Homecare tips from Helpling

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Every weekend I become a domestic diva so am always on the lookout for home care tips and I just received some from the German based startup Helpling, a global online platform for on-demand home services. The innovative online service gives people more time to enjoy the nice things in life: family, friends and leisure activities.

1. Use Powerade
The overpowering smell of chemicals can make cleaning the bathroom harder than it should be. But rather than getting out the bleach, try putting two cups of Gatorade in the toilet. Normally consumed as an energy drink, Gatorade has the power to turn you into the Michael Jordan of cleaning. Leave it in the toilet for one hour and then scrub it away.

2. Clean ceiling cobwebs with a yardstick and sock
Can you see cobwebs in the corners of your bathroom ceiling? If so, you should probably watch out for spiders. Then you should clean away the webs. A neat trick to clean them when you don’t have a stepladder is to use a yardstick (or something similar) with a sock on the end. This will allow you to reach into the corners of the bathroom ceiling.

3. Coffee filters clean glass
There are several ways to clean bathroom mirror and shower glass, but some end up being more work than they’re worth. A rag and window spray are a common combination, but one of the more popular methods is to use the spray with newspaper, which is absorbent and effective at cleaning glass. However, a coffee filter can be better than both a rag and newspaper because it doesn’t leave lint or ink behind. Try this out and see the sparkly difference.

Ideally, I would love Helpling to be at my service everyday but sometime’s a woman’s gotta do what a woman’s gotta do to keep things shining in the home front.

Toshiba’s evolution of PC’s display attracts GITEX Shoppers

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Promoting Toshiba GULF FZE is an awesome job especially as they have some exclusive offers for the current GITEX Shopper, the region’s largest consumer electronics event now being held at the World Trade Centre, Dubai.

On opening day, the Toshiba stand was visited by HE Sami Al Qamzi, Director General, Department of Economic Development Dubai who took special interest in the museum style display of Toshiba PC’s from 1985 onwards.

This year marks a special year in Toshiba’s calendar as 2015 serves as the 30th anniversary for Toshiba’s Mobile computing products, providing quality products and innovative solutions in the notebook PC category. Focused on keeping this year a festive one, Toshiba is celebrating this with exciting offers during the upcoming GITEX Shopper.

Since 1985, Toshiba has been leading innovation, responsible for launching over eighteen world’s firsts in the PC arena. Toshiba Gulf FZE plans to showcase in their display different laptops from the world’s first laptop PC, the Toshiba T1100 to their latest innovations; making their display a kind of a mini-museum for consumers to view.

To make it a more exciting and fun filled experience for consumers, Toshiba is exclusively presenting a buy-back offer during the event. Upgrade old PCs and outdated Operating Systems and get the best discounts when buying a new Toshiba laptop, powered by Windows 8.1.

I gave in two old laptops that we were not using (One was a Lamborghini series that my daughter gave up on but was hanging onto as it looked small and cute and a very slow PC) and was able to buy a 1TB wireless Hard drive which Im very pleased about.

Toshiba will also be displaying and taking pre bookings for the new upcoming FY15 IDs for interested customers.

Shoppers will particularly enjoy exploring the special features and unique selling points of the Toshiba’s KIRA notebook, which brings together elegant design, meticulous craftsmanship and unparalleled performance in one package.

Another attraction would be Toshiba’s industry first HDMI 4K2K output, which allows the output of pictures and videos with an ultra high definition (UHD) experience in laptops and handheld electronic devices such as tablets and portable gaming systems.

The Toshiba stand will also host a ‘Play to Win’ promotion during the GITEX Shopper where customers purchasing a laptop from the stand are eligible to win discount vouchers worth AED 50, AED 100, AED 150 or AED 200 on the spot and claim the discount for their purchase. More details can be obtained at the stand before the transaction.

The Toshiba stand will feature live performances of the well-known Toshiba song that is a sensation online, every hour by local talent throughout GITEX Shopper.

With mega great deals, Toshiba ensures the satisfaction of visitors and consumers attending the GITEX Shopper. Enter with old laptops and go home with brand new, amazing items in exchange when you visit the Toshiba stand SS3-6 in Sheikh Saeed Hall 3.

‘Les Quatre Heures’ at le Relais de l’Entrecôte

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le relais shereen shabnam

So there’s one more place in town to satisfy my sweet tooth. I can’t wait to experience the French version of afternoon teatime ‘les quatre heures’ at le Relais de l’Entrecôte in Downtown Dubai.

A phrase translating to ‘the four o’clock’, les quatre heures is a time to gather with family or friends, and relax with a cup of tea and a tasty treat or patisserie. Entrecôte embraces this custom, offering guests an impressive variety of delicious signature desserts to enjoy while sitting back on its lovely Parisian terrace.

French favourites such as the Crème Brulée and Chocolate Profiteroles are perfected by the standards of Entrecôte’s legacy, promising customers the traditional taste wherever in the world they may be. Other treats include the Summer Vacherin and the Relais Vacherin, made with ice cream and fruit coulis or chocolate sauce, and the tartlets, of lemon or strawberry flavour.

Le Relais de l’Entrecôte is close to me home based in Downtown and it is recognised worldwide for its single-entrée combination of mouth-watering steak, fries and exceptional secret sauce.

I look forward to trying its delectable sweet concoctions.

Le Relais de l’Entrecôte:
Located at Emaar Boulevard, Downtown Dubai

Delightful Smoothies from Ocean Spray

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Im into Smoothies at the moment as they are little more nicer than straight juicing and better than having the normal fry up for breakfast. Ocean Spray sent me some great recipes that I am loving at the moment:

Shereen Shabnam Berry SmoothieBerry Smoothie Serves: 1

Ingredients

225ml (8 fl oz) Ocean Spray® Chilled Cranberry Original juice drink

12-15 raspberries, fresh or frozen

4 medium strawberries, hulls removed and cut into halves

1/2 cup crushed ice

Method

  1. Put all ingredients, except garnish, into a blender.
  2. Blend for a few seconds on high speed or until ingredients are thoroughly combined.
  3. Pour into a large glass.

Cran Cherry Mango Smoothie SHereen Shabnam

Cranberry, Cherry and Mango Smoothie

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

200g frozen pitted cherries or summer berry mix
200g frozen cubed mango or exotic fruit mix
300ml Ocean Spray® Cranberry & Cherry juice drink
1 x 150g carton Greek-style vanilla yogurt

Fresh cherries and/or mango slices to garnish – optional

Method:

Combine all smoothie ingredients in a blender. Blend at high speed, until smooth (15 to 20 seconds).
Pour into glasses and garnish with a fresh cherry and/or mango slice as desired. Refrigerate or freeze any leftover smoothie mixture.

Blueberry & Orange Smoothie Shereen SHabnam

Blueberry and Orange Smoothie

Takes: 5 minutes

Makes: 2 glasses

Ingredients:

200ml Ocean Spray® Blueberry juice drink

Juice of 1 fresh orange

100g fresh strawberries, hulled and halved

3 tbsp low fat natural yogurt

Manuka honey, to taste

Method:

Place all the ingredients, except the honey, into a blender. Whiz until smooth. Add honey to taste and serve over ice.

Top Tip: For a richer, creamier smoothie add a scoop of ice cream or frozen yoghurt to the blender.

Ocean Spray® is a registered trademark of Ocean Spray, used with permission.

Warm up with a Squash soup

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Absolutely love this recipe of Squash Soup by the Six Senses Zighy Bay Executive chef, Richard Lee.

soup shereen shabnam

SQUASH SOUP
500ml vegetables stock
750 gram squash, cut into cubes
2 red onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, halved
60 ml yoghurt
1 gram ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Put the stock and 500ml of water into a heavy-based pan and bring to boil, add the squash, onions and garlic and return to the boil. Reduce the heat slightly and cook for 15 minutes or until the squash is smooth.
Drain the vegetables in a colander, reserving the liquid. Puree the squash mixture until smooth, either in a blender or with a hand masher (you may need to add some of the reserved liquid to make mashing a little easier). Return the squash puree to the pan stir in enough reserved liquid to reach the preferred consistency. Season to taste the nutmeg and cracked black pepper.
Ladle the soup into bowls and pour some of the live yoghurt into each bowl to create a swirl pattern on the top. Sprinkle with nutmeg, serve with fresh rye bread.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That perfect Rocca Salad

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With the Spring season around the corner, we bring you the perfect Rocca Salad recipe by the Six Senses Zighy Bay Executive chef, Richard Lee.

Pomegrante, Arugula Salad; Tyler Florence
ROCCA SALAD
60 gram Rocket leaves
20 gram red onion, thin slices
20 gram tomato
40 gram goat cheese, crumbled
5 gram sumac
10 ml olive oil
10 ml lemon juice
10 gram green olives, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Place all of the ingredients in a bowl, mix and serve

Make Healthy Living a Priority with Ole

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Print

We welcomed the new year with a renewed commitment to living healthy. Its hard to keep track on our aspirations but to succeed, make only one resolution. Your chances of success are greater when you channel energy into changing just one aspect of your behavior – and none is most important as being healthy.

With a clean slate, it is not too late to feel inspired and motivated to re-make yourself into a fighting fit person. One such wellness resolution you can make is to exercise moderately for 30 minutes a day, eat clean wholesome foods and increase your intake of Ole, a powerful anti-oxidant produced by prominent direct-selling company QNET that can keep you energized, fit, and beautiful, inside and out.

When your body breaks down food it produces molecules called free radicals. Cigarette smoke and radiation also produce free radicals. Over time, the damage from these substances can result in conditions like infection, cancer, inflammation, and heart disease. That’s where antioxidants such as Ole step in. Once you cut an apple, it begins to brown, but if you dip it in orange juice, which contains vitamin C (an antioxidant), it stays white. You can defend your body the same way by including rich sources in your diet. Pomegranates, coffee, and olive leaf extract contain such antioxidants.

It’s a common conception that Vitamic C is our best resource to protect our immune system. But did you know that olive leaf extract, found in Ole, is widely considered the ultimate natural defender of your immune system, containing 400% greater antioxidant capacity than Vitamin C, and up to 40 times more polyphenolics than extra-virgin olive oil?

Why is it good for you? The extract from olive leaves contains various trace elements that are vital to good health, including Vitamin C, iron, zinc, selenium, chromium, betacarotene, and a wide range of important amino acids. Olive leaf extract is also a rich source of antioxidants. Traditionally, olive leaf extract has been used to treat fevers, cold and flus, common coughs and asthma.

It is well known to help maintain a normal and healthy cardiovascular system and assist in the maintenance of normal heart function.

Kick-start your healthy resolution and start having your one teaspoonful of Olé a day straight from the bottle, or mix one teaspoon of Olé with your fruit juice or your coffee in the morning. To stay fully hydrated, drink plenty of water, 8 glasses is recommended, in between your doses of Olé.

 

 

 

EMIRATES WALK FOR AUTISM TO BE HELD IN FUJAIRAH THIS FRIDAY

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Autism Invite

Dr. Nahida Abdulla Abdulkadir Nasseri, founder of ‘The Emirates Walk For Autism’ and Al Sharq Hospital, are gearing up to raise awareness for autism this Friday in Fujairah. The walk will start from the entrance of the Al Sharq Hospital at 5pm and participants will start registrations at 4pm onwards with refreshments and activities.

Autism Awareness campaigns are held globally during the month of April and the initiatives in the UAE are supported by Emirates Red Crescent to help fund research and more importantly to educate the public about Autism.

Al Sharq Hospital has stepped forward to include Autism awareness into their CSR programme and being part of the walk is a strategy to motivate more parents to come forward if they notice anything different in children as early intervention is key for an affected child’s progress.

 

Dr. Nahida started this initiative to encourage people to be supportive of the challenges parents of autistic children face and be understanding of the behavior of affected children when their routine or environment is changed.

Dr. Nahida adds, “Families face both financial and emotional strain already when they have a child with autism and we encourage them to learn ways to cope by attending specialist schools and meeting medical professionals as early intervention is key for a child to cope with the condition.”

Interested participants can join the walk on Friday 27th February from 4pm at Al Sharq Hospital, Fujairah.

 

Check out the ‘luxury’ facet of India

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Shereen Shabnam Royal India

India’s fastest-growing luxury segments encompassing travel, hospitality, wellness, healthcare, education, fashion and lifestyle domains are coming together for an exclusive trade show in Dubai on December 4 and 5 to showcase the comparatively lesser-known ‘luxury’ facets of India among the Emiratis, Arabs and HNIs Asians.

The 2nd edition of Royal India Luxury Show will take place on an exhibition space of 22,000 square feet at Dubai’s luxury icon, Jumeirah Beach Hotel. The two-day show will take place daily from 10 am to 6 pm and entry is free to the public. According to its World Luxury Goods Market Study, tourists are changing their consumption habits and seeking out new destinations for unique experiences and luxury.

India cannot be explained but should be experienced. The 21st century India is full of luxury experiences. India’s rich history is replete with opulence and grandeur and for centuries it has been a preferred destination to revitalize and rejuvenate the body and soul. India offers a diverse portfolio of unique and memorable experiences.

Emiratis and other Arabs have comparatively very little exposure about the India’s luxury element. Most are aware about India being the Land of Grandeur, but did not have better opportunities to learn about the luxury experiences that awaits them. India offers tourists unique experiences with its natural beauty, vivid festivals, exotic beaches and architectural marvels.

Luxury is the fastest growing segment with the visitors being offered tailor-made, refined and bespoke holidays experiences for individuals, couples and groups.

The exhibitors include Incredible India (Ministry of Tourism, Government of India), Cox & Kings – the longest established travel company in the world, Cox & Kings Weddings, Ramoji Film City, Air Aura, MEHAIR, Sansha Spa, Woodland, EMGEE Developers- Anantam, Jaypee Green Golf Course, Six Senses Spa, UAE Exchange, Sobha developers Ltd, Rocky S, Archana Kochhar, Neeta Lulla, Monapali, Rohit Verma and Satya Paul.

Skin care secrets during cold weather

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Nivea Daily Essentials Shereen Shabnam

One of the reasons I love the guys at Asdaa is their tailor made media relations and sending stories that really add value to our readers day to day lives. They pick up the phone and talk to media and give hooks for relevant stories unlike the mid-range agencies who send out blanket press releases in the wrong language.

SO… Im sitting in the cold in Munich right now with chapped lips and flaky skin when I get some amazing tips from the team at Asdaa telling me how with NIVEA, the cold days can bring more than just a rosy glow to the cheeks. A harsh winter can mean uncomfortable dryness to the face, hands and feet.

Below are some secrets on how to fully enjoy the season without damaging your skin from NIVEA. With more than 100 years of skincare experience, NIVEA understands that dry skin can affect you physically and emotionally so invests heavily in skin research to look for scientific inspiration to relieve dry skin symptoms.

Your secret number 1:

The drop in temperature during cold days lowers our skin’s production of lipids which can be perceived differently depending on one’s skin type. That’s why it becomes very important to moisturise regularly.

Using a skincare product that is rich such as NIVEA Creme or NIVEA Nourishing Body Lotion will leave your body intensively nourished all day long. Its rich creamy formula gives the right amount of moisture to the skin.

As for your face, it also needs extra attention and care during winter days especially on the sensitive parts such as the nose and around the eyes, which can be affected by the drop in temperature. Using NIVEA Daily Essentials range of products with Hydra IQ will provide the skin with all the moisture and soothing elements it needs to enhance its natural balance, whilst the sun factor 30 protects against harmful UVA and UVB rays which can penetrate through make-up and damage skin.

Your secret number 2:

When cold, a woman’s skin temperature is three degrees lower than that of a man and there’s nothing more appealing at this time of year than a hot bath. So ladies, breathe deeply, float and pamper yourself with a hot bath to banish coldness and muscle tension and improve your general wellbeing. Using the right shower gel with moisturising effects is also crucial; the NIVEA Creme Shower Gel providing the same nourishment as the NIVEA Creme will envelop your skin with its foam while its unique scent will leave it feeling moisturised and smooth. After your hot bath, it’s also recommended to apply a body lotion that provides valuable moisture which improves the sensation of tightness for 24 hours. Alternatively, and thanks to NIVEA’s latest innovation in body care, you can moisturise your body while showering with the new NIVEA In-Shower Body Lotion specifically formulated for dry skin that will keep your skin feeling soft and supple braving the odds of colder weather.

It is also advisable to stay away from rubbing your skin with a towel, dabbing your skin is many times more beneficial. Rubbing the skin deprives the skin of the benefits of applying bath oil by removing the layer of the oil.

Your secret number 3

Indulge yourself with steam baths, another natural skincare tip to avoid the dehydrating effects of winter.

Moisturising your skin with a rich lotion such as the new NIVEA Cocoa Butter after a bath is essential because it doubles up the skin-friendly effect of steam bath thanks to its rich formula with cocoa indulgence. The formula, with Cocoa Butter and Vitamin E, instantly moisturises and smoothers the feeling of rough dry skin, leaving the skin with a beautiful scent and healthy-looking glow all day long.

Your secret number 4

Never forget to drink water during the winter for a healthy and moisturised skin. Increase your water level and be sure to drink at least eight glasses of water a day to keep your skin and body properly hydrated.

Your result

Follow these skincare tips and you will feel your skin hydrated and healthy. You will also notice you have more energy, less tension, smoother skin allowing you to fully enjoy the season.

Thank you NIVEA for sharing these beauty gems with us.