Book | BollyInstyle

MangoReader

November 17, 2012

I’ve got a fun post for you today which includes two free short stories! They’re courtesy of MangoReader.com, a great company based out of Pune that ‘brings books to life.’ MangoReader excels in providing a different approach to reading and learning with many new innovative products.

With a multitude of fantastic children’s books, parents and teachers can find many useful resources on the MangoReader site that encourage interaction and excitement about reading and learning. Read your kids a story, and then have fun together with the many interactive options (like games and videos)! In the classroom? MangoBooks can be accessed practically anywhere, with applications that work with Google Chrome, Apple products, Google Play, and through Amazon.com. There are also many books geared to adults in various categories.

Thanks to Elisha for getting me hip to MangoReader! She is essential in the site’s audio content production and increasing awareness about the many positive learning experiences made available by MangoReader’s free and inexpensive options.

Enjoy these two free short stories and let me know what you think!

The Story of Diwali

The Death of Narakasura

source: Mango Reader and Amazon

by ST in Art, Book, Children, Gifts, Global, India

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Baby Baazaar

November 2, 2012

Oh yes, what a wondrous thing, the internet— connecting people from around the world, making an immense amount of information available, helping streamline the ways we do almost everything. (And of course, providing a plethora of cute kitten videos for when you’re feeling a bit like procrastinating.) Given all of that, I think one of the coolest things about the internet is the opportunity it provides new businesses to reach new people.

So here is my point: a new and wonderful business, Baby Baazaar. Launched recently by NYC mom Supriya Himatsingka, Baby Baazaar sells eco-friendly toys, books, and blankets for kids. All the products are created in an environmentally friendly manner. Highlighting the importance of quality handmade design, Himatsingka has created a place for parents to purchase hard-to-find ‘green’ items for their kids.

The blankets are printed with Azo-free dyes, the toys are organic and ASTM approved, the books aren’t even available in US stores yet! All of the items are made in the East through traditional artisan means. The blankets (I love this peacock quilt) are designed by Himatsingka in New York, then handmade in Jaipur. The whimsical stuffed toys like the this monkey family are handmade in Sri Lanka (by the same women that hand weave the cotton that creates the creatures). These details would be a fun note to add if you’re gifting anything from Baby Baazaar, or to tell your kids when they’re older and interested in such things.

Definitely give Baby Baazaar a visit when you get a chance!

source: Baby Baazaar

by ST in Accessories, Book, Children, ECO, Gifts, Global, Handmade, India, New York

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Super Sprowtz

October 3, 2011

This is MUST read for those parents with tots that don’t like their veggies. Introducing the Super Sprowtz – really cute concept created by Radha Agrawal. Think “Sesame Street” of nutrition filled with a bunch of healthy veggie characters! Radha’s narration of each vegetable is meant to inspire children to get excited about nutrition and vegetables. I love that each Super Sprowtz character is given a special power turning them into a vegetable super hero:) What child wouldn’t enjoy that?

Meet Miki Mushroom, Zach Zucchini, Erica Egglant, Brian Broccoli, Colby Carrot, Oliver Onion, Gita Garlic, Samy Spinach, Suzy SweetPea, and Todd Tomato. So so so CUTE, right? I wish I can purchase these veggies as plush toys.

In reading about Radha’s background, the passion for educating nutritional lifestyle is quite evident. Before venturing in SuperSprowtz, she with twin sister Miki opened up SLICE, and organic pizzeria in New York. Miki opened a second SLICE location in the West Village and launched build your own ‘pizza kits‘ which are sold in selective supermarkets. I’m hoping my twins have the ‘super power’ minds of these twins!

Check out this adorable Super Sprowtz video (Beyonce’s version of loving veggies). Also stop by the site, SuperSprowtz.com. There’s tons of great stuff like, recipes, educational information, games, videos, and you can purchase the books there as well. You can also buy the Super Sprowtz collection at Amazon.com.

source: SuperSprowtz and YouTube

by ST in Accessories, Art, Book, Children, Food, Just Because, Lifestyle, New York

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2 Comments

Luxury Travel Paris says:
October 19, 2011 at 11:45 am

I have only been to India one time but I did bring back many clothes like the ones above. I just love the cool fabrics and the prints, very colorful.

Amylia says:
October 19, 2011 at 7:09 pm

Thanks for your sharing. This was great sharing. This will help me a lot. thank you so much.

Easy Recipes for a Diwali Feast

October 27, 2010

Hi everyone! It’s Richa from Mala Handmade and I’ve got Diwali party planning on my mind. The holiday will arrive in just a few short weeks, and for me Diwali is less about what you wear, but rather all about what to eat! I grew up eating Indian food daily, but like so many others I rarely make time to prepare an Indian meal (or admittedly any home cooked meals in general) these days – Diwali seems like the right time to break my takeout streak. And though Indian food has the reputation of being labor intensive, I firmly believe that with a well-stocked kitchen, Indian – and really any – food is less daunting than how it’s perceived and far more tasty, aromatic, and satisfying than whatever is delivered to my door.

Author Shubhra Ramineni just released “Entice With Spice“ – I knew I loved it immediately when the subtitle said “easy Indian recipes for busy people.” Shubhra Ramineni grew up enjoying healthy, traditional Indian food and she remained determined to eat well despite her busy schedule as a chemical engineer and mom. “Entice with Spice” is full of her adaptations of traditional Indian recipes, which she also shares when teaching Indian cooking classes at Williams-Sonoma and Sur La Table. Knowing that gifting sweets is a Diwali tradition, I flipped straight to the desserts and saw just five basic ingredients necessary for my all time fave, malai kulfi, which is heavenly cardamom flavored ice cream. The classic potato samosas and mint chutney always seemed daunting to me, but after reading Shubhra’s easy recipes, they are on my menu.

“Entice with Spice” is one of several new Indian cookbooks attempting to make Indian cooking accessible – Indian icon Madhur Jaffrey is poised to release “At Home with Madhur Jaffrey” which also aims to reduce the number of steps in each recipe to make seemingly exotic Indian dishes part of our everyday cooking. Readers, has Shubhra encouraged you to take the home-cooking plunge with me for Diwali or another holiday? Or better yet, integrate Indian food into your weekly routine? Share your tips and inspiration!

source: Amazon and Random House

by ST in Book, Food, Kitchen

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Patricia says:
October 31, 2010 at 2:56 pm

In response to your Oct. 27th article, “Readers, has Shubhra encouraged you to take the home-cooking plunge with me for Diwali or another holiday?” my answer is Yes!

I am already planning to cook the Sauteed Green Beans and Potatoes recipe from Entice with Spice in place of the common green bean casserole for Thanksgiving. It’s a great idea, in my opinion, because sauteing the green beans is much more delicious, nutritious, and less fattening than the common green bean casserole my family has served in the past. I also want to make the Creamed Spinach with Cheese Cubes for another delicious vegetable side. Now, I can’t wait for Thanksgiving!

Wee All The Way

May 6, 2010

Not sure how I missed this one! Wee Gallery’s Dave and Surya teach and design during the day and are parents for life. The idea of Wee Gallery was born after the birth of their first child. The duo learned that black-and-white and high contrast toys are best for infants. After noticing a lack of this theme in the kiddy market, they began doodling using this medium, which eventually got picked up by the San Francisco Museum of Art. The first sampling included flashcards and with its success came canvases, wall graphics, mobiles, letterpress cards, board books, stamps, cold-hot packs, and my favorite…the soft books! Don’t you love the name of the cold-hot packs, “Boo Boo Pack”?

I’m a sucker for flashcards – animals, alphabets, math, I LOVE all kinds. Wee Gallery’s black and white prints come from hand-painted originals of whimsical animals and repetitive shapes. Perfect combination for a nursery.

Wee Gallery recently posted the cutest soft books in their shop, but there’s only one left! I contacted Wee Gallery and they informed me that the books will be ready for retail in a couple of months; the ones listed were sample surpluses….thank goodness! The soft books are made from this gorgeous IKAT material in India. This cushy read has my niece written all over it!

Also, be sure to check out the Wee Gallery blog. They offer free downloads of prints and iron-on patch templates!