Monthly Mood: ’Tis The Season To feast at weddings, rub charas, and be festive with the Hindu gods. [su_spacer size=”40″] [su_spacer size=”40″] Monthly Mood: ’Tis The Season [su_spacer size=”20″] New content… new About page old about page made into a post: About Vivian Alive TBT: Diwali Delights [su_spacer size=”40″] Happy 11 11(: After seven shaves last year, my hair turns… Read More
TBT: Diwali Delights Celebrating today’s Diwali with ghee lamps floating on the Rishikesh Ganges and old writing from Diwali 2020. [su_spacer size=”40″] [su_spacer size=”40″] Diwali Delights Day 1010 14 November 2020 Parvati Valley, Himachal Pradesh, India My first Diwali injects me with an unexpected shot of nostalgia. The Hindu holiday is a blend of the Halloweens and Independence… Read More
Monthly Mood: Good Company Comes In All Shapes “Finally,” I thought to myself, “back on track with Monthly Moods out on the 11th.” How foolish I was. October 11th would have me living India instead of writing about it. Life creates the content. I just edit. [su_spacer size=”40″] [su_spacer size=”40″] Monthly Mood: Good Company Comes In All Shapes [su_spacer size=”25″] New content: Falling… Read More
Falling In Love With India’s Finest Aloo Parantha Every morning in the quiet, four o’clock murk of a village outside Dharamshala, a humble, slightly balding man begins to stir from his sleep. Potatoes are boiled. The dal of the day, chili chutney, and whole wheat dough are carefully prepared. Everything is loaded onto a scooter and he’s off. [su_spacer size=”40″] [su_spacer size=”40″] At… Read More
Monthly Mood: Stop Everything makes me smile. Somehow I have my doubts that it would make you, the reader, smile, but I catch myself smiling to myself about the thick spider that dwells in my toilet paper roll with its monolithic size and very visible pincers. [su_spacer size=”40″] [su_spacer size=”40″] This delayed post regards the events between August… Read More
Monthly Mood: Himachali Summer Photo Journey [su_spacer size=”40″] [su_spacer size=”40″] [su_spacer size=”40″] [su_spacer size=”30″] [su_spacer size=”30″] July saw many a coconut-cream extraction. [su_spacer size=”40″] [su_spacer size=”30″] [su_spacer size=”30″] Artistic release before departing Dharamshala. Samples of basil cashew cream cheese (it’s raw! it’s vegan!) prove to be a hell of a crowd pleaser. Thank you Anastasia for the feather earring <3 [su_spacer… Read More
Monthly Mood: When I Close My Eyes I See Bliss Balls Gracias a las Himalayas que me han dado tanto. Monthly Mood: When I Close My Eyes I See Bliss Balls Day 1250 10 July 2021 [su_spacer size=”30″] “Thoughts arise from wants.”—UG Krishnamurti [su_spacer size=”30″] I sit across from a best friend. The flat white in front of me tastes like frothed milk with a drop… Read More
Ghanan And Ivorian Lives Matter Facts & Figures The global chocolate industry makes over $100 billion in sales each year3 [su_spacer size=”20″] Two-thirds of the world’s chocolate is supplied by West Africa, namely Ghana and Ivory Coast3 [su_spacer size=”20″] 2 million West African children do dangerous chocolate farming work.4, 7 Children regularly handle machetes; most have scars on their… Read More
Monthly Mood: I Feel Love And Pain Life will always connect the dots if you choose the draw the lines yourself. Day 1221 11 June 2021 Himachal Pradesh, India Just like that, nearly half of 2021 is behind us, never to be had again. After a month of heavy lockdown mode, I am able to sit in my favorite working cafe. Writing… Read More