Holi wishes..

Here's wishing you a Holi filled with love, laughter, happiness, color and endless fun:-)

Living Napa Style

I have admired Napa Style designs for a long time. Founded by Napa Valley chef, vintner, tv host and author, Michael Chiarello, NapaStyle showcases an eclectic mix of handcrafted and exclusive home goods and artisanal specialty foods that celebrate all things cooking, entertaining, wine, garden and home. The products found in their stores, catalogue and online are stunning. Its a visual treat for any home decor enthusiast. The pieces found here are stylishly elegant and simply unique. As a big fan of their designs, I am happy to preview some of my favorites..

These 60 yr old brass vintage cups remind me of a bygone era and are gorgeous..

These lovely teak purses are from India. I love the way they are being used to display paint brushes and other desk accessories..

A truly stylish way to serve salsa at your next party..won't the guests be envious.. This is called the More Amore Metal Server and I know why.....its got such a romantic look to it. I am dreaming about a summer under the Tuscan sun :-)

Now that's what I call style...and my wish list never ends !! These stackable copper serving trays can bring drama and elegance to your dinner table.

Combined with these bottega copper tumblers you are all set to be the perfect hostess.. Another favorite are these rustic sugar moulds that can be used to display flowers and candles to create the right ambiance... Vintage tea cups give such a warm and dreamy look...

I quote from Napa Style..you've heard of eating light but lighting eats ?? This clever twist on seasonal centerpieces puts your fresh produce front and center with a spiked base that plans a candleholder on the top. The display here is with a tomato..amazing isn't it ?? Hope you enjoyed these lovely designs.....

Pictures courtesy : Napa Style www.napastyle.com

Flea market finds

A gorgeous sunny morning in Seattle and the aroma of fresh tea by my bedside. It really does not happen quite like that for me, but why not dream about it :-) I like pottery and my yellow tea cups brighten my day. The yellow tiled tray was a find at a flea market for just 5 dollars!! I loved it the minute I set my eyes on it. Flea markets are great places to find little knick knacks. Fancy stores have their own charm and style. Yet finding a little treasure in an unexpected place can be a lot of fun. I will share some more finds from flea markets in a subsequent post. Do drop me a line about the treasures that you may have found in unusual places..

Remember your style is your own, experiment, create and just be yourself.

Preserving my Inheritance

Its been a project I have been working on for months and its still not complete. However I am happy that I am making progress. Today I have a good selection of pictures of my ancestors which I proudly display in my house. The oldest picture is of my grandmother's grandfather dating back to the early 1900's. Each of the pictures have a story to tell. I think its such a lovely way to preserve old memories. The albums lie buried in a corner, or on the hard drive whereas this makes it so much more real :-) Its a legacy that needs to be preserved for the generations to come, and I am excited to do my part !!

My mothers picture below, taken in the Mughal Gardens of the Rashtrapathi Bhavan ( presidents palace) while she was staying there with her parents, is my favourite.

Roses on Valentine..

These are a few of my favorite things...raindrops on roses and smiles on faces..hope your valentine day was all you wished for. I spent it with my husband and my babies. The big hug from my kids in the morning keeps me warm on this cold and foggy day :-)

Blogging happiness...

I started this blog very recently as simply an outlet to pen down my thoughts and interests. Today, I am thrilled to have connected with some amazing people in the blogging world. I love being a blogger and my Dream Canvas is helping my dreams come true :-) A big thank you to all my friends who stop by and leave their wonderful comments. Its very encouraging to hear from people from different parts of the world. I also want to thank Tod Coates, the Managing Director of BridgeClimb Sydney. He sent me a lovely email about my recent post "K2 OF Urban Climbs". I have managed to find a frayed but precious picture of my climb to the summit in 2000 and am happy to share it today.

Happy blogging to all you people out there and keep smiling :-)

K2 of Urban Climbs..

I recently received the February issue of Conde Nast Traveler where the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb is being called the K2 of Urban Climbs! I climbed the bridge while I was on a business trip to Sydney in 2000. Its been ten years since then and the article has brought back so many memories...

I remember my mom being upset....my climbing a bridge over WATER..... to her mind that was just crazy!! The Bridge Climb had been inaugurated in 1998 and was "the" thing to do in Sydney and the world. I was so thrilled with the opportunity. I enjoyed the experience even more as it was on company expense :-) The climb was thrilling and the views from the summit were to die for.

After the four hour climb I sat in a cafe and chatted with my fiance over the phone. The poor guy sitting in the US was subjected to a one sided conversation about my recent accomplishment :-) With a heady feeling and not a care in the world, I walked out of the cafe without my purse!! After walking a few blocks, I realised my folly and ran back hoping to retrieve my belongings. Thankfully the cafe owner was waiting patiently for me to return. The sight of my passport in my purse calmed my nerves and I clung to it for life. It was certainly an eventful day in my life !!

The Sydney Bridge climb has been in the Lonely Planet's top ten heart pounding experiences and I for one can vouch for that !!

I have a picture of myself on the summit which now hangs in my husband's office. Guess I never let him forget it :-) The climb takes you 134 metres over the Sydney Harbour to the summit and for more information stop by www.bridgeclimb.com

Photographs courtesy : www.bridgeclimb.com

Cosy corners from Home..

My husband thinks I have an addiction..and its true I do admit :-) I absolutely love brass and silverware. My silver collection is mainly ancestral and I am proud to have them in my home. The brassware is mostly new, a recent passion and so hard to resist. I do have a special weakness for Ganesha and Buddha statues. Here are a few that I am happy to call my own.

Fountains Galore..

The sound of water cascading down has a calming effect and its certainly no cliche! Its simply impossible to tame our vast oceans, lakes and waterfalls and make them flow in our living room :-) However the sight of a gorgeous waterfall sure calms my nerves and paints a pretty picture..

I have been on a quest to find the perfect waterfall for my home for some time now. These stunning fountains though very different from each other, have caught my eye. I am confused about which one of them is the right fit for my space but till then the search is on ...

This copper cascading fountain is the winner for now :-)

I love the simplicity and elegance of this impressive fountain..

I have a weakness for Buddha statues and this one is hard to resist...

These red urns reminds me of the Spanish pottery that I picked up in Majorca,an island off the coast of Spain.

The Year ahead..

The holidays are long gone but I can't help reminiscing.....another ten months is a long time to wait !! However for now these images from the my Christmas lunch make me smile. The New Year comes with new dreams, challenges, its own high and lows but I am ready for it. The holidays were a great end to 2009 and a lovely start to 2010. The excitement continues as I wait for another lovely holiday season this year.