Tuesday, November 23, 2010

On a trip to one of my favourite stores

Warning: This is going to be a picture and word heavy post. Read at your own peril ;)

SHP's previous post on 'Pop Goes The Art' was chosen by BlogAdda as a part of it's Tangy Tuesday series. You can read all about it here. It was a wonderful email to wake up to. Thanks BlogAdda for choosing Sound Horn Please! Honoured!

A friend of a blogger friend recently emailed, asking me to recommend stores in NY to buy Indian decor items. Well, I thought to myself why not take all of you on a tour of one my most favourite Indian stores in New York?

Yes! Yes! You ARE reading it right! The name board is in Hindi! And it made me stop in my tracks and walk in. Beti, it's the only one in Manhattan to have one, the owner proudly proclaimed. And then began my romance....

Let me take you on a tour.....

Bhartiya Vasthra Bhandar is not your usual posh Manhattan boutique with accented voices smoothly telling you the history behind 'the piece'. You walk in and its a warehouse choc-a-bloc with colourful stuff, making you take a few deep breaths to decide where to start from. None of the products make you go- 'Errr.. maybe a trip home to buy this would be cheaper'.


Bottom right- That's a desi double horn  and its definitely on my 'To Buy List'. With Sound Horn Please as a blog, how can I not? Those light switches brought on a wave of nostalgia.

The cameras below hit right on my soft spot for antiques <sigh>
 Buddhas, Buddhas and more Buddhas! Drool!

I know you must be wondering what I've brought back from the store over my many trips.... So, here is a peek!

I'm thinking of spray painting the lantern red.. Yes? No? And that's my all black bookcase that got a little bit of my brushwork to add some zing!

Here's my favourite- My antique brass paan daan!On my next trip to India, I hope to add my paan daan's South Indian sister- the equally beautiful rectangular brass vethalai petti.

I've had a few emails asking me to post photos of my home. So, here is a tiny peek. I don't usually burden my lovely porcelain elephants with the heavy brass paan daan, they stand tall for their mahouts- my tealight candles.


All of the above images have been clicked by me. Please do not copy. Email me if you want to post it elsewhere on the internet and they are yours :)

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Divya...JIT...That looks WOW.Especially the buddha idols and paan daan.However, I m super duper interested in knowing did u pick up the elephant legged table frm there? :) Cant wait to check out the store !!! Thanks so much!

GB said...

Treasure trove! Now I have to find an excuise to make a trip there! I love that the stuff isn't the usual "import" ka maal. OMG, where did that guy pick up all those light switches?

Love your snazzy bookcase, the paan daan and your adorable elephants (Pier 1?) Dang, I knew I should have picked them up!

If you do plan to spray paint the lantern, make sure you cover the glass VERY well (in case it doesn't slip out. Post office red should do the trick!

Sudha said...

i could go crazy buying stuff if i was there...and love love love your paan dhaan...:)

Bhargavi said...

Oh lovely !! love your elephants ! and the painted bookcase bulging with books..congrats on getting picked by Blogadda.. You should spray paint it red !Do post more pics from your home!.

Unknown said...

oh my god!this store deserves many more posts! loved it! those switches took me back to my grandmother's house. The paan daan is such a great find! Wish you many more trips to the store:) Congrats for the blogadda mention!

Designwali said...

What a great store!

Anonymous said...

Those speakers! To die for! Lovely post. And thanks Divya for visiting fleeting glimpse :). I've replied to quite a few of your little notes :). Made my day!

Sans! said...

Divya, I really love those elephants :).

I quite like the hurricane lamp in blue with maybe a fresh coat of electric blue. But to each his own if you prefer red :)

We have loads of shops like this in Little India too :). I much rather shop in these places than say, Bloomingdales :):).

Sharon said...

what a lovely place...i wld have gone crazy. how are they priced? yes paint the lantern red...love ur painted bookcase!

Geeta said...

Now I know just the place to head to on my next work related trip to NY. Love your elephants ...just too cute.

Sound Horn Please said...

Thanks for all the compliments and yes do visit NY soon. I promise to be a wonderful guide :)

Anonymous said...

ND, i love those tiny 'aanaas' aka ' elephants'! where did you pick them up? i am so so feeling J!!
lOVE the film strip look alike border of your bookshelf and oh yeah the vettila petti!
wish i could throw away the uncoordinated stuff in my house and doll it up. well, all i do now is drool at other's creative efforts/finds.
i think you shld keep the blue lantern...red is too common a color for lanterns like this one! - Ms. Poppins

PreeOccupied said...

What a beautiful store. And absolute must if you are in the Manhattan area. I had a turquoise lalten in India. :-)

Purnima@a creative project said...

wow.. I was so engrossed in the lovely things in the pics that I thought it is somewhere in India ...then I re read the entire post..This is in Manhattan!!! The brass paan box is interesting!! what do you keep in it?

Alicia Souza said...

Those look so cool. I can't believe I'm IN India and can't find antiques so cute:)

Unknown said...

That shop sure looks interesting.Loved your finds.I am curious though, where are all the vastra in the vastra bhandar? ;-)

Thanks for visiting my blog.I know I am long overdue!

Unknown said...

I think you should paint the lamp bronze or copper and then just rough up the paint a little bit.It will look all antiquey.No?

Sound Horn Please said...

@ Sumi- Good question! I just didn't post the 'vasthra' pics. They have tons of hippy looking Indian clothing. I agree with you on the antiquey look, but all you have to do is read a few blog posts to know that I'm a colour junkie :)

@Alicia- Mumbai, my girl!

@Purnima- Yes! yes! Manhattan! Thanks for getting what I felt like :) :)

@Pree- Finally going with your suggestion for turquoise!

Unknown said...

Loved the post!!! I can stich tons of runners, curtains, paint etc, etc if you buy and mail me that stuff..what a store!!!
wow...taking a second look now:-0))0

Unknown said...

loved your paan daan...we need to talk...:-))

Shubashree said...

Can we go shopping together? I live in CT and Manhattan is just a train ride away.

Anonymous said...

What a lovely post!! And such an awesome store! I could spend a few hours here.. or should I just send you my list.. if ever you stop by at this store...