Today was a bit hectic as we had a few major appointments We had a very comfortable night in The Glenmark, had our showers and then ate croissants that Chriselle had brought us yesterday together with coffee from the coffee machine in our room. We wanted to stay light as we knew there was a lot of eating to do as the day progressed.
Chriselle had brought us a big pack of pistachios from Trader Joes, but because they were salted, we decided to stroll two blocks down to exchange them for a bag of the unsalted kind—no one needs to consume more salt than absolutely essential. We accomplished this task very easily and then, on our way back, made a short visit at the Episcopal Church next door to the hotel which has a charming courtyard, a beautiful interior and a very English feel to it. A little later, we returned to the hotel lobby to await the arrival of Ashish, son of our friends, Denzil and Ruth in Bombay, who had sent a large parcel of food items for him. He arrived on schedule at 9.30 am which gave us a chance to meet him for the first time. After a very nice visit in the lobby itself (he was on his way to work), we said goodbye to him and made our way up to our room. Just a little later, Chriselle and AJ joined us in our room as we had informed them that we had gifts we wished to give them.
A Surprise Gift of Oil Paintings:
The gift opening was fun because both of them were really surprised by the oil paintings that I had done in Bombay and carried to them—individual portraits of the two of them. They really did love them very much and were most impressed, moved and delighted by my efforts. We took pictures of them opening the paintings and then posing with them. Gift-giving and card-exchanging done, there was only enough time left for us to get dressed and move on to the next item on our day’s agenda,—the Poolside Taco Party.
A Poolside Taco Party in Santa Clarita:
As neither Llew nor I had met AJ’s family members before, the bridal couple planned a Poolside Taco Party that would take place for just the members of the two immediate families. AJ’s entire family had traveled from Rochester, New York, for the wedding—his parents, Greg and Robin, his sister, her partner and her three kids (two girls and a boy). They had chosen to stay together in a large Air B&B Mansion that comprised about five bedrooms and offered a beautifully landscaped pool in Santa Clarity, about a half hour away from Glendale.
Well, Santa Clarita happened to be at least 10 degrees hotter than Los Angeles and it was sizzling when we left the car. I was grateful for the full pure cotton midi dress I had bought from Anokhi in Bombay for the occasion, as it was very cool and very comfy. Our first introductions went off well with everyone friendly and eager to mingle. We exchanged gifts, of course, and found some members of the family very reluctant to be photographed. Meanwhile, the caterer was staying busy as she set up the buffet station that provided many opportunities. It was all meant to be set up by the pool; but since it was so hot, all of us preferred to stay indoors with the convenience of air-conditioning. The buffet was laid out on the kitchen counter instead. Drinks made the rounds as AJ and Chriselle kept a close eye on detail and managed to take care of everyone’s individual needs. I had a refreshing gin and tonic, others had vodka and whiskey and wine. We drifted in and out of the house, towards the pool which made a picturesque backdrop for photos. When it was lunch time, I helped myself to carne asada (tacos with pulled beef), Chicken Tingue (a kind of barbecued chicken) and grilled shrimp tostadas (delicious). There were also all the trimmings: guacamole, sour cream, grated cheese, tomato salsa, lime wedges, and a big green salad. With a full plate, we sat down to eat and enjoy each other’s company while cracking jokes and looking back on the past. Happy times were had by all. Before we called an end to the afternoon, we assembled on the deck and set the camera up for a self-timed photo that included every member of the two families. It was really fabulous and we were all really happy that the ice had broken so easily.
About three hours after our arrival, we set out for our return to the hotel again. We had a very short rest (a quick nap, really) before we needed to get ready for the next social engagement.
A Cocktail Party on the Rooftop of The GlenmarDressing for these occasions was half the fun of them as I had a chance to break out the new wardrobe in which I had invested for my daughter’s wedding and the accompanying events that were part of the festivities. The midi full floral printed dress I had chosen for the evening’s occasion was just lovely and went perfectly with the SoCal vibe—smart, casual, characterized by light florals in summer pastel colors. It was a bit of a nuisance to cart out all these clothes from India with their accompanying accessories (shoes, bag, jewelry), but the finished effect was so cool that it seemed entirely worthwhile.
Most of the other guests (restricted to Out-Of-Townies) were already on the rooftop of our hotel when we arrived there. Kevin, AJ’s brother, who is the General Manager of the hotel, had cordoned off a large corner section of the Rooftop restaurant so that we could claim it for ourselves. As soon as we arrived there, more introductions were made to AJ’s friends who had arrived from as far away as Tallin in Estonia, Yannis and Yanna. AJ’s family members were also present—everyone had dressed in semi-formal style, a far cry from the shorts, T-shirts, tank tops and swimming suits of the afternoon’s brunch. Everyone looked so smart and so festive and ready to pose for a million pictures. Passed hors d’oeuvres made the rounds: grilled shrimp, beef sliders, chicken wings. There was an open bar and most of us, ladies, opted for frozen margaritas as the weather lent itself perfectly to such a choice. The sun was high up in the sky when the evening began at 6.00 pm, but as the evening marched on, it turned far less fierce. The surrounding San Rafael Mountains made the perfect backdrop for the occasion and the sunset, when it did occur, was picture perfect and led to everyone pulling out their phones to take photos. All the time, we kept replenishing our glasses and stuffing ourselves with the vast amount of appetizers that kept us well-filled during a really terrific cocktail party that banished all thoughts of dinner from our minds. By the time, it was about 10.00 pm, the rooftop was filed with other local guests who had come there for dinner. The lights had come on as did the fires in the pillar heaters that punctuated the space. It was a really lovely ambience and the perfect way to get ready for the Big Day ahead of us.
Until tomorrow…cheerio.
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