Infectious Creativity: Art from Ben Geiger

Whenever am sapped for inspiration, I head to Society6. It's a deep, deep well brimming over with fantastic art. Just looking at the beautiful photographs, illustrations and collages opens up my mind to newer ideas and perspectives. I really love the fact that it's a celebration of so many different styles of work.

Once such blissful journey brought me to Ben Geiger's profile. His works are not just illustrations, photographs and collages but magical little glimpses of the world around us. I am hooked. And am not the only one, as the few hundred 'loves' of his work show. I've picked out some beautiful creations for you to see here, because I simply couldn't resist sharing them with you lovely people.

Now am waiting to see what this artist produces next. You can find more of his work here.

Food Photography: Great Tips from a Pro put to Use

Over the past month, I have been obsessing over the decision to buy a DSLR that I've had my eye on for a while. It's the Nikon D5100. Every few days I trundle over to the Nikon India website and wonder what is the one thing that will push me to place the order for one. And a couple of lenses while am at, I mean why not, right? Okay, the lens I start with will actually be the kit lens, but no harm in a little daydreaming...

It's not that I cannot afford to buy the camera, I have been saving up money for one. But something is just holding me back from making the commitment. Somebody (my rational voice) is whispering in my ears, what if am just another one of the many untalented enthusiasts toting a fancy piece of equipment? I have looked at some perfect, yet uninspiring stills clicked with high-end cameras and been really, really worried that I may be on the same path myself.

As always, common sense dawned upon me a little later, and I realised that I just had to believe I could get to a place where I could be good at photography. I may be far away from that benchmark yet, but I would never get there unless I tried. I have decided to take baby steps, instead of rushing head-on (which I was running away from doing anyway).

Now, I have decided to learn as much as I can both theoretically and practically. Am going to stick with my point-and-shoot Sony Cybershot for the time being. Am going to explore the several buttons, knobs and settings to see what all this little miracle can pull off. At the same time, I have begun to read up, watch videos, look at great photography and dig for pearls of wisdom from the pros.

A few days back I came across this excellent collection of tips from Penny De Los Santos on the National Geographic website - an eternal fount of inspiration. Head over here now if you'd like to learn a few interesting details about how you can bring a plate of food to life. I simply love how every picture tells a story and gives you a glimpse into a new culture. Penny has shared her inspirations and how she feels about her work giving impetus to my desire to fiddle around.

This evening, I baked a batch of banana muffins using a recipe by Kanan from her blog Spice up the Curry. My friend Bhakti who blogs at Lifestylerr.com, recommended this recipe a couple of weeks ago and I was waiting to give them a go. The only change I made to the original recipe is that used the natural sweetness of the bananas and didn't add any sugar to sweeten up the batter. My muffins came out just like freshly baked muffins should...fluffy, fragrant and divine!

Have I told you how, whenever I cook something new, I have to click pictures of it before I even try it? It is a just-in-case measure. If the dish turns out great and share-worthy, I want to share it with all of you. Must spread the love. Always.

So armed with my newly learned theory about great food photography, I got going and clicked until the sun went down. Here are the results for you to see. And judge. I'd love to know what you think.

Being Brave: I will NOT be Helpless

To truly understand what this post is, you need to first watch the video at No Country For Women (http://nocountryforwomen.com/)

As I watched this video, I had several reactions - anger, frustration, repulsion, gut wrenching pain and a complete sense of helplessness. I found myself asking, what should we do? How can we change this? Will this ever change?


I was tempted to give into the powerless feeling that was sweeping over me. It is the bane of my generation, this feeling that we can't do much to change anything. We carve our lives with ambition, hard work and success, insulating ourselves from things that we have no power over. Most days the insulation works, keeping us away from the realities that surround us. On some days like this one, something manages to slice through that insulation and hit us at our soft spot.


But the answers I was seeking, were yet to come to me. Conversations with friends and sharing the link on Facebook wasn't going to cut it this time around. This wasn't one of those Social Media activations that make a dent in the shape of the problem. Something had to be done in real life, in our everyday, in our homes, offices and on the streets.


Then my friend Mou shared this video about the History of Wooing Women made by cdza and also this article written by Sarah Hepola. The comments section is particularly illuminating. All this was symptomatic of where our very 'global' culture has moved.


Today I read my friend Sonal's post about this. And she has given me the answer. The first thing to do is to stop being helpless. There is no way we can allow ourselves to shrug our shoulders, draw the dupattas/jackets/stoles closer and promise ourselves that we wouldn't be in such situations. Because every woman I know has been in this situation where men have behaved in a way that disrespected womankind.


I have been there too, and am guilty of doing nothing more but looking away in disgust. And thinking later, if only I had said something. But pacifying my conscience by thinking that there was no way they would have heard you anyway. Sometimes I've been so angry, that I haven't been able to say or do anything.


Only once have I physically reacted by slapping the first face I saw when a mob tried to grope me on a local train. I was 19 and my mom was travelling with me. The courage of the young and the fact that my mom can smack the daylights out of anyone probably made me actually take action. We travelled the rest of our journey with a imaginary body bubble that no one dared to cross.


From personal experience, I have seen that there are two things that hold us back - Fear and a feeling of Helplessness. Which is why, we must be brave, there is no other way. By pledging that I will Not be Helpless, I am making a choice, to think, speak up and do something. 


If you're a woman, I urge you to do the same, irrespective of where you live. Take control and do something, anything. Don't risk your lives, but don't be passive. Sonal's action points are a good place to start. Write about it, talk about it and, most importantly, when faced with a situation that calls for you to be brave, be.


If you're a man who believes that women have be disrespected long enough, help spread the message too.


Feel free to use the graphic above, if you'd like to use it somewhere to spread the message. No attribution needed.


P.S.: You may wonder, what a post like this is doing on a blog about travel, design and spreading cheer. But this blog is all about sharing with you everything that inspires me. All creative pieces shared above urged me to voice my thoughts to you. And I also believe that life just shouldn't be compartmentalized like that!

This Time That Year: A Summer in Paris

The year was 2007. Three young students from Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad (MICA) were headed to Paris to represent India at the L'Oreal Brandstorm marketing contest. I was one of the three, we were up against teams from 36 other countries. This was the second time L'Oreal India was even participating in the global finals. We worked hard for six months leading up to this fabulous moment. We didn't place amongst the top winners of the contest, but we sure came away with precious moments and memories.

It was my first trip out of the country. And that too to Paris, in June. The most glorious time of the year to be there. I was so kicked on so many levels. I was there to represent my country, to make new friends, to show what a good brand management student I was and to experience a culture I had only read about in books. I was on a high, as were my team mates.

For the first time, I understood what it meant when people said diversity. Up until now, the only diversity I'd experienced was that of the geography of states and languages within India. Here, 37 countries brought people of all colours, hues and tones. Of different races, languages and cultures. Though the conclave lasted only three days, the memories are burnt in my mind's eye forever.

I made a lot of friends, some of whom I've managed to stay in touch with. Some others have faded away as part of a refreshing experience. My mind was not ready to absorb everything I saw, heard and smelled in those 9 days in Paris. After the conclave got done, we moved out of the trendy hotel the company had put us up at to a hostel on the outskirts of the main city. Clichy was far from all the important sights, and it gave us the chance to explore the Paris metro. It was lovely to hear the recorded names of stations in French, which sounded nothing like what they looked!

We took in all the tourist destinations, spent a good hour browsing through the Shakespeare Book Co.'s collection and wandered through Montmartre's alleys. This was where artists like Salvadore Dali, Modigliani, Monet, Picasso and Van Gogh worked. I was delighted to simply walk down the same cobble-stoned roads as these artists must have ages ago, gazing upon the beautiful city that may have inspired their work. I almost wished I could have a tiny little flat and live here forever.

We had some wine on a side-walk cafe beside the Seine, walked along the river by day and cruised on it at night. The air was filled with art, music, French and style. We toured the Louvre, I ran to catch a glimpse of Van Gogh's work at a museum dedicated to him. Unfortunately, it was closed, but just outside, I met local artists and saw the work of the master replicated beautifully by them. I almost walked away with a oil on canvas, but alas, my meager budget allowed me only art prints of the originals. Sigh!

Apart from enjoying the atmosphere of the romantic capital of the world, Paris was a crash course in different kinds of personal style. Things that were on the ramps were on the streets in Mumbai too. But I had yet to see such clever mixing of colours and textures. I was a student, I couldn't afford much, but I did come away with two beautiful and surprising pullovers.Those and a couple of berets is all I bought to keep the spirit of personal style alive for me. Even if I wear them at home, they make me happy!

My one regret is that I didn't possess enough skill or capability to make the most of my borrowed camera. A cousin had lent me his point-and-shoot and now I have thumbnail sized memories to look at whenever am nostalgic.

I created this collage above by using some clever filters and effects in Coreldraw. It is a beautiful reminder of a wonderful time only four summers ago. I've made another version of the same photograph, and if you'd like to check it, you can head over to my store on Society6.com.


N and I plan to return to the city someday, together. He's done a trip with family a year after I was there, we didn't even know each other. I can almost see us walking along the quaint sidewalks and soaking in the Paris air. Of course, he will drag me to music shops. But I will tug at his arm as we cross Valentino. Who knows, we may just be able to buy me something gorgeous in Valentino Red. One can dream.

Cupcake Gluttony: Vanilla Cupcakes with Lemon filling

A friend sent me a link to drop-dead gorgeous cupcakes (30 of them!) and thankfully the pictures were accompanied by recipes. The baker-writer has done a fabulous job, even though she claims to have never baked before, her cupcakes look like they belong in a cupcake shop. Her generous effort of cataloging 30 of the best recipes from friends and family is truly commendable. You must stop by here, even if to only indulge in visual gluttony of Ming's creations.

I really wanted to try out a recipe, and from the long list, I picked Cupcake 23: Vanilla cupcakes with Lemon filling (there was no way I was gonna manage the meringue frosting) based on the access to ingredients and my desire to try my hand at whisking a lemon curd. Do you follow all those heart-wrenchingly lovable Masterchef Australia series? If you don't, you must look them up. In India they are running the Junior Masterchef series, and it makes me feel quite ashamed, really. Am blown away by the sheer talent, technique and palate of the competing kids. Even though I can't taste a single thing, I can tell how delicious those whip-ups are!

Lucy, who is a third generation cake queen and all of 11 years old, was whisking together a lemony yellow lemon curd the other day. And I thought, I must try this someday. Then, along comes Cupcake 23 and I have the chance to get my wish granted. I grabbed it with both hands, put pen to paper and jotted down the recipe in my lil recipe book (thank you Hammie for the Daydreams Nightdreams notebook. It is rapidly filling up at both ends).

Here's a snapshot of what I attempted. If you read on, you'll pat my back for the delicate choice of words.

When I tried my first batch, I wanted to cry. Mine came out too short to even peek above the cupcake wrappers! But they tasted divine. So I decided to give them another go (in any case, the 8 I made vanished before you could say Jack Sparrow and my craving wasn't done yet).

No, I have no amazing story to tell of how I conquered a batch of cupcakes. The second time was only slightly better looking, however, I came nowhere close to the creation above. I bemoaned my ambitious spirit, wondering why I didn't settle for some bun-butter-sugar (which is my go-to treat in times of sugary cravings) instead. At least that looks neat and edible.

But when they taste so good, who cares about how rustic they look, right? My story does have a happy ending after all. The cupcakes came out soft and fluffy, sweet and tangy, and we all lived happily ever after. Not the cupcakes, those were gone and the crumbs were dusted.

I urge you to give one of them a go too. They look deceptively difficult, but with a bit of patience, am sure you'll manage a super yummy set.

P.S. You'll thank me someday for sharing the link with you.
P.P.S. Try to send me some, when you try any of them. I have no favourites, or let's say, they all agree very well with me!

Vintage with a Twist: A Class Act

We've all heard the age-old wisdom of when life hands you lemons, make lemonade. I thought of taking a shot at it, and came up with this art print. Why not be classy, stare life in the eye, and make some lemon tea? Surviving a challenge with grace, charm and style makes me feel much better while am trying to get through it. The key of course is to remember that you will get on the other side, it's the middle that sucks, but is going to pass. Hang in there buddy, you're gonna make it.

Colour Crush of the Week: Flying Home

Find this adorable art print here.

Colour Crush of the Week: Inspired by Nature

Picture by Ktsarna via The Stylish Type via jessica colaluca on Pinterest

Shutter Love: Porbandar

Hello, hope you had a lovely weekend. We spent ours travelling from the state of Gujarat to the state of Kerala. En-route, we had a grand time with family and friends in Mumbai. It's wonderful to be back home though, and am looking forward to a week filled with once-familiar, now blurry in memory sounds, sights and smells.

Before we left Porbandar, I had intended to do a full post which captured the city through my pictures. So here it is, visions of a wonderful time getting to know a new port and people. The pictures capture life around the sea, simply because that is where I hung out most often.

More pictures of Porbandar from a tour of Mahatma Gandhi's home tomorrow.

Infectious Creativity: The Third & The Seventh

Directed by Alex Roman
CG | Modelling - Texturing - Illumination - Rendering by Alex Roman
Postproduction & Editing by  Alex Roman
Music | Sequenced, Orchestrated & Mixed by Alex Roman (Sonar & EWQLSO Gold Pro XP); Sound Design by Alex Roman


The Third & The Seventh is one of those films that inspire me every single time I watch them. In this one, each shot is pure perfection. Every angle is pure genius. Tread with caution, not all of us are equipped to handle such beauty - the gorgeousness of it all will steal your breath, it will sting, you will feel a dull ache in your heart, and then you 'll just surrender to the power of the artist's craft. The interplay of light with natural and man-made is surreal.

These are my picks of stills from the film.

You can find more inspiration on the website The Third & The Seventh.
All images are by Alex Roman.

Of What should be on your bucketlist

Hello, welcome to a brand new week ahead!


This weekend, I finally got the time to do some housekeeping on the blog. You may have noticed the refreshed, summery look. But I'd like to bring to your attention the newly added disclaimer and privacy policy. Do take the time to give them a read. You can find them at the bottom of the right-most column.

Quote discovered from goodreads.com via indu h on Pinterest

On a completely unrelated note, there's no other inspiration like a dream to look forward to at the beginning of a work week, eh? (Of course, if you're already living your dream, then you're probably grinning from ear to ear.) I stumbled onto a fun blog with the most random quizzes. Surprisingly this one - What should be on your Bucketlist - told me exactly what I wanted to know! 


Try a spin at What should be on your Bucketlist. Have a lovely Monday and stop by tomorrow for free printable goodies!

Olympic Non-Events 2012

Image by Jo Klima of August Empress

These are an absolute delight, aren't they? I came across these illustrations poking fun at the Olympic events icons on this beautiful blog at August Empress.  

The Non-Olympic icons can be found and followed on Tumblr here. Rory, the creator of the witty unofficial Olympic non-events programme, is taking suggestions. If you have any ideas, send your entry to rory@hat-trickdesign.co.uk. 

The Olympic torch has been lit, and is now touring Greece for the next few days. Ooh, what fun! July promises to be full of excitement. It will be raining here in India then, but the Games will be a great way to brighten up the days. 

My favourite events, Gymnastics and Swimming, are lasting through the entire season. Whoohoo. I can barely sit still as I type this...the four year wait is about to be over. 

What are your favourite events at the Olympics?

Sunday Inspiration

Who needs inspiration on a Sunday right? Well, during the week we tend to get caught up with so many to-do lists, meetings, emails, school projects, pitches, and coffee-tea-smoke breaks that we forget to reflect. Reflect on what we're doing, where we're going and whether we are really, truly happy.

The Holstee Manifesto has inspired not just the founders of Holstee, but about 500,000 people who have shared it. Food for thought.