2005 Roundup

I've been reflecting on 2005 and I thought it would be nice to have the year's big memories in one place. So i've edited this post a few times and come up with some notable memories.

*December 2005 marks the one year anniversary of IndianWeddingSite.com. What started out as a little side hobby is now getting over 1.4 million hits a month and providing brides with a resource they never had before. I can't wait to see what happens in 2006.

*I fell in love with the Dhol Foundation after seeing them perform live at a wedding reception in New Jersey. I am mesmerized by how amazing dhol can be.

*I spent a lot of money discovering some great restaurants that I'll always remember and I look forward to spending more!

*I gained weight and started going to the gym - even took a step aerobics class. That felt really good and I'm happy to report that I'm almost halfway to my goal weight.

*I cooked my first meal(s). Yes, I've been married almost 3 years and I've never cooked. So sue me. Anyways, 2 out of 3 meals turned out well. The first wasn't horrible .. just dry. So I can now cook!!

*I went on a bunch of trips with the hubby and/or the family ~ Toronto, D.C., Montreal, California (San Jose, Half Moon Bay, Orange County), Boston, Virginia, London and Bahamas. I have pictures and unique memories from each trip that hopefully I'll never forget. I also know really good Thai restaurants in each area =)

*I also fell in love with Rabbi Shergill (I think that was this year). No album has been as great as his debut one. I can't wait to see what he comes out with next and I only hope that the fame doesn't contaminate his unique style.

*I planned my very first baby shower and received tons of compliments. Even though my theme wasn't fully tied together because one of my items arrived late, I think everyone still figured it out (well, minus the annoying aunties who were just there for the prizes).

Ok I can't keep saving this as a draft so I'm letting it go now =)

***Oh, um, yeah, DUH! My nephew was born this year =) Luckily he'll never see this blog when he grows up and won't realize that i forgot him on my list of 2005 greats =)

***Uh, wow, how could I forget that I met the obsession of my life - Aishwarya Rai!! Wow, what an experience that was. I've had many dreams about her since then. The other day we were at the Oscars and she asked if I wanted a picture with her and we started talking and became friends. Oh, my imagination.

24/7

Remember years ago when the term "24/7" was used in the 'cool' crowd? Like, we used to say it in high school and thought it was the coolest thing. But then a year later it was all over the place .. in TV commercials, in ads, out of my dad's mouth! It's so strange that such a cool term went so mainstream so fast that my dad uses it. Strange.

Sunday randomness

It seems that writing random bullet point posts seems to be the way to go, a la Anna and Chai so that's what I'm doing too because I haven't posted in so long.



*Some Pictures from the Bahamas are uploaded on Flickr here







*Went to the Bahamas and stayed at the Atlantis - gorgeous, supersized resort. Got upgraded to the Imperial Club because of an error on their part and thoroughly enjoyed that. There's just this feeling that you get when you get in an elevator and the other couple presses 4 or 5 and you get to press 17 =)

*Went to the casino - delayed it the entire trip and refused to go - but finally gave in. Went on the slots (I'm not a big gambler) and started with $25 and was up to $305 in 10 minutes. Of course, my greedy self kept going and never resdiscovered that luck and wound up leaving -$50. Not good - felt horrible.

*Spent the day with the niece and nephew yesterday and oh my god - what a great form of birth control! I love them beyond belief, but wow! Have you ever been in a store with a screaming 3 year old and a screaming 1 month old? Wow, not fun!!

*Every time we went through security in the Bahamas airport we got the same line "Sir, take off your hat." Funny, I've never heard that one before. And then the hilarious part - after they pull him aside to feel him up, he gets the line "You were selected randomly"! Gotta love those Bahamians =)

*I need to write a review of my trip for all those travel boards I visited prior to the trip. But I'm lazy. Sigh, need to get on that. I'd feel guilty otherwise.

*Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey are over for good - divorce announcement made. How sad is that. Damn that bastard Nick.

*I hope Britney and Kevin are over - but at the same time, that must be so sad to divorce a man when you have a new little baby. I just don't understand why she thought he would be a good father to her baby? For someone who had to mature so fast, she sure is pretty damn stupid.

*I'm trying to find shelves for the storage room at Target but I'm not finding them. Went to the local one yesterday and they didn't have them. Now we have to go trekking to other stores to get them. Organization is hard.

*Flickr is really damn slow.

*I've decided to create New Year's Resolutions and my first resolution is to get around to making the list.

*I don't know what I'm doing for New Year's and that sucks - I really don't want to spend it sitting cramped between two fat aunties in a sweaty Gurdwara. I've had enough of that.

*Snow sucks. Do you know how horrible it is to return to freezing temperature after 80 degree weather? It's really horrible. I can't wait to be back in California where temperature under 70 is considered cold.

*I read two chick-lit books on this trip. Now I need to get some more.

Ok I'm done. Need to go clean. Fun!

Hello and Goodbye

Back from London (haven't unpacked yet) and off to the Bahamas on Saturday (haven't packed yet).

London was great ... felt really weird to come back "home" to CT. A few observations:

1) 12 people in one house with 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom = insanity! Why are these English homes so friggin small?

2) Londoners are rude. Not the people we really got to know, but in general. I could count on one finger how many times I heard the word "please." From the airport, to the mall to sightseeing I got one "pardon me" and multiple people bumping into me. We were really freaked out by the rudeness.

3) I MET AISHWARYA RAI!!! YES, MY IDOL! ok she's not my idol, i'm just obsessed with her. Beyond obsessed actually .. to the point that my husband knows I would leave him for her. Anyways, I MET HER! I wasn't going to pick up the hubby from the airport but last minute decided to. Woke up 10 minutes before the taxi came and headed out. Found him and he told me Aishwarya was behind him walking down to customs and just went out to the parking garage. Me and my cousin ran our unshowered selves to the garage to find her. And there she was ... walking to her limo. Damn, she lost weight. I knew she was getting in shape for her role in The Last Legion .. but damn! She was gorgeous .. even though half her face was covered by big sunglasses. I didn't have my camera so i had to rely on my cheapo phone camera. And luckily the cousin had a pen and I had a notebook so we got autographs. So I met the most beautiful woman in the world and all I have to show for it is a tiny, blurry phone picture. So now, of course, I'm looking for a phone to buy that has a high tech camera. Anyways, I MET AISHWARYA!








4) The tube is very clean. The busses are really convenient.

5) Southall (we were staying less than 10 mins away) is straight up Delhi. Every other storekeeper was a Sardar. The stores reminded me of Jawala-eeri (sp? i can barely even say it) Market near my Masi's house. It was awesome. I bought like 10 rings for a pound each. Yes, those big flashy gaudy ones. I love it.

6) My cousin looked gorgeous at all of her wedding events and has the best style I've seen. I wish I had her design my wedding outfits. How she wore those pieces on her petite little body, I have no idea. But she looked gorgeous. None of the pictures with her are posting right now but I'll try again later.





















Ok that's all for London. I'm off to do laundry and unpack/pack.