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Author: Akshaya
5 simple recipes on my list for Christmas
With my renewed passion for baking and cooking, I am always on the lookout for new, interesting and easy to cook recipes. After a recent dinner with friends cooking Thai for all, followed by baking an apple n caramel upside down cake and chocolate chip cookies a few days later, I am all geared up to try these recipes for Christmas from some of my favorite chefs and cookbooks –
1. Devil’s Food Cake –
My love for desserts and the simple recipe and easy to get ingredients make this my favorite dish.
2. Mexican Chicken Salad with Black bean Sauce –
The original recipe with Turkey may taste even better, but I choose to make with chicken
3. Quick crispy chicken with tomatoes & asparagus –
Chicken with veggies … love it!
4. Crab cakes with dill mayonnaise –
A dish I’ve wanted to try for a very long time.
5. Big Soft Ginger Cookies –
To go with that glass of Hot Chocolate!
Cheers to a Merry Christmas and a gastronomic 2014!
A trip to an Indian Vineyard -Sula Wines, Nashik
Sula Wines
Our weekend break prior to the onset of monsoons in Mumbai led us to Beyond – a first of its kind vineyard resort of Sula Wines located in Nashik. It took us 3.5 hours to reach by car and it was a good drive thanks to the well maintained Mumbai-Nashik highway!
Beyond Vineyard Resort is a great experience from the moment you enter. A little ahead of the Sula Vineyards, it is a beautifully landscaped property with a scenic driveway leading to the entrance.
With a wide selection of rooms, Beyond has a restaurant, a spa, gymnasium and a games room. Our package included a trip to the winery for a tour and some wine tasting! Needless to say the tour was well organized and we tasted a variety of Sula wines -as a result our favourite Sula wine now is the Sula Brut Rosé – a Rosé sparkling wine in a lovely pink colour .
Back at the resort, we relaxed and had a lovely time. Although the cuisine at their restaurant Cafe Rosé, is limited to Indian and Continental cuisine, the taste an variety of dishes can be better. With only one restaurant at the resort, we had the option of Soma or Little Italy at the Vineyard a few kms away.
We were given a complimentary Spa vouceer and I managed to get pampered with a 60 min Balinese massage, while my husband and little one caught up on the afternoon siesta. I wish I had more time to experience some of their signature spa treatments, organic spa facials or vinotherapy like the Red Wine Body Scrub or the Red Wine and Rose Facial. It was time to be happy with the one hour relaxation I got and leave the rest for the next visit!
What we liked about Sula:
– Tour of the winery and the wine tasting
– Comfortable stay at Beyond, with a co-operative and courteous staff
– A beautifully landscaped resort with entertainment options for children and adults
– Clean and well-maintained rooms
– Complimentary Spa therapy was an icing on the cake!
– Our favorite Sula Wines: Sula Brut Rosé , Dindori Reserve Viognier, Sula Zinfandel
What we did’nt enjoy:
– The map giving the driving directions was incorrect. The Hindustan Hardy Spicer is a T junction where we need to take a left and gollow the road till we reach another T junction of papaya nursery. After the papaya nursery, its the 2nd left after hotel Guru Krupa. After this turn there are Sula Vineyard signs leading the way till we reach the location.
– The towels provided were an anti-thesis to the ambience of the room and resort
– The food at Cafe Rosé did nothing to tantalize our taste buds. It can surely be better.
The Vineyard Resort
We would still recommend it to anyone who is keen on a vineyard visit and wants to experience Sula! It was surely a super relaxing getaway just a few hours from Mumbai- just what a full time mommy needs to get a break from the daily chores!
Don’t jinx my workout!
Healthy living
I have attempted to have a ‘healthy lifestyle’ since I was 18! Annual gym memberships, early morning yoga or swimming sessions after work – all in vain because I never stuck to any of it.
After a point I started feeling my exercise regimen gets ‘jinxed’ the moment I mention it to anyone. Why does it feel like something in the universe is testing my will power to exercise every time I feel the need to get into a workout schedule? Funnily I was discussing this with an old friend who had started going to the gym quite regularly but it got interrupted the moment her help at home mentioned it to someone when asked why her employer was not at home! It’s ironic that we had the same experience but it reaffirmed my belief on getting jinxed.
I have therefore decided not to say a word on my mode of workout or what I’m doing to lose weight! 😉 Wonder if anyone else has had a similar experience?
Birthday gift to self
Cupcakes to celebrate
I’ve always enjoyed planning soirees, surprise birthday parties for friends and coordinating any event from start to finish. However, when it comes to my own birthday I just wish I could disappear, not answer calls, not meet anyone and not have folks fuss about my birthday.
I recently managed to survive this day on May 17, and I’ve realized its not just the day but the week leading to my birthday and I get all wound up. Calling me short tempered will be an understatement and I’m like a woman ready to axe down anything that comes in my way! This year I came down with a flu so bad that I could hardly talk! Sadly, it’s been a few years since I’ve truly enjoyed my birthday with friends or family who I’d really like to be with. So, here are some of the things I wish I could do instead:
1. Spend time with my dad (who passed away when I was 25). Would love to hear him or talk to him and say things I did’nt when I could have coz I was too busy doing other not so important things. That way I am blessed to have my mom with me on my birthday since her d-day is on May 15 and I make it a point to be with her no matter what.
2. Go off on a holiday to a place which has a lot of snow – I was blessed to celebrate it once in the Himalayas when I was 9. It was beautiful to be surrounded by snow capped mountains while cutting my birthday cake.
3. Take a meditative holiday to the Ananda Spa in Himalayas
4. Not hear from people who call for the sake of calling. Feel like telling them ‘i’m better off not hearing from you at all so please save both of us the trouble’ !
5. Disappear
Sometimes I feel its just the need to tell these people to stay away from me forever so I can move on with life and really start enjoying the things that I’ve always loved doing. These people who sap the energy out of anything I’ve wanted in life – are just there coz they need to be tolerated for someone else’s sake – I would not miss a thing if I dont meet them or see them or talk to them!
But the other line of thought I feel I need to explore is the art of ‘ignoring’. If they irritate me its my problem not theirs.If they are successful in getting to me its only because I let them,so I need to learn to let them be and tolerate them for the few hours I have to meet them once every few weeks and forget about them the other times. Its going to take a lot of practice and perseverance but its a path worth exploring . A gift I’ve promised to give my self this year for my birthday.
Journey towards Buddhahood
My Buddha Bar
It’s been a while since I got inspired to write something. With a whirlwind of activities from handling a toddler to household chores to getting creative with crochet 🙂 I have got introduced to practicing Buddhism and trying to maintain a regular schedule with it.
My husband and I have been collector’s of Buddha idols ever since we got married, but I never got a chance to understand the philosophy by meeting someone who actually practiced it. Learning about Gautama Buddha and the Noble Eight fold path orthe Four Noble Truths was all in context to academics many many years ago! Following it was a matter of great debate, given the political and competitive environment one has to deal with in our day to day life. My interest in the subject was purely from a point of meditation and not until I was introduced to it by a friend did I understand how it helps in living a balanced and fulfilled life.
My belief in the popular saying of “things happen when they are meant to” was further re-instated when I got introduced to Nichiren Buddhism which originated in Japan. Its quite surprising that living in India all this while so close to Bodhgaya I never got anywhere close to delving deeper into the subject. It’s better late than never! Nichiren Buddhism is based on the Lotus Sutra and works towards attaining a peaceful society while discovering Buddhahood.
Here’s to enlightenment!
Addicted to Crochet!
Those were the words my husband said when he saw me crocheting away for the last 2 days whenever I had some time on hand. Instead of the laptop or television it was the crochet hook that had all my attention and I am super thrilled with the result!
My first Crochet Project
Yes! My first ever crochet project – a handbag with the pretty crochet flowers 🙂 A new feeling of accomplishment and happiness that I’ve actually undertaken a project and successfully completed it to my satisfaction!
I wanted to do something different but useful other than a granny square blanket or a scarf and my research proved successful when I landed on Yolanda’s page.
When I decided to venture into crocheting I didn’t imagine how different the scenario in India will be for getting the basic resources like the crochet hooks! My dear mother did manage to get a 5 mm hook (as the biggest size available) so that’s what I have used for this project.I spent a couple of weeks practicing the basic stitches that were simplified and explained by Naztazia in her video tutorial.
Its been exciting few days and a great experience making my first crochet bag! I think I’ll be exploring ebay soon to order some of the awesome hooks I see online 🙂
If babies could talk
I’ve come across many situations with relatives and strangers behaving weirdly in an effort to entertain my little one… and I often wonder do people take things for granted just coz babies are not able to verbalize their true feelings and crying is something every grown up likes to decipher as convenient to them? Although parents are the closest individuals who may be in sync with the child’s feeling, there still are those stubborn, head strong relatives who think they know best! Its so frustrating to deal with such people and so I thought my kiddo would love to say these things to them if she could…
1. Please don’t try to grab me from my Ma or Paa’s arms the moment you see me.. you may look scary to me!
2. Don’t fling me in the air horizontal or vertical trying to entertain coz it does’nt and I throw up!
3. Do you change your clothes in the drawing-room with guests around?… I don’t think so.. then why should my diaper by changed just coz I’m a baby? Thank you Ma for respecting my privacy
4. To show your affection for me please don’t lift my top/dress/shirt to feel me or kiss me….. it’s not very classy… a simple hug and some cuddles also makes me happy!
5. Don’t try to make nonstop sounds and loud noises to make me stop crying…. you are adding to the already noisy situation and it doesn’t distract me
6. Feeding others is a milestone and it wont affect me psychologically for the rest of my life is you dont put my fingers or spoon in your mouth and take the food off it instead…you are not my Ma or Pa and its unhygienic anyways.
Would love to hear if your baby has some things to say!
Be beautiful
A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous – Coco Chanel
Make-up and some pampering can surely get you feeling that way, along with a few other things. I rarely go over board with make-up but I love eye-shadows. Although my handbag will always have the essentials its difficult to carry a lot of stuff now that I also have a diaper bag on me most of the time!
Mirror mirror…..
It will be nice to have a Victorian white mirror in my beauty corner at home but due to lack of space in Mumbai homes I am currently managing with a dresser behind a 6 ft tall mirror with multiple shelves. Slowly and steadily the bottom shelves are getting emptier in the effort of keeping things away from my curious daughter resulting in a lot of clutter in my already tiny closet.
I mostly prefer chemical free products beauty therapy – a habit I got into during my pregnancy with the warning of keeping away from ‘all the banned stuff’ during those 9 months. Hope to share some of the reviews and stories from my beauty bar!
Things we did in Kochi travelling with a toddler
We planned a quick getaway this February to Kochi. Although the weather was much warmer than we expected it was fun and relaxing.
View from our cottage
We stayed a hotel by the backwaters (our first time experience in Kerala) for the first two days… and enjoyed the lovely view at sunset. We had a great deal from Hotels.com for Trident and that’s where we stayed for the remaining days.
Although 4 days is a lot to spend in Kochi, we went with the sole intention of relaxing and not filling up our days with travel and sightseeing. Anyone who travels with a toddler knows the limits! With the limited sightseeing options 2 days can be more than enough to explore this city. For us it was completely an unwinding trip focused on cultural experiences, kerala ayurveda and shopping! I loved the visit to the Greenix Village – a superb cultural experience in Fort Kochi. Fort Kochi was where we saw the popular Chinese Fishing Nets and I even got to shop for some interesting, inexpensive jewellery by the rural artisans. The next thing on my shopping list was a traditional Kerala saree which I managed to purchase in Mattancherry also popular for Spices.I brought home a few spice boxes for gifting. Neatly packaged but still had to make sure they were further packed airtight to avoid my clothes from smelling of spices!
Sightseeing at Fort Kochi
We also visited the Elephant training camp about 1 hour drive from our hotel. It was a good experience for our daughter to see these animals up close in their natural habitat, however I felt given the time taken to travel this place can be given a miss.
Elephant Training Camp
Our next travel to Kerala will be to Alleppey, Munnar and Thekkady which is usually sold as a package by most tour operators and covers the best of staying in a houseboat and visiting a hill station while experiencing the God’s own country.
Flower power!
The winter warmth is making way for the crisper spring and summer, when windows are flung open and lighter floral scents make their way into our homes. We got Nazneen Jehangir, Founder of Libellule, Floral Couture to share with us what’s the latest this season, along with ideas and tips to make the most of your beautiful blossoms.
THL: What are the flowers currently in season?
NJ: We are on the verge of spring so it will shortly be the season of plenty! Think Hydrangeas, Tulips, Stock and Hycinths and of course, there will be bulbs like Narcissus and Muscari.
THL: What’s the best way to increase the longevity of flowers?
NJ: Always keep your water fresh and free of any leaves or debris. Cut your stems regularly and keep the vase out of direct air condition drafts. Flowers are also sensitive to extreme changes in weather so try…
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Crochet: My latest inspiration
The creative bug gets the best of me every few years. I like to believe I am creatively inclined and would love to do something on a larger and continuous scale but have not been able to find ‘the’ course or activity that I would stick to. Indecisive as can be.
I have enjoyed every bit of the creative project I have undertaken – candle making, graphic designing, warli painting, stained glass (with colours, although would love to try the Tiffany style project!), embroidery, fabric painting and my recent interest is in crochet.
I am barely a week into Crocheting and am absolutely fascinated with the creativity involved and the result expected! Having some troubles at the moment since I am unable to find the right sized crochet hook coz here in India we don’t get the fancy Crochet Sets that I came across on Amazon and Ebay….. I have begun my crocheting journey with a 3mm hook instead of 5mm as suggested in most tutorials. Thanks to YouTube and so many awesome crocheters out there I seem to have a lot of guidance in my first crochet piece . I am currently practicing the various stitches till I manage to get a 5mm needle when I will finally start my first project – maybe a baby blanket for my little one, or a scarf or an afghan for me. Hope to get the hook soon!
3 little ducks
One of my creations during pregnancy. In preparation for the new arrival – A hand embroidered baby blanket
The White Teapot 