1500 done :)

Completing this list item only took approximately a gazillion years! No biggie.

1000 done, 1500 left

#40 on my list is to complete a 1,500 piece puzzle. I am working my way up by doing 100, 500 and 1000 pieces puzzles. I finally finished the 1000 piece puzzle a couple of weekends back and can see the light at the end of the tunnel :)


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Wandering in Vienna

Obligatory travel book and beer shot! And yes, R wears his ring on the wrong finger

We visited Austria in September of last year for a very short trip.
From my history classes in school, I knew the country was once the center of power of the vast Austria-Hungary Empire, the pivotal role it played in the First World War and of its participation in the Second. I was also well aware of the country's invaluable contribution to music and art.
However, nothing in my history lessons would prepare me for the majesty of Vienna's palaces, the eccentricities of Sissi and the Habsburg family, the beauty of Melk Abbey and the pure joy of listening to a Viennese Opera or seeing Klimt's The Kiss in person.

Paris, Je t'aime

This one speaks for itself

# 30 on my list, (hold up, why is it number thirty on my list? I think I've wanted to go to Paris since before I was born, if that were possible. I think it should be 1 or 5 at worst. But too late, what's written is written!) Anyhow, as I was saying, #30 on my list is to visit Paris and see the Eiffel Tower and sit in a cafe and be all French. I am going to save you the suspense ... we finally did! :)

We also visited Austria in the same holiday, so will write more about both countries along with our itineraries soon.

On My Bookshelf

A young girl reading - Fragonard

A History of Love
Nicole Krauss

It's tough to write an opinion about a book or a movie without giving too much away. However, briefly (and inadequately) this book is about the eccentric and extremely lonely Leo Gursky, a man who drops his pocket change in stores just so that people will notice him; it is about Alma Singer, an awkward, sweet and complex 14 year old  who is obsessed with the idea of survival and Zvi Litvinoff, an insecure intellectual who publishes a novel to feel deserving of his wife's love. This book is the individual journey each of these characters make and how their paths meet.
Funny, beautiful, sad and quirky, I read this book on our trip to Peru and it was the perfect read for that journey.


Like Water for Chocolate 
Laura Esquivel
This book came recommended by my sister Karin and as such I had high expectations from the get go. Like Water for Chocolate met each one of them. Uniquely written, it is a magical tale of family, tradition, fate and love. Intense, provocative and heartbreaking all at the same time, it was a poetic read that I love to go back to often.

Heading South for the Summer (by 'the' Summer, I mean 'last year's' Summer!): Mexico

Chichen Itza

My mother was here in the summer of last year for a short three week vacation.

Sidenote: My parents often visit separately because we have a little dalmation at home in India, Polka, who is family to us and none of us can bear the thought of leaving her alone for too long. In 2011, I remember my parents really wanted to travel to Turkey so Rohit and I planned our entire vacation around their holiday- that way, I could dogsit :) I was likely the most expensive dog sitter ever!  And yes, we are 'those' dog people - but I wouldn't have it any other way!

This post has a point and I am about to get to it - so my mother was here and we decided to visit Mexico (I can't believe we had been here 6 years and still havent visited). It was also the year the world may or may not have come to an end per the Mayan calendar so it seemed fitting!  

We went over a weekend and stayed at the Westin in Cancun. Apart from lazing around on the beach and stuffing ourselves with guacamole (pretty much all day) we also visited Chichen Itza.
 

Berkeley and Monterey Bay

Karin and Rohit

I am averaging about a post every 6 months which is ridiculous and I still have not come up with a credible excuse as to why that is the case!

Last summer, Rohit and I visited Karin in Berkeley and drove down to Monterey Bay as well. Can I just say the West coast is stunning. Its beautiful, the weather is perfect and the people are so happy. I love living in NY but if I had to move to another city in the States - hands down SFO would be it!

Below are some pics from our short 3 day vacation, if you'd like to see.