Monsoon skies and a cup of Coco.....

I have some great art and design elements to write about but not until next time as other impending "business" tasks are filling up my plate. :-)  On top of that, my husband and I have to now look for a specific soccer jersey representing Brazil!  No, he's not Brazilian but it's a long story for maybe another time.

The recent predominantly Grey skies in Vancouver have probably put our Monsoon pillow in the limelight and what goes well with a day that's Grey?  A hot cup of Cocoa, or relaxing against our Coco pillow.  Our latest sales at Provide, Vancouver are Monsoon and Coco pillows.

Until next time...... 

Art Under the Sea?

I am always looking for interesting and innovative elements of art and design and if it has anything to do with an eco-friendly or sustainable process, then woohoo!  So, this article in a travel magazine caught my attention when I was in Mexico in April - Underwater sculptures in Mexico!

 Naturally this piqued my curiosity to read more and I just loved the concept.  Jason deCaires Taylor, Creator of the world’s first underwater sculpture park, has gained international recognition for his unique work. His sculptures highlight ecological processes whilst exploring the intricate relationships between modern art and the environment. By using sculptures to create artificial reefs, the artist’s interventions promote hope and recovery, and underline our need to understand and protect the natural world.

Taylor's vision and creation has already been installed in Grenada and the one in Mexico is in the works.  In 2009 the first steps of a monumental underwater sculptural museum were formed in the waters surrounding Cancun, Isla Mujeres and Punta Nizuc. The project will eventually consist of over 400 permanent life-size sculptures, becoming one of the largest and most ambitious underwater artificial attractions in the world.

The aim of such an underwater sculpture museum is to form a complex reef structure for marine life to colonise and inhabit. Each of the sculptures will be made from specialized materials used to promote coral life, with the total installation occupying an area of over 150sq metres and weighing over 120 tons. 

You can read more about this amazing concept and artistic vision here: http://www.underwatersculpture.com/index.asp

To My Mother....

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful Moms out there, including my Supermom!  When we were growing up in India, Mother's Day wasn't a "festival" that was celebrated there.  For those of you familiar with India, the people need just one excuse to celebrate something and make it into a festival or something close to that.  Such is the love for having fun!  These days, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, etc. have become so important that not celebrating them makes one very "uncool".  :-)

Anyway, I never wished my Mom a Happy Mother's Day when I lived in India (it wasn't the "in-thing" then!) but now I do and each year, I do so with a growing appreciation of being rewarded with such an amazing woman as my Mother!  Her support helped me to finally take the first steps towards planning a higher education in the US at that young age. She and my father inspired the appreciation for arts and culture that I grew up with.  Her impeccable taste and love for the arts planted the seed for creative, entrepreneurial and artistic endeavors in me.  Growing up around a beautiful, elegant, and creative woman like my Mom was truly instrumental in who I have evolved into in the past years.  So, thanks and a Happy Mother's day to you, Ma!

I'd also like to thank the wonderful clients at Provide (Vancouver) who have taken a piece of RAJBOORI home with them in the past few months!  I hope your homes are now further brightened with the color and soul of our products.  The Milon pillows and the Reale pillow are one of my personal favorites.

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.