Tea and a Walk Down Memory Lane With Lakshmi Arvind

I am kicking off this week with Tea Time at Lakshmi's home in New Delhi. Lakshmi is a fellow blogger, a brilliant photographer and a wonderful friend. I find depth and beauty in each and every frame captured by Lakshmi through her camera lens. Her home is a visual treat, it has an old world charm and beauty that is absolutely mesmerising! Do visit her blog and on Facebook to view her incredible pictures! As you can clearly see, I am a huge fan :) 

A fellow chai lover, she has captured some really exquisite tea time moments!  

Take it away Lakshmi... 

"It’s the little moments and memories that always made "TEA" special!

A set of embedded memories in life and aren't they all what made life special today and always?

"Come inside for a homemade tea "I have always heard my grandma say to whoever comes to visit and whoever went her way and no one went without having a cup of tea!

The mornings were pleasant at home. My Dad used to like piping hot milk tea in glasses and it was he who taught me to make good tea, the proportions that went with making tea. He was very particular to have them in tea glasses. Senior school days were the best   memories we had, of making emotional and 

earnest appeal to Amma (Mom) to pour a little of her tea into the glass of milk in hand:)-how we enjoyed the milky fragrance of the little tea in a huge glass of milk:)-These childhood fragrances are the best and continue to be with me and I realize them more as I am far from the family and this is what makes us miss them! 

Now tea for me is a "reflection of all the images, of all the stolen tea moments from time "I have been clicking and collecting so far. As i see them its happiness tasted and all those times well spent, be it be on a rainy day, on the wet parapets of the huge old house in a village in the South of India, the tea posed with the flowers collected in arecanut boats, the grandmas milky tea in huge differently shaped steel tumblers or in tea glasses.For me A good cup of tea has its own share filled with thoughts, memories, secrets, pictures and quotes!"

I can almost visualize the home and the tea time moments that Lakshmi talks about........it really is a beautiful story and a lovely memory!

Images; Lakshmi Arvind and subject to Copyright.

A big thank you to all those who have appreciated and submitted images for this series. I will be taking a short break and will resume the tea time series in a few weeks!

Tea Time Continues With The East Coast Desi

I have received many many gorgeous images of "Tea Time" from across the world. Its been such a treat to share these tea time moments with fellow "chai lovers". My apologies as I have not posted a lot of images that are in my inbox. I shall get to all of them as soon as I can :) Today, I am taking you to visit "The East Coast Desi". Sruthi Singh's delightful blog and her home is a treat to the eyes. I have featured Sruthi's lovely home on MDC way back in 2013. An incredibly talented fellow blogger and chai enthusiast, I am delighted to have her back on MDC today :) 

Take it away Sruthi....

 “To me, CHAI is a way of enjoying life’s simple pleasures! It is not only about taking delight in the cup of hot, aromatic, amber liquid….but it is the whole experience of selecting the blend of tea to brew, watching the concoction change color, pouring it into a favorite tea cup, cuddling the cup in my palms, watching the steam escape the cup and put on a show of its own and then of course the finale of savoring the hot beverage, as it soothes my throat and warms my insides! 
My day starts with my cup of chai…..besides being my morning fuel, the morning chai moments serve as a means to connect with my husband, deliberate over unfinished business and chalk out a mental POA to make the rest of the day more productive. And later in the day when I begin to lose steam, my second of cup of tea comes to my rescue. This time, I usually like to reserve it as “Me Time” - a moment of solitude that serves as my elusive escape into another world, even if it is for a mere 10 minutes. But that being said, all we need is an excuse to brew a pot of tea at my casa. Be it weekend mid-day lounging in the sun room with family, chat sessions with friends when entertaining or just warming up on a languid winter afternoon with a good read, a cup of chai is always within arm’s reach."

I also enjoy capturing my everyday tea moments through my lens and sharing these on my blog, The East Coast Desi.

Thanks Sruthi for sharing your tea time moments with me and the readers of MDC. The tea looks tempting and so does the presentation:)

On another note....have you checked out my Suzani coaster Giveaway?

Images: Copyright Sruthi Singh of East Coast Desi

Tea Time With Erum Kazmi

The Tea time series is back this week with Erum Kazmi. Erum is a friend, fellow "chai" lover, photographer and an extremely talented lady. I featured her exquisite home right here on My Dream Canvas a few years ago. Her home tour is not to be missed!! Erum has great taste. Her style is elegant, classy and understated all at the same time. A winning combination in my opinion :) Her passion for tea is clearly evident in the images below. Tea time at her home looks beautiful! I asked Erum to describe these special moments in her own words!

Take it away Erum.....

"You'll always find three things in my home, chai,  books and flowers.  

Growing up having a cup of chai with breakfast, hurriedly leaving for school was a ritual back home. At night Ammi (Mom) always insisted having a cup of milk but I always argued for chai :)

Later, the love continued through college days as the canteen served the most delicious chai. No matter how horrid the summer was or how tough the exams were, tea was always there to perk up my soul. I truly believe in this idiom, "where there's tea, there's hope". I get up early in the morning just to enjoy my cup of tea in a solitude. A non-tea lover will not get it, the feel is very sublime. My husband shares the same love of chai. He religiously serves me evening Cuppa, so it's actually the cherry on top. 

I've always enjoyed capturing the endless cups of chai over the years in Chai Khana and will ccontinue to do so. Love exploring little cafes/tea shops around the town. Enjoy reading about different types of teas, their stages of preparation, and origins. Whether its the chai, thick with the aroma of boiled milk, streaked with the perfume of cardamom and clove, exotic flavors like youth berry orange blossom, soothing invigorating and rejuvenating ginger tea, time-less classic earl grey or the typical Pakistani dhaba style karak chap, or doodh patti chai :) I'm always ready to capture and gulp it down effortlessly. To me a perfect cup of tea is what we all need end of the day as I'm one of those people who strongly believe and take chai as a stress reliever or re-freshener :) 

Please drop by at my page to enjoy more chai, books and flowers :)"

Last but not the least, my absolute favorite picture of all the images Erum sent me, is the one of a drawing made by her daughter!

In Erum's words" My almost 6 yr old daughter has an obsession with drawing. Just like the way I don't get tired of consuming endless cups of tea, she doesn't get tired of drawing endless tea cups for me :)

I love it.... the little one clearly understands her mom's passion for chai :)

Thank you Erum for sharing your tea time moments with My Dream Canvas. I hope we can share a "cuppa" in person soon :)

Image: Erum Kazmi and subject to copyright!

Tea Time With Archana of Rang Decor!

My "Tea Time Series" continues with today with Archana Srinivas of Rang Decor! Archana as many of you is the author of one of the most popular and innovative blogs out there. She is the first person to feature my home and introduce My Dream Canvas to the blogosphere years ago! Archana is a Tea Goddess :) Her love for tea and tea photography is clearly evident in each of the frames she creates!

I asked her to describe what a "Cup of Chai" means to her. Take it away Archana....

"The words 'Anytime is Tea Time'  describes my philosophy about tea. Tea is my favourite drink. I am almost fanatical when it comes to chai. The sheer experience of enveloping a cup of hot tea in my hands, watching it gently lose steam to the atmosphere, and emanate various aromas, is a joy that has become a daily ritual. The hints of ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon are soothing to my senses— a cup of chai is all I need to begin my day and probably sustain me through the day!

My story about capturing cups of chai, my chai blog & the book~

I wanted to capture the moments of having tea in the most spontaneous manner possible. I believe that spontaneity is the key to personal projects. So while a daily ritual of a cup of tea may seem monotonous, with spontaneity and creativity you can break the monotony. For me, creative compositions are important as they can bring the mundane to life. 

Photographs are all around us— patterns, shapes, lines… there are no limits to what one can shoot. This is why I have constantly tried to ‘see’ compositions around me. The subject being just tea gives me the freedom to experiment with various angles. I have never followed any strict rules. But, I am partial to certain kinds of compositions; for instance, top-angle shots are my favorite.

There have been occasions when friends have walked into my house, and found me precariously standing on a chair, trying to shoot a top-angle view of chai. While exploring such shots of chai, I realised how different the same subject can look from different perspectives. I also love side shots of the cups where I can capture the steam and the details of colors, reflections and the translucency of the beverage. Being a graphic designer, I am instinctively drawn to unique and creative patterns, frames and compositions in whatever I come across in everyday life—even when I shoot my everyday cups of tea. So whenever there is an occasion for a cup of chai, I ensure that my camera is always nearby. You never know when an interesting composition may come up.

While I continue to shoot my daily vignettes of chai everyday, I also upload them online on a blog specially dedicated to tea. This has resulted in a beautiful confluence of photography and tea, two things that I am so passionate about.

The most natural culmination of a project like this is a book that has the finest collection of photographs that celebrates the eternal cup of tea. A Tea Table book, very unique in it's concept and a great memoir to gift and pass on to chai-lovers, tea-drinkers and fine art photography admirers."

So for all you tea drinkers out there, this book would be just what you need :) Click on the link to purchase the book on blurb.

http://blur.by/1KBfizN

Thanks Archana for sharing your tea time rituals with the readers of My Dream Canvas!


Images: Archana Srinivas and subject to copyright.

Tea time with Swati Seth

Swati Seth is a woman extraordinaire. She is the Founder of The Color Caravan and a brilliant photographer. The Color Caravan works with independent craftspeople, SHGs & NGOs on grass-root level to co-create products and helps bridge gap between artisans and the market, thereby reviving the handicrafts as well as livelihood. You can view her pictures on Swati Seth Photography. 

I admire Swati's commitment for art and craft and her passion for preserving and propagating age-old traditional Indian crafts. Swati and I have been virtual friends for a while now. We share common interests especially travelling and  our mutual love of chai :) I particularly like how she captures the small joys of life through her camera lens! Her images are the perfect addition to MDC'S tea time series...........

Thanks Swati for sharing your tea time moments with MDC :) Stay tuned for more chai moments and a grand finale coming up this week!

Images: Swati Seth Photography and subject to copyright.

Happy First Day of Spring and Tea Stories from Lucknow!

Happy First Day of Spring people :) Its raining in my neck of the woods and a bit chilly but hey its still spring....so says the calender :) Sharing my cup of tea above and a sneak peek into whats going to be my big birthday giveaway :) Can you guess ???

Since its springtime I am transporting you to Lucknow, India where we are invited for chai to Reshma's pretty home. I have blogged about Reshma before on MDC. She is a lovely person, a fabulous virtual friend, she is incredibly artistic and blogs at Dreams are Made of These. 

Take it away Reshma.....

"Hello all ! I'm Reshma . Warm greetings to you from India ( Lucknow) to be precise) I come from a country where 80% of people believe that tea , or chai. It is the axis around which our entire social life revolves. No event, gathering or visit is complete if you don't offer chai.  I would love to believe that there is no greater chai lover on this planet than me ( but then, most of us believe that ) and my husband often tells people that they can get anything out from me ( in terms of gossip) over a cup of tea. Sigh !! Well, I stand guilty :) There are many ways of having tea. A lot goes in it's preparation and presentation. However, the long leafed Darjeeling variety that is served 'oh-so-correctly' in a tea pot with matching napkins and hot scones on the side is the one preparation that I keep aside for formal gatherings. I prefer my everyday tea to be of a nice , brown-orange robust color, boiled to perfection which is a far cry from it's distant cousin Darjeeling tea .My tea isn't complete if I don't add an adequate quantity of adrak ( ginger), throw in a few leaves of tulsi ( holy basil) and of late I have started adding just a small stick of cinnamon  too just to give it a spicy taste as well as a great fragrance. You won't need aroma therapy after that for sure :)
These days, at our end, Spring is knocking on the door, ready to barge in anytime so in an attempt to erase the lines between indoors and outdoors, I have started taking my hot cuppa outdoors along with some hot munchies. Just the place I want to be in to put up my feet, hear the birds chirping,watch the flowers blooming, the bees and butterflies flitting around laboriously, pick up that book and take a sip of heaven. "

Sigh, I told you that she will transport you to a magical place :) Now here are some of the pictures of those delightful tea moments!

Thank you Reshma for inviting us for tea. Happy Friday people and keep on smiling :)


Images: Reshma Sharma and subject to copyright.

Tea Time With Kamini in Seattle

I am having so much fun bringing you tea time stories from around the world. I have a grand finale planned and its one you don't want to miss :) However, that is a few days away.......

Today, I am inviting all chai lovers to Kamini's home here in Seattle. Kamini is a fellow blogger, friend, an interior designer and an artist. Kamini has been on a break from blogging. However, I for one, sincerely hope she returns to the blogosphere :) You have to check out her blog to view pictures of her gorgeous home.....for tonnes of inspiration and to view her work! I love the images she sent me of tea time in her home. Do you spot the sugar container? Its one of my finds from Istanbul for The Shop At My Dream Canvas. I am thrilled when I see my finds become a part of a lovely home :)

Take it away Kamini....

"I'm a coffee gal, but on sunny days like this gorgeous spring day we're having here, I hanker for tea. A light refreshing herbal tea, not the heavy cloying taste of coffee. The tea set is one I picked up in Granada a few years ago. It's meant for mint tea, but works as well for any herbal tea. My favorite tea flavors are green tea with ginger, mint or kombucha and this one-Honeybush, a sweet African nectar. I'm enjoying the tea time series. So fun to see what teas folks like to drink and the compelling stories that go along with the pics."

Thank you Kamini for inviting us over for chai! Your tea time sounds wonderful and your presentation is exquisite!

Images: Kamini Raghavan and subject to copyright,

Tea Time in South Korea with Karishma

Karishma is a fellow blogger and a virtual friend who lives in South Korea with her husband. She blogs over at A Treat For The Senses. Her blog is an absolute delight. I am especially drawn to her elegant style and the charming vignettes of her home!

Take it away Karishma...........

"Chai time" for me is when the sun comes out, when it is about to go down, when it starts to rain, when the train arrives at a new station, when it is time to take a break in between a marathon shopping run, when it is time to write, when it is time to paint, when it is time to read….....I could go on and on, to cut a long story short, every time is chai time :-)
I love my chai laced with freshly ground cinnamon, adrak ( ginger) and a hint of clove and green cardamom. The times when I miss home, my 'Kulhad-in-Korea’ chai-moment does the trick for me, I bank on it for those homesick days :-)
I am an amateur photographer, I love to paint and am a compulsive flower shopper :-) I also co-author a space called Kadak Chai on Facebook along with blogging full time at 'A Treat for the Senses’ which is my treasure trove of all things beautiful.

She definately sounds like an ardent tea lover :) Thank you Karishma for inviting me and the readers of MDC to share your tea time with us :)


Images: Karishma Banerji and subject to copyright.

Tea Time With Maryam The Illustrator

I am having lots of fun with the " Tea Time" series on My Dream Canvas and I hope you are too:) My inbox has been filled with tea time pictures that make me smile :) I am getting to know people from all over the world who share a common passion for chai :)  I am thrilled to introduce you to Maryam on the blog today. Maryam is based in India and is an illustrator and artist. I have spent the last two days reading her blog and admiring her illustrations. 

Maryam is truly multi-talented and in her words " My blog is my little corner in the world that is like completely mine, away from my duties as an Army wife and mother of two hyperactive boys. I am a children's book and fashion illustrator, a newbie potter and a BIG time foodie. I love trying out new recipes and experimenting them on my ever ready family-who relish everything (well almost) that I put on their plates"

As you can clearly see we also made a connection because of her being an army wife and me being an army brat :)

Here is Maryam's cup of tea and her beautiful tea time watercolor which she made a while back. 

Here is a preview of Maryam's work. You can connect with her via her blog and on Facebook.

Thank you Maryam for sharing your cup of tea with me and the readers of My Dream Canvas!

Images: Maryam Hasanahmad and subject to Copyright!

Tea Time With Nirmala in Seattle and Kunjan in San Francisco!

Today we are sharing tea time stories with two lovely ladies. Kunjan Chabra is a fellow blogger and avid reader of My Dream Canvas. In Kunjan's words " I am a Delhi girl who now lives in the beautiful city of San Francisco. An avid lover of colors, I thrive on pattern and textures all around me. I blog at An Affair With Color.

I have been drooling over this lovely tea tray and its pretty evident that Kunjan is a fellow chai lover :) 

Warm and inviting..............

Nirmala needs very little introduction. Her home tour on MDC is one of the most popular home tours on my blog. A fellow chai lover, I have known Nirmala for a few years now. She is an incredibly talented lady. Her home is filled with pretty things, she is also a DIY enthusiast and is extremely artistic.

In her words" Chai is my favorite beverages of all! My day like most of us has to start with a cup of tea, I particularly enjoy it all alone in my favorite spot on the couch by the window. The energy that I get from that one cup is enough to last for a few hours. Tea time gets even more special during weekends when I have my favorite chai companion, my husband around. We take  ten minute tea breaks by the kitchen island in the middle of a busy day. We particularly enjoy our chai in Kulhads (terracotta cups). It gets even more special when we have rain joining us…......which is most of the times in Seattle"

Nirmala's tea time looks pretty and exotic....I love the Moroccan tea glasses :)

Thank you ladies for inviting us for tea :)


Image 1 and 2: Kunjan Chabra, Images 3 and 4 : Nirmala Iyer and subject to copyright.

Tea Time With Manju of Mirch Masala

Our very first cup of tea is with Manju Mahadevan right here in Seattle. Manju is an absolute foodie, fellow blogger, chai lover and a virtual friend! I hope to meet her someday soon :) Her blog Mirch Masala is a treat and has the most awesome recipes. I am also a big fan of Manju's food photography. 

In Manju's words " I love cooking, eating and feeding my family with good food as much as eating out around the town. Fashion, travel and wine lover...... Obsessed with planning and making lists - it could be anything, the next party, the next travel plan, restaurants to eat, food to cook, things to buy........ changing the decor of the house or purses and shoes to buy (shh!)"

You can see why I made a connection :)

You are going to love me for introducing you to her very popular website and you can connect with Mirch Masala on Facebook.

Here's a sneak peek into what's in store for you on her blog. Mouthwatering and beautiful.....don't you think?

Thank you Manju for sharing your cup of tea with the readers of My Dream Canvas :)


Images: Manju Mahadevan of Mirch Masala and subject to copyright.

Tea Time Around The World Part 1

I am thrilled to kick start the "Tea Time" series on My Dream Canvas. Today, I am sharing a cup of tea from my home.  For me, a cup of tea is the much needed fuel to get me to start my day :) Its usually a pretty tall cup! I have to admit that on most mornings Mr MDC makes it for me :) I am usually packing the kids lunch in the morning......and running around so I appreciate all the help I can get!! My morning "cuppa" is pretty easy, I love my Earl Grey tea bag:)

My ideal tea time moment would involve a good book. However, these days I am not reading a whole lot ! I need to rectify that immediately. My tea collection includes a variety of tea cups. There is nothing matching or symmetrical in my collection! I have started buying tea cups as souvenirs and this particular one is from Mexico. The brownie is from a friend who makes the most fabulous desserts :) The tea coasters are a gift from my sister in law in UK. She and my brother know me rather well..... and they give me the most awesome gifts :) I bought the book box in the image from HomeGoods. It is actually a storage box with the names of all the classics I grew up reading.

I do hope you have enjoyed joining me for tea at the MDC casa. Stay tuned..... as we head to another home here in Seattle for a cup of tea. I promise to begin in Seattle and end up around the world, sipping endless cups of chai :)


Image: My Dream Canvas

Lets Talk Tea!

I am so glad I decided to bring the "tea series" back to life on My Dream Canvas! The emails are pouring in with images and stories about tea time from readers homes around the world! I am excited and looking forward to sharing them with you next week :) There is still time to send in the pretty pictures and the delightful stories............. so keep them coming. I took a quick picture with my Ipad of the the tea chest my mother in law gave me to kick start the series. It sits pretty on my kitchen counter and I am quite in love with it :)

To know more about the tea series, click here!

Happy Friday and here's wishing you love, laughter and happiness for Valentines Day !!

Image: My Home!