GreenTea Design

Please welcome Greentea Design, the new sponsor of An Indian Summer !

Greentea was born of the need for contemporary Asian designs in the west. Greentea collaborates with select group of talented artisans to design stylish Asian furniture, and works with experienced buyers who hand-pick antiques from Japan, Korea and China

And that's not all! Living up to its name, Greentea has imbibed 'green' as its philosophy. All its furniture is hand-built from reclaimed wood salvaged from old country homes and warehouses. The seasoned wood adds to the charm of beautifully designed furniture pieces

Greentea is located in Toronto, and they deliver worldwide

Psst.....Get Greentea's latest kitchen guide from their site. And do take a look at their Mizuya kitchen cabinet collection. For a quick overview of Japanese, Korean and Chinese furniture, click here

It all began this day last year...

Last year, I started this blog

And the very next day, you started visiting me

This year, there's a lot more to come

Since you all are so very special!

[to be hummed to the tune of Last Christmas by Wham!]

Tee hee!

Happy first b'day to An Indian Summer!

* Well, it did all begin this day last year. A lot, a Whole Lot has happened since then....this blog and YOU have changed my life in more ways than one! Thankfully, all for the good! You ask me how? Even if you don't ask, I will take you through a quick retrospective, along with some of my favorite images from one year's worth of posts....

Clockwise from top left: Though we gotta.., Fairies, elves..., Wanderlust hits again , Rent a tent

* As I started writing about design and decor, I realized how passionate I am about this, and how much I enjoyed writing about design and sharing & 'talking' with you. Your comments, feedback, suggestions and immense love made, and still totally makes my day! So much so, that earlier this year, I decided to change my career track when at its peak, and took the jump (gulp!) to focus solely on my blog and the bazaar. As of today (yes, on my blog's bday!) I made the choice of becoming an independent consultant that will allow me to divide my time between doing some good for corporate training, and some good for the world of design :)

Clockwise from top left: Royal retreat - Devigarh, Before you read.., Kingdom in the Himalayas, Sun, sand...

* My vocabulary increased to include a new word: e-friend! Starting from Maryam who was the first non family/friend to leave a comment on my blog, to Kim and Jo who first featured An Indian Summer on their fab blog, to Linda whose emails never fail to cheer me up, to Vini of the prolific comments fame, to Katie who got me hooked to her blog through her kitchen reno, to Maddie, Gillian and Tara who reveal new meaning each day through their beautiful writing, to Stan and Kus, talent extraordinaire' Design Asia partners, to Joanna, Erinn, Helena, Brownyn, Melissa, Arch, Pam whose posts never fail to inspire me, to all my amazingly talented blogger friends who have appreciated An Indian Summer and given it a place on their fabulous blogs, and, to all the generous and loving readers who leave little notes for me...even when I am away from my blog! I am sure I have missed mentioning a lot of other efriends.... just open up the comments section or the blogs listed on the left...you'll find them there!

From: Join the club, There are photographers..

* I am still recuperating from the emotions expressed in the last two retrospectives! Give me a moment before I speak again..

Clockwise from top left: In the pink of things, Truly Indian, Today's inspiration, Look what I found

* I realized how well I sing...on my blog that is! I have so much fun writing posts around a song, or finding songs fit to a post! I am planning to hone this skill further, so watch out for more singing posts! I will also be open to requests! ;-)

From: When I am feeling blue..., Iran

* When you write a blog, there is always this question of how open and personal you can be or should be. Well, I started with stating my name clear and upfront (yup, that's my real name). I didn't realize one interesting consequence of that. Now when I google my name, God knows what random part of a post (or a song, as is most likely in my case!) will get thrown up beneath my name! Good fun most of the times! But, I thoroughly enjoyed sharing important moments of my life in the last year with you...my travel and vacations, my best-half rechristened as Mr. Shaking Head, my sister's wedding and my home and festivities!

From: The wedding story, 1790 miles.., Diwali...

* Of course, cats and cute babies found a way into this design blog too!

From: This post is about, Fairies, elves..., And then Ivanhoe said..

* And, the first year of my blog also brought about my first entrepreneurial venture: An Indian Summer Bazaar! Starting and running the bazaar brought about such roller coaster of emotions and mental & physical labor, that I almost went back to my 'safe' strategy and management corporate work! But boy, did I enjoy the adrenaline rush! It was so much fun!

I know you are wondering when am I launching the next bazaar? Well, given that I also have this Independent learning consultant thingie to work upon, I have decided to launch the next bazaar just in time for Diwali and Christmas. I will continue to help you with your personal shopping requests from India in the meantime.

An Indian Summer Bazaar

Phew! Hope I gave you enough reading material to last you the weekend? ;-)

Before I leave you for the weekend, couple of things...

~ THANK YOU ! For everything. Keep visiting me and writing to me

~ Enjoy your weekend! We will meet again on Monday with a brand new sponsor for An Indian Summer!

I am back home...

.... and I still like gorgeous furniture! ;-)

Quick tip to overcome jet lag: Look at some nice warm pictures. And if these pictures happen to be of Tucker Robbins furniture, well, rest assured, your jet is no longer lagged! While I adored the raw lines of this 'monk turned world traveller turned designer', I gasped at these beautiful images on his site. Do take a look...and tell me what you like!

Miami Home For Sale On Hibiscus Island - Price $10,500,000

265 N Hibiscus Drive on Hibiscus Island, Miami Beach For Sale $10,500,000

On the market for only one month, the home located at 265 N Hibiscus Drive on Miami Beach, is a "masterpiece completely remodeled", featuring 5,500 square feet of interior living space, on a lot measuring 11,375 square feet, with 65 linear feet of bay front. The property was listed last month for $10,000,000, but the asking price was raised 4 days later to $10,500,000. The home is designed with an open air concept in mind, and is being offered inclusive of the furniture, which is said to be valued at more than $600,000.

'Tis the time for some...

...retail therapy @ London!

I am one happy girl after doing a whirlwind tour of my favorite stores this weekend...Ikea, Habitat and Zara Home :-)

Look at all these lovely colors that are in this summer!

I will back home next Sunday. Back home to Mr. Shaking Head, and an early torrential monsoon!

Indian Creek Home Sold For $7,050,000

36 Indian Creek Island Road Sold for $7,050,000

A marvelous home on Indian Creek sold and closed this week for $7,050,000. The 6 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, 8,510 square feet home located at 36 Indian Creek Island, sits on a lot measuring 54,844 square feet, with 137 linear feet of waterfront. Described as a magnificent French Neo-classical masterpiece, the home features manicured gardens, and looking glass pool. The interior features a graceful twin staircase, 26 ft high domed ceilings, a marble fireplace, carved mahogany built-ins, and hand-painted frescoes.

At first glance, the immediate question that comes to mind with a home like this, is why so cheap? The answer: this wonderful home is not quite as pricey as most of the others on Indian Creek because it is located directly adjacent to the bridge that leads on to the island, and the property is not on the wide bay, i.e., it looks across the intracoastal waterway to far less expensive homes in Surfside.

Sunset Islands, Miami Beach - An Introduction

One of the very finest areas in Miami is located on the western shoreline of Miami Beach. The Sunset Islands, which can be reached from North Bay Road at 20th St. and 29th St., are composed of predominantly single family homes, which are situated on both bay front as well as non-waterfront lots. There are four Sunset Islands on Miami Beach, appropriately named Sunset Island I and II, which can be reached from 29th St, and Sunset Island III, and IV, which are reachable from 20th St.

One of the primary reasons that Miami Beach’s Sunset Islands are so popular, is because of the fact that they are guard gated communities, which are located in the heart of Miami Beach, and are in close proximity to the beach, shopping of all kinds, and to Miami International Airport. The video below is an aerial tour of Sunset Island I, and adjacent North Bay Road.


Sunset Islands Aerial Tour - Miami Beach

Sleepless in London...

And now the purple dusk of twilight time

Steals across the meadows of my blog

High up in the sky the little stars climb

Always reminding me that we're apart...

[Nat King Cole: Stardust]

Have been busy with work, and

Catching up with family and friends and acquaintances

I have missed updating my little bloggie for you

And missed catching up with you

So, here is quick note to say Hello!

I'll be back soon!

[feeble attempt at poetry!]

[pictures from a weekend walk by the Chiswick riverside]