Lifestyle Ideas | Monthly Archives: November 2013

Top 10 Christmas Presents

Posted on November 29, 2013 by lifestyle Posted in Family, Home & Garden Leave a comment

One of the most fun part of Christmas is to exchange gifts and express your love for your friends and family. It is exciting to give and get gifts. However, in order to pick the right gift for your loved one, you must start planning well in advance. After all, it will require some time and efforts to locate that perfect Christmas present. The markets too get flooded with ideas and presents so as to give you some endless options, whether you are buying for your mom, dad, kids, spouse, friends and colleagues. It can be trickier when choosing a Christmas gift.

Here are some cool new ideas to get your started with.

iPhone 5s
iPhone 5s is one of the finest smartphone presented by Apple. The M7 motion co-processor and Touch ID’ fingerprint recognition and other innovative technologies make for a seamless experience. Buy it for yourself or make someone clause to you happy by gifting him an iPhone 5s.
All new Kindle
This is a great Christmas gift for all those kindle worms. The all new Kindle is smaller, lighter and much faster than the original. Priced well under £100, this is sure going to be on the top at the list of Christmas gifts this year.
Vogue calendar
The vintage vogue calendar makes for a great stylish gift that you can use to keep on top of the year ahead. This is a great gift that will cost you just £9.99.
Diamond Jewelry
If you are in mood to splurge over diamond, then this makes for a classic gift and a popular choice during Christmas. Nothing can beat the timelessness of diamond jewelry and with some great discounts going on, you can sure get a nice piece. Some stores are already wooing customers with 50% off their Diamond Collection.
Celeb cook book
This is a great one for those who love their kitchen and recipes. Already celebrity chefs are working on their cookbooks and releasing some good titles in the market. Grab a copy as Christmas is just a few weeks away. You will also get them at some great prices during this festive time.
Timex Originals Classic Round
Those classic Timex watches make for the best presents. Men love those timeless and classic styles with military cues, clean design and an added modern touch.
Tommy Hilfiger
Men love everything from this classic American brand that is known for its quality and heritage. Get blazers or pea coats that make for fashionable layered ensembles. Enjoy some amazing discounts too.
Canon EOS 700D
If one of your family member or a close friend is fond of clicking pictures, why not get him or her this professional-grade DSLR. 700D is a great choice as the first digital SLR with its 18 megapixel APS-C sensor.
MP3 players
Get MP3 players as they make just the right gift as most of us are music lovers. Look among the top brands like Apple, Samsung Galaxy with their iPod Nano, iPod Touch and iPod Shuffle.

10. Toys for Kids
Christmas shopping won’t be complete without buying toys for the children. Get some great options from Disney, with their Interactive Talking Doll, Fisher-Price Undersea Mermaid, Furby, Playskool Sesame Street, InnoTab 2 Learnings App Tablet, Hot Wheels, Lego Ninjago 9450 Epic Dragon Battle and a lot more.

You can look at above ideas to start with and discover some of your own when shopping for Christmas gifts this season. There are endless options to pick from and to meet the diverse needs and tastes and for different budget. Explore some very indulgent present ideas right from beauty products, books, jewels, gadgets, electronics, toys, etc.

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Tips for Road Trips with Toddlers

Posted on November 22, 2013 by lifestyle Posted in Family, Travel Leave a comment

Going on road trips with toddlers is not very simple. It is truly challenging because they get distracted and find road trips boring. The main reason is their movement is restricted. Here are some tips to make your road travel easier with toddlers.

Road Trip Games

Get cheap toys, Dolls, stickers, magnifying glass, trinkets and noise makers. Wrap them individually before as unwrapping is fun. Carry them in a bag that has bright colors and funny pictures.
Take some treasure map and reward them when they point out some treasure point with a snack or a toy. This keeps them occupied and happy on receiving rewards.]
Take some pictured books so that they go through the book. Tie the book to the car front seat or pin it such that it stays unnoticed. This keeps the boot safe.
Give them a camera that is not in much use, but can take pictures on your drive.
Carry a box of band- aids, few fever and cold medicines, antiseptic cream and dettol.
Blowing bubbles keeps your toddler engaged at the window. Keep an eye so that your child does not lean out too much. The bubbles make things sticks, but are washable.
Alphabet games, word games and few cardboard puzzle games keeps them busy in fixing. They also remain silent allowing you a peaceful travel.

Road Trip Art Projects

Body art: Allow your kids to draw using washable markers or use washable tattoos. It entertains them and allows them to draw on wash off car seat covers.

Puppet Show: Make paper puppets. Tie markers or crayons to the car seats with string and say some simple story that keeps them interested in you. You can use imaginary creatures, make matchbox cars and have a great road trip with your toddler.

Road Trip Snacks

Take portable food such as raisins, crackers, apple slices, grapes, string cheese and juice boxes. Mix dried fruits, gummy fruit snacks, fruit roll ups and small toffees.
Marshmallows are great. Make a snake or edible spider of marshmallow, pretzel, etc. Eat your creations.
Pepperoni slices are protein sources, though not very healthy. You can give them on your travel.
Limit juice intake, else you need to stop frequently.

Must-have items for road trips

Storage space: Carry plenty of zip lock baggies. This help in storing anything and everything.

Easy wipes: Diaper wipes are a must, even if your toddler is potty trained. They are required for cleaning surfaces and faces. Even few dish towels to clear spills and to be used as bibs.

Spill-proof cups: Road trips do not favor drinking liquids. So having spill proof cups ensures not losing a lot of liquid and safe drinking without mess.

Plastic cups: Use these for snack service so that it can be held by your toddler. Never give liquid in these.

Random Tips:

Take a toilet so that you can keep away from the gas station nasty bathrooms. Put a disposable diaper in the toddler potty and dispose of the waste. Travel early so that kids sleep while you drive and limit your stops.

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History of the Buckingham palace

Posted on November 15, 2013 by lifestyle Posted in Family, Travel Leave a comment

The Buckingham Palace has a history of more than 500 years that changed hands on numerous occasions and the building that is standing today is the structure built in the early 1700s. The Buckingham Palace is the house of the Queen of England. It is in the City of Westminster and hosts several state entertainment, Royal occasions and is now the tourist attraction as well.

The Buckingham Palace Site

The Buckingham Palace is besides the river Tyburn. The land had many owners including the Edward the confessor, William the conqueror, Edith of Wessex and Geoffrey de Mandeville who donated it to the Westminster Abbey monks. The turning point came when Henry VIII in 1531 bought the property. This was the first time that the Buckingham Palace had come back in royal hands after the Conqueror gave it 500 years earlier.

The first buildings of Buckingham Palace

In 1624, the first house was built under Sir William Blake’s orders. This was a high controversial period with missing documentation, legal arguments, royal approval omissions and lots of confusion regarding the owner of the site. The first building was Goring House that was burnt down in 1674; now there is Arlington House that is the south wing of the palace today.

The Duke of Buckingham and Normandy in 1703 planned to build a house and this is the Buckingham Palace central part today. Buckingham House in 1761 was sold for £21,000 to George III and acquired it as a Royal family retreat. St James’s Palace also has the ceremonial and official royal residence in the front and visitors now are welcomed into the St James Court while they visit Buckingham Palace.

The transformation to official residence

In 1837 Queen Victoria occupied the throne and it became the Royal official residence. Initially, Buckingham Palace was in shambles with terrible working conditions, lazy staff, poor heating and untidy environment. In 1840, Queen Victoria married Prince Albert and he reorganized the situation completely and the emergence of the Buckingham Palace is as of now today.

The original building has new added areas now housing several Royal family members and staff members working full time. The visible side is the East Front facing the Mall and the balcony from which the Royal family and the Queen acknowledge public.

The Palace went neglected after Prince Albert’s death. The Queen went to live in Windsor Castle, Osborne House and Balmoral Castle, though Buckingham Palace officially remained the Royal family’s focal point.

The Buckingham Palace interiors

The Palace has impressive rooms with 77,000 Sq.mtr floor space to conduct various functions and entertainment. This palace has its own picture gallery featuring the many priceless works of Rembrandt, Vermeer, Rubens and Van Dyck.

Buckingham Palace has numerous state rooms in the names of VIP visitors. There are 19 staterooms, 92 offices, 188 staff bedrooms, 52 principal bedrooms and massive 78 bathrooms. Many attempts were made to bomb this palace resulting in major damage to surrounding buildings, but the Royal family lasted up to modern times and has a good relationship with the UK public.

The Buckingham Palace of modern day

In 1993 the Royal family opened the Buckingham Palace to the public and tourists to increase income for the Royal household. Technically the Queen owns Buckingham Palace and the Windsor Castle, together with the current monarch possessions held in trust for the Queens successors and for the entire is held in trust for the nation. The Royal residence receives more than 50,000 guests every year.

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Healthy School Meals – What makes them so important in the growth circle?

Posted on November 5, 2013 by lifestyle Posted in Family, Health Leave a comment

Most school children eat more than half of their daily meal during school time. A great number of these children depend on the food they are served in schools as not just the main meal of the day but it is the only food they get on a regular basis. Many countries across the world from USA to Japan are focusing on renewed school breakfast and lunch programs by incorporating healthy eating habits with a view of addressing the widespread problem of obesity among school kids. These programs now have new caps on the number of calories per student food tray. This is accomplished in different ways like to include more vegetables, fruits and making the portions smaller. In Wisconsin, USA the attempt to cut down on the portions made the kids so unhappy they decided to boycott the school lunches altogether.

School meals addressing many health concerns

Despite the scorn from kids every effort made on a national level to improve child nutrition through healthy school meals are making their benefits felt. In the USA this is very evident in some of the states with high obesity rates among children including Mississippi, California, Los Angeles and San Francisco. All states effectively arrange for school children to be served with low calorie, high nutrient food and totally eliminated serving sugar sweetened beverages, especially in high schools.

If your child is suffering from obesity signs then it is high time to consider the food choices he or she has been making. Whether you are preparing a meal for school or the child is taking meals at the school cafeteria, it is imperative that you ensure they eat a balanced meal. Most parents are concerned about the food choices their kids make at home. In most cases they feel that what their children eat in school are beyond their control. However, as parents it is your duty to influence the food choices of your children and to guide them towards healthy eating habits both in and out of home.

What goes in to healthy school meals?

Most schools provide a healthy meal during lunch time for school children. Unfortunately these same schools have cafeterias providing calorie packed snack bars. A la carte menus are stuffed with tempting offers of french fries, chips, pizza, donuts and there are vending machines with sugar coated snacks, sodas and ices. If your child is among the National School Lunch Program which offers a ‘low cost free lunch’ with balanced nutrition it is your right to investigate the contents of these meals. According to a Physicians Committee of the medicine and a healthy school lunch campaign, some schools are still providing meals packed with loads of saturated fat and cholesterol.

As a rule of thumb a healthy school meal includes items rich in fiber and nutrients like vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains. However, bearing in mind that these meals are intended for age groups that make very picky food choices the final presentation should be appetizing enough to nudge the kids in eating healthy and balanced meals during their school hours. A great number of schools that are successful in walking this tightrope situation have accomplished the goal of making school days healthier and happier for their children.

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