A Day in Sedona

Our day started at 6am when we were picked at our hotel for our much anticipated hotair balloon ride. After some research Jing had settled on Red Rock Balloons company. We drove to the chosen launch site with our baloon in the trailer and were able to see it being blown up and lit up. It was unexpected cold and we weren't really prepared for it. But the amazing views made up for it. We were in a relatively larger balloon with four carriers that each fit three people. I had no feeling of motion during the entire flight, even when we rose up and down several times. The heat from the fire kept the top halves of us really warmed up but our feet were frozen. A second balloon was launched mintues after ours and seeing it helped us to get a relative idea for our height in air. Th whole ride lasted for a little more than an hour and it was a magical, one of a kind experience. The crew treated us to mimosas and muffins after the ride.

Our item for the day was to visit the vortex points. We started at the Airport Vortex. Vortexes are swirling centers of subtle energy coming out from the surface of the earth. Though we did stand near a supposed vortex point indicated by the twisting of trees to one side, we didn't really feel anything special. Climbing upto the top did have its reward of more beautiful views. The Bell Rock was our next stop. We walked for quite a while to get closer to the rock but didn't attempt any hiking. On our way, we drove past another interesting sight, a church of the rock.

Sedona was a town really catering to the tourists.There were art galleries and jewelleries stores in every corner. For lunch, we stopped at Tlequepaque a crafts village.It was a beuatiful space with exquisite shops along with a few restaurants. We had some cheap but great Mexican food for lunch at El
Rincon.

Our last stop on the way back to Chandler was at Montezuma Castle; one of the best preserved cliff dwellings in North America more than 1000yrs old. It was was probably one of my first times seeing something so ancient on American soil. After an adventure filled day, we capped it off with some great hot pot at home.

Thanksgiving in Arizona

I had been looking forward to this trip for quite a while. We were waiting for the end of the harsh summer so thanksgiving seemed to be a ideal time. We arrived late afternoon in Phoenix and our lovely hostess Jing made us feel at home at her beautiful apartment. The large sizes of the apartments at relatively modest rents was definitely a pro for moving to Arizona. After some pre-thanksgiving food and wine shopping, we had dinner at Takamatsu, a Korean-Japanese restaurant closer to her place in Chandler. Nelson and Jing really enjoyed the Korean BBQ while I had my regular order of japchae. The free small plates at Korean restaurants always helps to enhance the meal. It was an unexpectedly cold evening so we decided to hang out at home for the rest of the evening.

On Thanksgiving morning, we had a relatively late start.Around noon we drove to Tempe to visit the South Mountain Park for some spectacular views of Phoenix and the surrounding valley. Driving to a look out point a great way to get a glimpse at the desert without having to do any hiking. The sun was out and it was perfect weather for being outside. Afterwards we headed to a more suburban neighborhood in Mesa for the thanksgiving meal at another friend's house. Though the temperatures were cooler than typical, it was great to enjoy the meal outside close to a fire pit. Late evening we drove north to Sedona to prepare ourselves for a full day of exploration the next day.

Action Packed Weekend

My birthday surprise was followed by another birthday treat last Saturday. Nelson took me to see Avenue Q on off broadway. Before the show we had a quick bite at Empanada Mama, a really great spot that offered a variety of empanadas and Colombian inspired dishes. After not enjoying American Idiot, I was a bit wary of musicals. But afetr Avenue Q more than assuaged my apprehenions. I loved it. It was whimsical and witty with catchy songs. It was at a smaller theater so seating close to the stage helped to enhance the experience too.

After the show we did some obligatory shopping as we passed by Rockefeller Center. Amidst the mildly cool weather, skating was in full flow and we saw the x-mas tree being put up. After grabbing a few treats from Momofuku Milk Bar , we headed to UES for a friend's birthday dinner. We met at Tiny Thai for some good Thai food and for much needed catching up.

On Sunday we spent the morning getting our place ready for a friend's visit. For lunch we took them to Okinawa as we had been planning to eat there for quite a while. The decor was beautiful but the restaurant was almost empty. We chose to have the regular menu instead of Hibachi. Nelson's seafood udon was a bit bland but I really enjoyed my sushi. We hope to go back for dinner to get a feel for the ambience.

An Unforgettable B'day Surprise!!!

Saturday was two days before my 29th b'day. My friend Manjari along with Lukshi & Nelson had planned a lovely surprise dinner in my honor. The only thing I knew was that I will be dining in the city and guessed that I'd be seeing at least a few of my near and dear ones. We met at Ilili, a Lebanese restaurant in Flatiron. The food and drinks were really good. My mint inspired cocktail was one of the few drinks that I've really enjoyed. The eggplant really stood out among the several appetizers we shared. The hummus was very well made as expected. Though there were a lot of meat based dishes, the menu also offered fish and vege options. We all enjoyed our mains and left very satisfied.

I didn't know the that there was a second part to the evening. I was whisked in a taxi downtown and we arrived at Spot Dessert Bar, a Japanese dessert bar in East Village. Since Nelson had pre-ordered a cake, the waiting staff was very accommodating and made sure our party of 12 had a very spacious table. There was a long menu with many types of tea and coffee drinks. Just after we got some drinks, I had treated to surprise cake. The green tea icing was really good. I really plan to go back and try some of the green tea cupcakes I saw on the display. It was a really memorable birthday. Great food & fabulous friends, what more can a girl ask for!

NYC X 2

We were NYC twice this weekend. On Friday evening, we drove up after work to celebrate Diwali with our friends who hosted a lovely gathering on the UES. It was an easy drive with no traffic and very affordable parking. On Saturday evening we were back in the city for a night that was planned several weeks ago. We parked on the UWS and took the subway to the Meat Packing District for dinner at Spice Market. We had wanted to try this restaurant for quite a while and we were not disappoited. The decor really made the restaurant stand out and we enjoyed our food. My noodles had the right amount of spice and the shrimp were well flavored. Though I've read many negative reviews of the food, we had a great experience.

Our next challenge was getting to one of the grandest theaters in the city, the Beacon Theater on 75th Ave for a Comedy Show. We had ticktes to watch Aziz Ansari perform as a part of the NYC Comedy festival. After issues with the subway construction, we managed to get a cab and make it just as the opening act, Hannibal Buress was getting the crowd warmed. We had seen him at the Comedy Cellar before and he impressed us yet again. Aziz lived upto expectations. It was great to see Nelson laughing uncontrollably. But I found his jokes a little too heavily based on sex. Being Indian in origin, he delivered an act on racial slurs which was pretty hilarious. We amazed to see his poularity as he played to a packed house of mostly 25-35yr olds. The night ended with some much needed NYC pizza before we headed back home.

Sunday was much needed day at home. In the evening, I attended a MHC gathering in White Plains. We had a nice private room Sam's of Gedney Way with a $25 prixe menu that included three course meal and a drink; a really good deal considering it was very close to downtown.

Back in Pioneer Valley

Last Saturday we were back in MA to spend time with Nelson’s family. The main focus of the visit was to get fitted for my bridesmaid’s dress for Jenn’s wedding next year. Her bridal dress store was located in the Village Commons in South Hadley. I had walked past this store many a times during my time at MHC wondering why a wedding dress store would be located right opposite a women’s college where finding the perfect dress couldn’t be farther from most of our minds. Afterwards, we walked through the campus for a while. It is always such a feeling of comfort, empowerment and love whenever I walk through those magical gates.
Then we visited the Yankee Candle Store, which was already ushering in Christmas in style. I was quite amazed at the size and the diversity of the store. Though their main focus was candles, they were marketing everything from toys to house ware. Parts of the store were decorated to in a European Christmas theme while others had a very contemporary look. They juxtaposed in a very creative and attractive manner thus making the walk through a worthwhile experience. Despite not really needing anything, we ended up making a few purchases.
For dinner, we headed to Northampton, a place that offered a great choice of restaurants. We settled on Spaghetti Freddy’s , a good Italian restaurant in the renovated train station. It was great to be back in one of my favorite parts of the country.