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Recap: My Week at Home

Trips to Atlanta are always filled with activity. However, this past week at home was ultra productive. We did so much in just six short days.

In semi-chronological order, here’s a recap of my week at home!

1. Lotta Frutta – After picking me up from the airport last Sunday, my parents, sister, and I had lunch at Lotta Frutta in downtown Atlanta. This is one of my favorite little café type restaurants in the city. The food is so consistently good. I try to go every time I’m home. YUM!

2. Meeting my sister’s wedding hairstylist – All of my sister’s wedding vendors are incredibly nice people, and Kimberly is no different. We met with her for 45 minutes to talk through Aekta’s hair ideas. And in those 45 minutes, my mom and I went from not wanting to get our hair done to signing ourselves up for all three events. Can’t wait! Now to find some pretty styles…

3. Family quesadilla night – My mom never lets me cook when I’m home. She always says that I can cook for them when they visit us. I don’t usually complain because I love my mom’s food.

Well, our dinner plans fell through on Monday night, and we had no back up plan, so I ran to Kroger and picked up the necessary ingredients to make quesadillas and guacamole (Aekta made this). Not sure why but this meal was a huge hit! My mom said it was the best Mexican food she’s ever had! I wouldn’t go that far, but it was really tasty. I think it had something to do with the queso cheese I used. Or perhaps it was Aek’s delicious guac.

4. Masti – We met with a potential wedding caterer at one of his restaurants – Masti. Since our meeting was around dinnertime, we decided to eat there as well.

Atlanta peeps, this is a must try restaurant! The food is inventive and unique. The menu is a mix of traditional Indian food, Indo-Chinese, Indo-Mexican, and Indo-Italian. We tried momo (dumplings), Korma alfredo pasta with paneer, Uttapam (Indian pancake) tacos, and pav bhagi (toasted bread and mashed potatoes/peas with spices). The pasta was by far the best dish…so creamy…just thinking about it makes my mouth water! Hoping to go back to Masti when we’re back in Atlanta next month.

5. Apple TV – Vishnu found a great deal on an Apple TV a while back and ended up buying one for my parents since they’re looking to upgrade their TV. Once my sister set it all up, we tested it out with a YouTube Bollywood video night. So. Much. Fun.

6. Time with friends – I got to see Samir and Roshni for a couple of hours one night. It was great to just talk and catch up (it’s been 4 months since I saw them last!). Later in the week, I was able to meet up with my college friend Farnaz for dinner. Again, we spent a couple of hours eating and chatting (we were the last ones to leave the restaurant!).

7. Unintentional Black Friday shopping with my mom – My mom wanted me to go to Sephora with her at some point during my visit. Well, the only time we could find was on Friday…Black Friday. And while we did stop by Sephora, we also went to Loft, JC Penny, Belk, and the Limited. In my defense, Loft was the only store that got my $$$.

8. Thanksgiving dinner with Vishnu’s parents – We headed to Vishnu’s parents house around 5 pm on Thanksgiving day and left at 11 pm. In those 6 hours, we ate, talked and laughed (a lot!). Can’t wait to do it again at the end of December!

9. General wedding stuff – The entire week was filled with random wedding related tasks and conversations – outfits, invitations, cake, etc.. Just six more months until the big day…can’t wait!

10. Home workouts – Thanks to Shaun T, Barre3 online, Jillian Michaels, and the park near our house, I was able to fit in 4 different workouts while at home. Look out for an upcoming post filled with all my favorite at home (and mostly free) workout options!

11. Attending an Indian wedding – I ended my trip with an Indian wedding. While the basic formula for every wedding is the same, it’s amazing to witness two people get married and start their lives together!

I obviously miss my family a lot, but it was great coming home to Vishnu. He was working when I got in on Saturday night, but I shot out of bed when I heard him walking into the apartment on Sunday morning!

Well, I hope you have a great Monday. And for those of you who are also getting back to the grind today…I feel you!

What was the highlight of your weekend?

An iPhone Free Weekend in Atlanta

written by Parita 18 Comments

First, let me address the title of this post. After working out with my sister on Friday morning, I went to pour myself a glass of water from my parents’ Brita water jug not knowing that my sister had just refilled it with more water. As soon as I went to fill my glass, the water spilled all over the counter and my iPhone. I immediately dried it with paper towels and then ran to my computer to figure out what to do next. Per quite a few different forums/websites, turning your phone off and putting it in an airtight container full of uncooked rice for 48-72 hours is the best solution.

So that’s exactly what I did.

On Sunday morning, I woke up and ran downstairs to check on my phone. I told my dad to cross his fingers as we waited. Thankfully, it not only turned on, but the speakers and other functions were also working just fine! Close call…phew!

In a way, I’m kind of glad I didn’t have my phone with me the entire weekend. I was able to spend quality time with my family and get lots of wedding stuff done. An involuntary technology detox of sorts.

On Friday, after working out and showering, my mom and I looked at all the Pinterest photos my sister and I have been pinning for the past few months. A couple hours later, we all agreed on the colors for all of Aekta’s outfits (and some of mine), as well as potential designs. We also talked about the wedding cake and a few other details.

A few hours later, Vishnu’s parents and brother came over for dinner. We had Mexican pizzas and enchiladas along with some of this delicious wine that came highly recommended by my friend Monica…

We also played with Niel’s girlfriend’s dog who joined us for dinner! Her name is Little Bum Bums, and she is the cutest little thing ever! Her energy and antics kept us entertained most of the evening. 🙂

We slept in on Saturday and ate breakfast together. Then my mom and I got to work and sorted through all of her saris and jewelry. Sounds like an easy task, but it took a few hours. I’m glad we did it though because it helped us get organized. I’m not 100% sure how often I’ll be flying back to Atlanta this year, so I wanted us to tick off as many things off our list as possible. We also stopped by the designer’s house to share our ideas and get the ball rolling! Exciting stuff!

Later that evening, I got ready and headed to Roshni’s parents’ house for her brother’s surprise 40th birthday party. It was so much fun hanging out with Roshni and Samir for bit and catching up with people I haven’t seen in a while.

When I got home, everyone was still up so my sister suggested we watch a few home videos (we try to watch different ones every time the four of us are together). So much fun! We laughed until tears were flowing down our faces. It’s so funny how nothing has changed in terms of our family dynamic. We’re a crazy bunch!

Sunday morning was a bit more hectic. My flight was scheduled to depart at 3:30 pm, so Ruchi and I made plans to meet up before I had to leave. She’s in the US for the next six weeks, but if we didn’t make it happen before I left Atlanta this weekend, we wouldn’t have seen each other at all. Even though we only hung out for 20ish minutes, it was still worth it! Hopefully, we’ll get to hang out more the next time she’s here.

Before heading to the airport, my mom and I decided to stop at Lotta Frutta (one of my favorite food spots in the city) for smoothies and sandwiches. By the time we got there and ordered our food, it was 2:00 pm. We were told our wait time was about 15 minutes. At this point, I was super nervous because travelling out of the Atlanta airport is always a little unpredictable. Well, we got our food at 2:20, ran to the car, and made our way to the airport. By the time my mom dropped me off, it was 2:35 pm. The security process took a little longer than anticipated, but I made it to my gate just in time! And while cutting it close like that isn’t my thing, I have to admit that the smoothie and sandwich were well worth the stress! I love Lotta Frutta!

And just like that, it’s Monday. I miss my parents and sister A LOT but am also happy to be back with Vishnu and look forward to settling into a routine once again.

BacK in the A!

written by Parita 10 Comments

Just like that I’m back in Atlanta! As I mentioned before, I am here for Roshni and Samir’s wedding that is taking place later this week/weekend. I decided to fly home instead of going back to Miami so that I could spend some time with my parents before the festivities begin.

After my parents picked me up at the airport on Friday, we headed straight to Lotta Frutta for lunch. This place is my absolute favorite “welcome back to Atlanta” restaurant. The people are so friendly and the food is always good. Of course, I ordered the Just Veggin’ sandwich along with a Lotta Mora smoothie. Always a good time!

On Saturday, my parents and I headed into the city for lunch at Chai Pani for my MIL’s birthday. This was everyone’s first time eating here, and we all loved it! Phew! Because I suggested it, I was nervous about the food not being good. My grilled paneer salad was very good. The paneer was simply cooked and delicious, but the dressing stole the show. Delicious! My mom’s paneer wrap was also finger licking good. That is definitely what I’ll be getting next time!

After lunch, we went to an Indian jewelry to buy me a new…nose ring! I know I said I was done with all that, but when my mom said my nose looked strange without it, that was enough to make me change my mind! My new one is slightly bigger. I don’t want to risk having it get stuck again!

And the final highlight from the weekend was getting my nails done for the wedding! I went with a hot pinkish color on my toes and a gel French manicure on my hands. The lady that did my nails was the same one that did them two years ago for my wedding!

Speaking of the wedding, the first official event doesn’t start until Thursday evening, but I’m heading to Roshni’s house on Tuesday night to spend some time with her before the craziness begins! I think it’s safe to say that anyone who has come in contact with me over the past few months knows how excited I am. I honestly can’t shut up about it!

Well, that’s all for now! Have a great Monday!

Home Sweet Atlanta

written by Parita 14 Comments

Hello from Atlanta! I’ve been here for a few days now and am happy to report that this trip is quite the opposite from my last one. Most importantly, my dad is doing great. I swear he looks younger than he did before!

On Saturday, my mom and I stopped at Lotta Frutta on our way home from the airport. I had to have the Just Veggin’ sandwich and Lotta Mora shake. If you’re from/are visiting Atlanta, this is a must visit little restaurant. I used to go A LOT while in grad school and have been hooked ever since. I love the fresh, healthy, delicious options!

The rest of Saturday was spent bumming around the house. My favorite!

Sunday included a little bit of shopping and lots of cooking. My mom made her “green sauce enchiladas.” I swear, she should open up a restaurant! I’m not exaggerating when I say that her food is the best I’ve ever had.

MUCH tastier than it looks

My sister and two of her friends came home just in time for dinner. After eating and cleaning up, we talked and hung out for a little longer than we should have. By the time I got to bed it was a little past midnight (i.e. I was really really tired). In fact, I think I fell asleep the minute my head hit the pillow.

Yesterday was a pretty standard day. I worked from home, ran some errands with my mom in the late afternoon, and hung out with the fam the rest of the evening. The next couple of days will most likely be pretty similar. And as boring as it sounds, this is my favorite part of being back in Atlanta. The normalcy of it, the simplicity.

We also have plans to see Ram Leela (a new Bollywood movie) later this week – SO excited! And on Friday, Vishnu (he gets into town on Thursday) and his family will be coming over for our annual Thanksgiving get together. After spending the weekend with his family, we’ll be heading back to Miami.

I hope to fit in a few other things while I’m here but we’ll see. There’s so much I want to do but so little time!

Well, that’s all for now. I hope y’all are having a good week!

Celebrations All Around!

written by Parita Leave a Comment

Hi y’all! I feel like I haven’t blogged in forever! I guess it’s just the irregular schedule from this past weekend that has me feeling off.

As you know, I went home to Atlanta this weekend to see my family and Vishnu, but the real reason why I chose this weekend was because one of my friends (we’ll call her P and her fiancé B) was getting engaged on Saturday. Smile I have actually known PB (I love it!) since high school but only became closer to both when P and I lived together my last year of grad school. In that one year, we bonded over both silly and serious things and are now friends for life! I love PB and am SO excited and happy for them!

Here are some highlights from their engagement ceremony/party…

All dressed up and ready to go!

The beautiful couple!

Before I go on, I just want to stress that this explanation of the ceremony is from my understanding and observations. Something to realize is that every family has their own traditions for things like this, but the true essence of it all remains the same.

So the basic concept is this… The grooms family hosts the engagement ceremony (the bride’s family hosts the wedding). The first part consists of the groom’s mother and aunts giving the bride new goodies (jewelry, saris, etc.). Then the bride’s mom gives the groom something (B got a gold chain). Next, the women of both families come up one by one to bless the couple. They put kanku (red turmeric powder) on the bride and groom’s foreheads and feed them sweets. Even I got in on some of the fun!

P’s new goodies!

As you can see from B’s face, it got a little out of control!

YAY!

And although B actually proposed a few days earlier, he did it again for all to experience. Smile

So that was the ceremony part. Like I said, every family (or set of families) does things differently. Some opt for a longer pooja (prayer service) while others keep it more simple.

P’s sister also created a couples game for everyone to play. She had about 10 couples (Vishnu and I included) sit in chairs back to back. We had to answer a series of 10 questions about one another, and the couple with the most matching answers won. Vishnu and I only matched on 4 questions – 40%!!! LOL! Oh well, most of the couples there had about 20 years on us anyways. Winking smile

There was also lots of dancing, great food, and a delicious cake! What a fun night! Here’s to a beautiful couple!!! I can’t wait until next May!

Love you, P!!!

**********

For a Mother’s Day lunch, my mom and I stopped at a place called Lotta Frutta on our way to the airport. If you’re ever in Atlanta, I highly recommend you visit this place. My mom is a very picky eater when it comes to eating out, and even she loved it! From the outside it doesn’t look like much, but the food is amazing! The menu is very simple – salads, sandwiches, smoothies, fruit cups, and a few other specialty items. We ordered a couple of Just Veggin sandwiches made with sweet Latin bread, avocado, tomatoes, sprouts, cucumbers, and Havarti cheese. We also ordered a Lotta Mora smoothie made with Andean blackberries, bananas, and strawberries – so freakin’ good!

Love you, momma!!!

Well, that was my weekend in a post! I hope you too had a great weekend filled with friends and family!

**********

Oh and I’m glad so many of you like The Alchemist! I’m about a third of the way through and have to agree with Shanna – it really is one of those books that you can’t read all at once. You want to absorb every single word before moving on. Love it so far! I’ll share more of my thoughts when I finish.

Have a great night! Smile

Recap: My Week at Home

An iPhone Free Weekend in Atlanta

BacK in the A!

Home Sweet Atlanta

Celebrations All Around!

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