#Week 3 #SuperBloggerChallenge2018 with Instacuppa "Here is Why Visiting Niagara Fall is My Favorite Travel Memory

It was 3 years ago when we moved from India to the USA. During these 3 years of the time period, we had visited lots of great places (New York, Washington D.Sc. Boston, Los Angeles etc.) however, Niagara fall was one of those bucket-list places, which we did not get chance to visit, to explore!

I always had a dream of seeing this world famous tourist spot and nature’s wonder.Luckily, during last summer when my parents came to the USA; we were thrilled to meet them again, after an extended period of separation.  And we had planned our long-awaited “first Niagara fall tour” along with them, with great enthusiasm.

 I could say confidently that visiting Niagara fall is one of my most favourite travel memories.

I would love to share some important things and tips about this greatest tourist spot as a part of week #3 of #SuperBloggerChallenge2018 (as a response to given prompt #Favourite travel memories)

History of Niagara fall

Niagara fall is a city on the Niagara River, in the New York state.  It is a collective name for three waterfalls which straddle the international border between the Canadian province Ontario and the American state of New York. It is famed for its beauty and as a valuable source of hydroelectric power. 

Niagara fall is America’s oldest state park that is expanded in the area of 400 acres of beautiful landscape. The falls are 17 miles north-northwest of Buffalo, New York, and 75 miles south, southeast of Toronto, between the twin cities of Niagara Falls, Ontario and Niagara Falls, New York.

When to visit?

Summer is the best and ideal time to visit and explore the Niagara fall. Especially between the months of June to August, visiting in summer months allows you to take full advantage of beautiful weather and awesome attractions.  So many people visited this awesome spot during fall, spring and winter too. Fall is open year around for viewing the attractions. However, some of the attractions are seasonal and remains open until November only.

Transportation

There are various ways to get from Columbus to Niagara Falls. Either by bus, car, train or plane. And you can choose any option according to your preference.  The Driving distance between Dublin (Dublin is nearby town to Columbus and we stay here) and Niagara fall is 346.09 miles and it takes around 5 hours and 20 minutes by car.

We had planned our visit in the first week of June with a rental car, with good mood and great enthusiasm. It was like dream come true for us. We had done lots of pre-preparation before travel, such as research activities at our destination, book the hotel, prepare some homemade food and snacks etc. (will share more information about this in next section)

Top visiting tourist attractions of Niagara fall

• There are plenty of things to do in the Niagara fall. Such as,
• Maid of Mist
• Cave of wind
• Niagara Glen Nature reserve
• Journey behind the falls
• Niagara sky wheel
• Sky lone tower
• Old Fort Niagara
• Max theatre
• Butterfly Conservatory
• Niagara aquarium

Personally, I would say, “Among these all awesome spots, waterfalls are the main attraction of Niagara Falls and there is the range of ways to explore it. You can see it from their foot on the awesome maid of mist boat tours, from behind in caves of wind (by accessible elevator), or sky hovering in the helicopter.

As we had 2 days 1-night stay tour, we had visited these spots.

Maid of Mist

Maid of mist is one of the most famous and awesome tourist spots of Niagara fall. It is a boat tour of Niagara fall that starts from the calm part of the Niagara River near the rainbow bridge, take its passenger to America’s Bridal Veil Falls. The tour starts and returns on the USA side of the river. We had loads of fun during this tour. Nature’s beauty and awesomeness is at their highest point during this tour.

Cave of wind

Cave of wind is a natural cave behind the Bridal Veil Falls (at the Niagara Falls). It is also one of the most famous and must visit spot. Here is an elevator that takes people from the area between American and Canadian falls down, the level of the Niagara River at the base of the American falls.

There is a series of the redwood platform that allows visitor to go up at the base of bridal veil falls and enjoy the experience of water crushing down right on them.

When we went to see the beauty of fall from this point, we were amazed to see that how close we get to the falls and loved being able to witness the powerful rush of water up so close.

Journey behind the falls

It was the third point that we had explored! It is a point where you shall be able to stand directly behind the sheet of water. An elevator takes you down to a tunnel system to view the falls and learn facts and history about them. This spot is pretty chilly and you need to take extra care while visiting it.

During the first day, we had visited these 3 awesome spots during daytime and after having lunch and a short nap, we went to Max theatre. Max theatre is another great spot to visit, especially if you want to learn the facts and history of the origin of Niagara Falls.

Max theatre

Max theatre plays an awesome movie on an enormous screen that explains the history and origin of Niagara fall so wonderfully. We had a great time while watching this movie.

At night, we had seen a spectacular display of fireworks over Niagara Falls. Fireworks performances are weather permitting and may be cancelled due to poor weather conditions like high wind or rain. Watching the fireworks display was an unforgettable experience and we had a great fun while watching this spectacular Niagara fall firework show.

Next day, we had visited the Aquarium of Niagara

Aquarium of Niagara

It is a great spot for kids; it offers plenty of sea animals such as sea lion, penguin, and etc. kids had enjoyed a lot and we had clicked some cool pictures here.

Travel tips for visiting Niagara Falls

For making your visit smooth, here I am sharing some handy tips.

• Check the weather- as I had mentioned earlier, it is very important to check the weather forecast, before travel to avoid any end moment problem.
• Book an adventure pass before your visit. There are various packages available online and you could choose any one according to your preference.
• Shortlisted your activities and visiting spots before the visit.
• Make some handmade food and snacks for travel
• Do a proper research about where to stay? And where to dine?

Luckily, there are lots of Indians in Niagara Falls, and you can get good Indian food and accommodation here, at the affordable rate.

So, we had loads of fun during these 2 days of a short trip. And I would love to go again and again there to recreate this magic. I cannot explain the joy and happiness in words that we had experienced during this tour. I just say as a conclusion “it was my best #Travel memory”.

What were your favourite travel memories? Did you have visited this awesome place? What was your experience? Please share with us!

Note:

the post is a part of #SuperBlogggerChallenge 2018 Hosted by Healthwealthbridge.com  Allaboutthewoman.com  fashionablefoodz.com and should be not repurposed, republished or otherwise. the content is here owned by blogger. superbloggerchallenge2018 is not responsible for any kind of infringement caused.

#SuperBloggerChallenge2018 With #Instacuppa, #Week 2 "Traditional Sambar Recipe With a Twist"

Yey! Its week 2 of #SueprBlogggerChallenge 2018, and I am so glad and excited to be a part of this great journey.

As for week#2, the prompt is, “A Traditional recipe with a twist”, I am sharing one of my favourite dish South Indian Vegetable stew or sambhar recipe with a super easy and interesting twist.

South Indian vegetable stew or sambhar is a great side dish to pair with breakfast or main meal. This recipe calls for lots of vegetables like eggplant, pumpkin, bottle gourd and drumstick. You may add or remove vegetables as per your liking and taste. Each vegetable lends a different flavour and taste.

Here, I am sharing the recipe that we used at home. It is easy, tasty and nutritious.

Ingredients

• ·         1/3 cup pigeon pea lentil
• ·         1 cup mixed vegetable (pumpkin, bottle guard, drumstick, okra etc.)
• ·         1 medium onion finely chopped
• ·         1 tomato finely chopped
• ·         5-6 curry leaves, 1 -2 dry red chillies, and ½ teaspoon mustard (for seasoning)
• ·         ½ teaspoon asafoetida
• ·         1 teaspoon red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 Teaspoon coriander powder (you may add these dry spices as per your taste)
• ·         1 tablespoon Sambhar powder (it is a mixture of spices such as coriander, black pepper, etc. that is radially available in Indian grocery market. You can also make it at home, here is the recipe)
• ·         Salt according to taste
• ·         1 tablespoon oil
• ·         Water 1-2 cup
• ·         Finely chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
• ·         Twist ingredient: 1 cup Buttermilk

Instruction

• ·         First, take pigeon pea lentil and mixed vegetables in the separate vessel and washed them properly and drain the excess water.
• ·         Now, pressure cooks the pigeon pea lentil and mixed vegetable in a pressure cooker for 15- 20 minutes or until they turn tender (3-4 whistle is perfect). I prefer to cook vegetables along with pigeon pea lentil in a pressure cooker. However, you can also cook them in a vessel over the low medium flame until they turn tender.
• ·         Let it cool down after few minutes open the lid and mash the lentil and mixed vegetables with the help of a spatula or hand blender
• ·         Heat the oil in a pan over medium flame
• ·         Add curry leaves, dry red chillies, and mustard seeds and allow them to crackle
• ·         Add asafoetida powder
• ·         Add chopped onion, sauté them until they turn golden brown
• ·         Now, Add tomato and mixed all dry spices (red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder) and sambhar powder with some water. Mixed all spices well, and sauté it for few minutes
• ·         Add mixed and mashed mixed vegetables
• ·         Then add 1 cup of buttermilk to mixture slowly and stir continuously, adding of buttermilk will give a creamy texture and consistency to your sambhar. After few minutes, add mashed lentil
• ·         Add salt and 1-2 cup water; boil it for another 5-7 minutes
• ·         Turn off the flame; your south Indian vegetable stew is ready to serve. Garnish it with fresh coriander leaves.
• ·         It is a tasty as well as a healthy dish that tastes best when served hot.

What is great about this twist?

Buttermilk is a highly nutritious ingredient, it is rich in minerals and vitamin. By adding buttermilk, we can increase the nutritional value of traditional sambhar. Another side, adding buttermilk gives a smooth and creamy texture to your routine Sambhar, which tastes so good and yummy.

So, it was my attempt to do an interesting twist to the traditional sambhar recipe, and I am hoping you would like it. Did you have tried any twist to any traditional recipe? What was your experience? Please share with us!

Note:

the post is a part of #SuperBlogggerChallenge 2018 Hosted by Healthwealthbridge.com  Allaboutthewoman.com  fashionablefoodz.com and should be not repurposed, republished or otherwise. the content is here owned by blogger. superbloggerchallenge2018 is not responsible for any kind of infringement caused.

 

 

 

 

#ThrusdayTreeLove- Trees are Amazing!

"Trees are poems that Earth write upon the Sky"- Kahil Gibran

So true, Trees are awesome, they are amazing, it is safe to say that life would not be same without the trees.

Sharing some tress pictures, captured during morning time.

The post is a part of #ThrusdayTreeLove series hosted by Dear parul

#MondayMommyMoments- "5 Ways to Deal with Exam Stress"

Exams are one of the most challenging parts of childhood life. It is not only challenging for kids but creates an equal amount of pressure for parents as well. In fact, sometimes, this exam stress causes various sets of physical, mental and emotional sign and symptoms in kids. Such as:

• Irritability
• Sleeplessness
• Lack of desire or have no desire to eat food
• Stomach pain

Set of various psychological symptoms such as upset mood, fear of failure, hopelessness etc.

Of course, being a conscious parent us all want that our kids not only perform well in exams, but they have a good mood and positive energy (during the exam) as well. Here I am sharing 5 effective and easy ways that can help a lot to beat exam stress.

Be mentally prepared

I remember, during my childhood days, my mom had a very strict and regular study schedule for us (for me and my brother). She would always be said to us,

 “Do not leave things for the last minute. If you study earlier and get proper preparation for the exam, it is more likely that you will perform better and would have a lesser stress during the exam”.

I also believed in the same principle. As a student, I was always confident and curious to perform better during an exam. And all credits goes to a regular-planned study schedule. And as I mom, I would love to follow the same thing with my kids. It is the most effective way that lessens our tension and performance anxiety during exam days.

Talk to your child; make a positive and constructive communication

The second most important thing that can help a lot to beat exam stress is to talk to your child; explain to them that “feeling anxious or nervous during exam time is completely normal”.  It is a time to remind them to work hard and encourage them to put these nerves to a positive one. If you observed any signs of exam stress (loss of sleep, irritability etc.) ask your child what is bothering them? Make sure them, that you are always ready to help him/ her.  Once our child sees that we are supportive, it will ease their stress and anxiety level.

Pay extra attention to healthy eating and sleep schedule

Exam stress can play havoc with our child’s regular sleeping and eating pattern. And as a parent, it is our responsibility to encourage them to eat healthy, make time for fun and exercise and stick to a routine of going to bed at a reasonable time. Here are few things that can help a lot.

• Make a fixed schedule of food, exercise and sleep time, to get the things done properly. Encourage them to eat fresh fruit, veggies and healthy snacks riches with protein and grain. Try to avoid junk and unhealthy food
•  Include omega 3 in the diet (dry fruits are the excellent source of Omega 3). These foods increase immunity and good for the mental health too.
• Motivate them to make time for exercise. Exercise has numerous advantages for kids; it releases endorphin, improved mood and relieved stress.
• Explain them the importance of good sleep and help them to get a good night’s sleep. Good sleep will improve thinking, concentration and they would be able to perform better.

Don’t compare and avoid adding any family pressure to perform better

Another important thing, as a parent we all want that our kids get good marks, and achieved the desired goal. Sometimes, these kinds of ambitions compel us to do unnecessary compare and we put a tremendous amount of pressure on our kids to perform better in exams. In fact, sometimes we even did not realise that we are doing this. During exam time, it is must to be self-content with a confidence with things which she/he had learnt during the whole year. Assist them to see the bright side and appreciate the positive things in life. It is most important key to beat exam stress.

Keep the environment light and relaxed

Last but not the least thing, keep remember that surrounding environment is one of the most important factors that can positively (and negatively too) affect your child’s mood, so make sure that,

• Your child takes required break during studies
• There should positivity in an over-all atmosphere of home.
• Keep a watch on exam stress signs
• Be flexible around exam time. Do not worry about household jobs that are left undone.
• Stay organised, everything your child needs should be close at hand, to avoid unnecessary tensions.

So these are the things that can help a lot to deal with exam stress. What are your thoughts? How did you help your child, during exam time? please share!

this post is also a part of #supemomcontest and #Momdaymommymoments  hosted by http://healthwealthbridge.com/ and http://kreativemommy.com/5-things-motherhood-no-one-told

#SuperBloggerChallenge 2018 with #Instacuppa- #Week 1, "5 Ways Yoga Can Improve your Physical and Mental Well-Being"

“Yoga is a way of life, it is an art, a science, a philosophy”- B.K.S. Iyenger

Yoga word is derived from the Sanskrit word “yuj” which means “to unite or integrate”. It is a 5000 + year old ancient Indian science that brings harmony to life. Though it is an ancient science, it seems to get hotter all the time. According to 2007 National Health Survey (which included a comprehensive survey on the use of complementary health approach) yoga is the 6^th most commonly used health practice among adults. According to this study, more than 13 million adults and more than 1.5 million children practised yoga in the previous year. People who practised yoga experienced reduce mental stress, improve physical fitness and enhance the quality of life.

 We all had heard the common benefits of practising yoga such as better breathing, increased flexibility, improved posture and better ability to cope with mental and physical stress. yoga is not only a form of exercise, it is a way of living life.

 Since this week, when we are starting the great #SuperBloggerChallenge 2018, and the amazing hosts had given a very appealing prompt as "Exercise that can help" and "Physical and mental well being", for the 1st week.  I got so excited.

Being an avid yogi, I believe yoga has plenty of advantages for our mental and physical well-being. it is not only a form of exercise, it is a divine journey that changed our lives.

Here I am sharing 5 ways, yoga can improve our physical and mental well-being.

Discipline

“Yoga is not about the touching your toes, it is what you learn on the way”- Jigar Gor

Definitely practising regular yoga requires lots of dedication, patience, sincerity and most importantly a desire to learn a new way of living a life. But once you get involved in the daily routine of 5-6 times a week for 30min- 1 hour, it has transcended into other areas of life. You would be able to perform your routine tasks more efficiently with whole new level of awareness into your life. You will have a new and positive outlook in every aspect of life through the practice of yoga as a discipline.

Mindfulness

“Yoga is the golden key that unlock the door to peace, tranquillity and joy”- B.K.S. Iyenger

We lived in an incredibly busy world. Our pace of life is often frantic. We always had multiple responsibilities. We always busy in doing something. Most of the time either our mind emerged in past memories or we worried about the future consequences. But for living a healthy, happy and successful life, it is must to learn “press the pause switch”, in simple words being present in the moment and having a “mindfulness”” in your present activities is the simplest thing that we can do to feel calm and relaxed. It can bring a miraculous change in your life.

Yoga helps you being present in the moment. It is another less discussed benefit of practising yoga. With the help of yoga, you will develop a deeper appreciation of every moment. It can allow you to let go the worries of future. It will rewire or reshape our brain and improve the quality of our life experience.

Love yourself

Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self- Bhagwada Gita

Usually, we all had been trying to do things for everyone else without taking care of ourselves. Every morning we launched into the day without plugging into ourselves first. And most of us often complain to do not get enough time for ourselves. But this kind of attitude did not work at all. It creates exhaustion, stress and irritation. Setting a routine for self-love and self-care helps you to come out from this mental and physical state. And yoga helps you a lot in doing the same. It is a way to stay connected with yourself especially when it feels impossible.

Yoga is much more than just asanas, kriyas and poses; it is a beautiful journey that teaches you to be self-compassionate. It helps you to learn how to love yourself. Loving yourself is not a self-obsession, it is a great way that helps you slow down and to spend some quality time with yourself. When you open your body, focus on breath, sit quietly for a moment you automatically fall in love with yourself.

Detox

“The body is your temple. Keep it pure and clean for the soul to reside in”- B.K.S. Iyenger

Our body needs detoxification and cleansing time to time. We all love to start a new day with a clean slate. It always feels great to have a fresh, positive and healthy outlook in our day to day life. And detoxification or cleansing helps in achieving this goal by eliminating toxins from the body. But detox does not always mean a fasting or restricting diet with juice and herbs. It can be done with the help of yoga. The right yoga routine helps in detox not only your body but the mind as well. Each new breath is a new moment. Yoga especially pranayama helps in the increased flow of oxygenated blood to our body and also helps in cleanse the blood.

You will become a better person

“Whatever you do in life, yoga shows you how to do it better”- Gurumukh Kaur khalsa

Last but not the least unusual benefit of yoga, it will help you to become a better person. Yoga will change the perspective of life and helps you a lot in developing some great qualities, such as:

• ·         You will learn to listen to your body
• ·         You will have better listening skill
• ·         You will have more patience and better toolset to deal with difficult situations
• ·         You will have clarity in relationship
• ·         You will stop complaining and have a positive outlook on your life
• ·         Improved concentration and better mental health

So these are some great ways yoga improved our mental and physical well-being.  Did you have observed any other benefits while practising yoga, please share with us.

the post is a part of #SuperBlogggerChallenge 2018 Hosted by Healthwealthbridge.com  Allaboutthewoman.com  fashionablefoodz.com and should be not repurposed, republished or otherwise. the content is here owned by blogger. superbloggerchallenge2018 is not responsible for any kind of infringement caused. 

#WhatILove- "Three Prominent Reasons, "How Smartphone are ruining our Valentine's day Celebration?"

Happy Valentine’s Day to all!

Before beginning this post, I had an honest confession. Though feeling little hesitant to say, it is true that

• §  I have smartphone addiction.
• §  I took the help of smartphone, whenever I feel depressed and sad (by keeping engaging my selves on various social media accounts and writing assignments …I know it is not right. But sometimes I have done this)
• §  Especially since last 3 year, I had developed the tendency to check frequently my emails, messages unnecessarily. (It is not an excuse...but sometimes living in extremely bad weather conditions makes you do these silly things).

Ok...feeling relieved...now move on the main topic of the post…

Valentine’s Day is here. Love is in the air and we all are geared up to celebrate this festival of love with full enthusiasm. Though I personally believed that a single day celebration is not enough to express our love and care for dear ones…and I am not a typical party person…and the same thing I had shared in the last post, “3 reasons, why I do not like to celebrate Valentine’s day in a typical way?”

Now, this week when Zainab has given a good prompt as “are smartphones are ruining Valentine’s Day celebration”, as a part of #what love series, I would love to share my thought on the same topic ( also, the post is a part of #Mondaymommymomets, where we are sharing our thoughts on celebrating Valentine’s day since last 2 week)

No doubt, smartphones have become so ingrained in our daily life. It has made lots of things much easier than before. They give us unprecedented access to information that was incomprehensible even years ago. 

Another side, like everything, has its both positive and negative side…smartphones also have same.  And when it comes, to running the spirit of celebrating Valentine’s Day, I completely agreed that smart phone. In true sense, the excessive and uncontrolled usage of smartphones are ruining our valentine’s day, and there are 3 prominent reasons, how smartphones (actually, the excessive and uncontrolled usage of the smartphone) are ruining our V-day celebration.

 It creates a sort of emotional distraction with our loved ones

We lived in an age of constant distraction. And most of us are constantly engaged with our smartphone (due to various personal and professional commitments).  And unconsciously, When we are in the mode of this constant distraction, we lose the emotional connection with our loved one. We forget to pay a proper attention to emotional needs of our partner. In fact, scientific studies, prove the same thing. According to a recent scientific study done by Andrew K. Przybylski and Netta Weinstein of the University of Essex showed that smartphone addiction can hurt our close relationship and creates a sort of emotional distraction from each other.

Even during the V-day celebration, couples had the same emotional disconnection with other. The smart phone is a destroyer of loving relationship and intimacy and ultimately these things ruined the spirit of celebration of Valentine’s Day too.

We forget to enjoy the moment

Nowadays, we compulsively carry our smartphone with us wherever we go, and this device, demanding our attention multiple times. Even during Valentine’s date, we have the same thing as a priority that our mobile alerts and notification are urgent and more important no matter what is the occasion? For us, Instead of enjoying the moment it becomes more important to post a Facebook update about of your Valentine’s Day dinner or sharing the V-day look on Instagram? Our instant temptation to share things immediately on social media causes us to forget to enjoy and embrace the moment.

 It is a harsh truth, that we are prioritizing the virtual world and digital life over anything else. Inevitably, excessive smartphone use drives us away from each other, and we forget to enjoy the moment.

Loss of communication

Smartphone obsession deeply and negatively affects our communication with our partner. It hinders the ability to make more personal and meaningful communication with each other and reduces a desire to spend quality time together. Nowadays, with smartphone obsession, we always place more emphasis on our digital life and lose the sight of the beauty of relationship.

Conclusion

As a conclusion, “ constantly keep engaged yourself on the smartphone screen can tear you away from the action around you and as a result of this obsession not only ruin a single Valentine’s day celebration, but it can adversely affect our relationship, our lives as well”.

v  We all need to learn “how to maintain a balance between a real and virtual world?”

v  We need to plan a “digital detox” from time to time?

v  It is a high time to be strict and design a proper guideline for avoiding this smartphone addiction.

What are your thoughts? Are you planning to take a break from the smart phone, during the V-day celebration? Or it sounds really hard for you? Please share your thoughts!

the post is a link up  with Zainab from slim expectation  for #WhatILove

this post is also a part of #supemomcontest and #Momdaymommymoments  hosted by http://healthwealthbridge.com/ and http://kreativemommy.com/5-things-motherhood-no-one-told/

#ThrusdayTreeLove- "Beauty of Winter trees"

"All the trees are losing leaves and none of them is worried"- Donald Miller

very well said. Yes! it is true that winter is a season of recovery and preparation and during winter nature undergoes lots of changes, and trees and plants stop growing in the winter, they lose their leaves,..despite these changes they never complain, they taught us an important life lesson.

"We all often complain. we complain about the things which we do not have in our lives and forget to treasure the things, we already have. these trees inspire us to accept the change, stop complaining, and stay happy and positive in each and every circumstance"

sharing few photos of winter trees for #ThrusdayTreelove

The post is a part of #ThrusdayTreeLove series hosted by Dear parul