{Rewind} August 2015

August was a month all about family and friends! At the beginning of the month, we had an early celebration for Chirag's 30th. birthday and took a trip to Georgia to see my entire family.  This also gave us an opportunity to celebrate Raksha Bandhan together. My mom doesn't get to see her brother  very often since he lives abroad, so it was a little extra special that she got a chance to personally tie the rakhi on my uncle's wrist this year. We also saw my grand mother, our old friends with their growing families, and visited my sister in her brand new place. The morning of our flight back, we got the call we had all been so anxiously waiting for... it was time!! And thankfully, we made it back just in time for the arrival of our cute little nephew, Anand.

Having this little guy in our lives has changed us all so much! Anand means joy or happiness in Gujarati and this little guy has definitely brought so much joy in our lives. We are always eagerly awaiting to see him smile, burp, fart, or even cry.... anything and everything he does fills our hearts with joy. My in-laws also flew into town to spend time with the little guy and so it's been a great month to see both sets of parents.

Chirag and I always try to make time for our friends and family. Living so far away from them, it's not always easy, but I'm grateful for every chance I get to see them. It's also comforting to know that we are surrounded by some incredible people here, in Texas, as well. Seeing everyone at Chirag's surprise party really made us both feel so loved. Towards the end of the month we celebrated our friend, Omar's, graduation from a medical program. Plus, enjoyed a relaxing evening with some delicious tandoori paneer pizza at our neighbor's, Sri & VJ's. I also improvised and made my fruit pizza/tart for desert, which I will share here soon.... it was Radha's favorite, I think! ;)

Such an wonderful way to end the last month of Summer! Thank you, August! :)

Three Things Thursday: Tech Edition

Hello, September! :) I don't really consider myself a Fall/Winter girl... I tend to gravitate more towards warmer weather, but this year I'm excited for Fall. I'm ready for a change. It's time pumpkin spiced lattes, layering up with cozy sweaters, and feasting around the dinner table with family and friends. I think every season is a great time to re-boot and freshen things up a bit...from my home, to my closet, and even my computer.

This #3ThingsThursday, I thought I would share some ideas to freshen up the technology in your life.

One: Re-format & Re-organize

I have had my Macbook Pro for over 7 years now. It was the first major purchase I made for myself after graduating pharmacy school. I absolutely love it. It has never once crashed on me and has severed me well. However, last year I did notice that it was starting to get a bit slower. So, I decided to back-up all my important files, purge my pictures, and get rid of any and all files or applications that I had never used. Then I totally re-formated my hard drive. 

It was a nice clean slate and my computer felt like new! It was running faster, smoother and I was able to stretch it out for another year. However, last week Chirag surprised me with my brand new Macbook Pro and I'm so excited. Right now there are some great deals for students looking for a new computer or laptop. I also recommend looking for coupons you can stack on to make the most of the savings available.

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I already have a new game plan for organizing my files, pictures, etc. I also spent a few hours the first day and went through all my contacts. I deleted people I hadn't spoken to in years or couldn't even remember, merged additional profiles I had on the same person, and also added notes and categories for groups of people. For example, for my in-laws, I added notes like husband's/kid's names, addresses, and birthdays! Sneaky ways to impress the in-laws. ;) I also recommend making it a point to review your photos. I love taking pictures and just in the last 10 days I have a ridiculous number of pictures of my little nephew. So, I've been deleting duplicates and being very selective on keeping just a few. I also synced my google calendar, photos, and in-boxes. This way I can keep track of everything, no matter wether I was updating it on my phone or on my laptop. 

If you are not in the position to purchase a new laptop, I think re-formating and re-organizing your computer is a great idea for a fresh new start. 

Two: Mint

I can almost remember the day I was first introduced to Mint. It was like angles were singing in the background. It wasn't very well-known then and I was very nervous about entering all my information in one place. Since college, I have been very good about documenting my spending habits and keeping track of student loans, etc. I would do this by using an Excel file on my laptop, but it was a very tedious job and yes, I would get lazy and not always keep up with it like I should. That was until Mint. 

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I absolutely love Mint. I like how you can set budgets for different categories, roll over your savings or spending, and have a safe place to track all your finances. Every quarter, I like to re-visit my budget categories and make adjustments for upcoming events (i.e. Christmas shopping). 

I would highly encourage any college student to start their school year using Mint. It's a great tool to learn and take charge of your finances as well as your future.  It's also a great way for couples to have everything tracked in one place so that both parties can be involved in their finances together. 

Tip: The best advice I can give when using any sort of on-line program like this is to keep your password complicated and change it frequently!

Three: Unroll.Me

Speaking of Christmas shopping... I'm sure many of us having our email boxes flooding with Labor Day sale notifications from our favorite stores. I use to get very overwhelmed with the amount of emails I would get from stores. There have been times in the past where I have unsubscribed from all of them, but only to resubscribe when I needed a coupon or needed to know when something on my wish list was coming on sale. 

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Un-roll.me as totally solved my problem. I have been using it for a few weeks now and I think it's a genius service. It basically takes all your subscriptions and rolls them up in one easy to navigate newsletter.  You can choose the at the exact time you would like to receive your Rollup each day. When you're done you just have to one email to delete. It keeps my in-box looking clean! If I need to re-visit an email or newsletter I just log on to Unroll.me and search my archive for that email. It's so easy and convenient! 

Although I'm still burning up in this Dallas heat, I hope you're having a wonderfully cool Thursday where ever you are! Be sure to checkout Salma, Raj, or Nisha's for blogs to find out more about how you can link-up and share what's on your mind this Thursday.

What's your favorite tech tool or app?

Inspired Style on a Budget: June-August

Raviya cover up / Mossimo pants / Sam Edelman red pumps / ALDO clutch / ALDO clutch / Kendra Scott long necklace

Last three months have been quiet slow in the shopping department for me... and my wallet definitely doesn't seem to be complaining! I have mainly only shopped on three different occasions: right before the  Jamaica trip,  online for the Nordstrom anniversary sale, and a short recent mall trip.

For the Jamaica trip, I added three new items to my closet. I've talked about all three of them in my packing post. This yellow top has become one of my favorites and it goes really well with the turquoise necklace. I've been eyeing this necklace for some time now and love the color. It's a great statement necklace without being too flashy. It was gifted to me by my aunt last month. As for the cover-ups, I think these two will last me for many summers to come. 

I was very disappointed that the Trove leather jacket from my Nordstrom Anniversary sale post didn't work out for me.   The quality of the leather was incredibly soft and buttery, but unfortunately they did not have the camel color in my size. Considering the cost of the jacket, I was not ready to compromise on the fit or color. And so, the search for the perfect leather jacket shall continue. As for the rest of my anniversary sale picks: the leather pants didn't fit as well as I'd hope and were a tad too long and the puffer jacket was also a bit too long on me. I have kept the cardigan for now. After wearing my gray one last winter, I thought about sizing down, but I actually need a size bigger. I'm hoping to be able to exchange it soon and will add it to my next budget post if I'm able to get the correct size. As for these red shoes... well I'm in love! I'm planning on doing a style post with them soon and I think I'll be able to get good use out of them during Christmas time. 

I have been eyeing the  comfy jogger trend for a while now. Recently, on my quick Target run (no such thing in my dictionary), I grabbed these joggers.  I'm not sure that the link for these are the exact ones I bought because mine have a mesh material that gives them some textural interest. I think they will be perfect for a causal weekend look or while traveling. 

As for the clutches, they are a bit more expensive than what I would normally spend on a clutch. However, both of them are great quality and I believe I will get great use out of them both. The silver clutch has great sparkle on one side and the reverse side is a bit of a subdue shimmer material so it's like a 2-in-1 look. I got tons of compliments when I wore it for a party recently. Plus, I'm always reaching for a silver with most of my Indian outfits. I have only had one  silver clutch for the past 4-5 years and wasn't very happy with it. So I'm excited to add this one to my closet. I'm also ready to retire my old F21 black clutch that has severed me very well over the years. This black clutch from Aldo will be super versatile since it's a good size and has some nice textural detail on the flap. Both of these clutches come with detachable straps which are always a must for me. 

Accessories are generally an after thought for me and I never really spend too much money on them. I'm starting to change this as I'm learning more about my own sense of style. A great clutch or a bold pair of earrings can really elevate the look of that simple black dress. I think a few dependable, good quality accessories are a must-have in any closet. 

Regrets & Returns 

Update from my previous budget post. I ended up returning the lace crochet shorts and the white lace skirt. I just decided that I wasn't too happy with the quality or the fit of either of these items. The Sam & Libby sandals are good quality of the price, however the detailed gold rim is already peeling after 4 months of wear. Although the rest of the sandal is in great shape, it's a shame that these sandals probably won't last until next season. 

Link Up: Franish

What's your favorite closet addition or regret recently?

Three Things Thursday: Childhood Faves

It's time for #3ThingThursdays and this week babies and parenting has been on my mind. Why, you may ask? Well, I just became an aunt last Monday! :D

On our way to catch an early 6am flight back to Dallas after visiting my family in Georgia, Chirag and I received a call that Chirag's sister was in labor! Luckily, our flight was on time and we made it to the hospital just in time for the little guy's arrival. Both Mommy and baby are doing fabulous! 

Having this little guy in our lives now has got me thinking about what I would be like as a parent? I'm sure I'd be a little overbearing and protective at first, but I hope that as I get more comfortable in the new role that I would also be fun and relaxed. It's great to be able to try this role out as an auntie instead! ;)

So, besides just good moral values and excellent manners, this week's #3TT is about the three things I'd hope to teach my newphew (maybe my own kid someday) as he grows up. 

One: Ride a bike

I'm sure that hoverboards and segways will soon be taking over the streets and maybe bikes will no longer be cool, but I think every kid should learn to ride a bike. Even if it's just as a back up plan.... you know, in case the battery runs out. ;)

When I was home a couple of weeks ago, my entire family and I decided to go on a bike ride along the riverwalk. It took some convincing to get everyone excited to go, but in the end everyone couldn't stop talking about how much fun they had and that maybe we should make it a tradition! 

I was especially happy for my mom because she had never rode a bike before. She planned on just walking while we all biked, but luckily the rental shop actually had an adult tricycle. I thought my mom would be a little embarrassed, but she absolutely loved it! It was her very first time on a bike all by herself and I think she had the most fun of us all. 

Seeing my mom ride the tricycle made think of two things. 1) How did she had manage to make it through her entire life without riding a bike. 2) Why didn't we get her an adult tricycle sooner? There had been so many times where my Dad, sister and I would take bike rides on our vacation when I was younger. I actually don't ever recall my mom there with us. 

Riding a bike, like any other sport, teaches kids to be fearless and encourages them to try new things very early in their life. 

I can't wait to teach my nephew and hope to go on many bike rides together. 

Two: Learn to swim

One of our close friends, Jay, takes his daughter to swim class every Saturday. I believe she started about the age of one. Since then, it's always been something special they both do together every Saturday morning. Aside from bonding and spending time together, I think it's great that she's learning a skill that I believe is a really necessity. 

My auntie and uncle (mami & mama) actually taught me and my sister how to swim at a local gym in Bombay before we moved to the States. I remember going with them on a daily basis and always looked forward to it. I learned all types of strokes and different breathing techniques, but what I remember more than anything else is just the fun of being in the water. 

I've heard of some people who are really afraid of water. In fact, my mother-in-law use to be one of them. It's one of the reasons that Chirag is not much of a swimmer. We have gone jet skiing on several occasions and one he will never let me forget is when the jet ski capsized on our in the middle of the ocean! Chirag loves the water, but I know he would feel much more confident and have more fun if he truly learned how to swim. As I've mentioned before, my Dad actually thought himself how to swim in his late 30s. I'm so proud of him for doing so and it just goes to show you that you're never too old to learn something new. 

So, maybe our little nephew and Chirag will learn how to swim together!

Three: Let's play cards

First, by no means am I referring to gambling here! I'm talking about simple card games that I have grown up playing with my family around the dinner table. A few of my favorite card games are: Kachufool (aka Judgement), War, 7-8 (saat aath), 3-card (teen paati), and B.S. Recently, our family has also discovered the card version of Monopoly that's also lots of fun and more convenient to carry around on a car ride or a picnic. 

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I know these days there are interactive video games that you can play together that are very engaging.  But there is something about sitting around the table with the family, playing cards, sharing stories, laughing, and having a good time that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside every time I go home.  

I'm sure one of the first card game we'll be teaching our little nephew will be Go Fish. 

As much as I can't wait to do all of these three things with the little guy as soon as he gets a bit bigger, for now I'm also just enjoying holding him in my arms and making silly faces to get him to smile again... and again. 

Be sure to check out Salma, Raj, or Nisha's blogs to find out more about how you can link-up and share what's on your mind this Thursday.

Are you a fan one of these childhood activities?

Cheers to 30 Years

I'm a huge fan of theme parties. Being a bit creatively challenged, having a theme helps me stick to some basic guidelines and ensure that from the decorations to the food... that everything goes together nicely.

So for Chirag's 30th birthday this year, I decided on a Scotch and Chocolates themed party. Lately, he has really been into trying different types of Scotches and Whiskeys, plus like me, he has a pretty big sweet tooth. Overall, I wanted the party to have a bit of a sophisticated vibe. We were celebrating three whole decades after all. Once I had an overall theme in my mind, I went straight to pinterest to look for some ideas and inspiration. This post and this post were probably the most inspiring of them all. I also came across The Little Big Company's blog and pinterest board and if you love to throw themed parties, I highly recommend that you bookmark this because they have a zillion cute ideas for all kinds of parties.

The next thing to decide upon were the colors. I naturally gravitated towards gold, black, and white, but we had hosted a NYE party last year with the same exact colors. I played with the idea of adding pops of orange because Chirag is a huge Tennesse Volunteer fan, but it started to look as if I was planning a Halloween Party instead. Since Chirag typically likes a very clean, minimalistic look I decided to stick with a simple design with just stick with black and gold.

my vision... pardon my drawing skills

I am a very visual person so I quickly drafted out my vision for the party. I knew I wanted to get the big 3-0 balloons from Party City so I started from there. They have a convenient option to order ahead of time so that you can be sure the balloons will be available and ready for pick up. I ordered mine a week in advance. I got the idea of "Cheers to 30 Years" from pinterest boards. And I knew I wanted to make a smaller banner as the cake topper, inspired by this one from Sara. I also love this idea from Amy. I then contacted my mother-in-law to get baby pictures of Chirag to create a big 3-0 collage of pictures on the wall. Everyone, including Chirag, really enjoyed seeing his baby pictures and his 90's fashion sense.

Made with black card stock paper & Gold Alphabet Stickers from Michaels

The rest of the decor was pretty simple and classy.  The menu consisted of tea sandwiches catered from Central Market, which were super affordable and stuffed buffalo chicken and blue cheese bites from Sam's Club which were quick and easy to open in the oven. My sister-in-law also picked up these Thai Lime & Chili Almonds to go with the drinks which the guys really enjoyed. The deserts table included an assorted varieties of macaroons, home-made chocolate covered strawberries and chocolate covered pretzels. As for the birthday cake, I ordered a whole Whiskey cake from Whiskey Cake Kitchen & Bar to stick close to the theme.  It was huge hit with all the guests. I highly recommend it!

The desert table

Wishkey Cake

The big show stoppers would be three main scotches. I turned to my brother-in-law Hash and our dear friend Jay, who is an expert in this area. Per their advice I went with the Macallan 12, the Dalwhinnie 15, and the Balvenie Doublewood 12. Although most of the ladies at the party preferred to stick to the wines, the guys were very pleased with the scotch selection. Although the Dalwhinnie 15 was suppose to be the best, most of the guys preferred the Balveine 12. 

I didn't realize it until the last minute that the Wishkey cake was a sheet cake. I had gone to Home Goods earlier that day because I knew our table needed some kind of height and found these cute black and white suit cases. My good friend Vivek, came up with this great idea to use the suit cases as a cake stand. 

I was really happy with how the whole party turned out. Everyone had a fabulous time, plus Chirag was truly surprised and loved the theme!

Are you a fan of theme parties?

An Incredible Production

On Friday, Chirag and I went to support an incredible group of women who make up the Indique Dance Company. Their latest production is "Yatra: Discovery Through Journey". 

The weather has been bright and sunny this week with temperatures averaging around 104 degrees! So I decided to pull out this super old skirt and pair it with a light cami to wear to the show. Dallas is a city of extremes. I'm not a huge fan of cold weather and bundling up with a big coat. So, as unbearable as this heat has been lately, I have to remind myself to enjoy these bright sunny days while they last because soon it'll be freezing cold!

Link-Up: PinkSole: #HowISummer

Indique always does such an amazing job of blending the art of Indian classical dance with contemporary story-telling themes. "Yatra" was no different. My dear friend, Kurti's piece was about her journey as a teenager struggling to fit in and still be true to herself and her Indian roots. It was something I could definitely relate to. There were several pieces in the production which were also very interesting and beautiful depicted through their dance. I have seen three of Indique's productions so far and each time these women leave me feeling so inspired and in awe of their grace and talent.

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If you are in the Dallas/Ft.Worth area I highly encourage you to go see their latest production. I promise, you will not be disappointed!

Have you seen an interesting production lately?

Three Things Thursday: Favorites Lately

Yay, for Thursdays! That means the weekend is right around the corner and I can't wait! I'll be sharing what I'm so excited about in my next #3ThingsThrusday but for now let's focus on some of my favorites this week.

One: Yummy Veggie Falafels

I have been so busy lately with my new job and several side projects that it's been a little difficult to make a decent lunch or dinner. I was intrigued when I discovered these veggie falafels from Veggie Patch a few weeks ago at my local Kroger. I was a little skeptical at first since I'm not familiar with the brand, but I'm so glad I gave them a try. They are super quick and easy to make and you can even freeze them in case you want to stock up. Chirag and I are both hooked! So far, I've been a hummus & falafel wrap, a pita bread sandwich with a yogurt sauce, or sometimes I just eat them by themselves! They are really satisfying and seem to be quiet healthy... win, win! :)

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Two: Mid-Week Date Night

When Chirag and I first moved to our new house, we had decided that we would try to have mid-week date nights. Sometimes, weekends are full of errands and plans with friends or family. So it's nice to do something with just the two of us to get over the mid-week hump. We typically try to go to the park, watch a movie, or try a new restaurant. A few months ago, we had been slacking on making mid-week date nights a priority, but summer has been a perfect time to get back on track.

I have several restaurants bookmarked on Yelp! that I've been meaning to try, but this week we actually went back to an old favorite - Pei Wei. Seems like they have really changed up their menu. I tried out the Sesame entree with steamed tofu and it was delish! As much as I like trying out a new place, it's also nice to revisit an old favorite.

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Three: Favorite Movie of the Summer

Fast and Furious 7 set the bar pretty high kicking off the summer movie season. However, I feel fairly confident in stating that Mission: Impossible - Rouge Nation maybe my favorite movie of the summer! Ethan Hunt had me at the edge of my seat within the first 5 minutes and Benji's sense of humor really cracked me up throughout the movie. I love a good action movie, but it gets a bit boring for me with a splash of comedy. I'm not very good at reviewing movies, so you can check out the full review on IMDb. If there is one movie you go see in the theater this summer I make it one of these two.

As Chirag and I were leaving the theater, he mentioned the crazy idea of making a movie with both James Bond and Ethan Hunt. Then show how the events of the movie unfold from two different views. How cool would that be?!

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p.s. If you're wondering about my review for Trainwreck. I would give it like a 6/10.


Be sure to check out Salma, Raj, or Nisha's blogs and find out more about how you can link-up. It's super duper easy!



What are some of your favorites lately?