Today I'm linking up with Raj from Pink Chai Living, Nisha from LoveLaughMirch, and Salma from The Write Balance, for "3 Things Thursday" - a great way for us fellow bloggers to share tidbits of our lives and talk about things that are currently on our minds. Here are the 3 things on my mind this Thursday...

1. Baby, you melt my heart! Soon after baby K was born, the hubby unexpectedly got assigned a short-term project in Singapore for work. Within a matter of days, we had to pack up our stuff, get a passport made for the little one, and then fly out. Despite how we left NYC in a mad rush, I was really excited about the turn of events. With Singapore being so close to Thailand, coming home to Bangkok was a no-brainer. And so, since last November, I’ve been enjoying the love of family, the comforts of home, and the familiarity of the city in which I grew up. Plus, both sets of grandparents are here in Bangkok which means the following things: I receive a MAJOR helping hand in raising the baby, baby K gets doted on like crazy, and the grandparents are over the moon that they get quality time with their darling grandson. It’s a win-win situation for all parties! Recently, baby K turned 6 months old and I can't help but feel blessed that I’ve been able to be there through his milestones and achievements, big and small - his first bite on a piece of mango, when he first learned to sit up and roll over, his sleepy yet fresh smile when he wakes in the morning, his mundan (hair shaving ceremony), his squeals of delight when I take him swimming... I know it's a sappy thing to say but I've truly enjoyed this special time with my baby! 

2. Foodie heaven. Bangkok has a big street food culture and I'm a big street food fan. It's a match made in heaven. If you've been following my Instagram account these past few months, you'll have seen my posts of local Thai street food that I've been gorging on. ongan juice, pad thai, fried plantains, fresh coconut water, and various other delectable delights! 

3. Lust bag. I'm not one to go after the latest "It" purse but lately, I feel like my Instagram account is flooded with fashion bloggers sporting the YSL, oops I mean Saint Laurent, clutch. And now, I'm lusting after it! Something about that single "Y" on the Saint Laurent Y Ligne Clutch makes such a quiet statement. So elegant, so chic. I really want it...badly. Buy me one? 

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If you’ve ever been to a Thai restaurant, chances are you ordered the ever popular pad thai or a red curry dish. While these menu items are all well and good, there is a whole array of Thai dishes that you probably haven’t heard of. For the Urban Mantra sisters, coming home to Thailand is like entering a glutton fest. It’s all about feasting on dishes that are truly authentic in taste and go beyond the typical fare that one finds in Thai restaurants in the U.S. Here are five Thai dishes you have probably never tried…and should.

1.       Thai Noodle Soup (Kway Tiew)

Kway Tiew noodle soup is a popular street food in Thailand. While it might be reminiscent of Vietnamese pho, Kway Toew is spicy and tangy, available in a variety of soup flavors and meats, perfect as a light lunch that opens your nasal passageways. Our favorite is tom yum-flavored kway tiew with fish (vegetarian are options also available). Unfortunately, we’ve never seen this dish offered in restaurants abroad and making it at home never quite cuts it.

2.       Fried Papaya Salad (Som Tam Thod)

You may have tried som tam, the spicy and lemony shredded papaya salad. But have you ever had fried papaya salad? It’s definitely the less healthy cousin, but oh-so-good! The papaya is fried like a tempura and mixed with chili, minced garlic, lime juice, and shrimp (vegetarians can order this without the shrimp). It’s the perfect appetizer to enjoy while you wait for your entrée.

3.       Chicken Wrapped in Pandan Leaf (Gai Haw Bai Toey)

We had completely forgotten about this dish until we saw the folks on the table next to us eating it at a recent dinner out! Seasoned chicken pieces are wrapped and slowly cooked in pandan leaves that keep the juices inside. The end result? Soft, succulent, and flavorful pieces of chicken that leave you wanting more!

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4.       Fish With Black Pepper Sauce (Pla Pad Prik Thai Dum)

If you’re a fan of fish, I definitely recommend trying this stir fried preparation of fish with vegetables. The dish is a perfect balance of spicy (black pepper), greens, and fish, keeping it low cal and delicious!

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5.       Miang Kham

Miang Kham, Thailand’s answer to India’s paan (our fun writeup on paanhere), is a popular snack where vegetables, shallots, ginger, and other spices are wrapped in betel leaves. The essence of Thai flavors are packed into this bite-sized snack. Like paan, the magic is in chewing all the ingredients together to reveal the rich spices and flavors inside.

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So the next time you visit Thailand or enter a Thai restaurant in your city, give these dishes a try and let us know what you think!

Pad thai

 A wise person once said, “There is no sincerer love than the love of food”. I couldn’t agree more. Being back in New York now after my whirlwind trip to Thailand, I’m suffering from all sorts of withdrawal symptoms. Food is one of them. 

When I visit home, I make sure to check my diet at the door and embrace all the culinary delights that my mother’s kitchen and Bangkok has to offer. At home, my mother spoils me with all my favorite home-made Indian dishes and desserts. And while out and about in the city, I’m a veritable “food butterfly”, hopping from one Thai food stall to the next! Undoubtedly, among the things I miss while living here in the States is the authentic Thai food made with the freshest of herbs and ingredients. What’s more, the boring apple and banana is soon forgotten for the more exciting varieties of tropical fruits bursting with flavor, such as pommelo, mangosteen, dragonfruit, lychees, longans, jackfruit, durian, rose apple, coconut, mangoes, and papaya. Even though my gastronomical experience in Bangkok often results in overindulgence, I always return from my trips feeling healthier and more refreshed. Somehow, it’s easy to let go of the all-too-common habit of reaching for soda, processed foods, carbs, and sweets that I typically have while living in the US. 

As I sit here missing all the foods I enjoyed just last week on the other side of the world, allow me to share my Bangkok food diaries with you. Try not to drool too much!

Fresh fruit juices of all kinds

Intricate fruit carvings from papaya, watermelon, and cantaloupe

Have you ever tried dragonfruit?

These are not actual fruits but Thai sweets made to appear like miniature fruits and vegetables

Who can resist cupcakes?

Pad khee mao (drunken noodles) and yam thua phu (tangy green bean salad)

Thai crepe-like snacks

 Tell us, what is your favorite Thai dish? And what type of food do you miss most when you're away from home? We wanna know! 

Last Friday, I boarded a plane in NYC on a cool spring night...22 hours later, I found myself in hot and humid Bangkok on a Sunday morning (somewhere in the space-time continuum, I lost a Saturday). Aside from the brief disorientation from jet lag (which explains why I'm awake and blogging right now when I should be sleeping), boy does it feel good to be home! Coming to Bangkok is always a treat - indulgence in Thai and home-cooked Indian food that I just can't get anywhere else, quality massages, facials, and other spa treatments that are so inexpensive that you can afford to get one every day, shopping you'll go ga-ga over, and lots of time with family and relatives. It's going to be a short, whirlwind trip for me this time but I look forward to making the most of it.

Coming to Bangkok has definitely made me skip spring and put me in a summer state of mind. These are pictures taken by the pool in my apartment building. Can you tell just how bright and sunny it is outside? I was literally doing a happy dance as I reached for my summer maxi dress, hat, flipflops, and sunglasses! Along with the warm breeze and the palm trees in the backdrop, all that was missing was a jump in the pool...which I did soon after these pictures were taken. :)

Happy Monday y'all! Have a great week ahead!

F21 dress, Nine West purse, Piperlime bead necklace, Target hat and bracelets, flip flops from Bangkok

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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!

Update: I recently tried the Tuk Tuk Boy's Thai street food in midtown, and I have to say that it was GOOD! Their pad thai was very authentic. I was also quite excited about their Thai iced tea because it tasted the way it should (I feel that most places here don't make it right). Definitely one of the better food trucks I've had in the city, and very much like the street food I would have in Bangkok. I'm looking forward to going back and trying their papaya salad (som tam), fried rice (khao pad), and masaman curry!

I followed up my Thai lunch with some crepes for dessert. The Crepes Truck was right next to the Tuk Tuk Boy's cart so I shuffled on over to get myself crepes with nutella, strawberries, and walnuts. Yum! Overall, the perfect Friday lunch!