Thank you for all the time, money, and most importantly, love, that you’ve put into me my entire life.

If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be? I wish that I had a dog growing up. 

Which talent would you most like to have? I would love to be a ballet dancer. They’re so graceful and alluring. 

What are your favorite names? Barron – it’s what I’ll name my future (golden retriever) puppy, if and when I ever get one.

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement? I think it’s yet to come.

If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be? I’d come back as me, but I’d do everything right this time.

What is your most treasured possession? The silver coin my parents bought for me in Tirupati.

Who are your heroes in real life? My parents.

Who do you consider to be a genius? Jakob Dylan and a quartet of my favorite photogs: Ritts, Weber, Avedon, and Lindbergh.

What is your greatest regret? Not discovering my true passions and interests earlier.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Being desperately unhappy.

What is your favorite song? It’s a tie between ”Your Song” by Elton John (I teared up when I heard him play it live in concert) and “Southern Girl” by Amos Lee.

What is your favorite occupation? Jet setter.  

What is your most marked characteristic? My really loud and constant laughter.

What do you value most in your friends? A consistent thread among all my close friends is that they are all hilarious, intelligent, nonjudgmental, and fun.

Who are your favorite writers? Austen, Wordsworth, Browning.

Who are your favorite painters and composers? Jacques Louis David. “Oath of the Horati” is one of my favorite works of art.

Who are your heroines of world history? Casanova, Gandhi.

What is your motto? “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”

I pore through all the pages of Vanity Fair on a monthly basis, but the page I always read first can be found in the back. The Proust Questionnaire is a set of twenty or so questions that are meant to reveal the true essence of a person. Many politicians, actors, world leaders, and musicians have given his/her responses to the survey, so I thought that I would give it a try too.

What is your idea of perfect happiness? Waking up early in the morning to fresh air in a city I love getting ready to spend the day doing fun things with people I care about the most.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? I’m rather impatient. I’m actively working on changing that.

What is the trait you most deplore in others? Intolerance. Inconsideration.

What is your greatest extravagance? Time, rich desserts, and foreign fashion magazines.

What is your current state of mind? Content and hopeful.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Thrift.

What is your favorite journey? The return journey home.

On what occasion do you lie? I try to be truthful as much as possible, but the occasional white lie is sometimes necessary.

Which living person do you most admire? My parents.

What is your favorite color and flower? Moss green; it’s a tie between clematis and sweet peas.

Which words or phrases do you dislike? No questions asked, it’s “lol”.

Where would you like to live? Commonwealth Ave in Boston or a place with outstanding panoramic views of NYC.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse? I say the word “ridiculous” too often.

What is the quality you most like in a man? Charm, tolerance, humor.

What is the quality you most like in a woman? Kindness.

What or who is the greatest love of your life? Traveling.

When and where were you happiest? The past twelve months have been generally great, but a standout memory includes dancing in the rain with my mom in Central Park at a Black Eyed Peas concert.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? My impatience.

I’ve had a torrid love affair with all things chocolate all of my life, so it wasn’t a big surprise that I would like Nutella when first being introduced to the hazelnut chocolate spread many years ago. It tastes equally as good on a croissant as it does with apple slices, and therefore way too dangerous for me to keep at home. I discovered this recipe as a healthy alternative and find these bite-sized treats appropriate to settle my usual post-dinner chocolate craving.