If there is one thing that truly anchors a celebration, bringing everyone together in a moment of shared anticipation and joy, it is the cake. Over the years, I have come to realize that a cake is so much more than just a dessert; it is a centerpiece, a conversation starter, and a beautiful reflection of the people we love.

Whether you are looking for your next cozy weekend read or you simply love diving into character-driven family dramas with strong female leads, I would love for you to meet these four sisters.

With the family away, I have fallen madly, deeply in love again with an improved version of an old flame.

While we can debate the nuances of sponsorship content or the logistics of the schedule of national medical meetings, there is always a higher goal at these gatherings. It is about the camaraderie. It is about finding a space where we can share not just "teaching pearls," but also our shared stressors. It is about recharging in a relaxed setting. Viva Puerto Rico!

Nicoya is a region known for its beauty and its "Blue Zone" longevity, yet it faces a critical shortage of eye care providers. In this landscape, preventable blindness is not just a medical issue; it is a storm that many families weather silently.

Growing up, food was never merely about sustenance; it was an event. Colors, smells, and textures were the vocabulary of our family conversations. As I have traveled, both in life and in my palate, I have watched the culinary map shift. I am fascinated by that delicate threshold where South Asia begins to lean further East—where the dominance of wheat and dry heat gives way to the tropical embrace of the coast. Here, recipes become fluid. Turmeric finds a new partner in creamy coconut milk, and rice magically transforms into noodles.

The guidebook’s watercolor of wheat fields and sailboats will have to wait for another season. For now, our Denmark is a canvas of winter light, castle towers, LEGO bricks, and bike lanes—and a lingering question I’m still exploring: what would it look like to design our own lives with this kind of quiet happiness in mind?

To my administrative staff, front desk staff, technicians, managers, colleagues, and trainees: thank you. You are the reason we can offer not just medical care, but genuine care. Healthy eyes lead to a brighter, clearer future—but it’s our teamwork that makes that future possible.

When Stamps Delivered Magic: From a Hill Station Post Office to a Children’s Book

Cousins in the kitchen, kids at the drawing table, football on TV, and a feast from vegan to turkey with autumn colors and gratitude cards under each plate. A Maryland Thanksgiving I’ll be grateful for - for a long time.

I am deeply grateful to everyone who showed up, brought a friend, posted a flyer, or simply held Do Not Follow in their hands and saw a piece of their own journey in Seema’s highways home.

Between door-step mummies and farmhouse constellations, this season felt like a warm quilt stitched with small rituals. The front door taught us that a bit of whimsy can welcome the whole street. The minion and M&M pumpkins reminded us that ordinary shapes can hold extraordinary personalities. A pot of eyeball pasta proved that the best party trick is laughter shared around a table. And Crewe showed us how wonder multiplies when you pair science with a dark sky and good friends.

Disney World isn’t just about theme parks. It’s a masterclass in delight — a place where creativity meets hospitality to craft joy. And in that moment, with laughter echoing down Main Street and fireworks bursting overhead, you realize why it’s called the happiest place on Earth. 

Creativity, whether in words or in paint, is not about certainty. It is about being between lantern light and thunderclouds, knowing that both are necessary. The lantern gives me vision; the storm lets me grow. In a long-spanning career as a surgeon, teacher, and now as an author, I’ve found that balance is rarely about avoiding storms—it is about grounding ourselves in the values and practices that help us endure.

Standing at the podium where I was once a student, I felt a full-circle moment—proof that vitality is not something we achieve once, but something we nurture constantly. Just as our bodies maintain balance through change, so do our lives in medicine. And just like Scrabble, the right combination of letters—or in this case, habits, values, and relationships—allows us to create words, meanings, and legacies larger than ourselves.

Feeling deeply grateful to be named Instructor of the Year. My trainees bring energy, perspective, and creativity that inspire me daily. They remind me of why I chose medicine in the first place—not as a fixed body of knowledge but as a lifelong practice of learning, service, and humility.

In many ways, my parents’ photographs have shaped my writing. They remind me that stories live at the intersection of image and memory, of what’s visible and what’s retold. And just like in the clinic, where both data and lived experience matter, the photographs we keep—whether in albums or in words—help us understand who we are, and where we belong.

From kids’ birthday afternoons with chafing dishes and laughter to adult evenings of themed food, wine, and warm conversations—our home gatherings are about safe spaces, joy, and memories that linger long after the last guest leaves.

I am a Man U wife. I plan weekend brunches around fixtures, keep a stash of tea for extra time, and have learned the delicate art of post-loss triage. More importantly, I’ve come to admire the faith it takes to love a club across eras—the belief that form is temporary, class is permanent, and that somewhere, deep into stoppage time, there’s always a chance for one more goal. In our marriage and in our football, hope is the tactic. And on most days, that’s enough to keep us singing.

If you ever want to know what inspires a writer, look at their bookshelf. My own proverbial shelves are a riot of color, language, and history—hundreds of books collected over the years, each one a branch in the sprawling banyan tree of my imagination. I couldn’t possibly list all my favorite authors, but there’s a special place in my heart for those with Asian roots, whose stories have shaped the way I see the world and the way I write.