Better late than never....

I admit, I have discovered Andrea Bocelli almost a decade after he made it on the international scene. Hence, the clichéd title to this blog. Céline Dion introduced him to America with "If God had a singing voice, he would sound a lot like Andrea Bocelli." I couldn't have come up with a better introduction, even if I tried.

Most of his music is in Italian (Music doesn't have a language – apologies for another cliché) but he's done some in English. The music is brilliant and the voice - divine. So, to experience heaven in your living room, pour yourself a glass of red, put on Vivere and sink into your sofa…

Click here for a sound/video clip

Bobby Fischer (1943 - 2008)

Robert (Bobby) Fischer - the greatest chess player of all times, died last week. He was a grandmaster at 15 and went on to win 20 consecutive championship level titles between 1968-71. He can truly be described as the eccentric genius, with chess being his sole passion in life - he had chess boards set up beside each bed in his Brooklyn house, ignoring everything outside to compete with himself. Never married, he did not do any other job but dedicate himself to the black and white board. He was the only American grandmaster but unfortunately after having played a game in Yugoslavia, he had to take asylum in Iceland, where he passed away.

Not known for his political correctness, he claimed most of the championship games were pre-arranged and went on to invent a new version - Fischer Random, where the back pieces are lined up by a computer generated program. I admit, I have never played this version, though I am a lilliputian-master in orthodox chess.

Car of the Year 2008

I am sure everyone knows by now that the Fiat 500 has won the Car of the Year 2008. It isn't easy re-launching an icon – much less winning a prestigious award as this (Neither the new Beetle or Mini got one). But this blog is not about the car itself.

I requested a brochure which was promptly delivered. I am not exaggerating when I say that it is one of the most ''interactive'' pieces (of print) I have ever got my hands on. I have seen classier/glossier and more premium brochures and DM from the Cartier's and Jaguars, but never this interactive. It let's you play with the wheels, colour combinations, stickers etc… I am sure the cost of the piece is significantly higher than other similar product brochures, but it does its job brilliantly. It has prompted me to book myself for a test drive as soon as it is available in London.

And that is exactly any DM/brochure is designed to do – salesmanship in print. Whether I buy the car or not, depends on the product and service, not on the marketing piece.

OGX 874E: Vish Dhamija's MG Midget

Yesterday was a good day - bright & sunny...so we picked up our Midget from Newgate and brought her home. Here are the pictures; I am sure you'll appreciate that she's quite photogenic...

She' now resting in the garage after the 40 miles run...

Morocco (Dec18 - 24, 2007)

Being married for many years now – I am quite used to the idea of being told where we're going for a vacation. Don't take me wrong – I do get consulted sometimes – though my views can be vetoed as they were this time and we went to Morocco in December.

The BA flight was a stopover in Casablanca which came as a surprise to me and Nidhi (my wife) – had we known that, we would have spent a couple of days there. We reached Marrakech late in the evening – but it was a disappointment even in the dark. The dingy by lanes in the old Kasbah district looks like a poor man's Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi. Thankfully, we were booked in Riad Alma (http://www.riadalma.com/) – a family owned Riad which takes care of everything from airport pick-up to meals to restaurant bookings to tourist guide to personal tours to in-house spa… It was our oasis (literally) for which I cannot thank Pierre (owner of Riad Alma) enough.

We had a guided tour to the Souk. Ignoring all the warnings, Nidhi bought a woollen hand-woven runner (Kilim) after bargaining hard. (It now adorns our dining room)

Pierre arranged for a cab to drive us to Essaouira – which is a coastal town. A must, if you go to Morocco. We were booked in La Maison De Artists, which was sold to us as a sea-view room and which was the only good thing about it. The place has not been cleaned for years – avoid it at any cost. That aside, the town is simply beautiful and the people are perfect hosts. If you are fond of food, do not miss Le Mechouar. It serves some seriously good French food. The town is quite picturesque with ramparts over the Atlantic; coloured doors on shops & houses and coffee shops where one can sit and read for hours.

We were back in Marrakech after two days and decided to take the tour to the Atlas Mountains.

The return journey was a nightmare. The flight was delayed by 6 hours with no BA staff to manage the chaos. My luggage got lost and reached me after 3 days. I came back with a sore throat and needed rest (after the holiday)

I know where I am going for a vacation this year – I have already recommended NY to my dear wife. No more exotic places for me please.

Heat (1995)

"Do not allow anything into your life which you cannot walk out on in thirty seconds flat if you spot the heat around the corner."

Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and the rest. One's a cop, one's a convict - outwitting each other.

Fantastic. Gripping - till the very end.

Rating: ****

Click here to see the trailer