From Ammini Kozhukatta to Mumbai Magic!

My sitcom Athazham's fourth episode was released today! It featured the super yummy snack 'Ammini Kozhukatta'. 

As usual with the release of any of my works, I remained pretty nervous until the release was completed and the feedback started coming in. You always wonder how people would receive what you create! Fortunately, and thank God for that, this episode was well received too and I began to relax after the first few comments came in. 

The rest of the day was dedicated to the Little One. We spent all the time together  - right from after the release until her dinner time - playing and really working up that mom-daughter bonding. 

Sunday evenings are usually kept aside for dinner with the hubby. It is our catch up time about the week that went past and it is also the time we explore one food joint or another. 

Today's amazing discovery was Mumbai Magic, a tiny place on Race Course Road which serves different thalis (set meals) - e.g. Gujarati, Maharashtrian, Rajasthani, Jain, North Indian, South Indian etc. for just $7! 

I ordered a Rajasthani thali and the hubby ordered a Gujarati one and it was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! It was simple, homely, delicious food. We also had panipuri and masala chai which were really good as well - in fact the hubby mentioned that the chai was very close to the famed "Moti Jeel Chai" from his hometown Kanpur! Now, that's really saying something!

To top it all, the service was really good too - the place is run by a family and they were always checking in on us to see if everything was OK. I super loved it! 

So yes. it was a rather foody day one way or the other and a good one at that! 

What My "Stay-At-Home" Motherhood Looks Like!

Alright, I am not quite keeping up to the "daily" writing but am gonna summarize what's been happening over the last few days. Basically, I have been focusing on what I had said I would be focusing on - motherhood & movie making.

Now that I am back home in Singapore and technically pretty free, I get to spend a lot of quality time with the little one. I tell her "stoories", she and I exercise together where she keeps going "MUMMY, YOU CAN DO IT! COME ON, MUMMY! GOOD JOB, MUMMY!", she and I paint together, play together with her stickers, we sing bhajans together in the evening and what not. It's been really nice.

On top of this I have been pretty much working on the feature film - yes, the same one that I went to UAE for. We will be shooting in April and there is much to be done before that.

I rehearsed with the actors, who are based out of Singapore.
It is a conversation heavy film, so I took some time to read out the entire script and record it, sometimes with some reference BGM, just to get a hang of how it would sound once completed. That was a really nice experience.
I amended and embellished the script a couple of times, based on more relevant information from whatever I saw in UAE.
I had several production related chats with the team in UAE.

On top of that, I also caught up with the hubby over dinner at our favourite Swadhisht joint over some Thalassery Chicken Biriyani, Appam, Egg Masala and Neimeen Tawa Fry. We hardly get time to talk to each other, mostly because the little one takes over completely at home, so this was nice too.

Oh I must also mentioned that I have been working out every day. These days I follow the videos from Blogilates. They are led by a really fun lady called Cassey Ho and the workouts are mostly pilates based strength training. What I like is that the videos are not too long each, so I can simply do 2-3 different ones which mixes it all up well.

I most likely am ruining all the effects of the workouts with my daily afternoon siestas, but then how long would you get that privilege. So I plan to continue doing that!

I have also been watching a few movies - Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine, Malayalam movies Varsham and Iyobinte Pusthakam, so far.

So yes, that's it. I spend time with the little one, I have siestas, I work on the film, I spend time with the hubby, I watch movies, I work out.

I have to say that this "stay at home" phase is working out rather nicely! I probably shouldn't get too used to it... otherwise getting back to work is going to be tough! But for now, it feels awesome!  

Week 5: The Temporary Superwoman!

24 February - 2 March, 2014 

Alright then. Where do I start?

Had things gone according to plan, this post would have been my usual laundry list of "highlights". It would have included some work on Aravindum Aarumughamum, some achievements of the little one (she can now say "Ello", "Na na" (no), "toooo" (two) and "thee" (three) and apparently takes great delight in walking with her hands on her hips in an attempt to ape her mom; I had no idea I walked liked that until she pointed it out...), some work stuff (an event I organized turned out be a great success), the new food joint we have discovered - "PODI" at Raffles City which served some really cool fusion dishes (like linguine aglio olio with curry leaves in it!) and maybe about a Malayalam movie which, in a very rare turn of events, the hubby had agreed to go to but which both of us didnt end up going to in spite of already having bought the tickets.

Instead, am just gonna write about how I feel like Superwoman at this point in time.

You see, because I make films and plays while holding on to a full time job, people tend to call me "superwoman".

But that's a joke.

I am no superwoman and the only reason I could do all those plays and films is because I always had adequate support at home. Either in the form of part time helpers who cleaned and ironed or since 2011 September, full time helpers who cooked, cleaned, did laundry and ironed and when the little one came along, looked after her too. If I had to do all of these myself like how, many of friends have to in US and Europe and other parts of the world where domestic help is scarce, I really doubt whether I could have managed all that I seemingly have.

To me Superwomen are those that maintain their homes and husbands and children and work all on their own. That does take some super power and I definitely do not have it.

So when over the weekend our helper had to return to India on a family emergency, with just one day's notice, I was stumped.

How was I to manage work and the little one?!

I think my confidence in my utter lack of homemaking and childrearing skills transformed into a full blown nightmare that I was up wide awake by 4:30am the night after the helper broke the news.

But I guess it is like learning to swim when you are thrown into a pool. Sure, there is a high chance you would drown, but you might just kick and flap around in such a way that you might successfully stay afloat. Luckily for me, it was the latter. At least, so far.

It is Sunday night now and here's what I achieved over the weekend. Without a helper.

I Cooked. Cleaned. Did all that was to be done for the little one like giving her a bath, feeding her, reading to her, playing with her, taking her on a walk, tidying up after her etc. Went shopping multiple number of times because there were always things missing in the house. Did some work and even managed a quick visit to the office. Finalized and did the subtitling for Aravindum Aaarumughamum trailer (the 1 min trailer took me 2 whole hours to get the subtitles right!). Released the trailer (yay!). Basked in all the wonderfully kind feedback that people gave on the trailer. Missed the Malayalam movie that we had gotten the tickets for because there is no way the little one would sit through that. Compensated by watching my own film's trailer multiple number of times. Felt really pleased that it was the little one who wanted to watch it multiple number of times (for some reason, she was absolutely delighted with the trailer!). Had a nice lunch with the hubby at the Professor Brawn's Cafe while the little one slept off. And now, at 11:01 pm, am very close to completing this blog post as well.

Those of you who can cook and clean and look after toddlers like it's child's play would be rolling your eyes at this. But to me, I am feeling rather good about my "achievement" and as of now, I do feel like Superwoman.

And my respect for women who do this on a daily basis have quadrupled. Or more.

Luckily for me, my mom is arriving on Tuesday morning to help with the little one since I have to get back to work soon and this working from home arrangement is not sustainable.

But till then I shall be the Temporary Superwoman and feel quite proud about it.

Week 2: Trailer, Cooking, Guitar, Films, Books & Family!

3 - 9 February, 2014

It's been another fantastic week with a lot of new, exciting developments.

Firstly, I got to see the first cut of the Aravindum Aarumughamum trailer, done by the guy who plays one of the lead characters (who also happens to be cinematographer for my previous films). This is the most progress I have seen on anything regarding the film since last December, so that was exciting. It was also exciting to see that with just a few minor tweaks, we would be very much ready with a full blown trailer. Can't wait!

Secondly, I cooked. Yup, these things do happen. I think the last time I cooked was probably two years ago. So yes, it is a rare but not unlikely occurrence. I had a sudden urge to make something on my own. It is probably because one of my fears is that the little one will go to school and all her friends would talk about their respective mother's home made yummy food and my girl would wonder what on earth that means. Another reason was that a friend of mine was turning 30 and I wanted to do something nice for him. And somehow "something nice" meant cooking on my own. Wonder what stretch of imagination that was. Another reason is also that I kinda felt like I missed all those lovely fragrances that waft off the in-progress dishes as the spices meet the vegetables, the fun sounds of the mustards and green chillis cracking and popping in the hot oil (a frequent phenomenon in Indian cooking), and the blast of steam and conclusive smell of a ready meal as you lift off the lid post some slow heat cooking. Like I said, these things do happen. So I made Black Pepper Chicken and Kerala Egg Roast, while my helper made rice and dal. My guinea pigs were the hubby, the friend who turned 30 as well as my brother in law. I had cooked a lot and everything was pretty much consumed. I think that's always a good sign. Oh and yes, the little one seemed to appreciate the black pepper chicken too. There is indeed hope.

Thirdly, I have started to take guitar lessons. I have had one lesson so far - I found an experienced teacher to come over for an hour every Sunday morning. My first class was great! It was great to be back on the instrument, and the tutor seemed rather impressed by my "skill". I think he was expecting a total beginner and the fact that I could read notes and play basic chords took him by surprise. Anyway, I was happy that he was happy. More importantly, it was felt SO good to be playing music! He made me play lead while he strummed the accompaniment and we sounded good! Similarly he sang while I followed with some simple chords and I thought that sounded good too. The guitar is seriously an awesome instrument and I am thrilled that I am back at it! I have to admit that soon the bubble was popped when he gave me a touch piece to work on. I am used to the pick, but he encouraged me to use the fingers for the strumming, which I really struggled with. So that's my homework for this week. Long way to go, but great start. And yes, I am glad that I had that realization.

Some of the other things I enjoyed over the week was the film Hasee Toh Phasee and the book Mango Cheeks & Metal Teeth. The former was a refreshing romantic comedy with some stellar performances and thankfully, completely clean, intelligent and genuine and I was happy to watch at least one such Indian film after a really long time. The latter was something I had picked up from the airport recently and would not have been my cup of tea had it not been based in Kerala, where I come from. The author has used an ample amount of Malayalam words (it is an English novel), had some good character building, and lot of nostalgic references to Kerala of the 80s. Even though the plot was good, the conclusion was pretty abrupt and unsatisfying, but an interesting read nevertheless.

Discovery of the week was Saveur, a French restaurant in Purvis street. That was where the friend who turned 30 treated us for his birthday. While their food was just decent, I found their desserts absolutely top notch! Pistachio Pannacotta, Cookies & Milk (which was literally a cookie drowned in milk) and Caramel Lava cake were all to die for! I definitely do see myself going back in there.

Last but not the least, I am thoroughly enjoying my time with the hubby and the little one as well. The hubby and I hit two yoga classes in a row together during the week, which I believe hasn't happened in a really, really long time. After a hard day of work, it was good to practice side by side with him, just like how we used to all those years ago. The little one has now started to scribble on pieces of scrap paper and when we are not noticing, on books, bags, and also as of today, the bedspread. She has this habit of running towards me with a huge smile and hugging my legs, in true over the top Bollywood style; when I try to put her down on the floor after holding her for a while, she hooks her legs around mine, just like those guys who would climb coconut trees in Kerala, with as tight a grip as you can imagine and when she is overflowing with love, she would hold my face and gaze at it as if it is the prettiest thing in the world. As you can imagine, I am completely floored.

There is indeed a lot to be grateful for!

Week 1: Some Progress and a Lot of Fun!

25 January - 2 February, 2014 

I have to admit that this blog had not been on my list of priorities for the past several days. Of course, this is evident from the grand total of ONE post I wrote for the whole of January 2014.

It is not that I don't have enough things to write about. In midst of all that relaxation, there's been a lot of good stuff happening and I will come to that in just a bit. But the point is that I still didn't get myself to write anything beyond a single post in a month. I believe the reason for that is with this whole moving away from writing on a daily basis (or at least summarizing something for every single day) with each post even counting the days in its title, to this year's of resolution of "not more than 1 post a week", I kinda lost a structure to conform to. And I work best with structures - I like set process to follow, I like organized way of approaching things than otherwise. Without it, am indeed lost.

So that made me think. Do I really want to continue with this blog?  Both my previous blog and this one initially had a clear purpose. The former ensured that the days leading up to my 30th birthday were put to the best possible use and the latter ensured that the first year of motherhood has been maximized (and by that I mean, while I had a fulfilling time with my daughter, I also ensured that I did my best at work, I wrote, shot and edited a short film, I travelled a lot, I spent quality time with my parents and in-laws, so on and so forth). Both were important milestones for me, and the blogs helped me go through them in a way that I am happy with. But now that these are in the past, what next? Should I continue?

I gave it some serious thought and have decided that I should continue. Reason being.... (I will giving this in the usual list format, to further prove how organized I am). 

a) What am capturing here always make for memorable reads later on for myself - be it about a new film I am making, a new place I am visiting, a light moment I am enjoying with my family or friends. Many a time, I don't remember the details had it not been for the blogs. 

b) I still don't want to lose the focus on being happy. Sure, I don't want to stress myself and write blogs on a daily basis, but that stress was exactly what made sure that I do something worthwhile each and every day.

c) Last but not the least, I think it will make a treasure trove of experiences captured of the little one. I can't help but notice how fast she is growing and each day is one of discovery. I would love to capture most of that, and I believe this could continue to be the avenue for that.

So there, my three good reasons.

But then I still don't want to write on a daily basis. Because that really does get me worked up at times. So here is the solution - I will write on a weekly basis. Brainwave, yeah?

Ensuring every week is beautiful one way or the other, is good enough. I can live with that.

So there, that's that. From here on, it's gonna be a Weekly count in the titles. Starting with this week.

Meanwhile here is a recap of what's happened since my last post here.

1) Work - On the work front, things are moving at breakneck speed but I am enjoying myself. There has been some progress on a lot of different projects and am happy with that. On the other fun side, the culture team that I lead organized a super fun Chinese New Year celebration. We had everything from calligraphy contests (apparently am very good at Chinese calligraphy...I thought the characters that I painted looked nothing like what they were supposed to but the Chinese colleagues seemed to think otherwise), to Lo Hei celebration, a God of Fortune who came and distributed red packets with "gold" (chocolate) coins (I didn't even know there is a Chinese version of Santa Claus!), and even an activity of eating dumplings some of which carried a sterilized 5 cent coin - indicating immense amount of luck to the person who got one (I got one!). It was all very enjoyable and I had a great time and felt super proud of my team for having pulled this off!

2) Little One - The little one is a hoot these days. She has progressed to walking with only occasional bouts of crawling. It's almost like sometimes she forgets that she can choose to walk instead. Then all you need to say is "Come, Walk!", and she will be like Oh yeah... and then will get up and walk. Initially she used to hold both her hands high up, to help her balance as she walks but now that she can balance herself without that extra support, it seems like she doesn't know exactly what to do with her hands, so she flops them to her sides and walks around like a drunkard. Which I love. We also celebrated Chinese New Year together. She helped me put up some red and gold decoration on our door (she basically held on to the cellotape and also pointed out where she would like the dangling decorative pieces to be tied up on the gate). Later, she watched the Lion Dance performance next door with much interest. She was the only Indian kid around and the only kid to not cover her ears or wail and also was the first and only person to clap post the performance. She clearly appreciates the Chinese culture. We also have been frequenting her new found favourite place - Spruce. It is a brunch place with decent food but good service and a playground for children. The little one really warmed up to all the staff there, constantly giving them instructions in her baby talk, reading the kids menu with much interest, and enjoying her new found ice cold lemonade with mint leaves (totally an adult drink which the dad and mom had ordered). Am really enjoying watching her as she does her 'growing up'.

3) Writing - I wrote yet another episode for the Malayalam sitcom. I am planning to write another 4 episodes before we start to shoot, which means a long, long way more to go. But still, any progress is good progress!

4) Yoga - Maybe it is an outcome of the "realization" but  I have been totally hooked to Ashtanga yoga. So much so that even during the Chinese New Year public holiday, I woke up early in the morning and did 1 hour of it every day! So proud of myself! In the month of January, I exercised a total of 19 days, most of which was Yoga - Ashtanga Yoga, Bikram Yoga and 1 time of Kundalini Yoga too. I am beginning to see small improvements in my  postures and strength, and am incredibly thrilled about it!

5) Guitar - This one is definitely an outcome of the "realization". I dusted up my old guitar as well as my two decade old books with guitar lessons and settled down to play some of the simpler stuff. It was not easy for sure, but it felt great to get back to it after so long. My finger tips started to hurt very soon from the lack of practice but given that I had a very enthusiastic one-man audience - the little one who encouraged me throughout with claps and laughs, I kept at it for a while. I hope to get back to learning it very soon, from the scratch, but this time never to give up.

4) Friends - Thanks to the Chinese New Year holiday, I also had a great time catching up with several friends. I had multiple dinners and drinks with the usual gang, I had a great time at a lunch thrown for the film gang by one of my good actress friend, in short, we made the most of it! 

5) Hubby - I also got to spend some quality time with the hubby. One day we even took a long 4km walk together, something which we have never done before. Such fun! 

6) Aravindum Aarumughamum - This film is currently in the post production stage and that basically means sound design, music, colour correction, final edit and all that. These are being done by my friends in India. The progress has been slow for several reasons, but over the last few days a bit of the background score has started to flow in. And I love it! I think it is going to take the film to a totally different level and I can't wait to see it to completion! 

7) Holidays - Quite a bit of progress on the holiday planning has been taking place. In May, we are planning to do a roadtrip with my parents and in laws and I have finally managed to shortlist the accommodation options at every stop. That was no mean task - given I had to find affordable places big enough to hold all of us. Then my dad is visiting us in March for  a few days, mainly to see his grand daughter and I am planning to take a short break with him as well. After much research and thinking, the destination has been fixed for Krabi because I want to go snorkelling with him. I think that is one activity he would really enjoy. So that's progress on the holiday front and am really looking forward to it all. 

So yes, it was a remarkable bunch of days that went past. There was progress at work, in yoga, in writing, in film making, in holiday planning and in guitar, even. And of course, there was a ton of fun to go along everywhere! So far, this new year has been great! 

Relaxation & Realization!

This is officially my first post for the year 2014!

And am writing it on 24th January....after 3 whole week in to the new year!  Clearly, that "relaxation" resolution is coming out really well.

Actually I had been incredibly busy, mainly with work and business travel up until last weekend. Still, "relaxation" is on, especially over the weekends when am doing nothing but generally chilling out (which is different from my otherwise busy recent weekends of filming, writing, travelling etc.).

Much has happened over the last few weeks, but before we get into that, you may have noticed that I am not doing any "counting" of days in the title of this post. Given that the frequency of my posts are gonna be pretty low this year, there is not much point keeping track of that anymore. So that's that.

Alright, so what's happened over the last few weeks.
1) I had a super hectic time at work with 6 major presentations over 5 days and while that broke my back, I have emerged unscathed and victorious, even. In simpler terms, it all went well and was well worth the pain.

2) I had a good trip to Guangzhou, one of the few work trips there that I have actually enjoyed (simply because it is one hell of a boring place). It's all thanks to the fantastic cold winter there and my routine walks to the hotel from the office every night in the chilling cold.

3) I am picking up Surya Namaskar (a yoga routine) and Ashtanga yoga these days and thoroughly enjoying it.

4) I even tried Kundalini yoga and I must say it was not something I was expecting. Surprising and fun!

5) I read yet another Vish Puri mystery by Tarquin Hall - "The case of the Love Commandos" and completely enjoyed it!

6) The hubby and I completed 12 years of togetherness. That's 1 whole dozen and we are still going strong & steady!

7) The little one has started to walk and it is so fascinating to see her trying out her new skill set! So when I get back home after these days, she doesn't crawl up to me, she "runs" up to me and hugs my legs. Total heart melting stuff, that!

And on top of all of this, I made a major realization.

I realized what are the things that I really want to do in life.

It all started with yet another hypothetical, imaginative Q&A game, one of those that I love to play with the hubby. Over a long dinner or coffee, I like to throw a random question at him (and then answer it myself after his turn). "Where do you think you will be 10 years from now"?, "What are the three things about yourself that you love? And three things that you want to change about yourself", "What are you 3 biggest achievements this year?", "What are the 3 things that you think you should have done this year but didn't" etc. etc.

I find these pretty fun to do (even though the hubby doesn't share this feeling always), because I think it helps to discover a few things about yourself that you were probably unaware of until then.

Which is pretty much what happened over last weekend.

As we had our 12-years-of-love celebratory dinner, I threw a random question at him.

Me: What do you think would be a few things that you would regret on your deathbed?
He: Hmmm.... uhmmm.... erm..... *clears the throat*.... oh yeah... .I don't know.
Me: Arre... think of something.... like, what is it that if you don't do, you know for sure you will regret.
He: But I might do it by the time I die any way.
Me: Yes, but assuming you didn't.
He: Even if I didn't, I don't know whether I will regret. You know... whether there will be any regret.
Me: Ugh. Can you just humour me and play the game?
He: Hmmm... OK maybe after Teamie (the start up he has founded and is currently the CEO of), I might regret not starting up another one.
Me: Hmm! Interes.....
He: Or....I might regret starting one.
Me: Uh?
He: You know..you get it.
Me: No, I don't.

This went on for a while until he came up with his list. And then it was my turn and I, very sincerely, thought about it.

And interestingly, I didn't have any of the things I thought I would have in my list. For e.g....

I didn't say that if I don't try out my hand at mainstream film direction (vs. the zero-budget, independent stuff I do now), I will regret it. So clearly, that is not my ambition.

I didn't say that if I don't spend more time with my family, I would regret it. So clearly, I think I am at the right balance of work time and family time now.

I didn't say that if I don't reach a top position in my company, I would regret it. So clearly, that is not my ambition either.

If I were to step back and give an opinion on this as a third party, maybe the above could have been some of the items on my list, but they weren't.

Instead I made a few interesting discoveries. Apparently, some of the things I would regret not doing would be...
1) Being a good yoga practitioner - one who can hold the asanas with grace and one who practices even in old age.
2) Scuba diving
3) Playing the guitar or the violin (two of the instruments I used to play while in school but gave up completely once I moved to Singapore)
4) Making a real, tangible, sustainable difference to even a small part of the society
5) Meditating regularly

Wow. I had no idea these things had so much importance to me until this exercise was completed. I think it was a useful exercise because unlike making resolutions where you limit yourself to what you can realistically do within a certain amount of time, here you are basically going beyond those limitations and saying, by the time I reach the point where this life no longer exists, there are these things that are either giving me a lot of meaning or are something I would love to experience. How fascinating!

It was also fascinating to note that there was nothing about films or writing or travel or family or career in there. I shared this a friend and she pointed out that maybe that's because I am pretty content with where I am on these aspects - something which I should feel really GREAT about! Wow.

So what am I going to do about these 5 things on the list? Well, I haven't exactly figured it out, but I will do something for sure. More on that in the coming posts!

For now, am happy and am inspired!

Day 361: "Romantic" Bangalore!

Thus, after a day in Kerala, we were off to Bangalore, leaving behind the little one with her grandparents. The "leaving behind" turned out to be a pretty smooth process. We were expecting some high quality "please don't leave me mummy & papa!!!" crying, which....well..... didn't happen.

Nope, not even remotely. 

Instead, she decided that focusing on my mom's box of accessories was a much better activity. Just as well. 

So we - the hubby and I, were off to Bangalore! 

Now, naming this post "Romantic Bangalore" has nothing do with Bangalore being romantic. It is just that this is our first trip together after 1.5 years - the hubby and I alone, without the little one or friends or parents... and to me that alone was "romantic". We chatted all the way from the house till the airport, shopped together for books from the airport bookshop (they always have the best collection!), got ourselves chai and patties from the airport cafe, had a long conversation while savouring it, almost missing our flight in the process (see? romantic!), had another long catch up on the flight to Bangalore, got an airport cab and chatted away again while observing the sights and sounds of Bangalore, until we reached the hubby's aunt's place where his parents were also staying on a short visit. 

At the aunt's place, we had a really nice time catching up with everyone and also stuffed ourselves silly with a lot of awesome home cooked dishes (both aunty and uncle are great cooks and cooked a variety of southern Indian dishes and even Biriyani! They also made their own mojitos, which was just fantabulous!). 

Then the hubby and I took off on the last drive for the day - to the Marriot in Whitefield, the venue of the wedding. We checked in and was soon joined by the other friends who had also travelled in from various parts of India, leading to another round of catch ups and fun. 

Oh, we were also informed by my parents in Kerala that the little one had not one bit of separation anxiety through the day. Good news. 

Thus, day 1 in Bangalore came to an end. Tomorrow, the wedding festivities begin! 

Day 356: Finally A Fantastic December Day!

I was really looking forward a day that felt like it was in December - relaxed, festive, happy! Thanks to work and all that, "relaxing" was not something that was happening and I haven't had an opportunity to take part in any festivities so far either.

But today, I felt like it was December. Finally! It was a perfect day. Like, P.E.R.F.E.C.T!

I had just completed the dub sync work until 2am this morning and then went to bed. I woke up late and after getting ready, the three of us - the hubby, the little one and I - set out for our Sunday outing - something that hasn't been happening in the last several weeks.

We went to our favourite restaurant Antoinette on Orchard road. We had a good lunch there while the little one made friends with all the service staff.

After lunch, we walked around in Orchard Road, soaking in the festivities, something that I have been wanting to do for the longest time! This is my annual ritual, something that I really love to do, and this year I wanted the little one to take a look at all the decorations and activities around the area as well.

And we could finally do it!

We walked a long stretch along the road, enjoying the Brazilian Samba Brucata music that was being played (which was AWESOME!), taking in the decor and all the different christmas trees, enjoying the beautiful cool, breezy weather and stopping for a drink at our favourite hangout place Brotziet - during which the hubby and I caught up over a nice long conversation as the little one dozed off. Also, in true tourist style, we even got a picture of us blown up on a huge LCD screen outside a building (it was some Samsung promotional thingy). How cool!

After that beautiful outing, we set off, with great excitement, to meet the baby boy a close friend had just given birth to a few hours earlier. We went to the National University Hospital and welcomed the little one to our world. Our little one also tagged along and had a momentary bout of jealousy when her mom, that is me, picked up the baby. It was pretty cute to watch!

Incidentally the hospital was in the campus of our alma mater National University of Singapore, and we were excited to be back on campus. We decided to have dinner there and walked to our regular hangouts from the yesteryears - the paratha shop at Abang.

As we entered - complete with baby, stroller and baby bag, the uncle and aunty who owns the place recognized us and made quite a deal about the fact that  we used to study there and now have returned with a baby! They told and retold the story to everyone who visited the place! It was so cute.. and really, a very interesting experience. All those years ago, I never would have imagined that I would be back there with a baby of my own! Phew!

Back home I had a long, much overdue, fun chat with the in-laws, after which the hubby and I once again set out for a short night walk to get a drink. The weather was simply gorgeous!

This was the December I wanted to enjoy! This was the holiday season I was so looking forward to!

I went to bed a really happy person. Wonderful day, indeed!

Days 341 - 348: The Bad & Then the Good!

What a rollercoaster ride it has been over the last few days!

On one hand, a lot of undesirable things happened -

a) A riot broke out in Singapore - something that hadn't happened in the last 40 years.

b) I had a messy presentation to the management.

c) The hubby and I had what's probably our longest lasting fight ever, probably because both of us are so overworked and stressed out.

d) The Singapore Air Force came and erased... and I repeat, ERASED all the footage we had shot over one morning (this was the reshoot of one of the scenes for Aravindum Aarumughamum). Their rationale - we were shooting too close to their base. And even though nothing was captured of their base in the footage, they chose to erase it. I did ask them to come and intervene a bit earlier the next time if they don't want shooting in that area, because really, letting us shoot for three whole hours and then coming and erasing everything is not really top notch consideration.

e) I worked past midnight 3 out of the 5 working days, and also had a work call until 8pm on Friday for good measure (yes, work is still crazy).

f) I was constantly suffering from dry, itchy eyes and a headache to go along.

Then things changed.

a) The day after the messy presentation, I gave another presentation - a real kickass one at that.

b) I was extremely saddened by the riot that broke out - especially since the ones responsible for it were my fellow countrymen from India, but then it was heartening to see that there was a lot of good discussion on how to improve the conditions of the labour class in Singapore so that these things don't re-occur. I was particularly happy to note that nowhere in my Facebook timeline did I see a xenophobic or racist comment - at least I know a bunch of good humans.

c) The hubby and I made up after the fight and to celebrate, we even hit a Bikram hot yoga class together. That used to be one of our very popular couple activities but we had not done it for almost two whole years now and to get back to it was awesome! Just like old times!

d) The location we ended up shooting that ill-fated scene in (we were shooting it for the third time now)  was not as nice as the earlier one near the air force base. But we had to make do with it and after hours of slogging in the hot sun, the shoot for Aravindum Aarumughamum was finally done. I guess I am happy about that, in spite of all the pain.

e) When I got home after the long day of shoot and reshoot, I recounted the day's experience to the hubby, in a rather animated manner. The little one caught a whiff that all was no well - her mother was clearly upset about some erased footage. So she came over and tried her best to console me - she patted my cheeks, hugged me, and laid her head on my chest and mouthed some words that sounded almost like asking me not to worry. It was the first time she had reacted to anything like that and my heart turned into a gooey emotional mush. I felt that all was indeed well with the world!

f) Then something awesome happened - The background score for Aravindum Aarumugham started to come in in bits and pieces and I absolutely, completely LOVE it! Suddenly all the frustration evaporated and I was reminded why I go through so much effort to make a film - clearly, I enjoy the process - yes, even including the downs!

g) I realized that I have overdelivered on every single resolution for the year 2013. I had a long list with very clear milestones to be achieved. I had very meticulously prepared it given that it was the first year of motherhood and am happy to say that I am very pleased with the progress. It was tough, but it was good. I plan to do a detailed entry on what the list had and how I fared - but that will happen at year end!

Am still rather exhausted and can't wait for a nice break, but in spite of that, I am genuinely pretty darn  happy!

Days 285 - 290: Packing, Durga Puja, Pind Balluchi and Getting Over 14 Hour Work Days!

I realize that I haven't been updating this blog as frequently as I would have liked to. But it's been crazy the last several days. Like C.R.A.Z.Y. Work's been super hectic. I can't keep track of when the day starts and when it ends, and time's passing by before I can even blink.

The good news is that I will soon be on a week's break, to celebrate the little one's birthday (yes, she is turning one already and YES TIME PASSES BY SOOOO FAST!), together with both sets of her grandparents back in India. But before the holiday, it's like I really have to earn it by bending backwards and breaking my back with the workload. But it is OK. As long as there is light at the end of the tunnel. So here's a quick recap.

1) Packing - in anticipation of the workload and business trip that's coming up before my holiday, I started packing well in advance. I am not a fan of the packing process - especially these days when the little one's list of things run for a few pages, but it does give a great deal of satisfaction once it is done. And I did get it done - so yes, am satisfied and am looking forward to the big fat family holiday!

2) Durga Puja - For the past couple of years, I have been a regular at the Singapore Bengali Associations Durga Puja celebrations. I love the huge pandal with the gorgeous idols of Goddess Durga, the festive spirit with the performances and delectable food and the hordes of Bengali women decked up in their typical cotton (and non-cotton) saris and beautiful jewellery. This year too I wanted to take part in the festivities and dropped by their pandal. I have to say this year it was a bit disappointing because there were separate entries for members of the association and the non members, like myself, gathered directly in the part where the idols were placed, thereby making that the most crowded with a lot of commotion and resulting loss of sanctity. Nevertheless, I did enjoy being there and watching the ongoing activities. The idols were still gorgeous, the women were still decked up and the spirit was still festive.

3) Pind Balluchi - after a weekend that somehow turned out to be more hectic than it should have been, we decided to have our routine Sunday date night at somewhere new and different. And by chance we found Pind Balluchi in Clarke Quay. It is apparently a popular high end chain in India, but I wasnt aware of its existence until now. But I absolutely loved the ambience, the food and the fact that they were giving everything away at 20% discount as an opening promotion. It was a good date night indeed.

4) 14 hour work days - Most of the week saw me working for 14 hours at a stretch. And I really mean at a stretch. There was hardly any time to even attend nature's call or have a proper meal. I was rushing from one meeting to another, or working on one document or other, with my head in constant state of high frequency buzzing. At several points in time I felt frustrated, I could feel my temper rise and my mind and body really feeling stressed. In other words, I was in a state I was not proud of and something I wouldn't and shouldn't be writing on this blog about. But I am writing about it because after about 3-4 days of that high intensity marathon, it hit me that I am not really doing the right thing. I very consciously stopped and took a step back. I consciously told myself that all I can do is do my best and then let it be. There was really no point taking things at work so personally and to try and fix everything perfectly. After that conscious talk with myself, thing have been far better. Work days are still 14 hours but at least I don't feel as bogged down by it anymore. Also, to end every hard working day with a little bit of cheer, I got the hubby to come on a few gastronimic-centric date nights during the week. We hit our favourites Ichiban Boshi for Japanese one day and Fifth Season for Indian Chinese another day.

Like someone wise said before, it is really all in the head.

Day 254: Another Level of Romantic Talk!

The hubby never fails to amaze me.

Just when I was thinking that he is completely sliding down the being-romantic graph, he took it to a whole different level.

It all started with a conversation over dinner about how to manage stress levels. Usually during such conversations between the two of us, I do most of the talking because well... I do think am better at managing stress as well as handling general life questions, plus I like to give advice.

So yes, there I was, eloquently articulating my philosophies on these matters and there he was,  listening intently. ``

Towards the end, I finished it off with a humble, "At least that's what I think", and looked at him, anticipating some awe and appreciation of my wisdom.

I expected him to say, "Thank you. That's such an inspiration", or "You are so awesome, how well you think these things through", or at least a "You are right. I agree with you."

Instead he said.............., "You are my dialysis machine."

What.

Maybe he was expecting me to totally get the profoundness of that statement but seeing that I clearly didn't, he continued, "You know... you like...you cleanse me up from the inside."

Wow. Really now.

While I processed this in my head, he looked pretty smug. I could tell that he thinks he has totally cracked it. His eyes gleamed, indicating that in his head, the statement encapsulated key dimensions of a conversation with your wife - romance, philosophy, wisdom.

I was at a loss on how to react. So I simply asked him, "Can I please put this on my blog?"

"No", came the reply.

OK then.

I love you too, dear husband.

Days 223 - 226: Shot Breakdowns, Meditation, Perfect Days & Birthday Celebrations!

Jumping right onto the highlights:

a) The little one, for the first time ever, slept for eight hours straight at night! Woooohooooo! OK, it was just a one time phenomenon and was promptly not repeated afterwards, but just the fact that it happened for one day made me feel super duper awesome! It feels like we are at the cusp of a new beginning... one where I get to sleep through the night, wake up with a ton of energy, and ultimately get to do a lot more than I do right now! Can't wait!

b) I have started writing the shot breakdowns for "Aravindum Aarumughamum" and have completed about 40% so far! Am writing shot breakdowns after a gap of two whole years and it feels great! Honestly, it is not easy to find some focused time after work, time with the little one and maybe even a short workout, but it's progressing well so far and I am very excited! More so because from a direction standpoint, this film would be the most challenging I have done till date. That is making me nervous yet super thrilled!

c) I have restarted on my effort to meditate. For some reason, I simply don't have the discipline to make meditation into a routine. It's quite a pity really, because there is no denying the wonders it can help achieve. I have tried time and again to make it a habit but have failed. Still, there is no harm in trying again. So yes, I have done it for a couple of days in a row and I am loving it so far!

d) I had the Perfect day. By "Perfect", I mean a day where I got a lot done at work, played with the little one in the evening, exercised, completed the shot breakdowns for one of the scenes from "Aravindum Aarumughamum" and ended the day with a 10-minute meditation! So basically work, family, health, passion, and spirituality. It can't get more perfect than that!

e) Last but not the least, the hubby and I celebrate our birthday together tomorrow. Since we will be at the airport to start on our vacation tomorrow evening, we decided to treat ourselves to a nice birthday dinner today evening. So we headed to the fancy French restaurant Le Bistrot Du Sommelier  and gorged ourselves, while continuously wishing each other a very Happy Birthday whenever our mouths were not busy munching on the food. It was our own little private birthday celebration and I loved it!

Now for our first big fat vacation with just the three of us, tomorrow!

Day 210: Love Letter!

The hubby and I had a fight.

It doesn't matter what the fight was all about, but what is absolutely crucial to note is that we both agreed that the fault was entirely his.

Then, doesn't that solve the issue, you may ask. After all, the culprit agrees to his crime.

Nope.

Because I was of the viewpoint that he gotta make amendments for his actions. So I asked him to figure out how to make things right, than just agreeing that the fault was all his.

Now, if you might have come across numerous "jokes" and such on social media that when a girl asks a boy to "figure it out", he most certainly will not be able to do so. It is something to do with the inherent male psyche, I believe.

And that's what happened here too. I asked him to "fix it", and he was baffled for a good few days on how to.

Sigh.

After waiting for a couple of days, I gave up because after all, you don't really want to be in a fight for too long!

So I told him that I am willing to forgive and forget provided he write me a nice note. Something that would "make me smile and feel happy about."

This time the brief's clear, I hoped.

And looks like it was! Within 10 minutes, there was a nice long email in my inbox where he said some really sweet things that indeed made me smile and feel super good about!

So yes, today I received something that's close to the 'love letter' of the yore, from my man, who otherwise is rather weak in the "expressing emotions" department.

Sure, one may argue that this one had to be extracted out of him by force, but still a love letter it is and I loved it!

Needless to say, we are back to being the awesome couple that we are!

Days 194 - 199: Kickboxing, Cycling, Poster, Friends & Family!

I just realized that I have not written a post for an entire week almost! Just about missed my promise of writing a weekly post! Blah!

But then, that's how busy I've been.

Quick list of one highlight per day:

1) On 13th July - I had the most wonderful evening with our usual gang of close friends coming over to our place. First the hubby and a friend went for tennis, then all of us went to the pool together with the little one and everyone one had a ball swimming or watching her trying to swim. Then a few took a steambath and that was followed by drinks, dinner and a LOT of mindless conversation. We hadn't done something like this in ages, and it was great fun!

2) On 14th July - After introducing the parents to Din Tai Fung where authentic Chinese food was served, it was time for enjoying Ichiban Boshi, where authentic Japanese is served. Just like how they loved the former, they loved the latter too! The excitement over wasabi, edamame, miso soup, sushi and katsu don was infectious!

3) On 15th July - Another partner workout - this time with kickboxing! Super fun!

4) On 16th July - As of today, I have completed 100 days of exercise for this year! That was the target I had set for myself at the beginning of the year, taking into consideration my new found role of a mother and the demands of having to juggle exercise with work, family and leisure. But I had never expected to complete this within just 6.5 months of the year! So proud and happy!  

5) On 17th July - I made the teaser poster for "Aravindum Aarumughamum", by accident. Yup. It all started when I was doodling on my iPad, using an app called 'Sketchpad' for those of you who want the details, to make a reference sketch for the poster. I wanted a illustrated, minimalist poster for the film and I was planning to sketch out my idea for it and send it to a friend who had promised to help me with the actual illustration. After completing the doodle, I asked the hubby what he thought of it. He said the doodle, with its crooked lines and uneven blotches here and there, serves the purpose of a teaser poster just as it is. First, I was surprised by that reaction and didn't think much of it. But with his encouragement, soon I was convinced that instead of being just a reference, this could actually be the teaser poster for the film. And thus the first publicity material, a teaser poster, for my new short film "Aravindum Aarumughamum" was released! (And by "release", I mean, it was put up on Facebook). Yay!

6) On 18th July - I took on cycling again. For those of you who had followed my 1000-day blog, you would know that cycling is an activity I had picked up only last year. It was one of the things to do on my before-30 list and I got to it with just 9 months to spare. But as soon as I pretty much got the hang of it, I discovered that I am pregnant. Since then my bike had been lying discarded in the storeroom. I didn't get back on it for this long because I wasn't sure how it would work with the pelvic pain I had sustained post pregnancy. But now that the pain's almost all gone, I got back on the bike today. After a lot of nervousness and some initial fumbling, I could ride it! Sure, I still need to get more controlled but it was great to be able to ride a few hundred metres without breaking any bones! Special thanks to my dad who was my teacher for the day!

Few happy days! 

Day 132: First Mother's Day as a Mom!

It was my first Mother's Day as a mom. I don't believe at all in Hallmark created special days and was not planning to celebrate it at all. But then it turned out to be a pretty nice day on its own!

It started off with brunch at my dear brunch place Canopy and this time, amidst the greenery, the pet dogs, the lovely food, the company of the hubby and the little, there was also the company of a dear friend who had joined us. It was nice catching up with him and the morning passed by in a jiff.

The afternoon was spent on sleeping and recovering from the long, tiring week. The best part is that the little one co-operated as well and had a siesta along with me for a couple of hours - a deed she had not done for at least a couple of months now! So am guessing it was her little Mother's Day gift for me!

In the evening, the hubby insisted on taking me out for dinner at our favourite place Da Luca in order to celebrate Mother's Day. Like I have mentioned, I don't believe in celebrating all these special days that seem to have sprung up from nowhere over the past few years, but given that he seemed rather keen about, I played along. After all, who can say no to some good food and a glass of wine?

So there it was ... a simple but very happy first Mother's Day for me...! 

Day 103: Beautiful People, Beautiful Saturday!

Beautiful Saturday made beautiful by the people around me.

The day began with the arrival of my dad in law who is here for a short visit. He came, armed with gifts and sweets and a big smile. All of us were happy to receive him but most of all, the little one. She was thoroughly delighted as he picked her up and lifted her high and whirled her around! And needless to say, when she laughs, all of laugh even more!

In the afternoon, I went for my yoga class. Nothing new about that but this class was extra special because the hubby tagged along! We hadn’t done a class together in ages and it was real fun to have him huffing and puffing, straining and stretching, right next to me as I huffed and puffed, strained and stretched!

Evening was spent with the hubby and my mom, who is also in town, over a shopping trip and dinner at her favourite place – McDonald’s! And who doesn’t love the McFries!

Indeed a beautiful Saturday with Beautiful people! 

Day 89 - 90: The Awesome Last Lap!

30 - 31 March, 2013

I am joining back work on April 8th, thus ending a rather eventful maternity leave. Part of me is looking forward to it and part of me is absolutely not, for very obvious reasons. Anyway, point is that I am going back and it is going to be another rollercoaster ride when I try to figure out motherhood, career, hobbies, health and everything else all at once. Before I step into the upcoming whirlwind, I wanted to make sure that I completely enjoy and cherish what I consider this final weekend of the maternity leave. OK, technically the "final weekend" is the next one but I am pretty certain I would be all busy, nervous and in swinging states of mind the weekend right before joining back. So this weekend was effectively the real deal and I was determined to make the most of it.

And I did too!

Highlights:
a) Early morning Bikram Yoga class on the weekend! This hasn't happened in ages! Even before pregnancy I could hardly make it to morning classes but I somehow managed to do that which did wonders to my health, mental well-being as well as pride.
b) Family time - We spent a lot of time as the three of us as well as just the two of us (i.e. hubby and I). One of the highlights was the outdoor brunch at Canopy together with the little one. I had always wanted to take her there, so she can see the dogs and the bunnies and enjoy the outdoors on a nice weekend morning. However, every weekend we would either wake up too late or get ready too late and till now, never made it for the famed Canopy brunch. So when it finally happened, I was thrilled!
c) Jolly LLB - That's a new Hindi film that the hubby and I caught in the theatre, our first film after about two months! And I enjoyed most of it too.
d) Food - From Thai (Thai Express) to Turkish (Arab Street) to German (Pretzels and Spatzels from Brotzeit) to Indian (Shahi Maharani) to Continental (Canopy), I ate them all!

So yes, it was a packed, fun, family oriented weekend and I feel ready to get back to work! Bring it on!

Day 88: I, Me & Myself!

Today was completely about ... well, me. And by that I mean that it was totally spent on making myself happy, comfortable and the center of all things good.

It all started with the hubby offering to take care of the little one at night while I sleep in the guest room, a privilege that he has been enjoying for the last few months. I grabbed the offer and for the first time in more than a year or so, I got eight straight hours of sleep! Which made me incredibly happy and according to my helper, made me "look fresher than she has seen me ever"!

Then I spent the whole day doing pretty much nothing. Which is again, something that I, me, myself enjoys a lot once in a while.

Then evening came. We, the three of us, had planned to go out for dinner together. However, by the time we got the little one fed and dressed up, got ourselves dressed up, and figured out where to go out, it had gotten rather late, it had begun to pour cats and dogs and the little one had begun to fall asleep. So the dinner plan as a family was thrown out of the window. Our helper was also out, so the hubby and I couldn't go out leaving the little one behind either. I was about to get really disappointed and frustrated at the "unfairness" of it all, when the hubby decided to be super sweet and offered to look after the little one while I take some time out for myself.

Wow.

After some initial hesitation, I took up the offer! Armed with a book, I went out to the neighbourhood mall and hit a European dining joint for dinner with myself. The book was below average, the food was below average, but I felt completely above my average level of happiness. Those couple of hours of isolation and quiet did a lot to my heart, mind and soul and I decided that I love the hubby a little bit more than before.

Thus a day completely dedicated to myself, by myself, for myself, after ages. Loved it! 

Days 75 - 79: Living it in Kanpur!

16 - 20 March, 2013

Another awesome set of days, this time in Kanpur! Each day, again, truly deserves an individual post but unfortunately that's not to be. The days were jam packed with fun filled activities as well as catering to the little one's needs and daily blog-writing wasn't meant to be. So here we go... yet another summary.

Here's all that made the visit to Kanpur one fantastic experience!
a) The People - We got to spend time not just with my parents-in-law, but also with the extended family as well as the hubby's friends, all of whom flocked in to meet the little one! It is always lovely to meet each and every one of them and my only regret is that the time spent together was so short! But for as long as it lasted, each conversation and every moment together was beautiful!

b) The Celebrations - The little one was welcomed in style! My in laws had decorated the entrance to the house, the living room and our bedroom with balloons and stickers and party glitter, under a "Princess" theme. And the princess did enjoy gazing at it all with wide eyed wonder. Then she had the most wonderful puja and "annaprashn" (the North Indian version of the same "choroonu") attended by the large, beautiful family.  She behaved through most of it, in fact she was pretty friendly and happy, much to everyone's delight. I too had fun - with eating, praying, laughing, chatting, clicking photos and general merry making. But this was not the only celebration. We had another equally beautiful celebration - my mom in laws birthday celebration! We ushered in her birthday with a humungous chocolate cake, garnished with a bunch of fruits, on the eve of her birthday, at midnight. We spent the day driving around, shopping, eating and also having a few family friends over for the birthday dinner. Two celebrations - both awesome!

c) The Routine Fun - I have completed about half a dozen trips to Kanpur and we have a few must-dos on every trip - a visit to Rave 3 Mall and shopping at Pantaloons there, drinking the awesome Masala Chai in clay cups at Moti Jeel, driving out post dinner for getting some Meetha Paan and having some lipsmacking chaat. This time too, we did all the above and every time we do it, it is as much fun, if not more, as the last time!

d) The Food - I have  mentioned "eating" and different food a couple of times already on this blog. Needless to say, Kanpur had much to offer to my tastebuds (as well as my waistline, sigh!). From the Moti Jeel chai to the mutton biriyani, from the Posta (a potato dish made from opium seeds) to the Meetha Paan, from the Pedas to the different egg dishes conjured up at a friend's place by a chef who specializes in egg based dishes, it was all way too yummy.

e) The Shopping - I got to stock up on my office wardrobe when I return to work, which is going to happen very soon now. I absolutely loved the collections at Lifestyle and Wstside in Z Square as well as Pantaloons in Rave 3! It almost made me wish that I were settled in India because they have such gorgeous kurtas and salwars and I could have worn them on a daily basis!

f) The Travel - Like all good things, the Kanpur visit and with that this India vacation also had to come to an end. The travel back to Singapore would have been pretty depressing had it not been for a few small joys like the impeccable behaviour of the little one throughout the Kanpur -> Lucknow -> Delhi -> Singapore journey, the buggy ride we got at the Delhi airport (I had forever wanted to ride one of those things at the airport but only now had this dream come true thanks to the little one!), the priority we got at every queue thanks agan to the little one and the time spent at the spectacular Delhi international airport terminal 3 - even though I have been there multiple times, it's only now that I have managed to appreciate it thanks to our long transit; I especially loved their babycare rooms (the BEST I have seen so far anywhere!), the food court and all that space which is so unusual for India and helps not to feel the crowds! It was also great fun to see the little one interact with anyone and everyone - the security guards one of whom addressed her as "Shukla Madam", the immigration officers as well as the flight crew - a air hostess even ended up giving her a nice smooch on her cheek which resulted in a big, bright red, lip-shaped lipstick stain on her cheek!

g) Us Time - Last but not the least, I thoroughly enjoyed all the time we - i.e. the hubby, the little one and I, got to spend together.

A great vacation ends. Here's to more! 

Days 64 - 69: Kerala Continues to Excite!

5 - 10 March, 2013

It is continuing to be crazy busy and hence time for another power packed summarized list-based entry! So here we go, what's been keeping me super busy, excited and happy the last few days in good old Kerala!

a) Welcoming the hubby who has finally made his way down to Kerala - His midnight flight was a couple of hours late but it turned out to well for my dad and me. We could have our overdue, peaceful conversation over a cup of awesome tea from a roadside stall. Loved the late night drive, the cool weather, the conversation, the tea and of course, finally having the hubby together with us!

b) Recovery of the little one - She fell sick with abdominal colic and a flu once she got here. Inevitable, given the changes in the weather as well as routine. But it was heartbreaking to see her miserable for a few days. And I was over the moon when she finally recovered, back to her very happy self. The first few times she started to "talk" and laugh again, I felt what was probably one of the strongest feelings of relief and joy till date! Parenthood is indeed interesting.

c) Visit to my dad's place in Tripunithura - But first stop was to try out the famed Kaayikka Biriyani. The rice and the sauces and soda lime that went along were quite yummy! This was followed by visits to my uncles' and aunt's places. It was lovely to meet all of them as well as my cousins. It was also wonderful to meet my cousin's 7 month old baby, who took a fascination for our little one. It was amusing to see the two babies bonding and having their own conversation. I was also absolutely WOWed by my little cousin brother's singing talent! I had no idea that he could sing and when asked to put up a live show for us, he did with no hesitation and ended up blowing us away. So proud! I wish we had more time to spend together with everyone, but I guess this will have to be it for this time!

d) More & More temple visits - I think I have covered more temples on this visit than ever before. More because the little one needs a madatory drive every evening. She absolutely refuses to sit at home past 5pm. And since we don't have too many different places to go to, we ended up covering plenty of temples! One highlight was definitely the Iringalakkuda temple. It was my first time there and I loved the temple with its expansive grounds, a beautiful pond and old world charm. On the way back we also hit a famous eating joint, the Friend's Kitchen in Iringalakkuda which served authentic Kerala cuisine. Yum! I was also taken aback by the breathtaking landscapes enroute to some of these temples. In less that 10 kms from the city, there were so many lovely temples set in pristine locations - surrounded by palmgroves, paddy fields and little streams. It is so wonderful to discover these gems!

e) Celebrating Shivarathri - The last time I celebrated Shivarathri in Kerala was about four years ago. Then I had primarily visited the Vadakkumnathan temple and spent the evening there lighting the lamps and praying. This year it was a bit different. We visited five different Shiva temples and we got a Pulluvan song done for the little one at the Punkunnam temple. Pulluvanpaattu is a dying art done in honour of the Sarpa/Snake Gods as a way of invoking their blessings for infants and I was absolutely thrilled to have it done unexpectedly for the little one! We watched a dance performance near Vadakkumnathan and more interestingly, we saw dancers in full fledged Bharatantyam costumes on the roadside waiting for an autorickshaw after a performance at a nearby temple. What a sight that was! I also saw the elephant procession from Parmekkavu temple towards Vadakkumnathan. I learnt the fascinating fact that there are about 15 such processions from nearby Devi temples and these signify the journey of the Goddesses from their abodes in these temples towards the Shiva residing at Vadakkumnathan to greet him on Shivarathri. How cute is that!

f) Visit by a good friend from Singapore who is currently based in Kerala. He came over with his girlfriend, a lovely girl whom I am meeting for the first time. It was wonderful to have them over!

g) Visit by my filmie fanatic friend who is based in Kochi - He came over with a memento and the final official DVD of his film. Our history is all there in the old blog, so am not repeating it here. But it was lovely to meet him again and receive the tokens of completion of his first film project, which all apparently started from our conversation in Singapore in 2011!

h) Visit to My House - There is an apartment we are constructing on the plot of my mom's ancestral house. This is the first time I had an opportunity to visit the site. It was thrilling and overwhelming to look up at that complex and realize that that house is going to be my house. There is still some construction left together with most of the interiors but I couldn't help but feel that it is my very own house, the place where my parents would be staying in from the next time on. A bigger, brighter, newer place for them after all these years. It was truly a beautiful feeling.

h) And last but not the least, I have been gorging on all the food. From jackfruit dessert to toddy, from beef fry to duck curry, from biriyani to chocolate pastries, from banana chips to squid curry, I have had it all. Of course, it's all starting to show on the body but we shall worry about fitness and such boring issues once back in Singapore. For now, the taste buds get the priority!

Jam packed. Heavy duty fun. More to come!