I learned that citizens from 180 nationalities call Amsterdam home. That explains the variety of cuisines you can find here. On a single street there are restaurants from India, Thailand, Malaysia, Mexico, Argentina, Italy, Japan, Brazil, China and more! The culture here has always been freedom of expression and will, which explains why Amsterdam is a […]
On my return from New Delhi to Atlanta this past week, I had a 11 hours layover in Amsterdam. In a way, I was glad about it. I have traveled extensively in Europe but never had the opportunity to visit Holland (or Netherlands). I was very close to moving there once in 2008 while working […]
Volunteers Initiative Nepal or VIN is a Nepal based not-for-profit organization that was founded in 2005 by Bhupendra Ghimire (Bhupi). Bhupi grew up in a remote village in Nepal where he had to walk three hours a day to school. He was one of the few students from his village to complete graduation and later on went […]
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when it came to Nepali cuisine. All I could infer is that Nepal’s neighbors India, Tibet and China would have some role to play in it. That truly turned out to be the case. Food in Nepal can be categorized into three main categories – Nepali, Tibetan and […]
The Golden Temple in Amritsar is one of the most spiritual places in India. The temple is a Sikh temple (aka gurduwara). It was constructed in 1604. Made entirely of gold, the temple is simply spectacular in its architecture and beauty teaching lesson of egalitarianism and humility. Even though I grew up in north India, […]
New Delhi, the capital of India is perhaps the only city in the world where a vast number of different religions coexist with much harmony. The population of India is majority Hindu, but also includes a good number of Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, Jews and Zoroastrians. If you want to visit all their places […]
The past week has been rather interesting and insightful. I have been in India, acting as a host and guide to my dear friend, Gina. This is her first time visiting India, even Asia. She is originally from US but currently living in Spain. The first day we took a drive in Delhi, Gina pointed […]
Over the years I have met many people who are apprehensive about taking a cruise, and yet other who wouldn’t travel any other way. To be honest, being a restless borderline ADD person, I was quite skeptical about cruise vacations myself. Being locked in one place for days at a time is surely not my […]
Growing up in India, Diwali was a huge affair. It is a festival celebrated by all of India (Hindu or not), sort of like New Year’s. Known as the festival of lights, the victory of good over evil, homecoming of Lord Rama and welcoming Goddess Lakshmi, Diwali is the biggest festival in India. The scene […]
Who says you can’t eat lobster for every course? Well, not dessert (I think) but I did eat these wonderful lobster dishes while in Maine last week. Not one was overcooked, which is typically how you find it in the south. Sweet juicy lobster meat was delicately seasoned, sometimes not at all, so that you […]
This coming weekend, I will be presenting at the Travel Adventure Show in Atlanta. I will be cooking a dish from Cyprus for the Fiery Food Challenge. The dish is Halloumi with Red Peppers, Capers and Olives Dressing. It is hearty, spicy and delicious with layers of different flavors creating an explosion in your mouth! Halloumi […]
Located 20 minutes away from downtown Portland, in Crescent Beach is the Inn by the Sea. It is rated as one of the best hotels in the world by Travel & Leisure 2011. After spending two magical nights here, I can surely see why! A perfect romantic getaway, with your better half and man’s best […]
When I visited Morocco last Fall, I took cooking lessons from the locals, indulged in the native food and came home with some cookbooks for reference. Eating at home in Rabat was very different than eating at Moroccan restaurants. There were a variety of vegetables that were used in everyday cooking (and were delicious) which […]
Finally gave in and tried this odd combination that has been raved about in magazine and on food shows! (Opening episode of the Food Network‘s show Dweezil & Lisa; Travel Channel‘s show Man v. Food.) An establishment started by Shangha Hankerson, son of famous R&B singers from the south, Glady’s Knights and Ron Winans Chicken and Waffles has […]
In this recipe, Chef Zouhair Zariri, author of the book, Moorish Fusion Cuisine: Conquering the New World combines two of his favorite ingredients, fennel and artichoke to make a light, healthy soup that combines flavors of East and West. With the chill of fall creeping in, it is the perfect comfort food with a twist. Serves 6 […]
This was my first time taking a hot air balloon ride so you can tell I was excited. I woke up at 4:45am, took a quick shower and headed on to The Westin Kierland hotel lobby for an early morning pickup. Rainbow Ryders, Inc. were my trusted company for the adventure while flying over the […]
Perhaps one of the most dazzling dinners was one that I recently ate at the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona. Inside the resort is this cool, hip Nuevo-Latino restaurant named Daseo (meaning desire), as you are left with a strong desire to take home a doggy bag after dinner, even though you […]
Over the past few years, I have stayed away from lasagna, even though I love it. Reason being I was trying to heat healthy when given the option, and avoiding red meats. But when my friend, Sami brought over a large pan of her homemade organic lamb lasagna, I gave it a try and was […]
Cooking instructor and a good friend, Durrain and I hosted a fundraising dinner for the Horn of Africa this past weekend. We cooked an African inspired dinner for about 50 people and invited neighbors, family and friends. The event was held at Durrain and Navaz’s clubhouse in Kennesaw, GA. According to the news media 29,000 […]
Expedition Give is like The Amazing Race with a unique charity twist. Giving101 organized the race third year in Atlanta. In this five-hour scavenger hunt, teams of two race all over the city collecting items, taking pictures, and completing community service projects to earn points. Teams with the most points take home some prizes. It […]
