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Monsoon Ball Kolkata, India

New Country, New Friends – Pink by Ruchi

written by Parita 2 Comments

Ruchi is back!  And this time she’s sharing about her journey to making friends upon moving to India.

Personally, I love this post.  This is a topic I’ve been thinking a lot about lately.  Maintaining old friendships and making new ones as an adult is just plain hard.  I plan to share my thoughts in a future post, but for now, I hope you enjoy reading about Ruchi’s experience.

* * * * *

Gee, I’m almost 30 years old, and I have to make a whole new set of friends, in a whole new country.  Should be interesting.

This is one of the first thoughts I had when I moved to Kolkata.  My automatic assumption was, ‘Okay, I can just become friends with Jai’s friends’ wives.’  Then, we realized, most of Jai’s childhood and high school friends had left Kolkata.  (In most cases, if you didn’t join your family business, you left for another city for more opportunities).  All right, let’s re-think that one.  Well, I guess it’ll just happen.

Think again.  Making friends is hard!  When you’re in school, it does just kinda happen.  You find people you have things in common with – through extracurricular activities, through social groups, sometimes your roommates, you know.

But, when you’re out of school, married and in another place, that’s where the challenges are.  First off, your priorities and obligations change.  In our case, we live in a joint family, so a lot of your free time is taken up there.  We also have to travel a lot for work, so when you’re actually in town, sometimes the last thing you wanna do is socialize and make an effort.  I know, if you want to meet new people, you have to step out of your comfort zone and try.  Our work environment is also very different from the States – we’re the bosses so no making friends there.

We both realized things needed to change.  We had to start making more of an effort and not being so uptight.  We also needed to break away from the house and, in turn, the family a bit more.

I had joined the Kolkata International Women’s Club but had barely made it to one meeting.  I finally decided to take part in a Bazaar showcasing small business owners.  Through this, I met a few ladies, and things started taking off from there.  Then, we attended our first annual Monsoon Ball and couldn’t wait for the next year where we’d be planning which table to be at.  I think it struck me (quite late in the game, but it did nevertheless) that friends were not just going to fall into my (our) lap.  No need to be desperate but small steps had to be taken.

Monsoon Ball Kolkata, India

Our first Monsoon Ball – fun times all around!

And, the same for Jai.  He started playing golf with friends of friends, and he joined a league where he barely knew anyone.  I guess these things come easier when you’re a little younger and not so wrapped up in work and life in general.

One more thing.  I also realized that we didn’t have to do everything as a couple.  It’s funny – in Atlanta, when we were dating, we had very independent lives.  Yes, we had some common friends, but we were very good about separating our time, too.  After moving here, I just wanted to be stuck to Jai because I didn’t know any better.  I was such a fish out of water.

Second point.  We both realized (even though we’ve said it many a time before), but quantity over quality.  We wanted to spend time with people who we could learn from, who we could be ourselves with, who we could potentially take a trip with, and just order a pizza and hang out on a Friday night.

And the final point.  We were hanging onto our American lives too much.  The food, the places, the friends, all of it.  And there’s nothing wrong with that.  But, when you know this change/move in your life is pretty permanent, you have to start adapting to your new place, too.  Accepting all the parts that come along with that.  Yes, some of our friendships have suffered due to our move, but I also think that’s just the natural shift in life.  It gets harder and harder to stay in touch with time differences, families growing, jobs changing and responsibilities increasing.  But, this has also forced us to truly appreciate and cherish all the people in our lives, near and far.  Sorry, not trying to get mushy on you guys!

It’s tough dealing with so many changes, but it also makes you a stronger person, and I believe deeply in that.  I struggled with the friendship part at the beginning and still do sometimes, but I’m powering through and figuring things out day by day.

If you find yourself moving to a new place, try to embrace all your surroundings.  It’s daunting at first, but you’ll manage.  Join clubs, try to find 1 or 2 people you get along with and build a friendship with them, attend events you normally may not be inclined to, explore.

I’m definitely not an expert, but I’m happy with where I’m at and where I’ve come from in this little journey of mine.

As always, thanks for tuning in!  I’m leaving you all with 2 quotes I thought were quite appropriate for this post 🙂

Friendship quote

Friendship Quote

Thanks, Ruch!  As always, it’s so nice to read your thoughts and have you on MIS 🙂

Do you think it’s harder to make friends as an adult?  Any tips?

Written on March 23, 2016 Related:guest post, Pink By Ruchi

Pink by Ruchi – Bombay Dreams

written by Parita 2 Comments

Ruchi’s back, and this month she’s sharing about her trip to Bombay (Mumbai)!  Thanks for stopping by, Ruch – happy to read that you had a blast with your sister and the kiddos!

* * * * *

Malad & Ghatkopar – that’s pretty much the extent of my Bombay trips.  It’s been the case since I was a little girl visiting India during summer breaks.

One of my Masis (Mom’s sister) lives in Malad and the other in Ghatkopar.  It was always easy for the entire family to get together in one place, eat meals together, shop in that area and spend time with my grandparents rather than going back and forth in the crazy traffic.

Saint

Mandir

Both married into pretty religious families, so temple and Saint visits happen quite often when I’m there, especially when my grandfather is around.

Now that I’m living in India, Bombay doesn’t happen as often as I’d like, but this year, my sister really wanted her kids to spend time with the rest of the extended family.  As important as it is for them to spend time with Jai and me, it’s equally important for them to interact with their great-grandfather, grand-masis, cousin mamas (maternal uncle) and masis and last but not least their second cousins.

AutoSelfie

Rickshaw selfie with the kiddos!

So, before I get into this, keep in mind, when I go to Bombay, I’m pretty much stuck in a one-mile radius of either of the suburbs I mentioned above – there’s not much of the Taj Gateway or Marine Drive happening around here!

Airport2

Airport

Well, I did end up at the new international airport to receive my mom, sister and the kids – it’s beautiful!

In a way, it’s nice though – we now have our little, local shops we visit, the owners know us (moreso my Mom than us, but still), we can walk around a lot more (which is rare for me in Kolkata), we get to enjoy short and quick auto rickshaw rides (again, a rarity in my world) and I get the occasional American fix (with Bombay being about 10 years ahead of Kolkata, a lot of the chains have already popped up and are quite close to both of the areas I stay in).

Market

Local shopping – the best!

TB

TBHindi

 You bet I did!

KrispyKreme

DD

Woohoo!

I do wish I was a bit gutsier – you’d think after living here for 5 years I would be, but I still don’t really venture out on my own in Bombay – it’s super intimidating, and even though I can confidently speak Hindi now, I just seem to close-up a bit when I’m there.  I guess I feel like my cousins and masis will handle it all and take care of me (which they do – I’m totally spoiled!) 🙂

gujjufood

Maakhan

PavBhaji

Some examples of how I’m spoiled – traditional Gujarati food (some of my favorites), pure, homemade butter, and I guess an Indian vegetarian version of sloppy joes?!  YUM!

One thing I have noticed though, I have no issues bargaining and speaking up when someone asks me where I’m from.  Dude, I know I have ‘I’m not originally from here’ stamped across my head, but I love the fact that I can now say, ‘I am from here, I live in Kolkata, so don’t try to tell me I don’t know the prices of things!’  What a liberating feeling!  I love it!  (insert evil laugh – he he he).

I had a list of the most random things I wanted to buy during this trip, and believe it or not, I managed to find them all – crazy how a city you visit for one week allows you to purchase a mixed list of items while the city you live in makes you feel like you’ve created a never ending wish list!  I do suppose something about vacation versus work and life has something to do with it 😉

The week went by in a flash, and I guess the common saying stands true once again – time flies when you’re having fun!  Bombay never disappoints, and I do hope to explore more of the city next time I go.  If you plan on being in Malad or Ghatkopar anytime soon, I’m happy to pass on all my spots!

As always, thanks for stopping by!!

Have you ever traveled to India?  I’ve been several times but have yet to explore Bombay for more than a few hours.  It’s now officially on my to visit list thanks to Ruchi!

Written on December 30, 2015 Related:guest post, Indian culture, Pink By Ruchi

Pink by Ruchi Celebrates Diwali

written by Parita 1 Comment

Ruchi’s back!  And this time she’s sharing more about her Diwali celebrations in India.  We decided this would be a fun and interesting post to share since I honestly didn’t do too much for the holiday this year (being away from family will do that to you!).  Enjoy!

* * * * *

Growing up in the States, we celebrated Diwali quite differently than how I’m being taught to celebrate it here in Kolkata.  I say ‘taught’ because many of the traditions are completely new to me, and even though I’ve been here for 5 years now, I still don’t know them like the back of my hand.  I think it’s still going to take some time and practice 🙂

In the Vora (that’s my maiden name) household, my mom used to make homemade Gujarati snacks (sweets and savories), and we used to attend a few Diwali dinner parties at friends’ homes.  I always participated in the community’s annual program (which consisted of lots of practices and then an exciting night of performances by all of the kids).  That was pretty much Diwali for me – we didn’t do many of the ritualistic activities which I’m seeing much more of here.

In the Kejriwal (that’s my married name) household, Diwali means major, major deep cleaning (basically the equivalent of Spring cleaning), menus, new clothes, pujas, sending out and receiving ‘meva’ (almonds, pistachios, cashews, etc.), visiting extended family – the works.

meva

For us, the celebrations really begin on Dhanteras (which is 2 days before Diwali) – on this day, you usually make large purchases (lots of people buy cars or gold), and for symbolic purposes (and the actual pujas), we buy a silver coin every year.  At night, the entire family takes part in a small prayer where we light 4 diyas.

dhanteraspuja

Chhoti Diwali (the day before) is also known as Roop Chaudas.  Back in the day, people used this day to prepare for the next – basically, they underwent natural beauty treatments to have that extra special glow for the most important event.  My mother-in-law prepares a full body paste that acts like a mask – it consists of crushed almonds, gram flour, oil, yogurt, rose petals and some other stuff I’m sure I’m forgetting.  You’re supposed to light a diya, spread the paste all over your body, hang out for a bit, let it do its thing and then shower.  It really works – your skin feels amazingly soft and exfoliated afterwards – clearly, all these old remedies really work – I honestly think we should do as many of them as we can!  I’ll spare you guys an image of myself with the paste on – ha!

 

roopchaudas

The evening puja is a bit more involved – we light 11 diyas, place coins in a plate and actually perform the puja to them.

chhotidiwali

chhotidiwalidiyas

Finally, on Diwali, we have to 2 pujas – one in our place of work and then the main puja at night at home (both to pray for hopefully good things in the New Year and the general accomplishment of good over evil).  For these pujas, we pray to God Ganeshji (the God with an elephant’s head who usually begins each prayer) and Goddess Laxmiji (the goddess of wealth, fortune and prosperity).  Everyone performs the rituals and showers the Gods with offerings, we light diyas which are then placed outside of each room of the house and sometimes fireworks!

officepuja

officepujadetails 

diwalipuja

diwalipuja1

diwalidiyas

The three days also consist of 6 different meals – a mix of traditional Rajasthani, Gujarati, South Indian and continental cuisines (this year it was Italian).  And, as some of you may have seen over at my IG (@pinkbyruchi), we also get to dress up in new clothes (of course my favorite part of it all!).  My mother-in-law wants everything about the occasion to be festive – the home is adorned with flowers, lights, candles, plants and more, we all wear new clothes, the dining table is decorated with new placemats and cutlery – it really does bring the entire place alive.

pasta

dessert

chhotidiwalilunch

candvi

diwalidinnerdetails

diwalidinnerdetails1

The morning after Diwali, it’s not downtime, but instead, we have to get up and be ready to welcome guests at home and also make our rounds around town to the elders in the extended family.  Since everyone is busy with their own pujas the day before, visits are reserved for the days after.  Like I said, even though I’ve been doing this for almost 5 years and Jai his whole life, we both completely forgot and had a lazy start that morning.  And then of course, we were rushing!  Standard!

I have learned so much about the spiritual part of Diwali after joining this family – there are many components, and I’m excited to carry on as many of the traditions as I can when it’s my turn.  For now though, I’ll continue to make my lists and pick up as much as possible!

Happy Diwali (to all who celebrate) – may the lights of this season shine bright throughout your year and bring you nothing but joy, happiness, love and good fortune!  As always, thanks for tuning in!  And, thanks to Parita for letting me be a guest on MIS!

diwalilights

What’s your favorite holiday and why?  Personally, I’ve always loved all the end of the year holidays, including Diwali, Navratri (another Hindu festival), Thanksgiving, and Christmas.  Lots of family time and delicious food! 

Written on November 25, 2015 Related:guest post, Hindu celebrations, Indian culture, Pink By Ruchi

Pink by Ruchi – An Update

written by Parita Leave a Comment

Happy Friday, y’all!  We made it to the end of the week. 

I’m actually in Atlanta this weekend for my sister and Adarsh’s religious engagement ceremony.  YAY!  I plan to take lots of pics and look forward to sharing more on Monday! 

Until then, please welcome back my good friend Ruchi!  She’s back in India after her trip to the US and is sharing updates and glimpses into her current every day life!

Take it away, Ruch!

* * * * *

Hello, hello!  If you’d like to read a quick update (okay, it’s kinda long) on my trunk show that I posted about last time, feel free to head on over to my blog and see my before and after makeover pics as well.  It was so much fun!

I thought for today, I’d do something a little different.  Rather than talk a whole lot, I wanted to share pictures of my daily sights and happenings.  Apologies for the quality – they were taken on my phone while the car was moving, and I was a being a little bit of a creeper in others…

It’s so interesting to see such extremes in this country – it just goes to show how far we’ve come and how much farther we still have to go.  With that being said, here we GO!

menwork

I’m amazed every day at the way certain construction is still conducted here.  Those men are tying bamboo type rods together with rope while they stand unsupported and unprotected.

mall

And down the street, we’ve got this monstrosity of a mall with some of the best designer stores in the world.

momkid

Love it when I see a woman scootin’ around; not sure how I feel about the child seated in front with no belt or anything…

drivingtest

People waiting to take a driving test – I also had to do this, and if you think the DMV is bad, try again 🙂

desk

As you can see, Jai has taken over my desk area while I’ve been gone – time to clean!

teajalebi

mentea

The first is an older picture, but Jai and I are trying to do this more often – go to one of the best tea shops and have a nice cup of masala, saffron chai and a jalebi (basically fried dough dipped in syrup) first thing in the morning – um yes, it’s absolutely amazing!  The funniest part about this is that you’ll see men in their workout gear chomping down on samosas (more fried, savory goodness), chai, jalebi and much more – well, at least they’re treating themselves after a ‘hard’ workout – okay, okay, I’ll stop being mean and breaking my rule of not talking much!

construction

This is going to be our lives around town for the next few years – they’re building the metro – ‘nuff said.  AND, traffic is terrible these days because of this!

spidey

The pictures on buses and other public transport just crack me up!  Yup, that’s Spidey!

puja

And, I thought I’d end with this beautiful image – the way we do havans/pujas/prayers at home – this is right before we start – it evokes such amazing feelings, and when the fire is at its strongest – gives you chills!

Thanks so much for reading along – hope you enjoyed it!

* * * * *

Thanks for sharing your daily sights with us, Ruch!  Hope you’re settling back ok!

And have a wonderful weekend, everyone!  Thanks for reading. Smile

Written on September 25, 2015 Related:guest post, Pink By Ruchi

Pink by Ruchi Trunk Shows

written by Parita 3 Comments

You guys!  Chicago is the BEST summertime city.  The weather is perfect, the streets are buzzing with great energy, and everyone is in a fun mood.  I can’t wait to live here.  Of course, I’ll figure out the winters when the time comes, but for now, I’m going to relish in the fact that this will be my summer for the next 4-5 years!  Woo hoo!

With that being said, I have a fun overview post coming on Friday.  In the meantime, Ruchi is back and sharing more about her fabulous business.  Take it away, Ruch!!

* * * * *

I cannot believe how quickly my time is flying by here.  It always does (because we’re clearly having so much fun), but it’s crazy how fast our trip comes to an end.  I’m a little more than halfway through mine, and my husband Jai leaves today to go back 🙁

One of the reasons I think my trips fly by is because I’m also working when I’m here.  It’s not really work though – it’s like fun work.  I set-up and take down pop-up stores (temporary Pink by Ruchi clothing shops – like your own private boutique), host trunk shows and meet with clients one-on-one as well.  Between trying to spend time with family, meet up with friends, cross off the personal to-dos on both of our lists and my Pink by Ruchi responsibilities, it becomes quite a hectic and fruitful trip.

trunkshow3

trunkshow2

Some of my designs and accessories being displayed

I try to come up with a new idea each time and pair my trunk shows with another product or brand.  For the last 3 years or so, I’ve been working with various Stella & Dot local representatives and combining my clothing with jewelry – I know, great combination – what every girl wants in one place.  This has always worked very nicely, and it allows me to make new contacts as well (which is extremely important in this business).

trunkshow1

Some lovely customers shopping

I am so excited about my idea this year, and I hope we have a great turnout.  I have decided to team up with a brand of make-up artists to allow women to treat themselves to a fun evening (or day) of make-up and then shop for clothing, too!  The artists come out to my location, set-up all of their products and give clients a one-on-one session where they also teach them how to apply.  I mean, being completely honest here, if I were not the one setting this up and got invited, I’d be there in a second.  How fun!  I totally need to learn how to apply makeup and having a professional show me what to do – there’s nothing better than that.  Mix in clothing, and I’m sold!

It’s always nice to try out new ideas – they don’t always work out, but you never know until you try and put in that 100% effort.  I’m already playing around with ideas for next year – I know, I’m totally crazy!  Finish one first, right?!

If any of you are in the Atlanta area and would like to stop by either Thursday night or Friday during the day, please message in the comments – I can pass on the details and get you scheduled!

trunkshow4

Always keep room for snacks!

Side note for me – I’ll have to make sure the women hit the clothes first AND THEN the make-up!  Ohhh, the details! 🙂

Hope to see you!

Thanks for sharing, Ruch!  I wish I was in Atlanta right now. Smile  Would love to check out some of your pieces and get a personal makeup consultation!  Maybe next time!

Thanks for reading, everyone  Happy Wednesday!

Written on August 12, 2015 Related:Fashion, guest post, Pink By Ruchi

Parita and Ruchi meet at Global Mall

Pink by Ruchi – Coming to America

written by Parita Leave a Comment

Today we have our monthly blog post from my good friend Ruchi, and she’s sharing about how she prepares for her big trip to the US!

Take it away, Ruch!

* * * * *

Okay, yes, I did just do that.  I was trying to think of a title, and the most obvious one came to mind, and then I realized I had just chosen a classic movie.  Well, it works, right?

Hello from the States!  For most of you, I’m on your side of the world now!  I’ve been here for a few days, and I’m totally taking it all in – the fresh air, the driving, the food, spending QT with my family and even seeing a few friends already (namely, Mrs. My Inner Shakti herself – woohoo!).

PARRUCH (1) 
Preparing for my trips to the States is very different from any normal vacation I take.  I’m coming for an extended period of time (because it really doesn’t make sense to go so far for a quick second), and I’m seeing/attending lots of different people/events.  Packing is tough.  I wear pretty different clothes Stateside, and I also want to try all my new designs.  But then, I also have to pack some traditional Indian pieces, so those take up a good amount of space.  I also have goodies for my entire family + some friends + some food.  Weight is such an issue these days, and I’m completely anal, so I start packing weeks in advance.  Jai says I pack my bags about 7 times – I open and close and open and close and remove one thing and add 2 things, and basically it’s a viscous cycle.  I know, I’m a little cray-cray.

Besides the packing, I also had to wrap-up a lot of tasks back home.  I left the tailors with some work on their hands; otherwise, they’ll find new designers, and then snap, they’re gone.  Certain items had to be put away properly, because as I’ve mentioned before, our house situation is very different – everything will continue to function on a daily basis since the other members of the family are around, and our room has to be monitored every few days (during the monsoons, everything gets wet-like and moldy, and you really have to be careful with your clothes and essentially all your items – I did not understand this at all when I first moved, but it’s so true).  Finally, HR at the office had to be handled.  Once again, I needed to leave my junior HR rep with to-dos that she could continuously keep working on in my absence.

So, I think that covers everything.  A long list, but I’ve clearly made it here, and now packing and organizing seems like a distant memory.  To be honest, once I’m here and enjoying myself, who cares what I have and what I forgot.  It’s not the end of the world.  AND, I can always shop here :)  The HR bit is constantly monitored, and with all of the modern technology, it’s pretty easy to stay in touch.  I do stress about the tailors a bit, but that’s a part of life and work there, and I’ll get them back on track when I return.

I’m just psyched about enjoying my six weeks and soaking in every, single second.  I’ll be documenting my trip and other tid-bits on IG, so you can follow me there (@pinkbyruchi).

AND if any of you are local Chattanoogans, ATLiens or New Yorkers, I’d love to meet you!  And if you’re interested in seeing some PInk by Ruchi pieces, I’ll be hosting pop up stores in both Chatt and Atl.  Let me know in the comments if you’re interested in stopping by.  

Happy Wednesday!

And as always, thanks for reading!

Written on July 15, 2015 Related:guest post

Pink by Ruchi Wish List

written by Parita 4 Comments

We all know that I’m not the most fashion forward person.  In fact, I could live in my t-shirts and sweat pants all day every day (and I usually do).  And that is exactly why I have Ruchi, an expert, sharing her Pink by Ruchi wish list with you today.  Enjoy!

I constantly have ideas roaming around in my head, and as soon as I’m able to, I try to implement those designs.  Of course, not all of them turn out according to plan, but I do still have my favorites.  So, I thought for this post, I’d share with you all a Pink by Ruchi Wist List.  If I were going to order or buy something from me :), these are the pieces that are at the top of my list!

Pink by Ruchi Wish List

1 – Okay, so some of you may know this, but when I first launched my line, I was selling as Pink Sugar.  As my designs matured and changed, I realized I wanted my name somewhere in the label.  That’s when I decided to officially launch as Pink by Ruchi.  SO, this piece was made during the ‘Pink Sugar’ time, and ‘PSP Peplum’ has a great ring to it.  This is by far one of my most favorite designs – it’s cute and spunky all at the same time.

2 – I love this cotton with the sparkly gold lines – again, cutesy with a pop!  This material is so comfortable, and this dress is perfect for a summer day – you can run errands in it, grab lunch with a friend, and even manage to wear it to a casual dinner!

3 – Elegant and delicate.  And surprisingly, you can dress this top down, too.  Having the lining already stitched in is a major plus, and the sweetheart neckline leaves just enough to the imagination!

4 – The best casual tunic.  I adore tops that give me room to move around (the elastic waist allows for that).  Goes great with leggings or skinnies or even Bermudas, and just plain comfortable.

5 – Midi!  One of the reasons this is on my list is because of the length – which is so in right now!  And I super like it because of the ‘wrap look’ – store/ready-made wrap dresses never really looked right on me (I think because of my funny proportions), and now that I can get them made according to my measurements, it’s the icing on the cake!

6 – Well, my dreams did come true after moving to India, so I figured the last one should be ‘dun, dun, dun’…Indian :).  Traditional pieces are so beautiful – they’re colorful, the handwork is amazing, the fabrics are gorgeous – all of it.  I love playing around with fun prints and shades, but at the end of the day, I’m a classics-kinda girl – so, this one is perfect – the black and white embroidery with the lime green dupatta – muah! (Imagine me kissing my fingers like I’m in an Italian restaurant).

Alrighty, there you have it!  Happy list making and shopping!

If you’d like to see magnified images, please visit the site!  And if you want to read my personal blog, please check it out here.

Thanks for another great post, Ruchi!  I personally love #2 and #6.  So pretty!

What’s on your fashion wish list?

Written on June 17, 2015 Related:Fashion, guest post

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