Framed!

Some time ago, I posted about my Barbados Painting and how I used it as inspiration when I hand painted some wooden earrings. (More Here)

Barbados/Island inspired hand painted earrings by Shazanna Khan

Recently one of roommates got married and I decided to frame this piece for her as her wedding present. I always promised her some artwork.

Today I collected the framed artwork from Fine Arts in Grand Bazaar where I dropped it off for framing.

I was a bit nervous picking out the framing by myself so I am so happy that it turned out so well. I am most pleased with it and the service I received at the art store. 

Just need to write the backstory down for her, wrap it nicely and deliver it :)

 If you would like to read more about how this piece came to be, you can read it here: Travel Sketches #1: Barbados Seascapes

I can't wait to see her expression!

Decorative Wooden Box

This was a wooden perfume box. When I did this some years ago, I was going through a sunflower stage at home. I think I was painting our mailbox at home for my Mom. I channelled my inner Van Gogh here. 

I used Acrylic paint and various gel ink pens to add some glitter and highlight some pieces. When it was dry, I sprayed the entire thing with Windsor and Newton's Matt Varnish, so that the ink pens would not rub off. 

It held up well. This project is over 6 years old. There is only one bit of wear and tear, which was due to my extreme carelessness and before I added the varnish. I never fixed it but with varnish, it is extremely durable and long lasting. 

"Caring is Natural; Uncaring is Learnt"- Professor Vijay Naraynsingh

At orientation today for the start of my clinical years, this was something said by the Head of Clinical Surgical Sciences that resonated with me for many different reasons (which I am not going to expand into today)

The basis of it was that it is natural to care, and because of the field we are in, that was the reason why we chose it. Because we do care. Because we do want to help.

However, it is easy when we enter clinical years and are exposed to different things, to forget that. This may happen for many different reasons, among them being how we are treated as students and seeing how other health professionals treat each other and patients.

Whatever the reason, he advised us to try our hardest NOT learn how to not care.

Wise words from a very wise man. Posting here so that I remember.

Apartment Decoration: Paper Lanterns

When my final exams were over, I went West Mall and picked up these beauties. They had a temporary home hanging from my bookshelf.

I wanted them hanging at different heights from my ceiling above my bed.

I finally figured out a way.... A wire clothes hanger and paper-clips. 

I was short on supplies/hardware so I improvised. Maybe next time I'll get some help when I'm hanging them. In the future I'm going to see if I can add lights.

Ramblings of a soon-to-be Year 4 medical student

Today it finally hit me that I am starting my clinical years.

I knew it for a while now. It was looming somewhere in the back of my head and flitted around in my thoughts as I shopped for white jackets and scrubs. It was there as I made plans to cram as much fun as I could before I started, and it was there when I first got my results saying I was all clear.

Over the last few months, starting my clinical rotations felt like a dream, some far off destination on the road to completing my degree and becoming a doctor after some road bumps and potholes. However, today as I went into the Dean’s Office to switch my rotations, the reality of the situation had finally hit. I am placed in a rotation. My orientation is next week. Year 4 is no longer a dream but a definite reality that is fast approaching.

While I am excited to start a new chapter of my life and be one step closer to graduating, I can’t help but feel a bit nervous and terrified at that prospect all the same.The only analogy I can describe it to is that of jumping off a waterfall, which is the last time I felt something like this.

The good news? It’s scary but the jump is worth it in the end. (or so we like to tell ourselves to make the journey feel worthwhile lol)

More good news….On my first jump I was nervous. So was my boyfriend (I think lol). Solution? We held hands and jumped together. The point is: You are not alone in your journey. I was a bit skeptical going back out, but it feels…reassuring knowing that I am not alone with my doubts and fears. (I am not weird for all these mixed feelings! Maybe weird for other reasons. LOL) The other great thing is that you find support systems in places you never imagined once you open your eyes to that fact. As such, I am so grateful to all my friends and colleagues (new and old) who have helped me along my journey.

Suddenly the prospect of my future isn’t so scary any more. 

P.S. I wrote this on Tuesday of this week but my Tumblr/ Internet/ Electricity supply were in a mess. As of this posting, I am more concerned about packing to move back to my apartment up north in Mt Hope and less about my orientation on Tuesday. *Fingers crossed I start off rotations with Psychiatry though* 

Supplies Reorganisation (Apartment Decoration) : Chocolate Container

One year my friend Jonny bought a plastic container filled with chocolates for all of our friends at school for Valentine's Day. 

It was packaged something like the pic on the right. All I remember was that it was very delicious and I loved the bottle/jar that the chocolate came in.

So I stole it from him when it was done. It would have gone in the trash otherwise! (and that would have been horrible! :O )

I thought I would find something cool to do with it instantly but a year later it still remained on the top of my bookshelf collecting dust. (I may have forgotten about it)

Then one day before I started a new semester, it came to me. I was cleaning out my apartment and sorting all my supplies. I was having trouble keeping all my colour pencils, markers and highlighters in order and I just knew I finally found a use for the jar.

As you can see below, here is the jar. I decided to spruce it up a bit by tying a bow with some pretty cloth ribbon that was attached to a floral arrangement I got for my birthday. (Recycling Ftw!)

The rest is simple. 

I used rubber bands to organise all my tools, so that they would be easy to retrieve and look ordered in the clear container.

The next step was to fill up the jar :) I found all my implements stood up nice and straight in the jar with the rubber bands. Especially since I was not filling the jar to capacity right away.

Also if you look carefully there is a little raised bump in the middle. It helped me organise all the stuff in a nice circle and put shorter drawing implements in the middle for a little height. It also of course meant I had to make smaller bundles of instruments. For instance, as seen below, my pack of 12 colour pencils had to be split into smaller bundles of 6.

All filled up!

Here's a look at the final product!

 Here is it in its natural habitat, i.e. on my desk.

I really loved this craft solution, because it was simple and easy to do. It was an innovative solution to my disorganised drawing implements. I just adore jars shaped like that one for aesthetics. Plus its practical, and it is so much easier now to find what I want when I want it. Yay for cute and practical :D

If I had another, I must say I definitely would use it as a memory jar. What would you use yours for?

Also, do you have any easy but cute storage solutions for apartment living? Let me know in the comments below.

As always thank you for visiting my blog. I hope that you continue reading :)

Supplies Reorganisation: Pill Box

T-9 days before I head back to school. I am in the process of reorganising my craft supplies to be packed away as school is going to be taking preference and cleaning out my apartment.

Here is one inexpensive reorganisation tip for all your small trinkets: Pill Boxes.

I have tons of small objects from my various crafting projects: buttons, jewellery clasps, beady eyes, rhinestones, beads, etc. Storage can sometimes be a problem because I could never find them all at the same time which is an issue because I forget what I have and then buy more supplies.

The Solution? Cheap Pill Boxes. I picked up mine for under $10TT at Pennywise.

Just open them up and fill them with your goodies.

The great thing about these is that they are kinda transparent so you can see what you have stored inside, and each column pops right out so you can take out just what you need.

Do you have easy craft organisation solutions? Let me know below.

Thank you for reading  and cheers to cleaner work spaces!

Sunday Evenings in Trinidad: La Cantina Pizzeria & Bacco Pizzeria Italiano

This Sunday, I went to IMAX Trinidad to watch Oz. A bit hungry after the movie, my bf and I decided to look for something to eat. We decided to check out Chaud Cafe & Wine Bar which was also located at One Woodbrook Place, on the opposite end of IMAX. It was closed.

We drove around and around, trying to figure out where to go. I should also mention we love trying new and different places.

So I called a few people. Some places were recommended but they were either:

Police Mounted Branch around the Savannah

1. not open on a Sunday afternoon, 
2. closed already, or
3. too far away.

So after much browsing on Trini Chow and a few horses later, I was very much delighted to find out that La Cantina Pizzeria was open!

Thank goodness for modern technology: a phone with internet to access Trini Chow and Google Maps for directions.


It seemed to be destiny that La Cantina Pizzeria, a place I've heard about and wanted to try for a while, was the closest open place on that Sunday afternoon. It opens Tuesdays to Sundays. After 5pm on Sunday and is located on Victoria Avenue, (which if you are a Southie like me, means its right off the Savannah, 2 parallel streets away from Jenny's on the Boulevard)

I added La Cantina Pizzeria (the orange rectangle) to the map as their location needs to be updated on Google Maps. 

La Cantina Pizzeria is located in one of the beautiful historical buildings common to Port of Spain. The building may have been old in years but there was nothing old about La Cantina. Fresh modern colours and artwork highlighted the old world charm and architecture, and I felt as if I were dining in a comfortable plantation house.

My Passion Fruit Drink. Cheers!

You can see their full menu on trinichow.com. I really liked that there were vegetarian options, because most of my good friends are and veggie pizzas have some rather unique flavor combinations.

We initially intended to have 2 pizzas, but did not want to order them at the same time because nothing beats a hot pizza right out of an authentic pizza oven. Our first pizza was called Salmone. It had Smoked Salmon, Onions, Capers, Mozzarella Cheese and Arugula.  

Goodness in my tummy! I added some chilli oil and pepper flakes to mine for some extra spice :) mmmm

My mouth is watering just thinking about how good that pizza was. Of course after having one pizza, we were almost full and opted for dessert instead. Our fantastic waiter pointed out that there were 2 other desserts available which were not on the the menu. The one of interest to me was the Panna Cotta, which I will definitely go back to try as it sounds delicious.

So how does it compare to another great pizzeria, this time in South? 

I can't help comparing the two because I visited Bacco Pizzeria Italiana in Duncan Village Trinidad very recently and it was amazing. 

Sunday Dining available! 

Prices were about the same. However Bacco's did not have a service charge. 

More seating available at La Cantina, with a lounge/ bar, indoor dining room and a patio for options and the ambience may have been better, and more modern. Bacco's is smaller with bar and dining area but has charm with its simple rustic deco and it feels more like home. Maybe because I am from south. 

Great service on both ends. In La Cantina, they all speak English so no chance of miscommunication but the charm of the Italians at Bacco's makes you feel as if you are really in Italy. 

Drinks: Both have a selection of wines to go along with your meal but La Cantina has more cocktail/mix drink options. La Cantina also has specials on their drinks, esp on Thursdays. 

A Passion Fruit Daiquiri which I cannot remember the right
name of. Chilli Oil, Parmesan Cheese, and Red Pepper
 Flakes for the pizza:Behind & to the right

Cherry O (melon cherry something)

Bacco's AND La Cantina both have wood burning pizza oven.  

Menu at La Cantina is strictly Salads, Pizzas and Desserts. I like that they know what they do good and stick to it. At Bacco's in addition to those, you also have the options of pasta and soups. I felt that Bacco was a bit more inventive in their desserts even though they offered similar things, like the Panna Cotta. They had that and a little something extra. While the Tiramisu I had at La Cantina was delicious and screamed of great quality ingredients, I know that I would also get the same high quality at Bacco. Plus I don't think I really am fond of Tiramisu so I am a bit biased there.   

Bacco gets points for using local products, like Dolce Valle Dairy. Don't you just love places that use quality local ingredients? I'm not sure about La Cantina though I was impressed with the ingredients in their drinks (the Passion Fruit infused Daiquiri that I had tasted of Passion Fruit and not some synthetic product) and pizza (smoked Salmon and Arugula).

At the end of it all, I have to say both have their charms and each provide a different atmosphere, depending on the occasion or mood you fancy. I know which I like the most (Bacco, La Cantina, Bacco), but in order for me to pick a favourite in a fair and unbiased manner, I think I need to go stuff my face sample both restaurants again :D I highly recommend both.

I also have to say that I've read that former owners of La Cantina (in Tobago) are the current owners of Bacco Pizzeria in T&T. I am not sure if I got that right but it might account for the similarities in menu and flavours.

As for Sunday evenings, I am going to make a list of restaurants/things to do in T&T, because I honestly can't seem to find one, which is sad because I know there are a lot! If you have any suggestions, let me know.

As always, thank you for reading my blog.

Customising Presents

My lovely house-mate's birthday was last week. Poor thing had exams on the day and it continues next week. So I got her a little something to cheer her up while she's studying until we can properly celebrate her special day!

I got her this little Blue Mountain Arts' book and then decided to personalise it a bit with some drawings. I used my trusty colour pencils. Blue Mountain products always have this nice hand drawn quality to them so it really doesn't matter your skill level once your drawings are colourful :D 

Here are a few of some I did for my darling gf :)

We love us some WW sales :D

Happy Birthday FN! I can't wait to celebrate with you :D

Notebooks (Things I love #1) Again

The Island by Sh@z: Notebooks (Things I love #1) & New Sketch: I am a notebook addict! A few from my collection I absolutely adore notebooks. I love those hardcover notebooks with their gloriously...

These are lines from a post I did last year. Apparently the sentiments still ring true to me. I love notebooks!

9 from my collection

Why am I bringing this up again? A few weeks ago I went to the beach, and on my way home I stopped at a new pharmacy called Starlite Pharmacy in Maraval. I had to check it out because it looked like a Superpharm and was obliquely opposite to it. I don't know what kind of obeah Superpharm works but every time I go in, I must always come out with a purchase. So I approve of Starlite because I do not like monopolies on services offered.
I went in with the intent of scoping out the goods but I could not resist their stationery collection!  They had  beautiful notebooks and notepads and ahhhh! I went crazy.

So I bought 2 new notebooks.

Then a week later I visited RIK Bookstore at Grand Bazaar, and what did I see? A gorgeous purple and gold notebook. I had a burning desire to purchase it. Thankfully I got some sense talked into me! I just bought 2 notebooks that have no purpose as yet and now I want to buy a third to use for what? Thank you Akash! (Though I still want it lol) I know..I have problems.

About my purchases: One Waldo Pancake simple small hardcover notebook- very plain, with thick pages; one page lined, and the other blank, which is perfect for my sketching/doodling needs. While I appreciate the wit and sarcasm of the illustrator and I am laughing at the front cover with its yellow writing saying "Who writes this crap" and the back with "Waldo Pancake who writes this crap as well", I have a sneaking suspicion that I am going to be customising it. Though it is kind of growing on me. We will see.

The next one was from the awesome people at Live-Inspired.com. I do not even need to explain why I bought it. You can see more photos about it here on their website. It is amazing.

I think it is inspiring and is great for people who like to keep journals, record their thoughts, or practise their writing. It features quotes from the amazing Ralph Waldo Emerson and some others on a few random pages throughout the book. I feel motivated just looking at it and I wonder if I do write in it, will some magic in it rub off on my writing?

However I don't think I am going to find out! I've decided to do a giveaway of sorts :D 

I have some very awesome friends/blog readers, and when I purchased it, a few of you crossed my mind, as I thought it was something that some might appreciate or find a use for as a journal or a book of poetry.

I am a firm believer of everyone having their own special notebook to keep thoughts recorded. Simply because when I was going through some rough patches, and felt my brain overflowing with thoughts, it was easier to let loose on a page and get rid of some of the negative emotions.

It was also great retrospective study. It gave me perspective when I needed to analyse situations, and helped me organise my thoughts. Most importantly with my terrible memory, it helped me remember fantastic moments and lessons learnt from bad ones so I don't repeat them.

I started writing this blog post in February and planned to do this as a give-away to celebrate because it was also my birth month and I was on the receiving end of so much love and support for my birthday. Birthday celebrations Life got the better of me and I neglected that post so I am doing it now.

I will be giving away this lovely notebook to one very special reader to say thank you. It would make me so much happier to know that this gorgeous book found an owner who will use it and appreciate it.

If you would like to have a shot at owning this, simply fill out this contact form. Let me know what you would like to use it for and be sure to include a mailing address. I will pick someone at the end of the month and mail / hand deliver. My decision is final and all that, and if I decide to keep it for someone's birthday, I suppose that will work as well (:D hehe) My point is I want it to go to someone who will love, appreciate and make the most out of it.

Thank you everyone for the support. I look forward to hearing from you all and keep on reading :)

Lifescouts: Rubiks Cube Solving Badge

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Lifescouts: Rubiks Cube Solving Badge

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My Story:

Done! I was first introduced to this by my Dad’s eldest brother when he first came to live with us. He was a retiree from the states and brought all his trinkets. He even had a weathered book on how to solve it. His rubiks cube is over 25yrs old and still works! I should know. It’s currently in my university apartment.

My fav was a rubiks cube key chain I got from Trinidad and Tobago Mathematics Olympiad ( I was a geek) for their prize giving/ award programme. At the time when I got it, my bro was fascinated by it, so I gave it to him. It somehow made its way back into my possessions :D

Last story: I bought one at the beginning of the year for my boyfriend. He was a pro and his fell apart after constant use. I remember giving it to him and trying to have a conversation with him after. It was impossible. Boys and their toys.

I have slowly come to realise that I have bought all the boys I ever liked a rubix cube. :-| I guess I do have a “type”. LOL

Have you ever solved a Rubiks Cube? Let me know below.

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Lifescouts: Video Games Badge

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Lifescouts: Video Games Badge

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My Story:

Growing up, my bro and I did not have a console. UNTIL my cousin moved in with us and brought his Nintendo 64.

Eventually the Gameboy came out. I loved to play Pokemon (still do)

I eventually moved onto PC video games. The first few games I ever bought were a Nancy Drew game, Harry Potter #1, Lord of the RIngs #1, and an expansion pack for The Sims. At the time I did not know that I needed the actual game for the expansion pack to work! LOL

First person RPGs were a fav. Warcraft and then of course more Sims. I have played all subsequent versions (The Sims, The Sims 2 and The Sims 3) and the majority of their expansion packs.

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Lifescouts: Chess Badge

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Lifescouts: Chess Badge

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My Story:

My dad taught my brother and I to play when we were younger. I had a sneaking suspicion that he wanted to have someone to play with. I remember seeing him arrange the pieces on the board and telling us about each piece one by one. I was too young to appreciate it at the time, and I believe I went to play with my puzzles. (I love me some puzzles)

My brother took up the sport and played against my dad ruthlessly until one day he eventually beat him. My dad says that he let him and I have never seen them play since.

My brother also had a magnetised chess set that folded in half and stored the pieces when not in use. I was too young to comprehend how to play against him so I would “borrow” his chess board when not in use and have the chess pieces move as characters as part of my story. The knight piece was of course simply a horse because it looked like one. When I was done with the battle field that was the chess board, I would turn it over and use the storage compartments as the palace. Fun times.

I eventually learned how to play in the future.

Chess anyone?

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My Reading List for 2013

These are the books that I started reading in 2012 and never finished as I got side tracked by school and other books that were simultaneously being read. Thus they are getting top priority now!

1. The God Delusion- Richard Dawkins

In a nutshell its about atheism. Recommended by my bro and my bf. I wanted to understand the atheist perspective. It was a foreign concept to me. I started this book and stopped it so many times because of exams that I think now it probably doesn't matter anymore. It does though and while I do understand atheism a bit more because of my constant questioning, I still feel as if I should read it so I can understand fully what convinced some people about the author's opinion.

2. The Prince- Niccolò Machiavelli

I bought this book for myself while shopping for some books for my Daddy for Christmas. It was a thin book and I thought it would be an interesting and quick read about politics and philosophy. My dad is a great reader and is the one who encouraged my love of books as well. When I showed him this book, he was more interested in  it than my other purchases for him. He said it was because of his background in politics in his younger years and that it was said that Machiavellian tactics were a favourite of some of our former politicians and read some of his work. He also said if I had asked him about it, he could have told me more (lol). Maybe I unconsciously bought it with his Christmas presents because I knew he would like it? Who knows, but my dad and I have similar reading habits. I started reading it but did not finish because I gave it to him to finish first.

3. One Hundred Years of Solitude- Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez

A birthday present. This book has been praised by millions. My bf's sister read it in Spanish and said it was a beautiful thing. I think I started reading it when I was on vacation at a Queen's Bay Beach Resort at Mayaro. I guess I did not finish it because the vacation was over. It was a slower read because of the language. I stopped and re-read things hundreds of times just to savor the imagery that the author painted. He is a master and I really must finish some more of his books.

4. Anna Karenina- Leo Tolstoy

A classic story that I've heard about but never read. What really pushed me to want to read it last year was the fact that it was being made into a movie. I still haven't seen it because it only was released in T&T's cinemas recently AND its ONLY showing in MT POS at 7:30pm. I hope it doesn't stop showing before I get to see it. Brilliant actors and production. I love Kiera Knightly, and director Joe White (of Pride and Prejudice). I watch almost all of her movies.



I had an e-book but refused to read it because I thought this was one book that I would not be doing justice too if I read there. I couldn't find a single copy at the time in any of the major bookstores. Luckily for me, months after they became more popular for stores to carry because of the movie. Even luckier for me, my birthday was in February and my bro bought me a copy :D I started reading it the day after my birthday on the sandy shores of the Dominican Republic.

What I've read so far has been phenomenal. I don't want to sound cliché but the characters are so REAL as well as their story. It really is a timeless story of love and the different types that we sometimes experience for one another. I understand exactly what the reviewers meant and I appreciate how well the movie was made. Or at least what I saw about it on trailers :D






I made a German friend in DR, and she recommended that I take my time and enjoy this book. So I shall and I definitely am!

5. Les Misérables- Victor Hugo

Another book made into a recent movie. I was told I should just watch the movie alone and skip the 13 page description about the sewers of France. I still want to read it and watch the masterpiece of a movie. Musicals are amazing. Must purchase book at the bookstore soon. (After I clear out some of the books on this list)

6. The Iliad- Homer

After buying and reading Homer's The Odyssey translated by Robert Fagles some years ago, I have been dying to add his translation of The Iliad to my library. I love Greek mythology but I had mixed feelings about reading a book solely in prose form, especially since I wondered if I would be able to understand it. I had doubts about my literacy. Doubts were chucked straight out the window after I started reading it. Robert Fagles did a superb job mixing the old with the new. If the Iliad is anywhere as entertaining as the Odyssey, I know that I would enjoy it fully.

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This is not my completed reading list for 2013, but it is a start. I'll be editing it in the future. I am a fast reader so I should also say that these are the books which require less speed and more in depth analysis. I sometimes feel that I read too fast, and when I buy books the joy I have is short lived because I finish it in less than a day!

I am currently trying to update all my reads on my Goodreads account. I am currently encouraging all my bookworm friends to join! Simply because it is a great way to connect with other friends about books and find out their recommendations and opinions. The website also helps recommend books based on your bookshelves, i.e what you've read, or want to read, or genre, etc. A feature that first attracted me to the website.

You can add ME as a friend by clicking this link: Goodreads

Let me know what you have been reading and what are your recommendations. Are there any books or series that I should check out? Also do you have a reading challenge for 2013?