#OnTheLoose: A Photographic Journey Through Unseen Places And Unexpected Moments

I am humbled to release the invitation card for the first solo exhibition of my travel photographs. One week from now, I will be standing at the Marvel Art Gallery in Ahmedabad, India surrounded with enlarged prints of memories and moments during my various trips around the world.

Whatever it took to bring this exhibition to life has evolved organically and on a strong foundation of friendship, belief and goodwill. I hope that the experience continues to grow that way through the exhibition. I look forward to meeting fellow wanderers and shutterbugs, exchange stories, and gain deeper insight from conversations with visitors.

If you happen to find yourself in India and/or around Ahmedabad, your presence at the show will be greatly appreciated. For those who are too far away or can't make it for whatever reason, I will share pictures and stories to give you a sense of this adventure as it unfolds in the coming days. Please check out the attached images of the invitation card (front and back) for more information. 

I am also excited about getting the opportunity to talk about my travel experiences as a special lecture event on one of the nights of the exhibition hosted by the Ahmedabad Management Association. See you at the gallery!

Myanmar: A new world awaits

The year has gone by so fast. Winding up a good first project in India, then coming back to LA, settling down and syncing with spring time, traveling with hubby and parents, spending quality time catching up with girlfriends, and just everything else that summer brings has kept me away from blogging. I have missed it.


Recently, a friend asked me about my trip to Myanmar and the memories rekindled my love for writing, describing, and documenting. So, this entry is about Myanmar and why you should travel to Myanmar. It is the copy of the email I wrote to my friend, and therefore written as a travel recommendation. Whether you ever make it to this magical place or not, do read the books and articles I have mentioned here. New discoveries await you.

If you'd like the documents I have mentioned below - my Myanmar itinerary, the Nat Geo photo seminar notes, two magazine articles - email me and I'll send them to you. For some reason, I can't find a way to attach them here. I'll keep looking.

****

"You'll find the complete Myanmar itinerary attached plus a handout from a Nat Geo travel photography seminar I took that inspired me a lot, and two scans from my collection of interesting readings that I found in the TIME magazine and an in-flight magazine in Burma.

Young monks chant from a religious text

Basically, I studied the country using the Lonely Planet first. Then I looked at my two favorite itineraries from Nat Geo, the a Santa Fe Photography Workshops and added places that I surely wanted to see. The agent then worked this entire attached program for us with my hotel recommendations and must see spots such as certain specific temples in Bagan, Inle Lake and the 2500th anniversary celebration of the Schwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. So, what you have in the attachment is an itinerary customized by me. 

Whether you are in a group or going alone, I would highly recommend a pre-planned packaged itinerary for Myanmar. I did it through my own travel agency in Ahmedabad and we will be more than happy to do the bookings for you. If you go through the German agency I used, they are really meticulous, were always on time, and very reliable. As Indians, we pay competitive package rates and life becomes so much easier. 

Generally, I am an explorer and fairly spontaneous when it comes to traveling, but I was very thankful for having flights, hotels, and routes as well as pick-ups, drop-offs and very good, warm guides to help me out - all booked and ready for us wherever we landed. Myanmar is a very different country from most you might have visited and getting around alone is not yet super convenient. I am sure it will get easier as the country opens up more, but then safety might become a question. Right now, it's almost pristine, safe, and simply heavenly. We had some amazing guides there, especially an elderly wise man in Bagan, who I can try to trace down for you. He was a gem, knew so much, and had moved around with pro photographers; therefore, he would point out lovely angles and locations and patiently wait around while I clicked away incessantly.

Sunset at Schwedagon Paya, Yangon

This itinerary is for eight days and it's great that you have ten days instead. I'd use all the extra time in Bagan!!!! It is a breathtaking place and you can't catch enough sunrises and sunsets here from temple tops or from the Irrawady. I won't reveal more here, but Bagan will always stay deep in my heart and existence. It is a place like no other and I've been fortunate to get around a bit. 

One tip for Bagan: Through your guide or the hotel, try to arrange for a 5 or 6 am horse cart ride (30 minutes before sunrise) to go to a nearby temple or monastery ruin where you can climb up, set your tripod and remote, and wait for the sun to rise over the Irrawady and light up the thousands of temple peaks as far as your eye can reach. You'll never be the same person again! And, do it more than once if you have the chance at different locations. For the sun set, there is a designated temple that every one goes to and it's a magical thing to do as well. All of Bagan and everything about Bagan is magical!

Theoretically, you could skip Mandalay. It was the most unimpressive city for me, which most people go to because you've got to experience the "Road to Mandalay." Nevertheless, it is probably still worth going for the U-Bein Bridge alone, the longest teak bridge in the world where daily life unfolds as the sun moves from east to west. You see very interesting faces and witness fishing, farming, working mothers, kids diving in the Irrawady, and more as you stroll the length of this gorgeous bridge. You meet young souvenir sellers who'll impress you with languages from around the globe, and you'll see beautiful old faces who have many stories hidden behind them. Life on the U-Bein bridge seems to have so many secrets and stories waiting for you to discover. Make sure you go down to the river bed and tread along the paddy fields and walk around the bridge; you'll miss a lot if you just stay on it.

Inle lake is a whole different world. It is to me the ultimate proof of human determination for survival on water. There is no land around the lake except swamps and mountains that rise abruptly all around in the far distance. In such warm, swampy, and humid weather, the tribes of Inle have created art, survival strategies, sustainable water farms, and striking pagodas that have defined their lives for centuries. This place is a must see and a stay at the local tribal cooperative's floating hotel is not to be missed. Make sure you stay in the specified hotel in the itinerary as it is closer to all the sights by boat. They have another property, which is more for people who don't want to explore but just enjoy the waters, and is far from the various craft villages and most sights.

Finally, the itinerary moves you around in a sort of a circle, which you can start from any direction. After we did the Yangon-Bagan-Mandaly-Heho/Inle-Yangon loop, I realized that we could have moved around in reverse order to save Bagan, the most spectacular place in my view, for the last and before heading out of the country. So, it's up to you how you want to go about it. 

There is so much more I can tell you about Myanmar. The attached itinerary will tell you some and then if you have questions, let me know. Its a known fact that I am a bit insane when it comes to clicking photos, but to give you an idea of how insane I am, I shot about 30 GB of RAW images alone in Burma and came home with a total of 60 gigs worth of photos. Yes, I know, I am MAD! Now, I realize even my computer can't handle this madness and so it's taking me longer that I thought to process everything. Well, besides sharing the fact that I am nuts about photography, my point here is to say that make sure you have enough storage cards, two cameras - one pocket cam for emergency or handy shooting if you are taking one SLR, and lots of energy in the form of enthusiasm, and all kinds of travel emergency aids people travel with - electral powder, energy foods like dates, nuts, and so on.

Moon rise over Schwedagon Paya, Yangon

Lastly, some inspiration I found along the way: 

1.   A lovely book a dear friend gifted me (you'll come back with such shots too, I promise; everywhere you look in Myanmar, there's a photo opp.) - 

http://www.amazon.com/Humanitas-III-The-People-Burma/dp/0789211092

2.   The Author's site: http://www.fredricroberts.com/portfolio.html

3. Recommended Reading (I really enjoyed reading this book while traveling through the country): http://www.amazon.com/Finding-George-Orwell-Burma-Larkin/dp/0143037110/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1339220375&sr=8-1

Travel safe; enjoy Myanmar!

Love, 

Tarana

PS: I have also attached the handout from a great travel photography seminar I took with two Nat. Geo. photographers last year. It was really a chain of coincidences that I ended up in Myanmar half a year after these photographers mentioned it as the TOP travel photography destination."

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“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine

Rediscovering home.

Meet Laduben. While exploring the remote villages in the greater Kutch desert, we stumbled upon her beautiful village of eight rotund huts and the happiest children I have ever seen. Laduben is a proud artisan and has won a national award in embroidery from the Indian government. She has traveled to France to exhibit her endlessly colorful embroidery. Both Laduben and her village taught me instantly that friendship, simplicity, and pride make a village - not poverty, hunger, and illiteracy. 

How I may become a famous billionaire

This morning, I had my last cup of this incredible coffee, Cafe Pomarrosa, that Hetal had carried with her for me from Puerto Rico when she visited in July. The coffee tastes of vanilla, wet earth, and chocolate, all in the same sip, and it made me wonder what sort of passion would have gone in to it by mother nature and by its grower to create something so delicate, so pure, and so real. So, I, in my multi-tasking mode that results in to deadly distraction and destruction of focus, just wrote to the coffee grower in Puerto Rico after happily ordering two packets of Pomarrosa Gold from his website. I was actually thrilled to find that they ship their precious coffee to the US. I have to admit that this caused a complete loss of focus from the work I need to complete by the end of today - and, now I am blogging about it! Nevertheless, the destructive distraction felt so good - just like the sip of this amazing coffee makes me feel every morning. And then, I thought...

...if appreciation, admiration, inspiration, good karma, love, and passion made you money, I'd be a famous billionaire by now. Unfortunately, it doesn't and I am not a billionaire in my own right yet. What the heck, I'm still going to continue doing what I love to do. Who knows, someday it will make me a fortune on my terms and in the form I want it to be...no $ bills for sure. I don't quite know exactly what those terms and form are but I think I am getting there.

Enjoy today! Find happiness and passion at least once a day. 

****

My letter to Herr. Legner at Pomorrosa Plantation, Puerto Rico.

Dear Herr Legner, 

My name is Tarana and I am a good friend of Hetal and Apurva Patel who visited you from India in last July. From Puerto Rico, they came over to Los Angeles to visit me and my husband and brought me a bag of your lovely Pomarrosa Gold Coffee. 

I love a freshly ground cup of coffee in the mornings and I love well rounded flavors and aroma. I am not a big fan of dark or burnt roast and therefore, I loved your coffee very much. It reminds me of wet earth and chocolate and a bit of vanilla all in one sip. I drink it usually with almond or hazelnut milk and grind it fresh for every cup. 

I just wanted to tell you that one can taste the passion and love that goes in every bean in your coffee. That is hard to find these days; I know it because I am always looking out for special coffee varieties in LA done in small batches and sold by independent suppliers. 

Hetal and I are long time friends and she knows my taste and habits well. I am so glad she introduced me to your coffee and I just ordered two packets from your website because I am on my last batch this week. I have been savoring it slowly because I thought it would be hard to find. I am glad you are selling it online. Some day, I hope that my husband and I can visit your plantation in Puerto Rico. 

It is always inspiring to find passionate people like you who put their best in what they do.

Alles gute. Ihre Kaffee macht mich glücklich jeden Morgen! :)

Best, 

Tarana Patel


***
Herr Legner's response


Dear Tarana

Many thanks for your message. Messages like this make my life beautiful. I hope 1 day you will come and visit us in order to show you our coffee farm. Love to serve you our coffee in the pleasant surroundings of our farm and speak some german with you.

Nochmals, recht herzlichen Dank.

Hoffentlich bis bald

Kurt

Photo Book

Click here to view this photo book larger

Colorful Jalapeño and Red Bell Pepper Paneer Rolls

Here's another colorful recipe (green, white, and red) in my summer food series to serve as an appetizer or to just enjoy as a spicy hot meal on a hot summer day. A light yogurt drink like cumin chaas or lassi or a fizzy lemonade are great accompaniments with this fun dish that reminds of me of high school days and street food in India.

Serving size: 8 medium sized rolls as shown in photo

Ingredients for the Paneer Stir Fry
1/4 cup basil leaves finely chopped (Thai Basil is even better)
1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves finely chopped
1/2 cup green spring onions chopped in to fine rings
150 grams or 11/2 cups paneer cut in to tiny delicate 1/2 inch cubes
1 large or 2 small jalapeños finely diced
1 small or 1/2 large red bell pepper finely chopped
2 green chillies finely chopped
1 tbsp. ginger finely chopped
1 tbsp. garlic finely chopped
1/2 cup Heinz or similar baked beans in tomato sauce
1 tbsp. oil

Spices for the Stir Fry
1 tbsp. cumin
11/2 tbsp. chat masala for marinating onions and for the paneer sauté
1 tbsp. cumin-coriander powder (dhania-jeera powder)
A pinch of garam masala (optional)

Other Ingredients
Green mint and coriander chutney
8 thin whole wheat rotis or tortillas (best if they are a day old and slightly dry for a crispy crust when pan fried)
Olive oil spray or 1 tbsp. olive oil for roasting the rolls
Maggi Hot and Sweet Sauce or similar to serve
Slice a red onion in to thin strips and mix with some chat masala; keep on the side

Paneer Stir Fry Steps

1. Start with oil and cumin seeds in a pan. 
2. Add spring onions and finely chopped garlic and ginger when cumin seeds begin crackling. Sprinkle some salt for cooking the onions. Watch the green onions until they become slightly transparent; don't let them burn or turn dark. 
3. Add the jalapeños and red bell peppers and cook for 3-5 minutes until they are soft.
4. Add the baked beans with tomato sauce and mix well. Make sure you mix with a light hand and not break the beans. 
5. Add paneer cubes and stir to mix everything well. 
6. Add green chillies chat masala, garam masala (optional), cumin-coriander powder, and salt to taste. 
7. Turn off the flame and add the coriander and basil and mix well. Your paneer stir-fry is ready.

Making the rolls

1. Take a roti on a board or a plate. Apply a long strip tsp. of chutney in the center.
2. Place a few chat masala red onions in line along the center.
3. Place a full table spoon on the paneer stir fry in a strip in the center and roll up the roti. 
4. Place the roti in a pan with some olive oil. Press gently on the top to flatten the roll slightly while the roti becomes crisp. Use your fingers and carefully turn it around after the first side is golden brown. 
5. Both ends of the roll will be open. So, make sure to handle the roll carefully so the filling doesn't fall out.  
6. Serve rolls with Maggi Hot and Sweet Sauce or a creamy yogurt raita with cucumbers to compliment the spice. 

Bon Appetite!

Traveling to travel somewhere cool? Come home with great memories.

Travel photography Tips For Great Photos

Phase 1: Before you Travel

Anytime of the year is a good time to travel. You'll always find a part of the world that has good weather and good deals. The key is to find the right time to visit a place when you can avoid crowds, take in a local festival, and get good deals on flights and hotels. But, of what use is a great experience if you don't bring back beautiful memories of your trip! The digital revolution in photography has put a camera and the ability to take great shots in every one's hands. Take advantage of it. With a little awareness and some planning you can have art for your walls, an entry to a competition, or your own personal illustrated coffee-table book.

There are three phases, in my view, to set up your equipment and yourself for making great memories.

1. The planning and research before you leave for your trip
2. The way you maximize light, your camera functions, and basic shooting techniques while you are traveling
3. The way you organize and compile your photos when you return to create meaningful memories to share and treasure

Here's a list of things to remember before you embark on your journey. 

Phase 1: Before you Travel

A few of my favorite things...

• Get Power: Charge batteries; keep extra ones. Carry them along, don't leave them in your hotel room.
• Get Set-up: A good sturdy camera strap, a camera case for point-and-shoot cameras with space for extra batteries, a lightweight tripod for ambitious photographers, and a lint cloth to clean your lens - there are some basic things you need to be carrying in your backpack. In my view, Lowepro makes the best camera backpacks while Caselogic has the cases for most gadgets.
• Get Memory: The same goes for memory cards. You should have at least one extra card with you that you don't carry along. I often switch between cards every other day and don't carry all my cards with me when I am sightseeing. If you lose a card, you lose all your lovely memories. So guard them well, don't fill them up all the way and format them completely BEFORE you start using them. This will give you a clean slate and no data clutter. If you travel with a laptop or an iPad, it's always a good idea to download all your photos at the end of the day to you computer as a back up.
• Get Research: Find out what the weather is like, sunrise and sunset times, if there are any festivals or special things going on and be ready to take advantage of the colorful backdrop these things can provide for your photos.
• Get Inspired: Look at photographs of the places you will visit on Flikr.com or galleries of popular photographers. The National Geographic Traveler website is always a topper on my list of inspiring sites to see.
• Get A Story: Is there something that has pulled you to the place you are visiting? It may be the food, the architecture, or simply the beaches and good weather. Whatever it is, find your story and make a theme for your photos. Shoot pictures of your co-travelers, kids, and friends who are with you in the theme you choose. Having a story makes the experience a worthwhile memory.
• Get to know your camera well: Spend time with your camera and understand all the buttons and menu items. You don't have to be a pro photographer to take awesome photos. A lot of it is understanding what you camera can do for you and putting it to use at the right time. Take note of the automatic functions your camera offers you - landscapes, macro for flowers and bugs, portraits, etc. Learn to turn the flash on and off manually. The manual is a good place to start. Canon and Nikon have great online learning centers and you can find tips online for most camera models. Read up and experiment around the house. Have a complete command over your gadget. You rule your camera - not the other way around.
• Get around and shoot: If you are enthusiastic about bringing back good photos, it’s not a bad idea to take a morning off and go out and experiment. Go to a local historic area, an outdoor space, shoot pictures of your family members, shoot inside and outside your home to get comfortable with your camera, it’s settings and exposure quality.

You are set to go. Now it’s time to familiarize yourself with composition, exposures, and a few techniques for your winner shots. Stay tuned for phases 2 and 3 and more on making your own photo books.

Summer Recipes: Lavender Lemonade Pound Cake

It's summer! The sun, the heat, bright blue skies, and lots of outdoor fun. Summer's colors have inspired me to eat colorfully too. Here's a series of quick and easy recipes that have made my summer bright and cheerful so far. Life doesn't have to follow any order and so, I'll begin with something sweet.

Lavender Lemonade Pound Cake

This is my version of a reduced sugar basic Lemon Pound cake. Pound cakes make a great accompaniment for breakfast, a coffee break or a summer night picnic.

For 8-10 servings, you'll need -
2 sticks (1 cup) butter at room temperature
3/4 cup evaporated cane sugar
5 eggs
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest (zest the lemon before you cut it to squeeze the juice)
2 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
11/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon dried lavender buds


Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan; I like to use a bundt cake pan for this because it looks prettier. 
2. Beat the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl until light ad fluffy.
3. Add the eggs one at a time while beating after each addition. 
4. Add lemon juice and zest. 
5. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl and add them to the mixture. Add the lavender. Beat until smooth.
6. Pour in to the pan and bake for 1 to 11/2 hours, or until it tests done with a toothpick or knife. 
7. Cook the cake pan for a few minutes; turn it out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. It tastes best when served warm with vanilla ice cream and blue berries. Or, try it with a fruit sauce or whipped cream.
9. Most importantly, ENJOY!

I swear it tastes like lavender lemonade that you get at fancy cafe in the summer.

Look out for more colorful recipes and a easy to fix Mexican meal.

I have a fridge magnet that says - "Love people. Cook them good food."

I do!

Future By Design - The Power of Doing, continued...

I was keenly looking for a bit of inspiration yesterday and it came to me. I wish everything in life would come to you that easy...if you keenly looked for it. More and more, I have begun to believe deeply in the power of doing, the power of moving your cheese. If I think of something and do one little thing towards accomplishing it, a lot of paths open up, ideas flow, connections get fired, and things start happening - like magic, if you believe in it. 


One such little action led to a great discovery yesterday. I came across a fascinating man's story; his name is Jacque Fresco. You may heard have of him, but I marveled at this self-taught multi-disciplinarian and design visionary on knowing that he is compared to the likes of Einstein and Da Vinci for his super-mind.


Last night, I chose to watch something interesting instead of reading before going to bed. I was inspired after a conversation with a friend about documentaries earlier that day, and started looking through my Netflix Instant Play choices when I stumbled upon a film called Future by Design. The name caught my attention and I was introduced to Jacque Fresco's incredible work and ideas. This 95 year old thinker and scientist is a controversy and his dreams seem unreal; nevertheless, he believes in them and lives them. Once again, if you focus on what the human mind can accomplish, he's a marvel. Check out his film and this New York Times article about Jacque Fresco.

The Power of Doing

Since I stopped my early morning commute, I have also gotten away from listening to Amy Goodman's Democracy Now and Sonali Kohatkar's Uprising - two shows that got the wheels turning for me every morning and reminded me that a whole world exists beyond my daily 150 mile commute.

This morning, as I was returning home after dropping off a friend at the airport for an early morning flight,  I took my opportunity to listen to my favorite public radio station. 6:30 am - Amy Goodman was on and it was like old times right away save the long road to reach work; I was going home. 

Goodman's stories are solid and controversial and what she was talking about this morning made me come home and go to her website right away not thinking even once about the cup of Earl Gray that usually starts my day. It was an interview with Assange and Zizek. Two people who have definitely changed how history will be read. Politics and opinions aside, I was reminded how people like Zizek, Assange, and Goodman, in spite of all the challenges they may face symbolize the power of doing...without wasting a second of their lives. 

One link led to another and I came across this incredibly powerful short film called "We Miss You" made by student film-makers from Germany, who have in their own powerful way, like Zizek, Assange, and Goodman, taken talent, wisdom, and courage to make a very important point. 

Watch "We Miss You"

Do. Doing is powerful.

"...Don't let others sway your heart..."

Discovering Fluevog shoes was like finding a new piece that fits in the puzzle called "Ideas and things that define me." It was a memorable moment of discovery of an idea, a value, something tangible that makes life a bit more interesting. My friends recently asked me to share my Fluevog story with them. Just a photo comment on Facebook is not a respectable way of talking about these things of beauty. Here's my story.


Few years ago, I was in Seattle for a teaching conference when my friend and I noticed a store window displaying interesting looking shoes. We took a break from the rain and I followed her inside the store to find shoes that looked like a Dr. Suess poem - dreamy, feel-good, and beautifully created. And, they came with a price tag to match the quality. Priorities were different then and I put this discovery down in my book of memories to keep.

Later that year, without being aware of what I was buying, I picked up my first Fluevog shoes, a pair of tan boots, for an unbelievable bargain at a liquidation sale. These boots are great for travel and for staying warm on a cool day. More importantly they come with comic relief - my man never misses to notice them when I have them on and address me as Lady Robinson Crusoe or something like that. I noticed the Fluevog signature imprint on the boots only after I had consciously bought my second pair and realized that the boots had the same signature mark of Mr. Fluevog on their soles. Hallelujah! I had joined the cult.


Imagine, and wear your imagination; two boots and two pumps later I have understood that life's too short to not wear Fluevogs and to not to be absolutely comfortable with who you are. I plan my Fluevog purchase when a design catches my attention. Thanks to hubby's sharp deal catching skills online, something tells me that it's not the end.

Your Fluevog pair comes to you in a simple white box with the Fluevog logo on the side, but what's inside is what matters. I love the felt shoe bags that come with each pair with a simple and personal message from Mr. John Fluevog.

There's no way I'd do it differently.

If you believe that your God is better than another man...

I am devoted to Pandora radio while I work or work on my photos on the computer. The music in the radio station you create builds up with your preferences. And, the best thing about it is that you can bookmark your songs, learn more about the artist, and even get lyrics of songs.

I came across Lizz Wright recently and have been "liking" her songs consistently; so, they play more of her music for me.

This beautiful title song from her latest album, Felloship, just played and it sums up basically how I feel about all the wars and the people on both sides who fight them.

  Fellowship Lyrics

  Lizz Wright's  Homepage

Enjoy and let the music make your day because -

"You are the music while the music lasts."

-T. S. Eliot

Earth Day: Show some love to mother Earth!

Some of you must have noticed the enthusiastic discussion Kevin, Kris, and I have been enjoying on Facebook that the almond muffins post triggered. I agree with Kris, it is a great discussion, timely because Earth Day is tomorrow.

I am proud and inspired to have close friends who go the extra step quietly in their daily lives and with great awareness beyond themselves to work towards a healthier planet for us and our future generations. 

It's a responsibility we should all be aware of and that needs some thought. You may be recycling diligently, but that doesn't permit you to waste packaging and plastic. You may be using natural cosmetics, but what about the tons of plastic grocery bags you get for every trip to the store? You may be buying bulk already, but wasting lots of water when you wash and clean. The task of being conscious consumers is not an easy one. Whatever you do, think of the chain of activities associated with it and how you can do your bit in your lifestyle to create sustainable practices.


On Earth Day tomorrow, let's make a pledge to incorporate one little thing in to our routines to thank mother Earth. We may not be able to clear traces of all the waste we've created dring our lifetime, but we can try to not leave a greater mess behind when we leave. You may call it carbon footprint or have other names for it. The point is to think beyond your needs and keep in mind how your actions affect the environment and the future. 

This beautiful image was taken from the Earth Day, Sacremento, CA website

Here are a few things you can incorporate in your lifestyle. I would love it if you shared some of your practices of how small steps can lead to big change for our planet.

1. Buying unpackaged, loose foods in bulk are a good way to start. - farmers' markets are a great way to buy local food that is not packaged or shipped from the other sie of the world. In India, I would buy from street vendors or organic farmers and take my own cloth carry bags. We also still have the luxury of buying grain in gunny sacks in India or easily getting loose grains by weight. Out here in the US, Whole Foods and similar conscious grocery stores have bulk sections where you can buy lose grains in a bag or your own container and pay by weight. 
2. No plastic water bottles, please! - More and more I see people carrying their empty water bottles through security check at airports and then refilling them. Plastic bottles are a menace and I noticed the overuse in India and cringed a the thought that we are making the same mistakes the West made ten years ago. It's about forming the habit - get a light weight water bottle and take it with you when you leave the house or keep it in your car. 
3. Soak. Sprout. Pressure cook. - Here's another practice I find very common in India, but something we need to hold on to. Sprouting is healthy and uses less energy to cool. Pressure cookers are irreplaceable and you can cook anything from greens and lentils to chicken in them in minutes. So, you save time, energy, and calories. What a great solution!
4. You can use nature's cleaning agents to clean. - Do whatever it takes to use less gas and less water when you are in the kitchen. Salt, vinegar, and lemon and orange peels are the best cleaning agents. I rub used peels on my counter tops, cooking range, and my face. Their fruit acid works great on all surfaces.

There are so many such solutions. You just have to look around with an open and aware mind. 

Your life, your relationships, your actions can all have a sustainable approach that includes the environment, economics, and society. 

Here are some interesting links for more lifestyle ideas - 

Earth Day

Recycling is Cool

Tree Hugger

Have a beautiful Earth Day! 

Don't forget to stop and smell the flowers this week and thank our lovely planet for it's endless beauty.

Why waste time on toast? Try these muffins for breakfast.

Give your breakfast a gluten-free and high protein filled face-lift and start the day with lots of energy and no guilt. These delicious flour-less Almond Energy Muffins will make your day.  No, they do not taste like marzipan and they go well with your favorite morning beverage. They are great after a work out or a long night of partying. ;) They are easy and fun to bake with kids - plus, the smell of fresh muffins will put every one at home in a good mood.

Ingredients: (6-7 large or 12 mini muffins)

• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup Omega oil or any light vegetable oil from your kitchen
• 1/4 cup agave syrup (used instead of sugar, safe for diabetics, low glycemic index)
• 2 cups almond meal (ground almonds)
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 1/4 cup organic milk (can be substituted with soy, almond or any other nut/grain milk)
• 1 tsp. almond extract (can be substituted with vanilla extract)
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 376 degrees Fahrenheit or 200 degrees Celsius.
2. Combine the beaten egg, oil, agave syrup and mix well. 
3. Add the almond meal, baking powder, milk, almond extract, an sea salt and blend just until smooth.
4. Fill a regular sized or mini muffin tray with two-thirds full using a large spoon or a 1/3 cup measure.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in to the center of a muffin comes out clean. 

Variations:
You can substitute half of the almond meal with any whole grain flour if you think this is too healthy for you. :) I have also used ground oats or a porridge mix and it works really well. There might be a slight change in texture.

You can also add 1/2 cup of carob or bitter-sweet, high cacao-content dark chocolate chips. In addition to absolute bliss, they give you anti-oxidants for the day.

If you like this recipe, ask me for more!

The Perfect Match

Certain wines go well with certain foods, but have you ever tried wine with chocolate? 

It's very simple.

Bite the Chocolate, let it melt slightly in your mouth,   take a sip of the wine, feel the burst of flavors!  But remember, it's all about portion-control and it needs to be the right combination to get the right harmony of taste.

Wine and chocolate pairing has been experimented for a while, but with more awareness in consumers, there are more choices of both chocolate and wine available in the market now. Depending on where you live, you should be able to find milk and dark chocolate and most probably dark chocolate with different percentage of darkness. 

The rule is simple for starters - 

Milk chocolates go better with light and fruity white wines while dark chocolates go best with red wines. The darker the chocolate the more full-bodied your red wine should be. For me, generally, light white wines like Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc go well with milk chocolates or semi-milk chocolates, while I prefer to have a 60-75% dark chocolate piece with Merlot or my all time favorite, Malbec. If I am going more full-bodied, I like to up the chocolate percentage. So, you try an 70-85% Cacao content chocolate with a Cabernet or Pinot Noir. 

So what are you waiting for? Crack open that chocolate bar from your secret stash behind the organic brown rice container in your pantry. Get the wine at the right temperature to match and create pure bliss in your mouth. 

For those who have access to these, here are two of my favorite combinations.

 with 

Valrohna Manjari 65% Cacao with Gascon Malbec 2008

with

Vosges Habana 45% Cacao with Kendall Jackson Chardonnay

Enjoy!!!

Culture, imagination, memory, travel, personal identity=MOLESKINE

I finished filling up my first Moleskine notebook recently; it was mostly out of curiosity about the "experience" that everyone from Picasso to top travel photographers have claimed it gives you. So what's the big deal about Moleskine note books? 


Well, I realized a few things - 

1. They know their s*** well when it comes to design (every good company should know why they exist) - Moleskines are compact, tough, and robust
2. They know their paper - no matter how cheap the pen is that you are using on a Moleskine page, your writing will look good! And, if you use an fancy pen (I tried an ink Mont Blanc), you will be further amazed.
3. They know the cool-factor - Moleskines are to low-tech what iPhones are to hi-tech. 
4. They speak directly to travelers and everything that goes with what travelers love - "Culture, imagination, memory, travel, personal identity" is their philosophy.

I just found out that they recently introduced a travelers' collection of bags, cases, etc. in the minimalist Moleskine style. If you are a curious soul like me, get yourself a Moleskine note book; you will not regret it.  

And, before you do that, check out MOLESKINE 


I'd like to acknowledge NOW by Phenomenon for inspiring this entry.