India {Fisherman's Cove aka pure bliss}

On Sunday we left the city and made our way south for a two day stay at Fisherman's Cove (a resort-like hotel). It's about an hour south of Chennai, on the Bay of Bengal. I can honestly tell you I didn't know what to expect. Imagine my surprise when we were taken by golf cart to our very own private cottage with ocean view. When reserving the room, the only option available was garden view, so we didn't expect an ocean view from our room- let alone our own private cottage! It's hard to believe we are still in India. This hotel could be in any tropical location and you wouldn't know the difference. It has a spa, three restaurants, pool with swim up bar, gym, and tennis courts- it reminds me of a place we stayed at in Cabo a few years back. We ate dinner on our patio both nights and it was heaven. We didn't have to dress up for dinner, deal with crowds or worry about service. A girl could get used to this - just kicking it on the patio watching the waves, with a corona in hand! We took time out to enjoy the spa too. I took a steam and then had a head massage for 45 minutes and after that an hour long relaxation massage. It was fantastic- one of the best massages I've ever had (and I've had my share of massages). It was nice to get a way for two days, just the two of us. We spent a lot of time just lounging on the patio, reading, and enjoying the peace and quiet. As we checked out Tuesday, I saw a coworker from home! Such a shock!! When I said his name, he couldn't comprehend it was me...in India! What a small world. He had just landed the night before and was here for a week for work. The chances of that happening again - one in a million I'm sure. If you are ever in India and have a chance to visit Fisherman's Cove, I highly recommend it. 

The view from our cottage

Our very own cottage

We even had an outdoor shower - HEAVEN!

Me sitting on a catamaran - fisherman use these for fishing - I don't  know how the navigate them in the sea?!?

My view while lounging on the swing

Proof that I ran into Skip in India!

Late night snacks

Don't we look refreshed?

India {Happy Pongal}

Today is Pongal - a celebration of the harvest and to give thanks to the sun god and livestock that have helped create the material abundance. The holiday is over 1000 years old and signifies the suns journey northward (and days getting longer). One of the traditions of Pongal is to draw kolams on the doorsteps to bestow prosperity on the home. Years ago, these drawings were done with colored rice powder, but today they use chalk. I walked around the neighborhood this morning and took some pictures of the kolams to share with you.

The stairs leading up in to the house

Doorstep leading into the house

View from the balcony of the house down to entrance

India {Sari Shopping}

Last night we went shopping for saris. The store we went to had three floors and I was a bit overwhelmed. Saris can range in price from about $5 to over $10,000 depending on the fabric and embroidery. Since I won't be wearing mine daily-only special occasions - I was looking for a dressier version in silk. It's a good thing I already had a color scheme in mind, it's easier to get side tracked by all the gorgeous fabrics. Once you know what type of fabric you are interested in, you take a seat and your sales clerk starts pulling various saris from the stacks and stacks of them lining the wall. Some are basic with only two colors on them, others are very elaborate and even have jewels stitched on them. It's easy to see why shopping can take a while. My husband said his mother can easily spend 5-6 hours looking at saris before making a decision - I thought the 30 minutes I took was long! I ended up going with a peacock blue and gold hand made silk and a burgundy/green/gold machine made silk sari (it's amazing the price difference between hand made and machine made!). After I made my selections, my sister-in-law and brother-in-law showed me the traditional saris worn in Kerala (where their family is from). They are simple, yet beautiful. They gifted me one and I can't wait to see what it looks like on me. Now I need to get the blouses that are worn under the sari stitched (they come as part of the sari now so they match the colors exactly and you take them to a tailor to have them stitched to your measurements). As soon as they are complete, I'll post some pictures of me wearing them! 

Machine made silk sari

Handmade silk sari

Traditional Kerala Sari

Of course I had to buy some silk scarves and another pashmina (I don't have a green one yet) for myself too!

India {Taj Mahal}

We started our journey to Agra at 7a.m. It's a four and a half hour drive (200km) and the roads are not easy to travel - each city we passed through slowed us down due to traffic. Back home, this drive would have taken about two hours. Once we arrived in Agra, traffic was utter chaos. I thought Delhi was bad, this was worse. No stoplights, stop signs or lanes - a free for all and survival of the fittest. When we pulled into the parking area, we were immediately mobbed by guides and drivers trying to get us to use them (you can't drive up to the Taj Mahal, you walk .7km, take a rickshaw or ride a camel). We opted to walk (especially after that 4.5 hour car ride!), but took a guide with us and we were glad we did. On the walk up, we were constantly approached to buy souvenirs or take a ride the rest of the way and our guide helped ward them off.


Getting into the Taj Mahal was a quite a process in itself. You pass through security similar to the airport. You are patted down and cannot being in anything except a camera, phone and wallet/purse (which they search as well) - you can't even chew gum! But, it's worth it. Pictures do not capture the awe you experience when you see it in person. It's absolutely amazing. The grounds are meticulously manicured. As you take it all in, it's hard to imagine this was built in 1632 and only took 22 years. That may seem long by today's standards, but the sheer size and detail make this seem like a short span of time - not to mention everything was handmade. 


The story surrounding the Taj Mahal is really a love story. The Shah built it for his third wife who had recently died while giving birth to his 14th child. In her memory, he created this beautiful structure/mausoleum. He was eventually imprisoned by his son when he took power and the Shah watched it's completion from his prison cell in the Red Fort.


Entering through the royal gate, the Taj Mahal is at the end of a long garden. It's brilliant white is almost blinding. As we approached the Taj Mahal, we were asked to either take off our shoes or cover them with provided shoe covers. This is to protect the marble and keep it from deteriorating - it wasn't designed to have thousands of people walking on it daily. As you walk up the stairs and see the stonework up close, it's even more impressive. All the pieces are carved from single slabs of marble - they are not pieced together. The colors you see on the Taj Mahal are not painted, they are semi-precious stones inlaid within the marble (onyx, jade, yellow marble, jasper, crystal). The red stones shimmer in the sunlight and in moonlight, the Taj Mahal glow and red stones shine bright red. At one time, diamonds were also inlaid in the stones, but when the British arrived in India, they removed them all.


As you walk around the Taj Mahal, you can't help but notice the symmetry. For example, there are four gates leading into the Taj Mahal, four minars surround it, 22 steps lead up to the Taj Mahal and 22 domes sit atop the Royal gate (representing the 22 years it took to complete). The gardens are symmetrical as are the additional buildings surrounding it (a music room, guest room, prayer room and museum). As we walked away, we were left in awe of what an accomplishment the Taj Mahal truly is. To withstand time and still look as it did when created is unbelievable.

Standing in front of the Royal Gate (notice the 11 domes on top, there
 are 11 more on the back side)

Taj Mahal from Royal Gate

Looking up before climbing 22 steps

If you look closely, you can see some shimmer in the upper right front

Detail of semi-precious stones

Close up of marble carving - it was smooth to the touch

This stonework creates an optical illusion, it's only four sides, but looks jagged - they aren't

Looking from Taj Mahal over gardens towards Royal Gate

India {Delhi}

We caught a plane to Delhi on Wednesday morning to sightsee. Our main intent was to visit Agra to see the Taj Mahal. Landing at the airport, differences between Chennai and Delhi were immediately apparent - Delhi's airport is brand new and modern, Chennai's reminds me of something from the fifties (they even have the old school departure/arrival boards that flip thru to change- not digital!). Once we found our driver, we made our way to the hotel. I thought traffic in Chennai was crazy, but in Delhi they appear to have no rules and twice the number of cars. I wouldn't even call it controlled chaos- just chaos! It's amazing to see how adaptable people are. The streets were packed with cars, bikers, motorcycles, autos(think scooter on steroids that's like a cab), pedestrians, dogs and of course, cows. Amazingly, I think the cows were the only one's using logic and common sense (single file and on the edge of the roads- they even wait for each other when they cross)


We visited Qutb Minar, Lotus Temple, and Connaught Place. First stop was the Qutb Minar. It is the world's tallest Minaret and the first prominent structure of Indo-Islamic architecture. It's size and detail are impressive. It's hard to grasp that this was built in the 12th Century. Next stop was the Lotus Temple. The Lotus Temple is a Baha'i Temple of Worship. This means it is open to all religions. It is a gathering place for all to pray and worship God. The Temple itself was remarkable with it's flower shape and the fact it is made out of marble. When you enter the temple, a sense of calm envelopes you and you experience pure silence- escaping all the noises of the outside world. It is bare inside, as Baha'i do not allow pictures, statues or images to be displayed within the temple. It is simply rows of pews. Finally, we hit Connaught Place. Connaught Place is the largest commercial and financial center in New Delhi. We went to walk around and explore the shops. It's essentially a large circle with shops and businesses surrounding it. I didn't enjoy this as much- too many people, too many beggars and way too many pushing vendors. They were relentless and really put me off from wanting to buy from them.


That was all we had time to see in Delhi. I know there is much more to see, but our main goal was to get to the Taj (look for that post shortly). Based on my first impressions, I like Chennai more. It is more of what I expected India to be. Here in Delhi, I feel more Middle Eastern than Indian- based on dress, climate and the people. The south is much warmer and the people seem more traditional and they greet you with open arms.

Old School Airport boards

Qutb Minar

Detail on Qutb Minar

Passage to Tomb of Alauddin Khalji

Tomb of Alauddin Khalji

Courtyard of College

Lotus Temple

India {the journey begins}

I'm in India! I'm still a bit jet lagged and trying to get adjusted to the 12 hour time difference. It's been a hectic first few days meeting the family and relatives - especially when I don't speak the language! I go to bed every night exhausted, but exhilarated. This place is amazing and so are the people. 


We landed at midnight and the drive from the airport was dark and desolate. When I awoke in the morning, I was greeted with color - fantastic combinations you don't see at home. Below are a few pictures I've taken around the neighborhood. 

We head to Delhi and Agra tomorrow to see the Taj Mahal - my camera is charged and ready to go. I'll try to post again when we get back to Chennai.

New Year! {New Adventure}

J.Crew sweater, H&M Tank, Len Dress, The Limited Tights, DV shoes,
Forever 21 Faux Fur, Jewelry For Love 21

As I write this, I have two suit cases staring at me waiting to be packed. We leave for India in one day (aka new adventure), and I still have so much to do! Procrastination is my middle name, hence the blog post :). How was your New Years? Did you make any resolutions and if so, what are they? We had a quiet dinner with friends at my girlfriend's house and then opened some champagne to toast the new year. I was originally going to wear jeans, but thought why not add some pizzazz and sparkle - it's New Year's Eve! So I dug in my closet and created this ensemble. Not bad for a last minute change of plans. 


Kisses to you for the New Year! I'll try to post while I'm in India - can't wait to see everything and meet the family!