HEY MAMA online!

Louis Love

2014-10-27T20:25:00.000-04:00

Recently purchased this fabulous Louis Vuitton Key Pouch in a very attractive, vibrant red color - Cerise. I needed something compact that would fit my essentials when I'm carrying a small bag such as the Chanel Small Boy Bag or the Medium/ Large Flap Bag.

This Louis Vuitton piece quite nicely fits my credit cards, some cash and coins! It has a secure zipper compartment and a back slot for cash/ receipts/ business cards.

Very happy with this purchase! Thanks Jerusha for your recommendation!

Current obsession - my new Chanel Boy bag!

2014-10-05T00:07:00.000-04:00

Chanel Boy Bag

I was lucky enough to recently purchase the 2014 Chanel boy bag, caviar leather, black with ruthenium hardware in small size. The Chanel store was sold out of the old-medium size and despite the sales associate strongly suggesting that I purchase the new-medium, I had to have the small boy.

The bag looks absolutely chic and divine when worn cross body and fits a surprising whole lot when compared to the Chanel Mini or WOC or even the medium/ large classic flap! I usually put in in a pair of sunglasses (in a pouch, of course), keys, loose cash, a card case, lip-gloss, tissues and tiny tin of mints.

Note that this bag has a black fabric lining on the inside and the inner flap is black caviar leather as well. I was considering buying the boy in calfskin and had looked at the 2014 Fall metallic boy bag as well (with the black metal and RHW clasp). Both had a light grey fabric lining and I truly believe that for the steep price, black lining and pebbled caviar leather on the inside makes it more durable/ last longer.

Must confess that this bag is a stunner. You won't got wrong with it!

Thanks to Mel Soldera for her recommendation.

William Sonoma Recipe: Perfect for Spring - Zucchini Pasta with Butternut Squash

2014-03-27T22:16:00.001-04:00

William Sonoma Recipe! Zucchini Pasta with Butternut Squash drizzled with Lemon-Thyme dressing and grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

I recently got the latest William Sonoma catalog in my mailbox and was randomly perusing it. I usually browse through it for decorating inspiration, table-setting ideas and the latest kitchen gadgets that could potentially make my life easier (not that I would ever need a pizza maker or electric wok in my house, however I do own a special spiralizer that turns zucchini into fabulous noodles)!

Anyway, I decided to prepare the Zucchini Pasta with Butternut Squash recipe from the recent WS Spring 2014 Catalog. It turned to be filling, nourishing and low-carb (hurray)! Here is the featured recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
Olive Oil: 2 Tbsp
Butternut Squash: 1 small peeled, de-seeded and cubed into 1/2 inch dice
Kosher Salt to taste
Freshly Ground Pepper to taste
Garlic: 1 clove minced
Red Pepper Flakes: 1 pinch
Zucchini: 2, trimmed and put through a spiralizer
Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese: 1/3 cup shaved or grated
Lemon-thyme drizzling oil (I couldn't find this so I made my own drizzling oil by adding zest of 1 lemon, 1/2 tsp of lemon juice and a pinch of dried thyme leaves to 2 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

DIRECTIONS:
In a saute pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the butternut squash and cook stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and just tender, 7 to 9 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and quickly toss with the squash.

Add the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 2 minutes. Season again with salt and black pepper.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the grated cheese. Transfer to individual bowls. garnish with shaved cheese and drizzle with lemon-thyme oil. Serve immediately.

SERVES 4.

PS: I bought my spiralizer from Amazon. The link is here:
http://www.amazon.com/Paderno-World-Cuisine-A4982799-Tri-Blade/dp/B0007Y9WHQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1395972190&sr=1-2&keywords=spiralizer

FINAL WORDS: my review is that this recipe was easy to make and very light and delicious, yet filling in some way (perhaps all the fiber)! I would definitely recommend it to everyone and would certainly make it again! Thumbs up!

Bedroom Makeover!

2014-03-25T13:26:00.000-04:00

Ever since we moved into our home, I have been trying to decorate and finish each room in the house. I never realized how difficult that would be, especially when on a tight budget!

I have been obsessed with the Crate & Barrel Colette Bed ever since I laid my eyes on it. But having purchased it in king size made everything else seem so out of proportion! Thankfully adding the pair of art-work fixed that problem.

The bedroom is still work-in-progress (and crisply ironed sheets would be awesome, but, hey, we actually sleep in our bed) but so far it's looking good. I still need to get nice table lamps, a throw, mirrorred tray and create a reading nook, but it'll come together in pieces, I'm sure.

XOXO! Have a great day!

Chanel Make-up Haul 2014!

2014-03-23T15:54:00.002-04:00

Chanel Make-up Haul 2014!

I was at Macy's yesterday and was surprised that their beauty department was abuzz with a live DJ, hairstylists and make-overs galore! I decided to get one myself, to learn a few make-up tricks! At the Chanel counter, I told them I wanted a Spring-Summer look with some orangey/ coral colors and picked out few lip and eye shades to try on.

End of the day, I was quite happy with my 'make-over' and more so about the fact that they gave me my purchased items in an actual Chanel carry-bag and not one by Macy's! Also, they were handing out nice goody-bags with samples of their foundation, face cream and other stuff!

Above are pictures of the products used and my finished look!

All products used are Chanel, listed below:
Foundation: Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Ultra-Light Skin Perfecting Sunscreen Makeup SPF 15
Powder: Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Color in #40
Eye Shadow: Chanel Illusion D'Ombre in #90 Convoitise (a light gold color)
Eye Pencil: Chanel Le Crayon Yeux in Coffee Brown
Lip Base: Rouge Coco Baume
Lipstick: Rouge Allure Velvet #46 La Malicieuse
Cream Blush: Le Blush Creme De Chanel #65 Affinite

Just so you know, I did not purchase the foundation (as I do not use it regularly and thought it would be a waste of money), nor did I buy the eye pencil as I already have a nice chocolate brown color from Clinique. With regards to the eye shadow, though it was a lovely gold color, it didn't do much for my skin tone.

If you have questions regarding any of Chanel's make-up products used above, feel free to message me!

Art of taking a Good Selfie!

2014-03-22T21:44:00.000-04:00

Selfie!

Anyone who ever tells you that it's so easy to take a selfie is either Kim Kardashian or is lying! I tried taking ONE selfie of myself today on my iPhone, but to get the perfect shot ended up taking soooo many pictures that my kids were wondering what was going on with me!

End result was not bad, however.

Here are few "Selfie" Rules:
1. GOOD LIGHTING
2. CHECK THE BACKGROUND
3. PHONE SHOULD ALWAYS BE HELD ABOVE SHOULDER LEVEL
4. ANGLE YOUR FACE
5. TRY AND LOOK INTO THE CAMERA AND NOT AT YOUR IMAGE
6. EDIT YOUR PIC WITH DIFFERENT TINTS AND CROPPING IF NEEDED

Finally, try, try till you succeed!

Chanel Make-up from their Spring 2014 collection

2014-02-27T00:45:00.000-05:00

I can't stop my Chanel addiction! What can I say, they really make great products!

Believe it or not, I am not wearing any foundation or eye make-up (none what-so-ever) in these pictures... just 3 gorgeous products from Chanel's Spring Collection:
1. Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Color in No 60 (yes, I have blemishes and zits, but this brilliant stuff makes my skin simply luminous)
2. Rouge Allure Lipstick 145 Rayonnante (stunning, almost matte, plum/ berry/ hot pink color)
3. Levres Scintillantes Glossimer 182 Tocade (beautiful berry/ violet gloss that matches the lipstick)

No blush or bronzer was applied. I have a medium olive Indian skin tone.

How to Pack a Carry-On Suitcase - for a Long Haul Flight with Kids!

2014-02-25T07:31:00.000-05:00

Kiddies on-board British Airways. Eating home made pasta salad with fruits and juice provided by airline.

My babies are now three and five. I have been traveling with them (solo) since they were as little as 4 months old. Though they can be little monsters at home sometimes, touch wood, they are absolute angels on the flight. My airline of choice is British Airways as they even have a Premium Economy class where the seats are wider and leg room is ample. Some of our journeys have lasted us over 26 hours door-to-door. If I've survived, I'm here to tell you, so can you! Here's how...

It doesn't matter how many checked-in suitcases I have, but on board I only carry 2 things -
1. SAMSONITE ROLLING LUGGAGE
2. LOUIS VUITTON NEVERFULL GM

Here's what I pack in them:
1. Diapers/ Training Pants
2. Bibs
3. Baby Food in disposable containers
4. Disposable Cups, especially for milk!
5. Baby Bottle/ Sippy cup (if needed)
6. Stainless steel cutlery (in case you need to spoon-feed)
7. Change of clothes for kids and me!
8. Changing Pad (with wipes of course)
9. Disposable bags/ Toilet seat covers
10. Kleenex
11. Purell
12. Toiletries - makeup, toothbrushes, facewash, cream etc.
13. Hairbrush
14. Medicines - Tylenol, Mylecon, Vicks and Benadryl (less than 3 ounces), Homeopathy medicines such as Acconite, Bryonia, Belladona, Arnica
15. Bottled Water
16. Passport/ Travel Docs
17. Pen
18. Jewelry
19. Forex/ Currency
20. Sunglasses
21. Medical Records! Super important! Don't travel without a copy of your kids' immunization records for emergencies
22. iPhone
23. iPad (THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEM HANDS DOWN, WITHOUT WHICH KIDS WILL DRIVE YOU NUTS!)

TIP: Make sure your load up your iPhone and iPad with lots of new apps to keep them occupied. From the iTunes store, I also download, a few seasons of their favorite shows (Max & Ruby, Fresh Beat Band, Austin & Ally etc) to keep them happy!

I've never done a vblog before, but maybe I should do one of those, "What's in my Handbag" videos for this segment!

Hope you find this info useful! XOXO!

Outfit of the Day

2014-02-23T02:49:00.000-05:00

Finally got a chance to wear my new Alexander McQueen scarf! Headed out for some weekend lunch and shopping with family as the weather finally decided to warm up a bit!

Throwback Thursday!

2014-02-20T09:10:00.000-05:00

Since it seems to be Throwback Thursday today, thought I'd post a picture of a family wedding that I attended last year. Ping me if you are interested in seeing my Indian designer clothes collection and shoes/ accessories that I match with the outfits.

I'm wearing a Ritu Kumar salwar kameez with Cole Haan peep-tow pumps, jewelry from C. Krishniah Chetty & Sons, Cartier Roadster watch and Burberry wristlet bag. My little one's outfit is from Mogra.

Perfect Artwork for a Kid's Room!

2014-02-18T21:34:00.003-05:00

I love shopping for vintage items and I can spend hours browsing for such pieces, especially at One King's Lane. When I'm looking for vintage photography or eclectic art, I am sure to find something there. I recently purchased these three pieces of framed artwork on their site and think they will be perfect for the kiddies' playroom!

Dreaming of spring!!

2014-02-17T14:17:00.000-05:00

Winter weather has been un-relenting this year! I mean, the snow does looks beautiful and all but I'm a summer person for sure! I was organizing (still am) my iPhoto collection on my computer and stumbled upon this picture of my patio from last spring. Craving warmer weather...

A happy spring morning in my patio, with flowers blooming post rainfall

Twilight on a spring day. Patio table set for a soiree!

How to make a simple shirt glamorous!

2014-02-17T10:26:00.000-05:00

Good morning everyone! I wanted to share a photo of one of my favorite go to outfits - a simple silk shirt, statement jewelry and a classic "it bag".

My J.Crew silk Blyth Blouse, J.Crew statement necklace and Chanel bag from Spring Summer 2014 Pre-collection

Those of you who know me, know that a am a HUGE J.Crew fan! I love Jenna Lyons' eclectic meets preppy style. My personal stylist at the local J.Crew, Ida Palumbo (she is truly the best!) suggested that I wear my statement necklace on top of a button-down shirt, close to the collar. Believe me wearing it this way looks incredibly chic and gives a polished, professional look.

Hope you give this style a try!

XOXO

Shelf-scaping - How to arrange and decorate your shelf-space

2014-02-16T17:22:00.000-05:00

Hi again! Since I seem to be on the topic of decorating, I figured, why not put an article out there about "Shelf-scaping", i.e. the art of decorating a shelf.

Many of you might be familiar with the word "table-scaping", which involves decorating a coffee-table or a dinner table. Most of the time this is done through pretty dinnerware, flowers, glasses and trays to corral things. However, when it comes to open shelves, here are few tips to keep in mind:

1. ADD A PERSONAL TOUCH
This can be easily done with pictures, photographs and items that are meaningful to you.

2. BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS!
I cannot stress on this enough. Books add character to the space but make sure they are hardbound and have an eye-catching/ colorful cover.

3. MAKE IT PRACTICAL
Baskets are to shelves what trays are to coffee-tables. By adding rustic woven straw baskets to my shelf, I am able to hide clutter, art-work and communication that comes from my kids' school everyday. Nobody can tell what's inside!

SHELF-SCAPING! Parson's shelf and Rattan baskets from West Elm, Photo frames and framed photograph from Pottery Barn, Vintage-looking orange owl from Anthropologie.

Looking for Home Decorating Ideas? Here are my TOP 5 picks that will inspire you to decorate!

2014-02-16T14:40:00.000-05:00

Ever since we bought our first home, I have been obsessed with decorating it and am yet to completely finish all the rooms. I routinely browse through various websites and magazines for design inspiration.

Here is where I get my inspiration from when it comes to decorating my place:
1. MR. DAVID JIMENEZ (www.djimenez.com)
2. CASA SUGAR (www.casasugar.com)
3. DOMAINE HOME (www.domainehome.com)
4. DOMINO MAGAZINE (www.domino.com)
5. LONNY (www.lonny.com)

In case you need more ideas, here are a few pictures of rooms from my home that may just inspire you as well…

LIVING ROOM: Kivik Sofa from IKEA, Zebra Hide Rug from Horchow, Coffee table from Bo Concepts, Floor lamps from Pottery Barn, Turquoise tray from Swing Design, Silver plated hurricane from Pottery Barn, Leather slipper chairs from West Elm, Parson's console table also from West Elm, Cushions from Rain Tree in India, Reclining Buddha from The Cane Boutique in India.

DINING ROOM: Allerton Dining Set from Horchow, Anya Chandelier from Serena & Lily, Silk curtains in Parchment color from Pottery Barn, White Buddha bust from CB2, Rookery Staircase photo from www.art.com, Marble Console Table from Crate & Barrel, Crystal Table lamps from Bed Bath & Beyond, Buffet Table from IKEA, Copper Buddha statue from The Cane Boutique in India, Lotus Watercolor Original Painting from India

2014-02-16T00:00:00.000-05:00

Winter this year has been brutal! Gorgeous, but unrelenting! Can't wait for spring to be here soon!

Our gorgeous snow covered backyard

More CHANEL Haul - from their latest Spring Summer 2014 Pre-collection

2014-02-15T23:54:00.004-05:00

Hi everyone! I'm super excited to show you all my latest Chanel handbag/ shopping tote. It is very different from the GST (Grande Shopping Tote) - much larger with studs/ feet on the bottom and two pockets on the side for holding random items that need to be easily accessible such as a bottle of water/ cell phone etc.

It has the signature Chanel chain strap similar to the ones in their classic flap design

The chain strap is adjustable like in the classic flap and allows the bag to be worn on the shoulder

Gorgeous calfskin leather is durable and smaller straps allow bag to be carried in the nook of the arm

Open slots on both sides for easy access to items

This bag is not only beautiful but also practical. It is roomy enough to hold even a 15" laptop on the inside. I got mine in black calfskin with silver hardware. The inside is a light colored canvas with a large zippered pocket on one side and two smaller slots on the other for cell-phones etc. It also has the standard leather strap with hook for attaching a mini-pouchette or keys.

I will probably be posting a video reviewing this bag, but in the meantime if you are interested in finding out more information about this item, feel free to send me a note.

Oh, before I forget, for those of you interested, the sales woman at the Chanel boutique informed me that my bag is called the Chanel CC Pocket SS 2014 Act 1.

Ciao!

Ginger Noodles and Corn Cilantro Soup

2014-02-15T16:10:00.002-05:00

Ginger Noodles from living plate.com
Corn Cilantro Soup from my aunt's recipe collection

I recently attended a workshop at my kids' school on cultivating healthy eating habits for young ones. It was hosted by Jeanne Petrucci of Living Plate, who is not only a famous chef but also a nutritionist. She and her team prepared some Ginger Noodles for tasting. One bite and I was hooked! It was the most delicious noodles I had ever eaten and every bite actually felt like it was nourishing my body.

The secret is substituting soy sauce with Braggs Liquid Aminos and using gluten-free King Soba Ginger Pumpkin Noodles along side zucchini noodles (made quite simply with a spiral mandolin). You can find all these items at www.amazon.com.

If you wish to try this recipe, please go to http://livingplate.com/recipes/view/150

Now, for the soup. This is one of the easiest, lightest, tastiest soups I have had in a long time. It is not rich and creamy or loaded with calories as some of its restaurant counterparts are. It was handed to me by my lovely aunt, Jasmine Shah. Here it is:

CORN CILANTRO SOUP (Serves 6)
Ingredients:
Water - 14 cups
Cilantro - 1 bunch (washed throughly and chopped with stems included)
Ginger - 1 1/2 inches (peeled and grated or minced)
Green Giants Sweet Corn Kernels - 1 can (discard liquid)
Maggie Magic Cubes (Vegetarian Masala) - 7 cubes
Cornflour - 2 Tbsp mixed with water
Lemon Juice - to taste, if needed
Salt - to taste

1. In a large pot, add 14 cups of water. Heat on high to boil the water.
2. Meanwhile, throughly wash the cilantro and rough chop it. Include the stems as well.
3. Mince or grate the ginger.
4. Add the cilantro and ginger to the pot of water and continue to boil for 10 minutes.
5. Once the water is infused with ginger and cilantro flavor, stain the cilantro and ginger away from the liquid, preserving the liquid for the soup, of course. Note that the cilantro/ ginger that is caught in the strainer should be pressed with a spoon so as to squeeze out the remaining juices from the herb as much as possible. This will infuse the soup with added flavor.
6. Now add the corn kernels and Maggie Magic Cubes to the soup stock and heat some more.
7. If you find the soup too watery, you may add 2 teaspoons of cornflour mixed with water to the soup to thicken it.
8. Add salt and lemon juice to taste, if needed. Remember the Maggie Magic Cubes are pretty salty, so you may not want additional salt.

Serve hot in a pretty tea-cup and enjoy!

Designer Handbag Alert - my first CHANEL bag!

2014-02-15T10:41:00.000-05:00

My first CHANEL classic flap bag! Sooooo excited!!!

Hey Readers! I am so excited to share with you that I got my very first CHANEL handbag recently!! I am absolutely in love, love, love with it! However, believe it or not, making a decision on which Chanel bag to choose was immensely difficult. I'll probably post a video of my bag and the pros and cons of the decisions that I had to make on choosing the leather, hardware and size.

The bag I ended up buying is the Chanel Classic Double Flap bag in Black Caviar leather with Gold hardware in Medium/ Large size (one size down from the Jumbo). Couldn't be happier!

XOXO

Delicious Breakfast Smoothie

2014-01-04T10:32:00.001-05:00

Fot the past year or so, I've been drinking Dr. Oz's famous "Green Juice" with fabulous immunity boosting ingredients such as ginger, lemon, lime juice etc in it along with spinach, celery, cucumber and apples. As delicious as it is, I have always had to strain the juice, otherwise it's too thick and unpalatable.

This morning I came upon this fabulous "Belly Bloat Fighting Smoothie Recipe" on www.fitsugar.com and had to try it. It had my favorite pineapple in it! It was so amazingly delicious, that I had to share with you! FYI, the original recipe calls for kale (which I did't have and substituted with spinach) and vanilla greek yogurt (which I substituted with non-fat Danon yogurt, a few drops of vanilla extract and a teaspoon of honey). I also added coconut water instead of water, for more minerals in my drink.

Ingredients:
Cut fresh pineapple - 1 cup
Blueberries - 1/2 cup
Spinach leaves - 1 cup
Non-fat Danon yogurt - 1/2 cup
Vanilla Extract - 1/4 tsp
Honey - 1 tsp
Vita Coco Coconut Water - 3/4 cup

Directions:
Put everything in a blender and liquify until smooth in consistency. Enjoy!

The enzymes in the pineapple, pro-biotics in the yogurt, fiber in the spinach all help fight bloating and are excellent for stomach health. The blueberries and coconut water both add extra vitamins and minerals to the smoothie.

Hope you kick-start the new year on a happy and healthy note! Cheers!