Kid's schooling can be a hard area to decide. Public, private, Montessori… plus a curveball: a new “Montessorium” program that blends classic Montessori with a two‑hour AI‑powered learning model. Today, we share the pros, cons, money math, and the emotional side of selecting school for our kids—how it feels to be a working parent trying to make a good decision without falling into the comparison trap.We'll talk about how research, community discussions, shadowing classes, information sessions helped us in making decisions. We will also cover:class size & teacher quality, extracurriculars, logistics, values alignment, social fabric, academic culture and financial reality. Hope you enjoy this episode. Looking forward to discussions and comments!You can find more episodes of Chocolate & Spice: Two Brown Women Talk wherever you get your podcasts—Spotify, Apple, YouTube, and more. And check out our website chocolateandspicetalk.com for show notes, extras, and to connect with us directly. You can always email us at hello@chocolateandspicetalk.com—we love hearing from you.

Today we’re diving into perimenopause and menopause. We'll talk about symptoms and diagnosis, age at which it starts, discrimination women often face, support women need, how exercise and sleep help and how hormone therapy may help. We are so excited for today’s guest: Miranda Zuhlke, a certified Physician Assistant and menopause specialist with the North American Menopause Society. She supports women through hormone therapy, reproductive wellness, and the major health shifts that come with menopause and perimenopauseWe know menopause isn’t always an easy topic—but that’s exactly why we wanted to have this conversation. If you’re going through it, about to, or supporting someone who is, we hope this episode left you feeling informed, validated, and a little less alone. You can always find us at chocolateandspicetalk.com—we’ve got blog posts, episode notes, behind-the-scenes stories, and more. And if you’ve got thoughts, experiences, or questions you want to share, drop us an email at hello@chocolateandspicetalk.com or send us a message on Instagram @chocolateandspicetalk. We truly love hearing from you.Books, and more resources on menopause and perimenopause:Estrogen Matters: Avrum Bluming and Carol TavrisThe New Menopause: Mary Claire Haver, MDThe Hormone Cure: Sara Gottfried, MDPodcasts: You are not Broken: Kelly Casperson, MDWomen’s Health: Heather Hirsch, MD

We're diving into one of the most personal, often polarizing questions in parenting: Do you want a second child? we both have one child each. But we’ve landed in very different places about whether we wanted another. We talk openly about what influenced those choices: our upbringing, secondary infertility, our capacity, our mental load, the cultural pressure we feel as brown women, and how much of this comes from what we were taught growing up vs. what we truly want now.No right answers here—just honest stories and maybe some solidarity if you're navigating this too.Get more info and details on our website: https://chocolateandspicetalk.com/

Pets are amazing. Having a dog or any pet is a huge gift. Today, we're talking about how getting a rescue dog changed our lives. We cover not only the advantages of having a dog, but also the process of getting one. Especially, if you've never had a pet before, this episode gives tips on navigating the journey of getting one.

Rescue or shelter pets are particularly vulnerable and need so much of our love and help. We talk about that process of dog adoption, and what to keep in mind before adopting a dog. More details and behind-the-scenes are in our website https://chocolateandspicetalk.com/ #dog #rescuedog #adoptdontshop #doglife #adoptdog

Today we're talking money from an introvert and extrovert's perspectives. Money management is a critical skill we all need. That said, we all approach money differently. Some like to spend more than the others! Join us as we get into the psychology of why and how we developed different approaches to saving and spending and what we think are the best ways to handle our finances.For more behind-the-scenes, photos and blogs, visit our brand website: https://chocolateandspicetalk.com/

Whether it’s a local book club, an online group chat, or even your neighborhood block party—communities are what give life richness. Today, we’re talking about the why, how, and what of building communities that truly matter. CIF or Cambrian Indian Families is a thriving, family-oriented community in the Bay Area, California.We are thrilled to welcome Priti, who’s one of the core admins of CIF—a community so vibrant it now has offshoots like a What's App group with 800+ women, gardening circles, local sports leagues, even a buzzing local marketplace.

We were clueless cooks and learned cooking after our respective marriages! But once we got a hang of cooking, we went all in. From home cooked meals everyday to creative cooking to meal prep to cooking for fussy toddlers and teenagers, we've been through it all. Today, we talk about what helped us learn and start enjoying cooking and why we started but gave up on meal prep. Plus, some chats on food habits and healthy eating as well!#cooking #cookingathome #podcast #sisters #lifehacks And don't forget to check us out on our website http://www.chocolateandspicetalk.com to see photos, behind-the-scenes, and read more on our blogs.

Our guest, Divya, was born and brought up in the US, making her a first-generation American. Her parents moved to the US from India. Today, we’re exploring what it means to navigate spaces as someone who's simultaneously 100% American and 100% Indian.

From the pressure of being the family's "first everything" to the unique advantages that come with this experience, we're getting real about the beautiful complexity of first-generation life. What does it actually feel like to grow up as the bridge between your parents' homeland and the country you call home?Like always, we’re sharing real stories from everyday lives as every story matters.So whether you're first-generation yourself, love someone who is, or just want to understand this experience better, we're excited to share Divya's story with you.

As always, do leave comments and see more behind-the-scenes on our website chocolateandspicetalk.com