To be honest, the slew of Instagram posts forced me to reflect on my 2018. I was having an off day but god does reflection help put things into perspective. 15 minutes of meh turned into gratitude for an entire year that was so good - personally and professionally. In retrospect, 2017 was a year of extreme highs and lows. 2018 was more stable, with sprinkles of joy popping up every couple of months. What I loved most about the year that went by:

1) V and the joy he has brought our family. Unparalleled!

2) I made one of the biggest moves of my professional career. I am not one for taking risks, but thanks to A, I was able to pull this one off. It is a role that excites me, in a company I absolutely love. It’s a huge risk and I’m glad I jumped on it. 

3) A and I got to know each other better. We had a very quick ‘dating phase’ and got engaged and married within a year. Understandably, the first year had its share of ups and downs, but we worked through them like adults, and 2018 was a lot better as a result. We not only understood each other’s quirks but grew to love them and (now that we live in different countries) miss them!

4) Travelling - 2018 definitely made up for the lack of travelling we did in 2017 (we didn’t go on our honeymoon either). From the beaches of Langkawi to the museums in Amsterdam to the hills in North India, I have a treasure trove of travelling tales (my weakness for alliterations just kicked in, apologies).

5) The women in my life who make me whole. They educate me, complete me, make me laugh, and are irreplaceable. Funnily enough, I’ve gotten close to some of them after moving countries. I love, love the girls in my life and will always be grateful for them.

6) More adulting stuff and things - I decided to relook at my finances, take care of my health and focus on becoming a more well-read and overall better person. These are still WIP items, but I’m glad I took baby steps in 2018.

Before I leave, I’m posting the view from my apartment window below that sparked this reflection (and this post). 

So long, 2018! 

Firstly, does anyone use Tumblr anymore? Microblogging is definitely the way to communicate to a broader audience. Looking to give people a heads up on how much time it’s going to take to read your piece? Medium it is. 

Call me old-fashioned, but I continue to use Tumblr, mostly because I’ve migrated from Xanga to Blogpost to Wordpress to Tumblr and now I’m just change-averse (going to bite these words in a couple of months, let’s see).

Yet again, here we are - the biennial move, but this time, across countries and continents. Life has always been about moving between the Middle East and India, but this seems like a giant leap of faith. Here’s hoping it turns out alright!

What do I like about SF so far?

Work, views from every window I look out from, clean air, the luxury of time

I can’t get over the gorgeous views this city offers me. Some ill-captured moments below, that took my breath away.

Also, Merry Christmas!

Sidenote

What do I miss about India?

A, family, friends and the food

What do I continue to miss about Qatar?

Sheesha, driving, friends and the food

What am I most excited about?

Work, A’s arrival, exploring the city, and my cooking escapades.

My love for mountains is very one-sided. I’m scared of narrow roads, suffer from motion-sickness, and a hike is the most exhausting form of exercise for me. Yet I keep coming back, because staring at endless ranges, the night sky filled with stars, the rush of happiness after a tiresome trek - makes it all worth it.

I found out about Two Chimneys, Gethia from my cousin sister (Check her listicle of places to visit around Gurgaon here).

My initial choice was Jilling Terraces. This place is phenomenal, and one of the best mountain getaways I’ve been to. It is also usually and understandably over-booked (this plan came up last minute).

I called the place to confirm my booking and spoke to the wonderful manager of the place (Manju) - who immediately made arrangements. And the rest they say, is a perfect weekend stay. Pictures attached.

Perfect mountain food looks like this

Guess who won? (Him, of course)

Keep reading

You know it has been a really long time when your blog url is replaced by a popular work blog url. Yes, it has been that long. I feel out of touch. I feel like I’m, you know, using too much, like, slang. Life has changed, yet so many things haven’t. Things have moved, people have moved on and yet I feel as settled as ever.

Here are my go-to dining spots in the city:

For that friend who visits from outside:

Patappa’s mess - isn’t the greatest but the truth is, you find the best elai sapaadu at a wedding. The eating-on-leaf fanfare followed by coconut water outside will keep any tourist happy.

I recommend: The special thali for its crazy variety (23 items)

Dessert at Amadora - Stick to Amadora for its ice creams and nothing else. Their sandwiches are godawful but their desserts make up for it every bit. A favorite in the city.

I recommend: The filter coffee ice-cream!

For family dinners

Bombay Brasserie - My family is vegetarian and this place is the perfect getaway for them when they need a break from south Indian cuisine. The varieties and the quality of food and service are consistent. The quiet ambience and good service makes this one of my favorite family friendly restaurants in the city.

I recommend: Aloo Kulcha & Chole, kulfi for desset, Rumali roti, Coconut based soup

For a date

Chap Chay - For its quiet and cozy ambience and the good food. For serving alcohol when you want to get rid of the nerves (if any).

I recommend: Do not choose the buffet, go a-la-carte.

For work lunches

Delhi Highway - Delhi Highway is well-priced, serves good North Indian food, is just noisy enough to help cut awkward silences.

I recommend: Masala papad, saffron lassi, dahi papdi chaat, ANY paneer dish and the bread basket

For a catch up sesh with your friends

Mamagoto - I love the food here and its shareable portion sizes. Highly recommend skipping main course and attacking the starters, especially the lotus root one. Also, please do me a favor and have the banoffee pie.

(DISCLAIMER: all images sourced from good ol’ google)