Rodosee's Profile

I'd like to nominate veggiebelly.com --- it's rare that you see a vegetarian blog where you barely notice that the recipes are veggie-only! Her dishes and her photographs are that good.

@Kyle and Ashley: Am transfixed with home and furniture envy. Such restraint with both the modern furniture as well the more traditional textiles, so much lightness and brightness, whimsy and practicalilty (those CD shelves! the blinds...) --- it's a beautiful balance. Feels soothing yet conducive to so much activity.

Especially adore the credenza in your bedroom, the chairs on that pink rug, and all your lights.

Lovely place! Thanks for sharing.

Egad! Can't people just agree to believe that different kids have different interests? I see no reason to assume every child wants 'kid-friendly' art or 'silly, tasteless things' to collect.

I distinctly recall my favourite 'toy' at age 4 being a blue glass paperweight --- it would have certainly escaped notice as a 'toy' in my dad's study, which doubled as my playroom. I was also fascinated by his typewriter, his oversized screwdriver (nearly half my own size, and no, I wasn't allowed to 'play' with it... yet!) and the calender with a sailing ship on it. My most used toy was a pen and a pad of lined yellow paper. (All this over dolls, toy robots, stuffed animals, doll's house, kitchen, cars, mermaids...) I guess the playroom/study looked 'studious' more than 'cute childlike space' --- but it sure didn't stop me from having a rollicking good time.

Let's leave the kids alone to have their fun and grow up happy! And let's praise their mom and dad for doing a darn good job of looking after and providing for them, instead of looking for bugbears of deprivation and abuse in non-existent closets. I for one envy Oscar and Boots their sunny little home --- and would love to see the rest of their parents' place, if they wouldn't mind. Pretty please?

I have to say JasmineIsDomestic has it right, re method. That said, it depends what kind of tea you are using. Do NOT boil or simmer a fine Darjeeling or single estate tea --- not will you have killed the aroma, you risk bitterness! You want a robust Assam or blend thereof for what we call the 'boiled tea' method.

The star anise is, of course, quite untraditional. Not an Indian spice per se, very little local currency except as an 'exotic spice' to us. That said, I find it interesting because --- like ginger and honey --- it reminds me of another ingredient that used to be added in for those feeling a little under the weather: licorice, which has enough notes of similarity. Licorice, sadly, has fallen largely out of favour in everyday cooking.

With all of that going on, this is certainly what we would classify as a 'fortifying' tea rather than an everyday masala chai. What I am missing here --- as others have said --- is pepper! And while we're doing some health-boosting, we'd go ahead and add a few leaves of holy basil (most of India calls it 'tulsi' and it is related to basil, in fact), or the juice thereof, to really clear the pipes and build immunity :-D

Stephanie4180: Re India, I live in Kolkata and have lived in New Delhi, which is very likely to be the airport you fly in through to get to Gangoh.

Many of the things mentioned you will be able to get readily at the airport itself or in nearby malls. It is a major metro and full of expats who shop for all their accustomed mod cons all the time, so no need to lug large packets of the following (bring a small pack, and as long as you have at least half a day before you journey on, you can buy bigger sizes at the nearest mall):

1. make-up wipes --- check at a drugstore or go to the mall for one of the larger supermarkets: Spencer's, Big Bazaar, Reliance, etc

2. Kleenex --- ask for 'tissue paper' in India at the smaller neighhourhood shops that seem to sell groceries; or at a medical store (drugstore); or watch out for urchins selling it at the traffic lights, who come right up to your cab

3. lens solutions --- go to the optician or to the nearest drugstore

4. toilet paper --- yes, you're going to want to carry your own for public toilets (we traditionally clean ourselves with water and not paper, though modern urban Indians are adopting the latter in homes, offices and hotels), but again easily bought at drugstores or supermarkets.

5. disinfectant wipes --- can also be readily bought in urban India; but even more useful is a disinfectant solution, which lasts longer. Again, check at drugstores (medicine stores, here)

6. Soap and shampoo and moisturiser and sunscreen and toothpaste and suchlike --- seriously, people! This is the 21st century. Wake up and smell the globalization! There is not only plenty of soap to be had if you want to buy your own and not use the hotel's, but there are even brands you will recognize from home like Dove, Neutrogena, Clinique, etc. Excellent natural, organic and handmade soaps in India are found in various nice shops (if at a mall, look for a Fabindia store, for one). Yes, it is true that your choices will be v limited in Gangoh itself, but it is not as if you will NOT find these at all --- just perhaps not the range or quality you are used to, especially since you won't be familiar with the local brands.

Re coffee, you COULD bring your own if you are particular, but I beg to differ with Rajju. Southern India has more of a coffee habit than tea, and now that all Indians are travelling all over India and moving across the country to study, work, marry, raise children... yes, you guessed it! There is coffee too. The issue is again an urban/rural divide --- Gangoh is not likely to have great options for coffee. if stocking up in Delhi, you may as well go to a larger supermarket again or to a dedicated grocery store (Le Marche, Food Bazaar, Reliance Fresh, Modern Bazar, many of which are in large market blocks or in malls) and ask for 'Devans' for filter coffee; or just buy Nescafe's better variants if instant is okay by you. Alternatively, walk into one of the many cafe chains (we don't have Starbucks; we do have Barista, Cafe Coffee Day, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Costa, and sundry others) to pick up your French press or filter kit and a pack of Illy, Lavazza or the house blend. Most of these are grown in India --- you did know Illy and Lavazza buy much of their coffee from India, right? That's right!

Unless you plan to actually WEAR a saree or decorate with it back home or some such, there is really no need to buy a saree. Get an extra sheet, for heaven's sake! Scarves can be found in Kolkata if you know where to look, but are far far more common in the cooler north of the country. A dupatta is a fine idea --- and for eff's sake, they don't ALL bleed! I've washed my coloured ones and white ones together in a machine for a decade with no issues; but yes, if you're buying off the street or out of a smaller shop, it's best to know they MAY bleed. A BETTER idea is a shawl. Yes, you can bring one; yes, you can also buy one here, though you MAY be cheated in terms of the fibre content unless you are shopping at a better branded store or at a state-run emporium. But this time of year, there are enough shawls and dupattas to buy everywhere.

The best thing you could buy --- again, ask at the smaller neighbourhood stores or a medical store for advice and help, or better still, go to a place that seems to be selling kitchen things (pots, pans etc) of some variety in a busy market or ask at a supermarket --- is a water filtration system you can carry with you. Bottled water can be spurious or contaminated (ALWAYS check the seal, but be aware that it is easy to replace the original with a fair copy easily enough), especially if you are in a smaller town and find you haven't many options. So what you want is either a small pen-like device that 'e-boils' the water --- basically kills the germs with ultraviolet radiation; or a small filter (the size of a large spice jar) that you can fit to any tap to get drinking water from. You will still want to buy bottled water, for carrying with you and storage; but at least this way you have a back-up system.

Bring shoes you can wash or scrub; or those you don't mind getting bashed around. Yes, flip-flops are handy is security or muck turn out to be an issue (depends where you stay and what you plan to do); but again, easily bought for less than a dollar by the roadside, and for a couple of dollars at a large shoe store like Bata or Bharat (even smaller towns have these); and if you have fussy feet like me, just go to the nearest sports brand store (Nike, Puma, Adidas, Fila, whatever floats your boat) --- again found in any big mall or market neighbourhood (commercial areas) in big cities. Personally, I'm a fan of Crocs, though more expensive. You can even pour bleach or boiling water on them for hygiene concerns, and they look just as solidly clunky as ever. :-D

For garments, yes, Gangoh will be godawfully cold around now. Bring thick sweaters and warm long underclothes, a cap or a hooded jacket too. Bring extra socks and mitts. A muffler is handy, though a woollen shawl or scarf would be more versatile. It's also pretty damp, so avoid things that feel clammy in humid weather or don't dry fast. Woollen pants or hiking pants that stand up to the elements are better than jeans for comfort as well as compactness. Keep the 'nice' clothes to one or two outfits (you might be tempted to buy them here, much cheaper!). Get tops and bottoms that cover your arms and legs --- pants are better than long skirts (being quite similar to traditional salwar-kameez outfits) and more versatile; but be aware that you will attract attention if you wear very 'body-conscious' clothing. It helps if your tops are longer, tunic-length; but then again, no one really expects you to 'fit in', they know you are not from these parts and put your 'eccentricity' down to your 'foreign-ness', don't worry!

There is often no room heating because electricity is unreliable and construction (brick and mortar, concrete) does not allow for easy retro-fitting of vents etc. Power cuts for several hours a day mean even the presence of a space heater will not help you all that much. You may or may not have access to hot water, so I'd keep that in mind (if you're planning to wash your clothes in a bucket or sink) and pack extra. (No, don't panic --- deo or anti-perspirant is also readily bought if you find yourself unwashed a bit too long for comfort!) Generally, hotels and hosts will help you to hot water with a little notice --- it just may come in a bucket or a kettle rather than out of a tap, in some cases. If there is a geyser (to heat tap water) in the bathroom, it will need to be switched on about 10-15 minutes before you want said hot water. Yes, it will be switched off most of the time. Very expensive else.

And don't be self-conscious about the 'namaste' --- not a common greeting all over because the language differs and the gesture is a fairly formal one; but recognized everywhere for the polite greeting it is and appreciated likewise.

What you DO want to being are your medicines. Equivalents will be known by very different names or may not be readily available in smaller towns especially.

Good luck, Stephanie, and hope you enjoy your visit to India. We're not so bad, really!
:-D

Love this! Could definitely see myself there, even with small family and dog! So very functional and positively spacious thanks to that nifty Murphy bed.

Personally, an oven is a 'new' middle-class luxury appliance in India, where I come from --- and built-in ones are really a novelty except for the upper and upper-middle classes here. Most people who DO have an oven at all just have counter-top toaster oven --- which is all I need to make a festive/holiday dinner for 30, including the breads, the cakes, and assorted veggies and curries. Done that enough times to live to tell the tale --- just did not involve an American turkey roast, but then I'm not American, nor Christian. Several hams and chickens went in, though. I've had that, microwave, washing machine and stovetop in a kitchen that size! Refrigerator lived in the living room.

Speaking of... I'm perfectly certain that is NOT a dishwasher, but a small fridge --- I have its twin! Did for our family of four adults for a long time, until we developed a more itinerant lifestyle that involves long periods away from home. Even so, we only got a bigger fridge (what Americans consider small I think, Europeans still consider very large and swanky, and most Indians find entirely shocking) because I don't want to eat takeout on my first day coming home after a bit of travelling, nor can you go to the wet market in the middle of the day or the evening (have to wait for morning).

Bathtub, again, a luxury item where I come from rather than the norm. Here in India, people are scared of children drowning in a tub! Most middle-class homes have open showers in an open wetroom. Upper-middle class gets glass partitions or curtains. My new (and high-end) home came with a tub --- which I use maybe 5-6 times a year. So 'just a shower' is entirely a non-issue.

In short, this seems almost luxuriously grand to me, and yes, I would if it meant getting to stay in one of my favourite cities in the world!

What I DO wonder is whether there's a laundromat on the premises or nearby, since I don't see one in the plan. (Though again, for years, I've done my washing by hand, in a bucket. Just like almost everyone washes their dishes by hand in my country. At best, you pay someone else to do the big pots and pans for you.)

I love that you chose to go dark rather than bright in Minnesota, and made such a calm, cozy space of it --- such a lovely complement, and such a lovely compliment, to your outdoors here! And such a fantastic reminder that 'colour' doesn't necessarily mean a bright, pop-sy 'box of crayons' interior. Whether you win the big one or not, congratulations and kudos on your lovely home.

Good simple design, very practical, reclaimed materials, attractive and functional -- all excellent points in its favour. Where I stop short of three stars is the hyping up of it as a custom collection solution. It is a media centre/console -- if nothing more were claimed for it, I'd understand. But like someone else noted, unless it can be customized to all sorts of collections (even just all sorts of media collections), it's making much too tall a claim --- or a claim in the wrong direction (great use of reclaimed would be a better selling point, say).

Too late to vote, but love the clever use of offcuts

small correction: think you mean bamboo is naturally ANTI-microbial