Jewelry Haul And Tips To Care For Your Inexpensive Jewelry

Jewelry is one thing we women love and don’t want to part ways with. I recently did a jewelry haul and found it hard to find a good place to store them and found that a pair of earrings turned green after I wore them thrice so I did a research on how to take proper care for costume jewelry.
Ill share a few tips I learnt and now follow religiously so my new precious jewelry items don’t rust or turn green! But before that lemme show you what I picked up for my haul! :D

Here are a few tips and tricks you better follow so your jewelry lasts longer than usual!

1. Use clear nail polish over your favorite jhumkis or earrings , this way the color remains intact for a longer period of time. I haven’t used clear nail polish but intend on trying soon.
2. Cleanse your costume jewelry after every wear ! This might sound tedious but hey if you love something you gotta take care of it ! Use a soft cloth.
3. Store metals separately : As metals when stored together react with each other and the jewelry gets damaged hence its better you store them separately/
4. Store em the smart way! You’ll have hundreds of tutorials on the net to store your jewelry in a creative and smart way ! I use large ceramic tea cups, plastic boxes and jewelry cases to store them but most of all i
5. Chemicals and water at bay: To prolong the life of all your jewelry its best not to take a bath or swim with them and remember to not use hairspray and creams while you have your jewelry on.

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Goodbye Starbucks, I have Vero in my life…

Ever since my friend got back from her vacation, she can’t stop raving about the perfect espresso she had in France. And all her coffee speak has gotten me craving for the perfect cup of cuppa too. And so began my journey to hunt for the perfect cup.
I’ve been heading to Starbucks quite a lot, and somehow that just didn’t cut it.  Till I was called over for coffee last evening. My friend Vinitha had just got a new coffee machine and she promptly invited me over. It was a new brand called VERO Infuso and thankfully for me the folks at Vero Coffee made exactly what I needed.

The espresso was absolutely divine. The caffeine hit was just right and exactly what my body had been craving. And the machine, just drop dead gorgeous. Within seconds you get the perfect cup of coffee. And not just espressos, it makes lattes & cappuccinos too with its brilliantly frothy milk frother. And to my surprise the coffee comes in 4 different flavours - Seven Seeds, Arabica 100%, Anamalais & Coorg Coffee. So excited, I decided to try my hand at making a cup.
I grabbed the Coorg Coffee capsule and inserted in the machine. And within seconds came out a steaming cup of espresso. And within minutes I was making coffee like a specialist.
And within minutes I was on the Vero Coffee website (www.myvero.in) and ordered myself a machine!
Cant wait for it to get here! Good coffee mornings ahoy!

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Vegetarian Kofta: Raw Banana Kofte

During Ramazan my mom cooked beef koft’s and I have to say , they were the most yummiest kofte I have ever eaten. After Ramzan it was natural I had increased weight and wanted a lighter version of kofte and hence ended up asking mom to cook veg koftes.
Full of fresh herbs and spices, beef kofta has always been delicious. But when my mom cooked raw banana kofte’s I loved them as much as the beef koftes. Though they take a lot of patience and time , the result and outcome is worth all the trouble. Plus eating green bananas offers some advantages you won't get from eating the ripe, yellow ones. Green bananas or raw bananas have benefits for both dieters and diabetics and contain resistant starch which helps to keep the digestive tract healthy by acting as "food" for friendly, probiotic bacteria.
Though I love raw banana bajjis I also like to have plantain(raw banana ) kfote’s. Its a special dish famous in the north of India and is cooked when guests visit them. Undoubtedly this recipe is labor intensive dish but the final result is a great one!

Raw Banana Kofta

• Prep time: 45 min
• Cook time: 50 min
• Serves: 4

Ingredients For Koftas:

• Raw bananas - 2, boil in 3 cups water till soft
• Onion - 1, small, very finely chopped
• Grinded Channa dal (besan) - 1 tbsp
• Ginger garlic paste- 2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
• Amchur powder (raw mango powder)– optional
• Coriander leaves - 2 tbsps, finely chopped
• Salt to taste
• Oil - for deep frying koftas
• For Gravy:
• Cinnamon stick - 1
• Cardamom - 1
• Onion - 1, finely chopped
• Tomato - 1, large, pureed
• Green chillies-ginger paste - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin powder – 1/4 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tsps
• Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp
• Cashew - 10 (soak in 1/4 cup milk for 15 mts and grind to a paste)
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 2 tbsps
• Coriander leaves for garnish

Method

1. Cut each raw banana into two pieces. Do not peel the skin. Let them boil with 4 cups of water along with 1/2 tsp salt on low to medium flame. It will take around . Insert a knife into the raw banana and if it goes through smoothly then its cooked till soft. Turn off heat and drain the water. Cool and peel the raw bananas and mash them. Set aside.
2. Add the mashed raw bananas, finely chopped onions, cut green chilly, coriander powder, amchur powder, coriander leaves, channa powder and salt. Mix well and if necessary add another tbsp of chenna powder to bind the mixture such that you can make  lime sized balls (koftas). Make medium sized balls and keep aside.
3. Now heat oil for deep frying. Once the oil is hot, reduce flame to medium and gently drop the balls into the oil. Deep fry to a golden brown shade and remove into a bowl . Make sure to remove excess oil. Keep aside and get to cooking the gravy.
4. To prepare the gravy, heat oil in a cooking vessel. Add the cinnamon stick and cardamom and allow to splutter. Add the chopped onions and sauté till golden brown. Add Now add all the paste’s . Later add salt and all other powders and mix well. Add tomato and cook until oil separates from the masala.
5. Add 2 cups of water and bring the gravy to boil. Reduce flame and simmer for around 10 minutes or till it reaches the desired curry consistency. Turn off heat. You can add water according to the thickness you want your gravy to be.
6. Now add the kofte’s into the gravy and simmer for 4-5 minutes, serve warm. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Do you love kofte’s ? Have you tried other veg versions like lauki kofte or kele kofte? Temme !

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Importance of growth in Kids !

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Don’t we all want our children to happy and healthy? Oh yes we do ! All parents do too! In order for your children to be raised in a happy and healthy environment we need to bring in the right nutrition diet in our children’s lives. Most of the parents would agree about being extremely concerned about the well-being of children, and this concern is mostly around children falling behind on growth by not attaining the right height & weight as per the age.
Kids need to gain not only adequate weight but also adequate height  A child's height can also be tracked on a chart maintained by parents. Good nutrition, care and hygiene, especially in the first two years of life, are necessary to prevent children from becoming too short and ensuring correct growth. Growth in a child is also affected if a mother is undernourished or does not have proper nutrition during her pregnancy, the child may be born too small.

What could be the reason be behind your child’s slow growth?

Lets consider a few factors why your child might be suffering from growth problems:
-Does your child’s meals have too little 'growth' or 'energy' foods in them? According to me all those who think their child is affected with slow growth should include foods that help children grow like green veggies,beans, nuts, meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, grains and pulses. The daily inclusion of animal-source foods in the diet helps in growth of a child too. Another excellent substitute for increase of growth in children is giving them Horlicks Growth+ which is a specialized nutrition product designed by international pediatric experts for children in age group of 3-9 years. Those who lag behind in height and weight should give horlicks growth+ utmost importance. Horlicks growth + contains high quality whey protein with added nutrients that enable children to catch up on lost growth. 

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- Your child might not be eating often enough. When a child reaches 6 months , it is important that a child is given other foods along with breast milk. And kids aged 3-4 years should be given foods 3-4 times a day. Inadequate nutrition is a main factor for slow growth in a child.
- Your child is refusing to eat or suffers from illness often: You might want to include healthy eating habits in your chi;ld to avoid illness and if he dislikes eating bring in nutritious drinks like Horlicks in his diet!
- Do you leave your child alone much of the time or in the care of an older child? If yes then it is important you give more attention to your child and interact with him during mealtime!
-Is the food and water given to your clean and free from germs? It is important this factor is given utmost importance a child’s growth depends on what he eats ! Give your child clean and filtered drinking water and food which is not smelly. Try adding green leafy vegetables in your child’s diet.
In order for a child to be aided with normal growth we must make sure the child has good nutrition, enough sleep, and regular physical exercise. Hence for good growth in a child make sure you have given equal importance to all the three factors mentioned above.

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Introducing the Datsun redi-GO

Most people say that buying a car these days is a hassle free task but I disagree. Buying a new car, is surely not an easy task, especially now when there's so much choice.

I love shopping but you know what's that one thing about shopping which totally annoys me? - Making a choice. That's the toughest part. But do you know what simplifies this difficulty of making a choice? - That one product which stands out and forces you to have your fixed only at it. This was the case when I first came across the all new Datsun redi-GO! It's a car which you can't enough of and the one thing which acts like an icing on the cake is it's economical pricing. I was floored by its features, especially Datsun pro-safe 7 feature which makes the car reliable and durable. They have launched it in many colours and the ones I found most attractive were the red and green. I am in awe of this colour because of its lovely features. I would love to own it and take it on a long drive. Here's summing up the best about this car: Read on to know more!

Three features I loved the most about the Datsun redi-GO:

• Sporty and classy interior:

For me it's all about the comfort, all other things are secondary. One look at the interiors of this car tells you that it's perfect combination of comfort mixed with class. The car has an interior with a spacious overall, modern dash layout, sporty fabric and a superior drive computer.  I love the comfort factor here and the look is also appealing to the eyes.

• Datsun Pro-Safe 7:

Safety is priority and this is something you should always check before buying a vehicle. The Datsun redi-GO is backed with the Datsun Pro-safe 7 system which ensures you have a safe and sound journey. Performance augmented brakes, high strength body shell, opti-view etc, ensure passenger safety. Cars are mostly for the whole family to travel together and this is when safety is very important. A hatchback which guarantees safety is the need of the hour, especially in this heavy traffic of Bangalore! 

• Small Turning Radius:

This feature comes as a blessing for urban life. You find yourself under a tight spot every now and then. The Datsun redi-GO has a compact design which provides manoeuverability. One can make an easy full turn around with just a 4.7 metre radius. 

If I ever get to test drive this beauty, I would like to take it to Coorg. It's not very far from where I live the roads connecting Bangalore to Coorg are loaded with greenery and this will be a perfect outing while I get to test this sporty car. 

If you want to buy a new car, I suggest you go for this. It's perfect beast designed specially for urban living. What with its unique features like the Datsun pro-safe 7 and the small turning radius it's the perfect car which will help you beat your urban blues!

Fun. Freedom. Confidence. The ultimate Urban Cross - Datsun redi-GO - the capability of a crossover with the convenience of a hatchback.

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3 Most Beautiful Cities Of India: My idea of a perfect vacation

Lucknow is one city that is close to my heart after Bangalore. Although my parents hail from Uttar Pradesh I haven’t had the chance to vacation in Lucknow neither got a chance to take a trip to explore Lucknow.

I have been to Lucknow many times, but just till Railway station and from there a car picks us up and we travel right to our village located somewhere in the outskirts of Uttar Pradesh near Kheri district. Such is my sad plight. Eversince I was a child I was fascinated by Indian historic culture and its beauty and Lucknow is associated with the Nawabs and their culture and I have always wanted to explore it. Sadly I used to visit UP only when one of my closest relative would get married and that too once in 6-7 years.

Hence it has always been my dream to go on a beautiful serene vacation to Lucknow and explore its beauty. But a journey travelled to lucknow via different routes is what my perfect vacation is made up of! I have always been fascinated by 3 cities in India and unfortunately I haven’t got the opportunity to explore all three of them. Life in Bangalore is busy and taking out time to vacate within India is not everybody’s idea for a great vacation place in my family. Every time we plan to go on a vacation its somewhere posh and international but nobody wanted to travel and explore within India.
Its been my dream to explore beautiful Hyderabad, dazzling Delhi and the Lajawab Lucknow! I hate travelling or vacating all by myself or even with bunch of friends. Perfect would mean with family <3 ! Hopefully someday I will take out the time to vacate and explore these 3 beautiful cities..

I simply love journey’s by train. The fun, the frolicking and the long peaceful moments of staring outside from a moving train #Bliss ! *Mega sigh* Plus I am huge foodie and perfect vacation would be incomplete without exploring the beautiful food served in Hyderabad, the famous cuisine of Delhi and Lucknow is one of the best places for a foodie ! Everytime I journeyed to Lucknow we would go straight to our native village which meant , no staying in a hotel . But my perfect vacation would include a hotel that would have a swimming pool, a beautiful view, best cuisine, and super awesome decor *cheeky grin*

Perfect vacation for me includes factors like choosing the right weather, packing the right clothes, travelling with my loved ones, exploring historical monuments, clicking loads and loads o pictures, travelling by all three modes road, rail and air and staying at a beautiful and serene hotel ! As simple as that :)

The weather should be breezy, like spring, neither too hot neither too cold. Booking tickets at a good price also an important factor as money saved while booking tickets means another reason to shop on my vacation! I am huge shopaholic and when it comes to clothes and jewelry i lurv shopping for them, hence shopping at Delhi and in streets f delhi also has been my dream. I have read numerous blogs and articles as how awesome Delhi is when it comes to shopping, the same for Hyderabad and Lucknow !

Perfect vacation is incomplete without the perfect luggage. My vacation would include a journey from Bangalore to Hyderabad via train, then after I have explored Hyderabad I would love to travel to Delhi from Hyderabad by train again (Trains be awesome, except that there are many thieves lurking around!) And from delhi to Lucknow by Bus ( I am huge fan f travelling by bus ! The antakshari, the dhabe pe khana …damn!)

But once my vacation is complete and I have explored all of my three beautiful cities, I am sure me and my loved ones would be exhausted by all the travelling and the baggage would double for I plan to do loads of shopping, hence I plan to travel back home by Airlines ! I am fond of travelling though Jet Airways and would like to travel by the same. Being back home with all the memories, photographs and shopping without having to face any difficulties while travelling is my idea a perfect vacation.

What is your idea for a perfect vacation? A perfect vacation is not necessarily somewhere to vacate in a posh place or in a foreign country, for me it is exploring Indian culture.. Share your thoughts below.. I would love to hear what you think of my perfect vacation! :)

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