Category: Uncategorized

HELLO

 

When the night has been too lonely,

and the road has been too long,

and you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong,

just remember, in the winter,

far beneath the bitter snow,

lies the seed that with the sun’s love

in the spring becomes the rose.                                                                                                                                                                                                                      : The Rose – Bette Midler

After a long, long winter (figuratively), spring is finally upon us. It’s time to renew ourselves, mind and body. But it’s also a time to refresh our homes, so that we take inspiration and heart from our environment.

This issue of Shared Space brings you suggestions on how to refresh your home with art. Art soothes the mind, and calms the brain, doesn’t it? Find out how you can let art into your life and home in your own unique way.

In Responsibly Yours, we continue our journey of caring for those around us. This issue talks about tiny actions we can take to help our four-legged stray companion animals through the heat of the summer. As temperatures rise, make sure to keep your cool! Along with helpful suggestions on what you can do every day to beat the heat, comes a recipe for a light rice salad from our very own chef. It is a full meal in itself, but with something extra, in case you’re really hungry.

We hope that this issue of Shared Space will help you shake off the winter blues, and say hello, to the hues of spring.

And do let us know if it did!

Team Vaswani.

FEATURE

 

MAKE YOUR HOME UNIQUELY YOURS

“Art is never finished, only abandoned,” said Leonardo. Da Vinci, not DiCaprio.

The same principle might be said to hold true for decorating and styling our homes. At which point do we say we are truly ‘done’, and that nothing more can be added or improved? If anything, we abandon it – at a point when we feel this is good enough, for now. And as we change, our moods change, and as our life circumstances change, we pick up where we left off. And so begins again the project of refreshing our rooms and the décor that makes it home!

Since it is spring, and we’re coming out of a very long winter as it were, here are some thoughts that might help with the refreshing of not just our homes, but our minds as well.

• ART THAT SPEAKS TO YOU

Many of us treat art as an investment. But if you truly want to call it your own, your choice in art must reflect who you are. So pick the pieces that speak to you. It could be the colours calling out to you, or there might be something about the eyes, or perhaps the lighting recalls a day in the summer of ’69! Don’t hang up art that is soulless and that’s recommended by your interior designer because it matches your couch!

• ART THAT TELLS A STORY

Got a bag full of pine cones from your Himalayan hikes? Let that be the centre-piece at your Christmas table. Picked up stones from every river bed in India and around the world? Use them to build a unique pebbled table-top for your patio. Use pieces of babywear, bibs and bonnets to sew up a colour quilt of nostalgia for your child’s room.

• (CAUTIOUS) TRAVEL AGAIN!

For those of us that were sick of overcrowded airports and flights, did we ever think that the prospect of travel would have us so excited? Early morning airport rides, flight food, flight delays – ah okay, I’m kidding. We may not want to take it that far, but we are all most certainly grateful to be able to travel again.

• ART THAT IS YOUR OWN

Everyone jokes about the inordinate amount of art and craft that homes with small children have to deal with. But jokes apart, right here is your biggest source of original art. And it need not all come from your child alone. Let the whole family ‘do’ art – get a large roll of canvas, get everyone in the family together, and get creative with colours! Paint with fingers, hands, toes or the whole body. Let it dry, frame, and put it up on your wall as a feature piece! You now have on your wall a memory of a Sunday on which the whole family got together and painted. Priceless, right?

• ART THAT HELPS LOCAL ARTISANS

In a world of fast consumption, aggregated shopping, and massive malls, let your home hold up the local flag. Buy from your friendly neighbourhood struggling artist, from craftspeople at your next door flea market, or from the cluster of artisans supported by the local cause. The thing of beauty that decorates your home could well revive a dying art form – two benefits for the price of one!

• Art that restores, upcycles, and repurposes

Turn your grandmother’s old sewing machine into a bar table. Restore an old industrial lamp into a trendy and retro living room piece. Frame the surviving pieces of your mother’s tattered wedding saree and give it to her as an anniversary present. Turn 30-year-old floppy disks and 10-year-old CDs into cool coasters for your work table.

Using what already exists, giving it a new life and purpose, letting it tell a story …. and if you must buy new pieces, then picking those that truly call out to you – you can’t go wrong with this playbook. This is what will set your home apart from an apartment you could pick out of an assembly line!

RESPONSIBLY YOURS!

 

MAKE THE HOT MONTHS A BIT BETTER FOR STRAY ANIMALS

2022 is likely to be one of the hottest years on record since 1850, the UK Met Office has said. In India, the meteorological department has predicted that summer days will be hotter in north, central and west India. While we can take shelter in our far cooler homes and offices, let’s spare a thought for the animals on the street that bear the brunt of the heat.

• Start a movement in your local community to provide water bowls for stray dogs and the odd cat or cow!
• Make sure the bowls are made of a heavy and durable material like cement. You could tie up with the several animal welfare organisations that distribute cement water bowls during the summer..
• Find a place for the bowls where someone can keep an eye on them. For example, an ideal place to keep a bowl is near a security guard hut outside your building. This will keep at bay thefts or mysterious disappearances of water bowls!
• Ensure that the bowls are washed every day to prevent the formation of algae.
• Make sure the water is replaced every day. Our stray community animals deserve clean and fresh drinking water, don’t you think?
• If you have a balcony, do keep a water bowl and a bird feeder, so that our winged friends get some succour too!
• And finally, to make your effort sustainable, do spread the word in the community about what you’re trying to do. With some patient answering of questions and allaying of fears, you could soon have a community movement taking care of animals in the summer!

SPECIAL 

 

MAMMA MIA!

 

Keep it light this summer with a fresh Italian rice salad. But if the heart wants more, by all means follow it up with a rich smooth Cannelloni. Stir up this meal in a jiffy with our special in-house recipe and watch your friends empty the dishes. Squisito!

INSALATA DI RISO (ITALIAN RICE SALAD)

Recipe Image Courtesy: tasteatlas.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups cooked brown or white rice
• 200 grams of tuna preserved in extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 cup frozen peas thawed
• ½  onion –  chopped
• ½ red bell pepper – chopped
• 200 grams of  artichoke hearts halved
• 2 small pickled cucumbers or gherkins –  chopped
• Handful of fresh parsley chopped Dressing
• 01 tbsp  red wine vinegar
• 2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 minced  garlic clove
• Salt and pepper

PREPARATION:

MIXING THE SALAD

1. Place cooked rice, tuna, cherry tomatoes, cooked peas, onions, bell peppers, chopped pickled cucumbers, and chopped parsley into a large mixing bowl.
2. Whisk red-wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, salt and black pepper in another bowl.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.  Adjust seasoning.

 

SPINACH RICOTTA CANNELLONI

Recipe Image Courtesy: recipetineats.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 small onion
• 800 gm, crushed tomato
• 1 cup of water
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Handful of fresh basil leaves or one tsp of dried mix of Italian herbs (oregano, thyme and basil)

FILLING

• 25 gm of chopped spinach
• 500 gm of ricotta
• 1/3 cup of parmesan
• 1 cup shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 large garlic clove
• Dash of grated nutmeg powder
• Salt and crushed pepper to taste

CANNELLONI

• 20 cannelloni tubes
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• Crushed fresh basil leaves

PREPARATION

Sauce – Heat oil in a large pan over low heat, add chopped garlic and onion. Sauté for 4 minutes and add tomato, water, salt and pepper. Keep stirring and simmer for 5 minutes. Take off the flame and cool the sauce; add half a cup of water and blend it to a smooth texture. Mix basil leaves/ dried Italian mix, and keep aside.

Filling – Wash and drain spinach leaves. Mix along with remaining ingredients in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Baking – Pre-heat oven to 180C, spread bit of sauce on the base of baking pan.

With the help of a piping bag, transfer filling to tubes. Place the tubes on the baking dish and pour the remaining sauce covering all tubes. Seal with foil and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove the foil and spread the shredded cheese on top, bake for another 8 minutes. Garnish with crushed basil leaves.

Recipe courtesy: Shinoj Joseph, Area General Manager, Hotel Royal Orchid & Regenta Hotels.

Get in Touch

Bangalore
Vaswani Victoria, 30 Victoria Road, Bangalore – 47
Phone – 080 49110000

Mumbai
601, Sant Nivas, 14th Road Corner, Khar West, Mumbai
Email – sales@vaswanigroup.com
www.vaswanigroup.com

HELLO

 

“Character is the ability to carry out a good resolution long after the excitement of the moment has passed.”                                                                                                                                                                                            – Cavett Robert

It’s that time of the year when we put to rest the not-so-good habits we’ve let creep upon us, and make spanking new resolutions for the year ahead. But how do we make sure that New Year Resolutions last way beyond January 1^st – and actually become a reality?!

The key, experts say, lies in consistently practicing a new habit that we want to ingrain over a certain period – 21 days is widely recognized as an optimal number.

This issue of Shared Space comes with suggestions of how we might translate our good intentions into actions. We start with the spirit – to build a heart of gratitude that invites more good fortune into our life. We also continue our section Responsibly Yours, taking into view the splendid response we received for this section. This issue talks about the tiny everyday actions we can take to cut down single-use plastic and help the planet heal.

It’s still cold out there, so our very own chef brings you a one-pot chicken stew to warm your insides. At the same time, the festival season can so easily become a time of excesses, so we bring you tips on how to make healthy lifestyle changes. Health, as we know, is made mostly in the kitchen!

Thank you, for your gracious response to Shared Space, and for standing by us in the past year. To you and yours, A Very Happy and Healthy 2022!

Team Vaswani.

 

FEATURE

 

A Time to Say Thank You!

 

A wise person said, “Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” Conversely, a saying also goes, the gratitude we send out into the world comes back to us multifold!!

For us at Vaswani Group, having each of you walk alongside us is the biggest gift we could ask for. For your conspicuous and inconspicuous support of the work we do, the innumerable word-of-mouth blessings you send our way, thank you!

As we take hopeful steps into the New Year 2022, it’s time to reflect on the year past and offer gratitude. For the people and experiences and things we have – our friends, family, work, our homes – let’s take a moment and say it out loud. But here are some unusual things that we can also be thankful for!

• EYES THAT SMILE

Walk down the road and practice this the next time around. Smile through your mask at your neighbour walking their dog, and make sure your smile reaches your eyes. Hold eye contact, and see them smile back through their eyes! Isn’t it magical that we have found ways to connect face to face and smile at people, restrictions notwithstanding?

• TECH THAT KEEPS US CONNECTED

Never thought technology would swoop in and save the day, did we? Technology helped us stay in touch with colleagues, friends, families, all over the world. For a lot of us, it kept our work going. It kept our social lives buzzing, probably busier than usual, as geography was no longer an excuse to skip an event! Yes, parents did have a trying time weaning kids away from devices, but what would we have done without such tech!

• (CAUTIOUS) TRAVEL AGAIN!

For those of us that were sick of overcrowded airports and flights, did we ever think that the prospect of travel would have us so excited? Early morning airport rides, flight food, flight delays – ah okay, I’m kidding. We may not want to take it that far, but we are all most certainly grateful to be able to travel again.

• UH, TRAFFIC?

We might change our minds very quickly on this in a few months, but right now, we’ll cheerfully nod at passing cars and sing along at traffic signals – if only for the reassurance that life in the city is chugging back to normal.

• PANDEMIC FURBABIES

Did you know that dog and cat adoptions soared through the roof in the pandemic? These were the joyous additions to the family that came our way, and we still continue to be thankful for the texture they’ve added to our lives. Some families also added new babies. Just saying.

• THE RETURN OF PLANNERS

True story. In January 2021, there was not a single stationery shop that sold planners. We know. We looked. But that has happily changed – and now we are beginning to plan again, as evidenced by the return of the annual planner at your nearby bookstore!

And finally, we are thankful for the New Year, into which we have ventured boldly, instead of tentatively. We are grateful for the people we have around us, our good health, and for the hopes that we hold for this year.

RESPONSIBLY YOURS!

 

How to Cut Back on Single-Use Plastic

 

The planet has declared a Code Red. Our forests and oceans cannot take much more clogging. But while systemic solutions are being found, there’s thankfully a whole lot that each of us can do. Even a little we do, goes a long way!

• Get everyone in your office a custom stainless steel or copper water bottle with their names engraved. Encourage everyone to cut down on single-use water bottles, at work, in conference rooms, and at home!
• The plastic shopping bag has now been replaced by cloth shopping bags – which are threatening to overwhelm our homes! Be a conscious shopper and keep a spare cloth bag handy in your car or back-pocket.
• Coffee-to-go? Carry your own sipper!
• Replace plastic straws with bamboo or steel straws, and get your kids used to them. You get nifty straw cleaners too! While you’re at it, have you tried switching to a bamboo toothbrush?
• Buy local – from the local farmers’ market or store. Not only do you support a neighbourhood business, but you also can cut down on the enormous amount of packaging that comes with groceries.

 

SPECIAL 

 

Chicken Stew for the Soul

 

As temperatures dip, the soul calls out for soup or stew! So here’s a special skillet chicken stew, from our very own chef. Here’s a one-pot meal for the whole family to enjoy on a winter evening.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Dash of white pepper
• 750 gms boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 3 celery, sliced
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 3 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon tomato puree

Preparation:

1. In a large shallow dish, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Add chicken, a few pieces at a time, and turn to coat.
2. Heat a large skillet, melt butter; cook chicken until juices are clear. Add onion and celery; cook for 3 minutes. Add potatoes and carrots.
3. In a small bowl, combine the broth, thyme, tomato puree and corn-starch; stir into skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
4. Serve hot with French loaf & buttered rice.

Recipe courtesy: Chef Rana Gomes, Area Chef – South India, Hotel Royal Orchid & Regenta Hotels

Get in Touch

Bangalore
Vaswani Victoria, 30 Victoria Road, Bangalore – 47
Phone – 080 49110000

Mumbai
601, Sant Nivas, 14th Road Corner, Khar West, Mumbai
Email – sales@vaswanigroup.com
www.vaswanigroup.com

HELLO

 

Ame. Hakuu. Niwakame. Kosame. Tau. Yokoburi. Fuu. Kanu. Shuu rin.

Keiu.

These are just 10 of the 50 words for rain in the Japanese language. Why would you need 50 words for the same meteorological phenomenon, you might ask? That’s because no two rains are the quite the same.
There’s morning rain, autumn rain, windy rain, sleety rain, night rain, pouring rain! Now that the monsoon has got off to a start, albeit late, why don’t we practise mindfulness by observing each burst of rain this season?

The rain is glorious to watch through an open window while you work. And in this issue of Shared Space, that’s the mood we want you to capture in your home office. We talk about the nuts and bolts that you need to set up a functional home office, but don’t forget the little touches that make this space your own. The good news is, we have  3 BHKs complete with home office available at Vaswani Exquisite!

Also check out the futuristic fitness home equipment we have found for you. Though not all of them may be available in India, there are alternatives already flooding the local market.

Our very own chef Rana Gomes has whipped up a nifty spaghetti arrabbiata that you can easily recreate in your kitchen. Take a picture and tag us on Instagram.

Sing in the rain. Dance in the rain. Watch the rain. And join your kids as they jump up and down in muddy puddles!

Team Vaswani.

FEATURE

 

 

HOME OFFICES: THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE BEST

Ever been on a Zoom call where several people seem to have the same bookshelf or potted plant behind them? Your workspace or home office need not be Instagrammable, but it does help if it is well thought through and unique to you, so you don’t have to hide it with a generic background!

A great home office should ideally meet your requirements. What it looks like is secondary. Function over form, always. Having said that, since we spend so much time at our desks, who wouldn’t want a clutter-free and beautiful space with some strokes of inspiration?

MUST-HAVES

 

GREAT SPOT

Find a separate room, preferably with a large window with a view. There’s nothing better than a workspace bathed in natural light. Arrange your table so that you face the window while you work, to avoid reflecting the trees on your laptop screen or worse, appearing in silhouette on Zoom calls!

DOOR WITH A LOCK

The value of a locked door is best appreciated by one who has small children and needs to get work done. If you have
a caregiver available, do get a room with a door that can be locked. Talk to the children; tell them that you need to
work undisturbed for a few hours, and that you will be locking the door. But also let them know when you’re likely
to be done, and when you’ll play with them. Kids get it, especially if we set expectations right.

STAY STRONG…

… is what you tell your wi-fi every day. With everyone in the family working or studying online from home, high
speed internet is an absolute necessity and an investment that’s totally worth it.

STATEMENT DESK AND COMFY CHAIR

If you want to avoid getting repetitive stress injury, consider investing in a desk and chair that are ergonomic.

The choice of a desk is extremely subjective; some people might need lots of storage built in, while others might
need a large desk with clear space to spread out papers to read or work on. Make your desk a statement piece that
will last for years. Your office can be designed around the desk as a focal point. And if your job is largely sedentary, do think about getting an additional standing desk. Research shows that standing desks not only help avoid weight gain, but also reduce blood pressure, the risk of heart disease, back pain, and even boost productivity!

LARGE MONITOR

Getting a large monitor as a secondary screen next to your laptop gives your eyes a break and may even prevent neckaches. Dual monitors give you more viewable real estate, thereby reducing time taken to switch between tabs or windows and heighten productivity.

HIGH QUALITY POWER STRIPS

There’s never enough when it comes to plug points. Get high quality power strips with individual switches for each plug, so that you can save energy when the point is not in use. The only drawback? Ugly wires all over the table or the floor. Neatly organise them using cable ties or cable organiser boxes.

POWER BACKUP

Most apartments come with power backup, but Murphy’s Law always kicks in, especially when you have an important meeting. Have your own power backup so that even if the generic backup fails, your work will seamlessly go on.

ADEQUATE STORAGE

Nothing clutters the mind like papers and files strewn on the table. Invest in a storage unit large enough to contain all paperwork and stationery, so that your table is all set for creative thinking.

SOUND AND LIGHT

A good pair of noise-cancelling headphones will turn your home office into a haven, keeping out the noise of the

household. Also, even if the room has good natural lighting, do pay attention to extra lighting for evenings when you work late or when the sky is clouded over.

SPECIAL TOUCHES

What makes your space uniquely yours are the little extras that you bring in. These speak of who you are, and your individual aesthetic. Here’s a list of the kind of special touches you could add to your home office:

• Artwork
• A statement rug
• Plants and decorative planters
• Retro or minimal speakers for music
• Quirky stationery
• Scented candles, vaporisers, or reed diffusers
• A coffee maker, if you want to be really decadent
• Home fitness equipment

So go ahead and do up your home office with not just the essentials but with also the distinctive pieces that are an
extension of your personality.

SPECIAL 

 

ON TOP OF SPAGHETTI

 

Have you heard the quirky camp song that goes like this?

“On top of spaghetti all covered with cheese, I lost my poor meatball when somebody sneezed!”

Since the rains are almost upon us, make sure you don’t sneeze and lose your meatball. In any case Chef Rana Gomes from our Royal Orchid & Regenta Hotels has put together this finger-licking recipe for spaghetti arrabbiata that’s sure to be a big hit with your kids and all their friends!

 

Ingredients:

Spaghetti pasta – 350 gm                                               Chopped onions – 100 gm

Tomatoes, chopped – 500 gm                                        Chopped garlic – 20 gm

Basil leaves, roughly torn – 1 sprig                                Sugar – 5 gm

Basil leaves, chopped – 10 gm (for garnish)                Salt and pepper – To taste

Olive oil – 10 ml                                                                 Parmesan cheese – 20 gm

Red chilly flakes – 5 gm

 

Preparation:

1. Heat a pot of water with salt and oil; let it boil, add spaghetti pasta, and allow it to soften.

2. Cook the pasta al dente, drain, rinse under cold water, and keep aside. Drizzle some olive oil over the spaghetti pasta.

3. In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat the olive oil. Add chopped onion and garlic; sauté until translucent.

4. Once it’s cooked through, add chopped tomatoes, red chilly flakes, salt, sugar, and basil leaves. Sauté till the tomatoes become soft.

5. Add 50 ml of stock and bring the spicy arrabbiatta sauce to a brisk boil. Allow the sauce to thicken. Check the salt and adjust according to taste.

6. Add the cooked spaghetti and toss the spaghetti and arrabbiata paste for 3-4 minutes until the spaghetti is well-coated with the pasta sauce.

7. Turn off the heat; check the taste and spice and adjust accordingly. Transfer the spaghetti arrabbiata pasta to a serving bowl, sprinkle parmesan cheese on top, and garnish with basil leaves.

8. Serve hot with garlic toast.

Recipe courtesy: Chef Rana Gomes, Area Chef – South India, Hotel Royal Orchid & Regenta Hotels

 

Get in Touch

Bangalore
Vaswani Victoria, 30 Victoria Road, Bangalore – 47
Phone – 080 49110000

Mumbai
601, Sant Nivas, 14th Road Corner, Khar West, Mumbai
Email – sales@vaswanigroup.com
www.vaswanigroup.com

HELLO

 

Welcome to the season of tabebuia rosa, the beautiful pink blossoms of which have been carpeting the streets of Bangalore these past few weeks!

Though the days are heating up, the sight of these beautiful all Bangalore “cherry blossoms” have rejuvenated our hearts and made for many a picturesque Instagram post.

We’re carrying forth the spirit of rejuvenation this issue of Shared Space, but in the context of making our lives more meaningful. Find out how artificial intelligence can make our daily life easier by simplifying chores – but also throw light on problems that humankind faces, such as care for the elderly or recycling of garbage! Identify what matters to you the most – and how you can clear up space in your life to focus on your goals, with our snippets that walk you through to a life of minimalism and intentional living.

Refresh your palate with light and breezy salads and smoothies that help you keep fit and stay cool, from our very own chef.

And last – but absolutely not the least – thank you, for your overwhelming response to Vaswani 36AB (Mumbai), where all flats have sold out!

Stay cool,

Team Vaswani.

FEATURE

 

 

 

EIGHT WAYS IN WHICH AI MAKES YOUR LIFE BETTER

Frederik Pohl famously said, “A good science fiction story should be able to predict not the automobile, but the traffic jam.” But what if you could have both?

Artificial intelligence, which has either been raved about or demonised in pop culture, can make our lives significantly better, while guarding against the problems it creates. At least, ideally. Terminator, anyone?

Jokes apart, artificial intelligence (AI) has already crept into our lives in imperceptible ways, no matter how off the grid we might think we are. Ever sent an email? Ever Googled? Addicted to Insta? Netflix, this evening? Bought a book on Amazon? That’s AI at work in your life.

This Spring issue of Shared Space brings you some of the cool ways in which AI makes our life easier.

 1. BE HOUSE-PROUD

The Toyota Research Institute in Los Altos, California, is testing robots that not only clean floors and carpets, but that pick up and organise, load the dishwasher, and use sponges to clean kitchen and other surfaces. While these robots may take a while to make it to our homes, we already have on offer efficient floor and surface cleaners. These clean everywhere, under furniture, pesky corners, below the carpet, and around bulky objects. You can even schedule some of them to clean at a particular time every day. Schedule it and come back to a sparkling home every evening!

2. IS YOUR HOME AS SMART AS YOU?

From smart cleaning robots to smart homes is just a tiny leap. Technology already makes it possible for smart refrigerators to keep track of inventory and reorder supplies. Smart kitchen appliances are already in many kitchens around the world. Soon, your coffee maker will have a warm cuppa ready when you wake up!.

3. ENTERTAINMENT – JUST FOR YOU!

Notice how Netflix hyper-personalises its feed for you, based on what you’ve recently watched? We’re in the age of hyper-personalisation of entertainment, where music, visual content, and films are customised – even according to the preferences of each family member. And if you’re into gaming – AI takes you to a whole new level!

4. HOW INTELLIGENT IS YOUR SECURITY?

We already have doors enabled by passcodes, fingerprint, and facial recognition technology. We have cams monitoring your home that can pick up intruders and beam the feed to your smartphone, miles away! And these are smart enough (no pun intended) to not beep every time your dog decides to move around. AI can also make sure that when you’re away, a trusted neighbour or friend is called, in case of an emergency.

5. WATCH YOUR HEALTH

No longer do you need a separate wearable to track your r u n n i n g o r c y cli n g p r o g r e s s . Y o u r s m a r t p h o n e o r smartwatch now does all of that, and more. It keeps track of your heartbeat, your steps, your sleep, and your overall fitness. Some  watches even call emergency helplines if they detect something wrong, like a heart a t tack. The day is not far when your watch will know more about you than your partner does!

6. A WHOLE NEW LIFE, FOR SENIORS

Your everyday smartphone can be set to remind older people to take their medicines, eat their meals on time, and even have books read out to them! Social robots can encourage seniors to take part in local activities that interest them or give them in formation on health and well-being. Research is on to develop AI chatbots that can be worn on the wrist and assist even in basic mobility. For example, the same AI that assists you to park your car without hitting the kerb can direct seniors to walk without bumping in to obstacles!

7. SAVE THE PLANET

Appliances that use AI can optimise use of energy, catch energy waste, and fix problems even before you know about them. We already see this in energy-conserving appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines. But we have just scratched the surface of this technology. The homes of tomorrow might be able to repair themselves, detect and fix plumbing and electrical problems, and who knows, even address the problem of recycling in a holistic manner.

8. IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE?

Sad as it sounds, it’s a lonely time for a lot of people. Research shows that people often talk to Alexa or Siri, deriving comfort from the sound of a voice, even if it’s the voice of their smartphone. Conversely, voice assistants like Alexa or Siri, who know your regular voice well, can someday recognise changes in voice to detect stress, anxiety, or depression. Research suggests that the next revolution in addressing mental health could lie in your voice.

Wouldn’t it be brilliant if we could use AI to offer companionship, advice, and resources to people struggling with their mental health?

 

MALL

 

THE BROOKEFIELD MALL

REFRESH YOUR WARDROBE AND YOUR SPIRITS!

After a year spent at home, it might be time to refresh your wardrobes and your spirits. Vaswani Brookefield Mall has just the right mix of shopping, fun, and food for you!

Relax by watching a movie at Inox, still running at half capacity for your safety. Say yes to some retail therapy, with your pick of the best in brands from Soch, Max, Pantaloons, Biba, W, and Levi’s, to Zodiac, Melange, Reliance Digital, and plenty more!

Watch the sun set from a rooftop, in a vast and verdant space, sipping on a mocktail whose colours give the evening skyscape a run for its money. And whether you’re trying our paan-flavoured cocktails or feasting on our smoky wood-baked mutton keema pizzas or pesto paneer bruschetta, you can be sure you’ll want more.

Our promise to you is to make the mall a safe and fun experience for you and your family, with our rigorous sanitation protocol prior to and while its doors are open every day. Do mask up and practise social distancing.

ITPL Main Road, Brookefield, Bangalore.

SPECIAL 

 

SUMMER COOLERS

As the mercury inches up and appetites drop, keep your energy levels up with this cool summer salad and smoothie. Perfect for breakfast, lunch or brunch!

SUMMER FRUIT CARNIVAL

 

Ingredients:

2/3 cup fresh orange juice                                    2 cups fresh pineapple cut into croutons

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice                                     2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

1/3 cup brown sugar                                             2 kiwi fruit sliced 2 bananas sliced

½ teaspoon gr a ted orange zest                        1 green apple peeled, cut in to croutons

½ teaspoon gr a ted lemon zest                         2 oranges 1 cup seedless grapes (black and green)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract                                    2 cups of mixed fresh berries

Preparation:

Mix orange juice, lemon juice, brown sugar, orange zest, and lemon zest and bring to boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Thicken over a low flame for 4 minutes. Add vanilla extract and let it cool. Now, layer the fruits in a glass bowl. Pour the sauce over the fruit. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes be fore serving.

BANANAS OVER BERRY

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup frozen strawberries                                 ½ cup orange juice

1 banana 1 cup frozen cherries                       ¾ cup vanilla yogurt

1 cup frozen blueberries                                  ½ teaspoon honey

4 ice cubes

Preparation:

Blend strawberries, blueberries, cherries, banana, and ice cubes in a blender. Pour in the orange juice, vanilla yogurt, and honey. Make a fine puree and serve.

Recipe courtesy: Shinoj Joseph, Area General Manager, Hotel Royal Orchid Suites, Whitefield

 

Get in Touch

Bangalore
Vaswani Victoria, 30 Victoria Road, Bangalore – 47
Phone – 080 49110000

Mumbai
601, Sant Nivas, 14th Road Corner, Khar West, Mumbai
Email – sales@vaswanigroup.com
www.vaswanigroup.com

HELLO

 

New Year’s Day is just one day, but what if you could extend the spirit of the day for a bit longer?

We think you can, in fact, extend it – to the whole year! This issue of Shared Space is all about rejuvenation – a word that comes from the Latin ‘re’ meaning again, and ‘juvenis’ meaning young.

After a year where the world seemed to have come to a standstill, we hope that 2021 brings you movement and progress. We hope this is a year in which our minds and bodies are refreshed and made new again, as it were.        We wish you a Happy New Year, a fresh start, and a renewed you!

In 2021, transform yourself by drawing inspiration from others who have written their brilliant stories of change. And dive into the fountain of perpetual youth by learning something new. After all, haven’t philosophers always said that the secret to being youthful lies in constant growth? We have put together for you a cluster of inspirational stories and ideas. Do tell us what hit a chord with you.

As always, we bring you delectable fare from our chefs that you can recreate for your family and friends. Plus a special cover on our homes that meet your every need.

From the Vaswani family, a Very Happy New Year!

Team Vaswani.

FEATURE

 

Goethe said, “We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise, we harden.”

The past year hardened us – but we’d like to think that we hardened like an egg boiled in water. Hard shell on the outside but transformed within!

Let’s usher in 2021 with this spirit of transformation. And the only thing that’s within our control to transform is ourselves, n’est ce pas?

This New Year’s issue of Shared Space brings you stories of change, renewal, and rejuvenation. We hope it inspires you to seize the year!

 NEVER EVER GIVE UP

 

Arthur Boorman is a disabled veteran who fought in the first Gulf War. The war left him with multiple broken bones and injuries that affected mobility. Without movement, Boorman gained weight, till he became morbidly obese, at close to 300 pounds. He could only walk using crutches and leg braces. Through yoga, Boorman took charge of his recovery, steadily losing the weight. The man who couldn’t walk without crutches started to run. Ten years later, Boorman is still a fitness inspiration. The key, he says, was watching: “How I think, how I breathe, and what I put into my mouth.” His motto became “Never Ever Give Up.”

Could 2021 be that year when you write your fitness story?

YOUR MIRACLE MORNING

 

 

Hal Elrod is an entrepreneur, motivational speaker, best-selling author, and life coach who technically died three times. Twenty years ago, a drunken driver hit Elrod’s car, putting him in coma, with severe and critical injuries. He was pronounced clinically dead for six minutes before being revived by rescue workers. Elrod recovered and built a successful speaking career. Six years later, the global financial crisis wiped him out, pushing him to the verge of suicide. More recently, he successfully battled cancer. Elrod’s recipe for starting the day right, which he calls The Miracle Morning, is now followed by millions of people worldwide.

His Miracle Morning has six important steps:

(I)  Silence – meditation/ prayer
(ii)  Affirmation – of positive beliefs about yourself that you want to reinforce
(iii) Visualisation – creating mental pictures of external goals
(iv)  Exercise – since a strong body supports a strong mind
(v)  Reading – that enriches your inner life
(vi)  Scribing or journaling to gain insights into yourself.

And how long does it take to get this Miracle Morning done? Just 60 minutes at the start of the day.

Give yourself just 60 minutes every morning. And watch the days, weeks and months become miraculous!

A BETTER WORLD

 

Ramon Magsaysay Award winner Anshu Gupta is well-known as the founder of Goonj. Gupta started his career working in the corporate sector but he couldn’t forget his experience as a student volunteer during an earthquake in Uttarkashi. He founded Goonj to repurpose the clothing and linen that urban households throw away – and put them to use as relief material for survivors of natural disasters. The story of Goonj is the story of one person who discovered his purpose in life, i.e. in his own words, “To leave the world better than we found it.”

In 2021, explore how you can create a better world for those around you.

When we read stories like these, we tend to think that they apply to superheroes. Or rather, to superhero-like people. But the best part of these stories is that they are about ordinary people just like us – who just managed to do extraordinary things.

We hope you find your superpower in 2021!

 

MALL

 

THE BROOKEFIELD MALL: COME CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR!!

 

Ring in the New Year at your favourite Vaswani Brookefield Mall, with fun, food and festive cheer!

Relax by watching a movie at Inox, still running at half capacity for your safety. Say yes to some retail therapy, with your pick of the best in brands from Soch, Max, Pantaloons, Biba, W, and Levi’s, to Zodiac, Melange,
Reliance Digital, and plenty more!

Watch the sunset from a rooftop, in a vast and verdant space, sipping on a mocktail whose colours give the evening skyscape a run for its money. And whether you’re trying our paan-flavoured cocktail or feasting on our smokey wood-baked mutton keema pizzas or pesto paneer bruschetta, you can be sure you’ll want more.

Our promise to you is to make the mall a safe and fun experience for you and your family, with our rigorous
sanitation protocol prior to and while its doors are open every day. Do mask up and practise social distancing.

ITPL Main Road, Brookefield, Bangalore.

SPECIAL 

 

SHEPHERD’S PIE: WINTRY WARMTH AND RICHNESS

 

The Shepherd’s Pie is a minced meat pie, with a layer of mashed potatoes on top. The recipe has plenty of derivatives. But the base ingredients are ground red meat cooked in a gravy with shredded onions and topped with mashed potato before it goes into the oven. Warm up a wintry evening with the richness of this classic English delicacy.

Ingredients:

For the potatoes:

1 kg potatoes
1/4 cup milk mixed with fresh cream
04 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon crushed rock salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed black pepper
1 egg yolk

For the meat filling:

2 tablespoons canola/ refined oil
1 cup shredded onion
2 carrots, peeled and diced small
2 garlic, chopped                                                                                                                                                                                     1 kg minced lamb meat (boneless)
1 teaspoon crushed rock salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed black pepper
2 tablespoons refined flour
2 teaspoons tomato paste or finely
chopped fresh tomatoes
1 cup stock (chicken or meat)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons freshly chopped Rosemary
leaves ( Dry leaves can be also used)
2 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas

Preparation:

• Peel the potatoes and cut into small cubes. Bring to a boil. Once boiling starts, decrease the heat and cook for approximately 12 minutes, until it is easily crushed with a wooden ladle. Place the milk and cream mixture along with butter into a microwave-safe container and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Drain and mash potatoes, then add the mixture of milk, cream, and butter. Add salt and pepper, and make it to a fine paste. Stir in the yolk and mix well.

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

• Prepare the filling in the meantime. Heat oil over medium high heat. Add onions and carrots and sauté for 3 minutes. Add garlic to turn brown. Add lamb, salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Dust the meat with flour and toss to coat, continuing to cook for another 2 minutes in slow heat. Add the tomato paste or chopped tomatoes, chicken/meat broth, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme, and mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer slowly for 10 minutes or until the gravy turns thick.

• Add corn and peas to the lamb mixture and spread evenly into a glass baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes with a rubber spatula. Bake for 15 minutes, then allow it to cool for 10 minutes.

The Shepherd’s Pie is a whole meal on its own. However, a hot cream soup with pita bread is my choice, to make it even more satisfactory.

Recipe courtesy: Shinoj Joseph, Area General Manager, Hotel Royal Orchid Suites,Whitefield

Get in Touch

Bangalore
Vaswani Victoria, 30 Victoria Road, Bangalore – 47
Phone – 080 49110000

Mumbai
601, Sant Nivas, 14th Road Corner, Khar West, Mumbai
Email – sales@vaswanigroup.com
www.vaswanigroup.com

HELLO

 

The skies may still be gloomy, but there’s sunlight breaking through.

We are talking about the first time this year that we have reason to celebrate – from now and right up to the end of the year! Let’s make the most of each and every one of these occasions. So happy Dussehra, Durga Puja, Navratri, MiladunNabi, Halloween, Diwali, Kali Puja, Bhai Dooj, Chhath Puja, Hanukkah and Christmas!

We at Vaswani intend to live the rest of this year in the spirit of a Fresh Start. So this issue of Shared Space brings you some food for thought on how to reorganise and refresh your spaces. But that’s not all. Pack in the rest of 2020 with joy that covers the whole year with good memories.

This festive season is also a time to get together with small groups of your loved ones. Celebrate friendship and family with the smorgasbord of goodness in our recipe section. This is the firsteverthali recipe – that’s 10 recipes at one go!

Shower your family with gifts of appreciation this festive season to let them know how much they mean. Just a word of caution though – as we get back to life as it could be, let’s do so responsibly.

From the Vaswani family, good health, prosperity, and warm fuzzies!

Team Vaswani.

FEATURE

 

Guess what you and I have in common with Reese Witherspoon and Gwyneth Paltrow? Our closets and wardrobes sometimes get into a terrible tangle!

While Paltrow and Witherspoon have celebrity closet organisers to sort their stuff out, you and I have just our wits to rely on. So if you have been bingeing on The Home Edit on Netflix and yearning for adjustable shelves, separators and custommade labels to sort out your closet mess, worry not.

These tips on how to get your home in order just in time for the festive season will get you there, all on your own.

PURGE

Some call it purging, others call it editing. TomaytoTomahto. Whatever you call it, this step is crucial to getting your home sorted for the festive season. Go room by room, closet by closet, and make three piles of your stuff: Keep, donate/sell, discard. You can, like Marie Kondo, decide whatto do with an item by asking yourself one question, “Does it spark joy?”. Or you can, like Joanna and Clea of The Home Edit, ask two: (1) Do you use it? (2) Do you love it? And once you decide, no backsies!

SORT

Once you have the things you want to keep or store, sort them. You can sort by season, for example, with clothes. Now might be the time to bring out lighter winterwear and put away summery tops and vests. Or sort by occasion: festive, work, and everyday. The principles hold true for not just clothes, but even for kitchenware. If you want to feel festive this season, it might be time to pull out the nice table linen and crockery!

CLEAN

 

Most shows and books on organising skip this step – but this could be your #1 key to an organised home: Clean before you put away. Especially in a tropical country like India where dust and mould and vermin tend to grow, do a thorough deep clean of all your belongings – bags, shoes, winterwear, whites, pots and pans, before you put
them away. This will save you time, money, and in the case of precious possessions, heartbreak.

ORGANISE

 

This is not one tip – but a cluster of tips!

1. Pull everything out of the shelves. You can tackle either one room at a time or a closet at a time, but do not leave anything on the shelves. This helps you not just take stock of what you own, but also assess how much space you have and whether that space can be used better.
2. Pay attention to visual coherence. A closet with matching hangers will automatically look cleaner and more sorted than one with a mix of colourful plastic, aluminium, and wooden hangers.
3. A protip: Always use transparent boxes. We tend to use what we can see and never ever use what’s hidden away!
4. Walk through the house to create functional stations. For example, in one episode of The Home Edit, Joanna and Clean created a station for a client who would change her bags often. Having a station where you can empty the contents of your bag will not just make the switch to a different bag easier, but also spare you the agony of misplaced keys or wallets!
5. Group and store similar stuff together. Store all your giftwrapping paper neatly rolled up in one tub, right next to a tray with glue, cello tape, and scissors. So much easier to wrap your Diwali gifts!
6. Recycle and reuse, as much as you can. A simple example: Empty toilet paper rolls are great for storing rolled up giftwrapping paper!
7. Last – or maybe we should say, first – deep clean everywhere. Windows, doors, switches, under and behind furniture! Don’t let a single dust mite thrive.

Do you have tips for getting your home festive ready? Write in to us!

MALL

 

THE BROOKEFIELD MALL IS SPANKING CLEAN, SAFE AND OPEN!

 

Your favorite weekend haunt, the Vaswani Brookefield Mall, is now open! So get ready for a Friday night movie at Inox, which will run at a maximum of half capacity.

And we have a rigorous sanitation protocol prior to and while its doors are open every day, so it’s absolutely safe for you and your family.

Give yourselves a longdeserved break. Say no to lockdown blues, and yes to retail therapy. Get your pick of the best in brands from Soch, Max, Pantaloons, Biba, W, and Levi’s, to Zodiac, Melange, Reliance Digital, and plenty more!

Watch the sun set from BOHO on the rooftop, in a vast and verdant space, sipping on a mocktail whose colours give the evening skyscape a run for its money. And whether you’re trying our paanflavoured cocktail or feasting on our smokey woodbaked mutton keema pizzas or pesto paneer bruschetta, you can be sure you’ll want more.

While you shop, mask up and make sure to practise social distancing.

ITPL Main Road, Brookefield, Bangalore.

SPECIAL 

 

A THALI OF JOY

 

Treat your friends and family to a hearty plateful of festive cheer, with this traditional Gujarati thali.

So what makes a Gujarati thali?

This thali we have put together just for you brings together Dal, Drumstick Kadhi, Rice, Aloo Mutter Sabji, Chana Masala Shak, Ringna na Odo (Baigan Bharta), Gulab Jamun, Khaman, Ghee Jaggery, Bajra Rotla, and Pickle.        All recipes are for a serving size for two.

DRUMSTICK KADHI

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of buttermilk
• 1/2 cup gram flour
• 1 tbsp green chilli paste
• 1/2 tsp ginger paste
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 23 dry red chilli
• 56 curry leaves
• 1 tsp jaggery
• Pinch of asafoetida
• 1/2 cup boiled drumsticks
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt to taste
• Oil as required

Preparation:

In a bowl mix buttermilk and gram flour well without lumps. Heat some oil in a pan and add cumin seeds to pop. Add a pinch of asafoetida, curry leaves, bay leaf and red chilli. Once the red chilli changes colour, add green chilli and ginger paste. Saute well. Now add buttermilk and gram flour mixture and cook for two minutes. Add coriander powder and salt and mix well. Add drumsticks. Add jaggery and combine well. Cook for five minutes and remove from flame.

Dal

 

Ingredients

2 cups of yellow pigeon pea or red gram
• 2 cups of water
• 1 chopped tomato
• 1/2 tsp ginger chilli paste
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• Pinch of asafoetida
• 2 dry red chilli
• 56 curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp sugar (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Oil as required

Preparation:

Wash and soak pigeon peas for half an hour. Pressure cook peas with two cups of water for three whistles. Let it cool. Roughly mash cooked peas and keep aside. Heat oil in a frying pan and add mustard and cumin seeds. Add a pinch of asafoetida once they crackle. Add ginger and chilli paste. Add tomato and mix well. Sauté for
two minutes. Add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, and coriander powder. Mix well. Add cooked peas and combine well. Add water if required. Cook for five minutes.
Add lemon juice and sugar. Mix well. Cook for two minutes more. Heat a tablespoon of oil in another pan. Add red chilli and curry leaves. Cook until the chilli turns pale brown and garnish dal.

Rice

Ingredients:

• 1½ cup basmati rice
• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp lemon juice
• 2 cups of water

Preparation:

Wash and soak rice for 20 minutes. Take a pan and boil two cups water. Add soaked rice, salt, and lemon juice. Cook for 10 minutes.

Chana Masala Shak

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown chickpeas (soaked)
• 2 cups of curd
• Pinch of asafoetida
• ½ tsp ginger garlic paste
• ½ tsp green chilli paste
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• ½ tsp kasuri methi
• Salt to taste
• Oil as required
• Water as required

Preparation:

Pressure cook soaked chickepeas in two cups of water until 34 whistles. Heat oil in a pan. Add a pinch of asafoetida. Add ginger garlic paste and green chilli paste. Sauté well. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt, and garam masala powder. Sauté well. Add beaten curd and mix well. Add water to manage thickness and cook for five minutes. Add cooked chickpeas. Add kasuri methi. Mix well, cover and cook for 810 minutes.

Aloo Matar Sabzi

 

Ingredients:

• 2 mediumsized potatoes (chopped)
• ½ cup boiled green peas
• ½ tsp ginger garlic paste
• ½ tsp green chilli paste
• ½ tsp mustard and cumin seeds
• Pinch of asafoetida
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• ¼ tsp kasuri methi
• Salt to taste
• Water as required
• Oil as required

Preparation:

Heat some oil in a pan. Add cumin and mustard seeds and pop. Add a pinch of asafoetida. Add ginger garlic paste and green chilli paste. Sauté well. Add potatoes. Sauté for five minutes. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt and garam masala powder. Mix well. Also add boiled green peas. Add a little water and mix well. Cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes. Add kasturi methi and cook for one or two minutes.

Ringna No Odo (Baingan Bharta)

 

Ingredients:

• 2 large brinjals
• ½ cup chopped tomato
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• Pinch of asafoetida
• ½ tsp ginger garlic paste
• ½ tsp green chilli paste
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp lemon Juice
• Salt to taste
• Oil as required

Preparation:

Pierce brinjal randomly using a knife. Grease brinjals with oil. Cook in barbeque, on coal or in the oven till it becomes dark. Let cool. Peel the skin. Mash roughly using a fork. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and let them pop. Add a pinch of asafoetida. Add ginger garlic and green chilli paste. Sauté well. Add onions and
cook until it turns pink. Add tomatoes and sauté for two minutes. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt. Add the mashed brinjal. Mix well. Add lemon juice and cook for another 58 minutes.

Bajra Rotla

Ingredients:

• Ghee for grease
• Water as required
• 2 cups of bajra flour (millet)

Preparation:

Add salt to water and add millet flour. Knead dough. Using the palm, flatten the dough and roll it out in the shape of a roti. Heat the earthen tawa. Cook both sides, and smear ghee in between.

Khaman Dhokla

 

For batter:                                                   For tempering:

• 1 cup gram flour                                      • Oil as required
• 1 tsp lemon juice                                     • ½ tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp baking soda                                    • ½ tsp sesame seeds
• ¾ cup water                                            • 8 – 10 curry leaves
• ¼ cup yogurt                                           • 12 green chillies (rings)
• 1 tsp ginger chilli paste                          • 1 tbsp sugar
• Oil for greasing                                        • Pinch of asafoetida
• Salt to taste                                               • 1/3 cup water

Preparation:

Mix gram flour, lemon juice, baking soda, curd, salt, ginger chilli paste, and yoghurt in a bowl into a fine batter without lumps. Take a dhokla maker and pour water and half a lemon slice into it. Bring water to boil. Pour the batter into the mould. Steam for 1015 minutes. Remove and let cool. In a tempering pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds, a pinch of asafoetida, curry leaves, sesame seeds and green chilies. Sauté well. Add sugar and water. Let the sugar dissolve in the mixture. Boil for 34 minutes. Turn off the flame, pour the mixture on a Khaman plate.              Once it’s set, cut into square pieces.

Ghee Jaggery

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp ghee
• 1 tbsp jaggery

Preparation:

In a small bowl, add melted ghee. Add jaggery. Let cool and keep aside.

Gulab Jamun

 

Ingredients:

For the jamun: 1 cup milk powder, ¼ cup allpurpose flour, a pinch of salt, ¼ tsp baking powder, 1 tbsp ghee, 2 tbsp curd, water as required, oil for frying.

For sugar syrup: 2 cups of water, 2 cups of water, 1½ cups of sugar, pinch of saffron, 34 drops of rosewater, ¼ tsp cardamom powder

Preparation:

In a pan, add water and sugar. Cook under stir consistency. Add saffron and cardamom powder. Mix well. There should be no thread formation in the sugar syrup. Turn off the flame and keep aside.

In a bowl, make a smooth dough with milk powder, allpurpose flour, salt, baking powder, curd, and water as required. Shape into small balls and cover with a wet muslin cloth for 30 minutes. Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the jamuns to golden brown. Strain the oil and let cool. Place these jamuns carefully in the sugar syrup.

Time to assemble the thali!

Garnish the dal, kadhi, and aloo matar with chopped coriander and fried onion. Top the baingan bharta with fried red chillies. Sprinkle sliced almonds on the gulab jamun. Serve the thali with fried pappad and pickles.

Recipe courtesy: Chef Muktar Ali, Hotel Royal Orchid Suites – Whitefield

Get in Touch

Bangalore
Vaswani Victoria, 30 Victoria Road, Bangalore – 47
Phone – 080 49110000

Mumbai
601, Sant Nivas, 14th Road Corner, Khar West, Mumbai
Email – sales@vaswanigroup.com
www.vaswanigroup.com

HELLO

Safe homes, then and now.

For 25 years, our homes have signified a safe space for you and your family. The last few months have underscored just how significant that safe space is, for all of us.

In the last couple of months, our construction sites – the sites where your homes are being built – provided shelter and care of all labourers, our very own workforce on the ground. Yes, we stopped work, but we didn’t stop caring.

And as the world shuffled back to work, we paused. We took time to put in place safety mechanisms on our construction sites. Our teams at all levels are equipped with personal protective equipment and have been
trained in our new sanitation drill – including temperature checks and a 360-degree disinfection tunnel – onsite.

As safety is topmost on all our minds, we take a moment’s pause and talk about wellbeing in this issue of Shared Space. Our recipe of the month is guaranteed to get you started on the path of physical wellbeing. And we have some tips on how you could build a mind of gratitude in these tough times.

You have always been an integral part of our circle of goodwill. Read about the tangible way in which we would like to thank you, in the form of our new and improved referral programme.

As always, do write in to us.

Team Vaswani.

FEATURE

GIVE YOURSELF THE GIFT OF WELLNESS 

Health is a state of body. Wellness is a state of being. – J. Stanford

The past few months have been rough on all of us. Apart from the fears for physical safety of loved ones, the toll that the lockdown and its economic and social repercussions have taken on our emotional wellbeing has been telling.

The need to invest in our general wellbeing has never been greater. Here are some ways in which you can do that.

BE PRESENT

If this period has shown us anything, it is that the only thing we have control over is the present. While the past is a nostalgic memory (or a regret!), worries about the future do not help. What does help, though, is a firm determination to make the most of today, which in turn will secure your tomorrow. One of our valued customers told us that he starts his day with a fixed schedule and that sticking to it has helped him steer through the anxiety of what tomorrow might hold. Living one day at a time, focusing on what needs to be done today, and making memories with your loved ones today – this seemingly simple mantra could make all the difference. To quote the lyrics of an old song, “just forget about tomorrow cos, tomorrow never comes” when you live in the present!

CONSUME CONSCIOUSLY

We typically think of consumption as the food we eat, the products we buy, the resources we use up. But do we ever think of the constant state of consumption that our minds are in? News, debates, arguments, fears, alarmist theories – all of which seamlessly soaks into us through news channels, but more so through social media. Make a conscious decision about the kind of information you want to consume. Another customer told us that she had uninstalled the Facebook and Twitter apps from her phone, and this single act had cut out the noise in her head!

PRACTISE EMPATHY

We have been hearing so much about the good work that many of you have been doing in the community.  Extending oneself in tough times to understand or help another has a ripple effect on one’s own mental wellbeing. And it doesn’t matter if you don’t have the answer either.  John Medina said, “Empathy works so well because it does not require a solution. It requires only understanding.”

FORTIFY YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH

The human body is an incredibly resilient organism which can, with just a little help, fight sickness. Do whatever you can manage to build up your body’s capacity. Work out, in your living room. Stretch, do yoga, lift light weights available within the house. Eat healthy. Take your vitamin supplements. Keeping fit is now a mental imperative.

 SHARE POSITIVITY

While you rein in the kind of information you consume, also do rein in the kind of news you share. Everyone has access to news, and particularly Covid19 related news. One of our team members shared that just pausing to think for a moment before sharing a piece of news – and choosing, at that moment, to be a positive force, has made a world of difference to his social interactions.

MOST OF ALL, BE SAFE

As our cities start to open, be conscious that Covid19 is still a clear and present danger. Wear a mask every time you step out of home. Carry a sanitiser on your person and sanitise everytime you touch a surface like ATM touchpads, building gates, or lift buttons. Put all packages that come home through a sanitation routine. Maintain social distancing where called for.

The best advice we’ve heard in recent times has come from a cardiovascular specialist, Dr. Ambarish Satwik: “Treat every individual you meet as an asymptomatic COVID19 carrier. Treat every surface you touch as potentially contaminated…”

 

SPECIAL 

CHUG YOUR BREAKFAST DOWN!

STRAWBERRY AND BANANA SMOOTHIE BOWL

Ingredients

For the smoothie bowl
• 1 frozen banana
• 1½ cups of frozen strawberries
• ½ cup of fresh coconut milk for the toppings
• Dried strawberries and bananas
• Fresh strawberries sliced
• Fresh bananas sliced
• Chia seeds
• Crushed walnuts
• Fresh mint leaves

Instructions 

1. Blend the frozen banana, frozen strawberries, and coconut milk, in a blender till it forms a rich puree.
2. You may add a little milk to balance the thickness.
3. Transfer to a glass bowl and add the toppings.
4. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Chug up or scoop up this bowl of healthy deliciousness!

Recipe courtesy: Shinoj Joseph, General Manager, Hotel Royal Orchid Suites – Whitefield

RETAIL

 

THE BROOKEFIELD MALLIS SPANKING CLEAN, AND OPEN!

Your favourite neighbourhood hangout, the Vaswani Brookefield Mall now has a rigorous sanitation protocol prior to and while its doors are open every day. Give yourself and your family a well-deserved break. Say bye-bye to
lockdown blues with a healthy dose of retail therapy. The mall brings you the finest in shopping with brands such as Soch, Max, Pantaloons, Biba, W, Levi’s, Zodiac, Melange, and plenty more!

Watch the sunset from a rooftop, in a vast and verdant space, sipping on a mocktail whose colours give the evening skyscape a run for its money. And whether you’re trying our paanflavoured mocktail or feasting on our smokey wood baked mutton keema pizzas or pesto paneer bruschetta, you can be sure you’ll want more.

While you shop, do make sure to practise social distancing

Get in Touch

Bangalore
3rd floor, Vaswani Victoria, 30 Victoria Road, Bangalore – 47
Phone – 080 49110000

Mumbai
601, Sant Nivas, 14th Road Corner, Khar West, Mumbai
Email – sales@vaswanigroup.com
www.vaswanigroup.com