Wake up to a gold morning-#Colgate360GoldMornings

What turns your good morning to gold? While there are a number of things that can make a dull morning into good like a steaming hot cup of your favorite beverage like tea, coffee or something healthier like green or herbal tea. It takes something extra to turn good mornings into gold mornings!

A morning can be full of the greatness of gold if there is something that gives you a great blast of freshness which is a great way to set the tone for the day and give you a fabulous kick start to a normally dull day. For people who have fitness and well being on the top of their list of priorities, an active start to the day can turn a good morning to gold.

Sometimes just being able to wake up earlier than usual in the morning and catching a glimpse of the morning golden sun rays can turn the morning into gold. Quite a few times it’s not possible to do something out of the ordinary to make your morning special and get that blast of morning freshness. Wouldn’t it really be nice if one was able to incorporate an activity into one’s daily routine which could turn the course of your ordinary morning and make it extraordinary?

Something that was as easy as flicking on a light switch and a fresh blast of morning energy were to greet you and set the tone for the day right early in the morning? Such is the effect of incorporating an everyday morning freshness routine with a simple thing like #Colgate360GoldMornings. Turn your ordinary mornings into gold just by adopting Colgate’s new mouth cleaning regimen using the new Colgate 360 degree Charcoal gold toothbrush.

Just by using Colgate’s new gold standard of freshness and mouth cleaning to transform your good morning to a glittering gold one. When your day begins with a blast of freshness, it is sure to give you a gold start and give you complete confidence to take on every challenge that comes you way, all through the day. Not for just one day but every day! No challenge will seem too big, no hurdle will seem insurmountable. You will be able to conquer every peak that comes your way with great aplomb, armed as you are with your secret weapon of Colgate’s 360 degrees Charcoal gold toothbrush.

This blast of freshness will not only ensure that you have a gold morning, every morning but that this great blast of energy is with you throughout the day! You can simply brush away all your dental related woes to oblivion just by waving Charcoal gold’s 360 degree magic wand.

So adopt the latest standard of 360 degrees of freshness with #Colgate360GoldMornings and turn every morning into gold.

My Delhi #madeofgreat

(Image Source)

When it comes to choosing the best city my choice would always and absolutely be ONLY DELHI! I was born in Pune but have lived 19 out of the 23 years of my life in Delhi. Which city in the world has a magnificent road like Delhi’s Rajpath? Which city can boast of a Parade as fabulous as that of India’s Republic day parade which left Mr. Barak Obama, POTUS, so gob- smacked that he sat through the whole programme in pelting rain? No other city I’m sure which is made of great like Delhi!

The design of this city cannot be surpassed by any other. It has been the seat of many kingdoms from time immemorial-from the days of the Pandavas when it was known as Hastinapur, to the time of the Mughals and even the British rulers made it their summer capital. Every ruler seems to have been very fascinated by this glorious city so much so that Mohamad Bin Tughlak, who wanted to shift his kingdom to the Deccan plateau, decided soon that he could not stay away from Delhi and came back to Delhi (Tughlakabad) once again to make it his capital. Each ruler added his touch to the magnificence of the city-You can see Mughal monuments juxtaposed with the architecture left behind by the British rulers –Lutyens Delhi is a living example of this. The Indian politicians have added their bit too- sometimes good (like the 13 statues at Mother Teresa’s Crescent) sometimes boring (like in the many government staff houses dotting the city).

Delhi has numerous shopping paradises unique to itself which cannot be matched by any other city. Which other city can boast of a second-hand book bazaar like the one held at Daryaganj every Sunday which is a treasure trove for any book-lover? Delhi has a weekly market for each day of the week like Shani Bazar (Saturday Market) or Som Bazar (Monday Market) which is a delight for the freshest vegetables and fruit as well as other household requirements and that too at dirt cheap rates!

 And the drive of those who have become Delhi-ites by choice is to be seen to be believed! Often the saree salesman will drape a saree and pose to entice the customer to buy his ware. There is no question of a siesta time for the shopkeeper or businessman-everything will be kept aside to attend to the customer. Truly the customer is King here.

This Drive in those belonging to Delhi is seen in all spheres of life-everyone is an entrepreneur-from the ‘”doorstep” beauty parlour lady to others like drycleaners, chemists, grocers who are just a phone call away.

This must be the only city which welcomes outsiders from all states and even other cities of the world with such warmth and hospitality that all who come here find some strange connection with the city to such an extent that they never want to go back. Every family is connected to another by some long-winded relationship which binds the people together. Being the seat of governance of the Central Government too results in deep connections of the city with all others in the remotest corners of the country which makes it amazing to be a part of this city. I wouldn’t like to stay in any other city of the world. 

Granola Bars sugar free

Come wintertime and my favorite sweet yet healthy and scrumptious delight that I love to much all day round are granola bars.

 This recipe is from the book my favorite baker – Pooja Dhingra’s “The Big Book of Treats” In this version I’m going to replace the brown sugar and use Sugar Free Natura instead.

This recipe makes 10 eggless Granola Bars. You will need

·        150g butter

·        50g sugar free

·        60g honey

·        175g muesli

·        75g oats

·        100g deseeded, chopped dates

Steps to follow for a delightful surprise:-

1.      In a saucepan/ microwave, melt the butter, sugar free and honey together until they are well combined

2.      Remove from heat and stir in the muesli, oats and deseeded chopped dates

3.      Transfer to an 8- inch lined tin and bake at 190C for 18-20 mins until slightly golden

4.      Let it cool in the tin and then cut into bars and store in an airtight container for up to 5-7 days

Enjoy life the sugar free way!!!

Radiant skin the natural way!!!!

Everywhere you look, whether your newspaper, television, bill boards or even at your workplace and in and around your neighborhood you will find the craze for a beautiful glowing skin. Advertisements for products proclaiming to transform you in a few applications seem to be the most watched by the populace. If you’re having a bad skin day some of us will consider ourselves doomed and will see solace hiding our faces in our homes behind a book. Most of the claims of the so called wonder products proclaiming instant transformation should be taken with a pinch of salt. This is because God alone knows what chemicals go into the manufacturing of such products and what effect their long term usage can have on your skin.

In this day and age where most trusted global food brands have been caught in controversy one wonders about the guidelines for cosmetic products and their effects! The safest solution in my opinion is to use products that are made from natural ingredients and not chemical based. To keep your skin glowing and your mind free from the stressing about the long term not immediately noticeable effects of products the best option is to go natural and preserve your radiant beauty.

All of us would have seen our mothers and grandmothers use natural products available in and around the house and wondered at their ageless beauty.

Here are top three tips and products I’ve seen them use which I believe are really beneficial for healthy, radiant skin.

1  Milk cream popularly known as “Malai”- I always wonder how the girls can stand that gooey white substance on their faces or hands when I can’t stand any cream in milk or in food products unless it’s whipped cream in my coffee or hot chocolate.  That said “Malai” really works. Dull, dry and patchy skin is instantly restored to fresh moisturized skin in just a single overnight application that too free of cost!

2   Acne is a sore thumb that, try as one might, whether male or female at some point in our lives we do suffer from its ravages. So what is the best natural remedy to cure this beast?If you or your family are papaya lovers and it is your favourite breakfast fruit then you need not look any further. This fruit can be the solution to all your pimple woes. Just mash up the flesh of a fresh raw papaya or use the leftover peels and apply them on your face. Voila, you have a healthy and glowing skin.
3   Another quick home remedy for acne if you are not a papaya fan is orange peels. Yes remember playing in your childhood with the peels, squeezing them in your sibling or friends eyes. Those peels can be ground with water for a quick mask and once applied help in cleaning clogged up pores and removing dead skin. So no wasting the precious peels of the orange any more now.

One of the natural, Ayurvedic skin friendly brands we have had in the country is Vicco. Synonymous with everything natural this national favorite has launched a foam based face wash which boasts of being natural, vegan that too at an affordable price. What better way to pamper your skin with this natural offering and saying no to pimples, blackheads and oily skin in a natural way.

For details of the product  "VICCO Turmeric Cream" you can visit their website here.

Don’t forget to check out their Youtube video below.   

My Airtel App- Features that rock my lifestyle

Can you guess what is the most recent offering by Airtel on the app sphere? Seeing the latest ads on television and YouTube one could easily guess that it’s the newest launch in the app world by Airtel is the MyAirtelApp. An app to synchronize and bring a seamless experience to the user, all in one place!

This app boasts of really cool features that will make your life really simple in these fast paced times. So a bang maybe not for your buck, but definitely for your time! The features of this application that I’m totally in love with are described below.

First definitely would be the capability to add all your various Airtel connections in one place. Now the only go to place to check information about all the Airtel services you have subscribed to- be it mobile numbers (Fixed or prepaid), fixed connection, direct to home (DTH) connection or your broadband. Just key in all the details of your various account and voila, you are set to get all the information you need about those accounts, just at the tips of your fingers. No need to log on to your home computer or navigate a cumbersome website on your mobile. All features can be availed, just by the swipe of your fingers on your mobile phone. Since all of us are very passionate about our smart phones, and carry the around all day long (even sleep with them), so this is a really great way to access all Airtel services in one place in your palms.

Next would be the ease of all the services offered. I can recharge any number of Airtel numbers, pay my bills, change my plan, view my current plan status, my present data usage, buy additional data, and change plans if needed. Not only that worrying about missing a bill payment date will now be a thing of the past. This app shows the amount and payment date as well as unbilled usage for the current cycle, all within the app. So every time you log on, there’s a reminder for an unpaid bill which makes the days of forgetting to pay your bill because you were not reminded history.  This app also takes being paperless to the next level. All past bill payment summaries as well as billing statements are available for download just with a single swipe. How cool is that!   

The third cool feature is the raining offers. You must have heard of the hit song –it’s raining men! Here with the new Airtel app –it’s raining offers. Just download the app and shake your phone to avail a host of amazing offers. Being a discount conscious person, who is always on the lookout for a great offer, this is certainly one of the best features this app has to offer. So here’s to dancing together with the Airtel App. You can view the video below and download it at the play store on Android or view the details on the Airtel website here.

 

Dimag Ki League

Mr Kapil Dev- The man who has inspired generations of cricketers all over the world is back with a bang with a new venture. To make his debut in the digital world, he chose the popular medium which has seen its fair share of high profile controversies. The past couple of days have seen twitterati  abuzz with a new league that our nations very own cricket legend is promoting.  With an attention grabbing title “EkNayiLeague”, the legendary cricketer has made twitter trend with his question asking people to guess what his new league is all about.

To give you a sneak peak and aid you in the guessing game there are a about five you tube videos that are quickly hitting the popular charts in you tube. In all of these five videos Kapil Dev is seen talking about celebrities whether it is players from the world of sports like Sania Mirza and Yuvraj Singh or India’s most loved comedian by the same first name- Kapil Sharma. In all of the videos he is seen appreciating the passion or dedication emanating from the heart of all these inspirational people. He mentions the humble backgrounds some of them started out with and the struggles they had to face along the way, yet all the dedication they put in through their hearts, they were able to overcome all odds and emerge successful. An interesting twist to these ads is when Mr. Kapil Dev talks about the fact that to win in his new league the players will be set up for failure if they play with their hearts. To quote him “Googly ho jayeji agar dil sey khela”, he says. Even the banner ads everywhere show him pointing to his head pondering something.

In one of the ads he also mentions about the huge amount of money celebrities make and how all of this has been achieved by their dil. He talks about the opportunities available in today’s world and how anyone can make it big. So with all these tell-tale clues, it’s time for me to take my guess about what this “EkNayiLeague” could be all about. I’m listing the clues down quickly in a few words or more for a summary to aid my thinking process- Dimag, make money, no dil, league or a gaming format.

Okay so here goes my guessing shot- A new game show based on TV, or maybe online who knows for if it had been on TV wouldn’t there have been advertisements on TV talking about the launch of a new show? Then it means it has to be narrowed down to the online platform only. So one thing I’m sure of that since it’s a league, there is going to be a game of some sort. I think we’ve talked enough about how to play it to win big. Use your “DIMAG” or brains since this league is all about getting your grey cells to tick. And since Kapil Dev talked about how everyone should have opportunities in our country, maybe this game will allow people to make it big by winning if they apply their brains correctly.

As I write this article, a little birdie tells me that new league has already been unveiled by the super star cricketer.  Check it out here.

Look up as optimism is the best way forward

When life takes a tough turn

Why does optimism seem to take a u-turn

It is then we must persist

And our goals should be met no matter what the tryst

It is then we must look up

And keep at our dreams and step up

Life is never as simple as two plus two equals four. Enough and more has been said about its many aspects and facets but one key ingredient to a successful and happy life is optimism. Optimism is the ability to look up no matter how grave the circumstances are and put a brave face on everything. The never say die attitude is also a very important part of this mixture. Life may throw many difficult circumstances at us, but it is in our interests to look for the opportunity every bleak circumstance hides in its wings. It is through these adverse circumstances we discover our inner strength and become better people.

Placement season in colleges around the country is the time when this ingredient and attitude of looking up no matter what makes a great difference to your morale and can even influence the outcome of the results. Don’t they say what you believe, you  achieve! My first hand experience with this phenomena was at the recent placement drive held in my college.  As the placement season started the college wore a look of trepidation. All the students were huddled in various groups discussing the companies that were to come and how would things pan out. The most trending topic of discussion was around who would be the first to be placed at the first day companies came to campus.

Being interested in a particular field, my one prime worry was whether I would get placed in a field of my choice. That time was full of anxiousness and butterflies in my stomach. Looking at all my friends being place one by one and other great guns missing the companies of their dreams is a nightmarish experience. It is here that looking up and continuing to envision a positive outcome will work wonders.

Dejection should never be the order of the day. Optimism should rule. Even if you don’t get what you had hoped you would, you must realize it is for a better cause. Something much greater and better, more aligned to what your dreams are, is about to happen. The only thing we need to have is patience and look up and continue to put our best foot forward in everything that we do.

I followed this principle and was successful in getting a placement of my choice in the field I desired.  Looking up really made the difference and I shared this with many of my close friends too. So look up and keep on working on your dreams without giving up and what you desire will come to you.

Check out the latest housing at https://housing.com/lookup and always keep loooking up #lookup ! :-)