India Part 2.

 

Sunset at Palolem Beach, Goa

 I left off with the three of us moving south down to Goa. It's not as far south as I would've liked to explore {Kerala would've been awesome} but it's still pretty amazing nonetheless. After we got off the train in Mumbai {20 hours}, we hopped on another one for again, 20hours.  From there, we took a rickshaw which are these 3 wheeled little "vehicles" that zig and zag their way through the streets with no doors, leaving you clutching your back pack and holding on for dear life, we walked for about 20 minutes until reaching our destination.

 

this sums up much of our Goa experience

 We decided to hit up Palolem beach as we heard it was the in between for super crazy party time and relax mode. We walked along the beach deciding which little "hut village" as we called them, we'd settle into as the whole beach was  filled with our choice of rentals ranging from super posh {cement floors, wood huts} to super cheap {sandy floors, straw walls}. As we were being super cheap, with decided on the latter but splurged on sharing a personal safe to store our money orders, passports, and other valuables. Now, all that was left was to drop our bags, and hit the beach, only a few steps away.

Butterfly Beach

Our routine consisted of yoga on the beach in the mornings, then we chose a spot for breakfast, some swimming, then tanning, then choosing a different spot for lunch, then more swimming, then..well you get it. Never going to the same restaurant twice for the whole 10 days we spent on the beach. We even got in on a chartered boat that took about 10 of us and dropped us off on a small little private beach called Butterfly Beach for the day only to pick us up before sundown. It was all pretty magical. After all that traveling, trains, and busyness, it's hard not to get sucked in to the quieter beach lifestyle. I think we stayed an extra few days and made it a full two weeks to be honest but that's the nice thing about not having made any prior plans.

The longer you stay in one place, you're bound to meet other travelers and learn a little bit about where they've been and where they're going. We talked to this one guy that was traveling from Israel who'd just been to the Andaman Nicobar Islands. The territory is in the middle of Indonesia and Thailand, accessible to the Andaman Sea. Well, having nothing else planned, we decided why not? We said goodbye to our friend that had joined us and got back on a train.

the line up, Indian style, for tickets

The more we researched and got our info, turns out that we were to make our way to Chennai {another city, though smaller than Mumbai}, find some building {can't remember the name} and get in line to purchase some very obscure tickets for the boat that would take us to the Islands. This my friends, was the biggest struggle I'd ever faced. We showed up early {4am} only to find others already lined up, sleeping. So we got right next to them and waited, waited, and waited again, until about 10 am when the ticket booth opened. Everything started out pretty tame up until about 12 when all hell broke loose. Getting a straight line, or any kind of order in India is pretty close to impossible. People were jumping over others, hitting, screaming, even officers with batons couldn't tame this mess. When we finally made out way to the front {4pm}, I remember them refusing giving us the tickets but I can't remember why, but after much resistance, finally we had two tickets to the Andamans! Success!

   

passport pictures for the Andaman Islands

So now all we needed was to get a temporary travel visa for entering the islands complete with a passport photo. We were leaving in two days, and the trip would take us....4 days. Yes, 4 days on a boat. And remember when I told you we were being as cheap as possible? Well these tickets that we had just purchased were for a bunk, in the ships' belly, with easily over 100 Indian families.

Knowing that the next few days were going to be quite hectic, we decided to hang out in Chennai, hit the beach, and see some sights.

 

adorable picture all around

Stay tuned for part 3 where we board the boat taking us to these illustrious islands and the people we meet!

the boat we travelled on for 4 days

Turkish Days.

Here's my first ever video shot on my Flip, a birthday present from my folks. I'm still getting use to the little gadget but am so excited to try my hand at more videos to add to the blog. 

We went to the Turkish Days festival in Midtown on Sunday afternoon. I thought I was feeling better but all it took was a little excursion out of the house to get me right back in bed. Hope you enjoy this little clip!

Turkish Days from Idee Geniale on Vimeo.

Healthy Brownies.

I'm not sure what makes these healthy, maybe the use of applesauce instead of oil? In any case, these sure turned out scrumptious!

What you need:

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup sugar ( I use raw cane sugar)

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup chocolate chips

What you do:

1. Pre heat oven to 350 and lightly grease a 8x8 square glass baking dish.

2. Mix the applesauce, sugar, vanilla in a small bowl and put aside.

3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well.

4. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the applesauce mixture, gently stirring. 

5. Add chocolate chips. 

6. Pour batter in the prepared dish and bake for 25-30 minutes. I always test with a toothpick and make sure it comes out clean. 

Here we enjoyed ours with a dollop of peanut butter zig zag soy ice cream! Enjoy!

New Hair.

no more bangs!

I've been debating about growing out my bangs for the longest time now and I think I've finally convinced myself that I don't need them. For a while I felt like I was hiding behind my hair, it was a lot darker and my bangs were definitely the focus point. I went to get my haircut yesterday {even though I was still feeling sick} and I am so happy I did! I really needed a new style and Chrissy over at Mousey Brown got it just right. It was my first time visiting the salon, which turns out is only a couple blocks away form my house. She listened to my concerns about growing out my fringe and only trimming the ends. I did mention that I wanted more volume and a more rounded shape at the ends and she got it exactly right. I guess this means that I'm not longer a Zooey lookalike....

Green juice.

I'm not sure how but I've caught the bug. It seems like a lot of people have been getting sick lately and I'm no exception. Today I've been resting up, watching a lot of The Office & 30 Rock episodes, and knitting up a storm. I'm actually hoping to re-open my etsy shop by the end of October. I guess that's my new goal right now. Luckily, I have a great boyfriend who's been taking care of me. He made me this green juice consisting of kale, parsley, pear, apple, lemon. It's kind of a super cure juice so let's hope it works! Until then, I'm on to watching movies tonight and most likely going to bed early. Hoping to feel better tomorrow as to get something out of this weekend. Take care & enjoy the rest of the weekend. 

Fall Wishlist.

Just a few things that I found myself lusting over for this upcoming season. Looks like I'm going to have to get rid of a few things in order to make room for the new!

Matryoshka measuring cups

OK, these have nothing to do with fall, but I'm in desperate need for measuring cups and can't get these out of my mind.

New Curve ID Denim by Levi's

I tried the new fitting Levi's  Curve ID jeans today {i'm a Bold Curve, according to their curve identifier} and I have to say that I haven't felt this comfortable in jeans in a while. Recognizing that every woman has curves in different places & adjusting the fit accordingly is brilliant. 

 

Asos Winter Coat

I may have already purchased this. I'm tired of looking like a frumpy mess when I commute as I usually go for warmth & function over style. This year, I vow to achieve both. 

 

Hunter Brixen boots

This is going back to my "functional" mode. But I like how these boots are low and seems more walkable in. Perfect for city commuting.

 

Solid Opaque tights

I went through all of my tights last weekend and ditched the one's with holes, or snags in them. I want a whole new color palette consisting of dark brown, maroon,  mocha, charcoal, and of course, basic Black.

Deux Lux backpack

I've been going back and forth on the idea of a backpack but can't seem to commit. I like this one because it can also double as a messenger bag. 

Well, I guess I've got to start saving up my pennies is I want any of these! I'm also planning on rummaging through my fall wardrobe and making a drop off to Buffalo Exchange. I love changing over my closet which I know some people hate, like my sister for instance. She'll only do it when I come to visit and I'm always amazed at how long she holds onto stuff. I think it's definitely a good thing to not do too often since I've regretted some stuff I've donated or sold in the past, but I like to not have an attachment to clothing and get over it pretty quickly. How often do you guys usually go through your closet to purge? Is it only a seasonal thing or more? I'd love to know! 

India Part 1.

I think I've been promising to write this post for at least 2 years now {on my other blog}. The thing is, it's terribly overwhelming and I have no idea how to start talking about such a huge event in my life without going overboard with details and explanations. I've decided to divide it up in a few shorter posts and hopefully not make it too overwhelming for the both of us.

Back in 2003, I was just a 22 year old, working a retail job at the mall and had just moved back in with my parents. When one dear friend of mine approached me about taking a trip to India, I didn't even bat an eye before answering yes. I had never travelled out of North America and was desperate to leave all behind and make this an unforgettable opportunity. We were going to be leaving at the beginning of January, first stopping in Marseilles, France for two weeks to visit a friend, and from there, buy tickets to India. Once in India, we had no real plan. We were going to play everything by ear and just try to see and do everything we possibly could.

Me in Udaipur on one of our first days.

We boarded a bus from the Ottawa bus station heading to New York overnight where we would spend the day before heading to the airport for our red eye flight to France. We did two weeks in Marseilles, hanging out on the university campus, heading into the city by bus, even taking a day trip out of the city and 5 of us having to hitchhike back when we missed the last bus back into town. After two weeks, we said goodbye to our gracious host, delicious wine, all the baguette you could eat and boarded our plane to Mumbai, India.

Ladies of Udaipur going to do their laundry in the lake.

 I think we got into Mumbai around 3 or 4 am. You can imagine the culture shock I experienced getting bombarded by taxi drivers and hotel staff trying to get us to go with them to stay at their "very clean" room that's always not too far away. So we teamed up with another duo of American travellers and all shared a cab to whichever hotel would let us in at such an ungodly hour. After waking up the hotel attendant who was sleeping on the lobby floor, we were showed a room, charged way too much, and slept in a bed for the first time in 48 hours.That first day in Mumbai we had business to take care of. We didn't want to stay in the big city so we had to find the nearest train station and figure out a way to get to Rajasthan. We were to meet a friend in a couple days and it took about 30 hours by train so we had to get a move on.

So much vegetables but sadly, couldn't eat anything that didn't come with a peel.

 Traveling by train in India is pretty much the best way to go. Get yourself a ticket for second class, and grab the bunk that is the highest one up. Lock your bag to one of the metal bars, and then just sit back with a book or sleep if you can. You get used to hearing some wallah chant: "chai, chai, chai" as he passes through carts selling tea, or some other merchant selling some highly fried samosas, and if I was lucky, I found someone that sold "salad" which consisted of cucumbers, tomatoes, cilantro and salt tossed in a newspaper formed into a cone.  We discovered early on that the bus is very unreliable since the streets you're on are barely paved and the rules of the road are all kind of blurred. Let's not forget the lovely horns that play every sort of little jingle instead of a honk.

"One pen!" all the kids shout. I wish I would've brought a whole pack of bics. 
These kids need the pend in order to go to school.

We arrived in Udaipur, Rajasthan the next day, found a guesthouse {which is what they call most hotels} and then just hung out on the rooftop taking it all in. Our friend met us later that afternoon and we explored the city, its many temples, and chatted with our guesthouse hosts which turned out to be three young gentlemen just about our age. We had many nights out on the rooftop, all of us talking about both the differences & similarities between our cultures. Them, not used to ladies drinking out in public, us not believing that the three of them ran this whole "hotel" at such a young age.
After just about a week, we were tired of the cold {it was the end of January} so, naturally we decided it was time to pack our bags and head south! Next stop: Goa.


Note: All of this is from memory so may not all be extremely accurate, i.e. name of cities might get blurred. I will try my best to keep it as accurate as possible. Keep in mind that we were traveling for an unknown number of months so we were on an extreme budget. We did not stay in fancy hotels, or take any guided tours. We did all the legwork ourselves and found everything by word of mouth from other travelers. This method was best for us but may not suit everyone while traveling to such a foreign country. Always proceed with caution and make sure that you are comfortable with your choices at all times. If you have a question please feel free to comment below or email me. 

Walking Around.

I don't know about you guys, but lately my weekends have been pretty awesome. I feel like my crazy Summer schedule has finally calmed down and things are going a lot more smooth these days. This weekend in particular, was one with barely any plans and a lot of hanging around the neighborhood. {partly due to the L train having scheduled maintenance for the past two weekends and not running} Last night just to get out of the house, we took a walk around Williamsburg and took some outfit pictures right before the sunset. 

 

details: shorts & top via UO| tights via AA| shoes via Mo Vintage| jacket via Kensiegirl| purse via Value Village

 

That's all for now! Working on a crazy long post on my trip to India {2004}which should be up this week.

my moon.

On our very last night of our staycation, Soner and I decided to go out and enjoy a fancy dinner to enjoy our last moments before getting back to the grind.  We went to Mymoon right here in Williamsburg since we have passed by it on several occasions and have always loved their big open patio {more like a backyard type setting}. The restaurant is located in what use to be a big boiler room for a factory, so you can just imagine how awesome the inside is as well.

This place doesn't lists itself as vegan/vegetarian but their Mediterranean menu {with a Spanish twist thanks to a new chef} had a few options for us to try, especially from their tapas. Lucky for us, Mondays are half price tapas! Needless to say we went to town and ordered every single vegan friendly tapas they had. Oh and let's not forget the white sangria.

This place would be especially great if you're looking for a restaurant to host a large party or birthday. It's a rare treat in New York to find such a place with great food that won't groan when they see parties of 10 walk through the door. Definitely coming back here again!

They're up!

Well, some of them are up. We've started listing all of the re-worked t-shirts from our UVG x DRV launch! You can check them out over at Dusty Rose Vintage.

 

All t-shirts...well technically they're now tanks run from xs-xl with a pretty easy fit. They go for $38 with 10% going to Permanent Wave. 

Fall dress.

I had Nickie snap a few pictures before heading into the Fall festival, hosted by the LES Girls Club. I wore a vintage dress that I found at Value Village back in August. I like the fact that it's not quite a maxi so I'm not tripping over it and you can still see my feet. Oh and did I mention it's from Northern Reflections?! My Canadian readers will understand...I hope.

details: vintage dress via Value Village| shoes c/o BC Shoes| 

J. Crew cardigan & necklace via Beacon's Closet| Purse via Kensie Girl

I'm getting excited to start venturing into my Fall wardrobe, but I feel like I've already jumped the gun a few days this past week wearing tights and carrying around my denim jacket. Girls are still in flip flops, tanks and shorts! 

Fall festival.

Last week I briefly mentioned the Lower East Side Girls Club where Nickie and I went to their Volunteer Meet & Greet and signed up for the Fall Mentoring program. We're still unsure of what are positions will be as they have several activities for Mentors so we'll see where that goes.

Just this past Monday the Club was having their Annual Fall Festival which was a Craft & Cocktails Benefit event. The event included tastings from guest chef Mary Clever from The Cleaver Co., frying up some fried green tomatoes, Organic Fair Trade Chocolate from the Girls Club Sweet Things Bake Shop, and a pretty delicious cocktail courtesy of Dushan Zaric of Employees Only.

Aside from all the tastings, they had some craft and DIY tables set up around the room for attendees to participate in if you should feel so inclined. Of course, being the craft ladies like we are, Nickie and I each made a little fabric flower pin with some fabric strips, and a glue gun. Other tables included Letterpress cards by Strayer Press, DIY Jewelry by Carol Marie, and Monogramming by Pins & Needles.

I have to say that this event got me pretty excited to start the mentoring program. It's going to be a huge commitment but I kind of feel like it'll all be worthwhile. I'll make sure to tell you guys all about it once I start! If your interested in joining the programs or attending any of their events, you can check out their website: LES Girls Club

Oh and an outfit post of what I wore to the festival is coming up next!

French Toast.

During my staycation, I had the unfortunate displeasure of going out for brunch only to get a plate of uncooked french toast. I was highly disappointed to say the least especially when the server didn't think that there was anything wrong with a plate of slimy bread. In order to make up for this unpleasant event, Soner decided to make me a plate of his berry vegan french toast. He's been talking about this recipe ever since we started dating so I was a little excited to finally try them! Needless to say that they were so delicious, I had to blog about them. 

What you need:

1 banana, peeled

4 large strawberries, fresh or frozen

1/3 cup apple juice

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

4 slices whole wheat bread

{we added fresh blueberries & raspberries}

What you do:

1. Blend together first four ingredients. 

2. Soak bread in fruit mixture.

3. Cook on both sides on lightly oiled or non-stick griddle until just beginning to brown.

the birthday.

As if Fashion Night Out and New York Fashion Week weren't enough, right in between you get my birthday. This year was the big one. You know, the three- ohhhhhhh! But I think I handled it like a champ and enjoyed it like it was just another year. 

Ever since I moved to Williamsburg, I've been in love with the Brooklyn Winery building. It's just so beautiful of a space that I knew I really wanted to have a chance to enjoy a night with friends. We had a couple tables in their courtyard and enjoyed a few glasses of wine and some delicious birthday cake. The night was pretty tame but you know, I'm kind of a homebody so I didn't really mind. 

Oh and did I mention that my birthday coincided with the Modcloth/ Swapaholics blogger event? You know how I feel about swaps, so I just couldn't resist popping in after my birthday dinner and before birthday drinks. This really was a packed birthday!

Amy from The Swapaholics, Myself, and Jen.

details: Ethereal Lace dress c/o Modcloth| tights vis welovecolors| shoes c/o Blowfish shoes| necklace via Monet