Macaroons

Posted on September 2, 2012 | 15 comments

A macaroon is a type of light, baked confection, described as either small cakes or meringue-like cookies depending on their consistency.  But the macaroon I am talking about today is the ones from Adriano Zumbo.

Adriano Zumbo is a patissier who is now a celebrity chef who has his own show on SBS and appears occasionally as a guest judge in Master Chef and he is the macaroon master.

The first time I tasted his macaroons, I was in food heaven and now I will never eat any other macaroons. They come in vibrant colours and just melt in the mouth. They comes in a variety of flavours like almond, almond butternut crunch, coconut caramel,  coconut jelly, coffee coconut meringue, apple, cream cheese mousse, summer pudding, peach bellini, strawberry and balsamic , pineapple coconut, chupachup, toasted marshmallow, burnt toast & butter flavour, vegemite sourdough, blue cheese & pear flavour and many more.

What could possibly be better than yummy Zumbaron? A chocolate covered one, which they called ‘Chocarons’. I know they are full of a lot of sugar and fat but I can’t resist one when I see it  🙂

 Look at some of his amazing creations and you will fall in love with his sweets as well 🙂

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Posted in Foodie

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Don’t insist on Alcohol

Posted on September 1, 2012 | 4 comments

I have seen time and time again that in parities especially if the host is Nepali, they kind of insist on you having alcohol. It’s kind of a cultural thing to insist but it has always bugged me and it still does.

I have seen that happen with my dad in Nepal. They will offer him drinks and if he says he has had have enough, their respond will always be “Just have one more”. Come on, when the person who is drinking said enough already, it is not a good idea to offer him/her more alcohol.

After coming to Australia, the situation is same all the time. Especially among men, it is like a pride to drink as much as one can. If someone says no, they will insist until he takes another one. Even if someone says that he is driving; they will say one will be fine.

I know we are not kids any more so if you really don’t want to drink, then we can say no and stick to it. But I think these people who insist on making others drunk sometime forget that people have their own limits and they know it better than anyone else. So why keep insisting for one more when the drinker already said NO.

We hear about drink driving tragedy every day and still people are so unaware of their act when they offer drinks.

I don’t drink alcohol. I have tasted a few drinks but I hate the smell of most alcohol. So when I go to the parties and someone offered me a drink, I just decline. They will insist but I decline and stay firm in my decision. Few people will just insist once while other get disappointed and have asked me, “From when did you stop drinking?” I found it surprising because I never drank so how come I didn’t know the period I used to drink. So to avoid the hassles these day my excuse is, “I am driving” instead of “I don’t drink”. Some people do leave me alone but then there are some who will say “A few drinks will be fine. Just take one. As in Australia, driving with alcohol limit less that 0.5 is not illegal if you hold full licence.”

I know as a non-drinker I don’t know how it feels to be drunk and enjoy drinking. AS drinks and I have never stopped him but I am glad that he know his limit and I have never seen him out of control. But I have seen lots of people who go crazy and loud after getting drunk. My point is, if one already said NO for the drink, no one should insist on them to have more.  Sometime that insistence might make someone drink one more and he/she can easily miscalculate his/her capacity.

Also I never understood –

Why do so many people choose getting drunk as their favourite activity?

Why do people like getting drunk at parties so much?

Why do people like going and getting drunk in a crowd of other drunken people at a bar?

Social drinking is always acceptable but why drink to get drunk? Just enjoy a few drinks and be a responsible drinker. And never insist on anyone to have more drinks. You can offer all you like but never insist. And never DRINK and DRIVE.

To all the Nepali people, please stop insisting on drinks once the person has said NO.

If you are one of the people who enjoy drinking, look at some of the benefits of not drinking. 🙂

  • save money
  • less hassles from family
  • sleep better
  • have more energy
  • have a clear head
  • be less depressed
  • lose weight
  • better physical shape
  • reduce the risk of hypertension, liver disease, brain damage, cancer, accidents

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Posted in Nepali Culture, Social Issue

Slow down people, smell the flower

Posted on August 29, 2012 | 16 comments

This morning when I was waiting for the lift in my apartment, one of my neighbours came to wait for the lift as well. I had already pressed the button to call the lift and it was visible as the red light was on. But she kept pressing the button as if it would bring the lift quicker. Once the lift came she rushed inside and I follow her. I press the ground floor button. She was going to do the same floor so she pressed the already pressed button few times. She looked so impatient in the lift and as soon as the door opened at the ground floor, she rushed out. I was just wondering what the rush was about. I have seen so many people rushing to their destination all the time.

I always see drivers’ impatience trying to change lanes in busy traffic even though they know it won’t get them to their destination any sooner. Even though they run red light in one place, I normally catch them at the next red light anyway so I don’t understand why they are risking their own and others life like that.

Today on the way to work I just wanted to observe people who are rushing somewhere. They all seemed a bit grumpy and were just rushing around.

I know we all feel that we are time poor and it makes us to do things quickly whenever possible. But I also know that you can’t run on a moving train or jump off the airplane to get to your destination quickly.

I am equally guilty of rushing all the time. I always want to do things quickly so I want to sit down and relax as soon as possible. Often I find I can’t really relax until the work is done. But lately being married to AS, I have learned how to relax a bit. I still have a long a way to go.

Sometime when I read stories like this, it hits me hard. Often we don’t appreciate small things in life until we lose them.

In today’s world where everyone is running after money and power, there are not many people who will stop and smell the flower. We have so many ambitions and dreams that in order to fulfil them we are forced to work hard and keep working. Gone are the days when people would always have dinner as a family,   visiting their friends and relatives regularly and just enjoy simple pleasures of life.

Have you ever heard your parents or grandparents saying the time has gone in the blink of the eye? It is so true for everyone. One day we will be old and when we look back at our own life, what do you want to see. For me, I want to see a gal and woman who enjoyed every minute of her life with less regrets, surrounded by love and laughter.

Have you ever noticed, if you smile while walking on the street, in most cases you will get a smile back from a complete stranger? That is how easy and simple life is. So stop making it complicated and enjoy the small happiness in life. For some it may come as cooking, gardening, baking, or writing. Whatever you enjoy, just go ahead and do it as this time will never come back in your life.

There is a saying by Will Rogers, “Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save”.  So I am making an effort this week to slow down a bit and enjoy things around me. And here are few things on my plan list to make it a better life.

  • I am planning to catch up with family and friends so I can enjoy their company and share life.
  • I will be going to some place nice this weekend and appreciate nature’s beauty. It is almost spring in Sydney and it is so beautiful everywhere. May be a picnic in a park will be a great way to relax.
  • Spend more time with my handsome husband without distractions like TV, mobile or books.
  • I will plan my life more so I don’t need to rush and get frustrated.
  • I always wanted to mediate because I heard that it helps us keep clam. I will definitely try that.
  • I will exercise more and look after my body without making any excuses.
  • I will call my parents and tell them I love them a lot.
  • I will try to get the negative thoughts out of my head and think more positive.

 Will definitely let you know how it goes. Please share your own versions 🙂 and please don’t forget to smell the flowers …

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Posted in Social Issue

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Colour your wardrobe this winter

Posted on August 28, 2012 | Leave a comment

This article was published in +977 (a Nepalese Lifestyle Magazine in Australia) in July-Aug 2012 issue.

Winter in Sydney is really cold this year and in this cold weather, your coat is the most important item in your wardrobe. I know it can be really dull to see only grey and black coats everywhere but you don’t need to be one of them. With some smart colour choices, it is very easy to brighten up your day.

If you are wearing single toned dress or black trouser and top, enliven it with a bold colour coat. The colours that are “in” this winter are mustard, dark purple and red. If you are wearing a dress, a colourful stocking, a colourful scarf, bold jewelleries or a colourful bag will definitely polish up your look. There is also the option of going with colourful jeans. Invest in some colourful clothing and you won’t have to worry about drab winters anymore.

You may also like :

*Autumn Trend Alert: “Dot On” *Fashion from Nepal
 *Spring 2012 Trend Alert: Hello, PETAL!

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Posted in Fashion, Published

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Rendezvous with an Entrancing Beauty

Posted on August 28, 2012 | 8 comments

This article was published in +977 (a Nepalese Lifestyle Magazine in Australia) in July-Aug 2012 issue.

It was really nice to have opportunity to interview Samriddhi Rai 🙂

We are always very proud when we see the name “Nepal” in any International arena and we felt be a prouder still, when a few months ago as Miss Samriddhi Rai was successful in bringing home the title of Miss Personality from the Miss Tourism Queen International 2011 held in Xi’an, China.

Many of you may already know Samriddhi Rai as Miss Tourism Queen Nepal 2011. She was also a participant in Miss Teen Nepal and in Miss Nepal. Some of you may know her as a writer or an editor for well know publications or even as a national level basketball player, an aspiring singer or a TV anchor or a Voice on RVL Radio.

An intrepid blogger, she is not afraid to express her opinions and feelings instead of writing what is politically correct. It is very heartening to see her speaking her mind about events in Nepal like the Miss Nepal 2012, Bryan Adams’ concert, etc., in her blog samriddhirai.blogspot.com.

Living with her motto, “Laugh.Love. Live.”: Samriddhi has achieved, in a short time frame, what many of us have only dreamed of. Even though she has been in the public eye form her teenage years, she has never forgotten her roots and has always stayed grounded. She is a great inspiration for today’s youth.

A Self-confessed serious Facebooker, she is so loved by the young generation that the number of friends in her Faceebook personal account maxed out, forcing her to create a Facebook Page instead, to keep in touch with her fans. One of the best things about following her on Facebook and Twitter is that she actually responds to the comments, unlike so many celebrities who just post their photos and never bother to respond to the comments people leave for them.

“For some reasons though, I happen to love my struggles. I believe it has made me tough and although it breaks me down from time to time, it has unfailingly pushed me to bring out the best in me.” These are her words describing her experience from Miss Tourism Queen International. When she was picked by Group of Event Entertainers, the team that conducts Miss Tourism Queen Nepal, to represent Nepal in China she was told she had to fund everything on her own. For any other girl it could have been the reason to desist from the journey even before it begun but not for Samriddhi. She was determined to do whatever it would take to reach her goal. She organised a concert to raise money and at the same time looked for sponsors to help fund her trip to Xi’an to represent Nepal. The road to China was bumpy but with courage and determination she was able to bring a second international beauty pageant crown home to Nepal. It was one of the proudest moments for Nepal and all Nepali.

Here is our conversation with the young, talented and beautiful Miss Samriddhi Rai.

You are into so many different fields, how do you want to be known?

Honestly, it would be awesome to be known as Samriddhi Rai – Jack of all trades, Master of some (laughs) but yeah I will forever be a writer at heart. I express myself best when I am writing so that is one thing that will always be with me. Soon though, I am coming out with my album so yeah, the title of Samriddhi Rai- singer, songwriter, blogger would sound perfect to live by for the rest of my life.

When did you think of entering beauty pageants and did you face any difficulties?

It was not a conscious decision, you know. I had just completed my 12th grade and I had some time to spare. I saw an ad calling for Miss Teen Nepal and I just entered it, thinking it would be fun. If you knew me well, you’d know that I am just that kind of a person – spontaneous and extremely random. I managed to discover the singing talent in me, wiped out fear of public-speaking, to that extent, I have pageants to thank for bringing out the writer in me too as everything  I was learning was just too difficult to be contained within me, I had to share it with the world. So yeah, I have a lot to thank these pageants. By exploring the many vistas of these hard-core contests, I got a chance to explore the many vistas of me. Those were time well-spent. 

 Please share your experience from Miss teen Nepal and Miss Nepal. 

Miss Teen Nepal and Miss Nepal were two experiences I totally cherish. But I may have enjoyed Miss Teen Nepal more (laughs), considering I had no plans to win anything but came out clinching the 2nd runner up title. On the other hand, I joined Miss Nepal fully knowing that I had to win it. And even though I got nothing from it except for my placement in the top-5, with time I realized that winning a title was not so important after all. That, winning people’s love and earning memories and experiences was more valuable. Soon after my bout at Miss Nepal I was offered a job as an editor for a youth’s magazine, I became a weekly columnist, I was offered the title of Miss Tourism Nepal , hundreds of people showed up at my fund-raising concerts and I came back home winning a title on behalf of my country. So you see, winning or losing is for the mere entertainment of the audience. I may have lost at Miss Nepal, but I never felt defeated. To be in the presence of both success and failure and be equally happy in both experiences- is what these pageants have taught me.

 We know that your journey to Miss Tourism Queen International 2011 was not smooth as you had to fund your own way there. Tell us more about your experience from the beginning to winning the crown for Best Personality.

I broke down a few days before I had to leave for my contest. But I can assure you it was only a momentary lapse (lol). But I really couldn’t get my sunny side up when everything came crashing down for a while- when people who promised to sponsor my tickets backed out and my designer friends refused to give their best gowns. It was disheartening and overwhelming. All the while I kept thinking, “Oh my god, I am representing my country here, why isn’t anybody helping me out?” and then, I came back to my senses. I realized people were not helping me because the universe was asking me to help myself and be a strong girl and that is what I became. Oddly enough it was a bunch of strangers who helped me in a big way. Stranger designers, stranger airline officers- to whom by the way I am indebted for life and I still keep in touch with them. And I finally made it to China. The journey thereafter was the most fun I have ever had. Being called out by my country’s name was a thing of immense pride. “Hey! Nepal, come here. Hey! Nepal sings so well.” I am all smiles even as I share these moments with you. When NEPAL was called out to receive the title of Miss Personality, I was so happy. Tears of joy rolled down my cheeks and I couldn’t stop thanking my judges for finding me worthy for the title. Finally, thank you +977 for helping me relive those moments all over again. I’d describe my journey to Miss Tourism Queen International as one of the most beautiful chapters of my life.

 There is a term in Australia called Tall Poppy Syndrome which means people of genuine merit are resented, attacked, cut down, or criticised because their talents or achievements elevate them above or distinguish them from their peers. Do you think that exists in Nepal as well? Did you ever suffer something similar?

Tall poppy huh! Well I’d say that is true anywhere in the world and honestly, if I tell you that I have in fact been attacked and resented then I would also be calling myself a person with genuine merit – and that my friend, would be fuelling my “resent-ers” to resent me even more (lol). But yeah in all honesty, as the number of people who like you grows, with it grows the number of people who might dislike you as well. When I was collecting my funds for the pageant, there were people making remarks claiming that was acting like a “beggar”, to one paper even publishing that my contest was all fake and I had duped people through my fund-raising concerts. Phew! Initially it hurt a lot, but I started getting used to it. Then I was like, as long as my rumours keep people in Kathmandu entertained, I am up for anything that makes people happy (lol) and I let it go.

 For girls planning to join beauty pageants, what do you think are the important preparations that they should make in order to maximize their chances?

Well I feel I very lucky to have gotten in, considering I am only 5’ 6”. My height is not even average in beauty pageant terms; 5’ 6” is very, very short. So yes, my 5 inches heels never came off during my international contest (lol) and that way judges never saw me as someone short. The four crucial preparations for any Nepali beauty pageant representative going for an international pageant, according to me would be: (1) Armed with lots of super-high heels, (2) lots of make-up and hair styling accessories- one must also be well-trained in its application, (3) well thought out wardrobe including several beautiful gowns by designers and (4) ONE significant talent to help one stand out from a batch of hundreds of contestants.

 Did you ever feel discouraged in life and if so, what thoughts made you overcome those feelings?

Discouraged? NEVER! If something goes wrong for me, I am quick at moving on and finding something that is right. I don’t believe in dwelling in despair; my god, life is too short for that. To tell you a lesser known secret though, I sometimes consciously drown myself in sadness only at those times when I want to write some hard-core emo songs for my upcoming album (lol) other than that, nah! I just like to see the brighter side in life. That is just who I am.

 Who do you admire the most & why? 

I admire the values passed down by my parents the most. At the end of the day no matter what you become or where you go, it is the integrity, the teachings that one gets as a child that truly moulds a person. I can’t thank them enough for helping me become the person that I am today.  

What does “success” mean to you? 

Success is just an illusion. Happiness is the ultimate goal I seek. Pursuing my passion for music and writing makes me happy and that is all I need.      

How do you keep fit? Please share with us some of your formula for a healthy lifestyle. 

I guess you have come to the right person to ask that, as I only recently shed a good 8 kilos off of me haha. You see, I had always been a fit person, but then one day I watched the movie Step Up 2 and then I had to have those abs that the lead girl flaunted. Next 3 months in the gym and I was doomed. I gained more weight and I had set out to lose them. It took me a whole year of eating the right food and NOT-going to the gym but indulging in my regular games of basketball and a few running drills to get back into shape.

What is the proudest moment or the most memorable day of your life? 

“You are only as good as your last achievement”- said a wise man and going by that, it has to be my winning the Miss Personality for Nepal at the Miss Tourism Pageant. Yes it was the proudest I had ever been of myself; a moment I shall cherish until my death.

 What are your future plans?

Just continue doing the things I love like baking, playing basketball, singing, writing and joking around with pals and laughing a lot lot lot (lol). On a serious note, immediate plans are for a record album which I hope to release in the year 2013, as I was born on the 13th and my contestant number at Miss Nepal was 13. It’s just an important number for me. Let’s just see how that turns out. 

Is there anything else you would like our readers to know?

Ahhh… All that I have been blabbering about is already too much information. If I were the reader, I would be bored by now haha. But yeah, I would really like to say “thank you” for giving your time to read what I had to say. It means a lot. Also, one day I hope to come visit Australia; a huge fan of all Master Chef Australia episodes I wanna come there for the food and the picturesque sea shores that I have only gotten to see in well – pictures (lol). If you’re reading this as a Nepali from Australia, I really appreciate you making an effort to be in touch with updates from back home. Finally, thank you +977 for having me and thank you for hunting me down. Being in the media, not much media likes to cover me – it has to be that Tall poppy thingy eh! (Lol) So, really a genuine thank you to everyone. Wish you all a wonderful life ahead. Cheerio!

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Posted in Nepal, Published

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