Yalin makes it BIG in Bollywood

17 Feb 2008 11:03 am CST Chicago, IL: Variety reports that famous singer based in the UK, Yalin Solmaz, has made it big in Bollywood. The rumor has it that Solmaz has signed an exclusive deal with a major studio in Mumbai to star in four of their upcoming line-up in 2009. When asked about his sudden success, Solmaz mentioned a few names who have helped him along the way, the director Jimmy being the most prominent for his Bollywood endeavours.

Below is a clip of Solmaz's award-winning performance from "Indian Cowboy" directed by Jimmy with famous co-star Natasa Gligoric.

The For-Two Syndrome

In my busy Chicago days (don't get me wrong; I'm busy because of work these days, not play), I rarely get the chance to cook a hearty meal at home. So, I usually have to either eat out or buy something ready-to-cook. After a few weeks of this regime, what I realized is that almost everything pre-cooked comes for couples! Bread-crusted salmon and leek quiche (for two...), Bertolli's roasted chicken and linguine (for two.....), Giordano's famous Chicago pizza for delivery (for freaking two................!!!). I'm already single and these for-two meals aren't helping me as I get to eat double portions every dinner! How is that supposed to help me end my spinster ways? You tell me.

Enchante, mon chérie

Bon soir mis amis! Pour les quatre semaines, j’apprend le français. Je peux expliquer mon nom, prénom, âge, adresse, numéro de téléphone, etc. Par exemple, je m’appelle Yalin et j’ai vingt-quatre ans. J’habit a Chicago et je travaille a Morningstar. J’aime cuisiner, chanter, danser, et diner au restaurant. J’adore voyager a de divers pays.

So, what do you think of my French so far ? I’ve been taking beginners French classes in Chicago since the beginning of November. After 5 weeks, this is where I am! So exciting!! I’m going to continue taking classes in 2008 before I make my way back to London, so I’m somewhat fluent in French next time I go to Paris. Watch out Paris, I’m coming fully equipped next time!!

Son, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. Savvy?

...and then it was time for the scariest time of the year - Halloween! Having never celebrated Halloween before in my entire life, even though I've lived in the US for more than six years, I decided to make the most of my circumstances. I was in Chicago, it was Halloween, my sister was throwing a big Halloween party, I could invite my friends - what was I waiting for?!?

The inspiration struck me when my best friend in Chicago promptly reminded me of how much I look like Johnny Depp. ;) OK, she only said, with the right amount of make-up and some acting on my part, how convincing I would be as Jack Sparrow, but I took that to mean I'm as handsome as the Depp himself. It was on! I scouted all the seasonal Halloween stores in search of the costume and the wig/hat, and I could only find it an hour outside of Chicago.

After about a week and a half watching looped clips of Pirates of the Caribbean and studying the captain's make-up, I arrived at my sister's house a day before the party to start the preparations. My sister successfully completed the make-up and I was ready to flirt, get drunk and move my hands around like Jack while confusing others with my endless chatter.

...Friends... This is the day that you will ALWAYS remember as the day that you...
[backs up and trips over ledge]


If you want to see the complete set of pictures and an incredibly ridiculous video of me as Jack dancing to Christina Aguilera's "Ain't No Other Man," just go to the following online album:

http://picasaweb.google.com/ysolmaz/HalloweenPartyChicagoOct2007

So far Chicago

So, I've been back in the windy city for over three weeks now (good God, time flies by!) and I have been extra busy at work and off work. At work, I've been finalizing the training program my team will be going through along with holding the fort at my 'old' position. Off work, here's what I've been up to:

the Turkish 'gang'
As soon as I came back to Chicago, I found myself in the middle of a new Turkish 'gang.' This gang is so fun and outgoing that I've been out with them almost every single night. We end up hanging out at the same Turkish cafe, discussing politics, music, books, you name it! The recent tensions in Turkey is really worrying all of us so we end up talking about that for the majority of the time. To guide the smooth-flowing conversation, we get incredibly good Turkish food and bottomless wine until we leave the place. We usually stay there so late that the place is literally ours and ours only. We invite friends and all of a sudden, it's a spontaneous party! We can even close the place down- i.e. tomorrow we're throwing a pumpkin carving party at the cafe for us and our friends! I feel VIP, and I love it.

Films!!!!!
Approaching the Christmas and New Year's season, there are films galore in the cinemas, and I'm enjoying only paying $10 to see these film, instead of 10 pounds! I'm loving the dollar. So far, I've seen:

• Lars and the Real Girl (highly recommended, really touching and ingenious)
• Dan in Real Life (feel good comedy starring Steve Carell)
• the Darjeeling Limited (Wes Anderson style awkwardly funny comedy)
• the Heartbrake Kid (horrendous film featuring Ben Stiller)

Chic and trendy
Thanks to my new work colleagues and the no-cover majority of Chicago entertainment spots, I've been to incredibly chic and trendy restaurants and bars. Thought-out decoration, tasty food, good wine and reasonable prices. I'm rediscovering Chicago! Below are pics from a few of the places I've been to.

De La Costa Restaurant

Carnivale

Japonais

Artistic Genius?

There are days when I wonder if I am an artistic genius being wasted at an independent financial research company. I mean, who can belt Fallin' as well as I can or sketch the Daliesque charcoal drawings that I'm famous among my friends for? What about these photos below? I mean even the titles shout "artistic genius!!"

Blue Essence (Sep 2007, Paris)

Fascination (Sep 2007, Frankfurt)

Honestly, I should really be an artist. :P

Gotta love Family Guy!

I just spotted this on YouTube. Apparently, Brian and Stewie from Family Guy, the TV animated series, opened the Emmys this year. They mock pretty much every TV show out there including, but not limited to, the Sopranos, Scrubs, and Desperate Housewives. You have to watch this because they show the reaction of the shows' stars throughout the video: priceless!!!

Memories are made of this

Huy, I apologize for stealing your phrase, but that's what came to my mind when I started digging deeper and deeper into my Gmail archive tonight. I uncovered pictures, jokes, phrases, you name it! I laughed, I reminisced, I missed... In short, I was nostalgic all of a sudden. I've prepared a special album just for this occasion since it made me recall my life in frames without the need of a near-death experience. Hail Gmail!!

Oh, and I also realized that I don't use this smiley enough anymore (:D) so expect it to appear in anywhere ranging from e-mails to postcards soon.

:D

http://picasaweb.google.com/ysolmaz/MemoriesAreMadeOfThis

the Flying Trapeze

Due to popular demand, I'm posting the video of me doing the flying trapeze for the first time. It happens to be in front of the Tate Modern on a fine summer afternoon late Aug 2006. My original idea was to get this filmed and to send it off to my best friend in Chicago as a post Sex-and-the-City souvenir.

Even though I'm afraid of heights, the only part that was scary was climbing the stairs bit. Once you get hold of the trapeze and start swinging, it's just pure fun! I was having such a blast that I didn't want to get off and tried to speed up. The French instructor wasn't very fond of that idea so my ambitions to become a professional flying trapeze Turk ended in vain, but not without a final somersault! :) Watch the video already!