The Art of Photography

By Rachel George

When we heard that independent photographer Roycin D’Souza was displaying some of his work at Gostana, we thought “what’s better than a burger and sangria with a side of fabulous pictures?” With that thought, we decided to swing by and have a chat with Roycin and Arpana, Gostana’s owner, who go back about a year.

From floor to ceiling were pictures of international bands which have toured India in the last one year. These pictures are also for sale, for a price ranging from Rs.3000 - 6000, with the sold pieces being replaced by new pictures.

The immediate thing that stands out about these pictures is the clarity in them. If you look closely, it looks like you can actually see the sweat coming off the musician as he moves! You’re not going to see that kind of clarity on Facebook and Twitter timeline pictures. Some of them look like they’re album cover art….it’s incredible to realize that these shots were taken live and not posed in a studio. And the most interesting detail was that these photographs were taken in the span of 11 to 12 minutes since, according to international rules, each photographer has only 3 songs within which to shoot the band!

Talking to Roycin about these pictures revealed just how much work actually goes into good photography, besides the fact that this is more about passion than anything else. He takes a more intense focus on the music front rather than the artistic side. According to him, when printing out the pictures, it immediately brings to mind what could have been done better, what could have been done differently.

Personally speaking, having had this talk, I don’t know that I’m ever going to look at a photograph the same way again. Yes it’s a photograph, and considering the effort and passion that goes into it, it’s also an art.

Swarovski takes you to a tropical paradise

By Rachel George

The Amazon is almost always the first connection that one makes to South America. From what seems like the dawn of time, the Amazon has been a place of deep, wild beauty and mystery; a place where colour comes to life around you with its richness and vibrancy.

South America has been the source of inspiration for Swarovski’s Spring/Summer 2013 accessories collection, a collection very aptly titled ‘Tropical Paradise’. This collection draws on the diversity that South America is famous for – Rio De Janeiro’s carnival

atmosphere, the natural beauty of the Amazon rainforest and its vividly colourful flora and fauna, and the mystery of Inca civilizations. Coming in sets of combinations of necklaces with earrings, rings and bracelets, some of the pieces are as exotically named as they are coloured – Tangara, Toya, Thyra, Niagara, Tamarillo.

Personally, my favouite statement piece was the Tangara necklace which brings to mind native tribes and ritual headgear.

In the more delicate statement pieces, I lusted after the Toco Flamingo earrings, which were just truly adorable. Who wouldn’t want two coy little pink flamingos hanging off your ears?

From the more flamboyant statement pieces, designed to catch your eye and keep it there, to the more signature style pieces, this collection is an occasion to flaunt it coz you got it! Whether you’re a bold fashionista or someone who tends toward the demure and tasteful, you know you want to check it out.

While the signature pieces are unfortunately, not available in retail, the rest of the collection will be available come next month. And ladies, even if you can’t buy the statement ones…there’s no harm in looking, is there? After all, there’s no saying that it won’t be available here one day. And if not, well that’s what foreign travel is for. And you know you need a wishlist ready for that!

Something old, something new at Heirloom

By Rachel George

It’s an indisputable truth…the older we get, the more we value the past and the heritage it comes with. The classic and the timeless are treasures mixed in with contemporary and the modern, waiting to be found if we know where to look. One such place is a store I explored over the weekend – Heirloom, a lifestyle store in Bandra.

Aptly named I thought, since I felt like I’d walked into the past. It’s isn’t to say that they don’t also cater to the tastes of today. You do see all the things you’re going to find elsewhere – the saris, cholis, duvets, bedcovers, cushion covers, accessories and lots of other things. But what has been created is a curious blend of the old, and the new with the feel of old. The best way to describe the feeling I got when I walked in is that of peace, quiet and somehow, the heaviness of age; of years gone by. If you’ve ever been to Jew Town in Fort Cochin, chances are you know the feeling.

When I walked through the door, despite everything around me, my eyes were first drawn upwards, where they were met with framed pictures, Turkish lights and little wooden altars. Most of the pictures are lithographs – moments captured in a world without modern printing. The altars, little wooden things you’re liable to find in ancestral homes

and old churches in Goa, take you straight into a bygone era. You can almost see the candles being lit and prayers being offered.

Once I came back to the present, I was ready to appreciate the treasure trove around me. The first thing I laid my hands on was the bedspreads with their matching cushion covers. Bearing ruffles, lace and floral patterns, they have the classic old English look. Perfect for laying on while thinking whimsical and romantic thoughts!

Another discovery for me were the selection of kurtas, shararas, pants and dresses – all white or off white and very Istanbul. Am I the only one with Arabian Nights playing in my head? Besides these, there is a small selection of lovely saris, kurtis, cholis, dupattas, and long skirts, all of which are available independently. If you’re looking for a mix and match situation, or you feel like you might want to be creative in your combinations, then you have lots to play with here.

The Turkish tea cups and coffee cups will definitely call out to those for whom coffee and tea drinking is practically a holy ritual. Nothing like drinking it out of these cups to give the experience a touch of the exotic!

Basically, this is a place that one can cheerfully get lost in for a few hours. And while you might think this is going to be heavy on your wallet, you’d be surprised by how affordable it is. But maybe you want to get there soon….not everything is going to be available for always. Some of them are unique pieces, so if you want them, go get ‘em!

Christmas in the malls of Dubai

By Rachel George

Christmas and a first trip to Dubai is a fun thing to do together. I’ve been hearing about Dubai my whole life – the place, the shopping festival and all the other usual things – but in all honesty, I never really imagined that I’d go there one day. Since I was falling into the stereotype, I did get the ribbing about the “Mellu girl going to the Gelf…har har” that comes along with a trip to the UAE.

There’s quite a bit to see in Dubai, and over the course of eight days, I think I saw plenty. My first four days passed visiting four malls – the Mall of the Emirates, the Dubai Mall, Ibn Battuta Mall and Deira City Centre. Out of which, I didn’t even see the whole thing in any of them! In the Dubai Mall especially, between checking out the aquarium, the Dubai Fountains and eyeballing the Burj Kalifa, I think I missed most of the mall. Then, of course, there are the souks – the real ones, and the fancy ones in the hotels and malls themselves.

Since it was Christmas time, the malls and souks were decked out in season finery. Dubai is quite a festive place come Christmas time. Everywhere you looked were wreaths,

lights, holly, and so many Christmas trees! Trees of all sizes and colours with beautiful decorations.

Of course some places were clearly very enthusiastic about the time of year and went all out with the “deck the halls” idea. The Wafi Mall especially had an amazingly huge tree, all done in red, surrounded by a ‘Santa’s Grotto’ complete with reindeer and dwarves.

Leading up to Christmas, there was a Santa who would meet the kids. The day I went, he didn’t seem to be around…which is possibly explained by the red legs one could see sticking out of the chimney in the grotto!

But why complain…Christmas and a million malls. What more could a girl want?

You need a whole day to spend in any of these places…and preferably, a guide. Or GPS. Between the sheer size of each place and the absolute swell of humanity, you’re not getting anywhere fast and once you do get there, you’ve no idea how you managed it or how to get back! You know how they say you can meet everyone in the world at Times Square? I’m thinking that the ones you miss there, you may find at either the Dubai Mall or the Mall of the Emirates.

‘Mall culture’ is a phrase we’re familiar with, but these places quite redefine it for you. Malls are what you do in Dubai, and having been in them, I can quite understand the sentiment. The larger ones definitely need multiple visits to even see everything once, leave alone experience everything. Since I haven’t explored the two biggies to my satisfaction, I imagine they’re gonna stay on my To Do list for many visits to come!