The Princess Diaries : Give Me Five (Book 5)

HRH Mia Thermopolis seems to be on the verge of achieving “self-actualization”. She is finally getting the hang of the whole princess gig and things appear to be smooth-sailing on the love-front.

But what’s a good, coming-of-age novel (or any other, everyday garden-variety novel for that matter) without a generous helping of angst, frayed tempers and the occasional hissy-fit???

The Senior-Prom is just around the corner and Mia is sure that Michael would be delighted to escort her. But, surprise…surprise Michael abhors the concept of the Prom and all the nonsensical sentimentality associated with it.

Add to that the fact that Grandmère has been up to her usual shenanigans. The temperamental Dowager Princess has managed to get an innocent bus-boy sacked and subsequently start a change of events…..culminating in a hospitality industry strike, that effectively brings Manhattan to a standstill!

All this translates into Mia’s “story-of-my-sad-life” saga. She vents, frets and fumes……all within the pages of her ever-faithful journal.

The Princess Diaries : Third Time Lucky (Book 3) ; Mia Goes Fourth (Book 4)

Mia should be deliriously happy. She’s living in Manhattan, has a great bunch of supportive friends, is an actual honest-to-goodness princess and finally has a boyfriend. What more could a previously self-confessed “flat-chested freak” ask for??

But the truth as usual is pretty murky. Her love-life is a disaster. Her boyfriend makes valiant displays of affection and Mia is unable to reciprocate. The reason? She’s madly in love with the brilliant Michael Moscovitz. And he’s apparently carrying on with a fellow senior, Judith Gershner…a girl who is able to clone fruit-flies within the four walls of her bedroom!

And the freakishly scary Grandmère continues her reign of terror and mind-games. The princess lessons are on in full swing and the dowager princess has no qualms about adding to Mia’s considerable woes.

So while Mia is not busy getting geared for her stressful entrée into Genovian Society, she’s busy fending off the kisses of her love-struck boyfriend. Fun and games all the way 'round!
Here’s hoping that Mia does strike lucky, the third time around!!

Book 4 begins with Mia back from her first official trip to Genovia. And finally she can get started on her love-life! Unfortunately, there’s still a long way to go before Mia gets to have her first, all-crucial special date. Grandmère continues to be the friendly-neighbourhood nemesis, wrecking havoc with Mia’s social life!

And there’s the teensy-tinsy fact, that grandmere has a royal escort in mind, for Mia (something which Mia definately doesn't need!).

The Princess Diaries - Take Two (Book 2)

The saga of her Royal Highness continues.

Mia’s mother is expecting a baby.....and the father is Mr.Gianini (a.k.a. Mr.G), Mia’s algebra professor. With a wedding in the very-near future, Mia has a new load of worries.

Her dear demented grandmère has decided that the wedding should be a grand affair hosted at The Plaza, attended by the crème de la crème of New York's celeb-scene and dignitaries from around the world. Unfortunately Mia is aware of the painful fact that all her mother wants is a simple, quiet function and will resist grandmère's authority with all her pregnant might!


Another blimp on the horizon is the fact that someone is sending anonymous gushy e-mails to Mia and she’s intrigued to know who her mystery lover is. She thinks (alright, hopes!!) that the sender is Michael Moscovitz, her bestfriends’ brother.

Another instalment of “synaptic breakdowns” and mass-hysteria for Mia and her entourage. Entertaining as ever and loaded with laughs.

This is a quote from "Grey's Anatomy" by the eternally confused Dr.Meredith Grey. Succinct and matter-of-fact, it made a lot of sense to me. So I am storing it for those times when I get really mad and am all ready to throw the mother of all hissy-fits!!!

"Love the people who treat you right, forget about
the ones who don't, and believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get
a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said that it'd be
easy, they just promised it would be worth it.”

The Princess Diaries (Book 1)

Ahh, the blistering summer is here…time to sweat bullets, crib constantly, guzzle tall cool drinks and catch up on some light-hearted reading. And for the past couple of years, I tend to start my summer-reading with a relatively new favourite: “The Princess Diaries” by best-selling author, Meg Cabot.

Meet Mia Thermopolis. 14 years. Frustrated with teen-life and its innumerable woes. Namely:
1> She has feet like skis, is the tallest girl in her class and is flatter than a surf-board.
2> Her mouse-brown/dishwater-blonde hair is “triangular” in shape and has a rampant life of it’s own.
3> She is a child out of wedlock and is being brought up by her mother, the scatter-brained, avant-garde artist Helen Thermopolis. Who by-the-way is dating her algebra professor, Frank Gianini a.k.a.Mr.G.
4> She regularly gets picked on by her school nemesis, the predictably pretty but obnoxious cheerleader, Lana Weinberger
5> She has an unrequited crush on the most popular senior in class, Josh Richter.
6> Her best friend, Lilly Moscovitz has an IQ of 170, is opinionated, a radical speaker and loves to psychoanalyze Mia at every given opportunity.
7> Lilly's brother, the cool and nonchalant Michael Moscovitz would make the perfect boyfriend....if he would only stop thinking of Mia as his kid sister's best friend.

And if that carpet-bombing wasn’t enough, she wakes up to a startling discovery. She isn’t plain old Mia Thermopolis. She is in fact Her Royal Highness, *Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldi*, Crown Princess of Genovia.

Yep, that’s right, a true-blue Princess! A “small” fact that her father (the current ruler of Genovia) would have gladly kept hidden. However, Mia’s dad has had testicular cancer which rendered him infertile, which is why Mia, an illegitimate child, is heir to the throne.

So while finding out that you are a princess sounds like every girl's dream come true…for Mia it’s just another can of worms that she has to deal with. And guiding her through would be the grandmother-from-hell, Clarisse Marie Grimaldi Renaldo, the Dowager Princess of Genovia.

Suddenly Mia has to deal with Princess Lessons and everything thing else that being royalty entails. So say hello to drastic make-overs, unwanted paparazzi and gold-diggers galore.

Written in a series of journal entries, the book is hilarious and at times even drop-dead funny. Mia’s hyperactive approach to life and it’s vagaries is captured perfectly by the supremely talented Meg Cabot.

A book which should have been around, when I was going through my own personal blend of heaven and hell in college.....The Princess Diaries is sort of like a fun talisman that every teenage girl should own, read and commiserate with.

The Fray - How To Save A Life (from Grey's Anatomy)

The unofficial theme of Grey's Anatomy : "How To Save A Life" by The Fray. Fans of the entertaining medical drama will definately love this superb combination. All the key moments captured and effortlessly weaved in with the song.

"What other shenanigans could I possibly get upto???"

16-year old Juno MacGuff is quirky, laid-back, armed with a razor-sharp wit and a cynicism that sits well on her petite shoulders......and she’s also pregnant. The father is her best friend Paulie Bleeker. After running through a gamut of options, she decides to settle for the most pragmatic one : putting the baby up for adoption.

Enter the seemingly perfect couple: Vanessa and Mark Loring. An effluent yuppie twosome living in the suburbs, they seem earnest about adopting Juno’s baby. Things move quickly and pretty soon a closed-adoption contract is worked out. Therefore, Juno will have no contact with the baby, once she gives it up.

While Vanessa is a bit uptight and anxious, her husband Mark is more laid-back, willing to go with the flow. In him, Juno finds a kindred spirit.....a fellow lover of grunge music and horror movies.

As the movie traverses the four seasons.....Juno’s perception of the world around her and her relationships with her parents, Paulie Bleeker and the Lorings develop along with her advancing pregnancy.

An independent flick that captured the world’s fancy.....Juno is a droll and adorable movie. Teen pregnancy has been given a whole new treatment. Gone is the usual circle of angry recriminations…ugly confrontations... buckets of tears and the constant nagging guilt. In it’s place are supportive parents, cheeky but well-meaning friends and a sensible if slightly hysterical teen mother. The movie's strength lies in it's cheeky dialogue, loaded with wit and surprising insight.

Ellen Page as the quick-talking Juno is a delight to watch……her seemingly detached attitude towards her pregnancy might grate on your nerves, but then you realize that she’s just a teen facing a rotten situation but handling it in her typical “JuneBug” way.

A terrific ensemble cast, all of whom are lovable and memorable.....this is one movie that hits all the right buttons and makes you come out of the theater with a big fat smile on your face.

The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials : Book 2)

"Northern Lights (a.k.a. The Golden Compass)" ended on a note of infinite possibilties. Lyra's father, the saturnine Lord Asriel managed to rip an opening into a new world and Lyra followed through. Her main aim......to find out more about the elusive concept of "Dust".

While the first book was set in an alternate world very like ours, "The Subtle Knife" begins in our own world. It revolves around Will Parry, a 12 year old boy who lives in modern-day Oxford. Burdened with responsibilities and wiser beyond his years, his only wish is to find his Explorer-father, who went missing on an expedition to the North.

As he embarks on this seemingly impossible task, he comes across a startling discovery. A rent in the air, almost invisible to the human-eye proves to be an entry into a different world. And in this new world he comes across Lyra Belacqua (now called Lyra Silvertongue). Lyra with the help of her alethiometer, is to play a key role in the search for Will's father.

Along the course of their adventures, Will becomes the reluctant bearer of "The Subtle Knife".....a knife with extraordinary and devastating powers.....a knife capable of cutting across different worlds.

The second book is predominantly a passage between the first and the third of the trilogy. Will Parry is a promising hero...fuelled by an odd mix of bravery and desperation. Lyra reprises her role of the head-strong girl who is unaware of the great destiny in store for her.

The book also throws light on the main conflict. The eternal war is between two principles...that of Authority (God/ Rigid Destiny) and a Human's free will. Which shall reign supreme is something that we will know in the third and concluding part of "His Dark Materials"

27 Dresses....and nothing to wear!!!

A no-brainer, 27 Dresses is your average chick-flick and holds no surprises. It revolves around Jane Nichols (Katherine Heigl); a reliable, never-say-no, general dogsbody. She adores weddings and all the sentimentalism that goes with it. Which ofcourse translates into being a bridesmaid at 27 weddings, doing all the dirty work and wearing some perfectly hideous dresses. Her filofax is jam-packed with wedding details and she scurries from one crazy-scene to another, while effectively maintaining a cheery front.

A silent observer to her spectacle is Kevin Doyle(James Marsden). Kevin is the writer of the local newpaper's "Commitments" section. Penning one more engagement/wedding announcement is likely to make him head screaming for the hills. In order to finally make it to the front-page and get out of what he calls the "taffeta-ghetto", he decides to write a feature on Jane, the eternal bridesmaid.

Adding to the sorry mess if the fact that Jane has been nursing a forever-crush on her boss, George (Edward Burns). But when Jane’s flighty baby-sister swoops into town, she manages to sink her polished claws into George and even draw out a marriage proposal from him. Jane does what every non-self-respecting heroine does. She accepts the inevitable and gets down to the thankless job of planning her sister's wedding and generally getting her feelings trampled upon.

Nothing new and we obviously know what’s going to happen next. But Katherine Heigl as the harried Jane lights up the screen with her effervescent charm and classic Hollywood looks. It’s a bit hard to imagine that such a pretty lady would have to play second-fiddle to her sister. James Marsden looks delightfully messy and keeps up the witty banter admirably.

27 Dresses is not great cinema......but it is light-hearted, frothy and has some mighty-interesting dialogues. You empathise and associate with the heroine.......hope that there's a Kevin Doyle around the corner and have a few laughs thrown in for good measure . Not a bad deal indeed!!

I am a woman....I am invincible.....(and just a tad bit exhausted!!)

Along cameWoman’s Day, and I was itching to write an ode to the smarter sex!! Something simple yet sublime.....sentimental but not schmaltzy. And the only topic that kept popping into my head was this: “A Woman’s Laughter”.

There’s something innately charming about a woman laughing.....whether it’s a happy gurgle.....an impish grin.....a hastily muffled chuckle.....an inelegant snort that was jus’ waiting to get out.....the incessant giggles or the Grand Poo-bah of them all.....the let ‘er Rip.....full-blown guffaw!!

And the reasons behind that laugh...........innumerous, ranging from the mundane to the ridiculous to the down-right memorable...

to name a few....
 a baby’s happy gurgle in response to the funny-faces being pulled for her entertainment.
 the plump l’il girl who chuckles with delight, when that equally plump puppy licks her button nose.
 the instant attack of the giggles that inflicts a bunch of teeny-boppers…when that oh-so-cute guy deigns to send a smile their way.
 the first time a woman meets her Prince Charming (and she knows it) AND (and he doesn’t disintegrate into Kermit’s distant cousin!!)
 enjoying an after-work soirée.....unwinding.....swapping juicy gossip.....remembering the moments of small victories and big accomplishments......chuckling wickedly when a particularly anal-retentive colleague gets his come-uppance!!
 making new friends and patching up ol’ differences.
 reunions……a time to remember, miss dem ol’days and laugh at our younger, uncomplicated selves…

……and this is jus’ the tip of the curvaceous iceberg.....there are so many more......

All I can hope for is that all the lovely ladies in my life……those I have met…and those I have still to meet.....always ALWAYS keep flashing their pearly whites.

May they always find reasons to celebrate.....always have a trusted confidante to share their woes.....always have that special someone who brings that secret smile to their lips and most importantly......always find excuses to just act plain silly and laugh uninhibitedly!!!

Here’s to our own personal Utopia!!

HAPPY WOMAN'S DAY, ladies!!