pink rickshaw

holi moly

“Mere color, unspoiled by meaning, and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways. ” -Oscar Wilde

Today marks the Indian/Hindu spring festival of Holi. Holi has to be hands-down, one of my favorite holidays ever. It's messy, crazy and you get to throw colored powder. Can you think of anything better?  The festival celebrates the beginning of spring by paying homage to the colors of the  season while saying goodbye to the bleakness of winter. Although it is mainly a fun and festive (and often wild) party, the celebration is deeply rooted in Hindu mythology. In addition to welcoming the start of spring, the festival celebrates the triumph of good over evil because of the death of the evil demon Holika and is also often associated with the Hindu god Krishna.

If you're not familiar with Holi, the popular  festival is marked with people throwing colored pigment at each other. You show up to a Holi festival in the whitest garments you can find to get doused in color by friends and family. The holiday has become an iconic symbol of Indian culture. Sadly, I won't be throwing any brighly hued powder today so I thought I could pay tribute to the colorful occasion virtually. Here are  a few ways to get the Holi experience today or any time of the year.



DIY like it's Holi
I was so excited to see this awesome DIY tutorial on how to make Holi inspired posters on one of my favorite blogs, Design*Sponge. To make your own poster, colored pigments can be purchased on Amazon as D*S suggests but you can also purchase them at many local Indian grocery stores. It is a fun and creative way to make your own colorful and gorgeous art pieces.

Run like it's Holi
Color runs have become extremely popular all over the US. There is one in Dallas next weekend (no joke about the popularity as sadly it sold out very quickly. The race's website does tease another one in the fall). The run is a 5K where you get doused with a new color every kilometer you run. I can't think of a more fun 5K. The Color Run has upcoming dates in April and May in numerous cities including Austin, Orange County and Baton Rouge.

Sing (and dance) like it's Holi
Holi makes its way into most Bollywood movies but there's nothing more famous than this song. To get more of your color throwing music fix, check out this dramatic Linkin Park video inspired by Holi.

image sources: top collage (an Indian boy celebrates today in Mumbai via usnews.com taken by Rajanish Kakade/AP, Holi powder unknown photo credit and a  Holi celebration in Berlin last year taken by Oliver Lang/DAPD),  DIY poster: designsponge.com; thecolorun.com

-SD

insta-PR

"Despite the forecast, live like it's spring."-Lily Pulitzer

 
 
 

Although it's chilly, overcast and slightly gloomy here in Dallas (and far worse around the country), it is still exciting that it is the first week of spring. Here's to dreams of warmer temperatures, sunshine and fun spring colors. A few things that are getting me excited for the new season are...

1. Pretty pink tulips
2. Fun coral Kendra Scott earrings from my husband..perfect for any spring outfit
3. Secretly happy the neon trend is not over yet. This neon yellow belt from Madewell adds the perfect pop of color (bonus: it's on sale. I can't find the yellow one online anymore but there are several glossy colors in store). I plan on wearing it with everything.
4. Anthropologie hardware like these vintage style mother-of-pearl knobs and silvered mirror knobs that will add some glam and spring freshness to doors and cabinets
5. Spotted this fabby cas Spring outfit in the Artizia window and plan on shamelessly copying it.
6. Spring head gear: Pretty pastel and glitter hair ties from a quick Anthropologie run and Tortoise shell Ray-Ban Wayfarers courtesy of my brother.

image source: @pinkrickshaw

-SD

4 minutes: the girl effect

"It's not what you call me, but what I answer to."-African proverb

Today marks the annual celebration of International Women's Day. It is a great time to reflect on the achievements women have made along with the numerous challenges women continue to face on a daily basis. I received a link to the video above a while ago and thought it was fitting to post it today. It's a powerful reminder of how empowering a girl can be the key to changing the world. Your four minutes to save the world is easy today: take three minutes to watch the video above, 45 seconds to read an article on The Girl Effect  site like how the world is uniting to end gender based violence and 15 seconds to make a difference by pledging your support demanding global action.  Happy International Women's Day.

video source: girleffect.org

-SD

bites: thai pastries and desserts

"Just think of all the women on the Titanic who said, 'No, thank you,' to dessert that night. And for what!" -Erma Bombeck

One of my all time favorite desserts (as seen here) is classic Thai coconut milk sticky rice and mangoes (Khao Neeo Mamuang). In my book, it is not only a must after a Thai meal but sometimes the main reason to even get Thai food. But I'm usually so fixated on getting this sweet treat, I had no idea how many other delicious Thai desserts and pastries I was missing out. This all changed after an eye-opening experience visiting Bhan Kanom Thai in  Los Angeles. The unassuming yet famous (you may have seen Anthony Bourdain stop by on No Reservations) small shop in the city's Thai Town is filled with delightful sweet and savory treats that has made me even more fond of Thai cuisine.

 

While I wanted to try everything, I limited myself to some of the best sellers including kanok krok (fried coconut pudding) which is a common Thai street snack. Full of coconut flavor, it is a  rich, custardy mini-cake that I craved long after my package was done.  Mud Ta is wrapped sticky rice with taro (they also have it with banana). It's grilled which gives it an unique flavor. The bakery is famous for its "crispy sweet taco" or crispy crepe like creations that comes in a sweet and savory variety. The sweet has an interesting floral taste and the best part is getting them fresh off the griddle where they are prepared in front of you.

image source: SD

-SD