Amsterdam...again

Nikhil, Kerin and Victor are on the move...this time to London! Before they left we had one last hurrah with them in the Netherlands. We met in Amsterdam and stayed at this adorable hotel that we picked for its name: The Dylan. 

 Our cousin Dave also came from Germany to hang with us. We explored Amsterdam by bike, enjoyed lots of rose wine and caviar (!!), dined at another Michelen starred restaurant before saying goodbye.

Solskinsøen

"The sunshine island," or Bornholm, was the next destination on our trip. 

I was looking for great bike routes for families and I stumbled on an place called Bornholm, an island not too far from Copenhagen in the Baltic Sea. It seemed perfect for us, and we decided that we would fly into Copenhagen, have a short visit with "cousin Elisabeth," my grandmother's first cousin living nearby, then we would head to the sunny island. We were so happy to learn that my cousin Christian, Elisabeth's son, now lives on Bornholm. Not only does he live there, but he works at Gaarden, the center for culinary heritage, a working farm and agricultural museum with all sorts of cool workshops and courses happening there. He's totally plugged in to whats happening on the island. Bornholm is a place that is obsessed with its local food heritage and highlighting its uniqueness in local farm shops, ice cream stands and elegant dining experiences alike. We had the special treat of dining at the Michelin starred restaurant on the island, Kadeau, which serves a menu full of ingredients picked from local gardens put together to make the most beautiful dishes that left us feeling perfectly satisfied. As a side note, the staff was incredibly patient with Miss Dylan, who was growing a little tired and impatient as course after course came by. We rented bikes and toured around the island, up and down the hills of the north, and then back to the south via the rolling hills of one of the few major roads through the island. The whole island is just beautiful. We found the people warm, the local beers excellent, and the food even better. It's only a matter of time before this hidden gem of an island will be discovered by the masses. 

Skål to Christian for being an incredible host to us, cooking for us, taking us on the unofficial eating tour of the island, introducing us to the Gaarden museum, and for sharing the charm of Bornholm with us. 

Tasting the traditional smokehouse prepared fish.

Biking around the island...the many beautiful scenes en route and quiet of the island were the perfect setting for Dylan to take a nap.

Winding down after our first day on the island. Enjoying a beautiful sunset from our hotel room balcony.

Click here to see a video of the choir that assembles to sing the postal and ferry boats off as they depart from Gudhjem to the archipelago island Christiansø. It was a little windy when we were there, so you'll have to listen carefully to hear what they're singing. 

Visiting Gaarden. Dylan picking fresh parsley. The pamphlet was designed by Christian! The lady with the bowl on her lap is making mustard in the traditional way by rolling a cannon ball over mustard seeds and water until a mustard paste is made. Dylan watching the horses and David testing his horse-power strength.

The best hot dog EVER. Hallegaard farm, the tucked away spot that must be found. Delicious beers too, this one made with the vitamin C-rich berry, Havtorn. 

Incredible ice cream, pork sandwiches, and beers, all in Svaneke. Dylan strolling through the streets of this quaint harbor town. 

The beach, view from the dunes, and the lighthouse on the south side of the island. The boardwalk down to the beach has a "fire island feel," which made it...special.

Kadeau delights. All meals should be like this.

First stop...UK

Another vacation week has come and gone too fast. As usual, we packed a lot into one trip. After another painfully long delay just getting out of the DC airports, we flew overnight to Heathrow. Jill had already been in the UK for two weeks at a summer program at Oxford, we really wanted to visit her there. But first we made a pit stop at my aunt and uncles home in Kingsbury. Last time I saw them neither of us had babies. I can't believe that this was the first time I could meet Raagini ("Ragu") & Vivaksha ("Viva"), who are now 6. Dylan had so much fun watching them and learning from them. Amazingly, my brothers family also happened to be in London house hunting, and they were able to join us too. When Victor showed up, the three of them ran upstairs to where the keyboard was, and all started playing songs for each other. Victor performed his bands song "underloaded" which included some air guitar and Michael Jackson dance moves. Shankar chased after Dylan, constantly making sure that she was ok. Jyotika prepared this amazing meal for us and the kids talked about the Hindu goddess Annupurna, and that food should not be wasted to respect this goddess of food. It was so nice to catch up with everyone. When my dad was sick, Jyotika (my dad's sister in law) stopped working and came to the US to stay with him and help care for him - she took the best care of him. My siblings and I were, and are still so grateful for all that she did for him and us at that time. 

After a too short visit, we jumped in the car to Oxford. The rental service gave us the biggest Mercedes I have ever seen!  I didn't know they made cars that big in the UK. David did an amazing job navigating the tight roads and busy roundabouts, all on the opposite side of the road! When we got to Oxford, we found a beautiful campus but more important than that, a really, really happy Jill!!! Jill was loving camp, being abroad, walking around town to her favorite sandwich shop. We didn't have a lot of time together, but we were able to have dinner together and spend some time walking around the Oxford yards - a beautiful park tucked in the middle of the Oxford campus. 

Jill got henna done earlier in the day, and greeted us as so... then we went to this nice restaurant around the corner and Dylan decides she's going to put her feet on the table. These girls...

More on our next stops to come...

DC Pride Parade

Last year we missed the DC pride weekend and all the festivities, so we were eager to be a part of the scene this year. So much fun energy in this city! Here are a few pictures...

This weekend last year we were in NY for my med school graduation and for Nane and Poppy's 60th wedding anniversary celebration. It's hard to believe that a year has already come and gone since then. Today happens to be Nane and Poppy's 61st anniversary - happy anniversary to the best couple!!! xoxoxo

Summer fun at the park

Cousins!

Dylan got to enjoy the past few days with her cousins on Daddy's side of the family - cousin Isabel had her Bat Mitzvah yesterday near Annapolis, bringing lots of family near to us. Here are a few good pics of Dylan with her cousins. There are only a few...it is getting much harder to photograph her now that she's always on the move! 

Mazel Tov Isabel 💚

How to juice: beet carrot apple ginger

A friend of mine recently asked me for a step by step explanation of how to make juices at home, so I thought I would share the instructions here in case others were interested. 

I use this Breville juicer - its easy to use, has a big mouth for your veggies/fruits (so you don't have to chop them very small), and its relatively easy to clean.

For my favorite juice, beet carrot apple ginger, remember 3,2,1 and ginger. 3 carrots, 2 apples (you can cut back on this to make it less sweet though), 1 beet and a nice piece of ginger.

Wash your veggies/fruits, then roughly chop your beets and apples so they fit in the juicer.

This is what it looks like when its done! Give it a mix before you drink. I like to drink my juices cold. If I am bringing them to work, I'll put them in an insulated mug with a few ice cubes in there so it stays cold. If at home, I like to serve over ice. 

Finally, to make it super easy for the next time, wash your parts immediately after (even before you enjoy your juice) - its easier to clean then. 

Enjoy!!