uPod ?

I can hear you say 'what?!' Yes, you read it right... It is not iPod , uPod... There is no misspelling... Not in my writing, not in the writing in the picture...

Our friend, Wayne took us to a well-known restaurant in a Pakistani/Indian neighborhood in Queens today... The area was very colorful, joyful... I felt like I am in India for sometime... I haven't seen any person who is not Indian or Pakistani except us... The dinner and restaurant is another story but I am not going to get into that topic... At least for now... I can only say that I didn't eat, Cem and Wayne did...

However, the story was waiting for us on the way back home... Look what we got!... A very cheap uPod, $69.99 only... What a treat! Well, we decided not to buy but to take a couple of pictures of this amazing(!) product...

Baruch College

My new school... I am accepted to Baruch College Zicklin School of Business MBA program... I got the news yesterday... I am excited :)

The Departed and Casino Royale

I couldn't have a chance to watch them in a movie theatre; Casino Royale and The Departed... I just watch the second one... Wow!.. These two movies both blew my mind away... I wasn't enjoying recent movies, because they all look alike... There is no new idea, no difference...

I have to agree with "Bond is back" reviews... Bond is Bond, you know him. ;-)... I am not going to say more about Casino Royale, just the fact that it is my favorite 007 movie now... A little secret: I was very dissappointed when I heard that Daniel Craig is going to be the new 'Bond'... Silly me!!! He is soooo good...

And The Departed had me with the ending... It is awesome, especially the cast, as you all know... Jack Nicholson is the same but cool as always... Matt Damon - I love him with the Bourne Supremacy series... Isn't he so cute?.. I am not a big fan of DiCaprio... But, his performance was great in this movie... Well, you just want them both win at the end... But... Scorsese has a word to say... (Well, he left some question marks about some incidents, but it is not ruining the movie that much.)

I am very surprised that DiCaprio wasn't even nominated for his performance in this movie. I couldn't watch Blood Diamond yet but I think he was great in this one.
Enjoy... (If you don't like violence in movies, do NOT watch this. It is kind of a quasi-Tarantino movie.)

Mojito - My latest favorite drink

Bacardi Mojito: http://www.bacardimojito.com/default.aspx

Cuban Mojito Recipe (http://www.tasteofcuba.com/mojito.html)
the original authentic recipe from Havana Cuba1 teaspoon powdered sugarJuice from 1 lime (2 ounces)4 mint leaves... 1 sprig of mint Havana Club white Rum (2 ounces)2 ounces club sodaThere are countless recipes for the Mojito (prounced moh-HEE-toh), but this version is for the one Hemingway himself enjoyed at the Mojito's place of birth: La Bodeguita del Medio in Havana, Cuba. If you are throwing a Cuban theme party (Havana night themed party), plan on serving mojitos.

Another Recipe from (http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink582.html)
3 fresh mint sprigs, 2 tsp sugar, 3 tbsp fresh lime juice, 1 1/2 oz light rum, club soda.... In a tall thin glass, crush part of the mint with a fork to coat the inside. Add the sugar and lime juice and stir thoroughly. Top with ice. Add rum and mix. Top off with *chilled* club soda (or seltzer). Add a lemon slice and the remaining mint, and serve.

Perry Mason

I finished a Perry Mason story in one night... The other night, I couldn't sleep and took an old book from the bookshelf... Demure Defendant by Erle Stanley Gardner... If you know Gardner you know that I didn't put the book down until I read the last sentence... There is always action, there is always tension, there is always something to keep your mind busy, there is always something to be curious about... From the first page through the end, it never slows down... It is just clever...

I don't understand why some books are having such problem to get to the point... Those authors are bitting around the bushes a lot... I am a book worm - well, I was- until recently... I am trying to read a book for a month now and I am not sure if I can make it to the end... There are three books on my nightstand that are waiting for me to finish... One of those is sitting there for almost four months... I am trying, I am... However, I don't think I am going to make it... I know that if a book couldn't have my attention in first 10-20 pages, then I am lost... It is the same thing for a movie, too...

I really admire my friends who can insist on a bad movie or a book through the end... I tried... I tried... I am not a quitter... But sorry, I don't have time to spend on something that I am not going to enjoy or learn from... Hey, at least I tried... It just meant not to be, I guess...

Zodiac

I am not a fan of horror, thriller, crime movies however I watched this one because it was a real story and Robert Downey Jr. was playing in it... Yeah, it had its moments but I think as a whole it was really an average movie... The end is total disappointment... It is too long and has no ending...

Social Life in New York

I am still not sure if New York is a social city... Sure, people are friendly... Sure, you can have a quick yet detailed conversation with the person who sits right beside you in a coffee house or train (But, that's it. No connections)... Sure, people are in the streets in any time of the day and night thanks to subway... Sure, there are tons of events that you can participate, parties you can have fun, dance, drink etc... No problem so far, right?... Then listen to this... What is it that makes every single person alone in this city?.. Why is everyone talking about being unhappy and alone? Why is everyone going to a coffee place, sitting behind their laptop screens and looking for someone on dating websites?.. Aren't they have a sofa and coffee at home? Of course they do... And we all know that they are out because they want company... Isn't this so ironic !?!?

Hey, leave your laptops at home and talk to each other... And try to accept people as who they are... Being aware of that money, job, or laptops don't bring you happiness is a plus... Let's face that... So we can make a progress (I am not a psychologist, just trying to help by 'making a point without making an enemy-Isaac Newton')... One more by him "We build too many walls and not enough bridges."