You will be missed sir – en era of academic brilliance ends with your sad demise

“My message, especially to young people is to have courage to think differently, courage to invent, to travel the unexplored path, courage to discover the impossible and to conquer the problems and succeed. These are great qualities that they must work towards. This is my message to the young people.” - Dr APJ Abdul Kalam 

You will be missed sir – en era of academic brilliance ends with your sad demise

In this world of glamour, overhyped publicity and larger than life stature that people maintain, you remained aloof and untouched with this make-believe world. Where people with fake smile and below average talent rose to become ‘celebrity’, you with your supercomputer brains and knowledge bank became our much loved ‘President’.

There is not one person in India and abroad who would not have wept after hearing your demise. Dr

APJ Abdul Kalam you will continue to be our shining star and blazing sunshine. You have indeed left an indelible mark in the lives of millions of people across the world. A man so simple, modest and ever smiling, Kalam sir those of whom had the privilege of meeting you are lucky souls. In some way your aura might have rubbed on them too.

Your intellect, humility and calm demeanor don’t just inspire but motivate us to strive to become like you. The unconditional love and respect you held for education has been highlighted in all your speeches and interviews. In the time that you spent on earth you might not have spent one second in despair or anguish. Each second you sowed the seed of positivity, enthusiasm and encouragement in the young minds of the nation.

The world owes you a lot. It is not just the contribution you have made to the world of science and technology that makes each of indebted. But the gift and gumption that you have given to each of us - to dream, to ignite the power within and to dare to work towards attainting higher goals.

I wish we all can imbibe even one percent of what you were. I wish we burn the lamp within us and work towards enlightening the world with your thoughts and belief. I wish we worship you and offer our efforts in helping to build India 2020.

May our souls reverberate to your tunes and teachings.....

We love you and will keep doing so......

http://www.abdulkalam.com/

For a Perfect Sunday Lunch

For a Perfect Sunday Lunch

The rains finally made their presence felt in Delhi. It was as if god finally decided to answer our prayers and sent the rains over on a Saturday evening. The surprise monsoon spell set the mood to make a perfect Sunday lunch. So I and my daughter-in-law decided to prepare our signature dish – Dal & Bafala along with some crunchy salad and plain rice. So here goes the healthy recipe for all those who wish to make Sunday’s lunch an affair to remember.

Bafala

This one is the main dish and so care must be taken to make the dough properly. Follow the steps to make perfect dough.

Ingredients

• Four cup wheat flour
• One cup suji
• One tablespoon salt to taste
• Three tablespoon oil or ghee (prefer to use olive oil in keeping the health factor)

Preparing the dough

Mix all the given ingredients mentioned above using warm water. Ensure when you knead the dough, it is hard and mixed well. Then leave the dough for 15 minutes in the vessel with a slightly wet muslin cloth.

After 15 minutes or so just run a hand over the dough and even it out. Then divide the dough in small equal portion in the form of small balls. Once all the balls are ready just flatten them a bit and pinch a hole in the middle of the flattened ball.

Boil some water in the meantime. Once the water is boiled and you see steam coming out place a strainer on top of the vessel. Then place the entire rolled out ball on the surface of the strainer. Steam them for 10-20 minutes till the bafala look well cooked. To get an idea just use a toothpick to check if they are cooked.

While these bafala are steamed, pre-heat the microwave at 180 degree for about 10 minutes. Then get the baking try, apply olive oil on the surface and keep the bafala on it. Brush some olive oil on the surface of the bafala before keeping the tray in the convention oven.

Keep the tray in the oven to bake for about 10 minutes. Once you see the surface turning crisp red and glazed, it indicates that the bafal are properly cooked and ready to serve.

For accompanying Dal

Buy the mixed dal packet from the department store. Soak them in water for about 15 minutes in normal water. Till the dal is soaked, make a nice tomato gravy for it. Just pressure cook the dal to ensure it is properly boiled and ready for preparation.

Ingredients for gravy

• Two tomatoes
• Some ginger shreds
• Black pepper
• 3 garlic cloves
• Small cinnamon strip
• One cardamom

Preparing the gravy

Mix all the above listed ingredients in a mixer grinder and make a paste of it. Add a little water while grinding it.

Then take a pan, add some oil or ghee and pour the tomato puree in it. Let it cook properly till the oil begins to appear on the surface. Then add boiled mix dal into it and all the masala that include red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and a pinch of garm masala as well as salt as per the taste. Let the dal shimmer and pressure cook it for about 5 minutes.

For the crunchy salad

Check your refrigerator cabinet and see what all fruits you have. I had fresh kiwi, green apple, pomegranate, tomato and a small onion. Cut all of them in thin slices or as you want, then mix them in a bowl and squeeze in a lemon and some salt.  

 Try this simple, healthy and tasty dish and let us know how your experience in preparing and devouring it was. A little piece of information, this legendary Dal & Bafala dish belongs to Malwa region in the area of Indore, Ujjain and Ratlam. 

Mommies go shopping at Jabong.com

I recently celebrated my daughter’s first birthday at a hill station near Nanital. In the excitement to travel I forgot to buy gift from my little one, and a surprise mail from Jabong.com made me smile and there my worries vanished in thin air. A gift coupon of Rs 1000 was waiting for me to claim and I was overjoyed. Thanking the team at Jabong.com I went ahead and checked out kid’s collection on the shopping site.

Usually sceptical on buying stuff online, the chance to shop for my little princess made me go for this online shopping stint. I was given three brands to choose from that included fashion labels like Zucchini, Evolve and Gini & Jony.  Having purchased cloths from Gini & Jony I wanted to try out the other two brands.

My journey began as I logged in at www.jabong.com and once in the kid’s corner I was easily able to browse through the entire range of Evolve and Zucchini brands. The collection for both girls and boys was fairly good. One has to spend some good time checking out the entire range. In my case it was a one year old girl, so I ended up liking stuff displayed in the Zucchini brand. Like a little child I went on hopping from one t-shirt to another. Do check out those refreshing frocks showcased on the online shelf, I plan to buy one once my daughter begins to walk.

For those who are not aware about Zucchini brand, let me give you an overview. Zucchini is to go brand for your smart kid. With a motto of discovering new fashion with trendy and stylish dressing the brand showcases the same in its collection. Get an eclectic mix of trendy Tees, stylish bottoms, printed dresses and smart shirts. Choose from brighter yellows, creamy whites, cleaner greys, sea blues, rosy reds and cheeky pinks colour pallet.  

Mothers who always want to dress their kid with the trendiest brand of cloths then this is one label to check out for sure. The designer of this wonderful collection believes that Zucchini kid has a mind of their own and expresses themselves through the smart collection. Those of you who still have not checked out this brand can do so by going on this link -http://www.jabong.com/zucchini/ .

Once there mothers can apply filters and check out those stuff they would want to buy. For me I had a wonderful time browsing almost all the things displayed by Zucchini. One reason for picking this brand was the there is a lyrical feel to the name of the brand and being a music lover it was easy to relate to it.

But when it comes to shopping there are no limits, try out other brand like Evolve and Gini & Jony too.

Now let me share with you my buying experience. Buying from Jabong.com was as easy as fixing a cup of tea for yourself. Just go to the virtual online shopping store www.jabong.com and select the kid’s category. There is a Jabong app that is easy and free to download from the site or Google play store. Then look for various brands, discounts if any and then hit the buy button.

When I went about shopping on Jabong.com I ended up browsing a lot many brands before selecting Zucchini. I ended up buying two really cool girly t-shirts and a woollen frock (keeping in mind Delhi’s winter’s). My shopping kart was ready and all I had to do was enter the coupon code and there you have your goody bag ready to be delivered.

Once the shopping process is complete, the buyer will receive a SMS and an e-mail from the Jabong team as a confirmation message. This will also include the date at which the stuff will be delivered. In my case I got the package two days earlier. So this felt really nice and I was impressed with the prompt service.  Even the products were properly packed, ensuring there is no damage in transit.

Now the crucial aspect was to check the quality of cloths delivered. I knew that I made a smart online shopping. The validation came from my mother-in-law who touched the fabric of the t-shirt and said ‘This one is good quality cotton and the kid is going to be comfortable in it. Even the woollen frock is very nicely designed and the wool is soft so it won’t be harsh on the kid’s skin.’ I had this huge smile on my face and was really a happy and satisfied customer.

So all Mummies and Daddies dearest if you haven’t shopped at Jabong.com, then do so now. There are some really awesome brands and deals waiting to be explored and shopped. Happy Shopping Parents!

Pamper your taste buds to fight depression with these 10 yummy treats

The word ‘Depression’ has become one of the biggest enemies in today’s life. As per Centre for Disease Control, 1 in every 5 person in America is battling depression. Worldwide people are facing this problem owing to stressed professional life, sedentary lifestyles and nearly absent personal life. In fact in 2004 British Journal of Psychology came out with a startling finding that placed depression as the 4^th leading cause of disability (this is in context of disability to perform tasks at personal and professional levels).

This psychological problem is like that evil Joker in ‘Batman series’. A sadist that is slowly killing the person each day where one tends to lose interest in life, work, food and most importantly sex. The clinical depression as health experts’ state is the worst form of depression that lasts longer with the patient’s ending up as silent spectator with no reaction. One tends to remain lonely and hates being part of social circles, it is like locking oneself from the entire world. There are no reasons to be happy and all that one does is cry in despair.

But it is time to see the brighter side of depression. Hold your breath as there is one thing that people suffering from depression tend to ignore ‘Food therapy’. Yes this very evil can be fought with a smile by devouring some really good stuff. Instead of popping pills and spending hours crying or lying on the bed, get ready to treat yourself. Forget the weight gain problem, just learn to be happy by eating some really mouth watering dishes to kick the depression away.

So here is a wish list that you got to fulfill and smile your way out of depression by eating the best food available in town. Health expert feel that it is important to eat right and spread the meal five or six times in a day instead of one heavy meal.  Here goes the list that promises to make you happy and gay (pun intended):

1.       Turkey is the way

Time to ring in those Christmas celebration once again, Turkey is one dish devoured during this festival. Those of you who seriously want to kill those depressive strands from the mind; they should eat Turkey more often which is rich in tryptophan source. This particular chemical works to stimulate serotonin creation which is regarded as a natural ‘feel-good-chemical’ produced by the body. So invite friends at home or head to the nearby restaurants to enjoy your share of ‘feel-good-food’. Turkey has what is said ‘happy hormones’.

2.       Fish and fatty it should be

Those of you who love seafood should dig into it more often since fatty fishes help in combating depression. It is one of those foods that elevate mood and send happy signals to the brain. Fish is the one of the richest source for omega-3 fatty acids that has abundant brain enhancing capabilities and is also good for the entire health of the body as well. Devour wild salmon, tuna, bluefish and mackerel to help in improving blood circulation and reducing inflammation, ensuring that you don’t suffer from any heart problems. Enjoy fish and chips to ward off those depressive pangs and keep the heart healthy and happy.  Have just two serving per week else it might lead to some other problem.

3.       Be on a Low-Fat Dairy diet

Did you know that low fat milk, yogurt, cheese and other dairy products have unique peptides (proteins) that can offer relaxation of senses and induce a feeling of well-being in the mind? Well if this piece of information was not known to you then better start making use of this to counter depression. Enjoy a chilled glass of low fat milk or a low fat cheese sandwich to feel good and fight gloominess with a power packed dairy diet.

  

4.       Dig in those dark chocolate bars

       This bit of information is sure to bring a smile on the face. You might wonder that can    something as good as chocolate act as a tool to deal with depression. Well the good news is that dark variant of chocolate are considered to be a mood booster. When one takes a bite of dark chocolate, the body release the chemical serotonin that works its way to relax the blood vessels of the cardiovascular structure in the body. It is said that with higher percentage of coco is better as chocolate contains endorphins along with serotonin which give signal to the brain of feeling joyous. Take a bite to feel relaxed and out of that dejected feeling inside the head. The higher

5.       Green tea to greener mind

Green tea is a rage these days as it is consumed to build stronger immunity and to lose those extra kilos. A nicely brewed tea (green) does wonders by sending positive stimulants to mind thereby nurturing a relaxing feeling in the mind. Tea is rich in flavonoids and it helps in improving mental health and dealing with depression and anxiety by just sipping on to this concoction every day. Researchers have stated that green tea is an extremely rich source of antioxidants, but the other fact is that it has depression-fighting properties can be traced to amino acid known as theanine. This theanine has stress relieving attributes that offer relaxation feeling to those who consume green tea.

6.       Citrus fruits magical twist

Fruits such as oranges, grapefruits or lemons should be included in the diet to deal with depressive traits. These citrus fruits are rich source of flavonoids which are also referred to as antioxidants are great way of chucking those depression signs. As per a study that China completed in 2005, it stated that flavonoids can inhibit the symptoms of mild depression.

7.       Include brown rice and potatoes

If you are suffering from depression then chuck that junk and processed food as refined food is linked to depression as per a study conducted by University College London in the year 2009. It showed that having brown rice is good as post consumption glucose is slowly released in the body, leasing to relaxed state of mind. Rich in Vitamin B and essential folic acid brown rice and potatoes are healthy way of dealing with this mind related issue.

8.       Go green with your diet plan

Green vegetables like broccoli, spinach, asparagus, lettuce and Brussels are good source of vitamins that help in fighting depression. Even avocados, mushrooms, green peppers and pumpkins are known to be amazing source for vitamin B and folic acid. A diet rich in green colour will help in keeping the depression at bay.

9.       Meat rich diet

Often iron deficiency leads to depression and the best way to deal with it to eat meat or include it in your diet. It is better than popping pills. Meat as it is widely known that it is a rich source of iron and should be consumed in healthy way by prepare by reducing the carcinogens levels. Other vegetarian source are that are rich in iron are green leafy vegetables, kale, legumes and quinoa. Meat in any form is good but should be cooked in healthy way using olive oil which is again is a known to help patients suffering from depression.

10.   Go for fibre rich whole grain food

When one talks about food that help in dealing with depression then whole grain food that are of high fibre carbohydrates that does good to the entire body. These are food contain complex carbohydrates that are known to do wonders in enhancing mood swiftly and improves the set of mind too. Plan the diet in order to ensure that you consume oatmeal and whole grains stuff (food like biscuits and breads) to pasta (whole wheat variety) that will help in maintaining a good mental balance.

The above list of magical food list is a double edged sword as at one end you deal with depression in a healthy way and on the other side; you end up with a leaner body. With a changed diet aimed at improving the mind, it can also have constructive impact on the overall health of the body.

Sometimes small changes in lifestyle can turn life into a better venture. For something as common and deadly as depression it is best to adopt a healthy diet plan that is rich in vitamins and minerals needed to deal with signs of depression and other health problems. Eating good food is the key to dealing with any problem. 

Apart from the food therapy doctors and health experts would recommend patients to be in a group of friends or people who make them feel good and positive about themselves. It is important to socialize to be able to overcome the dark shadows of depression. Music too helps in dealing with psychological problem as it aids in soothing away the tension and taking mind to a relaxed state. This ensures good sleep and better mood when one wakes up in the morning.  

Dress to dazzle in best wedding gown

Back from lavish engagement party and already dreaming about the wedding gown. With wedding destination being Singapore, the event can only be a grand one with all fanfare and pomp. There will be confetti, wine, cakes and whole set of entertainment provided by best wedding planner in Singapore. The very thought of all the revelry brings a smile on the face. One that rules the mind is the wedding gown.

Most important factor

Ask a girl what is on her mind when she thinks of wedding and the reply will be the wedding dress. While make-up, accessories and other things come later, the first thing is to get affordable wedding gowns in Singapore. There are many wedding gown package offered by retail stores and online ones.

How to start the search

It is advisable to start looking for good stores at least six months before the wedding day. Search on the internet various wedding gown collection. Look for the designs, patterns and styles of each gown and see which one will suit your personality and budget.

If possible make a trip to the wedding destination and meet the store owners personally. Try getting some advice, try sample gowns and check fittings of each of the affordable wedding gowns in Singapore. See if it can be custom made within a certain time frame.

Speak to a designer

To get help from an expert on wedding gowns is a must for the to-be –bride. Fix an appointment with designers who offer affordable range. Tell them what you are looking for. Further they can help in selecting the design and material that suits best on you given height, weight and features.

Don’t forget the cocktail dress

While the wedding gown has to be decided with utmost care, you must keep in mind the post wedding events too. A nice cocktail dress is needed for the evening ball dance or get together where pleasantries would be exchanged over wine and cake followed by a musical gig. If you have hired best wedding planner in Singapore then it’s important to be dressed to perfection.

Keep the trail date in mind

So the wedding gown is finalised with all small little details. The test is when the trail session goes perfect. Don’t miss the trail date as the gown stitched might need some tweaking and fitted as per the latest size. Usually designers keep a little space for correction since the to-be-bride generally lose some weight by time they are getting married to look picture perfect.

Check on the deals

With gown selection being based on a pre-determined budget its best to check out online wedding gown package deals offered by stores across Singapore. There are discounts, coupons and exciting offers that are given to esteemed customers. Some even give gifts to the couples like a cosmetic gift hamper, free spa sessions to discounts on other services. Compare the price of the gown as well the deals and then opt for the best out of the whole lot

Ring in some tranquillity inspired by Zen elements

An eclectic blend of Japanese, Chinese and India interior ideas, Asia now inspires designers worldwide.

Asia is the flavour of the design and so are its lifestyle and pattern of homes and interiors. Today Asian designs are most sought after with interior designers highly impressed and inspired from the concept of Zen, Indian motifs and influences of China. It’s like creating this beautiful fusion of various Asian concepts to design homes that oozes comfort, class and serenity.

After long working hours you will want to come back to a home that offers some sort of blissful ambience. And Asian inspired bedrooms make for a perfect setting. 

Asian Themed Bedrooms

If the idea is to create tranquil, soothing and calm retiring bedroom play along with organic ideas. It’s about being modest and minimal reflecting ravishing room done tastefully.

 Here are some Asian concepts that have found wide acceptance:

• Use of potted plants inside the bedroom as well as blinds made from bamboos to using rocks and stones to do up the room. It’s all about bringing a piece of nature inside the bedroom.
• Adding a dash of oriental touch by having Buddha statues or popular Chinese vase to wind chimes will make way blissful interiors.
• Follow the ancient practise of Feng Shui that promote balance and proper use of space as per Zin Zang criteria.
• Go different with colour palates like tangy orange to bold pink to turquoise blue.
• Give attention to lightings and opt for candles, paper lanterns and artistic installation lamps to wall hanging one with intricate design inspired by mythological buildings.
• Use Indian motifs and icons depicting cultural flavour. This will bring certain ethnic touch to the room which will different from other contemporary styles.

It’s not just Asian food by now Asian inspired bedrooms are getting popular big time. 

Cook it up in clay pot

The charm of traditional cooking is making a comeback. Modern kitchens and master chefs to homemakers are regaling in the bygone era exploring the wonders of cooking in clay pot. Ask your granny and you will hear about the rich spread of food prepared in clay or earthen pots. These recipes are like secret that have become part of family legacy.

Clay creates a creative concoction

Cooking clay pot might be the new wave of cooking but it is as old as it is new to the market. It’s like getting a secret formula from traditional treasure box and presenting it in a renewed format. This method of cooking is more like clay pots making a comeback on the kitchen shelves.

With the modernisation enveloping the world, clay was replaced by metal pots since they looked fancy and made food quicker. Households began to shove away the clay pots and metals began to shine. They came in all sorts of sizes, colours and attractive features.

Back to basics

In ancient times people used pots made from natural and unglazed clay that was moulded into a vessel for cooking. The core benefit was this cooking technique as it made food in healthier and tastier by restoring all its nutrients.

Metal menace galore

Have you ever given a thought on what metal cook wear does to the quality of the food? While cooking in metals pots and pans the food gets laced with toxins, metal ions and other harmful elements. When citrus food comes in contact with metal we all know what reaction happens. Yet we have thoughtlessly adopted this fancy means of making food.

Time to walk a few steps backwards

Now that clay pot cooking is slowing gaining centre stage, it’s best to go back a little in time and bring back old wisdom. Remove the dust from the clay pots stuffed somewhere in the storeroom. Wash it off and begin a new cooking journey making some of the best recipes and getting loads of compliments from your husband, kids and family members.

 Many benefits of cooking in clay pots

While dinning in those swanky restaurants you might have been served soup and other stuff in clay pots with aroma simmering out from them. Just by looking at the clay bowl placed in front of you, the taste buds begin to dance. With the first bite the taste of the food brings out that expression of bliss on the face.

Create same experience at home now by adopting cooking in clay pots that are widely available in the market. Get Korean Stone bowl or ceramic bean pot to earthen clay pot, it will all turn your dishes yummy and nutritious.

Squeeze in the benefits that include

• Clay pot locks all the steam and nutrient of the food when the lid is closed. This ensures the food is 100 per cent healthy to consume.
• Cooking is superior with proper use of heat ensuring the food is not burnt or nutrients not lost while putting the pot on stove.

Traditional clay pots making a comeback

 Modern lifestyles now demand healthy food and fitness habits. A regular work- out regime followed by low calorie food is the key to balanced life as per modern norms. And we are quick to borrow from our past those nuggets that prove to be beneficial even now. Like the traditional practice of yoga is now a trend among working professionals. Making a comeback is the good old clay pots.

It all boils down to being healthy

Many experts, nutritionists, health practitioners and researchers are always on a mission to find best health practises. Studies are done, large scale surveys conducted and ancient books revisited to find answers to lead a better life in these chaotic times. And grannies favourite clay pots seem to have resurfaced all over again. It’s the new age sensation with chefs, modern homemakers and urban working professionals adopting clay over metal cookware.

Clay cooks and nurtures the food

When clay pot is used in cooking the food is cooked tenderly with steam surrounding it and not escaping through the lid. The uniqueness is that one does not need oil while cooking in clay utensils since the steam does the job perfectly well. It’s like the clay holds the ingredients and binds them beautifully with the food. 

There are no limitation on what to cook and what to avoid while clay pot cooking. You can prepare delicious steaming bowl of soup, vegetables, seafood to various kinds of breads and desserts including cobblers and pies. Being a natural material using is safe and best for any sort of preparation.

Clay pots come from Mediterranean and European kitchens

Countries like Germany, Spain, China, India, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia and Morocco to Sri Lanka have been using clay pots in cooking. Dishes like palayok, cazula to Indian tandoor are known to be cooked in clay cookware and have given fantastic results. Even Mexican and South American cuisines have a history of being prepared in clay pots.

Enjoy a meal even hours after it is cooked

Clay pots restore the heat and quality of food even if consumed in an hour or more. The food will not turn watery or soggy unlike other cookware. Even while cooking the food gets its natural brown colour and rich texture without adding too many ingredients or spices.

For ensuring that clay pots lasts long take proper care and read the instruction manual that comes with the product.

Design your own house games to get bucketful fun

Let your thoughts go wild and wacky or completely creative with a slew of design your home games crowding the virtual world of gaming. These fully fun and exciting games are simply awesome and hard to resist. It’s a game zone that offers an interactive platform for wannabe designer or those who love to build homes like the one seen dreams or films.

Believe it or not these online games are just too good and very addictive with features that can surprise the player. And there is no need to be a pro or an expert to play or design homes on these gaming platforms. Just select the kind of homes that are appealing and thrilling to make and get started.

A quick tour in the world of web and there will be a long list of options that can be downloaded for free or minimal fees. There are desktops, mobile, PS3 to smart phones version for gaming enthusiasts.

What all opportunities do online gaming offers?

The choices are limitless for beginners to experts. Like a deep valley, the more one explores more number of challenges and hurdles to cross. After a successful stint there are always reasons to cheer and flaunt home skills with gamer community.

Here are some amazing varieties that pamper the gamer within:

From the scratch homes

These are games wherein players get a chance to create a house from the beginning. It means starting with the type of home to build, adding doors and windows to creating garden area. There are icons and cartoons that can be dragged and pasted on the design. The colours and items for use are just too refreshing and pleasing making playing an overwhelming experience.

Design pet homes too

Pets are best friends and everyone who owns them just adores having them around. A cute puppy, cat, squirrel or birds – these pets are inseparable part of the owner. And now one can build a dream pet home via online games and feel the joy of visualising their pet in one of those. Now this sure is tempting enough to go grab the mouse and get started.

Build doll homes

Dolls are girl’s best friend; imagine the fun of getting a chance to create a virtual home for them. With the trappings of all girly stuff that is pink and flowery, making doll homes can be so very thrilling joy ride. Put all the imagination into practise to make dream home for dolls.

Eco-friendly abode

Go green seem to be anthem of everyone in the times of global climate change and environment degradation. Gaming too goes green with gamer getting a chance to make eco-friendly homes using all natural building materials. Get all new details and idea on building homes that don’t harm nature rather aid in protecting it.

Monster mania

Unleash the devil in you and go wicked in making a scary monster homes. From dark, scary interiors to hanging skeletons there is wacky options to make homes that heighten the fear factor. 

Keep it short, sexy and trendy

Summers are just around the corner and maintaining those long tresses can be challenging task. With temperature soaring high one has to be extra careful with the hairs. And one can easily say that it’s that time of the year when the best thing to do is to go for a trendy short hair style.

Oh yes it is difficult to let go off the length and chop them. But it is wise to keep it short silly. A quick wash followed up with a blower and there you are ready to head straight to work or evening party. No more hassle of tucking them with pins or holding them tight with a bun. Just comb them once that’s it.

For that younger look

A trendy short hair style will take you back to school days. So it sort of makes one feel younger and refreshing new. In fact one can even enjoy summers with absolutely no tension of handling long hairs. That stress taken away will sure make one look younger and energetic.

Check how short you would want?

It’s nice to go short but take some time to figure out how short should it be and in what style. Take a closer look at the shape of the face and dressing pattern. Scroll through the internet and see what is trending. Then only then head to the parlour to get a trendy shot hair cut.

Maybe one can try these cuts adorned by celebs with élan:

Pixie cut 

If you want to go all bold and short then Pixie cuts are the best with many well known celebrities adorning it with confidence. With a side parting and layers hugging the edge of the face, this one is for the blonds. Long levels on the top and crisp endings near the nape, it’s a cut that turns on the gorgeous quotient.

Evergreen Bob cut 

This is one hair cut that never ever goes out of fashion. Hair dressers are known to play with trendy hair cut style to create a new hair cut. These days one adds a dash of curl or waves to them to get a more urbane and fashionable look. They go best with all western wear specially miniskirts and denims.  

Fringed short cut

This one is more like the straight out of the bed look. Messy yet elegant but very much ‘in’ vogue and liked by many celebrities who have walked down the red carpet.

Absolute short cut

Just a simple boy cut with no frills or fashion. It’s for those who just need a completely professional. Preferred by modern day working women and girls who want to adopt a dapper look yet look stylish and hep.  

Hair styles that will work this season

A prefect dress only leaves a lasting impression if your hair is done to perfection. It’s one of those combinations that have to be in sync to make a fashion statement. And hair styling is an art that handful stylists have mastery on. But there is always a way to learn these styling tips and spruce up your looks for any occasion or outing.

Don’t get confused with hair styling with a hair cut

A hair cut would mean going to a palour and getting a new look all together. Hair styling is like painting, where a blank canvas like your hair are rolled or fashioned to give a chic or a sexy to seductive look. This calls for a lot of attention and patience.

Here are some of the styles that would be ‘in-vogue’:

Every classic low or high or large bun

It’s a style that never goes out of fashion. A bun rolled high or low and tucked with pins is one of the quickest and easiest hair styles that everyone can do. This style goes well with floor touching to balloon gowns as well as with formal wears.  Wear it with confidence and accept those compliments with a gracious smile. A bun accentuates the woman in you.

Undone hairdo

A little messy with hair strands falling on your face, gives that sexy yet vulnerable look. All you need is tie a knot affixing it with a ponytail and few strands rolled unevenly and tucked with pins on the base. Run a blower and there you are ready for the eve. Many celebrities making red carpet appearances are seen wearing this style with their off-shoulder gowns or miniskirts. Try this to stand out of the crowd.

Bubble styled braids

Want to look stickling different with a dash of intellect. Here’s a style straight from the ramp, models often seen wearing this style to give fashionable twist to the attire. Start by making a simple ponytail and then wrap a rubber band in equal intervals keeping the edge straight. But the end you will have series of bubbles. One can opt for this unique and refreshing style while opting to dress in a skirt or a long frock. People sure will turn and take notice of the bubbles for sure.

Curls and waves to pigtails and ponytails.

If you love to flaunt your straight hair with a dash of curls or waves, then put on those curling rolls and blow dry the hair. Undo the curl rolls and there it is curls or waves hair all set to go well with a sexy evening gown or cocktail dress. Invoke the seductress in you and let the heart beat fast of those admirers.

A pigtail or a ponytail is always a smart choice to make with any western or casual attire.

Tip to use:

Use hair accessories like a clips, pins or bands to highlight your style. Wear them with a creative style so that you look all set to turn the attention on your side. 

Naturally cure acne problems

Frustration, frown and fuming are some instant reaction on spotting acne on the face. That tinny little beast is capable of increasing stress and worries. And one get all the more worked up when it pops out just a night before one’s wedding, anniversary or birthday or a date with boyfriend.

Opt for home-based natural treatment

Instead of pulling your hair or hitting head to the pillow why not take a closer look in the kitchen cabinet. It is filled with amazing solutions that can relieve and remove acne within hours or just a day or two.

Yes your granny’s secret advice can come to the rescue. These home based remedies promise to remove zits and add a glow to the skin as well. Additionally it reduces the scar and marks caused due to pimples.

There is no need to use over-the-counter creams and medicines. These quick fix solutions come with drawbacks which are evident only after its use. Why harm the delicate skin texture? Do the natural way to cure acne problems.

Here are some remedies one can try without even spending a penny:

• A milk or yogurt mixed with honey combination can work to sooth the skin and bring down the redness caused due to pimple. Cleopatra scintillating skin was a result of milk and honey bath. Go ahead and try this one.
• Apple cider vinegar is the new formula to get rid of acne. Mix one portion of vinegar with three portion of water, apply it on the face and wash it off after sometime. Works like an astringent and aids in killing bacteria causing acne.
• Egg white which is full of proteins and vitamin rich is a nice option to do away with acne. In a bowl separate yolks and use just egg white. Wisk is hard till form is formed, let is settle for some minute and then apply a good layer on the face. Leave it for 20 minutes and wash if off with warm water.
• Fruit pastes also are known to cure zits, most common being papaya, orange feel powder, strawberries with honey or banana peel. Using them is a wise thing to do since they do not harm the skin and makes it supple soft and clear.
• Aloe vera tops the list of curing agent. This humble plant which can be grown in the garden or backyard has multiple skin benefits. The most potent one is it helps in dealing with acne and improves skin’s texture tremendously. 

Get instantly popular

It’s the new age social media sensation and like a virus it is spreading its wings across the globe. An estimated 300 million users are hooked to this new platform. We are talking about the very popular network – Instagram – a service that provides a person to click photos and take videos and share it across all social media sites. Wow is the word for this new ‘in-vogue’ social media service. It’s like getting instant popularity with just one click.

Why instagram it?

Well it’s the only social network platform that helps in sharing images and videos on the other social media sites in one go. The uniqueness of this platform is that photos are confined to square frame, akin to Polaroid images. There are digital photo filters through which one can enhance and improve picture quality before sharing it on variety of social media portals.

Be wise follower wise

Believe it or not today’s marketing world or parameter of getting popularity is decided by the number of like, followers and votes one gets on popular social media. More the number of likes or follower, greater is the reach of the person, company or product. The virtual world out there has zillion users and to grab their attention is no mean task.

Benefits galore for buying Instagram followers:

Your doorway to get instant fame or recognition on social media platform:

This is a new social media web service and a lot of youngsters are jumping to join the line of users. They love the features of this site and are going gaga over it. Buying them is a wise thing to do.

Present a customised image to your community

Take a picture, sharpen or edit it using digital filters and share it with all necessary makeover. And once the image or video is posted online, you definitely want more likes or followers. So buying those ardent followers is fun and fruitful decision

Reduce advertising and marketing cost

A lot of money is spent in marketing and promoting a company, brand, product, service or person. Instagram is a very sure shot solution to bring this cost drastically. Take a picture, touch it up with filters and share it across platforms. Get instantly viewed across large social media community without spending exorbitant sum on paying advertising agencies.  But for that you need more followers and likes. So investing a little in buying them is just a little expense.

 Keep a tab on your competitors

You know what your competitor is up to or how popular his service or product is by checking on the number of followers. Increase your share of supporters by buying more of them. This sure will give jitters to the competitor.

Be in-sync with your target market or consumer

If you are there on Instagram be assured that your target market users will like you more. This will show that you are keeping up with the taste, preferences and likes of the consumers which are mostly youngsters. And if there are more followers on your account, expect good volume of sales. 

Strange as it may sound

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Is liberation attained only through sainthood?

How can young minds and energetic souls renounce the world and embark on spiritual journey? Their voices still have that morning freshness and aggressive killer instinct. Yet they chose to ignore all this and begin a journey which will be so different from the world they have been living. These are the sentiments and thoughts that are running in my mind while I finishing writing a story on 75 youths taking the path of sainthood in a religious ceremony on Saturday.

I spoke to four youngsters who were doing so well for themselves, leading successful careers and hobnobbing with the best brains in their respective industry. But I guess since these privileged youngsters got all the success and luxury too soon or too easily, that they now want to see life with a different perspective and surrounding. Expensive cars, staying and dinning in five star hotels and splurging on branded stuff are something that lures a lot of youth to work hard or smart. But these youths have somehow lost interest in all of them.

These group of youngsters who are set to live as saint had everything in their life that others aspire to have. Yet it took them just a year to kick all these comfort and dedicate their life to god and religious activities.

“Most of us feel that bhajan sabha and satsang should be attended when one has grown old. But I think as youngsters we should be attending them so that we don’t get carried away in materialistic pleasure,” is what a mere 23-year old fresh graduate from London College of Fashion tells you when you ask him his reasons for taking on sainthood.

Surprisingly this budding fashion designer was set to start his design studio in London but somewhere he just cancelled all these plans. Instead he had made up his mind to adorn saintly robes and lead a detached life. “Everything in life is temporary. It is important to live for a meaningful cause,” shared this would-have been fashion designer.

I agree materialistic pleasure is temporary and only increases ones greed to have more. But does one find contentment in renouncement? I mean how can one just get up from bed one morning and erase memories of ones family, friends and relatives? A mother who till now was used to scolding and cajoling her son will no longer get to acknowledge in public that - ‘The saint standing on the stage is my son’.

How easy can it be for someone to just chuck laptops, mobile phones and ambitions all of sudden? I know answers to these questions are not easy to find.

This 26-year old researcher who could have done wonders with his research in bio-informatics has now decided to serve god. “I did not want to be part of the rat race instead I wanted to liberate my soul from all sorts of comfort and attachment. The process of renouncing the world was running in the back of my mind even while I continued my research at Cambridge,” said this researcher.

What strikes me is that these youngsters have no regrets and are proud of their decision to take ‘diksha’. Even their families are rejoicing over their children’s decision. Relatives too flock at their homes to see their son who would soon be a saint.

Life they say is strange but it cannot get stranger than this. Why is it that these Gurus preach renouncement and not ask their followers to lead simple life without shunning ones responsibility? Can’t these religious gurus channelise the minds of talented youngsters so that world can progress and mankind can prosper? A researcher, a fashion designer and engineer can do wonders as professionals but what use would they be to the nation as saint draped in orange robes with large red tikka. Will these young saints really lead a liberated life? I find it tough to answer…

Get creative with curls

Are you one of those lucky women who are blessed with cascading curls? There is something really sexy about having curly hairs. They go well with just about any dress and a fitting hairdo for any event. Keep them short or grow them long, one can be really creative with curls.

For those who don’t have natural curly tresses, they spend hours in the saloon to get one and end up burning a hole in their pockets. Curls somehow add volume to the mane and make a woman look good.

In fact it’s fun to play around with curls and get a nice swanky haircut. One does not have to look for a reason or inspiration to chop or redo the hair. There so many celebrities wearing their curls with pride and many of them love to experiment with them. Getting a refreshing smart cut can go a long way in changing the way you look.

Here are some haircuts that one can opt for this season:

Layered curls

For straight hairs layered cut goes well but after first wash, the style sort of disappears. With curls there is nothing to worry, asks the stylist to give layers, starting from the top and narrowing it as you move down. With small layers around the face, one can get a fuller look and leaner towards the end. This goes well for evening gowns and night events where one has to keep the dazzle quotient high.

Shoulder-length Lob

So you want to shorten the hair and opt for a smarter look, then try a cut that is just shoulder length. Straighten hair on the top and curls in the end. Wear this style with an off-shoulder gown, halter tops and casual wear. One can definitely look sexier and bolder with this medium hair cut and set many heart flutter.

Bob cut with layers

It’s like giving the usual bob-cut a nice twist. Keep short and less maintained mane with this classic cut that makes one look elegant and chic. Ask the hairdresser to start cutting them short with layers around the jaw line. This will distribute the curls and balance the weight evenly. Curls with levels will turn one into this smart, confident and vivacious babe.

Long, loose and wavy curls

If you have long curly hair and do not wish to chop them off short, go for a cut that fine tunes the end and adds a little bounce to create waves. Let the curl play with your shoulder and back with occasionally touching your face. This is like a sure shot way to divert all the attention towards you.

Tips before getting a hair cut

·         First hydrate you hair well before heading to the parlour

·         For curls its best to ask hair stylist to cut them when fully dry

·         Ask them to use standard kit

·         Discuss the cut and style before they start using the scissors.

Cook up blog that hooks and books readers

The success of a blog depends on the comments it gets. This is one of the yardsticks which shows either the blog clicked or was missed. It is no mean job to pen a riveting piece that gets readers talking and commenting. For a blogger it’s the feedback that matters once the blog is floated in the online space. So is there a code that can be cracked to attract readers and get piles of replies?

Yes there are ways to trick net savvy citizens and divert the traffic towards your blogs. There are means to lure readers who hog on blogs that are interesting as well as offer something new. All that matters is how words have been juggled, rearranged and served to delight the information hungry crowd in the virtual space.

Just like on the roads, there is a hell lot of traffic in the world of web and to make inroads is a challenging endeavour. There is chaos, clutter and too much noise out there and to be heard one has to shout loud. No wonder bloggers end up stirring some or other controversy. But there are more tricks under the hat other than penning a controversial blog.

Here are some tactics and tricks that will give a magnetic power:

Start to startle

Just catch the reader off guard with some startling detail, fact, figure or news that will compel them to take notice of the blog. Look for such information on the web or books and start the blog with it. The first few lines have to be strong with content that sets the mood to read till tail end. The reader will not just scan the write-up but gobble up words to quench the thirst.

Add a little spice

A great start demands a good flow too. If you want to attract readers and convince them to leave a comment, give them something to get moved or stirred up. Like a dance performance, let the piece rise to a level that will make reader not just read but also get them curious, argumentative or happy.

Don’t bombard

The writing bug is tough to get over but don’t bombard readers with stuff regularly. Let the first blog settle down, keep the commenting going on and encourage people to talk more about it by reverting to their feedback. Make them wait for the next write-up.

Let out the opinion

Blogs have gained popularity since one can share truckload of details but also assert ones opinion on varied subjects and issues being discussed world over. As a blogger you have right to talk tough and speak out, there is no one to stop. Don’t be a lame duck going all goody-goody; your viewpoint might just attract dozens to talk about it.

Ask for feedback

There is no harm in asking for honest feedback from the readers. You can end the piece with a question and this might just set the stage for commenting spree.