Thursday Thunder

This what happened yesterday. At the Grand Prix kick off celebration!

Be Calm And Hear Your Inner voice

Have you ever wondered sometime in life where everything is perfect just the way you planned it to be and yet you feel something is not right? Like something is drastically out of place even when everything looks perfect on the outside. We humans have a inbuilt nature of being inspired we all through all phases of our life have an idle in front of us who we try to become and achieve perfection. But did it ever strike you that maybe you don't want or can't become what the world already has.

Like I don't think there can be a second Walt Disney or a second Margaret Thatcher. We are all created to be unique that is why we all look different. Even if there are seven doppelgangers (look alike) of the same face in the world still out heights, weights, complexion, nature will be different. I am sure many of us are doing successful things in the world right now but there is a huge difference in doing what you planned or what you really like. Planning what you really like is a winner because if you like something you can push the bar of your capability to create new peaks.

Thursday CupCakes

I made rainbow cupcakes with nutella filling and finishing it with icing finish.
And did I mention they taste like heaven.
For the cake batter make spit the batter in three bowls and add food gel to each. I used yellow, pink, blue and alternated 1 tablespoon of each color in my cupcake baking mold.

Green Tea Tonic for Skin

Green Tea is a magic tea with high content of antioxidants. These antioxidants works great for having a healthier skin and immune system. They get rid of the free radicals in our system. Having 3 to 4 cups of green tea in a day apart from brightening your skin, it also strengthens your digestion system and helps in weight reduction of your body and fats deposited in your inner organs.
My mom used to make this green tea mist at home. As kids we kept spraying it on our face after school, after play, to get rid of sleepiness while doing homework and before bed. I still follow it and spraying it on my face brings a blast of freshness and brightness.
Boil 2 cups of water in your tea pot
Add a few mint leaves

Cover the pot for 20 mins till all the magic
nutrients of the tea and mint leaves unlocks itself
Once the tea cools down pour it in a spray bottle (I bought mine from the dollar store)
Add a few fresh mint leaves to it and store it in the fridge.

Simply, Easy, Inexpensive to Wala skin.

The Toyota Grand Prix, Long Beach (First Glimpse)

This years Grand Prix is just around the corner from 19th April to 21st April. The track testing has been done now press releases and charity/media parties are all over. We are going to have early morning alarms of the noisy racing cars for the coming week as the racers have their practice rounds. Whatever happens the Long Beach by Shoreline becomes so colorful and lively. You see so many tourists from other states and even countries. The proof of the added color is this view from my balcony.

Unlike last time we were in San Diego this time we got tickets to actually see the race. I love the kick off show last year where they had dirt bikes stunts. Expecting the same this time.
These are the following events for the week:

April 17- Roar in the Shore
               At 6 p.m. on 2nd St., between Corona and Covina streets in Belmont Shore.
            
 April 18- Tecate Light Thunder on Pine by 6 pm (Don't Miss)
               Starts at 6.30 p.m. on Pine between 1st and 3rd St. Pit stop demonstrations, driver autographs,
               a car show, live music, freestyle motocross jumpers and the finals of the Tecate Light Miss Toyota                      
               Grand Prix of Long Beach pageant!!

April 18- Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame Induction
               11 a.m. - 12 p.m. on Pine in front of Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center. Four time
               Long Beach winner Paul Tracy and popular Adrian Fernandez will be inducted into this exclusive
               group.

April 19- Toyota Grand Prix Charity Ball
              A Black tie gala dinner at Westin from 6 p.m. onwards. Cocktails, dance and a silent auction are
              some of its features.

I will keep updating about the events.

Bananas Bananas Everywhere

Yesterday after our lunch and before going for our weekly shopping I realized oops we have 6 ripe bananas. And some looked like they tanned the whole week. Anyways instead of just trashing them I decided to make something healthy and yummy. I made 2 dishes each with 3 bananas. I will share the recipe with you as well.

Monkey Bars:

1) Mash the 3 bananas add 1 tsp baking powder

                                          1 tsp vanilla essence

                                          2 tsp of meringue powder

                                          2 tsp of powdered sugar

                                          4 tbsp of flour

  2) Just combine all the mentioned ingredients, do not over mix.

  3) Grease a baking pan with shortening and flour, pour the mixture.

      Sprinkle some semi sweet choco chips on the top surface.

  4) Place it in your Pre heated oven for 25 to 30 mins.

       Make sure its done by sticking a toothpick in the center of the pan.

      If it comes out clean its done.

My second item is Banana Kheer or Banana pudding:

Made it extremely simple. 

1) Take pour half a gallon whole milk in a heavy bottomed pot and bring to boil.

2) once the milk seems to over boil, lower the flame to minimum and stick a big spoon in it.

3) Keep it on simmer for an hour and occasionally keep stirring.

4) In that one hour prepare the banana. Boil 1/4 cup water with 3 tbsp sugar. then add the

    mashed 3 bananas to it and keep stirring.

5) Once the banana soften switch the stove off 

6) Once the milk seems to have reduced to almost half of its original quantity add your bananas,

    cardamon seeds, 8 ground alomnds.

7) let the mixture boil for another 20 to 30 mins.

 This stuff tastes extremely delicious

Please try these whenever you have bananas in excess. Its worth having black skinned bananas!!

Looking through the Lens

I always wanted to have a Pro DSLR never knew when or how am I going to get it. But I am lucky to have a husband who loves big name cameras although doesnt know much of photography. He gifted me a Canon 60 D on my birthday :-) Since then I keep clicking pictures of anything I feel is worth clicking and he keeps pushing me by negative encouragement. That I am not experimenting enough or going out to take more pictures by the beach.

Thats me on my Birthday December 2, 2012 (25years whispering) in our patio with 

my Birthday gift. Btw I am wearing Mrs. Shrek's dress (designed by me) and head band (crocheted by me).

We live in Long Beach California so there is a lot happening here specially during the summer. Right now I can hear practice races of the upcoming Grand Prix on April 20th and 21st 2012. 

This is the view from our patio. Isn't it gorgeous?

Some basic tips about how to use these cameras. Practice Practice practice. Don't use the basic modes like landscape, twilight, portrait etc. Use the creative modes like the Tv, Av, Ca. Av mode is good for indoors with the Av you can adjust the aperture of the lens. If a picture comes too dark increase the Av (lens opening) so more light comes in and you get s bright image its true for vice versa. In Tv you can adjust the shutter speed this is very useful in moving objects. The quicker the shutter speed the more natural movement pics you take of moving objects. This experiment works well when you try to take pictures of flowing water or fountain. If the shutter speed is more you can see each droplet of the water and if the shutter speed is low you can see the water as a straight line/curve.

Will keep posting tips about photography and here is a picture of my husband.

Mr. Shrek