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Redwoods, Rhododendrons and the Pacific Coast

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Over the last two and a half decades, we have road tripped the length of the Pacific coast from British Columbia down to California numerous times. The untamed and moody Pacific coast has a magnetic charm, but after our latest trip to the Northern California coast and the Redwood forests, I realized I have never written about the uniqueness of this coast. Redwoods and Rhododendrons May/June is the rhododendron season in the Redwoods National Park, part of the California coastal forests. We planned this trip in early June to catch the rhododendron blossoms if we were lucky enough. We chanced upon a lot of rhododendrons among the beautiful, dense redwoods of the Ladybird Johnson trail. The delicate, pastel hued, transient native rhododendrons blooming against a backdrop of giant, resilient, timeless redwood trees is an example of a perfect contrast as well as a beautiful harmony. Like any partnership, is this conflict intentional? We spent too much time walking the Redwood forests , and ...
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Review - "The Lion Women of Tehran" by Iranian American author Marjan Kamali

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  “Lionesses. Us. Can't you just see it Ellie? Someday, you and me — we'll do great things. We'll live life for ourselves. And we will help others. We are cubs now, maybe. But we will grow to be lionesses. Strong women who will make things happen.” The Lion Women of Tehran’ closed the gap I felt when reading ‘ The Stationery Shop’ - Marjan Kamali’s previous book on the same time period in Iran. The author keeps the reader completely invested in the lives of two lifelong friends Elaheh “Ellie” Soltani and Homa Roozbeh. Their childhood friendship goes through class differences, long separations, betrayals, and reunions, but survives many decades into their old age because of their inherent trust in the relationship. The story comes alive because the socio-political turbulence of Iran is always intertwined with the protagonists' personal lives. The degradation of democracy and women’s rights continues as power is passed from Prime Minister Mossadegh to the Shah regime in t...
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2025 - an inward journey

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   As I mindlessly scrolled through Instagram Reels bidding goodbye to 2025, one post caught my eye - "20 things I did for the first time in 2025". Well, I don't have a list of twenty things, but I do have two interesting first timers: 1) I danced with my son at his wedding while 200+ guests watched me! Never in a million years did I think I could do this. And I wouldn't have been able to, without Ponti gently guiding me through the whole experience. For the three minutes on the floor, I actually forgot to be self-conscious and enjoyed matching my steps with the lyrics of ' Forever Young ' and the incredible voice of Joan Baez . 2) I hiked Aravaipa canyon in Arizona with multiple river crossings, sometimes in knee deep water.  I have never hiked through water, and this was a delightful and slightly challenging experience I got to share with my family. I actually went off trail and got lost at the beginning of the hike (also happened the first time ever in all...
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Three remarkable female authors - Lisa Genova, Brianna Craft and Suleika Jaouad

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“She’s bipolar. That word gets thrown around without a medical license all the time, mostly by boys to describe girls as crazy. It’s a derogatory dart meant to demean and dismiss its target. This latest book from Lisa Genova is funny, stark, poignant, and at times very dark. It is the journey of college freshman Maddy Banks as she receives a life altering diagnosis of bipolar disorder. As Maddy swings in cycles between her manic state, to one of severe depression, and tries to find a balance with the support of her medication, her therapist and some close friends and family - the reader also learns how to tread the waters of mental illness with empathy and hope. Like other books from Lisa Genova, this is a significant book with immense potential for contribution to the understanding of mental health challenges and the severity of bipolar disorder.  Maddy struggles, sinks to the lowest points, but remains resolute, and stand-up comedy seems to be her coping mechanism. After months ...
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2024 - the year life evolved

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  When we made a trip to Arizona to spend a few days in Monument valley and Canyon de Chelly in March 2024 , we loved the experience but did not anticipate that we would be coming back for two more trips to Arizona this year. Watching the first pink glow of morning sunrise hitting Needles - the sandstone spires in Monument valley-  as our Navajo guide regaled us with beautiful myths and stories of the indigenous culture that have carried forward for generations through word of mouth, was a very different experience than we usually have in our National Park trips. The guided jeep tour through the floors of Canyon de Chelly with the towering canyon walls, wild horses, very adventurous water crossings as our articulate and knowledgeable Navajo guide narrated the wonderful Navajo settlement history in these canyons, the history of invasion by Spanish and the ‘White man’ (as he put it), petroglyphs and the ruins of Navajo settlements was so enlightening.  Shortly after, we lea...
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Iceland - Fire, Ice and Wind!

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Iceland had been on our minds for over a decade - ever since we watched Bollywood stars Kajol and Shahrukh prancing around on the stunning black sand beaches of Vik, under the sharp and craggy peaks of Vestrahorn, and behind the Seljalandsfoss waterfalls - in the famous ‘Gerua’ song. After settling the debate on whether Kajol looks better in the yellow saree or the red one, the real question came up - when can we plan a trip to Iceland? Well, it took 10 years, but it did happen this September! Few things that really made our jaws drop or were a first timer for us : Gender neutral bathrooms - This was such a natural thing and we saw it even in so many small coastal towns/ roadside rest areas. After the shock and resistance the first couple of times, we got used to it 🙂 Rainbow streets - Iceland celebrates diversity and has a famous pride parade every year in Reykjavik. It is striking that most of the rainbow streets lead up to churches, in Reykjavik but also in smaller cities like...
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Hüzün and Learnings - Wrapping up 2023

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When I take stock of a normal year in December, I tend to think in terms of the vacations we went on, the warm moments spent with family (this year was made extra special by the rambunctious and adorable Iggy), and oddly enough, the highlights of what  transpired at work. I also divide the year in terms of the books I read, when I read them, where I was while reading a specific book, and the characters that have lived on and evolved in my heart - long after I have finished the book. The last book I read this year was Orhan Pamuk's 'Istanbul'. It is about the city and the Bosphorus strait, but it is more about the essence of Hüzün - melancholy - the permanent state of the city. He describes how Hüzün sets in on Istanbul, as the sun sets early in the evenings, in the teahouses packed with unemployed men, or the discolored and dusty apartment buildings looking over the Bosphorus. A city that has embraced its ruins but longs for the old glory of the Ottoman empire. People of...
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