HOPSCOTCH

Sleeping On The Job

By DIANA LAVIGNE GUPTA
(Nathan Sayers photos)

It’s two o’clock on a Friday afternoon and after a full Italian pasta buffet lunch; you can barely keep your eyes open, let alone be productive at work. As your mind tries to figure out how you will ever make that company cocktail reception later, you realize have no choice. You shut your eyes, slump yourself over your computer keyboard and succumb to the woes of long days in the office. But there is a better way! You don’t need to be caught sleeping on the job anymore and better yet, there is a simple way to reenergize yourself to cope with the challenges of today’s workplace. A sleeping pod is the answer to your daytime dreams.

Launched by co-founder and CEO Arshad Chowdhury in 2004, former analyst (yawn) and researcher (Zzzz) who may have himself had sleepy days at the office, MetroNaps offer centrally-located sleeping pods for people who need a mid-day nap picker-upper. This concept was researched and tested at Carnegie Mellon University while Chowdhury was studying for his mba there. They developed a process and equipment to help maximize the rejuvenating effects of a brief rest and MetroNaps was born.

Chowdhury notes, “MetroNaps is growing fast through franchising and corporate sales of the MetroNaps Pod. I'm not surprised by our growth because we offer a service, which many desperately need. A mid-day recharge session lets our customers think clearly at work, stay alert at the wheel, and look and feel their best when with friends and family.”

For $14 you can try out one of these alien-looking pods for 20 minutes. It might not be recommended to expense your weekly naps, however it’s worth a shot telling your boss how s/he can get you to be more productive at work. Sadly, Metronaps has a very limited number of pod locations and can be tried only in New York and Vancouver currently. There are plenty of sleepy people around the nation, so maybe you will see the white sleeping pods popping up in your local business area soon.

Seniors Steal The Show

By DIANA LAVIGNE GUPTA
(Vikramaditya Gupta photos)

The grand Santa Clara Marriott was a little more grand than typical on Saturday, November 11, 2005 with the Indian Community Center (ICC) Building for Tomorrow fundraiser’s arrival. Emmy-award winning NBC11 broadcaster, Raj Mathai and ABC7’s weather anchor, Sandhya Patel, led the program. And although eyes were on them for most the evening, it was the Jollywood Dancers that stole the show from everyone.

The Jollywood Dancers were started at ICC as part of their senior program. With two guys and half dozen women, they swished and bumped to the latest installment of Bollywood film songs. From any non-front row seat, these dancers were so vivacious and entertaining you’d want to run and join an ICC dance troupe yourself. The only problem is you’ll have to be over 62 years old to qualify for the Jollywood Dancer’s troupe, which is made up of seniors ranging in age from 62 to 72 years old. You would never guess their age with the modern coordinated Bollywood steps, fluid movements, and contemporary dress. Jollywood Dancers got a seemingly never-ending standing ovation by each and every person in the audience so it was a hard act to follow for the evening’s presentations.

One Jollywood Dancer explained to an ICC executive that she prayed for God to come and take her away for years. She adds that God came to her in a dream and said let’s go. She answered no. In her dream, God asked her why she has suddenly changed her mind. This senior answered that she still wanted to do more Bollywood dancing and other active things. God said what is different now in your life? She answered ICC happened. With these thoughts, many guests felt a sentimental tug at their hearts and reminded of the purpose of respecting their elders.

Fashionable Bombay-Inspired Earth
Club-lounge Earth NYC, founded by Hemant Phul and his wife Bhavana Phul hired Indian fashion designer Manish Malhotra for the interior design, and it paid off. The safforns, royals reds and glittering accents create an intoxicatingly powerful sense of passion and celebration.
The 3,500 square foot space, in Mannahattan's west side, has become a trendy hot-spot virtually overnight. It’s hard not to be energized or mesmerized by the sheer size of the facility and the seemingly endless little accents that turn this raw space into an interior design masterpiece. Radiant candles adorn the walls, low sitting sofas offer relief to guest’s dancing bodies, and bold mix of fabric on basically everything will win over any naysayer.
If you are gloomy, it’s the place to be. If you are ready to celebrate, it’s the place to be. If you have a hot date, it’s the place to be. It is always the place to be!
Phul adds, “ After having a successful year and to better serve our patrons, we are adding a South East Asian restaurant to the Venue. We are keeping the existing theme but expanding our menu to include Thai, Chinese and Malaysian cuisine. After the success of Earth NYC we are taking the concept to other cities. Lookout for upcoming Earth Bombay, Earth Dubai in the near future.”

Bhangra Goes Mainstream
City Parks Department Adopts Bollywood Dance Class
By Diana LaVigne Gupta

Bollywood dancing is starting to get recognition in the city of Sunnyvale, California. As part of the Sunnyvale Parks & Recreation Performing Arts department, a new drop-in Bhangra dance class with Vicki Virk, founder of Dholrhythms, has been announced.

“Bhangra is such a joyous form of expression and can be done by anyone regardless of age, size, gender and background,” says teacher and Punjab native Virk, who has been dancing to Bhangra all her life. “I love teaching Bhangra because it’s done with energy, zest, enthusiasm and passion, and that’s exactly how life should be lived.”

Having a city-supported Bhangra program is an amazing move towards cultural acceptance, exposure, and exchange. California has a significant concentration of Indians, so it is a perfect environment to launch an innovative and forward-thinking program like this. Optimistically, this program will thrive and dance its way around the country. Move over ballroom, Bhangra is just about to take center stage.

Virk teaches similar classes in San Francisco, Berkeley, Albany and Milpitas. Though she speaks fluent Punjabi and Hindi, her classes are conducted in English and draw many non-Indian students. Bhangra music is becoming more widely known and appreciated as mainstream American artists, such as Missy Elliot and Jay Z, incorporate its distinctive beats into their music.

“I believe music and dance are universal languages that can help break cultural boundaries. All cultures view dance as a symbol of unity and expression of deep emotions. I feel blessed to be able to share a unique and beautiful expression from my own culture,” said Virk.

For more information about Sunnyvale’s new Bhangra dance class, call the Performing Arts Coordinator at (408) 730-7725.

Asia Dominates Golden Globes
By DIANA LAVIGNE GUPTA

Asia dominated the 63rd Annual Golden Globes thanks to Taiwan-born Director, Ang Lee. His film Brokenback Mountain took home the Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Original Song. Held in Beverly Hills at the famous Beverly Hilton Hotel in California, the Globes also awarded the best foreign language film to the Palestinian film Paradise Now.

India also had some red carpet time at this year’s awards. Sheeraz Hasan, CEO and Founder of Hollywood.tv was a VIP guest of the event and got face time with mega industry superstars like George Clooney, King Kong director Peter Jackson, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Producer Harvey Weinstein, Oscar Winner Adrien Brody, and Mariah Carey. Sheeraz also had the opportunity to speak to the man of the evening, Ang Les and put out an open invitation to him to film a Bollywood film in India one day. Why does Hasan get to rubs elbows with Hollywood’s elite? Last year, the Bollywood Awards appointed him the official ‘Hollywood Ambassador to Bollywood’. The Bollywood Group, Inc runs the award company out of New York.
The Bollywood Group boasts major Bollywood stars like Aishwaraya Rai and Shah Rukh Khan attending their events held annually. They’ve also done a knockout job getting mainstream media like Forbes, CNN, and Businessweek to cover their activities. So it makes perfect sense why the unknown Hasan gets to saunter down the carpet with who’s who in Hollywood.
But remember the motto in Hollywood, who is unheard of today, may become tomorrow’s superstar. After attending the Globe after-parties of Warner Bros, Fox, HBO, NBC Universal, Hasan might become a household name yet.

Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Sunnyvale will make reasonable efforts to accommodate persons with disabilities. If you require special accommodations, please call (408) 733-6611 at least five days in advance of the program or activity. For Fee Waiver Assistance, call (408) 738-4321. For deaf access, call TDD/TTY (408) 730-7501.