Destination Inspiration: India
We arrived in Delhi in early February, Delhi always takes your breath away with its constant movement and growth. We always get excited to see our in-process developments and start working on new ones at our office in India. The food is the other incredible inspiration while traveling there.
We found that in the last few years that the factories have really stepped up their game in regards to execution and quality of design, finishes and breadth of materials.
There are also some mind-bending traffic jams just trying to get cross town. A certain kind of excitement in it’s own right.
After a return to Delhi we head for one our favorite cities and regions, packed with color and romance. Jodhpur, Rajasthan. The airport looks like something out of the old movie Casablanca, but you can’t take pictures because it’s also a military base facing the Pakistani boarder. It’s always so fun to see the 50 foot long swaths of hand block printed fabric hanging vertically to dry and blowing in the desert wind outside the factories here.
This is the land of colorful turbans and saris, big moustaches and sandstone castles on the hilltops. Camels in the streets in this famously “blue” city. Many of the buildings are in shades of blue. The small stores and hand made textiles, accessories and clothing are magical parts of our day roaming the streets of old Jodhpur.
Much of the work we do in wood and marble is accomplished here. From hand forging some of our new chairs, to tables and accessories. We also, always enjoy seeing our friends and families here that we have known for so long. They welcome us with home cooked meals, flowers around our neck and blessings for the day.
We love to stay at the RAAS hotel, a boutique hotel that was once the majestic, hand cut sandstone mansion of a trader who ran camel caravans 300 years ago across the desert. Overlooked by the Mehrangarh Fort, that dates back to 1459 and is just jaw dropping. Giving off heavy 1,001 Nights vibes. When we were here, there was a huge show of the famous twirling Sufi dancers at the fort.
When we are ready to leave, one of our favorite stops is to have (Sunday Brunch) lunch at Gypsy Dining Hall. They specialize in the thali type of eating. Where you are served up to 30 different dishes in small silver cups arranged on a large silver platter. All vegetarian and all you can eat for $4.95 and if you don’t have that, they serve you for free. An amazing place.
