BEAUTIFUL DAWN

(photo of Mt. Lavinia beach, Sri Lanka: 1933)

Tomorrow marks the day I got married, two years ago. We were so happy and filled with hopes and dreams for the future!

I can't describe them with my own words. But the other day, I heard this song on the radio, and it just overwhelmed me. It's the same song that kept playing in my mind on that trip to Sri Lanka in 2007, before I met my husband.

It's weird. I'm by no means a James Blunt fan. I like parodies of his songs more than most of the actual songs. But, somehow, this one really got to me. The words embody all that was in my heart.

Sometimes a song or story or poem will say what you can't say, yourself. This song, "High", did that for me:

Beautiful dawn - lights up the shore for me.
There is nothing else in the world,
I'd rather wake up and see (with you).
Beautiful dawn - I'm just chasing time again.
Thought I would die a lonely man, in endless night.
But now I'm high; running wild among all the stars above.
Sometimes it's hard to believe you remember me.

Beautiful dawn - melt with the stars again.
Do you remember the day when my journey began?
Will you remember the end (of time)?
Beautiful dawn - You're just blowing my mind again.
Thought I was born to endless night, until you shine.
High; running wild among all the stars above.
Sometimes it's hard to believe you remember me.

Will you be my shoulder when I'm grey and older?
Promise me tomorrow starts with you,
Getting high; running wild among all the stars above.
Sometimes it's hard to believe you remember me

-James Blunt

Well, through our ups and downs, this is how I still feel about my husband and our future. Filled with hope ... and joy too. Always.

HOME

(image: Beruwala beach, southern Sri Lanka)

When I was eight years old, almost nine, I left Sri Lanka to come to America. I think, ever since then, I have felt displaced, like I don't belong where I am.

Sri Lanka changed a lot in the early 1980s, after I left. The war started and didn't end for almost 30 years. People changed. Lives became hard, corrupt. Or so I was told. And that seemed true from what I saw when we went back to visit.

There is nothing quite like a place you once knew, and now when you go back it's completely different.

I think, all my life, I've tried to "go back" there, to the place I was born. Like salmon who know instinctively to just stop, one day, and return to the place of their birth. Where their lives will end.

In college, I took a semester on my own to do my honours thesis on Sri Lankan history. To study my history. Because I knew so little about it. I thought I could go back ... if only in my mind, through books. And art.

I keep trying to belong somewhere, to someone.

I know that, according to Buddhist philosophy you cannot have attachments like this. To times and places.

But I remember how, a few years ago, we went with my grandfather to see the salmon swim upstream in the creek here in the park. They swim against the current, thousands and thousands of miles, to reach their birthplace. It's a sight I can't forget. Many just never survive. Many make it back, spawn, and that's the end of their lives.

And yet, watching their silvery little bodies thrashing against a gigantic force of rushing water is indescribable.

It's not unlike this aching, pervasive need to belong somewhere. To belong to someone. To be loved. And love back. To have roots somewhere that you know will never be pulled out. I think human beings, like salmon, are driven in life by that single, overwhelming need.

Or maybe that's not how everyone is. Just me.

I don't know.

TO THE AIRPORT

Today, my aunt returned to Canada so we dropped her off at the airport in the morning. It was really sad! I had not seen her since my wedding, and that was in Sri Lanka. She hadn't been back here in California for several years, and last time my grandfather was here too, so that made it even more poignant.

We did have a lot of fun together, however, so I'm really glad she was able to visit! Plus, she and her family will be moving to North Carolina in August, so I'm even more excited as they will be in the same country with us. We're already planning a trip there, probably during Thanksgiving. I've never been there so I'm looking forward to it!

I wanted to capture some images of us all before my aunt left, and here they are:


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My aunt has to wear somewhat covered-up clothing because her husband is Jewish, and they have all chosen to follow a very Orthodox path of Judaism. Thus, her and her daughter's clothing needs to be modest and ladylike. Also, they both wear skirts, not pants. I really like this idea! I love skirts, and wish I could wear them all the time too.


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We all went on a fab-u-lous shopping expedition to places like Ross and TJ Maxx. My aunt loves shopping here -- apparently it's incomparable to Canada. She said it's more expensive there, and they just don't have the selection we have here in the U.S. One of our great finds was this pair of huarache-inspired sandals by Report, from Ross. I think my aunt's cool little toe ring goes with it perfectly!


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My mother chose classic and ladylike styles, as she always does. I particularly love the sleeves on her blouse!


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I chose my 7 For all Mankind "Randee" skirt, which I love because I think it goes really well with embroidered peasant tops, of which I have quite a few (found the above top at Ross). I'm wearing Steve Madden sandals with a very early '80s feel, because I think peasant blouses and denim skirts have a kind of retro appeal.

So, next up: a trip to North Carolina! Does anyone know what the weather is like over there in November and December? Any tips are greatly appreciated, as I like to plan ahead on what to pack. ^__^

DE COLORES!

I've been thrilled and amazed by bright colors all around me this summer, and wanted to share some images of these. My aunt wears clothes of the most radiant hues, which is like a feast for my eyes, and my mother likes to wear beautiful colors in the warmer months too. It inspires me to wear and surround myself with color, as well.


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L-R: my mother and aunt in the colors of summer! My mother's blouse is from Macy's here in California, but my aunt's skirt is from India, via Sri Lanka. It has little silver discs sewn all over, a popular embellishment in Indian clothing.


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I love the contrast of the saffron yellow of my aunt's "kurta" tunic top (from Sri Lanka) against the rainbow hues of this street mural in San Francisco's Mission district.


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Here, my aunt wears another beautiful Indian skirt ... from Old Navy in Canada! I love the turquoise and pale green together. ^__^


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I adored this mural on the outside walls of a children's center in San Francisco's Mission district.

I never realized how much I thrive, mentally and emotionally, on gorgeous colors in my clothes and environment. Seeing these hues made me realize I need more color in my life, overall.

SUNNY DAY RAINBOWS

I wanted to show the beautiful colors that are all around the streets of the Mission district in San Francisco. I love bright colors, but didn't really know just how much they affected me until I saw all these gorgeous street murals and buildings! Here's a taste of what I saw:


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Living in California, I know how much the Virgin of Guadalupe features in Mexican-American art, and there were many such wall murals of her all over the Mission. This was one of my favorites!


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I loved this wall painting of a beach -- reminds me of a Surrealist painting! I wonder whether it depicts a scene from Mexico. I thought it did, which made it seem so poignant -- as if someone was homesick for the tropical seashore. I can relate to that.


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This was a garage door! Turquoise was a prominent color here in the Mission. I really love the little tile frescos all around the wall!


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My aunt and I both gasped when we saw this bright blue building! I took photos of it from several angles.


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Even the store signs in this neighborhood were painted in beautiful colors, like this one atop a little deli.


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Inside Mission district shops, you can often find bright and cheery decorations like these Mexican cutwork paper flags. These were hung inside a little bakery, where we picked up delicious Mexican pastries for tea!


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Here's a family photo, taken right on the street. I wanted to capture the joy and fun of that day!

Next, I will post another series of photos of the most vivid colors I saw around the Mission district. Stay tuned!

LA MISSION!

At long last, we went to San Francisco! Mainly it was to visit my brother and his girlfriend Hali in their new apartment in the Mission district. It was utterly wonderful! "La Mission", as it's known among the Latino community who make it their home, is a part of San Francisco we hadn't really explored before. We've eaten there, but not really walked around.

Finally we got a chance to do so, and it was memorable and amazing! It's one of the most vibrantly colorful neighborhoods I've seen in my life. Bright-hued murals, storefronts, buildings and Mexican decorations like paper flags and banners were everywhere, and I was mesmerized because I love color so much. It was truly a feast for the eyes!

I loved what we all wore, particularly my brother's awesome girlfriend Hali, who had on a chic black knit dress with intricate beaded emellishments down the front:


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I love how she paired the dress with tights and brown combat boots!

Hali also wore the most incredible turquoise jewelry, given to her by her grandmother:


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I adore this kind of jewelry! It's hard for me to carry off because of my bone structure, but I think it looks supremely elegant on women like Hali who can.

My aunt Erin, who's visiting from Canada, wore a bright yellow "kurta" tunic top with a batik pattern, from Sri Lanka. She paired it with a cargo skirt from California and a pair of fab handmade gladiator sandals from Greece!


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Top: Barefoot - Sri Lanka
Skirt: "Travex" by Eddie Bauer
Sandals: Stavros Melissinos - Athens, Greece

My mother wore a kurta top too, made of linen with a beautiful painted-looking stripes and rickrack edging at the neckline:


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Top: Style & Co., Macy's
Jeans: 1969 classic bootcut, Gap

I wore a soft, drapey summer sweater of viscose and linen with wideleg jeans:


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Sweater-top: DEPT
jeans: Topshop

And here we all are together (I usually don't wear glasses, but did so for this trip because it's more comfortable) :


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I really love how all the vibrant colors in our clothes reflected the colors all around us in the Mission district. Few things lift my spirits like bright colors, and I felt so joyous and alive that day! There's really no place like San Francisco!

RED, WHITE AND BLUE DAY!

The 4th of July is my mother's birthday! I wish there was a nationwide celebration going on the same day of my birth too. Instead, I have to deal with all these morose couples running around as I have a Valentine's birthday ... but I digress. This was my mother's day, and it was fabulous!

My aunt's visiting from Canada, so in the evening we got invited to a 4th of July party at our friends' place. Being dorks, we chose red, white and blue outfits! ^__^ I was thrilled to see others at the party wearing these hues too. It's one of my favorite color combos: simple, cheerful and versatile. You can build a whole wardrobe on them. I'm going to try and incorporate more red, white and blue into my clothes, year-round.

In the meantime, this is what we wore to the party:

My mother chose casual-chic separates:


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Blouse: I.N.C. International Concepts, Macy's
Jeans: 1969 classic bootcut, Gap
Sandals: Hang Ten

I wore a festive bandana-print wrap skirt, one of my favorites:


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Top: CL Carole Little
Skirt: Lucky Brand
Sandals: Jeffrey Campbell

Although I wore tie-up sandals with this outfit, I think next time I'm going to try a regular pair just to see how it looks. Otherwise, I love the look and comfort of this skirt!

Hope you all had a wonderful Fourth filled with fun and fireworks!

HAPPY 4th OF JULY!

Happy Birthday to the U.S.A. ... and also to my mother who was born on the 4th of July! ^__^ Guess America was the place we were meant to be, lol!



Today I'm going to look for something to wear in red, white and blue, one of my all-time favorite color combinations. There some wonderful things out there in these colors. Here are some:

These gorgeous, Native American-style sandals by Lovely People are available at Amazon:


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Every woman should have a pair of smart white trousers, and this pair from Old Navy is particularly chic:


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A ladylike blue blouse is another wardrobe staple, and I think this one by Sessun is so pretty! The bow at the collar makes it unique and eye-catching. A blouse like this would be easy to sew from a pattern, as well. It's the overall style that I just love. This blouse is available at Penelope's:


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So there's some eye candy for you to enjoy on the 4th of July! I hope you all have a fun, fabulous and safe day today. ^__^