ebabee likes

A trip to Nepal…

May 2, 2014

Even though I had lived in India for many years, I never made the trip to neighbouring Nepal. Over the Easter break we made the trip because we had a close family wedding to attend and I’m so glad we did. We didn’t have long there but still managed to pack in a huge amount. The capital city Kathmandu didn’t wow me although it does have some beautiful world heritage sites. But we made an overnight trip to Pokhara (22 minute flight from Kathmandu), a town that sits in the valley of the Himalayas. The views of the Himalayas from Pokhara were breathtaking and I highly recommend a visit if you’re ever in Nepal. I thought it would be fun to share a few photos of our trip and highlight a few unmissable places in Nepal.

In Pokhara we were invited to stay at The Fulbari Resort which has the most incredible setting. If mountains are your thing then this is the place to stay as you wake up with views like these photos each morning. Trekking isn’t my thing but we took some mountain drives and visited the beautiful Phewa lake where we took a boat ride. Everywhere we went in Nepal we were presented with a traditional ceremonial scarf called a Khata which is what Anya is wearing in the photo above.

It was an Indo-Nepalese wedding so being the Indian side, we did the traditional Indian baraat where all the guests from the grooms side dance alongside him as they escort him in to the ceremony. There was a loud band playing the best of Bollywood to add to the already amazing atmosphere. The ceremony was held at the Hyatt Kathmandu which is a lovely hotel and a comfortable haven away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Another Kathmandu hotel that we spent time at was Dwarika’s Hotel – a beautiful boutique property which is worth having a meal at or staying at if you want to splurge!

We visited the beautiful Patan Durbar Square and many of the temples in Kathmandu. Anya’s favourite temple was Swayambhu, a Buddhist temple perched on top of a hill that had the most amazing views of Kathmandu. But it wasn’t the views that enchanted Anya, it was the monkeys. The temple was full of monkeys – old and young, big and small – all roaming around freely. One of them almost jumped on her which was a bit scary but then it thankfully moved on elsewhere!

Nepal is a beautiful country and the people are so warm and welcoming. I’m so glad we had the opportunity to visit and I can’t wait till we go back and spend a bit more time there.

Have you been to Nepal? I’d love to hear what you thought and where you went…

Have a wonderful bank holiday weekend full of new adventures x

Collected for mama & baby: Shades of pink

May 1, 2014

Everybody needs a bit of pink in their lives especially for Summer. From pale pink to bright pink, there is a shade of pink out there for everyone. Here are a few pink things I’m currently loving for mamas and babies:

1. bright pink and yellow dress… 2. vintage rabbit lamp… 3. soft pink blazer with yellow trim… 4. Leather print shoes… 5. candy pink nail lacquer… 6. graphic baby onesie.

I’ve linked up to fashion friday at Mummys got style.

Naked Lunge

April 30, 2014

Adorable linen dolls, beautiful bed linen and stylish stationery is what it’s all about at Naked Lunge. It’s all very understated and simple which is what I’m loving. Naked Lunge is the creation of designer Roxanna who is also running a workshop in London this Summer where you can learn to make your own dolls. Speaking of those dolls, aren’t they great? I’m loving the simple drawing style which runs through the entire range of stuff as well as the colours Roxanna has used.

Naked Lunge has recently teamed up with Brave Ones Apparel to create the most adorable range of clothes – how cute are these trousers, mittens and tops? I love the bunny print as well as the Indian boy and girl print. Naked Lunge also offers jewellery, stationery and some tea towels all of which are pretty cool. I love Roxanna’s style and think she is very much a designer to watch.

Happy mummy socks

April 29, 2014

These mummy socks made me smile so I had to share. How fun are they? All animal themed with lots of humour and cuteness. These socks will surely make for very happy feet!

Introducing Walking the Cat

April 28, 2014

Today I’m excited to introduce you to Walking the Cat, my newest sponsor and a very cool kids wear boutique from Germany. Walking the Cat are a new online shop filled with some of my favourite brands like Bobo Choses, Louise Misha, Soft Gallery, Tocoto Vintage and more. The founder Daria is crazy about kids fashion and it shows from her lovely selections.

Walking the Cat have clothes and accessories for boys, girls and babies. One of their standout brands for me is Little Titans who make cool and colourful tights for boys as well as girls. Who said tights are just for girls?! Walking the Cat are new so they’re still adding labels to their range and one of their latest additions is Buho, a gorgeous brand from Spain. While I have my favourites, all their brands are slightly unusual and very stylish yet very practical and comfy for kids too. Walking the Cat, just like the name suggests, is a fun store with a cool attitude and they deliver worldwide too.

Happy Friday + a happy collection

April 25, 2014

This week I’m especially glad it’s Friday. It’s been a long week with a lot of travel so I’m glad to be home and look forward to sleeping a lot! Before I leave you for the weekend, I wanted to share this happy new collection by Tiny Cottons. The prints are so adorable and the colours so cheerful and percfect for Summer. This collection brought a big smile to my face and I think it will do the same for you.

Have a happy weekend x

Beautiful hand made rag dolls and more

April 24, 2014

I wanted to start by saying sorry to you, my readers, for my silence this past week. I was away on holiday and spent the last week in Nepal. While traveling around I didn’t have much internet access. We had a wonderful holiday though and I really recommend a trip to Nepal. I will post some holiday pics soon but today I wanted to share these beautiful hand made dolls with you.

These dolls are hand made in Brooklyn, NY by talented mama Indira Villalobos. This is her new collection for 2014 and I love the colours that she has chosen as well as the gorgeous metallic linen fabric. Those pink overalls are just the sweetest! In addition to the dolls, there are pretty mobiles and decorative star cushions. I’ve known the designer Indira for a while and know that she puts lots of love and passion in to what she creates which is why each piece is made by hand and every little detail is paid attention to. Indira created the brand Snuggly Ugly with her husband a couple of years ago and this collection is my favourite yet, especially those beautiful star and moon mobiles.

A favourite book: Ramayana

April 16, 2014

Ramayana by Sanjay Patel is possibly one of the most beautiful kids books we’ve got. While the book is based on Hindu mythology, it’s a simplified version of the story that any child can relate to. The tale involves a prince, a 10 headed demon, a beautiful goddess like princess and some animals with super powers. It’s about an adventure involving deceit, wit, friendships and good triumphing over evil. The story is engaging and the illustrations are stunning. Full of colour and detail, each page comes to life with pictures that tell the story as beautifully as the words.

Since it’s a long book we’ve been reading it in chunks. We’ve already been through it twice and I know we’ll be reading it many more times in the coming years. Anya absolutely loves the book and will often get it out herself to look at the pictures.

Ramayana by Sanjay Patel is a book that can be appreciated by kids and adults alike. It really is a must have book in any child’s library (Hindu or not) and also makes a beautiful gift.

{top and bottom photo by Abigail Fahey for ebabee}

I have linked up to Honest Mum’s Brilliant blog posts.

Minimal design by Lile Sadi

April 15, 2014

While browsing La Petite, I recently discovered this sister duo who design homewares, kids stuff and more, all with a minimal touch. I’m loving that graphic bear print that appears on quite a lot of stuff from baby blankets to wallpaper. There’s lots of black and white in their collection which has a very Scandinavian feel to it. The sisters are German but run Lile Sadi from the Netherlands. Lile Sadi doesn’t have a huge collection, but what they do have is a distinct aesthetic which is simple, stylish, minimal and very appealing to anyone who likes a bit of beauty in their everyday objects.

Hello from India

April 11, 2014

We are away on holiday in India and we have mostly been eating, spending lots of time together with my family, soaking up the hot, hot, hot sunshine and eating some more.

Because we are all so spread out – my mum in India, my brother and sister-in-law in the States and us in London – we don’t manage to get together as often as we would like. But because of this, our meetings feel even more special when they happen. And with Anya being the only child around, she gets so spoiled – today she indulged in two desserts after lunch thanks to my brother! I’ve been sharing a few of our photos over on instagram and so thought I would share a few here too.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend full of lots of family time.