What is it about quotes that people just lap it up and remember for a lifetime? Of the umpteen books that I have read, I cannot remember a single quote. No matter how profound or powerful the thought. Every often I come across quotes that I think are great and worth remembering and using in conversations just to sound smart and well-read, but 30 mins after reading I cannot for the love of God remember it.
Do people highlight it in their books, take note of it in some obscure notebook/diary, mug up the quote instantly or are people in general gifted with such amazing memories that one reading cements the memorable quote in their minds? Does it not break the flow when trying to memorize the quote?
Of late in every book I read I see beautiful quotes. From Malcolm Gladwell in Blink who has some serious quotes on the power of human mind to Karla in Shantaram whose character has some of the smartest, best ever quotes to Haruki Murakami who just spits out whatever comes to his contemplative mind while he keeps running around in the streets in What I talk about when I talk about Running. But the question remains - how can i remember all these wonderful quotes? Work on improving my memory power? Or just pick random people and talk about the quotes so often that they are bugged and the quote gets embedded deep down in my brain?
Ah well, before I forget the newest 2 quotes I read yesterday (remembering from yesterday to today is itself is quite and achievement):
"In every shave lies a philosophy. No matter how mundane an action might appear, keep at it long enough and it becomes contemplative, even meditative act"
"Pain is inevitable but suffering is optional"
Pumped up Harsha?
Yesterday was the fist time I saw a Van Diesel flick - Fast Five. In spite of all the pumped up bulk and the deep booming voice, it was impossible to take VD seriously. What with a child-like face on a pumped up body. All the serious planning for the heists with a baby face somehow did not feel serious enough.
All that VD reminded me was of my friend Harsha (minus the big body, of course), the resemblance in face truly uncanny.
All that VD reminded me was of my friend Harsha (minus the big body, of course), the resemblance in face truly uncanny.
Cleansing the blog
This post is only so that the first post in my blog is not the pervert joke "howler or growler"....
Howler or Growler?
Q: What kind of bees produce milk?
A: Boo-bees.
Courtsey : Joke on the back cover of Salty Dog crisps
A: Boo-bees.
Courtsey : Joke on the back cover of Salty Dog crisps
Olio, Aglio and Pepperoncino
"Its pepper-on-chi-no", said the waiter. If its CHino like in Gucci, then where is the 2nd C I wondered. Aglio and Olio sounded as alien as things could sound and the ever familiar pepper also was pronounced with a twist, as Mr. Italian pointed out. OA&P is how I ended my day in Florence yesterday, a delicioso sphaghetti. Some pasta finally after all the thin crust Margharitas in venice.
For a consummate vegetarian foodie that I am, the chesse in the Italian dishes had started to get to me. Pizza with toppings of cheese, pasta with grated Parmesan, risotto with melted cheese.. What would not taste good with cheese I wondered. With my non-existant knowledge of meat dishes and my chessy knowledge of the vegetarian dishes, my trip down to Italiano did not excite any gastronomic desires. The Margharitas - the only affordable, vegetarian dish - in Venice did nothing to salvage the image of veggie Italiano dishes in my mind.
What made the OA&P taste so good, I know not. Whether it was the cheap Italian wines and Limoncello acting or whether it indeed was the cooks culinary skills. At this point my adventures with the wines deserve a special mention, a series that would make a true wine connoiseur cringe at its mention. A round of Chianti Rosso, followed by a round of some white Chianti with an accompaniment of potato chips(for lack of anything better). Ah well, I anyways do not understand wines. Gimme a Bud or Stella anyday, but this trip was all about trying new things. The wines were quickly followed by a round of Limoncello(chello..). This I got the pronunciation right and the guy behind the counter gave me an approving nod. Limoncello was unlike nything I ever tasted before - a lemon yellow, lemoney flavored drink. It came in a small shot glass looking very innocent, but did taste like a vodka mixed with lime. I read the "French Revolutions" as I sipped on. Halfway through the Limoncello my stomach started it own revolution, the grumblings could probably be heard over the music. A cursory glance at the menu and the only interesting dish was OA&P.
Enter OA&P. A lovely, lovely pasta. And as simple as it gets. The O stood for Olive oil, the A stood for garlic and the P for the pepper. And that is all the dish had. The flavor of roasted garlic and pepper in the warm olive oil with slightly undercooked sphaghetti was simply out of this world. The overflowing Olio in the dish.. Yummm... Would have licked the olio off my plate, if only I were at home. But then of course if I could whip up a meaty dish like that, I would not be going around to restaurants and making a fool of myself with all the wrong pronunciations.
At the risk of sounding like a tourist, I declare that OA&P was the best pasta I ever had. Three days down my Italian trip, having tasted only the Margharitas and not-so-different-from-ice gelatos, I realize I it is time to loosen my purse string and to get more experimental with food (and drinks of course). And off I head to try some new dish today. Here I come Firenze.
For a consummate vegetarian foodie that I am, the chesse in the Italian dishes had started to get to me. Pizza with toppings of cheese, pasta with grated Parmesan, risotto with melted cheese.. What would not taste good with cheese I wondered. With my non-existant knowledge of meat dishes and my chessy knowledge of the vegetarian dishes, my trip down to Italiano did not excite any gastronomic desires. The Margharitas - the only affordable, vegetarian dish - in Venice did nothing to salvage the image of veggie Italiano dishes in my mind.
What made the OA&P taste so good, I know not. Whether it was the cheap Italian wines and Limoncello acting or whether it indeed was the cooks culinary skills. At this point my adventures with the wines deserve a special mention, a series that would make a true wine connoiseur cringe at its mention. A round of Chianti Rosso, followed by a round of some white Chianti with an accompaniment of potato chips(for lack of anything better). Ah well, I anyways do not understand wines. Gimme a Bud or Stella anyday, but this trip was all about trying new things. The wines were quickly followed by a round of Limoncello(chello..). This I got the pronunciation right and the guy behind the counter gave me an approving nod. Limoncello was unlike nything I ever tasted before - a lemon yellow, lemoney flavored drink. It came in a small shot glass looking very innocent, but did taste like a vodka mixed with lime. I read the "French Revolutions" as I sipped on. Halfway through the Limoncello my stomach started it own revolution, the grumblings could probably be heard over the music. A cursory glance at the menu and the only interesting dish was OA&P.
Enter OA&P. A lovely, lovely pasta. And as simple as it gets. The O stood for Olive oil, the A stood for garlic and the P for the pepper. And that is all the dish had. The flavor of roasted garlic and pepper in the warm olive oil with slightly undercooked sphaghetti was simply out of this world. The overflowing Olio in the dish.. Yummm... Would have licked the olio off my plate, if only I were at home. But then of course if I could whip up a meaty dish like that, I would not be going around to restaurants and making a fool of myself with all the wrong pronunciations.
At the risk of sounding like a tourist, I declare that OA&P was the best pasta I ever had. Three days down my Italian trip, having tasted only the Margharitas and not-so-different-from-ice gelatos, I realize I it is time to loosen my purse string and to get more experimental with food (and drinks of course). And off I head to try some new dish today. Here I come Firenze.
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