Gurrrll, what’s your name?…..Brown Sugar

A creamy piece of milk chocolate.

A steamy cup of coffee.

A well-worn pair of leather boots.

A raw American black walnut table.

And….my skin.

All Brown. All Beautiful.

(Ofcourse, there are are something which are brown and not so beautiful…but I HATE toilet humour so I am not going to go there….)

Coming from an Indian background, I was born with chocolate coloured skin.

Born and bought up in Australia, my friends have always been predominantly of caucasian decent.

Growing up as the Indian gal in my group of friends…

There were the pro’s: I never had dilemmas of streaky fake tan. I could always pull off white dresses, no matter what the season. I always won games of ‘murder in the dark’.

Then there were the con’s:  I was a lot hairier than the other girls. I was always stuck being ‘Scary Spice’ (I was never allowed to be ‘Baby Spice’). I could never borrow brown their ‘brown’ bobby pins.

Yes, all first world problems.

———————

Beyonce has Sasha Fierce.

Christine Aguilera has Xtina.

And I have…BROWN SUGAR (Click the link below…to witness some of my moves)

http://youtu.be/1sYK_j-jMcg

Alter egos are quite commonplace.

For some reason, on a night out at the end of last year, I was approached my a gentleman on the dance floor…”Hey gurl, what’s your name?”

Without thinking, I replied “They call me Browwwnnn Shugga”.

The poor guy looked confused – “No, seriously what is your name?”

I did not relent…I just looked him straight in the eyes; “I told you, they call me Brown Sugar”

I have no idea where ‘Brown Sugar’ came from.

It must have lay dormant deep within sub-conscious. God only knows for how long….

Over the last 6 months it has gradually become my alter ego. I love it. As ‘Brown Sugar’,…I feel empowered and VERY gangsta.

Admittedly growing up there were times where I felt a little misplaced and questioned my cocoa skin.

But now, I can honestly say, I am truly proud of my cultural background. I love being Indian. I love the food. I love the traditions. I love the values my parents have instilled in me,

And…I have grown to truly love and accept my brown skin.

IBrown invokes the feeling warmth. From earthy toned walls and furniture to leather accessories. Brown is the perfect base for many interior spaces. In celebration of all things brown, here is a round up of some gorgeous and inspiring brown spaces. Enjoy!

My dream kitchen…

(Image via Blood & Champagne) 

Image via Blood & Champagne) 

(Image via Desire to Inspire) 

(Image via Home & Delicious)

This has to be my favourite photo….I love everything about it.

(Image via desiretoinspire.net)

Can definitely imagine curling up in this chair…

(Image via rrantiques.tumblr.com)

(Image via Fotolog)

(Image via Media)

(Image via SF Girlbay) 

Buttery leather against crispy white. love.

(Image via Emmas Blogg)

OK, I have to go now.. all this brown-ness if making me crave chocolate….no guesses, what I am about to do…

Chocolate + tea time! Delish.

N x

My first goal.

It took me….

4 years.

3 coaches.

2 pairs of boots.

Countless bruises.

Countless hours of training.

Countless hours of embarrassment (yes, I once ripped the entire back of my shorts whilst jumping over the fence to retrive the ball…and yes, I have run the wrong way…many times)

BUT I DID IT!!!!

YES….last weekend i SCORED my FIRST FOOTBALL GOAL.

It wasn’t exactly the scissor kick that i had imagined it would be. But who cares? It went in..

My celebration was also not how I imagined. Instead of pulling my jersey over my head and doing the ‘aeroplane’ move….I CRIED. Yes, tears uncontrollably welled up. I was just overcome with pure joy. I honestly, have not felt that type of happiness in SO long.

I had finally done it. The intense happiness lasted for at least 48 hours. In the supermarket, I walked down the aisle smiling to myself (slightly creepy…i know). In the shower, I fist pumped the air. In the car, I pumped up Ricky Martin’s ‘Living la vida loca” and sung my heart out. I also…admittedly…watched the ‘Bend it Like’ Beckham film clip on youtube…on repeat.

I really felt connected to Jasminder…

Check it out here…you know you want to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0-m2XNxOLA

Feeling all inspired, I scoured the net for some cool football inspired design ideas and spaces. Enjoy!

york minster cathedral interior covered in grass – makes me want to play soccer in there

(Image via Tumblr)

New office chair?

(Image via Housemaintain)

(Image via Media)

My new handbag…jokes.

(Image via Haute Nature)

(Image via chungdesigns.freehostia.com)

Cool idea for hooks!

(Image via Depoques) 

Let’s hope this it doesn’t take me another 4 years to score my next goal!

N x

My life as a…battler.

I am a battler.

I freely admit it.

I do not mean this in a self-depricating way.   just seem to battle, through life a little.

Here are some examples. Just last week;

• My drink bottle leaked in my handbag ….3 times…in 48 hours.
• My entire bottle of tea tree oil spilt on my phone…whilst I slept. Woke up to a small BP oil spill on my beside table.
• I accidently signed off a work email…”Look forward to touching you” – I forgot the words ‘base’ & ‘with’ after ‘touching’ (It was to a 60 year old male client). Epic mistake. Highly embarrassing.

Little did I know that the weekend was about to reveal my Number 1 ‘Battler Moment’ of 2013 thus far.

To celebrate the ANZAC day weekend, a group of us (my friends who I met on a Fishing Derby earlier this year…. don’t ask) ventured to Morning Peninsula in Melbourne to go ….. ‘Tree Surfing’.  It is essentially, is a high ropes school camp activity .. on steroids.

It was 100% pure G-rated fun. Ok, maybe 98% G-rated, as the harness was a little ‘handsy’!

At first, I was pretty nervous. I was laughing on the outside…but inside I was crying with fear. As my confidence gradually began to build, I decided that I was going to tackle the ‘Tarzan Swing’.

It was by far the scariest swing in the whole course. It high…very high. It was not for the amateur ‘tree-surfer’.It required a free falling jump off a platform and the co-ordination to catch a net on the otherside. With my (false) sense of confidence….I thought I had it I the bag. I was all set up and I jumped off the platform……

Battler 101.

Instead of reaching and holding on for the net on the other side, I grabbed it… and let go…

Huge mistake.

I was now stuck. In no-mans land. Between the platform and the net. It took me a moment to realise what had happened…then I heard the laughter. I looked up, my friends and other random bystanders were holding their stomachs laughing.

 

 

(Yep that is me…just hangin’ out…whilst everyone looked on)

It was not funny. I had the biggest wedgie of my life.

The instructor told me to do breaststroke toward the net. With vigour, I pretended I was in a pool. Little did I know…he was taking the piss. Breaststroke was not going to get me anywhere. Only something like this could happen to a pure battler. (Note: The instructor helped me get down, after the amusement had died off). Meanwhile, some days later I still have brusing and the aftermath of harness chaffing. Not pretty.

Jokes aside – I loved the feeling of being so high up. My mind drifted to tree house design and the integration of ropes and even swings into interiors.

Here is a round up of some design inspiration, derived from my experience of ‘tree-surfing’.

 

(Image via  dreamingthefreshairdream.tumblr.com)

 

(Image via finetingogsjokolade.blogspot.no)

(Image via Media)

 

 

(Image via weheartit.com)

 

 

(Image via waveavenue.com)

(Image via Etsy)

 

Yes! That is a caravan in the tree…awesome.

(Image via Media)

 

(Image via weheartit.com)

(Image via dreamingthefreshairdream.tumblr.com)

(Image via etsy.com)

Ok, I’m off …..battlerville awaits!

N x

Downward Dawgy Dawg.

I remember it so clearly, my grandmother (we called her Nani and she lived with us in the last two years of her life) would arise at 6am every morning and complete her yoga practice – breathing exercises, graceful fluid movements and deep ‘oohhhmmmmsss’. My immaturity always seemed to get the better of me, watching my nani in the strange poses and blowing her nostrils so aggressively….i couldn’t help giggling. Wondering, why an earth she went through all these motions every morning. I never understood why she practiced yoga….

I do now.

After my Nani’s passing, in an effort to keep her memory alive and deal with my grief, I decided to enrol myself in a beginner’s yoga course.

This was 10 years ago and I have never looked back. Yoga is a fundamental part of my life.  I secretly love the Indian historic roots tied to the practice yoga – it really resonates and deepens my connection to my own indian cultural heritage. It makes me proud.

My yoga practice has helped me, get through many trying times – the passing of loved ones, stressful exams, relationship break-ups and general uncertainty about jobs etc.

It sounds so cringe-worthy, but yoga is a medicine for my soul. it forces me to turn inward and silence my (usually crazy) mind.  The yoga philosophy has taught me the importance of compassion, mindfulness and patience.

After trying many types – bikram, iygengar, asana…I now practice power yoga. I love the playfulness and dynamism that it offers. I also love how every time I practice yoga, it is a different experience – depending on the instructor, my mood, my day and…..my lunch (yoga after a bowl of pasta is not ideal).

Last week, I had a very, very fun yoga class. I attended it with my friend Franni. After a busy day in the office, we both were suffering from a touch of cabin fever and were in a bit of a crazy mood. The class was packed. We had no option, but to situate ourselves at the VERY front of the room, literally on top of the instructor.

The instructor was hilarious. A 30-something year old man. Tanned. Muscular. Long mousey blonde hair, tied back in a pony tail. And….tight, tight, tight bike pants.

I felt like I was 16 again. As he demonstrated rolling back and forth, due to my positioning, his ‘package’ was literally in my face. Drips of his sweat flinging across my face – SO GROSS. I had to bite my cheeks as I couldn’t stop laughing. He embraced his inner gangsta by saying ‘Get into ‘downward dawgy dawg’ and then proceeded to tell a random story about an Indian guru….whilst staring directly at me. Maybe you had to be there….

I honestly had to hold back my laughter. I pretended to drink my water…but nearly spat it out as I tried to suppress my giggles.

It was a class I will never forget.

Yoga studios have many design elements which must be leveraged properly, in order to create a  a space that is conducive to yoga practice. Lighting (ie. no flurolescent lighting), studio mirrors, flooring (ie. wooden flooring to ensure sweat can be wiped up easily…), space in general must be wide and expansive enough for a class to be able to practice a range of movements, colour scheme (ie. neutral and calming) and external noise (ie. can’t be situated near a busy street or bar) and ofcourse scent plays a big part (ie. incense aids relaxation)….

Check out these beautiful yoga studios – just looking at them, makes you feel so calm…

Beautiful light…

(Image via on-display.tumblr.com)

My dream…yoga in the trees.

(Image via Pinterest) 

(Image via Pinterest) 

 

Yoga in the attic – love the rugs.

(Image via Free People) 

 

 

(Image via Alfies Design)

(Image via Furniture & Design)

Magic Carpet yoga mats – amazing!

(Image via From sophieleiningermagiccarpetyogamats.com)

(Image via 101 WooniDeen)

OK, I’m off to light some incense….and drink some coconut water. Just to balance out the toxins I will be inducing tonight – hey, its a public holiday tomorrow after all!.

N x

So Sexy!

 Juicy. Sappy. Fleshy. Lush. No, I am not referring to my bootilicious  booty….but instead the less famous cousin of the cacti – the succulent.

Of late, I have had an obsession with succulents. Especially when placed in clear glass vases. I am drawn to succulents primarily because of their shape and form. There is something so sensual about their fleshy, hardy ‘leaves’. They possess an innate calming quality – I could honestly stare at my succulent for hours…ok, maybe not hours – but atleast good 7 minutes.

Succulents can add warmth and colour into any lifeless corner. They are also versatile and slip easily into a modern or more traditional space. Succulents can range from green to purple in colour.

Ok, so admittedly I didn’t obtain my succulent from an honest source. I may have helped myself to a ‘clipping’ from a neighbors front garden. I still feel so guilty – It was close to 11pm, I was dressed like a licorice stick (all black) and literally crawled down the street …. it is probably the most rebellious thing I have done in a while. No joke. Come on….I was in the choir for 13 years – what do you expect?

I don’t have the best track record in keeping plants alive, so they are perfect for me – very low maintenance. I don’t even need to water it…it just sits there, in its water….growing and growing. So cute!

Here is my succulent plant (I placed it in a glass water bottle)….

Check out some sexy succulent inspiration……

(Image via Style Me Pretty)

 

(Image via Tumblr)

(Image via F Store) 

(Image via Etsy)

(Image via Pinterest) 

(Image via Man Made Daily)

 

 

(Image via Pinterest) 

(Image via Pinterest) 

So what do you think? Do you agree? Aren’t succulents just so sexy!

Happy Sunday Night.

N x

 

My Bucket List.

One of my closest friends (Alina), is making the move over to London in a few months. As my ‘gift’ to her, I have promised to make her a ‘Bucket List’ of things she must aim to achieve.

Upon commencing Alina’s list I realised that I too, should probably make one for myself.

Creating my bucket list has been harder than I originally thought. I guess, the essence of any good bucket list consists of overcoming fears, achieving goals, realising dreams and enjoying simple pleasures.

It has called for a lot of indepth self-reflection…It is still unfinished (I aim to have about 50 items)

Here is a sneak preview:

1. Stay in a really cool designed treehouse (this is my ULTIMATE dream – preferably somewhere in Africa)

(This one is the Redwoods Treehouse – Warkworth, New Zealand)

2. Ride a hot air balloon in Capadocia, Turkey (this has also been my dream forever…i love hot air balloons)

3. Finish a really, really hard jigsaw puzzle.

4. Join a hip hop dance crew in NYC (ok…this one is a little ambitious, but hey? no one said it was going to be easy)

5. Star-gaze at Atacama Desert of Northern Chile

6. Learn to speak Hindi fluently

7. Get passionate about a cause – The Angawadi Project (www.anganwadiproject.com/about/our-mission) would be ideal.

8. Attend a FIFA world cup – Brazil 2013 – anyone want to join me?

9. Milk a cow (a little creepy I know…but I would love to embrace my ‘inner farm girl’ for a week or two)

10. Publish a book…

11. Be a movie extra

12. Do a handstand in Yoga (nearly there…..)

13. Go to the airport and take the next random flight.

14. Skinny dip in the ocean (YES it is true – I am yet to still do this!)

15. Create my own Jewellery range

OK….that is enough…I am sure you get the drift!

Life is shorter than we think. I feel that Bucket Lists should be mandatory. Even if I can’t achieve all my items – it is inspiring and reminds me of the ‘bigger picture’.

One of my all time favourite projects is Candy Chan’s – ‘Before I die’ social experiment. You have probably heard about it before….but for those of you have not….I thought I would share it.

So simple – yet so powerful.

After losing a loved one, Candy searched for a way to maintain perspective. She wondered if people felt the same. With the help of friends she painted the side of an abandoned house in her neighborhood in New Orleans with chalkboard paint and stenciled it with a grid of the sentence “Before I die I want to _______.” Anyone walking by could pick up a piece of chalk, reflect on their lives, and share their personal aspirations in public space.

The next day, the wall was bursting with handwritten responses and it kept growing.

The wall reminded her that she is not alone. Everyone has their insecurities, problems, issues….These ‘Before I Die’ walls are now being created all over the world. I love it.

OK…I am off to have a cup of peppermint tea & finish of the rest of my bucket list! I think you should do the same…

Wait before I go…here are some ones which I am contemplating putting on my list…

I LOVE LOVE LOVE SUNFLOWERS…

N x

Mirror, Mirror on the wall….

Who’s the fairest of them all?

Definitely not me.

Despite my daily application of ‘Fair & Lovely’ (my whitening cream), my skin remains a dark 70% cocoa colour (if you turn the lights off – you can only see my teeth and whites of my eyes).

*******************************************

I will never forget the moment when the next door neighbour called my mum to say…. “Tell your daughter to pull down her blinds, I can see her dancing in her underwear in front of her mirror….”

I was fifteen years old at the time.

Ok fine – I still do it today. I genuinely love trying on different outfits and dancing (usually to Beyonce or Destiny’s Child) in front of my mirror. It makes me so happy.

Mirrors have recently been on my mind.

Last week, I ‘rescued’ of an old dusty mirror that was kicked to the curb near my house. It was nothing special – a small ordinary rectangular mirror with a timber frame. I decided to make it my next DIY project.

Yesterday, as I began working on the mirror (sanding, applying gesso, painting it hot pink)….I began to wonder… …whose face had peered into this exact mirror?, where had it been hung?, what purpose did it serve? Aesthetic? Purely functional?

In our society, mirrors play a significant role in our personal grooming. They offer an objective assessment of ourselves – without the reliance of others. Applying make up, doing our hair, brushing our teeth – we take comfort in seeing our reflection before we venture into the public eye. It creates a sense of security, self-confidence and heightened self-awareness. Staring into the mirror too long and you may be labelled as a narcissist or vain…but please…everyone does it.

Actually…not everyone. There is a small percentage of people who suffer from Eisoptrophobia (possess a fear of mirrors and their own reflection). But that is another story.

In addition, within our society, almost all of our homes have mirrors. Whilst from an interior design perspective, mirrors are not purely functional, but can be a decorative element – creating visual interest and the illusion of space. Mirrors can be a feature piece and serve as a piece of art or conversation starters.

Sometimes it helps to have mirrors in easily accessible places. When you have that piece of parsley gets wedged in your teeth or you accidently draw on your face at work – it is these exact moments, you wish you had caught a glimpse in the mirror. How long have I been walking around like that for?

Mirrors have all sorts of applications. See below for a round up of some cool mirror inspiration….

(Image via Kloudy MIlk) 

(Image via Archiproducts)

(Image via the Design Chaser)

I love this!

(Image via the Design Chaser)

(Image via Yvonne Kone)

New York retreat by design firm Axis Mundi

(Image via Indesignlive) 

My favourite – Anish Kapoor’s ‘Sky Mirror’ - Commissioned by the Nottingham Playhouse from the artist, it is installed outside the theatre in Wellington Circus, Nottingham, England. Sky Mirror is a six-metre-wide concave dish of polished stainless steelweighing ten tonnes and angled up towards the sky. Its surface reflects the ever-changing environment….GENIUS!

(Image via designheard.blogspot.com)

Ummm…when can I stay here?  It is my dream to stay in a treehouse hotel. Treehotel Mirrorcube by Bolle Tham and Martin Videgård.

(Image via Yellowtrace)

Break a mirror and you get 7 years bad luck. Mirrors are serious business. So is dancing in front of my mirror (how do you think I perfected the Beyonce body roll or ‘the worm’)…..ok, I better be off…I think you can probably guess – what I am about to do….Watch out Beyonce!

N xx