of travels and travails

on a vacation

2012-01-19T22:23:00.001+04:00

So here it is, the day that I've been looking forward to, the day that I've been willing to come faster. Tomorrow we're leaving on vacation! Yay! Double Yay! It's been long overdue and I'm really dying for a break, to hand over responsibilities to others and just do nothing at all. Well, not really nothing, since we'll be traveling to several different places, for a beach vacation, for a vacation to the hills, for a vacation by the lake....yes, really, three different spots. And then there will be all the usual socializing and meeting relatives and friends. Fun but draining. I just hope I will get some time to just sit and not have anything on the agenda for a while. And of course it will mostly be an internet free break. See you in March. And in the meantime here are some photos that I took recently.

Having fun with my daughters letters!

Before sunrise this morning. I love the blue haze that I caught here.

Some last minute baking...dark chocolate chunk brownies with walnuts and marshmallows.

Achapams or Rose Cookies with a cup of tea one lazy weekend. We had some guests from Bangalore last week and I couldn't resist asking them to bring some of these for me. Reminds me of the time we lived there. Fond memories.

Lychees in the sunshine...love how we get fruit from all over the world. It's really fun seeing the labels in the strore, to see fruits and veggies from Peru, Chile, Thailand, Australia, India, Lebanon, Syria and so on.

Around the house

2012-01-11T23:13:00.001+04:00

Scenes from around the house. Simple things that make me smile, sweet treats to eat, new and old corners to explore and soft light to enjoy as it wanders across the rooms.

A little plant growing in water in the window. Took this early one morning, just after sunrise. Yes, I've been seeing the sunrise almost every day. And there's good and bad in that!

Soft evening light in the living room. Interestingly, this is not direct light, but it is actually reflected off the glass facade of a nearby building :-))

Playing with the camera.....a pretty border and packets of stuff beyond. Isn't it maddening how each year, we seem to accumulate more stuff...and not just the pretty-things-to-display stuff, but the boring-paperwork stuff.

A favorite little corner, where I spend my quiet time, my me-time with some green tea and a cherry surprise from the local bakery. Do you have such a spot too?

a new year

2012-01-05T22:15:00.001+04:00

Hello to a new year and new possibilities. We celebrated the new year in our usual relaxed way. Yes, we're done with the whole party-party-party phase for now, and quite relieved about it too. A nice day, some nice meals, a few fun rituals and that's pretty much it. We celebrated Christmas a few days early, since it's not a holiday here, with a family lunch, which is always an enjoyable way to spend it, isn't it!

Leftover chocolate pie from our Christmas lunch. Can you tell I'm having fun with E's letters!

E's Christmas present and a few holiday cards in the window. We woke up on Christmas morning to find ourselves enveloped in thick fog, so we really did have a white Christmas, even here in the desert! The tag is from Eat Drink Chic!

Out and about in the neighborhood. Love how the skies have cleared up to this gorgeous blue. The tall building on the left is about 78 floors and the brown one is 43 or 44 floors.

A little tea time in the afternoon. Green tea soothes me, but not sure if it's the tea that does the soothing or simply the routine of drinking green tea. Whichever it is, I love it. It revives me. Each and every day.

Saving the best for last: Our little girl, growing up so fast, so eager to learn new things, to test her skills, always absorbing, and always so loving, kissing us whenever she has a chance!

Nerja: put it on your travel list for 2012

2011-12-31T21:51:00.000+04:00

Nothing like the end of a year to take time to look back on what you accomplished. And, nothing like the beginning of a new year to get started on another year to do things, go places, see things and enjoy life. Travel was one aspect that we didn't do much of this year since our baby was still quite a little baby, but this year, we hope to rectify that.

I'd really love to explore new places this year, take more leisurely vacations instead of rush-rush trips checking sights seen off a list as if they were items on a grocery shopping list. That's not how to enjoy a vacation, is it? That's just making it something that you want to get over, not relish as a good vacation should be relished.

The way I like to vacation now is to take a little cottage or suite or even apartment rentals so it's like a home away from home where one can settle in comfortably. No daily shifting to a new destination, rushing on tour buses, running through museums for me. I'd rather take in the sights at my ease. As for the destinations, I'd love to go to a nice warm place, somewhere with history and culture, a place that has great food and of course a nice cafe culture, so I'm quite drawn to Spain, specifically Nerja, which I heard about from our friends who visited it recently.

Quite frankly, I'd never heard of it before, but after hearing about it, and of course Googling it, I thought it looked like a really great place to visit, full of interesting nooks to explore, beautiful beaches, museums and shopping. Located on the Costa del Sol in Andalusia, in Southern Spain, Nerja seems to have a great mix of old and new, touristy and authentic, all of which make for a great destination. The few things that really intrigued me about Nerja were the ancient Roman aqueduct and the primitive cave paintings which were discovered in 1959.

Looking for some Nerja apartments was so much fun that I felt like I was on vacation already. It was so tempting to book some flights to Nerja and fly off to this beautiful spot right away. I love traveling to new places, and I love to look at homes from across the world, so looking for a perfect holiday villa was the best of both!

Photo credit: a holiday home in Nerja

a new look?

2011-12-30T15:03:00.002+04:00

One day, one of these fine days I am going to go to the cosmetics counter in one of those shiny stores where everything and everyone look like they belong to a perfectly coiffed world. It's almost the new year and that's always time to shake things up isn't it! To change what one as a boring old routine, to something new and exciting. Ok, so I'm not going bungee jumping or anything that wild, but going to those dreaded make-up pods might as well be the same thing. I'd love to find the perfect light day foundation to wear on a daily basis, and maybe some bronzer or blush thingie. I mean, I'm not looking for some fancy trick on how to make your eyelashes grow longer or thicker or anything like that, but finding a nice lipstick would be great too. Just the basics.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-22T17:59:00.002+04:00

A very Merry Christmas to everyone! Some shots from my home from the last week. I did just the very bare minimum of decoration, and enjoyed the crafting fun, although it was such a rush-rush. The good thing is that after a while, I won't remember the rush-rush part, just the lovely things.

Growing up, Christmas meant a party with Santa at the club where we'd be given the presents we asked for in our letters to Santa. As we grew into teenagers, the high point of Christmas turned to the dance parties that we loved to attend. In my college years in the US, I remember going on drives to see the lights and decorations in people's houses. Now, as a small family, we are enjoying making our own little rituals for Christmas with our daughter, who hopefully one day will fondly look back on these days.

Every morning we start off our days listening to some old time music, Paul Anka, Engelbert, Frank Sinatra, Neil Diamond. They all take me back to childhood days, even though all of them were all considered old time music even when I was growing up, but we still listened to them and loved them. I hope my daughter does the same.

A lovely star that I made one night. It was fun and easy to do and I love how it looks hanging in my home, especially in the morning light. Inspired by Kay.

Some paper lanterns that didn't turn out like I wanted them to be, so a blurry photo is how I'm going to remember them. Nicer this way!

Home baked apple cobbler.....to make the home smell lovely and warm our bellies.

Merry Christmas to you and yours. Banner from Love Mae's Studio of Mae. Simple and Sweet. And free. The spirit of Christmas.

on The Walk at JBR

2011-12-20T17:00:00.000+04:00

Photos from the National Day holidays. Long overdue, but here they are. We spent the day at The Walk on JBR. It was busier and noisier than normal, but still fun. We had a little picnic on the beach and then watched some of the performances by Emarati dancers, drank some Arabic coffee, which to me still tastes like tea, got some balloons for E and generally had a nice leisurely day out.

Some info about JBR or Jumeirah Beach Residence. It's a huge residential development near Dubai Marina, facing the beach and with lots of cafes and restaurants. There are two levels...the lower level is called The Walk, which is where most of the lively stuff takes place. The upper level is mostly for residents and has some grocery stores and the usual laundry, pharmacy, gym, day care center mix. To give you an idea of it's size, there are 5 Starbucks in JBR alone!

Love the view up from here....even though I think it's a bit claustrophobic. This is the upper level which is mostly for residents, but we like to go up there for some quiet time away from the noise. We spent some time up here for E's lunch, so she could eat in peace.

As we reached the stairs going down to The Walk and the beach beyond.

There are lots and lots of cafes and restaurants here...everything from gourmet burgers to Turkish to French and more. This one, The Butcher Shop and Grill has some mean burgers on its menu.

Arabic coffee, which really tastes like tea to me. Strong stuff though.

After a while the noise got too much, so we went up one level. I think the performance was just finishing at this time....the stage is in the center in white.

Clowns blowing up free balloons. This one really scared E, who wouldn't let go of my hand for quite a while.

E trying to eat my french toast. Inspired by a certain Miss S, who tempted me with snow covered french toast. Ours were simple....although I did drizzle a bit of jam on this one :-)

I love you, Internet!

2011-12-20T14:46:00.000+04:00

I love it, love it when I find that I can do something online that earlier one had to go to an actual physical office for. Like bill paying. Or buying airline tickets. Ok, so that's an old one, but it's so helpful nevertheless. I've been looking at getting some new insurance, since the one we have is expiring and I want to switch providers. So, I was happy to find that I could just key in all my details online and get a quote, which apparently would be quite accurate to the actual amount that we would have to pay. Nice, na! I thought so too. Finding sites like http://wholesaleinsurance.net was helpful too. And you know what, the insurance company that I'm leaning towards actually has an office quite close by. Walking distance close by. Where I go for my walk close by. I know, I know, the internet makes us lazy. But I still love it. Love it.

recently....

2011-12-12T15:20:00.000+04:00

Another new week. Another week to make new memories. I love it when I look at it this way. Instead of thinking about it as another week of the same-old, same-old.

A freshly baked cake and an empty glass of green tea. This has become one of my new favorite cakes. I love the simplicity of the recipe as well as making it in a loaf pan.

Elisha doodling away while I sit and have a cup of coffee. Lately this has been the best way for me to get 15 minutes of me-time.

Piles of mail.....mostly bills that we never bother opening since I just check the dues online and pay directly. Who needs paper bills anymore. Some lovely surprises too....postcards and cards for E and me!

At the beach. Do you see the three paragliders in the sky? This is Palm Jumeirah in the back, btw.

the worth of a full night's sleep

2011-12-06T22:33:00.001+04:00

To me a full night's sleep is the most precious thing. Till I had a baby and lost an enormous amount of sleep, I never realized how much for granted we take this most simple aspects of our lives. And I find it really, really hard to function straight without a full quota of sleep, so much so that we're considering getting a new mattress just so that we get a better night's sleep even though it's not always a full night's sleep. Well, I can't just blame it on my not-so-little baby, since I'm up late into the night working too, so it's not her fault that I don't get enough sleep. But seriously, she loves to jump on our bed, so maybe that's why we're considering a new mattress, maybe just a foam mattress to put on top of our current one. Oops, there I go again blaming her!

And of course, she doesn't like the way I'm thinking, since she's stirring and kicking around...I'm listening to the monitor as I write this post. You know the whole, mother-baby bond thing, for us it extends to her knowing when I'm about to go to sleep.....she might be fast asleep, but as soon as I lie down, she decides to wake up. And, each and every time, I tell my hubby, oh you know she hugged me like this today, she thinks I need another such hug right away and wakes up. I love the mother-baby bond, but can we pass on these kind of instances, E?

another week

2011-12-04T22:31:00.001+04:00

Another week gone by, racing by, so fast that I was left confused at what day it was. It was a long holiday weekend for us, so that was partly the cause of the confusion, but it left me trying to catch my breath. Holiday weekends should be the opposite, shouldn't they? We should be refreshed by the end of a long weekend, but sometimes I look forward to the week of mundane-ness to soothe me.

Instead, here are some somewhat soothing shots.

The buildings next door. They all look so much nicer that our windows have been cleaned. Earlier, all I could manage was the small window under the openable window, but now, wow, our views are amazing. It's like being given a new pair of prescription glasses. And if you're wondering why I don't bother cleaning them myself, its because I live on the 16th floor and dangling outside is really not my thing! I mean I want clean windows, but not that much!

Elisha playing with her numbers board. She always likes to play with it on this windowsill in the sunshine.

Some tea and brownies to celebrate a few things. I'm loving the evening light we're getting in our bedroom these days. We've never been here at this time of the year, since we were out on vacation at this time last year. So it's a nice fun thing to see what part of the room will light up next.

One morning in the living room. I try to always sort it out the night before, so that I don't have to see the mess of the previous day. I'd rather start my day seeing pretty things like these!

reminiscing about those college days

2011-12-04T20:54:00.001+04:00

What do you remember of college days? The parties, the fun roommates, the midnight rounds of pizza, the pop quizzes, or the essays? For me, it is a mixture of some of the fun things like hanging out with my roommates as well as lots of hours at the library researching essays. All of my professors were very enthusiastic about essay papers and so I always had a couple to do each week. I usually used to start of researching them in the library, then writing a rough draft by hand, and finally typing them out double-spaced in Times New Roman as was always specified by the professors. But times have changes, now I hear the way to go about them is to use CyberEssays research papers instead of spending hours at the library!

It's become so much easier to do the research for papers too, so much so that it makes me feel like I'm ancient, but still, I think we had a pretty good time doing things our way. I loved the library and the stacks where I spent many a winter afternoon, sitting by the window with my pile of books. I even remember looking up tips on grammar in an actual book, when was the last time you did that? Now it's all about using the computer and the automatic spell and grammar check, isn't it!

a picnic in the park

2011-11-24T22:08:00.001+04:00

How does one document the days that go racing by, the ones that you can barely keep up with. Sometimes they overwhelm me, but mostly I am grateful to at least remember them fondly once they are over. Isn't that how it usually happens? When you're in the moment, it's often too hot or too cold, or you're too exhausted or sleepy, but later on one savors that moment, forgetting the discomfort that one felt. Here's how I want to remember the past week.

A picnic in the park, finding a nice shady spot away from everyone else, figuring out which tree will have the shade the longest depending on which way the sun is traveling. Do you do that? I automatically do. Once in college, a friend and me went exploring Pillsbury Crossing and got confused about which way to go back, but I figured out the way home, just by seeing where the sun was!

Miss E trying on my sunglasses. I love how fascinated kids are with the things we use, keys, phones, glasses, regular cutlery etc. She only eats scrambled eggs with a grown up fork and not her baby one!

Picnic lunch of Quiche Lorraine and coleslaw. Simple and easy to transport. And some chocolate cookies too. And that's E's book of colors peeking in the corner.

Streaky sunset as we came out of a nearby grocery store.

A quiet way to end the day.

Why I love my Friday+Saturday weekends

2011-11-22T22:19:00.001+04:00

At Safa Park on the weekend.

Over 4 and a half years ago, when we decided to move to Dubai, one of the first things I was concerned about was the different weekend days. It was so ingrained in me to have a weekend on Saturday and Sunday, that I felt that shifting to a Friday and Saturday weekend would be a struggle. I had never lived in country where Sunday was a working day. It just felt wrong and so hard. Surprisingly, it never was, despite having to go to the bank and do several other work-like errands on our first few Sundays.

Then I figured it out, that having the complete day off as the first day of the weekend is awesome. So, for us Friday is completely free of any kind of errands like bank work or paying bills, and Saturday is for catching up and preparing for the week ahead, doing the shopping, the bill paying etc.

The main difference is that our days are switched.......we have the free day first when we can really relax and the second day is for the catching up the stuff and preparing for the week. And now it's just seems so right. I think that's why I feel ready to go at the beginning of the week, since I'm really refreshed and best of all, the weekends come around so fast. Super fast really.

a prized possession

2011-11-22T22:02:00.001+04:00

One of my most prized possessions is a little trophy that I won in school for a marathon run. It's something that I did not only because we were all required to take part in the marathon, but also because a few people inspired me to take it seriously, to push myself and to not give in. It helps that our school motto is Never Give In, so that was what we all inspired to do and be. I actually should have gotten a second trophy, but one year they only gave out certificates, which of course got lost along the way. But a trophy stays, doesn't it! And since I'm not really a sporty person anymore, I really do treasure my trophy all the more. Sometimes, I thing maybe I need to kit myself out with a few more sports trophies, just to inspire myself and remember those days.

last week

2011-11-10T23:42:00.000+04:00

Sometimes, isn't it easier to let things flow as they will instead on planning them. I've always been a big planner, in the sense that I like to have everything organized and prepared. If we have guests coming to stay for a week, I like to have lots of menu options planned, along with sightseeing and eating out options. Is that too much for you? Do you like to take things as they come? Sometimes I find that I need to do that too, just let things be and let them flow.

I tried my hand at making scones for the first time. I've been making other drop scone variety quite often, but had never tried these types before. They came out nice, but a bit dry, and I'll be brushing them with butter before baking to get a nicer color next time around.

We hung out at the beach. It was fun and lively. A bit too lively when I almost got my head sliced off by a frisbee. But apart from that heart-thumping moment, it was a lovely relaxed afternoon.

Chilling with a Frappuccino at Starbucks on the beach. Always love how one will always find people from 10 different countries at these cafes. Makes one realize what a multicultural city we live in.

A little dreaming while lazing on the grass near our home. E kept herself busy playing and I followed suit!

a delightful giveaway!

2011-11-10T23:24:00.001+04:00

Yes, yes, one more giveaway notice! This is one thing that we can never have enough of right! This one is again hosted by Simple Blueprint along with Miss Yesterday, a lovely shop with lots to browse from. I found a really sweet fabric abc book that I'd love to have for E. I mean, it's simply adorable and elegant at the same time, something that doesn't happen too often. Go find your own favorites at Simple Blueprint.

Image: Miss Yesterday

Calender giveaway

2011-11-10T23:15:00.001+04:00

Like I said it's raining giveaways, so here's some information on another one. Simple Blueprint, yes the same awesome blog that I posted about before, is hosting a giveaway with Rife Paper Co, for it's 2012 calenders. My favorite one is the fruit calender, which I thought would be perfect for my kitchen or dining areas. I love how whimsical it feels, and the drawings really are beautifully done. Go read up on the details on Simple Blueprint and enter as well, there is time as yet.

image: from Rifle Paper Co.

Such a cute giveaway!

2011-11-10T23:06:00.003+04:00

Giveaway madness these days it seems. So many great giveaways, but may favorite ones are always the ones to do with art. Simple Blueprint is hosting a giveaway of Circle Prints, where you can find some really cute stuff. My selection was one that I'd like personalized, a pixelated heart with our initials. How awesome is that! Go see what it's all about at Simple Blueprint.

image: Circle Prints

tea and cake

2011-11-06T23:04:00.000+04:00

An old photo that found in my draft posts. I don't remember when I uploaded it, but I know whenever I'm in the blogging frame of mind, I try to write a few posts, some to post immediately, and some as drafts to post later, so that's what I must have done. Do you do that too?

nice weather makes you want to skip work doesn't it!

2011-11-06T23:00:00.001+04:00

It certainly does for me! Luckily it's the long weekend here and we've been spending a lot of time outside, enjoying the beautiful weather, so much so that sometimes I think that it might even be nice to do a job that let me be outdoors, instead of being stuck inside, chained to the computer. But really, there aren't too many job options with my requirements of wanting a nice fun job to be outside in the nice weather and inside once it's gets too hot to be outside! Maybe something like a Medical Records Technician Jobs would be better....a solid, simple and clear cut job! But really, would you and could you happily do a job that you didn't really love? Now, that I'm thinking about it, maybe I should just drag my desk and chair by the window!

how about some free art

2011-11-02T11:51:00.001+04:00

I love to look online for fun art for my daughter's room and in fact that was the most fun part of doing up her room, although in the end I've mostly used stuff that I've made. Well, it still doesn't stop me from looking online for new art though! And what better way to get some new art than to win it in a giveaway! That's exactly what's happening at Simple Blueprint, a great new blog I discovered today. Take a look at the Mini Empire giveaway on Simple Blueprint, that they are having and enter yourself as well!

the week that flew by

2011-10-31T15:37:00.000+04:00

And again, the week has gone by so fast, and it's the end of October. Sometimes I think that if I didn't take so many photos of the little daily things, I might not even remember all that we did in the week. Partly due to the routine, partly due to the monotony of it all, and throw in a tired mommy with a fading memory, and the mind is like a blank slate. So, it's thanks to these photos that I remember, the little picnics we had, sitting on the grass and munching on a freshly baked baguette. I had forgotten what a welcome the streaks of sunlight give me when I make my way out to the lake through the parking lot. I had forgotten that one morning, while E slept, we had a nice relaxing cup of tea as the steam made it's way up lazily.

Our morning tea, a ritual I find so lovely, so endearing, and so heartwarming. It's probably because of all the years of seeing my parents take it so seriously. Now, it's my turn. And I'm loving it. Preserving it for E's memories.

Evening streaks of sunshine in the parking lot by the lake. It even makes the concrete worth looking at again.

A little picnic on the grass. Kicking off shoes, reveling in the fresh air, tasting the warm bread, and listening to E's delight every time she sees a dog.

Elisha at the window in her room, which gets fabulous afternoon and evening light. She can carry off polka dots anywhere!

A little itty-bitty wish list for Diwali!

2011-10-25T22:14:00.000+04:00

Diwali is here! This is the one time of the year, that I like to pull out all my traditional stuff out of the cupboards and use them to create a more traditional look. My home is not ethnic at all. That's not my style. I love some ethnic stuff, but don't want my home to be full of it, that's all. I love to have an eclectic mix of contemporary, country, sleek and graphic styles in my home. At one time one only used to find products and homes with a very one-dimensional ethnic Indian look, but now many designers and artists have become so creative in taking something so ethnic and Indian and giving it a contemporary twist. Now, that's totally my style! Well, anyways, I got started thinking about all this, since there is a fab giveaway at Patricia's blog Colours Dekor brought by Shopo, one of the upcoming online shopping sites that specializes in modern Indian crafts and artifacts.

So here are a few things on my wish list of Diwali decor!

This striking patchwork kantha cushion cover from Anek Designs

This red charger plate from Elan

This Vintage Rose Tray from Artnlight

recently

2011-10-20T22:46:00.001+04:00

Some sights from the past week. Since the weather has morphed into the most amazing weather ever, we've been trying to spend more time outside. It's such a change from the claustrophobic and oppressive heat and humidity of the summer. And wow, the light has become so beautiful again. Inside the house, it's warm and soft, inviting and captivating. Outside, it's enchanting and makes everything glow.

The gulmohars trees are growing fast, and some are even flowering. I love this curved glass building and have taken many shots of it. I never seem to tire of it, especially in the wonderful evening light.

A little art in E's room. I made this years ago, before I had even thought of a baby, but last year I used this and another similar one (which is now on the opposite wall) as Christmas decorations, and I thought they would be perfect for her room. Back then, she still was in our room, so I hadn't really bothered with doing up her room for her after we moved into this apt. It's not the greatest or most creative art, but I really wanted something I had made to be in her room.

Not to be outdone by the evening light, here's some morning sunshine on the living room table. I love how it streams into the room, warm instead of blindingly bright as it was in the summer. We've had several foggy mornings, but this morning, I had the windows open and it even got chilly inside!

looking for a dream getaway

2011-10-20T22:11:00.000+04:00

As someone who has always loved to travel, I've not been doing much of it lately, which led me to think of how things change when one has a child. Before E was born, we based our travel decisions differently, usually selecting a place where we could chill out and relax, find good restaurants to eat in and have a few spots of interesting sightseeing nearby. But, now that we have a little toddler with us, we just haven't been able to travel as much as we would have liked, usually because it just seems too much of an effort, and we are the quintessentially tired parents.

So, instead we are thinking that we need to shift our travel priorities, selecting places and resorts that cater to our needs not only as a family, but also offer tailor made packages that are luxurious and distinctive, so that I can keep that 1 hr hot oil massage as my goal while someone babysits my daughter for me. Now, that's a good vacation goal to have, right! Looking around online, I found that one of the leading vacation providers for such a service was a company called Tropical Sky which specializes in luxury holidays to tropical places. Ah, just the sound of it makes me want to book one of their all inclusive holidays to caribbean, where I can unwind and do something other than my daily routine. Keeping a child occupied on the beach is easy work too, with sandcastles to build and moats to dig, so I'll be able to maybe even read a bit. Yes, yes, I'm talking about reading a book, instead of a magazine! After a bit of browsing, I thought why not make a plan for a barbados holidays 2012, maybe we can get all the stars aligned if we start planning now itself.

Planning a vacation in advance is key in getting good deals, but often when one books too far in advance, one is not sure if something comes up at the last minute. Paying a non-refundable advance fee will of course ensure that you don't back out and lose your money, since you are after all getting a really good deal in the first place. Even though I'm planning a trip several months away, just looking at this travel site, let me do a little armchair traveling. There are so many places that I want to go to, all across the world, from Bali to Cuba to pretty much all of the Caribbean. Closer to home, one of the spots I really want to go to is Sri Lanka. With flight times relatively short and an amazing variety of landscapes, finding holidays to sri lanka all inclusive might be our best bet to have a really nice relaxing holiday, where we don't have to worry about anything at all. Ah, now if only I could be whisked away on my magic carpet!

In the photo: Jetwing Vil Uyana Hotel in Sri Lanka which is one of the new breed of luxury lifestyle hotels and is in a rural setting. The area has been transformed using ancient forms of agriculture to reclaim agricultural land in the Dry Zone and turn it into a wetland system.

So, do you want the Love poster?

2011-10-20T14:33:00.001+04:00

Don't you love giveaways! I do! I'm not hosting one, but am just writing about a fab giveaway at Urban Style Vibes, where there is an iconic Love poster by Made by Girl up for grabs! I'm all for graphic art, I think it adds a nice fun atmosphere in a home, different from the usual oils and watercolors.

yay for beach season!

2011-10-19T21:32:00.000+04:00

Beach season is here! So thrilled to finally be able to spend time outdoors and enjoy the beautiful weather, which just a few short weeks back was unbearable and quite miserable. Out at the beach its wonderful to see so many people out and about, with boats, atvs, surf board and so on. The most popular are the atv's since there is so much to explore on the larger patches of beach, especially where all the dune grasses are growing. In fact, I even saw a stall selling equipment like atv winches and the like for atv owners.And it looked like they were doing a good amount of business too!

how many camera's are enough?

2011-10-19T21:19:00.000+04:00

More than one, definitely! It seems that camera's are on my mind tonight. I wrote a post about my current camera some time back and now I'm about to write about my old one...well, actually, the new version of the old one. I had a Casio Exilim camera for quite a few years, this is the camera that got me started in photography, the one that got me hooked. It was a tiny little thing, something I could slip into my pocket with ease, but it only had 5 mega pixels, which very soon wasn't enough for me. Now I see that there is a new Exilim EX-H20G out in the market and this one is 10 mega pixels and besides several of the must-have functions, it also has a built-in GPS function, so you'll have the information about all your photos automatically. I think that's a nice function to have, especially in one of these smaller cameras where you don't really expect it.I think it's important to have a couple of cameras, one fancy-shmancy one and one simple point and shoot. I'm feeling so nostalgic about it, I might just have to take out the old one and take a few photos with it!

Yay for consumerism!

2011-10-19T14:36:00.001+04:00

Ok, so because I apparently talk about things I use, buy and own, I am now a ShopSquad shopping expert!! Ask me anything and everything you want to, where I got E's books, to her cute dresses---oh no, those are made only for her, so no one else can have them----, the art on my walla, the camera I use, clothes, music, furniture, anything and everything. Talking about camera's, I currently use the Canon G11. It's a nice step up from my old point and shoot 5mp camera, as it has some of the dslr functions, so I can kind of try my hand at them, while I convince myself to take the plunge and go for a dslr next time around. But seriously, if you love photography, then having the G11 is really great, since it's not as bulky as an dslr, but comes up with really great shots. I use it on Auto most of the time, but have started to experiment with the other slr-like functions, and have been pleased with the results. Ok, so if you want to take a look at the Canon G11 here are some details.

Being creative with business cards

2011-10-12T22:11:00.000+04:00

Do you ever think of what you might have done if you weren't doing your current job? A dream job maybe, something that you really wanted to do when you were growing up, but got sidetracked in the quest to have a career that paid the bills. Growing up, I never spent much time thinking of what I wanted to do, but at a certain stage in school, I suddenly felt that I should focus travel or hospitality. For a while it was all about working in the hotel industry for me, but I happily lost my interest in this field when I realized that it would involve working on all the holidays! But, ah travel, that's always been around in my life. And I've even managed to live my dream by working in a travel agency, which was one of the most fun jobs ever.

Even though now my work involves the travel industry only in writing work, I still dream of designing my own travel agent business cards, imagining what kind of card I would pick. Ready made cards have speed on their side, so if you're in a rush, then you can have your cards ready in no time at all. Just pick your design, add your details and place your order. Selecting the right font can make all the difference without going overboard, especially if you want something a bit conservative. If you think about it, business cards are your first impression to the world, so they have to stand out, to be different from the competitor down the road.

Sometime back, I downloaded a set of business card plates where all I had to do was add my details. It came in a set of 6 different designs which I thought was an interesting way to look at business cards. You don't have to just stick to one design. Select a few different designs, but keep them similar by adding your logo and details and there, you're going to have a business card that memorable. So, be innovative and see the difference it makes.

the past week

2011-10-10T22:24:00.001+04:00

As boring as it can get to do the same thing over and over again, taking photographs has made me see everything with more interest. I make an effort now. A cup of tea is a cup of tea, repeated everyday, but taking photographs prods me on to maybe pull out a different cup, to use the cloth napkin and so on. We buy pretty things, but then relegate them to the cupboards, to be saved for a special day, which invariably comes along once in a blue moon.

Talking about the moon, here's half a moon in the lovely evening light, as the sun sets. I sat on a bench facing the water, with E by my side, both of us munching on a fresh baguette. Oh I tell you they are addictive. We've altered our walk time to coincide with when they bake the baguettes at our local bakery. I'll try to take a photo or two of it next time around.

Morning sunshine streaming into the living room. I love how warm and inviting it has become now that the summer is over. I'm in love with it again, after our disagreement over the hot summer months when it was too harsh.

Ah, saving the best for last :-) E wearing her new wooden bangles that my s-i-l sent her. I'm perched on the windowsill and she came to me instead of going to the window to look down at the cars. She makes me feel so special. I love her so much. Each day a little bit more.

a breath of fresh air

2011-10-10T21:37:00.002+04:00

I can feel the change in the air these days. Suddenly, the air is lighter and less humid, the birds seem to be chirping a bit louder, happier maybe! We've been spending a lot of time outdoors, lingering in the park in the evenings, taking little mini-picnics to savor along with the smell of the grass. While we don't get much of real winter here, it does get chilly and since the houses are made more for keeping the heat of the summer at bay, they don't always fare so well in the winter. High ceilings mean that using room heaters is often a wasted effort. What works to keep you cozy at night is a heated blanket instead. I love that you can set the temperature and so it can be used in a variety of temperatures. I always used to be wary of any kind of electric stuff for sleeping, but ever since I used a heating pad at a resort in the hills, I was convinced. They are so convenient to use and work really well. If you're wary of them, start off just by turning it on before you get into bed, so it's all warm and toasty for you to get into.

from our windows

2011-10-04T21:57:00.000+04:00

As the weather is changing, our views are improving too. The skies are bluer instead of a hazy shade of gray. Living in Dubai, one gets so used to seeing new and outrageous designs of buildings, but if one stops and looks there are a lot of really nice touches to a lot of the normal looking ones too. Like the steps in the black glass building. Not all the buildings are residential, and this black glass one is a commercial building, and there is another 1 or 2 more else where in our area as well. They've tried to make it a nice mix so that people can live and work here, but I wonder how many people are really lucky enough to live and work in the same area.

These are the 4 buildings to our south, seen from our side window. Incidentally, we had seen an apartment in the 3rd one from the left, and found the layout of the flat to be really convoluted. It had so much wasted space in hallways and passageways, almost like a maze. The last one on the right was still under construction when we moved here last year and they worked on it day and night, weekends too, to finish up the structural work. Now the work on the insides continues. This one is a commercial building too. Hoping that once offices open up, some retail establishments will come up too.

do you remember writing christmas cards?

2011-10-04T21:51:00.001+04:00

Can you believe it's October already! I just cannot get my head around the fact that we're already counting down to the end of the year, time to get ready for the parties, the holiday season, the presents and the Christmas cards, of course the cards. Isn't it special to get a few? There was a time we used to get tons and tons, I mean everyone used to send them out to everybody. We used to be writing cards, writing addresses and sticking stamps from the beginning of December, building up the excitement. Things have changed, and now it's all about holiday invitations for the parties instead, and it's all done online of course! While it can seem a bit mechanical and synthetic to get an online invite, selecting something with a personal touch makes all the difference.

don't you love the quirkiness of independent stores

2011-09-28T21:26:00.001+04:00

As the number of stores near our home are increasing, I've been curious about the mix of stores which are mostly chains and franchisees. So far there is only one mom and pop store, a tiny little grocery store, that seems to promote it's haphazardness along with its 'almost' free delivery. Yes, almost free, as it has a minimum bill amount, that happens to be more then double of the store one level up, but they still keep on saying, its free, as long as you buy a certain amount! Ah, what would small-scale retail be without a little kookiness! I love going to independent stores, since they carry products that others will not, just as long as they have all the modern accompaniments which are now considered quite basic nowadays, things like a POS system that tracks sales and inventory. Another bothersome issue at the smaller stores is that they usually have barely have any aisle space, so navigating it with a baby stroller is quite a hassle. But finding interesting and fresher produce is a great draw for me, and don't even get me started on the tiny bakery section. Today, we bought a freshly baked baguette, still warm to touch, that we ate while walking back home. Yes, E ate it too!

PosterBrain on my mind!

2011-09-24T22:11:00.001+04:00

Ever since I've got into photography, I've got printing on my brain. I mean, with digital cameras one keeps on clicking away but what does one do after that? Nothing, right. That's what I didn't like about digital cameras to start off with. But then I realized that there were some really great options in printing my photos and PosterBrain was at the top of my list. The name's amazing right! How could I not want to print out my photos from a company with such a cool name! Printing out smaller photos is fine for the usual printing shops, but if you want to do some custom poster printing, then you have to go to the best. For large format printing, the ink and paper has to be the best, and if you're going to showcase your work, just go with the best.

So far, I've had some custom posters made from our trip to Kerala a few years back as well as a trip to Goa, and I've really been satisfied with the results. Next on my list are some even larger format poster printing, for a large wall in the dining room. I've been thinking of getting one of my shots of a window printed out large, to give the impression that there is a window there. Since I love to take photos of views from windows, I have several to choose from. It would be cool to see a view from a half a world away, as if it's right outside, wouldn't it!

The cool thing about PosterBrain is that they are experts at custom posters, poster printing and custom poster printing as well as large format printing so they are able to blow up any photo into a 24x36" poster. And best of all, they manage to do the printing and shipping overnight itself. Prices of printing start at USD 19 and shipping at USD 8, so I know that I can order a few without feeling guilty. I had thought I would place my order before my guests arrived a couple of weeks back, so that the house looked nicer and a bit different from the last time they visited, but I just wasn't able to decide which one I wanted to order. Decisions, decisions!

toddler inspired redecorating!

2011-09-20T23:02:00.001+04:00

Having a toddler in the house makes you see everything in a new light. There is danger in every direction, sharp edges, loose wires, things waiting to be pulling off tables, odd niches waiting for little hands to get stuck in. I've been busy trying to make it all safe for her without going overboard. I mean, I don't want to childproof the house to such an extent that it's taken over by gates and the usual safety stuff. I want to teach my child not to mess with some things, things that I can leave out in the open, not dangerous things of course, but things that she will be curious about and want to touch. How else is she going to learn what it means to be told no? I have sorted out all the many wires though, and having hdmi video cables makes it all much simpler anyway.

Buying Local Vs Organic

2011-09-19T22:06:00.000+04:00

There are so many great online magazines now days and one of the new ones that I am reading is Pure Green. I'd bookmarked it a week or so back so I could sit and read it when I had some time, so that I would not have to rush through it. That's the whole idea about being green, living an organic life, buying local and so on. I wanted to relish reading the magazine, to savor it. Don't you do that too? I love holding onto my magazines, especially the physical ones, until I have a good amount of time to really enjoy them, and so with online magazines too.

I recently wrote about another online magazine called Kinfolk, which is about gatherings, especially small gatherings, and how we are losing and forgetting the importance of these social and cultural events in the rush-rush of life. Pure Green is all about sustainable living and design, which was once such a niche segment, but now more and more people are understanding what it's all about. In a way, Kinfolk and Pure Green relate....they're both about slowing down and living a a better life, a life that doesn't revolve around pre-cooked meals, about reconnecting with the family, and creating a new social and cultural environment for one's family and friends.

Living in a place like Dubai, where there is very little local produce, I find it hard to find fruits and vegetables that have not come from half the world away. I place more importance on buying local rather than buying organic, and luckily all grocery stores list the country of origin of all items in the produce section. For example, there are usually 4-5 varieties of tomatoes, each with varying prices and the most expensive ones are the organic ones. If there is a local variety, then that is my choice. While we don't have much local produce, tomatoes, lettuce and cucumber are the most common ones.

Image source: Pure Green Magazine

the everyday

2011-09-14T15:30:00.001+04:00

Just the everyday things, the ones that get overlooked in the rush-rush of daily life. It's good to stop and do something different every once in a while isn't it.

little feet in the corner. Somehow Elisha's feet look so tiny here, smaller than they actually are. And that's a biscuit that she played with for a while and then abandoned. At least, she didn't crumble it and spread it across the floor :-)

She woke up way to early one day and I knew she wouldn't go back to sleep, so decided to go for a walk with her instead. While it wasn't cool, but it was decently pleasant and I got some nice early morning sunshine shots, when the light is always so nice.

All babies love looking at other babies photographs don't they! Here, Elisha is engrossed in the Ikea catalog, talking excitedly and pointing to a baby.

I want to remember this forever

2011-09-05T22:29:00.000+04:00

So this evening, we were coming back from our walk and the lift filled up with a young mum with a 5-6 year old boy and one other gentleman. The little boy and his mother got off first and then it was our floor. As we were leaving, the gentleman says, I'm going to be a new dad soon. So we congratulated him and I told him, it's a life changing experience. You'll be more tired than you can imagine, but you'll also have the most amazing experiences ever.

That's really what it's been like for me. I'm more exhausted that I ever thought I'd be, constantly rubbing Sensor on my back and my wrists, complaining of a myriad collection of aches and pains, but despite it all, it's be best experience ever.

This is the second time that I've felt it so strongly, that I can ease her pain just by holding her. When she used to cry constantly when I put her down for about 2-3 days just after she turned 1, I thought she's just throwing a tantrum. I thought, I have to discipline her, I can't give in to all her cries. But it turned out that she was teething and had an upset tummy for which she was taking meds, but they weren't helping. So she had a genuine problem.

How is it possible to ease physical pain just by holding a child? But it's true. Children are comforted just by being held or even if you're just sitting there, right next to them. Elisha was teething and for her just my holding her or comforting her was medicine enough. The past few days it's been happening again. I'm in awe. I still look at her and get all guey.

I want to remember these moments forever.

In the header

2011-09-05T17:24:00.001+04:00

A full version of the photo in the header. My daughter Elisha's plastic globe and her books in the back. She loves playing with and reading her books, which really makes me very happy. Especially, when I'm busy doing something and I realize that she is very quiet, and turn to look and find that she is quietly looking at her books, pointing to different things on the page, quietly talking to herself. It's the sweetest thing ever. Ever.

seeing only the good things

2011-08-30T23:17:00.001+04:00

Don't you just love to blur things out every once in a while? It's like sitting and daydreaming! Only seeing the good things, the pretty things and blocking out the unsightly! That's what I do when I see roadworks under construction in my neighborhood. It's nice to be on the 16th floor and get this great view!

recession is over, right?

2011-08-30T23:12:00.000+04:00

The last few days alone, I have read several reports about how the job market is really starting to pick up again. Not all sectors are seeing a significant change though, but one that is, is the healthcare sector. So things are looking up if you're looking for Billing/Coding Specialist Jobs or maybe jobs for audiologists and for many other healthcare fields. These reports on upswings of the job market have been written about by the newspapers earlier on too, but maybe that was too early to make it as a marker or sorts. Hopefully, this time it's the actual thing.

is the summer over?

2011-08-30T22:10:00.000+04:00

I always feel the urge to go shopping when the seasons start to change. For most people the change from spring to summer comes with a huge sigh of relief that the warmer days are here, but for us in the desert the slow shift from summer to well, not so hot summer, makes us want to go all out shopping. We will finally be able to spend some time outdoors. More than running from the door to the car and back. Maybe some barbequing, maybe some time at the beach, maybe just being outdoors for no other reason other than the weather is nice. So the order of the day is for some new shoes, and I even found some with the most delightful name, yellow box shoes! Isn't that charming! Having an interesting name is half the battle for any brand, and this one certainly is memorable.

All in a day's work

2011-08-28T21:57:00.000+04:00

Little flowers from a bunch of stems that I plucked while on a walk. I know it's not allowed, but I just couldn't resist.

So, the weekend was nice and relaxing. I got a lot done. I read the whole week's papers. I did a few crosswords. I sorted things I needed to have sorted many months back. I cleaned. I dusted. And still, I felt rested and like I had accomplished something. Then, last night the fridge broke. Literally, the door fell off. I was like, well, there goes the nice weekend. The door hinge was broken, and it was too late to get someone to get it fixed, so I emptied the door and placed it like it should be and locked the door of the fridge, which is what held it in place.

Elisha with her current favorite book, 5 little monkeys jumping on the bed.

This morning I woke up early to look through the classifieds for a refrigerator repairman. I knew I had to find someone fast, since everyone is working only till 2pm because it's Ramadan. I called a few people who gave me their estimates and then I called the Whirlpool service center and decided to go with them. The girl there was super helpful, scheduling a home visit, ordering the part, etc. And at 2pm, my fridge door was fixed.

So hats, off to the people at Al Ghandi Electronics Service Centre in Dubai. You saved my weekend and my sanity.

the little things of daily life

2011-08-24T15:36:00.002+04:00

I keep thinking that I need to write more about the little things, after all, that's what I like to read on other blogs. The simple things that make up our days, the mundane, the repetitive, even the boring. So here are some photos of the little things in my life lately.

Little plants giving out roots in water. So delighted with this development, since I thought it happened only with Money plants...Scindapsus. A week ago, when E woke up early-early and refused to go to sleep, I took her for a walk so that I could pluck some more of these.

Little birds hanging around the hallway. I've had these for ages, but just never got around to hanging them. I actually didn't realize they were in a mobile kind of format. I had thought they would just be hanging on a single string, so was pleasantly surprised when I opened the packet. This spot gets a draft of air from the ac so the birds are always gently moving, which amuses E quite a bit.

I love to play with her toys too! I especially love arranging them in the window to inspire her to do different things. Just wish the light wasn't so harsh.

Kinfolk: go read it

2011-08-14T15:48:00.002+04:00

It's been a while since I last posted. Sometimes it seems that time just slips by and whoa, it's been "how" long since I posted? I've been around, mostly on flickr actually, and reading a lot of blogs and mags, but just not having anything of importance to share. Well, now I do.

Go read Kinfolk Magazine. I'm hooked on it. And it's just one issue down as yet, but it has appealed to me like never before. It's a magazine about gatherings, simple gatherings in one's home, in one's backyards. Simple and seasonal menu's, simple table decor in sync with it surroundings, and the articles, wow, I'm so impressed. I read many of the online mags, but this is the only when where I actually "read" the articles. Yes, I skip them in Lonny, Rue, Matchbook and all the other ones.

But, Kinfolk is a notch above, I find. Maybe it's the simplicity, maybe it's the quotes, or maybe it's the amazing photos that echo the words so beautifully. One of the articles is about how we are bypassing inviting people into our homes for meeting at restaurants, for fear of the mess at home, lack of space or time constraints, which makes us less likely to really get to know people. How can one form friendships if one never lets people into our homes, to see the real us, our little histories related by photos, artwork, books, the little things that wordlessly tell people who we are.

So, anyway, go read it.

when was the last time you got some personal mail?

2011-08-01T15:19:00.002+04:00

I love getting personal mail, but it's seriously dwindling year by year. Birthdays and anniversary is a given, and getting cards at Christmas and New Year's is a real bonus, since no one really sends them out anymore. Apart from a few birthday cards in June, I've only received a postcard from my friend Kits in Japan. Well, actually it was for my daughter, but I can claim it came to me, can't I since she's too small to read!

So, when I read about this website called NotAnotherBill that send you a surprise gift at the start of every month, I thought, wow, this is cool, but also a bit sad, since this is something that we used to do for each other. The fun part is that you get a surprise gift each month, something unique, something quirky, something that you're not even likely to find in a store.

Founded by Art Director and entrepreneur Ned Corbet-Winder, who sources gifts from local markets, vintage fairs and even collaborates with artists to create unique gifts for subscribers, NotAnotherBill costs GBP 15 per month and you can sign up for yourself or to send gifts to someone else. Read more about it on Springwise.

the simple things in life

2011-07-26T14:50:00.001+04:00

C for Calcium

2011-07-26T14:46:00.000+04:00

Ok, it's official. We're goners! I thought I was the only one, but the husband is too! What happened was quite comical actually. I needed to stock up on some vitamins so went to the pharmacy and bought a few bottles of the usual stuff, Calcium, Iron etc. After having the "calcium" for a day, I realized something was different. The pill was smaller than the 500 mg pill of calcium and it tasted sourish. I looked at the bottle, and uffff, it wasn't calcium that I had bought, it was Vitamin C! C for Calcium, C for Vitamin C is what my mind thought apparently. So, anyways, I asked the husband to buy me a bottle of Calcium, he said no probs, and the next day, got a bottle for me. I know so sweet of him na! The only hitch was that he ended up buying the exact same bottle of Vitamin C too! Same brand, same size. I couldn't believe it. and then I couldn't stop laughing at it! Third time around, we went together to the pharmacy, asked someone to guide us to the C-A-L-C-I-U-M, picked up a bottle and kept repeating, Calcium right, this is Calcium right? Yes, we're both goners.

learning to juggle everything

2011-07-12T21:54:00.000+04:00

The number of people working from home has been on the rise for a long time, and I'm one of them since July 2005. Ever since I got started on working from home, I was hooked and never wanted to do the 9 to 5 thing again. While many people think it is an easier option, it's not as easy as it looks. Yes, I might be able to take a break whenever I want to, or even watch an episode of Friends while I eat my lunch and take a short nap, but trying to juggle between work and home can be quite challenging. For one, often people don't even realize that you're actually working, just because you're home. And for another, you have to be a master of organization and that's where having a document management system comes in handy. I found that unless I had a proper schedule, a daily agenda, a way to manage my emails, deadlines, current data etc, I was quite lost. Having a system to manage it all for me was essential and a big part of my success as a freelancer.

an ever-changing inspiration board

2011-07-12T21:44:00.000+04:00

Something I love about our home office set up is our fabulous 4 in one printer, scanner, copier and fax. The last one we really don't use much of, but the first three, I love to use as much as I can. I'm addicted to creating stuff on Paint and printing them out for the desk's board. Needless to say, we go through a number of inkjet ink cartridges in quite a short period of time. But, I love being able to create things right here. I don't have much free time anyways, so when I do, I cherish trying to be creative and coming up with something fun.

The desk has an ever changing inspiration board of postcards, prints, notes, quotes and other stuff, and I love being able to play around with it every few weeks. I've got lots of small artwork that I've never framed, so this is the best spot for them and since I rotate things quite often, I get to see the things that I had lovingly bought but never used before.

photo: sunshiny days

2011-07-11T22:46:00.001+04:00

Some photos from our old house...of dried rosebuds in shot glasses and apricots in a turquoise bowl. The light was wonderfully warm yet not too bright in our old home which always created really beautiful photos.

almost 7 years old here

2011-07-11T22:39:00.000+04:00

I just realized that in August this year, my blog will be 7 years old. Wow! How the time has flown and how the blog world has changed in these past 7 years. I first heard about blogs from a newspaper article and I remember always having to explain to pretty much everyone what a blog was. I knew the basics of html, so was ok with a lot of the technical stuff, since it was quite basic at the time. Not like the css and all of today. Or is that outdated as well? Anyhow, it's been a good way to share my thoughts, my views and my photos.

I want some sleep insurance!

2011-07-11T22:29:00.000+04:00

Today has been a fun yet hectic day. I managed to get a lot of stuff done so am feeling great about all that I've accomplished in a day, but I know I'm going to be exhausted (more than I already am) since little E seems to keep waking up again and again. Oh what fun it would be to sleep through the night! I did manage to do that last night, after many many days and even though it was just over 6 hours (from 1130pm to 600am), I felt great having an uninterrupted sleep for this length of time. Sometimes, when I'm all sleep deprived, the funniest thoughts come to mind, such as how much I would love to have something like a sleep insurance, a way to ensure that I get to sleep at least 6 hours every night. Oh, what fun that would be! But seriously, I'm reminded about sorting out our recent issues with health insurance, so maybe my sleep deprivation is all about keeping track of what needs to be done!

remembering college football weekends

2011-07-11T22:18:00.000+04:00

Feeling a bit nostalgic today remembering college days, thinking back to how carefree it all was! Remembering simple rituals like going to the home games during football season, enjoying tailgating and partying. Even though it was all fun and games for us, for the actual players, it's all about strength, precision and dedication to their sport. But seriously, apart from all this, there is a lot of science and technology that goes into the game such as shoulder braces for football players that make it possible for them to play all those fantastic moves. When I first saw how complicated all the technology is with all kinds of shoulder braces, supports and stabilizers, I was quite impressed. So, this is how they manage to play the way they do? Good that I didn't know it back then when I was in college!

Thursday baking fix

2011-07-07T23:32:00.002+04:00

Did I ever tell you about my Thursday baking fixation? Well, since our weekends are on Friday and Saturday here in Dubai, I love to get something sweet baked so that we're set for the weekend. It actually started off with wanting to have something baked for breakfast...cinnamon rolls, fresh bread and so on, but slowly morphed into desserts and cakes! Sometimes, it actually is cinnamon rolls....or honey raisin bread, like last week, but this week it's chocolate cake!

Some examples:

Sour Cream and Chocolate chunk muffins

Cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting

Cream Cheese Brownies

Chocolate pudding pie

photos: the narrow lanes of Bastakiya

2011-07-02T22:47:00.001+04:00

Revisiting the Bastakiya arts quarter in Dubai, one of our favorite spots in town, a lovely little place to wander the narrow alleys, to sit in a quaint cafe and sip Turkish tea in those beautiful little glasses with gold embellishment. The bougainvillea is always flowering, always bursting with color and providing welcome shade.

the power of community buying

2011-07-02T22:34:00.000+04:00

Today, we used our first Groupon voucher and got some yummy gelato at the Dubai Mall. I've been seeing all the daily deals that they had, but was a bit wary of trying it out, so when I saw a deal for a cup of gelato, I thought this is the best time to try it out without losing out too much if something goes wrong. Well, the system is very simple and straightforward. You buy the coupon online via credit card and once the deal closes, you get an email with the voucher which you print out and voila, you're done. The whole community buying/deal saving deal has taking Dubai by storm it seems. We've got several similar companies offering some really awesome deals, everything from dhow dinner cruises to dental treatments to hair and beauty stuff to some amazing deals of restaurants.

Avoiding any Bridget Jones like moments

2011-07-02T22:19:00.000+04:00

There's a great line from the movie "Fools Rush In" about what a waste of time dating is, when all one is doing the first few months is trying to hide one's real self, and then one starts all over again without any pretense. It's quite true, isn't it? If you've ever read any kind of magazine, anything from Cosmopolitan to Reader's Digest, you surely would have come across a variety of rules of dating, things to avoid, questions to ask on a first date, secrets about your dating history never to disclose and so on. But, what about the world of online dating? It's not really a new phenomenon anymore, and the rules are quite different, aren't they, especially if you go by the magazines and websites say.

While it might seem as the really stressful situation when you're in it, it's best to think of it in a lighthearted manner and take it all in one's stride. Instead of thinking of it as a dire situation in the Bridget Jones kind of sense, think of it in a more relaxed manner, so that you never, ever, ever end up in any kind of situation that dear Bridget seems to find herself in. When it comes to being safe on the internet, the rules are entirely new. Be smart about who you're talking to, be safe about what personal information you're telling about yourself, be wary of posting photos of yourself, and most importantly of all, don't get carried away.

photo: neem flowers

2011-06-21T22:20:00.002+04:00

Some photos of neem flowers and leaves from the old house. Our neem tree was just behind the house and we could see it from the bedroom windows, always beckoning me outside to gather some leaves or flowers for the house.

the appeal of a mini laptop

2011-06-21T22:07:00.001+04:00

Ever since the new kind of mini laptops have come out, I've been intrigued. I use my laptop all the time and I love it, but lately, I've not been able to take it with me on any of my trips since it's just too much to carry along with little E's stuff. But, if I had something like one of the new hp mini laptops I wonder if I could have carried one with me in my purse itself. I could then not have such a backlog of mails to get to once I get back home and could send out photos sooner. But on the other hand, this way without a traveling laptop, I get to be completely offline for a while, which is a huge relaxation in itself.

and now time for some reading

2011-06-21T21:55:00.000+04:00

I finally got back to doing some reading again this week. It was good to suddenly find that all my work was done and I wasn't dead tired and sleepy, so I sat in bed and read a bit of a book. It was a good feeling, a new feeling and one that I will not take for granted again. Having a child is such an eventful and powerful experience, some might even compare it to going for drug rehab treatment in the sense that it is a bit of a shock, as to how exhausting it actually is, how time-consuming it is, and how you really have no time for yourself. But best and more surprisingly of all, it's something that one does happily, apart from a few grumpy moments when one has to wake up in the middle of the night.

photo: simple flowers

2011-06-15T22:15:00.002+04:00

Something so special and simple about simple blooms of Plumeria, isn't there? I love these flowers and somehow, we've always had a few trees close to each house we've lived in, making it so tempting to have a few in my home.

a fun way to vacation

2011-06-15T21:26:00.000+04:00

I've always been keen on traveling the country by road, to take a few months to explore the countryside, to not worry about the last day of the vacation before even the first one has ended. To travel without deadlines has always been my goal, but in this day and age, when one has to take flights and have deadlines, it's just about impossible to do. So, to be able to take a few months off in the summer, rent an rv and just roam the country would be bliss. Traveling by road always involves a good amount of planning, mapping routes, finding hotels to stay on the way, getting a good rv insurance quote to make sure you're not going to be stranded half way on your trip. And then, just to switch off, and enjoy the trip. Wonder when I'll be able to do all this! A few years down the road maybe!

seeing anew

2011-06-09T20:17:00.000+04:00

As with any trip back home, I have a really packed schedule. I try to keep some time for complete relaxation and then time for all my errands too, which I always seem to have so much of. This time was no different as I had tons of things to do, one of which I had been putting off for a while, a visit to get my eyes tested. Well, it wasn't bad at all and my power had just changed slightly, balancing the power out in both my eyes, which earlier was uneven. I decided to get new glasses, nothing too fancy, but more for just a change and having a spare pair. Getting a pair of designer reading glasses is not high on my list of must haves, but if they are comfortable and light and look good too, then why not, right? My new pair isn't used that much anyway, but it is nice to have a good pair of spectacles when one needs them, even if no one besides the husband and baby are seeing them!

making tax returns not so taxing

2011-06-08T22:09:00.002+04:00

Every year in March and April, there are lots of people trying to frantically sort out and submit their tax forms, and each year there are many who fail to meet the deadline. But, did you know that if you are in the military and are stationed outside the US, you may be eligible for a tax extension, beyond the already extended date for military personnel living outside the US. Not many people seem to know that it's a simple procedure to get a tax extension form so that you can meet the extended deadline.

Filing taxes have always been tiring and well, taxing, and so I've always found it left better to the experts, especially if you don't have to pay a ton for them and don't have to trudge to an office across the city with all your bills and receipts. Handling it all online, made it a very do-able option for me, especially when last year's tax information was automatically transferred and your W2 and 1099 forms were imported from a large number of employers. Other great additions in using a tax filing service are taking care of your deductions, alerting you to audit risks and keeping track of donations, all such tiresome aspects of tax returns. With all these extras and more, filing taxes became quite a relaxed experience.

photos: views of Mussoorie

2011-06-02T22:45:00.001+04:00

Some photos from our trip to Mussoorie. This was the second time I'd gone to Mussoorie, and we stayed at the same resort, but in a completely different part of it. I loved exploring the resort this time around too, but took only a few photos, since I had my hands full with my little girl. She's one year old now and really enjoyed the trip too. And I got to see it all afresh through her. It was a wonderful experience.

View from the bedroom

View from the living room towards Dehradun. We had lots of sunshine and good bits of rain and mist as well. A real treat for us coming from Dubai.

Lovely little flowers on the balcony.

There were lots of little areas to sit outside and enjoy the fantastic views.

an unexpected tourist attraction

2011-06-01T22:00:00.000+04:00

The other day we were at the supermarket and every second person seemed to be wearing some kind of fancy name badges or the other, and I wondered what was going on. It turned out that they were part of a group tour and they had specifically come to the grocery store as part of their tour package. I kid you not, it's true! I didn't realise our grocery stores were such an attraction. I must pay more attention to them for more than just being a place where I do my weekly shopping, I suppose!

Yes, I'm back!

away for a while

2011-04-20T22:28:00.004+04:00

I'm off on a break. A break from blogging, from flickring, from the usual mail checking routine. Maybe I'll be doing things like this, which I had time for last spring and summer. I just want to be quiet for a while, to reconnect in ways other than the electronic, to change my daily routine for a while, to refresh my mind and my body.

bringing old photos back to life

2011-04-20T22:16:00.002+04:00

Some time back, on Kamini's blog Saffron and Silk, I read about Val who adds color to old black and white photos and I was completely intrigued. The before and after shots were quite astounding in terms of details and selection of colors, since Val goes into details of what natural dyes were available at the time and so on. I looked up Val's website and details of her photo coloring work and immediately starting thinking of which photographs I could ask her to add color to.

Here's a photo of my grandparents....

and here is the colored version....

A photo of my great-grandfather....

and the colored version....

and here's my husband as a baby....

and here's the colored version...

I'm really happy with the results, and the time that Val took to do these photos. Thank you so much Val. You're a gem.

running out of stock, dubai style!

2011-04-19T14:07:00.000+04:00

Living in Dubai one often has some very interesting experiences. One of the recurring ones is that when something runs out of stock in one store, it's out of stock in the whole city. When I had to buy vanilla essence some time back, it was out of stock at the store where I do my groceries. So a few days later, I went to another store, and it was out there too, and at several other stores as well. And the weirdest thing is that they never say it's out of stock, the space for it on the shelf, just disappears, filled up with other items, so one is never sure, "is this where they keep it, or am I in the wrong aisle?". So when I finally spotted the vanilla back in stock a couple of weeks later, I bought 4 bottles! The same has happened to me for several other items as well!

I won!

2011-04-16T22:03:00.000+04:00

I won! Yippeee!

I entered a giveaway on Kamini's blog Saffron and Silk for some lovely ethnic earrings created by Aparna of Nine by Thirty, never expecting to win, but that's what happened!

So thrilled, so excited and looking forward to wearing them with my lovely Indian clothes when I am back home next week.

Thank you Kamini!

getting a retail edge

2011-04-07T21:50:00.001+04:00

With my retail background, I am often asked why smaller retailers are so hesitant in setting up a modern retail system complete with pos software that tracks all transactions. In my neighborhood itself, there are some small stores where I have spoken to the owners and tried to convince them of the advantages of using this technology, but still the hesitation remains. Why? It's mostly because it's just the way they have run their stores and it's as simple as that.

The turning point is usually when they see the actual system demonstration and understand just how simple it actually is. Simple POS software systems such as CounterPoint, Microsoft RMS, Retail Pro have everything from barcode software, inventory control, sales and commission tracking, purchasing orders and customer loyalty data and much more, which essentially take care of everything that needs to be done in a store. Well, apart from actually stocking the shelves, but I doubt if you're going to find a POS software that does that too!

more from the desk series

2011-04-06T21:54:00.001+04:00

Some photos from last July that I'd forgotten about. This was when I was at home at my parents place after my daughter was born and had lots of help and free time. Well, not all that much free time, but as compared to now, it was tons of free time.

Each week I would rearrange my desk in a different way, my Desk Series. Although, I had started it and only planned on doing it for the time before my daughter was born, I usually managed to find time to do it later as well :-) Ah, the perks of going home-home to have a baby!

These were flowers from the garden, right outside my window actually, and I had been seeing them for several weeks before I decided that I need to have some on my desk too.

Do you like to rearrange your desk too?

photo: at the aquarium

2011-03-27T22:15:00.003+04:00

I was looking through some old picture folders on my computer and found these of when the aquarium at the Dubai Mall had just opened. Back then one could go right up to the glass and see the fish up close, but now they have roped the area off further back. The best place to get close to the glass now, which is also the best view for feedings is the 1st floor area next to H&M.

More information here at the Dubai Mall site.

what she reaches for

2011-03-27T22:06:00.000+04:00

I love how fascinated my baby is with my phone. I know that all babies love the things we use all the time, phones, remotes etc, but it's such a fascinating thing to watch her eyes light up when one of these coveted items is within reach. My phone has her photo on it, and has three crystal buttons that she loves to press to light up the screen. It's a good phone for her to play with and keeps her amused for a while, and at least I'm not worried that it's too pricey or new or fancy like the htc desire 2.2 that I have to be extra careful about. All kids and babies love to play with the things we use and the things that we say no to, so to a certain extent I let her play with them so that she doesn't want them just because I am saying no. One of her favorite things to reach for has been the newspaper, she tries to grab it whenever she sees us reading them and loves to "read" it.

my way to exercise

2011-03-27T21:54:00.000+04:00

Ok, so I'll say it out loud. Exercising has never been my forte. Well, that's not the full truth either. I don't like exercising. Now, I've said it. See, the thing is that if I know it's exercise, then it's no fun for me, so I always have to make it fun and interesting, basically disguise it into something else, such as make a morning walk into a photography walk to give me the incentive to get up bright and early. I'd rather exercise a bit less, but a lot of people would rather just use something like OxyElite Pro that might be an easier and faster way. To me it's just not as interesting as my way!

Umm, does my face need to be resurfaced? No thanks!

2011-03-27T21:34:00.000+04:00

In the supermarket on a grocery run, I thought I'd quickly pick up some moisturizer and body lotion, but I never thought I'd end up walking away dazed and confused. There was every type of lotion and potion promising anti-aging miracles, anti-oxidants and even one night cream that called itself a "resurfacing" agent. Hey, wait, since when did my face become a road that needs resurfacing? It's a struggle these days to find the simpler things I think, the more complex you want things to be, the better the chance that you'll be successful. So, if you're looking for something simple such as a natural acne remedy or a simple bottle of old fashioned lotion, then the supermarket might not be the right place for you, and instead head to an old fashioned mom and pop store that keeps just the basics and not the stuff that you would want to resurface your face with.

wandering the Bastakiya quarter

2011-03-15T17:10:00.005+04:00

Some more photos from Bastakiya in Dubai. The textures here are really amazing, with the winter light making them stand out even more. I've always liked photographing doors and windows, but here they take on a much much more interesting feel.

Looking into the doorway of one of the art galleries.

Outside the coin museum. There are several small museums here, all have free entry and a lovely intimate atmosphere.

finding the perfect gifts for babies

2011-03-12T21:55:00.000+04:00

Even before I had my baby, I found that there are just so many sites that cater to specialized gifts for babies and expectant parents. It almost became confusing as to which had the best to offer and where I would find the kind of things that I wanted for my baby. I received many gifts when my daughter was born and several were vouchers from online sites, which was really very convenient for me, so I could pick things myself. When it comes to baby gifts, I find that it's often best to leave it up to the parents themselves to chose things for their baby themselves. Everyone has different tastes and usually very specific ones when it comes to babies.

knowing oneself

2011-03-12T21:47:00.000+04:00

There are some things that I know I can do if I put my mind to it, and others that no matter how hard I try that I will never, ever manage to do, such as wrestling. It's just not something that I will ever attempt to do either. Why am I being so dramatic? Well, it's just that one must know ones limitations and strengths and work towards one's goals keeping them in mind. Does it make any sense to fight against one's limitations and not use one's strengths instead? No, not to me. I know what I'm good at and how much I can do, and within those frames I can push myself to excel and broaden my horizons, but in a different sphere, I'd be lost. We must know ourselves well enough to know what we can achieve.

Why am I getting so philosophical? Well, it's partly because now I am a mother and I think about all the things that I will say to my daughter to inspire her, to guide her and to mentor her in the right way. My father always knew my strengths and weaknesses when he guided me in my career choice when I went to college and I hope to be able to do the same with my daughter.

photo: my little girl

2011-03-09T15:03:00.003+04:00

I don't write much about my little daughter Elisha here, do I! So much of my time is taken up with her and I've been a bit shy about posting her photos here, so here are some shots of her. These were all taken in the past few months.

yawning away to high glory

playing on her alphabet mat

reading her favorite book

Earlier photos of her here and here.

Time to give up on those business trips, don't you think?

2011-03-02T21:50:00.000+04:00

Well, airfares are to rise once again, just in time for the spring/summer season. It seems to happen every year and it's always the oil's fault, isn't it? That's the reason this time around too. Oh well, people who really have to or want to travel will, but others like some business travelers will have to rely on making a Conference call or two instead of flying overseas themselves. If you think about it, conference calling has really made a lot of headway and the technology is fantastic, so why do people still insist on traveling themselves, especially if the work is limited to talking in a boardroom or some such thing. I think it's just that it gives you a bit of importance, and the little luxuries of staying on company expense in a hotel for a few days, maybe taking the wife/or hubby along for the ride etc. Well, it's time that we reassess the way we work, the way we take company paid trips for granted and the way we value these things.

shadow patterns

2011-02-24T23:20:00.004+04:00

Don't you just love the way something how simple like a window grill in the sunlight makes a beautiful pattern on the wall. Before I started taking photographs in earnest, I never used to notice them, but now I look out for them all the time, and am thrilled each time I find a new pattern, often from the same space.

shadow of the window grill falling on the calender in my sister-in-law's home

a beautiful pattern created by the window grill and the sheer malmal curtains in my room at my parent's home. This is what I woke up to the last two months of my pregnancy, and it made me happy and filled with wonder each and every day.

it's good to be smart about one's food

2011-02-24T22:39:00.000+04:00

Lately, I've been very good about my diet. Well, not that I'm usually bad, but mostly forgetful. I keep forgetting to take my vitamins or don't have enough water (which is really bad if you have the air conditioning on all the time like we have to have) or skip the fruit for some flavored yogurt (well, it does have fruit at the bottom, doesn't it?) but now I've realized that it doesn't make any sense not to be serious about taking one's daily vitamins. Everyone has some deficiencies in their diet and they take care of it, that's it. So simple.

are you social at the grocery store?

2011-02-24T22:31:00.000+04:00

Maybe it's just me, but I love to see what other people are buying at the grocery store. I try to figure out the combination of foods they will make and wonder if there is something that I should be adding to my list as well. What else does one do when one is waiting in the checkout counter lines anyhow? Yes, I know I can browse the tabloids and celebrity magazines, but I'm not going to learn anything new except maybe what the best weight loss products are or some such thing and is that really going to help me.

If I find something interesting in someone's shopping cart or see someone selecting some veggie that I know I should try, but don't quite know how to cook it, I'm not shy in asking them for tips. That always leads to interesting results, and I once got a great veggie stew recipe from a very helpful shopper. And I've often been asked how to cook okra when I'm selected mine! Oh, and if you're interested, I like mine as a dry stir fry, just mix it with dry spices and a tablespoon of gramflour (dry not wet) and toss it around and they fry it in a few tsp's of oil. Voila, yummy yummy and oh so quick!

Bastakiya in Dubai

2011-02-24T22:21:00.003+04:00

I've been wanting to write more about Dubai lately, to share a bit of our lives out here in the desert, to include you in how it's changing and growing.

One of my favorite haunts in Dubai is Bastakiya, which is the oldest part of town...something new and gleaming for another day I suppose....I love the textures and patterns of Bastakiya. One can spend a lot of time just photographing the area, go back after a week and find yet more angles and perspectives.

One of the earliest settlements in Dubai, Bastakiya is on the banks of Dubai Creek and was reconstructed some time back to a series of courtyard houses, they way they used to be I suppose. Now, these have a mix of art galleries, boutique hotels, cafe's, gift shops for traditional items and several museums as well. It's most lively on saturdays in the winter, when it takes on a carnival atmosphere, and even has a few camels for joyrides. My favorite part of Bastakiya is the restoration house, where artisans lovingly restore and create new gypsum tiles like they did in the old days. When I visited they even gifted me a few tiles, which I truly treasure.

More information on Wikipedia.

could you give up your cravings?

2011-02-24T22:04:00.000+04:00

Did you know that the best way to enhance your lifespan is to control your diet and change your lifestyle. These are the two sure fire but long term ways to ensure that you not only live longer and are healthier, but also are stronger, more agile, and better equipped mentally. Simple tips and tricks but also the hardest to actually put into practice, right? There are other ways though, modern day tricks I suppose you can call them, such as acai berries that can work wonders in the right circumstances. Whenever I see acai reviews in magazines, I find that they also talk about making lifestyle changes to make it effective though. As for me, I give in to my cravings every once in a while. Ok, it's actually, like everyday, but then I balance it out with cutting out other things.

is it time to start attempting to look younger?

2011-02-24T21:50:00.000+04:00

There comes a time in one's life when suddenly one realizes that one is not a young girl anymore, one spots stray gray strands, wrinkle or two, and starts thinking maybe the advertisers of anti-aging products have something valid to say. So you log on and search for the best anti wrinkle cream and wonder if it'll do the trick by using it for a week or two like they profess, or will it be another one of those jars sitting on your counter never used. Yes, I've started to ponder about all these things lately. And the more advertisements I see on the telly and in magazines, the more I think, yes maybe it's time.

Now is the right time to visit

2011-02-24T15:55:00.000+04:00

The recent events in the Egypt and now several other countries in the region have led to an increase in tourism to Dubai in the past month and will continue to do so for the remaining winter months as well. This is the season to visit Dubai, there are sunny skies, warm sunshine and cool breezes that are perfect for lazing on the beach, exploring the various souks and maybe even going for a nice relaxing cruise in an old fashioned dhow in Dubai Creek. It's the time the locals come out in throngs to the park for picnics and enthusiastic games of soccer and stroll along the corniche at sunset.

There are so many trip planners who specialize in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates, but many often just end up giving the same old boring tours and have not done anything to incorporate the new area of the city, to capture it's vibrancy as well as delve into the past cultures. When one of my friends wanted to visit, she planned her trip using Lets Go 2 Dubai holidays that seem to tick all the right boxes on how to create a great holiday for both families and more party inclined people as well. Often, using a tour guide to plan the entire trip can get staid, unless they are creative about it, including new hotels on their list of offerings, as well as new developments in this rapidly expanding city. I find that the best way to really enjoy a city is to do a bit of both. Talking to the concierge and other people at the hotel and to taxi drivers gives a keen insight to the "real" city, not just the showcase. That's what makes one a traveler instead of a tourist.

photo: cheesecake at home

2011-02-23T23:01:00.002+04:00

I baked New York style Cheesecake yesterday. But I cheated...this is the picture of the last time I made it. I took some shots of it today, but still haven't downloaded the photos from the camera. We ate it today with some strawberry's in syrup along with some tea (although this is coffee here) to celebrate some birthdays and anniversaries in the family.

what's on your grocery list?

2011-02-23T22:49:00.000+04:00

It's been such a hectic time lately out here. There's a viral going around everywhere you go and as much as we tried to avoid getting it, my hubby caught it and then my daughter. So far, I'm ok, and I hope it stays that way. When someone in your family gets sick, even if it's just a viral fever, nothing else is important, just to nurture them back to health. My shopping lists this week have been all about things that will make them feel better, honey and ginger tea, chicken broth, orange juice, heartwarming soups. I'll pass on the thermogenic fat burners right now, thank you very much. All I can think of is for ways to get my baby back to feeling her chirpy self again. Despite all the hectic time, I did get to do some baking this week :-)

what's important right now

2011-02-23T22:21:00.000+04:00

I was talking to a friend about an hour back about how one's life gets taken over once one has kids. Nothing seems to be in one's control at times and you can not do what you really want to most of the time. Bringing up a child has it's ups and downs, the easy-going fun times and sometimes the mind-numbing days when one becomes a zombie, like I seem to be these days with my little one having a viral. Suddenly, things like having clearpores seems the last thing on my mind. All I want is for my little baby to get better quickly and I'm not quite bothered about styling my hair and things like that. They can wait, but cuddling with my baby is the most important thing right now.

laptops vs desktops: which do you use?

2011-02-13T21:15:00.000+04:00

We're all a bit too addicted to our electronics aren't we? I use my laptop almost every day, the almost is thanks to my self-enforced rule of keeping at least one day completely computer-free, and love being able to do everything from the usual mails to sorting out photos to email family, to checking the bank account etc online from the comfort of my home. Having a laptop makes it all so simple. I've often considered whether we should get a desktop instead or in addition to our individual laptops, and even though some of them are so very affordable, I always tilt towards the portability and size of laptops. You can get some discount desktops for a real steal these days and that's really very tempting to make the switch. So far, I'm sticking to laptops!

I live in Dubai, you know that right?

2011-02-09T20:00:00.006+04:00

A photo of a foggy day from our bedroom window.

Even though I blog pretty regularly, I don't write much about where we live. In fact, some of you might not even know that I live in Dubai. I do write a lot along with my photos on flickr about our lives here in Dubai, especially about my daily walks in my old neighborhood. Somehow, I like the short format of writing a little note along with a photo when I post them on flickr.

good customer service deserves to be publicised

2011-02-07T17:56:00.001+04:00

Customer service in this part of the world (ummm, it's Dubai) is not the best as anyone who has lived here already knows, so when someone goes out of their way to do something, it's really something. We had a problem with two of the wheels of the crib when we moved, maybe something in the packing got them all messed up or something. Anyways, so I called one of the stores where I had bought the crib...not the branch where I had bought it though....and the salesperson immediately gave me the telephone number of the installation and delivery department. So I called them and to whomever I spoke, I was assured that this would be sorted out immediately. It wasn't the manager that I spoke to, just a regular employee, so that was quite something. He never asked me when I had bought the crib, where I had bought it, if I had a receipt or any such thing, just asked me if I remembered the name of the crib and since I didn't asked me describe it. Then he said that someone would be calling me to come over to replace the wheels in a few hours, and by the end of the day, the crib had 4 new wheels. That's good customer service. And the name of the store, BabyShop. Good job you guys!

back...

2011-02-07T17:15:00.000+04:00

I'm back to blogging. It was a nice short reprieve, and although I did come online to check mail and transfer funds to my credit card...how can one avoid these things, one can't take a break from them as well, can we? I browsed through several blogs, some old and many new ones, so I really wasn't completely offline, but I just wanted to be quiet for a while. Sometimes, it's important to take time out to gain a new perspective for something that you've been doing for so long. And I've been blogging for close to 7 years now, so yes, it does get old and boring at times. As long as I take mini-breaks or sometimes even mega-breaks it's all fine.

And, how have you all been?

photo: on my desk

2011-01-30T15:48:00.002+04:00

Taking a little mini break.

Just need to do things a bit differently and wanted to be offline for a while. But who knows, I might be back in a couple of days.

Either ways, I find it's important to be disconnected every once in a while, to clear one's head, to focus on other things and to just be.

Here's some photos that I took last summer when I had lots of fun rearranging my desk every week for my desk series project.