Discoveries Ahoy!

“Fun. Freedom. Confidence. The ultimate Urban Cross – Datsun redi-GO – the capability of a crossover with the convenience of a hatchback.”

I ALMOST decided to skip over this headline,as I was whiling my time away on the Internet,as usual.But ofcourse,providence had better plans,and I ended up clicking on the Urban cross link.Never have I been more thankful about my clumsy fingers:I ended up spending the better part of an hour exploring the features of India’s first ever urban cross: the Datsun redi-GO!

Ruby Red is my color.Source: https://www.datsun.co.in/redi-GO.html

 

 

 

Being a city girl,I have always been grateful for these tiny,chic means of transportation that can whiz you to your destination faster than any of their bulkier counterparts.(Ofcourse, omitting airplanes.I apologize for my sense of humor,or the lack of it.I must admit I’m quite thrilled by the redi-GO, and humor has taken a backseat.)I might be looking at my very own car, if things go as planned, and I manage to talk daddy dearest into it!

I would love to take it for a spin on the busy streets of Mumbai.I already have visions of myself in the majestic ruby variant,zipping away on the sea-link!Among the features that stand out and might possibly seal the deal for many of us,are the redi-Go’s affordability,its design-from the compact dash,spacious interior,to extra storage space;and its performance.

Starting at around 2,38,900 INR, the Datsun redi-GO certainly does justice to their tagline, “break through”,as it does exactly that, breaking through the stigma of affordability.The times of having to buy expensive vehicles for enjoying simple comforts are over.Having said this,the way the redi-GO does not compromise on its design and technology just to ensure affordability is a mean feat that Datsun have pulled off easily,and with style!

The ergonomic design with its attractive exterior ensures we drive comfortably,even in the chaos and hassle of city traffic.If you get stuck in traffic,sit back,and relax in the air-conditioned comfort of your redi-GO ,with a mobile dashboard to help you fend off attacks in Clash Of Clans,(strictly when you are stuck in traffic.)The specially engineered low-fatigue seats ensure you always ride in comfort.The Datsun redi-GO’s spacious 222 liter boot has enough room for all your junk.And that too,even when all 5 seats are occupied. In case we are headed out to a quiet picnic out of town,we can just fold down the rear seats and get over double the available space,to fit all the stuff that we need,and even the rest that we end up carrying,without really needing to!

However,appearances are not everything.Performance matters.. With its “high torque, high performance engine” and “impressive fuel efficiency”, the franchise promises that it is far ahead of others in its segment. If it delivers on performance too,this car might just be the new hot favorite in town! I can’t wait to take it for a spin,and explore its features,the performance and the mileage.For extra safety,the Datsun redi-GO boasts of performance augmented breaks,reinforced crash protection shell,front airbags,and high eye point opti-view,for a wider view of the surroundings while you drive along the city streets.

All in all,the datsun redi-GO looks like just the perfect vehicle for the average Indian:ranging from the peppy teenager looking for a fun ride with his friends,to a new family buying their first car,to a retired couple eloping into the sunset,it caters to the needs of all!

 

 

Made Of Great!

IndiBlogger is a fun blogger’s community which comes up with the most amazing contests! I almost would have missed one of these, the “Made of great” zonal war!

Tata Motors has been very busy lately,with the launch of a new advertising campaign, #madeofgreat starring everyone’s favorite football star, leo messi.The new car,Zica,that was launched promises to be a big player in the near future.

If you stay in Mumbai,you must have seen the made of great billboards and hoardings by now.If not,then don’t you fret, because this website has all of the ingenious ad campaigns that you might have otherwise missed.Check it out at Made Of Great .When talk about being made of great,the city comes to mind,almost instantly.

Well,apart from the fact that Mumbai is my absolute favorite city in the country, and home to a million dreams, I can proudly say, without bias, that this ancient city which is forever young at heart, is simply made of great!

What makes it the most amazing city in India is its drive, design and the amazing way every heart connects with the city.

Mumbai,is a city of dreams,they say, and they are not mistaken.The drive,ambition, guts and gumption of Mumbaikars is unparalleled.From the humble dabbavallahs to the CEOs of some of the world’s most affluent conglomerates, Mumbai has made them all,into what they are, and what they aspire to be!

Every day, as the sun rises over the horizon, shining upon the hopes and aspirations of immigrants and locals alike, the life force that runs through the veins of this city drives perfection home!

A congregation of seven islands,was collectively called the city that is now mumbai.The design is such a brilliant example of how even the tiniest of spaces can be utilized to near perfection. The shanties and apartment blocks in Mumbai house a million dreams.With the sea-link adorning mumbai’s skyline,the city now has an even more efficient network of quick transportation, playing second fiddle to the city’s lifeline, the Local trains.

I might soon start babbling about the awesomeness here,and mind you, I could go on and on and on, but the best part about mumbai is its people.All the millions of souls that reside here, all mumbaikars in spirit.

In this lively city, enchanting things happen;and keep happening.There is something for each and everyone! For example, take yesterday! There were four different events happening simultaneously, that I wished to go to!An anoushka shankar concert in the city, a treat for lovers of the mesmerizing sitar, a Dr.Who fan night for  the Whovians in town, and a pretty little flea market, The Li’l flea at Bandra!

I ended up watching a movie, and going to the li’l flea.More about that later though,and soon!

Moral of the story:there is never a dull moment in mumbai.Chill at Tryst or Royalty, or just drive around carter’s or hang out at the Marine lines, or do some sightseeing at the SGNP, the list will go on and on! So many places to go, so many new people to connect with, and the people here are absolute sweethearts, mind you! So,this is what my city will look like,to a stranger’s eyes.If you have never been here yet, come,and experience Amchi Mumbai, and you will return, part mumbaikar, with an irreplaceable part of mumbai in your soul!

 

Sugarfree sweetness

Mum recently had a diabetes scare,and even if it was just that-a scare, it has made her super conscious when it comes to anything and everything even remotely related to the word “sweet”.

Naturally,with Diwali upon us, and sweets galore everywhere, mum,who generally relishes laddoos and barfis with the enthusiasm of a five-year old, swore that she would stay away from all of those,this year,and for the “happy,healthy” years to come.

It was not easy to watch.Period.

Also,mum was out looking for alternatives to satisfy her sugar cravings,on day two of the said fitness regime!

That is when we discovered “Sugar free Natura”, a low calorie sugar substitute.Ofcourse, mum had her set of qualms about the whole “Diet sugar” thing,but we decided to try it out anyways.

Since,everything is done online nowadays, (the alternative being me having to run errands,going to the supermarket and ACTUALLY fetching the stuff myself,which, to yours truly, is NOT at all plausible), we looked up the sugar free website, http://sugarfree-india.com/ and, after mum had made sure that all the facts she had in her checklist, checked out, we went ahead to actually try it.(The reassuring image of sanjeev kapoor, mum’s culinary inspiration,on the bottle might have helped too.)

After shelling out a reasonable 125 rupees for a 200 spoons bottle (atleast that’s how much I think it was.Don’t quite remember the exact amount,mostly because it was quite reasonable.),we decided to give sugar free a try.

Mum’s favorite besan laddoo recipe seemed like a favorable candidate.Here is the recipe:

Besan laddoo

Ingredients:

3 cups of gram flour (besan)

5-7 spoons of sugar free natura

2 tbsp cow ghee

Cardamom,well grounded

Dry fruits for seasoning.

Directions:

1.Mix the gram flour, cardamom and sugar in a bowl,and add the ghee.

2.Heat the mixture on a mild flame.(Am I going all “chemistry nerd” here?Sorry!This is the first time I am penning down a recipe,and as an engineering graduate and pop culture nerd,the time spent in the kitchen,which isn’t utilized for eating, is quite low.I hope you folks understand.)

3.What did mum do next?

4.Oh yeah, allow the mixture to sit still for an hour or three, depending upon your previous plans and engagements for the afternoon.The besan doesn’t mind.

5.Ignore the writer’s attempts at silly humor, and begin rolling the laddoos,into tiny little balls of sweetness.

6.Garnish with dry fruits.

7.Voila.

8.Gobble ’em up!

Wow.As simple as that!This makes me wonder why mum chose such a simple recipe.Was it because I was working in the kitchen?Huh!Need to ask her that.And the whereabouts of the cute pair of socks I bought last month.And, well, I wouldn’t bore you with the details,silly me!

So,anyways, the laddoos turned out to be pretty delicious, if I say so myself!Mum has replaced the sugar cans in the kitchen with bottles of Natura,and as it’s as sweet as the earlier variants, none of the family minds.On the plus side-health benefits:triple yay!

I couldn’t click pictures while I had my hands in the flour,but here are a few pictures of the laddoos,taken from different angles, taken five minutes before they disappeared for good!

Thanks for reading.

P.s:This recipe,is an account of how we made the laddoos,as I remember it (“As I remember it” being the key-phrase here),so I wouldn’t be surprised if anyone finds a flaw or two.If you do,just let me know in the comments section below,and I’ll be very grateful to you!