Life etc.

A Camera Day

2012-05-28T09:00:00.000+05:30

Photo of me (with my beloved Canon EOS 550D) by Unaiza Merchant.

Sometimes, outings of the simplest purposes can turn out to be so much fun. Last monday was one of those days. More on that in tomorrow's post. :)

Love,

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BodyMindLife Yoga Workshop with Samanta Duggal at Temperance

2012-05-27T11:34:00.001+05:30

It all started with someone retweeting a tweet by Temperance on twitter. And then I had signed up for their BodyMindLife Yoga workshop by Samanta Duggal. I have never actively practiced a sport, & physical activity has reduced a lot since school. (I still often practice the sport that is commuting in Mumbai!) So just because I'm slim doesn't mean I'm fit, no sireee. Also I'm a very restless person, so I've always wanted to practice yoga. And you'd think India being the land of yoga & all that, it's very easy to do so, but that's not true; I've always been searching for the right place & the right teacher. Temperance is a new creative hub in the heart of Bandra, they have just started up but already have classes in MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), Dance, Zumba, & Yoga.

The workshop was yesterday, it was Temperance's first. Temperance is a beautiful complex just behind Rizvi college of Hotel Management. The studio where the workshop was held was on the second floor, it was exactly how I'd ever imagined an ideal yoga workshop to be. French windows on two sides to let a lot of natural light in, mirrors on the other two walls. There was a lot of new foliage planted too, it was very beautiful.

On the workshop itself, it was great. I did struggle with a lot of the asanas, I couldn't touch my toes or anything. And after a bad experience in Kolkata a few years go, I'm scared of pushy teachers/coaches, but Samanta & the girl assisting (I forgot her name ☹) were helpful without being too pushy, they totally allowed me to sit one asana out when I didn't feel up for it.

{Samanta Duggal}

The workshop was followed by a healthy vegetarian lunch. I expected simple Indian food, but what we got was practically healthy gourmet.

The brownie for dessert was my favorite, it was made with flax seed & sweetened with fruits like Banana & Raspberry, no sugar or maida (all purpose flour). It was more like a wet granola bar, or drier muesli than Brownie but delicious nonetheless. They have a deli there opening in maybe 10 days. They are going to be having a sufi whirling workshop next month, & I'm still deciding about whether to go or not, but if it sounds interesting to you, you definitely should go. And you can know about their latest happenings by liking them on facebook.

Love,

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Looking Up in Goa

2012-05-26T09:00:00.000+05:30

From my trip to Goa in April. I thought these went rather well together. The rooster on the roof of that traditional Goan home may remind you of a weather vane, but it's not. It's made of mud just like the other roof tiles.

Other than a little bit of cropping, these photos are completely unedited. And I'm curious about why the sky looks completely white in the photos. Granted they were both taken on different days in the harsh afternoon sun, still. I was shooting on manual, so were my settings at fault? Photographers, I would appreciate your thoughts. But I do love how the white blends with the blog layout so seamlessly.

Love,

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Men in Black III [3D], 2012 {Movie Review}

2012-05-25T19:47:00.000+05:30

I can't say I've loved the earlier Men In Black films, but with the odd pairing of Will Smith & Tommy Lee Jones, the good special effects, & the always impressive supporting cast & the sci-fi comedy, I have certainly enjoyed the first two films.

The weird thing for MIIIB is that it's released twelve whole years after it's predecessor, while retaining the two main stars. I did however really miss Rip Torn as Zed, it didn't completely feel like a Men In Black film without him. He's replaced by Emma Thompson, which vaguely reminds me of Judi Dench as M in the 007 films. Perhaps it's a desperate move to add a strong female presence to the film? While I normally like Emma Thompson, I don't think she fit the role too well.

Nicole Scherzinger (of the Pussycat Dolls) has a bit part at the start of the film, & the length of her role (& depth of her character) might make Freida Pinto feel good about her own role in Slumdog Millionaire. Will Arnett has a small appearance too, quite like the funny/annoying characters he usually plays. As you may know from the previews, the plot does involve travelling back to the 60's some scenes are a bit of a visual feast. There's even a funny turn of events with Andy Warhol! Perhaps the most amazing is Josh Brolin, who plays the young Agent K of the sixties. He may be a forty something playing a 29 year old, but he's still pretty amazing. Not only are their facial features alike, but he captures the essence of Tommy Lee Jones as Agent K so well, & being young, he's actually a lot less cynical & grumpy & hence more likeable. What's most disappointing is the end, it's meant to by sappy but it actually has a ton of plot holes (that I can't reveal without giving spoilers).

The 3D is definitely nothing special at all, you can get the same effect watching this in 2D, & save some of your ticket money at that.

Overall not bad from what we've come to expect of MIB films, they definitely have no critical merit but fulfill the purpose of entertainment quite well.

Rating ★★★ ☆ ☆ (Three Stars)

Love,

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The Coffee Shop

2012-05-24T09:00:00.000+05:30

These pictures are from the mini vacation at VITS hotel earlier this month. I love cafés everywhere for the wonderful ambiance (except for Café Coffee Day, that's like this McDonalds of cafés.) We've been going to VITS hotel for so many years now, I've always seen this cafe (it's simply called 'The Coffee Shop') from the outside, & it always looked very inviting, but we had never entered the place (we're both such lazy bums, ha!)

This time we were there I finally managed to wake mom up & drag her down & I so glad I did.
It's supposed to be a 24 hour café, but when we went (probably in time for brunch) there was nobody there. The waiters of course politely led us in, turned on all the light & even played some music. We had the place all to ourselves.
We loved the painted door, very artistic.

Truly very well decorated & large too. Notice the 'artist' newsprint chairs. This map theme was lovely & featured on all their crockery & cutlery (even the salt & pepper shakers)I forgot what this sandwich was called, but it was grilled perfectly had both cold cuts & veggies. Also the fries were just right (& that is rare! To me they're always over/under cooked). Very yummy.The cappuccino & latte. Overall it was definitely one of the best cafés I've been to in a while. Great ambiance, friendly staff & good food.

Oh & there's something else worth showing you- mom & me put on coffee tattlys before going there!
Some instaxes from that day.
There's a post on my style blog with what I wore that day as well.

Love,

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Tzinga

2012-05-22T19:20:00.000+05:30

I love being clued in to new & exciting things happening in the country. So when I was contacted to try Tzinga, a new energy drink that is sensibly priced at Rs 20, I was intrigued. How had I not already not heard of it? That's probably because it isn't available in Mumbai yet (it's currently sold in NCR, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh & Gujarat with new states coming soon).

{if the packs look weird in the first photo, it's probably they're frozen! :P}

I may not be completely proud to say this but I love packed beverages! Energy drinks are just the thing for hot days roaming around the city, but they don't always taste nice (take for example, Gatorade. I hate it).

I got to try all three of the Tzinga flavors- Lemon Mint, Tropical Trip & Mango Strawberry. Lemon Mint is very refreshing. Mango Strawberry is a great twist on two yummy flavors. And Tropical Trip is a delicious fruit cocktail. What I love about these is that they're really sweet. I also like the novel way in which they're packed. We've had ketchup refills sold in these types of packs, but never drinks. I think they're nice to handle. Me & mom throughly enjoyed them & can't wait till they're launched here. You can stay updated with them by liking their facebook page.

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Dilli Taxi in Bombay by Akshay Bhoan

2012-05-21T09:00:00.000+05:30

It's not too often that I share other people's photography on this blog, but when I saw this series by my friend Akshay Bhoan, I knew you had to see it!

Akshay was nearing the end of the roll of film & wanted to finish it so he could give it to the photo lab. This is what he came up with:

Taxis in Dilli (Delhi) are Ambassadors while taxis in Bombay (Mumbai) are Premier Padminis (sometimes called Fiats) though there are some newer, more compact taxis too (like the one on the right in the last photo). I love how creative & whimsical this series is. I know all the locations where these photos were taken (Mumbai being my city & all) & that makes it all the more special to me!

Akshay is a professional photographer who shoots almost exclusively with film, you can keep up with his work by checking out his blog, facebook page & website!

Love,

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The Polaroid SX-70

2012-05-20T05:44:00.000+05:30

Today I'm going to introduce my newest analog acquisition to you, the Polaroid SX-70. This is definitely one of my favorite cameras already, by history alone. It is a Polaroid SLR first introduced in 1971 & such a huge technological advancement of it's time (just like the Canon A-1 in 35mm film SLRs). Polaroid no longer makes film for it, sadly but there is always the Impossible Project (their film may not be 'up to the mark' just yet because they had to reinvent Polaroid film but I'm sure they will get there soon).

After I purchased the camera, it had to go through so many steps to get to me (thank you Prashant for helping me get this!) The camera came with the original leather bag, all the original papers (including the registration card that was never filled out), the extension strap etc. Looks like the original buyer didn't use it much, it's basically mint condition (& I really really love getting vintage cameras in mint condition).

Since I was a child I have been obsessed with Polaroids... we came close to getting one (a Barbie Polaroid 600 camera) when I was 9 but didn't (I regret that, I wish I had got to try original Polaroid film). This is one of my most expensive analog cameras (it came very close to what I paid for the Canon A-1). I haven't tested it with film yet. As much as I yearn to try it, I'm trying to be a grownup when it comes to money & there are a few things higher on my priority list. Soon, soon.

The SX-70 + Instant Love book = Perfect.

Here is an absolutely fascinating Orientation film from 1972 on Polaroid SX-70s. I've been watching it again & again for a few months now (since before I purchased the camera!) & it's beautiful.

I'm very very excited about this.

Love,

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Instant Love: How to Make Magic & Memories with Polaroids {book}

2012-05-19T05:15:00.000+05:30

As a blogger & an analog photographer, this is a book I had been looking forward to for a while. Jeniffer Altman & Susannah Conway are both bloggers who I've been following for a couple of years now. I finally got my hands on the book two weeks ago.

The book is hardcover with great quality paper, it really looks good. I love that the center polaroid snap on the cover is of a Polaroid SX-70 (more on that tomorrow!)

The book is divided into five chapters.
Chapter one is The Basics. People who aren't knowledgeable about analog photography tend to call all instant photos Polaroids. Also, among Polaroids itself there are different types of cameras that take different film formats. The book clearly explains the types of camera (Polaroid land camera, Polaroid SX-70, Polaroid 600, Polaroid Spectra, Fuji Instax mini & wide.) You will find useful information like background on the camera, type of film & availability, how to clean, where to get Polaroid accessories etc.

Have you ever taken an amazing photo, only to realize later that it was badly composed? The next chapter is called The Art of Composition & deals with all the things that help compose a photo like the rule of thirds, depth of field, & notes on colors, textures, patterns, symmetry etc.

Chapter three (one of my favorites!) is called Capturing the Light. Getting the right exposure with Polaroids can be tricky, & unlike digital or even 35mm film Polaroids are expensive so you just can't waste too much film hoping you'll get it right. This chapter sheds some light (get it?!) on the subject.

Chapter four is called Storage, Display and Projects & it pretty self explanatory. There are some great diys that I'd like to try.

Chapter five is Inspirational Portfolios. Five themed portfolios are presented there, to show you what kind of images you can get with your Polaroids.

The book is not overtly technical, but that is the beauty of it. Explanations are clear, well written & easy to understand, even if you're completely new to instant photography. It did not tell me too much I didn't already know but that is because I read extensively on analog photography. But to get all this information in one place is great. So whether you have a big old collection of Polaroid sitting on your shelf, or are looking to delve into instant photography soon, this is a book you need to have!

And since many people have asked me on instagram about where this book is available, I've put the links here so you will have it with you in just a few clicks. :)

Buy it here -> (India / USA / UK )

Love,

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Drinks in Goa

2012-05-18T09:00:00.000+05:30

Just because I post a lot of my photography here doesn't mean it always needs to have some kind of artistic merit, right? So here you have it- two bottles of Rosé (both Indian made, Castelinho is actually made in Goa), one big-ass bottle of Absolut Rasberri (Swedish Vodka), three bottle of Smirnoff Vodka (two large ones- Citrus & Orange, & one small bottle of Vanilla vodka), four bottles of Vladivar Vodka (Orange zest, Green Apple zest, Lemon zest & plain). And last but not least, lots of mini Monin cyrup bottles for mixing cocktails.

Goa has cheaper liquor prices that the rest of India, that coupled with the laid back, beachy surroundings makes it a perfect place to drink. And this is a just-for -showing-off type of post, of all the drinks we bought in Goa from Vaz Enterprises, though most liquor shops will have the same prices (except liquor shops in hotels! Never buy from there!)

I wish I could have taken this outdoors to shoot, but I was too lazy too carry all of it down one storey to the yard. And I was playing around with the camera settings as I shot these, hence the slightly different tints in some of these photos. My parents & me don't drink that much. This will last us a while.

Love,

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Dark Shadows, 2012 {Movie Review}

2012-05-17T09:00:00.000+05:30

I like Tim Burton's work, in general. I especially like his collaborations with Johnny Depp. I like Chloë Grace Moretz, & I like Eva Green a lot! I also like horror comedies.

So of course when I started to see the promos of Dark Shadows I knew I had to see the film. It has so many things I liked, so watching it can't go wrong, right? Wrong.

Dark Shadows is based on the late sixties gothic soap opera of the same name.
Barnabas Collins (played by Johnny Depp) is the heir to the Collins family business & fortune in the late 18th century. He's in a a physical relationship with Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green), but does not love her. He falls in love with the innocent Josette, but Angelique, in a jealous rage puts a spell on her that makes her throw herself off a cliff. Barnabas jumps too, but Angelique has turned him into a vampire before he hits the rocks. Later she tells the townspeople about him being a vampire, & he's chained & buried alive in the forest.

Fast forward to 1972, when Barnabas is accidentally released. He finds the manor in ruins. The Collins family still lives there, so he sets out to restore the business, manor & family in general to it's former glory.

The film is very visually striking. Tim Burton is of course obsessed with gothic makeup. Michelle Pfeiffer plays Elizabeth Collins, the strong matriarch, Chloë Moretz is plays her constantly sullen 15 year old daughter. And no Tim Burton film would be complete without Helena Bonham Carter, who plays the alcoholic psychiatrist Dr Hoffman. One thing I really loved about the film was the soundtrack- it features a lot of great songs from the early 70s by The Carpenters, The Moody Blues, Elton John, etc. Alice Cooper makes an appearance as himself (I seem to be seeing a lot of him recently), & it was pretty entertaining- "Ugliest Woman Ever!". The background score by Danny Elfman fits in well.

One of the main things I really hated about the film was it's depiction of two female characters, Josette & Angelique as the Virgin & the Whore. Angelique is authoritative & sexually confident, but depicted purely as a wicked witch & a scheming vamp, who Barnabas can repeatedly sleep with but never love. Josette on the other hand is very soft spoken & virginal, so she is the positive character & the love of Barnabas' life. This misogynistic depiction of women was especially common in Hindi cinema back in the day but to see it in a recent work by a major director is just shameful. The only worthwhile parts are the 'fish out of water' type jokes with Barnabas struggling to understand popular culture of the 70s, & I'm not even sure if they're worth your ticket money.

In summation, I really really wanted to like this film, but I couldn't. Bleh.

I'm looking forward to Men In Black III, I do hope it's good.

Rating ★★☆ ☆ ☆ (Two Stars)

Love,

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Margao, Goa (III) - Around Grace Church

2012-05-16T09:00:00.000+05:30

Grace church is in the heart of Margao, & with it's weird location you may almost miss it if you aren't looking. The church compound is situated one storey above the ground, surrounded by shops on all sides. These stores are all family owned, & most of them use their surname as the store name.

Raikar is a surname that means 'from Raia'. It's a family owned studio that has been around for a long time. It's so beautifully old fashioned, it's hand painted sign still depicting a film camera & roll & Kodak balloons hanging from it!

The second & third photos are taken inside Vaz Enterprises (no relation to me, Vaz is a pretty common Goan surname), a liquor shop. The guys there speak English well & are friendly & helpful without being pushy, & we ended up buying a lot more alcohol than planned. ;)

I definitely had my eye on these large (4.5 ltr!!) whisky bottles, with metal swings to help you pour a drink. They are of course very heavy & cumbersome to carry, else I would have convinced my mom to get us one.

Love,

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Margao, Goa (II) - Paying The Utility Bill

2012-05-15T09:00:00.000+05:30

Last month when we were in Goa, mom & me went to pay the water bill for our home there. Dad usually does it, but since he's still sailing we decided to get it done!

To get to the place you have to climb a sloping road for a while (in the afternoon, it's was so hot!). Then you have to actually climb a steep hill. The path was muddy & laden with loose tiles, plus a small pipe had burst so there was a lot of moss on a couple of steps, it was kinda scary (but these are everyday adventures in Goa, amirite?!)

When we reached the top I got a phone call from a friend & as I stopped there to talk to him (& catch my breath) I started to take in the sights around me. We were at the top of the hill & it offered a nice panoramic view of the area, we couldn't feel the scorching heat anymore because of the shade of trees that were over a century old & the place where the water bill had to be paid looked a little like a Buddhist monastery to me, even the decorative paper bunting looked like prayer flags. I don't think these pictures captured how unconventionally beautiful the place was but I had to give it a try.

Love,

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Euphoria - C U Later (English Version)

2012-05-14T09:00:00.000+05:30

Euphoria is one of India's oldest rock bands & I love their latest song (& first International single) C U Later. It was already out in Hindi but the English version is new. I think a bilingual song is always great. I also like the 'reverse motion' parts of the video.

Waiting to add this song to my music library, seems like it isn't available as a digital download yet.

Love,

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Margao, Goa (I) - The Post Office

2012-05-13T15:57:00.000+05:30

The first picture is of a wild star-shaped flower that has been growing in Goa since I was little. I don't think it's a native plant. I have always been fascinated by it but my grandma told me not to touch it as it might cause itching. I'm sure that's not the case, but I still haven't touched it.

The Margao post office had a cheery new coat of paint when we were there last month. The last photo is a mango tree, with raw mangoes (we call them kairies in hindi) hanging from it.

I'm just back from a one week mini vacation in the city itself. We checked in to a nice hotel, & crept away from out daily routines for a while. The best part is that it's just 15 minutes away from home. Now that I'm back I have a lot of stuff to do, & I'm diving into it right away starting... tomorrow!

Happy Mother's Day to moms everywhere! Especially mine. :)

Love,

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Micky Mao's, Mumbai (II)

2012-05-10T11:41:00.000+05:30

I loved Micky Mao's so much the first time that I went there again.
I loved the many different flavors of Ice Tea they've added to the menu. There aren't two photos of sizzlers because we both had prawn so they essentially looked the same.
I am in the middle of a mini vacation in the city itself. I hope to catch up on some much needed sleep!

Love,

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Things I'm Afraid To Tell You

2012-05-07T09:00:00.000+05:30

When I saw this amazing post over at Rhianne's blog I knew I had to do it too. This blog started as a personal blog, after all. So here goes...

{image credit}

✭ I am mostly happy with my looks, but I am very insecure with how my nose looks. I think it's misshapen & ugly. I would be lying if I said I never thought of rhinoplasty. I do not think I will ever go through with it, though. Because at the end of the day I really do believe that flaws make you unqiue.

✭ I am quite carefree when it comes to dressing up, I hardly ever use any makeup either. One thing I am pretty particular about it getting my eyebrows done. I hate it when they're shaggy looking.

✭ Sometimes I worry about my photos, that they aren't any good, & that I'm not getting any better. But then I really do think I am making progress as well.

✭ Sometimes I worry about where I'm going in life! I need to find something I truly love, nothing else will work for me.

✭ I am scared of relationships, in a way. I am mildly envious of people in long term, happy relationships. But I have seen how ugly relationships can get sometimes, I am so scared of something like that happening. I am also scared that I am too I'm too independent & freewheeling to be happy in a relationship for long. Probably one of the reasons I've never actually been in one.

✭ I am such a disorganized person in real life, & a major procrastinator. My room is in a mess & I've been meaning to clean if for months. I cook up tasty food but it's always up to mom to clean up.

✭ I am not religious at all. I'm equal parts Agnostic, Pantheist & Pastafarian. All of my friends know, but some family doesn't (for their own good really, we don't want them completely freaking out). I would belittle what anyone chooses to believe, I am a Live & Let Live kind of person. A lot of bloggers are always proclaiming the faith, which I find sweet, it just doesn't seem appropriate to proclaim mine.

✭ I'm such a shopaholic, it's scary for me! I always owe my mom money... I pay her but then I borrow some again.

✭ I am not a very emotional person. Over the years I've become great at bottling things up, which is probably why I almost never cry in a real life situation, no matter how big/scary it is, but cry very easily during the sad parts in a movie/tv show/book.

These are my confessions. What about you? If you choose to do a 'Things I'm Afraid To Tell You' post, do share a link to it in the comments.

Love,

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Washi Tapes in India!

2012-05-06T03:25:00.000+05:30

The word Washi comes from wa meaning Japanese & shi meaning paper. So this Japanese paper has had many applications throughout the years... in book binding, papier-mâché crafting etc.

In recent years washi tape has come to prominence. It's paper tape with so many uses- you can use it for crafting, or to decorate just about any surface you think of! It's easy to write on, & the adhesive is strong enough to hold a photo on the wall, but still doesn't leave residue. It's even reusable, depending on what surface you stick it.

I have been wanted to get my mitts of some washi tape for a few years now. But the cheapest washi tape can cost about $3 a roll, & of course there's shipping too. I do a lot of online shopping, but this just didn't seem sensible. So I held out, waiting for someone to stock it locally. I found Ricco Crafts! Ricco Crafts is based in both Hong Kong & India. They sell a lot of stuff like paper gift boxes, ribbon, bows, wrapping paper etc. And they also have washi tape... for just 60 a roll! (That's a little over $1!)

{I had a very hard time choosing five. Here are the ones I got: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.}

I chose polka dots, airmail stripes & b/w damask, & lastly a basic mettalic silver.
So if you're in Delhi, you can go to their store & choose what you like: Sagarika Card, 357 Chawri Bazar, Delhi-110006.

If you're anywhere else in India (like me) & would like to buy some of these, it's pretty simple too. Browse the washi tapes on their website, then send them an email with your choice. You can pay via a simple bank deposit they can be on their way to you! And you can keep up with their latest happenings by liking them on facebook.

I cannot wait to put these to use. I will probably be filling up some empty wall space in my room with photo prints!

Love,

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Penguin Twenty5

2012-05-02T02:51:00.000+05:30

I hardly ever go to the bookstore now-a-days (all book shopping is done online!) but a few days ago I made a trip to one just to buy something special from the Penguin Twenty5 limited edition merchandise range (in celebration of 25 years of Penguin India). They have so much awesome stuff like keychains, luggage tags, mini notebooks, regular notebooks, mugs & postcards.

I got an On The Road keychain, The Guide luggage tag & The Lost Girl mini notebook. I like how I chose all three things with a travel/wanderlust theme (it's all in the names!) The leather on the keychain & luggage tag is buttery soft. I would have loved to pick up more from this range but these three things were enough spending for a day. I'm hoping to maybe pick up another mini notebook soon.
ETA - Two days after writing this post, I added some more stuff to the collection!
Again I'm excited to have the canvas bag, a cheeky take on Arundhati Roy's God of Small Things. And I picked up the Lolita mini notebook because I actually have the Penguin classic paperback version of it, it was my first Penguin book. I never finished it though.

☞ I'm happy to say I finally made a blogroll! Do check it out if you want to discover some fabulous new blogs.

Love,

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My Week in Pictures (with the iPhone) #5

2012-04-30T03:26:00.001+05:30

I'm happy to get a remote for my Canon EOS 550D. I'm not sure whether I'll use it that much but it felt like a nice to to have in my kit. I really need to try taking self portraits.

I also went for the Ralph Lauren Big Pony Fragrance Collection for women launch. It was fun meeting a bunch of other bloggers there.

Now there's a funny story with the chocolate cake. We've always been buying cake from the same bakery for every birthday party since I was a little kid. In recent years I don't have Birthday Parties, but we still do buy cake often. Last year I surprised my mom with cake on her birthday, & I'm pretty proud of it because I actually managed to keep it a surprise. Anyway Anita, the lady who owns the bakery remembers my name & my birthday. Since I spent my birthday in Goa, mom ordered a chocolate cake now. When Anita asked about what should be written on the cake (You know, 'Happy Birthday so & so...') mom said nothing, we're just going to eat it ourselves. Then she brought the cake home & we saw Anita's message, 'Hi Magali Enjoy'. :)

Love,

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What Scares You?

2012-04-27T18:00:00.000+05:30

I may not be a super brave person; but I'm not scared of many things either. My parents have gone on little trips leaving me alone at home. Most of my friends get freaked out at the thought of it, they're always used to having someone or the other at home. And everyone asks me if I'm scared being alone. I'm not, I enjoy it immensely. I do confess to leaving a small light on, just so I can see easily if I wake up in the middle of the night.

I was born & raised in this big city, so as crowded as the place is, the fact that I have three neighbors on the same floor as me is comforting. And if I were to scream, someone would hear.

Rural areas always freak me out a little. I can't really put my finger on why, I think it's a combination of many things... the wilderness, the fact that houses are so far apart, the very audible creaking of the crickets, etc.

The Home For The Aged that we stayed at in Mangalore was not scary at all in the day time. The residents there had their dinner very early, since there was no way we were having dinner at 6 PM, the kitchen staff packed us a tiffin for dinner. After we were done with that, my mom would clean up/do the dishes while I did the long walk to the kitchen to keep the tiffin back. The hallways were very dimly lit, I could always see the fish tank light at the end of the corridor. (The photo above is very underexposed because I wanted to remember the corridor just as it looked at night.) I always felt a little creeped out during that night walk, but frames of Jesus, Mary & the saints were hung on the walls at regular intervals & I found that quite comforting.

So what scares you? I'm not even talking about smaller things like spiders. What really makes your hair stand?

Love,

PS- I know the is completely unrelated, but I've just stopped being lazy & re-started posting outfit photos to my style blog. I just posted one I really like, an outfit I wore to an event where I was the photographer as well. Do check it out if you have a minute.

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Home for the Aged at Mangalore (Part IV)

2012-04-27T07:20:00.000+05:30

So these are the last of the digital photos from Mangalore. I have film ones too, I will probably publish them on here in a month or two.

Sister Patricia is in charge of the parlor in the Home for the Aged in Mangalore. Last month was the first time I met her (as opposed to some of the other nuns there who I've known since a couple of years). She is such a calm & loving individual & I was very happy to quickly snap this portrait of hers. I will cherish it. She asked me to take a couple of photos around the home there, we just got prints of them & I will be mailing them to her in a couple of days.

Looking at that food from Mangalore is making me very hungry right now. Also, spiders freak me out but I really want to find more spider webs to photograph (with live spiders, please).

Love,

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Home for the Aged at Mangalore (Part III)

2012-04-25T09:00:00.000+05:30

I am in love with my Polaroid 420 land camera! (that photo of me was taken by mom) It was inexpensive to buy, film is reasonably priced & the colors are superb. So what if it's a heavy, large & slightly cumbersome to operate? I don't hate the attention I get when I'm using it. I'm going to do a little how to post on using land cameras very soon.

There was a mother cat + three kittens in the home for the aged in Mangalore. They mother was chilled out & I got to pet her multiple times; no such luck with the kittens though. I love how the the photo of the two kittens looks almost like some kind of optical illusion because they were crouched so close by & there was a leaf in front.

Since the last couple of years, Mangalore is a muddy mess because roads are being widened & paved everywhere. And I'm not even sure if that's a good thing with the amount of accidents there due to negligent & rash driving.

Love,

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Home for the Aged at Mangalore (Part II)

2012-04-23T23:44:00.000+05:30

One of the things I enjoy about travel is experiencing the different cuisine. There's breadfruit, pumpkin, crabs & unpolished rice in my lunch plate.

Love,

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Home for the Aged at Mangalore (Part I)

2012-04-22T14:18:00.000+05:30

Photos from the Home for the Aged we stayed at in Mangalore. They had a lovely garden & because it's Spring & all everything was in bloom. Indoors too everything was vintage & beautiful, a photographer's paradise.

Love,

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