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Let's Go Crazy

April 22 marked the end of my month-(plus-five-days)-long celebration of my birthday (March 17-April 17).  A group of friends (some old and some newer) came along for a Bollywood themed dinner, at the Ritz Carlton's Punjab Grill restaurant (located in their Venetian village).  HAH!

overexposed

The weather was beautiful (thanks in part to the seeded rain which continues to keep the mercury down), and we had a lovely full moon in the sky, perched above the water dividing Abu Dhabi island, from the rest of the Emirate.

I remember well parties of the past, where we have tried to include friends from all parts of our lives (personal and professional friends), only to discover clumps of people, in different parts of our home, only interacting with people they already know.  Something that I really enjoyed at my dinner, is how everyone made an effort to socialize with everyone else.  I am not sure whether to attribute this to growing up, or being ex-pats, but it sure made the evening relaxing, hearing everyone talking and laughing, and seeing that nobody was left-out.  I like to think that some strategic seating also facilitated this atmosphere (who knows seating plans better than teachers?)

There were many things to celebrate:  my birthday, Ricardo's birthday (which was actually on the 22nd) and Ajay and Isha's 2nd wedding anniversary (on the 24th I think).


The Bollywood theme was inspired by my goal to get as much mileage out of my Indian sarees as possible.  However, as a side effect of weight loss, not many of my blouses fit anymore (need to go to the tailor!), so I decided to try a saree that I have always loved and treasured:  my mom's.

I had to borrow my friend Gopa's plain black blouse though, as I am still not small enough to fit my mom's (I don't remember her every being that tiny).  Gopa was also kind enough to come over and help me get ready (Gopa can tie a saree in 5 minutes!).

We had a good laugh about how Gopa had to borrow all her Indian accessories from me (seems like nobody in India wears bindis anymore...as I had to lend one to all the ladies in attendance).  I have asked all my friends to send out an email to my mom, to tell her what a very proper Indian daughter she raised.

getting the lighting right

I think my sister-in-law, whom we lovingly refer to as the Bollywood Barbie would have been proud (and had she been here, she would have put us all to shame!).

it's not gulab jamun....but it'll do

Cristina is back, and has recovered from a terrible virus that she caught on her flight back from the Philippines (similar to the one I got on the way back from Phuket).  She watched the kids while we celebrated, who were excited for their very own sleep-over with their much-loved friend (she is indeed considered a friend by all three) Anoushka.  Pickle slept on his own, but the girls all slumbered together.  As the stories go, Magoo kept talking and the double A's worked very hard to tell her stories to put her to bed.  Would explain why it was a little past 3 AM when Magoo made her way to my bed.

Sleeping beauties

When we got home around 1 AM, I read the news that Prince had died.  I remember making up dances to his songs, when I was 10 years old, in Forestburg, with my friend Lana.  My mom used to always make fun of that hair, that always hung over his one eye--she always wanted him to push it back so he could see properly.

I still haven't seen Purple Rain...