Happy Reading!

Ellen DeGeneres Book Cover

Look what I found while I was browsing the web today! Being a bibliophile myself, this really made me happy. It reinforced my faith in the goodness of the world. This wonderful lady does miracles. Long live, Ellen DeGeneres!

Live life the real way

Nowadays you find people everywhere busy looking down at their phones. In a generation of selfies and free messengers like Whatsapp, Hyke,etc., we often forget to enjoy the moment as we're busy clicking a picture in order to show the world how much better off we are than them! At the end of the day, whose validation are we seeking ? You don't need to get a thousand likes on your profile picture in order to reassure yourself how beautiful you are. That's not living life the real way. Nothing is as powerful as an eye contact. Interact with the people around you. Look a person in the eye when you say how much you love them or when you apologize. Life is too short to waste its precious moments preoccupied in a virtual world. Love passionately, laugh wholeheartedly, live fully!
One of my friends shared a beautiful video which seemed to say it all ! It put a smile on my face. So I'm glad to share it with my beautiful readers here! Have a great day !

Smoked Mango Sharbat

Summer has set in. Temperature's soaring high. All one needs is a refreshing drink while basking in the summer sun. So, today I'm going to share the recipe of a tangy mango drink which I call "smoked mango sharbat". It's a must for Indian households during summer and it's popularly known as "Aam pora sharbat" .It tastes delicious, so why not give it a try? Here goes the recipe for two servings of "Smoked mango sharbat".

Ingredients:

• Two green mangoes                                                           

  

  Aam Pora Sharbat(Smoked Mango Sharbat)

• Rock Salt 
• Cumin Powder
• Water
• Sugar

Process:

• Grill the two green mangoes till they're completely black on the outside.(You can grill them over fire directly or use a heated frying pan to grill them on the gas oven) 
• Once grilled, let them cool for some time.
• Once they've cooled, tear out the peel. 
• Then scoop out the pulp and mash it well. 
• Add some water and blend the mixture using a blender till it forms a thick juice. Add 1 tbsp spoon rock salt and 1/2 tbsp sugar and churn it well.
•  Pour it into two glasses and sprinkle cumin powder on top.
• Leave it in the refrigerator for an hour to cool.

Just a few simple steps and your "Smoked Mango Sharbat" is ready to be served ! I'd love your feedback. So make sure to leave a comment if you liked it !

It's Just Me

Crybaby

I just love to cry. Whenever I’m really upset about something, tears come naturally. I cry to my heart’s content! It’s actually good to cry sometimes. Because the tears drain out your anguish, pain or anger. After you cry, you feel much better. You may like to know why I cry. Now that’s a very big question. I cry over things which may seem trivial to others. And I feel piqued very easily, though I don’t let others understand. Seldom will you find me crying in somebody’s presence. Most of the times, it’s the bathroom or my bedroom where I drench my pillow with tears. After such crying sprees, I usually get so tired that I fall asleep soon afterwards. And then I dream until (I don’t know if I snore too) my mum’s voice deafens my ears like the crash of thunder!  

Killing The Monster Called Monotony

                                   

I'm posting after a long time (actually,a very long time)! It's strange how time is flying by and things are changing. Life's getting mundane everyday! I'm sure you can relate. I've joined Hellopoetry just to try out something new. What can be done to relieve the monotony of everyday life? Well,I've been experimenting since a few days and here's what I have to share...

Just try out something new.  Now don't go into trying something wayward and wacky like I did out of sheer desperation(I actually chewed a raw chilli at one go, and then scurried around the house like a mad dog!) Go for a morning walk maybe, or just get wet in the rain. Never mind the mud and dirt. Enjoy and dance like it's the first time. Do the same things in a different way. Brush your teeth with the hand which you generally don't. (It's a good exercise for the brain). Or just slip your left leg first and then your right leg into your pyjama.(It's fun) Challenge yourself to do tasks that you find difficult. And don't give up till you've accomplished it. The feeling of having achieved something is great.

Having said all this,I feel like a counsellor.(Lol!) That's all for now. I just got reminded of a saying "Life is too short to live with regrets". So forgive,be kind and spread love and happiness. Have a nice day !

Because it's spring

Spring

It's spring, the birds sing, there's sweetness in everything... Hey wait, did I just make a rhyme? I think it's the best part about spring, the pleasant weather makes you happy and you find good in everything. 

For me spring is the most nostalgic part of the year, you keep thinking about the last winter and other pleasant things. Now for people whose last winter didn't turn out that good, here's one of my favourite songs which has something special about it, and it's like a "springtime"song . I'm sure this is going to cheer you up! ( and in case you're wondering if my blog has changed to a music blog, I promise I'll be back with something interesting to share in my next post!) 

                                                              

                           

Jingle Bells

Merry Christmas!

 “Jingle bells, jingle bells , jingle all the way , Santa Claus in coming to time riding on a slay”…  The countdown has started. Only five days to Christmas!!!

I remember my first present from Santa was a stationary set, wrapped in a beautiful pink paper. Every year, on Christmas Eve, my mother and I walk to a nearby cake shop and buy ourselves a deluxe fruit cake. Decorating Christmas tree is something which I love doing! And then we have a small get together at our place on Christmas Eve. It’s hard to get sleep on the night of Christmas Eve with excitements soaring high!  Christmas Carols, visiting churches, and certainly the presents make it all so special!

Christmas carols remind me of my nursery classes where we used to merrily sing along to the tunes of “Rode off the Red-nosed reindeer”; “Santa Claus is coming to town” during the Christmas week. On the 24^th of December, our music teacher used to dress up as Santa Claus, clad in a red robe with white beard and moustache, ringing the bell he carried in one hand. And when presents were distributed, we could hardly wait to unwrap them!  I know I’m getting too nostalgic, but these are a few happy moments which are always going to be memorable for me. It’s not that I’m not excited about this Christmas, but sometimes old days are just too good to be relived again!

I hope Santa fulfills all the pointers on your wishlist this time! A Merry Christmas to all the fun lovers across the globe! 

A Troublesome Banana

Yesterday I did something awful to my hair. It’s probably the worst thing a girl can ever do to her hair. Well if you’re wondering whether I chopped off my hair then you’re wrong. It’s something worse than that! I recently read in a magazine that applying a mask of banana adds extra sheen to your hair. And I was tempted to try it out. So after shampooing my hair I took a banana and squeezed it in my hands and applied the mash all over my hair. After keeping it for five minutes I washed my hair and dried it with a towel. And guess what, I found small chunks of banana all over my hair!  I shampooed my hair again but it did not help as the banana chunks were quite determined to stick to my hair! I just kept my fingers crossed and hoped that I don’t find red ants all over my head next morning! I had to stay back at home throughout the day, bored to death! I realized that I had to mash the banana into a fine paste and then apply it! But forget it, who’s going to try again. I've decided, bananas are good to eat and that's how they're useful ,NOT for applying on my hair !

Ice cream- A royal delicacy

Strawberry Gourmet

Ice cream is a very essential summer delicacy. On a hot day, we never hesitate to loosen our purse strings over ice -creams. While many of us reflect that ice-cream is a modern concept, it has got a very interesting origin dating back to 400 BC.   

In the Persian Empire, people would pour grape-juice concentrate over snow, in a  bowl, and have this as a treat on a hot day. Snow would either be stored in the cool-keeping underground chambers known as "yakhchal", or taken from the snowfall that remained at the top of the mountains. In 400 BC, the Persians went further and invented a special chilled food, made of rose water and vermicelli, which was served to royalty during summers. The ice was mixed with saffron, fruits, and various other flavours.  

Chocolate Ice cream

Ancient civilizations have served ice for cold foods for thousands of years. The BBC reports that a frozen mixture of milk and rice was used in China around 200 BC. The Roman Emperor Nero (37-680) had ice brought ice from the mountains and combined it with fruit toppings. 

Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat asserts, in her History of Food, that "the Chinese may be credited with inventing a device to make sorbets and ice cream. They poured a mixture of snow and saltpetre over the exteriors of containers filled with syrup, for, in the same way as salt raises the boiling-point of water, it lowers the freezing-point to below zero. It has also been claimed that, in the Yuan Dynasty, Kublai Khan enjoyed ice cream and kept it a royal secret until Marco Polo visited China and took the technique of making ice cream to Italy.

So, the next time you have an ice-cream, whether it’s a sundae or a gelato , do remember that you are relishing a royal delicacy!  

                                                                                                                                            

                                                                                                                                                                  source:Wikipedia

Recipe for Delectable Chocolate Lava Cakes

Chocolate Lava Cake

If it's your mom's birthday and there's a party at your house, and you want to give her something really special,then here is the recipe for tempting chocolate lava cakes. Just six simple procedures and your cakes are ready!

Ingredients:                                                      
10 oz(280g) bittersweet chocolate(60% cocoa)
4/5 cup(180 g)butter
8 eggs
1 + 1/4 cup (275g) sugar
1 +1/4 cup (140g) all purpose flour

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).
2. Grease 10 large muffin tins or cups;paper muffin bake cups can also be used.
3. Grind the chocolate into small pieces and melt it with butter over hot water.
4. Beat the eggs with sugar and mix with flour.
5. Slowly fold in the melted butter and chocolate.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for only 8-12 minutes; the outer part should be cooked and the inner part liquid.
The chocolate lava cakes may be served hot with custard ,ice-cream or berries. The cakes may be dusted with icing sugar.
So, if you wanna make your special ones happy, then go ahead and try baking Chocolate Lava Cakes.  The sweetness of chocolate won't fail to impress your loved ones!

Halloween Special - How to make a Jack O Lantern

A basic item for Halloween decorations is a Jack O Lantern. Making a Jack O Lantern is very easy. Here are a few simple steps to make a lantern for yourself :-

Jack O Lanterns

• Choose a dry pumpkin with a hard shell. Consider size. The pumpkin should be big enough to carve eyes,nose and mouth on.You can choose a pumpkin of your desired shape,for e.g. moon-shaped,or round.
• Wash dirt off the pumpkin.
• Mark the features on the pumpkin slightly smaller than you want them to be with a pen or pencil.
• Cut the top off by putting the knife all the way through the shell into the pumpkin. Draw a circle around the stem and lift it off.
• Clean the inside, discarding the seeds and sticky interior. Make sure the inside of the face is free of clinging tissue.
• Carve out each feature by pushing the knife through,then cut on the line until the piece comes out.
• Clear away the rough edges and your lantern is ready.
• To light up your Jack O Lantern,open the top and press a candle down into the bottom of the pumpkin. If needed, cut a little bit out of the bottom so that the candle properly fits inside.
• Light the candle with a long'stemmed match or an electric kitchen lighter.

So, go ahead, make your own Jack O Lantern this Halloween and make sure it looks scary enough to make others have goosebumps!

Pigeons on a bathing spree

They say you got to be lucky enough to experience incredible things a second time. So, I think I'm lucky enough to watch pigeons at bath for a second time. But, I can ensure you that this time they look even more adorable and happier than before. These buddies really made me happy early in the morning and I loved watching them , splashing and dancing in the water. I hope you enjoy watching them, as much as I did!

Pigeons at bath

It was a cloudy morning, and as I woke up from bed, I was enthralled by the sight outside my bedroom window. These fun-loving creatures were having a wonderful time in the rain. It was something really worth watching so I captured a video to share it with my friends and my readers.

Durga Puja - A Moment For The Bengalis

The countdown has already started. 

Hardly 40 days in hand.

The scent is in the breeze 

and the warmth is in our hearts.
My heart feels like floating along the cotton like clouds in the autumn sky.

I can hear the drum beats or rather "dhak" vibrating all around me.

After all, Maa Durga is on her way to Bengal. The Puja sensation is all around!

Crowded streets with vibrant, clamorous groups of people, enjoying their puja shoppings to the fullest.

The different aspects of nature seem to echo the joy and excitement which is present among us all.

We are proud to be Bengalis. So, this time lets celebrate Durga Puja in togetherness and make it really special and memorable in our own ways.

Dedicated To My Friends

I often sit and think what my life would be without my friends. And it is then I realize how much my friends mean to me, how much they care about me. So this is something I want to dedicate to all my dear friends.

I asked God for a companion

And He gave me such an incredible one like you.

You never left me alone in the dark crowds,

Where there was no one to help me out.

You never turned your back to me

When I was wild with anger.

You taught me never to lose hope,

Even when there were failures on my way.

You always cheered me up,

During the gloomy days.

You always made me smile

With everything you said,

When you saw me in distress,

You were the one to cry for me.

When the others only sympathized with me in my sorrow,

You were the only one to empathize then.

Please keep up your love and affection,

For this is what I need the most.

Thank you, my dear friend

This is all I can say.

The Sound Of Music

We make memories and we live them

They say music is a universal language. Music is loved by all and it reflects different thoughts and emotions of  life.

Music often reminds us of sweet memories. Has it ever happened that you have switched on your i-pod to a tune you haven't listened to for a long time, and suddenly it reminds you of some blissful days, which you would like to cherish again? 

I've always experienced it. Music makes sweet memories even more memorable. Music always gives me company in different moods of life. How can I forget the numerous meet ups with my friends?  All had a different fun, and some special music which made them so enjoyable. 

Music has added different colors to each day of my life. It is because of music that I can say "I make memories and I live them."

Monsoon Rhythms

After a scorching summer, the arrival of monsoons is the most delighting. At such times, even a dull and cloudy weather is not that unpleasant. But at times, rains are not welcoming at all. Now, you may disagree with me on this fact if you haven’t experienced it yourself. Suppose it’s eight o’clock in the morning and you are late for office or school and you forget your umbrella at home. And on your way, there’s a heavy downpour and you are drenched wet. I’m sure you would hate rains then. Well, I experienced such days many a times, especially this monsoon. I was late for school and then all of a sudden it started pouring heavily. Rainwater had collected in puddles on the road and I had walked through so many of them. By the time I reached school, my shoes and socks were soaked with mud and water. And I had to wear those soggy shoes and socks for the whole day. But while returning home, I had a wonderful experience. It was drizzling and my friend shared her umbrella with me. On our way, we burnt our tongues with a typical Indian street food “chur mur”. I am one of those who hate getting wet in rain, but I found that monsoons are not bad after all, even though the rains had really troubled me a lot. Now don’t think that I liked getting wet that morning. But I loved the “chur mur” which would never taste as delicious as under my friend’s umbrella with the soft music of the pitter patter of raindrops.

No Easter Without Easter Eggs

Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated as Easter Day. There is a lot about the religious side of Easter and it’s meanings, but there are also many amusing fun facts about Easter. Easter reminds us of the brightly painted, delicious Easter eggs. But do you know how Easter eggs first came into being?

  

• Easter is all about the renewal and rebirth .The well-known Easter eggs are an ancient symbol of new life  .So what else could be so appropriate for a spring time holiday like Easter?

• Easter eggs are often hidden, supposedly by the Easter Bunny, for children to find on Easter morning. Otherwise, they are generally put in a basket filled with real or artificial straw in resemblance of a bird's nest.

• The largest Easter egg ever made was produced in Vergeville, AB. It weighed 5,000 pounds, and was 25.7 feet long.

• The first chocolate eggs were made in Europe in the early 1800s and still retain their popularity as the best treats associated with Easter.

• 90 million chocolate Easter eggs are being made for Easter every year.

• 16 billion jelly beans are made especially which is enough to fill a plastic egg the size of a nine story building.

• After Halloween, Easter is the biggest candy consuming holiday.

So gear up for the coming Easter and enjoy some delectable Easter eggs from bakeries around you. Happy Easter to all of you .

An Ideal Way of Spending A Sunday Winter Morning

Cup of coffee

Winter months bring laziness to all. Even my pet dog becomes lazier than usual. Somehow, the mornings turn out to be the worst when you have to wake up early and get ready for school, college or office. We love to lounge languidly on our beds, and wrap ourselves with our warm blankets. And so, we all love Sunday mornings when one can lie on his bed as long as one wishes.

The best way to galvanize yourself on a chilling Sunday morning is to wrap yourself with a blanket and sit in the warm balcony where the sun is just overhead, along with a cup of steaming, hot coffee in one hand and an interesting book in the other. As the warm rays of the sun fall on you, you slowly sip your cup of coffee and become engrossed in the book you are reading. This gives a wonderful pleasure and makes winter really special. One can never have such a pleasant experience other than a Sunday, chilling winter morning!

Chinese Celebration of New Year

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Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is one of the most dynamic, stimulating and colorful festivals celebrated by the Chinese. Celebration of Chinese New Year varies widely all over China. People spend huge amounts of money to buy presents, decoration materials, food and clothing. As the day nears, excitement mounts and spirits soar high.

It is the tradition of every family to clean their houses to sweep away any ill-fortune with hopes for good incoming luck. Windows and doors are decorated with red colored paper cuts and couplets with popular themes of “happiness”, “wealth” and “longevity”. In the evening, the streets burst at the seams with colorful fanfare and festivity. People perform cultural dances while brightly-lit floats gliding on the water adding magic to the night.

On Chinese New Year Eve, families gather for a sumptuous reunion dinner. For 15 days, home visits to families and friends are sweetened with traditional New Year goodies like love letters (crispy egg rolls), pineapple tarts and barbecued pork. Gifts of mandarin oranges are exchanged for blessings while children receive “hong baos” (red envelopes filled with money) for good luck. “Yu Sheng” a tantalizing raw fish salad which symbolizes prosperity adds specialty to the evening.