The Mayan Effect

The potential of a total burn-out, for both my husband, Subrata and I, caused us to plan an emergency "ONLY REST & RELAXATION" vacation.  To obtain this much needed R&R, came the "stressful" process of actually finding that haven that would provide us with what we needed.  Being avid travelers and our constant hunger for exploring the new, it always becomes a challenge to find the right place to visit, given that time is short and we aren't millionaires yet!

However, after much debate we settled on the Mayan Riviera in Mexico.  Having been there once before, we knew that the R&R would be abundantly available and we could quench our thirst for exploration by going to Tulum (Mayan ruins) or Xel-Ha (natural aquarium).  So, we made our reservations and off we went, our heart and souls ready to soak in the warm Caribbean sun and the cool breeze of the sea.

Now, the word "Maya" in Sanskrit means "illusion".  Did we have any idea that the Mayan Riviera would truly prove to be an illusion/Maya for the much promised Sun and Fun at the beach?  We stayed at the gorgeous El Dorado Maroma, whose beach is fabled to be Travel Channel's #1 beach.  The location was perfect and after 1 full day of idyllic Caribbean effect, we forgot the world we left behind, almost.

After a perfect "Sky" massage in a hut above the waters of the Caribbean and being soothed by the cool breeze, it truly felt like we were getting started quite nicely on the whole R&R plan.  However, the first sign of this "Maya" or illusion of sun and fun in the sun was right there on the beach after I came out of the hut! To my surprise, the beach was empty, the sky was pitch black, and there was, RAIN!  I had been enjoying the massage so much that I didn't even notice the intensity of the breeze that had changed from a soft breeze to high wind!

And, so it went on, for 4 days.  A freak storm in April with little breaks here and there where we all almost ran to the beach with our drinks and towels and useless sunscreens!  And, promptly ran back to our rooms or the poolside restaurant when the rains started pouring again.  So, to make the most of this situation, we drank a lot of mojitos, margarita tamarindos (margarita with tamarind - highly recommended), and a few tequila shots and caught up our paperback reading. 

What this offered me was a unique opportunity to savor the true beauty that was laying all around me and capture those moments, colors, flavors and essences through my camera and my soul.  The various shades of green, the ever-changing shades of turquoise-grey-blue of the Caribbean Sea, the rapid transition of the blue to dark grey of the clouds above us, all of this was food for the creative soul.  To add to this, the colors and flavors of the cuisine of Mexico, be that on the streets of Playa del Carmen or in the fabulous restaurants of the resort.

 

Yes, we finally got our much needed R&R and loved watching the storm raging on the Caribbean although I can't say that the staff enjoyed cleaning up after it as much!  

And, if you are looking for one of the best massages in the world but for $27 for 1 hr and if your adventurous spirit allows you to, then look no further than the booth on 5th Ave in Playa del Carmen!  This is a top secret but the key is to be adventurous! :-)

Xel Ha 

El Dorado Maroma 

Tulum 

  

Spring Is In The Air

Spring is in the air even though it has been raining too much like November in Vancouver.  I love the greenery of the Grouse Mountain that I can see from my windows.  The air is fresh, the flowers are in bloom, and new ideas are streaming through my brain.

What is it specifically about Spring that I love?  I know that the reappearance of greenery and color in the dry and withered landscape is the big attraction, but for those of us living in evergreen Vancouver, what are we supposed to celebrate?  I think, for me, it has to be the promise of new beginnings and that's what's on my mind these days.

I remember vividly, growing up in Calcutta, when global warming hadn't reared it's ugly head as much, and we could experience the joys of each season (now it's just summer and winter!), Spring came with the festival of Colors or Holi and the Gul Mohar tree bursting out in a glory of red and yellow outside of our window!  The Flame of the Forest made the trees look like they were on fire with soft red petals of the flower in full bloom.

With Spring in the air and creativity reigning high on my mind, I think this is the perfect time to start walking a new path with new inspirations and a fresh outlook.

 

RAJBOORI available through Modern Karibou

I am so excited to share that the Rajboori Collection is now available through Modern Karibou - http://www.modernkaribou.ca/m-68-rajboori.aspx!

Modern Karibou is a wonderful online store that offers great designer items for the home.  It clearly states in their mission statement - Our mission is to be a dynamic online source of inspiration for lovers of modern design and interior décor in Canada.

Modern Karibou highlights the creations of established and emerging designers and artists from around the world and champions and celebrates home-grown, innovative talent.  In addition to featuring a beautiful selection of unique modern furniture and accessories, we’ll help you identify great contemporary design ideas for your home and make them easily accessible. 

Our Jan 2010 Peace Silk Collection

Rajboori is all about combining contemporary with traditional craftsmanship.  New colors, new designs and new aesthetics..... it's all here.  Throw pillows and oh so comfortable floor pillows (MALA)!  Breezy and airy "CLOUDS" quilt and new colors of the coverlets.

Maison et Objet, Jan 2010 - the adventures of Rajboori

So, we finally made it to our third trade show in 1 year, and that too, twice at Maison et Objet.  For those of you not too familiar with the world of trade shows, it's an utterly expensive affair but it is something that cannot be avoided for people like us starting a business and looking for a broader audience.

My day 1 started quite well after I headed straight from the airport to Parc des Expositions where Maison et Objet is held.  With my associate Guilherme helping me gather items for the booth decor and setup, it seemed like a walk in the park until I realized around 6pm when we were about to leave, that my purse was stolen!

I had everything in there - passport, credit cards, cash and more and it was stolen from our booth when one of us wasn't looking!  The nerve!  Well, the world came crashing and after some formulaic search conducted by Maison security I was told, if I'm lucky the purse (my favorite red one too) might turn up in a garbage bin but the cash will be gone.  Very comforting news after an 11 hr journey with barely any sleep and more than than 9 hrs without a meal!  Apparently, I'm not the first vicim of theft at Maison during setup days and even during the show.  Exhibitors have complained about having their samples stolen from their booths!

I had to file a police report where the lackadaisical policeman kept lecturing me in French on how we shouldn't carry purses around or backpacks.  Guilherme translated the lecture in a quite disappointing manner as he knew exactly what I felt at that moment.  Nice way of hiding the lack of law enforcement in these aspects, I would surmise.  Anyway, the next morning the lovely lady at the Canadian Embassy helped me with filing for a temporary travel document/passport so that I can go HOME next week!

Maison is going well.  Repeat clients coming to see us again to see what new things we're offering, new contacts being established, people who had seen us last time coming back to see us again, and loads of new eco-friendly boutiques showing strong interest in Rajboori.  All good.  Looking forward to the next 3 days.

Here are some images for our booth and new offerings:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mumbai Masala, Calcutta Sweetness

I just returned from a very hectic and "around the world in 80 hrs" trip from India to Vancouver!  It was frustrating yet interesting to note that a Norther European airport such as Frankfurt, was so ill equipped to handle 10 cm of snowfall.  I'm sure Chicao, Winnepeg, etc. would have laughed at them!

We had to go from Calcutta-Frankfurt-Shanghai-Vancouver, with 7 hours of sack time, hours without food, countless hours in airport transfer desk lines, and no one to offer any comfort, especially to the poor passengers travelling with little children. 

To go back to our eventful and very productive trip to India in the past 2 months, it was an amazing time we spent.  In Calcutta I worked on some new designs for Rajboori that are further simplified and done in more neutral colors but not losing our signature "vibrant pop"! Waiting for the samples to come in this week for a very quick photo shoot and then I fly off to Maison et Objet next week to show off these new beauties.  So excited!  The streets and colors of Calcutta provided inspiration for this and the future collections.

A short trip to Mumbai was very informative and helpful to see how the market for home decor has evolved and refined in the past 10-15 years.  High end furniture stores and eclectic home accessories stores are tucked away in areas like Mahalakshmi, Colaba, Juhu, and more.  The ones we loved are: Goodearth, Hestia, Address Home, House of Raro, and Pallate.

A quick meeting with Elle Decor India's Art Director Mrudul Pathak Kundu was a great bonus!  Thanks, Mrudul!  Hope we can work together in the near future.

Tidbits from Calcutta

It's been almost a week since I came to Calcutta (Kolkata). I can't believe how quickly time's passing and I still have so much to do. It is unseasonably warm for November but from what I hear about the current grey, rainy days is Vancouver, this is a welcome break.

This time I've noticed that the pollution level has decreased noticeably. With new and improved public transport in the city the people are enjoying a cleaner quality of air. However, it's a long ways to go but signs of improvement are always encouraging.

I've been looking all around for inspriration for the next collection. A small exhibition on tribal art and handmade jewelry, ethnic chic Indo-Western fashion, accessories was a good start. The level of detail in the craftsmanship and the simplicity of design in some products was refreshing to see. Didn't have my camera with me so can't share those lovely images trapped in my head. Next time, for sure.

For those who are familiar with Park Street in Calcutta, my favorite coffee shop, Barista, has closed shop! Not sure why. However, don't even bother going to Flury's as it has lost all of it's old charm, service and quality. It's a shame. If you're looking for a delicious chicken/mutton roll, try Golden Spoon, across from Sourav's. It's one of the best.