My father in-law has a very endearing caretaker who originates from the Garo Hills. Swing is a short, middle-aged man with a rather muscular stature and a deep, dark chocolate-brown complexion, and has been a part of this family ever since I married into it. Yes, his name is Swing! Given his fondness for the bottle and a very jovial disposition, this name seems pretty apt for him. Sparse teethed yet ever-smiling, Swing has formed a special friendship with my daughter who he last saw as a 2 year-old. My daughter does not speak any Indian regional languages, and Swing has very limited use of the English tongue. Yet the other afternoon, I saw him sitting there trying to tell her a story in colloquial Hindi.

The legend of Garbo Raja a Boro Hills Folktale in The Tezzy Files Dubai Travel Blog Assamese Blogger North East India.jpg

Always keen on hearing some regional-style storytelling myself, I sat down to listen and offered to be the translator between the two. Swing narrated the story of Gangbo Raja, a folktale that has been passed down generations in the Garo Hills.

One of the biggest perks of blogging is getting to meet very interesting, creative and likeminded individuals. A few months ago, I had a chance encounter with the lovely, bubbly Yvette Ali. I fell in love with her endearing accent, and my heart missed a beat when she mentioned she originates from the very colourful country of Puerto Rico. As we were at a foodie event (at the launch of the BBC Good Food show to be precise), I had a long list of questions for her about her native cuisine. Till I met Yvette, my idea of Puerto Rican dishes was vaguely similar to Spanish offerings. However, Yvette tells me their food has a great deal of African and Latino influences thrown in as well!

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By day she freelances as a consultant (do check out her site by clicking here), but in her spare time Yvette whips up a feast that takes her back to her cultural roots. In today’s guest post, Yvette gives us a vivid glimpse into the world of Puerto Rican cuisine, and ends by generously sharing a recipe for her all-time favorite Escabeche de Pescado con Vianda. Read on for more!

Yoga is not a passing phase, it is an ancient art of well-being that has been practiced for centuries. I introduced you to the lovely Sue Flamm, founder of Puja Yoga, in a recent blog post. How many of you are like me, still contemplating on rolling out that yoga mat, but far too cynical, or just plain lazy to get a head start?

I first heard of Puja Yoga from my friend Nouf. She is an inspiration for lazy bums like me. What started off as a brief trial at getting fitter, ended up becoming a ‘can’t live without’ life obsession for this very fit, firm and flexible young lady. Today’s post is a Guest Post by my dear friend Nouf. Read on about her inspiring journey into the world of yoga, and learn how she has incorporated it into her everyday life.

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Photo credit: Pablo Bori @PBorip

Blue Ink Beachwear is a brand new fashion label to look out for this summer. Originating from fashion-savvy Italy, the debuting collection takes inspiration from exotic prints from across the globe, and is the brainchild of designer Anisha Lalani.

 

blue ink beachwear founder anisha lalani

 

Born to an Indian father and Belgian mother, and now working on an Italian brand for the UAE market, Anisha is every bit the global citizen! Apart from the gorgeous design aesthetics of the collection, Anisha has created pieces that are wearable by real women. From size 6 to 20, Blue Ink Beachwear has something to flatter every body. Read on for more from Anisha, and perhaps you’ll find some inspiration for your Summer 2016 wardrobe!

Sherine John Tresind br manager mixologist cocktails molecular gastronomy dubai UAE indian fine dining (1)Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of dining at Tresind (located in Nassima Royal Hotel – Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai), will tell you about their magical cocktails. The drinks at Tresind oftentimes steal the spotlight from the restaurant’s phenomenal dishes. Clever concoctions featuring unexpected blends and the theatricals of molecular gastronomy thrown in, each drink is a unique masterpiece and presented with the exceptionally suave, jaw-dropping pizzazz we have come to expect a la Tresind.

Today I am introducing you to the man behind the magic; Tresind’s very own maestro mixologist, Beverage Manager Sherine John himself. A graduate in Hotel Management from India, John always had a special interest in cocktails and self-taught his way into Tresind cocktail fame.

The Numaish Summer Show is set to entice fashionistas with a whole new array of designer fashion. One of the newest designers to showcase their wares at the Numaish show (scheduled to run from 29 to 30th April in Hotel Conrad) is the young, talented Hirika Jagani who self-named line promises to add a touch of seasonal freshness to your wardrobe.

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Hirika Jagani

logo.jpgTranslate Handwoven Ikat is an Indian fashion and home decor brand that was conceptualized and created by Vinita and Vikas Passary. This unique concept takes traditional ikat weaves, and recreates contemporary wear for women.

‘Translate’ will be showcasing their latest collection at the Numaish Summer Show (at Hotel Conrad, from 29 – 30th April 2016).

I had a chat with co-founder Vinita Passary. Read on to learn more about this eclectic Indo-Western brand, and the summer styles we need to look out for in Summer 2016.

I got e-introduced to Sue Flamm by my yoga-loving friend Nouf. Based in Spain, Sue has been practicing yoga for over four decades, and launched the Puja Yoga initiative which offers yoga teacher training, retreats, workshops and classes at an international level.sue flmm puja yoga

Sue has worked as a yoga practitioner in Dublin, Belgium, Holland, the United states and Valencia Spain and will be going to spread more on Puja Yoga in Dublin and Barcelona this fall.

Given the popularity of yoga in the UAE, I’m sure it won’t be long before Sue has a fan following in our region as well!

Sue is a full-time yoga practitioner, and author to a yoga manual entitled ‘Restorative Yoga with Assists‘ (available on Amazon). Although Sue is her official name, she likes to go by her yoga alias, Puja 🙂 Read on for more details on Puja Yoga from Puja herself!

Being told I look like my mother is by far one of the best compliments I’ve ever received. If only I had her effortless grace and cooking abilities to match. The photo below is of my mother infront of the iconic Taj Mahal, sometime in the late seventies.

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Mothers and daughters share a very special bond, and I definitely don’t need a commercially whipped up Mother’s Day to tell her how much she means to me. However, going by convention, I wish her twice a year! You see, although the West celebrates Mother’s Day on the second Sunday of May, the Arab world honors mothers on 21st March.

Have you bought your mother something special yet? Hurry! You only have this weekend to get yourself sorted! I have a list of ideas that might help… and these do away with the conventional gifting of bouquets and chocolate, I promise! Read on for more…

rania gamal interview health beauty fitness tips dubai uae the tezzy files blogRania Gamal is much more than just a pretty face. This stunning young woman has aced in her career as Dubai’s top model, hosts a number of local television shows, and is obsessed with keeping up with her fitness regime.

I had the pleasure of chatting with Rania, and noting down some pearls of wisdom on fitness, health and overall beauty and well-being. If you are an aspiring model yourself, you might find her advice on the UAE modelling scene very useful! Read on for more.