The Great Aalayam Rendezvous!

Hello Dear Readers!

Today, we bring to you a special summer treat. The much awaited rendezvous of the dynamic Aalayam duo, replete with brainstorming, creative sketching and glamorous posing (of course). 

Deepa and I are delighted to bring this special edition to our dear readers. Hope you enjoy perusing through this post, because let me tell you, we sure enjoyed putting it together!

It was serendipity at best, after 3 years of working together bringing our brainchild – Aalayam to life, it was quite a joy to plan a trip to meet Deepa. Two style and design stalwarts meeting face to face could only mean one thing – more Aalayam awesomeness.  And awesome it was, starting with planning for what accessories and goodies to take on the trip, to helping plan the minute design details of the party Deepa was hosting, up in her home town for her gal pals. It was turning out to be a girlie vacation for me as I was traveling alone, without the husband and the kids. And I planned to maximize it. 

You see, when I go on family vacations, I barely get a couple of minutes to slap the makeup on my face and pull the first outfit that's accessible in my closet (it’s the same story when I go to work every day), but girlie vacations…ah..they are a treat. Cos, that’s when I get to apply the mascara and style my hair…and not pretend that my messy bun is a style trick! And the biggest decision I have to make that day is what to wear! And I wanted to take full advantage of this girlie trip for that very reason. And just thinking of all the photo opportunities we’d get..thanks to the magic lens and creative photography of UJ, had gotten me sartorially prepped!

The trip was sublime. I rarely say this about my air travel. I am one of the unlucky few who always get stranded at airports, lose their luggage or get rerouted for unfathomable reasons. But this trip to Ohio was relaxed, with no nasty surprises, and chockablock with pretzels and tomato juice. The flight even landed early at my final destination! 

See, I had a feeling this trip was going to be awesome. 

When Deepa and I finally met, it was like no time had passed since our last conversation. 

It became easy to understand why we worked so well together, respecting our creative differences, giving each other artistic latitude, yet believing in the common ethos of perfection and detail oriented dedication. It’s hard to run into someone who understands your neuroses like that! And when you do, you hold on to them! J

The first few hours were a flurry of "oohs" and "aahs" over accessories, carefully thought out gifts for each other, plans for the weekend, party planning details, catching up on the local news (who’s doing what these days!) and of course lots of pictures! 

Walking through Deepa’s home was like traversing through a well loved, and familiar terrain of design delight. Most of her rooms have been featured on Aalayam and other design mags, so seeing these rooms in live splendor was delightful. 

We got to work right away, planning our upcoming line up, tweaking our authoring strategy, working through our repertoire of topics and brainstorming on how we could make the content more meaningful, the format more engaging and the outcome more creative.

We talked through the work life balance conundrum that we both were facing – with  both of us being superlatively busy career women with full families to take care of, but both with compelling visions for what our stamp on life had to look like. 

Through Aalayam, we realized, we’d reached that common ground of evocation, or leaving a lasting footprint in this fleeting world (even though we had 48 other things to do most days before finishing the blog post we were working on!)

But we could not work for long, as scenic vistas had to be explored, and party fun had to be had! So off we went to don our ensembles, and meet the other gorgeous divas from all over the world, dressed to the nines in pastels (you know who you are!) for garden party extravaganza!

It was sensational partying during the day, and even more fun hitting the Ohio party scene as dusk approached! 

And just when we thought we were done with playing dress up, we decided to treat ourselves (and our readers)  by dressing up (again) in our favorite wardrobe choice and all its glorious accouterments – the Saree! 

The rustle of the silks, accompanied by the clink of the bangles, the heady perfumes in combination with the brilliant Ohio weather, transported us back home to an Indian wedding, where damsels flamboyantly don the Saree and give the celebrity red carpeters a run for their money!

In all seriousness, this trip was long overdue. And it was total paisa vasool! Stay tuned for the exciting line up of posts coming up – ranging the spectrum of cultural inconveniences, fashion choices done right, culinary shortcuts and parenting woes..we are going to continue to write about topics that speak to us, and resonate with you...and give us something to leave behind for our kids.

After that whirlwind weekend, we bring to you this post - fun, festive and forward looking post! And with this post, Deepa and I both want to take a moment to thank you, dear readers for all the love, support and patronage you have given us for the last 3 years, and anticipate that you will continue to stand by us, as we continue this creative journey.

Lots of love,

Supriya and Deepa

Let's pause and reflect, shall we?

Merry Christmas Aalayam!

It is that time of the year again, a time to reflect on the year that went by, to consolidate the highlights, mull on the low lights, and figure out what you'd do differently as the new year dawns around. And what you'd rinse and repeat - with unequivocal penchant!

Deepa and I bring to you, our thoughts on 10 questions the trendsetters say we ought to contemplate on every year-end, to check if our path to self development and self actualization is riddled with enough impact, for our own selves, and for the others, whose lives we touch.

As you read through our journeys, do mull over our own 2014, the year that was, and share with us your responses to the reflective 10 questions below!

1. What did I learn? (skills, knowledge, awareness, etc.)

2. What did I accomplish? A list of my wins and achievements.

3. What would I have done differently? Why?

4. What did I complete or release? What still feels incomplete to me?

5. What were the most significant events of the year past? List the top three.

6. What did I do right? What do I feel especially good about? What was my greatest contribution?

7. What were the fun things I did? What were the not-so-fun?

8. What were my biggest challenges/roadblocks/difficulties?

9. How am I different this year than last?

10. For what am I particularly grateful?

Deepa's tongue-in-cheek take on Learning!

What did I learn?

Deepa: On a more serious note – I continue to learn and grow each day personally and professionally. In the field of medicine the learning never stops and thankfully, I am very 
self-disciplined and self-initiated when it comes to professional learning and that has served me well. Personally, I have continued to advocate for others through volunteering, inspire and motivate via Aalayam and to take responsibility when things don’t quite go as planned. I have learnt to roll with the punches and to wait for the ah ha insights! I have learnt to keep my perspective when it comes to parenting. I have learnt that taking care of myself is a commitment that I must keep! I learnt to bake and savored the joy of “freshly baked” in 2014!

Handmade with love - Deepa's baked goodness!

What would I have done differently? Why?

Deepa: This year was also an expedition of awakening and reflection. 2014 provided compelling and I mean complelling opportunities to refocus on what I value the most. Let me just leave it at that.

Deepa's real and metaphorical journey in 2014

What still feels incomplete to me?

Deepa: Oh lots of things! Pursuit of self –development is a great thing, don’t you think? I want to read more, travel more, learn to be more assertive, manage stress better,  draw from the infinitude of talented, inspiring and capable people, manage my emotions better and exercise.  I wish I would  “Eat the frog” rather than procrastinate. I wish I would listen to my inner voice more. I could go on….

Deepa's travelogue begins

What were the fun things I did? What were the not-so-fun?

Deepa: Chateaus and champagne, baguette and bistros, the cabaret and cancan!!Pastoral escapes, Parisian cafés, the cote de azur...I got to experience the intoxicating spell of France! And that was fun!

Paris, viewed via UJ's lens!

Now, on the other hand, my husband – a cross-fit enthusiast got me doing burpees. Throwing your full body weight on the ground and then bring it back up with a plyometric move – not so fun! Needless to say, that did not last very long.. How am I different this year than last? 

Deepa: I think I know what I want and I am starting to believe in me! I cannot necessarily say this is an acute change from last year but I feel that with each passing year I come into my own a little bit more. My sense of who I am, what I want, what I stand for and what my values are becomes more defined each year and I am grateful for that clarity. I have a lot more freedom to accept, to refuse, to move on, to let go and it is liberating!

What am I particularly grateful for?

Deepa: The richness of our world – food, people, culture, art and places and the ability to explore one little bit at a time with my soulmate! A job that I love, that allows me to make a difference – everyday! The precious smile on my child’s face and the ability to look at the world through his lens. The fact that I get to experience the four seasons and nature in all her glory. For the unconditional love of my family. I am grateful for ginger chai and fresh flowers – the simple things that allow me to live in the present. I am grateful for the comfort of home!

Deepa's elegant holiday home

I could go on….

Thank you Deepa, for that candid share. It's my turn now, is it not?

I wanted to answer all the questions in the list here for you. I have mentally answered them, taken stock, and have arranged my plans for next year. But I would like to unravel the spool of my thought around the question:

What did I do right? What do I feel especially good about? What was my greatest contribution?

Supriya: I  have been a good parent in 2014, despite a few epic mommy meltdowns (p.s. kids are talented in the art of pushing you over the edge. They gang up, they are relentless and they are manipulative!). 

I demonstrated tolerance, empathy, patience and ....some more tolerance, in the face of insurmountable expectations (mostly self-imposed). I coached & mentored, and made an impact. I wrote, made prolific connections that are slowly evolving into friendships. I focused on professional development, adding value to my clients, and had a almost manic desire for continuous improvement.

I am still contemplating about what I am especially feeling good about. I watched this holiday classic movie today - "It's a Wonderful Life", a Christmas fantasy-drama, more than 50 years old, but still a sure shot tear jerker, inspiring & uplifting.

For those of you that have not seen the movie, I highly recommend it. The movie is about a man, George Bailey who gives up his dreams in order to help others, all his life, and eventually gets so defeated by life itself that he loses all hope. But divine intervention shows George all the lives he has touched and how different life in his community of Bedford Falls would be had he never been born.

The movie got me wondering. What impact have I made in the community I am living in? What would have happened if I did not exist in the lives of my family and friends at all? 

It's a humbling thought, is it not? To think of the constant opportunity I have to make an impact on the lives of others around me. It's a tremendous responsibility. Onerous in fact. But, a wonderful one.

I am a daughter, friend, wife, mother and mentor. I am a blogger and an environmental consultant. I am making (I hope) a difference in the lives of the people I touch, and the community I live in everyday. Tell me if I am not. I want to know. This is the yardstick I want to measure myself by, everyday, every year. 

Amen.

Deepa and I want to wish our readers a phenomenal 2015. I hope you make tremendous impact!!

Love,

Supriya 

Magazine Feature: We are on "Curated"!!!!

“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you”

Dale Carnegie

Words to live by in the blogosphere! And that is exactly what is happening at Aalayam. A kindred spirit, who is also a fantabulous blogger - Priya, (Once Upon a Tea Time) reached out to Aalayam, to feature Deepa and I, our daily inspirations, our creative drivers and joie de vivre and of course get a sneak peek into our homes in her new Curated magazine!! 

Over hurried Whats App messages and long distance voice mail, Deepa and I reconnoitered to get our interviews ready, pictures scrubbed and profile shots "shot" to make it Curated ready!! We were supremely excited to be part of this venture because Curated is a veritable visual treat! Its fresh, sets a serious design tone with its boho-chic influences, and blazes the trail for all the bloggers in the business of self publishing. 

Priya, with a keen eye for design detail and a refreshing repertoire of verdant imagery punctuates Curated with oomph, style and tons of inspiration. 

Here are some snippets from our interviews and home tours on Curated. Peek into the magazine feature a lil, here, but make sure you click on this link to read the whole story!

CLICK HERE! to read Deepa and my interviews on Curated and for the grand home tours!!

Thank you for the immensely flattering showcase Priya. This project was a privilege for Aalayam. And tons of fun for Deepa and ME.  

Love,
Supriya

CLICK HERE!! to read the full interviews.