En Route from London to Bombay.

Tuesday, October 14, 2025

En Route from London to Bombay.

It would be about 7.30 am (GMT)—local London time—when I landed in London at the end of the first leg of my return to Bombay from Los Angeles, California. After a light breakfast (a snack service, really, as gone are those days when you received a hot Full English Breakfast on British airlines even in Economy), I was ready to spend four hours in London’s Heathrow airport (Terminal 3). Naturally, I browsed through the shops and ended up making one wild purchase at Jo Malone (maybe my favotite store ever). I bought their most popular product—their annual Advent calendar. This is a hamper of 25 goodies, one for each day of Advent (starting from Dec 1). You open up one window each day throughout the month of December and are rewarded for your pains with a piece of candy or a toy (if you are a child) or a cosmetic (if you are a grown up). Many British companies have begun making these Advent calendars for Adults (although the practice originated with children). Jo Malone’s Advent Calendar flies out of the stores as soon as they hit them—because the value of the goodies contained in it far exceeds the retail cost paid up front. I have to say that, in the past, the calendar was much better: there was always a full sized bottle of perfume on the last day (on Christmas Day). This year, it is only a candle (and that too is not full size). But, all things considered, this is something I have wanted to purchase for years—but it was always sold out by the time I scented a whiff of its existence. This will provide my perfume needs for a whole year—which is why I am glad I indulged fully in a bit of retail therapy. So, all said, it was a very judicious purchase. I paid for it, had it wrapped up and left waiting for me. I told the shop assistant I would pick it up when it came time to board my flight.

Till then, I continued browsing in all the designer stores. I loved the fact that autumnal colors are gracing every shop window: there were warm oranges and yellows in the carves at Hermes, Cartier, Burberry and Gucci and the same shades at the handbag shops such as Mulberry and Chanel. Westerners certainly take Autumn very seriously as it calls for a complete change in wardrobe. It put me in mind of the annual wardrobe overhaul I used to do at the end of summer each year while in Connecticut as I put away my summer clothes and brought my cashmeres and silks out of storage to begin use for one more year. It was always such a fun time for me.

About two hours later, boarding for my flight was announced. I picked up my large and very heavy Jo Malone package and headed to the gate where all went smoothly. I had an aisle seat about which I was very pleased and as most of the flight would be spent sleeping, I was glad I would not be disturbing my seat companions each time I wished to stretch my legs. I watched three more movies in-flight (barely getting any sleep myself): Black Bag, Baby Girl and another whose name I do not remember.

Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Landing in Bombay, India—Home Sweet Home.

And then, before I quite knew it, it was 7.30 am IST (local Bombay time) and time to make our descent into Bombay. Very quickly, I was clearing Customs and Immigration, getting my pre-paid taxi and arriving at my home in Bandra. Much as I had loved my travels, it felt so good to be back home again—in my own flat, showering in my own bathroom and crashing on my own bed. Needless to say, I was out like a light.

Thanks for following me on this long and adventurous journey. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed these scribbles. Until the road rises up to greet me, stay well…and happy wandering yourself!

Making the Most of My Last Day of Vacation in Dana Point, California

Monday, October 13, 2025

Los Angeles-Dana Point, California

Making the Most of My Last Day of Vacation in Dana Point, California

And finally (I could hardly believe it myself!), I reached the last day of my vacation. After being on the go for more than a month (London—which suddenly seemed ages away—Chicago, Connecticut—with New York City thrown in, for good measure—and, eventually, Northern California—where we had a motoring tour to remember), the day dawned when we had to bring it all to a halt. And what better way to do it than at Dana Point, California—a place I had always wanted to visit (ever since my former neighbor and now close friend, Rosemary, had told me that her daughter Jenny loved living there for over a decade). As it turned out, I would be returning to Bombay tonight, but Llew would be extending his stay in the US for another two weeks and would be spending them, first with friends in San Diego, and then with more friends in Somerset, New Jersey. Accordingly, we were to meet Valentine and Jacinta, our San Diego-based friends, at Dana Point. They would be hosting Llew for a whole week in their lovely home in their lovely town and had agreed to meet us halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego—that spot was Dana Point: the perfect meeting-point and one that would allow me to see why Jenny and her family had loved this place so much.

Off to Dana Point by Car:

Llew and I awoke early so that we could shower, get ourselves organized, take our baggage downstairs to the hotel lobby and probably pick up a bit of breakfast at the restaurant on the ground floor before Chriselle and AJ would arrive to pick us up and drive us to Dana Point.

Breakfast was just a croissant (which we shared) as there were no other baked goods to be had. It turned out to be a holiday (Columbus Day?) and their daily shipment of baked goods had been delayed. We enjoyed our coffee, however, (and too a few photos) knowing that this would probably be the last time we would stay here in this hotel. Chriselle and AJ arrived on cue at about the same time that we made contact with Kevin, AJ’s brother, who happens to be the general manager of the hotel and who kindly made special arrangements for our stay on both legs of this trip. We were happy that we were able to meet and thank him in person. And then we were off.

The drive out of Los Angeles was nothing to rave about: we did pass downtown in the distance and could see the skyscrapers of the city. Then, we were in the midst of traffic, making our way south towards San Diego. It was a pleasant enough ride for about 90 minutes before we entered the little hamlet of Dana Point which is on the coast—a typical, swanky seaside town. You can just imagine how pretty it is, being both coastal and affluent.

Discovering Dana Point:

drove straight to the waterfront as Chriselle knew that there was a large public parking lot there. This would be the perfect meeting-point for our rendez-vous with Val and Jacinta. And indeed, we had a lovely reunion with them in just fifteen minutes after we reached there and parked. It was terrific to see them again. We could not remember when we had last seen them; but we think it was about four years ago. Of course, we are constantly in touch with them online.

After our meeting, we decided to take a stroll along the coast. It was a very cloudy day and the sky was heavily overcast. It really did not suit the sea-side ambience of this town, but at least it was not unpleasantly cold. In fact, it was very mild indeed as we strolled alongside the marina to take in the fancy boats moored there. We made our way to the very end where a few restaurants and souvenir shops and boutiques caught our eye. Because we are long past the summer season, every place we explored was practically empty. In fact, most of the shops seem to be in closing mode and it will not be long before this area becomes a mini glost-town.

This part of Dana Point seen, we decided to drive towards the downtown area. Here, there is a maze of pretty streets, laid out in most organized manner, containing shops, restaurants, etc. that would give us quite a good idea of the shopping opportunities available to the locals. We walked through a couple of them, after finding parking for our two cars pretty much alongside each other. We then walked towards the ocean and when we arrived there, a most glorious view awaited u. For perched high up on the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean is a look out point that offers panoramic views of the town the beach, the marina, the boats harbored there, the cliffs, the upscale homes clinging to the sides and the beautiful skies stretching out way beyond the horizon. Yes, Dana Point is beautiful and every bit as grand as its reputation suggests.

After taking severa pictures at this vantage point, we looked out for a place to eat brunch (as we’d barely eaten any breakfast). We found a place right in front of us and decided to simply settle down there, It was a very casual place with a wide balcony which could allow us to eat ‘outside’ as it were. Also, we found that the place offered Fish Tacos and since they are such a standard item on menus in Southern California (and we hadn’t had any on this trip), that’s where we decided to go and what we decided to eat. We ordered a variety of tacos—pulled pork, lamb, beef and, of course fish and shrimp tacos—and with this assortment in front of us, we all dug in and had ourselves a really delicious meal. It would be my last meal of this trip and I was really glad it ended on such a joyous note—with terrific company, much laughter and catching up (I had only about three hours with our friends and wanted to make the most of it) and superb casual and very reasonably-priced food.

As if this amazing repast were inadequate (Llew treated us all), Val and Jacinta decided to treat us too. They figured dessert would be just what the doctor ordered to end a lovely daytrip. So, we strolled around a bit more (to work a few more calories off) and then headed to Bruster’s for Real Ice-cream). And oh my! What a variety of flavors were available for our choosing pleasure. Each of us got a cup with two scoops and they were simply loaded. Of course, some of us went for the tried-and-tested types such as Chocolate and Strawberry while others feasted on more exotic choices such as Chocolate and Dark Cherry or Salted Caramel Mocha (which I picked). It was indeed the perfect treat with which to end our day. From this point on, you can bet I resolved to go on a diet—especially a no fat one—so that I could return to my regular wardrobe instead of living in drawstring pants!

Another stroll was called for as we had about half an hour to kill before we would start off on our return drive to Los Angeles Airport where I had a flight leaving at 7.00 pm. Val, Jacinta, Llew and I left Chriselle and AJ to their own devices as we chattered, nineteen to the dozen, and eventually, at 2.30 (the time we had decided to take off), we met again at our parking lot, said our goodbyes to our San Diego friends, left Llew in their happy charge, and left for Los Angeles.

Drive Back to Los Angeles:

We did not realize that since it happened to be a holiday, there would be barely any traffic on the freeway. We took much less time than the 90 minutes we had expected—with the result, I reached the airport well in time for the reporting hour. I unloaded my baggage, said goodbyes and thank-yous to AJ and Chriselle and with my baggage safely in the concourse, I was inside and getting ready to check in.

All went well with my check-in procedure. I have to say that I had a lovely traffic assistant who gave me a window seat (without making me pay for it), My baggage too was well within the weight limit and with no worries, I set off for Security. I had plenty of time to window shop but as I had a heavy backpack and a strolley to lug along, I decided to simply get to my gate and relax—even if it was a whole hour before boarding.

And that was what I did. I killed time at the gate by blogging and in no time at all, we were ready to board. Yes, darkness had fallen over California by the time we were airborne but as my flight was going from Los Angeles to London, I made sure I watched a movie after drinks and dinner were served (I watched ‘Heretic’, a really scary movie with Hugh Grant) and then sleep washed over me and I gave in to it.

What a fantastic last day it had been! And how memorable had been my entire trip! All I had to do, before I slipped into Dreamland, was think about a safe landing in London and onward flight to Bombay and then a really interesting homecoming as I would be alone for the next two weeks.

Until tomorrow, see ya’…

Goodbye Lake Tahoe and Hullo Los Angeles, California

Sunday, October 12, 2025

Lake Tahoe-Los Angeles

Goodbye Lake Tahoe and Hullo Los Angeles, Califoria

Today was devoted to making the long car ride back from Lake Tahoe in the north of California to Los Angeles in the South. It promised to be an uneventful day and so we tried to make it as interesting as possible.

day began with Breakfast in our Air B and B on Anderson Street in Lake Tahoe as we attempted to finish all the eatables in our fridge as we would be clearing and moving out in an hour. After our showers, we had the last of the bagels and cream cheese and carried away the other perishables (fruit, nuts, etc.) with the idea of fishing them off as snacks in the car. Then, we took our last pictures outside our B and B and left.

The Long Drive Down to Southern California:

(for at least the first hour), we drove through thick fog which made for some really wonderful photo opportunities as we skirted Lake Tahoe and merged onto the highway (5 South) and would take us all the way to LA. Coniferous trees whose tops were shrouded in mist made for a very autumnal, almost Halloweeny, kind of landscape. Once the fog cleared, we were away from the mountainous part of Lake Tahoe and making our way down south.

From this point onwards, the scenery changed quite rapidly depending on the various miles we traveled. There was miles and miles of sandy desert with very low shrubbery which made us well aware of the fact that, at heart, California, is a drought-ridden state. It was amazing to us how much irrigation has changed the face of development. We saw any number of canals or channels as they call them that are used to water the extensive acreage of California farm, field and orchard. Interestingly, for the first time ever, I saw signs advertising Punjabi Dhaba and Indian food. Clearly, the number of Punjabi Indians who have taken to trucking in the country has increased and now there are trucking stops to cater to their taste in Indian food (similar to the dhabas of Northern India found along the Grand Trunk Road, for instance, in the Punjab). We also passed a giant reservoir that obviously provides water to the city of Los Angeles.

Lunch at Wendy’s in Bakersfield:

We stopped as Bakersfield to get some lunch and since we were insistent on finding Wendy’s (as I was keen to enjoy their chilli), we had to travel quite a long distance from the point when we decided to stop for lunch. And yes, we did get our chilli eventually (where there is a will, there is truly a way!) and we had that together with a fabulous Southwestern Salad (this used to be my occasional lunch at NYU when I did not carry a sandwich for myself to eat at my desk). It was deeply nostalgic for me as this meal took me back to good times.

Back on the Road:

According to our GPS, we were supposed to reach Los Angeles by about 4.00pm. We were happy to stay on track and, in a short while, we could see traffic building up steadily, for we were just north of Los Angeles. In fact, we passed by Magic Mountain, the huge amusement park to which I had first been taken as a Rotary Fellow in 1988. I had more nostalgia as I passed by this area. It made me realize how many experiences I have garnered in my life and how much I have seen and done through the decades, Truly, a person could not have been granted greater opportunity and grabbed them all. I felt truly blessed.

Arrival in Los Angeles:

And them, without further ado, we were skirting Glendale and arriving at our hotel, The Glenmark. As it was a Sunday, I was keen to pay a visit in a Church to thank God for our safe travels and safe return. As it turned out, the beautiful, English-style, Episcopalian Church next door to our hotel, was open and Llew and I said Goodbye to AJ and Chriselle who left (because they had to pick up their dog from the sitter before it got too dark). We then freshened up just a bit, asked the hotel to deliver our baggage to our room that we had left in storage with them, a week ago, and as we had the daunting task of re-packing (as I would be leaving for India the next evening) while Llew would be staying on in the USA for another two weeks, we decided to nip out to church before it got too late.

And that was exactly what we did. The church is simply beautiful—a true little piece of England in the middle of Los Angeles. It has all the features one looks for in an English country church: a gorgeous altar, stained glass windows all around, lovely sculptural statuary, pretty pews and embroidered kneelers. We made a prayerful visit and then left the church to wander around the adjoining cloisters (yes, this church actually has cloisters) designed in the traditional way around a perennial garden that was filled with fall flowers. Then, that visit done, we returned to our room.

We spent the next hour distributing the weight between our four suitcases (each of us is entitled to 50 pounds)—so between the four of us, we had 200 pounds (or a little less than 100 kgs). After I had filled my bags with my 50 pounds each, we found that Llew had about 12 pounds left in one of his bags to play with—and he would fill this with the last-minute shopping that he would do (mainly foodstuff) in New Jersey (just before his return to India).

And when that task was finally done, we felt exhausted and as if we needed a break. So I suggested to Llew that we go upstairs to the Rooftop of the Hotel for a last drink together as it was our last night in two weeks. We would not see each other again until he reached Bombay as he would be spending one week in San Diego and one week in Somerset, New Jersey, with friends before joining me back in Bombay.

A Last Drink Together on Our Last Evening Together:

So off we went to the top floor of the hotel. It was nostalgic for us as a little over a year ago, we had been there for the pre-wedding cocktail party for Chriselle and AJ’s wedding and as we looked at the corner that our private party had occupied, it brought back really vivid memories for us. This time, we were seated in the non-smoking section. It was lovely to take in the lights of Glendale, for darkness had fallen over the city and, in the mountains, we could see lights while closer to us, the streetlamps were on and they lent a lovely romantic light to the city. Also, as there was an autumnal nip in the air, we requested the waiter to seat us by one of the gas heaters on the terrace. He did so and we were soon nice and toasty. Llew ordered a glass of Cabernet while I had a lovely citrusy gin cocktail. We also ordered a plate of salted edamame and by munching on these, we had ourselves a nice snack. We had a lot to talk about in terms of our recent motoring trip and our plans going forward. After about a couple of hours spent just chilling and enjoying each other’s company, we made our way back to our room where we had a very eclectic dinner based on all the leftovers we were carrying.

And on that lovely note, knowing that we had everything wrapped for our early morning departure from Glendale and another drive to Dana Point, California, about two hours south, where we would meet friends, we called it a night.

Until tomorrow, see ya’…

Enjoying the Varied Pleasures of Lake Tahoe, Harrah’s Casino and Hiking to Vikingsholme Castle.

Saturday, October 11, 2025

Lake Tahoe, California

Enjoying the Varied Pleasures of Lake Tahoe, Harrah’s Casino and Hiking to Vikingsholme Castle.

It promised to be another lovely day at Lake Tahoe and after waking up, showering, breakfasting on bagels and cream cheese with decaff coffee, we were ready to launch out on another day of exciting discovery. We decided to devote our day to exploring Vikingsholme Castle which Lonely Planet says is one of the highlights of a visit to Lake Tahoe and certainly the most popular monument in the area. So, off we headed in that direction. But first, as we passed by the only casino in the area at Harrah’s, we decided to stop there.

Visiting Harrah’s Casino:

In a place that does not have much to offer except for staggering scenic beauty, I suppose it is understandable that there would be attractions and past-times to suit every age group. And the casino at Harrah’s is definitely designed to suit the oldest members of tour groups who loved nothing better than to be seated facing a gambling screen with a one-armed bandit close at hand. As we were actually passing by it, we decided to stop, take a little walk to it, and get a feel of the place. None of us is a confirmed gambler but the pull of such places can actually be quite irresistible (if only for a stroll through the machines).

And so we did enter Harrah’s, walked through the casino, took in the lights, the glitter, the glitz and the glamor of the gaming tables (roulette, baccarat) and then decided to go upstairs to use the facilities. It is your cookie cutter casino with nothing different to commend it and after a few rounds, we were pretty bored as we had no intention of gambling ourselves. So back into the car we piled and off we went.

Exploring Emerald Bay:

We made our way back to Emerald Bay once again and found it to be really packed. It was, in fact, hard to get parking in the parking lot, as it was already past 11.00 am and most of the thickest tourist crowds were already out and about. Eventually, we did find parking after a great deal of confusion as we could not figure out the spot which we needed to make our base for the hike to Vikingsholme Castle. Yes, we did take more pictures because this part of Lake Tahoe is really gorgeous and lends itself superbly to camera enthusiasts.

Hiking to Vikingsholme Castle:

From what we had read, the hike to Vikingsholme is a one-mile hike from the top of the mountain to the base of the Lake where you will be at the lake shore. One mile is not far at all for experienced hikers, but, believe me, it was the most challenging hike I have done in recent times. To get down to the Castle is a piece of cake as it is all downhill---but oh boy, on the way up, you are doing nothing but climbing higher and higher. I have to say that I had a really tough time on the way up. But I am getting ahead of myself.

First of all, Chriselle and AJ told us to go ahead while they parked the car because it was really hard to find a spot in the crammed parking lot. And so Llew and I set off downhill at an easy clip. Our aim, of course, was to visit the Castle. So here’s a word about the ‘Castle’. This vast stretch of beautiful land was privately owned and in the 1920s, it was bought by a family of businessmen called the Knights. One of the brothers, Harry French Knight, married a woman called Lora Small More, who had traveled extensively in Scandinavia. When she arrived at Emerald Bay, she found that it reminded her very much of the fjords of Norway and Sweden. She decided, therefore, to get an architect to build her a house that would be a pure imitation of the wooden ‘stave’ houses of Norway (of which I had seen many during my visit to Norway in 2009). So she commissioned Lennart Palme, a Swedish architect (and her nephew by marriage) to design and build the home for her. While it was designed as a family home, it is referred to as a castle because of its exterior design—crenellated, turreted, etc. Palme also traveled to Sweden to study the layout of family homes as well as the decorative exterior details that gave it a distinctive ‘Viking’ look.

Palme returned to Lake Tahoe where his vision for the Castle took shape. In the summer, tours are given of the interior and exterior of the Castle, but I have to tell you that after the hike downhill, we discovered, to our horror and complete disappointment, that the entire property is out of bounds to visitors and cordoned off as it is completely under renovation and refurbishment. This was probably the biggest disappointment of our entire trip. I am not sure if other visitors knew this, but we certainly did not. It is also possible that they knew this, but were keen to hike to nearby Eagle Falls instead of taking a tour of the house.

By the time we arrived at the end of the hiking trail (which also brought us to the lake front), we were simply too exhausted to consider making a detour to get to the nearby Falls. Instead, we took a little break on a bench by the lake and then began the hike uphill. And this was where my lung power was severely tested and where I realized how much of a challenge it would be before I would reach the top. It took us more than an hour to do the one-mile hike upwards (with many stops every feet meters as the terrain was so tough) and, at the very top, we found Chriselle and AJ sitting on a bench. They had barely gone down about ten minutes before they decided to turn back up again.

By this point, we were well and truly pooped and decided to get back in our car and drive homewards and to spend the evening relaxing there. And that’s what we did. We stopped at Safeway to pick up some cheese and salsa and with these items, we made our way back home.

We sat down to enjoy a glass of wine with cheese and nibbles and then made ourselves dinner consisting of roast chicken with salsa and salad with fresh fruit for dessert.

It had been an eventful (if slightly disappointing day), but at least we can say that we actually took in the most popular sight in the region.

Until tomorrow, see ya’…

A Drive Around the Periphery of Lake Tahoe from California into Nevada and Back

Friday, October 10, 2025

Lake Tahoe, California

A Drive Around the Periphery of Lake Tahoe from California into Nevada and Back

Waking in our really beautiful cabin-style Air B and B in Lake Tahoe was truly a pleasure. Our bedroom was beautifully decorated with soft burnished amber glass bedside lamps that gave a soft golden glow to the room and the ambience of a mountain hut. Outside, the leaves on the trees were just beginning to turn and Fall was most definitely in the air. It was cozy under our down comforter—so it was with difficulty that we emerged to find breakfast.

Breakfast was the bagels with cream cheese we had purchased with decaff coffee and feeling quite full with our first filling meal of the day, we decided to set out. Our aim today was simply to skirt the vast periphery of Lake Tahoe, to see the lake in all its variety, to explore the little towns along its banks and to simply take in the scenery of a part of California where lake meets mountains and mountains meet sky.

And so, with AJ behind the wheel, we started our tour of Lake Tahoe. We stopped firstly at the town of Kings Beach, just half a mile ahead of us. Chriselle and AJ got coffees while Llew and I browsed around the stores. None of them were open at this hour, but we were fortunate to find the Tourist Information Center open and in it, we found maps as well as an obliging assistant who told us what not to miss and where to be sure to go. Armed with these resources, we got back into our car again and had a most leisurely drive around. Just a little past Kings Beach on an eastwards drive, you will leave California behind and enter the state of Nevada (which I found to be pretty exciting) but there is little fanfare to announce this fact other than a large sign post with the name of the state name printed on it.

There is nothing really exciting to say about Lake Tahoe except that it is scenically enchanting. You need to keep your eyes peeled to the windows to take in the sights of mile after mile of fragrant coniferous trees, thick woodland paths, occasional one-horse towns with a single grocery store, gas station or coffee shop, boating piers from which people with water-sports on their minds can enjoy rowing or wind surfing.

Yes, we did pass by Incline Village where there is a very pretty walkway that juts out over the lake. It was filled with joggers and walkers and people taking the air on a delightful autumnal morning. The lake waters at the banks are crystal clear and although it is a lake, there are actually waves—which gives you an idea of how huge it is. Eventually, we arrived at Zephyr Cove where one can board ferries that take passengers across the lake for a delightful cruise to Emerald Bay where there is a very pretty island. We stopped there to eat our homemade sandwiches of smoked ham and cheese with lettuce salad as we watched children play along the waterside. This part of the Lake does have attractive shops, should one wish to do a bit of shopping. We merely walked around to enjoy the feel of the cool sun on our back before we moved on.

Past Kingsbury, we crossed the state line again and re-entered California and as we wound around South Lake Tahoe, we took in the sweet wooden cabins everywhere as well as the really expensive mansions of what is called the Gold Coast or Millionaire’s Row. Yes, I could easily see how this place could become the playground of the rich and famous who have disposable income to burn yet wish to get away from the glare of the public eye. At Meek’s Bay, we marveled at the turquoise blue waters of the Lake which, somehow seem to be patterned in ribbons of multiple shades of blue. It is really quite staggeringly beautiful.

And then, we followed signs and much thicker traffic to arrive at Emerald Bay which is probably the most popular part of the Lake. Most cars stop here as there is a large car park which allows you to park and then walk to the Lake’s bank to look out over one of the most beautiful bays in the center of which is a picturesque island. Close to this area is a hike to a castle but we decided that, if anything, we would do it the following day. So, taking a few pictures at this point, we moved on.

By this point, it was late afternoon and as we moved further north, we arrived at Tahoe City which I honestly expected to be much larger a settlement than it actually was. Yes, it is where the majority of the year-round population is based and so there are the usual utility stores here—supermarkets, hardware stores, even a thrift shop. We parked to stretch our legs and browse through some of these stores, to get our magnet in one of the souvenir stores and then to get a cuppa.

Yes, we were ready for tea-time and, luckily, I spied a small eatery called Rosie’s Café, a rather quaint place where I was certain we’d get a nice pot of tea and a tidbit. I stepped inside, met the lady there who assured me she could serve us tea and so inside we trooped. I have to admi that what really attracted me to the place was the promise of what was called ‘Grandma Rosie’s Secret Recipe Strawberry Shortcake’. And as we sat at the table and ordered peppermint tea for ourselves, we also ordered the shortcake. And boy oh boy, what an inspired idea that was! The strawberry shortcake was one large cake that was crammed with fresh slicved strawberries, pillows and pillows of fresh cream, a thick strawberry sauce and just the most melt-in-the-mouth texture and delectable taste. Despite the fact that all four of us shared it, it was more than enough for all of us and we ate well. It went perfectly with our mint tea and made for a really grand stop in a very modest place in a lake-side town.

And then back in our car we went for the last segment of our drive back home. AJ and Chriselle needed a couple more things from Safeway, so we went back into the supermarket before we reached home. We rustled up really delicious dinners of our roast chicken and packaged salad with toast and fresh grapes for dessert. And after dinner, we sat down to play a really fun game called Rock and Roll—a quiz game that was based on questions pertaining to music, musicians, groups, composers, etc. from the 1950s to the present. Of course, as AJ works in the music industry, he was far more well-versed about most of the questions and Chriselle was far more up-to-date with current music than Llew and I were—nevertheless, we had a really lovely time as we gave ourselves up fully to the fun of the game which was punctuated by much guess work and tons of laughter.

Yes, there was a TV set in the cabin, but, funnily enough, none of us felt the need to watch anything. As the evening grew darker and twilight gave way to night, we showered and then hunkered down in our rooms for a cozy night of sound sleep.

Until tomorrow, see ya’…

Discovering the Thrills of Sacramento and an Introduction to Lake Tahoe

Thursday, October 9, 2025

Napa Valley-Sacramento, California

Discovering the Thrills of Sacramento and an Introduction to Lake Tahoe

Today was another beautiful day—like all the others we’ve had on this trip. We left our Best Western Plus Hotel and motored northeast to begin our stay at the lovely Lake Tahoe about which we had heard so much but never been. But first we had to stop en route at the capital of California, Sacramento. En route, as we exited through Napa Valley, we passed by mile after mile of laden vineyards, ripe for the picking. Then, we left this idyllic part of the state behind and entered Silicon Valley where the high-tech nature of the state became evident. Clearly, it is from the revenue generated by this region that California prospers. I have a classmate from school who lives close by in Milpitas and as we passed by the exit signs on the highway for her town, I gave her a call to say hello. But that was all that we could manage as our schedule was tight.

Exploring California’s Capital, Sacramento:

We were all excited to be in Sacramento as it is the capital of California and, other than Chriselle, who had been there on work, the three of us had never even passed through the city. As it turned out, Chriselle had a good idea of where to take us and so we headed straight towards the waterfront. When we arrived there, we discovered that everything was still closed as it was about 9.30 am. Instead, we decided to drive towards the Capitol building. Its Dome was evident from a long distance because these structures are so distinctive—so it was easy to go over a bright yellow bridge towards the Dome.

As it turned out, there was an employment fair going on in the open patio area in front of the Capitol and we were among the earliest visitors. As a result, we ended up picking up a bunch of freebies in the form of lip chap stick, note pads, stress balls, ball point pens and pencils, magnifying glass and ruler combos, key rings and even a T-shirt for Llew. This was super fun for us although Chriselle and AJ chose to remain in the car.

The Capitol is an impressive building, of course, gleaming white in the early morning sun. It is surrounded by the skyscrapers of downtown Sacramento where the corporate offices of so many companies are based. The sun was bouncing off them as we drove around and received a sense of the most spiffy part of town.

But then, we were hungry as we hadn’t eaten breakfast and decided to find a place where we could buy brunch, As we had been talking about Carl Jr. for a few days (the fast food chain that seems to be very popular in California), we thought we would check it out. We ended up eating burgers there (I got a Chicken Southwestern Style grilled burger which actually turned out quite nice). With our bellies satisfied, we could turn out thoughts towards more sightseeing and this time we headed back to the Waterfront.

Exploring ‘Old Sac’, i.e. Vintage Sacramento:

It was while exploring vintage Sacramento that I picked up on a lot of historic aspects of this capital City. Sacramento was probably one of the terminating points of the long pioneering journey of those Californian predecessors who were part of the Gold Rush. It was they who set up the earliest settlement that developed into the great city it is today. To replicate the sense and ambience of this era, Old Town (or Old Sac) Sacramento has been created. It is a series of simply three or four streets that were constructed around the railroad station. The station itself can boast old steam trains that still run and give visitors rides for a fee while recreating the era of prospectors who tried their luck because they had nothing to lose. We did not take the train ride but we did hear the train enter the platform with its old-world whistles that proclaimed its presence.

Walking through the streets of the town gave us the opportunity to buy our magnet as well as gifts for a few people in Bombay who have been helping us keep an eye on our loved ones while we are on holiday as the shops had some interesting merchandize. There were wonderfully old-fashioned shops selling old-fashioned candy, ice-cream, T-shirts, souvenirs, distinctive clothing, footwear and the like. It really was a fun place to explore. We ended up buying some salt water taffy as well as ice-cream and getting a sense of the area and its offerings and after a very leisurely time spent in this quite fascinating space, we returned to our car.

Longish Drive to Lake Tahoe and Exploring Truckee:

All that was left then was for us to make the mileage that would take us further north to Lake Tahoe. It was not that long a drive before we started to enter Alpine Country. Indeed, the roads leading up to Lake Tahoe offer as much stirring visual interest as the Lake area itself. The tall coniferous forests mingled with the famous Sequoia (or California Redwoods) are plentiful in this area as are eucalyptus trees. We could actually smell the fragrance of these glorious pine-family trees as we inched closer.

Eventually, we arrived at a town called Truckee where we decided to take a break in order to explore it on foot. We parked out car and decided to explore the shops. Of course, we did see magnets, post cards and the usual souvenirs that one finds at every tour stop but we also saw a train station (for people can reach this spot by train) as well as eateries and ice-cream parlors. Yes, it was nice to get out and stretch our legs and, at the same time, to take in the mountain ambience of this place. I soon realized that, like Jackson, Wyoming, and many of the towns in the Montana region, the interior décor and design of the homes in this area are influenced by the Lake and the beautiful mountains that surround it. And so, it was fun it to take in the artistic motifs that bring class to this area.

Finding our Air B ad B At Kings Beach:

Leaving Truckee behind us, we continued along our route and found ourselves being treated to our first glimpses of the Lake—a lake that is so vast that it seemed like a sea ahead of us. The ring road that circles the periphery of the lake is visually interesting as it is punctuated by thick green, coniferous vegetation and a series of structures that form homes and, only occasionally, tiny, one-horse towns. Eventually, after receiving our first views of what the next couple of days would be like, we found our way to our Air B and B on Anderson Street in the town of Kings Beach in the north of Lake Tahoe where we would stay for the next three nights.

But, having found the place, we decided to stop at the Safeway supermarket which was fairly close to us to pick up some provisions for the next three days as we had been eating fast food and fancy meals in restaurants for so long that we had reached a point when we wanted something simpler.

And so, at the local Safeway, close at hand, just about five minutes’ drive away, we picked up staples such as bagels, cream cheese, bread, cheese, cold cuts and packaged salads—with these items, we’d have meals for the next few days.

Before we ended our day, as there was still somewhat pretty light emanating off the lake, Llew and I decided to go out for a walk down to the waterfront to enjoy the sound of lake waters lapping the shore. And so, off we went, into a really lovely twilight to take in our first real sights of the lake. It was quite lovely and we enjoyed sitting there amid the quiet serenity, as night fell quietly about us.

When we did return to our lovely cabin (which, by the way, was most charmingly furnished and decorated, we put together a dinner of our store-bought food and then made our way to bed.

It has been another lovely day—punctuated by a visit to a huge city (a capital, in fact) and ending with entry into the most bucolic area which promised us mountains, forest and lakes.

Until tomorrow, see ya’…

More Napa Valley Treats: Visiting the Petrified Forest in Calistoga, Sauntering through St. Helena, Wine-Tasting at BV (Beaulieu Vineyards), Late Lunch at Burgers and Half Bottles in Yountville, Napa Riverfront Walk, Dinner at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Coppia.

Wednesday, October 8, 2025

More Napa Valley Treats: Visiting the Petrified Forest in Calistoga, Sauntering through St. Helena, Wine-Tasting at BV (Beaulieu Vineyards), Late Lunch at Burgers and Half Bottles in Yountville, Napa Riverfront Walk, Dinner at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Coppia.

Today, we had a full, exciting and extremely varied day. Our day began when we woke up in our Best Western Plus Hotel, got ourselves coffee, picked up Everything Bagels with cream cheese from Einstein Bagels next door and then set out for the first item on a very long day’s agenda—a drive up north to Calistoga.

Exploring the Petrified Forest in Calistoga:

The thing about touring on your own (without the assistance of a tour operator or a travel agent) is that you do your research online and my source is always Lonely Planet. It was this website that extolled the virtues of the Petrified Forest in Calistoga as one of the not-to-miss sites in the area. And so, it was at the top of our agenda as Calistoga is also in the extreme north of the wine-growing region of Napa and it takes about 45 minutes to drive there at a leisurely place (from our hotel).

Along the route, you will pass mile after mile of vineyards, all proclaiming ownership by various well-known wine-label manufacturers. They were fully laden with fruit, as we were there just in the harvest season: vines were drooping with purple grapes in such abundant, luscious bunches as to make us stop to actually pluck then for our eating pleasure (but, of course, we did nothing of the sort). We did stop, a little later in the day, to frolic in the vineyards and take some pictures surrounded by the fruitful vines.

In a short while, we were at the entrance to the Petrified Forest. We parked out car, watched a couple of deer saunter around and then made our way to the ticket counter to buy our tickets ($14 per head which included a guided walk with a naturalist). We browsed around the shop which was actually filled with really lovely merchandise, all based on the earth’s natural materials, and then our guide Nancy, was ready to begin our walk.

The walk turned out to be highly enlightening. We were joined by about three other couples and together we made a small but merry group as we followed her to the various nooks and crannies of a vastly sprawling property. From what I gathered, this area has seen a great deal of geological activity of various kinds through the millennia and these have created the natural conditions that turn trees into stone—this is what is meant by their becoming petrified. Fire, volcanic activity, flood, etc. contribute to this phenomenon and, eventually, fallen trees, which remain untouched for generations end up looking like wood. From some of them semi-precious stones, as we recognize or understand them, can be extracted. Overall, it was a really fascinating experience and we ended up learning a whole lot, looking at a lot of specimen trees that have been left in situ to demonstrate their evolution to visitors, etc. I have not seen anything quite like this before (none of us had)—so it was really an educational experience. It lasted over an hour, by which time we were ready to use the facilities and move on. It was very misty and a tad chilly, but luckily we were all clothed warmly and did not mind the lack of sun on that nippy morning.

Strolling Through the Town of St. Helena:

Since we had some time to spare before our next appointment—a wine-tasting reservation at a nearby vineyard—we parked our car in the cute town of St. Helena and decided to stroll through it. All the Napa towns (Calistoga, Napa, St. Helena, Rutherford, Yountville) in this area are super snazzy and upscale. They attract a certain type of clientele—the deep-pocketed type. As a result, the shops and merchandise offered in this area are ultra sophisticated. There are one-of-a-kind boutiques, designer jewelry stores, fancy housewares offered in kitchen shops, and antiques shops galore. I left the others for about ten minutes to browse through an absolutely divine antiques store that was not only filled with the most desirable treasures but was so beautifully laid out, the contents so classily grouped or set up together, that I was totally enchanted. We strolled at leisure through these lovely streets with their pretty shop-windows and enticing displays until we actually came upon a consignment store! And then after just a little while’s browsing, Chriselle found a beautiful pair of sunglasses and a really lovely shawl and I found a stunning necklace in two toned gold and silver which I absolutely loved. This became our souvenirs of the region although we did buy our magnet of St. Helena, as usual. Then, we got back into our car and made our way to the Beaulieu Vinery.

Wine-Tasting at Beaulieu Vineyards (BV):

The Beaulieu Vineyard (commonly known as BV) is one of the oldest vineyards and vineries in the Napa region. It is particularly known for the wines it makes out of the Cabernet grape and it was in this context that Chriselle chose this place for a wine-tasting as Llew is a great fan of these particular reds. Like all these properties, this one too was charming. We were seated on a shaded patio where a table was laid out for us. We had a small plate of complimentary charcuterie put out for our nibbling pleasure and indeed we were glad to see it. Then, we were placed in the hands of a wonderful sommelier named Jeff who was affable, knowledgeable, amusing and patient. He introduced us to each of the six wines that made up our flight and told us what made them unique. We thoroughly enjoyed our education in his hands and also enjoyed the taste of the wines. Cabernets are full-bodied, very rich wines that go well with red meats and cold weather. Llew certainly enjoyed the experience while the rest of us nibbled on dried apricots, bread sticks and delicious wine-soaked cheese. At the end of the session, we used the facilities again, then posed by the entrance and moved on. Yes, we were enjoying the full Napa experience and were savoring every stage of it.

Nibbles and Tasters at V. Sattui:

Talking of savoring, I had remembered that, on a previous trip to Napa, several years ago, I had come in a tour bus from San Francisco that had stopped at V. Sattui, a very charming place that combined a vineyard with a winery, a grocery store, a restaurant, etc. I was keen that the group should experience this place and when we passed by it, I suggested that we stop there, As it turned out, the company has very recently renovated their grocery store which is now called Mercato and which is huge. We parked our car and walked through the property which was still as charming as I remembered it to be with a wishing well, a building with a Tuscan stone façade and turreted red tile roof, blooming gardens filled with flowers, bees and butterflies, a cool avenue or alle under which one could walk until we reached the big barn doors of the Mercato.

And, inside, a real treat awaited us. Yes, it is a sprawling space selling wine and everything wine-related from implements to bottle openers, from cheese boards to table linen, even candles. There was a whole sampling section and there we stopped to taste olive oils and vinegars, crackers with a variety of creamy dips, both savory and sweet, cheese samples and olives. Indeed, there was enough to make us feel slightly full. It was all very delicious and a perfect opening to what would be a really wonderful meal that would follow. So, I was glad we did make the stop and that each one of us found something we enjoyed tasting. It was what the French call ‘degustation’ and I enjoyed it fully.

Late Lunch of Thomas Keller’s Burgers:

every foodie or gastronomist knows that the most famous restaurant in America is in Napa Valey—it is called The French Laundry and is founded and run by a chef called Thomas Keller in a town called Yountville. However, it is next to impossible to get reservations at The French Laundry and so we had to ensure that we partook of this chef’s genius through one of his more modest eateries. Jessie, at Nicholson Ranch, had told us yesterday that Keller has a number of other smaller, less fancy and far more modestly priced restaurant such as Buchon in the area and a really sweet burger place called Burgers and Half Bottles. And so, I thought that we could stop at it and partake of one of his burgers. And so, this was our next stop.

Having stuffed our faces with the nibbles at V.Sattui, we were not really very hungry when we arrived at Yountville to find Burger and Half Bottles. But, of course, we had to buy something—so Chriselle and AJ decided to share a Lobster Roll and Llew and I decided to share one of the burgers. And, I have to say, that it was a burger to remember. My favorite burgers, so far, have been the Shack Stack at Shake Shack, but these were a notch above those to be sure. Not only was the patty perfectly charred with the caramelized onion adding a whole new layer of flavor but there were also sour cucumber pickles that added crispness, texture and taste and made the burger memorable. I was so glad we had a chance to experience Keller’s genius.

A Walk Along the Napa River Promenade:

And with that stop made and that desire satisfied, we were able to drive further south towards the town of Napa. We were keen to take another one of the highlights that Lonely Planet had extolled—the Napa River Promenade Walk. But before we arrived there, we stopped at the Public Market which was also pointed out as a pleasant place to explore. We found it to be like a Victorian covered market or like the Milwaukee Public Market that I had just seen in Wisconsin with Marielou or like the famous Covered Market in Oxford (only much smaller). We walked through the various sections to take in the wares on display and for sale: cold cuts, deli items, cheese, fresh produce, enticing fruit and veg, a milk bar, an ice-cream parlor, a place selling kitchenware including beautiful candles, etc. Having taken all this in, we moved on.

AJ and Chriselle decided to sit out the pleasure of joining us on the walk as Chriselle’s feet are still prone to fatigue following plantar fascittis. But Llew and I could not wait to explore the riverfront which lay just a little ahead of us. We crossed the railway tracks and, in the process, saw an old-fashioned, steam train, and then made our way towards the pretty buildings in pastel colors which housed some unique shops and boutiques. This, and a number of water-front eateries and restaurants made up the sum total of this pretty walking route. As the season is past, there were just a few straggling visitors everywhere we went and we enjoyed the quietness and the emptiness of the space. We walked all the way to the water’s edge which allowed us to see the river meandering away into the distance, its banks lined on both sides by autumnal-hued trees that are gradually putting on their Fall splendour. Of course, it was a beautiful walk and we were very glad we took it.

Dinner at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Coppia:

And finally, after we strolled back to the Public Market where Chriselle and AJ were waiting for us, we had reached the final item on our agenda for today—dinner at the CIA at Coppia. Yes, Chriselle had made reservations for us and we were all set to enjoy a meal at the restaurant called The Grove. This is in a vast property that comprises fountains, sculpture, kitchen gardens or potagers filled with herbs and vegetable that are used in their creations, etc. As we were a tad early, we enjoyed lingering in these spaces until, eventually, we arrived at the restaurant, met the maître d’ and were seated. Yes, we had arrived early and were the first patrons of the evening, but as the day parched on, we were joined by other diners at adjoining tables.

And what of the food? Well, like all CIA restaurants, it is prepared by chefs-in-the-making under the supervision of masterchefs as part of their practical tutorials. In keeping with that concept, there was a glass partition behind which the crew worked and we could see the novices (dressed in black) and the instructors (dressed in white) as they worked their magic. The menus are always on par with those you’d find at any fine restaurant with produce usually picked freshly from their adjoining gardens.

And so, from their menu (which, I believe, changes almost daily), we picked the Roasted Bone Marrow with Braised Oxtail and Shitake Marmalade, Bagna Couda and Foccaccia Toast. Llew and I decided to share this masterpiece which was first inspired by the creation of chef Fergus Henderson of London’s St. John’s Bar and Restaurant at Farringdon (where I had first tasted, it several years ago). Needless to say, it was very good indeed. Chriselle and AJ chose the Belfiore Burrata which came with heirloom tomatoes, lemon cucumber and focaccia panzanella, Jimmy Nardella puree (we had seen and eaten these red peppers at Chez Panisse a couple of nights ago) and Salsa Verde. We also ordered a Salad for the Table and we received an absolutely humongous one filled with nixed greens and grated parmesan cheese. When it came time to pick our mains, Llew and I shared the Porcini Rigatoni Carbonara with egg yolk, guanaciale (pork cheek), Spring Peas, Pecorino Romano and Sarawak Black Pepper while Chriselle and AJ chose the Oven-Roasted California Monkfish with Penn Cove Mussels, Grilled Fennel, Vermouth-Saffron Brodo and Crème Fraiche. Our desserts were Mascapone Cheesecake with Balsamic Cherry Sauce, Amarena Cherries and Crème Fraiche with Whipped Cream and the Strawberry White Chocolate Mousse with Shortbread Cookie Crumble, Fresh Strawberries, Mascapone Whipped Cream and Chocolate Shavings. Well…it was a meal fit for a king, I’m sure you’d agree and we took our time savoring each morsel and enjoying the talents of the chefs-to-be among whom, no doubt, one day, could well be our next Thomas Keller or Alice Waters.

A Visit to the Museum of Culinary Arts:

It was while we were clearing up our bill that the waitress decided to let us into a little secret. She told us to take the elevator one floor upstairs to a most unusual (almost secret) museum. We followed her lead and ended up in an Alladin’s Cave of such amazement as to leave us slack-jawed. We were in a Museum of Culinary Arts that contained the entire lifetime’s collection of cookery implements of the famous Chuck Williams, of the famous Williams-Sonoma chain of houseware stores. Honestly, I cannot even begin to describe the variety and extent of this collection that occupies one large gallery and then spills over into the corridors in innumerable vitrines, all of which contain items he sources from various parts of Europe. Suffice it to say that there is every possible kind of pot and pan and dish not to mention instruments such as peelers and graters, food mills and presses, weights and measures—I think you get the idea. It was simply too much for the foodie in me to take in and, believe me, the evening could not possibly have ended on a more gratifying note for me…great food and a museum to boot! Wow! For me, this was a marriage made in heaven.

All that was left was for us to pile back into our car and drive to the Best Western Plus where we hunkered down for the night after another incredible day in Napa.

Until tomorrow, see ya’…

Discovering the Food and Wine Delights of Napa and Beyond—Wine-Tasting and Dinner at Chez Panisse in Sausalito

Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Morro Bay-Napa Valley, California

Discovering the Food and Wine Delights of Napa and Beyond—Wine-Tasting and Dinner at Chez Panisse in Sausalito

We arrived at the most glamorous day of our travels as we settled down into the gastronomic treats of the famous Napa Valley. Indeed it was a red letter day for it ticked off one more item from a long-standing Bucket List.

Checking Out of The Landing at Morro Bay and Journey Northwards:

It was still dark when we set out of our rooms at The Landing at Morro Bay, checked out and set off in our car for our long (four hour) drive northwards to Napa Valley. The town of Morro Bay was empty (it was about 6.00 am) as we negotiated the streets that got us out of the grid and on to the highway. We resolved to look for breakfast (or at least coffee) along the route. I had a large box of untouched pancakes from my breakfast of yesterday and I shared them with Llew as we drove off. Slowly but surely, we inched along towards our destination, En route, we passed through Silicon Valley and began to see the tech companies along the highway that proclaimed the industry and expertise of the area.

Arrival at Napa Valley and Check-Into the Best Western Plus:

About an hour into our journey (around 9.00 am), I made a call to Deepak Gulrajani, a wine enthusiast and entrepreneur to whom I had been introduced in Bombay, about a year ago. Deepak owns both a vineyard (Nicholson Ranch) and a winery (Gulrajani Estate), the first in Sonoma, the latter in Napa, and he had invited me to visit them, if ever I was in the area. Since we did have reservations at another winery, I was reluctant to call him (time would not permit us to visit both), plus he did not grow Cabernet grapes and, therefore, did not (as far as I knew) produce Cabernet Sauvignon wines (which are Llew’s favorites). However, I decided to make him a courtesy call en route and was delighted when he reiterated his invitation and insisted that we come to see him because yes, indeed, he was able to serve us Cabernets as well. So, we did make a last-minute change, cancelled the original wine-tasting reservation we had, and decided to make our way to Sonoma County instead to meet Deepak. But first, we would find and check into our accommodation for the next two nights—the Best Western Plus Hotel.

The hotel was very centrally located and turned out to be rather more charming than we had imagined considering that it was a chain and very reasonably priced (for a neighborhood that is definitely upper crust). In fact, the cost of living in this neck of the California woods is high and it is rather challenging to have a reasonably-priced holiday in this area. We loved the fact that it had a secluded look to it, was a sprawling property with an outdoor pool, a hot tub and a gym, free beverages in the lobby, coffee makers in the room and a general sense of generosity in the air. We had rooms side by side and obtaining the keys, we checked into them and stashed away our baggage. Then, we re-entered the car to begin our drive to the wine estate.

Our First Wine-Tasting in Napa—at Nicholson Ranch:

And so it was that we arrived at Nicholson Ranch, a vast property with a winding road that led up to the main Tuscan-styled structure—the Reception area and wine cave. There, Deepak was waiting for us and he greeted and welcomed us warmly. It was a fairly warm day…so we were happy to be seated outside on the patio overlooking the acreage of land that included cattle who, periodically, made their way across the fields to the stream on the opposite side. Deepak put us into the hands of his assistant, Jessie, a lovely young lady from New Jersey, who, in turn, put us through the paces and was our hostess for the morning. Deepak did not leave our sides as he launched on his commentary and told us all about his entry into the field of wine-making after a long and very successful career in IIT India, followed by an MBA from the Stern School of Business at NYU (which made him a kindred spirit), then a stint as a hedge fund manager. This background prepared him well for taking the entrepreneurial plunge into the world of the vintner when he bought a working vineyard and a wine-production unit. His establishment is artisanal, which means it is kept deliberately small and does not compete with the likes of manufacturers such as Robert Mondavi who manufacture en masse for the mid-priced table. Deepak’s wines are priced at upwards of Rs. 150 a bottle, they are top of the line products and, therefore, exclusive.

Llew and Chrsielle indulged in the wine-tasting as my sulphur allergy kept me away from them and AJ is a teetotaller. However, we did sit around, enjoying the serenity of the atmosphere, viewing the sauntering line of cows in the distance, taking in the unusual contemporary sculpture on the estate and shooting the breeze with Deepak. We were with him for more than an hour, during which we were introduced to a range of at least six wines including Cabernets. Deepak never left us alone and played the role of the perfect host. He told us that, time permitting, he would be happy to introduce us to his production unit where we could see the apparatus involved in the making of superior wines. At the end of the session, both Llew and Chriselle liked the wines they sampled and felt pleased that we had made the detour to Nicholson Winery. We were delighted to find that Deepak did not charge us for the wines plus offered them to us on the house although we were more than ready to pay for them. Thanking him profusely, we made our way out of the estate but not before pausing at the gate to take group pictures with his property in the background. It had been an admirable morning indeed.

Lunch at Taco Bell En Route to Sausalito and the San Francisco Bay Area:

With one wine-tasting behind us, we drove deeper and deeper into Napa Valley as we headed for our next site of discovery—the San Francisco Bay Area. Although all of us had been to this part of California before, we had been there separately and at various times over the years—never together. This trip would give us an opportunity to see the city from a long distance away and to explore the Bay Area; and I have to say that I quite fell in love with it. Our destination was the snazzy town of Sausalito that many people had told me was the prettiest in the Bay.

But first we needed to find lunch as we’d not really eaten breakfast anywhere. Since we had talked about eating the Mexican fast food called chalupas, we decided to go to Taco Bell, a chain that offers plentiful outlets in the region. Yes, we did end up ordering burritos, tacos and chalupas from this place—all of which were really very good indeed because we were indulging in them after many years. With that meal behind us, we proceeded towards Sausalito.

Exploring Snazzy Sausalito:

Sausalito is one of those beautiful gems in the San Francisco Bay Area that is highly exclusive and very expensive. On driving into the city itself, we got the impression that we were in a very affluent neighborhood. Finding parking in the vast public car parks close to the water, we began our exploration on foot of the town. We passed by a pretty, old-world looking public garden to arrive at the waterfront which area is completely lined by exclusive boutiques and one-of-a-kind shops that we enjoyed browsing in, buying our magnet and indulging in a bit of window-shopping. Spiffy cars wound in and out of this area and added to the posh ambience of the place. Gradually, we made our way to the wide promenade overlooking the Bay. The water was clear and blue to match the skies above. It was truly idyllic, the weather just perfect. In the distance, we could easily spy the misty skyscrapers of the city of Sam Francisco and the hazy outlines of the famous Golden Gate Bridge. We posed for pictures on the waterfront, then began the walk back to the car park. We had about an hour’s drive ahead of us to Berkeley where we would be stopping for dinner at Chez Panisse, perhaps the most famous restaurant in the area, where we had made reservations. As we made our way there, we had the chance to skirt around the Bay and take in the beautiful, water-front manors and condos that offer some of the world’s most stirring views to the lucky inhabitants of this area.

Arriving in Berkeley and Dinner at Chez Panisse:

Finally, after an hour or so and at a very comfortable pace, we reached Berkeley, the famous university town of Northern California, which I would very much have liked to explore too (as we were only a stone’s throw from it and we were well in time for our dinner appointment). However, there was not much enthusiasm from other members of our party who were concerned about finding parking in the area. In the end, we did find parking very easily and used the extra time to explore the area along Sattuck Avenue on foot (after we passed by and identified the restaurant in which we would be eating). Llew and I enjoyed taking in the relaxed, scholarly ambience of this academic town that made history in the 1960s for being the venue at which student protests against the Vietnam War ultimately led to the its end.

At 7.00 pm, we were at the entrance to the restaurant. We were led upstairs to the more casual eatery—the one below being restricted to fine dining. After being seated at the table and placed in the hands of a wonderful waiter called Cameron, we perused the menu for drinks. I chose to have a cocktail (it has become customary for me to choose an exotic drink in special places) while Llew had red wine. As for our food, we chose two starters to share: the shaved zucchini salad with lemon, mint, pecorino and toasted almonds—it was a delightful fresh salad with a zing—and the Jimmy Nardella roasted red peppers with fig vinaigrette, escarole, prosciutto and sage. They were wonderful palates teasers that left us aching for more. As for our mains, I chose the Duck Leg confit with shell bean gratin, toasted breadcrumbs, fenel salad and sauce verde (I eat duck so rarely that I always choose it when on a menu) and Llew chose the Autumn squash ravioli with chanterelle mushrooms and gremolata. We shared them so that we both had two things to taste. Chriselle and AJ had the Grilled grass-fed New York roast beef with fried sweet peppers, garlicky greens and black olive butter as well as the Halibut baked in a fig leaf with romano beans, new potatoes, fennel salad and sauce verde.Our mains were followed by dessert, of course, but we simply decided to share two of them: the sticky gingerbread cake with crème fraiche ice-cream and fresh fruit and raspberry and crème fraiche sorbet with gratineed figs, raspberries and an almond biscotti. Then, we gave ourselves up completely to the pleasure of healthy eating, keeping in mind the revolutionary concept of farm to table eating that was initiated by chef Alice Waters who founded and ran Chez Panisse and, in the process, revolutionized American gastronomy.

Chez Panisse, incidentally, gets its name from the characters in one of the French writer Marcel Pagnol’s novels. It happens that Waters knew Pagnol personally through her husband who was good friends with the celebrated writer. Posters advertising films adapted from Pagnol’s novels decorate the walls of the restaurant which is very casual. I saw little children seated at the table with grown-ups, the elderly sipping their apertifs in fastidious fashion and teenagers too enjoying the thrills of a sophisticated table. Yes, for me, dining at Chez Panisse was a long-held dream (I once owned all of Wasters’ cook books), but because Berkeley is so far away from where I was based in the US, the chances of me actually eating in this place were remote—which is why I was so thrilled to finally make a dream come true.

And on that triumphant note, we left the restaurant and made our way towards the car park where we entered, fully satiated, and then sank down quietly to enjoy the drive back to Napa Valley and our Best Western Hotel where we hunkered down for the night.

Until tomorrow, see ya’…

A Day Well Spent at Morro Bay, Pismo Beach, Madonna and San Luis Obispo, California

Monday, October 6, 2025

Exploring a Handful of Mid-California Towns

A Day Well Spent at Morro Bay, Pismo Beach, Madonna and San Luis Obispo, California

We spent a day of leisurely exploration as we scoured one little California town after the other. Indeed, the little hamlets along the mid-California coast are truly delightful, particularly in the off-season when they are not mobbed by holidaying crowds. But our day began in the nicest possible way with a humongous breakfast, courtesy of AJ, who decided to give Llew and me a belated Mothers-Father’s Day treat since they are never with us in person to celebrate those holidays. And so, off to breakfast it was…

Breakfast of Champions at Dorn’s:

Very conveniently located, in fact right across the road from our beautiful hotel was Dorn’s, a darling little café right on the waterfront. Yes, in normal circumstances, it would provide staggering views of the famous, towering Morro Rock that seems to rise out of the sea like a giant Phoenix rising from the ashes. Except that it was a very foggy morning and visibility was nil, just a few feet beyond us. On a past visit to the area, Chriselle and AJ had eaten breakfast at this venue and knew that it would be the perfect place in which to treat us. They were spot on. We felt like Royalty, thanks to their generosity.

We were pretty much the only patrons that early in the morning (we were there by 8.00 am as we had a full day chalked out ahead of us) but, by the time we had stuffed our faces and were ready to leave, several others had the same idea. We had our pick of the tables and chose one parallel to the Rock. In terms of food, well…it seemed as if you could not go wrong, no matter what you chose to eat. After orders for hot drinks were taken (Chriselle had a cocktail while the rest of us settled for coffee), we dived in for the food. I had a Ham, Swiss Cheese and Mushroom Omlette, Llew had Eggs Over Easy with Bacon and Hash Browns, AJ got the Southwestern Omlette with Fruit on the side and Chriselle got Eggs with Sausages and Fruit. A Couple of us got Pancakes (on top of everything else with our omlettes). I chose to save my pancakes for breakfast, the next morning, as I simply could not imagine sitting and devouring two breakfasts at the same meal—no matter how scrunps! Everything was delicious, conversation was a load of fun and we were excited to begin our day with the wealth of sight-seeing that lay ahead.

Drive to Pismo Beach:

We posed for a few pictures outside Dorn’s and outside our Hotel (The Landing at Morro Bay), then left for the next item on our day’s agenda: A Drive to Pismo Beach.

Pismo Beach is another one of the mid-California state beach towns that is a popular venue during the summer. After parking in the public parking lot, Chriselle went out in search of a coffee and I browsed in a shop that was closing for the season—in order to pick up our souvenir magnet. Then, the lot of us walked towards the giant sign spelling out Pismo Beach along the waterfront and that done, we took a little walk towards the pier to look at the pristine beach itself from the height of the viewing platform. It was a lovely day although the sun played peekaboo with us for a good part of the morning. After enjoying our brisk walk, and posing for pictures on the pier, we were ready for the next attraction.

Off to the Butterfly Grove:

As the young folks with us had already been to Pismo Beach before and had happy memories of a Butterfly Grove nearby, that was the next venue to which AJ drove us. Chriselle had happy memories of a short hike along a raised pathway that led to the sea and she was keen that we should undertake it. Accordingly, we parked our car and set out, only to discover that the place was officially closed for the season although visitors were free to saunter around at their leisure. Also, since the migrating monarch butterflies do not come to the venue until the end of October, we really did not see a single one of them. Apparently, they arrive in droves and cling to the surfaces of the trees all along the boardwalk. Despite their absence, however, it was grand to walk towards the sea, We could hear the thundering sound of the waves, but after about fifteen minutes of lingering in a very beautiful, very sheltered area, we decided to make our way back to the car.

Exploring the Unique Madonna Inn at Madonna, California:

A few years ago, when Llew, Chriselle and I had undertaken another driving tour of the mid-California coast, we had stopped at a town called Madonna which is famous for a most unique structure—a place called Madonna Inn. This site is pure 1950s kitsch and Chriselle, who had recently stopped there on a work trip, was keen for us to pause there again. Frankly, I did not remember much of it at all—so I was quite enthusiastic about exploring it again, As it turned out, the place was a study in pinks; every shade of the color is used in the inside and outside decoration. Furthermore, the garden is just gorgeous with glorious pink blooms of various sizes and shades filling it with photo ops. And so, en route, we stopped to take pictures and gradually worked our way towards the main doors (somewhat reminiscent of a castle) before we entered.

The Madonna Inn is really a visual delight—pure eye candy. Everywhere the eye could turn, there was something of curiosity that was entirely OTT (Over The Top). Of course, we explored the place pretty thoroughly and stopped frequently to take pictures: there was winding Cinderella staircases, straight out of a fairy tale; loads of pretty stained glass in windows and doors; bright chandeliers laden with tumbling bunches of grapes; massive stone fireplaces and mantelpieces decorated with stone sculpture; bathrooms and toilets done in mid-century style and resembling the green rooms of famous theaters; vast dining rooms dropping with fairy lights and loads of Fall and Halloween decorations as to resemble Disneyland. And everywhere the dominant color is pink. Truly, this is a photographer’s dream. We made use of every venue to take lovely family and couple photographs before we were ready to move on.

Back to Morro Bay for More Exploration:

By this point in the day (it was past noon), we kept fingers crossed that the fog of the morning would have lifted and we would actually be able to glimpse the gigantic Rock for which Morro Bay is reputed. So, we drove back to Morro Bay, parked our car and made the slow and exploratory walk towards the shops. Like many seaside towns, there are souvenir shops stacked with the usual tat: sea glass jewlery, toys for the kids, beach towels, magnets, post cards, wall art, etc., not to mention ice-cream places. Every store was empty—we could just imagine how much the place buzzed in the summer; but with the season having passed us by, we were solitary visitors everywhere. Having explored the stores (yes, we picked up our magnet), it was time to hit the actual Rock itself. Yes indeed, the fog had cleared up, although the sun was still missing, but it seemed like a good time to make the drive that would take us to the very foot of the Rock for some more photo ops.

Piling into the car again, we drove around the Town as we headed to the Rock. It loomed ahead of it with its momentous proportions and allowed us to take lovely family photographs. We watched the antics of pretty, spotted wood squirrels on the rocks as we sat down to take in the sight of the distinctive scene in front of us. Seagulls flew screeching ahead and the salt smell of the sea was in our nostrils as we decided to move on to the next port of call after what had been a truly lovely stop in what had been a completely unknown corner of California for me.

Exploring San Luis Obispo:

Yes, the three of us had been to San Luis Obispo before, a few years ago, but honestly, I had only very hazy memories of this town. This time round, I was charmed by the place which had a lot to offer the occasional visitor. It’s beautiful downtown area is a maze of streets sporting enticing shops with sophisticated merchandise from beautiful clothes and housewares to mid-century modern furniture and very sophisticated restaurants. It was after sauntering the streets and pausing to briefly take in the joys of window shopping before looking for lotions and potions in The Body Shop that we made our way to Novo, the glorious restaurant where Chriselle had made reservations for our dinner.

Dining in Style at Novo:

Novo is one of those restaurants that offers an inside-outside experience that is equally great, no matter where one chooses to sit. As it turned out to be a really beautiful evening, most patrons were out in the lovely courtyard garden. We had a table reserved for us and, literally, just a few meters away, the walls of one of the famous California missions of Fr. Junipero Serra could be glimpsed. We looked forward to the thrill of visiting it after our meal.

But first, our food and drink. We started off with cocktails and aperitifs: Llew had red wine and I chose a cocktail made with gin, elderflower liquor and elderflower cordial. It was delicious and very refreshing indeed. For our starter, we chose the Mediterranean platter that contains hummus, a beetroot dip, babganoush, dolmades (stuffed vine leaves), marinated olives and red peppers, fresh cherry tomatoes, slices of cucumber and toasted pita bread. Believe me, a better appetizer would be hard to find. I realize that I really do love these platters for they offer something for everyone. Chriselle chose the buratta with beetroot and it was also very satisfying indeed. For my main, Llew and I chose to share pappardelle with shrimp, artichoke and spinach (absolutely delectable) while Chriselle and AJ chose to share a filet mignon with a lush barbecue sauce. Our mains were just superb and truly, this meal set the tone for the number of absolutely awesome meals we would enjoy through the rest of our travels. Although we were pretty stuffed, I have to say that we could not resist dessert and chose to share a fabulous slab of chocolate ganache cake that came with whipped cream, chocolate sauce and fresh raspberries on the side, What a truly magnificent meal it was and what a superb choice for a venue! It remains one of my most memorable meals of all time because it was so unexpectedly good!

Visiting Mission San Luis Obispo:

Yes, after our fabulous meal, the only thing left was to follow the mission bells, as it were, and walk just around the precincts of Novo, to get to the compound of the Mission. Built in 1772, as one of the working missions envisioned by the wandering Spaniard priest, Fr. Junipero Serra, this place is highly atmospheric, especially at night, when it is softly flood-lit, most strategically. Fr. Serra built about seven missions along the California coast along what is known as El Camino Real as he brought Christianity to the native, Spanish-speakers of this area when it was still part of Mexican territory. In past years, I (as an individual) and the three of us (as a family) have visited the ones in Santa Barbara, Carmel by the Sea and Capistrano and now, here we were together in San Luis Obispo. It was indeed a treat and a perfect way by which to end a really splendid day.

And on that spiritual note, we made our way back to the carpark for our short drive back to our hotel, The Landing at Morro Bay where we would spend one more night.

Until tomorrow, see ya’…

A Terrific First Day of Motoring Adventure in California—Brunch in Irvine, Pausing in Montecito ad Santa Barbara and Arriving at Morro Bay

Sunday, October 5, 2025

Los Angeles-Morro Bay, California

A Terrific First Day of Motoring Adventure in California—Brunch in Irvine, Pausing in Montecito ad Santa Barbara and Arriving at Morro Bay

And so the day dawned when we began our driving tour of Northern California. We awoke, showered and got dressed for a long drive ahead. But just as we were checking out, we discovered that our room included breakfast in the adjoining restaurant. Hence, we made our way to the restaurant at The Glenmark and ordered decaff coffee for the two of us and Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon for me and Eggs Over Easy with Hash Browns and Sausages for Llew. As Chriselle and AJ arrived just before we were seated, they shared our breakfast which was humongous to begin with and would leave all of us room for brunch as that was where we were headed.

Brunch With Friends in Irvine:

Yes, indeed. The next item son our agenda was Brunch in Irvine at the home of our Bombay landlandy, Annu, who had graciously invited us for a meal while en route northwards. Annu was accompanied by her daughters Deepti and Ritu and her spouse Kinshook and her cute little grandson, Vir. Of course, we had a very happy reunion with them as they are extremely hospitable and gracious and treated us like royalty. Brunch was a variety of Indo-Western foods: Annu had taken the trouble to make us idlis with sambar and coconut chutney (as a first course, as it were) and followed it up with masala omlettes served over hot, buttered toast with semolina pudding or sheera together with fruit. Gosh, were we stuffed! But, best of all, we really got to catch up as Chriselle was meeting Ritu and Kinshook for the first time while re-connecting with Deepti whom we had all met last year. Vir has grown up so sweetly. We loved their new home with its spaciousness and its outdoor space and the quiet environs of their locality. After we had also discussed some business matters very cordially, we had to take our leave of our generous hosts and continue on our long way northwards. What a lovely break it was and how delighted we were to have had the opportunity to squeeze in a visit with them!

The Drive Northwards Continues--Montecito and Santa Barabara:

And so, as our journey continued, we made our way along the scenic route, occasionally going past the blue of the Pacific Ocean as at landmark spots such as Malibu. The Pacific Coast Highway is always a joy to drive along and we truly enjoyed it. We had good music in the car to entertain us and we kept our travel spirits up. Just before we got to Santa Barbara (which we had visited before), I requested we drive through Montecito as I have suddenly heard so much about it, being the US residence of Prince Harry. Since it was a Sunday, the place was particularly quieter than usual, but it was still quite interesting to drive around it, to take in the multi-million dollar properties with their high gates, manicured lawns and sprawling gardens. We stopped at a gas station to fill up. The place was called Milpas Motors. We used the facilities and took a few pictures of the antique cars that were parked there for sale—quite swanky indeed--before we continued on our way. As we were all so full, we did not have any intentions of stopping for lunch but kept ourselves snacking healthily on nuts.

Since Santa Barbara was so close by and I was looking for a soap and hand lotion caddied set in TJ Maxx, we stopped in the main street of the pretty town. However, I did not find the items and moved quickly on. Just before we left Santa Barbara, we passed by a Mexican mariachi band crossing the street which provided us with an interesting photo op.

The route was generally quite stimulating visually especially when we passed occasional bodies of water. Of these, Cachuma Lake was especially vast and pretty as we made our way towards Morro Bay. It was not too long before we reached our destination and our accommodation—a place called The Landing at Morro Bay. Yes, it offered wonderful sea views of a very pretty part of California.

Viewing Morro Bay, Glimpsing Morro Rock and Dinner while watching the Buffalo Bills Play:

Just before we arrived at our lodging for the night, we had stopped at In ‘N Out Burgers to pick up dinner as once we reached the hotel, we knew we’d stay put. The Bills were playing tonight and AJ is a huge fan. He and Llew looked forward to catching it on TV. Hence, as soon as we checked in, Llew fiddled around with the TV channels and found the game. The four of us then sat in the same room watching the game as we munched on our burgers and fries and sodas—a true-blue American meal, if ever there was one, as we undertook a true-blue American past-time.

At the end of the day, all that was left was to marvel at our location and to hope that we would explore the huge Morro Rock for which the place is known, on the morrow, in daylight. And on that happy note, we went to bed.

Until tomorrow, see ya’…

Goodbye Connecticut and Hiya California: Phase Four of My Travels Begins

Saturday, October 4, 2025

Fairfield, Connecticut

Goodbye Connecticut and Hiya California: Phase Four of My Travels Begins

The day dawned for our departure from Connecticut. Neither Llew nor I could believe how quickly our week in Fairfield had passed. But we felt a sese of Mission Accomplished as all our doctors’ appointments had been successfully carried out, we had seen most of the friends we wanted to meet, had eaten our favorite dishes at our favorite local restaurants and had even managed to spend a day in New York City. Still, despite the fact that we had yet another long stint of travel to which to look forward, there is always a bitter-sweetness to the departure from a place especially one you have lived in and loved for a very long time.

We had breakfast of bagels and cream cheese. In fact, I also had a pistachio muffin which I had bought from Stop and Shop (another one of my favorite things to eat in Connecticut).We then had two trips to make: one to Mary-Lauren’s porch as she had left some items for me to carry back to Bombay that had been lying in her basement for a while and secondly to our friend, Cathy’s house to pick up bottles of alcohol that had also been left behind with her. With these things in our car, we carried them into Swapna’s place so that we could set down to the daunting task of packing and distributing weight equally among our four suitcases and two carry-ons to make sure we were not overweight. This took a good part of our morning as our suitcases were left downstairs in Swapna’s living room and packing involved bringing all our things downstairs—hence, several trips. However, slowly but surely, we got everything done.

In fact, by the time we finished, it was close to lunch-time. We told Swapna that we wanted to take her and Parth out for lunch, but sadly, she had already made plans to meet a friend for lunch and could not take us up on our offer. However, she was hospitable enough to leave a frozen pizza out for us and in no time at all, Llew and I a pizza lunch as we relaxed until it was time for us to take our showers and leave. Of course, we had said our goodbyes and thanks to Swapna and Parth before they set off for their lunch appointment.

Leaving Connecticut and Arriving at Kennedy Airport:

As our flight departed from Kennedy airport at 7.00 pm, we needed to be at the check-in counter by 5.00 pm. Since we had to give up our rental car at Budget at the airport, we intended to reach the airport at 4.00 pm. and because everyone had told us how awful the traffic on the I-95 is at weekends, we decided to leave the house by 2.30 pm in order to enjoy a last, stress-free drive. I was at the wheel and we did make good time.

When we arrived at the Delta Terminal at JFK, we unloaded our baggage and I stood guard over it outside, while Llew raced off to return our car. It took him almost an hour to return, but when he did, we were able to check in at the drop-off area itself, get our boarding passes, have our baggage weighed and were able to proceed straight to Security. We were still well in time for our flight and sat down to enjoy it fully.

Flight to Los Angeles and a Great Reunion:

It was a smooth and comfortable flight to Los Angeles with darkness falling over the land just about an hour after we were airborne. I did not feel the passage of time at all as I was fully absorbed by Season Five of Yellowstone which I devoured voraciously. I really do enjoy this show very much and binge-watching it is just the way to absorb it. Soft drinks and snacks were passed out but that was it.

We had thick cloud cover upon entry into Los Angeles so that as soon as it cleared, we were on the runway. We were at the baggage carousel retrieving our bags when Chriselle and AJ and their new dog, Gracie, joined us. It was a happy reunion with hugs and kisses and the usual bustle of ensuring all baggage had been received, a cart procured and the walk to the parking lot could be undertaken. It was great to see the new dog who is rumbunctious and full of energy and curiosity (as all puppies are). Before long, we were leaving the airport with AJ behind the wheel. As we had not eaten dinner, we decided to stop at In ‘N Out Burger to pick up burgers (as they are really delicious) and with them in tow, we arrived at our hotel for the night, The Glenmark in Glendale where we had a very comfortable room for the night. We checked in and asked the hotel if we could leave four of our big bags in their storage for the next week as we’d be returning there to check in again in a week’s time. The hotel gladly agreed and we were much relieved as all we had to do was pack small carry-on bags for us to take on our trip. Chriselle and AJ had brought some gifts for us and a care package of nuts and gin and wine and with those thoughtful items left behind for us to enjoy, they bid us goodbye. They would be back at 9.00 am in time to pick us up for the start of our great North Californian Discovery Tour.

And with that, we called it a night and set our alarms to awake in time tomorrow for yet another day of travel adventure.

Until tomorrow, see ya’…

In New York At Last! A Day Involving Happy Reunions, Yet Another Doctor’s Appointment and a Grand Dinner with East African Safari Friends.

Friday, October 3, 2025

Fairfield, Connecticut

In New York At Last! A Day Involving Happy Reunions, Yet Another Doctor’s Appointment and a Grand Dinner with East African Safari Friends.

Finally, after a whole week of being in the New York area, we were able to spend the day in New York City. Hard to believe that having once spent almost every day of our working lives in the USA in Manhattan, we had only scheduled one day for a visit to this most vibrant of cities and that too because we had our appointments with our ophthalmologist scheduled today.

On the Train to New York City:

Accordingly, we left at the crack of dawn as I had scheduled a coffee-morning meeting at 9.30 am with my former NYU colleagues. As the journey takes almost two hours from door to door, we woke up to the setting of our alarms, dressed quietly and were out of Swapna’s home before the household had quite surfaced.

We drove to Fairfield railway station really early as we were not fully familiar with the Day Parking arrangements there and wanted to be well in time to obtain the parking permit before we booked our train tickets and boarded the train, Fortunately, while I held the fort at the car, Llew went off to find the machine that would provide the parking permit. It was all rather seamless actually, and while I awaited his return, I gobbled up the one piece of pizza remaining from our dinner at Vazzy’s last night. Hence, while we did pick up decaff coffees at the little tea stall on the station, it was only Llew who bought a pain au chocolat while I chose to wait to eat more at my meeting with my colleagues.

It was really super fun and super nostalgic to make the train journey into the city. Autumn is definitely in the air at this point and the warm range of colors (reds, yellows, rusts, oranges) were already tinging the trees as we passed through the bucolic settlements of New Canaan and Darien and over the bodies of pretty water that grace the landscape between Connecticut and New York. I had my eyes glued to the window as I took in these sights and did not even realize the passage of time as the train pulled into Harlem across the East River. At Grand Central Station, I parted company with Llew as he went out to try and meet his former colleagues. I hurried towards the subway platform and there a huge drama awaited me.

Trying to Board the New York City Subway:

They say the more things change, the more they stay the same. Well, yes and no. While the Metro-North and subway lines coalesce at the magnificent Grand Central Station (that I had always felt so privileged to use during almost three decades that I lived in New York City), a lot had changed. Yes, in the one year since I had last been into Manhattan, the entire ticketing system had been overhauled. The old Metro-Card that I still carried so proudly in my wallet had been phased out and a new card (the OMNY—One Metro New York) has been introduced. As seniors, both Llew and I are now entitled to the new cards, but to make one, I had to spend at least 45 minutes at the booth where the assistants did not even seem to know what they were doing and irritation began to mount in the queue that formed behind me. Eventually, when it came to the point where I had to pay for my new card, it was discovered that since Llew uses the same credit card to pay for his commuter card, I could not use it too. I had not been carrying another credit card with me on this trip with which to pay and so the entire operation was aborted and I was back to Square One. No doubt, I would also be late for my meeting with my colleagues and I felt mortified. However, they did manage to provide me with a temporary Seniors card (not sure for how long it will be valid) which would also give me the Seniors’ discount. Such an irritating way to begin my day in Manhattan! Meanwhile, as I waited, I had the opportunity to take in the spiffy new changes that have been wrought to a station that was under renovation for at least the last three years of my life as a working commuter into Manhattan. Eventually, I did get on to the train using the new card (nothing has changed in the trains or on the stations) and hurried along the Manhattan streets to get to the venue where we were to meet.

Coffee Morning with my Former Dean and Professor Colleague:

When they got to know that I would be making a visit to NYU, some of my colleagues put the word out that a coffee morning meeting with me would enable a whole bunch of them to see me. However, being that it is a Friday and none of us teach today and do not even come to campus (unless it is for a meeting), it was doubtful I would meet many. Imagine my delight then when my former Dean Julie Mostov invited me for coffee to her apartment in the NYU Faculty Housing—a coffee morning that would also include my former colleague, Prof. Peter Valenti.

Well, I hurried up to the appointed place and apologized for my tardiness and explained the debacle regarding the Metro-Card (now OMNY card), of course they understood. We spent the next hour and a half over delicious nibbles and steaming hot peppermint tea as the two of them brought me up to snuff on the many goings-on at Liberal Studies where I had once taught. There was indeed much to talk about and discuss and my colleagues were very keen for me to continue to be involved although far away. As an Emerita Professor, there is every reason to keep me in the loop and I was happy to absorb everything.

But soon, it was time for me to leave. I realized when I tried to enter one of the NYU buildings that I have an ID card that expired, two years ago. The Security Officer told me to visit the NYU ID Office to have it renewed. Hence, as soon as I left Julie’s place, I made my way there and, within ten minutes, I was the proud recipient of a brand-new ID card which will now magically open all doors for me (at least at NYU!).

Using my new ID, I was then able to go back up to my office at 726 Broadway and, as expected, did not find too many people around. However, I was really delighted to see Billy Helton, a very old friend and administrative colleague who had always been exceptionally helpful to me, over the years that I had worked closely with him. We had a really wonderful visit of about 15 minutes before I had to say goodbye to him and return to my next appointment. With this done, I raced off to my next appointment for the day.

A Long-Pending Visit to the Frick Museum:

The Frick Museum is one of my favorite places in Manhattan and I was delighted to know that after being shut for a very lengthy period (owing to a complete overhaul of the premises), it had re-opened to the public. It was very difficult to get tickets (which are issued strictly by appointment on a timed basis), but I hoped that my Metropolitan Museum ID card would get Llew and me entry into it. Accordingly, we had made plans to meet at the main door of the Museum at 11.30 am and Llew happened to be there already when I arrived. And yes, there was a line snaking along the block, so I did feel a bit embarrassed to go up to the guard and present my credentials as a Docent at the Met (together with my ID card).

Llew and I were granted instant access to the main doors and within seconds we were inside, going through Security and then obtaining our (free) tickets to the venue. For the next hour and a half, we lost ourselves completely in the world of Henry Clay Frick and his monumental collection. Of course, both of us had seen this collection several times before, but one never tires of it. Going back to it repeatedly is like going to say Hullo to old friends. Yes, we were impressed by the newness of the spaces but the general curation of the art works (paintings, sculpture, decorative arts) remains the same. It is such a thrill to walk through the rooms and living spaces of the wealthy and privileged—it takes me back always to another, long-lost era. To be in the same vicinity as the art-loving, affluent New Yorkers of more than a century ago, is a unique experience. And then to dwell on the works themselves is always a deep joy. Yes, the place was mobbed—no doubt about that. But it did not detract from my pleasure in the works.

The best part of this visit for me, however, was the current special, temporary exhibition which is a collection of commissioned porcelain flowers by Ukrainian artist, Vladimir Kanevsky (born 1951) whose works, scattered throughout the rooms, were meant to evoke the floral ambience of the Museum when it first opened to the public in 1935. I have to tell you that I actually had to discreetly touch one of the first exhibits I saw as I simply could not tell whether or not they were real or man-made. What a shock I received when I found them to be made of clay! Last year, I had made a special visit to Boston to see the Glass Flower Gallery, permanently on display at the Harvard Peabody Museum of Natural History. There too I had been blown away by the craftsmanship of the artists, a Polish father-son team. And this year, I was here, viewing this incredible collection of porcelain flowers at the Frick. Truly, it blew my socks away. The flowers are life-size and in the exact colors of their real-life models. There were roses, peonies, lily or the valley, hydrangeas, etc. etc. etc., I mean every possible flower that you could think of was represented in this collection. I simply loved it. I have to say also that the flowers were beautifully arranged, strategically, among the sculptural works themselves. It enhanced the art works so amazingly. Indeed, it was really hard for me to tear myself away from the sculptures but, in the end, we had our eye on the clock and had to leave the Museum. We did manage to see it all but we could not linger. Next year, I think I will return—the crowds will have decreased and I shall allot more time to really admire this exhilarating space.

Lunch with Llew’s colleague at Milu:

Yes, we were in time to see Llew’s former colleague, Amy, at Park Ave South and 24th Street at a pan-Asian place called Milu. It was quite a nondescript place but the food turned out to be quite delicious. You choose a starch, a protein and a vegetable side from a large variety of items on the menu board—very casual. Amy was already there when we arrived and it was delightful to see her and reconnect with her as she is the sweetest person. We chose the crispy chicken over brown rice with broccoli and cauliflower and it was all very healthy and very good indeed. Of course, we chatted non-stop with lovely Amy who gave Llew a lot of news about former colleagues with whom they had both worked as well as about herself, her family members and her own current position. It was a lovey reunion and we enjoyed it thoroughly but then it was time for us to hurry along to our next appointment on the Upper East Side.

Yet Another Medical Appointment—with our Ophthalmologist:

Thank goodness for the NY Subway which got us very easily to our next port of call after we’d thanked Amy for insisting on treating us to lunch and for the really lovely time we’d spent in her company. Within a half hour, we were on the Upper East Side making our way to the basement clinic of our ophthalmologist, Dr. Daniel Rossberger, who is simply the best in his field.

Both Llew and I have been under his care—Llew much longer than me—and have great confidence in his expertise. Yes, we went through the paces of getting our eyes tested through the Reading board, then getting them dilated, the going through the scanners, etc. so that all the readings were taken for both of us. Finally, the doctor himself showed up and did an independent examination before he gave us his assessment of the state of our eyes. Both of us got a fairly clean bill of health and with no further action necessary (at least for the moment), he instructed us to make an appointment to see him next year. And with that, the last of our doctors’ appointments was done and we were free to enjoy the rest of our time in the New York Tristate area. But, for the immediate present, we had a dinner party to attend on Long Island.

Meeting our Friend John at Grand Central Station:

Our dinner party was on Long Island and since we were actually already in Manhattan, it made good sense of us to take the Long Island Rail Road from Grand Central Station itself to get to Syosset where our friends, Doreen and John, are based. It was to their home that we were invited for dinner. But since John happens to be working nearby, we decided to meet him at the station and ride on the train with him. This would give us personal and private time with him and also enable us to get a ride in his car, which was parked at Syosset station, to his home.

Accordingly, Llew and I walked past the hurrying Manhattan crowds at the end of a long work week and arrived at the newly-created LIRR Branch at Grand Central Station that eliminated the need for us to get to Penn Station to take our train. Both Llew and I were thoroughly impressed by the brilliant new maze of walkways and passages and tunnels that have been created along 42nd Street to enable commuters to get to New York from Grand Central Station. There are wide, beautifully lit walkways with clear signage and indications to provide directions. We saw the ticket kiosks and got our tickets--sadly, there are no seats or any place to enable weary commuters to rest—as they have been deliberately removed to discourage the homeless from occupying them. I did find a little quiet spot where I could sit down and in about ten minutes, John joined us.

The train ride to Long Island (my very first, I believe) was quite exciting as we passed by places like Jamaica which have changed enormously since I was familiar with the area more than thirty years ago. In many other respects, it was very similar to our ride into Connecticut on Metro-North trains. In about an hour, we were at Syosset and jumping into John’s car at the station, Within ten minutes then, we were at his home.

Dinner with the Bellomos:

Doreen was all set and ready to welcome us when we walked into her beautiful home after our long day in Manhattan. First of all, it was an absolute joy to see her after we had parted company at Nairobi airport at the end of our East African Safari in August. Her appetizers were set out already on the table and drinks were being fixed by John. Since we did not expect the rest to troop in for at least another hour or two, we savored the private time we had with them as we chatted about their forthcoming travels in India in November. Lauren, their daughter, also joined us and we had a lovely conversation together.

Soon, the rest of the party turned up—Ralph, his wife Lynne and daughter Sacha, following their long drive from Connecticut. For the rest of the evening, we had the best time as chatter flowed easily and we fully relaxed at the beginning of the weekend. When we adjourned to the dining table, we enjoyed Doreen’s vast spread that included Shrimp with Pilaf, Chicken, Pork, Brussels Sprouts and Tiramisu with ice-cream for dessert. Indeed, we feasted like kings and there was not a dull moment around the table as we fully enjoyed ourselves.

But, as all good things must come to an end, Ralph and family dropped us off to Fairfield Station (I must admit I dozed off a bit in the car on the long drive home) where we had parked own car and within fifteen minutes, we were finally home at Swapna’s ready to call it a night.

What an amazing day it had been! Certainly the most eventful since our arrival in the New York Tristate area. But we were knackered and it was with gratitude that we sank back in our beds and switched off the lights.

Until tomorrow, see ya’...