The last few days I've been hooked on a reality show on TLC. The show is called "Jon and Kate Plus Eight" and is about the day-today life of Jon and Kate Gosselin and their 8 kids (6-year old twin girls: Maddie and Cara and 3-year old sextuplets: Colin, Aaden, Joel, Hannah, Leah and Alexis). Although the show has set storyline or script, it is fascinating to watch Jon and Kate go through life with multiple multiples. I am forever amazed by how Kate manages the household (after Jon leaves for work). She takes care of 8 kids, keeps the house relatively clean, does loads of laundry every day, prepares meals and even manages to shop for organic food and products. Even with a limited amount of time, patience and budget, Kate uses only the best products for her kids and will even take the time to use homemade but organic cleaning products.
Another interesting aspect is their totally different but complimentary parenting styles. Jon is the easy-going, fun-loving, and "friend" to his kids. While Kate is the super organized, high-structured, disciplinarian. Both of them obviously love their kids and make lots of sacrifices to keep everyone happy. Despite busy, busy lives and hectic days filled with potty training, breaking up fights, calming down crying babies and changing diapers left and right, the Gosselins manage to create many happy family traditions: like picking out Xmas presents for each other, having picnics on the beach, going on vacation, and visiting theme parks.
Despite all their challenges and family dramas, Jon and Kate are doing a pretty good job. All the kids are developing well and have their own personalities and interests. Everyone is encouraged to develop their talents (there's piano lessons, violin lessons, cooking classes and craft projects). Everyone is also encouraged to have a say and make decisions that affect the family. The dynamics of the kids are great too. Yes, of course they whine, fight and squabble. But you can see they all look out for each other and support each other too.
Jojo and I were talking about it the other night. While we don't have kids of our own (yet), we do babysit our nieces and nephews a lot and have had plenty of practice. And evidently we each have our own parenting styles too. Jojo is very laid back and easy going. I can see him playing with the kids (and their toys too), watching cartoons with them, and feeding them chocolate and ice cream. But he can be pretty firm with discipline too and can actually be even more strict that I am. He is the one who says "no" when they ask for more candy or when they want to fingerpaint on the dining table. He is the one who says "go to bed" when its past their bedtime and they are still watching cartoons. I think I'm the parent who would be more organized and who wants to expose my kids to new things and ideas. I'd like to get involved with their school projects, meet their teachers and friends, and encourage their interests. But I'd also be the one who likes story-telling, working on projects and playing make believe. I'd be the one who'd pla family vacation and even exciting staycations. Like Jon and Kate, I think Jojo and I would make a good parenting team and can't wait to get started!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Mom's All Girl Getaway
My mom and her girlfriends are going on an all girl getaway next week. This is something they have dreamed about, talked about and planned for a long time. As far back as I can remember, my mom has not taken a vacation on her own or with her friends. The only one she has ever taken was with Auntie Scarlet and Auntie Sally a few months after Atsi was born (that was over 35 years ago!). Since then mom’s vacations are usually with the rest of the family – and of course during these “vacations” she usually has to take care of most of the details plus make sure everyone is comfortable and having a good time. So in essence, they are not real vacations for her – just mom getting to do “mom stuff” in more picturesque locations with shopping and sightseeing as part of the agenda.
Anyway, this year mom turned 60, along with her very dear and long-time friends (Auntie Chito, Auntie Benjie and Auntie Cynthia). These ladies have been friends since their college years and have been through thick and thin together! They had talked about celebrating their birthdays (which fall within a few months of each other) together in Livermore (Northern CA) where Auntie Chito is based. I know they have been eagerly anticipating this trip for several months since my mom has mentioned it quite frequently. But as the date drew closer, each of them started having second thoughts. Let me interject here by saying that my mom and her friends are an exceptional group of women who throughout the years have always placed their families and others first. They are all outstanding wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends - which was the exact reason why their planned vacation was in danger of getting canceled.
Mom was busy taking care of my grandfather during his final days and didn’t have time to plan a trip. Now that she is here in L.A with us, she is worried about leaving Atsi on her own and is busy taking care of the last minute wedding details. Mom is also on a mission in making sure Jojo, Jules and I have home-cooked meals and a well-kept home. Similarly, Auntie Benjie, Auntie Chito and Auntie Cynthia have their own reasons as to why they were hemming and hawing – reasons like taking care of their husbands, children, grandchildren, parents, work obligations, etc, etc. They’ve been going back and forth with their plans with my mom resigned to the fact that it may be best to hold off till another time. Finally, I told my mom, she should go on this vacation and that everything was going to be fine. We would work double time this week to finish as much of the wedding preparation as we could. Then next week, I would take some time off to help Atsi too. But it was final, she was going on vacation and that was that.
Two nights ago, I looked at flight times and prices – and last night I booked mom on a roundtrip flight to San Jose. I had to do this quickly before she could change her mind! Thankfully Auntie Benjie’s daughter, Trina, managed to force her mom to fly in from New York too. Luckily Uncle Ed (Auntie Cynthia’s hubby) gave his ok for her to drive down from San Francisco. And it’s a good thing that Auntie Chito’s schedule has cleared up for everyone to come stay with her in Livermore. Their 5 day / 4 night vacation starts on Monday when these four ladies take the Bay Area by storm!
This morning, over breakfast, mom was telling me she felt bad about taking a few days off with so many things still left to be done. This just shows the kind of person my mom is. She always puts us before herself and is always ready to give up her own happiness to make sure we are happy. I assured her that everything would be fine and that all we want is for her to go have fun, not worry about us, just relax and enjoy. If there’s any one in this world that I know of who deserves some time off to herself to just have fun and unwind, it has got to be (hands down) my mom. I really sincerely hope that she has an awesome time and does not feel one iota of guilty over it … she absolutely deserves these 5 days (and much more, if you ask me!).
Have an awesome time, mom! And tell us all about your adventures when you get back.
Anyway, this year mom turned 60, along with her very dear and long-time friends (Auntie Chito, Auntie Benjie and Auntie Cynthia). These ladies have been friends since their college years and have been through thick and thin together! They had talked about celebrating their birthdays (which fall within a few months of each other) together in Livermore (Northern CA) where Auntie Chito is based. I know they have been eagerly anticipating this trip for several months since my mom has mentioned it quite frequently. But as the date drew closer, each of them started having second thoughts. Let me interject here by saying that my mom and her friends are an exceptional group of women who throughout the years have always placed their families and others first. They are all outstanding wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends - which was the exact reason why their planned vacation was in danger of getting canceled.
Mom was busy taking care of my grandfather during his final days and didn’t have time to plan a trip. Now that she is here in L.A with us, she is worried about leaving Atsi on her own and is busy taking care of the last minute wedding details. Mom is also on a mission in making sure Jojo, Jules and I have home-cooked meals and a well-kept home. Similarly, Auntie Benjie, Auntie Chito and Auntie Cynthia have their own reasons as to why they were hemming and hawing – reasons like taking care of their husbands, children, grandchildren, parents, work obligations, etc, etc. They’ve been going back and forth with their plans with my mom resigned to the fact that it may be best to hold off till another time. Finally, I told my mom, she should go on this vacation and that everything was going to be fine. We would work double time this week to finish as much of the wedding preparation as we could. Then next week, I would take some time off to help Atsi too. But it was final, she was going on vacation and that was that.
Two nights ago, I looked at flight times and prices – and last night I booked mom on a roundtrip flight to San Jose. I had to do this quickly before she could change her mind! Thankfully Auntie Benjie’s daughter, Trina, managed to force her mom to fly in from New York too. Luckily Uncle Ed (Auntie Cynthia’s hubby) gave his ok for her to drive down from San Francisco. And it’s a good thing that Auntie Chito’s schedule has cleared up for everyone to come stay with her in Livermore. Their 5 day / 4 night vacation starts on Monday when these four ladies take the Bay Area by storm!
This morning, over breakfast, mom was telling me she felt bad about taking a few days off with so many things still left to be done. This just shows the kind of person my mom is. She always puts us before herself and is always ready to give up her own happiness to make sure we are happy. I assured her that everything would be fine and that all we want is for her to go have fun, not worry about us, just relax and enjoy. If there’s any one in this world that I know of who deserves some time off to herself to just have fun and unwind, it has got to be (hands down) my mom. I really sincerely hope that she has an awesome time and does not feel one iota of guilty over it … she absolutely deserves these 5 days (and much more, if you ask me!).
Have an awesome time, mom! And tell us all about your adventures when you get back.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Big News
This may come as a shocker to some ... but to those that really know me ... it is something that's long overdue. After 2 years of working in this company, I finally turned in my resignation. Yes! I finally did it. I had a long heart-to-heart with my boss on the 21st and told him I was leaving. He wouldn't accept my resignation. He asked me to reconsider and to think about what I really wanted so he could meet what I needed. To be honest, I really thought about it and weighed all my options, but in the end moving on was all I could think of doing. Nothing they offered really made a difference. So on the 24th, I talked to him again and told him I had made up my mind to leave.
The day I made that final decision I really felt as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I know this may sound a little exaggerated but (even if I am still going to the office to finish up a few things) I've felt that the last few nights I've been sleeping better, I've had a little more energy when waking up in the morning, and I have been less irritable (haha) towards my hubby. I can literally feel myself de-stressing! And the coup de grace, was having a colleague stop me at the elevators this morning and ask me if I was doing anything different since I looked more relax and refreshed lately. Isn't that awesome?
I don't mean to make light of the situation - after all my decision to leave this company came with a lot of soul-searching, long talks with loved ones and colleagues, prayer and a complete leap of faith. I am leaving this job with no other job waiting for me, no other company to transfer to, no other source of income other than my hubby and our savings. But even with all the uncertainty, I figured life is too short to be stuck doing something you are miserable at and doing it where you feel so unappreciated. It has gotten to a point where I hated going to work and would end us a frustrated, nervous, stressed out wreck at the end of the day. I was working more than 10 hours a day and even bringing work home on weekends. I had started neglecting myself - I gained so much weight, had really bad skin, awful sleeping habits and was sick all the time. I was irritable when I got home and sleepless most nights worrying about work. I had no time quality time for myself or with friends. It was just such a bad place to be in and all for a job where I found no satisfaction and no meaning other than a paycheck every 2 weeks.
Sure I'll miss the paycheck (which was great) and the benefits (also great) and of course the friends I've made here (which hopefully I'll still keep). But in the end, I don't think I could in good faith subject myself to any more of this and still come out a sane, happy, balanced and well-adjusted person. I don't want to get into too many details as to why working here was so bad (especially since I'm still here). That could just mean some legal drama down the line. But trust me when I say, this was not a place where I could see myself professionally and personally developing nor was it a place that encouraged commitment and dedication. Enough said.
Anyway, I'm here for a few more days or maybe weeks. I told my boss that I wanted to be fair and not dump all my work on some poor unsuspecting soul. In actuality, there is no one else at this point to even dump it on. So I said I'd hang around a few more days till they find someone and until I could properly turnover to that person. After all the drama I've been through, my dad and hubby were telling me I didn't have to do this ... after all, this is California, and we are an "at will" employment state - meaning I could quit and walk out the same minute and never have to come back. But I thought about it ... did I really want to do that? Did I really just want to leave without being accountable for my department and the work I already started? Did I want to be the person who bails without a care and leaves it all for someone else to figure out? Did I want to burn all my bridges and open myself up to the possibility of bad karma? My conscience said "no". I've been waiting for almost 2 years to leave ... what's a few days or weeks more if it makes it easier for everyone involved. After all it's not like I have another job that wants me to start work in two weeks!
Which brings me to what most people have been asking ... "so what are you going to do now?". Well ... at first I was worried about that ... we do have monthly expenses that can't be put on hold when I stop earning. But luckily I have a super loving hubby who is willing to support me while I take a few weeks off to really figure out what I want to do. Worse case is we'll have to dip into our savings. Something I am strongly opposed to doing but as Jojo said "what are we saving money for ... it's to see us through the tough times ... and while we may not even have to use our savings ... knowing we have it as a back-up will make this easier for you". So true! And of course, my folks have also offered to help out (which is awesome of them but honestly will be my very last resort). I was also worried about being bored out of my mind (which tends to happens when I'm left on my own too long). But we'll cross that bridge when we get there.
So I'm taking a few weeks (actually months) off to recuperate and de-stress. I have to work on eating healthier, exercising more, sleeping better, and finding time to relax. I have to be a better wife and make it up to Jojo with home-cooked meals and a better kept home. On a professional level, I am planning to get my Training Certification and maybe do some part-time consulting work if I can. There are a couple of volunteer programs I am also looking at joining. On a personal level, there are so many "happenings" coming up too. My mom and sister are here in August to work on Atsi's wedding. Mom is leaving by the end of August but Atsi and I will still have Sept to work on all the last minute details. Since unofficially I've been acting as her wedding coordinator, I can now do this full-time. My parents are coming the end of September and we are planning to do some traveling before the rest of the family arrives for the wedding (which is on Oct. 18th). The twins will still be staying on till mid November and I'll have to find ways to entertain them too. Then in two weeks (early Dec.) I leave for Manila where I am spending a month back home. By the time Jojo and I get back from Manila, it'll be January and the start of 2009 - time to look for a job. When I think about it, this is actually the best time for me to be out of work.
This is a big step for me. I'm happy and excited (rather than scared and apprehensive about losing a job), which makes me think I made the right decision. I am actually excited about living the next 4 months without a to-do list and without a rigid schedule (can I do it without going crazy or without driving everyone around me crazy?!). I am also looking forward to spending time with family and friends - and really enjoying that time with them without having deadlines and projects weighing in at the back of my mind. I'm also looking forward to maybe this being the time we can start a family. It could happen! But mostly I am excited to see what new things could come my way. This could be pretty awesome!
The day I made that final decision I really felt as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I know this may sound a little exaggerated but (even if I am still going to the office to finish up a few things) I've felt that the last few nights I've been sleeping better, I've had a little more energy when waking up in the morning, and I have been less irritable (haha) towards my hubby. I can literally feel myself de-stressing! And the coup de grace, was having a colleague stop me at the elevators this morning and ask me if I was doing anything different since I looked more relax and refreshed lately. Isn't that awesome?
I don't mean to make light of the situation - after all my decision to leave this company came with a lot of soul-searching, long talks with loved ones and colleagues, prayer and a complete leap of faith. I am leaving this job with no other job waiting for me, no other company to transfer to, no other source of income other than my hubby and our savings. But even with all the uncertainty, I figured life is too short to be stuck doing something you are miserable at and doing it where you feel so unappreciated. It has gotten to a point where I hated going to work and would end us a frustrated, nervous, stressed out wreck at the end of the day. I was working more than 10 hours a day and even bringing work home on weekends. I had started neglecting myself - I gained so much weight, had really bad skin, awful sleeping habits and was sick all the time. I was irritable when I got home and sleepless most nights worrying about work. I had no time quality time for myself or with friends. It was just such a bad place to be in and all for a job where I found no satisfaction and no meaning other than a paycheck every 2 weeks.
Sure I'll miss the paycheck (which was great) and the benefits (also great) and of course the friends I've made here (which hopefully I'll still keep). But in the end, I don't think I could in good faith subject myself to any more of this and still come out a sane, happy, balanced and well-adjusted person. I don't want to get into too many details as to why working here was so bad (especially since I'm still here). That could just mean some legal drama down the line. But trust me when I say, this was not a place where I could see myself professionally and personally developing nor was it a place that encouraged commitment and dedication. Enough said.
Anyway, I'm here for a few more days or maybe weeks. I told my boss that I wanted to be fair and not dump all my work on some poor unsuspecting soul. In actuality, there is no one else at this point to even dump it on. So I said I'd hang around a few more days till they find someone and until I could properly turnover to that person. After all the drama I've been through, my dad and hubby were telling me I didn't have to do this ... after all, this is California, and we are an "at will" employment state - meaning I could quit and walk out the same minute and never have to come back. But I thought about it ... did I really want to do that? Did I really just want to leave without being accountable for my department and the work I already started? Did I want to be the person who bails without a care and leaves it all for someone else to figure out? Did I want to burn all my bridges and open myself up to the possibility of bad karma? My conscience said "no". I've been waiting for almost 2 years to leave ... what's a few days or weeks more if it makes it easier for everyone involved. After all it's not like I have another job that wants me to start work in two weeks!
Which brings me to what most people have been asking ... "so what are you going to do now?". Well ... at first I was worried about that ... we do have monthly expenses that can't be put on hold when I stop earning. But luckily I have a super loving hubby who is willing to support me while I take a few weeks off to really figure out what I want to do. Worse case is we'll have to dip into our savings. Something I am strongly opposed to doing but as Jojo said "what are we saving money for ... it's to see us through the tough times ... and while we may not even have to use our savings ... knowing we have it as a back-up will make this easier for you". So true! And of course, my folks have also offered to help out (which is awesome of them but honestly will be my very last resort). I was also worried about being bored out of my mind (which tends to happens when I'm left on my own too long). But we'll cross that bridge when we get there.
So I'm taking a few weeks (actually months) off to recuperate and de-stress. I have to work on eating healthier, exercising more, sleeping better, and finding time to relax. I have to be a better wife and make it up to Jojo with home-cooked meals and a better kept home. On a professional level, I am planning to get my Training Certification and maybe do some part-time consulting work if I can. There are a couple of volunteer programs I am also looking at joining. On a personal level, there are so many "happenings" coming up too. My mom and sister are here in August to work on Atsi's wedding. Mom is leaving by the end of August but Atsi and I will still have Sept to work on all the last minute details. Since unofficially I've been acting as her wedding coordinator, I can now do this full-time. My parents are coming the end of September and we are planning to do some traveling before the rest of the family arrives for the wedding (which is on Oct. 18th). The twins will still be staying on till mid November and I'll have to find ways to entertain them too. Then in two weeks (early Dec.) I leave for Manila where I am spending a month back home. By the time Jojo and I get back from Manila, it'll be January and the start of 2009 - time to look for a job. When I think about it, this is actually the best time for me to be out of work.
This is a big step for me. I'm happy and excited (rather than scared and apprehensive about losing a job), which makes me think I made the right decision. I am actually excited about living the next 4 months without a to-do list and without a rigid schedule (can I do it without going crazy or without driving everyone around me crazy?!). I am also looking forward to spending time with family and friends - and really enjoying that time with them without having deadlines and projects weighing in at the back of my mind. I'm also looking forward to maybe this being the time we can start a family. It could happen! But mostly I am excited to see what new things could come my way. This could be pretty awesome!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Tidbits
Today is Jojo's 40th birthday. "Happy Birthday, NI". Wishing you the best cause you deserve it. Thanks for being my family, my best friend, my partner in crime, my no. 1 fan, my rock, and my inspiration. I love you very much. And P.S. - you don't look 40 ... not at all =)
There have been so many things going on that I haven't had time to blog about everything. The last few days have been a mix of good and not so good stuff. Here's a quick rundown of what's been going on with me:
Good Stuff:
- We've finally booked our trip to Manila. I will be flying home on Dec. 10 while Jules and Jojo will be flying home on Dec. 17. All of us will be taking the Jan. 4 flight back to L.A. I am so, so EXCITED to be going home. (Interestingly enough, my friend Jeff, has pointed out that even after living abroad for the last 7 and ½ years, I still refer to Manila as "home").
- My dad has super generously offered to pay for our tickets.
- Looking forward to my mom and sister arriving in 2 weeks time. It will be great having them here to plan Atsi's wedding. Then my entire family will be here in October for the wedding and a grand family reunion (our last one was back in May '06). I think we are going to the Grand Canyon this year.
- My hubby's 40th birthday is today and we've been planning his birthday events all week: Thursday night (dinner with immediate family), Friday night (dinner with co-workers and friends), Saturday night (dinner with the rest of the family and other friends). Plus we ordered his massage chair and can't wait to try it out soon!
- Also other birthday parties this month: Dad's (25th), Justin (15th), Jay (17th), Maddie (21st).
- Had a great girl's night our dinner with friends last Friday. It was nice getting the chance to dress up, have cocktails, enjoy tapas, walk along the boardwalk and just talk the night away. It's been ages since I've had a chance to unwind like that.
- We finally found a good housekeeper. Gigi is a godsend. Although on the slow side (she is extremely thorough!), she does an excellent job and has such a great personality.
- My sister-in-law, Tracy, is having a baby any day now.
Not So Good Stuff:
- My grandfather passed away last Tuesday. He has been ill for a long time and has been very weak his last few days. We are sad to lose such him but also glad to know he is now at peace and with God.
- Last week, I had to lay off my assistant. Putting it mildly, he was not very efficient and not very effective. We gave him so many chances but his performance and attitude simply did not change. Even if I was determined to let him go, it was not easy for me to do. I have never ever had to terminate anyone and it was extremely uncomfortable and difficult for me to do.
- Being incredibly BUSY with work (and not having an assistant to help me).
- Our garage renovation has been so delayed. Our plan was to get the flooring done on the July 4th weekend and the cabinets done on the July 12th weekend. Well, the company we ordered the flooring materials from informed us just a few days ago that the shipment was delayed to July 16. Which means we can only start work this weekend (the 19th). Worse we have a party at home on the 18th (one of Jojo's birthday dinners), so all the stuff from the garage we carried inside the house have to be brought back to the garage for the party. Then afterwards carried back in for the floor to be set. We are talking about a whole garage-full of stuff!
- Not yet losing weight for Atsi's wedding. But now I have a double-incentive (losing weight for Atsi's wedding and our homecoming!).
So the last two weeks have been BUSY and have gone by in a blur. Hopefully time speeds up some more so we can get to the things I am looking forward to the most!
There have been so many things going on that I haven't had time to blog about everything. The last few days have been a mix of good and not so good stuff. Here's a quick rundown of what's been going on with me:
Good Stuff:
- We've finally booked our trip to Manila. I will be flying home on Dec. 10 while Jules and Jojo will be flying home on Dec. 17. All of us will be taking the Jan. 4 flight back to L.A. I am so, so EXCITED to be going home. (Interestingly enough, my friend Jeff, has pointed out that even after living abroad for the last 7 and ½ years, I still refer to Manila as "home").
- My dad has super generously offered to pay for our tickets.
- Looking forward to my mom and sister arriving in 2 weeks time. It will be great having them here to plan Atsi's wedding. Then my entire family will be here in October for the wedding and a grand family reunion (our last one was back in May '06). I think we are going to the Grand Canyon this year.
- My hubby's 40th birthday is today and we've been planning his birthday events all week: Thursday night (dinner with immediate family), Friday night (dinner with co-workers and friends), Saturday night (dinner with the rest of the family and other friends). Plus we ordered his massage chair and can't wait to try it out soon!
- Also other birthday parties this month: Dad's (25th), Justin (15th), Jay (17th), Maddie (21st).
- Had a great girl's night our dinner with friends last Friday. It was nice getting the chance to dress up, have cocktails, enjoy tapas, walk along the boardwalk and just talk the night away. It's been ages since I've had a chance to unwind like that.
- We finally found a good housekeeper. Gigi is a godsend. Although on the slow side (she is extremely thorough!), she does an excellent job and has such a great personality.
- My sister-in-law, Tracy, is having a baby any day now.
Not So Good Stuff:
- My grandfather passed away last Tuesday. He has been ill for a long time and has been very weak his last few days. We are sad to lose such him but also glad to know he is now at peace and with God.
- Last week, I had to lay off my assistant. Putting it mildly, he was not very efficient and not very effective. We gave him so many chances but his performance and attitude simply did not change. Even if I was determined to let him go, it was not easy for me to do. I have never ever had to terminate anyone and it was extremely uncomfortable and difficult for me to do.
- Being incredibly BUSY with work (and not having an assistant to help me).
- Our garage renovation has been so delayed. Our plan was to get the flooring done on the July 4th weekend and the cabinets done on the July 12th weekend. Well, the company we ordered the flooring materials from informed us just a few days ago that the shipment was delayed to July 16. Which means we can only start work this weekend (the 19th). Worse we have a party at home on the 18th (one of Jojo's birthday dinners), so all the stuff from the garage we carried inside the house have to be brought back to the garage for the party. Then afterwards carried back in for the floor to be set. We are talking about a whole garage-full of stuff!
- Not yet losing weight for Atsi's wedding. But now I have a double-incentive (losing weight for Atsi's wedding and our homecoming!).
So the last two weeks have been BUSY and have gone by in a blur. Hopefully time speeds up some more so we can get to the things I am looking forward to the most!
Monday, June 30, 2008
An Indian Food Find
Yesterday while running across home improvement stores (Lowes and Home Depot), Jojo and I stumbled upon a small, unassuming Indian restaurant called Angara. We had both talked about having Indian food the day before but could not think of a suitable place to visit. In the past we often lunched at Gaylord (along the Restaurant Row in La Cienega). Other favorites include Bombay (in Torrance, along PCH) and Kabab House of Curry (by the Rolling Hills Estates). But since Gaylord is quite a drive, Bombay has closed down and Kabab has changed its menu, we have been looking around for a good Indian place. So it was serendipitous to have been driving along Torrance Blvd and coming across the small but colorfully decorated eatery.
Angara is a smallish looking establishment from the outside, but opens up to a quite spacious interior. The decor is muted and pretty nondescript. And although we sat at a table with linens and silverware, it would be a stretch to call this place fine dining especially with plastic plants and flowers on their walls, very colorful murals and textiles strewn around and loud Indian disco/techno music in the background. Angara serves a lunch buffet for $11.25 on weekends. The buffet included several dishes, soda and iced tea, as well as a small salad and dessert bar.
Our server was an Indian man who was very gracious, offering us drinks, discussing the buffet dishes, and making sure we were comfortable. Later on his wife hovered over us making sure our glasses and naan basket were constantly filled. And even later still, we saw their young child running around in her pigtails. Several of the other customers seemed like regulars and were greeted as such. It was nice. I actually enjoyed having that atmosphere since it seemed as if we were guests joining their Sunday family meal.
The food was reminiscent of a family meal too. Everything tasted more home-cooked than mass prepared. I particularly enjoyed the basmati rice (the long-grained, fluffy and quite aromatic), the lamb vindaloo (the meat was very tender, the gravy mildly hot and peppery but not so much as they assault your senses), the Vegetable Korma (a savory and sweet veggie stew with carrots, potatoes, green beans and onions), and the pakora (stir fried onion strings). Jojo enjoyed the chicken tandoori (marinated to perfection, grilled till fall-off-the-bone tender, and lathered with cool yogurt and spices), the chicken masala (chicken stew with a tomato paste base that is slightly sweet and slightly tangy) and the saag aloo (a pureed spinach with slices of potato and cheese - for some reason it reminded me of laing a local Filipino delicacy made with gabi leaves and coconut milk). Also, rather than the rice, Jojo was in heaven sopping up the sauces with the warm and crusty naan bread fresh from the oven. The meal ended with Kheer (rice pudding with almonds and raisins).
I truly enjoy Indian food. Whenever I am asked to name my favorite ethnic cuisine, indian food is always at the top of my list. And unlike other cuisine that I enjoy (like Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Thai, etc) indian food is pretty hard and complicated to prepare, which makes finding a good Indian restaurant even more special. This time with our visit to Angara, Jojo and I know that we have come across a winner.
Angara is a smallish looking establishment from the outside, but opens up to a quite spacious interior. The decor is muted and pretty nondescript. And although we sat at a table with linens and silverware, it would be a stretch to call this place fine dining especially with plastic plants and flowers on their walls, very colorful murals and textiles strewn around and loud Indian disco/techno music in the background. Angara serves a lunch buffet for $11.25 on weekends. The buffet included several dishes, soda and iced tea, as well as a small salad and dessert bar.
Our server was an Indian man who was very gracious, offering us drinks, discussing the buffet dishes, and making sure we were comfortable. Later on his wife hovered over us making sure our glasses and naan basket were constantly filled. And even later still, we saw their young child running around in her pigtails. Several of the other customers seemed like regulars and were greeted as such. It was nice. I actually enjoyed having that atmosphere since it seemed as if we were guests joining their Sunday family meal.
The food was reminiscent of a family meal too. Everything tasted more home-cooked than mass prepared. I particularly enjoyed the basmati rice (the long-grained, fluffy and quite aromatic), the lamb vindaloo (the meat was very tender, the gravy mildly hot and peppery but not so much as they assault your senses), the Vegetable Korma (a savory and sweet veggie stew with carrots, potatoes, green beans and onions), and the pakora (stir fried onion strings). Jojo enjoyed the chicken tandoori (marinated to perfection, grilled till fall-off-the-bone tender, and lathered with cool yogurt and spices), the chicken masala (chicken stew with a tomato paste base that is slightly sweet and slightly tangy) and the saag aloo (a pureed spinach with slices of potato and cheese - for some reason it reminded me of laing a local Filipino delicacy made with gabi leaves and coconut milk). Also, rather than the rice, Jojo was in heaven sopping up the sauces with the warm and crusty naan bread fresh from the oven. The meal ended with Kheer (rice pudding with almonds and raisins).
I truly enjoy Indian food. Whenever I am asked to name my favorite ethnic cuisine, indian food is always at the top of my list. And unlike other cuisine that I enjoy (like Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Thai, etc) indian food is pretty hard and complicated to prepare, which makes finding a good Indian restaurant even more special. This time with our visit to Angara, Jojo and I know that we have come across a winner.
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