5 SUPER RAKHI GIFTS THAT WILL MAKE YOUR BROTHER’S DAY

It’s T-6 days and if you’ve just woken up to the thought that Rakhi is next week, my list of uber cool gift options will wipe out your ‘ what to get my brothers? ‘ nightmare.

Say goodbye to Chocolates, Mithai, Donuts & Gift hampers this year and get something a little more innovative for the darling brother this year.

 

DIY WITH A TWIST FOR YOUR WEEKLY GAME NIGHT 

 

 

BUILD YOUR FAVOURITE TEAM’S STADIUM IN THIS 150 PIECE 3D PUZZLE

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FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS INCLUDING FOOSBALL  

 

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ALL WORK NO PLAY IS A THING OF THE PAST 

PORTABLE TABLE TENNIS TABLE NET FOR VACATIONS OR POST DINNER EXERCISE

 

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SO YOUR  BATTERY NEVER DEPLETES TO THE RED LINE

20000 MAH POWER BANK FOR UNLIMITED GAMING 

 

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CALLING ALL TEXAS POKER FANS 

GETTING INTO THE DIWALI SPIRIT, EARLY

 

-MANSI MEHTA

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#RAKHI #GIFT #SHOP #SHOPPIHNG #ONLINE #FESTIVE #BROTHER #SISTER # OCCASION #BESTGIFT

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August 9, 2019August 10, 2019 by acitygirlweb Categories: FESTIVAL, Lifestyle, Trends, UncategorizedTags: brother, buy, family, FESTIVAL, festive, gift, india, rakhi, shop, shopping, sister, traditions Leave a comment

What the Bali hospitality Industry learnt from a humble Indian family this month…

Atithi Devo Bhava! the slogan of the Indian tourism industry resounds in each one of us. We welcome friends, family and even extended acquaintances to our home, where along with an India acclimatisation guide, we offer them the best of our home’s culinary options.

So when this week, an Indian family who popped up on every whats app group , every instagram account, every facebook timeline reached a Bali resort for a holiday, they decided to give the famous line  ‘su casa, mi casa’   a different twist! The big happy family of over 10 members enjoyed their vacation, and loved their hosts so much , that they wanted a souvenir…. or SOME souvenir’s to remember them by.  And so every vase, hair dryer, towel, decoration piece, bedsheet and lamp was carefully packed to replicate their Bali resort room back home.

As creative teams of several brands stepped in to have fun by releasing memes and videos, here’s my advice for all you lovely souls managing hospitality chains-  Travellers may take a while to understand Do’s & Dont’s but here’s what you can do to safeguard your properties!

 

INVEST IN LOCK-ABLE CURTAINS

 

RFID CHIP’S ON TOWELS & BEDDING

 

HIDE MY PLUG

 

DRILL ME DOWN 

 

And despite all this if you’re missing an ironing board or bathroom fitting, calmly repeat ShahRukhKhan’s famous words

‘Don’t worry Senorita, bade bade deshon main, aisi chhoti chhoti baatein hoti rehti hain!’

-Mansi Mehta

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July 30, 2019July 30, 2019 by acitygirlweb Categories: Business, Food, Lifestyle, Movies, Trends, UncategorizedTags: bali, blog, Business, diary, holiday, hospitality, hotels, marketing, news, resorts, travel, traveller, trending, vacation, viral Leave a comment

RIP: Collaborations that disappoint

10 years ago Brand Marketing teams got a new breath of life with Designer collaborations seeping into store collections. New loyal buyers, increased PR, and enhanced brand recall -what’s there not to like about the partnership game?

So in recent months, we saw LV cashing in on the youth with Ski brand Supreme, H&M glitzing it up with Moschino & Burberry going uber chic with Vivienne Westwood.

From travel pouches in Red with Supreme plastered all over, to Moschino’s oversized blingy gold earrings for H&M the theme was consistent- established brands looking to capture the attention of the millennial who likes to buy relatable brands with a purpose.

In India too, we saw super associations- Pankaj & Nidhi for Koovs, Masaba Gupta for Clinique and many more explosive collections that you couldn’t wait to own.

And that’s why when Kama Ayurveda tied up with Manish Arora for the Valentines gift box, we couldn’t wait to open the box to see what two fantastic brands brought to my dressing table.

 

Manish’s burst of color, psychedelic prints and stunning designs married with Kama’s pure, essential ayurvedic hacks for that ethereal beautilicious look had all the right elements to storm the beauty market.

As I entered the venue, the creators did not disappoint- heavy with the smell of fresh roses, the sweet smell of romance hit the air, making the wait even more unbearable. After all #loveislove was themed to perfection in the month of Cupid,  with heart shaped floral bunches adorning tables,  balloons and even rose petals strewn on the floor. After exploring the gorgeous DIY setup that took me through all the steps of facial hygiene, I was ready to embrace the new range of products that would greet me.

And that’s when my brand loving heart broke! While I was expecting a merging of brand strengths with a new line of products unmatched by any other in the market, I was greeted by a repackaged Rose water and Rose oil both an existing product from the Kama Ayurveda range, along with Manish’s signature zardozi work heart shaped brooches.

Earlier, consumers would have bought into such tactics easily, but in a competitive marketplace where brands create products and associations to create stronger consumer loyalty, limp associations like this can lead to a break up for brand loyalists like me.

 

Mansi Mehta

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#kama #ayurveda #skin #beauty #care #brands #love #february #collaboration #marketing #cupid #valentines

February 7, 2019February 7, 2019 by acitygirlweb Categories: Business, Food, Lifestyle, Technology & Innovations, Trends, UncategorizedTags: ayurveda, BEAUTY, brands, Business, collaborations, CUPID, heart, kama, life, love, manish, marketing, markets, skin, skincare, VALENTINES Leave a comment

BATTLE OF THE PRICES 1947 vs 2018

While I could draw up a comparison list of 1947 items and their pricing from Independence to present day, I decided to use the cinematic survival guide of Roti, Kapda, Makaan.

But when you think 2018, the definition of essential survival products is very different. Its not the price of grain, clothes or housing that determines our life, Instead its the lifestyle itself! So here’s what you would have paid for the current lifestyle in 1947!

THE GOLDEN ERA MEANS YOU CAN EVEN TASTE GOLD, SPRINKLED AS  GOLD DUST ON YOUR DESSERT!

IF AVIATION MAJORS THINK THEY ARE IN LOSSES TODAY, IMAGINE WHAT THE KING OF GOOD TIMES WOULD HAVE DONE THEN? 

AAJA MERI GAADI MAIN BETH JA WAS A TAD CHEAPER FOR OUR GRAND PARENTS

A LUXURY IN NEWLY INDEPENDENT INDIA, TODAY CARS ARE HOME AWAY FROM HOME FOR MOST OF US!

THERE’S NEVER A BETTER WAY OF ESCAPING REAL LIFE THAN A LITTLE SONG N DANCE…

72 years gone, despite over 2000% appreciation on some items, we still make most of the above purchases without batting an eyelid.  What a time to be ALIVE!

Mansi Mehta

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August 14, 2018 by acitygirlweb Categories: Business, environment, Food, Lifestyle, Movies, politics, Uncategorized, womenTags: 72, aviation, blog, blogger, Business, CARS, cinema, driving, family, film, flying, freedom, freedomyear, independence, independent, india, life, Lifestyle, marketing, office, PARTY, petrol, politics, tech, technology, travel, trend, trending Leave a comment

I hope to heal the world, one habit at a time. And you?

I seem to have the ‘how not to waste ‘ DNA from a fairly young age… Using insect infected lentils as works of art is just one of the things I did to save 1kg of lentil being thrown away. 

But the ‘Go Green’ ‘ Save the Planet, ‘Earth Day ‘ slogans don’t need to be one day protest wonders. Here are some really simple things that if imbibed, promise a better tomorrow. 

Remember our children learn from us. Be the change you want to see around you.

Keep a small carton with 10 cloth shopping bags. Every time I take an unplanned stop to buy the juicy plums, glistening apples off the road or last minute dinner ingredients from the mall, I never have to take plastic.

I’m sure you’re a food junkie like me, so instead of throwing away all the plastic boxes post eating, I either use them as pots for plants or add sugar, rice and flour and donate to the homeless I see on the streets. 

 

 Think twice before you pick a straw/ disposable spoon for your coffee, smoothie or shake. If you are still not sure, think of  @LeonardDiCaprio & the straw will fade away.

 

 

   An average person using 10 paper cups per day in their lifetime is responsible for the cutting of over 100 trees.  So continue hydrating yourself with Tea, Coffee & Water, but instead try to keep a mug/glass/ sipper on your office desk so the water dispenser wastage is minimised. 

   Install a water saving nozzle to all the taps in your house. Their aerator technique helps waste almost 50% less water, in every use. 

Adapting these changes maybe a small step for man, but will prove to be a giant step for mankind. 

 

-Mansi Mehta 

#planet #earth #save #environment #leonardodicaprio #earthday #human #race #change #green #planetearth #campaign #celebrity #healtheworld #world #michaelJackson

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May 16, 2018May 16, 2018 by acitygirlweb Categories: Business, environment, Food, Lifestyle, Trends, Uncategorized, womenTags: better, betterworld, change, DIY, life, Lifestyle, planet, savetheplanet, technology, wastage, world Leave a comment

WHAT’S FOR BREAKFAST SUPERWOMAN?

In the battle of marketing vs healthy, marketing always wins- by telling you what is good for you, beneficial for you and even a weight watcher for you. So believe me as we go buying the imported quinoa’s of the world, there is a whole segment of superfood right here, under our nose that has not been hyped by Marketeers yet.

One such understated, ancient grain ( It was the staple food of the Aztecs and is high in protein and among the grains with highest fiber) is Amaranth or Ramdana as we know it. You may think you’ve never seen or eaten it, but think Navratra’s and you’ll know what I am taking about.

SUPER FOOD: AMARANTH/RAMDANA

So here’s this week’s 2 minute healthy breakfast that you’re going to love, specially coz it has a chocolate option!

THE MAGIC AMARANTH POTION 

Take 50gms or 2 ram dana ladoos

1/4 cup water

1 tbsp honey/2 cubes of a dark chocolate

Chia seeds/ Flax seeds/ Dryfruit of choice ( Optional)

METHOD

Add the ram dana, (or if using the ladoo, crush into small pieces) to a saucepan , add water and boil for 3 minutes. You can choose to keep it watery or a porridge kind of consistency, by adjusting the water. Add honey and choice of seed and eat. If you’re adding chocolate, avoid the honey. Warning- since its dark chocolate it’s not going to be very sweet. But hey how else can you eat chocolate guilt free?

-Mansi Mehta

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April 23, 2018April 23, 2018 by acitygirlweb Categories: Food, Lifestyle, Trends, Uncategorized, womenTags: breakfast, CORPORATE, diet, eat, energy, family, Food, goodeating, goodmeal, grain, health, healthy, Lifestyle, love, meal, mom, recipe, superfood, supergrain, supermom, tech, woman, women Leave a comment

Breakfast diary of A City Girl

I am a foodie. I live to eat because of which I also live to exercise (not out of choice though) So I will give you 5 breakfast essentials that are fast, healthy, filling, delicious and guilt free.

Today’s special: 2 Minute Basil Pesto Chicken Open Sandwich 

The trick here is to make the pesto over the weekend, so all you have to do is put your breakfast together on a busy weekday working morning.

PESTO RECIPE

2 cup Basil leaves only ( pls remove stalk)

6 cloves garlic

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup pecorino / parmesan cheese

1 Smoked Chicken

Salt to taste

Blend Basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts and cheese whilst adding oil at regular intervals. The paste should be grainy so be sure not to over blend. Taste and add salt accordingly.

Toast a slice of wholewheat bread ( or any other of your choice ) put a generous layer of pesto. Add slices of smoked chicken ( you can replace this with any other cold cut of your choice) and garnish with some cheese.

All that’s left to do ? Dive-in.

-Mansi Mehta

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April 19, 2018April 23, 2018 by acitygirlweb Categories: Food, Lifestyle, Trends, Uncategorized, womenTags: blog, blogger, breakfast, chicken, cooking, CORPORATE, eat, Food, healthy, indian, Lifestyle, meal, pesto, read, recipe, tasty, women, working, workingwomen Leave a comment

THE BRAIN DRAIN YOU DID NOT EVEN KNOW ABOUT…

The happiness in years beyond eighty

No, it’s not a daily occurring in my life. But lately I notice myself wishing it was.

The interactions have been just so brilliant and awe inspiring. Even in the most mundane aspects of life they talk about. It’s perhaps just the way they look at life. Their knowledge silver lined with their experiences. Wondering where I am taking this?

I am talking about our elderly. People who we almost forget in our daily rush. The elderly who are fortunate to see life beyond the age of eighty. Our own, who are repositories of ‘Gyan’, respectfully ignored during the dinner table conversations. But no, it would be wrong to label my recent interactions with this generation as ‘Gyan sessions’. It was anything but that. And that’s what made me fall in love here.

So, I am recently married. I have lived independently most of my life. After high school, I shifted to a different town to experience the college life. And there began the journey, punctuated by nights of instant noodles (mostly because of lack of resources to buy healthier food options) and earth shattering heart breaks of failed relationships. Given that my parent and siblings have always been in different towns, it’s understandable that my interaction with even fifty plus aged people have been superbly far and few. And I would be adding my late night five minute chats with the white-haired guard ji of my Upscale Delhi colony amidst the ‘far and few’. The marriage however, brought in a gamut of relatives into my life. And for once, I was open to the idea of experiencing family up close. The positive attitude that I carry everywhere I say (too much). I was soon introduced to my husband’s maternal grandmother. She is 85 years old. And no kidding, she met me in a pair of trousers with these uber cool dark glasses and eyes that sparkled, even beneath the greyness that years of wisdom bring with them. One thing you notice about her instantly. She is the ‘Joie De Vivre’ of every situation. She continues to be the force that’s kept the family together. She never could learn to speak English. Every reason, she says, to have taught all her five kids in English medium schools. The most forward outlook I realised for our parents who were kids then. She went to the Disney world recently and was most excited as her wheel chair gave her priority entry into every ride she chose. Imagine that. The love for life you need to have to take experience to this level. I will be surprised if I have the energy or the inclination to go all the way even at the age of forty-five.

So, this one beautiful early winter afternoon, I found myself alone at home with her and I decided to ask the most ‘Gyan session’ level question I could muster – With the 80 plus years of experience, what could be the one advice she can give me? She replied almost instantly – Smile through it all. Every experience happens rarely in life. Good or bad. And to bring yourself to the level where you can smile through them all shows one has achieved peace with life itself.

It is something about this age. They lived through World Wars, the Independence struggle, the partition, the family feuds, the deaths of their loved ones and even the daily heart breaks of seeing their materialist gains disappear over the years. And yet, you should see them. Do talk to one of them, one of these days. You will not be disappointed. These people have realised the minuteness of every day incidents. The futility of running after everything. They have learnt how to bring humour into life. They have learnt to smile through it all.

I wish we do too. A bit sooner would be nice.

-The Anonymous Writer

December 12, 2017December 12, 2017 by acitygirlweb Categories: Business, Lifestyle, Trends, UncategorizedTags: bank, couple, elderly, family, grandfather, grandmother, grandparents, Lifestyle, men, old, older, relationships, relatives, self, soceity, think, women Leave a comment

Here’s how you can shave off over 30 minutes from your daily commute.

As I sat in the middle of a bumper to bumper traffic, witnessing,  the choicest of words being hurled from the Audi driver to the two wheeler driver, incessant honking from those who can’t see the bottle neck and the pointless revving by the frustrated bus driver showing off his horse power, I wonder if any of us realise that it’s upto us whether we waste hours in a traffic jam , or reduce half our travel time daily.

Scowling yet curious?

I only have one word for you…. RESPECT

Respect Yourself: Think about it, most of the times the reason for jams is that we choose to behave like goons on the road- bullying the guy next to us, because we can.

Respect your Neighbour: Intruding into someone’s personal space at the workplace can lead to disciplinary action. So why should the road be any different? Keep enough space between cars to avoid scratches, bruises and unnecessary

Respect your Vehicle: Just like you would keep your Jimmy Choo’s away from any dirty, swampy ground, avoid driving your car on the wrong side or unpaved roads to get ahead of traffic.

So the next time you’re on the road, take a second to Pause. Reflect & Respect for a better, faster,safer drive.

 

 

November 25, 2017 by acitygirlweb Categories: Business, Lifestyle, Technology & Innovations, Trends, UncategorizedTags: CARS, commute, delhi, DIY, drive, india, Lifestyle, luxurycar, respect, road, safety, time, traffic, travel Leave a comment

Remember this- if they don’t get, ‘No means No!’

First up, I want to make this clear- Just because I am a woman, this article has not been written assuming the offender to be a male. I truly believe,that an offender can come from anywhere and be of any sex. The faster we digest this, the faster our response time will be. Case in point, would any of the crew on International TV productions, ever think they needed to be on guard from the lead actor on the sets? And yet the innocent looking-chocolate boy – next door neighbour kinda guy Kevin Spacey managed to terrorise people over the years.

So here’s what you need to remember when in or to avoid a tricky situation …. PACTS

 

PEPPER SPRAY

Buy one now. Stick one under your steering wheel and carry one around in your bag/laptop bag at all times.

Always be prepared.

 

 

 APP- REGISTER YOURSELF ON ONE TODAY

Having your near and dear ones know you’re in danger can save not just many a terrible incident but also mental trauma. Think of how many times we hesitate before telling our loved ones what went wrong. That stigma can be taken out of the equation with this simple hack.

Digital Rescue Guide

 

 

CELL PHONE ESSENTIALS

Be more aware of what your cell phone can do for you incase of an emergency.  Do you have the right people on speed dial? A helpline that may be faster than the police? An automated SOS message in your drafts that can be sent immediately?

 

TACTFUL BREAK

This one may sound weird, but you’ll be surprised how numb the mind, and this is an endeavour to get you on top of the situation.  Most of the time, we know our offender, and its the shock of that, that mutes us and delays our safety response. Instead of attacking, surprise them by either staging a fainting spell, choking or any other delay tactic that can help you get an advantage.

 

SAFETY SIREN

Invest in a safety siren, that can be worn as jewellery , stuck on clothes or mobile. This will help attract action, incase you’re too stunned to react in any other way.

 

I hope in an uncomfortable situation,  PACTS will help you get into an auto rescue mode and take on the world.

 

Mansi Mehta

 

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November 4, 2017November 4, 2017 by acitygirlweb Categories: Lifestyle, Movies, politics, Technology & Innovations, Trends, Uncategorized, womenTags: abuse, actor, actress, bollywood, boss, Business, coworker, event, family, favors, film, filmworld, harassement, HOLLYWOOD, intimidation, kevin, men, nomeansno, occassion, office, rescue, sexual, sexualharrassment, spacey, tips, unknown, women Leave a comment