3 Best Ways of Making Hot Chocolate!

Brrrr...It’s cold! With dark, grey clouds blotting out the morning sun here in Pakistan and the polar vortex running amok over the US, we wanted to give everyone a break from the cold and share some rather delicious recipes with you all. Nothing says ‘comfort’ quite like a mug of delicious hot chocolate and a good book while you nestle on that comfortable sofa next to the fireplace.

Below are three different ways of making this heavenly delight! 

INGREDIENTS

Method 1 Chocolate Bars	Method 2 Cocoa Powder	Method 3 Chocolate Syrup
170 g of solid chocolate chunks	2-3 spoons of unsweetened powdered cocoa	4 tablespoons of Chocolate Syrup
1 tablespoon of sugar	2-3 tablespoons of sugar	Canned whipped cream
1 cup milk	1 cup milk	1 cup milk
Cream (optional)	Cream	Optional flavorings: vanilla, whipped cream, wafers, sprinkles ,chocolate shavings,mint
Optional flavorings: vanilla, whipped cream, wafers, sprinkles, chocolate shavings, mint	Optional flavorings: vanilla, whipped cream, wafers, sprinkles ,chocolate shavings,mint

 PREPARATION:

Method 1: Chocolate bars

1.       Obtain a good quality chocolate bar from the market and break it into smaller chunks

2.       Place a small pot of water on high heat and put a metal bowl on top. Add the chocolate and stir until fully melted.

3.       Add cream at 1:1 to the chocolate and stir, effectively making a ganache.

4.       Add any additional flavorings to the ganache while stirring in the cream.

5.       Using the boil method should make it more difficult to burn your chocolatey goodness, but be careful with the bowl as it will get hot!

2.       Add milk, whisking continuously.Garnish with whatever you wish, such as mint leaves, cinnamon sticks, or whipped cream, it's going to be delicious!

Method 2: Cocoa powder

1.       Take cocoa powder ,sugar and a little water in a pan and whisk until perfectly combined over medium heat. Be sure to use hot water only.

2.       Stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a boil. Stop stirring, reduce the heat to medium low, and let the mixture boil for 2 minutes.

3.       Add flavorings at this point.

4.       Slowly add in the milk, stirring to blend. Heat the cocoa until it's very hot, but do not allow it to boil.

5.       Serve it up!

Method 3: Chocolate syrup

This method is our ultimate favorite!

1.       Put four tablespoons (or to taste) of Hershey chocolate syrup in a cup.

2.       Squirt in whipped cream to about halfway up the cup. If there is no whipped cream available, powdered sugar and vanilla extract works just as well.

3.       Mix the whipped cream and chocolate together with a spoon.

4.       Add hot milk of your choice to the above mixture and stir thoroughly with a spoon.

5.       Add whipped cream on top applying in a circular motion ending up with a very pretty mini mountain.

6.       Using a spoon dipped in the chocolate syrup drizzle over the whipped cream.

7.       Finished. Sip slowly while you enjoy your favorite TV show.

So there you have it; three ways of making the perfect winter beverage. We hope this post had been informative for all the chocoholics reading this. Do try out the recipes and let us know how your chocolate treat turned out, we’d love to hear from you!

Lights, Camera, Sparkle!

Let’s begin with wishing a very "Happy New Year" to all of the wonderful people out there. 2014 just stepped in and yes its getting chillier with each passing day! The cold wave has taken over the country but stepping out cannot be avoided so we've come up with a way to glam you up this winter.

A new year means a fresh start, so we decided to mix and match a few accessories and cosmetic products with this beautiful formal shirt by Daaman, ideal for the night out with family and friends.Below is what we have in mind for a drop-dead-diva look.

1. NYX Matte Lipstick in Perfect Red :This season we are fixated on bright and bold pouts. The lipstick that we have selected is NYX Matte in Perfect Red  , highly pigmented , long lasting with pure matte finish. Perfect shade to make your lips pop.

2. Gold & Coloured Stone Earrrings:

These dangly burgundy stoned chandelier earrings are essential to complete the look you are going for.Wear your hair in a stylish updo to show off these stunners!

 

3. Crystal Embellished Satin Pumps:

Stilettos’ are an absolute must-have for every girl on this planet. Covered in light reflecting micro-crystals, these shoes make an elegant statement.

4. MAC Eye Kohl:

The idea here is to line the eyes with a soft eye liner pencil that glides on smoothly for a silky smooth matte/pearl finish.

 Line your upper and lower lash-line with sufficient amount of kohl to make them prominent though we wouldn’t recommend a cat eye look or a winged eye liner with this pencil, for such looks you can always use gel or liquid eye-liners.

5. Baked Eye-Shadow Palette By E.L.F :

The baked eye shadow palette that we have selected here is by E.L.F but obviously you can use any good- quality eye shadow. Keep the eye shade a little nude and brown because we already have a prominent lip shade.

6. Rebbeca Minkoff Leather Metallic Shoulder Bag:

Don’t we all have a secret craving for Shoulder bags?! Yes we do. A gold shoulder bag would add glamour and finesse to the entire look.

7. Guerlin Cils Denfer Maxilash Mascara

Now what we need here is a product to create a maximum volume curl and hold, yes girls apply a heavy dose of this magic on outer edges of the top and bottom lashes for an intense, provocative and hypnotic look.

8. Nail Enamel By NARS In Oxblood Red:

Rose tinted lips are incomplete without a fancy nail paint ladies. And since oxblood red has dominated the FALL 2012 runways with its gorgeous mixture of burgundy and scarlet we want you to check out this vampy nail polish and tint your fingertips with the dramatic shade.

We've reviewed quite a few products here but if applied in the right quantity and manner paired with a beautiful smile would definitely stun everyone you meet! Hope you enjoyed our review and please leave your valuable comments behind, stay tuned for more! 

Winter Haven!

Winters are here and we are talking about how to keep warm, stay on trend and be your stylish self – all at the same time! You think that’s hard? We think it’s a piece of cake with these lovely designs that we have in store for you!

If you love jackets - and let’s face it, who doesn’t really?  They make a design look hip, edgy or simply classy. Try out this slim fit twill jacket design that is stylishly cut and will do you just ice for any formal event as well.  Try Jacket Up or Modern Lines, with a solid black jacket and printed shirt that will hit the stores really soon. So don't miss out on it! 

If you’re the type of girl that loves cosy sweaters and warming up your toes in front of a warm fire and hot chocolate in hand, you are definitely going to love Elegantly Wrapped and Hold Me Close cotton knit designs. With sleek straight lines – these comfortable designs will make you feel elegant and fashion forward at the same time!

Off beat designs catch your eye straight away and you know exactly what you want and how to make it Shawl Night Long is a spectacular addition to your winter wardrobe and super stylish with its cowl neck and bold cuffed sleeves. Slip into this classy number and head out to a movie and dinner date in style or host your own winter rooftop party for your friends! 

Dress To Impress!

There are some dresses that stay in our minds long after the moment is gone! Here are three of the dresses that belong in the fashion hall of fame that we totally love! From the archives of music, fashion or film, whether famous for their association with a specific celebrity, event or simply a snapshot in time these dresses wow, dazzle and make our hearts skip a beat with sheer delight!

Audrey Hepburn

There's almost no dress more iconic than the Givenchy sheath that Holly Golightly, played by Audrey Hepburn, wore to go window shopping at her favorite jewelry store in Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961). Paired with a pearl necklace, elbow-length black gloves, a tiara, a pair of dark sunglasses and a cup of deli coffee, Hepburn's look continues to define New York chic.

And if you'd like to try something just as structured and in lovely basic black, we'd love to suggest this fine LBD that is bound to catch admiring glances!

Julia Roberts

The most romantic scene in Pretty Woman (1990) is not when Julia Roberts' character, Vivian Ward, first kisses the debonair Edward Lewis, played by Richard Gere. Rather, it's when she appears transformed, Cinderella style, in an elegant red dress. The finishing touch? A diamond-and-ruby necklace.

Something red is just the right thing to get someone's attention though, isn't it, ladies? Go the extra mile and steal the scene, quite literally with this amazing red ensemble!

Marilyn Monroe

When William Travilla designed the white dress Marilyn Monroe wore over a subway grate in The Seven Year Itch (1955), he probably didn't realize it would become the centerpiece of one of the most reproduced images in film history. The design went on to fetch a price of $5.6 million at an auction in 2011.

Go easy, breezy with this version of a toga in cream color and style with braided headbands for the Greek Goddess look!

Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth this Eid!

Ramzan is almost at an end and we now into the final week and looking forward to celebrate Eid! And you know the best part of Ramzan has to be the fun at the end: preparing all kinds of sweet delicacies for Eid ul Fitr and enjoying them with our loved ones!

New deserts come and go, but some traditional ones remain top favorites indeed, just like sheer khurma with us. We’ve rounded up some of the best treats from around the world… and they already have our mouth watering!

Baklava: In the Middle East one of the most popular sweets is 'baklava', a crispy dessert made with layers of phyllo pastry, nuts and a sweet sugary syrup. In Turkey, this dessert is almost as popular as the country's famous Turkish delights.

Cakes and Pancakes: Delicacies like 'basbousa', a sweet semolina cake, or 'kunafa', a specialty of Nablus reign supreme in Palestine, which is a pastry filled with cream and garnished with crushed pistachio nuts and sugar syrup. 'Qatayef’, a special dessert that is a mini pancake filled with sweet cheese or nuts with cinnamon and sugar, fried or baked and then soaked in sugar syrup is really famous in Arab countries.

Cookies: In Egypt, cookies remain a top favorite. NoEid is complete without 'kahka', cookies filled with nuts and covered with powdered sugar. In Palestine, ‘hab el hal’ (cardamon) cookies are popular during Eid celebrations. Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei favor a common pineapple-filled variety that melts in the mouth.

But besides the sweets that will come our way and the eidi that we will receive, the other best part about Eid is getting to dress up in new clothes – a very important tradition too! And if you’re still on the lookout for that special dress that makes all the difference in the world, do make sure to check out our formals range and place your order. So little time left till the celebrations start and we are so looking forward to it!

Fun, Flirty Summer Hair Dos!

Summer is in full swing and we have just the way to help you work your way around – or shall we say work 'with' the humidity! Ladies you are in luck! Runways all over the world are celebrating curly hair – learn to work with your natural hair texture and let the fun times begin now!

We’ve chosen a couple of styles for you to play around with that just absolutely took our breath away.

Braided Up

Braids are still huge this summer and the weather is just perfect to get the texturized look! Here's how to make a fishtail version similar to Jennifer Morrison's: Divide your hair in half and hold the left side in your left hand and the right side in your right hand. Pull a half-inch section of hair from outside the right side and add it to the inside of the left side. Repeat with a piece from the outside of the left side, adding it to the inside of the right side. Continue down to your ends, and secure with an elastic. Position the braid over your shoulder and tug out a few pieces for a breezy effect.

Beachy Waves

Kate Hudson's tousled style is sexy year-round, and now you have the warm, humid air to help enhance your natural texture. To get the look, divide damp hair into three sections and loosely braid each. Unravel your locks when they're dry, then set your waves with a texturizing spray.

Top Knot

On those days that it's SO hot you have to get your hair off your neck, copy Krysten Ritter's messy-but-cute topknot. Flip your head over and use your fingers to rake your hair into the highest ponytail possible. The trick is not to make the top of your hair smooth — the more texture, the better. Wrap your hair around the base of the pony and pin so your ends stick out.

Play around with your hair and try some of these fun looks for a whole different you - and ladies, about time you love your curls!!

Our Favorite Grammy Looks!

This year, even if the Grammys sent out a memo for “appropriate attire”, most of the glamorous stars ignored this memo... but who are we to complain about that! We rounded up three of the hottest looks off the red carpet for your viewing pleasure!

There was Kelly Rowland in a beautiful black Georges Chakra mermaid gown with shear cut outs that  were clearly not a part of the new Grammys “Dress Code”. Regardless, the dress was absolutely breath taking, and showed off just enough to keep us guessing and that halter neckline shows off her sculpted arms. Simple hair and makeup and gorgeous earrings top off a stunning look.

Rihanna surprised us by wearing something so romantic (no comment, however, on her romantic choices). Her crimson Azzedine Alaia gown showed off her toned upper body and complemented her ombré hair while the dreamy train was pure glamour.

We totally loved Taylor Swift looking ethereal and goddess-like in her white J. Mendel gown accented with silver cutouts… and it was a total win with her braided up-do.   

These are the top three that we chose after much debate at work and boy, we sure wanted to add a lot of other names to the list. As an honorary mention, we did love the clash witchy Florence Welch's red hair had with her green sequined Givenchy number, though we would personally have liked it a little more elegant.... 

And, as a special mention, did anyone see Justin Timberlake in the Tom Ford suit and bow-tie? The man really can do no wrong!