Abu Dhabi Latin Festival

We all went to the Abu Dhabi Latin Festival last night and boy did it rock. 4000 people and over 30 musicians from the Latin American bands Raza Latina and Conjunto Massali played some great salsa, cha-cha and merengue tunes till the wee hours of the morning. This year they even had a dance floor! (it had slipped their mind last year)

We danced and danced and most of us girls cut our feet on the very rough and uneven dancefloor - but hey, who cares! There were alot of us salseras/salseros there, however there were alot of random people there, who were definitly enjoying the latin beats - but didnt realise that they could get off the dance floor if they just wanted to stand and watch. There is nothing more annoying than having to dance between people standing still, refusing to budge. You would have thought after being hit a few times by the dancers they would move out of the way. But no. So here we were ignoring the pain of our blistered feet and there were others ignoring the pain of getting whacked. Twas very amusing to say the least.

Oh and there were also those who would be walking up and down the dancefloor as if it was a walkathon, and those who would want to take a picture with their entire joint family in the centre of the dance floor.
Please note, I am not complaining (I had too good a time to complain), just sharing an observation on which I hope some non-dancers can enlighten me.

Anyway, all in all it was a night of great energy. It was super to get to dance to such great bands under the stars, took us away from everything for those few hours. Always wondered why Dubai doesn't have these sort of nights.

Irresistable

The one thing I have absolutely no control or discipline over is my consumption of Nutella.
Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner, sleep, full stomach - there is always room for Nutella. My mum bought us a double jar of it the other day. It has already been licked clean.

For some absurd reason I felt it had some sort of nutritional value. So having just consumed two slices of bread with a few layers of this divine spread, I thought I should atleast know how good (or not) it is for me. AND, to my delight - it is not AS terrible as I thought it might be. Nothing a few good runs can't get rid of.

NB: If you have never tried Nutella, you dont know what you are missing!

Great picture

Found this on the Sydney Morning Herald. A classic picture that encapsulates traditional India. Exactly what foreigners appreciate and sometimes we don't.

Made me think about being an NRI and how sometimes we forget where we really come from. This picture is so close to the heart, but so far away at the same time.

Yes, it has been too long since I went to India.

Cloud Fetish

Whoever said creativity and imagination is lost. Check out two clouds salsa-dancing!(?)

Cloud-spotters, cloud-poets, cloud-artists and cloud-activists. Talk about clouds turning people on. Wow. The world is full of surprises.

(NB: I have no idea how I rocked onto this page!)

Not Madonna!

The last person you could ever imagine plagiarising!

I'm not alone

Dont you just love it when you find an article online that 'speaks' to you? as if its a sign or something.

Its that time of the year when all clients want to finish their budgets and they have a whole month to do so. Hell runs lose, expectations soar, the word ' swamped' gets new meaning and you sit at home on your day off with a big question mark; whats all this worth? and whats the point anyway? If you work too hard, there are ball-ups, if you don't, you are left behind. Its a lose lose situation that is not fun to be in.

This article in the Sydney Morning Herald today did make me smile and realise I'm not alone. And today I was too tired to even watch TV.

Don't you just love pics like this!

In the wadi's of Ras Al Khaimah.

Another day in paradise

87,000 people dead in Pakistan, bomblasts had just happened in Jordan, and I was at a Phil Collins concert. Almost felt guilty being at the concert. Consoled myself by saying life is too short, must enjoy it while I am lucky enough too.

To all those who thought I was a sad person going to a Phil Collins concert, screw you - it was excellent. Infact, the best I have been to so far. As humans, we love to criticise - however at this concert, stage, lights, sound, production - everything was outstanding. And, there were'nt even lines to go to the loo! With 15,000 people at the venue - managing a no hiccups concert I think was a job well done, good going Mirage Promotions. Talent Brokers, I hope you were there to see how a good concert is managed.

Now, coming Phil Collins..what a performer!I did'nt realise an artist can sound so good live- for over 2 hours, non-stop. Like, wow - better than what he sounds on CD! He came with a full fledge troupe, guitarists, sax players, exceptionally background singers..and him on the drums! Actually..I take that back - Phil Collins solo on the drums was'nt that hot, not quite sure what he was doing, but he was great in a medley with two of his drummers and super on the drums when he sang ' I can feel it in the air tonight'. Oh..and he began the concert by welcoming everyone in Arabic, not just an Ahlan or Marhabba, but a whole para...which I thought was quite cool.

And I sang, and sang and sang and clapped and sang to all his numbers. Yes he is mainstream, yes his songs are soppy and cheesy...but they are also feel good songs and I really enjoyed every one of them. His energy on stage rocked - being over 55, hats off to him. Yes I would go watch him again.

Your existence captured in art

When I heard of this concept, I thought it was really cool - getting your DNA put into a piece of art that you can hang on the wall. But when I saw what comes of it - not that hot. Having what I am made of reflected in the form of multicolour retangular columns, hardly says anything about who I am. Would be cooler if it took some random design or form. Anyway, would still be cool when asked ' whats that on the wall? -- "oh thats my DNA".. :) Not sure if I would pay $400 for it though.

Looking deeper into it....perhaps this is some under cover operation of the FBI, or worse the US government to begin getting samples of human DNA through which they would ultimately be able to conquer the world!

Ok will not elaborate on that thought.

Trick or Treat?

Yesterday while I was in traffic (bored and bored), I sent a few people an sms saying 'Trick or Treat"? Immediatley I started getting responses, so I landed up sending it to almost 25 people I know, around the world.

A few said 'Treat' and a few said 'Trick,' some said BOTH!, God alone knows what they expected I'd do in return through the phone!? Some decided to share life changing news with me in reponse: "I've had a baby", "I'm engaged "...(!) and one of my friends said she'd kick my ass if I didnt pass by her house for Diwali (?). Then there were the philosophical types " a good trick can be a good treat" and "no tricks when I treat you..(?)".
Also, a few phone calls were immediate, as if they were thinking "oh my gosh what is she asking us? lets call!" and then a few decided to ask me if I was knocking on any doors that night. *sigh*..all in all a very entertaining dimension to trick- or-treat-ing on my halloween evening.