New York calling !

It had been a while that I had spent time with the children (daughter and son,who are in the US )and there had been plans of visiting them but nothing concrete.

Till one fine day the younger one rang up with the fabulous news that she would soon be a working girl. I was very overwhelmed by this exciting piece of news and just wanted to enjoy and celebrate with the kids. Immediately plans were made and mercifully the husband managed to get leave and we could jet off.

The travel time to the US had been something that has  always left one quite unenthused but with time the feeling of malaise has worn off or maybe one has become more habituated,whatever may the reason be, the journey no longer seems that tiresome.

Suitcases were out and list was drawn up of things that one needed to take ... which basically was food and yes, more food. Top of the list, their favorite 'boondi laddos' and 'moong dal halwa' ! Loads of mathri's were made, to which my daughter joked that with all that eating she would sure be putting on kilos. Inspite of stressing over travelling light, we still managed four pieces of choc a bloc baggage. Of course, the spices occupied pride of place and I was feverishly looking up English names of  herbs like' mulethi'  just in case  I was  to explain that to the US customs guys ( which by the way is Licorice in English). The daughter simply loves my homemade chaat masala so carted tons of that too.

Since I am a lot into self healing and avoid medication myself (and try and insist the same with the kids) so carried several pouches of what could arguably be called home remedies. My  nani's  home remedy for stomach ache would be putting a few drops of  lukewarm hing liquid (asafoetida for the uninitiated) on the belly button and magically the ache would subside. Seriously it still works, do try it sometime, at my peril if you like! So yeah, it's all coming back ...  my nani's (maternal grandmother) and mother's influences have rubbed onto me and I am this typical mommy who tries to  anticipate what all possible things on earth the kids might need.

The Delta flight was smooth, with a change over... got to see Paris (no we guys have yet not been to this romantic city), albeit from the confines of Charles De Gaulle Airport, with its unusual but   interestingly done interiors. For inflight entertainment, for lack of  a better choice watched 'Khoobsurat' and surprisingly quite enjoyed it, Fawad, the hero,was charming; and Sonam, though not my fav, too was  cutesy in this movie

Charles De Gaulle Airport

Finally JFK and then a short ride to White Plains (where the son lives) with this super cab service called 'Shuttle Me'. For those who maybe interested, 'Shuttle Me' is an airport to home cab service...its comfortable, punctual and what's more quite economical.  We have patronised  them often to vouch for all the above. Undeniably, the Yellow cabs for this distance are a total rip-off.

How things change when the children are all grown up - right from the time we landed the daughter was constantly calling and monitoring to make sure that there were no hiccups. There was traffic on the Van Wyck Expressway and it took us some time and by the end of our journey even the fella driving us knew that we had one dotey kid.

Yummy sandwiches and coffee awaited us, as soon as we landed home. Also, they had gone shopping a day earlier for groceries and cooked this lovely meal so that I wouldn't have to bother for the rest of the day with cooking!  The house too had been spruced up ( in deference to my penchant for cleanliness). Like I have always maintained kids are life's biggest blessing. We were back in the warm and familiar environs of my son's apartment. It felt so nice to be back, soaking in the view from his bedroom window. It looked as charming as ever and India for now was a distant memory. I was overjoyed at being with my kiddos to miss anything back home. The family was together and there was lots of catching up later in the evening, when the son got back from work. Ah! those late hour working, the bane of modern life. Thus ended the first day, laughing with and  listening to the children's light hearted banter, till finally jet lag got the better of me.

Perfect weekend snack ... 'pakoris'

It's a lovely day here in White Plains, New York. Since it's a weekend, there is lot more activity outside. The son's apartment window has a great view, -it's my favorite place where I sit and watch people hurrying past on their way to work, or parents dropping off toddlers to school. After the morning rush of office goers, it is people going with their trolleys for grocery shopping. On a nice day like this, the park just bang opposite, has a group of oldies enjoying the gentle cool breeze and lazing on the bench.

I was here a few months back, and though this trip came all too soon but  a chance of visiting the children was not something, I could miss. I did finally decide to fight off the challenge of a 15 hour flight, for nothing is more fulfilling than spending time with your children.

Since I have come, been cooking mostly Indian meals, as this is one thing that they miss the most - having  wholesome home cooked food. The Indian food scene is pretty dismal here, the other day we had ordered Indian food, the whole works - daal makhani, kadhai paneer, naan and other sundries.The veg tasted like nothing we have back home, couldn't believe that this was being passed of as Indian food and if that was not bad enough, it was expensive to boot. Some raw vegetables cooked in tomato puree with lots of red chilli powder added to make it spicy -  seriously, what this place needs is an Indian joint serving authentic food.

 Of course this is not the case in say Pittsburgh (where my daughter is) which has some great places for good Indian food, and why only Indian, the food scene is amazing there, no wonder it has been voted as the best new food city 2014 by Bon Appetit. On my wish list is tasting Prantl's Burnt almond torte, touted as the Best Cake that  America has to offer by no less than Huffington Post. The daughter has been coaxed into getting it when she comes over to Delhi for her winter break, later this year.

Coming back to White plains - since it was the son's day off  we did away with the regular food and made pakoris (vegetable fritters) for him. Served with a sprinkling of my home made chaat masala they tasted amazing. The son enjoyed this change from routine food a lot and so did we. Everyone hogged  so much that any chances of having dinner was out of the question. The husband was the master chef for today and I have to admit he did a great job and fed all of us very lovingly.


Aloo and Pyaaz pakoris (Vegetable fritters)

2 medium sized onions, peeled and chopped fine
2 medium sized potatoes peeled and diced
6-7 green chillies, chopped
2 cups besan (chickpea flour)
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
2 cups oil
Water as per requirement
2 tablespoon chaat masala

Batter for the fritter's

Dice the onions and potatoes into  very small pieces. Destalk the chillies and cut them into roundels or any shape that you fancy. Next make the batter, mix the chickpea flour with water, just enough to get a dropping consistency. Once the batter is mixed with appropriate amount of water, whisk it well to aerate the batter. This whisking helps in making soft pakoris with a crisp outer covering.

Finally once the batter is well aerated add in the diced vegetables, salt and red chillies. Mix in well till all the vegetables are well coated. Heat the oil in a wok (kadhai)  on medium heat. Then drop the batter by spoonful into the hot oil. Frying the pakoris at the right temperature is the key to getting it right, if the oil is too hot the fritters will quickly brown on the outside but remain uncooked from the inside, a low temperature results not only in soggy fritters but also oil soaked ones. So maintain an equitable temperature wherein they are well done inside and have a crisp outer covering. Once they turn a nice golden shade, more towards the darker side, drain them well on the paper napkins and serve hot with a generous sprinkling of chaat masala alongside some nice tangy coriander chutney which just so completes it.

Sizzling in the heat

Enjoy this lovely snack which can be had anytime of the day- yup I have even made it for breakfast on a rain soaked Delhi morning. A perfect finger food on such a day with the Indian masala 'chai'

Ready to eat

Pleasures of suburban living

A vacation is always something to look forward to and more so when it means a respite from Delhi's tortuous summer where one gets nicely baked. I was travelling to the US  to meet up with both my children and ostensibly to help my son set up his apartment - a 22 year old kid was now a working man of a proud mother. 

When I started packing it seemed we would have a couple of pieces of luggage but somehow our list of things  kept getting bigger and by the end of it we had four huge suitcases stuffed to the T - there were eats for the kids, boondi ladoos for the daughter, samosas and kachoris for my son - all  typical Indian fare which they missed gorging on. I too wanted to carry my essential Indian spices for I knew I would start longing for my ghar ka khana after a few days of restaurant bingeing. Plus some stuff for the son which I thought (mistakenly) he would possibly require. 

Travel light is is a lesson I learnt on very early ... the time when we heaved and panted up our London apartment is something I won't forget in hurry or another time in Copenhagen when we discovered that our  beautiful apartment was on the third floor of a period building - guess that's how these Danes remain so fit. This was one such folly I wouldn't have repeated but for the fact that this time around they were essentials that couldn't be dispensed with. Our plans of taking a train to White Plains, from NYC had to be shelved and it was the yellow cab for us. The fares here are mind boggling and if we start converting to our currency you feel ripped off.

White Plains is a mere half an hour away from NYC and falls in the Westchester County. The journey from JFK passed in a blur- guess too jet lagged but what got encapsulated as we entered White Plains was the greenery around.

What draws me to any of the developed nations is the impeccable way in which things are maintained, the infrastructure is unfailing, all most all utilities will function normally ... this predictability in your everyday life is a huge plus and the overall neatness is a part and parcel of the Western world. White Plains was no different ... spotlessly clean, modern facilities, enviable quality of life and of course the lovely fresh air which you so very much miss in dusty Delhi ... in fact I could not help wondering that it is better than living in the happening NYC !

My son has a corner apartment in North Broadway with huge glass windows which overlook the Main Street, bang in the heart of this suburban city. One could spend hours just gazing outside and watch the world go by ... right across was a park which would be filled on weekends - young mothers would get their kids to play. On the opposite side was another park where a group of old ladies would congregate to catch up.

The lush green park 

There is a sense of community living in this place where the locals interact more with each other. On weekdays, you could see the hurried paces of office goers early in the morning ... and the somewhat more relaxed walk later in the evening when off the hook ... ah! these corporate and sleep deprived souls ... this aspect and the mechanical life that they lead 5 days in a week is somewhat depressing ... seen my hubby and uff now my son ... is there nothing we can do to change this (more about this some other time ... perhaps in another blog)

I love travelling and visiting new places but what mostly happens is that after a week or two I start to feel homesick, at a certain level the impersonal West starts getting to me and I miss the much used to boisterousness and warmth of our people back home.  So however, much I might lament about the heat and dust but my heart beats for my home country. So was with being here, after the initial enthusiasm had worn out I had a sudden rush of nostalgia for Delhi. But I must add, gradually as I lived on and got familiarized with my surroundings it  grew on me and before I knew I had started to enjoy being there. I wonder what one wants - fact is one is greedy and desires to have the best of both the worlds ... such is life!!!

White Plains is a very self-contained city and many multinationals have offices here yet, after New York's concrete jungle, its leafy green surroundings are very calming. While it has all the facilities of a big city it has retained its suburban charm. It’s a very peaceful, uncomplicated living with all the amenities at a stone's throw. From our apartment at North Broadway the shopping area was a mere five minutes’ walk. All the big major chains Whole Foods, Shop Rite, Walmart, Target, and Sears were there. So were innumerable eating joints. Only thing this place needs are few more Indian restaurants. my hubby could not help quipping that I should give it a try ... I laughed it off as good try of a mid-aged husband wanting to get more stag time, no way, tough luck !!.

Having lived in New York too I find the quality of life here in White Plains far more amazing, this place gives a suburban life style with the added bonus of being so close to the city for anyone missing the bright lights. There is an express train to Grand Central which barely takes 30 minutes and if you are not travelling during peak hours you can be sure of a comfortable travel. My stay here has been so enjoyable that I am loathed to leave this place, over a period of time it has grown on me and I will be taking back very fond memories of White Plains.

A local artisanal fair in the nearby park

 One would I guess have to wait for such life style in India - Modi's smart city... Seems a far cry, in our lifetime.

A Rejuvenating Summer

It's been a lot of travelling of late, first the long haul from Delhi to New York and then on to Pittsburgh to attend my daughter's graduation (or commencement as they call in the States) ceremony.

Proud Parents

Have now come down to stay with my son who is working here in White Plains, New York. The weather has been wonderfully pleasant, and when it does get warm ... before you know, it rains and soon cools down.

A view from the apartment 

After a long time the whole family is together and are truly enjoying a lazy vacation - with no particular agenda - days are filled with sleeping long, roaming around in the markets picking up something here and there on sheer impulse. The only things that we planned and shopped for - a queen bed, curtains and an air conditioner. It's a great feeling for me ... being with my son  and helping him out to do  up his place (this thing of 'doing it up' is also a misnomer, today's kids live life on the move and unlike yesteryear when setting up home was a long drawn exercise stretching over a few years (for various reasons,either one did not have enough money to do up your house in a day or two or one had to wait endlessly to get the things one was exactly looking for as there were hardly enough choices available in the market). Nowadays,( and perhaps more so in the West) you can virtually set up your home in a weekend  ... rent an apartment in the morning, move the furniture in the afternoon, buy all the kitchen stuff online and decorative for the living room in the evening - buy a car the next day ... and by Jove you are all set. How things have changed in this jet set world!

After a very long time - each one of us are not just there.... but really together physically and emotionally, no stress about anything ... the son has no lectures to attend, no projects to submit, daughter is just done with her exams (she would start with her Master’s program only in Fall), the hubby has no mails to look into, no long office hours - and I too, have no compulsions of meeting customer commitments or looking after the household -  the family is spending the much touted and clichéd  'quality time' - if you will. Honestly, I don't buy this typical sleep deprived corporate slave coined  terminology -  'quality time' - for one should spend as much time as possible with family ... and be around them and share and savor every day moments.  This is what we all did - played poker, watched 'House of Cards', together, discussed friends and family, talked about small and why even the most inconsequential things - taught my son how to iron a shirt, learnt from my daughter how to make an absolutely finger-licking pasta, wandered (mostly aimlessly) in the super markets and shopped with them, watched movies (we saw 'Godzilla' yesterday ... pretty ordinary though it has got rave reviews here in the US), cooked meals together and then did the dishes as well, ate out and tried new restaurants, (the Cheesecake Factory ...it has some great tasting pastas, pizza and of course Cheesecake)

The famous franchise in White Plains

went to AMF and tried our hand at bowling,  checked out all possible ice cream flavors, went on hikes ... and just spent time together, as a family. All this is not just spending quality time but spending as much time as possible with family.

One would be amazed how much you learn about your family's likes, dislikes, their worries, interests, what moves them, what bothers them, what they care about - how they see their life - today and tomorrow when you just laze around and yap. You share so much with them and they with you and while we may not exactly agree on about everything, yet we all learn about each other and more importantly nurture the love and care we feel for each other. Family time is indeed your very own confession time - for whatever you may have done they would listen to you like no one else, understand where you are coming from and not judge you - being with them is cathartic and at the same time an eye opener - family loves you for what you are for they have nothing but your very best at heart.

Life is not just about achievements and accomplishments made in professional or work life - it is equally or perhaps more importantly about loving, caring and laughing with your loved ones.