“There are no shortcuts. If we have a goal we must work at it and earn it with integrity and hard work. No matter who you are, in order to complete a mala you have to tie the 108 knots. It might require patience or present challenges but don’t be so hard on yourself, the joy is often in the journey and most of the times nothing really worthwhile and rewarding comes easy.”
Guest Blog – My New York

“I get a missed call. I know who it is, it would have been a dream come true in the US but here it has become ritual – that call… I have pondered over it several times. It’s surreal – the annoying convenience that we get used to in India. I remind myself to be grateful and not get irritated by that call. I tell myself it’s the call of duty on a silver platter. I am almost guilty to be receiving it.”

“Time flies when you are having fun. It has been a little over a year since I started blogging for Lassi with Lavina and I am absolutely amazed by all the positive feedback.

We’ve conversed about so many important topics. I enjoyed sharing my take on dating, relationships, love, heartbreak, depression, spirituality, emotionally unavailability, positive thinking, marriage, addiction, Kim Kardashian, social media etc, etc…”
Monica Marwah – Sex and the Single Desi

“When our parents got married and migrated to America, marriage was a necessity – now it is choice – a choice to live happily – or unhappily – in holy matrimony.
My parents migrated to America so that I would have a better chance at life – to make my own choices and to discover a life and personality that is my own.
I mean, personally, why would I want to go back to tradition, when I am so used to living on my own terms? For me, I have just seen too much to go back and live a life where I haven’t seen enough.”
Guest Blog (Photo: Eole)

Indian cooking fans! Welcome to Lassi with Lavina’s brand new blog which flies you to quite another universe – Foodiesphere! The Internet has unleashed thousands and thousands of food blogs, all dedicated to good eats and good cooks. Each has a different agenda and different strengths so we thought we’d scout out the best ones for our readers and share some very special, personalized recipes with you. Each week a new blog – and a new passionate food blogger! Meet Alka Keswani of Sindhi Rasoi.

GUEST BLOG: “I have a lot of friends in the writing community and ‘Love’ seems to be the favorite topic of a majority of blogs. In fact, I am referred to as a ‘romantic’ by my writer friends, and it pleases me no end. I am in love with love. What is not to love here – I love life, I love writing, I love reading, I love music, dancing, my family, my friends, and love is everywhere. So what is this thing called ‘love’?”

How are friendships created? What attracts very different people to each other? This blog introduces two fast friends who lived thousands of miles apart, one in New York, the other in New Delhi. They got to know each other through Facebook and have now actually met. Meet Sulekha aka Lucks, and Kriti who will both regale you with tales from their own frenetic worlds. Sometimes you will see your own lives and your own truths reflected in there. They chat a lot so be prepared to listen…

“As a single desi, one really great way to establish your independence and live vicariously is to pick some hot destinations and explore. Check out the bars and clubs, talk to locals, sight-see and get a sense of how everyone else lives in different parts of the world. As a school psychologist, I am lucky to have spring break, Christmas break and summer vacation. I use that time to travel and see the world. Here are tips on traveling on your own and making the best of your given circumstances.” GUEST BLOG

If you’ve been enjoying Lassi with Lavina, now it’s time to make some of your own too!

If you have insights, ideas, thoughts – provocative, funny or plain offbeat – you are welcome to be a guest blogger at the ol’ Lassi Guesthouse. We’d love to hear your perspectives on India and all things Indian or South Asian. Take an Indian thread and spin a silken tapestry!

Guess what, Lassi with Lavina is being followed on Twitter by someone from the White House!

No, not the President, not even the First Lady. Not even the First Children but by the First Dog, Bo Diddley Obama! Of course, I wasn’t aware that dogs could read or keyboard, much less get on to Twitter. But then again, you have to remember it’s the Obama dog and he probably has a great IQ to match the rest of the Obamas.