Kids of immigrant parents know that Christmas traditions weren’t typically a thing. That is why I am making it a priority to create memories for my kids around the holidays! They will remember the things they did with the people they love far more than the gifts they unwrapped. One tradition I want to uphold…
Category: Art & Music
Role Models for My Daughters: Anoushka Shankar
I try to play classical music for my daughter at least once a week (when I am home and while she’s awake anyway). I am not sure if this truly improves her brain wiring or not, but at the very least it’s relaxing and enjoyable for me too. Most of the classical music I play for…
Role Models for My Daughters: Misty Copeland
I’d like to begin a series in which I highlight strong female role models that my daughter will be exposed to as she grows up. Even before she was born, I made a promise that I would show her that her existence as a girl and a woman in this world does not need to be…
Film Review: Chef
The other night I finally got a chance to watch “Chef,” a film that combines a few of my favorite things: food, cooking, travel, and great music. I had been wanting to catch this film in theaters, but did not get a chance to view it until it became available on iTunes. Oh, trusty iTunes….
The Occasional DIY: Baby Shower Gift
I love reading blogs, but I have to admit that DIY blogs are not among my favorites. I think it is amazing what people create and even more amazing that they share their methods online for others to try. I personally find some projects far too time consuming and frankly expensive, making it risky for…
Spain: Maybe It Was “La Crisis”
Earlier this month, my husband and I vacationed in Spain. I had wanted to go for a while now (well, I’ve been wanting to visit a Spanish-speaking country for a while since I felt fairly comfortable using the Spanish I learned in school). I even brushed up on grammar and vocabulary by listening to these…
Art and Therapy In Unexpected Places
Tonight I draw your hair, A hair of simplicity, With a mysterious beauty, That no one can ever resist, A hair that blooms with the sun, That always shines every sunrise, And turns into deep black at sunset, A hair of smooth silk, That touches my face like a baby, And comforts my soul into…
Hungry for “The Lunchbox”
We’ve all heard the phrase, “A way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” I’d argue that this applies to anyone with a great appetite for delicious food, myself included! There is a new Indian film very recently released in the U.S. that uses this idea as a starting point for a blossoming love…
Why “Ugly Betty” Warms My Soul
Ugly Betty first aired in 2006, but I did not start watching it until around 2008 when a friend lent me her season 1 DVD set. Like most television shows, I had only seen an episode here or there, being unable to commit to a weekly ritual (a combination of being in school and not…
For the first time ever, Miss America matters to me
Since Monday morning, I have been taking in the positive and negative feedback towards Nina Davuluri’s winning of the 2014 Miss America crown and $50,000 scholarship. Ms. Davuluri is the first Indian American (not to be confused with American Indian, aka Native American) woman to win the title of her state, New York, and the…
Like Stars on Earth
Taare Zameen Par (Like Stars on Earth) is a Bollywood film directed by a favorite actor of mine, Aamir Khan. The reason he is a favorite is not for his vast fame or handsome face. Rather, it is because of his involvement in several political and social justice issues in India. His works, ranging from directing…
Advanced Style
During my morning news fix, I came across a feature about a new coloring book highlighting the stylish seniors. The drawings, illustrated by Ilan Schraer, are modeled after the everyday people photographed by Ari Seth Cohen in his blog and book, Advanced Style. We are always bombarded with images of youth and beauty in the media,…
pen . paper . storm 