Special people

Below are three people, whom I LOVE from the core of my heart. They are very special to me and have extremely special place in my life.

My sister, her son (my nephew), and of course, my younger one. They are at the golden gate. He is enjoying with his massi.

Brothers bonding at Boeing factory

Happy brothers having ice cream.

Old pictures

I was digging through my old pictures and found these. These are about 4 year old.

Some old memories attached to it- when my nephew, who will soon turn 4, was yet to be born.

My picture in Asian Age today

Kashmiri Aari work Sari

I brought this saree from Kashmir. It is called aari work. It is completely hand embroidery, done only in Kashmir. This is what I wore for a family wedding today.

That is my mom and my chachi. My chachi is very sweet. Lovely person. ( For non Indian readers- chachi means aunt. Father's younger brother's wife.)

My chachi is actually a very nice person. When I was a kid, I used to write loooong letters to her. Real letters. Not emails. We did not have emails then.

Lunch with friends at La Piazza

My diet today

Morning- Cantaloupe

Mid day- small (very tiny) bowl of vegetable (gourd)

Afternoon- Lunch at La piazza, Hyatt

Soup- Minestrone soup

Main course- vegetable parcel- see below.

Dessert- Melted chocolate (I was told, it had no dairy. No butter etc)

Bowl of mango.

Evening- 1 more mango

I had lunch with Leia and Shreya. Our fourth friend is traveling. 

Leia, as you all know, by now, teaches piano in Delhi. She also sings in a choir. You can read her blog here. Shreya is camera shy but agrees to oblige for my blog. 

That is Yours Truly. All pictures have been clicked with my iphone. All my pictures have been shot by Shreya.

I am wearing

Top- bought from Frankfurt

Capris- Express.

Heels- Nine West

Necklace- recently bought in Spain (Barcelona).

Ear rings, ring and bracelet- bought in Argentina

That is camera shy Shreya. I coaxed her to let me take a picture of her beautiful bag, matching iphone cover and her beautiful bracelet and ring.

Her beautiful ring that her mom has gifted her.

Leia and Shreya were so supportive of my vegan diet. They actually helped me choose from the menu. It is nice to be amongst people who support you in your lifestyle choices.

Leia told me later, "you seemed so happy and relaxed. Whatever lifestyle changes you have made, must be suiting you." That is so encouraging.

For Dinner, I had gone to a family wedding, where I had clear soup and a plate full of assorted vegetables. No starters, no desserts, no breads, not even my favorite cottage cheese.

Read my next bog post on what I wore for the family wedding.

Chair exercises demonstrated by Kiran Sawhney

Jhalla Walla Bollywood choreography

My Vegan Diet yesterday

Morning- A cantaloupe and 2 mangoes (had worked out a bit extra on TRX and needed extra energy for the tired muscles)

Mid day- handful of peanuts

Afternoon- bowl of sauteed onion, corn, mushroom and iceberg.

Practiced Tango.

Evening- At an event 2 skewers of grilled veggies- broccoli, zucchini, mushroom

came back and had coconut water

Dinner- bowl of french beans and a potato.
Also a bowl of pomegranate later.

P.S- Also had my protein bar of Amaranth. It was in my bag. Was having it while driving.

Weight loss in 3 days of vegan diet- 1 kg. Aiming for another 5 kg.

(Yes, I had gained a bit and am trying to shed that.) Aiming to remain vegan forever now. It feels good. The craving will take some time to subside. But the body is already thanking me.
The next step will be to go Satvik- leave onion as well. Not now. After some time.

Today morning- Had a cantaloupe.

Workout- Bollywood dance. 

Similar Sari

My sister sent me picture of Jess Randhawa, what she wore on Esha Deol's Sangeet ceremony. 

What my sister wrote, made me very happy. She wrote, "I guess dancers have similar taste."

I still prefer my simple blouse over the red embroidered one that Jess is wearing.

Stop wearing leather

It’s a common misconception that the leather industry is a by-product of the meat industry. It is not. Animal skins turned into leather are a $1.5 Billion dollar industry, which directly supports factory farming/ slaughter houses by accounting for 25% of their profits. The meat and dairy industry is not only heavily subsidized in the US by the government, but the profit from the sale of animal skins is essential to their business. The animals are forcefully bred in overcrowded hideously filthy, disease ridden, factory farms where they live in confinement and are subject to beatings, electric ⚡ shock, forcibly impregnated, endure painful mutilations without pain relief (such as castration, branding, dehorning, tails being cut off or broken, teeth removed, testicles ripped out) and harmful hormone and antibiotic injections. They suffer not only these physical abuses but mental as well - they are taken away from their mothers at birth and develop neurotic behaviors due to confinement and torture.

Leather is NOT eco friendly. In the natural process of biodegrading the skin is the first element to rot or decompose. In order for that not to happen the skin must be treated with toxic chemicals. There are 225 chemicals used in the tanning process many of which are mordents, better known for their association with the funeral industry. That “new leather smell” is actually a chemical reaction between the skin, formaldehyde and chromium salts. Other toxic chemicals used are lead, cyanide, arsenic, azo dyes, aniline and chlorophenols to name a few. These chemicals make the hide no longer organic matter, therefore it does not decompose. Historians have found preserved leather dating to 5000 BC. Leather requires more energy, much more space and a great deal more labor to produce than synthetics.

Source: http://vegansofig.tumblr.com/post/24122079617/its-a-common-misconception-that-the-leather

Interesting nail art ideas