A job you love...

Some days, you just love what you do. In my case, I make it a point to mostly do what I love. While researching French cuisine for a magazine article, the husband and I went food tasting across various restaurants offering French cuisine in Mumbai. Did I mention I am a food-lover through and through? So off we went to "Chez Moi" for dinner. The cozy, France inspired interiors at once put us in the mood for some good food and long conversations. I ordered a spinach and walnut soup, and we ordered a grilled lamb starter. I wanted a traditional French Fish recipe for dinner, but that wasn't available, so I ordered a chicken in black bean sauce, which really was just about okay, apart from the fact that there is nothing French about it. Husband ordered a chicken in caramelized sauce, which was miles ahead of my main course in terms of taste, even though the two dishes looked like long lost twins. The high point of the evening was a honey and ginger tea that came in a tall glass, served hot! On Sunday then, I went to my favorite pastry shop, in the name of "research" to dig into Le15 Patisserie's divine macarons and cupcakes. You have to experience this lovely pastry shop's delectable treats to know what they can do to waistlines like mine. Let's just say that diet wise this weekend was a major failure, though I fed my soul. The relaxed and happy state of mind my food journey got me into, left me with an urge to cook, cook and cook some more. So I came home and made some pizzas from scratch. I am not thinking about the weighing scales yet. That bit of worry and regret is for some other day. Hope you had a wonderful weekend.

Ink Me Up, Scottie- An Interview with artist Manvee Singh

Doing a post after a really long time. I wanted to break the hiatus with a special blog post. In fact, having decided to steer this blog into a meaningful direction, I wanted to do a post about someone who is stylish, inspiring and interesting. And when I did find my subject, I could not wait to write about her!
She rides a bike, owns a rescued dog, is a tattoo artist, and loves to paint. The girl is as cool as they come. Manvee Singh, Delhi based artist is fun, vivacious, and expresses herself with stunning paintings, rich in details and color. From inking people, to painting canvas, Manvee finds that art gives her wings into world unexplored, and thoughts unspoken. In an interview with Shotcouture, the young, talented artist shares with us what keeps her ticking and makes her work so vibrant and interesting.





Describe yourself in one word.
Fun

Tell me three things that make the world beautiful for you.
Shucks! Just three? Ummm… I guess, colours for sure… What would the world be without color?
Emotions... Raw emotion is beautiful… and I love to capture that...
Animals, because nowhere else do you see such purity of emotions. Basically nature. Plants, fishes, animals... nature never fails in inspiring me.

What got you started? Did you ever consider conventional careers?
I can never stick to one thing. I was appearing for medicals when just for fun, I sat for the NIFT (National Institute Of Fashion Technology) entrance test and got through. So I am a fashion designer by education, but a tattoo artist and interior decorator by profession. I started painting about a year back when somebody challenged me to but I had always loved sketching.

Who inspires you? What inspires you? Where does your muse lie?
Eyes...that’s what inspired me to start sketching... I love capturing different expressions reflected in eyes. To me, eyes speak volumes! Apart from that, my art is a mix of ideas, observations, and experiences. The world is my muse.


Tell me your favorite music, your favorite colors... all the stuff that makes you tick.
I have no particular choice of music but love songs are always a hit for me. I am hopelessly romantic at heart. Red is my favourite colour, but colours in general can brighten up my mood any day.


Do you dance?
I dance occasionally at parties and nothing can stop me from dancing in rains! Rains, dance and paintings are an awesome mix for me!

Have you been in love? Do you believe in love? Does love reflect in your art?
You bet! I am always in love! What else can make you feel so good about yourself! It’s the most beautiful feeling ever and of course it’s prominent in my work. I love painting couples... sometimes sensual and sometime just sweet gentle love. Besides couples, I see love everywhere and like to portray it in my art.


What makes you interesting and fun, and inspiring?
I don’t know if I am all that. I am just a curious girl who loves to learn and experiment with new things. I get bored of routine, but unlike most people, I have this inbuilt need to challenge myself and I guess that qualifies as interesting.


You can find Manvee's work showcased on her website www.manveesingh.com

You can also find her on facebook HERE