Summer and I watched the bulk of the Oscars 2023 event at Laurel Tavern in Studio City. As we sipped on beer and treated ourselves to some delicious salad and fries, I was eagerly awaiting one award – Best Original Song. Naatu Naatu from S.S. Rajamouli’s RRR had gained enough momentum to make it a front runner. However, when you consider that both Rihanna and Lady Gaga were in the running too, you can imagine why every Indian might have been cautiously optimistic.
When the moment came just before the name was announced, I felt both a bit anxious and happy in anticipation that it was indeed going to be Naatu Naatu. The electric performance by singers Kaala Bhairava and Rahul Sipliganj and a brilliant group of dancers had already gotten people in the auditorium rooting for it.
Ram Charan and Jr. NTR performing Naatu Naatu from RRR (Source: Netflix)
And then it happened. Janelle Monae, looking ravishing as ever, announced that the Oscar went to RRR…RRR…RRR! I applauded and hooted as the lone Indian at Laurel Tavern, with Summer and Max joining me in my enthusiasm. M. M. Keeravani singing his feelings away to the tune of ‘Top of the World’ by The Carpenters was a sweet cherry on the cake. It was truly one of those moments where I was proud of being an Indian and a Telugu boy 😊 I had forgotten what that felt like in the past few years. Thank you, Mr. Rajamouli and team RRR!
It was always going to be in Cambria. It was the first place we had visited together as a couple and we had been wanting to go back ever since. I thought I’ll do it from the heights of Hearst Castle with panoramic views of the ocean on one side and hillocks on the other. But the castle tour turned out to be a bit ostentatious for us. Not to mention the fact that we were surrounded by 50 other tourists. So I had to improvise a bit. Thankfully, our plan to watch the sunset on all of our evenings in Cambria came in handy.
My initial plan was to propose at the Moonstone Beach grill. The idea was that I will order beer and onion rings and then use one of those rings to propose. It occured to me later that she might not take this seriously and also that she can’t be wearing this onion ring all the time. So I rejected this idea. Then, while we were strolling around on our second vacation day and she visited the restroom, I disappeared for a bit. I texted her making a lame excuse that I was looking for a birthday present for her (7 months ahead of time!) and that she can wait for me in the car. Then, I walked into our favourite antique store (Rich Man Poor Man) and bought an emerald ring which I thought suited her personality. I hid it in my jacket pocket and carried a different bag with some other purchases making her think that her present was in the bag.
Later that afternoon, we took the Hearst Castle tour (more on that later) and after the bus got us back down, I suggested that we hit our usual sunset point. But Summer had other plans – she wanted to check out the elephant seals which were at a vista point just 3 miles from the castle. We were close to sunset time and I figured that it will still be pretty there so that’s the way to go. We got there at sunset, watched the sun go down, and I was about to take the knee when some seals started losing it! It got a bit loud and Summer started joking about what they might be saying – “Look, look… I can crawl on my belly!”. And I thought it’s the perfect moment for me to get on my knee and go – “I think they are asking you to say Yes”.
Selfie taken a couple of minutes after engagement
I was about to do it when these two kids popped out of nowhere right next to us, all excited about the varying sizes and sounds of the seals. Their parents had walked further ahead, leaving these two menaces unchecked, loitering around ruining other people’s proposals. I waited patiently for them to get bored of the seals and move on so that I can propose. They hung around for 3 minutes or so (it certainly felt longer) before realizing that the parents are too far and it’s time to skedaddle. Then, I was ready again and as I was about to lunge, Summer started getting really cold from the chilly winds.
Typically, whenever we went to a cold place, Summer stayed with me for a bit and then left me alone (as I love the cold) while she went indoors to get warm. It was windy at the vista point and she couldn’t take it anymore so she said, “I’ll wait in the car, you come in whenever you are done enjoying the view.” As she started walking away, I shouted – “But if you go now, I won’t be able to do this!”. She turned around and found me on my knee holding the ring in my hand. I don’t remember my exact words but it was something to the effect of – “This is it for me. If I’m ever going to be a husband, it’s yours. What say? Let’s do this!”
Engagement champagne at Cambria Pub
Ever since we started dating, I had been implying that marriage is not for me. In our conversations about the future too, there was no indication of getting married (anytime soon anyway). So the proposal came as a huge surprise to her. Even with the lame birthday present excuse, she didn’t imagine that I might have been buying an ENGAGEMENT RING. It took her a while to even understand what was going on and if I was being serious. This is where the real ring instead of an onion ring helped. She pulled me up and hugged me and mumbled something I couldn’t hear. I could feel that she was happy but she hadn’t answered me yet. So I got out of the hug and went back on my knee. And then she threw her hands up in the air and said – “Okay!”. And just like that – we were engaged!
Dinner and art appreciation at Robin’s in Cambria
We hit the Cambria pub for some champagne followed by our favourite restaurant Robin’s for dinner. It took some time for us to grasp what had happened. Our farm stay 5 miles from town provided the perfect ambaince for us to take it all in and begin a new chapter in our lives! Exciting times ahead…
When Summer told me she was doing a radio show, I obviously thought it would be a voice performance that’ll be available somewhere to listen to. I was surprised when she explained that it will be staged. I was naturally excited to see what the amazing cast and crew that gave us ‘Nancy, Who?’ and ‘Murder on the Newhall express’ will create this time. And once again – they did not disappoint!
The cool poster for Valentines Radio Show
The show consisted of three stories – ‘Flash Gordon’ and ‘The Thin Man’ before intermission, and ‘The Lone Sheriff’ after. Each one of the shows was crisp, funny and performed marvelously by the talented cast. The interactive element made it all the more engaging. The man playing the MC kept everyone interested throughout and the various accents and voice modulations employed by the actors were quite charming.
The cast and crew at curtain call
It was a great evening for me also because I got to hang out with Summer’s sisters, mom and brother-in-law as part of her cheer squad. I was so proud to see her perform in her third production since I met her. While I have been pondering over what to do next in acting, she has showed up for rehearsals and made things happen for herself. Talk about dedication and love for the craft!
Then, while the rest of the nation was busy watching the Super Bowl, we all got some food and drinks in the Newhall refinery next door. We “murmur”ed and said “Hooray” (just as they asked us to do during the show) to this lovely production 🙂
What’s “BIH”, Tushar asked me. I had checked out their website so I knew that it stood for “Bollywood in Hollywood”. And the evening was pretty much that. Globe theatre in downtown LA transformed into a Bollywood arena as we friends, meeting each other after a while, sang and danced and drank our way into the weekend. The music itself was decent (some weird transitions there) but the venue, lights, ambiance and people were simply outstanding.
The floor burners!
Memorable mentions from the night are – the red ladies who kept stashing their coats in our booth (Rahil literally called security on them 😂), Robby giving me a tour of the dance floor, Tushar’s adventures with womenfolk and the men who accompanied them, our little choo choo train to the centre of the crowd, and Sunil’s biceps and chest popping out of his shirt. The gorgeous ladies in our group were living it up as always, burning the dance floor with their charming moves and infectious smiles. And then when we all stepped out in a starving state at 2 am, the samosas Rahil bought from Mr. Indian Santa Claus saved us from perishing.
Pretty people having a pretty good time
Then, Sunil and Dips pulled up in their glorious Tesla to give everyone a lift to their respective destinations. Everybody on the street watched as the wings of the beast opened to let us in. I said to myself – “Swag level is 100!” And then we all spent 10 minutes discussing how many will sit in the back, who will sit where, and how to move the seat forward. Everyone on the street was watching this too and by the time we left our swag level was minus 20!
SDD
Jokes aside – the most delightful part of the evening for me, as always, was the experience of us together in one place – laughing and chatting and singing and dancing. There’s something quite magical about seeing your dear ones have a great time. And you can’t go wrong with a little dash of Bollywood, can you? It’s often hilarious and heartwarming at the same time to see friends who don’t usually shake a leg, put on their dance shoes and let their hair down. This was one such evening!
I “take” Summer to my friend’s party but she “brings” me to her parents’ house. When I’m going to an event, I ask her if she wants to “come” but when she is going to an event, she asks me if I want to “go”. When deciding what she will do for lunch at work, she says she will “bring” the salad that’s in the fridge. I would have said I’ll “take” the salad. What is this conundrum?!?
When she took/brought me to Santa Monica Pier
My logic is – anything that’s coming where I am is being “brought” to me and anything that’s going away is being “taken”. So since the salad is going from my fridge to the office, I am “taking” it and not “bringing” it. Similarly, if I am going somewhere, then anyone accompanying me is “coming” with me while I myself am “going” there. No?
When I was 10, upon my friend Sai’s suggestion, I wrote a letter to NASA that I love their work. In response, they sent me a packet full of stunning photos of planets and moons, making the Rs.45 stamp on my letter totally worth it! Fast forward to 2023 – I got a call from my friend Tushar one afternoon asking if I would like to go on a tour of the JPL. Despite being a space enthusiast living in LA for a couple of years, all I had done was check out the Griffith Observatory once. So this was an opportunity I couldn’t resist.
On the day of the tour, Sunil, Dips and I met at Tushar’s and took a ride in the fancy TT (Talathi Tesla). We picked up some burgers on the way and reached the facility just in time after a false alarm turn near La Cañada school.
The tour started with an informative video about the human journey to space and our accomplishments in the arena so far. We then began our walk through the campus. Right next to the auditorium was a room with models and exhibits of all the planets in order of their distance from the sun. There was also a cool little sphere marble by each display to get an idea of its size relative to the sun. It was astonishing to see such replicas of Galileo, Spirit, Oppy and also Perseverance.
Oppy replica
The little anecdotes and info about helicopters that accompanied the perseverance to Mars was one of the highlights. It’s amazing how there’s a little piece of fabric on the helicopter (first flying object on Mars) and it’s part of the same fabric that was tagged to the first flight on earth (Wright brothers flight) – simply unbelievable!
Replica of Perseverance at JPL in Pasadena
The most memorable part of this trip was looking into the workspace where scientists were working on the Europa Clipper – scheduled to fly to Jupiter’s moon in October 2024. It was really cool to watch the geniuses at work through the viewing bridge which had a pretty neat vantage point.
Part of Europa Clipper scheduled to head to Jupiter’s moon in October 2024
We were also taken to view the command room – something I had seen in various documentaries including my recent fav Goodnight Oppy – from where most space missions are controlled. It was enlightening to learn about various satellites on the planet sending signals to space, and also the different functions of the various space centers (Florida, Maryland, California).
JPL command room
All in all – it was an exciting outing with friends! It was refreshing to indulge in an activity different from our usual food and drink routine. It was also a reminder of the extraordinary experiences Los Angeles and SoCal in general has to offer!
This year started on a wonderful note with my first snowfall, some cool new friends I made at Laurel Tavern (we call ourselves Lunes Lobos), my friend Tanner’s screenplay reading at my apartment, a visit to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena thanks to my buddy Tushar (Shawn), a Santa Monica visit, a Hollywood tour, some cool hikes (read: Top of Victory) and a gastronomical tour around Los Angeles with the lovely littylovebug!
Special mention to Pedaler’s Fork – a place introduced to me by my boss James Vernille. It’s a bicyle shop, coffee place and trendy restaurant in the heart of Calabassas. We really enjoyed our cocktails as well as the burrito and pulled pork sandwich! And then there’s Gasolina of course – our go to brunch place in Woodland Hills that never disappoints. Not to mention – the spectacular southern California weather that never ceases to impress. It’s been a delight every time I left the house in January. Be it in Summer’s car or on my motorcycle, every outing has been a delightful experience.
Leaving you with some pictures –
The Lunes Lobos at Laurel TavernBig BearBubba Gump Shrimp at Santa Monica PierHollywood signTop of Victory hikePedaler’s fork in CalabassasLa FamiliaChilling at Casa De ShawnGalileo replica at JPLImpromtu hangout at Laurel TavernBelly dancer photo bombChennai Tiffins
I have been meaning to do this for a while – a simple vegetable song series to get kids to eat their veggies. Starting with the one that’s a great source of vitamin C and potassium!
As you take a walk through the short but trendy Ventura Place street adjacent to Ventura Blvd in Studio City, you go through some cool and popular joints. There’s Alfred’s coffee for any cappuccino lovers who also like sitting in the little patio overlooking the street, there’s McConnells ice cream for all ages and then there’s Joan’s on 3rd!
It drew my attention when I saw Maya Rudolph sitting out there one morning. I visited a couple of times and tried some of their breakfast items. With every visit I realized that this place is frequented by some of the best-looking, best-dressed people I have seen in LA. This surprised me as it’s not a club or a pub or a fine-dine place but simply a sweet, cozy, neighborhood deli plus cafe plus restaurant.
What I have come to like most about Joan’s on 3rd though is it’s stunning omelette! I get it with herbs, asparagus and cheese. It looks pretty plain but the way the delicious wonder just melts in your mouth is surreal.
I walked in a couple of minutes late around 7:02 pm. I thought since I had signed up at such short notice, my performance won’t be up until later. I was surprised to see that it the open mic night was already underway with an impressive musician singing to the piano tunes of a 16-year old artist. I put down my name in the register, literally the last one on a 9-item list.
I had visited this music store Licorice Pizza a couple of times as it was just a 7-min walk from home. Its cool sign outside that lights up in the evening, added to its stunning vibe. The eclectic record collection in the store along with some funky merchandise made it all the more alluring to people of all ages – especially music lovers! And then of course there’s the recent movie that added to its already prominent fame.
Host Aaron Ravioli on stand up night at Licorice Pizza in Studio City
Tanner was already in the audience when I walked in. Summer and I sat at the back listening to one musician after another playing some cool compositions. We also had the privilege of listening to a couple of high school poets – their words so sincere, honest and pure!
A musician performs at Licorice Pizza
And then it was my turn to go up. I was about to perform in front of people after almost a year so I was naturally nervous – but also pumped. It helped that at least two of my friends were in the audience so expected at least some sympathy laughs! My 5-minute piece went pretty well I would say. I got some compliments from people later. I also got some genuine notes from Tanner and Summer which I can incorporate soon. Overall, it was an inspiring evening and provided some momentum for me to get back on the horse.
We went back to Laurel Tavern for a drink and some more talk about music, movies, comedy and more. Tanner and Summer seemed to hit it off over cultural references I was alien to. It was a good time at LT as always and we called it a night with the promise of seeing each other soon!
