A very Happy 2018, you all! I hope this year brings you loads of wish fulfillment. 2017 was a year of mixed blessings, and I saw a lot of ups and downs. The struggle to keep a healthy balance was a bit overwhelming at times. The last week of December made up for all the magic that had been missing the past month. A table set up at a friend’s farmhouse, complete with an old fashioned picnic basket, made for a beautiful memory to end 2017 with. I am always looking for opportunities to set up an outdoor table-scape for you all. And as I once mentioned, a setup need not necessarily have a “table” as its base. So, a patch of woodland made the perfect backdrop for a lazy picnic, and off Mr Khan and I went.
Finding Magic Amidst Nature
We found a cozy, quiet corner, with a rock as a perfect place to prop up my cushions, and a spread for us to sit on. I kept the setup very simple, with a few trays, a couple of vintage plates picked up from the “Chor Bazaar” (Thieves Market) in Mumbai. A pair of vintage napkins from my mother-in-law’s old collection held the cutlery together, kept in place by a wooden clip. A set of handmade cups and saucers from Devyani Smith’s workshop added a contemporary element to the rustic setup. I used a lace stole as a throw to add a dash of old world romance to the setting. A battery operated mason jar filled with lights added to the magical air. A single pine cone and a large fabric flower added a bit of quirk to my tiny setting.
There is something so beautiful about outdoor settings. I feel a lot more alive surrounded by nature, and there was enough of it around. Creepers all over the old trees, and on the ground, birds singing away, and the gentle rustle of breeze dancing through the trees. It felt so surreal, so dreamlike. I could have spent the entire day there. And we did spend a large part of the day in the woodland setting, just sitting, chatting and laughing.
Everyday Magic And Memories
It’s indeed pure magic what a break in the routine can do for two people! Whether you are a couple, a pair of old friends, siblings, work colleagues, or a parent-child. Just stepping away from the everyday, mundane routine, and trying something new opens up a whole different world of memories. And I plan to help create so many more this year! I plan to call up old friends I have lost touch with, and I plan to make new friends. I plan to hear their stories while I pamper them with food made with love. The Table For Two project is, after all, my small effort to strengthen the connect I have with those around me.
As 2018 takes us into its groove and smiles while it gets ready to spring new surprises, I’d like to know what your New Year wishes are. Leave a comment, and share your dreams. And together, we will ask the Universe to fulfill them.
