All posts filed under: GLOBAL COMMUNITY

Explore people and culture of around the world

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Dina Weber from Germany Chats About The Art and Soul About Bread-making and Her Bakery ‘SAPA Sourdough & Pastry’ in Mysuru

Dina Weber, hailing from Germany, now lives in south India – Mysore. She is the heart behind a small micro-bakery called SAPA sourdough and pastry. Her love for bread extends to more than the science of baking. It comes from the deep importance her mother placed on fresh food and the culture of pouring love and forming communities while creating food.  Dona came to India as a learner, traveller and volunteer but she has found her quiet little corner and is living a truly fascinating, life constantly experimenting and evolving in her bake-house. Fresh plums, creamy matcha, edible flowers, artisanal chocolate and single-origin coffee, she tries to keep all her ingredients as pure as possible. Even her sourdough starter is 4 years old personally made in the Himalayas. Dina hosts workshops and provides breads and desserts to cafes and restaurants but if you are in Mysore, pop by for one of her fabulous bake-sales!  Hello Dina, it’s great to have a conversation with you. We were intrigued by your bakery!  Hi, my name is Dina …

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“I’ve Been Staying In India For The Past 9 Years And It Feels Like My Second Home Now” – A Chat With Minseong Seok From South Korea To Talk About His “Daily Sushi” Restaurant

To travel to a new place and explore a new culture is indeed a fascinating thing to do. But what about actually settling partially and working in a totally new part of the world? Well, today we have a very interesting person who has done just that – and a little bit more – by introducing his own root culture in this new home of his. Meet Minseok Seok from Seoul, South-Korea who has been staying in India for the past nine years across Chennai and Bangalore – and have now opened his own restaurant called “Daily Sushi” in Bengaluru. Besides the delicious spread of authentic Asian food – from sushi, sushi rolls (gimbap), ramen, rice bowls to cold-pressed juice, what’s also interesting is the “Grab-and-Go” concept which aims to bring a casual and instant touch to your sushi dining, which he says is often perceived as too posh, or slow dining. “Customers can just step in and Grab the food and Go (GRAB-N-GO and Enjoy!). Many people think Sushi and most Japanese foods are expensive. …

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“My Job as an Illustrator and Fashion Drawing Lecturer Combines My Love for Clothes and Sketching Woman as an Artform” – A Chat With Alice Balconi, from Italy

Today we have a guest from Italy – Alice Balconi, a fashion illustrator and a fashion drawing lecturer at Istituto Marangoni – School of Fashion, Art & Design in Italy. Alice is passionate about sketching various forms of women and clothes – two areas that she is personally fascinated with, and believes that both are equally distinct art forms. Apart from her work as an illustrator, she is also known for her healthy way of life and her love for yoga and her adorable pet Napoleone. So let’s go and find out more about her workl and her life in Italy!  We had a quick chat with Alice Balconi, a fashion illustrator from Italy. She talks about her work, main sources of inspirations and her future plans! Hello Alice! Good to have you with us. Please tell us a little about yourself. Ciao! I’m Alice Balconi, born near Milano, Italy, where I’m currently living. I had artistic studies and achieved a degree in Fashion Design at Istituto Marangoni, Italy. I believe in healthy living, so …

Exclusive Interview with KPOP Band MONT During Their Visit to Nagaland for the Hornbill International Music Festival 2018

Amidst the excitement of the annual Hornbill Festival in Nagaland (Dec 1-10), festival-goers had another treat waiting for them in Dimapur at the Hornbill International Music Festival. Kpop band M.O.N.T (Members Of the National Team) from South Korea were in Dimapur for the music festival as a part of their pre-debut tour in India. This headliner had the Kpop fans in Nagaland in a frenzy!  Korean culture has always been a fascination for the youngsters in Nagaland – which is apparent with their experimentation with Korean food, KBeauty, KDrama, KPop, Korean style and more. So when the news about their tour came out, the frenzied local Kpop fans were more than ready to welcome the upcoming Kpop sensation M.O.N.T to Nagaland. There was a press conference shortly after they reached Dimapur to address the media and their fans about their scheduled performance at the Hornbill International Music Festival 2018. Roots & Leisure had a quick chat with the Kpop band M.O.N.T from South Korea, to know about their music, their culture and their trip to Nagaland. Band …

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In Depth Chat With Koushin Yamada – A Talented Artist From Japan Who Dedicates His Life To Creating Mesmerising And Otherworldly Art

With a passion like none, Koushin Yamada from Japan has made a name for himself in the world of art. After dedicating his life to art, he has found peace in creating work that satisfies himself, no one and nothing else. He’s always searching for something different and shows us that different can be better instead of  ‘following the crowd.’ 日本のファインアーティスト山田耕臣は、たぐい稀なる情熱で、世界のアート界に名をなした芸術家である。彼は、生活をアートに捧げ、何よりも自分自身が満足出来し、自分の心を癒すことが出来る作品を創作し続けてきた。いつも、新しいものを探求し続ける山田耕臣。彼の作品は、大衆に迎合し、既存のものを追い求めるより、何か、新しいものを見つける方が面白いことを、見る人に思い起こさせてくれる。ルーツ・アンド・レジャーは、耕臣の作品、インスピレーション、生活に共感し、彼にインタビューした。  Roots and Leisure talks with the hyper-creative Japanese artist Koushin Yamada from Tokyo. Read on to know about his life, his art and his source of inspiration for his wacky pieces! [Japanese text and translation by Koushin Yamada and Sachiko Imamura D’Souza.] Konichiwa Koushin San! Tell us a bit about yourself, your work and your background. こんにちわ、耕臣さん。まず、耕臣さんご自身について、どの様な創作活動をされてきたか、また、生い立ちについて、簡単に教えて下さい。 Konichiwa! My name is Koushin Yamada. I am 33 years old and was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. Growing up, my family always struggled both financially and physically. My father, who was a clay model artist and art dealer, left my family when I was still a teenager. I didn’t particularly have many close friends and …

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Amy Kim from Canada Talks About Her Trip To Pakistan and The Wonderful Places She Visited During Her Stay There

Traveling to a new place, meeting new people and learning about a new culture is one of the most thrilling things. Especially, when it’s full of little unexpected surprises like Amy Kim’s lovely visit to Pakistan. With the breathtaking views up in the north, green valleys, friendly and warm people, and so much more, she reminisces about her experience. She chats with R&L about her travel stories. Amy Kim from Canada (she is half Korean and half Taiwanese), who is currently working in Mumbai talks to R&L about her incredible visit to Pakistan, the unbelievable beauty of the landscape and the friendly hospitality of the locals. Hi Amy! Tell us a little about yourself and what you do. My name is Amy Kim and I’m a 26-year-old Canadian working in Mumbai. I’m heading the marketing department of a travel social enterprise based in Dharavi called Reality Tours and Travel. I love what I do mainly because I know 80% of all our profits go back to the community through our charity Reality Gives. My team is …

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This 21-Year-Old Illustrator and Storyteller Draws Inspiration from Jane Austen and K-Pop, and Creates Art You Will Want to Live In | Meet Anna Abola From Latvia 

“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work”- Colin Powell. For Anna Abola, 21-year-old digital illustrator and artist from Latvia – a small country in Northern Europe, her passion for art started at the tender age of 3 and she practiced hard to get every detail right. This love for art blossomed as she got older and at just 8 years old, she joined her first art school. Born with a disability, but with her ever so cheerful outlook on life, she uses art as a healing mechanism to voice out her ideas, thoughts and emotions. Anna and her art is a true inspiration for us, the world over. We chat with Anna to know more about her and her artistic journey. We had an intimate talk with artist Anna Abola from Latvia about her life as an illustrator, her passion for art, her main source of inspiration for her beautiful illustrations and more. Hello Anna. Tell us a bit about yourself. Hi! My name is Anna Abola and I am …

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A Chat With Utchi, Founder of Little Sunshine Cafe in Thailand

As we continue to explore local cultures around the world to grow this community, one of our friends from Chiang Mai introduced us to this charming cafe in Bangkok and recommended it as a must-visit on a trip to Thailand. This cafe called ‘Little Sunshine Cafe’ and managed by its founder Utchima Sriprachya or Utchi, is known among the locals for its menu full of Healthy and Delectable dishes. And not just the food, this cafe is also loved for its warm homely environment – an important USP of ‘Little Sunshine’ Cafe. “We want our customers to feel like they are at their friend’s place, having home-cooked food – creating a familiar warm ambiance that is hard to find in a restaurant.” ~Utchi, Founder, Sunshine Cafe We chat with the founder Utchi to know more about her journey, her food philosophy, inspiration behind her cafe, and more. Hi Utchi, so nice to be having this chat with you! Please introduce yourself. I’m Utchi, founder of Little Sunshine Café. I’m actually a dietitian, graduated from the …

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“My Art Is My Way To Connect With The World” – Meet Erika Bonezzi, a Concept Artist from Italy

A highly passionate and an immensely motivated Freelance Artist and Architecture Postgraduate, Erika got herself hooked on to Concept Art – a form of illustration used to convey an idea for films, video games, animation, comic books, or other media before it is put into the final outcome. Here we have a conversation with Erika Bonezzi who squeezed in sometime from her busy schedule for Roots and Leisure Share a little detail about yourself and what you have been up to? Hi! My name is Erika Bonezzi and I’m Italian. I graduated in Architecture in 2017 however, during the last years of studies I got more and more passionate about art, character design and concept art. After graduation, I chose to take a concept art course in my city and now I’m about to finish my studies and hopefully become a Professional Concept Artist. What initially sparked your interest in this field? I’ve always loved art since I was small; creating something from zero. Being able to communicate and share emotions with the world is something that …

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Te Amo, Nihon: A Spanish Artist’s Love Affair with Japan – A Chat with Elsa from Tokyo

“I have always loved Japan. It’s history, art and culture. Even before coming to see it for myself I knew I wanted to spend time in this country, especially in Tokyo!” – Elsa (@bunnytokyo) Japan is a  country that defines art, culture and tradition in a way that perhaps, no other country can match up to! Not only is their history doused in fascinating tales but the discipline with which they carry on their traditions without appearing imperious is probably what makes non-Japanese people fall in love with the country; and that’s exactly what happened to  Elsa – the artist who  moved to Tokyo from Spain. She understood almost immediately that  the diverse and idiosyncratic culture of Japan is what breeds creativity and art and that flow was perpetual Here’s  a little information about Elsa Elsa is originally from Spain and she studied Broadcasting and Production in college. She now lives in Tokyo with her husband and it was both their dream, to move to the East after visiting the region for the first time …