Lavazza - Italy's favourite coffee

LAVAZZA is Italy's favorite coffee.

Founded in Turin, Italy in the year 1895 by Luigi Lavazza, this brand has crossed continents to win the hearts and palates of millions of people around the world. This is now available on supermarket shelves in India too.

I am a fan of Nescafe and Starbucks. Now I feel Lavazza is also competing and in the near future, I may have to include this too in the favorites. There is no Starbucks store in Kerala; hope they will start asap one here too, the potential is huge! Nearest one is at Bangalore about which I have blogged some time ago when we visited there. I have tried their blends; they are wonderful!

I love Nescafe Gold by Nestle. The rich aroma, the unique flavor, the way it tickles the palate, the feeling it gives...thumbs up! Nestle has provided unique coffee to us for years and I give a 5-star rating to it because of the consistency of that brand in giving full satisfaction for such a very long time.

Now Lavazza...let us see how it will fare in the long run.

Coffee or tea? 
I love both. In my case there are coffee days, tea days, coffee and tea weeks, that's it. I have a collection of exotic coffees and teas like these, green teas, white teas etc. all included.

Now let us look into the health benefits of drinking coffee.

• Protection from Alzheimer's disease, related disorders, and dementia.

Coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing this degenerative disease that affects the brain. You all are familiar with the serious problems associated with this disease for which there is no known cure. When our loved elders do not recognize us or start talking nonsense it doesn't feel good.

• Protection for the liver; prevents the development of cirrhosis

Coffee drinkers are found to be less susceptible to the development of cirrhosis. Cirrhosis can develop in alcoholics, in hepatitis and also if the liver becomes fatty. Coffee may help in cases of the fatty liver due to non-alcoholic causes. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a very common problem nowadays.

• Coffee for weight loss; burns fat

This may be due to the increased metabolic rate induced by caffeine. This is a common ingredient in most of the fat loss supplements.

• Some protection from developing Type - 2 Diabetes

This is a proven fact as depicted by many studies but reasons are unknown.

• Better mental performance

No need to explain about this. As soon as we start sipping the black colored liquid the general well being improves; we tend to become alert.

• Improved physical performance, reduces fatigue

A cup of coffee after a vigorous workout in Gym will reduce muscle soreness. Moderate caffeine intake before workout boosts energy levels.

• Lowers risk of developing stroke

Some studies have shown that in regular coffee drinkers the incidence of stroke is less.

• Lowers risk of developing Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease is a movement disorder. Clumsiness of movement, tremors are some of the
features of this disease.

• Antioxidants

Coffee is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals in the body that produce diseases.

• Antidepressant

No doubt, caffeine elevates mood and fights depression.

• Anti-cancerous

Coffee might afford some protection against colorectal and liver cancers.

Heart disease and BP
In the olden times, coffee has fallen into disrepute because of its stimulatory effects on the heart and circulatory system. If you have heartbeat rhythm irregularity or high blood pressure be careful in consuming caffeine. Please note that tea also contains caffeine so anything that has caffeine in it may trigger some untoward effects.

Promote Organic! If the mainstream multinational companies give more importance to organic produce it will bring the price down, will increase availability and will improve the health of everybody.

The focus on the health benefits until recently was on tea in general and green tea in particular. Statistics tell us that the numbers of coffee drinkers are huge and the tea less. Caffeine is said to be the most popular, addictive drug if we label it scientifically, and tea and coffee both contain it. But recent research has unveiled the above facts that have given coffee lovers huge relief. Nowadays, we can see many exotic tea blends in Coffee shops also and that is a welcome change. Some cafes offer health teas too like Chamomile.

Green tea, Macha green tea, white tea, all have proven health benefits. Coffee too is a winner.
If you are a die-hard fan of green tea then enjoy this poem http://magicalpresent.blogspot.in/2013/07/green-tea.html

So tea, coffee or both?
Enjoy all things good!

Note: Please read the DISCLAIMER attached to this blog.

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A boat trip, Marine drive, Kochi

    

Enjoying a boat trip at Marine drive in Kochi is something everyone visiting Kerala must experience. Located at the heart of the city the spot is easily accessible. In the evenings we can hire private boats and they will take you for a round trip through the backwaters. Besides, there are plenty of public transport boats that can be used if you happen to be there at other times of the day.

 What I found most enjoyable here is the cool sea breeze.

Stretching along the shore there is a walkway. This is a laid-back area of the city and a popular hangout spot. Throughout the day we can see people sitting on the benches on both sides of this walkway. There are many shopping malls, local eateries, and hotels along the walkway.

Enjoy the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wa77N4RBFYg

Please check my old post also :
http://magnificentdewdrops.blogspot.in/2013/07/marine-drive-kochi.html

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The Dubai mall - beautiful architecture!

 The Dubai Mall

At downtown Dubai adjacent to Burj Khalifa, the tallest tower in the world and the beautiful Dubai fountain, Dubai mall attracts more and more people day by day. One thing I have noticed here is wherever you point the camera you will get a beautiful frame. The architecture is simply brilliant. It is picture perfect!

One of the best bookshops in Dubai, the Book World by Kinokuniya is one store no one should miss if you happen to visit this mall.

Kidzania, flight simulator, Dubai Ice rink, the Reel cinemas are some of the shops that attract a huge crowd here.
               
This is a must-see spot at Dubai.

http://www.thedubaimall.com

Please check my old posts about the Dubai Mall:

http://magnificentdewdrops.blogspot.in/2014/08/dubai-mall-waterfall.html
http://magnificentdewdrops.blogspot.in/2013/07/book-world-by-kinokuniya-dubai.html

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Carry on series - everlasting entertainment...

I bought this entire pack of 16 DVD's from Amazon.in for an attractive prize. I am a fan of the Carry on series. I had watched some of the movies of this series like the Carry on doctor, Carry on again doctor, Carry on camping etc. but was not able to get many others. So when I saw this offer I did not hesitate to buy. Thanks, Amazon.in

I watched Carry on doctor about 20 years ago. Then some others from the series also got released in India because of the positive response. Some were telecast on TV. I never get bored watching these, every time I watch it makes me laugh out loud. I haven't finished watching all these 16 DVD's, only three as of now. Carry on camping, Carry on abroad and Carry on Dick. Carry on cruising is not part of this DVD pack; I bought it separately. Really funny movie!

This pack contains Carry on doctor, Carry on again doctor, Carry on abroad, Carry on behind, Don't lose your head, Carry on up the jungle, Carry on at your convenience, Carry on Matron, Carry on Henry, Carry on up the Khyber, Carry on Girls, Carry on camping, Carry on loving, Follow that camel and Carry on England and Carry on Dick.

The Carry on series as you know contains:

• 31 motion pictures
• 4 Christmas specials
• 1 TV series - 13 episodes
• 3 Stage plays

Hope I will be able to compile all of these asap😊

The Carry on team: Sidney James, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims, Kenneth Connor, Peter Butterworth, Hattie Jacques, Terry Scott, Bernard Bresslaw, Barbara Windsor, Jack Douglas, and Jim Dale. Directed by Gerald Thomas and produced by Peter Rogers they made history making it one of the most successful series in the world.

I would like to mention two funny scenes😊
Nurse is checking Sid james's BP, the apparatus explodes when Barbs makes her appearance in the hospital ward, lol! - Carry on doctor.

Next is from Carry on camping - Kenneth Williams is conducting exercise session for the girls when suddenly Barbara Windsor's bikini top gets overstretched, breaks and lands on his face!

Love these movies!

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Global village, Dubai, post - two

         

Global village, Dubai...post continued...
Look at the beautiful pavilions of Malaysia and Singapore on the canal shore.

                   

You will find all sorts of interesting things from different countries here. The ceramic dome-shaped vessels are famous for cooking in Morocco. They are called Tajines.

          

Magnificent pavilions of Vietnam and Spain...

                    

It is difficult to finish exploring this awesome place within a day, a week? well...I do not know...each day new and exotic things appear here...!

          

What a beautiful venue...!

Love this place...!

Any plans to visit Dubai? Well, make it a point to visit during the year-end...the time when they conduct the Dubai shopping festival!

http://globalvillage.ae/en

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Global village, Dubai, post - one

Dubai global village!

Every year the number of countries having pavilions here is increasing. No doubt, this gathering is getting better and better as years go by.

This time of the year is a festive season in Dubai. Coupled with Dubai shopping festival (DSF) there is glitter and bling everywhere in Dubai. Mesmerizing Dubai!

           

This is a unique opportunity to witness the culture, products, and people from different parts of the world without going there.

          

It actually is a vast venue with eateries, entertainment, fireworks and the like! There is a cultural stage here where artists from different countries showcase their unique cultural talents.

      

Photography, when twilight is in full swing is a wonderful thing!

 

There is an artificial canal where you can ride on traditional boats. There are stage shows, stunt shows, street shows, cultural shows, and concerts.

       

The exhibits are simply awesome! Not a moment of boredom. The price is also reasonable,

     

You will be able to buy any type of middle eastern perfumes here. Feeling lucky...well...there are lucky draws too and the winner gets sackloads of money, it is Dubai, you know!

These pictures were taken the last time I visited there in 2012.

http://globalvillage.ae/en

I will be posting asap more about this beautiful event in the next post...

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Arabian dishes

Yummy!
Authentic Turkish dishes at Al Andalus restaurant at Sukhumvit, Bangkok.
                                         

 This green tea flavored with mint leaves was excellent.

 Awesome soup, rice, and fish, yummy fresh salad!

                                                                  Love hummus 😊

I like middle eastern cuisine a lot. Always try them whenever I travel 😊

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How to animate a picture: add stars, floaties, glitter etc.

I created an animated graphical picture for the post on new year day. For this, I selected a picture of a chandelier that I photographed at the Dubai Mall. I thought of spicing it up by adding glitter, stars, and bling to it. I use http://www.online-image-editor.com when I want to add such things to a picture. It is an awesome website where you upload a picture and do whatever you desire. They have an impressive collection of glitters, stars, floaties etc. You can save time by uploading a small sized picture. The website will modify the size sometimes when you add some animations. Moreover, we can do the basic works also like re-sizing, add frames etc. Be careful with your picture's format, find out which one will work with your site. There is a provision for converting to many formats.

The picture of a palm tree at Deira, Dubai on this post was modified by adding rain floaties. A star was also added.

But when I want to do something elaborate and delicately I use Photoshop. Otherwise for simple works I prefer to make use of pic monkey and other similar online image editors like this.

Hope this post will help you to create beautiful and cool pictures!
http://www.online-image-editor.com

• Creativity is something we all appreciate. By being creative, we stimulate our brain and this brings productivity. 

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HAPPY NEW YEAR 2016!

Wish you all a very happy, prosperous and fun-filled New Year!