The year 2013 has been quite a year of positive challenges and the fulfillment of personal goals for both Shruti and myself. Shruti signed up for a fitness challenge to get into shape…and won! Meanwhile, I decided to train for a unique race, one that required running up one of the tallest buildings in the city, the Empire State Building. I  successfully completed the race in 20 mins. At the same time, I joined fellow Indian Fashion Bloggers (InFB) on a shopping ban and managed to last 3 torturous months on this exercise on self control. Lastly, the most important challenge I experienced this year was my pregnancy. Nine months of baking a bun in the oven was no easy task but in the end, it led to a very special gift - my son Krishnav. :)

2013 was also a year of fun travels. Shruti went to exciting locales in Spain and both of us also made a visit to Norway. Amongst the highlights of the Norway trip was crossing the Arctic Circle and being just a few hundred miles from the North Pole. Between the two of us, we also visited Miami, Fort Lauderdale, New Orleans, Chicago, Fire Island, and San Francisco. Of course, let’s not forget our yearly trips home to Thailand! Currently, I’m enjoying an extended stay in Thailand during my maternity leave and will be here till early next year.

Overall, we feel truly blessed for such a wonderful year with family and friends. Also, thank you to all those who read and support our blog. I’m constantly amazed that there are people who actually even read it! Here’s wishing all of you a very happy 2014!

Top right: Cold weather, brr! Clockwise: Delicious Greek yogurt from Pylos; Learning bharatnatyam (via); Getting ready for the Empire State Building Run-Up; Watching Cinderella on Broadway; Spicy and tangy papaya salad from SriPraPhai

Well folks…I can’t quite believe it but my 2-month shopping ban is over. Yes, 59 days of avoiding frivolous purchases, mostly staying away from my favorite stores, and willing myself to look the other way when I saw bloggers wearing cute outfits that made me want to run out and buy the same thing! (I know, I know…#FirstWorldProblems)

So how did it go? Surprisingly, it wasn’t hard. I stuck to the shopping ban tips that I created for myself (as shared here), and I did all sorts of other shenanigans. So much so that I barely had time to think about this shopping ban. Here’s a quick recap of the past 2 months and how I’ve been saving money and doing better things with my time!

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Ladies and gentlemen, I can now say that one of the most challenging things I have done is climb the Empire State Building, all 86 floors, in 20 minutes. Pretty cool, right?

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"Just breathe through it, breathe through it”, I tell myself over and over again as I walk up the seemingly endless flights of stairs. It seems to work, or at least it’s getting easier each time I do it. I just have a little over a week to go before my Empire State Building challenge takes places on February 6 (read about it here)! I’m pumped! So far, I’ve done a few “test runs” where I have taken the stairs up to 54, 64, and 76 floors on three separate occasions. I’ve managed to do these test runs by myself and/or with one particularly supportive friend (thank you, Sasha!). Usually, by the end of it, I’m panting like a manic race horse but I know that keeping a steady pace and working through the pain will be key factors to finishing this climb. In addition to the test runs, I’m happy to report that I’ve managed to stick to the workout routine I had laid out for myself (mentioned here). No matter how busy things get, I try very hard to make time for exercise 5 to 6 days a week. I definitely feel that my workouts have improved my level of stamina and strength. Next Wednesday, do keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I embark on the stairway to heaven…or more like hell…through the 86 flights of stairs of the Empire State Building!

On a somewhat related note, if you’re looking for durable and affordable workout gear, check out Joe Fresh. I love this store for the basic wardrobe essentials you can get as well as the bright pops of color in all the clothing. A few months ago, I also discovered their sportswear collection. I happened to purchase some active wear from the store (don't worry, it was before the shopping ban), including sports bras, running shorts, and a tank. Besides the fact that everything I bought was bright and neon (yay for looking like sunshine while exercising!), I was also impressed by the quality and comfort of Joe Fresh sportswear. Be sure to check them out!

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Happy New Year everyone! It’s a brand new year - a time to wipe the slate clean and start fresh, to face new challenges and achieve new goals. Speaking of goals and challenges, I will be taking part in the “Empire State Building Run-Up” next month, which will truly push my physical fitness to new limits. It’s a race from the lobby of the Empire State Building up to the top deck. That means running up 86 flights of stairs (or over 1500 steps)! The fastest person has done it in 10 minutes, seven years in a row. Any normal person would balk at the thought of taking part in it. Glutton for punishment that I am, I was intrigued by this challenge ever since I read about it and wanted to take part in it. Through some stroke of fortune (or misfortune?), I actually got in through the random lottery system after I registered for the February 6, 2013 race.  The acute reality of what I signed up for is beginning to settle in. Holy freakin’ hell, I actually paid money to do this thing?  How will I train for it? How will I prepare myself so I can live to tell that I climbed 86 stories of the Empire State Building?