header

May 16, 2013    

Editorial


Welcome to another edition of MyBindi's newsletter!

The Punjabi International Film Festival (PIFF) is back for a second year and it's one of those rare festivals where all screenings are FREE. You should definitely take advantage of this and enjoy the festival's offerings with your friends and family.

MyBindi had a chance to get up, close and personal with Gurpreet Singh Saran - yes, the sikh guy on American Idol!! He's here for PIFF.  Click HERE to see what he has to say about Canada and life after American Idol.

I'm excited to get the long weekend started. Hope you've got some plans that include food, drinks, family, friends and sunshine!  I know I do :)

Until next week! 

Syerah 

Editor-in-Chief & CEO

MyBindi.com

[email protected]  

 

Find us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter and never miss out on breaking news, offers and free giveaways from MyBindi!

 

desiFEST 2013
desiFEST 2013

desiFEST presented by TD Bank is back and bigger than ever!

A concert devoted to celebrating South Asian arts & culture.

The 12 hour non-stop music festival will feature:
  • musical & dance performances (mix of local and international artists) 
  • South Asian delicacies from the food market
  • artisans in the merchant market
  • family-friendly activities
TD will also have an on-site presence including:
  • Kids' Zone with a TD Monster Mural
  • bouncy castle
When: Saturday, May 25, 2013
Where: Yonge & Dundas Square

Time: 12 hour long concert

Tickets: This is a FREE concert. All are welcome to #getdesiFIED

 

Click HERE for more information. 

 

This event is proudly supported by MyBindi.com.

MyBindi Sponsored by
BMO Western Union Money Transfers via Interac e-Transfer
BMO Western Union 2013

BMO Bank of Montrealintroduces Western Union* Money Transfers via Interac e-TransferTM.

 

BMO customers can now send money worldwide through BMO Online Banking to countries including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. It's a convenient and reliable way to send funds to Western Union agents in more than 200 countries and territories - 24/7. Terms and conditions apply.

 

Click here to get started today.

Punjabi International Film Festival
PIFF 2013

Punjabi International Film Festival (PIFF) - Toronto 2013 will be a five day extravaganza presenting a diverse, language independent, selection of the best feature films, documentaries and short films from around the world, on themes of Punjabi culture and identity.

In addition, the festival will feature concerts, gala events, film parties, seminars, workshops and networking opportunities with government representatives, business leaders, local organizations that support film development, film stars, producers, directors, members of the media and more.

PIFF will be held from May 16 to May 20, 2013 in Ontario, Canada as part of South Asian Heritage Month celebrations.

Exciting and glamorous events planned for the cities of Toronto, Brampton and Mississauga culminating at Brampton's prestigious Rose Theatre.

Click HERE for more information.

This event is proudly sponsored by MyBindi.com.

MyBindi Sponsored by  

carried away on the crest of a wave
carried away on the crest of a wave

A World Premiere by David Yee directed by Nina Lee Aquino.

 

A singular, cataclysmic event - the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami - illustrates the interconnectedness of all things. From an escort in Thailand to a Catholic priest in India to a housewife in Utah, this play asks "what happens when the events that tie us together are the same that tear us apart?"

 

"carried away on the crest of a wave is spellbinding and captivating and glorious theatre at its best."

-The Charlebois Post

 

David Yee, a playwright-in-residence at Tarragon, is artistic director of fu-GEN Asian Canadian Theatre Company. He debuts his first work for Tarragon on the heels of his beautiful performance in The Golden Dragon in the Mainspace (2012).


When: On now until May 26, 2013
Where: Tarragon Theatre

Click HERE for more information and to purchase tickets.

This event is proudly supported by MyBindi.com.
MyBindi Sponsored by
Bombay Wali and Other Stories 
Bombay Wali and Other Stories

Bombay Wali and Other Stories by Veena Gokhale, Guernica Editions, 2013

 

Journalist Vishwanath Iyer goes on a wild goose chase when a page with important information disappears! At the glamorous Jazz Yatra, stay-at-home professor and caregiver Feroza Billimoria is suddenly confronted with her tragic past. Can Dilip Bodhare, a dalit student on scholarship, survive Big, Bad Bombay?

 

Twelve tales that transport you to tough, tantalizing Bombay and beyond - Kathmandu, Tokyo, a tropical island.

 

Click HERE to order your copy, and also enjoy a video intro, interviews, reviews, excerpts, words and images on pinterest and more!  

 

Like, discover and read Bombay Wali and Other Stories on GoodReads

 

A former Bombay Wali who now lives in Montreal, Veena would love to hear from you, and read at your event.

 

"... this collection offers some gems that are both evocative and visually pleasing." - The Rover, an independent review of art and culture.
International Fashion Festival Toronto
IFFT 2013

IFFT - The International Fashion Festival Toronto, 2013

IFFT is a multicultural show that unifies the traditional and modern aspects of the South Asian Fashion, lifestyle, and entertainment industry.

The festival is known for its ethnic and culturally enhanced fashion shows, lifestyle exhibitions, and performances.

The shows of 2011 and 2012, took the GTA by storm.

Our success has us coming back again in May 2013, bigger than ever, with a more extensive international approach - bringing designers and entertainers from almost
every continent around the globe - to entertain and serve the South Asian communities in Ontario, once again.

Friday May 24, 2013
IFF Special Show

Saturday May 25, 2013
IFF Toronto Art Night at the Lounge

Sunday May 26, 2013
Exclusive Exhibition

Click HERE for more information.

This event is proudly sponsored by MyBindi.com.
sponsor
 World Partnership Walk :: Toronto
World Partnership Toronto 2013

The World Partnership Walk is an initiative of Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC), a non-profit international development agency, working in Asia and Africa to find sustainable solutions to the complex problems causing global poverty.

 

It is Canada's largest fundraising event to help end global poverty.

By participating in the World Partnership Walk you can help AKFC continue its commitment to dozens of poor communities in Asia and Africa where simple yet innovative initiatives are targeting basic needs and empowering citizens.

 

The World Partnership Walk is the only national, grassroots event that allows you to contribute directly to programs that give poor communities a chance to become self-sufficient.

 

Getting involved with the World Partnership Walk is easy:
When: Sunday, May 26, 2013
Where: Metro Hall

Time: 10am - 6pm 

 

The event will include fun activities and a lively entertainment lineup.  

 

Click HERE for more information.

This event is proudly sponsored by MyBindi.com.

MyBindi Sponsored by  

Party for Paws :: Fundraiser for Oasis Animal Rescue
Party for Paws

Oasis Animal Rescue will be hosting its first annual fundraiser Party for Paws.

The event promises to be a fun-filled night with live performances by some of Toronto's funniest comics - Aastha Lal, Nitish Sakhuja and Mike Rita. After the comedy show, the party begins with DJ Navin S, who will be spinning the best in Hip Hop, R&B, House and Top 40.The newly renovated and luxurious Proof Vodka Bar acts as the perfect backdrop for this event, with its gorgeous patio and tasteful lounge.    

Proceeds from the event will be going to Oasis Animal Rescue, a non-profit organization committed to saving animals that are abandoned, displaced or homeless.

When: Friday, May 31, 2013
Where: Proof Vodka Bar
Time: 10pm
Tickets: $20 at door (includes admission to the comedy show and after party)

Click HERE to learn more about Oasis and the great work it does.

Click HERE for more information about the fundraiser.

This event is proudly sponsored by MyBindi.com.
MyBindi Sponsored by
Dare to be You :: 22nd Annual NetIP Conference
NetIP NA Conference 2013

NetIP North America is excited to launch the 22nd Annual Conference centered around "Dare to Be You".

As South Asians are beginning to break away from social norms, we can spearhead the movement toward diversifying our lives and professions.

As NetIP's mission is to improve and enhance our community through our 4 pillars, we are sure we can be the forum for South Asians to explore diversity.

As many of us strive to find our place in society and break away from the traditional career and life paths, we realize we are inundated with infinite opportunities and it is important to find avenues to diversify our professions and lives!

Attend the 22nd Annual NetIP Conference and "Dare to Be You"!

When: August 30 - September 2, 2013
Where: Hilton San Francisco, San Francisco Bay area
Tickets: $325 until May 31

Click HERE to register for the conference and purchase tickets.

Click HERE for more information on the conference.

This event is proudly sponsored by MyBindi.com.
MyBindi Sponsored by
Aurangzeb


Aurangzeb is an action crime thriller film directed by Atul Sabharwal. A cop goes undercover into a gangster's family as his son. This sets in place a chain reaction of complications and increasingly uncontrollable events.

Click HERE to read more.

Starring: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Arjun Kapoor, Sashaa Agha
Director: Atul Sabharwal

Click HERE for more information, showtimes, and to purchase advance tickets online.
 

MyBindi is a proud promotional partner of Albion and Woodside Cinemas - delivering the best of Bollywood Cinema in the GTA!

sponsor

 

In This Bulletin
desiFEST 2013
Article Headline
Punjabi International Film Festival
carried away on the crest of a wave
Article Headline
International Fashion Festival Toronto
World Partnership Walk :: Toronto
Article Headline
Dare to be You :: 22nd Annual NetIP Conference
Shootout at Wadala
What's New on MyBindi
Interview :: Gurpreet Singh Sarin on Life After 'American Idol'

Is the Western GTA in Economic Gridlock?

South Asian Heritage Day filled ROM with vibrant colours

Welcome to the 2013 Western GTA Summit

Tarragon Theatre Presents: Carried Away on the Crest of a Wave

World Premiere of David Yee's play 'Carried Away on the Crest of a Wave'

Sunehri Yaadein Brings to Life Bollywood's Golden Era

Get ready to get desiFIED & Celebrate Another Year!

Stars Gippy Grewal, Meera Launch BMO PIFF 2013

Walk the Walk and change the world at the Toronto World Partnership Walk!

Celebrating the 175th Anniversary of the Arrival of Indians in the West Indies

International Fashion Festival Toronto 2013

 'Saadi Galli Aaja' Breezer Mix by Shweta Subram & Studio Unplugged

IT'S TIME to get desiFIED!

Dare to be You: 22nd Annual NetIP Conference

Water vs. Coke

 Suwanda H. J. Sugunasiri :: Arhant Mahinda - Redactor of the Buddhap�j�va in Sinhala Buddhism

Popular music reconnects to traditional genres in subcontinent

Most Eligible Bachelors In B-Town

Interview :: Nimisha Mukerji on the making of Blood Relative

MyBindi CEO nominated for RBC's Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award

US President Barack Obama throws weight behind yoga

Bollywood Weddings in 2013

Fashion File by Fusia - Fashion Meets Compassion a la South Asian Style

Sunny Leone gyrates to an item song for Bollywood!

Bollywood stars have no time for me, says Mira Nair

Blood Relative

Revisit simple joys of life with 'Chashme Baddoor' soundtrack

'Embrace Indian culture' says Fashion Icon, Manish Malhotra

"False Sanctuaries: Stories from the Troubled Territories of South Asia"

Ontario Taking Action to Protect People with Dementia

Small World announces the 11th Annual Asian Music Series

MyBindi CEO inspires women at the ICCC International Women's Day Event

PIFF Back for Second Year

Honeymoon in Thailand: Two Week Itinerary

Experience 'In Living Color' at the ROM

Bold gets bolder: Bollywood erotica goes 3D

'The Attacks of 26/11' a stunning wake-up call

"Salaam Bombay" returns to Cinemas

Mira Nair's 'The Reluctant Fundamentalist' Premiere

MyBindi CEO speaks on "Generosity, Sharing and Collaboration"

Treehouse Talks: MyBindi CEO on "The Personal Brand" and its importance for entrepreneurs 


MyBindi on CBC Metro Morning 

 

"Like" the MYBINDI Facebook Fan Page

 

Follow @mybindi on Twitter

 

Download the MyBindi iPhone app for FREE!

  

Join Our Mailing List 
What's New on BindiBlogs

Salimah My Body My Temple

Deepa wanted to clear up her skin.  She was tired of the flare ups, the expensive lotions and potions that never quite covered the spots or stopped them from showing up in the first place.  She wanted to explore natural remedies.

 

Your skin is the largest organ in your body.  It is your perimeter, regulating temperature, allowing interaction with the environment through the sensation of touch.  Your skin is porous, whatever you put on your skin eventually makes its way into your body.  

 

Your skin is a mirror of what is happening inside your body.  Toxins in the organs, unresolved emotions, genetics, drugs, alcohol and eating habits all play a role in the health of your skin. Think of your skin like a filtering system, as important to your digestion as  your colon and liver. Most of us will blame our skin issues on the choice of food we make.  There is usually much more at play.  

 

Click HERE  to read more.

Shamira Wellness

 Quinoa Cookies!

love nutrition and all things healthy - but one thing I'm not is a baker. I enjoy cooking, not baking. I've been told people are usually one or the other - I am definitely more of a cook. If I'm going to slave in the kitchen, I want a meal out of it, not something to have with tea!

That being said, I recently ventured into the world of baking with this great recipe provided by my friend and colleague, Dr. Joey Shulman. They are easy to make, healthy and delicious! So I thought I'd share it with you:

 

Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 2 dozen medium sized cookies
Prep time: 8 minutes
Cook time: 12 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes (plus cooling time)


Click HERE to read more.

Geeta Kitchen Newsletter
Travelling Foodie: Desi Eats Abroad

The more I travel the more similarities I see between cultures. During my trip to Europe and Turkey this fall, I came across traditional Arabic desserts, snacks and drinks that looked and tasted very much like their Indian counterparts. Of course, with India's ancient history with the Mughal empire, a crossover was bound to happen. Here is Desi Globetrotter's guide to decoding the names behind these epicurean delights:

Zlabias = Jalebis 

On my last day in Paris, I came across a small Tunisian bakery in the Latin Quarter. These twisted, bright orange, syrupy sweets in the window display caught my eye. Jalebis have been traced back to India, but have made their way to the Middle East and North Africa during the Muslim rule. According to Wikipedia, "Jalebi became Zalebi as Z is more common in middle-eastern languages. In Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, this sweet is known as Zlebia or Zlabia."

 

Click HERE to read more.

Word Sy

 Lingering Tides and Other Stories by Latha Viswanathan

These poignant stories finely depict the lives of immigrants, through the themes of family adjustment, loss, and starting afresh in a new place. Set in suburban Toronto, New Jersey, Texas, and India, they draw out the conflicts in three generations of Indians. What we sense is both the anguish of loss and the thrill of discovery.


Viswanathan's quiet prose imparts powerful emotions that ring true, and her rendering of cultural clash is truly skillful and nuanced. The depiction of her characters' interior lives is so full and vital that they breathe and walk off the page. The reader is drawn in and completely absorbed into her world of transitions.

 

Click HERE to read more.

Listen Up Blog

The soundtrack of director Rohan Sippy's forthcoming romantic-comedy "Nautanki Saala" has a long list of songs and composers have managed to blend elements of romance and comedy very well in the songs. The eight original songs and their reprised, unplugged and remix versions are likely to woo music lovers. 

However, a couple of tracks would have niche listeners as they won't appeal to the masses. 

The album starts with romantic number "Mera mann kehne laga". Sung by Tulsi Kumar, the soothing, happy song can make you dream. The lyrics are dipped in romance and beautifully describe a lover's feelings. 

Its reprise version is sung by Falak Shabir and maintains the romantic flavour, but is slow in pace.

The next is "Saadi gali aaja". Although it has a strong music with lots of drum beats, don't misinterpret it for a typical dance number. Sung by Neeti Mohan and Ayushmann, it gradually gains tempo but does not cross the line to become a party song. 

The remix version is just faster and yes, you can think of shaking a leg on this one.

 

Click HERE to read more.
Bollywood Bites Blog

"Dum hai, Boss!" - the perky young Miss Congeniality in David Dhawan's "Chashme Baddoor", a far cry from the shastriya sangeet trainee tutti fruti-eating Deepti Naval in Sai Paranjpye's film, exclaims whenever she is impressed by her loverboy's dialogue-baazi. 

  

Exclamation marks are the only punctuations in this seamless comedy of courtship played at an impossibly high octave, without getting shrill.  

 

 

Click HERE to read more.