Swatsiie’s Brownie Recipe and Quarantine Thoughts

This is a crazy phase of life, which one day – the day I’m really, really looking forward to, is a long, forgotten memory and just a story to keep the coming generations on their toes. But, for now, I am starting to experience new levels of gobsmackedness with how bored and restless I can be. I’m trying to find something new to do in this new normal.

I find myself colouring in the Zoé de Las Cases’ Secret New York, trying to come up with new writing assignments for myself, promising to not play anymore Candy Crush and actually read Pernille Hughes’ Probably the best kiss in the world. I also find myself perfecting my baking activities – like finally coming up with a batch of chocolate chip cookies (with nutella centre) that do not burn and brownies that are perfectly chewy, crispy and brownie-like.

So, apart from penning (or typing) down my thoughts, I thought I’ll put the recipe to my brownies! They’re not magical brownies – but, they do have magic. And no, the secret ingredient is not love. It’s boredom.

Ingredients:

Yogurt – 1 cup
Self-Raising Flour – 1 cup
Cocoa – 1/2 – 3/4 cup (depends on how dark you would like them to be)
Brown Sugar- 1/2 cup
Oil – 1/2 cup
Vanilla Essence – 1 tsp
Baking Powder – 1 1/2 tsp
Sodium Bicarbonate – 1/2 tsp
Hershey’s Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips – 1/2 cup

Method:

1. Empty the oven of all the things your mom’s stored inside.
2. Turn it on – and begin the preheating – I think it’s 350 Fahrenheit. Ask your mom. Or mine.  
3. Mix the oil and brown sugar in a bowl – and whisk (beat) till it’s mixed and fluffy. Then add the yogurt and whisk till it’s mixed properly. Once done, add the vanilla essence. (I’ll now call this the wet mix – for lack of better words)
4. In another bowl, sieve and mix cocoa, self-raising flour, baking powder and soda. (Let’s call this the dry mix)
5. Starting add the dry mix slowly into the wet mix – 1 tbsp at a time and keep whisking the batter. Eventually, add all the dry mix into the wet mix and whisk it all together – till everything looks like it belong together.
6. Don’t stick your fingers in yet – you can taste it after.
7. Add the chocolate chips and to not destroy them – take like those plastic thingy’s that scoop things clean or like a normal mixer wooden spoon or you know, a spoon and start mixing them in.
8. Butter up the cake dish – glaze it with a little ghee or butter and then pour the batter in (halfway in the dish). Leave some extra batter to eat after.
9. Put it in the oven for 20 minutes – and do the toothpick test. Depending on the oven – might take 20-30 minutes.

Carrie Bradshaw – New Quarantine Muse?

I always thought I was a Charlotte – despite my career is basically what Samantha does – I was convinced between the either – at least I wasn’t a Miranda. Maybe a Carrie – since I do like to write, especially when I’m sitting by my window, staring out and writing.

But this whole quarantine situation seems to have thrown everything in the gutter. After living in my rotating set of PJs for three weeks straight, I’m starting to really get bored and want to dress up – even if it’s for myself and my parents. And while I’m still doing the work that Samantha does (professionally, not you know what she mostly did on the show), I’m looking at fashion’s late 90s muse – Carrie Bradshaw on the secrets of quarantine dressing.

Carrie was a risk-taker when it came to her outfits – she dared combinations I still wouldn’t exactly wear – but as a freelance writer working from her Upper East Side apartment, she was often at home in from of her MacBook – and dressed to the toe. While her problems revolved around what to wear to brunch and when would Big come around and not social distancing and self-quarantine, there is still inspiration to be found in her wardrobe.  

With very little casual moments in everything that Carrie wore – even if it was for a grocery run or sitting down by the window to write her column. In an effort to find some joy in the new normal – here’s to embracing dressing up like Carrie.

For the Balcony:

While it’s no Parisian balcony with the Eiffel Tower in view, it’s a balcony – in the wild outdoors. Mix it up, put on a dress, maybe colour – and brush that beautiful mane.

For the Kitchen:

Bring out the checkered-shirts that you haven’t worn, matched unmatched PJs or add a pair of red heels to the outfit to make the drinking, I mean – cooking more fun!

For the Virtual Dinners in the living room:

Adding a little effort – maybe breaking in the big gowns, something with glitter, poofy sleeves, a giant flower broach or a tutu-skirt number for the surprise virtual dancing!

For the grocery runs:

Sure it might not be Manolo-s that you are going out for, but the grocery run every other day – could be the time to shine. Even elevate the simple capri and loose top with a pair of heels and a bandana. Bring out the pattern on pattern and the shiny belts you saved for some reason!

For the working out or athe-leisure dressing:

For someone who looked the way she did, Carrie didn’t do a lot of working out. So off-shoulder sweat shirt with pearls and mascara it is.

For the work video conferences:

I have seen those unfortunate videos of toilet sitting and no-pants *cringe* so, make a little desk – perhaps by the window. Add in a (faux) fur jacket, a headband or a bandana, a pearl necklace or just a cozy knit – add the chic in conferences that could be an email.

Why I love ‘Jane the Virgin’ and you should too!

Our story begins about 5 and a half years ago, when I was stumbled upon the trailer of a show called ‘Jane the Virgin’. The title was enough to entice me and the opening trailer had me in giggles, intrigue and mystery – right away it went on my list.

Fast forward to today, the final season is dropping on Netflix this weekend and while I already watched as every episode dropped – I am ready to binge again! So, if you haven’t gotten on the Jane-parade – I’m here to convince you to start! We are at home, with nowhere to go – when can be better?

It’s a telenovela – which is basically a tv-show with a limited-run time and done in a typical Latin-American fashion. Meaning it’s dramatic, it’s surprising, it’s intriguing, its… its… its ADDICTIVE!

So, we begin with Jane. I mean, after all, the show is named after her. Jane is a virgin – who gets accidentally artificially inseminated by Rafael’s sperm by Rafael’s sister, Luisa instead of Rafael’s wife Petra. But, Jane is dating the cop Michael – who is looking into the murder of Rafael’s best friend’s murder – the same guy that Petra is having an affair with. Confused? Unconvinced? Okay, I will just list out reasons so you can start watching.

Jane

Jane is super relatable as a character – she’s not dangerously attractive that makes you wonder if you can ever relate. She’s cute – she’s your girl-next-door. She’s intelligent, charming, trustworthy, super competitive – all the qualities that make her so real.

Her obsession with grilled cheese sandwiches, her very real confusion between one extremely hot baby daddy and one kind of cute cop fiance or when she’s trying not to take sides between her mom and Abuela. She has her flaws too – especially when she’s about to get really angry. Oh, and did I mention she’s a pregnant virgin? That’s basically what the show is mostly about.

The Hot Men

I’ll be honest, quite a significant part of why I watch the show is because of the men on the show. Adding in the romance and mystery, there are three essential dreamboats that you need to know about – Rafael (Jane’s baby daddy) , Rogelio (Jane’s daddy) and Michael (Jane’s boyfriend/fiancé). If you are wondering, I’m on #TeamRafael all the way.

My favourite person on the show is The Narrator – better known as the Latin Love Narrator. Never before have I seen a show where the narrator had such an important role – his snide remarks, comments fit in seamlessly in every scene – collecting not only his thoughts, the characters’ thoughts but also the viewers!

Which brings me to –

Rafael Solano

I can’t be objective about this – it is what it is. I love Rafael. I wanted Jane to be with Rafael from the very moment they first kisses – five years before the show’s timeline – she should have always chosen Rafael. I am not sure what it was – the shirtless scenes, the sensitive side, the love he has for Jane and the kids or the way he always wanted the best for her – even if it was his expense – emotionally, mentally, economically.

While Jane was always the heroine we knew she is, Rafael’s character grew by the episode. From being the rich playboy to the joyous baby daddy to the man in love complete with the grand romantic gestures – there’s nothing you will not love about being on Team Rafael.

No Dull Moments!

Whether it’s Jane’s birthday with her mum Xiomara dancing seductively, or her favourite TV star turning out to be her dad or the fact that Rose wasn’t who she was or Petra had a twin. To say that the show is dramatic – is but of an understatement. On Jane the Virgin – there are no dull moments.

And while our dear Latin Lover Narrator adds a lot of intrinsic drama to the already dramatic scenes – Jane the Virgin has very unexpected cliff hangers – that aren’t just there for the sake of being dramatic. (I feel like this paragraph can be a drinking game for the word Drama).

There’s twists and turns and threats – that in on way or another affect and complicate every single character’s life. Some of the biggest arcs on the show that are often threatened and complicated are – Jane’s relationship with her mom, her ability to trust Rafael. It’s not just about #TeamRafael or #TeamJane – but conflicts that help the show grow more and kept me coming back on the edge of my seat episode after episode.

Relationships on the show

When it comes to relationships – they really did nail it. They showed all sides of all kinds of relationships – the mother-daughter relationship that Jane and her mom (Xiomara) have or the Xiomara and Abuela have or the one Petra has with hers. They are real, raw, messed up and just so entertaining for the most part. It sounds like a jumble as I’m saying it out loud – but the Latin Lover Narrator is really good at reminding/explaining/clearing out any doubts. My favourite relationship is the friendship of Jane and Petra – by the end of season 5 – that’s one of the relationships everyone ends up caring most about.

Rogelio and his DRAMATICNESS!

Gifs would be enough for him, honestly:

So, why don’t you join me and get on the Jane-parade!

For Granted

The luxury of having and acting on an opinion or any notion is all that makes a difference. In the current times, with the unrequited claim of choosing, we are stuck indoors, indefinitely. In any other scenario, sleeping for a couple of days and watching time actually slow down would have been ideal – had it been a choice.

Last night, as I started out my window watching the lightening shake the city and the rain pour down – realization of how for granted I’ve taken things deemed upon my mind. After what seemed an internal debate for an hour, my subconscious concluded that the luxury of having a choice makes all the difference, just as I drifted off to slumber.

The option of doing nothing as opposed to having a day full of things as opposed to something and some nothings, that is what made all the difference. Even if in my mind I wanted to enjoy the luxury of doing nothing. Today, I have that opportunity – but I can’t bring myself to take afternoon naps that I so fondly love, or stay up until 3 AM watching silly movies and shows. It isn’t an option anymore – it’s the reality I’m caught up in. Time is slowing down, maybe we should too?

I hope as we come out of this stillness (and hope that it’s soon), we realize the things we have taken for granted – fresh hair, toes full of sand, the smell of fresh flowers, the fireworks in the sky, favourite meals in that corner restaurant, a crowded concert and the noises of the daily that are now very low.

I hope we remember the activities we have partaken, hope our wardrobes remain organized, our bookshelves full of life and let the dust never settle – on the water paints and the brushes.

Book Review: 'The Friend Zone' by Abby Jimenez

I have a confession to make – for someone who loves to read romance novels, I have not been doing a lot reading recently. I always find something more distractive – whether it’s a TV show that I’m watching for the nth time, or silly videos that unnecessary or just work because that does take a lot of my time. Whatever the reason may be, for I have not been reading a lot and so, I have not been writing a lot. Not good, I know.

So, with temporary quarantine on the cards because of the current unfortunate pandemic, I leapt to one of my many new unread books, this one called, ‘The Friend Zone’ by Abby Jimenez.

I found about the book on Book Depository while ordering a couple of other books, the story sounded interesting – but the title got my eye and cracked me up. I knew I had to get it.

Within three days I found myself at the end of the book, it’s not surprising – I do inhale books that intrigue me, but I haven’t done that in so long – it felt back to being myself again. Whatever that means.

Back to the book, just a little bit about it – the book has been written from two sides of the story – both the protagonist – the girl and the boy. Kristen and Josh. They met through their respective best friends who were getting married – as their maid of honor and best man. They hit it off soon – but Kristen had infertility issues that needed urgent medical care and Josh wanted a big family. But, they both wanted each other.

It’s interesting how the story progresses – especially knowing both sides of the story. Usually it’s a situation of OMG JUST TELL HER/HIM. But, that wasn’t often the case. They both knew exactly what the other wanted – eventually. But, it was all the hurdles that came along the way that they had to deal with together.

The book deals with some really honest infertility issues that most women deal with and the ordeal it becomes on their mental, physical and emotional selves. It is about love, but it’s also about friendship, crazy mothers and importance of ice cream sundaes and fries a the same time. It also proves a well-known theory that all firemen are really hot. Hehe.

It is well-written, witty, honest and easily relatable. I was shaking with laughter, giggling and blushing at the romance and crying – nah, weeping – at the sad parts.

I would definitely recommend reading it!

Get your copy here: https://www.bookdepository.com/Friend-Zone-Abby-Jimenez/9781538715604?ref=grid-view&qid=1584172846652&sr=1-2

Love is Blind, so is Mark and here are some GIFs

I’m not a big reality TV buff – my one guilty pleasure is ‘Keeping up with the Kardashians’. I’ve watched it for more than a decade – and the first couple of seasons still crack me up. So when everyone got on the ‘Love is Blind’ train, I was just like oh this is another ‘Love Island’ record and didn’t really give in. Then my PT, Devinder Bains convinced me that I should just watch 1 episode – while cycling in the gym.

So, there I sat, with one episode downloaded. And as I started – I cycled the entire episode without a break. And straight away, I went home and watched the second episode and the third and the fourth. Then I had to wait for a whole 4 days for the next episode. And I was hooked.

Obviously, like most people, I was shipping Lauren and Cameron; – SPOILERS – and was shocked when Barnett said ‘I do’; and not at all shocked when Jesssica didn’t. Although my mouth fell to the ground when I saw Gianina just speed off. That was brilliant, I would do that.

I would like to say I inspired many. I convinced friends, colleagues, family – everyone on my Love is Blind train. I found “like-minded” people watching the show – it obviously is starting to sound like a cult – but here’s a show that you didn’t know you needed.

For those who don’t know – it’s people – in an arranged marriage setting. No, no – I’m being very serious. You know how like in olden Indian times where you don’t get to see your fiance till you are actually engaged – I’d like to think that’s where they found the inspiration. So, basically it starts with 15 men and 15 women – all kind of speed dating – without seeing each other. They are in these pods – so they are essentially sitting on a couch and talking to a wall – that talks back. Nope, nothing cuckoo here.

Then, based on who you like – you “meet” them more often until like the dude proposes – at which point the girl says yes, unless you are Gianina (Gigi) – where you tell him ‘no’ and then propose him anyway. He should have run then – oh well.

So this happens, once they say yes – they finally meet each other. And then whisked away to Mexico for a “pre-honeymoon”. And then they live together in an apartment – with the speedy wedding basically in 4 weeks of getting engaged. Crazy, right? BUT – IT’S SO ENTERTAINING!

So, “inspired” and excited, the gifs are everywhere. And I had to my favourites that I’m already making very good use of.

Gianina running away – and then falling.

JK, I’m not running away from men – I’m so single it hurt!

No, not all memes are Gigi.

Anytime some says something gossipy!

Talking about that girl hitting on my friend’s boy – “bitch you shiesty”!

Yeah, okay – so they are all Gigi.

Me – when I saw Jessica (in the gif) give her dog a sip of wine and then continue drinking from the same glass…

Simpson’s version of hiding in the leaves…

After an evening out…

Realizing that maybe this didn’t need to be an article, but its too late for that…

OKAY – WATCH IF YOU HAVEN’T!

Story Time: Mulling over Mules

I’ll be honest, I’m not very tall. So for work events, I’m always in Mules or a little heels – basically anything that would “elevate” me slightly higher than the ground. So, come March – it’s event season in Dubai (I’m a PR girl) I’m at events and I’m constantly in flats. And it’s a fun story.

So, last year – just before Christmas (roughly 2 and something-ish months ago), I slipped and fell down the stairs in the cinema. INSIDE the cinema. While walking down to leave. I fell long and hard. Tore a ligament on my left ankle. I’ll tell you this, VOX cinema staff at MOE (Dubai) is lovely. They were really nice and quickly got the paramedics to check. It was awful. I was in a cast and absolute misery for over 3 weeks.

My mood swings were beyond me – I was very upset. For someone who’s always running around, moving about and doesn’t have “standing still” in her list of to dos, it was a new battle. Mostly internal but very dramatic. Obviously, it gets better, my brother was in town for a couple of days, and he wanted to go for the movie – and bear the drama that ensued following my fall. Needless to say, he was the one who had to run around like my flying monkey for water, remote and things I would conveniently forget by the time he grunted, rolled his eyes and came to answer my tenth call of the 20 minutes. Yeah, I am not holding my breath for the ‘best sister’ trophy this quarter.

But, this story and the mulling gets better. Just before I tragically slipped and tore my ligament 10 days before, I was at my friend’s wedding – and during this ceremony where the bride’s friends steals the groom’s shoes my other friend’s golden heel went straight in my right big toe. Ouchie. We cleaned it up, I was flying the next morning, so between a hangover, that pain and general wedding exhaustion was served on a platter.

At the wedding and at the event – same golden mules.

The next day I had an event and wore the same (golden mules) to it – being the forgetful bird I am – I forgot to clean them. By the end of the night, my big toe was twice it’s size and at least 8 times more painful. It turned out to be an inflammation. It involved a painkiller injection (my trypanophobia is a whole different story), anti-biotics and me being off my feet for 10 days. The procedure, pain and prescribed pharmaceuticals ended on Tuesday evening. By Friday 6.30 PM, my other leg had a cast.

Look, I’m very clumsy. I have always been – mostly my legs. Actually, mostly to my right leg. I had stitches when my mixer’s blade fell on my right big toe, or when my friend & I fell and I fractured my right ankle. Monthly twists, falling on flat surfaces (no alcohol/heels necessary), or just simply attempting to walk does it. But, it’s always been on my right foot – so my left one is the strong one. So, when I broke my left – my right was just in shock. It was still recovering from the unfortunate inflammation – and now being the main bearer of my entire being.

For the first couple of days, I was just hopping on my right foot, when the full cast went in, for a whole day – I was just remembering so, how am I supposed to even walk? I couldn’t put one foot infront of another. I’m still in a little pain – but it takes a while and I don’t really have an option so… here I am – mulling over mules.