It was August 1999 when I first landed in the US as a 17-year old, nervous yet excited to begin a new chapter of my life. I was about to start college with big ambitions and so much to prove. Fifteen years later, I'm leaving behind the country that I've called home for most of my adult life. Somewhere in this passage of time, I evolved from being a shy, naive teenager into a confident and independent woman. I met and married the love of my life and had a baby, now the second love of my life. I made amazing, lifelong friends. I lived in three cities (Boston, Austin, and New York City) and enjoyed each one at different stages of my life. I got a degree and became a doctor. I learned to embrace fitness and ran marathons. I toobed down the Guadalupe River. I learned to appreciate country music. I performed a dance to a Bollywood song on a moving boat for a Holi celebration. I took part in a flash mob dance to Sheila Ki Jawani on Wall street. I explored national parks and attended live music festivals. I traveled to Iceland where I hiked up a glacier, boated inside a volcanic crater in El Salvador, and jumped off a cliff in Spain. I ran up 46 floors of the Empire State Building while I was pregnant. I attended New York Fashion Week. I blogged!

Life recently threw us a curveball and we're now moving to Singapore! I'm sad to leave behind my sister and my friends in the US who became like family to me. Yet I look forward to new adventures in a new country. 

If you follow us on Instagram, you would have seen pictures I posted of my trip back to NYC - city street scenes that inspire me, places I visited, friends and family I spent time with...until it all culminated in our packing up our life into little boxes to be shipped halfway across the world. American the beautiful, I shall certainly miss you. Singapore, here we come! 

Crossing the street with a view of Times Square

Baby K and me having a picnic in Central Park

Hanging out for a brief weekend in DC 

Horse-drawn carriages that charm you in the city

Quality time with the sister at a food festival in Brooklyn

Grungy city subways - I dared to take Baby K on the subway and he loved it!

Love these street vendors selling pictures of NYC cityscapes

All packed up in our NYC apartment and ready to leave

Being just a 5 minute walking distance from the best known park in the world is definitely a privilege. Central Park is one of those places that is romanticized in films and just as magical in real life. Pre-baby, Central Park appealed to me because I loved being able to go running there. Recently, I've begun to discover a new facet of this park, one that appeals to my baby as well. Now I also love the park because it offers wide, open spaces for my little one to crawl (and soon walk) around freely outside the confines of a small New York apartment. For those of you wondering what to do with a baby/toddler in the city, here a few places to visit within Central Park itself.

1. Did you know that CP has zoo? Yup, a real zoo. And it's not your usual, run-of-the-mill zoo with horses, goats, and pigs. The Central Park Zoo has a polar and a tropical section where you'll find all sorts of exotic (and some endangered) animals - adorable penguins, flipping sea lions, swinging monkeys, colorful tree frogs, hissing snakes, biting piranhas, agile snow leopards...and the list goes on! You really can lose yourself in this world of animals. I brought baby K to the zoo and enjoyed myself as much as he did!

2. There are numerous playgrounds in CP but the oldest and biggest one is Heckscher Playground (located at 7th Ave and Central Park South). Swings, monkey bars, see-saws, and rocking climbing setups provide a place for children to run free. Baby K can't walk yet but he had a whale of a time crawling around on the astroturf and sitting on the swings!

3. Street artists that cater to children with balloons, bubble blowers, face painting, and musical performances are everywhere! You'll find these street performers at every twist and turn, providing entertainment for children and adults alike.

4. Picnicking in the park is totally a summer activity I do with my girlfriends. In the past, we would bring along blankets to lay on the grass and sneak in some bubbly. While that hasn't changed (hehe!), I have now added a baby to the equation. Throw in some toys to keep the baby occupied and you can have a lovely time catching up with friends while giving your baby some quality outdoor time. Plus, the feel of crawling/walking on the grass and seeing dogs that people have brought for a walk really gets babies excited (also great from the standpoint of the baby's sensory development).

Yay! Fun in the park! 

Life has unexpected twists - last week, I was braving the chilly weather in New York. Little did I know that a week later, I would be flying halfway across the globe. An unexpected and happy development in my personal life has led me home to Thailand where I will be spending the next few months with my family. These pictures were taken in Central Park right before I had left town last week. The weather was cool and crisp then, just perfect for this colorful and cozy Aztec-print cardigan. Unfortunately, I won’t get to wear it for quite some time considering that I’d probably burst into flames wearing such a thick article of clothing in the warm tropical weather in Bangkok! But hey, I’m not complaining…I’d much rather be here than in the arctic cold that New York is currently experiencing.

Here's to wishing all those who celebrate Thanksgiving a very pleasant holiday weekend spent with near and dear ones. And to those who braved the Black Friday sales (because we all know how horrific and chaotic shopping can be on that day), do share your experiences!

H&M cardigan, top from AIIZ (from Bangkok), Uniqlo jeans, Stradivarius pumps (from Spain), Old Navy belt, Express cuff, Rebecca Minkoff purse

Running on the streets of New York is a frustrating experience for me because my “runner’s mojo” gets constantly interrupted by slow tourists and street lights. I have enjoyed running several races and half-marathons in the past – so a space that allows me to run (wild? and) free is essential. Central Park has come to the rescue on many an occasion. In fact, running there has become a longstanding Saturday morning ritual. But a girl’s gotta mix things up a bit every now and then! That’s what motivated me to go running in High Line Park recently. Now the question is - is it potentially the next running destination?

Every now and then, when the city feels a little stifling and when a picnic in Central Park just doesn’t cut it, a little getaway is all you need. I happened to find my escape this weekend at a darling little bed & breakfast in upstate New York. In just a three-hour drive, the loud honking of yellow cabs and the mad rush of people gave way to small town Americana and calmer surroundings. In the midst of green pastures with grazing cows and horses, we found ourselves in a little piece of heaven. The moment I walked into the Hazelnut Farm B&B, I knew that one night here was not going to be enough. Hazelnut Farm is a 16-room farmhouse run by the lovely couple, Art and Susan Adams.  You can tell that the owners have styled and decorated their home with great love and care. Every book and every wall hanging is artfully placed. Every room feels cozy and inviting, with soft fluffy bedding, quaint furniture, and a personal handwritten note wishing you a lovely stay. 

In this idyllic setting, we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and strolled along the open, green fields. At night, we admired the bright stars in the sky and marveled at how quiet it can be. It was a revitalizing retreat, and one that I plan to make again very soon!