Category: Travel

Mint Girl In Udaipur

Last summer I went to Udaipur, Rajasthan with my family.

I marveled at the mesmerizing buildings and wondering how much effort has been put into constructing them. Udaipur is a place I’d visit

The intricate architecture caught my eye and I couldn’t wait to see more of it. Udaipur has interesting architecture around every corner. During my trip to the Udaipur City Palace, I noticed how detailed and descriptive the drawings and pictures on the walls were. The space was well utilized.Every piece of architecture fit in perfectly.

Udaipur

Decorating with mirrors was a very common theme I noticed in Udaipur. Typically, a picture was painted and mirrors are placed in suitable locations. My family and I were equally amazed by the amazing architecture.

I couldn’t wait to learn more about the history of Udaipur. Udaipur has a very interesting past. Udaipur was ruled by the Mewar kings and the members of the royal family still live in Udapur. I am fascinated by the life in the era of kings. The kings in those days used to hunt and trap tigers and panthers in the surrounding Aravali hills. They also like to watch elephants wrestle for entertainment. My visit to Udaipur gave me a peek into a time period very much unlike mine. See you there!

Mint Girl Goes to We’re Dough

We’re Dough is a popular Lebanese bakery in Houston, Texas.

As you enter the shop, the smell of sesame seeds hit you. The large neon light spelling out” How You Doughin’?”make this place a popular destination for Instagram and Social Media fans. The beautiful lights and the dark velvet chairs call your name and invite you to take a seat and linger around for long conversations.

The appetizing Shakshousa eggs were mouth-watering! The spices  came through well and I found myself wanting more.These eggs were  good on their own, but when they were with the pita bread and the juicy cucumber my mouth exploded with flavors. These are not the traditional poached eggs but they make a great weekend brunch item.

The delicious, crispy Nutella Kaak makes a great desert. The savory sesame seeds and the sweet nutella inside the bread work together perfectly. An unlikely duo, they are one of the best pairs of food I have ever tasted.

We’re Dough was a little bit crowded on the Saturday morning I went there and the service was a bit slow, but that won’t stop me from going there regularly.

We’re Dough is one of the reasons I love living in Houston. With so many diverse restaurants, I’m in a different continent for every meal.

RE International Festival 2019

I go to Roberts Elementary (the best school in the world) in Houston, Texas. Every year, we have an International Festival (the best event in the world) where different countries set up booths and have games and samples of their native foods. 

This year I performed a semi- classical Indian dance. It gives me an opportunity to showcase my skills and share my culture with my friends. When I perform solo, I get much more confidence and I’m ready to perform solo on other occasions.

The International Festival helps me understand how other cultures work, why they’re important, and how I can tie in with it. It broadens  my perspective of worlds I’ve never traveled to.

The International Festival is about being open minded and respecting other people’s opinions and cultures. That is one of the reasons my family goes to the International Festival at Roberts.

This year we had 30 countries being represented and tons of volunteer parents and staff.

The Tweens Read 2019

On Saturday, October 19, I attended the Tweens Read book event.
It was held at Pasadena Memorial High School.It was hosted by Blue Willow Bookshop. It was my second year attending and I always look forward to these events.

I really enjoy these events because I can learn more about the authors.I can learn about their inspiration, the writing process, and what you can do if you get stuck. These things are really important as I feel they help me with my writing.

This year I attended the Art on the Page panel (Which featured Lincoln Pierce, Matthew Holm, and Remy Lai)The authors talked about their books, read some of their books, and answered questions. Next I attended the creative writing workshop. Robbi Behr and Matthew Swanson were the authors for this event. They taught us how to brainstorm and how to crowd-source when you’re stuck.Then I went to the Shelf Stuff workshop from Harper Collins. They taught us how to advertise our books. Then they asked us for our advice and which apps would be the best to advertise on.We gladly came up with a few suggestions.Finally, we went to the Do the Write Stuff workshop. Varsha Bajaj, James Riley,Robbi Behr, and Matthew Swanson were the speakers for this panel. The setup was the same as the first panel but the things they talked about were completely different!

Interacting with these authors inspire me to work harder on my writing and to go above and beyond with it. I always want to be a great writer and by going to these sessions, I am motivated to become one. Going to the tweens read and also exposes me the tons of new middle grade fiction. My pile of books to read always increases with each visit to the Tweens Read.I would love if in the future I could interact with these authors: Kelly Barnhill (author of The Girl who Drank the Moon), Colin Meloy(author of The Whiz Mob and The Grenadine Kid), and Christina Uss( author of The Adventures Of a Girl Called Bicycle).




Mint Girl in Austin

A few weekends back, my family and I decided to head to Austin.We would be meeting my uncle and aunt there to spend some time together.I always enjoy spending time with my uncle and aunt(my uncle promised to take me to the Apple Store-I can spend hours there!)

If you want to go to a place with delicious food and a great outdoor space, go to Loro .The food is really good and the swings are really fun to play on. My favorites were the Crunchy Sweet Corn Fritters and the Chicken Karaage. We also stopped at an old time favorite-Cafe Mozart.

After we went to Cafe Mozart, we headed out to rent our own boat on Lake Travis. It was fun to ride the waves with my family. I was really scared as the front of the boat jumped up and down.The waves stung my hand and I pulled it back instantly. The wind whipped my hair into my face and I started to laugh. When I finally worked up the courage to jump of the boat, I took a deep breath, got ready to plunge into the cold water and jumped! I shivered at how cold it was, but I had a smile on my face when I emerged from the murky depths of the water.

My main purpose of the visit, though, was to visit the Lyndon Baines Johnson(LBJ) Presidential Library. I enjoy learning about the president’s life, what problems they had, and how they tried to solve them. They also help me believe that anything is possible.

So what are your favorite places to go to in Austin?

Mint Girl in Madurai

I jump out of the car and am immediately engulfed in a wave of honks. Madurai is a place I’d visit.

I gaze at the busy streets full of cars, trucks, buses, scooters, and wandering cows. Madurai has busy streets.I count how many cows there are roaming around the streets. When the ride is over, I have counted more than ten! There are many cows in Madurai. The roads are in complete chaos. The cars, trucks, and buses are impatiently for the light to turn green. The people inside the cars seem to be yelling ” Go!Go!GO!Nagaru! Nagaru!Nagura! The people on scooters expertly weave through the crowd, forming their own small line.

Madurai
A shop in the streets of Madurai, India.

I look out at all the buildings. Madurai has many interesting historical buildings.I survey the balconies from inside the car.Many of the balconies have an unique and intriguing pattern on them. I can see many religious places in Madurai. A temple, church, and mosque co-exist. They are built next to each other and show Madurai’s diversity.

I laugh at a cow and its calf wandering through the road. Madurai is a place I’d visit, because of the busy streets and the historical buildings. I also enjoy visiting Madurai, because my family live there.

Madurai
Balcony scene from my car window