Lemonade with a Twist of Jalapeno

Hello Everybody!!!! 
I'm back from my cruise, feeling rested and energized, with a whole load of wonderful memories and interesting tales to tell. Good times just breeze past you, don't they???? The sun, clear blue waters, white sand and the salty breeze have had a magical effect on me and I feel inspired and raring to go like never before. 
The downside of travel is unpacking and picking up the pace again. So unpacking and doing laundry yesterday was no fun. So by afternoon I needed something refreshing to drink. Looked in the shelves of my fridge and sitting there were lemonade and ginger ale. A light bulb went off and thought of adding some jalapeno too. So came up with this portion and it tastes delightful. I love anything that has a zing to it and this sure does. The ginger ale adds the much needed fizz and the jalapeno adds the tinge of heat . It's a concoction you can whip up in minutes and looks deadly.

Lemonade with a twist

Ingredients: (Serving size 2)

2 cups  fresh chilled lemonade (keep a check on the sugar you add here as the ginger ale has it's own sugar content)  
3/4 cup  chilled ginger ale (I used Seagram's)
3-4 slices of jalapeno (more or less depending on the heat that you can take) 
1/4 " crushed ginger
a pinch of salt

Directions:

Add all the ingredients together and let it sit in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Once all the flavors come together, pour into glasses and make sure you use a straw to sip into it (you don't want the jalapeno to get in the way of you enjoying your drink). Go ahead and make yourself a glass before summer fades away !!!!  

 

Love the punch  and flavor that a jalapeno brings to any dish

My son was trying to come up with a name for this concoction. Guess how it turned out : GINPENOADE (that's a combination of ginger, jalapeno and lemonade). Let me know what you think!!!

Stay tuned for more on Travel talk coming up this week.

 Images:Clicked by me. Please do not use without prior written permission.

Images are the property of Sruthi Singh and subject to copyright.

Greek Island of Hydra

Hello Everyone!!!!

It's been a busy week at my place as we have been getting things organised for our family vacation. I'm going to have my share of the sun, sea and the sand. Which means I'm gonna be away from blogging for almost 2 whole weeks. Not to worry, I'll be back with some wonderful pics and stories to tell.

Until then, let's take a look at the wonderful Greek island of Hydra  and the  beautiful homes of a mother daughter duo on this very island. The island is a two hour fairy ride from Athens. The only means of transport on the island is almost primitive - they have horses and donkeys. The red tiled roofs reminds me a lot of the wonderful homes in Kerala. The white washed houses are an innate part of Greek architecture and to top it all a view of the sea from every corner on the island. What a darling little place to retire in.

The homes of Helen Marden and Mirabelle Marden, are an extension of the island life reinforcing the fact of simplistic and organic style of living. I'll let the snap shots of their homes do the talking. Want to see more check it out here.

Greek Island of Hydra - captivating views

Horses and donkeys are the feasible means of transport on the island

Helen Marden's bright and open foyer. 

Vintage Indian Saris adorn a couch in the kitchen.

Rosemary bushes add their fragrance to the island breeze.

Wonderful outdoors.

Entrance to Mirabelle's home. 

 Love the view. Don't miss out the life-like sculpture of the dog by the fireplace. 

Simple and functional furniture.

Interplay of patterns add interest in the home. The textiles are sourced by Mirabelle on her annual trips to India.

A quiet spot to do some much required reading.

You'll take care and check back in 2 weeks for some wonderful new travel tales and inspiring home decor posts.  

Images : Via

Pleasures of Summer

What is there not to love about summer ????? 

The concept of closed schools and the open pools works for me. With the schools closed, I get to laze around in my pj's, have an extra cup of tea in the morning without having to worry about the school bus. Then there are the spur of the moment visits to the park followed by Cold Stone Creamery ice-cream treats. After dinner walks have become a ritual and it's a great way to meet up with our friends and neighbors. And while summer lasts, with alfresco dining and outdoors seating like these, I would be enjoying my breakfast, lunch and dinner outdoors. What do you guys have to say?????

How I love Bougainvillea !!! It reminds me of back home.

Can never have too much of Bougainvillea. Can you ????

The Hurricanes add the right amount of mood light to the outdoors. 

Teal and White a classic combination. Perfect for Summer.

Shabby chic style is so easy on the eyes.

 Have a wonderful day !!!!

Images 1, 3, 4 and 5 Via, Image 2 Via

A pinch of Indian Tradition - Kumkum containers

Today the spot light is on my collection of antique Indian Kumkum containers. For those of you not familiar with the word Kumkum - it's a powder used to make the decorative mark (also referred to as bindi in Hindi) that adorns the Indian woman's forehead. It has it's history rooted in a 5000 year old Indian tradition. Kumkum carries with it a plethora of connotations. It's said to have religious and spiritual significance, serves as a means to preserve the energy of the human body, and in the ancient days was an unspoken raconteur of a woman's married status. When it comes to the choice of color for a bindi, red dominates. Red embodies love and power (shakti) that women so rightfully exemplify.

Kumkum containers used by my mom sit pretty on my coffee table.

For me, kumkum is a word synonymous with my mom. She has been known to sport a relatively BIG bindi for as long as I can remember. The bindi only brought out her gorgeous Indian features. She is one of the very few women who I know, can carry a big bindi so effortlessly.

I remember when mom used to walk in every morning into her bedroom after her bath, I'd run and make myself comfortable on the bed so that I could watch her put on her bindi. She'd patiently open the various brass kumkum containers that sat pretty on her vanity. A pinch of the right shade of kumkum would be chosen to match her sari or salwar. She'd then make a perfect circle with her index finger, the size of a one rupee coin. The colored bindi was a wonderful contrast to her kohl lined eyes. Gently dusting off the kumkum powder that had made it's way onto the bridge of her delicately shaped nose, mom would glance at me and wait for a nod that signaled approval. I'd beam back at her and wonder if I could ever do justice to wearing a bindi in a similar manner...... 

The peacock detail in all the containers tie them together beautifully.

With time, the brass containers were replaced by newage decorative boxes that were gifted by my sister and me to mom for her kumkum collection. The antique brass kumkum containers then found their way to mom's coffee table as decor accessories and currently sit pretty on my very own coffee table here in the US.

One of my own finds from a street vendor back in India.

Finally, here's a picture of my mom so that nothing is left to your imagination. 

I will always treasure these gorgeous containers that constantly remind me of the most beautiful woman I know.........

Images:Clicked by me. Please do not use without prior written permission.

Images are the property of Sruthi Singh and subject to copyright.

Turn Me On

Hello everyone!!! Hope you'll had a wonderful and relaxed weekend. Mine was no where close to being relaxed. Nevertheless, I managed to squeeze in some time to look at some decor related inspiration out there and came across this home in the Hearthome Magazine Summer 2013 issue.

It's hard to find one word for the home I'd like to share with you'll today. It's eclectic, classy, simple, practical and comfortable and lived in. A combination hard to find on the home decorating front. TMO (Turn Me On) lighting’s Helena Barrowcliff’s home in Dorset has been furnished keeping in mind comfort but not compromising on style. Pieces inherited, travel souvenirs and other finds fill the home to create a delightful space with distinct character and style the home owner intended to create. Helena has undeniably woven her magic in decorating her space by including her very own lighting collection. Helena's lighting collection mostly consists of  different shaped glass bases as they do not create any visual impact but work towards the mood and task at hand. The shades have different patterns and textures that may be swapped out to create a new look from time to time. Enjoy the home tour and have a wonderful day !!!

Love the colored glass bottles on the window sill.

The gallery wall and patterned pillows add an interesting play of colors and textures to the living room.

The window seating with colorful pillows makes for a cozy nook. On a rainy day it's a perfect place to relax with a cup of chai. 

The rug picks up the colors of the buffet table making for a fascinating  burst of color in this  space.

Love the Lamp base and shade.

The kitchen definitely reflects the home owners mantra of decorating : do what works for you. 

A perfect place to display family pictures.

The bedroom is designed in a soft palette for a calm and peaceful retreat.

Images : Via

Sunsational Sunroom

With summer here, I thought this would be the perfect time for me to share my SUNROOM with you'll. My family and I love this space. In the mornings, the sunroom is enveloped in the east sun. Perfect to warm the cool summer mornings and in winters to warm our sock covered toes. It's where my husband and I share our morning cup of tea. It's a ritual we indulge in, every single day. This space is also devoted to a whole load of snuggling and cuddling with our six year old son, to put our feet up and watch the fire flies in our backyard at dusk and  when it rains, to cozy up and watch the raindrops trickle down the window accompanied by endless cups of tea. 

When we bought the house 2 years ago,  we had the option of a deck or a sunroom. As nice as the outside deck would be, we would not be able to use it all year round with the Virginia weather. So we chose the sunroom and we are so happy we did. With large windows on all sides there is no dearth of light or view in this room. The house backs up into a tree save line. So it's all greenery and the only peeping Toms we have to deal with are cardinals, woodpeckers, squirrels, a family of rabbits and occasionally deers . It's also perfect for entertaining as the space opens up to a little balcony on one side and to the kitchen and informal dining on the other.

We used our sectional that we already had cause it fits snug in the space. This space had to serve as a catch it all place. So we did not want furniture with a touch me not tag on it. To be very honest, our son uses this couch pretty much like a trampoline. The coffee table is a little treasure chest and stores away extra pillows and throws that are seasonal. The pendant light was a perfect find from JCP and echoes the ethnic-eclectic theme going on in the house. 

The artifacts on the little treasure chest consist of a copper Pan Dan (Betel nut container) that belonged to my paternal grand mom. The elaborate hand carving on it is amazing. The little cow is made of wood with intricate brass detailing purchased at  a handicraft fair back in Bangalore (India).The cluster of pillows were sourced from Target, Marshalls and Home Goods. A little basket holds my magazines for a quick read.The biggest investment in the room were the natural woven shades from Home Depot. 

Flowers.....sigh....... are something I splurge on all the time. That's the only way I pamper myself. They mollify me any time of the day or night that I look at them. 

Do drop me a line and let me know what do you do to pamper yourselves??????

Images:Clicked by me. Please do not use without prior written permission.

Images are the property of Sruthi Singh and subject to copyright

Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar and Pepper

Summer brings with it abundance of veggies and fruits that are at their peak of freshness and a great time to try out various recipes. In summer, visits to the farmers market are a must for my family. My son loves to pick out the fruits by himself. And I let him do so cause I feel he actually eats what he brings. Last weekend we had picked up a few pints of fresh strawberries and yesterday was the last of them.

Red strawberries pop off the teal blue pail from Target. 

After yesterdays cleaning, I thought "the girl needs to treat herself". So out came an easy recipe that I had book marked from Sweet Paul Magazine (Summer 2013 issue). Such a wonderful easy recipe that combines sweet and sour flavors beautifully. The palate begs for more with every single spoon. You can put this recipe together in about less than 1/2 hr. Now, that's my kind of recipe.

Made with fresh Strawberries from the farmers market.

Dessert after dinner was a sure surprise for my son and husband. The verdict -  we need to make this more often. 

Now for the recipe -  Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar and Pepper
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar (Note: For those of you sending your husbands with the grocery list please let them know that balsamic vinegar is different from the balsamic vinaigrette. The latter is a dressing consisting of oil and various flavoring whereas balsamic vinegar is plain distilled grain and grape juice )
2 tablespoon sugar
1 pint small strawberries hulled
freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Combine the sugar and vinegar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer until thick. Approximately 8- 10 minutes. Let cool. Place the cut strawberries in a bowl and pour the mixture over. Lightly toss and add desired amount of pepper. Tastes like heaven with vanilla ice cream.

It was hard to keep my son away until I finished shooting the pictures :)

 Images:Clicked by me. Please do not use without prior written permission.

Images are the property of Sruthi Singh and subject to copyright.

Recipe Source : Via