Saturday, April 19, 2014

Versatile Verandah

On a recent visit back home to see my mum, I sat out on the verandah of her home everyday after a leisurely breakfast, to soak up the gentle sunshine, smell the first blush of orchids and sprouting pine cones and have relaxed conversations with mum and catch up on all the family news and gossips I had missed out on.

And these mornings were  interrupted on a daily basis - by neighbours passing by, who seeing us on the verandah would pop in for a quick hello and chat - or my sisters on their constant mad rush between dropping kids off to getting groceries and on the way to or back from gym - interruptions that were welcomed and became highlights of our time spent on the veranda. And the magic didn't stop there because out of nowhere one of my mum's helpers would make tea and bring it out on a tray, proper brewed tea is a teapot covered with teacosy which tasted so much better than the quick kettle and tea bags I am used to at all other times of the year. Time spent on that verandah made me appreciate the unhurried, relaxed way of living, which sadly is missing from most of our lives these days.

I remember my dad insisted on this very verandah when this house was being designed, despite the architect's persuasion that it was wasted space that could be utilized so much better indoors all year around - but dad wouldn't hear of it - he refused to slash its dimensions by even an inch - and this was his favorite place to sit, weather permitting - with his newspaper and pipe right until he became too ill to leave his room...

So here's to verandah's all over the world - a disappearing space in architects drawings and vocabulary - and here's to all the people who are lucky enough to have and enjoy this versatile space.


Monday, April 07, 2014

On First Blush of Spring...

Nature's glorious spring is in the air - it may be cold, it may be wet in most parts of the world, but there is no denying the colours sprouting all around that herald spring - a tiny blossom, a small green leaf on a winter worn brittle branch, renewed vigorous chirping of  birds - all a lesson of hope and new beginnings. After all nature has no qualms starting afresh each time, why can't we?

So, sweep out the past, the miseries, the misfortunes, the lingering illnesses and your cluttered rooms and take a step forward to a blank canvas - where you are the artist of your life. And now is the grand time to fill that canvass with colour - colours that make you happy. Fill it with things and places and people who have a purpose in your life, who will help you be the best of who you are.

The first blush of spring always takes my breath away.

I love the fresh, cool air - I love the gentle sunshine that warms your core and makes you feel glad to be alive. I love the pink and white blossoms on orchids and the fresh dew glistening on branches and blades of grass as it catches the morning sun, throwing prisms of colours all around. Spring is magical, truly magical - so take a moment to savour it, it has a message that says there is more to life than work and commitments, there is beauty all around you, all the time- in places, in kindness of people, in nature- so take a moment to acknowledge and accept with grace the good things that come your way and the bad tidings, well, they won't seem so bad if you savour the good things in your life and are truly grateful for them.

Enjoy these interiors and accessories inspired by spring's first blush!

















On All Things Audery

My 15 year old daughter got me hooked on a daily dose of Audrey Hepburn's old classics over the spring break.

It all started quite innocently with Roman Holiday - that I recommended she watched to unwind along with a hot cup of cocoa one evening (she is studying for her exams in May) - and the next thing I knew she was mentioning one daily over breakfast each morning,  "had I watched Sabrina or How to steal a Million or Breakfast at Tiffany's or Charades..." And of course that started a nostalgia for old movies and  an obsession for all things Audrey.


 I had forgotten how naturally chic and elegant she was, in the way she spoke, carried herself and dressed - of course her dresses in the movies were customised to the character she played, but even in her off-movie pictures, she was always dressed with understated elegance and oozing charm that was her trademark.  This lady epitomised refinement - in attire and character,  and despite being immensely  glamorous and a style icon,  she never lost touch with her inner, impish impulse of just being Audrey - on screen and off screen. Her son published a commemorative book of her personal and professional photographs in Rome which came out last year , a must-have fashion look-book for me to delve into from time to time!

And watching movies from that era, you realise fashion meant something else back then - it actually meant dressing up, taking the time and effort to look effortlessly elegant and chic - and it worked, from the lovely coiffed hairstyles to the fascinators and hats, it all added up to a put-together, graceful look that is hard to find on the high-streets or the runway ramps these days.

Maybe it's me getting older, but I do find most current fashions and trends either don't work for me or  simply fail to resonate with me , I am turning more and more to yester years and old movies for inspiration!








The Offended

We have become a global community on taking offense over anything and everything. We not only take offense on a daily basis over trivial ...