Psst...

Is anyone around?

Just realized I haven't posted anything here for the last 6 months!

Have loads to share but never got around to posting.

There was travel, food, people and lots of 'Rang-een' photography:-)

See you soon!

Kashi Art Cafe...

Kashi Art Cafe~ A quaint cafe' that houses an art gallery showcasing the finest works by contemporary artists, a relaxed space where artists, enthusiasts and tourists like us can meet, hang out and enjoy their delicious homemade cakes and french press coffee.
At Kashi Art Cafe, they say 'no to plastics' and serve mineral water in sterilized glass bottles.
What a great idea and love that bottle!(hey but you can't take the bottle, only for drinking;-)
It was super hot in the afternoon and their 'Iced Tea' was a such a great thirst quencher. While you are there also try their refreshing Lemonade with ayurvedic herb.
Ok. Ok. Chai lovers do forgive me;-) On our second visit to the cafe, I was very intrigued by the Bodum French Press coffee, I just needed to try it out.
Sitting pretty is a large slice of Chocolate Cake with a generous helping of Chocolate Sauce.

So next time you are in Fort Cochin, you know where to head for a great glass of Iced tea or a slice of their homemade Date & Walnut cake:-)
Enjoy!

The streets of Fort Kochi...

The first thing that struck us when we entered the streets of Fort Cochin or Fort Kochi is the architectural style~ An interesting blend of British, Portuguese & Dutch style.
An eclectic blend of art culture, quaint theme-cafes', colonial homestays, churches, designer stores, antique shops and boutique hotels...We stayed at a heritage colonial hotel called The Old Courtyard, that came highly recommended for it's food as well as the proximity to the streets of Fort Cochin.(More on that in Rang Decor soon:-)
Walking on the streets, gazing at the various signboards & architectural style was itself a refreshing activity.I loved the names of the various streets...
Beautiful boards on the walls of Malabar House a boutique hotel.
Many cafes' catering to various tastes, line these streets.Loved the liberal use of vibrant colours on the walls of various homes.If you have eaten in all the restaurants and cafes' and want to try something new, join the cooking classes:-)Dal Roti - Desi Khana was amazing. Simple decor. Great food.Idiom Booksellers~ A great little book store, where you can sell your old books and buy new ones:-)

Hope you enjoyed the little tour of the streets of Fort Cochin as seen through my eyes.
Stay tuned. Will be posting about two very interesting cafe's that had us going back for more:-)

Remember me?

It's me~ Arch:-) Sorry to have gone missing yet again.
It's summer.
It's vacation time.
It's swimming time.
It's catching up on all the books time.
It's feeling the warm breeze on your skin time.
It's getting tanned time.
It's waddling in cool water time.
It's mango time.
It's 'doing-nothing' time.
It's also 'telling you all what I have been upto' time;-)Been out on long weekend trips and to the land of aromatic spices and backwaters~ Kerala!
Have loads to share about the quaint cafes' of Fort Kochi and the backwater cruises in Alleppey.

Will be back soon:-)

To stop train, pull chain.

* "Amma, If I pull the chain, the train will stop?" asked Mallika.
* History sure repeats itself, I remember asking my mother the same question when I was little.

* The shape of the red painted metal hasn't changed much over the years and surely the experience of travelling by train hasn't changed either.
* The familiar sound of 'Chaiya- Chai', Garama-Garam Chai'.
* Coolies with their red kurtas haggling with passengers for that extra 10 rupee note.

* Aromas of onion vadas, cutlets, masala dosas, coffee & tea mingling with the cool breeze of the air-contitioned coaches.

* The peeling paints, the typography, the condensation on the windows, the setting sun.

* Screaming babies, lullabying grannies, working-hard-on-the-laptop-techies, walkman or was it ipod listening teenagers and Mallika asking me for the 101th time, "When are we going to reach?" is such an awesome experience;-)

Like they say it's the journey not the destination that matters:-)

Red, Blue & White...

Let me get over my 'Nilgiri Hills' hangover once and for all (for a while) with this post on 'Fernhill Palace'.* The name that brings to mind the colours Red, Blue & White.

* Chilly mountain breeze.

* Sunlight making my eyes squint.

* Mallika's excitement, my excitement.

* Forms, patterns, shadows.
* Shadows, patterns & forms.
* Ornate 'bulbless' lamp posts.
* Never seen blue like this before.
* A former hunting lodge of the Maharaja of Mysore but now a Welcome Group Hotel.

The mountains whisper....

...and we listen.
* The fresh mountain air infused with the fragrance of wintergreens & euchalyptus.
* Bright winter sun that massages your body.
* Colonial mansions that remind you of a grand bygone era.
* The hustle-bustle of the town square with honeymooning couples, Uncleji-Aunty-ji with Papu, Rinku & Toni with their humongous picnic baskets.
* But, there is also that exquisite red & white Fernhill Palace tucked away high in the mountains.
* The shrill whistle of the toy train chugging along the many valleys.
* Local farmers selling bright juicy carrots at hair pin bends on the climb up.
* The rum & raisin homemade chocolates & fudge shops line the marketplace.
* Slow pace of life, the quaint shops, the shy, smiling, waving school children, the cows grazing in the lush green meadows.
* Wise old men of the mountains with a typical black coat, a woollen cap & an umbrella can be seen walking up steep hilly paths.
* A Bed, Breakfast & Fireplace experience ( read more about it in Rang Decor) and a farmstay*
* Destiny- Yes, that's the name. A farmstay tucked away deep inside the hills where reaching is an experience.
* A road less travelled? I say it again and again.
* A journey where the anticipation of the destination overpowers the state where the organs of your body are shaken by a truck making it's way through a slushy mountain road. ( Did I just say road?)
* Our destination, our destiny, the farmstay where the beauty of the mountains, the shimmering water of the lake, the vegetable patch, the green slopes, the cows, the horses, the ducks, the rabbits more than make up for the ride.
* A place to relax, read, ride, rejuvenate, trek, walk, drink cups of hot chai and do absolutely nothing.
* Truly a great experience in the lap of nature.Cups of chai and more chai...Fresh Ooty carrots...Early morning scenes...

Glistening...
Take your pick....Chugging up the hills...
Fresh green lettuce & cabbages at the farmstay...

See more pics from the trip here & here

Have fabulous weekend friends:-)

Kolams, Kutcheris & Kaapi*

* I step out of the train, my nostrils are welcomed with the familiar humidity.
* The healthy, sweaty, hot & humid weather. Yes, it is December in Chennai.
* Fragrance of Jasmine flowers isn't the same anywhere else.
* Early morning walks on the cool sands of the beach.
* The symphony played by the aromas of various brands of filter coffee emanating from the kitchen windows of hardcore 'Kaapi' drinkers.
* Mammoth hoardings of the southern superstars compete with beautiful 'kohl' eyed models in traditional Kanchipuram silk sarees.

* 'Margazhi Mahotsavam'- a series of Carnatic Music concerts by vocalists & instrumentalists during the month of December grips the city.
* Mami's in their silk sarees can be seen rushing to various concerts in the evening.

* Large 'Kolams' ( Rangolis) adorn the entrances of homes.
* A trip to Chennai isn't complete without tiffin at 'Saravana Bhavan' & savouries/papads from 'Ambika Appalam'

* Relaxing with family, solving 'The Hindu' newspaper crossword, hogging on homemade 'Murukkus' & having freshly brewed filter- coffee is a great way to unwind:-)Here are some images of Chennai seen through my eyes:-)Larger than life hoardings of Silk Sarees

The various popular coffee brands displayed.Saravana Bhavan for a quick bite:-) Crunchy MurukkusA great place to pick up papads, pickles, sambar, chutney powders etc

* Translated Rangolis, Carnatic Recitals & Coffee

A place that nature calls home...

* Cauvery river gushing down the rocks and forming white foams.
* Mallika's excited laughter as she swings by on a long swing on the tamarind tree.
* I look at the textures on the wooden steps leading to our log hut.
* Blue..yes Cobalt blue was the sky and blue was the water too.
* Sunlight making the Mulberry leaves glow.
* Faint screams of the 'White Water Rafting' team through the roar of the river.
* Fluffy candy floss clouds fill the sky while I settle into the hammock with a book.
* I see colourful kites in the sky...Kites?? Gosh! I must have dozed off while reading 'The Kite Runner'
* I always have flashes of scenes from the books I read even many days after finishing. ( Does anyone else have a similar experience?)
* Little fish nibble at our toes when we dip our feet in the cool water of the river.
* A trek up the hill leaves me panting and my hands smelling of lemon grass.( well the hill was filled with them:-)
* My head feels giddy after the coracle ride downstream.
* A feeling of calm surrounds all of us sitting along the shore, when the sun sets painting all of us in a beautiful shade of orange.
* The logs of wood crackle under the flames of the bonfire while the stars appear silently into the night sky.
* My husband sighs, Mallika whines and I refuse to leave this place that nature calls home.