Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Nandini the Wish-Granting Cow

I have been meeting new people lately and when I told them my name they would first find it hard to pronounce and then they would ask the meaning of my name.

All these time the only thing I knew about my name was that it meant "cow". Yes, "cow". That is not a good thing here in the US, being a cow.

Anyway, I googled my name and found out that the name was actually derived from the word "Nandini". My creative parents then made it into "Andini".

This is the meaning of my name:

In Sanskrit, it means daughter. It is generally used as a first name for girls. The root, nand, refers to delight, pleasure, enjoyment. The Sanskrit word nadana

In Hindu mythology, Nandini (Sanskrit: नन्‍दिनी or नंदिनी, "the enjoying") is the name of a wish-granting cow, the child of Kamadhenu and asitharishi Vasistha. She (Nandini) was owned by Sage Vasishtha and lived in his ashram.

Nandini .... means daughter, one who brings joy, Ganga, Goddess Durga.

Nandini in Bengali also means beloved daughter and one of the 108 names for the Hindu Goddess, the God Parvati (Parvathi) or Ma Durga who is the wife of the God Shiva.

How awesome is that? Thank you, creative parents!

Monday, September 26, 2011

Oh

Such a sweet song. I get goosebumps just listening to him singing this song. Beautiful!

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Things That Light Me Up and How I Am Glad to Have Found Them

I read this post on www.whitehottruth.com and I can relate to what she's saying. It actually felt like serendipity. This post almost perfectly describes something I just realized 30 minutes ago.

I just came back from my usual Thursday yoga class and on my way home I realized that I was actually feeling very happy and even.. fulfilled. This is strange because since I got to Houston I have been missing home like crazy and I know that I have never really been here in my new place, my new home. I was physically here, but mentally and emotionally I was half way around the world. I have never really been present.

I know that right now I am fortunate enough to do the things I really really like doing. I am fortunate to have the time and financial freedom to do them. My husband is unfortunately the only money maker in our family. I do not like my "dependent" status in every single legal document that allows me to stay here in the USA, but that is the way it is. As of now, I cannot work or make money in any kind of way. I am legal to stay here, but I am not legal to work.

Dependent status aside, I feel so fortunate to have found the activities that I am regularly doing now. I am so blessed to have found the groups of people that share my vision and passion. I am extremely blessed to be given the opportunity to do the things I really really love doing. This is rare, I know. I don't know how long this great luck will last, but I know that I am in this fun ride now and I am going to cherish it in any possible way I can. When it ends, it ends. I am not going to fuss the things that have not happened or might not happen at all.

In Danielle LaPorte words, I have found the things that light me up. Yoga is one thing, the other one is teaching. Right now I am a volunteer tutor for ESL learners in Literacy Advance of Houston. I did my first two class and I loved them! I was anxious at first, but now I am starting to get comfortable. I am also  planning to do yoga teacher training this Fall so that I can get certified and eventually share my passion for yoga. Fingers crossed!

Writing will always be one of the greatest passions of my life. It lights me up every time, even when I do not know what I want or need to write. I am humbled to be given the opportunity to do these things and to be given the support system to do those things.

Now I know that I can take anything from here. Yoga, teaching and writing. Those three things I love. I really really love.

Quoting Danielle:
"I'd rather be fulfilled than obedient. And it turns out that when I'm fulfilled, I'm...fulfilled -- whether I'm productive or not. And that gives me plenty of energy to be more focused on what matters most, which makes me truly productive. It's a beautiful thing."
Read her full post right here: How I Kicked My Time Management Habit and Became Exceedingly More Productive, Profitable and Thrilled.


Namaste!

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Yo!

The Labor Day long weekend has ended. This was one thing that we did. Awesome. I know. -___-"

Photobucket

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

De-Clutter!

I feel good today. Like, really really good. I made a commitment yesterday to keep my life uncluttered, to minimize my waste and the stuff I have. Because, seriously, how many stuff does one person need anyway?

Yesterday, I got an epiphany. "You must clean your pantry," said that little voice in my head. I still cannot figure out if the voice is a he or she. It just always sounds neutral. Anyway, so I did exactly that. After I took my dogs for their morning walk, I had a slice of vegetable lasagna that I made two days before as breakfast. This lasagna, by the way, is delicious. And healthy, because I used eggplant, portabello mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, ground turkey meat and veggie shreds (which is cheese made from soy and is lactose-free). Now, I am off the track again. Anyway, after the lasagna then I was off to working on the pantry.

The un-cluttered and organized pantry. No "before" pictures. Too embarassing.
My pantry has always been a total mess. I open it more than ten times a day and every single time I hate it more and more. It had everything in it, cooking utilities, canned food, dog food, and all other sort of things. But the part that mostly hurt the most was seeing the amount of plastic bags from all the grocery shopping everyone in my household had been doing for the last one and a half year. The amount of plastics were just overwhelming. The container could no longer contained them and I just knew that soon enough those plastics would take over the whole pantry.

So I started with those plastics. I put them in the two biggest plastic bags I could find and scrunched them in like I really really hate them. I folded 15 of those plastics into triangles and divided them to the three bathrooms in the house to be used as trash cans plastics. I then started the pantry cleaning, de-cluttering and re-arranging. I ended up doing that to the whole kitchen, throwing away foods and stuff I had never even realized were there or I had never used in more than one year. The result was absolutely satisfying! Now I have so much space and my pantry is immaculate and organized. I feel more comfortable cooking and navigating in my small kitchen.



It is amazing how de-cluttering the messiest part of the house can make me feel this good. It is like a heavy weight has been lift off of my shoulders and I am left with things that I really need, not things that I  thought I needed. I did not even realized that the messy pantry was actually that big of a problem. Maybe, inside, I was identifying that messy pantry to myself and cleaning it made me feel like I was opening myself to newer, better possibilities. Yes, maybe so.

From all of the things I found laying uselessly inside the pantry, I found 3 reusable shopping bags. So today, for the very first time, I did my grocery shopping and did not take home a single plastic bag. I feel soooooo good! I feel like I am actually doing something right for once. Haha. I also put all the plastic bags I had to a recycle box outside HEB (the grocery store).



I am ready to change the way I live. More than de-cluttering and organizing my house, I am ready to de-clutter and organize my life. Please Universe, do not let me forget and wander off.

Love,

Andini

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Baked Salmon with Cilantro-Garlic Oil

I made this salmon dish for dinner last night and it was phenomenal! Easy, quick and phenomenal! We had it with rice and herb salad. I used the remaining cilantro-garlic oil as salad dressing. Yumm!

Baked Salmon with Cilantro-Garlic Oil

Friday, July 29, 2011

Infatuation

Currently infatuated by this song. Have a great weekend, happy people!



Love,

Andini

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Spicy Maya: The Sexiest, Most Sensual Chocolate Bar Ever



I've never been much of a chocolate person. I don't go crazy over chocolate and I rarely (almost never) crave for them. Especially not those (too) sweet chocolate. Na ah. But I am now a self proclaimed chocolate addict. Well, only for one kind of chocolate that is. The Spicy Maya by Chuao Chocolatier.

It was an innocent trip down the coffee-tea-chocolate aisle in HEB (a nearby grocery store) on a fine Tuesday morning. I suddenly had the urge for some dark chocolate, because dark chocolates are actually healthy, you know. So there I was, with health in mind, went looking for a chocolate bar. There were a lot of brands. Mostly well known and some are less known. Those unknown brands were sporting big tempting words like "organic" and "natural" with cheetahs and forests on their packaging. I was instantly drawn to them. One stood out though. This one had no animals or plants on its packaging. Its wrap was shiny red and it had words that I had never seen on a chocolate bar before: Spicy. So I gave the it a try. Spicy chocolate sounded phenomenal.

From the first bite it was indeed phenomenal. The combination of flavors, the spiciness, the warmth it gave to my mouth, everything was absolutely phenomenal. So I went to HEB again today and found only one bar left. I went home and immediately went online to find the company responsible for my spicy chocolate addiction and there it was, the Chuao Chocolatier.

Chuao is pronounced chew-WOW and it is the first Venezuelan Chocolatier based in the United States and Southern California’s premier artisan chocolatier. Chuao is all about mixing the unusual to create a delicious, out-of-this-world taste. The Spicy Maya is Chuao signature flavor, mixing dark chocolate with pasilla chile, cayenne pepper and cinnamon. It is a deadly and genius combination.

I've been wanting to describe the taste as sex in your mouth, but somehow it just always feels inappropriate, no matter how I put it. But all jokes aside and with all seriousness, it is.. really... like sex in your mouth. There, I said it! Ha!

They have more unusual and interesting flavors like -believe you me- Potato Chips in Chocolate bar that combines lightly salted kettle potato chips with milk chocolate, or the Firecracker Chocolate bar which is premium dark chocolate with chipotle, salt and popping candy (how awesome is that?).

Visit their website: Chuao Chocolatier to shop for their extraordinary chocolates.


Love,

Andini

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Fired Up!

Just because this video is mindblowing.


BRUCE IRONS FLARE SHOOT from STAB on Vimeo.

Thanks T for showing me the video. Have a great weekend everyone!

Monday, July 18, 2011

Sold. Detached.



I sold my Mini Cooper two days ago. We had put the ad over a month ago on craiglist and only 3 or 4 people contacted me to see the car. They never did. Six days ago a guy contacted me. He said he was really interested in the car. 

He was so interested that he was willing to drove for 2 hours and brought cash. He lived in Giddings, TX. Initially, I thought it was a scam, but the guy was genuine and just like that, my beloved Mini is now his. Our bank account now looks so much better, but the Mini is no longer mine. Sigh.

I was kind of crushed when I had to finally let the car go. It was strange to me, because I always think of myself as a person that does not really care about material things. When people talk about new and expensive cars, or just cars, most of the time I am clueless about that topic. I don't really shop for expensive clothes, or bags and shoes either. I am content with our small town house and I am OK with not having jewelries. I don't even like gold or diamonds. I don't care about getting new cellphones or ipad. That is why I found it strange for me to feel sad about letting the car go.

I tried to analyze my feeling. I used the word "love" to describe my feeling about the car. Letting it go made me feel sad. I even shed a tear. Or two. So it must be real love then? But when I think about the last 15 months that we had the car, I did not really show any signs that I am truly in love with the car. Sure, I avoid road bumps and holes, I washed it myself, I did not let it get messy or stinky. I took care of it, but I don't think that it was love. I was just raised to do those kind of things to cars. My dad used to be a car addict. I would get yelled at if I brought food or liquid to his car. And I learned to love old cars from him. I am more articulate in talking about old cars, rather than new ones. I love Volkswagens. I love Mini Coopers.

When my husband bought me the Mini Cooper it was because he knew that I liked that car and he liked the model. I did not ask him for it. I enjoyed the car so much, but in reality we didn't need two cars. One was enough, because my husband's office is only 5 minutes away and I don't have many activities. Even with two cars, I mostly just drop him off and pick him up at the office. With the three dogs that we have and the folding bikes that we use in weekends, we always use our bigger car for transportation to parks. Basically, we only needed one car and it was not the Mini.

I think I loved my Mini, because I loved being in it. I loved being identified as a Mini owner. I loved the feeling I got when people look at the car. I loved the feeling of having a cute and unique car. But it was not love for the car. I just loved the way it made me feel. And I think that was a totally wrong reason to feel sad about losing something.

Humans tend to identify themselves with the things they own. A Mini owner, a Porsche owner, the person with the big house on the curb, the kid with PS3, the Gucci lover, the Macintosh guy, the ipad addict, the necessity to own, the need to have the newest model of everything. More than that, people also identify themselves as their role in the society or relationship. I am my husband's wife, I am my wife's husband, I am an accountant, I am a CEO, I am his girlfriend, I am her boyfriend.

Identifying oneself with an external or material thing is dangerous business. It's serious and it's dangerous. Well, mostly because those things do not last forever. As cliche as it is, it is absolutely true. And when that happens, a strong attachment and identification to a material thing could let to the serious question of "who am I?" and even the feeling of lost and the need to attain other or more material things for the sake of identifying oneself.

Detachment is important, because strangely enough, people who don't think they're attached to something are actually attached to something. That something could be just a nickname (that sticks like a glue to one's forehead) or the self confidence that he or she is different from all the rest.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Belize, Here We Come!

My husband and I are going to Belize tomorrow. We are so excited, it's crazy!

We've planned the vacation for almost 1,5 months now and I can't believe that the big day is tomorrow. I will write all about Belize when I come back.

Tickets: check!
Trekking shoes: check!
Swimsuits: check!

We are going trekking, cave tubing, Maya ruins touring, diving, snorkeling, and basically having the best of time. I hope the universe conspires. Amen.

See you next week! Have a great 4th of July!


Love,

Andini

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

For Your Babies!

It finally rains! After weeks of no rain and pure heat, it finally rains. In addition to the beautiful rain, I just got wonderful news that a very dear friend of mine is pregnant. A celebration is in order. To start, I want to share this song, written by Mick Hucknall 15 years before he became a father himself.




I am cooking Sumo Salmon Miso Soup today. I think it will make a good comfort food in this kind of weather.

Have a cozy Wednesday, everyone. Stay safe!


Love,

Andini

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

I Like Living in Houston. Why?

I was having a Blackberry Messenger chat with my mom the other day when she asked me the three things that made me happy to be in Houston. The three things I like most about living here.

I usually bitch about the things I don't like and I guess at one point my mom found it intolerable for her to have such a negative minded daughter. Well, in my defense, I was not being negative. Just.. honest.

Anyway, she asked me the question and I began thinking. Answering "husband" and "marriage" would be such a cliche, because well, the guy is not limited to be my husband in Houston only. So I put those two answers in my "Things I am Grateful for in Life" (invisible) box.

Finally I reached three answers. Which were: my dogs, yoga and sensible traffic. Now I want to add more to the list, because really, those three answers were on top of my head at that time and I have more things to say.

The things I like about living in Houston:

1. Dog Parks

OK, I know that other cities or states might possibly have better dog parks, but I am just grateful for the   presence of ANY dog park. We don't actually have a dog park in Indonesia. Well, we don't even have that many parks for people! To be outdoor and have my dogs running freely with other dogs is just a sight that brings that fuzzy warm feeling to my heart.

2. Abundant Physical Activities

Since I moved to Houston I have been exposed to so many physical activities that I would never even think of doing when I was in Indonesia. As you know I started yoga last year and have been doing it religiously twice a week since then. When I was still living in Indonesia the thought of doing yoga came to my mind so many times, but I just never did it. It was excuse after excuse and I just never started. The second activity is biking. My husband and I bought folding bikes and have been biking in parks. I would never bike in Jakarta. No way. The pollution level and how people drive and use the streets are enough reasons for me to throw away that idea. Not that it ever crossed my mind. Haha. My husband now golf almost every week and he seems to really enjoy it. It gives him and his friends a reason to hangout without the presence of beer or other liquor. Last but not least, diving. Husband and I are getting our diving certificate and we are going to start exploring Texas, underwater-ly.

3. Half Price Book Store

Yes, I know there are Half Price Book Store all over the country, but my point is just the wonderful presence of this kind of book store. It is simply heaven. Great books in good condition with half of the publisher price are just awesome. I sometimes just go there to relax and feel at home. The presence of book shelf after book shelf is just heavenly to me.

4. Shopping Outlets

I'm not much of a shopping kind of girl. I rarely shop and when I do, I try to find places that are inexpensive, but fit my taste and style. Houston has two huge shopping outlets. One is a premium shopping outlet with international fashion brands and what not. There are also Ross, Marshall's and TJ Maxx. Not too shabby.

I think that's about it. Haha. I thought I was going to have more than just 4, but I guess not. So there you go, reasons why I like living in Houston. There are 7 reasons if you count my first 3 answers. And yes, the first three answers are why I genuinely love living here.


Love,

Andini

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

A Slap on The Face

Lately I have been feeling disconnected with my body. With my skin to be exact. My vitiligo is popping out everywhere. A white patch has started to appear on my chin. Now I have rash all over my arms. I am trying to stay calm, but truth be told, I am freaking out.

First of all, I have vitiligo. "Vitiligo is a skin condition in which there is a loss of brown color (pigment) from areas of skin, resulting in irregular white patches that feel like normal skin. Vitiligo appears to occur when immune cells destroy the cells that produce brown pigment (melanocytes). This destruction is thought to be due to an autoimmune problem, but the cause is unknown." (PubMed Health)

I was diagnosed with vitiligo around 2 years ago. I did some treatments, but never vigorously. I did laser treatment and decided to stop it after almost 2 months because it was pretty expensive and I did not see any sign of my white patches re-pigmenting. I did some homeopathy treatment and it also failed to arrest my vitiligo, hence the white patch on my face.

I turn to yoga for a sense of calmness and mindfulness because it is also said that vitiligo can also occur in people with emotional stress. I fell in love with yoga and I try to practice calmness in my everyday life. But still, I feel disconnected with my body. I am not unhappy, I am not depressed, but my body is showing every sign of the contrary. I feel like crying everytime I see the white patch on my face, because of all places on my body, I have always been hardly rejecting the thought of my vitiligo appearing on my face. Because when that happens, I have to really live with it. It scares the hell out of me.

It is like a constant battle with myself now. I feel like breaking down and toughen up at the same time. I feel like bursting into tears and wanting desperately to radiate a sincere smile at the same time. I feel like hating my vitiligo, but I know it will not lead me to anything good. I feel like getting angry at my situation, but I know that a lot of people are living in much worse condition and that I would be disrespecting them to nag about mine. I feel like pitying myself, but I know that I should feel grateful for still having really great things happening in my life.

I just need a moment. I need to freaking relax and not freaking out.

Screw it, I am freaking out!

Thursday, May 5, 2011

The Schnauzer Cut!

Gas price has not shown a sign of going down and the littlest expense has become a significant one. So in the spirit of keeping our money in our pocket, I attempted something I had never done before, which is to groom my Mini Schnauzer myself. 

Olive, my Mini Schnauzer was in dire need of a haircut. Her fur has become so bushy it was hard to spot where her head was. Her last haircut was in January, almost 4 months ago. She was always panting because in most Spring days Houston were getting super hot.

The thing was, her grooming usually cost us $50 something after tip. I had been going back and forth about taking her to the salon until I had the idea of doing the grooming myself. Well, at least the haircut. So I did some research on the internet, found videos on youtube on "how to groom your Schnauzer" and I bravely tried to do it.

I spent 3 straight hours standing with Olive's hair all over me, got backache afterward, but it was totally worth it. Olive was calm and stayed docile, although at times she was demanding to get off the table to stretch her legs and play with my other dogs. I let her. Then we would be back again with her fur. Slowly but surely Olive started to look like a Schnauzer.

My husband came home and praised Olive new look. I asked for $50. He laughed, obviously thinking that I was kidding. I was not. Short to say he was impressed. Damn, I was impressed!

It is not the most perfect Schnauzer cut, I believe I have a battalion of Schnauzer lovers screaming amen to that, but still, I did that myself, I managed to save up some money and Olive seems to like her new do. Now she struts it like no one's business.

Olive Before



Olive After




Love,

Andini

Monday, April 11, 2011

Say You Love Me

It's raining.
It's Monday and it's raining.
It's a perfectly beautiful day.
Have a great week ahead, everyone.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

TV Obsessions

I have always been a sucker for TV series. Especially ones that have really good script with one-of-a-kind storyline and characters. I would get kind of upset if I had to miss an episode or two and I will happily get into a marathon mode to watch the back episodes online or on netflix.

Through my early teenage years until this very day, I have my most favorite shows on TV. Shows that I was addicted to, obsessed with, shows with strong script, shows that are funny and lovable, shows that I would happily watch over and over again, shows that I miss.

1. Gilmore Girls



Gilmore Girls are Lorelai and Rory Gilmore. Lorelai is a young single mother that has a really close, strong and unique relationship with her smart, beautiful, sometimes awkward daughter. They are both really funny, coffee addicts, and talk extremely fast. The chemistry between the two is just heartwarming without being tacky and blah. They fight and make up. They finish each other sentences and share jokes that no one else would get.

The show lasted for 7 seasons. Rory started as a new kid in high school and ended as a young graduate from Yale. Lorelai started as an employee of an inn to an owner of one. They both had a few love stories and flings. They both had funny and uncomfortable relationship with Lorelai's rich, sometimes intimidating parents, but it just made the show even more hilarious.

I secretly want Rory to eventually end up with Jess, a bad boy that by season 6 made himself a book writer and cleaned up pretty good. They would make a really cute couple. Actually in real life the two stars once dated, but the broke up. Boo! (yes, crazy)

2. F.R.I.E.N.D.S



This is the best show ever. It's funny, smart, has a casually dramatic plot and the cast is a perfect combination of every kind of characters imaginable. Did I mention that it is funny? How about funny as hell?

Ross, Monica, Chandler, Rachel, Phoebe, and Joey are a group of (best) friends that hangout every single day and love each other tremendously. Each of them had their share of ups and downs and of course, also love affairs. Two actually ended up rather perfectly; Chandler and Monica and Rachel and Ross.

I hated that the show was over, but 10 years is an extremely good life span for a TV show. Any TV show. A show that for 10 years was an important part of the week for a lot of people. I know it was the best part of my week for years.

3. Ugly Betty



I've finished the whole 4 seasons now and I cried my eyes off during the final episode. It was a good ending for every character in the show (except for Betty's ex-boyfriend Matt who went to Africa and didn't get to comeback to sweep Betty off her feet). I got so invested in the story and characters that now I feel a little bit empty. This just goes to show that not only I'm a little crazy, but also oh-so-very dramatic (as my husband put it perfectly).

Betty Suarez spends her time in mostly 2 places; Mode (her office) and her home with her wonderful family. I love the Suarez family: Ignacio, Hilda, Betty, and Justin. The Suarez is a really tight family, constantly having each other's back, including when Justin (Betty's nephew) came out of the closet. At the office, the chemistry between Marc and Amanda is just over the top hilarious. The way they make fun of Betty always cracks me up.

Ugly Betty was a great show. The story, the characters, the moral values were wrapped in a very great script. Kudos to the writers. Watching Betty evolved through her choices, mistakes and people she met along the way is so inspiring. Betty worked hard to reach her dreams without costing anyone else's. The plot might sometimes got over the top and could get rather telenovela-ish, but the whole moral of the story was believable and more importantly, doable. 

4. Brothers and Sisters



The Walker family is just too beautiful and rich and crazy. In every episode there would be drama and family members screaming bickering over dinner or in any kind of party. Don't forget the call traffic in every episode between the characters; Nora calls Kitty, Kitty got a call from Kevin, Kitty puts Nora on hold, Sara calls Kevin and Kevin put Kitty on hold, basically all talking about the same thing. People dead, dying, having affairs, fighting over money, but there are also love, wisdom and kindness.

The story revolves around Nora Walker and her children; Sarah, Kitty, Tommy, Kevin and Justin. There is also the mistress, Holly Harper and her daughter, Rebecca Walker. The kids brought their spouses and partner into the family and spice things up quite a bit.

What I love about Brothers and Sisters is how they manage to almost always keep the plot interesting. I love the cast and they way they communicate to each other. Not because that they are the best communicators, but because it is extremely entertaining to see them fight and constantly giving their piece of mind about everything.

5. Samantha Who?



The show was cancelled after only 2 seasons. I don't really get why, because in my point of view, Samantha Who? is one of the funniest sitcoms out there and Christina Applegate was on fire in that show. Hilarious and comical.

The story revolves around Samantha, a girl who in the first episode got hit by a car and left with a really bad amnesia, she basically forgot all about herself and everything that happened in the world before the accident.

After the accident and got amnesia, Samantha found out that she was an awful person before. She was manipulative, devious and down right bitchy to everyone, including her sweet boyfriend Todd. The new Samantha tried to figure out her new improved self and every time she tries to do good, funny, unexpected things keep happening. Along with her 2 bestfriends, Andrea and Dena, Sam tries hard to evolve herself into the kind of human being she wants.

6. Grey's Anatomy



This is actually a rather gloomy show with lots of blood, people dead, dying, sick, and twisted strange sense of humor. Nevertheless, the show is heart pumping (no pun intended), intense, passionate, and smart. Not to mention it has (super) hot surgeons.

The series focuses on a group of surgical interns, residents and various physicians who serve as their mentors, personally and professionally. Grey's Anatomy has all kinds of drama and diversity in it. The cast is colorful, both literally and figuratively. The first ever interns are now residents and they have even more complex drama and crisis.

The show is going on its 7th season now and confirmed to be going on its 8th. Season 6 ended with a spree shooting in the hospital. A lot of people were hurt, physically and mentally. I have to admit that the show is not as exciting as the early seasons, but I still record it every week and watch it the next day (because I give my husband full control of the TV when he's home from work).

7. American Idol



I cannot not love American Idol. I've been hooked since their second season when Ruben Studdard beat Clay Aiken. Both kind of MIA now by the way. I'm stuck to the show like moth to a flame. Seriously, I think it's the best talent show ever. I used to like Star Search but that was a hundred years ago and American Idol is better.

I've always loved American Idol judges, whoever they are, but I love Simon and Ellen the most. I can't say the same about the contestants though. Some I love like crazy and some I can't even remember. I love Fantasia Barrino. I think she is one of the most talented contestants ever been on the show. I also had a HUGE little crush on Jason Castro of season 7. This season I'm rooting for 3 people: Paul McDonald, Casey Abrams and Haley Reinhart. I hope one (or two) of them will get to top 2.

8. No Reservations




By far No Reservations is the best travel show out there. Especially because it has Anthony Bourdain as the host. He is a chef, now mid-aged, sarcastic, witty, and surprisingly kind-hearted. Bourdain loves food and he loves to travel, thus making the show really about those two things and his take on places he go. His stark comments are always welcomed as super entertaining.  I love watching Bourdain talks about the places he go and the food he eats.

In the current season I especially love the editing and cinematography. No Reservations take the most beautiful images. Images that speak to the audience as if they themselves were there. I personally like episodes where Bourdain goes to Asia, South Asia to be particular. He never hesitates to eat any kind of food, without even knowing how it got on the table in front of him. Oh how I love him for that.

What's your most favorite TV shows? Why?

Have a great week everyone!

Love,

Andini

Friday, March 25, 2011

You're All I Need to Get By

Two nights ago, Jacob Lusk of American Idol season 10 (yes, I watch American Idol religiously since 2002) sang "You're All I Need to Get By".

I love that song and Jacob sang it perfectly. I do love the rendition that was sang by Jordin Sparks and Ruben Studdard more though. They sang it for American Idol finale in the year 2007.

The words of this song is sweet and uplifting. You see, I'm a sucker for things like that. So here you go, the video and lyrics.


You're All I Need to Get By
(Originally by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell of Motown Records)

You're all I need to get by.
Like the sweet morning dew, I took one look at you,
And it was plain to see,
you were my destiny. With my arms open wide,
I threw away my pride
I'll sacrifice for you
Dedicate my life to you
I will go where you lead
Always there in time of need
And when I lose my will
You'll be there to push me up the hill
There's no, no looking back for us
We got love sure 'nough, that's enough
You're all, You're All I need to get by.


You're all I need to get by.
Like an eagle protects his nest, for you I'll do my best,
Stand by you like a tree, dare anybody to try and move me
Darling in you I found
Strength where I was torn down
Don't know what's in store but together we can open any door
Just to do what's good for you and inspire you a little higher
I know you can make a man out of a soul that didn't have a goal
Cause we, we got the right foundation and with love and determination

You're all, you're all I want to strive for and do a little more
You're all, all the joys under the sun wrapped up into one
You're all, You're all I need to get by.


Have a great weekend, people!


Love,

Andini


Wednesday, March 23, 2011

OVO!


For God knows how long, I've been wanting to see Cirque du Soleil live. Seeing it live is in my bucket list for sure. Now I can cross that off my list because yesterday, ladies and gentlemen, I got to see OVO by Cirque du Soleil!


www.richasi.com
www.examiner.com

It was one of the most mind blowing and beautiful things I have ever seen! Everything about it was fabulous. The costume, the set, the music, the lighting, and most importantly the acts and choreography. It was my most well spent $90. I still get goosebumps just thinking about it.

www.cirquedusoleil.com
doc: arts america
They have the most beautiful insects that can do crazy stuff with their bodies. OVO has everything; jugglers, trapeze troops, clowns, contortionists, tight rope walker, even aerial rope dancers.


www.richasi.com
Here is the story line and what the media says about the show (www.cirquedusoleil.com):

OVO is a headlong rush into a colourful ecosystem teeming with life, where insects work, eat, crawl, flutter, play, fight and look for love in a non-stop riot of energy and movement. The insects' home is a world of biodiversity and beauty filled with noisy action and moments of quiet emotion.

When a mysterious egg appears in their midst, the insects are awestruck and intensely curious about this iconic object that represents the enigma and cycles of their lives.

It’s love at first sight when a gawky, quirky insect arrives in this bustling community and a fabulous ladybug catches his eye – and the feeling is mutual.

OVO is overflowing with contrasts. The hidden, secret world at our feet is revealed as tender and torrid, noisy and quiet, peaceful and chaotic. And as the sun rises on a bright new day the vibrant cycle of insect life begins anew.

WHAT THE MEDIA SAY ABOUT THE SHOW
" Death-defying Butterflies, foot-juggling Ants, contortionist Spiders, high-bounding Crickets... "

San Francisco Chronicle
“THRILLING...such stupendous feats of physical grace and athleticism that they’ll LEAVE YOU GASPING.”

New York Post
I can't believe that I have actually seen Cirque du Soleil live! It feels like a dream, because OVO was absolutely dreamy with its vibrant colors, joy and energy.


www.richasi.com
www.richasi.com
If Cirque du Soleil ever comes to your city, please give yourself some love and go see it. The ticket was a bit hard to get (not to mention pricy) because the show is (almost) always sold out, but seriously, it is worth the money and energy!

www.richasi.com



We were not allowed to take pictures or video tape anything inside the tent and most importantly when the show was on for the whole 2,5 hours (with a 30 minutes break). So I took the liberty to gather some beautiful pictures from all over the web to give you a glimpse of how fantastic and genius the show was.


Love,

Andini

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Call Me Corny, but I Love Dolly


Island in The Stream

(Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton)

Baby, when I met you there was peace unknown
I set out to get you with a fine tooth comb
I was soft inside, there was somethin' going on

You do something to me that I can't explain
Hold me closer and I feel no pain
Every beat of my heart
We got somethin' goin' on

Tender love is blind
It requires a dedication
All this love we feel
Needs no conversation
We ride it together, ah-ah
Makin' love with each other, ah-ah

Islands in the stream
That is what we are
No one in-between
How can we be wrong
Sail away with me to another world
And we rely on each other, ah-ah
From one lover to another, ah-ah

I can't live without you if the love was gone
Everything is nothin' if you got no one
And you did walk in tonight
Slowly loosen' sight of the real thing

But that won't happen to us and we got no doubt
Too deep in love and we got no way out
And the message is clear
This could be the year for the real thing

No more will you cry
Baby, I will hurt you never
We start and end as one, in love forever
We can ride it together, ah-ah
Makin' love with each other, ah-ah

Islands in the stream
That is what we are
No one in-between
How can we be wrong
Sail away with me to another world
And we rely on each other, ah-ah
From one lover to another, ah-ah

Sail away
Oh, come sail away with me

Islands in the stream
That is what we are
No one in-between
How can we be wrong
Sail away with me to another world
And we rely on each other, ah-ah
From one lover to another, ah-ah

Islands in the stream
That is what we are
No one in-between
How can we be wrong
Sail away with me to another world
And we rely on each other, ah-ah
From one lover to another, ah-ah

Have a great Thursday (and Friday), people!


Love,

Andini

Friday, March 11, 2011

Austin!

Husband and I went to Austin last Monday until yesterday. He had a conference and I tagged along just because I can. Ha!

I liked the city. It was so quirky and the food scene was great. I just wish we had more time, because I had so many things on my list that did not come true. So I will surely be going back there again! For now, here are some pictures I took.


Mansions on top of a hill. Austin is hilly and it's beautiful.


My husband took this picture. It's a hanging statue from a restaurant called OASIS in Lake Travis


The view from OASIS patio.


OASIS - Lake Travis


Gourdough's has the best and most unique donuts I've ever tasted. - South Lamar St


Mouth-watering menu at Gourdough's


Mother Clucker - Donut with fried chicken and honey butter. Super delicious!


Craney - Underneath those caramelized apple, peanuts, caramel sauce and cream, there is a donut. Yumm!


Pork Belly Slider from Odd Duck Farm to Trailer - This is sooooo good!


In front of Uchi, a Japanese restaurant. A really good Japanese restaurant.


My husband randomly bought a ukulele and can't stop playing since.

Austin, I'm definitely coming back!

Love,

Andini