Pinterest Picks: Offbeat Invites

Invites, according to me, play quite an important role in getting guests enthusiastic for a gathering/ party/ event, etc. That said, we do not always have the time or want to invest too much in them. Which is why I am loving this first pick for the post. It’s a great picture invite, so DIY, and easily customizable for any event. Perfect for to be circulated via the web.

Below are some more fantastic ones that I found very unique but will need considerable time and effort.

1. Sparklers with matches included: ideal for any celebratory event or even a farewell as seen below
2. & 3. Ideal for little and big boy events such as birth announcements and birthdays

 
4. Corset invite perfect for a bachelorette or a girls only birthday celebration
5. Ballerina invites for little and big girl parties
6. Egg invites for a birth announcement or baby shower

P.S. You can see more invite ideas on my Pinterest board here.
P.P.S All image sources are available from my Pinterest page too.

Words I’m Loving – Of Parenting & Letting Go

“Parents rarely let go of their children, so children let go of them. They move on. They move away. The moments that used to define them - a mother's approval, a father's nod - are covered by moments of their own accomplishments. It is not until much later, as the skin sags and the heart weakens, that children understand; their stories, and all their accomplishments, sit atop the stories of their mothers and fathers, stones upon stones, beneath the waters of their lives.”

― Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet in Heaven

The mother in me wants to remember these words forever. I’ve only spent a little over a year with my son but my attachment to him, in this short period of time, is stronger than so much I’ve spent an entire lifetime on. I shudder to think, what will be of this attachment, as I spend more years with him. How then can parents let go… but they must.. to keep this precious bond alive and going on for as long as we are here....

P.S. I shared some more of Mitch Albom’s awesome quotes on my Twitter stream, you can read them here.

Get Inspired: Ganpatiji on a Ferrari

I’ve always seen a very traditional take on decorations for Ganesh Chaturthi, and understandably so – it is a traditional festival after all. But when I saw Ganpati on a Ferrari recently at my neighbor’s, I quite loved the influx of modernity to the usual decor, and how the idea was brought to fruition by a simple yet stunning addition.

This cut-out style car would also be great for a car themed party, as a photo booth set-up or backdrop for the food/ dessert/ giveaway tables.

(P.S. Big thanks to Meenakshi and Anita Khanchandani for allowing me share this)

Super Fun & Hilarious Group Game (With Free Printable)

I love playing group games. I think they help people bond so much better. A few months ago, I combined four of my favorite games, Dares + Movie Quiz + Clay Pictionary + Charades, into one, so, instead of playing one game, you play a medley. It was an instant hit!

The beauty of this game is you can customise the four games and the tasks under each game based on the age group of your guests – so it can be a family, kiddie or adult game ;D or for a special occasion such as a baby or bridal shower.

How to play:
I created a quick and simple table with four columns, each for a game category mentioned above, and assigned points depending on difficulty and fun levels ;D. Therefore, Dares came out with the highest points, followed by Charades, Clay Pictionary and Movie Quiz. Under each category, I listed 10 challenges.

On a separate sheet, to be used by the game host only, I selected and listed 10 each of dares, movie quiz questions, clay pictionary words and modified famous sayings for charades (a twist to the usual movie charades ;D).

We made two teams, 10 players each, and gave each team the opportunity to chose a category and a number within the category, and accordingly they had to perform their challenge. Strike of the number on the table below as the challenge in a category is completed. So for instance, if a team chooses No. 5 from the Dare category, that gets struck off.

 Download image here

Since dares are assigned the highest marks, our sporty friends dived straight into it, and with the kind of dares I had lined up, we all just LOLd away!

While the internet is loaded with inspiration, if you wish to receive my copy of the challenges for the various categories, just send me an e-mail on nishka (dot) manglani (at) gmail (dot) com or leave me a comment below.

A Venetian Experience with a Baby

I haven’t seen anything quite like Venice before – a city built on water, with such a gorgeous heritage. Beautiful views and water canals are everywhere and perhaps its lifeline. It’s also a great city to get completely lost in, wander through many a narrow streets, get mesmerised and smitten and charmed with what the city has to offer.

But should one go there with babies/ toddlers? Well, Venice is probably not such a baby friendly city given the way it is built. Bridges come at every few meters to connect you from one side of land to the other - which means if you have a baby in a pram, you have to carry them up the steps, down the steps, walk a little distance, and again go up and down – you get the drift?  There is no transportation on land.

But should that stop you from visiting this beauty. Probably not. If you go equipped with a baby carrier, which works a lot better, and/ or a very light pram, you are in for a comfortable time. However, if you have a toddler who doesn’t like to sit in their pram or walk, you may be in for some discomfort.

That said, I saw so many families with three and more young kids holidaying in the city. I believe that when you travel with lil ones, you have to be realistic in your expectations of what you can or not do on a holiday. If the frame of mind is in the right place, you will love Venice, with a baby, just as much as we did :D

Stay & kids’ essentials:
Since Venice is so full of bridges, when it comes to hotels, I would suggest you pick up something that is close to the water taxi stations. If you are traveling with a lot of luggage, you will be very thankful for this choice.

We stayed in Hotel Canal Grande, and as the name suggests, it was on the main water canal in Venice called the Grand Canal. I would definitely recommend this to anyone traveling with kids. The staff are very courteous and helpful, and I love them for offering me their kitchen to make fresh mashed up meals for my son. They also have a nice breakfast spread and serve the best coffee I had on my trip.

Hotel Canal Grande has two water taxi stations just steps away and is just opposite the Santa Lucia train station. If you are coming into Venice and/ or getting out via trains, there’s not too much of a walk with your bags to the hotel.

If you are from the subcontinent and the kid(s) are used to having Indian food, there’s an Indian restaurant, Ganesh Ji, just a few meters away from the hotel. It is the only Indian restaurant in Venice and serves delish food.

I traveled with enough stock of diapers and milk powder, but I did see the same along with baby food jars in pharmacies and local grocery stores. Fresh milk, yoghurt and fruits were easily available. We also had a fruit and vegetable market very close to the hotel.

Reminiscing a Rainy Day in Roma

The weather in Dubai today, or shall I say the absence of the sun during the day (:P), reminds me of the morning Rome welcomed us back from the cruise - a cloud laden sky followed by a day full of light rain. It was also my son’s first rendezvous with the downpour and what a lovely day it was :D

The way you see a city, interpret it, experience it, reminisce it, also depends on the weather among other things. I was lucky to see Rome with this overcast, and the joy of being in the city in this weather is a memory very close to my heart.

 
A very early morning shot from our cruise room as we get ready to dock in Rome
(Photo credit: Hubby, Manish)

  Cold coffee in a roadside cafe

A hot cuppa indoors

Yay! Masala Nomination for Lifealicious

As clichéd as it may sound, I really cannot believe that my baby, this blog, has received its first recognition, even if it is just a nomination at this stage :D Lifealicious has been selected in the Masala! Awards 2012 Best Asian Blogger category, and I am beyond thrilled! As a PR professional, there were many times when we recommended clients to participate in these awards and many when clients came to us wanting to be a part of it. So it really does mean a lot to have Lifealicious there now.

My blog and I have reached this point thanks to my amazing readers who keep me motivated to keep this space going to the best that I can. Grazie mille! (The after effect of an Italian holiday :D)

But just like most social media campaigns are run these days, to win in this category, I need your help with a precious vote. If you’ve liked reading this space, please do take a moment and follow this link to cast your say in the Best Asian Blogger category. And may I add, if you do participate, you also get a chance to win one of their fabulous prizes which add up to a whopping Dhs. 100,000 ;D