IL'ites meet in Chennai - 7th June 2006

Hello ILites,
Varloo has given all the details about the dishes with her excellent write-up, So I wld like to share my experience of spending the most delightful evening with the gracious lady.
Entering into her home was like entering into a temple - such a divine experience. The home is decorated with the fountains, Kamakshi Vilakku, artificial and real flowers in urlis. So it was a very pleasing ambience.
EXCELLENT is a lesser superlative to describe the evening waht with Chithra madam's hospitality, gracious way of receiving the guests and her spread of delicacies.
If I have to pick the best among the best of her spreads it would be lapsi halwa and dhoklas. Yummy and still relishing the taste.
The best part of the evening is her farewell gifts. The cute write up done in her own handwritting added a lot of personal touch.
Thoroughly enjoyable evening and looking forward to more such get togethers of our ILites.
bye.

before my marriage we had this get together every month which called the pool dinner as it was beside the pool..my dad as a chief engineer in railways could give us a beautiful home very big for words and with spacious garden, still we all met in the pool side building as it could accomodate enough for a dinner....the speciality of the dinner was each family brought what they fit to serve that month...and they referred each other so they dont clash on an item that is not getting repeated ..so we had so many different regional foods to choose from...i being a south indian would not go for a aloo mutter there but yes nice masala dosa where i take the batter and the masala and done hot for the guest who want it...and so on...but iddli and dahi vada were always a grt hit there...again when i married i had the biggest flat among friends so all met at my place and my husband a hotel owner in the central kolkata was very meticulous in helping organising a meet where water or paan all the details were very well looked after as he chartered the menu it was all north and south as most of us were south indian friends all knew abt idli and vada and all so new items and deserts were a grt demand....my lemon and mango souflle and chocolate mousse were a grt hit...like wise i would like to suggest that this IL meet should be done like that ..where most woman would like to showcase their talents..agreed chitra is very very competent and doing all this with so much of love for giving.....but if it is done like a pool dinner kind we get so many to join...bring what they can and make it a colourful event what say u all...hope have sown the seed of this idea...regards sunkan

Dear All,
I seem to be repeating the words " I am overwhelmed", ever since I joined I L . Well, only those words describe how I feel - I cannot find more apt words !
One of my friends always writes to me, that to be at the receiving end of so much of love and affection from people whom I have never met, is a blessing for one in a million ! I fully agree with my friend's words and I realise how profound those words are ! To think so closely about everyone of you who interacts with me is the most enjoyable experience in my life.
Bhuvana, Varloo & Laxmi, thankyou for making it happen.
Please remember, that mine is an open house any time for all I L ites - this is for sure. I pray God makes me worthy of all the love & affection shown to me by each one of you, my dear friends.
The best is yet to be !
Love & regards,
Chithra.

Dear Mrs.CV,
Im so awed by everyones comment on your house. How do u manage all these things all together? And that spread on the dining table.. wow.. mouth watering!!! anyway that can be shipped to Detroit?

I am sure everyone had a great time with you. I hope to see you some time.

And I have to say, for the first time I read the culture thread and
the article on "temple" caught my eye. I would have never known the
meaning behind all the usual things I do all the time.

You are THE "All in all alagu rani" !!!




Dear Bhuvana, Varloo and Laxmi,
Thanks for writing all the details. You all gave us, the remaining ILites
the mental picture of the wonderful time you all had.

Im still hoping to see pictures of you all in CV's house. anything available?

Have a great day all !!!!

My sister-in-law is leaving for Detroit on 13th inst. Send me the list - you will get them ! At your service, Selvi Madam !
I am now regretting that in our busy " chatter-banter" we missed out on taking a group photo - I now realise that sadly.
Next time that will be done, without fail.
Love & regards,
Chithra.

Hai,
I missed to mention about the hand written small and sweet cards Chithra gave us, it was very thoughtful and personal. And I wish to mention one more thing, Chithra wishes that all of us call her "Chithra" only, not madam, auntie, mami or Chitvish. I also think that we should, considering how young she is at mind. After all, we are old as we feel. So here after remember to address her as Chithra only.
All of you abroad, pl inform us Chennaiites when you are coming down. We shall definitely have a meeting. This is also Chithra's idea. Do not forget to inform us, however tight your schedule is we shall meet. And she will be happy if we meet at her place every time, she tells me. She is a very magnanimous person to open her house also for us- she has already given us a place in her heart.
And, Chithra, when can we expect the recipe of the lapsi halwa? It was so delicious.
With warm wishes,
varloo

Your write up was very interesting (actually both of them). You have also written from the heart, which makes it such pleasant reading. I really want to meet all of you, especially Aditi and Aravind when I come.

How could you guys forget to click a pic?

love
Vidya

Dear ILites,
I think ther is no necessity for me to explain about a wonderful evening, just because it is already explained here. I want to share my experiences with you.
I met our friends there and they,esp. our seniormost member chitvish, talked to me as friends irrespective of the age. I got a peer friend Manaswini. She is very cute and friendly. I missed Prarthana. Hope I can meet her next time.
Whenever I see the photos of different recipes in the website, I used to dream the day when I am in chitvish's house. My dream was fulfilled yesterday, I am soooooo happy. I had a heavy dinner, which was really amazing.
I really thank her and her family for presenting us such a good evening.
With lots of love and once again thanking chitvish,
Archana.

My my what a great evening you Chennaites have had....Chitra has really outdone herself...Chitra where do u get so much of energy and how do u manage to spread so much of love!
Great gals....i have a good mind to drop by in Chennai just to experience all ths love and affection and share such wonderful moments with Ilites!

What a family we have become...and Kamala i think we have something special going here....magic created by such wonderful loving human beings who are willing to share so much with people all over the world!

Keep the spirit up and soon we will all be spreading this love everywhere!

The language of love is best experienced by me outside my family, only after I joined I L . Last evening, we were all chatting as if we knew each other for many years ! Time just flew. We were all at our natural best, since there was no need to impress or be impressed. Varloo & I have decided that every time a NRI - IL ite comes, we will definitely make it without fail. You can plan your itinery suitably - I am telling you now itself !
Love & regards,
Chithra.