Books, Food, Dance and Travel
I see the ocean
So majestic, so wide, so blue
Furious…but calm
Choppy…but smooth
Deep Turquoise and Dark Blues
Fill the space
Waves crash and Fish play
In the most majestic place
Down Below
Tides
Come and Go
In and Out
With the flow
Choppy…But smooth
Furious…But calm
So majestic,So wide, So blue
A soothing balm
To my soul
The Ocean
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.
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!
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Count Me In is a middle grade fiction book written by Varsa Bajaj.
The protagonists in this book are 12 year old Karina and Chris who live in Houston, Texas. They’re neighbors but they don’t know each other well until Karina’s grandfather gets attacked and things start spiraling out of control. What follows is that Chris, Karina, and their friends find the true meaning of belonging in America today.
This realistic fiction book is very relevant in today’s world, as kids like me figure out where we belong in present day America. I found this book very moving and emotional. I live in a community that is welcoming and accepting and I am shocked at how people can act. I knew hate crimes existed, but I never gave it much thought until I read this book. I was shocked at how Karina’s grandfather was treated and how cruel people can be.
If you enjoy diverse reads and middle grade fiction then you’ll definitely enjoy this book.
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.
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.
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).
I plaster a smile on my face and step onto the stage. My hobby is dancing. I learn bharatanatyam and western dance.
I grimace at how messy the step turned out to be. Your steps have to be precise while dancing. I scooped down and my leg followed. I groaned and start the frustrating process again. I scooped down and thrust my leg forward.”Phew! I finally got the step right!” I cheered and felt victory because I had to do two things at the same time. I was so happy when I achieved the step. On the next step I faced a similar problem.I started my jeté and sailed magnificently through the air. On my landing though, I crumpled to the floor. “ You can do this,” I whispered to myself. After a lot of practice, I finally got the step.
I practice the jump over and over again until it gets engraved into my brain. Dancing is a lot about repeated and dedicated practice. You need to remember all the steps. I started dancing a beat too early. Then I started a beat too late.Frustrated, I threw my hands in the air. I was so annoyed at how my timing was off. I finally realized what time to do it and I was so relieved. Once I had the last step down. I knew I was ready for the competition. Before the competition, I practiced the dance multiple times so I wouldn’t forget it. “ I can’t forget the steps,” I told myself. On stage, I never forgot a step.
I run off the stage happy that the dance is over. Dancing is a type of hard work, because you need to have precise steps and you need to remember the steps.Even though it’s frustrating, I still enjoy dancing. I’ve always been lucky to have great teachers who guide me throughout the world of dance. Sunanda Aunty and Ms. Rojas have been the best teachers anyone could ask for.I hope my passion for dance keeps growing over the years. Let’s dance!
It’s that time of year again! Pumpkin spice and everything nice! Every year, I make my signature dish: Pumpkin Cinnamon Bread.
I quickly scanned the recipe.”This doesn’t seem too difficult,” I told my mom who was waiting patiently for my response.”Well then,” she said as she smiled, “We can start making the pumpkin cinnamon bread.”
I always get nervous during baking, because baking is science. The measurements have to be accurate to get the perfect deliciouso treat. I always worry that I measured too much or too little of an ingredient.
The batter was almost complete. I knew I should’ve been happy but I was actually nervous because I had no idea if I had measured everything correctly. Regardless, I quickly mixed the dry and wet ingredients, poured it into a loaf pan, and put it in the oven. I tried to convince myself it would be good although it was hard.
Nervously I set the timer. Would it work? When I heard the oven beeping I dashed to the oven and eagerly open its door. Once my mom came, she stuck a toothpick in the middle then called “It’s ready!”
With trembling hands I took the pan out of the oven. Slowly, I cut myself a piece. When my tastebuds got the first tiny bite of bread they started to dance around in delight. That’s when I knew I had accomplished the recipe. I knew it was one of my greatest recipes and then I would make it again.
Every year, I try to find a recipe to make during the fall.I always find myself coming back to Pumpkin Cinnamon Bread. What are your favorite fall recipes?
