Shark Week!

I love Shark Week!  It's pretty much the best week of the year.  A whole week of awesome Shark Stuff plus it usually falls on the week of my birthday!  This year I decided to have a Shark Week premiere party.  We got to not only watch the premiere of the Shark Week programming but also enjoy foods fit for a King Shark.  I served two types of seafood sliders, cupcakes and drinks with shark cubes. 

First up were the Parmesan Fish Sliders with Basil Aioli.  I chose to make these with a white fish (talapia) that I finely chopped.  To the fish mixture I added a mix of italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder and fresh grated parmesan cheese and let it marinate for a few hours. I then added a bit of egg mixture and a few tablespoons of italian breadcrumb mix to help bind everything together and formed patties.  After cooking the patties in a frying pan with a bit of vegetable oil I served them on a mix of potato rolls and sesame seed rolls.  I topped them off with a basic basil aioli and a basil leaf.  Since, I love a variety of flavors when I'm eating I decided to make a second slider as well.  For the second slider I made a Teriyaki Shrimp slider with a spicy mayo.  I made this very similarly to how I made the first slider.  

I replaced the talapia with shrimp, which I seasoned with a store bought sweet teriyaki sauce.  Once again I added a bit of egg as a binder and some breadcrumbs to make the sliders a bit less dense.  For the breadcrumbs in these sliders I chose to use a panko breadcrumb as opposed to the traditional italian breadcrumb.  I topped these off with a spicy mayo sauce and a splash of the honey teriyaki marinade to keep things on the cool/sweet side.  These sliders were by far the hit at the party over the italian persuasion fish sliders.  In terms of construction they were much more difficult than the fish sliders though.  The shrimp was definitely less moist than the fish so the fine chop that I gave them didn't produce patties that were as well formed as the fish patties, they were much more crumbly.  Next time, I will definitely run the shrimp through a food processor to get more of a ground shrimp texture. 

Since you can't have dinner without dessert I also served some Shark Themed cupcakes.  I made these the day before the party and just topped them off with the Shark fins right as my guest were walking in the door!  The cupcakes are a pretty basic lemon cake recipe-- I injected some raspberry preserves in the center with a piping bag, for a nice surprise.  I topped the cupcakes with a blue raspberry marshmallow frosting.  I had some awesome marshmallow frosting on a wedding cupcake a few weeks ago and I wanted to try to recreate this on these cupcakes.  The shark fins were made of a basic marshmallow fondant that I dyed a gray/black color with food coloring.  

I didn't use a recipe for the sliders, I just made one up as I went along.  Since they were such a hit the next time I make them I will write everything down and post it.  The cupcakes were just a standard lemon cake recipe.  The marshmallow frosting which turned out really light and fluffy I made by using a basic butter cream frosting to which I added a teaspoon of raspberry extract and 8 ounces of marshmallow fluff.  I had a million bags of marshmallows at home so I had tried to make my own marshmallow fluff but I was really unsuccessful at this, I ended up running out to the store and getting "real" fluff.  I have 1/2 a container of fluff left so I am definitly seeing more marshmellow frosted cupcakes in my future! 

iPaperweight

There are a ton die hard Apple lovers out there from the hipsters, to the corporate work-a-holics, to the grandmas, to the bro dudes, to the suzy home makers, everyone seems to love iAnything now a days. I too was buckled into this bandwagon for a long time, more and more I am feeling like I want to jump ship.

A couple weeks ago the power button on my iPhone started sticking, sometimes I would push it and it wouldn't go to sleep other times I would push it and it wouldn't wake up. Annoying but, not annoying enough for me to drag myself to the Apple store to talk to a "genius." A couple weeks later the button completely stopped working all together. I broke down and took my iPhone 3GS to the "geek" bar so they could investigate. The "geek" agent peers into the top and bottom of my phone and promptly tells me that one of the four moisture sensors on my phone has been tripped, this is indicated by a pink strip in the headphone jack. Of course this renders my iPhone warranty useless and all I can do is buy another iPhone. I do NOT feel like spending $200 dollars to replace a phone I ALREADY spent $200 on. I of course pout and sulk out of the store with my sad semi-functional iPhone and pretty much resign myself to buying the new iPhone.

My brother has the brilliant idea of un-tripping the moisture sensor on my phone and then giving it to the geek. Unfortunately neither my brother or I have the balls to take apart and iPhone and start bob the builder-ing around in there. Fortunately, V does. After several hours spent hunched over my iPhone, unscrewing and re-screwing at least 35 very tiny screws the formerly pink water sensor on my iPhone was replaced with a brand new piece of tiny white paper.

Trip two to the "genius" bar went very similarly to my first trip to the genius bar, except this time the "genius" peered into the top of my phone and then peered into the bottom of my phone and the proceeded to hand me a brand new 16 gig 3GS. :-)

Apparently I am not the only one that is running out of love for Apple (despite the fact that this post was written on my Macbook Pro) there is a class action law suit being filed for mysteriously tripped moisture sensors on iPhones and Apples failure to replace them.

Other annoying things about Apple:

1. iPhoto hijacks control of all your photos

2. The iPhone doesn't support multitasking and the fake multitasking patch planned for the summer is at best two-tasking between the 4 applications that Apple will allow support for

3. The iPad is a dumb name for a product

4. The mark up on Macbooks is redic since at this point they are just basic PC hardware (which is CHEAP) running a super customized version of linux (which is CHEAP or FREE)

Personal Training

For as long as I can remember, I have always been afraid of the weight training section of the gym (I am not counting lifting 2 lb weights in my basement as weight training). I generally steer clear because:

a) I don't want to hurt myself by dropping something on my foot or dropping something on someone else's foot thereby causing them to hurt me.
b) The area is usually crowed with lots of very large dudes grunting and moving around with more purpose than Homer Simpson on his way to Moe's and I don't want to get trampled.

I decided to overcome my fear of the weight training section of the gym by meeting with a personal trainer at the gym at my hotel. I had my first personal training session yesterday, my trainer Manish (fitting name for a jacked up dude), showed me how to use some of the machines and lift some dumbbells.

For 50 minutes Manish showed me how to use various weight training machines and do some moves with dumbbells. While we were going through this exercise I couldn't help but think "Man I am SOOO weak, I am struggling lifting 5lbs." Luckily about 30 minutes in I realized that the weights were measured in kilograms, so I was still weak, but not as weak as I originally thought! Manish seemed like he knew what he was talking about because:

a) He was pretty jacked up himself, so he had to know a thing or two about working out
b) He kept filling me in on what ever '"oid" I was working out, deltoid, romboid, blah, blah blah

While we were weight training, Manish kept saying "Good" or "Very Nice," I am not sure if I actually was doing a good job or he was offering words of encouragement because I was paying him... He certainly did not yell at me like Jillian from the Biggest Loser (which I was a tiny bit sad about).

After the weight training we did 10 minutes of stretching. OMG guys, this was the best part of paying someone to make you exercise! This was not like the half-assed stretching you do on your own after a run cos you feel like you have to but really you just want to call it quits, this was like stretch arm strong stretching.

Despite all the stretching I am sore today, very sore. My whole upper body is sore, my arms are sore, my arm-pits are sore, my back is sore, my chest is sore. I never really was sure what was going on with the arm pit area, but apparently its muscles, muscles are what is going on and they are sore!

Accidental Double Date

I accidentally went on a double date a couple weekends ago...

A few days after the Hill Station incident I ran into the same breakfast crew while I was getting my coffee. Today the topic of conversation was weekend plans. Everyone was talking about a new movie that was coming out on Friday, called Ajab Prem ki Gazab Kani, or something like that (I know I am butchering the title). Someone asked me if I would go see the movie, I said I would, it seemed like it would be funny and the cutie Ranbir Kapoor is in it.

So Friday afternoon I get the following txt from one of the members of the lunch crew.

"Movie Sat? Jail or Gazam? Inorbit? - Adam"

I figured that this was a mass text out to the breakfast crew from the day before and replied. I got to the movie theater on Saturday afternoon to find out that the only people there are Adam, Rane, his wife and myself. I immediately think to myself, "I really hope that this is not supposed to be a double date." We watched the movie and afterward everyone started making plans for what to do next; get food, head to the beach, etc. At this point I attempt to excuse myself from the remainder of the nights activities, because I needed to buy a couple things from the mall. No such luck, everyone decides that running my errands with me will be more fun than going to the beach. I guess it was supposed to be a double date.

After my errands the making of post movie plans starts again... Again I say I can't go because I have some other plans already for that night, which I legitimately did (I was going to go out to this club called Bling with my cousin's husband's cousin, who lives in Mumbai also, thats another story though).

At this point Rane says to me very disapprovingly, "You know if you spent time trying to get to know people here, you will find they are very nice." To this I could only stare back at him in silence for about half a minute. Pretty harsh, I went to the movie, not sure how friendly he wanted me to be...

Aaawkwaaard

I would like to think that I am pretty socially aware; I can read between the lines, I can tell when guys are hitting on me, I can tell when someone is paying me a compliment that they really don't mean. This is true in the United States, in India I am pretty socially awkward, and not for lack of trying, I just don't seem to really get if what people say is what they really mean. I find myself thinking, after almost every conversation I have with someone, "Well, that was aaaawkwaaard."

One day a few weeks ago I went to the cafeteria to get some coffee and breakfast, usually I just eat alone and book it back to my desk. On this day I ran into some of the developers from my bay in the cafeteria getting breakfast as well. They invited me to join them, so I did, because I figured I should try to be social and make friends. So there are 6 of us sitting at a table eating, of course everyone is interested in hearing about how I like India, what I have done so far, etc. This is all fine, the awkwardness starts when someone suggests I should go visit a "Hill Station."

Rane: You should go to a Hill Station one weekend.
Me: Yea, maybe. How far is it? (Not really knowing what a hill station was)
Rane: 3 hour drive, you need a car. [Turns to friend] Adam, you have a car. You should take her. For a weekend.
Adam: [Looking uncomfortable] Ok.
Me: [Looking uncomfortable but not saying anything because blurting out No would be rude]
Rane: Great! We will go this weekend. [Turns to me] We'll all go.
Me: (Thinking: Oh shit this is going to be horrible, I need to get out of this somehow)
Adam: I have to go to a wedding this weekend.
Rane: Ok, we will make a plan for some other weekend.
Me: [Smiling uncomfortably] (Thinking: Well, that was aaawkwaaard)

I mean, I know Indian people like to show up to each other's houses uninvited and expect there to magically be a three course meal waiting for them... but volunteering someone for a weekend trip because they have a car seems like a bit much. I wasn't really sure what to make of this. I ran this by my friend, Robert, at work and he confirmed that this was pretty abnormal.

As the weeks went by I found out that Rane's odd behaviour was a result of him self-appointing himself to orchestrate ways for Adam and me to see each other.

So middle school. So not working.

Number 1

A couple years ago I picked up this silly saying about looking out for number one, ie yourself, as time has gone by I have taken this to heart. I wish I remembered where I heard this from or why it stuck as well as it did (if someone does remember, remind me!). Over the years (half in earnest and half in jest) I have said "You gotta look out for number one" in response to a lot of things: getting out of things I didn't want to do, making sure my young nieces remembered that life was not all about making other people happy, working out when I should be doing something of more utility (like work, laundry, spending time with my family), and million other things... Most of my friends and family know that I won't do things just because you are supposed to or out of obligation, so they don't even bother trying to wear me down about certain things because they know it just won't happen. (The only exception to the rule is my Mom, if she says it, it pretty much goes)

A few days ago, I heard about something that took place while I was in India and I thought it was pretty callous. It's not something really worth making a big deal of, because I am sure it won't end up affecting my life in the long run, but it certainly was something that left me speechless for a minute or two (and I usually ALWAYS have something to say). When I finally did formulate a thought, I couldn't help but think "The girl took lookin' out for number one pretty effin' seriously."

I am issuing an official amendment to the number one rule for myself: When looking out for number one make sure you are not mauling down numbers two through 25ish (or even running over one of their pinky toes a little bit).

Cool songs about number one.

Goldfrapp - Number One

Ms. John Soda - No. 1

Also, it's good to be home again, even if it is just for a week. :-)

Thanksgiving/Halloween

Everyone loves Halloween.  How could you not love halloween?  You get to dress up as whatever you heart desires, get into all sorts of trouble, and shriek wildly pretty much anytime anyone walks by.   Unfortunately, halloween is  not a holiday that is celebrated in India.  This was very sad for me.  (I even brought Halloween cards with me from the United States to give to all the new and awesome friends I was planning on making in India...)  

Since I missed it I am planning on making it up to myself and to all of you who didn't get to have as awesome of a Halloween because I was not around.  Halloween this year is a re-do, so everyone get ready for... Hallowgiving! Yup, you heard it.  I will be dressing up for Thanksgiving.  

My costume ideas so far are:   

Pumpkin, both Halloween and Thanksgiving themed 
Turkey, will be fun for all the kiddies 
Bumble bee, only cos that's what I wanted to be for Halloween   

I am open to suggestions if any one has any better ideas.   

I almost forgot the most important news: I will be home for the week of Thanksgiving, I get in to Dulles, Friday, November 20th at 2:30PM. 

*The inflatable turkey above was in a care package from some of my co-workers in Chicago. Thanks Scott, Sam and Allison!!!