Christmas edit - what we got

The excitement of Christmas never really goes away as we grow up, which is why we want to share all the lovely presents we received this year. 

Beauty

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish -With all the hype surrounding this product I've been itching to get my hands on some. My Mum was ever so kind and bought my first bottle for me, which came with two muslin cloths. Before I was introduced to cleansers I always used to use makeup wipes, but had no idea how terrible they can be for your skin because of the alcohol content. I've used the cleanse and polish a few times already and love it so far! The consistency is quite thick and it removes all my makeup without having to wake up with damn panda eyes. 

GOSH eyeshadow crayon - I've been on the hunt for cheaper dupes to Charlotte Tilbury's eyeshadow pencils and MAC paint pots, so I found this gem in Superdrug! It was actually a small Christmas present to myself (because why the hell not) and I plan to wear it on new years eve for some sparkle.

REN Moisturising Day & Night cream -  Living up north combined with the cold, the stress of uni and the nights out were not doing wonders for my skin. So, last christmas was my first time asking for 'grown up' products. I was yet to delve into the whole 'skincare' world and so wasn't particularly sure what to ask for. My mum thoughtfully provided me with a collection of mini products to try out. Out of them all, (Clinique, korres, simple...) I discovered my skin responded wonderfully to REN, and so this Christmas invested in full sized day and night cream. Not too cheap, but definitely worth the price if you have normal-dry skin and want something light, soft and instantly illuminating!

Urban Decay, Naked Palette - Watching endless youtube videos on makeup tags/hauls/tutorials I've constantly seen this lil' fella popping up: The Urban Decay Naked Pallette. Not being one to spend too much on makeup and knowing my 'smokey eye' ends up looking like I've just been in a catfight, I wasn't convinced. However, discovering my drugstore eyeshadows practically fell off my eyelid after an hour, I decided maybe expensive eyeshadow is worth the hype - and I wasn't let down. The colours are gorgeous and simply glide onto your eye with an impressive stand out shade.

NARS Sheer Glow- I'm a firm believer of the view that if you're going to invest in high end makeup, a foundation is a must. Personally, I've always been loyal to Laura Mercier, having found the exact tone for my skin and enjoying its coverage. When it ran out just before the holidays, I decided to become a traitor and give into NARS. So far, I definitely do understand the obsession, but not sure if it will forever keep me away from Mercier's clutch.

Marc Jacobs, Daisy Every year i'm provided with a perfume and this is one of my absolute faves! 

Homeware 

Copper drinking jug - My mum saw me obsess over this jug when we were out shopping one day and must've bought it while I wasn't looking (cheeky). I've noticed I don't drink enough water some days, so my theory is that if I have something nice to drink out of it'll make me want to drink more. Hopefully it works!

Diptyque candle - My lovely other half got me this candle from Diptyque which smells ah-mazing. I've wanted one for ages, but could never justify buying one for myself. The packaging and jar is also stunning - can't wait to burn this baby.

Other bits and bobs

The Collected Works of Oscar Wilde - A good friend of mine knows how much I love The Picture of Dorian Gray, so bought me Wilde's whole collection! I've been wanting to read of his other work, so now I have the perfect reason to.

COACH purse - A cute surprise gift from my stepmum. Thought the colours were absolutely gorgeous and will be using lots in the spring/summer time!

Topshop coat - I cheekily bought this jacket/glove combo while I was out shopping, but had to (reluctantly) pass it over to my mum until Christmas. I was immediately drawn to it and couldn't resist! This coat is something I don't have at all, and the faux fur lining will definitely keep me warm and cosy up' norrrth. Black Leather gloves are also a simple must, so elegant, classy and go with everything!

Christmas decorating and DIY

As Christmas is near we thought we'd share all the festive things we've been getting up to! Being students, we can't always splash out on fancy Christmas decor, so we came up with a few ideas on how to spread festivity on a budget. 

Bedroom

On our hunt for Christmassy things I found a wire garland from Tiger which I used to wrap around my bed along with fairy lights and my room was already looking a lot more festive! To keep the vibe going I bought these flannel fitted sheets, which is the WARMEST thing to sleep on (maybe a bit too warm sometimes, but it's only going to get colder). Finally, I popped into TK Maxx on the hunt for a cheap candle and found this gem for only £8, and the best part wasn't even the smell - the wick made a crackling log fire sound when lit. 

Wire garland - Tiger

Fitted sheets - Primark

Candle - TK Maxx

DIY

I've always wanted to make my own wreath, but never had the resources (or any idea how to for that matter). So I did some research and went into my garden to collect some twigs and things. Luckily I have a holly bush in my garden, so I decided to make a holly wreath using some twigs and fishing rod.

Step 1: Create a circle by tying a few pieces of twig together with fishing rod.

Step 2: Tie clusters of holly around the wreath.

Step 3: Add some berries using super glue or more finishing rod and it's done!

Another quick and easy idea is to find your favourite glass vase and fill it up with Christmassy things you have lying around. I used baubles and pine cones, but anything will do really!

Hope you all have a lovely Christmas. Sophie and Damini x

Smoothie bowlin'

In my hunt for healthy breakfast ideas I came across this new smoothie bowl craze. In short, they are super thick smoothies that are eaten with various toppings to keep you filled. Being a foodie I had to try these bowls out for myself and soon fell in love with them! Here are a couple of my favourite recipes. 

Bowl: JOY

Two key ingredients I always use are bananas and frozen berries. A banana is enough to keep the smoothie thick and the frozen fruit is purely for convenience (students will understand the struggle to always having fresh fruit around). After this I’ll throw in any other fruit I have - normally strawberries and blueberries. Then, I use my breville blender to whizz everything up; adding a bit of coconut water to loosen the smoothie slightly. If you haven’t got the time to be heathy in the morning it’s so easy to run out of the house with a cereal bar. But try making the smoothie a night before and just keeping it in the fridge for the next morning. It tastes just as good!

The toppings have to be my favourite part - you can’t have a smoothie bowl without them! In order for this to be a filling breakfast you need to make sure you have plenty of toppings. My favourites are oats/granola, desiccated coconut, goji berries and a drizzle of honey. The goji berries can be slightly expensive but they’re so worth it; I even snack on them throughout the day. Another idea if you’re in a hurry is to crumble a granola bar (I use nature valley) or weetabix onto your bowl as a quick topping.

So there it is! I hope you health freaks feel inspired to smoothie bowl with me. 

Damini xo

Mumbai - the slum, the opportunities, the people

Mumbai is known as the city of dreams. Thousands of people from all around India flock here every day to seek work and other opportunities. It is impossible to experience the scope of Mumbai within the space of one week, but these are the parts that stood out to me.

Dharavi - the poor little rich slum 

Dharavi is Asia's largest slum with a population that isn't exactly known, but is said to be in the region of 1 million. To give a few more statistics, it is about half the size of Centre Parcs and one bedroom is normally home to around 8 people. But what is the true meaning of a slum? Well, the blockbuster hit Slumdog Millionaire would be my first thought. The vivid scene of a child jumping into to a pile of excrete sets the tone for what a slum would be like - I definitely had no high expectations. 

When we actually arrived at Dharavi I was a bit confused as to whether we had actually entered the ‘slum’ yet. Mainly because there were busy roads surrounding us and common middle class people walking around. We soon arrived at the industrial part of Dharavi, which is where the majority of employment and workforce is held. There were all types of manufacturing and recycling industries from aluminium sorting to leather production. As we walked around the people carried on with their daily work without even acknowledging us. We occasionally got a wave and a smile, but it goes to show these people are only in Dharavi for one thing - to earn a living for themselves. This was when I realised the significance of this slum to a lot of people, and the reason why thousands come to Dharavi every day for work.

The residential part is where the shift happened. The area became a lot more cramped with barely a metre of space between slum houses. The smell that surrounded me proved just how low the hygiene standards were. That's no surprise considering 1 toilet must be shared between 1440 people. Yet as I peeked into the houses and looked at the children running around, they seemed happy. A lot of the houses had electricity and TV's, but basic sanitation was a myth.

Later that evening we had a panel consisting of 5 slum residents. Most of them were born and raised in Dharavi and knew the place only as their home. They ranted about how the government gives them empty promises year after year; saying they'll build more toilets and create cleaner living conditions. It's all rubbish. The Indian government are more concerned with spending millions of dollars on space missions rather than the millions in poverty.

A few more snaps 

Playing hold

Leopold Cafe

Dhobi Ghat - outdoor laundry

Even after spending just one week in Mumbai it seems to be a place I’m incredibly comfortable in. The people do not stare at you like you’re a different breed of human. They welcome you and have friendly conversations if you wish to engage in them. I could definitely see myself living here for a year or two. 

Namaste, Damini 

Delhi at first glance

Delhi - the capital of reemerging India. Over the last 3 days I’ve been exploring this rapidly growing city for the first time along with 150 students as part of the Study India programme. A standard group of backpackers you may be thinking? Yet our first three days have been an incredibly intense schedule of cultural immersion, music and debates.

I arrived at Delhi jet-lagged, running on pure adrenaline and excitement. Being my first time in India, I kept an open mind despite the recent uproar about Delhi in the media. The first thing I noticed was the shear amount of people on the streets. Everywhere you look there’s a man sleeping on the floor or a child searching for empty water bottles. Of course, it was a culture shock. 

Lotus Temple

At our hotel in Greater Kailash (admittedly one of the wealthier parts of Delhi) we were welcomed with an Indian band and offered marigold garlands to wear - a symbol for respect and honour. This was followed by a parade down the road with everyone dancing with locals and loosening up in this new city we’d found ourselves in.

We later visited the Lotus Temple - a beautiful architectural masterpiece for followers of the Baha’i faith. Like me, many of you probably haven’t heard of this religion. It is the practice of all religions and the belief that the day has come for humanity’s unification into one global society. It was interesting to see how positively this new religion was being received in India.

The next morning we took a 4 hour drive to the city Agra to visit the great Taj Mahal - a must for any first timer in India. For me it was an honour to visit this mausoleum that is home to the tomb Emperor Shah Jahan’s wife. We were told that the Taj was in fact built by Persian artisans rather than Indians for the fact that the muslim Mughal empire disliked Indian handcraft and design. But for me, that seemed like just another piece of conflict between muslims and hindus. The Taj itself is completely symmetrical - something the Emperor was very particular about. The irony is that when the Emperor died himself, he was buried next to his wife's coffin; making the tomb unsymmetrical. Whilst I was strolling around I noticed a few Indian women who were dressed in elaborate sarees and covered in jewellery. Us students looked a lot less impressive with our typical elephant pants and tied back hair. It made me realise what a privilege it was to be there.

Taj Mahal

The following day we woke up at the crack of dawn and took the Delhi metro to a small haveli in Old Delhi. I was told to sit in the all female carriage for formality. But after getting off, we were told by the guys that a woman had got onto their carriage and made a man give his seat to her at the click of her fingers. A haveli is basically a house with a courtyard where the whole family including cousins and aunties live together. We were lucky enough to have a sufi band called Midival Punditz play the most beautiful music for us. I must be cliche here, but it was the kind of music that really touched you. If there’s one this I’ve taken back from Delhi so far, it’s the passion. The people of this country are filled with it, whether it be passion for God, for music, for dance or for singing. 

Later we had a panel consisting of Sir Mark Tully and a representative from the Guardian. It was an intense debate about India’s economy and potential. On one side India was being slated for not reaching it’s potential and being tainted with corruption - policemen taking bribes and the media twisting stories. On the other hand, Tully, the optimist who saw India as a gateway to a brighter future. Since I have only been in India a week, I can only base my opinion on what I have experienced so far. It is clear that India has a serious poverty and overpopulation issue; I mean anyone could tell you that. But what you don't get to see from the media and pictures is how hard the people of this country work with what they have got - and there is a vast amount that do not have a lot.

Gurudwara Bangla Sahib

Purana Quila (Old Fort)

Ghandi Smriti

All in all, Delhi was very different to what I thought it would be. Mainly for the fact that it didn't feel like a capital city. There is still a lot of improvement to be made and I believe it is the people at the bottom who need to are going to make this change. 

Damini x

Simple ways to avocado

The avocado has created a slight uproar recently in the social media food world. Although technically a fruit, it's image has been into a somewhat ‘cool’ vegetable (if that’s even possible) to use in quite literally all of your meals.  Restaurants have even begun revamping their menus to incorporate the almighty avocado in its dishes wherever possible. Don’t get me wrong – we are not complaining. When a menu is set before us, our eyes are automatically drawn to wherever we see the word avocado. Our excitement is pretty tragic, actually. And while it would be great to be starting a blog on a new vegetable we found, something more exciting, exotic and easily compatible with all meals… it’s just yet to happen. So we joined the bandwagon and set aboard on the avocado hype and in all honesty – we are loving the ride. 

So keep reading for a couple simple and delicious  recipes which incorporate our all time favourite superfood: the avocado. 

This is one of my all time favourite side salads. It's perfect with some fish or just on it's own as a light lunch. All you'll need is 1 avocado, a handful of spinach leaves and some dressing. I've chosen to use a pomegranate dressing, which I purchased at a local turkish supermarket. Finish off with some fresh pepper and it's good to go! 

Next up is a meal you can eat at any time during the day - Avocado on toast! You will need simply an avocado (of course), some bread, (we recommend brown/seeded/rye bread, but any will do), half a red onion, 1 chorizo sausage and some paprika and pepper to season.

This is so simple but absolutely delicious and extremely filling, so if you're looking for a healthy snack/meal that will actually fill you up then this is perfect for you!

The Paris low-down

Le premier jour

The Louvre Museum 

Arc de Triomphe

A much needed iced coffee break 

Tour Eiffel by day 

Tour Eiffel by night 

Paris for the first time, where to begin! First of all, an itinerary is much needed. We decided to fit in the Louvre, Arc de Triomphe and the all mighty Tour Eiffel in one day. In order to arrive at our first destination we had no choice but to be thrown into the bustle of the Pairs metro. A completely different experience to our more familiar London underground; with its double decker trains and huge platforms. We found our destination fairly easily and made our way to the exit. 

Upon entering The Louvre I was taken aback by the towering glass pyramids that stood before us (you’ll probably remember them from The da Vinci Code). We stayed to snap some pictures then headed inside, since it was sweltering at this point. Once inside, we were surprised to be told that we had free entry because we were students! We spent the majority of the day here, exploring the corridors of artwork that we (quite frankly) didn't have a clue about and learning about famous statues from centuries ago.

We moved onto Arc de Triomphe where there were herds of tourists trying to snap the perfect picture and we were soon one of them. It almost reminded me of a more grand version of Marble Arch - even the area that surrounded it with it’s fancy shops and restaurants. 

The Eiffel Tower was our last stop and we watched it evolve into a glowing spectacular from day to evening. Be warned that you will be approached many times by people trying to sell alcohol and souvenirs. Nonetheless, it was the perfect spot to sit and enjoy the rest of our evening. 

Le deuxième jour

Brunch at Le Pain Quotidien

Avocado toast!

Cathedral Notre Dame de Paris 

Jardin du Luxembourg

Duck confit for dinner!

Bardot top: Topshop

This was the perfect foodie day and definitely my favourite one! We headed into Châtelet for brunch at a little french cafe called Le Pain Quotidien. For anyone in this area or near Notre Dame I HIGHLY recommend this place (and its extremely affordable). After filling ourselves with avocado goodness, we made our way to Notre Dame where we stopped to admire the cathedral amongst the herds of other tourists and took a stroll down La Seine river. 

Once we were satisfied with our time at Notre Dame we decided to find the St-Michel Notre-Dame metro stop, which proved to be a lot harder to find than we anticipated. The directions for locating some stations weren't English friendly at all - even with google maps to guide us! 

Next we decided to visit the much anticipated Catacombs of Paris - a museum said to contain the remains six million humans. As we walked towards the site, we noticed a stream of people queuing for entry, and with high hopes we joined them. A few minutes later we were approached and told we had a slim chance of entering since the last entry was at 7pm and we had over an hour of waiting time. So a tip for you Paris travellers: visit the Catacombs well before 6pm! 

Disappointed, we went to find some iced coffee and a backup plan. We agreed on strolling down a lovely street in the area - full of locals and good food. Exactly what I needed! We bought some macaroons and tried escargot for the first time, which were delicious. By this time we were ready for dinner, so we decided on a restaurant called Cafe Daguerre where I had a classic duck confit and creme brûlée. A must when in Paris. 

Damini xo