We made a quick trip to India Wednesday afternoon....

I'm sorry I didn't get around to posting earlier on Wednesday.
Laura and I decided to head on out to India for the day.
Or at least that is what it felt like after we spent three hours shopping at Roop Sari Palace.

I had seen this store once before. I had been on my way to a business meeting and there had been no time to stop and look around.

I have been wanting to come back ever since. It is on a street called Harwin, which is about 47 miles from my home, so I just never got around to it.
I was always thinking that I would want to go there with a buddy.

Today Laura agreed to be my buddy and away we went.

Here's Laura in the parking lot in front of the enormous store.
NO PICTURE TAKING ALLOWED INSIDE!
Darnit.

We walked inside the store and our jaws just dropped.
Everywhere we looked there were beautiful saris twinkling with jewels and beadwork and embroidery.
We didn't even know how to begin to shop.
We didn't even know what size we wore!

Turns out we are both about a size 42. That is for the top part of the garment, the little crop top short sleeved blouse. It is made of the same fabric as the wrap part of the sari.

Eventually we grabbed a couple of saris and headed to the dressing room, with a nice Indian lady to help us learn the art of pleating and draping the garment.

We looked and tried on, looked and tried on...there was always one more fabulous garment to try. Lively Indian music played as we shopped, and the ladies in the shop looked like flowers walking as they drifted about in their colorful silk garments.

Three hours later Laura had a sari and all the accessories to go with it.
We were hungry by then. Thankfully all we had to do was walk across the parking lot to an Indian buffett restaurant.

I have never tasted such good Indian food!
While we enjoyed every bite and every sip of our mango lasse, we watch an Indian soap opera on the television overhead.

There were lots of soulful looks and silk fabric fluttering in the breeze as the young lovers went about.

I have no idea what the plot was about, but really liked seeing the costumes and the jewelry.
And all those romantic scenes.
I think I want to rent a Bollywood movie real soon!

After lunch we headed out to take in some more of the Harwin shopping. Harwin is the street in Houston where you go to get knock off items and imports for cheap.
Purses, luggage, jewelry, clothing, shoes, rugs, perfume, electronics...you name it, Harwin has it.

I pointed to a shop that advertised "club wear" clothing and asked Laura to pull into the parking lot. She gave me that look and an "okay...." like she always does when she thinks I don't know what I am asking for.

These two mannequines were just inside the front door of the club wear store.

I think Laura was right; I didn't know what I was asking for.

This yellow dress isn't exactly my kind of clothes.

If the gal in yellow was in San Diego, she could enter the Miss Emerson contest.
As in "Em are some big 'ums..."
(San Diego insider joke.)

Next door was another sari shop. It was closed, darnit, but look at how gorgeous the bead work was on this one!

I got in some good shopping elsewhere: Aqua crystal dangle earring for $5.49, five pashmina wraps ($5 each, buy four get one free), and Laura got a red silk scarf hip wrap with gold coins. Perfect for belly dancing. She's taken a class and knows how to make those coins really jingle!

After that we headed home. As we drove, we talked about how fun it would be to one day go to India together.

Laura said she would fly in jeans, but before the plane landed, she would slip into the bathroom and change into an Indian:

Indian: As in dot, not feather.
The girl can ROCK a sari!

She knows all the moves.

She's got the look down from every angle.

And all the accessories too.

The forehead mindi, earrings with chain that extends into the hair and the necklace: bought as a set.
Cost: $10
Bangles: $10

Pretty, huh?

The hip ornament was pricy: $20.
So worth it; it jingles a bit while you walk.
We looked at saris that were $2,000. They were breathtaking.
Wondering how much this sari cost?
Take a guess.
The answer will be at the end.

It is surprising how much fabric is used in the wrap.
Laura wanted me to try on her sari too for Bernie to enjoy.
She helped me get the pleats and drapes right.
The pleats and the draping makes all the difference.
When you do it wrong, you look like you are just wrapped up in a bunch of sheets.
When you do it right....

It looks like this!

I love how the crop top and wrapped skirt lets the rolls of fat around the middle actually look kind of cute. You know, graceful like. Fluid and sensual. Comfortable with yourself.

The sari cost $33.00. Who could resist a bargain like that?

Come to think of it, the whole day was a bargain.

And totally priceless as well.