Wednesday 25 July 2012

Indira Nair : A Woman For All Seasons


A few weeks ago,
I was invited to dinner
at
 Indi's home.
It's always a pleasure to be there.
Her home is both
warm & inviting.
Bright & cheerful,
but
 above all,
cosy.
Nestled in a
gated residential estate
 just outside
Kuala Lumpur,
this sprawling acreage
is magnificently landscaped.
Lush trees and vegetation overflow
onto the driveway.
Large palm trees greet us as we drive up the winding
road.
The sunset casts
long shadows,
enhancing the
paradise garden
effect.
It's hard to imagine you are anywhere else
than in the
tropics.

 
Once inside,
this house is definitely
a home.
Large floral arrangements
gather
 here & there,
while the living area is warmly lit
by lamps bought on one of
her many travels.
Persian carpets
lay carelessly about,
while many colorful artworks
hang on equally
colorful walls.

 
In terms of
gracious entertaining,
Indi rises above the rest.
Her dinner parties
are most definitely
generous to the hilt.
Deliciously thoughtful
 food
&
wine
is carefully
considered & served.
Every corner is laid out
in anticipation,
while the dinner table is
resplendently
 set.
Having just returned
from a holiday in
Russia,
we eagerly await her stories
from this trip.

Meet
Indira Nair.

Mother.
Consultant.
Woman About Town.
International Traveller.

What were you just thinking of?
My new business.


Skiing holiday or a cruise?
Cruise.
Favorite color?
Red.

What makes you happy?
Being at home & kicking back.

Which book are you reading?
Back To Work
by
Bill Clinton.

Rambutans or Mangosteens?
Mangosteens.

What keeps you awake at night?
The state of the nation.

Actress you can most identify with?
Julianna Margulies.

Favorite song?
None.

Describe a nightmare scenario?
No maid!
A plant or a bunch of designer flowers?
A plant.

Latin America or Mongolia?
Latin America.
Most memorable scene in a movie?
There are simply too many

Male or female boss?
Male.
Favorite month of the year?
August.

Fiction or non-fiction?
Fiction.

One choice, to renovate your kitchen or bathroom?
Bathroom.

What ruffles your feathers?
People with no manners.

Favorite city?
Istanbul.

Facial or massage?
Both!!!

What is it about Kuala Lumpur
that you like?
There are so many choices.
Food, friends, things to do...


Live
 &
 Let Live,
seems to be her mantra.
Indi has found balance in her life
&
this is clear in her personal space.
Harmony
 resonates all around.
As gentle as the murmuring of the
water feature,
gurgling in the lush garden,
surrounding her home.

I asked her opinion
about how to encourage
young Malaysians to be more
professionally challenged...
" Be open minded. Do not base your opinions
on what others say. Make it a point to find out
for yourself. What works for others, may not work for you."

Her home is a symphony of
beautiful colors.
The
 boring
&
mundane
does not exist here.

"The sight of the eyes is not sight;
but he is blest with vision who
possesses knowledge;
the ignorant are the blind."

Indian Proverb.

As with all her parties,
the conversation
runs the entire spectrum
from 
general knowledge
to
contemporary culture.
And laughter is everywhere!

" New media has made everything fast.
It's immediate. It's right there in front...
you can google anything!"

A competent
 multi-tasker,
Indi is also an
excellent chef.

" Happiness is available in every moment.
Not an experience that provides a temporary high.
True joy is a peaceful landscape made up of small moments.
Going for a morning walk, seeing the sunrise,
watching my cat chase a leaf, creating,
 learning something new..."
For as long as I've known
Indi,
her
generosity of spirit 
has never diminished.
The gift of giving,
is a gift unto itself.

We talked about
"Brand Building"
"...it's all about
Delivery, Delivery, Delivery!
Never about
 logos!"
As the evening progressed,
&
a feeling of
satisfaction
 comes over us,
we sank deeper into sofas strewn
with
soft, comfy cushions.
Cool evening breeze wafts in
through the terrace doors,
while her cats are returning
home from their
nocturnal adventures.
A good party is when guests feel
completely
 relaxed
&
carefree.
And that's all the doing of a
wonderful host,
...in every season!

Thanks
 Indi,
for another great evening!








Tuesday 10 July 2012

The Importance Of Being Mr Furtek.



Meet
Alec Furtek.

Hotelier.
Visionary.
All round nice guy.

Alec moved to
Umbria, Italy
5 years ago.
We were fortunate to
be able to spend
ten nights with Alec,
safely removed from
hectic city life,
in his super charming
country estate.

It's remote.
It's peaceful
&
above all,
it's
exceptionally special.
 
After enjoying
a
" Life Well Travelled",
Alec
decided to opt
for 
country living.
50 viewings later,
he chanced upon this
rural setting,
encompassing
53 hectares,
&
 promptly
started to
 map out
 his future home.
The
400 year old property
is now fully restored to modern comfort.
Overlooking a valley,
dotted with
stone houses,
&
wheat fields,
this previous farm house,
now boasts of 5 huge
en suite rooms.
Each equipped with a
mini kitchen. 

Alec
is originally from
Scotland.
Now fluent in Italian,
his daily life begins at 7 each morning.
Waking up to a
gorgeous vista
of the valley,
shrouded in dew,
while
busy bees
&
butterflies
forage between
the lush
 lavender bushes.
The sun,
already a blazing ball,
lights up the entire landscape.
The life force of nature.


All around
fruit trees sit,
swaying to the music of the
Umbrian breeze,
blowing up from the valley below.
In this remote part of Italy,
devoid of tourists,
we while away the day
either lounging under the shadow of
an
old oak tree
or
by the
infinity azure pool.
A man of many talents,
here's a glimpse into
Mr Furtek.


What is your favorite food to cook?
Cassoulet.
 

Does water always find it's own level?
Yes.


Morning or night person?
Both.


Favorite color?
Baby blue.


What can you make with your hands?
Most things.


Wine or cocktail?
Wine.


What irritates you?
Little things.


Favorite holiday destination?
Not been there yet.


What keeps you awake at night?
Nightmares.


Your greatest accomplishment?
Increasing self confidence.

One word to describe yourself?
Insecure.


What are you reading right now?
The Man Who Planted Trees.

Biggest daily challenge?
Stealing time to relax.


What puts a smile on your face?
A good anecdote.


What's next?
A partner.


Linen or cotton?
Cotton.

Favorite song?
"A Te."


What's missing in the world?
Equality.


Do you miss Scotland?
Yes but not desperately.


Your life philosophy?
To make people happy.

We drove from
Florence
down towards
Umbria.
The amazing landscape in this
part of Italy,
conjures up
romantic notions
of
a comfortable life.
Nature has been kind to this land
Fields are ablazed with
golden sunflowers.
Cypress trees
stand tall,
like sentinels,
as if to say...

...you've arrived.
Summer temperatures
soar high.
Old dusty country roads,
wind aimlessly,
beckoning us to follow
in earnest.
The fresh heavy
smell of
lavender
seduces
&
calms.
"Nature Is The Art Of God."


Small quiet villages,
scattered
here
&
there.
A silent reminder
to what's out there.

The
turquoise pool
shimmers like crackled
blue glass,
cools us each afternoon.
Soft white clouds
float by above.
Birds sing to one another,
&
the wind constantly caresses the trees,
while a
symphony of nature sound
plays softly around us.


When asked what is it about Italy
that makes it so special,
Alec replied...
"...the wonderful people
&
the friendships I've made,
is the best thing about Italy."


A
keen
fly-fishing
enthusiast,
Alec finds time to tend to his land.
Olive groves,
herbs
&
fruit trees,
all provide for his kitchen.
Even
honey is harvested
 off the land.


"Keep Love In Your Heart,
A life Without It,
Is Like A Sunless Garden
When The Flowers Are Dead"

Oscar Wilde


As we enjoy
long, lazy breakfasts
under a canopy of a
brilliant blue sky,
we feel fortunate indeed to
be able to share this
wondrous land.


Passion
 is not so much seen
but felt.


Life
has many challenges,
but once you find your calling,
everything falls into place.

The faint hearted need not apply.
Make no mistake,
nurturing this land
 is no
easy feat.
Dedication
&
hard work
is only
half of the equation.


And the rewards extend
beyond the purse.
The prize is worth
a million times more
than mere
 bank notes.



The tranquillity of this
 corner on earth,
adds much to the big picture.
We are far from civilisation.
Nature cloaks us
like
soft cashmere
against bare skin.


A return to the simple life
is
not so simple
after all.
There are many amongst us
who will not succeed.
It takes a
special breed of man
to be land owners
&
tend to
God's Garden.
Here they call them
Contadino.


Alec Furtek
appears to have come home
to a land that has found
it's
rightful owner.
Every partnership
must be equal.
Balance is key to success.
In this case,
the likely hood
of a positive outcome
is guaranteed.
The evidence is as clear as
the clean
Umbrian sky.
Day or night.

A Life Worth Living Indeed !!!

+39 075 920 374