"Doing the best in this moment puts in the best place for the next moment"
It works unfailingly. Each time.
"When you let other people be, you allow yourself to be"I found this brilliantly insightful :)
"The world belongs to optimists. Pessimists are only spectators not participants."I don't know who said it, but I love it :)
Ok, theres going to be no gyan accompanying this one. It just is. Peaceful, calm, Zen.
"Smile, breathe and go slowly... " Thich Nhat Hahn.No, no I dont suffer from any multiple personality disorder. A bit of calm I've decided won't do me harm :) And the design practice is on :)
The past 2 weeks have been crazy, full of work, family and life generally. But I'm keeping to my promise. Here's one more design- advocating my personal favourite activity. At the risk of looking crazy I'm mostly found smiling. My friends and family know its bad news when I'm not grinning. So here's the funda that works for me. And its great when I can quote great souls to the same effect :) “Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy." Thich Nhat Hahn.
Moral of the story: Grin even when you don't feel like it, especially when you don't feel like it :) It still works :)I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'm able to post a lot more often, cause trust me I've got TONs of stuff to post, starting from posts on Himachal to Delhi to Kerala to Chennai. Time, guys, time. That's all I need & I'm set :)
At it :) Its working- I'm working :)"A vision is not just a picture of what could be, it is an appeal to our better selves, a call to become something more" - Rosabeth Moss Kanter
I've been thinking of starting a few creative projects for SOME time now, but I haven't been moving butt on it. So I said, today is the day, and started the design. This is the 1st in a series of designs that I plan on making a feature on this blog. There, I've said it so I will do it [as and when I have time, of course- I had to give myself an out :)]
"Let the beauty of what you love be what you do" when my boss Zaheer Mirza (I have featured his home here) read this (Rumi's quote) to me yesterday, I knew I had to do something about it. And then I found "Iron rusts from disuse, stagnant water loses its purity, and in cold weather becomes frozen; even so does inaction sap the vigors of the mind." by Leonardo Da Vinci. They seem to say the same thing. So I will listen. And DO.
"Let the beauty of what you love be what you do" when my boss Zaheer Mirza (I have featured his home here) read this (Rumi's quote) to me yesterday, I knew I had to do something about it. And then I found "Iron rusts from disuse, stagnant water loses its purity, and in cold weather becomes frozen; even so does inaction sap the vigors of the mind." by Leonardo Da Vinci. They seem to say the same thing. So I will listen. And DO.
India is known for its palaces, snake charmers and poverty as much as its known for its contribution to global software power. And since this is not a blog that deals with the latter I can only be talking of Palaces. Time for some pure eye-candy :) This post kickstarts a series I'm about to do on the palaces of India.
Devigarh lies nestled in the Aravalli Hills near Udaipur in (where else but) Rajasthan, the state that probably has more palaces than the rest of India put together. Ok, that maybe an exaggeration, but you get the point. Most palaces in the state have been restored and turned into resorts, in this Devi Garh is no exception. The difference lies in the contemporary edge the restorers have managed to bring into the design of the place. The website will tell you "Devi Garh, is ready for visitors after years of restoration and rebuilding. The Fort palace was conceived as a place where the past meets the future.This all suite luxury hotel comprising of 39 suites with an emphasis on design and detail."
Devigarh lies nestled in the Aravalli Hills near Udaipur in (where else but) Rajasthan, the state that probably has more palaces than the rest of India put together. Ok, that maybe an exaggeration, but you get the point. Most palaces in the state have been restored and turned into resorts, in this Devi Garh is no exception. The difference lies in the contemporary edge the restorers have managed to bring into the design of the place. The website will tell you "Devi Garh, is ready for visitors after years of restoration and rebuilding. The Fort palace was conceived as a place where the past meets the future.This all suite luxury hotel comprising of 39 suites with an emphasis on design and detail."
Fort Exterior at dawn
Black Pool
One of the many stunning visages the palace makes - A tent by the poolside
Private dining in Janana
Sheesh Mahal
Garden Suite sit out area
Palace Suite Living room
Ram room- I simply love the genius of handwritten calligraphy on the wall.
Aravali Suite Bedroom
Devi Garh suite sitting room
Garden Suite Bedroom
Marble decked Spas
Honeymoon Suite Bedroom :)
Honeymoon Suite
A lovely view from the alcove seat
Bathroom
Conference room
Seating area in the Grand Durbar Hall
God lies in the detail. Brass reproductions of Shivas Trident as decorative feature
Detail of decorative raised metal work
Goddess in a flower Antique in the Honeymoon SuiteImages from Deviresorts.com
Maybe you are a collector; of odds and ends, of chocolate wrappers full of memories, of little souvenirs from travels and trips. Maybe you have an obsession, with little mint boxes or coasters (you just can't stop picking them from everywhere!!!) or maybe your shoe collection gives Imelda Marcos a run for her money. We are each different and it is important that in our lives and in our homes we have the space for these quirks that make us, us. Here's a post that puts together some pictures that display collections with great panache and become the focal point of a room.
The Saxon Hotel in South Africa houses an amazing collection of artisanal baskets.
The owner of this modern house in Germany has covered an entire wall with an eclectic mixture of mirrors and old portraits. The effect is both informal and exiting, a decorative counterpoint to the otherwise plain while walls.
Knitwear designer Diane de Clerq has framed miniature versions of her knitwear designs to decorate the walls of her office.
In this dining room,Asian wood blocks arranged on the wall have a striking visual effect.
Wooden shovels above the sofas complement the simple wooden table.
In this house in Brussels,architect Agnes Emery has lined all four walls with mirrors, framed and unframed, found in skips and junk shops and they bring in maximum light from outside in.
Antique eel rakes suspended round the window lend a graphic appeal in this American Farmhouse. 
And its ok if your collection is not frighteningly large and doesn't cover up the entire wall. You can prop them up like here or you can even group them together on a table or line them up on a pillar or even frame them all together, the options are endless. So bring your gems out and let them see the light of day & let the world see the real you :)
Images from House and Garden March 07 issue.
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