jumping Bean Café, Dimapur, tomorrow evening for the Soulmate show. You know the drill by now, right?

I don’t get taping your sex sessions. I can’t imagine people being shutterbugs during a romp in the hay. I’ve never been a fan of recording moments with any of my boyfriends. For one, it’s dicey. What if I don’t remember that I took the pictures/videos, and by chance my parents get a hold of it? What if the camera gets stolen and the precise magnitude of my boyfriend’s pecker gets passed around? What if I get hit by a bus and don’t have an ID on me and the police check my bag to identify me - in the camera - that’s the picture they use for their HAVE YOU SEEN THIS WOMAN placard?

Oh, the horror.

For two, I’m of the belief that there are other folks who do it better, like porn stars and transitional obnoxious celeb couples.

On October 4th I'll be here:

Carrier pigeon or messenger dolphin will be the best way to get a hold of me.

I am very much looking forward to a relaxing getaway. My twin and I are joining my older sister and her husband’s family and it's just what the doctor ordered.
My trip to Nagaland last year was a huge adjustment but one that was understood and accepted as part of growing up and becoming part of a new family, which welcomed me with wide-open arms as if I was always one of their own. As the year passed and my life went through some chaotic changes there was loss and there was growth. But there was always a reminder that was still a family to go to if and when the opportunity presented itself.
Once again, it’s the north-east for me next month. It will be another holiday of long distance phone calls and long- awaited rendezvous. I will once again be joining my friend Z on some exciting adventures and meeting a lot of new friends. I’ll be going for two weeks, just when I shall be needing a cure from the coldness in B’lore. I’ve yet to finalize plans to Shillong, and I’m not entirely sure where my journey will take me. All I know is that we're going to Dimapur to stay a few days with my relatives. I’ll eventually wind my way through Kohima, and possibly few other places, before spending the last few days in Shillong and then flying home from Dimapur. I’m very excited and a big screamer that I am, I keep bouncing around the house yelling. "I’m gonna be on vacation!"

And I'll be sure to get lots of photos.

And now, dear readers, I must bid you goodnight. Despite a spike in energy from a certain drink, my eyelids are getting heavy and that I have the tenth season of Law & Order SVU. But before I do that, I shall leave you with a track.

Since a buddy of mine turned me on to Heart a few years ago, I've been hooked. Their early stuff was unique, free- sounding and rootsy. Their album - Jupiter's Darling - took a mainstream, more polished turn. The indie fan inside me hates to admit this but the 80’s fan in me loves it. I think it's a combination of the music and the memories. It was transformational to me. Ann Wilson’s vocals are perfect and who knew she had recorded so many solid backing vocal tracks? Nothing flashy, pretty straightforward but enthusiastic. Their single – ‘No other love’ takes a step or two back into the land of indie goodness while not losing the accessibility and old rock flavor that made them so brilliant and ‘The First Sisters of Rock & Roll’.

Until next time, here’s wishing you a wonderful weekend.

Things I Want....

I want to see the night full of city lights, flashing in orange, red and white, to remind me that existence still goes on even as I'm unaware of it.

I want to be in a café with Ash, talking about that which only we could understand about each other.

I want to be looking out the open window of my uncle’s house in Dimapur, to hear the people talking in beautiful Ao, even through the night. I want to smell the wood burning and the moistness of the soil.
I want music to be playing just for me. To lead me through decision after decision.

I want to lie on the beach. To feel the fresh, damp wind blowing through every strand of my hair. To feel the air and quiet consuming me whole.

I want to watch ‘Divine Connection’ perform, with the energy of their music around me as if the night would never end. I want to walk out of that performance into the deafening night air, my mind racing and humbled by the performance.

I want someone to take care of me, because I’m tired of taking care of myself.

I want to be different from everyone, but fit in everywhere.

I want to be passionate about more things. Attract other passionate people, feed off their energy, like a dialogue of ideas and inspiration and with them becoming something more than what I am by myself.

I want my music loud, while I walk through this life. Walking it off like it’s nobody’s business, dancing inside to the bass pounding in my ears.

I want to never give up.

I want to never be stuck in the rat race.

I want to smoke, drink, and eat cheeseburgers all day.

I want to always dream, hope, believe in something better.

I want to be surrounded by my best friends. To speak without thinking. To feel without caring. To confide without worrying.

I want this feeling to last forever.
If you pay attention, comics will teach you many important lessons, and this week, we learn that not every scumbag can be taken down with the judicious application of a kick to the face.

Awhile back I had got myself a copy of ‘The Watchmen’ and it’s one of the best comics I have ever read. Believe it or not, I sometimes exaggerate for effect here on EC, but there comes a time when I have to set aside any pretense and just lay out the facts, and this is one of them. This graphic novel, which casts a world of costumed heroes, is completely a fantastic work of art. I don’t know what happens in the last few chapters, as I had to stop before my head exploded from radness. This is the greatest comic book that has ever been published. Given the amount of time I’ve spent on it last week, it should probably have become pretty apparent that I tend to think about The Watchmen more than just about anything else I had read before.
For starters, there’s Alan Moore, who – it’s no surprise that a guy with his track record knows how to put together a fantastic comic, but he manages to pull off the neat trick of hitting all the familiar beats of a classic action packed story while still keeping everything fresh and exciting. But I must say that the real star here is the art. The book is a treasure, folks, and while the art alone would make the book worth reading, the way the pictures pulls off every beat of Moore’s script is just a joy to read.

And that’s today’s post. As always, if anything caught your eye, feel free to tell me about it, for now here is Smashing Pumpkins’ with ‘The beginning is the end is the beginning’.

Juniper Lane

‘We spent the day at home, in Dibuphar, 4th Mile. I was chatting away with my extensive kin. I’ve known all the members of the family for a couple of years now but my relative’s fiancé, ‘Chen’ is the new addition and while the nearest and dearest had a hard time accepting him into the family, we’ve grown quite close. He’s reserved but talented, witty, and a truckload of fun when one gets to know him.’

Post-trip proceedings: I have to say, it has been extremely exhausting. And it's hard to be really brief or humorous about it, as I am experiencing extreme anxiety even while I write this. I’ve been trying to catch up with all the updates at work and trying to do stuff that would’ve taken me 15 minutes tops; I now struggle to finish in 45 minutes.
Last night I found myself thinking about the past and all the times I’ve been so very happy – researching a book after an M.A lecture or running to work at the radio station. So really I am just a big old ball of sappiness right now. No neuroses. I am even recollecting studying for finals in a melancholy and longing way.
Now if only I could experience such contentment in the moment, rather than looking back at it!

Oh, and I realized yesterday that somehow a comment by Lionel hasn’t made it onto this page. Sorry buddy. Perhaps the web had a nervous breakdown. So if you posted a comment and it didn't appear, it's not because I hate you. Now, somebody else's comment I might have gotten rid of because I hate him or her. But not you.
I'm trying to figure out this problem with my comment mechanism. If you try to leave a comment and something funky happens, fear not; before long all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well. So, Lionel, thank you for your post. Oh I know your brother wasn’t Elvis in the play… he just sounded very close to the King. Thanks for stopping by.
‘Take Me Home’ : Rock/Indie/Pop

Interested?

This baby stretches past three minutes.

The track is by Juniper Lane.
Does the opening minute of this track remind anyone else of another song?
There’s just something so overbearingly uplifting about the opening segment. In a good way.
The louder you listen to this track the more you’ll like it.
This is an official dedication for all the music hyper informed and well connected bloggers and blog readers.

That’s all I got for this post. Check back often. I basically tell you what’s good and what I’m listening to. I succeed in convincing you that you’re not cool unless you’re just like me. Cheers.

I'm Back....

...from my little three week holiday and better than ever. Well, that’s if being better than ever led to being sore, slightly over tanned, a tired like never before.
It’s been awhile since I wrote here. It’s been awhile since I even typed on a keyboard. That’s colossal since I’m only online every other second. What’s even more massive was the amount of messages I received on Facebook and on e-mail while I was gone. During my trip I met quite a few musicians and discovered some new music that I can’t wait to share with you guys. Got Theja Meru’s album ‘Believe’ {score!}, I received an album from a singer I had met called ‘Changsen Pongen’ {double awesome} and while I wont be around in Dimapur to watch White Lion in concert I got a hold of their music.

Three weeks escape could be considered a dry spell {a small death if you will}, but I shall try and attempt to return EC to the brilliance that it was before my heart was reminded, yet again, of how much I love the mountains. So on with the show.

Nagaland was brilliant and impressive abounding with several mountain ranges, beautiful lakes and streams, the food, the military, multiple camp sites, countless shopping, open mic nights, local talent and a general sense of achievement and connection. But now I’m back, I should unpack soon and I must finish this blog before that. Let us all commence crossing our fingers.

While I didn’t have normal access to the internet during my stay in Dimapur, I still kept a record of the things I had experienced and seen during my days there. The next few posts might be filled with bits and pieces of notes from my journal.

For all my readers out there,I hope your November was a funfest like mine and you spent it getting tons of shoes and loads of food in your belly. I know I did. It really is something to behold and as this is my first long vacation since I joined my company, I surely did enjoy it to the fullest.
But regardless, if you had fun or not here is a track that anyone can enjoy. Consider this an introduction to the greatness that is to come. I hope to have a steady stream of posts from now until the New Year with a lot of great music, and quite possibly the best stuff you’ll ever see and hear on EC. Honestly.

If I was in my room all alone on a Sunday afternoon then this track leaves me head bouncing. Wait for the beat to pick up about thirty seconds into this one. It is worth the wait. ‘There goes the neighborhood’ by Sheryl Crow. More music is being collected as I speak. I’m off to unpack my life in awhile. Have fun this week in whatever country you’re currently located at. Cheers, and come back often.

And for anyone who would like to get in touch with me, send me music to listen to and possibly promote, or just say hi contact me: evelinerajan@gmail.com

On Vacation.

Hello dear readers, this is your captain speaking.

For those of who who have just stumbled onto this blog, I've been spending the past week in Dimapur, Nagaland and I've been living it up on a little slice of winter vacation. Due to these good times I haven't had a lot of access to the internet and it's really difficult for me to get to a cyber cafe in town and upload music. So I have no new music for you kids to gobble up. I’m spending this week visiting the capital, Kohima- specifically 'Dream Cafe' and the war cemetery. The following week I’ll be visiting some towns and villages in Dimapur.

As I wont be around for awhile, I’d like you to check out these fine blogs for your reading enjoyment in my absense.

Bhumika's Boudoir

Confuzd Jughead

Manuscrypts

Jugular Bean

The Eastern Glow

Pete

Enjoy them at your leisure. EC sincerely recommends them. To all my readers: Enjoy your November. Cheers.

We are lucky to live in a day and age when we can participate in this kind of social dialog about sexual abuse. It can only make us feel better about who we are as people, and as a result, I imagine would make us a better community. It's scary to talk about sexual abuse, given the culture of abuse we live in and the increased awareness of it. It’s so easy to be frightened by things I feel and wonder if they're normal or just another manifestation of my psychosis. And it really feels good to hear another person say those things, and out loud for us all to hear! Not that it makes it okay, it’s just that there are more people out there who have felt similar things they couldn't explain. People are capable of bad things and I, like most humans, feel a sense of anger and sadness when I read about "bad things" being committed against fellow humans especially to people I know. If someone close to me was touched inappropriately, well, I don't think murder would be that too far from my mind.

Abuse can be defined as "improper or excessive use or treatment". Something that is emotionally exhausting and anxiety ridden and very controlling at worst, especially if the person or victim has faced it very often. Of all crimes known to mankind, sexual abuse must be considered the worst for it leaves an innocent plus a victim to fend for themselves after being violated. It’s the height of arrogance by anyone. It’s a violation of the spirit that suggests that there is no credibility at all for which one human can honor another.

I know everyone was expecting a light-hearted post, but this is something that has been weighing on my mind and I figured the best thing to do was to write about it.

Oh Switchfoot. You make life worth living.

Yes, after something real serious, we’ve finally gotten back on track around here, but before we get to the music, a word of warning. It’s the week of audits, which means working overtime, worrying overtime and eating fast-food. So there’s a good chance that sometime during tonight, I’ll be lost to whatever you call it when you mix a heart attack and a coma.

That said; let’s get on with the music! For those of you who don’t know this, admittedly, I’m a huge fan of Switchfoot. It’s nice to have these boys back on EC with my second favorite song – ‘Meant to live’ off ‘The Beautiful Letdown’ album.

‘We want more than this world's got to offer
We want more than the wars of our fathers
And everything inside screams for second life’

And that’s the week. As always, any questions about something, you know where to leave it.

8 more days to Nagaland....

A Quick Update

At long last, my tickets have arrived for Dimapur, Nagaland. I’ll be going for a month long vacation, leaving next month: My Quest Is to Learn All I Can about Naga Culture and It’s People. I mention this not only because my blogging may be spotty for the next month, but also because some of these places I’m going to will have names, which I hope to god, I spell right.

First order of business: I must add him, my travel agent, to the list of people to whom I owe a debt of gratitude for his help in arranging my journey.

Second order of business: A Thank you goes out to my dear friends who offered to be my guides in the city.

Third order of business: Ru’s back and my package from my air hostess friend has arrived. Many little souvenirs from her trips around the world and a letter that left me crying. Pratz, I miss you!

So, that’s the update for Sunday! As for me, I’ll probably be over here re-reading the letter. Sob. Sob. Just… just knock first, okay?

Pictures taken by my best friend Imcha:

Traditional Ao Dress

Muse

There’s something about this track that is intoxicating. Almost makes me wish I was playing bass. This single impresses me with the amount of energy that is crammed into it. Seriously, a video of one of their live concerts will leave your mouth hanging open. Somehow they prove that nothing can be more awesome than a Muse track. If you’re only going to listen to one song today, this should be it.

More Birthday

I was in a haze of bliss a couple of days ago when I was talking to a college friend about the Naga way of life. It surprised me that I knew so much about my bro-in-law’s culture. This trip to Nagaland in November is going to involve a lot of research and I’ve also decided I’m going to learn a bit of the language- at least proper pronunciations of certain words and phrases.

My ex arrived in town yesterday. We are a long way away from getting into the R-word; and, it has become obvious to me and probably to most of you that I am on a search not for the love of somebody else but for self-love, which I am also a long way away from. It's also a combination of other things. Lately, I haven’t had any free time and it's difficult to find the time I need to write a post well. I also find myself wondering how much of what I feel really belongs on this page and how much should stay in my head. It's difficult to tell whether it's the mood disorders talking right now or common sense. Perhaps it's just one more of the things I find overpowering for no good reason at the moment.

I meant to post sooner but I got an unexpected call from my friend and blogger Abhi who told me he was in town and wanted to meet up before he left to Mumbai. I was introduced to him by my best friend Imcha a couple of years ago. Abhi, short for Abhishek, was this charming young man who spent hours talking to me about myth, history and art- I’m just very interested in it and he just happens to know loads about it. I know he’ll turn quite red in the face reading this but he’s one person I’ve always been in awe of. He is quite an inspiring person, a talented artist, an amazing singer and he speaks of art with such passion that it can literally get you high. If you have a minute and are in the mood for clicking and viewing unique pieces of art, click the link on the link is listed below!

http://www.abhiart.blogspot.com/

His recent work differs from the sketches he showed me when I first knew him. Now it’s more free form and fluid. To see his work in color with a more intuitive approach makes you wonder what he was thinking while sketching. The ability to paint his emotions is what I find so therapeutic about his art.

Under the ‘Blogged’ banner you will notice a slideshow of Ev’s Wish list, developed in order to help my friends figure out what to buy me for my birthday. Now come on, with a list like that, how can you guys not love me? I've been seriously planning my party from the decorations to the caterers to the seating arrangements and… I’m gonna have an inflatable bed. Talk about going all out! While I have an idea of what I'm going to do, I'm still kind of freaking out and nervous and excited and proud and brimming with all sorts of emotions about the whole thing. Cons- My nerves will probably take over me on the real day. Pros- Everyone will rush up to me after the party and stutter breathlessly that they loved it. I will thank them very calmly and tell them I had a great time. And the worry that my body would suffer would be worth it just to see them love my party.

And Dex is coming!

He’s had his priorities drastically misplaced for so long so I didn’t even include his name in the guest list but after his surprise call last night, he assured me that he wouldn’t miss the big day.
I feel kind of lame using this blog as a platform for publicizing my birthday, so I'm going to do my best to keep it to a minimum. That being said, next Friday, Sep 26th I’ll be throwing my birthday party as Wed (my actual birth-day) will just be too difficult for people to make it.
Hey, I might be growing out of being a youngster but I’ve got to come back as a star.

.....And I finally have the soundtrack to WALL-E. Sung by Peter Gabriel, here is ‘Down to Earth’