nomad and rishikesh

 Written post October snow storm.

Soho was very quiet the morning after the bizarre and historic October snow. While  everyone slept, I found the perfect moment to escape into Nomad a global approach to interior style, a new book from  Sibella Court. Nomad, follows her previous books, A Stylists Guide to NYC and Etcetera. Her book is a personal journey of her travels that inspire her sense of style , her interiors and her soul. There is a story about about her mother that is both incredibly real and personal. This is not just a book of suggested places to visit, it it a personal journey. I worked with Sibella, a kindred spirit, many times during her stay in New York and I was always inspired by the bits and pieces of travels she carried with her to every shoot. Like a tiny Weaver or Bower Bird she constructs the most elaborate nests wherever she is, pebble and shell, pieces of string, fragments of fabric all find their way to her into her pockets and onto her walls, sets and tableaus.

Nomad is divided into sections by country. She covers Italy, India, Syria and Mexico. Sibella gives  a personal account of travels through these countries and takes us to some of her favorite places. There are many beautiful travel photographs that make me want to pack my bag and hit the road. I have said before that I too collect things on my travels, like sea salt and honey, but it really goes far beyond that. On my last trip to Istanbul I had an entire fleet of paper cups wedged into my tripod bag, as they were just too beautiful to leave behind. I am a pilferer of matches and menus as well. I too am always looking for bits to bring home, things that remind me of a place or something I can later use in a shoot. I am a bit of an obsessive collector in that way and that is one  reason I enjoy working with stylists who share that same obsession. Last April, I was in India on assignment for Conde Nast Traveler. The days were hectic and the weather in the Northern Himalayas was unseasonably bad! A monsoon had rolled in and threatened to eradicate all blue skies with blinding rain and wind. It was one of those times that we had to wait it out a bit, something which is very hard for me to do when I am on a job. After giving in to the weather one evening we decided to take a couple hours and travel the twenty minutes down to the town. The town of Rishikesh is really very special as it marks  the beginning of the  River Ganges as it comes down from the Himalayas. The river is very clean there and it is a very sacred place. The Beatles wrote most of the White Album in Rishikesh in 1968 when they visited the now closed Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's ashram. Even in the rain, the little riverside town at the edge of the Ganges was busy with activity. We sat through Ganges Aarati ceremony, performed each evening at sundown at the Parmarth Niketan Ashram and listened to the most beautiful chanting and watched brilliant flowers and candles of offerings float silently along the river. After the ceremony we walked across a suspension bridge over the Ganges to the other side of town where the evening market was taking place. Single light bulbs hung on cords  illuminating each vendors stall like a perfectly styled theatrical stage. One  thing I have found is that markets stay open quite late in other countries ( it was on this same trip, though in another country, that we found ourselves making our way towards a hidden spice market on the outskirts of Dubai at nearly midnight!) It was in that hour or so in Rishikesh that I found some of my favorite souvenirs. A brass Ganesha, some ribbon, two pairs of tiny handmade shoes a pair of scissors some prayer beads and a medallion, but more than these it is the image of the little town in the blue evening , music floating up between the mountains that I will never forget.

Like Sibella, I am inspired by travel and try to make the most of wherever I am at any given moment. I carry my finds home where they work  their way into our lives. These bits are always there whether in a box of treasures or on the wall to remind me that I really did stand at the edge of that river clear across the globe.

You can buy Nomad at Anthropologie. And visit Sibellas shop The Society Inc. in Sydney Australia where she has landed.

 

My collection of bits from an evening in  Rishikesh

Copyright © 2011 Andrea Gentl all rights reserved 

notes from the road/nepal/india

Jaspal Riyait , art director, blogger, world traveler, and gastronome  writes in to Hungry Ghost from her culinary adventures travels in the Far East. We met on a recent shoot and immediately bonded over our mutual love for food and travel.

Jaspal is an Art Director who spends the majority of her day fantasizing about donuts. When her head isn’t up in sugary clouds, she’s writing about her sweet and salty food finds at chewblr.com She’s currently developing a food app and recently co-chaired a panel at SXSW on Food and Technology.

NEPAL

My travels to the far east led me to the vibrant, hectic city of Katmandu, the central hub of Nepal. Upon arrival I was immediately stuck with stimulation overload. Bustling crowded streets, wondering stray animals, city strikes and faces speaking to all Asian races from Tibetan, Chinese, Nepali and Indian which meant I was in for a diverse cuisine treat. A smattering of curries in all flavors, dumplings and exotic fruit awaited me.

The traditional meal of Nepal is called Dal Bhat, which translates into curried lentil soup and rice. Lentils can range in color spectrums from reds, orange, yellow, green and black. Having tried Dal Baht in a few restaurants, I had the opportunity to take a cooking class and give it a go first-hand. Lucky me!

Social Tours is a Nepali organization which promotes responsible tourism striving to enrich travelers in an eco-friendly way. Go Local is a new series of cooking classes and I knew the moment we entered the building we were in for a treat.





Upon arrival our first step was to head over to the local market to purchase fresh, ridiculously cheap, veggies and lentils for our meal. Our guide told us Nepalis eat Dal Bhat twice a day, at breakfast and evening. It’s even consumed after a late night of partying to aid in a hangover. 



In the kitchen we worked hard to prep our meal which involved pounding into a paste garlic, ginger and chilies, frying up onions and fenugreek as our curry bases, and wiping the sweat from our brow as we hovered over the stove constantly mixing and seasoning.


And three hours later... voila! Our hard work produced an absolutely fragrant, delicious home cooked meal consisting of basmati rice, yellow dal, curried cauliflower and potatoes, spicy al dente spinach and a simple, easy to make chutney from a blend of tomatoes, onions and chilies. Cooking while on vacation is an absolute favorite experience of mine. It’s the gift I can bring back home to re-live my travel taste buds over and over again.



Wandering aimlessly around the energetic streets of Katmandu, I couldn’t help but be completely enthralled with the meticulously laid out individual green markets haphazardly scattered throughout the city. Vibrant colored piles of cucumber, beans, squash and more.




Food stalls are everywhere, but the one that kept drawing my attention was something that looked like curried corn puffs which I had to sample. This on-the-go-paper-cone-one-handed-snack is called Jhaal Muri. A savory combination of what appeared to be puffed rice, onion, popped corn, potato, chilies and a clear liquid which tasted like vinegar. The mixture is freshly made, and rolled up in a neat newspaper cone. Need a spoon? Naw, just use a square piece of cardboard instead which works as equally well to scoop out each bite.

INDIA

After Nepal, I was off to India for a quick four day visit which involved eating, shopping and more eating.





I couldn’t travel through New Dehli and not consume a freshly-made, piping-hot, sugary-indulgent jalebi. Strands of maida batter are swirled into a vat of scorching oil creating golden coiled patterns. Each piece is then soaked in a sticky, sugary syrup. Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. My favorite is the Old Famous Jalebi Wala counter nestled along the hectic streets of the infamous Chandi Chowk market.





This market is also home to Paratha Wali Gali, a food stall which serves up crispy, hot parathas (traditional stuffed flatbreads) in an assortment of flavors. I opted for the densely flavored mooli (grated white radish mixed with spices). For a measly $30 rupees (which converts to $0.66 USD) I was served a thali of curried chickpeas, potato and sweet and savory chutneys. Talk about bang for your buck!
Navigating the streets of Chandi Chowk is a feat in it’s own. If you’re not lost, then you’re distracted in every possible way. Ask for directions, this place is also a favorite amongst locals which will have everyone pointing you in the right direction for a change.



A quick day trip took us to Agra which is not only famous for the Taj Mahal, but is also well known for it’s sweets. Petha, a translucent candied ash gourd (primarily white pumpkin or winter melon) is a must when visiting the city and attracts sweet lovers from all over the country. On our way back to Dehli, we stopped off at a stall called Panchii and a friend picked up a few boxes. My favorite was the intensely orange colored jelly version smothered in toasted coconut. Petha has a a longer shelf life which makes it the perfect gift to be presented to friends and relatives at festivals.



The most memorable item I consumed on my journey was a sweet and savory bowl of Soondal. This photo doesn’t do this dish any justice. Navigated by a friend, we hiked our way into the back streets of Dehli, hopping over rubble, side-stepping stray dogs and walking up four flights of stairs to find ourselves in a hidden gem only a local could find. Gunpowder is a tiny South Indian restaurant serving up exotic flavors. With only 20 indoor seats my mouth was salivating as I waited and watched the staff bring out dish upon dish to tables. Soondaal consists of black chick peas, mustard seeds, onions, cumin, onions, coriander and the best part...handfuls of freshly grated coconut. I tried my best to remember the flavors in order to replicate when I returned home, but I can only add this meal to a long list of savory memories which will keep me coming back to the far East over and over again.

        

three days in jaipur

FROM RAJASTHAN WITH LOVE-HAND BLOCK PRINTS from gentlandhyers photography on Vimeo.

We spent three days in Jaipur shooting this video for West Elm on the hand block printing process to introduce a new line of hand block printed quilts. It was my dream job. I will go to India anytime as it is just about my favorite place on earth.Rajasthan is a craft state in India. All kinds of exceptional hand work is done there and hand block printing barely scratches the surface.

Many of the factories as they are called are right in Jaipur, while others are in the nearby town of Saganeer. Factory is a word used in the loosest sense. The facility is usually an open three sided shed with natural light. The process from carving the intricate blocks to stamping the fabric is really quite extraordinary to see. In todays world where everything feels somewhat disposable, this process takes you back to the human hand and connects us to the person actually making it.It is an amazing art form.

If you were so inclined as to want to go to India and take a hand block printing workshop or an indigo dye workshop, such a thing does exist. there is a program called Wonderful Workshops that offers many interesting traditional craft classes in Jaipur.

You can’t visit without going to Anoki, an amazing home and textile shop. They specialize in many of the traditional Mugal prints. The Anoki shop has a lovely cafe and is the perfect place to grab a quick lunch.

If you decide to take a visit to the amber fort you must stop off at the Anoki museum for some tea and biscuits as it it just down the road from the fort. At the museum you can see a comprehensive history of the art of block printing as well as beautiful and historical fabric samples and articles of clothing.