A different and fun workout !

All exercise is good exercise...... especially if it's fun...and badminton is fun !

Didn't have any net or any field, we just went outside and played.

I must admit we where a little rusty in the beginning....

Happy with the rackets that I found on sale ! Don't think we've had any better.

What did you do for exercise today ?

Today I went to Paris....ienne.

I was recommended to go to Les Parisiennes last time I was in Hauz Khas....so today the car headed for

Dada Jungi House in Shahpur Jat. Actually to 5B because that's where 

Les Parisiennes is

it's a vintage store that also has a café. I was there for the decor ( couldn't take any pictures !! )

Old lamps and mirrors.....it's really quirky and fun. They have vintage clothes for women and a new brand for men and also children clothes. 

The Dada Jungi House is not big place but lots of designers and it really reminds me of Hauz Khas..

They say that this is the new and upcoming "Hauz Khas."...I'm not so sure about that.....but hey....who knows what the future brings.

Feel like going ?

It's better with, how many birds, in the bush than one in the hand, or......

Just trying to be funny....my mother asked about the peacocks yesterday..... lately they have been so difficult to spot because it's so green and lush out in our "bush" below. I do hear them every morning though...the screaming cats are out there !

This morning I was lucky .....

I only saw the small male .....

the other day when I was walking to the pool , with my eyes on the phone, I all of a sudden looked up and guess what, a BIG peacock scared the living daylights out of me....he was walking towards me in this really narrow alley....when you come up as close as I did I can tell you that they are quite big....I fumbled with my phone trying to get a close up but....of course he was more scared of me than I of him so he flew up on a roof of one of the houses .....I do hope I meet him one day because now I'm prepared....I always look where I'm going in that alley...

I did see some of the deers with the socks today also but they hid below the trees....don't want their pictures taken....

A little trip to Bel Air

What to do on a sunday ? Why not take a trip to Bel Air ....

We where picked up at 12 and arrived at 12.10.....not bad ha.....

Actually we went looking at an apartment at Bel Air just a short drive from here...

( next door is Palm Springs....)

we really like the one we have now but.......it never seems to get finished around here...

the pool and club house that they promised us no later than march and then july -august is another at least 6 months away......so today we started looking...It was a really nice apartment, just some minor things to get done but otherwise really nice. This one was on the first floor...we live on the 20th at the moment ! 

We are going to look at some other ones also and then we'll see what happens.
When we got back home I decided to make a kladdkaka......best one ever actually.....

(I must be the only one who up until today ! can't bake a kladdkaka properly)

fika + a movie = lazy yummy sunday afternoon

Recipe?....google kladdkaka ( arla's recipe )

Easy peasy

Same but so not the same

You won't believe how much I miss the ocean, the sea.......so when I saw this grass the other day...... it reminded me of the grass by the sea....it was flowing in the wind .....but the back ground was so different....the hard high rise buildings.....

the differences between home and here are so vast that sometimes it's hard to handle.

Long luxurious breakfast

Today I had the most luxurious breakfast ever

I made ricotta pancakes and topped it of with a chausa mango.....don't forget my swedish coffee..

why it was long ? 

I started reading my new travel guide.....

She's made it so appealing starting with the little fabric bag it came in, to the cover which is in fabric and the way she presents Delhi in writing....it's really good.....it's an australian lady named Fiona Caulfield who has done a couple of these Love travel guides....

After all those calories I'm off to the pool for a long workout...

see ya later ...alligator

First swim meet

Well not my first swim meet ever, but first one in India took place today. It was all the Manav Rachna schools from Noida, Faridabad and Gurgaon that came together at the school in sector 46. ( the school where I coach the girls ) 

I knew it would be a different experience... and it was. Biggest thing was the IST .....it felt like it really stretched today...the girls , we , where told to come at 8 and it would start at 9 but by 10.15 and no meet up and running I was starting to wonder ( and sweat like crazy...)

no back stroke flags....at first I couldn't find the starter because he was behind all the swimmers !

I don't think there where any rules of how you could swim the strokes ( but I will find out about that on saturday ) , meaning almost everyone should have been disqualified in breaststroke for instance,( read international rules rec. to FINA ), if only one swimmer ended up at the starting blocks they didn't have to swim it, they got a gold medal anyhow !!

the youngest ones swam 25 meters of each stroke, no fly and the rest swam 50 and 100 in all strokes

each swimmer could enter 3 events and 3 girls in each event from each school

for some of the girls it was their first time at a swim meet so lots of nerve but they did so good !!!

the girls where cheering the boys on and some of the boys where cheering on the girls

Last event at the meet where the relays and we won !!! 4x50 freestyle !! Happy happy girls

Almost everything around the swim meet was run by the seniors at school, speaker,timers and so forth and I must say they did a really good job.......and 

before the meet started the cheerleaders did a dance by the poolside 

We where lucky today because the rain started at the end but most importantly...the thunder and lightning didn't come until it was almost over ! 

Conclusion of the day: I have never been so hot and so sweaty at any swim meet and I have never welcomed the rain at an out door swim meet as I did today !

Manhattan on Golf course road

Last night we tried out a new restaurant ...Manhattan on Golf course road ....in the mercedes building straight across Strikers.

They have their own brewery but they need to work on the beer because none of them where in my taste ( at the moment they had 3 ) Instead I tried to get a lager but.....they had none so I ended up with a Corona.....the food turned out to be really good though....the music was perfect showing on big screens...there's a big stage so I guess they will have live music 

hence the food we will definitely come back and by then I hope they have improved  their beer...the manager told us that they are aiming for 6 different ones from the brewery

Jagannath Temple Hauz Khas

Right outside the entrance to Hauz Khas village there's this white temple, Jagannath Temple. It sure does look different from other temples around here so of course I have been curious... the craftsmanship that has been put into making this temple is impressive

The temple is famous for it's annual Ratyhatra festival attended by thousands of devotees.

I haven't figured out when that is so..today I would have needed to speak Hindi.

Lord Jagannath meaning Lord of the universe looks like this

also 

Jagannath is worshipped as part of a triad on the jewelled platform along with his  brother Balabhadra and his sister Subhadra by his devotees. 

By now I guess you've figured out that I was in Hauz Khas today. I was on  a mission....( I ended up spending lots of time in the store because the rain hit and guess where I kept my umbrella ?

stupid little me left it in the car....as if it would come to use in there right...)

 for interior design at Country collection ! they have so many wonderful things.....I was at the small store at DT Mega mall the other day but they didn't have what I was looking for so.....

yes, I did find some nice things, but you will have to check in a couple of days to see what....

I did go to Lolas world also, of course, chatted with the ladies....looked at the sale...and can't wait to see   

the new designs from Chloe'....

What's this ? I wonder......

If you want to know where we are going for dinner tonight check in later and I'll show you.

Guess where I went today ?

Today I had to stop at......yes. you're right.......Starbucks....

they just opened up at Ambience Mall here in Gurgaon

Why did I have to stop?

 Well, I wanted a tumbler....so that I can bring my coffee to the pool in the mornings

Have't found one elsewhere so....perfettomento...bought a gift for Mats also...for all of you who don't know what's illustrated on the mug.....it's

India gate on front and you can never guess what's on the back ?!

a cricket player...the only sport that really counts in this country..... Don't start asking me questions about cricket now because I can't answer any......google it ! What I can tell you is that the first Starbucks opened up at Pike Place Market  in Seattle in 1971.....and I have been there. It's a must if you're in Seattle.

Happy Birthday Axel

Happy Birthday my dear son !

I can not believe that 21 years have gone by since you where born.

I sure hope you get to have a great day.

Lots of hugs from us and I so wish I was there.

A hand embroidered postcard from me

India possesses a vast repertoire of embroidery techniques, each with its own individual character and style. The embroideries range from the very simple running stitch to the highly sophisticated court embroideries, while variations in materials and stitch types reflect the place of origin of the embroideries. 

An Imperial evening

I had one wish for my birthday and that was that we go to The Imperial Hotel in Delhi ! and guess what....

my wish was granted

 Back in 1911 when King Emperor George V declared New Delhi as the capital of India, the Imperial was built and run by S.B.S Ranjit Sangh.

There are 24 king palm  leading up to the porch.....

and once inside.....

Fancy fancy ( only store in Delhi )

so first we went on a tour of the hotel because it's also famous for it's art collection ( also called the museum hotel ). It has a priceless collection of "British Art on India". 

You really need some time to look at the collection...I liked this one...this is India in fairytale books for me but it wasn't fairytales....

We just had to have a drink before dinner so we went to the 1911 bar

the OLD LADY...what we had? champagne and singapore slings...yummy

We had made reservations at The Spice Route. It's heralded as top ten in the world ! by Conde' Nest Traveler....we understand why...

just walking in there was an experience in itself...all hand painted..

They gave us a tour of the restaurant..really interesting....and so beautifully done...

The food and wine was soooooooo good, the service was the best I have ever experienced, 

we could swim in those wine glasses.. and when you thought that it couldn't get any better..

the staff surprised me ( us ) with a birthday cake....hmmmm

I already look forward to next time.

History of The ImperialHistory of The Imperial

The Imperial Hotel is connected to a fascinating part of history of the city as well as India. It was during the year 1911 when King Emperor George V had declared New Delhi as the Capital of India. The Imperial was built and run by S.B.S. Ranjit Singh.

Presently the hotel is owned by Sardar Hardev Singh Akoi and Sardar Jasdev Singh Akoi, grandsons of the Late Sardar Bahadur Ranjit Singh and managed by the firm M/s Akoi Saab.

The 24 king palms that lead up to the porch are an integral part of and witness to the very creation of New Delhi. The Hotel was designed to be one of the finest monuments of Lutyens’ grand vision of the Capital City’s original master plan - a unique blend of Victorian, Old colonial and Art Deco styles. The hotel was named and conferred the exquisite Lion Insignia by Lady Willingdon.The Imperial Hotel is connected to a fascinating part of history of the city as well as India. It was during the year 1911 when King Emperor George V had declared New Delhi as the Capital of India. The Imperial was built and run by S.B.S. Ranjit Singh.

Presently the hotel is owned by Sardar Hardev Singh Akoi and Sardar Jasdev Singh Akoi, grandsons of the Late Sardar Bahadur Ranjit Singh and managed by the firm M/s Akoi Saab.

The 24 king palms that lead up to the porch are an integral part of and witness to the very creation of New Delhi. The Hotel was designed to be one of the finest monuments of Lutyens’ grand vision of the Capital City’s original master plan - a unique blend of Victorian, Old colonial and Art Deco styles. The hotel was named and conferred the exquisite Lion Insignia by Lady Willingdon.