Gowri & Mark – Lifestyle Engagement Session

“For is there any practice less selfish, any labor less alienated, any time less wasted, than preparing something delicious and nourishing for people you love?”
Michael Pollan, Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation

“Hey Greg!”

I peered over the bank of refrigerated foods at the sound of my name.  “Mark?”

“Wow, what’s it been, like, five years?”

Mark and I had worked together for a while at Giorgio’s.  As we stood in the aisle briefly catching up, Gowri came around the corner and joined the reunion as Mark introduced us.  Even during this quick encounter, their energy was electric, and they were incredibly sweet towards each other. Instantaneously, I knew Rachel would love to meet them.

Our chance encounter led to an evening of the four of us chatting for hours around our coffee table, enjoying food and wine, laughing at corny jokes we told each other, and watching YouTube videos featuring…”unique” compositions…on the melodica.  A week or so later, Rachel and I even ran into them yet another time while grocery shopping, this time at Global Foods!

It was obvious that having good company and sharing a meal is such an important part of Gowri and Mark’s time together, as well as our time with them.  Despite both Gowri and Mark having careers in law, they deliberately make time to include cooking as an integral part of their lives.  Preparing a meal together has become an intimate exercise for them. So when we started discussing ideas for their engagement session, it only seemed natural to tell a story of their cooking a meal together.

The wonderful flavors, prepared from several traditional family recipes, and the fun we had together that evening seemed to sum up the values Gowri and Mark hold in high regard: laugh often, be inviting and generous, and have fun together enjoying the rich spices of life.

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After dinner, we enjoyed a rousing game of The Contender over this amazing mango/strawberry/chocolate meringue & pudding dessert extravaganza!

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Gowri was heading back to London shortly after the session, so we made sure she had a little reminder to take with her!

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BONUS: For any doubters out there, we now have definitive photographic proof of Nessie (yep, the Loch Ness Monster), who enjoyed continually photobombing our session!

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And we’ve “digitally enhanced” the photos in order for you to see a more accurate rendition of her true nature in the kitchen.

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  1. […] lassi!), and the laughs Gowri and Mark evoked in each other throughout the day recalled for us the intimate dinner in their home.  As they sat together under the mandap and stood with the stole wrapped around their hands, they […]

  2. […] lassi!), and the laughs Gowri and Mark evoked in each other throughout the day recalled for us the intimate dinner in their home.  As they sat together under the mandap and stood with the stole wrapped around their hands, they […]

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