Lulupu, Scorpal and Crafts galore!

Knocking on the 99th blog post, this is going to be one fun review post! Don't think that I have lost my edge and off cooking now..pssst..I skimp my way most of the times by making mum or having Fi cook specialities now but hey! I cook too! So on that topic, I would like to mention that this post is not about my recipes or travelogues but a certain something I have had a knack for a while now - CRAFTS!

1 - Kaisercraft magazines, 2 - Scor-pal, 3 - Embossing tools, 4- free glue sticks, 5 - Cutting Knife(+2 blades free), 6 - Glue gun, 7 - Cut n Tuc template kit

I have always been a creative person and had a soft spot for everything craftsy. I love painting, box making and anything creative and DIY that challenges me in many ways..basically the reason that keeps me going when it comes to my aquariums (btw, found a truck pile of driftwood-like twigs and branches near the fish market, making a point to somehow convince Fi to pick them up for me). For my business, I knew I had to think out of the box to make some cost-cuts and also make it creative and interesting when it came to packaging choices. It would not be a permanent fix but for now, it seems a feasible choice to make themed boxes for our customers. I poured over the net (Fi calls me 'Sheldon Cooper' for this obsessive reason) in search for

Bangalore: Its all Commercial

This is the concluding post of the 'Bangalore trip' series..I am sorry I took so long to write it. Actually I had it in draft for a month now but I could not find the time to edit and add in the photos. No reason is good enough, so please accept my apology..Here goes -

Bodyshop lip-balm : Probably my first
 internationalcosmetic purchase 

The trip continues..after the gruelling 20,000 (and more!) steps walked around Mantri Square yesterday, we managed to drag our aching bones out into the 'wild' that is Bangalore. Yes, like any metro..Bangalore lures every girl that steps in this city that comes basically to earn a living into the shopping-paradise that is Commercial Street.

Like any female, I too love shopping. But I'll walk out of all the branded stores to get into the streets any given day. I just adore street-shopping. I can't say that enough! Something that comes close to making chocolates, the thrill and exhilarating joy of it, is street-shopping. Street shopping trumps brand-strutting coz brands are just that - overpriced, boring dead solid block colours and drab. Street-trends are just the opposite - cheap, affordable, trendy, colourful and the most important factor of all - shop till you drop. And that I did!

Swiping cards in by-lanes and shop some more:

Bylanes of Ibrahim street

This was my first official round about the famous Commercial Street of Bangalore, so do know that this is a newbie's perspective..well, that helps some. I did some research on the net before heading out. Although that was nice, the net is hardly of any use when it comes to first-hand experience. You have to check things out for yourself for what will really catch your eye. The auto rickshaw drive to Commercial Street was fair as the driver put on the meter (Thank God!) and the meter dropped at about 45-50 rs when we reached a point. We just walked thereafter, as we didn't know where we were headed..explored, more like it. We walked the inter-linking by-lanes rather than the actual Commercial Street. I bought my first buy, what caught my eyes - earrings and lots of them. Those vendors sell them cheap - starting from about 35 rs to 150 rs. The same thing is sold at at-least thrice the price at the place I live in. I have a fetish for earrings and judging by that, I think I should have bought some more!

It is as they say on the net, at least this much holds true: The vendors in Commercial Street are

Bangalore: Mantri Square miles

The Bangalore trip continues..and this evening, after freshening up we finally took mom out and to a place where she has nothing much to do..Sapna Book House. I thought she would enjoy the books, pics and strolls up and down the 3 storey building but to my misfortune, both Fi and ma were terribly bored with the snail-pace librarian's paradise. I made my purchases and we left an hour later. Fi suggested we go to Mantri Square mall soon after. Really? Mantri at

Bangalore, Bangalore!

Those pesky auto drivers need to learn some
MANNERS!!!

I have been wondering of late...it usually takes me at most a quarter of a year to get out of the place I live in to enjoy a decent vacation trip. But this time its been almost a year since we really kicked the boots, packed our suitcases and reserved some bus tickets. August is not the month nor season that comes to mind when one would want a dry pleasant trip to Bangalore yet, surprisingly from the moment I stepped into Bangalore, I was literally "walking on sunshine".

Asha...Niraasha

Chinese Mushroom Sandwich: For the Love of Mushrooms!

Hey, there! I told you I would be back with a recipe and here I am! In the meanwhile, all I did was eat,experiment with food,stress over my business,work and eat some more. As for eating habits,they are changing - I have given up my love for fizzy drinks (as I did coffee a year ago), work-wise - I am upgrading my business to reach the corporate level with my partner.."Thanks for the funding,God!"

So,getting back to what I love most - FOOD. You weren't expecting a long speech, were you? Coz I am gonna fill you in on a 'not mentioned in the cookbooks' recipe. And this is one of those recipes that's tasty enough to land in a restaurant menu..I am sure it will land in mine.. in the near future. Its a sandwich, so it's not one of those 20 ingredient fine-dishes, and because it Chinese-style, its not a boring bland sandwich. So here 's the recipe - >

Chinese Mushroom Sandwich recipe

(makes - 5-6 sandwiches)

Ingredients: