Hungry for More-Day 30-The Arabian Diaries

Events & Experiences

Last week I gave readers an inside scoop on the best of Western part of the neighborhood, so it is only fair to give Eastern part some love 🙂 

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Eastern Part is a quaint neighborhood nestled between other little areas of Juffair such as Al Shabab Road and Bahrain’s coastline. The area is the site of frenetic building activity, with new apartment buildings and hotels constructed each year and the  suburban neighborhood houses many restaurants and retail outlets, such as McDonalds, Chilli’s, Nando’s, Asian Zyng, Dairy Queen, Hardee’s, Starbucks, Abraj Grills, and Burger King, etc.  

Generally, visitors tend to gravitate toward the Shabab Avenue, the place offers delicious food, events, a variety of shopping, and a diverse subculture of people. I’ve been to this place couple of times with my husband and friends. I call this segment of road ”The American Alley” due to the several American fast food restaurants and the numerous Americans who go there. Very Americanized! 

One also gets to see the city’s best street art and graffiti  in this part of the world. You’ll often find culture and traditions in the form of street art here.

Eastern part is a small neighborhood with a big voice. I’m starting to feel right at home now in the hustle and bustle of the city! So far, Bahrain has been a delight to the senses. The smells, sounds, lights, traffic and the entire pace of life is at first overwhelming- but it’s the cultural differences I experience in my travels that always leave the biggest impression and keep me hungry for more.

So grateful for the new friends and memories I am making and for connecting with some of my readers out on the Island! Tell us what you love about your neighborhood. 🙂 Until my next post ✌❤️🔥 

XOXO

~Sanchali

 

My first Abaya

Travel and Food

Good Evening from Manama! 🙂

This post is part of a series on our trip to Ahmed Al-Fateh Islamic Centre located in Juffair, Manama which is only a short 5 minutes walking distance from my apartment. Instead of struggling with what to wear, I just grabbed my black Abaya  (the first time I wore an Abaya) and scarf and wore them over my pajamas and unbrushed hair.  Slapped some suncream and walked like an Arabian women! 🙂  Arabian women are some of the most beautiful females on planet earth. 

I love all things multicultural, and I believe that the world would be a better place if we learn about different cultures and religions so we can respect and appreciate them. At Al-Fateh Islamic Centre and Grand Mosque, they provide guided tours by very knowledgeable English-speaking guides. I had a one-on-one tour with Majed, who had studied in Monterey, California. With his being quite well-studied and articulate, I felt as though I had a wonderful 150-minute comparative religious course, helped me gather quite a bit of information for my blog. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 (2) 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 (2) 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22

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Made a little friend, He is fond of the gentle warmth of the light. He seemed to like me too!!!

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The mosque is very close to the Royal Bahraini Palace.

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The Mosque occupies an area of 6,500 square metres and it can accommodate up to 7,000 worshipers. The eye cannot miss the geometric shapes and patterns at Al-Fateh Mosque. These appear everwhere: on the marble floor, on the carpet, on the walls, on the windows and on the doors which are made of teak wood imported from India (my country 🙂 )

The floors of the mosque are covered by Italian marble and carpet manufactured in Scotland with geometric patterns resembling those of the windows and the doors. The dome of the mosque is about 40 metres (132 feet) high. It is made of fiberglass and it has twelve Iranian stained glass windows inscribed with the name of God (Allah) in Arabic. Hanging from the dome is a large Swarovski chandelier made in Austria and surrounded by numerous handblown glass lamps all made in France.

Situated adjacent to the Al Fateh Grand Mosque the library compliments the existing structure with quintessential Arabic architecture. The library of Ahmed Al-Fateh Islamic Center has around 7,000 books, some as old as 100 years or more. Spent some quality time in the library, also brought a little inspiration and spirituality for the home library.   WP_20151129_13_56_42_ProThank y’all for stopping by my blog!  Hope you enjoyed your weekend too. Share your weekend and travel experiences with us in the comment below.! I promise to drop in and see you the very next time I’m out  for a stroll 🙂  Till next time, take care and think happy thoughts.

Xoxo

Sanchali

The Arabian Diaries-Day 22-My Happy Place

Lifestyle
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My Happy Place-The Lagoon Park

I know that when you take the time for a few minutes every day to notice the positive, it does make a difference in your whole attitude. It does not make the problems go away but it can give you the confidence to be able to handle them a little better.

We all need a “happy place”. Whether it’s a physical space or a place within ourselves, we need somewhere where we can recharge, rejuvenate, reflect and grow as individuals. I am happy just by visiting The Lagoon Park, I can’t help the smile appear on my face 🙂  Fresh air and cool breeze on my skin makes for a very happy place. Getting outdoors and leaving the craziness behind is extremely therapeutic, sometimes I just walk round the park on my own and it brings me back to a nicer reality. xx

fotor_(288)fotor_(285)fotor_(283)fotor_(289)fotor_(291)fotor_(300)fotor_(301)IMG-20151120-WA0013I have to say that “My Happy Place” is really making me stop and really appreciate the ‘moments’ in each day that make me smile 😊

The challenge is to make your space beautiful. Make it feel like home. Most importantly, make it yours. Put your thumbprint on it. Then, take a deep breath, let it out and feel how good it is to be in your happy place! 🙂

Xoxo

Sanchali

The Arabian Diaries-Day 28-A Misty Evening

Travel and Food

Everything seems more epic on a rainy day. Coffee and evening sky at the
balcony is just a coffee and evening sky. But Coffee and evening sky in the
rain? Much more interesting.
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Love the way that city shines. The air is clear and cold, the streets are damp and clean, and that fresh rain smell is everywhere. Time to get out of bed and
enjoy that rain!

Sitting on the couch I gazed endlessly at the window and the outside world. My eyes they saw nothing in particular, nothing out of the ordinary. Everything was the way it was supposed to be. But there was a feeling of supreme happiness and gratitude. We can make a huge difference in our state of mind by focusing more on what we do have, how lucky we are, and counting our blessings 🙂

Happiness is not in our circumstance but in ourselves. It is not something we see, like a rainbow, or feel, like the heat of a fire. Happiness is something we are ~John B. Sheerin

Splash into an Artists’ World….

Artist

                    “Art is the response of man’s creative soul to the call of the real.” – Rabindranath Tagore

Art is as old as civilization. But it is this century which ends in a day which has given a distinct character to the Indian brush. It is the modern artist who comes center stage with a vision born of the encounter of the world of constant awareness and one such artist who made a remarkable impact on divine dimensions of modern art is Divyam Kaushik.

11148720_10153078611812631_8070679353940695545_nPainter-poet Divyam arrived on the Indian art scene in the early 2014 with a unique vision which marks for the painter-poet a special place in art. Born of Brahman parentage, Noida based Divyam has indeed, effected a fusion of east and west to evolve a new style of painting.

In a one year creative span, he painted the visions and ideas that come to his mind and ensured for himself a place for all times with one room at his Residence in Noida specially reserved for his paintings, music and lights.  There is an aura of calmness in his pieces that he feels there where he lives. What makes Divyam’s artwork more interactive is his therapeutic approach, a number of his works in painting, sketch, mural etc. explores the contributions of self-psychology to the conceptualization of art and healing on an individual and cultural level. According to Divyam, art helps him deal with matters that have affected him directly or indirectly and this helps him to move on.

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On a larger scale, Divyam’s typical day would be an eight hours of full-time (manic) work and four hours of painting every night. He has been moving to different places all his life. For some time he has been trying to strengthen the feeling of immersion- what he has felt and learnt from staying in one place or moving to another and his past relationships. He has implemented it by creating large pieces and making the picture from first person point of view. This helps the audience to think of themselves in the action of the painting.  

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His flamboyance, individuality and freedom went into making Divyam a genius in his way and that is what makes him an artist to watch out for in the upcoming years.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. Be free, make mistakes, live without boundaries; get hurt because in the end life is nothing but a collection of coincidences’’ –Divyam

You can follow Divyam’s awesome artwork & connect with him on-                     Instagram:   https://instagram.com/artshaart/                                                        Facebook:     https://web.facebook.com/ARTILICIOUS1?fref=ts

Here’s a very brief tour of Divyam’s world 🙂

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All you need is a love and appreciation of art and a desire to collect. These artworks are just…amazing and you can purchase them by simply popping me a PM or leaving your comments below.

Thanks y’all for dropping by my blog. Any and all feedback on it is welcome. Until my next post take care everyone and come back to blog.

XOXO

~Sanchali

Change is Around the Corner

Artist, Décor, Lifestyle

          Here’s what the bible says,” Call those things that are not as if they are and they shall be.”

Good Happy Wednesday Evening! I just find myself always drawn to colors, and when I see a bit of turquoise in there as well, my heart always skips a beat. I get this feeling that a change is just around the corner, all I have to do is turn it!gyI’m sharing a little something that was in my heart this morning, if it’s for you great if not, pass it on maybe we’ll help someone together today! 🙂  I know there’s a lot of people out there looking for change. If you need to make a change, make it, if you are thinking about making a change, solidify that decision. The worst decision you can ever make is indecision. Make a point this week to really make an effort to must figure it out.

I am planning on adding a little turquoise to my life!  ❤

                      Stay Fired Up, Stay Focused, Stay Free………..

XOXO

~Sanchali

Summer Heritage Time

Travel and Food

     ”Summer means happy times and good sunshine. It means going to the beach, going to Disneyland, having fun.” -Brian Wilson

It’s been awhile hasn’t it?  I don’t know if anyone even reads my blog but goodness I have really missed blogging! The last time I blogged was in January. I really wanted to write but sometimes, you might hesitate to write about a topic. My passion is art and decor, I don’t have a college degree in either subject. I wasn’t sure I thought readers wouldn’t respect my opinion or — horror of all horrors — I would make myself look like a fool on the internet. So, at first I wrote blog posts that didn’t disclose a whole lot. 

Eventually, I started dipping my toe into the waters of tutorials. What I found was people seemed to really enjoy and no one said anything discouraging or negative. In fact, quite the contrary: readers were very encouraging and curious. Now, I am going to stop making this blog into something it’s not and start making it into my little virtual inspirational cosmos. 

Thumbs up for being back!

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Most of my memories so far this year have been pretty special. What an amazing five and a half months it has been. In the last five months visited some amazing forts and palaces in the land of the glistening silver golden sands Rajputana or the land of the kings – Rajasthan and I’m so mesmerized by all the beauty and royalty the state has to offer. Restored meticulously by today’s former Maharaja’s these impressive structures have been transformed into Heritage hotels with varying categories of budget. Here are my photos from my trips.

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The best time to visit Rajasthan is from mid October to mid March as it isn’t too hot then and travelers can enjoy sightseeing without being bothered by the heat.

Inspiration is all around you – you just have to open your eyes and travel. Don’t just be occupied by your phone, laptop, tv, work (believe me I am definitely guilty of this as well).. While it’s wonderful to share a special trip and new experiences with friends, a partner, or family, there’s a compelling case for travel alone from time to time. Solo travel can work for anyone, whether you’re single, in a relationship, extroverted, or introverted. Traveling alone is in. It’s so cool everybody’s going to start doing it soon. 🙂

 p.s. H a p p y  S u m m e r  to all my fellow Indian bloggers and readers!! 

                                         Wherever you go, go with all your heart………

XOXO

~Sanchali

Celebrating the Beauty of Art – and the Nature in it

Artist

Landscape painting is traditionally at the top of the hierarchy of Chinese painting styles. It is very popular and is associated with refined scholarly taste. Landscape painting had evolved into an independent genre that embodied the universal longing of cultivated men to escape their quotidian world to commune with nature. As a nature lover I am attracted to atmospheric effects such as brilliant light, strong shadows, rain, mist – hence my love for Landscape painting. You can now choose and order your favourite watercolor landscape paintings from thousands of available designs.

Landscape Watercolor Acid Free Paper Painting

tgy*Rs. 3,073

Painter Name: Umesh Prasad
* Medium: Water Color On Acid Free Paper
* Size: 12 inches x 18 inches (30 cm x 46 cm)
* Frame Included: Yes
* Frame Material: Synthetic Wood
* Quantity: 1 Piece (Painting)

Boost what light you have by adding mirrors – even small, decorative mirrors.

Décor

Live Laugh Love Wall Mirror..choose from a huge selection of Decorative Mirrors from the most popular online stores at SancSuum. 

Shaz Living Beaded Mirror

Click to enlarge image

*Rs. 2,490

* Material: Mild Steel & Glass
* Color: Black & Pink
* Mirror with Frame Diameter: 24 inches (60 cm)
* Mirror Diameter: 11 inches (28 cm)
* Quantity: 1 Piece (Mirror)

Meeting the Buddhas

Events & Experiences

I always consider myself as a simple Buddhist follower, I have some kind of confidence in it, and thus I want to study it more. Yesterday, I was invited by my friend from McLeodganj Monastery to attend a Prayer lead by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the occasion of Je Tsongkhapa’s death anniversary (Gaden Ngamchoe) at Buddha Jayanti Park in New Delhi. At first I was not very sure that I will go considering the chilly, foggy morning and early hours of the event but I did not want to miss out on the amazing opportunity to hear His Holiness speak directly to us.  I wanted it so bad, i decided to go against all the odds and I reached the venue 45 minutes late when it was all crowded with people, His disciples from all over the world.

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His Holiness leading a public prayer offering!

One of the biggest conveniences of being a blogger-you MAY get consideration for the front row 😉

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Crowd joining in prayers

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A view of the gathered crowd joining in prayers

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The statue of the Buddha at Buddha Jayanti Park in New Delhi

For me this meetup was about creating community with like-minded Buddhist oriented friends from all traditions. This is a place to spend time with folks who are passionate about their path, as well as looking for friends to spend time with. InstagramCapture_10dad094-5579-4a44-86d0-704d0fb38276InstagramCapture_840a162b-15e9-4362-9fb5-f6a500641a83InstagramCapture_c4edb90a-71ba-4555-bfff-20a7d3694b12InstagramCapture_b3b149fa-f2b2-4d20-8f35-f40a5cf06127

Girls in their beautiful traditional outfits!

I am always searching for spaces to meet people and learn about the vivid and inspiring journey to the heart of the rich and magical realm of Buddhist visualization and devotional practices. For people interested in Buddhism or meditation or just leading a kinder life who are up for meeting like minded people, I am connected to a Facebook page too… join me! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Buddha-Nature-Sanchali/438640282841891?ref=hl

Feel free to message me with ideas for a round-table of 20ish people at quiet coffee shops, restaurants with side rooms, yoga studios, community centers, etc. Everyone is invited! Thanks y’all for dropping by my blog. Any and all feedback on it is welcome. Until my next post take care everyone and come back to blog.

XOXO

~Sanchali