Kenzo Napa - Kaiseki Tasting Menu

Kenzo Napa

Last night I had the honor of being invited to Kenzo restaurant in Napa which has been introduced to the Wine country by Kenzo Estate winery founders. It was an evening to remember ! Their generous hospitality in addition to their truly traditional and fine Japanese cuisine contributed in making the evening very special. In all the ambience, delicious food and conversations with their wonderful Manager as well as experienced Chefs gave us a very pleasant and enriching dining experience. And also it deepened our knowledge of Kaiseki dining.The colour combination and taste of wines from the Kenzo Estate Winery beautifully complemented and matched the taste and artistic combination of the sushis from the Chef's selection.
 I loved the sushis prepared by the Chef and more so because I could use my hand to eat them which is allowed in Kaiseki dining. The Kagoshima Yellowfish marinated in vinegar was delightfully delicious when paired with egg omelet. The sushi course consisted of  Flounder, Hallibut, Stripped Jack, Toro ( fatty underbelly of Blufin Tuna), Needle fish and Negitoro maki ( Toro & Chive roll) as explained by their wonderful Manager James. The matcha ice cream with a drizzle of the right amount of condensed milk paired with green tea was the perfect ending to a uniquely wonderful dining.
The evening also ended  with yet another pleasant surprise of receiving autographs of the famous Chefs which is a great  honour and a tradition of fine restaurants in Japan. I shall always treasure the autographs of Chef Eiji Onoyama and Chef Atsushi Okawara on the rice paper Kaiseki Tasting Menu. 

Sacramento

Washington D.C

One does not need to give up one's identity and roots to adapt to a new culture or country. What is needed is to embrace the new with all that is in you and not without it as then in the true sense will that will mark a true journey in your life . A journey of growth begins not with over adapting but with adapting and yet retaining what you already have.
You don't have to give up yourself or lose yourself to embrace the new. You can accept the new environment with an open mind and yet treasure the old. Finding something new in your life does not mean giving up the old. Embrace the new but also retain the old !

This too shall pass ! Tomorrow is another day ! These are golden words for all who are going through phases of transition or phases of sadness in their lives. It is true that each moment is another moment...And nothing remains forever...

There is a season for everything. Time has seasons too...There is a season for happiness and there is a season for sadness. Time is constantly changing ! So however many roadblocks, problems and challenges you may face in your everyday lives at home or away from home they can be overcome in time through patience, belief and hope.  Nothing lasts forever.

 There will be lots of moments of sadness and difficulty in your lives but remain as determined as ever  and hopeful of embracing better moments in times to come. When you do not find answers to all that you are questioning or searching in life, life answers them for you through it's decisions in it's own time. In due course of time you will find the purpose of your life visible. Fate is stronger than your wants and dreams most times. And you just have no choice but to accept what comes your way ! Life has it's own wants from you and if you truly fulfill your destiny by accepting what is meant to be , you will find peace and happiness. But you would say to yourself that all this is easier said than done. Who says it would be easy !? But belief works miracles and your belief and determination to succeed in battling all the difficulties in your life may bring you much closer to your destination. What cannot  kill you will  not destroy you...

Cultural Interactions are a two way process where both sides have to participate or become involved in being culturally sensitive to each other to make it a pleasant interaction. I always believe that give what you expect ! Give and you will receive... If you want people to be sensitive to your beliefs, thoughts and way of life then you too must offer them the same sensitivity. I often find people too rigid in their approach in accepting others' cultural beliefs and yet they want others to readily accept what they want out of them without a doubt or question. That is a completely selfish and inconsiderate approach. We must meet each other half way if we want any interactions to be successful in life . 

A Child's Right to Expression

Communication, Acknowledgement as an individual and the Right to Expression are some of the words or phrases that come to my mind when I think of children in the school or home environment. We cannot curb their right to express themselves as their expression would be an insight into their way of thought which if negative can be transformed and channelised into something positive while there is still time.

 We lose out on really knowing the children around us if we do not encourage them to talk, interact or discuss. Silence or lack of communication can alienate children from us. We must try to understand their wants and dreams instead of forcing them to accept ours all the time. Also we should welcome differences in thoughts.

We can tactfully motivate them but not force them. We can give them options and alternatives but not choose for them. Children need to be accepted as individuals too. Children should have the freedom to think and question and good parenting would be to be as honest as possible with your children. Of course all this has to be encouraged within boundaries of course as they are still learning the ways of life and we cannot afford to have them lose track because of unlimited freedom. Nothing in excess is good.

 So freedom of expression and the right to being an individual must be given but within the right boundaries by guiding them in the right way in the right direction through examples and discussions. Allow them to form their own opinions even if at times it may clash with yours. For instance your child may relate better to a grandparent, relative or friend that you may not get along with and you should be able to accept that without reservations. To be a good role model and guide to your children, one has to first free oneself from all negativity and one has to refrain from being judgemental. Always be accessible and reachable to your child in every way every time specially emotionally. In this stressful modern environment children are faced with stress, questions and life changing decisions every day more than our times and we should be sensitive to all that they are going through. 

Interaction with other cultures- Embrace it !

Embrace other cultures wholeheartedly ! Welcome and accept other cultures without reservations. As I always say embrace others with their differences however challenging that may seem at times. In being rigid in your approach to various cultures, you may be robbing yourself the pleasure of absolutely wonderful experiences in store for you. In not developing an interest in other cultures is in a way denying yourself interesting interactions with many people near you at the grassroots level and limiting a lifetime possibility of exciting adventures in exploring far away places. With the introduction of different cuisines from all around the world around you and cultural events brought to your country from outside , you may think that you are already immersed in other cultures but you are not really experiencing cultures upclose and personal till you actually include other nationalities in your lives through personal or work interactions. So always have a place for people different than you in your life as according to me  "opposites attract" knowledge ! And more knowledge about a way of life of others is always very interesting !

 Before embarking on a long journey to distant places, one must remember to brighten and awaken one's passion for travelling and leaving behind your comfort zone to start with. Once on the "journey away from home or at home to meet new cultures",  do not forget to sharpen your cultural sensitivity and flexibility to open yourself to new discovery of customs, beliefs and ways of life different than yours. Be prepared to deal with cultural shock too however well prepared you may be in your knowledge about that culture. However well versed you may be with different ways of life in various cultures, you are always in for a surprise in dealing with people of other nationalities as new interactions between culturally different strangers can be quite complex sometimes. Last of all clear communication is important in any interaction specially concerning people with cultural differences and as long as genuine communications flow from the heart one can never go wrong even if one is not fluent in a foreign language.

"Through travel do you learn about yourself and discover what you are searching for to define your existence completely."

            - Simrit Kapila

Such is Life !

 Transition is just not a mere word but a way of life and process to grow as an individual. Through transition do you actually connect to your deeper self as you discover a new side to yourself that you thought never existed in that phase in how you adapt to change and accept things you cannot change. Life is but change...
Life changes everyday...Relationships and people change every day for better or worse. In each moment of our lives we are experiencing change. Life changes for good and bad and in that we find our journey of  happiness, disappointments, heartbreaks and peace.
Transition may involve breaking of hearts and pain but such experiences truly define you in the long run because of the way you react to those situations. But change is not bad all the time. A relationship for instance matures beautifully when it changes with time when subjected to different experiences, conditions and environment.
 Transition does not mean that something has to break or be destroyed every time as it can also mean enhancement of your life and birth of something wonderfully new ! Yet we are mostly intimidated by the concept of change as to many it means loss of something valuable or loss of someone precious in that time and that is very painful. And sadly we cannot resist change or transition however unexpectedly unpleasant it may be. But we also have to remember that pain and joy are two sides of the coin of transition and one gives way to the other in time. Transition is never easy but it still has to be accepted and lived...Such is life ! Asi es la vida ! 

Downtown San Francisco

Car tour of Downtown San Francisco on a rainy day

A new beginning with California

My affair with California has just begun...as of now too little to say and too much to hope for. There are lots of pages to be read to know the city well and lots of experiences to gather which hopefully would capture my heart endlessly. My first sweet heart would always be Chicago though but many a times the last matters more than the first. So I am hoping that the Bay Area would have that everlasting and meaningful effect on me and carve that permanent soft spot in my heart !
Life introduced me to San Francisco and the Bay Area a long while ago only to be interrupted by a long absence that fate planned for me only to return again after long years to start where I left off last time. So the story with the Bay Area resumed after a long gap. In the past, I did not have enough time to discover the place for all that it has to offer me. But now I hope that in time the beauty of the city and it's attractive culture as well as way of life would mesmerise me. It remains to be seen if it's magic would affect my life greatly too.
As I was saying to a friend, a new city and a new surrounding has so much to offer and a great cultural adventure is definitely in store for me I believe. But with new beginnings come great challenges as well which would have to be met with. Through it all, I rely on the strength within me to accept a new city with all that it is and with all that it comes. One has to accept a new city in every way possible to make one's moments the most memorable ones. I am told that I must give the Bay Area a fair chance and so I will ! I am yet exploring the places in the Bay Area to decide if this is the destination for me and where I would eventually like to settle but my heart asks if it would really be the Bay Area for me. The Bay Area has always been the most popular choice and the first choice of many.
The Bay Area is crowned with natural beauty and cultural diversity. The jewel in the crown is it's ability to warmly accept various cultures and religions which makes it all the more fascinating for all to give it a try and start their journey here in America or retire here in the end. It is a great place to raise a family as everyone keeps saying. I am often told that I would fall hopelessly in love with the place. Definitely I should hope so but my affair with the city had just begun...And as is the case in every new relationship, I take every step with caution even if I am enthralled by it's beauty. As I stood across a hill there looking at the clouds descend on the opposite hill and the skies embracing the pastel shades of the evening, I wondered what my relationship would be with this city in times to come. Would it be a deep one or just a fleeting interaction on my journey to another place ? Whatever it may be, I decided to really enjoy that moment that day sometime last week reflecting on all that I had seen of this place as of then.
I visited the all famous and historical University of Berkeley which was alive with so much positive energy, talent and excitement. It was absolutely marvellous to visit the Bay Street in Emeryville for shopping at this time of the season particularly. There is this gigantic Christmas tree already there adorned with glittering decorations as it seems to beckon people to hear beautiful hymns. I just loved this musical Christmas tree at Bay Street even though I had seen much more beautiful ones in Chicago's White Christmas. On many a sunny days, I enjoyed the quietness and peace of the Bay street lined up with fashionable stores and restaurants on both sides. The street hosts various fine restaurants of different types of cuisines. I fondly remember my visit to Walnut Creek too and I loved the atmosphere there and enjoyed window shopping there. Needless to be said that the Silicon Valley area is also a source of curiosity to many and I too went there. Again Fourth Street is another beautiful and fashionable place to visit. Downtown San Francisco was great too and the China town there. In the coming days Napa Valley is on my list as well as Monterey Bay.
I have visited many famous Mexican, Indian, Italian, Chinese and Japanese restaurants and would be talking about them. What I like about the Bay Area is that the emphasis is on using local and organic ingredients in cooking at homes and restaurants.
My cultural and sightseeing adventure has just started and more is yet to come ! As of now I am sharing my initial notes of this lifetime trip.

Picture Perfect !

A beautifully and artistically designed wall that was chosen as a background for a Christmas Tree...

On my recent visit to one of the famous buildings in downtown San Francisco, I couldn't help admiring the beautiful interiors that so matched the Christmas tree standing there. Some beautiful images like this capture your heart instantly and you want to sit there for a while to admire it as it makes you feel so good.

A picture of festivity in the lobby of an office building in downtown San Francisco by Simrit Kapila

Downtown San Francisco in the night

A game of Catch me if you can with Dreams

It is good to dream ! It is good to pursue your dream or ambition but not at the cost of losing yourself entirely and completey in your quest to attain or achieve it. The path to pursue your dreams may involve great forms of sacrifices but nothing is worth it if it means giving up living day to day. Each day is precious  ! And we must not forget that there could be no tomorrow and so every single day should be lived to it's fullest. The saying stands true that live each day as if it may be the last day in your life...Live your life as if there is no tomorrow. Do not let the future steal your present and all that you want now. Sometimes the price you pay for what you want in the future may take it's toll on your present way too much and may mean giving up all that makes you happy.
Dreams and Ambitions tend to play a game of "Catch me if you can" and in the want to win that game you may be endlessly staking everything in your life that you may lose in your life forever and never recover. Definitely pursue and go behind all that your hope to have with all that you have inside you but definitely not in a way that may involve leaving behind all that you already have in favour of all that you might have or not ! While it is true that dreams come true when you believe in them and work towards making them a reality, it also holds true that draw your boundaries somewhere and let your dreams find you too after that if so it is willed. Happiness is wanting all that you have instead of having all that you want...Sometimes you may be living your dream but you may not realise it now.

San Francisco Downtown

View of the tall building from the car...

Emeryville, California

A quiet and bright  afternoon at Bay Street Emeryville by Simrit Kapila

Christmas Tree at Union Square San Francisco

Downtown San Francisco by Simrit Kapila

San Francisco

Emeryville California

Christmas tree at Bay Street 

BAY STREET 

Bay Street is a very beautiful street lined with the most fashionable and interesting shops. There are many fine restaurants too. I particularly like Pizza My Heart out there. Various cuisines like Italian, Mexican and Chinese are available there.  Barnes and Nobles is a bookshop you would love to visit when there and it houses a cafe as well.

There is a small enclosure where a Christmas tree stands tall and proud at this time of the year as it greets people with hymns. I just loved spending time there on my recent visit ! The entire atmosphere is most festive at this time of the year from Thanksgiving to Christmas. There are lots of benches and one can relax there and bask in the sun in good weather. The Bay Street even offers free Wifi connection to it's visitors. One can spend the entire day there and not get bored at all. My mother highly recommended this street to me when I was there recently and I was so delighted to experience an entire day out there on 2-3 occasions.

The street also includes AMC Theatres if you are in a mood for some entertainment. There are stores like Apple Store, Athleta, GAP, Bannana Republic , Forever 21, H&M, Uniqlo, Old Navy, Aldo, Aerosoles Bath & Body Works, Body Shop etc. There are great furniture stores like EQ3 Furniture and Accents. My favourites are West Elm and Sees Candies. Do taste the chocolates before purchase at Sees Candies !

Thought of the Day

Life  is all about the choices you make and the chances you take...Your decisions good or bad would give a definition to your life. They will shape your life and will stay with you forever in the form of memories. Your choices will give a direction to your life and lead you to a path that will ultimately define your life's journey in so many ways.
Think carefully and wisely before you make any decisions and ask yourself if you can stand true to your choices or if you have the courage and strength to alter your path from the choices that prove to be bad ones which take you on an endless path of unpleasant experiences. Your choices will represent your journey in life and will affect your life in great and deep ways. And as it is believed , what is most important is to enjoy the journey...
Make your own choices if possible and do not let people make them for you all the time as is the case in many cultures. People can advise you but the last choice has to be yours. Your choices may let you down at times but what matters is that you took a chance on your own to grow in life and as it is it is always easier to accept the responsibility of your own choices than the ones made by others. With responsibility comes maturity. In making your own choices and decisions you grow as an individual. Every moment lived is a lesson learned and every choice is an experience earned...There is a price to be paid with each choice...So think twice before making a choice !

-Simrit

The Golden Temple Amritsar

The Golden Temple- another beautiful view of the Holy Shrine captured while taking the "Parikrama"

Jaisalmer

Desert in the evening...

Life, Transition & Growth

Life is about moving forward...As we all know it is about moving forward to new places, new possibilities and new phases. Life is all about moving forward to include new people and invite new experiences. Yet the first step towards moving forward may be very difficult for some as it may mean leaving behind those people and places that matter to you the most in search of a new chapter in your life.  In life , sometimes in moving forward you also pay a price too deep to consider yet the norm in life is to keep going forward or moving forward.

There are no rewinds and retakes in life. Life is all about growth but at times in the process of that growth one is required to  leave behind many precious moments, opportunities and possibilities in your past or present to reach a new place. The moments you leave behind and the separation from the people who cannot accompany you on your new journey is always most difficult and yet it has to be dealt with because that is life and it demands you to accept all the changes and transformations it sends your way. You can crib and complain all you want but in the end you have to give in to it to go places instead of standing in one place forever. But changes bring with them new opportunities too.

For some life alters itself to fit their choices as well as plans and allows them to take with them all those whom they want or require around them on their new path but for others it asks a price which is to sacrifice all they have and leave with just memories. But sooner or later everyone has to embrace a path that they may not accept readily at first but have to take anyway as life is constantly changing for everyone everyday. Some journeys have to be made...Bridges and seas have to be crossed for new beginnings.

What life can never ever steal from you are your beautiful  memories. You can take those  memories with you in your heart wherever you want to and even to distant places or new eras of your life. These memories deep and strong will help you in times alone and motivate you eventually to make the most of the journey ahead of you by becoming your inspiration and strength. Changes and times of transitions are never easy and yet we all have to go through them one way or another with either smiles or tears. This is living ! Such is life...Asi Es La Vida !

The Hallmark of India- Unity in Diversity

In India intermingling of various religions, traditions and customs create a beautifully unique picture of a real way of life. It may represent a state of complexity to others because giving everybody the Right to Religious Freedom may invite clash of personalities , interests and conflicting ideas. A nation having diverse faiths and cultures may not appeal to some as it may represent a state of chaos. But to us it represents a  complete picture of a perfect world which is to stand united even with our differences and appreciating as well as embracing each other with all our strengths and weaknesses. In a country like this , one learns to be more religiously tolerant and culturally sensitive than others which is so required in a world of today which is becoming so divided because of faith and religion.

 We may have our share of problems as each religion has a strong identity and roots in our land which gives them strong expressions. But despite our differences we stay together whatever may come our way. We may have conflicts from time to time with each other as naturally happens in a big family but we also become each other's strengths when our country is attacked and make up for each other's limitations. We are living in the true sense as a family...a family that fights and disagrees and yet stays together anyway.

I say that just as opposites attract , we with our different faiths, customs and cultures are in fact each others' better halves in a way as we complete what the other lacks and make up for each others' limitations which makes us complement each other in the true sense. Recently someone commented that how can everyone in India come together as One to stand united when we do not follow each other' customs ,beliefs and way of life. But my take on that subject is that we can  be as different as possible and still appreciate and respect each other all the way. We do not need to become like one another to go the same way. 

We can retain our own identities and individualities and yet be with each other all the way. The secret is just to appreciate, respect and subscribe to each other's way of life when we interact without actually giving up one's own way of life or strictly following one particular way of life. This is the beauty of democracy and secularism. The hallmark of India is Unity in Diversity ! India is heading towards a global power status because like the United States of America it draws on the rich traditions, skills and intellect of diverse faiths and diverse backgrounds of citizens.

Japan Exchange Teaching Programme

Japan Exchange Teaching Programme ( JET) 

 Once a JET, a JET forever... We are celebrating 30years of Japan Exchange Teaching Programme.  JETs worldwide are expressing their gratitude on the JET Arigato Campaign Page . I feel deeply honoured to have represented my country as a cultural ambassador on JET. And it is my pleasure and honour to express my gratitude through the JET Arigato Campaign. 

Great sentiment was attached to my selection as JET because it meant a lifetime achievement for me to go back and renew my four years of childhood roots in Japan resulting in a lifelong attachment to the Japanese people and their culture. 

JET gave me a newfound identity, fame and recognition in Japan as well as in the Japanese community back home. I am what I am in my life today because of JET. 

Being assigned to Ise was an added reward. In my own time I could go there and be in communion with the holy, serene and beautiful surroundings of the Grand Ise-shrine.

JET gave me an opportunity to teach as well as enjoy cultural interactions which was a very rewarding experience. It gave me a chance to represent my country in a way that I had always wanted as well as bridge the psychological and cultural differences between people by introducing them to the similarities of their cultures.

 Arigatou gozaimashita JET ! Kokoro kara kansha shite orimasu.

 SIMRIT KAPILA ( INDIA) Misino Mura, Ise-Shi 2001-2003

ALT Junior High School/ELM. School & Board of Education Officehttps://twitter.com/arigatojet/status/758253210435850240

Life , You & I

Life has it's moods...Life has it's seasons...Life decides what to throw our way eventually even though we may feel that we control the events of our lives and work towards it accordingly. As much as we may like to believe in making things happen on our own, life has it's own plans for us. How we react or adapt to those decisions of life is totally in our control though.
Life can be good or bad and sometimes a combination of both...Life can surprise us pleasantly or unpleasantly. We have no choice but to accept the unfavourable verdicts of life in the best possible way we can and meet them with all the strength reserved in us and generous amount of patience.
What is important is to live with renewed hope and fresh dreams everyday even though the end decision lies with life. What is essential is to live life as positively as possible despite the occasional disappointments, roadblocks, heartbreaks and pain. We cannot control the results but we sure can put our best into all our moments everyday to enjoy the journey without worrying about how it all will turn up.
 The ending is not ours to decide but the journey is what we make of it. As they say, live like you have never lived before every day to make it the most memorable and maybe then life too may be motivated to give you what you hope for because positive actions do invite positive outcomes according to Law of Atrraction.

Rajasthan

MEHRANGARH FORT Jodhpur

A beautiful door in a part of Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhour- By Simrit

Ladakh

Leh- By Simrit

Japan

Spain in Japan

Carmen Hall in Spain Mura, Mie- Ken - By Simrit


This is one place you should consider going to  if you want to witness a mesmerising performance of Flamenco dance in Mie- ken Japan. I loved visiting Spain Mura ( Village ) when I was living in Ise-shi. One feels as if one is in Spain !

Shimla

An afternoon in Shimla

Japan

A famous tofu restaurant...Ise, Kawasaki - By Simrit

Ladakh

A  glimpse of the lovely interior of The Grand Dragon Hotel

Ladakh

Another view of Pangong-Tso Lake - By Simrit

Moments well lived

Life should be lived in such a way that it is completely abundant with beautiful memories and the warmth of relationships. Life should be abundant with memories of all moments well lived and not just moments meant to be lived only for the sake of living...

There is one life and sometimes we take it so much for granted that we don't realise how special every moment is as each moment is one moment too which is lived just once. Life may be bitter and sweet for some or mostly bitter and even mostly sweet for others but what really matters is that each moment is considered as valuable as every moment in one short journey and each moment is greeted with gratitude in happy times and some amount of acceptance in tragic times. Maybe that thought would make the journey of living worthwhile.

We just have to remember that each moment gives way to another and each moment is different from the other as nothing lasts forever. Nothing lasts forever be it happiness, sadness, contentment, peace or pain. But what lasts forever is your willingness to try to make every day as best as possible and your thought on how you face and deal with each moment that life sends your way.

Golden Temple Amritsar

The way to pray-Devotees at the Golden Temple

The " Pehredar"- Guard & Protector of the Temple

Definition of Travel...What is it to You ?

Travel holds a different definition for everyone. Travel involves visiting new places and learning about other cultures, customs and traditions through that journey. It enhances your knowledge about other places and introduces you to a new way of life. But travel to me also means exploring oneself and the discovery of your strengths and weaknesses in the process. Travel gives you a new understanding of yourself in the way you adapt to another culture or a new surrounding. It introduces you to a side of you that you forget in the daily chores of life or a side you did not know existed in you.

Travel is adventure and learning...Travel is great times and enjoyment.  Travel is also rough times as well as dealing with all that comes with it to the best of your abilities. It makes you grow as a person and revitalises you to deal with everything that awaits you in your life back home with a newfound confidence and energy. Each travel greatly contributes in your life through the various experiences and memories you carry back with you from there. Most of all it teaches you to survive in new environments out of your comfort zone. Travel also gets you on the path of cultural sensitivity and cultural tolerance. In your travels you educate yourself as well as others that you meet along the way through cultural exchange and that is a wonderful way of connecting people with differences through many similarities. It combats cultural indifference and teaches one to accept and appreciate people different from you. Accepting people with all their differences is exactly what travel teaches you and that is needed all the more in the modern world where even in our advancement we are actually going backward in our thinking.

An understanding of other cultures is achieved through travel which will help in erasing any doubts or fears about an unknown culture and that is so needed in today's world where more intolerance and suspicion is born every day because of being intimidated of the unknown. Also it helps in learning new languages and recognising the value of each culture or religion. As I always say it helps you connect to people deeply to break the psychological barrier that exists between people of different nationalities and religions. It certainly makes you recognise people in a new way by getting introduced to their lifestyle. Travel increases your knowledge about different ethnicities and nationalities and equips you further in distinguishing between different nationalities through their clothes, customs, languages, local cuisines, facial features and clothes. Through your travels you learn to draw an impressive comparison between different cultures or find striking similarities . It leads to a new way of understanding History and Geography from a close view.

In Shades of Darkness White colour is needed to dilute the intensity

In recent times peoples' lives have been threatened by the raging hatred, intolerance and anger around us. As a result of it fear, insecurity and uncertainty are residing deeply within the world. We all are in a conflict within ourselves and outside. The heightened danger in cities and countries are giving a different shade to humanity, a shade never seen before...a shade so dark and intense that it will not get easily washed away with goodness, faith and efforts of peace.

The damage has been done ! But it is not too late to hope or pray for a change of times. It is not too late to hope for better days to arrive. If we do not do something now we would eventually be stuck in the quicksand of more terrible and destructive times.

 We are living in difficult and dangerous times ! Suspicion, rage, rigidity, lack of sensitivity  are some words that come to my mind when I think of what is going around us be it on the roads, streets or places. We are facing an unseen enemy all the time in the names of many faces and even within us. We have to first fight ourselves to fight others.

In today's times Peace is just a word we can only dream about. But peoples' actions today will determine the fate of humanity tomorrow. It is a very tough job to maintain peace, cultural sensitivity and empathy in today's times in our own countries as well as abroad when we are surrounded by such events that deeply disturb our belief in humanity and goodness but we have to try anyway as that is the only choice left to maintain the last remnants of peace and sanity in this world. The colour white symbolic of peace is needed to dilute the intensity of the colour black symbolic of darkness...

We have to combat any thoughts that draw us towards negativity and for that it is absolutely necessary to control our own impulsive reactions to certain situation that may cloud our judgement and may not help us to assess the situation correctly in order to take the appropriate action. We are often told that life is unfair and most times some have to pay for the actions of others but that should not be done or allowed. And so all the more it is very important to inform and educate people as much as possible regarding the difference between right and wrong and motivate them not to harm or threaten innocent lives. We all should be able to walk together as ONE with all our differences of identities, nationalities or religion to save the world from threats of negativity.

ONE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO ALL ! We as ONE can make the difference !

We as ONE can be the ONES to make a difference to ONE & ONE and thus All... There comes a time when ONE must stand up for their Rights to help others and oneself.

 We all feel strongly about certain causes that are close to our heart. Sometimes it is important to create time to support people to get justice. However justice may not be always served but it is important to work in that direction and put all your efforts in it. Of course that can be very time consuming specially when you research on a particular subject to support any cause. The last month has been a month of fighting for my Rights be it with a reputed Indian Bank or a famous British Telecommunication Company. I have also been making efforts to support other causes concerning safety of women or getting justice for a courageous prisoner of war who was tortured endlessly in a way that abuses humanity and Geneva Convention. I have also stood up for myself and others and that is not easily accepted or digested by many people from where I come from as women are supposed to be more passive around here and not really have a voice.

Causes may be big or small but they all hold relevance in making a change in the society for the betterment of others as well as yourself. Some people think it is a pure waste of time and some think it is a never ending story which will not really change anything ! But change your thought and motivate yourself to bring about positive changes in any field and you would be giving back to this world a better place to live in and a better experience of living. If we want a good life then we have to create that environment around us by doing positive things around us and by working towards bringing about positive changes in the world however challenging that may be !

https://www.change.org/p/trai-department-of-telecommunications-vodafone-s-dishonest-business-tones?recruiter=409748796&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=share_email_responsive

Ghevar- A traditional Rajasthani Sweet

 Rakshabandhan ( the auspicious Hindu festival that celebrates the bond of protection between a brother and sister ) is later this month but we celebrated it a bit earlier this time before my brother left India.
This time we got the Rajasthani filigreed delicacy " Ghevar " which is a traditional sweet usually prepared during Teej and Rakhi festivals. This traditional  disc shaped sweet is a very fine sweet prepared with flour, ghee,milk,sugar,almonds, cardamom and saffron. Like most Indian sweets this Rajasthani delicacy also is decorated with 'varq' which is a sort of garnishing foil made of mostly pounded silver. ( Varq is edible and is safe to consume. Varq is used to decorate various foods to make the food look attractive)

Mysore Pak - A South Indian Dessert

[ India has a variety of sweets and desserts to offer from different States. Some sweets are seasonal and some are specially made only on auspicious occasions and festivals. It is a tradition to gift a box of mithai  (sweets) when visiting someone at home. It is a symbol of happiness and festivity. At weddings there are always different types of sweets and desserts included in the menu. Boxes of sweets are also distributed amongst close family and friends when sending wedding invitations and to celebrate the birth of a child.]

When I was working in Japan, I noticed that sweets were presented at offices too specially brought back as "omiyage" ( gift) by someone returning from a vacation or an official tour to another prefecture or country and that reminded me of India. Here too we like to gift a box of sweets that city is famous for to our colleagues visiting from abroad or other States. Whenever my brother visits Bangalore on a work trip, he is always gifted a box of South Indian mithai (sweet )called "Mysore Pak".  It is made of pure ghee ( purified butter), sugar and gram flour. Some contain cardamom too. This famous and rich  South Indian desert originated in Mysore and it is known that it was prepared by the palace cook.

 This time my brother's office staff presented him a box of Mysore Pak from this famous shop of  sweets " G Pulla Reddy Sweets". I have been introduced by my brother to various types of such sweets from different sweet shops of Bangalore but I thoroughly enjoyed this one from G. Pulla Reddy Sweet shop. I have tasted  Mysore Pak sweet before but have never tasted one as delicious as this. I loved the velvet buttery taste as it melted in my mouth to unfold hints of a caramel taste. This sweet from this particular shop not only tastes delicious but looks lovely too with hues of golden mustard and warm brown. A dessert looking so appealing and inviting as this tastes even better ! The Mysore Pak from G. Pulla Reddy Sweets is the best I have tasted so far with a soft texture and great flavour.

When I searched for this shop on Google, I was amazed to find out how famous this shop is. And the owner and founder  Mr. G Pulla Reddy was even more famous. He began selling sweets in 1948 on a small cart and his business flourished so much that he opened shops in India and abroad.

UNPOLISHED BOOTS

On the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas as an Army Officer's daughter,  I write this article as a tribute to the serving soldiers and military veterans-

An officers pride shines not only in his discipline or courage in line of duty, it also resides in correct turnout of his uniform and boots. An officer's uniform is starched and ironed immaculately without even a doubt of crease. His shoes or boots and belt are always well polished . His medals and stars of gallantry shine brightly in all glory. His beret adorns his head proudly.

As long as he is in the Sevices, there is always someone to attend to him all the time and decorate his uniform as well as prepare his shoes to shine brightly for the day. He is respected by his juniors and admired by his seniors for his commitment to duty . His work is appreciated and recognized.

But the day he retires the dullness and monotony of his life reflects in his boots which stand unpolished now in a cupboard somewhere or are given away. For so many years those boots could not be separated from him and travelled  with him to adventurous , mysterious and faraway places. Those boots carried him through thick battles and areas of conflict. They have been an important part of his life but later those boots are taken away from him in a way as his life of service to the country retires. From a serving officer his title then changes to a veteran. From a life of challenges, hurdles and adventures, now his life alters to that one of simplicity and serenity. His social activities and parties decline in numbers though he still visits the Defence Clubs and enjoys other amenities as an ex officer. But somewhere he actually misses his old life and tries to catch a glimpse of it every now and then in his memories. He lives his old life through the narration of his interesting stories of those glorious days. He has real life stories to speak of his valour and dedication in serving the nation. His old life speaks of his sacrifices in the line of duty in being separated from his family on field postings or roughing it out in dangerous, intimidating and strange environments which at one time or the other has challenged his health too. But through it all he had tons of reserves of iron like determination and courage.

Now too after retiring he had not changed as age is just a state of mind and his courage and discipline remain intact and are visible in his life...but somewhere the creases of tiredness of the past that he acquired while serving in harsh weathers and places now reflect in his face and walk. Now as age catches up with him, there is nobody to wait upon him like his staff, attendants and juniors did back then. Now people even forget his achievements as a serving officer and he leads an ordinary life in contrast to the glorious as well as glamorous cantonment life he led. Of course he leads a good quality life after retirement too and is well settled with his pension too even if he chooses not to work. His children having not forgotten his contribution to the best education he could afford for them now strive to give him all the comfort and luxury he so deserves but he only feels truly alive when he is back in his army environment and he eagerly waits to be a part of it every now and then through reunions and parties.

Somewhere his soul cannot adjust to this new destination in his life called retired life and somewhere he feels ignored and neglected. He tries to attach the same meaning his life held in those early days but when at times he can't find it, he feels lost. All the more we need to give back what our veterans gave us and serving officers should not forget that they too will be in their position one day. More respect has to be demonstrated towards veterans in Military Hospitals and Canteens where the civil staff forget that these ageing veterans were once dashing heroes of our services and have to always be remembered and treated that way. Just because his boots lie unpolished now does not mean that he is not the same person he once used to be. He still has the right to the same importance and attention. Serving officers should ensure that the lives of the veterans remain well polished for life and shine as brightly as ever through their support. 

Cooking adds more flavour to life !

I just came across a contest on Facebook and the question was what made one a happy chef...I also participated in it and on a spontaneous note wrote the following-

" The smiles on our faces while enjoying delicious home- cooked food cooked by my mother makes her feel very contented as a wife, mother and my cooking teacher. That is a very fulfilling experience for her and that makes her immensely happy. That is what makes her truly a " Happy Chef" and in her sharing her treasured age old recipes from various cuisines with her family and friends. 

After all there is happiness in sharing as well as caring when you share your time, knowledge and experience to give delicious moments to your loved ones and it certainly begins from the kitchen !

 She has also shared her cooking secrets that she learnt from her mother in her book published on Indian Cooking in Japan and in doing that as well as introducing Indian cooking to the Japanese world also made her a Happy Chef ! Be it my father or mother, both are Happy Chefs as whatever and whenever they cook for the children reflects their love and happiness through the flavours and aromas...

Enjoy cooking and add all the ingredients of love and care in all your dishes and you will surely earn the tittle of a Happy Chef and that is what I follow too...:) "

I feel that cooking adds more flavour to life and it is one of the best ways to express the deep affection you hold for your family as well as imparting the right taste and flavour to others' lives as well. So learn cooking and enjoy cooking with family and friends ! :)