We attend a Hindu wedding in California. Dec. '09

Vedeesh and Niru's Wedding.

Vedeesh is a long-time friend of our son, Matthew. They attended 7^th grade together in California and they were separated when we moved from California to Georgia in 1987. Besides being the best of friends, both had similar interests, both pursued careers in Psychology and both work with children in their respective school districts. Their similarities ended when it came to the marriage ritual – Matt and his bride, Diane, chose a Justice of the Peace ceremony with 1 family member invited and Vedeesh and his bride had a traditional Hindu wedding. They have stayed in touch ever since and each have traveled across the country to spend time with each other on special occasions.

My wife, Natalie, and I were invited to the wedding and the reception, while Matt was to be one of 2 “Best Men” and would be there to assist Vedeesh in all of the ceremonies. This is my attempt to explain what I saw, felt and will remember for the rest of my life.

I knew we were in for something extraordinary when the invitations arrived. They were exquisite with separate invitations for each event.

The events commenced on the 5^th of December and concluded with the reception on the 12^th. That is EIGHT (8) days of celebrations and ceremonies, all running with barely a hitch. I am stunned at the amount of thought, preparation and details that went into this wedding. If you stay with me through this blog you will get some idea of what I am talking about.

The Shagan & Sangeet – The RED party. The engagement ceremony. The hosts appreciate and request that all guests attire in the color of love, happiness and joy ....... RED.

On the 8^th of the month an Evening of Melodious Compilation, which consisted of an evening of classical Carnatic and Hindustani musical compilation.

The Mendhi, where the ladies have a traditional Indian ceremony their hands and feet are decorated in intricate patterns with henna mixed with water. The bride cannot wash her hands and feet with water for the next 12 hours to ensure that the colors come out dark and rich.

On the 9^th – No Reservations. An exotic experience ... with a Punjabi Twist. An evening filled with new tastes in a familiar setting with family and friends. Leave your inhibitions behind and be prepared to drink and dine.

Vatna & Sainth. Traditional Indian rituals and ceremonies preparing the Groom for the Wedding Day. A paste of powdered turmeric, sandalwood powder and mustard oil is applied to his body in special order and then completed again in reverse order.

The Wedding Day. December 11^th. The wedding was held at the Sri Venkateswara Hindu Temple located in Calabasas in the Santa Monica Mountains. This temple is one of the largest temples in the Western Hemisphere. Weather conditions were not ideal, temperatures in the low 50's with a slight drizzle at times, but this did nothing to curb the festivities or the spirit of those attending.

The ceremony is performed in Sanskrit, the language of the 4,000-year-old Vedic Scriptures, with English translations.

Sehra & Bandhi. Tying of a decorative headband which is placed on Vedeesh's head. A veil of flowers or or other decorative strands is attached to the headband.

The Baraat. Procession of Vedeesh's family and friends. Vedeesh arrives on a white horse and is led to the wedding venue by friends and family dancing to the beat of the north Indian dholak.

Milni. Welcoming the groom's party. Niru's mother, Radha, performs an AARTI (prayer) to honor Vedeesh. Niru's family and friends welcome and embrace Vedeesh's family and friends.

Entrance of the Bride. Niru arrives with her friends (bridesmaids) to the site of the ceremony.

Kasi Yatra. This is a very important part of the ceremony. It is believed that a young man has two alternatives – Grihasta (Married life) or Sanyas (Ascetism). Being escapist by nature he prefers the ascetic life to the trials and tribulations of married life. Vedeesh therefore 'makes his way' to Kasi complete with slippers, umbrella, bamboo fan etc. On the way, Niru's father intervenes and advises him of the superiority of married life, Srinivasan also promises to give Vedeesh his daughter as his companion to face the challenge of life.

The umbrella then remains with the groom as a reminder of this advice in the future – this is the real tradition.

Jai Mala/Mali Matral. Exchange of Garlands. Niru and Vedeesh exchange 3 sets of garlands. This exchange symbolizes their honor and respect for each other and signifies that the couple is consenting publicly to join in matrimony.

Oonchal/Pidi/Suthral – Swing ride and songs of praise. Niru and Vedeesh sit on a swing and married women first sprinkle milk on their feet and wipe their feet with the edges of their silk sari's.

Madhupak. Vow of sweetness. Niru welcomes Vedeesh and offers him Madhupak (a mixture of honey and yogurt).

Kanyadaan. Giving away of the bride. Niru's father , Srinivasan, joins the hands of Niru and Vedeesh, declaring that he is entrusting his daughter to Vedeesh.

Mangalya Dharanam. Tying of the bridal necklace. The priest gives the necklace to Vedeesh who, with the help of his sister Natasha, ties it around Niru's neck.

Havan Yajna. Vedic ritual. Vedeesh and Niru together light the holy fire.

Pratigya. Sacred vows. Vedeesh and Niru say their vows.

Shilarohan. Ceremony of the rock. Niru's cousin, Aravind, request Niru to place her foot on a rock and recite a mantra indicating it's significance – to be strong like a rock when faced with difficult situations in life.

Laja Homa. Offering of puffed rice for prosperity.

Magalphere. Walk around the Agni (fire). Vedeesh and Niru circle the sacred Agni 4 times, Vedeesh leading Niru for three times, then Niru leads Vedeesh for the fourth circle. Each circle represents the couples respect for the four Beings it represents – mother, father, teacher and God.

Gathbandhan. Tying of the nuptial knot.

Saptpadi. Seven steps. Vedeesh and Niru take seven steps together reciting mantras which express the meaning of each step.

Exchange of Rings. The couple exchange wedding bands as a symbol of their commitment to each other.

Jalasinchana. Sprinkling of Holy Water. Vedeesh's father, Mohinder, sprinkles holy water on the couple and recites a mantra for the couple to remain calm in mind and spirit and pure like the water.

Sindhoor. Vermillion ceremony. Vedeesh places Sinhoor (red vermillion powder) in the parting of Niru's hair. This signifies that Niru is now married in accordance with Hindu religious rites.

Giving of Necklace. Vedeesh, father places necklace around Niru's neck – a sign of welcoming her into the family.

Aashirvaad. Blessing of the newlyweds.

Shantipatha. Hymn of peace.

Reading of the Sehra. An ode to the Sehra.

Family and Friends are invited to Lunch.

Doli. Bride's departure.

The Reception. December 12^th. The reception was held at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles with close to 400 attendees. Appetizers and cocktails were served from 6 pm with the Dinner and Dance scheduled for 7:15 pm. Wow, were we surprised. The dinner was preceded by a video show produced by the families demonstrating how Vedeesh and Niru met (very imaginative and well done) along with a slide show of their growing years. The families then made their grand entrance to music, dancing across the ballroom to the stage area. The last couple to enter were the bride and groom, who proceeded to the stage and sat on the couch. A crooner sang their favorite song to them and then it was time for the cutting of the cake followed by a rousing dance by a troupe of Indian dancers. A number of speeches followed from members of the families and the two “best men”, Matthew and Aaron. At the conclusion all guests were invited to the dance floor to to the beat of the dholak. Dinner was served at about 9pm consisting of a wide assortment of delicious Indian food. Natalie and I went to relieve Diane watching Xavier, our grandson, who had pooped out and gone to bed, in order that Diane could rejoin the party.

What will stay with us about this wedding is:

1. The Tradition. I am sure this will be passed on from generation to generation.

2. The Color. From the flowers to the Sari's, the Turbans, even the attire on the horse.

3. The Food. Each event had an abundance of savory Indian food, the majority being vegetarian, but shrimp tandoori and lamb curry were also favorites.

4. The Preparation. Preparation for the event was fantastic. I cannot imagine the time it took, or the the number of people involved, to put this event together.

5. The Friendship. The friendship that was evident between both families and their friends was undeniable.

Our thanks to the Saggar and Srinivasan families for giving us the privilege of attending the event and being the gracious hosts that they are.

Englewood. Florida. November 11, 2009

On October 10th, pilots from other areas of Florida flew in to Buchan airport and joined local pilots to display their aircraft and enjoy breakfast together. A few hundred people showed up to admire the vintage aircraft, helicopters, light sport aircraft, and light twins and chat with the aviators and share stories.

Gene Naples of Englewood is shown taking off in his restored Navy N3N biplane. Take a look at
some of the other aircraft that were on display.

The following weekend was the
Kaleidoscope of the Arts event held on Dearborn St. Produced by the Arts Council of Englewood, Inc. it featured artists from the Arts Alliance of Lemon Bay doing what they really enjoy, from art, ceramics, weaving , body painting, wood carving and mosaic art outside the stores on the 400 block. At the park on Dearborn St. entertainment was provided with singing, dancing and music. The only requirement ... bring your own chair or sit on the ground. Each year the event grows and gets better. Halloween fun for all ages. Halloween Safe Walks were held in Boca Grande on Friday the 30th and the following night Dearborn Street was front and center with the biggest Halloween Safe Walk that I have seen down here.


Clicking on the highlighted links for Boca Grande and Dearborn Street (above) will take you to a spread of pictures showing you the costumes worn by young and not so young.


The young lady on the left happens to be my granddaughter, who lives in California, and I thought the costume was very inventive. It did cause a stir with some of the young trick or treaters going around their neighborhood and I think we will see more of this costume in the coming years.



As we start to approach the end of November we are seeing the return of the snowbirds to the area. This year the State of Florida has been blessed with no hurricanes or major storms, with exception to the latest one, Ida, that traveled up the center of the Gulf and weakened as it approached the panhandle. The result being that Englewood had overcast skies for a few days and a bit of rain.

Renovation and expansion are happening on Dearborn St. with new stores scheduled to open soon and one owner expanding her store by taking over the space next door created when Bedbugs closed their doors.
Jottie Taylor, the owner of At Home With Style, invites everyone to come in and browse in her new spacious store where she is confident you will find that "special item" you have been looking for. At Home With Style is the exclusive distributor in the area of the trendy "Life is good" line of apparel and merchandise, so stop in and look around or visit her website at http://www.athomewithstyle.com .

Next scheduled blog is scheduled for January 2010. In the mean time, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all.

Englewood, Florida. September 2009

A warm welcome to Mike and Dawn Kennedy and their daughter Nicole, who have moved to Englewood from the "windy city", Chicago. Mike is a graduate of Kendall College of Culinary Arts and he and Dawn own and operate the Cafe de la Bay on Dearborn Street. Their food is self-described as "American, with a French flair -especially the sauces" and they are open for breakfast and lunch. In addition they will be open in the evening when there are special events occurring on Dearborn Street, such as the 1st Saturday of the month which is a "Cruizin on Dearborn Street" event and the "Halloween Safe Walk on Dearborn Street". Stop on by and enjoy breakfast or lunch on the outdoor patio under the huge oak tree.

Pioneer Days 2009 is now behind us as the town celebrated the early pioneers of the area. Two events of the week-long festivities that stood out was the popular Great American Cardboard Race and the Pioneer Days Parade. This event almost did not take place this year until Erick Phelps, of Corin Bay Realty, took the initiative and gathered together an army of volunteers to put on the events. The consensus of opinions were that this was the best Pioneer Days Parade in memory, which speaks volumes for the commitment of the community to continue with this tradition. Some of the organizations represented in the parade were:
The Shriners, Elks Club, Sarasota Sheriff's Department, Lemon Bay High School, Lions Club, Englewood Fire Department, Knights of Columbus, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Real Estate Agents, Politicians, John Deere Farm Equipment, Bit of Hope Ranch and EARS Animal Rescue amongst others.

Brandon Anderson, Lil "B", gets ready for his haircut from Tammy Still. New Wave Hair Salon, on Dearborn Street, offered its annual "hair cut-a-thon" day, with specials for the whole family. With kids haircuts only costing $5.00, the Andersons took advantage of the situation. Mary Matthews, owner, along with Flo Harms, Kristy Ogryzek and Tammy Still were kept really busy for a Sunday afternoon. 100% of the "hair cuttery" day's proceeds, $500.00 went to the Englewood Elementary School's "Book for Reading" night. Our congratulations go out to the New Wave Salon's staff for donating their time and skill for this worthy cause.

Sassy Snapper Restaurant & Lounge, on Indiana Ave, has recently reopened after a few years hiatus. Location and phone number can be found in the Business Directory.

Englewood, Florida. #3 August '09

In my 1st blog I talked about Englewood being rated as the #2 destination hotspot in the United States for 2009 by Trip Advisor, one of the largest travel sites on the Internet. Now, a few months later, Englewood is now being rated as the #1 of the communities having the "Top Retirement Values Today." Walletpop.com gave the community a 98% rating based on a number of factors: median home values of $213,800, in the category of "crimes" researchers found the chance of being a victim of crime in Englewood is less than half of what it is in the rest of the state and education also received an excellent rating (9 of 10). The site is also quoted as saying "The Town Center neighborhood is one of the safest in Florida, with incredible low crime rates. It's a quiet, educated neighborhood with lots of seniors, and other age groups.
Talking about other age groups, the Elsie Quirk Library provides a program for 5 year old's and up to keep up their reading skills by reading to Certified Pet Therapy dogs, provided by the Suncoast Humane Society.
Nikki Turner is shown reading to Darla, a Pomeranian.


Downtown Englewood suffered another loss with Earthly Goodz moving to a new location at Willow Plaza, 3031 Placida Road, one block south of San Casa Dr. This new location, also houses a Post Office, and provides a larger space for Earthly Goodz. By contrast, Daylilies has used a different approach to the economic downturn and that is to think outside the box. It is no secret that during the summer months the traffic in this area slows down, but conversely the traffic increases in the North, so Judith Plank decided to go where the business is and so she has opened a store in Greenport, N.Y. also called Daylilies. Judith has been pleasantly surprised with the amount of traffic that passes through the Greenport store and even more surprised by the number of people who stop in and mention that they also frequent the Englewood store. If you are up in the Greenport area stop in at Daylilies on Front Street.






Pixel Maniac, who produces the web site EnglewoodFL.US, has also completed a photo assignment for Warm Mineral Springs in nearby Northport. Warm Mineral Springs is in the process of upgrading it's facilities. Ponce De Leon's fabled "Original Fountain of Youth" has 9 million gallons of the highest mineral content (in the U.S.) warm water daily.The Spring's 87 degree water can provide relief for many ailments including skin conditions, stress, pain, muscular problems and arthritis. Visitors travel from around the world to soak in its soothing waters. Besides the water, Warm Mineral Springs offers a World Famous Spa which brings you a menu of spectacular services, and offers treatments using minerals, lotions, mud, and essences from the Original Fountain of Youth. In addition the Lakeside Café serves healthy food, beverages and snacks guaranteed to satisfy any appetite.

Englewood, Florida #2. June 2009

The summer is upon us, the snow birds have been gone for quite a while, the weather is warming up - as is the Gulf of Mexico - sea turtle nesting season has begun. That's the good news. The bad news is that the economy is hurting Englewood in the same manner as other parts of the United States with less new homes being built, more homes on the market, and the prices have been reduced making it a buyers market. This could be the ideal time to jump in and purchase the vacation home of your dreams or your retirement condo.

A number of businesses have closed, the latest being E.J. Fishbones on Placida Road, however some new ones have sprung up that are worth mentioning and supporting. The Casa Nova Sports Bar and Grill which did a major renovation of the interior of Papadon's before opening up to the public. Located at 1599 South McCall Road, adjacent to the Merchants Crossing Shopping Plaza, the Casa Nova offers Italian cuisine along with hot and cold sandwiches, salads and brick oven pizza. The Casa Nova also features a full service bar. Shuckers Seafood and Steakhouse
boasts the "biggest and best salad bar in Englewood". Weekday specials on Tuesday through Friday, in addition to nightly early bird specials, offer fine dining at affordable prices. An outdoor Tiki bar is also available. Shuckers Seafood and Steak House is located at 2440 S. McCall Road the former home of the Braemar Pub.

The downtown area of Dearborn Street has also had a couple of casualties in Zolysas and Sleepy Sheep, both located in the same store at 415 Dearborn.The Village Diner also closed, but I believe it has been sold very recently and will reopen in August under a new Chef/Operator featuring French cuisine. Outdoor dining under the shade of the huge oak tree is a relaxing way to enjoy your meal. Flo's has been sold and has now become the New Wave Salon, so gone is the purple decor. Flo will still be there for the next year before she retires. Dawnmarie, of Bobarino's, is repainting the mural on the outside of the New Wave Salon to reflect the new business.

Englewood, Florida.

When I think of vacation hotspots my mind conjures up visions of New York, Las Vegas, Miami or Honolulu so it was a bit of a surprise to see that TripAdvisor, one of the largest travel sites on the Internet, named Englewood, Florida, as the #2 destination hotspot in the United States for 2009. They were also quick to add that the reader had to find the place on the map for him or herself. So where is this small Florida town and what makes it a vacation destination hotspot?

Englewood is located on the Gulf of Mexico, between Sarasota and Fort Myers. Interstate 75 bypasses the town, as does State Rd. 41, which leaves people having to find the place that is called the "Gem of the Suncoast". Englewood boasts four different beaches on Manasota Key that offer excellent swimming, shelling, sunbathing, or just catching up reading a good book. From May to the end of September sea turtles crawl ashore to lay their eggs at night. The hatchlings emerge after an incubating period and dash towards the ocean. Volunteers search the beaches each day to find nests and mark them to protect the eggs. Treasures can also be found on the beach in the form of shells and fossilized sharks teeth.

The area is also home to world-class fishing. Professional Tarpon Tournaments are held in May and June at nearby Boca Grande, and a large variety of fish such as Grouper, Redfish, Snapper, Kingfish, Tuna, Wahoo, Dolphin can be caught in the Gulf while Snook, Spotted Sea Trout and others can be found in the grassy flats of Lemon Bay and the Myakka River. Charter a fishing boat with a knowledgeable Captain and show that you don’t have to be a professional to land a Tarpon.

Lemon Bay is a great place to enjoy a boat ride, rent a jet ski or paddle a kayak. While you are out there you might see a dolphin or manatee cruise by or you may spot a bald eagle, osprey (sea eagle), snowy egrets, blue herons and pelicans that inhabit this area.

Englewood has a number of parks that offer tennis courts, basketball courts, Olympic size swimming pool, a skateboard park, football fields, cricket field, and a fenced dog area (Oyster Creek State Park), soccer, softball fields gymnasium facilities and playgrounds (Englewood Sports Center), a gymnasium with 6 basketball courts, a weight room, 4 outdoor lighted tennis courts (Tringali Sports Center) and trails through nature preserves (Stump Pass, Lemon Bay Park, Oyster Creek State Park, Indian Mound Park and Cedar Point Environmental Park.) Guided tours are available.

Shopping for necessities such as groceries is always close by. There are a wide variety of businesses available to handle all your needs. The Englewood historic district encompasses the downtown area of Dearborn Street and vicinity. Here you will find charming gift shops, art galleries, beauty salons, jewelry, coffee shops and restaurants. On the first Saturday evening of each month, Dearborn Street features “Cruizin on Dearborn”, a display of antique, muscle cars and hot rods along with live music. On the second Saturday evening of each month it is “Saturday Night Live”, also with live music. Merchants and restaurateurs stay open late on those evenings. More stores are within a 20-minute drive, in Venice to the north and Port Charlotte to the south.

For avid golfers Englewood is a Mecca with 9 courses in the immediate area open to the general public. This means that you will have a choice of a different course or tee time every day of the week.

Accommodations run the gamut from luxury homes or condos on the beach to accommodations on a golf course. Rates vary depending on the length of stay, daily, weekly, monthly or seasonal.

Use Englewood as a jumping off point to visit other areas in Florida. Some are within an hour’s drive or you might decide on an overnight adventure.

So the bottom line is: What are you looking for in a vacation? If it’s relaxation from the hustle and bustle of your work, then Englewood could be your #1 destination hotspot for 2009.