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Friends at an Indian wedding

Wedding Weekend in Miami

written by Parita 11 Comments

Vishnu and I drove down to Miami this past weekend for our friends Adam and Khusbu’s wedding.  We had so much fun celebrating the lovebirds! 

A K wedding 1

I’ve known Khusbu since college, but we lost touch for a few years.  When we moved to South Florida, the four of us started hanging out and got to know each other better.  In fact, I still remember getting Khusbu’s “We’re engaged” text!  It’s crazy to think their wedding is now in the past.

The wedding was obviously the main reason we were in Miami, but luckily we were able to squeeze in a few other things as well.

On Friday night, we stayed with my colleague Ivette.  As soon as we got to her place, we freshened up and headed to The Rusty Pelican for dinner.  Vishnu mentioned this restaurant several times during our last few months in Miami, but we never had the opportunity to eat there.  It’s not the most vegetarian friendly restaurant, so I found it to be good but not great.  However, Ivette and Vishnu loved their dishes! 

The Rusty Pelican

We woke up bright and early on Saturday morning to get ready and head to the hotel.  We made it to the hotel in time for the baarat (groom’s entrance), however everything leading up to that was a huge fail. 

First, I had the hardest time putting on my sari.  Two YouTube videos later, I just did my best and prayed that it wouldn’t fall apart on me.  Then, we called an Uber to take us to the hotel.  It just so happened that the Susan G. Komen race was happening that morning, so every single road in the area was blocked.  What should’ve been a five minute drive, turned out to be a 35 minute drive.  It was so bad that we asked our driver to just drop us off no where close to the hotel.  And then we walked.  Me in my messed up sari and heels and Vishnu in his suit.  With two rolling suitcases.  We were quite the spectacle I’m sure.

A K wedding 2

Anyways, after that things got better.  The baraat was lots of fun, the wedding was absolutely beautiful, and the reception was full of energy.  We were even able to squeeze in a walk around our old neighborhood in the afternoon. 

Baraat

A K wedding 3

A K wedding 4

A K wedding 5

Miami

Before heading back to St. Petersburg, we met up with Vishnu’s cousin Tara and our friend Hanisha for brunch.  It was so good to see them and catch up over delicious food!

On our drive home, we talked a lot about our time in Miami and how much we miss the city.  And since we’re not moving back anytime soon, we realized that the next best thing to do is make the most of our time in St. Pete.  We have eight ish more months here, and we want to see and do as much as possible…we’re on a mission! 

Well, I hope you have a great start to your week!

Written on October 19, 2015 Related:Friends, Miami, Weekend

Packing chaos in small apartment

All Moved In

written by Parita 10 Comments

We survived our move this weekend!  And not only are we all moved in, but we’re 95% unpacked as well.  It took a lot of work to get us to this point, but we did it!

When we moved from Fort Lauderdale to Miami two years ago, we hired a moving company to load, drive, and unload all of our stuff.  This also included breaking down our bed and putting it back together and other tasks like that.  And while all of our stuff got to Miami, it was such an ordeal on so many levels.  So this time around we went with a slightly different option.

For this move, we rented a U-Haul truck, bought all of the packing material off the U-Haul website, hired loaders and unloaders, and did all the grunt work ourselves.  I mentioned packing on the blog several times over the past couple of weeks, and while we did pack here and there, the majority of our stuff wasn’t put into boxes until Thursday and Friday.  We also wrapped all of our furniture in industrial sized saran wrap, which sounds like a lot of fun but is literally a pain (my back hurt for days!). 

packing chaos
Packing chaos!

But I think all of our hard work was worth the effort because the move itself was relatively smooth.  The loaders and unloaders arrived on time, the weather cooperated, the U-Haul didn’t break down on Vishnu, nothing was damaged, etc.

As far as unpacking goes, we pretty much used most of Sunday to do just that, as well as organize all of our stuff.  My goal was to get the bathroom, the kitchen, and our bedroom in working order, and we did that plus a little more!

Kitchen 
My favorite spot in the new apt!

Something we definitely could have done better is meal planning, and I don’t mean home cooked meals.  I wish I had researched options in our neighborhood so that at any given moment when either of us was hungry something could have been done about it.  We pretty much ate 1.5 meals on Saturday and 1.5 meals on Sunday.  Oh well, you live, get hangry, and learn!

To ensure that the aforementioned scenario doesn’t happen again, we also fit in a quick Target and Trader Joe’s trip (less than a 10 minute drive away!!) on Sunday in between the unpacking mayhem.  No one is going hungry around here anytime soon!

Well, that’s all for now!  I’ll share more about our new city in upcoming posts!

Thanks for reading!

Written on June 8, 2015 Related:Moving

Brickell in Miami, Florida at night

See You Later, Miami!

written by Parita 7 Comments

After two amazing years of Miami living, Vishnu and I are saying “see you later!”  (I refuse to say goodbye because I know we’ll be back sooner than later.)  And while we’re embarking on a fun new adventure, I’m really going to miss this city and all the memories it holds.

Miami 
More specifically, I’m going to miss…

  • …all the wonderful friends we’ve made.  It’s crazy how close and connected you can feel to people you haven’t known all that long.  Although it’s been hard saying bye to everyone, I know our Miami peeps are lifelong friends, so it’s more like “see you soon.”
  • …our apartment.  We really lucked out with our place here.  It was the perfect size, in the perfect location, with the perfect view. 
  • …Miami weather.  More so the warmth and not the crazy humidity.  And because we’ll still be in sunny Florida for a year, it probably won’t hit me until we move to Chicago. 
  • …being able to walk EVERYWHERE – the grocery store, the post office, the nail salon, bars, restaurants, and most importantly, my office.  For two years, I had the BEST commute in the world!
  • …my runs along Brickell Key.  If you follow me on Instagram and have seen my beautiful sunrise pictures, then you’ve seen a part of Brickell Key.  It’s a small key located directly behind our condo building, and the perimeter is lined with the most perfect path for running/walking. 
  • …my hair stylist.  For the past two years, I’ve gone to the same lady for my haircuts and most recently my color.  She is amazing.  And we all know how hard it is to find a hair person.  Crossing my fingers that I can find someone like Jessica in both St. Pete and Chicago!  For anyone living in the Miami area, check out Philip Francis Hair Salon and book with Jessica.
  • …Giardino’s salads.  I know what you’re probably thinking but hear me out.  This place makes the BEST salads in the world.  They are loaded with fresh ingredients and topped with the tastiest dressings.  Most everyone who’s visited us in Miami had tried Giardino’s and loved it!

I’ll be the first to admit that I wasn’t a huge fan of the idea of living in Miami.  In fact, when I first moved down here, I was already counting down the days until our move out of here.   But now?  Let’s just say I’m going to miss this wonderful, chaotic, magical city with all my heart. 

See you later, Miami!  And thank you for everything!  We’re sure going to miss you, but we’ll be back soon!

Written on June 5, 2015 Related:Miami

Last Weekend in Miami

written by Parita 19 Comments

FRIDAY

When I got home from work on Friday, Vishnu was watching TV, so I decided to relax and read for a few minutes. More on my newest book to come soon!

Then came figuring out what to eat for dinner.  Earlier in the day, I asked Vishnu if oatmeal was ok.  He agreed and that was that…until I proposed pizza at 6:30 pm.

Pizza Pizza_Miami
Oatmeal vs. Pizza.  Pizza won!

We were able to get five meals out of this one pie.  Not too bad!

The rest of our Friday included a little packing and some TV watching.

SATURDAY

Saturday was a bit busier because we had some errands to run in the afternoon.  We had a few things to return at the mall and a few things to buy at Target.  We also had to buy paint (for the condo walls) from a very specific retailer.  All of that took a few hours, and while it wasn’t super exciting, it was nice to drive around that area of Miami one last time.

Later in the evening we met up with a few friends for dinner.  Vishnu really wanted to check out a restaurant called Mandolin after our friends Adam and Khusbu mentioned it last weekend.  I told him I would take care of making a reservation and all that.

Mandolin_Dinner
Welllll…I did make a reservation but for six because I wanted to surprise Vishnu with a fun graduation dinner with our friends!  And even though I almost gave away the big surprise a few times, he totally didn’t catch on.  In fact, as the host was walking us to our table, he said something like, “Right this way and two others from your party have just arrived.”  To which Vishnu replied, “What?  It’s only the two of us.”  I just ignored him and kept walking.  The look on his face when he saw everyone was priceless!

And I didn’t take any food pics, but everything was delicious (especially the Greek and Turkish dip samplers).  This is definitely a must-try Miami restaurant!

We ended the meal with delicious celebratory mini cupcakes from LA Sweetz.  My fav!

LA Sweets cupcakes
SUNDAY

We slept in a little on Sunday and savored every last minute of our last full weekend day in Miami.  We also packed and cleaned some more…shocking!

Later in the evening we headed to our friend Rohit’s house for dinner and were joined by a few of other friends.  His sweet mom was kind enough to make us dosas + all kinds of veggie curries on the side.  Needless to say, I was STUFFED!  It was fun eating and talking for a few hours.  By the time we got home, I was ready to sleep.

Aunty
All in all, our last weekend in Miami was a great one.  We didn’t do anything new, but we spent it with the people who made our time in Miami so much fun.  And I wouldn’t have had it any other way!

Happy Monday all, and thanks for reading!

What was the highlight of your weekend? 

Written on June 1, 2015 Related:Miami, Restaurant, Weekend

Disrupting Our Default

written by Parita 19 Comments

Vishnu and I are creatures of habit and comfort.  This blog may give a totally different impression at times, but don’t be fooled.  If given the option to stick with what we know, we’ll take it.  We know this about ourselves, both as individuals and as a couple, so we’re constantly talking about ways to change things up and disrupt our default.  

Obviously, there are so many ways to disrupt your default way of doing things.  And since my default likely looks somewhat different from yours, the way I try to disrupt it will also look and feel quite different.  Same goes for Vishnu.

To that point, I thought it would be fun to share a few things we’ve recently done to disrupt our default.

1. As I mentioned in my last post, I got highlights this weekend.  While this may sound like ordinary news to most of you, this was huge for me.  I was super nervous and almost backed out of the whole thing while talking to my stylist.  But you know what…stepping outside my comfort zone and trying something new with my look ended up being really fun.  It definitely helps that the whole thing didn’t turn out to be a huge disaster, but regardless, the risk was well worth it.  I mean, it’s just hair, right?

Highlights
I haven’t been able to get a better picture of my hair, and I know this one doesn’t do the highlights justice.  But they’re a reddish brown color and I LOVE them!  And yes, I still have “some” grays.  Apparently, highlights don’t make all of your gray hair go away.

2. A few weeks ago, my friend Shannon told me about a great Groupon deal for the yoga studio she goes to.  Because I was/am genuinely trying to bring yoga back into my life, I bought the Groupon and started going to classes with Shannon.  I wouldn’t call myself a yogi by any stretch of the imagination, but I will say I’m glad to disrupt my fitness default and challenge myself once a week. 

3. Because we know our time in Miami may be limited, we are trying extra hard to disrupt our default when it comes to leaving the comfort of our neighborhood and finding new places to eat and things to do.  For example, when people ask me about the food scene in Miami, I usually name a few restaurants and say something like, “It doesn’t even compare to cities like Chicago and Atlanta!”  But after meeting some new foodie friends, I’m learning that Miami may have more to offer than I originally thought.

Risotto

4. Something else we’re trying to do is make plans with friends (even on weekdays) and keep them.  In the past, our weekly routine would never include more than one commitment with friends that actually required dressing up and getting out of our apartment.  We got comfortable with our familiar routine and didn’t make the effort to reach out to others.  Fortunately , we realized that we’re in our thirties and not our nineties and are now shaking things up. 

Dinner with friends

5.  Vishnu’s schedule isn’t as hectic as it once was.  And while I’m sure he loves running my errands during the day, he’s also trying to learn Spanish via the Rosetta Stone program (among other things).  If it was me, that would be the last thing I’d want to do.  Knowing residency’s a few short months away, I would want to do anything but learn.  Being the [cute] nerd that he is, he’s disrupting his default routine and turning his free time into an enriching growth experience. 

These are just a few ways we’re disrupting our default and creating new and different experiences for ourselves.  And as scary as it can be sometimes, it’s only led to great things for us so far!

Do you make an conscious effort to disrupt your default? 

Written on March 10, 2015 Related:Inspirational, Life, random

Biking Around Key Biscayne

written by Parita 4 Comments

I’m a little embarrassed to admit that Vishnu and I have only been to Key Biscayne twice.  It’s literally in our backyard.  I mean, I could run there if I wanted to.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with areas of Miami other than South Beach (no shame because that was me just a few years ago), Key Biscayne is an island town located south of Miami Beach and east of Miami.  It’s connected to the mainland via the Rickenbacker Causeway, and let me tell you…the views of the Atlantic Ocean are breathtaking.

Anyway, our first trip to Key Biscayne was a beach trip.  And I’m honestly not too sure why we never went back.  The beach itself isn’t my favorite, but it’s a 15 minute drive from our place.

Well, we rectified the situation by exploring Key Biscayne last weekend with our friends Aman and Nazia.  And this time we did it via bikes.

Side note – the last time I touched a bike was almost 10 years ago.  But luckily, it all came back to me!

We met at Mangrove Cycles to pick up our bikes.  The owner was super friendly and made sure to map out our entire path for us, including all the must see spots along the way.

And then we were off!

We followed the seven mile path which led us through gorgeous neighborhoods lined with bungalows, Bill Braggs Cape Florida State Park, the Cape Florida Lighthouse, and of course the oceanfront.

Here are a few pictures my photographer Vishnu took for me!

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Like I said, this really is a must visit spot. It’s nothing like South Beach, which in my opinion is a great thing.  It’s perfect for when you’ve had enough of the touristy stuff and just want to relax and enjoy the ocean and all the beauty that comes with it.  The island is home to some supposedly wonderful restaurants, obviously some awesome views, and quite a few fun activities, making it family friendly as well.

We will definitely be back!

Have you ever been to Miami?  If so, did you make it out to Key Biscayne?

Written on January 9, 2015 Related:Miami

Weekend Recap – Family Fun

written by Parita 10 Comments

We had such a great time with Niel and Neelam (my BIL and his girlfriend) this weekend.  I really wish we could go back in time and relive all the fun (and delicious food!).

After picking them up at the airport on Friday evening, we went to Nikko by Sunshine for dinner.  Neelam and I weren’t in much of a sushi mood, so I ordered Pad Thai while Neelam ordered soup.  Vishnu and Niel shared a couple of sushi rolls and my leftovers.  I’ve been looking for a decent sushi restaurant, and according to Vishnu, we found it!  We’ll definitely be back.

Niel in Miami 009
Just check out the presentation!

The next morning, we got up, ate breakfast, talked for a couple of hours, and slowly got ready for the day.  Not surprisingly, this involved more food!  Since Vishnu, Niel, and Neelam all love seafood, we drove to Joe’s Stone Crab in South Beach.

Niel in Miami 012
Thankfully, the salad I ordered was fresh and refreshing.  The server even recommended I try Joe’s dressing, which is award-winning and delicious!  The seafood eaters also enjoyed their meals.  Vishnu and Neelam said their crab cakes were pillowy and delicious (as evident by their perfectly clean plates!), and Niel said his fried oysters tasted “great!”  If you love seafood, this Miami institution is a must visit restaurant!

Since it looked like it was about to rain any minute, we headed home after lunch and decided to play Taboo.  We started off with the boys teaming up against the girls.  After the girls dominated and destroyed the boys, we changed things up.  Vishnu and I coupled up against Niel and Neelam and walked away with a narrow victory.  Note that the common denominator in both scenarios was ME!  I’m pretty much a Taboo wizard!

Later that night, we met up with a few friends for dinner at Batch.  Good food and good company!

Niel in Miami 015
Before heading home, we stopped at Area 31 to check out their rooftop bar.  The bar was actually closed but the view was still amazing.

Miami view
Sunday morning looked a lot like Saturday – woke up, talked, got ready, went out to eat.  Only this time, instead of lunch, we went to Fado’s Irish Pub for brunch.  The food was good, but the conversation was better!  We talked about everything from football, soccer, religion, movies, etc.  So much fun!

Niel in Miami 021
Brothers!

Niel and Vishnu were craving something sweet after our very savory meal, so we stopped at Amore for gelato.  I wasn’t planning on getting anything because of my whole dairy-free thing, but when I heard someone say vegan gelato, my ears perked up!  Apparently, gelato can be made with water and no eggs/milk.  After sampling it, I made everyone else try it too!  It was so creamy and chocolaty.  Love it when I’m not left out!

No visit would be complete without a walk around mine and Vishnu’s favorite spot…Brickell Key.

Niel in Miami 028

Niel in Miami 029
I think we successfully convinced Niel and Neelam to retire in Miami with us one day!

And just like that the weekend was over.  But because fun times were had by all, I think it’s safe to say that our visitors will be back sometime in early 2015!

I, for one, am really looking forward to the short work week and our trip to Houston next weekend.  One more 2014 wedding to go!

Written on November 25, 2014 Related:Family, Miami, Weekend

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