Tomorrow is my Dad's 61st birthday. It is also the first day of Fall. I have never been a huge fan of anything less than 75 degrees. Most people think Fall is so beautiful with the changing leaves, the brisk mornings, the cool evenings. Not me. I know exactly what it's up to. Trying to distract you from that fact that winter is quickly approaching. The leaves are annoying as they get ALL over my car and the morning dew ensures they stick on my windows. The brisk mornings force me to put the heat on on my way to work. The cool nights deter me from venturing out of my house once I'm home from work. I've always been cold, my natural state of comfort is typically a few degrees higher than what most people find comfortable. As I'm typing this, my hand are freezing. I've always rather be too hot than too cold because when you're cold, it's miserable, the numbing freeze, the cold nose, the chill that makes your bones ache.
I'm trying to get in all the fun I can before the cold hits full force. Last week we went to a super nice dinner at 90 Acres which is a beautiful 500 acre plot of land tucked away in the serene mountain backdrop that somehow manages to exist in New Jersey. It's surrounded by farm and wildlife and most everything they use in the kitchen can be found on the farm..gives you a new light to look at the deer in when you're driving up. The dinner was so delicious,the wine was on point, and the cocktails were strong. I absolutely loved it and am itching for having a good reason to go back.
The following day, we had a "end of summer" get together at our house. We love hosting and since this summer was so busy with travelling, we decided to do one last event where we can use the grill. It was lots of fun getting together with friends, eating good food, and drinking Pimm's Cup which is so delicious. I put Sprite Zero, cucumbers, strawberries, and mint in my creation. I fell in love with Pimm's in England and brought some back home with me. I attempted making popcorn on the stove for the first time. It was a success minus the part where the popcorn was too much for the pot. Guess this is a sign I need to invest in bigger cookware.
I usually tend to hole up and become a hermit when it's cold. Here's to hoping this is a mild winter. Although with my ankle length down coat, I feel a lot more prepared than in the past.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Thursday, September 13, 2012
The Last Weekend 9/1-9/3
We left Paris Saturday afternoon. We had a full but delicious breakfast at the hotel. I am in love with "cocktail sauce" which is just ketchup and mayonnaise mixed together. Unlucky for me, I dropped a bit on my pants..which were white..in a spot that isnt covered by my top. Luckily it wasn't noticeable after dabbing with some Evian so I didn't feel the need to change
We took the metro to the train station and since we were very early this time and have some euros to spend, we shopped in the gift store while we waited for our train. Once we got to St. Pancreas, we met up with Kunal's cousin to visit with him and his family for the afternoon. We went to a family friendly pub. The grownups can have their beer, cider, or in my case, Pimms (which I LOVE) and the children have a playground to entertain themselves with.
Around 5, we went to my masi's house. She arranged a dinner party for all my family to see me instead of having me go from house to house. It was lots of fun. Great food and company. There was even a belly dancer! After dinner, Kunal and I went to a a local bar with my cousin, called Nu Bar. When we got home, we sat around and talked for a while until sleep got the best of us.
On Sunday, after breakfast, we had to head back to the other side of London to Kunal's family's house as we were leaving that Monday. We took the train back and after Kunal's uncle picked us up, we went to pick up my reception outfit. There was a few details that needed adjusting so I decided to come back the following day since my flight was late afternoon. That night there was a BBQ at another one of Kunal's uncle's houses. Kunal have raved about these kebabs his aunt makes. I got to experience first hand how to make them..well not really how to make them, but how to put them on the skewers. They were delicious and I felt like I could eat 10. There was also pork chops which was just as good. All the family came so it was a great end to our trip.
The next morning, we had to pack our bags which wasn't as difficult as I would have thought. We were under the weight limit so that was a huge relief. I left my reception outfit in the UK because it was heavy and would have defnitely been over limit. I'll get it in November when Kunal's family comes for a wedding in Boston.
And back we came to the States, vacation over...
We took the metro to the train station and since we were very early this time and have some euros to spend, we shopped in the gift store while we waited for our train. Once we got to St. Pancreas, we met up with Kunal's cousin to visit with him and his family for the afternoon. We went to a family friendly pub. The grownups can have their beer, cider, or in my case, Pimms (which I LOVE) and the children have a playground to entertain themselves with.
Around 5, we went to my masi's house. She arranged a dinner party for all my family to see me instead of having me go from house to house. It was lots of fun. Great food and company. There was even a belly dancer! After dinner, Kunal and I went to a a local bar with my cousin, called Nu Bar. When we got home, we sat around and talked for a while until sleep got the best of us.
On Sunday, after breakfast, we had to head back to the other side of London to Kunal's family's house as we were leaving that Monday. We took the train back and after Kunal's uncle picked us up, we went to pick up my reception outfit. There was a few details that needed adjusting so I decided to come back the following day since my flight was late afternoon. That night there was a BBQ at another one of Kunal's uncle's houses. Kunal have raved about these kebabs his aunt makes. I got to experience first hand how to make them..well not really how to make them, but how to put them on the skewers. They were delicious and I felt like I could eat 10. There was also pork chops which was just as good. All the family came so it was a great end to our trip.
The next morning, we had to pack our bags which wasn't as difficult as I would have thought. We were under the weight limit so that was a huge relief. I left my reception outfit in the UK because it was heavy and would have defnitely been over limit. I'll get it in November when Kunal's family comes for a wedding in Boston.
And back we came to the States, vacation over...
Paris Sight Seeing 8/31
Friday was our main sight seeing day in Paris. We woke up and had breakfast at the hotel. Then we walked up to the Arc de Triomphe which is a stop on many tour buses. We hopped on one and off we went to get a broad overview of all the sites Paris had to offer. Unfortunately for us, it was super windy and we were dressed for a hot summer day. When that cold wind hit us, it was definitely not fun! We made the best of it and got to see everything I wanted. I really wanted to have a picnic in a park with a view of the Eiffel Tower but after dealing with the wind all afternoon, we decided to revise that plan to picnic on our balcony with macaroons, eclairs, cheesecake, bread, cheese, and of course, wine.
One of the things I wanted to do most while in Paris is go to the Pont des Art bridge. This particular bridge has a chain link fence running along and now, people come from all over to put a lock on the bridge with their and their significant other's names. Then you must throw the key into the Seine and BAM, you're together FOREVER! I immediately fell in love with this idea and was dead set on doing it. Kunal was a bit weary..which is understandable considering he's LOCKED to me for the rest of his life (insert evil laugh here)!
Flashback, it was 2004 and we were both juniors in high school. I went to a boarding school so our prom was always end of February/beginning of March. I didn't have a date.Luckily Kunal decided to go with me. We had always talked but we never really spend a lot of time together in person due to living 2.5-3hrs apart. Our prom was in a museum so it was definitely an interesting experience. The theme of the prom was "Passport to Paris."
Anyways, back to Paris. The bridge is right by the Louvre which was convenient. I made a huge deal about the lock which is definitely expected of me. I put all of our dates on it since we do love to celebrate every little thing.
01.04.09 was when Kunal officially asked me to be his girlfriend.
09.04.10 was when Kunal proposed to me.
10.07.11 was when Kunal and I had our civil ceremony
If we wanted to continue..
02.14.12 was when Kunal and I bought our first home and FINALLY
03.30.13 will be when Kunal and I have our wedding ceremony..but since we ran out of room, I only put the first three. Haha
After we were done sightseeing, we decided to do some shopping. Went to obscenely expensive store and bought things because 'hey, we're in Paris and we have Euros we don't want to convert back to pounds or dollars.'
For dinner we decided too late to dine at Eiffel Tower or on a boat cruise so they were completely booked out. Instead we settled for Chez Francis which has an AMAZING view of the Eiffel Tower. Go visit if you're ever in Paris. The evening was nice so we sat outside and enjoy the flickering lights of the Eiffel Tower over drinks, dinner, and dessert. It was a great end to a quick Paris getaway.
One of the things I wanted to do most while in Paris is go to the Pont des Art bridge. This particular bridge has a chain link fence running along and now, people come from all over to put a lock on the bridge with their and their significant other's names. Then you must throw the key into the Seine and BAM, you're together FOREVER! I immediately fell in love with this idea and was dead set on doing it. Kunal was a bit weary..which is understandable considering he's LOCKED to me for the rest of his life (insert evil laugh here)!
Flashback, it was 2004 and we were both juniors in high school. I went to a boarding school so our prom was always end of February/beginning of March. I didn't have a date.Luckily Kunal decided to go with me. We had always talked but we never really spend a lot of time together in person due to living 2.5-3hrs apart. Our prom was in a museum so it was definitely an interesting experience. The theme of the prom was "Passport to Paris."
Anyways, back to Paris. The bridge is right by the Louvre which was convenient. I made a huge deal about the lock which is definitely expected of me. I put all of our dates on it since we do love to celebrate every little thing.
01.04.09 was when Kunal officially asked me to be his girlfriend.
09.04.10 was when Kunal proposed to me.
10.07.11 was when Kunal and I had our civil ceremony
If we wanted to continue..
02.14.12 was when Kunal and I bought our first home and FINALLY
03.30.13 will be when Kunal and I have our wedding ceremony..but since we ran out of room, I only put the first three. Haha
After we were done sightseeing, we decided to do some shopping. Went to obscenely expensive store and bought things because 'hey, we're in Paris and we have Euros we don't want to convert back to pounds or dollars.'
For dinner we decided too late to dine at Eiffel Tower or on a boat cruise so they were completely booked out. Instead we settled for Chez Francis which has an AMAZING view of the Eiffel Tower. Go visit if you're ever in Paris. The evening was nice so we sat outside and enjoy the flickering lights of the Eiffel Tower over drinks, dinner, and dessert. It was a great end to a quick Paris getaway.
Arriving in Paris 8/30
Thursday morning, we were off to Paris! We took the Eurostar from St. Pancreas to Paris and once we arrived at the train station, we decided to grab breakfast. Kunal wanted a 'proper English breakfast' and I never had one. It was delicious but unfortunately a few minutes later, I wish I hadn't eaten it as we were running a 'bit' late for our train. When I say a bit late, I mean we were literally dashing down the platform getting to our coach before the train left us! We realized we need to be better about times and get there earlier rather than 'on time' We had the unfortunate pleasure of sitting diagonally across from a young couple with a child..a child who would NOT stop crying the ENTIRE 2 hours and 15 minutes it took to Paris. They really ought to have a 'with child' coach on the train so everyone else can enjoy the train ride peacefully.
Anyways, once we arrived, we took the metro to our hotel. Our hotel was AMAZING. Thanks to our diamond status, we were upgraded to a room on the top floor with its very own balcony! We had a wonderful view of the Eiffel Tower.
One of the things I love and crave at least weekly is Mexican food. Being in the UK, Mexican is NOT up to par. And Paris was probably no exception, even with being so close to Spain. Kunal, ever so thoughtful had arranged room service to bring us chips, salsa, and guacamole...and of course some Coronas! It was nice to have a touch of my favorite in one of the nicest cities in the world. Always being full of surprises, Kunal had a present for me. (Yes, I know that I'm beyond spoiled.) I had been going on about how much I wanted a Pandora bracelet but of course I haven't really had a good reason for getting one. Kunal decided to buy me one and I can fill it with charms relating to all the trips we've taken. It already has a tidbit of England and France. I'm looking forward to filling it up as we go one more adventures. We decided to go on a walk around our hotel. We were walking distance from the Acr de Triomphe and of course, lots of shopping on Champs Eylsees. We went to a bakery and brought a loaf of hard crusty French bread, went to a store and bought some cheese and a bottle of wine..and champagne..and the UK beer, Desperado which is made with tequila. Then we headed back to our hotel to enjoy our balcony and eat!
We were going to a show that evening called "How to become Parisian in One Hour" which is a one man comedy show and extremely funny. I definitely recommend going for anyone planning on visiting. After the show, we went to a Parisian bistro for a late dinner. It was delicious and we continued on with more wine and bread. We went to our hotel to enjoy the night view of the lit up Eiffel Tower and had more wine.
Anyways, once we arrived, we took the metro to our hotel. Our hotel was AMAZING. Thanks to our diamond status, we were upgraded to a room on the top floor with its very own balcony! We had a wonderful view of the Eiffel Tower.
One of the things I love and crave at least weekly is Mexican food. Being in the UK, Mexican is NOT up to par. And Paris was probably no exception, even with being so close to Spain. Kunal, ever so thoughtful had arranged room service to bring us chips, salsa, and guacamole...and of course some Coronas! It was nice to have a touch of my favorite in one of the nicest cities in the world. Always being full of surprises, Kunal had a present for me. (Yes, I know that I'm beyond spoiled.) I had been going on about how much I wanted a Pandora bracelet but of course I haven't really had a good reason for getting one. Kunal decided to buy me one and I can fill it with charms relating to all the trips we've taken. It already has a tidbit of England and France. I'm looking forward to filling it up as we go one more adventures. We decided to go on a walk around our hotel. We were walking distance from the Acr de Triomphe and of course, lots of shopping on Champs Eylsees. We went to a bakery and brought a loaf of hard crusty French bread, went to a store and bought some cheese and a bottle of wine..and champagne..and the UK beer, Desperado which is made with tequila. Then we headed back to our hotel to enjoy our balcony and eat!
We were going to a show that evening called "How to become Parisian in One Hour" which is a one man comedy show and extremely funny. I definitely recommend going for anyone planning on visiting. After the show, we went to a Parisian bistro for a late dinner. It was delicious and we continued on with more wine and bread. We went to our hotel to enjoy the night view of the lit up Eiffel Tower and had more wine.
Family/Tourists 8/27-8/29
Monday after the reception we all gathered for breakfast at Kunal's foi's house before people had to go their separate ways. The food was amazing. She made this masala egg dish that I'm definitely going to attempt one day. Passion fruit is HUGE in England and I love passion fruit juice so that definitely won out over my love of a glass of milk with breakfast. After breakfast, we were going to going to Northampton to Kunal's ba's house where the family was all gathering. I hadn't spent much with Kunal's mom's side of the family so this was especially fun for me. I got to meet cousins and finally put names and faces together. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing them again at the wedding.
Tuesday morning, we were off to South Hall to spend more time shopping..and of course, eat the infamous kebabs. When I say this place was a hole in the wall..I mean it was on the side of the road..on a BRIDGE. But I can definitely say they were amazing. After Kunal's kebab craving was satisfied, it was time to satisfy my desire for shopping. Went to a few stores and after not finding anything I liked, we decided to try one more store before calling it quits. And lucky for me we did because we found the prettiest, extraordinary outfit that is PERFECT for my reception!! Only 198 days until I get to wear it and act like a diva.
Kunal's parents were leaving the next day so we had a family dinner with all the aunts/uncles that night at a restaurant. It was delicious and after going weeks without good Indian good, it hit the spot. After dinner we went back to Kunal's uncle's house where all of our bags were. Since the only item on the agenda for Wednesday was a cousins dinner, we decided to go into London to be proper tourists.
After a breakfast of chai and digestives (the best biscuits ever) we hopped on the 'tube' and rode into London. Since I had never properly seen London, we decided the best thing to do would be a bus tour. We only had one day so I wanted the broad overview rather than focus on 1-2 things. I'll save that for another trip. The open top bus tour was fun, especially since the map hit everything I wanted to see. After seeing 3/4 of the sites, we were hungry and it was starting to drizzle. We picked a random pub by the Tower Bridge to hang out in until the rain let up. We finally had fish and chips and of course, some proper British beer.
One of the things I wanted to do was go to the "Ice Bar" which is a bar made entirely of ice, the cups, the benches, the bar itself! It was so touristy but something I wanted to experience. If you know me, you know how much I hate the cold so for me to be a willing participant, it must have really appealed to me.
Tuesday morning, we were off to South Hall to spend more time shopping..and of course, eat the infamous kebabs. When I say this place was a hole in the wall..I mean it was on the side of the road..on a BRIDGE. But I can definitely say they were amazing. After Kunal's kebab craving was satisfied, it was time to satisfy my desire for shopping. Went to a few stores and after not finding anything I liked, we decided to try one more store before calling it quits. And lucky for me we did because we found the prettiest, extraordinary outfit that is PERFECT for my reception!! Only 198 days until I get to wear it and act like a diva.
Kunal's parents were leaving the next day so we had a family dinner with all the aunts/uncles that night at a restaurant. It was delicious and after going weeks without good Indian good, it hit the spot. After dinner we went back to Kunal's uncle's house where all of our bags were. Since the only item on the agenda for Wednesday was a cousins dinner, we decided to go into London to be proper tourists.
After a breakfast of chai and digestives (the best biscuits ever) we hopped on the 'tube' and rode into London. Since I had never properly seen London, we decided the best thing to do would be a bus tour. We only had one day so I wanted the broad overview rather than focus on 1-2 things. I'll save that for another trip. The open top bus tour was fun, especially since the map hit everything I wanted to see. After seeing 3/4 of the sites, we were hungry and it was starting to drizzle. We picked a random pub by the Tower Bridge to hang out in until the rain let up. We finally had fish and chips and of course, some proper British beer.
One of the things I wanted to do was go to the "Ice Bar" which is a bar made entirely of ice, the cups, the benches, the bar itself! It was so touristy but something I wanted to experience. If you know me, you know how much I hate the cold so for me to be a willing participant, it must have really appealed to me.
Around 5pm, we were exhausted and decided to head home. We had to pack for Paris anyways and I wanted to get some of it done before we went to dinner. Dinner was at another Indian restaurant and as usual, the food was great. It was nice to have a relaxing dinner with everyone since during the wedding, everyone is on a schedule.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Wedding 8/24-8/26
We're back in the States after our vacation aboard. It was such a whirlwind that I really can't believe it's over already. There was always something to do so the trip really did fly by. I'm happy to say that we came back with only 1 major thing left off my checklist of things to do/places to see. (Pretending that I'm going to Hogwarts at King's Cross)
We arrived Thursday evening and flew through customs which was quite nice. For dinner that night, we went to Nando's which is all the rage for people who don't live in England. Their sauce really is delicious and I wish I had gotten some bottles to bring home.
Friday we were off early morning to Leicester for the wedding festivities for the weekend. I had met most of Kunal's family before but it was so brief that this time it was time to be able to actually talk and connect with them. Friday was the first day of kebabs. Kunal rants and raved about how much he wants kebabs and sure enough after dinner, we went to a place to get some kebabs, sad to say they were disappointing.
The wedding took place about 2.5-3hrs south in a town called Portsmouth which is right on the tip of the country. We travelled in a gigantic double decker coach bus. Lucky for us we took over the front row on the top floor so it literally felt like we were floating down the highway. It was a cool experience considering how small the roads and cars are in England to be in a vehicle that really dominated the road. Since the groom was Kunal's cousin and the bride was related to Kunal's mom through some way I haven't quite put my finger on, literally everyone was there. I got to meet so many people from Kunal's mom and dad's side of the family. It was a bit overwhelming being introduced that I'm sure I've forgotten plenty of names. Since the wedding was so far, it was an all day event and by the time the coach arrived back at our hotel, we were exhausted and a bit hungry so off we went to KFC. I know we have KFC here in the States but the food there is a bit different. First of all, the chicken sandwiches are called burgers, which is a bit confusing. They gives 2 wings with every meal and there is no side of macaroni available. And we all know how much I LOVE my mac n cheese.
The reception was Sunday evening which left the entire day to do what we pleased..and for me and Kunal it was shopping and eating kebabs, respectively. We went to a kebab place with Kunal's parents, foi, fua, masi, and masa. These kebabs were definitely better than Friday night's but no where close to how much better they got as our trip went on. After lunch, we split up since the guys don't have a keen interest in shopping for Indian clothes and us ladies went shopping. I was looking for a reception outfit but nothing really stood out. I ended up buying a lengha to wear that evening to the reception because I really wasn't in the mood to put on a sari. The reception was loads of fun and it was nice to have an evening of drinking, eating, and dancing to celebrate the wedding. Kunal was the MC of the evening's program and he did a great job. I think everyone had a great time and it was a good end to a fun weekend.
Here is a picture of us from the reception that evening, we all ended up matching!
We arrived Thursday evening and flew through customs which was quite nice. For dinner that night, we went to Nando's which is all the rage for people who don't live in England. Their sauce really is delicious and I wish I had gotten some bottles to bring home.
Friday we were off early morning to Leicester for the wedding festivities for the weekend. I had met most of Kunal's family before but it was so brief that this time it was time to be able to actually talk and connect with them. Friday was the first day of kebabs. Kunal rants and raved about how much he wants kebabs and sure enough after dinner, we went to a place to get some kebabs, sad to say they were disappointing.
The wedding took place about 2.5-3hrs south in a town called Portsmouth which is right on the tip of the country. We travelled in a gigantic double decker coach bus. Lucky for us we took over the front row on the top floor so it literally felt like we were floating down the highway. It was a cool experience considering how small the roads and cars are in England to be in a vehicle that really dominated the road. Since the groom was Kunal's cousin and the bride was related to Kunal's mom through some way I haven't quite put my finger on, literally everyone was there. I got to meet so many people from Kunal's mom and dad's side of the family. It was a bit overwhelming being introduced that I'm sure I've forgotten plenty of names. Since the wedding was so far, it was an all day event and by the time the coach arrived back at our hotel, we were exhausted and a bit hungry so off we went to KFC. I know we have KFC here in the States but the food there is a bit different. First of all, the chicken sandwiches are called burgers, which is a bit confusing. They gives 2 wings with every meal and there is no side of macaroni available. And we all know how much I LOVE my mac n cheese.
The reception was Sunday evening which left the entire day to do what we pleased..and for me and Kunal it was shopping and eating kebabs, respectively. We went to a kebab place with Kunal's parents, foi, fua, masi, and masa. These kebabs were definitely better than Friday night's but no where close to how much better they got as our trip went on. After lunch, we split up since the guys don't have a keen interest in shopping for Indian clothes and us ladies went shopping. I was looking for a reception outfit but nothing really stood out. I ended up buying a lengha to wear that evening to the reception because I really wasn't in the mood to put on a sari. The reception was loads of fun and it was nice to have an evening of drinking, eating, and dancing to celebrate the wedding. Kunal was the MC of the evening's program and he did a great job. I think everyone had a great time and it was a good end to a fun weekend.
Here is a picture of us from the reception that evening, we all ended up matching!
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