Monday 30 May 2016

I Scream, You Scream, We all Scream for Ice-cream!!!

So we had our usual family trip to Creamello this weekend. For those who haven't been there yet, its an ice cream go to place with a good range of flavors and toppings. My lil one as always stood loyal to his chocolate preferences, but me and my bae tried their cold plate.

The process was slower then expected but I guess the overall experience depends on the kind of flavors you put together. The staff was really polite but I think a little more training is required as they were hardly able to assist us in selecting flavors or anything.

The over all experience was good, and to top it off was the reasonable pricing. I thought I had the pictures with me but just realized they were on my Snapchat, and the only one thing I dread about Snapchat is, it disappears :P, although that's the whole point of it, but still. Anyways... here is a picture from Creamello's Facebook Album:



I tried mocha madness with chocolate brownie, and it turned out heaven!

Another stir in the ice cream culture internationally is the Black Ice Cream! - Yes its ice cream and its black, it cant get any better than this! Although I think this master piece should've been invented centuries ago, but its never too late for awesomeness, is it? The creator of this invention, Nick Morgenstern highlights the health benefits of the ingredients used in the recipe. This Black Magic is made of coconut ash, an activated charcoal form, being the shell that has been charred and pulverized.

Coconut Ash Icecream

I don't know about you all but this looks so pretty, I want to sit and have a meaningful conversation with it. Seriously! Its classic, sexy and elite and I cant wait to try it. There is a reason they always opt for Black whenever in doubt - its always the best-est choice and the wisest one too.


Friday 6 May 2016

Hodophilia - Love Of Travel



Traveling has been on my mind for ages, and I won’t lie if I say I live by the quote, “if traveling was free you wouldn’t see me again”. But reality is, traveling is difficult, it takes saving money, planning, getting leaves from work (because the minute you plan a getaway, a very important, and an unexpected project comes up). Well to be honest, I am a kind of a person who knows how to get around things, so getting a leave isn’t that big a trouble. Then there is planning, being a strategy head and a mother of one, I’m always planning everything anyway, so that comes naturally too. Money saving now is the difficult part, and being a shopaholic, with an expensive taste, I’d rather die than not waste money. I try, but it’s a natural reflex mechanism for me, for absolutely everything. If I’m upset, I want to shop, if I’m bored I want to shop, seriously whenever there is a place I have to go to, I have no cloths, it’s a need more than a desire and I struggle every day to overcome it.

Well recently me and my husband, started planning a much needed, long awaited trip, and the first thing that was on my check list was to save up, so I can shop when I travel. For the record, if there is anything I like more than shopping, it is travelling and only so I started saving money. Well this blog is not about “how to save money”, I’ll do that one, when I myself figure it out, but I thought of adding some tips here because hey, there is no vacation without money right. So yeah I started off with 2 monthly committees, first one is already mine and the second one I’ll get right before my flight, than I also have eyes on my yearly bonus from work and I also plan on saving all the extra cash there is on me. Try having a separate savings account for a trip, or invest in something to get a return, when you plan a vacation.

Now that we are covered with the basics, let’s focus on the most difficult part of travelling – packing! You know that feeling of wanting to pack everything, not knowing what you might need? Its common and we all face that, ending up packing useless junk that we don’t even look at while on vacation.
When travelling live by one rule and one rule only “when in Rome, do as the Romans do”. This should include all areas, like the cloths you wear, the food you eat, the schedule you follow, even the beauty regime.

No you don’t need to carry 5 different shades of denim or jewelry to go with every outfit. You don’t need matching stilettos and you clearly don’t need matching bags - unless it’s a fashion oriented trip. But all in all a vacation should make you feel free and that can’t happen with a stack of suitcases.

Top most tip – Hand carry all the way – if you must shop, buy an extra bag and bring that back home, rather than taking empty bags with you.

1. Leave the baggage behind (literally)
You are going to shop anyway, so pack as little as possible. List out things that you really need, like 2 pair of undergarments, one jeans and a couple of tops, and these too should be the ones you are already bored off. Once you reach the destination, buy their fashion and try their style, throw out the ones you carried with you, to get more space in your luggage. Remember to take less items and more money, that’s the perfect recipe for absolute adventure.

2. Use all the empty spaces.
We have heard and tried different packing tricks, like rolling your cloths instead of folding, stuffing your undergarments and socks inside shoes – clearly they all work! It’s always best to use whatever space you have rather than throwing in items.

3. Pockets of joy.
Zip locks are a traveler’s best friend. Use them to secure toiletries, documents and even small electronics like shavers or chargers.

4. Resting accessories.
The one vacation must have is rest and you should pack up for your utmost comfort when it comes to sleeping during travel. An eye mask and ear plugs should always be a part of your hand carry for in-flight or train/car traveling.

5. Cover up.
You never know when you may need it. If you are landing at a conservative city, you might need it for covering up yourself. Moreover the most important usage would be during a flight, as it tends to get cold at times. A shawl can always become a blanket.

6. Divide and rule.
If you are travelling with someone, make sure to divide your items in each other’s bags. Luggage tends to get lost sometimes, and in situations like these, you should always have a plan B.

7. Copy everything.
For the same reason of losing stuff, always make extra copies of your documents and keep a set in every luggage item that you have.

8. Comfort food.
Although I’m a non-believer in this, as I think we should try whatever the vacation spot has to offer, even their food. But there are some food items that people can’t live without, like a favorite tea or even crackers. Carry them with you in a zip lock, but only according to your need. Remember you are not moving there, it’s just a trip.

Hope this helps, and I’ll make sure to post more regarding traveling do’s and don’ts.

Bon Voyage!