Good Eats: Columbia, Maryland

House of India - Google Map -Website -

Menu - Additional Info

What was good:

Lamb Shahi Korma - Tender pieces of Lamb cooked in a cashew nut based sauce and cream.$15.95.  This dish was literally so good it froze me mid bite. I was out to dinner with my professor and research group in undergrad and my professor saw me freeze and laughed, saying something along the lines of "well if it is THAT good..." I swear, I would go up to Maryland just to get this dish!

Naan - A soft white flour bread.$2.25 (also comes in Garlic flavor) Soft, slightly chewy, and really good dipped in the sauce of whatever you are eating. Yum!

Cha Ya Sushi N Tai - Google Map -Website -

Menu - Additional Info

What was good:

Rainbow Roll - Assorted raw fish on top of California roll (it's good, it just is)

Sakura Roll - Shrimp tempura, avocado, spicy tuna, and Tobiko (caviar) on top! I took one bite and LOVED it when I expected not to.

Killing it at Kohl's

Ok, normally I just clip coupons and save a dollar or two but when Kohls sends out their $10 of $10 cards it's time to go major league.

First you need to know that our mailroom has a trash can, and as unsavory as it sounds, only mail goes in it. When the cards come out I glance at the can and half the time people just toss away a free $10 and I'm there to pick it up.

So I gathered my free money and finally made my trip to Kohl's, cards in hand, and the shopping began!


My friend Ashlee had told me about an amazing new coffee (only for the fall?) for the Keurig so I went through Kohl's coffee section, all 4 rows of it, until I found one, of two boxes they had left. Needles to say, it was in my cart in a heartbeat.

Green Mountain Coffee: Pumpkin Spice K-cups, 18 count.

Normally, $17.99, discounted to $11.99.






  Also on the first bill was a votive from Yankee Candle, Simply Home collection called Autumn Sky which costs $1.99 (my big splurge on this trip, haha)

This should have been about a $20, but my grand total was a whopping $4.02 with a total savings of $16.00!






Well, now we have the coffee, but we really don't have many mugs. I was cruising around kitchenware and saw the most adorable turquoise mugs. If you know me, anything in the blue-green spectrum is awesome, so I checked the price and gagged, $10 per mug.

That would mean this would be my last purchase... but then I saw it "Now 4.99!"  YES! I love sales... plopped two mugs in my bag. Originally the bill would have been $20 bucks, but with the sale it is $9.98 and with the card it is... FREE! Don't you love free?  Total savings, $19.98!!



We have wedding pictures now, so I cruised the frames. Right now I have two adorable ones of us with our parents, one of each side of the family. I looked through the frames and found this adorable set. Two 4x6 frames attached in the center with a hinge, by Malden International Designs.

Normally, this frame set retails for $19.99, which would have been out of my range, except that it was now marked down to $9.99 and with the card it was FREE! Total Savings, $19.99

So, the damage is done, all $4.02 of it.

My grand total savings? $55.97!!!

Can we say "deal?"

Peppermint Patty Morals

Today Tom and I ventured out for Groceries together. Mundane as that may seem, and normally it is, today was a bit different. We gathered the things from our list, chicken, onions, garlic, pork, beef, rice and other odds and ends as well as a popcorn tin with Star Wars images on it, and the Blu ray of Star Wars IV, V, VI (In case you didn't already know, my husband and I are huge nerds).

It was actually a pretty good shopping trip and we even had a pretty good time, joking and hugging as we walked down the aisle. At check out we unloaded the cart together and as he got ready to pay I loaded the bags. The Blu ray was the last thing to be rung up. The cashier asked us if we wanted the $3 insurance for it but we declined and she fidgeted with the machine for a moment, first pressing a few buttons, then scanning something, then unscanning it and finally she put it in the bag.

The total came up and we were excited, even with our little splurge we were under budget, this was an awesome trip. As we were walking out Tom mentioned that it was weird that the last thing she did was unscan the Blu ray, but hey, maybe she had to scan it twice.

This was not the case, after a little at home math and triple checking we discovered that she had not only removed the $3 dollar insurance but she had also removed the $40 Blu ray. My stomach sunk. Normally, getting a free blu ray would be awesome, but not like this... not when she had meant to charge us, and we had intended to pay for it.

Instantly I was flashing back to when I was young, maybe 3 or 4, and didn't understand how check out worked. I picked up a York peppermint patty and  walked past the cashier. I mean, that was what everyone else did. They walked up, set things down, then picked them up and walked out, and since I couldn't reach the counter, I just walked past. It seemed logical to my little mind.

When we got to the car my mother went to open the door for me and then noticed the candy in my hand. She asked my how I got it, and I tried to explain. She listened and gently explained that since I didn't pay money, that was like stealing, and stealing was wrong. I was always kind of a sensitive kid, and was devastated to realize I'd done something wrong. My mom walked inside with me, and she and I explained what happened. I apologized and the cashier was very understanding. I left empty handed, but with a lesson I would remember the rest of my life.

Sure enough, here I stood, twenty years later, looking at a $40 dollar blu ray of Star Wars, one of our favorite shows, that I had accidentally gotten for free. We technically had the choice to keep it, it was their mistake after all. I mean, she should have checked her work. I stared it down, double checked the math, and finally called the store to let them know. After being put on hold 3 times for 5 minutes and not getting anyone I finally complained to the operator who apparently walked over and made them pick up the phone. Lovely. After I explained what happened, and was put on hold one more time, they offered me 10% off for coming back and after lunch I got in the car.

I checked in with the greeter, and then walked to customer service and waited in line (even though they said on the phone I could just cut to the front, there were only two people and it didn't feel right, I could wait). I explained to the lady at the desk that I hadn't been charged for the item, and I was coming back to do the right thing. I swear, I must have grown the head of the Kraken the body of a Cerberus because I don't think she could have looked more dumbfounded.

She paused for a moment, then rang me up. The other cashier stopped in the middle of a transaction and thanked me, "A lot of people wouldn't have done that."

I nodded, "I know, but my mom raised me to do what's right." The other customers were staring, the cashiers were thanking, but that wasn't what this was about.

It's not about the praise, the smiles, the discount, or anything like that. It's not about how many people might read this, because frankly, while all that is nice, it's not important. If I hadn't gone back and paid for that, I would have not only failed to do what is right, I would have failed my mom, the woman who raised me to be better than that. She worked hard every day of her life to provide for me, and make sure I had what I needed, whether that was things, or morals. I picked up that Blu ray with the intention of paying for it, and just because one person made a mistake, that doesn't make stealing right.

I challenge you, to do one difficult thing that is right, just one. Whether it is donating to a worthy cause, listening to that slightly annoying friend who could really use a shoulder, or paying for your all time favorite movies when you could have gotten away with it. Encourage a friend to do the same.

Mom, this one is for you. 

Thank you for teaching me to be a good and honorable woman.

Saying Goodbye to Kristi - Wake me up when September ends.....

September has been rough.... earlier this week we got a call that we didn't expect. Last sunday Kristi slipped away. She'd been fighting cancer for quite a few months and was fighting  to try to beat it, but sometimes life has other plans. Luckily, this time life was merciful, and Kristi was very quickly taken into the father's arms...

She was fun loving, quirky, and could throw an awesome party. She was like an Aunt to Tom, and even through I was still getting to know her, she was a beautiful woman who lived like there was no tomorrow. Our prayers go out to her parents and her two children.


Her Obituary:

Kristi Ellen Pulcini
Kristi Ellen Pulcini, 54, of Earlysville, Virginia, passed away peacefully on Sunday, September 18, 2011. She was born on August 23, 1957, in Lynn, Massachusetts, the daughter of Phyllis and Edmund George. Kristi was preceded in death by her husband, Judge Robert A. Pulcini. Kristi had an unusual combination of personality traits. She was very organized, possessed a sharp intellect and was driven to excel at everything she attempted. These qualities might suggest someone who was grim and humorless, Kristi somehow managed to combine these attributes with great wit, a love of all things fun and a zest for life. This unique mixture made her much beloved by virtually everyone who knew her. She was an ardent animal lover and will be missed by her special dogs, Max and Gizzy. Kristi graduated from Piedmont Community College, where she received her degree as a Registered Nurse and went on to the University of Virginia to receive her Bachelor of Science degree. She had worked as a dialysis nurse for several years and has been currently employed by PRA International. She is survived by her parents; a son, Stephen; a daughter, Maria; three brothers: Kevin, Alan and Gary George; her two stepsons, Robert and Jonathan Pulcini; many nieces and nephews; and special friends, Paul and Lynne Buxbaum and their family, and Stella Hedges and her family. There will be private services for the family 3 p.m. Saturday, September 24, 2011, to be held at Hill and Wood Funeral Home, 201 First Street North, Charlottesville, Virginia. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to the Charlottesville/Albemarle SPCA, 3355 Berkmar Drive, Charlottesville, VA. 22901.

I wish this was a better post... she deserves a better post and maybe I will come back and fix this up a bit. I don't know why this month has to royally suck so much. To top it off, Nanny (my only surviving grandparent who has dementia (probably full blown Alzheimer's but that can only be accurately diagnosed postmortem)) isn't doing well and has more or less stopped eating and drinking. She is basically slowly going catatonic and I don't know how much longer this will go on...  It's been getting worse for years but this summer has basically accelerated the process incredibly...

Stephen my "little brother" (we're not technically genetic family, but have adopted each other), lost his Dad, Chris, and then had a friend commit suicide... Macha's friend O.D.ed... Becky lost her dad.... How much more can we take?

Right now I just keep singing a Green Day song over and over in my head.... 

"Wake me up when September ends"

Please God, no more...

~♥~Corsetry ~♥~

Ok, if you know me, you know I am kinda a huge fan of corsets... I own two currently, although... technically, neither are corsets.

Sales Picture

← The first was the Cincher!

I was super excited about this one, more so than the other one I bought at the same time (shown next). It looked stiff but this was the time where I learned read the description. This had NO boning, what so ever and the ruffle at the top flops down. 

Forced smile!

Also, because the only "laces" are thin little ribbons, It doesn't give any shape. Honestly, this was the worst buy I made. I only wore it (for more than 5 minutes) once, but I have loaned it to 3 friends. I might try to put bones in it one day and relace it, but it's almost not worth it.

We did have a good time letting some of the girls from paintball try it on though, and Jen wore it to The Wave (more about this later)

Sales Picture

      The second was the Bustier. →

This one didn't exactly look how it does in the sales pic, but it wasn't a bad thing. It has soft bones which do a little shaping, but not too much.

When I bought this, I didn't know the difference between a corset and a bustier.

Basically, it is the intent which is different. Corsets are meant to bring the waist in, and give shape. A Bustier (also called a bustiere) is designed to lift the chest and very slightly shape the waist (like smooth it, not pull it in).

Event 1: Paintball
So right after getting these two I took them with me to a paintball game (as I mentioned before)
but don't worry, they were never on the battlefield.

Yep, even young adults play dress-up! 

Most of us were about the same corset/bustier size 

but the one super skinny girl modified the cincher to be corset-like.

Paintball was just about 30 minutes of dress-up, but the next event was an all night affair.

Birthday Girl!

Event 2:  The Wave

We were celebrating one of our friend's birthday and she decided we had to go to The Wave, a bar around Norfolk that hosts a goth night, which was fast approaching.

Jen and I got ready together, and picked up color hair pieces and combined our make-up. I shared my 2 piece supply of "Corsetry" and we were off!

Jen Rocking my Cincher

Having a great time (I'm wearing the Bustier, Jen in the Cincher)

 SO My point that I am very slowly getting to, is that I saw two new Corsets (actual corsets) that I LOVE. 

And here they are: The Raven, and the Blue Satin.

Raven Corset

Blue Satin Corset

 Both have a zip closure, the red is on the side, the blue down the front, and they lace up the back. 

They have a panel  under the laces to allow for modesty. 

Each has soft boning, which isn't ideal but is good for comfort. 

The Bustles (skirts) are sold separately but are super cute!

Just for future reference, here are The 3 Different Types of Corsetry I will probably talk about most often

Cincher

Bustier

Corset

Hello darkness, my old friend....

The wheels left the ground, the plain shuddered, and I was in the air. It was late Friday night, after 9pm, and on the horizon as we began to float toward the clouds, a beautiful orange sun faded away, it's beauty, muted but the grey blanket of grief, hanging over me. I was going home...

As I walked through the airport I saw my parents waiting for me. It's Dad's birthday, I smile and hug him tight. I wish we had time to celebrate, I wish I had a light heart to celebrate with, but Dad understands. We walk together, discussing the flight, Florida, and life.

After stopping at home for just a moment, and laying on the floor with our little doxie, Henry. He licks my face, happy to see me, but even he can see the blanket. I smile but it is faded. I hold him in my arms and kiss his head. he sulks when I leave.

I stay at Stephen's home, now quiet.  As I arrive Stephen is waiting, and immediately comes out and hugs me tightly. I thank my Mom for everything. Inside we are greeted by Checkers, a very small cat, and Sparky, a beagle mix with big buggy eyes, who wiggles, excited to see me again. Sparky knows Stephen has been waiting. We don't sleep. We just talk, and talk.

In the morning Mom comes back and we all go to IHOP, Mom is treating us both. We smile, and talk, and enjoy a beautiful breakfast and I prepare for the day with coffee, lots of coffee. We stop to pick up tissues and mountain dew... Stephen will need all the energy he can get. We return to the apartment, making sure Sparky and the cats are ok for the rest of the day, then it is off to the church...

The sanctuary is filled with the smell of flowers, on the alter sits two lacquered boxes, one brown, one black, sit surrounded by a heart of rose petals and vases of flowers... He is the reason we are all here... we are sending Chris home.

My lil brother comes to me, and cries on my shoulder, it is finally real... We stand for a long time, just hugging one another... the pain is almost unbearable, because his love and joy was undeniable. Down stairs we meet family, friends, coworkers, neighbors current and past, all who loved him, all who he loved, all here to honor him.


After an hour we return upstairs, the guests are seated, and the family lines up. I am walking with them. I don't have his blood, I am not married in, friends from church don't understand, and turn their heads to the side, questioning my place. I don't question it. I am here for my brother, I am here for the man who was like a father to me, and so many. We are here for Chris.

One by one, we walk in, each carrying a candle, and placing them in the heart surrounding Chris. He surrounded each of us with love, and now each of us do the same. The light of the flames dances on the lacquered boxes, a glow illuminates the pulpit, where the minister will shortly stand. It is perfect... I stand between Tina, and Stephen, holding their hands, as the service begins.

Memories of Chris are shared, the man who showed up out of the blue to help, the intelligent child, the best friend from high school, the loving father, the loyal husband, the man who took in so many young people as his own, and loved us like his children. He is our second father, we grieve as if he were our only father.

Tears are flowing, quiet choking sobs can be heard echoing in the church. It is too soon... In the pew behind us I hear a tiny voice, crying. A little boy, only maybe 5, is handing his head, sniffling and crying. His parent's knew Chris, and the little boy had always loved when Chris visited. Chris was his second father too. Stephen, in an act so like his father that I break into tears, reaches back and comforts him, letting him know it will be ok. Stephen is already so much like his father in all the best ways. 

Beautiful music, Santa Fe, Safely Home, and finally, the bagpipes play amazing grace. Chris would have loved it. It is perfect. We walk out, one by one, and move downstairs again, to enjoy a meal that church members have prepared with love and care, and sharing memories, love and hugs.

The little boy is down there, he is crying again. I approach him, and kneel down to his level. I gently speak to him, "I know today is really hard, Chris was a really good guy. He was my friend too, and you know what always helps me? A big hug... would you like a hug?" He nods and throws his arms around me, sobbing into my shoulder. I rub his back until he calms a little, and is ready to let go.

I stand and am eye to eye with his mother and father. His dad is holding back tears, his mom is already crying. She quietly manages a thank you. I offer her a hug as well. We hug and I mention that Chris would have done it, and that love is what we all have to hold on two, write on our hearts, and share with the world.

People who have never met are family now. Chris wouldn't want us crying, but each tear honors his life, his love, and his example. If he wasn't incredibly missed, we wouldn't be crying. We share memories, smiles, hugs, and pictures. On my phone I have a picture of Chris at my wedding, possibly the only time in his life he ever wore a tie, which he jokingly called  "a noose."

Finally, there comes a point where I can no longer stay... my plane will fly without me and I ow my parents a dinner. I missed Dad's birthday dinner, and have barely seen them. Besides, Chris always insisted I not slight my family in any way, and he probably would have "thrown me out" with a smile, hours earlier, insisting I see them.

We go to dinner at Shoney's, talking about life, about the service, and about Chris. I hug my parents every chance I get... I am reminded how short life can be, and that we are never promised tomorrow. I try to make sure I say everything I think I need to and never resist the impulse to hug or kiss them.

In the airport I carry a loaf of bread my parents made for us. I worry security wont let it through because it is wrapped in foil. Each security worker asks about it, and is envious. For me, it is a reminder if the love my family has for me, and I pray it wont be taken away from me.

Each flight holds beautiful sights, the glow of city lights, the sun, fading away. I try to keep my eyes open, I am so tired... in 72 hours I have only gotten about 5 hours sleep, only 15 minutes in the past 48, but it was so worth it....  I can't imagine not having flown up, standing beside my second family, my little brothers, and meeting the rest of the family, who before today, I couldn't have imagined.

At the airport, Tom is waiting with a drink for me. What would I possibly do without him... my strength and constant support. I crawl into the car and am carried home. I can barely walk through the door, and immediately fall into bed. Sleep washes over me, and lyrics echo in my mind...

"Hello darkness, my old friend.... I've come to talk with you again...."

I love you Chris, 

Thank you for your life, your loving example, and for always showing us how to live.

The 43 years we had with you were a precious gift, taken far too soon.

Rest in Peace ... 9/7/11

Still Holding On - My Second Father

"I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
With a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain, there is healing
In your name I find meaning
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on"

~Lifehouse - Broken~

I don't even know where to begin honestly...  so I guess I'll start where today started.

3:27 AM  - I jerk awake- why is my phone ringing? My eyes shoot to the clock, 3AM. My heart sinks, shit something is wrong. I leap out of bed and run into the living room where my phone is charging and now screaming at max volume "I'm awake, I'm alive, Now I know what I believe inside! Now it's my time!-"

I snatch my phone, literally ripping the cord out and barely glance the ID, Matt, 3AM? I pick up the phone and still half awake say something along the lines of "hey what's up?" The voice is distant, is it Matt? I can't process this.

"Hey Sarah, I... look I don't know how to put this so I just have to be blunt, dad's gone."

My head spins, for a second I think, "but Matt, you're dad passed almost 5 years ago...why-" and then a brick wall hits me and slams through my stomach... oh god... he'd use Matt's phone... Stephen... Oh god... not Chris... not Chris...

Chris Miller and wife Tina

"What? I-how?"

He explains, I hear it but I don't. Still spinning.

Here I pick up with the explanation. On Wednesday June 15th, 2011, my phone rang, I want to say it was about 1:30 AM and again, it was Matt, but really Stephen.

His Dad, Chris, was in the ER. He'd had a heart attack- the signal crackled. I leaped out of bed, happening to be in Virginia after my honeymoon,  and tried to regain the signal "I am on my way which hospital!?"

I didn't get an answer right away but I knew it had to be Henrico Doctors, they were the experts on hearts and any paramedic worth their salt would take him there.

I remember running into my parents room and hurriedly explaining, "Mom, Stephen, his dad is in the ER, I have to go." It didn't even occur to me that I didn't even have a car. Mom sat up and put a hand on my back, "Ok, look take my car, in the morning I need to get to work, can you take me and then you have the car?" I love my Mom, she is constantly amazing and didn't even care if I basically stole her car as long as I came back around 5AM to get her.

As I floored it to Henrico Doctors and got it confirmed while I was on the way. I remember parking the car and seeing my little brother (not biologically related but that is the only thing stopping us from technically being siblings) standing at the ER doors, Macha near by, his mom inside, Matt close by. I think I ran, honestly I don't remember how I got from the Car to the ER but we all hugged and I got filled in.

We waited for the doctors to tell us something, anything. Had he survived? We finally found out that he had for sure had a heart attack but had made it through. We had to wait on tests and scans to know how bad it could be, but he was ok for the moment. 

About two hours in we ended up and Denny's, getting a tiny bit of food and planning the next 72 hours. How were we going to get through the next 72 hours, that was all that mattered. I worked with Stephen and his mom on a plan for what had to be done, who had to be called, and how we would achieve those things. At this point, I don't know how I even had half of a level head but something was there and working, thank God.

After Denny's I ran home, took mom to work, and promptly returned to the hospital. We finally got the news, he'd need a quintuple bypass. My mind reeled. Chris wasn't 50...  had I heard them right? not a double bypass, a QUINTUPLE, ....5??? All 5, seriously??

Mom continued to let me use the car as long as I could pick her up and drop her off. I helped Stephen run errands for the family as he temporarily filled his father's huge role, running errands, paying bills, making sure the car would work. When I was at the hospital I sat with the others, Chris's parents who were in town for Stephen's graduation, only the day before the heart attack, his wife, Tina, Matt and Macha, and of course Stephen.

Every time the doctors came in they faced a wall of support, and every time Chris woke up, we were all there. At one point many of the others were running errands or getting lunch, and I had offered to stay. Chris called me over and brought me right beside him. In his eyes there was a little bit of fear, still coming to grips with what it meant to have had a heart attack and facing a huge surgery.

He gingerly moved to take my hand and I sat with him, holding hands. He quietly said "Thank you... for being here"
I smiled, keeping a strong face, "Like I would be anywhere else..."
"You don't know how much it means..." He looked away, tears were welling up.
I stroked his hand, "Hey, you just work on getting well, I'll help handle the rest, ok?"

Chris has always been a great man. He supports his family, he helps anyone who needs it, even if he can't really afford to do it. I've always been blessed with a good home-life, but he always let me knew that if I ever needed to get away, I could come to them, they'd always have room for me.

Every time I came over he insisted I have dinner with them, even if I then had to go home and have a second dinner with my folks. He always made sure I'd had enough, offered seconds before he or Stephen had more. He would NEVER let a guest leave hungry or wanting. I am pretty sure if I had ever had the inkling to ask for the shirt off his back he would have not only given it to me, but gone back to his dresser to get a second.

That weekend it seemed like the whole family was admitted to the hospital. Tina, Stephen's mom, had symptoms of an unknown illness but was discharged a day later. Macha went in for a panic attack. Who could blame them?

I stuck with them as long as I could, but  I had to leave that weekend, we were returning to Florida. I stayed in touch, heard he not only made it though the surgery on Monday but was home on Friday. Unreal.... He bounced back like nothing was wrong.

In August I came up for a visit. Chris was supposed to be out of work for a while and on light duty til September... On one of my last days in VA I finally made it over to see the family. His wife opened the door and I heard galloping on the stairs. I looked up, expecting to see Stephen, and CHRIS came running down the stairs and slammed into me with a hug. I about broke. I had expected to see him sitting in his chair, but instead he stood in front of me and held out his arms, "looking pretty good huh?"

I just nodded, "You sure do!" We talked about everything I missed, all the crazy moments, again he hugged me tight and thanked me for being there, I again told him there was never an option, I had to be there. He told me, ... he told me I was a lovely young woman, he told me to never change. I looked into his eyes, a great man, always loving, always strong, always kind and always supportive  Then he told me he was already back at work. I was stunned. He had stunned everyone, his doctors, his family, his coworkers. It was like it never happened.

Then my phone rang this morning... The nightmare had just been delayed... it was sudden and unexpected, and now here we all are, reeling again. "but he healed so fast!" "what happened?" We don't know a lot yet... we don't know the cause, we don't know the "why" and it is possible that we never will. I've been sitting on my couch since receiving the call. Friends cling together on aim and through texts, crying together though miles apart. States away and we still run to each other, and probably always will.

I flip through my wedding pictures and keep seeing his face, before all this happened, before we knew.

How fitting that he is sitting right beside my parents.

 I look at the pictures the photographer just happened to get and now I remember his words... I hear his voice, I feel his hug,
I miss Chris Miller, my second Daddy.
9/6/11

Telling me how lovely I looked.

Looking up into the eyes of my second Daddy.