Search Results

Showcase the saree: Many a times you want to take a photo of yourself to put emphasis on a new saree purchase, or the type of weave of the saree, or the grandeur of the drape. Much of the grandeur or intricate work of the saree lies in the pallu. So display the pallu in such a way that the focus is on it for the picture. Dont pleat your pallu and pin it at your shoulder for those sarees with grand pallu. The beauty of the saree is hidden if you do so for the sake of convenience. Photographing with the pallu falling over your left arm is so 5-years-ago and overdone. Showcase your pallu creatively, as shown in the examples here: If you dont feel comfortable being in the picture, then you can showcase your saree by spreading it out on a chair as such : Showcase your blouse: Many a times, a blouse is what makes or breaks a saree. An ill-fitting blouse or one that does not contrast or match well can bring down the look of a saree, no matter how intricate or expensive the saree may be. So give a well stitched or well designed blouse the limelight it deserves. Here are a few ways to highlight your blouse : Showcase your Jewelry : I am a firm believer that no saree ensemble is complete without earrings, bangles and necklace. Sometimes in that 6 yards of cloth, the jewelry gets hidden, or goes unnoticed. Make sure you photograph your jewelry separately. Here are a few photo ideas to showcase your bling : Hope the above tips help you ace your next saree photoshoot. If you have other suggestions, do drop me a line and I will incorporate it in this blog.

Next time you are in LA, skip the crowds at Griffith Observatory and instead hit the Peak trail for some totally stunning views of Downtown LA and a birds eye view of the architecture splendor that is Griffith Observatory. We parked at the bottom of the Griffith hill and took a shuttle to the top. The trail starts right in front of the Observatory, and the trailhead is well marked. Although the hike is rated as moderate, you gain only 725ft of elevation in the 4 mile round trip. The trail is well defined and may sometimes get crowded on hot summer nights. As you round the corner to the top, you also catch sight of the Hollywood sign. The view of the city of stars below and of the observatory makes this short hike totally worth your while. Griffith Observatory, with the skyline of Los Angeles in the background, engulfed in smog.

A recent post about old sarees in an FB saree group I am a member of reminded me of my mother's tireless way of collecting old zari borders. In the 70s and 80s in Bangalore and Chennai, there used to be street vendors who went house to house buying good zari for steel, yelling "steel patrae samaan" to advertise their wares. When my mom had sarees which were too worn to hand down to the maids, she would cut down the good zari borders and pallus and recycle the remaining cloth for various household chores. She would collect such zari for a year or two, and when she had enough, would flag down the zari vendor to barter with him. The vendor would test the zari by rubbing it on a calcium painted wall or on the ground (in later years, they carried a chemical liquid tester). If the gold threads turned black or colorless, they were made of plastic and hence worthless. Mom would haggle back and forth about the authenticity of the gold zari and its worth. They would finally settle on a price and the vendor would either pay in cash or give a new steel vessel of her choice for the price agreed upon. I always found great pleasure to watch the back and forth between my mom and the vendor and the shiny new vessel which came home in place of some old cloth I didnt care about. Its amazing how we were enamored by the tiniest of pleasures in our childhood. It feels so nostalgic now to visit those small things in life which used to elate me to no bounds, but now hidden in the depths of my memory.

Goat Yoga is a great way to destress, combining light physical activity (yoga) with some fun (baby goats). Lemos Farm in Half Moon Bay offers goat yoga sessions every Saturday and Sunday morning. The sessions are an hour long and you sign up on their website. They even host private events and birthday parties for this activity. The yoga session itself is instructor led and held in a barn with 15-20 super cute baby goats (kids) roaming freely. You are asked to bring along a yoga mat, but bring an old one which you can dispose off afterwards, as the goats pee and poop everywhere, including on your mat ( I did not see them do so on people, however). Although the yoga poses are easy and for beginners, it was hard for us to concentrate or be mindful, with the cute goats roaming around you. At one point, I just gave up doing yoga and just enjoyed the attention I was receiving from these babies. There is a yoga assistant who helps with photo ops by coaxing the goats to climb on you by laying treats on your back while doing the cat-cow pose. At the end of the yoga session, you get multiple opportunities to hold the goats for some Instagram gratification. Word of Caution : Goats love to nibble on your hair or anything that is hanging. So do not wear any jewelry and tie your hair in a tight bun, or better still, hide it under a cap. At the end of our session, I found bits of my hair lying on my mat. Ended up getting an unwanted hair trim of sorts :-) All in all, its a great family weekend activity, and its double the fun if doing it with girlfriends.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings - Let me preface my review by saying I am NOT a superhero or a Marvel fan. So I went to the movie with very low expectations, even though the movie was rated at 98% by Rotten Tomatoes. I was taken by surprise when this Marvel movie turned out to be more of a fantasy flick than a superhero franchise. The storytelling is very slick, the martial arts fight scenes keep you at the edge of your seat and the character development is excellent. And best of all the magical cinematography kept the whole film visually stunning. Great performance all round, but only wished Aquafina's dialogs had more punch. Dont wait for it to be streamed online. Go watch it on the big screen. Its a treat for all the senses.

Apple TV's Ted Lasso has become my new favorite TV show. It is loaded with lovable characters and subtle English humor with a generous sprinkling of cuss words thrown in to keep the audience engrossed all the way. Although a soccer romcom, you dont need to be a fan of soccer to be a fan of the show. Jason Sudeikis does an excellent job as the protagonist - highly optimistic, insightful, humorous and complex, all at the same time. His character makes a good person out of everyone he comes across while fighting demons from within (revealed at the end of the second season). Each and every character is so hear-warming that you cant help but cheer them on with each episode. The Boss Lady, Rebecca's fashion sense is spot on and you are left wanting for more of her and her beautiful dresses, tresses and long legs. The love triangle of Roy, Jamie and Keeley is hotness overload. Its no surprise that this show had a windfall at the 2021 Emmys a few days ago, bagging 7 Primetime Emmys, including Best Comedy Series, Best Lead actor, supporting actor and actress. Although only two seasons old, I hope this show keeps going for a few more. Watch it! You will be hooked right from the first episode!

This drawing brought back memories of how I traveled to school when we lived in Chennai in the 70s. I even remember my poor, old, cycle rickshaw-walla's name : Veerappan - in his 60s, sun-drenched dark skin, tall, lanky, each wrinkle on his face telling a tale of hardship and misery, and always in a shirt and lungi, with the lungi hitched up high, so it didnt get caught in the pedals. The most privileged seat was the actual "seat". The "top" was where no one wanted to sit, as our uniform skirts could easily provide a "peek show" to the passers-by. Every morning, his rickshaw bell in the next street served as a warning for me to hurry up and pull on my white socks and black shoes and grab my school bag, as he'd be at my doorstep within minutes. In his heydays when business was doing well, Veerappan had two rounds. The first round in the morning was the most in demand, as it ensured you'd reach school early and have time to catch up on your homework. On the way back, everyone wanted to be in the second round, as it guaranteed you a "seat" and we could play longer in the playground after school. If we were nice to him, he would even stop at a store in Pondy Bazar for us to buy maps, posters and stationary the teachers had demanded at school. The worst days for Veerappan were during the monsoons, when he had to transport a rickshaw full of snooty, chubby girls through the unforgiving Chennai floods, with only his "beedi" to keep him warm as he peddled in the rain. Or the days when some kid delayed the first round, because of which he had to face the wrath of the parents from the second round. Ah, those days of yore, when we didnt have to worry about how unsafe this mode of transportation was, didnt have to worry about carpools, or pollution, or strangers whisking your kid away, not caring two hoots about the sun, wind or rain, and sadly, not giving a thought about human exploitation. We never knew what became of Veerappan after we moved out of Chennai. He was heavily in debt to my parents for numerous cash advances (much of it spent on "sarai" or toddy). But my parents were forever indebted to him for transporting their precious bundle everyday. I hope his end was kinder to him than his life