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Friday 30 September 2016

Making The Right Lifestyle Choices With Godrej Nature’s Basket Healthy Alternatives | Health Food Lifestyle

Celebrities are just like us. They also shop at the same stores we do and care about their health just like us, or maybe even more.

Twinkle Khanna Bollywood Actress Celebrity Spotting Mumbai

Godrej Nature's Basket Healthy Alternatives Launch Press Meet

These were just some of the thoughts running through my mind as I saw Twinkle Khanna showcase a big wad of bills she had accrued via shopping at Godrej Nature’s Basket in September alone! Occasion was the launch and overview meet for Healthy Alternatives category of products by Godrej Nature’s Basket on a sunny Mumbai morning at the classic Godrej One campus in Vikhroli, amongst a motley group of press and bloggers.

Godrej Nature's Basket Healthy Alternatives Health Nutrition Lifestyle Food

India Mumbai Bloggers Meet Health Nutrition Lifestyle Food

Godrej Nature's Basket Healthy Alternatives Launch Press Meet

Godrej Nature’s Basket is already a premium world food store, at least that’s how my family looks at it :) We visit them to get the best in terms of meal options from all over the world, be it fresh fruits and vegetables or a variety of vegan alternatives to milk, exclusive range of jams or sauces, dips and other condiments and much more. Healthy Alternatives marks an even stronger step they have taken in terms of providing a comprehensive range of products that help us make the right choices in life.

Godrej Nature's Basket Healthy Alternatives Health Nutrition Lifestyle Food

Since our modern lifestyles are unbelievably hectic, we often pick up ‘ready to eat meal’ packets or reach for that delectable packet of chips when we need to snack or how about gulping down that last piece of dense chocolate brownie, and later on comes the inevitable guilt trip as well as fears related to what is going to happen to our overall health in the long run. Whether it be snacking on over-processed, artificially sweetened or preserved food items or heat-and-eat our meals, these are not habits that can be sustained over long run without seriously damaging our health as more often than not, they provide empty calories but no nutrients. And it is not just that we do not have time to cook but rather, it is difficult to find the right ingredients in all the noise in the market. Add to that, the increasing lifestyle problems such as gluten and dairy allergies (which did not exist till about a century ago!) and we need targeted products to ensure that our families get tasty yet healthy food on a regular basis whether it be a complete meal or just a snack on the go.

Godrej Nature's Basket Healthy Alternatives Vegetarian Health Nutrition Lifestyle Food

Godrej Nature's Basket Healthy Alternatives Health Nutrition Lifestyle Food

Press Meet Bloggers Meet Health Nutrition Lifestyle Food

Healthy Alternatives thus is a carefully curated wellness range with products ranging from organic grocery, natural fruit chips, roasted high protein snacks, gluten free pastas, black & red rice, forest elephant rice, floral honey, tea blends, olive oil, free range eggs and much more! All of these are geared towards ensuring that we make the right choice every time our hands reach out to pick something off the shelf. Nobody should be forced to have boring tasteless food in the name of ‘health’ (everybody’s favourite complaint) and all of us present at the venue were subject to a healthy, nutritious and tasty lunch curated using the very same products. With dishes such as Quinoa salad with pumpkin seeds, forest elephant rice, organic spinach tadka and makhana chaat, honestly this was a memorable lunch that definitely tasted different, but in a good way. It was lighter, did not make me feel sleepy and kept me energized. This is, in a nutshell, what Healthy Alternatives is all about. Most of these products are barely available in Indian market and here Godrej is making us proud by bringing the latest & greatest in terms of health & nutrition right to our doorstep.

Gift Hamper Bloggers Meet Health Nutrition Lifestyle Food

Celebrity Twinkle Khanna Bollywood Mumbai India

The afternoon saw a lively discussion of all these concepts of health, nutrition and more with Twinkle Khanna, Tanya Dubash (Executive Director & Chief Brand Officer of Godrej Group) and Avani Davda (M.D.-Godrej Nature’s Basket) It opened up a new world of looking at our daily life, of which food is a huge part, in a new way, all for the better. Get ready to shop for the same at all Godrej Nature’sBasket outlets (they have already started running out of stock in many of them!) as well as on their website or via mobile apps. Here is looking forward to a healthier future, where health would be not an alternative, rather occupy the mainstream position that it deserves :)

Thursday 29 September 2016

Let Kids Be Kids Without Any Fear With Godrej Good Knight 100% Natural Fabric Roll-On | Health Lifestyle Parenting

When Lara Dutta and Mahesh Bhupathi vouch for the need and efficiency of any product, you sit up and take notice, which is exactly what we, the press and bloggers of Mumbai did, when Godrej Consumer Products Ltd. announced its foray into outdoor and personal repellent category under the flagship brand of Good Knight.

Lara Dutta Bollywood Mahesh Bhupathi Olympics

Mosquitoes wreck havoc in all our lives and Godrej Good Knight has been an essential part of all our childhoods. With changing times though we need to be aware of all kinds of new-age problems, the biggest one right now being the alarming number of Dengue and Chikunguniya cases. Not many people are aware that these mosquitoes actually work in daytime, unlike the ones that spread malaria and work at night!

Godrej GoodKnight 100% Natural Fabric Roll-On Launch Press Meet Bloggers Meet

This obviously creates a huge problem, especially for all parents. How to protect their kids when they are outdoors, playing or even going to school? As it is, modern lifestyle and cramped spaces in our megacities have robbed our children of their childhood for the most part. Where are the open playgrounds? Where is the herd of kids shouting at the top of their voice while playing kabaddi, kho kho, cricket, football, tennis or literally, doing any outdoor activity? And for those kids who really want to do so, the danger of mosquitoes lurking around gardens, trees, roadside pipes, air-conditioning vents etc. is too high for the parents to let them go. Lara Dutta and Mahesh Bhupathi both reminisced about their own childhoods, which actually mirror all of ours, where they spent most of their time just going out and enjoying all sorts of games with their friends for hours but alas, our kids of today barely have such an opportunity.

Godrej GoodKnight 100% Natural Fabric Roll-On Bloggers Meet

Dr. Mukesh Sanklecha, Consultant Paediatrician at Bombay Hospital, also focused on this aspect that kids need to stay kids without any fear. This is where 100% Natural Fabric Roll-On becomes important as it needs just 4 dots to be applied on clothes to provide complete protection against mosquitoes for 8 hours. This is the only one of its kind product that can be used even on small kids, even kids with skin allergies, since it never comes in contact with the skin. It has no overpowering smell and is extremely value for money with a bottle costing just Rs. 75 which will last a month when used every day for 2 kids. It is now available for purchase at supermarkets as well as online on websites like amazon :)

Godrej GoodKnight Kids Parenting Healthy Lifestyle

So now, there is no excuse for taking children’s childhood away from them. Let them be kids, without any fear at all :) This ad brings across this point splendidly!


Wednesday 28 September 2016

Bon Voyage With Gute Reise | Travel Essentials And More | Travel Tales Overview

Exploring the world is one of the noblest human pursuits, as it helps us connect with the rest of humanity and assimilate our unity in diversity in the best possible way. For the ardent travellers amongst us, keeping a travel bag handy is a must, with various accessories and essentials secured at all times. However, sometimes the process of finding something strong and durable for our travel tales might prove to be a herculean task!

Gute Reise Victorinox Travel Tales

Gute Reise Victorinox Travel Tales Travel Blogger

Award Winning Designer Travel Gadgets Accessories Luggage

Gute Reise comes to the rescue of everyone who wishes to create a big book of travel tales. Being a part of an overview meet of its various offerings at High Street Phoenix outlet, Lower Parel was like being in Disneyland for us group of bloggers.

Award Winning Designer Travel Gadgets Accessories LuggageGute Reise Victorinox Travel Tales Travel Blogger 

Normally, when we say ‘travel/luggage’, we just get images of trolleys, suitcases and bags in some basic colors like black, brown, blue and grey, with some generic steel or brass locks to secure them.  It is when one goes through the entire portfolio of Gute Reise that we realize how technologically advanced and impressive this category of products too is! It is no less than technical wizardry :)

Gute Reise Laken Range Flashlight, Torches, FlasksFlashlight Torch Gute Reise Laken

Gute Reise Laken Flasks

Consider this, Laken range of flashlights and torches, one of which can be easily converted into a candlelight. There are some beautiful Kirpans in both small as well as large sizes, engraved with the holy symbol of courage and valor.

Victorinox Range of Luggage and AccessoriesVictorinox Range of Luggage and Accessories

Victorinox Swiss Knife

Victorinox Range of Luggage and AccessoriesAward Winning Victorinox Swiss Knife Review

Victorinox Range of Luggage and AccessoriesVictorinox Luggage Blogger Review

Victorinox of course has the lion’s share of products with complete business collection bags, suitcases, trolleys, lifestyle accessories and the legendary range of Swiss knives that they have been making since 1884. But none of these are of the usual variety. Imagine a trolley bag with dedicated compartment for laptop which can be converted into a pocket for regular clothes if needed! Or a backpack with hidden trolley rollers on the bottom, which strike out in proper alignment with human spine so that it does not lead to back-pain when carried around! Beautiful colors, durable material that carries global warranties and award-winning designs that make one want to grab it all, the moment one lays eyes on them, it is all right here. Don’t forget to check out the latest collection of Swiss knives that actually look like Credit Card holders!

Swiss Gear Travel Blogger India

Keeping in mind the aspirations of the younger generation (we want something new every month!) as well as value-for-money facet wished for by the masses, Swiss Gear brings the premium offerings of Victorinox in a trendy, pocket friendlier avatar. The mini backpacks especially made me wanna empty my pocket right there! Ultimate in design, pleasing to the eye, trendy for the ages.

Go Travel Luggage Travel AccessoriesGo Travel Luggage Travel Accessories

Go Travel Luggage Travel AccessoriesGo Travel Luggage Travel Accessories

Go Travel Luggage Travel Accessories

My personal favourite section was the unbelievable variety found in the GoTravel accessories section, with a bevy of useful products such as-
convertible neck support pillows that turn into regular pillows,
beautiful colourful locks for all our luggage,
travel-friendly clothesline to dry our clothes without any trouble,
special socks for improving legs’ circulation in long journeys,
super-quick absorbent towels in various sizes for use in gyms, sports as well as travel and much more!

There are products that claim to capture the sun and the moon and then there are products that actually prove their worth in gold by gauging our needs accurately and this is that section for me :)

Travel Gadget

Special Edition Victorinox Watch Adventure Travel Blogger

Trekking Hiking Adventure Travel Gear

Another great product is the portable water filter, the one that can convert even dirtiest water into potable one, a great addition to the stunning collection of hiking gear. For watch-lovers, the stunning (and strong) Chrono, Maverick as well as Inox ranges of watches come equipped with everything that the contemporary adventure seekers want, coming to us after a minimum of 100 tests, including their special edition anniversary watches being dropped in a balloon from space!

Victorinox Special Edition Swiss Knife

It is not every day that we get to witness something spectacular in action. The intense thought and technical wizardry that has gone into designing these products do not just vouch for their premium quality but also the motivation of the team behind them, the primary factor being real-time needs of all those who have been bitten by the travel bug or need strong, durable, beautiful, trustworthy luggage/storage options in daily life and I am sure to indulge in some heavy – duty shopping here very soon :)

Tuesday 27 September 2016

Happiness Goes Extra Large With Light House Cafe XXXL Festival | Food Review | Restaurant Review

We know about XXXL size clothes, but when was the last time we heard of the same concept applied to food? Considering that most of the people go out with friends/ in large groups, Light House Cafe got the brilliant concept of bringing humongous portions of delicious food and drinks in XXXL festival, fit for groups ranging from 4-8 people, stretching the limits of stomach without affecting the wallet!

Vegetarian Food Blogger India Mumbai

Light House Cafe India Food Festival

Our bloggers group landed up here right after our tiring office/college schedules and were instantly comforted in a rustic ambiance with brilliant music playing in the background and super-polite staff going out of their way for our convenience. I had a horribly sore throat and asked them to get me something out of the XXXL menu (even though we were invited to just try that!) and they brought me piping hot, creamy tomato soup which helped immensely. Further, when our group ordered drinks, they went out of their way to get me Virgin Hot Todi (honey, lemon juice, cloves, cinnamon) that literally helped my throat clear up overnight :)

Arts Architecture Decor Beautiful India Mumbai

Light House Cafe

Tomato Soup Vegetarian Delicious Recipe

Virgin Todi

Coming to the XXXL festival itself, well if you believe bigger is better (and honestly, why won’t anybody!) then come here as soon as possible as this fest lasts till 30th November. Feast on classic and special cocktail concoctions in sizes of 1.5, 2 or 2.5 litres! Literally, bucket full of delicious drinks to be enjoyed with friends (mine loved the Kokam one :D) and they present it superbly too.

Light House Cafe Cocktails

Light House Cafe

The food here is perfect to go with drinks, so we have sliders and pizzas with innovative fillings and toppings. While sliders are available in batches of 9 (XL), 12 (XXL) and 16 (XXXL), pizzas in 9 inches, 12 inches and 16 inches (XL, XXL and XXXL respectively) which are fit for huge groups. We literally tried everything available for vegetarians in the menu (good number of options) :D

Light House Cafe Vegetarian Food Blogger India Mumbai Review

Among Sliders, we went for the XXXL option which brought us 4 of each variety. Cool, right? Order this if you are in a group of minimum 6-7 people because 4 of us were struggling to finish it (breads fill you up very quickly)!

Vegetarian Food Blogger Food Photography



Started with Mumbai’s favourite Samosa Pav where Samosa could have had a bit more crunch but loved the balance of spices and chutneys in it,

Paneer Butter Masala slider was milder and a bit sweet-ish in taste, something I personally love and gave that feel of having naan and gravy in an Indian restaurant,in bite sized pieces of course,

Caponata between breads came equipped with distinct taste of veggies,tomatoes and mozzarella, making it feel like bite sized pizza, lovely!

Hindi Chini Bhai Bhai was basically Chilli Paneer with absolutely tongue burning level of chilli, recommended for those who love fiery stuff. Flavors were good enough in all the sliders and we easily lost ourselves in conversations while relishing these. Special mention to the in-house fries which were perfectly crunchy,nom nom.

Delicious Gourmet Cheese Italian Vegetarian Pizza India Recipe

Among the pizzas,we again tried all the varieties and would recommend everywhere to go for the Half N Half option available here :) Again, go for the XL option if in a group of 3, XXL for 4-5 and XXXL option for 6-7 people!

Classic Margherita was the perfectly balanced mix of sweet tomatoes, fresh basil pesto and drool-worthy mozzarella cheese, absolute love!

I M Dope was my personal favourite but I think it might not be everyone’s cup of tea, basically a mix of special cheeses, fennel seeds and arugula leaves, it is dense, creamy, a bit as if a layer of Paneer was crumbled on top and leaning towards sweeter palate. For me, absolute winner but needs someone with experimental palate to appreciate it :)

I Need Veggies is the safe option with boatloads of veggies making it wholesome, I would prefer it to be a tad less oily but otherwise no complaints, would love to have this any time :)

I'd like Some Fungus is strictly for ardent mushroom lovers with good dense flavours of different types of mushroom along with Blue Cheese and Truffle Oil taking it to a very unique, hitherto un-tasted territory for me (and I AM a mushroom lover but not much of a blue cheese lover) Again, something that cannot be called a safe option but good for experimental foodies.

Paneer Bhurji is the crowd pleaser with lovely hearty portion of soft crumbly Paneer Bhurji with desi cheese shavings over very crispy pizza base, can totally see masses tucking into this happily. Some might say the topping is way too generous but being an ardent Paneer lover, am not complaining :D

Vegetarian Peanut Butter Toast Dessert RecipeLight House Cafe Vegetarian Food Blogger India Mumbai

Light House Cafe Vegetarian Chocolate Swiss Roll Recipe

After getting nearly 1/3rd of all this doggy-bagged,we turned our attention towards desserts, which again come in sizes to make ardent foodies happy :D Peanut Butter & Jam toasts were good enough (personally I am not a peanut butter fan but won’t mind having this) but the absolute star of the evening, a dish we would swim through oceans for, was Rolled Up For Tripping i.e. Classic Swiss Roll With Chocolate and Nuts, served like a wooden log. There was a stampede on our table to finish this one, with its texture a mix between Mousse & Ice cream winning over our hearts with 1 bite :) Even if I have to travel 4 hours to get this one here, my travel would be worth it! It is thaaaaaaaat good. Must-must-must have :D

Light House Cafe Arts Decor Interiors Love Photography

Ardent foodies are all too familiar with the rigors of visiting restaurants that charge a bomb just to serve measly portions which might be fine once in a well (when we are in particular mood for some gourmet fine dine) but on any regular day,we just want to chill with our friends and have some grub without getting robbed. XXXL Festival honors this :D What’s not to love? Absolutely recommended!