My Super Mom (Amma!)

I feel there is a lot of beauty in calling her "Amma" in my mother tongue rather than calling her "Mummy" or "mom"...hence the revised title!

On my way back home yesterday, I could'nt help feeling emotional as I kept thinking about my teen years. When I became 'sweet 16', my mom did the sweetest thing for me. She went to Hyderabad with her friend before my birthday for some occasion....and came back and gifted, not one or two, but 16 dresses!!!!! She was like, I wanted your 16 to be very special for you! :-) I was so touched by her thoughtful sweet gift!


My mom/dad have always been really loving and thoughtful, despite being strict most of the times. I remember when i was 13 or 14, my mom got transferred to Bangalore, and she had to go due to circumstances. My brother and I, stayed with my dad and he took very good care of us. I would cry everytime she came visiting over weekends and when she had to go back...So my dad surprised me the next morning. I woke up to my mom fondly waking me up lovingly with endearments and calling me her sweet little baby....I was thinking I must be dreaming...Amma is in Bangalore, so how can i hear her voice? Actually, my dad had recorded her voice and she spoke to me like she was right there with me...and every day he would wake me up with that recording...When we got back from school, he was very thoughtful and engaged us in learning the 'Hanuman Chalisa'...my brother and I sang the whole shlokas in some time to my Mom in a few days time and her face lit up with happiness....it was worth the effort. Appa did everything he could so that we did not miss Amma too much.

I remember staying with my Perima ( my mom's elder sister) one weekend and crying to see my mom...she was like 'Come to me, darling! I will hug you!" I was such a mean thing and said 'But your sari does not smell like my mom's! I want amma...'!!! She (my perima) is no more but I always think of her as a person with genuine love and affection for me.I think about it now and can't stop feeling bad about my behavior. But at that point, i could'nt fully understand why Amma had to be away from us. She must have been miserable already staying away from her husband and kids. To top it all, if i cried everytime she left, I am sure she would go back to Bangalore very miserable too...I wonder how she coped with it all and remained cheerful and happy, it would make me insane to be in a situation like that. Amma is a very strong woman.
That kind of selfless love, only comes from a parent, I guess!! :-) I feel so blessed when I think of my awesome parents! I am what I am because of them...( I turned out pretty ok, me thinks!) ;-)

Edited to add: Amma in her stylish avataar when she visited us in Paris in 2010!

www.shopo.in

P.S - I WON the contest! Yay!! 

Have I changed?

...of course I have...we all change over a period of time! Some of us change drastically - I would like to think I have changed for the better...I always observe that I react differently to a situation now, than I did in the past...I don't waste my time or go out of my way to ponder over something that is not within my control anymore , and this is something I have to learnt to let go consciously. Especially, with people or "friends"! Its impossible to please EVERYONE - PERIOD. I have realized that its not absolutely essential that every single individual should like me or vice versa, and agree with my point of view or vice versa. Finally, I understand the phrase " agree to disagree"! :)

My mind is never free - I am always thinking about something or the other...and since I moved to Paris, I realize that I enjoy the silence and the quiet times here a lot more now. Initially, I missed the hustle-bustle back home and missed all the familiar noises. Now, it irritates me when someone talks loudly on the Metro or when a group of people make a lot of noise. While, I have been guilty of all that sometime back... I no longer feel, I need to voice my opinion or views all the time, any longer! I feel that I need to talk or be heard - selectively! Of course, I am still close to the people I love and am very vociferous with them...except I don't feel the same way with everyone...in that aspect, I have indeed changed! :)

As I read through this, I have to admit that I feel I am slowly removing all the clutter in my mind - slowly but steadily and its definitely a good change! Its been very busy since the beginning of this year - and I have not written much on the blog this year...here's to making a start with something...

The year that was...2011!

It's nice to go back in time and reminisce how the year passed by...and the first thing that comes to my mind is that it whizzed by....whoooosshhhh!!

Though the year began with uncertainties about where we would be living, work and all other important things that affect our lives, by God's grace, things settled down favorably and S and I, both happily settled in our respective jobs. God has been kind to us, just that it takes time to understand and acknowledge his blessings. Human, that I am! :)

We did a lot of traveling this year too and visited some gorgeous countries - birthday in London, wedding anniversary in Berlin (Germany), a reasonably long trip back home for a big milestone - brother's wedding, weekend getaways to Bruges, Ghent, the French Ardennes, and a lovely year-end holiday in gorgeous Slovenia ( this country needs a lot of marketing for its gorgeousness, which calls for a new dedicated post altogether). I must say, we are super blessed to visit and experience the beauty of gorgeous places, nature and the lovely people and culture everywhere...we are indeed thankful.

I was so excited about my brother's wedding throughout the year that when it actually did happen, it was all over in the blink of an eye and we were back home too! :) I am so excited and happy that he is a married man now. The highlight of this year, for sure! After several years, we managed to see my SIL and her family and the adorable kids - and it was an awesome reunion of laughter, love and good memories for S and I, short and sweet! :)

We have found a lovely friendship in C and P, and they bring a lot of happiness and love into our lives and we are very grateful to have met them! They are such a lovely couple, bless them...In fact, last year, C was here spending time with many others, and it was good fun! Good times...

Wishing you and I, a very beautiful beginning in the new year - of new memories, new friendships, abundance of love and happiness, excellent health and may all our dreams come true! Looking forward to some wonderful new beginnings in 2012! Godspeed! 

For the blog, I am going to start 2012 afresh - with a new template! :)

Indian Fashion, this time!

I have been away for quite some time, for good reason! I was in India celebrating my brother's wedding. I did most of my shopping and research for the clothes, jewellery and such like online so that we could focus on my brother's shopping when we got to India! While most of my friends and my folks were not very confident of my choices online, I totally was! I am often very clear about what I like and never have regrets or doubts.

Though I could actually see the actual product only when I got home to my folks in India, thankfully, all of them turned out really great and I loved it. This is not a plug for any of the websites, but the idea is to help others find things easily if they are away from home, or prefer doing things online, like me to save time and effort.

Sarees:
I picked up two contemporary Georgette sarees from www.cbazaar.com . They have a huge variety of sarees and you need a lot of patience to browse through their collections. I had about 4 months to decide since my brother's engagement to the wedding. I found that they drape really well and most importantly, are unique and one-of-a-kind! :) Here are the sarees I picked!
( P.S - The women in the pictures are not ME! ;))

 Saree for the Engagement - from the same website!

For the rest of the various events in the wedding, I wore my own wedding sarees, for the second time since the wedding! I love wearing sarees and feel it really suits me. However, as I live away from home, there aren't too many opportunities. I wore the traditional 9-yards for the muhurtham ( the important ceremony where the groom ties the mangalsutra on the bride!) which made so many of my folks really happy! :)

Blouses:
I don't like ornate decorations or elaborate embroidery on my blouses. But I love stuff that looks different from the usual styles and very well-fitting blouses. Most people wear the same-border blouses that come with the saree. Though I had the same ones, I decided to buy brocade-like materials for my wedding sarees. It turned out to be really expensive or too blingy for my liking! Finally, I bought materials used to stitch salwar kameez in Kumaran Silks in T.Nagar, who had exactly what I wanted, and at a reasonable price.

The salesman looked at me strangely when I said I am stitching blouses from these materials. Common sense tells me it can work, coz a blouse is just one-fourth of a kameez and it can work! It did!! I gave Amma a lot of grief over the tailor, but he really did a good job of all the blouses. Amma heaved a sigh of relief! :)

It was silk-cotton and let me breathe in the sweltering heat!!  As for my hair, its a different story altogether, the humidity made it a disaster and looked like cotton-candy!


Jewellery:

I loved this style of the necklace (as seen above), its a gift from my brother for Rakshabandhan. Its my choice, but he paid for it! :)
 
I have a wide variety of jhimkis, thanks to Amma, my wedding and I can open a shop! Yet, I added another one to my collection - these are the kashmiri style jhimkis! :) Actually, it is a set of 3 - another longer jhimki hangs to this! I wore only two, as I thought all three together would look over-the-top! :)

If you like the jewellery I am wearing, I bought them from Chaahat Hyderabad - look for them on Facebook. I have bought quite a lot of stuff from them and the jewellery is really pretty, prompt delivery and their customer service is pretty good too. They ship worldwide.

I also bought these bangles from www.99labels.com 

I won the second prize for this entry and I used that credit to buy a saree and these bangles. They also gave me a gift voucher for my birthday! ;)

Mehendi:

I love mehendi or as they say in Tamizh, marudaani! :)  Apart from the fact that it looks beautiful on your hands, it cools down your body temperature. and boy! I am HOT! ;)
I got this done on the streets of T.Nagar, and I must say they did a great job. There are a group of boys and men from the North, who sit there on the road with umbrellas and you can sit there and get it done! :) They also come home and do it for a group of people. There weren't too many girls at home, people were directly coming to the wedding venue mostly. So I decided to get it done there - quick and easy.

Pretty, isn't it?

P.S - I am not being paid to write to this post by any of these vendors or websites. It is just my way of helping people looking for information or as a point of reference.

Little things do matter...

I have always wanted to wear heels, but I am pretty tall already and I am not very comfortable in them, so I don't wear them often! ...BUT I still went ahead and bought these incredibly gorgeous, comfortable and feminine lace heels that are specially designed for big,wide feet like mine, online! ...


When I got the shoes, I jumped up with excitement and joy, like a 10-year old! I was relating to S about something that happened when I was about the same age...and I decided to relate it here as well...


When I was a little girl, and am a girl's girl, I couldn't wait to wear duppattas, have long nails, wear heels, lipstick....I was in awe of my cousin U, a very pretty cousin, maybe at least a decade older than me....and she would have these lovely long nails with pretty nail polishes and would wear these really glamorous big heels. I remember eagerly waiting to get my nails painted, when I visited her and never folding my hands, thinking the color would fade away! :P. I would bug Amma for a dash of lipstick when we would go for weddings and simply refuse to eat, fearing it would wear off....my poor mother!!

Once, she had got rid of her heels - white stilettos, and I brought it along home, just for the heck of it. It was at least 5 times bigger than my feet...but I would walk around in them, dreaming of owning my own pair someday! :) I also had a suitcase full of shells collected over a period of time from all our beach trips...and this was all my "treasure" I would never part with, (so don't mess with me or I'll make you go crazy with my whining and crying kinda treasure!)

We moved houses, actually a major milestone for us coz we were moving from our rented apartment to a lovely apartment in Besant nagar, near the beach...and it was going to be our own home! I remember I was so thrilled looking at the new chandelier(...I thought they were real diamonds and we were super rich now!) at our new home and I also remember asking Amma "Inga daily thanni varumaa? (Will we get water here everyday?)"....coz we used to live in an area where there was a lot of water scarcity and Appa and Amma had to work hard to collect water. Anyway, I digress.

My parents had shifted to our new home and left us kids with our cousins while they unpacked and settled down. Of course, the minute I landed, I looked for my "treasure" box and to my utter horror, my dad threw away all my "trash", including my cousin's stilettos that I had safely stashed away. I was completely heartbroken and I had a mental image running in my head, of pouncing on my Dad for doing this to me! Oh, but I simply did what I did best - cried, cried and cried like there was no tomorrow...I was very very upset with him for throwing away my most treasured possessions.

Today, and I say this with utmost honesty, I feel good, very good - to know my "treasure" is safe and its beautiful and its not borrowed, its my own! ...safe in my home! It may be a little thing, but it goes deeper...:)

P.S - Edited to add a picture after I wore them in real life, finally! :)

...they look super hot, don't they? :D

P.S - This definitely does not mean that my parents were inconsiderate, I have the most wonderful folks, but it is just a recollection of my state of mind THEN! ....:)

Amsterdam, you were gorgeous!

As you already know, I celebrated my 30th birthday and the weekend in Amsterdam! Contrary to what I have often heard about Amsterdam being more popular for its kinky sex shops and red light districts, I saw a more beautiful and amazing side of the city! Its like a dream to walk through the city, with its smiling and friendly people ( most important factor always!), beautiful canals, boat cruises,an absolutely wide variety of different towers I have ever seen....I could just go on! I felt I could'nt get enough of this city and actually wanted to go back another time, which is a first!

The weather was pretty chilly and windy so after a long day of wandering, the houseboat was a haven of warmth and comfort to unwind and relax every evening! I was pleasantly surprised to talk to the owner (Jan), who had travelled extensively all over India! I felt nice to be welcomed to flowers and cake ( courtesy S's preparations) and some good wine and a card from the owner! ( Though he speaks in English, the card was in Dutch)...a very sweet gesture, coz I am practically a stranger to him.

Amsterdam was full of surprises coz I do love to visit Museums but not for hours together! They had a unique concept for a Museum of Bags and Purses!!! I was definitely intrigued and told S that I was really excited about going there. The place did'nt disappoint one bit, every woman's dream come true! They have bags dating from the 15th and 16th century till date. It was really interesting to learn the history of Bags since the days of yore and how it has evolved over the years! ( you are not allowed to click pictures, so I just got the entrance to the Museum!). I definitely recommend it as a MUST visit when you go to Amsterdam!

Another MUST-visit was the gorgeous Diamond Museum, a woman's delight. I could'nt have enough of all the gorgeous glitter and sparkling diamonds everywhere. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that diamonds were first found only in India and also that 60 percent of tulips are found in the Himalayan regions in India! Ironically, Amsterdam is world renowned for tulips and diamonds and I have never seen Tulips anywhere in India - strange that! I swelled with pride when the 'History of Diamonds' began with this pride-inducing fact! My country is indeed blessed with so many wonderful things, pity we don't market it as well as the Western world. (Some beautiful tiaras and crowns to drool over!). Everwhere in the Museum walls, there were captions that read " Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown" - so true!

I must add, a trip to Amsterdam was definitely a gorgeous way to turn 30! Thank you S!! I will always remember this birthday. Bring it on, I am gonna have so much fun in my 30's than the 20's, if this trip is any indication of what is in store for me...

Trente - 12 March 2010!

MY BIRTHDAY IS A BIG DEAL FOR ME. I imagine that I am royalty on that day and feel extremely special and get all excited. This year, I am all excited but the enthusiasm is a tad less. According to my own stupid definition "Anyone who is 30 or in the 30's is officially uncle/aunty". I didn't think too much about the fact that I would get older and 'qualify' in a couple of years or so! So if you are reasonably smart, you will understand that I'm 30 this year! Officially, I am no longer amongst the '20-something's. Sigh!

Normally, I don't bother a lot about how old I am or get upset if someone wants to know how old I am! ( Wierd that I have answered that question numerous times, here in Paris!). But this year, I think I am a little sad that I have turned 30! Bloody hell, I often wonder how my mom would feel, she has a 30-year old daughter!!! Enough of the ranting now, I guess. For sure, my energy, enthusiasm or zest for life will not change one bit! I am still going to have a lot of fun, right? Right!

So if I think about what has changed, I would like to think they are mostly good changes; For example, I think I have a better dress sense and a general idea of what suits me better! On a different note, when S and I were looking at pictures on the laptop; he commented "Look, how many different hair styles you have had over the years? " That sent a silent thrill through me, I felt wild! :D

I have colored my hair twice and got another piercing in my ear, something that I'd wanted to do for many years but couldn't because my parents strictly refused. I know it probably sounds silly to you but for me it was kind of liberating to experiment with my looks without having to worry about what my parents will say or feel. In fact, even now, if I'm going home, I make sure not to color or cut my hair! Silly me!

I have an excessive amount of clothes/bags/shoes/jewellery (more than I like to admit!) ...and this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you to hear that! That's it - you will never ever hear me say that again!! :D. Sometimes, I can't even remember when I bought something and I feel terrible for being so greedy, but that thought vanishes within seconds of walking across any shopping area or even in the vicinity of where I can lay my eyes on something, even from a distance!!

I have travelled to so many beautiful countries and am hoping the journey continues, with my dear S, of course! I have a proper fitness routine and am much fitter and stronger than I used to be.Most importantly, I may be older but am definitely more mature and wiser! I would like to think I have toned down my emotional side a little bit. I don't believe in altering my entire personality, for sure! I am not there yet, but I think I am a better person than I used to be...I have an awesome partner, family and a close group of friends who are much loved and love me more!

I don't believe in going back in time like a lot of people often want to or often say 'those were the days...golden days' and all that! I enjoy every phase and I am very happy where I am. I strongly believe it is is important to enjoy every phase as-is! So if I am 30 now, enjoy being 30 to the fullest replete with all the excitement and vigor! To a large extent, I am very happy where I am. I did'nt even dream of the life I live now. I have a wonderful life and I earnestly thank God for it. Of course, like everyone else, I have a few regrets but they are events that I had no control over.

In retrospect, I think God meant for it to happen for my own good coz he made sure I got here. I believe in him and have faith in him. I am sure he will make my wish come true when its the right time. He knows what is best for me. (sounds cryptic, i know - but this is more of a self-note!)

Last year, I spent my birthday in Paris (wooooohoooo!) AND the entire evening at the Eiffel Tower! Tres Tres romantique! This year, S has rented an awesome houseboat ( check the awesome place here - http://www.luckypiper.com/eng/indexned.htm) for us and we are spending the entire weekend after in Amsterdam! It was supposed to be a surprise for me, except now that I have started working, he had to tell me so that I could inform people at work!! I hope Amsterdam makes me forget I am 30! I am sorry I can't stop whining! I will definitely post pictures of the magical Amsterdam here and here!

P.S - Turning 30 is not so bad at all!!! Coz I got DIAMONDS!!!! My darling S sure knows how to cheer me up ;-)

True to the title, random updates!

1. The most important update is that I have recently taken up a job and its a really interesting one at that. I have a strong feeling that I am going to get a lot of exposure as well as learn a lot! Of course, I am also very glad that its part-time coz I can continue to do the things I like to do and travel too!

2. I have begun to actually like my exercising routine. I try to make it interesting coz I alternate between yoga, body specifics, Jane Fonda's aerobics, Pilates and Bollywood fitness dancing ( yes, you read it right!)...I like the fact that I can just jump around without feeling conscious at home, with abandon! Its liberating! :-) I have different DVDs of all these and I work out at home everyday except weekends. Of course, the biggest motivation are the results - I can fit into clothes I hoped I could fit into someday!

3. I was watching Rajiv Gandhi's interview with Simi Garewal on Youtube and it made me really sad. Tears sprung in my eyes. I deeply and fervently wish he was alive and more than anything else, his family had got the opportunity to spend more time with him. What a charismatic, handsome and strong personality! He is THE man for me, who was a proud Indian!

4. I have begun to maintain a calender and schedule like my English friends here and I have to admit, if not for anything else, it makes me feel really important and it also made me realize that we have slowly begun to have a social life outside of just 'us'. :-)

5. I am loving the 'calm' within me and the happy thoughts I have! I am proud of myself coz I don't brood about the past anymore or think of anything that makes me feel low. Little things remind me that there is hope and light at the end of the tunnel; like the plants I had given up on have suddenly started sprouting up now or even the 'daily horoscope' seem to match with the current updates in life. It may be a co-incidence too; but I take it as a sign!

6. I have started to learn to knit and its really exciting to create something all by yourself!

7. I am also learning Photoshop on the web and am contemplating starting a photo-blog ( what do you think?). I love photography and am a self-proclaimed photo-maniac. I love looking at photos; even of people I don't even know - they are such a great way to remember good times, smiles, friends, travels, happiness, beauty, nostalgia,memories.....enough said!

The big fat Greek Holiday!

I love new beginnings...the new year is not just another day for me. It brings new hopes and dreams for me. From small beginnings come great things and I firmly believe in it. We spent the end of 2008 exploring the Bella Italy, and what an exciting ride 2009 was! Maintenant (now), we spent the end of 2009 in another beautiful country - Greece! I am really excited about 2010. I am positive that its going to be a fun ride this year too! :-)

Exploring a new country and that too, Greece and to spend New Year's eve in a lovely country was a double bonanza for us. For me, the best part of travelling is about observing the people, their characteristics, the culture and of course, the beauty of nature and the finer aspects of every region.

1. The islands of Greece have breathtakingly beautiful beaches which was expected...but I didn't expect to see the islands nestled between lovely mountains and the beautiful blue waters everywhere. Expecting to see dry lands, I was pleasantly surprised to see a lot of greenery as well.

2. The Greeks are very well known for their prominent features globally and are indeed blessed with sharp features, especially noses and most of them have very attractive facial features. I had a great time simply watching people ;-)( What??!! Nothing is wrong with appreciating beauty, right?)

3. As opposed to the rest of Europe or France, the Greek women dress pretty conservatively; mostly wearing tights or leggings and a long sweater top mostly. I did see a huge variety of boots too which was really fun! I didn't see too many funky 'punk' hairstyles or piercings.

4. As we roamed around the city, I also noticed that the Greeks are not only hospitable and friendly,they are also family-oriented people and have large happy families. Beautiful little kids play with their parents/grandparents and enjoy themselves in the park or squares.

5. Though some parts of Athens are quite dirty except for the touristy areas; the Metro stations are impeccably clean and maintained beautifully. Every station looks gorgeous and is very interesting with old excavations retained, interesting pictures, huge clocks, beautiful paintings. Its a landmark in itself!







6. As we were holidaying during the festive season, we had the pleasure of sharing their cinnamon sweets sprinkled with walnuts, crackers dunked in honey in almost every cafe, restaurant and bakery. It was quite interesting to taste the local cuisine.

S could not get enough of the Greek coffee either! I tried it, but i think its an acquired taste.









7. The best part of our trip was our stay at Milos, one of the islands in Greece. Everywhere we saw these marketing captions towards promoting Milos - "Milos is for lovers". I could'nt agree more, Milos is definitely for those who love nature; as its blessed with loads of natural beauty and you can just never have enough of the calm serene views. S and I had a long walk along the sea-side and I think that sight will remain etched in my memory forever. It was GORGEOUS and CALMING, all at the same time!!

It was a long 8-hr ferry ride, 4-hr bus ride and tiresome ferry trips that made me nauseous. But it was really worth every inch when we reached the captivating islands of the lovely GREECE!

The year that was...2009!

The year 2009 began on a pleasant note as we just got back from a fantastic holiday in Italy and we learnt that we would soon be living in Paris! By God's grace, the year was phenomenal with major changes; interesting learnings on the way and a subtle maturity in me! :P

The move to Paris was a major decision indeed. It meant uprooting ourselves from familiar surroundings and our own lovely home. But it was a fantastic opportunity for S and an exciting option to live in the most romantic and exotic city in the world!

Initially, the new surroudings, new home, the people and their language seemed daunting. We have slowly settled down into our Parisian home, made some great friends and we feel at 'home' now! Yet, there is a lot of scope for improvement in French! :-)

When I was skeptical about moving to a new country as it meant moving from familiar surroundings, friends and family and most importantly, quitting my job (mine), my mom said something that really convinced me. Lots of people crave for change as the routine seems mundane and boring. So when you get a chance to explore, travel and move ahead; you must grab the chance! Why do you want to stick to the routine? That convinced me totally! 2009 is also my first year without a regular job. I have been freelancing on and off as we travel very often whenever we can. It has taken a lot of time to get used to the fact that I don't get a salary at the end of every month. When I had a regular job, I longed for a break and now when I am taking a break, I want a regular job! Such is LIFE :-)

I do make sincere efforts to find a relevant job here. But its difficult to find any job here if you don't speak French, the key being fluent french. I thought it would be really easy to find a job here. After the initial disappointment, I found some really interesting freelance work and worked on varied writing projects. It is like running my own business and there are dry periods too! I have learnt to be tough and direct with freelancing! That's a first! :-)

One day ( yes, I make up my mind in an instant and that's it - I have!), I just made up my mind to enjoy my break and do things I didn't find time to do earlier and I am loving the person I am now! On most days, I am happy and cheerful from all the wonderful music I listen to. I have renewed my reading habit and read a lot of books (thanks to the American Library). I exercise regularly, alternating between Yoga, Pilates and floor exercises which has really improved my overall health and stamina. I dabble in glass painting and gardening when I feel like it. I go out with friends and explore Paris as much as I can. Of course, there is a lot of household chores to do as I don't have any domestic help here which is therapeutic(sometimes!). So there is always so much to do and my days are happy and full. Is'nt that what matters?

Thanks to the internet and Skype, I have not missed my folks or friends at all. I speak to my parents almost everyday just like I did in India. :-) What would I do without the internet? I am known to be really cranky and upset if the connection goes off here for some reason! I have made some really good friends here and I am so glad I have close friends in every city and country now!

Saving the best for the last! The best part of this year has been all the travelling. We have been to 6 countries in this year alone! We have always made an effort to travel as much as we can even when we were in India. Now that we are in a more convenient location in terms of distance; we would like to travel all over Europe.

Someone has aptly said that one’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things. You learn and unlearn so many things in life; as you explore different places, cultures, people, cuisines, nature. It is a beautiful experience that needs to be felt; not described. I am in love with travel. PERIOD. I am aware that you also need twice the money. We try and save a little amount every month before we plan a trip. That way it does not pinch too much all too suddenly.

So we have saved enough to spend Christmas and New Year's in GREECE!!!!!! We will spend about 10 days in different islands and I am sooooo looking forward to it. Its a double bonanza that after we get back, in another 2 weeks, we are off to INDIA!!!! Here's wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a fantatic new year. I send a little prayer to God to bless us all with loads of love, happiness and prosperity in 2010 and thank him for the lovely and happening year that was... See you guys next year!

Spirituality and I.

As I do yoga or Pilates I listen to this among many other powerful verses, it fills me with an energy or calms me when I am feeling low in a way words can't explain. You have to feel it. The entire home reverberates with a positive energy. I have embraced GOD through Music and it has brought a balance to my life and given me mental strength. I don't believe there is a specific way to reach GOD. If it works for you, its good enough. Noone needs to approve it. You know it and that's all matters.

On an aside, for a long time, I would pray to GOD in different languages thinking if I am in North India, for example or if I go to a Church, I would pray in Hindi or in English respectively :-). I know, silly me!

Brightest Diwali in Paris!

We decided to celebrate Diwali in Paris in our little way at home! I love the festival of Diwali; so meaningful - celebrating the victory of good over evil; knowledge over darkness - the bright and beautiful lights drive away the darkness from our lives. It signifies the victory of inner good over the evil within all of us.



















We began with our favorite Ganchu ( I have a lovely lamp that I brought here from Pune; shaped like Lord Ganesha - one of my favorite things at home!)

These are lovely tea-light candles, my friend's Mom gifted me. My friend and her mom buy me gifts all the time!!! I know, its great to be 'me' ;-)

These are little 'travel jam bottles' that I cleaned and painted like this. They are too cute to be thrown away; so I decided to use it like this for Diwali. My little thing I did for our Diwali here...(not a great picture, I know!)

Capturing at a different angle....

( Aroma sifts through the air...again a gift from my cousin! I bless her everyday when I get back home!)

This time, as always, we updated the curtains instead of clothes! ( Who am I kidding??!! Even today, post Diwali, we bought some clothes...) Anyway, I bought some sheer-curtains first and then realized though it looks pretty; it glares and the light reflects on the T.V. So I went back and got some more. So, now I have two sets....which I can change to my fancy! I am in 'home decor heaven' now!

and now, last but definitely not the least....the brightest unique light as promised in the title!

I am not going to lie....I did miss the air of festivity back home in India. But by evening, my spirits were really high. We went to a friend's place for a '70's theme party' and we had a really good time. We met some lovely people and I felt so much at home with so many people around. Here's to a unique and different Diwali in every sense!!! Hope all of you had a good one too! :-) Making the most of everything in life; THAT is the elixir of happiness!

My Daddy - Strongest!!!

When I was a little girl, may be 4-5 years old, I am not sure....I would brag to my friends that my Appa ( Dad) is the tallest and strongest man in the world. Well, he was the tallest coz as he would carry me in his shoulders, the world looked really small from that height for lil 'me' and I used to think he must be really tall and big ( My Dad IS reasonably tall!)....I remember sleeping blissfully in his neck and I would nuzzle my head in the softness of his neck....I can vividly remember!


As for my Daddy being strongest ( there used to be an ad on T.V where all little girls would squeal 'My Daddy Strongest!, I used to love that Ad!)...I would very confidently boast that my Dad was the bravest and I would animatedly explain how he valiantly jumped in the middle of bullet-firing to save Indira Gandhi during her assasination. I even said they could see the mark on Appa's chest for proof!! I am sure my friends thought this girl is nuts!! The truth was that I had pestered my Dad about a mole he had...and he had jokingly said it was a bullet wound that he got when he tried to save the then Prime Minister, (Late) Ms. Indira Gandhi! I was so innocent and had so much faith in him that I really believed so! In my defense, it really does look like a hole and not a mole! To this day, it brings a smile on my face and peals of laughter from my Dad! ( which is a rare occurence!)



Handsome Appa in his younger days!

Paati, my darling Paati!

If there is someone I love more than my parents, it has to be Paati ( my mother's mother). She is no more, she lived up to the age of 85, but I have such wonderful memories of her. In my growing years, she was everything to me; my mother, my friend, my confidante,my inspiration. Its funny that I can never picture her with teeth or as a young woman coz she has always been my 'Paati' .

She would cry if Appa disciplined me, make awesome crisp rava dosa sitting on a stool, sit with me and serve food as soon as I return from school when she was at the ripe old age of 82 or 83, let me in on my mom's dark secrets ;-). A wonderful human being, very intelligent and smart in every sense despite her limited education. I would often wonder how she would have excelled if she was allowed to continue her education or if she was not married so early at the age of 13 and had to bear 10 children, while being strong enough to bear the loss of 5 children in the process...She would often relate interesting anecdotes about her childhood, wedding and I would listen with rapt attention and be transported to a different period altogether.

She had a great sense of humour and we would all ask her in English how she was doing...depending on how she was feeling she would either say 'fine' or 'pain'! ( phonetically they sound similar) :-) It brings a smile on my face even now. She would have been very happy to meet S or to see how happily married I am and revelled in my little successes. I am sure her blessings are with me; I feel it when she often appears in my dreams.

She lived a very hard life albeit filled with loads of love and happiness. I wish she could have lived to seen all her children doing well and enjoyed some comforts too. But I remember we were all there with her during her last days; singing to her and laughing with her. She was a wonderful soul who was loved and respected by everyone who knew her and that is what really matters. She will forever remain etched in my memory. I love you with all my heart Patti! You have given me the most wonderful mother, have'nt you? I am sure Amma thinks of her mother often and misses her too.

I think every grandchild shares a very special bond with their grandparents and vice versa.
Grandparents enjoy their time with their grandkids more coz they are not burdened with the need to discipline them or worry about their future and responsibilities. Paati and Amma are the most wonderful and strong women in my life; who inspire me to be a better person in every sense. ( I am sure it is for a lot of other people too).

I am still in denial...

I had a huge crush on the actor Arvindswamy ( and I am sure there were millions of other girls like me!), while i was growing up. If you don't know you can check this video to refresh your memory!



I am not going to say that its not about his looks, coz it totally IS! I have no clue about his personality or how he is as a person in reality. But in my growing years, he was the 'ray of hope' or someone who would bring a smile on my face! I would dream about him and wake up with a huge grin on my face. For god's sake, the guy did'nt even have to make an effor to make me happy!! He just did it...just like that!

All the guys would make fun of him to bug me or irritate me and I would get really pissed. Recently, S sent me this picture as a forward. Its one of Arvindswamy as he looks now ( the bald one!)! (Courtesy: Image from http://kollywoodmoviereview.blogspot.com)

I am still in denial !!!! I will only remember the one that is strongly etched in my memory!I Arvindswamy, how could you do this to yourself? Well, life's like that, huh? I guess all the jealous guys have a smirk on their face now, including S!

Beautiful Belgique!

When S and I met, we decided we would travel as much as possible and we would take at least 2 breaks every year! Boy! I am glad we stuck to it ( one common interest we have!)and every year has been a series of lovely holidays and wonderful memories! Travel exposes you to a different world, gives you a perspective into a different world and makes you feel really small at the same time! You feel you have been a frog in a well, literally!! We y(earn) to travel, that's all we look forward to! Its wonderful to have a glimpse of different people, their lifestyle, cuisines, the lovely locales, clothes, practices...this list goes on and never ceases to surprise me! I believe, you live only once, live life queen size and the way you want to! what say?

Even as a kid, I went all over India, thanks to Maa's passion for travel, every vacation was a new city, Mumbai, Kerala, Sikkim, Varanasi, Calcutta, Shimla, Haridwar-Rishikesh, Bangalore, Delhi....we have had fun times and long vacations! International travel begun after I got married. I travelled to the UK alone and we frolicked in Singapore for 10 days!! I have said enough about Italy here and here and here! We are lucky enough to be in Paris now, and it gives us a chance to travel all over Europe. We just about managed to see a bit of Paris, in about 3 months!! For the long weekend, we made a trip to Antwerp and on a whim, stopped on the way in Brussels too. Some glimpses...















Belgium is quaint and beautiful with an old-world charm....especially Antwerp with its cobbled streets, trams and old towers and big fountains...reminds of a slightly modern Calcutta!

Haute Couture!

Beautiful Clock Tower you can see from any part of Antwerp!

The man lying on the floor is impersonating the statues!

Amazing food at a Thai Restaurant....I was so happy to see Buddha EVERYWHERE!! From the decor to the candle holder!! I am inspired to learn Thai cooking now...very similar ingredients to Indian cooking but with a lot of aroma...

A beautiful ship stuck on the wall, in Brussels!

Fondly remember...

As I finished reading 'The White Tiger' ( I didn't like it so much, it is a dark story and I felt a lot of negativity. Call me naive, but I like to read positive stories with happy endings!), I wistfully, looked at the light seeping in through the curtains...and the curtains caught my attention. They have moved with me everywhere for the past 6 years, and holds a lot of importance to me. It was the first expensive ( It cost me 5000 bucks which was maybe, half my salary when we bought it)....I had just got married and these silk curtains adorned my new home...my life with S....I have carefully maintained it and guarded it with my life, when we moved....from one place to another! I never trusted the packers with it! I still have it in my home in Paris now, in the living room and it looks as new as it was when we first bought it. Our first home, had brick walls for pillars on the sides...it was a nice cozy home...I have good memories of that place! :-)


I remember, having a doll....as a kid...my mom's friend or someone, i don't remember, got it for me from abroad....she was a pretty doll with long eyelashes and beautiful eyes wearing a pinaform? I had that doll with me for a long time, even in my teen years, I had her! Then, on Holi, all of us were playing in the neighbourhood with colors, and my neighbour V had been splashed with color by yours truly(me)! He came chasing after me and I ran inside our home. He looked for me everywhere and he couldn't find me. In a fit of rage, he took the doll and scribbled on her face with a sketch pen saying 'Happy Holi'. Only kids can be that cruel. I was sooo angry first, and was really very upset later. Maa tried consoling me that we can remove the stains...with a remover or whatever! But sketch pen marks do not go easily....I lost her! I can never forgive him for doing that, to this day! ( I don't have a picture of the doll, am sure my parents threw it away later...she was totally spoilt with the clear big marks on her face, anyway!)

I must have been in III standard, my dad went on a tour to Mumbai and when he got back, he got me a beautiful frock. It was an off-white one with a chocolate brown waist coat. At that time, I had never seen something like it, and I was absolutely thrilled to bits....

On my 15th birthday, as is the ritual in our home, both Maa, Appa and my dear brother woke me up singing a cheery 'Happy Birthday to you...' and voila! I see a big pink teddy bear with a big 'I love you' badge on it. I can't explain my happiness in words. I was elated, jumping with joy...Maa got me expensive pearls... I didn't even glance at it! I still have that bear with me...comes with me wherever I go! My brother was in college then, and he was not earning or anything. So the teddy bear meant a lot to me.Even now, wherever my brother goes, he always gets something really nice for me! :-)

Is any post complete without mentioning my dear S? :-) He bought me a lovely Gili Diamond pendant as our engagement gift. I loved it and wore it for a long time with a thin golden chain my two closest friends, S and K got me for my wedding. It became loose one day and I didn't want to lose the chain/pendant somewhere. So I carefully put it inside my purse so that I can wear it after I tighten the hook. You would think I am smart? No! I lost the purse!!! I can never forgive myself for losing it. S has bought me numerous things from all over the world, everytime he travels...but that pendant was his first gift to me....and I lost it!

I am glad I have so many people in my life, who love me deeply and the gifts are an added bonus. After all, it is the thought that counts! I associate every single gift and gesture with happiness and good memories. Isn't that what life is about, good memories? I choose to ignore the bad ones!

My appy Birthday was awesome!

I am 29! Yes, I am loving it! This birthday was one my best ever...S came home with a bunch of flowers hiding behind his back, which he cleverly hid ( yeah, right!!)...made dinner for me even before my birthday began!

I was a little upset that I would be alone at home on my birthday and wanted to scream its my birthday!! :) ( Yeah, I am like that, I love my birthday and feel like a princess!). So I expected S to go to work and I thought we would celebrate in the evening, coz its a weekday. Surprise of surprises, S took the whole day off...served breakfast for me. (We had to get a medical test for the social security. So we got that done) ...and just roamed all around Paris...did some shopping...came home, S made lunch for us!! ....Went out again and did some more shopping....went to the Eiffel Tower and had the awesomest view of Paris!! S got me this awesome red coat for my birthday gift that I have been drooling over, as we pass by the store everyday!! :D ( among many other things, which we can discuss later!)

S wanted us to have dinner at the Eiffel, there is a cool place right on the tower. But he found out that they don't serve any vegetarian food. Anyway, it was a good thing...coz we just took the Metro and went to the Notre Dame area and found an amazing restaurant and we had dinner with candlelights and good conversation!

We then found this really interesting lane and washed off dinner with warm crepes filled with Nutella and walnuts! :D It was such a pleasant feeling...really cold weather...the warm crepes....I had a warm fuzzy feeling as we ended the fabulous day!

My parents / inlaws /family sent me an e-mail and e-card, I was pleasantly shocked!!! I did call them and speak to them anyway. I got a lot of wishes from all my friends, thanks to orkut and facebook! :) Thank you all for making me feel so special on my birthday! S, as always, you made me feel out-of-the world!

I celebrated my Birthday in Paris!!!... and the entire day was romantic!! Like my dear friend N says, what more do I want? Dear God, I thank you for this fabulous life and for all the love I recieve...look out for your child. I know you will and you do :)

Edited to add: I just noticed that this is my 201st Post!!! :) Double Century is not bad at all, eh?

A Grand Entry into Paris!

We arrived in Paris; the trip was uneventful…well, mostly. There was a slight problem about the baggage which was solved by an extra bag that we had to buy at the airport! We made a slight miscalculation in the distribution of the stuff!

It was my first time in a business class and I have to say there is nothing to write home about, except for a lot of leg space and the bed-like seat. I don’t understand what all the fuss is about! REALLY. Since it was an early morning flight, most of us slept for the majority of the time. So I didn’t really feel like it took a long time to come here! :) Incorrigible that I am, the minute I woke up, I watched F.R.I.E.N.D.S again! For that matter, so did S!

I felt like royalty as we arrived at the Paris Airport to take a cab to go to our new home. Listen to this, it was a Mercedes!!! :D I was thrilled to say the least, and S could not stop grinning ear to ear, the little boy in him smiling for a long time :) I felt really happy for both of us. :)

We both prayed silently to God for the smooth flight and everything going well without any hiccups. I couldn’t believe I was in Paris!!!! It was bloody cold and I think I need some time to get used to the weather; I tend to have headaches which I hope I can get rid of, over time! (The only downside, I hope!)

Strawberries and flowers!

We are all packed and the house is almost empty except for the bed and a few clothes! :-) We have had some tense moments, running errands and trying to get things done. Despite the empty home, I have a good feeling that its OUR home! We will come back to it in sometime, anyway, right? right!

I am excited about Paris and have mentally made plans of what am gonna do there! To start with, there is a nursery right below our apartment there which has some really beautiful flowers. So you know where some of the plants will land up? Our balcony, of course! Where else? All my chimes will tinkle and make pleasant sounds when the wind blows...I remember I did a post on strawberries in my garden when we set up home in Pune...it brings back beautiful memories...that sense of a new life, new people, new beginnings...gives me a sense of deja vu...Life comes a full circle, doesn't it?

Will put up pictures of the garden as and when it appears in Paris! :-)