Sari Dress Shop in Old City...
Well, finally I have had a chance to get my India shop on! (And boy did I do some damage...my credit card is cryin' "uncle", believe me!) With Christmas just a couple of weeks away, I thought I'd do the xmas shopping here. Huma, our lovely costume designer, was able to lead me in the right direction...
We started at her favorite fabric and sari store, a place she has been coming to for years, even as a young girl with her mother. Huma picks out a gorgeous fabric for Raj to wear in the final song...
And Huma helps me pick out some sari's as gifts...She also got me incredible prices for them. All because of her years-long relationship with the owners. These sari's would have cost me twice as much money if I'd gone in by myself!
We then go on to Huma's personal tailor, who is creating Raj's costume and he also agrees to stitch a beautiful coat and sari for me!
Huma and I then go on to a very cool jewelery designer's shop...
Where unbeknownst to my husband, he buys me this beautiful pearl necklace for Christmas...(Thanks Honey!) ...Hyderbad is known for it's pearls...I also pick up a really cool silver elephant necklace for mom...and Huma and I can't resist some sparkly earrings which I give her as a BIG thank-you for a great time!
My next shopping trip is to OLD CITY for some of the famous Hyderbad glass bangles...
Kittu and his lovely wife Sandhy take me there on a Sunday afternoon. It's another place where you really need a local to take you through it...First to deal with the traffic and people which was crazy!
There is a long street filled with bangle and sari shops...
I would follow Kittu and his wife in and out of them as he'd see what prices the seller would be asking. Many times we would walk out because the owners were trying to charge too much...
Finally on a little side street we found a very fair dealer...Sandhy and I had a blast matching bangles to the sari's I had bought with Huma...
These bangles are made completely of glass and are beautiful, but easily breakable...I have HUGE wrists, so I had to really search to find ones to fit...
Also I learned the trick of using hand cream to slide them on and off, because I have broken more than a couple of them...Patience is key to the glass bangle...You can't force it on or it breaks every time...(An excellent metaphor for this entire India experience maybe??...hmm....Yes, patience is the key, when it comes to India...)
Sandhy and I in front of Charminar - Oh and I am wearing a Kurta stitched by our costumer Ashoke...
Thanks Ashoke!
I also had a suit stitched...Here I am being fitted by my own personal tailor!
It' turned out fabulous! I've never had a suit made and fit-to-order and for about $75 American dollars, including fabric! Fantastic!
