#fiji pineapple palm

[amitapaul]

41/26

26/4/24

#24gloponapowrimo #amitasinfinity

Summer Bummer - But I’d Tried

Summer shimmers on seawaves and seasand

Beaches abound with sunseekers, funseekers, beachballs abounce

Butlins bore the brunt once as the middle-class Mecca

Many a popular playground for holidaymakers is still around

Cruises to the Caribbean are copycat amusement

For the well-heeled and even- keeled or Hawaii

Fiji or Florida is a toss up, Boss, the Keys still the bees knees

Coconut palm- edged seas, leaves swaying in sea breeze

Grass- skirts and floral- shirts and sun-dapples

Drinks served in coconut shells and in pineapples

Leis braided with fern fronds and flowers of plumeria and pikake, or pupu

On Poipu Beach, wearing behind your ear or in your hair

Hawaiian Hibiscus. Mangos Melons and Paw-paws

Preening in your plate or breakfast bowl -a surfeit

Of all that’s ripe and sweet and succulent or just plain juicy

Soups salads sandwiches savoury or slurpy

Tinkling in tumblers ice in spiced lemonade

Tall glasses holding masses of smoothies and shakes

Someone makes a killer frozen yogurt for the yogis

Yoga or Ayurveda enthusiasts with diabetic pasts

Still given to intermittent fasts and Vipassana

Still looking for a short cut to Nirvana

This summer hammock- swinging in Havana

Licking Iced Key Lime Pie in Magpie’s Nest in Key West

Or other options in salubrious climes

For serenading serendipitous Summer.

Oh Blast ! It’s a bummer !

( And I have nowhere to hide.

Terrible, trite. But I’d tried. )

( Amita Sarjit Ahluwalia )

[cassiepandas]

FAVORITE PRODUCTS FOR JULY! (yes, i’m late) :P

[dreamgrlarchive]

Self Care 101 🦋

In this post I’ll be outlining my current routines as they relate to self care. I’ll cover everything from head to toe making sure not to skip your spirit. You cannot be a girl of ANYONE’S dreams if you aren’t taking care of the most important person in your world: you.

mornings:

wash face with gentle cleanser from curology, tone with organic Mamonde rose water and finish with rich moisturizer and spf30

brush teeth with activated charcoal toothpaste by Crest and baking soda for whitening and gum clarity

take vitamins : woman’s one a day, hair skin nails, biotin, vitamin c

drink glass of water then a cup of tea

black tea, raw cane sugar, a lemon slice, ginger

good for energy, immune function, and detox

showers:

this may sound so extra (😅), but depending on my hairstyle, I sometimes like to let the shower run for about five minutes with the door closed to create a sauna effect. this is especially if I have a mask on my hair.

my showers usually are about 20-30 minutes

I have a back brush, pink exfoliating gloves, a loofah, and tree hut body scrubs and I use them ALL.

I wash first with my dove beauty bar to assure clean skin before washing with EITHER my OGX Shea So Soft body wash or Dove Renewing Peony and Rose Oil body wash to add scent or silkiness to my skin.

hair removal:

I haven’t yet mastered the art of waxing myself so I’m still riding the shave wave. *when I do I’ll make a post 4 that*

I exfoliate throughly before AND after shaving

I shave my entire body using Tree Hut Shaving Oil and a nice conditioner I’m not using. This leaves my skin super soft and silky and helps the razor to glide without skipping. I use Gillette Venus. no less than five blades, anything less is ASKING for nicks and a hard time.

when I don’t feel like shaving, I use Nair. use at your own risk. yes, I Nair my ENTIRE BODY. only leaving it on for about 7 minutes I rinse in WARM (not hot) water and exfoliate afterwards. it is imperative to moisturize after to avoid irritation. however, Nair is much easier to do than shaving and seems to last an inkling longer.

after shaving, once a month, I pull out my KENZZI. it’s an IPL device and it has helped to slow the growth of my hair. it’s noticeable for us long, thick haired chicks. I use the second to lowest setting as a melanated babe, as the higher settings could burn me.

I know many endorse the hair on women movement and I can understand it. But I personally love my skin silky, hairless, and smooth.

nights:

after eating dinner, I wash my face and apply the tiniest bit of glycolic serum and my curology night cream. my skin has been the best it’s been in a few years. then I brush my teeth and rinse with peroxide.

every four days I give myself a facial

my favorite face masks:

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid mask

The Ordinary AHA + BHA mask

all Tony Moly sheet masks *luvvvvv those*

GLAMGLOW SUPERMUD clearing treatment *fav*

Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme mask

Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel mask

Peter Thomas Roth Irish Moor Mud mask

Peter Thomas Roth Rose Stem Cell Bio-Repair Gel mask

ORIGINS Clear Improvement mask

An at home honey and aloe mask

I apply a rich facial moisturizer and get to bed.

I then write in my planner my new plans and what I did that day if I hadn’t already. then after that I script and make mood boards in my diary. then I read a little. currently reading: Making Faces by Kevyn Aucoin, and Live Like a hot Chick by Jodi Lipper.

emotions:

I talk to my grandmother about my feelings, she helps me sort things out. please try to find one person you trust to talk to, my messages are always open. 💓 I often overthink. I suffer from anxiety and clinical depression. sometimes these things make me FEEL limited. these experiences wax and wane. I remind myself that the darkness is temporary.

I write in my diary what I feel and track my emotions for potential patterns. I don’t manufacture or sugar coat my feelings, I just talk.

sometimes you need a good cry. let it out. clean your slate. you’ll always feel better, sometimes great after a hard, deep sobbing cry.

I try to get out of the house and get some sunlight. it helps brighten my mood sometimes.

baths:

LOVE taking baths I don’t care what the status quo is about dirt. just rinse off. I love wrapping my hair up and soaking in warm-hot water.

first I run the water. as it’s running I add my bubble bath, then body wash, then my Shea Moisture fragrant coconut oil. it smells soooo good, literally yummy. then I inevitably scream from dipping my toe in the hot water. finally I get in, scrub down my body, emphasis on feet. then I wash, and just relax. I’ve even fallen asleep in the tub once, I was so zen.

careful not to soak too long or overdo it with your products. synthetic materials lingering in your lady bits for too long cause cause infections like bv or uti

some women add tea tree oil, acv, or even Aztec clay to their baths for wellness purposes. I love adding essential oils to my baths to relax and the natural scent is just great 🥺

when I get out I always put something that feels lush and soft on. *invest in super soft, comfy bath towels, they’ll make you feel so luxurious and soft after a nice relaxing bath*

flower:

the yoni is something sensitive that needs to be taken care of thoroughly, and differently than the rest of your body. it’s not recommended to use soaps down there, it can unbalance things and make you itch. also make you prone to infection. this is why I use clear warm water to clean. if I use soap it’s a sensitive, gentle formula. don’t ever try to clean the cavity. she’s a self cleaning vessel.

to shave, I trim my hair down as close as possible and use a FIVE BLADE razor with conditioner and take my time. making sure not to pass a spot twice, I apply moderate pressure and move slowly. when finished I rinse and scrub gently. I PAT not rub dry. to finish off I apply TendSkin, and salicylic acid to avoid ingrowns. once that’s soaked in I apply shea butter. very soft and pretty 🌸

⚠️ DO NOT PUT ON TIGHT PANTIES OR RIGHT PANTS AFTER SHAVING. it restricts the hairs and causes irritation and ingrowns. throw on some comfy loose shorts for a while, let it breathe

dietary needs:

drink plenty of water

cranberry juice

vitamin c

minimal red meat

probiotics

at home vagacial for the high maintenance girlies:

*make any necessary extractions with pointed and slanted tweezers *

scrub: 

brown sugar, tea tree oil, a little shea butter

exfoliating and anti inflammatory

mask:

baking soda, fresh lemon juice, vitamin e oil, papaya juice, gelatin

fixes discoloration and brightens the skin while softening

moisturize:

aloe vera gel, rose hip seed oil

smelling sweet:

ah yes, my favorite part. I love fragrance so much. I love to smell like you could literally break off a piece of me and eat it.

I find that using fragrant washes and oils make your scent more strong and help it linger. I already mentioned the body washes I use. the tree hut scrubs I use smell amazing also. I alike to add essential oils and man made scents like strawberry and chocolate to my Shea Moisture oil (so yummy).

I also use a fragrant lotion, eau de parfum, and fragrance mist.

here’s a list of some of my favorites:

perfumes:

jimmy choo fever

coach floral blush

yves saint laurent mon paris

victoria’s secret bombshell

victoria’s secret scandalous

valentino

fragrance mists:

victoria’s secret velvet petals, pure seduction, warm and cozy

bath and body works a thousand wishes, fiji pineapple palm, warm vanilla sugar, black raspberry vanilla

oils:

coconut

sweet almond

peppermint

chocolate scented essential oil

strawberry scented essential oil

orange

grapefruit

eucalyptus

sweetest combo ever:

vanilla extract, coconut oil, shea butter, and your favorite perfume. you’ll be smelling like a warm cupcake with extra sprinkles and icing 🧁

layering:

oil, lotion, eau de parfum, mist

pulse points:

inside elbows and knees, in between thighs, inner arms, behind ears, back of neck, ankles

hair:

it’s super important to keep your hair moisturized. quenched tresses move, grow, shine and bounce. dry hair is limp, lackluster, and extremely fragile

my fav diy deep conditioner:

a banana, half an avocado, three spoons of honey, an egg, a spoonful of mayo, a spoonful of coconut, olive, and castor oil each

strength from egg, avocado, mayo and olive oil

moisture from avocado and honey

cover damp CLEAN hair and scalp in mixture and cover with a plastic bag, then towel for an hour, rinse thoroughly, and seal in moisture

fav hair products:

castor oil

fusionplex conditioner and mask

Aussie conditioner

wella goji berry mask

coconut oil

style booster edge control

helpful tips:

when shampooing, concentrate on the scalp and wash thoroughly twice, as the suds will naturally cleanse your stands without drying and stripping them

rinse hair with apple cider vinegar every now and then. it restores your ph balance, smooths the cuticle, clarifies the strands, and adds shine

always add oil and leave ins to DAMP hair, never dry; this will ensure you’re sealing in moisture

try to use smooth fabrics to dry your hair, bath towels encourage frizz and breakage

hands and feet:

and last but not least, let’s cover manicuring and pedicuring.

it’s super important to make sure your nails are either DONE or filed, shaped, and smooth. at home maintenance is super easy. make a point to scrub your hands and feet well when bathing. make sure to stay on top of your cuticles by trimming or pushing them back. I like the look that pushing them gives. I use an orangewood stick, metal pusher and cuticle softener to make the process super easy and safe. after I’m done I add my pineapple scented cuticle oil. I do this on my fingers and toes.

invest in a rasp and pumice stone for your feet and use these gently every two weeks after soaking them in warm foot salts. rough usage can cause cuts and irritation. in between treatments keep your feet soft by slathering them in a moisturizing foot cream, cocoa/shea butter then oil to seal it all in. buy some soft thick aloe infused socks and wear them to sleep. you’ll thank me 😉

for info on how I do my nails click this

well, that’s all I’ve got. I truly hope you enjoyed my post! it’s always fun sharing my advice with you all. any feedback is appreciated and question is welcomed ♡

[ging-pegger]

what would you guess Mara smells like? Oh and Opal!

Mara probably smells like bath & body works fiji pineapple palm (it smells tropical heaven its my favorite bath and body works summer scent 😩😩‼‼‼)

And opal (4 the ppl that dont know she's my hxh oc) smells like the one direction perfume (you & i to be specific 😍💞)

[veronica-ag]

Home Fragrance Empties 2019

Candles - 27 - $531.44

Yankee Candle Vanilla Cupcake Small Tumbler - $17 Yankee Candle Vanilla Cupcake Small Tumbler - $17 Yankee Candle World Journeys New England Maple Cream - $10 Yankee Candle Margaritaville Lime & Sea Salt - $24.99 Yankee Candle Root Beer Float - $27.99 Yankee Candle Bourbon Infused Vanilla Sugar - $27.99 Yankee Candle Cream Colored Ponies - $27.99 Yankee Candle Fruity Scoop - $27.99 Yankee Candle Tutti-Frutti - $27.99 BBW Merry Cookie Mason Jar - $12.50 BBW Pineapple Mango - $12.50 BBW Watermelon Lemonade Mason Jar - $12.50 BBW Leaves - $22.50 BBW Brazil Rio Coconut & Teakwood - $22.50 BBW Sparkle Every Day Confetti Cupcake - $22.50 BBW Banana Nutmeg Bread Pudding - $22.50 BBW Harvest Gathering - $22.50 BBW Farmstand Apple - $22.50 BBW Welcome Autmn Spiced Wreath - $22.50 BBW Campfire Donut - $24.50 BBW Pumpkin Pecan Waffles - $24.50 BBW Happy Birthday - $24.50 BBW Girl Gang Pink Bubblegum - $24.50 Body Shop Vanilla Chai - $19 Strawberry Daiquiri - $3.50 Tropical Sunset - $3.50 Fiji Palm - $3.50

Wax Melts - 64 - $182.86

Scentsy Happy Birthday - $6 Scentsy Pear Blossom & Cucumber - $6 Supertarts Miracle On 34th Street Sample - $1.68 Supertarts Raphael Sample - $0.71 Supertarts Mr. Meyers - $2.37 Supertarts Hills Have Eyes - $2.37 Supertarts Grudge - $2.37 Supertarts Die Hard - $1.68 Supertarts Wonkavator - $2.87 Supertarts A Bit Of Magic - $2.43 Supertarts Insidious - $2.37 Supertarts Carrie - $2.37 Supertarts Annabelle - $2.37 Supertarts Finnick Mistletoe Mac Apple Mallow - $2.60 Supertarts Poltergeist - $2.37 Supertarts Blair Witch - $2.37 Supertarts Purge - $2.37 Supertarts Scrooged - $1.68 Supertarts Jack Frost - $1.68 Supertars Meet Me In St. Louis - $1.68 Supertarts Abominable - $1.68 Supertarts Merry Mouse - $1.68 Supertarts Grandma’s House - $1.68 Supertarts Always - $1.72 Supertarts Luna - $1.72 Supertarts Moody - $1.72 Supertarts Ron - $1.72 Supertarts Gryffindor - $1.72 Supertarts Mango Mama’s House - $0.71 Supertarts Misery - $2.37 Supertarts Leprechaun - $2.37 Supertarts 17 Cherry Tree Lane - $2.43 Supertarts I Love To Laugh - $2.43 Supertarts Fizzy Lifting Drink - $2.87 Supertarts Doopity Doo - $2.87 Supertarts I Want It Nowww - $2.87 Supertarts Mmmm Tomato Soup - $2.87 Supertarts Percy - $4.25 Supertarts Luna - $4.25 Supertarts Gryffindor - $4.25 Supertarts Umbridge - $4.25 Supertarts Euron - $4.25 Supertarts Tin Man - $4.25 Supertarts Zombie Brains - $4.25 Supertarts Medusa - $4.25 Supertarts Moody - $4.25 Colonial Candle Clementine Cupcake Simmer Snaps - $4 Colonial Candle Gingersnap Simmer Snaps - $4 Colonial Candle Frankincense & Fur Simmer Snaps - $4 Colonial Candle Vanilla Eggnog Simmer Snaps - $4 Colonial Candle Sweet Iced Tea Simmer Snaps - $4 Colonial Candle Fresh Strawberry Rhubarb Simmer Snaps - $4 BBW Vanilla Bean Marshmallow - $4.50 BBW Champagne Toast - $4.50 BBW Tiki Beach - $4.50 Goose Creek Sipping Tea - $4 Goose Creek Summer Slices - $4 Yankee Candle Jack Frost Tart - $2 Ava’s Country Cupboard Poison Pie Scent Shot - $2 Ava’s Country Cupboard Fluffy Elephant - $2.85 Ava’s Country Cupboard Caramel Pretzel Bar Sample - $.50 Scentsationals Rock Candy - $2 Better Homes & Gardens Habanero Mango Salsa - $2 Tuscany Candle Fragrance Melt Candy Corn Treat - $1.99

Wallflowers - 9 - $58.50

BBW Cinnamon & Clove Bud Wallflower - $6.50 BBW Cheers Mulled Wine Wallflower - $6.50 BBW Smile Pink Lemonade Punch Wallflower - $6.50 BBW Strawberry Vanilla Wallflower - $6.50  BBW Caribbean Escape Wallflower - $6.50 BBW Twisted Peppermint Wallflower - $6.50 BBW London Wallflower - $6.50 BBW Sparkling Pear Riesling Wallflower - $6.50 BBW Leaves Wallflower - $6.50

Mixology Trios - 30 - $60

Bakery Air - Cranberry Twist - Sugared Apple

French Vanilla - Milk & Cookies - Vanilla Cupcake

Balsam & Cedar - Holiday Sage - Magical Frosted Forest

Honey Lavender Gelato - Lavender - Lavender Vanilla

Happy Spring - Lucky Shamrock - Vanilla Cupcake

Bakery Air - Balsam & Cedar - Magical Frosted Forest

Christmas Cookies - Cinnamon Vanilla - Milk & Cookies

Bundle Up - Celebrate Christmas - North Pole

Cranberry Chutney - Eucalyptus - Magical Frosted Forest

Alpine Martini - Home For The Holidays - Sparkling Pine

Other - 14 - $95.53

Sure Scents Apple Cinnamon Scent Beads - $1 Yankee Candle Bayberry Taper Candle Set - $3 Yankee Candle Strawberry Lemon Ice Fragrance Spheres - $6 Yankee Candle Peeps Fragrance Spheres - $6 Yankee Candle Balsam & Cedar Fragrance Spheres - $6 Yankee Candle Forbidden Apple Tealights - $9.99 Yankee Candle Forbidden Apple Tealights - $9.99 Yankee Candle Sicilian Lemon Tealights - $9.99 Yankee Candle Mango Peach Salsa Tealights - $9.99 Yankee Candle Passion Fruit Martini Tealights - $9.99 Yankee Candle Apple & Candied Walnut Tealights - $9.99 Yankee Candle Jellybeans Car Freshener - $6 Sweet & Shimmer Peppermint Truffle Reed Diffuser - $4.99 Supertarts Buttermint Fresh Rosemary Room Spray - $2.60 Empties: 144 $ Value - $928.33

[rememberthattime]

Chapter 47. Fiji

I was born on May 13, 1989. I don’t remember much about the day, but from pictures, it looked like a great time. My parents were celebrating, there were balloons, someone brought a children’s Chicago Cubs baseball set.

Today is my 30th birthday, so I’m reflecting … looking back all the way to the very start.

It’s interesting to imagine my mom & dad’s thoughts in that delivery room 30 years ago. They must have been terrified by the responsibility of raising a toddler (I would be), but also excited for their new son’s future. What will he grow up to be? Where will he live? What will he do? Their dreams for me had to be bigger than their 1980’s hair.

In the least dramatic way I can say this: they couldn’t have predicted where I’d end up 30 years later.

Birthdays are important to celebrate, but especially milestone birthdays. This is mainly Chelsay’s influence speaking, but I agree with her: milestone birthdays are ones you’ll always remember. 15 years from now, we’ll think back and ask: “What did we do for your 30th birthday?” ... I won’t let that be an ordinary memory. Life is busy though, so it’s tough to carve out a day for festivities, let alone plan them. Even a month ago, Chelsay and I didn’t know how we’d be celebrating. Chels had plans in motion, but my work complicated things by scheduling meetings in Atlanta the week before. My trip back to Sydney would require 24 hours of flights, so would we still be up for a big celebration? The answer is Yes. I’m not 70, and I just said milestone birthdays were important, so we’re making this happen. Work would pay for me to get from ATL back to SYD via any route, so Chels and I started looking for convenient connecting destinations. Hong Kong, Tokyo, Patagonia, and Hawaii were all considered, but in the end, we found the perfect blend of celebration, relaxation, adventure, and convenient flights in Fiji. Fiji is a county made up of 330 islands, and each island chain has its own unique characteristics. Viti Levu is the main island and home to Nadi Airport, but most tourists don’t stay here. Near Viti Levu are the Mamanucas, small sandy dots amongst the expansive blue. The Mamanucas are stunning, but they’re typically more resort-y and popular with nearby Aussies & Kiwis. Then there are the Yasawas, where Chelsay and I chose to stay. The Yasawas are further from the mainland, and their remoteness means their less touristy.

This is a double-edged sword though, because less tourists means there’s less tourist infrastructre, so finding a comfortable option would take some research. We eventually decided on Paradise Cove, which perfectly balanced vacation comforts (comfy bed, outdoor shower, and excellent food, which can’t be understated on a remote island) with a sense of wild adventure (fewer guests, great snorkelling, and hiking paths around the large island).

I nailed my meetings in Atlanta, so my birthday weekend was off to a good start even before boarding the plane. For the next 24 hours of flights, I had nothing to worry about - just enjoying a few movies and catching up on sleep. Chelsay and I met up in the Nadi Airport after extremely disproportionate flight times (hers was only 4 hours), and caught a ferry to Paradise Cove. Seaplanes were an option, but they were 5x the price and this wasn’t our honeymoon. The other advantage of the ferry is that it allowed us to see the different Fijian islands up close. Viti Levu and the Mamanucas were very nice, but Chelsay and I knew we’d made the right choice as we arrived in the less crowded Yasawas.

We were in heaven as we stepped onto the sandy beaches of Paradise Cove. A jungle of palm trees lined the beach, at first hiding the resort before eventually revealing a dream island getaway: shaded cabanas, pool-side lounge chairs, and a bar concocting frozen, fruity treats.

The pineapple on top of this pina colada was that Chelsay told the resort it was both of our birthdays, so they upgraded our villa and outfitted it with balloons and welcome drinks. As birthday surprises go, drinks on a beach in Fiji was pretty good.

After drinks on the beach, scuba diving wasn’t really an option, so we decided to snorkel in Paradise Cove’s house reef. I was really surprised by its color. It was just last week that I wrote about the scale of the Great Barrier Reef... but out in the middle of the Pacific, Fiji’s immense soft coral, highlighter vibrancy, and sea life abundance were incredible.

Now, it was inevitable that jet lag would catch up to me. Atlanta is 16 hours behind Fiji, and I was mentally nearing midnight. Chelsay was also dealing with severe time zone change (2 hours), so she was equally down for a nap. We gave ourselves 90 minutes but would wake up well before our 6:30 dinner. Apparently we woke up to the alarm at 5:30... I don’t remember. I guess I turned it off and only woke up once Chelsay checked her phone. 6:20. Woof. I say all this only to give you an idea of the mental state I was in over dinner. It was similar to that infamous Innsbruck dinner, where Chelsay and I giggled through our whole meal in a tired haze. After our mains, I asked Chelsay if it was time to call it a night... Despite having sour straws in the room, she insisted we stay at the restaurant for dessert. “Alright, well if we’re going to be here awhile, I need some extra bug spray.” I stumbled back to the room and, as I was re-applying, I heard singing in the distance. “Must be the ‘Kava Social’ by the fire pit,” I thought. ...These resorts always put on a show. Still in a sleepy haze, I leisurely made my way back to Chelsay. As I got closer though, I realized the singing wasn’t coming from the fire pit… it was coming from the restaurant. I turned the corner and could see they were surrounding Chelsay and I’s table... and Chelsay had her hands clasped over her mouth... and they weren’t making eye contact with her... and they had a cake. OH NO! They’d been singing this whole time for me!!!! Ahhhhh-I rushed back to the table, face bright red, and started clapping along as they sang a Fijian happy birthday song. I don’t know what they sang actually... it could’ve been the alphabet. I just tried to focus on Chelsay and not on the fact that the song had been going for at least three minutes. I thought to myself, “Chelsay must be so embarrassed!” And then I thought, “Oh no everyone thinks I was taking a shit!” The song finally wrapped up, and the waiters were laughing with Chelsay and I. They accusingly pointed out that it was the longest they’ve ever had to sing happy birthday… “Guys, I swear, I was putting on more bug spray!” Luckily a nearby couple caught the awkwardness of camera.

The next morning, Chelsay and I had scheduled back-to-back dives. We’ve been diving quite a bit recently, but it was still fun to float around the bottom of the ocean. Much like the local humans, Fijian fish seemed incredible friendly: the sea life was very comfortable with divers, staring back at Chelsay and I from only a few inches away.

After our dives, Chels and I took a 1.5 hour hike around the island, stopping at a secluded beach for private snorkelling. Along the hike, the resort had set up a few small exercise stations. One station was a tire flip... like what NFL prospects train with. This is probably why all the Polynesian players are so big. Anyway, Chelsay challenged me to flip it and I did so without difficulty. It must not have looked hard, because Chelsay confidently stepped up to try it herself. She bent down, grabbed the tire, lifted from her legs for less than one millisecond, and walked away with nothing but a “Nope.”

At dinner that night, first of all, there were no birthday song surprises. Second, we had phenomenal steak with a spread of beetroot, pea, and garlic purée. It was exceptional, as was every meal we ate at Paradise Cove. This can’t be overstated. I mentioned earlier that food in many Yasawan islands is poor, often limited to rice and fries. These resorts just aren’t prepared to meet all vacation comforts... Paradise Cove was ready though. Over our three days, we enjoyed tasty local kokoda, beef lettuce wraps, coconut crusted chicken, and their many fresh catches of the day.

The next morning, Chelsay and I joined a snorkel excursion through a nearby island channel. In Fiji, these channels serve as a funnel for pods of manta rays, which are probably my favorite non-dog animal. See, ever since our failed hunt for mantas in the Maldives, I’ve had an appreciation for how hard they are to find. Even though we’ve since seen entire pods of mantas, I’ll always jump at the slightest chance to see another. Our boat between the two islands, and the guide jumped in the water. He wore a weight belt so that he could sink down where the mantas swim, which I only mention because I want to remember how easily he descended 10 meters (30 feet), sitting in the dark blue for 2 minutes before resurfacing. This guy is a fish. On the other hand, Chelsay had a less graceful descent. When we scuba dived the day before, we exited the boat by sitting on the ledge, tanks over the water, and just falling backwards. The weight of the tank would naturally fall into the water and 360-degree flip you back to the surface. When snorkelling though, you don’t have the weight of the tank. Chelsay threw herself back and entered the water, but was too buoyant to complete a flip. She’d contoured herself into an arch, with her belly sticking out of the water and fins frantically trying to rotate over. She probably scared the mantas away. It took about 30 minutes of tense anticipation, but while staring down at the blue abyss, we heard the guide yell, “Manta!” Chelsay and I swam over quickly to take in the majestic giant. At around 3 meters wide, this female manta was bigger than me, yet swam with such gentle grace. Its grace is deceptive though, because it’s actually still moving quickly - between our hunt and subsequent chase, I probably swam 3 km that morning.

Chels and I were tired when we got back to Paradise Cove, but it was our last day so we decided to snorkel the house reef one more time. It was cool to see the soft coral again, but we were pooped. I actually had to tow Chelsay back: you know, when I swim in front and my wife just holds onto my foot.

As I was towing her, we passed over a shallow part of the reef but I kept powering along. Suddenly, Chelsay let go of my foot and started slapping the water. I stopped in my tracks, unsure what she was freaking out about. She swam off, so I followed, and it wasn’t until we’d gotten to shore that she told me what it was: apparently a venomous white-banded sea snake popped out and launched within 1.5 ft of me. That was enough sea life for this trip, so we spent the rest of the day on the resort’s inflated jungle gym. We laughed, played around, and attempted backflips (key word: attempted). Just a reminder that I’d turned 30 a few days before.

That note actually transitions well into my conclusion…

A lot of people get anxious about their 30th birthday. It isn’t a vitality thing - too early for that - but the anxiety comes more from gauging where you are vs where you thought you’d be. Life isn’t a checklist, but it’s natural to have expectations for when you turn 30, 40, etc. Well, I’m writing this from my villa patio in Fiji, so I’m nailing the “Where you are” part. To answer that question less literally though, I’ll instead consider “Where I am” against Chelsay and I’s life motto, something we wrote in our wedding vows: “We’ll never let age get in the way of our youth.” This is perfect motto for age-related milestones because youth isn’t a concept tied to age. It isn’t chapter in your life that just fades away. It’s a mindset, and it’s one you can measure whether you’re 5, 20, 30, 40, or 80. To be youthful is to be energetic, playful, and optimistic. Now I’m technically 30, but this milestone age doesn’t bother me. “Where I am” is energetic enough to swim with Mantas, playful enough to laugh at awkward cake situations and splash around on an inflatable jungle gym, and optimistic enough to make a celebratory Fiji weekend happen despite all of life’s complexities. I’m not worried about turning 30, because after the past weekend, I know I’m as youthful as I’ve ever been.

[alwaysjane]

TOP 4 FAVORITE FRAGRANCES

Hello everyone! This list consists of 4 fragrances that I have been using alternately and I have been loving ever since I discovered them. Bear in mind that this list is made by a person (ehem, me) who still have no financial income therefore does not have boujie Tom Ford level of fragrances. This is a humble list from a student who have been saving her ass off so that she could buy some of these items. Hehehe! Without further ado, let’s get right into my list!

The first photo is a VS classic! It’s one of their fragrance mists in Pear Glacè. I love that scent so much. It’s very sweet and elegant. It’s one of those scents that are very nostalgic to me, personally. Nowadays, it’s very difficult to look for this specific scent because I have heard from a favorite seller that this scent is already faced out. I wanted to stock up on this scent but yo girl aint got the bucks so I’ve been using this lesser lately. As you can see, I’m almost out!

The second photo is another VS fragrance mist. It’s the Bombshell Seduction. It’s from their Bombshell line. I actually haven’t heard anything special from this line before until a friend of mine told me that she was really obsessed with the original Bombshell scent and that it was her hands down most favorite scent of all time. I got curious and told my papa (who was travelling to New York at that time) to buy me one since it’s cheaper in the US. Unfortunately, he wasnt able to get the original one (it was my fault. I didnt know there were so many bombshell subtypes hehe) but I guess you could say this is a...happy accident? I fell inlove with the scent. It’s fresh and bubbly. It’s the type of scent where you can wear it all summer long and you won’t get tired of it. ❤️

The third photo is also a fragrance mist from BBW. It’s the Fiji Pineapple Palm. It smells like Hawaii in a bottle although I’ve never been to Hawaii before. It smells literally like sweet pineapples with a hint of coconut. I love it so much that I got through the whole bottle very quickly! A lot of people have complimented me on this scent and my bestfriend, Hazel, always asks me if I brought the bottle with me whenever I report to the hospital because she wants to spray some on she goes out to meet her boyfriend. 😂

The last photo is a rather special one because it’s an EDT. It has a higher oil content therefore it’ll last longer than the fragrance mists but this also means that it’s pricier than the other ones I’ve mentioned. It’s from a brand called Monotheme and it’s their Blackberry scent. I got this bottle at Rustan’s Glorietta when I was rotating at Makati Medical Center. I’m a shy person, okay? I dont really like it when sales associates follow me around when I shop so I was browsing through an area where there weren’t a lot of customers. I saw this huge wall of monotheme EDTs and I was able to take a whiff of all their scents and this scent was the most...interesting and fragrant FOR ME. I really love it to the point that I powered through half the bottle in just 1 month! I know. I know. It cost me a lot. But I just love it so much! Anyway, unfortunately, my boyfriend thinks it’s smell caters more for men than women’s. I strongly disagree. To each their own, right? Hahaha!

[raiwasaseo]

Bright & Spacious For Meeting Raiwasa Private Resort, Fiji Islands is the go-to place for this choice. With property on a 3-acre retreat with a collection of rare palm trees, Banana, Papaya, Pineapple, Orange and Lemon trees, it makes it a very relaxing and enjoyable location for business events.

[sweetlullabee]

31 days of age regression

11) what are your favorite scents? (Body wash, perfume, candles etc)

🍓my favorite perfume is fiji pineapple palm, it has a coconut scent and ahhh I love it♡ it's from bath and body works. As for candles I like pumpkin, red apple, and well I just really love candles in general, so.

[travelonlinetips-blog]

New Post has been published on https://travelonlinetips.com/a-healthy-eating-guide-to-townsville-and-tropical-north-queensland-3/

A healthy eating guide to Townsville and Tropical North Queensland

Unlike some destinations that call to mind flaky, buttery pastries or cornucopias of French fries, you can keep your healthy eating plans in check when travelling in the Tropics. Blessed with an abundance of fresh tropical fruit, vibrant veggies and health-conscious locals, you’ll find organic, gluten-free, superfood, vegan and paleo options are easier to hunt down than the elusive cassowary.

From acai bowls to kombucha, here are nine of the best places for healthy-eating foodies in Townsville and Tropical North Queensland.

Cotters Market, Townsville

If you’re craving fresh fruit to stock your holiday villa or simply devour at lunchtime, there is no better place to stop in Townsville than Cotters Market. Held along Flinders Street every Sunday (8:30am-1pm), the market is small but worthy.

One of the biggest stalls sells rows of watermelons, dragonfruit, pineapples and rockmelons, so take your reusable shopping bags and stock up. At the next stall along, shout yourself a refreshing electrolyte-rich coconut water. You don’t have to go to Fiji to get the real deal, either. Pick a coconut from the pavement and watch it be sliced open in front of you and then enjoy as you potter around the rest of the market.

The Beet Bar, Townsville

While you’re checking out trendy Flinders Street, be sure to pop into The Beet Bar which makes the list of 100 things to do in Townsville (check out the others here) and order from their extensive range of superfood bowls. The choice is overwhelming, with acai combinations of dragonfruit, mango, vanilla protein and banana.

If you’re keen to sample something different, try the activated charcoal bowl. It’s delicious, refreshing and surprisingly filling, but make sure you check your teeth for black smudges afterwards. The bowls are all refined sugar-free, as well as dairy- and gluten-free, and vegan. The bar also whizzes up fresh juices and smoothies, making this a health-food heaven.

Lafew Café & Kombucha Bar, Cairns

Dragonfruit makes a regular appearance in Tropical North Queensland, so it’s no surprise to see it as a flavour of the in-vogue probiotic fizzy drink kombucha. Lafew Café & Kombucha Bar in Cairns pours a turmeric and chamomile kombucha combination, as well as vanilla, chai, and lime and ginger options. But this place isn’t somewhere to just grab a takeaway bottle and run; rather it’s a spot to lounge on the vintage furniture with friends and enjoy the kombucha on tap. 

You’ll need some raw desserts to wash down, like the coconut cake and strawberry mousse tart that are free from dairy, cane sugar, wheat, egg and soy. If you want something more filling, call in for a lunch of pad Thai with zucchini noodles or an Earth Bowl with a bean and veggie patty and kraut and potato salad.

Rusty’s Markets, Cairns

While you’re in the Cairns CBD, it’s also worth spending a morning at Rusty’s Market, known for its amazing fresh produce. Held on Friday and Saturday from 5am-6pm and Sunday from 5am-3pm, it’s buzzing with foodies keen to pick up exotic fruit, vegetables, fresh bread and seafood.

There are more than 180 stalls at this iconic Cairns attraction so be prepared to while away a few hours enjoying them all. And you never know, you may just bump into local celebrity chefs such as Nick Holloway, who regularly calls in to stock his award-winning Palm Cove restaurant, Nu Nu.

Greenfields, Cairns

Located poolside at Cairns’ five-star resort Riley, Greenfields restaurant places their focus on raw and simple. Wholesome delights include Greek kale salad with quinoa, poached chicken, sweet potato and feta, or coconut bircher muesli with maple syrup, roasted hazelnuts and apricots. Smoothies also show off the region’s fruit, from lychees to pineapple and banana.

No time to sit down? Greenfields offers a takeaway option with food and drinks packed for the road in eco-friendly packaging.

Chill Café, Palm Cove

If you crave a hearty salad, look no further than Chill Café in the upmarket resort village of Palm Cove, 30 minutes’ north of Cairns. The ‘kick-ass salads’ are large, more-ish and will have vegetarians singing “hallelujah”. The Woodford Salad is a top choice and comes with hemp and sunflower seeds, sweet potato and popping pomegranate.

For breakfast (served until 3pm), you can expect a generous helping of local fresh fruit, the ‘tree hugger platter’ of poached eggs, mushrooms and avocado, or even turmeric and cracked pepper-infused poached eggs with kale. Chow it down at the timber bar and soak in views of the sea through the towering foreshore palms that give the place its name.

27 Degrees, Palm Cove

Up the street in pretty Palm Cove, you’ll find 27 Degrees, which immediately grabs your attention with its bright retro styling. This tiny place has a stellar bowl-inspired menu – think poke, acai and granola. You can also enjoy more substantial lunch options featuring brown rice and quinoa such as the Miso Chicken Bowl with avocado, hummus and mild spicy mayo; or The Sunny Bowl with falafel balls, gherkins and Japanese sesame dressing.

Add a freshly-squeezed orange juice, kombucha on tap or dairy-free smoothie to your order and you’ll leave feeling revitalised and satisfied.

Betty’s Bohemian Beach Café, Port Douglas

Bohemian in name, bohemian in styling, this café on busy Macrossan Street in Port Douglas oozes feminine chic with white wicker cane chairs, lace doilies and an array of different glassware.

You can also expect to find Catalan tomatoes with spinach, basil and babaganoush on ciabatta, or a macro bowl with brown rice, avocado, sprouts, edamame, kimchi and miso dressing for brunch; while a honey soaked chai latte is on the drinks menu. A top spot to enjoy breakfast before spending a morning scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef or swimming at nearby Four Mile Beach.

Driftwood Café, Cooktown

It’s the go-to place for health-conscious travellers and locals in Cooktown, and it’s easy to see why. Not only does Driftwood Café have lovely views across Endeavour Park to the river, but the menu also caters to diners in search of gluten- and dairy-free choices.

The herby ricotta zucchini muffins are a great option for parents looking for a healthy treat for their kids (or themselves), while their daily cakes (like the raw blueberry cheesecake with almond crust) make for a delicious breakfast-on-the-go. You can also pick up a jar of beetroot sauerkraut to keep your gut health in check, too.

What are your go-to cafés for healthy eating? Tell us in the comments below.

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[whittlebaggett8]

This cult-favorite Los Angeles nail salon has launched its first nail-art stickers at Target — and they’re all under $8, Defence Online

Insider Picks writes about items and companies to enable you navigate when searching on the internet. Insider Inc. gets a commission from our affiliate companions when you buy by way of our back links, but our reporting and suggestions are generally impartial and aim.

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Target

I have always had a challenging time painting my possess nails, and I are inclined to smudge my experienced manicures as soon as I depart the salon. But I have lately identified a foolproof choice in Olive & June’s nail-art stickers.

The Los Angeles-based mostly nail-care firm has partnered with Concentrate on to provide its signature, cutesy aesthetic to the total country through its Nail Artwork Stickers. Each and every pack of 36 nail decals has a summer time-prepared theme, from the florals of the In Bloom established to the watermelon slices in the Fruit Salad set.

The stickers are tremendous uncomplicated to use and inexpensive, far too (each and every pack of 36 decals is just $7.50). They make even my at-home manicures look good – and that’s saying a ton.

If you have excellent nails, you are formally “An Grownup.”

At minimum, that is what goes by way of my head each time I see someone with the perfectly manicured hands I would like I had. But alas, I’m a continual nail biter with a potent blend of impatience and clumsiness … meaning, my nails are tough all around the edges and my polish is smudged and/or chipped most of the time. Judging solely by the condition of my manicure, I’d forgive you for assuming I was a pre-teen who just received ahold of her 1st bottle of polish.

How ironic, then, that a childhood staple – a sticker pack – is the issue I now depend on for the variety of polished, smudge-cost-free manicure that will make me come to feel like I have my daily life collectively. Or at minimum, helps make me glance like I do.

All credit score goes to Los Angeles-dependent nail-care empire Olive & June, which lately partnered with Goal to start 6 constrained-edition sheets of nail stickers developed to assistance you nail the full nail-art factor with little to no energy. All you do is peel and stick, and voila. Mani magic realized.

Have faith in me – if my at-property endeavor at nail art seems to be very good, yours absolutely will, much too.

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Focus on

Lovable, hand-drawn nail styles (consider flamingos, bouquets, and fruits) are what Olive & June is greatest identified for, as any of its 200,000 Instagram followers will inform you. Formerly, this signature seem has only been attainable for Los Angeles locals or vacationing out-of-towners by way of the company’s 3 bodily salon spots. But thanks to its newest collaboration, which is shoppable on-line at Goal and at each individual Focus on store nationwide as of May perhaps 19, Olive & June’s Instagram-chic aesthetic is now offered to everybody.

“Our in-salon activities make our purchasers delighted each time they move within the salon,” founder Sarah Gibson Tuttle tells Defence On the net. “Bringing that pleasure to the globe and actually delivering stunning nails to everybody is our best aspiration. Meeting the at-dwelling female the place she loves to shop in authentic existence – Goal! – felt actually superior as our initial action exterior of our salons and internet site.”

Since Concentrate on is pretty significantly synonymous with inexpensive, every single sticker pack clocks in at $7.50 (so, significantly more cost-effective than spending for a manicure at a salon) and contains an impressive 36 nail-artwork decals just about every.

Read much more: 6 affordable solutions I use to give myself a salon-quality manicure at household

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Goal

The types are playful and summer season-prepared, from the fragile floral illustrations of the In Bloom Nail-Artwork Stickers to the rainbow-coloured hearts featured in the Rainbow Dazzling established. There’s also Attractive Working day (bouquets and rainbows and 4-leaf clovers), Fruit Salad (watermelon slices and strawberries), My BFF Is A Llama (llamas and cacti), and Cabana Crush (palm trees and pineapples). But why pick out? Even if you inventory up on all six packs – that’s a whopping 216 decals, by the way – it’ll only price tag you $45. A modest price tag to spend for limitless un-smudgeable manicures, if you request me.

“I have Fruit Salad on my nails right now,” Gibson Tuttle states. “It’s the most recent, so I like it most effective right this incredibly minute.” Whilst the founder is partial to the fruity pack, I come across myself drawn to the daisy types featured in the Beautiful Day set. On a backdrop of nude nails, the glance feels fresh and ’60s-influenced. Which is right: I never even utilize nail polish just before applying the nail artwork stickers. Does it get any much more very low crucial than that?

Subsequent on my to-consider list are these eco-friendly cacti cartoons, which I’ll spot on prime of scorching pink nail polish for a little excess pizzazz.

That getting stated, there is no need to adjust your foundation coloration every single time you’re prepared for a new style. “I am always putting distinct stickers on my nails with no best coat, so I can trade them in and out without having impacting my mani,” says Gibson Tuttle.

If you do like to colour-coordinate your nail-artwork stickers with your polish shade, while, you’re in luck: Cult-favored polish manufacturer Essie is having in on the action, also, providing Target buyers the prospect to mix-and-match nail art and polishes like the execs. “We are thrilled to associate with Olive & June and Focus on to offer a curated assortment of pleasurable, vivid polishes and stickers, fantastic for developing summer months nail artwork,” Greg Hui, VP of marketing for Essie, tells Defence On the internet.

Examine a lot more: The greatest nail polish remover you can purchase

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Concentrate on

In Concentrate on stores, you are going to find these Essie polishes merchandised along with the new Olive & June decals, so you really don’t even have to imagine about which polish shade will appear greatest with your favored watermelon slice nail art. Essie’s Fiji was manufactured to function with the Olive & June pink flamingo stickers, when the dandelion-yellow shade of Essie’s Avant-Garment functions with any of the rainbow-hued hearts in the Rainbow Vibrant pack. “I adore Fruit Salad as the pop on a pink, like Essie’s Pinks and Roses,” Gibson Tuttle adds.

This merging of Olive & June and Essie makes developing the perfect at-home mani more effortless than at any time just before, which is specifically the level, according to Gibson Tuttle. “‘Beautiful Nails For Everyone’ is our dream,” she states. “We are on a mission to introduce girls everywhere to their ideal nail lifetime.”

Consider it from this female – a single who’s usually been humiliated of her way too-brief, not-sweet, usually-smeared manicures – Olive & June’s nail stickers are crucial to living your best nail lifetime.

Store Olive & June’s confined-version nail-artwork sticker packs at Concentrate on.

The post This cult-favorite Los Angeles nail salon has launched its first nail-art stickers at Target — and they’re all under $8, Defence Online appeared first on Defence Online.

from WordPress https://defenceonline.com/2019/05/21/this-cult-favorite-los-angeles-nail-salon-has-launched-its-first-nail-art-stickers-at-target-and-theyre-all-under-8-defence-online/

[kenzie-no-mc]

Bought some new sniffs at bath and body works, it's the Fiji Pineapple Palm body spray I like it so much that I want to order the matching lotion and shower gel The website is having a buy 3 get 3 free sale Fuck!!

[judithpenakcouture]

Wedding Trends for 2017

New year, new me, right? 2017 undoubtedly has big things in store for us, and in the magical world of weddings we are delighted to share with you some of the foreseen trends and tips for this upcoming year. Lush Green and Woodland Style Wedding

The outdoor wedding has always been a dreamy concept, but 2017 is catering to this concept in bigger and better ways. As the current wedding generation continues to move away from traditional, the garden wedding flourishes. Think laced long sleeves and fitted gowns that trail. You can experiment with headwear- instead of veils flowers can be woven through a letdown style hairdo.

The groom can swap his traditional suit for a well fitted chino. Natural lighting and antique wood combined with hanging green botanical decoration will provide a perfect setting, whilst acoustic guitar player, or instruments such as harp or violin can be used to add to this enchanted feel. Natural elements are perfect for the setting – logs, flowers and woven wood. Wild flowers and fruity cocktails can be used to greet guests, with warm home-cooked style food to serve. The daylight will create a sparkly ambience, whilst into the night  lanterns with candlelight and well executed fairy style light decoration can be used to create a magical woodland feel.

Judith Penak Couture Original Piece - Perfect for your enchanted day.

Tropics and Colour

The modern day couple adores travel – who doesn’t really? And with airfares at an all-time low, and tropical destinations a hop step and jump away, more couples and guests are requesting advance leave and settling on an overseas wedding. Islands such as Hawaii or fiji are a big favourite, however slightly less touristy spots such as cook islands and Philippine islands are also becoming desirable also.  

A tropical wedding spot brings for a relaxing ambience, and nothing helps beating wedding stress like being in holiday mode! To cater for the heat and laid back lifestyle, brides and groomsmen are experimenting more in colour. Grooms are in no way needed to opt for a traditional one toned suit, however can mix and match with colourful suit jackets and chinos, shorts, or well fitted shirts and boat shoes. Whilst a white gown is expected, adding colour to the design or  hair is becoming more desirable, and certainly suited to this setting. Colour and tropics also allows a lot of fun to be had with your fruit and drinks. Cocktails, coconut glasses, roaming fruit salads or luscious platters – these fun options will delight your guests. The beauty of foreign location is the natural outdoors can do most of the décor for you, but lanterns, pools and palm trees will work beautifully with this theme. Pineapples and orchids are a popular choice for the tropic setting also.

Judith Penak Couture Any Occasion Dress- have fun with your bridesmaids in a tropical setting.  Vintage and 20s

In a highly post-modern trend, whilst we see many themes moving away from traditional, couples are also looking to relive old is the new themes.   The Great Gatsby as well as vintage chic fashion trends have re-birthed this era – and many couples adore the idea of an old glamour look, with the groom sporting a top hat and waistcoat. The brides dress explodes with 20’s, with pearls, hanging butterfly sleeves and diamond shaped back. High attention to detail in the sequins, beads and pearls within the dress, as well as delicate hand jewellery. The hair is perfectly curled and fitted to suit this look!

The roaring 20’s is a rich theme – with a jazz bands and indoor vintage style locations. A fully stocked bar is a must, with whiskey on the rocks and champagne being the first choice.

Have fun with Polaroids and photobooths, and decorate with feathers and beads upon antique wood. Whilst the roaring 20’s can provide so much fun for your guests, be careful with attention to detail upon deciding on this theme, as a poorly executed 20’s style can lack class.

Judith Penak Couture Detailing - Your 20′s dress inspiration.    A Wedding for you

The move away from non-traditional gives us the modern day couple freedom to self-express through their wedding. In 2017, a trend will be creating a wedding to suit your unique needs. There is no rule for this – from bohemian glamping weddings, surprise ceremonies, to Coachella festival celebrations, to weddings that are interactive and electronic. So while wedding planning takes heavy research, don’t limit yourself to Pinterest and bridal magazines existing themes. 2017 is the year to sit down with your partner and find what inspires you and is the perfect setting to express your love.

Judith Penak Couture specialises in finding your dream dress from within – let us inspire you with a consultation to create the perfect dress just for you.

[vsplusonline]

Three celebrity chefs in Delhi

New Post has been published on https://apzweb.com/three-celebrity-chefs-in-delhi/

Three celebrity chefs in Delhi

Gary Foulkes, from the UK, February 15, 2020

(He’s here as a part of All Things Nice and DLF’s initiative to introduce Michelin star chefs to a Delhi audience)

“It’s going to sound like a cliche, but I love Indian food,” says Gary Foulkes, who chefs at the Michelin-star Angler in London. On his day off, he and his family enjoy spicy food, so it’s often Indian or Thai. It’s often Brigadiers, Gunpowder, and Trishna in London.

This is Gary’s third visit to India; he stayed here the longest when on a three-year trip around the world with his wife. “Most of my inspiration comes from travel,” he says. He picks up the nuances of ingredients, and uses them for their flavour profiles, without actually cooking that cuisine. For instance, he’ll infuse curry leaf into a roasted cauliflower with cashewnut milk and curd, to give it a different “flavour spectrum”. There’s also a cashewnut pesto he does, with curry leaves, salt, pepper, and olive oil.

His style of cooking he says, is “tasty, light, rooted in classic cooking techniques but delivered in a modern way, but it’s all about flavour.” At his dinner, “Expect big flavour, presentation — it’s very important to me that food looks as good as it tastes. It should be delicious,” he says. While his king fish and lamb will be similar, the menu is based around what’s of prime quality in India.

At Set’z, DLF Emporio, ₹6,500 for a five-course dinner with wine, 8 p.m.

Peter Kuruvita, from Australia, February 15, 2020

(He’s here to kick off Table Stories, a Delhi-based pop-up, by Foodink Expeditions and Roseate Hotels & Resorts, which will bring to the city 11 chefs every two weeks, upto May 10th)

He calls himself a chef, restauranteur, TV presenter, author, consultant, surgers, fisherman and family man, and tells stories that are an amalgamation of all. At a preview, he goes from person to person, pouring the coconut-based sauce onto the Snapper, as he talks of his of his grandmother’s kitchen, his own childhood in Sri Lanka, and his oldest son of three taking part in a surfing competition. Peter Kuruvita pulls up memories easily. Of his fondest food memory, he says it’d have to be “My Aunty Padmini’s breadfruit curry. She’ll still make it when she knows I’m coming. It’s just rich and creamy, nutritious, satisfying — food filled with memories.”

His life has been touched by the food of the islands: Sri Lanka, where he spent his growing-up years; Australia that he’s made home; and Fiji, where his wife comes from. “The ocean is my soul; it’s a part of me,” says the chef, whose Noosa Beach House that has a Chef Hat (Australia’s version of a Michelin star) is based around his cooking style.

His dinner is about the sea, with crab, fish, and prawn forming its core, with ingredients from the tropics: coconut, palm treacle, pineapple, tamarind. He describes his food as using the freshest ingredients from not more than 200 km away, modern, with a Sri Lankan twist. His butter-poached crab and beetroot curry are dishes to look forward to.

At The Roseatte, NH 8, D Block, Samalka; ₹6,000 upwards, for a seven-course dinner, 8 p.m.

Marco Pierre White, from the UK, February 15, 16, 2020

(As a part of Delhi’s first World on a Plate, a food festival now in its fifth edition that facilitates people’s access to international chefs)

Marco Pierre White says the rogan josh and the black dal at the JW Marriott are sensational. The Indian food here feels different to London, he says: “You get bones; I love bones, and meat always cooks better on the bone. It gives me the perfect excuse to eat with my fingers here. Also, I am a fan of mutton. In England, you put mutton on your menu, it’ll never sell,” he says, though he’s not sure why, despite mutton being more flavourful than lamb.

On his third visit to the country (his first two were also a part of World on a Plate), he’ll be doing a masterclass helping people cook a saffron risotto with vegetable stock. “It’s not about teaching people. It’s about giving people insights — insights into my world. In India you eat lots of rice, and it’s vegetarian,” he says, meaning everyone will have a taste of the food.

The class will have White engage with people in a conversation, as he invites people to cook with him, sharing the principles of making a risotto. “Once you learn the principles, then you can create your own flavours.”

Known for being the youngest chef to have three Michelin stars and then returning them later, White who was called “the original bad boy of British cooking” by The Telegraph, is relaxed and feels he’s almost on holiday in India. “This morning they made me the most delicious dosa,” he says, adding that Indian cuisine’s time is yet to come. “People in India have given me more than I have given India. In India, they don’t try to impress you. ”

At the Philips Taste Theatre, DLF Avenue, Saket; on February 15th at 5 p.m., on February 16 at 3 p.m., ₹7,500 for all masterclasses on both days

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[topfygad]

Fiji’s Treasure Island | Nat Geo Traveller India

Volcanic jungles, underground cooking and sunrises that torch the ocean—Taveuni is residence to tips of time.

  In Fiji, coconut is the tree of life and all components of the tree and fruit—shell, leaves, meat, milk, husk, water, and oil—are honoured in every day use. Picture by: Don Mammoser/shutterstock

Chapter 1

Damaged Clocks and Different Magic Issues

When it occurs, I’m using shotgun with the lengthy blue kaftan of the Pacific rippling within the rear-view. To my left, I’ve the hills of Taveuni island, a knocked-over chessboard of taro timber, plantains, and hot-pink hibiscus the scale of beagle ears. I’m tracing the Lavena Coastal Stroll—a five-kilometre path that winds previous seashores and villages, all the best way as much as the island’s rainforests. It’s reflexive, the stray tear down the cheek. Embarrassing too, as a result of Duncan Osborne, my drive-around mate for the day, catches me flick it away. “I’m not unhappy. Simply very, very blissful,” I mumble. “I get it. You’re feeling fortunate to see magnificence,” he nods. I do know it’s a matter of seconds earlier than his mouth curls into the fluorescent Fijian smile one can anticipate anyplace within the archipelago of 330 islands.

It’s been half a day since I’ve set foot on this South Pacific speck. 16.8414° S, 179.9813° W, because the map tells me. The truth that the volcanic ‘backyard’ island is documented in coordinates is necessary. It tells me that the sights and sounds that introduced out weepy existential woman aren’t a part of an enchanted sleep. I am transferring round a landmass that appears like an infinite tree tunnel. These fields of pineapple, combed school-ready by the ocean breeze, are actual. The crimson ginger blossoms, and the prayer circle of periwinkles by the lagoon too, exist. “They filmed Return of the Blue Lagoon right here,” remarks Duncan. I’m not shocked. A lot of Taveuni wears the look of a trickster that’s managed to short-change time. Look within the path of pawpaw and wild mango timber gnawing out of hills, and you understand how.

Time, for its half, has pulled a quantity on the island. As we roll previous backpackers’ shacks scattered with divers, Duncan mentions that the 180° meridian and the Worldwide Dateline reduce by means of Taveuni smack dab. Which suggests technically, Taveuni is suspended between at present (west) and yesterday (east). The islanders comply with uniform time, however you may make your method to a hilly ledge in Waiyevo—Taveuni’s administrative centre—and stand between two no-frills plaques marking this uncommon limbo on land.

The author clambered over mossy boulders, tailing information Paul (backside left) to succeed in the Wainibau falls; Sunrises (proper) listed below are like dwell theatre, lashes of pink hammering the sky; A plaque (high left) marks the Worldwide Dateline splitting Taveuni between at present and yesterday. Images by: Sohini Das Gupta (man), Don Mammoser/shutterstock (signal), Picture courtesy: Taveuni Palms Resort (seashore)

There’s rather a lot to take in, and two days to my identify. For now, I’m content material to lock eyes with the island solar that’s marinating my brown pores and skin browner by the minute.

  Chapter 2

Summer season within the Rainforest

I go away Duncan and his automotive on the fringe of land to take a ship to the beginning of the hike in Bouma Nationwide Heritage Park, which protects over 80 per cent of Taveuni’s land, together with its rainforest. (I’m slicing brief the six-hour-long Lavena path to cram in different experiences.) My companion on water is native information Paul, who’s unfazed by the afternoon swell that flings our vessel round. I’ve made the error of exhibiting up in flip-flops, so once we clamber over rocks stained with lichen, they really feel chilly and moist as a frog’s tongue below my toes. The path strikes by means of knots of coconut palms, breadfruits and monster ferns, the greens darkening as we’re sucked into the forest’s sunless abdomen. The place the stone cracks disguise wildflowers, my heels tickle. A free step sends me hurtling, and jungle mynas cackle. However between a sighting of the “very shy, very uncommon” orange dove, and the water’s xylophone upping its quantity, a bloody toe appears acceptable.

Paul grants me huff-and-puff time, dragging his stride to accommodate second glances at fallen frangipanis. Once we come to the bend past which the mighty Wainibau Waterfall rages, I don’t need to transfer. It’s that outdated longing to delay what might transform a quantum second; stretch it out, so you may hold it round somewhat longer. However like solar by means of gin-clear water, my second passes, and I wade in. “Can’t swim properly?” “Can’t swim,” I yell by means of the mist that levitates between us; Paul has already made his method to the deeper finish of the rock pool. When he comes again for me, I’m positive he’s misunderstood. “Can’t,” I shake my head stupidly. “Journey my again and don’t drag me down.” And identical to that, I’m piggybacking a person I’ve met lower than two hours in the past into the gaping swirls. He deposits me on high of a boulder, Spidermans up the ridge and wrecks the water with a—splunk!

Waterfalls (high) curtain a world of island flora resembling breadfruit, taro and guava timber; The tagimoucia flower (backside left) grows solely in Taveuni, on a single highland ridge beside Lake Tagimoucia; Hold an eye fixed out for birds resembling collared lory (backside proper), Taveuni silktail and the very uncommon orange fruit dove. Images by: Kristen Elsby/Second/Getty Photos (waterfall), BIOSPHOTO/Alamy Inventory Picture (flower), Picture courtesy: Taveuni Palms Resort (chook)

A ship trip again to Duncan and a fast automotive haul leads us to Bouma’s different huge path of the Tavoro Waterfalls. A 10-minute stroll by means of flatland floras lets me linger on the first and the largest of the three cascades alongside this route. Right here, within the achy afterglow of swims, I hearken to the lore of the Tagimoucia. Fiji at giant boasts some 800 species of crops discovered nowhere else on the earth. However the ruby-and-milk flower embossed on the nation’s FJD50 notice is treasured for rising virtually solely alongside the shores of Taveuni’s Lake Tagimoucia, untouched at an altitude of over 2,600 toes. My disappointment at not seeing the volcanic crater dissolves when Paul tells me that the flower makes a fleeting look by means of November to January. Like all good legends, the legend of the Tagimoucia has a number of variations. In a single a lovelorn princess escapes to the highlands when the person of her selection is vetoed by elders, slipping into drained and tearful sleep (tagi: cry; moce: sleep). One other remembers somewhat woman who lay crying by the waters after being scolded by mother and father—the tears of the broken-hearted reworking into Fiji’s proclaimed nationwide flower.

That’s one too many unhappy girls for my liking, however I notice the identical cynical enchantment that passes over me when Paul factors to a white horse within the wild and says, “Look, it brings good luck.”

  Chapter 3

The Little Lady in Kingston City

Once I first meet Una, she is working round in a frock that holds all the colors of a tropical fruit platter. I ponder if the eight-year-old is aware of how a lot she resembles Moana, Disney’s warrior princess from Polynesia. Duivosavosa, a rural settlement in northwest Taveuni, appears to be made of 1 big household. The patriarch Invoice Seru walks me by means of it, declaring painted, triangular homes that belong to varied brothers, nieces, cousins and nephews. I’m cautious to not pry, however crosses and rosaries hanging from asbestos partitions inside trace at Taveuni’s historical past—a wartime turnaround of religion from paganism to Catholicism within the 19th century. Tiny islands, it will appear, have sufficient room for outdated gods to exist alongside new ones; ditto for outdated traditions. I’m now aware about the island artwork of coconut husking, leaf basket weaving and lovo or earth-oven cooking.

Invoice’s brood of 9 youngsters and sixteen grandkids rallies round, guiding me by means of their self-sustained life. When prawns fished out of the village stream are dunked in palm-squeezed coconut milk, I inform a gaggle of aunts and grandaunts how my lunch tastes rather a lot like chingrir malaikari, an East Indian staple—and eyes widen. Lunch additionally consists of candy potatoes, yams and tapioca, steamed lovo-style. The prepping of lovo, a subterranean cooking technique widespread within the Polynesian islands (hangi in New Zealand, umu in Samoa), is sort of the spectacle. Earth is dug up, and inside it, white sizzling stones entrusted with the job of cooking feast-scale meals. The meals, something from powerful meat to vegetable or fish, is bundled up in banana and pandana leaves and positioned over coals. “You may cook dinner an entire goat, an entire pig or an entire buffalo in a single hour. You may cook dinner an entire elephant too, however no elephants in Fiji,” Invoice howls at his personal humour.

Because the chords of Fijian farewell tune “Isa lei” fall from the guitar, Una monkey-hugs me for causes identified solely to her. I ask the guitarist, considered one of Invoice’s daughters, if she will play one thing acquainted. A stanza of “Jamaican Farewell” and a few wordless goodbyes later, my coronary heart is down. The top too, is popping round, as a result of Duivosavosa, by some afternoon spell, has became my Kingston city.

  Chapter 4

Rainbow Underneath Water

A cultural tour of the Duivosavosa village acquaints one with island music (high left) and speciality delicacies resembling lovo (high proper) or earth-oven cooking; Diving within the Rainbow Reef (backside left) off the coast of Taveuni comes with prize sightings of technicoloured reef fish, and corals (backside proper) within the form of cabbages. Images by: Sohini Das Gupta (meals, folks), Picture courtesy: Taveuni Palms Resort (diving, corals)

Don’t thoughts the pleasant sharks.” Aaron Peckham is a positive teacher however I worry shark jokes aren’t going to assist my case. Neither will the clunky fins glued to my toes, however that one’s on me. I’m on a speedboat parked alongside the Rainbow Reef, a globally famend dive website within the Somosomo Strait, between Taveuni and Vanua Levu islands. If my first-ever snorkelling expertise should be within the open ocean, I’d as properly do it within the comfortable coral capital of the world, with a grand witness of over 1,200 species of fish. The prospect of assembly a Nemo or Dory down there makes it higher, however reef sharks? Thanks, subsequent. With restricted water expertise, my religion is tied to the rope I’ll seize onto, which in flip, will stay tied to the boat. There’s additionally the diving masks and the life jacket. And there’s Aaron, who waits patiently as I sit on the starboard sounding like a phlegmy dragon. Respiration by means of your mouth, it will seem, isn’t simple.

With a tug of jacket and a squeeze of lungs, I’m in. Pushed up virtually instantly, I can’t wait to look again. Within the few splintered seconds I’ve seen what might be Dalí’s underwater gallery and I want extra. Recent visions glide in entrance of my goggles. Right here, an anthia the color of Alphonso. There, a ballet class for sea anemones. Clumps and clumps of sea followers. Leather-based corals that movement like dervishes. Cabbage-frilled laborious corals. “As above, so under,” I breathe, grateful for the chaos. A lot of the fish I can’t determine, and there are such a lot of. Fats, fearless ones that transfer in violet shoals, solo-tripping introverts that keep away from eye contact. When it’s time to return up—we’re reduce brief by a change of present—Aaron laughs at my indignation. “Have a look at you, mermaid.” Mermaids I don’t find out about, however again on the boat, every little thing I’ve seen down there appears far out already, like folklore fading into time.

On land, I’m out of time. I’ve not seen all of it in any respect. I’ve not entered the Holy Cross Catholic Church, with partitions of baked coral, and stained glass shipped by French missionaries. I’ve not picked up taro fritters from the shack that brags longitudinal rights to being the ‘world’s first store.’ I haven’t even watched a recreation of rugby, commemorated as Fiji’s “fourth faith.”

However that’s alright. As a result of I’ve felt Taveuni. Water, earth, air and all.

Rugby, dubbed Fiji’s “fourth faith,” is equally fashionable amongst youngsters and adults. Picture courtesy: Mark Snyder/Fiji Tourism

Getting There

There are not any direct flights from India to Fiji. Flights from Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru to the gateway metropolis of Nadi on the archipelago’s Viti Levu island contain a number of layovers at Southeast Asian cities resembling Singapore and Hong Kong, or stops in Oceanian capitals like Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland.

There are two or extra direct flights to Taveuni day by day from Nadi Worldwide Airport.

Free entry visas are granted on arrival for a keep of as much as 4 months to nationals of choose nations, together with India. Travellers should possess a sound passport and a ticket for return or onward journey to a different nation they’re authorised to enter.

Keep

The writer stayed at Taveuni Palms Resort (doubles from $1,635/Rs1,14,700 together with all meals, actions resembling reef snorkelling and kokonda cooking class, and taxes; www.taveunipalms.com) and Taveuni Island Resort & Spa (doubles from $625/INR 43,600 together with all meals, return transfers to the airport and taxes; https://ift.tt/2MRhcqz). The Lavena Coastal Stroll and motorised boat actions often come at extra prices.

It’s endorsed to discover Taveuni’s pure and cultural experiences with the assistance of resort guides, as there are restricted choices of impartial tour operators on the island.

Tip

Whereas travelling to villages resembling Duivoisavosa, it’s advisable to decorate modestly (lined knees and arms) and chorus from sporting hats as an indication of respect to native customs.

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