Looking Back !

Today is the last day of the year 2010, and that calls for looking back at this eventful year. It was a year full of travel, movies, blogging, facebooking, family functions and enjoying all seasons. I want to look at all these in a little more detail. Looking at the travel part, it was a year of travelling by all comparisons; we visited so many places like Atlantic City, Niagara Falls, Washington D.C. and many more beautiful places and we had a wonderful time.

Travelling also includes, clicking some memorable pictures and we sure got some amazing shots. And I got some pretty photo books done too to preserve those precious memories. The part of movies is gigantic too, as we saw numerous amazing movies like how to train your dragon (3D), Avatar, The Social Network, and amazingly funny movies like Date Night, get him to the greek, Golmaal 3, No Problem; the list is endless. We also had a great 4D experience. In all, it was a very entertaining year in regard to movies.

Family functions always are the sweetest part, as it was so much fun to be back in India for my sister’s wedding. We had a fabulous time meeting and enjoying with family. Looking at the blogging part (which am still doing), it was very regular and I tried to put down all my experiences on the blog. It was great and I’ll be continuing with it, right into the next year.

Facebooking, was a big part of this year, as I updated my profile quite religiously and connected with so many friends and it was really nice to get in touch with people from school days. And the movie social network, made it even more popular, I guess.

And of-course, I enjoyed all the seasons – right from spring to autumn and summer to winter; and one of the best ways to experience it, is to live in New York. Boating in central park during summer and ice skating in Bryant Park in winters, it was wonderful.

In all, year 2010 was a splendid year and I will cherish all the beautiful memories of this year forever. I hope the year 2011 brings in even more happiness and cheer into our lives. I, so go by the motto of, ‘Live every moment, as its your last’.

Adios to 2010…………….

Facebook Status Summary '10

The time of the year, when one looks back on 'the year that was'; brings up many memories. And this facebook application- my year in status, is pretty good; as it brings up a complete summary of all the status messages of the year. So I also made one today. This is how it looks, thought of putting it on my blog, as another 2010 memento.

When i saw it, I was surprised, as it brought out all the status updates for the year which I had completely forgotten. The status messages on weather, IPL 2010 updates (especially as a follower of RCB), the plethora of movies we saw, places we visited, season's greetings and famous quotes. It sure was a year of facebooking for me, with continues updates and yes, connecting with friends was a big part too. 

In all, it was a jolly good year. 

December Blizzard

Blizzard on the East coast this Sunday came unwarranted and shut down almost whole of New York and New Jersey. The first heavy snowfall of the season, measuring almost two feet; came quite early this year. Last year, this kind of heavy snowfall came in February but this time it's already snowy-white. 

This weekend storm definitely came at a bad time, as its the holiday season and instead of going out, people were stuck inside their homes. A complete standstill, one can say; as the transportation system went down, trains were cancelled and airports were closed. It brought everything to a halt, schools were closed, offices were closed and ofcourse one couldn't see any traffic on roads also, as the gusty winds brought the visibility down to almost zero.

Some called it 'Snowmaggedon', 'Snowpocalypse'' or 'Christmas Blizzard of 2010', it sure was a big one to end this year on a stormy note. Anyways, now that the storm is over and there's no other snow storm warning for the coming week, we can surely plan for our new year weekend. Now the plans for the holidays will have a touch of snow. 

Rockefeller Christmas

A visit to Rockefeller center is always chilly and crowded; and of-course very refreshing. Yesterday, we went there to see the famous Christmas tree and the beautiful decorations. On the way to the Rockefeller, the streets were all decked up and we clicked some amazing pictures and the Radio City Christmas tree also looked very pretty. 

Rockefeller Center, located between 48th and 51st street in New York City was built by Rockefeller family in 1930s. The fourteen buildings of the center were built in art deco style and was declared National Historic Landmark in 1987. Many famous names are located in the center like Radio City Music Hall, GE building and many other offices. Today the buildings are a famous tourist attraction especially during the Christmas season.

And the famous Christmas tree at the Rockefeller draws people from all around the world. The tree, a Norway spruce is lighted during the last week of November and stays up till the first week of January. And this year the tree was 74 ft tall and is usually counted among the giant Christmas trees around the world. The tree stands tall beside the ice rink and the statue of Prometheus; which is a breathtaking sight.

                                                             Rockefeller Christmas tree 

The Rockefeller Christmas decorations are surely unparalleled and just the perfect place to be during Christmas time. And this time the Saks Fifth Avenue 'snowflake and bubble show', a two minute 3D projection which played every 15 minutes on the building with Christmas music; was also very good. With bubbles coming out of the windows and snowflakes falling over, it was beautiful and very different from last year.

Warm up to NYC chill: Five Winter essentials

Surviving the big apple cold weather needs some warm accessories apart from sweaters and coats; and these five winter essentials come handy and are equally fashionable. 

1. Ear Muffs - The gushing cold winds in NYC can be torturous for your ears and the ear muffs come as a  savior. It was invented by Chester Greenwood in 1873 and has become a winter essential since then. It protects ears in the chilly weather and comes in many designs and styles. And the acoustic ear muffs come with headphones, which is even better especially while working out. 

2. Mittens - The hand gloves which keep the hands warm and prevents frostbites. Mittens have one cover for the four fingers and one for the thumb unlike gloves which have four coverings for fingers and one for thumb. It keeps the hands nice and toasty and some even come in a design with the removable finger cover for ease. And they even look cute. 

3. Leg Warmers - These are footless coverings for lower legs and are a sure way of keeping legs warm. And can be worn with leggings, jeans, jeggings and are pretty much a fashion accessory for winters. Earlier these used to be worm by ballet dancers but later it became a fad. 

4. Boots - A pair of warm winter boots go a long way in protecting one's feet during the chill, and also saves one from slipping on the ice while crossing the road. And not just that, boots look awesome and complete a winter attire perfectly, as it goes well with coats, sweaters and even skirts. 

5. Chullo - The cutest of them all, a chullo is a hat with ear warmers and strings to tie under the chin for keeping the head warm. It is just what one needs to keep the head and ears protected from the cold. And comes in beautiful colors and patterns. 

                                                             A beautiful Chullo Hat

These five are definitely needed to cope with the extreme weather in New York and they look as good as they feel. And to beat the chill, of course a cup of hot chocolate can never go wrong, slurp!!

First Snowflakes of the season: Came tumbling down

The first snowflakes of the season came tumbling down on Sunday night and continued till Tuesday afternoon. Snowflakes looked beautiful flying away with the breeze. The shapes of the snowflakes was a surprise for me, as I got to know about it for the first time last year, when I saw the light and sound show on Saks fifth Avenue during Christmas time. It was splendid.

                                                                    Saks Fifth Avenue

Snowflakes - 'Snowflakes are conglomerations of frozen ice crystals which fall through earth's atmosphere'*. They come in so many shapes and sizes; and no two snowflakes are alike. They have been a point of interest for many researchers around the world and many books have also been written as the shapes of the crystals are very unique. 

These snowflake symbols are associated with Christmas and of-course the winter season. One can see paper snowflakes all over the city, as stores and many streets are decorated during winters. These tiny pieces of snow are truly a work of art. 

                                                                  Swaroski Snowflake 

Links: 

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowflake 

Reflections: Confessions of a Shopaholic

After watching the movie yesterday, I have come to believe that stores have their own way of making people spend and that too on things they don't really need. Its just like, you see a sale sign and you wanna run and grab the first thing you can put your hands on, as you tend to buy things just because they are on sale. And the dummies are dressed so perfectly, that you feel like buying the complete look without even thinking twice.

More-so during the Thanksgiving sale, when the stores get so crowded and people swarm over each other to fill their bags. The stores open early in the morning and everyone rushes to catch hold of the things on their list before anyone else does. The billing counter lines are so long, that you wonder whether all of this stuff, people have is being given out for free. And going to a fitting room can take hours together. 

Shopping is good but not to the extent that you go out of your means to get something and the movie has shown it perfectly. Though, it is understood, that people sometimes go on binge shopping but if it is restricted to just a few times then it doesn't really hurt but being a regular shopaholic can be disastrous. But in the end, its a question of personal choice.

Besides all that, I do believe in retail therapy and comfort shopping, as it uplifts your mood instantly. And it also makes you feel so good, when you look stunning in the new dress and you also feel satisfied with your purchase.

Shopping is something everyone likes, but putting a stop when required can save you some money for the next sale, maybe. So it can be said, moderation is the word, as till you don't go overboard it is good. Shopping isn't a problem but over-shopping is.

84th Year: Macy's Thanksgiving Parade

The 84th Macy's Thanksgiving Parade rolled out today in the heart of New York city. It started bang on time, at 9 from Central Park West, 77th street. We waited on the 38th street for more than an hour, before we got the first glimpse of the roaring parade. People started cheering and yes, it was time for the gigantic balloons to float in the air.

                                                                    The Parade begins...

The Parade was started in 1924, by Macy's employees and from then on, it became an annual event. It covers almost two miles and features balloons, floats, marching bands, performers, falloons (balloon on a float) and Santa Clause. This year, the parade started with the NYPD men on bikes, followed by a marching band and the cheerleaders. And then came the clowns holding the Thanksgiving parade banner followed by Macy's star floats. There were almost 36 balloons in this year's parade featuring Greg Heffley from the 'Diary of a Wimpy kid', Kung-Fu Panda, Pumpkins, Turkey, Smurf, Kool-Aid, Shrek, Sailor Mickey, Pillsbury Doughboy and many-many more.

                                                                        Kung-Fu Panda

The Parade was a spectacle with over 800 clowns, 1600 cheerleaders and dancers, and lots of celebrities. The celebrity list included Jessica Simpsons, Singer Kayne West, Kylie Minogue, Jimmy Fallon and more. And the bands entertained with music and marching, most of them represented their home state and the performance groups vowed the crowds with flip-flops, spins, acrobatics and cheered 'We love NYC'; this time there was an Indian performance group too, wearing traditional dresses, carrying embellished umbrellas and dancing to the Bollywood tunes.

                                                                    Ronald McDonald
And the clowns entertained people with funny tricks, especially the children. In all, it was a fabulous show and the performers in the parade were fabulous too. It was incredible to see the Parade again this year, and definitely, it was even more spectacular than before. 

Five Foods: I can do without

Surely can be called an indulgence, but these contain sinful lot of calories. It comes as no surprise, still I like these foods. 

1. Cinnamon Rolls - I must be the biggest fan of cinnamon rolls, as no visit to the mall completes without a bite. And it carries unimaginable load of calories, i.e. 730 calories in one roll (221 g), which amounts to 37% of the total intake of fat and 38% of carbohydrate. I was surprised when I got to know about the calories, but anyways that hasn't stopped me from eating it though I go for the smaller servings now.

2. Bagels - Another heavy-weight in the list, a plain bagel contains 320 calories, that accounts for 27% of daily intake of sodium and 21% of carbohydrates. That's a lot of sodium there, still bagels cannot be resisted and is definitely one of the foods I can do without. 

3. Muffins - My most favorite Blueberry muffin, it is so yummy but it comes packed with large amount of calories. A blueberry muffin has 470 calories, and 26% of the total intake of fat, 20% of cholesterol and 24% of carbohydrates - that's a dampener for sure.

4. Danish Pastry - The easiest take away food, for me. It also lies in the high calorie foods, as one pastry (71 g) has 263 calories, which accounts for 20% of daily intake of fat, 27% of cholesterol and 11% of carbohydrates. I'll have to stop binging on apple danish. 

5. Doritos - The snack I eat almost every weekend. One serving (28 g) of Doritos contain 140 calories, 11% of daily intake of fat and 6% of carbohydrates. Time to look for some alternatives.

These five have been the comfort foods for me, but I can definitely do without all of them.

Links:
1.http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-cinnabon-classic-roll-i52903
2. http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-dunkin-donuts-plain-bagel-i119065
3. http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-dunkin-donuts-blueberry-muffin-i119104
4. http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-danish-pastry-fruit-enriched-i18246?size=4

5. http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-doritos-toasted-corn-tortilla-chips-i83666

Celebrations: Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving, a festival celebrated in many countries; is a time to express thankfulness to God, family and friends for all the blessings and it is also the harvest festival of the year. The first Thanksgiving  in United States, was celebrated in 1621, when the native Americans and the European settlers shared a feast. It became an official holiday in 1863, and was celebrated on the last Thursday of November till 1939, when it was moved to the third Thursday of November.

The festival today is celebrated with elaborate meals and family get-together. And some things have become synonymous with Thanksgiving.

Turkey - The most important part of the meal on Thanksgiving day, as turkey and its trimmings adorn every dinner table this day.

Thanksgiving Parade - The most awaited part is the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade in New York, this year the annual 84th Parade is on November 25th. Extravaganza !!

                                                                      Thanksgiving Parade 

Pumpkin Pie - Another traditional food served on Thanksgiving day is the yummy pumpkin pie, the sweetest thing about the festival.

Football - A game of football is a must on this day, since the first championship held in 1876.

Cracking the Wishbone - The wishbone from a turkey is saved and after the dinner, it is broken to get a bigger half as the saying goes, whoever gets the bigger part, their wish comes true.

Travel - Nowadays, it has also become a time for vacation because of a long weekend and families plan for this holiday long before.

                                                                    Spongebob Squarepants

So, as the time to eat pumpkin pie and watch the parade is just around the corner, am all geared up for vacation time.

Happy Thanksgiving !!

November 7th: Daylight Saving Time ends

The Daylight Saving Time ended last night at 2. The time which was changed on March 14th is back on track again. Earlier it used to happen on the last Sunday of October but this time its on the first Sunday of November and begins on second Sunday of March. With the exception of states of Arizona and Hawaii, which follow standard time all through the year. 

When I woke up in the morning, it was 10:30 but as the daylight savings ended, I turned back the room clock to 9:30, that's nice, an extra weekend hour, who won't like it. So the time right now is 10:30, am already writing this blog. Well, this change in time reminds one of the cold winter ahead and also that spring is four months away. 

Anyways, I changed the time in the room and kitchen clocks, and the laptop and iPhone didn't need any manual change. This change in time effects the day-to-day running in many ways, for eg. Amtrak trains in United States, stop at 2 a.m. and wait for one hour before resuming service; so that the train schedule is not affected. 

As the saying goes, 'Spring Forward, Fall Back'.

Link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_in_the_United_States#Daylight_saving_time

Movie Review: Golmaal 3

Time for a Bollywood comedy in Newport Mall - 'Golmaal 3'. Third in line of the Golmaal series, this movie is another laugh riot by director Rohit Shetty. The movie starts with a catchy number while actors do some crazy stunts. 

The extremely funny dialogues go on as the movie develops a storyline. Arshad Warsi does a fabulous job again with his impeccable comedy and Kunal Khemu has some really good dialogues to match his acting skills. And Ajay Devgan, as usual plays the lead role in a comedy movie perfectly - with his finger breaking habit (haha!). And  ofcourse, Shreyas Talpade has always done justice to his role - and this time he stammered his way through the movie and Tushar Kapoor didn't utter a word, and continued with his awfully funny dumb role. The heroine of the movie - Kareena Kapoor acts well and does the stunts well too.

Mithun Chakraborty, got a chance to do disco dance again on the big screen along with good comedy and Johnny lever, named as 'puppy' is upto the mark. The dog, is named 'Facebook' in the movie (he he!). The starcast has done good work and so does the director, but who can forget to mention the dialogues which make the movie - a real golmaal. 

The dialogues are hilarious, like Mithun Chakraborty says, ' Jinke ghar sheeshe ke hote hain, woh basement mein kapde badalte hain' and Ajay Devgan says to Tushar Kapoor, 'Tu sach mein upar wale ki lathi hai, tere mein to awaaj hi nahi hai'. And Kunal Khemu's dialogue, 'Josh hain to honsle hain, Chidiyan hain to ghosle hain, Harsha hai to bhogke hai, Asha hai to Bhonsle hai' - just too good.

There are some really well done spoofs of old movies as well. Overall, the movie is a complete 'Paisa Vasool'.    

NYC Carnival: Halloween Parade

On October 31st 2010, at 5:30 pm, we were on 9th street, NY to watch the 'Halloween Parade'. I so wanted to be there this time and I made it, am so happy. It was just like a carnival, people dressed in all kinds of costumes, dancing, scaring other people, posing for photographs and having fun. 

Halloween Parade - Annual night parade held in New York on Halloween, i.e. October 31st, where participants come out in costumes, artists perform dances and live performances, giant floats are up in the air, and almost anyone who is in a costume joins the parade. People in scary costumes come close to the stands and scare everyone, as zombies walk around with blood splattered all over their faces, and as ghosts and witches show their evil teeth. The parade starts in Greenwich Village, this year the route was Sixth Avenue from Spring Street to 15th Street ( 7 - 10:30 p.m.).

                                                 People dressed as Ghosts in the Parade

We went their before time to grab a good place in the stands, as it usually gets very crowded. And by the time it was 7, it got so crowded that there was no place to walk on the side of the streets. And the Parade also started right on time, artists were the first to come performing fire stunts and then a group arrived dancing. After that, it was unstoppable - there were zombies, avatars, superman, Lady Gagas, witches, nurses with blood on their clothes, MnM, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, coffins, man with a knife through his head, Jigsaw from the 'Saw' fame, giant skeletons puppets and floats; and also some chilean miners left behind (haha !!).

                                                      Chilean Miner left behind

The parade was too good and am sure, everyone must have enjoyed it. Its a must for anyone who visits NY at this time of the year. The Halloween Parade was something I have never seen before, people were dressed however they wanted, were dancing, laughing and enjoying themselves - that is what celebration is. But the celebrations don't end here, after the parade people head over to the costume parties.

Halloween deserves 'Hell of a time' celebrations. Ya Ya !!

October 31st: Winter is setting in

Yesterday the minimum temperature fell down to 1 degree centigrade, surely winter is here. And today the temperature during the day was close to 10 degrees, so time to buckle up for the cold. The forecast for the next ten days also shows no change in temperatures. The time for layers of clothing, numb hands, running noses, chapped skin and below freezing temperature is here. Not just this, cold weather also brings in dull days, lazy weekends and not-so attractive outdoors. Trust me, winters in New York can be extremely depressing at times. 

                                                      Central Park after Heavy Snowfall

Yes, all this makes one hate this time of the year but it also has it's charm, especially after snowfall, the whole landscape changes and everything looks so pretty. You can go out and jump in the snow or play around with snowballs. That is definitely the best part about winters. Oh, and there's one more good thing about it, it's the Christmas time. Without doubt, Christmas steals the show with Rockefeller, lights on trees, Santa Claus, the color red, Christmas Carols, the stores are decorated and just about everything seems to be in the Christmas mood.

So, it can be said - winter comes with its own goodies. And that also includes the food part, with lots of appetite to eat in this season, one can go on eating and eating. And can continue eating while snuggled up in blanket and watching a Christmas movie,  or can even go out for ice skating to burn some of those calories.

Though winters give us a hard time but everyone comes out a little fatter than before. That's the beauty of it. 

In Love with my iPhone 4

Yes!! That's true. Am completely loving my new iPhone 4, thanks to my husband for giving me such a wonderful B'day gift. It is so awesome in so many ways. And my first b'day in U.S. was super-super cool. We went for shopping, spent time in New York and went to a restaurant for dinner; and yes the iPhone made my day.

                                                                          iPhone 4

There are so many applications in the phone and so much of good stuff. The vibrant screen, 5-mega-pixel camera and HD video recording, nothing can be better. Just the perfect phone for me.

                                                                    iPhone 4 

Trick or Treat: It's Halloween

Last year, I missed the Halloween Parade but this year I plan to be there right in time. And October is the month of Halloween, with Pumpkins, Costumes and Fright Fests - it's a hell of a time. 

Halloween, is observed on October 31, but celebrations go on for whole of the month. The night before the Hallows Day (November 1st), also known as the 'Day of the Dead', 'is a mix of Celtic festival of Samhein, Catholic All Saint's Day and Roman Festival of Feralia' (source: history.com). The Celtic celebrated this day, i.e. on the eve of their new year by lighting bonfires and wearing costumes to ward off the ghosts, as it was believed that dead returned back on this day, as the line between world and the other world blurred. 

Nowadays, the celebrations include:

'Trick or Treat' - Children dressed in costumes go from house to house for treats by asking the question 'Trick or Treat'.

'Costume Parties'- People dressed as ghosts, witches, skeletons, devils and celebrities attend parties. These costumes are usually available both online and in stores in all varieties and themes like Disney princess, ghost busters, Harry Potter, Spider man, Wizard of Oz, Lady Gaga and many-many more.

'Jack-O-Lanterns' - carved Pumpkins which look like human face are lit in the night. Many Pumpkin carving and painting competitions go on during the Halloween month.

'Haunts' - The haunted attractions, where people pay to get scared. Like Haunted Houses, Fright Fests in Six Flags Adventure Parks, 'After Dark' in Madame Tassauds, Barn of Terror in Kingston, Blood Manor Haunted House in Chelsea where visitors pay $30 per person and wait for two hours to enter (am New York, 21st October 2010, page 10), Pure Terror Scream Park in Chester, Ghost Tours in Washington. Frightening !!

'Apple Bobbing' - where people take out apples from a tub of water using only their teeth. Must be difficult. 

'Candy Apples' - Treat for people of all ages, apples rolled in sugar syrup. Yumm.

'Scary Movies' - Right time to watch all those scary flicks, in low lights.....boohoo! And some good options to get those movies are- Renting a DVD from Blockbuster, Buying the latest spooky flick or 'Huluween'- Hulu's guide to some of the scariest movies.

'Halloween Parade' - The most awaited attraction of Halloween, where people come out on the streets wearing their costumes and scaring others on the way in the night parade - time to be in New York.

In all, Halloween is fun, delicious and scary at the same time. Waiting to join the Halloween Parade on October 31st. 

Links:
1. http://www.history.com/topics/halloween

Melody to the Heart: Country Music

Quite Recently, I have become a big fan of 'Country Music'. The latest hits by Lady Antebellum, Sugarland and Darius Rucker are true melodies to the heart. And that calls for some digging up - yes! the history of country music.

For starters, according to Music Encyclopedia, Country Music is 'an American style of music, developed from folk music of the rural Southern USA and used to be known as Hillbilly music. It became commercial after 1920s, and after World War II, Nashville became the center of country music. In 1960s and 70s, with the fusion of south-western and south-eastern elements, it became popular but the subject matter of the songs continues to be love, prison, hard work and home'. 

More can be explored about its history from the Country Music Hall of Fame in Tennessee, USA that has preserved the history and traditions of country music over the years. Some great names are associated with this genre of music like the icon of Rock n Roll, Elvis Presley, known as 'Hillbilly cat' started out with country music; Jimmy Rodgers also known as the 'Father of Country Music', was famous for his rhythmic yodeling; George Jones has a long list of hits, Loretta Lynn and her hit single 'Success' in 1962, Red Foley and his 1951 hit 'Peace in the Valley'; and Chet Atkins and Owen Bradley created the country music style of 'Nashville sound', Jim Reeves and hit single 'He'll have to go' and Gram Parsons and many more famous names. 

The more recent crop of country musicians includes Taylor Swift, George Strait, Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, Trace Adkins (from the Apprentice fame), Toby Keith, Lady Antebellum, Keith Urban, Sugarland, Uncle Kracker, Brad Paisley. Their music is amazing. Some of my favorites are 'Smile' by Uncle Cacker, 'Need you Now' by Lady Antebellum, 'April Showers' by Sugarland and 'Fearless' by Taylor Swift.

Country Music 'Rocks'. 

Links:
1. Music Encyclopedia:  http://www.answers.com/topic/country-music

Seasons n Shades

The various shades of seasons - White for Winter, Yellow for Spring, Green for Summer and Brown for Fall/Autumn. Its not a list of colors in fashion but these colors are associated with the different seasons and bring out the right essence of each.

Winter reminds one of snow - the first thing that comes to mind. Everything seems to be covered with a white sheet of snow, its everywhere - on the trees, outside the house, on the chairs, on the statues, on the umbrella (if you are holding one) and on the cars. Its a beautiful sight to see Christmas trees covered with snow. The white color also reminds one of cold, the chilly mornings and the breezy evenings when you are struggling with your gloves and cap, sipping hot chocolate before going to bed, coats and scarfs, long boots and ya! red noses.

                                                                              Bryant Park, NY

And who doesn't remember the spring time, when there are colors all around. The color yellow symbolizes the vibrant spring, just after snowy winters. Beautiful flowers, trees covered with leaves (unlike the bare trees in winters), flowy dresses, flip-flops, iced-tea, Cherry blossoms and just everything seems to come alive.

Then the summertime - bright sun, strawberry ice-creams, big sunglasses, crowded beaches, colourful umbrellas, bottles of sunscreen, long days, lazy afternoons and greenery everywhere. Summer reminds one of all these things and many more. Its the time to sit back at home and relax.

                                                                      Central Park, NY

Fall is the time when summer ends and winters begin to set in. Leaves turn brown, pink sweatshirts, hot coffee, blueberry muffin, brown jackets, Pumpkin pies, Halloween Jack-o-lanterns, chilly evenings, Thanksgiving Parade - fall is fun.

All the four seasons have their own charm and am lucky to be in New York to see it all. And the tree outside my window has been through all the changing seasons and shades and is also the source of inspiration for this blog. 

Splendid : A Walk on the Brooklyn Bridge

The plan was to go on Saturday to see the Brooklyn Bridge but we decided to go on Sunday afternoon. First we went to the Brooklyn Bridge Park, the newly opened Pier 1 was beautiful. With lush greenery and a stunning backdrop of the Brooklyn bridge and Manhattan Bridge - it was picture perfect. And of course how can one forget to mention the famous Brooklyn ice-cream factory. 

                                             View of Brooklyn Bridge from the Park

We spent some time in the park, clicking pictures and eating ice-cream and just enjoying the cool breeze. Got some beautiful shots of the park and of the many brides who were getting their pictures clicked. Then it was time for the walk on the bridge.

Brooklyn Bridge - It is one of the oldest (127yr old) suspension bridges in the U.S. and was the longest suspension bridge in the world till 1903. Unexpectedly, when we went on the bridge, there were a lot of people. People were walking in both directions on one side and the other side was for the cyclists. We moved on and on the way saw a newly married couple walking down the bridge. We reached the first tower in 15 minutes and started clicking pictures. The view was breathtaking - statue of liberty far in the water and the Manhattan bridge right beside with a clear skyline view. And yes, we also saw a music video shoot going on the bridge, people were stopping by to look at what's going on.

                                                                     Brooklyn Bridge

Then march on to the next tower began, with some more pictures and some rest breaks on the way. And finally, we crossed the bridge in one hour, that's a long time to walk over a mile. The views were unmatched and the walk was so much fun. 

Museum aboard a ship: USS Intrepid

A visit to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum last weekend was like a dream coming true. Aboard a USS Intrepid Aircraft Carrier, this museum took us back in history. When we entered the Hanger 1 after taking our tickets, a big movie screen displayed the story of Intrepid. 

USS Intrepid- It was built during World War II, for the U.S. Navy. And during the war on 16th April, 1945, a Japanese aircraft dived into Intrepid's flight deck killing 8 and wounding 21 people. Not just this, Intrepid has survived five kamikaze attacks, several bomb attacks and one torpedo strike. It has made seven trips around the globe surviving two wars (that's exemplary).

                                                                                    The 'Intrepid'

The Hanger Deck, was the first exhibit - after watching the story of interpid, we went to see the anchor chain room. There were many interesting exhibits like TBM-3 Avenger Airplane, FJ-3 Fury Airplane, Heroic Journey Exhibit, A-4 Skyhawk Airplane and HUP-2 Retriever Helicopter and XD Theater. The XD Theater was the most awesome part of the visit, a 4D extreme experience for 10 mins, where we sat on our seats, put on our 3D glasses, tightened the seat belts and zoomed into a crazy ride through space, it was unbelievable - a mix of high speed, extreme turns and free falls. 

Next was the Flight Deck, from where the aircrafts used to take off. And here was also the huge collection of aircrafts from around the world. The A-12 Blackbird spy plane, F-14 Tomcat, F11F Tiger, F3D-2 Skynight and MiG-21- fabulous collection. And we also got to see the Navigation Bridge where the Captain used to sit and navigate the ship. We clicked lots of pictures. After the flight deck, we went to the third deck- where the crew of intrepid used to eat and sleep. The berthing areas, the 1960 mess and officers quarters- it felt like walking through history.

                                                                          A-12 Blackbird 

From there, we went to the cafe and had some delicious food in the mess lookalike sitting area. The next was the Pier 86- where the British Airways Concorde stood majestically. We got to see the insides of this record-breaking Concorde and the Growler Submarine - the only strategic missile open to public. And then it was time for some souveneirs - we picked up some intrepid coins and badges.

In all, the experience was unbelievable, truly an experience of a lifetime. 

Magical: Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world and also one of the places we wanted to visit for so long. After the thousand island cruise, we left for Rochester, which is almost 1.5 hours from there. We checked in hotel Rochester Plaza for the night.

It was our second wedding anniversary next day. In the morning, we got ready early and left for Niagara around 7 in the morning. We were there at 9, with a breakfast stop in between. We went in for the IMAX movie on Niagara history. It was an hour long movie, from here we went to the ticket window to get the tickets for 'Maid of the Mist' ride. Then as it was the long weekend, so lots of people, we had to get in a line on the observation deck. Finally we got our blue coats and got on the ship. And the magical time began right then.

We got the corner place to stand on the cruise, as you get the best views of the falls. And in minutes, we were surrounded by clouds of mist, it was so perfect. As we drew closer to the American Falls, it felt like water was falling on us, we had to struggle to keep our eyes open to soak in the beauty of the majestic Niagara. It was surely the most beautiful sight, i had ever imagined. The next was the Horseshoe Falls, it seemed like water was everywhere, dense mist but ya, again a breathtaking site. Then cruise took a U-turn and we started moving away, it was so sad to go away from those beautiful moments so soon.

                                                                                  American Falls

We got off and went to the stairs, to get closer to the falls again. People in blue coats were everywhere climbing the stairs to see the falls closely, we also went to the top to soak in some more of Niagara mist. We spent some time there and then went back to the observation deck and clicked pictures, which we couldn't do all this time.

                                                                                   Horseshoe Falls

From there, we went to the State Park, and enjoyed the views. And also went to the souvenir shop and picked up some stuff. And then it was time for some food, we went to the food court close-by and enjoyed a good Indian meal. Then it was time to go back. The trip was amazing and went on smoothly. 

Journey: To the Thousand Islands

Our Wedding Anniversary trip to Thousand Islands and Niagara Falls was truly magical. As planned we left around 8 in the morning from 87, Bowery Street and with numerous stops on the way, reached our destination around 5 in the evening. It was almost like travelling from one corner of New York to another. After reaching there, we took the cruise tickets and sailed on to see the breathtaking view of the islands in St. Lawrence river.

Thousand Islands - A total of 1863 islands of all sizes lay calmly in the St. Lawrence River on the U.S.-Canada border, stretching almost 80 kms from Kingston, Ontario. The view from the cruise was amazing, it seemed almost like beautiful floating islands in the water. Some of the islands are owned by the rich and they have built their summer mansions there. Some of the famous homes are the Boldt Castle and the Singer Castle. The Boldt Castle has a sad love story behind it; it was built by the George Boldt (owner of Waldorf-Astoria hotels in NY) in 1900 for his wife but when his wife died in 1904, the construction was stopped in between and the castle was left just like that for 73 years. Now it has become the most famous attraction for visitors.

                                                                 Boldt Castle, Heart Island


There were many other beautiful houses too and some of them were built on very small islands, making it look like a house on water, open the door and step into water. It took us an hour to finish the complete tour of the islands and at 6:30, we went to the local market and bought souvenirs. Definitely, Thousand Islands is one of the best places to see in the world. From here, we left for Rochester - our next destination.

                                                                    House on Water

Nutritious Fruits: The Top Five

The five most nutritious fruits on the list are: 1. Avocado, 2. Papaya, 3. Guava, 4. Cantaloupe, 5. Kiwi. These fruits are excellent sources of some of the most important nutrients. And these fruits are readily available and give us so many healthy advantages. Below is a table listing all the nutrients in each of the fruits (source is mentioned below the table).

Nutrients  (% DV)	Avocado (1 cup, cubes- 150 gm)	Papaya (1 cup, cubes – 140 gm)	Guava (1 cup, 165 gm)	Cantalopue ( 1 cup, cubes – 160 gm)	Kiwi (1 cup – 177 gm)
Vitamin A	4 %	31 %	21 %	108 %	3 %
Vitamin C	25 %	144 %	628 %	98 %	273 %
Vitamin E	16 %	5 %	6 %	0 %	13 %
Vitamin K	39 %	5 %	5 %	5 %	89 %
Thaimine	7 %	3 %	7 %	4 %	3 %
Riboflavin	11 %	3 %	4 %	2 %	3 %
Niacin	13 %	2 %	9 %	6 %	3 %
Vitamin B6	19 %	1 %	9 %	6 %	6 %
Folate	30 %	13 %	20 %	8 %	11 %
Vitamin B12	0 %	0 %	0 %	0 %	0 %
Pantothenic Acid	21 %	3 %	7 %	2 %	3 %
Calcium	2 %	3 %	3 %	1 %	6 %
Iron	5 %	1 %	2 %	2 %	3 %
Magnesium	11 %	3 %	9 %	5 %	8 %
Phosphorus	8 %	1 %	7 %	2 %	6 %
Potassium	21 %	10 %	20 %	12 %	16 %
Sodium	0 %	0 %	0 %	1 %	0 %
Zinc	6 %	1 %	3 %	2 %	2 %
Copper	14 %	1 %	19 %	3 %	12 %
Manganese	11 %	1 %	12 %	3 %	9 %
Selenium	1 %	1 %	1 %	1 %	1 %
Dietary Fiber	40 %	10 %	36 %	6 %	21 %
Calories	240	55	112	54	108

*Percentage daily values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.  

** Source:  http://www.nutritiondata.com/  

As you can see, these fruits are healthy and highly nutritious. Not just these five, all the other fruits are also good sources of nutrients but in comparison, these provide a higher amount and variety of those nutrients. Include these in your daily diet and have a healthy life.