From Happy Hour to Happily Ever After

Photo Credit: Karen Presecan Photography

Sometimes all it takes is one night to change your entire life, and that's all Ashoka and Ameeta Rajagopal needed.

It was a Monday night happy hour when they were introduced through their mutual friend Maria. And since that night, the two have been inseparable.

"Ashoka called me every single day after the day we met," Ameeta said. "He proposed after six weeks and we were married within the same year. We just celebrated our 20-year anniversary in Paris last November."

Originally from Zimbabwe, Ameeta attended North Stafford High School. Her parents valued education more than anything and would commute 30 miles to work just so she could get the best education she could. Ameeta graduated from George Mason University with her undergraduate and master’s degrees and she earned her Ph.D. from George Washington University. Ashoka attended Virginia Tech.

Five years into their marriage, they had their son Rishi. Two years after that, they welcomed their daughter, Reeya.

After 14 years working at Mary Washington University and moving her way up to the Director of Multicultural Affairs, Ameeta discovered her next project in an unusual place, Rishi's preschool birthday.

"He wanted flying pterodactyls on his birthday cake. I loved his passion, and I began experimenting with cake designs to make the kinds of cakes that I really couldn't find anywhere locally. That hobby grew to a business when I started baking for a local café across the street from my neighborhood," Ameeta said.

She didn't have any experience at the beginning, but she started with cakes and now she specializes in making customized sugar. But the teacher in her couldn't let go completely. Ameeta teaches cookie decorating classes at Nothing Bundt Cakes. She's planning to offer them every month for anyone to sign up and learn.

The value of quality education is still something the Rajagopal's instill in their children, much like their parents did for them. Both of their children are straight-A students.

Rishi, 14, is part of the Neuroscience Club, German Club, and the Scholastic Bowl Club at Colonial Forge. He was also accepted into the STAT program, where he specializes in engineering. Despite his incredible academic achievements, Rishi is just like any other teen. He loves basketball, football, gaming and Pokémon. He's even the statistician for the varsity basketball team at Forge.

Reeya, 13, is in 7th grade and she excels in school. She's part of the FOCUS program for advanced learning. She's a member of Model UN, loves to read and write, and has just started playing travel volleyball.

Family always comes first for the Rajagopal's. They found theirs in their 15 years living in Augustine, quite literally! It was one of the best decisions they could have made to move there. Ameeta's parents live right down the street from their house, and she visits almost every morning. Her father has been getting the Free-Lance Star for 35 years, and Ameeta will pick up the paper and sit at their breakfast table before work. Rishi also loves his grandparents' house because he always knows he will get a fantastic home-cooked meal there.

But what makes Stafford home for the Rajagopal's is the community - the neighbors who make the neighborhood a haven for them.

Across the street is Charmaine, one of Ameeta's close friends who grew up in South Africa. The African connection is a good one to have and then there is the Indian connection with her friend Sunitha. Her friends Eva and Sunitha live on the other end of the neighborhood. Ameeta often calls upon Eva, Sue and Betsi for advice regarding academics and decision-making for her children.  Having never attended elementary or middle school in the US, she relies upon their guidance to gain insight on the school system especially since their children are older! Betsi also helped Ameeta and Ashoka when they worked on their kitchen remodel. And every house has a green thumb on the block.

"Bob grows figs, John is the green thumb, and he grows the most beautiful lemons and tomatoes. George gave us our first tomato plants and his Italian tomato seeds produced tomatoes my mom strives every year to reproduce," said Ameeta.

Years ago, the Rajagopal's considered moving out of the area. They wanted something a little more modern but couldn't bring themselves to leave. They found an idyllic life in Augustine and didn't want to let it go.

Their street is a close-knit community. Ashoka has poker nights with friends and plays golf with them, which is very convenient when living on the 10th hole of a golf course.

Many of their neighbor's extended families also live in Augustine, and it brings such joy to know the neighborhood culture is rubbing off on their children.

"I love my neighborhood. Neighbors here are thoughtful and greet one another," Ameeta said. We have great friends in the neighborhood, many of whom we've known since our children were babies. Our driveway is often filled with boys playing basketball and the swings in my backyard are always occupied by my daughter and her friends."

Even Ameeta's baking business is impacted by the neighborhood. Nothing Bundt Cakes and the local café across the street where she got her start are owned by her neighbors.

As good as the neighborhood is, the Rajagopal's love to find other slices of heaven throughout the world. Ashoka has had years of experience traveling for work, so he plans the getaways for the family. Along with Paris, Ashoka and Ameeta celebrate their anniversary with trips every five years to places like London, Amsterdam, and Hawaii for their honeymoon.

They took Rishi and Reeya to India a few years ago for a wedding. The kids' favorite vacation spot has been either the Dominican Republic or Mexico. But the most significant trip is upcoming this summer.

"My sister has planned the trip of a lifetime for her 50th and my dad's 80th birthdays. We’re going to Africa this summer. It will be the longest, furthest family vacation with all four grandkids," said Ameeta.

As great as the vacations are, the Rajagopal's love returning home to Augustine every time.

"I'd like the neighbors to know that I appreciate living in a friendly, safe space where people care about those around them," Ameeta said.

The neighborhood is constantly evolving. Ameeta loves seeing her neighbors' creative renovations to their homes inside and out. The houses might change every so often, but the people don't. And it's what has made Augustine their forever home.

Sometimes all it takes is one night to change your entire life, but it can also take just one place too.