April 2008 Free Copy - CityMasalaApril 2008 Free Copy A Lifestyle and Entertainment Magazine for...

April 2008 Free Copy

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A Lifestyle and Entertainment Magazine for Today’s South Asian

CityMasala www.citymasala.com 6 www.citymasala.com April 2008

CityMasala is published by CityMasala LLC. The opinions and viewpoints of our contributors and advertisers do not necessarily reflect those of CityMasala’s. CityMasala disclaims any liability with respect to the use of our reliance on any such information and further disclaims any liability to any party for loss or damage caused by errors or omissions, negligence, accident or any other cause. CityMasala reserves the right to reject any advertisement they deem unac-ceptable or inappropriate for publication in CityMasala. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and originality of content. Copyright © 2005 CityMa-sala LLC. All rights reserved. Reprinting of any material without prior permission from CityMasala is prohibited.

Published By CityMasala LLC

Marketing Tampa 813-476-5415 813-642-3313

Marketing Orlando 813-465-2311

Email Sales: [email protected]

Editor and Publisher Chhaya Sanghavi

Shaphali Jain

Marketing Representative Orlando

Raymond Jhirad

Marketing Representative Tampa

Manisha Sajnani

TEAM MASALA Anita Singh Ashish Jain Javid Lateef

Dr. Maulik Trivedi Nandini Chakraborty

Nidhi Chanani Shahnaz Husain

Sheniz Janmohamed

Vish Viswanathan Guest Contributors

Attorney Amanda Gifford Dr. Adarsh Jain

Email [email protected]

On the Web www.citymasala.com

IN THIS ISSUE April 2008

CityMasala A Lifestyle and Entertainment Magazine for Today’s South Asian

12 Cover Story: Adeta Gayah - Dancing Into

Our Hearts

Adeta is on the road to success and glory. She seems to have

found the tools to succeed - hard work, dedication and that certain

something which only a few possess - star quality!

14 Beauty: Frost & Streak

Dyeing your hair the color of your choice or to hide grey?

Make sure you read this article to discover the healthier options.

24 Bollywood: Hottest Duos

Latest Bollywood Star Couples in-sisting on signing only if their BF,

GF, SO, wife, naukar, driver, maali, hair dresser, etc, are all starring in the

film with them - what is going on?

8 Eye On Business Purchase or Refinance - Get with our Mortgage

Experts

16 Legal: Short Sales of Distressed Properties

With the number of foreclosures skyrocketing across the country as well as here in Central Florida in particular, more and more individuals are buying

or selling properties which are in foreclosure or those where foreclosure is imminent.

18 Cricket: The Great Indian Cricket Mela

The clarification on all the hue and cry about the ICL and IPL. Javid provides some insight and the amaz-ing amount of money involved.

30 Daru Ka Nasha: Master the Scotch Cocktail

The Johnnie Walker company en-joys a huge following within our desi community. 8 out of 10 desis will only consume JW products.

18 Comic Strip: Small Hands 26 Health Talk: Obesity in Children 26 Parents’ Chat Room 28 Auntyji Ko Pucho 29 Tech Talk: Ode to the Wii 30 Restaurant Review: Aala Kabab N Curry

31 In The Kitchen: Recipe - Chicken in Green Masala 31 CityMasala Book Club:

Book Review - Passport Photos By Amitaya Kumar

32 Star Lite Star Brite: Horoscope


Has the real estate market hit its lowest point or are the values going to continue to plummet? Is this the best time to buy or is this the best time to refinance your home? Like many home-owners and investors, a lot of these questions may be going through your mind. The plethora of information on the internet doesn’t help to consolidate the information the way you would like and talking to people gets you neither here nor there.

We took it upon ourselves to get to the bottom of what you should do. Here is the advice of some of the leading mortgage brokers in our area. Remember, you found this information in CityMasala!

ALLSALES MORTGAGE CORPORATION Dhimant (Demon) Patel 8910 N. Dale Mabry, Ste 19, Tampa 813.935.4994; 732-546-8565 [email protected] www.allsalesmortgage.com

What is the impact on mortgage rates from the recent interest rate cuts and if the Fed is lower-ing the interest rate, why have the mortgage rates not dropped accordingly?

A: The impact on mortgage rates, from the re-cent interest rate cuts, varies. If a person is look-ing for a HELOC (a Home Equity Line Of Credit), it has helped them. Most HELOC prices are based on the Prime Rate. As that rate drops, their month to month interest rate drops.

As for conventional mortgages, the rates have also dropped. As a matter of fact, a few weeks ago, they were the lowest they have been in quite a few years. However, it is becoming more and more difficult to qualify borrowers. Due to the prob-lems with the sub-prime market, a person with very good credit is still having a tough time get-ting a loan. This is because most lenders have not only tightened their guidelines tremendously, they have also eliminated a lot of programs. Today, no matter what your credit score is, most lenders will not finance more than 90% for a purchase. That changes to 80% for a rate and term refinance. For a cash out refinance, a lot of lenders have gone all the way down to only 70%. Therefore, unless you have a 700 plus credit score, it will be difficult to get a loan for the amount that you may need and it

will also affect the rate you will qualify for.

Is this the right time to refinance or buy a home – especially with the real estate market having hit one of its lowest of all lows in over a decade?

A: In my opinion, this is a very good time to purchase a home. The prices of homes have dropped dramatically and I believe that there are many deals to be had. The danger in that is that many potential buyers feel that this gives them the right to severely undercut sellers. Sellers are will-ing to lose a little, but, they cannot afford to lose a lot. There needs to be some kind of middle ground that needs to be established.

What are the options all consumers must con-sider before refinancing or taking on a new mortgage? What are some of the most popular types of loans available and is it worth paying the closing cost to knock off a point or so on your mortgage?

A: For borrowers looking to refinance, they must face reality in terms of what the value of their home is in this market. Rapid appreciation doesn’t exist right now, however, if you have had your home for quite a few years (5 or more), there will be some appreciation. If your interest rate is 7% or higher, and you plan on living in your home for at least 3 to 5 more years, then it would make sense to refinance to a lower rate. The length of time that you keep your home will more than pay for the closing cost associated with the refinance.

If a person is looking to purchase a home, they will get a good deal on homes today. Do not lose an opportunity because you think that you could

get a better deal.

You must also understand what type of loan program you are getting into. The saf-est will always be a long term fixed (30 years). If you have good credit, you can get a long term fixed rate that will be in the low 6s and possible high 5s. That is the most popular and safest program.

Option ARM products are available. These are the products that got many borrowers into trouble and led to the state of Florida being number one in foreclosures in the United States. Most mortgage brokers and lenders were not educating their bor-rowers on how the Option ARM products worked. This, along with the drop in property appreciation, led to many people losing their homes. If a person decides to go with an Option ARM product, they may get a better rate/payment. The borrower needs to understand ex-actly how the ARM is going to change and when it is going to change, in order to make an educated decision on whether or not it is good for them.

In this current home market, it is very important for all borrowers to understand and become edu-cated about the loan process.

BANCPLUS HOME MORTGAGE CENTER Aziz Charania 2651 N. Haitus Rd. Cooper City 305.725.0093 [email protected]

What is the impact on mortgage rates from the recent interest rate cuts?

A: The Fed has lowered short-term interest rates this year but longer-term bond yields have risen. These long-term rates helped fuel the homebuild-ing boom and the credit market's appetite for secu-rities backed by increasingly riskier mortgage loans, and it arguably put the economy into the trouble the Fed finds itself dealing with today.

If the Fed is lowering the interest rate, why have the mortgage rates not dropped accordingly?

A: The Fed makes a rate cut and current mort-gage interest rates rise. The current mortgage in-terest rate on 30 year fixed loans routinely inches up compared to rates before the cut. Consumers

are expecting the opposite to happen and yet it rarely does. This opposite market reaction is pretty consistent over the last few cuts. A Fed rate cut doesn’t automatically lower the longer term cur-rent mortgage interest rate and will do absolutely nothing for the folks sitting on recasting adjustable rate mortgages or mortgages on the verge of de-fault. The interest rate of 15,20,30 year loans, like long term fixed rate mortgages, are based on the competing investment options like stocks. A Fed Funds rate cut signals the stock market with an “all is well” from the Fed. With stocks looking more attractive, investors will actually pull money out of the mortgage backed securities and bond market (markets typically used by investors when “all is NOT well”) in favor of the stock market.


A: A powerful blast from lower mortgage inter-est rates has jump-started an opportunity to refi-

nance, and many homeowners are rac-ing to their lenders. You may be able to get a 30-year fixed rate well under 6%. During the week ending January 24, the rate fell to an average of 5.5% (plus 0.4% in fees and points), according to Freddie Mac. That's down from 6.7% in July 2007, and it's the lowest rate since March 2004. The better your credit score and the more equity you have in your home, the better the deal you will get. Most lenders won't make loans of more than 90% to 95% of the loan-to-value ratio except to borrowers with the very best credit scores. Some borrowers with fixed rates can bene-fit from refinancing, but

Contd. On Page 10


the biggest beneficiaries are likely to be ARM borrowers whose rates are due to reset.

What are the options all consumers must con-sider before refinancing or taking on a new mort-gage?

A:A homeowner is likely to choose mortgage refinancing for several different reasons including a lowered interest rate or the need to obtain funds from the equity in the home. Of course, there is always the possibility of obtaining an equity loan instead, but sometimes refinancing makes more sense economically, especially if there is a great deal of equity that will make payments between a first and second mortgage quite substantial and unaffordable.

Of course, there can be disadvantages as well, such as the fact that refinancing means you are starting all over again. If you bought your home fifteen or twenty years ago, that means it is half paid, and instead of enjoying retirement with a mortgage that is fully paid, you will still have payments remaining. This makes the decision, in

terms of mortgage refinancing, a major decision. Look at all of your options before you make a decision to refinance your home for debt consoli-dation. This should be your very last option and used only to preserve your credit, not rebuild it.

What are some of the most popular types of loans available?

A: The overall goal is to find a loan that fits both your current financial situation and your future plans.

Fixed-rate mortgages This carries the same interest rate for the life of the loan, the fixed monthly payment is easy to plan and budget for and can help protect against infla-tion. Fixed-rate mortgages are most common in 30-year and 15-year terms, but recently more lend-ers have begun offering 20-year and 40-year loans.

Adjustable-rate mortgages (ARM) The interest rate and monthly payment can change over the life of the loan. In order to protect against dramatic increases in the rate, ARM loans usually have caps that limit the rate from rising above a certain amount between adjustments as well as a

ceiling on how much the rate can go up during the life of the loan.

Hybrid loans These combine features of both fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgages. Typically, a hybrid loan may start with a fixed-rate for a certain length of time, and then later convert to an adjustable-rate mortgage.

Is it worth paying the closing cost to knock off a point or so on your mortgage?

A: Keep your first priority in mind – getting the lowest rate possible. The difference between pay-ing, say, 6 percent and 5.5 percent on a new loan adds up to nearly $23,000 in total interest on a $200,000 30-year loan. If you have to pay a few hundred dollars in closing costs to get that rate, you can be rest assured that it is a worthy invest-ment. It may even be worth it to pay a point or so up front in order to lock in the lowest rates. In fact, if you're short on cash, you might even consider rolling the closing costs into your loan, if that is an option.

Contd. From Page 8

LOTUS FINANCIAL SERVICE Hari & Seeta Singh 2591 W HWY 441 Apopka 407.814.7501 [email protected]


A: It is only like a drop of salt in the ocean.


A: The banks have not dropped their rates enough to stimulate the industry. It does not en-courage the out of state investor to come to Flor-ida.


A: It is a very good time for all buyers to buy their first or second home. There are so many deals out there and foreign investors who have a few houses in the market are either taking a loss or have dropped their asking price and are offering

down payment assistance to buyers. Also, the FHA is offering 97% financing to first time buyers and Orange County is offering up to $35,000 to-ward home ownership for the first time buyer.

As far as refinancing a mortgage , if you will save any where from 2% of the interest rate, its always good to get a lower rate. We offer a program called the “freedom loan” that helps people with positive cash flow to pay off their home in less than ten years and save tens of thousands in inter-est.


A: You must clean up any and all negative credit or pay a higher interest rate or at the very least, be at 35% to 45 % debt to income ratio. When buying a new home, you should have a good realtor who can work with the loan officer to make sure that you get the best deal possible in terms of how much you can afford.

What are some of the most popular types of loans available?

A: There are many types of loans available such as the “freedom loan” for those with a 700 and above FICO score with positive cash flow on a monthly basis. The FHA and VA can do 100% financing and then there is the traditional 30 year loan and the Option ARM loan.


A: If you plan to live in your home over a long period of time, it is worth it. If not, it is not worth it.

MAHARAJA FINANCIAL SERVICES Raja Paleja 1939 Boothe Circle, Longwood 321. 689. 6568; 407. 262. 0470 X 203 [email protected] www.maharajafinancial.com

What is the impact on mortgage rates from the recent interest rate cuts and if the Fed is lower-ing rates, why have mortgage rates not dropped accordingly?

A: First, it's important to clarify the cuts to inter-est rates. The Open Market Committee of the Fed-eral Reserve Board of Governors meets approxi-mately every 6 weeks to review the central bank's monetary policy. The primary impact on consum-ers is the target federal funds rate. This is the rate that banks charge each other for overnight loans. It also has a direct relationship with Prime rate - the rate that is tied to most Home Equity Lines of Credit (HELOCs), credit cards, and shorter term commercial lending. So – the recent de-crease in the federal funds rate by 0.75%

has the effect of reducing Prime rate by 0.75%. This means con-sumers will pay 0.75% less for HELOCs and credit card

Contd. On Page 27


By: Shaphali Jain

CM - Adeta - it’s great to speak with you again. What have you been up to since we last spoke in October of 2006? Adeta: Since October of 2006 my life has been one excitement after another. At the end of 2006, Heritage India Foundation offered me the oppor-tunity to perform at a show at the Royal Opera House in London. I accepted the offer and flew to London on the 3rd of January 2007. I met my cho-reographers and my dance partner the second week I was there and began training immediately for my two dances (one solo dance and one part-nered dance). I worked with 3 choreographers: Mira, for the solo and Vandana and Jyoti, for the partnered dance. Suresh was my partner.

CM: Was doing a partnered dance a new thing for you? Adeta: Yes, absolutely! The biggest challenge with that dance was learning to trust, and become dependent on, my partner, especially with the flips, twists and lifts. I was literally putting my life in someone else’s hands!

CM: We heard that you had an accident while practicing? Adeta: Yes, unfortunately we had a bit of a mis-hap during one of our practices and two of the ribs on my right side became detached from the carti-lage and I tore some muscle in the area. I was at the hospital for 2 days and was then in bed for 2 weeks. I slowly regained my strength and started to move slowly. I began physical therapy by mid to end February.

CM: You must have been under a lot of pres-sure to prepare for you performance? Adeta: Well, yes, by the time I was cleared for dance again, I had less than one month until the show. I had to double up on practices to make sure I would be ready on time. All I can say is that I never grew tired of it.

CM: So, tell us about the actual performance and how it went - we hear that you got a standing ovation for your solo performance? Adeta: I did! It was one of the most incredible nights of my life. I danced my heart out and received a standing ovation from the audience! The partnered dance was after the intermission - we hit every beat, lift and stunt - it felt amaz-ing. John Travolta and his wife were in the audience and came back stage during the inter-mission to offer warm wishes and congratula-tions. That was a night I’ll never forget. I felt like I could do anything!

CM: We also read about you meeting Aishwarya Rai/Bachchan - tell us about that. Adeta: It was absolutely amazing. I attended the premiere of the movie Provoked and fi-nally got to meet my idol, Aishwarya Rai! There are no words to describe the excitement,

nerves, and awe that I felt that night. She is more beautiful in person and has incredible presence. She is very sweet and does giggle a lot!

CM: You got the chance to work with HIF again, didn’t you? Adeta: Yes, when I came back to Orlando, HIF contacted me again and asked me if I wanted to try choreography. I had very little time to prepare and had only one week to teach a group that was purely classical and at least 2 - 6 years my senior! They were a great group to work with, all very supportive and talented. They jokingly called me “Chhoti Ma’am.” After my evaluations by HIF, I was certified at a Mastery level for both Perform-ance and Choreography. I am, to date, the young-est person to achieve an HIF Master of Perform-ance and Choreography level certification.

CM: What are you pursuing right now? Adeta: I am concentrating on my education for now. I am currently a senior at Rollins College and will be graduating in May with a degree in International Business and a minor in Communi-cations. I will be graduating with high Honors and from the Honors Degree Program at my school. I will be starting Graduate School in the fall of this year. I am currently working on my Master’s level thesis which will be published upon completion and sent to national and international conferences. I have worked very hard to achieve my successes in school and I am very proud that I decided to

complete my educa-tion.

CM: Would it be accu-rate to say that you now play the part of a role model for young girls in our community who aspire to be just like you? Adeta: I have received wonderful support and kind words from people in my community. I think the greatest compliment is when young girls come up to me and say that I have become their role model and they want to be like me. It means the world to me when parents say that their children look up to me and admire me. If I can reach out to people or inspire them in some way, then I feel like I have served my purpose. There is no better feeling than that.

CM: Let’s talk about your family a little. Adeta: Well, my dad is my number one fan. No one enjoys my performances more than he does. My mom is my lifeline. I have been dancing for 17 years, yet she is still there at every perform-ance making sure every safety pin or bobby pin is secure. My brother is my support. Even when I am

doubtful of things, he is there letting me know that if anyone can achieve it, I can. With this combination as my family, there is nowhere to go but up. I always want to make my parents proud. When I am per-forming, whether it is for a small crowd or a large packed auditorium, the thing that makes me happiest is looking out and see-ing my parents smiling back at me from the audience. That’s when I feel like they are proud of me.

CM: You had also talked about your dance teacher during our previous con-versation. Would you say that her teach-ings have impacted your attempt at chore-ography? Adeta: My dance teacher, Ms. Chandni, is the person who inspired me to believe in myself as a dancer. In my ten plus years of dancing with her, I have learned a lot about dance as well as about myself and life in general. I am very proud to say that I am still a student of hers and she continues to inspire me. Her creativity and ability to create unique and graceful movements is mind blowing. I consider her more than just my dance teacher, she is also a very dear friend.

We first met with Adeta Gayah in October of 2006 when she was featured in the Achievers’ Club column. At that time, she had just won an award from the Heritage India Foundation as the Most Gifted International Performer and was on her way to perform at the Royal Opera House in London in 2007. Since we featured Adeta in our publication, we have received numerous emails to do a follow up story on her. We touched base with her again - is she flying high or is she laying low - read on to find out just how levelheaded and humble she is, how driven and committed, and we are sure you will feel as proud of her as we did as we put this cover story together.

CityMasala Rapid Fire Favorite Book: The Kite Runner

Favorite Movie: Too many to count, but I’m particularly fond of the 2002 remake of Devdas.

Favorite Dancer(s): Aishwarya Bachchan and Madhuri Dixit.

Favorite Food(s): Hummus and cheese … and chocolate and ice cream!

Dream Come True: To dance in a Bollywood film.

Most important people in my life: Mom, Dad, and my brother.

Excerpt from an interview with Aishwarya Rai/Bachchan in SawfNews on who she feels would be most likely to follow in her footsteps and portray her in a biography in which she refers to Adeta Gayah. “I met a young girl in London earlier this year when I went to the premiere of Provoked. She was so beautiful yet unaware of the grace she possesses. She had a tall, thin frame and wide-eyed innocence that was filled with purity and tears. I thought I was looking at a reflection of my younger self. I was later told she was a dancer and had just done a show at the Royal Opera House. I was taken by her beauty and heart. I would want someone like her to portray me. Someone honest and beautiful but real.”


Over many years of giving lectures on skin and hair care, I have asked people if they have noticed falling hair associated with using permanent hair dyes. Each one of them individually agreed that since they have started dyeing their hair, it has started to fall, or the texture has really suffered. There was not a single case where the person said that using hair dyes has not caused a problem. Very often people have reported hair loss within 6 months of using hair dyes. As I had mentioned last month, here are some tips on frosting and streaking which I consider healthier options to dyeing a full head of hair.

Please send your questions and comments to [email protected].

By: Shahnaz Husain

STREAKING Streaking may not help if there is a lot of white hair. It is more suitable for those who have a few white hairs, or are looking for a glamorous look. It is a method in which some strands, as opposed to all hair, are colored. A few streaks of color can save the rest of the hair from damage and yet, give you a new and glamorous look. You could have about four streaks in front, which means that some strands in the front are colored. This can really look attractive and will certainly cause less damage.

If you go in for half-head streaking, it also helps to limit the damage. In this method, some strands are selected. They are bleached and wrapped in special foil. It can be started from the hairline to the crown, so that the streaked hair is fully visible. You will need a touch up in about 6 weeks, as the roots of your original hair color will show through. To have the whole head streaked, more time is needed, as the entire hair is bleached into a lighter color and darker streaks are used to set it off. The dark streaks begin close to the hair line and go up to the crown.

FROSTING Hair colors and dyes wear off, which means the procedure has to be repeated from time to time. The more you color, the more damage there will

be. So, here’s some advice on how you can reduce the damage by frosting.

This is a method which is extremely popular in the US and Europe. The idea is based on the fact that colors wear off. It doesn’t take long for roots of your original color to show up and you are ready for your next visit to the salon. This means repeat-ing the entire process at shorter intervals. With frosting, you can avoid this problem. It is best done at a salon, where you are made to wear a tight plastic cap, with tiny holes all over. With a device which resembles a crochet needle, the hairstylist pulls out the particular strands which need coloring and applies color. This saves the rest of the hair where color has not worn off.

IMPORTANT POINTS TO REMEMBER Whether you opt for permanent or semi-permanent coloring, here are some important points that should be kept in mind. • Try to use natural colors, such as browns, as they

go better with Indian skin tones. A drastic change of color may not suit our skin tone and may look odd. For example, a light brown or blond color would not really complement our skin tone.

• Eyes should be protected from all coloring agents.

• Keep dyes away from the reach of children.

• If you are color-ing your hair yourself, read the instructions care-fully and condi-tion your hair before and after coloring.

• Avoid having hair colored, straightened or per-med at the same time. You should wait for about 6 weeks before the other procedure.

• Protect your hair with a scarf or chunni from over-exposure to the sun after coloring, as sun exposure can affect the color.

• The first time you have your hair colored, it may be a good idea to have it done at a beauty salon. This way you can see the procedure. Make sure that you use colorants which do not contain am-monia. If you have colored your hair before, avoid applying henna, as the henna will disrupt the chemical color you have used.

Next month, I will talk about using Henna for col-oring hair and some other natural products that can be used instead of permanent hair dyes.


AN OVERVIEW OF SHORT SALES OF DIS-TRESSED PROPERTIES First and foremost, when you have a contract on a distressed property where approval of a short sale is being sought, the contract must be contingent on the seller’s lender’s approval of the short sale and you should immediately seek the advice and ser-vices of a closing attorney experienced in such transactions.

While these transactions are not difficult, they are time sensitive and require a great deal of contact and negotiation with the lender and/or the lender’s loss mitigation department so it is impor-tant to have an attorney involved.

Anyone attempting to buy these properties should also obtain written pre-approval for a loan, as far in advance as possible, because even if an agree-ment is reached between seller and purchaser, the seller’s lender is unlikely to even consider the short sale without the prospective purchaser’s showing of pre-approval for a loan in an amount sufficient to make the purchase.

Typically, the short sale process can take any-where from a few weeks to a few months and a property will need to have been actively marketed for sale for one to six months before a lender will consider a short sale; however, some lenders will make exceptions for this and other requirements on a case-by-case basis. Generally speaking, the process begins with an agreement between seller and purchaser followed by the submission of an entire short sale package to the seller’s lender. Compiling the required documentation will require a concerted effort by the seller, pur-chaser, realtors and closing attorney involved in the transaction.

TYPICAL SHORT SALE PACKAGE A typical short sale package is comprised of the following documents: 1. A copy of the listing agreement between seller

and their realtor 2. A financial worksheet and related financial

documents from the seller 3. A hardship letter from the seller indicating the

reasons for their delinquency and the circumstances supporting a short sale/short payoff of the subject prop-erty

4. A preliminary settlement statement showing the total proceeds that seller’s lender will actually net from the short sale

5. A copy of the fully executed sales contract

between seller and purchaser 6. Purchaser’s pre-approval letter/loan commit-

ment for the purchase; and 7. A Comparative Market Analysis (“CMA”)

from a realtor (or the lender may arrange their own appraisal/visual inspection of the prop-erty) and photos of the property condition.

Again, this represents the typical short-sale pack-age required by a lender but the procedural require-ments and required documentation will vary from

lender to lender. As such, the lender’s require-ments in your particular transaction need to be

determined and adhered to or the process can take even longer or ultimately fail.

After receiving the short sale package, the seller’s lender then reviews the net payoff they will re-ceive and approves or rejects the proposed offer, or makes a counter offer. If they approve the offer, then they typically require closing to occur very shortly thereafter and same is the reason why it is important for the purchaser to be ap-proved and ready to close. If they make a counter offer, it is up to the purchaser to accept same and proceed with a prompt closing, or oth-erwise, reject the counter offer. If the seller’s lender rejects the short sale, and further negotia-tion with the lender is unsuccessful, then a higher offer needs to be sought and the entire process begins all over again with the new offer.

Whether it be in an effort to cut their losses, or the threat of liability for questionable lending practices during the red hot market of years past, more and more lenders are agreeing to take $.50 to $.60 on the dollar, sometimes less, on the short sale of a distressed property. The key is to be-come knowledgeable and familiar with the gen-eral process of handling these transactions and

educating all parties involved regarding the same.

For more information, please visit www.centralflrec.com..

Please note that all facts above are general in nature and that all cases are unique. Before mak-ing a decision on any legal matter on your own, you are advised to consult with an attorney.

Please send your questions to [email protected].

With the number of foreclosures skyrocketing across the country as well as here in Central Florida in particular, more and more indi-viduals are buying or selling properties which are in foreclosure or those where foreclosure is imminent. While the thought of dealing with the sale and purchase of these properties may seem daunting, with a little extra effort and knowledge on part of all the parties in-volved, these transactions can be a profitable area of today’s real es-tate market for buyers and a way to stop a foreclosure and prevent a deficiency judgment for sellers. This article shall provide an over-view of dealing with the short sale of distressed properties.


This article has come about as a direct result of a conversation I had with the esteemed editors of this magazine a few weeks ago. The query …. what is this ICL/IPL stuff that is going on? I shall try and shed as much light on this issue as I possi-bly can.

I will go in chronological order here, so we shall start with the ICL (Indian Cricket League). This 20/20 format, which started off with 6 teams in 2007 was the brainchild of Subhash Chandra, the owner of Zee television. He had bid for the tele-cast rights for the 2003 World Cup, and even though his was the highest bid, the BCCI did not grant him the rights. There were several other incidents and to create cricket content for Zee, he resorted to starting the ICL.

The BCCI took great offense to this (how dare anyone but them make money off of cricket!) and made the ICL a ‘rebel’ organization which did not have any authorized sanction to create a league. This resulted in all players, Indian or foreign, who play in this league being banned from playing any kind of representative cricket (this is being con-tested right now by the ICL) ever again. It has been a struggle by the ICL to get the show off the ground as none of the grounds were made available to them, and they play all their games in a stadium in Chandigarh. The prize money for the winners is $1 million, making it the richest purse in Indian domestic cricket.

Kapil Dev and Tony Grieg are two of the old-timers that are behind the scenes here, and it is

largely due to their efforts that ICL exists right now. It has also attracted some great International talent, namely, Inzamam-Ul-Haq, Brian Lara, Shane Bond and Jason Gillespie. In 2008, 2 new teams were added, The Lahore Bad-shahs (comprised entirely of Pakistani players) and the Ahmedabad Rockets. This makes it 8 teams in the ICL. The Chennai Superstars won the inaugural 2007 tourney.

Now, the IPL (Indian Pre-mier League). Lalit Modi, the vice-president of the

BCCI, is the brains behind this operation. Whereas the ICL was a single entity owned franchise, the IPL cricket circus has been divided into 8 franchise owners, who have shelled out enormous amounts of money. Here are a few examples: Vijay Mallya ( $111.6 Million)- Bangalore fran-chise Shah Rukh Khan ( $75 Million)- Kolkata franchise Mukesh Ambani ( $111.9 Million)- Mumbai fran-chise Preity Zinta and Ness Wadia are the owners of the Chandigarh franchise and Juhi Chawla and hus-band have a stake in the Kolkata franchise too.

Now we get to the players and I will try and ex-plain this as simply as I can. Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid and Yuvraj were given ‘icon’ status, mean-ing they have to represent the city they are from. There was a player auction on February 20th and each franchise could bid for a maximum of 8 in-ternational players and of course, domestic play-ers. The Chennai franchise bought Dhoni for $1.5 million and Andrew Symonds went to the Hydera-bad franchise for $1.3 million. Ishant Sharma,

Rohit Sharma and Manoj Tiwary together fetched around $3 million. Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath went for $450,000 and $300,000 respectively. All the other interna-tionals were pretty much auctioned off at the $300-500K range and the Under-19 players,

who won the world cup, can play, but they just get a stipend that is agreed upon by the board. The coaches for all the franchises include Tom Moody, Martin Crowe, Kepler Wessels and the Indian fielding coach, Robin Singh will coach Hyderabad.

The biggest difference between both leagues is that none of the players have to sacrifice their first class careers, as the IPL is an official board sanc-tioned event. I had mentioned earlier that the ICL had the richest purse, but the IPL has upped the ante. The BCCI has made close to $2 billion from the sale of the TV rights! Apart from the salaries that the players will get, the winning team, after a 59 match schedule, will win a purse of $3 million.

It’s a whole cricket economy out there folks and one can only hope that this kind of money in the hands of these young cricketers does not corrupt them.

On that note … signing off for now.

Apart from the salaries that the players will get, the winning team, after a 59 match schedule, will win a

purse of $3 million.

By: Javid Lateef


R By: Team Masala

Ranvir (Saif Ali Khan) and Rajiv (Akshaye Khanna) are half brothers who own a huge stud farm in Durban, South Africa. They breed horses on their ranch house and are also the biggest bookies in the horse racing circuit.

Ranvir the elder of the two, is known to be a very shrewd man. He is very aggressive, and is always on the move. His half brother, Rajiv on the other hand, is very laid back, and is also a chronic alco-holic.

Sophia (Katrina Kaif) is Ranvir's personal secre-tary and is in love with him. Ranvir is totally un-aware of her feeling and regards her adoration as efficiency. Shaina (Bipasha Basu) is an upcoming Indian ramp model in Durban. She and Ranvir share a great relationship, which is just on the borderline of love.

RD (Anil Kapoor) is a flamboyant police detec-tive who lives by his wits. He has a strange addic-tion to fruits. He provides the film with witty humor and a very intriguing murder investigation. Mini (Sameera Reddy) is RD’s personal assistant. She is not very bright.

Shaina loves Ranvir but through a twist of fate gets married to his younger brother Rajiv. When she discovers that Rajiv is a chronic alcoholic, her world is shattered. Ranvir too is disturbed as he has sacrificed his love for his younger brother. Rajiv had promised him that if he got married to Shaina, he would stop drinking. Rajiv did not keep his word. Ranvir and Shaina start getting closer and the plot starts to thicken. A murder is committed, a contract killing is issued, double crossings become the order of the day, betrayals are executed at the blink of an eye, and a point comes where you cannot pick the good from the bad, the evil from the righteous and the tame from the wild.

A back drop of horse racing, the beautiful locales of Durban and edge of the seat excitement are the crux of Race.

Raja (Arshad Warsi) is the angry young man of the Krazzy quartet. His blood boils, his fists clench and he's ready to beat the daylights out of anyone.

Dr Mukherjee (Irfan Khan) has decided that he's the Captain of the team. With his own obsessions to bring in control, he doesn't realize he has to-tally lost control of himself and his mind.

Gangadhar (Rajpal Yadav) is a 54 year old who thinks he is still fighting for Swaraj and still hob-nobs with the likes of Nehru and Mahatma Gan-dhi.

Dabboo (Suresh Menon) cute and adorable, is

everybody's pet. Even when he can hear and un-derstand, Dabboo refuses to speak. And nobody knows why.

Dr. Sonali (Juhi Chawla) is a psychiatrist who knows what's wrong with her patients. As a sensi-tive woman she firmly believes that if you really want to make them well, you should treat them with your heart, not just your mind.

Synopsis: It's a mad, mad, mad world out there And everybody is worried they're going ba-nanas…. Except the Krazzy 4 Because they know they're already Krazzy! But are the Krazzy 4 ready for the world? And is the world ready for them? Watch out! The Krazzy 4 are coming your way! And yes … If you think they are crazy, think again!

Krazzy 4 has two special item numbers by Rakhi Sawant and Shah Rukh Khan. The Rakhi number has her shaking her leg along with Makrand Deshpande while Shah Rukh’s number is slick and stylish. To be released in April.

The first time Ajay (Ajay Devgan) saw Pia, (Kajol), she served him drinks. She affected him more than the alcohol, and he found true love.

He is a leading psychiatrist, but she messes up his mind. The first time Pia saw Ajay, he had too much to drink. She watched him make a fool of himself, and was relieved when he passed out. She was a woman who followed her heart, but despite his claims of true love, she had made up her mind.

So began the story of Ajay and Pia - a love story, that begins at sea. Ajay is on a cruise with his friends – Nikhil and Reena, unhappily married, and Vicky and Natasha, happily unmarried. After a disastrous first meeting, Ajay tries everything to woo Pia but she is not an easy catch. Finally, through sheer perseverance, he dances his way into her heart.

Ajay and Pia find an anchor in each other and with no doubt in their minds about the way they feel for each other, they rush into marriage, de-spite the advice and failing relationships of their friends. Their marriage flourishes, setting an ex-ample for their friends but then, they are pre-sented with seemingly insurmountable hurdles. Ajay and Pia don't give up. Every time they fall, they fall in love with each other.

This is the special love story of Ajay and Pia. Two people who love each with all their heart and soul; and in life and marriage, this has always been enough.

Sometimes the greatest journey is the distance between two people. To be released in April.

RACE Dir: Abbas & Mastan

Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Bipasha Basu, Katrina Kaif, Anil Kapoor

and Sameera Reddy.

KRAZZY 4 Dir: Jaideep Sen

Cast: Arshad Warsi, Irfan Khan, Diya Mirza, Rajpal Yadav and Suresh Menon.

U, ME AUR HUM U, ME AUR HUM U, ME AUR HUM Dir: Ajay Devgan

Cast: Ajay Devgan, Kajol, Isha Sharvani and Sumeet Raghavan.

E E L T A L K

www.erosentertainment.com




Adi Ki Aayegi Baaraat... Aditya Chopra has filed for di-vorce from his wife, Payal, in preparation for his upcoming nuptials with Rani Mukherjee. Ex-Mrs. Chopra has been given a lavish residence and her bank balance has been well cushioned. On the other hand, the elder Mr. and Mrs. Chopra are very sorry to see her go; they’ve consistently denied link-up rumors between their ladla beta and the Queen bee. Methinks all is not well in Denmark.

Tere bina jiya jaaye na… I don’t know about you, but I’m getting a little tired of these latest star couples insisting on signing only if their BF, GF, SO, wife, naukar, driver, maali, hair dresser, etc, are all starring in the film with them. Talk about sepa-ration anxiety!! Honestly people, grow a backbone! Saif won’t do anything without Kareena; Ash and Abhishek are on a signing spree with each other, Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor are doing films and ads together, despite each being just one film old!

Love ke liye kuch bhi karega... The Saif-Kareena thing is getting a little out of hand, don’t you think? He’s a forty plus guy, divorced from wife, dumped by Italian girlfriend, now going to all lengths to prove his love for his latest flavor of the year. Saif re-cently moved bag and baggage to

be closer to Kareena’s current resi-dence. On another occasion, he chartered an airplane so that Ka-reena could spend some time with him. Huh? One has to wonder who’s the more insecure one and to what lengths Nawab Saab has to go for his mehbooba.

“Baap, beta, badman…” How aptly put by a recent publica-tion. The original badman, Gulshan Grover, will be starring as Abhishek Bachchan’s father in Dilli 6. And guess who’s playing badman’s fa-ther? Aby Baby himself. Totally cool. Now if we could only find out what the movie is actually about! Sapna mera toot gaya... After all the hype over Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Vaibhavi Merchant’s upcoming wedding, SLB has gone to great lengths to deny their engage-ment. Marriage and love, according to Bhansali, are very private affairs, and if such were to occur, he would let everyone know. Acting coy, Mr. Bhansali? Agreed, love and mar-riage are private affairs, but give us a little tidbit! Bienvenido a Miami All you folks close to Miami, keep a lookout for the following celebrities: Karan Johar, Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham and Priyanka Cho-pra. They’ll be shooting KJ’s next venture, Dostana, directed by Tarun Mansukhani. So if any of you folks happen to see any of these folks, especially Abhishek Bachchan, or if his father happens to visit, would you PLEASE let me know??

By: Nandini Chakraborty

B O L L Y W O O D




OBESITY IN CHILDREN

Obesity in children occurs when there is a generalized excessive accumulation of fatty tissues in the body. It is due to disproportionate intake of food com-pared to its utilization. Usually a child is obese at one year (rate of normal growth is high), from four to six years (overeating and lack of activity) and dur-ing adolescence (rate of normal growth is high). Often psychological disturbances can be underlined. Consequences of being overweight may contribute towards hypertension, diabetes mellitus, proneness to heart diseases, weight bearing joints disease and psychological issues.

By: Dr. Adarsh Jain

SYMPTOMS The child is heavier, maybe taller than other chil-dren of his age, has a double chin, fatty chest and breasts, pendulous tummy, the genitalia is em-bedded inside the pubic fat making it look small, the nose, mouth, hands and feet also appear smaller and sharper.

CAUSES • Hereditary • Nutritional - overeating due to boredom, de-

pression, greed or psychological causes • Inactivity - most common cause being excess

TV viewing and the burden of school work. • Physiological-hormonal or metabolic disorders

CURE Parents have to make conscious decisions on what is being placed on the table or offered as snack choices. Keeping children occupied in more physical activities is also a good idea to get them away from video games and television.

HEALTHY EATING • Educate your child about natural low calorie

healthy foods and restrict fats like butter, cream, cakes and candy from diet.

• Eating slowly and chewing food for a longer time. Ask the child to count mentally until 20 or 30 before swallowing the food in the mouth.

• A fixed place and time for eating meals. Avoid eating in front of the TV or while read-ing a book.

• Smaller portions and fewer helpings than the usual amount.

• Nutritious and low calorie snacks like carrots, apples, roasted grains or legumes.

• Eating a variety of foods satisfies the palate as well as provides more nutrition.

• Encourage extra fluid intake via soups and broths but not sodas.

CATEGORIZING FOOD FOR HEALTHY

EATING • Anytime Foods. Apples, cucumber, celery,

roasted grains and legumes. • Occasional Foods. Pizzas and burgers. • Special Day Foods. Cakes and ice creams.

ADEQUATE SLEEP Adequate sleep of at least ten hours relieves men-tal and physical stress and aids in weight reduc-tion.

ADOPTING AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE • Regular daily exercise or sports. Be firm

about continuing it. • Keep regular timings for the exercise so that

they are not skipped for inconsequential rea-sons.

• Encourage games, walks in the park, dance workshops, swimming, aerobics etc.

THERAPY Talk to your child in order to isolate reasons for unhappiness or an inferiority complex.

By: Dr. Maulik Trivedi

Q. Dr. Trivedi - I am 15 years old and have been dancing since I was 6. I am a classical as well as a very good Bollywood dancer. I really want to go to Mumbai to try my chances there - I feel I have great talent and that this is my true calling in life. My parents cannot understand this and feel I should first finish my education. They cannot entertain the thought of such a career choice. I can understand the importance of finishing my education, but want them to be open to the idea of letting me go to India during my summer breaks so I can explore my options there. I am getting extremely frustrated because I cannot get through to them. What should I do?

A: I can understand your frustration. It is not easy to accept your parents’ decision when you feel so passionate about your future. In your perspective, they appear to be putting roadblocks in your path to achieving your destiny.

A wise person once said, “The shortest distance between two people is understanding.” I suggest that you take a step back from your own perspec-tive for a moment and try to reverse the roles and imagine if you were the parent in this situation. When you do this, try to feel the concern and fear that your parents must be feeling. What is wrong with having a desire to pursue a career that most parents of your cultural background do not envi-sion as promising at the age of 16?

Once you have an understanding of the feelings of fear and concern that your parents must be experi-encing, you will be in a better position to help them overcome their negative feelings. You can take a patient approach to help reassure them with infor-mation and a step-by-step plan of action. If you

are too quick or too assertive, you risk raising their anxiety, which will backfire and spoil your plans.

If you pace your efforts to win the understanding of your parents by showing a genuine interest in understanding them first, you will have demon-strated a maturity that will make it easier for them to trust you. So keep your passion for dancing alive and please keep CityMasala in mind for a feature interview when you hit stardom!

Q. Dear Dr. Trivedi - I am hoping you can help me. I have two daughters - ages 12 and 14 - who are lovely girls in every way but cannot get along with each other. They are extremely jealous of each another and fight ALL THE TIME. My husband doesn't think it's very serious and says that it will settle down after a few years. I am afraid that they will grow into adults who will hate each other and it breaks my heart to see how they constantly plot against one another. Should I think of getting them into counseling or am I over-reacting?

Feelings of jealousy are a common occurrence among people of similar ages and psychological development. Being sisters who live in the same home is an ideal setup for developing jealousy and in most cases, it is a normal and age-appropriate feeling to develop as in the case of your daughters.

Nevertheless, the longer and stronger a child feels jealous, the harder that feeling is to overcome. Sometimes, jealousy becomes an integral part of one’s personality and leads to a disturbed and un-stable life pattern.

Jealousy exists between your daughters because they perceive themselves as competing for the same things, whether it’s clothes, money or even

time and affection of a parent. They are on an incessant chase to obtain what they perceive the other has. Jealous people must incorporate a lot of drama when they do this. They are trying to emotionally manipulate the situation in their favor by being dramatic which leads to discord and much tension.

As a parent, you want to break this pattern of per-ception. The best approach is to help each of them understand that they are individually unique people with their own interests and needs. They do not need to compete for the same things. They can allow one another to have more of something that the other does not want or need so much of.

You must also focus on improving their self-esteem. This is the antidote that runs low in people who are prone to feelings of insecurity and jeal-ousy. With improved self-esteem comes the pa-tience to be tolerant of others who appear to have more than us in certain situations. This resolves feelings of jealousy by helping us reason out that most people don’t get what they want all the time.

A counselor’s help can prove invaluable in your quest to accomplish this. A person trained in help-ing families (family therapist) can help you achieve what I have outlined above much faster and with-out so many hurdles. It would be a good idea espe-cially if you are seeing jealousy burning away the emotional bonds in your family.

Dr. Trivedi is a Board-Certified Psychiatrist. He treats children, adolescents and adults. Please visit www.MINDvantage.com for more information. Send your questions to: [email protected].


spending and commer-cial borrowers will pay

0.75% less on lines of credit, equipment leases and other shorter term commercial loans. However, the decrease of 0.75% in short-term rates does not affect the rate that borrowers will pay on typical long-term fixed mortgages. As an example, the average 30-year rate in June 2004 was 6.21%. During that same time, Prime rate has been as low as 4% and as high as 8.25%. Although the day-to-day fluctuations in the market do affect what rate borrowers will get on a home mortgage, news reports of the Fed "dropping rates" don't provide a reliable indicator of what that rate will be.


A: The best indicator of whether this is the "right" time to refinance or buy a home has to do with the borrower's unique circumstances.

If you are in the market for a new home, this is an outstanding time to buy. During the past several years the demand for homes was so strong that builders had difficulty keeping pace and real estate

brokers were presenting multiple offers for exist-ing homes on the same day they were listed for sale. Those days are gone, probably for the next couple of decades. Inventory, on the other hand has returned and buyers have every conceivable option available to them. Prices are slightly down, depending on the area. The home of your dreams is most likely available, and if you are a strong, eligible buyer, you can often negotiate on your terms.

Whether a person should refinance or not depends on the existing loan, the borrower’s needs, and his or her best guess plans for a future in the home. If the existing loan has a slightly higher rate, if it is an Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM), or if it has a balloon payment, it might be a good idea to refi-nance. Even if the loan has a low interest rate, a refinance might be an option to consider if you need cash from the equity. It is impossible to de-scribe all possible scenarios, but if you are unsure whether a refinance is right for you, sit down with a qualified mortgage professional. During a short interview he or she can make recommendations based on your circumstances for a loan that is right for you.

What are the options all consumers must con-sider before refinancing or taking on a new mort-gage and what are some of the most popular types of loans available?

A: In the past several months, some of the most popular types of mortgages have become scarce, or in some cases, have been eliminated altogether. Many of the stated income or no income verifica-tion loans and the “pay-option” ARMs have been affected. In any case, uncertainty in the market and low fixed-rate loans have made the standard, con-ventional loan the most popular choice in recent months.


A: It can be very worthwhile to pay closing costs, even to reduce the interest rate by less than a percentage point. This determination cannot be made without a detailed review of the borrower's individual circumstances. This is not a "one size fits all" question. To determine whether a refi-nance is right for you, sit down with a qualified mortgage professional.

Contd. From Page 10

PARAGON MORTGAGE Santosh Govindaraju 3105 W. Waters Ave. Ste 107 Tampa 813. 936.5100 [email protected] www.bankonparagon.com


A: The Federal Reserve is currently cutting the Fed Funds rate and other related short term bank rates. There is no correlation between these rates and the "mortgage rates". The mortgage rates that most people consider, are tied to long term rates that are generally pegged to the 10 Year Treasury Note. The current cuts are saving people money on their home equity lines and other loans tied to the Prime Rate which are common on com-mercial mortgages.


A: Mortgage rates are determined by the sum of 2 factors a) the rate on the 10 Year Treasury Note and b) the risk premium the market prices on mortgage debt. The 10 Year Note is priced based on auctions by the federal government. The pric-ing on these notes is driven by the supply and demand for US Treasury Notes. Given that the US is still relatively one of the safest places to keep money, there is still demand. The rates have come down to a certain extent. However, the risk pre-

mium the market is placing on mortgage debt has increased. Given the rise in defaults, foreclosures, and loose underwriting, there is perceived increase in risk. So while the treasury rate has decreased, the risk premium has increased.


A: The residential real estate market has hit a low. In our studies of the market, we have reached a floor that gains its support from the large bulk of stable homeowners and investors. It is a great time to buy because a) prices are terrific and b) rates are still near the all time lows.


A: It is important that consumers consider all the costs of ownership prior to purchasing. Every-thing from utilities, lawn & pool maintenance, association dues, property tax, insurance etc. must be considered. When comparing the rent vs. own options, it must be an apples to apples comparison and you must also have the ability to write a check when there is a major malfunction or damage to the home. When refinancing, it is important to think of the intention. If the intention is the need for cash out, then one should consider the options of a Home Equity Line or 2nd Mortgage. When its simply to reduce the rate, then one must look

for substan-tial savings before spending closing costs or look for a No Closing Cost mort-gage.

What are some of the most popu-lar types of loans avail-able?

A: The 30 Year Fixed and 15 Year Fixed are still the most popular and the most appropriate.


A: We recommend No Closing Cost mortgages when refinancing. You can lower your interest rate without paying any costs. Its a win-win situa-tion. It is not the lowest rate such as when you pay closing costs. However, if rates go lower, you can refinance again with no closing costs and ob-tain a further lower rate. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.


Q. Auntyji, I am asking for your advice because one of my friends suggested that I do so. I am 25 years old and was born and brought up in this country. I have been in love with a Bosnian Mus-lim boy for the past 2 years. My problem is that my parents are trying to arrange my marriage with an Indian guy. I don't feel comfortable with this and I want to tell my parents about my love, but I don't think they will ever agree to letting me get married to him. I am a Gujarati Hindu. I am thinking about eloping with him. What should I do? Should I go with my boyfriend or marry the guy my parents choose for me? Please respond to me immediately - before my life turns into a trag-edy! Anonymous.

A. Honey, your life won’t turn into a tragedy but you will certainly turn it into a big drama! You have a certain situation to deal with, and you have created the whole scenario in your mind. The script is already written. You are not even giving the people involved a chance to react to the situa-tion. You are convinced that you know what will happen and how they will behave. So, here you are, the director and producer (and the STAR), and you have decided to withhold crucial informa-tion from all concerned parties, planned their ac-tions, and then proposed a thrilling nail-biting conclusion to the situation. Now, that is what Auntyji calls creating drama in your life !

Wake up to reality, you silly girl. Look at the facts rather than running a movie inside your head. Answer all of these questions honestly, without any embellishments, and you will see the light yourself. You will not need Auntyji to help you.

Let’s start with the guy, the Bosnian Muslim guy that you want to marry. Does he want to marry you? Have the two of you talked about getting married? Has he ever proposed to you? Or is he just some one that you are dating, and now jump-ing the gun to elope with, because your parents are proposing marriage? What does he do? Is he capa-ble of supporting a family and the commitment of being married? Is he mature enough? Have you met his family? Will they have a problem with you being Hindu?

Now, your parents. Why have you not told them about this guy? Why are you so sure that that they will reject him? Just because he is Muslim? Are your parents really that religious and rigid in their thinking and behavior? Do they not love you enough to care about your happiness? Do you think that if given the choice, they would rather choose your happiness over losing you? Are you not close to them that you can consider walking away from them? Is there absolutely no communi-cation, or feelings between you and your parents?

And then there is you … the Drama Queen, the Star in the Tragedy, ready for an Oscar winning performance. At 25 years of age, you are obvi-ously not a very mature person. Do you work? Do you live at home and are you dependent on your parents? How well do you know this guy? Do you really want to marry him and spend the rest of your life with him? Are you mature enough to make this decision? Is this just a knee-jerk reac-tion to your parents proposal for your marriage? Are you just reacting this way out of rebellion? Why don’t you want your parents to know about your boyfriend? Do other friends or family mem-bers know about him? Are you willing to give him up? Are you willing to give your parents up?

Answer these questions with a clear head. Have some faith in your parents, and tell them about this boyfriend. Introduce them to each other. Have some friends or family members help you out. Find out from your boyfriend what he really wants. Marriage might not be the answer for you, and eloping with him, cutting your parents off without even giving them a chance, sounds very drastic. Start changing your life from a tragedy to a love story.

Q. Dear Auntyji, I moved to the US when I was 11 years old and am 14 right now. My problem is that my parents want me to be more religious. I am a Catholic Christian and I do follow all the church asks me to do, but my parents still want more. This exhausts me. They make very unrea-sonable demands like saying that I should stop watching Hindi movies because they are inap-propriate, not to talk with white boys and to wear long sleeved shirts. They don't even let me cut my

hair! I get teased a lot and my friends think I am "weird". When I try to tell my parents, they don't listen to me. How do I convince my parents that this is the 21st century and they need to stop acting like people from the 1st century? Trapped from Seffner.

A. Dear Trapped, how old are you? At the ripe old age of 14, you already know how your parents should behave and provide you with parenting? You seem to be a really precocious little girl get-ting a bit too big for her shoes a bit too soon.

Auntyji has a feeling that rather than trying to talk and reason with your parents, you tend to argue, give them attitude and sulk. Going to church does not seem like a lot to ask. Maybe if you sat down and watched some of the Hindi movies with your parents, they could see that not all of them are inappropriate and that you will be able to watch some of them. There is very little they can do about you talking to “white” boys as long as you behave in a sensible manner. Long sleeved shirts can be very attractive, and warm in a cold climate, otherwise, Auntyji feels that you and your parents can reach a compromise for appropriate attire once you learn how to reason with your parents in a manner that helps the situation. Long hair can be very attractive as well if it is healthy - you can make it look even better by keeping it brushed and neat. If it bothers you that much, try tying it up with creative hair styles and ribbons which are very much in at the moment.

If all else fails, try talking to another family mem-ber who may be able to mediate between you and your parents. What you need, my dear child, is to stop being so difficult about things in general and to give your parents some credit. They are trying to bring you up in what they think is the best man-ner. If at times they get a bit strict, or old fash-ioned in their thinking, talk it out with them. Be-coming exasperated and pouting is not going to help.

Don’t forget, life is short - live it to the full-est with attitude! [email protected].

By: Auntyji

Auntyji feels that women are definitely very different from men. They have more wants and needs, they create situations around them to complicate things and get both-ered by them, they cannot let go of things and this can start at an early age as is obvious through one of the let-ters she has received. Women are, however, here to stay and men will have to get used to them with all their quirks and eccentricities. Now, if we could only get this point across to other women as well - that they need to accept their species just the way they are with all their quirks and eccentricities - then ... then Hillary might stand a chance of becoming the next president!


By: Aneesh Mangla

It seems the never ending con-flict of interest between kids and their parents has found a new manifestation in the form of video games and the culture that they have brought into our lives.

It all started with a simple game of ‘pong’ and has catapulted the idea of virtual reality to every-one’s computers or televisions through various consoles. Video games have inspired major blockbuster movies and are now branching out into literature, with many independent book titles based on popular video game tales. With so much influence already under its belt, the video game industry, expectedly for some and surprisingly for others, has now taken to influencing the leading criticism present against it – physical exercise.

Primarily and aptly dubbed “the revolution”, the recently launched Nintendo Wii system is a video game console that re-quires players to physically apply themselves and move the motion-sensing-controller, the movements of which are read by the system and applied into the game. Whereas other new genera-tion consoles like Microsoft’s Xbox360 and Sony’s PlayStation 3 focus on delivering better graphics and processing, the Nintendo Wii boldly chose to break off from the norms and instead, aim at debunking conventional myths about video games altogether.

Ergonomically designed, the compact system boasts an internal memory of 512MB, Wi-Fi capability, 2 USB 2.0 ports, 4 wireless Wii-mote ports, and a 100% backward compatibility with software and hardware to the Nintendo Gamecube.

The most fascinating aspect about the Wii, however, is probably the name itself. Leave it up to Nintendo to do their homework before launching a product at a global scale. Nintendo

researched all the major global languages to find the name that can be spoken effortlessly by every-one around the globe. The word ‘Wii’ fits in the linguistic lexicon of every major language in use today. The two ‘i’ symbols are meant to signify two people, coming together as well as two of the Wii-motes. Phonetically, “Wii” sounds like “we”, symbolizing the consoles that can bring together

people of all ages, color and gender.

The name has definitely lived up to the game. Over this year’s Spring Break, I visited my aunt and uncle’s house. They re-cently purchased the Wii and seeing the entire family go at it is amazing! Its blatantly clear that the Wii isn’t a mere video game for children.

First of all, unlike other video games, the Wii doesn’t make use of the classic button layout hand-eye coordination. So your skill on a Wii has nothing to do with how fast you can push buttons and in what combina-tions you can push the buttons on a controller.

Veteran gamers will find that their carefully developed skills and toned hand-eye coordina-

tion hold no advantage over a first time player. Though it can be played by a single person, the fun part about the Wii comes from it’s multi-player modes. The games quickly draw you in and will evoke a fierce competitiveness in all

players.

The basic Wii pack includes the Wii sports disc which includes bowling, boxing, tennis, golf and baseball. Though the basic Wii motes are suffi-cient to play these games, Nintendo has come out with a wide variety of peripherals such as wireless tennis rackets and wireless guns, for shooters. If you’re looking to truly get into the action and feel like a pro, go for the extra gadgets, but at the end of the day, they can easily be done without.

The Wii has successfully gotten us off our couches and on to our feet. It wouldn’t surprise me if a few years down the line we’ll all be run-ning around in our backyards with a pair of vir-tual reality goggles and some other peripherals, seeded in a video game!

Comments? Write to [email protected].

Veteran gamers will find that their carefully de-veloped skills and toned hand-eye coordination

hold no advantage over a first time player.

SOME GAMES THAT ARE MUST BUYS FOR THE Wii

• Wii sports (included) • Super Smash Bros Brawl • Super Mario Galaxy • Madden NFL 07 • The Legend of Zelda : Twilight Princess


1. JOHNNIE WALKER RED LABEL COLLINS ($26 for 1 liter) This is made by pouring 1.5 oz of Red Label over crushed ice in a Collins glass. Add 2 oz of sour mix, 1 oz soda , 0.5 oz orange juice and stir. Garnish with a lemon twist.

2. JOHNNIE WALKER BLACK LABEL MANHATTAN ($40 for 1 liter) Pour Johnnie Walker Black Label over ice in a rocks glass. Add .5 oz (splash) of sweet vermouth, mix and serve. I tried this with Dimple Pinch since I did not have any Johnnie Walker and it turned out to be a smooth drink that took the edge off of the scotch.

3. JOHNNIE WALKER GREEN LABEL GREEN TEA ($46 for 750 ml) This is made by taking 7 - 10 mint leaves, crushing them, like you would for a mojito, into a highball glass and adding 1 oz of Johnnie Walker Green Label with 1/2 oz of Scotch liqueur or honey. Fill glass with ice and top off with 3 oz of green tea. 4. JOHNNIE WALKER GOLD LABEL GOLD STANDARD ($80 for 750 ml)

Start by adding ice, 1 oz of Johnnie Walker Gold Label Gold, and .75 oz of honey in a cocktail shaker. Pour into a rocks glass and add 3 oz of chilled champagne to the top of the glass. The drink is heavier at the bottom with the honey and scotch and lighter at the top with the champagne which eventually stops fizzing and produces quite a unique combination.

5. JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL PERFECT POUR ($200 for 750 ml) This is recommended by itself. Take 1.5 oz of Johnnie Walker Blue Label neat, serve in a rocks glass alongside a glass of ice water. Cool the mouth with ice water before each sip.

I have had some really good scotches with some fine cigars. The iced water brings out the full flavor of the scotch as well as the cigar. That’s all for now, folks. Work is driving me to take up drinking as a full time occupation and I will be back next month to share more stories about daru and the many ways to consume it.

Write to [email protected] with any questions or comments.

The Johnnie Walker company enjoys a huge following within our desi community. 8 out of 10 desis, in the US or back in desh, will only consume JW products whenever they celebrate a balle balle time. However, JW also wants to market itself to the younger and hipper crowd, here in the US, as well as all around the world. They have recently come up with a new line of scotch cocktails geared towards the younger market segment. Here are five cocktails that I got to know about since I have somehow earned membership to the “The Striding Man Society”, a group of individuals who share an appreciation for Johnnie Walker and in turn enjoy access to unique offers and opportunities.

By: Ashish Jain

By: Team Masala Mr. Syed Ali is the owner of Aala Kabab N Curry, formerly known as Delhi Dar-bar. The restaurant was taken over by him a few months ago and is slowly going through a complete revamping process, from the décor to the way the food is cooked.

Mr. Ali used to own Alibaba Restaurant in Tampa, on Fletcher and Dale Mabry, from 1986 - 1998. All items in his restaurant were made from scratch and it enjoyed the patronage of a very large vege-tarian community. A completely vegetarian buffet was set up once a week which was very popular and this was the only Indian restaurant that offered a buffet on Sundays. Mr. Ali is trying to bring elements of this restaurant into Aala Kabab N Curry.

After Alibaba closed down, Mr. Ali focused on his catering business, a business which he currently runs successfully, called Dream Events Planning. He always needed a kitchen for his catering and when the owner of Delhi Darbar needed some assistance, he got involved. Before he knew it, his passion for cooking, and having run a successful

restaurant, took over and he took over the busi-ness.

The specialties at Aala Kabab N Curry are their tandoori dishes and the biryani. He emphasizes that things are made from scratch and that he is trying to move to-wards using only organic

meat and vegetables for more authentic flavor. “We grind our own spices, our tandoori marinade is origi-nal and everything is made to order from our seekh kababs, chicken tikka and chicken boti kabab. Our tandoori items are very good and our biryani is authentic - the kind that you will find in Lucknow. I have lived in a lot of places in the world and know that the food at a restaurant has to be good for it to do well. Originality is eve-rything and that is what I am working very hard to bring about at Aala Kabab N Curry.”

The buffet lunch is for $7.99 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays and for $8.99 on Fri-days, Saturdays and Sundays. It includes tandoori chicken, chicken biryani, 2 meat dishes of chicken, lamb or goat, 2 vegetarian dishes along with sal-ads, condiments and dessert. Hot fresh bread is brought to the table.

For his catering business, Mr. Ali says, “all that people have to do is give us a chance. Once they tell us what their requirements are, we take care of everything from the napkins, to the DJ, the photog-rapher, mehndi, hotel rooms, every little detail.

They just have to dress up and come and enjoy their own event.” Mr. Ali takes away the hassle of shopping around for best prices on everything and pro-vides all services and materials at cost. You pay only a service fee which is determined by the number of people invited for the event.

Aala Kabab N Curry is located at 6812 Harney Road in Tampa and can be reached at 813-740-9786. For you event planning and catering needs, Mr. Ali can be reached at 813-610-3279.


Amitava Kumar’s Passport Photos is a multi-genre exploration of the immigrant journey, the perceptions and representations of South Asians in Western media, the problematic, and often overlooked aspects of identity politics.

The book is divided into chapters, “Language” “Photograph” “Name” “Place of Birth” “Date of Birth” “Profession” “Nationality” “Sex” and “Identifying Marks”. Each of these chapters mimics a section on the form to fill out a pass-port. They are used as a means to define a per-son, to pinpoint his/her eligibility to enter a country, to belong. Kumar goes through each section to prove that the effect is in fact the op-posite.

Kumar is able to synthesize the poetics, politics, humor and culture in a cohesive, yet nuanced way. He speaks of the misconceptions Western-ers have about South Asians, and addresses the incorrect use of various terms. One of the most enlightening (and amusing) discussions in the book revolves around ‘curry’. Yes, that’s right. “‘Whenever Indian food is mentioned’ writes Shashi Tharoor, “ ‘the non-Indian says with a knowing nod, ‘Ah yes curry!’ Unfortunately,

though, there is no such dish.’ “

Tharoor goes on to say that “Curry, essentially, is ‘any dish with gravy’ and, of course, there are countless dishes like that in every major style of Indian cuisine.”

Passport Photos is a miscellany of sorts - but instead of allowing the pieces to sit on their own as separate thoughts, Kumar engages them, and weaves them into his discussion.

His expositions are accompanied by photos, excerpts, lyrics and poems, which makes the read even more enjoyable. He also includes transcripts of his conversations with various people, and revealing statistics. The conclusion of the book ends with a beautiful poem, sarcas-tic, political and rich with imagery, “I have lost India./You have lost Pakistan./We are now citi-zens of General Electric./In this country, there are no new words for exile./And if you have nothing to sell, /you have nothing to say/that this, or that, is indeed you.”

If you’re interested in cultural politics and how the media has infiltrated and capitalized on our identity, this book is a necessity. It also happens to be incredibly entertaining!

Purchase this book on www.amazon.com.

By: Sheniz Janmohamed

INGREDIENTS • 2 lbs chicken cut into medium pieces

• ¼ cup oil

• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

• 2 green cardamoms

• 1inch cinnamon stick

• 2 cloves

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tsp Shah zeera

• 1 small piece of mace

• 1 small bunch of fresh mint leaves

• ½ cup coriander leaves

• 4 green chillies

• 1 cup thick yogurt

• 1 ½ tsp salt

• 1 tsp turmeric powder

• 1 tsp garam masala

Sauté the following dry ingredients: • ½ cashew nuts

• 2 tbsp coriander seeds

• 3 tbsp sesame seeds

• 1 tbsp cumin seeds

• 1 medium onion sliced

METHOD

1 .Grind the dry sautéed items along with mint leaves, coriander leaves, green chillies, salt, tur-meric powder, garam masala powder and ginger garlic paste along with yogurt into a thin paste.

2. Marinate the chicken with the above paste for 1 hour.

3. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan, and add carda-mom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, mace and when

it splut-ters, add the mari-nated chicken and let it cook on medium heat.

4. Mix from time to time until the chicken is cooked.

5. If needed, add water to make the gravy thin and adjust the salt accordingly.

Serve hot.

To submit your recipe along with original pic-ture, write to [email protected].

Preparation time: 45 minutes Cooking time: 25 to 30 minutes Serves: 6 to 8


Zodiac of the Month Aries: March 20th - Apr 19th Ruled by Mars; Gemstone: Red Coral; Lucky Day: Tuesday; Lucky Number: 9 The pioneer of the zodiac, Aries are always first in whatever they do, from finding the latest trends to being at the top of the corporate ladder. Oozing with confidence and enthusiasm to achieve, you must watch out for the Martian self-centredness coupled with direct-

ness of speech if you want to avoid heated words or debates. Between the sheets however, Aries are incredibly passionate with incredible stamina and endurance and love to pleasure their partners. Admirers should expect to be swept off of their feet with a direct approach that is bound to result in a passionate relationship. Your Horoscope: With focus placed upon self-image and the way one looks, there is no time like the present to update your ward-robe with fancy new additions and accessories. Rather than playing it safe with what you normally like, experiment a little, as a little imagination can make a huge difference in the way you look. Expect plenty of compliments and a general boost to confidence and wellbeing. Taurus: Apr 20th - May 20th Ruled by Venus Gemstone: Diamond Lucky Day: Friday Lucky Number: 6

With plenty of fun and frivolity to highlight the social scene, there is no stopping you in the pur-suit of thrill and excitement. You may prefer mixing with more eccentric and open minded people, discussing and indulging in unconven-tional pursuits, which may put off your more conservative friends. Don't be surprised to meet a special someone with whom you share a real mental and physical connection.

Gemini: May 21st - Jun 20th Ruled by Mercury Gemstone: Emerald Lucky Day: Wednesday Lucky Number: 5

This can be a rather introspective period when the inner being takes more impor-tance than the outer world. Use this influence to do some yoga, meditate or even tai-chi to de-clutter the mind. Clear and concise decisions can be made now which will serve you well.

Cancer: Jun 21st - Jul 22nd Ruled by the Moon Gemstone: Pearl Lucky Day: Monday Lucky Number: 2

This can be a time for success in the professional arena when pending projects and work finally come to desirable conclusions. A feeling of achievement is prominent and well deserved after a period of setbacks and delays that have left a rather bitter taste in the mouth. People are more respectful towards your efforts. Use this opportunity to make new contacts and get others on board with work in mind.

Leo: Jul 23rd - Aug 22nd Ruled by the Sun Gemstone: Ruby Lucky Day: Sunday Lucky Number: 1

With recent bills and debts that may have been left unattended, there is no time like the present to get this dealt with to avoid any unnecessary stress. Also, this a very beneficial time to look for insurance deals and mortgages that could save you money in the long run. Any investment made now can bring great rewards at a later date.

Virgo: Aug 23rd - Sep 22nd Ruled by Mercury Gemstone: Emerald Lucky Day: Wednesday Lucky Number: 5

With a desire to take up further learning or education, there is a lot to be gained at this point in your life. Whether you opt for an evening class, full time education, a workshop or even just reading a little extra, it can plant the seeds for future things to come. The internet or the local library can be a haven for the curious mind that can answer a thousand questions.

Libra: Sep 23rd - Oct 22nd Ruled by Venus Gemstone: Diamond Lucky Day: Friday Lucky Number: 6

With fiery tempers and heightened emotions taking center stage, there is little to keep the peace in close relationships. Rather than react-ing, try diplomacy before flying off the handle. It could be that you’re not the real problem but merely the scapegoat as frustrations tend to be directed at those who are the closet. Keeping the communication channels open will allow you to get to the root of what is really going on.

Scorpio: Oct 23rd – Nov 21st Ruled by Mars and Pluto Gemstone: Red Coral Lucky Day: Tuesday Lucky Number: 9

As the work arena becomes a more harmonious and sociable place to be, dealings with others take on a lighter note as well. There are plenty of opportunities to chat, mingle, gossip and joke, bringing about a level of camaraderie to a nor-mally ‘work only’ environment. New friends are likely to be made while older associations are strengthened.

Sagittarius: Nov 22nd - Dec 21st Ruled by Jupiter Gemstone: Yellow Sapphire Lucky Day: Thursday Lucky Number: 3

Your home can feel like a full house at times with friends and family constantly knocking on your door with tantrums and the latest gossip. Although this may seem like the perfect opportu-nity to catch up on the latest happenings, be careful not to take on other people’s problems, especially those who expect you to be their sav-

iour. One can only advise and guide, as ulti-mately, others must walk their own path.

Capricorn: Dec 22nd - Jan 19th Ruled by Saturn Gemstone: Blue Sapphire Lucky Day: Saturday Lucky Number: 8

Recent stress and burdens can leave you feeling weighed down and in need of some well earned and light-hearted fun. Take a break and go take in a movie, visit a theme park, the circus or even watch a game, anything that raises your spirits and puts a smile on your face. Feeling free and relaxed, even for a few hours, can do wonders to restore confidence and general well being.

Aquarius: Jan 20th - Feb 18th Ruled by Saturn and Uranus Gemstone: Blue Sapphire Lucky Day: Saturday Lucky Number: 8

Siblings and relatives can be the source of great conflict as different points of views come head to head in combat. ‘He said this and she said that’ is all based on simple bantering and a cry for attention. Before any real long term damage is done, it is best to rise above and not get tan-gled up in petty fights. By standing strong and firm, you will keep all trouble at bay, especially when they give up because you refuse to play.

Pisces: Feb 19th - Mar 19th Ruled by Jupiter & Neptune Gemstone: Yellow Sapphire Lucky Day: Thursday Lucky Number: 3

With a strong desire to discuss current events and future plans, you do not hesi-tate in sharing your thoughts and feelings with the world at large. Talking is certainly a strong point that can make one an excellent conversa-tionalist, keep in mind, however, that listening is just as important. Without understanding the appropriate feedback, there is little scope to gain a good perspective on the discussion. Nicolas Aujula is an AMANF accredited astrolo-ger with the New Age Foundation who special-ises in Natal, Relationship and Electional Astrol-ogy. He is also a Hypnotherapist, Past Life Re-gressionist and Metaphysical Healer. Visit Nico-las Aujula at www.inspired-artisan.com.

EMPLOYMENT Position available for stock broker with Orange Lion LLC, an Investment Company in Tampa, FL. Req a Bachelor’s Deg in any discipline and Series 7 license. Mail resumes to:2201 North Florida Ave., Tampa FL 33602 ATTN: HR

Position available for Market Research Analyst with Orange Lion LLC, an Investment Com-pany in Tampa, FL. Req. MBA with Concentration in Finance. Mail resumes to:2201 North Florida Ave., Tampa FL 33602 ATTN: HR

Position available Stacy David Inc., d/b/a Brandon Mitsubishi, a car dealership in Tampa is hiring for Operations Research Analyst. Req. MS in Industrial

Mgmt with Con in Firm Mgmt or its educational equiv. Candi-date must be computer literate. Mail your CV to 9915 Adamo Dr., Tampa, FL ATTN: HR.

Experienced Servers wanted to work at Dakshin Indian Cuisine in Orlando, Florida..please call (407)448-3672 or email at [email protected].

Retail showroom looking for sales and working staff. Great opportunities. Interested candi-dates send your résumé by Fax: 813-889-9535 or e-mail [email protected].

Furnished Rooms For Rent: For ladies or married couples in Temple Terrace area for $500 which includes water and elec-tricity. Call 813-477-3488.

April 2008 Free Copy - CityMasalaApril 2008 Free Copy A Lifestyle and Entertainment Magazine for...

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Transcript of April 2008 Free Copy - CityMasalaApril 2008 Free Copy A Lifestyle and Entertainment Magazine for...