Oasis Center

Today we went to Oasis Center. This pretty much completes the circuit of my weekly "rounds". As always, we went directly to the 4th floor so I could get my delicious latte at Gloria Jeans. Mom opted for an iced coffee (testing her stomach with India's cold milk!). As usual, Lauren got a scoop of ice cream with rainbow sprinkles at Cold Stone. We picked up a few local treats at the market to have for an afternoon snack. A vegetable moneybag and a kheema samosa (which is filled with ground lamb) served with traditional indian mixed pickle...

Mom loved it!!
Arjun must have smelled the snacks and came by for a visit with Lauren ...

Jewlery and Books

Rainbows on roses and whiskers on kittens. Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens. Brown paper packages tied up with strings. These are a few of my favorite things.

If they re-wrote this song for my Mom, surely included on her list would be jewelry and books.
Today we went into the city with my friend and neighbor, Padmaja, to visit Blossom Books, a used book store. We passed by this street book vendor on our way...
Then it was on to Blossom... 2 levels of used books - great prices...Mom loved browsing, and bought several books...
Padmaja was born and raised in Bombay, so she knows her way around the streets of India. A trip to the city with her is always an adventure. I like to have the driver drop me right at the store front... she prefers to walk the streets! Mom went right along, like a pro...

She took us to one of her favorite local shops, where we got the "carpet talk". Mom almost fell over when they told her this carpet cost $5,000 USD...

She settled for a much less expensive, but equally beautiful and unique ring instead. Padmaja made sure she got the absolute best discount price!

So Mom had another great afternoon, full of a few of her favorite things!

Let's see India...

OK, enough of this Palm Meadow isolation. Today we hit the streets. The day started slow, with Kumar (the fill in driver) hanging a hammock that Sheela and Challu brought for Lauren. It is common for the driver to take care of these household tasks.

Lauren loves the hammock...

I thought a trip to the Leela Palace for some shopping and lunch would be a good first adventure for my Mom. As we drove past Palm Meadows security at the exit, I was excited to see Mom's reaction to the India street scene...

She was completely unfazed!!! Although she did appreciate the stark contrast as we pulled around to the Leela Palace...

We shopped and ate in luxury... Mom was not quite seeing what is all the fuss about the hardship in Bangalore!!

Tomorrow my neighbor Paddy is taking us to a used book shop in the city. NOT the Leela, I can assure you!!

Grandma day two... more Palm Meadows...

So... day 2 of India. Following proper guest protocol, we stayed in Palm Meadows only for day 2! It was Republic Day today, a national holiday, so we had a relaxing day. Starting with idly for breakfast...

Then on to some reading on the terrace...

A walk to the market, followed by a glass of wine and a card game with Taylor...

Tomorrow the kids are back to school and we will head out into town. Then the fun will begin! Stay tuned.

Grandma in da house!!!!!!!

So, my Mom has basically never left the friendly confines of our great United States. I say basically because she did honeymoon across the border in Montreal in 1967!!! She got her very first passport at 61 years of age and here she is, her very first time abroad! Most people work their way up to India. Not Mom.

She and Pat walked through the door, after 20 hours of air travel... at 4:45 am. Needless to say, the kids were ecstatic to see her!! By noon, Pat was well into his 7 hour nap. Not Mom...

We went to explore Palm Meadows... we are starting out slow - baby steps. Just Palm Meadows for the first 2 days!!

First stop... Lauren's favorite elephant. She gives it a pat on trunk each time she passes by.

Next... the ATM ... Mom's first Indian rupees - 1,000 of them ($20 USD)

Her first purchase... Baskin Robbins x 3 ... 120 rupees (about 2 bucks)
Then on to the club for a tour and some lunch... Mom was quite adventurous. She ate masala dosa, sambar, and garlic naan!

A great first day. Be sure to follow close, I will be updating often with Grandma in India news and photos!!!

#1 place you need to visit before it's gone...

Photo courtesy of Frommers


We have been debating about making the journey to Agra to see the Taj during my Mom's visit. It means a flight to Delhi, in northern India and then a train trip out to Agra. Seems like a big undertaking with 3 kids. On the other hand, it is the Taj Majal!!
I just came across this interesting article on Yahoo.com ... I think I am conviced we need to go.

Places to See Before They Disappear
Consider visiting these rare cultural, historic, and natural sites before they are irrevocably altered or gone forever.
#1 Taj Mahal
If the plan to close the Taj Mahal goes into effect, it would reduce this over-the-top mausoleum — built by Shah Jahan (fifth emperor of the Mughal dynasty) to mourn his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal — to a mere postcard silhouette instead of the spiritual experience it can be.
Even a recent rise in admission prices doesn't deter floods of tourists from shuffling through the Taj Mahal — three to four million tourists every year. Between the crowds and the air pollution that's eating away its white stone facade, tourism officials are considering closing this 17th-century landmark to the public, leaving its fabulous domed symmetry — that graceful center onion dome, the four smaller surrounding domes, the slender punctuating minarets, the serene reflecting pool — visible only from afar.
Shah Jahan placed this memorial beside the Yamuna River, despite the constant risk of flooding, because it was next to the bustling market of the Tajganj, where it is said he first saw Mumtaz selling jewels in a market stall. Work started in 1641, and it took 20,000 laborers (not to mention oxen and elephants) 22 years to complete; its marble came from Rajasthan, the precious stones from all over Asia. In the late 19th century, the badly deteriorated Taj Mahal was extensively restored by British viceroy Lord Curzon; what will today's Indian government do to preserve this treasure?

Kumar is no Harish...

Kumar is fine. He seems very nice. He speaks english(ish). He is an excellent driver. BUT he is no Harish!!!

Bad news from this weekend. Our beloved driver, Harish, was in an accident with his 2 wheeler on his way to our villa on Saturday. He broke his leg!!!!

Let me just tell you, that when you get a call from your driver that he has broken his leg... you feel very bad. For him... and for you!! Your driver is your lifeline here, really.

Well, Harish spent the day at the hospital and then, at 8pm, took a taxi here to our villa... with his wife - and his X-Rays!! Poor guy is in a cast from his hip to his toes. He looked a wreck. But he felt he needed to come by to "set me up" with a fill in driver!! His brother-in-law, Kumar, who he said is "a better driver than him".

So, Kumar arrived today. I know that I am totally comfortable here now, because he walked up, I shook his hand, checked out his toothless grin (seriously!) and prompty handed him the keys to our truck and hopped in!!!! This poor guy was so nervous, he was shaking! He stalled the truck 3 times before we left the driveway. I thought he might pass out right in the driver's seat. I said "Fab India please" and away we went. Kumar was fumbling to adjust his seat and find the A/C controls. I really wanted to dislike Kumar, but I didn't. Turns out he seems great... but he's no Harish!!! He will hold us over until Harish can drive again (which he claims will be only 15 days!!!!).

Last cooking post... promise!!

OK, this will be the last cooking post... promise!! Now I have many of the basics down... cooking is so much nicer when someone else is cleaning up after me! I think I should bring Sheela home with us :)

Last night I made a full indian dinner. It was my first experience with a pressure cooker ( a highly popular method of cooking here in India). I nearly passed out in the kitchen when the cooker "whistled" for the first time. The recipe called for a cooking time of "3 whistles"... not sure just what that meant - I waited and watched as the cooking started. The pressure began to build in the pot and I heard a slight whistling sound. Counting that as "one whistle", I continued to wait and watch. About 5 minutes later - "BAAAAAAAMMMM"

The steam release and sound from this cooker is scary! THAT was actually "whitstle" number one. 2 explosions later, dinner was complete! Butter chicken, lemon rice and papadum (made from lentil, chickpeas and black gram). Take a look... the kids loved it!Sheela taught Lauren how to roll out the chipattis, too! Chipattis are the Indian version of fried dough... although they do use whole wheat atta flour (a bit healthier, I presume).

Here's Lauren, heading to settle into her beanie bag and watch the Pink Panther with her chipattis.

Next project...

Next, I thought I would tackle some Indian cooking. Really, I need to be able to make my mother something authentic when she gets here!! This has been a long overdue task. Harish and Sheela have been after me for months to pick up a few popular recipes. So, away I went... Harish took me to a local place to buy a dosa pan (tava) and an idly cooker. The entire staff crowded into my small kitchen to see the instruction!! Regular dosa batter is made from rice and split, skinned urad bean (black lentil) blended with water and left to ferment overnight. For a price, you can buy it already made - cheating a bit, but listen, I am NOT skinning lentils!!! The batter is then ladled in small amounts onto a hot greased tava, where it is spread out into a thin circle and fried with oil or ghee (clarified butter!) until golden brown. Then you simply roll it (like a crepe) and serve! Simple, really. The trick is to spread the batter very thin, so the dosa is crispy. Anyway... I made them for dinner last night and the kids devoured them!!!! My camera battery was dead, so, sadly there are no photos. Next time, though!

Using the very same batter, with some added baking soda. I learned to make idlis next! These are wildly popular in the south of India. They are eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner and are steamed in a pressure cooker. Here's my idli cooker!!

My first batch came out perfectly!!

Idlis are considered to be one of the world's 10 healthiest foods! Probably more so when eaten traditionally with chutney or sambar. Not so much when dipped in maple syrup and spread with peanut butter - but, hey, they ate the ENTIRE batch!!

OK, and Andrew did drink what was left of his syrup... what is wrong with this kid??

Back in the India groove...

It took a bit to re-adjust after our piece of Australia heaven. The kids have been back to school already for a week now and Pat is at our home in Saratoga, on business, for 2 weeks! Those of you who know me well, will wonder what project I will undertake while Pat is away - you know I need to keep busy! Well, the first day I cut bangs into Taylor's hair!!

Opera House and Bridge always around... like a full moon in the night sky

The Opera House and the Bridge... icons of the Sydney skyline... seem to be ever present when you are in Sydney. The way the city is situated around the harbour... they are like a full moon in the sky - seemingly following you wherever you go! One of them seems to sneak into nearly every photo!!!

The bridge is massive. It is actually the world's widest long span bridge. It carries six lanes of road traffic on its main roadway, two lanes of road traffic (formerly two tram tracks) and a footpath on its eastern side, and two railway tracks and a bicycle path along its western side. It is also the world's tallest steel arch bridge at 430 feet from it's top point to the water! Trust me, when you are on the ferry going under it - it is breathtakingly massive!!!!

The Opera House is really equally huge. The building alone covers 4.5 acres of land!

I don't know if it is more spectacular in the day, with the sunlight glimmering off the roof's over 1 million glossy tiles...

or at night, when it uses the electricity equivalent to a city of 25,000 people to light it all up!

I love this picture of Lauren and Taylor walking up just one of the flights of hundreds of stairs.