Life in Technicolor

Clean & Clear has been my personal favorite when it comes to facewashes. A few months ago, I reviewed the Morning Energy range which comes in attractive colors & fragrances. So, when I received the Foaming product sample, I was keen to try it out. Recently, Clean & Clear launched a campaign, called #ReadyFace , which talks about & empowers girls to bravely face the world , stop the internal self doubt & bother about others who judge you. It is about being confident in your own skin & flaunting it without the fear of getting judged. You can read more about the campaign on  http://www.cleanandclear.in/ what-s-trending/clean-clear- ready-face Clean & Clear helps girls find their #ReadyFace, with its improved oil-free Foaming Facial Wash that helps prevent acne, blackheads & oily skin & keeps the skin oil-free, for up to 8 hours. Benefits: For those looking for a milder facewash, this is the one! It does not leave the skin feeling ...

It struggles to get in, She tries shutting it out, A constant battle ensues, Of fighting with might, Unyielding both are, But in the end,  She sighs & gives in  To the thought.

Indians are known to be great planners. Be it planning for the next party, your next investment or your child’s education. With the ever growing inflation, education for your kid, is one of the priorities for most parents. Primary school & college education in India, have seen about 300-400 % hikes in the annual fees, in a span of 20 years. In a close knit community like ours, parents feel responsible for the child’s welfare till he or she “settles down”, which puts a huge obligation on them. With youngsters wanting to venture into unconventional careers, parents need to be prepared both mentally & financially. Most financial institutions are now stressing on the importance of investing right. With the current savings interest rate being 4% & the fixed deposit rate around 8.5%, the savings will hardly meet the requirements to fulfill your child’s dream. The last resort & the most sought after by most parents is the education loan. ...

I have lived in 3 cities in India so far- New Delhi, Mumbai & Jamshedpur. Hence, whenever someone asks me my most favorite city in India; its a tough choice to decide. Mumbai & Jamshedpur both come close to the finish line but eventually, I would say, Jamshedpur wins as I've spent over 18 years in the city. For anyone who has visited Jamshedpur, their first reaction is always of amazement. "Wow, I never imagined a city in Jharkhand to be so clean, green & well laid out". Away from the hustle & bustle of a metropolitan city, Jamshedpur is a perfect image of a quiet, peaceful life amidst both greenery & factories for after all, it is the "Steel City". The only one in India to not have a municipal corporation, the city's town planning & management is looked after by JUSCO (Jamshedpur Utilies & Services Company), a 100% subsidiary of Tata Steel.

The wind roared, "Oh ! there it goes again", she thought, Uprooting trees & toppling hay stacks, Destroying everything in its way, But today, she felt a sense of calm,  Standing still she looked at the darkness outside her window The moon shined forth brightly, For today, she was the eye of the hurricane.

It has always intrigued me to watch cocktails, mock tails or different concoctions of any drink being made. The different flavors, liquids & ingredients added give the drink a taste & twist of its own. I try not looking at ingredients when ordering a drink, & later play a game of guess the items. Bartenders use their creativity in churning out delicious mixes playing with the skill they possess. "Shaken, not stirred, with a large thin slice of lemon peel.”. That’s how James Bond demands his vodka martini. People have been mixing drinks since as long as the 17th & 18th century. There are several interesting stories behind the origin of the name, "Cocktail". Maybe, I'll save those stories for some other day. Here, I'm listing out several cocktail recipes which I've seen my friends make. Its simple & easy. Some of them would have a desi Indian twist to them. Mojito- It is a rum based cocktail offering a fresh hint ...

The echoes of laughter rang through, Quick glances & quiet smiles being exchanged, Of walks in the park & some friendly banter, Her heart strings tugged lightly. She longed for a conversation, A real one , for she hated small talk. Maybe she missed him even before meeting him.

This Diwali, I made these nutty biscuit cakes & they turned out yum! When you pop one into your mouth, you won't even know, that the recipe is so simple. I've made these a couple of times earlier & they're always a great dessert when you crave for a sweet after a meal. Nutty Chocolate Biscuit Cake So here goes: Time req uired- 4 hours   12 digestive/Marie biscuits 1 cup toasted almonds/Pistachio/cashew nuts/dates ¼ cup cocoa powder 2 tbsp butter/vegetable oil 1 tbsp. honey 1 tbsp water Sugarfree Natura pellets as per taste Dry roast the nuts of your choice (I added cashews, dates and walnuts) for a few minutes and crush lightly to get a coarse powder. Add finely chopped dates to the mixture of roasted walnuts & cashews. Crushed Biscuits & Nuts & Cocoa Syrup Break all the biscuits ( I used digestive biscuits, you can also use Marie biscuits) into small pieces. Heat butter or vegetable oil (odorless) in a pan and add co...

So, since the past few days, I've had too many things on my mind. Too many to keep a tab of them, myself! Hence the wordcloud.  I used a cool internet application to depict all of it on my mind. And I've still missed many such as writing, presentations, blog, events etc. 

Heidi is one of my most favorite cartoons of all time. I remember rushing home from school, to first switch on the TV to watch Heidi. So recently when I got hold of all the episodes once again, my happiness knew no bounds.  Heidi is a story about a young girl in the Swiss Alps, who lives with her grandfather & his dog, Joseph. Orphaned when she was just a baby, Heidi is raised by her aunt who later has to leave her in the care of her grandfather in the mountains.Her grandfather is known to be at odds with the village folk & lives by himself in a cottage high up in the mountains. It is adorable to see how his heart warms up with Heidi's daily talk & activities. With her angelic face & heart of gold, Heidi makes everyone fall in love with her.  There is so much to learn from each episode. Living a life of simplicity with the goats & amidst nature, Heidi shows us the strength of character, of adjusting easily in harsh environments & winni...

The "autumn" season has always intrigued me. The month of October in some countries of the world is marked by a beautiful change of scenery, of the weather, with Mother Nature moving towards cold harsh winter months. Here, in India, we hardly experience this season.  I think, its a fascinating change, to shed your old skin, be bare for a while & later come up again rejuvenated. Some animals & reptiles do that too. Hibernating through the winter months. Alas, if only humans could do that. Or maybe we can. Once a year, to let go of the seemingly dead things in our life- meaningless relationships, unnecessary junk around the house, of the negative feelings & just be.  Lie low for a month. Give your body time to recuperate, to dwell in the bliss of nothingness. It need not be a month. A week maybe.  Maybe, different spans of time for different people. But worth a try, I guess. It definitely isn't going to be easy. To bare your soul in the harsh ...

She fought through the fog, Trying to reach the light.. But the horizon kept moving further "Am I in a dream?", she wondered, Pinching herself hard on her arm to make sure Suddenly, she was blinded by the sparkling lights Blinded & overwhelmed, she caught herself from tumbling over.. The fog had suddenly disappeared She stood straight & tall, Confident like never before. The curtains moved in the light breeze, The weak morning sun rays gleamed into her eyes.. Reflecting the sparkle within her, Waking up to red marks on her arm, She smiled to herself, Ready to face the day.

Title: It Doesn't Hurt To Be Nice  Author: Amisha Sethi Publisher: Srishti Publishers & Distributors ISBN: 978-93-82665-48-9 Number of Pages: 130 Price: 175 [INR]   Usually, before starting any book, I read the summary on the back cover or on the internet. So, the first impression I got when I started reading the book was that of any other self help book. But its only when, the story detailed out small instances in Kiara's life, common ones which happen in most of ours, that it made me sit up & introspect.  The author has in a simple language managed to explain the deeper insights of life, those which we refuse to acknowledge in our fast paced life, the tiny signs sent by the Universe- to be kind, to let go & move on.  Kiara, a thirty year old, top marketing professional has climbed the ladder of success by hard work & kindness, not once looking for a shorter route to it. Throughout her life, she finds wisdom in the ...

Sun rays peeped through the dusty windows, Of the attic which had fallen through. Leaves fluttered in the cool morning breeze, Dew drops glittered like tiny diamonds scattered across the moss, Squirrels scuttered in the woods nearby, Merrily gnawing on the acorns. Mother Nature looked resplendent. Bearing no signs of the loss from the storm the night before. Strong & mighty, She beamed at the new dawn.

Clean & Clear has been one of my favorites in the facewash category, ever since I can remember. The product has maintained its quality & pricing. It lathers well with a small quantity, is extremely good for acne & leaves you with a fresh, clear & squeaky clean skin. So, recently, when the brand launched its Morning energy range of facewashes, I definitely wanted to try them. The fragrances & colors are really attractive- energizing lemon, purifying apple & brightening berry & come in hues of yellow, green & pale pink respectively. So, apart from the characteristic Clean & Clear facewash, these are the 3 latest variants. Purifying apple purifies oily skin Brightening Berry brightens dull skin  Energizing lemon energizes dull & tired skin The Morning Energy Range from Clean & Clear Price: INR 110 for a 100 ml bottle. Benefits: The facewash works wonders in the morning, adding a glow to the dull skin. The fragrance is...

“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”  ― Robert A. Heinlein

I had a rejuvenating weekend after a long long time last week. On Saturday, met up with a good friend, gorged on delicious food & chilled.  With Sunday, came the launch event of Tata Sky, which happened to be my first Indiblogger event. The  Tata Sky+ Transfer set top box (STB) was launched, a new technology which allows you to record your favorite TV shows on your set top box & hand held device (Android 4.1.2 & above or IoS 6.0 & above) & watch it anytime anywhere via the new Tata Sky App. Now, isn't that awesome? What with busy schedules, TV viewing time is mostly late in the day or during the weekends, so why miss it each weekend or download it & encourage piracy..With this new set top box, which is a first of its kinds in India, you can view the shows offline as the recording will be done automatically on the smart phone or tablet via the set top box over a WiFi connection. The Tata Sky+ STB is available nationally & is priced a...

Mumbai rentals count amongst the most expensive world over. Owning a 2BHK is considered a luxury & a middle class family spends its lifetime saving to buy one in Mumbai. Naturally, due to smaller houses, space crunch is a major issue. The same holds for me as well. Being a voracious reader, my room over the years has been deluged in a flood of books right from Dan Browns to Marketing books of Kotler. Like any other lover of books, I usually avoid giving away my books. I donate some every year, but there are hundred others, which I like to re-read. Till a few days, I was in a dilemma over this as the shelf had literally no space to accommodate any more books & every other space had been eaten up too. It was then that I heard about BoxMySpace while browsing the internet.  The box used for storage Boxmyspace is a simple and secure storage solution which helps people store their unwanted stuff and clear up space in their home and office. This venture currently ope...