andiamo Archives - My Inner Shakti

From Miami to Chicago

If it wasn’t for the fact that I’m flying to Chicago today and seeing Vishnu, I would probably be super sad (and teary) right now. My parents left yesterday afternoon after a fun and relaxing week in Miami. Honestly, I’ve never seen them so chilled out and whatever about everything. Haha. I’m so glad they enjoyed themselves and were able to step out of their day-to-day grind. I’m hoping they make it back at least one more time before we have to move next year.

One of my mom’s requests for this trip was to go to the beach at least once. Well, her wish was my command because on Saturday afternoon we packed up our stuff and headed to the ocean!

This was our 10th attempt at a selfie!

It was nice to get out of the city and sit on the beach for a couple of hours!

On Saturday night I took my parents to Andiamo’s for pizza. I know what some of you are thinking…”find new restaurants!” But I would rather take visitors to places I love and more importantly know they will love. And I was right. My parents loved it. I’m sticking to my philosophy!

Dixya and my brother-in-law nominated me for the ALS ice bucket challenge, so I completed that on Saturday evening. Good stuff! And for anyone who thinks that this is a waste of water, do a little research and look at the numbers. This challenge has not only raised millions of dollars but also a tremendous amount of awareness.

After my parents left on Sunday I cleaned, went for a run, and caught up with friends/family on the phone. Oh and I packed…3 big bags! I texted Roshni to let her know that I’m pretty much bringing my entire closet. I know I’m going to regret it later but because the next month includes work, play, and London, I didn’t want to risk it!

Anyways, have a great Monday! I look forward to sharing my Chicago adventures. 🙂

Girl’ Weekend in Miami Done Right

written by Parita 10 Comments

This past girls’ weekend was too much fun! Like I mentioned in my last post, Purvi and I hadn’t spent much quality time together since our weddings over two years ago. But we changed that by trying different restaurants, exploring different neighborhoods, and relaxing, all while catching up on life.

Quick side story (that is still relevant) – while chit chatting Thursday night, we realized that it’s been five years (to the weekend) since Purvi and I moved in together my last year of grad school. We decided to dedicate the weekend to celebrating that!

We kicked off Purvi’s arrival with dinner and drinks at Balan’s. The food is pretty good, but what I really love about this restaurant is the location. It’s smack dab in the middle of a very busy and fun area. It also doesn’t hurt that the truffle mac n’ cheese is out of this world delicious!

While we didn’t make it to the beach this time around, we did get to spend a few hours by the pool one of the days. I can’t remember the last time I relaxed by a pool. We spent our time reading (I got Purvi hooked on Gone Girl!), talking, and swimming. It honestly felt like we were on vacation on some faraway island!

One of the places I definitely wanted to take Purvi to was Andiamo. After trying their pizza with Vishnu, I am determined to take all of our visitors there – it’s that good! We enjoyed a half eggplant and tomato/half rosemary potato with gorgonzola pizza. Again, not only is the food worth your while, but the ambiance and the service are great as well.

And of course we spent an entire afternoon ducking in and out of stores on Lincoln Mall Road. While neither of us bought anything, we did build up quite an appetite and decided to eat lunch at Huahua’s Taqueria. This was actually a new-to-me restaurant, and I’m so glad we decided to check it out. The menu is full of fresh Tex-Mex type items, but the main highlight are the tacos. Purvi and I decided to get two tacos each with a side of queso to share. One of my tacos was stuffed with a spicy veggie mixture and tofu crema, while the other one had fried avocado. I will definitely be back!

Purvi, like me, loves to run. In fact, she just started training for her 2^nd marathon! I couldn’t let her leave without experiencing my favorite running route, so on Saturday evening, we went for a 4.5 mile run. Running with Purvi made me realize how much I love having a running partner. The time seriously flew by. Maybe I can convince Vishnu to run with me again!

Something else Purvi and I have in common is our love for dancing, so on Saturday night we met up with our friend Khusbu and her coworkers for a girls’ night out. We started with dinner at Dolores But You Can Call Me Lolita and then went to a lounge to dance the night away. Good times were had by all!

We slept in a little on Sunday and then just hung out around the apartment for a few hours before showering and heading out to Coconut Groove. I knew Purvi would love this neighborhood and its cute little restaurants and shops. After walking around a bit, we decided to eat a late lunch/early dinner at Lokal. The veggie burgers we ordered were super hearty and tasty, but the fries stole the show – perfectly seasoned and surprisingly not too greasy. I told Vishnu that we have to go back soon, as it is definitely his kind of restaurant – great food, a huge selection of beers, and a fun quirky vibe.

After dropping Purvi off at the airport, I went for a short walk and then proceed to fall asleep at 9:45. I was wiped!

Anyways, here’s to a fun girls’ weekend with a great friend! I can’t wait to do it again soon.

What would your ultimate girls/guys weekend include?

A Productive Weekend

written by Parita 14 Comments

I totally understand that everyone’s definition of what a productive weekend looks like is different. For me, productivity equals getting s*** done that I normally put off! So by those standards, this was definitely a productive weekend.

On Friday, I got home from work and started sorting through three loads worth of laundry. It felt good to get that annoying task out of the way.

Later in the evening, Vishnu and I headed to Andiamo for date night. Places like this are exactly why people need to get out of South Beach when visiting Miami. Andiamo is an old car wash converted into a pizza joint. Most of the seating is outdoor, and it’s first come first serve. Everything about this place was great – the ambiance, the food, and the service. We will be back!

We started with beers. And while I enjoyed my Peroni, Vishnu’s Yuengling Black and Tan surprisingly stole the show. It was dark, velvety, and smooth. I’m not a huge beer person, but this beer is something I can get on board with.

Then came our pizza. Our waitress advised us to split a medium so that’s exactly what we did. My half was the Portobello (Portobello mushrooms, caramelized onions, sundried tomatoes, goat cheese, and truffle oil), and Vishnu’s was called the Godfather (sausage, meatballs, pepperoni, and a few different veggies). You guys. This pizza joint is definitely a top 10 place for a reason. The crust was thin, flaky, yet substantial. And the toppings were fresh and used in perfect proportions. I was in heaven!

Date night success!

On Saturday, I literally cleaned every nook and cranny of our apartment. Aside from the usual vacuuming and bathroom cleaning, I emptied and reorganized every closet, cabinet, and drawer in our apartment. I know it doesn’t sound like a lot of fun, but I’m definitely someone who likes to cleanse and get rid of things every so often. For three hours, I was in my own little zen zone.

Later in the evening I set out to make almond butter…my first time! I followed Brittany’s recipe, and it turned out great. It does take some patience though, as it takes ~15 minutes to get the almonds to a buttery consistency.

Now I know it’s not almond butter I don’t like…it’s store bought almond butter. The homemade stuff is good – loved the addition of coconut oil and maple syrup.

And finally on Sunday I spent a few hours in the afternoon baking up a storm. My sister is currently in the middle of studying for her medical board exam, and I told her I would send her a bunch of snacks to get her through the next few weeks.

In a few days, my sis will open a package including chocolate chip zucchini muffins, almond meal chocolate chip cookies, maple walnut granola, and protein granola bars. Hope she loves it all!

And in true Parita fashion, I ended my productive weekend with a bit of relaxation…coffee with a girlfriend!

Hope you had a great weekend doing whatever it is that makes you happy!