Major and Minor

Spring is here! True to form, New York weather is likely to skip spring (read decent, pleasant temperatures) altogether and fast forward to summer - skin searing heat outside on some days and deep freezer like temperatures in offices and stores. Like every year, I am determined to enjoy mild weather as long as possible, even the rain. But like every year, I am stymied in my efforts - this time by something other than my usual ennui. Which brings me to my major update: I am now a mum! It has been nearly 3 months since we were joined by Baby A -screaming and flailing tiny limbs with all his might and generally rendering me speechless for the first few minutes of his life. It has taken me all this time to even post this update, so you can imagine the upheaval the tiny imp has caused in our lives :) We have had grandparents visiting and helping and leaving before the other set of grandparents arrived to do the same. Feeding and sleep routines are in now place - the body has even recovered to the shock of sleeping 5 hours a night. But settling down into this new role in my mind is still taking time. To know that you are responsible for a tiny life takes some realigning in your head. Like you are finally a grown-up.

What I am eating:
I am a one-and-done kinda gal when it comes to dinner. I only have energy to throw together a sabzi or a one-pot meal when I get home in the evenings. Fancy angrezi recipes that involve tinkering with the oven, or Insta-worthy bowl meals which require assembling 10 different components never tempt me. But this simple and healthy recipe for spinach quesadillas which marries my need for speed with healthy, post-partum recommended ingredients makes the cut.

What I am reading:
In times such as these - with journalistic standards at an all-time low and Whatsapp posts passing for reading - blog-hopping can be a very rewarding activity. And a break from the constant outrage and/or propaganda on social media. This post totally resonated with me and is the best thing I have read in a few weeks. Brought back fond memories of my father haranguing my adolescent school-going self to eat a banana everyday.

What I am watching:
Watched a lot of entertaining Hindi movies and shows recently (I think we are in the Renaissance period of Indian cinema!) But what will stay with me is this heartbreaking scene from Roma. What a brilliant movie. My heart shattered into a million pieces and will never be the same again.

Until next time (and hopefully that is sooner a few years)....
Cheers! 

Turkeys and Jingle bells

I love the last couple of months in the year. It is time for this hard-working country to slow down and indulge a little. Thanksgiving time in the US is very akin to Diwali time in India. There is hoards of shopping and parties and get-togethers. Window displays and street decorations vie for your attention. There is an early onset of Christmas tree sellers at street corners and cinnamon scents at bakeries and Christmas music wafting in through open doors...The number of employees on vacation hits the roof (and poor, hardworking folks who didn't go on that vacation suddenly find themselves inundated with extra hours.)

Normally, this is the time for me to indulge my reclusiveness. I find excuses to stay at home and get cozy. Have never really appreciated late Fall morphing into winter so quickly. Or I try to flee to warmer pastures, usually that annual visit to India. However, this year, since travel is not an option, I determined to enter into the Holiday spirit more fully. At-least until it starts pelting snow...

What I am reading: Lots of ARE prep material and nothing remotely exciting....

What I am watching: Thank God for savvy series makers turning to best-selling novels for their scripts! How else would I ever catch up with my pending reading... Elena Ferranate's much acclaimed 'My Brilliant Friend' has been gathering dust quietly on a shelf. I was so thrilled when the husband came across the show on HBO. Made in Italian(with English sub-titles), the series retains a lot of the charm of the book (I was told). I found the series hard to get into, but am completely hooked now. It's a coming of age story of 2 little girls growing up in Naples. The characters, the sets and the instances are rich with details. Another show I'd recommend is Succession (on Amazon Prime?) It's not an unusual story - the aging patriarch of a billionaire media conglomerate is reluctant to rescind his throne to his kin. But the flawed characters are so well-nuanced, that you actually care for them, root for them. The show manages to create edge-of-seat moments with corporate drama.Mrs. Maisel is back and thank God for that.

What I am cooking: I have been making a more conscious effort to get in protein and fiber in my diets. To that end, I am trying to master a couple of Bengali fish preparations. Here is a picture of my 'macher jhaal' and 'oats upma' for those cold winter mornings.

And that's it for today folks! Stay warm!

You'll be missed Sri...

It had been a relaxed outing with kids in a park. I was on my way back home, hoping to catch some quiet time, when my phone showed new updates. Breaking News about Sridevi!, it said. I eagerly clicked on it, expecting to hear about new movie plans or some such. Nothing about the news made sense. As it sunk in, I teared up in the subway. Condolences to her fans and the movie industry she grew up in. Condolences to her family and her daughters', on the cusp of their movie careers. They lost an irreplaceable mentor and coach in her. And condolences to my 12 year self who watched and re-watched her movies, mimic-ed her moves, fought her rivalries and felt her losses like only a true fan can.

Life, just like fame, can be so fickle.

Afterglow

Settling back after a vacation is a bit like breaking up with a lover with mutual consent. You are glad to be back on your own bed, but you experience constant nostalgia. Getting back to a humdrum routine is taking some getting used to this time - specially after a marathon getaway like the one I just had.

I took a walk today, reveling in the cold, fresh air and clear morning sky in the streets. But my mind went back to the muddled, muddy and rain-drenched streets of the medina in Marrakesh. And how it was almost impossible to walk uninterrupted - you had to squeeze aside to dodge scooters coming at breakneck speeds. But oh, how much more arresting and full of happen-chance such walks were. I enjoy the return to my full wardrobe and plentiful supply of clean clothes. But I loved my 3 weeks of haphazard layering, fashion be damned! With no schedule to adhere to, our days were strictly guided by pleasure.

And the highs, oh the highs! Watching the rolling countryside of South Portugal at your feet from a remote hilltop house every morning followed by sunny eggs and coffee by the pool and an improvised game of pong! Walking along one of the most photographed beaches in the world clad in your warmest winter wear and trying to not get your boots wet. Discovering Christmas lights at every turn and still walking along in the promise of more in Seville. Watching your dad and husband race down sand dunes in the Sahara like little kids while the camels' jingle fade in the background. Dancing to Berber drums around a camp fire - and having your parents be a part of it too!

I know that, eventually, the memory of the bad flight back home and the trauma of misplaced luggage will fade. And so will this afterglow of a great vacation. I will 're-integrate' into my practical, busy routine. But the next time I need my dose of Zen, I will be able to shut my eyes and spirit myself away to my heaven for that short, precious time.

Why I travel

We just got back from a quick 3 day getaway to Bermuda. This vacation will be special for several reasons - an important one being the relative ease with which it got planned. We have never been able to make up our minds about a location this quickly before. But all vacations are not like this, even the quick getaways. I usually put in a considerable amount of time researching a location and while it is eventually rewarding , it also takes a bit of a toll. So here's why it's all worth it for me!

1) A vacation is like an automatic reset. Coming back from a trip, jet-lagged and bleary eyed from the flight , I am still fresher in mind and spirit than before the trip. I have done some mental housekeeping, some consciously but mostly, naturally. 

2) I am a better employee! I am little more patient and punctilious and less likely to open Facebook on my browser ever so often :P My poor, overworked eyes and wrist also benefit greatly from this enforced sabbatical from a computer. 

3) Travelling gives me a somewhat informed point of view. I know a little bit more about the world. Before a recent trip to Sri Lanka, all I knew was that SL is a beautiful, but poor neighbor (to India), torn by internal strife till very recently. A short 5 days in the country revealed that it is not only a self-sufficient country, rich in resources, but it is also implementing eco-tourism in a way India hasn't been able to. I hope to go back to explore another part of this jewel island soon. Some years ago, we spent 2 weeks in Greece, travelling to various parts, settling in to a new round of austerity measures. It was the quiet, hustle-free time of the year, when the summer holiday goers and cruise ships have left. Chatting with locals over complimentary raki and touring their diminished markets, we sensed much of the turmoil that the proud Greek will never reveal. 

4) I get fit! As opposed to working out for a vacation, I do it while vacationing, strange as it might sound. Holidays are about waking up early (or soonish) and hitting the sights and traipsing the streets. So, hello toned legs! No resort stays where one spends time guzzling beer around a pool for us, thanks very much. Saving that for old age!

And of course, I get to explore my wardrobe :P That is high on my list of priorities, despite being last on this list. Can't appear too frivolous, no?

So, why do YOU travel?

Travel Diary

Even in this remote, cul-de-sac location, I can hear the ice-cream truck! There is no escaping their jingle, come summer! We are in this quaint, waterfront house on  the Peconic river in South Hampton. This AirBnb property is very  modest  from  the outside but reveals a gorgeous, sunny layout from within, with a backyard right on the water.

We are just back from a walk through the ubiquitous Main Street. The summer crowds aren't here yet. No surprise. Despite it being almost mid- April, a temperature of 15 C max. with a chilly breeze pervades. Not beach weather. We brought back lunch from 'Citarella - the local gourmet, prepared food store - and ate in the backyard,  under the sun. Random comfort food, the sort that tastes good but doesn't really gel well, cuisine-wise, - Greek salad, cold Asian noodles and cheese stuffed eggplant. Liquor chocolates for dessert; they come all the way from Sweden, courtsey of good friends. M has retired indoors for a nap, I am savoring the sun a bit longer.The water beckons and glistens. A pair of ducks fly over, from the strip island across, with matter-of-fact curiosity. All is quiet except for the sea gulls and the occasional boat out for an afternoon stroll on the water, their friendly owners waving. All is perfect.

(Slightly improved excerpt from my diary, posted after reading Pico Iyer's 'The Art Of Stillness), at the fag end of summer.

Culinary weekend!

I love food! (even though that is not an association people make when they first see me :) ) So, a weekend where almost every meal was soul-satisfying needs to make it to the blog.

The lucky streak started on Friday. The husband was working from home and so I stirred myself to make more effort over lunch. I am very happy  when I get a chance to put leftovers to use.There was some rice sitting in the fridge, the default accompaniment to every Seamless delivery. Turns out this slight hard, slightly old rice is perfect for quick fried rice. This is the expedited path I followed: Stir fry finely chopped ginger, garlic, onions and then any veggies you might have on hand. I never skimp on the ginger - important to add that punch. Remember to add some sugar as well to help the flavor and add color. Add the rice and the soy sauce soon after. Since soy sauce is salty, taste before adding the salt. Some recipes add in the vinegar at this point. I like to have vinegar separately on the table - in a bowl with chopped green chilies and more ginger.
All of this took me around 20 minutes. Topped off my plate with some stir-fried shrimp as a reward for my efforts while the husband got a sunny-side on his.

Ventured into Williamsburg later in the evening to look for baby clothes for my husband's new nephew. Decided to eat at St. Anselm on a whim. Now, we have visited and liked St. Anselm before. Being vegetarian, however, a restaurant specializing in grilling isn't going to be at the top of our regulars list. But this experience changed that for us. Despite their prohibitive wait-list (2 hours! which we used to find parking and browse baby stores) plus a further 30 minute wait for proper seating (no, I don't want to sit on a hard, tall stool at the bar - not after such a long wait anyway!) St. Anselm delivered. We decided to order a bunch of their appetizers and small plates to get a taste of everything.The peach-tomato salad, the haloumi-pea leaves salad, the spinach gratin were all worth the wait. The charred cauliflower brought back memories of my Dimma's phulkopi jhuri bhaja. The wine, though a tad expensive, perfectly complemented the flavors.We also managed to squeeze in some dessert (what a blessing it is to have expandable tummies!) - vanilla ice-cream with peach pie. Pure bliss! Exactly what a randomly special meal should feel like!

On Saturday, we pigged out at a special rakhi lunch cooked by the m-i-l. Lotus roots (bhe) in a light curry, saag paneer, a very toddler friendly red salad with beets and a great halwa.

Partly out of guilt and partly out of boredom (from over-eating!), we ended up walking all the way from 46th street to 14th. We did make a few pit-stops but since those pertained to shopping, our poor feet did not get any rest. When we finally reached Williamsburg, we were thirsty (and hungry again.) A quiet, airy pub beckoned. Williamsburg has tons of these cute establishments. Ordered wine with a small appetizer of Welsh rarebit. Really savored both the refreshments and the ambiance.

Day 1

Tampa/St. Pete's for the New Year's! I wanted to have an unplanned vacation this time. So it feels good to have such an unplanned, fun, first day.

1) Took an early morning walk on a beach. This is an all-time favorite of mine. Correction: It wasn't really early, more like noon. But pretty early for the 1st of January :) It wasn't even a beach really. Just a stretch of sand overlooked by a much-frequented local bar/cafe on the water. We had sea-gulls for company. And a variety of other shore birds, in fact. The ice-cream lady was just setting up her stand. Another holiday couple held hands and whispered. A few older groups parked on the far side and chatted. Later, we grabbed a drink at the cafe as people came in for brunch.

2) Explored a 'vintage' house at length. Our base here is a spacious and cozy outhouse built atop a garage in an old part of St. Pete's. The interiors are a treasure trove of vintage furniture and knick-knacks collected by the hostess over the years. Everything from the ceiling fan to the can-opener is quaint and old-worldly. There are tons of quirky books (I spotted a 1940s edition of the Girl Scout Handbook!) and a 'sewing room' with a closet full of vintage chic! What more can a girl ask for! There is also a ukulele with a manual for quick learning. I don't think I can go back to staying in a hotel room again. Strongly recommend AirBnb to add character to your holiday!

3) Drove around at night and watched beautiful homes. Now this makes me sound voyeuristic  and creepy but I am sure this is a common enough sentiment. This part of town is packed with gorgeous old houses. I love lit windows, cozy living rooms with lamps and bookshelves and paintings, Christmas decorations, people dining at set tables with vases...Besides, every once a while we took a turn and reached the glimmering water. What's not to love?

I also did some things I loved yesterday. Namely: read a good book straight through the flight (Murakami's book on running, if you must know). I rarely get the luxury to read at a stretch, having to break away to keep an eye on dinner or the subway stop. We also made and enjoyed a nye's plan with minimal research. I am always thrilled when that happens. (Dinner at the hotel restaurant which was exceptionally good and a movie in bed - NightCrawler which was good too. Perfect for the weary traveller.)
 And my last favorite thing for today? I wrote my first blog post of the year :)

Nonsense ki Night!

A very fun week-night catching a movie at Times Square!

Being away from home, I miss most Bollywood releases, unless Netflix obliges. The few I do watch at the theaters are much less fun, being in pardes.  Having a noisy, fun-loving audience around you increases appreciation of an inane-but fun movie. In my case, it is especially hard to enjoy a movie with the husb. - he is great one for eye-rolling/yawning/fidgeting/scratching/stretching during a movie and that does not increase my enjoyment.

Anyway, so I decided to watch HNY to give myself  a break during a busy work week. I decided to ditch the husb. for a fun gf.  Very smart decision. We laughed at almost every joke and drooled in unison at SRK. My expectations were also realistic - I knew what I was getting into (having watched Chennai Express last year).  We had such a great time! So here is why you should watch Happy New Year too!

Because - SRK really has 10-pack abs. (I didn't know it was possible, but I counted).
Because - Deepika is so like-able.
Because - 'Mera Pyar Shalimar' (ROFL)
Because - I love snake dance,
Because - It is so bad, it's good!

Guilty of neglect

I realize the primary reason of starting this blog was to have a record of what was going on with me. In that respect, I have had a major failure. My time in the US and specially New York is glaring in its absence. A look at past posts reveals they were written while on a 'break' in India. Mostly I have been too tired to summon up coherent thoughts. Many times I have been lazy. A couple of times I even managed to log in and get started before I was distracted by random browsing (I started on some blogs I follow, fully intending to do serious reading to get into the writing mode but somehow found myself on a page with cool accessories, checking for shipping to the US!) I guilt-ed myself enough to attempt writing during subway trips. It was a really desperate attempt, I admit. Thinking about a post while jostling and vying for seats and constantly cursing the G, is almost impossible. On a particularly long trip, I emerged after two shining sentences to find I had missed my stop. So totally not worth it.

Fixing on what I want to write about is also a hindrance. Mostly, the urge to write seizes me when I am mad about something. Anger is the most effective trigger. But prudence makes me hold off till I am calmer and more balanced. Happier occasions have me channeling my inner  Sri Sri (Ravi Shanker!) and trying to live in the moment. It is easier to post an update on FaceBook than to write a blog post! And so it happens that the 'drafts' in my folder are fast approaching the number of posts so far...

I admire the other bloggers I read, most of them mothers and/or career woman. It must require supreme effort/time management on their part to get in a monthly post. More shame on me...So, on this sunny almost-Fall Saturday, when I could have been snoozing in the sunny patch on my bed, I am instead, typing away on the laptop. And I am not pausing to look for a subject nor lethargy to creep up on me. Here I come!

Coffee break

Overheard.
Two little boys waiting for their mum/s at the salon lounge. Presumably getting a facial or something.
1st boy: (fidgeting and jumping up and down from his seat aimlessly a few times): I think that time goes by slower if you have nothing to do.
2nd boy: No response. After a long minute: No, I don't agree. I think time goes by the same whether you have something to do or not.

LOL. Cuteness! 

Moral of the story...

I am inherently confrontational and bad-tempered. But this has since been borne upon me and I have spent most of my adult life being diplomatic and, well, adult. I have had cause to practice this even more since I got married. Not with my husband, (sadly for him - he always hears more truth than he wants to, the poor dear) but with the extended family. Skirting topics is the polite (and accepted) way of dealing with issues. Today for a change, I decided to respond to some festering and unfair complaining with some of my own. While my popularity has nose-dived, it has definitely opened some eyes to a contrary point-of-view, something that the self-absorbed don't usually bargain for.

If you have any grievances, air them. Lest people think you have none.

Recap

I have been away for a really long while. In the good ol' days, I aimed (and succeeded) in getting at-least a post out every month. When that began to seem like too much of a commitment, I placated my blogger conscience by writing whenever inspiration struck! Then came a phase when morale really flagged owing to viewer stats (what's the point of blogging if no one is reading?!) Then there were phases when I was genuinely too busy and some more when I was just too lethargic. Meanwhile, life was happening. I recently dug up the blog and read the last few posts. I realized that so much of what I'd have liked to share was missing. I missed blogging about my 'big, Indian wedding'. I found no mention of the big move I had to make-first to the US of A, then to the Big A!. My travails and masti at Pratt, then finally Graduation, then the angst of the unemployed, fresh graduate...so much to say...

I don't lead a terribly exciting life but I have my moments of clarity, insights, growing up(!); moments of bliss and serenity and sometimes even anger, that are defining; the times when I feel most alive. I'd like to look  back a few years down the line and not see time in a blur. I'd like to be able to locate a moment in the past and remember exactly how I felt about something. For some reason, it seems important to me.

Hopefully, this blog revival will see more posts and less recaps! Amen!

Profile of a jerk

A disturbing update faced me as I logged onto Facebook for my hourly fix(!) last evening. A classmate from grad school who did his undergrad from Penn State and who is my grouse companion about the job scene here, posted this response to his follow-up mail on a job application: "Pedophile Penn State? I really don't think so." !!!

My first reaction (and most reactions, going from the comments on his wall) was 'WTF??!' Are you kidding me? What sort of a person can honestly think it a reason for rejecting a candidate? It's juvenile and pointlessly insulting. After mulling over it for a while, I noticed other disturbing aspects to this response. On the surface, it seems like a crass case of generalization; some jerk shooting off his mouth. But consider this: the guy leads a top NYC architecture firm and is a Harvard alumni - the cream of the crop, so to speak. He appears confident he'll get away with it too (airing views over an email where a simple 'forward' or 'tweet' can do much damage.) Confident that a low blow at a struggling grad will not hurt him. As long as he holds the promise of employment, he is untouchable by the wrath of the young architecture community. While I hope my friend does something more about it than just a nasty email back, I am more convinced in my belief that in many cases, education is a superficial condition. It is not always an enhancement of the mind, as one expects it to be. Prejudices run deeper.

I miss my grandparents. What wouldn't I give for just one conversation with them. Let them know what I am doing, who I married, where I lived, if I was happy...Just general stuff loved ones want to hear about. M's grandparents are visiting - the cause for this renewed sense of loss. At times like this I want to believe in the the concept of heaven and your loved ones watching over you.

Excerpts from my week in San Fran - 2

May 26th:

Just back from a really 'fresh' breakfast at La Boulange. (yes, they have branches in the downtown area too!) Although I was initially a little irritated that the hotel (Palace Hotel - we moved yesterday!) didn't have a coffee machine in the room (it's such a basic thing!), I was ultimately glad to get out and enjoy the morning sunshine.

Yesterday was slow compared to the previous days - M wasn't feeling too well and we also took some time shifting hotels. I found Palace Hotel to be a truly beautiful, historic building. It has a way of transporting you back in time - especially as you walk past lit chandeliers and gilded decor and listen to Mozart playing in the lobby at 8.00 in the morning! The attention to detail is amazing. (note to self: must have tea in the large ballroom under the glass dome. The guidebook wasn't overstating it when it described it as the 'most beautiful room in California'. After dragging the reluctant husband to lunch at Tulan for some Vietnamese, I ventured out to SF MoMa. Discovered an artist I hadn't heard of - Clifford Stills, who makes Rothko look like an amateur. The highlight of the place though, is Mario Botta's light shaft. While not very graceful from the exterior, it works really well for the atrium, bathing the interiors in a silver halo. A quick stop at the museum store for my usual picks of postcards and it was time to head out for the evening meal.

M was feeling better after a nap and felt enthused about trying out a pizza place we had heard about nearby. While the pizza disappointed (I guess we just got too adventurous with the toppings), the drinks at a place next door didn't. 'Cucumbita' (self explanatory!) for me and crispy fried asparagus and corn on the cob on the side...yummilicious!

The beautiful 'antique' Palace Hotel.

Cheap but flavourful - Tulan.

Clifford Stills at the SF Museum of Modern Art. 

Walking under Mario Botta's light shaft, through a connecting bridge into the art galleries - SF MoMa

The Palace Hotel Ballroom where we did eventually have breakfast. Above - A closer look at the beautiful glass ceiling.

Excerpts from my week in San Fran - 1

May 22nd , either 12.00 p.m or 3.00 p.m!
Can't tell, totally disoriented. The phone clock is behaving erratically. It showed 12.00 an hour ago and it is only 10 past 12 now! Guess it is picking up the local time of wherever we are passing over. I always have this sense of a time wrap in planes...Anyway, this flight was made bearable by our Norwegian co-passenger of Guyanese descent visiting his family in San Fran (talk about melting pot!) He was quite knowledgeable about Norway and the ill-effects of microwave cooking(!) (The guy used to be a chef on cruise ships) Also, I am finally reading Delirious New York again. On a flight to SF :))

Still May 22nd, actually 3.00 a.m but having to pretend it's 12.00 a.m!
The Wyndham Resort is good! Warm and cosy - especially now as we are coming in from the 'fall' weather outside - at a time which is summer in most parts of the world.This is hilarious. I only packed a bikini and summer dresses. I will most probably freeze. The evening was so-so, me coming to terms with the weather. After walking around in circles for sometime, we made our way to the Udupi restaurant in the Mission neighbourhood. Amazing bisi bele bhaath! The cable car ride on the way back was fun too. SF seems less lively/populous after NY.

May 23rd:
A really good day - totally worth the aching feet at this point. It is incredible how much you can achieve if you put your mind to it! Chinatown, North Beach, The Wharf and Lombard Street - all in a day! It was a good decision to postpone the winery trip...gave us a chance to explore the city first. After a non-nondescript breakfast and some pointless walking, we wandered onto Union Square and got some good pictures together. It was quite cold despite the sun. M insisted on buying me warm clothes before I whine and spoil the trip. We legged it to H&M (God bless them!) and picked up a bomber jacket which goes perfectly with dresses. I also used their trial rooms to slip on a pair of slacks (they have turned out to be such a great addition to my wardrobe!) Things picked up thereafter.
Chinatown in SF is not as dense as the Chinatown in NY. While there is some argument to be made for the complexity and loveliness of the latter, I actually enjoyed being able to stop and watch instead of being swept along in a swarm or people. M's old classmate from Penn State joined us there. Lunch was at the most authentically Chinese restaurant of my life. Servers ran around thrusting food trays at diners. I watched bemusedly while they tried to tempt us with pork/shrimp/fish dishes, all the while shaking their heads to indicate that it contained no meat. M didn't eat much - he had discovered bits of sea food in his supposedly veggie noodles.

Cute orange/lime tree outside a random house in China Town.

The 3 of us then picked our way up steep lanes to Telegraph Hill. Loved seeing how people dealt with living on an incline! Incidentally, the street was also featured in the Hitchcock classic 'Vertigo'. Coit Tower, atop the hill, used to be a lighthouse of sorts. Naturally, it provides great views of the city and the famed San Fran bridges. The plaza at its base had great vistas too, which we explored, interrupting lovers amidst bushes. Coming back to (seemingly) level ground, we fortified ourselves with coffee at a gem which Lonely Planet had missed - La Boulange, if you want to visit. Split a plateful of tiny desserts which were surprisingly low on saccharine.

Noted this spot for potential lazing on our way back from Telegraph. Didn't happen though; we took another way down.

'Vertigo' style pic from the top of Telegraph Street.

Almost amazed at how much ground we had covered in a few hours, we continued walking across pretty and quaint houses and found ourselves at Fisherman's Wharf. The beach afforded glorious sunshine and gorgeous views of the mysterious Alcatraz. Seagulls skimmed past us along the touristy Pier 39. Apart from the mandatory souvenir shops, an artist/handicraft market lined the way. Nothing like some retail therapy to soothe tired feet! The sunlight was beautiful, fresh and clean, like a new sun; but also deceptive - the breeze was giving us the chills.

A closer look at submarines, delightfully bright cookies and Boudin's famous sourdough, decked up for the shop window - all along Pier 39.

We took the cable car for the homeward journey but hopped off at Lombard street - had to, it called for closer inspection. It is now officially , the prettiest street I have seen, along with being the crookedest. Anniversary dinner had to be a take-away after all the walking, but the day was so worth it.

Tricky deal for cars on Lombard, pretty shots along the street and Alcatraz seen in the distance from the top of Lombard.

Not the best policy

Diplomacy is not really a good thing. Not all the time. I mean, its good to be diplomatic when you air your political views in public. Or gloat about India winning the World Cup in mixed company ;) But its not very pleasant if you moderate every reply. Its nice to show pleasure, excitement, even reproach once in a while. Specially with family. A hands-off approach will only take you this far in personal ties. I should be open to a parent cautioning me, or a sibling's advice. And if I can't, then I am, in effect, relegating that person to a distant category.
'I am sure you'll make the right choice' or 'its up to you!' is best reserved for acquaintances or random friends. I find it difficult to warm up to such people. I like people who'll be 'thrilled' rather than 'happy' for me. I am not advocating over-the-top emotional display. Just less...stoicism? Its boring...

Quick notes

When people are insecure, they loudly proclaim otherwise.
I had this insight a few moments ago in the studio. There is this classmate whose habit of talking about herself all the while irritates me a fair bit. Every time I even looked at her, she used the opportunity to tell me how complex her project is, how much work she has to do, how hard she wants to work blah blah blah (in the architectural world, it equals to saying, 'I am doing wonderful work!' - explained for the uninitiated) And also made plans to hog up the TA's time tomorrow. Which is fine by me. I think she was having a panic moment, and was realizing that her stuff wasn't as good as she thought it was.

My sentiments exactly!

Over the last few years, my mother has taken to writing more frequently. She always had a knack for prose but she also revealed a keen interest in poetry. In Haiku, in fact. Although I have admired her efforts, I found, like many others, that 'this Haiku thing' eludes me. I was always more appreciative of verse. Until now. I guess I never really understood the beauty of a 'ku'. That there was so much more to it that just 5-7-5. The power of a few words to convey a strong image. I have to say that I am a Haiku convert now.
Here are a few I came across, thanks to Mum.

between sun and shade
a butterfly pauses
like none I've seen -
whoever falls in love
with someone they know?

-Michael McClintock

Dear Malvina
It's been a long time since we It's already autumn here...
lonely evening

-Rafal Zabratynski


crashing waves -
almost believing
it's forever

-Svetlana Marisova

Father's day
his wheel tracks
in the carpet

-Michelle Schaefer

I've this memory -
riding my father's shoulders
into the ocean,
the poetry of things
before I could speak


-Michael McClintock

i fear it's too late
like starlight
i should have set out earlier

-Mark Holloway

I also love these! Way to go Mum!!

Unkempt lawn
rocking chair
match point!
daughter's day