Thankful......

......for the friendships we have forged here in this little city, tucked away in the mountains. This day is for you my friends and neighbors, who have lent me your ears and your shoulders. For those lazy summer afternoons we have sat chatting in the sun. For sharing those oversize umbrellas with us. For those impromptu potlucks. For listening. For understanding. For sharing. For cheering with us on the soccer fields. For those ready smiles. For holding doors open. For the abundance of summer produce from your gardens. For those bottles of honey and maple syrup, those bushels of blueberries. For those candles you made and shared. For that hand you placed on my shoulder. For making it alright. On this day dedicated to gratitude, I am thankful for you.

And on this day, I am thankful for you, dear reader who has stayed with me through my errant ways. For those emails and comments and the constant support. You bring sunshine into my life. Thank you for being there. :)

I hope you have a wonderful thanksgiving!

{We just finished a batch of the best idlis ever (batter courtesy a friend) and sitting here with two of my favorite people in the world, I can't help feeling a little emotional..... we're keeping it quiet this year, no parties, no driving, no being stuck in airports.....just our little family and some good food.}

Powering down.......

Dear 2011,

        We had a good run, you and I. You started on the right note; I managed a long overdue trip home, basked in the warm Delhi sun. Spent much-needed time with loved ones, came away satiated and content. But you had a few more surprises in store for me -- in a flourish of your time-heals-all wand,  you brought me back home (to my home away from home); thank you for that. Much of this year has gone in re-connecting with old friends, rekindling just-begun friendships that had seen a premature end, and in making new friends. It's been a time to revel in the beauty of the nature that surrounds us, so carefully preserved by the hard work and vision of those entrusted with the responsibility. I see around me an Earth that we inherited, as it was intended, unmarred by industrialization and callous minds. In that, I'm grateful to the events (fate? destiny? determination?) that brought us here. I enter 2012 with a renewed resolve to do whatever I can-- to do my bit in preserving the beauty of this planet. 

I have some high expectations of you, 2012. Please be better, faster, stronger. You know. But don't lose sight of the simple joys please. I have big plans, both on the personal and professional front. Please be the year that stands by me. Move forward, albeit gently. 

And gentle reader, for you, I wish that the year brings happiness, in whatever form you wish it. Here's to the health and continuing well-being of your families (and mine!), to sunny days, grassy fields and clear waters (a healthy planet!), to laughter, and to friendships. To goals met and checklists checked. May 2012 be the year. 

And while I'm jabbering on about High Expectations, would world peace be too much of a stretch? Sabko buddhi do bhagwaan? Here, then, is to the rise in collective intellect and the dawn of wisdom. May this be the year.

Go on 2012, be awesome. You know you want to. ;)

Signing off (with a heart full of hope),

-Gagan

Where's the party?

Are you feeling it too--that post-festivities slump???? Last week I couldn't move fast enough to get those lights down and tree stowed away!! But funnily enough, even while that whirlwind blur of festivities is barely over, I want some gaiety again!! I'm blaming the weather (again!)--the days are shorter than you've ever seen,  and to add insult to injury that snow/fog (take your pick, depending on your geographic location, LOL!) is making your teeth chatter like a castanet! Don't worry, I have a solution for those blues.....click here to go to my guest post over on Tanvi's fabulous blog!!!

Oh, and refreshments are being served, so grab some chai and popcorn, before it all disappears!!

PS: In case you want to practice your dance moves for the party--here's how we roll!!ROFL!!! step by step instructions on getting your groove on (links to YouTube, so if you're accessing it from work, make sure your boss ain't around! *wink*). Let the paaaaaarty begin!!!

Get on the horn*, spread the word........

......2011 is almost here!!

Meet Yerranna, member of a tribe of traveling musicians (a very merry bunch!). 

 Original art available at this etsy shop.

I'll see you next year....till then, have fun and be good..........Have a happy new year, my loves!!!





* Poetic license.
PS: Did I mention it's very affordable art? Go check out the rest of her work.

Have yourself a merry little christmas........

...let your heart be light....

From our home to yours, my loves--

Happy Holidays!

Take it away Ella............

xo,
G

Rah, rah!

Hello dear blogosphere, how is the countdown to the new year working out for you? Today, I've been sitting at the computer for what seems like eternity. Forms to be filled, bills to be paid, appointments to be made rescheduled, a million emails to be written and answered (not all of them personal); visits to the bank and post office and grocers are all snapping at my heels. Tomorrow, as they say, is another day. I hear several other bloggers and friends caught up in "the dance" and despite the busy-ness I can't help but feel a smile curling the corners of my mouth as I write to you. I realize now that this is my happy place, this little window on a platform called blogger. This, then, is what has been on my mind lately.............

Sometimes, I feel as though I have my own personal cheering squad (hence the post title) in the blog world. Weather dragging you down?--there are posts timed just right to pull you out of the glum and gloomies. Can't plan what to have for dinner? for snack? hit the blogs---droolicious recipes and pictures to send you scrambling for the kitchen...and these are recipes tried and tested by people like you and me---no fancy shmancy chefs with television shows and websites you can drown in! Stuck in a wardrobe rut?--feel like you wear that "uniform" every day of your life?---ideas galore on the fashion blogs on how to remix it to the max! Clever DIYs, intelligent writing, a large dose of humor, poetry, book recommendations, it's like I have everything I need (apart from maybe extra time?) a mouse-click away.....internetz, I love you. Bloggers, you make my life complete---and you do it with that critical human element that's missing in magazines or newspapers. I feel like I know you. Heck, I do know you, because you pour out your heart into each line that is written....

Because it's the final weekend round-up for '10 over at Patty's blog, I want to invite you into the weekend that was....a table piled high with papers and forms, giftwrap sitting in the corner, ribbons pulled out of the stash to be matched up to my eco-friendly giftwrap option (I won't disclose it on the blog yet because a certain someone reads it) can I admit to the last wild dash for gifts--luckily the streets were clear of traffic on Sunday afternoon. I was in and out with military precision!! :D Here are some more holiday pictures from my home (the tree is finally up, yay!--I'll take pictures and post them up here soon)...

There was cooking (and for once I managed to get a pretty "before picture" --before it went into the oven that is!!! LOL! we attack grub like we've been starved for ages here on P&P central. Heh heh. you see before you pictures of my just risen "everything" focaccia before it went into the oven--I used AP flour, but I have used a mixture of AP/whole wheat flour earlier, it comes out great! Nothing like freshly baked bread! Don't have after pictures, but you can use your imagination! :D

Sunday brunch with: red onions, rosemary, sesame, parmesan, garlic, fresh basil and loads of EVOO....... yummmmmmmmm. An excellent tutorial for basic focaccia can be found here. I make mine with about two cups (just adjust the amounts accordingly)

Started on a DIY that I've been meaning to do for ages. Sneak peek for now........ reduce,  reuse, recycle, upcycle...........

This, and madness, happily cohabited my weekend. How was yours?

'Tis the season.....

It's finally starting to look a lot like the holidays here at P&P central...it's been a couple of very busy weekends for us, with office parties and snowstorms taking center-stage. I got all my little ornaments out, and there's a new poinsettia to add more cheer to the mix. There was baking (most of it has disappeared--probably will make an appearance on our tummies and thighs later this week--I'm dreading it!) and I still need to put together a couple of gift baskets. The tree is not yet up--in fact we don't have a tree as of now because we gave away ours when we moved last year (um, we do plastic--saves the tress). It wasn't a huge tree because we never had the space for one---a pretty little tabletop tree sufficed then and should suffice for now as well. I'm still hoping to be able to go tree shopping with the family--hopefully we'll be able to squeeze it in this week/weekend. Till then I just wanted to share some pictures of christmassy stuff around the house. I'll try to take more pictures this week--I hope the sun shines through--it's been so dull and gloomy for the most part. Here's some holiday cheer, from our home to yours...........

 My Kashmiri papier mache bells. I bought them on my last trip to India. Aren't they exquisite?

 My new ornament--world market has the cutest ornaments I've seen in a long time!

 

 A little winter sweetness--gajar ka halwa anyone?

 

Playing around..........

 

 Do you have any handcrafted ornaments?

 

These are a mismatched set of clay ornaments (the santa above is store-bought)--they're actually quite tiny and look perfect hanging from a mini-tree, we also have some dried play-doh ornaments that my son and I have made over the years and they all look quite cute hung up with the santas and the mittens.

Hope you liked that huge shot of color---it's interesting that these trinkets look so festive up close, whereas in actuality, it isn't nearly as saturated as that...scattered throughout our home, interspersed with natural materials like wood and wicker, these actually just supply a much needed hint of color and glitter..... :) 

I'm linking up to these fabulous parties for now: 1, 2 and 3. Sorry for the tardiness in posting, this month has been really hectic (plus a little stressful)...I've been meaning to put up a wreath DIY that I know many of you will simply love as it marries east and west beautifully--I'd better hurry and post it up here before it's too late! :D 

Catch up with you soon!!

Baby, it's cold outside!*

It's been raining hail and sleet all day today. Roads are slippery, the north wind is howling---and all I can think about is getting my toes warm!! So won't you join me? Come on in, kick off those shoes. Let November do its thing, come in and rest a while....

Sink into some cushion-y goodness......

via.

Lounge around, there's ginger tea brewing in the kitchen...

via.

via.

via.

 

via.

via.

There's warmth by the hearth and dinner's simmering on the stove, and while the storm rages on outside, there's a lot to be thankful for. To families and health, to friends and warmth, to suppers cooked with love, to the riches of simplicity......Happy Thanksgiving!

*Post title inspired by this song.

Happy Diwali!

Namaste! Won't you come in? The stage is set, fairy lights have been tested, flowers have been arranged, goodies (yes, many many goodies) have been prepared, the candles have been floated, petals kiss the water, fruit decks the stands. Tealights await, their wicks at attention...come nightfall, deities will be welcomed home, blessings will be invoked and magic and memories will be created......won't you join us? From our home to yours, hope you have a joyous Diwali.....

I'll catch up with  you after the kachoris have been gobbled and the mithai has been sampled..........Till then, have a fun filled Diwali....



PS: I'm joining these three lovely ladies for parties on their blogs, here and here.

Over the weekend (or what I did while dinner simmered)....

The divine musical quintet, enjoying some glorious sunshine!

Hello y'all! howz the diwali decor progressing? Mine is coming along very (very!!) slowly. But I know we'll pull it off in time, we always do! :) I wanted to share a simple DIY with you. A couple of days back fellow-blogger Archana posted this fabulous idea where she used her kolam stencils to highlight some tealights. (You need to check out Rang Decor for more fab. ideas!) I loved it, but I was so bummed because I don't have all these gorgeous crafts at my disposal, sitting here, continents away. So yesterday, while dinner was simmering on the stove, I decided to take things into my own hands. It ain't rocket science after all!! (those who know me, know that this is the most used phrase in my vocabulary!). So I sketched out a lotus pattern (because that was the one that caught my eye and because of a certain blogger, I may have lotus patterns on my mind ;) ). So anyway, armed with a nail and hammer, I went at it....

(I had these paper plates left over from pizza takeout. I try to avoid using paper plates if I can....)

So it's not exactly perfect, but not bad for half an hour's distracted tapping, eh? I'm just trying it at the moment, not sure whether I will really get the time/be in the mood to make this on diwali....I'll need a darker background to really make it pop, and I'm not sure how I'll pull that off. I tried the kolam with rice powder at first, but I think it might have been too grainy to give the effect I was looking for. The outline did get traced out; however, it wasn't there yet. This is with all purpose flour---I used a sifter to dust the powder onto the plate/stencil and then lifted it off without disturbing the pattern below. Do you have the "real" stencils? What technique do you use to achieve an even pattern? (I realise that my hole-punches weren't evenly spaced and that is something I will work, should I decide to go with this for diwali!) 

Artsy setting! :) Please note my recycled diyas (from diwalis past....)

More pictures....because I couldn't stop at JUST one! (Bear with me---it's just the ham acting up!!!)

Come on, you know you want to see more!!

Okay. I'll stop already!  :) linking to the weekend roundup....

What are you up to?

Have a Spooky (and safe) Fright Night!

Just wanted to pop in and wish you all a happy Halloween! I have to admit this isn't one of my favorite holidays--I don't have much of an appetite for the macabre and some of the decor IMO is in poor taste--(i.e. I don't find a bloody hand dangling out of car doors funny in the least bit). But I have successfully escaped those and all kinds of creepy spiders and webs so far. As a family with a young child, we are still putting up the cutesy stuff (my only indulgence in kitsch!) and I really look forward to welcoming little princesses pwincesses and toads to my doorstep! I have avoided doling out candy in the past (stickers and pencil toppers!), having lived in neighborhoods with like-minded mommies, but this year I too have caved in to candy-mania. We have a strict one candy a day policy in my house, and hopefully we will be able to stick with it.....

So bring on the adorable goblins and witches, the ninja turtles and the yodas....just keep away the creepy adults please!

:D

*Coke-announcer voice-over*: "We will return to regularly scheduled diwali programming after the the candy is counted!"

Kickstarting the Festivities: Beyond Five Days of Durga Puja

When a certain mischievous (what's the word I'm looking for? impish? charming? oh, just fill in the blank here!!) food blogger put out an invitation to join in her Durga Pujo event, I thought "what fun!!" followed immediately by"but what can I contribute here?". Those who know me, will immediately know why the question popped up in my mind.....but then I got to thinking and little by little the post started taking shape.

I don't have many memories of Durga Puja, Diwali being the main festival that is celebrated in our home. I haven't done much pandal hopping either, even though my best friend is Bengali (I used to wait for her to bring back parshad for me!---this was many moons back, while we were in hostel. The university had a very large Bengali community which meant that Durga Pujo was celebrated with aplomb!!  and I would tag along with her to the main extravaganza to eat my fill of delicious Bengali food. I had never before in my life had a potato dish so good (aloo poshto) or other nameless (because I can't for the life of me remember their names. But I can still remember the taste and aroma and atmosphere, like I'm partaking of it right now) delights put out in front of me. Someone out here in blogland mentioned in one of her posts that you can try to replicate the flavors of the food from bhog, but you will never really achieve it. I agree. I have tried to make langar food at home, but it always falls short of expectations. Maybe that pinch of magic, that laughter and camaraderie which goes into its making is missing. Sometimes, too many cooks manage to create magic.

Somewhere else on blogland I read a story recounting the magic that a community created during the annual Anandamela. I have to agree wholeheartedly. Because daddy was in the army, we moved a lot during my formative years. The communities I grew up in were always a mishmash of people  and personalities. It was the India of my dreams, where every color and language coexisted (I have vivid memories of celebrating pongal, replete with banana leaves!). I, in turn, turned out to be a mishmash of cultures. I absorbed every culture I had the privilege to live in. Because my mom was so immersed in the arts, I also acquired an appreciation for the local traditions. The life of an army brat was a good one and the community was just that, a community. All festivals were celebrated and the kids had a ball. My mom tells me that we had participated in a few Durga Pujas along the way, but I somehow have no memories of anything apart from the rasogullas (I know, I always tend to think with my tummy in the foreground!).

Which brings me to the community that I am most interested in right now, this community that we have lovingly built. You, me, us. I am honored to have read all your lovely posts as you shared your memories with us. This post is for all you lovely people out there, those who celebrate and those who don't, for each of you who is willing to open your heart and let in some of that magic....

May you have a beautiful celebration. May there be lots of this:

May there be loads of this.......

Sabudana tikki. Recipe from here. Thanks Sangeeta!

Maybe some of these:

Stuffed kulchas. Recipe here.

May your kullad (cup) brimmeth over...

While you're gorging on food, don't forget mother nature's bountiful gems:

Yup, tank up on those antioxidants!!!

May your evening be bright, may your diyas be lit....

Don't forget the main reason behind the celebrations, may you have a blissful Puja!

While you're seeking blessings, remember to put in a little prayer for peace on Earth. I just did.

Dear Pree, this one's for you. Post submitted to "Beyond Five Days of Durga Puja".

Credits: All pictures taken by me at home. Please do not use them without my permission. (I'm quite approachable and won't turn you down if you ask. )

Wishing....

.........the world's largest democracy a happy birthday. Happy Fifteenth folks...

I leave you with the song that has the power to give me goosebumps......





Happy 63rd, sweet land of mine!!

Happy fourth everyone!

Image via.

Hope your weekend is filled with friends and fun in the sun!!