One Country One Dish Challenge

I started cooking few years back. It was occasional and only when something caught my fancy. When I lost my mom, it came upon me to cook for my father. He loves traditional dishes which were a challenge to me. Not because they are difficult. It's just that these recipes are not written down anywhere. The jumbled instructions and vague measurements threw me off. I fell back to the tried and tested recipes that my mom had taught me.

As I gained confidence, I started trying out new dishes. Turns out am not a bad cook after all. I mean, I didn't burn down the kitchen. That counts as something right? So now, I have decided to take a up a new challenge. Yayyyyyy! I think am in love with these zebra striped tables and the challenges are just an excuse :P Anyhow, I am going to try cooking one dish from each country. That's almost 200 dishes. But I have a whole life ahead of me, at least long enough to cook two ton dishes I hope. We already have a head start. Check it out.

One Country One Dish (5/192)

	Country	Cuisine	Dish
	India	Breakfast	Masala Dosa
	Lebanon	Dessert	Knafeh
	Turkey	Snack	Pide
	Japan	Lunch	Bento box
	United States of America	Dessert	Boston Cream Cookie Cups

Party in the USA

After one whole year, I could finally travel to the US and see my nephew. It was his first birthday, and I was thrilled that I could make it. He was sleeping when I reached my sister's place. The photos and videos are absolutely deceptive. He looked so tiny in person. When he woke up, I was cautious not to get too close and alarm him. However, he came right into my arms <3 No tantrums, no hang-ups. My life felt truly complete holding this little bundle of joy. My sister had selected 'The Lion King' as the theme for his birthday. We had brainstormed so many ideas over the past few months. I still couldn't believe I was actually there helping her with all the decorations. My brother-in-law got a lovely cake. They had ordered Indian food from a restaurant called 'Aahaar' and it was delicious!

I did not get used to the Michigan cold at all. I was eternally covered in sweaters and socks. However, my sister and BIL took me to all places possible. Since my sister couldn't accompany me at all times due to the baby, I would often go shopping alone. It was kind of fun. I switched off from work completely and tried to enjoy my vacation as much as I could. 
On weekends, we would go downtown or visit family and friends. My sister and I would shop in the malls while playing hide and seek with my nephew who was on BIL's watch. We visited a German settlement and it brought back wonderful memories of the time we spent together in Germany. On weekdays, when the weather was kind, we would visit the lake just behind their house.

It had already stopped snowing during my visit and I was kind of disappointed. To my surprise, on the last week of my stay there, it started snowing! The whole place was covered by a thick blanket of snow. I was finally able to tick off my bucket list item by playing to my heart's content in the snow. Dare I say that it may have snowed just for me because by evening, the snow had started melting and the next day there was no trace of it! And you think am joking when I say am God's favourite child :D

The days passed quickly playing with my cutie pie, annoying him, pampering him, and giving all my love to him. It was time to fly back. My return was booked via New York. And out of nowhere, Akka and I got a day to ourselves thanks to this wonderful uncle of ours who planned a city tour of NYC just for us. She flew with me to NY where we watched a Broadway Musical called 'The Music Man' featuring Hugh Jackman!! We then took a rickshaw ride to Times Square which is always buzzing with energy. We had dinner at Priyanka Chopra's famous restaurant 'Sona'. Finally, we rode the limo to the airport!! I have to go crazy with the exclamation marks because that's a lot of name-dropping. This has been the most extravagant day of my life I guess!

And that's how I was able to visit the US once more before my visa expires. I will always cherish this trip because I was seeing my sister and BIL after a tumultuous two years. I met my darling nephew for the first time and spent quality time with him. And I had one of the most exciting days of my life in NYC.

Bake the world a better place

The love for cooking runs in our family, especially on my dad's side. But when a dish turns out pleasing to the tongue and to the eye, it's a whole new level of joy. That's why I love making desserts. Desserts have a lot more scope for beautification. I still remember me and my sister trying to bake brownies in our microwave. We were in school then and we had managed to melt the brownie dish. Lol! Nevertheless, I did not lose hope. I moved on to baking cakes in the microwave and successfully managed to send it to the repair shop twice!!

After a lot of trial and error, I realised that I was following the recipe to the T but I wasn't using the right tools. When I completed ten years of service in my company, I was given a cash voucher. I decided to gift myself a proper oven. It has been a game-changer. I have been baking cakes, muffins, brownies and savoury dishes too. And they turn out so good every time. Over time, I invested in cake pans, spatulas, silicone moulds. I even bought flavouring agents and colours. It makes baking super fun.

But my dream of making aesthetic looking dishes is far from reality. It takes a lot of practice and I am not able to devote that kind of time to it. I hate wastage. Putting the frosting in a bag and not being able to use it to the last bit is sure to keep me up at night. However, I am not hanging up my apron so soon. I will continue practising and am certain that I will bake that elusive, pretty looking cake one day.

The farewell month

End of another year.. So many unexpected things happened this year. And am glad to say that I feel liberated and stronger than ever.

At the beginning of the year, I watched a show called 'Emily in Paris'. It inspired me to pick up learning French again. Now, am ending the year watching season 2 of the same show :) One of the most enjoyable shows I have seen. The lead Emily is a treat to watch.

The biggest news of this year and probably my entire life will be the birth of my nephew - Aarav. Our family was going through a rough patch and this little guy appeared like a ray of sunshine. I could be addicted to watching his videos randomly. His antics keep us laughing all the time. It's unfortunate that I haven't met him yet. But I know I will be the best maasi ever!

I have a running list of things I want to do in my life. I don't plan for it but somehow it gets checked off. Ever since I saw the blue Tiffany box, my heart has been set on owning a piece of their jewellery. To my surprise, my sister gifted me Tiffany's bracelet!! I am yet to wear it but I keep looking at it because it feels really special. The next event triggered a lot of bucket list checks. Remember, how in June I whined about travel being out of the question? Never did I expect to travel abroad and that too to South Africa! That means I completed four of my bucket list items - Visit a new country, Visit a new continent, Ride first-class and Visit a UNESCO world heritage site. Who would have thought 2021 would be the year which will check off the max bucket list items!

2021 has also been a year of learning for me. Sometimes, I feel like I create a box around me and restrict my own abilities. Now, I strive to get out of my comfort zone and try new things. Be it in my cooking or wardrobe, my social circle or my thinking. This has helped me get in touch with myself. I am also trying to adopt a Minimalist lifestyle. I see it as a natural progression. 

Every year, I reflect on the months gone by and plan my bucket list for the next year. However, I love the list I compiled in January, 2021. There's still so much more left to accomplish. So, I will be continuing the same list and fingers crossed, I may have checked off all of them by the end of 2022.

Gangavathi

Looks like every post now will have a mention of the pandemic. Me and cousins were sick and tired of staying indoors, waiting for things to get better. Hence, we did not think twice when we were invited to the quaint town of Gangavathi, close to Hampi. We drove to the place and as were entering it, we could see people roaming without masks. Small groups of people were chatting in abandon with no concern for social distancing. My cousin looked around to see if there was at least one person wearing a mask. Upon spotting such an individual, he remarks "Look, that guy is wearing a mask. Marle (crazy guy)!" The joke was so on point that we couldn't stop laughing!!

That's the reality now. Anybody abiding the law or following rules and regulations are frowned upon for not being smart enough to outwit the authorities. Anyway, we moved on as per the location pin sent to us and landed in the middle of nowhere. No sign of the resort. After asking around we observed, true to its name, "The Hidden Place" was hidden amidst thick shrubbery. We went into a large expanse of land with a natural stream from the Tungabhadra river flowing by.

What followed is a refreshing experience amidst nature. Gangavathi is a mix of the old and the new. It has a fusion culture. Thanks to Hampi, it has a constant influx of foreigners. You can find several cafes dotted along the path that cater to continental food. However, the decor of these cafes is rustic, lending an old-world charm to the whole setup. I learnt to enjoy a steaming cup of coffee in the chill weather of Gangavathi.

The cousin who hosted us is extremely nice! He wants people to have fun. There would be a large spread of food for every meal. The day's activities would be planned in advance. Our every need was taken care of. And even after coming home, the party wouldn't stop. There was an impromptu karaoke session and someone sang "Ae zindagi gale lagale..". At the point where the lyrics goes "Humne bhi tere har ek gham ko, gale se lagaya hai, hai na?" my cousin would go "Ha ha ha..". It was hilarious. The host's wife is named Vaidehi and for the most part of the night, we kept chanting "Vaidehi Vaidehi..". These memories are going to live with me forever.

We had planned our trip only for the weekend. Soon, it was time to leave. Before heading to Bangalore, we made one last stop. It was a huge estate with the Tungabhadra river flowing just beside it. The view there is beautiful. We were amazed to hear from the owner that the place transforms during different seasons. During summer, the land turns dry and one can ride vehicles on it. With the advent of spring, sunflowers blossom in the same fields. One can also see flamingos flying in. As the rains start pouring, the plants get washed away and the river marks its path. And the river brings along the seals with it. Imagine seals climbing up to the shore. What a magical place!

The estate also had a dragon fruit plantation. Farmers are getting many exotic fruits to India and cultivating them here. This just shows that nature and science go hand in hand. The trip served as a good break for me. We don't have to travel far to experience different cultures. There is so much to explore around us.

Movie Marathon - The Disney edit

I love taking up challenges because it exposes us to different genres and activities. Doing even half the challenge, will make us a better person. Not to mention, completing it is extremely satisfying. Reading challenges are my favorites. Though I love movies, I don't like to watch them alone. This means I have missed out on quite a lot of the classics. The time has come to set it right. So, here I am taking up a movie marathon! I know, I know, a challenge is not a marathon. But watching so many movies is a huge challenge for me and I am sure I will drag it out like a marathon :P Now, let's dim the lights and get that popcorn poppin' baby!

Disney Movie Marathon (30/60)

✔	Classics (28/34)	✔	Others (2/26)
✓	Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)		Saludos Amigos (1943)
✓	Pinocchio (1940)		The Three Caballeros (1945)
	Fantasia (1940)		Make Mine Music (1946)
✓	Dumbo (1941)		Fun and Fancy Free (1947)
✓	Bambi (1942)		Melody Time (1948)
✓	Cinderella (1950)		The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)
✓	Alice in Wonderland (1951)		The Sword in the Stone (1963)
✓	Peter Pan (1953)		The Aristocats (1970)
✓	Lady and the Tramp (1955)		The Rescuers (1977)
✓	Sleeping Beauty (1959)		The Fox and the Hound (1981)
	One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)		The Black Cauldron (1985)
	The Jungle Book (1967)		The Great Mouse Detective (1986)
✓	Robin Hood (1973)		Oliver and Company (1988)
	The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)		The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
✓	The Little Mermaid (1989)		Fantasia 2000 (1999)
	Beauty and the Beast (1991)		Dinosaur (2000)
✓	Aladdin (1992)	✓	The Emperor’s New Groove (2000)
✓	The Lion King (1994)		Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)
✓	Pocahontas (1995)		Treasure Planet (2002)
✓	The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)		Brother Bear (2003)
✓	Hercules (1997)		Home on the Range (2004)
✓	Mulan (1998)		Chicken Little (2005)
✓	Tarzan (1999)		Meet the Robinsons (2007)
✓	Lilo and Stitch (2002)		Bolt (2008)
✓	The Princess and the Frog (2009)		Big Hero 6 (2014)
✓	Tangled (2010)	✓	Encanto (2021)
	Winnie the Pooh (2011)
✓	Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
✓	Frozen (2013)
✓	Zootopia (2016)
✓	Moana (2016)
✓	Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)
✓	Frozen II (2019)
✓	Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)

Ju-lyke it?

Hello July!

Can't believe the year is moving so fast. With all the misery spread around by the pandemic, I had forgotten that it's hike time in our company. So the unexpected salary increase took me by surprise and made me feel happy. I am grateful that I am at a point in life where I don't have to fret too much about money. God has been very kind to me.

Talking about small mercies, my cousin's wife is due in December. They lost their first baby and have been hoping to have one more ever since. I am so soo happy for them! We girls hosted a small baby shower for the soon-to-be mommy. We had fun games and yummy food. Everybody had a ball.

When we bought our house, we did not have much time to work on the interiors. Now that we have settled down, I am trying to make small home improvements. Going by my idea of a home for all, I got a mop stand installed which cleared the clutter in our utility. I had shelves installed in the kitchen cabinets into which went things that were on the kitchen counter, more space yayyy! My cousin helped me in getting a foldable work table. I also bought a monitor and keyboard to have a dedicated work space. No more bad posture.

I also like my home to smell fresh and clean. So, I may have splurged a bit when I got diffusers from Bath and Body Works. Oops! But you have to agree that they look oh so pretty! I also got reed diffusers for the washrooms and don't regret it at all. Not to be left behind, my father had the hall and puja room upgraded with a false ceiling. Although, I was skeptical initially, the final result blew me away. Now, when we switch on the warm lights everywhere, the house transforms into somewhere ethereal.

I have also been cooking and baking. And I am enjoying it so much. However, after being bitten by the most deadly bug of the century, I started experiencing severe hair fall. It was so bad that wherever I went, I would leave a trail of hair behind. Finally, my dad took me to a doctor and he prescribed some zinc tablets and hair tonic. And just like that, the hair fall stopped. I couldn't believe it. Note to self, get medical advice whenever necessary.