Friends like these...

With these two around it is bound to get crazy....

Snowflakes on my window pane...

Living in hot tropical Madras, snow always seems fascinating.... that celestial powder which gracefully caresses the land, blanketing everything in a sheet of white, is something I wish would happen here. Come December and I always make snowflakes to put on the window pane, half the carols I listen to mention snow anyway... point is, snow seems magical when you are not knee deep in it or scraping it off your car or shoveling your driveway. People who live in snowy regions don't seem to like it, but people who live in hot countries seem to wish for it...

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather. ~ John Ruskin

All set for Sunday...

Sitting on the easy chair, sipping wine and reading a book... 

A Sunday well spent... 

“Give me books, French wine, fruit, fine weather and a little music played out of doors by somebody I do not know.”   ~ John Keats

Our favourite place, growing up...

The book store that we siblings used to frequent when we were quite young. This was when I obsessively read every hardy boy I could lay my hands on and fell really hard for Frank Hardy. Those were wonderful days spent kneeling on the floor and poking through a collection of books, trying hard to pick out only a few from the rows and rows of books that little shop held.

“Many people, myself among them, feel better at the mere sight of a book.”
― Jane Smiley, Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Novel

Cauldron of petals...

Saw this welcoming sight at the entrance to one of the best places to shop for saress in Chennai, Tulasi Silks. So simple and elegant and effortlessly manages to liven up the place, click on the image for a larger view.

Beauty is everywhere a welcome guest. ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Applying Mehendi...

These were taken in Delhi, while I visited a local market... 

Deftly weaving intricate patterns... 

The finished work... (Click images for a larger view.)

The lingering patterns...

Pretty neat, huh?

To see the world in a grain of sand, and to see heaven in a wild flower, hold infinity in the palm of your hands, and eternity in an hour.  ~ William Blake

A few of my favourite things...

Hot chocolate fudge is what I more often than not tend to order in every ice cream place I visit... this picture was taken bout a year back in Delhi, after visiting a crowded local market where mehendiwalas occupy one side of the road waiting to weave these intricate patterns for a surprisingly nominal fee.

Pay attention to the intricate patterns of your existence. ~Doug Dillon

Contemplating in the shade...

Taking some respite from the relentless sun... a daily laborer in a contemplative stance. I hope his life is good, he is old but quite fit...


Old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read...
~ Francis Bacon

Gentle Giant...

This beautiful fellow crossed my house early one morning... I do hope his mahout is a nice person and that this gentle giant is having a peaceful life. Click on the picture for a larger view.

Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.
~ Anatole France

Smokey

Found this little fella outside on my terrace... one cold January morning.

If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies. 

Harvest Festival...

So Pongal the Harvest Festival is in full swing here and the roads are colorfully decorated with kolam patterns. 

Here is another one...

And another one... Happy Pongal, Folks!

One Step at a Time...

Saw this at the Oxford book store, a quaint little book store with a neat hangout place, where one can browse through some great looking coffee table books while sipping on cappuccino  or eating a delicious sandwich or just getting lost in an awesome piece of chocolate cake. (click on the picture for a larger view)

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
~ Lao Tzu

A poem on a plaque...

So I saw this memorial plaque at the St. George's Cathedral.... the little poem on it made me stop in my tracks. Click on the picture for a larger view.

You can find a chisel, I can find a stone. Folks will be reading these words long after we are gone...
~ George Strait (from his song Write This Down)

Fun Galore at Shoppers Stop

So this Shopper's Stop competition is going on and since this is where I do most of my shopping, I thought of checking out their online stuff. The main reason I prefer shopping at Shopper's Stop is because the music is incredibly good, this is the only place in Madras where I've listened to my kind of music. I wonder what music channel they are tuned into, I asked the cashier once and he had no idea. I've heard songs by Thomas Rhett, Eric Church and Luke Bryan. Today I heard Taylor Swift, Chris Young and Little Big Town while I was searching for some bed linen, needless to say shopping there is pure joy. I never thought their online collection would be quite eclectic too, anyway these are a few my favourite outfits.

I like navy blue clothes, they seem royal and elegant, like this pretty top. It would make a very pretty outfit for a casual day at work and then later to hang out with friends. Looks quite comfortable too. 

Oh, this is indeed stunning, check out that svelte cut of this blue kurta... it will make any wearer look good. I like the white block print on it, very ethnic and traditional with a little bit of fun thrown in.

This saree oozes elegance, and charm. The mustard colour contrasts well with the dark border, imparts a graceful look to the wearer. 

This peep toe shoe looks quite comfy and sturdy, can be worn with jeans for a rough day while battling all the elements of traffic to get to work on time.

This pretty ring, adds that extra zest to complete the look.  A little sparkle to make any outfit complete and this will definitely make a good conversation starter.
So that's my list, hope you all like it. I found these beautiful items on www.shoppersstop.com, you can check them out yourself and enjoy a nice time shopping online. 

Indian meets western decor...

Candle lights in Kolam patterns... so pretty right. Kolam is predominantly a south Indian tradition where rice and white stone powder is used to draw elaborate patterns in front of houses, as a sign of welcome and respect. 

Another picture of home...

Was home last weekend and it was great spending time with family and friends. This is the sight that greets you as the train crawls into my place early in the morning. Enlarge to get a bigger view, here's another picture of home posted long back.
Well, have a great weekend folks.

Sunday scene...

Scene in church after the Sunday evening mass... the soft flickering candle light depicting the hope and trust we have in Mother Mary.

Pretty Gate...

Caught sight of this ornamental gate while walking around town... 

Hanging lanterns...

I was in Bangalore recently and this little knick knack place stopped me in my tracks... they had such pretty colourful lanterns on display. Check them out...

Faint glow...

There were some left over serial lights and mom just spread them over a bunch of decorative flowers in a vase. The effect was beautiful as seen below... the soft mesmerizing glow changed the mood of the room, made it more magical and dreamy.