Dear Indian Republic Day,

First of all, thank you soooo much for happening on a Wednesday this year. That was really cool. You changed Monday into Thursday, Tuesday into Friday, Thursday into Monday, but really the new Monday/Thursday was still Thursday so Friday was Friday. Which obviously made for two really short work weeks.

Even though I didn't get to go to your parade because there weren't any tickets left at the Ashok, I probably wouldn't have wanted to battle the masses for the seven a.m. arrival just to sit around and wait for the 9:30 start time. Also, since you wouldn't have let me bring my camera any way (security/schmcurity), I probably wouldn't have been that happy.

I did watch your parade on television though and as usual your pomp and circumstance was sensational. I loved the tanks, the fly-overs, the bands and the floats, but the stand-out this year was by far the float that showcased the Chemical Explosion Response Team. The giant papier-machee man with gas mask being escorted out of the chemical factory was cool. But because this was Indian Republic Day, you went over the top and had people on the float reenacting the whole scene live. Now, while some may say that showcasing an exploding chemical factory may be unsettling, I know that it's even more reassuring to know that if when it happens, the response team will be there.

Indian Republic Day, thanks for the day off. And thanks for the parade. But let's get to the main event. Thank you sooo much for barbecue in Malcha Marg.

Wowsers. A day off is great, but when the weather in India changes from the dismal winter cold to the beautiful (but short) spring, it's really great! To celebrate the weather (and Indian pride) we headed to the roof to cook some meat and enjoy the company of friends.

And just when it couldn't have gotten any better, it did. Maybe it was the weather, maybe it was the upswell in national pride or maybe it was the desire to eliminate carbs, but the conditions were perfect. We decided to go chemical explosion float and take it over the top.

I'm talking of course about the brotdog.





Indian Republic Day, without you, the brotdog wouldn't be blowing minds right now. I owe you one.

Deliciously over the top,
jason