United States – Page 2 – The Mint Girl Blog

My Favorite Places in New York

I went to New York last weekend and I enjoyed it a lot. We experienced a lot and had a lot of fun exploring the city. All of the places we went to were amazing, but I had a few favorites. Here are some of the best places I visited in New York.

✨The Metropolitan Museum of Art✨:

I loved all of the art in the Met. We mostly focused on the Greek art, because of my interest in it. I found the pieces there stunning and the plaques were well detailed, so I could get the story clearly. I got some great pictures of the artwork and it was amazing to just wander around and see the work.

The sparkles indicate a Percy Jackson site! This is where it all started. At the Met, we got to see Percy using his powers for the first time. This is also where he killed his first monster (Ms. Dodds).

Broadway (Wicked):

When we went, Broadway had just opened, so we were lucky to get tickets. We went to Wicked, a twisted fairy tale. I loved the story and the way that all the characters were played. Everyone seemed very in character and their singing was perfect. It was all very great and enthralling.

✨Empire State Building✨:

We went up to the 86th floor of the Empire State Building. The views were spectacular and so were the exhibits. One of my favorites was the King Kong exhibit, which was funny and had great photo props. It was nice to see all around the city from one of the tallest buildings there.

The Empire State Building plays a major part in the first series. Olympus is located on the fictional 600th floor and the final battle takes place there.

✨Central Park✨:

Central Park is a very relaxing place and I found so many amazing and beautiful places there. Some of my favorites were the John Lennon memorial and Cleopatra’s Needle. They were all so pretty and the whole atmosphere was peaceful and relaxed.

Percy and Nico visit Orpheus’ Rocks in Central Park to get to the Underworld in the last book. With Grover’s music, they find a way in. In the Kane Chronicles, Zia, Carter, and Sadie create a portal through Cleopatra’s Needle to get to Cairo.

Times Square:

Times Square is such a marvellous and thrilling place. The billboards are always bright and the crowd is always thick. There are some great places to get food and have fun. I enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the city that never sleeps.

5 Places to Visit in Chicago

There were many wonderful things in Chicago and I loved visiting all of them. 5 of them were really great places and I enjoyed them a lot. These are my top 5 places in Chicago.

The Science and Industry Museum
This museum is filled with all the types of science- from physics to patterns (Fibonacci, Golden Ratio, etc.). There were so many cool experiments and it was a really fun place. Some of my favorite parts were the Physics section, the Mirror Maze, the Model Railroad, and the Science Storms section.
The American Writer’s Museum
This Museum is filled with information about famous writers in America. The way that the information is presented was spectacular and I loved the way that we got interactive and fun exhibits while still learning. Some of my favorite parts were the typewriters, the games (fill in the blanks and write a story), and the Children’s Gallery.
Shedd Aquarium
The aquarium is a fun place with so many animals. I usually love aquariums and this one wasn’t any different. It was amazing to see so many marine animals close up. Some of my favorites were the penguins, the otters, the Color Exhibit, and the beluga whales.
The Art Institute of Chicago
The Art Institute has many wonderful artworks. They’re all very varied and diverse and are really amazing to look at. At the time we went, we could see the Obama Portraits, which were amazing. Some of my favorites included the Greek Mythology section and the Indian Mythology section (every place represents the gods differently and it was interesting to see the different representations).
Tribune Tower
I really liked Tribune Tower because of the outside. There are pieces of stone from all over the world- from Egypt to China. There are 149 rocks on the wall, which I found super cool. Each rock has a different texture and shape, so you can compare them. Some of the rocks are from famous landmarks while others are not.

Have you been to Chicago? If so, what’s your favorite place there?

My Trip

I went to Chicago recently. From Chicago, we also went on a mini road trip to Milwaukee.

The trip was fun and we stopped at a few interesting areas along the way. These are some of my favorite stops.

Mars Cheese Castle
This is a shop filled with cheese and cheese related items. The selection of cheese is wide and everything is locally made in Wisconsin. There’s also a bakery and some other local products, like jam and jelly beans (there’s a factory close by). There’s also postcards and cheese decorations. It’s a fun place and I enjoyed the trip there.
Wind Point Lighthouse
The lighthouse is a nice and beautiful area. It overlooks Lake Michigan and is a great photo spot. There are many rocks around the lake, so you can’t go down to the edge unfortunately, but the rocks are good places to sit. When we went, it was raining, not letting us see the full magnificence of the lighthouse, but I’m glad I was at least able to see some of it.
Wingspread house
This is a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (a famous architect). The house is shaped like a pinwheel and covers 14,000 square feet. We didn’t get to go inside the house, but it seemed like an amazing creation from the outside!
La Merenda
La Merenda is a really great restaurant with food from all over the world. The patio has many plants, like mint, thyme, kale, and so much more. The food is served in a tapas style (small sharable plates) and is delicious. Each dish is different and I really enjoyed them.
Boswell Book Company
This is a great bookshop! I always love bookshops and this was no exception. There were some really great books and I loved the way recommendations were also included. I saw a few super cool posters and magnets. Overall, this place is great!

Traveling in San Antonio

I went to San Antonio recently and I enjoyed all of the marvelous and wonderful sights, so I decided to share my favorites with you. I hope you enjoy!

The Japanese/Chinese Tea Garden
The Japanese Tea Gardens, were a crowded, but beautiful place. It was lush, green, and filled with nature. There were a few koi ponds, a waterfall, and beautiful bridges. We also saw koi and 2 ducklings. I really loved the scenery and the breath-taking views.
The Pearl (neighborhood)
The Pearl is a neighborhood with many restaurants and other fun shops. It borders the San Antonio River and is a big open area. There are many picturesque views, with the buildings and the field areas. Two of my favorite places in the Pearl are Lick Ice-cream and Twig Bookstore.
The Mercado
The Mercado is the largest Mexican market in the US, with 32 specialty stores/booths. It is full of vibrant colors, like the papel picado overhead, or the fun colors of the booths. There’s food, drinks, toys, and more. Sadly, we went at a time before the market has opened, so we didn’t get to see everything.

Have you been to San Antonio? If so, what are your favorite parts of the city?

Snowpocalypse 2021

Blankets of snow cover the ground
Millions of people with their power out
Houses and trees and cars all covered in ice
Doesn’t feel great, but looks somewhat nice.

People without water, their pipes have burst
No price gouging is a rule that has been enforced
There is a boil water notice on all tap water
I hope that it soon gets hotter

Best of 2020

2020 has been a strange year, but here are some of the things that happened.

1. Starting the year with family:

I love spending time with my grandparents. I’m glad I got to do it in the beginning of this year, even if I couldn’t make my annual summer trip to India 😭. I also got to spend some time with my uncle and aunt, before they moved countries.

2. Ending my elementary years and staring my middle school ones:

I finished 5th grade (virtually) and started middle school and the school of my choice (also virtually)! Virtual school is less than ideal, but I’ve learned to adjust. You can read about my experiences here.

3. ARCADIS Science Fair:

I participated in the ARCADIS science fair and did a project on supercooling and snapfreezing water. I learnt a lot and was really surprised when I won!

4. Mini Getaways:

Since we couldn’t travel a lot, I relied on a few small breaks to get away . My favorite one was definitely my birthday weekend getaway with a few of my friends and family. I also liked the Corpus Christi, Driftwood, and Pensacola Beach breaks.

5. Dance:

I spent a lot of time focusing on dance during these COVID times. I’ve taken place in a Bharatanatyam dance exam (for both theory and practical) and started learning a new Indian classical dance form, Mohiniattam. I performed a few solo items and recorded them. I’ve also began to learn Carnatic music to support my skills.

In Western dance, I was able to get one last performance on February in my elementary school dance company and I’m in my new school’s Drill Team. It’s less than ideal, but I’m hoping to be able to go back to performing soon.

6. Life Skills:

2020 has been a year where I learnt and tried so many new things.

I learned to crochet, and did a few art projects including tie-dye projects and wreaths for our door.
I cooked and baked (I even made my first layered cake!) and got comfortable in the kitchen. Some of the treats I made include mint chutney bread, cranberry cookies, brownies, and more. I also learned to make rice and keera kootu.
I’ve learned a lot of handy household chores like doing the laundry and handwashing clothes as well as ironing and sweeping.

7. Improved Technology Skills:

I started to use Instagram and I wrote on my blog more. I got better at using Google Drive, Docs, and Slides. I’ve learnt about different features on computers and got better at navigating through the digital world.

8. Writing:

I wrote 2 stories (which I’m going to edit this year) and a few short stories for my blog.

9. Reading:

I’ve read a ton this year and made friends with a few bookstagrammers. On my instagram, I took part in two challenges, the #mgbookmarch challenge in March and the #mgbooktober challenge in October. I’ve also started new series, and began to read a higher level of mglit!

**(If you’re not following me yet, you totally should)**

You can check out my insta here.

Mint Girl Goes to Carrabba’s

When you walk into Carrabba’s, the first thing that hits you is the smell and the bustle of people. Carrabba’s is an Italian restaurant in Upper Kirby in Houston. This restaurant is a bustling place with many people, but that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable.

The service at Carrabba’s is very nice. We were seated almost immediately and a waiter was with us soon. Our waiter was very attentive and full of suggestions. Out of all suggestions, I enjoyed the dessert the most. We ordered the seasonal special; the Italian Sundae. The sundae had a vanilla ice cream base. Topping the ice cream was a drizzle of strawberry balsamic vinegar glaze and crumbled almond biscotti . It was absolutely delicious.

We ate family style; sharing everything from everyone’s plate. We got the Minestrone soup, Mamma Mandola’s Sicilian Chicken, Mushroom Ravioli, Stuffed Shrimp Mandola, and my favorite classic…..Margarita Pizza!

Every thing we ate tasted amazing. I don’t think you can go wrong at Carrabba’s.

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).