A Vada can make my day badha!

My 2 weeks of bliss this summer included:

Steaming cups of chai to chase away monsoon blues

Sitting on my Aunt's porch watching the vallams go by...

Playing the tourist-Santa Cruz Basilica dating back 500 yrs

http://www.santacruzcathedralbasilica.org/

My favorite haunt : https://www.facebook.com/GokulOotupura/

And indulging in the gastronomic delights that await me at every corner....from the best mom cooked food to thatta kada fare to 5 star, all lip smackin, finger lickin good!

Special mention -my all time seafood favorites -clams(thanks to my fav Aunt), prawns, fish moilee, mathi fry(sardines) , naymeen thala- wild caught, fresh, salt water or freshwater, you name it!

Another special mention- great memories at Kipling Cafe thanks to the ladies who made it happen :)

Salute to God's own country!

Tis the summer of 2015...

And then there was only the ocean and the skies and the figures of my boys .....

And the bounty of summer

Birthday surprise!

"One year older my dear", so said the flower cake that showed up at my office!

Another summer starts......

Schools bags put away, band instruments packed away and lunch bags emptied out.... why do I feel this huge pang at the start and end of every summer?

Happy New Year!

Started the year off right with a hike up the hills- the views, the cows and the silence- what a treat!

Trail near Ivy Hill and Albion

Followed by soccer in the park...

And a few weeks later- Donner Lake and skiing.

Couple of months later..Spring is here :)

An April sunset,feeling nostalgic..how did we get to April so soon?

Mother's day salad :)

What a treat!

Polished off the bowl to the surprise of my boys - YUM!

Salmon Patties, Avocados, apples, kale and chard leaves, olives, tomatoes, raisins and feta cheese.

Getting out of the Bubble - Part 3- China Town SFO!

This SF trip proved to be the best of them all! The sights, the smell, the sounds everything reminded me so much of India. Tiny stores with their colorful wares spilling onto the sidewalk, the numerous bakeries to stop and munch at when your feet get tired and throngs of people, some milling around like me but most driven by their daily pursuits.The constant Cantonese chatter, the permeating smells of BBQ, fish and spices, the bright red lanterns - its interesting to say the least!

The Lion Gate- entrance to Chinatown