Paisley Tuesday - In stitches

Reminds me of my mother's collection 

of embroidery books 

that were mostly foreign in origin. 

And I don't know why she even had them. 

Neither did we have any foreign connections 

nor did she embroider. 

in any case I think she passed them on to me. 

why?

i don't embroider. that's why.

One bob. Times Seven

good morning! 

if you like robert downey jr, then this post will make you happy.

it will make you happy even if you don't care much for him. 

one pic a day for the next 7 days. 

i love this one. 

yeah, the beard, moustache thing...

and yes, and there's an extra pic for when you encounter a particularly tough day.

all pictures from pinterest / google

post dedicated to arundati. not because she asked. but because i should have remembered.

Mismatched

our furniture in india matches. perfectly. it's all bought as a set. three seater + two single seaters. and a centre table. the shade of the blue in the upholstery is the exact blue of the curtain. the elephants - always purchased in pairs. the candlestands on the mantel. of course, there will be a pair. cushion covers and duvet sets - all of the same color and fabric. oh and the dinner set? not a single piece can break. glasses - six or twelve. things have to match perfectly. wonder how most of the indian junta will react to this picture. the chairs are all different. even the upholstery is.

i totally love it. and you?

i found this @

A lowepro camera bag, for me :)

I got my DSLR sometime in March. 

Now i got it a bag.

From flipkart, a Lowepro Adventura 140.

It's compact and cute and should fit in into most of my other bags.

(i do carry BIG bags)

I can't stop grinning even though i am coveting 

another super-stylish camera bag from Jo totes

(that does not look like a camera big)

that my friend showed me.

(yeah, Aru, the one who is my source for all things Internet)

{Pics from flipkart and Jo totes}

PS: Do you have a no-Internet rule for Sundays? 

I don't but i am thinking i should.

Eggless Banana Walnut Bread

i don't bake too often since i don't have an oven. 

but with all the baking updates and 3 bananas rotting in the kitchen, 

i have been itching to bake. 

so i tried this recipe even though i wanted to try this one

(i don't eat eggs and didn't have an egg replacement). 

the bread / cake is yummy, a little extra-sweet though. 

****

Preheat oven - 180 degree C.

Blend 3 extra ripe bananas, with 2/3 cup sugar, 2 tablespoon milk

Add 4 tbsps unsalted melted butter, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 cups flour. Mix.

Add 1 tsp baking soda, 1/4 cup milk. Mix.

Add 1/2 cup 1 cup chopped walnuts. Mix.

Pour into greased mould - glass / steel / aluminium / paper.

Bake for 60 mins at 180 degree C. 

Check with toothpick and bake for a few mins more if needed.

Cool, cut, eat.

****

I baked a banana walnut cake before. 

They draw and cook

Gasp! This is the most fabulous recipe book  / site i have seen.
Whether you like to cook or not, you will like  love go bonkers.

Presenting
Illustrated recipes from They Draw and Cook.


(please click on each image to enlarge and see. they look gorgeous only then)

Reminds me of the book i saw at Aru's place with pretty illustrations

Western Style. Kickass.

Mad Men, almost. One of my fav from the site. 

Not because it's a cocktail recipe. Really.

Pretty.

Sweet.

And even though i dont eat eggs...

Team Sunny Side Up, this one's for you. 

*****

Aren't these gorgeous? 

There are plenty more. In different styles of illustration too.

Prettiness apart, the site is super user-friendly.

If you are looking for art, then search by illustration type.

If you are looking for recipes then search by ingredient.

Super. Super.

*****

Oh, if you saw this, then be a sweety and leave me a note.

Would like to know if you went bonkers too.

Dynamic Views on Blogger

Finally, something really nice happened on blogger. 

Dynamic View

First click on these links to see what it is.

Sidebar | Flipcard | Mosaic | Snapshot | Timeslide

****

Let me show you how to activate this on your blogger blog 

in three easy steps. 

1. Go to your dashboard, click on settings, then go to the formatting link.

2. Scroll down to Enable Dynamic View and select Yes.

3. Go to your Internet browser, type in the name of your blog and add /view to it.

http://ambicasrimal.blogspot.com/view

****

Yes. It's that easy. You can view any blog in Dynamic View 

if the blogger has enabled dynamic views on their settings. 

Dont you think my blog looks *sexy* in dynamic view?

I can't decide which one i like the best. Yet. 

Try it. 

And do tell me which one you liked the best. 

If you liked it at all.

But, it's nice.

So you will.

Ok, I am shutting up!! 

My friends' blogs in DV.

Nabila | Aru

Bangalore Greens

There is nothing more refreshing that looking at some greens. 

So what if you are sitting at work, in front of the computer screen?

(That rhyme thing was not deliberate. Honestly.)

These greens are darker but still as soothing

One's a bean and the other - a weed nothing.

(This is where i put in a little effort. Honestly, i should stop. Now)

If you get bored of the greens, here's a white not so pure

And a magenta to look at while you search me a cure.

(Are you annoyed already with my punning. Honestly?)

Here's the last one, a bunch that fell on the ground

The prettiest pic of the lot, my fav from the walk around.

*****

I sincerely hope I haven't put you off my blog with my silliness.

But don't hate me, just because my poems lack finesse.

TJ's

TJ's is a brand that retails paintings, snacks, biscuits and cookies, mustard oil, stationery, phenyl, apparel, furniture, furnishings and more.

Here are two paintings from TJ's.

 A wooden sofa

Cookies

Durrie and Bedspread

What is special about TJ? 

That's what you are thinking right...

Think hard. 

No clue yet?

It's an acronym for Tihar Jail.

And the products that are retailed under the brand name TJ's 

are made by those incarcerated in the prison. 

Made in Tihar products had a turnover 

of Rs. 11,00,00,000 last fiscal year!

I am still awed and amazed by this venture of the Indian Government. 

Click here to read more about TJ's on their website. 

I think it's a brilliant idea. 

What say you?

Pizzazz

7 Reasons to watch Pizzazz, the play.

1. It's a comedy so you can expect to laugh.

2. The actors are all from Bangalore, and have travelled 

to many cities and performed. That's a good sign always.

3. The tickets are not free. They are priced at Rs. 250. 

Again a good sign.

4. It's at the NIFT audi. 

So parking is not really an issue. Or traffic for that matter. 

5. There are two shows - 4:30 and 7:30. 

So even if you are taking an afternoon nap, you can make it.

6. I will be there and we can catch up. If you want to, that is.

7. Oh, it's on Sunday - May 29th. 

******

Contact me for tickets. 

Bangalore, i am finally loving you

weather like no other. 

sounds corny, but it's true. i forgot that it is mid-may and summer. cool.

restaurant city

we went to 7 places in 3 days. tough to choose from the long list nabila had. 

day 1 

westin windsor pub -  the pasta is mind-blowing. 

before party at khatri and avni's place. pretty all around. 

love shack is on a terrace. looks good. feels heavenly.

after party at ajay's pent house. very filmy. right down to a visit by the cops.

day 2

spiga  - again pasta that was not so great. the desserts was fabulous. the interiors superb.

skkye can easily become one of my favorite places. for the breeze alone. 

day 3

toscano's - mmmmm. i am still drooling. pasta, wine and dessert. the best i have had so far. not the wine, though. and the day was perfect for eating out. balmy, breezy and pretty. and if a certain birdy is to be believed, the chef is moving to hyderabad. 

tea time at chopi's place. sweet. with snacks. and a parcel of litchis. :D

drinks at cirrus - passable

dinner at south indies - nice. nice.

window shopping for a change

jimmy choo, sunri, orange bicycle, chitra kala parishad, louis vuitton

all awesome.

*****

so that was my fabulous eat-meet-greet-and-drink-a-thon a bangalore.

thank god for fabulous friends.

i just happen to find the right ones. luckily.

if you want to see the rest of the pics, go to picasa.

Paisley Tuesday - Quilling

quilling: a technique in which you cut thin strips of paper and then paste it on a board

but this boring description is doing nothing to prepare you for what i found for paisley tuesday.

...

...

...

...

awesomeness. isn't it?

wouldn't this look so gorgeous on a white wall? oh, i want. how i want.

Spiders you will love

Even if you hate spiders, you will not hate anything on this post. 

I promise.

Now, scroll down, if you please.

First up is the itsy bitsy cutesy BEAM spider that Team Sunny Side Up created. 
And here's the two new videos I promised I'd post soon. 
Click on these links to see the TV Ad 3 and TV Ad 4.

he is looking for ms. longer legs...

Now for more spidey stuff i loved. 

But first, the three pretty webs i got entangled in...

one, two and three

so pretty, aren't we?

cupcakes four and soup five

help! see if five's alive?

 the letter's six, the granny's seven and the flowers eight

are spiders mums are a perfect gift for your first date?

do you like these spiders i found for you?

leave me a note to tell me you did. or not.

Notebook Doodles

the last few weeks, i have been posting pictures with words on my 365 days blog. 

(on mondays)

and then i came across this. 

genius. 

i meant her, not me. 

(i am only guessing the blogger / doodler is female since there is not really much info about her.)

do you even know you are the one that makes my day?

only sometimes, though. at other times it just falls to pieces, but not spectacularly.

so what do you think? awesomeness, right?

btw: it's not a font. it's how she doodles.

could be he, though.

and if you want more of her / him then go see 100 doodles in 10 days.

just one more, before i go...

i will. i promise to try. 

More hotness - Mark Sailing

have a super weekend girls! 

ps: isn't he super-gorgeous?

pps: that's mark salling. google him if you like. 

Movies I can't wait to watch

Because: what's not to love in a giant black panda who has some smart-ass dialogs to mouth.



Because: it's a fantasy, it's fun, it's adventures. oh-k, johnny depp. :)



Because: it looks like a chick flick and reminds of when harry met sally and serendipity, movies i enjoyed. a lot.

Did i tell you about the movie i am glad i finally watched? Romantic romantic songs, shiver-inducing-sensuousness, sexy dance moves, and a love that is hopeful... if you can't guess the name of the movie even now, then i guess you haven't watched it yet and should amend that now. You will have the time of you life, i promise.

Summer things

To beat the heat, i need

a sexy swim suit, even it won't look so hot on me

cucumber coolers that taste like this photograph does

a waffle cone filled with fresh fruits. definitely not canned.

ice lolly treats. everyday. will you make one for me?

co

mango and pineapple salsa

shorts in red

and flowers in white

glares with looks that kill

 watermelon without seeds

a bed that floats on water, with a spread that has a paisley print

and a book to read

finally, a trip to someplace cold. and show me snow.