Cooking a Hobby??? I am still wondering!!!

Hey All,

Has it ever happen to everybody on adding the hobby that you never imagined or thought of!!! 

Well, interests are the same but now there has been an addition to it :) I have seen in many candidates' RESUME on Cooking being a hobby and I used to wonder how it can be hobby!! Mom's scolding, sister's concern and husband's worry.....Those were the DAYS! 

Getting it right! Cooking is getting a part of my life that interest me and gradually becoming the hobby.  Indian, Chinese, Mexican and Italian I can serve well and can be eaten too :) :) Over and above this all, what is fascinating me more is my Cake Decoration Course!  Self learning with no doubt is an awesome learning but getting it polished is a step towards perfection.   

A big difference! Not appreciating myself but feeling happy about the work done which I always use to cherish and never thought of making it ever in my life.

I must say 'America is the Land of Opportunity' and gives us chance to prove ourselves in many and different ways! I am happy to share the same with you all and of course you can write to me for recipes :)

Happy Reading and Eating :)

Journey Begins...

“There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.” 

– Robert Louis Stevenson

Must be wondering, why suddenly these quotes on travel!!! Everything has a reason and so does these beautiful quotes :) There goes story of beautiful 48 hours spent with my dearest friends aka family (:

DAY 1 - TRAVERSE CITY (05/25/2013)

Planned to leave at 8 am, but it was already 10 am while leaving Canton City and starting our Journey to Traverse City and moving forward to Mackinaw Island. Every travel plan is delayed by time :) :)

Let me take you to the JOURNEY OF TRAVERSE CITY - 

With the drive of 4 hours, we reached! And what I saw was the beautiful Lake Michigan which is almost like a sea with clean water.  Just amazing!!! Take a look at the picture :) It might seems to be a google image, but its not :) 

We thought of para sailing, but our bad luck - long queue didn't allow us :( So we proceeded our most enthusiastic JOURNEY towards Sleeping Bear Dunes, the most adventurous one.

Green all the way :)

                            

                                       Lake Michigan with beautiful Sun :) 

Its a slanting way where we have to go down and it takes hardly 7-8 minutes to reach the Lake Michigan (Surface Area of 57,800 sq. km) and enjoyed the cold water with blowing breeze :) A wonderful "Romantic Place" seen in United States!

Down towards Lake Michigan

Half way through Lake Michigan

Finally "The Lake Michigan" - Naturally Made.

The beautiful sunset just made place in our heart forever! Feeling of being there during sunset with our respective husbands is just precious and priceless :) It was just like a film where sun is setting and boat is so very close to it...There goes the picture below. 

Amazing View ever Seen :) 

Sunset View worth seeing! A Peace of mind :)

Can you Spot the Boat??

By this we got an end of Day 1 to our most happiest Trip :) 

Day 2 - Mackinac Island 

Sandwiches, Dhokla & Tea! - A perfect Day Start and we were off to catch our Ferry also known as Steamer Boat to the Island where no vehicles except Emergency, Mail Bus, School bus are allowed. While on Ferry, we were on another Great Lakes - Lake Huron (Area of 59,600 kms). 

Lake Huron and the Ferry :)

This is Mackinac Island :) See the water shades!

Mackinac Island Bridge

Common between School Days and being on the Island was DOING CYCLING - only allowed Vehicle :) 

Passing through the Green Tunnel :) 

Beautiful Tulips

Cycling, Cycling and Cycling!!!

We had a ride of almost 8 miles (15 kms approx. ) and took whole round of the Island taking around 2-3 hours with all pauses and photography sessions. Guess what! Only my hubby's cycle was having the bell :) :) complete Indian Ishtyle :) :D

Later, we hired horse carriage and took the ride of around 1 1/2 hour to the other side of the island. There you go with the pictures.....

Perfect view of the Water Shades :)

Rock

 

One of the finest Hotel of the Island

Time to return back to our destination!  One of the wonderful place ever visited in my life :) Of course India is beautiful with its Natural beauty and so does USA :) First successful trip with all friends in United States :) 

Our Horse Carriage

View of the Mackinac Island from the Horse Carriage. 

Perfect Quote that suites me - 

“No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.”

 – Lin Yutang

Happy Travelling :) :)

Flashback Moments!

Did you felt the same as what I felt seeing these pictures!!!

Childhood moments flashed in just friction of seconds :) :) 

TV Serials- Small Wonder, I dream of Jeannie, Malgudi Days, Duck Tales, Talespin, Mickey Mouse, Dennice the Menace, Three Stooges and list goes on and on..

Books - Champak Magazine, Chacha Choudhary, Archies, Richie Rich, Akbar Birbal and their stories, etc...

Outdoor Games - Kabbadi, Galli Cricket, Satolia, Hide & Seek, Kho-Kho, etc...

Eat outs - Pepsi Cola, Hajmola, Pan Pasand, etc... :) :)

21st Century or Knowledge Economy, we still remember our old and golden childhood days of our lives and want to relive those fond memories each and every single day even in today's busy life.  

Just like how laptop/computer has sleeping mode, sometimes we wish to have rewind mode to get a ride of childhood days...today we completely feel that we were actually in the fantasy land :) :) We get a "W" Factor i.e Wow Factor:)

Do we still remember - 

• Our mother's home made potato chips, Mango pickle, etc..
• School Rickshaw wala's horn :)
• Riding bicycle with all friends together and doing all kind of fun on the road itself :)
• Question -  Where are you going this vacation? Answer - I am going to my Mama's Place (Uncle's place) 
• Playing Video Games like Super Mario, Contra, Aladdin, etc.. :) 
• Our craft classes of school and making candles, sweaters (I did it in my school), etc. 
• Our floating boats during the rainy season :) 
• The most durable car - Maruti 800
• Playing card games like Judgement, Napolean, Rummie, etc... 
• Having a slam book in our bag and asking our friends to fill it up for us :)

Its an endless list...add moments if you remember any in the comment box and lets' cherish with everybody.  These moments are not only precious but priceless. I am sure reading this blog, we will be into imagination of our Childhood Fantasy land :) :) I am already into it :) :) 

Remembering my childhood days, it gave me a thought of creating Facebook Page with the name Memories Refreshed (www.facebook.com/MemoriesRefreshed) where sharing the old memories may help our children to enjoy their childhood in not exactly the same way but of course in bits and pieces :) 

Don't be in the fantasy land for long time, it would be tough to come out of it :) :) 

Life is indeed very beautiful wherever we stay, just the way of looking towards it differs :) :) 

Happy Reading!

Desi Girl :)

Its all about a brief story of Desi Girl who is quite forward in her thinking but yet by heart full on Desi Indian Culture of which she is complete proud of until her mind changes and she becomes Americanized. 

Here goes her story - 

• All 28 years staying with Parents to staying alone of course with my husband!
• From developing country to a developed Country :)
• From not liking cooking to started loving cooking :)
• From working girl to  voluntarily working women :)
• From driving two wheeler to only driving car :)
• From breaking traffic rules to maintaining the discipline :)
• Shopping from Kirana Store, lari valas to Super Malls like Walmart, Target, JC Penny, and so on...
• Eating lari vala's(street food) pani puri to making home made pani puri :) 
• From missing summer's Ice Golas to limiting it to cold coffee & ice cream. 
• Most importantly from Maids/servants to becoming our own maids/servants and realized that works becomes so easy without them :D

Landed here, it was like Kashmir or complete heaven with all snow around. Kashmir was completely there in my backyard and could not miss it any more :) :) :) It is all about she coming from the temperature of 45 degree celcious to now living in temperature of -20 degree...Winters seems romantic at times, but only for few days :) :) :) Guess what! 10 days are more than enough to enjoy snow and making the snow man :D

+Walmart  - every day low price store. Remembered sabse sasta aur kahi nai (Big Bazzar)

+Meijer  - excellent quality store of Michigan. As how we select our kirana store to buy stuff, it is always best :)

+Target /@JC Penny/Aeropostle/American Eagle/Kohl's - few of the big time stores from where we can buy clothes with all the discounts going round the year :) Just like Westside, Pantaloons, Alpha one mall stores :)

Joe Randazzo - our regular vegetable shop with quite a good stuff available, just like the lari vala's over there :)

+Nordstrom - this equals to price storm in your wallet. I think you guys must have understand what it means :) Just like various stores at Alpha one of Ahmedabad. 

+IKEA  - It is museum, furniture museum - never seen such a museum where furniture are hanging on the wall :) If I like museum, its +IKEA :) :)

Weekend is the best time to shop around provided we get to see the wonderful weather of Michigan. Just like how rain in India spoils roads, snow spoils the roads out in United States. So people keep on waiting for the Spring season we get lucky enough to see all blossoms round the corner with different colors and making the nature so pretty and beautiful. 

Another Kashmir/heaven.

Beautiful colors of Spring, loving it :)

I got the best supportive husband, best of the friends & family - although don't want to praise them more otherwise "nazar lagi jase, ahiya to kalo tiko bi nathi malto" :D :D

United States & India - two extreme countries yet 

"Saare Jahan se Acha Hindustan Humara" or "East or West India is best".  

It's all about how a person take it forward and adopts the culture or remains what he/she is. 

Happy Reading!

Thank You!

Hey All,

Hope all you are enjoying summer with the King of Fruit Mangoes :) :)

Thanks for all appreciation to my previous blog. This blog actually motivated me to write a thank you note for people who are part of my life :)

Dear God, 

I am so lucky to be the part of this beautiful earth and people around me. I will always try my best to make people smile and keep them happy :)

Dear Blog, 

Thank you for being there with us to share our thoughts with rest of the world.

 Dear Parents,  

Thank you for all support and love you have showered on me. You have really made my life beautiful and taught me to tackle situations in every way. Though far from you all, but I always feel that you are with me 24*7, 365 days.

Dear 11.25.2012,

You are the most important part of my life as I got married to my best friend and now living happily thereafter, forever....:)  Thank you!

Dear Family in United States, 

I am very lucky to have family in United States and most importantly staying very close by to me. Thank you for being so near to me and making my life smooth and easy.

Dear Friends in Ahmedabad, 

+Ketki Dawra , +Dharti Thaker, +Anubhav Saraf +Rujuta Jariwala,  Thank you so much for all the great time we had together and having all kind of fun, roaming outside, enjoying movies together and so on...I don't have many of my friends added in Google + so cannot tag. 

Dear Friends in United States,

I am so glad that you all came in my life and made me comfortable to settle down quickly.  Weekend parties, late night movies, experimenting food on our respective husbands and many more things makes the life easier to live. Truly, friends are family here :)

Dear +GreenSmyles , +Pillar Social Media,

Job but voluntarily! I am so great and thankful to both companies to hire me as a Social Media Intern. I am really enjoying my work and loving it. Knowledge glitters when it is shared. 

Dear Laptop, 

You are the precious gift as you help me in my work, kitchen tips/recipes, staying in touch with my friends..Be with me always :)

Dear iphone,

The best feature of face time is what always makes me connected to my cousins there in India :) :)

Dear BOA, 

Though joint account, but need to make sure I don't spend much and save more for our and family's future :D

Happy Reading!

Life in United States of America

It was 7th December 2012 in Mumbai. I was waiting with my husband in queue for our visa interview.   One of the Asian asked some simple questions and told to collect passport within 3-4 working days. "Can't believe we got visa and I will be leaving the country soon" - my instant reaction to Vishal. 

Days passed!

1st January 2013 we were awake almost for whole night with all cousins having tea, snacks in the mid night around 3 at TGB (The Grand Bhagwati). It was great fun! One of the picture below!

2nd January 2013 - day arrived to leave India, of course not forever! Got up at 8 in the morning to prepare for the lunch, to munch in the plane :) Lunch got over, parents, friends and other extended family members were at home to see us and to wish us Bon Voyage. 

They all were having happiness tears in their eyes - all overwhelmed! Chachi jao cho chachu nu dhyaan rakhjo, bhabhi jaldi avjo, beta take care of Vishal, skype thi vaat karisu and so on!!! It was an overwhelming moment for me but was all capture in pictures. 

Family, cousins, friends - gathered lot of memories :) :)

I reached Mumbai around 6.00 pm and finished all formalities for immigration. My next flight was at 11.40 pm to Newark. My loving husband requested for Jain meal to United Airlines so food was not the big hassle for me during my journey.  Reaching to Newark airport first thing I did was to charge my phone :) :) and called my sister right from the airport itself and then called my in laws and parents. 

Flight took off for my final destination - :Land of Cars Detroit, Michigan. The immediate reaction was "Wow, its too cold here" probably its Kashmir here too :) :) My Aunt and Uncle were there to receive me at airport and straightway we went to Vishal's closest friend Jimy & Rashmi's place as we had to wait for my husband as he was coming in next flight. 

The first morning in Troy with snow all around with the rising 'Sun' made the whole day special as it was Vishal's birthday. It was a small get together at Aunt's place with all our friends.  I was overwhelmed with the kind of bond all have here with each other. Friends become our family here and are ready to support each other. 

First Morning in Troy :) :)

United States of America - its rightly said every coin has two sides and it is up to us how we take it and live our whole life. Discipline, do work on your own - are two things that is impressive. Country believes that to fill gas in a vehicle can be done by the person himself rather than 3rd person doing for her/him. People here believe in skilled jobs rather than mechanical job which just loses productivity and doesn't allow people to think and use their creativity. That's really interesting! Not much of the labor jobs seen here. 

Walmart, Meijer, Costco(reminds me of the Reliance Market of Ahmedabad), Kroger, Ikea (the furniture museum showroom), Home Depot, Lowes' and so on...big supermalls to shop around. 

Its fun with friends & family. My days are passed nicely although feel like doing job and support my both families out their in India.  I got married to one of my best friend and now he is the best husband. 

Friends are family here, always ready to help each other any time any day. Life is beautiful with Vishal and friends, though missing India is deemed. 

Happy Reading!

A Day in Life

After returning from office, I went to buy a week's groceries from Satellite, Nr. to Mansi Complex. I stopped at one place and bought all my vegetables with all bargaining power. :) I wanted to buy grapes, went to another hawker and asked the price, but checked wallet and was having short of money, still generous lady gave me in Rs. 100 with a trust of paying her the balance amount next day. I just thought for a moment, that still seller trust their customers for paying the remaining amount.  Paying her the amount, I along with my things reached home.

I reached home, started with my daily stuff with preparation of dinner for family. While doing so, it just stuck to my mind that staple food or keeping it more easier basic necessities have risen manifolds while facilities like internet, mobiles, etc. has reduced drastically. Later, I got busy with my work and thought got disappeared. While taking dinner, I was watching Tarak Mehta ka Ulta Chasmah and co-incidently they telecasted episode on same lines. Techonology, social networking sites have been entered into people's life and taken a place like a family member. It is like "Fish without water will die for sure, so as humans without facebook and mobile would......it is beyond imagination :)

During interviews, it is being asked "where you see 5 years down the line, but now trend needs to be changed and question would be "where you see yourself 6 months down the line"? World has become so competitive and small that you can be in touch with anybody at any moment, it just take minutes to reach people.  Its like, you never who is watching you now. Its easy to track anybody @ any moment.

If we compared food and internet, both are basic necessities of life. But flip side is first one iis costly today.  Prices are so volatile like Stock Exchange :) Lets' where its gonna end or whether there is an end to it. I don't want to be pessimisitc but neither I see the brighter side of it.

This is my first attempt of writing a note on Facebook, lets' see how it goes and would like to get feedback :)

Thank you for reading, in advance :)