FAMILY - THE MOST TREASURED PEOPLE IN OUR LIVES

GARFIELD CARTOON - WHAT STRESS?

MY PHOTOS FOR THE DAY - OBJECTS AND THINGS USED IN THE PAST

I took these photos at exhibitions last year

JENNIFER LAWRENCE - INCREDIBLY TALENTED ACTRESS

I first watched Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone. Anyone who has seen that movie would have sensed the incredible talent and acting skills she is endowed with. The young actress who recently turned 22 on August , left an unforgettable impression. When my husband suggested we watch Hunger Games, I didnt ask him or check who were the cast. When I began to watch  Hunger Games, and saw Jennifer Lawrence, I was sure, we were going to watch something really good. And yes, 'the girl on fire' gave an astounding performance in the movie. Hunger Games became a super hit with a world wide box office success of 700 million $ . Her base salary for the action role in  in Hunger Games was 500,000 $ dollars. She will be cast in the sequel which will be released in 2013. It was reported that Jennifer Lawrence is offered a 10 million dollar contract,  for her role in the sequel 'Catching Fire'.  

There are two movies of the beautiful actress that will be released this year, one is a thriller called "House at the end of the Street" which is expected to released on September 21. The other one is a comedy-drama called "Silver Linings Playbook," which will be released on Nov. 21. I am looking forward to seeing both.

Apart from her passion for acting, she likes to paint, knit sweaters and scarves, surf, and play the guitar.

PERFUMES - ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FRAGRANCES AND CHOOSING THE RIGHT ONE

With all the perfumes old and new in the market, sometimes it can get confusing which one to actually buy. The fragrance you wear or choose to buy speaks about you and your personality. It's depends on your age and how you want to smell, if you like strong smelling oriental, or woody or musk based perfume. Or something feminine like floral or fruity or fresh smelling citrus fragrance. I personally prefer floral or fruity because, they always smell lovely. I don't have to scare or suffocate people with something too strong.

I've been, once in a while tempted, when people pass by me and I get a whiff of an amazing fragrance, to stop them and ask, 'would you mind if I ask you, what perfume are you wearing?' Then I hold myself, what if they mind, they don't to want to tell, it's such a personal thing and to stop to stranger and ask what fragrance is that...hmm, I have'nt done that so far. Nevermind asking a stranger. I do my own research. As a lover of fragrances, I try out the latest perfumes and older ones at department stores, and when I return home, I wait to see if the smell stays on, what is like after several hours or 12 hours or even a day. Let me share a discovery and a fact ....80% of the beautiful smelling perfume don't last for more than an hour to 4 hours!

So my advise would be don't be in hurry to buy a perfume, just because it smells good when you try it on in the shop. It may not smell the same an hour later or couple of hours later. Trust me. It could still smell amazing or horrible or the smell would have faded or disappeared. Don't try too many perfumes on one day, it can be pretty confusing. Try just two or three. Once you are done at the perfume outlet, go about doing other stuff, return home, wait and see how the perfume actually smells on you after 2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hour and even 8 hours. Then decide based on how it smells on you and whether its long lasting. The thumb rule being, don't expect a perfume to last more than 5 hours.

Perfumes and eau de parfums last longer on the skin and smells better than eau de toilettes and is more expensive.

Here are some facts and tips which will help you enjoy your perfume.

* The 'amazing' or 'wonderful' smell you first get when you spray or apply pefume, is the 'top notes', they just last for 5 to 10 minutes, followed the 'middle notes', that last say 20 minutes. It's the smell and combination of final 'base notes' or 'bottom notes' that make the perfume last longer for several hours or linger on on your body as they are heavier. The smell of the base notes is quite different from the top notes. So after you try your perfume, it's bound to smell different after an hour. Sometimes people buy perfumes relying on the smell they get as soon as they spray on them, love it, buy it and use it once or twice and then they don't like how it smells anymore and they wonder why did they buy it in the first place. So, as I said earlier, try it on and wait to see what it smells like first, then after 20 minutes, then after an hour to feel the difference and if you appreciate the base notes and if it lasts for atleast 4 hours. You can always go back the shop if you want to buy it.

* Your friend's perfume will not smell the same on you because of the difference in body chemistry, diet and age. Fragrances are made of many essential oils and certain essential oils are absorbed by our skin and others are not. If you have dry skin, the fragrance will stay for shorter time than those with oily skin since oily skin has more natural moisture to hold the fragrance. PH levels (amount of acidity in our skin) varies slightly from person to person which also causes fragrances to react differently on different people. So if someone tells you of this great smelling perfume, try it out first, don't be in a hurry to buy. See how it works on you.

* To preserve your fragrance, keep it in a cool, dry area away from sunlight and windows or else an imbalance will form in the perfume and would end up smelling something else after a while.

* Apply your fragrance on pulse points like the wrist, behind the ear, crook of the arm and knee, base of the throat. For long lasting fragrance apply or spray on your ankles, it allows the fragrance to blossom up!

* You might have to re-apply if you want the fragrance to linger on your body. So carry your favourite perfume with you wherever you go.

Here are some really nice perfumes I'd like to recommend.




Juicy Couture Classic - Hope to buy one sometime...I love the way it smells

 


Estee Lauder Private Collection Gardenia




Issey Miyake - L'Eau de Issey Florale




Hugo Boss Orange




Roberto Cavalli Perfume




Burberry London (on oldie but amazing fragrance)




Britney Spears Radiance




Chance - Chanel




A scent by Issey Miyake; there is an older version and a newer one, see what suits you better

 


Chloe Eau de parfum - preferably for evening/night,
amazing smell, long lasting. I've been using it since a year and I love it. My husband gifted it to me

 


Gucci flora perfume (Gucci has the eau de toilette version in different floral fragrances; I prefer the perfume)




Guerlein - Idylle




Lancome Miracle So Magic, I've been using this for several years




Paco Rabanne Lady Million - smells really nice and is not expensive as others



Gucci Envy Me - Mine got over, but loved using it for several years




Valentina by Valentino - Lovely perfume. My daughter gifted me one and she has one too, love it





Armani Code Summer 2011 edition - a beautiful fragrance
 my daughter uses it and when I tried it out at her place, I felt it smelt great

BVLGARI Omnia Coral - Amazing perfume. Tried it out a month ago, not once, but thrice. Yes amazing!

 




WHERE THERE IS A WILL THERE WILL BE ALWAYS BE A WAY

HAPPY EID

May the lessons, humility and wisdom behind fasting always remain with you to guide you in your daily life for the rest of the year. Wishing everyone out there observing Eid, a joyous celebration.

MY PHOTO FOR THE DAY - CONNECTING OURSELVES WITH NATURE

One of the places I love to visit is Ahmadi. I visit the place occasionally, but when I do, what I enjoy most is the beauty of nature, the greenery and the lovely variety of plants and flowers. I feel a sense of peace and calm, and suddenly nothing else matters.  It's one of my favourite places to take photos and I end up taking plenty of shots of nature at it's best. When you are amidst nature, and observe all those varieties of plants, flowers, trees, shrubs, catcus, rocks and stones, what comes into your mind? Do you notice how the beautiful diverse creations that all look so different but form a wonderful part of nature. Our lives are made up of so many different events, experiences, filled with different kinds of people, and even our past is so different from the present. Nature teaches us that harmony is attainable in all those different situations and challenges and to trust that everything will fall in place.

WEIGHT LOSS - CAKE LOVERS BEWARE OF CALORIES

These photos were taken at the bakery section of a hypermarket

I love baking cakes, I've always loved cakes. My favourites are chocolate cakes and orange cakes and if they are baked at home, gosh they give out this amazing aroma that just lingers on for a long time in the kitchen. I'ts been a long time since I baked a cake. I used to bake a different cake each week and in a few days, they would be over. My husband, myself and daughter - our love for cakes will always remain. But ever since we started to consciously eat healthy, one of the things we had to stay away from was cakes whether baked at home or bought from shops. The reason is they are bursting with sugar and calories and our bodies don't need too much sugar. By now you know sugar is something health experts are asking us to reduce to a bare minimum in our diets. A slice of home made cake can contain 200 to 250 calories and with frosting can go upto 350 to 375 calories. And those rich cakes you get in the bakeries, well a slice can contain 750 calories. Whether you are on a diet, or maintaining your weight, or even if you don't have weight issues, but wish to eat and live healthy, well, you can have a small slice of cake occasionally but make sure it's not a daily, frequent or  integral part of your diet.

JASMINE TEA AND ITS AMAZING HEALTH AND HEALING BENEFITS

Jasmine has been known for ages for its intoxicating, seductive and tantalizing smell. If you like jasmine, you will like jasmine tea, which is a kind of scented tea with wonderful healing properties for mind, body and spirit. Jasmine flowers have always been used in India and China as offering and for decorations during religious ceremonies. Jasmine is believed to have spiritual powers. I am not sure about the spiritual powers, but I certainly love the smell of jasmine flowers, and perfumes that have a combination of jasmine blended with other flowers.

Jasmine tea was discovered in Sung Dynasty in China around 700 years ago. Since the past 5 to 7 years, people across the world have been consuming Jasmine tea for their wonderful healing properties. You get to buy jasmine tea in supermarkets and department stores and you probably have seen them on the shelves. All you have to do is boil water, add it to half a teaspoon of jasmine tea and let it infuse for a minute or two. If you want it stronger, you can add a little more tea. Experiment and see for yourself. Jasmine tea would be slightly sweet. You can add sugar to your taste. There are several varities of jasmine tea in the market that would have used either green tea, oolong tea, white tea or black tea with jasmine flowers during the manfacturing process.

The tea leaves after plucking, are kept in a cool place until night time. That's when their flavor and are released. Jasmine petals are then added to the dry tea leaves. As the leaves dry, they begin to absorb the fragrance of the Jasmine petals. In the manufacturing process, green tea leaves and flowers are baked at high temperatures, for several times to infuse the tea leaves. And there you have jasmine tea. You can choose from any of the varities I have mentioned.

A word of caution, please refrain from drinking jasmine tea on an empty stomach because it could cause acidity. Now let's take a look at the wonderful health benefits and healing properties of jasmine tea.

* Improves digestion
* Eliminates toxins
* Helps you to lose weight
* Accelerates metabolism
* Improves blood circulation
* Has an aphrodisiac effect
* Jasmine tea that contains green tea increases your energy level
* Works as an anti depressant, quietens the nerves and lowers stress
* Boosts confidence, optimism, thinking power and promotes clarity in thought

* Elevates your mood
* Combats inflammation
* Improves concentration
* Enhances immune system
* Lowers cholesterol
* Reduces joint pains and muscular aches
* Helps in reducing menstrual cramps and menopausal symptoms
* Aroma of jasmine tea has a relaxing effect
* Reduces headaches and respiratory problems
* Combats fatigue

Jasmine is the national flower of the Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Syria. Jasmine scent is also used in incenses and massage oils for their calming and soothing properties, it has the power to elate one's optimism, restore energy and confidence. In ancient times, it was believed burning jasmine leaves would attract wealth and if burnt in the bedroom, it would induce prophetic dreams.

Next time you head for the supermarket, get yourself Jasmine tea and enjoy the health and healing benefits.

CONTENTMENT

MY PHOTO FOR THE DAY - THREE WHEEL CAR

I enjoy taking random pictures of anything that catches my attention. I noticed this three wheel car, when we were out. Two of the photos that I captured was while it was travelling on the road. I wasn't sure if I'd see it again and wondered what the front and side  looked like, and that's when it drove to the gas station we were headed to. My husband got out and talked to the person driving the three wheel car to know more about it. There were two little children in the car who would have enjoyed riding in the unconventional yet attractive little vehicle as much as the Owner himself.

WEIGHT LOSS - OVEREATING IS AS UNHEALTHY AS SMOKING!

If you thought addiction to drugs, alchohol and cigarettes were bad for health, there's one more horrible addiction that is guaranteed to make a person ill for life. Overeating!

Overeating is as unhealthy as smoking. It can lead to high cholesterol, heart disease and you experience decreased energy. If you are overweight, you are prone to high blood pressure;  the additonal weight puts severe stress and strain on your hip and knee joints and even your vital organs. You would find doing normal day to day activities a horrendous task. When you overeat, you would be likely to consume more fat which would in time, block your arteries, and that can lead to heart attack or stoke. Just think, why would you want to eat your way to illness, why would you want to deprive yourself of a healthy and happy life?. Why not work on reducing your excess weight by eating less, eating right and exercising your body. And see the difference yourself. Change your eating habits, change your life.

WHY MEN AND WOMEN'S SHIRT BUTTONS ARE ON DIFFERENT SIDES

Ever wondered why men's and women's shirt buttons are on different sides?

Women's buttons are on the left side because sometime during the Victorian Era, rich women who could afford servants and expensive clothing would depend on maids to help dress them. Most women are right handed and it was much easier for them to dress the ladies when buttons are on the left side. So clothiers used to fix buttons on the left side on women's clothing. As for men, they used to dress themselves and most men were right handed and the buttons of men's shirts used to be on the right side of their clothing.

Somehow, the concept of fixing buttons for men's and women's clothing on different sides never changed and clothiers till today due the same. In unisex clothing, the buttons are on the right.

CREATING YOUR FUTURE

MY PHOTO FOR THE DAY - ACTION IN YOUR LIFE

Sometime ago, when I was watching a skateboarding contest at Marina Waterfront, I realized, how children are not afraid of action. Some of the contestants, young children in their teens had put up a nice show. Adults can learn from children....not the skateboarding part but the ability to be action oriented. Not to sit and laze around. Get up and do something creative, something exciting, something that uplifts your soul. How about music, art, sport of any kind - what would you like to do that enriches your life with action?

Taken at Marina Waterfront

HUMOR - WHO NEEDS THE EXERCISE?