Meet Amit and Kristen Pandhi, who live on Chadwick Court in the Brookside neighborhood, along with their daughter Sonya (8) who attends Brooks Elementary, and their son Vaughn (4) who attends Aurora Montessori. Let's get to know our neighbors!

Where are you originally from? Amit was born in London, and his parents moved to the U.S. when he was five years old, where they operated a Hallmark store. Kristen has spent most of her life in California, and was raised as a fan of the Chicago Cubs (fourth generation!). Her parents are from the Midwest, and she finally feels like she's among her people.

How long have you lived in Stonebridge? We rented a lovely home in Brookside for one year. We liked it here so much that we bought the house 12 doors down!

What college/university did you attend? Amit attended undergrad at UC Irvine, and completed his Master's at the University of Pennsylvania. Kristen began playing basketball for Vanguard University, then transferred to UC Davis where she finished her undergrad, Master's, and Teaching Credentials.

Kristen works as a College Advisor, helping high school students (and their parents!) through the application process. I enjoyed working with some Metea students this year, and have openings for a few more students. Amit was previously on Wall Street and private equity and now works in the food industry, which is what brought us to the area.

How did you meet? We were to be the Best Man and Maid of Honor in a wedding that never happened. It's a funny story involving trickery, deception, and Oprah. Stop by for a drink and we will share the details.

What activities are your kids involved in? Both Sonya and Vaughn take piano lessons, and have "ninja" classes. We are keen to having them start learning Spanish from a local teacher (suggestions welcome!).

Do you have any family traditions? Kristen's birthday is on Valentine's Day, and Amit has the tradition of sending a calendar invite to "Dinner at McDonald's," which always ends up being something actually thoughtful and wonderful. As the kids are able to understand more, we are getting further into the religious and historical significance of Christian and Indian holidays.

What are your favorite activities and hobbies? Our kids are always craving a playground, so we make it a point to seek out different parks in the area. Kristen has been exploring the neighboring towns one coffee shop at a time. We also enjoy playing pickleball and board games and are open to playing with new people.

What are your favorite restaurants and food types? Kristen and Sonya are both Celiacs, so we are always on the lookout for places with good gluten-free options. Local favorites include: Lil Pops Pizza, Baby Doll Bakery, and Meson Sabika. Amit enjoys making anything in his cast iron skillet.

What do you like to do for fun or to relax? We love getting out and exploring new places. We were told that in order to be proper midwesterners, we have to vacation in the Midwest, so we are trying to up our road trip game. The kids are enjoying scratching new states off of their maps. Kristen is always interested in live music.

What's been your favorite vacation destination? Two years ago, we made the nerve-wracking decision to liquidate our house and belongings in Pasadena, CA to take a "Family Gap Year." We found a company that caters to digital nomad families, that provides a furnished apartment, a coworking space, and an English-speaking inquiry-based school for the kids. We had an instant community this way, and lived for three months each in Sintra, Portugal and Bali, Indonesia. In total, we visited 11 different countries during the year - Sonya and Vaughn were 6 and 2 when we began. It was the experience of a lifetime, and I am proud that we stepped out of the race for a bit and took the action to make it happen. We are scheming about a way to do that again - albeit in a smaller period of time.

We are so grateful to have landed in Stonebridge. Many other families have moved in recently as well, so there are a lot of kids to play with. The original owners on our block - most of whom are empty-nesters - are also warm and friendly, which is refreshing. As adults, it's tempting to adopt an "I already have my friends," attitude, but that is not the case here - there is a wonderful openness.

Two things: the in-person events that enable neighbors to meet each other. I also love meeting local business owners, so we know exactly how and where to support the community.

Anything else we should know about your family? We love meeting new people - please say hello if we cross paths. We are fairly easy to recognize. :)