Goa is many things to many people… hippies, beach shacks, posh hotels, bohemian getaway... but right now it was just one thing. Wet. Really, really, wet. I woke to relentless sheets of rain pounding down my first morning in Anjuna. Coming for 9 days during the August monsoon was not a good idea.
CLOSED
“Closed, closed, closed…” said the hostel owner as I named a few places nearby. Walking not an option, I reluctantly paid him to drive me to one of the few open cafés in Anjuna. After refueling, I took advantage of a break in the weather and walked the deserted streets to Little Vagator. Beautiful cliffs overlooked the ocean, with swaying palm trees guarding the coast. Starting at Thalassa restaurant, every place on the street was closed.
By late afternoon, I took refuge in a small hostel. As power crashed, there was nothing but darkness and more rain. When my phone died, so did hopes of booking an early flight home. Wet and dejected, the blow of failure was only cushioned by candlelight Goan prawn curry and local Kings beer.
NEVER GIVE UP
The next morning, the Biblical rains softened to a normal monsoon. A pattern emerged. When the rains eased, make the most of the moment and explore. Walking the quiet, windy roads, patches of town were still open.
One afternoon, I escaped a downpour by ducking into Sri, its small entrance adorned by plants and a statue. Inside was a cavernous tent with cots, tables, books and a prophetic Dali Lama quote titled, “Never Give Up”. The staff napped while two people played cards, surrounded by a few bottles of Kings and the remnants of lunch. They told me to grab beers from the fridge and join. They noted how they only come to Goa during the monsoon, so they can escape the tourists and have places like Sri all to themselves.
AN EASY FLOW
The remaining days, I fell into an easy flow of slow breakfasts and coffee while waiting for the rains to break. I would explore lush windy back streets by foot or nearby towns by bus. Evenings were spent with more prawn curry and Kings beer. I discovered restored Dutch bungalows and a former governor’s residence converted into a hotel. Small Catholic shrines watched over my evening walks. One day, I rented a scooter and relaxed at Curlie’s beach shack. The next day, after a few slow coffees and a book, I took the free yoga class with no one else joininig. Quiet, wet, monsoon Goa had slowly become heaven.
]]>The Folding Expedition Chair has an interesting history. We sourced this chair from a carpentry shop in Bangalore that has been in business for over 40 years. Read more about the history below (image courtesy of Bonet-Kurchan-Ferrari).
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COMING SOON: WORKSHOP PHOTOS & FULL STORY
Photos from the carpentry workshop are coming soon. For now, read more about the history of this versatile chair below:
HISTORY - THE FENBY PARAGON CHAIR
The Expedition chair was inspired by the Paragon folding chair first designed by British engineer Joseph Fenby in 1855, patented in England in 1877 and patented in the US in 1881 (though many believe this design predates Fenby).
CAMPAIGN CHAIR
In 1904 Fenby licensed his chair to American, French and Italian companies. The chair was also used by British and American armies and was known throughout Europe as an Officer’s chair or Campaign chair. President Theodore Roosevelt even used this chair.
(Image courtesy of US Patent Office)
(Image courtesy of Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site)
(Images courtesy of americancampchair.com)
TRIPOLINA CHAIR
The Italian version became known as the Tripolina chair as it was made by the firm Viganò in Tripoli, Libya for the Italian expatriate market.
BUTTERFLY & BKF CHAIR
The Fenby chair inspired the design of the Butterfly chair by Argentinian architects Bonet-Kurchan-Ferrari in 1938. The Butterfly chair won awards at an exhibition in 1940 where it was recognized by the Museum of Modern Art. This chair was also called the BKF chair or Hardoy Butterfly chair. Hans Knoll noticed the chair's special design and produced these chairs for sale from 1947 to 1951.
(Image courtesy of Wikipedia)
CAMPING & CONTEMPORARY CHAIR
The chair later became popular in the US as a camping chair. The chair's simple design and versatility have inspired countless variations, for both camping and the home, that have sold in millions around the world.
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Raahul Khadaliya, founder of A Basic Concept Design, talks passionately about sustainability and their brand, The Second Life. But the colorful product samples really catch our eye.
REDUCE, REUSE & RECYCLE
The recycled tire tube pouches, tool kits, felt notebooks, organizers, travel planners and packing paper stand out. It is hard to believe these products are all made of upcycled packaging, waste papers, film posters, tire tubes, and tetra packs. Instead, we see bright felt, textured rubber, and vibrant block prints.
COMING SOON: FULL STORY & PRODUCT COLLABORATION
We look forward to featuring products from The Second Life and finding ways to partner on future projects. Check back soon for our collaboration.
(All images courtesy of A Basic Concept Design @abcd.co.in)
]]>The Bavarian Forest National Park is not the most rugged national park. Little of the ancient forest remains. But it still may be one of the most charming. Moss covered granite bedrock dots well marked trails with mid-sized Norway spruce, beech trees and bogs. It is the oldest national park in Germany and only two and a half hours from Munich. Combined with the bordering Czech Bohemian Forest, it is the largest protected forest in Central Europe.
VILLAGE FARMHOUSES & GASTHAUSES
A special national park train, the Waldbahn, winds through the park and picturesque small villages. Slowly thoughts of renting camping gear fade. Why camp during the dreary off season, when you can pay just 35 euros in the villages of Zwiesel or Bayerisch Eisenstein for lodging? Timber hewn farmhouses and traditional white and wood gasthauses with small biergartens beckon. They include Bavarian country breakfasts so big that the remaining meats, breads and cheeses are packed by the gasthaus host for lunch.
BAVARIAN & BOHEMIAN RAILWAY STATION
At the village of Bayerisch Eisenstein, the railway station lobby overlaps the Czech and German border, with separate restaurants at each end. Sip the regional dark malty dampbier (“steam beer”) in the stately German side or a much cheaper Budweiser Budvar at the homely Czech restaurant. Peer at remnants of barbed wire and a museum. The station was split by communism and the infamous Iron Curtain from 1945 to 1991. The West German side once marked “the end of the free world.”
TREE TOP WALK & WILDERNESS HOUSE
The visitor's center and other buildings are unique. The Baumwipfelpfad, or Tree Top walk, is an open air egg shaped walkway that goes up to 144 feet high. At the Haus Zur Wildnis, walk on an elevated log boardwalk while wolves run below.
(Image courtesy of inhabitat.com)
A NATIONAL PARK BIERGARTEN
But perhaps the best rewards come after long hikes. Through a clearing, a dark wood structure sits, overlooking a pond. The Schwellhäusl inn and biergarten has welcomed guests and forest workers since 1870. In a moss covered rock sits "bier vom stoa," the "beer drawn from a stone," with a small silver handle jutting out. A small fenced in biergarten offers rest, dunkel beer, pork knuckle and other traditional food. Welcome to national parks in Bavaria.
]]>At the end of a small road in the woods, we met with Padmini Govind, the owner of Tharangini, one of the last family owned wood block printing studios in Bangalore. The business is sustainable, fair trade certified and eco-friendly.
Tharangini was founded in 1977 by Padmini's mother. It is a reminder of a calmer, more peaceful Bangalore before the sprawling IT boom and non stop building. Tharangini sits in an old bungalow, with small fields around, and backs into beautiful Sankey Tank lake.
Padmini is a passionate advocate for the ancient block printing art. She has led workshops and has worked with clients big and small such as Fab India and Anthropologie.
COMING SOON: FULL STORY & PRODUCT COLLABORATION
More pictures of the studio and wood blocks, as well as a future project with Tharangini, coming soon.
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At Oktoberfest in Munich, "gemütlich", the German concept of warmth and friendliness, is in abundance.
Laying on a grass hill, under the watchful statue of Bavaria, there is a sleepy charm in the early afternoon at Oktoberfest. Autumn leaves are falling amidst a crystal blue sky and a gentle cool breeze.
HISTORY
In October of 1810, the citizens of Munich were invited to Prince Ludwig's wedding celebration in a field outside the city gates, and the annual tradition started. Oktoberfest takes a historic event and makes it larger than life, all without sacrificing authenticity.
THE BEER TENTS
The tents are a physical marvel. A single tent is the size of a football field and would be the only venue in any other city. But at Oktoberfest, there are 14 large tents, and 20 smaller ones. The tents are wooden structures, the floors slightly creaking with charm as you walk about.
Natural light abundantly spills into the tents, illuminating the multi-colored fabric, flags and decorations. The wood planked floors, kitchen, bathrooms, second story balcony and elevated stage are all temporary structures that are packed up after the 16-18 day festival ends.
BEER & FOOD
Only six historic breweries within city limits, that make beer according to the Reinheitsgebot (“German Purity Law”), are given the privilege to serve beer. Waiters and waitresses work at pace carrying 10 Maß bier stein glasses (1 Maß = 1 Liter) and balancing beautiful enormous wood serving trays on their shoulders. Plates of roasted chicken, cheeses, sausages, pretzels and sauerkraut cover the trays.
EIN PROSIT
Typical Bavarian biergarten furniture fills the tents, slender wood tables and benches with bright green foldable metal legs. The bands play a variety of traditional and modern songs, the most common is Ein Prosit (“A toast”), that encourage singing and toasting with all around you.
A BAVARIAN TRADITION
The festival is part of the city’s identity and charm. Wander the city streets and you will see locals dressed in the traditional female dirndl dresses and male lederhosen leather britches. Companies give employees time off and often rent tables.
The festival grounds and tents are free to walk into, and include a children’s play area with amusement rides. The daytime is much quieter until 6pm (only traditional songs and no standing on the benches).
Like the famous biergartens and other traditions, the past, present and a casual woodsy charm all blend together wonderfully in Bavaria.
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Some images tell an amazing story. Such is the lonely black and white photo from 1915 with drifts of snow and small specks of men. Outlined against a bleak sky and a lone wooden ship, the photo shows the Endurance crew playing football while stranded on an iceberg.
SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON
In 1915, during the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, the ship Endurance became frozen in the ice of the Weddell Sea. The men did not step on land again for 497 days. One of captain Sir Ernest Shackleton's first orders was to implement a regular routine to boost morale, including football games. Ship photographer Frank Hurley documented the historic ordeal.
LIFE ON AN ICEBERG
Shipmates would later note how calm Shackleton stayed. He set new team goals, kept the crew busy and encouraged camaraderie. Aside from football, other activities included performing in plays, sing alongs, and dogsled races. Everyone was kept equal with duties to avoid disagreements.
Eventually, the ice tore the ship and it sank. The men built a camp on a nearby iceberg, living for months on just a few feet of ice below them. But this iceberg also broke apart and they were forced to seek land.
TWO OPEN SEA JOURNEYS
With three small lifeboats, Shackleton and his crew spent five days at sea until they reached Elephant island, over 300 miles away. However, Elephant island was not in the path of shipping routes and it did not offer much food or shelter. So Shackleton choose just five men to make an 800 mile open sea journey to South Georgia island.
32 MILES BY FOOT
Despite the odds, Shackleton somehow reached South Georgia island, a feat historians would later marvel at. But after rest, he still had to travel 32 miles by foot over icy mountainous terrain for 36 hours to reach the whaling station at the other side of the island. When he reached, he immediately sent a boat to pick up the other men on the island.
RESCUE OF THE CREW
Rescue of the remaining crew on Elephant island was stalled by sea ice. Four months later, Shackleton returned to Elephant island to pick up the remaining 22 men. After all they had endured, he had returned all 28 men home safely. He later remarked:
"We had 'suffered, starved and triumphed, groveled down yet grasped at glory, grown bigger in the bigness of the whole. We had seen God in His splendours, heard the text that Nature renders.' We had reached the naked soul of man."
(All images courtesy of Royal Geographic Society & BBC)
]]>Two dragons perched low by the Ljubljanica River bridge appear menacing. But they may as well be smiling, given Ljubljana’s charm and ease. It may just be the mellowest capital city in Europe, with only 280,000 people. The city’s river, castle, museums and old town are not close to the biggest, even in Eastern Europe. This helps to make Ljubljana the perfect city to just enjoy without doing anything.
CAFES, BARS, SQUARES & A RIVER
Open air bars and cafés flank the small, meandering river, seeming to show a bit of cultural influence from Slovenia’s western neighbor, Italy. The city has many beautiful squares, such as Pogačarjev trg Square, with a vibrant daily market and events, including Open Kitchen and the Pivo & Burger Fest.
JOZE PLECNIK
The city owes much of its charm to Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik, who is referred to as Ljubljana’s version of Antoni Gaudí from Barcelona. The city’s iconic Triple Bridge, numerous river embankments, market and plazas are a result of his thoughtful and creative design.
THE SLOW GOOD LIFE
Wandering twisting old cobblestone roads, ducking in and out of beautiful cafes and bars surrounding the river, it is nearly impossible to get lost. Like many European cities, an overhead castle and central river help to orient you. As you settle in, Ljubljana invites you to just sit outside and live the good slow life.
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One of life's simplest joys is having a dog. In celebration of National Dog Day on August 26th, we honor India's sleeping dogs.
Phrase: Let sleeping dogs lie.
Meaning: Avoid interfering in a situation which is currently stable.
"It is nought good a slepyng hound to wake." - Geoffrey Chaucer,Troilus and Criseyde, circa 1380
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Towering over 5,000 feet higher than any nearby peak, Mount Shasta appears to be "a massive object emerging from hyperspace", when you first notice it. The snowline of the volcanic cone seemingly hovers in mid air amidst the sky and forest.
A POETIC MOUNTAIN
Poet Joaquin Miller said, "Lonely as God, and white as a winter moon, Mount Shasta starts up sudden and solitary from the heart of the great black forests of Northern California."
Naturalist John Muir remarked, "When I first caught sight of it over the braided folds of the Sacramento Valley, I was fifty miles away and afoot, alone and weary. Yet all my blood turned to wine, and I have not been weary since."
MCCLOUD RIVER FALLS
There are a few good stopping points nearby, including the towns of Mount Shasta, Dunsmuir and Weed. Camping anywhere on the mountain is beautiful.
Often overlooked is the town of McCloud, with its charming small main street, Siskiyou Brew Works at the red barn, and campground along the McCloud River Falls trail. All three waterfalls are worth seeing.
But you will never forget a frigid plunge in the epic middle waterfall, which you may have all to yourself. A thundering wall of water at your back, no crowds in sight... pure joy in your heart. Magazine cover worthy.
(Cover courtesy of Backpacker Mag. @backpacker.com)
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Galle Fort’s ghosts speak at night. In dim lit cobble stone streets, with waves thundering off the coral lime and granite stone rampart walls, the town seems more real, more intimate. A UNESCO world heritage site in Sri Lanka, the 400 plus year old fort is built on the foundations of Portuguese, Dutch, British and Sri Lankan history.
(Image courtesy of Sri Lankan National Commission for UNESCO)
MARKERS OF HISTORY
Within Galle Fort’s stone walls and narrow streets, markers of the town’s history lay scattered about. The fort gates are marked with old coats of arms. Colorful names such as the Aurora, Star, Moon and Sun bastions, Pedlar street, Dutch Hospital and New Orient Hotel speak to the town’s past. Gravestones etched with skulls and bones pave old church floors.
A SLOW DAY
During the day, waves of uniform clad school children laugh and play, with parents congregating outside the gates. Cafes, restaurants and small food shacks buzz with visitors. Galle Fort’s streets are strikingly clean, organized and calm. Well preserved and restored whitewashed buildings exude charm and tranquility. Stolen glimpses through arches reveal plant fringed open-air courtyards, dark wood beams and colorful tile.
LAST HOUR
As the sun sets, and the heat recedes, the rampart walls and vibrant greens come alive. Kites shoot forward into the sky, taking advantage of offshore winds. Bright multi-color Buddhist flags sizes flutter as free food flows in celebration of Vesak (Buddha Day). Small cricket games start. And locals and tourists enjoy a centuries old evening tradition, simply walking the breezy rampart walls from end to end, reveling in the beauty that is Galle Fort.
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Amidst the beauty of Kodaikanal, which translates to "The Gift of the Forest" in Tamil, you may find your day coming to an abrupt end. As you look to unwind over a cold brew at a bar, you find out there are no bars.
PROHIBITION
The state of Tamil Nadu has long flirted with alcohol prohibition. In 1983, the state formed the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation, or TASMAC. It set up liquor outlets, affectionately called TASMACS. Prohibition came again and was last lifted in 2001.
FINDING A TASMAC
A shopkeeper said to look for a semi underground building selling beer. We found a downstairs storefront with a colorful mural stating, "Your Vibe Attracks Your Tribe." Nice, but it was not the beer store.
Locals pointed us to a different street, in a dirty alley, towards a dark, beat up steel cage frame. Welcome to your local TASMAC. Every instinct you have will tell you not to enter this steel frame. Nonetheless, we were able to obtain a Sterren 7 Premium Quality Lager Beer.
A STATE WARNING
The beer was at room temperature, chilled is not an option. A state warning on the bottle proclaims, "Liquor ruins country, family, and life." Cheers.
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High in the Kodai hills we enter a classic stone building fringed in dark green. Our host, Subramaniam, graciously gives us a tour of his pottery workshop. Afterward, he saves us a windy bus trip and offers a ride on his old 100cc motorcycle.
Twisting through the scenic hills, our partnership with the Potter's Shed begins.
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COMING SOON: FULL STORY & PRODUCT COLLABORATION
Our collaboration with the Potter's Shed, and Subramaniam's full story, is coming soon. For now, read a brief introduction on the impact of this amazing charity below:
A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE POTTER'S SHED
20 years ago, a teacher at the Kodaikanal International School saw Subramaniam making pottery as a teenager. The teacher was enchanted by the beauty of pottery being shaped. But he also thought about the day to day existence of Subramaniam, and many in his village.
The teacher had an idea, and convinced master potters in Pondicherry, India to train Subramaniam. Four years later, the Potter's Shed Trust was born. Today, funds from the Potter's Shed educate over 110 children.
The full story & our collaboration with the Potter's Shed is coming soon.
]]>Beneath the town of Plzen, Czech Republic lies a labyrinth of caverns and tunnels reaching 20km long. Carved out of soft sandstone and history rests the world’s first pilsner beer, Pilsner Urquell. Named after the town of Plzen, this beer style was so popular that it rapidly spread across Europe, and influenced the change from stoneware mugs to clear drinking glasses. Today pilsner style beer accounts for two thirds of the world’s beer sold.
THE PILSNER URQUELL BREWERY
In 1839, beer quality was inconsistent. The citizens of Plzen, Bohemia formed a brewing guild and brewery to improve quality. The Pilsner Urquell Brewery hired Joseph Groll, a Bavarian brewmaster, to blend the Bavarian, bottom fermenting lager style of beer with soft Bohemian water, a new pale style malt, and Saaz hops. This beer matured in wood casks stored, or “lagered”, in underground cellars. The resulting clear, golden pale lager beer revolutionized the beer industry.
THE WORLD'S FIRST BLONDE LAGER
Europeans had been used to drinking dark, strong, cloudy, and often infected, ales in stoneware mugs. But the golden, straw colored pilsner lager was light, refreshing and beautiful. Clear drinking glasses soon replaced stoneware as pilsner (and many imitation styles) rapidly spread across Europe.
A FRESH BEER IN A CAVERN
Down in the dim lit, damp, cold caverns of the Pilsner Urquell Brewery, you can taste a fresh pilsner beer. The unfiltered, unpasteurized fresh beer comes direct from a traditional, oak wood cask. The taste is pure heaven. The light lager bubbles forth out of cask captivity, and flows down easy, a slight hint of sweetness and pure balance with the mild, bittering hops. At that moment, deep beneath the town of Plzen, perfection is achieved.
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