Thought I should finally get around to posting pictures of the Tibetan sand mandala thing that took place this weekend. Had some monks from Drepung Loseling Monastery in India in town for a show. The sand mandala started on Thursday, we went to see how it was going on Friday, there was a 'Mystical Arts of Tibet' show on Saturday night that we went to, then I went to the closing ceremony on Sunday when they destroy the mandala.
The show was fantastic. I was really hoping for some cultural Tibetan music and dance, but it was all monastic. Still really neat, and I love their chanting, so it was still great. I hadn't seen any monastic dancing while I was in China, so that was new for me! They had the snow lion dance too, which was fantastic, I've always wanted to see it! It was adorable. I want one ;) I was really hoping that my parents would see some of the awesome Tibetan dancing though. I don't think my dad enjoyed himself at all, too much chanting for him, and I think my mom only enjoyed it for the experience. If I can ever get them to go to Tibet or China though, they'll see some of the awesome Tibetan dancing and singing.
Anyway, onto the pics!
First is the picture I took of them working on it when I saw it on Friday. So impressive how they do it. So painstakingly careful and exact. Very impressive. The finished product was absolutely stunning! So detailed and so colourful! It is the mandala of compassion :) Read about mandalas HERE and Avalokitesvara, or Guan Yin, the bodhisattva of compassion, incarnated in HH Dalai Lama HERE.
Before the closing ceremony, the monks had a long discussion on the symbolism of the different levels of the mandala. It was very detailed, you can probably find it on the link I provided (Wikipedia :P ). And if you don't know anything about sand mandalas, they destroy them at the end. A symbol of the impermenance of everything. I thought it was very powerful to watch them destroy it. They passed out the sand to the people who were there and did a procession to the river/bay nearby to throw the rest into the water, to distribute it to the rest of the world. I had to miss that part as I was meeting my parents and aunt and uncle for dinner, but going to the ceremony was definitely worth it.
The destruction:
~Nikki
Went to a garden on Cape Cod the other day, completely full of rhododendrons. It was quite a sight. The bushes were massive and they were, literally, everywhere. It was like walking in a forest of flowers! They were like trees. I felt like I was in a Disney movie.
In other news, finally enough space in the sewing room to get to my machine! I can sew again! I have a few things that I've bought recently that I'm needing to hem, but after that, sew SEW SEW!
~Nikki
A bit of a mix up from my usual Bollywood filled ones. Just a couple I've seen recently while my mom was busy watching her Stanley Cup games :P
Well, after Bhool Bhulaiyaa, my first movie with Akshay Kumar, I wasn't a huge fan of him at all. So I thought I would give him another chance. Didn't work. Even though I wasn't a fan of his character in this movie (I thought it was creepy how he just followed her around all doe-eyed), it still made me realise that it was probably him as an actor that I didn't like. So, I won't be going out of my way to see more of his films.
Otherwise, the movie was a little cheesy. Perfect Indian guy vs. stereotypical freewheeling Westerner. Perfect Indian Guy follows girl around with the most pathetic puppy dog eyes until she falls in love with him. Whatever. Not terribly impressive, nothing terribly new. Oh, and + gratutious skanky western club scene.
Oh, and I reitterate my annoyance at voice over singers that are WAY off from actor's normal voice. It was really awkward when Akshay would start singing.
I don't know if I've mentioned, but I love just about any movie dealing with angels/heaven/demons/hell/supernatural Christian religious aspect. Weird thing for me to be into, but I've always loved them, the darker, the better. So, even though this was probably a bad movie, I thought it was great. The only thing that got to me was the romance that sort of sprung up from no where. But other than that, Christopher Walken=awesome, and OMG, Viggo as Lucifer just couldn't get any more perfect, even if I didn't like their Lucifer interpretation. Still. Brilliant. Could have been better, but sometimes I just like bad movies :) I might even rent the sequel, even though I only rented this one because of Viggo.
Another thing I don't know if you knew about me, was that before I got into Bollywood I watched lots of Chinese movies, and occasionally Japanese ones. Well, I got this one because of Takeshi Kaneshiro who I just love. This is a Japanese movie, but her does both Japanese and Chinese ones (you might know him from Perhaps Love, a Chinese musical that I know everyone would just LOVE, or more popularly, House of Flying Daggers). This is another one that sort of ties into what I was saying part of why I liked The Prophecy, he plays a Shinigami, aka Grim Reaper. Very cool. I thought it was a good movie. Had an indie type feel that I can't really explain, maybe because of the lack of a typical love interest, but the whole story is just very well told.
Oh, and there is a talking dog, that doesn't actually talk or move its mouth, which is a welcomed relief from all the creepy talking Disney style dogs in America.
Recommended movie!
That's it for now!
Oh, and I caught about 10 minutes of an original Star Trek episode that was on TV today. Something to do with Tribbles or whatever that are just balls of fluff that come out of everywhere. It was pretty enteretaining and very 70's colourful. Plus, my parent's informed me it was a classic episode. *shrugs* I'm trying to download some, but it is very slow going.
~Nikki
I've been very absent from this journal since my move. Things have been busy getting the house together and I haven't had time to read or watch many movies, and I don't even have my sewing machine out yet, so none of that to post either. Well, just in case some people are out there still, I do have a few things to post. I'll try to remember some of the movies I've seen recently. Bollywood and otherwise.
Slumdog Millionaire
Yes, I am aware that I'm the last person in the world to see this movie, but I just watched it tonight. I thought it was fantastic. I actually didn't know anything about the movie at all, and while I knew it was a mainly English production, I didn't actually know that it was all spoken in English! It didn't detract from the movie at all. I really thought it was a fantastic movie. I thought Dev Patel did a really amazing job and he is just adorable, isn't he? Very interesting way to tell the story as well. Really, really enjoyable.
This was a retelling of Madame Bovary, a book which I enjoyed, but I have to say, I didn't really like the interpretation. Especially of the character Maya (Madame Bovary). I understand that Madame Bovary wasn't entirely stable, obviously, but I thought they made Maya way too insane. I just...didn't really find watching it very enjoyable. Not that it was awful or anything, just not great. It was almost worth watching just for SRK, but not enough to recommend my mom watch it.
First movie I've seen in the theatres in months. Simply amazing! Fantastic! I loved it :) I didn't know any more than the average person does about the first Star Trek series. I'd never seen an episode even though I enjoy the other Star Treks. But ever without that experience, I thought it was just fantastic. Definitely something that everyone can enjoy, not just hard core fans. Which was very smart of them to do. I'm really hoping they make some more. I loved the characters and the way the changed up the story line. Very cool. Great movie.
Another one that took me a long time to see. Since I'm sure everyone has seen it, I'll just say that I really enjoyed it and definitely recommend it.
I enjoyed this greatly while I was watching it, but for what I remember, it obviously didn't stick with me. Very interesting story about her life, though they left out a lot of her part in politics, which would have been interesting. Mostly her love life. Which, hello Dominic Cooper, not hard to watch at all. I was wary that with everything I heard about all the fashion in the movie it would turn out something like Mary Anotionette, which I'm quite glad it didn't. Some people thought that it moved too slowly in parts, but I guess they can say that about any period peice, but looking back I thought it covered her life very quickly.
Very cute movie :) First one I watched on the new HD TV actually, so it was interesting in that itself, lol. Even without that, it was very well done, I thought. Cute story, fast movie and omg, I love Lee Pace.
I hope everyone is doing well!!
~Nikki
[EDIT] Oh, and I forgot, I won't bother adding this on my LJ because they already know, but I also watched Twilight. Once again, last person in the world. It was the most ridiculous movie I've ever seen. That's all I have to say. Almost worth watching just to make fun of it in a more educated way, lol.
I'll take some outdoor pictures next time I take a walk by it, but I went there for an organ concert and the inside was just stunning. The outside is just as gorgeous. I'm always amazed that something like that could be in this little town! It isn't the only gorgeous building either! I'll have to take some other pictures of the town hall, library, and the high school. You'd be amazed.
Anyway, the UU Church in Fairhaven (pronounced FUH-haven here!), MA
~Nikki
Hey! Even though there are only 5 people in this penguin group, here are 5 people who might be interested in this. My sister has started a blog called Portrait of a Penguin. It chronicles (in journal form) the adventures of Drake Cook, penguin explorer in the Kingdom of Byrd. Although I may be biased, the story is fantastic and very detailed filled with adventure and intrigue, definitely not a children's book or anything. You guys might be very interested in the story!
Along with the story, he boyfriend is an artist and paints some pictures to go along with it, here are a few of them, just to show you :)
You can visit the store for more info on the picture and the characters in the pictures, and far more information by reading the story.
I'm just trying to advertise for her blog a bit, I think she is very creative and the story is very enjoyable!!
~Nikki
Hi Vox people! If any of you are still here after this long hiatus. And to LJ folks...hi again :)
Just thought I would let you know that we are slowly settling into the
new house. You wouldn't BELIEVE the boxes. Filled rooms up to the
ceiling. Ridiculous. Slowly the load is going down. At least in my
room :) I have my clothes in the closet. Definitely gave me a bit
more space. Anyway, I'll post some pictures of that later. Since that
is such a disaster at the moment, thought I would post some pics of
something that isn't a disaster. These pics are from my first walk
down to the beach we live by, Fort Phoenix in Fairhaven,
Massachusetts. 4 blocks away :) I'm enjoying that.
You can see the lighthouse in that third picture, and you probably can't tell with the last one but some kids were flying kites :)
~Nikki
Not that I update much anyway, but I thought I would put a little note down that I'm going to be on hiatus for around the next 2 weeks. I've been very busy with packing and everything for the past couple weeks and now the movers are coming the beginning of next week and we are leaving Texas for Massachusetts on Thursday (4 day drive!). So I'll be MIA for a while. I'll let everyone know how it goes!! Thank god I'm finally leaving!
~Nikki
Figured I would post these skirts before they are packed and I forget about posting them. That is right. Moving again. 2 weeks before I'm out of Texas forever (well, as far as living, I imagine I'll be back fairly often to visit my sister and friends). Just kind of sneaks up on you, doesn't it?
Well, the pictures aren't very good, but, like I said, now or it will be forgotten. Nothing special or pretty either, but most of them are wearable.
Used the tutorial from this site to make it. Doesn't look like a Harry Potter skirt in this plaid, but it does look a bit school girl-ish. I'll have to work hard to find a top to wear with it that makes it look less Catholic school girl. Anyway, in retrospect, the back might be a bit to A-line on mine, I'll have to look at it on again, but it isn't bad and wouldn't be hard to fix. I like plaid :)
Just your average 6-panel bell shaped skirt. Out of pretty average looking, but nice, fabric. Might add a lining to it, but it isn't necessary, just for
it to feel better on :)
Pattern from one of the Burda magazines. Out of some linen fabric I had left over from a dress I had made. I don't know why I made this skirt, I never liked tulip skirts! (Crazy, right? Why would I even make it?!) It had some interesting folds going on, you can see it a bit better in the last picture, I don't know why the others turned out so saturated. It is pretty cool, I may even wear it someday, lol.
It took me a bit to get it right, at first, both the creases were sewn down at the hem, which made the hem a little small and made the skirt bubble strangely. I took the 'under' crease out at the hem and closed up the other one by sewing so that it would be so keen on bubbling out. Anyway, It is cool I guess. I'll probably add a lining onto this one (after the move), the fabric is fairly thin so I think it'll be more comfortable to wear.
So. That's it. Mostly done with 2 different vintage dresses and a petticoat. Maybe they'll get done before I leave, maybe they won't.
Oh, and I don't know if I mentioned on vox about the most amazing fabric mecca in Dallas that I JUST discovered (weeks before I move, go figure). Super, super cheap fabric. Amazing. SOOO amazing. I'm getting all excited just thinking about it. Some of the fabrics I saw there I had bought at another store for close to $15 a yard that they had for no more than 2!
I have to go back before I leave, to stock up some more (no fabric stores in Massachusetts!) and before I have to find fabric there to be able to afford to make my Beauty and the Beast dress which is going to take like, 15 yards of fabric. Can't afford it other wise. And you can bet I'll be going there every time I visit my sister!
And isn't that one with the faces so neat??! I'm thinking about getting some knits to go with it and making it into some maxi dresses to try and sell. I have a whole bolt of it (for $10!!!)! It was just so original!
Have a couple other things to post, but I'll do it later. Time to fix dinner!
~Nikki
Thought people over here on Vox would really appreciate this!
My sister and her boyfriend (here on out, I'll say Brother-in-law to make it easier) have started a new enterprise (you may remember her little crochet dudes over at Geek Central Station, those have been relegated to doing commissions).
Anyway, this one is called 'Portrait of a Penguin'. It is the story of the fantastical Kingdom of Byrd. My sister, tremedously creative, is writing out a very intricate storyline and my BIL is drawing/painting pictures of the characters. You can see the 'portraits' and some of the stories to go with them at their store HERE. But even MORE interesting, imo, is Drake Cook's 'journal'. A Penguin explorer, written in the style of his personal diary with 'academic drawings'. It is wonderful :)
Drake Cook's log
Anyway, check it out! They would love some fans :)
On another note, I have things to post, but things have gotten really busy in the past week. My family and I are moving by the end of March. Expected and sudden at the same time. But there is a lot to be done! I'll try and post a few things. I've taken some pictures of a couple of skirts I've made recently. The pictures didn't really turn out, but I'll post them all the same!
Hope everyone is doing well, sorry I have been MIA!
~Nikki
Recent Comments
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mystico_tala said:
I think they are called 'Heritage Gardens' They are in Sandwich. You'll probably see some small signs on the side... read more
on Oh, but that's nonsense. Flowers can't talk. -
writebrained said:
[this is good]how gorgeous! where is this? I live in the boston area -- maybe I'll go there this weekend! read more
on Oh, but that's nonsense. Flowers can't talk.
on Oh, but that's nonsense. Flowers can't talk.