RAMADAN SPECIAL OFFERS AT LULU HYPERMARKET

Lulu Hypermarket (Qurain and Al Rai outlets) are having very special offers on a variety of items. To know of their promotional items visit their website. Better yet, visit Lulu for availing their special offers.

THE BIG COOKING CHALLENGE BY X-CITE ALGHANIM

I was at X-Cite Alghanim yesterday and watched part of the Cooking competition. As for the ingredients and necessities required for the competition, the participants don't have to bring anything from home. Everything will be provided at X-cite, the raw materials, spices, veggies, cooking ware and medium for cooking for you to participate comfortably in the competition. And the winners and participants will take home valuable prizes. The organizers will also provide you the written recipe with simple yet detailed instructions and assist you if you have doubts.

The competition began at around 7.15pm and there were three lady participants who were guided by Chef from Movenpick  and the X-Cite staff. They were led to their tables where steamer, grill, fryer and all ingredients necessary for cooking was already arranged. They were handed the recipe and guided on how to go about the competition. The ladies began with much enthusiasm. I didn't stay back to watch the entire competition.   

Presenter Oussama Fouda will entertain the customers and public watching the competiton, like he did yesterday, with his witty riddles and questions and public can participate and take home prizes. It's a fun event. Today (Saturday July 30) is the final day of the cooking competition and it will take place at 7pm at X-Cite showroom, Avenues Mall. Be there early to register your name and details.

For more details, contact X-Cite at 1803535

BEING AUTHENTIC

I am completely authentic. I don't pretend to be what I am not. I am what I am and I accept what I am. I am just like a flower, just like the ocean, just like the sun, I am just like me. - Don Miguel Ruiz

WEIGHT LOSS HUMOUR

If you are trying to lose weight and walk in the mall for exercise,  staying away from the food court would be great idea, otherwise you know what would happen.

AUNTIE BROOM

Zhang Xiu Fang is a street cleaner from  Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu province, who earned  overnight fame from a webposter where she displayed her amazing broom skills. She is now nicknamed Auntie Broom. Zhang said since street cleaning is exhausting and tough, she created many exercises to ease the muscles using the broom, based on her knowledge of Tai Chi. She shared the exercises with her colleagues to encourage them to exercise during their work break. Zhang's online stardom got her an offer to perform in a TV Talent Show in Nanjing.

Image credit: Asianewsphoto

HEALTH BENEFITS OF MUSHROOMS

I am quite fond of mushrooms and enjoy cooking them. The other day, I noticed several varieties of mushrooms at new opened Sultan Center outlet next to Shaab Leisure Park. Mushrooms are actually fungi and there exists a huge variety of mushrooms which are poisonous. Ofcourse the ones we get in the supermarkets are totally safe, except avoid the overly discoloured ones. Mushrooms make delicious recipes and they can be cooked in different ways, like grilling, broiling, frying, stir frying and boiling. They make wonderful soups and delicious stir fried dishes.

They have many health benefits and let's examine what they are:

* Mushrooms are a source of antioxidants that help fight free radicals.

* Mushrooms provide you Vitamin D and they are only vegetable which is a source of Vitamin D. Like humans, mushrooms produce Vitamin D in sunlight.

* An important source of Vitamin B2 and B3

* Contains high level of selenium, vital for healthy bladder.

* Helps in preventing obesity.

* They are rich in iron (essential for blood and preventing anemia), calcium (for healthy bones), pottasium (for lowering BP) and copper (anti bacterial)

* Helps in lowering cholestrol

* They make healthy low calorie diet for diabetics.

* Boosts body's immunity

Some pictures of several varities of mushrooms available at Sultan Center beside Shaab Leisure park.

SHOE BOX - SPECIAL OFFER ON SALE ITEMS

SHOE BOX is having a special three day 'Buy One, Get One Free' offer on their sale items in footwear (shoes and sandals). This special offer began yesterday, Thursday 28 July and will end on Saturday 30 July. They have some wonderful collection of footwear which I had blogged about earlier. The offer is available in all the SHOE BOX outlets - at 360 Mall, Avenues Mall and Al Kout Mall.

KOTEN JAPANESE FESTIVAL FOR ELECTRONICS

Best Al Yousifi Electronics, is celebrating KOTEN JAPANESE FESTIVAL at their Al Rai showroom. The festival offers various low priced pacakages for SHARP electronic household items. There are several fun filled activities for children who visit the showroom including Face Painting as well as gifts for customers and visitors. The festival started yesterday, Thursday July 28 and will continue till Saturday July 30.

Location: Best Al Yousifi Electronics, beside Lulu Hypermarket building, next to MAX (Al Rai)

Timing: 10 am to 10 pm

Tel : 1832323

STARTING YOUR DAY

BALANCING AN EGG ON PENCIL NIB

It's amazing what people can do, when you think something is impossible. How about erecting an egg on a pencil nib....sounds impossible but not for Cui Shifu from China.

Cui Shifu, who was a lorry driver, wanted to kill time during traffic jam. And he devised an interesting way to kill time....by erecting an egg  which he carried with him to eat on the road.  He enjoyed this past time and spent years practising the art and he could erect egg on plain ground. The most difficult challenge for him was erecting an egg on a pencil nib, which he mastered over time (and ofcourse broke many eggs during the course of his experiment).  At a challenge scene, Cui Shifu, used a pencil nib less than one millimeter. He fixed the pencil on desk first and then picked up one egg with his hands to find weight point and supporting point and erected the egg on the pencil nib, quite calmly!

HUMOUR

BENEFITS OF CAT NAP

A short nap of 20 minutes to half an hour will do a person a whole lot of good in a lifestyle that involves high pressure work environment, multitasking and attending  to fresh set of chores and responsibilities when you return home and also for those who sleep less at night. A cat nap is not a sign of laziness as many imagine. A cat nap, also called a Power Nap,  is rejuvenating, improves brain function, job performance, improves altertness, stamina and puts you in a good  mood. Personally, I feel really great and re-energised when I have a cat nap. It's also a misconception that one would put on weight if you indulge in a cat nap. You put on weight due to increased calorie intake and lack of exercise. If you are at home during the afternoon, and feel tired, don't push yourself to keep awake and be busy. Take a break, take a cat nap for 20 minutes to half and hour and see how wonderful you feel. At work, it's quite normal to feel a bit tired in the afternoon. Have a cat nap during your lunch break and see how active, alert and productive you would be.

GRAISH EXPO AT SAFIR INTERNATIONAL HOTEL

GRAISH EXPO, an exhibition that promotes Kuwaiti talents and businesses starts today, which will showcase a variety of exhibits including food, clothes, accessories and lots of more. Graish Expo will be held at Lulu Ballroom, Safir International Hotel, Bneid Al Qar.

Exhibition dates : Thursday July 28 to Saturday July 30.

Timing: All the 3 days - 5pm to 11pm (To know if the exhibition will be held on Saturday morning as well, call the number below )

For details regarding Graish Expo, contact: 66221132

X-CITE ALGHANIM ELECTRONICS - THE BIG COOKING CHALLENGE

If you missed the first part of the The Big Cooking Challenge held at X-Cite Alghanim Electronics at Al Rai outlet on July 15 and 16, which was a big success and lots of prizes were given out to winners and participants, and the event was held under the auspices of Chef from Movenpick Hotel and Radio personality Oussama, well not to worry. For all you wonderful talented cooking experts out there, visit X-Cite outlet at Avenues Mall, and participate in second part of the 'The Big Cooking Challenge'. This wonderful event will be held on two days,  Friday July 29 and Saturday July 30, at 7pm. 

When I contacted X-Cite call center, I was informed that the participant can attend the competition on either Friday or Saturday and you should bring all the materials and ingredients required to prepare your dish from home and the facility to cook (like cooking range) will be provided at X-Cite showroom. There would be a time limit for the competition; sorry, I don't know what the time limit is. Be there at 5pm to register your details. In case you pass by Avenues Mall today, you could even drop into X-Cite showroom to enquire in detail.  

For further information contact X-Cite at : 1803535
Cooking competition: Friday July 29 and Saturday July 30
Location: X-Cite - Alghanim Electronics Showroom,  Avenues Mall
Time : 7pm (participants should reach the venue earlier, for registration and other formalities)
Fee : It's free

UPDATE SATURDAY JULY 30: I was at X-Cite Alghanim yesterday and watched part of the Cooking competition. As for the ingredients and necessities required for the competition, the participants don't have to bring anything from home. Everything will be provided at X-cite, the raw materials, spices, veggies, cooking ware and medium for cooking for you to participate comfortably in the competition. And the winners and participants will take home valuable prizes. The organizers will also provide you the written recipe with simple yet detailed instructions and assist you if you have doubts. Presenter Oussama Fouda will entertain the customers and public watching the competiton, with his witty riddles and questions and public can participate and take home prizes.   It's a fun event.  The cooking competition will take place at 7pm on Saturday July 30, at X-Cite showroom, Avenues Mall. Be there early to register your name and details.

PARENTING

Being a parent is one of the most wonderful gifts of nature. Parenting is certainly a joyous experience but it has it's ups and downs, challenges and there is no 'one size fits all' means of parenting. Cherish being a parent during the happy times and the difficult times. I came across this beautiful parenting wisdom (below) which I feel happy to share with you.

We are here to love our children, to nurture them, to walk with them, to let them go and be there at every turn of their journey in life. Sometimes, they need us more than others. Savour the journey. Never stop being Mom and Dad! We never leave their hearts and they never leave ours. - Traci Gaffney

THE POWER OF A SMILE

Can you think of a person or people in your life who made a big difference by a kind word, a reassuring smile or a caring glance?

PERFUME DAISY EAU SO FRESH BY MARC JACOBS

Daisy - Eau so Fresh by Marc Jacobs available at Debenhams, Avenues Mall

Perfume DAISY - Eau so Fresh by Marc Jacobs is a bright, floral-fruity fragrance - perfect for summer,  that exudes a sparkling energy with top notes of raspberry, middle notes of wild rose and base notes of warm plum. Available in Debenhams, Avenues Mall, Va Va Voom and leading perfume outlets.

AMAZING ANGELINA JOLIE AND JOHNNY DEPP LOOK ALIKE DOLLS

Phillipines artist and doll maker Noel Cruz creates celebrity look alike dolls that looks quite real. He takes a normal doll, strips the factory paint and re creates the desired celebrity using acrylic paints.  He created several beautiful Angelina Jolie look alike dolls. Noel has also made dolls of other celebrities like Nicole Kidman, James Bond star Daniel Craig, actor Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom. An unknown buyer, bought Noel's 16-inch Angelina Jolie doll at $3,350 on eBay.

Noel Cruz, artist and celebrity doll maker

Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie dolls created based on the movie 'The Tourist'

Other look alike Angelina Jolie dolls by Noel

LOW CALORIE LUNCH - SALMON MUSHROOM AND CARROT SALAD

SALMON MUSHROOM AND CARROT SALAD

Chop the carrots and mushroom

Marinate the salmon pieces in yoghurt (see Preparation)

Add the sauted vegetables with marinated salmon, water and cook

Almost done

Add chopped cucumber to the cooked salmon, mushroom and carrot

I am always thinking of making low calorie healthy dishes and I've been in a mood to experiment. Let me share with you an interesting recipe 'SALMON MUSHROOM AND CARROT SALAD' which I enjoyed making as well as relishing without having to worry about the calories or fat.

Ingredients:

6 pcs of one inch cubes of salmon fish

6 mushrooms

Half a big carrot

yoghurt - 3 to 4 tablespoon

vinegar 1/2 to 3/4  tablespoon

salt

pepper

mixed herbs fresh or dried (I used the dried Italian mixed herbs) - 1/2 tsp dried or 1 tsp fresh

garlic 2 pcs chopped fine

olive oil - 1 tablespoon

1 small cucumber or half a cucumber (leave skin on)

Preparation:

Take a bowl, add chopped garlic, salt, pepper, yoghurt, vinegar, add the fish and mix well and keep aside for 1/2 hour to 1 hour. In the meantime, chop the mushrooms into 3/4 inch cubes, half the carrot lengthwise and slice them. Heat a small sauce pan, add 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil and when warm, add the mushrooms and carrots and mixed herbs, saute on medium fire and on lower the flame further so they don't get stuck to the pan. Keeping stirring for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the marinated salmon to this, with 1/4 cup of water, close the lid and cook on medium fire for few minutes and then lower the flame and cook till the fish is done. Keep checking and stir gently as it cooks. You may add a few tablespoons of water if the water dries up. It would take about 10 to 12 minutes to cook. Add more salt towards the end if necessary. It should be semi dry and moist, but not gravy like or watery. Leave it to cool. Cut the cucumber into 4 pcs length wise and then dice into 1/2 inch pieces.  Add the chopped cucumber to it, stir gently and enjoy your Salmon Mushroom and Carrot Salad. You can add chopped salad leaves for variation and  to increase portion size

Makes for 2 persons.

Hope you like this dish as much as I did

ORIGAMI WITH DOLLAR BILL

Origami is a fascinating and beautiful art of paper folding to resemble objects, animals, birds, insects, flowers, so many things! When my daughter and son were younger, we would sit together and do lots of origami...fish, camels, elephants, frogs, monkeys, flowers, pencil holder, photo frame and much more using coloured paper, especially during their summer vacation. It used to be fun!

I came across these inticrate and  beautiful origami creation using Dollar bills by artist Craig Sonnenfeld.