Itineraries - 96 hours in London

London! A must visit for any historian, literature or travel lover. I was hard pressed to come up with an itinerary for just four days in London, but here are my favorite experiences and must-dos for the first time traveler.

Trafalgar square

Day 1

Try to get in on an early flight into London. After you are settled in and relaxed, visit the Tower of London. This is an amazing attraction with the crown jewelry on display, including the Cullinan and Kohinoor diamonds. Post visit, you can cross the London bridge to visit Burough market to sample some delicious food and English pies.

 Post lunch, take a leisurely stroll down the queens walk passing by the Globe theatre (Shakespeare buffs might want to go on a tour here), the Tate modern and several booksellers by the riverside. Get tickets to the London eye and ride on it around sunset for spectacular city views.

Call it an early night after this to get a fresh start for day 2.

Day 2

Start your day nice and early and visit the British museum. This is one of the most spectacular museums you could visit and you can easily spend an entire day or more inside checking out its various attractions which include the famous Rosetta stone.

Post visit, walk to Leicester square to get lunch at one of London's pubs where the menu includes the famous chicken tikka masala. Walk to Westminister Abbey from there to enjoy the gothic architecture and check out the tombstones of various writers, poets and even sir Issac Newton. Finish your day with drinks in a Soho area pub.

Day 3

This is a day best spent exploring the famous market at Covent garden, then walking around the Oxford, Regent, Carnaby street and Picadilly circus area. Stop for lunch at Veeraswamy, offering swanky but delicious Indian grub. Mahatma Gandhi is said to have dined here on his London visit.

Visit Fortnum and Mason for an excellent high tea experience later in the evening after strolling by Buckingham palace, the mall and St.James park.

Day 4

Venture beyond London on this day, visiting either Hampton court palace or Windsor castle to experience a bit of the royal life. Hampton court is relatively less touristed and worth a visit. For the garden lover, Kew Gardens is an excellent pick as well.

The Literary pursuit of Travel - In the land of the rings (1)

I didn't know much about New Zealand when I was growing up. Sure, it was a popular site for many Cricket games played in Auckland and Christchurch and I heard of distant relatives who moved there, but I hadn't read many books which would help me imagine the scenery of this distant land.
Then came the famous Peter Jackson movies which suddenly correlated the books I had read in school with spectacular scenery.

I couldn't resist the temptation to do a stopover in New Zealand on my way to Sydney. I was flying on the national airline anyways, so it seemed like the logical thing to do. After careful analysis of both islands I picked the south, being quite the nature lover. A five day trip through the South island, staying in different cities every night, just by myself. I had traveled alone before but never completely alone on a holiday. Usually I had my husband or family meet or join me after a work trip, so this was thrilling by itself.

I chose to fly down to Queenstown and make my way up to Christchurch to catch my flight to Sydney. Queenstown, known as the adventure capital of the world is situated on Lake Wakatipu, one of the most stunning lakes I had ever seen with its glacial blue hues and the remarkable mountains as its backdrop.

After checking into my hotel room at the scenic suites where I was pleasantly surprised to see that there was no room service charges, I decided to take a cable car ride up on the skyline gondola and check out the luge tracks as well. They also have a bungy swing here for the more adventurous.

The gondola turned out to be well worth the expansive views, after which I made my way down to get a quick lunch in the city. The lines at Fergburger were daunting though the burgers they served were about the size of my face.

Jetlag got the better of me post lunch and I headed back to the room for a short nap. I awoke feeling refreshed and motivated to do something adventurous, being in the adventure capital of the world. Bungy jumping was still a far stretch, so I chose the Shotover jetboat ride instead. 

I started to rethink my decision really quickly upon arriving at the canyon. The waters were icy cold and though you can't see it in the picture, the rapids were extremely fast as well. Maybe I wasn't cut out for adventure.

Too late to cancel, I climbed into the boat, choosing to not sit up front with the driver. The ride begun slowly but very soon we were galloping on the water, making hairline stops in the narrow canyon and 360 degree turns. The adrenaline rush got me in the spirit of things and when we finished, I was glad that I ventured to do this.

Post adventure, I did a quick stop at the Mall to get dinner at a Vietnamese joint, choosing to eat alone while reading my book, enjoying the bliss of solitude. The next few days were slotted to visit some parts of Lorien, Gondor and Rohan, so I called it an early night. More on my journey to follow..

The Literary pursuit of travel - poetry and the other Potter

In this post I invite you to visit the land of the Golden daffodils, the Lake district. Located in Northwestern England, the Lake district has been immortalized though its most famous poet, William Wordsworth. I however had another favorite author in mind when visiting the lakes. Beatrix Potter, who had stirred my imagination with her beautifully illustrated Garden pictures in her tale of Benjamin bunny. It was this countryside that I hoped to see on this adventure.

I couldn't resist the temptation to do a short but still memorable day trip from London to do a ten lakes tour. After careful planning and perusal, this meant catching a very early Virgin train out of London at 6 AM headed toward Glasgow. I'd switch to the local lake district train at Oxenholme and get down at Windermere, the entry point to the Lake district. Here I had booked a ten lakes spectacular tour, after which I'd repeat the train schedule to get back in London late at night.

A cheery conversation on the train with a Scotsman about Cricket (He loved the 20-20 format) and a Cornish pie later, I arrived at Windermere, still feeling a bit tired from the previous day's traveling around Oxford and the Cotswold villages. This was a Monday but I had taken the day off to make the tour.

The tour was pleasant but it was a cold spring day with an occasional hailstorm. We took a cruise on Derwent water which was pleasant and dreamy. 

Post cruise, it was a quick lunch stop at Keswick which is a beautiful English town. I couldn't help having a scone for lunch as I walked past a shop selling the fresh out of the oven.

Post lunch, we stopped by the spectacular Honister slate mine and pass which was a sight to behold. It was amazing to see the towering slate columns on both sides. Here's a picture for scale.

We also stopped at Castlerigg to see the stone circle, a sort of miniature but just as old Stonehenge. It was very intriguing to see. Then we went on to see the Wordsworth graves and daffodil garden at Grasmere. 

As we stopped here for a while, I couldn't help but sneak off to the bookstore around the corner to see if they still stocked the Beatrix Potter books. I was not disappointed! I returned with a full collection of stories in my hands and a happy smile on my face.

It was then time to head back to England. In retrospect I'd have chosen a smaller tour so as to not pack my day full. The English spring was predictably unpredictable and did its part with the intermittent rain which can be freezing up North. This however adds to the magic of the place.

The Lakes definitely deserve a longer visit with the delightful hikes they have to offer, but if you are pressed for time, they can be a satisfying albeit long day trip to see the beauty of the rolling hills and enchanting scenery.

Travel tips and advice

Though I have just scratched the surface of my odysseys, I have learned a few things from visiting places which I hope benefits you, my readers as well. So here is my personal list of dos/dont's while traveling:

Eat the local food

I can't emphasize this enough. Try the local specialities to see what you like/don't like. Do not go seeking the Chinese takeout in every country you visit. Hole-in-the-wall restaurants are typically a good bet as they tend to preserve the local identity. If you are worried about contamination, choose fried/heavily cooked food over salads.
For nicer sit-down meals, listen to the guidebooks. They are usually right about the good restaurants and it is safer to listen when shelling out the big bucks for a meal.

Visit a supermarket

Nothing gives you a better indication of local preferences than this. Make a couple of your meals a picnic from the local supermarket. We had our most enjoyable meal in Venice from the local grocer, complete with cheese, bread and yoghurt. It is also a nice way to save money.

Do not carry packs of ramen or food when traveling. Just buy these locally. Supermarkets are also a great place to buy water, especially in Europe, where water in a restaurant usually costs more than wine.

Skip the museums (well, most of them)

While there are a few like the Louvre or the Vatican that must be visited, don't spend all of your time indoors. Pick a few that deserve your time and attention. If you are not a purveyor or connoisseur of art or have no interest in that area, it is very likely that you'd forget most of what you see in museums.

While I enjoy viewing art, I can't think of many travel memories that were made in museums for us together, excepting looking at David in Florence or at the Vatican.

Art is a lot more enjoyable when you do your homework to identify what it is you like or admire.

Take the local transportation

It gives you a sense of familiarity in a way that riding in a taxi never can. Subways and bus routes help create a mental map of the city. They are also a lot cheaper than cabbing it everywhere.

Do your homework

Try to learn a little about the history of the place you are visiting, its art and architecture. If you are an avid reader, pick up a book set in the location or watch a movie.
Look up the attractions and decide on what appeals to you and what you could afford to miss. Keep a checklist for this as well.

Don't follow the book

Sometimes the best made plans may not work out as planned. We traveled three hours to Interlaken to find that the train up to Jungfrau was cancelled due to bad weather. In situations like this, look at your next best options (a scenic rail trip for us and a visit to another mountain) and evaluate.

If you see something that you just feel like doing, listen to your whim and ease your plans a little. This will substantially improve your experience.

Travel light

I could write an entirely separate post on this topic. Ideally, for about 2 weeks of vacation, you do not need more than a hand luggage and a backpack. Carry along clothing that can be mixed and matched and re-worn. Clothes fit better in baggage when rolled up, and they don't crumple as much either.

Investing in silk scarves is a great idea for women. They are very light, can fit anywhere and can provide warmth and act as your sun/wind/rain screen as needed. They can also block out light on long plane rides.

Always carry a pair of your most comfortable shoes. Leave the pumps and heels behind; You'll likely need them for just a night or two and they take up a lot of space. Invest instead in a nice pair of going out wedges or flats that are also comfortable. Wear the bulkier pair to the airport and pack the other one.

If you are staying in the same hotel for an extended period of time, unpack your box once you check in. Neatly pack away any outfit you have already worn and won't re-wear. You'll find that when it's time to check out, your suitcase will be mostly packed.

Document your experiences

It is great to reflect upon these a few years later; You could do this in several ways. If you like writing, keeping a travel diary might work great. Saving your tickets & other pamphlets is good too. The easiest way is to take a lot of pictures and then create a photoblog on your album. Note down the things you liked seeing and the meals you enjoyed having.

Happy travels!

The literary pursuit of Travel - Bath and Castle combe

Here is the second installment in what I hope is a series in this blog. This time I take you to England which is the source of literature itself, in its very being. I am not going to write about London just yet, but instead will divert your attention to Wiltshire and Somerset.

I knew I wanted to visit Bath after reading the Austen books. Bath also features in the Pickwick papers by Dickens. Apart from that it is beautifully Gregorian with a well preserved Roman bath that gives the town its name and very scenic. Literature and history? what could possibly be perfectly more inviting?

I wanted to however see Castle Combe, often called the prettiest village in England (though there are several that could live up to that reputation) on the way to Bath. Therefore I got off the train at Chippenham and took a taxi ride to see Castle combe in all of 30 minutes, then got back on the train to Bath. Castle combe was indeed lovely but I think the Cotswolds give it tough competition any day.

It was a chilly spring day, and there was a misty rain in the air as I waited in line at the Roman baths. The baths have existed since the Roman times, when the town was called Aquae sulis. Most of the structure above ground level was reconstructed but the museum does show several artifacts dating back to the Roman times and the original temple steps can be viewed as well.

The hot spring seemed to slightly warm the cold air and you could also taste its water at the posh pump room. It was mildly sulfurous and had mineral overtones but was not as disgusting as was claimed. Right outside the baths is the splendid bath abbey.

After this, I decided to take a walk uphill to see the circus and the royal crescent as well as the Austen house and the fashion museums. The Romans had quite a penchant for building houses around circles, but this just made them all the more fetching. The fashion museum was quite disappointing after the exhibits I had seen at the Met in New York.

The other famous sight in Bath is Pulteney bridge over the river Avon, that is compared with Florence's Ponte Vecchio. It is indeed beautiful but the comparison is totally unwarranted. Both the bridges are lined with shops but I guess the similarity stops there.

Bath is definitely a site worth visiting if you are interested in beautiful architecture, scenic vistas and peaceful walks. Here is a list of books, all set in Bath for reading inspiration before your visit!

The literary pursuit of Travel - Along Lake Geneva

The idea for this post has been brewing in my mind for a little while. As a child, my only option for journeys to places unknown were through books and wild stretches of my imagination. I managed to, through my reading see quite a bit of the world, and what can be more fun than to (re)visit those places from childhood figments of imagination?
This has inspired me on several of my trips, so much so that the literary vein runs strong through my sojourns. One such trip took me to the shores of Lake Geneva on an April morning in 2012. I combined the trip with a scenic rail journey through the alps.

I took the train to Montreux aiming to see Chateau De Chillon, but wanted to do most of the journey on the scenic Goldenpass rail, which requires quite a few train changes at Bern, Spiez and Zweisimmen to be precise. The Swiss precision makes these changes within minutes of each other pretty easy, except for at Spiez where a platform switch made me run like the wind to catch the next train.

After my first gasps of wonder and awe at the alps which managed to amuse a German artist enough to befriend me, the train weaved through scenic countryside to offer vistas of Montreux from high up.

Montreux is a riviera town on Lake Geneva which is quite heavily French. It is fancy but not as flashy as the alpine towns we passed on the train like Gstaad. I had a simple lunch of crepes (what else) on the riviera.

The riviera is delightful to walk in and my swiss pass let me board a boat bound to the Chateau from Montreux offering vistas of the french alps on the other side of the lake.

I knew of this little castle on the lake from Henry James' Daisy Miller where the outgoing Daisy goes with Frederick on a first date, highly frowned upon back in the day. The Novella itself is quite pleasant to read with several undertones touching on innocence, societal perceptions among others.

Chillon did not disappoint, it still ranks very high among the Castles I have visited. The level of defense that went into its fortress is amazing. As a literary bonus, you can see the poet Byron's name graffitied into the dungeon walls by Byron himself when he wrote the most popular work about the Chateau, The  prisoner of Chillon.

After this, I decided to take a bus to another literary town, Vevey. Vevey is known to most people as the birthplace of Nestle and the place where Charlie Chaplin lived his last days. The Chaplin graves are still in Vevey. It features in Daisy Miller as well as another favorite novel of mine, Little Women. Laurie falls in love with Amy as they cruise around the lake at Vevey, and that was quite enough inspiration for me to warrant a visit!

The bus travels down the main roads of Montreux via the casino to Vevey in about 15 minutes. It is a delightful town with a nice market square on the lake and more splendid vistas.

After this, I decided to do a whistle stop at Lausanne, the Olympic capital of Switzerland, a 15 minute train ride from Vevey before catching a high speed train back to Zurich via Thun. Lausanne has a pretty old town which demands a steep but rewarding uphill walk.

Tired after a full day of travel, I headed back to Zurich to call it a good night.

The cities of the world: Top things I enjoy in them

My blog has been suffering form neglect for quite a while, and I seem to refuse to pen down the thoughts that come and vanish so rapidly. Being the travel buff that I am, I am going to make a conscious effort to put down all of those random travel thoughts in pictures and writing before they are relegated to a corner of my mind.

This post is dedicated to the big cities I have traveled to and stayed in for a while to work or vacation in. Each one of them is unique in its own way and I realize there are some big names missing from the list, maybe to be backfilled someday, but here goes:

New York (a.k.a. "The city")

1. Aptly named "The city that never sleeps", it is the place to go out late at night and never worry about finding places that are open. Shopping at midnight. Cabs all the time.
2. Excellent restaurants. Some of the best food, ranging from the most expensive Michelin starred tasting menu to the street side lip smackingly good halal truck. 
3. The best shopping and fashion. Again from the most expensive couture to the sample sales in the garment district.
4. The Met for its art collection (I'm yet to see all of it) and free entry.
5. The ability to pay with my credit card or phone on all the city taxis.
6. The wildly different neighborhoods of New York. Everyone knows what you are up to when you are in Soho vs the Upper east side.
7. Central park for the multitude of amazing runs and walks.
8. Times square for being the tourist wonder par excellence and the source of constant annoyance to any New Yorker who needs to wade his way through it enroute to work.

London

1. The history that envelops the entire city and is there wherever you look.
2. The excellent public transport system and the buses which are a pleasure to ride.
3. The treasure trove of museums with the most amazing collection of artifacts. The free admission into every one of them.
4. Westminster Abbey (sadly no free admission) and its 3000+ burials.
5. The fancy department stores and the cream teas, which let you appreciate black tea in its purest unadulterated form.
6. The palace and the presence of the royals.
7. The proximity to the rest of Europe.
8. The city's many parks which are as delightful as an English garden.

Rome

1. The history. The feel of an ancient city.
2. The excellent food and espresso. The gnocchi and the pizza.
3. Vatican city and St. Peter's basilica. The sistine chapel and Raphael rooms.
4. The beautiful evening walks along the via del Corso and spanish steps terminating at random dinners at the sidewalk cafes.
5. The open piazzas and the Pantheon.

Sydney

1. Bondi beach with its huge open air seawater swimming pool where the waves rush in.
2. The coastal cliff walks along most beaches. The Bondi to Coogee walk was my favorite memory.
3. The wonderful harbor-side with the beautiful opera house which looks even better in the night.
4. The rocks district with excellent food and nightlife.
5. The flying foxes in the botanical garden.
6. Ibis everywhere! Especially in the parks around the city.
7. The darling harbor pedestrian bridge and the sky tram.
8. Aussie pies! Complete with mash and peas.

Zurich

1. Walking along the Banhoffstrasse and gawking at the expensive cars.
2. The Zurichsee with beautiful alpine views on a clear day.
3. The old town with its many fondue restaurants.
4. Hiltl and its expansive vegetarian buffet. The presence of so many vegetarian restaurants around town.
5. The proximity to the alps and access to some of the best nature walks and hikes.
6. The biergartens around town serving great Swiss-German food.
7. The rosti everywhere.

The secret behind the South Beach diet

The Glycemic index or GI is the secret behind the south beach diet. It is not a low carb diet but a low GI diet. Quoting from Wikipedia:

GI is a measure of the effects of carbohydrates on blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates that break down quickly during digestion and release sugar rapidly into the bloodstream have a high GI; carbohydrates that break down more slowly, releasing sugar more gradually into the bloodstream, have a low GI.

When sugar enters the bloodstream, the pancreas secretes insulin which triggers cells to absorb it. Many years of introducing quick bursts of sugar would eventually result in cells becoming resistant to insulin. This resistance would leave sugar in the bloodstream longer which would then cause the pancreas to release even more insulin. This excess insulin would eventually drive blood sugar below normal levels. This in addition to potentially causing diabetes, is what makes people hungry!

excess sugar consumption ------> excess insulin -------> low blood sugar --------> hunger pangs ----------> consumption of more sugar.

This is why we feel hungry very quickly when we eat a donut and not when we eat an egg for breakfast.

Cutting down the sugar intake by reducing direct sugars eaten as well as by blocking the bad carb pathways you can reduce the hunger pangs, thus consuming lesser calories. You don't crave foods so you eat less and this leads to weight loss.

Another way the diet helps is by causing Ketosis. If there is not enough glucose (from carbohydrates) in the bloodstream the body draws on fat stores for fuel, causing the appearance of ketones in the blood. Ketones are produced by the liver from fatty acids.  They are small carbon fragments that are the fuel created by the breakdown of fat stores.

When the body is in ketosis the individual tends to feel less hungry, and will probably eat less than he/she might otherwise do. The body switches from being a carbohydrate-burning organism into a fat-burning one. The fat stores become a primary energy source, and the person loses weight. This must be done in moderation (max 2 weeks) since it is not a sustainable healthy thing to do.

So to sustain & keep healthy, it is good to eat a healthy mix of protein, vegetables and "good" whole grain carbs that the body takes longer to digest. Think about it, and you may do your body a favor!

Itineraries - 72 hours in Sydney (2)

Continuing the 72 hours in Sydney..

Day 2:

8:00 AM:
Wake up nice and early today to catch a train to the Blue Mountains. They lie 3 hours away from Sydney.  The Blue mountains line runs from Central station to the mountains, but you can buy tickets anywhere in the central loop. Buy yourself a lunch at the station, as there are not many places for a sit down lunch, mainly if you want to see & hike a lot.

11:00 AM:
Get off at Katoomba. Right outside the train station is the Explorer bus booth. Buy tickets to the scenic world and the bus tour. Here's a tour map.

12:00 noon:
Finish the scenic world attractions first. It takes 2-3 hours depending on how much of the Scenic walkway you decide to take. 40 minutes was good for us, but you can choose here. Eat your picnic lunch here as well.

3:00 PM:
Ride the bus now to the Echo point for beautiful views of the Three sisters. After a half hour here, you can head to either Leura cascades or Gordon falls for a quick hike (or bushwalk as they are known locally).

4:30 PM:
Now head to Leura village. Get off at stop 21 and make a right to a bright yellow teahouse called "Bygone Beautys". They usually have a two for one Devonshire tea coupon in your booklet. Use it and enjoy a heavenly English tea complete with amazing scones, jam & cream.

5:00 PM:
Head back to Sydney to enjoy some great dinner and the amazing nightlife the city has to offer.
http://www.theargylerocks.com/ is a great bar to visit.

Itineraries - 72 hours in Sydney (1)

I had a chance to visit Australia a little while ago for work, and have been meaning to share an itinerary and tips for a while now. Here are a few lists, tips and recommandations for things to see and do in this beautiful city.

72 hours in Sydney:

Day 1:

12:00 noon:

Start your day with a nice lunch in Sydney's Chinatown. Lots of choices here including Mamak, Din Tai Fung, Chat Thai etc. Grab your fork has a solid list.

2:00 PM:

Walk up to Hyde park, to gaze at the Anzac memorial and the beautiful fig canopy. At the end of the park is the beautiful St. Mary's cathedral. Cross over to Hyde park barracks and peer into some old colonial houses along McQuaire St. You will pass the Old Sydney hospital to the entrance of the Royal botanical gardens on Bent St.

3:00 PM:

Entrance to the gardens is free! Make your way in to see very different vegetation. The highlight of the park has to be the 300 or more fruit bats that live here. You'll here them soon enough after you enter. They are harmless to humans, but don't stand under their trees if you can help it! After bat watching, make your way out to the waterfront to Ms. Mcquarie's seat for amazing views of the bridge & opera house.

4:00 PM:

Walk along the water to the opera house, admire the curves of the building and the seagulls. There are also guided tours of the house if you want to take one, or come back later for a show.

Make your way to Circular Quay (pronounced Key) on the right of the opera house to the ticket booths.

5:00 PM:

Get a round trip ferry ticket to Manly. The ride is the main attraction here and equals any cruise you might take across the harbor. It takes a half hour and the vistas are amazing.

Get off at Manly and walk up the promenade to the beach. The promenade is like Santa Monica. Don't be tempted by the cheap but mediocre and expensive seafood at the beach. Watch surfers in action all year round. Then catch the ferry back to Sydney, in time for Sunset.

6:30 PM:

Walk along the right to enter the Rocks historic district. Don't spend time here now, you can come back later another day. Head to Pylon Lookout atop the Harbor bridge to see bridge climbers and amazing sunset views of the Harbor.

8:00 PM:

Right below the lookout is the Australian Heritage hotel. Head here to have a very Aussie dinner including Kangaroo, Emu and Crocodile on the menu! Also featured are the famous Aussie pies. Pair it with your favorite Australian wine (mostly Shiraz) or beer.

At this point, you should likely call it a day, to make it up nice and early the next day.

Day 2 to follow..

NYC's best falafel

Okay, this has been quite a quest for a while, and I finally have my votes! Hopefully it will make it worth your while, next time you wonder where to eat! I've ordered them by preference and added points of appeal/dislike. If you favor the hot sauce over the pita or falafel over the toppings, this will help you pick!

1. Azuri cafe:

Hands down, this has to be #1 for the most authentic, yet delicious falafel experience.

The yum:

• Crispy and tasty falafel
• A plethora of amazing toppings that go into the sandwich
• Fluffy and authentic pita

The meh:

• Well, the owner is kinda like a soup nazi. If you are persnickety and want more hot sauce, just don't request it here. You may get kicked out.
• You only get about 3 falafel in your sandwich. The toppings more than make up for it though.

2. Taim:

The yum:

• 3 varieties of falafel. All are yum, but i'm partial to the red pepper ones.
• Great hot sauce, fluffy pita
• The flavor layers are pretty nice.
• Also reccommend: The Sabich sandwich, not a falafel sandwich, but extremely tasty!

The meh:

• Not exactly authentic food
• There is no place to sit and eat. You have to take it to go.

3. Mamouns:

The yum:

• Very authentic, green crispy falafel
• Face it, you are not going to find a cheaper sandwich. $2.50 is an awesome deal, even if you have 2!
• Their hot sauce means business. Its super hot. They also sell it it bottles, though i've never tried that!
• If you don't like bells & whistles, this is your simple & clean falafel!

The meh:

• Only lettuce & tomato in my falafel?!
• One sandwich may still leave you hungry.

4. Alfanoose:

The yum:

• Pretty authentic, crispy & tasty falafel
• Pickled turnips!
• You can ask for fried cauliflower in your sandwich, and it is definitely yummy!
• Nice hot sauce with harissa flavors.

The meh:

• A tad pricier than the others on this list, additives cost more.
• Downtown, and closed during weekends.

5. Maoz:

The yum:

• You can stuff anything from the salad bar onto your falafel, and it is yum.
• Not one but like 10 sauces.
• Yummy sweet potato fries with garlic sauce!

The meh:

• I feel too full after I eat here.
• Falafel are nothing extraordinary

6. Baba Ghanouge:

The yum:

• They add anything you want from the salad bar to your sandwich. I love pickles, carrots & beets in mine
• The hot sauce here has a very different flavor profile.
• They have a fresh smoothie bar as well.

The meh:

• The falafel is quite standard, nothing too impressive.

I didn't care much for university pita. I felt the toppings, though unlimited were stale. Nor did I like chickpea, the baked falafel were mediocre. I'm yet to try crisp, which I hear is good.

A few others I like:

Pita joe, for their unlimited tahini,hot sauce & amba tubes, The cart outside 200 west st on west side highway for bad for you but so yum falafel over spicy rice with white & hot sauce. Ok now that is just so New York :)

Chipotle at home!

I guess I am a weekend cook. Last Monday was a holiday, hence the effort to try something new. We love Chipotle and its burritos. So I decided to give the burrito bowl a whirl. It was a hit, recipe below. The nicest thing is this is a low/no oil recipe, so its very healthy. However, it is meant to be eaten fresh. Note that you can find all the spices mentioned here in the mexican section of the supermarket.

Salsa Verde (Medium heat)

Ingredients (Makes 2 cups)

10 tomatillos

1/2 chopped white onion

10 sprigs of cilantro

1 Tbsp lime juice

2 Serrano peppers, chopped

2 Cloves of Garlic

Salt to taste

METHOD

1. Remove papery husks from tomatillos and rinse well.

2. Cut them in half and place cut side up on a foil-lined baking sheet. Place under a broiler along with the garlic for about 5-7 minutes to lightly blacken the skin.

3. Blend tomatillos, lime juice, onions, cilantro, chili peppers and garlic in a blender to a semi smooth consistency. Season to taste with salt.

Corn Salsa (Mild)

Ingredients (Makes 1 cup)

1 Cup frozen sweet yellow corn

1 Jalapeno or log hot pepper

1/2 Red Onion

1/3 Cup Chopped Cilantro

1 Tablespoon Lime Juice

Salt to taste

METHOD

1. Microwave the corn for 3 mins with a splash of water.

2. Dice the Onion, and jalapeno finely.

3. Combine all the ingredients and season to taste.

Red Hot Salsa (Hot)

Ingredients (Makes 1 small cup)

10 Chillies De Arbol

1 tablespoon of sesame seeds

2 cloves

2 allspice berries

1 clove garlic

1 teaspoon Mexican oregano

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon oil

1 red tomato

salt

METHOD

1. Toast the sesame seeds, cumin, cloves and allspice to a golden color

2. Grind all the ingredients together to a fine paste

3. cook on a stove for about 5 minutes.

Cilantro Lime Rice:

Ingredients

1 teaspoon vegetable oil or butter

10 sprigs cilantro

1 cup white basmati rice

2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Lime

METHOD

1. In a 2-quart heavy saucepan, heat oil or butter over low heat, stirring occasionally until melted.

2. Add rice and lime juice, stir for 1 minute.

3. Add water and salt, bring to a full boil.

4. At boiling, cover, turn down to simmer over low heat until rice is tender and the water is absorbed, about 25 minutes.

5. Fluff rice with a fork.

6. Add Cilantro and mix well.

Black Beans:

Ingredients

1 can black beans

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

1 spoon taco seasoning

1 spoon of the hot salsa made previously.

Method:

1. Wash canned beans thoroughly in cold water, drain, add water and salt.

2. Add the sauce and taco seasoning.

3. Cook gently in a deep pot for about 10 mins or until the beans create a gravy.

Pico de Gallo:

Just follow http://www.food.com/recipe/pico-de-gallo-83371

Now combine everything, add dollops of sour cream and enjoy!

Vegetable Kuruma

I am and have always been such a stickler for this recipe, ever since childhood. Since my teens, this was one of my crazy food craves, with the layered bread, parotta. I must have brought this home about twice a week, under the eyes of a disapproving mom, for getting takeout. Needless to say, she tried to reproduce the recipe several times to satisfy her homegrown food critic. Every one of her versions were stellar, but not quite the same. I therefore decided to give this one more try, marrying recipes from 2-3 food blogs and viola! Success! The way it tastes in the hotels of India. This is too good to be true, hence duly noted here!

Ingredients (feeds 4):

Diced onion: 1

Ginger: 1 inch piece

Diced vegetables (carrot,peas,corn,cauliflower) : 1.5 cups

Boiled potatoes: 2 small

Javenthri: 1 flower

Curry leaves: 5

Green chillies: 6

Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp.

Vine ripe tomatoes: 2

Bay leaf - 1

Corriander powder: 3 tsp.

Garam masala: 2 tsp.

Turmeric powder: 2 tsp.

Salt to taste

Oil - 5 tbsp.

To Grind to a fine paste:

Shredded Coconut : 1 cup

Cashews/blanched peeled almonds: 10

Poppy seeds: 2 tbsp.

Cloves: 2

Cinnamon: 1 small stick

Cardamom: 1 pod

Green chillies: 2

Fennel seeds: 1 tbsp.

Method:

Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan. Add the bay leaf and saute.

After it starts to brown add curry leaves, chillies, ginger, javenthri, and onions. Cook till golden brown.

Add the ginger garlic paste, and saute till it cooks.

Add half of the corriander powder and all of the garam masala and cook for a minute.

Add the veggies except the potatoes and cook till they are well cooked.

Add tomatoes and cook for a few minutes.

At this point, add the ground paste, the potatoes, the turmeric and corriander powder.

Add water based on the consistency you want. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add salt and the remaining oil. Cook on a low flame until the kuruma is not watery.

Ready! Enjoy with parotta/chapathi.

For kothu parotta, Make the above gravy with onions, but without any veggies or tomatoes. Saute curry leaves, shredded carrots, peas and cauliflower till cooked.

Add an egg if you like and scramble well.

Then add a little of the gravy, followed by pieces of kerala parotta. Add salt to taste and saute.

Venice

Revisiting the travelogue..

Aah travel. It is indeed fun to visit places old and new. I find that upon returning, the most vivid memories are not those of the most visited places, but rather the little things we did on our visit. I have been meaning to write about our Italy trip for ages, so I will do it now, or rather a tiny two day part of it. We visited Italy for a whole dozen days, but there is so much to tell about the lovely country that I will keep it down to one place per entry. I will mention the restaurants we are at and the things we loved to see, which will hopefully make this entry useful for future visitors.

To start right at the beginning, we landed in Rome and took a regional flight to Venice. It was about 9AM in the morning when we reached Venice. The aerial view of mainland Venice was very enticing indeed. We had booked rooms at Ca Bragdin Carabba, link here. It was a very charming inn, and the innkeeper was very hospitable. We found it very interesting that the lower floor of this former palace was completely unoccupied as it floods during acqua alta. This inn is a stones throw from the Rialto and a very short walk to Piazza San Marco, so it is very centrally located. The rooms were very nice, bigger than the average venetian room, with a nice terrace as well. Breakfast is not included, but you can get it at an additional price, though I would advise you to not eat here, when options abound on the streets.

We rode the Alilaguna water boat to Rialto, and while the boat was fast, it was quite low and did'nt offer a spectacular view. I recommend taking the #1 water boat to the train station from San Marco once. Don't waste money on a daily pass though.

I was immediately taken in and mesmerized by the magic that seemed to be in the air on the streets. Venice is breathtakingly beautiful and very romanic, with the water & gondolas and the pastel colored houses. Once we checked in, we couldn't wait to get out and explore.

We were quite hungry though, so we went straight for the food. Being in Italy, something in me craved pizza (a bad idea in Venice, I know). So our inkeeper recommended this place. This was very close to San Marco, so we decided to eat and then check out the Doge's palace. Once there, S ordered pizza and I ordered Gnocchi (another mistake). Both were decent, but didn't blow our socks off and were quite expensive.

Afterwards we headed out to visit the Palazzo Ducale. The bridge of sighs was sadly covered in scaffolding, and while it was a sight in itself, it wasn't the same. Piazza St. Marco however, was a different story. We were both enthralled by the beautiful square, and gawked awhile at the basilica. Then we decided to visit the palace. It was a wonderful sight indeed, especially if you have a thing for huge chambers and meeting halls. There were some amazing paintings of the renaissance era as well. S was more interested in the prisons however. It was interesting to see prions connected to the palace by a bridge instead of being tucked underground as in most European castles.

The two hour long tour got us all sleepy, so we decided to head back and get a little nap. We stopped at Segafredo for a cappuccino at the bar, and then went to the best gelateria in town as recommended by Rick Steves. It was amazingly good and at 1 Euro a scoop, a great bargain too. We then headed to the one supermarket that we saw and got some stuff for breakfast.. some yogurt cups which turned out to be real good, cookies, almonds etc.

Then jetlag had the better of us and we slept till dinnertime. And what better way to spend a vacation, but eat again! This time we headed out to this place. The dinner was amazingly good. I highly recommend the Sphagetti with onions, a deceptively simple dish. S liked the fish very much as well.

Then back to bed to nap!

Day 2 to be continued..

Clearing up the Clutter..

For those who know me, you probably recognize that I love a sense of order, the list of tasks with checkboxes to mark off. My mind cannot function under clutter and chaos. This is probably why I took such a long break from blogging, in fact expressing my thoughts in any more than 140 words (the twitter word limit). There was simply a lot going on and my attention was diverted. It always takes time to put the shelves back in order.

I have been wanting to write down my reviews of books and food for a little while now even if I didn't really think about penning my thoughts. I revisited my blog today after perhaps 6-7 months. Like a person stumbling upon a lost house, I wandered through the pages, looking at my own thought progression from five years ago to now, and it pleased me to see what I had been thinking about. It felt like regaining a lost part of myself. I guess it motivated me enough to write again. Maybe I will look back at this someday, who knows!

I am a big dreamer. I live in a world of my own and think about it as I walk down the street. The people on the street probably think i'm nuts, but I do love my own company. I wonder if people dream this way as well...It would be nice to see if anyone does, though I wouldn't be too surprised if no one does.

I think I've identified my genre of books and movies. It is usually the biography. Exotic cultures add more pizzaz of course, which is probably why I'm curious about oriental stories and eastern tales. I am not much of a novel reader anymore though I grew up on several. I enjoy people's thoughts a lot. To be human is intriguing in itself, and that is what is driving my reading habit these days. Recommendations are always welcome!

Cheap Eats- Rickshaw Dumpling Bar

http://www.rickshawdumplings.com/

23rd St. at 6th Ave, New York, NY

My love affair with this place began about a year ago, when their dumpling truck made its way down wall street. I would brave the cold to buy dumplings at this mini red truck despite loong lines. If you are looking for cheap chinatown dumplings at 6 for $1, this will not be your cup of tea. They are not cheap. ($6 for 6 dumplings to be precise). But boy are they delicious!


I have never had better whole wheat edamame dumplings before. These dumplings come with a zesty lemon dip that is the perfect balance of acid. They also have lovely warm soups to go with the dumplings. The asian salad is pretty good. Last but not least, the chocolate soup dumplings are a must try! Melt in your mouth chocolatey goodness! mmm!

Cheap Eats - Maoz Falafel

http://www.maozusa.com

Various locations in the city, as well as in other states/countries

Strictly speaking, this is not a NYC only joint. But it is so tasty, that it deserves a post. This place is vegetarian only. For about $7, you get a sandwich pita with falafels inside, a side of sweet potato or plain fries and a drink. This is enough food for two people, trust me, but if you want more, pay a little extra and get some friend eggplant in your sandwich as well.

The falafel is not the best in town but the more interesting part is that you get to pick what goes in your falafel from the unlimited salad bar. They have carrots, beets, picked eggplant (yum), the yummiest broccoli florets and a multitude of others. Load up your sandwich and come back for refills! There are also around nine sauce toppings to add to the falafels. The Cilantro & tomato chutneys are wonderful and you can't go wrong with tahini on Falafel.

Another thing to try is the Sweet potato fries with the garlic sauce from the salad bar. This is my personal favorite. They have tea lemonade, but I found this to be too sour. Still the food is what counts!!

Kobenhavn

As we look forward to planning our vacation for the springtime, I cant help but reminisce about our travel a few years ago to beautiful Kobenhavn. Last night, as I lay in bed, I tried to piece back the memories of the vacation past, but was a little saddened to discover that try as I may, the chronology was lost to remote corners of my memory.
This morning, I went to take a closer look at the pictures from the trip, and then it all came back in bits and pieces, as I put it down here, more so to reread when I feel like it, I guess.

I remember the lovely flight from Reykjavik to Kobenhavn. Even more lovely, we had people to welcome us at Kobenhavn. Scotts parents, Mones and Elsabeth were at the airport. I should say that their family did make our vacation all the more special and personal, right down to the amazing lunch they made for us, which we tried to repay with a homemade dinner later in the week. It was such a complete vacation in that sense, to meet and spend time with friends and family, even if it was your first trip.

Wonderful Kobenhavn.. we arrived tired and jetlagged, the crisp winter wind not being too friendly, but we had little time to sit or sleep. A quick trip to our rooms to dump luggage, then off we went from Radhusplassen on our magical journey through a fairy tale land.

We walked through the pedestrian walking street Strojkt, gazing and marveling at the open piazzas. A quick dinner of falafel & hotdogs on the street, and then back our rooms we went, to prep for an early morning.

With the morning came a wonderful breakfast, then a walk through the wintry streets. We crossed the orange roofs, coated with snow, the parliament house, and on until we got to NyHavn, the harbor to see the brightly colored houses and the trademark anchor coated with snow, again.

It was freezing, and we deserved a treat. And what other one better than Marzipan chocolates? Marzipan is like our very own Kaju Katli, only made with Almonds. We feasted on a few, then went on to see the Malmokierke, the marble church. We had picked to a little Danish vocabulary by then, Kierke - Church, Gede - Street etc.

Then on we went towards the harbor to see Amalienborg castle, the queens residence. We passed the geiphon, the imitation statue of David, then reached Amelienborg, in time for the royal changing of the guard, A tradition like at Buckingham. As luck would have it, we got a glimpse of the queen herself, as she drove though the castle gates.

Then off again we went to the harbor to get a glimpse of "Den Lille Haffrue", the little mermaid on a solitary rock. We were not even able to spend fifteen minutes with the diminutive statue, as the wind bit us from all sides and pushed us to move on. And so we did to get tea and snacks at a little place with Henrik, Mones's first son before heading out to get dinner at Mones's place.

More in the next post..