[EAT][TRAVEL] Portland, OR Day 1

[EAT]

We started our first day in rainy Portland - the bike city. A lovely drizzle greeted us as soon as we stepped out of PDX. Ravenous and famished after missing our early morning flight - first stop was Broder - a Swedish restaurant for breakfast.

The weather was getting really beautiful after the early morning drizzle. The drive from PDX to the cafe was lovely - lush greenery all around. The place was packed - but the wait was worth it.I had read a lot about Broder and its yuminess ( I rate their food very high, possibly one of my fav eateries so far in the US)

Their Danish pancakes, baked eggs, Swedish Meatballs and Vegeterian Pyatt  were absolutely yummy. Great atmosphere, nice and warm on a cold rainy day.

Broder
2508 Southeast Clinton Street
Portland, OR 97202
(503) 736-3333

[TRAVEL]

Our bellies full, we explored the vicinity. I love Portland - for its bicycles and its "bike boulevards".

We spent the rest of the afternoon at the Pioneer Courthouse Square...more fotos in the upcoming blog.

Vishukanni

Vishu  is a Hindu festival celebrated in the Indian state of Kerala. My childhood flashed before me when we started the preparation for this years Vishu. The roles were reversed - I was  no longer the kid who was awaken from sleep at dawn by his parents :( 


Childhood is such a funny phase - some memories are as fresh as this morning. It was with glee and excitement I looked forward to Vishu every year. Sole reasons being the Vishu Kaineettam and Vishu Sadhya. It is a gift of money given to children by the elder members of the family - something which I would await for a whole year. The Malayalam word kani literally means "that which is seen first", so "Vishukkani" means "that which is seen first on Vishu".

The Vishukkani consists of a ritual arrangement of auspicious articles like raw rice, fresh lemon, golden cucumber, arecanut, metal mirror, yellow flowers konna (Cassia fistula),fruits,vegetables and a holy text and currency and coins, in a bell metal vessel called uruli in the puja room of the house.

On Vishu, the custom is to wake up at dawn and go to the puja room with eyes closed so that the Vishukkani is the first sight of the new season. An auspicious kani (first sight) at dawn on the Vishu day is lucky for the entire year.And it is such a beautiful sight that greets your eyes.

Carlsbad - the flower fields

Come spring and I have always heard about the famous flower fields at Carlsbad in California. Apart from spending 15 minutes two years ago(then a bachelor!) during a "dead spring" in the flower fields and then hoping off to the shopping outlets nearby - the flower fields were a strict "no-no" and a "disinterested" subject to me.

Come spring 2012 - and here we were waking up early and driving 2 hours to "the flower fields". Crowds of flowers and people greeted us! Definitely once a lifetime visit - says the married man! :D I also quite forgot the fact that as a photographer - I started off by shooting flowers to death :)

I am also grateful to what was once a boring subject - shooting the flower fields turned out rewarding monetarily as well. The pink flowers photograph above went for a "$85" sale!!!! Of all the photographs I have shot...gosh!!! Lessons learnt - do not forget your  roots and spend time to shoot the mundane :)