Hello 2023!

The first week of the New Year is already done. Time to reminiscence and simultaneously plan for the days ahead.

The highlight of last year is me meeting my darling nephew A. I went saat samundar paar to the USA and had the most wonderful time there. I also tried Froyo for the first time. I am not very fond of yoghurt but froyo actually tasted good! My friends also planned a short trip to Kodaikanal after learning that I had never been there. I couldn't get enough of the chilly mornings and scenic views. My sister is in India for the holiday season. We had to travel to Chennai for their visa stamping. We went to Mahabalipuram for a day. The sculptures there are beautiful. I would love to revisit it someday.

Back home, I really wanted to change the home decor a bit. Give it that cute and cosy vibe. I love plants and flowers around the house and bought a number of them. But I am also a responsible plant parent and have been taking care of them quite well with my dad's help. I also got a swing hung on our balcony. It's my favourite part of the house now <3 And am overjoyed that it's A's fav place too. The aesthetics are not the only upgrade in my house though. Without planning to, I ended up buying an Air fryer, a washing machine, a Robo vacuum cleaner and an AC. I have to admit these things make life so much easier. I love deep-fried stuff but the thought of all that oil turns me off. But with the air fryer, the guilt reduces drastically. Similarly, the vacuum cleaner has helped me avoid the maid during the week guaranteeing calm mornings. I have avoided the AC for the longest time but gave in because of the fluctuations in the Bangalore weather.

Talking about gadgets, I have landed the lottery with Apple goods. My uncle gifted me the iPhone 13 Pro Max and the Apple Watch Series 7. My sister gifted me Airpods Pro 2nd Gen and the iPad Air 5th Gen. I feel a bit sheepish saying I bought the Apple Pencil 2nd Gen which is the least valued item here. But it is what it is. I was never an Apple fan. In my defence, I will just say "If you can't beat them, join them". I was also gifted a Coach bag by the uncle who planned the New York trip. Both my high-end bags - MK and Coach were gifted by him. I also received a surprise Secret Santa gift from my colleague at work. It was totally unexpected and left me with a warm and fuzzy feeling. I feel blessed and grateful to have such wonderful people around me, both family and friends.

I am just going to skim over the last few things, not because they are insignificant. Writing about them will need posts of their own. One of my favourite cousins got married last year and it was a full-on Bollywood-style wedding! On the heels of it came the Rajyotsava celebrations in our apartment. I was a part of the Treasure Hunt Organization team and also the MC for the evening where we had Prof. Krishne Gowda as the chief guest. A couple of years back, I was gifted ICICI bank cards worth 15k. They had expired during the COVID situation. After a lot of follow-ups, we were finally able to get new cards issued. Ever since the COVID scare passed, we have been asked to report to work every day. The long commute made me take to Audiobooks. I have been able to meet my Goodreads challenge only because of listening to books during the cab ride.

Finally, the best news of the year. I have started driving independently!! Woohooo!! Years after getting my license and free taunts from almost everybody I know, here I am zipping around the city in a four-wheeler. Every day, I appreciate it better.

So that's a wrap on my 2022. Looking forward to an amazing 2023!

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)