What’s “BIH”, Tushar asked me. I had checked out their website so I knew that it stood for “Bollywood in Hollywood”. And the evening was pretty much that. Globe theatre in downtown LA transformed into a Bollywood arena as we friends, meeting each other after a while, sang and danced and drank our way into the weekend. The music itself was decent (some weird transitions there) but the venue, lights, ambiance and people were simply outstanding.
The floor burners!
Memorable mentions from the night are – the red ladies who kept stashing their coats in our booth (Rahil literally called security on them 😂), Robby giving me a tour of the dance floor, Tushar’s adventures with womenfolk and the men who accompanied them, our little choo choo train to the centre of the crowd, and Sunil’s biceps and chest popping out of his shirt. The gorgeous ladies in our group were living it up as always, burning the dance floor with their charming moves and infectious smiles. And then when we all stepped out in a starving state at 2 am, the samosas Rahil bought from Mr. Indian Santa Claus saved us from perishing.
Pretty people having a pretty good time
Then, Sunil and Dips pulled up in their glorious Tesla to give everyone a lift to their respective destinations. Everybody on the street watched as the wings of the beast opened to let us in. I said to myself – “Swag level is 100!” And then we all spent 10 minutes discussing how many will sit in the back, who will sit where, and how to move the seat forward. Everyone on the street was watching this too and by the time we left our swag level was minus 20!
SDD
Jokes aside – the most delightful part of the evening for me, as always, was the experience of us together in one place – laughing and chatting and singing and dancing. There’s something quite magical about seeing your dear ones have a great time. And you can’t go wrong with a little dash of Bollywood, can you? It’s often hilarious and heartwarming at the same time to see friends who don’t usually shake a leg, put on their dance shoes and let their hair down. This was one such evening!
When I was 10, upon my friend Sai’s suggestion, I wrote a letter to NASA that I love their work. In response, they sent me a packet full of stunning photos of planets and moons, making the Rs.45 stamp on my letter totally worth it! Fast forward to 2023 – I got a call from my friend Tushar one afternoon asking if I would like to go on a tour of the JPL. Despite being a space enthusiast living in LA for a couple of years, all I had done was check out the Griffith Observatory once. So this was an opportunity I couldn’t resist.
On the day of the tour, Sunil, Dips and I met at Tushar’s and took a ride in the fancy TT (Talathi Tesla). We picked up some burgers on the way and reached the facility just in time after a false alarm turn near La Cañada school.
The tour started with an informative video about the human journey to space and our accomplishments in the arena so far. We then began our walk through the campus. Right next to the auditorium was a room with models and exhibits of all the planets in order of their distance from the sun. There was also a cool little sphere marble by each display to get an idea of its size relative to the sun. It was astonishing to see such replicas of Galileo, Spirit, Oppy and also Perseverance.
Oppy replica
The little anecdotes and info about helicopters that accompanied the perseverance to Mars was one of the highlights. It’s amazing how there’s a little piece of fabric on the helicopter (first flying object on Mars) and it’s part of the same fabric that was tagged to the first flight on earth (Wright brothers flight) – simply unbelievable!
Replica of Perseverance at JPL in Pasadena
The most memorable part of this trip was looking into the workspace where scientists were working on the Europa Clipper – scheduled to fly to Jupiter’s moon in October 2024. It was really cool to watch the geniuses at work through the viewing bridge which had a pretty neat vantage point.
Part of Europa Clipper scheduled to head to Jupiter’s moon in October 2024
We were also taken to view the command room – something I had seen in various documentaries including my recent fav Goodnight Oppy – from where most space missions are controlled. It was enlightening to learn about various satellites on the planet sending signals to space, and also the different functions of the various space centers (Florida, Maryland, California).
JPL command room
All in all – it was an exciting outing with friends! It was refreshing to indulge in an activity different from our usual food and drink routine. It was also a reminder of the extraordinary experiences Los Angeles and SoCal in general has to offer!
This year started on a wonderful note with my first snowfall, some cool new friends I made at Laurel Tavern (we call ourselves Lunes Lobos), my friend Tanner’s screenplay reading at my apartment, a visit to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena thanks to my buddy Tushar (Shawn), a Santa Monica visit, a Hollywood tour, some cool hikes (read: Top of Victory) and a gastronomical tour around Los Angeles with the lovely littylovebug!
Special mention to Pedaler’s Fork – a place introduced to me by my boss James Vernille. It’s a bicyle shop, coffee place and trendy restaurant in the heart of Calabassas. We really enjoyed our cocktails as well as the burrito and pulled pork sandwich! And then there’s Gasolina of course – our go to brunch place in Woodland Hills that never disappoints. Not to mention – the spectacular southern California weather that never ceases to impress. It’s been a delight every time I left the house in January. Be it in Summer’s car or on my motorcycle, every outing has been a delightful experience.
Leaving you with some pictures –
The Lunes Lobos at Laurel TavernBig BearBubba Gump Shrimp at Santa Monica PierHollywood signTop of Victory hikePedaler’s fork in CalabassasLa FamiliaChilling at Casa De ShawnGalileo replica at JPLImpromtu hangout at Laurel TavernBelly dancer photo bombChennai Tiffins
As you take a walk through the short but trendy Ventura Place street adjacent to Ventura Blvd in Studio City, you go through some cool and popular joints. There’s Alfred’s coffee for any cappuccino lovers who also like sitting in the little patio overlooking the street, there’s McConnells ice cream for all ages and then there’s Joan’s on 3rd!
It drew my attention when I saw Maya Rudolph sitting out there one morning. I visited a couple of times and tried some of their breakfast items. With every visit I realized that this place is frequented by some of the best-looking, best-dressed people I have seen in LA. This surprised me as it’s not a club or a pub or a fine-dine place but simply a sweet, cozy, neighborhood deli plus cafe plus restaurant.
What I have come to like most about Joan’s on 3rd though is it’s stunning omelette! I get it with herbs, asparagus and cheese. It looks pretty plain but the way the delicious wonder just melts in your mouth is surreal.
I walked in a couple of minutes late around 7:02 pm. I thought since I had signed up at such short notice, my performance won’t be up until later. I was surprised to see that it the open mic night was already underway with an impressive musician singing to the piano tunes of a 16-year old artist. I put down my name in the register, literally the last one on a 9-item list.
I had visited this music store Licorice Pizza a couple of times as it was just a 7-min walk from home. Its cool sign outside that lights up in the evening, added to its stunning vibe. The eclectic record collection in the store along with some funky merchandise made it all the more alluring to people of all ages – especially music lovers! And then of course there’s the recent movie that added to its already prominent fame.
Host Aaron Ravioli on stand up night at Licorice Pizza in Studio City
Tanner was already in the audience when I walked in. Summer and I sat at the back listening to one musician after another playing some cool compositions. We also had the privilege of listening to a couple of high school poets – their words so sincere, honest and pure!
A musician performs at Licorice Pizza
And then it was my turn to go up. I was about to perform in front of people after almost a year so I was naturally nervous – but also pumped. It helped that at least two of my friends were in the audience so expected at least some sympathy laughs! My 5-minute piece went pretty well I would say. I got some compliments from people later. I also got some genuine notes from Tanner and Summer which I can incorporate soon. Overall, it was an inspiring evening and provided some momentum for me to get back on the horse.
We went back to Laurel Tavern for a drink and some more talk about music, movies, comedy and more. Tanner and Summer seemed to hit it off over cultural references I was alien to. It was a good time at LT as always and we called it a night with the promise of seeing each other soon!
After fighting the Mumbai Vs Delhi battle for years in Dallas, Nivesh and I had a new one to fight now – New York vs Los Angeles. He moved for work to New York and I to LA. So it was natural that we keep the tradition going. I visited NY last year and he finally decided to visit me in LA this week. While continuing the banter, he was able to take in some pretty things this city has to offer.
Summer started him off with a welcome walk in the Studio City neighborhood. We then ate at HOPE, a wonderful vegan place that has become one of my favorites in the area. I thought he would like that since it’s often difficult for vegetarians to find good food (as we had experienced on our New Orleans trip). We then did another short walk around Laurel Tavern in the evening (of course we had to! There’s a whole new post coming about this pub that’s like my second home). And that was his quiet first day in LA.
Our second day was dedicated to Santa Monica Pier. Summer drove us through Sunset Boulevard all the way to the ocean and then to Santa Monica. We are at the famous Bubba Gump Shrimp Co and walked on the pier. Then, we took a scenic canyon drive back home and kept it quiet and simple in the evening with some leftover food for dinner.
Finally, on his last day in LA, we decided to take the cliche Hollywood bus tour. That’s something I hadn’t done yet myself so this was a good opportunity out for me to play tourist too. Nivesh and I hopped on the bus at 1 pm from Sunset Blvd and the next two hours were dedicated to checking out some lovely houses, spectacular hilly views including the iconic Hollywood sign, and popular restaurants, clubs and hotels that are frequented by celebrities. Seeing all the fancy Mullholland and Beverly Hills houses was a special treat. We had no idea that our very own Shah Rukh Khan had purchased a house on Mullholland but sold it just 5 weeks ago.
After the bus tour, we hopped off the bus and walked around the popular Hollywood and Highland area. We spotted many stars on the Walk of Fame, checked out some cool and famous footprints at TCL Chinese Theatre, walked to the Dolby theatre and other Hollywood hotspots, and finally ate lunch at California Pizza Kitchen (makes sense for a New Yorker, no?) before heading home.
New York based Indian in LA’s TCL Chinese Theatre
Later that evening, we saw our friends Jeremy and Tushar at The Village. Nivesh called it a night after that as he had an early flight. And I went back to Laurel Tavern with my friends for some Saturday night drinks. It was fun to play both guide and tourist over a weekend to a dear friend, who might now have become a convert and lean towards saying – LA rocks!
A cabin in the woods with a warm drink in my hand watching snowfall outside the window – it’s probably a cliche dream for anyone who grew up in a hot and humid place. In early January, my dream came true as I visited Big Bear with Summer for a couple of days. With the beauty of working from home, we were able to pick an Airbnb cabin that had fast WiFi speed and delivered on its promise of a spectacular snow weekend.
The drive up was smooth thanks to our plan of reaching the cabin before it started snowing heavily. Summer had purchased snow chains for the tires to be safe but the transportation website mentioned that we didn’t need them so we hadn’t put them on. As the elevation started increasing, so did our enchantment. We were mesmerized by the snow clad rooftops, dreamy snow-covered trees, and lovely ski slopes sprinkled with enthusiastic kids. Finally, when we drove up to the cabin, it looked like everything I had imagined. Surrounded by snow and full of nice, thoughtful touches in the interior, the Cozy Bear cabin lived up to its name.
Then, about an hour after check in, it began. Soft flakes slowly transformed into heavy bits of white magic. I couldn’t stop but stay out and take it all in. Shot a bunch of videos and ran up and down the stairs a few times. I gazed at the surrounding trees and beautiful cabins which were getting a fresh coat of snow as I watched. I had seen snow in Himachal Pradesh, Kashmir and Uttarakhand in India but I had never witnessed snowfall. So it felt surreal and I naturally wanted to be in the thick of it for many hours. But my Mumbai body couldn’t take any more of the cold so I decided to get inside after just a few minutes.
Then, in alignment with my dream, we set up the fire in the fireplace, I brewed a hot cup of coffee, and set myself on a couch with a good vantage point. We watched the snow come down till it got dark and then dove into some hot food.
The next two days involved some more snow, walking to nearby restaurants wearing many many layers, and working from the best office I could imagine! The view from the table were I set up my laptop was something that’ll stay with me for a while.
I drove on the way back from Big Bear to Studio City (usually it’s Summer who drives her car while I handle the music). The drive took around 3 hours and was interesting with some turns downhill being a bit slippery due to ice. Once again, we didn’t need chains as it hadn’t snowed after our first evening at Big Bear. We had come well-prepared though after practicing how to put them on in Summer’s parking lot.
Overall, this trip served its purpose of emphasizing how Los Angeles is such a cool location where you can just drive to the beach in 30 minutes, or to the desert in an hour and a half, or to the snow in a couple of hours! And yes, it was also the trip of my first snowfall 🙂
Four of us decided to check out Mr. A.R.Rahman’s Le Musk in Los Angeles. I had these cool shoes I brought back from India because my father had left them untouched for a few years so I thought I’d put them to use. Felt like a good day to wear them. So there we were – two couples on a rainy day making it to Sunset Boulevard geared up for an exciting experience.
The movie was fun but not too cinematic. You enter the Le Musk room through an alley that has walls covered with roses. Then you are welcomed by a nice man who is very happy to see you and gives you an intro about the movie, hoping for some word of mouth publicity. You are then directed to your fancy chair pod where you get your VR headset but it’s not just that. As you discover over the next 40 minutes, it also dispenses MUSKS in sync with the movie. Pretty neat idea and almost well implemented. Without giving away too much, I can say that I enjoyed the visuals and the depth in this experience. But the story, dialogue, direction were all – sorry to say Mr. Rahman – quite amateur. Also, I could swear that my musks were off-timed!
Anyway, we then make our way out to get into the car and head to the pizza place (LaAntica) nearby as we are quite hungry. This is when my left shoe decides to give in! We try tying it up with the shoe lace, jumping on it hoping that it sticks back, looking for tape, etc. Doesn’t work. The walk is just 5 mins so I drag my foot till we reach our restaurant and then the table. The place is full of people but the three sweethearts with me don’t care so I am not embarrassed at all by the sound of my dragging foot! The delicious wine and marvelous pizza we have over the next hour make it all worth it.
And then, as we are leaving, my right shoe understands that there is no point fighting it anymore. So it gives in too. It’s sole departs with sorrow as I now drag both my feet, one after the other, to head outside. The others walk back to the car while I wait at the restaurant to click this picture.
It’s drizzling. The car pulls up. I get in with a smile and a nice story to remember the day I saw Le Musk at Sunset Boulevard.
Despite coming across it on and off for almost a year, I ended up visiting the Aroma cafe for the first time just a few days ago. One reason was that I always saw a long queue outside it every time I was in the neighborhood. This time, it was just a lazy day after Christmas and our timing was just right. There were just a couple of people ahead of us in the queue but soon many joined behind us.
The counter area looked pretty chic and cozy. Rates were affordable. We ordered our coffee, got a little token, and headed inside to be delighted by the fascinating Christmas decor.
I was also surprised at how big the space is. There’s a variety of seating (beautiful chairs and tables) and some cool art all around. It has a patio section as well as a cool, stretched out inner section. The overall vibe is very cozy, creative and elegant.
It’s a shame that I visited the next door Two Roads theatre so often but didn’t come to this joint for coffee. Well, may be this year!
Smell, heat, stray dogs, and erratic traffic – these were the first few things that hit me within one hour of landing in Mumbai after living in the US for 3 years. You see, I grew up in Mumbai/ Navi Mumbai and had spent all my life in India till the age of 32. Then, in an attempt to do something new and run away from the nagging expectation of getting married, I traveled to the US to pursue higher studies in 2018. Four years later, thanks to loads of luck that put me in the right place at the right time with some wonderful people – I now have a Masters degree, a job in Los Angeles, and an apartment and life I have settled into. I obviously wanted to visit home every year but COVID and my visa status made it difficult for a while. Finally, I was able to visit in November 2022. On the 24-hour air journey (LA – Doha – Mumbai), I couldn’t help but wonder how different it would be for me visiting home after so long as I had never spent this much time away from India before. My 40-day stay at home in Navi Mumbai taught me a few things about myself and how the last few years have changed me.
For starters – I was finding it difficult to sync with the chaos around me. Crossing streets where rickshaws and scooters and trucks and cars and pedestrians weave into each other used to come to me as second nature. However, this time it took me a couple of days to find my rhythm while walking the streets. I was hesitating to cross and stopping sporadically like a rookie. This was a big revelation as I did not expect it would happen to me. Next was the heat, humidity and air quality. While I grew up in this Mumbai weather, the Southern California weather seemed to have coddled me in a way that I couldn’t imagine. I was feeling the humidity right from day 1 and it only got worse. To think it was like that in December made me wonder what would have happened had I visited in April or May!
Then, there was the whole ‘staying with family’ situation. In Navi Mumbai, 5 of us (granny, mom, dad, sister, me) lived in a small 1-bedroom flat before my sister got married and I left for the US. For the past couple of years, I had gotten used to living alone in a bigger space so it felt weird for the first couple of days living with 3 more people in the same room. When my sister visited for a couple of weeks, it was all 5 in the little space. My Dad graciously let me have the bedoom when I was working and at other times, it was somewhat nice to stay spend time my family members in the living room. Not for too long though! After every few minutes, I felt the urge to be by myself.
Thankfully, I was doing fine with the spicy food at home and at the restaurants I visited with my friends. I was happy to learn that my stomach hadn’t forgotten the embrace of spicy mutton curry or delicious dosas and chutneys.
Breakfast with my buddy at Arya Bhavan in Chembur
It was also interesting to observe my outlook towards money. An Uber ride from one end of the city (Mazgaon) to the other (Vashi) cost around $10 which is what I would pay in California just to travel a few miles. Also, you could hire a driver in Navi Mumbai for Rs 700 for 8 hours if you had your own car. The idea to get such a service for less than $10 was something I couldn’t wrap my head around.
Traffic enroute Alibaug
One of the more pleasant lessons was that I was able to catch up with old friends and continue from where we had left off years ago. For some reason, I thought this is easier said than done. Everybody moves on with their lives and their families and with every passing day, it becomes difficult to pick up the phone. So I ended up thinking that meeting old friends would be an awkward experience but I was delighted to learn that it was nothing of the sort. For example, my best friends from high school happened to be there around the same time and we were able to have a fun evening chatting and catching up like we used to all those years ago. Same happened with my college buddies and other friends from different phases of life.
Back to when we were 16 😊
The biggest and most heartbreaking development was that my mother was diagnosed with dementia in this duration that I was away. While she remembered me on my visit and was able to hold short conversations, I could clearly see that she wasn’t as active, talkative or expressive as she used to be. Naturally, a lot of time was spent with her and in discussions with my father and sister about her care.
Overall, it seemed to me that my brain had forgotten how active things are in India. There’s so much happening at any given moment. As many a writer had mentioned – it’s marvelous how it functions amidst so much chaos. Like you see on an average street – Everyone is constantly moving and yet hardly anyone is bumping into each other. In contrast, I feel like my life slows down when I’m in LA. I sleep, wake up, cook, eat, work, go out, occasionally party, spend time with my girlfriend, and indulge in some extracurriculars… that’s it. This list was always a lot longer when I was in India and it was also the case when I visited this time.
Posing in front of the Arabian Sea
Strangely, when I got back to LA this time, it felt like I came home. And the whole India trip felt like a visit to a foreign land. Another thing I couldn’t have imagined would happen so soon! And to me! I wonder if this feeling is temporary or here to stay.
